Home Blog Page 1916

WATCH DOGS®: LEGION RELEASES NEW STORY TRAILER AND UNVEILS POST-LAUNCH CONTENT

WATCH DOGS®: LEGION RELEASES NEW STORY TRAILER AND UNVEILS POST-LAUNCH CONTENT

As Part of Post-Launch Content, The Online Mode of Watch Dogs: Legion
Will Be Available December 3 Via Free Game Update 

Sydney, AUSTRALIA – OCTOBER 7, 2020 – Ubisoft has released the story trailer for Watch Dogs: Legion that places the fate of London in players’ hands. Zero-Day, an unknown entity, has framed the secret underground resistance, DedSec, for the bombings that contributed to the fall of London. In Watch Dogs: Legion, players must fight to liberate London by building a resistance.

Led by Ubisoft Toronto*, Watch Dogs: Legion will release on October 29, 2020 on Xbox One, PlayStation®4 and for Windows PC on Epic Games and Uplay. The game will also be available on UPLAY+**, Ubisoft’s subscription service. Watch Dogs®: Legion will also release on Xbox Series X | S on November 10 and digitally on PlayStation®5 alongside the console on November 12. The physical version of the game on PlayStation5 will be available on November 24.

Ubisoft also announced that the Online multiplayer mode of Watch Dogs: Legion will be available on December 3 as part of a free game update for all Watch Dogs: Legion players. Watch Dogs: Legion has a robust post-launch plan that will bring fresh content to the single-player mode, and introduce online multiplayer modes.

Click image below to view story trailer

The Online mode of Watch Dogs: Legion will include the following features as part of the December 3 free update:

  • Free-roam open-world co-op where players can team up with their friends for up to four-player co-op and explore the city of London and participate in side activities
  • New co-op missions for two-to-four players using new co-op gameplay mechanics and giving players the opportunity to recruit the perfect team
  • Four-player co-op Tactical Ops missions which will require teamwork and efficiency
  • The first available Player-vs-Player (PvP) mode, Spiderbot Arena, where four-to-eight players control armed spiderbots and compete in a high intensity free-for-all deathmatch

New free content for the single-player mode will be available in a future update in 2021, and will include:

  • New characters with new abilities
  • New mission content
  • A New Game Plus mode

Additionally, players who acquire the Season Pass of Watch Dogs: Legion will get access to Watch Dogs: Legion – Bloodline, a new storyline which includes Aiden Pearce from the original Watch Dogs game and Wrench from Watch Dogs 2, fully playable in the single player campaign and online, along with two other characters which were unveiled today:

  • Darcy, a member of the Assassin Order, thanks to a cross-over with Assassin’s Creed®
  • Mina, a subject of transhuman experiments, who possesses the ability to mind control individuals

In addition to the unique playable characters and Watch Dogs: Legion – Bloodline story expansion, the Season Pass will offer extra DedSec missions, the original Watch Dogs Complete Edition from 2014***, and more. The Season Pass of Watch Dogs: Legion is available for purchase as part of the Gold, Ultimate and Collector editions.

Built with a next-gen concept, Watch Dogs: Legion introduces “Play as Anyone,” a never-before-seen gameplay innovation created by Ubisoft Toronto**, the studio behind Watch Dogs: Legion. Play as Anyone gives players the entire city of London to choose their roster of resistance members from. Every single person in the open world can be recruited and played, is unique and has a backstory, personality and skillset. Watch Dogs: Legion will also support hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing on Xbox Series X and full ray-tracing support on Nvidia RTX-equipped PC devices, bringing real-time ray-tracing reflections to the streets of London. Players who purchase Watch Dogs: Legion on Xbox One or PlayStation4 will be able to upgrade their game to the next-gen version (Xbox Series X or PlayStation5) at no additional cost****.

In Watch Dogs: Legion, London is facing its downfall. Amidst the growing unrest of a restless London, an unknown entity named Zero-Day has framed secret underground resistance DedSec for coordinated bombings across London. In the aftermath, criminal opportunists from every corner of London took hold and filled the void left by a defeated government. As a member of DedSec, players will be going up against those criminal opportunists in Watch Dogs: Legion; sadists, mercenaries, cybercriminals, and more; they’ll have to be prepared for a variety of situations. Players must recruit members into their DedSec Resistance to take on these criminal opportunists, liberate London and uncover the identity of Zero-Day.

For the latest news on Watch Dogs: Legion and all of Ubisoft’s games, please visit news.ubisoft.com.

For more information about Watch Dogs: Legion, please visit watchdogs.com, and join the conversation by using #watchdogslegion.

*Associate studios are Ubisoft Montreal, Paris, Bucharest, Kiev, Newcastle and Massive Entertainment, a Ubisoft Studio.

**$19.95 per month. Cancel anytime. The Ultimate Edition (Excluding VIP status) will be available as part of a UPLAY+ subscription at game launch. More information at uplayplus.com.

*** Stadia players will be able to access Watch Dogs Complete Edition later this year, while all other platforms will have access in available territories when Watch Dogs: Legion launches.

****Watch Dogs: Legion leverages Smart Delivery allowing access to both the Xbox One title and Xbox Series X title when available. Watch Dogs: Legion PlayStation 4 Digital and Blu-Ray™ games gives access to the corresponding Watch Dogs: Legion PlayStation 5 Digital version at no additional cost, when available. Requires a PlayStation 5 or a PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, the game disc (if owned on Blu-Ray™) must be kept inserted in the PlayStation 5 disc tray to play, a PlayStation™Network registration, additional storage & Broadband internet connection. May incur bandwidth usage fees.

ABOUT WATCH DOGS

Watch Dogs launched in 2014 as the video game industry’s best-selling new IP at launch. To-date, the award-winning franchise has sold more than 40 million games worldwide. The hacker series extends to other entertainment media, including books and comics. The next opus in the franchise, Watch Dogs: Legion, will release on October 29, 2020.

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, 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 2019–20 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €1,534 million. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com.

© 2020 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Watch Dogs, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are registered or unregistered trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries.

THE LEGACY CONTINUES WITH THE NEW RAZER BLACKWIDOW V3

The keyboard that started it all returns with a host of upgrades, including new DoubleShot ABS keycaps, improved key switches, media keys, and a refined chassis

Razer™, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the new BlackWidow V3 and BlackWidow V3 Tenkeyless, continuing the legacy of the world’s first mechanical gaming keyboard, now updated with a plethora of new features and improvements to once again dominate the game.

Since its launch in 2010, the BlackWidow range of keyboards is the benchmark by which all other mechanical gaming keyboards are measured, and has been continuously upgraded and updated with new technologies to maintain its market leading position. With improved key switches, Doubleshot ABS keycaps, brighter Razer Chroma RGB lighting, dedicated media keys with digital roller, and an ergonomic wrist rest, the BlackWidow V3 represents the pinnacle of gaming keyboards.

“With the launch of the first BlackWidow, Razer created a whole new product category – the mechanical gaming keyboard,” said Alvin Cheung, Senior Vice President of Razer’s Peripherals Business Unit. “The new BlackWidow V3 now comes with a host of upgrades and improvements, whilst retaining the design and features gamers love, giving them a BlackWidow worthy of the legacy of its predecessors.”

Tougher keycaps, brighter switches, longer lifespan

At the heart of the new BlackWidow V3 are the Razer Mechanical Switches, available with either the precise, audible, and clicky actuation of the Razer Green Mechanical Switches, or with the smooth, silent, and linear feel of the Razer Yellow Switches, which now have silicon sound dampeners for an even quieter experience. With extra sidewalls for better switch stability, the Razer Mechanical Switches are extremely durable and reliable for up to 80 million keystrokes.

A further enhancement to the BlackWidow V3 comes with the inclusion of Doubleshot ABS keycaps*. Unlike traditional lit keycaps, which use printed lettering, the doubleshot molding process has the lettering molded into the structure of the keycap, meaning it will never wear away, even after thousands of hours of use. And for additional durability and stability, the Doubleshot ABS keycaps are molded with extra-thick walls, making them tough enough to withstand even the most heavy-handed of players.

Both switch types on the BlackWidow V3 now feature a new transparent housing, for brighter, more vibrant Razer Chroma RGB lighting. The clear casing allows the true brilliance of Razer Chroma RGB to shine through, from subtle customised hues and shading through to bold, energetic lighting effects. With Chroma RGB Lighting integrated into over 150 games, dynamic lighting and game immersion have never looked so good.

Rest easy with comfort and function

New to the BlackWidow V3 is the new Multi-function Digital Roller. The roller, along with the media key-set, can be used for volume controls, play, pause, and track skipping, or reprogrammed through Razer Synapse 3 for virtually any function, like page scrolling or lighting controls – the choice is entirely with the user.

The BlackWidow V3 now has an improved aluminum chassis, with built-in cable routing options. With the frame giving superior rigidity and stability even in intense gaming sessions, the hidden cable channels allow for easy cable routing, helping to keep the desktop tidy and free of tangles.

And completing the array of upgrades, the BlackWidow V3 is complemented by an ergonomic wrist rest, fitting perfectly across the full width of the keyboard, giving excellent wrist support for long play sessions with minimum wrist fatigue.

With improved Razer Mechanical Switches, brighter Razer Chroma RGB lighting, Doubleshot ABS keycaps, a Multi-function Digital Wheel and Media Keys, and an ergonomic wrist rest, the BlackWidow V3 has been updated with state of the art components and functions, to continue the legacy of the original gaming keyboard family.

The BlackWidow V3 is also available in the popular Quartz colour scheme (US keyboard layout only), joining the recently launched Viper Ultimate as part of an extensive range of Razer Quartz peripherals for gamers looking for more color in their battle stations.

*Doubleshot ABS keycaps available in the following layouts: US, German, Nordics, UK, French, Spanish, Russian, Japan, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Greek.

ABOUT THE RAZER BLACKWIDOW V3:

  • Razer™ Mechanical Switches designed for gaming
  • 80 million keystroke lifespan
  • Razer Chroma™ RGB customisable backlighting with 16.8 million colour options
  • Doubleshot ABS Keycaps
  • Ergonomic wrist rest
  • Multi-function digital roller
  • Dedicated media key
  • Hybrid On-Board Memory and Cloud Storage – up to 5 profiles
  • Razer Synapse 3 enabled
  • Cable routing optionsN-key roll-over
  • Fully programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording
  • Gaming mode option
  • 1000 Hz Ultrapolling
  • Aluminium construction

For more information, please see here.

Smaller form factor, same performance

The BlackWidow V3 Tenkeyless retains many of the features of the full-sized BlackWidow V3, but in a smaller form factor, ideal for gamers who prefer a more minimalist set-up or need a portable keyboard when traveling to tournaments.

Enjoying many of the upgrades found on the full-sized BlackWidow V3, the BlackWidow V3 Tenkeyless is available with either Razer Green Mechanical Switches or Razer Yellow Mechanical Switches, and features the same built-in cable routing options within the chassis design.

Through Razer Synapse 3, the BlackWidow V3 Tenkeyless is fully programmable, allowing users to remap buttons, record and store macros and set custom lighting with Razer Chroma RGB, with the ability to create and save multiple profiles for the perfect, personal keyboard set-up.

ABOUT THE RAZER BLACKWIDOW V3 TENKEYLESS:

  • Razer™ Mechanical Switches designed for gaming
  • 80 million keystroke lifespan
  • Razer Chroma™ RGB customisable backlighting with 16.8 million colour options
  • Doubleshot ABS Keycaps*
  • Razer Synapse 3 enabled
  • Cable routing options
  • N-key roll-over
  • Fully programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording
  • Gaming mode option
  • 1000 Hz Ultrapolling
  • Aluminium construction

*Doubleshot ABS keycaps available in the following layouts: US Layout (additional layouts coming soon)

For more information, please see here.

PRICE & AVAILABILITY

BlackWidow V3: $139.99 USD / €149.99 MSRP
BlackWidow V3 Tenkeyless: $99.99 USD / €109.99 MSRP
Razer.com and authorised resellers: October 6, 2020.

ABOUT RAZER

Razer™ is the world’s leading lifestyle brand for gamers.

The triple-headed snake trademark of Razer is one of the most recognised logos in the global gaming and esports communities. With a fan base that spans every continent, the company has designed and built the world’s largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software and services.

Razer’s award-winning hardware includes high-performance gaming peripherals and Blade gaming laptops.

Razer’s software platform, with over 100 million users, includes Razer Synapse (an Internet of Things platform), Razer Chroma RGB (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system), and Razer Cortex (a game optimiser and launcher).

In services, Razer Gold is one of the world’s largest virtual credit services for gamers, and Razer Fintech is one of the largest offline-to-online digital payment networks in SE Asia.

Founded in 2005 and dual-headquartered in Irvine (California) and Singapore, Razer has 17 offices worldwide and is recognised as the leading brand for gamers in the USA, Europe and China. Razer is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock Code: 1337).

Razer – For Gamers. By Gamers.

# # #

Tell Me Why Review

Tell Me Why

Developer: Dontnod Entertainment
Publisher: Microsoft
Platforms: PC, Xbox One (Reviewed)
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $29.99 – Available Here

Overview

Narrative driven games that focus on player choice have risen to prominence over the last decade and while one developer was keeping things mostly the same, another chose to keep things fresh by experimenting a bit with every new release. The latter developer happens to be Dontnod Entertainment and since their release of Life is Strange they have grown quite a following for telling unique tales while also offering new experiences at the same time. Their latest offering happens to be another experimental entry called Tell Me Why, featuring a pair of  twins with some rather extraordinary circumstances.

Story

A pair of twins named Alyson and Tyler Ronan have been separated for ten years after a horrific event occurred during their childhood. While Alyson was able to stay in their hometown of Delos Crossing, Alaska and be adopted by a caring father figure Tyler was raised in a correctional facility as a result of said event. Despite this lengthy separation, the pair are eager to meet one with one another again even if it means that they are going to undertake a fairly traumatizing task of revisiting the site that the pair were last together and trying to sell it, their childhood home.

After visiting the home and finding that it has mostly been untouched over the past decade to the point that even their mother’s belongings and their childhood toys remain scattered throughout the rooms, the pair quickly realize that their special connection, a “bond,” that allows them to mentally speak with one another has returned and is in fact stronger than ever before. The pair find that their bond now allows them to revisit memories of the past as if they were seeing them as they happened, bringing new perspectives to what they may have once thought as fact. Through the use of their bond and a number of objects of their mother’s, the twins realize that there is more to the events of their childhood trauma than met the eye and begin to investigate what exactly happened that night and split the pair apart for a decade.

Tell Me Why kicks things off to a great start by immediately establishing that both Alyson and Tyler are a likable pair of characters and, despite being twins, couldn’t be more different from one another. While Tyler is eager to uncover the truth, a bit brash, and confident in himself Alyson is a more thoughtful person and tries to put others before herself making for a unique dynamic as the pair works together and deals with the various issues that are brought up as they dig deeper into the mysteries of their past and the town of Delos Crossing. The same cannot really be said unfortunately about a majority of the game’s side characters however as many are not given nearly as much depth as players would expect, especially given the major roles some eventually play in the story and how they interact with Tyler and Alyson.

Now, one of the key elements of Tell Me Why is the fact that Tyler is a transgender character and seeing how both the small townsfolk of Delos Crossing interact with him and treat him can make for an interesting experience. Rather than force any type of unusual abuse or stereotypical cliches on the character, Dontnod has gone to great lengths to make sure that Tyler was a character of his own and not ruled by his sexuality. There are some confrontations and a few uncomfortable moments but these are handled in a way that is fairly nuanced and serve as examples of how to handle these situations better.

The mystery itself starts out great as players will eagerly want to dig deeper into the past and find out what happened to the twins but while things move quickly through the first chapter, the second chapter feels like something of a stalling effort at times as the pace slows to a crawl outside of some great cliffhangers. It is also worth noting that, when the pace does begin to pick up once again, the mystery itself begins to fall flat as the more players reveal, the less interesting things becomes which is both rare and disappointing considering how deep the mystery seemingly was at the start only to boil down to what it eventually becomes.

Gameplay

As with most of Dontnod’s narrative games players will find that Tell Me Why has a fairly simplistic style of gameplay that focuses mostly on examining environments, talking to various characters, solving puzzles, and making choices during discussions that may or may not play a role in how various events will play out further down the line. One of the most notable aspects of Tell Me Why happens to be the memories that the twins are capable of recalling. For the most part recalling these memories are ways to expand upon the story but also can play a pivotal role in the story as, just as in real life, everyone’s memory is a bit different from others. This means that there are a number of times throughout the game that players can choose to remember a memory one way or another and this can play a major role in the twins’ relationship and how they handle things going forward. It is interesting to note that there are a couple of endings to Tell Me Why as well as a number of variations to these endings so players will want to note that their decisions do matter a bit, especially since the twins’ relationship plays a major role.

It is interesting to note that although players will find that Tell Me Why offers quite a few puzzles, there are ways around these as well. Most of the puzzles tend to revolve around deciphering clues hidden in a storybook created by the twins’ mother though a few others are mixed in as well but should the player want to skip trying to solve these puzzles, they usually can be solved through brute-force. This latter option can speed things up but does ruin certain aspects of the story as many puzzles end up revealing more about the mystery of the twins and their mother’s past once they are properly deciphered. Alongside these puzzles players will also come across a number of rather odd mini-games that really slow the pace of the game down and while they usually are implemented to try and make certain scenes a bit more impactful, they often fail in this regard and come off as more annoying than anything else.

Visuals & Audio

It is clear that every new game that Dontnod works on they are continuing to grow as a developer as their visual designs continue to impress with Tell Me Why as the rather unique setting of a small town in Alaska is brought out to the fullest thanks to some great environmental designs while the characters themselves are fittingly designed with plenty of great details and many of these details. This ends up being especially useful given how certain aspects of Tyler’s character and some of the world building is done through environmental clues and items players can examine than outright spoken about.

The voice work features an outstanding performance for both twins with Tyler’s voice actor really nailing the role of the character and Dontnod can be given a lot of credit for going the extra mile when it came to handling the voice talent in this regard. The soundtrack also features a wide variety of background tracks that fit perfectly given the setting and heavy mood swings the game can take from time to time.

Overall

Tell Me Why spins an engaging mystery with a small supernatural twist and takes on a cast of characters that avoid falling into stereotypes, creating a much stronger narrative as a result. This mature tale may lose its luster the longer the story progresses but the strong characters and interesting puzzles make for a game that players will want to experience and proves that Dontnod is as strong as ever even when taking risks with sensitive topics.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Insurgency: Sandstorm’s Massive Operation: Breakaway Update Adds New Map, Co-op Mode, Weapons, Cosmetics & More

Insurgency: Sandstorm’s Massive Operation: Breakaway Update Adds New Map, Co-op Mode, Weapons, Cosmetics & More

PARIS Oct. 6, 2020 — Today the smash-hit hardcore FPS Insurgency: Sandstorm celebrates the arrival of the massive Operation: Breakaway content update, available to download now for free. This time, Security forces have gone rogue and joined the Insurgents! Patch 1.8 introduces a new co-op mode, map, weapons, cosmetics, and more. And now’s the perfect time to dive in — Insurgency: Sandstorm is on sale for 50% off on Steam now until October 12.

Operation: Breakaway’s new co-op game mode is Outpost, designed for fast, fun and frenetic defensive action. You’ll start with limited equipment and gain more as you work through waves of increasingly difficult enemies. Losing an objective forces you to retreat to a new area to hold — but be careful: you can only fall back so much before it’s game.

There’s also new weapons and attachments to discover in today’s update. Security forces get the low-recoil AUG A3 assault rifle, while Insurgents have the high-fire rate FAMAS F1. Weapon customization has expanded, too, with six new weapon upgrades, including new underbarrel shotguns and foregrips for all classes.

Last but not least, Insurgency: Sandstorm’s new map — Tell — features a tight style of urban close-quarters combat that’s unique from the game’s other maps. It squeezes everyone together for more fast-paced action, where the new underbarrel shotguns can really come into play. But there’s still plenty of room for multiple flanking routes for more tactical and methodical players.

Today’s update also includes new cosmetics matching the rogue security theme. Enjoy free outfits on each side with rogue cop uniforms for Insurgents and internal affairs officers for Security. In addition, a Breakaway-themed bundle including four paid DLC packs is out now.

Insurgency: Sandstorm is developed by New World Interactive and published by Focus Home Interactive. For more information, visit https://insurgency-sandstorm.com.

Giraffe and Annika Review

Giraffe and Annika

Developer: Atelier Mimina
Publisher: NIS America
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4 (Reviewed), Nintendo Switch
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $29.99 – Available Here

Overview

Among the numerous massive games released every year there are also a number of simpler titles released that still exude a certain level of charm while delivering smaller adventures. In recent years NIS America has been diversifying their releases a bit and while last year saw the simpler Destiny Connect release, this time around the company has returned with Giraffe and Annika. With plenty of charm and designed to be more child friendly, Giraffe and Annika may not be something many would expect but it does offer something a bit unique these days.

Story

Players take on the role of Annika, a young girl that has awoken on the flourishing Spica island with seemingly no knowledge about who or where she is. After a bit of exploration, Annika finds out that while she has no memory of herself there are plenty of people who know her. One of these happens to be Giraffe, a boy that asks for Annika’s help as she is the last Felycan on the island and, as such, is the only one capable of unlocking the special ruins scattered throughout the island that hold special Star Fragments that he is seeking.

Hoping to learn more about herself, Annika undertakes this task and encounters the powerful Witch of the Forest named Lily who also is familiar with the young girl and seeks the star fragments herself. With Annika managing to fend off the witch, she absorbs the fragment and witnesses unique visions. In an effort to learn more about herself and help others, Annika continues her journey throughout the colorful Spica Island. 

Giraffe and Annika keeps things as simple as they come. Players will find that the story is charming at its core and features a great cast of characters that players will encounter and while there are some enemies, none of them feel very threatening and even the boss battles carry little weight behind them. This leads to a light, albeit inconsequential, adventure that encourages players to explore various parts of the world and examine everything they come across in an effort to learn more about Spica Island and its inhabitants, which given the game’s short length, is something many may want to do.

Gameplay

It quickly becomes evident that Giraffe and Annika was designed for a simpler experience in mind as players will find that this “action adventure” style game doesn’t really offer much action at all outside of boss battles while the adventure aspect is kept to a minimum near the start as Annika doesn’t even possess the ability to jump, run, or even swim properly until she unlocks the ability by clearing dungeons. 

There are enemies that Annika will have to deal with that mostly appear in dungeons and while they can hurt her a bit, she can easily regenerate health either through eating food or standing near healing crystals that are generously scattered throughout every area. When not conquering dungeons players will find that the various residents of Spica Island can give Annika extra tasks that generally involve tracking down items or restoring parts of the island with the rewards being simple cosmetic items or the ability to help out during the more gameplay focused mine cart portions of the game. 

The majority of the actual conflict in the game comes during the boss battles against Lily as she will launch magical orbs at Annika who, through rhythm based gameplay, can catch them and send them back at her. These rhythm sections are fairly simple to learn and players have the option of selecting between Easy, Normal, and Hard difficulty before every challenge in case they aren’t familiar with playing a rhythm game but those who are will want to bump the difficulty up to hard as playing on Normal still ends up being far too easy as players can hop left and right and catch individual notes and press-and-hold notes to survive. It is also worth noting that Annika doesn’t even need to deplete all of Lily’s energy to win a fight, players only need to survive long enough for most battles to come to a conclusion.

Likely due to the lax nature of the game as a whole, players will find that the control system is a bit too floaty for its own good. Annika moves extremely quickly while moving across almost any type of terrain and these slippery movements can make some of the more finnicky platforming sections a bit difficult, especially since some of the collectible “meowsterpieces” are hidden away in hard to reach locations. It is also worth noting that Giraffe and Annika features a day and night cycle that allows for certain events to only happen at certain times of day which is a bit of an odd choice considering these cycles do little to the actual gameplay besides encouraging players to try and find out how dungeons or certain parts of the island differ due to the time of day or forcing them to find a bed to sleep in in an effort to advance time and continue their journey.

Visuals & Audio

There is a certain level of charm to be found in Giraffe and Annika’s coloration and design work. The environments themselves are fairly standard for a game such as this one while the dungeons that players explore are enjoyable enough but aren’t memorable enough outside of the colorful boss battles that cap them off. The charm shines the best when it comes to the character designs and the simple but effective comic-style presentation used for story scenes.

As for the soundtrack, the game features a solid collection of light calming music that fits perfectly with the tone of the game’s child-like exploration while the boss battle music works nice for the rhythm game it is paired up with. It is worth noting that there is only a minimal level of voice work here as cutscenes are not voiced and only Annika makes small bits of noise while exploring and interacting with the world.

Overall

While there are still plenty of grand games out there for players to enjoy, Giraffe and Annika takes on a smaller role and offers a simpler experience that is both charming and something that even younger children can enjoy. This does mean that things are a bit too easy for most and the controls aren’t quite as tight as one would hope given the amount of emphasis put on exploration here. All in all, Giraffe and Annika is a light and enjoyable game that will put a smile on most faces as long as players don’t go into it expecting a serious or difficult challenge.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Releases Today into Early Access on PC, Mac & Google Stadia

Baldur’s Gate 3 Releases Today into Early Access on PC, Mac & Google Stadia

The fate of the Forgotten Realms is on your party’s shoulders. Will you carry it to salvation, or descend with it to hell?

DUBLIN Oct. 6, 2020 — Larian Studios is excited to announce that its long-awaited RPG Baldur’s Gate 3 has today released into early access for PC and Mac on Steam and GOG.com, as well as Google Stadia. Players all over the world can now enjoy the first act of the game, which spans roughly 25 hours of content, 46,000 lines of English dialogue, 600 NPCs, and 146 spells and actions. The game’s extensive character creation system lets players pick from 16 races and subraces as well as six different classes, each with their own subclasses.

Today’s release into early access marks the beginning of a long journey toward full launch. Working directly with the community, the team will continuously iterate and improve upon the game, adding new content along the way. RPGs this large, with so many permutations, thrive from feedback as new features and fixes are incrementally added to the game. Early access gives players a chance to participate in development and gives the team an opportunity to explore different game ideas with a live community.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is an expansive, cinematic, player-driven RPG based on 5e D&D. It features a rich character creation system where players can create an avatar based on 16 different D&D races and subraces, select their cantrips, skills and abilities, and enter a world where their actions truly define the story. With a parasite planted in their brains, players wake up aboard a burning Nautiloid ship racing across hell at the center of an epic fight between Mind Flayers and red dragons. And that’s just the very beginning of this journey. Players will encounter many challenges upon their return to the Forgotten Realms in a tale about fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival — and the lure of absolute power.

Baldur’s Gate 3 expands on Larian’s award-winning narrative gameplay through the advent of cinematic storytelling and with dice rolls for key decisions throughout the game, in and out of combat. Dialogue options often have multiple responses, some of which may require a dice roll to succeed, defined by both luck as well as the attributes of the player character, or the circumstances of the situation.

The Forgotten Realms are a vast, detailed and diverse world, and there are secrets to be discovered all around. Verticality is a vital part of exploration. Players can sneak, dip, shove, climb, and jump as they journey from the depths of the Underdark to the glittering rooftops of the Upper City. How you survive, and the mark you leave on the world, is up to you.

Major Features:

  • Online multiplayer for up to four players allows adventurers to join forces in combat and split their party to follow their own quests and agendas. Concoct the perfect plan together… or introduce an element of chaos when your friends least expect it!
  • Evolved, turn-based combat based on the D&D 5e ruleset. Team-based initiative, advantage and disadvantage, and roll modifiers join combat cameras, expanded environmental interactions, and a new fluidity in combat that rewards strategy and foresight.
  • Define the future of the Forgotten Realms through your choices and the roll of the dice. No matter who you play as or what you roll, the world and its inhabitants will react to your story.
  • Player-initiated turn-based mode allows players to pause the world around them at any time, even outside of combat, letting you set up a tactical advantage before combat begins, pull off a heist with pin-point precision, escape a fiendish trap and more. Split your party, prepare ambushes, sneak in the darkness — and create your own luck!

About Larian Studios

Founded in 1996 in Ghent, Belgium, Larian Studios has been creating games for 24 years. In 2014 we released the isometric CRPG Divinity: Original Sin to critical acclaim, establishing a reputation for the development and publication of expansive, player-driven RPG adventures with great depth. 2017 saw the release of Divinity: Original Sin 2, which launched with a 93 Metacritic rating, as well as over 160 awards (Including the BAFTA for Best Multiplayer Game) and counting. Larian launched DOS2 with a team of 120 people. Upon the release of Baldur’s Gate 3 into early access, Larian will have grown to 300 people internationally across five offices all over the world. Since DOS2, Larian has heavily invested in new departments and specialties to bring the isometric camera down and push the boundaries of emotion in an RPG while expanding on depth, player options, permutations and scale. Baldur’s Gate 3 will be the studio’s biggest and most ambitious game yet.

About Wizards of the Coast

Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., is an award-winning developer and publisher of tabletop and digital games that ignite a sense of adventure in passionate players around the globe. Best known for publishing groundbreaking fantasy franchises MAGIC: THE GATHERING® and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®, Wizards is dedicated to bringing together world-class talent to create unforgettable play experiences at its headquarters in Washington and studios in Austin and Montreal. Learn more at www.wizards.com.

© 2019 WIZARDS OF THE COAST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. WIZARDS OF THE COAST, BALDUR’S GATE, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE LOGOS ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF WIZARDS OF THE COAST LLC

© 2019 LARIAN STUDIOS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. LARIAN STUDIOS IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ARRAKIS NV, AFFILIATE OF LARIAN STUDIOS GAMES LTD. ALL COMPANY NAMES, BRAND NAMES, TRADEMARKS AND LOGOS ARE THE PROPERTY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Enters Early Access

Larian Studios brought the first act of Baldur’s Gate 3 to Steam Early Access today. The act contains 25 hours of content, six player classes, nine races/subraces, and multiplayer support for up to four players. The game is expected to have three acts in total. Larian Studios does not have an ETA when the full game will be released, but they are promising the $59.99 USD/$89.95 AUD price tag will not increase after the 1.0 launch.

Balduer’s Gate 3 is a turn based action RPG using the Dungeons & Dragons 5E rules. The world uses the Forgotten Realms setting where fantastical creatures and powerful deities mingle in an Earth-like world. Players will wake up in the midst of a battle between the Mind Flayers and red dragons as they struggle with a Mind Flayer parasite implanted in their mind. How they deal with the parasite and carve their place in the world is completely up to the player.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77iFSWGpgN0

SHOP TITANS LEVELS UP WITH LARGEST CONTENT DROP TO DATE

SHOP TITANS LEVELS UP WITH LARGEST CONTENT DROP TO DATE

All-New Tier 10 Update Gives Players Next Level Items, Dungeons, Boss Encounters and More

MONTREAL – OCT. 6, 2020 – Today, Kabam’s award-winning multi-platform medieval shop keeping simulation game Shop Titans launches its Tier 10 Update, providing players with the largest content drop for the game to date. Players can explore three new dungeons and face off against an all-new boss for rare components in order to craft from 32 all-new blueprint items offered to the community. Players can check out the latest trailer on YouTube.

The Tier 10 Update introduces a multitude of activities to engage with, both in-and-out of the shop for players who have crafted Tier 9 blueprint items and cleared the game’s monthly events – Tower of Titans, Lost City of Gold and The King’s Caprice. Players can collect, craft and sell over 32 new blueprint items that are more valuable and difficult to craft, along with three new crafting components available only in the new Sunken Temple dungeon. Other gameplay improvements include Steam Guild Chat and Achievement integrations, Extended Ascension Milestone Tracks and New Guild Perks among many new updates.

Players can also purchase seasonal/timed item packs on the following dates:

  • Mystic Duo Mega Pack – Oct. 6 (VIP) / Oct. 9 (All Players) to Oct. 17
  • Halloween Mega Pack – Oct. 20 (VIP) / Oct 23 (All Players) to Oct. 31

In Shop Titans, players will build up and launch their very own fantasy shop with an extensive item crafting system, and innovative bartering gameplay with customers to secure the best sale price and treasure-seeking quests – all supported with hysterical character-driven banter between your Champions and city Workers. By assembling a team of customizable heroes, players will vicariously explore dungeons and defeat powerful bosses in the pursuit of valuable crafting materials for their stores.

Shop Titans is rated T for Teen by the ESRB and is available as a free-to-play download through the App Store, Google Play and Steam for PC. For more information, please visit Shop Titan’s official website, Facebook and Twitter.

ABOUT KABAM

Kabam is a world leader of developing entertaining, immersive, and highly social multiplayer games for mobile devices. They merge consumer behavior with the art of game design to create experiences that are enjoyed by millions of players across the globe. Each game has raised the benchmark in mobile gaming, bringing high-quality graphics, next-generation technology and revolutionary gameplay to the console in every player’s pocket.

Kabam has partnered with leading entertainment brands like Disney, Hasbro and Universal to create mobile games based on some of the world’s most iconic franchises.

Kabam’s games have generated hundreds of millions of downloads including Fast & Furious 6: The Game, Fast & Furious: Legacy, Marvel Contest of Champions and Transformers: Forged to Fight. These games have also received multiple awards such as Apple’s Editors’ Choice and Google Play’s Best Game of the Year.

Founded in 2006, Kabam has studios and offices in Vancouver, Montreal, Charlottetown, San Francisco and Austin, Texas. Kabam is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Netmarble.

About Netmarble Corporation

Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a top developer and publisher pushing the boundaries of the mobile gaming experience with highly innovative games including Lineage 2: Revolution, The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross, Blade&Soul Revolution and MARVEL Future Fight. As a parent company of Kabam, and a major shareholder of Jam City and Big Hit Entertainment, Netmarble strives to entertain audiences around the world with a variety of mobile games based on its powerful franchises and collaborations with IP holders worldwide. More information can be found at http://company.netmarble.com # # #

‘MANIFOLD GARDEN’ STEAM EDITION LAUNCHES OCTOBER 20

Public Demo to Debut During The Steam Game Festival: Autumn Edition

October 6th, 2020 — William Chyr Studio is thrilled to announce its award-winning exploration puzzle game Manifold Garden will release October 20th on Steam for $19.99 (European prices are commensurate). Rediscover gravity and explore an Escher-esque world of impossible architecture in this BAFTA and Game Developers Choice Awards-nominated indie release.

To celebrate the upcoming Steam launch, a public demo for Manifold Garden will be made available for the duration of The Steam Game Festival: Autumn Edition taking place over the next week.

Manifold Garden is a game that reimagines physics and space. Witness infinity in first-person, and master its rules to solve physics-defying puzzles. Cultivate a garden to open new paths forward, where an eternal expanse awaits.

Key Features

  • An expansive and visually striking world filled with mind-bending puzzles.
  • Manipulate gravity to gain new perspectives and walk on any visible surface.
  • Experience space in new ways as you explore infinitely repeating Escher-esque architecture.
  • Capture striking and beautiful images with the all-new Photo Mode.

The Manifold Garden OST is available now on Bandcamp and major streaming platforms. Manifold Garden is also available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Apple Arcade, and Epic Games Store.

To learn more, visit:

Game Website:http://manifold.garden/
Developer Website:https://williamchyr.com/
Newsletter:http://bit.ly/mgmailinglist
Twitch:https://www.twitch.tv/williamchyr
Twitter:https://twitter.com/williamchyr
Discord:https://discordapp.com/invite/XcXBkwZ

About Manifold Garden’s History & William Chyr
In November 2012, William Chyr began working on Manifold Garden. Initially called Relativity, the game was inspired by the M.C. Escher print which depicts a world with multiple gravities. In early 2015, Manifold Garden was backed by Indie Fund. Over the course of its development, the game has been shown in over 20 game conventions and festivals, including E3, Tokyo Game Show, Gamercamp, and Indiecade East.

Manifold Garden has had a long history of open and transparent development, including a devlog that first started back in November 2013, and regular Twitch streams since 2016.

William Chyr is an independent game developer and visual artist based in Chicago. His work spans a variety of media, including web, print, and installation.

Wiregames and GD Entertainment Launch Primordials Of Amyrion Early Access on Steam and Epic Games Store

New Tug-of-War Strategy Game Early Access Available Now on Steam and Epic Games Store

ZAGREB, HR – October 6, 2020 – WIREGAMES Publishing and GD ENTERTAINMENT today launched their new Tug-of-War strategy game, Primordials of Amyrion onto the Steam and Epic Games Store via Early Access.  Featuring cross-play among Steam and Epic Games Store players, Primordials of Amyrion includes three unique armies, six Primordials, and eight different champions for players to choose from. To control the battle, players must upgrade their armies, choose different abilities and spend resources wisely. Primordials of Amyrion is available via Early Access for $14.99 on Steam and the Epic Games Store.

Primordials of Amyrion features:

  • Lord Over Land – Battle for control of the realm without the tedium of dictation. It’s macro over micro.
  • Choose Your Path – Upgrade Primordials, champions, minions and towers to directly counter an opponent’s army.
  • Battle of Wit and Will – Test your mettle in 1v1 duels. No teammates can steal glory or bring your great name to shame.
  • Bolster Forces – Unleash devastating activatable abilities in support of valiant minions marching into a brutal war of attrition.
  • Manage Resources – Spend resources early and go for the killing blow, or build up an economy in an effort to overwhelm the long-game.

ABOUT PRIMORDIALS OF AMYRION
Primordials of Amyrion is a tug-of-war 1v1 strategy game where players rule kingdoms and build armies to war for ever greater power. “One will rise, Many will fall. Compete in 1v1 duels against other Primordials and their armies, simultaneously balancing resource management while choosing upgrade paths for buildings, champions and minions to gain key advantages on the battlefield. While even the greatest Primordial may not control every unit on the battlefield, some have abilities and ultimates that can turn the tide of war.

For more information on Primordials of Amyrion, please visit www.primordials.game, and follow the game on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PlayPrimordials/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/playprimordials.
Join the discussion on all topics game-related on Discord https://discord.com/invite/bRg9Zmp.

ABOUT WIREGAMES
WIREGAMES is a newly established video game design and publishing company based in Zagreb, Croatia. In collaboration with GD ENTERTAINMENT, they are publishing their first title Primordials of Amyrion set to enter early access on PC in 2020.

ABOUT GD ENTERTAINMENT
GD ENTERTAINMENT is a game development studio located in Zagreb, Croatia. Established in 2018, GD ENTERTAINMENT features a team of experienced and new developers with a passion for engaging and competitive games that challenge the status quo in development. Their latest development project Primordials of Amyrion is set to enter early access on PC in 2020. For more information visit: www.gd-entertainment.hr