Dementium: The Ward

About This Game

Classic DS horror reborn. Step into the twisted halls of Dementium: The Ward, the cult classic survival horror that redefined handheld terror, now remastered for PC supporting 4K resolution.

Setting

Awakening alone in a derelict hospital with no memory of how you got there, you’ll confront grotesque creatures, unravel a chilling mystery, and struggle to survive with nothing but improvised weapons and your wits. Every flicker of light, every echo in the corridor, every drop of blood tells a story you won’t forget.

Overview

Originally a groundbreaking horror experience on the Nintendo DS, Dementium: The Ward has been reborn for a new generation with enhanced visuals, smoother controls, and the same relentless atmosphere that made it infamous. Equal parts survival challenge and psychological nightmare, it’s a journey into darkness that fans of Silent Hill and Amnesia cannot miss.

Will you escape the ward… or will you be consumed by it?

Mature Content Description

The developers describe the content like this:

Blood and Gore
Intense Violence
Use of Drugs

Library Haul (Oct 26 - Nov 1)

 

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1. Knife In The Back - Karen Rose
2. Pink & Habanero Vol. 3 - Mika Satonaka
3.  Choking on Love Vol. 1 - Keiko Iwashita
4.  Daytime Shooting Star Vol. 2 - Mika Yamamori
5.  Sheltering Eaves Vol. 2 - Rie Aruga

DEVOUR: THE CARNIVAL

About This Game

DEVOUR is a co-op horror survival game for 1-4 players. Stop possessed cultists before they drag you to hell. Run. Scream. Hide. Just don't get caught.

HAVE YOU GOT NERVES OF STEEL?1-4 player online co-op

Take control of up to 4 cult members in this unique online co-op experience where you must work together to stop possessed cultists dead set on taking you to hell with them.

Single player mode

For hardcore players only. In this mode, you'll be doing all the screaming yourself.

Challenging gameplay

No two DEVOUR playthroughs are ever the same. To stop the evil, you’ll need a focused team and perfect execution, with a single session lasting up to an hour.

CAN YOU BANISH EVIL TOGETHER?Each themed DEVOUR map not only brings a terrifying new manifestation of the goat demon Azazel, but also completely new environments to explore, items to collect, fiends to overcome, and forbidden rituals to perform.

Exorcise the demonically possessed

Your goal is to break Azazel's hold on the cultists. On each map, work together in a race against time to find key ritual items – some of which might be alive and unwilling - to complete the banishment.

Escalating difficulty

Each possessed cultist’s rage and speed increases as the game progresses, as does the number of fiends they spawn to stop you. Your only means of defence is your UV flashlight.

Replayability 

Locked doors, ritual objects and item spawns are randomized, ensuring that no two games are the same. 

What's more, DEVOUR's unpredictable AI ups the game, making you second guess each and every move.

Player progression

Players earn experience with each playthrough, increasing their Cult Rank and earning Ritual Tokens. These are used to unlock valuable Perks, which can mean the difference between living to banish another demon or an agonizing death.

Nightmare mode

Beat the game without breaking a sweat? Try Nightmare mode for the ultimate challenge.

Multiplayer features 

Make use of our in-game positional voice chat. Bring friends, or find other players using the server browser.

Full VR support 

Ready to turn it up a notch? Play DEVOUR in VR without any additional purchase necessary.

Warning:  This game contains flashing lights that may make it unsuitable for people with photosensitive conditions. There are also loud jump scares. Player discretion is advised.

Mature Content Description

The developers describe the content like this:

This Game may contain content not appropriate for all ages, or may not be appropriate for viewing at work: Frequent Violence or Gore, General Mature Content 

Step Right Up!

The Carnival might be DEVOUR's most disturbing map yet, but it also expands our love of dark humour, a unifying trait amongst the members of our tiny development team. After the spine-tingling, gothic feel of our previous map The Manor, we also knew the time was right to return to our signature violent frights.

We considered a number of ideas for Kai's demon, but deep down, we probably always knew he'd be a clown. Kai was originally added as a playable character to provide balance to our group of quirky cultists: he adds playfulness, fun and just a touch of suppressed anger... We wanted all of this to be represented in the design of both the map and his demon form.

We truly love the end result and think the fun we all had with this map shines through in its quality and many details. From the hand crafted assets and small surprises built into a more responsive environment, to the dynamically gleeful sound design and fluid yet unpredictable AI behaviour, the Carnival is a terrifying, chaotic adventure that we hope makes you laugh as well as scream.

Lore and Gameplay

While working as a clown, Kai Rewiti was propelled into an insane and monstrous rage that saw him make helpless victims of a number of circus visitors and use their mutilated bodies to summon the demon Azazel.

In The Carnival, you'll avoid crazed wind up monkey toys while finding a way to collect the human eyes that Kai placed into creepy, roaming puppet dolls. Once collected, depositing the eyes into the fortune telling machine along with a coin will push forward map completion. Kai will hound you all the way, and like all good clowns, he has a few tricks up his sleeve...

Pug Pet

A bundle of squishy loyalty to tag along as you banish Azazel and his minions. Unlock this pet by beating The Carnival on hard or nightmare difficulty. Also available for purchase after the Halloween event has ended.

 

 

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2

About This Game

You are the Nomad — an elder vampire awakening from a century-long slumber, new to the modern nights. Trapped in your Blood is a stranger’s voice. This entity, a vampire detective known as Fabien, will be your guide to 21st-century Seattle. You will explore the city through his eyes as well as those of the Nomad, as you revisit a cold case from a hundred years ago that is threatening undead and mortal society alike.

Hunt your way through a modern-night Seattle on the brink of an open supernatural war in Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, where visceral vampire action meets a neo-noir murder mystery. Navigate the vampire Court of Seattle and its dark underbelly in this action RPG, realized by the BAFTA award-winning studio The Chinese Room.

 

 

Blood sustains you and empowers your vampiric Disciplines. You’ll stalk and feed on the city’s population at night. Use your supernatural powers or raw persuasion on unsuspecting mortals to lure them into dark alleys and slake your Hunger. However, be cautious about breaking the Masquerade: revealing your true nature risks reprisals, starting with law enforcement and escalating from there. Remember, you are not the only creature that goes bump in the night.

Experience immersive, visceral combat that rewards various playstyles and approaches based on your choice of vampire clan. Will you engage in close combat with supernatural strength, attack from a distance with blood sorcery, or silently thin the herd like the apex predator you are? Your clan choice will support these playstyles and more. 

Enter the World of Darkness and rise through vampire society or rail against it. Experience Seattle - a city full of alluring, dangerous characters and factions, not to mention the mortals at stake in the clash of powers beyond their knowing. In this sequel to the cult classic, your choices, plots, and schemes will determine the balance of power and what becomes of the city and its people.

Mature Content Description

The developers describe the content like this:

This title may contain content not appropriate for all ages, or may not be appropriate for viewing at work, like frequent violence or gore.

Dead By Daylight

Dead by Daylight: Gold Edition

About This Game

Death Is Not an Escape.

Trapped forever in a realm of eldritch evil where even death is not an escape, four determined Survivors face a bloodthirsty Killer in a vicious game of nerve and wits. Pick a side and step into a world of tension and terror with horror gaming's best asymmetrical multiplayer.

Survivors play in third-person and have the advantage of better situational awareness. The Killer plays in first-person and is more focused on their prey.

The Survivors' goal in each encounter is to escape the Killing Ground without getting caught by the Killer - something that sounds easier than it is, especially when the environment changes every time you play.

Key Features

• Survive Together… Or Not - Survivors can either cooperate with the others or be selfish. Your chance of survival will vary depending on whether you work together as a team or if you go at it alone. Will you be able to outwit the Killer and escape their Killing Ground?

• Where Am I? - Each level is procedurally generated, so you’ll never know what to expect. Random spawn points mean you will never feel safe as the world and its danger change every time you play.

• A Feast for Killers - Dead by Daylight draws from all corners of the horror world. As a Killer you can play as anything from a powerful Slasher to terrifying paranormal entities. Familiarize yourself with your Killing Grounds and master each Killer’s unique power to be able to hunt, catch and sacrifice your victims.

• Deeper and Deeper - Each Killer and Survivor has their own deep progression system and plenty of unlockables that can be customized to fit your own personal strategy. Experience, skills and understanding of the environment are key to being able to hunt or outwit the Killer.

• Real People, Real Fear - The procedural levels and real human reactions to pure horror makes each game session an unexpected scenario. You will never be able to tell how it’s going to turn out. Ambience, music, and chilling environments combine into a terrifying experience. With enough time, you might even discover what’s hiding in the fog.

WARNING: PHOTOSENSITIVITY/EPILEPSY SEIZURES - READ THIS NOTICE BEFORE PLAYING

A very small percentage of people may experience epileptic seizures or blackouts when exposed to certain kinds of flashing lights or light patterns. These persons, or even people who have no history of seizures or epilepsy, may experience epileptic symptoms or seizures while playing video games. If you or any of your relatives has an epileptic condition or has had seizures of any kind, consult your physician before playing any video game.

IMMEDIATELY DISCONTINUE use and consult a physician if you or your child experience any of the following symptoms: dizziness, altered vision, eye or muscle twitching, involuntary movements, loss of awareness, disorientation, or convulsions. Parents should watch for or ask their children about the above symptoms.

You may reduce risk of photosensitive epileptic seizures by taking the following precautions: sit farther from the screen, use a smaller screen, play in a well-lit room, do not play when you are drowsy or fatigued.

Mature Content Description

The developers describe the content like this:

This Game may contain content not appropriate for all ages, or may not be appropriate for viewing at work: Frequent Violence or Gore, General Mature Content

Library Haul (Oct 19 - 25)

 

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  Don't Say A Word - Allison Brennan
2.  The Unseen - Kat Martin
3.  Last Seen - J.T. Ellison
4.  Cat's Eye Omnibus - Tsukasa Hojo

Library Haul (July 17 - 23)

 

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  Immortal by Morning - Lynsay Sands
2.  Tea With Jam and Dread - Vicki Delaney
3.  The Next Deadly Chapter - V.M. Burns
4.  Dead Post Society - Diane Kelly

Library Haul (Aug 3 - Aug 9)

 

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  The First Gentleman- James Patterson
2.  Wolf Girl and Black Prince Vol. 13 - Ayuko Hatta
3.  My Special One Vol. 3 & 4 - Roku Sakura
4.  Yan Vol. 1 - Chang Sheng

Library Haul (July 27 - Aug 2)

 

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  Thunder Game - Christine Feehan
2.  2 Sisters Murder Investigations - James Patterson
3.  The President's Shadow- James Patterson
4.  Hell Is Dark With No Flowers Vol. 2. - Yoru Michio
5. April Showers Bring May Flowers Vol. 2 - Roku Sakura
6.  Fairy Cat Vol. 1 - Hise Takano

Library Haul (July 6 -12)

 

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  Death Mask - Iris Johansen
2.  It Happened On The Lake - Lisa Jackson
3.  The President's Shadow- James Patterson
4.  Hell Is Dark With No Flowers Vol. 2. - Yoru Michio
5. April Showers Bring May Flowers Vol. 2 - Roku Sakura
6.  Fairy Cat Vol. 1 - Hise Takano

Library Haul (Jun 29 - July 5)

 

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  The Secret War - Sherrilyn Kenyon
2.  Agents of the Four Seasons Vol. 1 & 2 - Nappa Komatsuda
3.  Pink & Habanero Vol. 1 - Mika Satonaka

Library Haul (Jun 15 - 21)

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  Hidden Nature - Nora Roberts

Library Haul (Jun 8- 14)

 

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  A Bloom in Winter - J.R. Ward
2.  Booked for Revenge - Karen Rose Smith
3.  April Showers Bring May Flowers Vol. 1 - Roku Sakura

Library Haul (Jun 1 - 7)

 

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  Lethal Prey - John Sandford
2.  The Big Empty - Robert Crais
3.  Identity Unknown - Patricia Cornwell
4.  23 Alive - James Patterson
5.  Girl Anonymous - Christina Dodd

Paul A. Destefano's RiftRiders Blog Tour with a Spotlight

 

I am so excited to have Paul A. Destefano here at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews with a Spotlight.

Thanks Paul and Pump Up Your Book for allowing me to join your RiftSiders Blog Tour! Please take it away, Paul! 

A team of possessed friends cope with the difficulties of being different while navigating relationships and getting attacked by demons…

The lead couple meet
each other at a support group for the possessed. They get tangled in all
sorts of affairs, normal and otherworldly, facing threats from
humanity, demons, monsters, bounty hunters and bigotry, all while trying
to fit in. And maybe saving the world a few times along the way.

Title: Unlawful Possession (Riftsiders: Book One)

Author: Paul DeStefano

Publisher: Wild Rose Press

Publication Date: April 18, 2022

Pages: 263

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

The lead couple meets at a support group for the possessed.

Enrique Marin wants a quiet life after the death of his wife. Just one problem
stands in the way—he’s possessed by the misanthropic English demon,
Tzazin. A violent night under demonic influence accidentally leads
Enrique to love, and it’s anything but quiet.

Shy, autistic yoga instructor Elle thought allowing herself to be possessed
by the very-not-shy sex demon Key would help her find love. She finds
Enrique, but she didn’t count on coping with the anti-demon bigotry of
society.

Fate—and AA meetings for the possessed—brings them together, but hostile forces,
demonic and human, fight to keep them apart. It might cost them
everything to keep their love alive.

Unlawful Possession is available at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09QRYQRJR. 

Title: Identify Theft (Riftsiders: Book Two)

Author: Paul DeStefano

Publisher: Wild Rose Press

Publication Date: February 15, 2023

Pages: 287

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Enrique thinks he’s probably innocent.

Enrique and the demon inside him didn’t kill a man in New Mexico. No. No way. Did
they? His possessed autistic girlfriend, Elkie, doesn’t think so either. Probably. Even with all that evidence.

Guidry the Technomancer isn’t so sure, but he’ll do what he can to help Enrique reveal the truth before Memphis “Witchkiller” Aldrain, the Shotgun Sorcerer, catches up.

It’s going to take help from their friends, demonic and otherwise, to unravel the mystery of how Enrique didn’t or did commit murder. On the run, they’ll find hidden Riftsider towns, demonic night clubs, and unworldly ways to get around–a necessary precaution once a hellhound gets on their trail. The clock is ticking. Will they find the truth before bounty hunters – or worse – find them?

Identity Theft is available at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BQGQSGSZ. 

Title: White Collar Crimes (Riftsiders: Book Three)

Author: Paul DeStefano

Publisher: Wild Rose Press

Publication Date: December 30, 2024

Pages: 315

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Enrique’s first official field assignment leading a team of demonically possessed agents is investigating remains found in the New Orleans bayou that fit in a shoebox.

Elkie insists they first get rid of Enrique’s recent curse by visiting an old and dangerous adversary.

The others hunt the city and swamps where Father Ebbs uncovers blasphemous truths with a new friend—truths that will tear the group apart and fill the bayou with blood.

White Collar Crimes is available at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DK3WFJB9. 

Book Excerpt

 

“Does he talk to you?” asked Enrique.

“We communicate, but not quite in words. More like hunches and feelings. When he’s mad, I can tell.”

“Does yours talk?” Enrique asked, turning to Ebbs.

“She would love it if I listened,” Ebbs replied. “It’s more like a constant distant howling. I’ve learned to box that out. Elle’s passenger is entwined. They both exist in the same space. I’m sure you’ll meet her, too.”

“Tell us a little about yours,” Dante said, taking a slow sip of his coffee.

Enrique slumped backward in the seat, looking to the ceiling with a chuckle.

“Yes,” taunted the lilting British accent only Enrique heard. “Do tell about me.”

“Tzazin,” Enrique said. “My demon is Tzazin Auropolus. I call him Taz. He, well, he’s kind of like me in that sometimes he just doesn’t know when to shut up. When I look in reflections, I can see him. Always just over my left shoulder. Glass reflection doesn’t always work. Sometimes it does, and he insists it’s due to how natural or man-made the material is.”

“Now tell them how startlingly handsome I am,” Taz whispered.

“He looks like a man with gray sandpaper skin. And his eyes are this weird sickly off-yellow.”

“That’s not even slightly flattering,” Taz complained.

“But he’s got some sort of knowledge tap. It’s like having a running connection to Google.”

“I’m an archivist, you human nimrod. Show some respect.”

 “Oh, he’s telling me right now I should tell you he’s an archivist.”

“And when Taz pilots?” Dante asked.

“When Taz pilots, I blackout. And end up in jail. And told I can be out on probation if I come here to learn to control him.”

“You make that sound so one-sided,” Taz said with a snicker. “Who’s fingerprints were there? Certainly not mine.”

Enrique set his jaw and placed his coffee cup on the floor.

“Yo, ain’t no one told me we got a newbie.”

Enrique turned to see a young girl with dreadlocks step into the room biting into an apple and letting the juice flow down her chin.

“Enrique, the rude teen girl is my niece, Yesania,” Dante said with a slight smile and a gesture. “You bring enough for everyone?”

“You got your doughnuts,” Yesania pointed. “Not poisoning my body with more of that shit than I have to, oh sorry for the language, Father. No offense. Hey, Elle.”

Elle looked up and brushed long hair aside, smiling with a wave.

“None taken,” Ebbs said as he reached for another doughnut. “Especially since that means more for us who know what good food is.”

Yesania screechingly pulled a chair to sit directly in front of Enrique, throwing off her hoodie to the floor and pushing dreadlocks from her face. She leaned forward and stared into Enrique’s eyes.

“Go ahead. Show me who you got,” she demanded.

“Yesania,” Dante warned, putting his hand on her shoulder to ease her away.

“No, Unc,” she snapped, shrugging him off. “Show and tell. You ain’t here for some small-time imp. Show me.”

“You don’t want that.” Enrique slid his chair back.

“She wants it,” Taz said, clearly with a grin Enrique felt in the back of his mind.

“She doesn’t want that,” Enrique hissed.

“You show me yours, I’ll show you mine,” Yesania teased. “Lookie.”

The room was overwhelmed by the smell of lilacs as Yesania held out her palm and blew across it as if blowing flower petals from her hand. A sparkling yellow dust scattered from her empty hand and hung in the air in a vaguely feminine shape that bowed politely.

“Meet Cali,” Yesania announced.

Enrique reached his hand out, curious. The sparkling dust extended what would be a hand and settled on his. It felt mildly electric and warm.

“Caliosandra,” the dust shape whispered in introduction as it appeared to grow less dense.

Yesania panted as the dust form fell but vanished before it touched the floor.

“You okay?” Dante asked.

“Yeah, letting her out is tiring sometimes,” Yesania said. “Long day of practice. That’s kind of why I’m here. Can’t get completely rid of her unless I just go to sleep. She’s not the prize I originally thought.”

“She means die,” Taz said to Enrique.

“I know what she meant,” Enrique replied.

“Oh, you got a full-time talker,” Yesania smiled. “Come on, I showed you mine. You got some sort of manifest?”

“You don’t want to do that,” Enrique cautioned.

“Too scary? I can handle it.”

“Yesania, stop,” Dante said flatly.

“No, Unc, I don’t think I will. If I gotta be in this room, I want to know who’s here with me. Show me.”

“If he’s not ready, Yesania,” Ebbs added.

“I am not staying if I don’t know who’s here,” Yesania insisted.

“Reveal me,” Taz called. “It’s only fair if I make myself known.”

 Watch the Trailer

 

https://youtu.be/KhsbIKSp2cs?si=lmycCcKHXOoz1n8y

 

 

About the Author

Paul DeStefano has been writing professionally for tabletop gaming companies for decades and now brings his unique worldbuilding skills to his own novels. As a writing teacher and supervisor of a Recreation Therapy team at a rehabilitation center, he has unique views on classically disadvantaged populations and their need for representation and expression. After the release of the smash hit game Oathsworn: Into The Deepwood, his novels and lectures went on to explore the quirkiest aspects of human nature.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.PaulADestefano.com 

Book’s Website ➜ www.TaintedDragonInn.com

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/tainteddragoninn

Please follow the rest of the tour here, thanks:

https://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2025/02/03/riftsiders