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Rebel Galaxy Outlaw Launches on Epic Game Store

Rebel Galaxy Outlaw has launched on Epic Game Store as a timed exclusive. The prequel to the 2015 Rebel Galaxy is available now for $29.99 USD. Indie developers Double Damage Games has confirmed they are now focusing development resources on the console port for Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Players take on the role of Juno Markev in Rebel Galaxy Outlaw. After a quite retirement from smuggling and other illegal acts, Markev is dragged back into the seedy underworld after gambling leaves her deeply in debt and without a ship.

Rebel Galaxy Outlaw offers a full single player story campaign. The game also has wide open world where players can take a break from the story and cause some mayhem or earn some money on their own. A sliding difficulty scale caters to new players and veterans, providing varying levels of flying assistance and starting equipment.

New Electricity Update Released for CryoFall

AtomicTorch Studio and Daedalic Entertainment released a major content update for Cryofall, the multiplayer survival RPG currently on Steam Early Access. Players will now be able to build an electrical grid for their base. Power the grid with generators using up a variety of energy sources. Electricity will power a variety of equipment like furnaces and psi-field projectors.

Electricity is not the only new feature in the update. The often requested item repair is finally implemented with the new tinker table that combines two broken items to create single repaired item. The map has been expanded with new creatures and two new biomes. Like previous CryoFall updates, a bunch of new items and quality of life changes have been added.

CryoFall is available now on Steam for $19.99 USD or $29.95 AUD.

CREA-TURE STUDIOS ANNOUNCES SESSION SKATEBOARDING GAME COMING TO STEAM EARLY ACCESS ON SEPTEMBER 17

CREA-TURE STUDIOS ANNOUNCES SESSION SKATEBOARDING GAME COMING TO STEAM EARLY ACCESS ON SEPTEMBER 17

Xbox One Version Coming to Xbox Game Preview in October

MONTREAL – Aug. 13, 2019 – creā-ture Studios’ announced today the skateboarding game Session will be released on PC via Steam Early Access on Sept. 17, 2019. The Xbox One version will follow a few weeks after on Xbox Game Preview. The final game is expected to officially launch in early 2020.

Inspired by the golden era of skateboarding (the early ’90s through the early 2000s), Session lets players experience what skateboarding is really like — an incredible culture where there are no goals other than expressing your creativity and achieving success through hard work, perseverance and a bit of madness. This is the most authentic and grounded skateboarding game yet: Session is a conscious move away from arcade-style skateboarding games. This is no place for button-mashers!

The PC early access version of Session will include true stance-stick controls: each “stick” controls one foot to replicate real skating while highlighting the difficulty of“switch” tricks. The skateable environment is a 1:1 scale of New York focused on lower Manhattan, featuring the legendary Brooklyn Banks and surrounding Financial District. Players will hit many of the iconic spots that helped shape what street skating is today. The game will also feature an extended video editor that allows players to create trick montages in-game and share them. Creating skate videos has always been an essential part of skate culture, and creā-ture has made sure the production matches the period-specific, VHS-style visual aesthetic.

A lot more information will be shared about Session in the coming months, so be sure to follow creā-ture on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

About creā-ture Studios

Here at creā-ture Studios, located in the surroundings of Montreal, Canada, we try to do things differently — not because we have to, but simply because making games doesn’t seem to be what it used to. Formed by guys who got sucked into the AAA industry for probably too long, we strive at getting back to what video games are to us. More than a product, a creā-tion, the achievement of an art form envisioned into something fun and interactive! Our goal is to bring high-quality, detail-oriented, entertaining, creative and original games to niche markets and to serve them the best we can with an inspiring mindset, creating games that will meet the needs, quality standard and requirements of the people who play them. At the end of the day, it needs to be legit and fun. For more information, visit http://www.crea-turestudios.com.

WORLD WAR Z AND NBA PLAYGROUNDS STUDIO SABER INTERACTIVE NAMES TIM WILLITS CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER

WORLD WAR Z AND NBA PLAYGROUNDS STUDIO SABER INTERACTIVE NAMES TIM WILLITS CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER

Veteran id Software studio director to lead the future creative vision of one of the world’s largest independent game developers

MAPLEWOOD, N.J. Aug. 13, 2019 – Saber Interactive has announced that longtime id Software studio director Tim Willits has joined the independent game developer as Chief Creative Officer. Willits will help shape and expand the creative vision for Saber’s five studios around the world, whose recent achievements include the best-selling hit co-op shooter World War Z, the mega-popular NBA Playgrounds franchise, and the upcoming releases of Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on Nintendo Switch.

“From the very beginning, Saber’s entrepreneurial passion, skill and culture for game development reminded me of the early days of id,” said Willits. “This is a studio which has proven its ability to respond nimbly to trends and community across multiple genres time and again. It’s such a joy to once more be on a team of developers first, one that gets things done, is always innovating, and is hungry to control its own destiny.”

A veteran of the video game industry with two and a half decades of experience in every aspect of development, Tim Willits has made an indelible impact on the first-person shooter genre. As studio director for FPS pioneer id Software from 2013-2019, Willits’ creative, design and executive management credits include such award-winning AAA franchises as QUAKE, DOOM and RAGE. He was also the face and voice of id at multiple events, including QuakeCon, one of the world’s top grassroots gaming conventions.

“We’re truly honored Tim would make such a monumental move to join us,” said Matthew Karch, CEO of Saber. “After years of working together on Quake Champions, we’ve gained a deep mutual respect for one another on both a professional and personal level. The last few years have been transformative for Saber as we expand both as a development partner for third-party IPs around the world and a creator of our own brands — and there’s no better person than Tim to lead our vision as a studio into the future.”

About Saber Interactive

Based in the U.S., Russia and Spain, Saber Interactive is an independent developer whose credits include the 2019 hit World War Z, Quake Champions, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo: The Master Chief Collection and others. Saber’s NBA Playgrounds is one of the best-selling digital console titles of 2017. The company has multiple development studios across the world making great games and bringing fun interactive experiences to life. https://saber3d.com

Kyoko Introduced in new River City Girls Trailer

Last week WayForward introduced River City Girls‘ Misako and now they are introducing the other half of the fighting pair by introducing us to Riki’s girlfriend, Kyoko. Kyoko is described as being more cheerful and bubbly than her best friend Misako but as you’ll see in the video below, she is all too willing to kick someone’s teeth out, especially if they happen to mess with her boyfriend Riki.

Kyoko’s fighting style appears to feature primarily kicking and grapple moves as she can even pull off a hell of a frankensteiner on enemies. Currently River City Girls is set to be released on September 5th for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

ANGRY BIRDS FRIENDS IS UNCAGED TODAY ON WINDOWS 10 PC, WITH ANGRY BIRDS 2 TO FOLLOW IN SEPTEMBER

ANGRY BIRDS FRIENDS IS UNCAGED TODAY ON WINDOWS 10 PC, WITH ANGRY BIRDS 2 TO FOLLOW IN SEPTEMBER

ESPOO, Finland — Aug. 12, 2019 — With the Angry Birds once again gracing movie theaters worldwide in The Angry Birds Movie 2, the enraged avians are also coming to your Windows 10 PC via Angry Birds Friends, which releases today — free to download* — on the Microsoft Store.

Angry Birds Friends offers the quintessential bird-flinging, pig-popping Angry Birds experience, but adds a fun competitive layer with bite-sized tournaments to pit yourself against your friends’ slingshot skills. With new tournaments released every week and thousands of levels to enjoy, the destruction is almost endless.

To get yourself up to speed with Angry Birds Friends, the development team at Rovio HQ recently talked about the game over on the Rovio Entertainment YouTube channel.

“We’re excited to release two of our most popular Angry Birds games on Windows 10, increasing their visibility and availability during this important period,” says Alex Pelletier-Normand, Rovio’s Head of Games. “We look forward to releasing Angry Birds 2 in September, and in the meantime hope Windows 10 PC users enjoy the fun and competitive element of Friends.”

* In-app purchases available.

About Rovio Entertainment

Rovio Entertainment Corporation is a global, games-first entertainment company that creates, develops and publishes mobile games, which have been downloaded 4.5 billion times so far. The company is best known for the global Angry Birds brand, which started as a popular mobile game in 2009, and has since evolved from games to various entertainment and consumer products in brand licensing. Today, the company offers multiple mobile games, animations and has produced The Angry Birds Movie, which opened number one in theatres in 50 countries, and the sequel to which is set for theatrical release in 2019. Rovio is headquartered in Finland and the company’s shares are listed on the main list of NASDAQ Helsinki stock exchange with the trading code ROVIO. (www.rovio.com)

Zenith, the Cyberpunk VR MMORPG for PC and VR, Launches Kickstarter for Early Fan Involvement in Groundbreaking Cross-Platform Adventures

Zenith, the Cyberpunk VR MMORPG for PC and VR, Launches Kickstarter for Early Fan Involvement in Groundbreaking Cross-Platform Adventures

 Ramen VR Aims to Bring to Life an Immersive, Living Anime World Filled with Believable Monsters, Deep Customizable Classes, and Intense Combat for an Unforgettable Experience

SAN FRANCISCO – August 12, 2019 – What if you could become the hero you were always destined to be… Ramen VR, an indie VR studio that’s creating a one of a kind VR metaverse, today announced it has launched a crowdfunding campaign for Zenith, a cyberpunk VR MMORPG for VR and PC. In Zenith, players will be able to play, socialize, and create their own unique experiences in the first cross-platform VR MMORPG.

Inspired by anime and JRPG classics and reimagined as a dynamic living world with cross-play between VR platforms and PC, Zenith offers a futuristic universe in which players will fight, craft, explore, and live as they forge alliances and friendships in guilds and parties. In the game world, the city of Zenith has been sheltered from the mayhem unleashed by the crash of a massive starship. While the beasts and horrors brought by the spaceship have been brought under control, the seal imprisoning the God-King responsible for the chaos grows weaker every day—heroes are needed to venture forth to save Zenith from another calamity. Characters who take up this challenge can participate in epic raids and world events or go solo to become a powerful leader whose deeds will be forever immortalized.

Zenith is the brainchild of Andy Tsen and Lauren Frazier, co-founders of Ramen VR with a decade of experience at Unity, Google, and building startup companies. The duo met at Oculus’s VR accelerator program, which they won, and then co-produced with Oculus Conjure Strike, a 3v3 competitive VR shooter that was nominated for VR Game of the Year and Multiplayer Game of the Year by Unity. In addition to the game’s core team comprised of passionate game talent, Adam Hetenyi, the lead game designer on Trove and The Surge 2, serves an advisor on the project.

 “Zenith is our passion project, as we want to share the dream of a living anime world that players can experience on VR and PC without limitations,” said Lauren Frazier, co-founder of Ramen VR. “We invite RPG fans to join us on our journey and imagine their lives as legendary anime heroes!”

The game’s technology is powered by Spatial OS, the world’s most advanced MMORPG platform, which enables the creation of large and dynamic open worlds. The platform will enable real physics, complex AI, and a landscape that evolves and is shaped by players and NPCs alike. There are also plans to use Spatial OS for features like conquerable player settlements, crafting, and customizable player housing.

“We view our backers and our community as co-creators with us,” said Andy Tsen, co-founder of Ramen VR. “We believe the more support we raise from Kickstarter backers who believe in the game, the more we’ll be able to realize the vision we all share.”

Zenith’s concept was a product of Tsen and Frazier’s love of anime and JRPGs, and their desire to create an innovative VR experience that fostered a rich environment and deep social aspects found in MMOs. In development since early 2019, Zenith aims to unite fans of these genres in a persistent world that builds and fosters strong community.

Game Features

·         Dynamic Living World: Huge, visually striking, and beautiful environments with no loading screens, created with Improbable and using Spatial OS, the worlds most advanced MMORPG platform

·         Cross-Platform Play: Players who don’t yet have VR can play on PC in the same world as VR players—no one is left out of the adventure

·         Class and Character Customization: Play your character exactly as you want, with every class able to become each role, depending on which skills are equipped

·         Advanced AI: An immersive world filled with believable characters and AI—monsters will dodge, hide, and hunt in lifelike ways and AI avatars allow characters to continue playing with other people while their players are offline

·         Streamlined, Physical Combat System: Leverage the physicality of VR for satisfying gameplay using timing and rhythm; pull earth shields out of the ground, suck creatures in by fast balling a gravity well, or simply blast them using chain lightning

The Kickstarter campaign is live and will help the team at Ramen VR further develop the epic adventure while sharing early benefits with fans who help create the exciting world.

For more information, please visit the Zenith Kickstarter page or visit https://www.zenithmmo.com. Keep in touch with us on Twitter @ZenithMMO, on Discord at https://discord.gg/uR7NNBS, and on Medium at https://medium.com/zenithvr/.

About Ramen VR

Ramen VR is an indie VR studio that’s creating the VR metaverse. Andy Tsen and Lauren Frazier started Ramen VR in 2019 after working together at established companies on previous projects. They have decades of combined experience at gaming and mobile startups as well as companies like Unity and Google. Funded by some of the world’s best investors and by Oculus, the team is focused on building Zenith, a VR MMORPG where millions of players can adventure together in a gorgeous, anime-inspired world. Ramen VR had previously created Conjure Strike, which was a finalist for Unity Multiplayer and VR Game of the Year. The indie teams believe fun, online games can be life-changing experiences that let players realize their full potential. Ramen VR is driven by the belief to create a VR world where you can fulfill your wildest ambitions.

Solve A Bark Mystery In A Summer with the Shiba Inu

I’ll be honest with you: I’m weak to puns. Good ones, bad ones, horrible ones – they all get a pass in my book. I even tried to sneak one in the article title here (it’s pretty bad, I know). Good puns can sometimes make a decent game even better, which is one of the reasons why I liked Cat Quest so much. Well, the cats had their 5 minutes so now it’s time for dogs to take the spotlight. But not just any dogs! I’m talking about one of the most beloved and meme approved dogs on the internet – Shiba Inus.

“Syd the Shiba Inu works full time in Canine-da, but this summer she decides to head back to Shiba Inu Island! She gets back in touch with her old friend Max and meets a mysterious Labrador retriever named Quei-Li. With her friends, old and new, Syd rediscovers her old urban jaunts and favorite street foods. However, her fond memories of the Island perhaps aren’t what they seem, as she gets attacked and sent to an emulated Reality where her past enemies await.”

That description blurb above is probably one of the more serious parts of A Summer with the Shiba Inu since everything else is dog littered (heh) with puns. What you also get beside the puns is a gorgeous visual novel with 70,000+ word count, multiple endings, random facts about dogs in the menu (!) and Steam Achievements support.

A Summer with the Shiba Inu by Quill Studios is set to be released for PC/Mac/Linux on August 23rd but if you’re impatient enough you can already check out the demo itch.io here.

Utawarerumono: ZAN Trailer Highlights More Fighters

A few months ago NIS America showed off some of the fighters in Utawarerumono: ZAN and now they have released a second character trailer showing off a number of new fighters and their special moves. The characters introduced this time are Nekone, Maroro, Atuy, and the twins Uruuru & Saraana who fight as a pair.

With twelve playable characters from the world of Utawarerumono players will be able to use a variety of special abilities to engage hordes of enemies in ferocious melee combat. Venture through dynamic battlefields, unleash devastating special moves, and experience a grand tale of war and destiny. The trailer can be found below while the game itself is set to be released on the PlayStation 4 in North America on September 10th and in Europe on September 13th.

BPS: Battle Programmer Shirase Complete Collection Review

BPS: Battle Programmer Shirase Complete Collection

Studio: AIC
Publisher: Maiden Japan
Format: Blu-ray (Reviewed)
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $39.98 – Available Here

Overview

Although less prevalent than full length anime series, there have always been shorter series mixed into an anime season with even more debuting these days. Back in 2003 this was still the case as there were four short series running during the fall season and one of these happened to be Battle Programmer Shirase. With a bit of unusual history that acknowledged Western fans efforts at the time to watch the program, Battle Programmer Shirase had never saw an official release. Now with this short series combined into a five episode length and featuring a small connection to a very popular franchise Maiden Japan has brought the series to North America.

Story

Akira Shirase may not appear like much to those who don’t know him as he tends to keep to himself but those who do know what a frightful being he can be. Nicknamed BPS, or the Battle Programmer Shirase, his abilities as a computer programmer make him a threat to every would-be hacker or anyone trying to use technology against innocent people as his skills put them to shame. 

That being said, these skills only come out when Shirase is hired as a freelancer but rather than work for money he instead only works for those who can offer something relating to his interests, be it a rare computer part or otaku themed good. Otherwise Shirase appears as a quiet man who lives in a stifling apartment building close to his niece and great-niece Misao Amano. Misao herself is also incredibly shy when it comes to interacting with others outside of her mother and great-uncle Shirase who she simply calls “onii-chan.” Misao helps take care of Shirase by cooking for him to ensure that he is eating properly as well as keeping up with his work, though the truth behind Shirase’s jobs are kept hidden from her.

Battle Programmer Shirase is something of an odd series primarily due to the fact that originally it aired as fifteen episodes spread across five mini-arcs that have now been trimmed down into five normal length episodes that only focus on solving a single event though characters that are introduced tend to make appearances in future events. This means that these episodes follow a general pattern that sees some type of threat happening to either a technology company, a military facility, or even Shirase himself, appearing with only the vaguest of backstories hinted at throughout the show. 

Instead viewers learn snippets about Shirase’s past that saw him learning his skills at a certain programming school though any mention of this is quickly squashed by Shirase himself who doesn’t want to speak of the incident, though it does serve as the major plot point in the final episode. Even things relating to Misao’s family situation are kept vague as mentions of her father are also dodged the one time they are brought up. Of course this doesn’t mean that the characters themselves are limited in nature. In fact they are nicely handled in this series as Shirase’s a man that sticks true to his interests and isn’t afraid to put himself in danger to fulfill a promise. Along those same lines Misao’s shyness is slowly conquered as the series progresses as she opens up to a new friend and even interacts more with kids at her school. Another girl, Yoriko, also makes an appearance and happens to match up to Shirase’s skills and mixes into the dynamic between Misao and Shirase well even if she acts far older than she might be.

It is interesting to note that since Battle Programmer Shirase is an ecchi comedy series that many of its running gags can be a bit on the nose. Every episode features Shirase being barged in on by a man named Kaoru Akizuki that is different from the last but similar in various aspects only to be found in an incredibly compromising and perverted situation with a girl, most often Misao, only to have Akizuki have a temporary meltdown before pretending he hasn’t seen anything.

Thanks to its nature as being a short anime series Battle Programmer Shirase can feel like it has much more to offer, especially since the last minute of the final episode leaves viewers off with a teaser of a time skip and more to come in Shirase’s story only to never actually continue and given that the story aired back in 2003, this cliffhanger is one that never ends up being resolved. That being said, this “beginning of Shirase’s tale” that the series itself describes itself as does tell a rather fun and interesting story that fans of elaborately impossible technical feats and fan-service will certainly enjoy.

Visuals

Originally animated by AIC, the studio known for popular series such as Tenchi Muyo (of which Misao appears in a spin-off of), and numerous other series Battle Programmer Shirase debuted in 2003 and holds up shockingly well given its release on Blu-ray. The designs of the characters are fitting to match their roles, though a few are a bit more eccentric than one may expect, while the backgrounds are nicely detailed. Viewers can even try and play “catch the reference” when it comes to all of the different technological, shipping, and drink companies that are mentioned throughout the series.

As far as fanservice goes, the series never goes beyond showing off a little bit of underwear or having characters appear in swimsuits but it is worth noting that outside of a few instances most of the fanservice happens to younger characters.

Audio

This Western release of Battle Programmer Shirase from Maiden Japan only features the original Japanese voice track but this works fine primarily due to the fact that not only do the voice actors fit their characters quite well here but they also happen to be veterans in their field that are still voicing characters in various anime today. It is interesting to note that probably to help sell the “gag” nature of the show a laugh track plays over the running gag of Akizuki catching Shirase.

The soundtrack features some fairly standard background music, though it is nice to note that there is a very catchy theme that appears often throughout the show. The opening theme “Suddenly” by Naomi Amagata is catchy and quite memorable while the ending theme “Pure Enough” by Yuki Matsuura is a simple enough closing that works well given the light nature most episodes end on.

Extras

With Maiden Japan bringing Battle Programmer Shirase to the West the company has included clean versions of the opening and ending animations as well as trailers for other releases from the company.

Overall

Battle Programmer Shirase may have a fairly short length and a cliffhanger that hints at plenty of potential that hasn’t been tapped in well over a decade but what it does feature is a great story with plenty of comedic moments and a light level of fanservice that doesn’t go overboard. With sprinklings of backstory for both Shirase as well as some character growth for Misao, this series is an enjoyable watch that certainly breaks the limit on what a programming genius can be capable of in an anime setting.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.