Check out the first hour of Minishoot’ Adventures, where we explore and attempt to save colorful world riddled by Corruption, and dodge plenty of bullets in the meantime.
Fly into a charming handcrafted world and go on an adventure that mixes up open exploration with crispy twin-stick shooter action. Fight your way from the shiny overworld to the deepest caves, improve your ship and overcome the dungeons’ bosses to rescue your friends!
Minishoot’ Adventures Developer: SoulGame Studio Publisher: SoulGame Studio, IndieArk Platform: Windows Release Date: 3rd April, 2024 Price: $14.99 USD
Recommended – “Minishoot’ Adventures is a charming bullet hell shooter that successfully elevates the genres it takes inspiration from, earning it a solid recommendation.”
When someone hears about the developer SHIFT UP they likely either don’t know who they might be, or know exactly the type of developer the South Korean team is. The development team became known for their over-the-top Destiny Child mobile game that, despite being censored initially, was given a fully uncensored release after some time. Then the company brought out their second mobile game and kicked the jiggles up a notch with Project NIKKE. Primarily known for their mobile games that offered plenty of fan-service, it came as something of a surprise that the developer would be taking a step into the console market with Sony at the helm no less but here we are with Stellar Blade. There’s been plenty of talk about Eve”assets” and various costumes but now that Stellar Blade has arrived to deliver its own take on post-apocalyptic/future action, does it have more to bring to the table than a pretty face and SHIFT UP’s signature jiggle?
Story
Humanity has long been driven away from Earth after the powerful and seemingly endless creatures called Naytibas appeared and overran their defenses. Most of humanity has fled to a space colony by the bidding of the “Mother Sphere” in an attempt to keep humanity alive but that doesn’t mean that they have abandoned the planet. Eve is deployed as part of a special airborne squadrone in an effort to help eliminate the Naytibas to the best of their abilities and try to drive the monstrous creatures into extinction only for nearly their entire team to be eliminated before they barely reach the ground with the Naytiba forces quickly slaughtering most of the team members. Eve, despite the damage she’s received, manages to struggle to the end with the help of the best member of her squad, Tachy, only for Tachy to sacrifice herself in an attempt to keep Eve, and hope, alive.
Eve is rescued by the scavenger named Adam who helps her track down the nearby “Alpha Naytiba” and supports her with his drone only to rescue a long-waiting drop-squad member from three divisions prior, Lily. Lily, who serves as a mechanic and support unit, eagerly joins Eve as Adam reveals that humanity is still doing its best to eke out a living in the city of Xion and that their elder, named Orcal, might be able to help her accomplish her mission to slay the Master Naytiba in an effort to reclaim Earth, but he’ll need plenty of help from Eve to be able to point her in the right direction, the only problem is, the more Eve explores and experiences the world left behind and digs into the past, the stranger and darker things become.
Stellar Blade tackles a number of philosophical questions over the course of its roughly forty hour runtime (dependent on skill level and side-quest thoroughness of course) while also detailing the various origins of the Naytiba, why Earth is the way it is now, and much more. Anyone that happens to be a fan of science-fiction will likely be familiar with these elements but it must be said that Stellar Blade handles the way these elements are told incredibly well thanks to Eve being the naive “Angel” that has descended from the sky to save the remaining members of humanity but knows nothing about the world other than that she should kill Naytiba and the solid feed of information that continuously reveals new and darker elements of the intriguing narrative that is told throughout the game.
Some of this is hidden away either through side-quests that players will need to complete to unlock tidbits of information about the world, including it appears an entirely missable stage if players end up rushing, and inside journals or “memorysticks” that are found during exploration. This creates an entertaining and highly memorable plot that, despite maybe being a bit similar in theme to a certain Yoko Taro game, has more than enough legs to stand on its own. Combine this with the solid character interactions and the fact that the game actually offers a number of different ending options depending on player choice, including some that require extra effort be put in, and Stellar Blade tells a stellar story that really manages to stick the landing.
Gameplay
Stellar Blade may have an interesting storyline that will keep players going through a variety of locations and even revisit areas to try and complete side-quests that appear later in the game, taking advantage of the game’s feature that allows players to automatically return to the quest-giver once completed or making use of the pay-phone fast travel system but where the game truly shines is its combat system. It is worth noting right off the bat that despite having a pretty face Stellar Blade isn’t afraid to put Eve through the ringer.There are difficulty options available and even an assist of sorts for “Easy” mode that occasionally pulls up properly timed dodge or parry prompts but the game can be crushingly hard if players don’t take the game seriously. Players have a limited number of healing items that refill when resting at camps (though some extra potions can be carried and used, though these cost gold to replenish) though the ever familiar feature of having all standard enemies respawn when resting may make things difficult sometimes.
In combat Eve can unleash a number of combos mixing together light and heavy attacks in various combo chains with different animations and damage output though players will need to make sure that they are always on the move as the Naytiba rarely flinch from taking standard damage and will power through Eve’s attacks do deal out their own punishing attacks. This creates a sense that combat is almost always fast-paced feeling, even against individual enemies as stronger simple foes still can be a threat and properly timing a “Perfect Parry” rather than simply blocking or a “Perfect Dodge” other than avoiding an attack can lead players to dishing out the punishment instead, this includes even destroying an opponent in one blow if they happen to be parried enough. Along these same lines, players will eventually gain access to additional combat abilities such as Blink and Repulse, with Blink being an ability that allows Eve to snap behind a foe unleashing an undodgeable attack to punish them from behind or Repulse them by kicking them away to create some space and leave their weakness exposed. Oddly enough, despite pressing the timing exactly, it seemed like both Blink and Repulse only worked around three quarters of the time, the others either simply seeing Eve dodge normally or take the, often grappling, blow right to the face.
It must be said that, while standard enemies are often a delightful dance of death where players balance their skill against a set of normal foes, and the lesser mid-range bosses are a challenge that they can struggle to overcome, the main bosses of the game are absolutely outstanding. The first one players battle against barely holds a candle to any of the other major boss battles that players will find themselves taking part in throughout Stellar Blade and each one of these is not only incredibly challenging but feels amazingly rewarding once they’ve been overcome. Obviously, we cannot go into the specifics regarding these bosses to avoid spoilers but these combat encounters are some of the best players can ask for.
Besides Eve’s hair-accessory turned sword that is generally her main weapon, the drone that Adam pilots can be used as a handheld firearm with various upgrades allowing different types of ammo to be used, this can include firing a chargeable ray beam, shotgun shells, explosive rounds, standard slugs, and even mini-rockets. These may seem a bit less effective at times, especially since ammo must be gathered or bought, but targeting weakpoints with this can be quite effective and, since the game does feature a few areas that force players to only use the firearm, it is good to get used to the mechanic even if it isn’t the most exciting.
Back to the sword fighting, Eve has a number of skills that she can also use by building up a “Beta Meter” through standard fighting, perfect parrying, and perfect dodging, with these four skills offering useful effects of their own, such as firing off energy blades, crushing a single target, dealing sweeping damage to the area, or even focusing on crushing an enemy’s shield. Activating these Beta skills aren’t quite as easy as one might think unfortunately thanks to it requiring a trigger and face-button to be pushed and this is an issue in other areas as well. Swapping ammo types requires aiming the drone gun and holding down, leaving Eve open to attack, and even the eventual Rush Gauge that players unlock late in the game with its own set of unique abilities features the same similar mechanic that is a pain to use effectively in combat. Trying to do a bit too much with too few controls to work with. Of course, this doesn’t even touch upon a certain “overdrive” style mode that players can unleash that gives Eve a massive boost to her power and abilities that we won’t spoil the details about here.
As players battle it out against the Naytiba, complete side-quests, and solve little puzzles to gather collectables ranging from literal Cans that unlock additional item slots when players gather enough to the countless costumes players can dress Eve up with to more vital items like upgrade materials for Eve’s stat-affecting equipment, players will earn SP. These Skill Points can then be applied to obtain some of the aforementioned skills, though a few unlock naturally, and improve the effectiveness of other skills. It is worth noting that while players can use in-game items to reset their skill point distribution, playing through the title normally and completing nearly every side-quest saw my Eve unlocking every skill before a certain story point. As for the aforementioned gear, players can eventually unlock up to four gear slots that provide various boosts such as increased combo damage, reducing incoming melee damage, boosting Beta energy received, etc. Changing these up before a difficult fight can be vital, especially if a foe ends up being far too challenging. This is especially true when it comes to Exospines that are not only rarer but also provide a number of extra boosts even if it takes near the end of the game to actually unlock the second slot. Exospines can offer additional extra boosts such as boosting damage of firearms, combo damage, having critical damage radiate out to hit other enemies, increase the effect of healing items, and more.
All of this, including Eve’s “Tumblr” that serves to contain her refillable healing item, can be upgraded and often these come as a result of exploring the world and seeing everything that it has to offer. In an interesting sense, some of Stellar Blade’s more open world aspects and puzzles are designed to ensure that players actually have to commit to solving them properly. Need a code to open a locked door? Can’t even guess unless you’ve found the actual code. Have to catch a fish? Better find the proper bait and fishing area to actually do so. That being said, some of the world exploration could use a bit of extra work and most of this involves the platforming and climbing aspects. Not too far into the game Eve gains the ability to double-jump and, besides unlocking the ability to reach areas in previous areas that weren’t previously accessible, can be rather floaty at times. This means that there are times that a jump should have worked just fine and ended up with Eve slipping off the side to her death as fall damage is incredibly punishing in Stellar blade. Even climbing ledges or swinging on bars can sometimes send Eve jumping in a random direction for no strange reason.
It is also worth noting that, while not a major issue in and of itself, Stellar Blade shockingly lacks a New Game+ option. Considering the game features multiple endings, multiple costumes players have to actually put the work into to unlock, and missable side-quests, this comes as a surprising oversight for an action RPG such as this, especially since, beyond upgrading Eve’s blade and overall Exospine, going through old stages as a powered up Even isn’t as simple as one might expect.
Audio & Visuals
Now, one of the biggest talking points for many leading up to Stellar Blade was Eve and her character presentation and it is a real shame that this happens to be the case as the game is visually impressive. Yes, Eve does wear skin-tight costumes and even playing the game as intensively as we did we located outfits ranging from a bunny-girl swimsuit, a bikini, racing queen uniform, and others, most of these costumes are shockingly less-revealing than one might expect, including baggier clothing and a full body costume that anyone will struggle to find offensive. Sure, there are jiggle physics but they are realistic, ironically with some of the more supportive costumes seeming to keep things in place better, and some of the costumes can be quite “baring” but since they are completely cosmetic players can choose whatever option they feel like at the time, especially since the crafting material to make Nanosuits as they are called are completely separate from everything else. Players can also obtain various types of eye-glasses and earrings for Eve that are also strictly cosmetic. Both Adam, Lily, and the drone are also given a few extra costumes here and there though these are far rarer and don’t have to be crafted. It is also worth noting that there is still plenty of gore here and there including some cutscene gore occasionally as well as plenty of chunks of Naytibas flying apart when they are defeated in combat.
There is also quite a lot of variety when it comes to the various Naytiba that players do battle against. Some make frequent appearances even in other zones but almost every zone has their own unique set of Naytiba to battle against and tactics that players will need to employ to take them down. This includes some incredibly impressive looking boss-designs, with a few in particular being downright stunning in presentation. This means that players will rarely feel bored as they battle throughout these numerous new enemies types. Since Stellar Blade is set in a post-apocalyptic world it makes sense that most of what players will explore happens to be ruins, deserts, or a mix of the two but the game does a very solid job keeping things varied. There are smaller more streamlined stages that are separated by larger more open locations, where most side-quests take place though a few also do appear in the more linear ones as well. It is also nice to note that, both as rewards for completing these side-quests and simple exploration, there remain spots of beauty even amongst the rubble of civilization.
The English voice work throughout the game is handled quite well with Eve’s voice actress handling the role nicely as the naive “Angel”, especially during some of the bigger revelations, as well as the other two primary characters, Adam and Lily. The rest of the cast is also handled fairly well though are a bit less memorable. It is also a bit unfortunate to say that there is something of a missed opportunity to only have perfect parry and other combat sound effects play through the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller speaker when the drone and either Adam or Lily could also have spoken through it. As for the soundtrack, fans of vocal background music will find themselves in for quite a treat here in Stellar Blade. Not only does nearly every single stage, with the exception of a few dungeon-like locations and a bonus area, feature its own unique background music with a vocal track to support it, even the bigger action sequences feature incredible pieces of background music, making Stellar Blade’s original soundtrack one that fans will likely find themselves listening to long after completing the game.
Overall
Stellar Blade feels like it had an uphill battle against it thanks to Shift Up’s previous works and the general conversation surrounding Eve but not only has the developer proved that they can put out a console quality game, they can do a… stellar job at it. While perhaps not the most innovative, the story throughout Stellar Blade is an engrossing one that combined with its slick and challenging action combat is highly entertaining all wrapped together in a gorgeous looking package with plenty of fan-service and eye-candy that fans can enjoy if they so wish. It might have a few rough edges here and there and surprisingly lack a New Game+, but this serves as an impressive step into the console market for Shift Up and anyone sleeping on Stellar Blade is doing themselves a disservice.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Get behind the wheel of the most powerful all-terrain vehicles in this new immersive spin on the ultimate off-road driving experience, coming soon to Meta Quest
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – April 24, 2024 – Get ready to shift into gear and power through any challenge! Saber Interactive has announced MudRunner VR, coming soon to Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 2, and Meta Quest Pro. Developed and published by Saber, MudRunner VR is the ultimate off-road automotive experience brought to new life in VR. Jump in the driver’s seat and take charge of a range of incredible all-terrain vehicles on a daring adventure across extreme landscapes with only a map, your equipment, and your wits to guide you.
Drive eight mighty all-terrain vehicles, each with its own characteristics and attachable equipment, as you explore immense environments with total immersion in Story Mode and Free Play Mode. Complete a combination of objectives and deliveries while enduring extreme conditions across wild, untamed landscapes. Overcome muddy terrain, flowing rivers, and other obstacles that react realistically to the weight and movement of your vehicle. Let nothing stand in your way!
Perfect for both long-time series fans and newcomers alike, MudRunner VR captures the classic MudRunner experience in a new adventure designed specifically for Meta Quest. Vehicles, missions, maps and physics deliver an engaging first-person experience in VR, with new 3D models for trucks and environments. Players can interact with a variety of elements in the cockpit, and even step outside to attach the winch, refuel and more.
Key Features
The Ultimate Off-Road Experience Comes to VR: Enjoy the classic MudRunner experience with the unmatched feel and immersion of VR on Meta Quest.
Master Eight Powerful All-Terrain Vehicles: Get behind the wheel of eight unique, heavy-duty vehicles, each with its own distinct attributes and equipment as well as cosmetic variations.
Explore Vast, Untamed Environments: Adventure across immense sandbox landscapes while battling the harshest terrain and forces of nature.
Overcome Extreme Conditions & Get the Job Done: Complete a variety of perilous objectives and deliveries while fighting off the wild’s most hazardous dangers.
MudRunner VR is available to wishlist now on the Meta Store and will launch soon on Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 2, and Meta Quest Pro.
About Saber Interactive
Saber Interactive is a worldwide publisher and developer consisting of 13 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, World War Z, SnowRunner, and Expeditions: A MudRunner Game. Founded in 2001, Saber is known for two decades of development partnerships with AAA publishers, 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.
24th April: London, UK: The video games mental health charity Safe In Our World is proud to announce the first Mental Health Game Dev Champions event, aimed at empowering gamers and developers to create intimate and personal video games based on lived experiences. Game Dev Champions is a worldwide event, encouraging entries from a variety of ages, skills, and diverse backgrounds.
Games are an amazing vehicle to express difficult and often emotional mental health journeys that people face every day. Through this initiative, and by sharing these experiences, Safe In Our World seeks to amplify the voices of the gaming community and enable players to experience an often silent struggle.
Watch the video announcement:
The event will be judged by a diverse industry panel, with winners receiving a selection of prizes, including Unity Pro licenses, but more importantly, will help gamers develop a career or deeper interest in video game development.
Sarah Sorrell, Charity Director, explains the theme of this first event “Safe In Our World was launched on the eve of the pandemic, arriving at a vital time to offer support for gamers. If there is one legacy that Covid-19 has left, it’s that perhaps people are now talking more about their mental health. That is the theme of this competition; to continue this vital conversation and encourage people to express what they went through and share their experience by making a game that means something to them”.
The event begins on the June 1st, with the development window open until October 31st, and judging of all entries complete by November 30th, 2024. Winners will be announced via a special live showcase in December. This event is possible thanks to the partners who have lent their support and resources, including Xbox, Unity, Intel, Outright Games, Devolver Digital, Sharkmob, FuturLab, PressEngine and Wired Productions.
About Safe In Our World
Safe In Our World is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 1183344. A team of seasoned gaming veterans passionate about mental health brainstormed for over two years over ways they could make a difference. Launched on World Mental Health Day on October 10th, 2019, its aims are to raise awareness of mental health within the video games industry and to provide resources, signpost help, and drive change for everyone connected with the industry – from developers, publishers, and service providers to content creators and players. Its initial mission is to create an online destination where people can seek help, gain access to resources and information, and discover stories from real people within and surrounding the games industry, with more detailed policies available via the website. Safe In Our World is a worldwide hub accessible for anyone in need.
Oberhaching, Germany, April 24th 2024 – Developer Game Island and publisher Toplitz Productions are pleased to announce the playtest for their exciting first-person survival adventure game SERUM is now live on Steam for PC.
The playtest will run for a week, giving brave survivors another unique opportunity to provide developer Game Island with valuable feedback on the game and a great opportunity for players to explore two of the game’s biomes in an updated version as it prepares for launch on Steam early access in a matter of weeks.
With a thrilling narrative that drives the player forward under the pressure of time, SERUM will put players to the ultimate test as they seek out ways of surviving a brutal world and uncovering a deadly conspiracy. The playtest will give gamers a chance to delve into the game’s mechanics and explore different abilities and strategies through crafting and serum brewing.
“At this stage in the game’s development, player feedback is still as crucial as ever to optimize the player experience. Steam Next Fest was great as a platform to share what we’ve been working on these past few months and gain insights from the community in highlighting areas to tweak further. This latest playtest puts our latest enhancements through their paces, including the game’s new Serum brewing UI,” said Game Island CEO Michał Ojrzyński.
Players interested in joining the Serum playtest should apply for access through the game’s official Steam page. There, they will also be able to stay up to date with the latest news and updates, which reveal more about the world, crafting, and the macabre dangers that players will encounter in the game.
After accessing the playtest, players are invited to leave developer Game Island their constructive feedback via the game’s dedicated Discord channel here.
Serum will launch on PC early access at the end of Q2. Check out the exciting new SERUM playtest trailer below
About Toplitz Productions The German-Austrian publisher, whose name originates from the mysterious Toplitz Lake in the heart of Austria, develops and publishes games with “heart & soul” for all platforms. The company consists of a healthy mix of experienced industry veterans and young talents, all of whom are passionate gamers. They enjoy working with creative developers on many exciting titles, such as those from the “Dynasty” and “Giant” series.
About Game Island S.A
Game Island S.A. was established in July 2020 as a subsidiary of The Dust S.A. Game Island specializes in the production of games for Steam and console platforms. Serum is the first major title in the Game Island S.A. portfolio and is currently under development. The game will be published globally by Toplitz Productions.
New Program, Arkadium for Developers, Led by Dan Butchko Offers 75% Revenue Share to Benefit Browser-Based-Game Developers
NEW YORK – April 24, 2024 – Arkadium, a leader in browser-based games (BBGs), shared that for the first time in its 20+ year history, it will open its platform and extensive distribution network to third party game developers. The company has announced the launch of Arkadium for Developers, a new robust program where game developers can submit their titles to Arkadium’s distribution network which reaches millions of players.The program’s developer-first approach will consist of an industry best 75% revenue sharing model to a curated portfolio of selected titles.
Arkadium aims to launch approximately 30 new games this year through its third party program, which will add a variety of new games and genres from around the world. A newly launched portal at https://developers.arkadium.com/ provides developers with a single destination to submit their titles for consideration. Arkadium for Developers aims to provide significant distribution to third party developers who join the platform.
With an active portfolio of 75 first party games, Arkadium titles are played by 18 million players monthly, resulting in 150 million unique game starts. Arkadium’s distribution network goes beyond a single URL as the company powers more than 300 game channels of some of the largest web destinations in the world, including The Washington Post, AARP, DailyMail and USA Today. Arkadium serves a global audience, with a majority of its players being based in North America and over 18 years old.
The company has hired industry veteran Dan Butchko as its first-ever Director of Developer Relations to lead all external development partnerships. In his role, Dan will work with developers around the world to build the future of BBGs alongside Arkadium’s growing catalogue of in-house games.
“I’m thrilled to join Arkadium as we build the future of browser-based games,” said Dan Butchko, Director of Developer Relations at Arkadium. “With its two decades of experience launching games for some of the world’s biggest websites, Arkadium is leveling up to become more than just a game studio – it is now a platform for developers around the world. This is just the beginning as we extend opportunities for external developers to join us and tap into the potential of this growing category of can’t-miss games.”
As games continue to dominate how audiences socialize and are entertained, Arkadium continues to gain traction as a destination for games that are playable on any device with a web browser, including smart phones, tablets, laptops, desktop computers and even smart televisions.
“We’ve built Arkadium into a brand known for quality browser-based game experiences and are continuously creating new ways to offer more value to our audience,” said Kenny Rosenblatt, CEO and co-founder at Arkadium. “This new program enables us to offer a wider selection of games as we open our doors to external developers aspiring to reach our millions of amazing players.”
More news and announcements will be shared about BBGs as Arkadium continues to expand its business plans and portfolio of games.
About Arkadium
Arkadium is the ultimate destination for browser-based games (BBGs) featuring over 1,000 games including perennial favorites Mahjong Dimensions, Word Wipe and Jewel Shuffle. Millions of players enjoy games worldwide at Arkadium.com and also its wide distribution network including partnered sites USA Today, AARP, The Washington Post, and Microsoft. Founded in 2001 by husband and wife team, Kenny Rosenblatt and Jessica Rovello, Arkadium makes games you can feel good about. Its mission is to create and curate quality browser-based games that can be enjoyed by grown-ups anywhere, anytime. The company is headquartered in New York with a studio in Portugal and has been recognized as a ‘Best Place to Work’ by Inc. Magazine, Ad Age, Crain’s New York and more. To learn more, visit Arkadium.com.
SaGa may not be a front-runner franchise in terms of RPGs, but it certainly has more history with this year marking the 35th anniversary for the famed namesake. For those new, most SaGa titles are not known for their narratives, but instead the battle mechanics and attention to detail put within the world itself. SaGa: Emerald Beyond is the latest of the lot, and looks to expand that with a chunky offering that is sure to please anyone looking for more choice and decision making. Does this series still have a strong heartbeat, or is this one that misses the mark? Let’s find out.
Story
There is a lot to speak about the story within SaGa: Emerald Beyond, as the game proudly features six different protagonists who can enter one of the game’s 17 worlds. They do this by traveling paths known as “Emerald Waves”, a green line of sorts that connects all the worlds into one universe. Players can travel to any point at mostly free will, and quests, encounters, and events can all vary and change based on character selection and their choice of path they take.Its a lot to come into, but Emerald Beyond does well teaching the player the basics (no matter the path they choose), and all the plot lines feel almost like different games, due mainly to the heavy variances in the six protagonists and how they interact within the worlds featured.
Each character has a base story, along with their own motives, personalities and so on. For example, Tsunanori Mido acts as your standard hero, who must save these worlds as the “chosen one”. Other diverse cast members keep the same overarching themes to this, but focus heavily on their own perspectives. Diva No. 5 is probably the most interesting of the lot, who is a mech that has lost her humanity and her ability to sing, so a good portion of her plot is centered around finding her voice. Sure, not all plots are strong, but most do their job to aid with progression. I do feel however that I got a bit lost in following everything. As I mentioned, there is a lot going on here, and sometimes the story engagement just feels a bit off. I wouldn’t say some portions are necessarily “boring” by any means, but I do think some of the tropes are so heavy with some characters that it is a bit hard to connect to moments of the storytelling. Everything is fine, but most of the time I was more happy simply grinding and doing battles rather than following the tale told here.
Gameplay
There may be a lot of story to chew on, but there is even more offerings with the gameplay itself. SaGa: Emerald Beyond plays like a standard JRPG for the most part, where players take a party into turn based battles found within the many worlds in the game. Each character and their assigned party gain “shimmers”, which assign new abilities at random to strengthen the overall team in battle. You can also gain items as well, and have the ability to choose specific items to equip to the different races within the game, which adds a lot of variety to battles overall.
The battles are absolutely the best part in this “gem”. While the turn-based system dominates the mechanics, there is so many layers to speak of that give it a unique feel. Each battle plays out with a timeline on the bottom. Characters each draw from the same BP pool, which allows moves to be utilized during a battle. Starting out, you will have very little BP to draw from so simple attacks will be the way to go. Each turn rewards more BP, allowing for more divisive techniques and strategies as battles play out. For example, if you only have 4 BP starting and do an attack with 3 BP, you only have 1 BP remaining for the rest of your party, which may or not be enough to attack. This is why paying attention to that timeline is pivotal, as enemy strategies also shift due to your choices – which leads to some fairly complex decision-making.
The timeline also allows for players to do things like protect or even sacrifice their own team members in order to be successful in a battle. Because stats reset after, the focus is on that one encounter, which sounds easier than it really is. Chaining attacks, focusing on one powerful foe, or setting up calculated techniques based on where each member is on the timeline is really the name of the game in terms of combat. Its a bit overwhelming at first to learn, but a combat system that becomes second nature after a few battles.
I personally found all of this to be just as addictive as it was rewarding. Sure, there isn’t anything we haven’t seen in games like this before, but the way Emerald Beyond meshes its mechanics really makes it stick out and feel refreshing for the genre. Its odd to go into an RPG and want to do random battles more, but I felt that way most of the time here as they have truly developed a special system here. The world exploration is fine, if not a bit lackluster by comparison. Sure, there a lot of locales to see, but there isn’t a lot of interactivity outside of quests, as everything outside of your focus looks and feels a bit one-dimensional.There is a ton of choice to the “pick your own adventure” styling, but I do wish the worlds were more invested in feeling alive outside of my current quests.
Audio
The soundtrack here is pretty decent. Some of the music is a bit generic at times, but never unpleasant. The voice cast do a great job as well with their individual portrayals, even if the audio balancing sounds a bit off, as if each role was performed in separate rooms and the tapes were mailed in to an editing studio. I know that is how most voicework for localized properties work, but it was a bit jarring at times to with the variances in volume in tone taking place in the same conversation.
Visuals
The visuals are superb. While not every interaction is animated, its kind of a big deal to see a SaGa game get so many details such as facial expressions and minor touches in combat. This really helped the experience feel more grand overall and does a lot to immerse the player in battle. The art style features rich color and lovely touches everywhere. Maybe that is why I craved more interaction and “atmosphere” from the worlds within, as the game really does look great, despite still having a bit of a budget feel as a full package. Either way, this may be the best looking title in the franchise to date as there is a lot to take in and appreciate with the design.
Overall
SaGa: Emerald Beyond marks the next chapter in a legacy, and this ambitious offering delivers through over-delivery. Sure, there could be more exploration or interaction, but the satisfying combat and mechanics more than make up for those shortcomings. There is so much to do and see within this title that fans will have their plate full for some time just trying to devour every crumb, only for the game to continue to offer more as new paths are uncovered. This is the definitive SaGa title if you are new or returning to the franchise, and a landmark release that will hopefully continue to evolve the franchise into the future.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
A new SaGa begins! Join us as we tackle Tsunanori Mido’s story for the first hour and meet some new faces along the way. We also explore the combat and gameplay mechanics in SaGa Emerald Beyond, displaying the JRPG’s new quirks.
FORGE YOUR OWN TALE The latest standalone entry in the SaGa franchise, SaGa Emerald Beyond, brings together the very best elements of the beloved series to offer each player their own unique gameplay experience.
SaGa Emerald Beyond Developer: Square Enix Publisher: Square Enix Platform: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5|4, Windows Release Date: April 25, 2024
April 24, 2024: THQ Nordic and Rainbow Studios have released the boxed edition of MX vs ATV Legends – 2024 Monster Energy Supercross Edition. This specific edition is currently only available for retail and includes the base game as well as the 2024 Monster Energy Supercross Championship DLC. The new boxed edition is available at an SRP of $49.95 on PS5™ and Xbox Series X|S.
In addition to today’s boxed edition release, MX vs ATV Legends has received a new patch that brings more free content and improvements to all players. Here are the details:
Caster Mode: Join a friend’s squad as a permanent spectator to commentate on races, record freestyle in Free Ride, and much more. Enable Caster Mode in Gameplay Settings.
DLC Freebies for 2023 Husqvarna Pack Owners: Gain access to the 2024 stock graphic kit, Rockstar Husqvarna graphic kit, and Seven Vox Rockstar Husqvarna team jersey and pants.
DLC Freebies for 2023 Yamaha Pack Owners: Access the 2024 stock graphic kit, Star Racing Yamaha graphic kit, and Thor Prime Jazz Star Racing Yamaha team jersey and pants.
Even More Freebies for 2023 Yamaha Pack Owners: Get the 50th Anniversary graphics and parts, 50th Anniversary Star Racing Yamaha graphic kit, and 50th Anniversary Star Racing Yamaha team jersey and pants.
The last round of tracks from the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship is coming soon! Here’s a sneak peek at Philadelphia, Denver, and Salt Lake City.
Additional customisation updates
UI updates, including an Online Player list and Squad Management menus overhaul
MX vs ATV Legends is being developed by Rainbow Studios and published by THQ Nordic. The base game is available for PS4™, PS5™, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Please note that the base game MX vs ATV Legends is required to play the DLC.
For more information about MX vs ATV Legends visit https://www.mxvsatv.com/ or follow @mxvsatv on socials.
Grab MX vs ATV Legends – 2024 Monster Energy Supercross Edition on PS5 here:
Compete in the new career mode where your choices lead to different paths, sponsorship opportunities and special, invitational events!
Explore massive open environments including the California coastline!
Experience the brand-new Trails mode for high intensity, point-to-point outdoor racing – prepare to be dropped into a starting gate in the middle of a mountain range alongside your friends and face a course defined by Mother Nature’s relentless challenges!
Race in 2-player split-screen and 16-player online mode with squad-based gameplay.
Customise your rider and vehicles with the latest parts and gear from the leading manufacturers in off-road racing.
Ride berms and ruts with higher precision than ever before with the refined physics system.
For a complete list of OEM vehicles featured in the OEM Vehicles DLC, as well as news and updates on MX vs ATV Legends, visit mxvsatv.com or @mxvsatv on social.
AALBORG, Denmark — April 23, 2024 —Phantom Fury, the road movie-inspired first-person shooter starring Ion Fury’s Shelly “Bombshell” Harrison, developed by Slipgate Ironworks and published by 3D Realms, tears onto PC via Steam beginning today. Phantom Fury is expected to launch on PS4|5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on May 30th this year.
Several years after the events of Ion Fury, Shelly returns for an explosive new adventure. Now sporting a deadly bionic arm, Shelly embarks on a dangerous hunt to find the Demon Core — a lethal artifact with unfathomable destructive power. Stop at nothing to unearth every clue possible and prevent the artifact from falling into deadly hands.
Sprint through the streets of Chicago or kick up dust in Albuquerque on a rip-roaring road trip across the United States. With an arsenal of more than 20 weapons, mow down hordes of oncoming enemies in style. Fast-paced mechanics with retro inspirations meld together for a riveting FPS adventure.
Shelly’s bionic arm offers a range of combat abilities and enhancements, encouraging creative solutions to combat encounters against hellish cyborgs, grotesque mutants, and super-enhanced soldiers. Raise an impenetrable shield to prevent damage, or paralyze enemies with a shock-inducing melee attack. Alongside her bionic arm, Shelly can toggle between powerful weapons, including Ion Fury’s fan-favorite Loverboy Revolver, Motherflafkker shotgun, and more.
Engage in adrenaline-fueled sequences straight out of an action film. Charge through the skies in high-stakes helicopter showdowns, avoiding deadly fire and raining bombs down on foes. Take down vicious bosses, and do what it takes to reach the Demon Core. Prevent a cataclysmic event by preventing the enemy from getting their hands on the deadly artifact.
“We thank the fans for waiting patiently as Shelly returns for the next chapter of her action-packed journey,” said Frederik Schreiber, CEO of 3D Realms. “Following the positive reception from our presence at PAX East, we’re eager to share Phantom Fury’s madcap mayhem with players worldwide.”
Phantom Furyis available now on PC for $24.99 with a 10% launch discount during the first week, with console versions available on May 30th this year. Follow 3D Realms on Twitch, Facebook, and YouTube, or join the Discord for up-to-date information.
About 3D Realms™
Redefining AAA – Action, Attitude, Adrenaline, 3D Realms has rocked the world for almost 30 years by publishing unforgettable, iconic games like Duke Nukem, Terminal Velocity, Shadow Warrior, Death Rally, Max Payne, and more recently, Ghostrunner, Ion Fury, Cultic, Tempest Rising, Phantom Fury, and RIPOUT.
Led by industry veterans, 3D Realms is a proud member of the Embracer Group as part of Saber Interactive, with a mission of publishing games for grownups. Unapologetic and uncompromising… we’re not afraid of being who we are and being damn good at it – for everyone’s benefit. For more information, visit3drealms.com.
About Slipgate Ironworks™
Industry veterans with two decades worth of indie and AAA experience, Slipgate Ironworks™ has contributed to popular titles, including Ion Fury, GRAVEN, WRATH: Aeon of Ruin, Ghostrunner, and most recently, Phantom Fury and the highly anticipated Tempest Rising. Proudly old-school, the team all shares the same vision: “Crafting Intense Gaming Experiences: Bold, Thrilling, Unmatched!”
