The good folks over at USA Today have put together a 2017 movie preview and with it comes a new image from Alien: Covenant. Check it out right here!

The cast of Alien: Covenant includes Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Demián Bichir, Carmen Ejogo, Amy Seimetz, Jussie Smollett, Callie Hernandez, Nathaniel Dean, Alexander England, Benjamin Rigby, James Franco, and Noomi Rapace.  It is directed by Ridley Scott.

Look for the film in theaters on May 19, 2017.

Synopsis:
The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise but is actually a dark, dangerous world. When they uncover a threat beyond their imagination, they must attempt a harrowing escape.

The post New Alien: Covenant Image Promises a Fight! appeared first on Dread Central.

IFC Midnight just sent over a bloody new image gallery for The Axe Murders of Villisca based upon the ridiculously frightening true story behind the Villisca axe murders. Check it out, and let’s hope the movie can live up to the facts.

The Axe Murders of Villisca was directed by Tony E. Valenzuela and written by Owen Edgerton. Look for it on VOD and in limited release on January 20th.

Synopsis:
On a June night in 1912, eight people—a mother, father, their four children, and two guests—were murdered by an axe-wielding killer in the sleepy town of Villisca, Iowa, a case that remains unsolved to this day.

104 Years later, Caleb (Robert Adamson) and Denny (Jarrett Sleeper), two friends who share an interest in ghost hunting, along with Jess (Alex Frnka), the new girl in school who’s already got a reputation, sneak into the house where the infamous bloodbath occurred in hopes of recording paranormal activity. What the trio encounters is far more horrifying than anything they could have imagined…

A century after the shocking crime that put Villisca on the map, a supernatural force is waiting to write the next chapter in the home’s bloody history.

The post The Axe Murders of Villisca – Haunting New Image Gallery appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Jamie Scott Gordon, Amanda Gilliland, Daniel Casey, Dougie Clark

Directed by Lawrie Brewster

Distributed by Hex Media

Derelict on the streets of Scotland, Iraq war veteran and budding poet Andrew (Gordon) struggles daily with a PTSD-induced fear of, and obsession with, ravens. In an effort to get him off the streets and help him overcome his mental struggle, Andrew’s social worker, Angela (Gilliland), sorts him out with the keys to her friend’s cottage in the remote Highlands.

She promises that after a few days out there, she’ll have found him a permanent home. The only thing he has to do in the meantime is unwind, continue writing his poetry and keep a daily journal of his thoughts and feelings.

If only it were that easy…

Very soon after arriving, the crippling nature of Andrew’s malady becomes apparent as his serene traipses across the countryside are regularly interrupted by sudden and aggressive hallucinations that recall his experiences on the blood-soaked sands of Iraq – and usually, they involve the ominous presence of ravens.

But these aren’t just the usual kind of ravens one can spy occasionally, but a set of humanoid raven warriors, decked out in armour, shrouds and masks that recall a mixture of medieval battlefield and plague doctor garb.

Tormented by the vicious, weapon-wielding warriors and another, more militaristically-minded (and manic) version of himself, Andrew’s battle moves from the internal to viscerally external realms – and this fight may just be one that holds his very soul in the balance.

A wonderful piece of home-grown horror artistry, The Unkindness of Ravens is as sombre as it is unsettling and ambitious. Obviously not made on a huge budget, the film nonetheless makes excellent use of its locations (both internal and external), and even manages to pull off its low-key battle scenes with enough gusto to ensure its success never once feels beholden to the amount of money pumped in.

Simply put, this one punches above its weight and lands the swings.

That’s a noteworthy achievement in independent cinema, and testament to the strength of the writing and performances found within. Scenes that may otherwise demand a greater element of visual authenticity are handled in just the right way so that they truly serve the story – adding revelations regarding Andrew’s fragile mental state rather than merely existing to deliver action.

And Andrew’s fragile state feels oh so authentic thanks to the efforts of leading man Jamie Scott Gordon, who pulls off every measure of confusion, anger, horror and despair with a layer of vulnerability that makes him eminently sympathetic – a gentle soul who has been through hell, and never truly returned. Throughout the picture, he feels like a sacrifice just waiting to happen – an underlying tension that rings of classic horror themes.

Speaking of classic horror, piling on top of the writing and performances is director Brewster’s cinematic language. Perturbing in his rhythm, Brewster knows just when to make that sudden smash cut, echoing classic horror stylistics with a discombobulating bent as he suddenly dips into complete chaos, and abruptly ceases the same with unpredictable cadence.

It’s confrontational, even confusing at times – but never uncalculated, and makes for a convincing rendition of the fractured mind of his protagonist and a disquieting experience for the audience.

In this microcosmic world where peace and chaos reign as one, The Unkindness of Ravens’ score fits ably amidst the proceedings, with a number of original pieces and songs that swing suitably between soothing and malevolent (though there’s perhaps a little too much repetition of traditional English ballad “The Three Ravens”).

It starts off slow, but The Unkindness of Ravens has more than enough horror to go around once the wheels start turning and the (superbly costumed) raven warriors move in for the kill – including the transportation of Andrew to their very own realm of the damned, full of the screaming, eyeless forms of their many other victims.

There’s a great mythology to these beings, whether or not you choose to believe they actually exist at all outside of Andrew’s psyche, and they’re fleshed out with as much impressive efficiency as Andrew himself.

And that’s what makes The Unkindness of Ravens such a success – everything comes together to create a cracking story through and through. One of anguish, rage, regret and redemption that’s impossible not to become absorbed in on a distinctly human level.

No melodrama, no over-the-top discoveries, bombastic revelations or amped-up action sequences… just an intelligent tale of a broken man facing one of the hardest battles imaginable – and a bunch of monstrous enemies you really wouldn’t want to meet in a darkened alley.

Hex Media bring The Unkindness of Ravens home in a fan-friggin’-tastic looking collector’s box, which folds out to reveal some stunning artwork and houses the film on DVD and Blu-ray along with the full soundtrack on CD.

In terms of on-disc extras, both the DVD and Blu-ray mirror the same materials. There’s a feature length behind the scenes documentary packed to the gills with content. There’s something called “Mythos” which sees a low-lit Brewster present fabricated tape recordings and writings which expand on the mythology of the film’s raven warriors and their penchant for torturing and consuming souls. It feels like an old campfire tale, and it’s great.

Besides that, there’s over an hour of interviews with cast and crew – all of which offer a real sense of personality that keep them consistently engaging (these folks aren’t afraid to have a laugh, no matter whether they’re in front of our behind the camera!), a couple of trailers and around 20 minutes of deleted scenes and abandoned/unused concepts.

And then we have a series of short stories – which are more like poems than narrative tales, much in the vibe of the film – entitled “When the Light Goes Out”, “The Fallen Man”, “Scavengers”, “Wilderness” and “The Unkindness of Ravens”. All of these are written by the film’s writer, Sarah Daly, and read by Brewster and Gordon. Backing those up, the Hex Media team serve up a number of pranks they performed on members of the public, confronting them with armed raven warriors at a few inopportune moments. Funny stuff.

Finally, we have a feature commentary with director Brewster and star Gordon, which – as with the interviews – is brimming with character.

With the added benefit of being produced region free, this is an astounding package for a remarkable film. My only gripe? No chapter breaks! Come on, guys!

Still, don’t let that put you off. Make sure you grab this one… before the ravens get their sharp black beaks in your soft, white eyes…

Special Features:

• Soundtrack Audio CD
• Behind the Scenes documentary
• Mythos
• Interviews
• Trailers
• Short Stories
• Deleted Scenes
• Commentary
• Pranks

The post Unkindness of Ravens, The (DVD/Blu-ray) appeared first on Dread Central.

While it’s still a ways off from premiering at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, A Ghost Story has already found a home with A24.

THR reports that A24 on Sunday claimed worldwide rights to David Lowery’s film.

Filmed under the radar, the supernatural tale, which is set to premiere January 22 in the festival’s offbeat Next sidebar, stars Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara. Affleck plays what the fest program describes as “a spectral figure” who returns to his former home to watch over his grief-stricken lover, played by Mara.

Lowery, whose Ain’t Them Bodies Saints played at the 2013 festival, most recently directed Disney’s Pete’s Dragon. He also wrote A Ghost Story, which, according to sources, A24 acquired sight unseen. The film is produced by Toby Halbrooks, James M. Johnston and Adam Donaghey.

The film tells the tale of a ghost and the house he haunts. Check out some new eye-candy below.

The Festival will host screenings in Park City, Salt Lake City, and at Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah from January 19 through 29, 2017.

A Ghost Story by David Lowery, an official selection of the NEXT program at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. © 2016 Sundance Institute | photo by Andrew Droz Palermo.

Rooney Mara appears in A Ghost Story by David Lowery, an official selection of the NEXT program at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. © 2016 Sundance Institute | photo by Andrew Droz Palermo.

Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck appear in A Ghost Story by David Lowery, an official selection of the NEXT program at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. © 2016 Sundance Institute | photo by Andrew Droz Palermo.

The post Sundance 2017: A Ghost Story to be Told by A24 appeared first on Dread Central.

The never-ending train of promo videos and clips keeps chugging along for Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, and right now we have several videos, including a new clip, to share along with a new international poster. Get comfy! You’re gonna be here for a bit!

Look for Resident Evil: The Final Chapter on January 27, 2017.

The film was written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson and stars series regulars Milla Jovovich, Iain Glen, Ali Larter, and Shawn Roberts in addition to newcomers Lee Joon-gi, Rola, William Levy, and Ruby Rose.

Synopsis:
Picking up immediately after the events in Resident Evil: Retribution, humanity is on its last legs after Alice is betrayed by Wesker in Washington, D.C. As the only survivor of what was meant to be humanity’s final stand against the undead hordes, Alice must return to where the nightmare began – Raccoon City, where the Umbrella Corporation is gathering its forces for a final strike against the only remaining survivors of the apocalypse.

In a race against time, Alice will join forces with old friends and an unlikely ally in an action-packed battle with undead hordes and new mutant monsters. Between losing her superhuman abilities and Umbrella’s impending attack, this will be Alice’s most difficult adventure as she fights to save humanity, which is on the brink of oblivion.

The post More Resident Evil: The Final Chapter Eye Candy appeared first on Dread Central.

Another TV spot is here for The Bye Bye Man, and per usual it comes with a warning. Dig in!

Michael Trucco stars with Douglas Smith, Cressida Bonas, Lucien Laviscount, Doug Jones, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Faye Dunaway.

Stacy Title directed from Jonathan Penner’s script, based on Robert Damon Schneck’s short story “The Bridge to Body Island.” Trevor Macy produced for Intrepid, and Jeffrey Soros and Simon Horsman produced for Los Angeles Media Fund.

Synopsis:
When three college friends stumble upon the horrific origins of the Bye Bye Man, they discover that there is only one way to avoid his curse: don’t think it, don’t say it. But once the Bye Bye Man gets inside your head, he takes control. Is there a way to survive his possession?

The post Don’t Call The Bye Bye Man by Name! appeared first on Dread Central.

A new VR experience is here for the thriller Go North, so if you have the tech, you may wanna dive into this world to see what it’s all about!

Go North, which will be released day-and-date on January 13, 2017, is the narrative debut of Emmy-nominated documentarian Matt Ogens (Meet the Hitlers) and was executive produced by Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me, Rats). Its haunting, evocative score was composed by Greg Kuehn.

Patrick Schwarzenegger, Jacob Lofland, Sophie Kennedy Clark, and James Bloor star.

Synopsis:
In the aftermath of an unknown catastrophe, a community left with zero living adults has descended into a modern-day Lord of the Flies, run by a small cabal of what had been the jocks occupying the athletic and social upper crust of the local high school, headed by Caleb (Schwarzenegger).

Faced with the bleak despair of their situation, Josh (Lofland) and Jessie (Clark) strike out on a dangerous journey into the unknown to find family and hope for the future, with Caleb and his vicious underling Gentry (Bloor) in hot pursuit.

The post Go North for a VR Experience appeared first on Dread Central.

The second teaser for Netflix’s upcoming “Santa Clarita Diet” has arrived and it’s like no other diet you’ve tried… it satisfies all your cravings, and you can eat whoever you want!

The “Santa Clarita Diet,” for people with good taste… and people who taste good.

The series stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as Sheila and Joel Hammond, married realtors who live in the titular Los Angeles suburb. Their co-stars are Liv Hewson as Abby Hammond and Skyler Gisondo as Eric Bemis.

Showrunner Victor Fresco (“Better Off Ted”), Barrymore, Olyphant, Aaron Kaplan, Tracy Katsky, Chris Miller, and Ember Truesdell are executive producers on the series. Nancy Juvonen is a producer. “Santa Clarita Diet” is a Netflix production.

It begins February 3rd, and you can learn more at santaclaritadiet.com.

Synopsis:
Joel (Olyphant) and Sheila (Barrymore) are husband and wife realtors leading vaguely discontented lives in the L.A. suburb of Santa Clarita with their teenage daughter, Abby, until Sheila goes through a dramatic change, sending their lives down a road of death and destruction… but in a good way.

The post The Santa Clarita Diet Testimonials Continue! appeared first on Dread Central.

We’re beyond excited for the new film from creature FX designer Jordu Schell (Men in Black, Avatar, Galaxy Quest, Edward Scissorhands, and many more), Remote Viewing; and the film has more than made its Indiegogo goal! That’s right, kids… it’s fully funded, and we have a teaser trailer for you!

The teaser comes via the newly launched Remote Viewing Facebook page.

Schell directs from a screenplay he wrote with Robert L. Lucas and Joe Knetter of Wolfpack Studios.

“It has always been my dream to make my own movie and give people those same terrifying chills that I had all those years ago, to create the kind of film that would stick with people forever,” said Schell. “Now, working with some of the amazingly talented people I have met along the way in conjunction with newly formed Wolfpack Studios, I am finally able to make my directorial debut.”

The post Remote Viewing FULLY FUNDED; Teaser Trailer Arrives! appeared first on Dread Central.

We learned a few days ago that “Bates Motel” will be returning to the airwaves of A&E a bit sooner than usual with Season 5 set to premiere on February 20th.  Now we have a few more details courtesy of the network plus a video that shows us what Norman has been up to since we last saw him.

From the Press Release:
The haunting fifth and final season of the critically acclaimed drama “Bates Motel,” from writers and executive producers Kerry Ehrin (“Friday Night Lights,” “Parenthood”) and Carlton Cuse (“Lost, “The Strain”), will premiere on Monday, February 20, at 10PM ET/PT on A&E. Fan favorite and Emmy-nominated actress Vera Farmiga returns for double duty as executive producer while also reprising her role as “Mother,” who is very much alive and well, but only in the twisted, complicated mind of “Norman Bates,” played by Freddie Highmore. In addition, eight-time Grammy Award winner and series super fan Rihanna checks in to play the role of “Marion Crane,” putting a newly reimagined and contemporary spin on the iconic character.

This contemporary prequel to the genre-defining film Psycho has provided fans with an intimate look into the unraveling of Norman Bates’ psyche throughout his teenage years. Fans watched as Norman’s dangerous transformation came full circle when he methodically murdered his beloved mother, Norma, in the final gut-wrenching episodes of Season Four.

Season Five of “Bates Motel” picks up almost two years later and finds Norman (Freddie Highmore), a grown man now, living a double life. Publicly he’s a happy and well-adjusted member of the White Pine Bay community, but at home Norman struggles; his violent blackouts continue to increase as Mother (Vera Farmiga) threatens to take over his mind completely. Meanwhile, Dylan Massett (Max Thierot) and Emma Decody (Olivia Cooke), since leaving White Pine Bay, have been living their lives blissfully unaware of Norma’s death and Norman’s full on descent into psychosis. Unfortunately for them, they will soon find themselves drawn back into Norman’s insanity, while a vengeful Alex Romero (Nestor Carbonell), who is currently incarcerated for a perjury, hungers for a chance to destroy his stepson and avenge the murder of his one true love, Norma Bates.

New faces find their way to the Bates Motel this season to further complicate Norman’s life and threaten to unearth his dark secrets. Viewers will finally meet the iconic Marion Crane played by Rihanna. In addition, a new couple in town, Madeleine Loomis, played by Isabelle McNally (“House of Cards”) and her husband, Sam Loomis, played by Austin Nichols (“The Walking Dead,” “Ray Donovan”), as well as Sheriff Dana Greene, played by Brooke Smith (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Ray Donovan”), become entangled in Norman’s life, causing a chain of events that could blow the lid off Norman’s secret life. Lastly, fans will be greeted by familiar faces when Caleb Calhoun (Kenny Johnson) and Chick Hogan (Ryan Hurst) return with agendas of their own.

“Bates Motel” is produced by Universal Television for A&E Network. Kerry Ehrin and Carlton Cuse serve as executive producers for Cuse Productions and Kerry Ehrin Productions. Tucker Gates, Vera Farmiga, and Tom Szentgyorgyi also serve as executive producers on the series.

The post Bates Motel – See What Norman Has Been Up To! appeared first on Dread Central.

Without a doubt, THE television event of the year for us is the return of “Twin Peaks” on Showtime, and today during the network’s presentation to the Television Critics Association, the series’ premiere date and a few more details were revealed.

“Twin Peaks” arrives Sunday, May 21st, with a two-hour premiere that will be comprised of Episodes 1.01 and 1.02.  Per Deadline, immediately after the premiere, Episodes 1.03 and 1.04 will also be made available on Showtime’s digital platform.

Showtime president David Nevins confirmed that we can expect a total of 18 episodes.

We should have lots more soon so stay tuned!

About “Twin Peaks”:
The critically-acclaimed television phenomenon “TWIN PEAKS” returns as a limited series to Showtime in 2017. “TWIN PEAKS” is written and produced by series creators and executive producers David Lynch and Mark Frost and is directed entirely by David Lynch.

While the full mystery awaits, fans can expect many familiar faces, including Golden Globe winner and Emmy Award nominee Kyle MacLachlan, who reprises his role as FBI Agent Dale Cooper, plus Lynch as FBI Regional Bureau Chief Gordon Cole.

Widely considered one of the most groundbreaking and influential broadcast series of all time, “TWIN PEAKS” followed the inhabitants of a quaint Northwestern town who were stunned after their homecoming queen, Laura Palmer, was shockingly murdered. The town’s sheriff welcomed the help of FBI agent Dale Cooper, who came to town to investigate the case. As Cooper conducted his search for Laura’s killer, the town’s secrets were gradually exposed. The mystery that ensued set off an eerie chain of events that plunged the inhabitants of Twin Peaks into a darker examination of their very existence. Twenty-five years later, the story continues…

The post TCA Winter 2017: Twin Peaks to Premiere in May; More Details Revealed! appeared first on Dread Central.

We told you a while back that The CW landed “The Lost Boys” property to turn into a series and now we have an update regarding which way that series will be headed.

Rotten Tomatoes caught up with Rob Thomas at the Television Critics Association panel on Sunday where he talked a bit about the modern take the series will have.

Thomas is inventing a different group of vampire teens than Sutherland and co. played in the movie. Primarily because Thomas sees the show going past the ’80s, and it shouldn’t be a spoiler to say that many of the vampire characters did not survive the 1987 movie.

“They’re similar young vampires all sort of living this sort of Peter Pan–like existence of never having to grow up, getting turned into vampires when they’re in their early 20s,” Thomas said. “They can stay young and beautiful and cool forever.”

Since vampires stay young forever, Thomas’s idea is an anthology series where each season explores the Lost Boys in a different decade. The beginning would be “1967 Summer of Love Haight-Ashbury to be specific,” Thomas said.

Season 2 would take place in 1970s New York.

“One of the things that I wanted to do was to center the show in places where youth culture was in flux,” Thomas said. “I would love to do 1978 New York, death of disco, birth of punk rock. Just places where it’s all happening would be great.”

Season 3 would take place in the 80s but with a different group of Lost Boys than the ones in the movie.

“One of the ideas would be to do the ’80s in Austin,” Thomas said. “It’s where I grew up in the ’80s. I would love to do the ’80s in Austin not because it’s the perfect location, but because I know the ’80s in Austin.”

“What the movie was — the ’80s in a small beach town — that didn’t feel like this is where the nation’s youth are in flux and crisis,” Thomas said. “So I don’t know that that would be a setting [for a whole season], but you could play an episode. Managing to do a tie-in in the ’80s I would suspect we would try to make it happen somehow.”

Thomas suggested the fourth season of “Lost Boys,” would be set in the ’90s and involve the grunge scene. Since “iZombie” is also set in Seattle, Washington, Thomas knows he could capture the birth of grunge.

“That’d be very easy because we’ve proven we can fake Seattle in Vancouver,” Thomas said.

Eventually we’d end up in modern day “In seven seasons we would catch up with present day,” Thomas said. “Technically we could be playing the 2024 election in seven years.”

Hit up the above link for more.

The post Lost Boys Series to Span Decades appeared first on Dread Central.

Video game to movie adaptations (and vice versa) tend to suck. However sometimes we see ideas that are just genius! Such is the case with artist Michael Whaite’s mashup of The Shining and Pac-Man.

In a perfect world someone would make this thing ASAP! Just check out the majesty of this wondrously looney idea and tell me you would’t be pouring quarters into this thing non-stop!

Bravo, Michael!

The post The Shining Gets a Video Game Adaptation – Pac-Man Style! appeared first on Dread Central.

Netflix is home to all manners of new horror projects if you just know where to look! The latest one to hit our radar is entitled Clinical and it premieres this Friday January 13th! Check out the NOT SAFE FOR WORK trailer.

Clinical is directed by The Diabolical‘s Alistair Legrand, and stars Vinessa Shaw (The Hills Have Eyes), William Atherton, and Aaron Stanford.

Synopsis:
A psychologist’s horrifying encounter with a disturbed young patient continues to haunt her — causing her to question her own sanity as her visions of the past become increasingly more visceral.

The post NSFW: Netflix Unleashing Clinical Horrors appeared first on Dread Central.

Did you miss “Wolf Creek: The Series” during its run? Well, lucky for you the show is coming to home video this March so plan on catching up!

From the Press Release:
Based on the iconic cult movie franchise, the all-new revenge thriller television series Wolf Creek: Season One arrives on DVD March 21 from Lionsgate. The season is currently available on Digital HD. John Jarratt reprises his role as the murdering psychopath of the Australian Outback, Mick Taylor. One of the most exciting new shows on cable network Pop, the series also stars Lucy Fry as an American college student who hunts down Mick Taylor to avenge the murder of her family.

Executive produced by the film franchise’s creator and director, Greg McLean, the Wolf Creek: Season One DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $19.98.

Synopsis:
After her family is brutally murdered in the Australian outback, American college student Eve Thorogood vows to bring serial killer Mick Taylor to justice—or die in the attempt.

Special Features:

• “Cinema to Series: The Legacy of Wolf Creek” Featurette
• “Making a Television Series” Featurette
• “Meet the Stars” Featurette
• “Discovering the Outback” Featurette
• “Visual Effects” Featurette
• “Meet the Supporting Cast” Featurette

The post Wolf Creek: The Series Hitting DVD in March appeared first on Dread Central.

Time for an image gallery, kids! Get ready for another look at Osgood Perkins’ hotly-anticipated feature debut, The Blackcoat’s Daughter, which is exclusively headed to DirecTV on February 16th. A theatrical run will follow on March 31st. For now, though… eye candy!

The film stars Emma Roberts (“American Horror Story”) and Kiernan Shipka (“Mad Men,” Carriers) with Lucy Boynton (Miss Porter), James Remar (“Dexter”), and Lauren Holly (Dumb and Dumber).

The Blackcoat’s Daughter is produced by Unbroken Pictures’ Adrienne Biddle and Bryan Bertino (The Strangers), Rob Paris’ Paris Film, Inc. (Everly), Zed Filmworks’ Rob Menzies, and Alphonse Ghossein of Go Insane Films. Carissa Buffel and Kevin Matusow are executive producing under their Traveling Picture Show (The Quiet Ones) banner along with 120dB Films’ Peter Graham and Steve Hayes as well as Arianne Fraser.

Synopsis:
A deeply atmospheric and terrifying new horror film, The Blackcoat’s Daughter centers on Kat (Shipka) and Rose (Boynton), two girls who are left alone at their prep school Bramford over winter break when their parents mysteriously fail to pick them up. While the girls experience increasingly strange and creepy occurrences at the isolated school, we cross cut to another story—that of Joan (Roberts), a troubled young woman on the road, who, for unknown reasons, is determined to get to Bramford as fast as she can.

As Joan gets closer to the school, Kat becomes plagued by progressively intense and horrifying visions, with Rose doing her best to help her new friend as she slips further and further into the grasp of an unseen evil force. The movie suspensefully builds to the moment when the two stories will finally intersect, setting the stage for a shocking and unforgettable climax.

The post The Blackcoat’s Daughter Shares an Image Gallery appeared first on Dread Central.

Amid rumors of its cancellation, Microsoft has confirmed to IGN that Scalebound is indeed no longer in active development.

They’d recruited Japanese developer PlatinumGames to create Scalebound, which was going to be an AAA open world action RPG in which a teenager named Drew is transported to the fantastical land of Draconis, where he befriends a bloodthirsty dragon named Thuban. Gameplay would have been a mixture of controlling Drew and engaging in sword combat against hoards of enemies, and playing as Thuban and unleashing his mighty dragon powers. If the combat system looked familiar, it’s because it was being directed by Devil May Cry and Bayonetta creator Hideki Kamiya.

We didn’t see a whole lot of footage from the game, but Microsoft was clearly hoping that it was gonna be the start of a huge franchise, as they already partnered with Titan to create a comic series set in the same universe. That overconfidence was their weakness.

The critical response to many of Platinum’s titles has waned in recent years because they’ve been trying to turn out as many games as possible rather than actually spending the time to make each individual game as good as it could be (they’ll be carrying TNMT: Mutants in Manhattan with them to the grave). Their relationship with Microsoft was said to have deteriorated during the long period that Scalebound was in development, as they’d allegedly placed it on the back burner rather than making it a priority so that their staff could focus on the many other games that they had in development.

It should also be noted that Scalebound was something of an anomaly because Xbox-exclusive games developed in Japan are pretty much nonexistent. All three Xbox systems flopped in the Land of the Rising Sun, and it’s not unheard of for the Xbox One to sell less than 100 units per week in the country. Had Scalebound been a hit, it may have opened the door for more collaborations between Microsoft and Japanese developers, something that’s now never going to happen.

In short, Scalebound was a game that was going to be something truly unique and different, and being unique and different just doesn’t cut it in today’s world. But heaven forbid we should miss out on the next FIFA or Call of Duty. We really can’t have nice things.

The post Microsoft Confirms that Scalebound Has Been Cancelled appeared first on Dread Central.

Developed by Arkane Studios

Published by Bethesda Softworks

Available on PC (reviewed), PS4, and Xbox One

Rated M for Mature

You know, I sometimes feel like I’m in the wrong line of work. Reviews are all about what’s new, being the first opinion out there with the boldest statements before anyone can take the time to form reasonable conclusions. Still, even I can see my Dishonored 2 review is beyond late. At this point, all the opinions are out there. Anyone interested has already bought it and beat it. Right? Well, strangely enough, not for Dishonored 2. Not for PC gamers, anyway.

Yes, unfortunately, Dishonored 2 is just another in the long list of bad PC port casualties. Being the dedicated journalist that I am, I booted up Dishonored 2 on November 11th, eager to delve into Corvo/Emily’s tale of revenge and bloodshed/forced unconsciousness. Even in the opening menu, something was off. The telltale cursor lag of sluggish loading was vexing my selections. About 45 seconds into the actual game, I noticed something was very wrong. Faces would pop in and out of detail at just a few feet away. Well lit objects were completely blown out with bloom. Anything over 5 feet away was blurry and undefined. All of this was before the game even let me pick who I was playing as.

Since the release, I have had at least a dozen different friends message me on Steam to ask if the game was playable yet. This was Batman: Arkham Knight level bad. I seriously couldn’t even play it when it first came out. The draw distance issues were so bad that I literally couldn’t make out what direction an enemy was facing at 50 paces. It’s pretty ridiculous for a game to be this unplayable at launch. In the long run, it all just boils down to some salty grumblings if they fix the issues. Well fans, I’m pleased to say that you can put away your pitchforks and breathe a sigh of relief. As of about three weeks ago, the game is now playable. So from this part of the review on, I’m just going to forgive and forget.

Go ahead, try to figure out which direction the guard under the tree is facing. It’s like one of those illusions that keeps changing the more you look at it, except instead of swapping between a vase and two faces kissing, it swaps between an unconscious guard and a bunch of people shooting at you.

I’m really glad that Arkane Studios worked it out, because it would be a real shame to give this game a bad score for technical difficulties. The first Dishonored is remembered as a great revival for the stealth/action genre, the best since Thief: The Dark Project, and Dishonored 2 improves in almost every way. This is a truly impressive game, replete with replay value, hidden secrets, and a plethora of alternate playstyles.

If you played the original (or any other stealth/action title, really), you should know what to expect. You’ll crouch around outside of sight cones, knock out some guards, shoot some dogs, and cary countless bodies to secluded piles for disposal. What makes Dishonored 2 great is just how many ways you can go about doing so. With most games, there are at most a couple paths for different tactics. If you’re a sniper, there might be one good vantage point for the level. If you’re sneaky, there are maybe few different ways to sneak your way in. The level of freedom you have in Dishonored 2 is almost overwhelming. Every single room has several ways to get to one of several exist, each leading to another new path. Teleport, climb, possess rats, do whatever. And hey, you can always just murder every dude in the room in a flurry bullets and blades. Dishonored 2 truly lets you play your way.

I like to imagine all of these guards waking up hours later, wondering how they wound up in a cuddle pile on the roof. It’s the little things that make non-lethal runs so worth it.

On top of that, Dishonored 2 offers you two different perspectives from which to experience the game. After the opening cutscene, you pick between Emily or Corvo to play for the duration of the campaign. More than just changing up the presentation of the narrative, Emily and Corvo have a different sets of powers. There are similarities in function, but only enough to not completely block off certain paths. Emily’s Shadow Walk can sneak around like Corvo’s possession, and Far Reach allows her to access areas that Corvo gets to with his Blink. Flashier skills like Emily’s Domino or Corvo’s Devouring Swarm give distinction to the combat side of things, allowing each their own flavor of murder.

It’s all mechanically simple, but shines in how it all comes together. There’s nothing inherently complicated about jumping, climbing, stabbing, shooting, and teleporting. Assassinating a foe, teleporting up a ledge, distracting some guards with a bottle, and taking everyone down with a time slowed series of crossbow bolts all comes together quickly and elegantly. Even the tougher enemies like the Clockwork Soldiers, which completely redefine how you have to fight, are easily understood in the context of the world.

And what a world the people at Arkane Studios have created. Extending on the nautical/steampunk theme of the original, Dishonored 2 introduces you to the dusty streets of Karnaka. There are plenty of similarities: Bloodflies have replaced the Rat Plague, Clockwork Soldiers are the new Tallboys, and Anton Sokolov is now a greyer and grumpier Anton Sokolov. While Dishonored often felt like a disconnected set of hostile and non-hostile zones to complete missions in, Dishonored 2’s nine chapters feel like a living world. The transition between hostile and neutral territory is seamless. One moment you can be listening to a couple of dockworkers complaining about their day, and the next you can find yourself quickly vaulting up a vent to avoid a patrolling guard. Higher level enemies are placed sparingly and in a way that makes sense. You won’t find witches outside of their corrupted covens, and random Clockwork Soldiers (which the game states only a few dozen exists) won’t be found patrolling random streets. It’s a lot of small things, but they add up to remove the friction between video game and fantasy world.

Although sometimes it is a little more obvious that you’re not in a friendly place.

All of that is just icing on the cake of Dishonored 2’s fantastic level design. Each map is crafted to facilitate equally the game’s myriad of powers and playstyles. Equally impressive, of the nine different missions, no two truly feel the same. The labyrinthine Clockwork Mansion shifts and changes at the pull of a lever, packing dozens of configurations into the already large space. Navigating the halls of Stilton’s manor will require you to jump back and forward through time, a mechanic unique to the level. Even the more mundane levels like the Dust District have a twist that makes them memorable. You can easily spend a few hours on every level sussing out the hidden secrets.

For all that the combat, world, mechanics, and powers come together to create an always interesting and entertaining experience, it just makes the flaws that much more noticeable. I promised earlier that I wouldn’t harp on the visual bugs that prevented me from playing the game at launch, but there were plenty of other nits to pick with the gameplay. I cannot for the life of me figure out what constitutes an enemy that can be taken down from above and one that is impervious to my aerial assaults. It seems that just fucking leaning over a ledge somehow makes you immune to a 200 pound assassin leaping on you from thirty feet up. At one point, it seemed that just sitting down to play dice with a buddy did the trick. And don’t even get me started on couches and chairs. My quickload button is probably wondering what it did wrong from all the times I had to smack it in frustration due to botched chair takedowns. This is a game where the action needs to be fluid to be rewarding, and the inconsistencies were frequent enough to bitter some of my enjoyment.

Oh NO! He’s leaning against a ledge! I couldn’t possibly choke him out now!

I also feel that the characters, especially the lead villain Delilah, are underdeveloped. I get that she was the bastard child of the king, who after some kind of broken pot incident or something kicked her out onto the streets and into a life of Dickensian urchindom. She then got her super powers, died sometime in the past, and came back as an immortal. Now she wants to be queen, even though her only skills seems to be turning people into stone and making everything all crumbly. Why anyone is deciding to back that pony as the monarch is beyond me. Her supporters are similarly one dimensional, with Stilton being the only real grey area in the bunch. We learn a bit more about Corvo/Emily’s history, which while nice does little to inform how we should behave. The only real interesting character is The Outsider, who gets a pass for being all mysterious and sexy.

You can mark me anytime, you sexy devil you.

I should mention as a side note that I did not play The Brigmore Witches DLC for Dishonored, which apparently is integral to the story. I do not feel bad about this. If I have to play some DLC released a year after the original game to understand a fundamental part of the sequel, that’s bullshit.

Oh, and all that time you spend figuring out the complicated non-lethal options? It’s mostly forgotten in the ending. Regardless of who you kill, it only changes maybe a few lines in the final cutscene. In a game like this, you want to feel like your decision of who lives and who dies actually matters. Maybe see Jindosh scribbling on the wall of an insane asylum, find out what happened to the gangs or Overseers after I shipped their leaders to the silver mines. With how much care they put into making each level memorable, forgetting them all at the end was a huge letdown.

All the problems amounted to little more than some minor annoyances in the grand scheme of things. It took me around 25 hours to beat Dishonored 2, of which maybe thirty minutes or so was frustration. This is one of the few games I find truly deserves the full $60 price tag. With how much there is to explore across two different characters and multiple different playstyles, getting your money’s worth is easy. Dishonored 2’s true achievement is just how good it feels to play it. Whether you’re skulking just out of sight, scaling buildings, or just laying waste, the fluidity and ease of transition between them is truly remarkable. It’s a must have for fans of the genre.

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Developed by Streum On Studios

Published by Focus Home Interactive

Available on PC through Steam

Rated M for Mature

If there’s one silver lining to the demise of THQ, it’s the freeing up of the Warhammer liscence. THQ did a good job with games like Dawn of War and Space Marine, but fans like myself constantly crave more ways to spend our time in the grimdark future of the 41st millenia. Now that basically anyone can take a crack at it, smaller devs are coming to the table with their own take on both the classic Warhammer and 40k. It’s a mixed bag really, ranging from the fantastic Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide and Battlefleet Gothic: Armada to the far less spectacular Eisenhorn: Xenos and ill-fated Dark Nexus Arena. I’m willing to accept a few duds if it means more righteous combat in the Emperor’s name.

Space Hulk: Deathwing first caught my eye at E3 2015. A Warhammer 40k FPS is the perfect way to fulfil my power armor murder fantasies, and the popular Space Hulk title is in need of a modern take. We’ve already had a few remakes of the board game, but I want to shoot hordes of ‘nids in real time, damn it. Adding on that Streum On Studios are the people behind the wonderfully bizarre E.Y.E.: Divine Cybermancy, I was ready to take out my wallet in the presentation room. I was troubled by the lack of news as the game developed, but a decent showing at E3 2016 kept my hopes alive that this might be the next big hit.

Speaking of big hits, who doesn’t love Thunder Hammers?

Having now played through Space Hulk: Deathwing twice, my feelings are mixed. While it clearly isn’t the next big thing, I did find a lot to love about it. There are plenty of bugs (other than the ones you’re supposed to be killing), some shoddy menu designs, and an overall lack of necessary item descriptions. But I’ll be damned if Streum On didn’t nail the tone. It’s a universe that few developers get right, as they tend to soften the grimdark aspect with more conventional characters to fit a traditional narrative. The thing is, this is a future where space demons rip forth from psychic warp to slaughter entire solar systems, and the good guys are likely to blow up their own planets just to deny them the real estate. This is not the time nor the place for a plucky female guardsman to prove that the little guys can be heroes, too.

Does these look men who needs to get the girl and find self-affirming happiness in the simple things?

From the the lumbering steps of your Terminator armor to the gothic architecture and proclivity toward skulls, everything about Space Hulk: Deathwing is rich with authentic 40k goodness. Servo-skulls float about performing unknown tasks, monolithic doors groan open and shut, and the dead bodies you find are likely intentional decorations. The techno-medieval blend is evocative of a space cathedral, anachronistic in its split between ritualistic ceremony and awe inspiring function. A stone chapel, replete with pews, towering bookshelves, and lecterns, can serve as both place of worship and navigation system. In the world of 40k, if your weapons malfunction, it might genuinely be because you didn’t pray hard enough.

I’m not sure how your propulsion system works, but mine is powered by the suffering of heretics.

Beyond the visuals, the portrayal of our “heroes” is hardly heroic. Goodguys just as dickish as the bad guys is a distinctly Warhammer trait, and Streum On doesn’t rely on typical devices to push along the plot. The Space Marines are Tyranid slaying badasses, but they aren’t doing this for the good of all mankind. Initially, they just want to see if any of their old cool stuff is still on board. Their ultimate decision to go full genocide on the Tyranids is because they have your precious Dark Angels genetic code, and letting them keep it would be blasphemous. I mean, sure, killing the murderous space bugs helps the greater good (and not the Tau kind), but that certainly isn’t what got them to put on their big boy pauldrons and go bug stomping.

You’ll satisfy your chapter’s righteous kleptomania by collecting these relics. They range from ancient armaments to these minor devices, and whisper menacingly in your mind until collected. Once again, these are the good guys.

The Space Hulk IP has always been memorable for the unique Terminator vs Genestealer dynamic. Terminator armor is the most powerful available to Space Marine battle brothers, turning the already menacing warriors into living superweapons. Wielding devastating power weapons and firearms fit for a tank, the wearer becomes death incarnate. However, it comes at the cost of mobility. That’s the Genestealer’s advantage. Well, that and sheer numbers. It’s the three of you against an unending horde of ravenous space bugs.

Smashing Genestealers, whether it be with bolter, flamer, plasma, psychic powers, or thunderhammer, feels fantastic. There’s a weight to the combat that’s unseen in modern fast-paced military shooters. The Tyranid waves are unending and unpredictable, forcing you to pick your engagement areas wisely. You can block off doors to funnel the enemy, but doing so can also block of your own progress. Blocked doors can be smashed open with a punch, but this also opens another avenue of attack. There’s more than just simple bitey bugs to deal with, as firearm wielding hybrids can pepper you from afar. Specialized strains of warriors and stalkers offer a more formidable challenge, and at any point a few critical hits can mean lights out for you or your compatriots.

If you don’t find melting bugs with a molten flamethrower the size of a person satisfying, I don’t need you in my life.

The level design suits this style of combat nicely, and does so in a way that feels authentic. These claustrophobic halls and towering walkways were not designed to be navigated by a Terminator. Your foes will have access to a number of areas that you simply can’t reach. You’ll have to keep an eye on high rafters or blocked off scaffolding for a surprise rocket attack. It would have been very easy to design the levels entirely around the Terminator, but this approach is just another factor that makes Space Hulk: Deathwing feel genuinely Warhammer 40k.

For the first five levels, I was ready to give Deathwing a near perfect score. Unfortunately, more time with the game revealed some pretty glaring design flaws. First off, the menus leave a lot to be desired. They feel like beta placeholders waiting to be revamped before the final release. Aside from some vague statistical ratings, the weapon descriptions lack key elements. I can assume the general gist of a weapon with “armor piercing,” but don’t ask me what the Mace of Absolution’s “smite mode” is. I had look up on the forums what the “Lion’s Nemesis” psychic ability actually did (Spoiler Alert: it turns you into a fucking god).

I didn’t find out what the “smite mode” was, but that didn’t stop me from doing plenty of smiting with it.

Likewise, the multiplayer feels downright unfinished. Smashing bugs with your friends online is fun, but there’s absolutely nothing to keep you coming back. There’s no long-term progression or multiplayer specific maps. You’ll drop into one of the campaign missions, level up as you smash bugs, and do it all over again on the next map. That is assuming the host doesn’t leave, because if they do the whole party is kicked. There are a few different classes to play around with, but nothing that makes it feel more like a proof of concept demo.

That last complaint is more for other gamers, since I don’t really care about the multiplayer. What really got to me was how absolutely imbalanced the game is. As I said earlier, I’ve played through twice. The first time I put all of my skill points into the the magical “Psyker” tree. In the second I put all of them into the squad buffing “Command” tree. The difference in power was staggering. 30% more teammate health does not make up for missing out on a psychic vortex that turned every bug in the room into a pile of meat. That Lion’s Nemesis ability I told you about earlier? It’s the final Psyker skill, and lets you beat bosses in two hammer blows. It’s seriously nuts.

Sorry, I couldn’t hear you over the dying screams of three dozen space bugs. What was that about wanting slightly better hacking speeds?

The difficulty ramps, but never in a way that made my AOE murdermace anything less than devastation incarnate. From level 6 to the end, I just left clicked my way through countless hordes without a care in the world. And to be clear, I tried every single weapon. The only thing that came close to the murdermace was a force axe that let me cast my spells with 66% reduced cooldown. Shooting lightning out of my face every 2 seconds was almost enough to make up for not destroying bosses instantly.

Space Hulk: Deathwing is a game that needed just 6 more months of polish. With a better multiplayer system and some campaign rebalancing, this game still can be an absolute gem. Ultimately, that doesn’t outweigh that there’s not really any other game out there like this. Smashing bugs just feels great, and the aesthetic is a testament to the fandom. At $40, it’s a bit too expensive to recommend as a budget title. If you’re a big fan of Warhammer 40k and want a game that gets the universe right, Space Hulk: Deathwing delivers. If you want a solid shooter with a unique twist and some good challenge (in the early game at least), it’s still recommendable. If you want a perfectly polished robust experience without any glaring flaws, this isn’t the game. Hopefully with some patches they will get there, but not yet.

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Those of us who grew up in the UK will remember a product called I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!, which, as its name suggests, was similar to butter in every respect without actually being butter. The reason why I’m bringing it up is because I’m thinking that Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night should instead be called I Can’t Believe It’s Not Castlevania!, because it’s almost completely identical to Castlevania, without actually being Castlevania. And we all know that it would have been a Castlevania game had producer Koji Igarashi not left Konami.

A new gameplay video for Bloodstained was released on the game’s Youtube channel which showcases the village that you’ll be exploring before arriving at the haunted, demon-infested castle where the bulk of the action will occur when it arrives on PS4, Xbox one, Wii U and PC early next year.

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