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The Callisto Protocol Gameplay

Philip Federico
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The Callisto Protocol Gameplay

We enter the horrifically gory world of The Callisto Protocol and spend forty-five minutes being unjustly imprisoned only for vicious unrelenting monsters to begin tearing apart the jail and anyone in their path.

In this narrative-driven, third-person survival horror game set 300 years in the future, the player will take on the role of Jacob Lee – a victim of fate thrown into Black Iron Prison, a maximum-security penitentiary located on Jupiter’s moon, Callisto.

The Callisto Protocol
Developer: Striking Distance Studios
Publisher: KRAFTON, Inc.
Website: https://www.sds.com/
Platform: Windows
Release Date: 2 Dec, 2022
Price: $59.99 USD

Available now on Steam – https://store.steampowered.com/app/1544020/The_Callisto_Protocol/

Summary:

Not Recommended – “The Callisto Protocol offers some meaty melee combat and is one of the best looking games around but its poor story, lack of scares, and other issues will leave fans wanting.”

Check out our review of The Callisto Protocol here!

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3 vs. 1 Party Game Goonya Monster Out Now on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Steam

Philip Federico
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Launch discount revealed at INDIE Live Expo Winter 2022

TOKYO — Dec. 4, 2022 — Goonya Monster, the asymmetric multiplayer party action game published by MUTAN, kicks off festivities and undead heads today with a surprise 10% launch discount on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, as announced during INDIE Live Expo Winter 2022. 

Jump into an adorable world of chibi cuteness brought to life by all-star voice actors such as Shiori Izawa (Made in Abyss, Chainsaw Man), Rikako Aida (Love Live! Sunshine!!), Nogami Sho (Azure Striker Gunvolt), Fairuz Ai (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Chainsaw Man) and Tomokazu Sugita (Persona 5, Fire Emblem).

Grab two friends (and one enemy!) and have a blast as the Busters take on the Monster in an asymmetric 3-vs-1 extravaganza. Team up as the gun-toting Busters and master wild weaponry with shotguns, lasers, flamethrowers, land mines at your disposal to round up the souls of the undead roaming the stage. Collect all of the souls to win, but watch out for the Monster controlled by the fourth player!

Unleash an arsenal of special powers as the Monster who will stop at nothing to defeat the Busters. Go super-sized, fire gigantic laser beams, send waves of minions and use the ultimate “predation” attack to turn Busters into ghosts and steal back the undead souls. Terrorize opponents as an unrelenting Monster and stop the Busters from reviving their teammates! Survive the time limit or destroy all three Busters to win the round. 

Japanese rock band SAKANAMON and Goonya Monster theme song creators FAKE TYPE. and Chogakusei will join the cartoony action with their band members to be used as custom skins for both Monsters and Busters starting Thursday, Dec. 8th, 2022. 

“Terada Tera’s iconic art style combined with the musical talents we’ve partnered with are a perfect match for a party game,” says Hiroyuki Watanabe, CEO of MUTAN. “We are beyond grateful to have collaborated with FAKE TYPE, Cho Gakusei and SAKANAMON, and can’t wait to showcase more in-game events we have planned for the future.”

Goonya Monster is available now for $19.99, with a 10% launch discount on Steam, Switch and PlayStation 5 for a limited time. Goonya Monster is supported in English, Japanese, simplified Chinese and traditional Chinese. 

For more information, please visit the official website, and follow @GoonyaEN and #GoonyaMonster on Twitter. 

About MUTAN

MUTAN is a game development studio that aims to create digital content that captures the child-like excitement of playing a game for the first time, creating new, dreamlike experiences for the next generation of gamers.  

About Ryu’s Office

Ryu’s Office offers in-depth marketing solutions for smartphone, console, arcade, and PC games in Japan. They are particularly focused on the planning and production of numerous live broadcasts based out of Japan for the gaming industry.

To learn more, visit the official Ryu’s Office website.

Chasing Static Shambles in the Night Toward Console Launches Q1 2023

Philip Federico
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Uncover Dark Secrets on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

BRISTOL, England – Dec. 5 2022 – Chasing Static, the retro psychological horror game from the twisted minds of developer Headware Games and publisher Ratalaika Games S.L., creeps from the darkest Welsh forests and onto Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on Thursday, 12 January 2023.

The dark woods of rural North Wales welcome back the prodigal son Chris Selwood, returning to attend the funeral of his late father. After a pit stop for a hot coffee and a break from the rain with the diner’s waitress, Aneira, his world turns upside down after an unknown terror pins her to the ceiling. Chris awakens later after the shock dispatches him momentarily, and finds himself in the same diner, now broken, rusty, and inexplicably worn with age.

Left with many questions, Chris turns to his estranged father’s journal, filled to the brim with strange and seemingly unrelated notes. With a semblance of knowledge in hand, he must explore the blackened ruins now surrounding him for answers. Chris finds he’s not alone, however, as terrifying horrors and monsters now stalk his surroundings, waiting to tear him apart with violent glee.

Chris must survive with the help of the Frequency Displacement Monitoring Device, a tool capable of deciphering sounds and the conversations of spirits long departed. Discover clues for puzzles and paint an image of what the dead experienced before their demise. Experience hi-fi sound design setting the eerie stage, with full voice acting.

Explore dark forests, abandoned buildings, and a ghost town, in first-person perspective, all rendered in a low-poly visual style reminiscent of late-1990s and early-2000s survival horror classics. Chase signals in the static revealing clues to the fate of the waitress and secrets of his father, while avoiding otherworldly foes pursuing Chris.

“After so many people played Chasing Static on PC, it’s my honor to invite console players on PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox to my Welsh nightmare,” said Nathan Hamley, Founder, Headware Games. “Having my game on the platforms that hosted the inspirational games of my youth still feels surreal.”

Chasing Static will release onPlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on 12 January 2023, and will feature English language voice acting and English, French, German, Spanish, Russian and Japanese text. For more information on Chasing Static, please visit the game’s Steam Page and follow Headware Games on Twitter and Facebook. 

About Headware Games

Founded by solo developer Nathan Hamley of Bristol, England, Headware Games creates adventure games with a focus on accessibility and to experiment with interactive narrative. Chasing Static is the studio’s second title, after previously releasing Guard Duty, an innovative point-and-click adventure game played over two distinct eras of history.

For more information, please visit the Headware Games website and follow Headware Games on Twitter and Facebook.

About Ratalaika Games

Based out of Spain, Ratalaika Games is an indie developer and publisher of games for consoles and PC. Focused on helping other indie creators, the company offers console porting, localization, and promotion services to spread the word about smaller studios to gamers all over the world.

To learn more, visit the Ratalaika Games’ official website, like the Ratalaika Facebook page, and follow @RatalaikaGames on Twitter.

PlayStation Australia Teams Up With World’s Greatest Pound for Pound Fighter, Alex Volkanovski & Celebrity PT Jono Castano To Get “Ragnarok Ready”

Philip Federico
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To celebrate the launch of one of the most anticipated and highly acclaimed games of the year, God of War Ragnarök, PlayStation Australia puts one of Australia’s most elite athletes, Alex Volkanovski, to the test by getting him “Ragnarök Ready” to face challenges from across the Nine Realms. 

How will the world’s greatest pound for pound fighter, Alexander ‘The Great’ Volkanovski, stack up to the title’s infamous protagonist and God of War, Kratos? WATCH VIDEO BELOW to find out.

Taking part in a bespoke circuit created by celebrity personal trainer, Jono Castano, Alex is challenged on his stamina, endurance and combat with exercises including wall climbing, boxing, battle ropes, sledgehammer slams and more. 

Patrick Lagana, Director of Marketing at PlayStation Australia said, “In God of War Ragnarok we see Kratos tested like never before as he battles gods and monsters across the Nine Realms to protect his family. Just as Kratos prepared for the ultimate showdown, we wanted to bring his journey to life in a challenging but fun way alongside our Friends of PlayStation. Alex and Jono were perfect candidates to get us Ragnarök Ready. Some of us even tried to keep up and quickly learned what it means to train like Kratos.”

Speaking during the training, Alex said, “Getting Ragnarök Ready is all about staying calm. Composure is key. You never know what’s going to happen in there and you have to prepare for the worst. Before battle you have to prepare and remember what you’re fighting for.” 

Try Jono’s full workout for yourself and see if you can become “Ragnarök Ready”: 

SET ONE: ENDURANCE & EXPLORATION

You’re gonna need to have the stamina and endurance to sprint, climb, jump and row your way through the Nine Realms. 

  • Blazepod Agility test – 3 rounds of 60 seconds, 45 second break between rounds
  • Interval Sprints – 3 x 30 second jog above 16.0 speed into sprints of max for 15 seconds, 45 second active recovery
  • Versa Climber – 3 x 30 seconds work, 15 second sprint climb, 45 seconds off

SET TWO: COMBAT TRAINING

To survive Ragnarok, you’ll have to take on enemies much bigger and much stronger than you. Kratos has a wide range of combat styles so that enemies never know what to expect. 

  • Battle Ropes – 4 x 30 second rounds, 30 second break between each
  • Hammer Slams – 3 x 30 second slams, 30 second break
  • Tyre Push – 3 x 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off
  • Boxing – 3x 60 second rounds, 30 second break

God of War Ragnarök is available now online from playstation.com and in selected retailers.

For the latest PlayStation news, follow on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

About God of War Ragnarök

From Santa Monica Studio comes the sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War (2018). Fimbulwinter is well underway. Kratos and Atreus must journey to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as Asgardian forces prepare for a prophesied battle that will end the world. Along the way they will explore stunning, mythical landscapes, and face fearsome enemies in the form of Norse gods and monsters. The threat of Ragnarök grows ever closer. Kratos and Atreus must choose between their own safety and the safety of the realms.

Persona 5 Royal Xbox Series X/PC Review

Travis Bruno
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Persona 5 Royal Xbox Series X/PC Review

Persona 5 Royal

Developer: Atlus
Publisher: Atlus USA
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X (Reviewed), PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, Switch
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $59.99 USD – Available Here $99.95 AUD – Available Here

Overview

When Persona 5 originally released in the West back in 2017 it was heralded as one of the best JRPGs that fans could play and a great new entry in the series that hadn’t seen a new full release in nine years. As such when it was announced that an enhanced edition would not only improve various gameplay aspects but also add plenty of brand new content it seemed like a perfect way to jump into the game. The only problem was, Persona 5 Royal remained a PlayStation exclusive even when it arrived in 2020, locking a large number of potential players out of the experience. Now Persona 5 Royal has finally freed itself from the chains of exclusivity and has arrived on every current platform, offering Xbox, PC, and Switch players a chance to experience the best way to play the game with even more improvements than before on the Xbox Series X and PC.

Story

It is worth noting that if players want to know most of the story basics as well as the original gameplay mechanics then our original review covers that plenty, and instead we will be focusing primarily on the new content added into Persona 5 Royal to try and keep things a bit more concise, especially since there is a surprisingly large amount of content added into this release of the game.

Set in modern day Tokyo, Japan players take on the role of the nameable protagonist who has found himself on the wrong side of the law. Convicted of a crime you’ve been placed on probation and kicked out of school with your family sending you away to the only school that is willing to take a convicted criminal such as yourself. From here the story is told through a series of flashbacks after players are given a brief look at their future with the focus initially spent on introducing the character to the way the world works and unfortunately your new school as well as most of your fellow classmates are more than willing to remind you of your criminal past. By joining together with other outcasts from society the player learns of a different realm that allows them to tackle the flawed personalities of those who have come into power.

It won’t take long before players will begin to notice a few subtle differences and additions to the storyline throughout the initial case featuring the Phantom Thieves as the newly added Kasumi quickly makes some appearances and is introduced to the story in a small manner while other characters that make their debut later in the game also begin to make a few side appearances far earlier than before as well. Joining Kasumi is a school counselor that, in retrospect, was shockingly absent in the original game by the name of Takuto Maruki who takes a personal interest in the plights that the protagonist and his group have suffered. It is also nice to note that, like previous enhanced Persona games, the Velvet Room attendants once again are given some more interactions as Justine and Caroline can now leave the prison and interact with the protagonist alongside their previous interactions involving the Strength arcana, allowing for perhaps some of the most humorous moments in the game depending on location.

That being said, players will still find that the story tends to follow mostly all of the same beats as the original, especially through the first “heist target” as the story and new additions begin to open up a bit more after that point. For the most part, the core storyline remains the same as before, not that this is a bad thing by any means, with the newly interwoven characters and plot points feeling like seamless additions to the overarching plot though some of the bigger changes won’t be mentioned here as they are quite spoilery in nature but let’s just say that the writers have done a great job with these new characters and the expanded interactions players can have with the original characters and “confidants” this time around. This extra content, makes an already stellar story even better by adding a lot of extra story content and even some more time to interact with the core cast, though it is worth noting that it is entirely possible to miss out on the bulk of the brand new content if they don’t interact with the new confidants enough though the title does provide quite a bit a few warnings when certain interaction deadlines will be coming up and push players to interact with them even if they already have hit the required threshold.

Gameplay

Outside of the story enhancements a number of improvements have been made to the various gameplay aspects of Persona 5 Royal. These come in the forms of both brand new additions as well as improvements that were made to previous mechanics though it is worth noting that those who want a challenge, or are replaying through Persona 5 Royal, may want to bump the difficulty above Normal as nearly every enhancement has made the game easier. This is especially true in the case of this latest version of the game as players will find that every piece of DLC has been included in the game, including numerous copies of helpful accessories that boost things such as EXP or money earned as well as the ability to regenerate some HP/SP during ambushes, something that can be vital for long Palace infiltrations.

The most simple and obvious addition comes in the form of a grappling hook that Joker is given partway through the first Palace infiltration. The grappling hook allows for players to navigate through some locations a bit easier as players can use it to reach new heights that have been created with new secrets to be found. Most of the grappling hook’s uses come from basic exploration and occasionally can be used to avoid some Shadows but generally it is used to uncover secrets in Palaces, though eventually players can even use it to ambush Shadows with an extra advantage. These secrets have also been increased a bit as now every Palace features three “will seeds” that are manifestations of the Palace’s owners power and provide a bit of an SP boost when discovered though if all three are located, they will fuse together to create a powerful accessory that will help the Phantom Thieves in future fights.

Speaking of battles, most fights are also far easier now as players continue to have a number of tools made immediately available to them right out of the gate this time as well as some never-ending resources. The player’s entire party immediately has access to the Baton Pass mechanic allowing for attack strings to quickly demolish foes if properly planned and ammunition in firearms, which used to be limited and required a resource to refill, now refills after every battle. Eventually players also gain access to powerful “Showtime” attacks that feature two members of the Phantom Thieves teaming up to deliver an extremely powerful and incredibly flashy or outlandish attack.

Not only have the Palaces themselves been given a bit of revamp but Mementos itself has also seen some new additions. While still randomly generated, players will now meet with Jose, a strange little child that travels the depths of Mementos for research. Players can trade flowers obtained simply from driving around for powerful healing items that are useful in Palaces or even general combat and obtain Stamps from certain locations in Mementos that can then be used to increase things such as how much experience, money, or items, are given by enemies. These stamps can be adjusted at the cost of flowers and can make grinding for certain difficult fights far easier than before and when combined with a certain confidant’s instant win ability, makes leveling a breeze.

For the most part shadow recruitment is still performed in the same manner as players must knock down all foes to trigger a “hold-up” and succeed in negotiations with their target of choice but it is once again made a bit easier. While previously players had to pay close attention to a shadow’s personality, the player’s navigator, be it Morgana or eventually a couple of other characters, now provides a quick tip as to what type of phrases the player should say to recruit a Shadow making things a bit easier this time around. Plus, if you already happen to have that Persona instead of simply leaving the fight the current Shadow will instead apply extra experience points directly to that Persona. Even fusion has been given a bit of a revamp as, after the player has slain enough Shadows after a certain point in the game, an alarm will trigger in the Velvet Room signifying that the next two fusions will not only be stronger but will have a high chance of causing an “accident” that creates a random, generally better, Persona compared to what the player was aiming for. That isn’t to say everything has been made easier, as boss fights have been changed up a bit to keep players guessing, new Disaster Shadows that counterattack every blow have been added into random fights, and certain Shadows refuse to negotiate now unless they have been struck with certain ailments on-top of being knocked down.

Outside of the new additions to the various aspects of the Metaverse players will find that there are now a number of new things to do in the real world as well as a new explorable location named Kichijojoi has been added into the game and with it come a number of new side activities that players can enjoy with their fellow party members and confidants. This includes things like an odd little darts mini-game that can be used to strengthen the aforementioned Baton Pass, playing billiards to boost the effects of a technical attack, and even a jazz cafe that can be used to power up additional elements of the player’s party members. There is also a fun little “Thieves Den ” accessible through the menu that is a forgettable but nice inclusion that serves as a way to show off the player’s various accomplishments, partake in another new mini-game, and view various pieces of artwork as well as previously seen cutscenes.

Visuals & Audio

When it originally released, Persona 5 was a fairly impressive looking game and even when it arrived as Persona 5 Royal a few years later, it only made the title look better than ever. Now though, with Persona 5 Royal arriving on the Xbox Series X and PC players will find themselves in for quite a treat as the game now runs at 4K with a constant 60fps presentation that was not found when released for the PlayStation 4. As for the actual details in the game, the character models and standard designs remain as detailed as one would expect with the Shadows being a real delight though the background characters are still given a minimalistic design. The brand new characters fit in great with the style of the cast and don’t feel out of place and players will want to keep an eye out for certain characters making earlier appearances in the background from time to time. Combat remains as flashy as ever, even more so now thanks to the aforementioned Showtime attacks that players can trigger. The Palaces are also given a few redesigns here and there to make use of the grappling hook and add some extra secrets for players to find.

Once again players will be able to play using either the English dub as well as the original Japanese voice track. All of the voice actors and actresses have reprised their roles to record the various new lines to fit into the extra content, including simply voicing lines that previously weren’t voiced, and the voice work for the new characters fits in perfectly with the rest of the cast. The soundtrack continues to be rather impressive as it features all of the tracks that made the original game such a delight to play as well as a number of outstanding sounding brand new tracks that make their appearance in the new content at the end of the game. It is a bit of a shame that, outside of the Thieve’s Den, that the original opening song isn’t included in the release as an option.

Overall

It may have taken far longer than many would have hoped, but with Persona 5 Royal finally shedding the chains of platform exclusivity players on all platforms can now enjoy what is easily the best version of the game. This is saying quite a lot considering the original release was quite impressive so when you add in the various quality of life improvements, smooth frame rate with fast load times, and plenty of new story sequences, it just takes it one step further. It is worth noting that longtime fans of the series may want to play on a harder difficulty though considering most of these improvements have made the game a bit easier overall, though any fan of RPGs or even those only slightly interested will find that Persona 5 Royal continues to be one of the best around.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Get Lost in the Woods with BLACKTAIL’s New Trailer Ahead of its December 15 Release on PC & Consoles

Philip Federico
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PARIS — Dec. 5, 2022 — BLACKTAIL, the surreal first-person action-adventure game from Focus Entertainment and THE PARASIGHT, has unveiled a new trailer in anticipation of its upcoming release next week! Get a final glimpse at the dark fairy-tale world that awaits you on December 15 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

You play as Yaga, a 16-year-old girl accused of witchcraft and expelled from her medieval settlement following the mysterious disappearance of her twin sister and life-long protector Zora. When living memories of your past return as foul, walking spirits, you are left with no other option than to hunt them down in hopes of unraveling your own mystery. Track them down with your trusty bow, crafting arrows and potions while gathering materials to survive in the ominous woods. Engage in thrilling fights against mighty bosses as you unearth hidden treasures and collect lost recipes to improve your abilities and shape your play style.

Live out the origins of the classic Slavic folktale, experiencing a one-of-a-kind blend of archery combat, magic and dark storytelling in a vibrant fairy-tale land. Witness the impact of your decisions on yourself and the world through BLACKTAIL’s morality system. The fate of the woods is in your hands: will you be a good witch, or turn to evil?

BLACKTAIL pre-orders are available now on Steam with a 20% pre-launch discount. For more information on the game, visit the Focus Entertainment website.

ANOTHER DAY IN HELL-A SHOWCASE

Philip Federico
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0

HELL-A, CALIFORNIA, 4th December 2022 (Sydney, Australia, 5th December 2022) | Deep Silver and Dambuster Studios are delighted to announce the Dead Island 2 Showcase – Another Day In HELL-A – airs on Tuesday, 6th December (Wednesday, 7th December AEDT), introducing brand new gameplay and information through a captivating live action film, and also premiers a thrilling trailer with an extended look at exclusive footage of the game.

Watch on Twitch.tv/DeepSilver from 7am AEDT / 9am NZDT on Wednesday, 7th December.

Dead Island 2 will release on 28th April, 2023 on Xbox Series X and Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment systems from Microsoft, PlayStation®5 and PlayStation®4 computer entertainment systems and the Epic Games Store for PC.

For more information on Dead Island 2 follow us on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook at @DeadIslandGame.

© 2023 PLAION GmbH and published by Deep Silver. Developed by Deep Silver Dambuster Studios. Additional development by Fishlabs GmbH. Deep Silver, Dead Island, Dambuster, Fishlabs and their respective logos are trademarks of PLAION GmbH. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are property of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved.

ABOUT DEEP SILVER

Deep Silver develops and distributes interactive games for all platforms. The Deep Silver label means to captivate all gamers who have a passion for thrilling gameplay in exciting game worlds by creating products of the highest possible quality, always focusing on what the customer desires. Deep Silver has published more than 200 games since 2003, including its own brands like the open world extravaganza Saints Row, the zombie action franchise Dead Island, and the gritty, post-apocalyptic Metro series. Upcoming highlights from Deep Silver include the next entries into the TimeSplitters and Dead Island franchises. Deep Silver development studios include Deep Silver Dambuster Studios and Free Radical Design, both in Nottingham, UK and Deep Silver Fishlabs in Hamburg, Germany. For more information please visit www.deepsilver.com. All product titles, publisher names, trademarks, artwork and associated imagery are trademarks, registered trademarks and/or copyright material of the respective owners. All rights reserved.

ABOUT DEEP SILVER DAMBUSTER STUDIOS

Deep Silver Dambuster Studios is a AAA game developer with a heritage spanning over 20 years, with around 170 designers, narrators, artists, programmers and engineers making up the talented team.

Established in Nottingham (UK), the studio was founded by a passionate team of games industry veterans, with the genesis of the studio traced back to the late 1990s, when several people formed Free Radical Design where they worked on TimeSplitters.

In 2014 the studio was acquired by Deep Silver and rebranded Deep Silver Dambuster Studios. It released Homefront: The Revolution for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC in 2016. In the 12 months following the launch of Homefront it released additional Resistance Mode content and three individual story expansions; The Voice of Freedom, Aftermath and the final story bookend, Beyond the Walls.

The studio is now developing the next instalment in the highly successful Dead Island series of games.

 For more information please visit www.DSDambuster.com.

ABOUT PLAION

PLAION is a leading independent developer and producer of games and entertainment products, with ten development studios and five publishing units based all over the world. Founded in 1994 as Koch Media, PLAION offers a unique breadth of services and solutions, dynamically growing its business to push ourselves and our partners to the forefront in all the segments we operate in. PLAION runs a multi-label strategy, with fully owned publishing units, such as Deep Silver, Prime Matter, Milestone, Vertigo Games and Ravenscourt, publishing games for consoles, PC and VR platforms across all physical and digital channels. Additionally – as a global publishing partner – PLAION has formed long-term multinational publishing collaborations with numerous game publishers including Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, Capcom, Focus Multimedia, Giants Software, Koei Tecmo, Paradox, Sega, SNK, Square Enix, Techland, THQ Nordic, Tripwire, Warner Bros and many others. With its parent company in Höfen, Austria – and the HQ in Munich, Germany – PLAION owns local publishing companies in Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Australia, the United States as well as Japan and Hong Kong. PLAION owns ten game development studios: Deep Silver Volition (Champaign, IL, USA), Deep Silver Dambuster Studios (Nottingham, UK), Fishlabs (Hamburg, DE), Warhorse Studios (Prague, CZ), Milestone (Milan, IT), Voxler (Paris, FR) , DigixArt (Montpellier, FR), Flying Wild Hog (Warsaw, Kraków, Rzeszów, PL), Free Radical Design (Nottingham, UK) and Vertigo Games (Rotterdam, Amsterdam, NL). Additionally, PLAION collaborates with numerous independent development studios around the world. Part of PLAION is also PLAION PICTURES, a leading independent film distributor in Europe with a library of more than 1.400 titles. Further business operations include Sola Media, a sales agency and production company for family entertainment, Spotfilm Networx, a multi-channel streaming network, and a sub-label dedicated to Japanese animation. PLAION also owns the leading video game merchandise company DPI Merchandising (Denver, Roseburg, USA and Munich, DE) and a Quality Assurance Facility in Olomouc, CZ. PLAION is an Embracer Group company.

Tactics Ogre: Reborn Review

Travis Bruno
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0
Tactics Ogre: Reborn Review

Tactics Ogre: Reborn

Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), Switch, PC
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $49.95 USD – Available Here $69.95 AUD – Available Here

Overview

There was once a time where the strategy RPG genre had begun to fade away with only the occasional release from mainstay series keeping it afloat. Now in 2022 we have seen a resurgence of sorts with Square Enix leading the charge with not only two brand new IPs released earlier in the year but now the return of a classic that has seen quite a lot of love over the years, Tactics Ogre: Reborn. Originally released back in as a Super Nintendo game back in 1995, ported to PlayStation in 1998, and then given the full remake treatment in 2010 for the PSP, this game has seen a number of releases and now Square Enix is ready to give it one more. Tactics Ogre: Reborn has seen a number of refinements for its release on modern consoles but does this aged SRPG still hold up?

Story

Denam, a teenager living under the rule of Galgastani after a civil war tore apart the land decades ago, has grown tired of living under the oppressive rule of the government and has planned to join the resistance. Along with his best friend Vyce and sister Catiua the three hatch a plan to attack a Dark Knight squadron that had previously burnt their hometown to the ground. After encountering the group, they quickly realize that they are not the same enemies and instead a band of mercenaries willing to teach them the ropes of fighting as well as assist them in helping the local Duke, giving Denam a chance to gain a foothold in the region before he is fully thrown into the political turmoil and morally gray landscape that is this war torn world.

Going too much further into the story would begin to reveal some of the bigger twists that players can expect to happen fairly regularly as they progress through Tactics Ogre: Reborn as this is a gripping tale that will keep players intrigued from beginning to end and eager for more once the credits begin to roll. That being said, this is a very dense game that throws a lot at the player right off the bat with political infighting, backstabbing, and various nations being mentioned with little context long before they actually come into play in the story. That being said, players will eventually feel as if they are getting the hang of things after a few hours but be ready for at least some confusion regarding everyone’s motivations and the various relationships between certain organizations at start.

On a smaller scale, players will find that the character development in Tactics Ogre: Reborn is handled fairly well with a lot of attention being paid to the three starting characters of course. This means that while large-scale turmoil may be happening around them; Denam, Catiua, and Vyce are almost always affected in some way. A large number of side characters are also given a lot of attention and some solid story arcs but it is a bit disappointing that other characters, including some that can be difficult to recruit, receive very little actual development compared to some of the simpler side characters.

Thankfully even though this is a grand tale of fantasy with dark events happening quite often, this is not a story that players will simply be along for the ride for. Instead players will be able to make a number of key choices throughout the game as Denam that will drastically change how events play out. Certain events may not happen entirely while characters that have been longtime companions will leave forever or simply die on one route while entirely new characters or battles may lay down a separate path. Thankfully, as added in the PSP version, the title offers the ability to revisit the story once the game has been completed once, allowing players to go back to key decisions and make a different choice and play from that route on instead and making other choices along the way while aiming for a different ending from what was originally seen, allowing for far more replayability than one would expect for an SRPG and something vital for fans that want to get the most out of Tactics Ogre: Reborn’s expansive storyline which is taken an extra step further thanks to the addition of voice work for the first time ever..

Gameplay

As usual with a strategy RPG, players will take to battlefields on an isometric field with various elevations to worry about as well as terrain types as difficult terrain can affect various stats. Elevation plays a role in fighting as enemies on top of a cliff may be hard to hit with a ranged attack while attacking from a heightened position will allow players to strike from even further away. While Tactics Ogre: Reborn may not feature some of the more intricate elements that have worked their way into many modern SRPGs it still does feature an element system where every character is strong vs one element and weak vs another and can gain various bonuses while attacking using their preferred element. Along these same lines, flanking an enemy can gain various advantages and certain classes can take advantage of pincer attacks to deal follow-up blows to really lay into an enemy.

Battles are turn-based affairs with players moving their characters around each time it is their turn, choosing to move, use a skill, or attack with everything handled through a clear menu system that can display the turn order, hit chance, and more. It is interesting to note that the game does now offer something that may be a bit controversial for those looking to grind their hearts away as Tactics Ogre: Reborn now makes use of a level cap system that prevents players from pushing their characters far past the levels of the next fight. It is still possible to hit the cap to make certain fights a bit easier but the inability to simply level grind to try and get past any particularly difficult fight is a strange alteration to make. This is especially true when one considers just how varied the game’s difficulty can be, with some encounters playing out fairly easily and suddenly spiking up for the next battle.

To help alleviate a little bit of stress however, Tactics Ogre: Reborn has made swapping a character’s class incredibly easy. Rather than require a complete reset of the character, the player must simply use a consumable class card to swap any character to the class they may need, immediately bringing the character to the same level they were originally and helping to reduce any worry about grinding at the same time. Another element added into this version of the game comes in the form of Buff Cards. These cards will randomly spawn on the battlefield and can really help turn the tides of a fight should players need them. These cards will boost a stat for the character that picked them up for the rest of the fight and occasionally these buffs can be permanent. Sometimes players will need to step a bit out of the way of combat to acquire a card but they are almost always worth it, especially since the enemy can grab these cards and grow stronger just like the player can.

Should players find themselves either making a poor choice such as moving into the attack range of an entire enemy team, accidentally letting the enemies pick up a powerful card, or any manner of mistake then Tactics Ogre: Reborn isn’t afraid to let players have an option to re-do things. Players can make use fo the Chariot Tarot to rewind as many turns as the player needs in order to alter their choices and avoid the previous outcome. In fact, even if the player continues to make a mistake they can still rewind and try yet again, giving players plenty of chances should they find themselves making a stupid mistake.

It is nice to note that the game also offers the ability to speed up combat a bit by accelerating the pace that characters move and unleash skills. This eventually feels like a vital mechanic as some battles in Tactics Ogre: Reborn can become so large scale that they feel a bit more tedious than actually enjoyable. These types of fights can see players needing to waste multiple turns just reaching an enemy and while some battles can feature a fairly impressive number of units on the field at a time, having to have these fights play out in turn-based action can drag the pacing down quite a bit even with the accelerated pace.

Visuals & Audio

With the release of Tactics Ogre: Reborn Square Enix has done their best to try and “improve” the way that the game’s sprites and environments look and the result is something of a mixed bag. The environments that players fight in feel fitting for a game of this era and have been given a proper upscale while the actual character sprites are unfortunately a bit too smoothed out from what many would prefer. These smooth sprites are more than a little rough looking in places and it would certainly have been nice to offer some type of option that would turn off the smoothing filter and restore the more detailed, albeit rougher, sprites that the series was once known for. That being said, while the sprites are a disappointment a lot of attention to detail has been spent to ensure that the character portraits are still as lavish looking as ever with plenty of detail for key characters, be they party members or enemies, and even generic portraits given a lot of care as well.

Previously, even when released on the PSP, Tactics Ogre was never released with voice work of any kind but now with the release of Tactics Ogre: Reborn that has finally changed. Every single line of dialogue in the game’s story has now been given voice work that not only fits the theme of the game but also fleshes out these characters immensely. Before players would watch lengthy scenes reading only text and now can hear these characters speak and add inflection and emotion to scenes that otherwise may have fallen a bit flat. The voice work is even implemented in battle with characters barking as they unleash attacks and suffer damage. Considering the size of the game, the addition of voice work had to be a massive undertaking and it is one that is certainly appreciated. The soundtrack features a great collection of re-recorded sounding music that fits the fantasy theme perfectly with a wide range of orchestral music making this title fit right at home with other Square Enix mainstays.

Overall

Tactics Ogre: Reborn may drag in some areas and Square Enix’s attempt at enhancing the character sprites with a smoothing filter have done more harm than good but it still remains an incredible SRPG. Between an engaging storyline that has been made all the more impressive thanks to the addition of full voice work and a number of quality of life updates to make combat feel a bit more fluid, those looking to revisit a classic or maybe try it out for the first time will find this game to be just as impressive as its contemporary rivals.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Monster Hunter Rise Soars onto Xbox, Xbox Game Pass, and PlayStation Consoles on January 20th 2023

Philip Federico
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London (December 1, 2022) The critically-acclaimed Monster Hunter Rise™ reached new heights earlier this year with the global release of the Monster Hunter™ Rise: Sunbreak expansion on Nintendo Switch™ and Steam. Receiving widespread praise for its trademark action RPG gameplay, exciting new features, and ongoing free post-launch support, Monster Hunter Rise has already sold over 11 million units. The high-flying entry to the Monster Hunter series is now opening the gates of Kamura Village to players on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation®5, and PlayStation®4 on January 20, 2023. Monster Hunter Rise preorders are open now, and the title will also be available with Xbox Game Pass for console, PC and cloud at launch.

Monster Hunter Rise is the latest installment in the action RPG series and transports players to Kamura Village, a colorful and tranquil setting that attracts visitors with its unique culture and innovative hunting technologies. The core gameplay experience in Monster Hunter Rise stays true to the previous highly-praised Monster Hunter entries. Hunters must equip their armor and select from one of the 14 different weapon types to tackle daunting foes. As players defeat monsters and progress through the game, items carved from fallen foes can be used to craft unique weapons and armor that increases their chances of survival. Hunters can tackle these challenges solo, or with up to three other hunters in cooperative online play.

Monster Hunter Rise evolves the series by introducing several new and exciting mechanics for hunters to master. Wire-based grappling actions can be performed by using a “Wirebug” while standing or in mid-air, adding an all-new level of aerial maneuverability to hunting strategies and attacks. Additionally, the game features the “Wyvern Riding” technique, which allows players to temporarily take control of a monster and yield spectacular battle sequences during hunts. Monster Hunter Rise also introduces new hunting partners called Palamutes, personalized and rideable “Canyne” companions that provide players with new sets of attack options. The “Canyne” Palamute companions join the series favorite “Felyne” Palicoes in assisting players while out on hunts.

Monster Hunter Rise features customizable optimizations, allowing hunters to enjoy their journey in 4K resolution and 60 FPS on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, while also offering 3D audio for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. Ranged and shielded weapons will also make use of DualSense™ adaptive triggers on PlayStation 5. Monster Hunter Rise launches on Jan 20, 2023 and is available now for pre-purchase. The game also arrives on Xbox Game Pass at launch.

Following the debut of Monster Hunter Rise, players can look forward to the release of Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, the monstrous expansion which will be available for home console players in Spring 2023.

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, Singapore 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.

THE CALLISTO PROTOCOL NOW AVAILABLE FOR CONSOLES AND PC WORLDWIDE FROM STRIKING DISTANCE STUDIOS AND KRAFTON

Philip Federico
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New Sci-fi Survival Horror Game Stars Josh Duhamel and Karen Fukuhara

Sydney, Australia 2nd December, 2022 – Fear takes no prisoners! Striking Distance Studios, a KRAFTON, Inc. studio, today announced that The Callisto Protocol, an all-new sci-fi survival horror game starring Josh Duhamel (Transformers) and Karen Fukuhara (The Boys) is available worldwide.  Set on Jupiter’s dead moon Callisto in 2320, the game challenges players to survive the horrors of Black Iron Prison and discover the dark secrets of the United Jupiter Company after a mysterious outbreak throws the moon into chaos. The game is now available for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store). Learn more about The Callisto Protocol at www.callistoprotocol.com

The Callisto Protocol is a next-generation take on survival horror, featuring a terrifying science-fiction story and a brutal new combat system that blends shooting and melee action with a powerful gravity weapon to seamlessly move between the two.  Players will have to get up close and personal with the terrifying creatures that have overrun Black Iron Prison and face their fears to survive.

Follow The Callisto Protocol on Twitter @CallistoTheGame and on Instagram at CallistoTheGame. Follow Striking Distance Studios on Twitter @SD_Studios.

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About Striking Distance Studios

Striking Distance Studios, Inc. is a AAA development studio committed to crafting thought-provoking immersive experiences, driven by a passion for quality and excellence. Based in San Ramon, CA, in the San Francisco Bay Area, Striking Distance Studios is helmed by “Dead Space” and “Call of Duty” veteran Glen Schofield. For more information on Striking Distance Studios, please visit www.sds.com or follow the company on Twitter @SD_Studios.

About KRAFTON, Inc.

KRAFTON, Inc. is a collective of independent game development studios brought together to create innovative and engaging entertainment experiences for gamers across the world. The company consists of PUBG Studios, Bluehole Studio, Striking Distance Studios, RisingWings, Dreamotion, Unknown Worlds and 5minlab, each with its own unique expertise.

KRAFTON is responsible for premier entertainment properties including “PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS,” “NEW STATE MOBILE,” “The Callisto Protocol,” “TERA,” and “ELYON.” As a technology-driven company that boasts world-class capabilities, KRAFTON seeks to expand its areas of business beyond games to multimedia entertainment and deep learning. For more information on KRAFTON, please visit www.krafton.com.

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