Author - Jerry Paxton

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood Gameplay Trailer

With Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood releasing on February 4, 2021, NACON and Cyanide are pleased to unveil a 6-minute gameplay video featuring the game’s exploration, stealth and brutal action. For the release of this video, Julien “Patch” Desourteaux, Game Director at Cyanide, provides insight into the game’s development, and its roots in the World of Darkness – a shared story universe where supernatural beings roam hidden from human’s sight.

The biggest challenge for Cyanide was implementing all the mechanics for an action RPG: designing the combat systems, balancing the effects, working on different types of animations, and more… When the main character, Cahal, shifts to his Crinos form, players must feel like a bestial predator. Thus, a “stance” system was implemented so players can switch between agility and ferocity according to the situation.

The team went to considerable effort to create a visceral beat’em up game while staying faithful to the original tabletop roleplaying game. In Werewolf: The Apocalypse, the Garou are warriors of Gaia, the Mother Earth, and are fighting to save the planet from the Wyrm’s corruption. This aspect of the game is visible when the players explore environments like an overexploited forest, an arid desert or an offshore oil rig.


Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood is the first action-RPG game adapted from the eponymous horror franchise. Mature, brutal, and complex, it invites the player to embody Cahal throughout his quest of bloody redemption. He’ll play an essential role in the great war led by the Garou against Endron, a global corporation whose activities are devastating the natural world.

Werewolf : The Apocalypse – Earthblood will be available February 4, 2021 on PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Epic Game Store).

ARK II and Animated Series Trailers

Introducing the two world premiere trailers announcing ARK II, a sequel to the popular dinosaur action-adventure game ARK: Survival Evolved, and “ARK: The Animated Series,” an original TV series based on the hit franchise currently in production!

The Wildcard team also revealed that acclaimed actor and devoted ARK fan, Vin Diesel, will join the Studio Wildcard production team as the President of Creative Convergence, acting as executive producer of both “ARK II” and “ARK: The Animated Series.” Diesel will also lend his voice talents as Santiago, a fully rendered hero protagonist, who will cross over from the newly announced video game sequel to the animated television series.

ARK: The Animated Series features an extraordinary voice cast, including Gerard Butler (300), Michelle Yeoh (Crazy Rich Asians), Devery Jacobs (American Gods), Madeleine Madden (The Wheel of Time), Deborah Mailman (Total Control), Zahn McClarnon (Doctor Sleep), Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange), Elliot Page (The Umbrella Academy), Ragga Ragnars (Vikings), David Tennant (Good Omens), Karl Urban (The Boys), Jeffrey Wright (Westworld), and Russell Crowe (Gladiator).

Six Flags Great Adventure Extends Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience

Due to overwhelming demand, Six Flags Great Adventurethe World’s Ultimate Thrill Park, announces an extension of its new winter drive-thru spectacular, Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience. Featuring more than a million dazzling lights, festive holiday theming, and seasonal music favorites, this innovative, one-of-a-kind, nighttime event will operate Monday through Sunday evenings Jan. 4 through 10, 2021. While the thrill of the park’s iconic roller coasters, festive fire pits, and delicious holiday treats will operate weekends and select days through Jan. 3, this unique Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience will now offer an extra week for guests to celebrate the spirit of the season from the comfort and safety of their own vehicles.

As one of the largest holiday drive-thru events in the Northeast and the only one inside a theme park, the Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience includes 12 immersive, distinctly different areas throughout the 140-acre theme park filled with an exquisite palette of colorful twinkling lights, live entertainment, and festive music. Guests enjoy distanced greetings from beloved holiday characters decked out for the holidays, popular iconic holiday decorations, and much more.

Highlights of the new Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience include:

  • Jolly Jamboree: The journey begins in this new section for 2020 which features live entertainment, twinkling trees, and a red sky pathway;
  • Holiday Heroes: Patriotic colors and projected stars signify the start of Holiday Heroes, a section home to some of the most iconic, hero-themed thrill rides. Guest cross the Metropolis-Narrows Bridge adorned with shimmering garland, and pass a dazzling and bold red, white and blue-wrapped tree;
  • Holiday Memories: Traditional red, white and green décor evokes the warm memories of the holidays in this charming section featuring a glistening tree, festive wreaths, and glowing mistletoe balls swinging gently from the trees above;
  • North Pole: This section transforms into a kaleidoscope of color with Santa’s House – completely engulfed in lights – anchoring the center while two massive nutcrackers stand guard outside, and dancing lights travel around the Bumper Cars pavilion;
  • Polar Point: Guests pass the 15-story Big Wheel, illuminated in lavender, to enter a world of brilliant, ice-blue trees offering the illusion of falling snow;
  • A Main Street Christmas: Located in the heart of the park, this Main Street reminiscent of a colonial Christmas is home to a spectacular, five-story, LED tree and gently-falling snow;
  • Gingerbread Junction: This feast for the eyes features the Carousel pavilion’s exciting light show, peppermint swirl-wrapped trees, and giant, peppermint light projections;
  • Poinsettia Peak: The section is awash in bold red tones with a beautiful tree comprised of poinsettias. Poinsettia projection lights and Skull Mountain, illuminated in red, complete this area;
  • Holly Jolly Christmas: Guests will feel the chill as they pass Polar Point on their way toward THE JOKER, where Holly Jolly Christmas offers traditional red and green decor and a massive Santa inflatable;
  • Joy to the World: Next, the warm, yellow glow of wrapped trees frame tranquil luminaries highlighting religious holidays from around the world along the still, moonlit Great Lake. Then, guests will journey over massive snowflake light projections under dramatically illuminated trees and continue through the dazzling Twinkle Tunnel;
  • Snowman City: Standing tall – extremely tall — the jolly, three-story inflatable snowman known as Stewey welcomes guests to Snowman City, punctuated by bright white lights and shimmering tinsel; and
  • Deck the Halls: The journey draws to a close in the Boardwalk section as guests pass iconic roller coasters, larger-than-life illuminated presents, and twinkling, oversized tree trimmings.

All guests are required to make a reservation for Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience at www.sixflags.com/reserve. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis and will be sold per person for each night. Admission is free with active Memberships and Season Passes, and reservations are required. Ticket sales will not be available at the gate. The event and its live entertainment are weather permitting.

The safety of guests and team members is always Six Flags’ top priority. The new Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience offers a contactless experience that follows CDC, state, and county health and safety guidelines. To prevent overcrowding and provide proper social distancing, a limited number of cars will be allowed each night.

Event requirements include use of masks if windows are down, no smoking, littering, stopping, or exiting vehicles. Due to the limited size of certain areas and terrain within the theme park, only cars, SUVs, vans, and pick-up trucks are permitted. No busses, RVs, commercial vehicles, dually pick-up trucks, trailers, or motorcycles will be allowed.  A maximum speed of three mph, and maintaining a safe distance between cars, will be strictly enforced.

As part of Six Flags’ comprehensive safety procedures, all employees are required to wear masks and are temperature-checked and health-screened each day. Gloves are worn as appropriate, per guidelines. Six Flags encourages guests to plan accordingly for restroom breaks, gasoline, and food. Portable restrooms are available at the entrance and exit. For the full Holiday in the Park experience, including world-class thrill rides, festive treats, holiday shopping, fire pits, live entertainment and more, guests are encouraged to plan their visit weekends and select days through Jan. 3, 2020.

For more information on Six Flags Great Adventure’s Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru, and the traditional Holiday in the Park event, visit www.sixflags.com/greatadventure

Evil West Reveal Trailer

Flying Wild Hog and Focus Home Interactive are excited to announce Evil West, a new solo and co-op action game set in a weird, dark fantasy, Wild West universe. In its exhilarating reveal trailer, you’ll meet vampire hunter Jesse Rentier and the bloodthirsty monstrosities he hunts. Evil West is expected to arrive on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC in 2021.

A dark menace consumes the American frontier. As one of the last agents of a top-secret vampire-hunting institute, you are the final line between humanity and a deep-rooted terror that now emerges from the shadows. Rise up to become a Wild West superhero, eradicate the vampire threat and save the United States!

Unleash hell in style with your firearms, lightning-fueled gauntlet, and gadgets in visceral, explosive combat as a lone hunter or with a friend in co-op. Explore and fight in a narrative-driven campaign while upgrading your weapons and hunting tools. Unlock new perks to evolve your monster-slaying mastery, crafting your own playstyle to defeat the supernatural hordes.

Evil West is available to wishlist on Steam. Visit the official website for more information and register to receive newsletters.

Scarlet Nexus The Game Awards Trailer

A new trailer for SCARLET NEXUS, an upcoming Action-RPG from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., premiered during last night’s Game Awards and revealed a release window of Summer 2021 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC via STEAM.

Play as Yuito Sumeragi or Kasane Randall and experience each character’s unique perspectives on events within the larger SCARLET NEXUS storyline. Team up with a colorful cast of characters and strike down otherworldly enemies with powerful and kinetic psychic attacks in a vibrant “Brain Punk” future that combines Japanese anime and Western sci-fi aesthetics.

The new trailer can be found at the following YouTube link:

 

Frostpoint VR Launch Trailer

Frostpoint VR: Proving Grounds is now available worldwide on Oculus Rift Store. A visceral new sci-fi PvPvE tactical shooter, Frostpoint VR: Proving Grounds gives players a chance to test their strategy and marksmanship skills against an onslaught of enemies, across maps and game modes in the vast arctic tundra. Set in an abandoned military base in Antarctica, each team will need to gear up and set out to dominate the opposing team while protecting themselves from terrifying biomechanical creatures. Frostpoint VR: Proving Grounds is available globally on Oculus and Steam in seven languages for $24.99 USD.

Download Frostpoint VR: Proving Grounds today:
Oculus Store: https://www.oculus.com/experiences/rift/3049889095129583/
Steam Store: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1176640/Frostpoint_VR_Proving_Grounds/

In celebration of its official launch, players can also join a a multi-week Leaderboard Challenge event 1 in Frostpoint VR: Proving Grounds where the top five winners will be rewarded with prizes, including a GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card from NVIDIA, an Oculus Quest 2, Amazon gift cards, and game T-Shirt. To learn more about the event, visit https://frostpointvr.thirdverse.io/leaderboardchallenge.html.

Frostpoint VR: Proving Grounds is a team-based multiplayer shooter that pits two sides against each other in intense PvP game modes, with a unique PvE twist. Set in an abandoned military base in Antarctica, each team will need to gear up and set out to dominate the opposing team while protecting themselves from terrifying biomechanical creatures.

Evil Dead: The Game Reveal Trailer

At The Game Awards this evening, Saber Interactive and Boss Team Games revealed Evil Dead: The Game, an upcoming co-op and PvP multiplayer title in development for PC, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

For the first time ever, the Evil Dead universe comes together in one over-the-top experience starring boomstick-brandishing, chainsaw-wielding horror hero Ashley J. Williams. Boss Team Games has entered into an epic collaboration with Renaissance Pictures, STUDIOCANAL, leading entertainment company Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), and global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) to create this one-of-a-kind game.

Based on the “Evil Dead” franchise and characters created by Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, and Bruce Campbell, the game casts players against the forces of evil that have been unleashed from the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, with sights and sounds inspired by the films “The Evil Dead,” “Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn,” and “Army of Darkness,” as well as the STARZ original “Ash vs Evil Dead” television series.

Work together as a team of four survivors, exploring, looting, crafting, managing your fear, and finding key artifacts to seal the breach between worlds. Or take control of the powerful Kandarian Demon to hunt Ash and his friends while possessing Deadites, the environment, and even the survivors themselves as you seek to swallow their souls!

Plenty of surprises await in this gore-filled battle against evil that captures the characters, horror, humor, and action from the franchise. Battle across memorable locations including the infamous cabin in the woods, brought to life with tons of terrifying visuals and all-new dialogue from Bruce Campbell. Discover more than 25 weapons, including Ash’s Gauntlet, Boomstick, and chainsaw, and advance in a variety of skill trees to grow stronger and survive in this fun co-op and PvP experience.

“I’m excited to be strapping on the chainsaw one more time,” said Bruce Campbell, who has given life to Ashley J. Williams across multiple films and the recent STARZ original “Ash vs Evil Dead” television series. “Boss Team and Saber Interactive are planning a huge immersive dealio, and I knew I had to come back. You’ll be able to step into my shoes and kick some Deadite ass!”

For more information, visit www.EvilDeadtheGame.com, and follow the game on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EvilDeadTheGame, Twitter @EvilDeadTheGame and Instagram @EvilDeadTheGame.

Spooky & Adventure Bundle Coming to Planet Coaster: Console Edition

Frontier Developments plc (AIM: FDEV) today announced the Spooky & Adventure Bundle is coming to console, bringing an abundance of spooktacular chills and adventurous thrills to Planet Coaster: Console Edition.

Launching to critical acclaim, Planet Coaster: Console Edition has charmed players and critics alike with its captivating creativity options, whimsical soundtrack and immersive ways to play, all brought together with a hearty dose of coaster park magic. Adding to the already available Deluxe Rides Collection, the Spooky & Adventure Bundle offers players even more ways to entertain and excite their guests, from enigmatic entertainers to spine-tingling new attractions, along with a whole host of new scenery and building pieces.

Featuring two new dark rides, spine-chilling scenery and building pieces, and eerie entertainer, King Ghoster, the Spooky Pack provides players with everything they need to build a frighteningly good coaster park. Guests will get the fright of their lives with The Hoax, a free-spinning haunted house ride that can fit in even the smallest spaces with its tight track that twists and turns, while The Huntsman will have guests in a spin with its unique way of tilting and turning as it rotates on an axis. This motion platform ride allows players to coordinate stomach-knotting moments as they place guests face-to-face with unearthly horrors. Whether expanding their existing park or building an entirely new one, players can thrill guests with surprises lurking around every dark corner. From misty graveyards where spirits linger, to haunted houses filled with scuttling rats and rattling skeletons, park-goers will need nerves of steel to brave their new surroundings.

Those looking to inject a little more adventure into their parks can heed the call of the wild and hit the jungle trail with the Adventure Pack. Boasting a thrilling new coaster, two new water-based attractions, jungle-inspired scenery and building pieces, and queen of the jungle herself, entertainer Renee Feu, thrill seekers are well equipped to transform their parks into glorious lands of mystery.

Make a splash with Island Adventure, a high-capacity boat ride designed for large bodies of water, or take guests on a charming trip along bespoke waterways scattered with paddling hippos, clawing scorpions, and numerous decorative jewels, with Land Ahoy. The pack’s dizzying mine cart coaster, Gold Fever, will delight intrepid explorers as they tilt and sway through curious caves and into the heart of a temple filled with surprises galore to discover.

Both packs contain an abundance of fresh scenery. With piece-by-piece construction, players can position, rotate, and intersect any object in the game, designing the coaster park of their dreams. They can also choose from a wide variety of blueprints, adding pre-made scenery, decorations, and animatronics to their parks. From risky rope brides to all manner of jungle fauna, many of the pieces here are versatile enough to fit in any park, ready to be shaped, positioned, and customised.

Players can also take full advantage of the brand new Frontier Workshop. This is an entirely new sharing platform built from the ground up on console. It enables players to inspire and be inspired as they share their creations with the world. And with cross-generation support, anything uploaded on a current-gen console can also be downloaded on its next-gen equivalent, resulting in an endless stream of magical content to discover.

The Spooky & Adventure Bundle is out now for Planet Coaster: Console Edition on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5 for a suggested retail price of £11.99/$14.99/€12.99. The packs are also available for purchase individually for a suggested retail price of £7.99/$9.99/€9.99.

The ESA Hosts Say Goodbye to 2020 For Good Streaming Event

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) Foundation is rallying the video game community to “Say Goodbye to 2020 For Good” by hosting a week-long streaming event featuring influencers and esports teams raising money for important causes. The event is supported by Google Play, as well as Twitch, which will match funds across its platform. The event runs from Monday, Dec. 14 through Friday, Dec. 18 and will be streamed live on Twitch and YouTube.

“The goal of next week’s charity livestream is to bring the video game community together to support those who need it most during these difficult times,” says Anastasia Staten, executive director of the ESA Foundation. “We are joining together with well-known streamers and esports personalities to say goodbye to 2020 in a way that will help so many in 2021. With the support of our sponsors and partners, we hope to make a dramatic impact on some very important causes.”

A handful of personalities will participate in a Fortnite tournament with a $100K charity prize pool, taking place Monday, Dec. 14 at 4:30 p.m. ET. Other big name streamers will raise money playing their favorite games for a variety of charities serving the needs of various communities. Among those charities are Black Girls Code, No Kid Hungry, Project Tomorrow, Rise Above the Disorder, The Trevor Project and Warfighter Engaged.

Confirmed streamers so far include Rooster Teeth, Queens Gaming Collective which includes Xmiramira, AvaGG, BunnyMightGameU, KaylaDeLancey, helloiamkate, BlackKrystel and MaidofMight, OMGitsFireFoxx, James and Elyse Willems, LaurenZside, Reckless Tortuga, Bruce Greene, di3sel, daye, Lawrence Sonntag, ayChristene, Hutch and Mr. Sark. Viewers can donate directly by visiting Goodbye4Good.org or by following the directions from the streams.

The ESA Foundation will be a beneficiary as well. For 20 years, the Foundation has leveraged the power of the video game industry to support educational opportunities for students of all ages. Since 2007, it has operated a scholarship program providing underrepresented college students with financial and professional development opportunities to turn their dreams of making video games into a career.

More details, including an up-to-date schedule, can be found at ESAFoundation.org/Say-Goodbye-to-2020-For-Good, and follow the hashtag #gg2020 on social media to catch all the highlights.

Cyberpunk 2077 Official Launch Trailer

CD PROJEKT RED welcomes gamers across the world to Night City with the official launch of Cyberpunk 2077 — the studio’s latest open-world, action-adventure RPG.

In Cyberpunk 2077, players take on the role of up-and-coming mercenary V in the futuristic megalopolis of Night City — a corporation-ruled city obsessed with technology and body modification. As they chase down a prototype implant which holds the key to immortality, players will meet a cast of multi-layered characters, including rebel rockerboy Johnny Silverhand (played by Keanu Reeves), upgrade their character with ability-altering cyberware, and make difficult choices which will shape the world and story around them.

Cyberpunk 2077 is available to purchase right now on PC via GOG.COM, Steam, and Epic Games Store, as well as on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Stadia. The game is also playable on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 consoles. At a later date, a free upgrade to Cyberpunk 2077, taking full advantage of next-gen hardware, will become available for owners of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions respectively. The GOG.COM and Steam releases of the game additionally feature streaming via NVIDIA GeForce NOW.