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RWBY: VOLUME 4 BLASTS ONTO HOME ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORMS JUNE 6TH

RWBY: VOLUME 4 BLASTS ONTO HOME ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORMS JUNE 6TH

Latest edition of the action-packed worldwide phenomenon available for the first time on DVD, Blu-Ray+DVD Combo Pack, Special Edition Combo Pack, and Digital Download

AUSTIN, TX – Tuesday, May 9, 2017  – On June 6th, Rooster Teeth and Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM) bring you the latest edition to the fan favorite, award-winning animated series RWBY, as RWBY: Volume 4 debuts on DVD, Blu-Ray+DVD combo pack, a Special Edition Blu-Ray+DVD Combo Pack featuring a collectible Crescent Rose lenticular card exclusive to

“People were so generous in their reactions to Volume 4! We’re glad to return the favor by working with Cinedigm to give everyone the chance to add the latest adventure to their home collections,” said Gray G. Haddock, Head of Rooster Teeth Animation.

RWBY: Volume 4 takes place several months after the Fall of Beacon, and the world of Remnant is still recovering. Tensions are high, lives have been lost, and the members of Team RWBY… are divided. Each of our heroines now faces a journey of their own. While some must search inward if they ever hope to move on, others will venture out into the world in search of answers. Alongside the remaining members of Team JNPR, Ruby Rose has begun the long trek to the kingdom of Mistral, but the road ahead is full of surprises. New friends and enemies await, while the threat of an even larger catastrophe draws near.

The home entertainment release of RWBY: Volume 4 includes every action-packed episode from the fourth volume of the critically acclaimed worldwide phenomenon, plus special bonus features including:

World of Remnant: Kingdoms – Welcome back to the World of Remnant! In these mini-episodes, Qrow will walk us through the four Kingdoms of the world from his… perspective.
World of Remnant: The Great War – The Great War was a terrible time in Remnant… but it’s a time that should never be forgotten.
World of Remnant: Schnee Dust Company – The Schnee Dust Company is arguably the most influential business in the world of Remnant. Learn how it rose from nothing… and how it’s changed over the years.
World of Remnant: Faunus – Learn about Remnant’s second humanoid species, the Faunus, as we explore their history and relationship with humanity.
World of Remnant: Between Kingdoms – Join Qrow Branwen as he explains what life is like outside the four kingdoms of Remnant.
Behind the Scenes: A Grimm Introduction – Take a closer look at the grimm of RWBY: Volume 4.
Behind the Scenes: RWBY 4 Production Diary – Follow Kerry Shawcross through a week at Rooster Teeth Animation as the team completes RWBY: Volume 4.

DVD Product Information
Genre: Action/Anime
Rating: NR
Language: English
Prod. Year: 2016 – 2017
MSRP: $14.93
Street Date: June 6, 2017
Length: 180 minutes
UPC: 767685153574
Item #: RT5357

 

About Rooster Teeth

Rooster Teeth is a pioneering media and entertainment company responsible for some of the biggest online series in history, such as the award-winning and longest-running web series, Red vs. Blue. They also produce the globally acclaimed animated series RWBY, the first western anime series to be distributed in Japan; the award-winning Rooster Teeth Podcast; and Immersion, a reality format that brings video game theory to the real world. Rooster Teeth has a massive global footprint of more than 35 million subscribers to its YouTube Network, 5 million unique monthly visitors to its RoosterTeeth.com hub and 2 million registered community members. The company was founded in 2003, and is now a subsidiary of Fullscreen Media, a global youth media company that develops online creators and produces multi-platform entertainment experiences. Discover more at RoosterTeeth.com.

About Cinedigm

Cinedigm powers custom content solutions to the world’s largest retail, media and technology companies. We provide premium feature films and series to digital platforms including iTunes, Netflix, and Amazon, cable and satellite providers including Comcast, Dish Network and DirecTV, and major retailers including Walmart and Target. Leveraging Cinedigm’s unique capabilities, content and technology, the Company has emerged as a leader in the fast-growing over-the-top channel business, with four channels under management that reach hundreds of millions of devices while also providing premium content and service expertise to the entire OTT ecosystem.

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THE MAIDS ARE AT YOUR SERVICE! NEW AKIBA’S BEAT TRAILER TEASES HELPER MAIDS AND SECRET CHARACTERS

THE MAIDS ARE AT YOUR SERVICE! NEW AKIBA’S BEAT TRAILER TEASES HELPER MAIDS AND SECRET CHARACTERS

Who Do You Want Taking Point on Your Expedition?

With just seven days left until the May 16 launch of AKIBA’S BEAT, XSEED Games released a new trailer featuring the game’s cast of marvelous Maids. Headed to PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®Vita systems, the satirical JRPG features dual audio support with both English and Japanese language dialog options covering each of its nearly 22,000 spoken lines. Players who pre-order AKIBA’S BEAT can still receive the game’s mascot character, Pinkun, who comes to life as a pocket plushie.

When every day is Sunday and the streets of Akihabara lead to “Delusionscapes” filled with monsters, maids can be your greatest guides. Once you’ve convinced them to join you, they’ll alert you to whatever’s nearby – treasure, enemies, Delusionscapes, the works! If you’re lucky, they might even help you out a little in battle.

 

Maid Characters’ English Voice Cast

  • Moé Suzumori – played by Alexis Tipton
  • Yoshino Saionji – played by Lauren Landa
  • Kanata Saotome – played by Karen Strassman
  • …and more?

Further information on the game’s characters, narrative, and otaku offerings can be found on the recently launched website at http://www.akibasbeat.com.

About AKIBA’S BEAT

A spiritual successor to AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead & UndressedAKIBA’S BEAT is a modern-day satirical spin on the classic Japanese RPG formula. Set in a true-to-life recreation of Tokyo’s Akihabara district (“Akiba” for short), players will take control of a party of characters led by protagonist Asahi Tachibana as they seek to rid the town of anything out of sync with reality during a repeating Sunday from which none of them are able to break away.

There are two sides to the gameplay: first, players will wander the streets and question the quirky Akihabara residents on a variety of subjects related to the mystery at hand, ultimately unlocking fantasy-themed dungeons known as “Delusionscapes” which are infested with monsters called “deluseons.” These deluseons are encountered on the map and fought in a party-based action battle system, putting players’ skills to the test and creating a uniquely challenging experience that seamlessly blends a real-life locale with the secret delusory world of its residents’ innermost desires.

AKIBA’S BEAT also features dual audio support with both English and Japanese language dialog options covering each of its nearly 22,000 spoken lines. Players who pre-order AKIBA’S BEAT will receive the game’s “cute little uggo” mascot character, Pinkun, who is phasing into reality as a 3.5” tall pocket plushie that will come with all pre-orders at participating retailers while supplies last.

Developed by ACQUIRE and published in North America by XSEED Games, AKIBA’S BEAT is headed to the PS4™ and “PSVita” systems for $49.99 and $39.99 MSRP respectively on May 16, 2017.  This title has been rated “T for Teen” by the ESRB. PQube will be bringing the title to Europe on May 19.

For more information on XSEED Games products, please visit www.xseedgames.com. Fans can also follow XSEED Games on Facebook at www.facebook.com/XSEEDGames and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/XSEEDGames.

Curve Digital and Tomas Sakalauskas Release Cult Sensation Human: Fall Flat Onto PlayStation®4 Today

Curve Digital and Tomas Sakalauskas Release Cult Sensation Human: Fall Flat Onto PlayStation®4 Today

Surreal Puzzle Game to Also Launch on Xbox One This Friday

[LONDON – May 9, 2017] It’s time for console gamers to discover the physics-defying and rule-breaking hilarity that made Human: Fall Flat a cult phenomenon on Steam now that developer Tomas Sakalauskas and publisher Curve Digital have released the surreal puzzle game onto PlayStation 4 and in gorgeous 4K resolution on PlayStation 4 Pro today for $14.99. Xbox gamers can join in the action this Friday when Human: Fall Flat releases onto Xbox One for the same price.

Human: Fall Flat jumps onto console with additional content, brand new puzzles and a bespoke customization option that is also now available in the Steam version. In Human: Fall Flat players escape surreal dreamscapes by solving open-ended puzzles while struggling with intentionally unsteady controls that result in hysterical clumsiness and potentially endless falling.

After releasing on Steam last year to considerable praise, Human: Fall Flat became a YouTube phenomenon, garnering more than 100 million cumulative views thanks to the game’s hilarious gameplay that had people discover their own solutions to overcome obstacles and “work” together as best they can to solve the puzzles in co-op mode.

Human: Fall Flat’s co-op mode is a perfect fit for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One thanks to the game’s intentionally unsteady controls,” said Tomas Sakalauskas, developer of Human: Fall Flat. “Players will spend hours laughing at the unique situations that arise when two people struggle to pull, lift and push their way through the game.”

Playing as Bob, players have complete control over his arms and movement. At first, this can make it challenging to traverse this beautiful yet deadly world. However, players who learn to master Bob’s movement will be rewarded with a wealth of opportunities to break the rules and beat the challenging puzzles that block their path. Bob can pull stuff. He can push stuff. He can kick stuff. He can carry stuff. He can climb stuff. He can break stuff. And he can use stuff on other stuff to make even more stuff happen. It’s all up to you – want to open that mysterious door? Or would you rather see how far you can throw a speaker set out that window?

For more information on Human: Fall Flat’s console versions, please visit the game’s website, or Curve Digital’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

 

About Curve Digital

Curve Digital is the leading publisher of independent video games on PC and consoles in the world. Working with high profile developers such as The Chinese Room (Dear Esther), The Molasses Flood (The Flame in the Flood) and Bithell Games (Thomas Was Alone), Curve helps individuals, small teams and established studios bring their games to a larger audience.

About Tomas Sakalauskas

Tomas Sakalauskas’s studio No Brakes Games is a small indie developer established in 2012 and based in Vilnius, Lithuania. Focusing on fresh game mechanics, the studio creates offbeat gaming experiences such as Human: Fall Flat and Pocket Sheep.

Neo-retro shoot ‘em up Hyper Sentinel set to blast on to Nintendo Switch

Neo-retro shoot ‘em up Hyper Sentinel set to blast on to Nintendo Switch

Super-slick arcade-inspired shooter hits consoles and PC later this year; gets brand new trailer

9th May 2017 – London, UK – Huey Games is delighted to announce that its upcoming, highly-anticipated retro-inspired shoot ‘em up HYPER SENTINEL will now release on Nintendo Switch™ alongside PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC later this summer.

Watch the HYPER SENTINEL Switch Announcement Trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61OlUTbTV9A

Created by indie developer Jonathan Port, HYPER SENTINEL is a Kickstarter success story, hitting its funding target with a whopping 18 days remaining on the campaign.

“We are thrilled to be bringing HYPER SENTINEL to Nintendo’s newest platform. The fast-paced, high-score chasing gameplay loop is a perfect match for the Switch, and we cannot wait for players to take this amazing experience with them on the go.” – Rob Hewson, CEO & Creative Director of Huey Games Ltd.

Running at 60fps HYPER SENTINEL is a super-slick, ultra-fast arcade shooter with an explosive pixel-art aesthetic. Boasting 12 action-packed levels, exciting power ups and epic boss battles, the game also features…

  • 60 medals to complete
  • Online leaderboards
  • 3 difficulty modes
  • Combo-chain score system
  • Heart-pumping SID-style chiptune soundtrack by FRACTURES

For more information and assets for HYPER SENTINEL, a press pack and free demo are now available at www.hueygames.com/hyper

About Huey Games Ltd
Huey Games is an independent developer and publisher founded by industry veterans Andrew Hewson (publisher of Uridium, Paradroid, Nebulus and Pinball Fantasies), Rob Hewson (Game Director on the handheld versions on LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, LEGO Batman 3 and LEGO The Lord of the Rings, and John Ogden (Technical Lead on Hydrophobia).

© 2017 Nintendo. Nintendo Switch and Joy-Con are trademarks of Nintendo.

FUNCOM’S SECRET WORLD LEGENDSTM TO LAUNCH JUNE 26, NEW VIDEO OUT NOW

FUNCOM’S SECRET WORLD LEGENDSTM TO LAUNCH JUNE 26, NEW VIDEO OUT NOW

Funcom’s supernatural MMO The Secret World sheds its skin and emerges as the free-to-play, shared-world RPG Secret World LegendsTM on June 26, 2017

OSLO, Norway – May 9, 2017 – Mark your calendars: Funcom’s shared world RPG Secret World LegendsTM will hit Steam on June 26 this year. Going from buy-to-play to fully free-to-play, Secret World Legends is a reboot of Funcom’s conspiracy-themed massively multiplayer game The Secret World. Now reimagined as a shared-world role-playing game, Secret World Legends puts more focus on the player’s experience uncovering the vast storyline and their journey through locations that spans the real, modern-day world.

Funcom also released a video today that gives a brief overview of what Secret World Legends is all about.

Secret World Legends features a revamped combat system, newly designed progression system, updated visuals, and more. You can choose to explore and uncover the story by yourself, or you can team up with other players. In the game’s central hub, Agartha, you can meet and socialize with hundreds of other players, while player population in the adventure areas beyond will be tightly controlled to make sure that the experience is as immersive as possible and that the focus remains on you and your journey.

Secret World Legends plunges players into a shadowy war against the supernatural in an adventure that crosses our world with the realms of ancient myth and legend. As players traverse the globe unraveling complex investigations into the unknown, they’ll need to uncover clues and use their own wits as much as their characters’ abilities. A highly extensive and customizable arsenal of firearms, weapons, gear and otherworldly powers will give players the strength to battle the forces of darkness as they dig deeper into these vast and mysterious lands. Players can go at it alone and enjoy the over 100 hours of story at their own pace, or team up with others as they explore the world and unravel its mysteries.

For more information on Secret World Legends, including a detailed breakdown of the game’s features, visit www.SecretWorldLegends.com.

Worlds collide in ACCEL WORLD VS. SWORD ART ONLINE for the Playstation®4 and Playstation®VITA!

Worlds collide in ACCEL WORLD VS. SWORD ART ONLINE for the Playstation®4 and Playstation®VITA!

An anime dream collaboration comes to the West in 2017!

Leading interactive entertainment developer and publisher BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe today announces ACCEL WORLD VS. SWORD ART ONLINE, a dream anime crossover between two celebrated franchises from the mind of Reki Kawahara. The crossover action RPG title will be available for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and PlayStation®Vita handheld system in 2017.

The worlds of SWORD ART ONLINE and ACCEL WORLD have begun to merge! In the midst of the chaos, Yui has gone missing. Kirito must challenge the Seven Kings of pure color from the Accelerated World to gain access to her location. Players from both groups come together in a war of the worlds where the strongest Burst Linkers and ALO Players are on a mission to save Yui from the hands of Personna Babel. This all-new original story comes from Reki Kawahara, the creator of both SWORD ART ONLINE and ACCEL WORLD, for an interdimensional adventure between two popular anime franchises.

Players will build out three-person teams with their favorite characters, all with unique special abilities, from both the SWORD ART ONLINE and ACCEL WORLD series. SWORD ART ONLINE characters will be able to utilize the fairy flight mechanic from Alfheim Online as well as magic, while ACCEL WORLD characters will have access to Acceleration and special techniques. By mixing and matching characters from both worlds, players will be able to create an unstoppable team as they take on an epic action role-playing game adventure. Players will also be able to team up with three other friends to battle rivals in fierce online multiplayer modes.

ACCEL WORLD VS. SWORD ART ONLINE will be available physically and digitally for the PlayStation®4 system and digitally for PlayStation®Vita system in 2017. To find out more about Sword Art Online games, please head to http://www.swordartonline-game.com and join us on www.facebook.com/swordartonlinegames. For more information regarding products from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe please visit: https://www.bandainamcoent.eu, https://www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoEU, and join the conversation at https://www.twitter.com/BandaiNamcoEU.

CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS III ZOMBIES CHRONICLES UNLEASHES HORDES OF THE UNDEAD ON MAY 16, FIRST ON PLAYSTATION®4

CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS III ZOMBIES CHRONICLES UNLEASHES HORDES OF THE UNDEAD ON MAY 16, FIRST ON PLAYSTATION®4

Unprecedented Zombies Offering Brings Together Eight Classic, Fully-Remastered Maps from Call of Duty: World at War, Call of Duty: Black Ops, and Call of Duty: Black Ops II,

All In One Package “8 Days of the Undead” Fan Celebration Set to Kick Off at Launch, Featuring Free In-Game Giveaways, and More!

May 9, 2017 – For the first time, experience the epic stories of the undead saga that started it all for Activision’s Call of Duty, together in one package: Call of Duty: Black Ops III Zombies Chronicles releases on May 16, first on the PlayStation® Network for the PlayStation®4, and includes eight of the most beloved Zombies maps from previous Treyarch-developed Call of Duty games, including World at War, Black Ops and Black Ops II. The maps have been completely remastered from the ground-up, delivering many of the classic, thrilling Zombies origins storylines with stunning visuals, enhanced audio and new gameplay, all updated for today’s generation of consoles.

Call of Duty’s Zombies has earned a special place in our hearts through its deep, layered gameplay, imaginative storylines and its compelling waves of action, which spans multiple titles,” said Rob Kostich, EVP and General Manager of Call of Duty, Activision. “We’re excited to share with fans these incredible moments in one comprehensive offering, available together on current generation hardware.”

What began as an Easter egg unlock for completing the campaign in Call of Duty: World at War, has grown into a fan-favourite third mode with a hardcore community of fans.

Zombies Chronicles is really about the community that made Zombies what it has become today,” said Jason Blundell, Co-Studio Head, Treyarch. “Together, we’ve been slaying the undead for nearly ten years, across different game consoles, and Zombies Chronicles is really about bringing all of those fans together. If you played these maps before on previous consoles, you’re getting a new, stunning and challenging experience – if it’s your first time, this is eight definitive experiences of our Zombies storyline, all in one place.”

Call of Duty: Black Ops III Zombies Chronicles is an unparalleled Call of Duty Zombies collection, taking players through the beginnings of the original saga in true HD. It features the classic characters that fans have come to know and love, as well as the deep storylines that made Zombies so popular. The collection adds vibrant current-generation visuals, enhanced lighting, revamped character models and environments, and updated AI and audio systems. Zombies Chronicles also lets players use custom weapons, including current weaponry featured in Black Ops III that wasn’t featured in the original maps.

The eight maps in Zombies Chronicles are:

  • From Call of Duty: World at War: Nacht der Untoten (Abandoned Bunker), Verruckt (Wittenau Sanitorium) and Shi No Numa (Jungle Swamp)
  • From Call of Duty: Black Ops: Kino Der Toten (Theatre of the Dead), Ascension (Soviet Cosmodrome), Shangri-la (Exotic Jungle Shrine) and Moon (Lunar Base)
  • From Call of Duty: Black Ops II: Origins (WWI France)

8 Days of the Undead:

To celebrate launch day on May 16, Activision and Treyarch will kick off the “8 Days of the Undead,” during which players of Black Ops III on all platforms and players of Black Ops III Zombies Chronicles on PS4 will be able to earn double XP rewards, engage in community challenges, and receive a host of free exclusive content including a Zombies calling card, weapon camo, new Gobble Gums and a PS4 theme.

Bonus Content:

Call of Duty: Black Ops III Zombies Chronicles* is a digital offering available at a suggested retail price of $AUD44.95, and comes with the following bonus content with purchase:

  • 20 Vials of Liquid Divinium
  • 2 All-New Whimsical GobbleGums
  • Exclusive Zombies Pack-A-Punch Weapon Camo
  • Black Ops III Zombies Chronicles Dynamic System Theme for PlayStation 4 (exclusive pre-order incentive), featuring artwork by renowned artist

*Call of Duty: Black Ops III Zombies Chronicles is a content expansion for Call of Duty: Black Ops III which is sold separately and is required to play this downloadable content pack. Internet Connection Required. For more information, please visit https://support.activision.com/zombieschronicles.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III Zombies Chronicles is published by Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. [NASDAQ: ATVI], and developed by Treyarch. The game is rated R18+ for Mature Audiences (Blood, Intense Violence and Strong Language).

For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com. Fans can also follow @CallofDuty on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About Treyarch

Treyarch is an award-winning video game studio, driven by the desire to create epic gameplay experiences that are enjoyed by as many video game fans as possible. It is an approach that has helped to make the studio behind the Call of Duty®: Black Ops series of games, an industry-leading developer. Call of Duty: Black Ops set an entertainment launch opening record upon its release in 2010 and continues to be one of the best-selling games of all time, according to NPD and GfK Chart-Track; Call of Duty: Black Ops II set world-wide launch day records; and the studio’s most recent Call of Duty: Black Ops III had the biggest entertainment opening weekend of 2015, and was the #1 console game globally for the calendar year. Additionally, Treyarch is the birthplace of Call of Duty’s Zombies. Treyarch is wholly owned by Activision Publishing, Inc.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

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 (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.

Darksiders III Coming in 2018

When THQ closed declared bankruptcy and was forced to sell all it’s assets, the Darksiders property was perhaps the most mourned. The series was clearly meant to have a game for each of the four horsemen of the apocalypse represented in the game and it seemed the tale would forever remain incomplete. However, seeing the value of the franchise, THQ Nordic has resurrected it from game development hell, with Darksiders III confirmed for a 2018 release.

Darksiders III is being developed by Gunfire Games, a team largely comprising of Vigil Games employees who worked on the first two Darksiders games. This time our protagonist is Horsewoman Fury who is wielding a very Soul-Calibur’s-Ivy-inspired whip.

The official reveal notes from THQ Nordic are as follows:

Return to an apocalyptic Earth in Darksiders III, a hack-n-slash Action Adventure where players assume the role of FURY in her quest to hunt down and dispose of the Seven Deadly Sins. The most unpredictable and enigmatic of the Four Horsemen, FURY must succeed where many have failed – to bring balance to the forces that now ravage Earth. Darksiders III is the long-anticipated, third chapter in the critically-acclaimed Darksiders franchise.

  • Play as FURY – a mage who must rely on her whip and magic to restore the balance between good and evil on Earth!
  • Harness FURY’s magic to unleash her various forms – each granting her access to new weapons, moves and traversal abilities.
  • Explore an open-ended, living, free-form game world in which FURY moves back and forth between environments to uncover secrets while advancing the story.
  • Defeat the Seven Deadly Sins and their servants who range from mystical creatures to degenerated beings.
  • Sit in awe of Darksiders signature art style – expansive post-apocalyptic environments that take the player from the heights of heaven to the depths of hell, dilapidated by war and decay and overrun by nature.

Along with the announcement came a brand new trailer and 12 minutes of gameplay from IGN. As someone who loved the first two Darksiders I’m very excited to see the series is back and will complete the Tetralogy that started back in January of 2010. Be sure to check out the trailer and the gameplay video below.

Currently the game is only releasing on PC, Xbox One and PS4 (sorry Switch fans) sometime in 2018. Those looking to pick up the first two titles should check out the recently released Darksiders: Warmastered Edition and Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition. Both titles are often on sale for a very good price on your respective stores.

Announcement Trailer

Gameplay Trailer

Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey Review


Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey

Developer: Gust
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Platforms: PlayStation 4 (Reviewed), PS Vita, PC
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $59.99 USD – Available Here $89.95 AUD – Available Here

Overview

Fans of Gust’s Atelier series almost always are prepared to see another title ready to drop within a year or so of the previous entry. Despite their frequent release schedule these titles tend to be charming and quite relaxing to play despite sitting in an often tense JRPG genre. With the latest entry in the series, Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey, offering something a bit different than the usual experience fans have come to expect, is it still worth checking out?

Story

Taking place in the same world, and not too long after the events, of Atelier Sophie, the sisters Firis and Liane live their lives in a small mining town that is located underground in a cave. Separated from the rest of the world Firis has always wanted to see what the outside had to offer but thanks to her unique gift the community has kept a tight hold on her. You see, Firis has a special gift that allows her to find rare ore without needing to mine, making her a boon for the isolated village but this limited lifestyle only makes her jealous of her sister Liane who travels into the wilderness to gather food.

Every time Liane returns home Firis asks her about the outside world and she often visits the large door that separates the village from the rest of the world in an attempt to be close to nature. Through the appearance of a certain alchemist and her friend Firis finds that she may just have what it takes to be free from the city. The problem is that the only way she can hold onto this freedom is if she can prove to the village that she can indeed become an alchemist like the one who opened the door for her. To do so Firis must complete an official exam and become a licensed alchemist in a year or find herself removed from society once again.

As you can see, the temporarily abandoned timer has returned for Atelier Firis as players will find themselves limited to only a year and if they happen to fail in their task the game will indeed end. If you do complete the exam within that time frame you’ll be freed from the time limit and able to enjoy the game at your own pace. The problem with this aspect of the game is that it is incredibly poorly paced when it comes to actually dealing with the story. Thanks to the way time progresses in Atelier Firis players will feel like they are often rushed through events that should be explored in more detail at the time.

Thanks to Firis’ isolated lifestyle it is rather interesting to see her enjoy the world with fresh eyes is a delight most of the time and while the threat against her does feel fairly significant, this does feel like the weakest entry in the series when it comes to the various side characters and party members that join you in your travels. Not only will the aforementioned familiar faces appear but other characters from past entries return in slightly changed ways but these little callouts do little to help out with a cast of characters that feel underdeveloped compared to what fans of this series should come to expect.

Gameplay

One of the first things you’ll notice when playing Atelier Firis is how much larger the scale is with the various environments in the game. Not only are the gathering areas more openly designed than before but the towns that you’ll be exploring are also quite large in size. It’ll come as something of a surprise to learn that there are multiple towns and smaller villages to visit and interact with the citizenry rather than simply focusing on a single hubcity like previous entries. These large towns do feel like something of a detriment from time to time however as they simply spread out necessary event sequences and needed facilities that used to be easy to access.

That being said, exploring the field is an even bigger blast than before and while there is a real lack of open world content to take advantage of, the sheer size of some areas and the fact that players now have a portable atelier makes the title feel like a real adventure. You see, by removing the need for a hubcity Firis carries around a workshop that she can unfold and enter, where its deceptively small outside ends up being incredibly large inside, to access her synthesizing features. In fact you can even customize the workshop in various ways to benefit Firis.

It is worth noting that there is a new gauge to worry about in Atelier Firis as there is now an LP meter that will restrict players a bit as to how much they can do at a time. This is because when the LP reaches 0 Firis will be sent back to her campground which can be rather detrimental if you happen to be in the middle of exploring a large area. The meter decreases as you take actions such as fighting enemies and gathering materials with various gathering points providing less harvest at lower LP levels. Thankfully it is possible to avoid bottoming out fairly easily thanks to synthesizable items that recover LP.

Another element that has been added into the game to add some variety to the exploration is that there is now a day and night cycle as well as various weather cycles as well. The enemies you encounter and materials you can gain from gathering points will change depending on the environmental conditions with some only appearing at specific times meaning players will have extra incentive to search locations more than once. In fact, players will even be able to change Firis’ costume to better match her environment and potentially give her various stat boosts.

Outside of the modified exploration system, the rest of the game is fairly similar to what fans have come to expect. The synthesis system remains highly accessible with players being able to line up ingredients in various patterns to bring out extra item potential though you will notice that it is possible to obtain even more bonuses thanks to special colored lines being implemented into the grid system. Along those same lines the game’s combat system also goes fairly unchanged as the turn based fighting system still features a Chain Burst Gauge that fills up as you deal and receive damage with players being able to deplete the gauge to perform emergency guards or follow up attacks or simply wait it out until it fills up entirely to unleash a powerful Chain Burst.

Visuals & Audio

With Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey opening the world up more than fans have experienced in the past you’ll find that there is quite a bit to explore but for the most part a lot of these environments tend to be rather bland in nature with only a few appearing to look anything more than barely serviceable. The opposite can be said regarding the character models however as the level of detail applied to the characters’ clothing is highly impressive even if the series isn’t as brightly colored as previous entries. It is worth noting that despite being released on the PlayStation 4 there are still frequent frame rate issues in certain areas of the game where being to slow down rather noticeably.

The soundtrack for the game is fairly impressive featuring a number of great tracks that fans have come to expect from the series and the voice work on both the English and Japanese voice tracks are handled quite well though the Japanese voice track does appear to feature more voiced dialogue than its English counterpart.

Overall

By changing up the way exploration is handled Gust has offered a new way for fans of the Atelier series to enjoy one of the key components of the game while only slightly touching upon the synthesis and combat features. While this open world is fairly enjoyable the story that accompanies it is unfortunately some of the worst we have seen for the series in years and with the characters generally serving as some of the best parts of the series, Atelier Firis’ lackluster crew here will disappoint many.

Puyo Puyo Tetris Review

Puyo Puyo Tetris

Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: Sega
Platform: Nintendo Switch (Reviewed), Playstation 4
Release Date: April 25, 2017
Price: $39.99 USD – Available Here $59.95 AUD – Available Here

Overview

Over the years, a lot of video game franchises have crossed over, bringing together two or more properties to create one stellar title. Sega gets a ton of credit in this field, as they definitely have put in their share when it comes to crossing over into their competitor’s realms. Now, we are getting some puzzle flavor with this idea – bringing together Puyo Puyo and Tetris to create one complete experience while offering something new to the fans of both. How does this crossover fare? Let’s find out.

Story

While Tetris certainly never had much of a memorable story, Puyo Puyo is all about adding characters to create a greater sense of threat while progressing forward. With that said and considering Sonic Team and Sega are behind this title, no one should be too surprised to see returning faces from Puyo’s last trip into the market. This tale starts us with Ringo, Amitie, and Arlo reuniting, only to witness large Tetris blocks falling from the sky. The blocks take them to a space station with Captain Tee at the helm, where we find out many of the ship’s crew have turned up missing. It is now up to our Puyo friends to find out why the worlds have come together and find all the missing passengers in order to make things right yet again.

Yes, it is a hammy plot, but one that was handled with a lot of care and charm. Puyo Puyo has always had a way with creating a storyline to go along with its simple gameplay, and even though Tetris is now involved, most will be happy to know that both properties come out smelling sweet as this supplemental tale brings some character to the experience.

Gameplay

Puyo Puyo Tetris works with the idea of almost always having a competitor for its main gameplay modes. The reason for this is that everytime you clear a line, the board and so on during the Tetris side, you “attack” the other players with more blocks, while Puyo Puyo makes this more about the classic combos chaining into strong attacks. If both players are playing the same game, that particular franchise’s main rules then apply. It’s quite simple and a fairly accessible formula to get behind, even for those a bit rusty in either field.

While Adventure mode is about battling characters, other fares have been added to bring more people into the experience – as this is primarily a multiplayer title when it comes to the main courses on display. Standard VS. mode is exactly what it sounds like, and is simply a basic way to go up against a friend. Fusion mode is a hefty challenge however, as players are responsible for Tetris blocks and Puyos in the same board – meaning you have to eliminate one or the other before clearing the next chain in line. Swap mode simply swaps the boards between Tetris and Puyo every 30 seconds, keeping the player on their toes as the gameplay changes constantly. Big Bang Mode is quite nice as well, with the player ramping up points to create one massive attack in what feels a bit like an offtake of Endless Fever.

Party Mode is the primary multiplayer romp of the lot, combing almost every other mode to make a fun, fast-paced place for a group to play in, filled with a lot of new damning power-ups to use against your friends as they try to conquer you with whichever game that is assigned. Even though the single player experiences are quite basic, there is a ton of content and re-playability in this mashup, as the combination of Puyo and Tetris simply works in every way to make something immensely satisfying for the player. I personally am not a huge Tetris fan as Puyo has always been my main puzzle game as a whole, but this title covers that and more with options to craft the board to your style in almost every mode. Even the online multiplayer is on point, bringing together a ton of new options to take on the world with password protected lobbies, custom rulesets, and a server that didn’t have too many problems staying connected.

Visuals and Audio

The main reason to even mention the visual presentation of Puyo Puyo Tetris is the bright colors. Sure, that is what Puyo Puyo is all about, but the art style is definitely still a strong selling point as it makes what could be standard characters into charming personalities that are hard not to care about. The menus and other fare also are easy on the eye, and make this grand combination feel like it was executed with a lot of thought and attention to detail to make its simple existence feel a little more special.

The soundtrack would be the biggest selling point of the audio as it truly mashes up the best of both worlds and brings us some catchy beats that become earworms as the game rolls along. Yes, that famous Tetris theme is in the game, but has a slightly new sound to bring some familiarity without taking us out of the Puyo universe completely. The voice acting is also well done, but again – poor voice acting in a Puyo title in my opinion would be a rarity, as Sega usually do well to ensure that the little bit of dialogue included works well with this bubbly little world.

Overall

Puyo Puyo Tetris is an example of a crossover done right. With two addictive styles of gameplay merged together, you would think that one would shine a little brighter than the other – but Sega managed to keep this experience balanced, and that is definitely something to applaud in and of itself. With the Switch needing to prove itself in the multiplayer department, Puyo Puyo Tetris does not drop the ball, but instead carries it to the next challenger with a great deal of finesse. No matter what satisfies your puzzling itch, this mashup is the one to get on Nintendo’s new semi-portable platform.

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