By Mikey Dowling, Director of Communications, Obsidian Entertainment
This is Obsidian’s third year being a part of the Summer Showcase, and for the third year in a row, we are announcing a new game. Today, we have the pleasure of introducing the world to Pentiment, a 16th-century narrative adventure game directed by Studio Design Director Josh Sawyer. As you will see, this game is brought to life by a talented team who were inspired by illuminated manuscripts, woodcut prints, and history itself.
In Pentiment, you play Andreas Maler, a journeyman artist working in the bygone scriptorium of Kiersau Abbey during a time of great social unrest. While finishing his masterpiece, Andreas inadvertently becomes entangled in a series of murders that take place over 25 years. Peasants, thieves, craftsmen, monks, nuns, nobles, and even saints must be investigated and interrogated to expose the truth.
It will be up to players to decide Andreas’ choices, from his educational background and lifestyle to how he investigates the murders. One day he may be digging up a dead monk in the abbey cemetery, the next might be spent eavesdropping on peasant gossip at the ladies’ spinning bee. Every decision and accusation he makes carries consequences that will impact the tightly-knit Alpine community for generations to come.
We are very excited to share this unique interpretation of life in 16th-century Germany, and we can’t wait to release more information with you about Pentiment leading up to its launch this November.
In addition to Pentiment, we have also announced the full release of Grounded, and we know fans are excited for updates on Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2. Both games are progressing, and we can’t wait to show them off at a later date.
Pentiment will release this November on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows 10/11, and Steam for $19.99. It will also be available on day one with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
Watch the extended trailer after the Future Games Show premiere
TOKYO – Aug. 24, 2022 – NeverAwake, the nightmarish twin-stick shoot’em up set in a world of a young girl’s fears and horrors, from developer Neotro Inc and publisher Phoenixx, invites PC gamers to the nightmare realm via Steam on Wednesday, Sept. 28, as revealed during Future Games Show at Gamescom.
Get a more in-depth look at the grotesque vegetable monsters and other terrors in the extended cut of the PC release date trailer here. The Vermillion Gate Grand Prize winner at Japan’s prestigious indie game festival, BitSummit 2022, will bring its bizarre nightmares to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4|5 in Q1 2023.
Discover the grotesque nightmares of a little girl, trapped in her slumber, paralyzed by fear, seemingly never to awake. In the deepest parts of her subconsciousness, she sees Rem, a fierce fighter armed with a demonic, dragon-shaped gun, who fights to conquer the forces trapping her.
Dodge, aim and shoot in 360-degree levels, gather enough power to unleash a wide blast around Rem when surrounded by foes as she drifts through beautiful hand-drawn landscapes of fears and monstrosities of the girl’s nightmares. Annihilate the abominations haunting her waking hours like dentists, angry dogs, and going to school. Other foes represent terrors more familiar to Japanese youth, like the first boss, a radish monster representing the acquired taste of wasabi.
Each of the 80 levels loops until Rem collects all the souls, and each loop gets more challenging if Rem can’t defeat her adversaries in time. Fight more than a dozen bosses, discover what lies at the core of the girl’s subconscious and what might lead to her freedom from this sleep paralysis.
“I aimed to create a shooting game accessible to all, and a neverending nightmarish loop of the same stage repeated over and over again seemed like an ideal way for players to progress at their own pace,” said Hiroshi Sawatari, developer of the game. “By designing the enemies from elements we all have feared or loathed in our lives, we hoped to create a setting that is both horrifying and sympathetic.”
NeverAwake releases on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, on Steam for PC for $19.99 with a 15% launch discount, and support for English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese language text. Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 versions will release in Q1 2023.
Players wanting to get their hands on NeverAwake early can check out the demo now available on Steam or on the show floors of Gamescom, TOKYO GAME SHOW 2022, Busan Indie Connect, and Crunchyroll Expo Australia, where it’s been selected to appear.
Neotro Inc. is a Japanese independent game development company based in Yokohama with a particular affection for arcade games and has previously released the 2D fantasy side-scrolling shooters VRITRA Complete Edition and VRITRA HEXA for exA-Arcadia. By bringing two words “Neo” and “Retro” together, Neotro Inc. chose their name to follow the saying “OnkoShuin”（温故知新, which translates to “learning from the past” and “carrying old wisdom to create new.”
About Phoenixx
Established in 2019 by industry veterans, Phoenixx aims to support innovative and creative developers from Japan and around the world. Its mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one creator, one game, and one community at a time.
Reveal Teaser Showcases Events Leading Up To The Catastrophe
Sydney, Australia – August 25th, 2022: Vile Monarch and Ravenscourt are proud to unveil Floodland, a post-catastrophic survival city builder, set in Earth’s devastated wetlands and due for release on 15 November 2022.
The world’s sea levels rise dramatically, due to consequences of man-made climate change and a resulting chain of catastrophes, plunging humanity into a new dark age.
A brand new teaser released today gives some insight into the events leading up to the catastrophe that set mankind back hundreds – if not thousands – of years.
Watch the trailer here
The game is developed by Polish studio Vile Monarch – founded by Kacper Kwiatkowski and Grzegorz Mazur, both of whom worked on ‘This War of Mine’ – and so have a history of taking real world problems and translating them into a gaming environment.
“Grzegorz and I came up with the idea for Floodland when we discussed conventions that are unexplored in games – one of them being ‘mature and realistic post apocalypse’; with examples in other media such as The Road, Children of Men or even The Walking Dead; in games, The Last of Us would be the closest”, said Mr Kwiatkowski.
“It felt especially timely and important to use these kinds of stories to let us discuss the challenges of the world nowadays“, he added.
Starting off on the outskirts of a drowned city, you have to lead your small group of nomads, to rebuild society from the ground (puddle) up. You do this by exploring the remains of the flooded city and scouring it for resources, relearning basic agriculture and fishing skills and turning a group of stragglers living in tents in a swamp into a thriving town.
Players do this through establishing and upgrading new buildings, repurposing old ones and researching ‘new’ (or relearning old tech) enabling you to overcome the numerous challenges you face.
But people will be people and the larger your settlement grows – and the more habitants it will have – the higher the chance societal issues will arise, meaning you may well face the same problems the old world had.
The question is, how will you manage your clans; will you unite the remnant of humanity or will you choose division and isolation? Either way, you will shape the society of tomorrow.
“We’re firm believers that games are capable of talking about important topics – but being interactive, they have the advantage over other media, that they don’t have to resort to just serving a message.
“Floodland’s goal is not to preach but to explore choices, consequences and the concept of responsibility from various angles,” added Mr Kwiatkowski.
Floodland will be releasing on Steam and GOG 15 November this year.
Developers
Vile Monarch was founded in 2015 by Kacper Kwiatkowski and Grzegorz Mazur, both of whom worked on ‘This War of Mine’ – before starting a studio that created titles such Weedcraft Inc, Oh…Sir! and Growing Up, securing a number of awards.
Other members of the team include Konrad Czernik – who worked on Dying Light 2 and was the art director of Shadow Warrior 3; Kuba Pałyska – one of the designers on Hard West and composer Piotr Musiał whose credits include Frostpunk, The Witcher 3: Blood And Wine, This War of Mine and many more.
The studio is now 80 persons strong, working on 3 different titles, and continues to expand, with teams working in both Warsaw and Wrocław.
About Ravenscourt
Established in 2014 – and operating from its Munich headquarters in Germany – Ravenscourt’s mission is delivering amazing games to a broad audience from both established studios and industry newcomers. With a diverse portfolio, managing the titles of multiple international studios, Ravenscourt games span everything from adventure and management sims through to city builders and indie gems. The label even boasts a good old sing-along karaoke franchise. Our players delight in engrossing narrative driven adventures, relish the challenge of building new worlds and love solving puzzles.
Check out the game’s new gameplay trailer and screenshots!
Sydney, Australia, August 25th, 2022 – Microids is pleased to share a new gameplay trailer for the game Horse Tales – Emerald Valley Ranch as well as some new screenshots and the game’s release date. Developed by studio Aesir Interactive, the game will invite players to embark on a full-on equestrian open world adventure.Horse Tales – Emerald Valley Ranch is set for release on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Nintendo Switch and PC on November 3rd. In North America, the game will launch on November 15th.
Discover the game‘s brand-new gameplay trailer!
In Horse Tales – Emerald Valley Ranch, players will be tasked to restore their family’s run-down estate back to its former glory. This quest will set them on a delightful open-world adventure that will have them explore the peninsula’s gorgeous and varied landscapes, from the colourful seashore of Coral Lagoon to the lush forest of Birchwoods.
They will make many friends along the way, including the nearby residents and of course… horses! Tame, breed and establish a strong bond with your equine companions, as each is unique and possesses distinct abilities, personality traits, preferences and training needs.
Make Emerald Valley your own by customising your adventure: dress up your horses and your avatar through a wide variety of clothing and ornament options, and take part in rebuilding and decorating various buildings, stables and horse care facilities.
Prepare for a breath of fresh air by diving into this new equestrian open world adventure in the lush wilderness of Emerald Valley!
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Additionally, players who pre-order the game at participating retailers will get access to a Unicorn tack set, an exclusive in-game cosmetic content to dress up your horses!
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Gallop into adventure with Horse Tales – Emerald Valley Ranch, coming out in November!
Microids is a French video game publisher. Founded in 1985, Microids’ editorial strategy now focuses on 4 major areas: adventure games, racing games, retro gaming and games inspired by iconic titles. By collaborating with renowned studios and authors (Revolution Software, Pendulo Studios, Eden Studios, Benoît Sokal, Paul Cuisset, Philippe Dessoly and Pierre Adane), Microids has become a major player in international video games. Taking inspiration from legendary titles, Microids reaches a wide audience and creates original adventures which give gamers the chance to play as some of their most beloved characters.
About Aesir Interactive
Aesir Interactive is a renowned development studio based in Munich, Germany. A passionate team of more than 50 highly skilled designers, artists and programmers lay the foundation for captivating games and innovative interactive applications.
“It’s a puzzle, a riddle of some sort. Makes sense, right? Tricks and traps… He’s playing games!” – Charlie
Discover a new trailer for The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me, building up the tension as the crew hasten through the dimly lit hotel corridors and make gruesome discoveries in their attempt to escape the traps set for them by their mysterious host. In addition to an increased runtime with a 7+ hour playthrough, this next instalment of the franchise brings all new features to enhance immersion and reward player exploration even further.
You can now interact much more with the world around you and enjoy new exploration actions which enrich this experience. As players tread the detailed and creepy corridors of the murder hotel, they will be able to push and pull objects, as well as run, jump or climb to reach areas that would otherwise have been inaccessible.
We also added an inventory system, with each character having a number of tools at their disposal to aid them in their story such as a directional microphone, camera and camera flash, tie pin and reporters pencil, items that will prove very useful over the course of your playthrough. Some objects can even be altered, broken or given to other characters, and some can save a life, or even take it!
And this story is not just about running and hiding. You’ll need to get your thinking caps on, as the game will bring puzzles too. You’ll need to find codes, hidden or disguised in the world, untangle antique fuse boxes and find your way out of mazes, and failure might prove to be very costly indeed!
Finally, the critically acclaimed multiplayer modes will be back. Challenge the killer alone or seek safety in numbers with friends, online or by passing the controller in our couch co-op mode. We hope you’ll chose your crew mates well!
Watch out for booby-traps as you enter the terrifying murder hotel in this new trailer:
The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me, available for pre-order now, is set to release on November 18th, 2022, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Steam.
The Dark Pictures Anthology is a series of stand-alone, branching cinematic horror games, designed to present a new terrifying experience on a regular basis. Each game is unconnected and will feature a brand-new story, setting and new cast of characters.
For more information about The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me visit the official webpage. For other BANDAI NAMCO Europe products, visit our website or follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or subscribe to our YouTube channel.
New Gameplay Footage Showcases Forspoken’s Magic-Enhanced Combat and Parkour System in Action
LONDON (Aug. 24, 2022) – Today, SQUARE ENIX® and Luminous Productions dropped a ten-minute gameplay trailer for their highly anticipated action-RPG, Forspoken. The new trailer gives players a deeper look at Forspoken’s magic-enhanced combat and parkour in action, as well as the corrupted enemies and stunningly beautiful, yet cruel, world they will encounter when the game launches on January 24, 2023.
Forspoken’s 10-Minute Gameplay Trailer
The new gameplay footage provides players with the deepest look yet at some of the areas they will encounter in Athia, including Cipal the last remaining haven where the surviving Athians take refuge from the devastating Break, a powerful force that corrupts everyone and everything it touches. Cipal serves as a key location for Frey as she can collect and trade information and goods in preparation for the corrupted land and beasts that she faces off with in her attempt to save Athia.
The gameplay trailer follows Frey on a quest from Athian archivist Johedy, as she ventures into the wilds of two corrupted areas, Praenost and Avoalet. The two realms featured in the trailer give players a glimpse of the different enemies they will encounter and showcases the versatility of Frey’s magical combat skills. Players can choose to wreak magical havoc on enemies, fighting in a controlled frenzy and unleashing a barrage of quick-fire spells or they can take a more methodical approach wielding powerful and calculated attacks on their adversaries. In Forspoken, no two fights are ever the same.
Players are also given a closer look at Frey’s magic-enhanced parkour skills that enable her to seamlessly and quickly traverse Athia readying for her next big battle or fight. Using the magic-enhanced parkour system, players can explore Athia’s lush landscapes and discover a variety of rewards that will enhance Frey’s journey and skillset, including mana, which players can use to unlock new magical abilities; powerful gear for stat boosts and increases; as well as collectable items for crafting and trading, and more. The new gameplay footage also gives players a glimpse of how Frey’s magic-enhanced parkour can be used in conjunction with her combat skills in battle, enabling her to evade enemy attacks while inflicting damage in a fast and fluid manner.
Square Enix and Luminous Productions also revealed a brand-new character artwork of protagonist, Frey Holland. Outfitted with new magical abilities and sentient Cuff, the new character art showcases Frey as Athia’s empowered hero, ready to take on the trials and tribulations that lie ahead in her journey to save the people of Athia and find her way home.
Designed for PlayStation®5 (PS5™), Forspoken will harness the full power of the console and demonstrate Luminous Productions’ philosophy to provide a gaming experience like never before, fusing together the latest technology with creativity. Forspoken will launch simultaneously on PS5 and PC (via STEAM®, Epic Games Store or Microsoft Store) on January 24, 2023, and is available to pre-order now. The Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust Story DLC will be available Summer 2023.
About Square Enix Ltd. Square Enix Ltd. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix group of companies. Square Enix Ltd. Also has a global network of leading development studios such as Crystal Dynamics® and Eidos Montréal®. The Square Enix group of companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 164 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 83 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 85 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix, Ltd. is a London-based, wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
LOS ANGELES – August 24, 2022 – Netmarble, a leading developer and publisher of high-quality mobile games, released a new game update featuring the ‘Cooking Competition’ Episode for its massively multiplayer online role-playing anime game Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds. Players can experience new content, events, and more.
In the ‘Cooking Competition’ Episode, players can enjoy the content held in the Kingdom of Evermore as well as related Dungeon and Reputation Quests. Characters can be customized further with the newly added ‘Chef Outfit’ and ‘Sweets Cart’ Mount. This game update features a new Favor System that allows players to build friendships by interacting with NPCs, including characters who will take care of their crops in the Familiars’ Forest.
To celebrate this latest game update, players will have the opportunity to participate in several limited-time events and receive special rewards:
100-Day Anniversary Check-In: In celebration of the first 100 days since the game’s grand launch, players can obtain daily check-in rewards across a 28-day period, including the ‘6 ★ Dimensional Deer’ and ‘Rare 4 ★ Equipment Selection Chest.’
Cooking Competition Episode Guide Event: Based on the newly added ‘Cooking Competition’ Episode, rewards such as the Head Chef Hat Chest and other various power up materials can be acquired by completing various missions and tasks.
Sore Boar Power Up Event: Players can acquire the Sore Boar along with the Familiar power up materials by completing this event’s mission.
Developed based on Level-5 and Studio Ghibli’s original fantasy RPG series ‘Ni no Kuni,’ Ni no Kuni: Cross is now available on mobile platforms and playable on PC using cross-play.
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
Sydney, Australia, 25th August, 2022 – Warner Bros. Games today announced that Morty Smith (Rick and Morty) is now available in MultiVersus, the free-to-play platform fighter developed by Player First Games. Morty, the teenage grandson of a mega-genius scientist Rick Sanchez, arrives as part of MultiVersus Season 1 and is a Bruiser class character with more than a few tricks up his sleeve. Morty’s moveset, which is on display in a newly revealed gameplay trailer, features a mix of skills and attacks, from his muscle-enhanced left arm “Armothy” and “Plumbus” all-purpose alien device, to his ability to whip himself at opponents and use of various projectiles.
MultiVersus – Morty Launch Trailer
The MultiVersus Season 1 Battle Pass is available now for players to earn in-game rewards. For more information about Season 1, visit: MultiVersus.com/News/Season-1.
MultiVersus is an all-new free-to-play platform fighter in development by Player First Games that introduces a team-based 2 vs. 2 format combined with an all-star cast of iconic characters, including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Harley Quinn; Shaggy and Velma (Scooby-Doo); Bugs Bunny and Tasmanian Devil a.k.a. Taz (Looney Tunes); Arya Stark (Game of Thrones); Tom & Jerry (Tom and Jerry); Jake the Dog and Finn the Human (Adventure Time); Steven Universe and Garnet (Steven Universe); Iron Giant (The Iron Giant), LeBron James (Space Jam: A New Legacy); Morty Smith (Rick and Morty), and an extraordinary original creature named Reindog. More heroes and personalities will be continually added to the game, including Rick Sanchez (Rick and Morty), Black Adam (DC), Stripe (Gremlins), and many others who will join the MultiVersus roster in the coming months.
The MultiVersusOpen Beta is available now as a free download for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 consoles, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One consoles, and PC.For additional information about MultiVersus, visit MultiVersus.com or join the community conversation on Twitter (@MultiVersus), YouTube (MultiVersus), Instagram (MultiVersusGame), Facebook (MultiVersus), and Discord (MultiVersus).
We’re off on an epic adventure to save the princess in Across the Obelisk. In this video, we take our first steps through Act 1 and battle our way through the forest where the obelisk stands.
Across the Obelisk is a coop RPG deckbuilding roguelite. Play solo or with your friends, choose your heroes, unlock items and cards, craft your deck and face powerful enemies in deep tactical combat. Would you dare to go across the obelisk?
Across the Obelisk Developer: Dreamsite Games Publisher: Paradox Arc Website: https://support.paradoxplaza.com/hc/en-us Platform: Windows Release Date: 21 August 2022 Price: $19.99
Systemic Reaction Reveals Ravenbound, an Original Open-World Action-Roguelite for PC
Prepare for death with each life in a dangerous Scandinavian fantasy world
STOCKHOLM – Aug. 24, 2022 – Systemic Reaction, the studio that brought you the living worlds of Generation Zero and Second Extinction, has revealed Ravenbound, a challenging new open-world action-roguelite in development for PC via Steam. Master steel and tactical combat skills to survive in a beautiful but dangerous fantasy realm where each death brings you closer to victory.
“It’s really exciting to explore a new genre as a studio for Systemic Reaction,” said Lead Game Designer Simon Laserna. “It’s been a fun challenge to combine our open-world legacy with roguelite mechanics and the legendary monsters of the Swedish woods into its own game world!”
You are the Vessel. Within you is the Raven, a powerful weapon forged by the ancient gods to rid the land of darkness. Knowing this mission could take many lifetimes to complete, the gods have allowed each Vessel to pass down to the next the wisdom they gain traveling across the world and battling ferocious enemies. Be ready to die, but know that with every peril you overcome, you serve those who will follow you.
Key Features
A Beautiful, Deadly Open World: Experience the freedom of exploring a unique fantasy world inspired by Scandinavian folklore on foot or on the wings of the Raven. Choose where to go and which challenges to undertake, but beware: this land and its creatures are ever-changing, giving rise to new foes, locations, and trials when you may least expect it!
Intense Action-Roguelite Combat: Arm yourself with steel imbued with magic and face off against fantastic creatures like trolls, huldras, and the fearsome undead draugr in fast-paced, up-close combat where tactics are everything. Each Vessel has just one life to sacrifice, but the abilities you attain can benefit the Vessel that rises in your place, so choose your battles wisely.
Play Your Cards Right: Ravenbound’s deck-building feature gives you access to more powerful gear and weapons with each new life. Expand your deck when you die, but pick carefully: these are the cards your next Vessel will draw. Improve your deck to give each Vessel the best chances of surviving and bringing the Raven closer to victory.
Small but fierce, we started as a group of veterans from within Avalanche Studios Group. Based in Stockholm and Malmö, we focus on crafting new and empowering games with unique settings. Drawing from our experiences within the industry, we want to create games that appeal both to us, and to you — our players. We want to play in a sandbox that lets your creativity thrive.
Our focus is freedom, exploration, and a drive to create games like the ones that kept us up at night as kids. We’ve got Generation Zero launched and Second Extinction on Xbox Game Preview and PC early access — with even more to come. Join us in the sandbox!
