REBELLION presents the thrilling adventures of the STRANGE BRIGADE® Launching August 28
Have no fear – the intrepid and dashing STRANGE BRIGADE® set off for rip-roaring escapades on August 28! Rebellion’s new 1930s co-op adventure is now available for pre-order on PlayStation®4, Xbox One and PC, including Collector’s and Digital Deluxe editions.
As today’s brand new story trailer reveals, our four heroes find themselves in exotic, unplumbed corners of Egypt, where ancient terror lingers. Risen from the dead, the Witch Queen Seteki commands an army of mummified monstrosities hell-bent on terror, and only one band of brave adventurers has the gusto to sock ancient evil back into its sarcophagus! Together, the STRANGE BRIGADE® must take on treacherous traps, overcome puzzling predicaments and blast their way through hordes of malevolent monsters in a thrilling campaign for 1-4 players.
PRE-ORDERS & FREE CONTENT
Would-be adventurers can pre-order STRANGE BRIGADE® starting today. All pre-orders will include the Secret Service Weapons Pack FREE, including the butter-smooth Wilkers & White P19 pistol, the piercingly precise Stoudenmire 960 submachine gun, and the punch-packing, one-of-a-kind Gehrig-Delgane S1 rifle.
Digital discoverers can also pre-order the STRANGE BRIGADE® Deluxe Edition, featuring the game and Season Pass in one great value-for-money bundle. Post-launch Season Pass content will include new campaign missions, characters, weapons, items and more.
COLLECTOR’S EDITION
More discerning adventurers can opt for the tactile pleasures of the STRANGE BRIGADE® Collector’s Edition, which includes:
Strange Brigade® boxed edition (PlayStation 4 and Xbox One only)
About Rebellion®
Founded in 1992, Rebellion is one of Europe’s leading independent game developers and publishers. Whether it’s the breathtaking intensity of Sniper Elite 4, the face-hugging terror of Aliens vs. Predator or the grindhouse frenzy of Zombie Army Trilogy, the Oxford-based studio is known for creating stand-out games that thrill players.
Action Platformer FOX n FORESTS Brings Retro Bliss to PC, Consoles May 17
MUNICH – April 24, 2018 – FOX n FORESTS, the retro action platformer from Developer Bonus Level Entertainment and publisher EuroVideo will spring worldwide onto Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Mac and Linux on May 17th, 2018.
The announcement comes with a brand-new gameplay video, showcasing one of the beautifully designed levels inspired by the classic SNES-era:
Rick the Fox, armed with a magical crossbow, must master its powerful ability to change between two seasons within each level. Create new platforms out of falling leaves in autumn, freeze surroundings in winter, and use other powers at his disposal. Only by mastering the seasons will Rick be able to outfox his enemies, explore the mystic forest, solve brain-teasing puzzles, claim victory against colossal bosses, and bring the mystery of the fifth season to light.
Inspired by timeless classics such as the Castlevania and Zelda series, FOX n FORESTS will be both accessible and challenging. The game combines modern game design and retro charm accentuated with glorious 16-Bit graphics and a chiptune soundtrack.
Successfully funded via Kickstarter in 2016, FOX n FORESTS will be the first title from EuroVideo’s new games label Wild River.
Bonus Level Entertainment is an independent developer devoted to reinventing 16-Bit. The passionate team from Munich, Germany has worked on over 100 titles and has come together due to their love for creating retro games that transport players back into the golden age of 16-Bit gaming. By combining classic retro elements and modern game design, the studio´s mission is to create timeless classics for everyone to enjoy.
FOX n FORESTS is co-developed by Bonus Level Entertainment, Independent Arts Software, and talented freelancers from all over the world. In Summer 2016, the game was funded with 107,875 EUR thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign.
About EuroVideo
EuroVideo Medien GmbH is an independent publisher that has been active in the entertainment industry for decades. They specialize in the distribution and marketing of home entertainment, including movies, documentaries and children’s programmes. The company publishes its own IP and acts as a distributor for 3rd party products on DVD, Blu-Ray and Video-on-Demand. In addition, the company publishes and distributes games for PC and consoles, including its own co-productions as well as third-party products. Among recent games published by EuroVideo are The Dwarves, Shock Tactics, Expeditions: Viking, Everspace, and Ostwind.
2018 CALL OF DUTY® WORLD LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP, PRESENTED BY PLAYSTATION®4, HEADED TO COLUMBUS
Record-Settling $4.2 Million USD Call of Duty World League Season Concludes at Nationwide Arena August 17 – 19
Rise Nation Claim CWL Seattle Open Championship Title
April 24, 2018 – The year’s biggest competitive Call of Duty® event of the season, the 2018 Call of Duty World League Championship, presented by PlayStation®4, is headed to Columbus, Ohio, on August 15 – 19. The definitive competition for the best Call of Duty® esports players from around the world will take place at the Nationwide Arena August 17 – 19 and will close a record-setting season, featuring $4.2 million USD in total prizing. The first two days of competition (August 15 – 16) will be streamed live from the MLG Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
“We’re only half-way through the season and already it’s been an incredible year for the CWL. Not only are teams competing for over $4 million USD this season, which has raised the stakes for everyone, but the action at every event has been amazing,” said Rob Kostich, EVP and general manager of Call of Duty, Activision. “The CWL continues to grow and that’s thanks to the greatest community of players and fans in the world. We can’t wait to see what unfolds as we head to Columbus this August.”
The announcement was made prior to the Grand Final at the CWL Seattle Open where Rise Nation captured the title of CWL Seattle Open champions, after three-days of intense competition. Teams Evil Geniuses, eUnited, and Echo Fox rounded out the top four spots at the CWL Seattle Open, Presented by PlayStation®4, at the CenturyLink Field Event Center in Seattle, Washington.
Players competed in Call of Duty®: WWII on PlayStation®4. Rise Nation will also be immortalised at a future CWL event in the G FUEL Hall of Champions, where championship teams throughout CWL history are celebrated for their achievements within the entrance of Call of Duty World League Global Open events. Rise Nation’s Pierce “Gunless” Hillman was dominant while helping his team achieve victory in Seattle, earning him the title of ASTRO Gaming CWL MVP of the tournament.
Following their historic Loser’s Bracket run at CWL Seattle Open, the Rise Nation roster makes a strong argument to be named the SCUF Gaming Team of the Week, which honours top competitors in the CWL each week.
In addition to the excited crowd, the first-ever Call of Duty World League event in the Pacific Northwest was streamed to fans around the world on MLG.com/CallofDuty and Twitch.tv/CallofDuty, as well as within the in-game Call of Duty®: WWII theatre on PlayStation®4.
Here are the final placements for the CWL Seattle Open:
1st – Rise Nation
2nd – Evil Geniuses
3rd – eUnited
4th – Echo Fox
5th/6th – Team Kaliber / Ghost Gaming
7th/8th – Red Reserve / Luminosity
The next Global Open event in the Call of Duty® World League calendar brings competitive action back to the Anaheim Convention Center. The CWL Anaheim Open takes place June 15 – 17.
CWL Anaheim Open tickets are available now in multiple varieties, while supplies last. General admission passes for the event are available for $59.99 USD (plus applicable fees and taxes). A Premium Pass for the event is also available for $89.99 USD (plus applicable fees and taxes) and includes an event t-shirt and one month of MLG GameBattles Premium. A $299.99 USD (plus applicable fees and taxes) Prestige Pass is also available and includes an event t-shirt, event jacket, one-hour early entrance to the venue, access to the Prestige Lounge and more. For tickets, visit MLG.com/CWLAnaheim.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world and is a division of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the expected dates and features of the 2018 Call of Duty World League Championship and the CWL Anaheim Open and the features of the Call of Duty World League, are forward-looking statements, that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.
The Swords of Ditto is a roguelike action RPG, that creates a unique adventure for each brave hero that ventures through it’s dungeons and caverns. Developed by onebitbeyond and published by Devolver Digital, The Swords of Ditto is a refreshing take on the roguelite action RPG genres. Blending bits of all three to create a unique experience for each player.
Story
In The Swords of Ditto you play as a Sword of Ditto. A fabled hero who can wield the power of The Sword. They are chosen every one hundred years to defeat the evil sorceress Mormo, and save the realm from her evil influence.
It’s your pretty standard dungeon crawler story really. Big bad wants to take over, a fabled hero rises from nowhere and defeats the baddy and the world is saved. Except, it’s not that simple here. When you start a new game you are rushed straight to Mormo. The hero subsequently is killed since they are just some kid this dung beetle started talking to.
After that the world is plunged into chaos and 100 years later, a new hero is chosen. This time you aren’t sent straight to a crystal filled death, but to an old turtle. He explains that the sword chooses it’s wielder every 100 years when Mormo rises again, and that you have 4 days to train before Mormo comes to fight you for her right to rule over the land.
You head through dungeons, pick up gadgets, or in the Ditto-verse “toys”, and level up. All the while you can see how long until Mormo is at full power. You have the option, right at the start, to skip straight to the battle with Mormo if you wish.
Each enemy you kill drops various items. Healing, money and gems, and sometimes, poisonous goo. So be careful with charging head on and not trying to avoid attacks because you will die.
Death in this game is quite unique in that you weren’t just making yourself more powerful, but also your fellow heroes who must take up the mantle. When you die, you lose money and items, but not experience as the sword stays levelled up for the next hero to take. If you do die, Mormo reigns for 100 years and the lands become more overrun with monsters, buildings become more destroyed, and people are either not happy or not there anymore.
If you survive your battle, you still lose all the items, but the land becomes happier. There’s more people, more wild life, slightly less monsters, and the buildings are in good shape.
With both of these outcomes the land changes. Every time you start a new hero, a new world is randomly generated for you. There’s always the same major places in it, but they are remixed to give a nice, fresh feeling each time.
As you play you discover logs about mysterious experiments on something called “ether”, you find and talk to Serendipity, one of the major gods of the realm, who can, if you bring her enough of these celestial tokens, can pause or rewind time for you.
You get the feeling from reading the logs and talking to her, that something is not right. There’s a deeper mystery as to why The Sword and Mormo fight every 100 years. I’m not going to spoil it here. If you’re already interested head out and grab this game, it’s worth it.
Gameplay
Gameplay wise, there’s quite a bit so I will skim over it mostly because some of these mechanics gain a lot more depth the more you begin to understand them through playing.
The sword, as I said before, always keeps its level. You can also get small boosts in the form of Stickers. You equip them to your character to give nice little abilities, like being immune to arrows, or causing poison to appear each time you dodge roll. There’s a whole tonne to find, collect, and mash together to make more powerful versions.
There’s also the “toys”, this games version of the Zelda dungeon items. However, when you do a toy dungeon to get an item, that item is randomised. So one dungeon you may get a record disc frisbee, the next a drone, and also a watch that lets you fast forward time. There are so many nooks and crannies to explore, people to talk to, and items to collect.
You can also play the entire game co-op. I didn’t get the chance to play more than a few minutes of co-op, but it’s very fun. It’s a couch co-op game. You and a friend each grab a controller, or a keyboard, and go for it. Be careful, you CAN affect each other with your abilities.
The controls are very tight and responsive, and being able to play either keyboard or controller is a nice touch. I played with both and I definitely recommend playing with a controller, it’s definitely more suited for the fine swings you need to perform.
Visuals
The visuals in this game are stunning. Even with random generation, I never got tired of seeing the same things as they are always remixed in different ways.
It’s also very easy to distinguish friend or foe, since enemies have health bars above them. It also shows what level they are, which is very handy for getting some good XP early.
Every sticker and toy has a unique look to it, so it’s easy to tell with a quick glance, what’s in your inventory.
The sword bearers have a unique look to them. At one point I ended up playing as a rabbit person, which was a surprise. I didn’t even know that could happen.
Audio
The music is stunning. I had to stop myself from just leaving the game open to listen to the tunes of each area. It gets you into the adventuring spirit without wearing you out. A mixture of serious, fast-paced battle music intertwined with some soft, background pieces in the town’s create a game that never lets you get too frustrated. Who can be annoyed when listening to something like this.
The sound effects are pretty good. Each enemy having a different noise they produce for being hit, seeing the player, and being slain by the player. The sword has a satisfying whoosh, and a very satisfying thud when fighting.
Conclusion
All in all, if you enjoy roguelikes or Zelda, this is definitely something to try out. You can grab it on Steam and the Playstation store for $20. You’ll be getting your moneys worth for sure. The replayability, and also trying to uncover the true secret of Ditto and Mormo, is something that needs to be tried out if you have even the slightest interest in this game.
Spearhead Games announced their action murder mystery game Omensightwill hit PC and PlayStation 4 on May 15th. Pre-orders for the game is available now on Steam. PlaySation 4 pre-orders via the PlayStation Store will start on April 24th. Omensight will cost $19.99 USD on both platforms. Accompanying the announcement is a brand new gameplay video with commentary by Level Artist Keisha Chauvin.
Players take on the role of the Harbinger, a mythical hero summoned in times of need. The world of Urralia is about to be destroyed at the end of the day after a priestess is murdered. Players will need to use the Harbinger’s ability to reset the day to discover who was the perpetrator of the murder and bring them to justice in hopes of stopping Urralia’s destruction.
Indiedevs Campo Santo announced they are joining Valve. The terms of the deal is not entirely clear by the announcement; however, Campo Santo confirmed that they will be moving from California to Valve’s headquarters in Washington to continue work on the upcoming game In the Valley of Gods. While Campo Santo now has greater access to resources thanks to Valve’s much deeper pockets, Campo Santo has assured gamers that it will be business as usual outside of the new work address.
The move is part of Valve’s push to refocus their efforts in releasing video games after several years of focusing on first party hardware ventures like Steam Controller and hardware partnerships like the Steam Machine. Campo Santo cites a similar work culture as the driving force behind their decision.
Battle royale game Darwin Projectis going free to play on Steam. Until now, the game has been a paid Steam Early Access title. Players have been complaining about long queue times for matches, so indie developers Scavengers Studio has opted to make the game free to play in a bid to increase the player base. Scavengers Studios assured gamers that items purchasable with real cash will not provide any competitive advantage.
Those who have purchased the game will not be left out in the cold. On April 24th, buyers will receive a founders pack containing 2 Legendary sets, 3 Legendary Axes, 3 Legendary Bows, a full jumpsuit collection, and 5 Fan Gifts as thanks for their early monetary support.
No word as of yet if or when the Xbox One version of the game will go free to play.
Darwin Project throws ten players into the Canadian Rockies in a battle to the death game show controlled by a human Show Director. Players will have to survive the Show Director’s evil tricks while tracking down the other competitors using environmental cues. The entire show is streamed live on the internet, with viewers able to bet on the results or cast their vote to support or smite a player.
HearthstoneGame Director Ben Brode announced on the Blizzard forums that he is leaving Blizzard and Hearthstone. Brode has spent 15 years at Blizzard, starting as a night crew game tester. Brode will be leaving to start a new game development company.
Starting as a small experimental project, Brode is one of the original Team 5 members brought together 10 years ago to develop Hearthstone. Since then, the free to play trading card game has exploded into one of Activision Blizzard’s biggest money makers. Brode has long been the public face for the Hearthstone team, serving a similar role as Jeff Kaplan’s and Overwatch. No word who will be stepping up to fill Brode’s shoes as of yet.
Subaeria, the Roguelike Puzzle Oriented Adventure Game, from Independent Studio illogika Delayed to May 9 on PC, PS4 and Xbox One
SUBAERIA RELEASAE DATE TRAILER
Montreal – April 20, 2018 – Montreal based independent developer iLLOGIKA , known for their work on Cuphead, Lara Craft Go and Hitman Go announced today that their upcoming puzzle adventure game Subaeria will be launching on May 9, 2018 on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
The studio explained that they needed to add a final polish touch to make sure the game is as good as possible, so they decided to push back the launch date for all platforms by a few weeks. The initial release date was set for April 24th.
About Subaeria
Combining platform and clever puzzle gameplay mechanics with roguelike elements, Subaeria’s single player campaign challenges their skills to control the movements of their adversary robots with the help of their drone and abilities. Each level is procedurally generated and gradually increases the puzzle solving difficulty, enabling power-ups and demanding strategic thinking in order to manipulate the surroundings and character’s skills.
Subaeria features include:
Pit your enemies against one another and the environment to defeat them.
Use skills equipped to your drone to influence your robot enemies and Styx.
Every room is a puzzle to be solved with the skills you have on hand.
Unlock different skills, buffs and skins at each play through.
Explore a new labyrinth at every play session.
Subaeria will be available on Steam, Playstation 4 and Xbox One for $14.99 USD on May 9th, 2018.
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About iLLOGIKA
Creating new interactive worlds fascinates us, playing with new technologies motivates us, comradeship guides us: this is iLLOGIKA. We are a Montreal indie studio which has shipped more than fifty projects , collaborated on award-winning games (such as Cuphead, Lara Croft Go and Hitman Go) and covered a large field of expertise (Unity, Unreal, VR, AR). With our team of 40 talented people, we are ready to push the envelope.
Walnut Creek, Calif. — April 20, 2018 – The highly anticipated horror-survival game Agony will launch on May 29th as developer Madmind Studios and publisher Maximum Games announced the release date for PlayStation® 4, Xbox One the all in one entertainment system from Microsoft and PC today. A new teaser trailer revealed with today’s launch date showcases the terrifying scenery and cursed creatures awaiting players brave enough to explore Agony’s twisted realms.
Agony throws players in the midst of hell where they strive to stay alive and solve the riddle behind the mysterious Red Goddess; architect of this place of sorrow and pain, and the sole entity with knowledge of how escape… but there is more to the story than it seems. Haunted by nightmare creatures, players gain the ability to possess demons and other souls to find their way out of hell.
Since its announcement, Agony has been featured on numerous “Most anticipated Horror Games 2018” lists and the Kickstarter-financed title is poised to challenge players with its brutal and malevolent environments as one of the premiere horror titles of the year.
Agony features a full-fledged story mode as well as an open challenge system that randomly generates levels for players to explore and survive to gain new high scores.
For more information please visit AgonyGame.com.
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About Madmind Studio
Madmind Studio is a game development studio created in 2016 by Tomasz Dutkiewicz. We are the team of game developers who are working for more than ten years in the video gaming industry.Our studio comprises veteran game developers, who have worked on numerous AAA titles, such as Witcher 3, The Division, Sniper: GW2, Alien Rage, Enemy front and more. The invaluable experience we have gained with these titles allows us to use this knowledge not only to translate it into high-quality titles but also to help and train new, passionate people who are just beginning their adventure with the gaming industry.At first, our studio only had nine people. The dynamic development of the company allowed us to double the number of employees employed.Currently, we are 18 developers determined to create best possible, visually stunning games with a unique atmosphere.
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 20 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.
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.
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