UDON announces Dark Souls II: Design Works

With its renowned difficulty and gripping gameplay, Dark Souls is the action-RPG franchise that gamers love to hate! While most games reward your successes, Dark Souls punishes you for your failures, making for a grueling yet intensely rewarding experience like no other. Despite most adventurers barely surviving the original game, players clamoring for more got their wish with the equally challenging sequel, Dark Souls II. Now, UDON Entertainment is also following up its hugely successful Dark Souls: Design Works art book with another equally gorgeous artwork collection – DARK SOULS II: DESIGN WORKS!

Dark Souls II: Design Works collects all the chilling and haunting fantasy artwork behind the critically-acclaimed game in a prestigious hardcover tome. Featured inside are armor and weapon designs, character concepts, enemies, locations, rough sketches, an exclusive interview with the game's creators, and more. Completing the book is a bevy of concept material from all three chapters of the game’s DLC trilogy, “The Lost Crowns”.

With Dark Souls III just announced at E3 for an early 2016 release, there’s no better time to immerse yourself in the chilling artwork behind this landmark series.

Dark Souls II: Design Works will be available in stores in October 2015. 

UDON Announces Persona 4: The Manga

When the original Persona 4 video game was released to universal acclaim in 2008, it delighted players with its engaging murder-mystery storyline, relatable characters, engaging gameplay, and stylish graphics. Persona 4 has since become a multimedia juggernaut, with a remake of the original game, three video game spin-offs, two anime adaptations, and a manga adaptation. That manga adaptation has never been available outside of Japan – until now! UDON Entertainment is proud to announce that we will begin publishing the Persona 4 manga series in English later this year!

When the small rural town of Inaba suddenly becomes the scene of a series of grisly murders, an eclectic group of high school students forms an investigation team to uncover the truth behind them and prevent more deaths. But when they discover that the murders might be connected to an urban legend about a paranormal television phenomenon called the “Midnight Channel,” a simple investigation turns into a dangerous, action-packed journey of self-discovery across two different worlds. Along the way, dark truths will shake our heroes to their very core – and help them discover an inner strength they never knew they had!

“I’ve played the Persona 4 games and I’ve seen the anime from beginning to end, and yet the manga has still offered me a fresh, new perspective on this fantastic story,” said Ash Paulsen, UDON’s Senior Editor. “It’s an experience that the games and anime can’t quite replicate, thanks to manga’s uniqueness as a storytelling medium.”

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a seasoned Persona 4 veteran or are just discovering this compelling world for the first time – the Persona 4 manga series is certain to appeal to anyone who simply enjoys murder mysteries, the paranormal, and smart storytelling dealing with existential themes. Are you ready to face your true self?

Persona 4 will be available later this year in finer comic book stores, on Amazon, and everywhere else UDON books are sold! The first volume of Persona 4 will launch in September, with future volumes releasing bi-monthly through the end of 2015 and into 2016.

Justin vs Justin Episode 3: TMNT In Time Re-Shelled

In episode 3 of Justin vs Justin. Justin Mendez is in the lead of the series with 2- 1. This time the Justin's do a time jump with Turtles in Time Re-Shelled. The winner with the most lives and most points after the first two levels win. Can Justin W make a comeback and even up the series?

Five Things We Want to See From Final Fantasy VII Remake

Yesterday on June 16th 2015 at Sony's E3 press conference. Sony revealed that Final Fantasy VII remake will be happening. A trailer was shown and the gaming community went nuts. Now that it's finally happening its time for me to list things we here at O & G want to see.

1. Crisis Core & Advent Children: While Final Fantasy VII is an epic story in its self. The prequel and sequel are both worthy to be included in this remake release. I would like to see the remake, start off from Crisis Core to show where Cloud beginnings began. Since Cloud is the protagonist it will be great for newcomers to see how he became the Cloud we know from Final Fantasy VII. Crisis Core also gives great backstory on Aerith, Zack, Sephiroth and introduced a Final Fantasy baddie Genesis. Crisis Core is an important to the Final Fantasy VII lore because it shows the rise of Shrina, the fall of Sephiroth and the story of the Buster Sword.

Also adding the Advent Children movie with it will make the full story feel complete. Advent Children shows how Cloud deals with the events after Final Fantasy VII and Crisis Core. It ties up loose ends and gives closure for the character. I would love to have the movie playable in the remake. However if the film is just included with the game I will be satisfied.

2.  Full Orchestrated Soundtrack: I know this is most likely will happen. However I want this game to be fully orchestrated by the Distant Worlds team. Final Fantasy is known for three things, story, gameplay and music by Nobuo Uematsu. A cinematic soundtrack will not only add to the tone of the game, but really bring players into that world.

3. Crisis Core Gameplay and Original Gameplay: I don't think Square Enix will have the turned based gameplay for the remake. I would like to see the gameplay style of Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core implemented for the remake. While I love the original gameplay. I think a more action rpg approach like Crisis Core would do the remake justice. Square Enix should give us the option for those who like the new way of playing Final Fantasy games and the old style for purist. 

4. Full Voice Acting Cast: Final Fantasy VII  is beloved by many people. As much as I enjoyed the cast of Advent Children. I think it's time for a recast. I would like to voice actors like Troy Baker, Matt Mercer, Laura Bailey and many more in the roles for the remake.

5. Dirge of Cerberus DLC: While the game had its problems it's still part of the Final Fantasy VII lore. After Advent Children Final Fantasy VII character Vincent had his own story. The game explored greatly on Vincent character and reintroduced Genesis. The gameplay should be revamp to reflect today's modern day shooters. This will be a nice 20 bucks DLC for those who want the complete Final Fantasy VII experience.

What would you like to see in Final Fantasy VII remake? Leave a comment below.

Vuzix Unveils New iWear Video Headphones for Pre Order

Vuzix® Corporation (NASDAQ: VUZI) (“Vuzix” or, the “Company”), a leading supplier of video eyewear and smart glasses products in the consumer, enterprise and entertainment markets, today announces it will begin pre-order sales for the new high-definition iWear video headphones. In addition, the iWear® will be on display at Vuzix’ booth at E3 in Los Angeles, CA, June 16-18, 2015. They will be located in the South Hall Booth Number 2563.

The Vuzix iWear video headphones are the ultimate mobile video entertainment and gaming system compatible with any device supporting HDMI output. And now with integrated motion tracking, OSVR, Unity 3D, and Unreal gaming engine support, a growing list of games and VR title support is now offered.

The iWear features dual HD Displays and revolutionary nano optics that provide the equivalent experience of a 130” home television from 10’ and allow the wearer to play games, interact with apps, and watch 2D, 3D and 360° VR movies. iWear is completely portable and battery-driven so the user can enjoy it at home or on- the- go. It supports any HDMI 2D or 3D video sources including PCs, game consoles, smartphones, Blu-ray players, and Wi-Fi wireless dongles for direct Internet connection. The iWear is now also enabled with virtual reality tracking sensors and will have optional 3D augmented reality cameras with “point-cloud” tracking capability to provide an exciting AR experience. In addition the iWear comes with 40mm drivers that are noise isolating to give the user a complete high-end audio experience during game play.

“We at Vuzix are excited to be attending E3 and showing off our new iWear0 video headphones and for the first time allowing the public, at a special pre-order price, to order their own,” said Paul Travers, President and CEO at Vuzix. “Winner of multiple awards at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, the iWear is now ready to be the most compatible VR and entertainment headset in the market thanks to supporting connectivity and content on almost any device that support HDMI outputs.”

Cosplay Girl of The Week #123 (Chi Chi from Dragonball)

This week's Cosplay Girl of The Week comes from the world of Dragonball. Goku's wife Chi Chi is this week's choice. I love the outfit, hair and expression this cosplayer uses and the background of the shoot is great. 

Selfie on A Stick Review

We review Selfie on A Stick Wired. SelfieOnAstick.com is the leading selfie stick provider in the United States & abroad. Recently featured in Vogue.com's Kendall Jenner / Gigi Hadid video for the April 2015 Vogue Issue with renowned photographer Mario Testino, Selfie On A Stick has gained an enormous following as the go-to brand in the selfie stick & imaging market. Other highly successful recent collaborations have been with Nordstroms, QVC, Madame Tussauds, and Old Navy, among others. The new Selfie On A Stick Wired is now available on the company's website, www.SelfieOnAStick.com.

Sneak Peek: truTV's FRIENDS OF THE PEOPLE Advance Clip "The Dark McKnight"

In Gotham City, a dying Batman passes on his legacy to guest star/R&B singer Brian McKnight who as the "Dark McKnight," fights crime against his arch enemy, the Joker (Jermaine Fowler) with the power of his cool, sexy voice... 

FRIENDS OF THE PEOPLE MID-SEASON PREMIERE: Thursday, July 16th at 10:30pm ET/PT

truTV's first-ever sketch comedy series is back with a whole new collection of takes on pop culture. An edgy, irreverent sketch comedy show featuring some of today's most hilarious comic minds:  Kevin Barnett, Jennifer Bartels, Jermaine Fowler, Lil Rel Howery, The Lucas Bros., and Josh Rabinowitz. From original sketches that last season included the musical musings of "The Beached Brothas" to parodies of your favorite '90s sitcoms and pop culture moments, there is nothing off limits for this cast of comedians. This season will also feature special guest appearances from David Alan Grier, Rachel Dratch, Ellen Cleghorne, Jim Norton, Jeff Ross, Doug E. Doug, and Ed Lover with many more, along with all new man-on-the-street segments filmed throughout New York City.

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Marvel Releases 3 New Adult Coloring Books

Image Credit: Marvel
 

Press Release

You’ve read the comics. You’ve experienced these iconic and groundbreaking stories. Now it’s time to experience the Marvel Universe like you never have before – as a coloring book! Today, Marvel is pleased to announce a new line of adult coloring books featuring some of Marvel’s most iconic characters, stories and artwork to delight fans the world over! Yes, you heard right True Believer – the Marvel Universe has action, excitement and adventure. Now all it needs is YOU!

“Around the world there are several other coloring books for adults hitting the bestseller lists and with Marvel being the premier graphic storytelling medium, now is the perfect time for us to join this latest book market trend,” says David Gabriel, SVP Sales and Marketing, Marvel. “With Marvel’s Adult Coloring books, fans can add their own personal style to classic Marvel stories. This truly is a way for fans of all ages to be a part of the creative process and bring their personal artistic style to these epic Marvel events."

First, the Avengers face their darkest hour as the metallic menace Ultron stands over a ravaged Earth in the AGE OF ULTRON COLORING BOOK. Only a few of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are left standing. And it’s up to you to put the color back into their last ditch effort to save mankind! Featuring the line art of Bryan Hitch, Brandon Peterson, Carlos Pacheco and more, this is your chance to color inside the lines, or outside the lines, of this blockbuster Marvel event!

Then, the Eisner award-winning, fan-favorite artwork of Skottie Young comes to life in the LITTLE MARVEL BY SKOTTIE YOUNG COLORING BOOK! Featuring dozens of Young’s beloved covers and irresistible interior pages, this is one you won’t want to miss!

Finally, ask yourself –  whose side are you on? More importantly, do you want to make them red, blue, green or yellow? Go inside one of the biggest Marvel events of all time with the CIVIL WAR COLORING BOOK! Captain America and Iron Man stand divided, along with the entire superhuman community. And it’s up to you to put the hue back in these huge Super Hero battles!

So dig out those crayons, markers and colored pencils and prepare to return the color to the Marvel Universe, True Believer. But don’t forget your imagination – you’re going to need it! Channel your creative energies, unwind after a hard day’s work, or just relive your childhood memories! Look for the AGE OF ULTRON COLORING book in October with the CIVIL WAR COLORING BOOK and LITTLE MARVEL BY SKOTTIE YOUNG COLORING BOOK to follow later in 2016!

Civil War #1 2015: First Look

Image Credit: Marvel Comics
 

Hey O&G fans, Marvel has given us a little clue about what the 2015 Civil War/ Secret Wars tie-in is about. Battle world has been re-visiting some of Marvels great story arcs, and this time from creators Charles Soule (Death of Wolverine, Inhuman) and Leinil Yu (Avengers). Heroes fighting one another in a nation divided, the conflict has been going on for six years now. Captain’s forces square off against Iron Man’s, under the command of General Steve Rogers and President Tony Stark. 

Peace is far from attainable, and each side will do whatever it takes to end the war. The Top-Secret project Bellcurve is said to have the ability to end the war in one swift stroke, there is talk of damning information that could topple the President Stark administration from within, and what will our heroes’ enemies do to exploit the Superhuman Civil War to their advantage.

Marvel history is reshaped on Battleworld in Civil War #1.

CIVIL WAR #1 (MAY150682)
Written by CHARLES SOULE
Art & Cover by LEINIL YU
Promo Variant by ADI GRANOV (MAY150683)
Variant Covers by STEVE MCNIVEN (MAY150686)
And SKOTTIE YOUNG (MAY150687)
Ant-Sized Variant by PASQUAL FERRY (MAY150684)
MAOS Variant by MARGUERITE SAUVAGE (MAY150685)
Inhumans 50th Anniversary Variant by NICK BRADSHAW (MAY150689)
FOC – 06/08/15, On-Sale – 07/01/15

Here is first look at the issue:

VIZ Media Launches New Paranormal Action Manga Series TWIN STAR EXORCISTS

TWIN STAR EXORCISTS  to be released on July 7th. Created by Yoshiaki Sukeno, TWIN STAR EXORCISTS is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will be published in print with an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. The series also launches digitally on July 7th via VizMedia.com  and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores. Future volumes of the series, which is ongoing in Japan, will be published domestically twice a year under VIZ Media’s Shonen Jump imprint.

In TWIN STAR EXORCISTS, Rokuro is from a family of exorcists who exorcise the evil Kegare, but he’d rather be a singer, a soccer player or anything but! He’s forced to own up to his own incredible potential when new arrival Benio stirs his competitive spirit—and is in need of rescue. But their rivalry gets a twist when they learn they are the “Twin Star Exorcists” – two supreme fighters fated to marry and birth the prophesied child who will eliminate all the Kegare in the world. Too bad they can barely stand each other!

“TWIN STAR EXORCISTS is an electrifying and hilarious new manga series about a pair of unlikely mystical partners and their intertwined destinies that drew significant acclaim from fans and readers during its initial serialization in Japan in Jump Square magazine,” says Annette Roman, Editor. “Will these rivals fall in love? English readers now have the opportunity to dive into the action as the fate of two worlds hangs in the balance!”

Manga creator Yoshiaki Sukeno was born in 1981 in Wakayama, Japan and graduated from Kyoto Seika University’s School of Manga. In 2006, he was selected for a Tezuka Newcomer Award. In 2008, he began the supernatural manga comedy Binbougami ga!, which was later adapted into the anime series Good Luck Girl in 2012. 

Marvel Unveils New Invincible Ironman Design

Hey O&G fans, Marvel unveiled the Invincible Ironman design and also talked about the New A.I connected with the armor. Series writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist David Marquez were joined by Marvel Senior VP of Publishing Tom Brevoort and Editor-In-Chief Axel Alonso in a call.

Although some of the information from Wednesday's press call was revealed Saturday at the Special Edition: NYC panel and accompanying USA Today article, Bendis did reveal that the new Iron Man armor would have a new artificial intelligence that would

"The new A.I. is sassy," Bendis explained. "Tony designed it to challenge him intellectually and morally, so their conversations are gonna be really cool."

A new A.I. is something the Marvel Cinematic Universe Iron Man is beginning to deal with as J.A.R.V.I.S. has grown to become the Vision and Stark used a new program in the final moments of Avengers: Age of Ultron. Bendis didn't give any details on a name for this new A.I. in the comics, or if the similiar elements in the comic books and  movies would work in tandem.

source: Newsarama and USA Today