FIGHTING GREAT ISRAEL ADESANYA TELLS PLAYERS “WHEN YOU FALL, DON’T LOSE FAITH” IN ALL-NEW ELDEN RING TRAILER
Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. today released a new trailer for Elden Ring™ starring champion fighter Israel Adesanya, who reminds players what it takes to experience this expansive action RPG featuring FromSoftware’s signature style of challenging and thrilling game play. The trailer follows the same theme as the first live action trailer for the game featuring popular action star Ming-Na Wen. While not set in the game’s universe, the videos allude to and bring to life the surreally dark world of ELDEN RING and hint to the many trials – and triumphs – that await players in the Lands Between.
“Be sharper than their swords, hit harder than their hammers,” Adesanya says to would-be seekers of the title of Elden Lord, ending with the ELDEN RING players’ refrain, “May death never stop you.”
The new ELDEN RING trailer starring Israel Adesanya is available at the following YouTube link (ready for embedding):
With more than twelve million units sold worldwide at launch, ELDEN RING immerses players in a sprawling RPG blending FromSoftware’s signature carefully crafted game experience with a dark new story as imagined by Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of the influential DARK SOULS® video game series, and George R.R. Martin, author of The New York Times’ best-selling fantasy series, “A Song of Ice and Fire.” In ELDEN RING, players will chart their own path in the vast and seamless world of the Lands Between, on foot or riding Torrent, their trusted Spectral Steed. Exploration is endless in this world full of wonders, but dangers lurk around every corner. For up-to-date information on ELDEN RING, please visit www.eldenring.com.
Atari Celebrates 50th Anniversary with First-Time-Ever Founder Interview, Stadia Announcement
CEO Wade Rosen and Founder Nolan Bushnell Share Their Thoughts on the Legacy of Atari in an Exclusive Discussion and Atari Shares First Details on Its Recharged Series Joining Stadia Pro
PARIS, FRANCE (June 27, 2022) – Atari® — one of the world’s most iconic consumer brands and interactive entertainment producers — is marking the celebration of the company’s founding on June 27, 1972, with an exclusive video featuring a discussion between CEO Wade Rosen and founder Nolan Bushnell.
In a video available exclusively on IGN and Atari’s official website, CEO Wade Rosen and founder Nolan Bushnell sit down to discuss Atari’s legacy of creativity and innovation, its formative role in the development of the modern video game industry, the Atari brand’s sustained role in popular culture, and what will define the company as it pushes forward for the next 50 years.
Atari is honoring its fans and customers with a special Golden Anniversary sale happening now, with limited-time deals on the Atari VCS and exclusive 50th-anniversary t-shirts, both available now at www.Atari.com.
“The story of the early days of Atari is, in many ways, the history of the birth of video games,” said Wade Rosen, Atari CEO. “I’m excited to share this very special conversation with founder Nolan Bushnell as we celebrate the tremendous impact of Atari on popular culture and the video game industry over the past fifty years.”
Since Rosen took the role of CEO, Atari has returned to its roots in premium game development and publishing, releasing new titles and bringing more content to PC, console, and streaming platforms. As part of this return, the company today announced that five of these new games are coming to Stadia, Google’s gaming platform.
The first four games in the Atari Recharged series – Centipede, Black Widow, Asteroids, and Breakout – are coming to Stadia this year. Centipede: Recharged launches July 1, 2022, for purchase on the Stadia store and to claim for free with Stadia Pro. The Recharged series updates classic Atari games for current-generation gaming hardware and adds gameplay features that appeal to modern players, including particle effects, power-ups, co-op play, and original soundtracks by award-winning composer Megan McDuffee. In addition to the Recharged games, the critically acclaimed puzzle game Kombinera will be added to Stadia in September 2022.
Expect more news, including game and product announcements, to follow during the week as Atari continues to celebrate 50 years. Stay up-to-date on all things Atari and the 50th-anniversary announcements by following on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About ATARI
Atari is an interactive entertainment company and an iconic gaming industry brand that transcends generations and audiences. The company is globally recognized for its multi-platform, interactive entertainment and licensed products. Atari owns and/or manages a portfolio of more than 200 unique games and franchises, including world-renowned brands like Asteroids®, Centipede®, Missile Command®, Pong®, and RollerCoaster Tycoon®. Atari has offices in New York and Paris. Visit us online at www.Atari.com.
Atari shares are listed in France on Euronext Paris (Compartment C, ISIN Code FR0010478248, Ticker ATA) and will be eligible for trading on Euronext Growth on June 30, 2022 (Ticker ALATA).
505 GAMES’ PARENT COMPANY, DIGITAL BROS, ACQUIRES D3 GO!,FURTHER EXPANDING FREE-TO-PLAY (F2P) BUSINESS
Acquisition of Marvel Puzzle Quest Publisher Solidifies 505 Games’ Exclusive Ownership of Entire Series
CALABASAS, Calif. – June 27, 2022 – Global video game publisher 505 Games is continuing to expand its focus in the Free-to-Play (F2P) market with the acquisition of D3 Go!, the publisher of the critically acclaimed Marvel Puzzle Quest, Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns, and other titles. The acquisition gives 505 Games the exclusive ownership of the entire Puzzle Quest franchise, following the 2021 purchase of Infinity Plus Two, the Australian game development studio and creators of the Puzzle Quest series.
D3 Go! is a leading publisher and developer of original and licensed interactive entertainment games and has created some of the best player experiences on major gaming platforms and mobile devices. The team has produced 9 titles including Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns, and the popular Super Hero match-3 game, Marvel Puzzle Quest, which has captured the attention of gamers and critics over the past 9 years and still going.
“D3 Go! has done a brilliant job bringing some of the biggest Puzzle Quest titles to market, and it was a natural fit for us to welcome them into the 505 Games family, building on our library of owned IP,” said Clive Robert, Head of Free-to-Play at 505 Games. “This acquisition marks the second for us in only two years as we continue our dedication to growing the F2P business unit and bringing to gamers the best there is to offer – from original games, to powerhouse licenses, and beyond.”
The inherited titles from D3 Go! will continue to operate and be supported with new content under 505 Games, with additional investments in the near future. The publishing team of 8 will be joining the 505 Games US office in Calabasas, California.
D3 Go! will be the company’s eighth acquisition to date and the latest to build on quality in-house talent. Other studios include Infinity Plus 2, DR Studios located in the United Kingdom and Kunos Simulazioni in Italy. The 505 Games F2P portfolio has several projects currently in development, leveraging the expertise of each studio across various genres and multiple platforms.
About 505 Games
505 Games, a Digital Bros’ subsidiary, is a global publisher focused on offering a broad selection of video games for players of all ages and skill levels. The company publishes and distributes premium and free-to-play games on console and PC platforms as well as mobile devices.
Publishing highlights include DEATH STRANDING (PC), Control, Assetto Corsa Competizione, Ghostrunner, Gems of War, Journey to the Savage Planet, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons.
505 Games has offices in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, China, and Japan.
For more information on 505 Games and its products please visit 505games.com.
About D3 GO!
D3 Go! is a leading worldwide publisher and developer of original and licensed interactive entertainment video games based in Encino, CA. D3 Go! is dedicated to creating the best player experience and support on all major gaming platforms and mobile devices. For more information, please visit https://d3go.com.
L.A. by Night’s successor debuts Friday July 1 at 7 p.m. Pacific on Twitch, kicking off the Anarch story
STOCKHOLM – June 27 – World of Darkness, the transmedia entertainment brand behind celebrated fantasy horror properties including Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, and more, announced a lineup of streaming content broadcasting in 2022. Kicking things off is New York By Night, a Vampire: The Masquerade actual play series set in World of Darkness and powered by the V5 tabletop RPG system, which debuts this Friday, July 1 at 7p.m. Pacific / 10 p.m. Eastern on the World of Darkness Twitch channel.
New York By Night follows two coteries of young vampires as they struggle to find their place amid the dark schemes of New York City’s undead underworld. Representing the Anarch story, season one focuses on a group of four young vampires who are fed up with living under the Camarilla’s strict rules.
Airing later this year, season two will focus on the Camarilla faction and their tight grip on New York’s vampire domain. Both the Anarch and Camarilla coteries begin their story separately but are on a collision course; carrying on the parallel narrative innovation the team pioneered in L.A. by Night. More information about Season 2, including cast and story details, will be revealed closer to its debut.
World of Darkness has at least three seasons of New York by Night planned for 2022, making it perfect for anyone looking for fresh Vampire drama. Subscribers to the World of Darkness Twitch channel unlock exclusive rewards, including early VOD access, custom emojis, and more.
In addition to New York By Night, World of Darkness plans several more shows that will begin streaming this year. Each show offers viewers a different World of Darkness experience and allows fans more ways to engage with the brand’s iconic story worlds:
Hunter’s Garage: A liveplay series set in the Hunter: The Reckoning setting. This show also marks the Storyteller debut for Martyna “Outstar” Zych, the Community Developer for World of Darkness.
Club Auspex, a New York By Night Post-Stream Talk Show: Airing each week after New York By Night, this show features story analysis and cast interviews.
Bet of Night: A call-in radio streamcast drama that sheds light on some of the shadows in World of Darkness.
Vampire Vogue: A community-focused Kindred, aka Vampire, fashion and cosplay talk show hosted by New York by Night cast.
World of Darkness News: The weekly news show discussing the latest events, games, and products across the World of Darkness continues throughout 2022. The show also features interviews from World of Darkness developers and studio partners.
…and more to be announced soon!
“New York By Night continues our commitment to creating high-quality content, with a talented cast and set that will bring the city’s dark underground to unlife,” Jason Carl, Brand Marketing Manager for World of Darkness and Storyteller for New York By Night, said. “We have a whole year of exciting content that goes beyond Vampire and showcases some of the other World of Darkness story worlds. World of Darkness is a diverse and deep world filled with intrigue, it’s fitting that we create content that represents the stories we create.”
New York By Night includes veteran World of Darkness cast in new roles and newcomers to the Vampire: The Masquerade story world. The Anarch cast lineup for season one includes:
Jason Carl as the Storyteller: The iconic host and creator of L.A. By Night returns to the role of Storyteller this new series. The Storyteller guides the cast and directs the story as the vampire Coteries
Alexander Ward as Isaac Brooke: A Tzimisce gangster seeking to understand himself, Isaac is building a criminal network to advance his clandestine plans..
Mayanna Beren as Serif: Dealing with a difficult and dangerous past, Serif is a Ravnos tagger looking for artistic freedom.
Aabria Iyengar as Margot “Fuego” Walker: Margot is a Ventrue intent on protecting her neighborhood from enemies both living and undead.
Joey Rassool as Reyes Malcolm: Attempting to return to the life he lost, Reyes is a Gangrel who finds himself in conflict with everybody.
Viewers can expect special Vampire guests to appear throughout the series.
Subscribers who miss New York By Night’s live airing can watch the VOD on the World of Darkness Twitch Channel, or on the World of Darkness YouTube channel, starting Saturday at 8 a.m. Pacific / 11 a.m. Eastern.
About World of Darkness World of Darkness is a transmedia entertainment brand encompassing a number of modern fantasy horror franchises, including Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, and more. Through tabletop roleplaying games, video games, board games, literature, comic books, and more, these franchises tell mature stories in a dark supernatural fantasy layered over our modern world. Since 1991, World of Darkness has defined monster-perspective entertainment for a generation of fans. For more information visit www.worldofdarkness.com.
About Paradox Interactive The Paradox Interactive group includes development, publishing, and licensing of games and brands, consisting of a portfolio of more than 100 titles created both internally and by independent studios. Paradox owns an array of award-winning and top-selling brands including Cities: Skylines, Stellaris, Crusader Kings, Victoria, Age of Wonders, and the World of Darkness catalogue.
From the company’s start in 2004, Paradox has published its games worldwide, with top markets including the USA, UK, China, Germany, France, Russia, and Scandinavia. Today, over five million gamers play a Paradox game each month.
Paradox Interactive AB (publ)’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm First North Premier under ticker PDX. FNCA Sweden AB is the company’s Certified Adviser. For more information, please visit www.paradoxinteractive.com.
Amsterdam, NL – June 27th 2022 – Azerion, the digital entertainment and media platform, today announced the introduction of Metakey to the Habbo Metaverse as part of the many upcoming NFT collaboration projects this Summer!
By connecting their crypto wallets to their Habbo account, Metakey NFT holders will be able to unlock unique in-game collectibles including badges, clothes, wall items and furniture, such as Metakey Holograms, to decorate hotel rooms, as well as speech bubbles and effects. Habbo residents will gain access to these in-game items to show off their collections and feel part of the wider NFT community as they are exclusively owned and tied to owning Metakey NFTs. Habbo will also create a decorative community room for the collaborations as a social hub for the collection.
“Habbo is adding to its Web 3.0 partnerships on our continued journey as a pioneering social platform that strives to connect larger communities,” said Jurriaan van Teunenbroek, Vice President of Azerion. “This collaboration with Metakey further demonstrates the possibilities of blockchain and increases the utility for our Habbo users.”
“Connecting and rewarding our intrepid holders across the most compelling spaces in the Metaverse is central to Metakey’s mission,” added Metakey founder Matty S. (aka DCLBlogger). “Habbo has been a beacon of both Web2 and Web3 social gaming and we’re excited to build these experiences together!”
For more information on Habbo and the latest NFT integration efforts and FAQs: Follow Habbo on Twitter: @Habbo Follow the Habbo Avatars project on Twitter: @HabboNFT Join our channel for the latest updates: http://discord.gg/habbo-nft For more info on Habbo’s work with Offsetra: https://offsetra.com/profile/sulake
About Metakey The Metakey is an NFT, (ERC1155), that can be used across partnered platforms to unlock avatars, game assets, course materials, discounts and anything else our team and partners can dream of. Your Metakey will be your access and experience card to every project/game/website we partner with.
About Habbo Habbo is an online community aimed at teens and young adults and one of the largest virtual communities in the world. Founded in 2000, Habbo has expanded to nine online communities (or “hotels”), with paying customers in over 150 countries and more than 600,000 active users a month. Habbo was originally developed by Sulake, a Finnish company owned by Azerion.
About Azerion Azerion is a high-growth digital entertainment and media platform. As a content-driven, technology and data company, Azerion serves consumers, digital publishers, advertisers and game creators globally. Azerion’s integrated platform provides technology solutions to automate the purchase and sale of digital advertising for media buyers and sellers, supported by in market sales and campaign management teams. Through our technology, content creators, digital publishers and advertisers work with Azerion to reach the millions of people across the globe that play Azerion’s games and view its distributed entertainment content to increase engagement, loyalty and drive e-commerce.
Founded in 2014 by two Dutch entrepreneurs, Azerion has experienced rapid expansion driven by organic growth and strategic acquisitions. Azerion is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and is a publicly traded company listed on Euronext Amsterdam. For more information visit: www.azerion.com
As a kid in the early 90’s, I was absolutely a Sega kid all the way. Sonic was just kind of the mascot I was handed, so supporting the blue blur came natural to myself. All these years (and re-releases) later, and Sega have compiled Sonic Origins, a collection that features the first three titles, as well as Sonic CD. Is this new package worth the higher investment, or is this one collection worth skipping? Let’s find out.
Story
Sonic fights Robotnik. Sonic frees animals. Knuckles and Metal Sonic appear as part-time antagonists. I mean, I think most will know the plot of all these titles. Instead of dwelling on story, I want to focus on how these titles were compiled here, as they tell a bit of a story just from the efforts of the compilation. From the start, players have free access to jump into multiple versions of all four titles. Each has been celebrated well enough, with a “Story Mode” that has the player attempt to beat all four games in succession. It’s a fine package and I will admit, Story mode is an interesting idea on paper as it does offer proper incentive to go through each title. That said, there are some glaring omissions to the mascot’s history, with the spin-offs and other demanded high notes being completely ignored. I do not think it is too big of an ask to see at least the same Spinball and Mean Bean Machine bundled into this package, but alas, we only see platformer fare on display throughout.
Gameplay
These titles have held up extremely well, and each play just as fluid as they ever have, adding in spin-dashes to the original and minor adjustments throughout that add quality of life to the original products. I mean, most of these additions are nothing new, as they have all appeared in ports over the years and while I think Sega did well by offering enhanced selections, I could have been just as content with only seeing the raw product when it comes to the games, so everything is a plus in that respect.
As I played through Sonic: The Hedgehog, it made me respect the development of these titles. You see, back then – platformers were about trust between the player and the developer. Sonic was never a trial-and-error experience, but instead one focused on speed and fluidity of the stage design, where players had to pace themselves to succeed. As they learned the ins and outs of the game, they would go faster with more confidence, trying to blast through without missing a beat as they attempted to best a time or score. Modern 2D fare (and I’m even speaking about more recent Sonic games here) focus on moments of this but seem to fluster on creating an entire cohesive level that comes without a disconnect. I know, it’s an odd observation to make in this review, but one I feel is needed as I still have a lot of love and passion for how well-crafted the originals truly are, and how well they hold up for new and older players alike.
I am in my mid-thirties now, and the reason that is important is that I have seen and played literally every compilation of these titles released to date. While there is an apparent celebration happening in the menus and museum of the game, the package just doesn’t quite have enough content to justify a revisit compared to those other ports. Sure, we have Sonic 3 and Knuckles after a long absence, but the music has been adjusted due to rights issues. We also can do a Mission Mode and even a boss rush, but Sega had enough material in the franchise to fill this to the brim and make it sing more than any other compilation to date. Why not throw in Amy, or Cream, or even give us some unlockable videos or content that has never been seen if you are truly trying to do a nearly full-priced release?
In context of just Sonic Origins, sure – it has all the goods, and some are going to love exploring these titles all over again. The issue is that Sega have released these titles several times during every generation since they were released, and there is nothing new outside of some animations and minor modes that warrant re-entry at this time. I spent most of my time in Mission Mode and loved the challenges like beating a level with a set number of rings and other handicaps, but I would have loved to see more flare added to make this into more of a spectacle, rather than just an average port and repackage that seems to be targeting Sonic’s recent cinematic successes – rather than its core audience who kept him propped up after all these years.
Visuals
Visually, these titles look mostly great outside of a few blurry moments that I kind of lump into age. The menus look spectacular, and the museum is always a welcome feature, giving us some nice artwork and goodies to unlock as a reward for completion. There are even animated intros added that give the games a new sense of freshness. Again, I still wish we could have gotten some extra skins or even a change in visuals outside of the “classic” and “anniversary” modes, but many will be pleased with the graphics and design choices overall.
Audio
The audio is kind of controversial as Sonic 3 is missing its original soundtrack. I get the music rights issues have happened due to a lot of legal snags, but it is obvious and something long-time fans may be a bit bummed about. Otherwise, the OST is still phenomenal, but I do think being able to change the jukebox in game (like we saw in Generations) would have been an excellent feature that has been snubbed from this release. The selling point is that these games were rebuilt rather than emulated for modern platforms, and that does show – but without much love to the music that creates the atmosphere and momentum for the experience also being a highlight – you have a package that looks new but still feels more of the same.
Overall
I did not want to go into this review of Sonic Origins and speak of “could have been” situations. Sega, however, have repackaged these ports so many times that we, as consumers, know the potential of the product and what can be done. Sonic is a franchise I hold close and care about, and I am elated to see these titles play so well in their new format and packaging. There is so much good you can say about the original titles, but it’s already been said so many times already. Sonic Origins comes so close to feeling like an epic re-entry, but instead seems to settle on being yet another compilation that lacks a definitive feel and scope to give us that burst of energy needed to re-invigorate interest from older fans. This is indeed the Sonic you know and love, but one that should have come with a lower price and a little more love.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Crafting a satisfying mystery story can be incredibly difficult. This is especially true when it comes to video games as the genre not only requires players to feel like they have accomplished something by solving puzzles and feeling like they are actually part of an investigation rather than simply spectacting. That is where Kotaro Uchikoshi has almost always proven himself as a strong director with the Zero Escape series and the original AI: The Somnium Files game. Now with an unexpected sequel, AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative, arriving in the West, is this murder mystery as well crafted as fans of the genre and Uchikoshi’s work could hope for?
Story
Now while it is worth noting that AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative takes place both six years after the events of the first game as well as just after the events of the first game, prior knowledge of the game is not actually required to enjoy this one. There are in fact multiple checks in place to make sure that players avoid spoiling themselves on the events that happened in the original game while also mentioning multiple times that the events happening in nirvanA Initiative have nothing to do with the previous game’s events. That being said, proving players have played the original will provide a bit of extra dialogue here and there as well as of course having a stronger connection to the many returning characters that appear throughout nirvanA Initiative.
Six years after the events of the previous game, Mizuki, a fresh member of the secretive police organization ABIS, arrives at an empty stadium to find that half of a body has appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the field. Nothing where the body may have came from, but it is immediatly clear who the body is because it happens to be the other half of a murder victim that appeared right before Mizuki’s eyes six years ago to the date and triggered the beginning of the Half-Body killings. To follow up on this investigation, Mizuki tracks down the previous investigator who was placed in charge of investigating the series of murders only to fail to solve them prior, a once up-and-coming investigator by the name of Ryuki. With Ryuki fallen into shambles but being the only one who knows most of what happened in the original HB killings, it will be up to Mizuki in the present and Ryuki six years prior to try and find a solution to the ever growing mysteries that surround them.
To go too much further into detail beyond this point would be spoiling various elements surrounding the case but also numerous reveals and twists that are best experienced first hand as some of them are quite honestly jaw-dropping. It takes a certain level of skill in writing to craft a storyline that drops little hints and clues early on only for them to become major revelations later on and that is handled perfectly here. Sure, many twists can be a bit on the nose and over explained once they are revealed but this proves just how effective and interesting the writing is. These elements can run the risk of having a player figure something out earlier than intended but thanks to how skillfully nirvanA Initiative is written, players will find that this detective mystery will keep stringing them along long after they think that they’ve figured everything out. In fact, even as of this writing it becomes clear how many little hints and clues fall into place in retrospect.
Of course, the mystery itself isn’t the only thing that is handled with care in nirvanA Initiative as the new and returning characters are mostly written in a strong and satisfying manner. Both Ryuki and Mizuki work as ABIS members and have AI eyeball companions like the previous game, with Ryuki’s being the newly introduced Tama and Mizuki having AIba as her returning assistant. Ryuki’s storyline may not be as interesting as a core character compared to the first game but it is far darker than one may expect given his initial outgoing personality as he tries his best to live up to Date’s expectations while also bantering heavily with Tama. Tama is a far more domineering and, well… horny AI than some may be familiar with and isn’t afraid to make plenty of lewd jokes or sexual suggestions when investigating objects in the environment. As for Mizuki, she truly shines as a lead character this time around and feels like a perfect fit with Aiba’s wit matching hers.
The rest of the side characters are a bit hit and miss unfortunately with a large portion of the returning cast taking more of a back-seat this time around in order to focus more on showing off the new characters. Players will still interact with them here and there but this sequel primarily focuses on the newer cast as a result and comes off a bit odd at times as a result. This is mostly due to the fact that even among these side characters a few are given far more focus than others which can be a bit disappointing.
Thankfully nirvanA Initiative has kept the tradition of Uchikoshi’s games being incredibly wild when it comes to tone. This may be a bit off putting to some but is something that can be expected by longtime fans by now and this remains true here as one minute players will be looking through a murder scene only to be treated to a J-pop dance number or having the tension in a scene broken by Tama mentioning how sexual a table is or erotic an object in the environemnt might be. As mentioned, this can be a bit of a mood breaker at times but rarely does it actually get in the way of important or serious moments.
Gameplay
In most ways, AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative plays similar to the first as players will find themselves experiencing most of the game through a visual novel with characters that they can speak to and objects in the environment that can be inspected either for clues or simply for flavor text. The visual novel segments are satisfyingly portrayed thanks to the detailed character models and use of 3D environment rather than static pictures and while there is a bit too much generic flavor text to accompany basic objects such as a plant or television you never know when Aiba may chime in about a bug or an obscure horror reference instead.
When talking with characters and examining scenes players will often be prompted to make use of Aiba or Tama’s X-Ray or Thermal functions to discover a new hidden clue or perhaps find that someone is lying. A new aspect introduced in this sequel is the “Wink Psync” that allows either Ryuki or Mizuki to catch a six second glimpse into the psyche of whoever they are targeting. Sometimes this can be relevant to the case or simply something random the character may have been thinking about at the time.
The other half of the gameplay comes in the form of the Somniums. These Somniums are sequences that occur when the player must dive into the mind of a character to learn something that they either may be withholding or simply cannot say due to various circumstances. Each Somnium is different though they all play roughly by the same rules, players will only have six minutes of time inside of a Somnium and walking around or interacting with objects will take away portions of that time frame. Players can modify the difficulty of these Somniums slightly by drastically lowering the amount of time actions and movement take to allow for an easier time investigating and looking at everything possible should they wish.
These Somniums feature a wide variety of puzzles that vary in difficulty from character to character though they tend to follow a similar theme within a character. Actually solving these puzzles can be quite difficult at times and, between these and another puzzle aspect that we will go into in a moment, there were times that a notebook was required for notes and some extra visual representation of what needed to be solved. Other puzzles appear during a new investigation sequence that happens outside of the Somniums and allow for Aiba and Tama to pull up a VR sequence of a crime scene where characters must once again find various clues and try to put together a timeline of events. Here there are also a number of puzzles that are a bit easier but, especially in one case, stopped us cold for hours.
Another new addition to nirvanA Initiative are some heavier quick time event moments that appear during action sequences. These, once again, can be adjusted for difficulty and often involve lengthy cinematic sequences of combat or avoiding potential danger. These quick time events are fewer in nature than anything else in the game but also can suffer a bit from the fact that a single failure requires the replay of most of a sequence which can be a bit annoying at times.
Outside of the investigation, Somniums, and action there is some extra side content that players can enjoy as well. This includes a tamagotchi style “AI” ball raiser where players can answer a question every twenty minutes to raise their own AI ball creature that will change depending on the answers. These are pretty basic but a fun little distraction and also reward the player with eyeballs that can then be used to purchase additional bonus content such as concept art, modified screenshots, and even bonus costumes for Aiba and Tama. These bonus costumes must be unlocked by obtaining Achievements in the game and can only actually be seen in previously cleared Somniums but it is a nice addition, especially since many Somniums are worth revisiting just to see how many unique interactions most of them offer.
Visuals & Audio
As a 3D styled visual novel/mystery game AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative is fittingly detailed with a decent amount of variety of places to see as well as nicely detailed character models for the cast of characters. It is worth noting that despite being a murder mystery game, the level of actual gore is kept to an incredibly tame level and the action sequences are nicely handled. It is worth noting that there is a certain level of fan-service in the game primarily through Tama but even this is kept to a minimum.
Players can have the choice between playing with either the original Japanese voice cast or the English dub that has seen the reprisal of nearly every character that has returned in the game outside of a touching tribute to one actor’s passing. The newly introduced characters are voiced fittingly enough and the game even features a fairly prominent songwriter to perform a new main song for the game in a similar fashion to the first entry.
Overall
It can be hard to top something that many fans already considered an amazing game but AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative manages to pull it off quite well. Not only does it manage to offer a fairly painless entry to those new to the series, longer fans of The Somnium Files will be eager to see what has happened with their favorite characters and what new developments they will undergo. Although Ryuki may not quite live up to Date, Mizuki more than makes up for this in a new complex storyline filled with challenging puzzles and a resolution that will satisfy those that make it to the end.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
CircoLoco Records Presents The Attention Deficit Track – Plus, Pre-Order The Attention Deficit EP by Skream and the CLR 002 Vinyl, Both Coming in July
CircoLoco Records is proud to announce The Attention Deficit Track — the first single from Skream’s upcoming release on CircoLoco Records, The Attention Deficit EP — is now available across all major digital music services, including Apple Music and Spotify.
Crafted by visionary UK producer and DJ, Skream, and co-producer Jackmaster, The Attention Deficit Track is already in high demand across clubs worldwide,having beenplayed by a handpicked set of DJs prior to today’s release. And launching July 15, The Attention Deficit EP is a four-track EP that includes the radio edit of The Attention Deficit Track along with additional productions from Skream and friends. You can find links to pre-order and pre-save The Attention Deficit EP now at the CircoLoco Records website.
CircoLoco Records & NEZ Present CLR 002 Vinyl Coming July 29, Pre-Order Now
We’re also pleased to announce that the vinyl release for CircoLoco Records & NEZ Present CLR 002 is coming July 29 and is now up for pre-order at the CircoLoco Records Store.
This limited-run black vinyl with cover art designed by Toiletpaper includes three genre-blending tracks from Chicago-born, L.A.-based artist and producer, NEZ, and guests Moodymann, Three 6 Mafia’s Gangsta Boo, and longtime collaborator ScHoolboy Q — bridging the worlds of hip-hop and house with NEZ’s distinctive sound.
CircoLoco Records & NEZ Present CLR 002 is currently available across all major digital music services, including Apple Music and Spotify. The tracks have also made appearances in sets from BBC Radio 1’s Pete Tong and beyond, has been featured on the GTA Online radio dial and as the teaser trailer music for Los Santos Tuners.
Watch us as we try to survive the peculiar dangers of The Lost Ruins. In this first hour of gameplay, we meet some of the allies and enemies in the game as well as discover a variety of items, spells and equipment to help us defeat the gigantic first boss.
Lost Ruins is a 2D side-scrolling survival action game, where you play as a young girl that has awoken in a strange and foreign place without her memories. Explore a dark and dangerous world, battle hideous monsters, and topple incredible bosses.
Lost Ruins Developer: ALTARI GAMES Publisher: DANGEN Entertainment Website: https://lostruins.dangenentertainment.com/ Platform: Windows Release Date: 14 May, 2021 Price: $19.99 USD
Recommended – “Lost Ruins is a decent 2D action game. Although It’s slow pace and and lack of polish may be a hard sell for those looking for something more sophisticated.”
Bring on the Camo, Ammo, Ducks, and Bucks: Way of the Hunter Releases August 16th 2022
Sydney, Australia, June 25th, 2022 – Hunting Season comes early this year: Way of the Hunter will be out on PC, PlayStation®5, and Xbox Series S/X™ on August 16th, 2022. Get ready to embark on a fascinating hunting adventure in two huge open-world areas – and you’ll even get to give your feet a break, since Way of the Hunter comes with a sturdy off-road vehicle to transport your hunter from the blind to the bush. But be careful, the noise from your car will scare away any animals in the vicinity. You’re better off taking a little walk when you’re closing in on a herd.
Watch the new Way of the Hunter Trailer on YouTube:
Take an early shot for once: Pre-Order is now open Digital Pre-Order for Way of the Hunter is now available and lets you choose between two versions. When you pre-order the standard edition, you’ll receive the Hunter’s Pack which includes three cosmetic items: The Engraved Shotgun, a special Car Paint and a Wooden Carved Animal Statue.
The Elite Edition is also available for Pre-Order now and grants access to the Way of the Hunter Season Pass, including two new region DLCs that’ll make the world of Way of the Hunter even bigger, upon their release at a later date. The early hunter catches the discount: If you pre-order the Elite Edition before August 16th, you’ll get a 10% discount.
About Way of the Hunter This authentic hunting experience lets you explore and hunt in large open-world environments in the USA and Europe. Discover true-to-life animals in beautiful natural habitats and handle various detailed and highly realistic weapons. Face the challenges of ethical hunting, supported by a compelling story, or simply enjoy hunting the rich environments freely.
Hunt like a pro with features that highlight animal signs, blood splatter analysis, and shot review with the rewindable bullet camera
Dozens of strikingly detailed animal species with realistic behaviour models for a truly immersive hunting experience
Enjoy your perfect hunting adventure among friends in co-op mode
Two vast hunting territories with 55 square miles each
Realistic ballistics and bullet physics simulation
Sophisticated natural animal animations and reactions when sensing the players presence
A compelling story about the struggles of a family hunting business, and the rivalry and friendships that surround it
Complex Trophy system generates unique antlers and horns based on multiple factors like fitness and age
About Nine Rocks Games Nine Rocks Games is a game development studio headquartered in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. “The team consists of veteran game developers with great experience in making successful games, including global hits like DayZ, Soldier of Fortune: Payback, Chaser, or many of the multimillion-selling Cabela’s line of hunting games, including Big Game Hunter and Dangerous Hunts.
