London, U.K. — 5 September 2023 — Marvelous Europe today released Rune Factory 3 Special, an upgraded and expanded version of the classic RPG/life sim, on the Nintendo Switch™ system across Europe and Australia and Windows PC via Steam.
Watch the Launch Trailer here:
In Rune Factory 3 Special players will play as Micah, a young man who is first discovered as a sheep-like monster known as a wooly, before magically transforming into his human form overnight with no memory of his past except for his name. Now taking residence in Sharance, Micah finds himself embroiled in a longstanding conflict between the human community and a race of monsters known as the univir. With a secret of his own, he must work to build bridges between the two races while finding time to tend to his farm and build relationships with the locals. Restoring peace to the world is important work, but so is preparing for the annual bean toss festival!
As a special gift, users will receive outfits for Micah based on the protagonists of Rune Factory 4 Special and Rune Factory 5 if they have save data for each game on Nintendo Switch™ or own the game in their library on Steam, unlocking Lest’s Outfit with Rune Factory 4 Special and Ares’ Outfit with Rune Factory 5. Additionally, the “Another Episode” DLC, which features illustrated stories narrated by each of the 11 marriage candidates, will be available for free for one month after launch, after which time it will be made available as paid DLC for £4.49/ €4.99 from October 4.
Rune Factory 3 Special returns with gorgeous HD graphics and redesigned 3D character models that improve upon the original designs while retaining their unique appeal. These updated visuals are bolstered by new features including Newlywed Mode, standalone adventures unlocked after marriage to each of the game’s 11 eligible bachelorettes, and a “Hell” difficulty level to challenge even veteran players!
KEY FEATURES
An adventure spanning two worlds – Step into the shoes of Micah, a young man with amnesia and the mysterious ability to transform into a sheep-like monster, as he searches for a way for humans and monsters to coexist.
Thrilling action RPG combat – Master swords, spears, hammers, and even magic to take on powerful monsters. Recruit townsfolk and monsters alike to explore treacherous dungeons.
Sow the seeds of your new life – Relax after a long day of adventuring with activities including farming, fishing, and more. Discover the many varieties of Magic Seeds, which grow into strange crops that aid in your adventure in fun and exciting ways!
Find that special someone – Meet 11 lovely bachelorettes, the most in series history! Learn more about them through daily conversations and quests, fall in love, then pop the question and get married. Before you know it, you’ll have a wonderful family to join in on your adventures.
Published in Europe and Australia by Marvelous Europe and in North America by XSEED Games, Rune Factory 3 Special released on the Nintendo Switch™ system and Windows PC via Steam on September 5th, 2023. This title has been rated PEGI 7.
Rune Factory 3 Special is available for physical purchase for the Nintendo Switch™ system through participating retailers at the Marvelous Europe website. The title retails for an RRP of €39.99/£34.99 for the standard edition, and an RRP of €59.99 / £49.99 for the Limited Edition bundle.
This includes a 140-page A5 notebook, character stickers, Micah themed pin badges, a woven patch, an A3 poster, plus access to the in-game “Swimsuit Mode” allowing for characters to appear in their swimsuits year-round, all housed in a custom outer box featuring an original Rune Factory 3 Special illustration inspired by the game’s anime opening.
About Marvelous Europe
Marvelous Europe is the publisher behind Mandragora, Leximan and Cuisineer, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marvelous Inc., developer of beloved Story of Seasons and Rune Factory series.
Established in 2012, Marvelous Europe is passionate about helping games to reach a global audience while nurturing emerging developers and studios. With decades of experience and strong ties to the worldwide indie game dev community, the highly skilled European team is committed to supporting studios worldwide find success, while continuing to publish and distribute select Marvelous Inc. content.
Become an interpreter in a colorful land where ancient languages are both the lock and the key
PARIS – Sept. 5, 2023 – Today publisher Focus Entertainment and indie studio Rundisc are extremely happy to releaseChants of Sennaar, the mesmerizing puzzle adventure game where you must decipher glyphs to unravel the mysteries of a world of forgotten languages. The title is out now on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with a free demo also available on all platforms!
Reveal the mysteries beneath the fragments of the past
Divided since the dawn of time, the Peoples of the Tower no longer speak to each other. But it is said that one day, a Traveler will find the wisdom to break down the walls and restore the Balance. Explore and discover a fascinating world where men have forgotten their past.
Chants of Sennaar paints a colorful and poetic setting inspired by the myth of Babel, drawing visually from European comic artists and a miscellany of architectural styles. Travel the endless steps of a prodigious labyrinth, uncover an ominous truth and unveil the mysteries of this captivating universe where ancient languages are both the lock and the key.
A special vinyl for an enchanting OST
Alongside the release of Chants of Sennaar, Focus and Rundisc have also announced today an exclusive vinyl edition of the game’s tremendous instrumental original soundtrack, composed by Thomas Brunet, available to pre-order now on the Focus Store.
Chants of Sennaar is out now on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with a free demo on all platforms, as well as a 10% launch discount on Steam. A special bundle including the full game and its enchanting OST is also available on Steam and the Focus Store.
Take a first look at life in the robot-led future of Border Bots VR, crossing onto VR September 28th
Tuesday, 5th September 2023 – Team17 Digital and Paw Print Games in association with vTime Games have today revealed the first gameplay trailer for the upcoming VR simulation-puzzle game, Border Bots VR. Alongside the new trailer, Team17 Digital announced that Border Bots VR will arrive on PlayStation®VR2 and SteamVR on September 28th with a Meta Quest 2 release early next year.
The Border Bots VR trailer gives a first glimpse at life in the light-hearted robot-led future. Players will step into the life of a human border agent attempting to climb up the corporate ladder, detect unauthorised items and turn away anyone without the correct paperwork. Utilise a variety of quirky gadgets, including a 3D printer, barcode scanner and contraband detector, to interact with a host of friendly assistant AI and mechanical denizens.
Border Bots VR Key Features:
Analyse: Check documents for discrepancies and robots for unauthorised modifications while confiscating forbidden items.
Utilise: Ensure a hard day’s work with an array of handy gadgets such as a 3D Printer, Barcode Scanner, and Contraband Detector.
Corporatise: Rise up the corporate ladder by purchasing upgrades, gadgets, and booth enhancements, and keep an eye on the competition with performance review leaderboards.
To stay up to date with all things Border Bots VR, follow the journey on Twitter.
About Paw Print Games
Paw Print Games is a video games development studio formed in the UK in 2011 by passionate veterans of the games industry, Steven Craft and Antony White. Coming from a background of selling hundreds of millions of AAA video games, including the iconic LEGO games, the studio kick-started its journey with the multi-award winning and App Store Game of the Week, Kami Retro. After several years developing mobile games, it switched its focus back to PC and console titles whilst also dipping its toes into VR with the side-scrolling beat-em-up, Bloody Zombies. It is now focused on fully immersive, tactile, funny, story driven experiences, such as the upcoming Border Bots VR.
About vTime Games
Fusing a decade of experience in alternate realities with a rich AAA gaming heritage, vTime Games is a UK-based studio focused on delivering immersive cross-platform titles. With an extensive back catalogue of success in concepting and delivering hit titles, the team is led and staffed by industry veterans who have created some of the world’s most successful studios and critically acclaimed games, from platform launch titles to BAFTA and AIAS award winners. A division of vTime – the studio behind the first cross-reality social network, vTime XR – vTime Games merges world-beating industry talent with cutting-edge proprietary technologies and AI to develop groundbreaking gaming experiences, both through original IP and co-development with its partners.
About Team17 Digital
Founded in 1990, Team17 Digital is a leading developer, video games label, and creative partner for developers around the world. Part of Team17 Group plc, which floated on AIM in 2018, Team17 Digital has an extensive portfolio comprised of over 120 titles, and fully encapsulates the spirit of independent games. Team17 Digital’s portfolio of multi-award-winning and award-nominated in-house brands include Hell Let Loose, Golf With Your Friends, The Escapists, and the iconic Worms franchise, alongside its games label partner titles, including the award-winning games Blasphemous, Greak: Memories of Azur, and Overcooked! franchise.
Unleash Your Skills and Craft Your Path to Survival in a Savage World
Oberhaching, Germany, September 05, 2023 – Independent Polish developer Game Island in partnership with publisher Toplitz Productions reveals its latest video presentation for Serum. The video showcases its fusion of exploration, crafting, and heart-pounding survival against mutated beasts that roam the game world.
More details of the player’s ability to craft and concoct potent serums, which can enhance stamina, health, and provide the player with other abilities such as night vision, are also teased.
Survival isn’t just a goal – it’s an art form. Every encounter requires calculated weapon choices to overcome the challenges presented by the ferocious creatures that inhabit the harsh environment.
Serum will feature both single player and co-op gameplay when it arrives next year. Stay tuned for more reveals in the coming weeks.
For more details on the game check out the official Steam page here.
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.
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.
PUBG MOBILE’s thrilling new Version 2.8 Update will bring:
Zombies’ Edge: a multi-map takeover event featuring Mutant-infested battlegrounds, new enemies, locations, challenges, items and more
Additions and improvements to World of Wonder, including Creation Rating and a new Zombie PvE template
Metro Royale Season 16 and Cycle 5 Season 14
Two upcoming partnerships with world-famous restaurant and car brands
LONDON – September 5th, 2023 – On September 7th, PUBG MOBILE, one of the world’s most popular mobile games, will be overrun with hordes of the undead in its new terrifying Version 2.8 Update. In the run-up to Halloweeks, Zombies have infected the battlegrounds, with creepy new enemies, challenges, abilities and items to explore. Significant enhancements are also coming to World of Wonder, including Creation Rating and a new Zombie PvE template, alongside a new Metro Royale Season and Cycle 5Season 14.
In the Version 2.8 Update, legions of infected Mutants will be swamping Erangel, Miramar and Livik until November 6th! The pulsing dark energy of Aerolith has mutated the lab dedicated to its study into an abandoned wasteland loaded with abundant supplies and resources, which automatically grants those who enter a respawn card.
Deep in Aerolith Lab and Outpost on these maps, players must prevent as many Mutants from being absorbed by the Aerolith as possible. The more Mutants the Aerolith absorbs, the more powerful the daunting Rage Berserker boss that spawns will be, providing an even greater challenge. Players who defeat this fearsome foe will be rewarded with a crate.
Three equally frightening variations of Zombie await players in the Version 2.8 Update. In addition to the regular Mutant, the tall, intimidating Berserker wields weapons and shields in its fortified, muscular right arm, while the agile Ripper can leap and dash quickly to attack and evade blows.
The rewards from defeating these living dead however are worth the horror. While some Zombies wander ominously around the Aerolith Lab, more powerful Rage Berserkers can be found lurking closer to the Aerolith. Once defeated, these fearsome monsters drop genetic materials, which can grant players a host of enhanced supernatural abilities. These include Mutation Gauntlets, huge arm gauntlets that deal monstrous amounts of melee damage and a fierce Smash ability, and razor-sharp Mutation Blade to slash at enemies, which combined with a Sprint ability allow players to zip around the battlegrounds and cause damage along the way.
Players can also hop aboard the Maglev Hoverboard, which can be acquired from the Lab, to traverse both land and sea efficiently. There will also be a surprise coming in early October to celebrate Halloweeks for those who like to party!
The Version 2.8 Update also debuts a host of gameplay enhancements, including improvements to the World of Wonder creative mode with Creation Rating, new gameplay devices for the Editor, and a new Zombie PvE Template. Here, new waves of monsters spawn every round – only those who defeat them all will win.
Additionally, Cycle 5 Season 14 is updated with new content, rewards and cosmetics to unlock and enjoy, and the latest Metro Royale Chapter 16 will bring a new Dagger melee weapon and collectibles.
Players can also look forward to two exciting collaborations with one of the globe’s biggest restaurant chains and a world-renowned performance car brand. Stay tuned for more details!
Complete details about what’s included in PUBG MOBILE’s Version 2.8 Update can be found in the official patch notes available here.
PUBG MOBILE’s Version 2.8 Update will be available on September 7th! Download the game for free on theApp Store andGoogle Play Store.
About PUBG MOBILE
PUBG MOBILE is based on PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, the phenomenon that took the world of interactive entertainment by storm in 2017. Up to 100 players parachute onto a remote island to battle in a winner-takes-all showdown. Players must locate and scavenge their own weapons, vehicles, and supplies, and defeat every player in a visually and tactically rich battleground that forces players into a shrinking play zone.
For more information, please visit the official PUBG MOBILE social channels onFacebook,Instagram,Twitter andYouTube.
Fly into the danger zone in the cockpit of an F/A-18 Hornet, defend the San Francisco skies, and let the death-defying flights take your breath away in stunning optional VR.
September 5, 2023, Oxford, UK – 5th September, 2023 – Red Chain Games are delighted to announce that Supersonic Fight will be landing on Steam and Steam VR in 2024.
The announcement comes with an all-new action-packed trailer, which showcases the fast-paced, death-defying flights that await pilots in the new combat flight simulator. Hop into the cockpit, choose and customise your aircraft, from the F/A-18C Hornet to Air Force One, and take to the skies with your squadron to defend the San Francisco Bay area.
When the game launches next year, players will be able to put their piloting and combat skills to the test with challenging story missions in single player, survive deadly dogfights and scenarios in multiplayer or immerse themselves in thrilling combat missions in optional VR – all to an electrifying Top Gun-inspired soundtrack from talented artist D4XX.
“I wanted to recreate the feeling that I remember when I first played Bob Dinnerman’s “F/A-18 Interceptor” on the Amiga, and after decades of experience and the power of modern gaming PCs, I believe I can do it justice and, hopefully, give others the same experience I had,” said Richard Smith, co-founder of Red Chain Games.
Supersonic Fight will be available on Steam and Steam VR in 2024.
About Red Chain Games
Red Chain Games is an independent UK developer founded in 2008 by two former Codemasters employees: Dean Baker (designer of Colin McRae Rally 2) and Richard M. Smith (lead programmer of Sniper Elite). After starting a company together, Rich and Dean created CustomPlay Golf. This led to them working in the golf-simulator market for companies such as Foresight Sports. They provided Foresight with their FSX game engine and Zombie Golf.
Spanish publisher teams up with The Game Kitchen and Team 17 in worldwide publishing and distribution agreement.
Barcelona, Spain – September 5th 2023. Global publisher and distributor SelectaPlay is thrilled to announce a new partnership with developer The Game Kitchen and publisher Team 17 to release a special boxed collector’s edition of the punishing Metroidvania action platformer Blasphemous 2 for Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®5, and Xbox Series X|S.
SelectaPlay will be responsible for the design and creation as well as the worldwide publishing and distribution of the boxed collector’s edition of Blasphemous 2 and will work closely with The Game Kitchen and Team 17 to create something truly fitting for fans to collect.
Javi Puertas, Head of Gaming at SelectaPlay commented:
“It’s been a little over two years since we released the Blasphemous Collector’s Edition and for us, it’s an honour to work again on one of the best Spanish games ever released. We would like to thank The Game Kitchen and Team 17 for their support, and we are excited to continue our partnership with them with Blasphemous 2.”
Mauricio Garcia, Studio Director of The Game Kitchen commented:
“We are thrilled to work with SelectaPlay again, since they did an outstanding job on Blasphemous’ collector’s edition, packing a lot of exciting extras and carefully crafted merchandise that ultimately delighted all of our fans”
More news on the content of the Blasphemous 2 boxed collector’s edition and release date will be revealed soon. Stay up to date with all the latest SelectaPlay news on the official community channels:
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About The Game Kitchen
Founded in 2010, The Game Kitchen is an independent game studio based in Seville, Spain. Their motto is “we make meaningful indie games”.
They are well known for both their horror point-and-click adventure The Last Door (2013) and more recently for their best-selling indie game Blasphemous (2019). The sequel to Blasphemous is now available.
About Team17 Digital
Founded in 1990, Team17 Digital is a leading developer, video games label, and creative partner for developers around the world. Part of Team17 Group plc, which floated on AIM in 2018, Team17 Digital has an extensive portfolio comprised of over 120 titles, and fully encapsulates the spirit of independent games. Team17 Digital’s portfolio of multi-award-winning and award-nominated in-house brands include Hell Let Loose, Golf With Your Friends, The Escapists, and the iconic Worms franchise, alongside its games label partner titles, including the award-winning games Blasphemous, Greak: Memories of Azur, and Overcooked! franchise.
About SelectaPlay
SelectaPlay is SelectaVisión’s video games publishing branch. The company works with talented studios on unique video games and helps them publish their titles in both physical and digital formats worldwide.
About SelectaVisión
SelectaVisión is a media entertainment distributor company founded in 1984. Based in Spain, SelectaVisión’s catalogue includes anime and live-action feature films, TV shows, and movies. Publishing both anime classics and the latest Japanese productions since 1997, SelectaVisión has built a long relationship with fan-favourite Japanese producers and distributors, becoming the major publisher of anime content for Spanish audiences.
Showcasing 11 musical minigames, and 20 levels from the free battle pass, the tech test runs from 4th – 11th September on Steam.
Tuesday, 5th September 2023 – Glee-Cheese and Team17 Digital welcome players to join the wing flapping, talon tapping flock in the Headbangers Rhythm Royale Closed Steam Tech Test. Running from 4th-11th September, and taking place on Steam, the tech test showcases 11 of the 23 mini games that will be available at launch and allows players to unlock 20 of the 40 free battle pass levels and their respective rewards.
For more information, and to join the Headbangers Rhythm Royale Closed Steam Tech Test, please ‘peck’ out the Headbangers Rhythm Royale Steam Page.
Also coming to Xbox Consoles via Xbox Game Pass, Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4, and PlayStation 5 at launch on 31st October, Headbangers Rhythm Royale invites players to tap, flap, and rap their way to victory in a series of manic musical mini games against 29 other player-controlled pigeons, finally answering the age-old question, ‘What is going on in their head?’
Headbangers Rhythm Royale Key Features
Ruffle feathers: Memory, rhythm, reflexes, and reaction times will be put to the test across 23 minigames, each with their own unique musical twist Preen away: With hundreds of unique items to choose from, including full outfits, hats, glasses, voices, and taunts, players can take the top spot and fluff their feathers with their very own personalised pigeon Peck and earn breadcrumbs: Challenges and unlockable customisations await in the free in-game battle pass, with players able to spend their hard-earned crumbs to help them be the most stylish pigeon in the flock Cross-flock support: Play with up to 29 other pigeons with crossplay enabled, friends and frenemies alike can battle in musical madness regardless their gaming platform of choice Talon tapping music: With unique scores across each minigame, loading screen, and pigeon accessory menu, the party never stops with the bespoke scores written and created by the Glee-Cheese team.
For more information on Headbangers Rhythm Royale please follow us on Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.
About Glee-Cheese
Glee-Cheese is an independent video game studio based in France, striving to develop innovative games with a strong artistic identity. Their debut title A Musical Story launched in 2022, and their newest title Headbangers Rhythm Royale is currently in development.
About Team17 Digital
Founded in 1990, Team17 Digital is a leading developer, video games label, and creative partner for developers around the world. Part of Team17 Group plc, which floated on AIM in 2018, Team17 Digital has an extensive portfolio of over 120 titles, and fully encapsulates the spirit of independent games. Winner of the ‘Publishing Star’ award at the 2023 Develop: Star Awards, Team17 Digital has assembled a portfolio of multi-award-winning and award-nominated in-house brands include Hell Let Loose, Golf With Your Friends, The Escapists, and the iconic Worms franchise, alongside its games label partner titles, including the award-winning games Blasphemous, Greak: Memories of Azur, DREDGE, and the Overcooked! franchise.
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is the newest installment in the long-standing series. Double Dragon was first released in arcades in 1987. It spawned a number of sequels and ports that were released on multiple platforms. The game enjoyed immense popularity back in its day. It established the foundation for many other fighting action games that came afterwards. The Lee brothers even starred in a live-action movie, but suffice to say, it failed on all counts. Nowadays, the Double Dragon IP belongs to Arc System Works. Even then, the series has been relegated to spin-offs and cameos in games from the same universe. Double Dragon Gaiden is one such spin-off, but does it live up to the franchise’s past glory?
Story
In the aftermath of an all-out nuclear war, New York City is now ruled by four powerful gangs. One day, a cop named Marian is injured while engaged in conflict with the ruffians who assault the city daily. She’s brought by the newly-elected mayor to the Sou-Setsu-Ken dojo, where her friends, the twin brothers Billy Lee and Jimmy Lee, live with their father and master. The mayor wants to enlist master Lee to help put an end to the chaos that has engulfed the city. Unfortunately, Master Lee is currently missing, so it falls in the hands of the Lee brothers, Marian, and a new character known as Uncle Matin to put an end to the gangs’ rule of terror.
What’s interesting about the story is how the developers took the scrapped-out script from Super Double Dragon for the SNES and added their own touch to it. They even went as far as creating a new character, “Uncle Matin”, exclusively for Gaiden; “Matin” is just a random word displayed on Billy’s garage in the arcade version of the first Double Dragon; it’s especulated that that’s how this character got his name.
The story plays out using cutscenes featuring pixel art stills, similar to how the story was presented in Double Dragon III on the NES. It’s pretty cool to see that the developers did their homework and went on with including these little tidbits. Besides these brief curiosities and an obvious twist at the end, that’s all for Double Dragon Gaiden’s story.
Gameplay
Double DragonGaiden plays similarly to developer Secret Base’s Streets of Red. It combines beat ’em up action with some rogue-like elements such as the option to buy randomly rotating power-ups between checkpoints. The game uses a tag team system which means players get to swap – almost freely once the mechanic is understood – between two characters, be it to extend combos or to save a partner taking a beating.
At first, players are able to choose from four characters: Billy, Jimmy, Marian, and Uncle Matin. The first two are masters of Sou-Setsu-Ken, but they use it distinctly; Billy is fast and has a versatile move set while Jimmy focuses more on strong punches and grabs. Uncle Matin is a burly brawler with moves that combine defense, offense and grappling. As a cop, Marian uses her tools of the trade to attack from a distance and set traps that stun enemies.
When all is said and done, it’s time to hit the streets. Stages can be beaten in any order, and as players complete them, the following stages go through a makeover which adds one extra area and also new bosses. To see everything, a minimum of four runs is necessary, but new players will probably need a bit more than that as they get used to the flow of the game. This is a neat mechanic that gives the game a decent amount of content while keeping its arcade feel.
Difficulty is highly customizable. Players are able to choose characters’ health level, enemy aggression and stats among other things. This also affects how many tokens players can get at the end of each run. These tokens can be traded for artwork, music, game tips, and, more importantly, playable bosses hailing from all mainline Double Dragon games.
At a glance, Gaiden plays like what you’d expect from a Double Dragon game. Players can make use of the series’ signature moves, like combos, grabs and special attacks. Stages are also designed in a familiar fashion. Players traverse areas that scroll in multiple directions while taking down hordes of enemies. Traps are set up in some areas, but instead of being a real threat – like in older games – they serve mostly to slow down the game’s pacing.
Gameplay is deliberately slow. This is made even more evident by how heavily telegraphed enemy attacks are. Playable characters are, in turn, balanced around this particularity. At first, It’s hard to get used to the flow of the game due to how sluggish it feels. Things get much better once you understand how to play, but that information isn’t free; players need to go through a few runs and collect some tokens, before they can buy tips that teach how the game is supposed to be played. This design choice is as curious as it’s baffling, but once players understand the game’s mechanics, it feels nice to take down multiple enemies at a time while swapping to your secondary character to keep the combo – and the body count – high.
Visuals
The choice of using an art style that calls back to the NES era makes sense since those versions were always much more accessible to players than their arcade counterparts. However, it’s disheartening to see the grittier, more detailed pixel art from the arcade games disappear. Regardless, Double Dragon Gaiden does a good job looking like a modernized 8-Bit console game. Main characters and bosses are reasonably well-drawn and animated. Stages are varied and colorful, but this standard isn’t maintained across the entire game. Enemy design is what drags down the visuals the most. They sometimes look like they were put together at the last minute. Many enemies simply use the same sprite with minor differences and swapped move sets.
Audio
While sound effects work well, they’re not really notable. The real outlier in this department is the soundtrack. Many classic tunes were rearranged. Their new incarnations range from faithful to the source material to mildly mixed up. Overall, Gaiden’s soundtrack is pretty good, even if some of my favorite tunes weren’t included.
Overall
Double Dragon Gaiden delivers a decent, albeit flawed, beat ‘em up experience. Its rogue-lite mechanics are, indeed, very light; they don’t do enough to mix things up in a way that justifies their inclusion. It can still be a pretty good time especially when it’s played in co-op.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Ever since it began life as a spin-off from the core Story of Seasons titles, the Rune Factory series has always been something of a special draw as it combined the calming life of a farmer with one of a fantasy adventurer doing battle with monsters in a unique fashion. As such the series has seen quite a rise in popularity throughout the years and has seen a new release as recent as last year but that doesn’t mean the classics are left in the past. XSEED and Marvelous have been returning to some of these classics to bring them to new platforms with a few upgrades as we’ve already seen with Rune Factory 4 and now this time around Rune Factory 3 is getting the “Special” treatment. Arriving nearly thirteen years after its release on the DS, is Rune Factory 3 Special a worthwhile upgrade?
Story
One night during a terrible storm a young girl named Shara finds an odd looking Wooly passed out in the rain. Despite the general view of the populace on monsters as dangerous, Shara chooses to take care of this monster against her grandfather’s better judgment. The next day that Wooly reverts back to a human and manages to slip away unnoticed, the only problem is, the guy has no memory of who he is, where he is, or even that he can transform into a Wooly. Players take on the role of this amnesiac as he is helped by the rest of the townsfolk, unaware of his nature of being part monster, and given a place to live inside their respected gigantic tree called the Sharance Tree. Here players can help create their own farm below its branches while also trying to uncover the truth behind what happened to them and recover their memories all while dealing with the uneasy relationship between humans and those they see as monsters.
The storyline throughout Rune Factory 3 Special is fairly standard and doesn’t really come with many twists or surprises outside of a final encounter that will be a bit surprising to newcomers as the main storyline has been left untouched from the original release. The real heart of the story in Rune Factory has almost always been the characters and Rune Factory 3 Special is one of the best in that regard as not only does the game offer a surprisingly large cast of characters, all with their own unique personalities and traits, it also features a fairly sizable amount of interpersonal relationships between these characters. Nearly all events with characters are handled through Requests submitted to either the bulletin board or player mailbox, with a few coming in via owl, and these requests often involve not only the character requesting an item but often their friends and family as well.
This creates a rather unique dynamic with some characters as players who may wish to get closer to, say Carmen, will need to first make sure that they do a few requests and get a bit closer to her older brother as well or dealing with the odd opposite speak of Sofia and her family. Along these same lines choosing to try and interact with the fan-favorite Raven will see players needing to deal with her cold-exterior with the occasional help from her friends all while trying to warm her heart to a relationship. It is worth noting that Rune Factory 3 Special was not updated in any way to offer a female player character nor any option to marry a bachelor but instead of this players will find themselves able to choose from eleven different bachelorettes to marry, nearly as many as the last two games combined. These characters range from incredibly charming and unique to being a bit mundane but even then the storylines for all of them are a real delight.
It is a bit unfortunate that some of the character story progression is locked behind certain core storyline events, meaning that players who are actively trying to see certain characters’ requests may find themselves needing to complete certain late-game story events to even unlock these scenes. This issue is combined with the fact that players who do want to complete the storyline will need to marry someone to reach the ending as certain events are tied to one another in this regard. This is a bit limited towards player freedom but thankfully, as mentioned before, the bachelorettes are some of the best in the series that many will struggle to pick a favorite. Thankfully the developers must have known this as they have also included the brand new Newlywed Mode for each of the eleven girls. Newlywed mode unlocks after players have married their chosen wife and offers a brand new short story involving the player character and their chosen bride that is really touching, with Raven and Kuruna’s being some of the best. It is worth noting that players who want to see them all should probably make a separate save file before proposing as it will make the process much simpler.
Gameplay
As with any Rune Factory game, Rune Factory 3 Special is split between players spending time on their farm and delving into dungeons to take down monsters to both level up and obtain the useful materials that they drop. Farming remains fairly simplistic in nature as many of the various elements such as gigantic crops, vegetable dungeons, and growing weaponry have not been retroactively included in this version of the game. Instead players will need to simply make sure to plant and water their crops according to the season, giving the soil some time to rest across their large field of rapidly respawning debris to make sure crops can still properly grow.
As players harvest their crops they will occasionally drop seeds of a higher level version for that crop, allowing players to grow and sell more expensive versions of each one, eventually going as high as level ten crops. These crops can then be sold or used for a variety of crafting purposes ranging between cooking, crafting potions, and even making weapons out of them through an unlockable and purchasable set of tools. It is unfortunate to note that item management has taken a step back in time here as the quality of life changes to allow players to quickly add items into the shipping bin isn’t here as players must now manually drop or throw anything they want to sell into the bin, unable to retrieve it in case of an accident. Players can still quickly store items into their fridge and storage though these need to be upgraded before they are of much use. Along these same lines items of different levels do not stack with one another like in recent entries, meaning caught fish of higher quality or even ever improving quality crops will take up extra space and take longer to sell.
On the other side of things, players will find themselves venturing into four dungeons and a fifth final ruin with the aforementioned dungeons each representing a season. These dungeons contain tillable soil that can allow players to grow crops out of season at any time in the game, meaning if players need tomatoes in winter they can make a run to Sol Terrano. They are also filled with various monsters that players can defeat for their drops, ranging from standard difficulty to quite hard depending on the player’s level. Combat in Rune Factory 3 Special remains true to the series standard with players being able to use a wide variety of weapons such as longswords, dual blades, axes, and more while also using spells to target potential elemental weaknesses. There is no wrong way to approach a fight, unless players end up healing the monster of course, and this level of customization is quite freeing in a game such as this, especially since players can still befriend monsters and even bring them, or a member of the town should they feel like it, into combat as well.
Once players gain access to the monster barn they can tame monsters that, as long as they are properly fed, will almost always offer useful resources that can either be sold or used for crafting and even help with the fields in exchange for extra food. Tamed monsters can water crops, destroy debris, and even plant seeds should the player wish to pay them, making them quite useful once the farm has grown to a fairly large size. It is worth noting that players cannot tame boss monsters in Rune Factory 3 Special like they can in later entries though it is still possible to ride and control most of the larger monsters. It is also worth noting that the fist fighting style added in later games in the series is only available through the player’s monster transformation into a Golden Wooly as there are no fist weapons otherwise.
As with every game in the series, anything the player does outside of simply running around and talking to characters will cost Rune Points (RP). This includes tilling soil, planting and watering seeds, making use of the many crafting stations, and of course swinging a weapon and casting spells. Initially players may find themselves possibly running out of RP and draining their own health in combat only to find themselves waking up in the apothecary’s house owing a decent chunk of change. Standard actions like this quickly become less worrisome though as everything players do improves their stats as they level up. This includes things like sleeping, eating, and of course using weaponry or taking damage but even farming and growing crops can increase stats, especially through the help of Runeys that frequently appear around properly grown crops that offer not only bonus stats but skill experience as well.
It is worth noting that Rune Factory 3 Special also offers the Magic Seed system. Players can “plant” magic seeds anywhere and spawn a useful ally depending on the seed used. These can be anything from a sword that flies around and attacks enemies, a being that transforms enemies into items, and even a lilypad that allows players to walk on water. Players who also want some different reactions from townsfolk can also ask Shara to apply different perfumes on them that change from day to day, seemingly increasing the affection rate for characters that are fond of specific scents.
Outside of the Newlywed Mode the only real noteworthy addition to the option to upgrade the game’s difficulty to Hell Mode. This is available immediately and gives players a real challenge when it comes to combat that is, for the most part, rather forgiving on Normal. It is also worth noting that the post-game content in Rune Factory 3 Special remains fairly limited in the main game besides allowing players to grow their family with a child and tackle special dungeons that grow in difficulty and offer unique items though this is usually best saved for completionist sake as they quickly become quite repetitive outside offering a challenge.
Audio & Visuals
Considering the game was originally released on the DS back in 2010 it is quite evident that the development team put a lot of work into improving the graphics as all of the character models are nicely detailed and presented well, including the many monster types found in the game. The best standouts are the character portraits though as the team has done an excellent job improving these portraits to look crisp and detailed on PC with a number of great variations for each character, some of which may only be seen a few times. It is also worth noting that the Newlywed Mode does feature some really great looking sequences as well, serving as a real treat for fans of the bachelorettes.
The soundtrack found in Rune Factory 3 Special has been cleaned up a little bit but it will be mostly familiar for anyone who has played the series before as it features a number of solid calming tracks that fit the theme of each area well-enough though few really stand out. The game also features a fairly limited English dub with characters having English reactions and speaking a few of their key lines out loud but for the most part the game is largely unvoiced.
Overall
Rune Factory 3 Special brings a great classic farming fantasy RPG blend to modern platforms by giving it a bit of freedom from the DS while also improving the graphics to be as crisp as one would expect from a modern release of the genre. There are an unfortunate lack of quality of life features that have been added in more recent entries and the post-game is rather lacking but this entry offers easily some of the best characters in the series and the addition of the Newlywed content only makes them better, resulting in a game that players can easily sink hours into without missing a beat as they interact with the cast all while farming and fighting.
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