A Journey into the Unknown Awaits – Interactive Narrative Adventure Takes Players on a Surreal Road Trip
Baltimore, MD — April 9th, 2021 — Independent games publisher Versus Evil in partnership with multi award winning development studio Mad About Pandas today announced that the atmospheric first-person mystery game, Hitchhiker – A Mystery Game, is arriving on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on April 15th. The game was launched on Apple Arcade last month.
In Hitchhiker, players find themselves on a mysterious journey along a dusty highway with no recollection of who they are or where they are going. Players piece together their memories by catching rides with strangers across the country who provide clues to your character’s past and solutions to various environmental puzzles.
The narrative-driven interactive gameplay revolves around five distinct Hitch-hiked rides players take trying to recover lost memories through dialogue with an eclectic mix of drivers, each with their own quirky character traits.
About Versus Evil
Founded in 2013, Versus Evil, LLC is the US based video game publisher behind critically acclaimed video games Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire and The Banner Saga trilogy. Publishing games on all major mobile, PC and console platforms, Versus Evil works with independent development studios from around the world. The corporate philosophy is to champion for the independent game developer. For more information visit https://versusevil.com
About Mad About Pandas
Mad About Pandas is an award-winning German independent video game developer founded in 2005 by Patrick Rau and based in Berlin. The studio has released acclaimed titles such as Ubisoft’s Galaxy Racers, The Great Jitters: Pudding Panic, and the narrative mystery game Hitchhiker. Learn more at https://www.madaboutpandas.com.
Set the Skies Ablaze with Aircraft Carriersand Anti-Aircraft Firepower as Legends Turns 2
AUSTIN, TX (April 12, 2021) – Aircraft Carriers are here to stay in World of Warships: Legends, just as we invite players to celebrate the second year since Legends went into early access. Two new aircraft carrier branches join the fleet, a new campaign arrives, Arena mode returns, and Two Years Strong activities abound! There are many events and newcomers to the high seas in the April update, let’s start with the new type: Carriers.
Bringing the battles of World of Warships: Legends into a new dimension, aircraft carriers are a new ship type that is coming in the April update. Unlike their last appearance, these ships are here to stay and are ready to be unlocked all the way up to tier VII. Carriers are uniquely able strike enemies with squadrons of Dive and Torpedo bombers. However, they cannot stand up to gunfire from enemy ships for long.
Following the Airstrike event in February, there have been a few changes to them, including an automated navigator for when players are controlling aircraft and performance tweaks to increase their combat ability. Players can start commanding American and Japanese aircraft carriers at Tiers III, V, and VII featuring the gargantuan flattops like Lexington and Shōkaku at the top. Naturally, to combat carrier aircraft there are a bunch of additions to modify anti-aircraft weaponry in the form of modules and commander skills, plus a new Defensive Anti-Aircraft Fire consumable for cruisers. The arrival of carriers is sure to shake things up by adding a new layer of combat.
An old legend is appearing as the star of the new “Limit Breaker” campaign: Japanese cruiser Suzuya. This Mogami-class cruiser is in her pre-rebuild form, mounting an absurd fifteen 155 mm (6.1 inch) guns along with her powerful torpedoes. Add in the excellent speed and maneuverability of this ship and you have a force to be reckoned with. Suzuya and her sister ships were originally created as light cruisers, mounting this armament to appear to be following the limitations of the naval treaties, however, once war was on the horizon, they were rearmed with larger weapons. This campaign is conventional, with five weeks and 100 milestones to complete plus the ability to catch up—meaning anyone with admiralty backing can feasibly earn Suzuya.
For those eager to get into a more competitive setting, the Arena is back and this time for two week-long seasons. Each season will have its own ruleset, and importantly, Steel Badges are now available for the top three leaderboard brackets, so it’s a great time to start boosting your Steel reserves!
This update, World of Warships: Legends will celebrate the second year since its early access release with a few gifts and sales for the occasion, plus Golden Week is approaching. There’s also a set of balancing tweaks coming, including concealment modules for select battleships. It’s set to be a busy update with plenty for captains to get stuck into. April brings the battle to the skies, with more to come to the seas in May. Take to the skies and turn the tide!
About World of Warships: Legends Experience epic naval action in World of Warships: Legends, a massively multiplayer online game (available on Xbox, Xbox Series X, PS4 and PS5) where you can master the seas in history’s greatest warships! Recruit legendary commanders from maritime history, upgrade your vessels and stake your claim to naval supremacy with or against players around the world in thrilling and immersive battles. World of Warships: Legends brings the online naval action loved by millions to home consoles for the very first time, alongside a host of content and features exclusive to the console experience.
About Wargaming Wargaming is an award-winning online game developer and publisher headquartered in Nicosia, Cyprus. Operating since 1998, Wargaming has grown to become one of the leaders in the gaming industry with 4500+ employees and offices spread all over the world. Over 200 million players enjoy Wargaming’s titles across all major gaming platforms. Their flagship products include the massively popular free-to-play hit World of Tanks and the strategic naval action game World of Warships.
Do you know those movies where the plot starts in one direction and then goes absolutely sideways into something else? Who would have thought that a simple kidnapping would culminate in a fight with vampires in From Dusk Till Dawn? Or how a simple reconnaissance mission in Event Horizon turns into something gruesome and otherworldy. Twists like that can sometimes elevate a movie from decent to at least interesting (if executed correctly) or put a final nail in the coffin of bad storytelling. Now, why is this relevant? Because Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood is one of those movies. Games, actually. A seemingly innocent story that starts in one direction and pretty soon it turns into something else. But is that storytelling twist enough to enrich the game or does it ruin it? Let’s find out!
Story
Our titular character, Scarlet, is going through some serious drama. She is an aspiring singer of a band called Foxtrot Bop. A day after her latest gid, she is presented with a tough choice. Accept a contract that could boost her career but it would also mean she would have to ditch her band members since it is a solo contract. Tensions in the bend arise once the info is out but that’s also the point in the story where that problem ends and a new one starts for Scarlet. Or let’s say a couple of new ones. That same night she is caught in a powerful tornado that transports her into an enchanted realm of Glome. A colorful realm filled with magic, peculiar characters, and loads of puzzles. Pretty soon she stumbles upon a Munchkin caravan and they turn to her for help so they can pass through the titular Wicked Wood. To do so, Scarlet would have to don the mantle of a Red Witch, learn to wield the powerful Womping Stick, and defeat the witch called LeFaba. Even Dorothy didn’t have it this hard. Anyway, soon enough we learn that she is severely outmatched by the enemies in the Wicked Wood and that where the story apparently ends. Or so it seems. Thanks to the magic of the Red Witch, Scarlet has the ability to relive the same day and perhaps do things differently. Did someone say Groundhog Day?
Gameplay
At the first glance, Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood is an elaborate point n click game. But if we dig deeper, we can also find hints of platforming, spell management, stamina management, and fighting occasional enemies. It’s more than enough to keep the game interesting. The puzzles are plentiful and they range from incredibly easy to someone help I’ve been stuck on this one for ages. In every case, the solution will present itself to you once you explore every little detail of the screen that you’re at and talk to others. So if you’re not smart, just be persistent and you will solve stuff eventually. And the great thing about solving puzzles in this game is that they often act as branching paths in this story. After all, the game boasts itself in having multiple endings. Many things you do in Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood will change its story as well as the ending. Obviously, you won’t get them all on the first playthrough but you’ll know better what do to for later playthroughs. Hey, kinda like in the Groundhog Day.
Visuals
Two things will be emphasized as you play Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood: the visuals and the soundtrack. We’ll talk about the music later but a couple of things has to be said about the art first. It has hand-illustrated graphics, gorgeous character design, and quality background art. The chapters in the game will contain different areas such as caves, towers, and obviously….woods. Each of those segments is incredibly detailed and lively. The developers played strongly with this hand, considering that a lot of artwork can be unlocked as wallpapers the more you progress through the game. Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood has no issues separating itself from the other adventure games when it comes to art and character design. Some characters later in the game such as robotic-looking knight Ulysses Talus have a distinct personality that’s obviously stemming from alluring visuals.
Audio
Since music is a strong plot point (or at least a starting plot point) of the game, it’s no wonder that a lot of love went into the crafting of the soundtrack for Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood. The developers say that the New Jazz genre is dominant throughout the game. The composer Sung-woo Hwang did a marvelous job of sprinkling upbeat jazzy tunes all over the game and some of the tracks often complement the colorful environment of the woods. After Cuphead, this is one of my favorite jazzy soundtracks in indie games.
Overall
Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood is anything but a simple game. It has enough curiosities in itself to separate it from the rest but also some occasional missteps. For example, I’m baffled why a game with multiple endings doesn’t have the option to skip text for subsequent playthroughs. Luckily, there are plenty of good things in the game to overshadow the bad so I can definitely recommend it. If you’re looking for a fresh point n click release with an engaging story and unique visuals, look no further.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Starring Rey Mysterio, teaser promises a WWE 2K experience that hits different
During the WrestleMania 37 broadcast, 2K and Visual Concepts revealed the very first teaser video for WWE® 2K22, featuring both live-action and stunning in-game footage of WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio.
In the teaser, Rey Mysterio, a high-flying lucha libre legend and one of the most exciting and decorated Superstars in WWE history, slips on his iconic mask, enters the ring, sets up his opponent, Cesaro, and connects with his electrifying 619 signature move. The video concludes with a note confirming WWE 2K22 will be coming soon and the tagline “It Hits Different.”
After taking a year off following an absolutely atrocious release, it looks like 2K Games and Visual Concepts are ready to try again with their annual releases of the WWE 2K franchise as WWE revealed this weekend during WrestleMania 37 that they are planning on releasing WWE 2K22 sometime in the future.
The company did not reveal what platforms nor when exactly WWE 2K22 would be releasing but they did reveal a bit of gameplay footage mixed with real-life footage in a new trailer showing off Rey Mysterio hitting Cesaro with the 619. The teaser trailer can be found below and let’s just hope that this one truly does “hit different” compared to the team’s recent efforts.
Square Enix has announced that they are planning on releasing NEO: The World Ends with You worldwide on the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on July 27th with a PC release planned for sometime this summer though it is worth noting that the PC version of the game will be an Epic Games Store exclusive at launch.
This long awaited follow-up to the classic RPG, NEO: The World Ends with You follows a new protagonist by the name of RIndo as he explores the heart of Tokyo to uncover the mysteries behind the sinister “Reapers’ Game,” a life-or-death battle for survival that he has been forced to take part in thanks to the appearance of a strange girl with an ominous aura.
To go along with this announcement the company has also released a number of new screenshots as well as a new trailer have been released and can be found below.
MARVEL FUTURE FIGHT OPENS UP PRE-REGISTRATIONS AHEAD OF UPCOMING SIXTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
LOS ANGELES – APRIL 9, 2021 – Netmarble’s popular mobile game MARVEL Future Fight is gearing up to celebrate its sixth anniversary in April. To honor the game’s six years of Super Hero adventures, Netmarble is opening up pre-registrations for a special anniversary event that starts today, where participating Agents will be eligible to receive a variety of high-value rewards.
From April 9 – 29, players can enter their email address on the web page HERE to pre-register for MARVEL Future Fight’s six-year anniversary.Netmarble has substantially increased pre-registration rewards this year, as players have two avenues of collecting high-value rewards. Those who pre-register can receive items such 600 Crystals, 1x Selector: Tier 2 Character, and 1.5M Gold.
MARVEL Future Fight is also having a Sixth Anniversary Countdown Event starting April 5 that lets players collect several different rewards by checking in. Players who check into MARVEL Future Fight every day during the Countdown will receive rewards including below:
D-25 ~ D-19: Selector: 6★ Character, Tier-2 Mega Advancement Ticket and 200 Crystals
D-18 ~ D-12: Selector: 6★ Mutant Character and Tier-2 Mega Advancement Ticket
D-11 ~ D-5: Tier-3 Growth Materials, a Mythic Comic Card and 400 Crystals
On the day of the sixth anniversary, players will achieve Selector: Tier-3 Character and a special Sixth Anniversary Comic Card.
MARVEL Future Fight will its sixth anniversary this month with over 120 million players across the world. The game is currently available worldwide in the App Store® and Google Play™.
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
About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.
App Store is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play is a trademark of Google Inc.
Boruto (Karma) Makes His Mark on NARUTO TO BORUTO: SHINOBI STRIKER as 23rd DLC Character
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. today launched Boruto (Karma) as the latest DLC character for NARUTO TO BORUTO: SHINOBI STRIKER. This latest form of Boruto from the hit anime series, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Boruto (Karma) has had new powers activated after Momoshiki Otsutsuki used his final moments to embed his Karma into Boruto.
Boruto (Karma) beefs up NARUTO TO BORUTO: SHINOBI STRIKER’s roster of “Defense-type” characters, and his Boruto Stream and Lightning Style: Thunderclap Arrow jutsus will surely strike fear into all foes who cross his path. Boruto (Karma) will further weaken enemies by resetting their Ninjutsu and stock of enemy substitutions within range with his Secret Technique, Karma Linchpin (Wild).
Please head on over to the following YouTube link (ready for embedding) to see Boruto (Karma) in action:
NARUTO TO BORUTO: SHINOBI STRIKER is available now for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, and PC via STEAM®.
GWENT: The Witcher Card Game from CD PROJEKT RED, creators of The Witcher series of games, is now available for all Apple M1-equipped macOS devices. Players can download the game for free right now from the Mac App Store.
GWENT is a free-to-play card game of choice and consequence, where skill — not luck — is your most powerful weapon. Leading powerful armies from the Witcher world, players wage war against one another in dynamic multiplayer duels across a number of modes, including ranked games, friendly matches, and Draft battles.
GWENT: The Witcher Card Game for macOS works with all devices equipped with the Apple M1 chip and features full cross-play and cross-progression support with versions of the game for PC (via GOG.COM and Steam), Android, and iOS. Device compatibility requirements can be checked on GWENT’s product page on the Mac App Store.
To celebrate the new release, GWENT’s in-game store has been updated with special macOS and iOS-only offers. The Ultimate Starter Pack includes 35 Premium Kegs in total: 5 per each of GWENT’s expansions and 5 Ultimate Premium Kegs. With the Witcher’s Pack, on the other hand, players will gain 45 Premium Kegs from the latest expansion — Way of the Witcher. Discounted by 30%, both offers will remain available until April 22nd.
GWENT: The Witcher Card Game is available for free on PC via GOG.COM and Steam, as well as on Android, iOS, and now also on Apple M1 devices running macOS. For more information on GWENT, visit playgwent.com.
About GWENT: The Witcher Card Game
In GWENT: The Witcher Card Game, gamers clash with their friends in fast-paced duels that combine bluffing, on-the-fly decision making and careful deck construction. The game is played over a best-of-three series of rounds, as players unleash their hand by slinging spells and diverse units with special abilities, and use clever tricks to deceive their opponents.
About CD PROJEKT RED
CD PROJEKT RED is a game development studio founded in 2002. It develops and publishes video games for personal computers and video game consoles. The studio’s flagship titles include The Witcher series of games, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, GWENT: The Witcher Card Game and the upcoming futuristic AAA role-playing game — Cyberpunk 2077. Together with GOG.COM, a game store offering hand-picked titles for PC and Mac, CD PROJEKT RED is part of the CD PROJEKT Capital Group. CD PROJEKT S.A. is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ISIN: PLOPTTC00011).
Redmond, Washington, April 9th, 2021 –Super Meat Boy Forever, Team Meat’s long, long awaited sequel to 2010’s runaway platforming hit Super Meat Boy, is coming to PlayStation 4 & 5 and Xbox One & Series X/S on April 16th, where it will cost $19.99 / £15.99 / €15.99. This follows its December release on Nintendo Switch and Epic Games Store.
This much anticipated sequel also moves the Meat Boy saga forward, as Meat Boy and his partner Bandage Girl have had a child, Nugget, who has unfortunately been kidnapped by the sinister stillborn psychopath, Dr. Fetus (I hate that guy!). So now it’s up to Meat Boy, Bandage Girl, and some surprising new characters in the Meat Boy Cinematic Universe, to rescue the kidnapped child.
In the time since we saw him last, Meat Boy has been hitting the gym and he now packs a punch with an oversized, Battletoads-esque right fist that packs a mean whollup! Combined with new slide and plummet maneuvers, Meat Boy is more agile than ever!
What’s better than playing through Super Meat Boy Forever once? The answer is simple: Playing through Super Meat Boy Forever several times and having new levels to play each time! Levels are randomly generated and each time the game is completed the option to replay the game appears and generates a whole new experience by presenting different levels with their own unique secret locations. We’ve handcrafted literally thousands of levels for players to enjoy and conquer. You can replay Super Meat Boy Forever from start to finish several times before ever seeing a duplicate level. It is truly a remarkable feat of engineering and a monumental example of ignoring the limits of rational game design and production.
“As great as it was for Super Meat Boy to make his return on Switch and the Epic Games Store, no return would be complete without a victory lap on PlayStation and Xbox platforms – which many of you may remember Meat Boy making his console premiere on over a decade ago,” said Team Meat co-founder and programmer Tommy Refenes. “Super Meat Boy Forever isn’t just more of the same though. This is Meat Boy evolved. He now has a completely different moveset, controls, power-ups, and endless level remixes that can be played forever!”
About Meat Boy Meat Boy took the world by storm in 2008 when it was conceived as a free Flash game by developers Edmund McMillen and Jonathan McEntee. This devilishly difficult love letter to arcade platformers went so viral that over 8 million people played it. Due to its popularity, Team Meat founders Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes collaborated on a commercial successor that became the 2010 megahit Super Meat Boy, which went on to sell over a million copies in its first 15 months. Nearly eight years later, Super Meat Boy is still capturing the populace’s imagination as its Switch port’s launch sales nearly matched that of its 2010 debut on Xbox 360. The franchise’s latest project, Super Meat Boy Forever, was released on Epic Games Store on December 23rd 2020, with Xbox One and PlayStation versions to follow in early 2021.
