Available June 2nd for Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One!
The challenging 2D platformer Dungeon Escape will arrive on consoles June 2nd, available digitally for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One for just US$4.99/€4.99.
Dungeon Escape features numerous single-screen challenges, each of which can be retried as many times as necessary. Die and repeat, learn from mistakes and feel your skills improving with each attempt. Can you overcome the many trials that lie ahead?
About Dungeon Escape
You’ve been trapped in a dungeon filled with deadly traps and ruthless enemies! But with enough cunning and nimble dexterity, there could still be a chance at survival, however small it may be. Navigate chambers of increasing difficulty as your search for an exit. Dodge or kill your captors, find keys to unlock doors, leap over spikes and watch out for saw blades!
Dungeon Escape features numerous single-screen challenges, each of which can be retried as many times as necessary. Die and repeat, learn from mistakes and feel your skills improving with each attempt. Can you overcome the many trials that lie ahead?
Acclaimed side-scrolling point-and-click adventure brings exciting modern twist on the genre
Rome, Italy – 1st June 2021. VLG publishing (a label owned by award-winning video game publisher, Leonardo Interactive) and developer imaginarylab, a studio dedicated to raising the bar in interactive storytelling are thrilled to announce that point-and-click side-scrolling adventure game Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town will launch for Nintendo Switch on 8th June, 2021.
Fans of classic games such as Day of the Tentacle and Monkey Island will soon be able to experience this modern take on these side-scrolling adventures, perfectly suited to the Nintendo Switch. Following the successful launch of the acclaimed PC version, Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town will captivate gamers with its beautifully drawn 3D visuals and contemporary mechanics, making it a must-buy title for all point-and-click enthusiasts.
You can watch the new trailer for Will Morgan and the Curse of Bone below:
Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town offers a modern take on point-and-click adventure games by having players collect clues and solve puzzles in a computerized 3D pirate themed world. As Willy uncovers details regarding his father’s mysterious disappearance, fans of all ages are able to enjoy hilarious dialogue, whimsical characters and charming cartoon graphics. Old school fans of the genre can appreciate easter eggs that reference iconic titles they grew up with during the good old days of gaming.
10 years have passed since the mysterious disappearance of Willy’s father, the famous archaeologist Henry Morgan. After Willy receives a strange letter containing a cryptic message he heads on a perilous adventure to Bone Town, an unconventional place full of pirates and shady characters, to once and for all uncover the truth behind what happened to his father.
Key Features:
Non-linear gameplay – Explore without constraint, collect items and solve stimulating puzzles.
Unique graphic style – A fantastical world with a magical atmosphere.
Full HD quality – Cinematographic cutscenes and over 50 locations to see.
A pirate world with a modern twist – Pirates and computers? Why not?!
15 NPCs to interact with – Learn about the story through several hours of interactive dialogues packed with irony and easter eggs.
Original soundtrack – More than two hours of original music.
Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town will be launching for Nintendo Switch on 8th June, 2021 and can be pre-ordered on the Nintendo eStore now. The PC version is available to buy now via Steam and GOG. For more information please the official website at www.leonardointeractive.com/game/willy-morgan/
About Leonardo Interactive
Leonardo Interactive is an award-winning video games publisher based in Rome, Italy and it has produced and published award-winning titles across all major platforms. Bringing games to market in both physical and digital media, the company has made notable launches to date including the award-winning Dry Drowning and the point and click adventure Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town. Leonardo Interactive is also owner of VLG publishing that is focusing on bringing into the market the best stories ever written.
About VLG Publishing
VLG – label of Leonardo Interactive – is a publishing service company set up with the goal of working with games that tell strong stories and cast an eye on culture, while bringing truly memorable entertainment to gamers across the spectrum, whether on PC, console or mobile, and wherever in the world they may be playing. VLG provides developers with a structured network of advisors and experts, fostering new talents, trends and ideas to drive the next revolution of interactive storytelling. https://leonardointeractive.com/
About imaginarylab
imaginarylab is a video game studio created in 2015 and based in Italy. Currently working on their first game, Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town, imaginarylab aspires to raise the bar in interactive storytelling by delivering unforgettable narratives and engaging adventures.
Parachuting onto Nintendo Switch, PlayStation platforms and Google Stadia later this year
Walnut Creek, Calif. (June 1, 2021) – Flick off those fleas, get groomed and grab the nearest grenade, Super Animal Royale is now available on Xbox Game Preview across Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Additionally, the Founder’s Edition, which comes with exclusive DLC, is available for free via Xbox Game Pass Perks.
Today’s launch was accompanied by a brand-new trailer that showcases just how furrocious the 64-player fight to the death gets:
Coinciding with today’s launch is a new Animal Pass season and the major “Shorelines Update” that increases the map size and introduces new Super Animals to the fray – turtles! Slow and steady may win the race, but when the skunk gas closes in, you’ll probably want to find a hamster ball.
Players who have enjoyed the game on Steam Early Access up to this point can continue on Xbox consoles with cross-save and cross-platform matchmaking available from day one.
Super Animal Royale is a battle royale with a zoological twist. Play as your favorite cuddly, genetically modified animal picked from 300+ breeds, find your style with 600+ cosmetic items, and jump off the back of a Giant Eagle and into a 64-player fight to the death! You’ll fire shotguns and sparrows, toss grenades and bananas, ride emus and hamster balls all the way to the top of the food chain. The explosive top-down action pairs perfectly with an expressive flat-design style, and the innovative fog-of-war-system enables a game that’s as deep and strategic as it is fun and accessible.
For details on Modus Games’ full lineup, visit its official site or follow Modus on Twitter (@moosekebabs
About Modus Games Modus Games is one of the fastest-growing video game publishers in the world. The label prides itself on providing AAA publishing services to talented independent developers across the globe. For more information, visit www.modusgames.com.
About Pixile Studios Pixile was founded in 2011 to create online multiplayer games that are accessible enough for new players to enjoy right away, but deep enough to keep them coming back for more. After completing the competitive multiplayer tower defense game Stratosphere, Pixile is now fully focused on Super Animal Royale, which delivers a whole new perspective on the battle royale genre. Visit pixilestudios.com for more informatio
San Paolo, Brasil – June 01 – META Publishing and Brazilian solo developer Alex Kikuchi (1M Bits Horde!) are happy to reveal the story-driven life sim RPG Spirit of the Island. The game will be released on PC in 2021, with a Kickstarter campaign set to launch soon. If funded, Kickstarter pledges will be used to develop console versions and cross-platform multiplayer support.
The game is scheduled to release on PC in Q4 2021.
Inspired by relaxed gaming experiences like Stardew Valley, Moonlighter, Animal Crossing, and Legend of Zelda, Spirit of the Island doubles down on story elements in a life sim RPG. Help the local town to become a thriving tourist destination and discover your past.
Spirit Of The Island, a story-driven simulation RPG featuring crafting, management, and building mechanics, will take players to the tropical island. The former tourist paradise now lays in ruins, and the few people that still inhabit it need all the help they can get.
You will meet new friends, lend a hand with the restorations, and contribute to turning your island back into the popular attraction it once was. Listen to breathtaking tales, complete challenging missions, learn new skills and discover more about your past as you explore the unique locations that make up the archipelago.
A Vibrant World To Explore – Travel through vibrant and carefully crafted environments, packed with exotic locations to see and unique items to collect!
A Village To Restore – Build new activities, communicate with the villagers, create farms, take care of animals, and learn more about your past.
The Power of Two – Grab your friend and embark on an epic journey together! Explore the Archipelago, fight the pirates, find epic loot, and discover the secrets of the tropical paradise!
A Crowd To Entertain – Tourists are a quintessential part of your economy! They’ll come and visit your land every single day. Keep them entertained and present your resort in the best way possible!
META Publishing is a rising video game label powered by industry veterans and gaming enthusiasts worldwide. We do not only publish games but create unique relations between the game and the players. With love and passion for games, we cater to developers’ needs and help them make each game shine!
About 1M Bits Horde
1M Bits Horde is a solo developer from Brazil working with remote professionals on art and soundtrack. After developing hundreds of prototypes, Kikuchi started working on the Spirit Of The Island in 2020
You and your friends are the heroes in a new VR experience based on Ubisoft’s beloved game
MELBOURNE, Australia (June 1, 2021) – Today, Zero Latency VR and Ubisoft are launching Far Cry® VR: Dive into Insanity, a free-roaming virtual reality experience in 33 locations around the globe. Prepare to come face-to-face with Vaas as you are transported into the world of Far Cry® 3. Fight your way across Rook Islands’ vast environments as you and your group dive deeper and deeper into the jungle. You’re about to discover the definition of insanity.
“We’re always looking for new ways to provide our players with the very best entertainment the freeroam VR industry has to offer, and our new Far Cry® VR: Dive into Insanity experience is exceptional,” said Tim Ruse, CEO of Zero Latency VR. “We worked closely with Ubisoft to make sure the action-packed world of Far Cry would feel authentic for fans and entice new players as well.”
“Bolstered by Zero Latency’s one-of-a-kind concept, free-roaming VR is an excellent way for gamers and non-gamers alike to explore the vivid world of Far Cry. We’re thrilled to offer a game that brings people together to create memorable moments” said Deborah Papiernik, VP of New Business at Ubisoft.
Zero Latency VR’s unique experience provides up to eight players with props and plenty of space to move, allowing them to become immersed in the tropical paradise of Rook Islands before being kidnapped by Vaas and his army of henchmen. Far Cry® VR: Dive into Insanity’s mechanics are simple and intuitive, giving players the freedom to discover the vast, colorful world of the game. Collaboration and teamwork will be key for players to find their way through the deranged warlord’s jungle gauntlet and get off the island together.
Each location is working to provide the best environment possible for staff and customers based on local guidance to ensure a safe, enjoyable experience.
Attendees are encouraged to tag #FarCryVR on social media to share video and pictures of their Far Cry® VR experiences.
About Zero Latency VR Zero Latency VR opened the world’s first free-roam VR entertainment venue in 2015 and has grown into the largest free-roam virtual reality entertainment network on the planet today, making it accessible to millions worldwide. Zero Latency VR now has 45 venues in 22 countries and counting. Learn more at https://zerolatencyvr.com/
About Ubisoft Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, For Honor, Just Dance, Watch Dogs, and Tom Clancy’s video game series including Ghost Recon®, Rainbow Six and The Division. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2020-21 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €2,241 million. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com.
CUSTOMIZE AND PLAY THROUGH YOUR VERY OWN DUNGEON IN SOLASTA: CROWN OF THE MAGISTER
French independent development studio and veteran tabletop gamers, Tactical Adventures today released a new trailer for their recently released tactical RPG Solasta: Crown of the Magister. The trailer shows off the highly anticipated and community requested Dungeon Maker tool. The Dungeon Maker allows players to create and customize their own dungeons, bring them into the game to play, as well as share them with others to play through and enjoy.
Wizards of the Coast has granted Tactical Adventures a license to use the Dungeon & Dragons SRD 5.1 content and rules in Solasta: Crown of the Magister.
Check out our review for the game here
Solasta is a team-based tactical role-playing game where each character plays a critical role in the campaign and can be a hero. The dynamic and mysterious world features elements of verticality, allowing players to use their surroundings as an element of strategy. Players can position ranged characters on high vantage points or send their rogue down into shafts and caverns to scope out what lies ahead. In Solasta, light is a tool to explore the depths and hallows of dungeons or can be used as a weapon against the creatures of the dark, but if players are not careful, it will give away the party’s position to nasty creatures bent on their demise.
Media interested in reviewing Solasta: Crown of the Magister should email Danitra Alomia ([email protected]).
Definitive Style, Groundbreaking Sound, All the Comfort, Multiplatform Compatibility, and an Attractive $79.95 MSRP Make Recon 500 a Top Choice for Gamers on Any Platform
White Plains, NY – June 1, 2021 – Leading gaming headset and audio accessory brand Turtle Beach (NASDAQ: HEAR) today announced that the Recon 500, its pioneering new addition to the Company’s massively popular Recon line of gaming headsets, is now available at participating retailers across North American and Asia. The Recon 500 will be available at participating retailers across Europe on June 18, 2021. The Recon 500 debuts Turtle Beach’s patented, first-of-their-kind 60mm Eclipse™ Dual Drivers which produce a massive soundstage through dedicated woofers and tweeters in each earcup. Combined with Turtle Beach’s AccuTune™ wood composite-injection technology, the Recon 500’s groundbreaking speakers deliver unprecedented sound quality at every frequency.
The Recon 500 also features Turtle Beach’s TruSpeak™ noise-cancelling microphone, while memory foam cushions, ProSpecs™ glasses-friendly technology, and a lightweight frame deliver extraordinary comfort. The headset features a standard 3.5mm audio interface for multiplatform connectivity with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Nintendo Switch™, PC, and compatible mobile devices. With this level of sound performance, comfort, and build quality for a MSRP of $79.95, the Recon 500 is a top choice for gamers. GameSkinny gave the Recon 500 a 9/10 review score, noting, “The headset’s dual drivers provide an immense amount of audio detail for the $80 price tag, and the form factor is excellent.” Available in Black and Arctic Camo colorways, fans can level-up their gaming audio by visiting participating retailers or turtlebeach.com and getting a Recon 500 today.
“Our patented Eclipse Dual Drivers once again deliver industry-leading audio performance that makes the Recon 500 one of the best sounding headsets gamers can buy,” said Juergen Stark, Chairman and CEO, Turtle Beach Corporation. “The Recon 500’s groundbreaking technology, multiplatform connectivity, and affordable price set a new bar for what gamers should expect in an $80 headset and make it a great choice for players looking to elevate their gaming audio experience.”
Gamers will experience a revolution in gaming audio with the Recon 500. Turtle Beach’s all-new, patented 60mm Eclipse Dual Drivers separate high and low frequencies for ultra-detailed gaming audio across a massive soundstage. The Recon 500’s earcups are precision-engineered and injected with AccuTune wood composite, lending to enhanced acoustics for realistic sound imaging. The removable TruSpeak noise-cancelling mic delivers reliable, clear, pro-level communication with teammates and other players, and on-ear controls put Volume and Mic Mute right within reach when you need it.
For comfort, soft memory foam cushions wrapped in highly breathable athletic fabric surround the Recon 500’s powerful drivers, allowing gamers to stay cool in the heat of battle. The adjustable, metal-reinforced headband is built to last, while still being lightweight and flexible. For gamers with spectacles, Turtle Beach’s patented ProSpecs™ glasses-friendly design adds further comfort.
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 gamer, 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.
Survivors can be the fairest of them all in this new fable-themed EP
SINGAPORE – June 1, 2021 – Free Fire, the world’s most downloaded mobile game in 2019 and 2020, welcomes Survivors to a world where culture and fashion are heavily influenced by fairy tales and fables in its latest Elite Pass (EP), Evil Enchanted. Be the belle of the battlefield after earning fairytale-themed rewards, including the Prince and Princess Afterdark Bundles, the Evil Enchanted MP5 skin, and much more.
In Evil Enchanted, Survivors are transported to a fictional time that blends the 1970s with current-day technology. Caspian and Ariel — the two main characters in this EP — serve as security escorts for dignitaries that are traveling to and from a small city in the middle of the forest. This city often serves as the site for many important meetings between world leaders, conferences, and other VIPs, making its outskirts a very desirable location for mercenaries, assassins, and other rogues to prey on their targets. While both Caspian and Ariel are on patrol, they come across a mysterious figure who appears to be lost. His purpose is suddenly made apparent as he mentions killing the governor during a call to his team. Shortly after his call, he spots Caspian and Ariel, pulling out and pointing a gun in their direction.
The Evil Enchanted EP gives Survivors the opportunity to earn several fairytale-themed rewards that include:
Prince Afterdark Bundle (Male)
Princess Afterdark Bundle (Female)
Crystal Case Box Skin
Crystal Heels Diver Skateboard
Evil Enchanted MP5 Weapon Skin
Crystal Heels Case Backpack
Free Fire designers pulled out all the stops for the Evil Enchanted EP’s style. The classic fairy tale of Cinderella served as their main inspiration for Caspian and Ariel’s clothing, while a combination of gold, blue, and red acted as the core color scheme. The overall aesthetics are darker in tone with design element highlights that include crystals, ruffles, and fringes. Both outfits feature incredible centerpieces that continue the EP’s homage to the timeless Cinderella story — a crystal high heel on the Prince Afterdark Bundle and a horse head on the shoulder of the Princess Afterdark Bundle.
Survivors who wish upon a star looking to play the most popular mobile game won’t need to look far as Free Fire can be downloaded on the App Store or on Google Play.
Follow Free Fire on Facebook and YouTube for the latest news and updates.
About Garena
Garena is a leading global online games developer and publisher. Free Fire, its self-developed mobile battle royale title, was the most downloaded mobile game in the world in 2019 and 2020, according to App Annie.
Garena is run by passionate gamers and has a unique understanding of what gamers want. It exclusively licenses and publishes hit titles from global partners – such as Arena of Valor, Call of Duty: Mobile, and League of Legends – in selected markets globally. Garena champions social and entertainment experiences through games, enabling its communities to engage and interact. Garena is also a leading esports organiser and hosts some of the world’s biggest esports events.
Garena is a part of Sea Limited (NYSE:SE), a leading global consumer internet company. In addition to Garena, Sea’s other core businesses include its e-commerce arm, Shopee, and digital financial services arm, SeaMoney. Sea’s mission is to better the lives of consumers and small businesses with technology.
Celebrate International Dinosaur Day by hunting them downusing various weapons, tools, and the environment
CHICAGO – June 1, 2021 – Digital Dreams Entertainment LLC, best known for its work on the wildly popular Mutant Football League™, is offering players the experience of a lifetime in its first-person hunting simulator, Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunt. Travel to a world like Earth 65+ million years ago to planet FMM UV-32 with nothing but your wits, your trusty rifle, and your bag of hunting tricks to track and kill the largest, most dangerous creatures ever to exist — DINOSAURS. This is the first time this popular series has appeared on Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One™.
Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunt is a remastered version of the PC game, Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter Reborn, that features a smoking-hot game engine that delivers improved graphics, advanced dinosaur behaviors, and seamless player progression. Hunters will visit the many lovely but potentially lethal environments including beaches, dense jungles, rocky plains, and deserts. Making full use of the environment will increase your odds of having a successful hunt. Players will follow trails and track animal footprints, stay aware of wind direction to hide their scent, use stealth tactics, or gain the high ground to get any kind of edge over your ten-ton prey.
Prior to the start of any hunt, players will need to make a plan (and a Last Will and Testament) while considering the types of dinosaurs they’ll encounter. Among the most crucial items they’ll need is the handheld M.I.S.T. (Mobile Interstellar Satellite Transponder) which includes a radar and GPS satellite positioning to make it easier to track their prey. The Cover Scent item, which masks the player’s scent, can also be a lifesaver. Oh — and don’t forget a high caliber rifle, a sniper rifle, or a silent crossbow! What you choose to bring into the hunting arena, will determine whether you successfully make the shot or even live to tell the tale.
Once all of their arrangements have been made, players will track down a wide variety of dinosaur species, each with its own behavior patterns and intelligence level. While some dinosaurs will run away if spotted, others will attack if they feel threatened. There are also those extremely hungry dinosaurs who will just kill anything that moves, so be on the lookout for them and try not to be their next meal.
Do you have what it takes to take down the world’s most dangerous creatures? If you think you do, then we can’t think of a better way to celebrate International Dinosaur Day than by taking down an alpha predator like the Tyrannosaurus Rex with a single shot. No hunt would be complete without a collection. Players can display their greatest trophies and achievements in the Dinosaur trophy room. Players can also strive to be the very best via the game’s Leaderboards showing the top hunters across several categories including most money earned, high scores, and max distance shots for every type of dinosaur.
Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunt is now available for download on Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4, and Xbox One™ for $14.99. For more information, please find Digital Dreams Entertainment LLC at the following locations:
Digital Dreams Entertainment LLC is an Indie Game Studio that develops games for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch™, and PC. Responsible for dreaming up hit games such as Mutant Football League™, the studio specializes in bringing arcade sports and classic retro games to life for a new generation. Based in Morton Grove, Ill., the company was founded by Michael Mendheim and Maxim Novikov. For more information about Digital Dreams Entertainment LLC, go to www.digitaldreamsentertainment.com.
2021 Digital Dreams Entertainment LLC. All rights reserved. Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunt developed under license from Tatem Games. Nintendo Switch is a trademark of Nintendo. “PlayStation Family Mark”, “PlayStation”, “PS5 logo”, “PS5”, “PS4 logo”, “PS4”, “PlayStation Shapes Logo” and “Play Has No Limits” are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. The Xbox Sphere mark and Xbox One are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
A hitman. Bounty Hunter. Hired Gun. A lot of names for one job but they all require the same. Get a target, find a target, eliminate the said target. Do all of that and a hefty payment will soon be transferred to your account. It is a dangerous and rewarding job with a high death rate and no health insurance. Yet, many folks are attracted to it. Especially in video games (obviously no one is going to advertise it in real life), so much that there are some games with all of the gameplay and story revolving around it. Necromunda: Hired Gun puts us in the shoes of such a bounty hunter and expects us to make it all the way to the end. We just might be good enough to make it, but is the game also good enough to be deserving of our time? That’s the main question.
Story
One thing (out of the many) that makes this game stand out is that it’s set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. You take the role of one unnamed assassin in Necromunda, one of the many densely populated hive worlds. It is a place where millions live and die every day. A place riddled with criminals, outlaws, scavengers, and mutants. A perfect place to be a bounty hunter, really. The story is thrown in bits and pieces at you and it only serves as an excuse for you to bag bodies. The main factions in Necromunda: Hired Gun that you’ll encounter the most are House Orlock, House Goliath, and House Escher. The first one is what would happen if you gave steampunk cosplayers a weapon and you’ll see a lot of them at the beginning of the game. Members of House Goliath are huge, bulky and they wield (as expected) heavy weapons. And lastly, House Escher is an all-female gang armed with plasma weapons and they have a thing for various psychoactive substances that might or might not be all legal.
Gameplay
As you might expect, the premise in Necromunda: Hired Gun is pretty simple. Find a target, bag a target, get paid for the said (now probably dead) target. While the premise is simple, to the road to all that is anything but. Usually, between you and the target stands a small army made of scavengers and various gangs. You can see how it feels like to be a scavenger by blasting them in the face and then search their corpses (almost everyone has something on themselves). Or just run past them. Well, I should put “run” in quotation marks since there is no dedicated sprint button but your character moves incredibly fast. So fast that sometimes you will be able to zoom through the large sections of a level without most of the enemies even noticing you were there. Throughout the levels, you also have not-so-easy-to-spot treasure chests that will reward you with a new piece of armor or a gun. Oh, guns! Let’s talk about guns. The customization system for guns is Necromunda: Hired Gun is something else. Play long enough, earn credits, buy various attachments and that garbage shotgun from the start of the game can now paint the walls red in a few seconds. There are no weak weapons or strong weapons here, every gun can eventually be turned into a genuine force of destruction. Or you can just sit back, push the takedown prompt in front of the enemy and watch how the gruesome animation plays out. And that was the part where I started to notice some things. Unpolished, unrefined things. Something that might have flown under the radar during the development. First of all, pretty soon I noticed that takedown animations make my character immune to all sorts of damage (enemies might shoot at you but nothing will happen). This can be obviously exploited to a great length. Another (and somewhat hilarious) thing is the speed of my character. You move faster than most of the enemies by default which also impacts their aiming skills. A lot. Make no mistake, it’s easy to die in this game even on the lowest difficulty – as long as you play fair. If that’s not your thing, then zooming around the enemies and using takedowns as a guerilla tactic will get you far.
Visuals
When I say Warhammer 40,000 universe, what kind of setting comes to your mind? Something dark and gloomy, I bet. You would be right. However, the crew from Streum On Studio did some impressive magic with what was given to them. The environments in Necromunda: Hired Gun are a mix of steampunk and industrial revolution with a color palette that should simply be called 50 Shades of Brown. What saves the visuals here is the incredible details put in the background of every mission and mission hub that you’re in. Every piece of gigantic machinery that you see is on the move. There is molten steel, machine oil, and dirt everywhere you look. Every structure you see (and enter) is colossal which gives you an overwhelming sense of insignificance and that whatever you do in this game won’t really have any effect in the grand scheme of things. A feeling that goes really well with the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
Audio
The main culprit for the incredible OST in Necromunda: Hired Gun would be Olivier Zuccaro, a sound designer from Streum On Studios who already made a name for himself working on titles such as E.Y.E Divine Cybermancy, House of The Dying Sun, and Diaspora. The soundtrack here often switches from loud industrial riffs to heavy ambient drums that only serve to amplify the feeling of dread and unease. The music in this game is something that I expected to only serve as an insignificant backdrop to all the gunplay, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised. Tracks like “The Harder They Fall” and “Warp Infused” will surely infuse you with some adrenaline during the intense corridor shootouts.
Overall
While Necromunda: Hired Gun might be rough around the edges sometimes, the good here definitely overshadows the bad. This is a fast-paced first-person shooter with a surprisingly deep customization system for your guns, a great soundtrack, and a trusty dog that will save you from a clutch more times than you would expect. Wait, I didn’t mention the dog yet? This is what it’s called “saving the best for last”. Your cyber mastiff is there to mark enemies for you, attack them occasionally and he even has its own upgrade tree. In my headcanon, he is the reason why I’m doing this whole bounty hunter gig. I mean, if I can have an excuse for going on a murderous rampage in a video game, it might as well be “I’m doing it for my dog”.
.Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
