Categories
Games Video Games

We Happy Few

We Happy Few

Since Bioshock Infiinte‘s release in 2013, there has been a sore lack of dystopian alternate history games. Finally, Compulsion Games began work to fill that void with their upcoming video game, We Happy Few.  Set in a dystopian English city in 1964, We Happy Few is “the tale of a plucky bunch of moderately terrible people trying to escape from a lifetime of cheerful denial. Set in a drug-fueled, retro-futuristic city in an alternative 1960s England, you’ll have to blend in with its other inhabitants, who don’t take kindly to people who don’t abide by their not-so-normal rules.”

The concept is quite engaging. You play as a citizen of Wellington Wells, a town filled with a drugged-up populace, all hiding from “The Very Bad Thing” that happened during the war. Your character is no longer happy with escaping reality using “Joy” – the drug that keeps the citizens of Wellington Wells in perpetual happiness – and is just concerned with escaping the city. If other citizens figure out that you have not taken your Joy, they will make you take it by force or just beat you to a bloody pulp, resulting in a game over. The Kickstarter video gives a unique insight into the mindset of the average citizen of Wellington Wells:

So far, the gameplay looks unique and challenging. The game is estimated to take 3-4 hours to play through and all deaths are final. Yes, perma-death. Each time your character dies, you begin the game again, but the map will completely change – it is randomly generated at the start of each game. The game will not be as simple as just retracing your steps. You will need to learn to strategize, master stealth, and know when to engage in combat. You will also have to make sure you don’t starve.

So far there are three character options:

There may be additional characters in later patches, but for now, this off-beat bunch will have to do. Although the game is very open-world, players will be able to gain insight into these characters’ backstories and perhaps help them find redemption through the gameplay.

Did you remember to take your Joy today?

After a successful Kickstarter campaign, Comulsion Games is set to release this game in 2016 for the XBox One, Windows, Mac, and Lunux. If you missed out on the original Kickstarter, there is still a chance to help back this game through their “Slacker-Backer” campaign. There are a variety of pre-order tiers from the $10 Digital Soundtrack & Digital Art Book to the $240 Collector’s Edition Box.

Check out this amazing game and support the creators as they work on this unique indie game.

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Categories
Home Decor Lifestyle

Yetis & Friends

Yetis & Friends

In my quest to create a dark fantasy bedroom, I had hit a road block while trying to find interesting decor for my walls. I had my choice of thousands of prints that I could frame, but I wanted something more than traditional wall art – something odder and much more unique.

Then one afternoon at my day job, I discovered a wonderful shop called Yetis & FriendsDrawing inspiration from folklore, 80’s fantasy films, and Dungeons & Dragons, Cody Williams & Nana Williams create furry little creatures mounted on plaques like hunting trophies.

Photo from the Yetis & Friends Tumblr of their ScareLA Display.

Finally, after months of drooling over these creatures, I was able to purchase one at ScareLA. It ended up being the perfect addition to my bedroom. I have named him Cornelius.

These creatures are made of very soft fur, felt, plastic, and some leathery-like material for the horns. They are mounted on a very light-weight wood – making it easy to securely hang on the wall.  Averaging anywhere from $110 – $200 (depending on the style), these items are pricey, but worth every penny. They are well-crafted, sturdy, and fantastic conversation pieces.

A Face Only a Mother Could Love

What makes these creatures even more special is the thought put behind every trophy. Each creature is slightly different and unique; being hand-created, Yetis & Friends can even accommodate custom orders. Additionally, every critter has lore associated with it. When you claim your trophy, you receive a hand-written certification like this:

It is a wonderful little memento with just enough to spark your imagination with the story surrounding its capture. The opposite side depicts a map of the region where the creature can be found (but only by lucky hunters from the guild).

Yetis & Friends consistently has a wide variety of trophies to choose from on their Etsy page, and they tour SoCal at local craft fairs, art shows, and, of course, ScareLA. I hope you all check out their website and shop – you will not be disappointed!

Photo from the Yetis & Friends Tumblr of their ScareLA Display.

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Happy Halloween shopping 2024! For over two decades now, the Halloween shopping season has been my main time for household and clothing purchases. Each year, I love to shop around

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Take part in a spirited séance aboard the historic – and haunted – Queen Mary with 57 Ghosts. From Master Magician and Apparitionist Aiden Sinclair, this 90-minute immersive experience takes

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Categories
Events Movies News

Hocus Pocus Screening at the El Capitan Theatre

Hocus Pocus Screening at the El Capitan Theatre

Hocus Pocus is a quintessential Halloween film for anyone who grew up in the 1990’s. The plot is simple: after moving to Salem, a teenage boy named Max accidentally raises three witches – The Sanderson Sisters – from the dead. He then must team up with his little sister, his crush, a magical talking cat, and a zombie to save all the town’s children from the Sanderson Sisters’ wrath.

This October, Disney’s El Capitan Theater will screen this film as part of their Halloween line-up. Screenings will take place October 8 – 11th, 2015. This is an amazing film that is fun to watch on the big screen with a large audience. No doubt, Disney will put on a great pre-show and those lucky enough to take part in the opening night “Spooktacular Soiree” will have a blast. The Soiree includes a unique theater tour, private exhibit viewing, treats & beverages, and a souvenir photograph.

Seats are limited. For more information and to buy tickets, check out the El Capitan’s official website.

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Happy Halloween shopping 2024! For over two decades now, the Halloween shopping season has been my main time for household and clothing purchases. Each year, I love to shop around

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Categories
Events

ScareLA 2015 Cosplay Music Video

ScareLA 2015 Cosplay Music Video

ScareLA 2015 took place August 8th and 9th at the Pasadena Convention Center. Ghouls, Ghosts, Monsters, and thousands of Halloween-loving attendees came together to celebrate all things spooky. With nearly 170 vendors, 5 on-site mini-haunts, 50+ hours of classes, and top-notch panels and presentations, there was no shortage of interesting things to do and see.

In addition to all the official programming, the attendees themselves added to the atmosphere by dressing in creative and detailed costumes. Horror cosplay ran rampant both days of the event .

Youtubers Nerd Reactor came out and created a fun music video of some attendees singing along to Galantis’ “Peanut Butter Jelly”. With nearly 4,000 views, this fun video captures a fraction of the amazing cosplayers that turned out for ScareLA.

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Happy Halloween shopping 2024! For over two decades now, the Halloween shopping season has been my main time for household and clothing purchases. Each year, I love to shop around

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Take part in a spirited séance aboard the historic – and haunted – Queen Mary with 57 Ghosts. From Master Magician and Apparitionist Aiden Sinclair, this 90-minute immersive experience takes

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Categories
Film Friday Movies

“Missing in the Mansion” Short Film

“Missing in the Mansion” Short Film

In 2012, two filmmakers, Josh Daws & Jeremiah Daws secretly filmed a short in one of Disneyland’s most iconic attractions – The Haunted Mansion. Using the found footage style, Missing in the Mansion  told the story of three friends who mysteriously disappeared after riding The Haunted Mansion.

Watching this short is fascinating because it is often very hard to tell just how they managed to hide what they were doing from Disney cast members. It is inspiring to see how two people with a vision, made their dream a reality in this great little exercise in filmmaking. They blended actual park footage with sets, costumed actors, and green screen.

Here’s the film:

So, how did they do it? The Daws brothers also made a great behind-the-scenes video showing the extensive work that went into making ghosts, stunts, and a replica Doombuggy.

The Daws brothers are certainly talented filmmakers and I look forward to seeing what they come up with next!

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Categories
Film Friday Movies

“Operator” Short Film

“Operator” Short Film

Work can be tough. Every day Bob goes to his job, works alone in a windowless room, and completes menial tasks until the day is over. Today, he tries to maintain his routine as his employers implement a few changes to the workplace – resulting in power failures, loud noises, and a mysterious parasitic creature that threatens Bob’s life and family.

Operator is a stop-motion animated short by filmmaker Sam Barnett. Influenced by cordyceps mushrooms (the same inspiration for the monster in The Last of Us) and ideologies used by cults and oppressive regimes, Barnett created this short as a critique on corporate bureaucracy and the conflict between efficiency/profit and human rights.

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Categories
Film Friday Movies

“One in the Oven” Short Horror Film

“One in the Oven” Short Horror Film

I am a little reluctant to call One in the Oven a true short film due to its use of only voice-over and one short looping shot, but something about this simple video is quite chilling.

While watching a loop of footage of an innocuous-looking kitchen, a woman begins to tell the story of a mysterious crime that occurred years earlier. As the story continues, the viewer begins to just wait for the moment the connection between the video and audio is revealed.

Although there is little payoff, the creepy atmosphere and tension this just-over-two-minute short creates is worth the watch. I also appreciate the blandness of the description, which to me makes the video all the more chilling:

“In cooking, the conventional oven is a kitchen appliance and is used for roasting and heating. Food normally cooked in this manner includes meat, casseroles and baked goods such as bread, cake and other desserts.”

theLittleFears Youtube Channel has a bunch of these type videos, but this one is certainly my favorite. Check them out and let me know your favorites.

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Happy Halloween shopping 2024! For over two decades now, the Halloween shopping season has been my main time for household and clothing purchases. Each year, I love to shop around

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Categories
Film Friday Movies

“T is for Tightrope” Short Film

“T is for Tightrope” Short Film

When the original ABCs of Death was created, Drafthouse Films approached 25 brilliant horror directors to create short films about death all based on letters of the alphabet. For the 26th spot, Drafthouse announced a competition – filmmakers around the world could submit their best works for the letter “T” and one would make it into the finished film.

The eventual winner was T is for Toilet but many of the other submissions were brilliant in their own way.

T is for Tightrope (by filmmaker L.M. Harter) concerns the stressed relationship between a tightrope walker and her former lover. Arguing while performing their high-wire routine – The Dueling Darlings – any missteps can have deadly consequences.

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Happy Halloween shopping 2024! For over two decades now, the Halloween shopping season has been my main time for household and clothing purchases. Each year, I love to shop around

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Take part in a spirited séance aboard the historic – and haunted – Queen Mary with 57 Ghosts. From Master Magician and Apparitionist Aiden Sinclair, this 90-minute immersive experience takes

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Categories
Film Friday Movies

“Skypemare” Short Film

“Skypemare” Short Film

Skypemare (2013) is a short film by John Fitzpatrick. Screened at Screamfest, Shriekfest, and a few other festivals, this is a well-made little slasher film with a fun little payoff at the end.

The Plot: Alison is alone on Halloween night, chatting with her best friend Jenna over Skype. Suddenly something horrific happens to Jenna, leaving Alison watching on in terror, and fearing that she will be next.

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Happy Halloween shopping 2024! For over two decades now, the Halloween shopping season has been my main time for household and clothing purchases. Each year, I love to shop around

Read More »

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Take part in a spirited séance aboard the historic – and haunted – Queen Mary with 57 Ghosts. From Master Magician and Apparitionist Aiden Sinclair, this 90-minute immersive experience takes

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Categories
Attractions Destinations News

Hyde Bio-Activated Maze Kickstarter

Hyde Bio-Activated Maze Kickstarter

Growing up in Western New York, the haunted houses I remember were mostly nice sets with actors popping out to give us a fright at various points. Over the years, the haunted attraction industry has grown and matured, bringing more immersive experiences and detailed story lines. We now have experiences like Knott’s Scary Farms’ “Trapped” where you are stuck in a room until you can solve a puzzle or complete a challenge to get out, or “Delusion: Haunted Play” where guests must interact with actors as they see a strange tale of magic & mystery unfold around them.

Slingshot, a British company that designs real world games about things like surviving a zombie apocalypse, has created a Kickstarter for their most ambitious game ever – Hyde. Hyde will be the world’s first bio-activated maze game. Using bio-sensors that connect to a cell phone via bluetooth, player data is sent to a server that monitors the players to vary the difficulty level of challenges based on things like heart rate or breathing.

This game isn’t just about the technology, the developers have also whipped up an intriguing  storyline to build tension and keep the participants engaged.

Imagine this: You have volunteered for a clinical trial with the “Jekyll Corporation”. You are fitted with wearable tech, given the sample “drug”, and let loose in the maze to test the results. At first things are easy and fun – you unlock doors and solve puzzles – but soon the unintended side-effects of the drug become apparent. As you make your way further into the maze the challenges become more difficult, leading you into a completely different world of laboratories, operational facilities, and behind the scenes areas where Hyde begins to chase you. This is the world of Hyde. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

With this Kickstarter campaign, we now have the chance to push the limits of interactive experiences in a positive way (none of that ridiculous torture porn “Extreme” haunted house stuff). Ending on Friday, July 17th, 2015 at 4:31 PM PDT, this Kickstarter hopes to raise $78,047 towards the project. Help out and donate what you can to support the future of the haunted attraction industry.

The Hyde Kickstarter Campaign can be found here.

2024 Halloween Shopping

Happy Halloween shopping 2024! For over two decades now, the Halloween shopping season has been my main time for household and clothing purchases. Each year, I love to shop around

Read More »

57 Ghosts

Take part in a spirited séance aboard the historic – and haunted – Queen Mary with 57 Ghosts. From Master Magician and Apparitionist Aiden Sinclair, this 90-minute immersive experience takes

Read More »