Publisher Bandai Namco Europe and developer Limbic Entertainment implement today for PC the free 2.0 update for Park Beyond, the theme park management game with an impossible twist, released earlier this year for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The same update will be made available for PlayStation and Xbox on October 18th.
Watch the new trailer here:
Taking into account community’s feedback, the 2.0 patch will bring major improvements including performance optimisation, camera behaviour, roller coaster creation, element placement and more for players to have the best experience when playing Park Beyond.
This free update also brings the Parks and Prefabs sharing platform powered by mod.io. From the smallest decor element to customized shops or rides, to full parks, players can share their creations with their friends and the world, across all platforms through the “Community Content” menu.
Finally, today also marks the release of Park Beyond’s first Theme Word, Beyond eXtreme, which adds a touch of the 90’s extreme sport vibe to any park with two new missions to take on, crazy entertainers, new rides designed with daredevils in mind, and loads of scenery items to create an explosive atmosphere for visitors. Beyond eXtreme is part of the Annual Pass and is available separately for purchase on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Bandai Namco Europe S.A.S. is a leading global publisher and developer of entertainment content for platforms including, but not limited to, all major video game consoles and PC.
Bandai Namco Europe is producing intellectual property for a global audience and is building its reputation with franchises such as LITTLE NIGHTMARES™, PARK BEYOND™, and the upcoming UNKNOWN 9™ Awakening – developed by the recently acquired Reflector Entertainment based in Montreal, QC.
Bandai Namco Europe serves as the Headquarters of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. for mainland Europe, which is known for creating and publishing many of the Toy & Entertainment industry’s top franchises, including PAC-MAN™, TAMAGOTCHI™, GUNDAM™, TEKKEN™, DARK SOULS™ and the recently released ELDEN RING™. For more information please visit www.bandainamcoent.eu
Win Sonic SUperstars and NINTENDO SWITCH CONSOLE BUNDLES with the brickman DESIGNED sonic LEGO building challenge
Winning builders will also win Sonic LEGO Sets and Sonic Plushies as Sonic Superstars Launches Today
To commemorate Sonic’s appearance as a LEGO® minifigure in Sonic Superstars, SEGA has partnered with one of the world’s leading LEGO brick artists and only LEGO Certified Professional (LCP) in the southern hemisphere, Ryan McNaught, aka Brickman, to create a Sonic Building Challenge.
See Brickman’s Mini Sonic Creation below:
Brickman has created his own mini version of Sonic and has laid down the challenge for other LEGO builders and Sonic fans to create their own versions of Sonic, inspired by Sonic Superstars. Builders can then submit their creations via Twitter, Instagram or Facebook by simply sharing an image of their LEGO Sonic and using the hashtag #myownsonicsuperstar.
The five most creative entries will win prize packs containing a copy of Sonic Superstars and a Nintendo Switch OLED console, a Sonic LEGO set and a Sonic Plushie.
Sonic Superstars is available from today on PlayStation®5 (PS5®) and PlayStation®4 (PS4®) consoles, Xbox Series X, Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch™ family of systems starting at $99.99 AUD.
Adventure through the mystical Northstar Islands in this all-new take on classic Sonic high-speed action platforming. Play as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy Rose and harness all-new Emerald Powers to move and attack in dynamic new ways. Navigate gorgeous, never-before-seen environments solo or with up to three other players and stop Dr. Eggman, Fang and a mysterious new adversary from converting the islands’ giant animals into Badniks before it’s too late!
To stay current on Sonic the Hedgehog™ news, follow Sonic on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, like him on Facebook, and subscribe to the Twitch channel and the YouTube channel. For more information, please visit sonicsuperstars.com.
The free-to-play surprise Halloween present pulls players back to the Northbury Grove universe
SEATTLE– 16 Oct. 2023 – Publisher tinyBuild and developer Scythe Dev Team, the forces behind Happy Humble’s Burger Farm, today reveal the horrifically blood-pumping immersive VR experience, Return to Northbury Grove, available now on Steam for free.
Explore the interconnected Northbury Grove universe through the eyes of Liam Murphy, an aspiring actor determined to land the role of a lifetime at the infamous Rock the Warehouse (RTW) music festival. It’s audition day on the RTW concert grounds, the air is chilly, and the arena is desolate. Liam’s bad feeling turns into a real nightmare as the Spector Forest Slasher kidnaps him and throws him into the basement of his labyrinthian kill house.
Coming off of the success of Happy Humble’s Burger Farm, Scythe and tinyBuild team up once again to deliver a haunting, off-the-wall VR horror experience accessible to all with Return to Northbury Grove. Experience tactile, fully physics-based gameplay, chilling spatial audio, unpredictable and adaptable AI, as well as a bone-chilling atmosphere reminiscent of classic slasher-horror movies.
tinyBuild started as an indie game developer and morphed into a developer-publisher you can’t miss. Our dedication to creating long-term partnerships and elevating recognizable franchises has resulted in many successful collaborations with talented developers from all over the world. The company has released dozens of games, including Hello Neighbor, Graveyard Keeper, SpeedRunners, and more. Although headquartered in the Seattle Area, USA, the company has established a strong global presence with studios across the US, Netherlands, Latvia, and throughout Eastern Europe.
Based out of Arizona and Massachusetts, the Scythe Dev Team focuses on creating niche titles with unique gameplay experiences that break barriers of conventions through experimental mechanics and an off-the-wall approach to game design. All of the team’s games take place within its own interconnected Scythe Saga Universe. In December 2022, Scythe Dev Team joined tinyBuild as an internal studio with full creative control over their upcoming projects.
Return to the wonder days of summer camp, riding bikes and adventure in this nostalgic spin on the award-winning micro-strategy game series
STOCKHOLM – Oct. 16, 2023 – This year, ring in your Halloween with a trip back to the Summer of Greed! Raw Fury has released Kingdom Eighties, the newest standalone game in the award-winning micro-strategy series, on consoles and mobile devices. Take a ride back in time and save your town from doom in this single-player love letter to the glory days of camp, riding bikes to the mall, and sitting around the TV in your pajamas on Saturday mornings.
Kingdom Eighties is out now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch for $11.99 with a launch discount for Playstation®Plus subscribers and Nintendo Switch players. It is also available on iOS $4.99 and Android devices for $4.99.
Kingdom Eighties’ console launch is part of a grand celebration of the Kingdom series, which turns 8 years old this month. As part of the celebration, games across the franchise will be discounted up to 90% on Steam – learn more here Coronation Week.
A stylish new spin on the hit Kingdom franchise, Kingdom Eighties is an epic adventure of micro-strategy and base-building wrapped in the neon-retro vibes of the ‘80s. As the young Leader, you’ll team up with new friends like the Champ, the Tinkerer, and the Wiz to protect the town of Monarch from the relentless attacks of the mysterious Greed.
Recruit neighborhood kids and assign them roles like soldiers and builders, use coins to build and expand your kingdom, and fortify it by raising walls and defensive turrets. But be ready – when night falls, the Greed will attack without mercy. Explore your town, unlock new mounts, discover powerful weapons and tech upgrades, and manage your resources wisely to survive.
Key Features
Step into the Kingdom Franchise:Kingdom Eighties builds on the series’ well-known world and mechanics with a new experience perfect for newcomers to learn the ropes and fall in love with the franchise.
Befriend Your Trusty Companions: Join forces with three supporting characters who will lend you their aid on your journey: the Champ, the Tinkerer, and the Wiz. Each has different abilities you can combine to progress through the game.
Hit the Streets in Style: Explore new urban locations never before seen in a Kingdom game. Find fresh wheels at the skateboard park, visit the shops on Main Street, and free the New Lands Mall from the Greed.
Live for the Summer: Kingdom’s iconic, handcrafted, pixel-art magic is back with a distinctively ‘80s neon feel. Vibe to an original synthwave soundtrack from Andreas Hald, and travel back to the wonder days of bike rides and summer camp, when anything seemed possible!
Brand-New ‘Survival Mixtapes’ Mode: Press play on the mixtape in the pause menu and get ready for heart-pounding survival gameplay. Try your luck beating endless waves of Greed to earn yourself a crown – how many days will you last?
Kingdom Eighties is also available on PC and Mac via Steam. For more information, visit the game’s official website.
About Fury Studios
Kingdom Eighties is developed by Fury Studios. Founded in 2019 by Raw Fury, the studio is based in Zagreb, Croatia, and Stockholm, Sweden. Along with the development of the Kingdom franchise, Fury Studios supplies 2D/3D asset production and animations, technical support, multi-platform porting, code optimizations and quality control for Raw Fury’s various partners and titles.
About Raw Fury
Raw Fury is a boutique indie (un)publisher founded in 2015 by Jonas Antonsson, Gordon Van Dyke, and David Martinez. We do not care about genres or mechanics. We care about experiences and emotions. We want to help developers make magic.
492 gaming cosplayers in one place at Hamburg’s pop culture event
Hamburg, October 16th, 2023 – Polaris Convention 2023 surpassed all expectations this weekend with more than 27,000 gaming and cosplay fans assembling at Messe Hamburg. The weekend was completely sold out, with more than three-times the number of visitors compared to last year when it took place for the first time.
Content creator Jasmin Sibel aka Jasmin Gnu loved the event: „This was my first Polaris. I really liked the atmosphere and the diverse program. The event had a good size: I had time to talk to my community and to meet other creators and colleagues in a relaxed environment. I also love the huge cosplay area and it was cool to be able to admire all the elaborate costumes.”
One of the event’s highlights was the official Guinness World Record sponsored by TikTok which was passed with flying colors on Sunday: 492 enthusiastic cosplayers dressed in video game costumes surpassed the previous record of 491 that was established in Tampere/Finland way back in 2013. The impressive display showed the community’s love and passion for cosplay and gaming. Additionally, a cosplay contest was held in front of 2,000 guests and a jury of high-caliber judges on the PLITHC main stage. First place among all the fantastic cosplays went to LazerLiz with her Junker Queen cosplay.
Polaris Convention was not just an event, it was a journey into various worlds, each with its own fascinating aspects. Cosplay, gaming, cooking shows, a retro corner, dancing, panels and much more were all part of the program. Additionally, all three days were accompanied by a streaming program on Twitch with more than 200,000 viewers on the Polaris Twitch channel and shared by many of the participating creators for all those who couldn’t take part in person.
The Polaris team has already started working on next year’s edition, planned for October 11th to 13th 2024 in Hamburg – with even more exhibitors, creators, artists and more space. Exhibitors can already sign up and an early bird discount for three-day tickets has also started.
STOCKHOLM (October 16, 2023) – Avalanche Studios Group announced today that it will open a new location in Montreal, Canada. The expansion follows the acquisition of Monster Closet, a Montreal-based studio founded in 2021 by a core team of veteran game developers with over 100 years of combined experience in AAA game development
Montreal is the company’s fifth location following Stockholm, New York City, Malmö, and Liverpool. The full force of Monster Closet’s developers has now been integrated into Avalanche Studios Group’s existing teams, joining the development of current and future IPs.
– 2023 marks Avalanche Studios Group’s 20th anniversary, and becoming a part of Montreal’s thriving game development scene is a fantastic way to start our new chapter, says Stefanía Halldórsdóttir, CEO of Avalanche Studios Group. With this addition to our locations, we bring on board some of the brightest talents in the industry, reinforcing our ability to create fantastic games for millions of players around the world.
– From the very first moment we met, we knew that Avalanche Studios Group would be a perfect fit for us, says Graeme Jennings, former CEO of Monster Closet, now leading the Montreal location of Avalanche Studios Group. We share the same passion for our craft and for creating great games. Not to speak about our common values around people, inclusion, collaboration, and making sure all voices are heard. If you add the fact that Avalanche has been making amazing titles for 20 years – becoming part of such a legacy and contributing to its continuation is a dream come true.
In its rich 20-year history, Avalanche Studios Group has developed a strong portfolio of games that redefine open-world vastness, player agency, and emergent gameplay. Combined with our focus on a sustainable work environment and inclusive work culture, we aim to fill a unique position in Montreal.
About Avalanche Studios Group
Avalanche Studios Group is a leading interactive entertainment company offering a wide range of games and live services from creative divisions Avalanche Studios, Expansive Worlds, and Systemic Reaction. Its portfolio includes the Just Cause franchise, theHunter: Call of the Wild, Generation Zero, Rage 2, Call of the Wild: The Angler, Ravenbound, and the upcoming Contraband. Founded in 2003, Avalanche Studios Group draws from over two decades of open-world experience. All its games are developed using the proprietary Apex engine, enabling vast and dynamic worlds, full of emergent gameplay and endless creative possibilities.
Dejima Studios announces that their first video game title will be Hyper Blade 2050.
Hyper Blade 2050 is a futuristic text-based sports management simulation, set on a future Earth and based on the fictional sport of Hyper Blade. Players will experience the emotions and excitement of professional sports management, whilst being drawn into the rich story of the people living on a future Earth in 2050.
Hyper Blade is a combination of the sports of ice hockey, handball, and roller derby, and is inspired by the movie Rollerball (1975).
Dejima Studios is a new game studio, creating compelling games with a focus on intelligent and innovative game experiences that players will love to explore.
For more information, or to sign up for playtesting, please visit www.dejimastudios.com.
The Holiday season starts now as The Grinch and Max set out to steal the Whos presents, in this new adaptation of the Christmas classic
Bandai Namco Europe together with Outright Games, the leading global publisher of family-friendly interactive entertainment, and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, a leading global children’s entertainment company, are for the release of The Grinch: Christmas Adventures. Based on the classic Christmas story written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss, How The Grinch Stole Christmas!, the game will take players on a mischief-filled journey throughout all of Who-ville. It is available now to play now on PlayStation 4®, PlayStation 5®, Nintendo Switch™, Xbox One, Xbox X|S, and Steam.
In this 2D platformer adventure game, fans can play as The Grinch and his faithful dog Max with up to 2 player local co-op mode, as they go on a mission to ruin Christmas for the town of Who-ville and steal all their presents. Players can also collect puzzle pieces as they go through levels to construct and unlock new abilities that will aid schemes, including a Santa disguise for stealthy sneaking and a snowboard for faster travel between locations.
Watch the full launch trailer
With three main locations to visit – The Grinch’s cave, the countryside and Who-ville itself – fans will be treated to colourful and festive visuals inspired by Dr. Seuss’s original drawings, as well as appearances from recognisable characters. Explore and adventure, as players help The Grinch discover the true meaning of Christmas and make his heart grow three sizes.
The Grinch phenomenon began in 1957 with the publishing of the original book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Today he is one of the most culturally celebrated and beloved holiday characters that millions of families have incorporated into their holiday celebrations. Earlier this year, a sequel to the original bookwas released by Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Random House Children’s Books. Taking place one year after the original story, The Grinch sets out to win the Who-ville’s Christmas Crown with the most spectacular Christmas tree ever seen, but once again learns a valuable lesson about the true spirit of the holiday from an old friend. The brand continues to expand, as the #grinch has 9.3B views on TikTok, generated over 15B impressions in 2022 and The Grinch (2018 movie) is the #1 holiday movie worldwide.
Stephanie Malham, COO, Outright Games Ltd, said: “It has been an incredible pleasure to work with Dr. Seuss Enterprises to translate the beloved story of ‘How The Grinch Stole Christmas!’ into the world of video games. We’re bringing this incredible adventure to a whole new generation of fans, and it’s been an exciting experience adapting the core elements that make the book such an enduring classic into a completely different entertainment medium.”
Hernán Castillo, CTO from Casual Brothers Ltd, said: “’How The Grinch Stole Christmas!’ is a classic Christmas story beloved by so many. We wanted to keep the spirit of the book alive within our game and side-scrolling platform adventures are a timeless game design that is familiar to gamers across generations and skill levels.”
The Grinch: Christmas Adventures is available now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC.
About Bandai Namco Europe S.A.S.:
Bandai Namco Europe S.A.S. is a leading global publisher and developer of entertainment content for platforms including, but not limited to, all major video game consoles and PC.
Bandai Namco Europe is producing intellectual property for a global audience and is building its reputation with franchises such as LITTLE NIGHTMARES™, PARK BEYOND™, and the upcoming UNKNOWN 9™ Awakening – developed by the recently acquired Reflector Entertainment based in Montreal, QC.
Bandai Namco Europe serves as the Headquarters of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. for mainland Europe, which is known for creating and publishing many of the Toy & Entertainment industry’s top franchises, including PAC-MAN™, TAMAGOTCHI™, GUNDAM™, TEKKEN™, DARK SOULS™ and the recently released ELDEN RING™. For more information please visit www.bandainamcoent.eu.
About Outright Games:
Outright Games is a global video games publisher with a focus on bringing quality family entertainment to a worldwide audience. Founded in 2016, Outright Games has established its place in the market delivering engaging interactive games of beloved entertainment licences globally. Outright Games brings stories and characters to life with titles including favorites such as Peppa Pig: World Adventures with Hasbro, DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos with Warner, Star Trek Prodigy: Supernova and Paw Patrol: Grand Prix with Nickelodeon, and DreamWorks Dragons: Legends of The Nine Realms with NBC Universal. With an Outright Games title there will be fun for all the family to enjoy. For more information please visit: www.outrightgames.com
About Dr. Seuss Enterprises
Founded in 1993, Dr. Seuss Enterprises is a leading global children’s entertainment and licensing company focused on promoting literacy, education, self-confidence and the wonderful possibilities of a child’s imagination through the beloved works of Dr. Seuss. All Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ profits benefit charitable organizations that focus on causes such as education, health, animal conservation, and the arts. For more information visit DrSeussEnterprises.com.
About Casual Brothers
Casual Brothers LTD is an experienced game development team founded in 2010, based out of the UK. They’re comprised of team members with decades of experience in digital games, and have released their own titles, as well as supporting the development of projects for other studios, across PC, console, and mobile platforms.
With a call from a mysterious Songbird leading V to the lawless Dogtown neighborhood, we find ourselves neck-deep in trouble as the President has been forced down and the only one capable of helping her is us. With the promise of salvation on the line, V must help in any way she can in Cyberpunk 2077’s DLC expansion Phantom Liberty.
Phantom Liberty is a new spy-thriller adventure for Cyberpunk 2077. Return as cyber-enhanced mercenary V and embark on a high-stakes mission of espionage and intrigue to save the NUS President. In the dangerous district of Dogtown, you must forge alliances within a web of shattered loyalties and sinister political machinations. Do you have what it takes to survive?
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Developer: CD PROJEKT RED (Homepage) Publisher: CD PROJEKT RED (Homepage) Platform: Windows, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5/4 Release Date: 26 Sep, 2023 Price: $29.99 USD
Recommended – “Cyberpunk 2077 had an awful reputation three years ago but CD Projekt Red’s efforts to fix it and the exceptional content found in Phantom Liberty more than redeem this futuristic RPG.”
When it launched for the 3DS, Detective Pikachu got a lot of attention, but is mainly remembered for spawning a successful cinematic adaptation of the same property. A good time later, Nintendo are ready to give this sleuth another stab at it in Detective Pikachu Returns for the Switch. Sure, its a bit niche – but Pokemon is something that carries a lot of weight. Does the charms of this follow-up manage to retrigger interest of this spin-off, or is this one adventure worth skipping? Let’s find out.
Story
The story is kind of the main meat on the bone for Detective Pikachu Returns, but that doesn’t mean it hits a home run in that area. Players are reunited with Pikachu as he teams up with Tim Goodman, who is out looking for his father around Ryme City. Pikachu, who used to partner with the older Goodman is very involved as well, and works to solve minor crimes in the city with Tim, which all begin to lead to the overarching plot.
This is a very dialogue-heavy game, so there is definitely writing pushing the plot and atmosphere forward, but the game kind of has issues with keeping the player’s attention. To put it bluntly, this can be a very boring game that struggles to find its footing in its own universe. Sure, Pikachu is fine, but the rest of the cast offer little, occasionally bringing a chuckle with jokes that give it an offbeat charm. That said, humor doesn’t keep the plot afloat, as the interactions just are not enough to keep the player caring about the story and its main focus of where the narrative is actually going. Will a kid care? Probably not, but older fans may have a hard time staying invested until the credits.
Gameplay
The gameplay in Detective Pikachu Returns is relatively simple. Players control Tim and go from area to area, interrogating humans and Pokemon alike to resolve the simple issues plaguing the town. The controls work fine enough and the layout is never cumbersome, as for what it does, this title does well when it comes to solving cases. In fact, there is a lot of rewarding elements to discover within both cases and the overall world, which makes exploration interesting.
That said, the game holds the player’s hand a lot, like in almost every crime, meaning it is almost impossible to get stuck or feel much of a challenge as the gameplay more or less pulls you along until the correct answer presents itself. It really comes down to genre here. If you can accept that this game is just a visual novel with a little more interaction, you will probably be a bit more open-minded than someone who expects more from the Pokemon franchise. Regardless, I think the first worked a bit better as it at least had the gimmickry of the touch screen to keep it engaging, and the Switch fails to capitalize on its own software in order to modernize those same techniques. For a portable, yes this is kind of neat to have. For a home platform like the Switch – it just feels like a downgrade from the experiences like Snap and other spin-offs that are just far more involved.
Visuals
Visually, Detective Pikachu Returns is colorful, bright, and mostly well-animated as the city of Ryme looks great and the Pokemon themselves look great. The humans however, well – that is a different story. Humans seem generic and don’t really come across as interesting, as each perform in hollow bodies that lack much emotion or detail that would depict a sense of character. In a way its like those movies that were knock-offs of your favorite Disney flicks. You know, where Aladdin looks sort of like the hero you know and the story is there, but you just find it hard to care about him because the designs seem cheap and forced in. Those may seem like hard critiques, but visuals are what could have saved this game, and there just isn’t a lot to really brag about with what Creatures put into this.
Audio
The audio is at least a bit better. The music is outstanding and I loved the voice acting we got to hear, as it almost makes it feel like a movie. However, most voice lines are done through text, and due to the heavy amount of that throughout – these little stories within can fall flat quickly as a result. I will say it was nice to hear actual Pokemon voiced, but without a lot else, there is another missed opportunity here that again fails to make the game feel like a complete, polished package.
Overall
I really love Pokemon, but Detective Pikachu Returns is hard to recommend. The visuals are bland and basic, and the story never comes together with enough substance to keep the player entertained. Sure, some of the cases are well thought out, but I found myself speeding through a lot of those to find the gold here that never seemed to appear. This feels like a release that was put out to prepare the property for a possible cinematic sequel, but leaves out a lot of engagement to keep the player invested long enough to care. Younger players and hardcore fans may find some entertainment here, but most fans of the franchise would do better to check out the other offerings for the franchise on the platform, rather than spend too much time in a world that feels generic and lifeless.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
