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Let Battle Commence! Iron Conflict Free Playtest Week on Steam Now Live

Unleash True Military Might with Angela Game’s Competitive RTS 

Suzhou, China — October 29th, 2020 – Indie developer Angela Game today announced that their upcoming war-themed competitive online RTS (real-time strategy) game Iron Conflict free week-long public Playtest on Steam is going to go live at 7PM PST.

Budding armchair generals and strategists can get a taste of a whole range of military vehicles from classic WWII-era tanks and planes all the way up to weaponry, vehicles and hardware used in modern-day conflicts. Featuring highly detailed, hand-crafted battlefields in 10v10 skirmishes with hundreds of offensive and defensive options and plenty of tactical maneuvers to utilize in their quest for victory.

https://youtu.be/tK89jfh_wnc

Players can get a feel of the different combat units in the game, each with their own specific strengths and weaknesses as well as the capabilities and effectiveness of various support units and air and ground-based assets in the week-long Playtest.

Iron Conflict continues to refine the overall player experience and has undergone several updates and tweaks based on player feedback in order to deliver a truly competitive RTS and will incorporate community feedback again into the game following this Playtest.

“Iron Conflict’s week-long Playtest is an exciting phase for Angela Game, we’ve been working hard on implementing the valuable player feedback from the August playtest,” said Kaven Xu from Angela Game. “With highly detailed units and combat environments and maps we’re keen to see what strategy fans make of the latest additions and tweaks to the game as well”.

About Angela Game

Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Suzhou, China, Angela Game is an independent game developer committed to making high-quality PC games catering to novice and hardcore gamers alike. Members of the studio are gamers themselves, and have published games on Steam, Playstation 4, and Xbox.

TAIKO NO TATSUJIN: RHYTHMIC ADVENTURE PACK GROOVES ONTO NINTENDO SWITCH ON DECEMBER 3

TAIKO NO TATSUJIN: RHYTHMIC ADVENTURE PACK GROOVES ONTO NINTENDO SWITCH ON DECEMBER 3

TAIKO NO TATSUJIN: RHYTHMIC ADVENTURE PACK, whichbrings two never-released-in-the-west Taiko no Tatsujin titles (TAIKO NO TATSUJIN: RHYTHMIC ADVENTURE 1 & 2) to players outside of Japan, will be released in the Americas on December 3, 2020, only on Nintendo Switch.

The games will have players set out on two different RPG adventures that will have them honing their drumming skills on more than 130 songs and against more than 250 different monsters, bosses, and enemy drums, through various periods of history and into the future. Players will be able to recruit vanquished enemies to join their adventure as they take on even mightier foes.

Head over to the following YouTube link (ready for embedding) to check out the rhythmic gameplay in action in the latest trailer for TAIKO NO TATSUJIN: RHYTHMIC ADVENTURE PACK:

TAIKO NO TATSUJIN: RHYTHMIC ADVENTURE PACK,which features TAIKO NO TATSUJIN: RHYTHMIC ADVENTURE 1 and TAIKO NO TATSUJIN: RHYTHMIC ADVENTURE 2,will be available digitally. Both titles will also be sold separately on digital formats.

Players can get the most out of the new TAIKO NO TATSUJIN: RHYTHMIC ADVENTURE PACK with the officially licensed Taiko no Tatsujin Drum Controller for Nintendo Switch! Available for pre-order at the BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Store.

Get a Look at Farming Simulator 19’s New “Alpine Farming Expansion” Map & Vehicles!

Get a Look at Farming Simulator 19‘s New “Alpine Farming Expansion” Map & Vehicles!

PARIS Oct. 29, 2020 Farming Simulator 19, the multi-million-selling franchise from GIANTS Software and Focus Home Interactive, is gearing up with new screens for its next major content release: the Alpine Farming Expansion. Launching on November 12 for PC, PlayStation®4, and Xbox One, this massive update features a new map, vehicles, brands and more!

The “Alpine Farming Expansion” introduces more than 30 new farming vehicles and equipment, faithfully reproduced in partnership with famous mountain-oriented farming brands. Learn to use machines like the Aebi CC 66, the very first motor mower in the Farming Simulator franchise. Try the SIP FAVORIT 254 rake with its unique tedder for haymaking, or use tools from Austrian brand Pöttinger. Take full advantage of the multifunctional LINDNER UNITRAC 122 LDRIVE vehicle, which you can easily combine with the STÖCKL MISTRAL 3400 SR for manure spreading, with the AGRAR ADF 3200 manure tank, or the LÜÖND SWISS-ELITE S31 loader.

In addition, three new tractors are joining the huge garage of more than 450 machines available in Farming Simulator 19. For the first time in the franchise’s history, you’ll be able to drive the fully electric Rigitrac SKE 50.

The “Alpine Farming Expansion” can be pre-ordered now on PC and will be available as part of both the Season Pass and Premium Edition. The Premium Edition is already available on PlayStation®4 and Xbox One digital stores and can be pre-ordered now on PC.

Acclaimed Classic Shooter Returns for Digital & Physical Release Soon

The legendary Hero Returns – Turrican Flashback, a collection with 4 of retro gaming finest moments, with reworked controls and presentation, will be available in retail on Nintendo Switch™ and PlayStation® 4 soon! Turrican Flashback will also be available digitally in the Nintendo eShop and the PlayStation Store.

Stuttgart, Germany – October 29, 2020 – ININ Games is proud to share the exciting news that Turrican, Europe’s greatest action video game series, will be coming to retail for the first time in almost 30 years in a brand new, curated collection from the original development team Factor 5 titled Turrican Flashback! This curated retail edition aims to make Turricanavailable to a wider audience and complement the limited collector’s editions from Strictly Limited Games that are dedicated to collectors and the biggest fans of Turrican.

The intergalactic action adventure that took video games by storm throughout the 1990s, Turrican is heralded around the world as one of the finest examples of action video games of all time. Its unique mix of exploration, atmosphere and blistering non-stop action pushed the genre forward and set the benchmark for years to come, and since its original release in 1991 has proudly been supported by one of the most enthusiastic and loyal fanbases in the medium. And of course, when talking Turrican, you have to mention the incredible musical score by living legend Chris Huelsbeck which has been echoing in play-rooms, venues and even symphony halls for three decades!

Turrican Flashback brings together 4 of the greatest titles in the series with Turrican, Turrican II: The Final Fight, Mega Turrican and Super Turrican all in one package! Developed jointly between the original team at Factor 5 and preservation specialists Ratalaika Games, Turrican has never felt, looked and sounded better! New reworked controls makes the classic home computer classics an ease to pick up and play, welcoming new and old fans to relive the classic with the touch of a button. Additionally, new filters and dynamic on screen elements allows players to customize their experience, going full “Retro” or enjoy the game in full widescreen with minimal on-screen HUD elements. All this with crystal clear and perfectly rendered audio playback of the classic soundtracks and sound effects!

Turrican Flashback packs all this and more into a neat package retailing at 29,99€ and marks the return of Europe’s greatest gaming hero! Rise against the Machine, save the galaxy and welcome back… To Turrican!

Features:

  • 4 classic titles, Turrican, Turrican II: The Final Fight, Mega Turrican and Super Turrican in one awesome package!
  • Reworked modern control scheme that streamlines the series and makes them more approachable than ever before.
  • Customize your experience with shaders, wallpapers and different display options.
  • Gigantic levels, heart-blazing action and huge boss fights. Suit up and prepare for mayhem!
  • Rewind feature and save states allows you to take on the challenge… with some help!
  • Timeless and critically acclaimed soundtracks by composer Chris Huelsbeck!

About ININ Games

ININ Games focuses on the digital and physical publishing of high-quality, feel-good retro and arcade games. ININ Games brings retro games to life and creates the classics of the future. They are best known for “Bubble Bobble 4 Friends – The Baron is Back”, “CrossCode”, “Darius Cozmic Collection”, Slaps and Beans” and “The Ninja Saviors – Return of the Warriors”. Numerous other milestones of classic gaming culture are in the planning and will be announced in the coming months. ININ Games is part of United Games Entertainment GmbH. For more information visit  http://inin.games

About Factor 5 

Factor 5 is an independent video game developer and technology pioneer founded in Cologne, Germany. The team achieved early success with the classic Turrican series, and after partnering with George Lucas’ LucasArts, created the multi-million-selling Star Wars: Rogue Squadron franchise, gaining a reputation for continually pushing the hardware to its limits across many gaming landmarks. 

Following an expansion to California, Factor 5 became a technology partner in the development of Nintendo consoles and member of the Sony PlayStation ICE group. They pioneered many advances in interactive audio and visuals, often in collaboration with partners like Dolby, THX, and AMD/ATI. Creating key streaming and web technologies, the team has been instrumental in bringing services like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube to many millions of devices, culminating in their current work for Fortnite and Unreal Engine as part of Epic Games.

Turrican, Super Turrican, Rainbow Arts, and Factor 5 are trademarks of Factor 5 GmbH.

SAINT SEIYA AWAKENING: KNIGHTS OF THE ZODIAC HAS SPOOKILY GOOD HALLOWEEN TREATS

Following a knockout of birthday celebrations, the chances of summoning an evil character are increased for a limited time

YOOZOO Games, Shanghai — 26.10.2020 | It feels like only yesterday that the beloved mobile-RPG was celebrating its first anniversary, with a whirlwind of events culminating in [ELY]Peepoodur being crowned the winner of the Jamir championship, following an epic battle finale with WaspSalander. We’re also looking forward to seeing Palantiriel’s “Galactic Redemption” skin design become available in-game, after winning the ‘Sea of Stars’ skin design contest.

Now, as the haunted night of October 31st approaches, make sure to log in to get the Halloween avatar frame, and get into the Halloween mood in the game! Players can also enjoy ‘Feast of the Undead’ – a Halloween-themed Summon. During the event, the chance to summon Hades, Underworld Shun, Evil Saga, Papillon Myu, and Cancer Deathmask will be increased for a limited-time. With an increased chance to summon quite literally the 5 evilest characters, we think it perfectly fits the Halloween festivities.

For those looking for something a little more elegant, Masquerade in the Town of Sanctuary is also live, where players can come to exchange their costumes in return for gifts. From this Saturday until next Monday, players can also look forward to a limited-time sale on the skins in the shop. Be sure to swing by for a new skin whilst you can!

A player’s favorite, the Fortune Cat event starts next week. The devs have also announced exclusive Halloween gift packages – head to the in-game mall, to get your hands on them. We’ve already seen discounts and special packaging up for grabs.

With so much going on, what are you waiting for. Good luck, Saints!

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Play Saint Seiya Awakening: Knights of The Zodiac
Stay up to date on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

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About YOOZOO Games

YOOZOO Games is a global entertainment company specializing in game development and distribution. The company is headquartered in Shanghai with offices across Asia, Europe, and the US. Since its founding in 2009, YOOZOO has forged a strong global distribution network and launched over 40 highly successful titles including Game of Thrones Winter is Coming, the League of Angels series and Saint Seiya Awakening: Knights of the Zodiac.

LITTLE BIG WORKSHOP – THE EVIL DLC IS OUT NOW!

Little Wicked Workshop

Karlstad, Sweden / Giebelstadt, Germany, October 29th, 2020: Just in time for the spooky season, tabletop workshops around the world are about to turn sinister. A completely new progression system, competing factories, sabotage features, company takeover mechanics and much more are coming to Little Big Workshop via The Evil DLC, OUT TODAY starting at 17.00 CET / 16.00 GMT on Steam!

Little Big Workshop – The Evil DLC out today on Steam!

 The infamous Bladh is looking for an evil apprentice and he’s got his eye on you! Are you ready to rid yourself of all virtues and dive into the wonderfully corrupt world of corporate greed? Then get ready to fight for market superiority with no holds barred. Sabotage the competition, take them over when they’re vulnerable, and make them work for you. Unlock new skills and workstations to create new products. Accompanied by a fresh look for your desk, factory, and workers and unusual decorations.

About The Evil DLC: 
The Evil DLC will keep the core gameplay we all know and love fundamentally unchanged. The additional game mode however will come with a bunch of changes to the progression system and the background mechanics. You will have to outperform competing factories to unlock new skill tiers and make sure they won’t beat you on the free market. Gain evil points by sabotaging them and unlock evil tech from an entirely revamped skill tree. All that and a bunch of new products, workstations, and cosmetics will make sure to keep the game fresh for veterans and new players alike. Just remember, however much he will help you now, Bladh is not to be trusted… 

Features:

  • Completely overhauled progression system that has you compete with other companies
  • Over 30 new products along with a set of brand new workstations, decorations, and more
  • Fresh skill tree that lets you unlock the true power of the dark side
  • Sabotaging system that gives you a rather unfair advantage on the market
  • Spooky costumes for your workers
     

Little Big Workshop – The Evil DLC will be available on Steam starting at 5 PM CET / 9 AM PDT for 
$ 9.99 / € 9.99 / £ 7.49.

About Mirage Game Studios: 
Mirage Game Studios is a game development company located in sunny Karlstad, Sweden. The company was founded by four avid gamers with roots in the area during the fall of 2016 in collaboration with THQ Nordic. The team, as well as the game, has grown quite a bit since then, both in scope and capabilities. It currently consists of seven people, a merry mix of game enthusiasts from different walks of life.

About HandyGames: 
HandyGames™ is part of the THQ Nordic and Embracer Group family and operates as an international publisher for mid-sized projects and developers for a worldwide audience.
The focus lies on creating and publishing games for current gen consoles like PlayStation®4, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X or Nintendo Switch™ as well as games for Steam and many other PC gaming distribution channels. HandyGames™ produces titles for new innovative gaming platforms, for example VR (Virtual Reality) on Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Samsung Gear VR, but also offers games of all kind of genres for Android smartphones and tablets, Apple iPhones, iPads and many other mobile and smart devices.
As a games company and that is truly passionate about gaming, we always strive for gameplay innovation. We received the German Developer Award as “Best German Game Studio” in 2015 and produced and published award-winning games of virtually every video gaming genre imaginable for a diverse range of audiences and gameplay styles. One example is “Townsmen VR” which was awarded with the German Games Award 2018 in the category “Best Game Design”.

Ripstone introduces players to Poker Club in first developer gameplay video

‘Welcome to Poker Club’ showcases Ripstone’s vision for the 
definitive next-gen poker video game

Liverpool, United Kingdom – October 29th, 2020 – Ripstone Games today revealed the first gameplay video features for its new IP Poker Club. ‘Welcome to Poker Club’ is a developer walkthrough video feature that reveals everything players need to know about Ripstone’s vision for the ultimate poker experience on PC and consoles. Launching on November 19th for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, Poker Club will offer players the most immersive and social poker simulation ever seen on next and current-generation platforms. A Nintendo Switch version of Poker Club will launch in 2021.

In ‘Welcome to Poker Club’, Creative Director Phil Gaskell takes players through a guided tour of the game, providing an overview of what Poker Club will offer players when they join the table next month. In addition, Phil plays through a few hands at the 80s inspired Number One Park Hill penthouse. This first gameplay reveal shows off the immersive first-person camera perspective Ripstone has employed, which really allows the level of detail to shine. You’ll also see some lovely ray tracing effects, high quality assets built for up to 4K resolutions and the silky smooth 60fps performance. Built using Unreal Engine 4 and leveraging the latest technologies for state of the art PCs and next-generation consoles, Poker Club is the ultimate Texas Hold’em experience of 2020 and beyond. Watch ‘Welcome to Poker Club’ on Ripstone’s YouTube channel:

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 players. Players can create or join a club, complete with leaderboards, exclusive tournaments, daily chip bonuses whilst working towards shared goals that unlock rewards. Some customisable gear and events are club-specific, meaning the best way to play is together, connected 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.

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 will launch on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on November 19th. The Nintendo Switch version will follow in 2021.

Visit the Poker Club website: https://pokerclubgame.com
Join the Poker Club Discord server: https://discord.gg/w2xQmwr
Follow Poker Club on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PokerClubGame
Follow Ripstone Games on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RipstoneGames

About Ripstone Games
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.

KaiOS Technologies and Atari®️ Bring Iconic Game PONG®️ to Smart Feature Phones

Pivotal Arcade Classic from Atari Launching on KaiOS — One of the Most Popular Mobile Operating Systems in the World

New York, NY (October 29, 2020) – KaiOS Technologies and Atari®️, one of the world’s most iconic consumer brands and entertainment producers, announced today that PONG®️, the first-ever commercially successful video game, is now available on KaiOS-enabled smart feature phones.

PONG and KaiOS devices are a perfect match, pairing nostalgic gameplay with a simple and easy-to-use keypad interface. It brings a classic and fun gaming experience for all ages to first-time internet users on smart feature phones. Available via the KaiStore worldwide, the PONG app is optimized for all KaiOS-enabled devices, with both 256MB and 512MB of RAM.

“We’re very excited to welcome Atari to the KaiOS ecosystem,” said Sebastien Codeville, CEO of KaiOS Technologies. “The classic arrow and keypad format of KaiOS-enabled devices is perfect for old-school gaming, and PONG is the ultimate classic. I myself am eager to give this new KaiStore addition a try!” 

PONG introduced video games to an entire generation when it first launched in 1972,” said Jean-Marcel Nicolai, COO of Atari. “In partnership with Kai, we’re thrilled to introduce PONG to a new market of gamers, and we look forward to bringing more Atari games to KaiOS in the future.”

Since the first KaiOS-enabled device hit the market in 2017, KaiOS has gained widespread popularity. Over 135 million devices have been shipped worldwide, with their unique mix of capability and affordability breaking new ground for mobile devices. Designed to run on low-spec hardware, KaiOS is a light operating system leveraging open, web-based technologies such as HTML5 to create a rich, intuitive user experience and enable access to essential apps and other internet-based resources. Together with its partners, Kai aims to close the digital divide by bringing mobile connectivity to the billions of people without internet in emerging markets, as well as providing those in established markets with an alternative to smartphones.

Since KaiOS is built on open web technologies, developers can easily port their games and other apps to KaiOS, reaching a previously untapped audience of millions of smart feature phone users. Developers can also monetize their KaiOS apps via KaiAds, the first advertising software development kit (SDK) and supply-side platform (SSP) designed for smart feature phones. KaiAds offers brands (including Atari) and advertisers entry into new regions via KaiOS-enabled devices to reach new users previously not reachable through digital marketing.

Created as a simple-but-challenging table tennis simulation, the influential PONG arcade game debuted on November 29, 1972. It was the first commercially successful video game and an immediate smash hit that effectively established the video game industry. PONG was originally meant to be a simple training exercise, assigned to newly hired engineer Allan Alcorn by Atari founder Nolan Bushnell to acclimate him to creating games. Alcorn went above and beyond, adding appealing features such as segmented paddles that changed the angle of the “ball” and accelerating speeds as play went on. Alcorn also elected to retain a “glitch” that didn’t allow the paddles to reach the top of the screen, which added to the game’s difficulty. Lastly, Bushnell had Alcorn add cheering crowd noises and other sound effects. The game was so well-received that Bushnell and the team were able to rapidly grow Atari and an entire industry was born.

To stay up-to-date on all things Atari and retro-pop-culture, follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About KaiOS Technologies 

KaiOS Technologies powers an ecosystem of affordable digital products and services, and exists to empower people around the world through technology. Its flagship product, KaiOS, is the leading mobile operating system for smart feature phones with more than 135 million devices shipped in over 150 countries. Kai’s mission is to open up new possibilities for individuals, organizations, and societies by bringing mobile connectivity to the billions of people without internet in emerging markets, as well as providing those in established markets with an alternative to smartphones. KaiOS is based on HTML5 and other open web technologies. Devices running on the platform require limited memory, while still offering a rich user experience through access to apps like the Google Assistant, WhatsApp, YouTube, Facebook and Google Maps.   

For more information about KaiOS, please visit www.kaiostech.com and www.twitter.com/kaiOSTech.

About Atari

Atari® is an interactive entertainment company. As an iconic brand that transcends generations and audiences, the company is globally recognized for its multi-platform, interactive entertainment, and licensed products. Atari owns and/or manages a portfolio of more than 200 games and franchises, including world-renowned brands like Asteroids®, Centipede®, Missile Command®, PONG®, and RollerCoaster Tycoon®. Atari has offices in New York and Paris. Visit us online at www.atari.com.

Undead Darlings ~ no cure for love ~ Review

Undead Darlings ~ no cure for love ~

Developer: Mr. Tired Media
Publisher: Sekai Games
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Switch (Reviewed)
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $29.99 – Available Here

Overview

These days there are many ways for a video game developer to make their dream a reality but even with these options available, things can always go wrong. One such game to experience numerous setbacks happened to be Undead Darlings ~ no cure for love ~, a visual novel dungeon crawler being developed by a former NIS America employee as something of a labor of love and it sure shows. After a failed Kickstarter back in 2015 and another attempted one a year later in 2016, things seemed bleak but through effort and some help from Sekai Games, the title has now made its way to multiple platforms. So now that it has finally been released, is this Western take on visual novel dungeon crawling worthwhile?

Story

As always when it comes to a zombie apocalypse, players join the story shortly after the outbreak has turned the world into a near-apocalypse state. This is done as players take on the role of Reginald “Reggie” Happenstahnce who wakes up after being drugged by his father only to find his childhood friend Pearl has been taking care of him for quite some time. The only problem is, Pearl is not only a bit bloody looking but also rather pale and it quickly becomes apparent that she has become one of the undead. 

While most who are bitten turn into mindless zombies, there are cases where some undead have managed to retain their personalities and Pearl is one of these and has been given instructions on how to help Reggie potentially put an end to the apocalypse as not only was Mr. Happenstahnce a scientist, he was likely working where the virus ended up leaking out., On a quest to save the world and themselves, Reggie joins Pearl, Jordan who is another childhood friend, and a number of other half-zombie girls who have managed to retain their sanity in an effort to not only find the cure for themselves but also save what’s left of the world as well.

Undead Darlings ~ no cure for love ~‘s take on storytelling is an interesting one as it is not only incredibly self-aware of the fact that it is a zombie game where everyone knows all of the standard undead tropes but also plays its “harem” style visual novel themes fairly straight with players making various dialogue choices throughout the game that raise the affection stat of the undead girls in the game. There is even a hardcore “survival” type character named Buck that has absolutely no filter when it comes to interacting with everyone, making him a bit crass and someone who will likely be a bit divisive for players.

There is plenty of charm to be had with the tongue-in-cheek style of writing that the game employs with its core plot but perhaps the best part of Undead Darlings are the girls players will be spending time with. All of these girls may start off feeling a bit cookie-cutter when it comes to the usual harem anime tropes they quickly grow beyond that. Players will learn more about these girls as the story progresses both through standard progression as well as through side-events. These little events are found scattered throughout dungeons and often feature choices that raise affection for certain girls and the more players progress, the more they open up about their pasts and experiences. This is especially true in this case since all of the girls are already half-undead and have experienced horrible events prior to meeting the player and learning more about them is easily the most interesting part of the game’s story.

Gameplay

Undead Darlings is a split between visual novel and first person dungeon crawler with their party of up to three girls at a time. The dungeons players explore are fairly in-depth with some standard puzzles that occasionally need to be solved and plenty of enemies that will stand in the way. These enemies come in various forms and while battles can happen as random encounters, there are certain spots in every dungeon that will always trigger a fight or feature a boss battle. There are a solid number of difficulty options available for players to choose from to best fit their skill level but it is worth noting that this is not an easy dungeon crawler by any means.

Even on normal difficulty players will have to deal with random encounters with enemies that can potentially wipe out the team if not handled properly. This is especially true at the start when resources and party members are low. In fact, there is something of a survival aspect included in the item management in Undead Darlings as well. Players start with a staggeringly small amount of inventory space and any usable item or non-equipped piece of gear will take up a spot. The only way to increase the amount of inventory space the player has is to use scrap, which itself is obtained by having a weapon break during combat. This means that every weapon the player’s team is using has durability and is another factor players will need to keep an eye on as taking on the hard hitting enemies with large health pools without proper equipment can easily mean a game over.

Oddly enough, should the player persevere and either grind levels out or take proper advantage of the elemental and type weaknesses of foes, with every girl being able to use different kinds of magical abilities (zombies and household items came to life and can use magic, don’t ask why) some trial and error can be used to pick the team best suited for certain areas, many of these fights can be a bit too simple as there is such a narrow window of difficulty where enemies either stomp the player’s team or become easy wins. There also happens to be a system that allows players to build up multipliers by attacking an enemy’s weakpoint. This multiplier can be used at any time with any action, increasing a girl’s attack power, healing ability, defense, and more though the downside of saving this multiplier up happens to be the fact that it automatically drops to standard levels should the player miss a weakpoint or even miss an attack.

Unfortunately even in the case of these easier fights, players will not have access to any form of auto-battle or quick fight mechanic and instead can use “Macros” that players can set beforehand. These macros are designed so players can try to time combo attacks, powerful abilities that require two girls to use certain skills together, but should an enemy be able to take an attack between the girls, the combo fails so generally the macros feel rather useless as long as players remember the various combo attacks. This means even standard fights can drag on needlessly long and can make delving through a dungeon something more akin to annoying than challenging at times.

Thankfully, the game also allows players to save during dungeon exploration so it is fairly easy to avoid encountering a game over as long as they keep an eye on their health and save frequently, with plenty of rotation to be safe. This style of saving even works well for the various in-dungeon side-events that players can encounter, helping players avoid making incorrect choices should the player be aiming for a certain ending. It is worth noting though that the visual novel sections do not feature any kind of save feature and are even missing a number of quality of life features such as auto-advance, log and replay dialogue, and the ability to save mid-conversation which is something disappointing especially when some story scenes can be fairly long.

It is nice to note that while the game is difficult, players are encouraged to play through multiple times as there are a number of different endings for the game and not only is there a New Game+ system that takes affection, level, and more forward there is even the ability to completely turn off random encounters. This allows for players to quickly navigate through the dungeons outside of required battles and expedites replays quite a bit.

Visuals & Audio

It is quite evident that Undead Darlings takes plenty of inspiration from Japanese anime for its character designs and artwork as the cast of girls are quite cute, albeit a bit bloody considering everyone has had a losing encounter with a zombie already, with a number of expressions for standard dialogue and a large number of CGs that players can unlock throughout the game. There is something of an odd disconnect between the cast of characters and the enemies however as enemy designs, while unique, feel like they were taken from an entirely different game at times though this may have been intentional to show how the girls still are retaining their humanity. As for the dungeons themselves, there is a solid amount of variety for the places players explore and the 3D environments are interesting enough, they don’t really jump out as special in any significant way.

In a somewhat interesting twist, Undead Darlings features a large amount of English voice work as most of the game’s story dialogue is properly voiced (outside of Reggie) and the voice work is handled quite well though it is a bit disappointing that not every scene is voiced. The soundtrack features a number of fitting pieces of background music for a dungeon crawler but nothing really stands out.

Overall

After struggling for years Undead Darlings ~ no cure for love ~ it is easy to see that this is something of a passion project that has successfully created a witty and interesting storyline featuring a great cast of characters that players will be eager to learn more about. The dungeon crawling and combat is solid enough though the rough edges occasionally make it more of a slog that slows story progression than anything else plus some small quality of life improvements would do wonders for both aspects of the title, though even without them this unique take on undead dungeon crawling is something of an unpolished gem.

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ROCCAT’S RIDICULOUSLY FAST TITAN OPTICAL SWITCH LAUNCHES TOMORROW IN THE VULCAN PRO KEYBOARDS & BURST PRO MOUSE

The Titan Optical Switch Delivers a Response Rate up to 100 Times Faster Than Standard Mechanical Switches, Plus Double the Lifespan with 100 Million Clicks

Vulcan Keyboards, Burst Pro Mouse, & Elo Headsets Set ROCCAT Pre-order Record

San Diego, CA – October 29, 2020 – ROCCAT, Turtle Beach’s (Nasdaq: HEAR) Hamburg, Germany-based PC peripheral brand, today announced the new Vulcan Pro and Vulcan TKL Pro PC gaming keyboards, and the all-new BurstPro PC gaming mouse, will be available at participating retailers worldwide tomorrow, Friday, October 30, 2020. ROCCAT’s latest Pro products feature the brand’s all-new Titan Optical Switch – groundbreaking technology that registers response rates over 100 times faster than standard mechanical switches and offers double the lifespan with 100 million clicks. For serious PC gamers who require the best, the fastest, and the most precise equipment, the Vulcan Pro and TKL Pro keyboards offer ROCCAT’s award-winning design and innovation with the ridiculously fast responsive speed of the new Titan Optical Switch. The full-size Vulcan Pro will be available for a MSRP of $199.99, while the popular, compact tenkeyless Vulcan TKL Pro will be available for a MSRP of $159.99. The all-new Burst Pro PC gaming mouse also takes advantage of the Titan Optical Switch technology to register mouse clicks faster than the competition and will be available for a MSRP of $59.99. The community has shown strong demand for ROCCAT’s latest Vulcankeyboards and Burst Pro mouse, which join the recently launched Elo series PC gaming headsets, as all have set pre-order records for the growing PC brand.  

“It’s a very exciting time for ROCCAT as our Elo series headsets, new Vulcankeyboards, and Burst Pro mouse were our most pre-ordered products ever, and tomorrow PC gamers can experience the advantage of Titan Optical Switch technology firsthand in the Vulcan Pro keyboards and Burst Promouse,” said René Korte, ROCCAT Founder and General Manager for PC Products at Turtle Beach. “We spent three years developing the Titan Optical technology to take full advantage of the speed, precision, and durability benefits of optical while retaining that familiar ‘click’ feeling our fans love.

Korte continued, “We’re confident PC gamers will truly appreciate the advantage ROCCAT’s Titan Optical Switch technology brings to the table. And what better way to introduce this new tech than in our fan-favorite Vulcan keyboard design, also now available in the compact tenkeyless format, and in a new mouse with an all-new shape and design all its own.”

Additional details on the latest additions to ROCCAT’s award-winning Vulcan series PC gaming keyboards, and the all-new Burst Pro mouse below.

The Vulcan Pro features the same sleek, award-winning design as the Vulcan 121 and features ROCCAT’s all-new Titan Optical Switch with linear actuation. The optical switch technology replaces the physical contact of a regular mechanical switch with a beam of light that gets interrupted by the optical switch once the key is pressed, leading to a more responsive reaction time and longer lifespan. The Vulcan Pro, comes with an Ash Black anodized aluminum plate, connects via a wired USB-A connector, and offers low-profile ergonomic key caps. The Vulcan Pro is part of ROCCAT’s AIMO-enabled family of products offering a vivid RGB light scheme, and it also comes with a removable magnetic wrist-rest. The Vulcan Pro will be available for a MSRP of $199.99/199.99€.

With many core and pro gamers preferring a more compact keyboard when they play, the Vulcan TKL Pro is the tenkeyless version of the Vulcan Pro, achieved by reducing the size of the chassis as well as removing the number pad. The TKL Pro comes with a removable USB-C cable, and like the other Vulcan variants it offers a game mode allowing gamers to set macros for their favorite games. The Vulcan TKL Pro also supports the AIMO lighting system, making it the perfect companion for the other products in the AIMO range. The Vulcan TKL Pro will be available for a MSRP of $159.99/159.99€.

The Burst Pro mouse also uses ROCCAT’s Titan Optical Switch technology to make it one of the most responsive gaming mice available, promising speed, performance and reliability to gamers looking for a lightweight, symmetrical yet ergonomic mouse. To deliver the best possible performance, the Burst Pro also features ROCCAT’s Owl-Eye Optical Sensor with DPI adjustable up to 16,000. The Burst Pro comes with a solid shell covering its honeycomb structure making it an extremely lightweight mouse at only 68 grams, and its translucent shell showcases ROCCAT’s AIMO intelligent lighting like never before. The Burst Prowill be available at the MSRP of $59.99/59.99€.

In addition to the Burst Pro, ROCCAT has developed the Burst Core at a more affordable price. The Burst Core mouse also features the Titan Optical Switch, plus an 8,500 DPI PMW3331 PixArt sensor and a solid honeycomb shell. The Burst Core will be available beginning November 16, 2020 for a MSRP of $29.99/29.99€.

The all-new Vulcan Pro and TKL Prokeyboards and Burst Pro mouse join ROCCAT’s recently launched Elo series PC gaming headsets, as well as the new Vulcan TKL mechanical gaming keyboard, and the Sense AIMO XXL mousepad. Each feature ROCCAT’s AIMO intelligent lighting that adds organic light to create a vivid, state-of-the-art desktop aesthetic.

For more information on the latest ROCCAT PC gaming products and accessories, visit ROCCAT.org and be sure to follow ROCCAT on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

About Turtle Beach Corporation

Turtle Beach Corporation (www.corp.turtlebeach.com) is one of the world’s leading gaming audio and 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.org) 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 shares are traded on the Nasdaq Exchange under the symbol: HEAR.

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