Kingdom's Return: Time-Eating Fruit and the Ancient Monster - PS5 Review

Kingdom's Return: Time-Eating Fruit and the Ancient Monster by developer and publisher Inti Creates—Sony PlayStation 5 review written by Pierre-Yves with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes.  

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Majogami – Coming to PlayStation 5

Paper craft character action comes to PlayStation 5 on May 28th

Chiba, Japan, January 15, 2026 — INTI CREATES has announced their 2D
action platformer Majogami will be coming to the PlayStation 5 platform. The
PlayStation 5 version launches on May 28th, 2026 alongside brand-new
challenging trials.

In Majogami, players take control of Shiroha, a young witch trapped in a
nightmarish paper craft world. Slash through enemies and the world itself at
breakneck speed to make it safely home with your father.

Watch the Majogami PlayStation 5 Trailer on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/-j3Rl762aT4

 

Steam (PC):
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3837380/The_Witch_of_Luludidea/
Nintendo Switch 2:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/majogami-switch-2/
Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/majogami-switch/

Majogami – Coming to PlayStation 5 on May 28th, 2026

In the PS5 version, 12 new Trials add even more replayability!

A new element of unavoidable flame damage adds pressure that will test the limits
of players' skills!

The best results can be uploaded to the leader boards for each Trial, so "cut through gods like paper" and carve your name into the worldwide rankings!

※What are Trials?

After proceeding through the main story, players can unlock Trial missions with
special rules by meeting special conditions.

※The 12 new trials are planned to be added to other available platforms in a free
update.

About Majogami

Majogami is a new, high-speed 2D action game designed and directed by
Yuji Natsume, the official illustrator for the Blaster Master Zero series.
Players control Shiroha, who must use her katana, "Kamikiri", to slice
through a bizarre paper craft world and the horrors she finds there.
Along her journey, Shiroha will collect cards imbued with her memories
called Recarte, and face off against the diverse Majogami, divine "Craft
Witches" who control the world.

These Majogami, with twisted hearts and powerful magic, stand in
Shiroha's way as she tries to escape their domain. She’ll need to use her
"Setsuna" ability, a fast-moving sword attack, to take out enemies without
missing a beat. In addition to her Setsuna attack, she can rely on Shiori's
defense sigils and the power of the guardians she meets, the Astrals, to
transform herself into new fighting forms.

• Challenge over 35 action stages in the main story, with even more bonus stages unlockable!
• Customize your gameplay with 20 magical charms to find, buy, and equip!
• Experience a rich story with full Japanese voice acting, over 8 hours of dialog in total!
• Take on 13 unique boss encounters with entrancingly dark designs!
• Transform into 7 different fighting forms to change up the action and get the advantage in battle!

About INTI CREATES

Founded in 1996, INTI CREATES is an independent game developer
located in Chiba, Japan. They have long been known for their work on
Capcom’s Mega Man series, developing Mega Man 9, 10, and the Mega Man
Zero and ZX series. In 2014, they launched their flagship series with Azure
Striker Gunvolt on the Nintendo 3DS, and have only continued to release
more renowned action games since then, such as Gal*Gun Double Peace,
Blaster Master Zero, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon, and Dragon Marked
for Death.


Article by: Susan N.

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Majogami - Switch 2 Review

Majogami by developer and publisher Inti Creates—Nintendo Switch 2 review written by Pierre-Yves with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes. 

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Jump into New Metroidvania Title 'Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark' in 2025!

Chiba, Japan, December 11, 2024 | INTI CREATES has announced that “Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark”, the new 2D action Metroidvania in the Gal Guardians series, will release digitally to all platforms on March 27th, 2025. This announcement comes alongside a new full length trailer for the
game and details on gameplay.

Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark

"Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark" is the newest title in the Gal Guardians series of gothic-inspired 2D action-adventure games.

"Servants of the Dark" greatly expands the setting from a single castle to the entirety of the Demon Realm, and further evolves the gameplay into a true Metroidvania adventure. It also stars two new characters with different playstyles, Kirika and Masha, who players can switch between in order to
fully explore the vast areas and take down enemies and bosses.

You must search far and wide for the means to revive Kirika and Masha's master, the Demon Lord Maxim, and restore him to power. In this upside-down world, you'll fight alongside demons and against demons, as well as Demon Hunters from the Human Realm. Get ready for an unforgettable adventure!

Adventure through the vast Demon Realm to revive your allies!

The critically acclaimed action of "Gal Guardians: Demon Purge" comes to a fully-realized Metroidvania! Countless combos and possibilities await as you explore the Demon Realm with two upgradable characters.

Search for hidden passages, trap doors, and solve puzzles throughout the Demon Realm to collect the scattered bones of the Demon Lord Maxim. The sub-weapons and abilities you've unlocked for the heroines Kirika and Masha will open up new routes and strategies, so you'll need to try every tool
at your disposal!

In addition, each of Maxim's vassals you find and revive will help strengthen your home base, the Demon Lord's castle. As you rebuild, it will provide bonus support features to assist you. As the colorful cast of vassals fills out, you'll see their personalities shine in fully voiced cut scenes that
play throughout the game.

Swap between the sisters in Demonic action gameplay!

Sister maid heroines, Kirika and Masha, bring their own unique gameplay styles. Older sister Kirika attacks from a distance with demonic guns while her younger sister Masha covers close ranges with her whip. They can spend demonic energy to attack with different sub-weapons as well, but it is crucial
to switch between the two as the situation changes.

Should one of the sisters be defeated, you can bring her back to life by returning to her location and using "Sister Rescue" to revive her. Also, two player co-op play is available both local and online*! With each player controlling a sister, your options will open up greatly!
*Online co-op to be added in an update post-launch

Mountains of items to collect!

Enemies and treasure chests will earn you consumable items, sub-weapons, and passive enhancements called "Demon Relics" as random drops. You'll use these items to unlock new special abilities for the sisters and access new areas of the map. Sub-weapons can be combined and crafted to customize
their power, making use of items you wouldn't otherwise need.

Choose the play "Style" that's right for you!

Servants of the Dark inherits the "Style" system of its predecessor, allowing you choose between "Casual," "Veteran," and "Legend." You can switch Styles at any time, and all of the game's content is available no matter what you choose.

About INTI CREATES

Founded in 1996, INTI CREATES is an independent game developer located in Chiba, Japan. They have long been known for their work on Capcom’s Mega Man series, developing Mega Man 9, 10, and the Mega Man Zero and ZX series. In 2014, they launched their flagship series with Azure Striker Gunvolt on the Nintendo 3DS, and have only continued to release more renowned action games since then, such as Gal*Gun Double Peace, Blaster Master Zero, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon, and Dragon Marked for Death.

Article by: Susan N.

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See Card-en-Ciel During PAX East This Weekend by INTI Creates!

March 20th 2024, INTI CREATES has announced a new project, “Card-en-Ciel,“ to be shown at this week’s PAX East expo in Boston, Massachusetts March 21st through 24th. 

Card-en-Ciel stars Neon, a gaming detective, as he collects and battles with over 300 cards on a deck-building RPG adventure.

Players will adventure through over 10 different dungeons, earning character cards to strengthen their deck and unlock new techniques to use in ever-expanding roguelite card battles.

Special “Muse Cards” add another layer to the card battles, activating powerful abilities with their songs during battle, with 50 vocal tracks included in-game. 

Together with the Muses' song abilities, players will use hidden card "glitches" and even enemies' attacks against them to perform satisfying, full power combos with their unique decks.

Look for more information about Neon’s battles through the eras of gaming coming soon!

A card-battling RPG through the eras of gaming!

Characters from other game universes are showing up in a work in progress! Can the detective Neon find the source?

Card-en-Ciel is a deck-building roguelike featuring over 300 unique cards and 50 vocal songs.

Each card features a character from a game within the Card-en-Ciel universe, waiting to be collected and brought back from the game’s dungeons. You’ll need all the help you can get when the virtual world enters “all out war!”

With each victory, you’ll select a card to add to your deck to power it up and create new combos.

Each card can be played, used to move during battle, or for a Special Skill, allowing you to make the most of each draw from your deck within Card-en-Ciel’s deep combat system!

Famous characters are invading an in-development game?!

Muse Cards add another layer to combat. Meet their conditions during battle, and they’ll sing a unique song that activates a special ability, unlocking new strategies and combos for the rest of your deck! 

Use these powerful song abilities, hidden card "glitches", and even your enemies' attacks against them to perform satisfying, full power combos!

Colorful characters you meet in the dungeons, dungeon bosses, and the “imaginary” games they come from all play a part in Card-en-Ciel’s story. Collect each game’s heroes and heroines to win the “all-out war!”

See it all in action in Card-en-Ciel’s project kickoff trailer!

Glitch your way to victory!

Product Information

Title: Card-en-Ciel

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Steam (PC) 

Genre: Card-battling RPG

Rating: Pending

Players: 1-2

Release Date: TBA

Price: TBA

Official site: https://card-en-ciel.com/en/

Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2730540/CardenCiel/

© INTI CREATES CO., LTD. 2024 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Article by: Susan N.

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Gunvolt Records Cychronicle - PC(Steam) Review

Gunvolt Records Cychronicles by developer and publisher Inti Creates—PC(Steam) review written by Richard with a copy provided by the publisher. 

 
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

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It's time to take the next step in the Gunvolt series, Gunvolt Records Cychronicle! Coming in with a spin-off game we take a step away from the action adventure style to dip our toes into a rhythm game! Featuring a selection of tracks from the games from different in-game singers, it's time to take a look at what Cychronicle has to offer.

So, first up I should let ya know there is no plot going on here, it's just rhythm game. Second, you should be playing this game with a controller. You'll have a list of tracks to choose from and various difficulties, and then you hit buttons and move thumbsticks to the beat. If you haven't played a rhythm game before, essentially what happens is buttons and "command prompts" flow down the screen and you have to match the timing. In this instance, buttons correspond to buttons on either side of the controller (I used the shoulder buttons), with some being held buttons, and thumbstick commands, where you point the thumbsticks in a direction indicated, and then rotate them in time with the command prompt, or flick them in the direction indicated. 

The Gunvolt series has always had really good music, so it's nice to see a sort of compilation of some of the tracks from the series. That being said, there are only 15 tracks in the base game, making it feel a little lacking in content. Furthermore, the controls can feel a little off at times. While the timing is good, the thumbstick commands can be a little sensitive to your directional input. The speed at which you rotate is also unknown unless you've played the song before, meaning sometimes you miss the timing just because you don't know how fast the rotate will go.

While you're playing through the song tracks there are two different background scenes that can play: action from the games, or a sort of 3D concert featuring whatever "muse" the song is being sung by. This is more of a personal thing, but I found the gameplay snippets from the other gunvolt games could be a little distracting at first, whereas the 3D model concerts took away my attention less.

Overall, Cychronicle is incredibly basic in what it offers. There is a concert mode where you play the songs, and a music player mode where you can listen to the tracks. One cool note is that while the song is playing, you can see the lyrics highlighted as the song plays, kind of like a karaoke mode but where the lyrics are still sung. Honestly, for a 20$ Canadian game, 15$ American it's...maybe a little disappointing. That being said, you could probably buy the official soundtrack and have it end up costing around the same price, so it is what it is, I suppose.

Gunvolt Records Cychronicle is a fun title, but one that is very niche in it's implementation. With only 15 tracks in the base game, although the DLC will add more, and a rather restricted amount of available game modes, Cychronicle will probably only appeal to a rather narrow audience. That being said, if you're a fan of the Gunvolt series, or just looking for a new rhythm title, then Gunvolt Records Cychronicle may just be the title for you.

Score: 7.5 / 10

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INTI CREATES excited about newest project “Umbraclaw!"

At Indie Live Expo 2023, held May 20th and 21st, INTI CREATES announced that development has begun on their newest project, Umbraclaw .

In the 2D side-scrolling action game, players take control of Kuon, a cat on a perilous journey through the afterlife known as the Soulplane. Kuon must brave the afterlife in order to return home to his master. Taking the helm of development on Umbraclaw, Blaster Master Zero director Satoru Nishizawa will show that cats are not just cute, but cool heroes as well. The game also features an enchanting, art-book graphical style with a hint of darkness that reflects its story. Will Kuon be able to break through the Boundary to return home safely...? More details to be announced soon. Wishlist Umbraclaw on Steam today! → https://store.steampowered.com/app/2428420/Umbraclaw/


The "Anima Revive" system will grant Kuon abilities from various animals.

These abilities granted by Anima Revive will be key to overcoming the obstacles Kuon will face on his journey. See an early look at Umbraclaw in action in the Project Kickoff Trailer on Youtube! https://youtu.be/9ZClJSwicMo

Find hope in death.



Official Site: http://umbraclaw.com


© INTI CREATES CO., LTD. 2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Article by: Susan N.

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Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 Review

Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 by developer and publisher Inti Creates—Nintendo Switch review written by Richard with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

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For a long time, I had always looked back on the old-school Megaman games and thought "where can I find more games like this?", and then I discovered Azure Striker Gunvolt. Doing a great job of taking the classic megaman formula and adapting it into something new and fresh, the first Gunvolt made its way onto the scene in 2014, or there around, I believe. Now we are receiving the 3rd title in the direct series: Azure Striker Gunvolt 3.

The world of Gunvolt is a slightly futuristic world where certain humans have awakened to a new power called Septima. Humans who have gained the power of Septima are referred to as Adepts. After the events of Gunvolt 1 and 2, Gunvolt had been sealed away, but now a Battle Priestess from the group Shadow Yakumo is tasked with controlling Gunvolt's power in order to stop a potential catastrophe. While having some knowledge of the other titles in the series will certainly help with your comprehension and references, Gunvolt 3 can be purchased as a stand-alone title, so no worries if you haven't played the other titles in the series.

If you've played the previous two main entries in the franchise you'll probably have a decent idea of how the game will play, but I'm happy to note there are some changes made to the formula. For those new to the franchise, Gunvolt is a 2D action platformer in the same vein as the Megaman games, probably closer to Megaman X in nature. The main idea is that you will generally want to "tag" enemies, before hitting them for increased damage.

In the original gunvolt this was gun based, but since Kirin is the new focus, you now have a warp slash after tagging. For a little more description, Kirin can fire off her "fetters", which will stick to enemies. Once you have at least one stuck to an enemy, you can either slash them normally with the attack button, or hit the dash and attack button together to do a warp slash at the enemy, or enemies as you can target multiple. You can layer many fetters on one target, spread them amongst targets, and even charge the fetters later on in the game.

Now, there are a few things to note about the fetters. The fetters also act as your "shield" or "dodge" mechanic, provided you have a specific skill equipped. Basically, instead of being hit, you consume a number of fetters instead, reducing your fetter count. Thankfully you can reload by double-tapping down direction, which will also recall fetters attached to enemies. I actually really enjoyed playing as Kirin more than I did playing as Gunvolt in the first title. I'm not certain why, perhaps I prefer the melee bladed aspect, but I felt a lot more invested as Kirin, and the battles were more fast paced.

Something really cool to note is that the warp attack using the fetters is actually a bit of a core gameplay mechanic for the platforming segment, and a really good way of earning higher scores in stages. What I mean to say is that there are many stages with areas where it is either possible or necessary to use the warp strike to move across pits, or up vertical segments of the stages. In addition to this, using warp strikes is one of the best ways of dispatching foes without getting hit. You also get a score bonus for the more enemies you defeat without touching the ground. Since using a warp strike gives Kirin a second jump, you can chain warp strikes in order to keep off the ground for a long period of time. Fun fact: I actually managed to stay airborne for almost an entire boss fight using the warp strike appropriately.

For those missing Ye Olde Gunvolt, you can actually switch to him mid stage. As Kirin fights out on the front line, she builds a fetter gauge. As long as the fetter gauge is at 100% or higher, you can swap to Gunvolt, although the gauge will decrease over time and as you perform actions. While Gunvolt is rather powerful, he won't earn nearly as many points as Kirin. He does however have the ability to sort of float, as well as jump infinitely, making traversing certain areas much easier. More often than not I found myself only swapping to Gunvolt in order to search for these "skill tokens" that you can collect during stages.

So what are these skill tokens I'm talking about? Well, Kirin has four active skills, and a number of passive skills she can equip, although you'll have to earn them. During a stage you will see these sort of glowing two square emblem things (don't worry, they're pretty big and rather blatant in the first mission). Each one of these represents a skill. Upon completing a stage, depending on your ranking and how many tokens you've found, you'll get some of the skills. Extra skills acquired will be converted into cash. You also earn an extra skill for collecting all the tokens in a stage, as well as meeting a specific condition while fighting the stage boss. Don't worry if you don't get anything good your first time, you can retry the stages again and again in order to build up both money and to earn the skills you want.

As you earn skills you can equip them on Kirin. While the four active skills are mapped to the four cardinal directions on the right thumbstick and can be equipped immediately after earning them, the passive abilities are a little different. See, Kirin has a level value, and increasing her level will both increase her health, as well as unlock new passive ability slots. The abilities will come in different rarities, and will take the form of a "previous memory" of Gunvolt, or essentially cameos from previous games, or characters from Gunvolt 3. If you get the rarer version of an ability, you can actually expend money to upgrade it. As an example, after clearing the first stage you get the passive ability that lets you exchange the talismans for a dodge. It starts at costing four talismans, but upgrading it reduces it to three, and then two, although it does cost a lot to do so.

One of my favourite aspects of the Gunvolt series is how unique the stages and bosses are. Each stage and boss are themed and designed in different ways, and have their own gimmicks and patterns they follow. Let's take a look at one of the earlier stages, what is essentially a floating warehouse. The first portion of the stage has you hopping on boxes and pontoons to make your way inside while avoiding rising and falling water. You need to judge whether you're confident in the warp strike, or if you should swap to Gunvolt more often. Once you reach the boss of the area, they will predominantly use large masses of objects clumped together and throw them around the boss arena. The other stages and bosses don't have similar concepts, making each stage feel fresh and exciting.

Gunvolt 3, and the series by extension, is a very interesting title. While you don't get penalized for taking it slow and exploring, you are rewarded for blazing through a stage, with fast enough times giving score multipliers. Now this isn't to say you should do so right off the bat, like I mentioned you need to find some of those skill tokens, but it is nice to see your abilities in effectively clearing a stage rewarded. Additionally, once you hit 1,000 kudos, and every multiple thereafter, Lumen will appear to sing a song for you that gives you a buff. It's a very neat mechanic.

While Gunvolt 3 is fast paced and can be quite challenging at times, it is by no means especially brutal in what it throws at you. Well, intentionally anyways. The bosses will normally banter with you during a fight, which is all well and good, except their text boxes and character portraits pop up as well, meaning they can be obscured in a corner of the screen if you leave the mid battle text activated. Super annoying, but not unmanageable. Another issue I had was with how finicky Kirin's warp strike can be, or Arc Chain as I think they call it. Occasionally I would find myself either dashing or attacking instead of using the warp move. It isn't super often, and it normally isn't a huge deal, but it can get a little annoying if you do it over a pit.

Summary

Overall, I have to say that Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 is a great addition to the series, and is easily accessible to both new players and those who have played previous titles. Gameplay and combat is smooth, bosses and stages are interesting, and it's super fun to collect all the skills and see the cameos from previous titles. While there are a few issues here and there, it isn't nearly enough to truly take away from the experience.

If you've been looking for something to meet that old Megaman / Megaman X vibe, you can't go wrong with Gunvolt.

Score: 9 / 10

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Gal*Gun Double Peace Headed for Nintendo Switch in 2022!

PQube (London, UK) - December 7th, 2021 - PQube and developer Inti Creates are excited to reveal that cult classic rail shooter 'Gal*Gun Double Peace' is coming to Nintendo Switch in 2022!

●     Originally released in 2016, beloved cult classic 'GalGun Double Peace' joins the rest of the 'GalGun' series on Nintendo Switch for the first time!

●     Available as both a Physical & Digital release!

●     Notoriously lewd and outrageously cute rail-shooter - 'Double Peace' is the best-loved in the series

●     Take on hordes of girls vying for your affection as you attempt to find your one true love

●     Multiple endings depending on your choices

●     Huge story to play though as well as the much-loved Score Attack mode

●     Unlock skill upgrades to power up your abilities

●     A brand new opening movie featuring your favorite cast of characters!

●     The 'Horny Trinity Edition' is available to pre-order now from Funstock!

●     The new Switch version includes most of the DLC straight out of the box, with lots of costumes from cute to downright weird!

Read Some Of Our Euphoric MetaCritic User Reviews!

"Plays like a cross between House of the Dead and Time Crisis."

"Innuendos fly rapidly, and fan-service aplenty"

"I'm here for the panties and that's exactly what I got."

Check out the 'Gal*Gun Double Peace' Announcement trailer:

A Love-Infused Rail Shooter Like No Other!

'GalGun: Double Peace' has become a genre-defining game for an entire generation of players. As a celebration of this glorious game, the new Nintendo Switch edition has been created just for you! Step back into the wonderful world of girls throwing themselves at you in 'GalGun: Double Peace' for Nintendo Switch!

A rail shooter with a difference - replace bullets with pheromone shots, and enemies with giddy love-obsessed school girls. Every love letter and advancing kiss drains your energy! Repel them while upgrading your power-ups and take part in outrageously lewd mini-games to find your true love!

Fend Off Waves Of Admirers!

When Houdai, the portrait of an uninteresting normal student, is shot by a cupid angel named Ekoro, he becomes immensely popular - in the blink of an eye every girl at the academy becomes insanely hot for him.

But being irresistible to the ladies is hardly a dream come true for Houdai. Every love letter, shout of adulation, or advancing kiss will drain his energy. He has to stay strong – because if Houdai doesn’t find his one true love by the end of the day, he will become cursed and destined to be forever alone.

A Multitude Of Game Modes!

●     Story Mode: Can you fend off all the girl's advances and successfully confess your feelings to the girl of your dreams?

●     Score Attack: Achieve the highest scores on each level!

●     Doki Doki Mode: Break out the big guns and turn the girls' happiness up to 11! Aim for the coveted 'Double Peace' result!

●     Closet: Change the girl's outfits as you desire, with lots of different options available, including 450 different underwear designs (yes, really)

●     Collection: Take a look at your achievements, image gallery, and information on all the lovely ladies at the Academy!

'Horny Trinity Edition' Available To Pre-Order!

In celebration of this iconic release, the 'Horny Trinity Edition' is available to pre-order from our friends at Funstock now! This edition of 'GalGun Double Peace' includes:

●     A 3-in-1 slip case with original artwork, holding all 3 Nintendo Switch games in the series

●     2 Plushies featuring the iconic Devil 'Kurona' and our favorite Angel 'Ekoro'

●     The 'DIY Tentacle Kit' stockings

●     A 17cm acrylic standee featuring limited edition artwork of some of our favorite characters across all 3 'GalGun' games!

●     Ultimate Edition also available, including all 3 'GalGun' games on Nintendo Switch!

'Gal*Gun: Double Peace' Releases on Nintendo Switch on March 17th, 2022!

For more information and the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, Instagram, and our official website: http://pqube.co.uk/

About Inti Creates

Inti Creates was founded on May 8, 1996 in Chiba Prefecture, Japan by a group of game industry veterans. Over the years, they have worked very hard to become one of Japan’s biggest and most successful independent developers. Starting back on April 23, 1998 with the development their very first game, Speed Power Gunbike that was released on the Playstation 1 in Japan, they have gone on to create a robust lineup of self-published titles from their Azure Striker Gunvolt series and Gal*Gun series to the Blaster Master Zero series, Dragon Marked for Death, and Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon. They have also developed dozens of titles over the years for major video game publishing companies like Capcom, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Sega, and Sony Computer Entertainment.

About PQube

PQube is a leading international creator, publisher, and distributor of interactive entertainment. The company’s teams worldwide are committed to publishing games they love by working closely with development partners and reaching consumers globally on all major gaming platforms. PQube manages a rich portfolio of brands including Cat Quest, New Super Lucky’s Tale, BlazBlue, Gal*Gun, White Day, Kill La Kill, Nexomon: Extinction, Guilty Gear, Kitaria Fables, and many more. Visit: pqube.co.uk to find out more.

Article by: Susan N.

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Blaster Master Zero 3 - Switch Review

Blaster Master Zero 3 by developer and publisher Inti Creates—Nintendo Switch review written by Pierre-Yves.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

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After having originally saved the Earth from the Mutant invasion in the original Blaster Master Zero, the SOPHIA's support android Eve was infected by their virus. Heading towards Eve's home planet of Sophia, plans didn't quite go according to plan in Blaster Master Zero 2. Having finally made it though, things took a turn for the worst, Jason must now turn rogue and escape from a wrongful imprisonment during a mutant attack on the planet Sophia to save Eve who's he's been separated from before things are too late as the whole planet is out to get them.

Now while I would readily recommend playing through the first two entries in the series to know exactly what's going on and who's who as there are a couple of people to keep track of including a previous adversary now warming your support chair, you can still easily drop into the new adventure without it. Will some points be lost? Sure, but, BMZ3 does a good job at telling you what you need to know for the adventure ahead including some of what's already been said and done.

Otherwise fans of multiple genres are in for a treat. Blaster Master Zero 3 continues the twists on classics by combining 2D Metroidvania platformers with 3D action adventure styles through a variety of environments both in the "real-world" and what is known as the super-dimensional space. Having previously thought of this as a really neat concept and having enjoyed it, the latest entry has upped its game adding in extra elements to both challenge and confuse you as the adventure moves on.

Starting off on a point that can either make or break the experience, the start of BMZ3 sees Jason starting from scratch as all of his equipment has been taken away and the Metal Attacker that he pilots has been stripped bare. Starting from nothing especially in a series can be tough especially when it's the same character as before and you have been loaded up to the nines with all of your gear. Some do this well, some others miss the mark completely, but BMZ3 does a decent job as it integrates it into the story and it makes the premise of this loss make sense.

So with nothing more than a voice at the other end of a comm, Jason breaks out of jail, grabs his weapons and the SOPHIA and moves to find both Eve and the dimension frog Fred that’s pulled them both out of a few jams with his portals. From there, the rest is a blast and I mean that literally as you’ll be jumping, running, dodging and shooting your way through a variety of mutants and planet Sophia security forces and it’s brilliant in how you go about it.

It’s really an interesting style that can take some time to adjust to as you have to constantly think about two separate styles and gameplays. While exploring in the SOPHIA, you’ll be in a 2D side scrolling view driving, wall jumping, thruster packing and eventually even driving on the walls and flying through water to reach your goals. Helping you out are a variety of weapons from the main cannon to missiles, guiding lasers, incendiary shells and more. As the controls only really allow you to move, jump, and use two weapon systems, there’s the ability to map other weapons systems, or exploration systems like dashing through things, to your triggers making things much more interesting once the giant bosses come out to play.

Being a tank though, the SOPHIA can’t go everywhere and often Jason is going to have to leave the safety of the tank to go out on foot. Like the tank though, Jason has plenty of gear to help him fight on the ground such as blasters, laser whips and other fun blaster type weapons, bombs and spiral blades. Upping his prowess, Jason also has the ability to counter enemy attacks from both ranged and melee which can turn even the most helpless of situations into manageable ones. It’s fun and the switch between the two styles helps keep things fresh as there’s a flow and it’s not always just more of the same.

New to Blaster Master Zero 3 is the integration of what is known as the super-dimensional space which acts as an added layer of puzzling and exploration for Jason both inside and outside of the SOPHIA. Inside, he’s safe but there can be some pretty crazy things that happen such as the reversal of gravity meaning that if you were trying to go down, you now have your work cut out for you as your tank is only ever trying to go up. On foot though, things are much more dangerous as it adds in a time limit to how long Jason can actually be there as there’s only so much of the added pressure that his suit can handle at a time before it collapses on him.

Where things can get really tricky, and this falls into a love it or hate it, are the boss fights. They are big, they are bad, but once you master their move sets, they are easy but some may take some time in order to get there. The love it or hate it though is that some boss fights will start in the super-dimensional realm and then move to the real realm, or, the other way around. In either of these cases, one phase will be in 2D and the other in a 3D format and if you fail in either stage, you’re going to have to restart from scratch. If I were to have had any issue, that would have been it.

So between the real and the super-dimensional worlds, the 2D platforming and the 3D action adventure sequences, there’s plenty to keep you on your toes as you move forwards in order to try to find Eve. Bringing back some of the previous cast both full time and as subplots was also neat as there are some things that you wouldn't have expected that work out great, and in other moments, the dialog is just gold as not everyone who’s made a comeback is a friend. BMZ3 has great gameplay, well written dialog, and some puzzles that will really make you think about how the hell you’re going to pull it all off.

Summary

Overall, fans of metroidvanias, 2D platformers and 3D action adventures will have plenty to look forward to even if you’ve never dipped your toes into the world of Blaster Master Zero. For returning fans? The finale is worth it and the upgrades to previous systems and the addition of new ones was just simply fun.

Score: 8.25 / 10

 

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Blaster Master Zero 2 - Switch Review

After the recent announcement and surprise release during the latest Nintendo Showcase, Blast Master Zero 2 became available for fans of the now one off having become a series. Reprising your role as Jason alongside the help of Fred the dimensional frog and the android Eve, you'll now be exploring the Galaxy in a new version of the SOPHIA. Your Goal? Head to Eve's homeworld in order to save her from the parasitic infection of mutant DNA that is currently taking her over, and yes, I love the nod to Parasite Eve!

A bit of disclaimer here, I've never played Blast Master Zero so I can't really compare the sequel to it's predecessor. What I can do however is state what a pleasant and fun experience it is. Merging a side scrolling metroidvania in a flying tank alongside smaller third person action dungeons when Jason gets out of the SOPHIA to explore smaller areas? Hours went by the first time I picked it up and man were they worth it.

Being new to the series however, BMZ 2 starts off with a quick recap of the events of the first while also setting up the direction of the second. Now unable to leave the SOPHIA as it's the only thing keeping Eve's mutations at bay, she, Jason and Fred set out to cross the universe in hopes of finding a cure to Eve's condition.

As nothing ever goes to plan, BMZ 2 starts off with the crew of the SOPHIA crash landing on a random planet that just happens to be inhabited by mutants that will kill you if you're not careful. Acting as a tutorial, it doesn't take long before figuring out that there are essentially three types of gameplays available. Split more into half of one and then two halves of the others, the core gameplay of BMZ will be in the SOPHIA as you drive, jump, wall jump, hover and shoot your way across plenty of alien planets. The controls are simple but add some complexity when you start to get newer weapon types that are more than your simple cannon fire and basic rockets.

Anything outside of your standard attack and jumps uses up power. Rockets, Homing Rockets, Hovering and a lot more, all use parts of your power meter. Your meter will fill up in time but it’s slow and more often than not you’ll probably empty it in the heat of the moment causing the SOPHIA to go into a power drained mode. While power drained, the SOPHIA takes added damage, does less damage, and is all around more vulnerable to enemy attacks. To circumvent this, falling from REALLY high will cause a spike in your power systems as it’s possible to recharge through kinetic energy. Who would have thought dropping from so high would have been a good thing and not kill you? Well in a tank it doesn’t, as Jason leaves the cockpit, you’d better be careful.

Unlike Trogdor who was a Man, a Dragon Man, no, he was just a Dragon! Jason is a Man and a fairly normal one at that. Jumping out of the SOPHIA'S cockpit is definitely not safe but it is often required in order to fit into smaller spaces that lead to either bonus items or items that are required in order to continue exploring.

The first of Jason’s gameplay modes plays out like riding around in the SOPHIA however a fall from what could simply look like a modest height is more than enough to end Jason's life. You have to be quite careful. Only adding to the danger are that the beings that attack you while in your tank are even more dangerous once Jason is outside of it and Jason's blaster is not quite the most powerful. So limiting just how far he needs to go before finding a space to duck into is always best.

Once you get Jason into an area though, things spice up a bit as the 2D platforming is replaced with a 3D action / adventure type of gameplay in which Jason is truly the main star with plenty of weapons at his disposal. Becoming essentially less squishy, these segments had to have been my favorite part. Running around shooting your enemies, solving puzzles and performing boss fights. It was fantastic as it was never overly complicated nor was it ever drawn out to the point of boredom.

Now it’s not that you don't have boss fights in the SOPHIA, but it really isn't the same. There’s a bigger stress as you have a squishy body and all depending on your performance, you’re penalized which can severely limit your combat options. Acting like a reverse power meter, Jason can pick up power ups that allow for bigger moves to be performed that require xth amount of power to perform. While this sounds rather standard, if Jason is hit, the power meter drops. This teaches you very fast to learn enemy patterns and use what you have as effectively as possible.

Blaster Master Zero 2 was loads of fun. Coming out of nowhere for fans of the first and for me, I have zero regrets and will now head out in order to play the first to see just how the two compare to one another. With more or less three varied modes of gameplay, slick controls and plenty of new abilities to pick up and use against standard and boss mutants alike, there’s plenty to enjoy for both fans of metroidvanias and platformers!

Game Information

Platform:
Nintendo Switch
Developer(s):
Inti Creates
Publisher(s):
Inti Creates
Genre(s):
Action
Platformer
Metroidvania
Mode(s):
Single Player
Other Platform(s):
N/A

Source:
Provided by Publisher

Article by Pierre-Yves

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Gal*Gun VR - PC / VR Review

Gal*Gun VR tells you just about everything you need to know in its title. You're playing a shooter, surrounded by gals while wearing VR glasses to help immerse you in this virtual reality title. Sure, there is plenty of fanservice here, but at its core we actually have surprisingly solid if unspectacular action game as well. The downside is, it can be pretty shallow also.

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Week in Review - March 20th to 24th

Following on the back of last week, here's this week's Week in Review!

Monday Rémi asked everyone to dance with a preview of The Behemoth's Pit People that is currently available through Steam's Early Access. What did he think? He believes that it's a gift to the gaming world:

"Wrapping this up, here. Because yes, I believe Pit People indeed IS a gift to the gaming world (gift… wrapping… yeah), or at least it's shaping up to be. Its appeal, style, quirkiness and extremely diverse gameplay, alone, would make it a recommendation, but the Behemoth touch, through the narrator and the truckload of personality the game exudes make this one a special kind of game. "

- Rémi

A little hard to follow up on that, Tuesday saw Robert's Review of 343 Industries's Halo Wars 2.

"Halo Wars is a comfortable and appropriate evolution of the original and is a glowing successor to the original's daring attempt at creating a real-time strategy game for consoles. A new threat, an old friend, Halo Wars 2 fits into the entire Halo franchise quite well."

- Robert

Wednesday Richard tackled the differently styled Shoot 'Em Up Blue Rider.

"While not necessarily best in class or most unique, Blue Rider offers a fresh new 3D take on an old 2D style of game. Environments are bright and transition between each other fluidly, controls are smooth and easy to handle, and stage design was overall well done."

- Richard
 

The Switch saw a bit more action on Thursday with Nick tackling Blaster Master Zero by Inti Creates. Worth it? I would already say so being from Inti Creates but don't take my word for it!

"Blaster Master Zero hearkens back to a much older age in video gaming, but it does so with a certain loving care that does more than just rely on nostalgia."

- Nick

Finally yesterday I tackled Hollow Ponds' Loot Rascals. Like Adventure Time's art style? Like Roguelikes? Stop waiting and start playing!

"Loot Rascals was one of the more entertaining Roguelikes that I've played in a while. The visuals are pretty to look at and the mechanics are different than the "norm" making for a new and fresh experience to a style that I know very well and love for some strange reason."

- Pierre-Yves (Me)

That's it for this week. Have a great weekend!

- Pierre-Yves

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Blaster Master Zero - Switch Review

Blaster Master Zero hearkens back to a much older age in video gaming, but it does so with a certain loving care that does more than just rely on nostalgia. In truth, the original Blaster Master on the NES always felt somewhat ahead of its time when I played it, mixing genres a little and providing some outstanding platforming and action thrills. Blaster Master Zero is a really strong release title for the Switch and should readily appeal to fans of the older games.

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