WednesdayWed, December 2nd Edition Go Back
Today in the World Countries
- First President Day Holiday is being celebrated in Kazakhstan
- King Tupou I Day Holiday is being celebrated in Tonga
- National Day is being celebrated in Laos
- People born on this day are Sagittarius as their zodiac sign.
Today in History
On this day in 2023
- BIRTHS
- Gonsabellla, Twitch Star, born in Bilbao, Spain.
- DEATHS
- Michel Le Milinaire, French soccer coach (Laval 1968-92, Rennes 1993-96), who died at 92.
- SPORTS
- American "High School Musical"actress Vanessa Hudgens (34) weds American baseball player Cole Tucker (27) at Azulik Resort in Tulum, Mexico.
On this day in 2022
- DEATHS
- Yoshio Kikugawa, Japanese soccer defender (16 caps; Mitsubishi Motors FC) and manager (Avispa Fukuoka FC 1982-94), who died from pneumonia at 78.
- MOVIES: NOT RATED
- Return to Seoul is released. After an impulsive travel decision to visit friends, Freddie,25, returns to South Korea for the first time, where she was born before being adopted and raised in France. Freddie suddenly finds herself embarking on (an unexpected) journey in a country she knows so little about, taking her life in new and unexpected directions.
- Spoiler Alert is released. Based on Michael Ausiello’s best-selling memoir Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies, the film is a heartwarming, funny and life-affirming story of how Michael (Jim Parsons) and Kit’s (Ben Aldridge) relationship is transformed and deepened when one of them falls ill.
- Tantura is released. The tape-recorded words “erase it” take on new weight in the context of history and war. When the State of Israel was established in 1948, war broke out and hundreds of Palestinian villages were depopulated in its aftermath. Israelis know this as the War of Independence. Palestinians call it “Al Nakba” (the Catastrophe). In the late 1990s, graduate student Teddy Katz conducted research into a large-scale massacre that had allegedly occurred in the village of Tantura in 1948. His work later came under attack and his reputation was ruined, but 140 hours of audio testimonies remain. Director Alon Schwarz revisits former Israeli soldiers of the Alexandroni Brigade as well as Palestinian residents in an effort to re-examine what happened in Tantura and explore why the Nakba is taboo in Israeli society. The ex-soldiers, now in their 90s, recall unsettling acts of war while disquietly pausing at points they either don’t remember or won’t speak of. Audio from Katz’s 20-year-old interviews cuts through the silence of self-preservation and exposes the ways in which power, silencing, and protected narratives can sculpt history.
- 2nd Chance is released. Broke, brave, and brash, Richard Davis shot himself 192 times. Why? To invent the modern-day bulletproof vest and launch a multimillion-dollar company. He was a hero to police and the military, until tragedy brought him down. His is an American story of guns, violence, lies, and self-deception.
- Framing Agnes is released. The pseudonymous Agnes was a pioneering transgender woman who participated in an infamous gender health study conducted at UCLA in the 1960s. Her clever use of the study to gain access to gender-affirming healthcare led to her status as a fascinating and celebrated figure in trans history. In this innovative cinematic exercise that blends fiction and nonfiction, director Chase Joynt uses Agnes’s story, along with others unearthed in long-shelved case files, to widen the frame through which trans history is viewed. Through a collaborative practice of reimagination, an all-star cast of trans performers, artists, and thinkers – including Angelica Ross, Jen Richards, and Zackary Drucker – take on vividly rendered, impeccably vintage reenactments, bringing to life groundbreaking artifacts of trans history. This collective reclamation breaks down the myth of isolation among transgender history-makers, breathing new life into a lineage of collaborators and conspirators who have been forgotten for far too long.
- Hunt is released. After a high-ranking North Korean official requests asylum, KCIA Foreign Unit chief Park Pyong-ho (LEE Jung Jae) and Domestic Unit chief Kim Jung-do (JUNG Woo Sung) are tasked with uncovering a North Korean spy, known as Donglim, who is deeply embedded within their agency. When the spy begins leaking top secret intel that could jeopardize national security, the two units are each assigned to investigate each other. In this tense situation where if they cannot find the mole, they may be accused themselves, Pyong-ho and Jung-do slowly start to uncover the truth. In the end, they must deal with an unthinkable plot to assassinate the South Korean president.
- MOVIES: PG13
- Darby and the Dead is released. After suffering a near-death experience as a young girl, Darby Harper (Riele Downs) gains the ability to see dead people. As a result, she becomes introverted and shut off from her high school peers and prefers to spend time counseling lonely spirits who have unfinished business on earth. But all that changes when Capri (Auli’i Cravalho), the Queen Bee of the school’s most exclusive clique, unexpectedly dies in a freak hair straightening accident, resulting in the obvious cancellation of her upcoming “Sweet 17.” Capri, however, pleads with Darby from the other side to intervene and convince Capri’s friends to proceed with the party as planned. In order to appease the wrath of the undead diva, Darby must emerge from her self-imposed exile and reinvent herself — which along the way allows her to find new joy back in the land of the living. [20th Century Studios]
- The Eternal Daughter is released. An artist and her elderly mother confront long-buried secrets when they return to a former family home, now a hotel haunted by its mysterious past.
- MOVIES: R
- Violent Night is released. When a team of mercenaries breaks into a wealthy family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone inside hostage, the team isn’t prepared for a surprise combatant: Santa Claus (David Harbour) is on the grounds, and he’s about to show why this Nick is no saint.
- Emancipation is released. Peter (Will Smith) escapes from slavery, relying on his wits and unwavering faith to evade cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana on his quest to reunite with his family. The film is inspired by the 1863 photos of “Whipped Peter, ” taken during a Union Army medical examination, that first appeared in Harper’s Weekly. One image, known as “The Scourged Back, ” which shows Peter’s bare back mutilated by a whipping delivered by his enslavers, ultimately contributed to growing public opposition to slavery.
- TV SERIES
- Slow Horses: Season 2 is released. The Slough House team must work together to stop a potential danger in London in the second season if the espionage drama based on Mick Herron's Slough House novels.
- Riches: Season 1 is released. When businessmen Stephen Richards (Hugh Quarshie) passes suddenly, control of his business is fought over by the two estranged adult children from his first marriage and the three adult children of his second wife in this family drama written and created by Abby Ajayi.
- ALBUMS
- Premonition was released by White Lung. The first new full-length album for Canadian punk band White Lung in five years was produced by Jesse Gander and was announced as its last.
- GAMING: PC
- The Callisto Protocol for PC is released. Set on Jupiter's moon Callisto in the year 2320, The Callisto Protocol is a next-generation take on survival horror. The game challenges players to escape the maximum security Black Iron Prison and uncover its terrifying secrets. A blend of horror, action, and immersive storytelling, the game aims to set a new bar for horror in interactive entertainment.
- Need for Speed Unbound for PC is released. START AT THE BOTTOM, RACE TO THE TOP. The world is your canvas in Need for Speed™ Unbound. Prove you have what it takes to win The Grand, Lakeshore’s ultimate street racing challenge. Across four intense weeks of racing, earn enough cash to enter weekly qualifiers, beat the competition, and make your mark on the street racing scene while outdriving and outsmarting the cops. Pack your garage with precision-tuned, custom rides and light up the streets with your unique style, exclusive fits, and a vibrant global soundtrack led by A$AP Rocky and AWGE that bumps in every corner of the world. Express yourself to the fullest with the freshest new art styles and signature tags that represent what you're all about. With separate single and multiplayer campaigns, this latest edition in the Need for Speed™ franchise from Criterion Games™ delivers hours of electric, adrenaline-pumping action.• Graffiti comes to life in Need for Speed™ Unbound with an all-new, unique visual style that blends elements of the freshest street art with the most realistic looking cars in Need for Speed™ history. Access a brand-new toolkit of high-energy visual and sound effects to express your driving skills, including Burst Nitrous, a new boost tactic that delivers a dizzying rush of speed.• To get to the top, you gotta take risks. Choose how and when to put it all on the line, pulling huge drifts on the street, outdriving the cops, or placing side bets with your own earnings against rival racers. Time is money, so find the fastest way to earn enough cash to enter the weekly qualifiers and make it to Lakeshore’s ultimate race, The Grand.• The more you race, the more you build heat. While the cops pile on the pressure, you gotta make tactical decisions using new escape mechanics to take control of the chase. Do you outrun the cops, battle them head on, or hide out in Lakeshore's underground? Run these streets and you’ll reap the rewards.• Pull up to a Meetup and show off your unique style with hundreds of cosmetic items to choose from, including exclusive gear from some of the world’s most pioneering fashion innovators. Extend that look to your ride, transforming your cars with unique wraps and cutaways for the ultimate legendary custom. And when you take first, don't forget to stunt on the competition with your own personal win poses.
- GAMING: XBOX SERIES X
- Marvel's Midnight Suns for Xbox Series X is released. After centuries of sleep, Lilith, Mother of Demons, has been revived by Hydra through a twist of dark magic and science. Lilith stops at nothing to complete an ancient prophecy and bring back her evil master, Chthon. Pushed to the brink, the Avengers desperately look to fight fire with hellfire and enlist the help of the Midnight Suns - Nico Minoru, Blade, Magik and Ghost Rider - young heroes with powers deeply rooted in the supernatural, formed to prevent the very prophecy Lilith aims to fulfill.In the face of fallen allies and the fate of the world at stake, it will be up to you to rise up against the darkness!Marvel's Midnight Suns is a new tactical RPG set in the darker side of the Marvel Universe, putting you face-to-face against demonic forces of the underworld as you team up with and live among the Midnight Suns, Earth's last line of defense.
On this day in 2021
- DEATHS
- Darlene Hard, American tennis player (US C'ships 1960-61, French C'ships 1960; 18 Grand Slam doubles titles), who died at 85.
- Antony Sher, Stage Actor.
- MOVIES: NOT RATED
- Listening to Kenny G is released. An examination of the most popular instrumentalist of all time, Kenny G, and why he is polarizing to so many.
- TV SERIES
- Annie Live! is released. Billionaire Daddy Warbucks' (Harry Connick Jr.) decision to adopt Annie (Celina Smith) angers Miss Hannigan (Taraji P. Henson), while her brother (Tituss Burgess) and girlfriend plot ways to get money in this adaptation of the Broadway musical based on the comic strip.
- GAMING: PC
- Archvale for PC is released. Take up your weapon in this RPG bullet-hell world and embark on a journey to right wrongs from long ago. Only you can defeat the evil forces of the Undying guardians and reunite the world with the fabled Archvale.
- Century: Age of Ashes for PC is released. Century: Age of Ashes, the multiplayer dragon battle game is now available for free! Customize your dragon, dive into the arena and compete to become a legendary Dragoneer. Burn your enemies and rule the skies!Compete in intense online games ranging from 3v3 to 6v6 and discover the fast-paced gameplay of Century : Age of Ashes! Dive into the arena alone or with friends and fight for your survival! Three varied game modes await you: Carnage, Spoils of War and Gates of Fire.Experience different play styles with 3 unique classes, each with their own abilities! Shield and disorient as the Windguard, track and destroy as the Marauder, or stealth and trap as the Phantom. How will you choose your path to victory?
- Fights in Tight Spaces for PC is released. A stylish blend of deck-building, turn-based tactics, and thrilling animated fight sequences in classic action-movie settings. Learn to balance your hand, momentum, and positioning to overcome the odds to defeat your adversaries. Build your deck, control the space and live to fight another day.
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 5
- Solar Ash for PlayStation 5 is released. Solar Ash is the second game from Heart Machine, the creators of the award winning 2016 game Hyper Light Drifter. Journey through a surreal, vivid and highly stylized world filled with mystery, wild high-speed traversal, endearing characters, and massive enemy encounters.
- GAMING: SWITCH
- The Kids We Were: Complete Edition for Switch is released. The Kids We Were is an adventure game originally released worldwide for smartphones in February,2020. The Complete Edition includes the full story available in the app, in addition to a new bonus episode set after the events of the main game. There are also brand-new collection items to find!
- GAMING: XBOX ONE
- Asterix & Obelix: Slap Them All! for Xbox One is released. Asterix & Obelix are back in a brand-new adventure full of slaps! Play as Asterix and Obelix and enjoy the most iconic landscapes of the saga while battling a hundreds of enemies in a Beat Them Up game filled with action… And lots of slaps!
On this day in 2020
- EVENTS
- The UK becomes the first western country to authorize a vaccine for COVID-19 pandemic, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
- US records its largest daily death toll for COVID-19 pandemic at 2,885 and for the first time patient numbers in hospital exceed 100,000.
- DEATHS
- Rafer Johnson, American decathlete (Olympic gold 1960), who died from stroke complications at 86.
- Pamela Tiffin, American actress (One, Two, Three; Viva Max!), who died at 78.
- Pat Patterson, Canadian pro wrestler (WWE Hall of Fame; creator Royal Rumble), who died from cancer at 79.
- MOVIES: NOT RATED
- Mayor is released. Mayor follows Musa Hadid, the Christian mayor of Ramallah, during his second term in office. His immediate goals: repave the sidewalks, attract more tourism, and plan the city’s Christmas celebrations. His ultimate mission: to end the occupation of Palestine.
- GAMING: SWITCH
- Sam & Max Save the World Remastered for Switch is released. Sam is a six-foot canine detective with a love of justice. Max is a hyperkinetic rabbity-thing with a taste for mayhem.Together, they’re the Freelance Police. And they’re about to save the world.In 2006, the comic book crime-fighting duo Sam & Max starred in the first full-fledged episodic game from Telltale, the studio that went on to make The Walking Dead and Batman: The Enemy Within.Now everyone’s favorite dog and rabbity-thing are back in Sam & Max Save the World Remastered, a new version of their first season of episodic games that has been lovingly updated by a small group of the original developers with the blessing of Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell.It’s just another day at the office for the self-proclaimed Freelance Police when the Commissioner calls in with a disturbing report: former child stars are running amok in the street! What starts as an open-and-shut case of idiotic vandalism balloons into an all-out conspiracy as Sam and Max encounter one miscreant after another who have been mysteriously hypnotized. (You can tell from the “spinny thing” they do with their eyes.)Who’s the source of this malfeasance, and what is their dastardly plan? Cracking this case will require Sam’s nose for detective work, Max’s lack of conscience, an assortment of inventory items, and a little help from neighbors Sybil Pandemik, Bosco, and Jimmy Two-Teeth. From Sam & Max’s street to the White House lawn, inside the internet, and all the way to the moon, this baffling mystery gets weirder and funnier as it unfolds.Return to the adventure game that was once called “gaming’s first sitcom” and is today known as “the remaster you didn’t know you were waiting for.” With enhanced graphics, Joy-Con™ and touch screen support, an original jazz score with five new tracks, and the same brain-tickling puzzles and offbeat humor that won it IGN’s Best Adventure GOTY award back in the day, Sam & Max Save the World Remastered is a modern classic that will be right at home in your Nintendo Switch™ library.
- Shiren The Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate for Switch is released. Climb the Tower of Fortune and Challenge Reeva, the God of Destiny!After stopping the revival of a demon god at the Magic Castle of the Desert, Shiren and Koppa set off in search of new adventures. Soon thereafter, our heroes wandered into small village. This village, Inori, has a legend that claims, If you climb the Tower of Fortune that soars above the enchanted land and face Reeva, the god of Destiny, you can change your fate. Shiren and Koppa, having confirmed many mysterious legends throughout their journeys, decide to embrace this new challenge.Is there really an entity determining peoples fates? And is it possible for a person to change their fate? What adventures await Shiren and his friends in the tower?
- POLITICS
- Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, French politician, President of France (1974-81), who died of COVID-19 pandemic at 94.
- US Attorney General William Barr says there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, despite claims by President Donald Trump.
On this day in 2019
- EVENTS
- Hawaiian Carissa Moore earns her 4th World Surf League Women’s Championship Tour title with a third placing at the season-ending Maui Pro event at Honolua Bay.
- DEATHS
- Fred Storey, Canadian curler (World C'ship gold 1966,68,69), who died at 87.
- POLITICS
- Steve Bullock and Joe Sestak drop out of the US Presidential race.
- SPORTS
- FIFA Ballon d'Or: Barcelona forward Lionel Messi wins his record 6th award from Liverpool's Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk; American midfielder Megan Rapinoe is Women's World Player of the Year.
On this day in 2018
- TV SERIES
- Nightflyers: Season 1 is released. Eight scientists and a telepath traveling on The Nightflyer space ship to make contact with alien life begin experiences strange and violent occurrences in this adaptation of George R.R. Martin's novella (which also was made into a 1987 film).
- POLITICS
- Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari denies he has died and been replaced by a Sudanese impostor after ill health.
- Israeli police recommend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife be charged with fraud and bribery.
- Andrés Manuel López Obrador is sworn in as President of Mexico.
- Trade war truce agreed between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at G-20 meeting in Argentina.
On this day in 2017
- EVENTS
- Egyptian lawyer Nabih al-Wahsh sentenced to 3 years in prison for saying women wearing ripped jeans should be raped.
On this day in 2016
- EVENTS
- Donald Trump takes a call with Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen, in a break from America's long standing "One China"policy.
- Fire during a dance party at an Oakland warehouse kills 36.
- For 6th time in 7 years, Cincinnati Reds 1st baseman Joey Votto wins Tip O'Neill Award as best Canadian MLB player; hit.326 with NL-leading.434 OBP,29 HRs & 97 RBIs in an outstanding all-around season for last-place club.
- DEATHS
- Paul de Wispelaere, Flemish writer and critic, who died at 88.
- Sammy Lee, American diver (Olympic Gold 10m platform 1948,52), who died from pneumonia at 96.
- MOVIES: NOT RATED
- SiREN is released. Jonah is an apprehensive groom-to-be whose bachelor party turns into a nightmare when he frees a seemingly innocent victimized girl locked up in a supernatural sex club. Her ruthless handler and proprietor of the sex club will stop at nothing to re-capture his prize. Jonah struggles to rescue the girl only to discover it is he who needs to be rescued as he comes to the realization that she is a dangerous fabled predator who has chosen him as her mate.
- Things to Come is released. What happens when the life you’ve worked so hard to build falls apart all at once? Nathalie (Isabelle Huppert) is a philosophy teacher with a seemingly settled existence, juggling a rich life of the mind with the day-to-day demands of career and family—including frequent visits to her drama queen mother (Édith Scob). But beginning with the bombshell revelation that her husband of twenty-five years is leaving her, one by one the pillars of Nathalie’s life start to crumble. For the first time in ages, she finds herself adrift, but also with a newfound sense of liberation. With nothing to hold her back, Nathalie sets out to define this new phase of her life and to rediscover herself. [IFC Films]
- Best and Most Beautiful Things is released. In rural Maine, a bright and magnetic 20-year-old woman named Michelle Smith lives with her mother. Legally blind and on the autism spectrum, Michelle defies labels as she chases big dreams with humor and bold curiosity. Searching for community, Michelle explores an uncensored world online and experiences a provocative sexual awakening. Her joyful story of self-discovery celebrates outcasts everywhere. [First Run Features]
- MOVIES: PG13
- Incarnate is released. A scientist with the ability to enter the subconscious minds of the possessed must save a young boy from the grips of a demon with powers never seen before, while facing the horrors of his past.
- MOVIES: R
- Jackie is released. Jackie is a searing and intimate portrait of one of the most important and tragic moments in American history, seen through the eyes of the iconic First Lady, then Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (Natalie Portman). Jackie places us in her world during the days immediately following her husband's assassination. Known for her extraordinary dignity and poise, here we see a psychological portrait of the First Lady as she struggles to maintain her husband’s legacy and the world of "Camelot"that they created and loved so well. [Fox Searchlight]
- Pet is released. Sweet but lonely Seth (Dominic Monaghan) spends his days working in an animal shelter. In a hopeless daze, he has a chance encounter with beautiful young waitress Holly (Ksenia Solo) who awakens something within him. Obsessed, he tries everything to win her over. Time and again, she rejects him, leading him to steal her journal and make a plan: to kidnap Holly. After Seth takes Holly, she wakes up in a cage beneath the animal shelter, treated like the dogs living above her. As Seth's lies begin to catch up to him, Holly toys with his emotions and his certainty of the situation falls apart.
- Man Down is released. When U.S. Marine Gabriel Drummer (Shia LaBeouf) returns home from his tour in Afghanistan, he finds that the place he once called home is no better than the battlefields he fought on overseas. Accompanied by his best friend Devin Roberts (Jai Courtney), a hard-nosed marine whose natural instinct is to shoot first and ask questions later, he searches desperately for the whereabouts of his estranged son, Jonathan (Charlie Shotwell) and wife, Natalie (Kate Mara). In their search, the two intercept Charles (Clifton Collins), a man carrying vital information about the whereabouts of Gabriel's family. [Lionsgate Premiere]
- The Eyes of My Mother is released. In their secluded farmhouse, a mother, formerly a surgeon in Portugal, teaches her daughter, Francisca, to understand anatomy and be unfazed by death. One afternoon, a mysterious visitor horrifyingly shatters the idyll of Francisca’s family life, deeply traumatizing the young girl, but also awakening some unique curiosities. Though she clings to her increasingly reticent father, Francisca’s loneliness and scarred nature converge years later when her longing to connect with the world around her takes on a distinctly dark form. [Magnet Releasing]
- The Duelist is released. Set in 19th century Imperial Russia, the story revolves around a retired army veteran who makes a good living by settling duels for aristocrats, a common practice of the era. Shot in IMAX. Cast Petr Fedorov, Vladimir Mashkov, Martin Wuttke, Julia Khlynina, Yuri Kolokolnikov Director Alexey Mizgirev
- ALBUMS
- W:/2016ALBUM/ was released by Deadmau5. The Canadian electronic producer admitted on Twitter he had a love/hate thing for his eighth full-length studio release that features a guest appearance from Grabbitz.
- Hamburg Demonstrations was released by Peter Doherty. The second solo release for the Babyshambles/The Libertines frontman was produced by Johann Scheerer.
- Blue and Lonesome was released by The Rolling Stones. Recorded over three days, the latest full-length release of blues covers for the rock band features Eric Clapton on guitar on two tracks.
- "Awaken, My Love!"was released by Childish Gambino. The third full-length release for the hip hop artist/actor Donald Glover features influences of funk and soul music.
- Before the Dawn [Live] was released by Kate Bush. The second live release for the British singer-songwriter is a three-disc album featuring songs from her her month-long residency at London's Hammersmith Apollo.
- Darkness and Light was released by John Legend. The sixth full-length studio release for the multi-award-winning R&B singer-songwriter was produced by Blake Mills and features guest appearances from Chance the Rapper, Brittany Howard, and Miguel.
- GAMING: 3DS
- Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS for 3DS is released. Get ready to play a near-infinite number of side-scrolling 2D Mario courses anytime, anywhere. Earn in-game medals in 100 built-in courses and access recommended courses from the Super Mario Maker game on the Wii U console. Plus, design courses and share them with other players via the StreetPass feature and local wireless. Want your cannons to shoot coins? Go for it. In this game, you call the shots, and simple touch-screen controls and interactive tutorials make designing courses a snap. Learn design tips and tricks from Mary O. and Yamamura, then share your masterpieces via the StreetPass feature and local wireless. Collaborating has never been easier now that you can share incomplete courses with other players. Finish off a course together and a special icon will commemorate the collaboration. That's one of many reasons that this is the must-play portable Mario™ game for inventive groups of friends and anyone yearning for never-ending Super Mario magic. [Nintendo]
- GAMING: PC
- Dungeon Souls for PC is released. Dungeon Souls is a two-dimensional hack n' slash roguelike dungeon crawler. Explore randomly generated dungeons, collect legendary items, and upgrade six unique heroes to conquer the dark forces that roam the depths below.
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
- Steep for PlayStation 4 is released. In Steep, players can use the innovative trail feature to relive their most inspiring rides and trailblazing achievements, and share them on social networks with friends. Along with sharing ride replays, players can also use this feature to challenge friends to outrace them on a shared path, create epic stunts or set out to discover the massive mountain playground.
- GAMING: XBOX ONE
- Furi for Xbox One is released. Fight your way free in our frenzied all-boss fighter, and discover what’s waiting behind the last gate. Furi is all about the tension of one-on-one fights against deadly adversaries. It’s an intense, ultra-responsive game with a unique mix of fast-paced sword fighting and dual-stick shooting. Each of the formidable guardians - designed by Afro Samurai creator Takashi Okazaki - has a unique and surprising combat style that requires focus and skill to defeat. The high-energy action gets a boost from an explosive soundtrack composed by electro musicians including Carpenter Brut.
On this day in 2015
- EVENTS
- Attack on a social services centre in San Bernardino, California kills 14 and wounds 17.
- DEATHS
- Anthony Valentine, British actor (Colditz), who died at 76.
- MOVIES: NOT RATED
- Hitchcock/Truffaut is released. In 1962 Hitchcock and Truffaut locked themselves away in Hollywood for a week to excavate the secrets behind the mise-en-scène in cinema. Based on the original recordings of this meeting—used to produce the mythical book Hitchcock/Truffaut—this film illustrates the greatest cinema lesson of all time and plummets us into the world of the creator of Psycho, The Birds, and Vertigo. Hitchcock’s incredibly modern art is elucidated and explained by today’s leading filmmakers: Martin Scorsese, David Fincher, Arnaud Desplechin, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Wes Anderson, James Gray, Olivier Assayas, Richard Linklater, Peter Bogdanovich and Paul Schrader. [Cohen Media Group]
- GAMING: PC
- Valhalla Hills for PC is released. Valhalla Hills is a humorous new civilization-building strategy game from Daedalic Entertainment.
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
- Dariusburst: Chronicle Saviours for PlayStation 4 is released. Game Features:- Brand-new story mode with hundreds of stages covering DARIUS history- 3000+ stages unlockable by global players in AC Chronicle mode- 9 playable ships to choose from including classic Silver Hawk variants, a new CS-exclusive ship, and gameplay-changing Burst modes- Branching stages where you choose your own path and challenge level- Over 40 enormous, robotic sea-monster battleships (including new CS-exclusive bosses)- Haunting and memorable Zuntata soundtrack from classic tracks to new compositions- Cross-Save support with PlayStation(R)4Vita system
- GAMING: XBOX ONE
- Chivalry: Medieval Warfare for Xbox One is released. CHIVALRY: Medieval Warfare is a first-person medieval combat game that seeks to deliver the intensity of epic hollywood medieval block busters to the hands of a gamer. CHIVALRY hurls the player into a fictional yet realistic medieval world where the Agathian Knights are battling against the newly formed Mason Order for control of the lands of Agatha.
On this day in 2014
- EVENTS
- Comedian Bill Cosby resigns from the board of trustees of an American university following renewed sexual assault allegations.
- Vanuatu police arrest at least 20 people over the deaths by hanging of two men accused of sorcery.
- The World Food Programme suspends critical food aid to more than 1.7 million Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt because of a lack of funds.
- Stephen Hawking claims that Artificial Intelligence could be a "threat to mankind"and spell the end of the human race.
- DEATHS
- Don Laws, American figure skater and coach (Scott Hamilton, Patrick Chan, Tiffany Chin), who died from heart failure at 85.
- Bobby Keyes, American Saxophonist, who died at 70.
- Bobby Keys, American session and touring rock saxophonist (Rolling Stones; Harry Nilsson; John Lennon), who died of liver cancer at 70.
- Jean Beliveau, Hockey Player.
- Jean Béliveau, Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame center (Hart Trophy 1956,64; Art Ross Trophy 1956; Conn Smythe Trophy 1965; record 17 Stanley Cups), who died at 83.
- TV SERIES
- Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce: Season 1 is released. Self-help book author Abby McCarthy (Lisa Edelstein) seeks advice from her divorced friends Lyla (Janeane Garofalo) and Phoebe (Beau Garrett) to restart her life as a single woman after separating from her husband, Jake (Paul Adelstein).
- Toy Story That Time Forgot is released. The second holiday Toy Story special finds the gang facing off against Battlesaurs.
- ALBUMS
- The London Sessions was released by Mary J. Blige. The R&B singer worked with Disclosure, Jimmy Napes, Naughty Boy, Sam Romans, Emeli Sandé, and Sam Smith during her month-long visit to London for her 13th studio release.
- Rock or Bust was released by AC/DC. The 16th full-length studio release for the Australian hard rock band was produced by Brendan O’Brien and its first with Stevie Young, who took over his uncle's role in 2014.
- Parallel Memories was released by Mr. Mitch. This is the debut full-length release for the British grime producer.
- A Better Tomorrow was released by Wu-Tang Clan. The sixth full-length studio release for the rap group was executive produced by RZA and is its first in seven years.
- Content Nausea was released by Parquet Courts. Credited under the name Parkay Quarts, the fourth full-length release for the New York's Parquet Courts was recorded over a two-week period on a four-track tape and features contributions from Jackie-O Motherfucker's Jef Brown and the Easter's Bob Jones.
- Classics was released by She & Him. Zooey Deschanel and M.Ward tackles songs from the 1930-50s on their latest covers release.
- December Day was released by Bobbie Nelson. The first volume of an archival series titled Willie's Stash features the collaboration of the country singer with his older sister Bobbie with some of Willie's catalog and cover songs.
- GAMING: PC
- Lumino City for PC is released. A sequel to Lume, Lumino City begins where that game left off. Begin by exploring the city, and using your ingenuity piece together all sorts of puzzling mechanisms to help the people who live in its unique world.
- Game of Thrones: Episode One - Iron From Ice for PC is released. Episode 1 - Iron From Ice. The series is based on the world, characters and events seen in HBO’s television show, which in turn is based on George R. R. Martin’s books (A Song of Ice and Fire). The events in the game series begin towards the end of Season 3 of the television show and end just before the beginning of Season 5. You'll traverse familiar locations such as King’s Landing and The Wall, as well as unfamiliar locations such as Ironrath, the home of House Forrester.
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 3
- Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX for PlayStation 3 is released. KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX is an HD remastered compilation of KINGDOM HEARTS II FINAL MIX and KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep FINAL MIX.
- Syberia for PlayStation 3 is released. For the young Kate Walker, an ambitious lawyer, the Voralberg toy company acquisition seemed like a textbook case--a quick stopover to a small alpine village in France to buy-out an old automaton factory, then straight back home to New York. But her journey across land and time throws all she values into question, and the deal she set out to sign turns into a pact with destiny. Follow Kate through a magical world of automatons, amazing characters, and mysterious environments. This puzzle-driven adventure blends logical problem-solving with a complex and involving storyline.
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
- The Crew for PlayStation 4 is released. Strap in for a ride that will find you infiltrating and taking down the 510s, a gang that has grown up amidst Detroit's illicit street racing landscape. You must establish your reputation in the underground racing scene and subvert their activities city-by-city throughout a fully-open world United States. Maneuver through the bustling streets of New York City and Los Angeles, drive down to sun-drenched Miami Beach, or trek through the picturesque plateaus of Monument Valley. Each location comes with its own set of surprises and driving challenges to tackle. On your journey you will confront other driver on the road - all potentially worthy companions to team up with, or future rivals to take down.
- Secret Ponchos for PlayStation 4 is released. Engage in one-on-one duels or all-out gunfights as one of several unique and customizable outlaws - each with his or her own strengths, weapon types, special moves and play styles - in a game that rewards tactical awareness, precision timing and player skill. Add in melee attacks, an original line-of-sight mechanic, cover fire, destructible cover objects and more, and Secret Ponchos is a game with exceptional depth.
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION VITA
- Fantasy Hero: Unsigned Legacy for PlayStation Vita is released. The game is an action Role-Playing Game through which your character scraps with monsters that have overtaken the globe. The game features local co-op and features 4 assumable characters, each sporting a unqiue play style.
- POLITICS
- Hong Kong pro-democracy activists clash with police as they try to surround the government's headquarters in some of the worst violence since the protests began.
- SPORTS
- Josie Cichockyj, British wheelchair athlete (wheelchair racing [WR 5,000m], basketball, tennis, table tennis), who died from cancer at 49.
- After featuring in a magazine article with long-time life partner, veteran MLB umpire and crew chief Dale Scott openly acknowledges his homosexuality; overwhelmingly positive reaction from baseball circles.