After being announced less than a month ago it looks like Western fans won’t have to wait long to play the next game in the Atelier series as Koei Tecmo has announced that Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout will be releasing for the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC on October 29th in North America and November 1st in Europe. Considering the game is being released in Japan on September 26th this is a remarkably quick turn around for a localization and while the company has not announced whether the game will be getting an English dub, they did provide us with some official details and another trailer.
As many expected, Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout will begin a new storyline in the series and follows exploits of teenage tomboy Ryza, who dreams of escaping her mundane village lifestyle, alongside her band of mischievous friends. One day, as they explore a forbidden island in search of adventure, they meet an elderly magician who will change their lives forever. After some convincing, the old man begins teaching Ryza the enchanting ways of alchemy; launching her on an adventure that will ultimately lead her on a quest to save her hometown from the mysterious and deadly darkness lurking beneath the surface.
Atlus has released a new introduction trailer for Ryuji Sakamoto in Persona 5 Royal and though fans of the game may already be more than familiar with the track student, this footage focuses almost entirely on showing off new content that has been added into this version of the game. That includes a look at the third-tier of his Persona Captain Kidd.
Another thing that is shown off appears to be a brand new and rather hilarious looking combo move that sees him pair up with Yusuke to take down a foe. The video can be found below and as for the game itself Persona 5 Royal is set to be released on the PlayStation 4 in Japan on October 31st with a 2020 Western release already announced.
A new trailer for Utawarerumono: ZAN has been released by NIS America with the focus being almost entirely on showing off the game’s combat systems and how various characters will play while they battle against the hordes of foes that will appear before them. Players will be able to take up to four characters per mission and be able to switch between them instantaneously to take advantage of every fighter’s abilities all while building up their “Zeal” to unleash a devastating Final Strike.
Players can even take the fight online where they can play with others to defeat their enemies and communicate with one another using stickers similar to those often found in gacha games. The trailer can be found below and as for Utawarerumono: ZAN it is currently set to be released on the PlayStation 4 on September 10th in North America and September 13th in Europe.
Spellforce 3: Soul Harvest is the standalone expansion pack to Spellforce 3, first released in 2017. Soul Harvest overhauls the UI and some core gameplay features while adding new flying units, hero abilities, two races, and a 20-hour campaign that is set three years after the events of Spellforce 3.
Story
Spellforce 3 brings players back to Nortander. The
Purity Wars is over, and the surviving followers of Rondar Lacaine have been
scattered. Several new threats are appearing while Nortander is still shakily
rebuilding. The Wolf Guard are struggling with understaffing and new
leadership. Nortander’s elite fighting force will need to pull together to stop
a new force threatening to consume Nortander.
The campaign story is decent. The writers have a few different threads they are trying to weave into a coherent story, so the plot can get a little scattered at times. In the end, they manage to create a narrative that drives the plot well. Players have some flexibility in determining how deep they want to dive in the story as there is plenty of optional dialogue that will provide details about the world’s lore. The campaign is delivered in a way that those who are playing a Spellforce title for the first time will still get some enjoyment out of the game, but those who played 3 will be treated to a few familiar faces.
Gameplay
Spellforce 3: Soul Harvest is an RTS/RPG hybrid. At
the core of everything are the game’s heroes who are treated as RPG style
characters. Players choose two skill trees for the main character General Aerev
and mercenaries, while story characters have their trees pre-selected. Character
skills and equipment will carry over between levels. Maps general cycle between
an RPG style dungeon followed by a more traditional RTS map.
The new campaign is enjoyable. The developers are very quick
to introduce the two new races in the game, something I felt they were a little
slow at in the base game. While the goal in the RTS portion of the game is the
usual wipe your opponent off the face of the world, the RPG quest system gives
the campaign a little more variety. Even in the RTS heavy maps, completing
quests will unlock alternative routes and extra loot to give players a leg up. I
like the equal emphasis the campaign puts on the RPG sections of the game, as it
is a big part of what makes Spellforce 3 unique and breathes life into
the campaign.
The two new races are an enjoyable addition. The Dwarves rely
heavily on stone and offer strong defensive play. The Dark Elves are the more
unique addition, focusing more on relentless offensive attacks and harvesting
the souls of the dead for their best units.
Spellforce 3: Soul Harvest does a good job adding a bit
of polish to the game mechanics and provides new strategies for players. Heroes
are now locked to two skill trees with a special skill based on the two skill
trees selected. While this whittles down the number of available skills, there
is still only twelve skill slots for all four heroes. It’s still extremely
limiting, especially since items with usable skills take up one of those slots.
On the other hand, the addition of flying units and blueprints to lower the
cost of certain units and buildings offer some new options for players. Considering
the game’s emphasis on global resource management, being able to surprise enemies
by attacking their backlines can really change the flow of the game.
Visuals
Spellforce 3: Soul Harvest’s graphics are pretty much
the same as the original game. The graphics on max setting can still hold their
own in 2019. The new Dwarf and Dark Elf races are well designed, fitting within
the overall art style in the game while still being distinct. The Dwarfish architecture
is boxy and full of straight lines, while the Dark Elves have a more shadowy
and ethereal design.
Audio
The audio experience in Spellforce 3: Soul Harvest is
theweakest point. The sound effects are decent. The voice acting is on
the rougher side. General Aerev’s male voice actor feels oddly out of place
compared to the rest of the actors. The other actors make an admirable attempt,
but the quality of their performance falls short. The music on its own is decent,
but low key. I often found it a little out of place during extended battles, as
something a little more upbeat would have been better.
Overall
Spellforce 3: Soul Harvest is probably the right purchase for those interested in SpellForce 3. It polishes up the game in subtle, but helpful ways that gives the game a bit more variety. The meaty campaign is an enjoyable one, though the voice acting can fall a bit short at times. Spellforce 3: Soul Harvest never exceling at being an RTS or an RPG, but its recipe for combining the two makes it still a very attractive niche title.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Sega has announced that a new fantasy action game called SolSeraph is in the works by ACE Team and it will be coming out quite soon as it will be launching digitally on July 10th for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC where it will be $14.99 on all platforms. SolSeraph places players in the wing-tipped shoes of an almighty divinity who is tasked with rebuilding civilization while protecting the people from the constant threat of mythical demons and monsters.
After the Younger Gods began tormenting humankind with fires, storms, and floods the young tribes struggled for survival and now Helios, Knight of the Dawn and child of god and man is seeking to aid humanity in a game that will balance side-scrolling action with top-down strategy elements where players will need to guide each tribe from the clouds above in order to help expand their territory and dispel the dark fog that shrouds their lands. Once each of the creatures’ lairs have been exposed, you must take the role of Helios to fight the monsters head on.
After announcing that they would be localizing The Alliance Alive HD Remastered earlier this year NIS America has now nailed down when fans of the remastered game can expect it to be released on the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. The game will be released in North America on October 8th, October 11th in Europe, and finally October 18th in Oceania regions with the PC version coming at a later date.
To go along with this news the company also released some new screenshots for The Alliance Alive HD Remastered as well as a video showing off the improved visuals compared to the original 3DS release and you can check that out below.
When one thinks of a One Punch Man game a team fighting game probably wouldn’t jump to the top of the list given how powerful the main character actually is but Bandai Namco has announced that such a game is currently in development. One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows as it is called is an action fighting game that is set to come out for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC sometime in the future. Featuring three versus three battles players will be able to battle as many fan favorite characters outside of Saitama as the currently announced characters, introduced in the reveal trailer, are Genos, Hellish Blizzard, Speed-o’-Sound Sonic and Mumen Rider.
One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows is being developed by Spike Chunsoft, whose most recent fighting game left a lot to be desired. A handful of screenshots as well as the aforementioned trailer can be found below.
Idea Factory International is continuing to introduce the various heroines that will appear in Date A Live: Rio Reincarnation and this time around they are doubling down with the Yamai sisters, Kaguya Yamai and Yuzuru Yamai. Kaguya, also known as Berserker, is a Spirit who moves faster than a gale. Encountering her, much less interacting with her, is difficult. She is accompanied by typhoon-like strong winds, often leaving behind a trail of tragedy in her wake.
Yuzuru, also called Berserker, is a Spirit that harbors the shaking winds. She is one of two Spirits known as Beserker, but the circumstances of their connection are a mystery. Both girls manifest the angel Raphael. Currently Date: A Live: Rio Reincarnation is set to be released on the PlayStation 4 on July 23rd in North America and July 26th in Europe with the PC version dropping on July 23rd.
Even though the Hyperdimension Neptunia series has spanned through numerous game genre it has pretty much always been developed by a Japanese studio. With the latest release, Super Neptunia RPG, being developed by the Canadian based team Artisan Studios it marks the first time that a Western dev team helped create the game and what better way to celebrate that then with a nearly seven minute video taking fans behind the scenes of the game’s development.
You can find the video below while Super Neptunia RPG has already released on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC in North America and will be arriving in Europe on June 28th.
Momoa, McKenzie, Elwes,
Baccarin Headline Celebrity Roster At Wizard World Chicago, August 22-25
Winkler,
Sarandon, Cudmore, Law, Wendt, Giuntoli Also Scheduled To Appear at Donald E.
Stephens Convention Center
ROSEMONT,
Ill., June 26, 2019 – Jason Momoa (Aquaman, Justice League), “Gotham”
stars Ben McKenzie,
Morena Baccarin and Drew
Powell, Cary
Elwes (The
Princess Bride, “Stranger Things”), Henry Winkler (“Happy Days,” “Barry”), Chris Sarandon (The Princess Bride, Nightmare Before
Christmas), Daniel
Cudmore (X-Men,
The Twilight Saga), George
Wendt (“Cheers”), Katrina
Law (“Arrow,” “Spartacus: Blood and Sand”) and David Giuntoli
(“Grimm,” “A Million Little Things”) are among the early wave of celebrities
scheduled to attend the 22nd annual Wizard
World Chicago, August 22-25 at the Donald E. Stephens
Convention Center.
Momoa will attend on Sunday, August 25; McKenzie, Baccarin and Wendt are
scheduled to attend Friday through Sunday, August 23-25; Elwes, Sarandon,
Giuntoli and Law will appear on Saturday and Sunday only; Winkler is set to
attend all four days.
Other stars scheduled to appear include
Dean Cain (“Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,”
“Smallville”), Kevin
Conroy (“Batman: The Animated Series,” “Justice League”), Matt Ryan
(“Constantine,” “Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag”), Lou Ferrigno (“The
Incredible Hulk,” “The King of Queens”),
Melissa Joan Hart (“Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,” “Melissa and
Joey”), Teddy Sears (A Single Man, The Flash), Dean Cain (“Lois
& Clark”), John
Glover (“Smallville”), Thomas Ian Nicholas (Rookie of the Year, American Pie)
and Lisa Marie Varon
(professional wrestler). Standout voice actors attending who appeared in
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and many other series and films are Rob Paulsen (“Donatello”),
Cam Clarke (“Leonardo”),
Townsend Coleman
(“Michelangelo”) and Barry
Gordon (“Donatello”). Additional celebrities will be added
to the roster closer to the event.
Some of the world’s most talented creators populate Artist Alley at Wizard
World. Top writers and artists scheduled to attend are Kurt Lehner (“Gargoyles,”
“Marvel Action Hour”),
Jeremy Clark (“Grimm Fairy Tales,” “Day of the
Dead”), Claudio
Aboy (DC Comics),
Stuart Sayger (“G.I. Joe,” “KISS”), Gerry Conway
(“Punisher,” “The Amazing Spider-Man”), Christopher
Priest (“Black Panther,” “Conan the Barbarian”), Carl Potts (“Alien
Legion,” “Venom”), Mostafa
Moussa (“Superman,” “Fantastic Four”), Joe Wos (“Mazetoons”), Stuart Sayger (“The
Walking Dead,” “Xena”), Thomas
Estrada (Disney, DreamWorks), Joe Corroney (“Star Wars,” “The
Avengers”), Tim Lattie (“Ghostbusters,”
WWE), Trevor Mueller
(“Albert the Alien,” “Los Ojos”) and more.
Wizard World Chicago will also feature non-stop live entertainment hosted by Kato Kaelin, gaming,
exclusive Q&A sessions with top celebrities, movie screenings hosted by
stars and directors and more. Details to follow soon, along with programming
and entertainment stage schedules.
Wizard World events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate
the best in pop culture: movies, television, gaming, live entertainment,
comics, sci-fi, graphic novels, toys, original art, collectibles, contests and
more. The eighth event scheduled on the 2019 Wizard World calendar, Chicago
show hours are Thursday, August 22, 4-9 p.m.; Friday, August 23, noon-7 p.m.;
Saturday, August 24, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, August 25, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Kids 10
and under are admitted free with paid adult.
Wizard World Chicago is also the place for cosplay, with fans young and old
showing off their best costumes throughout the event. Fans dressed as every
imaginable character – and some never before dreamed – will roam the convention
floor and participate in the famed Wizard World Costume Contest on Saturday
evening.
About Wizard Entertainment, Inc. (OTCBB:
WIZD)
Wizard Entertainment, Inc. (www.wizardworld.com)
produces comic, gaming and pop culture conventions across North America that
celebrate the best in pop culture: movies, television, gaming, live
entertainment, tech, comics, sci-fi, graphic novels, toys, original art,
collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming
and entertainment takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A’s,
comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and
more. Wizard Entertainment has also teamed with Sony Pictures Entertainment to
find the next generation of movies as well as to engage in a number of
strategic initiatives. Additional initiatives may include an augmented touring
schedule of Wizard World shows, fixed-site installations, curated e-commerce,
and the production and distribution of content both in the U.S. and
internationally. Fans can interact with Wizard Entertainment at www.wizardworld.com and on Facebook,
Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media services.
