Dishonored: Death of the Outsider | New Gameplay Trailer Released

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider | New Gameplay Trailer Released We’ve just released the official gameplay trailer for Dishonored: Death of the Outsider.

 After the events of Dishonored 2, things might finally seem calm for Billie Lurk and her former mentor Daud – but a new storm is brewing in the Empire of the Isles.

 In the first standalone adventure in the award-winning Dishonored series, Billie will play a key role in the bloody battle against the black-eyed bastard himself, the Outsider.

 A former killer-for-hire in search of redemption, Billie will take on one last job and pull off the ultimate assassination – and the Empire will never be the same again.

 Get your first look at Dishonored: Death of the Outsider in action in this gameplay trailer, featuring Rosario Dawson, Michael Madsen and Robin Lord Taylor returning as Billie, Daud and the Outsider

See a new side of Karnaca as Death of the Outsider takes you through its gritty underbelly. Investigate mysterious cults, infiltrate underground fight clubs, and even pull off a bank heist as you search for a way to do the impossible: kill a god. Playing as a new assassin, you’ll have access to slew of powerful new supernatural abilities, weapons and gadgets, all of which are designed to help you cut a bloody swath through Karnaca and leave your mark on the history. Or perhaps you’ll choose to be merciful and use your skills to slip unnoticed through the world. In true Arkane fashion, the intricately designed levels allow for a wide array of playstyles, with branching paths and heavy choices that will greatly affect the outcome of your mission.

Death of the Outsider brings players back to the Empire of the Isles, with breathtaking visuals, intricately designed levels, and brutal combat systems that are a hallmark of the Dishonored series. With a new character comes a unique new set of supernatural abilities, deadly weapons and powerful gear, empowering players to become the ultimate assassin. And with developer Arkane Studios’ signature style, you can once again be as bloodthirsty – or as merciful – as you like. Check out Bethesda.net for even more details in our recently released video featuring insights from Creative Director, Harvey Smith.

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider will launch on September 15, 2017 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC

Denial: DVD Review

Denial: DVD Review

With made for TV aspirations and lacking a distinctly cathartic or powereful end, Denial's a courtroom film that really, sadly, falls a little flat when it ultimately enters the courtoom in its final stages.

Centring around Rachel Weisz's American scholar and Holocaust historian Deborah Lipstadt and the libel case brought against her by denier David Irving (played with snake-like obsequiousness by a slender Timothy Spall), Denial concentrates on presenting the facts and the nuts and bolts of the case with relative solidity.

Choosing to deal with the fact that Lipstadt and her legal team had to prove the Holocaust did actually happen due to the intricacies and idiosyncracies of English law, Denial presents the usual tropes for the genre (a headstrong American who wants to pursue her way of doing things, a couple of showdowns et al) but delivers them all with little bluster and scant regard for histrionics.

It helps that Weisz is surrounded by some good sturdy character acting from the likes of Sherlock star Andrew Scott as lawyer Anthony Julius, who delivers a nuanced and subtle turn at the start of the film, before fading into the background during the court proceedings. Equally blessed with similar amounts of both stern temperament and righteous indignation is Tom Wilkinson as Richard Rampton, a prosecuting barrister.

But director Jackson is smart enough to ensure that this docudrama (with its verbatim dialect and dialogue ripped from the court proceedings) works better by humanising the pathetic Irving and his appalling take on what Hitler did, and letting the moral outrage seethe from the screen rather than turn him into a spitting fury caricature that evokes anger and is played OTT. Thankfully, a sneering Spall delivers in large spades, making his monstrous man all about the small facial movements as he spouts his foul beliefs and profligates his lies about what the regime did. It's not an easy task to make the man come to life, but thanks to large amounts of restraint and subtlety, it works better than it should.

To describe Denial as workmanlike may sound like to damn it with feint praise, but in all honesty, this better-suited-for-the-small-screen has some sequences that truly work.

A visit to Auschwitz is narratively compulsory and puts barriers between Lipstadt and Rampton that need to be there for conflict of approaches, but by delivering the sequence with a degree of sensitivity, the gravity of what transpired there is hard to deny.

And yet, when the film enters the courtroom in the final furlong, the sense of depth of discussion and implications of what's playing out never quite feels as weighty as the subject matter would suggest. The courtroom scenes lack the OTT antics of barristers or the moments that droop into cliche, but it's hard to see what else could be done.

Smartly using the media throng and the news reporters to set the scene rather than exposition, the film manages to convey a sense of time with considerable aplomb, while simultaneously allowing Lipstadt to become more disgruntled that she's not able to take the stand and denounce Irving and his poisonous beliefs.

However, the more interesting kernel of the film lies in the contrast between the American and British judicial systems. From shots of a judge carefully taking and stirring his tea while eyeing a plate of biscuits, the sense of opposites is obvious in its studiousness and subtleties.

It's a shame that this isn't brought out more on the screen, but in fairness, the film couldn't risk trivialising its subject matter and the decision to simply present the case and the teams in a very matter of fact fashion means that the movie is never likely to soar when you'd expect it to.

Maybe that's no bad thing, and in all honesty, Denial is eminently watchable thanks to its ensemble cast, who all turn in well constructed performances, even if parts of them (particularly Weisz's out of her legal depth Lipstadt) veer dangerously close to feeling stereotyped.

Ultimately, Denial's attentiveness to its subject matter and its avoidance of preachy overtones mean the drama's solid but never spectacular. And while it follows the formula of a courtroom thriller, its inability (or perhaps, refusal) to give it a bit more theatrics mean the overall tone and resolution is more muted and respectful than powerful.

Handsome Devil: DVD Review

Handsome Devil: DVD Review

Whilst it may be steeped in coming-of-age familiarity, writer / director John Butler's Handsome Devil packs a certain degree of charm into its story.

The tale centres around Fionn O'Shea's red-headed Ned who's sent to an Irish boarding school by his family. Bullied for not being into rugby and not getting behind the school's push to win a trophy for the first time in years, Ned forms a friendship with his roommate Conor (Galitzine), the star hopeful of the team, who's been shipped in from another school.

The two boys find themselves growing closer, and with the tutelage of Andrew Scott's English teacher Dan Sherry, they find their desire to be themselves blossoming.

But in a rugby mad school, homophobia's never far away...

Handsome Devil has elements of Dead Poets Society, Sing Street and great 80s music to set it apart.

While its familiarity of themes feels a little stale and predictable in parts (a macho school coach who's appalled at the burgeoning friendship between his star player and the teacher), there's a degree of warmth in the short run time to justify its existence.

It helps that it's sensitively acted and handled by a strong cast, with Scott's Sherry easily the early charismatic stand-out of the piece, recalling elements of Robin Williams' Captain, My Captain.

It's also helpful that both Galitzine and O'Shea play their characters with affable warmth and underpin their journey with a degree of plausibility that's engaging.

And that certainly helps given the film's denouement and conflict can be seen coming a mile off, its desire to be uplifting and feel-good almost crippling its intentions.

Handsome Devil won't spark a major renaissance in these types of films, but it can hold its head up high that this boarding school tale and its push for individuality does enough to bring its audience along for the ride, and leave them feeling slightly more uplifted than any cynical viewer has a right to have.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets: Film Review

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets: Film Review

Cast: Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke
Director: Luc Besson

Imagine Star Trek on hallucinogenics, mixed in with the wonderful digital wizardry of the WETA team, and you'd be quite close to what Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets manages to achieve.

With a budget estimated to be $210 million, and helmed by the man who brought us The Fifth Element and the much under-rated Lucy, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is based on a French science fiction comic series Valerian and Laureline.

A Cure For Wellness' DeHaan plays Valerian, a major in a 28th Century space federation who trudges from mission to mission with his colleague Sergeant Laureline, played by model-turned-actress Cara Delevingne.

Following a dream of a low-tech planet that's vaporised by marauding ships, Valerian discovers his next mission is to retrieve a "converter", an animal that holds the key to reproducing resources and is highly sought on the black market.

But, it seems not only he is after the converter, and soon more nefarious groups are showing up and a major conspiracy is revealed...

It seems somewhat pointless to rail against Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets on some level.

With its wild, throw everything digitally at the world and hope some of it sticks ethos, there's no doubting the grandeur and scale of this cinematic and hyper-kinetic folly.

The film sets out its stall in its opening moments as a montage of cuts introduces us to various first contacts with races from around the galaxy, each bubbling with a life and visual flair from WETA Digital which reeks of a competition to see who can provide the most out there creatures.
But, much like Star Trek's Federation did all those years ago with Deep Space Nine, there's a continuity of critters which is pleasing. When an emergency meeting is convened later on, the various races from the opening are found to be seated around the tables; it's a touch that shows Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is committed to its universe and the internal logic of it all.

And there are some seriously trippy and gorgeous visuals at play here.

Worlds have blue and red clouds hanging in their skies, and Valerian's dream sequence certainly has a distinctly Na'vi meets Prometheus' Engineers vibe to its stretched out lanky aliens. A space market sequence later on is Mos Eisley on speed mixed with George Lucas' desire to over-populate the world within with as much as you can handle.
In fact, the digital scale and ambition of this hyper-kinetic film leap off the screen and beg you to luxuriate within.

So it's a shame to report that Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets suffers because of its human elements and the tonal mish-mash they bring.

DeHaan delivers his lines as if he's trying to impersonate Keanu Reeves' Bill and Ted outing, imbuing most of it without any touches of emotion or ambition. Delevingne doesn't fare much better either, reducing Laureline to a series of eye-rolls and carefully orchestrated bursts of childish petulance as the story goes on.

It's not fatal to the feel of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets but it does, unfortunately, stop you engaging fully with the overlong execution of what is at best, a minimal story.

All in all, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets probably would work better as a cartoon series than a fledgling franchise launch.

It feels like it's aimed at youngsters, as the more kiddy elements of the film make it feel like it's a space romp for them to revel in - there are elements of the script-writing of The Phantom Menace in some of the dialogue, and given its delivery by two relatively wooden leads, it stands out.

But yet, as a saga, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets delivers something that's distinctly Besson and his idiosyncracies; it's distinctly European in its outlook and laissez-faire attitude, but undoubtedly it can't be criticised for the breadth and depth of its truly astounding digital scope.

Toni Erdmann: DVD Review

Toni Erdmann: DVD Review

So it appears the answer to what makes a German comedy that wows the crowds at Cannes 2016 is that it skirts around the issues of breakdowns and borderline depression.

Clocking in at nearly 2 3/4 hours Toni Erdmann is a study of father / daughter bond that's as strained as any cliched story would have.

But this is no hoary rote film - it's a film that, while offering a lot of laughs, hints at an innate sadness lurking beneath the surface and eschews the need for convenient redemption.

It's essentially in parts, a study of two kinds of depressions; one is within the daughter who's desperate to climb the corporate ladder but whose CEO she's consulting for sees her only as a local shopper to satiate his wife.

The other is with the father whose practical jokes and desire to dress up constantly donning false teeth merits eye rolls from those around him but who views it as his way to recapture his past bonds and stave off the twilight of his years after his sole companion dog dies on him.

There's no denying Toni Erdmann garners big laughs, but it could do with trimming some of the fat off in its ever so slightly long run time. It manages excruciating quite well as it excoriates the bond between family (one scene waiting for a lift after an awkward goodbye underscores the veracity of many familial relationships) and offers up some truths that are more universal than first thought.

As the eternal prankster, Peter Simonischek brings real depth to the dad Winifried Conradi (who becomes the titular Toni Erdmann with a wig and false teeth), but there’s an inherent touch of sadness running throughout and a loneliness that he captures perfectly. One scene involving his dog speaks volumes despite complete silence, and almost suggests some kind of psychotic break, given where his behaviour goes.

Equally, Sandra Huller as the estranged daughter puts a lot in the role of Ines. Her corporate aspirations are totally understandable and her desire to get her father to relate to the scale of the job she’s been asked to do give a tantalising sight into her scarred psyche that’s been ravaged by sexism in the workplace. Ultimately though, her own birthday party is one part breakdown, one part empowerment as things get as ludicrous as they possibly can while staving off the tears of repressed sadness.

Toni Erdmann is an intriguing film, one that works well as a genteel comedy, but also works better with a deep dysfunctional dive into what’s actually being said, long after the lights have gone up.

Episode One of Telltale's 'Batman: The Enemy Within' Now Available

Episode One of Telltale's 'Batman: The Enemy Within' Now Available for Download on PS4, Xbox One, and PC    Define your own Bruce Wayne and reshape The Joker in the second season of the acclaimed adventure series from Telltale Games, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, and DC Entertainment.

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., August 8, 2017 -- Award-winning developer and publisher of digital entertainment Telltale Games, alongside DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, today premiered the inaugural episode of Batman: The Enemy Within, a new five-part game series that continues Telltale's unique take on the Caped Crusader. Episode one, 'The Enigma,' is now available for download on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. The series will become available on Mac later this week, and will come to both iOS and Android-based devices in early October. It will also be available at retailers across North America and Europe this October on a special 'Season Pass Disc' for Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The disc will include the first episode of the season, as well as download access to all subsequent episodes as they are released through an online connection. In this latest chapter, both Bruce Wayne and Batman will be forced into precarious new roles. The Riddler has returned to terrorize Gotham City, but his gruesome puzzles merely foreshadow an even greater crisis. With the arrival of a ruthless federal agent and the return of a still nascent Joker, Batman must navigate uneasy alliances while Bruce Wayne undertakes a perilous series of deceptions. Which of Batman's new allies will you choose to trust? And how deep into the darkness will you let Bruce descend? This new season will be accessible to both returning fans and newcomers alike, though players' choices from the first season of Batman: The Telltale Series will optionally carry over into The Enemy Within. This season will also include Telltale's unique multiplayer 'Crowd Play' feature, which allows friends and family to engage with the adventure together by helping to decide the direction of the story from any mobile device with an online connection.   Rendered to look like a living, breathing comic book, Telltale's vision of Batman features an award-winning cast of talent including Troy Baker, who returns to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne, as well as Anthony Ingruber, who will reprise his fresh take on 'John Doe,' better known to fans as The Joker.   Batman: The Enemy Within will be a standalone product separate from the first season of Batman: The Telltale Series and is licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and based on DC's iconic character. Episode one, 'The Enigma,' has been rated 'Mature' by the ESRB.

Win a copy of Patapon Remastered on PS4

Win a copy of Patapon Remastered on PS4

To celebrate the release of  Patapon Remastered on PS4, you can win a copy!

About Patapon Remastered on PS4

"Embark on a magical military campaign, where divine timing and rhythm is everything to the Patapon tribe. Driven from their home by the evil Zigoton army, this noble civilisation has been waiting for the war drum of the Almighty. And now you have command of this mighty tool to lead the Patapon against their enemies and lead them back to their homeland.

Remastered for PS4, this innovative rhythm-based PSP game marches into modern gaming with revitalised 1080p, 4K resolution visuals. Master up to six different drumbeats to command the Patapon troops to march, attack, defend, power up, retreat and use magic. Combine the various chains of drumbeats to conquer over 30 missions, including hunting, escort and boss battles, while five music-based mini-games lets you earn bonuses and upgrades to further customise your loyal warriors."

To win all you have to do is enter simply email your details to this  address: darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com or CLICK HERE NOW!

Include your name and address and title your email PATAPON!

Competition closes August 28th

Good luck!