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PERCEPTION: Gothic Horror Meets Innovative Indie

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7 years ago

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Lately, Indie games have become some of my centrally favorite treats in the realm of videogames. The concise format has become a relaxing getaway from mainstream, massive open-world games that tend to makeup the majority of releases nowadays. Perception is undoubtedly a notable standout in recent indie titles when it comes to innovative story delivery but not all parts follows through.

Perception follows Cassie as she heads out to visit an abandoned mansion that she has been haunted by in dreams. A lot of the setup feels vaguely familiar to Gone Home, with one huge  divisive addition… Cassie is blind. Being blind she is only able to navigate using “echolocation,” a sort of Daredevil-esque way of sensing the world around you.

Using echolocation in the game relies on sounds in any given space. For example, tapping your cane on the floor sends out waves allowing you to catch glimpses of your environment. This becomes horrifying for two blaring reasons, you guys. For one, you are having to make noise in order to “see.” And two, when you aren’t tapping your screen is completely black. Once you learn the mechanics of the game, an ominous force known as the Presence, will come find you if you make too much noise. This leaves you rationing the amount of times you are allowed to tap your cane, while trying to navigate the spooky house.

This first-person experience is all about exploration and  mostly plays out through audio-recordings or notes left around the house. Phone apps that were designed to assist the blind come into play, as Cassie can turn text to speech, or send other users pics of whatever images she needs deciphered.

Perception, is broken into four different stories, each taking place in a different era. In each era, Cassie discovers the fates of different residents who have lived and died in the house. Each classically gothic horror story is based partly on fact and unravels in dark and unexpected ways.

The stories end up taking center stage in terms of what will keep you playing through the game as a whole. A lot of the divisive mechanics that make the game a standout, become gimmicky at times even a complete nuisance. When you start the game off, tapping your cane and taking in pulses of your surroundings is spine-chilling, but towards the end of the game you will find yourself tapping with little to no caution. The Tales from the Crypt-ish anthology stories, are the real meat of this meal and at times will cause some goose bump-inducing jump scares.

I found it really interesting that when beginning a new game, you are given an option that will either allow Cassie to pedantically speak in-game or to keep silent. This has become something I’m fascinated with as of late. Silent protagonists in games allow the player to feel like they are truly stepping into the shoes of the character. Sometimes when protagonists speak, it can immediately break any immersion may have been built up. I chose to keep Cassie with her in game voice and soon changed that option back to the quiet approach. Cassie’s reaction to scary moments isn’t believable, a lot of times her response is filled with bravado and would be a better fit for Ash from Evil Dead. I highly recommend playing this one without a chatty Cassie.

Perception, achieves tons of innovation in a game that would have felt too much like Gone Home without the echolocation mechanics. If you go in knowing this isn’t a fast-paced or over strictly terrifying game, you will get the absolute most out of the story. I appreciate the concise short story telling delivery system that it does achieve, and even when the mechanics that may have sold you on this game begin to get old, a well told story will keep you held for in place for a satisfying finale.

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

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Netflix Releases First BTS ‘Fear Street: Prom Queen’ Footage

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2 hours ago

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April 30, 2024

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It’s been three long years since Netflix unleashed the bloody, but enjoyable Fear Street on its platform. Released in a tryptic fashion, the streamer broke up the story into three episodes, each taking place in a different decade which by the finale were all tied together.

Now, the streamer is in production for its sequel Fear Street: Prom Queen which brings the story into the 80s. Netflix gives a synopsis of what to expect from Prom Queen on their blog site Tudum:

“Welcome back to Shadyside. In this next installment of the blood-soaked Fear Street franchise, prom season at Shadyside High is underway and the school’s wolfpack of It Girls is busy with its usual sweet and vicious campaigns for the crown. But when a gutsy outsider is unexpectedly nominated to the court, and the other girls start mysteriously disappearing, the class of ’88 is suddenly in for one hell of a prom night.” 

Based on R.L. Stine’s massive series of Fear Street novels and spin-offs, this chapter is number 15 in the series and was published in 1992.

Fear Street: Prom Queen features a killer ensemble cast, including India Fowler (The Nevers, Insomnia), Suzanna Son (Red Rocket, The Idol), Fina Strazza (Paper Girls, Above the Shadows), David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty, Cinnamon), Ella Rubin (The Idea of You), Chris Klein (Sweet Magnolias, American Pie), Lili Taylor (Outer Range, Manhunt) and Katherine Waterston (The End We Start From, Perry Mason).

No word on when Netflix will drop the series into its catalog.

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Live Action Scooby-Doo Reboot Series In Works at Netflix

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3 hours ago

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April 30, 2024

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Scooby Doo Live Action Netflix

The ghosthunting Great Dane with an anxiety problem, Scooby-Doo, is getting a reboot and Netflix is picking up the tab. Variety is reporting that the iconic show is becoming an hour-long series for the streamer although no details have been confirmed. In fact, Netflix execs declined to comment.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

If the project is a go, this would be the first live-action movie based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon since 2018’s Daphne & Velma. Before that, there were two theatrical live-action movies, Scooby-Doo (2002) and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004), then two sequels that premiered on The Cartoon Network.

Currently, the adult-oriented Velma is streaming on Max.

Scooby-Doo originated in 1969 under the creative team Hanna-Barbera. The cartoon follows a group of teenagers who investigate supernatural happenings. Known as Mystery Inc., the crew consists of Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, and Shaggy Rogers, and his best friend, a talking dog named Scooby-Doo.

Scooby-Doo

Normally the episodes revealed the hauntings they encountered were hoaxes developed by land-owners or other nefarious characters hoping to scare people away from their properties. The original TV series named Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! ran from 1969 to 1986. It was so successful that movie stars and pop culture icons would make guest appearances as themselves in the series.

Celebrities such as Sonny & Cher, KISS, Don Knotts, and The Harlem Globetrotters made cameos as did Vincent Price who portrayed Vincent Van Ghoul in a few episodes.

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BET Releasing New Original Thriller: The Deadly Getaway

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3 hours ago

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April 30, 2024

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The Deadly Getaway

BET will soon be offering horror fans a rare treat. The studio has announced the official release date for their new original thriller, The Deadly Getaway. Directed by Charles Long (The Trophy Wife), this thriller sets up a heart racing game of cat and mouse for audiences to sink their teeth into.

Wanting to break up the monotony of their routine, Hope and Jacob set off to spend their vacation at a simple cabin in the woods. However, things go sideways when Hope’s ex-boyfriend shows up with a new girl at the same campsite. Things soon spiral out of control. Hope and Jacob must now work together to escape the woods with their lives.

The Deadly Getaway
The Deadly Getaway

The Deadly Getaway is written by Eric Dickens (Makeup X Breakup) and Chad Quinn (Reflections of US). The Film stars, Yandy Smith-Harris (Two Days in Harlem), Jason Weaver (The Jacksons: An American Dream), and Jeff Logan (My Valentine Wedding).

Showrunner Tressa Azarel Smallwood had the following to say about the project. “The Deadly Getaway is the perfect reintroduction to classic thrillers, which encompass dramatic twists, and spine-chilling moments. It showcases the range and diversity of emerging Black writers across genres of film and television.”

The Deadly Getaway will premiere on 5.9.2024, exclusively ion BET+.

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