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Wayne’s World Review

Mateja Simovic
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Wayne’s World Review

Wayne’s World

Studios: NBC Films
Publisher: Paramount Pictures
Platforms: Cinema
Release Date: Out Now 

Overview

I remember first seeing Wayne’s World back in my high school days when a friend of mine wanted to show me his favourite film. I didn’t think much of it then but I have changed a lot since then and so was willing to give it another shot when the folks at In the House put on their screening of it. So I grew out my mullet, put on some stairway and sauntered on down to George St cinemas to give the film another go.

The MCs for the evening for Jason ‘Jabba’ Davis and David ‘Quinny’ Quinn In traditional In the House style a very quick and informal with cosplay competition with the winners, a couple dressed as Wayne and Stacy, walking away with speedboating tickets. The two MCs then settled in for a chat before the screening proper started and shared various bits of trivia with the audience. The most interesting tidbit I heard came from Quinny who discussed the surprisingly true basis of Stacy’s gun rack present to Wayne and how it was actually inspired a by real life incident with Myers and his ex-partner. The kicker for me was when Myers brought that ex-partner to the film premier who then proceeded to get upset about the way she was depicted in the film as “A psycho hose beast”.

Story

The film’s narrative follows the two hosts of a fictional public access cable tv show called Wayne’s World named Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey). They live fairly unremarkable lives, hanging out with their friends, going to music gigs, and dreaming of the day that things finally turn their way. Through pure serendipity, they find themselves the objects of attention of a sleazy tv executive, Benjamin (Rob Lowe), who wishes to exploit their show for his own personal gain. The two hosts, star struck by the financial offer held out to them and agree to the terms of his contract without reading the fine print. Will the lure of financial success and all that comes with it get the two friends to sell out or will they be able to find a way to stop themselves from selling out completely?

To say that this movie is self-aware is an understatement; this film has gone on a journey of self-discovery and expanded it’s apprehension of what it’s place in the world is. Characters repeatedly speak to camera in asides and comment upon the action as they break the fourth wall. The film even goes so far as to use it’s self-awareness to create some of its humour with one gag involving sponsorship and product placement featuring incredibly ironic declarations of artistic integrity. This is might become tiresome in another film, but here the characters use it in such a way that it’s charming as well as absurd.

The performances by the two leads is what carries you through the narrative of this entire film which is honestly a bit threadbare. There are a lot of scenes which don’t really lead anywhere or add anything to the main plot which may grating for some people but I’d hazard that most are willing to forgive these tangential digressions because the characters are just so damn charming. Myers’s Wayne is the more assertive of the two but has a wonderful eccentric passion for life which he almost never ceases to share with the audience. Carvey’s Garth, on the other hand, walks a careful line with his character socially awkward almost always being more cute than cringeworthy; it’s no small feat, believe you me. Together, they form a beautiful onscreen chemistry that is warm and compelling to watch. It makes me envious that I don’t have more friendships like the one that Garth and Wayne share. It’s their unbridled enthusiasm for their passions which carry the movie and have earned them a place in the hearts of so many.

A problem I do have with the film’s writing is the romantic subplots with our characters expressing love (generally lust) to the camera. The adolescent way the film approaches this topic can be quite funny such as the pearl of wisdom between the characters that true love is when your partner is unfazed by your vomiting; an idiom which I find hilarious. Where the film falls short is where our protagonists make declarations of attraction to the camera and their intention for said object of attraction (namely Cassandra played by Tia Carrere) to “be mine”. The film plays this for laughs in the same vein as much of it’s metafictive humour but it does not change the fact that it’s there and it’s creepy. This is not the worst instance I’ve seen of this I’ve seen in a film by any stretch but I feel it may be pertinent for some of you to know ahead of time.

Visuals & Audio

The film’s direction follows in the story’s metafictive style and approach but is otherwise not particularly remarkable. The film uses it’s nature as a film to form a large parts of its jokes which it highlights without fail at almost every turn. If a special effect or scene transition is used, it’s generally commented upon and used for comedic effect. It all fits in with the film’s self-aware charm but doesn’t really do much to change the fact that it’s camera work and cinematography is largely quite pedestrian otherwise.

For a film which ostensibly has two metalheads as its’ protagonists, the film is surprisingly sparse when it comes to the actual presence of music itself. Except for one notorious scene of the characters headbanging to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, there aren’t really any particularly noteworthy musical moments which had stuck with me. That being said, there’s no real shortcoming here either; it’s just unremarkable overall.

Overall

Overall, I enjoyed this film and was happy to see it up on the big screen. Our protagonists and their relationship is what makes this film such a cult classic but they still have their problems. The film extensive use of self-aware humour is joke it is able to use even with it’s visual direction without wearing the joke thin. Unfortunately, the film’s soundtrack does not maintain the unique success of it’s writing and is ultimately dull and uninteresting (with one notable headbanging exception). It’s a fun little film which was enjoyable while it lasted but I don’t see myself returning for repeat viewings any time soon.

For other films which In The House is screening, feel free to check out their schedule for the next season here.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

EA to Shut Down Visceral Games

Travis Bruno
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EA to Shut Down Visceral Games

If you happened to be a fan of the Dead Space series, Dante’s Inferno, and the many other games that Visceral Games has worked on in the past, including the previously announced Star Wars title, then we have some bad news for you. Electronic Arts has announced that it will be closing the Visceral Games studio and will be sending “as many of the team as possible” to other projects being worked on by the company.

EA went on to say that they will be shifting the focus of the Star Wars game from being a “story-based, linear adventure” to one that will likely displease many as it will now be a “broader experience.” Thanks to this shift in developer the title, which was originally going to be released sometime in 2019, will now be released at an unannounced time that EA will detail in the future.

Blue Reflection Review

Travis Bruno
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Blue Reflection Review

Blue Reflection

Developer: Gust
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4 (Reviewed)
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $59.99 USD – Available Here

Overview

Entering high school is generally a difficult time for a teenager. Not only is the pressure to think about your future at an all-time high but certain people already expect you to act like an adult and leave childhood behind. Combine this with psychological changes that many go through as they mature and you can have numerous problems, which is why so high school is one of the most commonly used settings in Japanese media. Blue Reflection happens to be the latest game to try its hand at tackling a high school life but this time it does so a bit differently. Does that make this JRPG worth your time?

Story

Hinako Shirai has always dreamed of being a world class ballet dancer and thanks to her constant practice, she was well on her way to achieving her dream. At least she would have if not for an accident damaged her knee enough that she could no longer dance, though apparently navigating a school with multiple stories is still quite easy for her. Devastated that her life goal has crumbled away, Hinako was left with little hope for the future to the point that she ended up attending a brand new all-girls high school called Hoshinomiya.

It doesn’t take long though for Hinako to end up seeing someone who recognizes her from middle-school but that is when things get strange. As she speaks with this cheerful girl a strange aura appears around her, forcing Hinako into an alternate reality where not only the world around them is different but her leg injury is non-existant. All isn’t great though as a strange creature begins to attack her, but with the help of two mysterious voices Hinako transforms into a magical girl and slays the creature only to be transported back to the normal world as if nothing had happened.

All becomes a bit clearer as she meets with fellow class mates Yuzu and Lime who nickname her Hina and explain to her that they, as well as Hina now, are known as Reflectors. These people are capable of entering into a different layer of reality called the Common which is formed by the collective minds of humanity. Here the Reflectors battle against various creatures and against powerful foes known as Sephirot that can bring destruction to the normal world if left unchecked. They can also help quell the emotions of those around them when they begin to run wild and lead them towards death by gathering fragments of their emotions and help understand the owner better, allowing them to grow closer together as friends and allies. As an added benefit for Hina, Yuzu and Lime state that if she manages to put a stop to the Sephirot completely then her greatest wish may just be granted.

The way that the story is designed happens to be one of the greatest strengths of Blue Reflection. Players will interact with their fellow classmates during their free time to help develop Hina’s relationships with the rest of the girls. Thanks to the wide array of girls you will meet and the issues that they are dealing with there are quite a few developments here that may strike a chord with players who struggled with certain issues as they grew up and thankfully these issues are, for the most part, handled well as Hina tries to help others and grows as a person.

That being said, don’t expect too many major twists to be thrown your way as you make your way through the game. Certain developments are a bit unexpected but for the most part there are plenty of standard magical girl clichés worked into the game and in a few ways this even works into the gameplay elements as well as certain abilities and powering up requires friendship, not fighting, to grow as a person.

Gameplay

In many ways Blue Reflection draws upon certain other titles that feature a clear split between worlds where the characters will battle in one and interact with characters in another. In the normal world Hina can travel around the school and talk with her fellow classmates and teachers, purchase items from the school store, go out with friends to see a movie or eat out, and of course just take it easy if she feels like. There are even little apps such as FreeSpace that allows for extra communication with the characters and a fun little pet-raising mini-game app to sink time into as well. This allows for the school side of things to be the main driving force for at least character development since new events are revealed as your friendship meter is raised with each girl.

On the other side of things we have the Common, where Hina, Lime, and Yuzu will enter into their magical girl forms and do battle against the creatures that exist there. It is worth noting that players will only ever play with these three as the main fighters though other girls do become available as assists that will provide various boosts as you make your way through the game. In the Common enemies roam around the open field and can be attacked ahead of time for advantage and once combat is entered you will take part in a turn based combat system that relies on character stats and delaying skills to push back your opponents’ turn on the timeline.

The combat is handled fairly typically with the girls all having unique support skills, special attacks, and if your “Reflect” gauge happens to be full then you can perform two actions in the same move. These are the basics of combat as it is fairly easy to learn and manage, to the point that playing on normal difficulty left almost every battle being a complete breeze. It is worth noting that even exploring the Common will leave you with very little to see as most of the areas tend to be rather small. That being said, the items you can find from fights and exploring the Common can be used to enhance one of the few ways to strengthen the girls.

What does allow for a unique experience comes in the form of how the Reflectors power up. One element comes from the “Fragments” of emotions that the girls obtain in the Common when clearing up the troubles of their classmates. These can be equipped to the girls to enhance skills and provide various passive effects in combat. The other happens to be the way the girls actually get stronger. Rather than earning experience points from fighting the girls will instead be given ability points when they complete certain tasks. This can be applied to attributes such as Attack, Defense, Support, and Technique and players are even shown ahead of time what skills girls will learn when their points are distributed in certain ways.

Visuals & Audio

One of the best elements in Blue Reflection is just how gorgeous this game looks due in part to the art style the developers have implemented into the game. The art is unmistakably like some of Gust’s classic works with the characters being highly detailed when they enter combat in their magical girl uniforms and the simple character designs that straddle the anime line that is used for school segments. This works well considering the high amount of cutscenes that are worked into the game as they are all handled with a cinematic style that allows for players to feel like they are watching a character drama and this is handled perfectly. In fact, even the user interface for combat and enhancing your characters in the real world is wonderfully designed.

It is worth noting that thanks to Blue Reflection only featuring Japanese voice work that the game is subtitled only and unfortunately the translation work is a bit rough. The meaning of the work is conveyed just fine but it definitely needed to be combed over a bit more as numerous sentences just end up sounding completely wrong and even a few misspellings appear here and there. At one point Lime’s name is even translated as Raimu rather than the localization that the company had went for up to that point.

The voice acting is kept as Japanese only but this is for the best as the heavily Japanese aesthetic would seem a bit odd when paired with English voice actors and thankfully the Japanese cast handles their roles well. The soundtrack is another element that is exceptionally well done as there never seemed to be a song that was out of place whether it was taking part in a boss battle, exploring the school, or relaxing with Hina’s friends.

Overall

Blue Reflection can be said to be one of Gust’s best looking games in some time thanks to the soft color palette and chosen art style, pair that with an easy to understand combat system that is, unfortunately, a bit too easy to breeze past and you have a game with a fairly predictable storyline that happens to be filled with great character moments.  Though it still is a bit rough in certain areas, JRPG fans looking for something a bit different will find Blue Reflection to be a fairly simple and enjoyable experience

New Fall Update for Xbox One Available for Everyone Today

Philip Federico
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New Fall Update for Xbox One Available for Everyone Today

It’s been a busy and exciting summer for everyone at Team Xbox. Back in August we gave you a first look at the fall update for Xbox One, and we showed off the new Home, Guide and Community tabs. Since then, we’ve been working with Xbox Insiders to gather feedback, test and refine new features that we’re releasing worldwide starting today. As gamers, we like to play and watch content the way we want, with the people we want. With this update, our fans asked for more personalization options and we’ve put more control in their hands. Here’s a rundown of the new features.

You can personalise your “Home” more than ever before: You can…

  • Make Home uniquely yours. Add your favourite games, friends, Xbox Live Gold, Xbox Game Pass, and more directly to your Home screen with a new concept that we call blocks. Once you’ve added blocks, you can remove or change the order of the blocks as you see fit.
  • Have up to 40 pins! All these pins will appear in the Pin block on Home, as well as the Pins flyout in the new Guide!
  • Easily discover new things, such as friend activities, leaderboards, LFG posts, tips, quick links to Game Hubs, across both your console and Xbox Live at the top of Home.
  • Choose dark, light, or high-contrast theme option in Settings.

You’ll experience a fast, powerful and convenient Guide:

  • It’s now faster and easier to move left and right through horizontal tabs with the left thumb stick or bumpers.
  • When you bring up Guide while in an active party or broadcast, Guide will automatically open the party or broadcast section by default for faster access to controls.
  • New “Friends in games” flyout informs you of friends playing the same game.
  • Game invites will show up in the Multiplayer tab of the Guide.
  • The new Tournaments section in the Multiplayer tab of the Guide provides a quick portal into the official and community tournaments that you’ve joined. Enjoy more Xbox Arena tournament options with the addition of new titles.

Don’t worry about missing any actions when you step away from your console:

  • With the enhanced notification system, when your Xbox One is idle, time-sensitive activities and status are visible from far away.
  • The screen-dimming functionality has also been updated to better prevent screen ghosting, both when the screen is dimmed and when it’s showing notification snapshots of what’s happening on Xbox Live.
  • The newly redesigned Game Hub Welcome tab now features a summary of all the great content around the game on one page.
  • Profiles now enable faster access to recent activity. You can now easily manage who sees your activity feed content through the “Others can see your activity feed” privacy setting.
  • See more content at a glance with new Community feed, and view screenshots and game clips in an immersive, full-screen view.

Get a head start on Xbox One X (Launch Day Nov 7): Your console setup experience will be quicker for both new users and upgraders. There are new options to help save time when moving from one Xbox One to another (including Xbox One X), so you can get back to playing faster.

  • Transfer your games to an external drive so you can connect it to your new console and play immediately. Just unplug the drive from your current console, plug it in to your new one, and you’re ready to go.
  • Existing Xbox One owners can back up their games and console settings to an external drive so that they’re ready to be applied to the new console during setup.
  • Copy your games and apps over your home network from one console to another via network transfer.
  • Bulk transfer will allow you to select and transfer as many games as you want all at once.
  • You’ll be able to download 4K content for some games ahead of time to your Xbox One or Xbox One S, so that you’re ready to transfer Xbox One X Enhanced games to your new console on day one.
  • You can easily discover Xbox One X Enhancedtitles in the Store, and developers can optimize game delivery by making sure that 4K assets are installed only for Xbox One X.
  • You’ll be able to sort and filter your Installed and Ready to Install games library to find Xbox One X Enhanced titles.

Discover and Create Engaging Content:

  • The Mixer tab on the dashboard will now display broadcast previews so you can see what’s going on in popular streams before you join them.
  • If your bandwidth supports a 1080p broadcast, we will upgrade it automatically for your Xbox One family of devices.
  • The Broadcast & Capture tab in Guide is also now more deeply integrated with Mixer. Once you start a Broadcast, a new flyout will appear that includes your profile stats.
  • You can also use a USB webcam to broadcast yourself alongside your gameplay on Mixer, or to have a 1:1 or group video chat with friends using Skype.
  • GameDVR will now be able to capture up to 4K/HDR screenshots and game clips on Xbox One X, and you’ll be able to capture content directly to an external hard drive.

Other big features include…

  • You can get personalized tips & help, smart notifications, community tips, & troubleshooting through the new Xbox Assist App.
  • You can also change your console language to select right-to-left languages – Arabic & Hebrew– in the Xbox Settings menu.
  • You will also see a new Microsoft Store logo and name in the Xbox dashboard, providing you with a simpler experience when you download and buy the latest products and content from Microsoft and its partners, including hardware, games, entertainment, apps and more.

It’s been an incredible journey for the entire team at Xbox as we worked to bring you this update. Thanks as always to our fans and Xbox Insiders for the valuable feedback. Be sure to keep letting us know what you think at Xbox feedback. We’ll have even more great features coming very soon! See you on Xbox Live.

ELEX Review

Admir Brkic
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ELEX Review

ELEX

Developer: Piranha Bytes
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Format: PC (Reviewed)
Release Date: 17 Oct 2017
Price: $49.99USD – Available Here

Overview

ELEX starts off with an interesting setting, mixing the old and new. Medieval and technological. Magic and raw steel. Already a ticket to success if that would be all that it takes for a decent RPG game. So let’s delve deeper to see if the setting lives up to my imagination as well as the other elements.

Story

Enter the world of Magelan, a peaceful realm up until the point when one giant meteor crashed and killed all the dinosa-….wait, that’s not it. No dinosaurs to exterminate in Magelan, but it did create some significant damage to everyone and anything in it. It also brought something with it. ELEX (omg that’s the name of the game!). ELEX is a material that, depending on who uses it, can power machines, give the gift of magic or do some nasty things to you if you use it too much. Everything comes with a price. Speaking of who uses it, there are three main factions you’ll encounter (and sometimes fight against) in Magelan. Berserkers, Outlaws and Clerics. Then there’s also the big baddies known as Albs. Being devoted too much to this space crack known as ELEX, it left Albs emotionless and always in search to find and consume more of it. They manage to exercise some self-control since constant abuse of it would lead you to slowly turning into a blueish brain-dead zombie. You play as Jax, one of the members of Albs, who is left stranded in the wild by them after failing his last mission. While you’re lying down unconscious, someone managed to steal all your belongings (including that fancy Albs armor) but on the positive note, during that sleepy time you’re way less dependant on ELEX now. So after waking up, it’s time to find some basic equipment, get yourself familiar with everyone and everything in Magalan, gather some companions and bring more havoc into the already ravaged world.

Gameplay

Combat in ELEX is a classic example of something starting nice but leaving much to be desired. Basic fighting mechanics consists of parrying your opponents, rolling out of their reach and combining basic & heavy combo attacks for good damage. That all sounds good if it weren’t for the clankiest combat in an RPG that I’ve played lately. Enemies will sometimes hit you even when it seems you’re out of reach so the best approach is to just circle around them till they use up their stamina (aka Dark Souls tactic) and counter with your combos. Regardless what kind of skills you choose to invest in, the combat always feel like it could be a bit faster. Or maybe everyone in the game is going through major ELEX withdrawals so they don’t feel fighting anymore, not to mention living. At least there is an unusual addition to your character having a jetpack so you can always just fly away from those sluggish fights (and trust me, pretty soon you will want to). Jetpack is a neat little gadget that helps you ignore the fall damage if you activate it just before the fall and cut down going down the mountain(s) significantly. Also, there is no danger in engaging with too many enemies for that sweet exp, since most of the big chunks of experience will come to you via solving quests.

Visuals

One of the things that devs of ELEX said is that the game has” completely seamless open world experience without borders and loading zones for the ultimate exploration experience”. And I have to say, it does feel great standing on top of the mountain and looking at some tiny dot in the distance (which is also a mountain), knowing that you can always walk/sprint/jetpack over it if you feel like it. The world itself feels incredibly alive, with all sorts of characters talking with each other as you pass by, walking around and doing their everyday tasks. Area design, as well the contrast between the territories of Berserkers, Clerics and Outlaws is really impressive. Character models, including Jax, are mostly well done. I say mostly since some of the male characters you meet early in the game, especially Duras, looks like they have been injected with an unhealthy amount of botox in their faces (but then again, is there even such thing as a healthy amount of botox?).

Audio

Voice acting in ELEX is exceptional, especially once you realize how many talking characters you can converse with and every voice feels unique. Never a moment of “hm, this NPC #31314 sounds awfully familiar like that NPC #88682 from 20 minutes ago”. The soundtrack is also top notch and it really compliments the incredibly rich world of Magalan. There are short moments where it gets a bit loud while you’re talking with someone which is not so bad if you pretend that the current conversation is happening during the nearby music festival.

Overall

ELEX is one of those games that did so many things right and one not so right. I suppose it wouldn’t be a problem much if it wasn’t an element that means a lot to me. The gameplay.  The world, the soundtrack, the exploration….everything is there up to standards except the clunky combat. If you play your cards right, most of that can be bypassed just by focusing on getting experience from quests so at least the fighting won’t be as slow if you reach the point where everyone can die in 2-3 hits from you. The question is, will you have the patience to get there? Despite that shortcoming, I’m still in love with the game. It feels nice playing and seeing how you’re always left to your own devices, with the freedom to go anywhere as you please. It’s been a lot since I played in a world that felt so alive and vibrant as Magalan. I’m hoping that some future patches can polish the combat aspect a bit or make it enjoyable in some other way, cause it’s anything but that right now.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

JACKBOX GAMES LAUNCHES THE JACKBOX PARTY PACK 4

Philip Federico
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JACKBOX GAMES LAUNCHES THE JACKBOX PARTY PACK 4

Jackbox’s newest collection of five and a half hilarious party games debuts today on PlayStation®4 and later this week on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch™, Windows PC, Mac, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Nvidia Shield

CHICAGO – Oct. 17, 2017 – Jackbox Games has released The Jackbox Party Pack 4, a totally new collection of five and a half side-splitting party games available today on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system via the PlayStation®Store for $24.99. It will launch for the same price on Oct. 18 on Apple TV (4th Generation only); Oct. 19 on Nintendo Switch™ via the Nintendo eShop, Windows PC and Mac via Steam, the Humble Store and Bundle Stars, as well as the Mac App Store, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Nvidia Shield; and Oct. 20 on Xbox One through the Xbox Games Store.

The Jackbox Party Pack 4 makes any get-together a blast with five and a half patently absurd games:

  • Fibbage 3 – The outrageous bluffing game is back with all new question types! (2-8 players), including a new extra game mode – Fibbage: Enough About You –where players guess weird facts about each other! (3-8 players)
  • Survive the Internet – Twist your friends’ “online” comments in ridiculous ways in this web-based frame game. (3-8 players)
  • Monster Seeking Monster – Message and date your fellow monsters with special powers in a spooky date-a-thon! (3-7 players)
  • Bracketeering – Place smart bets on dumb arguments in this deranged debate match. (3-16 players)
  • Civic Doodle – Spruce up the town’s murals to one-up your friends in this irreverent art game. (3-8 players)

Games in The Jackbox Party Pack series support phones, tablets and computers as controllers; simply enter the room code at Jackbox.tv using your device to play. What’s more, up to 10,000 additional audience members can join the fun to affect the outcome of specific games. Other optional features like extended timers and manual censoring make it easy for streamers to play with their communities, as well as a family-friendly option for more wholesome gatherings.

The Jackbox Party Pack 4 is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB. For more information, visit www.jackboxgames.com, and follow Jackbox Games on Facebook, Twitter and Twitch.

Follow the Jackbox Games Twitch stream (twitch.tv/jackboxgames) to watch the live debut of The Jackbox Party Pack 4 at TwitchCon 2017 in Long Beach, Calif. TwitchCon attendees can stop by Booth 738 to watch popular streamers play all of the games from the Jackbox Games catalog, live and onstage.

About Jackbox Games

Jackbox Games, formerly Jellyvision Games, is a developer and publisher of party games on major gaming platforms and home entertainment devices. The studio is best known for comedic party games like YOU DON’T KNOW JACK, Fibbage, Quiplash and Drawful. Jackbox Games “makes the world’s best party games” according to Business Insider. YOU DON’T KNOW JACK has been called “the greatest quiz-show game ever made” by The Onion’s A.V. Club. All current-generation Jackbox games feature the innovative use of mobile devices as controllers, allowing anyone with an internet-connected phone, tablet or laptop to join a game without the need for extra game controllers. Players connect to games on their devices by visiting http://jackbox.tv and entering the custom game code displayed via the system hosting the game. This unique concept also allows for games that involve secret player input. The digital release of The Jackbox Party Pack, a massive collection of five party games, was named “Best Local Multiplayer Game of the Year” by Giant Bomb. The company is located in Chicago, Illinois.

Stoic Reveals New Artwork For Banner Saga 3

Admir Brkic
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Stoic Reveals New Artwork For Banner Saga 3

As they say, all good things must come to an end and that might be especially true in this case. Stoic has released the first artwork for Banner Saga 3, along with some new information about the final entry in the trilogy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt9DhMWdQt8

The acclaimed series will put you one more time in the gorgeous hand-drawn Viking realm. You’ll test your strength (and strategic wits) against many adversaries, with each choice having a strong impact on the story. Just like before, all of your battles and journey will be accompanied by the mesmerizing soundtrack, courtesy of Austin Wintory.

To keep up with the news regarding the final entry in the series, make sure to keep an eye on bannersaga.com and we’ll keep you posted here as well as soon as something new pops up.

 “ELEX vobiscum!” – Science-Fantasy Open-World RPG ELEX Is Out Now!

Philip Federico
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 “ELEX vobiscum!” – Science-Fantasy Open-World RPG ELEX Is Out Now!

ESSEN, Germany / VIENNA, Austria – Oct. 17, 2017 – The day has come… ELEX has released on Windows PC, Xbox One and the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system. This RPG with a vast open world ties two popular settings together: fantasy and science-fiction. In the post-apocalyptic world of Magalan, players will encounter magic-using, sword-slinging Berserkers; Outlaws packed with shotguns, grenades and flamethrowers; and, of course, Clerics, with their high-tech arsenal of laser weapons and giant War Mechs.

ELEX offers a huge, seamless open world packed with quests and rewarding exploration opportunities. A deep character progression system allows players to create exactly the hero that they like.

Over three years in development, the latest game from Piranha Bytes – the creators of the Gothic and Risen series – is finally here: ELEX!

Choose your platform or retailer and get ELEX today: http://elexgame.com/#order-here

For more information about ELEX, visit http://elexgame.com/, and follow the game on Twitter and Facebook.

About ELEX

Developed by Piranha Bytes, creators of the award-winning Gothic and Risen series, ELEX is a handcrafted action role-playing experience set in a post-apocalyptic science-fantasy universe, putting players into a huge, seamless open world full of original characters, mutated creatures, deep moral choices and powerful action. From swords and axes to bows, crossbows and harpoons, ELEX offers one of the widest selections of weaponry in the history of role-playing. Pick up a shotgun, power up a plasma rifle or unleash a flamethrower – there’s a weapon and combat style for every fighter out there. Then find a companion, choose a faction and influence the world; in ELEX, every choice will forge the future of your game.

CALL OF DUTY CELEBRATES THE POWER OF CAMARADERIE AND THRILL OF REUNITING WITH FRIENDS WITH LIVE-ACTION TRAILER “REASSEMBLE!”

Philip Federico
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CALL OF DUTY CELEBRATES THE POWER OF CAMARADERIE AND THRILL OF REUNITING WITH FRIENDS WITH LIVE-ACTION TRAILER “REASSEMBLE!”

Activision’s Blockbuster live-action trailer for Call of Duty: WWII For First Time Features Multiple Versions Call of Duty: WWII launches worldwide November 3. 

October 17, 2017 –The live-action trailer for Call of Duty®: WW II has arrived.  Activision is delivering to fans an action-packed global experience for the title, which topped the Nielsen Game Rank™ list as the most anticipated multi-platform game this holiday, with the launch of not one, but three trailer versions of its iconic blockbuster, which follows three different squads of friends reassembling to play Call of Duty®.

Helmed by director Simon McQuoid in his first collaboration with Activision, the thrilling :90 piece celebrates friendship and the enthusiasm shared by friends as only Call of Duty can deliver. Unique French and UK versions along with a Global trailer, which debuted yesterday, lets the world know that it ’s time to get the group back together for Call of Duty: WWII, which launches worldwide November 3.

“Call of Duty: WWII is a return to the boots on the ground gameplay and camaraderie of playing Call of Duty together with your friends.  The enthusiasm and anticipation for this year’s game is incredible and speaks to the passion of our fans around the world,” said Tim Ellis, CMO, Activision. “‘Reassemble!’ spans the globe in a series of films about gamers, across all walks of life, getting their squads together with one mission – to play Call of Duty.”

Call of Duty: WWII marks a dramatic return to the franchise’s roots in an experience that redefines World War II for a new gaming generation. Players will be immersed in combat across three robust game modes; Campaign, Multiplayer and Nazi Zombies.

Activision is putting major marketing support behind the game with a high-impact TV, digital and outdoor advertising campaign.  The global spot will be accompanied by bespoke U.K. and France spots, which were filmed in Prague and will be distributed specifically to those markets.  Throughout the campaign, Activision has worked with creative agency 72andSunny Los Angeles on overall creative direction.

Call of Duty: WWII, launching worldwide on November 3, is published by Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI), and developed by Sledgehammer Games with additional development support from Raven Software. For the latest intel, check out: www.callofduty.com, www.youtube.com/callofduty or follow @CallofDuty and @SHGames on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Call of Duty: WWII is scheduled for release on PlayStation®4 system, Xbox One, and PC.  The game is rated R18+ (Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language).

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world and is a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company.  More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision.

Be Like No One – WWE® 2K18 Now Available for PlayStation®4 Computer Entertainment System and Xbox One 

Philip Federico
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Be Like No One – WWE® 2K18 Now Available for PlayStation®4 Computer Entertainment System and Xbox One 

Popular WWE® simulation video game experience delivers the largest playable roster in franchise history; powerful new graphics engine and notable gameplay improvements; unparalleled customization; definitive career journey; new Road to Glory Mode and more

Sydney, NSW – October 16, 2017 – 2K today announced that WWE® 2K18, the newest addition to the flagship WWE video game franchise, is now available worldwide to Early Access customers for the PlayStation® computer entertainment system and Xbox One. WWE 2K18 delivers an unrivaled combination of authenticity, realism and action-packed gameplay in a simulation-based WWE video game experience, including the largest roster of WWE and NXT® Superstars in franchise history; extensive new options in Creation Suite and Universe Mode; the choice to be a Company Man or Fan Favorite in MyCAREER Mode; the franchise debut of Road to Glory Mode; as well as a host of substantial gameplay additions and enhancements, including a brand new graphics engine that brings the comprehensive WWE experience to life like never before.

“With WWE 2K18, our team continued to listen to fans and critics about their wish lists for the franchise, and their passion and valuable feedback can be found throughout this year’s game,” said Greg Thomas, President at Visual Concepts. “We’re proud to introduce several new features and enhancements, including a brand new graphics engine, the debut of our new online-based Road to Glory mode and a complete commentary system overhaul. In addition, the game’s incredible roster, distinctive MyCAREER storylines, gameplay refinements and Creation Mode updates all align with our ongoing mission to deliver the most authentic and comprehensive WWE gameplay experience possible.”

WWE 2K18 feature highlights include:

  • Extensive Roster: Featuring nearly 200 playable WWE and NXT Superstars and Legends, including cover Superstar Seth Rollins alongside John Cena, Brock Lesnar, AJ Styles, Alexa Bliss, Bobby Roode, Sasha Banks, Dean Ambrose, The New Day, Finn Bálor, Jinder Mahal, The Miz, No Way Jose, SAnitY, Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Andre the Giant and many more, WWE 2K18 delivers the largest roster in WWE games history;
  • Kurt Angle: Consumers who pre-ordered WWE 2K18 at any participating retailer received two playable characters of WWE Hall of Famer, decorated Olympian and current Raw General Manager, Kurt Angle, at no extra cost:
    • WWE “American Hero” persona (2001);
    • ECW® “Wrestling Machine” persona (2006).
  • Gameplay Enhancements: WWE 2K18 continues refining the simulation gameplay experience that sits at the franchise’s core. Mayhem arrives in the form of improved eight-person matches, a new carry and drag system, thousands of new animations and more – all complemented by a brand new graphics engine that delivers spectacular lighting, more realistic skin and new camera effects to ensure everyone’s favorite WWE personalities, crowds and arenas look their best;
  • Creation Suite: WWE 2K18’s world-class Creation Suite delivers greater control for players to customize, build and share their own unique WWE Superstars, Arenas, Entrances and more. Highlights include new body types, face templates and menu poses; new hairstyles, scars, teeth, tattoo branding techniques and clothing materials; improved logo mapping, stitch patterns and highlight reel creations; the ability to preview lighting scenarios; Create-a-Show, featuring a fun 8-bit filter option; custom match types and much more;
  • MyCAREER Mode: The franchise’s career-driven journey focuses on telling a compelling story through self-created WWE Superstars (a.k.a. MyPLAYERs) as they explore two different paths en route to a WrestleMania moment and beyond: the Company Man and the Fan Favorite. A new free-roaming backstage area provides a more experiential scenario, as players spend more time interacting with fellow WWE Superstars and supporting personnel to explore their personalities, receive side quests, conduct or ambush interviews, change match cards and more. Players will also see MyCAREER updates to the mode’s Promo Generator, as well as Invasions;
  • Universe Mode: WWE 2K18 introduces two types of rivalry scenarios – Potential Rivalries and Active Rivalries – along with a color-coded Intensity Meter to guide what’s likely to happen between opposing rivals in any situation. Rivalries and storylines now see better flow to align with WWE’s real-life pay-per-view events, while new Power Rankings, Goals and Match Types add more depth throughout the experience; 
  • Road to Glory: Making its WWE 2K18 debut, Road to Glory is a completely new online experience where MyPLAYERs from all over the world battle against one another. Players can compete daily in a variety of match types to earn stars, boosts, Superstar parts and virtual currency. In addition, by increasing their levels, players can further customize their MyPLAYERs to gain the advantage over others. Overall, players are encouraged to see if they have what it takes to secure entry into pay-per-view events and defeat their favorite WWE Superstars to earn special rewards; 
  • Commentary: Featuring the debut trio of Michael Cole, Byron Saxton and Corey Graves at the commentary table, a WWE 2K game has never sounded better. Improved crowd sounds, including the addition of authentic crowd chants, bring WWE 2K18 closer than ever to what fans see every week on WWE television and at live events; 
  • Soundtrack: Executive produced and personally curated by legendary WWE Superstar and global entertainment icon Dwayne “The Rock®” Johnson, the WWE 2K18 soundtrack features 11 unique songs representing many of Johnson’s favorite artists and music genres, including:
    • Blues Brothers – “Soul Man”;
    • Boston – “Smokin’”;
    • Bruno Mars – “Runaway Baby”;
    • Disturbed – “Down With The Sickness”;
    • Eazy-E – “Boyz-N-The Hood”;
    • George Thorogood & The Destroyers – “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer”;
    • Joe Walsh – “Rocky Mountain Way”;
    • Kanye West – “Black Skinhead”;
    • Kid Rock – “You Never Met a White Boy Quite Like Me”;
    • ¡MAYDAY! (feat. Tech N9ne) – “Last One Standing”;
    • Tech N9ne (feat. Krizz Kaliko, Serj Tankian) – “Straight Out The Gate”.
  • Downloadable Content*: WWE 2K18 downloadable content offerings will include the following items and be available for purchase on the PlayStation™Network for the PS4™ system, Xbox Live online entertainment network from Microsoft for Xbox One, Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch™ and Steam for Windows PC:
    • Accelerator
      • Players will gain access to all unlockable content available at launch in the game’s VC Purchasable section (excluding downloadable content);
      • Players can also decide the overall rankings and attribute levels for all playable characters throughout the life of the product;
      • The Accelerator will be available for $6.65(AUS) and $7.45(NZD) on PC and $7.55(AUS) and $7.95(NZD) on PS4 and Xbox 1
    • Enduring Icons Pack
      • Playable WWE Superstars: The Hardy Boyz;
      • Playable WWE Hall of Famers: Beth Phoenix and The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express;
      • The Enduring Icons Pack will be available for $13.45(AUS) and $14.95(NZD) on PC and $14.95(AUS) and $15.95(NZD) on PS4 and Xbox 1
    • MyPLAYER Kick Start
      • Players will be able to unlock and boost MyPLAYER ratings and attributes via a 50,000 virtual currency starting bonus;
      • Players will begin with 10 additional Attribute Points for MyPLAYER and can boost any Attribute tower by 10 points or spread the upgrades throughout multiple Attribute towers;
      • MyPLAYER Kick Start will be available for $13.45(AUS) and $14.95(NZD) on PC and $14.95(AUS) and $15.95(NZD) on PS4 and Xbox 1
    • New Moves Pack
      • Explore a wide variety of new in-game moves, including the Tie Breaker (made popular by WWE Superstar Tye Dillinger); the Crash Landing (made popular by NXT Superstar Kassius Ohno); the Pumphandle Death Valley Driver (made popular by NXT Superstar Akam); and the Swinging Sleeper Slam (made popular by WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page).
      • The New Moves Pack will be available for $5.45(AUS) $5.96(NZD) on PC and $5.95(AUS) and $6.45(NZD) on PS4 and Xbox 1
    • NXT Generation Pack
      • Playable WWE and NXT Superstars: Aleister Black, Drew McIntyre, Elias, Lars Sullivan and Ruby Riot;
      • The NXT Generation Pack will be available for $13.45(AUS) and $14.95(NZD) on PC and $14.95(AUS) and $15.95(NZD) on PS4 and Xbox 1
  • Season Pass*: Players may purchase select WWE 2K18 downloadable content at a reduced price point through the game’s Season Pass for $44.95(AUS) and $49.15(NZD) on PC and $44.95(AUS) and $48.96(NZD) PS4 and Xbox 1. Players will receive the following items as they become available:
    • Accelerator;
    • Enduring Icons Pack;
    • MyPLAYER Kick Start;
    • New Moves Pack;
    • NXT Generation Pack.

* PlayStation™Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Account or Steam account and Internet connection required. Copy of WWE 2K18 required to play.

Developed collaboratively by Yuke’s and Visual Concepts, a 2K studio, WWE 2K18 is rated M by the Australian Classification Board. WWE 2K18 is available now worldwide for the PS4™ system and Xbox One, as well as on October 17, 2017 for Windows PC and in Spring 2017 for Nintendo Switch. For more information on WWE 2K18 and 2K, visit wwe.2k.com, become a fan on Facebook, follow the game on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags #WWE2K18 and #BLN1 or subscribe on YouTube.

2K is a wholly owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

Nintendo Switch is a trademark of Nintendo. ©2017 Nintendo

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

About WWE

WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The Company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming reaches more than 650 million homes worldwide in 20 languages. WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 over-the-top premium network that includes all live pay-per-views, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library, is now available in almost all international markets other than the People’s Republic of China and embargoed countries. The Company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai, Munich and Tokyo.

Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to: WWE Network (including the risk that we are unable to attract, retain and renew subscribers); major distribution agreements; our need to continue to develop creative and entertaining programs and events; the possibility of a decline in the popularity of our brand of sports entertainment; the continued importance of key performers and the services of Vincent K. McMahon; possible adverse changes in the regulatory atmosphere and related private sector initiatives; the highly competitive, rapidly changing and increasingly fragmented nature of the markets in which we operate and greater financial resources or marketplace presence of many of our competitors; uncertainties associated with international markets; our difficulty or inability to promote and conduct our live events and/or other businesses if we do not comply with applicable regulations; our dependence on our intellectual property rights, our need to protect those rights, and the risks of our infringement of others’ intellectual property rights; the complexity of our rights agreements across distribution mechanisms and geographical areas; potential substantial liability in the event of accidents or injuries occurring during our physically demanding events including, without limitation, claims relating to CTE; large public events as well as travel to and from such events; our feature film business; our expansion into new or complementary businesses and/or strategic investments; our computer systems and online operations; privacy norms and regulations; a possible decline in general economic conditions and disruption in financial markets; our accounts receivable; our indebtedness; litigation; our potential failure to meet market expectations for our financial performance, which could adversely affect our stock; Vincent K. McMahon exercises control over our affairs, and his interests may conflict with the holders of our Class A common stock; a substantial number of shares are eligible for sale by the McMahons and the sale, or the perception of possible sales, of those shares could lower our stock price; and the relatively small public “float” of our Class A common stock. In addition, our dividend is dependent on a number of factors, including, among other things, our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan (including alternative uses of capital), our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends (including under our revolving credit facility), general economic and competitive conditions and such other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant. Forward-looking statements made by the Company speak only as of the date made and are subject to change without any obligation on the part of the Company to update or revise them. Undue reliance should not be placed on these statements. For more information about risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business, please refer to the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” sections of the Company’s SEC filings, including, but not limited to, our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, publisher and marketer of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. The Company develops and publishes products principally through its two wholly-owned labels Rockstar Games and 2K. Our products are designed for console systems and personal computers, including smartphones and tablets, and are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms and cloud streaming services.  The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at http://www.take2games.com.

About 2K

Founded in 2005, 2K develops and publishes interactive entertainment globally for console systems, handheld gaming systems and personal computers, including smartphones and tablets, which are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms and cloud streaming services. 2K publishes titles in today’s most popular gaming genres, including shooters, action, role-playing, strategy, sports, casual, and family entertainment. The 2K label has some of the most talented development studios in the world today, including Firaxis Games, Visual Concepts, Hangar 13, Cat Daddy Games and 2K China. 2K’s stable of high quality titles includes the critically acclaimed BioShock®, Borderlands™, Mafia, and XCOM® franchises, the beloved Sid Meier’s Civilization series, Evolve™, Battleborn®, the popular WWE 2K franchise and NBA 2K, highest rated* annual sports title of this console generation. 2K is headquartered in Novato, California and is a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO). For more information, please visit www.2k.com.

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders. 

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The statements contained herein which are not historical facts are considered forward-looking statements under federal securities laws and may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “projects,” “seeks,” “should,” “will,” or words of similar meaning and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the outlook for the Company’s future business and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to them, which are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may vary materially from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of risks and uncertainties including: our dependence on key management and product development personnel, our dependence on our Grand Theft Auto products and our ability to develop other hit titles, the timely release and significant market acceptance of our games, the ability to maintain acceptable pricing levels on our games, and risks associated with international operations. Other important factors and information are contained in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the risks summarized in the section entitled “Risk Factors,” the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the Company’s other periodic filings with the SEC, which can be accessed at www.take2games.com. All forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements and apply only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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