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NORCO Special Edition & NORCO Original Soundtrack Announced

Raw Fury and South Louisiana-based Geography of Robots team up with local sludge band Thou for the upcoming adventure game, launching March 24

STOCKHOLM – March 3, 2022 – Raw Fury and game dev collaborative Geography of Robots have announced NORCO Special Edition and the NORCO Original Soundtrack, produced in collaboration with Louisiana-based sludge metal band Thou and available on March 24. NORCO Special Edition will include both the recently announced The Art of NORCO digital artbook and the NORCO Original Soundtrack, containing the complete score by NORCO composer Gewgawly I plus a full album by Thou. The soundtrack will also be available on music streaming platforms on March 25, as well as for purchase separately.

Listen to exclusive samples from NORCO’s OST: YouTube

Play the first full act of NORCO for free: Steam

The first-ever winner of the TRIBECA Games Award, NORCO blurs the boundaries between art and video games. Heavily inspired by the titular town of Norco, Louisiana, and the greater New Orleans region, it’s no surprise that Geography of Robots sought to team up with fellow local artists and longtime friends, sludge metal band Thou. NORCO’s OST will feature the complete in-game score by Gewgawly I (a member of Geography of Robots), as well as an album’s worth of new songs by Thou, whose past works include over a dozen LPs worth of music and collaborations with divergent artists like Emma Ruth Rundle and The Body.

NORCO and NORCO Special Edition will be released digitally on March 24 for PC and Mac. The game’s full first act is available now as a free download on Steam, and progress can be carried over to the final product when it launches.

About NORCO

NORCO takes place in a gritty, distorted version of South Louisiana. While searching for your missing brother in the aftermath of your mother’s death, you’ll team up with a fugitive security android and explore the sinking suburbs, run-down strip malls, drainage ditches, and verdant industrial swamps of Louisiana’s petrochemical hinterlands. Geography of Robots blends true stories and personal history with inspirations from Southern Gothic literature and pulp fiction to create a uniquely dark and captivating game experience.

About Geography of Robots

Geography of Robots is a game dev collab that explores the hidden geographies, conspiracies, folklore, and environmental histories of the American South in a collection of games, interactive fiction, and other experiments.

About Thou

Thou is an American sludge metal band from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The band’s line-up consists of Bryan Funck (vocals), Andy Gibbs (guitar), Matthew Thudium (guitar and vocals), Mitch Wells (bass), KC Stafford (guitar and vocals), and Tyler Coburn (drums). Their experimental style and DIY approach to touring has become a defining characteristic of the band and its aesthetic. Thou’s lyrics often espouse anarchist views.

About Raw Fury

Raw Fury is a boutique indie (un)publisher founded in 2015 by Jonas Antonsson, Gordon Van Dyke and David Martinez. We do not care about genres or mechanics. We care about experiences and emotions. We want to help developers make magic.

Publisher Assemble Entertainment Donates Steam Special Edition Revenue to Ukrainian Red Cross

Publisher Assemble Entertainment Donates Steam Special Edition Revenue to Ukrainian Red Cross

Charity Contributions Received from the Publisher’s “Save the World” Editions of Its Games Throughout March 2022 Will Be Donated to the Ukrainian Relief Organisation

Wiesbaden, Germany – 3rd March, 2022 – German publisher Assemble Entertainment announced today its support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people facing the current crisis situation via a major financial commitment for the month of March 2022. Supporting the Ukrainian Red Cross relief efforts, the publisher and its partnered charities, including OneTreePlanted, Ocean Cleanup, GoGiveOne, Atmosfair, and ShareTheMeal, warmly band together to donate revenue contributions from their “Save the World” editions of its games on Steam.

For the month of March, players who purchase one of Assemble’s Save the World editions for its popular titles such as the new entries in the Leisure Suit Larry saga, ITORAH, Orbital Bullet, Sphere – Flying Cities, and others, will not only receive bonus digital content but can feel good in knowing their contribution will go toward Ukrainian relief efforts.

In making the announcement, Assemble Entertainment founder and CEO Stefan Marcinek remarked, “All of us at Assemble Entertainment are deeply shocked and stunned by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Out of the desire to support the Ukrainian people amidst this cruel and surreal situation, immediate discussions arose internally on how we, as a relatively small German games publisher, could make a difference. We collectively decided to donate Save the World edition contributions collected during March to the Ukrainian Red Cross. We’re doing this with the hope of alleviating some of the suffering endured by the Ukrainian people as we look forward to a quick and peaceful resolution to the conflict.”

Follow Assemble Entertainment on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and join the official Assemble Discord server.  

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About Assemble Entertainment

Founded in 2016 and based in Wiesbaden, Germany, Assemble Entertainment is an independent games developer best known for the survival city-builder Endzone – A World Apart, that challenges players to survive and thrive following an environmental apocalypse, and the modernized Leisure Suit Larry series, featuring two new entries in the iconic decades-spanning saga. 

Despite the company’s short history, Assemble Entertainment has won the German Developer Award twice — in 2020 and 2021— in the category “Best Publisher.” Assemble Entertainment organizes GermanDevDays, an annual conference held in Frankfurt, Germany since 2016 that attracts more than 1,100 attendees from across the German-speaking video game development industry. The event also includes the GermanDevDays Indie Award, where indie development teams across Germany can participate in varying categories to win a cash prize for their projects. The event is hosted by Stefan Marcinek, CEO and Founder of Assemble

Return to the town, create a thriving farm and save Willowdale in the new trailer of Life in Willowdale: Farm Adventures

Life in Willowdale: Farm Adventures will harvest in June 2022 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Steam

Amstelveen, March 3rd, 2022 – Video game developer and publisher Mindscape, in partnership with publisher Just For Games and developer FRAG Games, has released the newest trailer for their farming-adventure game Life in Willowdale: Farm Adventures. The game is set to be released in June 2022 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Steam.

In the new trailer, the player returns to the friendly town of Willowdale. The mayor has asked for help to restore Willowdale to its former glory. Save the town by building a thriving farm, encounter unexpected challenges along the way, and discover the many stories that Willowdale holds…

As the player, you return to the characteristic village of Willowdale where mayor needs your help to restore the town to its former glory. Save the village by creating a lively farm, reconstructing buildings in the village and by making special friendships with the colorful residents. Will you manage to bring the departed and now feral animals back to the farm? Take on unexpected challenges and discover more surprising stories the town of Willowdale holds…

The game will launch on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC for Steam in June 2022. Soon available for pre-order at retailers (all platforms).

Life in Willowdale: Farm Adventures will launch on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC for Steam in June 2022. For more information, please visit: www.lifeinwillowdale.com

Follow Life in Willowdale: Farm Adventures on social media:
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1548910/Life_in_Willowdale_Farm_Adventures/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifeInWillowdale
Twitter: https://twitter.com/willowdalegame 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeinwillowdale/ 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0BgRTIpNz7cnlUAX3Rz6fQ

About Mindscape B.V.

Established in 1991, Mindscape has been at the forefront of development, marketing, publishing and distribution of video games for over 30 years. Capturing the minds and imagination of millions of gamers around the world, from children to adults. Mindscape is best known for games, such as Myst, Reader Rabbit and Prince of Persia 3D. In recent years, Mindscape is known for, Windstorm/Whisper, Super Puzzle Pack, Harvest Life and Jigsaw Fun. In the coming years, Mindscape will bring fun and accessible games to new & veteran gamers.

Mindscape® and the Mindscape® logo are registered trademarks of Elementalz B.V. and its affiliates. ©2022 All rights reserved.

BABYLON’S FALL NOW AVAILABLE ON PLAYSTATION AND PC

Includes free Premium Battle Pass for all players of Season 1

LONDON (March 3, 2022) – SQUARE ENIX Ltd. today announced that BABYLON’S FALL™ is now available on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, PlayStation®5 computer entertainment system and PC (Steam®).

To watch the BABYLON’S FALL launch trailer now,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUOz1RcGiEo

Developed in partnership with renowned action specialists, PlatinumGames Inc., and featuring fluid co-op-combat, powerful weapons and a unique, striking art style, the epic world of BABYLON’S FALL can be played solo or in parties up to four*. Following the launch, BABYLON’S FALL will continue to be supported with new game modes, ongoing story content, and additional weapon types at no additional cost. SQUARE ENIX also previously announced that all players of BABYLON’S FALL will get the Premium Battle Pass for free during Season 1.

Details about the content of Season 1 can be found here: https://hanging-garden.babylonsfall.com/news/pages/620146c254533376039332?lang=en-us
 
A free demo is available that gives PlayStation®5 and PlayStation® 4 players access to the opening section of the game where both single player and four player cross-play co-op can be experienced for free. All progress and achievements can be carried over to the full version of the game.
 
BABYLON’S FALL is now available on the PlayStation®5 (PS5™) console, PlayStation® 4 and PC (Steam).
 
* Requires a persistent broadband internet connection in order to play the game. Free Square Enix account required.
 
ABOUT BABYLON’S FALL
In BABYLON’S FALL players become a group of warriors known as the sentinels, bonded with special equipment called Gideon Coffins, and throw themselves into an odyssey to overcome the titanic Tower of Babylon, within which sleeps a great legacy. In addition to weapons wielded in both hands, characters can use the power of their Gideon Coffin to equip two more, allowing for combinations of up to four weapons at once. The capabilities of different equipment will also bring endless variation to the strategy that can be employed. The game’s visuals are achieved using a newly developed “brushwork style” to create a unique fantasy setting with a medieval oil painting aesthetic.

Related Links:
Official Website: www.babylonsfall.com
Twitter: @BabylonsFall_EN
Instagram: @BabylonsFall_EN
Facebook: @BabylonsFallthegame
YouTube: youtube.com/squareenix
#BabylonsFall
 
About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix group of companies. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as Crystal Dynamics® and Eidos Montréal®. The Square Enix group of companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over  163  million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 83 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over  84 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.

More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at https://square-enix-games.com

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© 2022 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. Developed by PlatinumGames Inc.
 
BABYLON’S FALL, the BABYLON’S FALL logo, CRYSTAL DYNAMICS, DRAGON QUEST, EIDOS, EIDOS MONTREAL, FINAL FANTASY, SPACE INVADERS, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, TAITO and TOMB RAIDER are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix group of companies. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

SNK LAUNCHES SIX BELOVED CLASSICS ON AMAZON LUNA’S RETRO CHANNEL TODAY

METAL SLUG 3, GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES, THE LAST BLADE 2, SAMURAI SHODOWN V SPECIAL, KOF ’98 UM FINAL EDITION, AND KOF 2002 UM AVAILABLE NOW ON CLOUD-BASED SERVICE

Osaka, Japan, March 3, 2022 – SNK CORPORATION has announced six of its timeless classics – METAL SLUG 3. GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES, THE LAST BLADE 2, SAMURAI SHODOWN V SPECIAL, KOF ’98 UM FINAL EDITION, and KOF 2002 UM – are available on Amazon Luna’s Retro Channel today for $4.99 a month.

SNK fans in the mainland United States can now enjoy their favorite fighting games or 2D run & gun action shooter on their favorite devices without lengthy downloads or expensive hardware. Luna is Amazon’s cloud gaming service that enables customers to quickly and easily play great games on the devices they already own, including Fire TV and Fire tablets, as well as Windows PCs, Chromebook, Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Android phones. 

As a service designed for instant play, Luna allows SNK veterans to pause a thrilling head-to-head match or intense firefight on one screen and quickly resume the action on another. Within Luna, players can admire their favorite Twitch streamers power dunk as Terry Bogard or soar with a Slugnoid live across all six SNK games in the service. From Twitch, players can host their own streams of classic SNK titles on Luna.

METAL SLUG 3. GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES, THE LAST BLADE 2, SAMURAI SHODOWN V SPECIAL, KOF ’98 UM FINAL EDITION, and KOF 2002 UM are now available on Luna’s Retro Channel for $4.99 a month.

©SNK CORPORATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 

Information:

METAL SLUG 3

“METAL SLUG 3”, the masterpiece in SNK’s emblematic 2D run & gun action shooting game series, still continues to fascinate millions of fans worldwide to this day for its intricate dot-pixel graphics, and simple and intuitive game controls! The most highly praised title in the series among Metal Slug fans for its refined balance and game volume, heads out to the Luna cloud gaming service!

GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES

Originally released in 1999 as a new generation in the highly popular FATAL FURY Series, GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES still continues to fascinate players around the world to this day.

Set 10 years after Geese Howard’s death, GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES restarts the legendary series with a new hero, “Rock Howard”, and hosts a plethora of new charismatic characters. Moreover, this new installment in the FATAL FURY Series abandons the traditional sway line mechanic and brings numerous new strategies with the “T.O.P. System,” “Just Defended,” and “Breaking” battle features instead.

THE LAST BLADE 2

“Hell’s Gate” is a boundary between life and death. Four ‘Mythological Symbols’ are about to fight an ultimate spirit awakened from the netherworld to the death and send him straight to ‘Hell’s Gate’. In addition to 12 combatants from the previous title, 4 brand new characters and 2 hidden characters join the fight in the gorgeous roster of 18 characters. Select your favorite sword attack type among the “POWER”, “SPEED”, and “EXTREME” modes. Master the ”REPEL” mechanic to counter your opponent’s attacks, and when the time comes activate the “SUPER SECRET SLASH”, “HIDDEN SECRET SLASH” and “ENIGMA FRENZY-ATTACK” ultimate techniques in order to change the outcome of the battle! Discover or rediscover “THE LAST BLADE 2”, which is still considered as the pinnacle of the blade-based fighting game genre around the world to this day!

SAMURAI SHODOWN V SPECIAL

SAMURAI SHODOWN V SPECIAL was released in 2004 as an upgrade of SAMURAI SHODOWN V. While keeping the “Sword Gauge,” “Rage Explosion,” and “Concentration One” features introduced in the previous installment, SAMURAI SHODOWN V SPECIAL is still claimed as one of the most balanced game in the SAMURAI SHODOWN Series.

28 fierce warriors, including Series’ legendary boss characters “Amakusa Shiro Tokisada”, “Mizuki Rashojin”, “Zankuro Minazuki”, and “Gaoh Kyogoku Hinowanokami” from SAMURAI SHODOWN V, gather and clash in this epic title!

KOF ’98 UM FINAL EDITION

After “KOF ’98”, often praised by the fans as the best installment in the “KOF” series, and “KOF ’98 UM” 10 years later, “KOF ’98” returns now on Luna in an ultimate and final version with THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION

A gorgeous character roster of 64 fighters

In addition to the original roster of “KOF ’98”, emblematic KOF characters such as Eiji Kisaragi, Kasumi Todoh, Geese Howard, Mr. Big, and Wolfgang Krauser join this ultimate tournament. Furthermore, this final edition offers an alternate version to some characters for a total of 64 different fighters and infinite team possibilities.

New system ULTIMATE MODE

The newly added “Ultimate Mode” will allow you to combine the various features of the original “Extra” and “Advanced” game modes in order to create your own one! Moreover, classic “Extra” and “Advanced” 2 game modes have been thoroughly rebalanced for a wider variety of battle strategies.

KOF 2002 UM

The second title in the UM series is a fully upgraded version of KOF 2002, a masterpiece of the KOF series deserving of a place honor along with KOF ’98. Based on THE NESTS CHRONICLES, this title includes the most characters of any title in KOF history. All graphics and background music have been completely redone and the game balance has also been extensively redesigned. New moves have been added and others have been brought back, meaning that players can enjoy battling it out for longer than ever.

About SNK
Headquartered in Osaka, Japan, SNK develop, publish, and distribute interactive entertainment software on a global scale. Known for such franchises as THE KING OF FIGHTERS, METAL SLUG, and SAMURAI SHODOWN, SNK continues to focus on their rich console game and arcade history.

WWE 2K22 – Historic 2K Showcase & MyRISE Trailer

Players relive pivotal moments from Rey Mysterio’s legendary 20-year WWE career in 2K Showcase, or chart their own paths to Superstardom in MyRISE

2K today unveiled a thrilling first look at two modes coming in WWE® 2K22 with the inspirational 2K Showcase and MyRISE Trailer, featuring highlight clips from a stunning retelling of WWE 2K22 cover Superstar Rey Mysterio’s 20-year career in WWE, as well as a preview of unique storylines for the men’s and women’s divisions available in MyRISE.

In Rey Mysterio’s 2K Showcase, players take on legendary opponents including Eddie Guerrero, The Undertaker, and Shawn Michaels, as well as current Superstars, including The Miz and Dolph Ziggler. Fast-paced gameplay flawlessly transitions to live-action historical footage, using 2K’s new Slingshot Tech, for a truly immersive experience.

MyRISE gives players the opportunity to experience the journey of a WWE Superstar, from the humble beginnings of a Rookie at the WWE Performance Centre to the challenge of becoming a Superstar, to being immortalized as a WWE Legend. With unique men’s and women’s division storylines available, players will encounter an array of WWE Superstars and Legends as they embark on the journey.

WWE 2K22 will be available on March 11, 2022*. For more information on WWE 2K22, visit the game’s official website, become a fan on Facebook, follow the game on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #WWE2K22 or subscribe on YouTube.

Visual Concepts is a 2K studio. 2K is a wholly owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

*WWE 2K22 Standard Edition and Cross-Gen Bundle will be available March 11, 2022. WWE 2K22 Deluxe Edition and nWo 4-Life Digital Edition will be available on March 8, 2022.

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SEVEN KNIGHTS 2 INTRODUCES ITS FINAL CHAPTER AND NEW LEGENDARY HEROES IN LATEST UPDATE

SEVEN KNIGHTS 2 INTRODUCES ITS FINAL CHAPTER AND NEW LEGENDARY HEROES IN LATEST UPDATE

LOS ANGELES – MAR. 2, 2022 Seven Knights 2, the sequel to Netmarble’s original and long-running mobile roleplaying game Seven Knights, received a new update today that adds Chapter 13, which focuses on Knight of Light Rudy and Phine’s destinies in the last journey of the Daybreak Mercenaries. This last chapter also caps off Seven Knights 2’s original story with the last battle against the Destroyer and Catastrophe’s identity reveals – all through beautifully rendered in-game graphics, cut scenes, and closing credits.

As part of this update, players can now acquire two newly added heroes – the Legendary + Hero Lord of Destruction Evan and Legendary Hero Nestra’s Incarnation Shane.Determined to take revenge on Rudy, Lord of Destruction Evan is an effective PvP hero that is equipped with powerful skill sets that remove buffs, display devastating stuns towards enemies, and grant invulnerability to players. Nestra’s Incarnation Shane is also armed with various crowd control abilities that can push and bind enemies.

Other additions and events for Seven Knights 2 players to enjoy include:

  • New Exclusive Equipment – Players have the chance to craft the new Exclusive Equipment by using a Hero’s Soulstone. Once created, the Exclusive Equipment grants additional impact on the skills given to the Hero.
  • New Eight Player Raid: Bad Blood Added – The newly launched eight player defense raid focuses on clearing waves of enemies, which requires a different configuration of heroes compared to other raids. Players can obtain materials to craft Exclusive Equipment items.

Seven Knights 2 takes place 20 years after the original Seven Knights, and centers on the Daybreak Mercenaries who embark on a journey to find the last member of the Seven Knights “Rudy,” after a series of events involving a mysterious girl named Phiné. Starring an array of characters depicted with stunning graphics powered by Unreal Engine 4, Seven Knights 2 will immerse players in a true sequel featuring the fun and innovative gameplay of Seven Knights enjoyed by players around the world. Players can collect and develop charismatic heroes while engaging in a deep and immersive cinematic story.

Seven Knights 2 is available now for download on Google Play, App Store and Windows PC. The game is available to play in twelve languages, including English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Thai, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Italian, French, Russian, and Indonesian.

More information on Seven Knights 2 can be found on the official Facebook page, YouTube and forums or by visiting Netmarble’s Global YouTube channel.

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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 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.

Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 7 biohazard Coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2022

London (2 March, 2022) Experience three acclaimed Resident Evil™ titles like never before when Resident Evil™ 2, Resident Evil™ 3 and Resident Evil™ 7 biohazard arrive on PlayStation® 5 and Xbox Series X|S later this year. Developed using Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine, all three titles will tout cutting-edge features including ray tracing, high frame rate and 3D audio to enhance the immersion of the award-winning experiences. For PlayStation 5 players, all three titles also feature engaging DualSense™ support for Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers.

Players who previously purchased Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3 or Resident Evil 7 biohazard on PlayStation® 4 or Xbox One are eligible for an upgrade at no additional cost through the PS4™ to digital PS5™ upgrade option or Xbox Smart Delivery system. Fans will be able to re-experience the spine-chilling horrors and incredible visuals of these fan-favorite titles on the latest generation of consoles. An upgrade patch will also be available for PC users at no additional cost.

About Resident Evil 2

Based on the original genre-defining masterpiece, Resident Evil 2 has been completely rebuilt from the ground up for a deeper narrative experience. Using Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine, this reimagining of Resident Evil 2 offers a fresh take on the classic survival horror saga with breathtakingly realistic visuals, heart-pounding immersive audio, a new over-the-shoulder camera, and modernized controls on top of gameplay modes from the original game.

About Resident Evil 3

Resident Evil 3 tells the story of S.T.A.R.S. member Jill Valentine as she escapes from a crumbling Raccoon City and the relentless Nemesis. Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine combines photorealistic visuals and a modernized control scheme with the series’ intense combat and puzzle solving to deliver the action-packed final chapter of Raccoon City’s collapse.

About Resident Evil 7 biohazard

Resident Evil 7 biohazard set a new course for the Resident Evil series when it released, leveraging its roots while opening the door to a truly terrifying horror experience. A dramatic new shift for the series to first-person view in a photorealistic style powered by Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine, Resident Evil 7 biohazard delivers an unprecedented level of immersion that brings the thrilling horror up close and personal.

DISCARD DECADES OF DIRT IN BRAND NEW POWERWASH SIMULATOR CONTENT, OUT NOW!

FOAM YOUR WAY THROUGH FOUR NEW JOBS, INCLUDING OUR LARGEST LEVEL YET!

LONDON (March 02, 2022) – Today, award-winning developer FuturLab released their latest update for Steam Early Access title POWERWASH SIMULATOR. Published by Square Enix Ltd, the 0.8 update features four new career jobs, Vintage Car challenges, and colourful cosmetics! 

POWERWASH SIMULATOR lets players wash away their worries with the soothing sounds of high-pressure water. Players can build their very own power washing business and blast away every speck of dirt and grime that they can find. With a unique take on the simulation genre, POWERWASH SIMULATOR focuses on player relaxation and escapism. 

In the latest update, wash away decades of dirt and unearth some of the town’s hidden history in the abandoned Subway Platform, our largest level yet! From uncovering the past to discovering your future, clean the Caravan of a travelling Fortune Teller who already knows you’ll do an excellent job.

“We’re really excited to tease a little more of the lore in the latest update.” commented Lead Designer Dan Chequer. “We’ve loved seeing the community’s theories on where the story will go, and we hope this gives them a little more of an insight into what’s to come.” 

That’s not all for this update; take a trip to the desert and help Harper reveal the mysteries of an Ancient Statue, then assist a pilot with the eggy engine of their Stunt Plane. On top of all that, test yourself with the Vintage Car Water and Time Challenges, and get fancy with a brand new washer skin and gloves. For a list of all new features and quality of life changes, check out our Developer Logs here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/1290000/allnews/
 
POWERWASH SIMULATOR is currently available on Steam Early Access here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1290000/PowerWash_Simulator/
 
Official Website: https://futurlab.co.uk/game/powerwash-simulator-2/
Steam Early Access: http://bit.ly/PWSOutNowSteam
Twitter: @PowerWashSim
Discord: https://bit.ly/JoinPWSDiscord
TikTok: @powerwashsim
YouTube: http://bit.ly/FuturLabYT
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/powerwashsim/
 

About FuturLab
FuturLab is a boutique, award-winning game studio based in Brighton, UK. FuturLab has developed and published remarkable games on PC and console since 2003. The game studio is best known for Velocity 2X, Tiny Trax, Mini-Mech Mayhem and Peaky Blinders: Mastermind and is currently working on the highly anticipated PowerWash Simulator.
 
About Square Enix Collective
Square Enix Collective® is a London-based division of Square Enix Ltd. The Collective programme was launched in 2014 to assist indie game developers build community awareness for hundreds of games pitches and has helped teams to raise in excess of $1.2 million via Kickstarter campaigns. Collective has now published and distributed a range of indie titles since April 2016 and is on the look-out for great new projects and talented teams to work with globally – whether it’s publishing support for a development that’s already funded, or investment to help the creation of a game.
 
About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix group of companies. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as Crystal Dynamics® and Eidos Montréal®. The Square Enix group of companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 164 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 83 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 85 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
 
More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at https://square-enix-games.com.

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CRYSTAL DYNAMICS, DRAGON QUEST, EIDOS, EIDOS MONTREAL, FINAL FANTASY, SPACE INVADERS, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, TAITO and TOMB RAIDER are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix group of companies. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

Horizon Forbidden West Review

Horizon Forbidden West

Developer: Guerilla Games
Publisher: Sony
Platforms: PlayStation 4PlayStation 5 (Reviewed)
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $69.99 USD – Available Here $124.95 AUD – Available Here

Overview

Few could have expected that a developer known for their FPS franchise Killzone would not only move on from their primary genre successfully but would do so by creating massive open world games instead. Still back in 2017 the team at Guerrilla Games surprised many by bringing Horizon Zero Dawn to the PlayStation 4 and introducing everyone to a new post-apocalyptic sci-fi world. Now five years later the team has returned promising an even bigger and better entry in the series in the form of Horizon Forbidden West, but does Aloy’s journey to new lands manage to meet expectations?

Story

Set six months after the events of the previous game, Aloy is continuing her journey to find a way to save what is left of humanity as powerful storms continue to ravage the land, new machines continue to appear and remain almost always hostile towards humans, and a strange new red blight that slowly kills everything it touches creeps cross the land. In this journey she learns that the answer to many of her questions lies out West, in a land even more wartorn and ravaged than what she has grown to know.

In an effort to avoid spoiling anything, we won’t go into detail here but it can easily be said that Horizon Forbidden West tells an engaging, albeit a bit rough around the edges storyline that not only reveals more about how the world ended up like it is by building upon the mysteries that were laid out in the first game while also goes into much deeper detail regarding the world Aloy is actually living in now by forcing her to interact with more characters and dealing with conflicts beyond just the machines as there are other dangers, including rival tribes, living out in the West and balancing tensions may play a role in how well Aloy can accomplish her mission.

By focusing more on the current world and its inhabitants Horizon Forbidden West does an excellent job building up side characters that Aloy will interact with for lengthy periods of time. These side characters grow, especially if players take on various side-quests, and develop as the story progresses which is a delight, especially since Aloy herself is a bit of a letdown this time around. Players will occasionally get the opportunity to select dialogue choices for Aloy but these do not change the story and often barely change the tone of the conversation and even when interacting with some of the most delightful of NPCs, Aloy will often bring the entire interaction down on her own, something that feels oddly strange for a main character to be doing, even if she slowly does get a bit better over time.

It is worth noting that, while once again we cannot go into detail, Horizon Forbidden West suffers heavily from “middle game syndrome.” Not only are some of the final events in the storyline questionable at best, but the finale leaves plenty of questions left unanswered as fans are left to wait for a third game in the series. That isn’t to say that the story told here isn’t interesting, far from it as this is still a great sci-fi tale filled with action, mystery, and an oddly dull lead, but those who are hoping for a fulfilling conclusion will be a bit disappointed.

Gameplay

After a brief linear start that serves as mostly a tutorial/refresher course for players Horizon Forbidden West quickly begins to open up into the massive open world sandbox that fans of the first will be quite familiar with. Players can choose to simply head towards their next story objective if they so wish but the map is densely populated with side-quests to take on that have some solid variety and often great rewards, ruins to explore where players can solve puzzles for loot and upgrades, challenge arenas focusing on certain skill sets or combat arenas, and of course tons of machines to hunt down both for the aforementioned side-quests, upgrades, and of course for fun. If fans of the first game can think of something, Horizon Forbidden West has managed to do it bigger. There is even an in-game board game that players can sink time into should they please.

Combat has been enhanced as well thanks in part to the expanded skill tree system. Players now have six skill trees that they can allocate points into as Aloy levels up or completes side-quests and these not only make it so players can build Aloy’s skillset a bit closer towards their playstyle but also makes nearly every aspect of combat viable. Choose to stay at a distance and shoot apart a machine’s tearable pieces until a well placed shot at a weakpoint brings it down, place a trap in a marked machine’s patrol path and wait for it to be weakened for the killing blow, or simply rush in and tear them apart with Aloy’s staff. All of these feel viable this time around and combining these mechanics makes for some of the best parts of the game’s combat, especially with how satisfying breaking apart a machine for upgrades feels.

Another element that has been modified is platforming and climbing and unfortunately these changes have made exploration a bit rougher. For the most part climbing and platforming still works fairly well as some elements remain automated and highlighting climbable locations with Aloy’s Focus still makes climbing most areas fairly simple, especially since Aloy quickly gains access to a new movement tool at the start of the game as well as a number of other exploration tools later on, including one that opens up a whole new world of swimming areas, however actually climbing these areas and platforming can feel far more random than players would expect. Aloy can either completely miss a climbable ledge, randomly leap off restarting player progress, or even grab handholds that were previously out of reach. This isn’t too much of an issue but it has led to some frustrating moments where Aloy may randomly choose to climb certain distances from one moment to the next.

As for the various effects added to the DualSense controller, Horizon Forbidden West makes the best of what the controller has to offer. The tension of drawing back Aloy’s bow for a vital shot or launching her pullcaster at an object feels great while navigating the world, especially around extremely large machines and while swimming, makes great use of the haptic feedback.

Visuals & Audio

The linear beginning of Horizon Forbidden West only provides players with a small sample of what Guerrilla Games has in store for them as, once they manage to hit even the smaller open world and, eventually, hit the main area of the game players will find themselves in for a real treat. The world and landscapes of Horizon Forbidden West are expertly designed and are gorgeous to look at and travel through. Ruins of the old world and the new mechanical beings that roam the lands serve as a stark contrast from one another, especially with there being even more robotic creatures this time around. Even the designs of the characters have been handled better alongside making sure that various outposts and settlements feel more lived in as well, giving the world of the game extra life even while the actual expressions of the characters themselves are a bit too stiff and odd looking at times.

Ashly Burch has once again returned to reprise her role as Aloy and handles the character well throughout the course of the story as her initial coldness towards others eases as the story progresses. It is also nice to note that, alongside the fact that side characters have a bit more time to shine in the story this time, the voice acting for the rest of the game is handled very well. The soundtrack features a solid enough mix of tracks that work well when exploring the world and during important cutscenes as well.

Overall

Aiming to go bigger and better in almost every regard and managing to nail it in almost every regard is quite an accomplishment and that is what Guerrilla Games has managed to do here with Horizon Forbidden West. From increasing the amount of combat options and enemies to fight to expanding the open world to an even grander scale it is easy to sink hours into this game simply exploring side paths and seeing everything it has to offer. That being said, while this sci-fi tale is a strong one that balances the Old Ones and current world far better than the first game, it is clear that things are being left for an eventual third entry rather than satisfying players here.

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