Home Blog Page 2018

Balan Wonderworld Revealed by Square Enix

A brand new action platformer by the name of Balan Wonderworld has been revealed by Square Enix for the Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC during the Xbox Games Showcase pre-show. Headed by Yuji Naka and Naoto Oshima, this “family-friendly” platformer will place players in the role of Leo and Emma as they embark on an adventure like no other.

Led by an enigmatic maestro named Balan, they must navigate through Wonderworld to restore happiness and balance the hearts and minds of all they encounter here.Players will discover over 80 extraordinary costumes along their journey through a variety of unique environments within Wonderworld. The costumes change Leo’s and Emma’s appearances, granting them a wide array of fantastical powers to overcome obstacles that lay in their path and discover exciting new ways to play.

The reveal trailer and plenty of screenshots have also been released and can be found below. The game itself is currently set to be released sometime in Spring 2021.

Halo Infinite Campaign Gameplay Reveal Trailer

There have been more than a few cinematic trailers and hints dropped here and there about what to expect from Halo Infinite and today Microsoft and 343 Industries kicked off their showcase event by showing off not only a short cinematic trailer focusing on Master Chief’s new armor but also a lengthy chunk of gameplay showing off a number of new mechanics.

When all hope is lost and humanity’s fate hangs in the balance, the Master Chief is ready to confront the most ruthless foe he’s ever faced in the series’ most expansive story yet. While no release date was revealed, Halo Infinite will be playable on the Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC at release.

Campaign Gameplay
Step Inside Trailer

Fate/EXTRA Record Announced for Current Gen Platforms

The Fate series has always had some difficulty of entry but when one of the game’s in the franchise happens to be a PSP game from 2011, there is some extra challenge but that will soon not be the case. Type-Moon Studio BB has revealed that a remake of the game, Fate/EXTRA Record, is being developed for “current gen platforms.”

No exact details as to when or what to expect for Fate/EXTRA Record but players can expect to choose between a male or female character and a completely redone RPG battle system that has been previewed in a bit of a gameplay (found at the 39 minute mark) that can be found below alongside the reveal trailer.

Reveal Trailer
Gameplay Footage

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim Delayed Slightly to September 22

While Atlus may have originally hoped to have 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim released in the West on September 8th, there will now be a minor delay to those plans as the company has now announced that the game has been delayed two weeks and will now be releasing on September 22nd. There is good reason for this delay however and it happens to be the fact that the previously delayed English dub will now be available for the game as a special day one patch.

When the game is released it will be available both physically and digitally with the physical version coming with a special bonus artbook.. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a 2D sidescrolling adventure that will feature battles against kaiju in fast-paced top down battles where players will use an arsenal of mechsuit weaponry to defeat their foes.

Death end re;Quest 2 Releasing on PC on August 18

In something of a unique move, Idea Factory International has announced that Death end re;Quest 2 will actually be releasing on PC before the planned PlayStation 4 version of the game as it will be releasing on August 18th. Originally the PC version was meant to be released on August 25th, the same date as the digital and physical release of the PlayStation 4 version of the game.

The PC version will contain the original Glitch costumes for the first game’s characters and will have English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese subtitles. The first game’s characters only appear in their Glitch costumes during battle and in the main menu.

A number of new English story screenshots were also revealed for Death end re;Quest 2 and can be found below.

CARRION Review

CARRION

Developer: Phobia Game Studio
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Platforms: SwitchXbox OneWindows (Reviewed)
Release Date: 23 Jul 2020
Price: $19,99USD – Available Here

Overview

There is an undeniable and strong bond between horror games and movies. We’ve all seen Alien, Event Horizon, Predator, Hellraiser and so on. You’re rooting for the protagonist(s) and hoping that they make it out in the end. However, I imagine there’s always been a morbid curiosity in all of us where we all wondered how it would feel to be on the other side. To be the predator. While I can’t recall many movies with that premise, I have such a game in front of me. It throws morality and compassion for the innocents out of the window as you tear anything other than yourself apart. You ever wanted to play as a symbiote before it evolved into Venom? Well, here is your chance. Let’s see how it works.

Story

As you can assume, in CARRION you are the hunter. A small meaty blob of murder that crawls through dungeon-like sewers, ventilation shafts, and laboratories on your way to freedom. And a road to freedom is paved with many corpses and torn off limbs of the innocents. Stalk and consume those that imprisoned you, spread panic throughout the facility, and acquire more powers and ways to murder as the story develops. Should be easy enough, right?

Gameplay

Well yes but actually no. It’s fairly easy (and fun) to rip apart the innocent workers in the first few sections of the game. Later on, certain humans (aka our enemies) will possess guns, shields, and other ways to protect themselves from you. It is imperative later in the game to scout the area before engaging, to learn who is armed and who isn’t. As you consume the enemies, you gain mass. The bigger you are, it’s harder to be killed and you also look cool and scary as a bonus. Eventually, you gain some special powers including how to trap enemies, paralyze them, and tear down stronger barricades. The control scheme of CARRION is also intuitive. It relies mostly on the mouse buttons, while the rest of the keys are assigned to the keyboard. It works that way since most of the time you spend will go on traversing the levels and looking for the next switch to open access to a different area.

Visuals

You can find something appealing (and disgusting) in the design of our anti-hero. He is an amorphous blob of flesh, blood, and tentacles. An unstoppable meatball squeezing graciously through wall cracks and shafts while leaving only a small puddle of blood after consumption. While the enemies could use more variety, CARRION saves itself with creativity in the level design and the fluidity of animations. There is a certain weight and some light physics involved as you stick to the walls and climb up and down while on the search for your next victim.

Audio

Although I can find a lot of praise for the pixelated yet detailed visuals, I struggle to write anything about the audio here. I can’t say it’s nonexistent since it is somewhat atmospheric to listen to various squeaks and groans and dripping of blood even when you’re not doing anything. However, music is pretty scarce here, and calling it minimalistic would be pretty generous. I’ll just say it’s a missed opportunity that more love wasn’t given on that front, especially during segments of tearing the whole room apart and painting it red with the blood of the innocents.

Overall

All in all, CARRION is a nice indie game with a novel approach. It tries to do something different, it sticks out from the bunch and I applaud the devs for that. It’s a pick-up-and-play with not much philosophy behind it, but with intuitive controls and fluid gameplay. However, the thing that sticks out is a pretty courageous price for such a product. I started playing this trying to accumulate at least 6 hours of playtime before I had enough material to form a coherent review. Imagine my surprise when it took just a tiny bit over 5 hours to finish the game completely, with most of the upgrades collected and some missed. While there is decent replay value in CARRION if you’re going for everything, I’d say the purchase is somewhat of a gamble with such a price tag. In short: buy it but buy it in a sale. In any case, I give this a passing grade just on the account of trying to do something new and (surprisingly for an indie game) succeeding in that. So next time you watch The Thing and think for yourself “I could have slaughtered that whole base in less than a minute”, why not prove it in CARRION?

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos Takes on Mechs, Gods in Q4 2020 on the Oculus Platform

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos Takes on Mechs, Gods in Q4 2020 on the Oculus Platform

Aldnoah.Zero Talent Launches Shibuya Into the Future

TOKYO – 22 July, 2020 – ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos, the sci-fi, anime-style adventure with a twisting narrative and difficult choices, avenges the human race in Q4 2020 when the industry veterans comprising MyDearest Inc. bring their next title to the Oculus platform.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos picks up 300 years after the events of TOKYO CHRONOS, the award-winning VR adventure game. Devastated by deadly creatures known as Meteora, humanity seeks refuge in the underground bunkers of a post-apocalyptic Shibuya, Japan. Earth’s last hope lies within Chloe, a genetically enhanced soldier who seeks to deliver humanity from their end, while out for vengeance against the monstrosities that took her only friend.

Discover the secrets behind what caused this reign of terror and fight for Chloe’s fallen friend from the cockpit of giant mechs. Dive into a world where Chloe goes head-to-head with hellish behemoths for intense mecha battles in a showdown among giants. As combat rages, ATLDEUS’ brilliant cyber diva, Noa, aids Chloe on the battlefield through song and instruction.

As a symbol of hope for the new world, Noa charms and performs for fans in vibrant live concert sequences. Shrouded in mystery, the beloved diva looks painfully familiar to Chloe’s lost friend, a fact the genetically enhanced soldier cannot shake. Untangle this web of winding secrets through adventure segments, where Chloe can choose multiple paths to reach surprise endings.

Character designer LAM and mechanic designer I-IV (Aldnoah.Zero), team up to illustrate a world with stunning pops of color, striking character designs, and towering robots. From the pilot seat of these giant suits, tune into upbeat J-Pop from Noa or more intense J-Rock tracks for battle. ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos aims to bring the manga experience to life, placing the fate of the narrative in the protagonist’s hands.

“The response to TOKYO CHRONOS was incredible, but our community felt like we couldn’t stop there. We had to continue exploring that world,” said Haruki Kashiwakura, director. “ALTDEUS propels us into the future with an all-new cast, taking us to brand new highs in VR storytelling. We think this new saga is even more ambitious and only improves upon the formula from TOKYO CHRONOS.”

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos will be available on the Oculus Platform with English and Japanese voice acting and Chinese (Simplified), German, and French subtitles.

For more information, please visit the ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos official website, follow it on Facebook, Twitter, and search for #ALTDEUS on social media.

About MyDearest Inc.

MyDearest Inc. is one of the leading VR game developers in Japan with a passion for unconventional storytelling. Their desire to share intricate narratives and gripping VR experiences have taken their journey to the West with the release of their mystery adventure game TOKYO CHRONOS in 2019. After a successful Kickstarter campaign for TOKYO CHRONOS and accolades from Oculus, MyDearest Inc. sets their sights on global releases again with titles like ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos.

To learn more, visit the MyDearest Inc. official website.

About Oculus

The Oculus team at Facebook lets people defy distance—connecting with each other and the world—through world-class VR hardware and software. With global departments dedicated to cutting-edge research, computer vision, haptics, social interaction, and more, Oculus is committed to driving the state of the art forward through relentless innovation. Additional information can be found at https://www.oculus.com.

Adult Swim Games’ Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time Launches August 21 on All Major Consoles & PC

Pre-order the new action platformer today on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One & Epic Games Store

Catch exclusive panels, reveals, interviews & more from Adult Swim’s biggest series at Adult Swim Con, July 23-25 on Twitch

ATLANTA July 22, 2020 — Adult Swim Games, in partnership with Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky and developer Soleil Games, has announced that the action platformer Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time will launch worldwide on August 21 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation®4, Xbox One and Windows PC via the Epic Games Store and Steam for $39.99.

Based on the Emmy Award-winning series, Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is the great stoic hero’s untold final adventure, with a script from series head writer Darrick Bachman. Trapped by his arch-nemesis Aku in an alternate timeline during their final confrontation, Samurai Jack must team up with his closest allies against his most notorious enemies to return home.

Made for fans of Samurai Jack and action games alike, Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time features classic combat and gameplay, stylized 3D visuals, and the show’s renowned blend of humor and drama. Explore the fantastic world of the show, unlock new skills and combos, and slice and dice your foes with over a dozen unique melee and ranged weapons.

Samurai Jack fans can tune in to see exclusive behind-the-scenes gameplay footage and interviews with Tartakovsky, Bachman and more during Adult Swim Con, a celebration of all things Adult Swim airing July 23-25 on Twitch. The Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time panel kicks off on Friday, July 24, at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT at http://twitch.tv/adultswim.

Pre-orders for Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time are available now on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC via the Epic Games Store.

For more on Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time, visit www.SamuraiJackGame.com.

About Adult Swim Games

Adult Swim Games oversees the production, publishing and marketing of original games created by independent developers from around the world. With more than 200 games across PC, mobile, web, console and VR, Adult Swim Games’ unique offerings have received numerous industry accolades and awards — including five #1 rankings in the App Store and a finalist for the Seumas McNally Grand Prize at IGF. Popular titles include the Emmy-nominated Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality, Robot Unicorn Attack, Pocket Mortys and Duck Game among others.

About Soleil Games

Soleil Ltd. was established in 2008 in Tokyo. Led by a team of industry veterans who have worked on titles such as Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden, Soleil has also developed the multiplayer action game Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker. Soleil’s key development philosophy is “Action.”

Connect With Adult Swim

Website: www.adultswim.com/games
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/adultswimgames
Twitter: http://twitter.com/adultswimgames
Adult Swim app available for iOS and Android platforms.

GUNDAM BATTLE: GUNPLA WARFARE CELEBRATES ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH NEW SKINS, STORY, FEATURES, AND MORE

New Trailer Commemorates Milestone and Ushers in New Upgrade System, Content, and Login Bonuses for Gundam Pilots

BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. is celebrating the 1st Anniversary of GUNDAM BATTLE: GUNPLA WARFARE with new content, game features, and login bonuses. GUNDAM BATTLE: GUNPLA WARFARE, the first mobile game in the GUNDAM franchise to be released in North America, is available on iOS devices via the App Store and Android devices via Google Play. 

For all Gunpla builders, the anniversary will add a new story to the game campaign and new skins to customize each mobile suit, along with additional missions and a new “subpart” upgrade system to further refine and upgrade each Gundam model. Beyond the game updates, the 1st Anniversary celebration also includes login bonuses for all players and a free opportunity to collect highly desirable Gunpla upgrade parts for free.

A new trailer that combines live action and CGI footage has been created to commemorate the anniversary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHitQfBr2uQ

The full list of new updates and promotional events is as follows:

  • Awakening Circuits are now capped at 6* (stars)
  • New features that allow Gunpla builders to equip a part into another part (sub-part system), enabling them to:
    • Choose the appearance between two Gunpla parts
    • Choose their favorite EXa-skills/part trait between the two parts
    • Choose the best Word tag from each Gunpla parts
  • The new version of Artemis – Gundam Areus – will be available as an update to the original Gunpla
  • A new story will be added
  • New missions will be added

Promotional Events:

  • 10 free daily capsules for those who log in during the event period 
  • New system that will allow builders to pull entire Mobile Suit configurations
  • Many more events – check out in-game notices for more details

For more information about GUNDAM BATTLE: GUNPLA WARFARE, please visit https://g-b-en.ggame.jp/ and follow the official Facebook fanpage here.

###

©SOTSU・SUNRISE ©SOTSU・SUNRISE・MBS ©SOTSU・SUNRISE・TV TOKYO

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Reveals New Trailer, PlayStation 5 Release, Pre-Order Bonus and Deluxe Editions, and English Voice Cast

AN RPG LIKE NONE OTHER – YAKUZA: LIKE A DRAGON REVEALS “HEROES OF TOMORROW” TRAILER, ANNOUNCES PLAYSTATION 5 VERSION AS WELL AS CASTING OF LEGENDARY ACTOR GEORGE TAKEI

Xbox Series X Smart Delivery Support and Planned PlayStation®5 Upgrade Path in the West’Hero’ and ‘Legendary Hero’ Editions Announced for SEGA’s all-new RPG

IRVINE, Calif. – July 22, 2020 – Kicking off Comic Con @ Home, Sega of America launched pre-orders for Yakuza: Like a Dragon alongside the debut of the game’s new “Heroes of Tomorrow” Trailer, which showcases explosive, dynamic RPG gameplay of protagonist Ichiban Kasuga and his ragtag party. Ever want to see a group of middle-aged “heroes” battle massive construction vehicles, take down thugs with an uppercut from a facial wand, or summon a tempest of pigeons? Yakuza: Like a Dragon has you covered – it’s like no other RPG before it.

Also revealed in today’s announcement is the English voice cast of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which features, among many talented actors, esteemed TV and film actor George Takei. George Takei plays the role of Masumi Arakawa, a powerful patriarch whose dissolution of the Tojo Clan’s yakuza empire sets into motion the conflict at the heart of this complex, winding narrative.

SEGA also announced today that Yakuza: Like a Dragon will launch on PlayStation 5 in the West, in addition to the previously announced Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Windows 10, PlayStation 4 and Steam releases.This offer comes in addition to the previously announced support for Xbox Series X Smart Delivery,ensuring players only have to buy the game once, and will be able to play it on either Xbox One or Xbox Series X when both the console and that version of the game are available. A PlayStation 5 upgrade path is also being planned for the Western release and will be announced at a later date. Yakuza: Like a Dragon will also support EFIGS subtitles.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon will be available in the West on Xbox One, Windows 10 PC, PlayStation 4, and Steam in November 2020 (Xbox Series X will release on day one of the console’s release date, and the PlayStation 5 version will release at a later date). The previously announced Day One Edition will now be called the Day Ichi (“one” in Japanese) Edition, and will be joined by the Hero and Legendary Hero editions, also available for pre-order on all platforms’ digital storefronts starting today.

The Yakuza: Like a Dragon “Heroes of Tomorrow” Trailer is now live on SEGA’s official YouTube channel – check it out to see and hear the talented English cast in action, as well as details on the new pre-order editions available now. New key art, screenshots and box art are available to download at this link

Pre-Order Packages

Today also marks the unveiling of Yakuza: Like a Dragon‘s various package offerings:

The Day Ichi Edition, available for $59.99 in digital format, includes the Legends Costume Set incorporating eight costumes representing fan-favorite figures from the Yakuza series, from Kazuma Kiryu to Daigo Dojima. A physical edition, called the Day Ichi SteelBook Edition, also includes the Legends Costume Set and comes in a stylish SteelBook® for your collection.

The Hero Edition (for $69.99, available in digital format) includes all features from the Day Ichi Edition, as well as the Job Set, which adds two new playable jobs – the guitar-shredding Devil Rocker and the naginata-wielding Matriarch, and the Management Mode Set, which contains a wide selection of additional employees for the expansive Management Mode minigame.

Lastly, the Legendary Hero Edition (for $89.99, available in digital format) includes all Hero Edition content as well as the full in-game Crafting Set, Karaoke Set, Ultimate Costume Set and Stat Boost Set.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon‘s English Voiceover Cast is Revealed

As a veteran actor of TV and movies, George Takei has lent his talent and gravitas to such characters as Hikaru Sulu (Star Trek), Yamato-san, (The Terror) Kaito Nakamura (Heroes) and other iconic roles. Mr. Takei is taking on the role of Masumi Arakawa, a powerful patriarch whose dissolution of the Tojo Clan’s yakuza empire sets into motion the conflict at the heart of protagonist Ichiban Kasuga’s story. Ichiban joins forces with a colorful crew from different walks of life to uncover the truth behind his former patriarch’s capitulation to a rival yakuza organization, the Omi Alliance of Kansai.

The main cast includes the following talent:

  • Kaiji Tang as Ichiban Kasuga, protagonist of the story returning from 18 years spent in prison
  • George Takei as Masumi Arakawa, patriarch of the Arakawa Family
  • Andrew Morgado as Koichi Adachi, an ex-cop on the search for truth
  • Greg Chun as Yu Nanba, downtrodden former nurse making amends with the world
  • Elizabeth Maxwell as Saeko Mukoda, a bar hostess on a mission

Stay tuned in the coming months for more information about the release of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, including more gameplay details, playable jobs, skills, and dozens of hours of engaging and hilarious side content that players will encounter on their journey through Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

About the Yakuza / Ryu Ga Gotoku Series:

With over 12 million units sold worldwide since its creation in 2005, the Yakuza / Ryu Ga Gotoku series was created with the core concept of “Entertainment geared towards mature audiences” in mind, this series portrays the life of relatable people living in Japan’s red-light districts. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio excels at bringing players into a true-to-life realization of modern Japan while exploring themes of love, humanity, and betrayal, creating an experience unlike any other in digital entertainment.  

About SEGA® of America, Inc.: SEGA® of America, Inc. is the American arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA CORPORATION, a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home.  The company develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Interactive Entertainment. SEGA of America’s website is located at www.sega.com