Video Games
‘Killing Floor 2’ Bringing New Weapons, Enemies in Yuletide Horror Update
Once again, Tripwire Interactive is bringing the goods with a new holiday update for Killing Floor 2. The Yuletide Update, which is launching today, will introduce a new community map called Sanitarium, along with a new objective map called Biotics Lab, two free and two paid new weapons, and the return of “zesty” Christmas Zeds.
The biggest addition this year, however, is Rachel Clamely, making her Killing Floor 2 debut as a tough new boss known as The Matriarch. The story goes that Clamely is the daughter of Kevin Clamely, the former CEO of Horzine, the company responsible for the outbreak of Zeds. After unleashing the Zeds, Clamely mutated himself into the monstrous Patriarch. Rachel helped bring down two clones of the Patriarch in the original Killing Floor, but like her father, she’s now mutated herself.
“The Matriarch is a multi-stage boss that builds on and combines previous mechanics from other bosses,” Tripwire explains. “That being said, the Matriarch has a unique few tricks of her own. The boss battle is built on 4 primary phases, each tied to the different states of her health bars, broken up by escalating waves of E.D.A.R.s enemies that are added into the fray as she enters a new phase.”
As for the hardware you’ll be getting to bring her down, players will be gifed with the HRG Incision for the Field Medic, Winterbites for the Gunslinger, the Mosin Nagant for the Sharpshooter (though this is a paid DLC weapon), and the Riot Shield / Glock 18 combo for SWAT.
And yes, it wouldn’t be Christmas without the return of Gary Busey’s Badass Santa, who is back as a purchasable playable character. Also, stick around after the teaser trailer for a special surprise that Tripwire has in store for the game next year.
Video Games
Inspired by 80s Slashers, Short Horror Experience ‘Dead Stop – No Vacancy’ Launches August 13 [Trailer]
Fresh from their work on last year’s Beneath, developer Camel 101 has announced that their next title, a short, standalone first-person horror experience in Dead Stop – No Vacancy, will launch on Steam on August 13. Accompanying the announcement is the release date trailer, which thanks to the narration, is appropriately hammy.
Players in No Vacancy step into the shoes of Nancy, a hard-edged investigative reporter whose journey to the town of Crestfall takes an unexpected turn. Stranded without directions or a GPS signal, she arrives at the remote Paradise Motel just as daylight begins to disappear. What initially appears to be an inconvenient stop soon becomes an investigation into the motel’s dark history, and whatever may be hiding beneath it.
No Vacancy is the first entry in Dead Stop, a new anthology of short, standalone horror games inspired by classic horror stories and unsettling places. In this case, the game takes inspiration from 80s slasher films.
Rather than relying on cutscenes to tell its story, No Vacancy‘s has the player discover the story through the various objects you examine in the game. As such, you’ll also be dealing with various environmental puzzles built around the motel’s dark history. Completing the vibe is the game’s throwback graphics, which don’t quite have the typical PS1-era aesthetic, but it’s enough to give you that old-school feel.
Ahead of the game’s launch, you can also check out the demo via the Steam page.