BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA INC. KEEPS THE GOOD TIMES ROLLING AS KATAMARI DAMACY REROLL ROLLS ONTO THE PLAYSTATION 4 AND XBOX ONE
One of BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.’s Most Unique and Beloved Video Game Franchises is Set to Launch for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on November 20, 2020
SANTA CLARA, Calif., (September 17, 2020) – Leading video game developer and publisher BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. today announced that The Dashing Prince and King of All Cosmos make their grand entry onto the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One in the Americas on November 20, 2020. Featuring truly unique gameplay that’s easy to pick-up and play and backed by a whimsical soundtrack, Katamari Damacy REROLL will transport players to a magical world of delight and fun where anything and everything can be rolled up into a Katamari ball.
The King of All Cosmos has knocked out all the stars in the sky after a particularly rambunctious night of fun. Realizing his mistake, The King has tasked his young son, The Prince, to go to Earth and roll up as many things as possible to recreate the missing celestial bodies. Paper clips, books, cars, buildings, mountains, and continents, nothing is too big or too small for The Prince and his adhesive Katamari ball. For players looking to challenge their friends to a “roll-off”, Katamari Damacy REROLL will feature a head-to-head local multiplayer mode where the player who rolls up the biggest Katamari ball wins praise from the King of the Cosmos.
“The Katamari Damacy series embodies pure joy and whimsy. The combination of its out-of-this-world story, colorful art style, cute characters, and delightful J-pop soundtrack, the game personifies light-hearted fun.” said Abelina Villegas, Associate Brand Manager for BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. “2020 has been a trying year and we hope the arrival of Katamari Damacy REROLL on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will deliver smiles and laughter to households around the globe.”
For more information regarding Katamari Damacy REROLL and other titles from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. please visithttps://www.bandainamcoent.com, follow us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS, or join the conversation on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/BandaiNamcoUS.
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About BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc.
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., part of BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc., is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for all major video game consoles, iOS, Android, and online platforms. The company is known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises including PAC-MAN®, GALAGA®, TEKKEN®, SOULCALIBUR®, and ACE COMBAT®. BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. is the premier publisher in the Western hemisphere for anime based video games including NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, DRAGON BALL Z®, and ONE PIECE®. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.com or www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS
Customers can Order an ORIGIN PC Desktop Powered by an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 at ORIGINPC.com
Miami, FL – September 17th, 2020, 9:00 A.M. EDT— ORIGIN PC announced today the availability of the new NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3080 GPU on its award-winning line of gaming and professional workstation desktops for gamers, content creators, streamers, enthusiasts, artists, and professionals around the world. Customers can now order an ORIGIN PC desktop featuring the GeForce RTX 3080 for the best next-gen gaming experience at ORIGINPC.com.
The new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series GPUs, the 2nd generation of RTX, feature new RT Cores, Tensor Cores and streaming multiprocessors, bringing stunning visuals, amazingly fast frame rates, and AI acceleration to games and creative applications. Powered by the NVIDIA Ampere architecture, which delivers increases of up to 1.9X performance-per-watt over the previous generation, the RTX 30 Series effortlessly powers graphics experiences at all resolutions.
“ORIGIN PC has remained an outstanding partner on major GeForce launches, and the GeForce RTX 30 Series is no different,” said Matt Wuebbling, vice president of global GeForce marketing at NVIDIA. “We’re excited to be working with ORIGIN PC on bringing to market their latest GeForce RTX 30 Series powered PCs that will no doubt deliver exceptional gaming experiences.”
“21 years of bringing gamers incredible graphics performance culminates with the release of the GeForce RTX 30 Series on ORIGIN PC desktops. Unprecedented speeds, and benchmark setting performance easily makes the GeForce RTX 30 Series a must-buy for gamers, professionals, and enthusiasts seeking the best possible PC gaming graphics performance on the planet,” said Kevin Wasielewski, ORIGIN PC CEO and co-founder. “We’re proud to launch these GPUs in our award-winning desktops such as the ORIGIN PC NEURON and MILLENNIUM. Combined with our 24/7 support team, an ORIGIN PC powered by an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series GPU is the true next-gen experience in 2020 and beyond.”
For more information about NVIDIA GeForce 30 Series GPUs in ORIGIN PC desktops please visit: https://www.originpc.com/landing/2020/nvidia-30-series/
Customers interested in customizing and ordering an ORIGIN PC desktop with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 can visit: https://www.originpc.com/gaming/desktops/
ORIGIN PC builds custom, high-performance desktops, workstations, and laptops for hardware enthusiasts, digital/graphics artists, professionals, government agencies, and gamers. ORIGIN PCs are hand built, tested, and serviced by knowledgeable gaming enthusiasts, industry veterans, and award-winning system integrators. Every ORIGIN PC comes with free lifetime 24/7 support based in the United States. The ORIGIN PC staff is comprised of award-winning enthusiasts, experienced in the gaming and PC markets who want to share their passion with others. ORIGIN PC is located in Miami, FL and ships worldwide. For more information, please visit www.ORIGINPC.com or call 1-877-ORIGIN-Ø. (674-4460)
Discover Dormant Ruins and Unlock Exciting New Abilities for Ryza!
Hertfordshire, 17th September 2020 – Today, KOEI TECMO Europe and developer GUST Studios revealed further details for the latest entry in their heart-warming Atelier series, Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy. Set to launch this Winter for the Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, and Windows PC via Steam®, players will reunite with a familiar face as they set off on a journey to solve the lost legends of the land.
In Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy, Ryza embarks on a quest to explore the mysterious ruins that lay dormant around the Royal Capital in the hopes of uncovering the truth behind the bygone legends of the land. These ruins offer players unique puzzles to overcome, while discoveries made in the ruins unlock exciting new field actions, including the ability to ride monsters across the land! Ryza will have to rely on her exploration skills, and her capable companions, to guide her way to the ruins and spring her investigation into action.
Throughout Ryza’s adventure, her Exploration Diary will be pivotal when venturing throughout the various ruins, as it organises all of the player’s discoveries, allowing them to form their own theories and solve every mystery they encounter. As they explore every inch of the ruins, and complete their Research List while collecting ‘Ruin Fragments’ and “Memory Fragments”, they will unlock clues which will then be stored in the diary. Uncovering clues can be challenging, but thanks to the incredibly useful ‘Compass of Recollection’, players will be able to evoke memories from the ruins that allows them to see the general location of where Ruin Fragments are located. By successfully piecing together the clues, the mysteries of the ruins will become clearer. By solving these puzzles, players will be able to unlock special alchemy recipes to aid them on their quest, along with helping Ryza grow.
Luckily for our heroine, Ryza will not be alone as she explores the mysterious ruins! Joining her party is her old childhood friend, Lent Marslink. After their adventures on Kurken Island, Lent set off on a journey to improve his skills in combat. Over the years, his once cheerful demeanour has faded, and he’s not happy to reunite with his friends.
Gamers who purchase a physical or digital copy of Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy during the first two weeks of release will receive an Early Purchase Bonus code for the Summer Fashion Costume Set. In addition, gamers who have save data from Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout will be able to unlock the Classic Costume Set, including outfits for Ryza and her friends from the previous title.
KOEI TECMO EUROPE LTD. is a publisher of interactive entertainment software for current generation consoles, handhelds and digital download content based in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, UK. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD., headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. KOEI TECMO’s best known for their signature ‘one versus thousands’ Warriors series, the fan-favourite Ninja Gaiden and fighting entertainment title Dead or Alive. Through collaboration with strong existing franchises, such as A.O.T. Wings of Freedom (Attack on Titan), has brought fan-favourite shows to life in video game form. The company’s desire for innovation and diversity has seen the creation of the critically acclaimed dark-samurai action title Nioh, which takes on new and unique gameplay styles. The company’s acquisition of GUST, developer of a variety of heart-warming titles, has seen their flagship Atelier series span generations of consoles and fans alike. More information about KOEI TECMO EUROPE LTD and its products can be found at www.koeitecmoeurope.com
Hong Kong – September 17th, 2020 – In a joint collaboration, independent developer and publisher eastasiasoft and online retailer Playasia, are happy to announce that Compile Heart and Idea Factory’s sexy dungeon crawling comedy Moero Crystal H is out now on the eShop for Nintendo Switch, available at $39.99/€39.99/£34.99, with a launch discount of 15%. The Playasia exclusive physical edition is also shipping today.
Moero Crystal H is a dungeon-crawling RPG telling the tale of Zenox the “Lucky Pervert” and his harem of monster girls as they reclaim the stolen “Bra of Darkness”, an object of great power needed to save the world. Guided with the legendary “Panties of Light”, our heroes embark on their mythical quest.
Moero Crystal H features a deep turn-based combat system as players navigate their way through a series of grid-based dungeons towards their ultimate goal. Along the way players will fight and recruit more than 80 monster girls, then change their outfit combinations to spice up their appearance and enhance their skills. Climb aboard the “Funyaton-Go” for shoot’em up sections and discover secret stages hidden within the monster girls. Upgrade your team’s humble abode and join up monster girls as roommates. With its delightfully quirky fantasies and offbeat humor, Moero Crystal H is the ultimate hedonistic romp!
“We at eastasiasoft pride ourselves in bringing the best unique Japanese games to western audiences. In collaboration with Playasia, we’re finally able to bring the third entry in the Genkai Tokki series, Moero Crystal H, to Nintendo Switch,” said Joshua M French, Community Manager at eastasiasoft. “We hope Moero Crystal H’s brand of tongue and cheek humour, engaging gameplay and new polished visuals will entice a new generation of fans while still appealing to veterans of the genre.”
This upcoming release will be the first time western audiences will have a chance to play the third entry in the Genkai Tokki series. The original Moero Crystal was a 2015 PlayStation Vita game, but it never saw a release outside of Asia. While a follow-up to Monster Monpiece and Moero Chronicle, Moero Crystal H is a standalone story featuring all new characters. This remastered edition features an upgraded HD presentation, all previous DLC characters, English language subtitles, and the new “Double Scratch” feature, which updates the “Loving Scratch” mode so players can interact with and raise the affection of two monster girls at once! (now featuring HD rumble support).
Officially licensed merchandise is now available to celebrate the physical launch of Moero Crystal H on the Nintendo Switch! High quality long and short sleeve t-shirts as well as hats will be available, celebrating everyone’s favorite panty hunter! Beautiful printed canvas art pieces will also be available to purchase, featuring character and scene illustrations from character designer Katsuyuki Hirano. 30cm x 45cm and 13cm x 18cm versions are available now Playasia.com.
Visit the Moero Crystal H website: https://www.eastasiasoft.com/moero/ Follow eastasiasoft on Twitter: @eastasiasoft For more on eastasiasoft check out: http://www.eastasiasoft.com/ For more on Compile Heart check out: https://www.compileheart.com/
About Eastasiasoft Limited Eastasiasoft Limited is an independent, Hong Kong–based developer and publisher of interactive entertainment specializing in video games and related media. Founded in 2007, eastasiasoft has published a diverse variety of titles in digital and physical format. Eastasiasoft is a licensed PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One publisher. Some of eastasiasoft’s recently licensed and published games are Moero Crystal H, Ghost Blade HD, Gunlord X, Sword & Fairy 6, Rainbow Skies, Rainbow Moon, and the Söldner-X franchise.
About Compile Heart Compile Heart is a subsidiary of Idea Factory founded in 2006. Specializing in role-playing games, Compile Heart is best known for its Hyperdimension Neptunia, Record of Agarest War, and Genkai Tokki series.
About Playasia Playasia was established in 2002 and is proud to be the leading independent import and export retailer, specializing in Japanese & Asian video games. By providing outstanding customer experience, a large variety of genuine products, and global fulfillment Playasia has been sending products across the globe for over 15 years.
Many game modes to unleash your motocross passion.
Sydney, Australia – September 17th, 2020 – Milestone is proud to announce MXGP 2020, new release of the beloved series of the official FIM Motocross World Championship, available from December 10thon PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One and Windows PC®/STEAM.
With MXGP 2020 you can fully experience the excitementof the current MXGP season, competing with 68 riders from both MXGP and MX2 categories on the 19 circuits of the 2020 season. Starting as a rookie, players can choose their path to glory: joining an official team or creating their own.
Official MXGP tracks aren’t enough? The Track Editor is back with some great features added in. Thanks to the new Heightmaps feature, players can replicate the real MX tracks configurations, often built on hills and mountains, adding realism and all the challenges that real riders face during races. There will be 4 different terrain types that players can choose and customize – Plain, Quarry, Vineyard and Forest – to create the track of their dream. All new tracks created, can be shared online with friends.
To enjoy free-roam riding, alone or with friends*, in MXGP 2020 returns one of the most beloved features, the Playground. Players can test their riding skills in the new setting inspired to Norwegian fjords terrains, and this year they can also free ride together with other 3 friends*. And to create more fun in the Playground, the beloved Waypoint mode returns, now allowing races up to 4 players.
MXGP 2020 Multiplayer Mode will be boosted with Dedicated Servers for a lag-free gameplay experience, and Race Director Mode* to create amazing Online tournaments, deciding starting positions, assigning penalties or choosing the cameras to focus on.
Last but not least, MXGP 2020 make feel every rider unique, with more than 10,000 items, all officially licensed from more than 110 brands of the Motocross world. Not only cosmetic customisations: bike performances can be also improved with real life replica of different bike parts.
MXGP 2020 will beavailable from December 10thon PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One and Windows PC®/STEAM.
*feature available after Day 1
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About Milestone
Founded in Milan in 1996, Milestone S.r.l. is one of the leading and longest established racing game developer in the world. The 200+ people team is responsible for hit series like MotoGP™ and MXGP – The Official Motocross Videogame, Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame series as well as own IPs Ride and Gravel. Milestone is fully privately owned and independently self-funded. For more information please visit www.milestone.it
Science, Technology and Logic are Your Best Allies to solve more than 30 puzzles and succeed in the adventure; Playable on PC, Mac, Mobile Devices and Tablets
Paris, France – September 17th, 2020 — The CEA, a French public scientific research organisation, have announced The Quantum Prisoner, an absolutely free browser-based puzzle adventure already popular in France, will be launching in English on October 5th, bringing the fun world of science and technology to a global audience. Featuring 10-12 hours of gameplay, The Quantum Prisoner is designed to make science accessible and fun for everyone, from 12 years old and over and can be played on any sufficiently recent browser with an internet connection – or by offline download or via the Android App, which will be available through the game website on October 5th.
Play as Zoe, traveling to all four corners of the globe on the trail of Artus Cropp, a physician who mysteriously disappeared in the 1960s, to uncover the discovery that may have led to his disappearance – a discovery that will change the world. To progress in your investigation and escape perilous situations, you must solve more than 30 puzzles involving technology (such as operating particle accelerators, fuel cells and robots), and various other branches of science, including environmental and life sciences, physics, chemistry, and maybe even a bit of quantum physics!
“We made The Quantum Prisoner with the help of our fellow CEA scientists and researchers with the sole purpose of making science fun and showcasing scientific and technical culture to a younger demographic,” said Roland Lehoucq, astrophysicist at CEA and scientific adviser of the game. “Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a scientist to solve these puzzles! You learn as you play along, in line with the scientific approach. You will be able to move forward thanks to informative videos and facts along the way, as well as assistance from our researchers if you get stuck”.
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, no ads, and can be played on any browser without the need of downloading a plug-in, unless 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. Featuring 10-12 hours of gameplay, The Quantum Prisoner takes players around the world on a point and click adventure that walks the line between science and science fiction, with retro graphics and a dose of humour. 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 is now developing the game in English for a wider audience and will release the game to global markets on October 5th.
About the CEA
The CEA is a French public research organisation serving industry, specialising in four main areas: energy transition and low-carbon energies, digital transformation, health and biotechnologies, defence and security. 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. For more information: http://www.cea.fr/english
Sports as a whole have been in a rather odd place this year thanks to the current pandemic and while nearly every sport has managed to figure things out and get started back up, basketball was one of the first to get things moving again. As such it only makes sense that NBA 2K21 would continue to come out right on schedule with an attempt at trying to add some improvements even while last year’s season still runs its course. That being said, with an annualized sport game such as this one, especially one that won’t even feature an altered roster due to the delayed season, has NBA 2K21 made enough improvements to be worthwhile?
Story
First things first, players will still find that there is a fairly meaty story presented through the MyCareer mode that allows players to create their very own potential basketball star and bring them up from high school, through college, and eventually to the NBA. This time around players undertake “The Long Shadow” story that involves creating their own character that will be dubbed as “Junior” who hasn’t played basketball in years despite his father being a legendary player that could have made it big but never went to the NBA out of college. This made Junior hesitate to try and step into his father’s shadow but with a little nudging he manages to step foot onto the court and begin his journey.
There is some solid ground and storytelling to be had through most of The Long Shadow as seeing Junior step into his own makes for some great moments but too often the story veers randomly to try and develop odd connections to Junior’s past love interests and other things. These random interactions end up having no real bearing on the story as a whole and feel a bit forced at times. That being said, there are a few decisions to be made throughout the story that will play a bit of a factor in how various parts of MyCareer will play out. Unfortunately once Junior makes it to the NBA draft, the story comes to a complete end with no fanfare or even an attempt at trying to allow the player to have some semblance of interaction with their team outside of taking their homegrown player into the newly located Neighborhood.
Gameplay
When it comes to annualized sports games, everyone wonders just what improvements to the gameplay have been made to make things a bit more challenging or lifelike compared to the real thing and for the most part NBA 2K21 remains the same game as last year once the player gets on the court outside of one significant change (that can be opted out of) to the shooting system. Players will now need to take their shots using the right stick as the “Advanced Pro Stick” to properly aim and time their shots for the basket. Outside of slam dunks, no matter what style of shot the player is making will make use of an accuracy meter that will now appear and must be lined up within a certain target area to try and sink the basket. Easier shots such as lay-ups and free throws can be a bit more forgiving when it comes to making an error in aiming but be prepared to throw plenty of bricks into the air until the new system becomes second nature.
That being said, this style of mechanic is still a bit rough around the edges as players who should easily be able to make shots at even the worst of times can completely miss shots that are aimed accurately with no coverage. This can of course be chalked up to chance but happens far more often than one would think and generally makes for aggressive plays to be the more rewarding options as playing outside the paint is far more difficult than ever before and not in a good way as the AI on the player’s team generally neglects to successfully field rebounds or set up for more complicated plays without the player taking things into their own hands. This isn’t to say that the AI is bad, as it can handle itself as well as ever, but players should be ready to be aggressive this time around. Thankfully one other element that this Advanced Pro Stick brings with it are a variety of new moves that can be used both on offense to try and fake out or slip around a defender as well as on defense to intercept passes or block shots.
Off the court is where things become a bit more complicated and not for a good reason. MyLeague mode remains basically entirely untouched from last year and while this isn’t too bad as it still offers an extensive amount of freedom for players to take advantage of while the Neighborhood also features most of the same mechanics as before, only this time it is now located on Venice Beach in California, with plenty of little side activities to sink time into as well as courts to take part in pick-up games with others online in 3v3 or 5v5 matches using everyone’s created character from MyCareer.
It is in MyCareer and MyTeam that things become rather rough in regards to a certain issue that has been plaguing the 2K basketball games for years and that happens to be microtransactions through the use of VC. Almost everything that the player wants to do in either of these two modes requires some use of VC and the grind to obtain it. Leveling your personal character’s various stats to improve their abilities and make them more viable, simple customization options such as clothing, haircuts, and tattoos, all require VC. MyTeam similarly features a number of mechanics that encourage players to pick up card packs to try and improve their teams as fast as possible. Seasons have been implemented to offer players rewards for playing often and daily challenges also can boost the ability of the player’s team for a time but often these challenges cannot even be completed due to the player not even having a required card set, encouraging them to purchase more. This doesn’t even touch upon the numerous pop-ups that appear whenever the game is launched encouraging players to check out the latest things added to the shop.
As for the online play itself, as mentioned before it often runs at its best when used for pick-up games in the Neighborhood or through the delightful NBA Threes mode as larger scale games often suffer from bad lag to flat out disconnects on wired connections and considering the new shooting mechanics that require more precise timing, this generally leads to a bad time all around when things get rough.
Visuals & Audio
One thing that continues to impress year after year happens to be how detailed the players look in these games and NBA 2K21 is no exception. Fans of each team will immediately be able to recognize their favorite players and the various nuances a few of them have while shooting or performing drives up the court and while none of the “bubble” arenas are playable the recreation of every hometown stadium is once again impressive with a shout out to the neon Triple Threat court. It is worth noting that it is still very clear that nearly all of the opening animations and half-times are recycled from last year and that basically all of the standard animations also remain recycled and, in some cases, shockingly stiff at times.
The soundtrack features mostly new tracks that generally fall into the rap genre though a few surprising pieces of music do mix things up occasionally and as far as the voice work is concerned all of the story content features some impressive acting. The commentary team during the game’s remain mostly the same though there are references to current events that help make things feel a bit more updated from time to time and it is a nice touch that the WNBA side of things features a different pair of commentators.
Overall
By offering a new style of shooting NBA 2K21 helps make things far more interesting and provides players some new tools to their arsenal on both offense and defense on the court. That being said, even when executed properly this new style of shooting can be far too inconsistent at times with even star players missing perfectly set shots. Outside of these new shooting mechanics, NBA 2K21 plays the same as last year’s entry and when it works, it is an outstanding presentation of sports that can have someone thinking it is a real game at a glance, but between a story mode that comes to an abrupt end and the only real updated modes of MyCareer and MyTeam feel more like ways to extract more microtransaction money from the player’s accounts than anything else.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
When it comes to adapting pen and paper style RPGs into a video game format there have always been some signature names that have stuck around for years and even saw some remasters recently. However one of these styles of table top games never managed to see a full game release of its own and that happened to be the popular D&D spin-off turned into its own thing, Pathfinder. Now after a successful release on PC, Pathfinder: Kingmaker Definitive Edition has made its way to consoles but is this massive RPG worth diving into?
Story
While Pathfinder: Kingmaker Definitive Edition initially offers players the choice of three scenarios to play through, the other two take place throughout the core storyline so it is worth noting that anyone jumping into the game should start with the main storyline first. Initially players will find themselves being called, along with other wandering mercenaries, to the ruler of Restov and recruited to eliminate a large group of vicious bandits that have banded together under the rule of the Stag Lord to take the Stolen Lands as their own. The reward for eliminating the Stag Lord and liberating the land of these bandits? Becoming a baron/baroness of the land themselves and being promoted to the noble ranks of the land.
After a sudden assassination attempt throws a bit of a wrench into things, the player’s journey begins and what a massive journey it will be. It is clearly evident that the developers knew that things may end up getting a bit too complicated at times as there is an always accessible glossary to consult in regards to various bits of history, locations, lore, and more. In fact, this initial chain of missions that see the player hunting down the Stag Lord can take easily more time than an average video game’s entire run length and this is merely the beginning of the adventure as there are not only numerous side-quests to take on right from the get go but massive amounts of dialogue and character interaction to take part in.
Alongside the massive amount of core plot that the player can experience in the game there are an extensive number of amazing characters to fall in love throughout the journey. This includes a number of companions who can potentially join the player’s party should they choose as well as a large number of developments that can be revealed as players spend time with them. A number of these revelations can end up being rather surprising in nature and helps make the cast of characters feel more established in a world that is already incredibly expansive and features so much story content that players will easily be able to sink over a hundred hours into the game and still not see everything that can happen.
While players are already given something of an example for how to play their character when creating the game, the actual choices that players make in the game don’t entirely need to reflect on the player’s given alignment. This allows for players to make the most of the incredibly expansive options that can be open to some situations and how they play out. In more than a few ways even the slightest decision may play a factor later on in a questline in a rather surprising way and seeing this unfold helps make players really feel like they are playing their character as they see fit.
Gameplay
Given the fact that Pathfinder: Kingmaker Definitive Edition takes the entirety of its character creation from the table top RPG and being based around Pathfinder instead of more recent versions of D&D, players will want to take a fairly lengthy time making sure they are creating a character they feel comfortable with. Not only are there sixteen different classes to play as but each of these classes can have up to four sub-classes that also have various special traits. Combine this with race bonuses, stat distribution, special trait, and more depending on class and it can feel overwhelming at the start but for new players or those wanting a bit of help there are some pre-built characters to work with as well.
That being said, this game is also incredibly customizable when it comes to difficulty. Players can choose to play at normal, easy, and story simply to experience the game’s plot without worrying too heavily about the intricacies of the RPG but those who want to get into the nitty gritty will find hard, very hard, and even “Unfair” to choose from. These affect things such as how much damage enemies deal, whether party members completely die when downed or are left at “death’s door” or simply knocked unconscious, kingdom management, and more with each of these being able to individually customized to fit the player’s skill level.
The way combat is handled is actually rather interesting as players can swap between the turn based battle system where they have control of everything their party does to a faster real-time battle system where only their own character is being controlled while the rest of the party is handled by AI. This works rather well for the most part when it is used to mix things up, meaning that most of the time a turn-based approach should be used to take on new foes or more difficult enemies as proper positioning for flanking and sneak attacks, as well as AoE spells and items, can be essential for surviving some of these encounters while easier enemies can be handled simply by allowing your team to run roughshod in real time.
Outside of the combat mechanics players will also spend plenty of time camping to allow their team to heal up and form the aforementioned bonds with one another as these are generally where most interactions take place. The camp allows for various party members to take on different roles such as keeping lookout, healing one another, hunting for food, and more. After a certain point in the game, players will also obtain the ability to manage a kingdom as a new baron/baroness. This provides an entirely new element of gameplay that requires players to not only build up their land but also keep the people happy while protecting it from both monsters but also others that would like to see the player’s new lands become their own. This can be partially handled by advisors that the player can assign to various roles and, as mentioned before, can be a bit difficult at times so players can balance things a bit more in their favor to avoid risking game overs should their kingdom fall while they are handling quests, which isn’t too much of a threat considering most of the time players can respond to potential dangers with enough time but regular save rotation is heavily advised for this reason and a more dire one as well.
While originally released on PC, the transition to consoles has not been the kindest for Pathfinder: Kingmaker Definitive Edition as interacting with some menus is inherently a bit more troublesome than one would like. To make things worse there are some rather lengthy load times even when transitioning from small screen to small screen, making exploring dungeons something of a hassle but this generally isn’t the worst part. The main reason players will want to regularly rotate saves as well as save frequently is because this is an incredibly buggy game that also loves to crash for no reason at times. Not only have there been times that bosses have either not appeared or simply became invincible for no reason but entire questlines would fail to complete properly. There also happens to be a rather nasty bug that can flat out wreck a save file so players will want to keep a number of them to avoid such an instance and hope that the developers are quick to patch the game with these bugs.
Visuals & Audio
With nearly everything being displayed at an isometric angle as one would expect with a tabletop style RPG, Pathfinder: Kingmaker Definitive Edition isn’t the best looking game but does feature some great looking character art and many classic enemy designs that fans of the genre will be familiar with. This includes a number of gorgeous looking dungeons and locales to travel to though perhaps the kingdom management could have featured a bit more customization.
It is nice to note that there is an extensive amount of voiced dialogue throughout the game as not only are most main story quests voiced entirely but nearly all interactions with your companions also feature voice work performed by a fitting cast of actors. The background music is similarly superb in fitting the fantasy medieval theme of the game though.
Overall
Pathfinder: Kingmaker Definitive Edition delivers an immense story with some great combat mechanics that can require as much skill and depth as the player wishes to dive into them. Unfortunately these great elements are hampered by some significantly awful bugs, frequent crashes, and poor performance while those who prefer their table top RPGs to be all about quests may not like the required kingdom management aspects as well. This leaves the game as one that has plenty to offer but also one that is a bit too rough for what should be a “definitive edition.”
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Microids announces more details regarding Professor Rubik’s BrainFitness, inspired by the famous Rubik’s Cube!
Wake up your brain cells!
Sydney, 16th of September 2020 – Professor Rubik’s Brain Fitness, a brand-new brain teaser program inspired by the multicoloured Cube and developed by Magic Pockets will be available on November 12th, 2020 in Australia and Europe, and November 17th, 2020 in the United-States on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC/Mac!
The brain fitness software idea originates from the Rubik’s® Cube itself, the famous trans-generational entertaining brain teaser we all know and love. Professor Rubik’s Brain Fitness offers a rich selection of fun activities to stimulate each and every part of the brain. Memory, logic, focus, math and more, the game will enhance or maintain grey matter’s snappiness.
An individual coach will guide you through your journey: Let us introduce you to Professor Rubik! Inspired by the Rubik’s® Cube genius inventor Ernὄ Rubik, Professor Rubik will always be by your side. Wise, reassuring and explaining the exercises, the Professor will make your experience as fun as possible while proving daily practice will lead to measurable improvements!
Alone or with friends, take on dozens of challenges in bright Rubik’s® Cube colours. Train at your own pace by choosing time-limited activities or mastering more complex puzzles!
Play smart. In solo mode, complete a daily test and follow your progression to unlock new activities. Will you reach 100% of your intellectual power?
Challenge your friends! In multiplayer mode, challenge your family and friends to lively, colourful and friendly games.
With more than 22 activities at release and 4 “puzzle-game” modes that get progressively harder, Professor Rubik’s Brain Fitness has everything to become the ultimate Rubik’s® challenge and the best partner to all you puzzle lovers!
Stay tuned as more details will be unveiled in the upcoming months.
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Professor Rubik’s Brain Fitness is the newest edition to the label “Microids Life”, dedicated to the whole family. This new game will join titles like My Baby, the first title in My Universe series, developed to entertain gamers of all ages.
Microids Life label combines gaming experiences accessible for all ages and gamer profiles, hoping to complement each of their life’s milestones.Our goal: unite all gamers around experiences inspired by real life, offering everyone the chance to acquire new knowledge as they play and enrich their daily routine.
About Microids
Microids is a French video game publisher. Founded in 1985, Microids’ editorial strategy now focuses on 4 major areas: adventure games, racing games, retro gaming and games inspired by iconic titles. By collaborating with renowned studios and authors (Pendulo Studios, Eden Studios, Benoît Sokal, Paul Cuisset, Philippe Dessoly and Pierre Adane), Microids has become a major player in international video games. Taking inspiration from legendary titles, including Asterix & Obelix, and Titeuf, Garfield, Fort Boyard, XIII and Blacksad, Microids reaches a wide audience and creates original adventures which give gamers the chance to play as some of their most beloved characters.
About Rubik’s®
Initially created by Professor Ernő Rubik as a tool to teach his architectural students, the Rubik’s Cube has evolved the become the world’s most successful toy; a puzzle perceived globally as both an art form and the ultimate symbol of intelligence and problem solving.
Today the Rubik’s Cube has become a global consumer brand, merchandising and licensing company that is now heading to expand into vast new areas.
The Rubik’s Cube has become one of the most instantly recognized symbols of fun, aptitude and creative endeavor due to its iconic, colorful multidimensional design that continues to appeal to people of all ages and cultures.
Immersive, Open-World, Action Role-Playing-Game Puts Players at the Centreof Their Own Wizarding World Story
Players to Experience a New Hogwarts Adventure Set in the 1800s
Sydney, Australia – Sept. 17, 2020 – Warner Bros. Games today announced Hogwarts Legacy, an open-world, single-player, action role-playing videogame (RPG) set in the 1800s wizarding world. Players will experience life as a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry like never before, as they live the unwritten and embark on a dangerous journey to uncover a hidden truth of the wizarding world. Developed by Avalanche and published by Warner Bros. Games under the Portkey Games label, Hogwarts Legacy will release in 2021 for PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®4 Pro, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, and PC.
Hogwarts Legacy is filled with immersive magic, putting players at the centre of their adventure to become the witch or wizard they choose to be. They will grow their character’s abilities as they master powerful spells, hone combat skills and select companions to help them face off against deadly enemies. Players will also encounter missions and scenarios that will pose difficult choices and determine what they stand for.
To view and share the Hogwarts Legacy Official Announcement Trailer,
“Hogwarts Legacy gives players control over their own experience with RPG gameplay unlike anything else in the Wizarding World, which will continue to build fan appeal in the Portkey Games label,” said David Haddad, President, Warner Bros. Games. “Avalanche has brought to life this rich and deep world, full of action-packed magic, as well as a detailed, mysterious story to engage fans and gamers alike.”
“It’s such an honour to work on such an amazing franchise and the team is dedicated to delivering an authentic Wizarding World experience that both Harry Potter and RPG fans will enjoy,” said John Blackburn, Studio General Manager, Avalanche. “Hogwarts Legacy is so special because it allows players to immerse themselves in a new narrative that is filled with complex characters, and, of course, magic.”
As the climactic story begins, players grow their magical abilities by mastering spells, brewing potions and taming fantastic beasts. Along the way, they will uncover an expansive world filled with perilous dangers tied to the wizarding world’s long forgotten past and an unusual ability that only they possess. The open-world journey takes players beyond Hogwarts to new and familiar wizarding world locations including the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade Village.
Warner Bros. Games, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc., is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all platforms, including console, handheld, mobile and PC-based gaming for both internal and third-party game titles. Additional information can be found at www.wbgames.com.
About Portkey Games Portkey Games, from Warner Bros. Games, is the games label dedicated to creating new Wizarding World mobile and video game experiences that place the player at the centre of their own adventure, inspired by J.K. Rowling’s original stories. Portkey Games offers players the opportunity to make their own narrative choices and engage with the Wizarding World setting to create new and unique experiences. The label was created to bring gamers and fans new gaming experiences that allow them to delve into the magic of the Wizarding World in immersive ways where they can define their own Wizarding World story.
About Avalanche
Established in 1995 in Salt Lake City, Avalanche Software has been creating interactive experiences for fans of the world’s largest franchises for over two decades. The studio joined Warner Bros. Games in 2016 and is currently working on Hogwarts Legacy, a new, open world, action RPG set in the Wizarding World. Additional information about Avalanche can be found at https://www.avalanchesoftware.com.
