Another Hell

This moody, brooding short was directed by Saam Farahmand, and starring country singer Daughn Gibson. Based off Gibson's music, this short tells the story of a man a a kind of crossroads, with a difficult decision to make. His stoic character's background and direction is ambiguous, leaving the short quite open-ended, while definitely touching on the idea of escapism.

Let's Check Out: Megabyte Punch

For this week's second Let's Check Out, we took a look at Reptiles Game's Megabye Punch, a side-scrolling beat 'em up with a hell of a lot of depth. Created by a 3-person Dutch team, Megabyte Punch takes the fluid combat of Super Smash Brothers and throws it into a side scrolling campaign that Masahiro Sakurai would be jealous of. While the game is still in development, the group has created a fluid experience with combat that grows deeper the farther you get.

 

On it's surface, Megabyte Punch is exactly how I described it, Super Smash Brothers meets a solid side-scrolling campaign, but the more you play the more begins to unravel. Using an inventory system, players can attach different parts to their character, adding new abilities and stat boosts that allows players to create a play style they prefer. With a planned multiplayer, I can already see a lot of  time being spent creating the perfect class and class counter. For only $7.50 (50% of it's normal price) you can gain access to the games beta and support this awesome indie title. Head over to Reptile Game's website to pre-order and nominate for Steam's Greenlight. 

Hallowed by Chris Turner

UK-based Chris Turner, of Hungry Man Productions, created this awesome performance art show for TWENTY6 Magazine's 'H' issue. Based on Dante's Inferno, this very dark short features dancers from the English National Ballet in a variety of costumes and locations, performing very modern, almost abstract sets. I really loved the dark combination of both elegance and glamour, and the interjected feeling of something more modern and industrial. The remixed version of Plaid's 'Eye Robot.' It was all like an otherworldly masquerade ball that you're stuck at for an eternity.

It's Not About the Nail

It's a pretty common issue that takes place in male-female relationships: Woman has an issue, doesn't want help, just wants to vent. Man is a problem-solver, and doesn't understand the need to vent unless an answer is being sought. This frequent dilemma is humorously showcased in this short about a woman who's problem is not only simple, but highly visible. Literally visible. (I'd like to take this time to remind readers that is not always the case, thankyouverymuch). It's a communication barrier that problem won't be solved any time soon. This is one of the many reasons why alcohol exists.

Queens of the Stone Age ...Like Clockwork

With Queens of the Stone Age's new album, ...Like Clockwork's release date just around the corner, the band has been releasing some incredible music videos to hype us up. You might actually recognize the art from a while back when we featured the Knockout collection by Boneface. The above video is a compilation of songs set for the album's June 4th release. While none of the songs are complete, it gives a pretty damn good representation of just how good this album is going to be. I mean it has been six years, so I would expect some quality, but this is an entirely different level.

If you're planning to get some sleep, I suggest waiting for daybreak before giving a peak at the video, it's undeniably creepy. The collaboration between Boneface and Queens of the Stone Age is a match made in heaven, though and it's definitely something I wouldn't mind seeing more of.

Load By Brian Sørensen

Brian Sørensen's Load is a Commodore64 tinged CG short set in a pseudo 1980s environment, where a nostalgic theme is emphasized through the display of old computer hardware, together with careful cinematic grading. The short is intended to be part of a longer form feature later on, but as is it's an excellently executed concept, down to the brooding synth score and retro, slow panning shots. Awesome.

The Law Of The Jungle - Destiny Official Trailer

As E3 draws near, Bungie has released a new cinematic trailer for their upcoming multiplatform epic, narrating the ancient code regarding the struggle for survival: 'For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.' The emphasis on that passage along with the actual content seems to emphasize the need for teamwork to make it in the evolving world of Destiny.

Featuring the man we've come to love and hate as Gustavo (Giancarlo Esposito) in Breaking Bad narrating these passages to his child while the mysterious 'Traveler' sphere looms off in the distance, we grow ever more intrigued as to whether this series might also get a live action treatment to accompany it's release as part Bungie's multimedia experience initiative.

Sneak Peek Of Cartoon Network's "Steven Universe" Pilot

Cartoon Network just recently released a teaser of the upcoming Steven Universe pilot, created by the Annie and Emmy award nominated composer/director/writer/storyboard artist on series like Adventure Time. Following the adventures of a gifted boy surrounded by three super powered Crystal Gems: Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl.



The recent greenlighting of the series is noteworthy in Cartoon Network's history, as it makes her the first female cartoon creator in CN's history. Pretty awesome, huh? Based off this 7 minute short, it's reminiscent of the past shows she's worked on, but I really loved the variety of personalities introduced in such a short matter of time. Keep your eyes peeled for this one.

The Art Of Gashi Gashi

(Via)

Gashi Gashi's work could best best described as a visually wild, loud, brash and colorful punch into your visual cortex. The Japanese artist employs a style that has seen a resurgence as of late on the Japanese art communities, showcasing their interpretations of western franchises and art styles that have exploded internationally with the success of shows like My Little Pony, The Amazing World Of Gumball, Gravity Falls and others.

Gashi's work is just pure fun to look at, employing a philosophy to fill in as many little details into every nook and cranny available in the style set by magazines like Shonen Jump, which forego the rule about letting your eyes rest on a page by stuffing each cover with a few hundred characters, and enough colors to put the rainbow to shame. Get your dose of Gashi Gashi after the break!

Shelter: Pikmin Meets Badger Sim

Badgers are assholes, plain and simple, but they sure look pretty damn adorable in Might and Delight's Shelter. While the game is very early in development, Might and Delight (most recently known for Pid) has finally unveiled a bit of gameplay. While not much is really confirmed in terms of mechanics, the early footage showcases packs of badgers hunting down food in a style of play similar to Pikmin. The forest fire near the end has me incredibly intrigued for the possibility of other natural disasters, which in itself is enough depth to warrant a purchase.

I don't think I would have ever thought I'd be excited to spend time simulating the life of a badger, but here I am. Might and Delight also has a Steam Greenlight for Shelter which you can find over here.

The Humble Alan Wake Bundle

Alan Wake was one of my favorite original IPs from this generation and one of the few games that convinced me to pick up the Xbox 360. The incredible story telling techniques and genuinely creepy atmosphere stirred up feelings I thought had been lost after the decline of the Silent Hill and Resident Evil series. After delays, poor sales and a piece of DLC that mostly wraps up the game's loose ends, many lost hope of ever seeing a sequel. During the Xbox One's announcement, Remedy's newest project Quantum Break was announced further destroying any expectations for a return to Alan Wake, but today Sam Lake has provided a glimmer of hope for the cult classic.

For this week's Humble Weekly Sale, Remedy has provided both the collectors edition of Alan Wake and the American Nightmare DLC for whichever price you choose. This is a massive opportunity for Remedy to prove that interest for Alan Wake still exists and that returning to the world is still a possibility. If Sam Lake's announcement to the fans is anything to go by, the team still holds the IP close to their hearts and hopes that with our support they can return with a game fans deserve.

While I've already purchased both games on both Xbox 360 and PC, I decided to give it another push, because why the hell not? Head over to the Humble Bundle's website and throw as much money towards the game as you want, especially if you have yet to experience it.

As Animals - "Ghost Gunfighters" (NSFW)

As Animals new track, 'Ghost Gunfighters,' has what sounds like a "rah-rah", semi-uplifting, almost folksy-gospel like quality upon first listen.  But to hear the sad, fearful lyrics is such a contrast to the sound of the music.  It ties in perfectly with the emotional, moody feel of the slice-of-life music video, which shows us some stressful and sad situations a variety of people are in.  Not much seems to be known about this seemingly new band, but we look forward to further tracks on the horizon. Definitely NSFW!

Pig Box

Created as a student short film by Ta-Wei Chao and Tsai-Chun at the National Taiwan University of Arts. Pig Box is an understated, yet charming short about a cold bird trying to get some sleep via the help of a creature with the gift of a season changing sneeze. Really loved the style and color palettes in this one.

Hardware : The Prospector And Baserunner

From the same team that brought us Homeworld comes new featurettes giving us a look into some backstory for the upcoming real time strategy title, as well as a look at the baserunners: Massive, roving vehicles containing all the hardware required to salvage thousands of wrecked starships on the mysterious LM-27 planet.

We have yet to see any gameplay, but the development pedigree of the team working on this title (Dawn Of War, 1&2 Company Of Heroes 1&2, Homeworld 1&2) should leave any RTS fan eager with anticipation. Even from an art direction perspective, the game looks stunning already, with the reels being comprised of animated concept art. Can't wait till we get a peek of gameplay.

Aliens In 60 Seconds

The folks at 1A4Studio took one of the most classic scifi movies of all time and transformed it into a hilarious side scrolling retelling  to narrate the journey of Ripley to LV-246 as part of their Speedrun series. This short also contains one of the least terrifying versions of an Alien Queen that I've ever seen. Check out their speedruns of Back To The Future, Matrix and Star Wars: Episode IV after the break!

Xbox One Reveal In A Nutshell

The internet was close to exploding yesterday after Microsoft's announcement of the Xbox One, mostly due to the fact the complete lack of games. While Sony's Playstation 4 reveal was still far from steller, the announcement still focused on what many still buy video game consoles for; video games. The interface for the Xbox One is definitely pretty awesome, but the sheer lack of anything other than TV, Sports, and Call of Duty during the the reveal was a bit of a disappointment. If you missed out on the insanity yesterday, the above video sums up anything you think you might have missed.

At least there's always E3!