With prices in retro games soaring over the last few years, it’s no surprise that GameStop wants a piece of the action. Last year, the company revealed that it would be taking select trade-ins of many retro systems and games for cash or credit across 250 stores in New York City and Birmingham, Alabama.

There are some things to note about this. The video game chain is only expecting certain games from each system, usually the more sought after titles. GameStop is also strict on condition, so if your cartridge has any label damage, writing on it, or cartridge damage, it won’t accept them. Finally, all trade-ins are sent directly to GameStop HQ and posted online later, meaning you won’t be able to see if any of your local stores got in a copy of a game you’ve been really looking for.

Is this really a good idea? There have been reports of many many flaws with GameStop’s hand in the retro market. Let’s take a look at both the good and the bad.

Problem

One of the biggest issues for GameStop is bootleg games. It’s something that has appeared many times, including one particular story of a person buying a copy of Chrono Trigger for the Super Nintendo, which goes for around $120 and up. After trying to play the game, the purchaser found out that it’s not actually Chrono Trigger, but instead a copy of Madden! So the user returns the game to GameStop, gets a full refund, but a month or two later, the same exact problem happens to another consumer. Yes, it was the same copy, and rather than destroying the fake, the bootleg game was just sold to another person.

Simply, GameStop doesn’t test their games properly. This is isn’t the individual store’s fault, as it’s corporate who doesn’t train their stores or employees. They have no retro systems in stock to test out whether any of the games work,and if it is also the correct game. They only look at the cartridge, the label, and base it off that, which is a terrible idea, in my opinion, because they can’t even open up the cartridge to see if the board is legit or a fake. This means just about anyone can go to eBay, or any site that sells bootleg reproductions of expensive games, and sell them for cash to GameStop, which prices will grow exponentially at this point.

As a collector, I come across reproductions/bootlegs many times, and sometimes, without opening it up. It’s impossible to tell.

How can this issue be fixed?

Hiring people who know what to look for, or spend time training workers, would be very useful. I doubt that this would happen anytime soon. The reason why I don’t think this will happen anytime soon is that retro trade-ins aren’t a huge focus for them in the grand scheme of things. Another thing GameStop could do is have a stricter warning/punishment for offenders. Sure, not everyone knows if they actually have a bootleg cartridge in their collection, but you will have people who will try to get away with selling fakes of expensive titles every so often.

Problem

Not everything is fixed, however. Another issue many people come across is having systems that either have some kind of issues or aren’t working altogether. I can get into many of these problems, but the main point is, GameStop says they have experts who test and fix systems and games. While it’s not a big percentage, there are people who have gotten systems that don’t start, beyond dirty or even the controller port pins are damaged leading the buyer to have to fix it themselves or return it.

How can this issue be fixed?

With a larger quantity of systems and games coming, GameStop will need to up their quality control by possibly hiring more people.

While I could still list a few more negatives, they aren’t really all that bad as the ones I’ve already talked about. Now let’s take a look at some of the positives:

GameStop has some really good pricing on retro games and accessories.

Many of their games are well below what they go for on eBay and game stores focused solely on retro games. A copy of Chrono Trigger for the SNES is $79.99 on GameStop, and if you are a pro rewards member you can save 10%. While you won’t see a lot of these games available on GameStop.com because people are quickly buying them out (some for resale and others for themselves), it might help lower prices down the line if it does well enough.

How much you get for your trade-ins is another question… especially since it’s not currently listed on either their app or webpage.

Don’t worry. You’re protected.

GameStop has a great return policy, so if it’s fake or not working, you are covered.

Only time will tell how this will turn out. As long as GameStop places a better structure moving forward, it’s something to keep an eye on.

from Nerd Reactor

Every year, a game seems to pop up in my line of sight that I had no particular interest in, but wound up enjoying. Last year it was Runbow, this year it’s Clustertruck.

The premise of Clustertruck is simple: get to the finish line by utilizing a massive herd of semi-trucks. You’re not driving any of them, however, you’re using them as jumping platforms to avoid hitting the ground. A ridiculous idea that this game pulled off perfectly.

You, the player, are extremely aerobic and must use your acrobatic skills to get to the finish line, which the trucks are heading toward… most of the time. There is a campaign containing a number of worlds with 10 different levels. Worlds vary from a desert, a forest, a frozen landscape, and an area with deadly lasers. Graphically, it’s nothing to write home about, but when your game features a large number of trucks as a means to progress, compromise has to be made. Fortunately, this means you can run this game on a large range of PCs.

Most levels have the trucks go towards the finish lines, but more complex levels change the direction they go midway or include a new herd of trucks going a different way either to cut off the original herd or make a new path to the end. Many of the levels feature hazards in the form of traps or immobile obstacles that they will crash into. This will either complicate the pathway, or make it easier thanks to the hilariously unpredictable physics engine. “Unpredictable” may be a scary word to some people when it comes to games, but it was never once hindered by a physics malfunction, rather assisted.

There are golden moments where I was propelled so high into the sky that it only made it easier to complete the level by flying over all the obstacles and trucks. Every time that happened, I received a huge burst in adrenaline and was pumped to keep playing whether I made the jump or fell to the ground. Player movement is slightly more complex than just jumping on trucks; depending on how you stick a landing, you can wall run to the side of trucks or even grab on the back ledges to propel yourself off. It’s surprisingly smooth and half the time I did them by accident.

Clustertruck in general is a smooth game that’s easy to control and at the same time easy to mess up, but since it’s so fast in nature, you can easily respawn in milliseconds and not lose your flow. Even the menus load fast (at least on PC), so you can quickly exit a game if you want to equip a new ability.

The abilities range from the likes of a jetpack, double-jump, a clock that slows down time, a grappling hook, etc.. You can only equip one item at a time, but they can really help in the more difficult levels. A double-jump has saved my life plenty of times and the grappling hook came in handy once I kept missing trucks on a certain level.

Community support is one of the best things about Clustertruck as players can create their own levels for everyone to try out. The in-game software to make these levels has a learning curve, but once you get past it, the possibilities are endless. The developers just recently released a Halloween-themed world featuring exclusive levels designed in the spirit of the holiday. Best part is that everyone can access the Halloween assets in the level-creator.

Final Reaction

Clustertruck is a cluster of fun! The fast-paced, truck-jumping, parkour action makes for one of 2016’s most unique experiences. I can’t name one time when my blood wasn’t pumping from the adrenaline rush this game gives me. It’s definitely worth the $15 price tag!

Rating: 5/5 Atoms

*This game was reviewed using a retail code provided by tinyBuild.

from Nerd Reactor

Recently at a New York Comic Con panel, the lineup of the new Justice League of America team was revealed with the exception of three. Now, DC Comics has revealed the final three members: Black Canary, Batman, and Lobo. This will be a first in Lobo’s character history, and he, along with Bats and Canary, will be joining the Ray, Vixen, Killer Frost, and the Ryan Choi version of the Atom.

“For some people, Lobo will be a hero. For others, he’ll be an anti-hero,” writer Steve Orlando said in an interview with IGN. “It’s moving past these black and white definitions and realizing that you have to have a malleable idea to serve everyone instead of just the people in the mainstream. Lobo, I think there’s more to him than ever before.”

from Nerd Reactor

Ah yes. It’s the time of the year where Stan Lee’s Comic Con comes to town. The best part? The timing. After the summer is over and we’re all knee deep in post-con depression, Stan Lee’s Comic Con is right there to pick us up. The timing is great as it gives us a little boost until next major con season is around. But besides that, the convention offers so many great things, making it an amazing event to attend.

First off, I just want to talk about the Dealer’s Hall.

Of course all the vendors, artists, and actors are fantastic. But more importantly, you can walk in the hall without feeling like you’re in a sardine can. This is so important, to me at least, because when a popular con rolls around I tend to ignore the dealers hall. It’s more hassle than it’s worth, and I just don’t want to go in and stress myself out. That wasn’t the case here! It was just enough room. There were still people making it fun, but not enough to the point where I couldn’t breathe.

This leads to the attendance of Stan Lee’s Convention. It’s a popular con no doubt, but it’s no Anime Expo. Trust me, that’s a good thing. It’s not chaotic! And I’m sure as time passes, we will get more and more people going which is fantastic! But for this time around, it just seemed perfect to me. It was a really fun atmosphere and it didn’t have to be overly packed to make that.

The main con floor seemed to be where all the fun was at. So many people were showcasing their cosplays. Let me tell you, there were some amazing costumes this year. It was incredible! I was so blown away by the attention to detail and originality of some of the cosplays I saw, and it made it so easy to be in awe and take pictures left and right. It was a cosplayer’s paradise.

The panels all seemed to be really cool this year, too. We even had one! And even though I don’t really focus on attending panels at conventions, there were a few lined up at the con I considered going to. The only unfortunate thing about panels has nothing to do with Stan Lee’s Comic Con, but more so the LA Convention Center. It’s so confusing! It took me like a half hour to find where I needed to be. Besides the maze, the panels had a lot to offer this year.

One of the cooler things I had the chance of attending was the official Comic Con after party that was held at The Novo just down the street. It. Was. Amazing! It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. They had a fantastic band called The Flux Capacitors, and they covered popular songs from the ’80s. They did some ’90s too, but I was in heaven when they played a mostly ’80s-themed playlist.

The Library Bards also played at The Novo and I love them so much! They are amazing performers, and put on quite the show. If I had it my way, I would have loved for them to play a longer set.

Although us cool kids over here at Nerd Reactor spent most of the convention filming a cool video for you guys, it was one of the best convention experiences I’ve ever had. Perhaps it was something in the air, but it was so, so fun! The main floor really swept me away, and we mainly stayed there for the majority of the weekend. The costumes were so cool, and the various other things the convention had to offer (like the after party), just worked so well. Everything seemed to fall right into place, and I couldn’t have asked for a better convention experience. So thanks, Stan Lee’s Comic Con!

Be sure to check out our really cool video from this weekend on our YouTube channel. And next time you’re at a con, come say hi! We love it!

from Nerd Reactor

The title of the third game in the 2013 rebooted Tomb Raider franchise may have just leaked on Reddit.

Reddit user Tripleh280 happened to notice someone on the Montreal subway working on some sort of presentation or pitch, featuring a logo for Shadow of the Tomb Raider in the upper right-hand corner.

A source that spoke to Kotaku confirmed that the third game title is in fact Shadow of the Tomb Raider. While we may want to start speculating about the plot and other aspects of the game, we may want to keep in mind that the title could change. A representitive from Square Enix, when reached for comment, said they do not comment on rumors.

Whether they are working on keeping it under wraps or that this is just a working title, only time will tell. We did learn one thing, however – it appears that the Montreal subway system may be a good place to get more gaming leaks.

Source: IGN

from Nerd Reactor

Whether you love it or hate it, I think we can all agree that Lost is one of the most polarizing shows of all time. Opponents of the series would say there are too many unanswered questions and a general lack of clarity regarding the narrative.

Specifically, the last episode and the end of the series as a whole has been met with much criticism with fans complaining that it didn’t tie up all the loose ends and about the idea that all the characters were dead the entire time, even though this is a common misconception.

Over the weekend, Lost alumnus Michael Emerson, who played the enigmatic Benjamin Linus on the show in an award-winning performance, attended the annual Walker Stalker Convention at the Georgia World Congress Center where he offered his perspective on the ending of the hit ABC show during a panel hosted by ComicBook.com‘s Brandon Davis.

“The one thing I’m sure of on the show is that everything you saw happen on the island really happened,” Linus said. “Let’s call that the first five seasons. All of that is real.”

He then addressed the ‘flash sideways’ element of the show that was introduced in season 6.

“The ending is way in the future. Years, centuries, millenia have past,” Emerson said. “We’re in an anti-chamber to the hereafter, to eternity, if you will. All the characters on the show have come here to celebrate the end of life. They’re all gonna pass through to a happy afterlife. Just as in a Shakespeare, everybody goes two by two. It’s couples. That’s because, I think, by the rules of LOST, you can only pass into heaven (if you want to call it that) with a mirror redeemer. With someone who has loved you without reservation. For yourself.”

He continued by saying, “Everybody had that, I think, except for Benjamin Linus. That’s why he can’t go. That’s why he has to wait. He needs to find his mirror redeemer.”

So, Emerson’s ideas are consistent with those of the creators: everything that happened on the island actually happened. They weren’t dead the whole time. When we see the characters together in a church at the end, it’s at an undisclosed time in the future after they have all lived out their respected lives and died at different times and in different places.

Even with all the explanations provided, though, there’s no doubt people will speculate about the show’s mysteries for years to come.

from Nerd Reactor

Fans of card-based tabletop games should get ready to spend some more money. 5-Minute Dungeon is a 5-player cooperative card-based tabletop game that is filled with chaos, excitement, and laughter. Its Kickstarter goes live starting November 1st.

Creator Connor Reid and Wiggles 3D have masterfully created a game that will force you and your allies to think quick and act even quicker. You are allotted 5 minutes per stage to clear each of the 20+ floor dungeons, and then slay its boss in order to claim the victory. Every game is different so this is one game you and your friends will be sure to come back to over and over again.

Here are the various levels that you can contribute to this cooperative card-based game on Kickstarter:

$5 Contributor level

• Thank you & a print-and-play copy of the game

$25 CDN (approx. $18.75 USD)  Early Bird

• Get the game for $10 less on the first day only!

$35 CDN (approx. $26.25 USD)  Standard Edition

• Includes the game, plus all stretch goals unlocked by the campaign

$40 CDN (approx $30 USD)  Dungeon Master Edition

• Features a more stylish box and some higher quality components

$60 CDN (approx $45 USD) (Save $15) Both Standard and Dungeon Master Editions

• Get both versions of the game. Keep a copy for yourself and give one away, or keep the Dungeon Master edition wrapped up and play the base game.

250 CDN (approx $187 USD) Canvas Print and Both Editions

• Get an 18 x 24 inch canvas print signed by the artist and creator. Plus both editions of the game

$300 CDN (approx $225 USD) Pre-production copy and Standard Edition

• Want to be the first to play? Get a pre-production copy as soon as the campaign is completed and a Standard Edition later.

If you need more info on 5-minute dungeon you can check out the How-To-Play video below as well as their Kickstarter page. 5-Minute Dungeon is also Nerd Reactor approved and you can check out our review to see our exact thoughts.

from Nerd Reactor

Are live-action Disney films the next ‘superhero movie’? Recently, films like Cinderella, The Jungle Book and Maleficent have become huge hits and we’re about to see even more of these features coming out in the next few years such as live-action versions of Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King and Mulan. We can now add Snow White to that long list of films.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film is being produced with The Girl on the Train screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson in negotiations to write the script. Wilson’s other recent work includes writing Jason Reitman’s Men, Women & Children and producing HBO’s short-lived series Vinyl. Additionally, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who just wrote lyrics for La La Land, are attached to write new music for Snow White which will include brand new songs. Marc Platt of Mary Poppins Returns‘ is attached to produce.

There have been several adaptations of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale. The 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which was Disney’s first animated feature, is probably the most famous version and is considered possibly the most successful animated film of all time. More recently, the lighter movie Mirror Mirror and the darker adaptation Snow White and the Huntsman, both 2012 films, presented different takes on the story.

There’s no word yet on when the new film will be released.

from Nerd Reactor

Although each season of American Horror Story is all about being independent from each other, Ryan Murphy recently announced that one of their seasons is going to be a Murder House x Coven crossover at Entertainment Weekly’s Popfest this past weekend.

“We do know what we’re going to do. It’s not going to be next season, but we are going to do a season that’s a crossover between Murder House and Coven together, which is very bizarre. There will be characters from Murder House and characters from Coven together. I’ve [already] started going to actors from both of the seasons, quietly, saying, ‘I think in this window, if you could fit us in.’ So yeah, it’s fun. It’s weird.”

Although he mentioned that this won’t be season seven, and possibly not even season eight, but at one point it will happen. I don’t know how I feel about it, because I love the fact that each season has its own storylines – even if there are hints of each other in each one! What do you think about the crossover – yay or nay?

Source: Entertainment Weekly

from Nerd Reactor

Image Credit: Capcom

While at NYCC this year, Capcom invited me to check out an exclusive demo for their latest installment in their series, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. When I arrived at the Javits Center where NYCC was being held, it wasn’t long before I found their Biohazard booth. Inspired by the game, the Resident Evil NYCC Booth resembled a creepy old shack, similar to the one in the trailers and photos. I was soon escorted into a small room illuminated by the glow of a single TV screen. As I sat in a chair directly in front of the TV, I was told that I would soon have the opportunity to test out their new and exclusive demo for the Resident Evil game, called “Lantern.”

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

While several demos had been released to the public prior to my experience (the demo “Beginning Hour” was more to show the direction that the new game is headed), Lantern is the first demo being showcased that is directly from the Resident Evil 7 game. Before being told too much more, I was asked if I would like to experience it in VR or regular gameplay. Of course, I chose VR.

Now I have played most of the Resident Evil games in the series, with Resident Evil 1, 5, and 6 being my favorites. I have plenty of experience with the 3^rd person, tag team, weapon upgrading gameplay that the series normally contained. However, Resident Evil 7 might as well be called Revival, because nearly everything about the original gameplay has changed. While in some cases that often spells out disaster for the franchise, I believe in this case Resident Evil 7 has the potential to make Horror Survival Games popular again. I was told that the game takes place sometime after the events of RE6, and that the characters I control in the demo are not from previous games.

With the PlayStation VR and soundproof headphones on, I found myself completely immersed within this virtual world. After completing a short tutorial to get used to the controls, I began to play through Lantern. In this demo, I played as an unknown girl, running and hiding through a broken down and creepy old home, avoiding a psychotic older woman who I could only assume was her mother. The demo took me several times to complete. I must admit I was crept out by the woman who stalked my character in the game and often ran out into her field of vision where she would attack me. This demo definitely required patience, which upped the creepy factor. You can practically hear your own heart beat as you hide behind old boxes, waiting for this woman to search leave into a different room.

The demo lasted maybe 15 minutes, but felt much longer than that. The demo was broken into two parts; the first being the girl escaping the older woman as previously mentioned and the second is much shorter and focuses on a male character. In this part of the demo, I was sat at a dinner table with several horrible and insane looking people, one of which was the older woman from the previous part. I could only assume this was some deranged family, similar to the one in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies. At one point the father stands up and mutilates the arm of his adult son and attempts to force you to eat whatever it is that they had cooked. This scene was chilling.

After the demo, I had the opportunity to speak with the PR representative for the game. She explained to me that for now, they are being very secretive about the game’s details, but did assure me that this will be unlike any Resident Evil game I have played before. Having played the previous games in the franchise, I can fully agree with that statement. Resident Evil: Biohazard is different, and I personally believe it is this new gaming experience that will revive the Resident Evil franchise.

from Nerd Reactor

Looks like one of Galactus’ Heralds has landed on Earth. Is Silver Surfer looking for sustenance for Galactus? Or just to show off his new surfboard? Fortunately for us, that’s not Galactus’ Herald come to doom planet Earth. It’s Jesse Wellens from PrankvsPrank whose body was transformed/painted to look like Silver Surfer, thanks to Alexys Fleming.

Jesse surfed around NYC in a modified surfboard, in broad daylight, with strangers all taking photos. He even stopped and posed with a hotdog vendor. Seems like where ever he went there were crowds with phones ready to shoot a picture.

I think this just won the Halloween costume you were going to. Within a day of the video being posted it already has broken 1 million views. This has my vote for Best Halloween costume. What do you say? Let us know.

What do you say? Let us know.

Via: Mashable

from Nerd Reactor

Since it’s Halloween and there have been rampant news reports about morons dressed as clowns and scaring people, what better way to segue into the topic of politics! No matter what side you’re on, let’s just all agree that it’s fun to poke fun at both of them. In fact, both their antics have actually been compressed into four-minute rap battle between the two candidates. Of course, the only place you can witness these two candidates rap battle each other to oblivion would be at Epic Rap Battles of History on YouTube. Who do you think should be the next POTUS? Check out the rap battle below!

from Nerd Reactor

It seems that the film about the fastest man on Earth can’t even get past the starting line!

According to THR, Rick Famuyiwa, the director who made such coming-of-age films such as 1999’s The Wood and 2015’s Dope, has exited the film that has probably gotten the most buzz since its glimpses in BVS, as well as Suicide Squad. Sources state that the split with the studio was over “creative differences.” This is not the first time we have heard that Warner Bros and DC have had issues with personnel on their films, especially this one. We all remember earlier this year when The Flash lost its first director, Seth Grahame-Smith, and now, with another “hiccup” for the film, it’s only expected that delays will ensue.

“When I was approached by Warner Bros and DC about the possibility of directing The Flash, I was excited about the opportunity to enter this amazing world of characters that I loved growing up, and still do to this day,” said Famuyiwa in a statement to THR.

“I was also excited to work with Ezra Miller, who is a phenomenal young actor. I pitched a version of the film in line with my voice, humor, and heart,” he continues. “While it’s disappointing that we couldn’t come together creatively on the project, I remain grateful for the opportunity. I will continue to look for opportunities to tell stories that speak to a fresh generational, topical, and multicultural point of view. I wish Warner Brothers, DC, Jon Berg, Geoff Johns, and Ezra Miller all the best as they continue their journey into the speed force.”

What do you think of Famuyiwa’s departure? Who do you think would be a good replacement? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Source: THR

from Nerd Reactor

Imagine yourself as an investigator trying to find the truth. On your search, you look for tapes that can reveal the truth about a creature, but you’re stalked by the same creature you’re trying to reveal. Your only weapons are a flashlight and glow sticks that can help you evade the creature. Now, what if you’re that same creature on the hunt for the team attempting to expose you to the world? White Noise 2, the sequel to White Noise, throws you in a team of 4 tasked to venture through the deepest darkest nightmare you’ll encounter. You must work together to discover 8 tapes that will reveal the truth behind a creature on the loose. But this time, you can control the creature and wreak havoc among your friends as they challenge your every move. White Noise 2 just hit Early Access on Steam and it’s going to be a wild ride from here.

There are two major aspects of White Noise 2, the investigators and the creature. As an investigator, you’re tasked to find 8 tapes before the creature kills you and your team. The whole atmosphere is set in a pitch black area, so you’re equipped with a flashlight and glow sticks to help see your way. As a team, you must work together in tracking down these tapes and utilize your hearing as you go along. This plays like any normal survival game like Slenderman or Dead by Daylight. As the creature, you’ll stalk each victim one by one utilizing your powers such as invisibility and totems to find each one. Light is your enemy so be weary of the glow sticks and watch out for the investigators flash lights. The 4 v 1 aspect provides a huge challenge since now you can go up against someone in control of who’s stalking you. Teamwork plays a critical role for success, but having 5 players all playing at once, it’s bound for tons of laughs. I got together with some of the NR team, and laughs were had. I tried out the creature first and stalked my co-workers as they jumped and screamed when I approached. The satisfaction I had when I took each one down was great, especially in one game when they had one last tape to collect.

After each match, a board with each player is shown as you see where they were and how the creature was stalking. This is where the most laughs are when you see how many circles you ran, or how lost you were from the whole team. Also, you can see how the creature was just behind you the whole entire time. White Noise 2 has a simple premise but filled with fun. You’ll laugh, you’ll jump, you’ll scream when you least expect it. It’s a good indication of how well White Noise 2 will turn into by how much fun the game is so early in its development. Move over Slenderman, it’s time to fear the White Noise.

You can get White Noise 2 now in Early Access on Steam

from Nerd Reactor

October is almost over and we’re heading to November! And with that, we have the upcoming games for PlayStation Plus members. For PS4, we have Everyone’s Gone to the Rapture. Set in an end of the world scenario in a small town, you wander around searching for clues as to where everyone has gone. Also for PS4 is The Deadly Tower of Monsters. Heavily inspired by sci-fi B movies, you crash land on a planet and must fight through dinosaurs, giant monkeys and all sorts of monsters that’ll have you relive the golden days of 60’s sci-fi movies.

Check out the full list below!

PlayStation 4

Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture

Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture tells the story of the inhabitants of a remote English valley who are caught up in world-shattering events beyond their control or understanding. Made by The Chinese Room – the studio responsible for the hauntingly beautiful Dear Esther – this tale of how people respond in the face of grave adversity is a non-linear, open-world experience that pushes innovative interactive storytelling to the next level.

The Deadly Towers of Monsters

Fire up your ray guns, crystal swords, and laser whips, and get ready for thrills and chills! Be amazed by the state-of-the-art effects, including stop-motion, rotoscope, image compositing, and even some elaborate costumes covered in real fur! With three incredible movie stars playing out decidedly B-level sci-fi exploits, Dick Starspeed, Scarlet Nova, and Robot will have you ready to jump off the side of the tower—right into adventure! Gather your courage and prepare to face off against the more than half-a-hundred monsters that will try and stop your ascension up THE DEADLY TOWER OF MONSTERS!

PlayStation 3

DIRT 3

Get ready for DiRT 3 – race over 50 years of iconic rally cars in the snow, rain and dirt or express yourself in freestyle gymkhana events. Featuring the most rally content in the series, experience incredible damage and stunning weather as you race single player, split screen and online in multiplayer.

Costume Quest 2

Trick, treat and pick a fight with villainous dental soldiers in Costume Quest 2, the sweet sequel to Double Fine’s hit original, Costume Quest, that turned fans of all ages into candy obsessed crusaders. This inspired RPG adventure includes a range of new features and gameplay improvements to double the amount of mischievous fun. Explore spooky time-traversing landscapes, don adorable new costumes that transform into powerful Hallo-warriors, and collect even Creepier Treat Cards to wield in combat against a legion of hygiene-obsessed baddies. Only heroic siblings Wren and Reynold can save Halloween forever!

PlayStation Vita

Letter Quest Remastered

The grim reapers Grimm and Rose need your help to defeat a legion of monsters, ghosts, and evil bunnies using the power of words! Spell words to battle monsters and earn gems that can be used to purchase upgrades, books, special items, potions, and much more! Letter Quest is a turn-based RPG featuring high-res artwork, clever wordplay, and two great soundtracks. Use your linguistic skills to survive!

Pumped BMX+

Pumped BMX + uses the hit game ‘Pumped BMX 2’ as inspiration – taking everything which made the mobile version so successful and enhancing every aspect of it for console. Originally developed by one man studio Yeah Us!, Pumped BMX + sees players ride their way through increasingly challenging levels while pulling off crazy and impressive trick combinations. The game lets players choose their rider style and throw down their best stunts whilst racing through more than 500 challenges to reach the top of the leader boards.

from Nerd Reactor

Urban legends are sometimes true. For example, it had been rumored for decades that the mask the killer Michael Myers wore in the Halloween films was in fact based on William Shatner's face. Not just Shatner's face, but a Captain Kirk death mask created for Star Trek. It's an old story, but for those who've not heard it before or have but don't know all the details, StarTrek.com is revisiting it now. And the story is very, very true.

Rick Sternbach, who worked as illustrator/designer on Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Nemesis -- posted the following on his Facebook page a few years back:

"There are a number of historical threads through various production people over the years that validate that; I've got one of those threads here (I've told this story once or twice before). I was hired as an illustrator on Halloween 2 in 1981, working for production designer J. Michael Riva. In a supply cabinet at Pumpkin Pie Productions, we had one mask left from the original Halloween, and no idea where to get any others for the sequel. It appeared that we'd need to go check out some of the toys stores and such, but I noticed that there was some wording molded into the neck area. There was a model number, and 'Don Post Studios.' I made a call, read off the model number, and the word came back 'It's our Captain Kirk mask.' I asked if we could buy a number of them, and was told 'We'll give you a box, just give us credit.' With that, I turned the official dealings over to the higher-ups. Brush with greatness."

As if that weren't enough to confirm that Shatner/Kirk's mug indeed became that of the masked serial killer, here's an old video we found of Shatner himself discussing it -- and even revealing that he went trick or treating with his daughters one Halloween wearing a Michael Myers mask.

Scary, right?

from Star Trek Latest News

Could you imagine if the crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation was traveling through space and stumbled upon a planet full of xenomorphs? Imagine Captain Jean-Luc Picard trying to come up with a plan to deal with these vicious aliens or having to lead his crew into battle. This is now entirely possible as a TNG/Aliens crossover comic has been announced for next year.

The new crossover was announced at MCM London Comic Con at the Diamond Retailer event. IDW’s Dirk Wood and Dark Horse’s Matt Parkinson delivered the news about the new story which will be called “Acceptable Losses.” Regular Trek creative team JK Woodward and the Tipton brothers, the people behind Star Trek/Doctor Who, will be responsible for the new series.

You can read about the crew of the USS Enterprise and their likely meeting with the xenomorphs in April 2017.

Via: Bleedingcool

from Nerd Reactor

THQ Nordic has acquired all of Novalogic’s gaming properties and plans to continue creating the developer’s tactical FPS titles.

The acquisition includes the following series:

• Delta Force
• Joint Operations
• Comanche
• Armored Fist
• Tachyon: The Fringe
• F-22
• F-16

The acquisition also includes the Novalogic trademark, as well as other properties.

And although all of these series are now owned by THQ Nordic, there are no specific plans to bring all of them back, although they are open to being approached by developers.

“NovaLogic pioneered military simulations and military-themed multiplayer shooters with vehicular combat and also clearly targeted at an adult audience,” said THQ Nordic business and product development director, Reinhard Pollice. “We are extremely satisfied with the new additions to our portfolio, and also very thrilled about how to continue some of said franchises, we are open for talks in this regard if any developer approaches us with a concept for a potential sequel to any IP.”

Source: THQ Nordic

from Nerd Reactor

Posted to PlayStation’s official YouTube channel, a trailer has been released for the upcoming Season Finale for IO Interactive’s Hitman.

The trailer shows off the game’s Hokkaido, Japan, location and teases the culmination of the story woven through the game’s previous five episodes.

You can check out the trailer below for yourself.

The Season Finale episode of Hitman is available now for PS4, Xbox One and PC.

from Nerd Reactor

It’s been over three months since the release of the Operation: Skull Rain DLC for Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six: Siege. Since then, fans have been waiting on news of the next round of DLC for the game – which generally includes a new map and two new operators.

Well, now we have our first official tease of the newest content, as per a posting to Twitter from the Rainbow Six: Siege official account.

The caption for the tweet translates in to English as “Time, come Tareri.” – the meaning of which in relation to the DLC is as of yet unclear, although it is speculated to be the name of one of the new operators.

There’s also no news on who the new operators will be, officially, but considering the game uses real world Special Forces and Police Counter-Terror units, my money is on the inclusion of Japan’s Special Assault Team – an elite Counter-Terror Police unit.

Via PCGamer, footage of the DLC’s new map has also been revealed. You can view it for yourself below.

Season 4 Operator and Map http://pic.twitter.com/Y1nBfGIWam

— Jon Kay (@JonKay20) October 25, 2016

Ubisoft has previously stated that a Japan-themed DLC for Rainbow Six: Siege would be the final part of this season’s DLC for the game, so it may be some time before we see more content.

from Nerd Reactor

 

The official trailer for Sony’s film Life starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds, Rebecca Ferguson, Hiroyuki Sanada, Olga Dihovichnaya, and Ariyon Bakare follows a group of astronauts on the International Space Station as they discover life on Mars. Check out the trailer below and tell us what you think of it?

Official synopsis:

“‘Life’ tells the story of the six-member crew of the International Space Station that is on the cutting edge of one of the most important discoveries in human history: the first evidence of extraterrestrial life on Mars. As the crew begins to conduct research and their methods end up having unintended consequences, the life form proves more intelligent than anyone ever expected.”

from Nerd Reactor

 

Maria Bello will be joining the cast of The Walking Dead next season as an unknown character. During an interview with People Magazine, Bello, a long time fan of the show stated:

“I am obsessed with the show. I have a friend who’s a producer on it and I’ve asked them to write me a part, which apparently they are for next season.”

Bello, known for films such as 2013’s Prisoners, 2005’s A History of Violence, Adam Sandler’s 2010 film Grown Ups, and the hit TV drama series, ER, is not sure what were role will be, but is definitely happy to just be included on The Walking Dead. 

“Even if I just play a zombie. I said, ‘I’ll just come out and play a zombie for an episode, I don’t care!’ But it is my favorite show.”

You can catch The Waking Dead on AMC every Sunday at 9pm. Check out our John and Mike show reaction video to the season 7 premiere episode below!

Source: People Magazine

 

 

from Nerd Reactor

Standing in line, not in costume, at the Las Vegas Star Trek convention a few years ago was an eye opener for me. I’ve spent most of my life in theater, so wearing costumes is as comfortable for me as wearing mundane clothing. As a result, I’ve been in costume playing dress-up at most of the Star Trek conventions I’ve been to. But on this particular early Sunday morning, I’d worn something I could get into quickly: boring jeans and a tee-shirt. Standing in line talking with some new friends who had no idea that I usually wear a costume, I heard their somewhat negative perspective on the costumed conventioneers. And I was surprised. I had never heard these kinds of perspectives while actually wearing a costume.

I’m grateful for the conversation because I learned several things: One, that there are actually people out there who enjoy conventions and don’t enjoy costumes. Inconceivable! But surprisingly true. I learned that people at Trek conventions are polite. Well, I already knew that, but this was a new aspect to it. They live and let live knowing the silly costumed people around them weren’t hurting anyone and respecting differences enough to not say a thing to someone when they suspect it might hurt that person. And I learned that there are likely people out there who want to cosplay but haven’t yet, because they’ve heard this negative perspective and are afraid.

Friends, cosplayers and non-costumed fans, do not fear! Here is a brief introduction and guide to cosplaying, presented in the hopes of dispelling any fears and providing illumination as to why a person would put on a costume, and how to do it or view it.

The word “cosplay” is a portmanteau of the words “costume” and “play” -- and it is quite literally that: playing in a costume. There are four parts to cosplaying: the actor (or person wearing the costume), the character being portrayed, the costume and the audience. There’s a fifth part, optional in theory, but not in practice: a camera and the subsequently larger online audience.

The Actor:

The most important thing is the person in the costume, not the costume. You’ve chosen a character you love in some way and decided to embody that character in front of other people. This is brave. You are vulnerable as you share a bit of your soul by sharing a bit of what you love in such a public and obvious way. The costume may cover your body, but it reveals a bit of your heart. So be kind to yourself and to others in costume. We’re bearing our souls to each other here.

Despite how serious and earnest that sounds, remember, it’s for fun! It’s not a competition (with the obvious exception of when it is a competition.) Don’t take it too seriously. We’re all just pretending and playing dress-up.

The Character:

The goal is to have fun, so make sure to choose a character that brings you joy in some way. And don’t be afraid of being silly. It’s too late: this is an inherently silly, superfluous, unnecessary, but lovely, invigorating and creative activity. Embrace that because that’s what playing, relaxing and having fun is. And remember, you’re going to be wearing the costume all day. You better like, in some way, who you’re representing.

When choosing a character and costume to construct, commission or purchase, consider the venue and the purpose of the cosplay, your budget in time and money, your skill level and available resources – including materials and people with skills they can share.

Ignore the skin color or size of the character you want to play. Don’t limit yourself to only playing characters that are “your size” in the show. You don’t cosplay for other people. You do it for yourself, and yourself is not built like 7 of 9. Don’t let that stop you. Even Jeri Ryan wasn’t built like 7 of 9. As a practical tip: if you’re cosplaying an alien with a different colored skin, go ahead and alter the color of your skin. If you’re cosplaying a human, just be a human and don’t change your human skin color.

The Costume:

My definition of a successful costume is found in the eyes of the actor. It doesn’t matter how well or how poorly a costume is constructed. If the person wearing it has that shine of joy in their eyes, it’s a successful costume. It doesn’t have to be exact – it has to be fun.

Here comes the most-practical advice in this entire article: make sure it fits! Nobody is a size, but everyone has measurements. Pay attention to how the costume fits on your body. Too small is just as bad as – actually worse – than too big. Don’t try to squeeze yourself into a size 6 because you think you should be able to fit or because the actress originally playing the role is preternaturally skinny. If the costume you own fits on your body, both you and it will look good. Remember, the correct fit, that everyone can see, looks so much better than a number on a tag that no one can see.

The Audience:

You’re happy to be wearing a costume. Now it’s time to bring happiness to others as you wear it. Art doesn’t have its full meaning until it’s communicated to someone else. The audience brings their own experience (or lack of it) to their experience of seeing you in costume. Don’t be a jerk to people who don’t know what your costume is. Take the opportunity to share your joy of this new thing with them – because it really may be new to them.

Be aware of the venue and keep your costume, words and actions appropriate for the audience. In many cosplay venues, some of the audience is very young and/or physically and emotionally vulnerable. Be kind to all.

When it comes to the picture-taking aspect of cosplay, I fully realize that for many this is the badge that determines a successful costume. If tons of people want your picture, you can’t deny that you’ve pleased your audience and that therefore the costume is a success. But for me the most meaningful responses to my cosplays have been the personal interactions when someone says I made their day, or I made them laugh. There have been meaningful changes in my life as I have cosplayed and gotten to know and experience other cosplayers. The audience, including other cosplayers, can become such good friends.

Your course in Cosplay 101: Introduction to Cosplay is complete. Perhaps you’ve gained the courage now to put on a costume. Perhaps you’ve gained an insight into those who decide to do so, even if you’ll never put on a costume – not even for Halloween! In the future, I will write articles for StarTrek.com on how to decide what to cosplay, how to design a costume, cosplay on a budget, cosplay etiquette, tips and tricks specifically for Trek costumes and other nifty things to help your game of Star Trek dress-up be the awesomest. If you have questions or concerns about cosplaying or suggestions for future articles, please contact me on Twitter @tanaquill1558 or Facebook at http://ift.tt/2f5lfNX.

Live Long and Prosper.

from Star Trek Latest News

After a harsh season premiere last week of The Walking Dead, the writers decided to give viewers a break in the horror and gore and introduce some new characters to help (or attempt to) fill the void in our hearts.

In this latest episode ‘The Well’, the audience is introduced to The Kingdom, another colony who live peaceful lives with plants, livestock, school, and even music; all led by their king. Morgan brings a sick Carol to the Kingdom and introduces her to their King Ezekiel and his beloved pet tiger, Shiva.

Always skeptical and realistic, Carol thinks the place is a sham and plays her fake ‘innocent’ card. This leads to multiple funny scenes of Carol, one who knows how to murder people, just acting clueless and seeming high on drugs.

This is why we love you, Carol.

But, it is through Carol’s skepticism, we learn more about the Kingdom and the hope we have for it.

Although the episode was a bit crazy being that this was a mecca ruled by a Shakespearean king and his pet tiger, it was definitely needed. One, it introduced us to King Ezekiel and his men, who like in the comics, play a large role in taking down Negan and the Saviors. Two, they gave us some likeable characters to have hope and strong feelings for.

I found the likeable characters in Ezekiel, his main knight Richard, and his squire Jerry. We learned quickly that Ezekiel isn’t really British and, like the comics, was a zookeeper who saved Shiva prior to the apocalypse. And, although he lied to his people, he has proven himself a really good leader. He created this kingdom based on peace and kept his side deal with Negan away from his people. He just wants peace and his people to have something to truly live for. Honestly, he may be the best leader throughout all the seasons, including Rick. He may also be my favorite character now (especially now that Glen is gone).

His soldiers are exceptional as well. They are trained for battle and quite well equipped. Richard easily kicked that Savior’s ass before being told to stop. He’s just doing his job even when it’s tough.

As for Jerry, his character was just fun. The fact that he kept things light-hearted with his quirky comments, including saying “deuces” as he left. Who does that still in an apocalypse!?!

Overall, the Kingdom seems like the best place to be for peace and training. Even Morgan found his place as advisor to the King and mentor to Benjamin, a young man wanting to learn how to fight walkers. I’m not sure how Morgan could go back to Alexandria after experiencing this place.

I needed this episode. I think we all did. A quiet episode to introduce us to peace and hope, even for Carol. The fact that Ezekiel got through to her really shows us something. It also seemed to me they will be replacing the comic’s love story between Ezekiel and Michonne with Carol, especially after the heart-to-heart talk between the two this past episode. But, we won’t know for sure until the gang are introduced to the Kingdom.

I’m enjoying the Kingdom, which makes me happy and scared at the same time, because now that I like him and his people, I know I have something to lose again.

 

from Nerd Reactor