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VISUALLY STUNNING EMBERS OF MIRRIM LAUNCHING ON CONSOLE AND PC THIS MONTH

VISUALLY STUNNING EMBERS OF MIRRIM LAUNCHING ON CONSOLE AND PC THIS MONTH

Immerse Yourself in this Mystical Universe on PS4, Xbox One, and PC
Ontario, Canada – May 17, 2017  – Developer Creative Bytes Studios announced today that their upcoming adventure-platformer Embers of Mirrim will be launching May 23 on Windows PC and the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, while releasing on the Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft on May 24. Creative Bytes Studios also released a brand new gameplay trailer that beautifully showcases the upcoming game. Watch Mirrim, the lead character in the game, dash, dive, divide, and merge its way through various puzzles and battles in order to save its world from invasion.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZE3cwvOBX0&feature=youtu.be

Embers of Mirrim is an adventure-platformer featuring a mystical creature with the ability to split into light and dark entities called Embers. As Mirrim, you can explore the dramatic landscape using the opposing forces of the Embers to affect creatures and relics in the world in unexpected ways.

Designed with a variety of gameplay including classic platforming, puzzle-solving, formidable boss battles and thrilling chases – Embers of Mirrim ascends beyond the standard platformer with precise controls, unique mechanics, and rich environments.

Embers of Mirrim Gameplay Features:

  • A Stylish Character with Twice the Personality: Mirrim has the ability to split into two playable forms called Embers. The Light and Dark embers are independently controlled by the left and right control sticks, and offer new ways to solve puzzles, overcome obstacles and traverse through the world.
  • Diverse Gameplay: Master innovative thumbstick controls mixed with classic platforming, alter your world to solve intriguing puzzles, battle with gigantic bosses and run for your life from dangerous threats. Infusing these moments with the “splitting” gameplay and a powerful narrative offers a unique gaming experience like no other.
  • Save Your World From the Corruption: Use your powers to rid the world of the corruption that is infecting your beloved planet. Save your friends and unify their forces to restore balance to the world.
  • Explore the Extraordinary World: A vibrant and colorful universe awaits! Mirrim’s journey will take you from a thawing mountain to an aging forest to a desolate wasteland and more. A variety of hidden secrets are scattered throughout the stunningly rendered environments for you to discover.

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ABOUT CREATIVE BYTES STUDIOS
Creative Bytes Studios is an interactive technology company that consists of a talented group of developers who share a passion for gaming and interactive media.

The company was formed in 2013 by Paul Caporicci and Shawn Jackson, two industry leaders who believe that the creation of truly great interactive experiences involve the skillful fusion of technology and design. By combining Paul’s technical background with Shawn’s artistic skills, they work together to bring digital creations to life.

MAKE HISTORY IN F1™ 2017

MAKE HISTORY IN F1™ 2017

Iconic Cars From the History of F1 Return to Compliment the 2017 Season,

Larkspur, Calif. – May 17, 2017 – Codemasters® and Deep Silver today announced that F1™ 2017, the official videogame of the 2017 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™, will include the return of classic F1 cars to the series, as well as an even deeper career mode, numerous multiplayer enhancements, and a brand new ‘Championships’ game mode. F1 2017 will release on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one entertainment system by Microsoft, and Windows PC via Steam on August 25th 2017.

The announcement trailer showcases three of the historic F1 cars that will feature in the game – the 1988 McLaren MP4/4 as driven by Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, the 1992 Williams FW14B that was raced by Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese and the 2002 Ferrari F2002 of Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher. Further classic cars will be revealed in the coming weeks.

“After an extremely successful year with the highly acclaimed F1 2016, we are delighted to be announcing F1 2017 and re-introducing classic F1 cars back to the series,” said Paul Jeal, game director at Codemasters. “Classics were incredibly well received when we included them in F1 2013, and in F1 2017 they are back and better than ever. With so many great cars to choose from, it was hard to decide on the final twelve, but we are delighted with our selection of some of the most successful and iconic fan favourites from the past 30 years.”

“For the first time ever F1 2017 fully integrates the classic experience into the main career mode,” said Lee Mather, creative director at Codemasters. “As part of your career you will be invited to race in modern day, invitational events in the different classic F1 cars throughout the season. We’re also adding to the variety in F1 2017 with the inclusion of four alternative circuit layouts, as well as numerous new gameplay types. The classic cars will also be available to play in a range of other game modes, including online multiplayer modes and time trial.”

The 2017 season has seen a huge number of changes to the sport itself, with the stunning new car designs not only looking great, but having lap record breaking performance levels to match. The opening races of the season have further thrilled fans with the increased competition on the grid, as Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport’s Lewis Hamilton and Scuderia Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel battle it out at the top of the Championship, and Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen continuing to excite fans around the world.

Consumers who pre-order or purchase ‘Day One’ copies of F1 2017 will have exclusive access to the iconic 1988 McLaren MP4/4, as part of the ‘F1 2017 Special Edition.’ Alternatively, the McLaren MP4/4 car will be available to be purchased at a later date. The eleven other classic cars are available in all editions of the game.

Follow the Codemasters F1 games blog (http://blog.codemasters.com/f1) and social channels on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Formula1game) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/formula1game) for future news, Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/user/formula1game) for video content, and visit the website (http://www.formula1-game.com) for additional information.

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ABOUT CODEMASTERS:

Codemasters, the award winning video game developer and publisher, has a 30 year heritage. With titles distributed globally, Codemasters is a leading developer and publisher of driving and racing entertainment games including DiRT, GRID and the official BAFTA award-winning FORMULA 1™ series of videogames. The company is fully controlled by Reliance Big Entertainment Ltd. (RBEL). For more information on Codemasters’ product portfolio, please visit www.codemasters.com. Join in the conversation with @codemasters on Twitter or Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/codemasters.

ABOUT DEEP SILVER

Deep Silver develops and distributes interactive games for all platforms. The Deep Silver label means to captivate all gamers who have a passion for thrilling gameplay in exciting game worlds. Deep Silver works with its partners to achieve a maximum of success while maintaining the highest possible quality, always focusing on what the customer desires.

Deep Silver has published more than 200 games since 2003, including its own brands like the open world extravaganza Saints Row, the zombie action franchise Dead Island, and the grim post-apocalyptic future of the Metro series. Deep Silver also owns the development studios Deep Silver Dambuster Studios in Nottingham, UK; Deep Silver Fishlabs in Hamburg, Germany, and Deep Silver Volition based in Champaign, IL, USA. For more information please visit www.deepsilver.com

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.

Every choice changes your empire in Fallen Legion arriving on July 25

Every choice changes your empire in Fallen Legion arriving on July 25

Heart-pounding action RPG debuts on PlayStation®4 and PlayStation® Vita.

Los Angeles, CA – May 17, 2017 – YummyYummyTummy is pleased to announce both tales of the Fallen Legion™ saga will be available digitally on July 25, 2017 in the Americas and Europe.  In Fallen Legion: Sins of an Empire for PlayStation 4, you lead Princess Cecille and a saucy, talking grimoire on a journey to restore glory to her family’s crumbling empire. You control her rival, Legatus Laendur, who is leading an army to overthrow the royal family in Fallen Legion: Flames of Rebellion for PlayStation Vita.

In Fallen Legion, furious fights and choices you make affect Fenumia, an empire on a war-torn continent. Players will see the war from conflicting perspectives in two entirely different games. Each Fallen Legion title has a different story, levels, story branches, and exclusive boss battles.  The Fallen Legion games have an intense battle system where you simultaneously command up to four characters.  Between clashes with enemy armies and fearsome monsters, players make world changing choices:  Will you quell an uprising with the might of your army or use propaganda to placate a town? There are many paths to discover in Fallen Legion and each choice changes how your story will unfold.

Fallen Legion at a quick glance:

  • A Legion At Your Command – Control up to four characters simultaneously, master devastating combos and counter enemy attacks with a well-timed block in Fallen Legion’s unique battle system.
  • Every Choice Changes Your Empire – Players must make split-second decisions to rule their empire. These choices impact the game’s story.
  • Two Experiences, Two Stories – written by Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward editor Ben Bateman, Fallen Legion shows the scars of war from two perspectives in two different games.
  • Talented Voice Acting Cast – Fallen Legion stars Xanthe Huynh (Persona 5) as Cecille and Darrel Delfin as Laendur. Additional voiceover work by Kira Buckland, Jalen Cassell, Alan Lee, and Dorah Fine.
  • Magnificent 2D Artwork – From the fangs on our menacing manticore to each sun-kissed brick in Fenumia’s castle, all of the artwork has been hand-drawn to create a stunning world.

Keep up with all of the Fallen Legion news on our official website at www.fallenlegiongame.com, our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fallenlegiongame and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FallenLegionPS.

XFIELD PAINTBALL 3, THE FIRST REAL-TIME MULTIPLAYER PC PAINTBALL GAME, SET TO ARRIVE ON STEAM MAY 30

XFIELD PAINTBALL 3, THE FIRST REAL-TIME MULTIPLAYER PC PAINTBALL GAME, SET TO ARRIVE ON STEAM MAY 30

First Fully Licensed Paintball Game Features Authentic, Pro-Style Strategic Competition Featuring Six Exclusive Leagues, Exclusive Tournament Maps, and More

TOULOUSE, FRANCE (MAY 17, 2017)XField Paintball Studio, the world’s leading creator of authentic paintball games, today announced it will release XField Paintball 3, the first real-time multiplayer paintball game for PC, on Steam May 30, 2017. XFP3 is a fast-paced, tactical multiplayer first-person shooter (FPS) game that challenges players to lead their team to victory in 5v5 matches. The game is officially licensed by 20 top paintball organizations and manufacturers and exclusively features the actual tournament layouts used in league competitions. XFP3 was developed from the ground up for PC using a new proprietary network engine.

Paintball is third-most popular extreme sport worldwide, with over ten million players participating per year. There are six major leagues worldwide, including NXL in the US and Millennium in Europe, and all six are exclusively licensed in the game. XField Paintball Studio is actively involved in the sport, and top players on the development team include Lead Community Manager, Loic Voulot, a two-time world champion who is Technical Director of the French Federation of Paintball and holder of seven European championship titles and nine French titles as captain of les Tontons, one of the greatest European paintball teams in history.

In the sports-based FPS game, players will use coordination, communication, and marksmanship to win matches. Winning takes not only individual skill but team dynamics, strategy, and tactics—as well as an understanding of the parabolic arcs of paintballs that give the game an entirely different physics model from most shooter games. Paintballs curve as they move toward their target, allowing players to rain down shots on players even with cover, allowing for different strategies. How the team covers the map to dominate key routes and allow cross-fire attacks is critical, as is situation assessment, speed of both movement, and decision making.

XField Paintball 3 will put players into the shoes of top-level paintball players for intense and hard-fought matches on the same arena layouts used in professional competitions,” said Philippe Constant, President of XField Paintball Studio. “Our game sets the new standard for the competitive multiplayer paintball experience for FPS fans, taking the knowledge gained from our millions of mobile players to a brand new PC title that provides a highly tuned competitive gaming experience.”

Before each match, a captain is randomly selected to lead each team. The captain quickly sets the team strategy and assigns the roles of Rusher, Shooter, and Tactician to the five players. Each role gets certain bonuses—for instance, the Rusher gets enhanced speed—and each plays a different tactical role. In-game communication is handled via pre-scripted button presses with a unique twist: Each communication costs a certain number of communication points, and points are limited for each match so players must choose carefully. Once the match starts, the action goes quickly with the winning team being the first to eliminate all adversaries, hit the buzzer on the enemy team’s side of the field, or have the best position at the end of round.

XField Paintball 3 is developed and published by XField Paintball Studio, a mix of 12 seasoned veterans and up and comers dedicated to making an innovative real-time multiplayer paintball game that delivers all the strategy and tactics of the paintball competition. The game is powered by the studio’s proprietary creation, a custom designed FPS-Sport multiplayer hybrid engine. XField Paintball 3 is currently in development for PC and will launch as a paid title via Steam on May 30, 2017. To pre-register for the game, visit www.xfield-paintball.com. To stay in touch with XField Paintball Studio, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About XField Paintball Studio

Founded in Toulouse, France in 2012, XField Paintball Studio is the world’s leading creator of authentic paintball games. The company launched the first mobile paintball games, XFP1 and XFP2, to massive success with over six million downloads worldwide, establishing the competitive paintball videogame genre. The company will launch XField Paintball 3, the first real-time multiplayer paintball game for PC, via Steam on May 30, 2017. For more information, visit www.xfield-paintball.com.

FUTURAMA: WORLDS OF TOMORROW REVEALS NEW ORIGINAL ANIMATION AND GAMEPLAY DETAILS

FUTURAMA: WORLDS OF TOMORROW REVEALS NEW ORIGINAL ANIMATION AND GAMEPLAY DETAILS

Watch the First Fully-Animated FUTURAMA Content Since 2013 and Learn More about Jam City’s Genre-Bending Mobile Game

May 17, 2017 – Jam City, via its game studio TinyCo, FoxNext Games, and Matt Groening today released a new fully-animated teaser trailer for Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow, a new game coming soon to mobile devices. Created in partnership with FUTURAMA creator and Executive Producer Matt Groening and his Curiosity Company, along with Executive Producer David X. Cohen, original FUTURAMA writers, and Rough Draft Studios, the teaser is the first new animation from the FUTURAMA universe since the show’s original TV run ended in 2013. Jam City is working with the writers, animators, and cast to produce even more original animation that will have fans waving their tentacles in the air.

“I’m proud to say that Futurama lives! In mobile-video-game teaser trailer form, anyway,” said Matt Groening, creator of FUTURAMA and THE SIMPSONS. “If you squint, it’s kind of like a little episode!”

“Working on this new Futurama animation has been a thrilling adventure,” said David X. Cohen. “I finally understand how Neil Armstrong must have felt when he first landed on the lunar surface, watched some funny cartoons on the control screen, and did whatever else was on his schedule that day.”

Jam City also released more details about gameplay itself. Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow will blend simulation, combat, galactic exploration, and choose-your-own-adventure mechanics together to bring the escapades of the Planet Express crew to life. The game features two main settings: New New York, which focuses on simulation and character progression gameplay, and Space Adventures, in which players will explore and battle their way through planets, nebulas, and other weird stuff across the FUTURAMA universe.
In New New York, players will focus on rescuing characters, collecting special items and materials, expanding their characters’ capabilities by leveling them up and crafting ability-defining character outfits, and tackling story-driven quests. Events that occur in New New York will often move the game’s overarching narrative forward, by allowing players to assemble a crew of their favorite FUTURAMA characters and take to the stars for Space Adventures. While traversing the depths of space, players will fight alien enemies in retro arcade-style combat, rendered in beautiful 16-bit graphics, and explore strange lands in which their choices determine their fate.
“The Futurama universe is chock-full of exotic planets inhabited by wacky creatures (and Smizmars),” said Josh Yguado, Co-Founder, President and COO of Jam City. “Whether you’re counseling an alien overlord on Omicron Persei 8 or battling rogue robots on the streets of Chapek 9, exploring this crazy universe and interacting with its denizens will be a blast.”
Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow is coming soon to mobile devices via the App Store, Google Play, and the Amazon Appstore. More information on the game will be released in the near future.  For more details on Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow as they are revealed, and to connect with FUTURAMA fans who will help create and play the game, please visit: www.fb.com/playfuturama, www.twitter.com/playfuturama, and www.Jam City.com.

Additionally, pre-register on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Jam City.futurama or visit www.youwillplayfuturama.com to be notified when the game is released.

About Jam City
Jam City is a Los Angeles-based mobile game maker with global reach. Created in 2010 by former MySpace co-founders Chris DeWolfe, Aber Whitcomb, and former 20th Century Fox executive Josh Yguado, Jam City is the creator of 6 of the Top 100 highest grossing games across Apple’s and Google’s US app stores. Its portfolio of titles–which includes Cookie Jam, Panda Pop, Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff and Marvel Avengers Academy–has been downloaded more than 800 million times and is regularly played by nearly 50 million people monthly. Jam City has studios in Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego and Buenos Aires.  In 2016, Jam City acquired TinyCo, a San Francisco studio at the forefront of bringing the world’s most popular entertainment franchises to mobile games.
About FoxNext Games
FoxNext Games, a division of the FoxNext group, produces award-winning games based on Twentieth Century Fox’s globally-recognized film and television properties. FoxNext Games brings triple-A quality and enjoyment to millions of players every day with games including ALIEN™ ISOLATION, ANGRY BIRDS™ RIO, THE SIMPSONS™ TAPPED OUT, FAMILY GUY: THE QUEST FOR STUFF, ANIMATION THROWDOWN: THE QUEST FOR CARDS, SUGAR SMASH: THE BOOK OF LIFE, and many more.

About Rough Draft Studios
Established in 1991, Rough Draft Studios, Inc. is an award-winning animation studio specializing in traditional character animation, computer animation, and the blend of both mediums.  Supervising Director Peter Avanzino, Producer/Partner Claudia Katz, and the rest of the Rough Draft gang are thrilled to be lending a hand on Jam City’s Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow.

About Futurama
FUTURAMA focuses on the life of PHILIP J. FRY (Billy West), a 25-year-old pizza delivery boy who accidentally freezes himself on December 31, 1999 and wakes up 1,000 years later with a fresh start at life at Planet Express, an intergalactic delivery company. There, he meets a cast of characters, including love interest LEELA (Katey Sagal), a sexy cyclops with anger management issues, best friend BENDER (John DiMaggio), a beer-powered kleptomaniac robot, PROFESSOR FARNSWORTH (Billy West), a brilliant yet forgetful scientist and intrepid inventor, HERMES (Phil LaMarr), the company’s detail-oriented bureaucrat, AMY (Lauren Tom), an intern who is as cute as she is klutzy, and ZOIDBERG (Billy West), a lobster-like, self-proclaimed expert on humans. Throughout their adventures, the team encounters MOM (Tress MacNeille), the foul-mouthed owner of MomCorp, ZAPP BRANNIGAN (Billy West), the vain, self-absorbed captain of the starship Nimbus, and many others. Just as it is today, life in the future is a complex mix of the wonderful and horrible, where things are still laughable no matter how wild and crazy they get. Fry’s introduction to life in New New York includes a visit to The Head Museum, where the heads of humanity’s most renowned and influential people live on. Against a backdrop of pesky aliens, exasperating robots, and malfunctioning gadgets, Fry finds that people still struggle with the same daily anxieties of life and love. FUTURAMA, the Emmy Award-winning series created by Matt Groening, is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television in association with The Curiosity Company, with animation produced by Rough Draft Studios, Inc. Groening, David X. Cohen, and Ken Keeler serve as executive producers. FUTURAMA is distributed by 20th Century Fox Television Distribution.

Nintendo News: Nintendo Switch Was the Best-Selling Video Game System in April; Mario Kart 8 Deluxe the No. 1 Game

Nintendo News: Nintendo Switch Was the Best-Selling Video Game System in April; Mario Kart 8 Deluxe the No. 1 Game

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– According to the NPD Group, which tracks video game sales in the United States, the Nintendo Switch system was the best-selling video game hardware in the month of April with more than 280,000 units sold. This is the second month in a row that Nintendo Switch has led the pack in video game hardware sales, following a record-breaking launch in March. April sales of Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems (more than 68,000 units sold) combined to make up almost half of all hardware sales across all dedicated video game systems.

This is the second month in a row that Nintendo Switch has led the pack in video game hardware sales, following a record-breaking launch in March. (Photo: Business Wire)

The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game was the top-selling video game in April with more than 460,000 physical units sold. With digital sales added, the total is more than 550,000 units. Making this number more impressive is the fact that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe launched on April 28, which only accounts for two days’ worth of sales in the reporting period, which cut off on April 29.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild game for Nintendo Switch continued its legendary run, coming in as the third-highest-selling video game in April. The critically acclaimed open-air adventure will receive even more content with the upcoming launch of two DLC packs in the summer and holiday season of this year. The DLC is now available for pre-purchase via an Expansion Pass. 1-2-Switch and digital-only game Snipperclips – Cut it out, together! also saw strong sales in April.

Nintendo will look to continue this momentum into the summer with a series of great new games for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS. The upcoming lineups for both systems include Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia (Nintendo 3DS, May 19), Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers from Capcom (Nintendo Switch, May 26), ARMS (Nintendo Switch, June 16), Ever Oasis (Nintendo 3DS, June 23) and Splatoon 2 (Nintendo Switch, July 21). Nintendo 3DS games Hey! Pikmin and Miitopia both launch on July 28, the same day as New Nintendo 2DS XL, Nintendo’s newest hand-held system.

*Data regarding physical sales of games are from the NPD Group. Data regarding digital downloads of games and combined physical/digital life-to-date numbers are from Nintendo’s internal sales figures. All numbers, unless otherwise stated, are specific to the United States only.

For more information about Nintendo, visit http://www.nintendo.com/.

Black Desert Online Welcomes New Striker Class on May 24

Black Desert Online Welcomes New Striker Class on May 24

Amsterdam, The Netherlands – May 17th 2017/ Kakao Games and PearlAbyss announced today that the recently announced Striker class will be introduced to Black Desert Online on May 24.

Along with the Steam launch that is planned on the same day, the newly revealed Striker class will join Black Desert Online’s roster, bringing the total number of playable classes to 14. The Striker’s combat style combines both classic martial arts as well as popular street-fight techniques. Employing precise footwork, he fights bare-handed to overcome his foes. Watch the Striker chain kicks, uppercuts, and grappling moves in a new trailer from Kakao Games.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAuKd_d5UDM

The Striker uses his Gauntlet as a main weapon and has the Vambrace as a secondary weapon. This fast, agile class plays unlike any of the existing classes and is perfect for players who are looking for a challenging, fresh way to enjoy Black Desert Online.

Players who have maxed out their character slots will be happy to know that an additional slot will be available for just one loyalty in the Loyalty Shop.

KONGREGATE & HYPER HIPPO ANNOUNCE ADVENTURE CAPITALIST SEQUEL, ‘ADVENTURE COMMUNIST’ MOBILE GAME

KONGREGATE & HYPER HIPPO ANNOUNCE ADVENTURE CAPITALIST SEQUEL, ‘ADVENTURE COMMUNIST’ MOBILE GAME

San Francisco, CA (May 17, 2017) – Kongregate, a leading publisher of mobile, PC, and web games, and Canadian based game developer, Hyper Hippo Productions, today announced AdVenture Communist, the follow up to the breakout hit idle game, AdVenture Capitalist. With more than 20 million mobile players around the world, AdVenture Capitalist defined the idle genre with its charming and straightforward gameplay. AdVenture Communist continues to innovate the genre by adding a complex crafting system to create a unique and extremely deep experience for players.

AdVenture Communist is the next evolution in economic simulation games, with deeper strategy than its Capitalist predecessor,” said Lance Priebe, CEO at Hyper Hippo Productions. “Where AdVenture Capitalist has all resources pooled into a central currency, the almighty dollar, AdVenture Communist has many different currencies that are all interconnected. You need to grow and evolve all your resources equally in order to grow your empire. This complexity adds a layer of strategy that you don’t normally find in other idle games.”

“We’re thrilled to have both of the groundbreaking AdVenture titles in our publishing portfolio,” said Emily Greer, president and co-founder of Kongregate. “I knew that AdVenture Capitalist was something special when I looked around the office and realized the entire office was playing it! Today it’s been played on mobile devices by more than 20 million budding Capitalists around the world. And with AdVenture Communist, Hyper Hippo Productions continues to challenge the market with genre defining gameplay experiences.”

AdVenture Communist is coming soon to iPhone, iPad, Android and is currently available on Steam Early Access. You can find additional information about the game on the official Twitter and Facebook accounts.

About Kongregate

Kongregate is a leading mobile game publisher and web gaming portal. Kongregate’s mobile publishing focuses on free to play mid- and hard-core titles. Working closely with mobile game developers Kongregate provides consulting, analytics, marketing, launch support, and game features such as cross promotion, guilds, and chat. Kongregate’s mobile games have been downloaded tens of millions of times and have hundreds of millions of gameplays.  Kongregate’s web portal features over 100,000 free games played by tens of millions of gamers per month.  Kongregate is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GameStop Corporation and is based in San Francisco. The company was founded in 2006 by brother-and-sister team Jim and Emily Greer.

About Hyper Hippo Productions

Hyper Hippo is a game developer based in Kelowna, British Columbia focused on making life more fun.  The company’s games are available on Apple iOS, Android, Steam, and major consoles. Since its founding in 2012 by the creator of Club Penguin, Hyper Hippo has created over 50 games including AdVenture Capitalist with over 22 million installs. Hyper Hippo brings together an exceptional team that is relentlessly focused on innovating and exploring new ideas in game design. For more information, please visit http://HyperHippo.ca

Prey Review

Prey

Developer: Arkane Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Format: PC (Reviewed), Playstation 4, Xbox One
Release Date: 5 May, 2017
Price: $59.95USD – Available Here / $89.95AUD – Available Here

Overview

So horror is not a genre I do well with in either film or games. I am way too easy to immerse into something and my overactive imagination can easily conjure up phantasms inhabiting the dark than anything a developer or filmmaker could come up with… in other words: I scare easily. Nonetheless, I have braved the cold darkness of space to give you an opinion on the new Prey. I am aware that it is a spiritual successor to the much beloved System Shock 2 but that particular game missed its place in my library back in the day so I’ll have to form my opinion just from my impressions of this title without being beholden to nostalgia. So for a completely fresh perspective on this action horror game, read on!

Story

The game throws you into the role of Morgan Yu, a brilliant scientist working as a part of Transtar. You wake up on Earth and, in true gaming scientist tradition, are subjected to testing. In pretty much no time at all, things go haywire and you wake up in a repeat of the simulation you just experienced but escape out into what is revealed to be a sound stage aboard a space station called Talos 1. Due to a side effect of a procedure with neural implants, you are suffering from amnesia and have no idea why you were in the simulation or what calamity has befallen the station. As you navigate the twists and turns of the narrative, every answer only serves to give about the who, why, and what.

As far as video game narratives go, this game does a fairly solid job with interesting hooks which kept me motivated to keep going along with it. Like any good mystery, it starts off asking you simple questions about what is happening to you and the world around you. Each clue you find is another thread you can pull on which only really adds to the conspiracy theorist dartboard of connections between every other piece of information you find. It takes a while to unravel and, truth be told, I have not yet finished the main story at the time of writing this but I’m enjoying the hours that I’ve spent with the story so far and am eager to try more of it next opportunity I have to play.

The setting is certainly an interesting alternative timeline and a creative reimagining of what the space race would have been like if Kennedy had survived his assassination coupled with first contact with a hostile alien species. You get little snippets of the world through audio log type recordings and books you can find scattered around the station and they little insights into the wider world. The game’s lore feels different enough so that when a character or text makes reference to an event in the alternate timeline, you can feel proud of yourself for knowing where and how this new information fits into the timeline. I’m sure if you’re one of those individuals who prefers to keep their gaming experience light of lore then you’ll probably enjoy the story just as much without knowing the game’s trivia.

Gameplay

The game showcases some fairly robust first-person shooter mechanics. You’ve got a plethora of weapons for a variety of encounters and enemy types all of which you have to manage in an inventory system which also houses your medkits, ammunition, and other crafting items. As you navigate the levels, you’ll collect and scavenge items which you can recycle at various crafting station scattered throughout the levels to make more of whatever it is that you need. As well as managing your inventory, you can also come across neuromods which serve as upgrade points for your various hacking, traversing, and combat abilities.

Something I absolutely loved in Prey was the level design and the varying architectural styles of station. As you run (and gun) your way through the twisting corridors, cluttered laboratories, and high vaulted lobbies. You’ll be running from section to section, learning the station layout by heart, and have a pretty good time doing so. The environments also allow you to approach any given problem in whatever way you can think of. For example, you could encounter a locked door and you attempt to either hack the lock (when you have it at a sufficiently high skill) or do what I did and climb in through a vent, find a shotgun very early in the game, and then spend the rest of the time gunning down enemies with abandon. The game supports exploration with Easter eggs, items, and bits of lore which any wannabe treasurer hunter will certainly appreciate.

The enemy types have some enjoyable variance to them at first, with the mimic types being a constant threat of ambush and uncertainty. The first time I encountered a phantom was a genuinely terrifying experience for me and I remember running back through the lobby with my tail in between my legs. After you get kitted out with weaponry heavier than a glue gun, however, they become much more manageable. My biggest concern when encountering enemies became managing my reserves of ammunition and health, which is largely par for the course for most FPS games of this type which lose some of their horror aspect about halfway through their story.

Visuals

I found this game to feature some very interesting visual design in terms of the various sections of Talos I and the design of the enemies. Each level of the station feels like it has its own aesthetic concerns and style from the practical workspaces of the engineering workshop to the stylish executive offices of the lobby and the brutalist architecture of Psychotronics. There’s a lot of variation which makes every area feel unique and gives an element of novelty as you run through the station. Each of these aesthetic choices feel like a throwback to various other designs in games such System Shock and the original Bioshock and Deus Ex. In regards to the visual designs of the Typhon enemies, I quite enjoyed the inky black character design of the various creatures you fight. There has been some criticism leveled at the Typhon for being rudimentary in their design as amorphous shadowy beings but I found their character design to be a refreshing change from other alien designs in the zeitgeist. They’re different, they’re weird, they’re creepy; they’re pretty much exactly what you’d want out of an antagonist in a horror action game.

Note: Up front, I must say, I was not able to play the game at its highest graphical settings on my computer. Although my rig is fairly high end and was top of the line just a few short years ago, it does not meet the recommended specs to run this game. So keep that in mind when you’re looking at the screenshots I’ve taken which may not showcase the game at its best. My opinion in this section is therefore based upon the general aesthetic and visual design of the game. If you want to see how the game textures and visuals look at the highest settings, check out a lets play or something.

Audio

In horror films and games, the sound design is of extreme importance for creating, raising and releasing tension. Luckily, Prey features a very robust and competent soundscape which accentuates the horror and sci-fi aspect of the game. As well as plucking strings to match the creepy, spider-like movements of the smaller mimic enemies as well as violin screeches when enemies jump out of the woodwork to ambush you. The soundtrack also features distinct synthetic tones to match science fiction aesthetic of the game. Although the game does miss a few marks here and there, by and large the audio cues play at appropriate times to add to, rather than break, the immersion.

One aspect of the sound design I had mixed feelings on was the fact that the phantom enemies repeat various bits of distorted dialogue which is taken from various NPCs throughout the game. As much I enjoyed the creepy aspect of having something so clearly inhuman speak in a way which was an uncanny imitation of actual speech (think the Vashta Nerada in the space suits from Doctor Who), their very short list of phrases and words soon lost its creep factor. In horror, the unknown invites terror and the familiar breeds contempt which is unfortunately what happened with my feeling towards this aspect of the phantom enemies. It would have been nice if they had a larger list of phrases to say but I imagine that it would have been difficult to maintain the creep factor over a long enough play time. It’s a cool sound design but ultimately ends up overstaying it’s effectiveness.

Overall

So, ultimately, I have very much enjoyed my time with Prey. It features a fairly robust narrative with enough to keep me interested throughout my time with the game. The gameplay has been largely enjoyable too with plenty of close calls and opportunities for lateral thinking to keep me on my toes. The visual design is certainly a unique composite of various styles for a fairly pretty game. The game’s soundscape is competently crafted to compliment the game’s horror moments and unsettle the player. It’s a game I have no problem recommending for fans of the Bioshock series and fans of action horror in general.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

LARGE-SCALE PLANETARY CONQUEST ARRIVES ON STEAM WITH MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER RETRO SCI-FI RTS CROSSOVER WIN THAT WAR!

LARGE-SCALE PLANETARY CONQUEST ARRIVES ON STEAM WITH MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER RETRO SCI-FI RTS CROSSOVER WIN THAT WAR!

Indie Dev Insane Unity Puts Thousands of Players at the Heart of a Fierce Galactic War

Rennes, France (May 17, 2017) – Independant French developer Insane Unity is excited to announce that their breakout title, Win That War! — a retro-futuristic real-time-strategy (RTS) game with a massively multiplayer online campaign where thousands of players battle for planet-scale dominion — is now available on Steam for Windows PC! Players can ready their futuristic weapons of war and embark on faction-based galactic conquest, alone, with friends or with (and against) the whole world.

It’s year 1023 of the Galactic Era. Bold explorers discover a new planetary system among the stars, confirmed to house extremely rare and untapped resources. This immediately prompts the greatest economic powers of the galaxy to dispatch their most skilled envoys to make claim to the alien worlds. This is where your – and many others’ – journey begins.

Win That War! is an RTS which immerses players in the heart of a galactic war fought by three power-hungry conglomerates — Nasca, Atlas, and Jet Blum. This conflict takes shape in a massively multiplayer planetary campaign, allowing players to fight by the thousands on unexplored planets, staking claim to territories by building powerful structures that siphon planetary resources and growing armies. If you agree to join one of the three mega-corporations, you will have to prove your worth on the battlefield by combining strategy, dexterity and a little panache.

Key Features of Win That War!:

  • Build your faction’s influence by taking over new planets in the Galactic Campaign.
  • Take part in heart-racing nine-player multiplayer matches with all three factions.
  • Utilize unique planetary resources to build and fortify a growing list of structures.
  • Raid unsuspecting opponents to steal their resources and improve your own technology.
  • Battle combat drones left behind by an ancient civilization in the thrilling PVE mode and Wasteland map!

Currently an Early Access title on Steam, post-launch, Insane Unity already has three months of carefully considered new content and features planned for Win That War!. Upcoming content includes new biomes, additional maps, online quests, new structures and units and a vast player skill tree. Each new update expands Win That War!’s single, multiplayer and Galactic Campaign modes. Win That War! features an innovative multiplayer networking system which allows for thousands of players to take part in the Galactic Campaign concurrently. Each conquerable planet is divided into hundreds of territories, where up to nine players can dispute a territory at the same time as thousands of others.

Win That War! is available for purchase on Steam for $19.99

https://youtu.be/2GFp5qOrwb8

About Insane Unity

Based in Rennes, France, Insane Unity was founded in 2015 by a team of nine creative evil-geniuses who spent their early years playing hours upon hours of strategy titles like StarCraft and Supreme Commander. Insane Unity aspires to create a formidable company and a dedicated community, brought together by their love of unique and well-crafted strategy games. Insane Unity’s premier title is Win That War! is an ambitious real-time-strategy game featuring a thousand-player multiplayer campaign.

For more information, please visit www.winthatwar.com or follow on fb.com/winthatwar and on Twitter @InsaneUnity.