You may remember that a couple of years ago Gun Gun Pixies was announced for release in Japan for the PS Vita. An odd little shooter that saw players controlling two tiny girl aliens from outer space that have been tasked with infiltrating a women’s college dormitory. The two pixies must stealthily study human behavior in order to help fix the social issues that have arose on their own home planet.
Well now Gun Gun Pixies is getting a Western release thanks to PQube as the company has announced plans to release the game in North America and Europe for the Nintendo Switch and PC where it will be available both physically and digitally. A special day one edition of the game will include a collector’s box as well as a high quality artbook that will feature concept drawings, key artworks, characters in alternate outfits, and more.
TETRIS®
99 is available now as a free-to-download game playable exclusively for
Nintendo Switch Online members
7th March, 2019 – Think you can clear lines with the best? Starting at 12:00am AEDT / 2:00am NZDT on Saturday 9th March and running until 5:59pm AEDT / 7:59pm NZDT on Monday 11th March, a special online event will be held in TETRIS® 99: the TETRIS® 99 Grand Prix. The top 99 players from Australia or New Zealand with the most wins during this period will each get 999 Gold Points, worth AU$9.99 / NZ$9.99 in Nintendo eShop. More details can be found on the TETRIS® 99 Online Events page.
Revealed in a Nintendo
Direct broadcast on 14th February, TETRIS® 99 is
available now and is the latest entry in the iconic puzzle franchise, in which
99 players compete together online until only one is left standing. Nintendo
Switch Online
members can battle for dominance in this free-to-download game.
*Internet connection required
during online play. To use online services, you must create a Nintendo Account
and accept the related agreement. The Nintendo Account Privacy Policy applies.
Online play requires paid online membership.
It has been revealed that Sega will be bringing Judgement to North America and Europe on June 25th for the PlayStation 4. The retail edition of the game will feature a reversible cover as well as a Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio sticker though it is worth noting that the digital version of the game will allow those who pre-order it to have early access to the game starting on June 21st.
Following this announcement Sega also has released an English trailer showing off the game’s various features that include combat using two unique combat styles, Crane and Tiger, with a number of skills, weapons, and a mix of both powerful and hilarious EX actions to take down your opponents.
If there is one thing that brings a smile to my face regarding video games, it’s the hype before the release. For the past few days, I’ve been lurking the subreddit of r/DevilMayCry, observing the memes & theories of Devil May Cry 5. There is something adorable watching a community from all sides of the world coming together and predicting everything about the game. Well, the joke is on them since I don’t need to do any of that! I got my review copy a long time ago, played it to hell and back (currently on my third playthrough) so gather around the campfire and I might give you an answer to the eternal question of: is it any good?
Story
A long time ago, the human world was invaded by Mundus, the prince of darkness. One demon named Sparda decided to rebel against him. He defeated Mundus and sealed the gate connecting the human and demon worlds. For a short while, the human world enjoyed peace and Sparda even married a woman called Eva, who gave birth to two sons – Dante and Vergil. They both possessed human and demonic traits (notably powers) but upon learning this, Mundus ordered his legion to murder Eva. The tragedy separated two brothers, who went to forge their own paths. Dante was more about revenge and hunting demons (it paid well, after all) while Vergil was on his quest for more and more power. Over the years, the brother crossed paths many times and fought each other. Dante also challenged Mundus, sealing him away once more and encountering new characters along the way. Expert weapon crafter Nico, gorgeous demoness Trish, a gun expert simply called Lady and a young knight Nero. They all make a (re)appearance in Devil May Cry 5 since a new and powerful foe draws them together for one ultimate showdown.
Gameplay
There is a lot to go over regarding combat in Devil May Cry 5, but in short – it’s amazing! You have two difficulties at the start; human and devil hunter. More are unlocked as you complete the game over and over. Replay value is huge but we’ll get to that later. If you’re just interested in the story, my recommendation to you would be to select “human” difficulty and have auto assist on. You will still have to dodge, jump and attack yourself, but the assist feature will make performing combos a piece of cake. On our way to the ultimate foe, we’ll have to go through the small army of demons with an impressive arsenal at our disposal and three playable characters. You start with one-handed Nero but in this case, missing an arm is anything but a handicap. You can equip a robotic arm that you find throughout the level (or buy one or two before starting one) and easily mix it up with your sword/gun attacks. Each robotic arm has a different ultimate attack (some can stun an enemy, instantly kill them or slow down the time) or you can detonate one to destroy it when you are cornered by enemies. That gives you some breathing space. Nero is an easy character to get into and to introduce you with the basics of combat until you meet V (your second playable character). Now, this is where the fun starts. V is….well, kind of a wizard and beat tamer. He can’t fight for himself but he can command his demonic raven and black panther to fight for him (don’t worry, you control them both). His devil trigger enables him to summon a giant golem to wreak total mayhem on enemies. Oh right, the devil trigger! As it is standard, this Devil May Cry has a devil trigger mechanic too. Once you take enough damage (or damage enemies) you can enter a state of increased damage and defense while you’re being slowly healed (a nice bonus). And lastly, we have good old Dante as a third playable character. Master of combos and stylish ranks. Most missions are predetermined with who you play as, but some do offer a choice of character selection. Just like in previous games, defeating enemies grants you red orbs that you can spend on purchasing new and upgrading existing skills.
Visuals
If there was a custom award I could give at the end of the review, Devil May Cry 5 would definitely take it for the most optimized game of 2019. Yep, even though we are only in March, I am that confident about it. For both of my playthroughs (on human and devil hunter difficulties) the game ran smooth as hell in constant 60 fps and without a hitch. Character models, animations and combat fluidity are beyond amazing. The game also comes with an integrated photo mode where you can pause the combat and fiddle around with a camera for that perfect screenshot. Trust me when I say it, there will be many of those. Enemy design is praiseworthy, especially some bosses.
Audio
If you’re looking for some high octane tunes to pump you up during demon slaying, you’re at the right place. Deluxe edition of the game even offers you the option of replacing battle music of Devil May Cry 5 with tunes from earlier games. If you ever felt like slashing and shooting followed by “Lock & Load” track from the first DMC, now’s your chance. This is also the first DMC game where I found voice acting anything but cringy and characters don’t act over the top. If anything, I’m in love with Nico’s strange southern girl accent.
Overall
As a cherry on top, this game has some impressive replay value. Completing the game will make Nero not so much one-handed as he will be two-handed. Yeah, I’m just saying in a needlessly complicated way that he gets his arm back. This addition gives him new combos including some unique takedown on bosses for your second playthrough. Besides that, there are plenty of secret missions, secret areas, blue orbs and S ranks to collect. Thanks to CAPCOM, this month started off great.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
RUNWAY STORY GOES BEYOND
BAE-SICS, SEAMLESSLY BLENDING FAB FASHION INTO PUZZLE GAMING
Fiercely fashionable challenges abound in new game on iPhone and Android
Seoul – March 6, 2019 – Trend-heavy wonder
twins Jaime and Jerome take to the runway on a quest to unlock stardom in Runway
Story, available today from NEXON Korea Corporation, subsidiary of NEXON
Co., Ltd. (“Nexon”) (3659.TO), a worldwide leader in free-to-play online and
mobile games. Runway Story brings the hottest styles to mobile gamers to
design fabulous outfits and solve mind-bending puzzles, and can be downloaded
for free on the App Store
and Google Play.
Runway Story invites players to
solve hundreds of increasingly-complex and challenging puzzles by matching colorfully
stylish articles of clothing into patterns. Players can also unlock an array of
fabulous outfits to help Jaime and Jerome diversify their wardrobes. From cute
and fun to funky and hip, there are countless ways to customize and showcase
unique outfits.
Runway Story boasts multiple
fashion-minded features including:
Engaging Characters: Players can enter the world’s stage and
befriend a colorful cast of charming companions;
Endless Customization: Near-limitless clothing combinations ensure
that every runway show is completely unique;
Challenging Gameplay: Fashion hopefuls are challenged with
brain-bending and fun-to-play puzzles;
Beautiful Locations: Jaime and Jerome’s adventure takes them to
multiple exciting locations, such as the comic book store and Marina
Beach;
Bragging Rights: Players can show off creativity by sharing
charming designs with in-game friends.
Runway
Story is available now and free to play
worldwide for iPhone and Android devices. The game is rated E for Everyone
(ESRB). Additional information for members of the press:
About NEXON Co. Ltd. NEXON Co., Ltd. (“Nexon”) (3659.TO) is a
worldwide leader in free-to-play online and mobile games. Founded in Korea in
1994, Nexon developed one of the world’s first graphics-based massively
multiplayer online games. Nexon also pioneered the concept of microtransactions
and the free-to-play business model, setting a new standard in which play is
free, and users have the option to purchase in-game items to enhance their
experience. Nexon currently services nearly 100 titles in more than 190 countries. The
Company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and its shares are listed on the Tokyo
Stock Exchange.
EXPERIENCE THE CONCLUSION TO ASSASSIN’S
CREED® ODYSSEY LEGACY OF THE FIRST BLADE
Protect the Assassin’s Legacy in Bloodline, the Final Episode of
Legacy of the First Blade, Available Now
Sydney, Australia — March 6, 2019 — Today, Ubisoft announced that Bloodline, the final episode of the first post-launch story arc of Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey Legacy of the First Blade, is now available on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X and Windows PC. In Bloodline, the third and final episode of Legacy of the First Blade, our hero will finally face the mysterious villain who has been playing puppet master throughout the story arc. After a brutal attack, players will try to protect the Assassin’s legacy by fighting against those who are trying to eradicate the Tainted Ones.
Each
episode of Legacy of the First Blade features a new ability for each branch of
the skill tree: Hunter, Warrior and Assassin. While the first two episodes
introduced new Assassin and Hunter abilities, this third and final episode will
present players with a new Warrior ability, Fury of the Bloodline. It will
allow players to unleash a series of devastating blows with the Spear of
Leonidas, increasing the number of attacks with each level.
To
access Bloodline, players must have completed Hunted and Shadow Heritage, the
first and second episodes of Legacy of the First Blade, and the Naxos questline
in Chapter 7 of the main story of the game and must have reached character
level 28 or above.
The
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey post-launch plan is the biggest and most ambitious in
the franchise, and the launch of Legacy of the First Blade is just the
beginning for players who wish to progress further with new content in Ancient
Greece. Season pass owners will access two major episodic storylines, Legacy of
the First Blade and The Fate of Atlantis. Players can dive into new episodes as
they premiere, or experience the epic adventures in their entirety once all
episodes are available. The season pass also includes Assassin’s Creed®
III Remastered and Assassin’s Creed® III Liberation
Remastered and will be released on March 29 on PlayStation®4
computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox
One X and Windows PC.
For
more information on Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, please visit assassinscreed.com.
For
the latest on Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and other Ubisoft games, please visit
news.ubisoft.com.
ABOUT UBISOFT
Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and
distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of
world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s
video game series, Rayman, Far Cry and Watch Dogs. The teams throughout
Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to
delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular
platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2017–18
fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,732 million. To learn more, please
visit www.ubisoft.com.
She Remembered
Caterpillars, a nominee in the 2017
Independent Games Festival for Excellence in Visual Art,is a somber
experience set in a beautiful world. Explore fractured relationships, loss and
grief in a scientist’s experiment to save her father. Chapter by chapter,
discover the intricacies of this strange dreamscape filled with adorable little
creatures called Gammies, while eavesdropping on her heartbreaking tale.
Solve 40 brain-teasing
puzzles by leading the charming Gammies, each with a distinct color, through
matching gates and to their goals. Difficulty builds in every act with
challenging new color-based mechanics ingrained in the living architecture of
the world, including bridges and flora that can only be passed by Gammies of
certain hues. Designed with accessibility in mind, each Gammie color is
associated with a shape so that colorblind players can also enjoy the fun.
Haunting tunes from the
composer of Deponia and Galaxy on Fire complement this illusory
world. She Remembered Caterpillars provides a relaxing environment
through its ethereal aesthetic combined with sounds that soothe the soul and
intuitive puzzle designs.
“Our writer, Cassandra
Khaw, drew from her personal experience to craft a narrative that really touches
the heart,” said Daniel Goffin, CEO of Jumpsuit Entertainment. “We’ve woven a
tale through our puzzles that examines bereavement and the devastating
aftermath of losing someone close to you.”
Jumpsuit Entertainment
is a two-person studio based in Germany dedicated to crafting high-quality
games with novel forms of meaningful storytelling through gameplay.
About Ysbryd Games
Publisher Ysbryd Games,
best known for VA-11 HALL-A, delivers games with stories that have the
heart and soul to stay with players for a lifetime, underlined by captivating
gameplay and striking aesthetics.
Players
Will Determine Their Fate Today On PlayStation®4 System and STEAM
SYDNEY, 6th March 2019 –Square Enix Ltd., today announced that LEFT ALIVE®, new survival action shooter game, is now available for
the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and STEAM®.
LEFT ALIVE tells a human story of survival set during a devastating invasion in war-torn Novo Slava, Players are challenged to survive by uncovering alternate routes, crafting useful traps and weapons, and even turning enemy weaponry against them in order to save civilians trapped on the battlefield and uncover the truth behind the game’s mysteries.
The title was developed by veterans
of the gaming industry, including Toshifumi Nabeshima (director, Armored Core
series), Takayuki Yanase (mech designer, Ghost in the Shell: Arise, Mobile
Suit Gundam 00,Xenoblade Chronicles X) and Yoji Shinkawa from
KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS (character designer, METAL GEAR series). Shinkawa designed
each playable character, from the young Ruthenian staff sergeant Mikhail, to
confident Nova Slava police force captain Olga, and ex-member of the rebel
movement Leonid, who was framed for murder and sentenced to death.
As an added bonus, exclusive, free
DLC is available for all players. Players on PlayStation®4 and STEAM® can
download the LEFT ALIVE World of Tanks Collaboration DLC, whilst STEAM®
players can also pick up the LEFT ALIVE Half-Life Collaboration DLC,
which both add fun cosmetic changes to the LEFT ALIVE experience.
LEFT ALIVE is now available for the
PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and STEAM®.
Project Winteris an eight-player social survival game that plunges players into the middle of a frozen wasteland. To survive starvation, cold, and hostile wildlife, players must work together to gather resources and repair the radio so they can call in a helicopter extraction. To make things more challenging, two traitors are among the group who must use charisma and subterfuge to ensure no survivor makes it on the helicopter.
Project Winter is
best described as a mix of the classic party game Mafia and survival video
games. Matches run anywhere between 15-30 minutes depending on the players, so the
survival mechanics are simplified compared to other survival titles. All
players need to manage health, hunger, and heat. A large cabin is spawned in
the middle of the map, and all other objective locations and wildlife spawn randomly
around the map. The cabin offers the most reliable source of heat, crafting benches,
and the radio needed to call in an extraction. Players can vote to exile
suspected traitors from the cabin, making survival a further challenge.
Survivors must work together to harvest resources, explore
the map for bunkers containing crafting supplies, and repair objectives to call
in the extraction. Opening bunkers and repairing objectives will require
multiple survivors either pressing buttons at the same time or carrying
multiple stacks of supplies to an objective. On the other hand, traitors must
slow the survivor’s progression as much as they can and prevent as many
survivors as possible from escaping. To do this, they must sabotage objectives
and open traitor boxes that will provide high quality items that balances out the
fact traitors are wildly outnumbered. Skilled traitors will spend much of the
game doing their best to openly cooperate with survivors as they gather enough
guns to kill off a survivor that has strayed away from the group or take
control of the helicopter loading ramp. Players are awarded in-game currency at
the end of each match based on the number of survivors who made it on the ship
and how many objectives the player managed to complete.
The social nature of the game means communication is a must.
Survivors will need to organize themselves and point out possible traitors. Traitors
need to coordinate between each other and do their best to shift the blame on
innocent survivors or throw their partner under the bus. While text chat is
possible in Project Winter, the game is
clearly designed with microphones in mind. Local voice chat is directional, and
colour coded radios are scattered in chests across the level. Traitors are
issued a matching radio set right away, allowing them to coordinate their
efforts in private. As the match progresses, the radios become risky as it
could allow survivors to listen in on the traitors and vice versa.
The controls are decent but can use a little bit of work.
The game supports mouse and keyboard and controller set ups. I found the mouse
and keyboard to be a little awkward at times. The UI only displays the default key
bindings, so players who change their binds will need to memorize them. Picking
up items off the ground can be a little tricky as the game is very fussy about
player positioning.
Project Winter’s audio/visual
presentation is excellent. The sound effects and music are enjoyable. The
positional voice chat is great, allowing sneaky players to eavesdrop at a
slight distance and lost players to follow the direction of the voices to find
the group. The game uses a simple but eye-catching 3D cartoon style that
emphasizes the endless snow. Since the game does not have any character
progression, players are given a variety of cosmetic items to customize their
characters. Players have access to a large colour palette to start with, but
more distinct equipment must be purchased with in game currency after the
player completes the required objectives. Alternatively, items can also be
purchased on Steam Marketplace.
The biggest challenge facing Project Winter is the game’s social nature. The problem is two-folds.
On one hand, the game is at its best when players really get into the social
aspect. Ideally, the game is best enjoyed with eight friends; however, wrangling
that large of a group can be a logistical nightmare. On the other hand, public
servers are heavily reliant on being lucky enough to find some dedicated
players who are willing to communicate. The issue is compounded by the game’s price
tag, which restricts the game’s player base. It’s hard to say what’s the best
way to tackle the problem. One option would be to switch to a free to play model
and make a better effort to monetize using the existing cosmetics system. Another
option would be a semi free to play option, such as requiring the host to own
the game. Finally, a shorter blitz mode involving less players may allow
smaller groups of friends to enjoy the game.
Gameplay wise, Project
Winter is already a solid, casual social-survival game. There is room for
improvement, as more content and better control, but the real challenge for Other
Ocean isn’t technical in nature. No matter how good Project Winter is or will ever be, the game’s existence is inevitably
tied to the size and quality of the player base. Other Ocean’s real challenge
in the coming months is to figure out how to grow, nurture, and maintain that
player base.
PUBG MOBILE X RESIDENT EVIL 2
OFFERS ALL-NEW CONTENT AND RECEIVES FEATURE ON APP STORE AND GOOGLE PLAY
In-game
collaboration with Capcom’s legendary survival horror franchise expands with
new character skins in one of the world’s most popular mobile games
LOS ANGELES, – March 5, 2019 – In an ongoing
partnership, Tencent Games, PUBG Corporation and Capcom Co., Ltd. (Capcom) have
brought the world of Resident Evil 2 into PUBG MOBILE with
a special mode, Survive till Dawn, which drops hordes of the undead shambling
onto the game’s Erangel battleground.
Today, new content focusing on classic characters from
Resident Evil 2 can be unlocked in PUBG MOBILE. Players
can customize their avatar with the Ada Wong and Marvin costumes or change
their appearances with the Leon and Claire Skin Sets. An official promotional
video that highlights the latest content from the PUBG MOBILE X RESIDENT
EVIL 2 crossover can be seen here.
Additionally, PUBG
MOBILE has earned a global feature on the App Store since Survive till
Dawn gameplay mode launched. Players in different regions can win two exclusive
items: A Resident Evil themed frying pan and an Elite Operatives suit to turn
their avatar into a zombie-fighting hero.
PUBG MOBILE has surpassed 30
million concurrent users and 200 million downloads worldwide since launch. In
2018, PUBG MOBILE took home multiple awards and nominations, just
eight months after the game’s release. The game earned three awards at the
Google Play Awards last month, including “Best Game.” It also won the “Mobile
Game of the Year” award at the 2018 Golden Joysticks and received nominations
from The Game Awards and the App Store.
PUBG MOBILEis
based on PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS (PUBG),the original
battle royale phenomenon that took the world of interactive entertainment by
storm in 2017. Up to 100 players parachute onto
a remote island to do battle in a winner-takes-all showdown. Players must
locate and scavenge their own weapons, vehicles and supplies, and defeat every
player in a visually and tactically rich battleground that forces players into
a shrinking play zone.
For more information, please visit the official PUBG
MOBILEaccounts on Facebook, Twitter
and YouTube.
