MX NITRO: UNLEASHED OUT NOW ON NINTENDO
SWITCH, PLAYSTATION®4, XBOX ONE & STEAM
New Tracks, Bosses, Outfits and More Fuel the
Definitive Arcade Sport Motocross Experience, Available on Switch for the First
Time!
MAPLEWOOD,
N.J. – Feb. 27, 2020 – Saber
Interactive has released MX
Nitro: Unleashed, the definitive edition of the original
action-packed arcade sport motocross game MX
Nitro. Featuring new tracks, bosses, outfits and more, this
standalone game is out today digitally on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation®4, Xbox
One and Windows PC via Steam for $9.99 (50% off the base price of the original MX Nitro).
Owners of the original MX Nitro can upgrade* to
the full MX Nitro Unleashed
with a free download through their respective platforms.
Available for the first time today on Switch,
MX Nitro is all
about mastering fast-paced, physics-based motocross races and head-to-head boss
battles. Customize your ride, then pull off gravity-defying stunts through
dozens of tracks around the world. Nitro boost and grab massive air to speed
past the competition and claim glory on the leaderboards.
MX Nitro
Unleashed delivers new and
reimagined levels and environments to tear through at blistering speeds. You’ll
also discover improved visuals like rider textures and water detail, plus a new
easy difficulty mode for greater accessibility.
*MX
Nitro save files do not carry over to MX Nitro Unleashed.
About
Saber Interactive
Headquartered in the U.S. with studios in
Russia, Spain, Belarus, Sweden and Portugal, Saber Interactive is a developer
whose credits include the 2019 hit World
War Z (with over 3 million units sold), Ghostbuster: The Video Game
Remastered, the MudRunner
franchise, the NBA
Playgrounds franchise, Quake
Champions, Halo:
Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo:
The Master Chief Collection and others. https://saber3d.com
LEGO®
Legacy: Heroes Unboxed Opens a New RPG
Adventure with Beloved LEGO Minifigures – Now Available!
Collect and
battle minifigures from over 40 years of LEGO® history featuring most beloved
LEGO minifigures!
Paris,
February 27th, 2020
– Gameloft, leader in the development and publishing of games, and the LEGO
Group are thrilled to announce that the mobile game LEGO® Legacy: Heroes Unboxedis
now available on the App Store, Google Play, and Microsoft Store. LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed is
the first turn-based Role-Playing Game (RPG) from the LEGO Group and allows
players to collect and playfully battle with over 50 characters from over 40
years of LEGO minifigure history. Bringing together minifigures old and new, LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed
gives LEGO fans a new way to play with the minifigures that they
know and love. To ensure that as many LEGO fans as possible can enjoy this RPG
adventure, the game is designed to be cross-platform, meaning that players are
able to save, resume and battle against their friends regardless of the device
they play on.
Each
minifigure in the game comes with a unique set of abilities and skills, so
players can build bespoke minifigure teams to tackle a series of exciting turn-based RPG
challenges. Players can explore regions in the game inspired by iconic,
fan-favorite LEGO sets such as those from LEGO City or LEGO Castle, and can
even collect and unlock digital versions of real-world sets. The digital
versions of these real-world LEGO sets feature the original box art and give
players the chance to build some of their favorite sets digitally following
real-life instructions!
LEGO
Legacy: Heroes Unboxed is
set in the ruins of Piptown, a small village that players are tasked to rebuild
as they start a fantastic journey filled with epic quests and strategic
battles. In true RPG fashion, players will have the chance to team up with
allies and make friends with iconic minifigures such as the wizard Majisto, the
friendly Hiker and the powerful Chicken Suit Guy – all who bring their own
unique skill set to help overcome challenges. Will players team up with Basil
the Batlord, the chilly Commander Cold, the upbeat Fitness Instructor, or will
they turn to other minifigures new and old as they explore this strangely familiar
world? Even the beloved LEGO minifigure Captain Redbeard from Set 6270
(1989) is here to lend a hand…er, hook to rebuild Piptown!
Gameloft
Toronto worked closely with the LEGO Group’s archive team in Billund, Denmark,
to study the full range of minifigures from the first minifigure that was
created in 1978 all the way through to the newest Series 19 Minifigures that
launched late in 2019. Vintage building instructions were also used to ensure
every tiny detail from the original minifigure figures were recreated perfectly
in digital form.
“LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed
builds on the warm nostalgia of LEGO play that people experienced in their
youth and couples this with the excitement of bringing these minifigures into a
proper RPG experience,” said Thomas Aurick, VP of Creation at Gameloft. “We
wanted to celebrate the multiple generations of LEGO minifigures and highlight
a variety of characters from past to present. We are proud to bring new life
and spark to some of these characters that have never been in a game before.”
Sean McEvoy, Vice President of LEGO Games at the LEGO Group said: “Gameloft has done an amazing job highlighting each minifigure’s unique personality and enhancing the details, characteristics, and charm of some well-loved minifigures from the last 40+ years. This is a delightful new way to play with our minifigures in a game that celebrates fun, creativity, and humor.”
Leader in the development and publishing of games,
Gameloft® has established itself as one of the top innovators in its field
since 2000. Gameloft creates games for all digital platforms, two of which are
featured in the “Top 10 iOS Games by All-Time Worldwide Downloads” from App
Annie. Gameloft operates its own established franchises such as Asphalt®,
Dragon Mania Legends, Modern Combat and Dungeon Hunter and also partners with
major rights holders including Disney®, LEGO®, Universal, Illumination
Entertainment, Hasbro®, Fox Digital Entertainment, Mattel®, Lamborghini® and
Ferrari®. Gameloft distributes its games in over 100 countries and employs
4,600 people worldwide. Every month, 98 million unique users can be reached by
advertisers in Gameloft games with Gameloft Advertising Solutions, a leading
B2B offering dedicated to brands and agencies. Gameloft is a Vivendi company.
All trademarks referenced above are owned by their
respective trademark owners.
About the LEGO Group
The
LEGO Group’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through
the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks,
allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine.
The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932
by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words LEg GOdt,
which mean “Play Well”. Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned
company headquartered in Billund. However, its products are now sold in more
than 130 countries worldwide. For more information: www.LEGO.com
SLUDGE LIFE Defaces Nintendo Switch and Epic Games Store
this Spring
Playable demo at PAX East all weekend
Art vandals Terri Vellmann & Doseone (HIGH HELL) and talented finger painters Devolver Digital have revealed SLUDGE LIFE, a graffiti romp through a polluted island full of cranky idiots with a vibe so thick you can taste it coming to Nintendo Switch and Epic Games Store this spring.
Roam a tiny island stuck
on a sludge-covered planet as the up-and-coming tagger GHOST, a breezy bandit
set on staking their claim amongst the world’s graffiti elite. Traverse the
corporately branded landscape, link up with other taggers, and steal junk and
hearts along the way. Will you become the king of the island and tag every open
inch, infiltrate sludge-pumping corporation GLUG, or just take it all down in
flames with you?
SLUDGE LIFE is playable at PAX East all weekend on a
20-foot LED screen. No smoking.
FEATURES
Experience the thrills of vandalism from the
safety of your computer.
Curiosity and free will are your only motivators
– roll as you please through a tiny open-world.
Find and download apps to your laptop and waste
your life away playing a game within a game.
Smoke Ciggy Cigs brand cigarettes. Smoke ‘em up
real good.
Take photos of exotic fauna and ambivalent NPCs.
Dedicated fart button.
A huge baby, community basketball court, and a
cat with two buttholes. [no extra charge]
Three distinct endings and pretty robust
credits.
Slink on over to https://www.shopsludgelife.com/ to
pick up some muddy threads, plug BIG MUD’s Bubble Up single into your brain on
Spotify, Bandcamp, and iTunes, and follow @devolverdigital for Dope Tweets.
Those Who Remain to Launch on May 15 for Digital with Retail
Exclusive Deluxe Edition Available to Pre-order Now
Wired Productions to showcase Psychological
Adventure-thriller
Alongside other Indie Games at PAX East
Including The Falconeer, Deliver
Us The Moon and AVICII Invector
Watford, UK – February 27, 2020 – Award-winning publisher, Wired Productions, and
independent developer, Camel 101, have emerged from the darkness to reveal a
May 15,2020 release date for the PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and Steam® for
Windows PC version of their supernatural adventure-thriller, Those Who
Remain. A Nintendo Switch™ edition is also in development and will be
coming summer 2020. Those Who Remain will be available in Standard
and a retail-exclusive Deluxe Edition for PS4 and PC–that
is set to include a digital download of the beautifully illustrated comic
prequel story, ‘Those Who Remain: Lights Out’.
To celebrate the upcoming launch, a new release date trailer is being revealed at PAX East, and can be seen here.
Wired Productions will be at PAX East, Booth #29051, where Those
Who Remain will have its first US hands on showing to gamers.
Additional titles joining the line up with first time hands on include: The
Falconeer, Deliver Us The Moon andAVICII Invector.
“We love the energy and reception that PAX East always offers to
our games and developer partners,” said Leo Zullo Managing Director at Wired
Productions. “Those Who Remain, along with our other games, will see their
first hands on debut here at PAX East which we’re excited to offer so we look
forward to sharing our diverse portfolio of indie games – from psychological
horror to mysterious aerial combat to hypnotic rhythm-action.”
Those Who Remain
Set in the sleepy town of Dormont, a town in a spiralling split
from the fabric of reality, warped by darkness and the deeds of the citizens
who reside, Those Who Remain is a story driven first-person adventure-thriller
combining a deeply atmospheric game world with unnerving and tense
psychological horror that delves deep into the human psyche. Those Who
Remain will release on digital stores for PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and
Steam® for Windows PC on May 15th, 2020 with a launch SRP of
£15.99/€19.99/$19.99. The retail-exclusive Deluxe Edition is available for PS4
and PC and is open for pre-orders via http://www.ThoseWhoRemain.com. Add the game to your Steam Wish List here.
The Falconeer combines classic aerial dogfighting mechanics and acrobatic
twists and turns, with an awe-inspiring open environment and bestiary of
fantastic enemies in land, sea, and air. Set above The Great Ursee, a mystical
world drowning in the corruption of the swollen oceans, players will take their
armed aerial mounts in third person to the skies as a “Falconeer,” an airborne
and agile warrior equipped with devastating ranged weaponry. Your mission as a
Falconeer will be what you make it – be it the noble cause or the life of a
rogue – each player experience will be unique as they explore the bleak and
hauntingly beautiful world, filled with wonderous locations and warmongering
rival factions vying for the mysterious secrets hidden at the Ursee’s
unfathomable depths.
Powered by Unreal® Engine 4, Deliver Us The Moon is set in
an apocalyptic near-future where the Earth’s resources have been depleted and
humanity looks to the stars. Nations band together to create the World Space
Agency – an organization tasked with solving the extreme energy crisis. The
solution: colonization and exploitation of the moon’s natural reserves of
Helium-3 to serve the energy needs of a growing Earth population. Suddenly, and
without warning, communications with the Moon cease, and the energy source is
lost. Plunged into darkness and without power, years pass as world governments
come together once more to embark on a new mission – to re-establish the energy
supply and with it hope for the human race.
AVICII Invector is a fast-paced rhythm experience which fuses AVICII’s trademark
brand of uplifting EDM music with serene visualscapes to allow everyone to feel
and experience his music in a new way. Created in collaboration
with the Swedish DJ, and now with his family in his honor, AVICII
Invector has become much more of an homage to his music since his
tragic passing in 2018. Set against a backdrop of 25 of his biggest hits, Invector
lets players fly solo or recreate the party feeling of an AVICII concert with
local split-screen racing. Players can join space pilot Stella on her journey
from one stunning world to the next, mastering moves as they race through
gorgeous landscapes, while hitting the notes with three difficulties to master.
Wired Productions is an
award-winning video games publisher based in Watford, UK. Wired has produced
and published award-winning titles across all major platforms. Bringing games
to market in both physical and digital media, notable launches to date include
Deliver Us The Moon, Close to the Sun, GRIP: Combat Racing, Victor Vran:
Overkill Edition, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood and The Town of Light.
#GETWired reflects the active and ever-growing number of fans and consumers who
support us.
For more information, or
to join the Wired community, please visit:
Camel 101 is an
independent and self-funded game development studio, focused on creating fun
and entertaining games. Bolstered by a team who have wide ranging development
and creative experience, the team have worked on a wide range of projects
ranging from casual games, to strategic and tactical wargames, and horror
adventures.
About Tomas Sala
Tomas Sala is an
independent game artist and designer as well as the co-founder of game studio
Little Chicken Game Company. Best known to most gamers for his exotic Skyrim
Mod series: Moonpath to Elsweyr, Tomas has developed a unique visual style over
the years that have helped turn helped turn games such as Rekt!
(iOS/Switch), SXPD (iOS) and TrackLab (PSVR) into unique visual
and interactive experiences.
ABOUT KeokeN Interactive
KeokeN Interactive is a
young Dutch Indie game development studio, founded by Koen Deetman, Paul
Deetman and Johan Terink in 2013. Envisioning the games industry as a platform
to go beyond traditional gaming and create immersive experiences, KeokeN
Interactive aim to develop rich and believable worlds that will make you forget
your surroundings and push the boundaries of your reality.
Deliver Us The Moonuses the Unreal® Engine. Unreal® is a trademark or registered
trademark of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States of America and elsewhere.
and “Unreal® Engine, Copyright 1998 – 2019, Epic Games, Inc. All rights
reserved.
About Hello There Games
Hello There Games is an
independent game studio, founded in 2009 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Hello There, as
the studio was called back then, quickly released a series of successful games
for various clients, including global brands and Swedish organisations. A few
years, awards and many various games later, Hello There had extended their
partnerships into the entertainment business. Working with (the now late)
superstar AVICII.
Modus Games Collaborates with Google to Release
Award-Winning Indie Titles on Stadia This Year
Emotive Adventure Lost Words: Beyond the Page Launches on
March 27 as Stadia One-Year Exclusive
Walnut Creek, Calif.
(February 27, 2020) – Indie publisher Modus
Games today announced they will bring several titles to Stadia this year,
beginning with Lost Words: Beyond the Page, the touching tale of a young
girl’s personal growth through grief. Lost Words will release first on
Stadia on March 27, 2020 for one year before also launching on PlayStation 4,
Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC. Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break and Cris
Tales will also reach Stadia in conjunction with other platforms.
Today’s Lost Words: Beyond the Page release date was announced alongside a new raw gameplay video highlighting the story of Izzy, a bright girl reflecting on creative re-imaginings of the memories recorded in her journal. Izzy’s page-turning journey sees her leaping across the very words of each journal entry, dashing through lush, surreal vistas buzzing with the magic of childlike wonder.
Additionally, Modus
Games today released extended gameplay footage of both Rock of Ages 3
and a Stadia Cris Tales announcement trailer.
View the Rock of Ages 3 gameplay video here:
View the Cris Tales trailer here:
For the latest on Modus
Games’ exciting collection of games, check out https://modusgames.com/, join the Discord channel (modus.games/discord), and follow @Modus_Games on Twitter.
# # #
Lost Words: Beyond the
Page is also supported by Creative England and Microsoft’s Greenshoots
Programme, The Wellcome Trust, Games Co London and The UK Games Fund.
About Modus Games
Modus Games is one of
the fastest-growing video game publishers in the world. The label prides itself
on providing AAA publishing services to talented independent developers across
the globe. Modus Studios Brazil is a full-service development studio supporting
creators of inspired interactive entertainment. For more information, visit www.modusgames.com.
About Sketchbook GamesSketchbook Games is a multi-award-winning studio
founded by game designer Mark Backler, who previously worked at companies such
as EA, Lionhead, and Sony, on a variety of games including Harry Potter and the
Order of the Phoenix and the BAFTA award winning Fable 2. The company is based
at the Colchester Games Hub and is developing Lost Words: Beyond the Page
in collaboration with Fourth State.
Lara Croft from Crystal Dynamics’ Tomb RaiderJoins Brawlhalla®
as an Epic Crossover Today
Sydney, Australia — February 27, 2020 — Today, Ubisoft announced that Lara Croft® from Crystal Dynamics®’ Tomb Raider® will explore the halls of Brawlhalla® as an Epic Crossover. Players can now make their own luck as Lara Croft in a special Tomb Raider in-game event that kicks off today and finishes March 16th. The in-game event features a new game mode, map and music, as well as a new Podium, main menu takeover, and bonus daily login gold.
The Lara
Croft Epic Crossover mirrors the abilities of existing Brawlhalla Legend Diana,
but charts her own course with completely unique signature attack designs,
custom select animations, sound effects, two brand new weapon skins, and a
dedicated roster spot.
As a
first for Epic Crossovers, Lara Croft also comes bundled with a Skin: Survivor.
Survivor Lara Croft has two more Weapon Skins, for four Weapon Skins total, and
when selected, changes the Lara Croft roster spot. The Lara Croft Epic
Crossover Bundle is available for 300 Mammoth Coins via the in-game store and
will still be available for purchase after the event concludes.
Temple Climb: the new Tomb Raider–themed game mode
With a vertically scrolling map, the new Temple Climb
game mode challenges players to ascend to new heights while battling for
supremacy. The way up is treacherous, as pressure plates placed along the way
will trigger traps that hurtle cannon balls, spring spikes, and ignite flames
for Legends to dodge. The Temple Climb game mode will have a queue during the
Tomb Raider Crossover Event and will still be playable in custom games after
the event ends.
Developed
by Blue Mammoth, Brawlhalla is an epic free-to-play platform fighting game that
brings players to the fight for glory in the halls of Valhalla. Brawlhalla
supports cross-platform play for more than 30 million players on the Nintendo
Switch™ system, PlayStation®4, the Xbox One family of devices including
Xbox One X, and Windows PC. Choosing from over 47 unique characters, players can
jump into single-player and co-op modes as well as online and local
competitions. Brawlhalla will also be coming to mobile in 2020, with
cross-platform play planned at launch.
About
Blue Mammoth Founded in 2009 and acquired by Ubisoft
in 2018, Blue Mammoth Games is a development studio based in Atlanta, Georgia.
The experienced team specializes in online multiplayer games with large player
bases. Blue Mammoth develops Brawlhalla, a free-to-play fighting game on
consoles and PC. Brawlhalla has over 30 million players and is currently the
most played fighting game on Steam.
About Ubisoft Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher
and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich
portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, For
Honor, Just Dance, Watch Dogs, Tom Clancy’s video game series including Ghost
Recon, Rainbow Six and The Division. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide
network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original
and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including
consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2018–19 fiscal year, Ubisoft
generated net bookings of €2,029 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.
About Square Enix, Inc.
Square Enix, Inc. develops, publishes,
distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment
content throughout the Americas as part of the Square Enix group of companies.
Square Enix, Inc. is affiliated with a global network of leading development
studios such as Crystal Dynamics® and Eidos Montréal™. The Square Enix group of
companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL
FANTASY®, which has sold over 149 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which
has sold over 80 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 75
million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix, Inc.
is a U.S.-based, wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
LARA CROFT, TOMB RAIDER, CRYSTAL DYNAMICS, DRAGON
QUEST, EIDOS, EIDOS MONTREAL, FINAL FANTASY, SPACE INVADERS, SQUARE ENIX, and
TAITO are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix group of
companies. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Insurgency: Sandstorm Comes to
PlayStation®4 & Xbox One on August 25
New PAX East trailer from Focus Home
Interactive & New World Interactive shows off the acclaimed tactical
shooter in action
PARIS — Feb. 26, 2020 — Focus Home Interactive and New World Interactive have revealed that Insurgency: Sandstorm will launch on PlayStation®4 and Xbox One on Aug. 25, 2020. With over one million players amassed in its first year of release on PC, this award-winning tactical shooter delivers a realistic depiction of modern warfare featuring fierce close-quarters combat, objective-oriented gameplay and a variety of intense cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes.
Bringing New World’s signature style
of tactical FPS to consoles for the first time, Insurgency: Sandstorm is a
hardcore combat experience with realitstic ballistics, attack vehicles and
destructive artillery. Death comes fast, so customize your hero and weapons,
coordinate fire support with your team and navigate each war-torn environment
toward victory. Highly detailed visuals, heart-pounding atmosphere and
unparalleled audio design with positional voice-chat ensure you’ll feel the
impact of every shot.
Insurgency:
Sandstorm will be playable this
weekend at PAX East at the Focus Home Interactive booth (#29017). For more from
the game, visit http://insurgency-sandstorm.com.
About
New World Interactive
New World Interactive is an award-winning
independent developer known for Insurgency
(2014), Day of
Infamy (2016), and Insurgency:
Sandstorm (2018). The company’s games have sold over 7.5 million
units worldwide on PC with thousands of fans playing online at any moment. More
information on our website: www.newworldinteractive.com
About
Focus Home Interactive
Focus Home Interactive is a French publisher
based in Paris, France. Known for the quality, diversity and originality of its
catalogue, Focus has published and distributed original titles (The Surge 2, GreedFall, A Plague Tale: Innocence,
Vampyr, Farming Simulator, Call of Cthulhu, Insurgency: Sandstorm)
that have become benchmark titles worldwide, available both in stores and by
download across the world. Focus publishes games on all major platforms,
consoles and PC. The publisher’s catalogue will get even richer in the coming
months and years with eagerly awaited games such as SnowRunner, Curse of the Dead Gods, Othercide, Hardspace: Shipbreaker and
more.
XSEED Games to Feature Four Playable Titles for
PAX East 2020
Lost Memories, Noble Causes, Fierce Fighting,
and a Love of Rice Make the Foundation for an Action Packed and Relaxing Lineup
Torrance, Calif. – February 26, 2020 – XSEED Games, the independent-minded publishing
brand of Marvelous USA, Inc. is pleased to reveal their lineup of playable
titles in their booth during PAX East 2020, which takes place February 27 –
March 1 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. At the publishers first
showcase at PAX East, playable demos for four of their upcoming and recently
released titles will be featured including Rune Factory 4 Special
on Nintendo Switch™ system, Granblue Fantasy: Versus on the
PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Ys: Memories of Celceta
on the PS4™ system, and Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin on the Nintendo
Switch and PS4™ system.
XSEED Games will be
located in the Expo Hall, Booth # 16063 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition
Center. The following titles have been rated “T for Teen” by the ESRB unless
stated otherwise:
Granblue Fantasy: Versus (PS4™ System – Fighting)
Power, skill, and spirit collide in a quest to find the true
champion of the ring in the highly anticipated fighting game. Japan’s megahit
RPG, Granblue Fantasy has topped the charts, charming players across the
globe with a plethora of lovable characters and story-driven mechanics. Now,
ARC SYSTEM WORKS and Cygames are teaming up to bring the universe to home
console in an action-packed head-to-head fighter. Featuring a colorful cast of
their most popular “crewmembers,” each with a unique fighting style that is
easy to learn but hard to master, Granblue Fantasy: Versus will
appeal to fans of Granblue lore and fighting games alike. Players can take on
AI opponents or fight against human opponents in local or online two-player
matches.
Granblue Fantasy: Versus is published by XSEED Games in North America and developed by
Cygames and ARC SYSTEM WORKS. The title will launch for the PS4™ system in
North America on Tuesday, March 3.
Rune Factory 4 Special (Nintendo Switch – RPG Simulation)
Experience the world-famous fantasy farming adventure like never
before, with HD graphics in fully remastered form. The joys of growing crops,
catching fish, and raising monsters await players old and new, while seasoned
explorers will be delighted to discover an updated opening movie. Other
farm-fresh features include Newlywed mode, which introduces special episodes
about living the married life and new in-game cutscenes, and the inclusion of
dual audio support for both the original Japanese and English voice options.
Additionally, an even higher difficulty mode for expert players to take on a
challenge that’s truly worthy of their skills.
Developed by Hakama and Marvelous Inc. and published in North
America by XSEED Games, Rune Factory 4 Special launched on
Tuesday, February 25 for the Nintendo Switch in North America.
Ys: Memories of Celceta(PS4™ System – Action
Role-Playing)
Nihon Falcom’s critically acclaimed entry in their popular Ys
series, Ys: Memories of Celceta is coming to the PS4™ system!
Join Adeol Christin on his journey to rediscover his identity and help map the
dangerous Great Forest of Celceta, one of the most expansive locales in the
series history. Joined by allies to assist in his journey, players will partake
in real-time combat while switching between playable party members to better
tackle any obstacles. The PS4™ system version of the title will feature both
the original Japanese voiceover in addition to English, and will support 60fps
gameplay with full HD graphics. Attendees will be some of the first to get
hands-on with the PS4™ system version of the title.
Developed by Nihon Falcom and published in North America by XSEED
Games, Ys: Memories of Celceta will release on the PS4™ system in
2020.
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin (Nintendo Switch, PS4™ System, PC –
Action/Simulation)
This enthralling title from Edelweiss, the two-man team behind
acclaimed indie darling Astebreed (2014 in NA and EU), Sakuna: Of
Rice and Ruin combines side-scrolling action with deep crafting and
farming simulation. Players take on the role of Sakuna, a spoiled harvest
goddess banished to a dangerous island with a group of outcast humans. As she
explores the beautiful, foreboding environments of the island, she will find a
home in a mountain village, proving herself worthy of her title by harvesting
rice and bettering the lives of humans. In addition to being a fresh take on
Japanese mythology and a love letter to action games, Sakuna: Of Rice and
Ruin is an ode to rice and an engrossing simulation of the craft behind
the agriculture.
Developed by Edelweiss and published in North America by XSEED
Games, Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is currently in development and
is set to launch for Nintendo Switch, the PS4™ system, and Windows PC in 2020.
This title has not yet been rated by the ESRB.
XSEED Games is the independent-minded publishing brand of
Marvelous USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Marvelous Inc., which is a
publicly traded company listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock
Exchange. Formed in 2004 and located in Torrance, California, XSEED Games
publishes interactive entertainment content for PC and consoles from the
Marvelous portfolio as well as from a wide variety of third-party partners.
Whether it’s Marvelous properties such as STORY OF SEASONS (Bokujo Monogatari),
SENRAN KAGURA, and Rune Factory, or third-party titles such as the Corpse
Party, AKIBA’S TRIP, and The Legend of Heroes: Trails series, XSEED Games has
grown its reputation among gamers with its critically acclaimed localizations
and commitment to fans, remaining ever dedicated to its “indie spirit,
player-first” approach.
Rebellion is continuing their tick tock cycle between their Sniper
Elite and Zombie Army franchises this year with Zombie Army 4:
Dead War. Picking up after the events of Zombie Army Trilogy, the
new game takes players to southern Europe. While zombie Hitler may have been
cast into hell, his undead minions still terrorize Europe. Four survivors now
embark on a journey to discover the root cause of a surge in zombie activity
and put an end to the undead horde once and for all.
Story
While Sniper Elite 4and Zombie Army 4: Dead War may share similar core mechanics, the two are spiritual opposites. Zombie Army 4: Dead War is intentionally campy and over the top, paying tribute to old school B horror flicks. The plot is not exactly a page turner, but it is charming enough to justify killing thousands of zombies and keep the action going.
Gameplay
While Sniper Elite has been a stealth title that has
increasingly focused on freedom of choice in the past two games, the Zombie
Army franchise has become a more distinct experience with each game. Zombie
Army 4: Dead War continues to push away from the Sniper Elite franchise
with its linear experience that guides players from one over the top engagement
to the next.
Zombie Army 4: Dead War brings back the combo and
score system from Zombie Army Trilogy as the core of its gameplay. Experience
gain is tied to how many points players can achieve by stringing kills together,
with bonus points are awarded for feats of accuracy. Landing high scores is
important as leveling up is the main method of unlocking weapon upgrades and
new perks. The time-based system does a great job of rewarding quick runs
through the level and accurate gunfire.
The progression and customization systems give Zombie
Army 4: Dead War the much-needed depth previous titles lacked. Players can
now choose a variety of offensive, defensive, and utility perks that are
unlocked as they level up or complete certain requirements. Each perk has three
tiers. The last two tiers are achievement based, requiring players to fulfill requirements
to unlock the improved version of the perk. Most requirements are quantity
based. I like that a few will actually challenge a player’s skill to complete. I
wish a few more perks were more focused on player skill instead of rewarding
players willing to grind out the requirements. Weapons and items also have
perks, with the former requiring weapon upgrade points to unlock and the latter
unlocking at certain levels.
Zombie Army 4: Dead War’s weapon system is generally
solid. Weapons, especially sniper rifles, handle incredibly well. Rebellion has
done a good job adapting the sniper rifle for an action heavy game. The weapon
choices heavily favour lower damage, semi-automatic rifles that will not punish
a player too severely for missing a shot or two. As the difficulty rises, the
game adds bullet drop and wind direction to sniper rifles. Zombie Army 4 also
puts a lot more emphasis on secondary weapons and pistols, increasing the available
ammunition for both weapon types significantly. The choice helps create more
chaotic situations where the developers can throw larger hordes of zombies at
the players. The weapon perk system also helps balance the game to be more action
oriented by balancing out the sniper rifles through increasing overall DPS and area
damage potential. My only two concerns about the game’s weapons is the lack of sniper
rifle varieties and the inclusion of DLC weapons right out of the gate. While
the gameplay favours semi-automatic rifles, all but one bolt action rifle from Sniper
Elite has been axed in Zombie Army 4. Only three sniper rifles, two shotguns,
two submachine guns, and three pistols are available for free. With a limited
number of weapons, it’s a kick in the teeth to expect players to purchase DLC or
an upgraded version of the game to gain access to the M1895 Repeater or the FG42
machine gun.
The map design is decent. The linear levels keep the action
moving forward at a quick clip. There are a lot of side areas with collectibles
to discover, with decent rewards for grabbing them all. All the major action
shooter tropes are covered, and each mission introduces a special enemy or two
that break up the often-lopsided battles between the player and the mindless
swarms of melee zombies. The biggest problem with the mission design is the
pacing. The lack of strong climactic moments makes the game flow at the same
rate, rarely hitting a level of desperation and high pressure.
Zombie Army 4: Dead War has a lot of replayability for
those who enjoy the gameplay. In addition to the progression system, the game
offers a horde mode and weekly challenges. The horde mode currently has four
maps, with more free maps to be released in the coming months. Horde mode
offers a decent amount of customization, allowing players to balance the game’s
spawn rates and difficulty level to suit their skills. The weekly challenge introduces
a few modifiers to the gameplay to a single mission. Players will get bonus experience
and cosmetics as a reward for participation. The weekly challenges add a nice
change of pace to the game, and it would be great to see the modifier mechanics
expanded upon.
The controls are mostly unchanged from Sniper Elite 4.
The layout is close to the standard third person shooter. It is very practical,
though a few options are missing. There is still no ability to toggle zoom,
only hold to zoom. Also, zoom in and pressing T brings up a quick communication
menu. There is no way to rebind the function in the game and is a pain for
players using non-standard layout like ESDF.
Visuals
The graphics are solid. The art style is an extremely gruesome,
over the top horror set in World War II. There are a lot of zombie textures to prevent
the hordes from becoming an army of clones, and the special zombies are
visually distinct enough to identify from a distance. The weapon design is interesting
as weapons look more customized and personalized as more perks are equipped.
The x-ray kill cam has made its return. While it’s fun to watch occasionally,
some players may want to skip it all together. The game does offer a solid set
of options to disable or shorten the kill cam.
Audio
The audio experience is enjoyable. The sound effects are solid,
especially all the weapon sounds. The soundtrack is a good accompaniment. There
is a heavy Italian influence on the soundtrack with plenty of strings that suit
the southern European setting well. The voice acting is a bit of an oddball. On
one hand, the voice acting is pretty good, but the accents sound like they were
intentionally horrible for the whole B-movie vibe.
Overall
Zombie
Army 4: Dead War finally brings the franchise to the point where it can stand up on its
own as a full title beside Sniper Elite. The B horror movie aesthetic,
action focused gameplay, greater depth and increased replayability makes the game
a blast to play. The game does struggle a little with creating strong climactic
moments, missing quality of life features, and a small variety of weapons. Despite
these flaws, Zombie Army 4 is still a strong title for zombie shooter
fans.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Fans of Samurai Jack may have thought that the series had come to a, less than satisfying, conclusion years ago but now it looks like these fans will at least be able to relive Jack’s journey for a way back to the past as Adult Swim Games and developer Soleil have announced that they are working on Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time and are planning on releasing it sometime this summer for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Players will take control of Samurai Jack who must journey through time to put a stop to Aku’s evil reign and the story will feature new elements told by the creators of the original series. The description of the game also states that various favorite characters including The Scotsman will be making a return in the game and players will revisit many classic areas and face off against various familiar foes from the show. A number of screenshots and a trailer for Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time were released alongside this announcement and can be found below.
