After first being revealed for Western release last year XSEED Games has now announced that the first chapter for Corpse Party 2: Dead Patient will be releasing on PC through multiple digital storefronts on October 23rd where it will be priced at $9.99 but sold at a 10% discount for one week after launch.
Corpse Party 2: Dead Patient places players into the shoes of student Ayame who awakens from a coma and must now explore a hospital while solving inventory-based puzzles, collecting medical charts of deceased patients, and avoiding terrifying zombie-like pursuers in order to find much-needed answers and perhaps a way out. It is worth noting that since this entry is a standalone storyline in the Corpse Party series that players will not need prior knowledge of the series to enjoy this entry.
After first releasing on PC in September PQube Games and developer The Gentlebros have announced that Cat Quest II will be releasing exactly one month later on consoles as the game will be arriving on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on October 24th. Cat Quest II is a 2D open world action RPG set in a fantasy realm of cats and dogs.
Under threat from a continuing war between the cats of Felingard and the advancing dogs of the Lupus Empire, Cat Quest II tells the tail of two kings, a cat and a dog, brought together against their will, on a journey of paw-some discovery to reclaim their thrones. If you want to know what to expect from the game we’ve recently reviewed the PC version.
A number of new screenshots for My Hero One’s Justice 2 have been released by Bandai Namco and the focus this time around is placed on Mirio Togata, Tomura Shigaraki, and of course All Might. Mirio is a brand new addition to the roster this time around and, with the use of his “Permeation” quick he can phase through solid objects to take on his opponents.
The other two characters are returning but look to have had a few modifications made to their designs, especially Shigaraki, since the first game. You can find these screenshots below and keep an eye out for My Hero One’s Justice 2 when it is released worldwide sometime in 2020 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
It looks like those who want to play Doom Eternal will need to wait a few more months as Bethesda and id Software have announced that the game will no longer be making its previously planned release date of November 22nd and will now be releasing on March 20, 2020 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC with the Nintendo Switch version coming at a later unspecified date. The company did announce that DOOM 64 will be now available as a pre-order bonus for Doom Eternal on all platforms though it will also now be releasing on March 20, 2020 as well.
The reason given for the delay was so that the development team could “deliver a game that exceeds your greatest expectations across the board.” They also outlined that Invasion Mode, the feature that allows players to enter anothers’ game as a demon, will now be coming as a free update sometime after launch.
Some new details for One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows have been revealed by Bandai Namco and they happen to relate to the game’s story mode. Players will have the ability to create their own custom-made character and experience their own story while constantly training and completing various missions players will make their way up through the Hero Association ranks. The company also detailed that random events can happen in battles and affect the flow of a fight.
You can check out a new trailer as well as screenshots for the game below. Currently the release window for One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows is 2020 and it is currently in development for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Sega is continuing with their unique take on character introduction videos by releasing another pair of music videos for Project Sakura Wars with Elise and Azami Mochizuki being the characters introduced this time. Elise’s song is titled “Kurogane no Hoshi” and performed by her voice actress while Azami Mochizuki’s is called “Ninja Azami” and is also performed by the voice actress.
You can check out both character music videos below and as for the game itself, currently Project Sakura Wars is set to be released on the PlayStation 4 in Japan on December 12th with Sega already confirming a Western release for the game sometime in Spring 2020.
Arcade Smash Hit Killer Queen Black Lands
Nintendo Switch and PC Today
CHICAGO — Oct. 11, 2019 —Killer Queen Black, the strategic eight-player action platformer from Liquid Bit and BumbleBear Games, triumphantly soars out of arcades and onto Nintendo Switch and PC via Discord and Steam today. The ultimate arcade eSport with millions of play sessions is finally home.
Combining sports and
combat into a thrilling 16-bit competition Killer Queen Black displays
on a single screen like the games of the arcade golden era. Each of the
six maps are symmetrical to level the playing field. Both teams have their own
hive and the maps are filled with berries, upgrade gates, and a single Snail in
the center. Matches place two squads of four against one another, each with
three Workers and one Queen.
Workers start off
defenseless but specialize in adaptability. Fill up the team’s hive with
berries to secure an Economic victory or hop onto a saddled Snail to creep into
the goalposts and score a sneaky Snail victory. Or take a berry to an upgrade
gate and transform into a Warrior capable of flight and wielding weapons
including Swords, Morningstars, and Laser Rifles. Kill the opposing Queen three
times to win a Military victory. The first to three victories of any variety
wins.
Queens can fly and
attack from the start, but they only have three lives. Take the fight to the
other Queen directly and try to out-duel her. Defend the hive from pesky
Workers aiming for Economic or Snail victories. Capture upgrade gates to stop
the other team from transforming their Workers into Warriors.
Play locally with up to
four players on either PC or Switch and battle teams online. Connect two
Switches in Local Wireless Play and have the ultimate eight-player experience,
all in one room. Learn the basics in Tutorial mode, then practice in Unranked
mode, where AI opponents will help fill out exhibition matches that don’t
affect rank. When ready, play Ranked mode either solo or with three friends
(online or local) to climb all the way up to Obsidian rank.
Soon after launch, the
best team at any given time will become the Black team, replete with coveted
glowing outfits. Every Black team match will be streamed so it’s easy to watch
the top competition and learn their techniques. Strive for the top with
cross-platform play and chat powered byVivox, leaderboards, and Spectate mode. And if all
that isn’t enough, rock out to a soundtrack courtesy ofPowerglove.
“We’ve had eager
fans asking where Killer Queen Black was all year, and the reason is
that it kept growing and growing,” said Matt Tesch, co-founder of Liquid Bit.
”As fans of the original games ourselves, we wanted to make absolutely sure we
did it justice!”
Killer Queen Black is available now in English for $19.99 on theNintendo eShop,Steam, theHumble Store,Discord and is free for Discord Nitro Subscribers*. A
Switch physical edition created byNighthawk Interactive includes Nintendo Switch controller skins, a
cartridge, exclusive game art on the box and will be available October 25 for
$29.99. Physical pre-orders are available atAmazon,Best Buy, andGameStop. Killer Queen Black will be available on
Xbox One at a later date.
*Available for
subscribers with the $9.99 Nitro plan while supplies last
To learn more, please
visit the game’s official site, follow the game onTwitter, and join the officialDiscord.
About Liquid Bit
The Chicago-based Liquid
Bit is a group of builders, dreamers, designers, and developers. They make
games that bring people together through innovative gameplay and design, and
challenge you with games that are easy to learn but hard to master. Liquid Bit
strives to go beyond just a game and deliver a connected experience and
believes that good software should elicit an emotional response.
BumbleBear makes games
for smart people to play together in public spaces. Its “platform”, the New
Arcade, is a blend of digital and physical worlds through arcade cabinets,
installations, and VR. The team is based in Brooklyn, NY.
EXPERIENCE THE DRAMA OF MOTORSPORT – GRID® OUT
NOW
Get Your Heart Racing and Experience the
Prestige and Glory of Victory
Larkspur, Calif. – Oct. 11, 2019 – GRID® is now available worldwide on PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment system and the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One, giving race fans intense wheel-to-wheel action on some of the most challenging street tracks and race circuits. Having won the prestigious Best Racing Game at the gamescom Awards 2019, GRID gives players choice and accessibility allowing them to play their way with a superior handling model that caters to both sim players who want a fun experience and casual fans looking for a challenging racing game. The latest trailer can be viewed at
From lights
out, players will experience the true drama of motorsport. GRID isn’t about a
procession of cars; with 400 AI personalities ranging from calm to aggressive,
drivers stray from the racing line to prevent opponents from passing, or they
might brake late and do whatever is necessary to remain ahead of the pack. GRID
features 104 career events across 12 race locations, the best drivers including
Fernando Alonso and his esports team, FA Racing Logitech G, and the return of
the revered Ravenwest Motorsport.
“As a team,
we are incredibly proud of the game we have made and excited that players
around the world can finally get their hands on it,” said Chris Smith, GRID
Game Director at Codemasters. “We set out with three goals; make a game that
puts the player in control and allows them to play their way. For the game to
feel alive and celebrate the drama of motorsport. Lastly, make a game that is
for everyone; to have the best handling which appeals to both core racing fans
and casual players. We have put all of this into GRID and we look forward to
hearing feedback from our players.”
For future
news and details follow Codemasters game blog and social channels on Instagram,
Twitter and Facebook.
# # #
About
Codemasters
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.
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.
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
Headquarter 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.
Games that have challenged players have always been around the video game industry and while they initially were meant to pull extra quarters out of pockets, they have evolved over the years and while many genres have their own style of difficult but rewarding games, the action RPG has only really peaked in the last decade. This style of game came primarily from the hands of FromSoftware and since then various other developers have tried their hands at creating a game that can stand on its own merits while still emulating that style and the latest is Bandai Namco’s Code Vein. With a more anime approach and enough changes to help set it apart, is Code Vein worth the challenge?
Story
After the world suffers an apocalyptic occurrence only to have the solution to that previous apocalypse trigger yet another one, players will take on the role of a completely customizable character that has no memory of who or what they are. They awaken alongside another amnesiac girl by the name of Io who seems to know a bit more about the world and the fact that the two of you are Revenants, vampiric-like beings that are incredibly difficult to kill as they can rise even from a standard death, but must feast on blood to retain their sanity. Those who fall to their bloodthirst become Lost, crazed beings that have lost their sense of humanity and often morph into monstrous creatures.
With what is left of humanity in the trapped world that Code Vein takes place in kept safe by remnants of the government, Revenants must use blood beads that grow from strange white trees to slake their thirst but even these trees have started to wither. As many Revenants begin to turn on each other and the amount of Lost skyrockets, the player learns that thanks to the special nature of their blood, not only can these trees be restored but the miasma that quickly drives Revenants crazy can even be purified and with the help of a number of allies, it is up to them to try and restore the various Bloodsprings and even learn more about what is actually happening.
One of the key parts that helps set Code Vein apart from other games of its ilk is that unlike those games, Code Vein wants to tell a storyline that players won’t need to infer from item descriptions and various fan theories. Sure, things do start out incredibly vague, especially since one of the aspects of a Revenant’s rebirth is that they lose a part of their memories. Instead players will find that the game offers its fair share of cutscenes that help keep the plot moving along and features plenty of unique twists that keep the story interesting while also revealing more about the world as a whole. That being said, there are more than a few instances where cutscenes can feel like they drag on a bit too long and slow down the pace of the game.
In fact, even the character storylines are told in an interesting manner as players can find various bits of Blood Code scattered around environments, dropped from bosses, and even received from allies that help tell individual stories. These often delve into a character’s past or reveal additional details about an upcoming foe and are not only a unique little feature but one that helps expand the story more and gives some weight to these characters’ journey.
Gameplay
Outside of the aforementioned focus on storytelling, Code Vein also happens to feature a number of gameplay mechanics that help set it apart from the rest of the Souls styles of games. Generally some aspects remain the same as players will use a hub area where they can interact with NPCs, purchase items at shops, customize their character, and even take a dip in the hot spring, fight against enemies that drop “Haze” which is then used as currency to either purchase items, upgrade equipment, or simply level up the player, and while exploring various resting areas called “Mistle” can be activated and then used to restore healing regeneration as well as fast travel points.
For all of these similarities Code Vein also stands apart a bit by not only varying up the way combat works but also adding in a number of new mechanics and build-styles to keep things feeling fresh. Players will find that they have access to a wide array of tools even at the start of the game as rather than forcing players to set themselves into any one class, classes can be swapped at any time through the use of Blood Codes. Each Blood Code provides various stat bonuses to the player’s stats and has their own set of skills to learn and master but what is unique here is that mastered skills, both active and passive, can then be used with any Blood Code. Some skills require a certain weapon type to be equipped or having a certain rank in a specific stat to activate but it is entirely possible to use a berserker Blood Code while utilizing various buffs and skills from longer range classes as both magic and firearms can play a factor in this game.
Alongside the standard fair of one-handed swords, spears, massive two handed blades, axes, and hammers players will find bayonets that can be used for quick slashing attacks and fired at a distance with heavy attacks. These attacks do require “ichor” a limited resource that is also used to activate skills and buffs but ichor also plays a role in drain attacks. While fighting enemies players have the option to perform chargeable drain attacks that vary depending on the clothing equipped and, if landed, these attacks can stun a foe as well as restore ichor. Drain attacks can also occur when an enemy is launched or backstabbed so there are many ways to restore ichor, including consumables, should the player’s playstyle rely on it.
Alongside the fact that players have the option to wildly change the way they play depending on the Blood Code and skills they have equipped Code Vein also offers another different aspect by allowing players to have a companion with them almost all the time. The AI companion, who can be swapped at any point by returning to the hub, works incredibly well as an assistant as they are both smart with their actions as well as heavy hitters. It is worth noting that this does make the game a bit easier than other games in this genre but be prepared for enemies to still relentlessly pursue the player with bosses being quite challenging with strikes that can easily shave off half your health. In fact, some bosses may require some outside thinking that requires a change of playstyle or companion to best take them down, offering plenty of interesting ways to tackle most challenges. Though if you do want a real challenge, it is possible to venture forth without an AI partner, though it is clear that co-op play is intended thanks to the way most encounters see players battling against three to four foes at a time.
Visuals & Audio
One of the more noticeable aspects of Code Vein is that it’s art style combines both gothic themes as well as anime styling, both of which play a role in the plot as well. The character customization system is extremely detailed to the point that players can create nearly any anime style character they feel like unless they happen to be old. Fan-service does play a decent factor here as most character options allow for a bit of skin to be shown and a few female companions can be rather revealing, but the overall gothic styling, combining gas masks to survive the miasma and the vampire themes create a great looking game at times. Even the environments are filled with plenty of destructive detail and plenty of variety though be prepared for a bit of slowdown here and there during some more hectic fights.
The soundtrack for the game features a solid collection of background music, including a nice insert song that players can listen to at the hub base while the voice work, featuring both the Japanese and English voice tracks fit the their characters well enough.
Overall
It is always a risk trying to take a formula that has an established fan base and putting your own spin on things and thankfully Code Vein stands as a successful one. With its own art style and some appealing additions to the combat system players will find that Code Vein allows for plenty of customization, both visually and mechanically, to best fit their style of play or the challenges they may face. Combine that with a solid storyline and the feeling of battling alongside solidly developed AI companions and players will find that while Code Vein may be a bit on the easier side of the genre, it is certainly one that stands on its own two feet.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
There have been quite a few remakes and enhanced editions of visual novels lately and with their rising popularity in the West, it only makes sense that some of these make their way overseas as well. Usually these enhanced releases simply feature a touched up translation or a refined user interface but a few of them also clean up their visuals a bit, but rarely do they go as far as Root Letter: Last Answer decides to. Originally released three years ago for the PlayStation 4 and PS Vita, this new release now features real actors and locations in the place of drawn artwork, in what may be the most unique change a visual novel can take.
Story
The art of writing a letter is something that has been mostly left by the wayside as the internet and email became widespread to the point that something like penpals became non-existent. However even fifteen years ago some of us may have had penpals and the protagonist of Root Letter: Last Answer is one such person as, while cleaning up his old things, he stumbles across a pile of old letters from his old penpal Aya Fumino. While the two exchanged letters frequently over the years, Aya suddenly stopped responding to him fifteen years prior to the game’s start but something is different this time. At the bottom of the pile is a non postmarked letter that kicks off the player’s journey as Aya as written that she is sorry and will no longer be corresponding with you and that this is her goodbye because after killing someone, she will be disappearing.
With a cold-case mystery on their hands the player travels to the Shimane Prefecture in an effort to find out just what happened. However with very few clues to go on and barely any knowledge about the area outside of what a tourist might be able to pick up, this nearly impossible investigation only grows harder when he arrives where she used to live and learns a terrifying truth that twists the whole investigation on its head right from the get go. Despite these setbacks the player continues to try and find out the truth no matter how many twists and turns may come their way in what ends up becoming a very engaging mystery narrative.
One of the greater strengths to Root Letter: Last Answer is the fact that it manages to create a storyline that features a number of characters with distinct personalities, especially since rather than focus on the standard cookie-cutter characters many visual novels tend to employ the game uses adults with realistic stories and growth. It also helps that while the whole mystery angle is still the biggest focus in the game there is still plenty of time for the game to take and provide bits of humor and silly situations.
It is worth noting that Root Letter: Last Answer features multiple endings that depend on the player’s choices made while reminiscing about the letters they wrote to Aya in the past. This remake features some expanded scenes during these endings so even those who may have played the original will still find a bit of new content. All in all, those looking for a solid storyline will find that Root Letter: Last Answer manages to craft an excellent narrative and players will actually want to tackle multiple endings to see just how different the story can unfold, especially since the game features a generous skip option to progress past previously viewed scenes.
Gameplay
Generally when one things of visual novels they tend to think that the game will feature very little in the way of actual interactivity outside of making a few choices here and there that determine what ending the player will get or possibly unlock a new scene or piece of artwork but that isn’t quite the case with Root Letter: Last Answer. While it is true that there is tons of reading to be had and the choices players make will reveal new scenes and secrets there are also different ways to interact with the game in the form of investigation.
Players can examine a scene to try and find various clues and read more details about their surroundings, though this can often feel a bit clunky at times as some items can be incredibly difficult to discern simply by looking at the background and trying to find the magic pixel that is holding up progress can be rather annoying. Along those same lines there is also “Max Mode” that sees the player needing to select the right words to progress through a scene in what seems like a timed sequence but ends up feeling rather useless as a whole. That being said, the scenes where players use the evidence they’ve gathered to confront someone are well written enough that they make up for having to deal with some sluggish feeling investigation mechanics.
Visuals & Audio
The biggest change that Root Letter: Last Answer boasts over the original release is a bit of an odd one. As mentioned before, the game now features a default “Drama” mode that replaces all of the original drawn assets with photographs of real locations in the city and real people. This is a unique take for a visual novel and one that few could have seen coming. Returning fans who are interested in seeing how their favorite characters may look now will see that they are fairly well handled with some great actors chosen to fit the visual roles but it also feels a bit lifeless at times, especially compared to the original artwork. The original artwork features plenty of attention to detail to both the environments themselves and especially to the characters. While seeing the overacting of the live action actors is rather funny at times, it is nothing compared to the original artwork and unfortunately while it is possible to swap back and forth between the two options, it does require far more work than it should to simply swap assets.
The soundtrack for the game continues to impress as all of the original tracks have been carried over to this release while the Japanese voice work is similarly well handled. It is worth noting that while the translation is handled well enough players should expect to see more than a few misspellings and even a few incorrect words being used in place of others, as if someone dictated some sentences but didn’t read them.
Overall
Root Letter: Last Answer is in an odd place as the core storyline is quite excellent, if not better with the few extended scenes, even if some of the gameplay mechanics feel a bit aged and out of place, but the actual new content in the form of the live action visuals really doesn’t hold up too well compared to how gorgeous the original artwork was. Given the fact that Root Letter: Last Answer has only now made it to the Nintendo Switch this is clearly the version to buy and given the original is still priced the same as this one on the PlayStation 4, even newcomers should still take and aim for this version simply because it offers more options, even if those options may not be as good as the original.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
