For Console and PC Gamers On-the-Go, Turtle Beach and ROCCAT’s New Bluetooth True Wireless Earbuds Deliver a Low-Latency Game Mode, 20 Hours of Battery Life, a Water and Sweat Resistant Design, and Long-Lasting Comfort
White Plains, NY – March 21, 2022 – Best-selling console gaming headset brand Turtle Beach®, and ROCCAT® – Turtle Beach Corporation’s (NASDAQ: HEAR) award-winning PC peripherals brand, today announced the global retail availability of the all-new Scout Air™ and SYN™ Buds Airtrue wireless gaming earbuds. Perfect for gamers on-the-go, the Turtle Beach Scout Air and ROCCAT SYN Buds Air true wireless earbuds are compatible with iOS, Android, and other Bluetooth®-enabled devices like Nintendo Switch™, Windows PCs, and Mac®. For mobile gaming, the Scout Air and SYN Buds Airfeature a 60ms low-latency Game Mode to ensure critical in-battle audio recognition. Dual mics pick up voice chat clearly, and 20 hours of battery life keep the buds powered-up while on the move. The Scout Air and SYN Buds Air are IPX4-rated for sweat and water-resistance for working-out between gaming sessions, and the included multiple ear tip options ensure a comfortable fit. Customizable touch-enabled controls, easy selection of EQ presets, low-latency Game Mode activation, and battery monitoring are available via Turtle Beach’s Audio Hub app for the Scout Air, and via ROCCAT’s SYN Buds Air app. Turtle Beach’s Scout Air and ROCCAT’s SYN Buds Air true wireless earbuds are available today at www.turtlebeach.com and www.roccat.com, respectively, as well as at participating retailers globally for a $99.99 MSRP.
“With the continued historic growth of the mobile gaming market, this strategic expansion of our portfolio of mobile gaming products gives gamers access to Turtle Beach and ROCCAT’s game-winning advantages when they’re on the go,” said Juergen Stark, Chairman and CEO, Turtle Beach Corporation. “The Scout Air and SYN Buds Air true wireless earbuds deliver the audio quality, clarity, and comfort gamers want.”
The Turtle Beach Scout Air and ROCCAT SYN Buds Air true wireless gaming earbuds are designed to connect to Bluetooth 5.1 equipped devices like compatible Android and iOS mobile devices, Nintendo Switch, Windows PCs, and Mac. Turtle Beach’s Scout Air and ROCCAT’s SYN Buds Air feature a 60ms low-latency Game Mode to ensure critical in-battle audio recognition. The Scout Air and SYN Buds Air feature built-in dual mics to deliver crystal-clear chat. Battery life is 20 hours total playback time, with five hours in the earbuds and an additional 15-hours in the charging case. The charging case features a battery indicator and can recharge the earbuds with five hours of battery life in just 15-minutes. The Scout Air and SYN Buds Airare also ready for the gym or outdoors thanks to their IPX4-rated sweat and water-resistant design, and three sets of swappable ear tips provide a secure, comfortable fit for all day use.
Turtle Beach Corporation (corp.turtlebeach.com) is one of the world’s leading gaming accessory providers. The Company’s namesake Turtle Beach brand (www.turtlebeach.com) is known for designing high-quality, comfort-driven headsets for all gamers. Innovation, first-to-market features, a broad range of products, and top-rated customer support have made Turtle Beach a fan-favorite brand and the market leader in console gaming audio for over a decade. In 2021, Turtle Beach expanded the best-selling brand beyond headsets and successfully launched the first of its groundbreaking game controllers and gaming simulation accessories. Turtle Beach’s ROCCAT brand (www.roccat.com) combines detail-loving German innovation with a genuine passion for designing the best PC gaming products, including award-winning keyboards, mice, headsets, mousepads, and other PC accessories. Turtle Beach’s Neat Microphones brand (www.neatmic.com) creates high-quality USB and analog microphones for gamers, streamers, professionals and students that embrace cutting-edge technology and design. Turtle Beach’s shares are traded on the Nasdaq Exchange under the symbol: HEAR.
CD PROJEKT RED Begins Development on Unreal Engine 5 as Part of a Strategic Partnership with Epic Games
CD PROJEKT RED today revealed that the next installment in The Witcher series of video games is currently in development with Unreal Engine 5, kicking off a new saga for the franchise and a new technology partnership with Epic Games.
Today’s announcement marks the first official confirmation of a new game in The Witcher series since the release of CD PROJEKT RED’s previous single-player, AAA RPG in the franchise — The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — which won a total of 250 Game of the Year awards and was later expanded upon with the Hearts of Stone and Blood & Wine add-ons.
The teaser image for the new game features a medallion, accompanied by the phrase A New Saga Begins. Beyond this initial confirmation of a new saga in The Witcher franchise, no further details — such as a development time frame or release date — were provided.
CD PROJEKT RED also announced that they will be moving to Unreal Engine 5 as part of the multi-year strategic partnership with Epic Games. Since The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, released in 2011, CD PROJEKT RED has used their proprietary REDengine technology to build their games. This new relationship with Epic covers not only licensing, but technical development of Unreal Engine 5, as well as potential future versions of Unreal Engine, where relevant. Developers from CD PROJEKT RED will collaborate with those from Epicwith the primary goal being to help tailor the engine for open-world experiences, beginning with the development of the next game in The Witcher franchise.
Speaking on the use of Unreal Engine 5 for this, and future games, CTO of CD PROJEKT RED, Paweł Zawodny stated:
“One of the core aspects of our internal RED 2.0 Transformation is a much stronger focus on technology, and our cooperation with Epic Games is based on this principle. From the outset, we did not consider a typical licensing arrangement; both we and Epic see this as a long-term, fulfilling tech partnership. It is vital for CD PROJEKT RED to have the technical direction of our next game decided from the earliest possible phase as; in the past, we spent a lot of resources and energy to evolve and adapt REDengine with every subsequent game release. This cooperation is so exciting, because it will elevate development predictability and efficiency, while simultaneously granting us access to cutting-edge game development tools. I can’t wait for the great games we’re going to create using Unreal Engine 5!”
Tim Sweeney, Founder and CEO of Epic Games, remarked about the partnership:
“Epic has been building Unreal Engine 5 to enable teams to create dynamic open worlds at an unprecedented scale and level of fidelity. We are deeply honored by the opportunity to partner with CD PROJEKT RED to push the limits of interactive storytelling and gameplay together, and this effort will benefit the developer community for years to come.”
Simultaneously with these announcements, CD PROJEKT RED also provided confirmation that REDengine, the technology which powers Cyberpunk 2077, is still being used for the development of the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 expansion.
About The Witcher franchise
Created by CD PROJEKT RED, The Witcher is a series of dark fantasy role-playing games featuring gripping narratives, multilayered characters, and mature choices and consequences. To date, the series has sold over 50 million copies worldwide and garnered over 1000 awards. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which was released in 2015 for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and later in 2019 on the Nintendo Switch, won a total of 250 Game of the Year awards and has sold over 30 million copies worldwide. The Witcher games are set in the universe created by Andrzej Sapkowski in his series of books.
About CD PROJEKT RED CD PROJEKT RED is a game development studio founded in 2002. It develops and publishes video games for personal computers and video game consoles. The studio’s flagship titles include The Witcher series of games, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, GWENT: The Witcher Card Game and the futuristic AAA role-playing game — Cyberpunk 2077. Together with GOG.COM, a game store offering hand-picked titles for PC and Mac, CD PROJEKT RED is part of the CD PROJEKT Capital Group. CD PROJEKT S.A. is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ISIN: PLOPTTC00011).
About Unreal Engine Epic Games’ Unreal Engine is the world’s most open and advanced real-time 3D tool. Creators across games, film and television, architecture, automotive, manufacturing, live events, simulation and other industries choose Unreal to deliver cutting-edge content, interactive experiences, and immersive virtual worlds. Follow @UnrealEngine and download Unreal for free at unrealengine.com.
It’s been almost a month since Elden Ring came out and (to the surprise of absolutely no one) it’s garnering stellar reviews. Today, I managed to pull myself away from the monitor after almost a week of being glued to my PC to give you some crucial tips in case you’re going for that 100% completion in the game.
There are not many things that you can overlook in Elden Ring, but even skipping out on one will lock you out of that perfect completion. A good number of bosses are optional and you can leave most of the NPC quests for whenever you feel like doing them. Before we even start – a fair warning. This article will contain a bunch of spoilers so if you’re just going for playing blindly and don’t care much for achievements, you might want to leave it for later.
With all that said, there are a couple of items, bosses, and locations that you can lock yourself out of if you’re not paying attention. So here they are:
#1 Lichdragon Fortissax
A completely optional boss that is tied to Fia’s questline. Don’t do her questline and there is no chance of ever seeing that boss. Beating him also yields a specific achievement (and counts for that sweet 100% ) so more reason to focus on him. You probably know Fia by now as “that lady who hugs you” in Roundtable Hold but there’s more to her than giving you some comfort. After you defeat one Shardbearer, claim a Great Rune, and ride Grand Lift of Dectus you can return to Fia for another hug and she will give you a Weathered Dagger item. For this option to appear you must first have already received her blessing and then agree to a second embrace. Next, you have to talk to D nearby in Roundtable Hold and give him the dagger to trigger the next part of the quest. Reload the area to find her in a newly opened room next to the blacksmith. Then you have to find the Cursemark of Death (more on that down below) and find her in Deeproot Depths in the area just after the Across the roots site of grace. Fight her 3 champions and talk to her after that. Important: after the champions fight, you have to select the second “no, I want to be held” dialogue option. The other option will effectively lock you out of the rest of the quest and that will be the end of it. Give her the cursemark, exhaust the dialogue with her, enter the dream and defeat Fortissax.
#2 Ranni’s quest and Darkmoon Greatsword
This quest is one of the longest NPC quests in Elden Ring but it rewards you with a signature From Software weapon and a new ending. However, we shall focus on one particular item (needed for Fia’s quest and Fortissax) and on Darkmoon Greatsword. After you obtain your horse from Melina, you should head to Church of Elleh at night, meet her and get a Spirit Bell from her. Later, after you go through Caria Manor and defeat the boss there, she will be in one of the three towers there called Ranni’s Rise. Speak to her, agree to serve her, and find Blaidd in Siofra River Bank and talk to him about Nokron. Our next stop is to defeat General Radahn in Caelid. Doing so will open a new area west of Fort Height through which we can finally access Nokron, the Eternal City. Explore it and find Fingerslayer Blade near Night’s Sacred Ground. Give her the blade in Ranni’s Rise, she will give you Carian Inverted Statue. Important: this is where you should pause Ranni’s questline for now and take the inverted statue and use it in Carian Study Hall. Go through that new area and pick up Cursemark of Death which is needed for Fia’s quest. Now you can head to (previously inaccessible) Renna’s Rise tower nearby. At the top is a teleporter that will take you to Ainsel River Main and you can find a miniature doll nearby. The doll is actually Ranni in disguise, talk to her near the site of grace there and she will give you a new task to defeat a Baleful Shadow in this same area. Defeat it, take the Discarded Palace Key from it and use it to unlock the chest in Raya Lucaria Grand Library where you fought Renalla. Take the Dark Moon Ring from the chest, travel to Lake of Rot in Ainsel River area, at the end of Grand Cloister use the coffin to travel, defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void and enter the new area after him known as Moonlight altar. Enter the Cathedral of Manus Celes, drop down to a small cave, give Ranni the Dark Moon Ring. After the cutscene, she will disappear, finally leaving the Dark Moon Greatsword behind as a drop.
#3 Bolt of Gransax
One of the legendary armaments. Found in Leyndell Royal Capital after beating Godfrey the First Lord. Walk outside of the west door, take the elevator down, follow the path, and keep on the lookout for an area to jump over the railing and onto a spear that is connected to the dragon statue. The area to jump off is near a Crucible Knight. Climb the spear and you will find the Bolt of Gransax a little way up. The reason why this is unobtainable is that later in the story Leyndell becomes the Capital of Ash and that whole area will be inaccessible for good. This also brings us to…
#4 Leyndell, Royal Capital
After you complete the Crumbling Farum Azula and defeat Maliketh, the Black Blade half of the Leyndellwill be destroyed and turned into ash remains. While it is absolutely necessary to grab Bolf of Gransax before that happens, it is also a good idea to fully explore those parts of Royal Capital before they are gone for good.
#5 Knight Bernahl and Devourer’s Scepter
Knight Bernahl is an NPC that you meet reasonably early in the game. He is located in Warmaster’s Shack in central Stormhill and he is in possession of Devourer’s Scepter – another legendary armament that is missable if you completely ignore Bernahl. Now there are two ways to get your hands on the scepter; the easy way and the hard way. Surprisingly, the easier way is just to find Bernahl in the shack and (with a little luck and skill) kill him right away and pick up the dropped scepter. The hard way (although way more rewarding) is to meet him in Warmaster’s Shack, talk to him and meet him later in the Volcano Manor. Do the first two assassination quests for the Manor and talk to Bernahl (now known as Resucant Bernahl) in the room nearby. Help him with his assassination target in Leyndell and talk to him after that in Manor again. Later on, he will invade you in Crumbling Farum Azula and drop Devourer’s Scepter upon defeat. While this is a longer path to the weapon, it will get you some armor sets from his assassination and Volcano Manor ones that you can’t get otherwise.
That’s it for the missable content. There are way more other things in Elden Ring that are not related to the main path such as optional bosses and unique and powerful weapons which I will talk about in my next article.
For quite some time Shinji Mikami has been part of some of the biggest games in the industry, especially when it comes to horror games in the late 90s and early 00s. After trying his hand at a variety of other projects since then Mikami’s own studio Tango Gameworks has settled itself nicely into creating unique feeling horror games in the form of The Evil Within and its sequel. Now he has returned with something that is a bit different, taking and delivering a first person action adventure game steeped in Japanese mythology and horror in the form of Ghostwire: Tokyo. By offering a dense multilayered near-open world, gorgeous presentation, and a combat system that both works and feels great to use, it is evident that Tango Gameworks has tapped into some brand new potential here.
Story
For Akito, his life is at an end as a horrible motorcycle crash has left him on death’s door. For everyone else in Shibuya however, things are about to get much worse as a mysterious poisonous fog that instantly eliminates any human that comes into contact with it rolls through the streets of the district turning these once bustling streets into a ghost town. Quite literally in fact as the only beings capable of roaming the streets are hostile “Visitors” that are paranormal manifestations of society’s issues such as total exhaustion, those forced to always wear a smile, hidden rage, and even some spirits that will be incredibly familiar to anyone familiar with Japanese ghost stories.
The mastermind behind this scheme appears as a masked man called Hannya and claims to these spirits that it is time to begin a ritual that will bring the world into a new age. As for Akito, he not only escapes death through the help of the mysterious spirit KK but gains the ability to survive the streets of Shibuya with powerful Ethereal Weaving that he is now capable of using thanks to KK. With Hannya kidnapping Akito’s hospitalized sister, not only must Akito agree to share his body with KK to stay alive but also prevent his only loved one from being used in his ritual.
Initially Ghostwire: Tokyo may take a fairly slow pace when it comes to opening up about the various secrets of the world as KK and Akito’s interactions with one another are just shy of hostile at the beginning of the game and Hannya’s plans are kept secret for quite some time. That being said, once the pace begins to pick up players will quickly begin to learn more about KK and his past which also reveals more about the man in the Hannya mask as well as elements of Akito’s own past. Those who stick through the initial slow opening will be treated to quite a few unique twists and turns, especially if they happen to investigate as much as possible around the city.
Not only is the core storyline for the game fairly solid, but the majority of the game’s side-quests are also given a lot of care. As players reveal parts of the map and advance through chapters in the game various spirits will appear asking for some sort of help. These side-quests can be anything from investigating mysterious disappearances or strange noises to flat out tracking down a yōkai though even then these side-quests can end up being rather surprising in nature. Obvious answers to what may have been the cause turn out to be something else entirely while a potentially dangerous threat is instead completely harmless and only wants to be left alone.
Alongside these side-quests players will also find that there are countless collectables scattered throughout the Shibuya streets and buildings. While most of these collectables are “spirits” that we will mention later on, there are also a large number of Japanese artifacts that range from being historical art pieces or statues to pop culture references such as plastic lizards and super loose socks and of course paranormal ones as well such as knives found around toilets. Nearly every collectible has a detailed explanation to go with it and alongside these there are even various notes from KK’s past investigations, audio recordings, hidden takuni, and more that reveal more about the world and its characters to those willing to explore.
Gameplay
Few could have expected that making a first person action game with elements of horror would work quite so well with players’ primary offense being magic spells but not only does Ghostwire: Tokyo manage to pull it off, it does it with style. When Akito is possessed by KK he can use the power of Ethereal Weaving to attack any hostile Visitors that he encounters. Dealing enough damage to any given Visitor will expose their core that can then be either destroyed by pressing and holding L1 or shot once again to destroy the enemy lest they recover and begin attacking again though should a Visitor recover they will be eliminated instantly the next time their core is exposed.
Initially Akito will only have access to a fast-firing wind attack that has an alternative charge attack that fires off two homing wind attacks at an enemy. Eventually players will unlock additional elemental attacks such as Fire that not deals massive damage and can upgraded to pierce through enemies and their defenses and charged to explode after striking its target and Water that sends out a wide-spray of slicing water close to the player and can be upgraded to fire additional slices per attack and charged to deal a wide range of damage to nearby enemies. Players will also eventually gain access to a powerful “Wire In” move that sends out a shockwave and increases the power of all attacks though this move can only be used when players have filled their sync gauge. All of these attacks make use of “Ether” that works as ammunition of sorts and Ether can be obtained both from defeated enemies as well as from destroying abnormal objects that are scattered around the world such as floating or corrupted garbage cans, fuel cans, fans, etc.
Of course, Ethereal Weaving isn’t the only tool that Akito will have access to, especially since there may be moments that he is left to his own devices. Players will quickly gain access to a spiritual bow that can be used to stealthily fire blessed arrows at Visitors and deal large amounts of damage to them and eventually gain access to special talismans that can be used to do a variety of things such as stunning enemies within a certain area or temporarily creating a wall to block the player from being seen and more. Of course, there is also a quick take down method should players sneak up on nearly any enemy in one shot, though a few foes can survive even this stealth takedown. Players can block incoming damage to take a bit less and even perform perfect blocks if timed correctly.
Now while combat may be the most exciting part of Ghostwire: Tokyo, players will be spending almost as much time fighting as they are exploring nearly every inch they can of the world given to them. While not a completely open world game, players are initially limited to navigating to only certain locations thanks to a poisonous fog that has spread throughout the city. Cleansing corrupted Torii gates and shrines will remove large portions of the fog, revealing aforementioned side-quests as well as clearing away large portions of the fog. As mentioned before, the game is absolutely littered with collectibles and one of these that is around nearly every corner and on every rooftop are Spirits.
Since nearly everyone in Shibuya has been vanished away by the fog, their spirits are now floating aimlessly together and occasionally at the mercy of Visitors. With over a hundred thousand to collect these Spirits are everywhere and must be absorbed using Katashiro talismans though it is worth noting that a single absorption can be anywhere from 90 spirits to 800 depending on how difficult a Spirit may be to find or whether they were being attacked. These Spirits are not required by any means but players are rewarded with experience points, the in-game currency meika, and occasionally special story relevant visions when they are returned to special phone booths scattered across the map.
Players will find a variety of things they can spend money on in Ghostwire: Tokyo as the emptiness of the city has allowed hidden Nekomata to emerge and take over various shops and food stalls. These shops allow players to purchase things like additional talismans and arrows, increase the amount of Katashiro they can carry, food to heal, and buy dog food as the other type of creatures that have survived are pets. Dogs still roam the streets and can be pet, fed for an occasional secret or just a small reward, and have their minds read using KK’s spectral vision. Cats can also be talked to and pet, occasionally revealing hidden secrets as well which is a nice touch and it is fun to note that KK can scold the player for spending too much time with animals.
Health is handled in a fairly unique manner in Ghostwire: Tokyo. When players begin the game, they will have a fairly small amount of health to the point that taking even one or two hits may be dangerous but every time the player eats food to recover, their health pool will increase slightly. This means that eating anything from a stick of dango, drinking green tea, or eating a Nether rice ball will increase their overall health as will leveling up. Nether food also can provide temporary buffs, though it is worth noting that actually trying to manage what food the player has equipped and will use is a bit rough.
As players fight Visitors, complete quests and side-quests, and transfer spirits they will earn experience points that allow the player to level up and earn skill points. Finding KK’s previous case notes also instantly provides some skill points that can then be used to unlock a variety of upgrades. These range from being able to carry additional items or dealing additional damage with the bow, increasing the firing rate of the Wind weave or explosion radius of the Fire weave and more. Some of these upgrades require additional materials known as Magatama, obtained from capturing the power of yōkai to further upgrade.
Unfortunately, for the most part a large portion of these upgrades feel a bit useless in the long term outside of a few highly recommended ones required for traversal, vision radius, and select combat abilities. These include the ability to glide in the air, giving players the chance to navigate rooftops with a bit more ease, and an expensive but near vital upgrade that allows players to instantly summon a Tengu to their location and grapple onto it allowing for the immediate climbing of most buildings. While these Tengu are harmless to the player and found in many areas, being able to summon their own is a massive help.
The reason for most of these navigation upgrades is that the world of Ghostwire: Tokyo is incredibly dense. Nearly every alleyway will feel like there is something located inside of it, be it a collectible, Spirit, or simply money and many buildings will also have special locations on top of them that simply are easier to reach with a few extra upgrades, especially since there is no fall damage. Players can easily sink countless hours delving through every square inch of Shibuya in the game and probably still miss out on something, though the game can provide a few hints here and there at Shrines that feature donation boxes.
Tango Gameworks has made great use of the PlayStation 5’s Dualsense controller as not only are players able to feel the firing off of their Ethereal Weaves through the trigger haptics as well as when using the bow but raindrops also cause a slight rumble whenever it rains, which is quite often and a nice touch. The controller’s speaker also gets a lot of work as it makes an eerie noise when Visitors are nearby, chimes when the player’s Spectral Sense picks up a shrine, and even meows when near a collectible. In fact, KK will often speak through both the player’s television as well as the controller to help drive home the fact he is a spirit inhabiting Akito.
Visuals & Audio
It will quickly become evident to those playing on the PlayStation 5 that Ghostwire: Tokyo is an absolutely gorgeous game, especially if players choose to select one of the many graphics options available that focuses on ray tracing. The city of Shibuya is recreated in outstanding fashion to the point that the neon glow reflects off puddles while the eerie nature of the Visitors and spiritual beings from horror stories are replicated greatly here. Combat is also presented excellently as Akito’s hand movements to fire off his weave attacks are similar to those from kung fu moves while the weaves themselves look great when striking opponents.
The game will automatically default players to the Japanese voice track with English subtitles and this works incredibly well, especially with how steeped in Japanese mythology and supernatural the game is, though those who simply want to listen to the game in English will find a perfectly handled English dub as well. The soundtrack features a solid mix of tracks that fit the style of the game perfectly including a number of tracks that work exceptionally well during the more tense moments that arise from time to time.
Overall
There came a lot of risks with taking a game as large as Ghostwire: Tokyo and going all out with it but Tango Gameworks has pulled it off. Not only does the game feature some outstanding combat set in a densely packed city that players can spend hours searching through but it delivers a solid storyline with plenty of enjoyable side content as well. It may lack a bit in rewarding player upgrades and take a bit to get going but once it does, players will find they are in for quite a treat, especially if they have any interest in Japanese mythology.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Join us for the first 1.5 hours of Gameplay for Ghostwire: Tokyo as we put our elemental powers and ghost-hunting skills to the test to vanquish the twisted supernatural forces prowling the streets of Tokyo. We run through the first few main mission quests and complete a side mission as well.
Tokyo’s population has vanished, and deadly supernatural forces prowl the streets. Use an arsenal of elemental abilities to unravel the truth behind the disappearance and save Tokyo.
Recommended – “Ghostwire: Tokyo’s great feeling combat and densely packed world offer countless hours of enjoyment, especially for fans of Japanese mythology.”
Sydney, Australia – March 21st, 2022 – Microids is over the moon today as Syberia: The World Before has launch on Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store. Dive head first into the universe created by Benoît Sokal with this latest installment of the famous Syberia series. In this new adventure, play as Kate Walker and Dana Roze, two women capable of moving mountains to uncover the deepest buried mysteries.
Watch the Launch Trailer
Syberia: The World Before is now available on PC (Steam, GOG and Epic Games Store) and will launch later this year on consoles.
Vaghen, 1937: Dana Roze is a 17-year-old girl, who is beginning a brilliant career as a pianist. However, shadows begin to appear over her future as the fascist threat of the Brown Shadow hangs over Europe, at the dawn of the Second World War. Taiga, 2004: Kate Walker survives as best she can in the salt mine where she has been imprisoned, when a tragic event propels her into a new adventure in search of her identity.
Set off on an adventure across continents and through time. Play as both Kate Walker and Dana Roze as you get to the bottom of mysteries that have remained buried for too long.
Explore the fantastic and poetic world of Benoît Sokal, with its breathtaking sceneries and iconic characters.
Unveil a mysterious plot sprinkled with puzzles in the traditional Syberia’s fashion!
Discover two captivating stories with incredibly high stakes written by Benoît Sokal and Lucas Lagravette.
Allow yourself to be transported by the symphonic soundtrack composed by Inon Zur (Syberia 3, Fallout, Dragon Age, Prince of Persia)
PC Review keys for Syberia: The World Before are available upon request.
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About Microids
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 (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, including Asterix & Obelix, and Titeuf, Garfield, Fort Boyard, XIII and Blacksad, Microids reaches a wide audience and creates original adventures which give gamers the chance to play as some of their most beloved characters.
About Benoît Sokal
Benoît Sokal began drawing for À Suivre magazine in 1978. At this time, he created the Inspector Canardo series, featuring a depressed anthropomorphic duck detective with a penchant for cigarettes, alcohol and femmes fatales. In 1996, he started the video game project Amerzone, published by Microids. Benoît Sokal is one of the first graphic novel artists to design, implement and supervise the entire production of a video game. He then went on to become Microids’ Art Director, publishing his second game, Syberia, in 2002. He was recognized as “Person of the Year” at the 2002 video games Phenix Awards; Syberia was crowned “Best adventure game of the year” in 2002 in the USA. In April 2004, the release of Syberia 2 met the same success as the first episode of the saga and was greeted with enthusiasm by fans all over the world. With Syberia 3, Benoît Sokal chose to stick with the old-fashioned way of drawing with pencils and watercolors, rather than using digital tools, giving his universe and characters a very distinctive look. A multi-talented artist, he also crafted the beloved game story and the characters’ dialogue. During these last months, Benoît Sokal was working with the teams at Microids and Koalabs on the upcoming game Syberia: The World Before.
Despite his prolific career in video games, Benoît Sokal never let go of his original passion, and released the graphic novel Kraa in 2010. He also developed the Aquarica universe for several years with his friend François Schuiten, together, they adapt Aquarica as graphic novel, which first part has been published in 2017, the second one is expected for 2022 second semester.
Leveraging the Power of Cloud Computing to Enable Unprecedented Freedom, Scalability, and Flexibility for the Games of Tomorrow.
Sydney, Australia – March 21, 2022 –Ahead of the Games Developers Conference (GDC), Ubisoft announced Ubisoft Scalar, a new cloud-native technology for game development. Ubisoft Scalar unlocks the power and flexibility of cloud computing for Ubisoft’s game engines – the software used for creating games – reducing dependency on players’ hardware and providing new possibilities for game development and player experience.
Spearheaded by Ubisoft Stockholm in collaboration with Ubisoft studios located in Malmö (Ubisoft Massive), Helsinki (Ubisoft Redlynx), Bucharest and Kyiv, the Ubisoft Scalar team looks to establish a new game development framework focused on crafting the ideal game design and experience, rather than working around traditional production constraints.
As a platform-agnostic cutting-edge technology, Ubisoft Scalar brings developers and players the inherent freedom and benefits of a cloud-native experience to power the games of tomorrow.
Unprecedented scalability, flexibility and creative freedom for developers
Built on a microservice architecture, Ubisoft Scalar places each component and system of traditional game engines independently in the cloud (AI, audio, physics…), moving from the closed, single-processor systems of today to a distributed model across a potentially unlimited number of machines. Games using this technology can therefore leverage a virtually infinite amount of computing power to push the envelope on all aspects and run anything from vast virtual worlds to extremely deep simulations and environments that were previously unachievable.
With scalability as a core design decision, one of Ubisoft Scalar’s key differentiator lies in its on-demand philosophy. The technology dynamically starts and stops services, optimized based on players and developers’ activities to only use required computing power in real-time. This optimization extends to intensive compute tasks that are cached and distributed globally, removing the need to recompute what has been computed already.
In addition, the flexibility of cloud computing also enables developers to update and improve one service without impacting others, or even add new features to a game without interrupting play sessions, meaning no patch to download and no downtime for players.
Christian Holmqvist, Technical Director at Ubisoft Stockholm says, “This is a major moment in our careers as game developers. We feel that same inspiration and freedom as when we first started using our home computers as teenagers – that feeling that you can do anything by fully tapping into the power of cloud, for the first time in gaming.”
Limitless, dynamic, persistent worlds for players
Removing historical frictions between creativity and technology, Ubisoft Scalar lets creators fully focus on game design to offer radically new gaming experiences to players. Natively cross-platform and scalable, it allows them to gather by the millions in a singular, shared virtual environment for new types of games and massively social experiences. And with cloud-accelerated systems, game worlds also reach a new level of persistency where players actions can have an immediate and lasting impact on their environment, opening the doors to new forms of emergent gameplay.
Ubisoft Scalar will progressively be made available to all Ubisoft studios whose future projects require cloud capabilities. Home to this groundbreaking technology, Ubisoft Stockholm is actively working on a new IP leveraging its full potential to deliver an experience at a scale never seen before. More information about this project will be revealed at a later date.
A foundational technology, Ubisoft Scalar stems from the recently created Production Technology department, a transversal group of more than 500 tech experts with the mission to develop the best tools and technologies that bolster Ubisoft game creators to bring their visions to life.
“Ubisoft builds on 35 years of continued investment in R&D and proprietary technologies, because technological independence is a critical differentiator,” saysGuillemette Picard, Ubisoft’s VP of Production Technology. “Ubisoft Scalar is in line with that spirit, enhancing both our creativity and our unique co-development model with new, seamless ways to collaborate at a global scale. It marks a step forward and an exciting milestone for the gaming community”.
To find out more about Ubisoft’s Technology vision and updates, visit: Ubisoft.com/technology
About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a creator of worlds, committed to enriching players’ lives with original and memorable entertainment experiences. Ubisoft’s global teams create and develop a deep and diverse portfolio of games, featuring brands such as Assassin’s Creed®, Brawlhalla®, For Honor®, Far Cry®, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon®, Just Dance®, Rabbids®, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six®, The Crew®, Tom Clancy’s The Division®, and Watch Dogs®. Through Ubisoft Connect, players can enjoy an ecosystem of services to enhance their gaming experience, get rewards and connect with friends across platforms. With Ubisoft+, the subscription service, they can access a growing catalog of more than 100 Ubisoft games and DLC. For the 2020–21 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €2,241 million. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoft.com
It’s crazy to think that is has been over two years now since we have seen a release of a mainstream wrestling title. After the failures of WWE 2K20, 2K and Visual Concepts gave us an extended break with the hope they could restore the name of their once great franchise. For some fans, the extra time in the oven was appreciated. Others have found new takes on the sport through independent projects. The once labeled “Smackdown!” franchise means a lot though, and to most, this was a last chance to see the squared circle done right. The big question is did they get it right, or is this yet another entry into the hall of shame? Let’s find out.
Story
There are two narrative driven modes within WWE 2K22. The first comes from the returning Showcase mode, this time featuring WWE mainstay Rey Mysterio. In this mode, players lace up their boots as the famed luchador as he retells parts of his career through various matches. From his famed bouts with Eddie Guererro to present day fare – where you enter tag-team action with his son. Showcase this year seems to be a short but heartfelt package to pay homage to a living legend. I usually detest the past versions of Showcase modes with 2K’s wrestling titles as they felt incompatible with the game’s own engine. Players are always required to not only play a match but also synchronize that match with the cutscenes that take place as moments are occurring in real-time. This time around, the flow works out much better with the new combat mechanics involved, allowing for one of the most fluid and enjoyable takes on the mode to really shine. That isn’t to say that there were not moments of frustration or glaring omissions to Mysterio’s storied career, but what is here is done well and most should be able to come away with a little respect for both the talent and development team due to how much effort was applied.
MyRise takes the reigns of the “Season” mode of sorts, allowing players to create a Superstar from scratch, take to developmental, and watch as they rise (and falter) on the main roster. To its own benefit, MyRise is a much more streamlined product than the clunky story modes of the past, as it cuts out a lot of the currency driven fodder for simple storytelling that makes the player feel far more involved and in control. Players now receive most of their updates through a social media stream, and their own choice of shows, responses, and even gender will make each experience unique, adding some importance to the actions and reactions they make. Having these decisions also adds in some replay value as well, so even after the credits wrap – there are still a lot of opportunities to trek through other tales that take place within Raw, Smackdown, or NXT. Yes, simplicity works well enough this year, but at times it can be to a fault, as a lot of the stories feel dated or re-used from the actual show. MyRise also starts the player with very limited resources for creation and fails to really find a way to intertwine unlockable customization with the story as more options open. Sure, you may now have the ability to change your Superstar to your liking, but with mild difficulty and no real incentive to do so, why really bother adjusting anything other than stats if the story doesn’t highlight any character evolution? MyRise isn’t a bad story mode, but still never manages to capture most of the game’s touted features – making the experience overall feel a little hollow.
Gameplay
Gameplay is where it really matters. The past few entries of the WWE 2K franchise have had a lot of roughness that has driven away longtime fans for obvious reasons. From poor AI that made specialty matches a chore to timed input mini-games deciding pins, submissions, and everything else under the hood – we haven’t had a chance to really experience the product without tedious control or game-breaking glitches in years, and that goes back much further than WWE 2K20. This year, Visual Concepts have delivered a scaled-down version of the game’s old engine, replacing a lot of the unnecessary “depth” with simple fighting mechanics that for once feel fresh and intuitive. This is largely due to the new combo-driven combat system in place of the old grappling mechanics of the past. While most of the same moves can be executed, players now can string together a combo of attacks to unlock stronger techniques.
No longer do players have to worry about limited counters either, as combos tie into reversals seamlessly, with the player able to now reverse almost everything based off their inputs. For example, every Superstar has a variety of strikes within their arsenal. Once a combo is flowing, you can then add in holds or attacks for a much more fluid combination, ultimately gaining the advantage in a match. Reversals may now be unlimited, but the combo system compliments the redesigned mechanic well, with the player having just one button to perform a counter. If that button is missed – you must now guess what type of attack the player is going to perform next (out of light, strong, or grapple attacks) to perform a counter, or ultimately take the full string as a lesson of your own timing. I get that the change may seem a bit intimidating for older players, but this new take on a fighting system feels far more enjoyable and accessible this year.
I remember the first time I played a match with limited reversals online years ago. Every match nearly had the same result. No matter how seasoned you were, the opposing player always knocked you down, and then did light attacks and stomps to have you quickly eat up all counters available. Once your chosen combatant ran out of counters, you would then be objected to that same opponent slamming you over and over with strong attacks until they almost effortlessly picked up the win with very little work. It was broken, and this finally feels like a long-term solution to a problem that has taken a lot of the “simulation” experience out of the core gameplay. Call it what you want, but this may be the first title in the franchise (since the 2K takeover) to get it right with the gameplay as matches feel a lot less predictable and more exciting this time around.
That pesky AI still has some issues, but largely has been overhauled as well. Specialty matches play out much better, with the opponent not only understanding the concept of how to win, but also continuing to fight in-between attempting to perform an objective. This means if you are Jeff Hardy challenging Undertaker in a ladder match, Undertaker will now try to weaken you before getting the ladder – rather than just constantly whipping the player out of the ring and running up to grab the briefcase after every attack. I truly cannot overstate how welcome the enhanced AI and new reversal/combo gameplay to the experience, as much like their tagline, it does “hit different” in all the right ways.
With all the praise of what’s new, there is a lot to be said still for issues 2K22 has. While the gameplay is refined, new bugs manage to bring down an otherwise stellar product. The collision detection is a major step back, with the player unable to connect or pick up weapons without a lot of extra effort. Table matches and other focused match types involving a weapon finish now feel like a chore as character models do not get interrupted unless the timing and placement are near perfect, meaning just grabbing a chair will have you fumbling while the once downed opponent gets to their feet. There are other animation bugs when it comes to interaction with the environment, and hopefully we will see these addressed in patches in the future.
The creation suite has all the options you could want to create anyone you can think of, but the amount of crashing and backtracking to different portions of the suite is frustrating to say the least. I spent a good deal of time creating two former WWE Superstars. Once I finished one attire, I needed to add an entrance, grab an image online with the uploader, and add it in as a render for the in-game selection menu (which is a nice addition – I might add). On both occasions, the loading times just going through costume parts were excessive and exiting out and going back into other portions of the creation menu caused the game to crash. That was just my own experience on the Playstation 4 version of the game. It’s almost as if the game is too large to fit within its own package.
Creation isn’t the only headache. Online play may be better due to the new gameplay engine from a competitive standpoint, but players now quit frequently with no timeouts or punishment for exiting a match. Imagine, you spend over six hours perfecting a Superstar to take online and show the world, only to have the player quit during a pin. What if Andre the Giant just said “nah” to Hogan after that scoop slam and rolled out of the ring? Lobbies have made the online mode more organized and playing with up to seven other players is a great concept – but the servers are still fickle and can drop frequently. Add in players quitting almost every match and the novelty for fighting the world grows thin to non-existent in record time.
Rounding out this year’s entry is the inclusion of MyFaction, as well as MyGM – a redesigned GM Mode, which hasn’t been featured during 2K’s entire tenure as the publisher of the franchise. MyFaction is basically like the mobile card games WWE offers but adds in real gameplay to mix things up. Players create their faction of talent by opening packs of cards, receiving bonus attributes and buffs for other cards they equip. They then fight in matches, and based on the outcome, get to climb various ladders of progression in what feels like a never-ending trek that has little point other than to add microtransactions into the game. MyFaction is kind of an intriguing concept and certainly not a bad addition, but it doesn’t really feel like it fits in this year’s game. This mode also keeps some versions of Superstars exclusive within its own walls, meaning you may get to see The Godfather or Nikki Cross (pre-Nikki A.S.H.), but you can only experience them within this tacked-on mode.
MyGM is a general manager mode of sorts – but stripped down a bit to just focus on singles and tag matches. Players select a GM, choose a roster, and must properly budget their way to ratings success, unlocking boosts and buffs that can hurt their rival or increase their own production of their show. I’ll admit I had a bit of fun here and finished a whole 15 week set in one sitting. Even though there is untouched potential here, what is delivered is fun and a step in the right direction for what we could see in the future.
Visuals
This may be the best-looking wrestling game to date. Most character models look fantastic, and fluid animations and a heavy amount of detail do a lot to make this feel close to the actual product. I remember years ago wishing that how Superstars looked within entrances could be replicated in matches, and this is surely the closest we have come. There are some clipping issues at times and the usual odd model morphs, but it feels like a lot more effort was made to the presentation this year without harming most of the offerings within. Sure, you will see variances in quality with wild hair and occasionally bland textures, but the amount of visual easter eggs and realistic actions do enough to outweigh the negative, making for a great wrestling game to show off to friends.
Audio
Your enjoyment soundtrack for 2K22 will come down to your tastes. I personally am not big on modern rap but changing to entrance themes utilizing the game’s jukebox is still available and continues to be a nice feature. Commentary isn’t too shabby, either. Our team now focus on calling moves and don’t bring up random conversation as much as they used to, making it feel far more like a play by play and less like three men arguing in a disjointed conversation. Some Superstars also voiced their own characters, which has mixed results in terms of effort applied as hearing a bored wrestler during an otherwise exciting scene can damper the special moments that 2K22 attempts to deliver.
Overall
I have been with this franchise since the first Smackdown title debuted on the Playstation. I have seen it at its highest of highs and lowest of lows. It has been a ride, to say the least, but one I honestly left after the last entry with no intention of getting back on. This isn’t just the only mainstream wrestling series left. It was a home, a special place for fans to create a community and come together, celebrating the sport that we all love for different reasons. For some people, this was their entry into wrestling altogether. For others, it was a way to re-create and reinforce why they continued to give the struggling television program another chance. That is why it was so important for Visual Concepts to deliver this year.
WWE 2K22 is a game with a good number of bugs and other issues that bog it down. At times, it feels that the game is tripping over its own feet just trying to stand up. That said, it also offers the most needed update possible to an archaic design in order to finally address real reasons that fans stopped playing. For that – it is easily the greatest entry in the franchise in over a decade. I didn’t play wrestling games to get sold a product, or to trudge through glitches due to cumbersome ideas that were never fleshed out. I played to have fun, and to relive a product that has brought me a lot of joy since I was a kid. WWE 2K22 does that, as it’s accessible, enjoyable, and finally makes the player feel like they are back in control. It does hit different, and thankfully – this is all for the right reasons.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Joins us for the fist hour and half of Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin as we team up with Jed, Ash and Neon and embark on our mission to cleanse the world from the clutches of darkness and eliminate Chaos once and for all and save the Kingdom of Cornelia. We enter the Chaos Shrine and complete the first main mission: Illusion at Journey’s End.
“When darkness veils the world, four warriors of Light shall come”
With the memory of their struggle buried deep in their hearts… Fight your way through fierce battles with a variety of means to defeat your enemies. With multiple difficulty options and a wide selection of jobs and weapons available to customize your party, you can choose exactly how you want to play. Will restoring the crystals’ light usher in peace or a new form of darkness? …Or perhaps something else entirely?
Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin Developer: KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD. Publisher: Square Enix Website: https://square-enix-games.com/sopffo/en-us/ Platform: Windows Release Date: 18th, March 2022 Price: $89.99 AUD
Recommended – “Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin is an action game in the vein of Nioh that celebrates the 35th anniversary of Final Fantasy in a splendid way..”
LOS ANGELES – MAR. 18, 2022 – Hawkeye, Hawkeye (Kate Bishop),and Maya Lopez will ready their weapons in Marvel Future Fight’s new update themed after ‘Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye series with new uniforms, content, and enhancements awaiting players today.
Three all-new uniforms inspired by Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye for Hawkeye, Hawkeye (Kate Bishop),and Maya Lopez, can now be collected by players. Today’s update also adds the S.H.I.E.L.D. Archive, which collects information of various items and Super Heroes within MARVEL Future Fight. Rewards are also given once this information is collected by players.
Other updates coming to the game include:
Story Auto Play and Repeat functionality has been added to Story missions
Hawkeye can be upgraded to Tier-3 now and has a new Ultimate Skill added
Hawkeye (Kate Bishop) and Maya Lopez now have new Awaken skills added, and can now be Transcended
MARVEL Future Fight celebrated its sixth anniversary with over 120 million players across the world. The game is currently available worldwide in theApp Store® and Google 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 Seven Knights 2, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds, MARVEL Future Revolution, Lineage 2: Revolution, The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross, Blade & Soul Revolution and MARVEL Future Fight. As a parent company of Kabam and SpinX Games, 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 at http://company.netmarble.com
About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.
App Store is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play is a trademark of Google Inc.
