Roguelike Deckbuilder Nitro Kid Delivers Kung Fu Moves on PC Later This Year
PC Demo Debuts During Steam Next Fest, Following Worldwide Reveal in PC Gaming Show
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — June 12, 2022 —Nitro Kid, a roguelike deck-builder from developer Wildboy Studios and publisher tinyBuild revealed today at the PC Gaming Show, fights off an evil corporation with a kick-ass kung fu attitude on PC via Steam later this year. The first public demo of this tribute to the neon cyber 80s debuts alongside today’s reveal and will remain playable through the Steam Next Fest on June 13-18, 2022, featuring one playable character and three pre-built starter decks, providing a taste of the fight against the INFINITY corp.
When a massive crystal meteorite strikes New Mexico, the US Government quickly contracts megacorporation INFINITY to handle the containment process. With hundreds of adults dying due to acute radiation, no one doubted the missing children were another side effect of the crash. Little did anyone know, however, the youths weren’t missing. Dubbed NITRO KIDs, the children were locked away in the depths of INFINITY labs to be studied in hopes of creating super soldiers and banking millions with the energy source resulting from them.
As one of the few to know about the NITRO KIDs, L33 makes it his life mission to save them– scouting every inch of the INFINITY tower and burning it all to the ground. Investigate every procedurally generated room, facing off against elite humans, robots, and powerful mutants in roguelike battles on grid-levels allowing L33 to take advantage of the surroundings during fights.
Craft capable decks from more than 250 cards, including powerful kung fu moves to be played and vanquish robot scum. Lay down a card to equip a Full Metal Jacket or an Oil Coat to shield from calculated attacks. Build up powerful card combos to take down groups of monsters and soldiers all at once to score major points. Train in the art of espionage and martial arts by combining powerful new cards, and unlock playable characters with distinctive gameplay styles and exclusive card sets.
Inspired by ‘80s movies and retro Miami, Nitro Kid is a powerful rescue mission set in a neon cyberpunk world crafted in a vibrant pixel art style, and brought to life with the sound of an addicting synthwave soundtrack featuring over 30 tracks composed exclusively for the game.
“We’ve seen a massive resurgence in popularity for all things 80s for the past few years, with the sequel for Top Gun breaking box office records, Stranger Things hitting new benchmarks for Netflix, and so much more,” said Patric Corletto, CEO at Wildboy Studio. “While many games pay homage to this decade as well via settings, soundtracks, and more, gameplay is still king and the most important part of crafting an amazing experience. We are so confident in our own gameplay we had to share a demo alongside the reveal ahead of our release later this year.”
Nitro Kid will be available on Windows PC via Steam later this year. It will support English, French, German, Spanish (Europe), Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Korean, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese languages.
Wildboy Studios is a New Zealand-based game development company formed in 2017 by New Zealanders Sid Bardiya and Ben Costeloe, and Italian Patric Corletto. With a strong desire to focus on narrative-driven design, they began working on a project that would later be named ATONE. Nitro Kid is their second game.
About tinyBuild
tinyBuild is a Seattle-based indie label behind the Hello Neighbor franchise and over 30 renowned titles, including Graveyard Keeper, SpeedRunners, and Party Hard. With additional development offices in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Riga, Latvia, tinyBuild is rapidly building a portfolio of fun, high-quality games across multiple platforms.
This year’s Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase focused on three key things:
Showing what’s coming to Xbox soon: Everything in today’s show is targeted to launch in the next 12 months. Starting this week with Microsoft Flight Simulator, we’re aiming for a monthly cadence of launches and content updates.
Making Game Pass an easy way to discover your next favorite game, whether you play on console, PC or via cloud. Today’s show featured more than 30 titles coming to Game Pass in the next 12 months – on top of the hundreds of other creatively diverse titles arriving in the year ahead.
Getting excited for a massive lineup coming to Xbox in 2023. From the eagerly awaited Redfall; to new takes on familiar favorites like Minecraft Legends; to Forza Motorsport, the most technically advanced racing game ever made; to the most anticipated open-world RPG in the last 20 years, Starfield.
Combined with titles from partners around the world like Diablo IV, a partnership between Xbox Game Studios and Kojima Productions to create a video game like no one has seen before; and partnerships with the likes of Riot that bring some of the world’s most popular games – including League of Legends and Valorant – to Game Pass, there’s a lot to look forward to on Xbox in the coming year.
For more information on games from today’s Showcase, check out:
Don’t forget to tune in to Xbox Games Showcase Extended on June 14 at 10:00 am PT/June 15 at 3:00am AEST – we’ll be sharing new trailers from titles in today’s show, deeper looks at the news and interviews with game creators. For more information on where to watch Showcase Extended, check out Xbox Wire.
In this first gameplay reveal for Starfield, Todd Howard showcased more details from the game, including exploration of planets, ship customisation and piloting, outpost building, advanced RPG and character creation systems, and much more.
Starfield is the first new universe in 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery.
The year is 2330. Humanity has ventured beyond our solar system, settling new planets, and living as a spacefaring people. From humble beginnings as a space miner, you will join Constellation – the last group of space explorers seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy – and navigate the vast expanse of the Settled Systems in Bethesda Game Studios’ biggest and most ambitious game.
Redfall | Arkane Austin Shares the First Official Look at Redfall Gameplay
Redfall, the latest game from Arkane Austin, is the open-world, co-op FPS set in the island town of Redfall, Massachusetts that has been overrun by a legion of vampires. The first official gameplay reveal showed off the moment-to-moment gameplay, featuring the continued legacy of creative game mechanics that Arkane Austin is known for.
Players will discover interesting ways to combine the powers and abilities of their teammates to fight off the vampire horde. Redfall features a deep skill system for each character. There’s Devinder, the overly curious cryptozoologist, Layla, the telekinetic college student, Remi, the brilliant and dependable combat engineer, and Jacob, the hardened ex-military sharpshooter.
Familiar Redfall sites like Downtown and seafront boardwalks lead to otherworldly spaces that alter reality in frightening ways. Discover the mystery of Redfall’s vampire threat through narrative-driven action and environmental storytelling.
Fallout 76 | Expeditions: The Pitt Arrives for Free September 2022
Expeditions: The Pitt is the next major content update for Fallout 76, arriving free for all players this September. Travel beyond the borders of Appalachia to The Pitt – a grim industrial wasteland crippled by conflict and awash with radiation. You will assist the Union, a fledgling band of freedom fighters in a desperate attempt to reclaim their home from a power-hungry raider faction known as the Fanatics.
The new gameplay trailer provides a glimpse of exciting new content coming to Fallout 76: The Pitt this September, including a new location – Pittsburgh, repeatable ever-changing missions for up to four players, new stories and factions, new rewards for players, and new enemies to defeat.
The Elder Scrolls Online | Protect the Legacy of the Bretons in The Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle Available Now on PC/MAC, and on June 21 for Xbox and PlayStation Consoles
The Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle new gameplay trailer highlights the land of the Bretons and the brand-new Elder Scrolls story coming in the latest Chapter. The Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle will launch for console on June 21.
ESO’s more than 20 million players will have access to a never-before-seen location in Tamriel, two all-new companions, a new card game called Tales of Tribute, and hours upon hours of new main story, challenging bosses, and side quests to explore. Players can purchase the new Chapter through the ESO Store, retailer or platform store of their choice. High Isle is available now for PC/MAC, and June 21, 2022 for Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
Free Nordic-Style Fjordur Map Released Today, Base Game Free on Steam, Remake of ARK Switch to Include Star Voice Talent, and Animated Series Character Artwork Reveal
Seattle, WA – JUNE 12, 2022 – Studio Wildcard revealed today new details of its highly anticipated sequel ARK 2 during the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase. Starring the talents of Vin Diesel (Fast Franchise) as the hero protagonist Santiago and announcing Auli’i Cravalho (Moana) as the voice of Santiago’s daughter Meeka, Studio Wildcard is using Unreal Engine 5’s photorealistic real-time lighting technology for this reimagined, next-generation survival experience. ARK 2 will launch in 2023, simultaneously on Steam Early Access and as a console launch exclusive for Xbox Series X|S and with Xbox and PC Game Pass on Game Preview.
Watch the New In-Engine ARK 2 Trailer HERE:
ARK 2 features revealed today include:
BEST IN CLASS, THIRD-PERSON GAMEPLAY – Advanced character traversal mechanics include mantling, free-climbing, parkour, sliding, and swinging!
REVOLUTIONARY CROSS-PLATFORM MODDING – Fully stackable, user-created Mods for new creatures, items and gameplay features, with maps distributed across all platforms – including onto Xbox – and support for modded servers enabled through official mod support by mod.io
SOULS-LIKE MELEE COMBAT – Target-lock, blocks, dodges, combos, staggers and special attacks all emphasize player-skill based action.
MASSIVE, NEW ALIEN ENVIRONMENT – Explore a mysterious, chaotic world where native flora and fauna are being overrun by invasive primeval creatures, from an extinct Earth.
COMPONENT-BASED ITEM CRAFTING – Construct weapons and tools from a range of distinct modules to customize their look and functionality — millions of possible combinations enable players to craft their own unique gear! Specific materials will further affect the appearance of items, with multiple resource options in unique regions of the world.
DYNAMIC WORLD EVENTS – Natural and unnatural occurrences are always happening across the game world, independent of your presence! Your choices in deciding whether to interact with these events will yield rewards or challenges.
OPPOSING PVE FORCE – Hostile ‘Aratai’ hunt & attack you while riding their own tamed creatures, as they seek to drive human interlopers from their world.
ARK: Survival Evolved Now Free-To-Own on Steam Head to Steam where ARK: Survival Evolved is free-to-permanently-own for anyone who claims the game before 10 am PDT on June 19! This is a limited-time offer, so aspiring survivalists should get it now to join the adventure!
ARK Fjordur Releases Today Fjordur, the newest official ARK community map, released today on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Stadia! Free to download for all ARK players, this Nordic style, cold-weather map features four new creatures to tame and over 140 sq kilometers of new biomes, new challenges, and rewarding discoveries!
Watch The New ARK Fjordur Map Trailer HERE:
ARK Nintendo Switch Ultimate Survivor Edition to Feature Star Voice Talent Launching in September 2022, ARK: Ultimate Survivor Edition has new story cutscenes bookending each ARK map, featuring actors Madeleine Madden (The Wheel of Time) and David Tennant (Doctor Who) reprising their respective roles as Helena Walker and Sir Edmund Rockwell. All of Helena’s and Rockwell’s Dossiers and Explorer Notes will also be voiced by the actors, as will survivors’ epic confrontation versus Rockwell on ARK Aberration. Madden will also voice the cheery robot-AI guide HLN-A in the “Young Explorers Mode” that will lead players through ARK in a low-pressure, kid-friendly, dino-fact-filled adventure.
Existing owners of ARK: Survival Evolved on Switch will receive a free update to the game with all progress and Save data maintained. Tune in at 4:30pm EDT, Monday, June 13, to /twitchgaming livestream to see the first gameplay of ARK: Ultimate Survivor Edition on Switch.
ARK Development & Grove Street Games Partnership: Studio Wildcard has teamed-up with Grove Street Games to co-develop ARK 2 and for Grove Street to rewrite the ARK Nintendo Switch code with a full revamp of gameplay functionality, graphics, and optimization. Furthermore, Thomas Williamson, Director of Grove Street, will be Development Director and Technical Director of ARK 2 with cross sections of the Grove Street Games team also joining ARK 2’s production in a development partnership. Co-founders of Studio Wildcard, Jeremy Stieglitz and Jesse Rapczak, will balance time between games and the transmedia expansion of the ARK franchise, with Stieglitz focusing creative efforts on the TV series and other initiatives, whilst continuing to serve as Executive Producer of ARK 2. Rapczak will continue as Creative Director of ARK 2 and co-creator of the TV series.
“Thomas Williamson is one of the greatest designer-programmers and technical visionaries working in the games industry today. I am beyond-thrilled that he and the incredibly talented team at Grove Street Games have opted to go all-in on partnering up to build the next iterations of the ARK franchise. By combining Grove Street’s amazing capabilities with the brilliant creators at Studio Wildcard, ARK 2 is going to be a mind-blowing experience.” – Jeremy Stieglitz, Co-Creator of ARK and Co-Founder of Studio Wildcard.
“The team at Studio Wildcard includes many of the most passionate game developers in the world. At Grove Street Games, we’re thrilled. We get to work with a group of excellent people that care so much about their fans, franchise, and moving the industry forward. Together, we will combine the unrivaled ARK universe with the best possible game technology, and construct the ultimate survival experience.” – said Thomas Williamson, Director of Grove Street Games.
ARK: The Animated Series The original TV series based on the hit game franchise, “ARK: The Animated Series” now has fourteen 30-minute episodes in post-production! To celebrate this milestone, Studio Wildcard has released the first poster images of key characters from the show.
Jay Oliva (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox) has taken on the role of Executive Producer, Director, and Co-Showrunner, alongside ARK franchise creators Jeremy Stieglitz and Jesse Rapczak, with the series being produced at Glendale-based Lex+Otis animation studio. Monica Bellucci (The Matrix Reloaded) and Dee Bradley Baker (Star Wars: The Bad Batch) have also joined the series’ talented cast.
“ARK: The Animated Series” features an extraordinary voice cast, including Gerard Butler (300), Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once), Madeleine Madden (The Wheel of Time), Devery Jacobs (American Gods), Deborah Mailman (Total Control), Zahn McClarnon (Doctor Sleep), Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange), Elliot Page (The Umbrella Academy), Ragga Ragnars (Vikings), David Tennant (Good Omens), Alan Tudyk (Rogue One), Karl Urban (The Boys), Jeffrey Wright (Westworld), Ron Yuan (Mulan), with Russell Crowe (Gladiator) and Vin Diesel reprising his role as franchise hero, Santiago.
For the latest ARK updates, follow us on Twitter, join our Discord, subscribe to our YouTube, visit the Website at playark.com, and watch us tame and train leviathan dinosaurs on Twitch.TV.
# # # ABOUT STUDIO WILDCARD Founded in 2014 by industry veterans Jeremy Stieglitz and Jesse Rapczak, Studio Wildcard’s mission is to bring AAA quality to ambitious indie titles designed for core gamers. The team emphasizes direct communication with its active community, implements player feedback into its fast, iterative dev cycle, and provides tools to drive user-generated content. Studio Wildcard includes distributed developers across multiple continents, as wherever talented developers reside, Wildcard seeks them out! www.studiowildcard.com
ABOUT GROVE STREET GAMES Located in Gainesville, FL, Grove Street Games has been an influential game developer since 2007. They have delighted fans of the world’s greatest games with bold interpretations on new platforms, and have delivered fresh and original games to millions of happy players. They have grown to be a leader in the industry because of their commitment to building incredible and accessible gaming experiences. Their games can be found worldwide across all major gaming devices, including consoles, PC, and mobile. www.grovestreetgames.com
ABOUT mod.io mod.io is the leading user-generated content (UGC) solution for game studios and publishers. Since its launch in 2019, mod.io has delivered 1.5 million mods for 110 games, to players across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, mobile and VR. mod.io offers an automated, scalable, easy-to-implement platform designed for the studios seeking to harness UGC in their game. The results are long-term player engagement, and a cross-platform pathway to creator economies. Created by the team behind ModDB, mod.io brings more than 20 years of experience to game developers seeking to unlock their community’s creativity.
Defy the Light with Ereban: Shadow Legacy, Raw Fury & Baby Robot Games’ Upcoming Stealth Platformer
STOCKHOLM – June 12, 2022 – Raw Fury and Baby Robot Games are happy to announce Ereban: Shadow Legacy with its stunning first trailer created entirely with in-engine footage revealed during this year’s Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase. The action-packed stealth platformer combines stunning graphics and innovative gameplay mechanics in an immersive and new original universe.
In Ereban: Shadow Legacy, players take control of female protagonist Ayana, the last descendant of a long-forgotten race with the power of merging with the shadows. In this fast-paced, story-driven, stealth platformer game, players unravel the mysterious relationship between the cryptic energy megacorporation Helios and Ayana’s lost ancestors in a dying, morally grey universe. Combine Ayana’s agility with her mystical shadow powers and high-tech gadgets to either cleverly avoid or mercilessly defeat anything and anyone that stands in her way as she searches for the truth.
Ereban: Shadow Legacy will be released in 2023 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC – and available day one with both PC and Xbox Game Pass. For more information, visit the official website: https://ereban.com.
About Baby Robot Games
Baby Robot Games is a young indie studio from Spain. Passionate about video games since we were children, we want to give back what this industry gave us. Our goal is to create highly enjoyable experiences with original mechanics, strong visuals and compelling stories. Currently working on our debut title, Ereban: Shadow Legacy. For more information, you can head to babyrobotgames.com or follow us at twitter.com/babyrobotgames.
About Raw Fury
Raw Fury is a boutique indie (un)publisher founded in 2015 by Jonas Antonsson, Gordon Van Dyke, and David Martinez. We don’t care about genres or mechanics. We care about experiences and emotions. We want to help developers make magic.
Skövde, Sweden – June 12, 2022… During today’s Xbox & Bethesda’s Games Showcase, FRAME BREAK and Amplifier Game Invest revealed that Lightyear Frontier – a peaceful open-world farming adventure on an alien planet – will launch on Xbox and PC in Spring 2023, and will be available day one via Game Pass.
Lightyear Frontier is a peaceful open-world farming adventure on a planet at the far edge of the galaxy. Start your new home on a distant planet with up to three friends as you farm alien crops, build your own homestead, and explore the untamed wilderness of the world.
Watch the Lightyear Frontier trailer that debuted during the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase now:
Joakim Hedström, CEO of FRAME BREAK, said: We’re beyond excited to share what we feel is a fresh take on the farming genre, taking aspects from what’s normally quite hectic games like shooters and survival games and recontextualising them in a chill and peaceful experience. We can’t wait to get our game into players’ hands and see what they will create.
Denis Ferrier, Head of Publishing at Amplifier Game Invest, said: “The vision that FRAME BREAK has for Lightyear Frontier is unique, and we are excited to support them on a project that breaks new, interstellar ground in the farming adventure genre. Stay tuned for Gamescom in August where we will be sharing even more exciting news about our plans for Lightyear Frontier”
Lightyear Frontier from FRAME BREAK and Amplifier Game Invest comes to Xbox and PC in Spring 2023, and will be available day one via Game Pass.
About Frame Break FRAME BREAK is a small studio founded in 2020, based in Skövde, Sweden. Part of Amplifier Game Invest, FRAME BREAK aims to create games that break the mold of pre-established game genres. FRAME BREAK is building a studio environment where everyone has creative input and can influence the game beyond their own disciplines.
About Amplifier Game Invest Amplifier Game Invest is an operational division of Embracer Group. We have the ambition to build one of the most attractive homes for passionate game developers and their studios, empowering their aspirations and creativity for sustainable, long-term success. To reach this goal, we invest in game studios, developers and their designs to support them in becoming creatively and financially successful through the development and sales of great game experiences. We leverage our game industry experience to mentor, encourage and challenge our studios and be active members of the global game development community.
Ravenlok – Dive into the Rabbit Hole on Xbox and PC in 2023
Fairytale and Epic Finale of Voxel Trilogy Announced by the Award-Winning Creators of Echo Generation, Revealed at the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase
TORONTO— June 12, 2022 —Ravenlok, an action-packed fable from Cococucumber is a fairytale reimagining of a kingdom troubled by an evil queen and a young girl’s destiny to fulfill a dangerous prophecy. As revealed during the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, Ravenlok will come to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC in early 2023 and release with Xbox Game Pass and Game Pass for PC subscribers on day one. Ravenlok will be available for purchase on Windows PC through Microsoft Store and the Epic Games Store, where it is now open for wishlist.
While exploring an old barn filled with antiques and knick-knacks, a curious mirror appears: a portal into a magical realm. Ravenlok is greeted by peculiar creatures and faces evil entities while on her quest to defeat the Caterpillar Queen, and ultimately find her way home. Pick up a sword and shield, rise to the occasion, and embark on a journey to save a land shrouded in darkness.
Explore mysterious areas from a gloomy Mushroom Forest to the haunted Mask Mansion. Slash through sinister jesters and burn down the Weeping Fungi in arena-based, real-time combat. Discover new weapons or unexpected items, level up to unlock your skills, and complete quests to learn the secrets of the fallen world.
Rendered in spectacular 4K resolution and 60 fps on Xbox Series X, Ravenlok is optimized to show off a wonderful world veiled in a bewitching fairytale aesthetic. A mystical atmosphere sets the tone with vibrant 3D pixel art accompanied by a suspenseful soundtrack that brings to life vivid forests, haunting castles, and more.
Inspired by childhood fables of aspiration and belief, Ravenlok empowers players to take on the role of a young girl on a path of self-discovery by embarking on a journey to overcome challenging situations and learn life lessons.
“Ravenlok is a culmination of our studio’s exploration into the 3D pixel aesthetic, completing our voxel trilogy with higher details and more complex environments,” said Vanessa Chia, Game Director and Producer of Ravenlok. “We are delighted to share our spin on the fairytale genre by weaving a heartwarming tale, led by a young female protagonist set in an action-packed fantasy world.”
Cococucumber is a Toronto-based developer and publisher of critically acclaimed indie games. Led by Martin Gauvreau and Vanessa Chia, the studio is known for creating original titles that blend a spirited story with action-packed gameplay. Titles by Cococucumber include narrative puzzle-platformer Planet of the Eyes, co-op dungeon crawler Riverbond and award-winning turn-based adventure Echo Generation. Ravenlok is their fifth title.
Stunning First Gameplay Revealed for Upcoming Gunpowder & Magic-Fueled Action RPG Flintlock: The Siege Of Dawn
Lead humankind’s final siege against the tide of the dead in early 2023
LONDON (Jun. 12, 2022) – A44 Games (Ashen) and Kepler Interactive (Scorn) revealed the gunpowder-packed and magic-fueled first gameplay video from the upcoming Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn during today’s Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, coming to PC, PlayStation and Xbox consoles (with Day One Xbox Game Pass availability) in early 2023 (https://www.playflintlock.com).
Flintlock introduces players to a wholly-unique RPG setting: a gunpowder fantasy world where the gods, long thought to have abandoned humanity, suddenly return, casting open the door to the afterlife in their wake and releasing their army of undead from within. As humanity’s survival is at risk, their fate is left up to Nor Vanek, a member of the Coalition army on a personal quest of vengeance, her foxlike companion, Enki and the power of magic and gunpowder.
Today’s gameplay video revealed the visually striking, expansive fantasy world – from lush forests full of deadly creatures to coastal hideaways and towering magical cathedrals where players will encounter a myriad of enemies and benevolent allies. The video showcases explosive enemy combat and the arsenal of tools Nor has at her disposal in her epic fight against the dark powers of the gods. Players will take to Flintlock’s vast battlefields, combining and mastering a multitude of brutal melee weapons, explosive firearms and magical abilities. When the fighting is done, players have a chance to rest and enhance their various skills via an expansive skill tree and caravan system.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn launches on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store), Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One in early 2023. Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn will also be available day one with Xbox Game Pass. For more information visitwww.playflintlock.com.
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About A44 Games:
Founded in 2013, A44 Games has operated with the goal of making games we want to play in mind. Headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, the team at A44’s expertise is in combining cinematic experiences with complex gameplay. A44’s first game, Ashen, released in 2018 to critical acclaim.
About Kepler Interactive: Kepler Interactive – led by the founders of Kowloon Nights – is a developer and publisher that operates on a co-ownership model. Its studios are given strategic leadership roles, all while continuing to develop their games their way, with no creative limitations. Kepler’s partner studios are as varied as they are talented, including A44 Games in New Zealand, Alpha Channel and Timberline in North America, Awaceb, Ebb Software, and Sloclap in Europe, and Shapefarm in Asia. Kepler Interactive itself is headquartered in London.
New Scorn Gameplay Trailer Shows Off Horrifying Bio-labyrinth Coming This Fall
Immerse yourself in Scorn’s mesmerizing and grotesque maze on Oct. 21
LONDON (June 12, 2022) – In a new trailer for the upcoming atmospheric horror game Scorn, developer Ebb Software and publisher Kepler Interactive today gave players a deeper look into the game’s nightmarish world, a biomechanical labyrinth with aesthetics inspired by the works of H.R. Giger creating a truly unsettling, interpretive experience. Horror fans will be able to experience the world of Scorn just in time for Halloween, when it launches on Oct. 21 2022, for Xbox Series X|S (day one with Xbox Game Pass) and PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store).
Debuted during the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase earlier today, the trailer centered on Scorn’s disturbing setting, a desolate hellscape once an industrial civilization that now lay in ruin. As players awaken isolated and lost within Scorn’s living labyrinth, they’re left to fend for themselves and find a way forward. Surrounded by visceral, fleshy contraptions and denizen creatures, every deadly encounter must be carefully considered with limited ammunition, health and resources. To unravel the mystery of the world around them, players will solve intricate puzzles on their search for unsettling answers and to slowly come to understand their existence.
Scorn’s twisted and interconnected environments evoke a sense of dread uninterrupted by direct guidance, upholding a thrilling sense of discovery and encouraging thoughtful progression from players bold enough to brave Scorn’s tense and mysterious journey. Players must harness their intuition – and possibly the darkest parts of their minds – to reach new areas and earn new abilities in their fight to make it out of the bio labyrinth.
Scorn is available to pre-order now for $39.99 (Standard Edition) and $49.99 (Deluxe Edition). To pre-order, visitscorn-game.com.
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About Kepler Interactive Kepler Interactive – led by the founders of Kowloon Nights – is a developer and publisher that operates on a co-ownership model. Its studios are give strategic leadership roles, all while continuing to develop their games their way, with no creative limitations. Kepler’s partner studios are as varied as they are talented, including A44 Games in New Zealand, Alpha Channel and Timberline in North America, Awaceb, Ebb Software, and Sloclap in Europe, and Shapefarm in Asia. Kepler Interactive itself is headquartered in London.
Nippon Ichi have been showing us a lot of lately, following up their string of classic re-releases with Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 2. This compilation takes two not-so-known RPGs from yore and brings them to the Switch with some minor adjustments and additions. Sure, everyone loves a good port, but do these two titles warrant a look? Let’s find out.
Story
There are two games to unpack here, with the first being the more familiar Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Rebound (formally Chronicles of the Sacred Tome), which was released on the PlayStation 2 and later the PSP years back. This game puts players in the role of Zetta, an overlord whose soul is tied to a tome due to the events of a demon named Raiden. It is up to you to reclaim the Netherworld and return your body to form while battling through some tough foes along the way. There is a lot of tongue and cheek dialogue written in, and out of the two – this title may have the most rewarding story, albeit if players don’t mind being subjected to a lot of the text and backstory that assist in painting quite a vivid picture.
ZHP: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman is a lot more tongue and cheek. Being basically a parody of tokusatsu, players are thrust into the role of a mute hero who happens to get swept up in this adventure after Pirohiko Ichimonji, the Unlosing Ranger, gets hit by a car on his way to do battle with Darkdeath Evilman. The morph belt is passed onto you, and the player must train up and eventually go face to face with the evil foe while exploring a good number of dungeons. Yeah, I think I got that right. The story is all over the place – but in a good way. Laced with humor and campy dialogue, it definitely has a lot of appeal to fans of the likes of Sentai and other tokusatsu programs and is easier to jump into due to the structure of the game itself.
Gameplay
While both isometric top-down adventures, both titles play quite differently from one another. Makai Kingdom is a more traditional strategy RPG, set in the same universe as Disgaea. There are a lot of similarities in that regard, but the contrast sets it apart in other ways – for better or worse. You see, Zetta can create characters to do battle from inanimate objects. Once a set number of characters is selected, the player can then move in to battle, gather funds, get gear and currency, and continue their trek upward. I make it sound easy, but there is a steep learning curve for newcomers, as the lack of a grid makes things feel loose and busy, making tasks such as simple selection a bit of a chore. Sure, there is a deep system here that is basic by today’s standards, but one that requires a lot of attention and patience to master.
ZHP I felt right at home with. This romp is mostly a rogue-like dungeon explorer, with an emphasis on costumes and armor. Die and you can lose all your collected items, but with your stats still intact – allowing for you to continue onward a little wiser. Fans of the Mystery Dungeon flavoring from Pokémon and Shiren the Wanderer will find a lot to love and feel at home amongst the zany comedy that is fed to the player throughout, but the difficulty spikes will be sure to wear down even the most seasoned explorer.
Other than some updated menus and other fare, there isn’t a whole lot new to this re-packaging. Sure, we get the bonus mode from the PSP version of Makai Kingdom, and both titles have some updated menu layouts to fit the platform, but don’t go in expecting too much different if you have tenure with either title as they are mostly solid ports of two classics. That said, there are a ton of hours that one will soak into each, which greatly adds value to the already lower price-tag entry point offered at launch.
Visuals
The graphics here are a bit hit or miss. I get that Makai Kingdom and ZHP were primarily from over two to three generations ago, but the art has a bit of a blur that may detract those using that shiny OLED (or standard) screen. The menus also are a bit much at times and general input and interaction from Makai Kingdom suffers a bit due to the angles and overlay distributed on the field during the battle portions of the game. It’s not too bad, but there is a wonder we didn’t see a slight visual upgrade or at list polish for these two dated ports that at least would bring them up to speed with current selections on the same platform.
Audio
The audio is fine. Both titles have stellar soundtracks (I particularly enjoyed ZHP), and the voice acting can be swapped between both English and Japanese as both tracks are featured. Even though both have aged, they both have retained their quality and charm, with the voice actors contributing a lot to keep both games humorous and light – despite their sometimes treacherous difficulty.
Overall
Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 2 is another winner from Nippon Ichi as it delivers two solid and forgotten ports to the Switch that most need to check out. There are issues such as grueling spikes in difficulty and grainy visuals at times, but fans of either title or anyone who loves that classic library will be joyous to finally see each play out on their modern platform. I am enjoying this NIS Classics library thus far, and if the second volume is any indication, there are sure to be even more great niches to discover right around the corner.
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