Read Only Memories Expands to Print in December!

SAN FRANCISCO – Nov. 14, 2019 – Read Only Memories’ cyberpunk world, popularized by the narrative adventure 2064: Read Only Memories which has been downloaded by more than 1 million gamers, expands to print next month. MidBoss, together with IDW Publishing, will bring issue #1 of a monthly four-issue comic series to stores on Dec. 18, 2019.

Taking place in the years after 2064: Read Only Memories, the comic series focuses on franchise mainstay Lexi Rivers. Featured as a detective at the Neo-San Francisco Police Department in 2064, she will appear again in the upcoming Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER, which takes place after the comics.

Now a private investigator, Lexi tracks down a robot’s missing lover in a case taking her through the dangerous beaches of Santa Cruz, California. Worlds apart from the familiar streets of Neo-San Francisco, Read Only Memories issue #1 tackles new themes and questions in a hopeful cyberpunk future populated by sapient AI and genetically modified humans living under the giant thumbs of megacorporations embroiled in a fight for supremacy.

The series features art from Stefano Simeone, who has collaborated with iconic comic publishers including Disney, Dark Horse, and Boom! Studios. Together with writer Sina Grace, a veteran whose works include Marvel’s Uncanny X-Men and Iceman, they form a dynamic team to expand the vibrant setting of Read Only Memories to a whole new format.

IDW Publishing adds Read Only Memories to its roster of licensed property adaptations including Sonic the Hedgehog, Transformers, Star Trek, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Star Wars.

“IDW, Sina, and Stefano have put their hearts and souls into this limited-series, and the result is an amazing extension of the Read Only Memories universe,” said Cade Peterson, CEO of MidBoss. “The depth of character expression offered by comics is the perfect way for fans of 2064 to learn more about Lexi, while providing a compelling introduction to the cyberpunk universe for newcomers.”

Read Only Memories Issue #1 will be available for purchase at local comic stores, and digital copies can be found online at Comixology. The second of the four issues will be available in January 2020. The trade paperback collecting all four issues in one volume is available for pre-order from online bookstores.

For more information and updates follow MidBoss on Twitter and the studio’s blog. IDW Publishing can be found on Twitter with additional details about Read Only Memories on its official website.

About MidBoss

Based out of San Francisco (although not the Neo kind), MidBoss aims to make the world better, safer and more inclusive for marginalized people, especially those across the gender and sexuality spectrum, by creating cool experiences through games and other forms of media which diversify representation, as well as becoming a platform for queer content around the world.

To learn more about MidBoss visit the studio’s official website, Twitter, and blog.

About IDW

IDW Publishing stands proudly at the forefront of printed visual entertainment, cultivating a formidable library of world-renowned licensed brands and creator-owned original IP. Its diverse array of comic books, graphic novels, and art books deliver reading enjoyment to fans of all ages. Its award-winning imprints The Library of American Comics, Yoe! Books and Artist Editions preserve the valuable cultural history of the sequential art medium, while titles under the critically acclaimed Top Shelf and Black Crown banners celebrate fiercely independent voices. IDW Publishing is a division of IDW Media Holdings, Inc. (OTCQX: IDWM), a fully integrated media company with robust offerings in publishing, tabletop gaming, multimedia entertainment, and art exhibition via the San Diego Comic Art Gallery.



Article by Susan N.

Read More

Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes Complete Edition - PC Review

Taking up events seven years after No More Heroes 2, Travis Strikes Back has our assassin once again come out of retirement to fend off against Badman who's out for his head. Having previously killed his daughter, Travis fights against this family once again only to be pulled into a video game universe where everything is about death and portable toilets are still your save points.

The only admission that I have to make is that I have not played No More Heroes 2 as by that point I had moved away from the Wii and into both the PS3 and the Xbox 360. So because of that, I needed a bit of a catch up course in order to fill out the gap that I had between NMH 2 and NHM 2.5 (which is this). Honestly? I didn’t even need this as for the most part other than a bit of context why Travis is out in the middle of nowhere playing games in a trailer? It’s not important as the real world is stripped away before you even get to swing your beam saber around.

Sucked into a video game console world called the Death Drive Mk II and told by Death himself that he would end you if he had the damned credits to do so, it doesn’t take long for you to get moving in the digital world. Unlike No More Heroes, and No More Heroes 2, Travis Strikes Back takes a more isometric arcade beam ‘em up view (heh see what I did there?) to lay the smack down on anything getting between you and winning the game to make it out. It’s over the top, but it’s par for the course with this series on that front makes it feel right at home. From a gameplay perspective? I love me a good beat ‘em up but even I found it to be a bit too repetitive without enough changing up in your abilities as you basically start with almost everything on hand.

With no real segway between the tutorial and the actual gameplay, things get to the point really fast but then they just keep rinsing and repeating every time you get to fight a bunch of enemies. Either taken out with one hit or with an insane amount wondering if they’ll ever die, the most you’ll have to strategically take into consideration is recharging your beam saber which is still a thing. Now instead of shaking a wii mote up and down rather suggestively, you click on the left thumbstick and then wiggle the right one left and right. It doesn’t take long to get the energy flowing again, kind of suggestive but hey, it’s part of the charm, and getting right back to chopping down your enemies.

Unlike your normal enemies though, boss fights are for lack of a better term “legit”. They are fun, they have phases, and they feel more like No More Heroes than the standard gameplay does. This makes what is almost trudging through certain “games” at times more than worth it as you are treated to an epic fight, and to some dialog after all of the hacking and slashing that you’ve been doing with no one to really talk to save a random grandfather ghost and the ramen seller that will heal you up if you ask him for a bowl. Itadakimasu!

This is only half of the experience though. The other half has both Travis and Badman kicking around the trailer before Travis heads out in order to find the rest of the Death Balls. Not to be confused with the Seven Dragon Balls, the SIX Death Balls can grant any wish point finale. It’s not based off of the Dragon’s limitations. But wasn’t Badman trying to kill Travis you ask? Yes he was! BUT, already having one the Death Balls the two sort of start working together because what’s better than playing alone? Coop! So while you can choose your character for Single Player, in Coop one player will have Travis while the other will have Badman.

As it stands to be par for the course as the No More Heroes series is quite over the top, the WHOLE experience is a melding pot of styles and presentations that make you wonder exactly what the dev team were on when they made this. Gameplay while always behaving the same will adjust points of view and depth of field, the way in which characters talk and interact will change whether in the Death Drive Mk II or exploring the world for more Death Balls in an almost Metal Gear Solid presentation meets a text based adventure like Zork. It’s random as hell and at times I just had to smile and chuckle as the ridiculousness of it all.

Finally, other than diving through a video game to actually get your hands on the Death Balls and text based adventuring the world to find the items to slap into the Death Mark to get the Death Balls, you can kick around your trailer as Travis while Badman sits there and doesn’t do a whole hell of a lot. Archives allow you to look up on stuff, your computer and access to the internet allows you to buy stuff like T-Shirts in which I totally ran around with a Salt and Sanctuary one while giving Badman an Enter the Gungeon T-Shirt.

While different than the previous two No More Heroes, Travis Strikes Back is a decent 2.5 entry that is basically preparing the way for No More Heroes 3. With each game to uncover a Death Ball in the Death Drive MK II being different, there are at least multiple different visuals to be had even if the core gameplay doesn’t change that much from what you are taught in the very beginning.

Game Information

Platform:
PC
Developer(s):
Grasshopper Manufacture
Publisher(s):
Marvelous
Genre(s):
Action, Adventure, RPG, Beat 'Em Up,
Mode(s):
Single Player, Coop
Other Platform(s):
Nintendo Switch

Source:
Provided by Publisher

Article by Pierre-Yves

Read More

Paradox Introduces a Video Series about Crusader Kings III

STOCKHOLM - Paradox Development Studio has released an introduction to an upcoming series of videos about the development of Crusader Kings III. In this opening video, Game Director Henrik Fåhraeus lays out his vision for the game, speaking about his history with the franchise and his aspirations for the upcoming grand strategy game.

Future installments of this video series will include summaries of information revealed in the previous month’s Developer Diaries so people can follow along with the game’s development.

Crusader Kings III is the sequel to Paradox’s beloved medieval strategy role-playing game. It was announced last month at the annual Paradox Convention and is scheduled for release in 2020.

About Paradox Interactive

Paradox Interactive is a leading global publisher of strategy games for PC and console. The company has developed and published a world-renowned catalog stretching back to 1999, with players hailing from all around the world.

The publisher’s steadily-growing portfolio includes firmly established franchises such as the critically acclaimed Europa Universalis, Crusader Kings, Hearts of Iron, and Stellaris series created by Paradox Development Studio, the Age of Wonders series created by Triumph Studios, as well as award-winning titles such as Cities: Skylines, Pillars of Eternity, and more from a network of partner studios. Paradox is the owner of the World of Darkness IPs and is publishing Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2.

Paradox’s head offices are located in Stockholm, Sweden. Our development studios are located in Stockholm, Malmö and Umeå, Sweden, in Delft, The Netherlands, in Seattle, Washington, and in Berkeley, California. We share a passion for gaming and gamers, and our goal is to provide deep and challenging games with hours of gameplay and endless variety to our ever-growing community.

For more information, please visit our forums and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Comet sighted!


Article by Susan N.

Read More

Cat Quest 2 - Switch Review

Cat Quest II is the much-awaited sequel to Cat Quest, from a couple years back, as the name suggests.  It isn’t a true sequel, mind you, because you’re not playing the same cat.  Except you kind of are?  You arrive at the port adjacent to the catpital, after a long and arduous journey, to the world once more.  People seem to remember you, but they also don’t really seem to remember you as well as they should as the savior of the world from the first game, so … what gives?

Story

Felingard and the Lupus empire are at war!  Each great nation is ruled over by a fearsome and warmongering monarch that seems more interested in wiping the other empire from existence than in enriching the lives of his own subjects.  You start off in Felingard, at the aforementioned Catpital, and it’s up to you to figure out what is going on, why you don’t remember anything, where you’ve been for so long, and just how to go about thwarting King Lioner.  Along the way, you’ll delve into caves, complete sidequests, and make your way to the Lupus empire, where you learn about Lord Wolfen, the monarch of the Lupus Empire. 

In the Lupus empire, you learn that not all dogs go to heaven, but not all of them are all that bad, either… they’re just doing what they’re told, and reacting to the only information that they’re given… that cats are arrogant and holier-than-thou.  But you see, it’s not all cut and dry.  There’s cats that are drugging and mutating fellow felines, dogs that are adopting cat refugees and lying to everyone, and even mobile troupes of both species that simply travel and play music together.  The social commentary that they’re not really all that different, and certainly not as evil or strange as they had each been led to believe of the other species draws some remarkable parallels in reality, but this game doesn’t exactly bludgeon you over the head with a clue-by-four about it, either!

Gameplay

The gameplay itself is, for the most part, unchanged since the first.  You can attack with your weapon, chain a combo together with that, dodge roll, use one of four equipped spells.  THEN you have the swap character button, which alternates between your adorable cat hero and your moderately tolerable doge hero.  He’s a good boy, really… it’s not his fault that dogs aren’t as good as cats, and you shouldn’t hold it against him!  There’s two kinds of weapons, which are melee weapons and staves/wands.  The former behaves much as you would expect, while the latter provides an infinite-ammo ranged option that usually powers up your magic stat (allowing your flamepurr to hit harder, for example), but also regenerates twice as much mana per hit as the sword.  This allows you to choose between the ‘in your face’ attack-flurry-then-roll-out gameplay, or the ranged hit-and-run, then nuke them with a massive space lazer style of play. 

The space lazer is gross, and I killed the final boss with a single cast of that along with the vacuum spell that pulls enemies in and holds them there.  Swapping between the cat and dog, though, allows you the option of equipping each hero with a different loadout or gameplay style, and different spells on each to boot.  So your mage cat (or dog) can handle healing, mana regen, and massive-but-slow damage, while your fighter cat (or dog…) can shake it up in melee with a huge sword, and all the damage reduction in the world with damage bubbles, attack buffs, a damaging melee aura, and more.  This is a linearly incremental addition to the game, but executed with the freedom that allows the build options to grow exponentially.  That’s just solid design.

Other interesting elements

This game is one part dog, two parts cat, one part adventure game, and about thirty seven parts pun.  Honestly, if puns bother you, especially cat/dog puns, you’re going to have a bad time playing this game.  I loved it, personally, but some of them felt like just too big a stretch.  Sure, the Labrathor vest and helm were fine, but Pawlonjir is just … Pawjolnir?  Mjolnir, okay? but punned up to the nines.  The Purrsecutor is by far the better punned up weapon anyways.

Issues / complaints

You’re going to want to play this with a controller, if you’re on anything non-console.  Just trust me on this one.  The controls on the switch just felt purrfect, especially with the wireless pro controller.  Each of the four shoulder buttons is one of the four assignable spell slots, while attack, roll, interact, and switch are the usual action buttons of A, B, X, and Y.  + is the menu, as you’d expect, and - is the map.  Now imagine, instead, wasd, shift, 1-4, space.  Ew.  This game was meant to be played on the switch, especially with your options for a ‘Player 2’ to control the other character, instead of alternating play.

Conclusion

This game is the cat’s meow and dog balls rolled all up into one, with a cute art style that feels so warm and genuine, along with music that always seems to suit the mood.  Caves and dungeons feel ominous and mysterious, while the overworld feels light, whimsical, and adventurous.  There isn’t a single negative feeling in this game that isn’t overcome and replaced with the whole ‘light and warmth’ message that The Gentlebros seem so fond of.  In today’s day and age, that’s a welcomed feeling that a lot more developers could stand to do once in a while, even if just to change it up from all of the angsty dark brooding edgelord plots that saturate the game market.  Want a game to play with your wife or kids?  Play this.  Want a game you can play for ten minutes a day on lunch breaks but still feel like you’re accomplishing something?  Play this.  Want a game that looks just as good on the go as it does docked, because they made everything cute, instead of gritty and photorealistic?  Play this.  At the very least, watch an LP of it… and THEN go play it. 

The gameplay is simple, but diverse… and the game is as hard as you want it to be.  You can stick to the main story and face a challenge, or you can do every side-quest in sight, explore every cave, and power-level your way to endgame state before you even visit the Lupus Empire.  But whatever you do, just play this game. I loved it, my wife loved it, even my cat loved watching me play it.  Now pounce along and go get this purrific title.

Game Information

Platform:
Nintendo Switch
Developer(s):
The Gentlebros
Publisher(s):
pQube
Genre(s):
Action, Adventure, RPG
Mode(s):
Single Player, Multiplayer
Other Platform(s):
Sony PlayStation 4, Microsoft Xbox One, PC, iOS, Android

Source:
Provided by Publisher

Article by Marc H.

Read More

New MOBA Primordials of Amiryon Announced for 2020

ZAGREB, HR – November 12, 2019 – WIREGAMES publishing company from Zagreb, Croatia in association with GD ENTERTAINMENT, an expanding game development studio out of Zagreb, Croatia, today announced Primordials of Amiryon, the all-new tug-of-war multiplayer online battle arena coming to PC in 2020. Featuring upgradeable Primordials, champions, minions, and more, Primordials of Amiryon charges players with commanding a large scale 1v1 battle and employing various strategies to crush opposing players in unique tug-of-war gameplay that emphasizes macro over micro

Priomordials of Amiryon is featured at this year's Reboot Infogamer in Zagreb, Croatia, beginning today, November 12 and ending November 17. The title is showing off extremely early pre-alpha gameplay where attendees can get first hands-on, receive awesome swag, and contribute to a title in the first stages of development, long before they typically see product.

Primordials of Amiryon features:

• Lord Over Land - Battle for control of the realm without the tedium of dictation. It's macro over micro.
• Choose Your Path - Upgrade Primordials, champions, minions and towers to directly counter an opponent's army.
• Battle of Wit and Will - Test your mettle in 1v1 duels. No teammates can steal glory or bring your great name to shame.
• Bolster Forces - Unleash devastating activatable abilities in support of valiant minions marching into a brutal war of attrition.
• Manage Resources - Spend resources early and go for the killing blow, or build up an economy in an effort to overwhelm the long-game.

ABOUT PRIMORDIALS OF AMIRYON

Primordials of Amiryon is a tug-of-war multiplayer online battle arena where players rule kingdoms and build armies to war for ever greater power. "One will rise, Many will fall”. Compete in 1v1 duels against other Primordials and their armies, simultaneously balancing resource management while choosing upgrade paths for buildings, champions and minions to gain key advantages on the battlefield. While even the greatest Primordial may not control every unit on the battlefield, some have abilities and ultimates that can turn the tide of war.

For more information on Primordials of Amiryon, please visit the official website www.primordials.game, and follow the game on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PlayPrimordials/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/playprimordials.

ABOUT WIREGAMES

WIREGAMES is a newly established video game design and publishing company based in Zagreb, Croatia. In collaboration with GD ENTERTAINMENT, they are publishing their first title Primordials of Amiryon set to release on PC in 2020. www.wiregames.eu

ABOUT GD ENTERTAINMENT

GD ENTERTAINMENT is a game development studio located in Zagreb, Croatia. Established in 2018, GD ENTERTAINMENT features a team of experienced and new developers with a passion for engaging and competitive games that challenge the status quo in development. Their latest developmet project Primordials of Amiryon is set to launch on PC in 2020. For more information visit: www.gd-entertainment.hr


Article by Susan N.

Read More

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games: Tokyo 2020 - Switch Review

With a decent variety of games and plenty of Sonic and Mario charm to carry the proceedings, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games: Tokyo 2020 is an enjoyable collection of mini-games. It really does not do anything surprising or new, but the amusing story and different games entertain all the same.

Read More

Angry Birds Celebrates 10 years with a New Campaign Titled "Bring the Anger"

ESPOO, Finland – 12 November 2019 – Since the original Angry Birds debuted nearly 10 years ago, the beloved mobile game and its many hit follow-ups and spin-offs have been downloaded over 4.5 billion times collectively. Today millions of people around the world each day play an Angry Birds title. With the official 10th anniversary coming on 11 December 2019, Rovio Entertainment has kicked off the celebrations with a new campaign – titled “Bring the Anger” – that aims to show how anger can be converted into positive action!

Featuring multiple events that roll out from now through December, #BringTheAnger, created in partnership with Droga5, part of Accenture Interactive, launches today with the reveal of the Angry Birds “Rage Riders”, a custom line of voice-powered electric scooters that go faster the louder you vent. These exclusive scooters are engineered by Spin, the Ford-owned micro-mobility company. While the Rage Riders are not available to the general public, fans can see them in action via the reveal video or through the campaign’s “Squawk Squad”, consisting of popular YouTube creators like Tanner Fox, Team Edge, and Deestroying. The first adventures go live today.

In addition, Rovio – through its Angry Birds 2 mobile game – has teamed up with one of its existing partners, UNICEF Finland, for a new in-game event encouraging players to pop as many pigs as they can throughout November to promote good around the world. The event will culminate in a $100k donation to UNICEF’s Education in Emergencies fund, which supports education for children in conflict zones and other emergencies across the globe. Players do not need to donate any money in-game to participate — they just need to play! Members of the Squawk Squad will also be driving their fans to support the event.

And that’s just the beginning! Rovio is closely guarding the details of a new public event that will be unveiled in New York City’s Times Square on 21 November 2019. The attraction will feature an innovative device specially designed to give locals and tourists a chance to convert their anger into something good… and rest assured, it can take a venting, but the outcome will be worthwhile!

Fans can follow #BringTheAnger on Angry Birds Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages for new updates throughout the Angry Birds 10th-anniversary celebrations, or visit www.bringtheanger.com.

Angry Birds 2 on the App Store and Google Play Store

About Rovio Entertainment

Rovio Entertainment Corporation is a global, games-first entertainment company that creates, develops and publishes mobile games which have been downloaded 4.5 billion times so far. Rovio is best known for the global Angry Birds brand, which started as a popular mobile game in 2009 and has since evolved from games to various entertainment and consumer products in brand licensing. Today Rovio offers multiple mobile games and animations and has produced The Angry Birds Movie, which opened number one in theatres in 50 countries. Its sequel, The Angry Birds Movie 2, released worldwide in August 2019. Rovio is headquartered in Finland and the company's shares are listed on the main list of NASDAQ Helsinki stock exchange with the trading code ROVIO. (www.rovio.com)

About Spin

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Spin is one of the leading micro-mobility companies and a unit of Ford Smart Mobility, LLC. Spin has been recognized for launching the first stationless mobility program in the United States and was instrumental in crafting the world’s first mobility permit system. As a trusted and reliable partner, Spin currently operates electric scooters in many cities and universities nationwide and is the exclusive operator in dozens of markets. Spin is comprised of a diverse team of experienced professionals from government and private sectors, and the transportation advocacy world, all of whom are committed to fulfilling the company’s mission-giving people the freedom to move and bringing people, communities, and their urban environment closer together.


Article by Susan N.

Read More

Earth Defence Force: Iron Rain - PC Review

Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain is an interesting and corny run and gun game brought to us by Yukes. Full of corny dialogue, giant bugs, and fancy powered mech suits, Iron Rain certainly throws that nostalgia of low budget sci-fi movies at you.

You jump into Iron Rain as a nameless soldier in a fight with an invading horde of aliens in the form of giant bugs. Or at least, I think so. The Earth has all but been taken over by the alien invaders, and it is the job of you and your combat team to fight back against the invaders, as well as the rebel group that’s stealing all your resources.

With the aid of your fancy powered suit, you also have weapons with energy clips you can blast your way through some seriously oversized bugs. Iron Rain is pretty standard fair for the run and gun style of game: you’ve got two weapons that you can switch between, both changeable at the mission select screen. You also have a couple of different rigs to choose from which have different abilities. For instance the ones you start with give you a dash to use as a dodge or a flight rig.

Items you can bring into missions with you, such as healing items and items to revive your teammates can also be acquired through spending the cash you earn through killing the aliens. Sounds fun, right? Well, it would be if there weren’t a few glaring issues. First up, any of you played the Mass Effect games? Remember how awful the Mako controlled? Well, vehicles in this are worse. So very, very worse. The vehicles, especially the tank, controlled like a shopping cart with the two back wheels locked, with the weight of a freaking throw pillow.

Enemies are both really weak and ridiculously tough. Not because they’re particularly great at beating you up, but rather the combination of the enemies having some seriously precise homing shots and the ability to sandbag you make for some rather unfortunate situations. There were a couple of times where I got blindsided by an enemy and then swarmed, only to have the rest continuously knock me around. While you do have a sort of overdrive that blasts enemies back for a bit, they can still rather promptly overrun you. There is a wide array of weapons to choose from, but after doing a few missions, I found a set I liked and didn’t really have any reason to change off of them unless it was to purchase an upgraded version. The stages are also rather same-y for the most part. By the end of the third stage, you’ll probably have a good idea how the rest of the game will play out.

While Iron Rain does offer some rather entertaining gameplay and a decent array of weapons and customizable appearance, the missions mostly just feel repetitive or a struggle due to unfair enemy sandbagging. Ally AI characters are insufferably stupid, more often shooting out into nowhere rather than at enemies, and tend to walk in front of your fire. And yes, you can KO your allies through friendly fire. Stages also tend to produce a lot of lag, although not really consistent between stages. For instance, the last stage I played before writing this had a huge lag spike every 4 seconds almost exactly, whereas the stage before was intermittent throughout.

Overall, Earth Defense Force: Iron Raid is rather lacking as a whole. While the gameplay is ok and I don’t particularly mind repetitive stages (heck, I finished Robotron 64), some of the unfair situations you can get into really put a damper on it. While not unplayable, the combination of choppy frame rates and frustrating mechanics leave you feeling like Iron Rain can often feel like more of a demo than a full game. While I would recommend picking it up if it’s on sale or packaged with something else, I would be a little more reserved about getting it flat out, unless you’re a fan of the series or are looking for a multiplayer game to play with your friends.

Game Information

Platform:
PC
Developer(s):
Yuke's
Publisher(s):
D3 Publisher
Genre(s):
Action, Third Person Shooter, B-Lister Horror
Mode(s):
Single Player, Multiplayer
Other Platform(s):
Sony PlayStation 4

Source:
Provided by Publisher

Article by Richard

Read More

My Friend Pedro Available for Nintendo Switch!

EDISON, NEW JERSEY – Nov. 12, 2019 – Blood, bullets and bananas are slipping and sliding into North American retailers today with the special Nintendo SwitchTM physical release of chaotic side-scrolling game My Friend Pedro. Courtesy of retail distributor Nighthawk Interactive, the physical edition is packed with exclusive retail bonuses including an original 11”x17” poster, sticker pack and full game soundtrack. Copies are now available for $29.99 through all major retailers.

From indie developer DeadToast Entertainment and label Devolver Digital, My Friend Pedro is a violent ballet about friendship, imagination, and one man’s struggle to obliterate anyone in his path at the behest of a sentient banana. The strategic use of split aiming, slow motion, and the ol’ stylish window breach create one sensational action sequence after another in an explosive battle through the violent underworld.

Nighthawk Interactive’s Nintendo Switch retail edition of My Friend Pedro includes:

• Retail Exclusive Content – Everyone can go bananas with a specially created 11”x17” poster, sticker pack, reversible cover art and the game’s full, gritty soundtrack in this retail edition.
• Full Throttle Gun Ballet – Players can unleash a graceful torrent of destruction with an incredible level of control over weapons and body. They’ll twist and turn through the air while aiming both hands at priority threats, or line up a perfect bullet ricochet to drop an unsuspecting gangster from behind.
• Mix It Up – To break up the high octane running and gunning, dynamic sequences are introduced to offer new challenges, such as thrilling motorcycle chases and slower-paced physics-based puzzles.
• Slow Motion Braggadocio – When the action amps up to a frenzy, players bring it all into focus by shifting into slow motion to calm the nerves and steady the aim.
• Parkour! – While battling through each level, the number of points earned can be increased by incorporating acrobatic flips, wall jumps and rolls into enemy takedowns.
• Race to the Top – A global leaderboard is primed and ready for everyone to rack up points landing hits, kills and elaborate acrobatics.

My Friend Pedro is available at all major retailers including GameStop, Amazon, Best Buy and Target for $29.99. The game is rated M for Mature by the ESRB for Violence, Language, Blood, and
Gore.

About Nighthawk Interactive

Built by a team of industry veterans, Nighthawk Interactive aims to combine their proven experience with the ever-changing needs of modern game development. With a strong focus on publishing, co-publishing, retail distribution and business development support, Nighthawk is about helping developers make the great games we love to play. For more information about Nighthawk, visit www.NighthawkInteractive.com, and follow us on Twitter at (@NH_Interactive).

About DeadToast Entertainment

To find out more about Deadtoast, visit https://www.deadtoast.com/


Article by Susan N.

Read More

Stranded Sails: Explorers of the Cursed Islands - PS4 Review

Setting out with your father on one type of adventure, you'll soon find yourself and the crew of your father's ship stranded on a desert island after the ship you set sail on capsizes in the middle of a storm. Now stranded on a set of relatively warm and sunny islands, you'll be building shacks and making food for everyone as you could be here for a little while.

Coming right out and saying it, Stranded Sails is probably one of the most relaxing games that I’ve played in 2019. Having thought that I was going to be getting into a survival for dear life, I was instead treated to a rather light and easily paced simulation experience. Starting off with nothing more than your now bedridden father and two others, you’re going to slowly get around to growing crops and building shacks for each crew member to live in. It’s fairly straight forward and while there is a fair amount of emphasis on the exploration, the key is experimenting with cooking and building up other materials.

Starting off with learning to move around, the only thing that you’ll ever have to concern yourself with is the stamina meter that tells you how much more you can do before passing out. Walking, running, digging the ground with your shovel, chopping trees and just picking things up, each has a varying stamina cost as certain actions will obviously take more out of you than others. While your mind may be tempted to go the route of Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley, management of your stamina is actually quite easy and only gets easier as hours move on.

In the beginning you’ll have to head to bed to replenish your stamina once it gets low. A bit of a nice touch is that going to bed only makes the hours go by, it doesn’t actually make it skip to the next morning. This means that you aren’t wasting loads of time, but neither do you need to worry about it as days don’t actually count for anything out here. It’s really more of your hands are always on your controller and you can just get up and go when needed. There is a benefit however to sleeping to the sunrise as it gives you an added bonus to your movement which makes your stamina degrade slower. For everything else? There’s the food that you’ll be making.

Once you’ve gotten around to plowing a bit of your vegetable garden and planting corn followed by carrots, onions, potatoes and eggplants, you can start making food. In the beginning, food is only really for you, not everyone else, as you’ll be bringing your dishes with you in order to replenish your stamina once you’re far from base. As you’ve progressed a bit further and have gotten the hang of planting each type of vegetable as some renew while others need to be dug out and replaced, you get access to a cauldron that allows you to make stew for everyone. This stew lasts for hours at a time and while it feeds the crew that you’ve rescued, it’s really for you to avoid needing to sleep and to gain other bonuses before heading back out in the wild either to search for those still missing or materials that you need to build something new or getting your hands a little dirty with enemies that show up WAY down the line.

Stranded Sails: Explorers of the Cursed Islands is a fun and relaxing title that allows hours to simply tick past as you walk / run or row your boat from one island to the next. Exploring sandy shores is just as relaxing as going into caves or fishing underneath a stone outcrop. There’s nothing really hard about it as everything will come to you in time, you just need to get there first.

Game Information

Platform:
Sony PlayStation 4
Developer(s):
Lemonbomb Entertainment
Publisher(s):
rokaplay, Maple Whispering Limited
Genre(s):
Simulation
Mode(s):
Single Player
Other Platform(s):
Microsoft Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC

Source:
Provided by Publisher

Article by Pierre-Yves

Read More

Exclusive Editions for Granblue Fantasy: Versus

Torrance, Calif. – November 12, 2019 – XSEED Games, the independent-minded publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc. is excited to unveil premium editions for the hotly anticipated fighting game, Granblue Fantasy: Versus. They also confirmed that all versions, including the physical and digital standard editions, will come with a download code granting items for the original Granblue Fantasy game on mobile and web browsers. Launching exclusively for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, pre-orders for both physical versions of Granblue Fantasy: Versus will open shortly at the XSEED Games Store and participating retailers. This game will include both English and the original Japanese voices.

The retail Premium Edition will include a physical copy of Granblue Fantasy: Versus, a key to redeem Gold Brick (1), Sunlight Stone (1), Sephira Evolite (1) and Damascus Crystal (10) within the original Granblue Fantasy game, soundtrack CD, art book, a code to redeem a PS4 theme and avatar set as well as the Color Pack DLC to customize characters’ colors, all housed in a premium box with exclusive art for an MSRP of $79.99.

The digital Granblue Fantasy: Versus “Character Pass Set” will include the game code, key to redeem goods in the original Granblue Fantasy game, PS4 theme and avatar set, the character Color Pack DLC, and the Character Pass DLC for five to-be-announced characters, plus the Lobby Avatar “Nice-Abs Power Vyrn.” The Character Pass Set will be available exclusively on the PlayStation®Store for $79.99 at launch.

The digital Granblue Fantasy: Versus “Digital Deluxe” edition includes all contents of the “Character Pass Set,” plus digital soundtrack, digital artbook, and the same exclusive art that is featured on the Premium Edition box as a PS4 theme. The Digital Deluxe edition will be available exclusively on the PlayStation®Store for $99.99 at launch.

The Granblue Fantasy: Versus physical and digital standard edition, which will also include the digital goods for the original Granblue Fantasy game, is priced at an MSRP of $59.99. The Granblue Fantasy mobile game code will include each of the following: Gold Brick, Sunlight Stone, Sephira Evolite, and 10 Damascus Crystals.

About Granblue Fantasy: Versus

In Granblue Fantasy: Versus, power, skill, and spirit collide in a quest to find the true champion of the ring. Players can take on AI opponents or fight against human opponents in local or online two-player matches.

An international mobile game hit, Granblue Fantasy has topped the charts, charming players across the globe with a plethora of lovable characters and story-driven mechanics. Now, legendary fighting game studio ARC SYSTEM WORKS and Cygames are teaming up to bring the universe to home console in an action-packed head-to-head fighter. Featuring a colorful cast of their most popular “crewmembers,” each with a unique fighting style that is easy to learn but hard to master, Granblue Fantasy: Versus is developed to appeal to fans of Granblue lore and fighting games alike.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus will include an RPG Mode that features an all-new, original story told through beautifully rendered cutscenes. Players can play solo or team up with a friend to fight waves of enemies and formidable Primal Beasts in thrilling action-RPG combat. Additionally, RPG Mode features a comprehensive upgrade system for characters and weapons that fans of Granblue Fantasy should recognize right away.

Developed by Cygames and ARC SYSTEM WORKS and published in North America by XSEED Games, Granblue Fantasy: Versus is in development on the PS4TMsystem and scheduled for a Q1 2020 release in North America. The game has been rated “T for Teen” by the ESRB.

More information about XSEED Games’ products can be found at www.xseedgames.com. Fans can also follow XSEED Games on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Twitch and get in-depth info from their developer blog on Tumblr.

About XSEED Games

XSEED Games is the independent-minded publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Marvelous Inc., which is a publicly-traded company listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Formed in 2004 and located in Torrance, California, XSEED Games publishes interactive entertainment content for PC and consoles from the Marvelous portfolio as well as from a wide variety of third-party partners. Whether it’s Marvelous properties such as STORY OF SEASONS (Bokujo Monogatari), SENRAN KAGURA, and Rune Factory, or third-party titles such as the Corpse Party, AKIBA’S TRIP, and The Legend of Heroes: Trails series, XSEED Games has grown its reputation among gamers with its critically acclaimed localizations and commitment to fans, remaining ever dedicated to its “indie spirit, player-first” approach.


Article by Susan N.

Read More

Corpse Party 2: Dead Patient - PC Review

Coming off of the recent PC release for Corpse Party Blood Drive comes the sequel installment of Corpse Party: “Dead Patient”. Set in a hospital and not the well known Heavenly Host school, join Ayame in her trek through a seemingly abandoned hospital, soon discovering that she only wishes it were abandoned.

For those of you who know Corpse Party, or maybe have played Blood Drive before coming to this, first up you should know this is only for chapter 1, and chapter EX1, and that this isn’t really a “direct” sequel. Gone are the days of creeping through a school full of murderous ghosts, now you trek through a hospital full of murderous zombies. While some characters from the previous series make an appearance, Corpse Party 2 is focused on a completely different cast of characters, with the lead role being given to Ayame, a high school girl that awakens strapped to an operating table with no memory of what was going on prior to her waking up. As you guide Ayame through the hospital, looking for a way out, you quickly discover that the hospital is overrun with zombie-like creatures.

While the story may be standalone from its predecessors, the gameplay remains quite similar. As you explore the hospital, you will come across items to gather, and collectibles to find. Unlike in the previous installments, items are “equipped” instead of used through opening the item menu, although you can still do so for healing items. Also in a step away from the last series, I felt that there was more of a focus on the puzzle solving aspect rather than the exploration/survival, but that may only be because it currently only consists of one main chapter.

Puzzles are, for the most part, intuitive, if not easy, so you shouldn’t be pulling your hair out too bad, and backtracking is stated in-game, giving you a sense of direction when trying to find out where to go. With handy notes indicating your current goal, generally a destination, no longer will you spend an hour looking for a key to the science lab only to find out that the ghost you just talked to before the one you’re currently talking to had it, and just didn’t give it to you. Yes I’m bitter about Blood Drive, go away.

The art style as well is similar yet different, still going with the 3D isometric and chibi characters, but with a different, and very noticeable, difference after coming from Blood Drive. The music is also pretty well done, giving that spooky atmosphere that you’ve come to love and expect, just with a different flavour. I particularly liked the credits theme during the true end. Those new to the Corpse Party franchise may not understand when I compare to Blood Drive, but let me tell you that enemies in Blood Drive were relentless little pricks. Dead Patient sees enemies more as an… ascended nuisance, of sorts.

Yeah you can only take three hits, but most of the enemies are ridiculously slow, and the most common ones can watch you hide in a closet and will basically just shake it a few times and then waltz off. And no, they don’t follow you through doors anymore. What they do have is what basically amounts to stealth mode when the lights are out, and a sheer swathe of compatriots ready to chew you to bits. Thankfully stamina isn’t really a thing other than a sound effect, at least that I was able to figure out from playing normally, and it can be quite amusing to throw a can and distract the presumably undead hordes.

What isn’t so entertaining is that the game may take an hour for you to start playing, depending on your usual set-up. For whatever reason I could only get Dead Patient to run while steam was in Big Picture Mode while Dead Patient itself was windowed. Also, despite having exclusively controller based input directions, I couldn’t get a controller to work, instead having to rely on the ‘Z’, ‘X’, ‘C’, and ‘S’ buttons for actions and Esc for the pause menu. Interestingly enough, if you go to throw a can and then use the menu to cancel out, there will be a permanent white circle indicating where your throw would have been attached to the same “coordinates” of wherever it was when you cancelled out. I.e. if the circle was on tile X:3, Y:4, it would be on that same coordinate on the next screen.

Corpse Party 2: Dead Patient shows a lot of promise, and while I did really enjoy it, it only really took off towards the very end. Overall, Dead Patient is just too short with only one main chapter to really give it a true rating, although I found it quite enjoyable. While chapter 2 onward has been in development limbo for far too long, I would really like to see the continuation of this series. If you’re looking for something a little longer to tide you over after the last Corpse Party, unfortunately Dead Patient isn’t going to take long, as I clocked in at just barely over an hour and only missed a single collectible, but at least I had fun doing it, and hopefully you will too.

Game Information

Platform:
PC
Developer(s):
GrisGris
Publisher(s):
XSEED Games, Marvelous USA
Genre(s):
Horror
Mode(s):
Single Player
Other Platform(s):
INSERT

Source:
Provided by Publisher

Article by Richard

Read More

AO Tennis 2 Releasing in 2020

Lesquin, France, November 7, 2019 – BIGBEN and Big Ant Studios, Australia’s leading developer of sports titles, are delighted to announce their partnership for the publishing and distribution of AO Tennis 2, the second game in the official Australia Open series.

In AO Tennis 2, tennis fans can take themselves from the outside courts to centre-stage glory in the all-new narrative-driven career mode. For the first time in AO Tennis, success for a young talented player depends as much on external events as great play on the court, which provides deeper immersion into the world of professional tennis.

Players can once again use Big Ant's celebrated content editor, which was loved by the community in AO Tennis, to customize every element of their game. Furthermore, all content created and shared by users since the first game from 2018 will be available in AO Tennis 2. That's over 20,000 players and hundreds of courts that can be enjoyed by fans of the sport.

For fans that want to relive the glories of their favorite players, AO Tennis 2 includes a roster of some of the brightest talents across both the ATP and WTA, including Rafael Nadal, Ash Barty, Angélique Kerber and many others. All venues that will be used in the 2020 Australian Open will also be available in the game, so fans can enjoy maximum authenticity as they play along with the Australian summer of tennis.

Big Ant also listened to the community and has implemented many other improvements and new features requested by players. More details about content and the career mode will be shared soon.

Developed in close collaboration with the tournament's organizers, AO Tennis 2 will give fans a more intense experience of the Australia Open, the first of the year's four Grand Slam events, which begins on 20 January.

AO Tennis 2 is planned for release on 9 January 2020 on PC, PS4™, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch™.

About Big Ant Studios

Big Ant Studios Pty Ltd, a privately owned and operated independent game developer and publisher, is one of Australia’s largest and longest-running game development studios, having developed and published games from historic platforms including the Game Boy Advance and PlayStation®Portable, through to PlayStation®4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch™. Best known for producing high quality sports titles, Big Ant Studios have developed the highest selling AFL, Rugby League, Lacrosse and Cricket games of all time.

About BIGBEN

BIGBEN, a leading publisher of video games on PC and consoles, is known for its creativity and innovation. After its acquisition of four development studios (Cyanide, Eko, KT Racing and Spiders), which are all internationally recognised for their expertise in different genres, BIGBEN is strengthening its position as a developer and publisher of premium games and is aiming to become the world's leading AA publisher. www.bigben.fr


Article by Susan N.

Read More