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Ex-Atari Melbourne House Game Development veterans found Zengami and announce Nintendo Switch™ Exclusive, TurtlePop: Journey to Freedom

Ex-Atari Melbourne House Game Development veterans found Zengami and announce Nintendo Switch™ Exclusive, TurtlePop: Journey to Freedom

ZENGAMI ANNOUNCES TURTLEPOP: JOURNEY TO FREEDOM A NEW PLATFORM PUZZLE GAME LAUNCHING EXCLUSIVELY ON NINTENDO SWITCH™ IN MARCH 2018

New Game Marks First Collaboration for Zengami and DigiPen Game Studios

SINGAPORE, 31 January, 2018 – Zengami, comprising ex-Atari Melbourne House core team members, and DigiPen Game Studios (DGS), today announced a new platform puzzle game, TurtlePop: Journey to Freedom. The Nintendo Switch™ exclusive is expected to launch on the Nintendo eShop in March 2018.

TurtlePop: Journey to Freedom is a cross genre platform puzzle game that introduces Bebo, Deephi, Slimmie, Smarts, Willis and Sparky the Turtle. They are aided by ‘The Genie’, who is an airborne support turtle that players can use to manipulate the game world and enhance the abilities of the turtles!

The game’s Campaign mode challenges players to free the turtles from a menagerie of over 100 stages across seven game worlds in single player or two player co-op modes. Robust game mechanics seamlessly blend platform and puzzle gameplay with features including multi character control and turtle-linking, environment manipulation via block swapping, item deployment and match 3 mechanics that make challenges even more fresh, intense and fun! Through the journey, players collect Sun-Coins, Moon-Pearls and earn Treasure Chests to discover and level-up over 15 types of Building Cards and more than 40 gameplay items to help lead the turtles to freedom!

Battle and play with friends in local Multiplayer with 1-4 players in versus or co-op formats. Arena Battle Crown Thief and Arena Battle Lick’em Up modes pit players against one another in a classic Arena Battle tournament format where the aim is to wear the crown the longest or lick, color and free the most turtles to achieve victory. In Turtle Clash mode, players battle in split screen on over 75 stages that can be unlocked in Campaign mode.

TurtlePop: Journey to Freedom is exclusive and optimized for Nintendo Switch running at native 1080p 60 when docked and native 720p 60 in Tabletop or Handheld modes.

Zengami was founded by Andrew Carter, previously Head of Product Development, Game Director and Executive Producer at Atari Melbourne House together with Holger Liebnitz – Art director, and Graeme Scott – Technical director. The three game development veterans spent years honing their skills creating acclaimed titles and the cutting edge technology in StarWars (Nintendo NES), KKnD (PC), Lemans 24 Hours (Sega Dreamcast), GrandPrix Challenge (Sony PS2), Transformers Armada (Sony PS2) and more. Zengami is ready to take their console development expertise onto the Nintendo Switch™.

“We’re really delighted to be developing for a Nintendo console once again! We took a little break after Melbourne House and after years building licensed products, we decided we wanted to get back to creating our own original games and IP, like in the early years of Melbourne House. We experimented with a lot of ideas and finally came up with TurtlePop: Journey to Freedom. Nintendo really got us fired up and excited with the Switch and we decided we’d like to create something new for it! We formed Zengami with the idea of creating high quality, original and technically adept games and slowly built a new team with fresh talent here in Singapore. Through the development of TurtlePop: Journey to Freedom, Nintendo has been very supportive, and we’re big fans of the Switch. The Switch is a marvelous machine and one of my favorite consoles ever!” said Andrew Carter, CEO of Zengami.

TurtlePop: Journey to Freedom, also marks DigiPen Game Studios’ first game launch for Nintendo Switch™. Plans for Zengami to develop the game in collaboration with DigiPen Game Studios (DGS) and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) were previously announced following the second annual DigiPen Game Conference, which was held in Singapore last February.

“DGS is excited to publish our first Nintendo Switch™ game made by a Singapore based game studio,” said Jason Chu, Chief Operating Officer – International of DigiPen Game Studios. “This brand new IP is testament to the technical capabilities of the Zengami team, headed by Andrew Carter. It is evident that the Singapore games industry has advanced to a point where we can make titles for the global market.”

About Zengami

Zengami is an independent Singapore based games company focused on creating original games and IP for the global market. The company also develops or co-develops products on a selective basis for international publishers. With years of experience creating highly rated titles for Nintendo, Sega and Sony game consoles, as well as PC, our highly talented team is creating fresh and innovative games aimed to entertain and delight game players around the world. Visit www.zengami.com for more information.

About DigiPen Game Studios

DigiPen Game Studios (DGS) is a division of DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore. DGS works directly with third-party and independent developers to create, publish, and distribute original game titles. By building partnerships with other industry leaders, DGS helps bring the work of Singaporean game developers to a global audience. Visit www.digipengamestudios.com for more information.

Two classics from the 80s, the classic Boulder Dash® video game and the retro THEC64® Mini, join forces

Two classics from the 80s, the classic Boulder Dash® video game and the retro THEC64® Mini, join forces

Boulder Dash®, the world-famous video game from 1984, is to be supplied pre-installed in its original version on THEC64® Mini, the re-born retro computer based on the original C64 from 1982 that connects to any modern HD TV

Munich, Germany – January 31st, 2018 – Retro Games Ltd. and BBG Entertainment GmbH, a leading producer and publisher of digital entertainment and therapeutic software, announced today the marrying of two classics. BBG Entertainment’s reincarnation of Boulder Dash® in its original version from 1984 is now being pre-installed on Retro Games’ THEC64® Mini; a compact, modern take on the classic home computer system that first appeared in 1982, connecting directly to any modern HD TV.

A classic game and a retro home computer platform finally join forces again. Boulder Dash® is  currently available for Android™ smartphones and tablet PCs on the Google Play™ store; for the Apple iPhone/iPad on the Apple iTunes App Store℠ and for PC and Mac on Steam® in its Boulder Dash®-30th Anniversary™ version. Boulder Dash is also going back to its roots, being pre-installed in its original 1984 version as one of 64 retro-classic games supplied on THEC64® Mini, developed by Retro Games Ltd.

“We are incredibly proud to have the opportunity to bring back some of the best and most popular retro-games, loved by their fans, back to life.” says Paul Andrews, Managing Director of Retro Games Ltd. “THEC64 Mini home computer is a compact, modern take on the classic home computer system that first appeared in 1982 and is the first product of a range to be launched.” Stephan Berendsen, President of BBG Entertainment GmbH adds: “Retro Games and BBG have brought back together a classic pairing dating back to 1984 – the C64 and Boulder Dash®. We are delighted to be offering this unique set-up to all retro-game fans across the globe. It is a great feeling, and accomplishment, to combine today’s technology with nostalgia.”

The original Boulder Dash® was first launched in 1984 and is a pioneering game dating back to the early days of the home computer and video game era. Boulder Dash® and its many sequels have delighted and challenged casual and hard-core players of all ages for over three decades. Boulder Dash®-30th Anniversary™ is available for Android™ smartphones and tablet PCs on the Google Play™ store; for the Apple iPhone/iPad on the Apple iTunes App Store℠ and for PC and Mac on Steam®.  Boulder Dash® is an innovative action-puzzle digging and collection game responsible for launching its own game genre. The game’s protagonist is called “Rockford”. He must dig through caves collecting gems and reaching the exit within a time limit, while avoiding various types of dangerous creatures as well as obstacles like falling boulders and the constant danger of being crushed or trapped by an avalanche, or killed by an underground explosion. Boulder Dash® was first published by First Star Software, Inc. in 1984 on the C64, Apple II and Atari 4/800. Boulder Dash® has routinely found itself being ranked among the top most rated C64 games. In the USA, C64 Wiki ranked Boulder Dash® as the number 4 of all C64 games, in Europe it earned rank 31 on Lemon 64, rank 14 for all time C64 games at The C64 Games and was includes in the top 30 by c’t Magazin in Germany.

TheC64® Mini is the rebirth of the World’s best-selling Home Computer and is being distributed by Koch Media. It is a mini version of that original home computer and comes with a joystick and 64 fully licensed classic games. It connects directly to any modern HD TV. Launched in 1982, the C64 home computer went on to dominate the home computer scene throughout the 1980s. Millions of units were sold across the world and have a special place in the hearts of its former owners. 35 years later and it’s back. THEC64® Mini plugs into any modern TV via its HDMI port and gamers can play any one of the 64 licensed classic pre-installed games. This includes games from original legendary developers such as Epyx, Gremlin Graphics, Hewson and The Bitmap Brothers; and boasting titles such as California Games, Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe, Paradroid and Impossible Mission. Most of these were rated over 90% by leading publications of the day, with many winning coveted awards. From sports to shooters, platformers to puzzlers, there’s a plethora of titles to keep the most discerning retro enthusiast happy. First in the range to be released will be THEC64® Mini. As befits a home computer you can also plug in a standard USB keyboard and use as a classic C64 to type in those old BASIC computer listings or program new games. THEC64® Mini will hit the shops in 2018 with a suggested retail price of £69.99/$69.99/€79.99 and will be followed by other models later.

For more information visit www.boulder-dash.com and www.thec64.com

About BBG Entertainment GmbH
BBG Entertainment is a games developer and publisher headquartered in Munich, Germany. The founder and staff of BBG Entertainment have years of experience in the market for computer and mobile games, especially in the area of retro and casual gaming, and excellent contact with many renowned gaming companies for well over 20 years. BBG Entertainment offers games like Dynablaster™ and Einstein™ Brain Trainer. The year 2014 with the launch of MyBrainTraining™ Professional, an app- und browser-based cognitive training that enables use in tele-therapeutic settings, marked the change to the company focusing more on the development of therapeutic products. For more information about all BBG Entertainment products please visit www.bbg-entertainment.com.

About Retro Games Ltd.
Retro Games Ltd is made up of people with a combined games industry experience of over 100 years. Having successfully produced and released many games across many formats, such the C64, Spectrum, GBA, Wii and more. Members of the team also successfully brought to market the C64DTV direct to TV C64 games console, and Nintendo Wii C64 games. Based in the UK but operating on a global basis. www.thec64.com

About Koch Media
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 and the USA. The Koch Media group has more than 19 years of experience in the digital media business, and has risen to become the number one distributor in Europe. It has also formed strategic alliances with numerous games and software publishers: Bethesda, Capcom, Kaspersky Labs, NC SOFT, Sega, Square Enix and Tecmo-Koei, etc. in various European countries. With Headquarters in Planegg near Munich/Germany, Koch Media owns branches in Germany, England, France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, the Nordic regions, Benelux and the United States. www.kochmedia.com

FIRST CALL OF DUTY: WWII DLC PACK THE RESISTANCE EMERGES TODAY 

FIRST CALL OF DUTY: WWII DLC PACK THE RESISTANCE EMERGES TODAY 

Epic, Highly-Anticipated First DLC Pack Offers Fans New Multiplayer Maps, War Mode Mission and Nazi Zombies Experience 

Global Call of Duty Community Event Featuring New Content, New Gear and Return of Fan-Favourite Game Modes Continues for Fans 

Jan. 31, 2018 – Players can join the Resistance starting today as Call of Duty®: WWII – The Resistance, the first DLC pack for the No. 1 top-selling console video game of 2017 in North America, is out now, available first on PlayStation®4.  Packed with new multiplayer content, The Resistance DLC pack delivers three new Multiplayer maps and an all-new War Mode multiplayer mission themed to reflect the spirit of the citizen soldiers who fought for freedom during World War II. The DLC pack also features The Darkest Shore, the terrifying new chapter in the twisted Nazi Zombies saga.  In addition, this first DLC pack from Call of Duty: WWII, lands during The Resistance community event (January 24 through February 28 in Australia and New Zealand), a five-week celebration that features new gear, game modes and Supply Drop content available to all players.

In The Resistance DLC pack, players will fight in iconic World War II locations, from Paris to Prague, all centred around historic uprisings in three new Multiplayer maps and an all-new high-octane War Mode map.

Valkyrie – Located in the Masurian Woods, East Prussia, this map was inspired by The Wolf’s Lair – The Fuhrers Eastern-front headquarters during Operation Barbarossa – the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union.  This is a medium-sized map with multiple overwatch positions and mounted machine guns.

Anthropoid – Based in Prague, Czechoslovakia, this map is inspired by Operation Anthropoid – the famous assassination attempt on a high-ranking German officer during World War II.  This map is divided by a river, with long-flanking paths that can be used by snipers for ranged attacks.

Occupation – In this remake of a classic Call of Duty® map, players battle through the streets and shops of German-occupied Paris during WWII.  Nearby homes and storefronts lend defensive positions for ambush and recovery.

Operation Intercept – Outside of St Lo, France, the next War Mode experience, developed in partnership with Raven Software, leads you on an urban rescue mission to save Resistance fighters being transported by train.  The first objective on the Allied side is freeing the fighters, followed by the destruction of key communication equipment, and ends with stopping a train.

The Resistance DLC pack also features the newest horror-filled chapter in the co-operative Nazi Zombies saga, The Darkest Shore.  Only days after the horrific disaster of Mittelburg, the crew has received intel that suggests Doktor Straub is on an island just north of Germany.   Blanketed in fog, this island is surrounded by enemy air and sea power – and crawling with the Undead.  Marie, Drostan, Olivia and Jefferson will need to battle all this and more to uncover the mysteries hidden within.

As part of The Resistance community event, which kicked off on Jan. 24 and runs through Feb. 28 in Australia and New Zealand, all Call of Duty: WWII players will have access to the new “Resistance Division.”  The new Resistance Division embodies the skills and experience of citizen soldiers from across Europe, and features the new Tactical Knife Skill, a new Division-specific 9mm SAP Pistol, as well as perks that can alter the tide of battle, such as the ability to scramble enemy maps.

The Resistance community event offers players new Supply Drop content and new weapons and uniforms used in resistance uprisings across war-torn Europe during World War II.  Fans can also participate in new game mode events, including the limited-time return of Prop Hunt and Demolition game modes, along with rotating 2XP playlists across Multiplayer, War Mode and Zombies.  Resistance Supply Drops can be earned for free simply by playing Call of Duty: WWII during the event.  Players can return to Headquarters each week of the event for a free Resistance Supply Drop, as well as receive special Orders and Contracts that grant new weapons, Supply Drops, XP boosts, Armory Credits and more.  Players can also purchase Resistance Supply Drops using Call of Duty Points in-game currency.  The Resistance community event features all-new, limited-time Resistance-themed Collection Rewards.

Call of Duty: WWII – The Resistance DLC pack is available now, first on PlayStation®4 for a suggested retail price of AUD$19.95 / NZD$22.95. The Resistance DLC Pack is also included in Call of Duty: WWII DLC Season Pass*, featuring all four DLC Packs planned for the year, as part of the discounted bundle offered at a suggested retail price of AUD$64.95 / NZD$69.95 a discount of $15 off the individual purchase of all four DLC Map Packs.  Season Pass content is available first on PlayStation®4.

*Season Pass purchasers receive 2018 Call of Duty: WWII Season Pass content.   Season Pass content is not final, is subject to change, and may not include all downloadable content available for the game.  Season Pass content may not be available in all countries, and pricing and release dates may vary by platform.  Season Pass content should be downloaded from the in-game store only; do not purchase separately, or you will be charged again.   Season Pass content may be sold separately.

Call of Duty: WWII is rated R18+ for high impact violence, online interactivity and is available for PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and Steam.  The title is published by Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI), and developed by Sledgehammer Games with additional development support from Raven Software.  For the latest intel, check out: www.callofduty.com, www.youtube.com/callofduty

The CheckPoint Series Episode 1 is Live!

The CheckPoint Series Episode 1 is Live!

January 31, 2018 – Non-profit organisation CheckPoint has aired the first episode of the CheckPoint Series.

The pilot, “Introduction to Mental Health”, runs at twenty minutes and includes an overview of the themes explored in the show: tackling mental health issues using the power of video games. It features interviews with Bioshock’s Ken Levine, Naughty Dog’s Josh Scherr, NITV/Gizmodo’s Rae Johnston and many more inspiring individuals.

The show is available to watch on YouTube, Steam, and the CheckPoint website, with episodes coming out on Mondays and Thursdays. Over its two seasons, the series will feature information about mental health issues and an exploration about the uses of video games for positive wellbeing and resilience.

CheckPoint are running a social media awareness campaign using the hashtag #CheckPointSeries.

The series is proudly sponsored by Way Down Deep, and supported by Hipster Whale, Mighty Games, Digital Fox, Well Placed Cactus, Gallagher Bassett, SuperBetter and Dinosaur Polo Club.

About CheckPoint:

CheckPoint is a non-profit organisation that connects mental health resources with video games. CheckPoint believes games can help recovery, and even be therapeutic. Their mission is to support the people who play and make games, and to use games for good. They do this by raising awareness of mental health issues, reducing stigma, and providing a safe peer-support community for gamers.

The organisation is run by both mental health and games industry professionals. This enables CheckPoint’s reach to span across both industries, and ensures that the information and education that they provide is accurate, relevant and implementable.

You can find out more on http://checkpoint.org.au, plus follow CheckPoint on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.

THE BATTLE FOR AZEROTH™ BEGINS IN WORLD OF WARCRAFT® THIS WINTER†—PRE-PURCHASE NOW AND PREPARE FOR WAR

THE BATTLE FOR AZEROTH BEGINS IN WORLD OF WARCRAFT® THIS WINTER—PRE-PURCHASE NOW AND PREPARE FOR WAR

Recruit four of the playable Allied Races†  joining the fight in the upcoming expansion to Blizzard Entertainment’s acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game

Instantly boost one Horde or Alliance character to level 110 today

SYDNEY, Australia—31 January, 2018—A new great war between the Alliance and the Horde will erupt this winter—and starting today, World of Warcraft® players around the globe can seek out new champions to fight for their faction’s cause. Blizzard Entertainment today announced that Battle for Azeroth, the next expansion to the world’s most popular subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game, is now available for pre-purchase at www.worldofwarcraft.com.

Players who pre-purchase Battle for Azeroth today can begin their journey to recruit four of the expansion’s new Allied Races, each representing comrades they’ve fought alongside on the Broken Isles and Argus in the game’s most recent expansion, Legion. Upon winning the respect of an Allied Race by completing quests and earning reputation, players will unlock the ability to create characters of that race and set out on a new adventure across Azeroth. Alliance players can add the shadow-touched Void elves and valiant Lightforged draenei to their ranks, while members of the Horde will be able to bring the ancient Nightborne and noble Highmountain tauren into their faction’s fold—with additional Allied Races to come in the future.

Pre-purchasing Battle for Azeroth also grants the included level-110 character boost immediately, so players can enter the expansion ready to fight on the front lines of the coming war. Upon Battle for Azeroth’s launch, heroes will be called upon to seek reinforcements in the seafaring kingdom of Kul Tiras and troll empire of Zandalar; battle for strategic control of Stromgarde, a new 20-player cooperative Warfront; and embark on Island Expeditions, where bands from rival factions race to claim resources on treacherous uncharted terrain.

Battle for Azeroth brings a whole new dimension to the Horde-vs.-Alliance conflict in World of Warcraft, with a new continent to explore for each faction and brand-new gameplay features like Allied Races, randomised Island Expeditions, and large-scale Warfronts,” said Mike Morhaime, “No matter which side they fight for, players’ dedication to their faction will be put to the test when the new expansion arrives this winter.”

Players who choose to level up a new Allied Race will also be able to enjoy World of Warcraft’s recently revamped level 1 to 100 questing experience. Building upon a popular feature introduced on the Broken Isles in Legion, zones across Azeroth, Outland, and Draenor now scale to a wide range of character levels, making it so players can enjoy the quests, stories, and other content at their own pace. Those who complete the full level 20–110 experience as an Allied Race character will also earn that race’s distinctive Heritage Armour—a set of cosmetic gear that represents their dedication to finding their people’s place in Azeroth. 

Standard and Digital Deluxe Editions 

Battle for Azeroth is available for pre-purchase digitally in a standard edition ($69.95AUD/$79.99NZD) and Digital Deluxe ($94.95AUD/$109.99NZD) edition. In addition to the expansion, the Digital Deluxe edition also includes a cache of in-game bonuses that allow you to proudly proclaim your allegiance to the Horde or the Alliance in a variety of Blizzard games, including:

  • World of Warcraft: Charge into battle astride the Seabraid Stallion (Alliance) and Gilded Ravasaur (Horde) mounts, and explore new frontiers with Tottle, the baby Tortollan pet, at your side.
  • Hearthstone®: After a rough day on the front, rest up at the tavern and play a few hands of Hearthstone with your hot new Azeroth Is Burning card back.
  • StarCraft® II: Make your mark on distant worlds with Horde- and Alliance-themed sprays.
  • Heroes of the Storm®: Roar onto the Battlegrounds of the Nexus riding your Primal Flamesaber, a fiery new mount with three variants.
  • Overwatch®: Champion your faction on the battlefields of tomorrow with Horde and Alliance voice lines for Torbjörn and emotes for Tracer; sprays featuring Anduin, Sylvanas, Jaina, and Varok Saurfang; and player icons representing Kul Tiras and Zandalar.

Players who pre-purchase the Digital Deluxe edition will unlock the above bonuses today with the exception of the mount for Heroes of the Storm, which is arriving soon after due to the game’s content update schedule.

Battle for Azeroth will also be available in a boxed Collector’s Edition, which includes an assortment of loot in addition to the above in-game bonuses. More details on the Collector’s Edition, including pricing, contents, and availability, will be announced at later date.

Battle for Azeroth Features

World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth includes new features and content that will put heroes’ dedication and fortitude to the test. In this expansion, players will be called upon to:

  • Explore Two Fabled Kingdoms: As a champion of the Horde, travel to the empire of Zandalar to persuade the trolls to lend their naval might. As a defender of the Alliance, venture to the seafaring kingdom of Kul Tiras, home of Jaina Proudmoore, and rally its inhabitants to fight for your cause.
  • Recruit Allied Races: Take a new form for your adventures as several new playable Allied Races, each with unique racial abilities. Earn the favour of the Highmountain tauren, Void elves, Dark Iron dwarves, and others to create a new character of that race and add their strength to your faction.
  • Plunder the Islands of the Great Sea: Set out on Island Expeditions and conquer an ever-changing array of enemies, environments, and objectives. Battle in groups of three as you race against cunning rival intruders—or enemy players—to collect each island’s resources and fuel the war effort.
  • Charge Into a Warfront: Fight on the battlefields of a large-scale, 20-player cooperative Warfront to claim a key strategic location. Capture resources to build your faction’s forces, lead the charge as your troops lay siege to objectives, and fight the enemy commander to claim victory in this new PvE mode inspired by classic Warcraft real-time strategy–game battles.
  • Infuse Your Armour with Titanic Might: Seek out Azerite, an invaluable new resource that has emerged in the Burning Legion’s wake. Imbue the Heart of Azeroth—a legendary neck piece entrusted to each hero by Magni Bronzebeard—with Azerite to customise your armour with new powers and traits.
  • Battle to Level 120: Trace the corruption of the Blood God to the Underrot, unearth the secrets of a lost titan vault, escape from the Drust Realm of the Dead, and more as you quest through 10 new levels—then continue to grow in power through new World Quests, raids, dungeons, and more.

To learn more about World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth, visit the expansion’s official website at www.worldofwarcraft.com/battleforazeroth.

For images and additional information please visit: https://blizzard.gamespress.com/World-of-Warcraft-Battle-for-Azeroth-Pre-Purchase-Announcement

Candleman: The Complete Journey Review

Candleman: The Complete Journey

Developer: Spotlightor Interactive
Publisher: Zodiac Interactive
FormatPC (Reviewed)
Release Date: 31 Jan 2018
Price: $14.99USD – Available Here

Overview

Most of the platformers have a simple premise. Avoid obstacles, get to the end of the level and save the princess (sometimes it could be a prince or a free loot box). But what if all of that is spiced up by taking away some elements we are accustomed to?  Decent lighting in levels, for example. Add a protagonist with an incredibly short lifespan and now we have something out of the ordinary. Meet Candleman.

Story

As you might have guessed, our protagonist is a charming little candle. Waking up in a strange new world, it starts asking itself deep, thought-provoking questions. Who am I, where am I going, why am I a candle? You see a strange blue light in the distance and decide to follow it. The mysterious blue light has a nasty habit to jump from one end of the level to another, guiding you through new worlds, all in the hope that it might provide the answers to your questions at the end of the journey.

Gameplay

As much as the minimalistic story is pretty simple to follow, the gameplay throws some twists at you. Every level you start in is dimly lit. You can distinguish some shapes and obstacles but it is hard to tell if something in front of you is a pitfall or a hard surface. Fortunately, being a sentient candle gives us the ability to light up our surroundings and see what’s around us and where to go next. However, we can’t afford to burn for more than 10 seconds or else we melt pretty fast and meet our demise in a small vax puddle. So what now? The key to progress, stay alive and not melt right away is good light managing, sort of speak. You need to tap the light key only for a brief moment and see what’s ahead. There are other non-sentient, stationary candles scattered through the level. Approaching them and lighting them up illuminates a small portion of a level and saves you the trouble of sacrificing yourself for that precious light. Usually, halfway through the map, you can find one big candle that also acts as a checkpoint on top of brightening up a small area. Later on, environmental dangers are introduced such as streams of fire, water or just simple pitfalls. The difficulty curve is something that’s nicely balanced as the game moves forward. The number of new ways to kill you steadily rises but the game never throws a bunch of them at you at the same time just because it can.

Visuals

While the levels are pleasing to the eye, you won’t be able to enjoy much of their design at first. Only at the end when everything is illuminated and uncovered, you are able to see all the work that went into sculpting one. That changes in later chapters when periodical lights are introduces so you don’t need to rely on your tiny head flame to show you the way. First few levels in an initial chapter seem to follow a theme of a flooded ship but later on the creativity of the developers and level design really flourishes. From tall floating libraries to hot steel mills, the levels are gorgeous to look at as they are dangerous. If anything, the game is worth it just to gaze at the beauty of luminescent flowers in one chapter later in the game.

Audio

This is something I never expected to stand out in a simple puzzle platformer. The sound design is above average, to put it mildly. Echoing of heavy metal, water droplets hitting a steel surface, taps of your tiny footsteps, eerie gusts of wind……it all adds to the atmosphere. So much that I would recommend playing this game with a good pair of headphones for a better experience. However, it misses a chance to amp up the atmosphere with some good background music. You can hear some faint notes here and there but for the most part, you are left to your own imagination.

Overall

Candleman: The Complete Journey is a good example of “what you see is what you get”. It is a simple puzzle platformer with a few twists. An interesting light mechanics and a clever level design is enough to keep you interested, but don’t expect anything revolutionary. It was initially released for Xbox One but the Steam version comes with few enhancements such as support for 4K resolution, timed challenge mode and a Lost Light DLC with extra levels. If you are looking for a decent platformer with a fair difficulty curve and an intriguing level design, give this a go.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

New Action-Packed Insurgency: Sandstorm Teaser Trailer Released

New World Interactive released the first teaser trailer for their upcoming FPS Insurgency: Sandstorm. The trailer features an action packed mix of gameplay and cinematic snippets that follows a wounded soldier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8bu_OLU818

Insurgency: Sandstorm is the sequel to the the 2014 multiplayer FPS Insurgency. New World Interactive is looking to deliver the full FPS experience with their new game by offering 16 vs 16 combined arms multiplayer battles and, for the first time, a full fledged single player campaign. New features include character customization, ranked match making, and multiplayer maps capable of automatically scaling for the number of players in the game.

Insurgency: Sandstorm is powered by Unreal Engine 4 and will launch on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One later in 2018.

Extinction Smashes Its Way to Stores on April 10th, 2018

Extinction Smashes Its Way to Stores on April 10th, 2018

Pre-orders Available Now for Standard and Deluxe Editions

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (Jan. 30, 2018) — Originally announced in June of 2017 and followed by a strong showing at E3, Iron Galaxy and Modus Games are excited to announce the release date for Extinction. Prepare to save humanity from the formidable Ravenii on April 10th, 2018.

Pre-orders are available now for the standard and deluxe editions of Extinction. The standard edition is available for €69.99 and the Deluxe Edition, which includes the ‘Days of Dolorum’ season pass, is available for  €79.99. Digital pre-orders will be available in early February. Players who want the season pass at a later date can purchase it for €14.99.

In Extinction, players take on the role of the hero, Avil. The last of the legendary Sentinels – the only warriors capable of toppling the Ravenii – he is all that stands between the towering ogres and the survival of the human race. Featuring insane skill-based combat that’s not for the squeamish, you’ll have to traverse the environment with precision while executing devastating attacks on your enemies. Use your whip to launch Avil into the air while dispatching a full-scale assault on monstrous beasts who want nothing more than to decimate you and your world. Annihilate all that stands between you and rescuing the people of Dolorum from extinction.

Extinction will be available on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One and PC on April 10, 2018.

For more information:

About Iron Galaxy
Located in Chicago and Orlando and founded in 2008, Iron Galaxy is a leading independent video game development studio that focuses on tech outsourcing, porting and developing quality games. The company’s most notable products include Killer Instinct, Wreckateer, Divekick and Videoball. For more information, please visit www.irongalaxystudios.com.

About Modus Games
Modus is a premier global publisher of video games across all major physical and digital entertainment platforms. The label prides itself on collaborating with talented developers around the world to bring innovative games to the masses.

Game Info
Name: Extinction
Publisher: Modus Games
Developer: Iron Galaxy
Street Date: April 10th, 2018
Standard Edition Price: £54.99
Deluxe Edition Price: £64.99
Platforms: PlayStation®4 / Xbox One / PC (Windows)
Category: Action
PEGI 16 / USK 16

Soulcalibur VI Adds Nightmare, Xianghua, Kilik and Newcomer Groh

Bandai Namco has announced that they are bringing three familiar faces to the roster of Soulcalibur VI as well as a brand new original character. The returning faces are the signature Nightmare, Kilik, as well as Xianghua while the new character is an “agent in black” named Grøh. Grøh utilizes the Aval Twinblade Swordsmanship that often employs multiple consecutive slashes. This has a major disadvantage in that a careless practitioner runs the risk of injuring themselves. As such, it takes a lot of practice to use this style effectively. Dual-swordsmanship also allows for the swords to be split in two and wielded separately. This tactic is one of the many ways a wielder can use to surprise their opponent, giving them the opportunity to string together a series of blows that lead to a final, deadly slash.

You can check out a trailer showing off these four characters as well as some screenshots from Soulcalibur VI below. As for the game itself, it is currently set to be released sometime later this year for the Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4.

NEW GAMEPLAY TRAILER RELEASED FOR GUNDAM BREAKER

NEW GAMEPLAY TRAILER RELEASED FOR GUNDAM BREAKER

A new GUNDAM BREAKER on PlayStation®4 

BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe have just released a new gameplay trailer and screen shots for NEW GUNDAM BREAKER

NEW GUNDAM BREAKER will offer an exhilarating experience to players as they are able to destroy incoming hostile Gunplas, gather those parts and seek to construct their very own Gundam!

NEW GUNDAM BREAKER will be launched in 2018 on PlayStation 4. For more information about the game and other products from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe please visit: https://www.bandainamcoent.com, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoEU , or join the conversation at https://www.twitter.com/BandaiNamcoEU .

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About BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe S.A.S.
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe S.A.S., part of BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc., is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for all major video game consoles, iOS, Android, and online platforms. The company is known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises including PAC-MAN™, GALAGA™,TEKKEN™, SOULCALIBUR™, ACE COMBAT™ and DARK SOULS™. BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe is the premier publisher for anime based video games including NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, DRAGON BALL™, and ONE PIECE™. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.eu or www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoEU