Nerd Notes 12/9/2023

This “ad” for The Killers new greatest hits is rocking.
This hit Prime with little promotion but looks great.
In case you didn’t know, Adam C. Hall has a band.
Sebastian Back released new music 12/8/23
Guns N Roses also released new music 12/8/23
Based on Harlan Coben’s novel. Looks excellent.
I’m sure Sabrina could kiss me better than Santa… but who knows.
1 hour, 9 minutes of “Mr. Show” improv… it’s ridiculous.
I like that despite being supposdley a remake this has NOTHING to do with the movie other than the title.
In this trailer it feels so much more like KONG vs The New Empire (co starring Godzilla) but hopefully this is just a Kong tease.
I really am hping this movie goes really dark since it is A24. We’ll see.
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New (old) Maurice Sendak!

Scheduled to be released 2024! This is the first time this 1970 simple counting book from the remarkable Maurice Sendak will be available to everyone. Here’s an excellent Publisher’s Weekly article explaining more.
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Nerd Notes 12/2/23 (Games, Movies, Shows, Music, etc)

A collection of new stuff from the last week of November 2023 and the first two days of December and maybe some other stuff.

New Kid Beyond is glorious.,
Do not jump off a waterfall but do enjoy this song of heartbreak.
I hate the holidays but this is still cute.
Visuals!
Lot of promise here based on cast, plot, and trailer.
I have been waiting years for this game and so excited it is finally out.
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Solve an Uncanny Mystery in First-Person Puzzle Game Forest Grove on PC, Consoles Today

SEATTLE – Nov. 29, 2023 – Forest Grove, the first-person crime mystery puzzler from developer Miga Games and publisher Blowfish Studios, takes a deep dive into the casefiles and opens a fresh investigation on PlayStation 4|5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Windows PC via Steam and Epic Games Store today.

The elite Forest Grove investigation team known as the Remote Forensic Bureau (RFB) must tackle its most daunting case yet, after local tech heiress Zooey Kunstmatigaard is reported missing. Armed with the latest in crime analysis technology, search for clues and solve perplexing puzzles to ensure Zooey’s eagerly awaited return, one way or the other.

Inspect a virtual Nanodeck recreation of Kunstmatigaard’s grandiose Victorian manor, meticulously analyzing room after room in search of clues. Decipher complex puzzles and examine digital recreations of key conversations, while cross-referencing other evidence for any irregularities. 

Utilize a massive evidence board to piece together seemingly unrelated incidents into interconnected occurrences, all of which may lead to the burning truth. Make fresh connections, find new angles, and conduct the investigation with the utmost accuracy to solve the case and garner a glowing review from RFB’s superiors.

Forest Grove combines cutting-edge technology from science fiction with a traditional whodunit mystery,” said Larry Johnson, Lead Developer of Miga Games. “Detectives will have to use their diverse arsenal of investigation tools to unravel a thrilling enigma. Challenges lurk in every corridor and hidden area, demanding the sharpest intellects to solve this complex case.”

https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001VOk-fitMV0SG6YiP-DD2HIzgHS24NGz4vCEfgOBkd5MQhjZI8zAYEBL6hH3iBgW5ZAbzZn7mWevRfeKa7yU5ZBqfIJo-vn1LaEVRmdlH5bCwiu67lPql-E2poQYL_7BI5Uz1N8hA_oWNoA4scODMtcXfqv4hSSlZHFWQDJbiwRmn_vaICEzpBQ==&c=hZEeFzdMnHfmSFSwramUr50kMrVfxydEAwaGapTR-r2WXg6OP3uNKA==&ch=CV8gKibI_e5TNBa9IT7bHMTwDIGsAs1DiIivYVFr9w_6pkJ4O36iew==

Forest Grovwill be available on all major platforms, featuring English voice acting as well as English, French, German, and Spanish text options. 

To learn more about Forest Grove, visit the official site, make sure to follow the game on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram, and join the community on Discord.

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The most indie game of the year Orten Was The Case is now available on PC and Consoles

The hyper singular time loop based adventure game is a real masterpiece!

Stockholm, Sweden November 29th 2023 – Orten Was the Case, the most indie video game of the year is now available on PC (Steam and Epic), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. Developed with love and passion over the last decade by Oskar Thuresson, the unique looking adventure takes you on a journey like no other! This lore driven single player detective/puzzle/adventure game set in a fictional mid 90’s Swedish metropolis suburb transcends the time loop concept to blow your mind!

Control Ziggy, a simple guy in his early teens with no high-flying ambitions whatsoever. He wakes up after a blackout seemingly clueless of what has happened, only to discover he’s now stuck in a time loop. Discover the mysteries of this very particular neighborhood inspired by the developer’s home town! What did the miners uncover in the Gravel Pit 60 years ago? What is the Midnight Council? Why are you stuck in a time loop and how can you break free?

Make your way down the deepest caves and tunnels below Orten where answers and more await…

A mind bending time loop mechanic

Happenings and events unfold dynamically as time passes by. NPCs living their life and doing what they do, each loop is the same. Unless you can change the outcome of things.. Solve puzzles, find hidden passages, collect clues and talk to the inhabitants of Orten. Someone, or something must have the answers needed to break free from the loop and it’s up to you to figure it all out!

Get ready to step into the (non-existent) shoes of Ziggy – an unexpected hero from a fictional Swedish neighborhood. Together, you’ll take on the daunting task of foiling a sinister scheme that could potentially devastate the entire world.

  • Stuck in a Time Loop – Ziggy wakes up one day with a strange mark on his hand, clueless about what happened the night before. After a couple of minutes lost amongst the familiar streets of his suburb, Orten, an explosion brings him back exactly where he woke up moments before… He’s stuck in a time loop.
  • Not everything is What it Seems – With no shoes or recollection of the past, Ziggy goes on a mission to discover what the hell is going on and how to avoid the destruction of his city. This won’t be easy though, cause the more he snoops in the wrong places, the more he learns that his hometown has a lot of secrets hidden. His weird neighbors become weirder, and he can only rely on his friends, and on his highly reliable brain.
  • Knowledge is Power – If the day repeats over and over, then how can one progress? That’s the catch: Knowledge is your key to progress in Orten. Each loop you go through, you will learn something new that will let you progress the story further. With this time loop mechanic, you’ll retain clues, notes, and timeline events, eventually knowing how you can change the future in just 12 minutes on a casual Sunday.
  • A Beautiful and unique Art-Style – Orten Was The Case offers a fully hand-painted art-style and a 2,5 D design. Walking around the town feels like evolving in a painting, a very stunning and curious one that is! 

Find the game on every online store:
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1785420/Orten_Was_The_Case/
Epic: https://store.epicgames.com/es-MX/p/orten-was-the-case-d108fb
PlayStation: https://store.playstation.com/concept/10009351/
Microsoft: https://www.xbox.com/sv-SE/games/store/orten-was-the-case/9mz0t8p6md22
Nintendo eShop: https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Orten-Was-The-Case-2488476.html

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THE DISPLACED Arrives at BOOM! Studios

In a world where no one believes you exist, what would you do to be remembered?
LOS ANGELES, CA (November 15, 2023) – Critically acclaimed writer Ed Brisson (Batman: The Brave and the Bold), rising star artist Luca Casalanguida (Regarding the Matter of Oswald’s Body), and top tier colorist Dee Cunniffe (Crossover) bring a new psychological and philosophical mystery to BOOM! Studios in THE DISPLACED, coming February 2024.

The city of Oshawa, Ontario and its 170,000 residents have vanished without a trace.
No one remembers it even existed.

As the survivors of the incident start to become forgotten as well, they must seek each other out if they hope to have any chance of surviving in a world where no one believes they ever existed at all.

The Displaced is a project I’ve been trying to bring to life for more than 15 years now and I am BEYOND thrilled to finally tell this story, as much a Twilight Zone-style sci-fi mystery as it is a tale about my own personal connection to the city of Oshawa–where I spent the first 14 years of my life,” said series writer Ed Brisson. “It’s a story about the churn of media and the victims who quite literally become forgotten as the world moves to the next big story.”

“I’m very excited to be working with Ed here!” said artist Luca Casalanguida. “I loved being part of this choral story of people fighting for their memories in a world that is forgetting them.”

“There are so many things I can say about The Displaced, but I’ll let the book speak for itself,” said series editor Elizabeth Brei. “Ed, Luca, and Dee are at the absolute top of their game.”

THE DISPLACED #1 will be available in comic shops February 14, 2024. It is available for pre-order at your local comic shop. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle.

About Ed Brisson:
Ed Brisson is a comic book writer living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Throughout his career, Ed has written hundreds of books for Marvel, DC, BOOM!, Image, Oni, IDW, and others on titles such as Uncanny X-Men, Batman Incorporated, Ghost Rider, Iron Fist, Old Man Logan, Batman: The Brave and the Bold and many, many others. He co-created Murder Book, The Violent, Cluster, The Last Contract, Sheltered, Comeback, The Field, and The Mantle. You can find him on Twitter at @edbrisson,  Instagram as @ed_brisson, or subscribe to his newsletter through his website www.edbrisson.com.

About Luca Casalanguida:
Luca is an Italian comic artist based in San Vito. He graduated in Architecture at Accademia Del Fumetto di Pescara and started working in comics with Eura in short comic stories. From 2011 on he has worked with Sergio Bonelli Editore on titles such as Dylan Dog, Nathan Never, Lukas, Orphans, Adam Wild, and Sam. He has also worked with Top Cow (ADR1FT), Dynamite (James Bond), After Shock (Scout’s Honor), Image (Lost Soldiers), BOOM! Studios (Regarding the Matter of Oswald’s Body), ComiXology (Money, New America), Delcourt (La Tete Dans Les Etoiles) and more.

THE DISPLACED is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to critically acclaimed original series, including BRZRKR by Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt, and Ron Garney; Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera; Grim by Stephanie Phillips and Flaviano; Stuff of Nightmares by R.L. Stine and A.L. Kaplan; Damn Them All by Simon Spurrier and Charlie Adlard; Once Upon a Time at the End of the World by Jason Aaron, Alexandre Tefenkgi, Leila del Duca, and Nick Dragotta; Know Your Station by Sarah Gailey and Liana Kangas; A Vicious Circle by Mattson Tomlin and Lee Bermejo; The Neighbors by Jude Ellison S. Doyle and Letizia Cadonici; Ghostlore by Cullen Bunn and Leomacs; Sirens of the City by Joanne Starer and Khary Randolph; Coda by Simon Spurrier and Matías Bergara; Rare Flavours by Ram V and Filipe Andrade, and the upcoming Underheist by David and Maria Lapham. The imprint also publishes popular licensed properties, including Dune: House Harkonnen from Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, and Michael Shelfer; Mighty Morphin Power Rangers by Melissa Flores and Simona Di Gianfelice; and The Expanse: Dragon Tooth by Andy Diggle and Rubine.

For continuing news on THE DISPLACED and more from BOOM! Studios, stay tuned to www.boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on Twitter.
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11 bit studios and Fool’s Theory’s Dark Fantasy RPG, The Thaumaturge, Delayed to February 20, 2024

Warsaw, Poland – November 15th, 2023 — Mastering the mystic arts is an ambitious undertaking, and equally so is game development when you refuse to compromise on quality. With this in mind, 11 bit studios and Fool’s Theory have mutually decided to give The Thaumaturge some additional time in development to achieve the standards that players have come to expect from them.Recently announced for a December 5th release, The Thaumaturge will now launch on February 20th, 2024 on PC. As the finishing touches were put on the game over recent weeks, the team saw the opportunity to add more polish and quality, and given they have the comfort to allow themselves some extra time the decision was made to delay.In this narrative-focused RPG, players take on the role of Wiktor Szulski, a thaumaturge on a quest to make peace with his past. Unfolding in 1905 Warsaw, the story revolves around the complex theme of inner demons and how in this world that can mean more than just a mental burden. In The Thaumaturge, demons are known as Salutors who feed on one’s darkest secrets and only the titular thaumaturge has the ability to relieve someone of this burden.The Thaumaturge will be released on PC on February 20, 2024, followed by PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions at a later date.

Get the game on:
Steam | EPIC | GOG | PS5 | XSX

Follow The Thaumaturge on Twitter / FacebookStay in touch with 11 bit studios:Twitter / YouTube / LinkedIn / Instagram / TikTok / FacebookStay in touch with Fool’s Theory:Twitter / LinkedIn / Facebook

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Inkle’s narrative platformer “A Highland Song” coming Dec. 5 to Nintendo Switch & Steam

“Come to the lighthouse, Moira. Come as fast as you can.”

A Highland Song - Trailer Thumbnail

The Game

A Highland Song is a narrative adventure game from inkle, the creators of 80 DaysOverboard!, and Heaven’s Vault.

Explore hills crisscrossed by routes—some well-trodden, others hidden away—that are filled with stories, lost things, echoes, and memories.

Climb peaks to orient yourself and plan your next steps. Then hop, slide, and jump through the valleys in time with the music.

This 2.5D side-scrolling adventure brings the Highlands to life with a blend of hand-drawn animation, impressionistic painted scenery, and dynamic lighting/weather effects.

A
        Highland Song - animated gif showing landscape

The Story

Moira McKinnon has never seen the sea.

For fifteen years she’s lived with her mum in a small house on the edge of the Scottish Highlands—then one day she receives a letter from her Uncle Hamish urging her to come to the coast. If she can reach his lighthouse in time, a wonderful surprise will be waiting…

And so, Moira runs away.

The hills are full of secrets and stories, but what you find will depend on where you go. The narrative is not branching but weaving; a mesh of history, mythology and family secrets. What truths will you discover?

A Highland
        Song - Moira explores a cave

The World

In the Highlands, every peak has a story to tell and every valley echoes with song. Giants sleep, ghosts sing, crows carry messages, and eagles lift the dead.

But the Highlands’ crags are unforgiving and its summits are cold—Moira’s trek will not be easy.

Can you help her find a way across this winding wilderness in time?

A Highland
        Song - music run at sunrise

The Music of The Highlands
A Highland Song’s soundtrack is composed by Laurence Chapman alongside two multi-award-winning giants of the Scottish folk scene, Talisk and Fourth Moon. Royalty of the festival circuit, these two bands combine virtuosic instrumental playing with fast, inventive rhythms, to produce new tunes in traditional styles played with beauty, energy and swagger.

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Nerd Notes (11/8/2023)

Very excited for Rhys upcoming new album and love hearing the tracks from it.
A lot of cool stuff.
This strangely looks really amazing for being pedestrian.
Ear and eye candy.
Really hope that after the theatrical this seems a digitial or physical release.
If there is a red carpet for this it’ll be very interesting as the young cast has really grown up since.
It’s a musical. The trailer only hints at that but it is and the cast can SING!
I do hope the broach the subject of PSYCH taking over for Monk.
BMBBud Twitch recaps are always great, but his wife/editor Tori is OUTDOING her work here. Really amazing to relive if you were there live and fantastic if watching for the first time.
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Award-Winning Children’s Author Chris Grabenstein’s Bestselling Novel ESCAPE FROM MR. LEMONCELLO’S LIBRARY Is Now a Graphic Novel

Just in Time for the 10 Year Anniversary of The Novel’s Original Release,  The Full-Color Graphic Novel Adaptation Features Action-Packed Art by Douglas Holgate, The Bestselling Illustrator of The Last Kids on Earth!

(November 6, 2023) Award-winning children’s author Chris Grabenstein’s novel Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library has charmed kids, parents, teachers, and librarians alike for a decade with its colorful characters, pithy puns, and unforgettable, imagination-filled library. Now, just in time for the novel’s ten year anniversary, Grabenstein — the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mr. Lemoncello, Smartest Kid in the Universe, Dog Squad, and Welcome to Wonderland series — and Douglas Holgate — the #1 bestselling illustrator of The Last Kids on Earth graphic novels — are teaming up for Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library: The Graphic Novel, a full-color, action-packed adaptation of Grabenstein’s celebrated novel. 

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library has been widely acclaimed. Booklist even compared Mr. Lemoncello to Willy Wonka. The novel  spent over 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was nominated for 44 state awards. All told, the six books in the Lemoncello series have sold over two million copies. When he isn’t touring schools and inspiring the next generation of readers and writers, Grabenstein is currently hard at work on a seventh and final book for the series.

“Kids always tell me I write ‘movies for the mind,’” says Grabenstein. “So it was fun to translate this story into a graphic novel.  It reminded me of the storyboards we used to create when I worked in advertising. I was very fortunate to have Douglas Holgate along for the ride. His artwork brings wonderfully vivid life to all the figments of my imagination.”

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library invites readers to find out if game-loving Kyle Keeley can escape from what James Patterson calls “the coolest library in all the world.” In the story, Kyle learns that the world’s most famous game maker, one Luigi Lemoncello, has designed the town’s new library and is having an invitation-only lock-in on opening night. Kyle’s determined to be there, but the tricky part isn’t getting into the library—it’s getting out. Because when morning comes, the doors stay locked. Kyle and the other kids must solve every clue and figure out every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route.

“Featuring fast pacing, lots of action, puzzles and codes the reader can solve, strong boy and girl characters, and a touch of mystery, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library is packed to the rafters with kid appeal,” said Shana Corey, Editorial Director, Random House Graphic. “It’s also perfect for librarians and teachers looking for graphic novels with positive messages and great themes for discussion.”

Working alongside colorist Marta Todeschini and designer and letterer Juliet Goodman, Grabenstein and Holgate are ready to charm a new generation. Random House Books for Young Readers will publish Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library: The Graphic Novel on November 7, 2023.

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