Dead Drop Studios announces October 25th is the release date for Outbreak: Shades of Horror Chromatic Split, a "first taste" of Outbreak: Shades of Horror coming to PC and consoles, with the Windows edition launching on Steam. This installment in the Outbreak series is described as a "standalone prologue," which sounds like a free demo, but it is a premium game paving the way for Outbreak: Shades of Horror, which is also a premium game. Here's the Launch Trailer with a look, and in case you're not confused yet, this bit has you covered:

Go back to the beginning of the end in the prologue to Dead Drops’ Studios upcoming Outbreak: Shades of Horror. Play as both the heroes and the villains of the outbreak as you attempt both to avoid an outbreak of epic proportions and to stop word from getting out.

As Lydia, a veteran police officer, race against time through the Cypress Ridge sewers to spread the truth of the Outbreak before it’s too late but beware there is more than sludge and rats waiting for her.

As Hank, keep sight of your target while navigating rooftop of insanity as he tries to stop the truth from coming to the surface. But remember, the higher you are, the harder you fall when the zombies attack!

Continue here to read the full story.

Gunsmith Simulator is out of Early Access and this sim with a self-explanatory title is officially available for Windows on Steam with a 35% launch discount. A post titled FULL RELEASE remind us of the project's Freudian aspects, discussing the launch and adding a Full Release Trailer. Here's more on this chance to engage in some gunplay the PlayWay way:

There's nothing like the smell of coffee combined with the metallic one of repaired guns in the morning... All you have to do is become a virtual gunsmith, and that's how you'll start each working day. You have already set up a workshop, equipped it, and learning the trade came naturally to you. Now all that's left to do is get the first order. Fire up your computer, go to the "GunStock" website and browse the available auctions and listings. You may be lucky enough to find someone who just needs your skills!

Continue here to read the full story.

The Steam Listing for Killing Time: Resurrected now reflects an October 17th release date for this remastered first-person shooter that came to 3DO in 1995 (thanks Gematsu). A new Gameplay Trailer is here to show the fresh coat of paint on the game's unusual mix of pixels and FMV graphics. Here's word:

Set in the early 1930s, Killing Time: Resurrected casts you as a student, studying the cryptic world of Egyptology, who finds themselves trapped in the estate of wealthy heiress Tess Conway. A ritual to bestow eternal life conducted by Ms. Conway backfires and her high-society friends vanish without a trace. It’s up to you to find and destroy the mystical Egyptian Water-Clock to undo its curse and face a legion of super(natural) horrors.

The remastered edition of Killing Time: Resurrected features toggleable high-resolution character artwork/sprites from the original 3DO and PC versions of the game, upscaled environmental texturing, smoother gameplay, more responsive controls, and expanded control and key-bind settings.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Demon Crush on Steam (Windows). "Battle warriors, demons, and beasts in a pixel art Japanese fantasy world! Fast-paced 2D sidescrolling ninja action awaits as you avenge the fallen and defend your home against the deceitful warlord Nezumo and his demonic master, Mathonas."

• Save 50% on SOUTH PARK- SNOW DAY! on Steam.
• Save 50% on Dead Cells on Steam.
• Save 33% on Subterrain- Mines of Titan on Steam.

• Payday 3 Now Has 'Mostly Positive' Reviews on Steam - GameRant.

• Xbox Alpha Ring (2410.241001-2200) Update Preview Release Notes - Xbox Support. Thanks Console General.
• Xbox Alpha Skip-Ahead Ring (2410.241001-2200) Update Preview Release Notes - Xbox Support

• Twitch Makes Change to Partner Stats Requirements - GameRant.
• AOL: 1.5 million people still pay for service — but not for dial-up internet - CNBC. Thanks Reddit via Ant.

• Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1930 (Dev Channel) - Windows Insider Blog.
• Samsung will bring 'One UI' to TVs and more in 2025 - 9to5Google. Thanks Slashdot via Ant.

• Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred Review - IGN.
• Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred review - PC Gamer.
• Starfield: Shattered Space review - PC Gamer.
• Starfield Shattered Space review - VG247.

• Hard Drive: Toshiba Canvio Flex 4TB USB 3.2 Gen 1 External HDD - Mad Shrimps.
• Laptop: GIGABYTE AORUS 17X (2024 Edition) Gaming Laptop - TweakTown.
• Monitor/Projector: ASRock PG27QFT2A Monitor - OCInside.
• Motherboard: ASRock X870E Taichi Motherboard - TweakTown.
• Mouse: Incott GHERO Pro Review - TechPowerUp.
• SSD: Crucial P310 1TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe 2280 M.2 SSD - Mad Shrimps.

I just realized I failed to wish everyone a happy Rosh Hashanah, as the two-day celebration of the Jewish New Year concluded at sundown last night. A while back Frans upgraded the events calendar here to properly calculate holidays that move around like Thanksgiving. But this based on the western calendar, so it can't track events like Rosh Hashanah or the Chinese New Year that use different calendars. So the oversight is on me. Anyway, by the year on the Hebrew calendar is now 5785, and in penance I won't even dust off my joke about writing it wrong on my checks.

Annual Round-up
Thanks Ant, Neutronbeam, and Max.

Stories

• The US Is Loading Up on Bird Flu Vaccine - WIRED (may require registration or subscription).

Science

• Did we kill the Neanderthals? New research may finally answer an age-old question. - Live Science.
• Webb Telescope’s Encounter With a Time-Bending Supernova- Rewriting Cosmic Rules - SciTechDaily.

Media

• Eric Adams's Ridiculous Corruption - Legal Eagle. Thanks The Flying Penguin.
• How Deep Into The Earth Will This Go from 1000ft? - How Ridiculous.
• How Fight Scene Props Are Made For Movies & TV - Movies Insider - Insider. Thanks The Flying Penguin.