LOS ANGELES – October 24, 2022 – Netmarble, a leading developer and publisher of high-quality mobile games, has announced the final test for PARAGON: THE OVERPRIME, its upcoming free-to-play PC Action MOBA game, is scheduled to run from November 10 to November 21 (UTC-9).
The final test for PARAGON: THE OVERPRIME will introduce a host of new improvements and even new heroes, two coming directly from the original Paragon roster as well as an all new original PARAGON: THE OVERPRIME hero.
An all-new map, Agnis of Light, has been added. With new features like an enlarged minimap, players can play more strategically with a glance of the map. Players will also find a new Item Index with an optimized lobby design for added quality of life improvements.
In addition, the Tutorial and Training Grounds modeshave also been restructured based on feedback. In Tutorials, players can now adapt to the game and obtain various rewards based on the stage, while the Training Grounds can now be accessed with any hero to easily figure out which one fits the player’s playstyle the best.
Netmarble is also thrilled to announce that the players can now find PARAGON: THE OVERPRIME at the Epic Store, along with Steam. This is the game’s first debut on the Epic Games Store global game platform, which will offer the upcoming final test as well as Early Access in the future. By entering this new platform, the title aims to bring former Paragon players together with the current players.
Utilizing assets from Paragon developed by Epic Games in 2016, PARAGON: THE OVERPRIME successfully continues the game’s legacy. With diverse landscapes featuring Jump Pads, Towers, a Core, and Portals, strategic gameplay is an essential part of this brand new 3D TPS MOBA experience. The game is optimized for a wide spectrum of PCs and can be enjoyed on lower specifications all the way up to 4K at 60FPS.
PARAGON: THE OVERPRIME is a team-based TPS Action MOBA that anyone can play for free on PC. Players are engaged in 5v5 combat while working together with teammates to conquer the Prime battlefield. The game celebrates strategic actions and fast-paced battles where two teams compete to eliminate each other’s territories. Players can choose from a diverse roster of powerful heroes utilizing their unique skills from various classes such as – Warrior, Support, Ranger, Caster, Tank, and Assassin.
To stay up to date with all PARAGON: THE OVERPRIME news and updates follow the officialbrand website, Discord, and Twitter.
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About Netmarble Corporation
Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a top developer and publisher pushing the boundaries of the mobile gaming experience with highly innovative games including Marvel Future Revolution, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds, Lineage 2: Revolution, The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross, Blade & Soul Revolution and MARVEL Future Fight. As a parent company of Kabam, and a major shareholder of Jam City and HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment), Netmarble strives to entertain audiences around the world with a variety of mobile games based on its powerful franchises and collaborations with IP holders worldwide. More information can be found athttp://company.netmarble.com
In this new gameplay trailer player can discover more about the game features as well as seeing more of Alabasta, a familiar scenario recreated from the Straw Hat Crew’s memories where they go to in order to gain back their lost powers and learn more about the mysteries of Waford.
In ONE PIECE ODYSSEYplayers will be able to explore the areas with various members of the Straw Hat Crew and swap them as they like. Each character comes with unique actions while exploring that will be useful to find all what’s there to be discovered.
Watch the new gameplay trailer here:
Along with the main plotline, Side Stories will put each of the Straw Hat Crew member to the front using some of their unique skills to complete quests. On the other hand, Bounty hunts will let players hunt down dangerous pirates for hefty rewards. Both modes will give other ways for players to progress in the game.
ONE PIECE ODYSSEY features command battles, with various attacks, skills, and items to be used to turn the tides in the Straw Hat Crew’s favor. During these battles, players can use different types of characters and skills to exploit enemies weaknesses, while using healing and items, such as food prepared by Sanji to gain the upper hand. Dramatic Scenes will also add some change to the combat requiring a specific task to be done in order to gain more experience after battle.
Produced by Toei Animation and based on the top-selling manga title of all time by creator Eiichiro Oda, the One Piece series first premiered on Japanese TV in October 1999 and follows Monkey. D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Crew on their epic quest to find “One Piece,” the legendary treasure of the former King of the Pirates, Gol D. Roger. Today, One Piece is now a global franchise that encompasses 15 feature films including the recently released “One Piece Film Red,” home videos, video games, and an ever-growing catalog of licensed merchandise that includes accessories, toys, games, novelties, furniture, housewares, apparel and more.
ONE PIECE ODYSSEY is slated to release on PlayStation 4®, PlayStation 5®, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on January 13, 2023.
The Quarry Announces ‘50s Throwback Character Outfits Ahead of Halloween
The Quarry is currently on sale for its lowest price yet & fans can experience the must-play teen horror narrative in a new style with a new DLC
Today 2K and Supermassive Games revealed a new DLC coming to The Quarry, featuring a classic makeover with new character outfits inspired by ‘50s horror, just in time for the Halloween season! This classic horror style can be seen through a new trailer (Age Restricted: 18+) and movie poster inspired by the look and feel of 1950s horror cinema.
See the group of nine teenage counsellors stranded at Hackett’s Quarry on the last day of summer camp try and navigate the horrors they encounter in a new era. Delivering chills and frights in ‘50s style garb, the ‘50s Throwback Character Outfit DLC is now available on PlayStation®5 (PS5™), PlayStation®4 (PS4™), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC via Steam.
New and returning players looking to experience these new outfits can get them free until 10:00AM PT on November 1, 2022*. After this time, the 50s Throwback Character Outfit DLC will be available for individual purchase at $7.55*.
Players interested in getting their hands on the must-play, must-see teen-horror entertainment experience of The Quarry can also get a taste of what awaits with the Free Trial, available across PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam. The Free Trial can be used to also enjoy multiplayer via the Wolf Pack Mode**, where a player who owns The Quarry can invite up to seven other friends with access to the game to create a story crafted by the whole group.
For a limited time, get 40% off The Quarry: Standard Edition (Digital)*** for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC via Steam.
The Quarry: Deluxe Edition (Digital) is also available for 40% off for PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC via Steam***. The Quarry: Deluxe Edition includes the full game****, Gorefest Movie Mode option, instant access to the Death Rewind system, Horror History Visual Filter Pack, and ’80s-themed character outfits.
Sale lengths vary based on storefront:
PlayStation™Store: Deluxe Edition only: October 19, 2022 – November 2, 2022
Steam: Standard Edition & Deluxe Edition: October 21, 2022 – November 4, 2022
Microsoft Store: Standard Edition & Deluxe Edition: October 18, 2022 – October 31, 2022
Developed by Supermassive Games, The Quarry is rated “R18+” by the Australian Classification Board.
2K is a wholly owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO)
*Introductory limited time offer available until 10:00 AM PT on November 1, 2022. Thereafter, 50s Throwback Character Outfits pack will be available for sale, based on 2K’s SRP of $4.99. Actual retail price may differ. See platform store for pricing and terms. No rainchecks. Offer redeemed via platform store. Requires The Quarry to use. Digital items will be automatically delivered in-game. Terms apply.
**Multiplayer functionality across the same Xbox and PlayStation generations only. Terms apply.
***Based on 2K’s suggested retail price. Actual retail price may vary. See availability above. Terms apply.
****Purchasing on PlayStation or Xbox provides both the current-gen and next-gen versions of the game in the Deluxe Edition. No cross progression of save data. Multiplayer functionality across the same Xbox and PlayStation generations only. Both versions of the game are entitled to the same Xbox network account or PlayStation™Network account they were purchased on.
It’s easier than ever to discover original new maps, tools, vehicles, challenges and more in the smash-hit sandbox heist game
MALMÖ, Sweden – Oct. 24, 2022 – Tuxedo Labs has released Version 1.2 for Teardown, rolling out several improvements for the voxel-based sandbox heist game on Steam. To help celebrate the occasion, Teardown is available for 20% off on Steam now through October 31.
Teardown has long supported player mods with a built-in level editor and Steam Workshop integration, and now with Version 1.2 it’s a breeze to discover new maps, tools, vehicles, mini-games and more with Teardown’s new Featured Mods list. Curated by the Tuxedo Labs team, this showcase of the best community creations makes it quick and easy to expand your game experience as you wish.
In addition, Version 1.2 makes the tropical Muratori Beach map available as a sandbox level. Previously only accessible during parts of the campaign, now players can explore and search for secrets in this remote setting whenever they want.
Finally, Version 1.2 adds support for multiple controllers, enabling players on Steam Deck to use external gamepads while in a docked state. There are also a variety of minor bug fixes and updates to the game’s modding tools.
Plan the perfect heists with realistic physics in the fully destructible, voxel-simulated world of Teardown! Bring down walls with vehicles or explosives to create shortcuts, stack objects or build structures to reach higher, and use the environment and a range of tools to your advantage in the most creative ways you can imagine. Run, jump, drive and slingshot in the story campaign featuring 40 missions, test your skills in experimental challenges, or create your own no-pressure experiences with unlimited resources in Sandbox mode. Just don’t get caught!
Teardown officially released from early access in spring 2022 to enthusiastic reviews by fans and critics. For more on the game, visit https://teardowngame.com, and join the community on Twitter and Discord.
About Tuxedo Labs Tuxedo Labs is a tech-driven game studio in Malmö, Sweden. We are a small team of seasoned game developers creating innovative and unique games based on new technologies. Our mission is to push the limits in both game technology, interactivity and gameplay. To achieve that, we create our own tools and game engines, like it used to be. Our first game, Teardown, is based on groundbreaking voxel technology combined with destruction physics and ray tracing. Tuxedo Labs is a standalone entity under Saber Interactive, an Embracer Group company. https://www.tuxedolabs.com
Pilot Mechs as King Arthur’s Knights in GALAHAD 3093, Launching Free-to-Play Today
Early Supporters Awarded Trailblazer’s Pack Full Of Currency, Unlock Points for Extra Cosmetics, Blueprints, More
ST. LOUIS – Oct. 24, 2022 –GALAHAD 3093, the Arthurian team-based hero arena shooter from developer Simutronics, goes Free-to-Play later today while remaining in Steam Early Access on PC, welcoming all mech enthusiasts to storm the battlefield. Those who purchased GALAHAD 3093 before today will receive the Trailblazer’s Pack, offering 10,000 Gold and 1,500 Unlock Points (worth over $30 USD) in thanks.
Pilot colossal mechs known as Lances, taking up the mantle of eight Arthurian legends. Embody each iconic Knight with personal abilities invoking their predecessor’s past accomplishments. Sneak behind enemy lines as Morgan with her invisibility cloak. Turn the tide as Owain with his EMP blast. Disorient rivals with Mordred’s teleport. Lead the charge as Arthur himself with the X-Calibur orbital strike.
Mix and match dozens of Lance Variants with specialized stats, primary and secondary weapons, deployable tech, and upgrade modules for trillions of loadout combinations. Customize the look of each Knight’s Lance with paint jobs, holographic banners, and nose art. Make planetfall on seven battlefields such as the frozen moon Europa, the sand worm-infested Bayesian Canyons, and the storm-ridden SFG Heavy Industries.
Synergize Knight and Lance loadouts alongside 11 other teammates for 12v12 mech battles within two different game modes. In Base Assault, work together to take down enemy generators, destroy defense turrets, capture new spawn points, and defend your team’s base to degrade enemy tickets over time. Deathmatch includes capturable bases for strategic play, but only kills remove tickets.
“Throughout early access, our community has implemented incredibly creative team and individual strategies,” said David Whatley, CEO, President, and Lead Designer at Simutronics. “Tricking enemies into chasing them through a teleporter with a proximity mine trap on the other side, guiding opponents with Arthur’s pings to eradicate them, and other devious schemes. Now that anyone can jump in, we expect to see even more intense battles worthy of their own legends.”
GALAHAD 3093 is available on PC via Steam for free today. All paying early adopters will have their support rewarded with the Trailblazer’s Pack for free, worth over $30 USD in value. GALAHAD 3093’s v1.0 launch on PC via Steam is planned for Q2 2023.
Simutronics is a development studio based in St. Louis, Missouri. With over three decades of experience, Simutronics is a leader in the business of online multiplayer games and persistent worlds that people continue to play today like Gemstone IV and DragonRealms. It helped pioneer the online shooter genre with CyberStrike and has created award-winning mobile games such as the Siege Series, One Epic Knight, and Tiny Heroes.
The new character, “Mel,” is a mischievous girl who is inexperienced with the ways of the world
To celebrate the release of “Mel,” Two Character Recruits, Raid Events, and more will be available
SEOUL – Oct. 24, 2022 – NEXON Korea Corp (CEO: Jung-Hun Lee) announced an update featuring ‘Mel’ as a new character for the mobile gacha RPG KonoSuba: Fantastic Days!.
‘Mel’ is a mischievous and inexperienced lightning spirit who was recently awakened after being sealed away long ago. Despite her keen interest in making new friends, her habit of pulling ridiculous pranks drives away most of the people she meets.
Mel’s Super, ‘Spirit Javelin’, inflicts critical normal physical damage to all enemies in battle.
Celebrating the addition of this new character, Nexon will host the “Mel Joins the Battle! Lightning Girl Recruit” event until Wednesday, Nov. 2, where the “4★ Mel (Spirit Power)” and ‘3★ Mel (Warm Welcome)’ characters can be obtained. A 10x Recruit will be available at ‘Mel Joins the Battle! Special Set Recruit’ with Paid Quartz.
Additionally, players can receive abundant rewards by clearing “NORMAL” Main Quests, which will yield double the items until Friday, Oct. 28, while clearing “NORMAL” and “HARD” Main Quests will yield double the amount of “Affinity Points” until Tuesday, Nov. 1.
Furthermore, if players participate in the “Raid Event” by Nov. 1 and defeat the Event Boss 10 times, they can obtain the “3★ Mel (Excuse Me)” character.
Further details regarding the “Mel” update can be found through the official KonoSuba: Fantastic Days! forum.
Official KonoSuba: Fantastic Days! Forum: [Go Now]
About God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!
God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! is based on the famous Japanese light novel of the same name written by Natsume Akatsuki and illustrated by Kurone Mishima. The story follows the grand adventure of a reclusive video game lover who is suddenly summoned to another world. The first season of the anime series was aired between January 2016 and March 2016. The second season was aired between January 2017 and March 2017.
Based on the popular anime series “KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World!”, KonoSuba: Fantastic Days is a free-to-play character-collection RPG for iOS and Android. Featuring fan-favorite characters, including Kazuma Satou, Aqua, Megumin and Darkness, the game follows the storyline from the original novel and includes bespoke characters created exclusively for the game. Last year, the Japanese release of KonoSuba: Fantastic Days saw great success, garnering recognition from players and praise from the KonoSuba fan base.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure is coming to Nintendo Switch™ on March 24, 2023 in Australia and New Zealand!
The story of aspiring hero Lloyd Bannings continues in Trails to Azure! A temporary peace has settled over Crossbell and the Special Support Section now find themselves with newfound fame and status. However, the peace is soon broken with the rise of multiple organizations with ulterior motives!
Framing these growing tensions is the increasing pressure from the Erebonian Empire and the Republic of Calvard. Does the SSS have what it takes to stand against these looming fates? What lies in store for the state of Crossbell?
Watch the story trailer here:
The story of aspiring hero Lloyd Bannings continues in Trails to Azure!
Set just a few months after the events of Trails from Zero, a temporary peace has settled over Crossbell and the Special Support Section find themselves with newfound fame and status, thanks to their heroic actions.
However, the peace is soon broken with the rise of multiple organizations with ulterior motives. Framing these growing tensions is the increasing pressure from the Erebonian Empire and the Republic of Calvard, with Crossbell caught between them. With the safety of their home and the foundations of their team now on the line, Lloyd and his allies must gear themselves for the threats that loom ahead. Little do they know that Crossbell will soon become the stage for a climactic conflict that will determine its future…
The Fate of the City-State: Play through the finale of the Crossbell arc, a key thread within the Trails universe. What lies ahead for Lloyd Bannings and his ragtag squad of allies?
Crossbell’s Finest Forces: Experience new combat features introduced by Trails to Azure, including Burst, Back Attack, and even your own customizable car. Also, meet a few familiar faces from the Trails of Cold Steel series!
Power from the Past: Import save data from Trails from Zero for a different story experience, including additional event scenes and entirely new scenes! Also, use your save data from Trails to Azure for bonuses in the upcoming release of Trails into Reverie!
The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azureis coming to Nintendo Switch™onMarch 24, 2023inAustralia and New Zealand! Pre order the Deluxe Edition at retail now!
Leading video game publisher and developer Bandai Namco Europe S.A.S. today announced that DIGIMON WORLD: NEXT ORDER will be released on February 22, 2023 on Nintendo Switch and PC.
Watch the announcement trailer:
Originally released in 2017, the game puts players in the shoes of a DigiDestined, tasked with rebuilding the Digital World that has been put under complete chaos. To help them in this challenge, players will be able to find and recruit among over 200 Digimon that they’ll have to feed, train, and form a bond with. The town of Floatia will serve as a hub that will be developed by the players as this is where they will be able to recruit Digimon, upgrade buildings, grow crops and develop the city into a sprawling metropolis.
Bandai Namco Europe S.A.S. is a leading global publisher and developer of entertainment content for platforms including, but not limited to, all major video game consoles and PC.
Bandai Namco Europe is producing intellectual property for a global audience, and is building its reputation with franchises such as LITTLE NIGHTMARES™, PARK BEYOND™, and the upcoming UNKNOWN 9™ Awakening – developed by the recently acquired Reflector Entertainment based in Montreal, QC.
Bandai Namco Europe serves as the Headquarters of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. for mainland Europe, which is known for creating and publishing many of the Toy & Entertainment industry’s top franchises, including PAC-MAN™, TAMAGOTCHI™, GUNDAM™, TEKKEN™, DARK SOULS™ and the recently released ELDEN RING™.
Whenever someone thinks of Dragon Ball they usually think of high speed battles for the sake of the planet with two world forces capable of destroying a world duking it out. What they don’t usually think of is being a normal person living in a world where someone can evaporate an entire city at the flick of their wrist. That is where Dragon Ball: The Breakers comes in as it offers a unique take on the asymmetrical multiplayer experience. Pitting seven normal survivors against some of the most iconic villains from Dragon Ball Z seems like it would make for an interesting game but unfortunately it is often far from it.
Story
Players take on the role of a character created survivor who has found themself suddenly pulled into a time rift. Set in the same universe as Dragonball Xenoverse 2, they are rescued by Time Patroller Trunks and told that they must use one of various time machines to escape from the rift in space and the Raider enemy that exists within. Here players will be treated to a barebones tutorial of how they can escape using the most simplistic methods available before they encounter Dragon Ball era Bulma and Oolong who end up getting dragged along for the ride.
With the survivor’s penchant for getting constantly sucked into time rifts, Trunks places them in an isolated area where the story comes to a halt with only minimal character interaction from then on. In fact, it is an ironic joke that Oolong directly references how much fun the city from Xenoverse 2 looks in the distance compared to the tiny hub players end up relegated to.
Gameplay
Being an asymmetrical multiplayer game, players will find themselves either as one of seven survivors scrambling around the map or playing as one of three current Raiders trying to either kill every single one of them or destroy any means of escape. As a survivor players will need to work together to locate power keys hidden in every location and try to slot them into place. If every power key is placed the Super time machine will begin to activate and if players manage to protect it from the Raider while it powers up, it will immediately end the match by transferring every surviving survivor to safety.
Should the Raider destroy this Super time machine or destroy a location before a power key can be placed, then the survivors must try and keep hiding from the Raider in the hopes of making it to a smaller rescue time machine that fans of the series will be quite familiar with. Multiple survivors can cling to the rescue time machine but it is on a cooldown and can be destroyed as well, leaving everyone to the mercy of the Raider as a result.
When things are working, which is something that happens rarely, Dragon Ball: The Breakers is an exciting game of cat and mouse. Survivors have a number of tools at their disposal to try and avoid the Raider while also completing their various objectives. This can lead to numerous occasions that pit the smarts of the survivors and willingness to take risks with the sheer might of a Raider, leading to some truly nail biting confrontations at times. These range from cowering in fear hiding in a cave or behind objects, using a skill to temporarily stun the Raider or disguise themselves as an object or even teleport quickly away using an item such as a Saiyan Pod or Flying Nimbus. All of these skills are on cooldown and players can even find items scattered around the map that can be used to attack the Raider for some amount of damage, however the camera and controls are often more dangerous than the Raider itself.
Not only does the camera not center directly behind the player, instead setting itself off to the side, but every aspect that requires a survivor to attack the Raider requires some form of aiming, which is near impossible. There are multiple fire-arms that can be used as quick escape options that can also deal damage to the Raider but even when fired near point blank they will miss almost every single time as there is no real way to properly aim these moves. In fact, this can affect skills as well with moves such as the grappling hook for a quick escape often misfiring or “Krillin’s Shoe” clipping into an object and leading to a death.
This isn’t the only time that the camera and lack of proper lock-on affects the Survivors ability to actually survive. Outside of the various skills that the player can equip and use the strongest defense and offensive capabilities a Survivor can unleash come in the form of Dragon Changes. Players can equip up to three “Transpheres” that contain the powers and abilities of numerous heroes from the Dragon Ball Z series and when activated transform the player into a facsimile of said character. These Transpheres come with various skills and special attacks that can be unleashed to not only escape from the Raider but outright attack them and try to deal damage. Players must find energy across the map, either obtained from opening chests, rescuing civilians, or even buying it from a vending machine with the more energy they obtain the longer they can remain in their changed state. While rare, it is entirely possible to straight up defeat a Raider by dealing enough damage to them, giving Survivors another way to win a match besides simply escaping.
Players can even choose to collect the Dragon Balls during a round, making a wish when all seven are assembled. Sadly this is easier said than done for a number of reasons that rely entirely on poor game design. Now while players can find Dragon Ball radars and other radars during rounds, it is up to one survivor to actually be holding all seven Dragon Balls to make a wish. This means that it is entirely possible to have all seven balls only for them to be spread around the team with no one wanting to drop their balls and with only a pinging system available for communication, it is almost impossible to actually get a team to work together especially since whenever a wish is made it only affects the Survivor making said wish, encouraging selfish gameplay or simply resulting in the team being wiped or even the Raider stealing the wish for themselves.
Unfortunately, while Dragon Change allows players to fly and attempt to take the fight to the Raider, actually controlling the character in this mode is poorly explained in the tutorial and suffers just as badly from poor camera angles and lack of solid aiming. This means that while players may try to make a last ditch effort to repel the Raider using special moves, they will often miss entirely and cost a large portion of their transformation time in a single shot whereas the Raider can continually spam ki blasts. To make things even worse, trying to simply enter a melee confrontation with a Raider is often only best treated as a time saving measure as the combat feels incredibly rough which is quite surprising given the game’s nature appearing to be almost exactly like Xenoverse 2 when things are in motion.
Now playing as an actual Raider is a far more enjoyable affair as it allows players to take advantage of almost every power available to the characters. Initially the Raider starts out in a fairly weakened form, with Cell being in his larval form, Buu not even being summoned and instead having players play as Spopovitch, and Frieza flying around in their hover pod. Raiders will gain energy from a variety of factors and increase in power, destroying large portions of the map every time they reach a new form. Of course, this can be used to prevent Survivors from collecting every key for the Super Time Machine, or annihilate foes trying to revive downed allies, or even simply eliminate a map that is a bit pesky.
Sadly, actually being able to play as the Raider can be a long endeavor as players do have the opportunity to specify which role they are queuing up for when trying to find a match, with a player’s priority increasing the longer they go without actually playing as a Raider. In practice this sounds fine, however thanks to the incredibly strange decision to not make a game crossplay in 2022 trying to find a match in Dragon Ball: The Breakers can often take a terribly long time. Less than one week after full release searching for a match on the Xbox Series X can take upwards of ten minutes or longer trying to find any role to play, let alone aiming to play as the Raider. This includes time spent restarting the matchmaking process as there is apparently a bug that limits matchmaking after a certain period of time has passed, though even then it rarely ends up being faster than a six minute wait in a hub with nothing to actually do.
It is also worth noting that while players do not need to spend any actual real money in the game, Dragon Ball: The Breakers makes use of not only a free battle pass system but also a gacha system as well. Players will earn points by completing daily and weekly challenges that will advance them along the battle pass while the gacha makes use of multiple currencies. This includes a premium currency that allows players to purchase rolls or the use of Zeni obtained from completing matches to also roll. These gacha pulls are for the aforementioned Transphere system potentially locking away powerful abilities behind the luck of the draw. Zeni is used for things such as purchasing cosmetic clothing items, emotes, stamps, and more while “Warrior Spirits” obtained from duplicate pulls can be used to power up Survivor Abilities as well as purchase special themed clothing from the store. This means that while it is entirely possible to get things without spending money, the ability to simply pay to strengthen skills and obtain rare abilities is entirely possible.
Visuals & Audio
Dragon Ball: The Breakers is a fairly limited looking game as it features only a small hub and three total levels to play on. The designs for the Raiders are handled nicely though the areas themselves appear limited to what was found in the six year old Xenoverse 2 with various special attacks looking the same as before. This isn’t to say that the special moves such as the Special Beam Cannon and Spirit Bomb don’t look impressive, they just lack any notable improvement. It is also nice to note that there are some great character animations that alert Survivors to when a Raider is nearby as their character will physically shudder and scramble for safety when trying to hide.
As far as the voice work goes, the team has managed to reprise the limited voice cast for the characters found in the game but there are unfortunately a fairly small number of lines available, with Raider lines limited to the in-game shop. Sound effects are similar to what one would expect from the Dragon Ball universe though the background music is incredibly simplistic.
Overall
Dragon Ball: The Breakers is an interesting idea that falls flat thanks to poor camera and control decisions as well as a lack of crossplay in 2022. While the cat and mouse game of Survivor vs Raider may be a delight at times, with the average match actually being quite fun when everything works well, between excessive matchmaking times and multiple monetization methods this experiment falls mostly flat even for the most diehard Dragon Ball fans.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
IllFonic are known for dipping their feet into multiplayer titles, with Friday the 13th and Predator: Hunting Grounds being two of their past achievements. With the continuing boom of nostalgia, the developer is set to launch Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed onto consoles. This title has its own narrative within the universe, bringing you as the player into contact with some new and familiar faces from the franchise. Is this one to check out, or is it too ambitious for its own good? Let’s find out.
Story
This is one of those titles that really didn’t need a story but has one regardless. Inbetween playing the actual game, players are treated to cutscenes featuring Ernie Hudson and Dan Akroyd reprising their famed roles as new threats of the undead come to light. I respect the attempt at a solid narrative and the nostalgia is nice, but I think most will find themselves skipping cutscenes as the tale told here isn’t exactly anything too meaningful. That said, there is some entertaining moments and hardcore fans will certainly enjoy how Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed respects the lore of the films.
Gameplay
Light story aside, the gameplay is where Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed truly feels like Ghostbusters. Players must start each match by picking jobs and busting ghosts. Your squad will then utilize their tools to calm citizens, destroy portals, and clean up all the hauntings that are taking place in a specific area. The controls are rather basic and easy enough to understand, with the game played in a first-person perspective with a simple control scheme. Players have their handy proton pack which can shoot and tether ghosts, as well as a P.K.E. that scans for nearby activity. Once a ghost is found, you must then set a trap and attempt to wrangle it in as a team before it gets away.
The concept is very familiar, but the game is a lot of fun to play. The P.K.E. can scan and even stun ghosts, while the proton pack works well enough to pull the ghosts inward towards a set trap. If a stage gets completely haunted before you can do away with the menace, you will lose the round to the ghosts and must set out again. Ghosts can also slime players and disturb NPCs, which sets up an interesting dynamic of also focusing on keeping random people calm while trying to find portals and the ghosts themselves. As you progress in level, new packs and upgrades become available, allowing you and your friends to equip some more fluid equipment that makes your tasks feel far more effortless and efficient.
Single player is fine, as I never had issues with AI, as I would often depend on my non-controlled squad to calm residents while I hunted. That said, the true magic of this title comes from the multiplayer, which is a lot of fun to play with friends as players will have to rely on their communication skills and map navigation to succeed. Yes, a lot of mechanics from Friday the 13th have been polished up for this title, so fans (like myself) who enjoyed that romp should feel right at home here. After a short bit, players will unlock the ability to also play as ghosts, which are a ton of fun to play as. As a ghost, the objective is to keep your portals (which allow for respawns and teleporting) hidden, while attempting to haunt items in the stage until the map is completely haunted. Both styles are enjoyable enough, and your ghostly powers are also ungradable, adding a hefty amount of extra replay value.
The firehouse hub ties everything together, with the player able to explore, take new jobs, do upgrades, and see the rewards of their own adventures. The customization is also decent, with players able to dress up and unlock new styles as they progress. Even with that and the story (which is over rather quick), I do think that this title as it is doesn’t have a lot to keep players engaged for a hefty amount of time. Sure, Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed is a blast with friends, but within ten hours I found myself trickling off with general interest. I’m sure there will be new features and maps added in the future, but some creative modes are certainly needed as the core game doesn’t have a ton of life after everything is done, which is a bit of a shame.
Visuals
Overall, this title looks great. The player models are well designed and look polished and clean, while the maps are also interesting and full of things to interact with. Animations are also well done, with ghost slime sticking to players and visually panicked faces appearing on the NPCs as they wonder about. I did have a few minor issues with clipping and sometimes the chaos caused a bit of slowdown (mainly when dealing with equipment), but those are not a deal breaker, and the game still feels decent enough even with an occasional chug.
Audio
The audio is great for the most part. As mentioned, the voice acting is surprisingly well done as Akroyd and Hudson sounded really into their roles here and other new characters do great to give this title some needed charm. The music of course has the legendary song as well as some atmospheric beats to put you in a ghost hunting mood, but with that also comes a bit of stuttering with the audio, mainly found in the cutscenes. Again, not a huge issue now and hopefully a quick patch can fix that in the future.
Overall
Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed is one of those titles a group of friends can easily pick up and play for a night of silly fun. I do think there needs to be more content delivered to keep things fresh as the staleness may come to some quicker than others, but there is no doubt this title delivers a ton of entertainment and value for the entry price. Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed is one of the best experiences to date for the franchise on consoles and a must for any hardcore fan who simply want to strap on a proton pack and kill some time slaying slime.
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