Publisher and developer HandyGames releases a gigantic update to the critically acclaimed Townsmen VR. Honestly, it’s more like a complete overhaul than an update
Giebelstadt, Germany, September 21st, 2021 Finally! Townsmen VR is entering the final stages of Early Access. After a complete overhaul, you are no longer confined to a small island in the middle of an endless ocean. The latest Early Access update of Townsmen VR gives you not only a single island to explore but a world to interact with.
What to expect: The world of Townsmen VR changed drastically. Whereas you just had one island to explore in the old version of the Early Access – the game was intended as a tech demo – you now still start on the tutorial island but one can expand their empire to a world of 13 different islands and archipelagos. Filled to the brim with exciting features, adventures and things to lay your virtual hands-on. By now the crafting system has been expanded so you have up to 20 different raw materials to build, carve, bake and smelt goods with. A good example is knights.
How to build a knight:
Current Early Access features
A complete overhaul of Townsmen VR
A fully voiced campaign and story arching over 13 islands
Upgrades and add-ons for buildings
Research is added for further upgrades
New animals like cows, sheep and chickens, and wild animals roaming the islands
Build a harbour to have a trader’s ship and begin treasuring up riches
Buy things at the market instead of harvesting (if you have the gold, of course)
Time to reach out and build some bows and crossbows for your soldiers
Deal with pirates and shady merchants
Completely remodelled UI and more quality of life improvements
Townsmen VR is available in all its Early Access glory here: Townsmen VR on STEAM
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”.
Pre-order Rainbow Billy on Xbox One or wishlist on Steam today and help Billy use empathy to show the world its true colors!
LOS ANGELES — Sep. 21, 2021 — Skybound Games and Manavoid Entertainment have announced that Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan will launch on PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and Steam for PC on Oct. 5, 2021, with Nintendo Switch coming soon! This wholesome, family-friendly and accessible 2.5D adventure platformer featuring RPG, creature-collecting, and puzzle elements follows Billy through the World of Imagination as they use the power of empathy and acceptance to make friends and help bring color back to the world.
The World of Imagination is a wonderfully colorful place made up of several different islands! The Prehistoric peninsula Dinoland, the icy peaks of Frightfrost Mountain, the haunted depths of Sunken Harbor and the mysterious golden temple of the Sanctum of Self. You can learn more about the exotic locales of the World of Imagination in the game’s newest trailer.
Rainbow Billy is a universal coming of age story about dealing with change in the world and accepting ourselves and others around us. After the evil Leviathan banishes color and joy from the World of Imagination, leaving its inhabitants anxiety-ridden husks, it’s up to Billy to make things right. Armed with empathy, a talking fishing rod named Rodrigo, and their trusty boat Friend-Ship, Billy must restore the World of Imagination and free its good-hearted creatures.
Encounters in Rainbow Billy are completely non-violent. Instead of fighting, Billy and their companions must build trust to successfully resolve the engagement! Many creatures have tricks to slow you down, but sometimes it only takes a little empathy and a new point of view to reach an understanding. You can learn more about how these encounters play out in the game’s Confrontations Trailer.
Key Features:
Explore a World of Imagination: From dark caverns to remote islands on the stormy seas, discover a rich, wholesome world filled with treasure, friendship… and danger!
Fantastic Adventure with Relatable Themes: Restore color to a monochrome world and help your friends be their true selves in a story about empathy, courage and friendship.
Befriend & Collect Cute Creatures: Meet over 60 strange, lovable creatures and help them in non-violent encounters! Create your own unique team to save the day!
Solve Intricate Color Puzzles: Each world is filled with clever challenges and secrets that unlock new areas to explore!
Vibrant 2.5D Visual Style: Rainbow Billy’s art style blends the personality of modern 2D cartoon characters into an imaginative 3D world with an energetic soundtrack to match!
Open Accessibility: We want Rainbow Billy to be playable by everyone so we’ve included many different accessibility features like color blindness support, a Dyslexia friendly font, Single Joystick controls and more!
Fish for Resources: Because who doesn’t love a fishing mini-game?!
Founded in 2014, ManaVoid Entertainment prides itself on producing video games that mix and match known genres, themes and mechanics to create new and innovative experiences with a twinge of nostalgia. Our latest game, Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan, was funded on Kickstarter early in development. Since then, we’ve won the Ubisoft Indie Series Grand Prize in 2019, received additional funding from the Canada Media Fund, and were selected in the Indie MegaBooth and nominated for Best of PAX East in 2020.
With over 20 people on the team, ManaVoid is composed of AAA veterans with past experience at Ubisoft, WB Games, Eidos-Square Enix and more, as well as talented developers hired straight out of Quebec’s many game development universities. We’re an equal opportunity employer and happy to have a diverse team working on a project driven by themes of inclusion! www.manavoid.com
About Skybound Games
Skybound Games is a division of Skybound Entertainment with the capabilities to produce, develop, and license video games. The team works closely with creators to expand their unique and exceptional IP to new platforms. The Skybound Games slate houses everything from indie projects to high-budget franchise titles, with recent games including Telltale’s The Walking Dead, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Before Your Eyes and The Big Con. The studio can be found on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and www.skybound.com.
LiL Gator Game Waddles Towards Nintendo Switch and Steam for Windows PC as it Joins Publisher’s Growing Line Up
Derby, UK, 21st September 2021: With the launch of their first publishing project, BPM: Bullets Per Minute (Xbox One / PS4) just around the corner, Playtonic Friends decided the time was right to lift the lid on their next partnership.
Under development by brand new indie team MegaWobble, Lil Gator Game is built around the idea of uninterrupted exploration and child-like whimsy with a story not about noble heroes who changed the world or of wicked anti-heroes who learn the error of their ways but of heroes who learn to be better friends without ever losing their heart of gold
Employ a packed tool-box of toys & abilities to explore a giant play park spread across an island setting as you guide the Lil Gator as he climbs, jumps, glides and flings himself from adventure to adventure, new friend to new friend.
“We’ve talked a lot this year about what attracts us to new projects and it really boil down to one thing – finding games WE want to play and in a lot of cases wish we’d come up with!” said Gavin Price, CEO, Playtonic Friends “That really couldn’t be more the case with the guys at MegaWobble and the amazing world they’ve created with Lil Gator Game. From the first time we saw a few short gifs online we were so impressed and it just made sense to get in touch with them. Turns out they are fans of all the same great games as us, shared a love of adventure platformers and so we decided to team up.”
Born from the team’s shared experience as gamers, not purely as developers, LiL Gator Game focuses on a wholesome, enjoyable experience built around the very concepts of friendship and helping each other.
Look out for Lil Gator Game during the Indie Land event this Saturday, 25th September, and it will also be popping up in the Steam Next Fest starting at the end of next week.
Playtonic Friends Twitter: @PTonicFriends Playtonic Games Twitter: @PlaytonicGames Lil Gator Game Twitter: @LilGatorGame
About Playtonic Games
Playtonic Games is an independent videogame developer, started by the creative talent behind some of the most popular platform games of the past (including Donkey Kong Country and Banjo-Kazooie). Their aim is to bring fun games that everyone loves to play to new and old audiences alike across multiple platforms!
Their core team of veterans mixed with fresh, youthful talent has collectively notched up hundreds of years of videogame development. Their first release as Playtonic Games is Yooka-Laylee, launched in April 2017, and funded as a result of Europe’s biggest video game Kickstarter! They’re based in the heart of the Midlands in the UK near Burton upon Trent, within easy commuting distance of larger cities such as Derby, Nottingham, Leicester and Birmingham.
FINAL FANTASY XIV: ENDWALKER JOB ACTIONS TRAILER DEBUTS ALONGSIDE GAMEPLAY UPDATES AND MORE
FINAL FANTASY XV Collaboration Returns for a Limited Time Until 18th October
SQUARE ENIX® today debuted a new trailer showcasing new and updated job actions, as well as fresh information for the highly anticipated fourth expansion pack, FINAL FANTASY® XIV: Endwalker™, scheduled for release on 23rd November, 2021.
During the latest Letter from the Producer LIVE broadcast, FINAL FANTASY XIV Online Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida detailed various adjustments planned for each job at the release of Endwalker, new information on general battle-related adjustments, as well as an introduction to the all-new sage and reaper jobs.
You can view the trailer here:
The Endwalker Job Actions Trailer is now Live
Further details revealed for Endwalker during the livestream include:
Job Adjustments – Building upon changes implemented in Shadowbringers, Endwalker will bring new gameplay experiences for Disciples of War and Magic jobs. Updates include significant changes to Summoner job mechanics, the addition of single target buffs for all healer jobs, timing-based effects added to some tank defensive cooldowns, and much more.
Duty Reward Adjustments – Trials on both Normal and Extreme difficulties, which provide weapons as a reward, will now drop a weapon coffer alongside one of the available weapon rewards, allowing players to more easily obtain weapons of their choosing.
System-related Updates – Various quality of life updates such as enhanced HUD customization, improved ground targeting functionality, and UI updates will be added.
Adjustments to HQ Items – To help reduce overall inventory bloat and preventing unintended procurement of HQ items, certain items such as gathered items, enemy drops, and token exchange materials will no longer be available as high-quality items—gatherer actions, quests, and achievements related to HQ items will undergo adjustments accordingly. Crafted items and equipment will remain available as both normal- and high-quality.
Post-Release Patch Update – Due to the urgent need to address server congestion, the Data Center Travel system is scheduled for implementation after Patch 6.0.
Artwork by Yusuke Mogi for the New Sage and Reaper Jobs was also Revealed
Players can also look forward to upcoming in-game content and new Endwalker information in the months leading up to launch on 23rd November, 2021:
FINAL FANTASY XV Collaboration Event –From now until 18th October, Noctis Lucis Caelum returns to the world of Hydaelyn. Players who have reached level 50 and completed the main scenario quest “The Ultimate Weapon” can participate to earn numerous rewards, including Noctis’ hairstyle and outfit, the four-player Regalia Type-G mount and more. Players who had previously completed this quest can use the new Seasonal Event Replay feature to experience it once again and adventure alongside Noctis.
FINAL FANTASY XIV x DRAGON QUEST X Collaboration Event –The wonderful world of DRAGON QUEST® X returns to Eorzea from 19th October until 11th November with the “Breaking Brick Mountains” collaboration event. Players can take part in this limited-time event, battling powerful and pernicious golems to earn DRAGON QUEST-themed rewards.
FINAL FANTASY XIV Letter from the Producer LIVE #67 – Join FINAL FANTASY XIV Online Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida on 5th November, 2021 as he reveals more of what is to come in Endwalker, including details on new PvP content, additional crafter and gatherer updates, gameplay changes, and more. The broadcast will air on the official FINAL FANTASY XIV Twitch Channel.
With more than 22 million total registered players, there has never been a better time for newcomers to begin their adventures in the critically acclaimed FINAL FANTASY XIV Online saga. The expanded Free Trial now includes all content from A Realm Reborn and the Heavensward™ expansion (and updates through Patch 3.56), an additional playable race (Au Ra), and three additional playable jobs (Dark Knight, Astrologian, and Machinist). Free Trial players can enjoy hundreds of hours of award-winning gameplay and story experiences equivalent to two full FINAL FANTASY titles, without limit on playtime. More information is available here: http://sqex.to/FFXIVFreeTrial
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.
ENDWALKER, SHADOWBRINGERS, the FINAL FANTASY XIV logo, CRYSTAL DYNAMICS, DRAGON QUEST, EIDOS, EIDOS MONTREAL, EORZEA, FINAL FANTASY, the FINAL FANTASY logo, THE LODESTONE, SPACE INVADERS, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, TAITO and TOMB RAIDER are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix group of companies. “PlayStation” and the “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks and “PS4” and “PS5” are trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
Riftbound, a Tower Defense with Active Combat, Conjures a New Demo on Steam Today
MELBOURNE – 20 September 2021 – Riftbound, the magical lane defense game where elementals protect their realm from an evil menace developed by Barrel Smash Studios, enchants PC via Steam with a brand new demo today ahead of its full launch in Q1 2022.
In a hidden realm secreted away through magical means, a mighty Necromancer escapes his dimensional prison and vies to conquer the land. Discover the arcane secrets of spellcasting through the peaceful Elemental creatures inhabiting this world, then crush the Necromancer’s skeleton army to banish him once and for all.
Embark on a rollicking journey as an apprentice spellcaster alongside the mystical Great Oak and a cast of Elementals. Strategically repel waves of skeletal foes in tower defense combat emphasizing more active play than the genre typically sees. Defend the magic forest crystal from the Necromancer’s hordes in a variety of scenarios, from protecting magical artifacts, freeing captured Elementals, to destroying specified targets before time runs out.
Wield more than 40 impactful spells including destructive Water Spouts and protective Rock Walls. Combine elements to summon devastating combo spells such as Pummel, an Air and Earth combo that unleashes a rain of boulders to crush all enemies in a lane. Summon defenders like Waterlings and Stonelings, then evolve them into mighty Elementals. Employ a wide variety of status effects, interrupt enemy abilities, tactically reposition opponents to control the ebb and flow of battle, and alter your strategy with more than 30 upgrades.
Venture through gorgeous, stylized regions like the Enchanted Forest, spooky Deep Woods, and the frozen tundra of the Snowcap Mountains. Relax into Riftbound’s world of wonders, then amp up for challenging-but-fair boss battles like the bridge-dwelling Giant Troll. Discover new spells and Elemental evolutions in optional missions, and even customize the look of Elementals with cosmetics all earned in-game.
Riftbound’s fantastical quest is built for everyone. A wide range of accessibility options, including innovative dyslexia text options allowing players to change between fonts, letters, characters, and line spacing to improve readability, offer an inclusive gaming experience.
“Ever since we first envisioned Riftbound, we always wanted to create a game that everyone we knew could play,” said James Thomas, Co-Founder and Lead Programmer, Barrel Smash Studios. “Creating new accessibility options can be challenging, but all the messages of support and gratitude from gamers who often feel left out is the best reward we could hope for.”
Riftbound demo is available on Steam now. The full game releases on Steam for Windows PC in Q1 2022 for USD $19.99. It will support English, French, Italian, German, Spanish (Europe), Japanese, Russian, and Simplified Chinese.
Based out of Melbourne, Barrel Smash is a two-person studio founded by James and Louisa Thomas. Besides their shared love for smashing barrels in games, the couple focuses on creating accessible and inclusive gaming experiences for everyone to enjoy. Riftbound is their first title.
Hear Big. Win Big. The Amplified Recon 200 Gen 2 Multiplatform Gaming Headset Delivers Even More Features and Functionality for the Same $59.95 MSRP
White Plains, NY – September 20, 2021 – Turtle Beach (NASDAQ: HEAR), a global leader in gaming accessories and best-selling console gaming audio brand, today announced that the redesigned Recon™ 200 Gen 2 powered gaming headset is now available at participating retailers worldwide. Successor to the original best-selling Recon 200, the Gen 2 is available in black, white, and an all-new midnight blue color. The Gen 2 edition builds on the strengths of the original Recon 200 while offering gamers more features and functionality for the same $59.95 MSRP. The Recon 200 Gen 2’s sound is driven by powerful 40mm speakers that deliver amplified audio, and it’s rechargeable 12-hour battery unleashes even more immersive features like Bass Boost and Variable Mic Monitoring. Gamers will also enjoy new softer memory foam cushions that include Turtle Beach’s patented ProSpecs™ glasses-friendly technology, and a new headband design with added rigidity and durability.
The Recon 200 Gen 2 works great with Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, PS5™ and PS4™, Nintendo Switch™, as well as with compatible PCs and mobile devices with a 3.5mm jack. “The Recon 200 Gen 2’s blend of powerful audio performance, comfort, and multiplatform compatibility at $59.95 should place it atop any headset list for players looking to upgrade their gaming experience,” said Juergen Stark, Chairman and CEO, Turtle Beach Corporation. “We already had a beloved set of core features on the original Recon 200, and with the updated Gen 2 design we have even more features for the same MSRP that made the original so attractive. Gamers will have a hard time finding another headset at this price point that competes with what Recon 200 Gen 2 brings to the table.”
The Recon 200 Gen 2’s 12-hour battery and powerful 40mm speakers offer a booming, amplified soundstage enhanced by features like always-on Bass Boost for deep lows, and the headset supports spatial sound technologies like Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos1, DTS Headphone:X1, and Sony 3D Audio. The Recon 200 Gen 2 also includes Variable Mic Monitoring so gamers can hear and adjust the volume of their voice in the headset to avoid shouting. 12-hours can go by quickly though, so the Recon 200 Gen 2 can keep delivering game audio without power in passive mode2 that delivers basic headset functionality. Additionally, the Recon 200 Gen 2’s rapid charge battery means that 15-minutes of charging will give gamers up to one and a half hours of powerful amplified game audio.
Whether chatting with teammates or trash-talking the enemy, the Recon 200 Gen 2’s high-sensitivity flip-to-mute mic captures all communications loud and clear. Gamers will also feel the Recon 200 Gen 2’s redesigned comfort with ultra-soft memory foam ear cushions and ProSpecs™ glasses-friendly technology, wrapped in athletic fabric to keep ears cool and senses sharp. Additionally, the reinforced metal headband returns in the Gen 2 with enhanced styling and added rigidity, while maintaining its lightweight and flexible structure. With a simple flip of a switch, the Recon 200 Gen 2works with Xbox or PlayStation® consoles, and more.
Turtle Beach Corporation (www.turtlebeachcorp.com) is one of the world’s leading gaming accessory providers. The Turtle Beach brand (www.turtlebeach.com) is known for pioneering first-to-market features and patented innovations in high-quality, comfort-driven headsets for all levels of gamers, making it a fan-favorite brand and the market leader in console gaming audio for the last decade. Turtle Beach’s ROCCAT brand (www.roccat.com) combines detail-loving German innovation with a genuine passion for designing the best PC gaming products. Under the ROCCAT brand, Turtle Beach creates award-winning keyboards, mice, headsets, mousepads, and other PC accessories. Turtle Beach’s Neat Microphones brand (www.neatmic.com) creates high-quality USB and analog microphones for gamers, streamers, and professionals that embrace cutting-edge technology and design. Turtle Beach’s shares are traded on the Nasdaq Exchange under the symbol: HEAR.
Urban Legends from the world ofDying Light 2 Stay Human
Wrocław, Poland – September 20th, 2021 – Techland has published the third Audio Story from the Dying City series. The audiobook “Dedrick”, a tale about a father who’s lost his child in the post-apocalyptic world. A tragedy often leads to another, even more so in The City. One of them has become a tale told by the few who still remember it. Techland has invited you to listen to a story about a father who’s lost his daughter in the middle of a post-apocalyptic city. When he finally finds her, he makes a choice that changes more than one life. Want to know what happened? Go to YouTube and let us tell you.
The audio story “Dedrick” is the third story in a series of urban legends. Techland will present more similar materials from the world of Dying Light 2 Stay Human, not only in the form of audio.
Cross-play allows Nintendo Switch players to kick off with others on PC and mobile.
Wimbledon, UK – September 20th, 2021 – OutOfTheBit announces that Super Arcade Football has arrived on Nintendo Switch today. With this latest launch players will have a hat trick of platforms to choose from as they enjoy the fast-paced, modern take on classic football games across Steam, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices.
Super Arcade Football takes players back to an era of togetherness, allowing for up to four players to enjoy couch co-op local play. Players can also test their skills against the computer, if they want to refine their skills alone. Match modifiers keep players on their toes and can be as traditional as changing the size of the goal and game speed, or as flustering as destructive meteorites and slippery oil.
Along with quick matches, players can experience an entire Story Mode set in the same universe as OutOfTheBit’s smash hit Super Arcade Racing. Custom tournaments, featuring a number of pitches, weather conditions and more, are as fun as they are satisfying to win; but beware, the different environments affect each match in unique ways.
Fans of retro gaming are in for another treat as Barry Leitch has provided the soundtrack for Super Arcade Football, having worked on titles such as Lotus Turbo Challenge 2 and Horizon Chase Turbo. Leitch created the soundtrack in .MOD format, a file format found on Amiga computers from the 1990s, for an added old school touch. Super Arcade Football is available for $9.99/£9.99/€9.99 on Steam and Nintendo Switch but right now there’s a 50% sale on Nintendo Switch, giving players even better value for money to celebrate the launch. Whichever platform players kick off on, cross-play allows them to enjoy competition against all other platforms.
AboutOutOfTheBit
OutOfTheBit was founded in 2008 by Ali Motisi, who started out by making faithful digital versions of classic board and card games, including some Italian card games, as an homage to his Sicilian heritage. The company is based in Wimbledon, South London, and following the success of some of their mobile classics the company expanded and began working on original IPs. Super Arcade Football began development and was released on Steam Early Access in 2016, and Super Arcade Racing was also built on the company’s own custom engine – CerealBox.
Ember Lab Announces PS5 Fidelity Mode, PS5 Activities and Game Help, and Photo Mode for its Highly-Anticipated Action-Adventure
LOS ANGELES: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2021 – Independent game development and animation studio, Ember Lab, will release its inaugural game Kena: Bridge of Spirits Tuesday, which goes live at 4:00 AM UTC (9/21), 12:00 AM ET (9/21), 9 PM PT (9/20) on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and the Epic Games Store. Since first being revealed during Sony’s June 2020 Future of Gaming PS5 event, this story-driven action-adventure has won over fans with its stunning visuals and endearing characters to become one of the most anticipated games of the year.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits seamlessly blends a compelling narrative with exploration, puzzle-solving, and fast-paced combat. This gorgeous, immersive adventure takes players on a journey of self-discovery as Kena restores balance to an ancient village in a once-thriving environment. Players take on the role of Kena, a young Spirit Guide on a quest to uncover the mysterious story surrounding the demise of the village. Using her staff and the help of her collection of tiny companions known as Rot, the player will disarm adversaries, unlock new skills, uncover secrets, and restore the beauty of the land.
Honored earlier this year as a Tribeca Festival “Official Selection”, Kena: Bridge of Spirits was one of eight narrative games showcased for its storytelling. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is available in both a Standard Digital Edition ($39.99) and a Deluxe Digital Edition ($49.99), which includes the digital soundtrack, an in-game silver staff, and golden Rot skin exclusives. All PlayStation editions include both PS5 and PS4 digital versions of the game.
Those playing Kena on the PS5 have access to several exclusive features including full support for PlayStation Activities with more than 200 Game Help videos to increase the game’s accessibility. PS5 players also will have the option to play in “Fidelity Mode,” locked at a framerate of 30 fps with native 4k resolution for a more cinematic experience, or the PS5 version’s default “Performance Mode”, targeting 60 fps and upscaled 4K resolution to prioritize gameplay. PC players will also be happy to hear that Kena: Bridge of Spirits has DirectX 12 support.
“We were inspired to make Kena by the films and games we enjoyed together growing up, so we wanted to ensure the game was reflective and cinematic as well as challenging; an experience that would appeal to and be accessible for a broad range of players,” said Ember Lab co-founder and COO Josh Grier.
Another feature Ember Lab has been keeping under wraps that’s sure to be popular thanks to Kena’s adorable Rot companions is Photo Mode, which brings more fun aspects to the gameplay. In Photo Mode, players can pause the action to stage the game’s characters – including the Rot with the wardrobe of optional hats, then resume the action to bring them to life. “We’re very excited to share the “Cheese!” function in Photo Mode,” shared Hunter Schmidt, Ember Lab’s Animation Director.
“When players have set up their perfect photo angle, they’ll have the option to have the characters in the photo say “CHEESE!” and strike a pose. Many characters have multiple poses, so you can snap a great variety of fun shots in the same location. I’m very excited to see what kinds of photos players will capture!”
Kena: Bridge of Spirits can still be pre-ordered today, which will unlock a special collection of exclusive celebration Rot hats, and will be available for live purchase starting tomorrow, Sep. 21 (4:00 UTC/9 PM PT), on the PlayStation and Epic Games stores. For additional information, please visit EmberLab.com.
About Ember Lab
Ember Lab is an independent game development and animation studio. Driven by a passion for telling great stories, the Southern California company was founded in 2009 as a post-production studio by brothers Josh and Mike Grier. Specializing in character-driven animated commercials, VFX, and film production, the studio grew into a boutique advertising agency creating immersive stories with worldwide appeal. Previous projects include the fan film Majora’s Mask – Terrible Fate and award-winning short film Dust, as well as numerous ad campaigns for brands including Coca-Cola and Hisense. Ember Lab’s inaugural game, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, debuts on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and for PC on the Epic Games Store on September 21, 2021.
When survival horror games first began appearing, players were tasked with trying their best to make their way through horrific creatures with few resources and numerous puzzles blocking their path. Over the years even the series that were once beloved survival horror titles have been moving away from these concepts or, at best, merging them with more focus being placed on action. Now here comes an indie title designed specifically to feel like the classic Resident Evil and Silent Hill games of the past in the form of Tormented Souls. With Dual Effect and Abstract Digital’s take on survival horror trying to blend classic mechanics with modern day aesthetics, has Tormented Souls succeeded in providing a spooky and challenging experience?
Story
One day Caroline Walker receives a letter in the mail containing a strange picture of twin girls. In an attempt to make sense of the picture, Caroline heads to Winterlake Mansion to try and find out the truth behind the picture and why it pains her to look at. Shortly after arriving Caroline is knocked out only to wake up intubated and naked in a bathtub. To make matters worse, one of her eyes has been removed while she was unconscious. If things weren’t already bad enough, it quickly becomes apparent that evil forces have begun running rampant in the hospital turned mansion as horrific murderous creatures roam the halls and being caught in the dark for too long will result in an immediate death.
Tormented Souls excels at creating a spooky atmosphere for players to make their way through as Caroline pushes forward in an effort to find out the secrets behind what is happening in the building and the twins in the photo. It takes some great design to make sure that tension often remains high, especially when exploring new locations and the game manages to pull that off exceptionally well. On the other hand, the actual story itself is a bit too predictable at times with the few twists that are revealed being easy to see coming. It must be said that providing extra context clues and plot elements through the various notes, of which most have different text on each page, is a clever move that rewards exploration and helps expand upon the horrors while not drawing players out of the experience.
Gameplay
In many ways Tormented Souls wears its homages on its sleeves as numerous aspects of the game feel like they are direct references taken from either the Resident Evil or Silent Hill series and for the most part it manages to pull these aspects together well. Players will find themselves exploring the oft-narrow corridors and rooms of the mansion, navigating with fixed camera angles, using either free moving controls or classic tank controls should the player choose. As players explore they will find everything from healing items, ammo for weapons, and of course plenty of objects that will be used to solve the many puzzles in the game. In fact, the game even uses a tape recording system, meaning that there are a limited number of saves available in the game and no autosave available should the player die in some horrible fashion.
Combat in Tormented Souls is heavy and satisfying feeling with there being a number of weapons that players will come across, with their first weapon being a souped-up nail gun that serves as a primary weapon as well as a crowbar for when things get dicey. This list of weaponry gets a little longer by the end of the game but players will always want to be a bit wary of facing down enemies. Not only can they deal some solid damage to Caroline, though a limited back-step/dodge can be used to avoid damage, but Tormented Souls can be rather strict with ammunition. Now, there is certainly enough in the game to advance through if players are creative enough but it is entirely possible to find yourself in a bad way if too much ammo is wasted or missed when running through areas and that doesn’t even count a certain unkillable “Nemesis” style enemy that will begin to pursue Caroline after a certain point in the game.
In a new twist on survival horror, players will also have to worry about more than just enemies as simply navigating the mansion can be a deadly affair thanks to the ever present risk of the darkness. With most of the building either running on generators or dilapidated beyond repair, players will need to make use of a lighter to try and navigate through the dark. Of course, holding a lighter means that players cannot wield a weapon at the same time so often they must either run away from a monster should it appear or limit themselves to the scant light provided by a freshly lit set of candles. This also means that players will need to keep their lighter out whenever traveling to a new room as it may be completely dark inside and ready to drag Caroline to her doom.
As for puzzles, where many survival horror titles now feature watered down puzzles if any at all, Tormented Souls relishes in them. Players will be searching room to room looking for various bits and pieces of objects that all serve some sort of purpose and it is up to them to figure out how exactly everything will fit together. While there are still some puzzles that are as simple as retrieving an item, many puzzles in Tormented Souls require quite a bit of thought and even some rather outlandish ideas that can easily stump someone. Most puzzle solutions can revolve around finding a note and deciphering clues, mimicking a noise, and more in what ends up being a challenging but incredibly rewarding feeling of accomplishment when they are conquered.
It is worth noting that, considering Tormented Souls is still an indie game, the title does make quite a lot of use of what rooms are in the game. Players will often need to backtrack through parts of the mansion to either unlock a door with a freshly obtained key, pick up an object they still might need that was left somewhere else, and more. This isn’t too much of an issue thanks to the design layout of the mansion as well as a handy map that works just well enough to be useful without giving away too much but players should be prepared for plenty of backtracking until near the end of the title.
Visuals & Audio
With Tormented Souls prioritizing next-gen consoles the company was able to focus on making sure that the 3D environments that players will travel through are incredibly detailed. There is a stark disconnect between the gruesome medical equipment scattered throughout gorgeous mansion locations that only helps add to the feeling of discontent when exploring and encountering the nightmarishly mangled monsters that roam the halls. These beings are fused together with medical equipment and other twisted machinery that players must defend themselves against and can be truly gruesome to look at. As for the normal character models, Caroline’s clothing physics are highly detailed and the light reflections also are exceptionally handled here. That being said, some enemy animations are a bit rough around the edges and a certain “Nemesis” style monster’s movement ends up being more humorous than scary.
In true 90s style survival horror, the voice acting is well, incredibly rough. This is either intentionally done to try and capture that feeling of classic games but either way players should expect some rather campy dialogue and a lack of frightened chatter from Caroline. The soundtrack fits quite well as players will find that there are a number of great sounding tense tracks to go along with exploring the mansion, including a save room theme to signify safe areas.
Overall
There has been a lack of great classic survival horror titles in recent years and Tormented Souls looks to rectify that in as many ways as possible. The title is clearly filled with love for the classic series that helped establish the genre in the ’90s and manages to put its own unique spin on things as well by adding a number of fresh new mechanics to keep things interesting. Sure, the story may not be anything special but the amazing puzzles, beautifully haunting atmosphere, and balancing act of resource management more than make up for it as Tormented Souls easily establishes itself as a modern survival horror that fans of the genre will adore.
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