Developer more8bit will bring their enthralling lofi battler Bleak Sword DX to Nintendo Switch and PC (including Steam Deck!) on June 8, publisher Devolver Digital has proclaimed.
Bleak Sword DX is a dark fantasy action game challenging warriors to fight their way through compact, cursed diorama battlefields in a series of thrilling encounters with wonderfully cruel creatures.
Newly updated for PC & Switch, Bleak Sword DX expands on the critically acclaimed Apple Arcade version with elegant controls, three new game modes, and multiple gameplay and graphical improvements.
Through twelve tense and deeply atmospheric chapters, heroes must lift the curse of the legendary Bleak Sword by striking down all manner of horrifying creatures across an oppressive world wielding fierce weaponry and powerful magic.
This striking experience is scored by award-winning composer Jim Guthrie, with sound provided by famed designer Joonas Turner.
Global Accessibility Awareness Day is an exciting moment for Xbox to celebrate the 427 million players with disabilities across the globe and highlight recent accessibility work at Xbox. And with 66% percent of gamers sharing they face some kind of barrier when it comes to gaming, Xbox knows all too well the importance of making games accessible and fun for everyone.
In honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), Xbox is proud to announce via Xbox Wire:
New accessibility updates, including:
Expanded accessibility support pagesthat allows players to learn about more than 150+ accessibility features, settings, and controls available across PC and console.
New accessibility settings on the Xbox App on PC, including the ability to disable background images and disable animations.These settings are designed to help players reduce visual components that could cause disruption, confusion, or irritation.
A new update on the Microsoft Store on Xbox.com that allows users to filter and search games based on their accessibility needs and preferences, as well as search for games based on their Supported Language, with over 17 supported languages. The improved Xbox.com experience allows users to apply different filters, including 20 accessibility filters like difficulty settings and subtitles, to find their next great game across Console, PC, and Cloud.
Global partnerships:
From May to September, Xbox will partner with Korea’s National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) for an art exhibition titled “Game Society,” showcasing contemporary visual art works embodying games’ imagination and realism. One exhibition will highlight game accessibility and will include the installation of the Xbox Adaptive Controller for visitors to use.
Xbox Netherlands is partnering with Paul Van Der Made, a player with a disability, and the HiPerks Foundation to release a new video series showcasing the positive impact the Xbox Adaptive Controller continues to have for players with disabilities. View it via XboxNL’s TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.
As part of their continued partnership, Xbox and Special Olympics will team up at the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023. In June, Xbox and Humanelektronik will be inviting athletes and Unified partners to the athlete’s lounge in Berlin where they can try out different accessibility features and connect with other participants from around the world through the universal language of play.
Progress made on existing accessibility offerings at Xbox, including:
1 million missions completed in the Xbox Accessibility Ambassador Explorer Path, a gamified way that allows Xbox Ambassadors to learn more about accessibility in gaming as well as try out new gaming accessibility features.
New guidance added to the Microsoft Game Accessibility Testing Service (MGATS) centered around helping developers learn how to add Game Accessibility Feature Tagsto their games. The MGATS program was launched in 2021 to help publishers and developers validate the accessibility of their games and receive feedback from players with disabilities. For GAAD, Xbox revealed that players with disabilities have logged over 13,000 hours of testing across the MGATS program, all in an effort to make games more fun and accessible for everyone.
You can find a complete rundown of Xbox’s GAAD news and celebration and how Xbox is continuing to innovate and make the gaming industry more accessible here.
Xbox’s latest GAAD efforts are part of Microsoft’s wider commitment to empowering people with disabilities through advancing accessible technology, partnering with the disability community. To learn more about how Microsoft is celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day – beyond Xbox – please click here.
The nightmare continues with new Speedrun Mode, new weapons and added accessories
TOKYO – May 18, 2023 –NeverAwake, the twin-stick shoot’em up set in the world of a young girl’s horrifying dreams from developer Neotro Inc and publisher Phoenixx, haunts Xbox Series X|S on Thursday, June 29th, 2023.
After earning several awards includingan entry to the Famitsu Golden Hall of Fame in January 2023, the Tokyo Game Show 2022 First Selection designation, best game of BitSummit 2022, and a Metacritic score of 84 overall, securing a spot in the top 40 best reviewed PC games of 2022, the award-winning SHMUP continues it acclaimed journey onto all major consoles.
Guide Rem on a quest to wake up from a neverending nightmare. Wade through the subconscious thoughts of a young schoolgirl as everyday experiences turn into frightening face-offs against her fears. Fight against Rem’s biggest phobias including evil dentists, vicious vegetables, dangerous dogs and other adolescent annoyances.
Bob and weave through bad dreams and mow down Rem’s inner demons with fast-paced twin-stick SHMUP combat. Stick and move with multiple attack patterns that lend to different movement styles, and clear waves of enemies with surreal specials like 360-degree explosions and shotgun-esque directional blasts. Purchase and upgrade items to improve passives and armor, and create the ultimate build to topple dozens of terrifying bosses.
Unravel a touching narrative across more than 80 levels in a hand-drawn bizarre bullet hell. How fast can Rem awaken? Demonstrate dreamlike mastery in the all-new speedrun mode, and manifest five new weapons from fellow shoot-em-up favorites including “Emerald Vajra” from fantasy shooter VRITRA HEXA. Enjoy the latest that NeverAwake has to offer with the latest 1.1 content update featuring new battle accessories and the secret HIMITSU CHALLENGE after clearing world 8.
Tap into the source of Rem’s subconscious with the official NeverAwake “Nightmare World Art” digital artbook and soundtrack featuring the lo-fi lullaby “AWAKE,” by DJ, singer-songwriter, and producer YonYon, streaming on Spotify and Apple Music.
“It is very satisfying to see NeverAwake’s positive reception and that it continues to receive awards,” said Azusa Kawamura, Producer at Phoenixx. “Our dream of launching on all consoles is almost a reality, and we can’t wait for Xbox users to try out NeverAwake in a few short weeks!”
Neotro Inc. is a Japanese independent game development company based in Yokohama with a particular affection for arcade games and has previously released the 2D fantasy side-scrolling shooters VRITRA Complete Edition and VRITRA HEXA for exA-Arcadia. By bringing two words “Neo” and “Retro” together, Neotro Inc. chose their name to follow the saying “OnkoShuin”（温故知新, which translates to “learning from the past” and “carrying old wisdom to create new.”)
About Phoenixx
Established in 2019 by industry veterans, Phoenixx aims to support innovative and creative developers from Japan and around the world. Its mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one creator, one game, and one community at a time.
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.
