Nintendo Switches Sees the Vibrant Lights in Q3 2023
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – March 27, 2023 –9 Years of Shadows, the resplendent pixel art Metroidvania from developer Halberd Studios and publisher Freedom Games, restores radiant rainbows today on PCs via Steam and Epic Games Store. The Nintendo Switch edition will get its time to shine in Q3 2023.
Darkness and despair cover the entire world, stripping all living creatures of hope. Europa, a young warrior clad in elemental armor, joins forces with a ghostly teddy bear named Apino to banish this cursed black-and-white cloud hanging over the realm. Only together can they locate the source of the scourge within Castle Talos and usher in the return of brilliant colors.
Battle bosses and enemies in tune with their rhythmic patterns and leveraging their elemental weaknesses by switching between Helios, Gaia, and Poseidon armor. Traverse the map and uncover near countless hidden areas and secrets. Bask in a pixel art style inspired by genre classics and a soundtrack specifically tuned to a relaxing 432hz by composers Michiru Yamane (Castlevania series) and Norihiko Hibino (Metal Gear Solid series).
“Prepare to dye this shadowy world in need of scintillating rainbows,” said Miguel Hasson, Creative Director of Halberd Studios, “We greatly appreciate everyone’s patience as we hand-crafted an experience worthy of our community’s high expectations. The twisting corridors of Castle Talos are ready to be mapped and sequence-broken today for anyone up to the task!”
Halberd Studios is a Mexico-based development team that emphasizes the power of the narrative in games. Starting out as a freelancing firm assisting other studios with things like asset production, animation, concept development, and more, they are now marking their first personal project developed in-house with 9 Years of Shadows.
About Freedom Games
Freedom Games is a publisher dedicated to offering best-in-class services to partners and providing players around the world with unique and memorable experiences. With over 50 years of combined industry experience at the executive level, Freedom Games seeks to leverage its expertise to facilitate great games and even better publishing experiences.
Systemic Reaction’s original debut title has been experienced by over four million players worldwide, with more to come in 2023!
STOCKHOLM – March 27, 2023 – Systemic Reaction is excited to celebrate the fourth anniversary of Generation Zero, the open-world stealth-action game that puts players on the front line of the battle against the machines in an alternate-history Sweden. To commemorate the milestone, the team has released a new video chronicling the game’s development history and evolution throughout the past four years.
“Starting as a small team within Avalanche Studios, we couldn’t be more grateful to our players for making Generation Zero what it is today,” said Emil Kraftling, Creative Director at Systemic Reaction. “It’s a testament to the community that the game is more popular than ever in 2023, and we’re excited to continue building the game in the years to come!”
Players can expect content updates to continue in 2023 and beyond. With 25 major updates and two massive story expansions implemented since launch, there’s never been a better time to join Generation Zero’s community of over four million players.
Generation Zero is available now on PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store, as well as Xbox One and PlayStation®4. It is also free for Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass subscribers. For more on Generation Zero, visit www.GenerationZero.com, and follow @GenZeroGame on Twitter.
WE ARE SYSTEMIC REACTION
Small but fierce, we started as a group of veterans from within Avalanche Studios Group. Based in Stockholm and Malmö, we focus on crafting new and empowering games with unique settings. Drawing from our experiences within the industry, we want to create games that appeal both to us, and to you — our players. We want to play in a sandbox that lets your creativity thrive.
Our focus is freedom, exploration, and a drive to create games like the ones that kept us up at night as kids. We’ve got Generation Zero launched and Second Extinction on Xbox Game Preview and PC early access — with even more to come, including Ravenbound. Join us in the sandbox!
Commanders wishing to begin their campaign on World War 1’s Western Front before March 30 can purchase from today to immediately assume control.
Cambridge, UK – 27 March 2023. Frontier Foundry, the games label of Frontier Developments plc (AIM: FDEV), and developers Petroglyph (Command & Conquer™: Remastered, Star Wars™: Empire at War), invite players to take control and lead their chosen side to victory in World War 1 RTS, The Great War: Western Front, available from 17:00 BST // 18:00 CEST // 12:00 EDT // 09:00 PDT today in early access to those who have pre-ordered the game. Players who purchase the game before March 30 can also take their place in the command trench immediately, for a suggested retail price of £29.99/€34.99/$34.99.
Commanders can enhance their experience with the Victory Edition. This includes a detailed digital field guide providing additional in-game intelligence, five digital wallpapers, and Frank Klepacki’s evocative soundtrack, encompassing a myriad of complex and conflicting emotions which reflect World War 1. Victory Edition is available at a suggested retail price of £34.99/€39.99/$39.99.
The Great War: Western Front offers players the opportunity to relive or redefine history in one of history’s most pivotal conflicts, taking command of either the Allied Forces or the Central Powers. Taking total control of the Western Front as both Theatre Commander and Field Commander, players will be required to make difficult decisions in both turn-based grand strategy and RTS gameplay to preserve their faction’s National Will across an immersive campaign which spans the duration of the war, and can be extended beyond 1918 based on their actions. Players can choose to start at the outbreak of the conflict in 1914, or in 1916, assuming leadership at a pivotal point where public support is fading and both sides turn to new technologies such as aviation and tanks in an effort to break the stalemate.
As forces meet on the battlefields, Commanders must carefully consider their supply and weigh up the prospect of the conflict to come. With both sides attempting to push back the enemy, each battlefield reflects the changing seasons and retains the damage caused by previous battles as the cost of the war takes its toll on the landscape. Every decision tips the balance of each battle on a sliding scale, from suppressing key emplacements with artillery and increasing their visibility with observation balloons during an attack, to designing detailed trench networks which provide unique strategic options whether attacking or defending. Victory may be achieved, but at what cost?
Alongside the campaign, Historical Battles allows Commanders to relive key battles from the Western Front, set against Imperial War Museums’ archive footage, and will put their tactical awareness to the test. Additionally, players can improve their battle readiness in a dedicated tutorial, refine their skills and create their own battles from the ground up in Skirmish mode, or take on their fellow Commanders in individual 1v1 Multiplayer battles.
****
About The Great War: Western Front The Great War: Western Front is the definitive WW1 strategy game. Play the deciding role in history with this real-time tactical experience as you take charge in the iconic Western Front from 1914 to 1919. Pick your faction and lead your forces to victory, both by directing your armies in gritty real-time battles and by commanding your side on the Western Front as you guide high-level decisions in turn-based strategic gameplay. Think like a Commander to either relive history – or redefine it. Partnering with the Imperial War Museums, revel in an authentic historical strategy game that captures the gravity and intensity of The Great War.
About Frontier Frontier Developments plc (AIM: FDEV) is a leading independent developer and publisher of videogames founded in 1994 by David Braben, co-author of the iconic Elite game. Based in Cambridge, Frontier uses its proprietary COBRA game development technology to create innovative genre-leading games, primarily for personal computers and videogame consoles. As well as self-publishing internally developed games, Frontier also publishes games developed by carefully selected partner studios under its Frontier Foundry games label.
About Frontier FoundryFrontier Foundry is the games label of Frontier Developments. By forming partnerships with quality external developers and leveraging the company’s proven publishing expertise, Frontier Foundry is best placed to bring players unique and memorable new games that break boundaries and create legacies.
About Petroglyph Petroglyph is an independent development studio based in Las Vegas, Nevada, with a roster of award-winning, best-selling titles including Star Wars: Empire at War, 8-Bit Armies, and the Command & Conquer Remastered Collection. Founded in 2003 by members formerly of Westwood Studios (Command & Conquer, Dune), Petroglyph’s expert team and genre-defining track record is geared to bring deep and innovative new strategy titles to players everywhere.
LONDON, UK – March 27, 2023 – Discover fully-simulated cities of crime & corruption and become a renowned private investigator in Shadows of Doubt, an immersive sandbox detective sim, launching April 24 on Steam Early Access.
Think like a detective and investigate crimes on your path to catching a serial killer, using a variety of gadgets to crack each case. Explore unique, sci-fi noir cities and meet individual citizens each with their own name, job, apartment and daily routine. Track down suspects and approach each case your way: scan fingerprints, check call histories, read private emails, bribe citizens, watch CCTV, or pick locks, break down doors and sabotage security systems – you call the shots on how to solve each case.
For its initial launch into Steam Early Access, Shadows of Doubt will include ‘The Dead of Night’ – a specially crafted case to introduce the game – and a Sandbox Mode, featuring an endless number of cases to investigate and civilians to meet, a variety of equipment and dense procedurally-generated cities to explore. The Early Access roadmap will be revealed next month, outlining additional content and features coming to the game ahead of a full 1.0 release targeted for later this year.
Features
Become a private investigator and track down a serial killer in a fully-simulated sci-fi city. Think like a detective and use a variety of gadgets to gather evidence and solve cases in this truly unique detective experience.
Meet individual citizens, each with their own name, job, apartment and daily routine, in unique, procedurally-generated cities.
Take on new cases to earn cash, purchase new gadgets and equipment, and customise your apartment.
Gather evidence to build your case – scan fingerprints, check call histories, read private emails, watch CCTV, and find key pieces of evidence to gather information and accuse your suspect.
Play your own way – pick locks, break down doors, sabotage security systems and bribe citizens for information, or stick to the law and play by the book. There are multiple ways to approach each case.
Explore every room in every building, and talk to every citizen. Lose yourself in a detailed sci-fi noir world.
“The incredible reaction to our earlier demo and the award for Ukie’s UK Game of the Show at gamescom 2022 makes us certain that players will love the experience Shadows of Doubt has to offer,” said Sean Campbell, Product Manager at Fireshine Games. “It’s a unique detective sim unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, and we’re looking forward to players immersing themselves in the game’s fully-simulated cities next month.”
About ColePowered Games ColePowered Games is an indie development studio founded by Cole Jefferies, currently working on stealth detective game ‘Shadows of Doubt’. Previously developed city building puzzler ‘Concrete Jungle’.
About Fireshine Games Fireshine Games is a global publisher of digital and physical videogames based in London, England. Originally established in 2014 under the name Sold Out, Fireshine Games works with studio giants such as Team 17, Rebellion and Frontier Developments as well as introducing new indie dev studios to the world like Pugstorm, Stonewheat & Sons, Spiral Circus, ColePowered Games and many more – publishing for physical and digital distribution. Fireshine is also part of the EG7 group of companies.
Sydney, Australia – March 24th, 2023 – Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, has released Resident Evil™ 4, a remake of the original Resident Evil 4 that debuted in 2005. Reimagined for 2023, Resident Evil 4 preserves the essence of the initial release while using Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine to deliver modernized gameplay, a reimagined storyline, and vividly detailed graphics. Resident Evil 4 is available now on the PlayStation®5 (PS5™) console, the PlayStation®4 (PS4™) console, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
Resident Evil 4 joins Leon S. Kennedy six years after his hellish experiences in the biological disaster of Raccoon City. His unmatched resolve caused him to be recruited as an agent reporting directly to the president of the United States. With the experience of multiple missions under his belt, Leon is dispatched to rescue the president’s recently kidnapped daughter, Ashley Graham. Leon tracks her to a secluded European village, however after making first contact, he discovers a fervor beyond reason that grips the local populace.
During their harrowing escape, Leon and Ashley must navigate multiple dangerous environments controlled by the cult of Los Iluminados. After escaping the village, their perilous path takes them through an ancient castle, dilapidated mines, and more. Each step brings them closer to new dangers such as infected villagers, deranged cultists, and insidious enemies empowered by the Las Plagas parasite. Leon and Ashley must survive these foes while also deciphering the arcane designs of the hidden mechanisms, esoteric puzzles, and tantalizing secrets scattered around. Agents willing to delay their escape by indulging the enigmatic Merchant will also gain access to exclusive rewards in exchange for completing various tasks.
In addition to adding nuance to the characters and relationships within Resident Evil 4, the development team also introduced modern videogame design techniques and state-of-the-art graphics to both faithfully recreate and add depth to the original game’s vision. The infected Ganado have new ways to attack, chase, and outflank Leon with staggering speed and ferocity. In order to walk the razor thin line between survival and a grim fate, Leon’s arsenal of weapons and close combat maneuvers now include stealth, the ability to parry enemy attacks, and delivering finishing blows with his knife. The changes to gameplay also bring an added emphasis on more meaningful player choice. In addition to being able to buy, sell, and upgrade weapons, Leon will also be able to customize his attaché case. Beyond just expanding storage, Leon will be able to alter the case’s color and attach up to three charms for small in-game bonuses such as increased healing.
The prolific “The Mercenaries” challenge mode is also returning as free post-launch DLC on April 7th, 2023, and Resident Evil 4’s VR Mode has begun development as a free DLC.
###
ABOUT CAPCOM Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher, and distributor of interactive entertainment for game consoles, PCs, handheld, and wireless devices. Founded in 1983, the company has created hundreds of games, including groundbreaking franchises Resident Evil™, Monster Hunter™, Street Fighter™, Mega Man™, Devil May Cry™, and Ace Attorney™. Capcom maintains operations in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Tokyo, with corporate headquarters located in Osaka, Japan. More information about Capcom and its products can be found at www.capcom.com or news.capcomusa.com.
Capcom, and the Capcom logo are registered trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd. In the U.S. or other countries. Ace Attorney, Devil May Cry, Mega Man, Monster Hunter, Resident Evil, and Street Fighter are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries, in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
“PlayStation” and “PS5”, and “PS4” are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
The latest trailer for the sequel to the 2019 VR Game of the Year details new gameplay mechanics like detachable limbs, interactive environments, and more!
Sydney, Australia – March 27th, 2023 – Ahoy, sailor! Vertigo Games, the VR publishing and development arm of the PLAION Group as well as developer InnerspaceVR are happy to share a new gameplay trailer for Another Fisherman’s Tale, the sequel to the critically-acclaimed A Fisherman’s Tale, whichwill launch in Q2 of this year for the PS VR2, Meta Quest 2, and all PC VR platforms.The trailer was revealed at the Future Games Show and details the unique VR puzzle mechanics at the core of Another Fisherman’s Tale, demonstrating that this time your body is the ultimate puzzle to be solved!
Check out the trailer below:
This VR puzzle-adventure adds a new chapter to the story of Bob the Fisherman,weaving a magical and moving narrative about the meaning we create through building and rebuilding our authentic selves. Developed to maximize the capabilities of modern VR tech, Another Fisherman’s Tale introduces a set of all-new core mechanics: this time, the player’s own body is the primary puzzle to be solved, creating unconventional gameplay based on dismantling and rebuilding their in-game form.
In this 5-6 hour next-gen VR adventure, players take on the role of Nina the daughter of the original game’s protagonist as she discovers models, notes and photographs that document her father’s mysterious past, as well as her own childhood. Recollecting Bob’s grandiose stories of pirates, sunken ships, treasures and mystical locations, Nina begins re-enacting his adventures and dives head-first into an imaginative world of memory and fantasy. Will she be able to separate fact from fiction and uncover the hidden truth behind the fisherman’s tale?
Featuring a total reinvention of its predecessor’s mechanics, Another Fisherman’s Tale imagines a world where YOU are the puzzle:
● DETACH limbs and hands from your body and physically control them remotely. Throw Bob’s hand across a ravine and then make it crawl to retrieve an object, or send your head elsewhere for a different view of things.
● REPLACE any of your limbs with a variety of objects to unlock new skills. Pirate hook hands allow you to climb up walls, a crab’s claw can cut through a rope in a pinch, and a fish’s tail will improve your swimming ability.
● CONTROL your environment with your puppeteering hands, picking up distant objects, items and tools and interacting with each level’s unique layout.
Another Fisherman’s Tale is the sequel to A Fisherman’s Tale, winner of “Best VR Game of the Year” at AIXR 2019, “Best Interactive Content” and “Best Immersive Work” at the Munich Virtual Worlds 2019, “Best XR Experience for the Gaming Industry” at Virtuality 2019, “Best Interactive VR Project” at the Lumiere Awards 2019, as well as “Best Story & Storytelling” at Game Connection America 2019. Taking place across an assortment of magical worlds, Another Fisherman’s Tale promises a new captivating journey that asks what it means to build and rebuild ourselves through time and space.
Platforms: Meta Quest 2, PS VR2, Steam, and Viveport.
About Vertigo Games
Vertigo Games, the VR publishing and development arm of the global PLAION Group, is a multi-platform VR publisher and developer with offices in Rotterdam & Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Los Angeles, California. With teams in the areas of development, publishing and LBE (location-based entertainment) distribution, the company offers a portfolio of quality VR games that provide novel, powerful and full-featured gaming experiences both inside of the home, as well as outside of the home through its leading LBE content provider and management platform SpringboardVR. Games include Vertigo Studios’ evergreen brand Arizona Sunshine®, the epic VR action FPS After the Fall® and the music game Unplugged VR®. Upcoming games include the highly anticipated Hellsweeper VR. Vertigo Games is a PLAION (previously Koch Media) Group company.
About Innerspace VR
INNERSPACE VR is a cutting-edge virtual reality creation studio based in Paris, dedicated to leveraging the power of VR to build games and entertainment with a strong creative identity. We imagine gaming mechanics, worlds and stories for casual VR users to enjoy on all major devices, and craft experiences using our own development frameworks. With experiences and games fitting various forms, from online platforms to LBE, and are available in English and Chinese, as well as French and German for selected titles.
Trying to break into a popular genre of video game can be a difficult task, especially when most people begin to compare a developer’s efforts with a far more popular entry in said genre. As such, when indie developer Arrowiz’s foray into the RPG genre Mato Anomalies began seeing comparisons to a certain popular Atlus franchise it set the game up for some serious hurdles to overcome. So now that Mato Anomalies has been released, is this RPG strong enough to stand on its own identity?
Story
The cyberpunk dystopian oriental city of Mato has thrived on the surface allowing people of all kinds to make a living there but beneath this shining surface lies an ever-growing underbelly of darkness. A private investigator named Doe has made his living uncovering various aspects of the criminal underworld and looking into strange events that happen throughout Mato and, after being kidnapped by mysterious men, his latest case will bring him face to face with the source behind Mato’s problems. Tasked by the information broker Nightshade to uncover the source of “Handout” that has been tearing through the black market and causing numerous problems.
Shortly after beginning his investigation Doe finds himself sucked into a mysterious alternate dimension where strange creatures roam the area and are completely immune to conventional weaponry. Before he is struck down the mysterious shaman known as Gram appears and slays the creature he calls a Bane Tide and informs him that he has found his way into the Lairs where such creatures reside. With a little more investigating, Doe learns that Handout originates from these Bane Tide creatures and uses it to steer the path of humanity towards evil for an unknown purpose. With Doe seeking to learn the truth and put a stop to the numerous crimes happening throughout Mato and Gram seeking to slay any demonic Bane Tide he comes across, the two form a temporary alliance soon to be joined by a number of other allies as they work towards getting to the bottom of everything.
Where Mato Anomalies shines its brightest is with its storytelling. When it isn’t trying to get in its own way by being a bit too heavy on technobabble and random terms players will eventually get the hang of, the writing here is quite excellent. As players progress through the story they will encounter a number of large-scale realistic problems given fantastical elements; ranging from the exploitation of the working class, rampant growth at the cost of others, violent gangs and religious groups, idol culture taken to the extreme, and far more. These darker elements of Mato all make for an interesting tale where players never quite know what the story might tackle next and while we won’t go into detail about spoiling where the story progresses, it must be said that Mato Anomalies manages to go to some rather surprising places and can be a real treat at times, especially in the latter half of the game.
That being said, iit is a bit disappointing that almost all of these issues are simply resolved as being a result of the Bane Tide and their defeat at the hands of the player’s party. Thankfully where some of these generic resolutions tend to drag the story down a bit the writing of the characters that join the players party make up for things a bit. Not only is the cast of characters expanded upon nicely and given a solid amount of backstory through standard story progression but there are also a number of side-quests and character specific dialogue sequences that reveal more information about each of the characters, giving something of an extra touch of humanity to the player’s battles in this near-apocalyptic battle.
Gameplay
Where Mato Anomalies pushes its “dual protagonists” aspect the most is when it comes to gameplay. Despite his investigative skills, Doe is a relatively normal person incapable of fighting against the Bane Tide and as such he takes the lead in the normal world, tracking down leads, shopping, accepting and turning in side-quests, and even “interrogating” those who are less than willing to talk using a mind-hacking ability. On the other hand, Gram is far from a people person but is well-versed at taking on the Bane Tide so where he takes the lead in combat alongside a number of other allies that join him to fight in the Lairs.
With Gram the dungeon crawling segments are incredibly straightforward with enemies appearing at pre-set locations on the map with players not having the ability to avoid fights or even gain an advantage from striking early. Once enemies are encountered players will enter turn-based combat with a few unique caveats to set it apart from the usual fair. First of all, the entire party shares one health pool, meaning that damage done to any character will decrease the total health pool for everyone, though healing anyone will also restore health in the same manner. The other major change comes in the way skills are handled. Rather than making use of mana or SP, all skills outside of standard attacks are performed on a cooldown with stronger skills having longer cooldowns before they can be used again. These cooldowns carry between fights, meaning using a powerful blow to finish one fight may leave it unusable for the entire next encounter. It is also worth noting that strong ultimate moves can also be utilized at the expense of a very slow filling gauge that will often turn the tide of battle should players ever choose to use it.
Unfortunately despite these unique aspects combat in Mato Anomalies is a fairly dull affair, even when players gain access to more characters that utilize powerful buffs and debuffs to take on enemies. Part of this is due to the pre-set encounters and boring enemies players fight against that offer minimal challenge that barely increases during boss battles. Combine this with the fact that most skills used by players and enemies aren’t interesting and it seems the game itself even knows this fact as it offers the tip to not only speed up combat animations but to turn on auto-battling to skip through fights with ease as the auto AI can handle everything just fine on normal and even hard difficulty, including bosses and the occasional warped monster that explodes upon defeat.
Exploring these dungeons themselves are also relatively boring as well with even small puzzles being incredibly generic. Story dungeons and side-dungeons can offer extra bits of lore here and there should players deviate from the main path but these rarely feel worth it. Alongside standard dungeons players can enter “Random Lairs” that are randomly generated and can offer powerful weaponry and literal Gears that can be equipped to power up the entire party. These random lairs are useful occasionally but also happen to lack any unique concept found in story related lairs making them an unfortunately necessary evil if players want to keep themselves properly equipped.
Earlier it was mentioned that while Gram does the fighting Doe does the investigating and one part of this happens to involve mind hacking. These mind-hacks allow Doe to push through a stubborn enemy’s facade and force them to talk through a rather odd card game. Players wil unlock additional card decks as they progress through the game and they are tasked with using these cards to deal mental damage to their opponent’s mental health and bring it to zero, though their opponent can also attack Doe’s mind to put a stop to their attempts. Every enemy that players encounter in mind hacking will also have a variety of “Demons” that will interfere with the process by buffing, healing, and even negating damage and while players can attempt to defeat their opponent before eliminating their Demons, this task is almost always useless.
The issue here is, Demons cannot be defeated forever and will return after enough turns have passed, making it a race against the clock in a fairly slow card game that often feels more frustrating than innovative. Oddly enough, perhaps because the developers also knew that the card game based mind hacking wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea and they wanted to offer some level of accessibility or they knew that certain encounters were incredibly imbalanced the game actually offers the option to skip these card battles once players have lost three times. This does give players a chance to at least progress the story but also serves as a massive drag anytime players come across a poorly balanced encounter.
Visuals & Audio
Thanks to Arrowiz’s unique approach to art style Mato Anomalies is often a very impressive looking game despite its obviously limited budget. The city of Mato and its futuristic yet dirty location that mixes the glowing billboards and holograms right alongside shanty slums that mesh perfectly with the themes of the story. The title also features a rather interesting approach to presenting its story as it mixes visual novel style dialogue that makes up the bulk of interactions with occasional comic-book style presentations as well as a few cutscenes here and there. Unfortunately this same level of care doesn’t transition the best to the Lairs players travel through as, despite each chapter having a different theme to it, most Lairs are generic in design and with the exception of a few bosses the Bane Tide are also incredibly simplistic looking.
The voice work for Mato Anomalies is handled quite well with the title offering a large number of language options, though players will likely prefer playing with the English dub as the cast handles their roles well enough outside of there being too few combat lines meaning players will often hear their party barking the same lines over and over again in a fight. The soundtrack features a solid collection of music as well that works both during exploration of the town as Doe as well as the Lairs as Gram.
Overall
Mato Anomalies does its best to try and tell an interesting storyline and it does a fairly good job at it, especially when stakes escalate in the latter half of the game but unfortunately solid storytelling and some interesting world designs is let down by a number of poorly fleshed out gameplay mechanics. Between turn-based combat that quickly becomes easy to the point of automation and an annoying card game that often is more frustrating than enjoyable Mato Anomalies stumbles heavily and, despite the fresh elements it tries to introduce, ends up being too simple of an RPG to truly take advantage of its storytelling.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Odinsoft and Twin Sails Interactive announce early access release date during Future Games Show Spring Showcase
LOS ANGELES – March 24, 2023 –Survival: Fountain of Youth, the single-player survival game set in the 16th-century Caribbean islands from developer Odinsoft and publisher Twin Sails Interactive, casts off for a worldwide Steam Early Access launch on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, as revealed during the Future Games Show Spring Showcase 2023. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S will set sail alongside the PC 1.0 launch following early access.
Join Juan Ponce de Leon’s 16th-century Spanish expedition in search of the mythical fountain of youth. Stranded off the coast of the Caribbean islands following a shipwreck, fight for survival against the harsh elements, diseases, exhaustion, and other unforeseen hazards while traversing breathtaking locations in hopes of finding fellow crewmates and a means of escape.
Explore a diverse island ecosystem while scavenging for supplies, crafting tools, and hunting game. Gather resources to create stone spears, single-shot handguns, and more weapons to take down giant lizards, wild ox, and even fearsome leopards. Discover raw materials to assemble campfires, bedding, shelter, and other creature comforts to stay alive. Meticulously manage resources to conserve food, maintain supplies to treat injuries, and do whatever it takes to stay healthy. Be aware of the weather and time, as temperatures dropping after dark will require fire or shelter for warmth, while the sun’s blistering heat can cause extreme fatigue and dehydration.
Build a range of seafaring ships, from primitive rafts to glorious Spanish vessels, and travel across more than 15 islands with different resources, fauna, and secrets to discover. Follow a story of Golden Age exploration or set out for a player-defined adventure across the map. The early access version will debut with two expansive regions, with three additional regions planned for subsequent updates that incorporate new biomes, story quests, and more. Survival: Fountain of Youth boasts a challenging open-world survival adventure that features a captivating storyline that yearns to be unearthed.
“We wanted to create an immersive and challenging survival experience set in a historically rich and mysterious world,” said Stas Ignatov, Head of Publishing, Odinsoft. “We believe Survival: Fountain of Youth will become a favorite among gamers who love exploration, and will continue to update and improve with the community’s feedback.”
Survival: Fountain of Youth will support English, French, German, Russian, and Simplified Chinese languages. To learn more, wishlist Survival: Fountain of Youth, follow the game on Twitter and join the Discord to stay in the discussion.
About Twin Sails Interactive
Twin Sails Interactive is an international video game publisher, part of the Asmodee Group, an Embracer company since March 2022. Based in Paris, our team of passionate professionals partners with developers to help drive their titles to success. Originally known as a specialist of digital board-game adaptations under the name Asmodee Digital, Twin Sails expands Asmodee’s reach into original, creative titles aimed at a wide audience on PC and consoles. Following the release of the acclaimed Gloomhaven adaptation and the well-received early access launch of Ember Knights, Twin Sails is publishing AA titles such as Survival: Fountain of Youth, indie gems Wantless, Innchanted, News Tower and Amberial Dreams, with more yet to be announced.
Odinsoft is an independent game development studio based in Los Angeles, Calif., with development offices in Turkey. Composed of numerous game-industry veterans, Odinsoft seeks to create highly immersive experiences for players across the globe. Survival: Fountain of Youth is Odinsoft’s debut title.
For more information about Odinsoft, please visit the official website.
Check out the full trailer to discover new gameplay, release windows and more for five great upcoming titles!
PARIS – March 24, 2023 – Twin Sails Interactive made its mark at the Future Games Show Spring Showcase yesterday, unveiling a new sizzle trailer filled with exciting announcements for its 2023 slate! This stellar lineup of titles includes the action rogue-lite Ember Knights, the tactical RPG Wantless, the co-op innkeeping game Innchanted, the precision platformer Amberial Dreams, and the newspaper tycoon management game News Tower. Check out the full recap below for more on each game.
Twin Sails 2023 Lineup Trailer:
Ember Knights
The fast-paced action rogue-lite Ember Knights is set for full release in summer 2023. Currently available in Steam Early Access for $14.99, play solo or co-op with up to four players as Ember Knights, the last spark of hope for a universe in turmoil. The mad sorcerer Praxis has siphoned the life out of the Ember Tree and spread corruption through the Prime Worlds, and it’s up to you to stop him. Use powerful weapons and skills to hack and slash deadly hordes, defeat epic bosses and restore the Ember Tree!
Wantless
Coming to Steam Early Access in fall 2023, Wantless is a fast-paced tactical RPG set in a dystopian future where the subconscious is a battlefield. As a transposer, delve into your patients’ minds to confront the torments within. Forge your skills with a deep skill-crafting system and master a variety of innovative mechanics in dynamic, turn-based combat if you hope to succeed. The mind is a dangerous place after all…
Innchanted
Yarrul’s family inn has been stolen by an evil wizard landlord, and it’s up to you to reclaim your family’s legacy! Team up with friends or an AI companion to manage and upgrade your inn, brew potions, fish, cook, fight, serve meals to hungry customers and more in this magical solo and co-op adventure for up to four players. There’s something for everyone in this heartfelt and hectic experience set in a lovely fantasy universe inspired by Indigenous Australian tales. Innchanted launches March 28 on Steam for 19.99 USD / 16.75 GBP / 29.50 AUD. Pre-order now to get 15% off plus an exclusive bonus!
Amberial Dreams
The jumpless, 2D, physics-based precision platformer Amberial Dreams is set to fully launch later this year! Control a sphere and its speed while you roll and bounce through an enchanting universe filled with wicked levels and wonders. Amberial Dreams is currently available in Steam Early Access for $6.99.
News Tower
News Tower is a tycoon management sim set to launch into Steam Early Access later this year! As the founder of a newspaper in the 1930s, you’ll recruit and manage every profession necessary to your success, including reporters, photographers, janitors and the essential ads salesperson. Search for exciting news across the globe, matching your editorial line and your readers’ interests. Build and optimize your tower to ensure the well-being of your employees while meeting your printing deadlines!
For more information on these titles and everything else from Twin Sails Interactive, visit the official website and follow along on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.
About Twin Sails Interactive
Twin Sails Interactive is an international video game publisher, part of the Asmodee Group, an Embracer company since March 2022. Based in Paris, our team of passionate professionals partners with developers to help drive their titles to success. Originally known as a specialist of digital board-game adaptations under the name Asmodee Digital, Twin Sails expands Asmodee’s reach into original, creative titles aimed at a wide audience on PC and consoles. Following the release of the acclaimed Gloomhaven adaptation and the well-received early access launch of Ember Knights, Twin Sails is publishing indie gems like Survival: Fountain of Youth, Wantless, Innchanted, News Tower and Amberial Dreams, with more yet to be announced.
The game by a solo developer will be available on Steam and GOG.com
Warsaw, Poland – We are excited to announce the upcoming release of Shardpunk: Verminfall, a turn-based tactical RPG set in a dark and gritty steampunk world. The game will be released on April 13, 2023, for PC on Steam and GOG.
In Shardpunk: Verminfall, players must lead a squad of unlikely heroes through the ruins of a city overrun by hordes of mutated rats. With each hero possessing unique abilities and personalities, players must strategize their approach to survive the harsh and unforgiving world.
Put together a crew of survivors use a range of steampunk weapons and bots to scavenge for resources, slow down the horde, and reach safety. Shardpunk: Verminfall mixes turn-based tactical strategy with RPG, survival, and resource management. From battle tactics to the most difficult decisions on who should receive the last medpack or rations, the player needs to take charge and live with its consequences.
“I am thrilled to finally let everyone know that the game is ready to be released on April 13, 2023” said Slawomir Bryk, solo developer of Shardpunk: Verminfall. “I have put a lot of time, effort and passion into this game, and I can’t wait for players to experience the dark and gritty world of Shardpunk: Verminfall.”
Shardpunk: Verminfall will release on Steam and GOG.com starting April 13, 2023. Stay tuned for more updates and information leading up to the game’s release. Players can also try the demo that is available on Steam and GOG.com and check a tiny bit of what we have prepared.
For more information about Shardpunk: Verminfall, visit the official website at www.shardpunkgame.com
About Clockwork Pile
One-man-army software engineer and turn-based games fan who became a full-time indie developer to make his dream game.
About Retrovibe Retrovibe is a publisher that aims to unlock next levels of fun by delivering new indie games with a retro heart. It was established in 2021 by a group of experienced games industry professionals.
