HIGHLY ANTICIPATED PRO SKATER STORY “PRETENDING I’M A SUPERMAN” ARRIVES ON DIGITAL PLATFORMS AUGUST 18
LOS ANGELES: JULY 2, 2020 – Wood Entertainment is proud to announce the August 18 digital/VOD release of the highly anticipated documentary feature PRETENDING I’M A SUPERMAN – THE TONY HAWK VIDEO GAME STORY. Wood Entertainment acquired Worldwide rights to the film in May at the Mammoth Film Festival in a deal negotiated between CEO Tara Wood and Producer Ralph D’Amato (“Tony Hawk Pro Skater” series, “Gun”) on behalf of D’Amato Productions.
Arriving just ahead of the eagerly-awaited reboot of the $1.4 billion Tony Hawk Pro Skater video game series coming this September, this definitive documentary from Director Ludvig Gür tells the story of skater turned video game mogul Tony Hawk, and the near extinction of skateboarding culture before exploding back into the mainstream in the early 2000s.
“PRETENDING I’M A SUPERMAN is a robust, real-life story of our successful videogame series as told by those who created it, and many who were inspired by it” said multi-record-breaking skateboarder and documentary subject Tony Hawk.
“I’m really excited to partner with Wood Entertainment” said director Gür. “It’s been a long journey making the documentary and I’m stoked it will finally be released for skateboarding and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater fans worldwide. The art form and video game had an enormous impact on Generation Y / Z and the story behind it is even more fascinating.”
In 1999, the video game Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater shook the world when it sold 9 million copies upon release and changed the skateboarding scene forever. Pretending I’m a Superman is the story of the skaters and developers who came together to create the best-selling game as well as a look into how skateboarding became a part of the mainstream.
Featuring never-before-seen footage and interviews with the legendary skater Tony Hawk as well as industry stars interviews with Steve Caballero, Rodney Mullen, Chad Muska, and Jamie Thomas, Gür takes audiences through an intimate yet extraordinary journey, chronicling the meteoric rise of skate boarding’s most famous name.
“Tony Hawk has one of the most inspiring stories ever told, from groundbreaking skater to gaming mogul” said Wood. “We are thrilled to present it to its worldwide audience.”
ABOUT WOOD ENTERTAINMENT
Wood Entertainment is a worldwide distribution company. Its current release is QT8: THE FIRST EIGHT, the authorized Quentin Tarantino documentary, available now on all major digital platforms.
Developer of Airlines Manager Joins International Publisher’s Family of Studios
STOCKHOLM and PARIS – July 2, 2020 – Paradox Interactive, a publisher and developer of games that are really taking off, today announced the acquisition of Playrion Game Studio, a mobile-focused developer based in Paris. Playrion Game Studio, founded in 2010 to support the development of Airlines Manager, joins Paradox Interactive as its eighth internal studio.
Airlines Manager, originally a student project and browser-based management game, has become an impressive success, with more than 10 million players since its release on mobile platforms in 2014. The title’s deep and complex management gameplay fits Paradox’s portfolio perfectly. To celebrate the title joining Paradox’s roster of games, players can get a free celebratory unique plane, to the colors of Paradox Interactive in-game.
“I am incredibly excited to join this amazing and well-established game company, and to bring our expertise and knowledge about mobile games,” said Benjamin Cohen, Founder and Studio Manager at Playrion. “As soon as we met Paradox Interactive, I understood that we had very close DNA. For almost five years, Playrion has experienced exponential growth thanks to our very talented team, and without a doubt, we’ll be able to push things even further with Paradox Interactive on our side. This is the best opportunity we ever had to improve the experience of our players and to deliver better games.”
“Adding Playrion to our roster allows us to continue expanding our business in new areas, and bring more of our IPs to mobile,” said Charlotta Nilsson, Chief Operations Officer at Paradox Interactive. “We’re always thrilled when we find teams who want to make the kind of games we’d like to make ourselves. Playrion is a natural addition to the Paradox family, and we’re delighted to have them joining us.”
Playrion Game Studio joins the growing Paradox roster, which also includes Paradox Development Studio in Stockholm; Paradox Arctic in Umeå, Sweden; the Paradox development team in Malmö, Sweden; Paradox Tectonic in Berkeley, California; Triumph Studios in Delft, The Netherlands; Harebrained Schemes in Seattle; and Paradox Tinto in Barcelona.
Paradox Interactive is a leading global publisher of strategy games for PC and console. The company has developed and published a world-renowned catalog stretching back to 1999, with players hailing from all around the world.
The publisher’s steadily-growing portfolio includes firmly established franchises such as the critically acclaimed Europa Universalis, Crusader Kings, Hearts of Iron, and Stellaris series created by Paradox Development Studio, the Age of Wonders series created by Triumph Studios, as well as award-winning titles such as Cities: Skylines, Pillars of Eternity, and more from a network of partner studios. Paradox is the owner of the World of Darkness IPs and is publishing Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. Today, over four million people play a Paradox game each month, and the number of registered Paradox users is over twelve million.
Paradox’s head offices are located in Stockholm, Sweden. Our development studios are located in Stockholm, Malmö and Umeå, Sweden, in Delft, The Netherlands, in Seattle, Washington, and in Berkeley, California. We share a passion for gaming and gamers, and our goal is to provide deep and challenging games with hours of gameplay and endless variety to our ever-growing community.
Larkspur, Calif. (July 2, 2020) – Codemasters® today confirms the breadth of exciting innovations and core existing features that players will experience with the imminent release of F1® 2020, the official videogame of the 2020 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™. With two new circuits, Hanoi Circuit and Circuit Zandvoort, the game caters to driver skills of all levels with My Team, improved on-track options, the reintroduction of split-screen, classic cars, and so much more. The full trailer can be viewed here
Launching into My Team, the new driver-manager feature, the trailer explores car customization, driver market and team facilities. Before taking to the grid, players need to make off-track decisions that will boost driver and staff motivation and in turn, generate funds to improve facilities, upgrade car parts and sign a new teammate.
The trailer also highlights the range of player choice on offer. From F2™ integration to shorter seasons, F1 2020 customization options allow players more control over the way they race. Struggle to master Monaco and Baku? Take advantage of shorter seasons with new 10 or 16 race options. For new players, the game introduces simplified menus and driving assists which are in addition to core F1 and F2 handling.
Following feedback from both drivers and players, F1 2020 includes several on-track improvements. ERS, as in real-life, is activated with a simple button press making the maneuver much more natural to execute. At the request of the F1 community, the game has introduced a virtual rear view mirror making it easier to identify opponents and fend off any potential attack from rivals.
Adding further levels of personalization, the all new Podium Pass allows players to race, earn and unlock. Each season will enable players to unlock free customization items by racing in their favorite game modes and earning XP. Custom cosmetic items include car liveries, race equipment such as gloves, overalls and helmets, and podium emotes. For next-level customization, players can purchase the VIP upgrade to gain access to higher-level rewards and additional in-game challenges. All players who pre-order F12020 will receive credit to unlock Season One VIP. Each season will contain enough currency to purchase the following VIP Podium Pass.
“In a little less than a week, our players will finally be able to experience all the innovations in F12020. This year we have created new features which cater to every type of race fan,” said Franchise Game Director at Codemasters, Lee Mather. “From My Team, which gives players a real insight into the world of Formula 1, to the more casual split-screen, F1 2020 is the ultimate virtual racing experience to accompany the revised 2020 F1 season.”
F1 2020 will release on Friday, July 10, 2020 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Xbox One X, PC, and Google Stadia (MSRP $59.99). Players who purchase the F1 2020 Deluxe Michael Schumacher Edition (MSRP $69.99) will receive exclusive content and three days early access starting on July 7, 2020.
Codemasters (AIM:CDM) is an award-winning British video game developer and publisher with over 30 years of heritage. The company specializes in high-quality racing games including DiRT, GRID, and the BAFTA award-winning official F1® series of videogames.
In November 2019 Codemasters acquired Slightly Mad Studios, creators and developers of award-winning IP including the Project CARS franchise.
For more information on Codemasters’ product portfolio, please visit www.codemasters.com. Join in the conversation with @codemasters on Twitter or Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/codemasters.
All other copyrights or trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are being used under license. Developed and published by Codemasters.
About Deep Silver
Deep Silver develops and distributes interactive games for all platforms. The Deep Silver label means to captivate all gamers who have a passion for thrilling gameplay in exciting game worlds. Deep Silver works with its partners to achieve a maximum of success while maintaining the highest possible quality, always focusing on what the customer desires.
Deep Silver has published more than 200 games since 2003, including its own brands like the open world extravaganza Saints Row, the zombie action franchise Dead Island, and the grim post-apocalyptic future of the Metro series. Upcoming highlights from Deep Silver include Dead Island 2 and Saints Row V. Deep Silver also owns the development studios Deep Silver Dambuster Studios in Nottingham, UK; Deep Silver Fishlabs in Hamburg, Germany, Deep Silver Volition based in Champaign, IL, USA, and Warhorse Studios based in Prague, Czech Republic. For more information please visit www.deepsilver.com.
Koch Media is a leading producer and distributor of digital entertainment products (software, games and films). The company’s own publishing activities, marketing and distribution extend throughout Europe, North America and Australia. The Koch Media group has more than 20 years of experience in the digital media business and has risen to become the number one publishing partner in Europe. It has also formed strategic alliances with numerous games and software publishers: Bethesda, Capcom, Codemasters, Kaspersky Labs, Konami, Koei Tecmo, Milestone, Sega, Square Enix, etc. in various European countries. With Headquarters in Höfen, Austria Koch Media owns branches in Germany, England, France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, the Nordic regions, Benelux, Australia, Czech Republic and the United States. All product titles, publisher names, trademarks, artwork and associated imagery are trademarks, registered trademarks and/or copyright material of the respective owners. All rights reserved.
Slash Through Enemies and Price Tags, Save 30 Percent on Steam Version for a Limited Time
PARIS (July 2, 2020) – Publisher The Arcade Crew and developer TurtleBlaze today announced a physical release for the Nintendo Switch version of KUNAI, the fast-paced action platformer following a sentient tablet’s fight to fend off humanity’s annihilation. Steam users can also rejoice, as the game is currently 30 percent off until July 9.
KUNAI’s physical release will arrive courtesy of Limited Run Games and will be available at select retailers. The package is complete with a mid-battle shot of KUNAI’s protagonist, Tabby, sending his robotic foes to the great scrapheap in the sky.
KUNAI links players with Tabby, an incredibly charming tablet who has been activated to stand as humanity’s last defense against an unstoppable inventor and her relentless AI hordes. Tabby’s thrilling journey is packed with exploration, tense battles, and a heap of adorable collectable hats. KUNAI’s action is swift and smooth, arming players with a deadly arsenal and dual grappling hooks to help them leap to new areas, swing over perilous hazards, and drop in on unsuspecting foes below.
A lively Netherlands-based trio brought together in part by a shared quarter-life crisis, TurtleBlaze’s team draws guidance from the keystone gaming experiences which sparked and have since fueled its adoration of video games as a medium. To stay up to date on TurtleBlaze’s creations, please visit the studio’s official site (http://turtleblaze.com/) or follow them on Twitter (https://twitter.com/turtleblaze).
About the Arcade Crew
The Arcade Crew is based in Paris as a separate division of Dotemu. The boutique publisher is dedicated to producing and publishing awesome original games with a retro feel from small creative teams. The Crew is thrilled to discover and support new talents and create a real community around classic inspired titles. Get in touch with us at https://www.thearcadecrew.com/ and follow us on Twitter @thearcadecrew.
Felicia Day leads the voice cast in an unlikely adventure
PARIS (July 2, 2020) – Developer Artefacts Studio and publisher Dear Villagers (Scourgebringer, Recompile, Edge Of Eternity) today announced The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos, an offbeat tactical RPG, will be coming to PC for Steam, the Epic Games Store and GOG on the Aug. 27, 2020.
The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos is a turn-based tactical RPG chock-full of charm, humor and chaos. Leading a ragtag company of unlikely heroes, players will embark on an epic adventure through the dreadful dungeon of Naheulbeuk, utilizing both “strength” and “smarts” to overcome the very worst that the evil lord Zangdar has to throw at them.
With a stellar voice cast led by Felicia Day (The Guild, Geek & Sundry, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos combines the fun, creativity and chaos of an epic fantasy tabletop campaign with the challenge of the very best tactical RPG games, delivering an adventure unlike anything you’ve played before.
The Naheulbeuk universe is an original creation by French author John Lang. It started as a very popular audio comedy series parodying role-playing, tabletop games, and heroic fantasy tropes. Now the world of Naheulbeuk is available in English and as a video game for the very first time.
Features:
Explore a huge and surprising dungeon from the cave up to the luxury quarters of the evil lord Zangdar, passing through the goblin ice skating park and an extremely lively tavern.
Play with seven classic role-playing game characters complementing each other’s skills as you level them up: the Ranger, the Elf, the Dwarf, the Barbarian, the Magician, the Ogre and the Thief.
Exciting turn-based battles, with creative support mechanics between team members.
An expansive bestiary (more than 100 enemies.) pushing you to think more tactically with every fight.
Hidden and destructive objects (including beer kegs) with surprising status effects will turn the tide of battle for the better…or worse.
An adaptive difficulty system: from an accessible and fun story mode with simplified combat to the “nightmare mode” where the smallest tactical errors will doom you.
Bizarre conversations, absurd situations and unusual encounters await.
Athens,Greece – July 2nd 2020 – Independent developers Savage Studios today revealed a kills supercut trailer for its visceral over the top shooter S.C.A.R. With a nostalgic nod to the epic shooters of yesteryear, S.C.A.R. shamelessly relishes its opportunity to bring that visceral fast paced action screaming back to the present day.
Titled Let The Bodies Hit The Lava Floor – The video gives players a glimpse of thedeath and destruction in the game with the grappling hook feature also shown in various killer moves. S.C.A.R. is lining up its single player, single level on Steam for PC on July 16th, with further demonic episodes following later this year.
CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED ADVENTURE NOW AVAILABLE ON NINTENDO ESHOP
Independent developer NExT Studios and META Publishing announce that their award-winning, critically acclaimed co-op puzzle adventure game, Biped, is now available digitally on Nintendo Switch™ via the Nintendo eShop for € 12,70. (15% discount included). Winner of Indiecade Europe’s 2019 Audience Choice award and Indie Prize’s Best Game Design in Asia award, Biped’s launch on Switch has been eagerly anticipated by Nintendo fans since the game’s release on Steam and PlayStation 4 earlier this year.
“Biped on Switch was carefully developed with the platform’s unique features in mind,” states Dong Ding, producer of the NExT Studios. “Family and friends can enjoy the game’s fun, physics-based mechanics and laugh about all the shenanigans they get themselves into from nearly anywhere around the world. We can’t wait for co-op fans to pass around their Joy-Cons and discover Aku and Sila’s adventures together.”
In Biped, players are tasked with guiding the cute robot companions Aku and Sila on a physics-based quest to prevent the Earth from going dark. Fans manipulate each automaton’s legs individually to navigate environments, uncover secrets, collect treasures, and conquer puzzles. Challenges range from chopping wood to swinging across mountainsides.
Across the journey, players will find themselves exploring lush forests, wide valleys, and futuristic utopias as they activate planetary beacons and save the world from impending doom. As if our robot partners weren’t cute enough, fans can customize each character’s look however they like. Who doesn’t love matching outfits?
Key features:
Innovative and simple controls. Players control each robot’s leg separately, allowing players to find creative ways to walk, slide, and even operate machinery.
Shared screen co-op. Players can enjoy the adventure solo, or grab a friend or family member for local co-op mode. Coordination and communication are the keys to overcoming some of Biped’s most challenging puzzles.
Explore fun environments. Players will be able to explore a variety of beautiful locations including lush forests, valleys, waterfalls, and icy mountains.
Biped is now available on Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo eShop for € 12,70 (15% off included)]. The game is also available on Steam and PS4 via the PlayStation Store.
Welcome back friends, we have more games, more DLC, and now some tips for playing. No matter how you play, make sure your wireless gaming mouse is fully charged, controller 2 is at hand if someone wants to get in a round, and your phone is nearby to remote download the next game (using our handy Xbox Game Pass mobile app) if you’re in the middle of a match. Some more before we jump in:
Stand up a few times while playing and throw your arms in the air to do a one-person “wave”
Grab something with a long handle, and practice how a Witcher is going to take out Mitsurugi. Apologize in advance to your roommates for any furniture you might damage
Build a fort, play some games, defend your base from incoming attackers, and act surprised at how much (or how little) has changed since you last went out looking for supplies
Coming Soon
Out of the Park Baseball 21 (PC) ID@Xbox – July 1
The 21st version of the award-winning baseball strategy franchise delivers the newest features and improvements in series history! It features unprecedented depth and customization, brand-new guided experiences for newcomers and veterans, authenticity licensed by MLB and the MLBPA, and a bounty of offline and online experiences found nowhere else.
Soulcalibur VI (Console) – July 1
Prepare to clash in the retold Stage of History. Soulcalibur VI is the premier weapons-based fighter, head-to-head fighting series with a massive roster of iconic characters and special guest fighters such as Geralt from The Witcher. The heroic 3D battles transpire in a beautiful and fluid world, and now features all-new battle mechanics and characters. Pick your warrior and experience Soulcalibur’s untold history on Xbox One.
CrossCode (Console) ID@Xbox – July 9
If you are looking for a game with more than 30 Boss fights, over 120 enemy types, huge dungeons filled up with countless puzzles, combat skills and a ton of quests supported by a handmade music tracks with plenty of playtime, well, in that case you are looking for CrossCode! A retro action RPG set in the distant future in the veins of Secret of Mana and Zelda. Look forward to butter-smooth physics, a fast-paced combat system, engaging puzzle mechanics, all served with a gripping sci-fi story.
Fallout 76 (Console & PC) – July 9
Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of Skyrim and Fallout 4, welcome you to Fallout 76, the online multiplayer role-playing game. Work together, or not, to survive. Under the threat of nuclear annihilation, you’ll experience the largest, most dynamic world ever created in the legendary Fallout universe.
DLC / Game Updates
Minecraft Dungeons: Jungle Awakens – July 1
Check out the free update that includes the Lost Temple dungeon, some new items, and a few game balancing changes. Plus, Xbox Game Pass members get up to 10% off to purchase the Jungle Awakens DLC! Only you can fight back against the snarling overgrowth to free this distant jungle from a mysterious power. The path is perilous – new foes and dangerous puzzles wait in the shade. Find new armor, weapons, and artifacts as you seek to uproot the source of the wicked corruption: the Jungle Abomination.
Sea of Thieves: The Greatest Tales Never Told
From epic adventures to bizarre encounters and eternal friendships made, it’s time to hear the “The Greatest Tales Never Told.” Tell us your legendary tale using #SoTTalesContest on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube for your chance to win treasures and be immortalized in the Sea of Thieves lore. Learn more at https://www.seaofthieves.com/Greatest-Tales-Never-Told
State of Decay 2: Green Zone & The Plunder Pack
Both the Plunder Pack and the Green Zone are coming to all State of Decay 2 players. For those who aspire to see Zombies vs. Pirates, Undead Labs collaborated with their friends at Rare to expand our buccaneering options with the new Plunder Pack! This pack adds Sea of Thieves-themed weapons, outfits, hats, and one seriously salty vehicle to the game. Players looking to ease into the post-apocalyptic experience, we are happy to announce the Green Zone. The Green Zone is a more relaxed, accessible apocalypse, designed for those who’d like to explore what’s possible in State of Decay 2 without enduring quite so much stress.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks
A new month, a new set of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks coming your way! Starting today, go grab your Phantasy Star Online 2 July Member Monthly Bonus Pack including Triboosts, Casino Coin Passes, and more (only available in US and Canada). Additionally, this is your last chance to claim your Smite Starter Pass Perk (available in all markets except Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan) if you haven’t already, as it will leave the Perks gallery on July 13. Stay tuned for even more Perks announcements later this month!
Leaving Soon
If you follow us on Twitter, you might have caught our ode to games leaving soon. Sing along! Sweet tunes aside, don’t forget you can use your membership discount to get these games for up to 20% off while they are still in our library.
Leaving July 15
Blazing Chrome (Console & PC)
Dead Rising 4 (Console & PC)
Metal Gear Solid V (Console and PC)
Timespinner (PC)
Unavowed (PC)
Undertale (PC)
If you followed my gaming tips and you didn’t scare your roommates off with defending your fort and emerging for snacks after possibly defeating Mitsurugi, let them know they can get in on the fun by getting their first month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $1. Tag us on Twitter or Instagram with your best gaming fort / base! Cheers!
You are Sam, a new student at the prestigious Academy in Arbour. It may be your first year at the school, but there are adventures to be had and friends to make in between the classes. The hallowed halls of the Academy hold old secrets that are now haunting the present. To prevent catastrophe, Sam will need to prove his puzzle solving skills to stop the mysterious forces threatening the school.
Story
The story in The Academy: The First Riddle is weak. The game lore is decent, but it seems to be at expense of the story itself. The writers spend so much time sketching out the history of Arbour that the characters themselves are ignored. The main character is the standard personality-free mute that video gamers are familiar with and the NPCs are only slightly better. Characters are best described as one trick ponies with the personality of a rail line, predictably traveling in a path with only the slightest bend or curve. The dialogue is equally simplistic, leaning heavily on tropes and predictability. The plot itself is bordering on the ridiculous. A variety of small plot holes litter the game, and the adults at the school seem to be oblivious to the extreme. The writing is filled with minor grammar and spelling errors. While the lore is interesting on its own, the dull story and lousy writing makes The Academy a total slog.
Gameplay
The Academy: The First Riddle breaks down into three tasks: logic puzzles, fetch quests, and reading comprehension quizzes. Puzzles take up a lion’s share of the content. Almost all of the puzzles are 2D puzzles that could be found in any puzzle book at your local or online bookstore. Each puzzle screen actually contains two puzzles. The first puzzle is mandatory to move forward in the game. The second is supposed to be more challenging, but in practice the difference is only the type of puzzle.
The puzzle difficulty is at a good place. The difficulty is generally consistent throughout the game. The puzzles test a variety of skills that can be done in a 2D format. Almost all the puzzles are multiple choice, which means all puzzles can be brute forced with a little patience as long as the player does not care about the score
The game offers a decent set of tools for solving puzzles. There are tools for measuring distance and making notes on the puzzle space. It’s much easier than trying to find some scrap paper and a pencil in person. The tools can be awkward to use though as the transition between the puzzle space and the answer space is not always consistent. I would prefer to see the tools disabled completely in the solution area and on top of the answer arrow. Measuring smaller vertical distances is also difficult to do as the ruler never seems to appear. There is a good hint system that usually gives practical clues for how to solve the puzzle without actually handing the answer on a plate. There are a few puzzles where the hint is unhelpful and the explanation is useless. I really like that the puzzle logic is explained at the end of each puzzle. There were several times where the logic I used to solve the puzzle or narrow the answer to two or three possible solutions was off. Learning how the logic was designed was helpful for future puzzles.
The other two tasks take up a smaller portion of the game. Often times NPCs will send players to go fetch items. If the player is lucky, they will have to solve a puzzle, otherwise it is a dull jog somewhere on campus to pick up an item and return it. The classes in game are only slightly more interesting. Each class has a textbook with three to five chapters. Each chapter is approximately two paragraphs long with a bunch of facts on a specific topic. Each class will assign one chapter to read, then the teacher will give two or three reading comprehension questions about the assigned reading. Each question is multiple choice with only two options, so they are not taxing at all. The class is then finished with another puzzle. While these sections are not hard, they do help create the school atmosphere for the game and provide a lore building opportunity.
The controls are not good in The Academy: The First Riddle. There is no way to edit key binds. The menus are clunky at times. For example, when players pull up a classroom menu, reviewing the textbook and exiting will send the player into the game instead of the menu the player was just in. Following NPCs in certain areas is frustrating as they will automatically stop moving if the player is facing them within a certain range. The distance is too generous, as I ran into many NPCs suddenly stopping and blocking my path.
The Academy: The First Riddle is dreadfully boring. The quests fall into a predictable pattern very quickly. The puzzles get a little repetitive as the developers are severely limited by the 2D medium. The main story puzzle is in 3D, but the puzzle is repeated over and over again with different pieces. The game quickly boils down to run here, do a puzzle, run there, do a slightly different puzzle, and then do it all over again.
Visuals
The graphical style is influenced by the Harry Potter games and Bullywith none of the charm. The Academy grounds feels very generic save for a few of the crazy machines found in the game. Student models are reused and look rather dated at times. The cut scenes have a nicer animated look, though the art style feels inconsistent at times. The animations are generally poor. They look awkward or just plain uncomfortable for a human body. Many of the animations are unnatural in a way that look like they were directly copied from The Sims and other games from the early 2000s. While the art style is cartoony, the animations are just too weird for the setting.
Audio
The audio experience is passable. The sound effects are okay, but a bit limited in quantity. There is no voice acting, so the game relies solely on dialogue boxes. The soundtrack is decent, as it is filled with low key video game-type music deigned to help players focus.
Overall
I don’t think there will be a second riddle for The Academy: The First Riddle. The puzzles are limited by the 2D nature. The gameplay is dull due to its repetitiveness. While the lore is enjoyable, everything else involving the writing is dreadful. The audio is passable, but the visuals are dated in comparison. For the price of the game, people are much better served ordering a puzzle book and a good young adult novel from their local bookstore.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Modus Games has shared new gameplay within a quick walkthrough for Ary and the Secret of Seasons, a charming coming-of-age story following a young girl capable of shifting ecosystems to her will.
Watch as Ary and the Secret of Seasons lead writer, Genese Davis, walks you through the ways Ary wields the power of seasons to restore order to Valdi. The clip joins the titular youth as she alters the seasons around her through magical spheres, conjuring clusters of icicles and pools of water to help reach new areas and clear tricky puzzles. Players will be able to experience the full potential of Ary’s incredible power and help restore her world’s balance when the game launches September 2020 on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
About Maximum Games
Maximum Games ranks as a top 15 global video game publisher of interactive digital entertainment spanning all genres and supporting multi-platforms. The company’s mission is to provide a proven and strong hands-on approach to publishing, marketing and distribution. Established in 2009, the company is led by female entrepreneur Christina Seelye, a seasoned executive of digital consumer products and channel marketing. Under Seelye’s leadership, the company has been recognized with numerous awards, such as “Fastest Growing Tech Company” by American Business Awards, and has made the Inc. 5000 list of Fastest Growing Private Companies for the past three years. Maximum Games has offices in both the U.S. and UK and continues to expand its scope of global publishing and distribution via direct reach and strategic partnerships. For more information on Maximum Games, visit the company’s website at www.MaximumGames.com.
About Modus Games Modus is a division of Maximum Games focus on bringing AAA publishing services to independent developers around the world. With offices in the US & UK, and a development studio in Brazil, they’re one of the fastest growing full-service game publishers, and are comprised of industry veterans, gamers, and developers who have embraced the golden age of indie.
About Turn Left Distribution
TLD is a software and accessories distributor providing quality, innovative interactive software titles and accessories across Australia and New Zealand. The company’s main objective is to provide its clients and customers with category leading software and accessories brands that deliver a highly satisfying entertainment experience.
