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'Dracula' and six other horror classics will stream for free on YouTube
Universal is making seven horror movie classics available for free on YouTube for a week, including 'Dracula' and 'Frankenstein.'
Netflix will stream the BBC’s three-part ‘Dracula’ series
Netflix and the UK's BBC One are teaming up on a three-part Dracula series, which the British broadcaster will air in the UK and Netflix will premiere outside of the UK. Each part will be 90 minutes long and the series is written by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, the creators of Sherlock. "There have always been stories about great evil," the two said in a statement. "What's special about Dracula, is that Bram Stoker gave evil its own hero."
Alucard returns in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 DLC this month [Update]
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 will receive a "Revelations" DLC pack on March 25 for Xbox 360 and PS3, Konami announced. The add-on content has players controlling series fan-favorite Alucard, learning more about his relationship with Dracula (aside from the whole name reversal thing). The DLC is set before the events in Lords of Shadow 2. In the add-on, players can use Alucard's "Glaciem" and "Igneas" powers and can morph into a wolf, a bunch of bats and can turn back time. Being the vampire he is, Alucard's thirst for the blood of his enemies also seemingly lends a boost in his powers. No price was given for the DLC and Konami did not list PC among the platforms the DLC will arrive on this month; we've reached out to the publisher to find out when the PC version will arrive. Update: Konami has informed Joystiq that the PC version of the game will receive the Revelations DLC on March 25 as well. [Image: Konami]
The Toy Maker in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is a play-date of terror
The Toy Maker from Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate makes a return appearance in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, though neither he nor Gabriel seem too pleased about it. Konami has released footage of the boss fight that occurs when Gabriel meets up with the pudgy amnesiac for all to enjoy, and possibly use as a strategy guide when the game comes out. Lords of Shadow 2 takes place in modern day, but we get the feeling Gabriel hasn't gotten out much over the past couple thousand years. Had he watched movies like Child's Play, The Woman in Black, or Dead Silence, he'd have known right away that a lover of toys in a spooky castle is just screaming "red flag." [Image: Konami]
'Blood is everything' in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (but this sword is cool too)
Because being an undying creature of the night is apparently not enough to impress people these days, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 equips Dracula with the void sword, a sharp utensil that looks like an icicle but cuts through enemies like a hot chain whip. [Image: Konami]
Human side of Dracula shown in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 dev diary
Dracula's not such a bad guy. Well, he is, but he's got reasons for it, and MercurySteam, the developers of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, want you to know that when you take control of the legendary Prince of Darkness in February 2014. Dave Cox, producer on the game, says in the dev diary above that their version of Dracula is not the "quintessential evil guy" that people may expect. "I think that following a character you can identify with is really important, so we wanted to have a guy that people really saw, really felt for him, they understood how he got to that place. So I think in many ways, our Dracula is more human than previous incarnations of Dracula." That statement makes sense given the fact that Dracula was once Gabriel Belmont, hero of the first Lords of Shadow game. In that game's DLC, Gabriel turned himself into a vampire to shield himself from otherworldly powers so he could dispatch an ancient, even worse, evil. Fight fire with fire, as they say. Or in this case, fight fire with vampire powers and a sweet whip. Y'know, whichever.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 Premium Edition for Europe, new trailer and screens for all
Konami announced two collector's edition bundles for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 for European players today. The Premium Edition comes with a tomb-like case and includes four figurines, a hardcover art book, a steelbook case and a copy of the game, while the steelbook edition includes the metal case and either two alternate Dracula costumes or a "Relic Rune" pack, depending on where the collector's edition is pre-ordered from. Those looking to pre-order the Premium Edition need to act fast, as it is limited to 30,000 copies across GAME stores in the UK. Additionally, Konami unveiled a new trailer for Lords of Shadow 2 and new screens, which features Dracula, Carmilla and a whole bunch of shouting. Well, the trailer includes shouting, but not the screens. Though if screenshots could yell, the ones in this gallery would. The game will launch February 25 on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
Chaos Theory: The Secret World's Transylvania transition
A couple of weeks ago, I finished my first "playthrough" of The Secret World, having wrapped up the last quest and main storyline in Transylvania. Oh, sure, Funcom's going to push the finish line further away in the coming issues, but until that happens, this is the end of the road for the solo experience. I was so darn eager to get into Transylvania after Egypt. For me, Egypt is the weakest part of the solo game, with dull desert zones, statues you're supposed to empathize with, and a truncated main story that didn't really pay off in the end. It wasn't all bad, of course; Last Train to Cairo is six kinds of awesome, and Said and Nassir are two of the most memorable characters this game has produced. But Transylvania seemed like this juicy fruit that hovered just out of reach the entire time I was in Egypt -- and I couldn't wait to be there. I wasn't let down when I finally arrived, either. Transylvania's "old Europe" charm felt like a refreshingly distinct experience than what I'd encountered before, and I thoroughly enjoyed my journey through its three zones. Before my new Dragon alt dims my memories of my time among the bats and wolves of Romania, I wanted to jot down what I felt made this a special place to visit.
Dracula, The Mummy and six other horror classics coming in a Blu-ray set October 2nd (video)
Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection will arrive on shelves October 2nd, and pack eight classic horror movies, all restored so they can be seen in the highest quality possible. Among the releases is Creature from the Black Lagoon restored for Blu-ray 3D (yes, like Dial M for Murder it was originally shot and released in 3D back in 1954), as well as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man and Phantom of the Opera. This is all a part of the ongoing Universal centennial celebration that's seeing its vaults unleash many of our favorites for the first time in high definition. After the break you can check out a featurette detailing the process undertaken to prep Dracula for Blu-ray release, as well as a press release with details on all of the flicks and which extras are included for each movie. Of course, the downside of a pack like this is that it's pricey -- the MSRP is $160, but it's available for preorder on Amazon currently priced at $112.
Universal Monsters Online is a thing
MOBAs seem to be the hot new thing, with games like the indie SmashMuck Champions following in the footsteps of heavy-hitters such as League of Legends and Dota 2. Now we can add another one to the list, as Bigpoint Games has announced an in-development MOBA centered around some unlikely champions: classic Universal Studios movie monsters. That's right: In the upcoming Universal Monsters Online, players will be able to go head-to-head with one another as iconic movie monsters, including Dracula, the Wolf-Man, Frankenstein's monster (and his bride), and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Gameplay details are scarce, but if you happen to be in the game's target demographic of classic-horror-movie-buff-slash-MOBA-gamer, head on over to the game's official site and have a gander.
Dark Legends launches on Apple devices, hits 500K players
The tortured souls of the underworld Apple users have twiddled their thumbs and sharpened their canines for over a month now, a month that Android and Chrome users have played Dark Legends to their hearts' content. After that long wait, iOS owners can stop penning brooding poetry on Livejournal and start playing the game proper: Spacetime Studios has released Dark Legends on the App Store. Apple users can now joining the 500,000-plus Dark Legends community by simply downloading the game from the store and getting their vamp on. Edward-wannabes have a daunting task in front of them, however, as all of the darker fantasy forces are out to be a serious pain in their neck. Dark Legends follows in the wake of Spacetime's enormously popular Pocket Legends and Star Legends. It's available as a free download with optional in-app purchases and can be played over wifi, edge, 3G, and 4G networks. Our own Beau is livestreaming Dark Legends today on Massively TV, so be sure to see what he thinks of the game! [Source: Spacetime Studios press release]
Stake or be staked: Van Helsing MMO to take the fight to classic movie monsters
It's the perfect time of year to announce a horror-themed MMO, so we're not surprised that at least one studio has stepped up to do so. SEE Virtual Worlds, the same company that's working on Planet Michael (which may or may not still have you giggling sporadically), is turning the world of Van Helsing into a MMO with the blessing of Universal Studios. With eight decades of movie monsters under its belt, Universal Studios is not lacking for iconic ghoulies and gremlins: The Wolf Man, Frankenstein, the Invisible Man, the Mummy, Dracula and the Creature from the Black Lagoon have frightened generations of children and lingered in the imaginations of millions more. In the game, players will step into the role of a Van Helsing-type figure who's tasked with taking down the hairiest, slimiest and most bitey of them all. Both Planet Michael and the Universal Monsters MMO will exist within Entropia Universe's domain, which houses virtual worlds and utilizes a real-world cash exchange economy. You can read the full Hollywood Reporter article here.
Free 'Midnight Movies' on PSN every Saturday night
Starting this Saturday, the PlayStation Store will update with one free movie rental as part of its "Midnight Movies" promotion. But, there's a catch! You'll need to sign on to the PSN between 8PM and 6AM EST. This weekend's movie will be Bram Stroker's Dracula. If you're up late playing some games on a Saturday night, might as well get a free movie download, right? Update: Here's the official word from Sony. This deal likely applies only to members of the US PSN. Halloween is here! This week you can find your favorite monsters, zombies and blood-thirsty creatures all in one place. Get incredible discounts on monster movies like Let the Right One In, Dawn of the Dead, The Fog and many more! Plus, you can rent Bram Stoker's Dracula for FREE when you visit the Halloween Horror Flicks collection on PlayStation®Store, Saturday, 10/16, from 5 PM PDT through 3 AM PDT 10/17!
TUAW's Daily App: Helsing's Fire
Helsing's Fire is an interesting little title with a pretty original gameplay premise. The idea is that you place torches in an area full of objects and walls, and you have to target or hide certain creatures with that light. The backstory of the game is about the adventurer Van Helsing and his fight against the undead, but it's more of a strategy title; the idea is to line up the light and shadows in just the right way in order to conquer various monsters on the playing field. While it doesn't start out very tough, more gameplay features slowly get added (eventually you have to match color attacks with certain colored monsters, and you only get a set number of attacks per stage, so you have to plan things out pretty carefully). And while the backstory is really just a frame for the gameplay, it's got a fun edge to it; it's a nice satirical spin on the old "fighting Dracula" theme, and there are a few fun celebratory fist bumps in between stages with Helsing and his assistant. For 99 cents, Helsing's Fire offers up a good bit of original gameplay that spans 90 different levels. A survival mode and full Crystal integration add some extra fun as well, so the game is well worth the buck.
New Castlevania: Lords of Shadow screens are bloody, awesome
Holy crap! We've been connoisseurs of vampire-centric media for quite some time now (thankfully, we've managed to avoid those dreadful books), but we never knew that vampires were made entirely out of blood. At least, that's the conclusion we've drawn from the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow screenshot you see above -- one of a handful of pieces of media we just got our hands on. You can see the whole batch in the gallery below.None of the others feature this bizarre phenomenon -- however, we suppose it's equally amazing that the vestments of Gabriel (the game's protagonist) remain so hemoglobin-free while he's running around, popping dudes like bloated mosquitoes.%Gallery-70457%
Comic-Con 2009: James Wan whipping up Castlevania film
James Wan would like to play a game -- and then convert it into a film. Bloody Disgusting reports that the writer and director – who helped construct the "Saw" horror movie factory – will bring Konami's storied Castlevania series to the big screen for producer Paul W.S. Anderson. "I'll be working on the script with a writer to give it a new spin, different to the previous versions," said Wan. "This will have my stamp on it which Konami is very excited about." Though we worry that Wan's stamp will be so large as to obscure all the cool action in the movie, he at least exhibits some familiarity with the franchise's androgynous protagonists. "For once, the human hero is as sexy and dangerous as the vampire villain, and his weapon of choice was what attracted me to the project in the first place – The Vampire Killer Whip." Oh yes, the whip, that's important. No matter how the project turns out (if it even turns up), we at least hope to be in the cinema when it's revealed to general audiences that "Alucard" is really "Dracula" backwards. What a twist! [Image: Bloody Disgusting]
WoW Moviewatch: Castlevania: Wisps of Dracula
Your appreciation for Castlevania: Wisps of Dracula by Noblejazan will vary depending on your knowledge and experience with poorly written fan-fiction. The author took an "original story" written by a fan of the game Castlevania, and put it into machinima. Mind you, Noblejazan used an actual fanfiction. The resulting video is somewhere between a hyperspeed parody and a weeping nod to the phenomenon of fanfic.This video has all the very best tropes. It has senseless tragedy, dashing heroics, an invulnerable, rogue hero, and a hint that the real Mary Sue has yet to be born. (I'm sure Rhonin is just around the corner for the next installment.) The author is careful to pronounce the actual language from his chosen fanfiction, and the movie moves so fast it feels like you're on a sugar-fueled rollercoaster ride. I especially like the word-art flying across the screen, to help make sure you don't miss any details.Although I was a little confused when I first pulled this video up on WarcraftMovies, I laughed out loud when I played the YouTube stream. This video is hilarious work, though I'll admit I'm not sure of the gimmick could be repeated. It's definitely worth the few minutes watching. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
iPhone It In: iDracula
I'll be the very first to admit that iDracula is a really, really bad name for a game. It's bad in a fun way that makes me laugh to myself when I turn it on, but still, bad. It would require a Herculean effort of diversion to get me to recommend a game with a name like "iDracula," and that's exactly what you're going to find here.iDracula is a twin stick shooter, or maybe "twin dial" would be more appropriate. By rotating the left dial with your thumb, you're able to turn and move in that direction -- ditto for the right dial and shooting. I know, I know, it sounds insane, but it works better than it has any right to.%Gallery-47794%
Renegade Kid buries Dracula, working on something new
Moon developer Renegade Kid has pulled its fangs out of the Count's supple neck, revealing in a post on the company's website that the secret "Dracula" game it had been working on with Gamecock "is no longer in development." The post goes on to say that the IP is still owned by Renegade Kid, and the company is open the revisiting the project "should an opportunity to resurrect Son of the Dragon present itself in the future." Having only now become aware of the game's true name, with little else known of the rumored Wii project beyond some early artwork from last August it's difficult to feel too drained by this news.The same goes for Renegade Kid, it seems, with studio boss Jools Watsham brushing aside the news with a standard 'no comment,' telling us instead that the studio's "current focus is on the development of our new game, which we'll have more news on soon." Whatever it is, we hope his excitement is enough to pull the stake out of players' broken hearts.
DS Daily: Celebrating villainy
Villains: easily some of the most interesting characters in the gaming kingdom, more often or not thanks to their megalomaniacal tendencies, difficult relationships with fathers, and the plain, simple fact that being evil pretty much rules, man. But who's the best bad dude on the DS for you? The devious Don Paolo? The crooked Caulder? The hard-to-take-seriously Bowser?And no picking Dracula. 'Cause we totally just did. Ha!
