A 4-minute glimpse behind the game’s mechanics and features
October 5th, 2020 – Game developers JanduSoft S.L and Grimorio of Games revealed a 4-minute Developer Diary providing some insight behind the features and gameplay mechanics for their impending monster summoning action roguelike Sword of the Necromancer, ahead of its launch later this year on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. This will be the first of three videos to be rolled out before launch where the development team gives an in-depth behind the scenes peek into the making of Sword of the Necromancer.
Sword of the Necromancer is a top-down action roguelike with a unique twist: you can resurrect any enemy you kill as an undead minion to fight alongside you! On top of that, there’s a fluid combat system with a smorgasbord of weapons and gear to choose from. Advance through the dungeon and weigh the consequences of what armaments to equip as you amass your little army of the undead!
As you descend this procedurally-generated dungeon, you’ll have to make some tough, tactical decisions. Should you fall in battle you’ll lose all your gear and half of your level, so be careful! If you’re really feeling adventurous, you can clone yourself, allowing for a friend to jump in for some two-player local co-op.
About JanduSoft S.L JanduSoft is a Catalonian video game developer and publisher located in Barcelona. Its developed titles include Indiecalypse, Caveman Warriors, and Runemals. Now it also operates as a publisher, with a focus on both ports as well as fresh, new titles for PC and consoles.
About Grimorio of Games Grimorio of Games is a two-person team based in Barcelona. After developing the hyper-active action platformer Super Hyperactive Ninja, Grimorio of Games launched a Kickstarter for the upcoming roguelike Sword of the Necromancer, which raised over €200K on Kickstarter.
Non-Profit Project Created by French Public Scientific Research Organization, CEA, Makes Science Fun and Accessible to All! No Ads and No Registration Required!
Paris, France – October 5th, 2020 — Science, logic and technology are your best allies in The Quantum Prisoner, a completely free browser-based point-and-click adventure that is today playable in English on PC, Mac and mobile devices and tablets. Featuring 10-12 hours of gameplay, TheQuantum Prisoner takes players around the world on a point and click adventure with retro graphics and a dose of humour. Funded by the CEA, a French public scientific research organization, The Quantum Prisoner launched a year ago in France and is now available in English to bring the fun world of science and technology to a wide audience. The Quantum Prisoner is playable online at: https://quantum-prisoner.com
Featuring 10-12 hours of gameplay, The Quantum Prisoner takes you on a journey across the globe to find out what happened to the physician Artus Cropp, who mysteriously disappeared back in the 1960s. Playing as Zoe, a curious and resourceful young woman, you must solve more than 30 technology, science and engineering-based puzzles from operating particle accelerators and fuel cells to robots and more. You will escape perilous situations, progress through your investigation and make a discovery that will change the world!
“As a public science research organization, the CEA aims to open up the exciting world of science to the next generation of budding young brilliant minds and so made The Quantum Prisoner into a completely free game to lower the entry barrier for a fun learning experience”, said Roland Lehoucq, astrophysicist at the CEA and scientific advisor of The Quantum Prisoner. “We’ve designed the gameto be accessible even if you don’t know anything about science – you learn as you play along, in line with the scientific approach. Informative videos, facts and assistance from the CEA researchers are all at your disposal as you play through increasingly challenging puzzles and learn about environmental and life sciences, physics, chemistry and maybe even a bit of quantum physics along the way!”
The Quantum Prisoner is a browser-based game created by the CEA with the sole purpose of making science fun and more accessible. The game is completely free with no registration required (unless you want to share your game between several devices), no ads, and can be played on any modern browser without the need of downloading a plug-in. The game can also be fully preloaded if you desire to play offline. The Quantum Prisoner is designed for players in the 12/13 age range and over but can be enjoyed by players as young as 8 with the help of an adult on some of the more difficult puzzles. First released in October, 2019 in France (only in French), The Quantum Prisoner received praise at Paris Games Week and has attracted more than 100,000 gamers across the country, receiving positive feedback from the players. Given this success, the CEA has now translated the game into English for a wider audience who can now play for free through any browser from The Quantum Prisoner game website: https://quantum-prisoner.com
About the CEA
The CEA is a French public research organization serving industry, specializing in four main areas: energy transition and low-carbon energies, digital transformation, health and biotechnologies, defence and security. It carries out the missions entrusted to it by the French government. With its 20,000 employees and 9 research centres equipped with very large infrastructures, the CEA relies on fundamental research of excellence. It is involved in national, European and international projects with a wide range of academic and industrial partners. The CEA ranks as the leading research organization filing patents in France and Europe according to the Clarivate ranking (2019). For more information : http://www.cea.fr/english
Master your destiny today in the new 9 Monkeys of Shaolin: Prologue demo available now on Steam
Moscow, Russia (2nd October) – Can’t wait to master your destiny? Today Buka Entertainment and Sobaka Studios have launched an exciting new 9 Monkeys of Shaolin extended gameplay trailer showing off features including narrative, combat and progression systems, weapons, enemies and co-op mode. This comes alongside an expanded free demo version of the game 9 Monkeys of Shaolin: Prologue available now on Steam so players can experience all these features in real combat. This complete first chapter of the game’s campaign offers both single player and co-op (online or split-screen mode for 2 players) options.
About Monkeys of Shaolin “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle”. – Sun Tzu, The Art of War
9 Monkeys of Shaolin – marks a true rebirth of the iconic beat ’em up genre in the vein of old-school video games. If, as a kid you had hours of fun playing SNES or SEGA beat ’em up videogames crushing foes left and right then this new title from the creators of hardcore brawler REDEEMER is definitely for you! As a mere Chinese fisherman Wei Cheng you have to avenge the death of your friends and family slaughtered in a pirate raid at your peaceful village. Game protagonist is quite a tough nut to crack as he knows the basics of ancient martial arts only mastered by legendary Shaolin monks. Get your trusty battle staff ready for a challenging adventure in Medieval China and for merciless fights with hordes of various enemies.
Action-packed battles, user friendly controls and incredible atmosphere of great kung-fu movies of 70s – all this makes 9 Monkeys of Shaolin a perfect choice for every true fan of really hardcore brawlers.
Features:
3 unique fighting styles: fight on earth, in the air or use mysterious magic seals. Combine these elements to defeat every enemy on your way.
Captivating narrative: discover the fascinating story of Wei Cheng and follow him as he rises from a simple fisherman to the master of Shaolin martial arts.
Stunning visual style: unlikely combination of historical and mystical elements gives you an exciting experience from every scene appears on screen.
Extensive character development system: you learn a great deal of ways to victory as you discover various unlockable perks, items and fighting styles.
More than 25 different levels: Chinese villages, pirate ship, Buddhist monasteries, Japanese mansions, ancient ruins and many more.
10 types of Chinese and Japanese polearms, each with its unique traits. Discover the landscapes to find new items!
Co-op play: invite your friend to help you fight through growing waves of enemies and complete the game together.
9 Monkeys of Shaolin will be available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch on 16th October.
About Buka Entertainment Buka Entertainment, based in Moscow, publishes, distributes and develops computer and video games for all platforms since 1993. Today Buka is one of the biggest Russian PC games publishers, localizers, console video games distributors, and digital distributors in the country. Buka publishes thoughtfully crafted games and software, distributing them throughout Russia and CIS alongside partnerships with Microsoft, Valve, Square Enix, Koch Media and other leading publishers. The latest projects developed by Buka Entertainment – Red Comrades, Darkestville Castle and High Noon VR quickly won over the hearts of both casual and hardcore gamers. Twitter: https://twitter.com/Buka_Ent_Games Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BUKAEnt/ VK: https://vk.com/buka_entertainment
About Sobaka Studios Sobaka Studios are a team of Indie PC game developers, based in Russia with a focus on Action games, working exclusively on Unreal Engine on PC and Console games. Twitter: https://twitter.com/SobakaStudio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/9MonkeysOfShaolin/ VK: vk.com/sobakastudio
Players can create characters from 16 photorealistic Races & Subraces based on 3D scans of real people, as well as 6 classes
DUBLIN, 2nd October – Larian Studios today announce the races, variations and classes of Baldur’s Gate 3’s Early Access. Players will be able to select from 16 races/subraces, as well as 6 classes from day one of Early Access, October 6th.
On launch, players will be able to create humans, githyanki, elves, drow, half-elf, dwarves, halflings, and tieflings, including subraces of each race. Early Access of Baldur’s Gate 3 provides around 25 hours of content, designed for multiple playthroughs. On October 6th, players will be able to create their own characters and play in either single player, or as a party of up to four players in multiplayer, each with their own character.
Races more alien to the Sword coast – like the Drow and Githyanki – are so rare to the average NPC that you’ll find their interactions to be unique as well. The world of BG3 is a highly reactive one, so this single choice will have huge ramifications across your play experience.
Baldur’s Gate 3’s character creation features photorealistic fantasy races, based on 3D scans of actors and models (blemishes and all), selected because their features roughly resembled the direction for each race in the game, as well of course for diversity and variety in the human-like races. Our team spent much of pre-production carefully selecting, scanning, and moulding these scans, to become the base heads for character creation. Launched into Early Access is a total of 150 heads to pick from, across the 16 races & subraces.
Alena Dubrovina, Lead Character Artist at Larian Studios says, “When the cinematic dialogues were introduced for BG3, we realized that we need to make a huge quality leap for the character art. We wanted to make characters look their best and put the bar very high. We had to be innovative to make such a large range of heads at the quality that we wanted.”
“We decided to use scanned faces in our production to create characters as realistic as possible. We scanned 40 people of different ages and ethnicity. While scouting for models we focused on features that would fit one of the fantasy races, we looked for faces that either had something unique about them or were very versatile to fit different characters.”
“Eventually, we transformed that into approximately 150 unique heads of various races that you can see in-game now, and that number will keep growing. Some of the scanned heads kept their features, but others became a starting point for creating new faces. We also used scanned data as a learning resource because there is no better sculptor than nature.”
In this screenshot we’ve zoomed in to show crisp, facial detail, and the benefits of 3D scanning heads.
Day 1 of Early Access includes:
Human The most common face to see in Faerûn, humans are known for their tenacity, creativity, and endless capacity for growth. They live fully in the present – making them well suited to the adventuring life – but also plan for the future, striving to leave a lasting legacy.
Githyanki Githyanki are peerless warriors from the Astral Plane, known for their legendary silver blades and red dragon mounts. They seek the total destruction of mind flayers, whose ancient empire enslaved the githyanki for millennia.
Elf High Elf Heirs of the mystical Feywild, high elves value magic in all its forms, and even those who do not study spellcraft can manipulate the Weave.
Wood Elf Wood elves spend their reclusive lives in Faerûn’s forests. Decades of training in archery and camouflage are enhanced by an otherworldly swiftness.
Drow Seldarine Drow Drow are the result of an ancient schism between the elven deities Corellon Larethian and Lolth. The latters’ treachery drove the drow into the Underdark, where they splintered into warring factions. Seldarine drow can be found seeking allies from all over Faerûn, aiming to settle their conflict with Lolth – and each other – by any means necessary.
Lolth-Sworn Drow Raised by Lolth’s cult in the city of Menzoberranzan, these drow extol the virtues of their corrupt and merciless goddess. Lolth marks her followers with bright red eyes so the Underdark will learn to fear drow on sight.
Half-Elf High Half-Elf A touch of the Feywild remains in half-elves with this bloodline, and even those untrained in magic possess a hint of wild power.
Wood Half-Elf Like their wood elf parent, these half-elves have a quickened stride and eye for stealth. Yet many break away from isolation in Faerûn’s forests to explore the rest of the Realms.
Drow Half-Elf Most half-drow result from liaisons between Seldarine drow and surfacers. While half-drow inherit a few magical gifts, they aren’t usually raised in the Underdark.
Dwarf Gold Gold dwarves are known for their confidence and keen intuition. The culture of their Deep Kingdom values family, ritual, and fine craftsmanship.
Shield Shield dwarves survived a long fall from grace, surrendering many of their ancient kingdoms in wars with goblins and orcs. These losses have lead to a cynical mindset, yet shield dwarves will endure anything to restore their ancestral homelands.
Hafling Lightfoot Halfling Lightfoot halflings are stealthy but social, travelling all over Faeûn to make names for themselves.
Strongheart Halfling Legends say dwarven blood gave stronghearts their hardiness. Resistant to poison and wellsprings of endurance, these halflings easily hold their own.
Tiefling Asmodeus Tiefling Bound to Nessus, the deepest layer of the Hells, these tieflings inherit the ability to wield fire and darkness from the archdevil Asmodeus’ infernal bloodline.
Mephistopheles Tiefling Descended from the archdevil Mephistopheles, these tieflings are gifted with a particular affinity for arcane magic.
Zariel Tiefling Tieflings from Zariel’s bloodline are empowered with martial strength, and can channel searing flame to punish their enemies.
The Sword Coast attracts adventurers from across all of Faerûn. The nearly 600 NPCs you meet in Act 1 are drawn from across the Forgotten Realms. Character creation includes hundreds of options to ensure that each character is unique, and the world reacts to you as though you, and your choices, are unique.
In EA you’ll have 6 Classes to choose from – Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Warlock and Wizard – each with at least two subclasses to choose from. Will you be a beast taming mage-breaking charlatan halfling ranger with a toxic frog as a familiar, or a noble githyanki eldritch knight who let herself be seduced by the Absolute, with the ability to psionically drag her enemies towards her. Or, will you go for a more traditional tiefling warlock who made a pact with the devil? The choices are endless!
Baldur’s Gate 3 releases October 6th, 2020. Early Access is releasing on Stadia, Steam, and GOG.
About Larian Studios Larian Studios is an independent RPG developer founded in 1996 in Ghent, Belgium. Over 200 people work between the five worldwide studios in Ghent, St Petersburg, Quebec, Dublin and Malaysia. Larian is best known for the Divinity universe, which they introduced to the world with Divine Divinity in 2002. In 2014, Larian launched Divinity: Original Sin, a classic CRPG that won over 150 awards and nominations. The company released its critically acclaimed sequel Divinity: Original Sin 2 on September 14, 2017, followed by the Definitive Edition in August 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to a 93 Metacritic rating. The Nintendo Switch version released in September 2019 featuring cross save progression between Nintendo Switch and Steam. Divinity:Original Sin 2 won a Bafta for Best Multiplayer Game. In June 2019, Larian Studios announced the development of Baldur’s Gate 3.
A grand horror classic, new releases, and deals to celebrate the 12th anniversary of GOG.COM
Silent Hill 4: The Room returns DRM-free
Last chance to get the Ultimate RED Collection with Cyberpunk 2077 pre-order
Over 200 deals up to 90% off
October 2nd, 2020 – They say time flies when you’re having fun and it wouldn’t be even half as fun without you, gamers from all around the world, sharing the same love for games as we do. That’s why we celebrate GOG.COM’s 12th anniversary with new DRM-free releases and awesome game deals for you to choose from.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord (-20%) will take you to the war-torn land of Calradia where you’ll have the chance to raise your own army. Explore, raid, and conquer a vast continent, making friends and enemies along the way. Buy the game before our 12th anniversary sale ends and receive the original Mount & Blade for free!
Silent Hill 4: The Room is a classic survival horror that is making its grand comeback. Join Henry Townshend, who finds himself trapped in his apartment. The only escape he can find is through a portal that leads to a horrifying alternate reality. With gruesome sights around every corner, he must find his way out of the unspeakable nightmare.
The Talos Principle: Gold Edition (-90%) is a sci-fi puzzle game that will pose you with some inspiring questions. As if awakened from a deep sleep, you find yourself in a strange world of ancient ruins and advanced technology. Tasked with solving a series of increasingly complex puzzles you must brace yourself for a mind-blowing challenge.
GOG.COM’s 12th anniversary also brings you the last chance to buy the Ultimate RED Collection. This hefty pack combines all the games from The Witcher franchise at their highest discounts yet with a pre-order for Cyberpunk 2077!
That’s not all, as we have over 200 game deals up to 90% off in our 12th Anniversary Sale! Check out our team’s recommendations and share your own “top 12” to help celebrate the anniversary. Select from all-time classics like Blade Runner (-33%), Jagged Alliance 2 (-75%) and Diablo + Hellfire (-15%). Grab big hits like Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (-85%) and Desperados III (-25%). Finally, immerse yourself with fascinating indie games like Crying Suns (-30%), Darkest Dungeon (-75%), Frostpunk (-60%), and many more.
12th Anniversary event runs until October 9th, 2020, 1 PM UTC. For more information, please visit GOG.COM.
THE WAIT IS OVER! CRASH BANDICOOT™ 4: IT’S ABOUT TIMEIS AVAILABLE NOW
The time is now. The un-fur-gettable marsupials, Crash and Coco Bandicoot, are back to take players on a wumpy ride of cosmic proportions in the brand-new game, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. The long-awaited sequel to the original Crash Bandicoot™ trilogy is available worldwide today for PlayStation® 4, PlayStation® 4 Pro and the family of Xbox One devices from Microsoft, including the Xbox One X.
As the first original Crash Bandicoot title in more than a decade, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is built from the ground up and brings with it an onslaught of absurd challenges for players to conquer. In the game, players uncover four powerful Quantum Masks, the guardians of space and time, that must be reunited to restore order to the multiverse.
Fans can play as newly designed Crash or Coco on their journey to save the multiverse and can even play as the fiendish Dr. Neo Cortex, Dingodile or Tawna, each equipped with their own unique playstyle. Many of the levels in the game feature the perspective-shifting, core precision platforming that fans know and love, while others will introduce players to massive bosses, high-speed mount rides and thrilling chases.
Along the way, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time offers an N. sane amount of fun to be had as players unlock additional optional Timelines and Flashback Tapes, gain access to Bonus areas, as well as earn Gems, new cosmetic skins, Color Gems and more Wumpa than you can shake a stick at. An all-new style of play called N. Verted mode gives players alternate perspectives, sound effects, music and in some dimensions, additional transformations to experience. Fans can also try their hands at Modern and Retro modes or compete head-to-head with up to four players in either Bandicoot Battle competitive mode or Pass N. Play co-op mode – because sharing is caring.
Developed by Toys For Bob and published by Activision, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is available for the suggested retail price of $59.99 in the U.S. For more information on the Crash Bandicoot franchise, please visit www.crashbandicoot.com and follow @CrashBandicoot on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Today, retro-and-modern games publisher Ziggurat Interactive continues to bring retro-gaming to the front by releasing four new games as part of their Retro First Friday program. With this program, the Ziggurat team handpicks several classic titles from gaming history to make available to modern gamers. This month’s roster of awesome releases consists of The Legacy: Realm of Terror, Sea Legends, Psi 5 Trading Company, and XF5700 Mantis Experimental Fighter. All these great games are available at a 33% discount on Steam for the next week.
Starting today, you can dive into the following classics:
The Legacy: Realm of Terror: The perfect game to kick off the Halloween season, The Legacy is a haunting first-person adventure/RPG that brings the “horror” to survival-horror. You’ve just inherited an ancient family home…filled with sinister stories and demonic denizens. You’ll need to keep your wits about you, to fend off the fiends who want nothing less than your very soul.
Sea Legends: Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum, it’s the seafaring life for you! In Sea Legends, you’ll captain a ship and set sail for adventure, strategy, and swashbuckling danger. Sword fighting, puzzles, and ship-to-ship combat await, cap’n, so hoist the mainsail and prepare for fun.
Psi 5 Trading Company: The life of a space freighter captain is never easy as you gather a crew, assign them jobs, and manage getting your cargo safely to its destination. PSI 5 Trading Company is one of Accolade™’s first hit games and will put your wits and planning to the test in a unique management sim experience.
XF5700 Mantis Experimental Fighter: Aliens have decimated the Earth, and it’s up to you to pilot humanity’s most powerful weapon, the Mantis space fighter. Put your high-speed maneuvering and combat skills to the test as you dive into a deep and immersive story coupled with white-knuckle space combat.
We’d appreciate it if you’d share this news with your readers, and if you would like to speak with Ziggurat to find out more about some of the publisher’s plans for 2020 and into 2021, or about the games on offer, simply reply to this email and we will be happy to set you up.
Ziggurat Interactive has over 40 Retro Classic titles slated for release this year with new games every month. Keep up to date on the latest news from Ziggurat on Facebook, Twitter, and the company’s official website.
MicroProse Brand and Trademark founded in 1982 is owned by MicroProse Software Pty Ltd www.microprose.com
Accolade™ is a registered trademark of Billion Soft (Hong Kong) Limited. Use here is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.
Climb into the Cockpit on Xbox One, PlayStation® 4, Virtual Reality and PC with Cross-play Support in the Most Immersive STAR WARSTM Starfighter Experience Yet
Redwood City, Calif. – October 3, 2020 – Strap in pilots, and prepare for battle! Today, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA), Motive Studios and Lucasfilm released the highly anticipated immersive, first-person, Star Wars™ space dogfighting experience, Star Wars™: Squadrons. The game features thrilling 5v5 multiplayer starfighter combat along with an original Star Wars™ story set after the events of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi™. Polygon even says, “Star Wars: Squadrons is every inch the spaceflight simulation that fans have been dreaming of for a generation.” In the authentic new story, players will speed to the frontlines of an escalating conflict experienced from the alternating perspectives of two customizable pilots, one serving the New Republic and the other the Galactic Empire.
Star Wars: Squadrons offers the option to play in thrilling Virtual Reality on PS4 and PC, enabling players to feel every drift, evasion and maneuver as if they were in the cockpit. Mastering the skills and controls to become an ace pilot in the Star Wars universe is no easy feat and players looking to test their abilities and fully embrace the pilot fantasy can tune their difficulty in-game and take full control of their ship with hands on throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) support on PC, PlayStation® 4 and Xbox One.
“As a lifelong Star Wars fan, it’s been an incredible journey to bring the space combat experience to life in a way that is true to the legacy of the franchise,” said Ian Frazier, Creative Director, Motive Studios. “It all starts in the cockpit, the center of the action. We’ve worked hand-in-hand with Lucasfilm to hone in on the pilot’s perspective, and match the aesthetic from the films to create an authentic Star Wars gameplay experience that will transport fans into the pilot’s seat. We’re thrilled to bring this experience to players around the world, who can now join together in battles across the galaxy.”
Players can start their adventure in Star Wars: Squadrons and develop their piloting skills in a fulfilling single-player story showcasing daring pilots and rival commanders, flying for freedom with the New Republic or upholding the Galactic Empire’s vision of order. At the heart of the story is Project Starhawk — a starship project critical to the New Republic and one the Empire seeks to eliminate. Across multiple missions in a full campaign, players will report to two leaders: Lindon Javes, commander of the New Republic’s Vanguard Squadron, and Terisa Kerill, commander of the Galactic Empire’s Titan Squadron, whose deep-seated rivalry will fuel many of the encounters throughout the story.
Star Wars: Squadrons features intense 5v5 multiplayer combat in two key modes, Dogfight and Fleet Battles. In Dogfight, players will work with their squadron to execute the best tactics and destroy as many opponents as possible, while in Fleet Battles, players join their squadron in large scale, strategic back-and-forth battles to demolish opposing flagships. Squadrons will also give players the chance to bring their own personality to their starfighters with customization options that are earned solely through gameplay.
“We are always looking to bring new Star Wars stories and experiences to our fans”, said Douglas Reilly, Vice President, Lucasfilm Games. “Star Wars: Squadrons places players at the apex of one of the most uncertain times between the New Republic and Galactic Empire, where the scales of power could be tipped in either direction, and the fate of the galaxy is still unclear. We’re thrilled to give players the opportunity to play their Star Wars pilot fantasy and experience this original story.”
As players earn their stripes and progress in the game, they will be able to collect components including Primary Weapons, Auxiliaries, Countermeasures, Hulls, along with Shields and Engines to fine tune the performance of their starfighters, which can be equipped with up to three passive components and four active components. Star Wars: Squadrons features eight iconic New Republic and Imperial starfighters from four starfighter classes: Fighters, Bombers, Interceptors, and Support ships, with a power management system that allows players to divert power to particular subsystems including engines, lasers or shields to outsmart opponents.
After launch players can expect additional online experiences including daily challenges to earn Glory, an in-game currency earned solely through playing, to unlock starfighter and pilot cosmetics, and Operations, which are 8-week cycles bringing their own set of cosmetic rewards to be earned along with new challenges. Players will also earn experience through play, and as they level up, will unlock Requisition points that can be used to unlock ship components to modify their playstyles.
Additionally, the official soundtrack for Star Wars: Squadrons from Walt Disney Records is now available at digital service providers including Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music and more. Composed by the masterful Gordy Haab, and recorded with a world-renowned orchestra, the soundtrack includes 26 pieces from the game with a retro, stylized feel reminiscent of the iconic films that launched the Star Wars franchise decades ago.
Star Wars: Squadronsis now available both digitally and in stores for $39.99 on Xbox One, PlayStation® 4 and PC via the EA Desktop App, Steam and the Epic Games Store, with Virtual Reality (VR) support on PlayStation® 4 and PC. EA Play* subscribers can enjoy up to 10 hours of playtime at launch, along with 10% off the purchase of the full game and immediate access to additional in-game perks including cosmetic items like the Interceptor Elegance Helmet and the Ashen Monarch Paint Job Set. EA Play* Pro subscribers will get full access to Star Wars: Squadrons on PC along with all the benefits of EA Play for as long as they subscribe. For more information on Star Wars: Squadrons, please visit: https://www.ea.com/games/starwars/squadrons
*CONDITIONS, LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS APPLY. SEE EA PLAY TERMS FOR DETAILS.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers.
In fiscal year 2020, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $5.5 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, Madden NFL, Need for Speed™, Titanfall™ and Plants vs. Zombies™. More information about EA is available atwww.ea.com/news.
EA SPORTS, Motive Studios, Battlefield, Apex Legends, The Sims, Need for Speed, Titanfall and Plants vs. Zombies are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. FIFA, John Madden, and the NFL are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
“Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck” is the fourth and final story DLC for Borderlands 3. Tannis is sending the Vault Hunters into Krieg the psycho’s mind in search of Vaulthalla. Players will discover the relationships between Krieg and the Vault Hunters, learn of Krieg’s traumatic past, and help Krieg work through his clashing inner voices.
Story
The plot is one of the most mature stories the Borderlands writers have told. The themes of social perception, self-image, trauma, and loneliness are handled well, yet the game still manages to keep the franchise’s signature over the top, inane, and silly storytelling style. The constant swing between the mature storyline and the immature style of storytelling prevents the DLC from becoming too heavy for a Borderlands title while still giving gamers something meatier to chew on.
While Krieg at least appeared in Borderlands 3, his relationship with other Vault Hunters has always been a difficult story to tell due to Krieg’s nonsensical style of communication. Previous content allowed players to take a small peek into Krieg’s history; the DLC finally gives him some much-needed depth by properly linking him to the rest of the Crimson Raiders. I really enjoy how each of Krieg’s personalities view each Vault Hunter given the same set of interactions, as it not only fleshes out the relationship between him and the raiders but also each personality.
The plot itself is a bit predictable. The plots twists and turns are gentle and are signaled well in advance, but the journey is done so well that the predictability never hinders the quality of the story.
Gameplay
Combat has not changed much. “Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck” adds new weapons and equipment to the game along with increasing the level cap to 65. The additions changes combat slightly by offering new options and builds for players.
The level design is where the DLC struggles the most. The main story quests are the best of what the DLC has to offer. They are linear and focused missions that are paced for intense action interrupted by the odd jumping puzzle. The side quests are extremely disappointing. Many are simple excuses to tell a story with the minimal character interaction and to throw some experience, loot, and money at the player. There are a few moments where the developers showed some excellent creativity by using quest objectives as comedic devices, but these flashes of brilliance are drowned out by the flood of dull visual novel-style quests. There are a handful of side quests with actual gameplay content. Many require players to finish the main quest in the area then return to complete the side quest. The fact these objectives are located deep within the levels is infuriating, even as a FL4K player using Fade Away to sneak past engagements.
There are some new enemies introduced to the game, but a vast majority are new bosses. The boss encounters are a bit of a disappointment. They are generally straight forward fights and are light on mechanics, even for Borderlands standards.
Overall, the DLC is painfully short. It feels like a lot of design decisions were made to generate gameplay hours just for the sake of stretching out the gameplay instead of having meaningful content. The length of the game would have been more tolerable if Gearbox did not price “Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck” at the same price as the previous three DLCs.
Visuals
Having a DLC set in someone’s mind instead of a planet gave the artists a lot of room for creativity. The artists have done a good job seizing the opportunity by reimagining Borderlands 3 through the lens of a hallucinogenic trip. The environments are in true Psycho fashion with over the top blood and gore combined with trippy visual effects. The artists integrated classic horror visuals to great success. Sometimes it is used as a form of parody, while other times it is used as an effective storytelling device during key moments.
Audio
The audio experience in “Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck” is enjoyable. The voice acting is excellent. Krieg’s voice actor does a great job with the voice of Sane Krieg by using an even keeled tone to round out Psycho Krieg’s wild babbling without becoming completely lifeless. The two performances could be easily mistaken as being done by two separate actors. The sound effects continue to be of high quality. The DLC has a fantastic new soundtrack. It mixes dark video game scores, electronic music, and hip-hop beats. The soundtrack has been clearly influenced by horror and video game scores, giving the soundtrack a distinct style compared to previous Borderlands soundtracks.
Overall
“Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck” is frustrating. The DLC swings from the extremes, much like Krieg himself. On one hand, the story is one of the better tales Gearbox has produced for the franchise, and the soundtrack is excellent. On the other hand, the side quests are probably the weakest in the entire franchise, and the DLC is painfully short. I am disappointed in the DLC, but not because it is a total train wreck. I feel more like a disappointed parent who sees flashes of brilliance in their child that are dragged down by sheer laziness.
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DANCE, DRINK AND DIE ON A SURREAL TRIP THROUGH AN OCCULT FOREST ON STEAM, JUST IN TIME FOR HALLOWEEN
Skövde, Sweden, October 1, 2020 — Independent developer Green Tile Digital has announced that its macabre psychedelic music sensation, Strobophagia: Rave Horror, will launch on PC via Steam on October 28. Featuring a wide range of original EDM tunes, including trance, house, techno, and more, the title uniquely blends blood-curdling terror with an authentic rave experience. Fans can enjoy a free demo of the game right now in advance of its full release next month.
Glimpse into the mind-numbing, twisted world of Strobophagia with today’s trailer: “The team at Green Tile Digital has been eating, sleeping, and breathing rave culture ever since we began work on Strobophagia,” says Ben Clarke, CEO. “We can’t wait for horror and EDM fans to put on a pair of headphones and immerse themselves in the kaleidoscope of horrors we’ve prepared for them. We guarantee the Headless Rave Festival will be a party to die for.”
As a raver in search of the ultimate freedom of expression, players find themselves at the Headless Rave Festival: a carefree carnival of unabashed drunkenness, fluorescent body paint and bumping electronic tunes set in the middle of a dense forest. When the event’s enigmatic organizers suddenly announce that admission comes at the cost of one’s own life, fans must learn to maintain a grip on their sanity while sinister beings threaten them in the shadows. With the aid of an in-game smartphone app mechanic, players will solve challenging puzzles and connect with other ravers in hopes of making it out of the neon-drenched woods alive.
Strobophagia: Rave Horror will launch on PC via Steam on October 28. For more information, please visit the title’s Steam page, like the game on Facebook, follow the game on Twitter, Discord and subscribe to the title’s YouTube channel.
About Green Tile Digital Green Tile Digital is an independent developer based in Sweden. The studio’s first title, Strobophagia: Rave Horror, a macabre psychedelic music experience, is set to release on PC via Steam on October 28. Green Tile Digital is also part of The Game Incubator, which is a unique, non-profit organization with the sole task of helping create game startups and expand the game industry in Sweden.
