PlayStation Plus February line-up is here with three adventurous titles available to add to your game library. From Tuesday, 1 February, challenge yourself to enter the octagon in EA Sports UFC 4, storm castles in Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep: A Wonderlands One-shot Adventure or build parks in Planet Coaster: Console Edition.

Let’s take a closer look at the games…

EA Sports UFC 4 | PS4

EA Sports UFC 4 puts you at the centre of every fight. Develop and customise your character through a unified progression system across all modes. Go from unknown amateur to UFC superstar in the new Career Mode, or challenge the world in new Blitz Battles or Online World Championships* to become the undisputed champ. Fluid clinch-to-strike combinations offer more responsive and authentic stand-up gameplay, while overhauled takedown and ground mechanics deliver more control in those key phases of the fight.

Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep: A Wonderlands One-shot Adventure | PS4**

Smash skeletons, defeat dragons, and battle giant golems in this first Wonderlands adventure inspired by Borderlands. Experience the acclaimed 2013 quest that started it all in this standalone campaign jam-packed with fantasy, fun, and mountains of magical loot! Pick from six unique Vault Hunters, each with their own signature abilities and powerful builds, and jump into chaotic fantasy battles in solo or co-op**. Use souped-up firearms to blast your way through treacherous forests, spooky crypts, and fearsome fortresses. Be warned though: your journey can change in an instant on account of Tina’s gleefully chaotic whims.

Planet Coaster: Console Edition | PS5***

Surprise and delight crowds as you build the coaster park of your dreams and manage a truly living world with unparalleled attention to detail. Whatever your skill level, bring your ideas to life. Take advantage of Blueprints to quickly place over 700 pre-made objects, including coasters, facilities and scenery; build from the ground up with detailed piece-by-piece construction; or transform the ground itself with terrain-altering tools. Running your park is just as easy. Guests react in real-time as you set prices, place scenery, and install exciting new attractions. Keep them entertained so attendance figures – and profits – skyrocket. Looking for inspiration? Discover the Frontier Workshop and harness the world’s best designs in your expanding empire. Download coasters, scenery, buildings, and entire parks, or grow a following by uploading your own creations. From stunning firework displays to sprawling cruise ships, there’s no limit to creativity.

EA Sports UFC 4, Planet Coaster: Console Edition, Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep: A Wonderlands One-shot Adventure will be available to download from Tuesday, 1 February to Monday, 28 February.

And remember, players still have time to download January’s PlayStation Plus games line-up, with Persona 5 Strikers, Dirt 5 and Deep Rock Galactic available until Monday, 31 January. 

To learn more about the PlayStation Plus lineup for July, head to the PlayStation Blog.

For the latest PlayStation news, follow on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

Bethesda ANZ is bringing a piece of High Isle to the Australian summer to celebrate the reveal of The Elder Scrolls Online’s 2022 Chapter. In collaboration with Australian cosplay and propmaker masters, Scrap Shop Props, Bethesda has produced limited edition ‘Chilly Chests’, themed after chests adventurers can find throughout this year’s Breton adventure.

The specific style is modelled after relics of the Bretons of High Isle – a key location the heroes of Tamriel will visit throughout their 2022 year-long adventure. Created from recycled materials, these super limited-edition chests are both a gorgeous collectible, and a functional drink cooler that makes for an incredible companion to your next backyard BBQ. The Chilly Chest comes complete with a key, which doubles as a handy bottle opener, to keep things secure as well.

Available for fans of The Elder Scrolls franchise to win via Bethesda ANZ social pages, the chest itself is not just good for keeping drinks cool in the never-before-seen Systres Archipelago. A few lucky winners will also receive one packed full of glorious ESO summer treasures. The masters of mystical concoctions at Bert’s Soft Drinks have whisked up some Breton Bitters, a delicacy from High Rock best enjoyed chilled to quench your thirst during hot island days. The Elder Scrolls ‘Breton Society of Steadfast’ themed beach towel rounds out the summer loot haul found inside this hand-crafted trove.

The Elder Scrolls Online ‘Chilly Chest’ is a limited edition item, but one lucky fan will get the chance to unearth one of their own by visiting the Bethesda ANZ social channels – with more to win throughout the year. Images of the ‘Chilly Chest’ can be found here.

The Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle Chapter is available on June 6^th for PC/Mac and June 21^st for Xbox and PlayStation. Check out the reveal stream for a recap of all the recently revealed information, and visit www.elderscrollsonline.com to read more.

For more information head over to the Bethesda News site.

BRING LIGHT TO THE DARK DOMAIN IN MARVEL FUTURE REVOLUTION’S LATEST UPDATE

New Netherworld and Niffleheim Regions, New Blitz level and Other In-Game Enhancements Await Agents of Omega Flight

LOS ANGELES – JAN. 27, 2022 – The next chapter for MARVEL Future Revolution, Netmarble and Marvel Entertainment’s first open world action RPG on mobile, is now live and introduces two new deadly regions within the Dark Domain for players to conquer. The chapter introduces the Netherworld,ruled by the Ruler of Hell Mephisto, and Niffleheim, governed by the Queen of Death, Hela. Players can now continue the game’s epic storyline to restore peace to Primary Earth.

Today’s update also introduces the new Blitz level for players to take on featuring Mephisto. Now players can face this super villain via new Blitz: ‘Devil’s Reign’. Players with level 115 or above are exclusively permitted to enter this battlefield, stronger equipment can be obtained upon clearing the stage.

Other enhancements made to MARVEL Future Revolution include:

• Raid / Specialization Enhancement – Two additional difficulty levels for Raid content will be added for Agents of Omega Fight to enjoy
• New companions – Ghost Rider, Baron Mordo and Blue Bamf are here to assist in most vigorous combat
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And more events to come!

• Dark Domain 14 Day Log-In Event – Get a total of 1,000 Crystals, 4-star Region Costume Selection Box, and more by checking-in 2 consecutive weeks
• Conquer the Dark Domain Event: Get Companion Baron Mordo, Dark Domain Treasure Box
• Lunar New Year Craft Event: Collect Lunar Tokens (2022) to craft various items and more

Developed by Netmarble Monster, MARVEL Future Revolution is the second collaboration between Netmarble and Marvel Entertainment, and a successor to the long-running hit mobile game MARVEL Future Fight, enjoyed by more than 120 million people worldwide. MARVEL Future Revolution is available now as a free download on the App Store and Google Play. For the latest news on MARVEL Future Revolution, please visit the official website (https://marvelfuturerevolution.com) and follow #MARVELFutureRevolution across all social channels:

• Facebook: Marvel Future Revolution
• Twitter: MarvelFutureRev
• Instagram: marvelfuturerevolution
•  YouTube: Marvel Future Revolution

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ABOUT MARVEL Future Revolution

MARVEL Future Revolution is Marvel’s award-winning open world action RPG for mobile devices, featuring AAA-quality, 3D graphics in an original, high-stakes, adventure-driven storyline by well-known Marvel writer Marc Sumerak (Spider-Man, the Avengers and more). After numerous Earths converge in the multiverse to form an entirely new ‘Primary Earth’, players will join the newly formed ‘Omega Flight’ Super Hero team to serve as the last line of defense against a never-ending series of threats and nefarious Super Villains. With eight playable characters outfitted in iconic costumes from throughout the Marvel Universe, along with more than 400 million costume combinations per hero to choose from, players can meticulously personalize their ideal Super Heroes look while exploring archetypal locations in an open world of massive proportions.

Since launching in August 2021, MARVEL Future Revolution has been recognized by Apple as the 2021 ‘iPad Game of the Year,’ by Google Play as the ‘Best Competitive Game’ of 2021, and by The Game Awards – receiving a nomination for ‘Best Mobile Game’ in 2021.

For more information and to join the MARVEL Future Revolution movement, please visit: https://marvelfuturerevolution.com/

About Netmarble Corporation

Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a top developer and publisher pushing the boundaries of the mobile gaming experience with highly innovative games including Marvel Future Revolution, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds, Lineage 2: Revolution, The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross, Blade & Soul Revolution and Marvel Future Fight. As a parent company of Kabam, and a major shareholder of Jam City and HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment), Netmarble strives to entertain audiences around the world with a variety of mobile games based on its powerful franchises and collaborations with IP holders worldwide. More information can be found 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.
For more information visit marvel.com. © 2022 MARVEL

Presentation to take place at D.I.C.E. Awards ceremony on Feb. 24 in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 27, 2022) — The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) today announced Ed Boon, chief creative officer at NetherRealm Studios and Mortal Kombat, will be inducted into the AIAS Hall of Fame. Boon, co-creator of the storied Mortal Kombat and the Injustice franchises, will be honored at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards ceremony at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas and livestreamed by IGN. Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, will present the 2022 Hall of Fame award to Boon.

“We are thrilled to have Ed be inducted into our Hall of Fame,” says Meggan Scavio, president of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. “From his early work on pinball machines to his monumental achievements co-creating the Mortal Kombat franchise, Ed’s dedication and perseverance to the craft and art of games has left an incredible legacy for fans and game developers alike.”

“I met Ed on my very first day in the game industry at Midway and had the good fortune to watch him lead the creation of Mortal Kombat and work with so many talented people to grow it into an iconic, worldwide franchise. Ed epitomizes the best of what a game designer can be: big ideas, a great sense of humor, clear focus, and the ability to bring people together as a team. He has created not only a string of hit games but has also supported countless people on their own paths in the game industry,” says Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios.

After graduating from the University of Illinois, Ed Boon started his career at Williams Electronics programming pinball machines. He eventually moved over to the video game division where he worked on his first title, High Impact Football, and its sequel Super High Impact. In 1991, he began work on Mortal Kombat, which became a smash hit in arcades and grew into a global phenomenon selling more than 75 million units to date, as well as spawning three feature films, animated movies, multiple television series, and comic books. Today, Mortal Kombat continues to grow in popularity with each new release. In addition, Boon and NetherRealm Studios created the best-selling and critically acclaimed Injustice games, which have also branched out into chart-topping comics, an animated feature film and mobile games.

The AIAS Hall of Fame honor is bestowed on game creators who have been instrumental in the development of highly influential games and moving a particular genre forward. These individuals demonstrate the highest level of creativity and innovation, resulting in significant product influence on a scale that expands the scope of the industry. Past AIAS Hall of Fame recipients include Connie Booth (2020), Bonnie Ross (2019), Todd Howard (2017), Hideo Kojima (2016), Leslie Benzies (2014), Dan and Sam Houser (2014), and Tim Sweeney (2012). Additional Hall of Fame honorees can be found at: http://www.interactive.org/special_awards/index.asp.

Tickets to the 2022 D.I.C.E. Summit and 25^th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards can be found at www.dicesummit.org. Stay up to date on all AIAS news by following @Official_AIAS on Twitter and Instagram.

In line with recommendations from public health authorities and to facilitate a safe environment, attendees and staff will be required to show proof of a U.S. FDA- or WHO-recognized vaccine against COVID-19 or a negative COVID-19 test prior to the event. For additional information and updates, check here.

About Academy of Interactive Arts and Science
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) was founded in 1996 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and recognition of the interactive arts. The organization has more than 30,000 members. The mission of the AIAS is to promote and advance the worldwide interactive entertainment community; recognize outstanding achievements in the interactive arts and sciences; and host an annual awards show, the D.I.C.E. Awards, to enhance awareness of the interactive art form.

The prestigious D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit brings together the top video game designers and developers from around the world and business leaders from all major publishers to discuss the state of the industry, its trends and the future.
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Classic Rhythm and Beat Game Available Now!

IRVINE, Calif., (January 27, 2022) – Leading video game publisher and developer BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. today announced Taiko no Tatsujin™: The Drum Master is now available for purchase digitally in the Americas for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PCs (supports Xbox Play Anywhere). Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master marks the first time a taiko rhythm and beat game being released on the Xbox Series X|S and supported on Xbox Game Pass. 

In Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master, players can drum along and ride into the rhythm with Taiko no Tatsujin’s iconic note characters, Don-chan and Katsu-chan, lighting their drumming spirit on fire. Players will be delighted while being challenged with performing an extensive library of over 70 songs, ranging from classical to popular hits including, Homura, Into the Night, and MEGALOVANIA.

Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master supports local multiplayer matches for up to two players. Players can reach euphoric levels of rhythmic synchronicity by performing cooperatively together or compete head-to-head for the highest score in Score Battle mode. Additionally, players can compete in Ranked Matches, pitting themselves against other players in 1 vs. 1 performance battles to take their spot on the Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master online global leaderboard and see who the best Taiko no Tatsujin drummer in the world is.

Lastly, as players progress in the game, they’ll be able to acquire custom avatars and costumes for Don-chan, showing off their unique personality and accomplishments to players around the world. 

“The Taiko no Tatsujinseries has been a long-running and cherished franchise for BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, providing decades of fun rhythmic gameplay to millions of players around the globe,” said Lin Leng, Senior Director of Brand Marketing at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. “Bringing Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master to the Xbox Series X|S platform, for the first time ever, delivers a family-friendly and unique gaming experience to a whole new audience who will surely enjoy the high-energy beats of taiko..”

Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master is available now for purchase digitally in the Americas for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PCs. For information on this and other products from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., please visit www.bandainamcoent.com or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS, or join the conversation on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/BandaiNamcoUS

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About BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc.

BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., part of the BANDAI NAMCO Group, is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for all major video game consoles, iOS, Android, and online platforms. The company is known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises including PAC-MAN®, GALAGA®, TEKKEN®, SOULCALIBUR®, and ACE COMBAT®. BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. is the premier publisher in the Western hemisphere for anime based video games including NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, DRAGON BALL Z®, and ONE PIECE®. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.com or www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS

All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners. 

Taiko no Tatsujin™: The Drum Master! & ©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.

Press Release © 2022 BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.

In case you missed the news, Binge.com, the highly anticipated streaming platform creating original series and shows inspired by popular video games, announced today that Greg Russo (Mortal Kombat) will write and direct the previously revealed live-action System Shock series — based on NightDive Studios’ critically acclaimed System Shock franchise.

Greg Russo, who penned New Line Cinema’s 2021 hit film Mortal Kombat, will also act as an executive producer alongside Binge’s Allan Ungar and Nightdive Studios’ Stephen Kick (CEO and Founder) and Larry Kuperman (Director of Business Development). 

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to work alongside the fantastic team at Binge and Nightdive Studios to bring the iconic System Shock franchise to life,” said Russo. “I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to make my directorial debut, and I finally found it.”

“Greg is a superbly talented screenwriter who possesses an unmatched knowledge and passion for gaming,” said Ungar. “His artistic approach to storytelling and his deep understanding of the source material will undoubtedly get fans excited about this new franchise. We’re thrilled to be bringing him on board and can’t wait to share his vision with audiences worldwide.”

“I’ve always believed that a live-action adaptation of System Shock would be the perfect medium to retell the harrowing story of Citadel station and its rogue AI that subjects the crew to unimaginable horror,” said Stephen Kick, CEO and Founder of Nightdive Studios. 

He added, “With Greg Russo and the rest of the talented team at Binge behind the wheel, our excitement for the live-action series has only gotten stronger. We can’t wait to see what grotesqueries and frights await!”

Announced in late 2021, the live-action System Shock series will stream exclusively on Binge.com. To learn more, please visit http://www.binge.com/mediacenter.

Nightdive Studios’ System Shock: Enhanced Edition and System Shock 2 are available to purchase for Windows PCs on various digital storefronts. A complete remake of the original 1994 System Shock is in development by Nightdive Studios and will be published by Prime Matter for release on Windows PC and consoles later this year. 

STOCKHOLM – Jan. 27, 2022 – Developer Jaw Drop Games and publisher Raw Fury are excited to announce a new partnership to release the music-driven first-person shooter GUN JAM in the future on PC. Originally teased in a 2020 tweet that sent shockwaves through the rhythm game community, this adrenaline-charged rhythm FPS has revealed a vibrant new look, alongside the first clip of its electrifying soundtrack, featuring three distinctive genres: EDM (electronic dance music), trap, and metal.

Welcome to the vibrant city of Mubel, where the omni-present ‘Beat’ uses everything — even music — as a means of control. While city-dwellers dance to The Speaker’s ruling tune, players must rebel and break out of its hypnotic flow by force.

In GUN JAM, an original, multi-genre soundtrack propels you across varied environments. Carefully match your shots to the beat pattern and fight off hordes of tranced-out troopers and other enemies to survive the musical dystopia and restore freedom to the masses.

Key Features:

• A unique beat-pattern shooting mechanic
• Firefights are synced to an original, multi-genre soundtrack
• Adapt to different music, environments, and enemies as you progress
• An immersive art style and vibrant surroundings that react to the music

GUN JAM is available to wishlist now on Steam, so grab a weapon and your headphones, and prepare to obliterate enemies while blasting to the beat. Follow @GUNJAMGame on Twitter for the latest updates.

About Jaw Drop Games

Jaw Drop Games is an independent game studio based in the U.K. drawn from a collective of experienced, award-winning game development professionals. We blend AAA production values with independent originality and creativity. Our goal is to create games with jaw-dropping moments.

Official Site: jawdropgames.com
Twitter: twitter.com/jawdrop_games

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.

Official Site: RawFury.com
Twitter: @RawFury
Discord: discord.gg/RawFury

Quench your thirst with a juicy Dev Update on one of V Rising’s most exciting game features

Skövde, Sweden – 27th January, 2022 – Stunlock Studios today have published their latest Dev Update discussing one of V Rising’s exciting new features and its origins. V Blood is crucial to a vampire’s survival and is found flowing through the veins of some of the most powerful beings in the game. It comes down to natural selection: “In order to be the fittest, you must feed off of the fittest”. Learn more about the importance of V Blood and how it relates to the lasting legacy of the big guy himself, Dracula, in this Dev Update that’s soaked with new info.

For Art Director Johan Wahlbäck, V Blood’s importance in the game is demonstrated by how the art team went about designing and implementing the visual style of V Blood units:

“Our V Blood units are the seasoning that breaks up familiar flavors and adds a unique twist to the experience. They stand out and make the player prove that they understand how to survive and conquer in an unforgiving world.”

More on V Rising
V Rising is an open-world vampire survival game. Awaken as a weakened vampire from centuries of slumber and survive a world full of peril. As a vampire, you need to hunt for blood in nearby settlements to regain your strength and quench your thirst. Build and customize your castle, invite friends to join your clan, and convert humans to servants to grow your empire. Engage in real-time combat and compete for world domination with PvP and PvE challenges. Will you become the next Dracula?

About Stunlock Studios
Stunlock Studios is one of the leading independent Swedish game developers in Skövde and most known for arena brawler Battlerite. Since the launch of Battlerite, more than 6 million unique players have tried their luck in the arena, shooting Battlerite up to the peak of the ‘top-selling’ free-to-play games on Steam on several occasions. With a passion for multiplayer action games, the studio crafts ground breaking and community-driven games, always with their players in mind.

For more information, visit: https://www.stunlock.com

Grab your watering can and head to Planimal Point in this collecting and farming action RPG with a twist

Manchester, UK – 27th January, 2022. Merge Games and Maple Powered Games are delighted to announce that following a hugely successful launch on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox 360, the action farming RPG Monster Harvest launches today for PlayStation 5. 

Dig deep into the soil of Planimal Point, as a new resident looking to set up roots, with a truly unique twist on the farming simulator genre. Monster Harvest taps the creative mind of players, and its burgeoning community, with a host of mix and match harvesting solutions, with mutant companions at the core of this chemistry equation, and an engaging turn-based battler system.

Utilising the power of the PlayStation 5 console, Monster Harvest looks and plays  even better with upscaled 4K visuals, improved performance, stability and framerate. Players can now feel even closer to the action with the addition of new PS5 DualSense features including immersive lighting, speaker and haptic effects as the gameplay unfolds. 

About Monster Harvest

Monster Harvest is a monster collecting and farming action RPG with a twist! Grow, collect and mutate your crops then take them into battle! Filled with places to discover and multiple ways to build your farm, get ready to craft, explore and battle across the vibrant world of Planimal Point. 

During the journey through Planimal Point players discover strange Slimes which can mutate your crops in ways they would never have imagined! Depending on the season, the Slime or the crop you mutate, players will be able to create up to 72 different mutations!

Some crops will mutate into Planimals who are loyal mutated crops that stay by the players side through thick and thin. They’ll be a key companion as players adventure across Planimal Point, taking part in thrilling turn-based battles and exploring dungeons as you try to bring down the evil SlimeCo.

Features

• Farm with mutants! Use magical slimes to mutate the crops you grow on your farm.
• Collectible Planimal companions! Some slimes mutate your crops into Planimals!
• Take your loyal companions into battle as you look to save Planimal Point from the Evil SlimeCo. 
• Three unique seasons: Dry, Wet, and Dark – Strange weather and seasons shift what the player can grow.
• Venture into the town of Planimal Point – Discover the people and creatures that live there, build relationships to gain discounts in stores.
• Craft dozens of items for your farm and your house.

PlayStation 5 features 

• A number of haptic effects can be found throughout the game including rain fall and performing dodge rolls
• The DualSense speaker is used for certain gameplay sound effects
• Using slime will cause the DualSense controller to flash in the corresponding slime colour
• Upscaled 4K visuals 
• Improved performance, stability and framerate.

Monster Harvest launches today for PlayStation 5 via the PlayStation Store. Also available digitally for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC and physical boxed editions for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. 

Visit the official site at https://www.mergegames.com/monster-harvest-2

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About Merge

Merge Games is a global video game publisher, developer and distributor based in Manchester, UK. The company publishes and distributes games worldwide for PC, consoles and streaming platforms, including Dead Cells, Streets of Rage 4, Spirit of the North, Cloudpunk, Aragami and Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX. Merge is also developing its own survival game, Smalland, in house. In 2021, Merge Games was acquired by Zordix AB (publ). For more information, please visit www.mergegames.com

About Maple Powered Games

Maple Powered Games is a small Indie studio based in a small town in Canada. We focus on making fun and family friendly games that remind us of the games we grew up with but with a modern flair. Started by a husband-and-wife duo who left the humdrum business world to make their own studio, our goal is to create beautifully hand crafted worlds for players to explore and fall in love with.

Fight Formidable Foes Using the All-new Multi-linked Turn-based Battles and Twin Action Combat!

BURLINGAME, Calif. – Jan. 27, 2022 – Today, KOEI TECMO America and developer GUST Studios revealed further information about the all-new battle system in their highly-anticipated JRPG, Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream. The latest entry in the adored Atelier series is scheduled to release across North America on Feb. 25, 2022 for the Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4, and Windows PC via Steam®, with pre-orders starting today on all platforms. To celebrate the announcement, a new trailer was released featuring the game’s opening theme “Syndetos” by Suzuyu.

When Sophie sets out on an adventure to find a missing friend and unlock the mystery behind the dream-like world of Erde Wiege, she will have to fight the many monsters that inhabit the land – some of which Atelier fans may recognize from previous entries! For the first time in the series, Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream features a battle system that begins instantly without any load times or separate screens, allowing gameplay to flow seamlessly between exploration and combat. In this new battle system, up to six party members can join forces for “multi-linked turn-based battles”. These party members will be split into two teams; the “assault team” which consists of the three members in the front, and the “back-up team” which features the three members at the back.

One of the abilities that this new combat system introduces is Twin Actions. Here, the front and back rows can choose to attack together, or have the front row make their move first while the back row recovers and charges up. This ability uses less MP than performing the attacks separately, offering the chance for players to inflict more damage to their foes in battle. Alternatively, players can use the Support Guard action that allows a member of the back row to protect a member in the front row when they are being attacked. Since the members in the front and back rows can be freely switched, it’s important to keep track of each member’s HP and to use these abilities at the right time. In order to use the Twin Actions and Support Guard abilities, Technical Points (TP) are required. When the Dual Gauge reaches 100%, Dual Triggers – a special move where two party members launch a powerful ability together – can be triggered to get an upper-hand in battle.

Some of the enemies that Sophie and her companions encounter will be covered in an aura, and these monsters will be more difficult to inflict damage upon, dealing large amounts of damage to the party. By attacking the monster’s aura with an element it is weak against, the aura will be reduced and stun the monster, allowing Sophie and friends to perform more actions in a row than usual. In some battles, Weather Control can also be used during battle to create favourable situations that weaken the monster’s aura.

In addition, players will be able to use the game’s built-in Photo Mode to capture their favorite moments from inside the game, including images of the beautiful environments, their party members, the people of Roytale, and the many species of monsters roaming the land! With a wide range of edit functions, players can create memorable pictures from their adventure to help them cherish Sophie’s epic journey.

KOEI TECMO America also announced today that Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream is available for pre-order digitally across all platforms. Those that digitally pre-order the game will receive access to the “Easy Breezy” costume for Sophie on their adventure! A limited time bonus, the “Comfy and Casual” outfit for Sophie, is also available for those who purchase the game physically or digitally within the first two weeks of launch. Additionally, those who purchase the game physically on its first-run will receive a special reversible coversheet for their game and a bonus poster with exclusive artwork by NOCO! The celebrations don’t stop there though, as KOEI TECMO America is also offering a delightful new Limited Edition of Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream, exclusively available through the NISA Online Store. This must-have version of the game contains an art book, deluxe fabric poster, keychain, bonus BGM CD, and an exclusive DLC costume all packaged into a beautiful collector’s box.

For more information on Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream, check out the official site, ‘Like’ us on Facebook, and Follow us on Twitter @KoeiTecmoUS.

ABOUT KOEI TECMO AMERICA CORP.

KOEI TECMO AMERICA CORP. is a publisher of interactive entertainment software for current generation consoles, handhelds and digital download content based in Burlingame, California. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD., headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. KOEI is best known for its Dynasty Warriors® and Samurai Warriors® franchises. TECMO is best known for the Dead or Alive®, Ninja Gaiden®, Tecmo Bowl®, and Fatal Frame® series.

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