Brutally Hardcore Iterative Platformer Lands
on Switch, Windows PC and Mac on August 13
IRVINE,
Calif. — June 25, 2019 —
Developer Massive Monster (The
Adventure Pals) and publisher Armor Games Studios have announced
they will release Never
Give Up on Nintendo Switch. This brutally hardcore platformer
that lets you see what you’re made of — in more ways than one — will launch on
Switch through the Nintendo eShop, as well as Windows PC and Mac via Steam and
GOG.com, on August 13, 2019.
The next generation of the hit Give Up game series, Never Give Up is a
death-defying, twitch-based platformer packed full of vicious traps and hazards
designed to turn you into bloody goo — but the only way out is through! Never Give Up is the
biggest installment in the franchise yet, with over 150 bite-sized stages of
buzzsaws, guided missiles, giant rhino mechs, huge boss battles and more.
Success only ups the challenge: every time
you beat a level, another element is layered in to make it even harder. With
even a single misstep spelling doom, Never
Give Up may make you rage, but with treacherous platforming to
master and a “Give Up” button to circumvent failure — even death is a blast.
Never
Give Up is made for speedrunners
with built-in leaderboards, ghost racing and splits timers for tracking and
perfecting your route with each iteration. There are also tons of costumes,
collectibles, secrets and humor to discover, made even better with the voice
talent of Game Grumps’ Egoraptor (Arin Hanson) and colorful carnage illustrated
by Jimp.
From its roots as a popular portal for online
gaming, Armor Games Studios is a publisher that aims to work directly with and
help foster talented indie developers to create unique and engaging games of
all types for all platforms. For more information, visit www.armorgamesstudios.com,
and follow the company @ArmorGameStudio
on Twitter.
About
Massive Monster
Awoken by a nuclear blast, this colossal
game-making monstrosity flattens entire cities underfoot, bringing gaming
armageddon to all mankind! Massive Monster is an indie game studio that strives
to create exciting and memorable video games that are bursting with color and
character. www.massivemonster.co.uk
You Make The Choices.
Dice Decide Your Destiny. Back Solasta: Crown of The Magister on Kickstarter Later This Year
PARIS, FRANCE – June 25, 2019 – French independent developer Tactical Adventures announced today its latest project, tactical role-playing game Solasta: Crown of the Magister, is coming to Steam. Solasta: Crown of the Magister embraces the ruleset of the world’s greatest role-playing game where a player’s choice dynamically changes the adventure. The journey begins with creating a team of four explorers, selecting their race, class, background story, rolling for abilities and personal stats. Players will journey through the mystical realms of Solasta, unraveling a story that spans multiple worlds.
The dynamic and mysterious world of Solasta features brand new elements of verticality, allowing players to use their surroundings as an element of strategy. Position ranged characters on high vantage points or send your thief down into shafts and caverns to scope out what’s ahead. Utilize light as a tool to explore the depths and hollows of dungeons or use it as a weapon against the creatures of the dark. Solasta is a unique team-based adventure where each character plays a critical role in the campaign and can be a hero. Players must take advantage of each character’s strengths and weaknesses if they are to succeed.
Players will have the opportunity to get in on the adventure before it even starts when Tactical Adventures launches its Kickstarter campaign at the end of summer. Players will be able to back Solasta: Crown of the Magister on Kickstarter and link arms with the developers, joining the Solasta community and being rewarded for doing so!
Watch the Behind the Scenes Dev Diary Trailer with Tactical Adventures
Watch the Solasta: Crown of the Magister Animated Teaser Trailer
“Tactical Adventures is a small team comprised of Tabletop gamers, many of whom have been playing pen and paper games as well as D&D videogames for over 30 years,” says Mathieu Girard, founder of Tactical Adventures and Creative Director of the game. “We have always dreamed of creating our own game, so we set out to create Solasta, taking the best elements of our favorite games and enhancing and building upon them. Additionally, we have added new features such as light, verticality, team-based adventure, dice rolls, etc. We are using the actual rulesets from Tabletop games to finally bridge the gap between Pen and Paper and videogames.”
Solasta: Crown of the Magister Features:
Verticality:
Solasta is a three-dimensional world rather
than a series of flat maps. Locations can be explored by climbing walls,
flying, teleporting, crawling through tunnels, finding secret passages, or
falling through unstable ground, and allow the player to use the environment
to take on encounters in multiple different ways.
Team
Based Adventure: Players will have many options to choose
races, classes, backgrounds, and can even roll for stats as they create
their party. All members are essential – together you will adventure
through Solasta as a group, where you must work
together in pursuit of your quest.
Tactical
CRPG: Each encounter can be handled in multiple
ways. Will you use the high ground to strike your enemies from above as a
Darkweaver Rogue, or shove your enemies into deep chasms as a Mountaineer
Fighter? Your choices alone will determine the destiny of your party.
Light:
Light will not only help to see your surroundings as you explore deep
underground or in a dungeon. It can also be used as a weapon against dragons
and creatures you encounter along your journey. Careful, though – light
can also give away your position.
Created
by Tabletop Players: Tactical Adventures is a
team of highly experienced Tabletop players and veteran game developers
who are passionate about the genre, striving to create the best Tactical
RPG videogame
Kickstarter:
Tactical Adventures is giving players the opportunity to be
heard by joining the community and backing Solasta on
Kickstarter. The campaign will feature an amazing tiered reward
system and the team is already working on a demo of the game.
Solasta: Crown of the Magister will be available to support and back on Kickstarter soon.
# # # ABOUT TACTICAL ADVENTURES:
Tactical Adventures is a videogame development studio, created in 2018 by
Mathieu Girard, who previously co-founded Amplitude Studios (acquired by Sega
in 2016). Located in the heart of Paris, Tactical Adventures is a
self-published studio, aiming to create immersive & tactical videogames
within the RPG genre. One of the key strengths of the studio’s philosophy
revolves around the recruitment of experienced team members, organized into
agile teams, whose development process & decisions will be made in
collaboration with their community.
Relaxing Narrative Experience SENRAN KAGURA
Reflexions Available Now on Windows PC
Helping Asuka Take a Break from Shinobi Training
May be the Path to Winning Her Heart
Torrance, CA – June 24, 2019 – XSEED Games, the independent-minded publishing brand of Marvelous
USA, Inc., today announced that SENRAN KAGURA Reflexions is now
available for Windows PC on Steam. Fans of the shinobi of SENRAN KAGURA can
now experience the busty heart-pounding chronicle at 60 FPS on PC for
$9.99/£8.99/9,99€. Four additional characters are available as DLC for
$9.99/£8.99/9,99€ each, with a bundle featuring the base game with Asuka and
storylines for Yumi, Murasaki, Ryōna and Yomi available for a 40% discount
compared to buying them all separately. The ultimate fan edition ‘Heart’s
Desire’ digital deluxe includes the game with all DLC content released for the
title, including the four additional shinobi stories and cosmetic items, and is
available for $59.99/£49.99/59,99€. To celebrate the launch, all content is
discounted 10% off of the normal price for the first week following its
release.
KEY FEATURES
Heart-Pounding Frame Rate —The gameruns at a smooth 60 FPS
on PC to make sure players get every frame of plot development possible
Updated Controls — The motion controls of the original release
have been cleverly adapted for a fun experience using a mouse and keyboard or
controller
Dress for Success — Customize your special girl’s outfit, hair,
and accessories in the Dressing Room with fan-favorite outfits and options
A Hands-On Narrative — The ways in which you interact with Asuka will
lead to branching story paths. With seven different situation and 6 unique
endings, only a master of shinobi reflexology can experience them all
DLC Brings More Characters to De-Stress — In addition to Asuka, make lovely memories with Yumi, Murasaki, Ryōna and Yomi as premium downloadable content
About SENRAN KAGURA
Reflexions
After brutal melees, rhythmic cooking contests, and shockingly
serious water gun fights, the SENRAN KAGURA series is ready to take on
the world of interactive storytelling for the first time and give players a
chance to get to know the shinobi heroine Asuka in surprising new ways. SENRAN
KAGURA Reflexions tasks players with employing the art of reflexology
and massage using updated controls and improved visuals running at 60 FPS on
PC. Melt away Asuka’s worries and stresses by hand or through a variety of
useful tools, and explore deeper relationships than have ever been possible in
the series before. Through additional DLC players can explore new narrative
experiences with other shinobi including Yumi, Murasaki, Ryōna, and Yomi.
SENRAN KAGURA Reflexionsis developed by HONEY∞PARADE
GAMES, Inc. and is published by XSEED Games for Windows PC. SENRAN KAGURA
Reflexionsfor Nintendo Switch™ is available on the Nintendo
eShop and on PC via Steam. This title is rated “M for Mature” by the ESRB on the Nintendo Switch™ and Windows PC. More
information on the game can be found at the product website www.skreflexions.com.
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.
It looks like the internet darling Ryza is now going to have a Western release window as Koei Tecmo has released an English teaser trailer that basically announces that Atelier Ryza: The Queen of Eternal Darkness and the Secret Hideout is getting a Western release since it is the same exact video as the Japanese version and features the incredibly popular main character.
No exact name for the Western release has been given yet but the full reveal is set to occur on June 27th. Currently we know that the Japanese version of the game is set for release on the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC and will follow the tomboyish Reisalin Stout, called Ryza by her friends, who wishes to go on a journey.
Aquaplus has announced that they are now working on a brand new Utawarerumono game and while details are being kept incredibly scarce we do know a few details thanks to the official teaser website. Featuring a main character named Akuta who has no memories of his past but still has a strong sense of duty and Minagi, a girl called “princess” that cares for her younger sister and wants to battle against her family’s fate alongside Akuta.
No official name, platforms, genre (likely RPG), or release window were given for this new Utawarerumono game but the full reveal is set for July 2nd where it will be interesting to see if this game will tie into previous entries in any way.
Back in 2011 a massive earthquake and tsunami struck Japan and caused massive damage and loss of life so it only made sense that a game such as Disaster Report 4 would have been in poor taste so the game, which was in development back then, was cancelled. Well over the recent years Disaster Report 4 Plus: Summer Memories was officially released in Japan and now NIS America has announced that the game will be heading to the West for the PlayStation 4, PC, and Nintendo Switch in early 2020.
On a calm summer day turns into catastrophe when a massive earthquake strikes your city, throwing buildings and lives into chaos. In order to survive, you must navigate familiar locations under unfamiliar circumstances. The fellow survivors you meet and crucial decisions you make will affect the course of your experience and ultimately determine how your journey through this crisis will end.
Headup Games and Cracked Heads Games announced today their first person horror game Silver Chains will launch on PC on the 6th of August. It will be available via Steam, GOG, and other major digital distributors. A console release for Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One is scheduled for Q4 2019, with an exact date being revealed closer to launch.
Silver Chains is set in abandoned manor in rural England. After being knocked out in accident, our hero Peter wakes up to find himself in the manor with something lurking in the shadows. Peter has the vague feeling he’s been in the manor before, but he can’t seem to remember. Players will need to explore the manor and solve its many puzzles to unlock its secrets, all while a terrifying monster hunts Peter down mercilessly.
Cracked Head Games also released a brand new trailer for Silver Chains along with the launch date announcement. The short trailer is pretty standard for the horror genre, with plenty of tense music, creepy environments, and a jump scare.
With Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle set to be released in a couple of weeks Koei Tecmo has released some new screenshots, gameplay footage, and additional information about some of the new weapons that players will be able to use to battle against the Titans. Alongside the traditional Slashing Gear, Scouts can now equip the even more deadly Shooting Gear. Replacing blades for guns allows for long-range attacks along with a variety of different ammo types that offer different types of damage, including: Regular Shot, Scatter Shot, Explosive Shot, Attrition Shot, Numbing Shot and Incendiary Shot Ammo. Re-loading ammo is as easy as replacing gas and blades – though in Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle if players release the reload button as the dial hits the ‘yellow’ area, they will achieve a perfect reload and the resource in use will not deplete for a short time.
The impressive Showdown Equipment is also on-hand to provide Scouts a massive increase of power in battle. Two options are available to them; the revolutionary Thunder Spear quickly deals explosive damage to wipe out Titans, and the Gatling Guns unload high levels of magazines which rip through any Titan part in sight. Once this equipment is obtained in battle, and the Showdown Equipment gauge filled, they are able to unleash high damage attacks for a limited period.
Idea Factory International has announced that they are aiming to have Dragon Star Varnir released on PC sometime in September where it will be available through Steam. This PC release will feature all of the content and gameplay from the original Japanese release, opposed to the PlayStation 4 version that had two slightly altered CGs, and will feature the same localized subtitles and voice work.
In Dragon Star Varnir players take on the role of Zephy, a knight sworn to hunt witches, who ends up being turned into a witch when two find him on the brink of death. With witches cursed to consume dragon meat that will either see them die once the dragon in their body bursts out or go insane from starvation, the group must find a way to break the curse.
Over the years PQube has really stepped up their localization efforts to bring niche and even bigger Japanese games to English speaking audiences first in Europe and now around the world. Few publishers that localize games such as these tend to dip their toes into actually developing a game but that just so happens to be the case with Kotodama: The 7 Mysteries of Fujisawa. Partnering with Art Co. PQube has brought out a mystery visual novel that is far more than it initially appears to be and perhaps a sign that more risks like this should be taken.
Story
Without much backstory players find themselves transferring into a new school called the Fujisawa Academy in the middle of the year. The player, whose gender and name is chosen at the start of the game, doesn’t really have an explanation as to why they transferred during such an odd time of the year but perhaps “Mon-chan” a demonic female fox that you have formed a pact with hints that it was likely due to you sticking your nose into dangerous situations and attracting the wrong kind of attention.
Being a new student, the player would rather keep their head low for a bit but that quickly flies out the window as the extremely energetic Nanami Kagura is assigned as being your guide around school. As a member of the school’s Occult Research Club (ORC) Nanami is obsessed with the seven mysteries that have grown popular among the students in the massive campus. Dragged along to help investigate these mysteries while under the guise of the tour players quickly learn that while the mysteries may be rather simple, things at Fujisawa are never as simple as they seem. In fact this describes Kotodama: The 7 Mysteries of Fujisawa as a whole as a visual novel since the first time through the chapters things feel incredibly rushed and very little feels resolved until the big twist is revealed.
One can certainly applaud how much of a facade Kotodama: The 7 Mysteries of Fujisawa manages to hold up until this point in the game and while we won’t say exactly what happened, players will certainly be in for more of a story than they ever could have expected and that the fantasy elements of the game take a major upswing past this point. What may seem like a generic mystery that ends up feeling like players only scratch the surface of issues eventually turns into a one that is almost a bit too complicated for its own good as more mysteries are unveiled in subsequent run throughs.
Players will find that the game’s mysteries will be peeled away layer by layer, a running theme in the game, as they make their way through subsequent runs of the game as it is completely impossible to actually obtain the true ending in one playthrough. In fact, thanks to the aforementioned twist players will be finding themselves exploring the story multiple times over trying to find the best choices to unveil the truth behind the mysteries that may appear simple at first only for the numerous twists to throw players for a loop the more they learn.
Unfortunately despite successfully being able to tell a dark mystery with numerous twists that will keep players enthralled, Kotodama: The 7 Mysteries of Fujisawa does feel like it does a rather poor job actually sticking the landing. Both the normal good ending and especially the true ending will leave players staring at the true credits wondering when the next scene might pop up as the story is ripe to continue in the future. Of course this type of cliffhanger does leave players open to see a sequel or expansion of sorts but be prepared for a mostly dissatisfying ending until then.
Gameplay
Unlike many other visual novels Kotodama: The 7 Mysteries of Fujisawa features quite a few different mechanics that may not feel nearly as important as they are. While playing through the game there are moments that the player has free access to explore various parts of the school and despite initially appearing to be a consequence free system, there are certain events that only end up being triggered when some locations are visited before others. Along those same lines, the “Quacker” style app that the students use to talk online also can play a significant role in unlocking new scenes as well so players will want to keep an eye on that.
Of course the biggest aspect of actually playing in this visual novel outside of making choices happens to be the match-3 puzzle mini-game. Through the player’s pact with the fox demon it is possible for them to make it so they cannot tell them a lie, this is done by enveloping them in a mind-space and playing a mini-game that strips away their lies. Of course to help bring a bit of fan-service to the game, these lies are represented as being layers of clothing so both your female and male targets end up being stripped down to their underwear as a result.
The game is played by selecting the different colored orbs and using a move to slide it to the top of the board in an effort to match three or more of the same color with each target having a specific colored orb that fills up their “Happy” gauge more than others. The goal is to fill this happy gauge fully without running out of moves and facing a game over though every time a layer of clothing is stripped away, which is every fourth of the gauge, ten extra moves are added to the player’s pool. To make things a bit easier players can also use challenge items that have a percentage change to succeed in giving players an extra move or two but risk failing and having to worry about their current board being wiped or the target being shielded from “happy” damage for a bit.
Initially players will find that this mini-game is a bit simple and won’t find much challenge but as the game progresses they will find the game growing much more difficult. While it is possible to increase the damage of some orbs by finding specific “words” in the world there are some stages that are incredibly difficult to finish at times. It is also worth noting that while players have the option to fast-forward past previously read dialogue on a repeat playthrough, it is impossible to skip through a mini-game. This makes the multiple playthroughs a bit more of a drag than they should be since, while the mini-game is fun for a while, it doesn’t really hold up too long when forced multiple times to see the same truth revealed.
Visuals & Audio
The character models in the game are quite gorgeous though players may be a bit disappointed that, since the game is set entirely in the school, that there really isn’t much variety in the actual clothing. The character artwork is fairly unique enough though between the core cast to tell each other apart and the fan service elements are handled even handedly across both female and male characters being stripped down with a number of variants of underwear for all of the characters. It is a bit disappointing to say that while the artwork is great, the actual number of CGs in the game is shockingly small and the background environments themselves are also incredibly generic outside of one or two locations.
The same can be said about the soundtrack for the game as most of the music rarely stands out, though the voice acting is handled incredibly well. That being said, considering the amount of moans that come from the mini-game this may not be one to play too loudly if you’re out and about with the Switch.
Overall
Kotodama: The 7 Mysteries of Fujisawa makes for an enthralling visual novel that may seem simple at the start but once the layers are peeled away (just like the clothing of the characters) the more mysterious and twisted the truth behind the school and the mysteries themselves end up being. By throwing players for a loop and offering a solid storyline that unfortunately doesn’t quite stick the landing, PQube’s first try of publishing a game is a worthy effort for those looking for something unexpected.
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