Maybe your criminal organization’s portfolio in Grand Theft Auto: Online needs a little diversification. As CEO of the company it’s up to you to break into new territory with the new “Import/Export” update. Players will now be able to steal high end luxury vehicles and sell them for a nice tidy profit. If sweet sweet GTA$ wasn’t enough to convince you to expand your enterprise, the update introduces a few special vehicles that can help players in future heists with guns and armour plating attached to them. These vehicles are all stored in the new vehicle warehouse buildings.
The update are introducing the following new vehicles:
Special Vehicles
BF Ramp Buggy
JoBuilt Phantom Edge
Karin Technical Aqua
Nagasaki Blazer Aqua
Brute Armored Boxville
MTL Wastelander
Imponte Ruiner 2000
Coil Rocket Voltic
Vehicles
Principe Diablous and Diablous Custom
Annis Elegy Retro Custom
Pegassi Tempesta
Ocelot Penetrator
Of course the biggest customization addition is likely the biggest one yet for Grand Theft Auto Online. Chose a nose you regret deeply? Or maybe the eye colour seemed really edgy and cool at the time. Characters can finally go under the knife and change their appearance. If you’re happy with your character’s appearance, then new stunt props are being added for Rockstar Editor’s Director mode and Play Together support for PlayStation 4 is now live. In case you needed more encouragement to start playing Grand Theft Auto Online, the game is currently the Midweek Madness sale on Steam, dropping the price down by 50%.
Finally, a new adversary mode is being added in “Import/Export.” Turf Wars pits two to four teams in a new car arena game. Players must drive over tiles to claim it from their team and the one with the most tiles wins. Of course, there’s an explosive twist to the game. The cars are armed with rockets and ammunition is scattered around the arena.
Grand Theft Auto Online “Import/Export” is now live for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
The Last Guardian is developed by the same team behind ICO and Shadow of the Colossus, two critically acclaimed games with cult followings, both of which I have always wanted to try out but just never got around to. Their newest title follows a similar theme, pairing an unnamed boy and a mythical beast named Trico (who I will refer to as him in this review although a gender is not implicitly implied) on an adventure to find answers. With a 10 year development cycle that sees The Last Guardian placed amongst the greatest of video game delay legends, is it possible for this game to live up to the hype? Our full spoiler free review is below.
Story
The story of The Last Guardian plays out slowly over the course of the game as you traverse your surroundings. A voice that is heavily hinted to be your future self narrates certain moments, mostly describing the current events or how he and the beast felt at any particular moment. Beautifully composed cutscenes jolt the story forward and fill in some blanks, particularly in the strong final act, but they are rare within the 10 or so hour long adventure. While events are shown to you they are often lightly detailed, leaving a lot of the story open to your own interpretation, an ideal that goes hand in hand with all the mystery this game shrouds you in. Where are we? What is Trico? How did the boy get his markings? These are all questions I had to stop myself from spoiling before I beat the game and I am glad I waited as almost all of my burning questions were eventually answered to some degree.
The deepening bond between the boy and Trico serves as a narrative in itself and it’s one I became invested in despite not really caring for the boy in this story. The boy doesn’t really get any development in the story but I feel the reasoning for this is the developers wanting you to project yourself onto the boy so that you are the one building a relationship with Trico, hence not giving the boy a name. Rest assured that overall the story is unsettling, intriguing and emotional throughout, with enough big story moments along the way to shock you and lay down a memorable and heartfelt tale with a satisfying ending.
Gameplay
The Last Guardian is not an action game despite many retail listings, I would place it in the puzzle/platforming genre personally. The closest comparison I can make is that the entirety of the game is like one massive dungeon from a 3D Legend of Zelda game with a large focus on puzzles and some platforming. You enter a new area, take in your surroundings and figure out how to advance, whether that be pulling levers, finding barrels to feed Trico, or dragging a box to the right location to use as a ledge. That all sounds rather par for the course for a game like this and honestly a lot of it is, but The Last Guardian seldom reuses any puzzles or solutions and remains mentally stimulating enough to not become boring. Not to mention you have the lovable Trico at your side who puts a unique twist into the games challenges with his ability to reach new places and take out the suits of armour that the boy can not combat on his own for the most part.
The game never gets too difficult, finding a very nice balance between simplistic and challenging even though I did get stumped a couple of times. Honestly this felt like it was mostly due to some poor design choices as I would seem to have the solution worked out but the game wouldn’t let me perform said solution. A perfect example of this is when I came to this half destroyed bridge. In a couple of similar situations before Trico would easily clear that with a jump, however because the game is strictly linear and wants you to do it a certain way, Trico will just sit there and not jump. Trico not listening to you is both a part of his charm as a real beast and frustrating, more so frustrating when it’s several minutes before he finally carries out the command you have been screaming at him to perform. I love Trico but the weakest puzzle solutions in The Last Guardian involve you simply waiting for Trico to activate a large switch or jump to the next area as it makes the game extremely passive.
The voice of the future boy provides tips on how to advance if you ever get stuck for too long (or that I later found out if you meditate using the L3 button, this game does have an issue with not telling you some of these helpful commands), which was an appreciated feature in my play through as sometimes your next goal can be unclear, particularly at the beginning on the game. The hints aren’t too on the nose either, still allowing you to figure out a part of the puzzle for yourself. Unfortunately they become near useless towards the end of your adventure as when I used it later on I was just given an old irrelevant hint on an area I had long passed or a story explanation instead. Luckily Trico steps up here as your bond strengthens, often leading you to your next goal if you observe him long enough.
Now let’s dedicate an entire paragraph to how amazing Trico is. This beast is the most realistic and advanced (in terms of being believable not purely intelligence) partner AI I have seen in a game to date. The dog/cat inspirations are obvious here as Trico whimpers, growls, scratches at doors and even rolls over in puddles of waters just like a family pet. Trico has so much personality and interacts with the world incredibly naturally, even behaving well in tight environments. I couldn’t help but smile as he sat down to scratch his ears or sat at the edge of a cliff looking at the boy while he swam in the water below, only coming down when there was a barrel of food as a reward. Trico is the best part of this game hands down. His design, his actions, his story, his evolution throughout the game both physically and in his bond with the boy and his implementation into most of the gameplay puzzles is near perfect. If you don’t get attached to Trico then you might need to see a doctor to check if you have a heart.
What you might not love as much are the controls which are a bit of a mess here. Movement doesn’t feel precise as it should be and climbing or trying to jump off Trico or a rope in a particular direction can be a real task sometimes. The Last Guardian seldom requires precise movement but when it does you may find the controls lacking. Luckily the game is very forgiving with it’s checkpoint system meaning you shouldn’t have to replay anymore than 30 seconds of game time if you do die, an occurrence that was very rare for me outside of high falls caused by the controls or when an impromptu cutscene would take away control of the main character only to give it back at a really awkward time. The unchangeable obscure button layout doesn’t aid the situation and the fact that the controls constantly have to pop up in the corner of the screen to remind you of what buttons to press to perform an action is a testament to that. Having the circle button perform multiple tasks can be a pain at times, with the biggest example of this being if you’re trying to pat Trico and there are a bunch of items on the ground the boy can pick up.
The camera doesn’t help the control issue and sad to say it’s a bit of a mess as well. At times the camera does a great job capturing the perfect angle to show off the massive size of this games world, but put the camera in a small windowsill between two rooms or up against your back when Trico is nearby and you’re going to have problems. One time my screen went completely black and nothing I did got me out of it for a while leading to a small panic. The game also handles the ‘camera reset’ in a very jarring way, with a quick fade to black before it happens instead of just cutting straight to the new shot. This leads to multiple occasions where the screen repeatedly fades to black as the camera tries to adjust itself. These issues will pop up but you can get past them easily with a bit of patience.
I know I’ve probably made the controls seem absolutely awful here but I stress that they are manageable and after an hour or so you will get used to them. The game does enough right to make putting up with these technical issues worth it. The majority of the puzzles are fun and while the platforming is rather basic for most of the game, figuring the correct way to scale a tower or make it across a gap is just as satisfying as solving a puzzle, especially when Trico helps out. Gameplay isn’t The Last Guardian‘s strongest card by any means but it’s decent enough that it won’t hinder your enjoyment of everything else it brings to the table.
Graphics
The Last Guardian is beautiful. Once again Trico is the star of the show here, with the amount of visual fidelity in it’s fur, whiskers and feathers being nothing short of amazing. The way Trico fits in with the environment is technically impressive, only once did I ever notice Trico ever glitch out graphically or even clip any other objects and that was in a rather poorly designed water section. The environments are well designed and detailed outside of a couple of low quality textures, keeping a mostly monochrome colour palette that makes areas with lots of flora feel refreshing. The light cel shader applied to the game gives it a whimsical feel which suits the gameplay, story and environments perfectly. At times the light saturation effect might be applied too strong but this seems to be a distinct visual choice by the developers. The lighting is generally a high point but there are some odd times where it completely shifts tone unrealistically when entering a new area.
Those graphics obviously take a toll on performance here though, with a frame rate that fairly frequently dips below it’s 30 FPS cap, sometimes to a crawl, mostly moments where Trico is on the move or during cinematics. It’s not a game breaking issue by any stretch, but it does occur frequently enough to take a little wonder out of the games impressive visuals and can really take you out of the moment when it happens during a big story scene which sucks. This was played on a basic PS4 but if you have a PS4 Pro available to you I recommend using that as I have heard most Pro users are getting a consistent 30 FPS using the 1080p mode.
Audio
The orchestral soundtrack consists of a low number of tracks and is used sparingly in The Last Guardian, but considering the games length and theme that all works wonders here, really adding emphasis to each moment where music is applied. Whether you’re getting chased by one of those animated guards or clinging to life on the edge of a cliff the soundtrack adds a new dimension to the tension or emotion felt by the player. Discovering a wide open area for the first time with a track that compliments that new found feeling of freedom and wonder was a great memorable moment.
Outside of the music all the sound effects, the fictional language and any sound associated with Trico from his roars to his whimpers round out the games atmosphere perfectly in crystal clear quality. Top marks for the soundtrack and audio design in The Last Guardian.
Overall
I can’t say The Last Guardian was worth a 10 year wait but this is still a strong, unique experience that will appeal to gamers who have patience and can appreciate games as an art form and story telling method rather than just as entertainment. The beautiful, intriguing story paired with the gorgeous graphics, masterful audio and all the love that is put into every ounce of Trico’s being is something I hope a lot of gamers will try and then appreciate. The meat of the platforming and puzzle based game play may be rather generic outside of Trico’s involvement but it remains challenging enough to dispel boredom for the games duration. Controls, performance and minor camera issues aside, The Last Guardian is an unforgettable experience.
Steep is Ubisoft Annecy’s first foray into winter sports. The studio previously specialized in simulation before moving on to provide support for Ubisoft’s major studios in France and Montreal, now specializing in multiplayer gameplay. Steep gives players access to the open world of the Alps mountain range. Gamers will be able to traverse the mountains by ski, snowboard, wingsuit, and paraglider, seamlessly swapping between sports as they please.
Story
Steep doesn’t have much of a story and that works to the game’s benefit. Players are introduced to the world by a nameless voice who serves as the player’s promoter/manager. He provides a basic tutorial of navigating through the world of Steep and points out new locations players unlock as they gain levels in the game. The spirit of the mountains also provides some monologues in the secrets of the mountain quests, which range from decent to really cheesy. The nebulous nature of the game’s story elements fits well to the open world freedom of the game and I think trying to force in a plot would have probably been to Steep’s detriment.
Gameplay
Steep’s gameplay revolves around four extreme sports: skiing, snowboarding, paragliding, and wingsuit flying. Players can switch between all four sports or slowly plod through the snow on foot as long as they come to a full stop on the ground. The controls are solid and should be familiar to anyone who has played an extreme sports game. I think Steep is better suited for a controller over the mouse and keyboard, but either will work well enough.
One of the Steep’s biggest pitfalls is its poor tutorial. The absolute basics are explained through a few short levels and a tutorial video. Tips pop up from time to time, but there is no easy way to go back to quickly look over old tips or read up on the game’s controls. The only easily accessible option is for players to rewatch the tutorial videos, which are not the most helpful things in the world. To figure out some of the finer points of paragliding, I ended up having to rely on Google to learn how to pick up enough speed to start earning gold medals. I suspect that many players will learn these tips and tricks by doing something similar.
The entire mountain range is free for exploration. As players travel around the Alps, they can also use their binoculars to scout out new drop zones or challenges. Tons of Mountain Stories and points of interests are scattered across the map waiting to be discovered. Travelling around the mountain is very easy as players can quickly switch into mountain view to travel from place to place or restart challenges with a press of a button. One of Steep’s biggest selling point is the freedom players are given. While there are plenty of traditional challenges like races and stunt competitions to partake in, the greatest joy is simply finding a nice high spot to start from and careening down the mountain side without worrying about finding the most efficient route or pulling off mind boggling stunts. Roaming around the mountain strikes a perfect balance of relaxation and stimulation, which makes Steep one of those perfect games for enjoying a long podcast.
Steep falls a bit short for the more competitive or those who need a little more direction in their life.Scattered across the mountain are pre-made challenges in all four sports Steep offers that challenge players on things like speed and score. Additionally, players can create their own and challenge their fellow players to best their scores. I do wish there was an extra menu listing all the available challenges as digging around the mountain view for specific challenges can be a bit tough when they are all scattered across the entire map. None of the challenges are particularly ground breaking and I found myself bored after a while due to the repetitive nature.
Steep is not without its quirks. The game has a habit of spawning players incorrectly, whether it is facing the wrong direction, a few feet away from the spawn point, or some combination of the two. While this isn’t a big issue for snowboarding, it’s downright annoying on skis and can be deathly for paragliders and wingsuits.
We live in a social media age with services like YouTube and Twitch holding a huge chunk of the media consumed by the young, so it is no surprise that Steep is heavily invested in video sharing. In case you didn’t get the point the game has very prominent GoPro product placements in game to remind you. Players can share their favourite moments with the video editor built into the game. I found it was easy enough to use, as players can quickly look back at their run and find all the epic bits they want to keep.
Steep’s multiplayer options are good and follow the open-ended spirit of the game. Random players that are playing in the same area will appear in your game, which gives mountains a touch of life. It is easy enough to see a player in game and shoot them a quick group invite or dig through your friends list to invite some old friends into your game, with up to four people can group together and explore the Alps as a team.
Visuals
Steep is a gorgeous game. The mountain topography has been created to be both eye catching and incredibly fun to traverse. Considering the game takes place in the same geographical range, some efforts have been made to help distinguish different parts of the mountain, which pays off nicely. Though players can’t create their own characters in game, there are plenty of clothing and equipment options to choose from. It seems a little counter-intuitive to the game’s focus on freedom of choice, as much of it requires players to complete challenges to unlock them.
Audio
Steep’s soundtrack features a mix of genres that should have something of interest for everyone. While music is a highly subjective matter, I think the soundtrack is a great mix that suits the game and extreme winter sports culture well. The sound effects are good. I feel a little mixed about the voice acting. A lot of the narration voice work is excellent, but the character lines tend to get a little repetitive.
Overall
Steep isn’t for everyone. The open-ended gameplay and the repetitive nature of challenges will not win over new fans to the extreme sports genre. Additionally, those who need direction in their video games will have a hard time with Steep’s nebulous nature. The poor documentation does no favours for new players either. However, fans of extreme sports that grew up on the SSX and Tony Hawk series will likely love the modern take on the genre Steep brings to the table.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
FUNimation Entertainment has announced via social media that they have acquired the rights to the anime adaptation of Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi and will be releasing it on DVD in North America next year. The official release date has been set for March 7, 2017. It will be a box set containing seasons one and two and the OVA episodes. FUNimation has not yet confirmed if the release will be subtitled-only or if they will be producing an English dub for the series.
The original manga is released in English with the translated title The World’s Greatest First Love. It is set in the same world as Junjo Romantica. FUNimation mentioned in their announcement that this will be their first boys’ love (BL) release.
The full-size cover art for FUNimation’s upcoming box set release is featured below.
XSEED GAMES CONFIRMS LAUNCH DATE FOR FATE/EXTELLA: THE UMBRAL STAR
The Epic Battle for Ultimate Power Begins on January 17 for PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®Vita
Torrance, Calif. — December 13, 2016 — XSEED Games, the independent-minded console publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc., today announced that Fate/EXTELLA: The Umbral Star, the highly-anticipated action title set within the much-beloved Fate universe, will release in North America on January 17, 2017 for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system. A limited run of the exclusive Noble Phantasm Edition bundle will contain a 7.5” by 6.3” hardcover art book featuring over 100 pages of high-quality artwork and backstory from Fate/EXTELLA: The Umbral Star, a pack of sixteen collectible 3” by 5” cards depicting each of the game’s Servants, and a 24” by 17” cloth poster, all housed in a custom collectible box.
Furthermore, the digital PS4™ system version is now available for pre-order from PlayStation®Store. Pre-orders will instantly unlock an exclusive PS4™ theme, as well as the exclusive “Shackled Bride Outfit” DLC for Nero upon launch of the game. The digital “PS Vita” system game will not have a pre-order campaign, but for the first two weeks upon launch, PS Store will feature a special bundle, which will include the core Fate/EXTELLA “PS Vita” game, an exclusive “PS Vita” theme, and the exclusive “Cold-Blooded Warden” DLC outfit for Gilgamesh.
To prime fans for the upcoming launch, a new trailer previewing the many Servants taking part in the title was released today, and the product website has been made live at www.fateextella.com.
Developed by Marvelous Inc. and expanding upon the extensive Fate universe with a story from acclaimed series writer Kinoko Nasu (of Fate/stay night fame), Fate/EXTELLA: The Umbral Star features a diverse cast of “Servants” – ancient warriors of legend and imagination, always at their Masters’ orders – who survived the Holy Grail War that took place on the Moon. In a future watched over by the all-powerful lunar super computer Moon Cell Automaton, these champions now battle for dominance over this digital realm, known as “SE.RA.PH.” This story takes place after the events described in Fate/EXTRA, and depicts the world after that previous Holy Grail War.
Players will experience the story of Fate/EXTELLA: The Umbral Star from the independent perspectives of the three heroine Servants and face off against foes from a variety of Fate productions, including characters from Fate/EXTRA, Fate/stay night, Fate/Zero, Fate/Apocrypha and Fate/Grand Order, in fast-paced action. A new form change battle mechanic called Moon Crux debuts in this entry to match its series-first gameplay style, transforming the player-controlled Servants and granting them considerable powers that allow them to devastate enemies and take formidable challenges head-on. The game will contain the original Japanese voices with English text.
Fate/EXTELLA: The Umbral Star is developed by Marvelous Inc. and published in North America by XSEED Games. The limited Noble Phantasm Edition has a suggested retail price of $69.99 for the PS4™ system and $59.99 for the “PS Vita” system, while the standard retail and digital editions of the game will be available for $49.99 and $39.99, respectively. This title has been rated “T for Teen” by the ESRB.
Pokémon Trading Card Game: Sun & Moon Series Revealed Today
Pokémon Trading Card Game: Sun & Moon Series Revealed Today London, UK, 13 December 2016—Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon is the latest expansion to the Pokémon Trading Card Game franchise. In this expansion, players will receive a warm welcome to the tropical Alola region and start their journey with Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio. They then have the chance to seek out the Legendary Pokémon Solgaleo-GX and Lunala-GX to witness the awesome power of a new kind of Pokémon: each Pokémon-GX brings an attack so devastating that you can use only one of them per game! Discover dozens of never-before-seen Pokémon, Alola forms of some familiar favorites, and new ways to battle in the Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moonexpansion! Key Features of the Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon expansion
More than 40 brand-new Pokémon: Many of the exotic and tropical Pokémon that Trainers have come to love in the new Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moonvideo games join the Pokémon Trading Card Game in this expansion!
New Alolan Pokémon: Regional variants of many classic Pokémon who have a new look in Alola will appear in the Pokémon TCG. Many of these Alolan Pokémon have a free attack, one they can use with no Energy attached!
Introducing Pokémon-GX: These super-powered Pokémon will have a huge impact on the game.
Legendary Pokémon: Solgaleo and Lunala, the Legendary Pokémon from thePokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon video games, join the Pokémon TCG as new Pokémon-GX.
New card design: The beauty of the Alola region is reflected in the new art and design of the Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon expansion.
Booster packs: Packs of 10 additional cards selected from the expansion will be available.
Three new theme decks: These 60-card preconstructed decks are designed to introduce players to the Pokémon TCG by enabling them to play right away.
Sun & Moon theme decks and booster packs include an in-pack code card that unlocks virtual cards from the Sun & Moon expansion for play in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online at www.pokemon.com/tcgo . The Pokémon TCG Online is also available for iPad via the App Store and Android tablets via Google Play.
The Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon expansion will be available for purchase at all participating stores at the start of 2017.
Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Android, Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc. Amazon, Kindle, Fire and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Big Viking Games and Valiant Entertainment Form First Major Content Partnership for Next Generation HTML5 Messenger Gaming Platforms
TORONTO and LONDON, ON – (December 13, 2016) –Big Viking Games, a leader in HTML5 mobile instant games, and Valiant Entertainment, the award-winning comic book publisher with a library of more than 2,000 characters, including X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, Harbinger, Shadowman, Archer & Armstrong and more, today announced a five-year mobile content partnership that will convert Valiant’s massive library of characters and stories into mobile instant gaming experiences focused on new gaming platforms such as the recently launched Facebook Messenger.
Starting today, Valiant and Big Viking will combine Valiant’s best-selling collection of superheroes and their associated storylines with Big Viking’s industry leading HTML5 development and publishing ability to deliver the Valiant Universe to fans and new players alike through a completely new medium. The companies intend to release numerous HTML5 titles with a focus on messengers and social networks as distribution.
“It’s an honor to partner with Valiant and bring their incredibly rich and deep catalogue of characters and stories to new and exciting platforms on mobile,” said Albert Lai, CEO and Co-founder of Big Viking Games. “We have always been huge fans of their comics, and the executive team has done an incredible job bringing Valiant to the forefront of the comic world over the years. Valiant and Big Viking share a very similar core ideology, which is to ‘make fans,’ and I believe this partnership will make millions of new fans for both companies”
“Big Viking is poised to enter the market on the cusp of a game-changing moment for the whole of mobile gaming and, together, we look forward to engaging a massive new audience for Valiant’s incredibly rich universe of characters,” said Russell A. Brown, President of Consumer Products, Promotions & Ad Sales for Valiant Entertainment. “Valiant is the most acclaimed publisher of comics in our industry today, and Big Viking has dedicated themselves to translating the essence our best-known heroes into a groundbreaking new medium. We look forward to presenting our fans, old and new, will some truly amazing experiences to explore on Facebook and beyond in the coming months and years.”
In addition to today’s announcement, Big Viking recently revealed a $21.75 million funding round to continue expansion of their HTML5 mobile instant gaming division and the creation of a $10 million publishing fund to develop and distribute third-party content for messengers in HTML5. Additionally, last year Valiant announced a five-film deal with Sony Pictures to bring both Bloodshot and Harbinger franchises to life on the big screen.
About Big Viking Games
Big Viking Games, founded in 2011, is the largest independent mobile and social game studio in Canada and a pioneer in mobile HTML5 games. The company has grown profitably to a team of over 100 Vikings across two studios in Toronto and London, Ontario. From our beginnings with hits like Fish World and YoWorld, we have become a leader in live operations, and a pioneer of what is possible with mobile HTML5 technologies to redefine the future of mobile entertainment. Our titles are played by millions of people on iOS, Android, Facebook and the mobile web.
About Valiant Entertainment
Valiant Entertainment is a leading character-based entertainment company that owns and controls the largest independent superhero universe in comics. With more than 80 million issues sold and a library of over 2,000 characters, including X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, Harbinger, Shadowman, Archer & Armstrong, and many more, Valiant is one of the most successful publishers in the history of the comic book medium. Today, the company’s characters continue to be forged in publishing, licensing, film, video games, and beyond. Valiant consistently produces some of the most critically acclaimed comics in the industry and has received numerous industry awards and accolades, including a Diamond Gem Award for Comic Book Publisher of the Year. In 2015, Valiant announced a multi-picture deal to bring Bloodshot and Harbinger to the big screen as feature films.
2K today announced that WWE 2K17’s New Moves Pack is now available as downloadable content, enabling access to a wide variety of in-game moves. Examples include the Swingout Neckbreaker (made popular by WWE Superstar Charlotte); the Elbro Drop (made popular by WWE Superstar Zack Ryder); the Face Wash Combo (made popular by NXT Superstar Samoa Joe); and the TJP Clutch (made popular by WWE Superstar T.J. Perkins). The New Moves Pack is available for £3.19 (SRP)* and is also included as part of the game’s Season Pass.
View or Embed the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKe5f385prg
For more information on WWE 2K17, including the game’s Downloadable Content and Season Pass Program, please visit wwe.2k.com, like the game on Facebook, follow the game on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #WWE2K17 or subscribe on YouTube.
Developed collaboratively by Yuke’s and Visual Concepts, a 2K studio, WWE 2K17 is rated PEGI 16 and is available worldwide for the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, Xbox One and Xbox 360.
* Based on 2K’s suggested retail price. Actual retail price may vary. Check the PlayStation or Xbox store in your country for the actual retail price in your local currency.
Adorable, Hand-Animated Adventure The Little Acre Treads onto PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC
Heartwarming Tale Debuts with a Free Digital Artbook, Offering Insight into the Creation of this Spectacular Game from Pewter Games and Executive Producer Charles Cecil
LONDON – December 13, 2016 – Developer Pewter Games, executive producer Charles Cecil and independent games publisher Curve Digital today announced that the stunningly handcrafted point and click adventure, The Little Acre, is now available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC, Mac and Linux via digital distributors. An interview between creators Christopher Conlan and Ben Clavin ushers in the lovable tale, wherein they discuss the challenges and joys of bringing a classically-styled adventure game to modern audiences: https://youtu.be/yN_LPz0-kHA
Launch window discount offers are currently live across various digital stores – including Steam, GOG.com and Humble Store by Humble Bundle, as well as via the PlayStation and Xbox stores for consoles – enabling players to grab the game below its usual SRP of $12.99 / €12.99 / £9.99. PC players automatically receive a lavish digital artbook as part of their purchase, with console owners able to download it for free via digital magazine website ISSUU.com.
Created by the Dublin-based Pewter Games alongside Broken Sword creator Charles Cecil as executive producer, The Little Acre is a heart-warming, story-led adventure featuring hand-drawn animation, full voice acting, and a beautiful original score. Inspired by the marvels of classic Don Bluth animation (All Dogs Go to Heaven) and the magical wonder of a Miyazaki world, the game is set in 1950s Ireland and follows the story of Aidan and his young daughter, Lily. Investigating the sudden disappearance of his father, Aidan finds himself transported to a strange new land populated by bizarre creatures. Things are made slightly more difficult when young Lily decides that she is going to “help” and encounters her own perils along the way.
“Now the game is releasing, we can’t wait to see how people respond to The Little Acre,” says Ben Clavin, Co-Founder of Pewter Games. “The feedback we’ve received throughout development has been enormously positive – and now it’s out there.”
“We’ve put our heart and soul into creating The Little Acre, so we’re absolutely thrilled to see it up in stores,” adds Chris Conlan, Co-Founder of Pewter Games. “While we know it’s going to appeal to fans of adventure games, we’re really looking forward to welcoming new players to the genre.”
“The Little Acre is a game I would have been proud to have created myself,” concludes Charles Cecil. “To be able to play a small part in it has been enormously rewarding. I hope this prompts a real resurgence in the genre’s popularity, inspiring more teams to write equally wonderful stories.”
The Little Acre is now available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows, PC, Mac and Linux from most major digital stores. More information on the game can be found on the official website at www.pewtergamesstudios.com/the-little-acre/. The digital artbook can be viewed online at:
For a brief synopsis and overview of The Little Acre, a debut trailer released in August provides a glimpse at the level of finesse, passion and attention to detail instilled in the game by its creators, and is viewable at: https://youtu.be/SVjO5EuPLG0
About Curve Digital
Curve Digital is the largest publisher of independent video games on console formats in the world. Working with high profile developers such as Mike Bithell (Thomas Was Alone), Dan Marshall (The Swindle) and Olli Harjola (The Swapper), Curve helps individuals and small teams bring their games to a larger audience. Curve actively publishes on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U and 3DS.
Mirage: Arcane Warfare’s Vypress Class Unleashed in New Trailer
Torn Banner Studios, the creators of Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, today released a brand new trailer exploring one of the iconic classes of their upcoming multiplayer action-combat game Mirage: Arcane Warfare, the Vypress.
The Vypress is one of Mirage: Arcane Warfare’s deadliest competitors that you probably won’t even see coming. Wielding two blades that can slice through your head in an instant, the Vypress relies on her superior speed and specialized abilities – the high-flying “Pounce” and the teleportation-like “Phase” – to end her enemies in the flash of an eye. What she lacks in defense she makes up for in agility, as seen in the new class trailer focused on her that can be viewed here.
This brand new trailer featuring the Vypress is the first in a series of videos called “Instruments of Death” exploring Mirage’s unique band of warriors that will be released in the lead up to the upcoming 2017 launch of Mirage: Arcane Warfare. For more information, or to sign up for the closed alpha that is currently running, please visit MirageArcaneWarfare.com. Like their game’s Facebook page and follow it on Twitter @MirageGame for future news and updates.
About Torn Banner Studios
Torn Banner Studios is a small indie games studio that makes BIG games. Based in Toronto Canada, Torn Banner Studios was founded in 2012 by a group of passionate game developers who are dedicated to creating powerful and unique games for a dedicated audience of fans. The nucleus of the team first came together from a group of modders who created a well-known Half-Life 2 mod called Age of Chivalry. Their first full game, Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, was a critical and commercial success and has driven the dedicated team at Torn Banner to continue to develop great games and ongoing content for their passionate community of fans. For more information visit TornBanner.com or follow @TornBanner.