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PROJECT REMEDIUM, A SHOOTER SET INSIDE A HUMAN BODY PREMIERES ON STEAM

PROJECT REMEDIUM, A SHOOTER SET INSIDE A HUMAN BODY PREMIERES ON STEAM

POZNAN, POLAND 30th August 2017 – Project Remedium, a first-person shooter developed by Atomic Jelly and published by Movie Games, which has launched today on Steam. Project Remedium is a vision of the world affected by disastrous illness which spawns disgusting creatures and warps those who are supposed to counter it. The player takes control over one of the survivors – a small group that tries to fight the growing threat.

Players are able to traverse the human organism as Nano+, a specialized nanobot which has to discover the cause of a strange illness and a way to stop it. The road to recovery won’t be a simple one. Nano+ will have to face mutated microbes, depraved miniature medics and various quests to accomplish.

The story in Project Remedium is a mix of realism and factual medical knowledge with a metaphorical approach to illness and recovery. Humanity is wondering how medicine will evolve in the future, or will the illness be treated as an enemy, which we can engage in combat? The answer proposed by Project Remedium will send the players on a journey into the human organism

Project Remedium’s strength lies not only in the unique story, but also in innovative approach to the FPS genre. Nano+ is equipped with a selection of weapons which can be upgraded as the gameplay progresses, a grappling hook device to move swiftly through the environment and an array of abilities to unlock. Players are set to uncover the source of the mysterious infection, but also learn many surprising medical facts.

The game is available from today on the Steam platform: http://store.steampowered.com/app/475090/Project_Remedium/

Main features of the game:

  • Interactive environment, which responds to the player’s actions
  • Engaging and deeply emotional story set inside the human organism
  • A multitude of story quests, as well as various side quests
  • The weapon upgrade system and healing/boosting substances crafting system
  • Circulatory system and 6 organs to explore and cure

ABOUT ATOMIC JELLY:

Atomic Jelly is a game development studio founded in 2016 and based in Poznan, Poland. The team consists of talented developers with broad experience: starting from indie games, taking part in the demoscene, through bigger commercial or artistic projects, and ending with Triple-A titles. After gaining knowledge and experience, they started a studio to effectively utilize their combined capabilities and great passion.

Their goal? To create interesting and entertaining games based on cool and crazy ideas.

ABOUT MOVIE GAMES:

Movie Games SA is a Polish company founded in 2015 by Aleksy Uchanski, the journalist and entrepreneur working in the games industry for 25 years. Along Uchanski, the main investors in the company are PlayWay SA – a leading producer and publisher of computer games quoted on the Warsaw Stock Exchange – and Fundusz Stabilnego Rozwoju.

Currently the company employs several dozen people working on six productions. The development teams are based in Warsaw, Krakow and Silesia region.The key element of the company’s strategy is recruiting the young talents. The company is financing the pre-production of the several most promising games ideas from the students of the National Film School in Łodz. The company is preparing a similar solution for the students of the Warsaw University of Technology.

HARMONIX ANNOUNCES SUPER BEAT SPORTS, COMING THIS FALL TO NINTENDO SWITCH

HARMONIX ANNOUNCES SUPER BEAT SPORTS, COMING THIS FALL TO NINTENDO SWITCH

Rhythmic sports game collection brings exclusive content and fast-paced co-op fun to Nintendo Switch

BOSTON – Aug. 30, 2017 Rock Band™ and DropMix™ creators Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. have revealed Super Beat Sports™, a new collection of sports-themed mini-games with a musical twist, expected to arrive this fall and deliver fast-paced co-op fun for players of all ages on Nintendo Switch™.

Based on the Apple TV hit Beat Sports™, which pit players against rhythm-loving aliens from the Muzicalian galaxy, Super Beat Sports is packed with additional content and features exclusive to the Switch. Use the Joy-Con™ to swing, volley and hit balls to the beat with a completely new mini-game, full multiplayer support for each mini-game, improved UI, and bonus songs, levels, bats and costumes. Super Beat Sports’ colorful characters and action come to life on Switch with HD Rumble support and upgraded visuals running at 60 frames per second while in TV mode, tabletop mode or handheld mode.

Super Beat Sports adds instant multiplayer excitement to any party with expanded versions of the four mini-games from the original Beat Sports, as well as an all-new game:

  • (NEW!) Rhythm Racket: Protect your goal and knock out the competition in this skill-based game full of radical ricochets and rhythmic free-for-all action! (1-4 players)
  • Buddy Ball: Put your reflexes to the test in this ball-bashing battle! (1-4 players)
  • Whacky Bat: Hit the Muzicalians’ pitches back at them, building swinging streaks in-time with the music for maximum points. (1-2 players)
  • Gobble Golf: Match musical patterns to feed hungry aliens – the more you feed, the higher your score. (1-2 players)
  • Net Ball: Keep the volley going with perfect timing, but don’t let the Squibzes psych you out! (1-2 players)

For players looking to really test their skills, each mini-game also features Pro Mode – a challenge worthy of even the most rhythm-hardened veterans.

Super Beat Sports is expected to launch this fall on Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo eShop. This game is rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB. For the latest updates as release approaches, visit http://www.superbeatsports.com/, and follow Harmonix on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Twitch.

About Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.

Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., based in Boston, MA, and established in 1995, is the leading developer of groundbreaking music-oriented video games. Harmonix was founded to invent new ways for non-musicians to experience the unique joy that comes from making music and has pioneered music and rhythm gaming in the US. For more information, please visit www.harmonixmusic.com.

©2017 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Super Beat Sports and Beat Sports developed by Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Beat Sports and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Harmonix Games LLC. Harmonix, Rock Band and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

XCOM® 2: War of the Chosen Available Now

XCOM® 2: War of the Chosen Available Now

Expansion adds new enemies, playable allies, missions, and gameplay features Join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #XCOM2

Sydney, NSW – August 30, 20172K and Firaxis Games announced today that XCOM® 2: War of the Chosen, the expansion to the 2016 award-winning strategy title, is now available for Windows PC.

XCOM 2: War of the Chosen takes the incredible experience of XCOM 2 and provides players with all new features and allies to combat ADVENT, who have deployed three deadly new aliens called the “Chosen.” To aid XCOM in its fight to liberate Earth, players will have access to three new resistance factions, each with their own unique Hero class, in addition to new weapons, options to form bonds between soldiers and a new photo booth feature to create custom propaganda posters.

“With XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, Firaxis has developed a series-defining expansion to the award-winning XCOM franchise,” said Matt Gorman, VP of Marketing at 2K. “With a multitude of gameplay advances and new experiences, Firaxis Games has continued to redefine XCOM 2’s endlessly replayable campaign.”

“We can’t wait for fans to get their hands on XCOM 2: War of the Chosen. The array of added features, enemies, and allies give players a completely new tool set to employ tactics and strategies as they dive into the expanded narrative. In addition, we’re excited about the new Challenge mode that will let players hone their tactical skills against other players around the world,” added Jake Solomon, creative director of XCOM 2 at Firaxis Games.

Key features for XCOM 2: War of the Chosen include:

  • New Factions & Hero Classes: Three additional factions represent pockets of resistance to ADVENT – the Reapers, Skirmishers and Templars – each with its own Hero class can be recruited to stand with XCOM:
  • The Reapers are infiltration specialists and stealth marksmen living on the fringe of society. Reapers utilize a powerful weapon called the Vektor rifle, as well as a special Claymore explosive – a targetable incendiary device that, when placed and activated, does not cause the Reaper to break Concealment;
  • The Skirmishers are former ADVENT soldiers who have chosen to rebel against their masters. The Skirmisher is an offensive powerhouse, capable of dealing with threats running the gamut from up close to afar, armed with a grappling hook to help close distance and a wrist mounted Ripjack capable of piercing the enemy with deadly force;
  • The Templars are a reclusive, monastic group of soldiers that have dedicated themselves to pushing their minds and bodies with psionic energy to the brink of humanity, honing their psionic energy with religious fervor into powerful weapons.
  • The Chosen: These powerful adversaries are unique ADVENT enemies tasked by the Elders to recapture the Commander at all costs. Masters of asymmetrical warfare, the Chosen will kidnap, interrogate and ultimately kill XCOM’s soldiers. They can even invade the strategy layer and ravage XCOM’s global operations; The Chosen include:
  • The Hunter stalks its prey from across the map: tracking, wounding and disabling XCOM units at range;
  • The Warlock utilizes a variety of psionic abilities to sow destruction on the battlefield;
  • The Assassin are a stealth-based melee unit who prefers to fight at close range, preying upon XCOM units with her katana.
  • New Alien and ADVENT Threats: Adopt new tactics alongside the new faction allies to counter a deadly new alien known as the Spectre, the explosive attacks of the ADVENT Purifier, the psionically charged ADVENT Priest, as well as the creeping swarms of The Lost.
  • New Photo Booth: Immortalize your soldiers during their trials by creating customizable war-and-meme-worthy posters that are both sharable and can be found while in game.
  • New Environments and Mission Objectives: Players can engage in wide-ranging tactical missions, from abandoned cities devastated by alien bioweapons during the original invasion, to underground tunnels and xenoformed wilderness regions.
  • Enhanced Strategy Layer: Manage Covert Actions, Resistance Orders, and XCOM’s relations with factions while countering enemy operations from the Avenger.
  • Greater Customization & Replayability: Soldiers cultivate bonds with compatible teammates for new abilities and perks, while the SITREP system dynamically adds new modifiers to the tactical layer to make sure every mission provides a unique challenge.
  • Challenge Mode: New regular community challenges featuring unique missions not found in the campaign that rank players on a global leaderboard.

XCOM 2 is rated T for Teen by the ESRB and available for PlayStation®4 system, Xbox One and Windows PC. XCOM 2 is also available for Mac and Linux by Feral Interactive. XCOM 2: War of the Chosen is available now for Windows PC, will be available on September 12, 2017 for PlayStation®4 system and Xbox One, and will be available for Mac and Linux by Feral Interactive at a later date. For more information, please visit www.XCOM.com, become a fan on Facebook, follow the game on Twitter or subscribe to XCOM on YouTube.

For more information on the Mac and Linux version, Please visit http://www.feralinteractive.com, find Feral Interactive on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/feralgames or Facebook http://www.facebook.com/feralinteractive.

Firaxis Games is a 2K studio. 2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, publisher and marketer of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. The Company develops and publishes products principally through its two wholly-owned labels Rockstar Games and 2K. Our products are designed for console systems and personal computers, including smartphones and tablets, and are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms and cloud streaming services. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at http://www.take2games.com.

About 2K

Founded in 2005, 2K develops and publishes interactive entertainment globally for console systems, handheld gaming systems and personal computers, including smartphones and tablets, which are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms and cloud streaming services. 2K publishes titles in today’s most popular gaming genres, including shooters, action, role-playing, strategy, sports, casual, and family entertainment. The 2K label has some of the most talented development studios in the world today, including Firaxis Games, Visual Concepts, Hangar 13, Cat Daddy Games and 2K China. 2K’s stable of high quality titles includes the critically acclaimed BioShock®, Borderlands™, Mafia, and XCOM® franchises, the beloved Sid Meier’s Civilization series, Evolve™, Battleborn®, the popular WWE 2K franchise and NBA 2K, the highest rated* annual sports title of this console generation.
*According to 2008 – 2017 Metacritic.com

About Firaxis Games

Firaxis Games™ is one of the world’s premier game development studios, and home of legendary designer Sid Meier. Firaxis has developed some of the most successful and award-winning PC and video games on the market today, including the award-winning Sid Meier’s Civilization® series, featuring the recently released Sid Meier’s Civilization VI, for Windows PC, Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth™ for Windows PC, the expansion pack Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth – Rising Tide for Windows PC, Sid Meier’s Civilization V for Windows PC, as well as the critically acclaimed expansion packs, Sid Meier’s Civilization V: Brave New World and Sid Meier’s Civilization V: Gods and Kings for Windows PC. Firaxis also released the 2012 Game of the Year award-winning XCOM®: Enemy Unknown for Windows PC, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and Apple iOS, along with the critically acclaimed expansion pack XCOM: Enemy Within for Windows PC, the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation3 computer entertainment system, and Apple iOS. Firaxis Games is owned by Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., and is part of its 2K publishing label. For more information about Firaxis and its games can be found at www.firaxis.com.

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The statements contained herein which are not historical facts are considered forward-looking statements under federal securities laws and may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “projects,” “seeks,” “should,” “will,” or words of similar meaning and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the outlook for the Company’s future business and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to them, which are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may vary materially from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of risks and uncertainties including: our dependence on key management and product development personnel, our dependence on our Grand Theft Auto products and our ability to develop other hit titles, the timely release and significant market acceptance of our games, the ability to maintain acceptable pricing levels on our games, and risks associated with international operations. Other important factors and information are contained in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the risks summarized in the section entitled “Risk Factors,” the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the Company’s other periodic filings with the SEC, which can be accessed at www.take2games.com. All forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements and apply only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Steampunk Dungeon Crawler Vaporum Coming to PC on September 28

Slovakian indie developers Fatbot Games announced the release date for their dungeon crawler Vaporum. The game will hit Steam on September 28th after being Greenlit back in March. Fatbot Games cites games like Dungeon Master I and II, the Eye of the Beholder series, and Legend of Grimrock I and II as inspirations for Vaporum.

The game is set in a steampunk tower in the middle of the ocean, filled with secrets and hidden areas to discover. Armed with a exoskeleton, players will make their way through the tower while acquiring fumium from dead enemies to upgrade their equipment. While the game is grid based, combat is played out in real time via a first person view. Each enemy has its own set of attacks, strengths, and weaknesses that must be mastered to survive. Attacks are telegraphed, rewarding skillful and strategic play.

Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder Rolls onto PC, PS4, and Xbox One

ACE Team’s (The Deadly Tower of Monsters) weird and wacky Rock of Ages is back with an art history sequel that will take players through worlds inspired by some of the greatest artists humanity has produced from the Early Renaissance to Surrealism. The zany plot follows the Greek Titan Atlas after he drops the sky from his shoulders and must now escape his punishment. Players will be able to control a giant boulder and roll their way through and over both nameless enemies and famous figures from history as they help Atlas in his escape.

Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder features an improved multiplayer mode that now supports up to four players in 2 vs 2  and free for all matches. The game is running on the latest Unreal 4 engine, which brings improved physics and visuals. Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder is available now on Steam, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One for $14.99 USD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCTVii6ZJQk

White Day: A Labyrinth Named School Review

White Day: A Labyrinth Named School

DeveloperSONNORI Corp
PublisherPQube Limited
FormatPC (Reviewed)
Release Date: 22 Aug 2017
Price: $29.99USD – Available Here

Overview

Most of the horror games have a simple setup. Pick something safe & familiar as a location (bonus points if it’s abandoned) and make the protagonist some brooding, handsome male who just happens to be there to make things right. As for the villain, we can either go with a mad scientist or a family member of the protagonist (again, bonus points if it’s a forgotten evil twin). Safe and predictable but hey, most of the time it does the job. There are some games who sway away from those unwritten rules and in most cases, they’ve gathered a cult following. One thing I can say after playing it, White Day: A Labyrinth Named School is a breath of fresh air in the generic sea of survival horror games.

Story

Hee-Min Lee is a boy with a simple plan. Sneak into the high school to leave some sweets and the dropped diary belonging to his crush – So-Young Han.  This being on the eve of White Day (a popular event in Asian countries happening one month after Valentine’s Day, where men present gifts to women as an expression of love) all play in favor of Hee-Min Lee. So we already have a setup of interacting with girls, which is already frightening enough to me. But to raise stakes even higher, we witness Hee-Min Lee trapped and locked inside the building after entering. The school is now inhabited with two inquisitive girls with their own agenda, So-Young Han ( the reason why we are there in the first place) and to spice it all up – an extremely unfriendly janitor as well as some ghosts to scare you every now and then.

Gameplay

To find and (hopefully) win the affection of So-Young Han we first have to navigate through the myriad of classrooms, puzzles and play the long game of cat & mouse with the janitor. I said before that he is an extremely unfriendly fellow, something I learned quickly the first time he caught me and beat me to death with a baseball bat. As you have no weapons to defend yourself (since the game isn’t taking place in an American school), most of the gameplay will boil down to solving puzzles to open new areas and progress the story, all while avoiding the patrolling janitor. Puzzle solutions are fairly easy to crack if you read through every document you pick up. What wasn’t easy at first is avoiding janitor who kept messing with my classrooms raiding. On lower difficulties, you can tell if he’s nearby by the eye icon in the upper middle portion of the screen, while on the higher difficulties you can only rely on your sharp sense of hearing. Once senpai notices you, your only bet is to lose him long enough to reach the school bathrooms. Even if he suspects you are hiding in one of the bathrooms stalls, he won’t dare to open them (I’m sure opening those things to check for underage boys and girls would put him on some kind of list – after being fired, that is). He is also attracted to doors that are left open and lights turned on in the classrooms, so make sure to always cover your tracks after snooping.

Now, the aspect of ghost encounters is done in a way that I’m hardly a fan of. I wrote in one of my previous reviews that I find jump scares cheap, and that’s pretty much what happens here. Some ghosts you see in cutscenes and that’s fine, but every once in a while exploring you may find ghosts (or better yet, they find you) who like to cover your entire screen and scream at you. Those kinds of jump scares in video games are akin to going to a stand-up and the comedian starts to tickle you saying “see, you’re laughing! I did my job!” Yeah technically you did but that still doesn’t make you funny. Strangely enough, number of ghost encounters are tied to the game difficulty so if you find them annoying and cheap as I do, I’d recommend playing on a lower difficulty.

Visuals

The game runs pretty smooth and you can crank up the visuals to the highest, it won’t put any strain on your rig. The character movement is smooth and some locations do remind me of Silent Hill a bit, which is always a plus. The developers did great with the level design so after a few runs up and down the floors of the building, you’ll memorize soon where everything is so there won’t be any need for checking the map. Pretty impressive considering the first few hours of the game you’ll spend exploring one classroom after another.

Audio

Sound effects are well done and they serve their purpose to keep you company while you explore the school. Or better yet, they’re there to increase your paranoia since mostly you’ll hear random footsteps, invisible doors closing & opening, thunder and soft whispers. There are some moments where sounds effects are just unrelated to what is happening on the screen. You hear music building up, thunder intensifying and then…..nothing. You’re all prepared for the upcoming ghost jump scare that never happens.  I like to think it’s still done deliberately only to keep you on the edge.

Overall

White Day: A Labyrinth Named School is a game that’s not easy to get into and hard to love. Still, it can be done. There are few missteps here and there at the start but soon enough the game moves in the right direction. If you’re itching for a fresh horror experience in an interesting setting, White Day: A Labyrinth Named School should be your next pick. A bit rough around the edges but in the end, it is a game worth going for. Think of it as your own So-Young Han.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

TIME OF VIRTUAL REALITY RELEASES “INTO THE ICE” DLC FOR CO-OP ACTION TOWER DEFENSE GAME ANCIENT AMULETOR ON PLAYSTATION®VR

TIME OF VIRTUAL REALITY RELEASES “INTO THE ICE” DLC FOR CO-OP ACTION TOWER DEFENSE GAME ANCIENT AMULETOR ON PLAYSTATION®VR

Two new maps, a new playable hero and more available for free for a limited time

BEIJINGAug. 29, 2017 – Time of Virtual Reality (TVR) has released “Into the Ice,” the first DLC for the co-op action tower defense game Ancient Amuletor on PlayStation®VR. “Into the Ice” has a regular retail price of $2.99, however this DLC is free for anyone who owns the game to purchase for the next two weeks from the PlayStation®Store.

“Into the Ice” Highlights:

  • Two new maps: Ice Cave, a frozen stage set in the game’s new Nordic theme, and The Void, a new level set in Egypt.
  • A new playable hero, Kane the Viking, a fierce warrior from the northern realm who throws weapons at his enemies. Kane is Ancient Amuletor’s fifth hero and the first to arrive post-release.

Ancient Amuletor has also received an update for all users featuring left-handed control support, improved online play and leaderboard functionality, and an assortment of bug fixes.

Created for VR with Unreal Engine 4 by developer TiGames, Ancient Amuletor throws players into the ancient world to battle challenging waves of magical creatures, monsters and more. Fight against the armies of darkness alone in single-player, or join forces with up to two friends in online cooperative play. Ancient Amuletor’s larger-than-life characters and environments come alive with beautiful color and comic-inspired art design.

Ancient Amuletor is out now on PlayStation®VR via the PlayStation®Store for $19.99. It is also in development for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. This game is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB.

For the latest updates, visit http://amuletor.com, and follow TVR on Twitter.

About Time of Virtual Reality

Founded in 2014, Time of Virtual Reality (TVR) is an independent game studio developing content for emerging virtual reality and existing video game platforms. http://time-vr.com

MAXIMUM GAMES RELEASES TEAM-BASED SHOOTER DEAD ALLIANCE™ ON PLAYSTATION®4, XBOX ONE AND WINDOWS PC

MAXIMUM GAMES RELEASES TEAM-BASED SHOOTER DEAD ALLIANCE™ ON PLAYSTATION®4, XBOX ONE AND WINDOWS PC

Seize the Dead With Zombie-controlling Weapons in Single-player and Multiplayer Firefights

WALNUT CREEK, Calif.Aug. 29, 2017 – Leading video game publisher Maximum Games has officially launched Dead Alliance™, the fast-paced shooter that lets players unleash flesh-hungry zombies against one another in battle. The game is available today at major retailers and digitally on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One and Windows PC for $39.99. The “Rapid Dominance” Day One Edition is available today at major retailers only, and contains three bonus loadouts featuring unique multiplayer weapons and perks.

Players can also pick up Dead Alliance™: Multiplayer Edition, containing only the game’s multiplayer content, for $24.99 via the PlayStation®Store, Xbox Games Store and Steam.

Developed by Psyop Games and IllFonic, Dead Alliance raises the stakes of competitive shooters with zMods, zombie-controlling tech that turns the undead into powerful weapons. Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where warring military factions fight for control of humanity’s last resources, zombies can swarm, flank, block, distract and surprise opponents, swinging a fight in the blink of an eye. The game includes a variety of single-player and 4v4 multiplayer modes, including Team Deathmatch, King of the Hill, Capture and Hold, Free for All, the MOBA-inspired Attrition mode, and Solo Survival.

Dead Alliance is rated M (Mature) by the ESRB. For the latest game updates, visit www.DeadAlliance.com, and follow Dead Alliance on Facebook and @DeadAllianceMG on Twitter.

PlayStation®Store: http://bit.ly/2wJRXPT
Xbox Games Store: http://bit.ly/2xgtI9V
Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/agecheck/app/626200/

About Maximum Games

Maximum Games ranks as a top 15 global video game publisher of interactive digital entertainment spanning all genres and supporting multi-platforms. The company’s mission is to provide a proven and strong hands-on approach to publishing, marketing and distribution. Established in 2009, the company is led by female entrepreneur Christina Seelye, a seasoned executive of digital consumer products and channel marketing. Under Seelye’s leadership, the company has been recognized with numerous awards such as “Fastest Growing Tech Company” by American Business Awards, and has made the Inc. 5000 list of Fastest Growing Private Companies for the past three years. Maximum Games has offices in both the US and UK, and continues to expand its scope of global publishing and distribution via direct reach and strategic partnerships. For more information on Maximum Games, visit the company’s website at www.MaximumGames.com.

About Psyop Games

Psyop Games is a new independent game development studio launched by media and arts pioneers Psyop. Based in Los Angeles, Psyop Games is led by industry veterans hell-bent on making incredible gaming experiences for a core audience. www.psyop.com/games

About IllFonic

IllFonic is an independent video game studio committed to delivering AAA games digitally to consoles and PC at an affordable price. IllFonic utilizes many avenues in pop culture to cross-brand its products in film, television, sports, music and clothing. With a studio in downtown Denver, Colorado, IllFonic has built a team of artists, developers, producers and musicians that believe providing fun gameplay means conveying the highest level of visual awe, an immersive environment and a sick soundtrack. www.illfonic.com

South Park™: The Fractured But Whole™ HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED R18+ IN AUSTRALIA

South Park™: The Fractured But Whole™ HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED R18+ IN AUSTRALIA

Ubisoft’s upcoming South Park release will be 100% uncut and uncensored 

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — August 29, 2017 — Today, Ubisoft® announced that South Park™: The Fractured But Whole™ will be rated R18+ when it is released in Australia on October 17 and will be completely uncut and uncensored. From the creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and developed by Ubisoft San Francisco, The Fractured But Whole™ is an outrageous sequel to 2014’s award-winning title, South Park™: The Stick of Truth™ and will be available on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One and Windows PC.

With crime on the rise in South Park, the streets have never been more dangerous. As the sun sets on the quiet Colorado town, havoc and chaos unleash a reign of terror and the seedy underbelly of the city comes alive. The town needs new heroes to rise! Eric Cartman seizes the opportunity to save the town and create the best super hero franchise ever, his own Coon & Friends with himself as the leader, The Coon. Continuing in their role as The New Kid, players will become a member of Coon & Friends and fight for fame and their place beside the other kids.

Players must harness their fart based powers to fight crime and become part of the most marketable superhero franchise of all time. Every superhero has an origin, and Coon & Friends are no different. Players will discover their backstory, assemble their unique costumes, and mix and match powers from numerous hero classes to create their own original hero.

Developed from the ground up using Ubisoft Massive’s proprietary engine, Snowdrop™, The Fractured But Whole has expanded with more places to explore and greater freedom to customize each players’ character. An all-new combat system offers unique opportunities to master space and time while on the battlefield, and a revamped looting and crafting system gives players the freedom to craft their own equipment to aid them in battle.

About South Park Digital Studios

South Park Digital Studios is a joint venture between Viacom and Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of the Emmy and Peabody Award–winning series South Park. South Park Digital Studios is a digital animation and development studio dedicated to creating mobile and digital applications, digital goods and video gaming products, as well as overseeing social networking and digital syndication for South Park. South Park Digital Studios owns and operates the website southpark.cc.com and three international versions of the site. South Park is a registered trademark of Comedy Partners, a wholly owned unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA and VIAB). 

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 2016–17 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,460 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.

©2017 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Tom Clancy’s, Rainbow Six, The Soldier Icon, Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Castle Town Dandelion Review

Castle Town Dandelion

Studio: Production IMS
Publisher: Hanabee
Platforms: DVD (reviewed) / Blu-ray
Release Date: August 10, 2017
Price: $49.99 – DVD – Available Here / Blu-ray – Available Here

Overview

The nine siblings of the Sakurada family live in a normal house with their loving parents, but this is no ordinary family. They are royalty, and each sibling has a special power! The King has called for an election to determine which of his children will succeed him, so they must campaign in order to gain the votes necessary to take the crown. They do not all want to become the next king, however. Akane is extremely shy and hates the unwanted attention she receives. To make things worse, there are 200 surveillance cameras across the kingdom recording and broadcasting her every move from the moment she sets foot outside of her house. Akane’s campaign promise is to remove all of them.

Story

After countless adaptations of four-panel manga series, Castle Town Dandelion is an unusual breath of fresh air. The time we live in is a significant contributing factor to its ability to be entertaining. When it first aired in 2015, it would most likely have seemed stupid. In 2017, its core premise seems less farfetched and more believable. With idol elections in Japan and people becoming the stars of their own personal reality web-series in China, it almost seems like it could really happen somewhere in the world.

The characters are presented as more than just their special powers. Many of the Sakuradas receive enough character development to make it possible to forge an emotional attachment to them. Most episodes are split up into two or more parts; each section focuses on 1-3 characters, and this formula makes sense given the series’ origins. Enough is revealed about most characters and their thoughts and feelings to make this more emotionally engaging than western superhero stories are. Some of the siblings are nothing more than unoriginal archetypes, but they care about and are supportive of each other, even if they sometimes keep their true intentions to themselves. Older sister Kanade often seems antagonistic towards Akane, but she does care about her younger sister deep down. None of the jokes about Kanade trying to escape Akane and her near-crippling social anxiety in public are funny, however. When it is revealed why Kanade is so intent on becoming the next king, at least, she starts to appear as a well-rounded character instead of an uninteresting rival. Her ability to instantly materialise any object she can afford, albeit useful, is more of an interesting ability than a defining trait, and the same can be said about Akane.

Akane’s ability to control how gravity affects her and anything or anyone she touches is useful, but her journey towards becoming less shy and more confident is the real highlight of this series. Unfortunately, the 200 cameras that watch her every move outside of her home cause her a great deal of anxiety. The series’ origin as a four-panel gag manga and the way Akane is treated are the only things that hold these twelve episodes back. She is often treated in about as distasteful a way as could unfortunately be expected from modern anime. The original author evidently thought that making the public see her underwear on television would be amusing, but seeing her suffer through her embarrassment is extremely unpleasant. She is by far the best character in this series, and it is easy to root for her, but it is sometimes impossible to believe that the original author wants her to be taken seriously. Some episodes featuring her are completely ruined because of this, but the character-driven moments and character development are enough to save this series.

The impact of being born into a royal family can also be seen in a few other characters. When Satou, a classmate of the eldest brother, Shuu, confesses her feelings to him, he states that he cannot reciprocate her feelings during the election campaign. His reasoning comes across as contrived more than anything else, but he eventually realises that he should accept her into his life. The scenes depicting the two supporting each other during the final stretch of the campaign are sweet, even if Satou is somewhat nervous about becoming a public figure. Younger sister Hikari has a hard time boosting her popularity, so one day, she decides to become an idol. She initially hides the fact that she is a member of the royal family, and once she realises that she actually needs to put effort in to succeed, she does her best to seem like an idol and not a princess resorting to cheap tricks to boost her popularity.

The winner of the election may not be your favourite Sakurada. The next king takes advantage of an emergency situation on election day and wins almost by luck as a result. Older sister Aoi’s moment in the spotlight ends up being the only interesting scene before Akane’s narration of what everyone does after the election. Despite a final episode that largely plays it safe, seeing how each sibling approaches their life as a prince or princess and watching them grow is far more interesting than knowing how the kingdom will be managed in the future.

Visuals

The setting is average for an anime focused mostly on middle and high school students, and the character designs are too. What matters is that the siblings all stand out from one another. Younger sister Misaki has the ability to create seven clones of herself, and while there is rarely any need to distinguish between the various clones, their expressions help give away what part of Misaki’s personality they are supposed to represent. One of the clones appears to have an incestuous interest in Misaki’s twin brother Haruka, but this is never taken too far compared to the way Akane is treated. Akane is often embarrassed by stupid and pointless situations and is extremely shy whenever she is in public. Fortunately, she is given the opportunity to shine when she becomes Scarlet Bloom, the ‘mysterious’ defender of justice. There are some great action scenes, but the animation supports the series rather than being its most outstanding component, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Audio

The opening song and ending song are both typical J-pop songs. They are not annoying, but are utterly forgettable. The background music tends to hit most of the right notes, although it too fails to be memorable. The English dub is also great for the most part. Bryn Apprill is the highlight of the dub; she portrays Akane’s extremely shy but sometimes confident nature excellently. Jad Saxton also delivers an entertaining performance as Misaki and her clones, providing them with a subtle nuance. The only real problem with the dub is the way in which the characters’ names are pronounced. The ‘a’s are consistently mispronounced by everyone; Hikari’s name is pronounced more like ‘hickory’ than the Japanese word for ‘light’, giving a bizarre feel to the dub.

Extras

The textless opening animation sequence and textless ending animation sequence are included on the second disc. The opening animation may be useful for you if you want to learn the names of the characters a little more quickly than by watching the show itself.

Overall

With a unique premise and a lovable cast of siblings, Castle Town Dandelion manages to stand out as an enjoyable character-driven look at adolescence and what growing up as a member of a royal family is like. Its attempts at humour often fall completely flat and have the opposite effect to what was intended, however. This may be one of the first examples where an adaptation of a four-panel gag manga would have been better off without the comedy aspect; it is unnecessary and unnatural to the point of being off-putting. The election campaigning is interesting, at least, but this series is primarily worth watching to see its characters interact with each other and grow. The final episode is significantly less interesting than it could have been, and some episodes early on are basically unwatchable, but the core premise of the story turns out to have a lot of potential.
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