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SNIPER GHOST WARRIOR 3: So, So, So Much Pink Mist

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It took me some time to adjust from Battlefield 1’s look and feel and to downshift into Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3. Let me tell ya, it is a hell of shift. While it does lower the bar quite a bit in the terms of a truly great shooter, it also hits a few high marks along the way that could make the entire thing worth your time.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3, puts you in the combat boots of Marine badass, Jon North. As North you are sent to the Georgia to realign rebel forces in the area. North primarily takes the mission as an opportunity to locate his brother Robert, who he believes to be captured and in the area.

While completing missions for the separatist forces, you hear legend of a sniper ghost named Armazi who runs a group of badasses called 23 Society. It is up to you to turn the tide of battle, find your bro and investigate the identity of Armazi and his shadow group.

I won’t go past that cause the story does have a few twists and turns along the way. Not gonna lie, most you will probably see coming but it still has some fun in its gas tank.

Jon North, is a refreshing sort of character. He really doesn’t seem to give a shit about anything or anyone. Like, he is totally out for himself and any opposition is met with bullets and 80’s inspired one-liners. I really dug the shift of genre in the story. What starts as a straight up action shoot em’ up sniper game, quickly becomes something with heavy sci-fi influenced edges. The stories shift in that sense does go a long way to keep your attention, or atlas it did for me.

This game has some major problems, but it wasn’t until a few hours in that I realized most of those problems are also the part of its simultaneous charm. It is undeniably a hardcore piece of 80’s schlock. If this had been a movie in the early 80’s it would have been released by Cannon Group and would have starred either Chuck Norris or Michael Dudikoff as Jon North. The dialogue is cheesy, the delivery is over the top, North is an uncaring and egotistical bastard it is almost perfect. It has an undeniable grindhouse feel to it. I’m not sure if that was intentional but it is one of the things I dug the most.

If you have played a recent Far Cry game then you know exactly what kind of game to expect. You use your jeep to get around the vast map areas, pulling over to collect items, complete side quests or take out enemy outposts. These side quests are more a nuisance than they are any actual fun, but they do offer you the chance to unlock weapons and the like. Instead of having one large open-world map this game breaks it into a few distinctly different environments. For example, one area will be primarily jungle, one is dessert and the other is snow-covered. This does help to break up some of the monotony that you will have if you intend to complete all the side missions but I’m not really sure why all the maps couldn’t be consolidated into one, in order to skip the painful load times.

The crowning achievement is obviously its attention to the sniping part of the game. Honestly folks, this is what makes the entire thing worth playing through. You are given the option to keep the training wheels on while sniping. This allows you the crutch of being able to seeing where the bullet will hit with wind and distance already pre-factored in. I gotta say that isn’t a fun way to play at all. So, go ahead and head to setting and turn that handicap off. Now comes the good stuff. Your scope shows you wind direction as well as equates the distance to your target. With a few adjustments to zero in distance and some tweaks for wind you are free to take your shot. This part of the game is extremely satisfying. Sound design and visuals go a long way to make you feel like you are part of the actual sniping action. This game made me feel like “sniping? Yea, I can do that.” Certain trophy/achievements are unlocked by succeeding at long distant shots with varying degrees of wind.

Another nice addition to the game is the ability to run recon on an area with a remote control, on-the-fly drone. This compact lil dude will deploy on a whim in order to help locate and mark all the baddies on your map. This helps to snipe with the confidence that you are completely eliminating an enemy from a specific area.

You are also able to gain XP by performing silent kills, interrogating enemies, taking long distance shots without holding your breath and long kill streaks. Pretty much anything you do will gain you some points but to get the most XP, you have to go for a more skilled kill. This also opens the door to play whoever you want to. Go in guns blazing, go for stealth or infiltrate and leave without killing anyone.

XP points can be used to unlock skills in three classes. Sniper, Ghost and Warrior. These skills will lead to faster reloads, longer increments of time you are able to hold your breath, hacking abilities, etc. I’m not really sure if these made all that much of a difference for the way I was already playing the game but they did lead to trophy unlocks. Which always counts for something in my OCD ridden gameplay.

I appreciate the flexibility when it comes to the before mentioned gameplay freedom but, a lot of times too much of what makes the game good is taken away when you are going for a straight gunfire approach. Waiting in one spot for enemies to round the corner one by one so you can put a bullet in their heart is painfully bad AI at work and lowers any immersion.

My biggest complaint with the game has to be the load times between maps and booting screen. These loads take up to between 5 and 7 minutes. For a game to take that long to load is pretty unacceptable. There has been a lot of word from the developers that this will issue will be patched but so far, the load time remains painfully slow.

All in all, Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 lands in the middle of the road. It isn’t something you want to rush out and buy, but it might be something you sniping lovers want to pick up when it goes on sale. The heavy amount of cheesy schlock dialogue and sharp sniper mechanics do make me happy I played through, but outside of those things this game is not something I could full-heartedly recommend.

 

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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