WednesdayWed, July 29th Edition Go Back

On this day in 2023

On this day in 2022

• EVENTS
• Rebekah Vardy loses her UK libel trial with Coleen Rooney in the so-called Wagatha Christie trial, over Rooney accusing Vardy of leaking stories to The Sun newspaper.
• DEATHS
• Juris Hartmanis, Computer Scientist.
• MOVIES: JULY 29 2022
• Vengeance is released. Ben Manalowitz, a journalist and podcaster from New York City, travels to West Texas to investigate the death of a girl he was hooking up with.
• MOVIES: NOT RATED
• Sharp Stick is released. Sarah Jo (Kristine Froseth) is a sensitive and naive 26-year-old living on the fringes of Hollywood with her disillusioned mother (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and influencer sister (Taylour Paige). Working as a caregiver and just longing to be seen, she begins an exploratory affair with her older, married employer (Jon Bernthal), and is thrust into a startling education on sexuality, loss and power.
• Medusa is released. Mari and her friends broadcast their spiritual devotion through pastel pinks and catchy evangelical songs about purity and perfection, but underneath it all they harbor a deep rage. By day they hide behind their manicured facade, and by night they form a masked, vigilante girl gang, prowling the streets in search of sinners who have deviated from the rightful path. After an attack goes wrong, leaving Mari scarred and unemployed, her view of community, religion, and her peers begin to shift. Nightmares of repressed desires and haunting visions of alluring temptation become undeniable and the urge to scream and release her paralyzing inner demons is more powerful than ever before.
• A Love Song is released. Faye (Dale Dickey) is a lone traveler biding her time fishing, birding and stargazing at a rural Colorado campground as she awaits the arrival of Lito (Wes Studi), a figure from her past who is navigating his own tentative and nomadic journey across the rugged West. Like the country music that has traditionally channeled the heartbreak and resilience of Americans in search of themselves and others, A Love Song weaves a lyrical and ultimately joyful refrain out of the transformative act of being alone—and reminds us that love can nourish and mystify at any age.
• Ali & Ava is released. Ali and Ava, both lonely for different reasons, meet and sparks fly. Over a lunar month a deep connection begins to grow, despite the legacy of Ava's past relationship, and Ali's emotional turmoil at the breakdown of his marriage.
• MOVIES: NR
• Resurrection is released. Margaret’s (Rebecca Hall) life is in order. She is capable, disciplined, and successful. Soon, her teenage daughter, who Margaret raised by herself, will be going off to a fine university, just as Margaret had hoped. Everything is under control. That is, until David (Tim Roth) returns, carrying with him the horrors of Margaret’s past.
• MOVIES: PG
• DC League of Super-Pets is released. Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime in Metropolis side by side. When Superman and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a rag-tag shelter pack—Ace the hound, PB the potbellied pig, Merton the turtle and Chip the squirrel—to master their own newfound powers and help him rescue the Super Heroes.
• MOVIES: PG13
• Thirteen Lives is released. Thirteen Lives recounts the incredible true story of the tremendous global effort to rescue a Thai soccer team who become trapped in the Tham Luang cave during an unexpected rainstorm. Faced with insurmountable odds, a team of the world’s most skilled and experienced divers – uniquely able to navigate the maze of flooded, narrow cave tunnels – join with Thai forces and more than 10,000 volunteers to attempt a harrowing rescue of the twelve boys and their coach. With impossibly high stakes and the entire world watching, the group embarks on their most challenging dive yet, showcasing the limitlessness of the human spirit in the process.
• MOVIES: R
• Not Okay is released. Danni Sanders (Zoey Deutch), an aimless aspiring writer with no friends, no romantic prospects and — worst of all — no followers, fakes an Instagram-friendly trip to Paris in the hopes of boosting her social media clout. When a terrifying incident strikes the City of Lights, Danni unwittingly falls into a lie bigger than she ever imagined. She "returns"a hero, even striking up an unlikely friendship with Rowan (Mia Isaac), a school-shooting survivor dedicated to societal change, and scooping up the man of her dreams Colin (Dylan O'Brien). As an influencer and advocate, Danni finally has the life and audience she always wanted. But it’s only a matter of time before the facade cracks, and she learns the hard way that the Internet loves a takedown.
• TV SERIES
• Uncoupled: Season 1 is released. Michael (Neil Patrick Harris) finds himself single again in New York City when his husband abruptly leaves him after 17 years in this comedy series from Darren Star and Jeffrey Richman.
• Surface (2022): Season 1 is released. Sophie (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) begins to question what she is being told about her life before her head injury from a suicide attempt left her with memory loss in this thriller created by Veronica West.
• Paper Girls: Season 1 is released. The day after Halloween in 1988, Erin, Mac, Tiffany, and KJ were delivering newspapers when they are accidently transported into the future by battling time-travelers in this series based on the graphic novels written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Cliff Chiang.
• ALBUMS
• Surrender was released by Maggie Rogers. The second full-length major label release for singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers was co-produced with Kid Harpoon.
• Take It Like a Man was released by Amanda Shires. The seventh full-length solo release for singer-songwriter Amanda Shires was produced by Lawrence Rothman.
• Renaissance was released by Beyoncé. The first new studio album for Beyoncé since 2016's Lemonade features contributions from 070 Shake, A.G. Cook, Mike Dean, Drake, Jay-Z, Labrinth, Skrillex, Tems, The-Dream, and The Neptunes.
• Hold On Baby was released by King Princess. The second full-length release for Brooklyn-based artist King Princess features a guest appearance from Fousheé.
• Florist was released by Florist. The fourth full-length release for indie folk band Florist was created while staying in a rented Hudson Valley house in June 2019.
• GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
• Digimon Survive for PlayStation 4 is released. Digimon Survive presents a hybrid visual novel and tactical RPG set in a mysterious world filled with dangerous monsters and deadly battles that will test your ability to survive. After getting lost on a school trip, Takuma Momozuka finds himself transported to a world inhabited by ferocious foes and new allies. Join Takuma and his friends as they fight their way back home. Craft your story in this thrilling visual novel with turn-based combat.Key Features: Rich Visual Novel Experience – Unfold a dark tale about friendship and survival that is jam-packed with exciting drama, a unique cast of characters, and potentially grim choices. A Mysterious World – Explore otherworldly areas filled with hidden secrets and Digimon to recruit. The Power Is Yours – Your choices affect gameplay: your bond with other NPCs, your Digimon’s evolution, and the outcome of your adventure. Thrilling & Strategic Gameplay – Persuade your opponents to join your team and evolve them to fight alongside you in battles thrilling turn-based battles.
• GAMING: SWITCH
• Xenoblade Chronicles 3 for Switch is released. "Fighting to liveand living to fight"- A brand new RPG adventure awaits in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Bringing together the futures of Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2, this title will take players to the world of Aionios, home to two hostile nations. Keves: a nation where mechanical technology was developed. Their armies are composed of units consisting mainly of combat vehicles. They use units of small, mobile weapons operated by soldiers riding them. Agnus: a nation strong in ether, a magical technology. Their forces are built around units that specialise in ether combat, and they fight with small, mobile, autonomous weapons that use ether technology. Six soldiers hailing from these nations, will take part in a grand tale with life as its central theme. Noah: One of the protagonists of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and a solider of Keves. Noah is also an "off-seer"who mourns for soldiers who've lost their lives on the battlefield. Lanz: An ally of Noah's who wields a great sword that doubles as a shield. Eunie: A childhood friend of Noah and Lanz who has a sharp tongue and rough personality. She specialises in healing her allies in battle. Mio: The other protagonist of this story, Mio is a soldier of Agnus and an off-seer like Noah. Taion: A tactician who fights alongside Mio using his smarts and insight. Sena: This soldier is an ally of Mio and Taion. Despite her petite figure, Sena wields immense physical strength!

On this day in 2021

• EVENTS
• Following Simone Biles'withdrawal, teammate Sunisa Lee becomes first Hmong-American Olympic champion in any sport when she wins women's artistic individual all-around gymnastics gold in Tokyo.
• Flash floods kill at least 60 people in Kamdesh, eastern Afghanistan.
• GAMING: PC
• Eldest Souls for PC is released. Eldest Souls is a challenging, pixel-art boss-rush game. The Old Gods have long been imprisoned. Humanity has prospered. Great Kingdoms have arisen from the now forsaken temples of worship. But no longer…In their final act of vengeance, the Old Gods have unleashed a great Desolation upon the world. Farmlands have turned to deserts, rivers to dust. The Great Crusade sent to slay the imprisoned Gods once and for all, has all but perished, and the human Kingdoms are in disarray. A lone Crusader approaches the Citadel, ancient prison of the Gods. His objective is simple: slay them all.
• OMNO for PC is released. A single-player journey of discovery through an ancient world of wonders, created by solo developer Jonas Manke.
• GAMING: SWITCH
• Fuga: Melodies of Steel for Switch is released. The story takes place on a floating continent, an archipelago of both small and large floating islands where two species known as Caninu and Felineko live. Malt, a young Caninu shepherd, lives with his little sister Mei in Petit Mona, a little village located in the Free Lands of Gasco. Over the course of a single night, the Berman Empire invades and throws the village into the flames of war. Malt and his friends manage to get away thanks to their families who were subsequently captured and taken away. Escaping to a mountain cave, Malt and the other children discover a gigantic tank called the Taranis. They jump aboard, heading out on a journey to save their families!
• Blaster Master Zero III for Switch is released. Series protagonist Jason travels to where the series all began, the planet Sophia, in order to save series heroine Eve in this final installment of the story.
• Trigger Witch for Switch is released. Magic and firearms make a deadly combo. Recalling the visual style and intuitive gameplay of 16-bit action-adventure classics, Trigger Witch puts an ultra-violent spin on cute and colorful pixel art. With a compelling and original narrative, puzzling environments to explore, a dynamic soundtrack, twin-stick shooter mechanics and a vast array of enemies to blast into smithereens, this is a tale that will grip you from start to bloody finish. From the creators of Reverie, Trigger Witch is a stylized 2D twin-stick action game set in an odd open world where magic is outdated and firearms are the new way of life. Players assume the role of Colette, a prospective graduate from the Stock, an academy for Witchcraft and Triggery. After a mysterious man invades her realm, events are set in motion that turn Colette’s life upside-down, casting her as the sole heroine with enough firepower to restore peace.
• GAMING: XBOX SERIES X
• The Ascent for Xbox Series X is released. You belong to the corporation. Can you survive without it? The Ascent is a solo and co-op action RPG set in a cyberpunk world. The mega corporation that owns you and everyone, The Ascent Group, has just collapsed. Confusion and chaos ensue, security and order are in disarray, and without protection, everyone is left to fend for themselves. Stop gangs and hostile corporations from taking over and discover what really happened.
• POLITICS
• Carl Levin, American attorney and politician (U.S. Senator from Michigan,1979-2015), who died at 87.
• SPORTS
• Chinese team of Yang Junxuan, Tang Muhan, Zhang Yufei & Li Bingjie smash 4 x 200m freestyle relay WR 7:40.33 at Tokyo Olympics; minor medallists USA and Australia also beat previous mark.
• Croatian rowing brothers Martin and Valent Sinkovic team to win coxless pair gold at the Tokyo Olympics; pair's second Olympic gold after winning double sculls in 2016.
• Australian canoeist Jessicas Fox with 109.96s wins inaugural women's C-1 slalom gold medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

On this day in 2020

• EVENTS
• Scaled back Hajj pilgrimage begins in Saudi Arabia with no foreigners.
• BIRTHS
• Zealand Labrant, YouTube Star, born in California.
• GAMING: PC
• Fight Crab for PC is released. Welcome to Fight Crab. A new 3D action game where you take control of a crab, and fight off other giant enemy crabs. Physics allows for crabs to move powerfully and quickly in this hardcore battle arena. Freely control your pincers to use weapons and develop your own crab fighting style.
• GAMING: SWITCH
• Heroes of Hammerwatch - Ultimate Edition for Switch is released. Action RPG rogue-lite Heroes of Hammerwatch is finally out on Nintendo Switch™ in its most complete form, as this Ultimate Edition comes with all the DLCs. Encounter endless hordes of enemies, traps, puzzles, secrets and tons of loot, as you battle your way through procedurally generated levels to reach the top of the Forsaken Spire. Upgrade to grant your persistent heroes with various enhancements that will further help you in your quest, and even bring them to your friends' game.
• SPORTS
• Mike Gillespie, American college baseball coach (College World Series 1998, Collegiate Coach of the Year 1998, USC), who died from a stroke at 80.
• Andy Haden, New Zealand rugby union lock (41 Tests; 117 All Black games,8 as captain; Auckland), who died from chronic lymphocytic leukaemia at 69.

On this day in 2019

• EVENTS
• 'Old Town Road', the viral rap song by Lil Nas X, became the longest-running No.1 in US chart history after it topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 17 weeks, overtaking Luis Fonsi's 'Despacito' and Mariah Carey's 'One Sweet Day', which both spent 16 weeks at No.1. The rapper, a college dropout from Atlanta, recorded the song in 2018, using a backing track he bought online for $30 (£24.70)..
• Record for longest run at the top of US singles chart made by country rap single "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X remixed with Billy Ray Cyrus, No. 1 for 17 weeks.
• Prison riot kills 58, with 16 decapitated in battle between rival factions at the Altamira prison, Para state, Brazil.
• DEATHS
• Grant Thompson, YouTube Star.
• GAMING: PC
• The Blackout Club for PC is released. The Blackout Club is a first-person co-op horror game centered around a group of teenage friends investigating a monstrous secret beneath the skin of their small town.Every night, everyone in town gets out of bed and sleepwalks. In the morning, they wake up with no recollection of what happened or where they were.Some teenagers in this town woke up during a few of these "Blackouts"themselves, finding themselves in the woods or on train tracks with no idea how they got there. When they tell their parents, their teachers, the police... no one believes them. Taking matters into their own hands, they formed a club -- The Blackout Club -- to get to the bottom of it. Unfortunately, the recent disappearance of a close friend means that the sleepwalking isn't just strange - it could be deadly.You and your friends must team up to overcome the powerful forces that are arrayed against you. Using tools such as drones, noisemakers, and grappling hooks, you will outwit and outmaneuver the adults while attempting to obtain and record evidence that will prove what is happening to the rest of the world. With procedural elements that change goals, enemies, loot and more, no two nights in the neighborhood will be the same.

On this day in 2018

• EVENTS
• Palestinian teenage activist Ahed Tamimi released from prison after eight months.
• Tour de France: Geraint Thomas becomes the first Welshman and only 3rd Briton to win the Tour; beats Dutchman Tom Dumoulin by 1'51" ; Peter Sagan wins green points jersey.
• Hun Sen's Cambodian People’s Party Hun Sen claims to have won all 125 seats in country's general election with widespread criticism of a sham vote.
• 6.4 magnitude earthquake strikes island of Lombok, Indonesia, killing at least 14.
• Demonstrations calling for safer road by students begin in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Ethiopian state funeral for murdered dam engineer Simegnew Bekele in Addis Ababa prompts unrest.
• DEATHS
• Oliver Dragojevic, Rock Singer.
• Tomasz Stanko, Polish trumpeter (Astigmatic), who died of complication from lung cancer at 76.
• Vibeke Skofterud, Skier.
• SPORTS
• Chipper Jones, Alan Trammell, Trevor Hoffman, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome and Jack Morris are inducted in Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, NY.

On this day in 2017

• EVENTS
• Terrorist plot to bring down a plane averted in Sydney, Australia,4 arrested.
• SPORTS
• Lee May "The Big Bopper", American Major League Baseball 1st baseman, who died from pneumonia at 74.

On this day in 2016

• DEATHS
• Marta Marzotto, Italian countess and designer, who died at 85.
• Zelda Fichandler, American theater director and producer (Raisin, K2), who died at 91.
• MOVIES: NOT RATED
• The Land is released. Teenage buddies Cisco (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.), Junior (Moises Arias), Boobie (Ezri Walker), and Patty Cake (Rafi Gavron) shrug off school to practice skateboarding, which they hope will be their ticket to a better life. In the meantime, they steal cars to finance their dream. But when they get mixed up in a drug deal and cross a ruthless crime queen-pin (Linda Emond), they put their friendship—and lives—on the line. [IFC Films]
• Tallulah is released. Desperate to be rid of her toddler, a dissatisfied Beverly Hills housewife hires a stranger to babysit and ends up getting much more than she bargained for.
• Gleason is released. At the age of 34, former New Orleans Saints defensive back Steve Gleason was diagnosed with ALS and given a life expectancy of two to five years. Weeks later, Gleason found out his wife, Michel, was expecting their first child. A video journal that began as a gift for his unborn son expands to chronicle Steve’s determination to get his relationships in order, build a foundation to provide other ALS patients with purpose, and adapt to his declining physical condition—utilizing medical technologies that offer the means to live as fully as possible.
• Miss Sharon Jones! is released. On the eve of the release of her new album, internationally recognized soul singer Sharon Jones was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Tour dates were cancelled, the album pushed back and Sharon entered into a fight for her life and career. Miss Sharon Jones! intimately follows this intense and courageous year in Sharon’s life.
• Lace Crater is released. All Ruth (Lindsay Burdge) wanted was to get away for the weekend. Escaping to the Hamptons with friends after a bad breakup, she finds an unexpected connection with Michael (Peter Vack), a stranger who shows up in her room one boozy night. They have great chemistry, and she finds herself inexplicably drawn to him. There’s only one problem: Michael’s a ghost, and a one night stand with him leaves Ruth with aftereffects that can only be described as supernatural. As she suffers through mucous-laden night sweats, glitchy hallucinations, and the occasional tar-black ooze, her friends become too disgusted to support her. Ruth must figure out for herself if she can reintegrate into society - or if she even wants to.
• MOVIES: PG13
• Jason Bourne is released. Matt Damon returns to his most iconic role in Jason Bourne which finds the CIA’s most lethal former operative drawn out of the shadows.
• MOVIES: R
• Indignation is released. In 1951, Marcus Messner (Logan Lerman), a working class Jewish boy from Newark, New Jersey, travels on scholarship to a small, conservative college in Ohio, thus exempting him from being drafted into the Korean War. But once there, Marcus’s growing infatuation with his beautiful classmate Olivia Hutton (Sarah Gadon), and his clashes with the college’s imposing Dean, Hawes Caudwell (Tracy Letts), put his and his family’s best laid plans to the ultimate test.
• Into the Forest is released. Set in the near future, this riveting and suspenseful apocalyptic drama follows two sisters, Nell (Elliot Page) and Eva (Evan Rachel Wood) who live in the Pacific Northwest with their kindly father, Robert. Nell is focused on her studies and Eva is training to be a dancer, but their peaceful lives are disrupted one day by what turns out to be a continent-wide blackout. Whereas at first the family bond together and try to make the most of their difficult circumstances, as time goes on, the challenges become more serious. In the wake of a shocking and violent confrontation that Robert has with a menacing passerby, the sisters must work together in order to survive in their increasingly treacherous new world.
• Bad Moms is released. Amy (Mila Kunis) has a seemingly perfect life - a great marriage, over-achieving kids, beautiful home and a career. However she's over-worked, over-committed and exhausted to the point that she's about to snap. Fed up, she joins forces with two other over-stressed moms on a quest to liberate themselves from conventional responsibilities – going on a wild, un-mom-like binge of long overdue freedom, fun and self-indulgence – putting them on a collision course with PTA Queen Bee Gwendolyn (Christina Applegate) and her clique of devoted perfect moms.
• Equity is released. When Senior investment banker Naomi Bishop (Anna Gunn) is passed over for a promotion at her firm, she fights for the opportunity to take a start-up public, hoping this promising IPO will secure her a place at the firm’s highest level. But when an employee at the start-up raises questions about a possible crack in the company’s walls, Naomi must decide whether to investigate rumors that may compromise the deal, or push forward with the confidence her superiors expect. [Sony Pictures Classics]
• ALBUMS
• For All We Know was released by nao. The debut full-length release for the London singer-songwriter features influences R&B and electronic music.
• Anyway You Love, We Know How You Feel was released by The Chris Robinson Brotherhood. The fourth full-length studio release for the blues rock band was self-produced and is its first with new drummer Tony Leone.
• Hypercaffium Spazzinate was released by Descendents. The first new release in 12 years for the Southern California punk quartet was produced by the band's guitarist Stephen Egerton and drummer Bill Stevenson.
• Major Key was released by DJ Khaled. An Apple streaming exclusive for two weeks before releasing wider (and physically) on 12 August, the ninth full-length studio release for the rapper features guest appearances from such artists as 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Chris Brown, Busta Rhymes, J. Cole, Drake, French Montana, Future, Gucci Mane, Jadakiss, Jay Z, Jeezy, Jeremih, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Nas, Rick Ross, Meghan Trainor, YG, Yo Gotti, Wale, and Wiz Khalifa.
• The King of Whys was released by Owen. The eighth full-length studio release for the Mike Kinsella solo project was produced by S. Carey.
• Pigeonheart was released by D.M. Stith. The second full-length solo release for the singer-songwriter from Buffalo was co-produced with Ben Hillier.
• Quiero Creedence was released by Various Artists. The Latin tribute album to Creedence Clearwater Revival features songs covered by such artists as Enrique Bunbury, Andres Calamaro, El Tri, Juan Gabriel, Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys, Ozomatli, ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and La Santa Cecilia's La Marisol.
• Viola Beach was released by Viola Beach. This is the posthumous debut release by the British indie rock quartet who (along with their manager) died in a car accident while on tour in Sweden.
• Till the Tomb was released by Beaty Heart. The second full-length release for the British electronic pop trio was produced by David Wrench and Dave Eringa.
• POLITICS
• Hillary Clinton accepts the Democratic nomination for US President at Democratic convention in Philadelphia - first woman by a major US party.
• SEPERATIONS
• Comedians and actors Amy Poehler and Will Arnett divorce after 12 years of marriage.

On this day in 2015

• EVENTS
• Over 3,500 immigrants over 2 days attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel at Calais, to cross into Britain.
• Zion Harvey became the first paediatric patient to receive a double hand transplant at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
• " Sweat" by Lynn Nottage makes its premiere at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Pulitzer Prize for Drama 2017).
• Part of missing airline MH370 is found on the island of Reunion.
• 27 people are killed and 149 are injured after a truck runs into a religious procession in Zacatecas, Mexico.
• DEATHS
• Peter O'Sullevan, British horse racing commentator 'the voice of racing', who died at 97.
• MOVIES: NOT RATED
• Listen to Me Marlon is released. With exclusive access to personal archive, this is the definitive Marlon Brando cinema documentary. Charting his exceptional career as an actor and extraordinary life away from the stage and screen, the film will fully explore the complexities of the man by telling the story uniquely from Marlon’s perspective. [Showtime]
• MOVIES: R
• Vacation is released. Following in his father’s footsteps and hoping for some much-needed family bonding, a grown-up Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) surprises his wife, Debbie (Christina Applegate), and their two sons with a cross-country trip back to America?s “favorite family fun park, ” Walley World.
• GAMING: PC
• Magic Duels: Origins for PC is released. Every originBegins with a spark. Enter the worlds best strategy card game with Magic Duels, an all-new digital experience! Immerse yourself in the world of Magic: The Gatherings exciting new Origins campaign as you play through the stories of five iconic Planeswalkers. Hone your skills and build your deck of spells from an ever-growing library of collectible cards, then take on your friends or thousands of AI opponents in Battle Mode. Enjoy virtually endless gameplay with regular card and content updates, quests and achievements, multiple play modes-including fan favorites like Two-Headed Giant-and fully earnable content. The new Skill Quest training system and enhanced Deck Builder with step-by-step guidance ensure an epic Magic experience for new and veteran players alike. Join 20 million Magic fans around the world and begin your journey in Magic Duels now!
• GAMING: XBOX ONE
• King's Quest Chapter 1: A Knight to Remember for Xbox One is released. King’s Quest is a collection of 5 different chapter releases, each focusing on an untold tale in Graham’s past. In each installment, an aging King Graham reflects on his life of adventure with his granddaughter, Gwendolyn, while players are thrust back to influence first-hand the decisions and events that shaped a kingdom. Embark on an extraordinary journey across the world of Daventry. [Sierra]
• POLITICS
• Mohammed Omar, mullah and Taliban leader is confirmed dead (killed 2013) by the Afghan government.

On this day in 2014

• EVENTS
• France contributes 8 million Euros in aid to Gaza.
• 100 Gazans killed overnight by Israeli strikes.
• DEATHS
• Giorgio Gaslini, Pianist.
• Idris Muhammad, American jazz drummer, who died at 74.
• ALBUMS
• Lese Majesty was released by Shabazz Palaces. This is the second full-length release from the Seattle-based experimental hip-hop group led by Ishmael Butler.
• Hypnotic Eye was released by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. The 13th studio release for Tom Petty with the Heartbreakers is said to be a return to straight up rock'n'roll and was produced by Petty, Mike Campbell, and Ryan Ulyate.
• No Time was released by Soft Walls. This is the second solo release for the solo music project from Cold Pumas/Faux Discx member Dan Reeves.
• Cold World was released by Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens. The second retro soul release on Daptone Recordings for the gospel/R&B singer was recorded live on eight-track tape.
• Beck Song Reader was released by Various Artists. Originally released in 2012 as a collection of sheet music, this studio recorded version includes vocals from Beck, Jack Black, Jarvis Cocker, Bob Forrest, Eleanor Friedberger, Fun., Jason Isbell, Gabriel Kahane, David Johansen, Norah Jones. Juanes, Lord Huron, Laura Marling, Marc Ribot, Sparks, Moses Sumney, Swamp Dogg, Tweedy, Loudon Wainwright III, and Jack White.
• Whoop Dee Doo was released by The Muffs. This is the first album of new material in ten years for the garage rock trio led by Kim Shattuck (ex-Pixies bassist who replaced Kim Deal).
• Wildest Dreams was released by Wildest Dreams. The debut release from the psychedelic rock band led by Harvey W. Bassett (aka DJ Harvey) with three members of Orgone: Dan Hastie, Ethan Phillips, and Sergio Rios.
• The Voyager was released by Jenny Lewis. The first solo release for the former Rilo Kiley frontwoman in six years was produced by Ryan Adams and Mike Viola.
• Racy was released by Hooray for Earth. The second full-length release for the indie rockers was produced by Chris Coady.
• The Breeze: An Appreciation of J.J. Cale was released by Eric Clapton. The tribute to JJ Cale by Eric Clapton features performances by Mark Knopfler, Christine Lakeland, John Mayer, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, Derek Trucks, and Don White.
• The Grand Tour was released by Land Observations. The second solo release from former Appliance member James Brooks was inspired by various location in Europe and was recorded with only one electric guitar.
• GAMING: PC
• Firefall for PC is released. Earth will never be the same. After the Crystite Wars, humanity inadvertently invited the worst enemy ever conceived: THE MELDING. It surrounds us. It forces us to live in pockets of land protected only by the accidental discovery of repulsor technology. We continue to fight for land. For technology. For power. For our very survival. JOIN THE FIGHT.Red5 Studios Red 5 Studios presents, FIREFALL, an online team-based action shooter. Join your friends in an epic online campaign across a vast open world to stop the Melding and fight for the survival of humanity against the army of the Chosen. Advance your army and character through technological upgrades. Level up different character classes. Compete for supremacy in various multiplayer game types. Push back the Melding. SAVE EARTH
• GAMING: PLAYSTATION 3
• WRC 4: FIA World Rally Championship for PlayStation 3 is released. Show off your style and win the FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2013 (official game) season!- A simulation unrivalled for its realism- An incredibly authentic and immersive career mode- The official 2013 FIA World Rally Championship videogame- Online multiplayer mode for up to 16 players- 65 cars,78 stages,13 countries- All weather conditions and road surfaces
• GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
• The Last of Us Remastered for PlayStation 4 is released. The Last of Us has been rebuilt for the PlayStation4 system. Now featuring full 1080p, higher resolution character models, improved shadows and lighting, in addition to several other gameplay improvements. 20 years after a pandemic has radically changed known civilization, infected humans run wild and survivors are killing each other for food, weapons; whatever they can get their hands on. Joel, a violent survivor, is hired to smuggle a 14 year-old girl, Ellie, out of an oppressive military quarantine zone, but what starts as a small job soon transforms into a brutal journey across the U.S. The Last of Us Remastered includes the Abandoned Territories Map Pack, Reclaimed Territories Map Pack, and the critically acclaimed The Last of Us: Left Behind Single Player campaign that combines themes of survival, loyalty, and love with tense, survival-action gameplay.Remastered Features:-Explore a brutal post-pandemic world, fully realized with the power of PlayStation4 system-Includes additional game content: over $30 in value-Delve into Ellies past in Left Behind, the single-player prequel chapter-Eight new multiplayer maps in the Abandoned and Reclaimed Territories packs-In-game cinematic commentary from the cast and creative director
• Rogue Legacy for PlayStation 4 is released. Each time you die, your child will succeed you. Every child is unique. One child might be colorblind, another might have tourettes-- they could even be a dwarf.That's OK, because no one is perfect, and you don't have to be perfect to win this game. But you do have to be pretty darn good because this game is HARD. Fortunately, every time you die all the gold you've collected can be used to upgrade you manor, giving your next child a step up in life and another chance at vanquishing evil.
• Pure Pool for PlayStation 4 is released. Bring the pool hall home in this recreation of the much-loved sport. Rack up the table with visuals and take your shot at becoming a pool legend. Hone your skills against computer-controlled opponents or your mates - and when your friends take a break, Pure Pool can copy their play style.
• GAMING: PLAYSTATION VITA
• Ratchet & Clank Collection for PlayStation Vita is released. (Also known as "The Ratchet & Clank Trilogy") Experience the classic adventures of the universe's favorite Lombax, Ratchet and his robotic sidekick Clank in this classic PlayStation 2 Action-Adventure trilogy now fully remastered in high definition. Wield the original tools of destruction as you travel from planet to planet unraveling their original story and explosive adventures in this PlayStation 3 exclusive.
• SPORTS
• Chicago Cubs player John Baker scores the win against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field in the longest game in Cubs history.

On this day in 2013

• EVENTS
• €103 million of diamonds is stolen from the Carton Intercontinental Hotel, Cannes, France.
• 300 prisoners are freed after a Taliban attack in Dera Ismal Khan, Pakistan.
• DEATHS
• Tony Gaze, Race Car Driver.
• Christian Benítez, Ecuadorian soccer striker (58 caps; El Nacional, Santos Laguna, América),  dies from heart failure at 27.
• Draga Matkovic, Pianist.
• TV SERIES
• The Writers' Room: Season 1 is released. Jim Rash talks with the creative teams behind Breaking Bad, Parks & Recreation, Dexter, New Girl, Game of Thrones, and American Horror Stories.
• ALBUMS
• Aerotropolis was released by Ikonika. This is the second full-length release for the British electronic artist Sara Abdel-Hamid.
• MeYouWeYou was released by Rocketnumbernine. The debut full-length release for the London-based brothers of Ben and Tom Page was self-produced.
• GAMING: PC
• CastleStorm for PC is released. CastleStorm features medieval ballista weaponry, allowing players to launch an assortment of explosive weapons including Morningstars, Apple Grenades, Homing Eagles, and even flying sheep to defeat an onslaught of enemies trying to capture your flag and destroy your castle. Deploy a fearsome ground attack of swordsmen, knights, and donkey riders in order to protect your castle games, and if all else fails, call upon powerful spells to help keep the enemy at bay.