Join us for the first hour of gameplay for Astria Ascending as we run through the first Act: The Peyska Spring Incident. We head off and investigate the Harmony Orchard and take down the Noises that are in the area. From there we clear Peysa Spring of Noises deep in the servers below the city and take down the first Act boss [An Octofairy] (in a lengthy battle – did not use any focus points). After that we have a quick game of J-Ster with ARPAJO to end Act 1.
Explore a vast world on the brink of chaos in a mature, emotional JRPG. Experience an epic story with rewarding, turn-based combat and expansive customization rendered in glorious 4K hand-drawn visuals.
Astria Ascending Developer: Artisan Studio Publisher: Dear Villagers Platform: Windows Release Date: 1 Oct, 2021
Recommended – “An ambitious project featuring big names from the JRPG scene. It uses many JRPG conventions from the past, but ultimately, fails to stand up to the best in the genre.”
Hunt, forage and fight prehistoric beasts on Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, and PlayStation VR
Kyoto, Japan, September 27th 2021 –Skulls of the Shogun and GALAK-Z developer 17-BIT’s highly anticipated VR survival adventure Song in the Smoke will launch on October 7th for Oculus Quest and Rift platforms, and PlayStation VR at $29.99. Get ready to embark on an epic quest in a mysterious prehistoric world full of strange beasts where they must craft, forage, hunt, and fight to survive.
Song in the Smoke utilizes VR to its full potential, allowing players to expertly identify threats with sound, sight, and smell. Use the world to your advantage, and stalk your prey from the tall grass. Intuitive VR controls let you line up the perfect shot with your bow, but be careful to listen out for the creatures that may be hunting you, or else you’ll have to fight for your life with clubs, sticks, or anything else you can get your hands on.
With art by famed illustrator Katsuya Terada (The Legend of Zelda, Blood: The Last Vampire, The Monkey King), Song in the Smoke creates a primordial wilderness unlike any other. Part survival game and part mysterious adventure, Song in the Smoke’s fantastical creatures and stylized scenery lend an eerie, otherworldly tone to an experience that’s both action-packed and intimate.
“When we decided to make Song in the Smoke we knew we wanted to make more than a VR tech demo, but rather a fully fleshed out survival adventure that captures the danger and wonder of the natural world. It’s a place you want to be… even when it scares the bejesus out of you,” said 17-BIT founder and creative lead Jake Kazdal. “We’re based in Kyoto, which is full of absolutely mesmerizing ancient forests, and we wanted to capture the feeling of being a primitive person living in this lush wilderness, relying on their wits and instincts to get by. Song in the Smoke is enchanting and foreboding in a way that never would have been possible without VR.”
About 17-BIT Founded in 2009 as Haunted Temple Studios, 17-BIT began as a small Seattle studio composed of veterans from Sega Japan and EA Los Angeles. Since its inception, 17-BIT launched the turn-based tactics game Skulls of the Shogun, and the love letter to 1980s arcade shooters that was GALAK-Z. Now based in Kyoto, Japan, 17-BIT is developing its most ambitious title yet with the VR survival adventure Song in the Smoke, coming to PlayStation and Oculus in 2021.
About Oculus The Oculus team at Facebook Reality Labs lets people defy distance—connecting with each other and the world—through world-class VR hardware and software. The Oculus content team pursues the creation of best-in-class games, narrative experiences, and new VR use-cases like fitness, productivity, and travel. Oculus joins other teams at FRL dedicated to cutting-edge research, computer vision, haptics, social interaction, and more. Facebook Reality Labs is committed to driving the state of the art forward through relentless innovation.
Open-Galaxy Space RPG Earth From Another Sun Sets Sights on Console Launches in 2023
Playable PC Demo Available in October Ahead of Q2 2022 Early Access Launch
LOS ANGELES–28 September 2021–Earth From Another Sun, the open-galaxy space exploration RPG from Multiverse, charts a course for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One versions in 2023, following a Q2 2022 Steam Early Access launch. Multiverse has also revealed that a playable PC demo will debut on Thursday, October 1, 2021, during the Steam Next Fest.
Explore a dynamic and ever-evolving galaxy through open-ended gameplay providing unparalleled player agency. Scour star systems for resources, establish a massive trading empire, or embark on a military campaign by conquering planets. In Earth From Another Sun, an entire galaxy is ripe for the taking, and with planned user-generated content and biweekly updates, the possibilities are limitless.
Set off on an adventure, navigating to nearby points of interest like planets, pirate dens, and space stations. Take on missions to earn rewards and amass power before recruiting soldiers to your cause, expanding ship fleets, and upgrading an arsenal of impressive weaponry. Interact with an array of memorable characters and romance galactic leaders, many of whom have quest lines with galaxy-changing consequences.
Create a legacy among the stars and wage war on the ground with massive armies. Lead up to 1,000 units in combat, directing soldiers, mechs, and more during epic battles. Utilize precise FPS controls and a near-unlimited array of weapons, skills, and mods to tear through foes and claim victory. Reap rewards from wars to customize guns and take on even more challenging enemies as your faction establishes a foothold in different star systems.
Combat isn’t the only way to establish dominance. Earth From Another Sun’s sandbox galaxy simulation allows for all manner of playstyles. Buy low and sell high to establish a premier trading empire, investing profit into even bigger hauls. Go treasure hunting in forgotten corners of the galaxy to secure untold loot or become a criminal mastermind to gain an edge.
In addition to its single-player offering, Earth From Another Sun will support multiple multiplayer modes when it launches in Early Access in Q2 2022. Tackle co-op dungeon runs with allies for a roguelite-inspired session or engage in the massive, 60-player Galactic Dominion Conquest mode, where every player vies for control.
The Earth From Another Sun Steam demo will feature approximately 30 minutes of gameplay, highlighting open-ended exploration and combat. To download the demo for free, visit the Steam page during the Steam Next Fest from Oct. 1-7, 2021.
“Earth From Another Sun will be the most in-depth and exciting open-world simulation available when it comes to PC via Early Access in 2022 and consoles in 2023,” said Anthony Fernandez, Community Manager and Game Designer, Multiverse. “Our team is working tirelessly to create an entire galaxy to explore, conquer, and control. Whether you want to rule the stars with an iron fist or made millions robbing pirate dens blind, Earth From Another Sun will allow your wildest desires to come true!”
Earth From Another Sunwill arrive on Steam Early Access in Q2 2022. Closed Alpha access is now available via the official website for $29.95 with English and Chinese-language support. PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One console versions are planned for 2023.
For more information, please visit the website, follow Multiverse on Twitter and Facebook, and join the Discord community.
About Multiverse, Inc.
Multiverse is an award-winning independent game studio based in Los Angeles, California. The studios’ debut title Seeking Dawn, sold more than 40,000 units on Steam. With Earth From Another Sun, Multiverse seeks to create the deepest and most interesting open-world game possible by working directly alongside players.
The Handler of Dragons, an indie action RPG created by a single developer, debuts in Early Access on PC. The new title is distinguished not only by the presence of dragons, but also by a system of moral choices influencing the plot. The release date of The Handler of Dragons on Steam Early Access is set for September 27 this year. The game is also scheduled to hit PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch in 2022.
The Handler of Dragons has been developed for over three years by Jerzy Caliński. It will be published by Golden Eggs Studio.
The new title is a 3D action RPG game with a third person perspective. The player takes on the role of a warrior who can communicate with dragons, creatures that are key to the story set in a unique fantasy world.
The gameplay is mainly based on exploration, interactions, discovering and shaping the story, as well as fighting monsters (such as skeletons, orcs, trolls and golems). As the character progresses, they learn, among others, new skills and magic attacks. The game is also distinguished by a system of moral choices.
“When developing The Handler of Dragons, I set myself the goal of combining an intriguing adventure and fun gameplay with some degree of depth, so that perhaps players could take something more out of this game. In this context, the moral choices made in the game and their outcomes play an important role, because you will have to face the consequences of your decisions” – said Jerzy Caliński, the game’s creator.
As Jerzy Caliński pointed out, completing the game takes an average of about 3 hours, but the possibility of getting to know the plot after making different decisions may encourage you to play again. The player will decide, for example, whether they want to have a positive or negative attitude towards dragons.
The Handler of Dragons – features:
dragons;
moral choices;
a unique fantasy world;
varied monsters, locations and player classes;
a spell and skills system.
The release date for PC (Steam Early Access) is set for September 27, 2021. The Early Access phase will last about 3 months – during this time the game will be improved and expanded with new features (including side missions and weapon modifications). In 2022, it’s also scheduled to be released on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch.
title: The Handler of Dragons genre: action, RPG, adventure, indie, dragons producer: Hi-Quality Jerzy Caliński publisher: Golden Eggs Studio language: English, French, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian release date: 09/27/2021 (PC – Steam Early Access), 2022 (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch)
Minimum technical requirements:
operating system: Windows XP, Vista, 7 processor: i5-4670 CPU @ 3.40GHz or equivalent memory: 8 GB RAM graphics card: GeForce GTX 760 2GB or equivalent sound card: DirectX compatible DirectX: version 9.0c storage: 13 GB other: requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
Golden Eggs Studio is a Polish company founded in 2016. It produces and publishes games for PCs and consoles. The team consists of people with extensive experience in creating games. So far, the company has released 4 games and is working on more titles.
A new mode, the fourth campaign, dozens of new weapons and gameplay improvements are now available
Gaijin Entertainment and Darkflow Software announce that the military online action Enlisted has received the major 0.2.0 Content Update that opens the second phase of the game life cycle. The “Battle of Tunisia” campaign is now available to all players, marking the release of all four campaigns originally revealed. “Battle for Moscow”, “Battle for Berlin” and “Invasion of Normandy” also see new missions and other content like weapons, soldiers and vehicles. The team is already working on the new campaigns, and the specific battles chosen for them will be announced later. The update also brings new gameplay mechanics, including a new “Destruction” game mode, all of them developed with the help of user feedback.
The “Destruction” mode goal is to get to the enemy’s key objects, set up the explosive device and repel counter-attacks until the target is blown up. Defenders can prevent destruction by killing the attackers and they also have time after the start of the timer to disarm mines in the area. Each soldier on the attacking side has explosives in this mode. The new mechanics include trench digging right in the middle of battle, smoke artillery strikes, moving unlocked weapons between campaigns and issuing individual orders to each soldier in a squad. Motorcycles and boats can be used to move through the battlefield faster.
The battle in the “Omer” mission in Normandy takes place on a map inspired by the city of Saint-Omer in Northern France. While players have already experienced a beach landing and rural areas fights, now they’ll see what city combat looks like with snipers on the roofs and anti-tank squads hiding behind windows. The large canal in the city centre allows faster travel via motor boats. The “Quarry” mission in the Moscow outskirts is another unique battlefield. Bullets and cannon shells bounce off the static bulldozers, cranes and other heavy equipment, while numerous pits and mounds make great cover. Finally, a new “Fortress” mission in Tunisia is a huge military base encircled by walls.
The update brings new progression levels to all Enlisted campaigns. For example, players now have a way to unlock the PIAT grenade launcher, Bren Mk I machine gun, Beretta M38/42 submachine gun, R 75 motorcycle, Panther A medium tank, MiG-3-15 fighter and dozens of other weapons and vehicles. It’s also worth mentioning that all closed beta test content from “Battle of Tunisia” i.e. Carcano M1891 rifles and AB 41 armoured cars are also now available to everyone.
The full information on this update is available at the official Enlisted website: https://enlisted.net
About Enlisted Enlisted is a squad-based first person MMO shooter covering key battles from World War II. The game carefully recreates weapons, military vehicles and the atmosphere of that era, while demonstrating really massive clashes of numerous soldiers, tanks and aircraft with artillery and naval support. Official website: https://enlisted.net
About Darkflow Software Darkflow Software is a game studio founded in 2016 by video game industry veterans and is located in Riga, Latvia. Currently, the company is working on the squad based multiplayer WW2 shooter Enlisted and online shooter CRSED: F.O.A.D.
About Gaijin Entertainment Gaijin Entertainment is the developer and publisher of the online games War Thunder, Crossout, Enlisted, Cuisine Royale and Star Conflict as well as PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, iOS and Android titles across several genres. The company’s diverse portfolio has received a range of mass media and game industry awards including such as Gamescom Award and many more. Official website: http://gaijinent.com/
More Weapons, Skins, and Requested Features Ahead of Exiting Early Access in Q4 2021
TOKYO – 28 September, 2021 – LOST EPIC, the 2D Souls-like side-scrolling action RPG with fast-paced battles and hack-and-slash elements from publisher One or Eight and developer Team EARTH WARS, summons forth a new update with new levels, weapons, skills, quests, UI improvements, and more. Enter the world of Sanctum with a limited-time 15% discount before the game graduates from Early Access in Q4 2021.
Explore two new worlds, doubling the amount of content in LOST EPIC. Explore The Capital, a city full of tubes and organ-like objects, featuring new shield-wielding and magic casting enemies. In The Underworld, travel by the light of torches, uncovering multiple paths in this Land of the Giants, and meet a girl ghost who will reveal some of the mysteries of Sanctum, with new beautiful character artwork by Namie (Fate/Grand Order, Arknights, Azur Lane).
Utilize new tools like the Shield Gauntlet, a glove that transforms into a shield which can reduce incoming damage or reflect enemy attacks without losing stamina. Equip the new Wand weapon type, which has high Magic stats and can learn the brand-new Divine Skills and one-handed sword skills. Buy new weapons from the Underworld’s Dark Merchant using anima earned from bosses and selected targets, or fight him and steal his possessions, but beware the consequences.
Earn new player skins and accessories, and take on the appearance of fallen knights with the new Memoria feature. Additional features added by player request include keyboard input support, local save support, stat rebalancing, menu UI improvements, better explanations, and many bug fixes. LOST EPIC now features 14-20 hours of playtime, nearly 40 weapons, and more than 100 skills, with more content to arrive when the game graduates from Early Access.
“Thanks to everyone who supported us so far, your feedback helped make this update improve the game, and we look forward to what everyone thinks of the two new worlds,” said Team EARTH WARS. “And for everyone new, now is the perfect time to start playing with the Steam discount ahead of our full game launch later this year!”
The production team from EARTH’S DAWN which was released in 2015 and ported to many platforms. EARTH’S DAWN is a stylish fast-paced 2D action RPG. The user friendly interface and the hack and slash style replayability was praised by hardcore gamers resulting in 300,000 downloads.
About Ryu’s Office
Ryu’s Office offers in-depth marketing solutions for smartphone, console, arcade, and PC games in Japan. They are particularly focused on the planning and production of numerous live broadcasts based out of Japan for the gaming industry.
TOKYO – Sept. 27, 2021 –INDIE Live Expo Winter 2021 (ILE), the digital showcase connecting indie game fans globally which has highlighted more than 800 new indie titles and gained more than 29 million views across three shows, opens submissions for games to take part in the showcase starting today until Thursday, Oct. 8, 2021 at 4:00 PM JST / 9:00 AM CEST / 3:00 AM EDT.
Independent developers and publishers from all over the world can submit their new game reveals, news on upcoming titles, major updates for previously-released games, for potential featuring on the broadcast. The INDIE Live Expo Office will begin notifying applicants and confirming participation in mid October, ahead of the show on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, with broadcasts on YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, and Bilibili in English, Japanese, and Chinese.
Along with hundreds of showcased games, ILE will also feature the second annual INDIE Live Expo Awards. After nominee submission ends Wednesday, Sept. 30 until 23:59 PM JST, the voting committee will determine the shortlist in each category. Winners will be decided by public voting and an esteemed panel of international games media beginning in October.
Continuing in ILE’s efforts to support indie developers year-round, show organizers will distribute the third edition of the INDIE Live Expo Letter on Tuesday, Sept. 28. This digital magazine provides developers and publishers with information and promotion opportunities, and all developers can subscribe to it for free.
“The fourth Indie Live Expo is nearly upon us and the showcase is looking to be bigger than the past three shows already,” said Ryuta Konuma, Founder, Ryu’s Office. “Working with so many passionate developers, publishers, sponsors, and press members who all share a passion for indie games is something we will always treasure.”
Developers interested in information about future INDIE Live Expo events and opportunities can sign up for the INDIE Live Expo Letter here.
Media and content creators looking to co-stream INDIE Live Expo Winter 2021 can submit an application here for consideration and promotion.
INDIE Live Expo Winter 2021 and INDIE Live Expo Awards sponsorship opportunities are also available, with a variety of options for companies of all sizes, with the possibility for video featuring during the event. For more information on these opportunities please visit the informational and submission page here.
Ryu’s Office offers in-depth marketing solutions for smartphone, console, arcade, and PC games in Japan. They are particularly focused on the planning and production of numerous live broadcasts based out of Japan for the gaming industry.
Seattle, September 21, 2021 – Developer niceplay games and publisher tinyBuild are excited to confirm that their alchemist simulator Potion Craft has sold 100k units. With those sales, the game took the #1 spot on the Steam Global Top Sellers chart for three consecutive days.
· Manage a medieval potion shop. Meet your fellow townsfolk, understand their needs from the stories they are telling you, and sell them the right potions to keep your business running. Buy and sell ingredients, grow your own in Enchanted garden, and do whatever it takes to stay in business.
· Unique visuals inspired by medieval manuscriptsand medical texts. Dive into an authentic medieval atmosphere created by carefully crafted characters, interiors, and a relaxing soundtrack.
· Hyper satisfying physical interactions with ingredients and equipment. Harvest herbs, mushrooms, & crystals from the Enchanted Garden. Grind them carefully with your mortar and pestle to release their effects and add them to your cauldron.
Sandbox style Alchemy map system. Mix up a nice healing infusion with mana restoration, or add a frost effect to your regular poison for some extra spice. Fire, frost, healing, poison, explosion, magical vision, invisibility… your potions potential is limitless!
About tinyBuild tinyBuild is a Seattle-based indie label behind the Hello Neighbor franchise and over 50 other renowned titles, including Graveyard Keeper, SpeedRunners, and Party Hard. With additional development offices in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Riga, Latvia and Boise, Idaho, tinyBuild is rapidly building a portfolio of fun, high-quality games across multiple platforms
The silence is broken! Publisher HandyGames and developer The Dreamerians release new footage of the highly anticipated rodent action-adventure
Mexico City, Mexico / Giebelstadt, Germany, September 27th, 2021 A lot has happened in the last two years with A Rat’s Quest: The Way Back Home. In a newly revealed video Mat the rat, the protagonist of the gorgeously animated and fully voiced action-adventure, gives witness about what really happened to him and how he’ll find his true love on his long way back home.
Unique Perspective: Explore a world through the perspective of a small rat
Rat Mode: Climb, jump, crawl, slither and sneak like a rodent
Hybrid Gameplay: Feel the narrowness in walls and under the floor by a switching side and top-down perspective
Tough as Nails: Fight and survive against natural threats and challenging boss encounters
Popcorn Movie: Enjoy a story full of adventure, drama, and comedy in over 200 cinematics with a full voice-over
About HandyGames
HandyGames™ is part of the THQ Nordic and Embracer Group family and operates as an international publisher for mid-sized projects and developers for a worldwide audience.
The focus lies on creating and publishing games for current gen consoles like PlayStation®4, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X or Nintendo Switch™ as well as games for Steam and many other PC gaming distribution channels. HandyGames™ produces titles for new innovative gaming platforms, for example VR (Virtual Reality) on Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Samsung Gear VR, but also offers games of all kind of genres for Android smartphones and tablets, Apple iPhones, iPads and many other mobile and smart devices.
As a games company and that is truly passionate about gaming, we always strive for gameplay innovation. We received the German Developer Award as “Best German Game Studio” in 2015 and produced and published award-winning games of virtually every video gaming genre imaginable for a diverse range of audiences and gameplay styles. One example is “Townsmen VR” which was awarded with the German Games Award 2018 in the category “Best Game Design”.
About The Dreamerians
The Dreamerians – Gamestudio was formed in 2012 (originally as HaiKuSTUDIO) and is a team of experienced digital artisans. Hailing from Mexico City, they are a small independent game studio working on their own IP “A Rat’s Quest”, for PC and Consoles. As a highly passionate and agile team, they are pouring their hearts and minds into realizing this awesome journey.
V1.0 Available on Steam with special limited time launch discount
Manchester, UK, 27th September, 2021 – Merge Games and Norwegian developers, Pineleaf Studio, are thrilled to announce that DwarfHeim, their co-op RTS title, will leave Early Access today and release as V1.0 on Steam today. To celebrate the launch, players looking to pick up a copy of Dwarfheim will be able to enjoy a 30% discount on Steam until 3rd October.
As well as gameplay updates and fixes, the V1.0 launch of Dwarfheim will include a host of new features to enhance the action packed RTS gameplay experience including:
A selection of new Thanes, each one provided with a new set of unique abilities
Lobby Handling for parties to remain together after a match is concluded
A complete Survival Overhaul with intense blood moon events featuring new enemy types
New survival UI
New upgrade system for defenses
Pathfinding tools updated
About Dwarfheim
DwarfHeim is the next generation of real-time strategy games and features exciting asymmetric, co-op game modes that will appeal to multiplayer fans everywhere. Player roles are critical to the success of your clan, choosing the right class can mean the difference between a glorious victory and a crushing defeat.
DwarfHeim can also be enjoyed in single-player modes for the gamer’s that prefer the solo play-style.
Features:
Conquest — The main co-op multiplayer mode of DwarfHeim. Choose a class, join up with 2 other players and work together to tear through the enemy team’s defenses to destroy their Town Hall.
Skirmish — Skirmish is available in Single-Player and Online Co-op. Put your strategies to the test in this challenging mode and pit your Dwarves against an AI-controlled rival clan in a series of maps each more challenging than the last.
Survival — A gruelling and fast-paced challenge mode. All classes, buildings, units and abilities are immediately unlocked. Challenge yourself and try to outlive the onslaught of troll waves that come your way in the Survival mode. Survival mode will be available in Single-Player and Online Co-op.
Sandbox — A more relaxed game mode for the player who likes to take their time. All units and buildings are immediately unlocked. Build your own experience, and create your perfect settlement in this creative game mode. Sandbox is also available in both Single-Player and Online Co-op.
V1.0 of Dwarfheim will be available today via Steam for £19.99 / €24.99 / $24.99 SRP with a 30% discount until the 3rd October. For more information please visit www.mergegames.com
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 Pineleaf
Pineleaf is a game development studio in Norway that is dedicated to creating new gameplay experiences together with an active community of players. In 2016, DwarfHeim won “Concept of the Year” at the Norwegian Game Awards. Since then, Pineleaf has gained more employees, building an outstanding team that they’re very proud of. Since Day 1 it has been important for them to build a dedicated community and develop DwarfHeim into what it is that you see today. Pineleaf seeks to be a technology and games studio, poised to change the games industry in Norway and the world.
