Project CARS 3 launched earlier this year to critical acclaim, garnering gamescom’s “Best Simulation Game,” and is now a finalist for “Best Game” at the TIGA Game Industry Awards. Just in time for the Holidays, Project CARS 3 will be discounted at select retailers including the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, and STEAM for up to 40% off during Black Friday. (See your local retailer for more details.)
For a look at what made Project CARS 3 one of the year’s best racing games check out the new accolades trailer here
https://youtu.be/9XD7BGgVhGY
Project CARS 3 invites players to live out their racing dreams with more than 210 cars from world renowned auto manufacturers. The game features new franchise brands such as Bugatti, Dodge, and Koenigsegg alongside vehicles making their video game debut including the Lotus Evija.
Cross-generation purchases and multiplayer for Poker Club on Xbox and PlayStation platforms
Liverpool, United Kingdom – November 19th, 2020 – Ripstone Games’ brand new IP Poker Club, is out now for PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 priced at £19.99/€24.99/$24.99. On Xbox platforms Poker Club includes Smart Delivery meaning players only have to buy Poker Club once to get the game on all Xbox One and Xbox Series platforms. On PlayStation platforms Poker Club will also support free cross-gen purchases for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions. A Nintendo Switch version of Poker Club is planned for 2021.
On PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X Poker Club has been engineered to make the most of next-generation hardware and technologies. Poker Club boasts 4K visuals at 60fps, with the latest graphical features across PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. With its incredible visuals, bespoke Club mechanic and plethora of game modes, all available with a full online multiplayer suite, Poker Club offers gamers the ultimate next-generation poker experience on all platforms. In an update coming shortly after launch Poker Club will add support for advanced haptic feedback and adaptive triggers to leverage the full power of PlayStation 5 and truly immerse players in the game like never before.
“We’re delighted to share that Poker Club is now available on PC, Xbox and PlayStation platforms! It’s been a dream for us to develop the ultimate poker experience and with the latest technologies from our hardware and software partners, we’ve managed to make it happen,” said Jamie Brayshaw of Ripstone Games. “Poker Club will offer players more ways to play with friends, fellow card-game fans and serious poker enthusiasts around the world. During this time where people are forced to be further apart than ever, we’re hopeful that Poker Club offers a way to bring back the classic human experience of sitting around a table and playing cards.”
“We knew Poker Club would be coming to next-generation platforms when we began development and were confident that such powerful consoles would allow us to level up on everything from immersion to visual fidelity,” said Phil Gaskell, Game Director at Ripstone Games. “However, we were blown away by Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. As soon as we started working on both platforms it became clear that our vision of creating the poker simulation we’ve always dreamed of, was about to become a reality.”
About Poker Club Poker Club is designed as a social experience. In line with the increasing online community-led nature of the gaming landscape; Poker Club will connect players with friends and poker fans around the world, featuring tournaments for over 200 participants. Players can create or join a club complete with leaderboards, bespoke tournaments and daily chip bonuses, whilst working towards shared goals that unlock exclusive rewards. Some customisable gear and events are club-specific, meaning the best way to play is as part of a collective with others from around the world. Poker Club will also offer cross-platform and cross-generation play, meaning users will be able to play together on PC, Xbox and Nintendo Switch platforms. PlayStation users experience cross-generation play between PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 platforms only.
Poker Club offers players more ways to play than ever before with a full house of Texas Hold’em online tournament modes and ring-games. Players are invited to take on the challenge of the PCC Poker Tour, an immersive online career mode that takes players on a journey from back-room games to big-money main events. From Single-Table and Multi-Table tournaments, to Freezeouts, Shootouts, Turbos, Super Turbos, Bounties and more, Poker Club offers a variety of online multiplayer modes featuring customisable private games, open tables and full-scale tournaments. With an advanced Poker 101 tutorial system featuring advice for beginners and advanced players alike, Poker Club offers a jackpot of poker fun for all.
Poker Club has been built from the ground up to offer an immersive play experience on all platforms. With a first-person viewpoint in gameplay, along with top-down cameras and cinematic angles, Poker Club delivers the true feeling of sitting at the card table like never before. There are 7 meticulously detailed arenas to play in, ranging from the grungy basement of Ralph’s Pizzeria to the glitz and glamour of Casino d’Oro, whilst advancing through the ranks to become a high roller opens up access to high-stakes tournaments at the Intensity Arena, where the big money can be won. With deep player customisation options ranging from unlockable apparel to exclusive table items, the journey from back-room card shark to poker pro has never looked this good.
Poker Club is a premium product and will not feature microtransactions at launch. As a premium title, Poker Club‘s focus is on offering players an in-depth poker experience without the requirement for additional purchases. All virtual currency in the form of poker chips is earned through playing the game. Poker Club is a play-money simulation of Texas Hold’em poker and as such is rated 18 in accordance with PEGI.
Poker Club is out now on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The Nintendo Switch version will follow in 2021.
Ripstone® is a global independent video games label founded in 2011 by game and film industry veterans. They fully fund the development, distribution and marketing of video games made by elite creative teams. They have financed and published 17 games across 45 SKUs, with global sales of over 10 million units.
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.’s Beloved Roll-Em-Up Game Franchise Brings Updated Graphics and Recreated Cutscenes to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
SANTA CLARA, Calif., (November 20, 2020) – Leading video game developer and publisher BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. today announced that Katamari Damacy REROLL is now available for purchase in the Americas for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One. Featuring truly unique gameplay that’s easy to pick-up and play and backed by a whimsical soundtrack, Katamari Damacy REROLL transports players to a magical world of delight and fun where anything and everything can be rolled up into a Katamari ball.
The King of All Cosmos has knocked out all the stars in the sky after a particularly rambunctious night of fun. Realizing his mistake, The King has tasked his young son, The Prince, to go to Earth and roll up as many things as possible to recreate the missing celestial bodies. Paper clips, books, cars, buildings, mountains, and continents, nothing is too big or too small for The Prince and his adhesive Katamari ball. For players looking to challenge their friends to a “roll-off,” Katamari Damacy REROLL features a head-to-head local multiplayer mode where the player who rolls up the biggest Katamari ball wins praise from the King of All Cosmos.
“We are so excited to bring the wacky and zany adventure of Katamari Damacy REROLL to a whole new audience on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One,” said Abelina Villegas, Associate Brand Manager for BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. “We think everyone could use a light-hearted out-of-this-world escape right about now, and we hope that Katamari Damacy REROLL helps restore a little twinkle in the hearts of all who play it.”
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., part of BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc., is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for all major video game consoles, iOS, Android, and online platforms. The company is known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises including PAC-MAN®, GALAGA®, TEKKEN®, SOULCALIBUR®, and ACE COMBAT®. BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. is the premier publisher in the Western hemisphere for anime based video games including NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, DRAGON BALL Z®, and ONE PIECE®. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.com or www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS
A Spoiled Princess Reclaims her Birthright as the Harvest Goddess in Action Platformer and Rice-Farming Simulation Hybrid
London, United Kingdom – 20th November 2020 – Following on from the highly successful launch in Japan, Marvelous Europe Limited are today excited to confirm that action/simulation game Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is now available physically and digitally for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 within Europe and Australia.
Gameplay Video
The momentum around Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin continues outside of Japan having received positive reviews from critics, as commented by Marc Melton, General Manager of Marvelous Europe.
“We’re thrilled to see the reaction for Sakuna: of Rice and Ruin in Japan last week. We always knew this was a special title from a passionate and talented indie team and are excited to now bring their huge success to Europe and Australia today. We can’t wait to share the game’s unique combination of beautiful art, unique side-scrolling combat and rice farming to the gaming community in the West, we’re already seeing some incredible review scores from major sites across the continent!”
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin delivers the unforgettable story of Princess Sakuna, a harvest goddess banished to an untamed island with a group of humans, has been brought to life by developer Edelweiss. Acclaimed for their work on the shoot ‘em up Astebreed, Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin presents a return to the combat-focused platforming roots of their earlier title Fairy Bloom Freesia, featuring refined action gameplay mixed with unique rice-farming simulation.
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is available as a physical Collector’s Edition, known as Golden Harvest, for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, and as a Digital Deluxe Edition on the PlayStation Store for the PlayStation 4. A standard physical edition of Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 are also available at selected retailers, and digitally from the Nintendo eShop and PlayStation Store, within Europe and Australia with an SRP of £34.99 / €39.99 / $59.95 AUD.
The Golden Harvest Edition of Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is available to order from selected retailers across Europe and on the Marvelous Games Store for £49.99 / €59.99.
Golden Harvest Edition Contents:
▪ Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin Game ▪ 132-page Artbook ▪ 3 Disc Soundtrack CD Collection ▪ Double Sided Poster ▪ Collector’s Box
The Digital Deluxe Edition is exclusive to the PlayStation Store for the PlayStation 4 and is priced at £44.99 / €49,99 / $69.95 AUD.
Digital Deluxe Edition Contents:
▪ Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin PlayStation 4 Game ▪ Digital Soundtrack App with 42 tracks ▪ 4 Exclusive PlayStation 4 Themes ▪ PSN Avatar Set with 9 Avatars
About Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin: Developed by Edelweiss, the team behind acclaimed indie darling Astebreed, Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin combines side-scrolling action with deep crafting and rice cultivation. Players take on the role of Sakuna, a spoiled harvest goddess banished to a dangerous island with a group of outcast humans. As she explores the beautiful yet forbidding environments of the island, she will also find a home in a mountain village, proving herself worthy of her title by harvesting rice and bettering the lives of humanity.
About Marvelous Europe Founded in April 2012, Marvelous Europe is the European based publishing operation of Marvelous Inc., overseeing operations for all European territories as well as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East. Marvelous Europe has been responsible for publishing games across various platforms, including mobile, handheld, consoles and PC. Marvelous Europe is a 100% wholly-owned subsidiary of Tokyo-based Marvelous Inc., a publicly-traded company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, November 20, 2020. Independent developer Fatshark are proud to bring a new career to the award-winning and multi-million selling Warhammer: Vermintide 2.
Let us introduce the Outcast Engineer Dwarfs are tradition-minded people, trusting the wisdom of their ancestors and their aged longbeards rather than any new ideas or innovation. Their traditionalism carries through to everything dwarfs do, including their engineering, and perhaps as a result dwarfs are the finest engineers in the world – just ask any dwarf.
“We are happy to add another new career in Warhammer: Vermintide 2” says Martin Wahlund, CEO Fatshark. “Fan favorite Bardin excels, and will bring a new arsenal with him to fend off Skaven and Chaos factions.”
About Fatshark®
Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden and established in 2007 independent developer Fatshark is comprised of a team of 80+ experienced games developers, who strive to create compelling interactive experiences. Apart from Warhammer: Vermintide 2, the team has previously developed titles including Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide, Lead and Gold, Krater and War of the Roses. For more information, visit www.fatsharkgames.com
About Games Workshop®
Games Workshop® Group PLC (LSE:GAW.L), based in Nottingham, UK, produces the best fantasy miniatures in the world. Games Workshop designs, manufactures, retails, and distributes its range of Warhammer®: Age of Sigmar® and Warhammer® 40,000® games, miniature soldiers, novels and model kits through more than 529 of its own stores (branded Games Workshop® or Warhammer®), the www.games-workshop.com web store and independent retail channels in more than 50 countries worldwide. More information about Games Workshop and its other, related, brands and product ranges (including our publishing division ‘Black Library’ and our special resin miniatures studio ‘Forge World’) can be found at www.games-workshop.com.
Lesquin, France, November 19, 2020 – NACON and the development studio TEYON are pleased to announce the release of Monster Truck Championship on Nintendo SwitchTM in Europe and in North America on November 24.
On October 25, the press and public were able to get their hands on Monster Truck Championship for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation®4. They were able to hail the game’s stand-out qualities: the realistic vehicle physics, deep customization of the monster trucks and almost instant fun!
Now, owners of Nintendo Switch™ can experience the thrill of driving these powerful monsters. Take advantage of the portability of Nintendo SwitchTM to play Monster Truck Championship anywhere, alone or in online multiplayer, and start a race or freestyle session wherever you feel like it.
In Monster Truck Championship, you take the wheel of one of 16 vehicles and enter five types of event. In these championships, you will compete in 25 stadiums and circuits in various cities across the United States. Taking a realistic approach to driving rather than an arcade-game style, Monster Truck Championship gives players the chance to take part in frenzied races and pull off believable aerial and ground moves by learning the unique physics of these vehicles.
Monster Truck Championship boasts many features:
25 circuits in different cities across the United States
5 types of event: Race, Time-Trial, Drag Races, Freestyle and Destruction
16 customisable vehicles with over 50 options
Realistic driving and physics, including independent front- and rear-wheel control, and adjustment of different mechanical elements, such as suspensions, gearbox and engine
An online mode for up to 8 players in monster-sized races
A Career mode where you manage the vehicle, sponsors and technicians to improve your performances and earnings
Monster Truck Championship is available now on PlayStation®4, Xbox One, Steam, and for the Nintendo Switch™ on November 24, 2020 in North America.
About NACON NACON is a company of the BIGBEN Group founded in 2019 to optimize its know-how through strong synergies in the video game market. By bringing together its 8 development studios, the publishing of AA video games, the design and distribution of premium gaming devices, NACON focuses 20 years of expertise at the service of players. This new unified business unit strengthens NACON’s position in the market, enables it to innovate by creating new unique competitive advantages and achieve its ambition to become one of the world’s leading players in gaming. https://www.nacongaming.com/
About TEYON Established in 2006, Teyon is a successful multi-platform video games developer and publisher. Teyon’s aim is to provide gamers with high-quality video games and software on a range of leading platforms. Teyon has three offices in Poland and Japan full of gaming fanatics! http://www.teyon.com/
Ubisoft recently teamed up with Poki to bring their first Ubisoft Nano game called Rabbids Wild Race to the web. The game is now freely accessible to millions of web users around the world!
Play Rabbids Wild Race game on Poki now
Rabbids Wild Race continues with the tradition of uniting multiple players in one gameplay. However, there’s a twist. Instead of limiting the player count to 4, players will be able to play on Poki with up to 31 other players. 32 naughty Rabbids on one screen is a lot to take in and makes this game release extra special.
There is a direct competitive aspect of the game. You can bounce on other players to prevent them from winning. That’s your chance to throw your opponents into obstacles to end their runs. Rabbids seem cute but they can turn mischievous if left unchecked. Rabbids Wild Race is Ubisoft’s first Ubisoft Nano production ever built and is being launched exclusively on Poki.
Ubisoft is proud to announce Rabbids Wild Race will be featured on the leading global web platform: Poki.
About Ubisoft Nano Ubisoft Nano is a new and growing collection of multiplayer Free Fun-sized Instant Games based on Ubisoft beloved worlds. Accessible and enjoyable to everyone, Ubisoft Nano games are lively and easy to pick up, and designed to bring instant bursts of arcade fun to fans of Ubisoft characters, hypercasual gamers, and live-multiplayer aficionados, on mobile and desktop. Play, share & party live with millions of players from the four corners of the world with Ubisoft Nano!
About Poki Poki is a global gaming platform on a mission to become the ultimate online playground for players and game developers alike. Poki is reaching over 30 million monthly players worldwide and is localized in 28 languages and on their web platform, you can find hit titles like Subway Surfers (by Kiloo), Crossy Road (Hipster Whale), and Stickman Hook (Madbox). They help a growing community of over 200 game developers achieve success on the web by offering their games to a wide audience and helping them monetize via premium advertisements. For more information visit Poki for Developers page.
For many years now the Assassin’s Creed franchise has been experimenting with different changes to its formula to the point that anyone who saw the initial 2007 release would believe that the latest game, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, was from an entirely different franchise. Where previous games saw more focus on stealth and smaller scale locations, or plenty of boat combat, the latest trilogy of games has seen the series bloom into an action RPG with large maps and plenty of combat variety. So now that the story has traveled as far back as ancient Greece to as modern as Victorian London, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla places players into the role of a Viking from Norway setting out to England to make their own path.
Story
After a brutal childhood, the brash Viking warrior Eivor, who can be played as either a girl, a boy, or swapped between the two depending on the Animus and can be changed at any time should the player wish, finds herself learning she is doomed to an awful fate. With her clan arguing over the proper way to continue living, be it in peace under a new ruler or continuing the Viking way of expanding and pillaging, Eivor chooses to follow her sworn-brother Sigurd and many of the Raven Clan on an excursion that sees them leave the land of Norway for the war-torn shoes of England. Here Eivor and the rest of the clan establish a settlement and begin to carve their niche into the land, through blood and fire if need be.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla takes a rather interesting approach to telling its narrative this time around, though it ends up taking a bit too long to get going in general as most players will find themselves at least twelve to fifteen hours into the game before things start opening up properly. Rather than focus entirely on a driven narrative Eivor will find that they are tasked by Sigurd to ally with each of the four kingdoms of England: Wessex, East Anglia, Mercia, and Northumbria in an effort to secure the clan’s land and each of these kingdom alliances plays out as their own little narrative arcs that generally feature their own style of storytelling and characters that are unique to each section. This works rather well as players will find themselves always seeing something new as they progress the story, as each arc consists of some lengthy missions, but it does mean that there is no significant character development for the bulk of the side characters that players come across, especially since most of these characters never end up appearing in the story again outside of some exceptions.
Although the side characters may not be the best, Eivor makes up for this in spades by having a larger than life personality, plenty of charm and wit, as well as a brutally fierce attitude when it comes to fighting against fate. Players will make various decisions throughout the game that help shape Eivor a bit and these choices can range from having smaller effects on the world overall to the point that they seem inconsequential to playing a major but not immediate role. On the other side of the coin, the modern day storyline picks up after the events of the Odyssey’s final piece of DLC where the world is at the brink of destruction and only through the help of a mysterious and cryptic message leading the group to Eivor’s bones does there seem to be a way to avoid the apocalypse. As usual, modern day elements of the story don’t quite work as well as the events that take place inside of the Animus and while there are some extreme twists that happen on both sides of the story, it is quite evident where the focus is being placed here.
Outside of the main storyline players will find that the land of England and Norway have plenty of lore and extra short stories well worth their time. Many locations feature tidbits of lore about the land that the player is exploring and the world events that players will come across run the gambit from being hilarious to downright crazy depending on what the players are tasked with doing. There is such a wide variety to these world events that players really have no way of finding out how things will play out when they come across them, especially since a few can be handled in more than one way.
Gameplay
For the most part players will find that combat in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla remains mostly the same as the previous two entries in the series only this time around Eivor is capable of dual wielding every type of single-handed weapon, including shields which make for some rather astounding looking fight sequences at times. Any weapon that is dual wielded will deal more damage with the primary hand compared to the off-hand but players can mix things up in a variety of ways to best fit their playstyle, even if it simply remains “axe and board.” Two handed weapons can still only be used one at a time and players always have access to three types of bows that provide either standard shots, rapid fire shots without much chance to aim, and slow but more deliberate aimed shots. It is interesting to note that combat skills, both for ranged and melee attacks, are no longer unlocked through leveling up and are instead found from books discovered by exploring the world, with the first book teaching a skill and the second one improving it in some manner.
For players that want to focus a bit more on stealth, things remain a bit more action oriented but there are some elements here to make stealth and assassinations play more of a role this time around. Assassinating enemies remains a viable option, especially since players can quickly obtain a passive ability that allows Eivor to take part in a simple quick time event to properly assassinate an enemy even if they happen to be way stronger than she is at the moment and a number of sneaking, blending with a crowd, and even distractions can be used to distract enemies from seeing what Eivor might be up to.
Regardless of how players choose to take on the missions and enemies they come across, nearly every activity in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla provides XP in some form and helps Eivor level up and gain skill points that can be applied to a skill tree designed around constellations. Most of these points unlock various passive bonuses such as boosts to health, melee damage, stealth damage, etc. but there are a number of passive skills that can also be obtained through this system. This includes the aforementioned quick time assassinations on stronger targets, various additions to the melee arsenal, additional stealth abilities such as chain assassination, and more. Even gear is given a bit more freedom this time around as most equipment features the same stats that can then be improved through a blacksmith or player upgrades, allowing players to use equipment that can be a bit more cosmetic if they feel like it.
This level of freedom is continued a bit in the way that world exploration works. As soon as players set foot in England they have the ability to travel across most of, if not all, of the map should they so choose. Of course various regions will feature higher powered enemies but these encounters appear to be more like suggestions this time around as it is entirely possible to survive and even take down higher level foes, giving players plenty of chances to see everything the game has to offer whenever they feel like going off the beaten path or taking part in the numerous world events, side-activities, collectibles, and mini-games that dot the map in what is easily the largest feeling world the series has seen so far outside of maybe Black Flag, though this is mostly due to the fact that the Viking ship this time around is mostly used to simply travel through the riverways or transport Eivor’s fellow Vikings to a raid location.
Raids are a simple enough affair that often end up being far too easy for their own good outside of a few specific story related ones that scale up the amount of combatants to a surprisingly high amount. Players will aim their Viking ship towards the shore and blow the horn to send their men fighting through a monastery or enemy camp in search of riches and, most importantly, construction materials that can be used for Eivor and the Raven Clan’s settlement. Oddly enough even though Viking raids were likely bloody affairs that, while I’m far from a history buff, would probably see the deaths of innocents, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla threatens and will desynchronize players should they slay more than one or two innocents in the turmoil.
As mentioned before, players will spend many resources from their raids building up the Viking settlement through various building upgrades and additions. These range from creating an easy to reach trading post to sell random spoils and purchase items, various production sites to improve player buffs, buildings that can be used to customize Eivor’s appearance, train her mounts and raven, fish, and more. This provides an interesting area full of upgrades and the more time players invest in the settlement the more missions can come from it as most buildings offer unique objectives that players will need to accomplish, making sure that there is always a little something new to do.
Unfortunately with such a grand world to explore and so much variety in the way of side-activities and even main missions, there are a number of bugs that rear their head even on the next-gen Xbox Series X version of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. On more than one occasion entire world events needed to be reloaded as characters either would not spawn properly or react as they should to the actions taken by the player. Even standard environmental puzzles would glitch out entirely, with explodable walls not breaking when directly hit by jars or floating platforms not appearing. Most of these issues were resolved simply by reloading the game but these appeared far too frequently and even one significant boss battle was cut laughably short due to the opponent glitching and dying immediately.
Visuals & Audio
Players will be delighted to hear that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has seen some significant graphical improvements on the Xbox Series X release of the game as the lands of both England and Norway are gorgeously represented here. Norway is shown in its snowy glory with some variety here and there while England truly shines as it ranges from lush fields, ruined locations of previously great buildings, swamp lands, and more. Combat features a variety of unique animations for every weapon type and the fights can be quite gory as enemies will readily be dismembered with heads or arms being sent flying from executions. It is also worth noting that the game loads incredibly fast be it through fast travel or simply starting the game up from a cold start, traversing the extremely large map and making use of quick travel spots ends up being a quick and easy endeavor thanks to such fast load speeds.
It is interesting to note that since players can swap between the male and female versions of Eivor at will, or randomly as chosen by the Animus, players have the option to experience the voice work of the character in either form and while Odyssey saw the female version of the main character providing the stronger performance, Valhalla‘s voice acting leans a bit closer to the male’s performance this time around though both put in a solid enough performance regardless of what players choose. The soundtrack features some great tracks that are extremely fitting for the theme of the game and players can even choose to listen to both songs as well as tales while traveling on their boat once again.
Overall
After spending two iterations of Assassin’s Creed trying out a new style of gameplay Assassin’s Creed Valhalla tightens the combat up with more customization and freedom than before while also giving stealth players at least some options to work with while also providing perhaps the biggest map to explore to date. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is a massive game that provides an almost exhaustive amount of content to explore as well as a solid storyline told in a unique manner that allows for easy breaks between focusing on story and spreading Eivor’s wings a bit to see everything else the game has to offer.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Since Bungie began to independently publish Destiny 2 in 2018, the developers have been hard at work refining the game as a freemium title. The crown jewel of the Year 4 content is the new paid expansion Beyond Light. Guardians are going to Europa as part of a tenuous truce with the Fallen vandal Variks as Eramis holds the power of Darkness in her hands. She now threatens the entire galaxy with her mad plot to bring the Fallen back to their former glory.
Story
Destiny 2 was never a great entry point for players new to the franchise. It offered a ton of lore without providing much explanation. Players had to rely on playing the first game or doing external research to understand the full depth. While Year 4 and Beyond Light are taking big steps to address the issues, new players currently find themselves in an awkward transition period. The original campaign and DLCs have been archived and replaced with a short mission chain to introduce the very basics of the lore. Right now, there isn’t enough to set players on the right path to appreciate the lore. Bungie have not completely given up on bringing in players into the universe, but it can feel like it at times.
For those willing to just enjoy Beyond Light’s ride, the new expansion offers a very straight forward save the galaxy story with enough unique flavour to keep things interesting. The story is structured after a small war and has a good rhythm to it. Ghost is still a love it or hate it character. Ghost’s obnoxiously chipper and slightly black and white view of the world combined with his endless need to worry about the Guardian can wear on some people’s nerves, but his role as replacement dialogue for the Guardian who only utters two lines throughout the whole campaign is necessary.
Gameplay
Beyond Light is a refinement of Destiny 2, part of Bungie’s march towards finally releasing the game that should have launched in 2017. Returning players will find a lot of unbalanced old content was finally archived earlier this year. It killed a lot of unnecessary bloat and focused the experience. Several quality of life changes have also been added to the game, making Destiny 2 a lot more pleasant to play. The ability to grab old lost quests has been long awaited, and Destiny 2’s bank system continues to be a more refined system than what most MMOs have to offer.
At its core, Destiny 2’s gameplay has not changed significantly. The core gameplay loop is still there. Bungie is looking to lure back players who had issues with the quality of life in Destiny 2. They are not looking to convert the non-believers with Beyond Light. The campaign is unfortunately short, and the gameplay still leans heavily on PVP, raiding, and efficient grinding after the campaign is done.
The most noteworthy addition Destiny 2: Beyond Light is the first Darkness powered sub-class: stasis. The new system seems to offer higher potential flexibility compared to the Light abilities, which leaves me to wonder if a Light overhaul is in the plans. Considering the more restrictive nature of Destiny 2’s build system, anything that brings more flexibility is welcomed.
Beyond Light is mainly set on the new Europa map. Size wise, it is in line with the other locales. The campaign focuses heavily on Europa, so players will see the same sections repeatedly with only a few new hallways opening up each run. The campaign’s difficulty level is on the higher end of mass market shooters, emphasizing slower and more methodical gameplay. The map design reflects the design decision, as there is ample cover placed throughout.
Visuals
While I am not familiar with the original Destiny’s version of Europa, Beyond Light’s take on Europa is a fun mix of open frozen wastelands, towering ruins, and high-tech labs. The map is visually distinct from the other locales while still being a Destiny 2 map thanks to common symbols and recognizable environmental assets.
The game’s graphics has aged well in the last three years. While it is no longer the sharpest game out there, the graphics are still enjoyable at high graphic quality. The longevity is probably attributed to a visual style that stops just short of hyper-realism.
Audio
The audio experience hasn’t changed too much in Beyond Light. The sound effects and soundtrack continues to be enjoyable. The voice acting is excellent. I am still mourning the loss of Nathan Fillion as Cayde-6, but Destiny 2: Beyond Light has a strong case of voice actors returning to the franchise. Dee Bradley Baker does an excellent job as the main voice of Beyond Light as Variks, even if the writers seem to throw in his chattering without much rhyme or reason.
Overall
Destiny 2: Beyond Light is not going to change the mind of people who just plain hated Destiny 2’s gameplay, but it may bring back a few players who were just turned off by the bloat and lack of focus that plagued the game’s early years. Unfortunately, Beyond Light hasn’t cured all the ills. The campaign is short and repetitive. The story is still a work in progress. The gameplay loop is still grind heavy. On the other hand, some good quality of life additions have been made, and Bungie seems to be committed long term to moulding Destiny 2 to match their original vision. Beyond Light isn’t the definitive fix Destiny 2 needs, but it’s a good step in the right direction.
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The legendary genre defining series is available now to purchase on Steam
Sydney (Australia), November 20, 2020 – Deep Silver and YS Net Inc. are pleased to announce the availability of Shenmue III to Steam players. To celebrate the launch, Shenmue III will have great value offers across the main game, all 3 DLCs and the Season Pass for the entire weekend!
Pricing Details on launch weekend (Nov 20-Nov 23)
Shenmue 3 (base Game) for 69.95 with -66% discount
Shenmue 3 Deluxe Edition – 89.95 with -66% discount
DLC 1 Big Merry Cruise – 5.95 with -60% discount
DLC 2 Battle rally – 11.50 with -60% discount
DLC 3 Story quest pack – 8.50 with -60% discount
Season Pass bundle (3dlcs) – with -15% bundle discount
Shenmue III Journey deep into rural China as you take on the role of Ryo Hazuki, a Japanese teenager hellbent on finding his father’s killer—a story of adventure, mystery, friendship, martial arts, and ultimately, revenge!
Key Features
One of the most anticipated video games in history, from legendary game developer, Yu Suzuki.
Epic Adventure – Immerse yourself in the stunning and magical world of Shenmue
Breathing, Living World – Explore inside and outside buildings, take on part-time jobs, play arcade games, and interact with local inhabitants of beautiful Chinese locales
Martial Arts Action – Put your training and upgraded skills to the test via intense free battles and Quick Time Events
Solve the Mystery – Converse with a colourful and diverse cast of characters and follow leads from those who hold the answers to the mysterious Phoenix Mirror…
Game Overview
• Title – Shenmue III • Genre – Action-Adventure (Free Roaming) • Modes – Single Player • Platform – PS4 / PC • Setting – Shenmue Universe • Tech – Unreal Engine 4 • Release – OUT NOW!
About Deep Silver
Deep Silver develops and distributes interactive games for all platforms. The Deep Silver label means to captivate all gamers who have a passion for thrilling gameplay in exciting game worlds by creating products of the highest possible quality, always focusing on what the customer desires.
Deep Silver has published more than 200 games since 2003, including its own brands like the open world extravaganza Saints Row, the zombie action franchise Dead Island, and the gritty, post-apocalyptic Metro series. Upcoming highlights from Deep Silver include the next entries into the Saints Row, TimeSplitters and Dead Island franchises. Deep Silver also owns the development studios Deep Silver Dambuster Studios in Nottingham, UK; Deep Silver Fishlabs in Hamburg, Germany, and Deep Silver Volition based in Champaign, IL, USA. For more information please visit www.deepsilver.com
Koch Media is a leading producer and distributor of digital entertainment products (software, games and films). The company’s own publishing activities, marketing and distribution extend throughout Europe and the USA. The Koch Media group has more than 20 years of experience in the digital media business, and has risen to become the number one distributor in Europe. It has also formed strategic alliances with numerous games and software publishers: Bethesda, Capcom, Kaspersky Labs, NC SOFT, Sega, Square Enix and Tecmo-Koei, etc. in various European countries. With Headquarters in Höfen, Austria Koch Media owns branches in Germany, England, France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, the Nordic regions, Benelux, Australia, Czech Republic and the United States.
All product titles, publisher names, trademarks, artwork and associated imagery are trademarks, registered trademarks and/or copyright material of the respective owners. All rights reserved.
About Koch Media
The Koch Media Group is a global developer, publisher and distributor of video games, VR games, gaming hardware and merchandise.
The group’s publishing activities, marketing and distribution extend throughout Europe, America, Australia and Asia. Koch Media has more than 25 years of experience in the digital media business and has risen to become a leading global publishing partner. The Koch Media Group runs a multi-label strategy with fully owned publishing units such as Deep Silver, Milestone, Vertigo Games and Ravenscourt which publish games for consoles, PC and VR platforms across all physical and digital channels.
Additionally, as global publishing partner Koch Media has formed long-term multi-national publishing collaborations with numerous game publishers including Bethesda, Capcom, Codemasters, Konami, Koei Tecmo, Sega, Square Enix, Warner Bros and many others. With its parent company in Höfen, Austria, and the Publishing HQ in Munich, Germany, Koch Media owns local publishing companies in Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Australia, the United States as well as Japan and Hong Kong.
The Koch Media Group owns seven game development studios: Deep Silver Volition (Champaign, IL / USA), Deep Silver Dambuster Studios (Nottingham / UK), Deep Silver Fishlabs (Hamburg / Germany), Warhorse Studios (Prague / Czech Republic), Milestone (Milan / Italy), Voxler (Paris / France) and Vertigo Games (Rotterdam /The Netherlands). Additionally, the Koch Media Group collaborates with numerous independent development studios around the world.
Part of the Koch Media Group is also Koch Films, a European independent film distributor with business primarily in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy as a cinema, TV, online and Home Entertainment distributor. The Koch Media Group also owns Gaya Entertainment, a leading video game merchandise company in Munich, Germany, and the Quality Assurance Facility in Olomouc, Czech Republic.
Koch Media is an Embracer Group company.
About Yu Suzuki
Yu Suzuki joined Sega Enterprises Inc. (currently, Sega Games) in 1983, and produced many big hit games as a programmer, director and producer. His unique and creative works influenced the game industry in technology, art and culture, and his attitude to produce with the heart of pioneer is well respected by many top creators beyond game industry. He received “Computer World Smithsonian Award from the Smithsonian Consortium in 1998 and received Hall of Fame award at the AIAS Summit in 2003 as recognition of his contribution to the game industry. His master pieces of works include “Hung-on”, “Space Harrier” and “Virtua Figher” series and many more.
About Ys Net Inc. Ys Net Inc. was established in 2008 in Tokyo as an independent firm for Yu Suzuki to lead game software planning, producing, and development. It expanded development studio in 2015 along with start of Shenmue III project.
