LONDON, (May 18th, 2023) – HEXWORKS, a CI Games studio, invites players to embark on an epic journey across a vast and treacherous world when the highly anticipated, dark-fantasy action-RPG, Lords of the Fallen, releases worldwide on Friday 13th October, 2023. Spiritual successor to the original 2014 title, the upcoming game acts as a full reboot for the franchise, and is available to pre-order as of today on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
The eagerly-awaited launch date was announced by way of an all-new four minute trailer, finally presenting fans with an extended look at its gruesome gameplay, built in Unreal Engine 5. Featuring fast, challenging combat and colossal boss battles, players will travel across the parallel worlds of the living and the dead in their quest to overthrow Adyr, the demon God.
With the new trailer featuring music by the lords of heavy metal, Iron Maiden, viewers can expect a whole host of new reasons to ‘Fear of the Dark’, from three-headed dragons to lava-spewing fire giants. As for those unperturbed by such horrors, pre-orders are live from today with the game available in three editions – Standard, Deluxe and Collector’s, the latter featuring an impressive 10’’ statue of the Dark Crusader.
Saul Gascon, HEXWORKS’ Executive Producer said: “We are thrilled to announce the release date for Lords of the Fallen, a game our talented team has been lovingly crafting for the last few years. To celebrate, we are sharing a deeper look at the horrors of Mournstead, an immersive, dark fantasy world that will challenge even the bravest players, with its unique two-realm mechanic. We can’t wait for players to raise their Umbral Lamps this October, and discover the many secrets that lurk behind the darkness.”
Standard Edition includes:
Lords of the Fallen game
Deluxe Edition (physical and digital) includes:
Lords of the Fallen game
Dark Crusader Starting Class – brandish the Dark Crusaders’ iconic ensemble, including Isaac’s devastating Longsword, throwing knives, full armour set, and amulet*
100 Page Digital Artbook – featuring exclusive illustrations of beautifully horrific artwork spanning the world of Lords of the Fallen
Digital Soundtrack – lose yourself to the haunting harmonies of Mournstead with the full OST, composed by the celebrated Cris Velasco and Knut Avenstroup Haugen
3D Model Viewer – view every in-game character model in high-resolution detail
Collector’s Edition (physical only) includes:
Lords of the Fallen game
10’’ Dark Crusader Figurine – admire this renowned warrior in all his glory with this finely detailed 10-inch figurine
Metal Display Case – display your Dark Crusader figurine in this striking metal display case, complete with LED mood lighting and remote control
Collector’s SteelBook – featuring an exclusive design
Dark Crusader Starting Class – brandish the Dark Crusaders’ iconic ensemble, including Isaac’s devastating Longsword, throwing knives, full armour set, and amulet*
100 Page Physical Artbook – featuring exclusive illustrations of beautifully horrific artwork spanning the world of Lords of the Fallen
Digital Soundtrack – lose yourself to the haunting harmonies of Mournstead with the full OST, composed by the celebrated Cris Velasco and Knut Avenstroup Haugen
3D Model Viewer – view every in-game character model in high-resolution detail
Double Sided Poster & Art Cards
Pre-orders for all editions include the following:
Exclusive Bronze, Silver and Gold Armour tincts
3x XP items
5x HP items
5x MP items
*Immediate access granted to items that otherwise can be found late game in all versions of title.
Prepare to unleash the darkness on Friday 13th October, when Lords of the Fallen launches on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
About CI Games CI Games is an independent, global Video Games Developer and Publisher, with studios in Warsaw, Barcelona, Bucharest, UK, and the US. Founded in 2002, CI Games have created globally recognised titles for over twenty years; the Sniper Ghost Warrior franchise has sold over 14 million copies worldwide, while the original Lords of the Fallen (2014) has surpassed the 10 million player mark. In 2018, United Label was founded, focusing on smaller but equally ambitious titles, including Röki, Eldest Souls, and Tails of Iron. HEXWORKS, a new studio specialising in action-RPGs and made up of industry veterans, was formed in early 2020, and is currently developing Lords of the Fallen, the company’s most ambitious title to date.
When it comes to LEGOs the possibilities are as endless as someone’s imagination with all kinds of creations being available and when you combine LEGOs with video games the options are skyhigh. Throughout the years we have seen licensed LEGO games of various popular properties and even a few LEGO original games that tried to make their own mark but one element that has been missing were LEGO racing games. This genre, gone untouched since the early 2000s, was touched upon with the incredibly popular DLC for Forza Horizon 4 that turned the world to the colorful bright land of LEGOs. On the heels of such a success LEGO and 2K have turned to Visual Concepts to create a racing game of their very own and with LEGO 2K Drive they have managed to do so. Is this a successful return of a classic racer in a new open world format or was this idea best left in the toy bin?
Story
Though players can choose to simply take part in standard races, grand prix, or even play some mini-games, the biggest draw for LEGO 2K Drive and the setting for its open world exploration is Story Mode. Players take on the role of a rookie racer arriving in Bricklandia just as a massive series of championship races are set to occur with the ultimate prize being the Sky Cup Trophy. With the race literally taking place in the sky it is the type of thing a young LEGO driver dreams of but the troublesome Shadow Z is ready to break any rule to make the cup their own, but with the help of an ex professional and plenty of LEGO vehicles, it is up to the player to make their racing dreams come true.
Since LEGO 2K Drive doesn’t have any licenses to work with, the story itself is incredibly simple and straightforward but it is also allowed to experiment and throw things in some unexpected directions. This includes the way players will find themselves going from racing an astronaut only to help her defend her research from alien robots the next by using their car as a wrecking ball. Players will find themselves meeting a wide-range of colorful “Rivals” that are filled with puns and fourth wall breaking humor as well as various themed races where everyone’s vehicle matches except the players. This type of humor is mostly silly and will be great for children while those older players may smile a few times at best. The game does play to its strengths rather well when it comes to this childish type of humor, especially since the three main locations of “Big Butte County,” spookily themed Hauntsborough, and gold prospecting Prospecto Valley keep things feeling fresh as players jump from location to location and take part in the many random quests involving pun filled people in each area.
Gameplay
As mentioned earlier players will find themselves with a number of options when starting LEGO 2K Drive with the story mode being the biggest draw. Outside of this mode players can opt to race in any race right away, take part in a series of grand prix races, or even partake in various mini-games that they would otherwise play throughout the story mode. These other modes can be played online with others and even the story mode itself can be played with another friend should players choose, giving plenty of options for kids to have their friends join them in exploring or simply causing havoc in races.
The core element of LEGO 2K Drive is its racing system and it must be said that the developers have managed to create a very tight and responsive package here with races feeling more similar to arcade/kart style races than standard races. Players have everything from turbo boosts that refill faster when they crash through objects in the environment that also heals any damage they’ve received, a jump button to jump over other racers/incoming attacks/accessing shortcuts, and of course the weapon pickups themselves. Pickups come in a variety of forms with spider webs blocking a player’s screen, ghosts making players temporarily invincible, heat-seeking rockets, and even a warp drive to place them near the front of the pack if the player’s fallen too far behind.
What makes racing in LEGO 2K Drive really feel unique is the way that drifting and handbrake turns are split into two separate options. Players can often choose to drift around a curve or make a quick handbrake turn and turbo boost to turn a tight turn into an easy passing opportunity. Another unique element is the transformation mechanic that sees players immediately swapping between vehicles depending on where they are racing at the time, with each loadout featuring a main vehicle for roads, an off-road vehicle for everything not a road, and a boat or boat-like vehicle for the water allowing for races to quickly change things up on the fly. These transformations are incredibly fluid and, depending on the player’s loadout of chosen vehicles, can often play a role in where they can best overtake the competition.
Every vehicle in LEGO 2K Drive has various attributes to it such as top speed, acceleration, handling, and health as well as an overall weight system with heavier vehicles being a bit sturdier and capable of pushing around the competition but lighter vehicles often being able to outmaneuver others. As players race through the story they will unlock a wide range of vehicles that they can use as they feel like but with LEGO the player’s imagination is mostly the limit as the game offers an incredibly in-depth garage system that allows players a massive amount of options allowing players to mostly build what they wish.
This means that players can simply choose to modify a currently existing car and change a few elements to better fit their preference of color or swapping out a piece here or there to straight up building a car from scratch. There are even a large number of tutorials and options to walk players through how some vehicles are built. That being said, while players may be able to make nearly anything they feel like with the garage mechanic and customize the vehicles that they do obtain throughout the story there are limitations to size and how many blocks players can use on any one vehicle and a number of stickers and various other pieces for decoration are locked away behind either leveling up or monetization which we will touch on in a bit.
For as fantastic as racing can feel and as much customization the garage can offer, LEGO 2K Drive isn’t without a number of faults and one of these revolve around the way many races appear to be handled throughout most of the story. Often at times players will find themselves competing in races that will see the leaders tear away from the rest of the pack only to slow down near the end of the race and find themselves coming in second or even third as the player suddenly is capable of blasting past them for the win. This level of rubber banding is a bit strange especially when weapons are involved as players can find themselves targeting the lead driver only for them to be shielded early in the race and suddenly destructible on the final lap. Another element that can be a bit on the annoying side, especially for those looking for racing, are the many times the game forces players to go level up through side activities before continuing the story. While this is a minor gripe since many of these activities, be it small games such as hitting balls into a hole, taking on quests to deliver objects within a time limit, driving through an area without falling off a railing, etc. are pretty enjoyable it does take away from the experience, especially in later missions where the grind can take an annoyingly long time.
Perhaps one of the largest issues that sticks out the most thanks to LEGO 2K Drive‘s focus on being child friendly are the microtransactions. As players play through the game they will earn Brickbux from any activity, be it a quest, race, destroying other racers, and even out in the world itself and these BrickBux are used to purchase items from the in-game shop. The only issue is, a lot of customization options, including the only way to add new player avatars to the roster, are only available through the shop. Players can try to build a spooky looking dragster all they want or they can purchase a flawless one through the store or try to design a serviceable police boat or find an immaculate copy in the shop. While players can earn Brickbux by playing through the game, completing the story and doing a solid amount of side-activity will reward nearly enough for one vehicle purchase at best, meaning players that really want to earn a vehicle this way will be spending a lot of time grinding or opening up their wallet, or their parents’, in LEGO 2K Drive. This doesn’t even touch upon the element of the multiple seasons of free and premium rewards, four of which are already planned throughout the game’s first year of release, though at least these seasons can be completed at any time and are not time limited once obtained.
Visuals & Audio
Considering the wide range of platforms that LEGO 2K Drive is being released on it is quite impressive to see just how amazing the world looks. The development team has combined natural looking elements with LEGO brick designs to great effect including extra large real-world items and the towns and cities that players race through are filled with moving characters. The shine off of LEGO bricks and vehicles as they race through is stylish and watching vehicles break apart and the various objects in the road shatter as players drive through with no signs of slowdown makes each race impressive looking.
The voice work for LEGO games can be rather hit and miss and this time around the company has managed to put together a solid voice cast though it would be nice if subtitles were offered for all cutscenes including the race introductions. The soundtrack features a solid enough collection of basic background music that is usually themed around the area that players are currently racing through though none of the tracks really stand out as exceptional.
Overall
LEGO 2K Drive offers a lot of content and makes for a great game that children will adore as an early experience in the racing genre and even hardcore LEGO fans will enjoy thanks to the deep level of customization available through the garage. The racing is fast and exciting even with some questionable rubber-banding in early races and the open world itself is filled with all kinds of quests, activities, and collectables that exploration feels like an often worthy endeavor, if only the grind for some progression wasn’t so troublesome. That being said, with all of the that LEGO 2K Drive has to offer with its bright aesthetic and childish humor, there is a worrisome level of monetization lying beneath this enjoyable fast-paced racing game.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
As many expected after a previous teaser, as well as the end of the last game, NetherRealm Studios and Warner Bros. have announced that they will be releasing Mortal Kombat 1 on September 19th for the Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC. Despite this title being seen as a numerical reboot, those familiar with the events of Mortal Kombat 11‘s ending will know that it is in fact a direct continuation of the storyline as it featuers Fire God Liu Kang’s new take on the world but obviously things have once again gone horribly wrong.
In the announcement trailer for Mortal Kombat 1 below we see a number of familiar faces making their return with a few revised appearances though all of this is being presented through cinematics for now, with a heavy focus on violence and gore in the latter half. Those who pre-order the game will obtain access to the game’s beta test that will be held in August as well as obtain Shang Tsung as a playable fighter.
The title will launch with a $69.99 standard edition, $109.99 Premium Edition that will include the game’s Kombat Pack, early access to the title on September 14th, and 1,250 Dragon Krystals, and a special $249.99 Kollector’s Edition that includes everything else as well as a 16.5-inch Liu Kang sculpture designed by COARSE and an inspired Liu Kang in-game character skin, three exclusive art prints, a steel case, and 1,450 additional Dragon Krystals (2,700 total).
Recently developer Drop Bear Bytes and publisher Versus Evil revealed some new options for tackling certain challenges in their upcoming post-apocalyptic isometric RPG set in Australia, Broken Roads. While players will always be able to solve things through violence the company revealed that certain character builds will allow players to make their way through conflicts with charm, wit, and a bit of cunning. This can allow players to take pacifist style approaches but that doesn’t mean that your team will always agree with your choices and what factions you may be siding with to do so.
Broken Roads is a narrative-driven RPG that will offer a classless system offering near-unlimited character development options built around four philosophies: Humanist, Utilitarian, Machiavellian, and Nihilist. Furthermore the game presents players with an original morality system: the Moral Compass which sees dialogue options and questing decisions influence, and be influenced by, a character’s philosophical leaning and the tough decisions they make along the way. The new trailer for the game can be found below and as for the title itself, currently Broken Roads is set to be released later this year on PlayStation platforms, Xbox platforms, Switch, and PC.
The revival of Telltale Games will see its first release on July 27th as the company has announced that they will be releasing the first episode of The Expanse: A Telltale Series on that date with the following four episodes being released every two weeks following the initial episode. The game can be pre-ordered for $39.99 USD with a deluxe edition priced at $44.99 USD that will include any future DLC that will be released for the game.
The Expanse: A Telltale Series follows the story of Cara Gee, who reprises her role as Camina Drummer, and explores the dangerous and uncharted edges of The Belt aboard the The Artemis. From scavenging wrecked ships in a zero-g environment, to surviving a mutiny, to combating fearsome pirates, players must make difficult choices and test their resolve. Currently The Expanse: A Telltale Series is planned to be released on the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC.
It’s almost time to see what’s next – PlayStation Showcase broadcasts live next Thursday, 25 May at 6 AM AEST.
The show will run for just over an hour, focusing on PS5 and PS VR2 games in development from top studios from around the world. Players can expect a glimpse at several new creations from PlayStation Studios, as well as spellbinding games from third-party partners and indie creators.
The live broadcast starts next Thursday, 25 May at 6 AM AEST on YouTube and Twitch.
Regarding Co-streaming and Video-On-Demand
Please note that this web broadcast may include copyrighted content (e.g. licensed music) which PlayStation does not control. PlayStation welcomes and celebrates its amazing co-streamers and creators, but licensing agreements outside its control could possibly interfere with co-streams or VOD archives of this stream.
If players are planning to save this broadcast as a VOD to create recap videos, or to repost clips or segments from the show, PlayStation advises omitting any copyrighted music.
Back when Blizzard announced that they would be shuttering the first Overwatch and transitioning everything to Overwatch 2 one of the biggest selling points was a long-awaited PvE Hero Mode that would allow players to enjoy single-player story content, build heroes with various skill-trees as they level up, and enjoy the game’s lore in a never before seen way in the franchise by offering unique forms of progression. Well, turns out that that entire aspect has been scrapped ultimately killing the only real reason for Overwatch 2 to exist outside of a change of monetization, one less player per team, and other unpopular tweaks.
News of this change came from today’s “Dev Chat” video where the executive producer for the game, Jared Neuss, explains that there was “no end in sight” for the PvE mode and rather than work on it and deliver the promised experience, they are instead shifting towards seasonal content that will include PvE story missions in some form. Alongside the chat, which can be seen below, the company also revealed their roadmap for the next three seasons which include though some new events, some rerun events yet again, another new hero that has yet to be revealed, and more though many will likely see this latest update as the last straw in what was an incredibly patient fanbase.
Modern reimagining of ‘90s-era RPGs, including local co-op with up to three players out now!
Sydney, Australia — May 17th, 2023 — Marvelous Europe today released Trinity Trigger, an all-new action role-playing game from developer FuRyu, across Australia on the Nintendo Switch™ system, PlayStation®4, and PlayStation®5.
Featuring a star-studded group of RPG developers including worldbuilding artist Yuki Nobuteru (Secret of Mana), character designer Raita Kazama (Xenoblade), scenario writer Yura Kubota (OCTOPATH TRAVELER), and composer Hiroki Kikuta (Secret of Mana), Trinity Trigger is an all-new action role-playing game combining the look and feel of iconic RPGs of the ‘90s with an emphasis on fast-paced, customizable combat. Players take control of three young heroes as they attempt to defy fate and save the continent of Trinitia. Accompanying them are the Triggers, strange creatures with the unique ability to transform into eight types of weapons that players must master if they hope to be successful on their quest. Whether playing alone or with up to two friends via local co-op, explore diverse biomes and dungeons, strategize to exploit enemy weaknesses, and change your destiny!
In a forgotten age, the Gods of Order and Gods of Chaos challenged one another for dominance in epic clashes that spilled out from the heavens to the continent of Trinitia. These clashes almost destroyed the mortal realm, leaving massive, powerful weapons known as Arma embedded in the ground. The gods ended their direct conflict as a result, with both factions choosing a “God Warrior” to fight in their name instead. One day, Cyan, a young man living a quiet life, discovers that he has been chosen as the “Warrior of Chaos.” Saddled with a cruel destiny, Cyan sets out with Elise and Zantis, two companions compelled to guide him, on a journey to save the world…and defy the gods.
KEY FEATURES
Master the Weapons of the Gods— Solve puzzles and defeat enemies alone or with friends in local co-op as players traverse the dungeons of each Arma, towers made from the fallen weapons of the gods.
Seek Out Trinitia’s Mysteries— Reveal hidden passages by exploring every last bit of Trinitia’s diverse biomes and chat with townsfolk for clues to uncover the heavily guarded secrets held in these forests, deserts, snowfields, and more.
Change the Tide of Battle— Make expert use of the Weapon Wheel in battle to change between eight weapon types on the fly– every enemy has a weakness and finding and exploiting it is the key to victory.
A Generational Role-Playing Epic— Trinity Trigger was inspired by the iconic RPGs of yesteryear, but its accessible and rewarding gameplay incorporates modern flourishes to make it an exciting new adventure. Developed by FuRyu and published in Europe and Australia by Marvelous Europe, Trinity Trigger is out now for the Nintendo Switch™, PS4™, and PS5™ and was released on Windows PC via Steam and GOG by XSEED Games on April 25th. This title is rated PG.
More information about Trinity Trigger can be found on the Marvelous Europe website at www.marvelouseurope.com or @marvelouseurope across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
About Marvelous Europe
Marvelous Europe is the publisher behind Mandragora, Nova Antarctica and Ninja or Die, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marvelous Inc., developer of beloved Story of Seasons (known as Harvest Moon prior to 2013) 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. For more information about Marvelous Europe, please visit www.marvelouseurope.com.
For the first time The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails from Nihon Falcom will be released in the West as NIS America has announced that they will be releasing this previous PSP only RPG in the West for the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The company is planning on releasing the game in North America on September 19th with the European release arriving a few days later on September 22nd.
The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails follows the story of Nayuta who spends his days gazing up at the stars above his island home and wondering what lies beyond the horizon. Though people claim the sea they live on is flat and finite, Nayuta knows there must be more out there, just waiting to be discovered. Occasionally, ruins and stars will fall from the sky over Nayuta’s home, offering what seem to be glimpses of other worlds. While exploring one such ruin, he and his friends save a small, fairy-like girl by the name of Noi. She tells Nayuta that something very important has been stolen from her and asks for his help in retrieving it.
This release of The Legend of Nayuta features all new HD visuals, enhanced music, and new illustrations for its Western release as well as a brand new English dub to accompany the Japanese voice track. A new trailer focusing on story and showing off a bit of gameplay can be found below.
