Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition Lands Today on
Consoles, PC & Mobile
The award-winning metroidvania platformer
turns the world upside down with even more levels, powers, challenges and
story!
STOCKHOLM — March 5, 2020 — Raw Fury and indie developer Long Hat House have announced that Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition is available today on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Windows PC, MacOS, Linux, iOS and Android. This brand-new special edition of the award-winning, gravity-defying, 2D metroidvania platformer adds tons of new content and enhancements to the original Dandara and is free to download for all owners.
As a special bonus for those who have still
yet to play this acclaimed experience, Dandara:
Trials of Fear Edition is available for 60% off on all platforms
from today until March 11.
Dandara:
Trials of Fear Edition delivers a
gripping adventure of action and exploration. Your world desperately needs a
hero to rise up as a ray of light in the darkest of times. Break the laws of
physics with an innovative movement system that lets you fling across surfaces
in all directions. Uncover the mysteries of a world crafted with beautiful
pixel art on a quest to restore freedom to all those in need.
Features:
Enter the Hidden Realms — Trials of Fear adds
three new areas to explore, a big new boss, new powers for your hero, new
music tracks, a bonus “secret” ending, and tons of quality-of-life
updates.
Uncover the Salt — A
whole new focus on story, fleshing out the lore of the world of Salt. Find
bonus descriptions, dialogue and cutscenes for both new and existing
characters and locations!
Boundless Exploration —
Traverse lovingly crafted environments with fast, fluid jumps in all
dimensions, unhindered by gravity.
Innovative Controls —
Seamless blending between movement and combat, with controls built
natively for both gamepad and touchscreen inputs.
Challenging Progression — Test
your speed, skill, wits and reflexes by solving puzzles, earning
power-ups, and accessing unexplored areas with your new abilities.
Beautiful, Immersive World — Discover
an audiovisual wonderland that comes to life with gorgeous pixel art and
original soundtrack compositions.
The developers at Long Hat House are hosting
a live AMA stream today at noon ET/9am PT to explore the new experience
awaiting players at https://www.twitch.tv/rawfurygames.
When many gacha games on mobile were still new, Cygames managed to strike gold with Granblue Fantasy in Japan and although never officially released on an English appstore, the mobile game had such high popularity in the West that an official English translation is released alongside every Japanese update. Despite this popularity however, many in the West have never really seen what the original game was until its first spin-off game, a fighting game by the name of Granblue Fantasy: Versus was announced for worldwide release and now that it is available, should fighting game fans prepare to jump into the incredibly popular franchise?
Story
The key components that help keep Granblue Fantasy so popular are the well-written story as well as the likable cast of characters that players can recruit to their team and as such it only makes sense that the developers would make a full story mode for Granblue Fantasy: Versus. There is a bit of a downside here though since this game already expects players to be well-acquainted with the series as a whole and have knowledge of who these characters are and while a bit of backstory and the glossary do help, newcomers will be left scratching their heads at many of the events that unfold.
Told in a similar manner to an event in the mobile game, Gran, Lyria, and the rest of the crew of the Grandcypher airship have spent some time away from Katalina who has been gone for nearly two weeks checking in on her old city. After traveling to meet with her the group finds the city under attack by soldiers from the long defeated Erste Empire and to make matters worse, Katalina is the one leading the attack as not only does she not recognize Gran as a close friend but she is actively seeking to recapture Lyria once more. It doesn’t take long before the crew manages to save their old friend but they quickly realize that a dark force is seeking to throw the world into chaos and altering the minds of those who once allies, leaving Gran and the rest of the crew to step up once more and save the world.
Granblue Fantasy: Versus’ story mode is fairly solid as a side-story that fans of the franchise will appreciate, though it is worth noting that even casual fans of the mobile game may be caught off guard by some story elements that are revealed as some plot points about specific characters don’t end up being revealed until far later into the mobile game’s storyline. As for the characters they all continue to act as fans should expect and they even have various extra interactions and bits of dialogue depending on who they are facing off against in battle, adding an extra bit of life to the combat and the fighters themselves. It is also nice to note that fans of the series will get a kick out of how many humorous references and events take place, especially in regards to Lowain, if they have spent quite a bit of time with the original material.
Gameplay
Those familiar with Arc System Works’ history with fighting games may wonder just what to expect when it comes to the pacing and playstyle of Granblue Fantasy: Versus and they may be in for a bit of a surprise, especially after the company’s usual focus of fast paced screen filling style came to a peak with Dragon Ball FighterZ’s frantic team based action, as this game is a more subdued and slower paced fighter that focuses more on players properly setting themselves up for attacks and proper timing with a number of various systems in place to make things easy for beginners to grasp and far more complicated for those who want to take on high level play.
At its simplest, Granblue Fantasy: Versus is a four button fighter with every character on the roster having a light, middle, and heavy attack as well as a special with each attack being performed with one of the face buttons. Three of these attacks will allow players to string together auto-combos if the player is within close enough range for that fighter and these auto attacks can help newcomers get a grasp on combat and eventually allow them to finish combo strings off with special moves or cancel into powerful blows if properly timed.
The special moves in the game, called Skills, have a unique feel to them thanks to the system being derived from the gacha RPG’s skill system. Every fighter has four special moves at their disposal and any time one of these moves is used, rather than depleting a gauge of any kind, they are instead placed on a short cooldown. These special moves can be triggered using an easy shortcut of R1 or R1 plus a directional pad but will suffer from a longer cooldown than simply performing the requisite directional input (generally quarter circles) which serves to balance play between those who want to learn and those who are taking the easy route. These special moves can also be activated with certain bonuses applied depending on the button used to trigger them, allowing for stronger or invincible strikes that once again have a longer cooldown.
Alongside these special attacks every fighter does have access to a powerful Skybound Art that can be triggered once their special meter fills up and allows for the player to deal tons of damage to their opponent and if the user happens to be at low health, they can instead a Super version that delivers even more damage. The amount of damage these moves do also varies depending on how well they connect with an opponent as some attacks can then trigger additional cutscene style blows if landed properly.
While there is plenty of offense at the player’s disposal Granblue Fantasy: Versus also offers a number of defensive options as well. There is always the standard holding back to block but players also have access to a block button that can be used to then either dodge an incoming attack or dash forward through it, though the forward dash can be tripped up by a low strike. These defensive options can be quite useful, especially since dodging blows can be extremely useful when it comes to avoiding an incoming Skybound Art.
With such polished battle mechanics and a weight to combat that feels quite real at times, it is a bit of a disappointment to see that Granblue Fantasy: Versus is releasing with probably the smallest playable roster that a full scale fighting game has seen in many years with only eleven characters available at the start of the game, with one more unlockable either after completing the story (bringing the total to twelve) or purchased as DLC. This isn’t too much of an issue as there is a definite quality over quantity here with this roster as basically none of these fighters play similar to one another, with Ferry being a distance fighter capable of using her friends to deal damage alongside her whip, Gran being an anti-air close range fighter, Percival who can be set up into longer string combos, Ladiva serving as a grappler with plenty of style, Lowain whose jokester style and unique moves can make him a challenge to deal with, and more. That being said, with such a small roster at launch, a second DLC character already releasing on launch day, and two already confirmed season passes of fighters, more quantity wouldn’t hurt especially when Granblue Fantasy has such a pool of characters to pull from.
As for the gameplay modes that players will be able to test their skills in there are a handful to choose from, arcade mode where players will take a fighter through a series of fights where they can choose their next opponent’s difficulty every time, standard versus mode where players can fight locally with a friend or against an AI opponent, two different training modes in the form of standard training and more focused Mission training, the online fighting, and a story mode that plays far differently than the rest of the game as it is stylized more like a 2D brawler than a fighting game.
While all of the combat mechanics remain the same, players will find themselves mostly pitted against a number of different enemies ranging from generic knights to monsters from the Granblue Fantasy mobile game where each foe has a small health bar and must be defeated before either the stage is completed or before the player can move to the next screen. Sometimes these fights feature a timer or pit the player up against a boss enemy in this game’s version of a “raid” where the foe has an extra large health bar and will enter an Overdrive state where they deal extra damage and use special moves more often after taking enough damage and then enter a “break” state once their Overdrive gauge is depleted, allowing for players to deal extra damage to a stunned foe. These brawler missions are fairly simple and often don’t feel like they are making the most out of what Granblue Fantasy: Versus can offer, especially when it comes to the boss battles that players will face off against. These situations may seem neat in theory but often fall into being generic fights with little extra challenge.
In Story Mode players will also be able to upgrade their characters level through fighting and acquiring weapons dropped from enemies as well as from an in-game “gacha” system where special gear can be obtained. These gacha draws also can unlock special weapon skins that can then be used for fighters in the game’s other modes, including online. Weapons can have their various skills boosted, levels uncapped, and more with certain elemental types having extra advantage against foes in the story mode but generally this mode works best as an extended tutorial and something like a new side-story for fans of the mobile game than anything else, though playing some through later stages in online co-op can make for a rather fun time.
Now for the game’s online multiplayer players will find themselves either choosing to search for ranked matches while practicing in training mode or entering a lobby with numerous other players where they can roam the deck of an airship as their favorite character in chibi form. The deck of the ship is filled with arcade cabinets where players can challenge one another for fights and test their skills. It is worth noting that while the game’s matchmaking does work rather well, the online lobbies do seem to be the best way to enjoy the multiplayer at the moment but be prepared for some rather rough lag at times as the net code does not work quite as well as one would hope, with fights ranging widely in quality depending on their location in the US, let alone against those outside the country.
Visuals & Audio
Arc System Works once again knocks it out of the park with their approach to the artwork in Granblue Fantasy: Versus. Although the eleven character roster is on the small side every single character is absolutely gorgeous with bright colors that pop on the screen and plenty of flashy moves that are unique to each character. This is especially true when it comes to the aforementioned Skybound Arts as their cinematic strikes are wonderful to behold in a fight. There are a number of various stages that players can fight on and many of them feature little references and extra movement in the background, though don’t expect too much variety here as the overall number of stages is even less than the fighter roster.
It is also nice to note that for the first time ever Granblue Fantasy characters are presented with English voice work should the player choose as XSEED Games has released the game with both a new English dub that covers every line of dialogue in the story as well as character interactions before, during, and after a fight, as well as the original Japanese voice work should fans prefer it that way. The soundtrack features a number of great tracks, including a couple that feature vocals, and fit well given the fantasy theme of the series.
Overall
Granblue Fantasy takes its first step into the worldwide spotlight with a flourish as Granblue Fantasy: Versus is not only a delightful fighting game that feels great to play but it is also one that has a fairly low barrier to entry as there are a variety of mechanics that make fighting a bit easier for newcomers as well as some solid tutorials to ease them into the deeper mechanics of the game that more hardcore fighters will quickly adapt to. It is rather unfortunate that the diminutive starting roster and the lacking gameplay of the story mode do hold things back a bit but in the end Arc System Works has managed to create a clever mash up of RPG and fighting mechanics that fighting game fans and even just fans of the franchise will likely adore.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
ROLLER CHAMPIONSTM RETURNS WITH CLOSED ALPHA ON MARCH 12
Players Can Sign Up Now for a Chance to Be Among the
First to Experience Gameplay Updates
Sydney, Australia — March 5, 2020 — Today, Ubisoft announced Closed Alpha dates for Roller ChampionsTM, the free-to-play team-based sports game where players skate, pass, dodge and score in a fan-packed arena, launching in 2020. Players can sign up now for a chance to play the Roller Champions Closed Alpha beginning March 12th at 3am AEDT through to March 24th at 7am AEDT on Uplay for Windows PC.*
Developed by Ubisoft Montreal with Ubisoft Winnipeg
and Ubisoft Pune, Roller Champions is a new sports sensation delivering
exhilarating and fast-paced team PvP gameplay – on wheels. Two teams of three
players are pitted against each other in arenas around the world, and players
are cheered on by crowds of roaring fans as they acquire the ball, pass it to
teammates and dodge and tackle opponents to score a goal in the illuminated
hoop that appears above the rink.
The Closed Alpha provides players the opportunity
to share their feedback with the development team as well as earn a reward; an
exclusive in-game outfit that they can keep when the game launches. In the
Closed Alpha, players will be able to experience the fast-paced action and new
features, including:
Character Customisation: Players can create a character and choose
from a list of 70 items to customise their character including gloves,
skates, clothes and helmet/hair styles.
New Arena: Curvature, elevation and other environmental
elements provide improved navigation and gameplay, and players will be
able to experience the biggest and most impressive arena yet, Chichén
Itzá.
New Moves: Players can check out exciting moves,
including the extended tackle and the air tackle, as well as new team
moves like the grapple boost, grapple double jump and grapple double pump.
For the latest news on Roller Champions and other Ubisoft games, please
visit news.ubisoft.com and join the conversation by using
#rollerchampions or go directly on Roller Champions’ social channels:
*The Closed Alpha is
available for players worldwide at all times subject to
availability, technical and/or other constraints with the only exceptions being Mainland China, Korea and Japan, where this current
test phase will not be available.
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.
Baron: Fur is Gonna Fly Lands on Nintendo
Switch, Xbox One, PC Today
PERTH, Australia – March
4, 2020 –Baron: Fur is Gonna Fly, the frenzied aerial shooter from Dogmelon Games, takes to the skies today on Nintendo Switch,
Xbox One and Steam.
It’s 1917 and the age of aviation is in full flight. The glory of soaring through the air has attracted patriotic animals to the world of aeronautics. Jump into the pilot seat as a cocky duck, a surprisingly compact bear, and six other anthropomorphized critters. Do a barrel a roll, loop-the-loop, and gun down the competition in dogfights to command the skies.
Choose one of four
biplanes inspired by early 20th century designs, each with their own stats,
including handling, shields, and speed. Developed by an aircraft engineer, Baron’s
chaotic aerial battles are designed to strike a balance between nuanced physics
and over-the-top fun. Every plane comes equipped with a wild-spraying Gatling
gun and one of 13 special weapons, such as the gravity sucking Black Hole,
giant crushing Anvils, and repulsive Stinky Fish.
Up to eight player
showdowns take place on stylized landscapes across a variety of single and
multiplayer modes. It’s every beast for themselves in free-for-all, or duke it
out in team battles to determine who’s the flyest squad around. Master how to
fly and craft the perfect loadout in Training mode, then grab a friend to fend
off a flock of invaders in Sheep Attack.
“Baron: Fur is Gonna
Fly takes aviation combat sims to new heights with dogfights featuring
actual dogs,” said Anthony Wiese, Co-Developer, Dogmelon Games. “We’re excited
to share our wild alternate world now that it’s available for PC, Nintendo
Switch, and Xbox One.”
Baron: Fur is Gonna Fly is available for $19.99 USD on Steam, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One. It supports
English, Chinese and Japanese on PC, with more to come post-launch.
For more information on
Dogmelon Games, please visit the official website and join the Baron Fur is Gonna Fly community on Facebook and Twitter.
About Dogmelon Games
Perth-based indie studio
Dogmelon Games consists of two veteran game developers with more than 20 years
of experience. Fun has been at the center of everything they create, alongside
making family-friendly games that are accessible for all players. Baron is
their first foray into an action-packed multiplayer title, and a step on their
journey to make games that connect people.To learn more about Dogmelon Games, please visit
their official website
Authentic MMORPG Game is Produced with the Naruto IP Committee for Spring 2020 Launch; Players Can Reignite Their Will of Fire by Pre-registering Starting Today!
March 4, 2020 –When the tree leaves dance, one shall find flames… Mars
Games, a new mobile game company with a global publishing pedigree, today
announced it will be publishing Naruto: Slugfest, the first-ever
3D MMORPG Naruto mobile game, as the title’s exclusive publisher in North
America, South America, and Europe. Scheduled to launch this spring for Android and iOS, the authentic game is produced under the
supervision of the IP holders, offering Naruto fans the perfect way to
adventure with their favorite ramen eater as he protects his Ninja Way.
The lessons and memories of Naruto have carried fans through their
Genin years and into their Jonin adventures. For true fans, the Will of Fire
will never fade—and they can show their support by pre-registering today to
claim an in-game award at game launch:
Naruto: Slugfest Pre-registration Link: http://bit.ly/2FkB95d Players can also pre-register directly through the App Store or Google Play. If they do so, they’ll get a notification or download automatically. However, to get a gift pack, we suggest they also register their email address here.
Welcome back to Hidden Leaf: A Rich Open World to Explore
Naruto: Slugfest lets players step into Naruto’s anime world, brought to life in a rich 3D open world rendering that encourages players to explore in every nook and cranny as well as experiencing animated in-game cutscenes with the original voice actors. As Naruto returns home to the Hidden Leaf Village after training with Jiraiya, he is ready for action, allowing players to immerse themselves in the journey of Naruto fighting alongside his friends as they travel through the Shippuden Arcs. The story can be enjoyed with others using the game’s Running Commentary function to leave comments and reactions for other players. Master Powerful Ninjutsu with Four Unique Character Classes
In Naruto: Slugfest, players can choose among four
unique character classes to play throughout their journey as a Hidden Leaf
Shinobi. These include the hardy, broadsword-wielding Earth Keeper, the medical
pyromancer, Blazing Lotus, the high mobility and surprise attacking Thunder
Assassin, and the agile ranged attacker, Wind Shooter. No matter the class,
players will seek to master their ninjutsu abilities by defeating enemies and
completing story, team, and side missions for Hidden Leaf Village. For each
character class, players can choose and level various ninjutsu abilities
through their respective ninjutsu skill trees and can equip gear for their
characters to upgrade. Throughout story gameplay progression, daily check-ins,
and the game’s Partner and Recruitment System, players can collect their
favorite Naruto series characters as powerful allies and enlist their skills to
assist players in turning the tides in their favor. Full screen techniques,
dynamic combat mechanics, and the intense, button-smashing Slugfest battles
will get the blood of any Ninja pumping!
Dynamic and Detailed Ecosystem
Shinobi should always be aware of their surroundings. Through advanced cartoon rendering in an anime style, Naruto’s world comes to life masterfully including changes such as the warmth of day and darkness of night with dynamic lighting, shadow effects, and color saturation. Shinobi need to be prepared for anything and carry out their ninja way in any weather. But be wary, legend tells of massive beasts behind the changes in the weather!Play in Naruto’s Interactive World
With like-minded allies, players can tackle the Story Mission
following the Naruto Shippuden storyline, Team Missions, Chunin Missions, Ninja
Scrolls, Tower Missions, and even massive guild wars. These trying times and
sacrifices build strong bonds that will carry players throughout their Shinobi
adventures.
Produced under the supervision of the IP committee, Naruto:
Slugfest is published by Mars Games as a free download with optional
in-game purchases. For more information, and to be alerted when the game
launches, please visit the game’s official Facebook page at facebook.com/NarutoSlugfest.Global.
About Mars Games
Mars Games is a new mobile game company with the pedigree and
experience of publishing titles globally. The company seeks to bring the best
new games to a diverse global community. The inaugural title from Mars Games, Naruto:
Slugfest, is scheduled to release on Android and iOS in spring 2020. For
more information on Naruto: Slugfest, please visit facebook.com/NarutoSlugfest.Global.
BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT EUROPE WINS GOLD STEVIE AWARD FOR
CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe (BNEE) is delighted to announce that they have been selected amongst 2600 other companies as the winner of the 2020 Gold Stevie® Award for Customer Service Department of the Year.
The
awards are presented by the Stevie Awards, which organizes several of the
world’s leading business awards shows including the prestigious International
Business Awards® and the Stevie Awards for Great Employers.
“It’s
a great honor to take home the Gold Stevie Award for Customer Service
Department of the Year”, said Anthony Macaré, Digital Business &
Customer Experience EMEA Director. “We’ve been focused on improving our
Customer Experience and optimizing all our fans’ touch points since 2015 and
it’s superb to see that the quality of service provided really makes a
difference.”
Over the years, BNEE has build a customer centric eco-system in which they can access personalized services built for them, from an optimized Customer Service to registration to special events & an appealing Loyalty Program to reward their engagement
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe S.A.S. part
of BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc. is a leading global publisher and developer of
interactive content for platforms including all major video game consoles, PC
and mobile. The company is known for creating and publishing many of the
industry’s top video game franchises, including PAC-MAN™, TEKKEN™, SOULCALIBUR™
and DARK SOULS™ as well as new franchises such as LITTLE NIGHTMARES™ and THE
DARK PICTURES ANTHOLOGY.
Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie
Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East Stevie Awards, The American
Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for
Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards
for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than
12,000 nominations each year from organizations in more than 70 nations.
Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the
Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn
more about the Stevie Awards at www.StevieAwards.com.
TOM CLANCY’S RAINBOW SIX® SIEGE ANNOUNCES FREE PLAY WEEKEND STARTING MARCH 6th
Sydney, Australia — March 4, 2020 – Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six® Siege will be available to play for free from
March 6th through to March 9th, depending on the
platform. Interested players can join the more than 55 million players in the
Rainbow Six Siege community across all platforms including immediate access to
all maps, modes, and 20 legacy Operators.
All players that participate in the free
weekend can carry over their progression and acquired in-game content and continue
to play uninterrupted if they purchase the game. Players will also benefit from
a discount up to 70% off on the Base game (available on PC only), Deluxe, Gold
and Ultimate Editions between March 5th and March 18th,
depending on SKU and platform.
More details and timing for the free play weekend and discounts are available via the
following link: http://rainbow6.com/freeweekend.
Now live on the Test Server, the upcoming Operation
Void Edge introduces two new operators; Attacker, Iana from the Netherlands,
and Defender, Oryx from Jordan. The map Oregon has also been entirely reworked with
a new look and improved navigation and flow.
*Free Weekend discount
available on select dates for PC, Xbox and PlayStation stores. Dates and
discounts will vary.
About Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
Alongside a thriving professional esports scene and a community of over
55 million registered players, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege puts players in
the middle of a fast-paced, ever-evolving multiplayer experience grounded in
the selection of unique Operators. Using the right mix of tactics and
destruction, Rainbow Six teams engage their enemies in sieges, where both sides
have exclusive skills and gadgets at their disposal. Defenders prepare by
transforming the environments around them into modern strongholds, while
attackers use recon drones to gain intel for carefully planning their assault.
With access to dozens of Operators inspired by real world counter-intelligence
agents from around the globe, players can choose exactly how they want to
approach each challenge they encounter. Through the constant addition of new
Operators and maps that add to the depth of both strategy and combat, the
unpredictability of each round of Rainbow Six Siege sets a new bar for
intensity and competition in gaming.
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, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s video game series, Rayman, Far Cry and Watch Dogs. 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.ubisoft.com.
Massive and Ubisoft have released the first expansion for Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, Warlords of New York. The expansion brings players back to New York City to explore four iconic neighborhoods as they hunt for Aaron Keener.
Warlords of New York marks the switch to a season based system for The Division 2. Every three months will introduce a new system complete with its own exclusive rewards, quests, and cosmetics. Experience is gained from all activities, with bonuses offered through seasonal activities and XP multiplier events.
The new expansion will also raise the level cap to 40. Those who do not buy the expansion will still benefit from the changes to the core systems, such as improvements to the UI and the new RPG 2.0 system.
Money. Wealth. Fame. The basic earthly needs that drive us forward in life. Well, for our protagonist of Curse of the Dead Gods, such goals got him in a load of trouble. His quest for the untold riches got him to an accursed temple, filled with deadly traps and monsters. Oh and curses as well (can’t have an accursed temple without some). Technically, everything you seek for is already there, you just need to get to it – alive.
Curse of the Dead Gods is a bleak and depressing version of Torchlight with some Darkest Dungeon vibe thrown into the mix. The story is minimalistic and at this point, it feels like a design choice which I doubt will change even once the game is out of early access. And that’s not a bad thing at all. There is a certain allure in the game without handholding that’s based on the trial and error approach and that’s where Curse of the Dead Gods truly shines. The first time you will encounter some gameplay mechanics that will take time to master and the most useful tutorial in the game (for me, at least) only appeared after I died.
You find yourself in a poorly lit temple, with only a torch and some basic weapons. You try to find your way out of this maze, before stumbling upon a map forcing you to select your next path in the neverending labyrinth. My first forage deeper into the temple did not go well. This game pulls no punches regarding its difficulty. Mobs of enemies won’t just dumbly stand around while one of the attacks you. Oh no. They’re quick, aggressive and coordinated. sometimes your only choice is to utilize the roll button and lure them into traps to chip away some of their health. With that said, I didn’t get further than a second floor but it was all a lesson. Despite being in early access, Curse of the Dead Gods is far more polished than most of the other indie roguelikes in that bunch (not that the selection is great, but still). My second run taught me how to utilize some advanced combos (such as precision shooting, charge attacks and combos) so I ventured a bit further this time around. Only on my third run, I discovered the sacred roll button. It’s something that will be your trusty companion and a lifesaver as you zig-zag through the mobs of the undead. With proper timing, you can completely avoid the attack and counter with your own. I ended my run with a bigger selection of bows, swords, and guns. And that’s the beauty of this game. You don’t get stronger with each play, you just get better at playing and don’t hide behind the stats. It’s an unforgiving roguelike that will keep you coming back for more.
As for the visuals, the game boasts a simple yet effective cell shading approach. The lightning is well done and that’s understandable since most of the game revolves around explorations so the corridors can be anything except boring (and without loot). The music is nothing to write about but at this stage, I can’t expect every aspect of the game to impress me. One impressive bit is that in my playtime of a couple of hours, I have yet to encounter a single major bug (take notes, Bethesda!) or a crash. Besides some incorrect hitboxes and enemies teleporting faster than usual, there was nothing on technical side that could impact my game sessions. Another bonus point goes to the incredibly low requirements for the game and buttery smooth optimization. As of right now, Passtech Games team has an extensive roadmap for the game with more traps, blessings, curses, and weapons to be added. While the game launched with a decent amount of content, it’s only a sample of bigger and better things to come.
In any case, if you’re looking for an engaging roguelike to play, floors to ravage, gold to salvage and enemies to die from – look no further. Even at this stage, Curse of the Dead Gods has enough to entice you for a purchase. At the core of the game lies an addictive gameplay loop that is a foundation for every successful RPG, roguelike or a platformer. We’re currently in a slow season regarding game releases so if you’re looking for something engaging to fill this month of March, this should be your pick. If at any point you get stuck or don’t know what strategy to use, you can always jump into the friendly Discord server of the game and ask for advice from the professionals (aka people that played way more than you). Who knows, you might find yourself sticking around for more than that in this game.
Passtech Games and Focus Home Interactive released their action rogue-like Curse of the Dead Gods on Steam Early Access today. Passtech Games is hoping to release the game in full by the end of 2020 if everything goes smoothly. The plan is to release major content updates every month with smaller bug fixes scattered in between.
The current version of Curse of theDeadGods is mostly feature complete with the Jaguar section ready to play. The final game will have three full complete sections.
Curse of the Dead Gods is currently priced at $14.99 USD/$21.95 AUD on Steam. The price will rise as more content is released in the coming months.
