'Three Pillars' Paranormal Card Game Debuts at Phenomacon

A new card game that allows you to "play the paranormal" debuted this weekend in one of the most haunted places on Earth, Gettysburg. "The Three Pillars: A Paranormal Card Game" became available for purchase at Phenomacon which began on Thursday, April 10 thanks to the cats at CORE games.

The Three Pillars represent the three key "players" or components of a successful paranormal investigation; psychic, skeptic, and scientist. Demos and a tournament Friday evening introduced paranormal enthusiasts to the game which is described below:

THE THREE PILLARS is a fast-paced, witty game of checks and balances that celebrates the paranormal community while gently satirizing the drama that is often encountered within it. Assemble your team, visit haunted locations and submit evidence to close the cases - but be warned - not only must you deal with Murphy's Law, but with other paranormal teams investigating the same places as you - and chances are, they won't be helpful. Never before has Paranormal Division been so fun!

Tabletop Goes Indie

Photo courtesy of Geek & Sundry

If you're a fan of tabletop games like Settlers of Catan, Risk, and Lords of Waterdeep, then you probably already know about Wil Wheaton's collaboration with Felicia Day and Geek & Sundry over on youtube. If you don't already know about this, then you might just be the luckiest person in the whole wide world, because you can watch two full seasons of Tabletop and not know how many times Wil loses. Spoiler/Hint: It's a LOT. But, the main point is he and his fellow gamers have a blast even when they lose because of the social aspect of tabletop games.

In the past, Tabletop has been bankrolled by Google, but now they want to produce the show indepedently. Let the conspiracy theories and/or rejoicing begin! However, what this means is that the show needs to be fully funded to produce another season and maintain the quality that will satisfy Wil and his cohorts. So, off to indiegogo, it is!

Ultimate Werewolf Gets Deluxe Makeover, Kickstarter

Back in 2008, Bezier Games released their version of Werewolf and it's been built up to the latest and greatest "Ultimate Werewolf: Ultimate Edition." Some of the best aspects of the game is that there is virtually no limit to the number of people who can play the game. Five players? Easy Peasy. Ten players? Not even breaking a sweat. Twenty players? Wow, that's a lot, but not nearly the limit. In fact, the Ultimate Edition needs five players, but can handle up to 68. I'll let you digest that like a nice little villager sandwich for a moment...

...Yes, 68 players!

The rules are very simple and there is plenty of variety for each player within the game making it a ton of fun for everyone involved. Needless to say, this is a party game player's dream come true, especially if you're into some light roleplay and werewolves. In a nutshell, a village has been infiltrated by a pack of werewolves and the villagers have to find the Big, Bag Wolf. Or the Wolf Cub. Or the Lone Wolf...you get the idea...before the villagers become snackables. Certain villagers have certain abilities, which adds more variety and complexity to the game. Not quite convinced that this can be fun?

'Wolfify' App Lets You Channel Your Inner Werewolf

Loving my new look!

The full moon is October 18 so we wanted to prepare you with a cool new app that’s launching today! Have you ever wondered how you’d look as a werewolf? Then you have to check out the Wolfify app that’s available today in the Apple iTunes store.

Developed by Apptly, the Wolfify app allows you to transform yourself, friends, kids or pets into either a “She-Wolf” and “He-Wolf.” But it’s not just a picture, it’s animated! You’ll snarl and snap and even blink and look around. It’s even interactive! If you touch certain places on your face, it responds.

It also has a built-in lunar phase tracker, “Since werewolves become stronger with age, the Wolfify effects actually mature over time; growing larger fangs, more facial hair, and intensified battle scars as they age from Cub to Patriarch. Wolfify even tracks the lunar phase and culminates in a spectacular wolf transformation that's available only during the full moon each month.”

For just .99 cents, this app is perfect for Halloween and we’d love you to share your Wolfify photos with us! I had a blast playing with it.



-Larissa Mrykalo

Gamble on survival with new 'Walking Dead' Las Vegas slot machine

Zombies are quickly invading every facet of pop-culture, and soon they'll be infecting Las Vegas.

Aristocrat, an Australian gaming company, has received the OK (licensing rights) from the giants behind AMC's The Walking Dead to go forward with a slot machine based on the show. The machine itself is pretty fancy, featuring high definition photos, video and audio from the show. It seems like a hybrid cross between a slot machine and a console game, as it takes you on a journey through the Zombocalypse and you're playing for your life.

Oh, and money.

It is certainly no coincedence that the machine set to be unleashed in a casino near you this fall, as the release is timed to coincide with Season 4 of the show.

-Nowal Massari

'World War Z' game app to infect smartphones

So many zombie apps keep popping up, we’re starting to think society is leaning towards Team Zombie! According to IGN, a new mobile game that ties in with the film World War Z will be released on May 30 for Android and iPhone users.

Thanks to the teaming of Paramount Digital Entertainment and Phosphor Games Studio players will be able to delve completely into the chaos that this zombie apocalypse brings.

The game promises not only an “action-packed first person experience” but it also features “28 visceral levels, intense combat, engaging puzzles, upgrade-able weapons and armor, an unlimited challenge mode, and a global scale...”

The brief trailer not only shows how cool the game’s graphics are but also just how unsettling the first-person experience during "Crisis Zero" could be.

World War Z  hits theaters on June 21.

Game over: 'Aliens: Colonial Marines' canceled for Wii U

Despite the involvement of kick-ass actor Lance Henriksen reprising his role as Bishop, Aliens: Colonial Marines failed to please fans and even failed to represent the game it was advertising at expos and conventions.

In fact, game publisher Sega was forced to add disclaimers to their trailers, indicating that the trailers did not depict footage from actual gameplay, but that of demos. So with no release date in sight, the Wii U version of Aliens: Colonial Marines has officially been canceled.

In a statement to IGN a Sega rep that said, "SEGA can confirm that the Wii U sku of Aliens: Colonial Marines is no longer in development."

It’s unclear whether or not it was canceled because of compatibility issues with the Wii U’s gamepad or because of poor reviews and sales. Either way, it’s a bummer.

-Andrew Peters

Dead Yourself app transforms 'Walking Dead' fans into zombies

You may have noticed that your Facebook timeline is a little more rotted than usual. Zombies have taken over thanks to an app sponsored by AMC’s The Walking Dead. The Dead Yourself app allows you take to one of your photos and transform you, your family or friends into a terrifying walker.

You get to choose your eyes, mouth and even props to decorate your creation. You can also enter yourself into the Walker Gallery and vote on other pics.

Feb. 10 and the rest of Season 3 can’t come soon enough for fans of the series, but at least you can have some fun while you wait. Here’s my breathtaking example ... don’t get too scared!

-Larissa Mrykalo

Grant Wilson on playing lead with Rather Dashing Games, leaving 'Ghost Hunters'

After eight years and more than 150 episodes, Grant Wilson stepped down from his role as co-lead investigator on Syfy's paranormal reality-TV show Ghost Hunters last May. However, don't play taps from Wilson's career. Instead, Wilson is playing by a new set of rules - literally. As vice-president and artist of Rather Dashing Games, he has embarked on an endeavor to create games for the masses.

Wilson

In an inaugural edition of a little podcast we're calling "Geek Season" - a semi-frequent show where I'll be talking to fellow geeks in a conversational setting - Wilson joined me to chat about Rather Dashing, as well as offering more insight behind his choice to leave Ghost Hunters after getting burnt out and tired.

Check it out on the embedded player above, and let us know who else we should be chatting with on future installments of "Geek Season."

-Aaron Sagers

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