Baltimore, MD – July 29th, 2021 – Independent developer Room C Games in co-production with Croteam and in partnership with indie publisher Versus Evil have revealed 3 new heroes for their rogue-lite RPG game TheHand of Merlin.
These new heroes include the deadly mercenary Tariq al-Ash’ab,a berber mercenary. Tariq embodies fancy footwork, and with his Bladedancer passive, he becomes stronger for each nearby enemy. Second is hermetical survivalist Isabel of Orreaga, this tough hermit carries heavier defensive attributes than most of her class and utilizes the new Blight ability, an alternative way of healing. Last but not least, mysterious illusionist Alain the White, geared to be a more utility-oriented ranger, with his Fey passive punishing enemies that miss, and the new Decoy skill, that summons an inanimate target to draw enemy fire. The new hero characters have unique skills and abilities that will offer creative new strategies and more variety to The Hand of Merlin.
The Hand of Merlin features in the latest Steam Daily deal from 10AM PST July 28th – 10AM PST July 30th at 40% off. The game is also a part of the Award Winning RPG bundle with up to 70% off.
For more information regarding the latest updates and patch notes check out the games dev blog on Steam here.
The Hand of Merlin is a turn-based rogue-lite RPG in which Arthurian legend clashes with sci-fi horror. Players recruit three mortal heroes on a desperate journey from Albion to Jerusalem to explore richly-imagined medieval lands on the brink of apocalypse assaulted by an otherworldly evil. Written by Jonas Kyratzes (The Talos Principle, Serious Sam 4) and Verena Kyratzes (The Lands of Dream, Serious Sam 4) The Hand of Merlin is a story inspired by Arthurian legend but with an unusual twist that introduces a wholly unique sci fi element to its storytelling.
Utilizing squad-based and turn-based combat, players can employ tactical cunning to use cover, set up ambushes and coordinate attacks with ranged,melee and spellcasting combat to conquer both human and demonic foes looking to do them harm. Additionally, players can utilise relics they purchase or are rewarded with, some of which are imbued with magical power.These abilities will be important as players weigh the risk and reward for the paths they choose.
In The Hand of Merlin choices are permanent depending on the decisions players make as they carve a path across the lands of Albion, Marca Hispanica and Al-Andalus. Combat is inevitable and mastering the tactics of squad-based and turn-based combat is essential to survive in a world where evil never rests. Players can seek out towns to improve their arms and armor, or trade with hermit artisans in the wild. Renown is the backbone of progression and can be used to level up party Heroes, and players can choose between a randomized set of new skills or improved attributes to balance out the combat prowess of their party to improve their chances.
About Versus Evil
Founded in 2013, Versus Evil, LLC is the US based video game publisher behind critically acclaimed video games Fist Class Trouble, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire and The Banner Saga trilogy. Publishing games on all major mobile, PC and console platforms, Versus Evil works with independent development studios from around the world. The corporate philosophy is to champion for the independent game developer. For more information visit versusevil.com
About Room C Games
Room-C Games is a spin-off studio started by some of Croteam’s most talented game engineers and core team members (The Talos Principle, Serious Sam). They are a small 9-person dev-team based in Zagreb, Croatia, composed of an (almost) equal number of industry veterans and passionate young blood with a simple, but challenging mission – to enrich players’ lives with memorable gaming experiences.
Featuring vicious beasts, devious puzzles and fiendish platforming challenges
Bucharest, Romania, July 28, 2021 – Today, Alien Pixel Studios are proud to release their portal-hopping platformer adventure game, Unbound: Worlds Apart, on Nintendo Switch and PC (available from Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store).
A dark fantasy game with Metroidvania elements, Unbound: Worlds Apart lets you wield the power of portals at the press of a button! Players must harness the world-altering abilities of different portals to overcome malevolent monsters, mind-boggling puzzles and stop a perilous evil from tearing reality apart.
Teleport in as Soli, a young mage with the power to open portals and control the properties of each world – such as inverse gravity, time manipulation, super strength and more. There are 10 different portals with unique mechanics to discover.
On the journey to master Soli’s ever-growing powers, players will traverse ethereal hand-drawn environments, complete quests, collect ancient lore, outmaneuver enemies and meet a cast of otherworldly characters – all while unraveling the mysterious story of Unbound: Worlds Apart.
Exploring further will open up new lands, new gameplay possibilities… and a calamitous secret just waiting to be uncovered by those who search hard enough.
After a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign and much excitement at the recent IGN Expo, the wait is finally over for Unbound: World’s Apart.
Check out Unbound: Worlds Apart on Twitter and Discord for regular game updates.
About Alien Pixel Studios Launched in 2016, indie studio Alien Pixel began as a three-person, part-time team. Today, the company has grown to eight dedicated developers and is backed by thousands of gamers, as they look to release their biggest game to date, Unbound: Worlds Apart. https://unboundthegame.com/
The PlayStation Plus monthly games lineup for August is here! From Tuesday, 3 August players can test their mettle against dangerous demons, the combative undead, aggressive fauna, and racket-wielding pros as Hunter’s Arena: Legends, Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville and Tennis World Tour 2 join PlayStation Plus.
Let’s take a closer look at the games…
Hunter’s Arena: Legends | PS4, PS5
As announced during State of Play earlier this month, Hunter’s Arena is coming to PlayStation Plus for both PS4 and PS5. The 30 player PvP & PvE combat-based battle royale* is set in an ancient age in which humanity battles each other as well as a growing legion of demons that have been unleashed upon the world. Head into high-risk, high-reward dungeons to encounter demonic foes. Dangerous, but necessary for your continued survival: you’ll earn powerful items and experience points. Powering yourself up will give you a much-needed edge on the battlefield when you face off against your Hunter brethren.
Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville | PS4
EA’s off-the-wall team shooter returns. Ready your peashooters for the next over-the-top instalment in the Plants vs. Zombies franchise as the tension expands beyond Neighborville into new social and free-roam regions on the outer reaches of gaming’s most contested township. Choose one of 20 fully-customisable character classes and perfect your play-style as you earn new rewards for each victory on the battlefield. Team up with friends, either on couch co-op or online*, and take on a cavalcade of new challenges, tackling enemy hordes in PvE, going up against others online, or braving all-out mayhem in the new Battle Arena.
Tennis World Tour 2 | PS4
Play as the world’s top players or create your own pro and try to dominate the world rankings. Play for fun or take on Ranked mode to sharpen your skills. In Career mode, manage your season, your staff, your equipment, and your sponsors. Alternatively take on friends, on couch co-op or online* in singles or doubles games. Whatever mode you choose, you’re in for dynamic, realistic and precise gameplay that puts you in the heart of legendary rallies.
And remember, players still have time to nab July’s PlayStation Plus games lineup, with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, WWE 2K Battlegrounds, A Plague Tale: Innocence** and Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown available until Monday, 2 August.
To learn more about the PlayStation Plus lineup for August, head to the PlayStation Blog.
*Online multiplayer requires PS Plus subscription; fees recur until cancelled. Age restrictions apply. Full terms: play.st/PSPlusTerms. **PS5 version only. Benefit not applicable for A Plague Tale: Innocence on PS4 consoles.
Next week, Starlight Children’s Foundation will be kicking off its annual gaming fundraising event, Starlight GameChangers, in an effort to raise vital funds for sick kids and teens across Australia.
Returning for its fourth year during the month of August, Starlight GameChangers – Powered by EB Games – invites streamers and content creators to sign up to GameChangers where they can raise funds and awareness for Starlight just by streaming. The initiative will encourage streamers to participate in challenges with their community to incentivise donations and continue to raise awareness for Starlight.
Recognisable Australian creators including Loserfruit, Tamsinwood and RubeePlays have already committed to supporting GameChangers. Loserfruit, One of Australia’s largest streamers with over 2.6 million followers on Twitch, joins the fundraiser for the second year in a row.
Creators can participate in challenges as part of GameChangers to incentivise donations and continue to raise funds for the campaign. Participants will receive fundraising and streaming support, be rewarded with prize incentives and receive exclusive merchandise and swag.
With a goal of raising over $250,000, Starlight’s National Partnerships Manager Matt Geraghty said that funds raised during the gaming event will help support Starlight’s vital in-hospital services including Captain Starlight and the Starlight Express Room. Starlight is Australia’s broadest reaching children’s charity and recognised as an integral part of the healthcare system, supporting children and teens with all types of illness by providing them with positive experiences to help their recovery.
“Life as we know it has been turned upside down yet still, every minute of the day, a child is admitted to hospital in Australia,” said Matt. “Now more than ever, hospitalised kids need fun and positive distraction to help them cope with the loneliness and fear they are facing.”
GameChangers has seen success in recent years raising over $200,000 for sick kids and teens last year alone.
Starlight Children’s Foundation brightens the lives of seriously ill and hospitalised children and young people by replacing pain, fear and stress with fun, joy and laughter. Since its establishment in 1988, Starlight has expanded to become the broadest reaching and reputable children’s charity in Australia and was awarded the AFR’s Most Innovative Company (Government, Education and NFP Sector) in 2020. There is now a Starlight Express Room in nine children’s hospitals across Australia and over 160 Captain Starlights nationwide. In 2020, Starlight granted over 386,944 positive Starlight experiences for children, teenagers and their families, including 126,000 Fun with Captain Starlight experiences and 326 Starlight Wishes. www.starlight.org.au
Get Ready for the Back 4 Blood Open Beta with New Trailer Showcasing the Co-op and PvP Action Beginning Aug. 6
Warner Bros. Games and Turtle Rock Studios today released a new Back 4 Blood trailer showing off the intense cooperative and player-versus-player (PvP) action that participants can expect from the upcoming Open Beta, which begins with Early Access on Aug. 6. The Open Beta will feature the all-new PvP mode, “Swarm,” where two squads of four face off in a best-of-three series of rounds swapping between playing as the Cleaners and the Ridden, as well as additional campaign content.
The Open Beta will begin with an Early Access portion from Aug. 6-10 for those who pre-order the game. Players can also register at Back4Blood.com/Beta for a chance to get into the Early Access portion*. The Open Beta will continue from Aug. 13-17 and be available for all players. Both Open Beta portions will be playable on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One Consoles, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC.
To view and share the officialBack 4 Blood – Open Beta Trailer
The Back 4 BloodOpen Beta will feature the following content:
Two maps for the “Swarm” PvP mode
Two co-op maps to fight off Ridden with your friends
Play as Mom for the first time, as well as other Cleaners: Evangelo, Holly, Walker and Hoffman
Play as six different Ridden variants in “Swarm,” including the Bruiser, Retch, Hocker, Exploder, Crusher and Stinger
Various weapons to check out, cards to build decks and Ridden to slay
Explore the Fort Hope communal hub
Cross-play and cross-gen support
Back 4 Blood is a first-person co-op zombie shooter from the creators of the critically acclaimed Left 4 Dead franchise and features thrilling, dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay and highly variable, customisable action to keep players coming back for more. The Back 4 Blood story takes place after a catastrophic outbreak where most of humanity has either been killed or infected by the parasitic Devil Worm. Hardened by unspeakable events and emboldened to fight for the last of humanity, a group of apocalypse veterans called the Cleaners have rallied to take on the infected horrors known as the Ridden and reclaim the world.
Back 4 Blood will be available for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation® 5, PlayStation® 4, and PC on Oct. 12, 2021. Pre-orders will receive entry into the Early Access portion of the Open Beta from 6th-10th Aug, along with a bonus Fort Hope Elite Weapon Skin Pack.
All assets can be found on the Warner Bros. Games Press Site. To access, please visit the following link and click the “Register Now” button: www.warnerbrosgames-press.com.
Best,
The Back 4 Blood Communications Team
* Website registration does not guarantee Early Access entry as codes are limited.
Sydney, Australia – 29th July 2021: SEGA released the brand-new “Meet the Gang” trailer for Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania, introducing the loveable main cast of characters coming to the newest Super Monkey Ball adventure. Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania launches on consoles 5th October 2021.
See the gang in action with the new trailer here.
The new trailer showcases the main monkey gang – AiAi, MeeMee, Baby, GonGon, YanYan and Doctor – spotlighting each of their unique charms and talents. All six characters will be fully playable as you roll, tilt, and bounce your way through Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania, the modern HD remake of the original three Super Monkey Ball games.
Character highlights include:
AiAi: The carefree leader of the monkey gang, AiAi is one smart primate who takes on every challenge that rolls his way! He lives happily with his wife MeeMee and their son Baby on Jungle Island, ready to lead his friends when adventure calls.
MeeMee: The charming co-leader of the gang, MeeMee is Jungle Island’s kindest soul and the glue that binds the gang together. Mother to Baby and wife to AiAi, Mimi is one tough banana who is always striving to bring happiness to those around her. She loves searching for fresh flowers to take on her adventures.
Baby: Baby is the coolest monkey around with slick sunglasses and a lightning-fast crawl. Though usually jovial, Baby is known for the occasional epic melt that can be heard from across Jungle Island! He’s very smart for a monkey his age and always willing to help his parents collect every banana and save the day.
GonGon: When you need extra might and muscle, GonGon is your main gorilla! Though he and AiAi were once rivals, these two best friends now frequently team up together to stop Dr. Bad-Boon’s evil plots. Fast and strong with a heart of gold, GonGon’s body checks have been known to send opponents into orbit!
Doctor: This mysterious old monkey doesn’t even know his own name – he has amnesia! Despite losing all his old memories, he is always inventing fascinating new contraptions for the monkeys around town. He earned the name “Doctor” out of respect for his intelligence and ingenuity.
YanYan: A fast and fearless ring-tailed lemur and master of the monkey martial arts, YanYan is a fist full of energy with a colourful style. She’s one of the toughest monkeys this side of Jungle Island and always ready to help her friends on adventures.
Watch out for more character announcements as new friends join AiAi and gang this winter!
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania launches 5th October 2021 for Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X PlayStation®4 and Xbox One. Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania will also support Xbox Series X Smart Delivery immediately on release, ensuring players will only have to buy the game once to play it on their favourite Xbox console. Additionally, buy the PS4™ version and play the PS5™ version at no extra cost.
Race for the Win in Street Outlaws 2: Winner Takes All, the New Video Game Based on Discovery’s Hit TV Series
Team up with your favourite Street Outlaws stars for the ultimate high-speed racing experience, coming to consoles this Spring
SYDNEY, Australia — July 29th, 2021 — Street Outlaws 2: Winner Takes All, the new video game inspired by the speed and excitement of Discovery’s high-octane franchise, is coming Spring 2021, to PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Team up with your favourite Street Outlaws show-personalities and prove your skills behind the wheel in the wildest street races across the U.S.
Street Outlaws 2: Winner Takes All raises the stakes of the series’ cutthroat competitive action — but each race is just one battle in a much larger war. Your success and rep will depend on how well you perform, how you mod your vehicles, and the experience you rack up along the way. Customise a variety of high-performance rides, put the pedal to the metal, and defeat all challengers to be crowned the champion!
KEY FEATURES
Build the ultimate support crew with drivers from the show like Ryan Martin, Big Chief, AZN, Lizzy, Farmtruck and more, earning access to better parts to improve your ride and winnings
Race 26 drag vehicles plus 5 challenge cars in 36 unique locations and awesome events
Customise your machines with over 250 parts, including rims, , parachutes, window tints, and smoke colours, with even more options for personalizing your garage
Compete for Street Outlaw fame against other players in asynchronous online multiplayer and leader boards
Experience intense racing action with HD visuals and HDR lighting made with Unreal Engine, as well as 60 FPS gameplay on PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles
Plug and play racing wheel support on PlayStation and Xbox consoles for select Thrustmaster® peripherals*
* visit game’s website for compatibility list
About Discovery
Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as discovery+, Food Network Kitchen and MotorTrend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media; a landmark natural history and factual content partnership with the BBC; and a strategic alliance with PGA TOUR to create the international home of golf. Discovery’s portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, and the forthcoming multi-platform JV with Chip and Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Network, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit corporate.discovery.com and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.
About GameMill Entertainment
GameMill Entertainment, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a third-party publisher of console and mobile games for passionate fans around the world. Development platforms include PC, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft consoles including the Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, Sony consoles including the PlayStation®5 and PlayStation®4, and mobile devices. With development across the globe, GameMill is a source of entertaining and fun games for all ages. For more information, visit https://gamemill.com, as well as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.
About Turn Left Distribution
Turn Left is a leading Interactive Entertainment specialist across Australia and New Zealand. Partnering with some of the world’s market leading gaming brands across software and accessories, Turn Left provides a full-service distribution model, working with vendors and partners to manage fully integrated, localised end-to-end, go-to-market solutions with overarching marketing, PR and event activations. The company’s main objective is to provide its partners, customers and the gaming community with category leading service and products that deliver a highly satisfying entertainment experience.
Montréal, Quebec – July 28th, 2021 – Breaking Walls, developers of the upcoming adventure about the life of a sugar glider, AWAY: The Survival Series, has assembled a slew of similarly nature-themed games to go on sale this week in honor of World Nature Conservation Day. From July 28th at 10am PDT – August 2nd at 10am PDT, 50+ games will be deeply discounted.
These include: Untitled Goose Game, Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey, A Short Hike, Planet Zoo, Eco, Jurassic World Evolution, Lost Ember, SkateBIRD, Everything, Haven, Alba, and pre-orders on AWAY: The Survival Series.
“We at Breaking Walls are passionate about nature, which is why we’re making a game about the life of a sugar glider in AWAY: The Survival Series,” said Breaking Walls Marketing Lead Taraneh Dohmer. “While AWAY isn’t out yet, we still wanted to celebrate World Nature Conservation Day by shining a spotlight on other titles that we hope will get players interested in environmental themes, as now it’s more vital than ever to think about our planet’s long term health.”
About Breaking Walls Breaking Walls is an independent game studio founded by industry veterans in Montréal, Canada, an international hub for innovation and expertise in game development. With decades of experience working on AAA titles such as Assassin’s Creed, Prince of Persia, and Far Cry, the Breaking Walls team has spent the past 5 years developing their first indie title, AWAY: The Survival Series.
SAN DIEGO – July 28, 2021 – Psyonix, the San Diego video game developer, in collaboration with Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) and Aston Martin, announced that 007’s Aston Martin DB5 will be available in Rocket League beginning July 29, on all platforms!
007’s Aston Martin DB5 will be available in the Item Shop for 1100 Credits and features the iconic 1963 Aston Martin DB5 with 007’s Aston Martin DB5 Paint Finish (which resembles the signature Silver Birch color of the Aston Martin), Aston Martin DB5 Engine Audio, Aston Martin DB5 Wheels, and a Reel Life Decal. 007’s Aston Martin DB5 will be available from July 29 until August 4.
The car marks the start of a multi-year collaboration between MGM, Aston Martin, and Psyonix, with more James Bond content coming to the game in the future.
To learn more about 007’s Aston Martin DB5, please read the latest blog post HERE.
If you or a member of your team is interested in a code for 007’s Aston Martin DB5, please let us know and we will send you one when it becomes available in the game on July 29.
ABOUT ROCKET LEAGUE Winner or nominee of more than 150 “Game of the Year” awards, Rocket League is one of the most critically-acclaimed sports games of our generation. Rocket League is a high-powered hybrid of arcade-style soccer and vehicular mayhem with easy-to-understand controls and fluid, physics-driven competition. Available on Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on Epic Games Store, Rocket League includes nearly endless customization possibilities, a fully-featured offline season mode, multiple game types, casual and competitive online matches, and special “Mutators” that let you change the rules entirely.
To learn more about Rocket League, please visit www.RocketLeague.com, “Like” it on Facebook, and follow it on Twitter @RocketLeague for all the latest developer updates and news.
ABOUT PSYONIX™ Based in San Diego, CA, Psyonix is a critically-acclaimed video game developer and a leading expert in Unreal Engine technology. For more than 15 years, the studio has been a driving force behind some of the most successful games in the industry, including Gears of War, Mass Effect 3, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Bulletstorm, Unreal Tournament III, Unreal Tournament 2004, and the award-winning Sports-Action hit, Rocket League®. Psyonix joined the Epic Games family in 2019.
About Metro Goldwyn Mayer Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and global distribution of film and television content across all platforms. The company owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content as well as the premium pay television network EPIX, which is available throughout the U.S. via cable, satellite, telco, and digital distributors. In addition, MGM has investments in numerous other television channels, digital platforms, interactive ventures, and is producing premium short-form content for distribution. For more information, visit www.mgm.com.
Originally released in the West in 2008, The World Ends With You stood out as being a truly unique game thanks to a number of factors that took full advantage of the Nintendo DS’ capabilities including a number of experimental gameplay elements. This led to fans hoping that a sequel would eventually be made but as time ticked by, those hopes seemed dashed. That is until a remaster of the game arrived on the Switch in 2018 and offered brand new story content leading to the eventual announcement of a sequel in the form of NEO: The World Ends With You. Now, with NEO: TWEWY arriving on multiple platforms, has this sequel managed to live up to expectations?
Story
During what seems like a normal day, a teenage boy by the name of Rindo waits for his friend Fret who gives him one of a pair of limited edition pins before hanging out in the streets of Shibuya, playing a Pokemon Go copy and texting friends only to find chaos erupt around them. Strange monsters have appeared and others are battling them openly in the streets with even stranger abilities as the pair find themselves locked in as the newest additions to the Reaper’s Game.
After unknowingly passing away, both Rindo and Fret learn that they must try and compete with other teams in the game by completing missions and defeating monsters known as Noise to earn points with the top team at the end of the week receiving a wish of their choice. The problem is, the team at the bottom of the list is permanently erased. Joined by the seemingly veteran player Minamimoto who shows them the ropes, the group form the Wicked Twisters in an effort to stay alive and learn more about the game that they are now trapped in.
NEO: TWEWY is the type of game where the story quickly begins to enter the realm of spoilers so while we will refrain from going any deeper into the exact details, it can easily be said that the narrative easily lives up to expectations. Thanks to the game being longer in length the story can develop at a steady pace all while giving the colorful cast of characters plenty of time to develop and grow on the player which is great as the dynamic between many of the characters is incredibly strong. The story itself is incredibly captivating to the point that it can be difficult to put down at times and the characters are truly the heart of the story.
It is worth noting that while there are a large number of returning characters from the first game, three of the four initial characters that are part of the Wicked Twisters are brand new to the series, giving newcomers a chance to ease their way in without feeling like they are being overwhelmed and even when returning characters do enter the story they are still given solid introductions. That being said, longtime fans of the franchise will still be getting the most out of the title as numerous plot points continue in this entry, including a pivotal event that only appeared in the remastered release of the first game.
Gameplay
NEO: TWEWY has made the transition from 2D gameplay to 3D almost seemlessly with plenty of style. Players will still find themselves exploring a number of familiar locations in Shibuya with fixed camera angles, completing both main and side-missions, scanning for Noise to battle against, as well as shopping for clothes, pins, and of course food. In what comes as a new feature, each of the three new characters’ special powers give them extra abilities while exploring the town. Fret can help refresh a person’s memory, another character can dive into their minds to clear it of Noise, while perhaps the strongest of the group Rindo can travel through time. This ability serves as not only a major gameplay and story element but also gives players the option to return to previous days to clear side-missions they may have missed or defeat enemies limited to a certain time-frame.
Combat has been almost completely reworked for NEO: TWEWY outside of the fact that it still uses pins as the core component, but even these have also been refined. As players explore Shibuya they will encounter Noise that can be chained together for multiple fights in a row with an increased drop rate as a reward. In combat every party member has their own individual pin equipped and it will corrospond to one of the controller’s face buttons or trigger. These pins range come in a wide-array of types ranging from physical, long-range, charge strikes, continuous damage, and even support. Some of the pins can evolve into stronger versions of themselves through battling and earning experience points though while power isn’t everything.
Thanks to the wide array of attack types and abilities that come from pins and the fact that players will have to balance numerous characters fighting at a time, it is all about finding the proper combination that works for the player. In combat the entire team shares the same HP bar and while many fights may not be too tough initially, the challenge can quickly increase especially during boss battles. This means that players should always try to find a balance of pins that allow them to always stay on the offensive whenever possible, since pins have a recharge time when used enough. It is also worth noting that the team also shares a “groove” gauge that fills as pin combos are chained together between teammates. When filled players can trigger a powerful attack that not only deals massive damage, that varies by type depending on the pins equipped, but also temporarily boosts the power of all attacks at the same time.
This means that combat in NEO: TWEWY can feel like pure chaos at times and that is an absolute delight. Thanks to the fact that there are so many pins available and the fact that combat rewards staying on the offensive, players will find themselves being able to take things to the limit if they so wish. That being said, the camera in a hectic combat arena can be a real problem at times especially since the lock-on system is a bit rough around the edges. Often a character will begin attacking an enemy only to either begin missing entirely or finding the camera swing wildly as a result of actually hitting them. This problem only grows worse when using multiple attacks at the same time as many blows end up missing their target due to poor targeting.
Outside of combat players will find that there are plenty of places to shop still despite being dead. Various locations still offer the ability to purchase clothes as well as some pins to the player and of course food to eat. Every piece of clothing in the game comes with various stat boosts as well as a skill that can be unlocked should the character equipping it have a high enough Style stat. These stats are not raised through leveling up, only health is, instead they are permanently raised every time a character eats. Food a character likes will give extra stats but it is also worth noting that players will need to fight to make their characters hungry again.
Another aspect of NEO: TWEWY comes in the form of the Social Network system. This web-like structure features characters that players have met, ranging from party members, enemies, Reapers, and even shopkeepers and it uses “friendship points” obtained from side-missions and harder battles to unlock various quality of life features, extra items in stores, and even harder or easier difficulty options. Considering some pins only can be obtained by fighting on a higher difficulty, this is a vital element and something that players can freely take advantage of at any time once it is unlocked. These systems blend together to make for a great game that truly rewards exploration and taking advantage of everything the player has at their disposal.
Visuals & Audio
The transition to 3D exploration and combat has been fairly smooth for NEO: TWEWY as most of the signature art style from the first game has managed to transfer well enough. The city is a bit bland in some locations but thankfully the character models and designs are outstanding looking, especially during any of the game’s dialogue scenes where they are portrayed using manga style panels. Enemy designs have also made the transition to 3D successfully enough though it is a bit disappointing that some of the combat pins’ attacks can be a bit bland with many appearing far too similar to one another to stand out outside of stats.
As one would expect the game offers both an outstanding sounding English dub as well as the original Japanese voice track that players can choose between. What really stands out here though is the game’s soundtrack as it features a shockingly high number of vocal numbers that play throughout every aspect of the game, with many being brand new to the series though a few are remixes of classic songs from the first game as well.
Overall
The wait for a proper sequel to TWEWY may have been a long one but NEO: The World Ends With You manages to capitalize on every aspect that made the first game so great. Not only is it simpler to control the chaotic combat, players will also find nearly every aspect of the game’s various mechanics melding together to reward them for experimenting and finding out what type of pin combinations work best for them and more. Put this together with a fascinating storyline and a great cast of characters and NEO: The World Ends With You is not only a worthy sequel to the first game but also one that newcomers can still enjoy.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
