Binary Haze’s latest epic tale showcases additional cast, characters, and battle system
TOKYO – Jan. 26, 2022 – Redemption Reapers, thedark fantasy tactical RPG developed by Adglobe and published by Binary Haze Interactive (ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights), prepares to ambush evil with a launch date set for Wednesday, Feb. 22 2023 on Steam for Windows PC, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.
Backed by a formidable battalion of AAA industry veterans, Redemption Reapers is an original story created by director Hiroyuki Kobayashi (Producer – ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights), with game balance design courtesy of tactical RPG veteran Masayuki Horikawa (Series Director – Fire Emblem, Planning – Kingdom Hearts III), Tomokazu Fukushima (Scenario – Metal Gear Solid, Freedom Wars), and Rei Kondoh (Music – Bayonetta Series, Fire Emblem Series).
An all-star voice cast brings the world to life, including Alejandra Reynoso (Castlevania, DOTA 2), Jason Spisak (Arcane, Teen Titans Go!), Kyle McCarley (13 Sentinels: Aegis of Ruin, NieR: Automata), Allegra Clark (Apex Legends, Dragon Age: Inquisition), David Lodge (Persona 5, Final Fantasy XV), and Caleb Yen (Squid Game, Triangle Strategy, Attack on Titan).
Only the faintest glimmer of hope remains as the menacing Mort army slaughters all in their path, and a once-despised group of mercenaries becomes the only defense against total annihilation. Command humanity’s last stand against evil, the Ashen Hawk Brigade, and fight for redemption against brutal foes utilizing strategic team tactics, surprise attacks and weapon synergies.
Precisely plan the Brigade’s every move through war-torn villages, castles and snowfields to flank the ruthless Mort with perfect positioning. Deploy each warrior according to their strengths and abilities, mastering ranged, melee, and stealth tactics. Unleash special abilities to give the Ashen Hawk Brigade an edge during battle. Sacrifice maximum damage for stick-and-move mobility with special skills such as the “Butterfly Sting,” and knock enemies off balance with attacks thrown in the “Staggering Stance.”
Upgrade and outfit the Brigade with weapons and items earned after victories and forge relationships between team members through the bond of battle. Unravel the personal stories of each Ashen Hawk member, and make in-game dialogue choices impacting the relationship between fellow warriors.
“Redemption Reapers’ clever combat mechanics complement a gripping tale during wartime struggle,” said Hiroyuki Kobayashi, CEO, Binary Haze Interactive. “We look forward to watching our players explore this saga and experiment with creative tactics to secure victory on February 22.”
Redemption Reapers will launch on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Steam for Windows PC on February 22, 2023 for $49.99 with Japanese, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese (Simplified & Traditional), and Korean-language support, and voiceover options in English and Japanese.
Binary Haze Interactive, founded in 2020 by Hiroyuki Kobayashi, is a production and publishing company located in Tokyo, Japan, and a sister company of Adglobe, a Japanese information technology, video game, and 3D production house with global reach and an office in Montreal. Starting with ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights, Binary Haze will publish games from its sister companies with a focus on atmospheric settings for major consoles and PC.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — 26 Jan. 2023 —Startup Company Console Edition, the hit business sandbox simulation from developer Hovgaard Games and publisher 2Awesome Studio that sold more than 400k units on Steam, celebrates its grand opening today on PlayStation 5|4, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
Disrupt industries as a CEO leading a startup with a small, humble team. Develop a new dating app for singles, threaten social media giants with an innovative new platform, or create and maintain a fresh gaming streaming service. Grow from a loner with an idea into an industry titan, but it takes more than just a good leader to thrive.
Hire and train a team of Researchers, Developers, and Designers to achieve maximum productivity. Expand employee responsibilities, promote and compensate the best team members with an increase in salary, and part ways with those who don’t turn out to be a good fit. Discover new features to implement and consider how the company can best grow from its investments before making the next move.
With a happy workforce and an evolutionary workload, sit back and watch profits soar. Decorate the office to be the best environment for employee productivity and continue to renovate as the company grows in head count. Rearrange the office layout, set up server rooms with appropriate cooling, and upgrade in-office technologies to keep up with the competition.
“Startup Company Console Edition utilizesa never-before-seen game engine, optimizing the experience for consoles,” said Jonas Hovgaard, Founder, Hovgaard Games, “In addition to revamped menus, refreshed console controls, and updated UI and user experience, consoles players can look forward to frequent post-launch updates featuring a new language.”
Startup Company Console Edition releases today for $12.99 on PlayStation 5|4, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch with a celebratory, limited time 10% discount on Xbox and Nintendo platforms. It supports English, French, German, Spanish – Spain, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Russian, Turkish, Italian, Hungarian, Korean, Japanese, Dutch, Czech, and Polish languages.
Established in 2017, Hovgaard Games resides in Copenhagen, Denmark as an independent game studio with a penchant for high quality, casual management games (Startup Company, Big Ambitions). Hovgaard Games’ furthers their mission to help other indie game studios by sharing their tooling and game development methods.
About 2Awesome Studio
2Awesome Studio, an independent game development studio based in Barcelona, was founded by two ex-space engineers, David Jimenez and Alejandro Santiago. Now with over 25 employees, 2Awesome Studio (Aeon Drive, AK-xolotl) has grown to specialize in high quality porting and software engineering. By publishing games for all platforms and collaborating with remarkable indies, 2Awesome Studio hopes to make reality as awesome as possible.
Rock’n Roguelike Deckbuilder Power Chord Takes Center Stage on Steam Today
Four New Characters Await in the Wings as Free Post-Launch DLC
LONDON, ONTARIO — 26 Jan. 2023 —Power Chord, the heavy metal roguelike deck builder from Big Blue Bubble, kicks off the tour on PC via Steam today with the final show scheduled for Nintendo Switch in the future. Four free post-launch DLC musicians will help shred through an encore setlist, with two of the rockstars taking the stage as early as next month.
Take back a beloved local dive bar from Helmoth’s heavy metal demons and close the tear between our worlds by winning a twisted battle of the bands! Assemble Earth’s mightiest rockers who form the Knights of Thunder Fist and embark on a monster ass-kicking debut tour.
Plug in the aux for easy-to-learn, yet intricate, turn-based combat inspired by deckbuilding hall-of-famers. Unleash a rig of powerful cards riffing off each bandmate’s extraordinary personality- a vocalist, guitarist, drummer, and bassist – each with cards matching their musical spirits.
Rock and roll the hellspawn back from whence they came thanks to harmonious combos from each bandmate’s specialties. Serenade succubi with the vocalist’s stat boosts, bolstering the guitarist for a damage-dealing solo. Smash through demonic armor with the bassist’s licks, and work the drums for a djent of defenses.
“Power Chord combines deeply complex deck building strategy, unique party resource management, and an eye thrashing, hard rocking, heavy metal aesthetic.” said David Fardell, Marketing Director, Big Blue Bubble. “This is a game that’s been designed by fans who are truly passionate about the genre. We can’t wait for players to hit a challenge, get absolutely crushed, come back again and work out insane new ways to break the game and wreck our demons.”
Power Chord is out now on PC via Steam for $19.99 USD, with Free DLC coming to the game soon after. Four new characters, and deck sets will be added to the game in Free DLC drops, with the first two coming less than a month after release.
Big Blue Bubble is an established video game developer with over 15 years of experience creating fun, innovative, and accessible titles. They develop games on a variety of platforms that inspire creativity and encourage people of all ages to embrace their playful side. A pioneer in the gaming industry, they have developed more than 100 titles since their incorporation in 2004. Having entered the field long before the days of modern consoles and smartphones, they maintain a proven track record of being the first to market with a variety of innovations in technology and game design, including original gameplay mechanics and revolutionary cross-platform game engines. These milestones have cemented Big Blue Bubble as a long-standing industry veteran.
For the longest time the most tactical RPG fans knew of the Fire Emblem series was that Roy and Marth were included in Smash Bros. as the franchise had remained Japanese exclusive despite seeing six separate releases prior to 2003. Then finally, twenty years ago the first Fire Emblem was released in the West and the series has remained incredibly popular through its harsh tactical combat, engaging characters and storylines, and often perma-death features. Over the past two decades a number of changes have been made with various releases focusing heavily on certain aspects and now that Fire Emblem Engage has arrived the focus has shifted once more. Arriving four years after the popular Fire Emblem: Three Houses and placing its focus solely on combat with character interactions and choice placed firmly on the backburner, is this latest entry in the long running franchise worth your while?
Story
A thousand years ago the Fell Dragon nearly took over the entire land of Elyos before it was stopped by a powerful group of warriors led by the Divine Dragon. The Divine Dragon Alear (nameable by the player) fell into a thousand year slumber and has reawoken to find that the forces of the Fell Dragon have once again begun to move. Unfortunately for Alear, their long slumber has left them with almost no memory of what happened to them. Before Alear can even begin to learn who their family is and begin to learn about their past tragedy strikes as their home is assaulted and many of the powerful treasures, the Emblem Rings, that were used to seal the Fell Dragon away were stolen. With a clear goal of both gathering the twelve Emblem Rings to once again seal the evil away as well as getting some revenge, Alear and his allies begin to travel to the four nations that were entrusted with the powerful rings.
The narrative of Fire Emblem Engage is surprisingly a generic one that not only takes a fairly long time to get going but even when it does eventually begin to develop various plot twists most of these events are rather predictable. There are indeed some rather emotional moments still that pack quite a punch and often there is plenty of tension thanks to how high stakes the events are that happen on screen, especially in the final third of the game, but there is very little in the way of actual experimentation or unusual risks taken in the storyline which is rather disappointing especially since there are no alternate paths or ways to develop the plot outside of straightforward progress. Thankfully there are a few more interesting elements that come in the form of Paralogue stories that often involve recruiting an extra ally or exploring a bit of history through special missions that are obtained from bonded Emblem Rings. These missions are great bits of fan service for longtime fans of the franchise as they revisit historic battles from older titles such as fights from Marth or Lyn’s history.
The mostly uninspiring storyline is helped a little bit by the fact that many of the characters that players meet in Fire Emblem Engage are rather entertaining with a few having some worthwhile developments through the plot. These moments are great but often few and far between, especially since Support Conversations are now quite stunted with only about half of the cast having actually interesting or noteworthy developments happening as players grow closer to their allies or watch their allies interact with one another. In fact, some characters barely develop beyond having one or two trope-like traits that never change regardless of them speaking with Alear or other allies. It also is worth noting that romance is basically removed from the game as well, we say this as, the S level support conversation that would otherwise usually involve a romantic engagement have now been dialed down significantly despite involving a ring. These conversations have been localized into being little more than fluff with a bit of extra CG artwork as a reward meaning those who enjoyed the more social aspects of previous Fire Emblem games will be left wanting here. Even the bond conversations that players can have with the souls held within the Emblem Rings are a bit on the disappointing side as many are only a sentence or two long with little engagement between the characters.
Gameplay
With the story and character interactions taking a step back the combat in Fire Emblem Engage sits at the forefront with perhaps some of the strongest customization options ever available in what feels like a truly exceptional tactical RPG that can be both highly enjoyable when things go right and incredibly punishing if players make the wrong moves in a battle. As usual, the fights in Fire Emblem Engage take place on a grid-based battlefield with players being able to move all of their units and attack during their turn with all enemy movements occurring on their turn. Just like more recent entries Fire Emblem Engage offers players a variety of difficulty options to choose from though Normal is the default setting with harder options available. Also included is the more recent ability to make it so players will not have to deal with perma-death in combat. This allows players to be a bit riskier with their movements as they no longer will have to worry about permanently losing a character but even if players choose to play with perma-death that isn’t the end of things.
This is because the player will quickly gain access to the Dragonic Time Crystal that will allow players to rewind time and make different choices. This means that if the player managed to move a Wyvern unit within range of an unseen archer resulting in a quick death or found themselves counter broken and left at the mercy of the enemy, players can choose to rewind time and take back that action. This makes things a bit easier but also is entirely optional giving players a lot of freedom when it comes to making Fire Emblem Engage as difficult as they feel. That being said, players cannot raise the difficulty once it has been lowered. It is also nice to note that the game allows players to save at any time in combat meaning, given the Switch’s portable nature, players can pop into a battle and save midway to return to the fight later if they happen to be on the go.
In many ways Fire Emblem Engage‘s combat breakdown remains fairly similar as the game once again makes use of the classic weapon triangle with swords beating axes, axes beating spears, and spears beating swords but this time around it is more important than ever. This is thanks to the inclusion of the “break” system. Breaks happen almost anytime a character attacks with a weapon with advantage over another, breaking the defender’s stance and forcing them to not be able to counterattack during that turn. This turns into a hard counter that can blow a target wide open for attack but also leave the player’s units open if they are “broken” as well. It is also worth noting that various elements such as magic attacks dealing plenty of damage to armored units and bows slaughtering flyers remains true. One new implemented ability are monk-style fist attacks.
Healers have seen a significant overhaul that allows them to be both a unit that can guard an ally from a blow as well as dish out plenty of damage on their own. In fact, the fist style of weapon used by healers can be used to break any of the miscellaneous attack types such as magic, bow, and knives. Another changed element is the fact that, outside of staffs used for healing or to provide buffs/debuffs as well as standard items, all durability has been removed from equipment giving players plenty of ways to experiment with a unit’s weaponry while also encouraging equipment upgrades.
As for the biggest change in Fire Emblem Engage we have the titular “Engage” system. As players play through the game they will obtain Emblem Rings containing the souls of past Fire Emblem characters starting with Marth and ranging from Roy to Celica, Lucina, Lyn, and many more and these rings can be equipped to any character to give them a significant boost in power as well as a number of extra feats just from equipping the ring. There are no right or wrong rings to give to certain characters though some may make better use of a ring’s various abilities better than others but players can freely choose to customize their fighting force as they please. In fact, equipping the early healer Franne with Sigurd’s ring turned out to be an early way to give her a massive movement increase, allowing her to quickly navigate around the battlefield to heal and protect characters while also providing an additional weapon that can be used in one-on-one battles.
These rings truly shine when players activate the “Engage” system that transforms the ring’s holder into a far more powerful version of themselves. An Engaged character can only remain in their form for three turns, though they can last longer with unlocked abilities, and this Engage gauge refills either through fighting normally or stepping into one of many locations on a battlefield that will instantly refill the meter. When a character is in their Engaged state they will gain not only improvements to their base stats but also access to a number of powerful abilities. These can range from being able to use the Emblem Character’s weapon such as letting Alear wield Marth’s Falchion as well as being able to use their signature skills such as the Lodestar Rush to devastate opponents or Celica’s teleportation spell to deal massive damage to a foe and provide fast movement to nearly anywhere on the map.
When characters enter battle and fight with an Emblem Ring equipped they will slowly be able to raise their bond meter with that ring. Not only can these characters unlock small conversations with these classic characters but also obtain powerful new abilities that will increase their effectiveness in a fight. In fact, once players reach a certain bond level with an Emblem Ring they can even inherit a number of skills that can be equipped and used even if they happen to remove the ring in question. This means it can be highly rewarding to swap rings between characters in an effort to obtain numerous beneficial skills and allow most of the party to benefit instead of focusing on a sole fighter. This level of customization gives players a truly outstanding level of variability when it comes to how they want to build their team and this is taken a step further when you factor in weapon proficiencies. Using certain Emblem Rings will raise a character’s proficiency with some weapon types including those they would never be able to wield otherwise, allowing them to eventually class change into some rather different classes than simply ranking up their current class.
Map design in Fire Emblem Engage is fairly interesting with a proper escalation as players make their way through the game. Initial stages and Paralogue battles will offer only a few areas that may provide small bonuses for units standing on certain pieces of terrain but later stages can offer some rather unique buffs and debuffs and while we won’t spoil them here, some can be a real doozy. The stages are also designed in a way to keep things feeling mostly fair though players will always need to keep an eye out for dangerous choke points as well as objects in the environment that can be destroyed to open up extra pathways.
When not in battle players will be spending most of their time at the Somniel which serves as the home base and hub for everything ranging from mini-games for temporary buffs, Support conversations, weapon upgrades, Emblem Ring upgrades, purchasing items at shops, and more. In many ways the Somniel feels a bit cluttered and overdone and even though there is a quick travel system to move around faster players may often feel like skipping the Somniel altogether if they can help it and only returning when they really wish to buff up their team or watch some of the simplistic character interactions.
The minigames at the Somniel involve everything from a fishing game that takes a bit too long to be enjoyable, wyvern riding, strength training for temporary buffs, and more while other side attractions involve visiting the many different types of animals players can adopt from the battlefields, having a stat boosting meal with two allies at the cafe, feeding and petting a mystical cat/dog, taking a nap to be woken up by an ally, training in the Arena with other fighters or boosting bond with an Emblem, polishing a ring, and far more to the point that things can be rather overwhelming and often something that will quickly be avoided. This is especially true when things such as polishing a ring gives such a minimal Bond score that can otherwise easily be boosted using Bond Points obtained from fights, random item drops around town, and from completing achievements. Players can also use these points to craft very basic rings that are based around the game’s each Emblem character came from that provide small stat boosts for team members who don’t quite qualify for a full Emblem ring.
Outside of the standard story battles, Paralogue fights, and the random skirmishes that players can take advantage of to grind levels, money, and support between characters, there are also a number of online options available as well as the Tower of Trials. The trial battles see players facing down a number of challenges in a row trying to survive and gain rewards for doing so while the online battles are a bit simple but can be a bit of a fun diversion. As for the online battles players can either take part in a relay battle that will see players needing to race through a stage and fight against enemies to compete or help other online players and then challenge maps. These challenge maps can either be created from scratch or fought on a pre-set map against a team created by the opposing player. These battles can be fun but also potentially spoil characters that haven’t been unlocked yet and often offer very little in actual rewards.
Visuals & Audio
When Fire Emblem Engage was first revealed a lot of fuss was made comparing Alear’s hairstyle to Pepsi or Crest but in action the game not only looks extremely impressive but the character models happen to be some of the best looking the franchise has seen, especially on the Switch, as many characters manage to take full advantage of this new art style and are quite memorable as a result. The character models are heavily detailed with a good amount of variety found between the cast and animations during combat are stellar looking with impressive visual effects to match the powerful skills that fighters can unleash on one another. The many pre-rendered cutscenes that play throughout the game also are rather exceptional looking with plenty of bright colors and fluid motion on the Switch. Stages are nicely designed with some solid variety and there is a nice touch with combat zooming in without pause to the action on the field whenever an attack takes place with no slowdown of any kind. The Somniel is unfortunately a bit too large for its own good but thankfully players can quick travel around the mostly bland feeling location rather than run around.
With the release Nintendo has released Fire Emblem Engage with both the original Japanese voice track as well as the English dub and players can thankfully swap between the voice tracks simply by returning to the main menu. The Japanese voice track is impressive with a number of fitting voice actors handling their characters though it is worth noting that not every combat bark is subtitled. As for the English dub, things are a bit on the rougher side as some of the voice actors can sound incredibly stilted especially during the Support Conversations though most story scenes are handled well. As for the game’s soundtrack the company has included an exemplary collection of tracks that work well both while fighting across the multiple maps in the game and during the slower moments back at the Somniel.
Overall
Fire Emblem Engage forgoes its more interesting character interactions and noteworthy story and instead places all of its efforts into creating some of the best tactical gameplay that fans could ask for. With so many options for customization, players can truly tackle almost any situation however they feel like with countless combinations at their fingertips. Combine this with so many minor mechanics that can be used to improve the team’s abilities and Fire Emblem Engage ends up offering a vibrantly colored world where nearly any unit can be the star. With gorgeous graphics and deep customization that offers more options than ever, even the simplistic storyline does little to hold Fire Emblem Engage from being a must have for fans of the genre.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Zen Studios Will Release Tables Based on Borderlands, Brothers in Arms and Homeworld Along With More Than 70 Other Tables When Pinball FX Launches in February
SAN FRANCISCO – Jan. 26, 2023 –Zen Studios today announced a partnership with fellow Embracer Group developer Gearbox Software to bring classic game series to life in pinball form with Gearbox® Pinball. This three-pack of digital tables is set for release when Zen’s new Pinball FXplatform hits PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One in February 2023, also exiting early access on the Epic Games Store.
Borderlands®: Vault Hunter Pinball Trailer:
Brothers in Arms®: Win the War Pinball Trailer:
The Pinball Show:
The collection adapts classic Gearbox series with these tables:
Borderlands®: Vault Hunter Pinball: One of today’s most popular first-person shooters is now a pinball game full of hootin’, lootin’, and jackpot shootin’! As a Vault Hunter searching for the biggest prize of your life, take out any Psychos, Skags, and Bosses that stand in your way.
Brothers in Arms®: Win the War Pinball: Stick close to your brothers as you complete missions and liberate towns within France and the Netherlands – now armed with a silver ball and your skills. Help SSgt Matthew Baker and the 101st Airborne in day and nighttime missions and claim your place on the leaderboards.
Homeworld®: Journey to Hiigara Pinball: Use your skills to strategize, build up your fleet, and carry out missions. Fight in huge space battles inspired by the Homeworld games, and use your armada to great effect as you earn jackpots and the high score.
Gearbox® Pinball will be available for $14.99 as a three-pack or as part of Pinball FX’s monthly Pinball Pass subscription, along with more than 70 other tables at launch. Homeworld: Journey to Hiigara Pinball is the only one of the three tables currently playable via Pinball FX early access through the Epic Games Store.
Pinball FX evolves the world’s leading digital pinball brand with stellar original tables as well as many based on entertainment’s biggest brands, allowing players to customize their own 3D dream game room – the Pin Hall – full of collectibles and rewards unlocked by playing the game. Pinball simulation is now powered by Unreal Engine and features Pro Physics, 4K HDR visuals, and ray tracing. In the months and years following Pinball FX’s initial release, players can expect exciting new features – most notably Pinball Royale, a frantically exciting multiplayer action mode incorporating battle royale-style gameplay.
Keep up with the latest updates, weekly challenges and grand tournaments by visiting www.PinballFX.com and following the team on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About Zen Studios
Zen Studios is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment software for all major digital game platforms. Recognized as one of the premier gaming studios in the world, Zen has worked with some of the most iconic entertainment studios, including Lucasfilm, Marvel Entertainment, NBC Universal, Funko and FOX Digital Entertainment.
Zen’s Pinball FX franchise has defined video game pinball excellence since 2007, and critically acclaimed titles like Circus Electrique and Operencia: The Stolen Sun have proven its devotion to creating captivating RPGs. Zen Studios joined Saber Interactive in November 2020. For more information on Zen’s library of titles, visit https://zenstudios.com.
About Gearbox Software
Gearbox Software is a Frisco, Texas-based, award-winning, independent developer of interactive entertainment. It was founded in 1999 by game industry veterans, and its first release was Half-Life: Opposing Force. Since then, the company has become known for successful game franchises including Borderlands, Brothers in Arms, and Battleborn, as well as acquired properties Duke Nukem and Homeworld. For more information, visit www.gearbox.com. The Gearbox Entertainment Company is a proud member of the Embracer Group AB family of companies, which is publicly traded at Nasdaq First North (EMBRAC B).
About Embracer Group
Embracer Group is a parent company of businesses led by entrepreneurs in PC, console, mobile and board games and other related media. The Group has an extensive catalog of over 850 owned or controlled franchises.
With its head office based in Karlstad, Sweden, Embracer Group has a global presence through its eleven operative groups: THQ Nordic, Plaion, Coffee Stain, Amplifier Game Invest, Saber Interactive, DECA Games, Gearbox Entertainment, Easybrain, Asmodee, Dark Horse and Embracer Freemode. The Group has 120 internal game development studios and is engaging more than 12,750 employees and contracted employees in more than 40 countries.
PARIS — Jan. 26, 2023 — Focus Entertainment and Two Horizons are excited to announce that Hotel Renovator, the simulation game where you design the hotel of your dreams, will release on March 7 on PC and later this year on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The wait will soon be over for fans of the genre eagerly anticipating this collaboration between two experts in developing and publishing top simulation experiences. Pre-orders are now open on Steam and will grant access to special in-game items with the “Palace Furniture Set” DLC.
Embrace the endless possibilities
Let your creative instincts run wild in Sandbox Mode, or uncover your grandfather’s past and carry on his legacy in Story Mode, taking matters into your own hands after you inherit a run-down hotel, using smart management and sharp investment to take your hotel on a journey from shabby to glory! From interior architecture to decoration and hospitality, draw upon over 2,000 furniture items and elements to turn your unique vision of hotel design and customer experience into a 5-star business.
Hotel Renovator will offer mod support at launch, giving players endless possibilities to create unique content and share their designs to inspire a vibrant community of renovators! That community will grow to include console players later this year, with a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S launch scheduled for 2023.
On behalf of Behaviour Interactive, the studio behind the hit horror multiplayer game Dead by Daylight, we’re thrilled to share with you all of the details surrounding the upcoming Meet Your Makeropen beta that will be part of Steam NextFest. See below for full details.
Open Beta Details
As part of Steam NextFest, the Meet Your Maker beta will begin on February 6th at 6am PST/9am EST and last for 7 days, ending on February 13th at 11:59pm EST. As this playtest is an open beta, any player with a Steam account can jump right in. No pre-registration required. No NDA. No fuss. Just pure fun! Well… as much fun as one can have in a post-apocalyptic future where humanity is on the brink of extinction, that is.
Meet Your Maker’s brutal wasteland welcomed thousands of players during our Fall Closed Playtest, generating tons of amazing community insights for our team. As such, we’re pleased to introduce new features and improvements to this open beta experience. Here are a few of those:
New social and progression systems: Systems around sharing Outpost and connecting players.
Champion Outpost: A curated system which puts forward Outposts that have performed well;
Social Raid: The social raid menu will allow players to search for and raid outposts set to the Social active state;
Ranking: Players earn Ranking Points by Raiding Outposts and Activating Outposts in the World Map.
New Building features: Focus on quality of life to build Outposts more efficiently.
Drag and Drop: When building, players can quickly place several blocks of the same type all at once;
Trap Range Preview: When building, players can trigger a preview showcasing trap range / area of effect;
Delete everything: When building, players can delete blocks and other elements all at once.
Improvements on the following features:
Replay system;
Burial sites Store;
Matchmaking;
Onboarding / Tutorial;
User Interface;
And more!
Watch the NEW Meet Your Maker Open Beta Trailer here!
Register to Be Part of the Meet Your Maker Community
Players interested in getting exclusive content ahead of the open beta along with a first-look at Meet Your Maker updates en route to our April 4th, 2023 launch can register right here.
***Exclusive Open Beta Early Access***
We’re also reaching out today to offer you and your team the opportunity to get early access to the open beta before it becomes available publicly. You’d be among the first to get your hands on it and have the chance to write a preview of your experience.
If you’re interested in receiving early access, please confirm with us that you agree to an embargo on posting any previews or first-impression articles about the open beta until February 6th, 6am PST/9am EST. Given the game offers a co-op experience in both building and raiding, if you also require an extra key for a fellow colleague, we’re more than happy to provide you with one. We will add you to our list and share the download keys as soon as they become available next week.
Meet Your Maker – Overview
Meet Your Maker is a post-apocalyptic first-person building-and-raiding game where every level is designed by players for players. Gameplay revolves around the creation and infiltration of stand-alone levels called Outposts. Players will switch between roles as they mastermind devious maze-like Outposts filled with traps and guards, then gear up for methodical fast-paced combat raiding other players’ creations.
The World of Meet Your Maker and Gameplay Features
In this dying world, players take on the role of the Custodian, servant to the Chimera: a living experiment created as a last resort to save life on Earth. They’ll enter a tactical battle for the planet’s most coveted resource and the key to the Chimera’s evolution: pure Genetic Material (GenMat). But acquiring it won’t be easy. Players will need to build and fortify maze-like Outposts that extract and guard the precious GenMat, or infiltrate and outsmart other players’ creations to gather more. With every Outpost in the game built by players, user-generated content is the driving force of the experience.
Create to Destroy: Builders must create Outposts designed to lure, outwit, and kill trespassing players. To do so, they’ll combine a huge array of customizable blocks, traps, and guards as they strategically construct their deadly masterpiece.
Outwit to Survive: Players will also need to raid the Outposts created by others. Each Outpost will test their grit, wit, and reflexes as they try to get in, grab the GenMat, and make it out alive. No two Outposts will ever be the same, making for a highly replayable experience.
Cooperate and Connect: Those looking to play together can combine their creativity and build with a friend or join forces to raid Outposts as a team of two.
Unlock and upgrade: Players can invest collected GenMat to grow their arsenal of traps, guards, weapons, suits and more.
More details about the game and the latest news can be found at meetyourmakergame.com.
Drop Rate Studio partners with Twin Sails Interactive to publish Wantless, a psychological turn-based tactical RPG in which players fight off the woes and torments inside their patients’ minds
PARIS – Jan. 26, 2023 – Twin Sails Interactive announced today that it has partnered with French independent developer Drop Rate Studio to publish its upcoming game Wantless. This turn-based tactical RPG, releasing in early access in fall 2023, will pit players against their patients’ worst nightmares and woes.
On the cusp of Steam Next Fest, a free demo of Wantless is now available for players to try the game. This demo, featuring over a dozen enemies and bosses, will give players a glimpse of the skill-crafting potential in the game, with several thousand available combinations to play around with in the abilities creation menu.
Discover more about Wantless with its new trailer
Wantless is a fast-paced tactical RPG mixing extensive skill-crafting and challenging turn-based combat. Donning the coat of Eiris, one of the last Transposers, players will have to face horrors made manifest and walk the fine line of morality in a dying world. Players will warp inside their patients’ tormented minds to deal with their woes while trying to preserve their memories, or suffer the consequences.
Each action undertaken by Eiris will empower every enemy in the room. The more the player acts, the more resources their opponents will have, creating a delicate balance of actions. Players must mindfully use the environment to their advantage to even the odds. From carefully placed explosives to pools of noxious poison, there is no ignoring the terrain in this merciless tactical combat.
To prevail, Eiris will have access to a deep skill-forging system, allowing players to modify their skills’ effect, form, range, and more. Specializing in close-combat combos, raining death from afar, or manipulating the battlefield, players can forge their own playstyle, improving it after each run!
“For Wantless publishing, we primarily sought communication and marketing expertise. However, it was also important for us to work with people that understand development and who, like us, would keep the game’s quality as their highest priority,” said Théo Maudet, Founder of Drop Rate Studio. “Twin Sails was exactly what we expected. They’re going above and beyond their publishing mission to act as a considerate extension of the team – supporting us with consistent feedback on game design, production, and organization.”
“When Drop Rate Studio approached us with Wantless, we immediately felt we had uncovered the type of design gem that talented, ingenious indie teams are typically able to create,” explained Nicolas Godement, Managing Director of Twin Sails. “We were seduced by the motivation and passion that shine through the studio’s work, which perfectly match our own culture. We are also delighted to be able to work once again with a French developer and support local independent creators.”
Wantless will release in early access in fall 2023 on PC and is now offering a free Steam demo for every player that wishes to try it out.
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 Wantless, Innchanted, News Tower and Amberial Dreams, with more yet to be announced.
Drop Rate Studio is a French indie game development studio founded by two former industry producers. Our goal is to create unique worlds where players are free to build their characters however they like, and where these creations are put to the test against unforgiving challenges. We want to create games that reward you for spending time with them.
Riga, Latvia – January 26th, 2023 – Developer Olafs Osh of SEKTAHOUSE today announced that his handcrafted, fully voice-acted adventure game GRUNND is available now on PC via Steam and GOG.com for 12,49€, 11.39£ and 14.99$. In this bizarre and captivating adventure, inspired by the works of David Lynch and Franz Kafka, you decide how the dialogue progresses throughout the game to unravel the mystery. As much as GRUNND is about its characters, it’s about the protagonist’s introspective journey.
“I’m excited to see how my approach with less focus on puzzles and more on exploration and experiencing the story will be received, and how the players like the world I’ve created for them.” Said Olafs Osh, the developer and director of SEKTAHOUSE.
In GRUNND you find yourself having overslept on the train ride home from work; In a panic, you jump off at the next station and find yourself in Bytown, a seemingly ordinary town just before the sundown. As it happens, you soon find out that the last train back to civilization has just left and you have no other choice but to explore the surroundings.
The people you encounter in Bytown are bizarre, and while some may seem helpful at first, it quickly becomes apparent that many have their own agenda. Realising things aren’t quite as they seem, you come to terms that sleep isn’t in the cards for you this evening.
FEATURES
RICH STORY. Branching dialogues with different outcomes and stories with multiple endings.
100% HANDCRAFTED. All what your eyes will see is 100% handcrafted for GRUNND.
FULLY VOICED English version of the game. Hear the characters.
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK from a British composer Edward Watkins alongside southern vibes from Vudu Sister
ABOUT GRUNND GRUNND is SEKTAHOUSE’s debut title and combines stunning graphics and a captivating story in an adventure akin to something between a really captivating movie or book and a fever dream. GRUNND is one of six indie titles funded under the Bright Gambit Initiative. Bright Gambit was launched in January 2022 with the aim of supporting small indie developers and studios by helping them to fund their debut titles.
ABOUT SEKTAHOUSE SEKTAHOUSE is an award-winning one-man game studio from Riga, Latvia. GRUNND is the studio’s debut PC title launching on January 26th.
The new and improved server will reflect community feedback, including tweaks to boosting!
Amsterdam, The Netherlands — January 26, 2023 | Following the positive response to ArcheAge: Unchained’s previous Fresh Start Server, Kakao Games and XLGAMES are delighted to announce the launch of an all-new Fresh Start Server for the beloved MMO title. The new server will be accessible to ArcheAge: Unchained players on February 9 and will include a host of new improvements to server specifications based on user feedback.
The new server is designed to retain the elements previously praised by ArcheAge: Unchained’s playerbase, while also offering additional nuance and enhancements asked for by users to further ease gear progression. Much like the previous Fresh Server Start, there will be basic boosting buffs for XP as well as Conflict, War, Siege, Quest Honor Points, and Vocation, ultimately allowing access to higher-level content quicker.
Among the changes in the upcoming Fresh Server Start is an increased loot drop rate, which will rise from 200% to a whopping 300% to help players acquire higher-level gear faster. Unlike the previous server which tailored its boosting specifications to the levelling of Hiram gear, these buffs now also apply to Disciple equipment. In a similar manner, the Double Weekly Quest Event will now expand to aid in the progression of Hiram and Disciple gear alike.
Free server transfer tickets will also be up for grabs for any players who participate in the existing Fresh Start Server (one per account), with a further offering of graduation rewards, including Bound Lucent Serendipity Stones and Akasch Token Crates for those who successfully transfer their characters to other servers. These will be distributed once the server closes. An operating schedule detailing specific boosting and events will be shared as a separate announcement at a later date. For updates, please visit the official ArcheAge: Unchainedwebsite.
In the meantime, players also have an opportunity to earn themselves a Cute Malamute Battle Pet as they prepare for the launch of the new server. By subscribing to the Kakao Games newsletter before February 9, they will receive the trusty sidekick “Striker” to their collection, available via the Web Inventory.
There’s plenty of incentive to join the fun once the Fresh Start Server drops on February 9, with a number of exciting reward boosting events taking place, allowing players to earn even more loot when taking part in the Western/Eastern Hiram Weekly Quest or Abyssal Library Daily Quest. This further extends to those who dare attempt to best the Ipnysh Sanctuary or Noryette Challenge.
For more information on ArcheAge: Unchained, please visit the official site.You can also follow ArcheAge on Discord and Twitter.
About ArcheAge ArcheAge is a highly-lauded MMORPG developed by XLGAMES, featuring deep customization of skills and experiences across the mystical land of Erenor. Launched in 2013, ArcheAge has gone on to become a mainstay in the world of MMOs. ArcheAge: Unchained was released in 2019.
About Kakao Games Founded in 2016, Kakao Games is a leading publisher of online and mobile games, responsible for releasing titles including Pearl Abyss’ Black Desert Online (serviced in North America and Europe until early 2021), KRAFTON’s PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (serviced in Korea), MMORPG Elyon, ArcheAge, Survival MOBA Eternal Return (service in North America, Europe and Oceania), Kong Studios’ Guardian Tales (serviced in North America, Europe, Latin America and Oceania), and Moonlight Sculptor (serviced in North America and Europe).
About XLGAMES XLGAMES was established in 2003 by Jake Song, the developer behind the classic MMORPG, Lineage. In 2006, it developed XL1, an online racing game, and in 2013, the online MMORPG ArcheAge, currently in service worldwide. In 2019, Moonlight Sculptor was released in Korea, based on the light novel The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor, successfully reiterated into a mobile game. Moonlight Sculptor was released globally in 2021. XLGAMES has a vision of linking the beginning and the end of RPG games, and hopes to achieve its mission of enriching lives through its games.
