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EXTINCTION: A Field Day in Decapitating Giants

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Extinction

The David v. Goliath dynamic just plain works. It’s the ultimate underdog, little-guy owning the champion, huge guy. It’s relatable, and has worked like gangbusters for Attack on Titan and Shadow of the Colossus and the like. Extinction plays in that wheelhouse to varying degrees of success in both fun and gameplay.

Extinction takes place during a time when an evil force known as the Ravenii decide to invade the kingdom of Dolorum in attempt to make mankind extinct.

You take on the role of an Avii, an elite Sentinel solider who was trained in the bloody ins and outs of taking down the Ravenii. Upon arrival in Dolorum the invasion begins and leaves Avii and his partner Xandra with the task of ultimately saving humanity by dominating the baddies.

The game is divided into a 7-chapter campaign filled with their own subchapters and challenges to meet. Each chapter has Avii, alternating between taking down the lower level ‘Jackal’s’, saving civilians and systematically taking down 150 foot ogres. With each mission Avii is given certain set of challenges to meet that primarily revolves around killing a certain amount of enemies, saving a certain number of civilians, completing time trails, etc.

Let’s talk about the elephant… err I mean ogre in the room. Ogre’s are by far the best part of the game. These hulking monstrosities are huge and each comes with a set of strategic challenges in order to take them down. These usually involve knocking off bits of their armor, slicing off legs and arms and eventually climbing to the base of their neck to decapitate the huge bastards all while avoiding becoming a bloody pancake.

In order to execute a killing blow, Avii has to fill his Rune meter by saving civilians, or by destroying ogre armor. Filling that meter can be a real pain, especially when the city is being destroyed by two or three Ogres and you are trying to serve a killing blow to at least one of em before they destroy the city. In that way, Extinction evolves from a straight hack-and-slash to a hack and slash/strategy hybrid.

Along the way, Avii can earn points in battle that afford him upgrades to assist in making things a little easier. Rune focus, health, acrobatics among other things can be given enhancements that not only lend a hand but also make the game more fun in general.  Avii is equipped with a sword to take down baddies and a grapple that allows him to zip around using buildings, trees and ogre armor as latch-on points. Zipping around takes some getting used to, and in early, non-upgraded gameplay can be a bit maddening. Stick with it. The payoff is well-worth the time.

Extinction

Extinction has a gorgeous color palette reminiscent of a Fornites aesthetic. It allows the game, even at its most dire, to maintain polished, colorful and a fun landscape to play around in.

Controls were a bit of a problem for me at first. That is a natural reaction to getting used to controller dynamics and how to correctly string them together successfully. Response time and crunchiness are tight once you find your footing. I found climbing, grappling and dodging easy to pull off once I got learned how to seamlessly chain tactics together. It’s extremely satisfying and earned when you are able to zip around an Ogre, save civilians, knock off an enemy’s vital armor and laydown a successful killing blow all in one swoop.

The chapters are broken up by some eye-popping, Ralph Bakshi-esque inspired animation sequences, that really expand on the world being built throughout Extinction. The old-school style of these were a throwback to a lot of the animation I was raised on, and it was great to see it back in action. Got me thinking that totally wouldn’t mind an animated series based on the world of Extinction.

Downing an ogre is tremendously cool and satisfying. No matter how many times I went about it, there was always a specific strategy that is needed in order to get up to the big guys neck to remove his head. Furthering the enjoyment is the mass amount of dark ogre blood that comes out of these dudes when you take parts of them off. The blood sprays are a call back to old Samurai films and really add to the emersion and enjoyment of the dang thing.

Extinction is thrilling, satisfying gameplay experience. Despite its sometime repetitive nature, the game remains fun by upping the difficulty of each mission. Completionists are in for a treat with all of the varying challenges, timers and rules that are given to them as additional to do’s. Offering daily trials, and a couple of other modes to play on, Extinction offers up a satisfying form of fantasy that has an indie spirit with blockbuster sensibilities.

Extinction is out now on Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC.

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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