Check out the thrilling, action-packed gameplay walkthrough alongside details on skill trees for all six classes
Today, 2K and Gearbox Software offered a fresh look at gameplay for Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands®. The new gameplay walkthrough features two Fatemakers teaming up for some co-op heroics beneath the treacherous peaks of Mount Craw, an optional area within the game that gives you a sense of the scale of zones you can find off the beaten path.
Additionally, the Tiny Tina’s WonderlandsGame Guide has been updated with a full list of always-on Class Feats, iconic Action Skills, and passive Skill Tree abilities for all sixclasses. You’ll start your adventure by choosing a primary class, but it won’t be long before you earn a secondary class slot with the Multiclass system to create a truly hybridized character build.
Whether you’re looking to start theorycrafting your perfect build right away or want to get a general sense for which classes you’d like to combine for maximum Multiclass might, you can check out all the details on the game’s official website.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands will launch on March 25, 2022 across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, and PC via the Epic Games Store exclusively at launch, and on other PC digital storefronts later in 2022. Pre-orders are now available across all launch platforms, and players can also visit playwonderlands.com to register for the game’s newsletter.
Developed by Gearbox Software, the OFLC rating for Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is M. To learn more, please visit playwonderlands.com and follow @PlayWonderlands on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
SEOUL – Feb. 28, 2022 – Netmarble, a leading developer and publisher of high-quality mobile games, is thrilled to announce the launch of its own blockchain ecosystem, MBX (MARBLEX). The ecosystem, officially available beginning in March, is powered by Netmarble’s inherent MBX currency.
MBX, a Klaytn mainnet-based blockchain ecosystem, is focused on elevating the excitement of Netmarble games by incorporating blockchain technology. The ecosystem not only encourages organic engagement from players, but also rewards them for their participation.
The ecosystem, utilizing its own MBX currency and MBX Wallet, will be available for players to experience for the first time in March when it is applied to A3: Still Alive globally.
Meanwhile, as Netmarble has established a blockchain subsidiary, Netmarble will seek opportunities to bolster its competitiveness by leveraging the ecosystem for various games and technologies, as well as opportunities in the NFT and Metaverse sector.
Netmarble will share a white paper on MBX, along with its official website, in March. Detailed information can currently be found by following MBX on Twitter and Facebook.
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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 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
Dying Light Gets PC Crossplay and Epic Games Store Release with Launch Discount
With Dying Light hitting Epic Games Store, Techland brings a PC crossplay option
Wrocław, Poland — 1 March 2022 — The original Dying Light is now available on the Epic Games Store with a launch discount, and with this new addition, all PC players of Dying Light can unite and survive the streets of Harran.
Techland brings all Dying Light players together with Epic Online Services solution, which means that all PC players using Steam, Epic, and the GoG platform, as well as all Windows, Mac OS, and Linux users, can now play together in co-op.
Today’s premiere of Dying Light on the Epic Games Store brings a launch discount for Dying Light Enhanced Edition (-60%) and Dying Light Platinum Edition (-70%). This sale will be active until 8 March at 2 am AEDT. Dying Light on the Epic Games Store is available here.
A first-person action survival game set in a post-apocalyptic open-world overrun by flesh-hungry zombies. Roam the city devastated by a mysterious virus epidemic. Scavenge for supplies, craft weapons, and face hordes of the infected. Dying Light was published in 2015 and has been played by over twenty million people all over the world. From the creators of hit titles Dead Island and Call of Juarez. Winner of over 50 industry awards and nominations. The game whose uncompromising approach to gameplay set new standards for first-person zombie games. Still supported with new content and free community events years after the release.
About Techland
Founded in 1991 in Poland, Techland is a renowned independent game developer and distributor for all leading platforms, including PC, Sony PlayStation, and the Xbox family of devices. Techland is best known for the original Dead Island games, the Call of Juarez series, and the Dying Light franchise, a global phenomenon played by over 20 million unique players to date. To top that, Techland’s experienced teams allow the developer to work on two of its own AAA titles at the same time. Comprising over 400 professionals across three offices in Poland, the company is committed to delivering unforgettable experiences and using the latest technology for innovative entertainment, which includes the proprietary C-Engine. For more information about the company itself, visit the official website at:www.techland.net.
All product titles, publisher names, trademarks, artwork, and associated imagery are trademarks, registered trademarks, and/or copyright material of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
I always had a soft spot for post-apocalyptic RPG games. Mostly because it’s not too hard to get sucked into that world. Add some decent RPG mechanics, a huge open world, immersive story and you got my attention. First ELEX was a bit rough around the edges, but that game had a heart in the right place. The inevitable sequel is here and as long as they added some improvement to the formula and spiced up the visual, I think we will be fine. Let’s see now what we’re working with here.
Story
We continue right where we left off. Same protagonist, same universe, but new problems. Several years after Jax defeated the Hybrid, a new threat is upon us. The dangerous powers of dark Elex are threatening all life on the planet. To defend the peace on Magalan, Jax now has to convince the factions to unite against a common threat (aka suicide mission approach from Mass Effect 2) and also find his own son, Dax, who got separated from him. Magalan is the world of consequences. Five major factions are Berserkers and despite what their name might imply, they rely more on the actual magic than the melee approach. The Albs, Outlaws, and Clerics are more focused on using Elex in their everyday life, while Morkons are the mysterious faction that you can usually find in the old tunnel systems of Magelan. The NPCs will remember what you did and treat you accordingly and they can join or leave your group depending on how you behave. Your decisions and behavior during a playthrough will be the key points for one of the many endings you can get.
Gameplay
The first thing I’ve noticed is that one of the selling points of the game (here and in the previous entry), the jetpack, is now way easier to control. I can’t tell you how many times I died in the first ELEX just by going up way higher than intended, running out of fuel in midair, and falling down to my demise. This being an ELEX game, you can forget any sort of hand-holding at the start. The beginning is hard and unforgiving. You have to pay close attention to where you’re going since most of the enemies can kill you in one hit (until you work on some skill and get better equipment). With each level up, you will get the attribute points that you can assign to strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, and cunning. Each attribute has a noticeable effect on your character, for example, dexterity will improve your ranger damage while constitution will give you more hit points. On the other hand, abilities are tied to learning points. You get them by consuming special potions and while leveling up. You also have to find a correct teacher in-game so you can assign them accordingly. Combat in ELEX II is nothing to write stories about, it’s pretty straightforward and your attributes and equipment will determine the outcome even before you land )or take) the first hit. But again, the immersing aspect of the game is always more tailored to building your character properly, crafting equipment, and learning new abilities. There is also enchanting in the game, sort of. Once you learn the “gemstone socket” ability, you can first them into any weapon or armor piece with an empty socket. Most of them will give you a neat bonus of more experience per kill or health per hit, so it’s wise to invest in them as well.
Visuals
The entry-level to run this game properly is also unforgiving, just like the game difficulty. There is a certain barrier that separates it from looking like a PS2 game or making every other location into a screenshot material. There is a noticeable improvement in visuals but it comes at a cost. You will need a decent rig to run it properly. Even with minimum requirements listed on the store page, it’s still a struggle to maintain decent fps. however, if you’re way above that minimum threshold the game will be a joy to explore as it is to look at. The aesthetics of the equipment in the game is something that deserves a separate mention. Many armor sets have a distinct style and wearing one will make you seem like you’re going from a postapocalyptic sci-fi game to a medieval sandbox.
Audio
The voice acting in ELEX II is decent at best, but the environmental sounds and atmospheric audio is where the game truly shines. You can often tell if you’re stumbling into a dangerous area just by listening to the sound alone. Pro tip: if you hear an animal that is louder than you – just run. The louder they are, the more chance that they can kill you in one or two hits. Even though most of the game boils down to solo exploration and scavenging for parts and items, you never feel like you’re alone with the atmospheric background music that’s sprinkled throughout the game.
Overall
While ELEX II still struggles to attain a proper footing, there is evident improvement here compared to the previous game. The RPG mechanics have been greatly expanded, the world is larger and more immersive this time so if you were a fan of the previous entry, purchasing this is a no-brainer. Just know what you’re getting into. This is an RPG that isn’t going to hold your hand and you have to invest a bit of effort to get a lot of enjoyment back. But once you get into it, it’s hard to get out. Once you get out of the quicksand that is the starting area and things start to piece themselves together in terms of world-building and gameplay, it’s incredibly hard to put this game down.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Join us for the first hour of gameplay for ELEX II. We run through the first few main story missions and side quests. We meet up and speak to Jax’s wife Caja and accompany their son Dex over to the Bastion.
In this sequel to the vintage Open World RPG ELEX, Jax must once again unite the free people of the Science-Fantasy world of Magalan against a new threat – the Skyands, who want to change the face of the planet forever.
ELEX II Developer: Piranha Bytes Publisher: THQ Nordic Platform: Windows Release Date: 2 Mar, 2022 Price: $49.99 USD
PAC-MAN MUSEUM+ EATING ITS WAY ONTO PLAYSTATION 4, XBOX ONE, NINTENDO SWITCH, AND PC WITH XBOX GAME PASS AVAILABILITY ON MAY 27, 2022
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. today announced PAC-MAN MUSEUM+, coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PCs via STEAM and Windows PC (supports Xbox Play Anywhere), and playable on day one with Xbox Game Pass on May 27, 2022. The game will also be compatible with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. PAC-MAN MUSEUM+ presents a unique curated collection of classic and modern PAC-MAN games spanning the 40-plus year history of the storied iconic video game character’s library.
In addition to the eclectic selection of classic PAC-MAN titles, the collection also features a customizable in-game arcade, where new items can be earned by completing missions and earning in-game coins in each of the 14 featured titles. Players can unlock cabinets, figures, decorations, wallpapers, and custom flooring to design their own creative arcade layout, complete with a jukebox to customize their musical soundscape. For a limited time, players who purchase the game within the first 30 days of launch will be able to obtain a launch bonus which includes five silver or gold figures that can be displayed in their virtual arcade.
For players looking to prove their PAC-MAN prowess with competitors around the world, they can go online and register their top scores in a variety of worldwide leaderboards to see how they stack up against the best joystick jockeys and arcade game acolytes out there.
The full list of PAC-MAN titles featured in PAC-MAN MUSEUM+ includes:
If there is one thing that is common to all of my most anticipated games, it’s that they’ve been delayed over and over again. Sometimes it’s a few weeks, months, or even a year. But as they say, all good things are worth the wait. I got access to Shadow Warrior 3 almost 2 weeks before release so I had plenty of time to dissect it. It’s a third entry in the series that introduced a lof new gameplay mechanics and peculiar design choices. There is a lot to talk about here, so let’s get it started.
Story
Our hero Lo Wang is joining forces with its former employer and nemesis Orochi (now turned sidekick) to recapture an ancient dragon that they released from its eternal slumber. The plan is simple: obtain a maks of a dead god, a dragon egg, a bit of magic, a lot of firepower, and hopefully, things go according to plan. Spoiler alert: they don’t. In true Shadow Warrior fashion, the story is often ludicrous and bordering on insane so prepare for a lot of twists and turns. There is also a mask stealing raccoon in all that mess and a certain boss that looks like he just woke up from a 7-day drug-fueled orgy. In any case, you’re in for a fun ride.
Gameplay
As I said above, Shadow Warrior 3 comes with a whole lot of changes. No more semi-open world like in Shadow Warrior 2, no more unnecessary loot drops, it’s all refreshingly linear with way more attention to the story. Pretty early in my playthrough, I started seeing the game as an unintentional homage to DOOM Eternal. Why is that, you might ask. First off, the level design is more arena-like. You’ll have short platforming sections where you eventually end up in sections with dozens of enemies thrown at you. Then the game turns into intense tests of skill when it comes to dodging enemies and evading their projectiles, all while killing the smaller ones so you can build up the fatality bar for the really dangerous ones. Oh right, the fatalities. Another gimmick reminiscent of the new DOOM games. Killing enough enemies and picking up fatality orbs will gradually fill up the relevant bar so you can swiftly get rid of the big baddies with a gory execution. This also brings me to the topic of gore weapons. Killing certain enemies with executions will reward you with limited use of gore weapons. They are extremely powerful and helpful when you are being overwhelmed. The one-hit kill katana from samurai enemies has saved me more times than I can count. Weapon and character upgrades are still there, but this time you earn them by occasionally picking them up in levels (most of them are well hidden) and completing various weapon challenges. Things like headshot push/kill/execute a certain number of enemies with certain weapons. And last, one of the novelties that spice up the gameplay is environmental kills. In almost every arena you’ll find peculiar switched that upon hitting open trap doors or activate spiky rollers that obliterate every enemy in its way. It’s a great way to dispose of more dangerous enemies while conserving some ammo.
Visuals
It’s not uncommon that every sequel receives a bit of a visual upgrade, but I can’t list many examples where a sequel looked so……..pretty as is the case here. Flying Wild Hog devs somehow managed to make even damp and boring caves look mesmerizing. Visual upgrade is not limited to level design only, the enemies are now violently colorful and their design is often bordering on comical. You would also think that also that upgrade requires some strong engine under the hood, but no. The game is surprisingly well optimized.
Audio
When it comes to audio, we need to address one elephant in the room first. During the early trailers and gameplay videos, one thing that was apparent was the different voice actors for Lo Wang. For most of the folks, the reception was not as positive as you’d expect but after finishing the game twice I have yet to see anything bad on that front. Granted, I played Shadow Warrior 2 almost three years ago so the memory of that different voice actor is a bit hazy to me. And that’s what it is at the end of the day, it’s different but nothing immersion-breaking. I think the new voice actor did a fine job and it’s just a matter of getting used to him.
Overall
However, there is one thing that might worry some people on the release day way more than a different voice actor. I mentioned that I completed the game twice already and that didn’t take a lot of my time. The first playthrough was just a bit over five hours and the second was even shorter. Granted, I didn’t go for all the upgrades the first time but Shadow Warrior 3 was still surprisingly short for such a story-focused game. The good news is that if you can get past that, you’re in for a ride. Shadow Warrior 3 is a big step up from its predecessor in terms of visuals, gameplay mechanics, and fast-paced swordplay & gunplay. All things considered, it’s a sequel that lived up to my expectations.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Join us for the first hour of gameplay for Shadow Warrior 3 as we set forth on our mission to take down and capture an ancient ten thousand year old dragon unleashed from it’s eternal prison. To do so, we join forces with Orochi Zilla and concoct a plan on using the power of late God of Mischief: Hoji’s mask. But for this plan to work, we must meet with Zilla’s friend Motoko a sorcerer who has the power to consume the energy stored in Hoji’s mask and use it’s powers to destroy the dragon! Along the way we slice, dice, slaughter and maim every demon that get in our way in true ninja style!
Shadow Warrior 3 launches the offbeat first-person shooter series to the next level with a seamless blend of fast-paced gunplay, razor-sharp melee combat, and a spectacular free-running movement system.
Shadow Warrior 3 Developer: Flying Wild Hog Publisher: Devolver Digital Platform: Windows Release Date: 2nd of March, 2022 Price: $49.99 USD
Code Breakers: Women in Games arrives at Yarra Ranges Regional Museum
The free ACMI touring exhibition will be at the Museum from 5 March to 15 May 2022
Code Breakers: Women in Games, ACMI exhibition. Photographer Mark Ashkanasy.
Yarra Ranges Regional Museum is thrilled to present Code Breakers: Women in Games,an ACMI touring exhibition celebrating the achievements of women working in the games industry,from Saturday 5 March to Sunday 15 May 2022.
This free exhibition transforms Yarra Ranges Regional Museum into an immersive and interactive game zone. Visitors can play an array of video games – from indie to commercial hits and new releases – all made by Australian and New Zealand women working in different capacities: as directors, programmers, developers, digital artists, writers, producers and designers.
Alongside the fun, Code Breakers seeks to shatter stereotypes and ponder important questions: What does a more inclusive games industry look like? How do we encourage this diversity? How might video games contribute to social change?
“We are excited to host Code Breakers at Yarra Ranges Regional Museum,” says Yarra Ranges Deputy Mayor Cr Johanna Skelton. “The exhibition offers a brilliant opportunity to bring focus to the achievements of women in creative technologies, as well as exploring the positive social impacts of gaming and its narrative, educational and artistic potentials.”
To celebrate the exhibition’s launch, the Museum will host an online conversation “On Gaming and Social Change” on International Women’s Day on Tuesday 8 March from 12 pm to 1 pm AEDT. The event will feature some of the industry’s top female game makers and thinkers, exploring how video games and interactive technologies are shaping our future. The event is free and guests can register here.
The game makers featured in the exhibition include Lisy Kane, Producer at League of Geeks, co-founder of Girl Geek Academy and one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in the games category; Katharine Neil, independent Game Developer and director of the hugely controversial and influential game Escape From Woomera; Maru Nihoniho, Founder and Managing Director of Media Interactive and recipient of a New Zealand Order of Merit for her service to the gaming industry; and Siobhan Reddy, Co-Founder and Studio Director of Media Molecule, named in Fortune’s 10 most powerful women in gaming.
Deliver pizzas and crush bullies in Ninja Pizza Girl, join an animal clan in Armello or race souped-up cars in Need For Speed: No Limits. From platformers and role-playing strategy digital board games through to graphical adventure and racing games, Code Breakers offers something for everyone at every skill level.
Additionally, the Museum has several other public programs available, including:
An online event featuring award-winning writer and narrative designer Brooke Maggs;
School holiday workshops;
Quiet Hour sessions for a low-sensory exhibition experience;
Savvy Seniors supported sessions;
School groups can also book exclusive visits and ACMI-led digital education programs in the classroom.
Code Breakers: Women in Games will show at Yarra Ranges Regional Museum from 5 March to 15 May 2022. Entry to the exhibition is free.
New year, new KOF! Well, not exactly, but it sure is good to know that SNK is doing good nowadays. The King of Fighters XV follows the mold set by its predecessors, a 3-on-3 team battle fighting game. The player is able to choose among a cast of 39 fighters. Almost all the fan favorite characters are present, and with a lot more coming on the way in the form of DLC content. Differently from the Marvel vs series by Capcom, in KOF XV there’s no character swapping mid-fight. You pick three characters, select the order in which they’re going to fight, and once their health gauge is depleted, the next one will come into the fray.
As with happens with most fighting game series, little is changed in the way of mechanics. Developers normally tend to focus on tweaking the game’s systems and graphics to try and match the current technology and trends. With SNK and KOF, this same logic applies: KOF XV is basically a revamped version of the 2016 released KOF XIV: All of its systems are present in this new iteration, with a few changes here and there. This isn’t exactly a bad thing. Few people had the opportunity to enjoy KOF XIV due to its bad online gameplay, something that has plagued fighting games since the inception of online play in the genre. Not even Street Fighter V, currently one of the most populated fighters, is free from inconsistent online play. But things are changing, and for the better.
Story
On the surface, The King of Fighters is a global tournament where the majority of the cast compete for the chance to win fame, money, and the title of the toughest martial artist on the planet. Of course, that’s just a pretense for “evil” characters to plot world domination, resurrection of old gods and the like, just to be stopped by the “good” guys in the end. In the last KOF, a being known as Verse was called into our dimension. His presence caused all manner of time and space distortions that outright teleported in characters from other SNK series whose stories happen hundreds of years before. In the final moments of the tournament, it’s revealed that Verse was a receptacle for a huge amount of souls. Among these souls were previously deceased KOF characters that were resurrected when Verse was finally defeated. Again, a new tournament is about to begin, and with that, a new menace rises…
The meat of KOF’s story isn’t told in the game, but on mangas that are normally released after the game’s development is concluded. It can get a bit complicated, but it’s fun enough to know all the motivations and personalities of the characters involved.
Gameplay
KOF XV is very bare bones when it comes to single player modes. You have the traditional story mode, which play like an arcade mode with cutscenes that tell the main story. Upon defeating the last boss, a couple of still panels will show the ending for the team you chose. Overall, the story mode is implemented poorly: It’s kinda boring, the story isn’t explained well, and it’s played out too much by the numbers. Apart from that, we have mission mode, where you can take on missions that delineate the basic combos of each character, and the training mode.
The developer’s emphasis was obviously implementing a good net code -which makes use of GGPO rollback- and a variety of online modes: In ranked mode, players duke it out to see who’s the strongest. In casual mode, your rank isn’t affected even if you lose. There’s also online training, which is a feature that every fighter should have and allows the player to practice online with a friend. My experience online on the PlayStation 4 version of KOF XV was very satisfactory. The matches flow without hiccups and with low lag. Obviously, the online performance will also be dependent on your connection. For optimal results, always use an ethernet cable to connect your console online.
At first, KOF XV’s system doesn’t seem that different from other fighting games. Each character has their own health gauge and super meter that is used for super moves, but that’s not even scratching the tip of the iceberg. There’s a variety of mechanics that form the basis for the gameplay. Those include hops which are a shorter version of the normal jump, hyper jumps, and rolling backwards or forward which is used for evading attacks. The super meter also comes into play to give the player a number of defensive options: When blocking a hit, at the cost of one meter you can perform a rolling to escape from pressure, or a blow back move which will send the opponent far from you. New to KOF XV is the shatter strike. It’s a tool that can be used both offensively – by cancelling a normal attack into shatter strike – or defensively: Upon activation of the shatter strike, your character will block most attacks before countering with a blow back that stuns the opponent. Max mode -which was first introduced in KOF XIV– now costs two super bars to activate. That’s done by pressing light kick and strong punch at the same time, and can be done in the middle of a normal attack, allowing you to extend combos, or to further apply pressure on the opponent. There’s a tutorial in-game that covers all of these aspects briefly. It’s a good idea to practice them, especially if you decide to hop online and play more competitively.
All of this seems like a lot to learn, but if you’ve played a fighter before and like the genre, all you need is a bit of persistence and consistent playtime. It’s definitely worth it. KOF XV is a very fun and fast game. The characters are well-designed and full of personality. Landing a “Climax” super will surely get a kick out of you, as they’re beautifully animated and deal huge damage.
Visuals
Although KOF XV is now made using Unreal Engine, it uses the same framework as the previous entry in the series. The overall graphical upgrade when compared to KOF XIV is notable: All characters were redone entirely, with new designs, textures and animations. The stages are vibrant and detailed. Even then, some old animations look untouched, while others were tweaked to flow better. Because of this, KOF XV can be a mixed bag visually sometimes and won’t please everyone. Having thoroughly played KOF XIV, I think that the visuals in KOF XV are gorgeous!
Audio
The audio is one of KOF XV’s best asset, especially when it comes to its music. Every team has its own theme, and they’re composed in a variety of musical styles: jazz, rock, folk, and the list goes on. Something on the KOF soundtrack will catch your attention. I want to make a special mention for team Sacred Treasure’s theme: It’s a mix of the themes of Kyo (Esaka), Iori (Arashi no Saxophone), and Chizuru (Fairy). All of these three characters themes come together to form one concise and delightful track. A neat feature that SNK had the courtesy of adding, and without any additional cost, is called DJ Station: It allows you to pick over 300 past KOF tracks to listen to, provided that you unlocked them by completing certain conditions in-game. You can even assign one of these tracks to play in a match online or offline.
Overall
While KOF XV isn’t a groundbreaking fighting game and also not the most polished graphic-wise, it’s certainly one of the best in the genre available today. It excels where it matters most for a fighter: Its gameplay is superb, and the online play performance can only be rivaled by that of Guilty Gear Strive.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
