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Spica Adventure, the iconic platformer from TAITO, is about to debut worldwide for the first time!

Spica Adventure + Parasol Stars releases digitally for €19,99 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4|5 and Xbox in 7 days!

Stuttgart, 7th April, 2026 – ININ Games and TAITO are excited to announce Parasol Superstars, a vibrant bundle uniting two beloved 2D platformers: Spica Adventure and Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III.

Launching digitally on April 14, 2026, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4|5, and Xbox, Parasol Superstars celebrates a major milestone: the first-ever worldwide console release of Spica Adventure.

To mark this special debut, players can take advantage of a limited-time launch offer: during the first week, the bundle will be available at 20% off, €19.99 / $19.99! The same price as Spica Adventure alone.


A Hidden TAITO Gem Finally Takes Center Stage

Originally exclusive to Japan’s arcades and mobile platforms, Spica Adventure is now stepping into the global spotlight for the very first time. Join Nico on a colorful, fast-paced journey through imaginative stages packed with quirky enemies and clever challenges. Armed with her versatile parasol, players will need both quick reflexes and strategic thinking to survive.

Inspired by the legendary mechanics of Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III, Nico’s umbrella becomes your ultimate tool!

Key Features:

  • Arcade Classic Reborn: Experience a Japan-only title on consoles for the very first time
  • A Kaleidoscope of Color: Delightful, vibrant 2D visuals bursting with personality
  • Dynamic Parasol Gameplay: Attack, defend, glide, and reflect with a single versatile tool
  • Choose Your Path: Explore 28 stages across branching routes for high replayability
  • Online Leaderboards: Compete with players around the world for the highest scores
  • Legendary Sound: Groove to energetic tracks by TAITO’s iconic sound team, ZUNTATA

Mastering the parasol is key, just like in its cherished predecessor.

But don’t get too comfortable: each stage pushes players to move quickly. Linger too long, and an unstoppable threat will appear, forcing you forward. With branching paths and multiple routes, every decision shapes your journey and replayability.

A Legendary Classic Returns Alongside a New Discovery

While Spica Adventure makes its long-awaited global debut, players can also experience (or rediscover) the timeless charm of Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III, the fan-favorite sequel in the Bubble Bobble universe, already beloved by retro enthusiasts since its modern re-release in 2023.

Together, both titles form the perfect combination of nostalgia and discovery.

Physical Editions Coming – Pre-Orders Still Open!

In addition to the digital release, we are preparing exclusive physical editions for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5.

Pre-orders are already live on ININGames.com. Preparations are progressing well, and we look forward to sharing more updates with you soon.

Pre-orders are available via ININGames.com, these include:

  • Limited Edition (USK + PEGI version)
    • Nintendo Switch or PlayStation 5
  • Special Edition, featuring:
    • Limited Edition of your choice of a platform
    • A curated soundtrack collection
    • A beautifully crafted artbook
    • A special box cover

About ININ

ININ Games is a leading publisher of high-quality retro and arcade video games, bringing classics from the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s to modern platforms – faithfully restored, reimagined, or continued with brand-new sequels. Dedicated to preserving digital gaming heritage, ININ enhances titles with technical improvements, new features, and quality-of-life options while retaining their original charm. Collaborations with Sega, Taito, Irem, Natsume, and Yu Suzuki have revived legendary series such as Space Invaders, Bubble Bobble, Shenmue, and Turrican. Active worldwide, ININ releases both physical and digital editions, and is rated by Metacritic as Germany’s highest-ranked publisher for exceptional quality and cultural value.

About TAITO Corporation

TAITO Corporation (TAITO) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. With headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, TAITO operates core businesses such as game arcade operations, manufacturing coin-operated game machines, and mobile phone content services. A seminal part of gaming history, TAITO caused a worldwide sensation with its arcade legend, SPACE INVADERS, and developed such fan favorites as PUZZLE BOBBLE (BUST-A-MOVE) and ARKANOID. Today, TAITO continues to thrill game lovers of all generations by offering both classic and new family-oriented titles on the latest gaming platforms. TAITO delivers a wide range of entertainment experiences with the goal of providing consumers with fresh surprises and new discoveries. More information on TAITO can be found on the Internet at https://www.taito.co.jp/en

Comedy Murder Mystery No Stone UnturnedLaunches on PC on 29 April

Take on Detective Cox’s first case later this month

London, United KingdomApril 7, 2026 | Wise Monkey Entertainment Ltd has announced that its comedy detective caper, No Stone Unturned, is launching on PC in Steam Early Access on 29 April 2026.

Watch the Release Date Announcement here:

No Stone Unturned follows the story of amnesiac squirrel gumshoe Detective Cox, as he investigates the mysterious death of a chicken found on the side of the road, in the small town of Orchard-Under-Hill. Armed with a magnifying glass, tape recorder, and crowbar, players will explore Orchard-Under-Hill, interview the residents, collect clues, and piece together the evidence to solve the mystery – all while playing through fast-paced, bite-size minigames.

The Early Access release for No Stone Unturned will let players play through Detective Cox’s first case, Cat Got Your Tongue, with four additional cases due to be added as free updates during the Early Access period.

As part of bringing No Stone Unturned hero Detective Cox to life, Wise Monkey Entertainment Ltd partnered with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop to create an official puppet of the buck-toothed sleuth, who has been gracing gaming events such as MCM and PAX, voiced by actor David Carter.

No Stone Unturned launches on PC in Steam Early Access on 29 April 2026, priced at £9.99 / $11.99 / €11.99, and can be wishlisted on Steam now.

About Wise Monkey Entertainment

Gareth Owens (the game’s creator) started out at 12 years old as a freelance script writer for the Film Industry whilst lying about his age, before becoming an Escape Room designer for the best interactive experiences in London. With two police detective parents and old comedy cassettes to inspire him, he turned his creative efforts to Mystery and Detective fiction. Thanks to a love for video games and the Film Industry feeling “doomed by streaming”, Gareth began learning to make games. Many years later, his debut release is coming soon with the help of a very small remote team of industry professionals and worldwide artists.

A Journey of Peril and Wonder Awaits: Sea of Stars is Now Available on iOS and Android

A Journey of Peril and Wonder Awaits: Sea of Stars is Now Available on iOS and Android

PARIS (April 7, 2026) – Sea of Stars is now available on iOS and Android. Sea of Stars follows the story of two Children of the Solstice, joining players with youths Valere and Zale as they face their fated duty of becoming Solstice Warriors.

By joining their Sun and Moon powers to cast powerful Eclipse Magic, this duo wields the lone power capable of fighting the monstrous creations of the evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer.

Set to a stunning soundtrack including original works by legendary composer Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger) who joins Sabotage Studio’s Composer Eric W. Brown, Sea of Stars is poised as one of the year’s absolute must-play games.

Players can now get the full game at a special 10% off launch price until April 14 ($8.99 instead of $9.99):

GAME FEATURES

  • Engaging turn-based combat: Along with timed hits, combat features combo attacks, boosting and a strategic “locks” system, all in an immersive take on the genre; no random encounters, no transitions to separate battlefields and no grinding.
  • Unshackled traversal: Swim, climb, vault, jump off or hoist up ledges as you traverse seamlessly through the world with a navigation system based on platformer expertise that breaks free from the classic bound-to-the-grid tileset movement.
  • Full-on dynamic lighting: Our custom-made render pipeline allows the creation of a breathtaking world coming to life by pushing the limits of 2D pixel-art games.
  • A story-rich adventure: Sometimes epic, sometimes silly and other times emotional, Sea of Stars does its RPG duty of exploring classic themes of adventure and friendship, while also being chock-full of the unexpected twists and events you’d expect from a Sabotage production.
  • A world you can touch: Sailing, cooking, fishing, stopping by a tavern to listen to a song or play the infamous tabletop game known as “Wheels”… Every system has been designed to deliver an experience that pays respect to retro classics, while rethinking in some areas to offer a smooth and modernized experience.

About Playdigious

Based in France, Playdigious is a publisher with in-house porting capacity working on high-quality indie games on mobile.

The company was established in 2015 by Xavier Liard and Romain Tisserand, experienced entrepreneurs who previously founded Dotemu. With more than 15 games released on mobile (Dead Cells, Streets of Rage 4, Northgard, Cultist Simulator…), Console (Dungeon of the Endless, Turmoil, Cultist Simulator…) and even on Netflix (TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, Spiritfarer), Playdigious brings its premium mobile industry experience to indie gems make them accessible to a new public. 

Raw Fury’s KuloNiku: Bowl Up! Now Available for PC and Mac

Get Ready to Turn up the HEAT with Some Delicious Dishes, Eccentric Locals, and a Quest to Become The Town’s Top Eatery 

STOCKHOLM – April 7, 2026 – Today, Swedish indie publisher Raw Fury and developer Gambir Studio served up their management-sim cooking game, KuloNiku: Bowl Up! on PC and Mac via Steam for $11.99/€11.99/£10.99 with a 20% launch discount until April 16th. Players can now jump into a charming cooking adventure to rebuild a beloved meatball shop and claim culinary glory. 

In KuloNiku: Bowl Up!, players have just inherited a once-famous meatball restaurant in the cozy town of KuloNiku. Players will take on eccentric orders from townsfolk, serve delicious meals, and bring the restaurant back to glory as the top eatery. However, players must beware – there’s fierce competition from the town’s flashiest rival: Souper Starz, run by the menacing rockstar chef, Stella. Ready to battle for the title of top eatery? 

Key features in KuloNiku: Bowl Up! include: 

  • Cook mouthwatering recipes – Get ready to pour, sizzle, slice, and skewer! Cook juicy meatballs, fry up toppings, and prepare other delicious ingredients in a restaurant kitchen.
  • Win thrilling cooking battles – In thrilling “Meatball Brawls,”  go head-to-head to impress a panel of rotating judges. It’s not just about speed – it’s about strategy, creativity, and mastering every step of the cooking process.
  • Upgrade and customize the restaurant – Keep things fresh! Unlock new tools, purchase better ingredients, personalize the restaurant with fun decorations, and discover brand-new recipes to keep the menu exciting and impress your customers.
  • Meet the eclectic folks of KuloNiku —Raise your relationship level with both friends and rivals to learn about their hopes and dreams. Get close enough to visit fun locations all around town!
  • Participate in Festivals —Opt-in to timed festivals to earn special vouchers redeemable for voucher-only customizations!

To keep up with the latest on KuloNiku: Bowl Up!, follow the game and its developers on X.

About Gambir Studio

Gambir Studio is an Indonesian game squad that’s been slinging pixels and code since 2016.  Gambir Studio has launched 13 games, hit over 10 million downloads worldwide, and basically turned coffee into code magic.

About Raw Fury

Raw Fury is an indie (un)publisher dedicated to connecting games with players by creating unforgettable experiences. With over 50 games published, including the Kingdom series, Blue Prince, Cassette Beasts, Norco, and Sable, Raw Fury has been consistently recognised as a top 10 publisher in Metacritic’s annual rankings. With an unwavering commitment to being the best partner for indie developers, Raw Fury continues to champion unique games and bring exceptional experiences to players worldwide.

Aether & Iron Original Soundtrack Out Now, Featuring Music by Grammy-Winning Composer Christopher Tin and Alex Williamson

The soundtrack is now available on Spotify, Apple Music, Steam and other streaming platforms 

Issaquah, WA, USA – April 7th, 2026 – Seismic Squirrel today announced that the original soundtrack for Aether & Iron is now available worldwide on SpotifyApple MusicYouTube MusicDeezerAmazon MusicSteam and other music streaming platforms. Composed by two-time Grammy Award winner Christopher Tin and Grammy nominee Alex Williamson, the soundtrack supports the game’s decopunk vision of an alternate 1930s New York through a blend of jazz and orchestral composition.  

Blending jazz-inspired elements with orchestral arrangements, the soundtrack is designed to support the tone and setting of Aether & Iron. The music underscores key moments across the experience, from tense encounters to quieter narrative beats set against the backdrop of an alternate 1930s New York. 

Available on Steam, the soundtrack release delivers high-quality lossless audio (FLAC), album art featuring key imagery from the world of Aether & Iron, and five exclusive bonus tracks only available on Steam. 

The release marks the latest collaboration between Tin and Williamson, whose previous work includes scores for the Civilization series, Old World, and the PGA Tour 2K franchise, bringing their combined experience in both orchestral and jazz-influenced composition to the Aether & Iron soundtrack. 

Aether & Iron Soundtrack is available now. 

Tracklist: 

  1. A City of Aether and Iron – 4:46 
  2. Sun On The Breeze – 2:14 
  3. The Easy Kind of Trouble – 2:55 
  4. White Street – 4:32 
  5. For Nellie – 3:57 
  6. The Quiet That Watches – 5:16 
  7. A Dangerous City – 4:19 
  8. Take To The Streets – 2:24 
  9. Turning Over Stones – 4:48 
  10. Nations Crusade Adagio – 4:39 
  11. What We Leave Behind – 2:40 
  12. A Good Day to Be Worried – 4:57 
  13. Role of a Lifetime – 2:02 
  14. Elegy – 4:50 
  15. In The City’s Shadow – 2:36 

Aether & Iron is now available on Steam for Windows and MacOS, featuring full English voice acting and text localization support for English, Spanish (Spain & Latin America), French, German, Polish, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese – Play the demo and wishlist Aether & Iron now on Steam!  

About Aether & Iron: 
Set in an alternate 1930s New York transformed into a vertical city by the discovery of “aether”, a key component to newfound anti-gravitational technology, Aether & Iron follows Gia, a smuggler navigating crime syndicates, political conspiracies, and fragile alliances. Players shape Gia’s story through meaningful decisions, with every choice influencing relationships, outcomes and the fate of the city itself. The game features writing talent with credits on Mass Effect, Far Cry, and Sovereign Syndicate, with an original score composed by two-time Grammy Award winner Christopher Tin and Grammy nominee Alex Williamson, best known for their work on the Civilization series. 

About Seismic Squirrel
Seismic Squirrel is a talented and passionate team of both industry veterans and enthusiastic newcomers. We share a strong desire to tell fascinating stories supporting engaging gameplay mechanics. 

Launch Date for World of Warships: Legends on PC Revealed, as April Update Arrives in World of Warships

World of Warships: Legends arrives on PC this May, and World of Warships’ latest update launches today with Tier IX German destroyer ZH-1 in the Dockyard, two new event passes, and Wave 8 of Azur Lane content

April 7th, 2026 – Wargaming, the developer and publisher of the leading naval MMO World of Warships, is excited to announce that World of Warships: Legends previously on console and mobile will be arriving on PC on May 4th. Additionally, Update 15.3 has arrived in World of Warships today with fresh content, including the brand new Tier IX German Destroyer ZH-1 introduced to the Dockyard, offering solid defensive firepower. Players can also work their way through two new themed event passes packed with rewards, prepare for the eighth wave of Azur Lane featuring new ships and Commanders, and look forward to a host of in-game improvements.

World of Warships: Legends on PC

World of Warships: Legends is sailing onto PC on May 4th 2026, available to players from 11:30 AM UTC, and bringing the same action-packed naval experience from consoles and mobile to Steam, Microsoft Store, and Xbox Game Pass. Players will be able to start fresh, or log in with an existing console or mobile account to continue their journey right where they left off with full cross-progression.

German destroyer ZH-1 comes to the Dockyard

Tier IX German destroyer ZH-1 has arrived in the Dockyard, ready to be built across 20 phases of construction. Based on the historic ship of the same name that served off the coast of France during the Second World War, ZH-1 comes equipped with multiple 120mm gun turrets, powerful airstrike capabilities, and versatile torpedoes, allowing her to devastate unsuspecting foes from both above and below.

Golden Week and Battle of the Coral Sea Event Passes

Update 15.3 also brings players double the fun with not one, but two standalone event passes filled with themed rewards across 15 levels. Players can unlock secondary progression paths via doubloons, as well as extra levels upon completion of both paths for additional rewards.

The Golden Week Event Pass includes themed permanent camouflages, Commander Masaru Tadamatsu, Japanese Tier VI Premium battleship Ise, a new Golden Tribute enemy destruction effect, and more. For the Battle of the Coral Sea Event Pass, players can look forward to notable historical Commanders that took part in the titular battle – Commanders Robert Dixon and Shigekazu Shimazaki – as well as American Tier VI premium destroyer Monaghan, a new permanent camouflage, and more across the progression lines.

World of Warships will also be available on the Xbox Game Pass starting April 9th. A combat mission chain offering several containers, 1000 doubloons and eco-bonuses will prepare the new captains to meet their foes on the virtual seas.

Azur Lane Returns to World of Warships alongside in-game improvements

Wave 8 of Azur Lane arrives in World of Warships, bringing more vibrant content to the high seas. Available from April 29 until June 17, players can dive into a wide array of new additions, including six iconic themed vessels, themed skins, new Commanders ready to take charge in battle, and commemorative flags for players to showcase their allegiance. Rounding out the update are a handful of other improvements and gameplay tweaks. Victory Points now show up in both the in-battle and post-battle interfaces, providing insight into player’s actions and their team contribution. Changes have also been implemented across the Domination game mode, the Mountain Range map, and Aircraft Carriers to improve the overall game experience.

You can find the full patch notes here.

About World of Warships

World of Warships is a free, historical, online combat PC game from Wargaming. With its massive fleet of most iconic war vessels, including five different ship classes and strategically designed environment, World of Warships provides the ultimate naval warfare gaming experience, suitable for everyone. Thanks to its largest collection of historically accurate ships available to play, World of Warships prides itself as a digital ship museum and a focal point for naval history enthusiasts. New thematic content and innovative game modes are being added on a regular basis, providing a diverse and exciting gameplay to its broad player base.

About World of Warships: Legends

Experience epic naval action in World of Warships: Legends, a massively multiplayer online game where you can master the seas in history’s greatest warships! Recruit Legendary Commanders from maritime history, upgrade your vessels, and stake your claim to naval supremacy with or against players from around the world in thrilling and immersive battles.

World of Warships: Legends brings the online naval action loved by millions to home consoles and mobile for the very first time, alongside a host of content and features exclusive to the console experience.

Official website: https://wowslegends.com/

About Wargaming

Wargaming is an award-winning online game developer and publisher headquartered in Nicosia, Cyprus. Operating since 1998, Wargaming has grown to become one of the leaders in the gaming industry. Its 15 offices around the world include studios in Chicago, Prague, Shanghai, Tokyo, Vilnius, Belgrade, and Kyiv. Millions of players enjoy Wargaming’s titles across all major gaming platforms. Its flagship products include the free-to-play hits World of Tanks, World of Tanks Blitz, World of Warships, World of Warships: Legends, and World of Warships Blitz.

© 2017 Manjuu Co.,Ltd. & YongShi Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2017 Yostar, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

LITTLE NIGHTMARES II ENHANCED EDITION arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 on 29 May 2026

Announced today, the Nintendo Switch 2 edition of LITTLE NIGHTMARES II ENHANCED EDITION will arrive on 29 May 2026. This new edition features higher resolution and improved visual effects compared to the Nintendo Switch version.

The game sets players in the shoes of Mono, a young boy trapped in a world that has been distorted by the humming transmission of a distant tower. He soon meets Six, the girl in a yellow raincoat, who guides him as he sets out to discover the dark secrets of The Signal Tower and save Six from her terrible fate.

LITTLE NIGHTMARES 2 ENHANCED EDITION will launch on 29 May 2026 for Nintendo Switch 2 and is already available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

For more information about LITTLE NIGHTMARES II ENHANCED EDITION and other titles from Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe please visit: https://www.bandainamcoent.eu, or follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bandainamcoeu/

BUS BOUND PHYSICAL EDITION ARRIVES MAY 28 ON PLAYSTATION 5 & XBOX SERIES

Sydney, Australia  April 7th, 2026 – Let’s get this city moving! Publisher Saber Interactive and developer stillalive studios are excited to announce that Bus Bound, the all-new driving-focused sim featuring a vibrant metropolis to explore with a variety of vehicles, solo or in online co-op, will be available in a physical edition on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series on May 28.

Check out the new release date announcement trailer to see what the sleepy neighbourhoods and bustling urban intersections of the city have in store!

Microids is responsible for designing and manufacturing the physical edition of Bus Bound for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series.

Key Game Features:

  • A City Full of Life: Explore a fully simulated, densely inhabited town with a rich history. From bustling intersections to quiet neighbourhoods, every area has its own rhythm, and your route will help shape its future.
  • Drive American Icons: Take the wheel of true-to-life buses from top American manufacturers, including the New Flyer Xcelsior 40ft CNG and the Blue Bird Sigma. With 17 buses available to choose from at launch, you’ll always have the right bus for the job.
  • Shape the City: You’re not just driving, you’re improving public life! Upgrade stops, unlock new routes, earn passive perks, and see each district evolve into a more vibrant, pedestrian-friendly space thanks to your bus-driving efforts.
  • Multiplayer on the Move: Band together with up to three other players in online co-op! Split off to tackle multiple routes simultaneously and help improve your host’s home city.
  • Customise Your Fleet: With each shift, you’ll generate goodwill with your riders to unlock new buses, visual styles and upgrades. Whether you prefer a relaxing driving experience or want to master and optimise every detail of your run, the freedom to make each trip your own is yours.

Bus Bound Deluxe Edition will be available in a physical edition on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series on May 28.

Visit saber.games/BusBound for more information.

About Microids

Microids is a French video game publisher founded in 1985 that has established itself as a key player in the international industry. By collaborating with renowned studios and creators, Microids delivers immersive experiences based on popular licenses, allowing players to embark on new adventures alongside iconic characters.

About Saber Interactive

Saber Interactive is a worldwide publisher and developer consisting of 15 studios in the Americas and Europe. Creating games for all major platforms based on original and licensed IPs, Saber’s titles include Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, Jurassic Park: Survival, Turok: Origins, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, Road Kings, World War Z, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead, Bus Bound, Docked, SnowRunner, Expeditions: A MudRunner Game and RoadCraft. Founded in 2001, Saber is known for two decades of development partnerships with leading developers and publishers, including producing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for Nintendo Switch, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Crysis Remastered, and many others. Learn more at https://saber.games.

Bus Bound © 2026, stillalive studios GmbH, published and distributed by Saber Interactive Inc. Developed by stillalive studios GmbH. Bus Bound™, the Bus Bound logo and all related marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of stillalive studios GmbH. Saber Interactive™ and the Saber Interactive logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Saber Interactive Inc. Unreal® is a trademark or registered trademark of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States of America and elsewhere. Made with FMOD Studio by Firelight Technologies Pty Ltd. The buses in this game may be different from the actual products in shapes, colours and performance. All other names, trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

RPG Monster Tamer EvoCreo 2 Battles Inhabitants of Shoru on Steam Today

CHICAGO – April 6, 2026 – EvoCreo 2, the tactical monster-catching RPG from Ilmfinity Studios, is now available on Steam. The tactical series that’s captured over 2 million players returns… bigger, bolder, and more strategic than ever.

Across the continent of Shoru, the mysterious creatures known as Creo are vanishing without a trace. As a new cadet at the local academy, you’ll set out to uncover the truth and bring them back. Can you solve the mystery before it’s too late?

Capture, raise, and evolve over 300 species of Creo, including rare color variants hiding in the wild. Assemble a battle-ready team and set off on a grand adventure filled with ancient secrets, shadowy organizations, and fierce Evoker rivals.

Master the strategic combat system by combining elemental types, traits, abilities, status effects, and move cooldowns to outplay any opponent. With over 100 Creo traits, 200+ learnable moves, and a wide selection of equippable items, build your own strategy to win any battle.

Explore Shoru’s hidden secrets amongst the numerous beautiful pixel-art biome, from bustling cities to lava-filled caverns, and the cloudy skies above, in over 30 hours of offline gameplay. Head online and challenge friends around the globe to thrilling Creo matches in casual and ranked modes in an update coming soon after launch!

EvoCreo 2 has evolved the battle system of the series’ first game to include more opportunities to synergize traits, utilize items, and unleash devastating abilities,” said Ebrahim Behbahani, Founder at Ilmfinity. “Master Evokers will soon be able to test out their battle-winning strategies against global rivals in online Evoker battles, arriving later this year in our next major update!”

EvoCreo 2 is now available on PC via Steam for $19.99 USD, €17.18 EUR, ¥3,160 JPY, ¥137.60 CNY, with English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Swedish, Thai, and Turkish language support.

For the latest news on the EvoCreo 2 series and Ilmfinity Studios, follow @ilmfinity and search the hashtag #EvoCreo2 on social media, and seek out fellow Evokers in the official Discord community.

About Ilmfinity Studios

Ilmfinity Studios has been dedicated to creating engaging experiences and stories since 2010. Its first title, EvoCreo, has been downloaded over 2.5 million times since its launch, and its sequel, EvoCreo 2, launched recently on mobile devices. The studio is currently developing several unannounced titles.

Darwin’s Paradox! Review

Darwin’s Paradox!

Developer: ZDT Studio
Publisher:
Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S (Reviewed), Switch 2, PC
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $24.99 USD – Available Here

Overview

When it comes to selecting a different type of thing to play as rather than a human, many developers jump to something human adjacent or anthropomorphize an animal to fit the role. Very few actually take the step to not only select something completely out of the norm but also play it almost completely straight at the same time and while an octopus has been chosen as a protagonist before, this time around with ZDT Studio and Konami looking to deliver a more cartoonish approach to puzzle platforming, we have an octopod that just wants to get back home to the ocean, even if it means bumbling along a world-threatening catastrophe in the making while they do so in Darwin’s Paradox!.

Story

Darwin has simply been enjoying his life out at sea with his best buddy, a slightly larger red octopus that is showing him the ropes to his abilities such as camouflaging to avoid predators, shooting ink to block vision or sneak through locations, and of course using suction cups to climb up practically anything, including walls and ceilings. This idyllic ocean life isn’t without peril as eels may want to make a quick snack of Darwin but this quickly becomes the least of their worries as Darwin and their buddy are soon fished up out of the ocean and dragged away to a massive food conglomerate called UFOOD, intent on making octopi their next main dish to serve to the masses. Though after a bit of rebellion in a cutscene, Darwin finds himself thrown into a dump rather than into the chopping block and it is there where he must return home.

Darwin’s Paradox! features a surprisingly enjoyable storyline for one that lacks any actual spoken words and this is thanks to how well the story is told through the environments players travel through, the expressions of the characters including how well animated Darwin himself is, and the twenty collectables that players can track down throughout the roughly five hour long game. It is also nice to note that chapter select is generous to tracking down these collectables, especially since some give even deeper clues as to how long things have been going on.

There’s something about the unique presentation and set-up to the premise that UFOOD is all part of an alien invasion that means players will never know what will be around the next corner or what type of odd sight they’ll be treated to next. Combine this with plenty of slapstick and the storyline is quite enjoyable despite its lack of dialogue and abrupt ending that feels more like an attempt at a sequel than proper closure. Either that or a joke that harkens back to some classic Looney Tunes.

Gameplay

Darwin has all of the usual capabilities that an octopus would have in nature such as suckers that allow him to stick to and climb walls and ceilings, shooting out ink to block vision or break items in the background, and of course camouflage to blend in with the environment. While on land Darwin isn’t the fastest around but can jump decently as well as push and pull various items but underwater is where he really shines. Underwater Darwin is capable of a full range of movement, dash swimming, and even more effective ink shooting. 

Unfortunately, Darwin’s Paradox! commits one of the worst sins that a game can do and that is to show off every ability that Darwin can do, and then strip every ability away outside of jumping for a significant period of time considering the game’s short length. Thanks to the way Darwin is left at the start of the game, he cannot climb whenever he is dirty and has forgotten how to shoot ink and even camouflage until somehow the knowledge of his own species’ biology snaps back into place. Eventually these abilities do come back into play as well as a number of other little factors that work for a few puzzles here and there, such as a robot with the handling of a rusty tank and some easily handled slingshots from place to place.

That being said, even when Darwin has all of his abilities the poor cephalopod is not a fighter and even pops like a little balloon whenever he is killed. At most Darwin can handle a few rat bites before dying or a second or two of contact with a hot pipe while nearly everything else will instantly kill the octopus. Be this an explosive, barbed wire strewn across a wall, an alien ray gun, being stepped on, or even a seagull. Thankfully the title is fairly generous when it comes to checkpoints for most of its puzzles, giving players plenty of ways to avoid having to repeat significant portions of a section, though there are some rather large difficulty spikes from time to time as well as a number of puzzles that are straight up designed with the “die to figure it out” philosophy in mind. While trial and error in a puzzle platformer is far from a bad thing, it does become annoying especially when the puzzle platforming isn’t actually the problem and the deaths come fast and cheap, often right after the most recent die to learn obstacles. 

Similarly, many of these harder puzzles also lack the aforementioned generous checkpoints meaning players will need to simply tough it out or get a lucky break. There is a “hint” system available but it is generally useless about the actual challenging locations, such as a fleeing sequence where a camping enemy will almost always kill Darwin faster than they can swim to the next location and the only hint is to “press A to dash.” That being said, while some of the puzzles can be rather frustrating and feel like a brick wall that players need to beat Darwin’s head against, most of the game actually flows extremely well.

As mentioned before, the layout of the game’s storyline means that players never quite know what they’ll be doing next and the puzzles are exactly the same. One minute players can be precisely jumping from dangerous objects to another, timing running between death spikes, swimming around bombs or strange lasers, or even hiding from patrolling guards with camouflage. At the same time players can see a location and need to figure out exactly how to reach it, using all of their skills as an octopus to make it through the ceiling hatch or some other objective. 

This helps keep things feeling fresh despite the frustration from time to time and there are even extra costumes that players can unlock by completing certain achievements such as different colored versions of Darwin and a direct Metal Gear Solid reference. It is worth noting though that there is a distinct lack of replayability as there are no alternate ways to solve puzzles and even the achievements are incredibly scarce outside of a couple difficult ones like never being detected in two separate locations.

Audio & Visuals

ZDT has done a wonderful job stylizing Darwin’s Paradox! to look like something just out of a Pixar movie. From their cartoonish art style and expressive facial responses on Darwin, the slapstick humor and unspoken reactions work so well thanks to the art style. The world itself is, as mentioned before, highly detailed and also quite important to the background storyline that is never really brought to the forefront for Darwin. All the different locations that players travel through are quite interesting, but it is worth noting that some can be a bit on the excessively dark side. While some of these are intentional, a few are quite difficult to navigate simply through poor lighting.

There are no spoken words throughout the game other than some grunts or screaming sounds and even these are relatively generic. The background music on the other hand feels like it would fit right at home in a cartoon and does wonders when combined with the game’s art style, creating a wonderful presentation even when a frustrating puzzle rears its head.

Overall

Darwin’s Paradox! may not be the longest puzzle platformer around nor one that has a great story to tell but it makes up for it with a lovably bumbling protagonist in the form of Darwin. Thanks to his wide-range of abilities players never quite know what type of puzzles they’ll have to solve next or platforming section that’ll challenge their wits, even if a few can be a bit too excessive with the challenge and require repetitive death just to learn the pattern. Even then, with a colorful presentation that feels like its right out of Pixar’s notebook, those looking for a challenging and shorter platformer will find Darwin’s Paradox! a satisfying delight.

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