Last weekend I found myself the chance to play a preview of Bethesda’sDishonored 2 at EB Expo in Sydney – and it was so much fun I did it twice. Following on 15 years after the end of the first Dishonored, Dishonored 2 is set in the warm and sunny city of Karnaca. Empress Emily has been dethroned and outlawed by an otherworldly usurper, and once again you have to right what is wrong the only way an assassin knows how: choking everyone out and hiding them in dumpsters.
The preview of the game everyone played featured the Clockwork Mansion level, showcased here last week in two High- versus Low-Chaos videos. The play-through starts halfway through, at the mansion’s front door and it is up to the players to navigate its inner workings, free Anton Sokolov, and deal with Kirin Jindosh. First impression was one of familiarity: the same steampunk aesthetic remains, and Corvo’s abilities feel instantly familiar. The city of Karnaca (what can be seen at least) is similar enough to feel a part of the world’s aesthetic, but has a very Mediterranean vibe to it. The level design follows the first game’s excellent example, with multiple pathways, plenty to explore, and hidden rooms, but with a greater use of verticality than was present in Dunwall. The Clockwork Mansion itself shifts around you as you fiddle with its mechanisms, hiding and revealing paths, and it is often necessary to leave the lavishly furnished mansion to hide and run throughout its walls and inner workings. Combat is just as satisfying and kills just as brutal as in the first game, and with Corvo’s abilities largely the same fights are instantly familiar to fans of the first. The new clockwork soldiers throw a curve-ball, with their towering stature, four blade limbs and heightened senses making their avoidance recommended. They’re resilient and aggressive foes, and encountering them during the level was a welcome challenge and change of pace in combat. Tactics and weapons to deal with them exist, making them refreshing rather than frustrating to encounter.
For example at one point in the day I was amusing myself trying to kill a clockwork by repeatedly blinking behind it and turning to jump and attempt an assassination. With the clockwork choosing to slowly plod after me, it gave me plenty of chances to time my attacks. A bemused staffer at the stall kindly informed me I had explosive bullets with which to deal with the clockwork – and I didn’t have all day. In order to prove him wrong I kept at it – whereupon the clockwork decided to aggressively charge and cut me down. Touche game, touche.
Both of my play-throughs were done in High-Chaos. Not because the kill animations are great, or because it’s satisfying to rend enemies limb-from limb, but because I couldn’t figure out the control scheme on the controller, and it was just easier to stab everyone, so I got very familiar with the combat system. My second play was as Emily, and she’s just as capable as Corvo when it comes to scenes of ultra-violence, or tenderly hugging guards as your sword exits their chest chestburster-style. Her abilities play pretty differently to Corvo’s, with the exception of Far Reach, which is her version of Blink. Where Corvo’s abilities tend to focus on himself, or act to extend him, like Windblast, Possession, or Bend Time, Emily’s focus is more on opponents, directly affecting their minds with Mesmerize or Domino, while Doppelganger allows you to summon a copy of yourself to attack enemies. As either character the Mansion yielded secrets and routes similarly, with their differences being more keenly felt in combat.
The introduction of a voice actor for Corvo was jarring at first, as he’s apparently gotten over the whole silent protagonist shtick in order to narrate his experiences. I can see why the change was made – the voice narration helped make sense of the level early on in the play-through, and gave Corvo more of a personality than the apocalyptic horseman he portrayed in the first game. The change isn’t necessarily a bad one however, and would probably feel more natural with a whole game to play through. Overall the weekend was a positive experience, and the game was immense fun. I did encounter a couple of bugs during my time, which is inevitable in an early version, but they didn’t impact on the game at all.
Dishonored 2 releases worldwide on November 11 this year, on PC, Xbox One and Playstation 4.
World of Warcraft: Legion is the sixth expansion pack for the venerable World of Warcraft MMORPG. The Burning Legion is invading Azeroth once again with the assistance of the warlock Gul’dan. Of course, where there are demons, the elven demon hunters are not far behind. World of Warcraft: Legion introduces some major changes to the game, including a revamp of the PVP system, artifact weapons, and Order Halls.
Story
Warning: Minor spoilers ahead
If it is possible to sum up World of Warcraft: Legion’s story in a single word, I would choose ballsy. Within the first few minutes of the game, several major characters that have played big roles in Warcraft lore throughout the years are killed. Both the Alliance and the Horde have now lost their leaders, leaving the the young Anduin Wrynn and the Banshee Queen Sylvanas Windrunner to lead their respective factions through this crisis.
Of course, no expansion focused on the Burning Legion is complete without the return of the fan favourite demon hunters. Gamers will finally get a chance to play the class as either Night Elves or Blood Elves after Maiev Shadowsong chooses them over the Burning Legion as the lesser of the two evils. Now unleashed upon Azeroth to exterminate the Burning Legion without mercy, the demon hunters are quickly resurrecting their organization without Illidan Stormrage at the helm and rebuilding tenuous ties with the Horde and Alliance.
Blizzard is continuing to demonstrate that their writers are some of the best in the industry. World of Warcraft: Legion is probably one of the strongest expansions lore wise. The pacing is excellent and the story is interesting. Even with the grim events World of Warcraft: Legion is built around, Blizzard still manages to work in their trademark sense of humour into the game.
Gameplay
I get questions from friends who do not play World of Warcraft once in a while about why World of Warcraft 2 has yet to be released. My answer is always simple: compare vanilla World of Warcraft to the latest expansion over a decade on and you will see two completely different games. The popularity of the Nostralrius private server before it was shut down is evidence how much has changed in twelve years. Blizzard has kept their MMORPG going all these years by implementing incremental changes to the system, whether they brand new ideas or ones inspired by the multitude of so called “WoW killers” that have been released over the years.
World of Warcraft: Legion is no different. Behind the marquee additions of artifact weapons and demon hunters are a slew of changes both big and small. One of the biggest is the changes to the garrison system. Many players criticized that World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor’s encouraged players to sit in their garrisons. Blizzard’s phase instances of low population areas helped breath a little life into quieter areas, but it also came at the cost of breaking up the communities on the server, which many RP servers are still quite bitter about. For Legion, Order Halls are replacing the garrison. The halls retain the NPC questing system of the garrison but are no longer a solo instance. Instead, they are a meeting place for all members of that class. The NPC questing system makes its return, albeit in a slightly different format. The NPC quests are tied into each player’s quest line for their artifact weapon and the NPCs recruited are either nameless troops or named champions who play a more active role in a player’s Legion experience. Additionally, the Order Halls are where players can spend their points to add new skills to their weapons, and research perks for their Order Halls. Blizzard has also released a mobile app to help players manage their Order Halls on the go. The new Order Halls are a massive improvement over the garrison. The biggest and most important change is that there are no economic related activities happening in the Order Halls. Forcing players to go back to town to use the auction house or find a crafter to make their goods is a big stride in rebuilding some of the community that was lost in Warlords of Draenor. Add in the constant flow of people running around the Order Halls and the game is already feeling a lot more like an MMORPG again.
One of the more interesting changes to the game is the complete shake up of the PVP system. The goal is to separate the PVP and PVE elements of the game as much as possible, allowing Blizzard to balance one aspect with as little impact on the other as possible. Blizzard has removed PVP items completely from the game, hoping to make PVP less gear focused. They estimate that differences in gear acquired in PVE should only account for roughtly a 7% power difference. A separate honor talent tree has been implemented that allows players to add new talents as they proceed through the honor ranks. In true modern video game fashion, once a player hits level 50, they can prestige to gain new cosmetic benefits and progress through the honor ranks again. Of course, the biggest change to PVP is actually quite simple, the dreaded human racial ability Every Man For Himself has been nerfed significantly. It is a huge step in rebuilding a balanced PVP system for the game.
Now I want to make it clear, I have not participated in PVP much since World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade for a variety of reasons, both personal and game related. The PVP balance issues that has dragged on for the last several years has not encouraged my return either, which culminated in me completely avoiding PVP in Warlords of Draenor all together as a Horde player. At this point, I think I am happy with any serious change to the system that starts with nerfing Every Man for Himself. Hopefully the new changes bring a little more long-term balance that has plagued PVP is better than the previous system.
PVE has also seen some changes. Blizzard has completely removed levelled zones from the game. Instead, players are free to pick and choose the places they want to quest in and in the order they wish to do it. As players level up, both the questing area and the dungeons will automatically adjust its difficulty to reflect the player’s levels. I like the new system as it helps players experience the lore at their own pace while still keeping the difficulty level at an appropriate level.
The artifact weapon system is probably one of the more radical changes to the item system World of Warcraft has seen yet. Instead of having players chase after weapon drops in instances and crafting, every class specialization in the game has its own artifact weapon. As players complete quests, run dungeons/raids, explore the world, and so forth, players gain artifact points and artifact relics to spend on new artifact skills. Artifact skills are a mix of stat boosts, passive skills, and active abilities suited for the specialization. I am quite pleased with the new system, as it brings back a little bit of the old talent system without completely overwhelming the new, simplified talent system introduced in Mists of Panderia. Additionally, it means that every player gets a chance to participate in a legendary weapon quest, instead of waiting and hoping for Blizzard to choose their class as the lucky recipient of that expansion’s legendary weapon. As a person who has played the often ignored feral/guardian druid for several expansions now, I am thrilled to finally partake.
The new demon hunter class is a leather wearing agility melee specialist. Like the death knight, players start in a specialized area that introduces players to the class’ lore and abilities, before depositing players at the beginning of the expansion. Players need to have a level 70 character on a server before they are allowed to roll a demon hunter. In a break from tradition, demon hunters only have two specializations, the vengeance tank spec and the havoc DPS spec; however, each spec has their own set of skills. Demon hunters use pain and soul fragments as their resources. Both are generated using specific abilities, though soul fragments are generated by random chance. Both are used to fuel various demon hunter abilities. As a highly mobile class, demon hunters are able to double jump and use glide to slow their fall. The havoc specialization plays a lot of like a fury warrior mixed with a rogue, while the vengeance tank feels more like a cross between a death knight and the dodge-heavy druid tanks of previous expansions. The class is very fun to play and stays true to the lore. While I think the double jump and glide ability is a little too handy compared to other classes, I hope that Blizzard considers giving other classes more mobility options versus nerfing the day lights out of the demon hunter.
The smaller changes are just as important in World of Warcraft: Legion. Blizzard has been taking cues from the vibrant UI modding community over the years, updating the default UI with functions that mimic or outright replace popular mods. This expansion pack is no different. As a tank, my favourite of these changes is a small subtle arrow in the targeting circle that shows which direction the selected target is facing. Additionally, the upgrades to the transmogrification system brings the game more in line with the flexible system used in Diablo 3. When players pick up an item, the look is saved and can be used later for a small fee. The crafting system has also been stripped down a bit, cutting down the number of recipes in the game in favour of rewarding crafters with more efficient recipes over time. Inscription has seen the biggest change in result of this decision, with major glyphs being completely dropped from the game in favour of raid specific consumables.
So in the end, all of the additions and adjustments to the World of Warcraft formula that Legion has introduced has resulted in a leaner, meaner game. It is easier than ever to hop into World of Warcraft, whether you do it for the first time or are returning after missing several expansions. While Blizzard is continuing to move World of Warcraft’s gameplay further away from vanilla WoW, it is continuing to modernize the game and keep it relevant in an ever changing environment.
Visuals
Much like the gameplay, World of Warcraft has seen graphical engine updates over the years. It still runs as well as ever on old computers, though the minimum system requirements have been given a gentle bump up this time around. While some minor tweaks here and there have been implemented, it is all so subtle that I can barely tell the difference between Legion and Warlords of Draenor. The biggest and most noticeable change is the maximum draw distance has been tripled, giving players with the latest video cards a good long look into the distance.
Art style wise, Legion is looking great. The Burning Legion’s demonic lime green style is used liberally within the game, easily marking characters as good and evil while representing the demon hunter’s precarious life in between the lines. There are plenty of new models in the game that compliment Blizzard’s already large library well.
Audio
World of Warcraft: Legion continues the tradition of a strong audio experience. The sound effects are excellent. While there are a few smaller characters where voice actors miss the mark, the voice acting is top notch for the most part. The soundtrack is a fantastic mix of epic fantasy tracks with more subtle songs to keep things balanced.
Overall
World of Warcraft: Legion is a well balanced mix of gutsy and subtle changes and additions. Blizzard’s writers are moving back towards the more traditional topics in World of Warcraft lore, yet has gleefully killed off plenty of major characters. PVP has seen a complete overhaul, yet PVE has been tuned to be a more consistent experience. The long awaited demon hunter is an excellent mix of the familiar, yet adds some new concepts such as high mobility and completely separate skill sets. When all the updates and additions are combined, World of Warcraft: Legion is likely one of Blizzard’s best expansion packs in a long time.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics Thank Fans with 100,000 In-Game Credits During Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration Launch Week
Available October 11 – The Definitive Rise of the Tomb Raider Experience Features New Story Chapter, New Co-Op Endurance, Limited Edition Art Book, and In-Game Content Honoring 20 Years of the Iconic Lara Croft
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (October 4, 2016) – Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics® continue to celebrate Lara Croft’s 20-year legacy with a special community promotion for Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration during launch week. Simply by logging in, players will receive a gift of 100,000 in-game credits. This is a thank you to fans who have been with the franchise for days, months, years or even decades, and every platform in every country is included in this promotion. These 100,000 credits can be used to purchase Expedition Card Packs which become modifiers in the extra game modes, including new Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration content such as Co-op Endurance and “Lara’s Nightmare”. Full details on the program can be found here.
20 years of Tomb Raider continues as Square Enix also debuts the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration Challenge. Inspired by classic game shows from the 80s and 90s and hosted by Jessica Chobot, this event brought together 12 Internet icons as they competed for the Golden Climbing Axe to be crowned the ultimate Tomb Raider, as well as win prize money for their favorite charity!
Contestants included Melonie Mac, Doug Le of Nukem Dukem, Jessica Villarreal, “Atomic” Mari Takahashi, Jake & Logan from team Epiphany, Swiftor, Pamela Horton, Nick Gregorio, Fairlight Excalibur, Peter Paras of GameRevolution, and Malik Forte.
Fans can check out a teaser of all the action at Challenge.tombraider.com. Episode 1 of the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration Challenge will go live on October 6 and Episode 2 will release on October 12 following the launch of Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration.
Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration is the most comprehensive version of the award-winning experience, and includes Rise of the Tomb Raider, the new story chapter “Blood Ties”, “Lara’s Nightmare” zombie combat mode, PlayStation VR support for “Blood Ties”, co-op Endurance gameplay, an “Extreme Survivor” difficulty, 5 classic Lara skins, and an outfit and weapon inspired by TR III. It also includes all of the previously released downloadable content such as “Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch”, “Cold Darkness Awakened”, 12 outfits, 7 weapons, multiple Expedition Card packs, and more. The game launches on PS4 October 11th, and the new content will be included as part of the Season Pass on Xbox One and PC.
The TOMB RAIDER franchise has sold over 46 million copies worldwide and inspired one of the most successful video game film adaptations in history, grossing over $300 million at the global box office with protagonist Lara Croft becoming a contemporary global icon. The most recent release in the world famous franchise, Rise of the Tomb Raider, released exclusively for Xbox One and Xbox 360 on November 9, 2015 and on PC January 28, 2016. The game has received numerous “Best of” nominations and is one of the highest rated games on next generation systems. All of this has made TOMB RAIDER once again a destination brand for action-adventure.
Kingston launched the HyperX Cloud Stinger gaming headset today. The headset is designed with the gamer on a budget and Kingston boasts its the best headset in the sub $50 USD range. The HyperX Cloud Stinger is a very light 275 grams but still boasts rotating ear cups, steel sliders, and 50mm neodymium drivers. The microphone is uni-directional noise cancelling microphone that automatically mutes itself when rotated out of the way. The volume slider is located on the bottom of the right ear cup.
The cable terminates in a 4 pole TRRS connector for compatibility with consoles, laptops, and mobile devices. An extension cable is also included with the bundle, which terminates in two 3 pole TRS plugs for regular 3.5mm analog jacks found on PC sound cards.
“Building on the success of HyperX Cloud Gaming Headsets designed for gamers of all skill levels, including professional eSports athletes, our new Cloud Stinger brings our quality to all players, no matter their budget or expertise,” said Lawrence Yang, business manager, HyperX. “The Cloud Stinger rounds our line of Cloud Gaming Headsets to deliver consumers a broader range of premium in-game audio for gaming, music, entertainment, and more.”
The Kingston HyperX Cloud Gaming Headset is available now at retailers like Amazon with an MSRP of $49.99 USD.
NEW UPDATE AVAILABLE FOR KICK & FENNICK ON PLAYSTATION®4 AND XBOX ONE
Valkenswaard, The Netherlands – October 3, 2016 – Abstraction Games and Jaywalkers Interactive have today launched a new update to their popular platformer, Kick & Fennick. The update fixes some achievement / trophy issues on the Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system versions of the game, along with adding three new costumes for the game’s hero, Kick. The new costumes are a free addition to the update, which is available for download now.
More info about Kick & Fennick is available HERE: abstractiongames.com/project/kick-and-fennick
Kick & Fennick tells the story of a young boy named Kick who finds himself waking up in a bright and colorful, yet dangerous world. Armed with a giant gun that can be used to shoot down enemy robots, while also allowing him to make huge jumps using the weapon’s powerful recoil, Kick searches for a way to the highest tower in the city to find a new energy core for Fennick, his helpful flying robot friend. Together they must explore this strange new world, jumping and shooting their way through 45 levels of collapsed skyscrapers, treadmills, bounce-pads, magnets, teleporters, and a big guard robot that are out to stop Kick at all costs.
Key features of Kick & Fennick include:
Players take on the role of Kick and must use a combination of jumping and blasting to navigate all 45 levels and find their way to the Core Tower to save Fennick.
Marvel at the brightly colored world of Kick & Fennick, with inspired character design, intricate and delightfully chaotic levels, highly-detailed animations, and a cinematic camera system that dynamically follows all of the action.
Kick & Fennick offers up challenging platforming adventures and puzzles that will keep gamers of all ages and skill levels engaged without throwing their controller in frustration.
Abstraction successfully bridges the gap between the major AAA publishers and the small, bootstrapped independent development teams. As it is essentially an independent development studio, Abstraction is plugged into the indie scene and knows which games and developers are worth paying attention to. Abstraction has strong publisher and first party relationships from its history of working on large adaptations, such as Angry Birds, Hotline Miami and Deadlight Director’s Cut. With several major adaptations under its belt, Abstraction Games looks to continue to establish itself as a leader in the space, while also working on their own projects and games in the near future. For more information, please visit abstractiongames.com and follow us on Twitter at @AbstractionGame.
ABOUT JAYWALKERS INTERACTIVE
Jaywalkers Interactive is a two-man game development studio based in The Netherlands, made up of Vincent Bonefaas and Laurens Bruins. Founded in Rotterdam, The Netherlands in 2011, Jaywalkers Interactive are best known as the creators of Blue Marble, Kick & Fennick, and Arizona Sunshine. For more information, please visit www.jaywalkersinteractive.com.
6 BONUS CONTRACTS – The Sarajevo Six – only on PlayStation®4
The fifth target from The Sarajevo Six is available now with the launch of Episode 5: Colorado.
Your target is PATRICK MORGAN, former member of the CICADA Deniable Operations unit SIGMA, and is an expert in a wide range of combat techniques.
ICA files indicate that your target is a lethal combatant, who expects the worst following the mysterious deaths of four of his old unit.
PS4 players get exclusive access to The Sarajevo Six. These are six bonus contracts that tell a self-contained side-story revolving around former members of a paramilitary unit called CICADA.
Agent 47 will travel the world in pursuit of his targets, with one bonus contract available in each location from the game.
Visit hitman.com for more information on HITMAN and the Sarajevo Six.
The official Dragon Ball Z Games Facebook page has revealed that the Time Patrol Guide contained in Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2‘s collectors edition will include a 10 page manga about Xenoverse 2. The exact details of the story are unknown but Bandai Namco did reveal the first page which introduces the Saiyan Time Patroller from the trailer and him answering the call for more Time Patrollers.
With original author Akira Toriyama seldom drawing Dragon Ball anymore, his chosen disciple known as Toyotaro is responsible for creating this manga. Here is Toriyama’s special message which is also present in the new Xenoverse bonus manga.
I’ve been drawing manga less often these days, so Toyotaro has has taken up the mantle of drawing Dragon Ball. I still contribute the basic ideas, but Toyotaro’s wonderful skills allow the Dragon Ball universe to be brought back to life in the present.
Toyotaro has been in the gig for a few years now, tackling other spin off Dragon Ball manga as well as the main Dragon Ball Super manga which releases each month and features several differences from the anime, most likely because Toriyama provides only rough story details and it is up to TOEI and Toyotaro to interpret them as they see fit and create their own version of the story. Toyotaro actually started out drawing fan fic manga such as the infamous Dragon Ball AF.
In related news, some popular YouTube personalities were recently invited to capture some Dragon Ball Xenoverse footage from a recent build which also allowed them to explore the new hub world, Conton City, as well as do a few story missions. If you want to avoid spoilers feel free to skip the videos but it’s cool to finally see the story in action with some free roam gameplay as well which gives us a look at a couple of new moves we can learn, a few new accessories we can equip and some of the areas of Conton City we can explore. Xenoverse 2 releases on October 25th for PS4, Xbox One and PC (October 28th for Europe and Oceania).
Kick off your work shoes and get ready to game all weekend! This month’s Indie GalaFriday Special bundle contains ten great indie games for only $3.49 USD during the first 24 hours of the sale.
For a minimum purchase price of $1.00 USD, buyers will get:
Richard & Alice – Richard and Alice are trapped in separate cells inside a surprisingly comfortable prison, safe from the endless snow that falls outside. In this adventure, players will discover the secrets that both Richard and Alice keep and the secrets of the outside world.
HellAngel – A scroller type shooter that pits players against the boar-cyborgs who have taken over the world.
GooCubelets: The Void – The latest GooCubelets title adds 50 brand new puzzles to the series.
For a minimum purchase price of $3.49 USD in the first 24 hours of the sale, buyers will also receive:
The Slaughter: Act One – A noir point and click adventure game set in Victorian London where a serial killer is terrorizing the streets.
Guardian War VR – A fantasy RPG set in the midst of a war against the Ourora. Players can use either long range magic or sword and shield to survive in this VR title built for the HTC Vive.
Hyperdrive Massacre – Inspired by the 80s, Hyperdrive Massacre is a couch-based fragfest for up to four players.
Alpha Decay – A team based FPS shooter that incorporates base building and RTS elements.
Be sure to grab your copy of the Friday Special at Indie Gala within the first 24 hours to take advantage of the discounted price!
NITROPLUS BLASTERZ: HEROINES INFINITE DUEL GETS READY TO RUMBLE ITS WAY ONTO WINDOWS PC
XSEED Games to Turn Up the Heat This Winter with Windows PC Version of Previously PlayStation-Exclusive 2D Crossover Fighting Game from the Creators of the World-Renowned ‘Arcana Heart’ Series
Torrance, Calif. — September 30, 2016 —XSEED Games, the independent-minded publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc., today announced that its 2D crossover fighter Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel will make the jump from consoles to Windows PC this winter. The PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system version of game will be on display showing off competitive play at the second annual CEOtaku, an anime fighting game convention held at the Wyndham Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida this weekend October 1-2.
Originally released for the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel was expertly developed by the studio behind the Arcana Heart series of fighting games, EXAMU. The game boasts an intuitively balanced game engine, stunning artwork and animation, and satisfyingly fast-paced fighting action sure to delight players of all skill levels.
With easy-to-execute combos, cinematic cut-ins on “Lethal Blaze” attacks that run the gamut from awe-inspiring to adorable, and assist mechanics that allow for up to six on-screen characters at a time, combat in Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel is guaranteed to stay fast and flashy. The game is populated by numerous heroines from the visual novel company Nitroplus’ rich collection of IPs, including playable characters Ein, Mora, Ruili, Al Azif, Saya, Ignis, Anna, Muramasa the 3rd, Kibanohara Ethica, Saber, and Ouka, as well as fan favorite mascot character Super Sonico. Players can also test how their skills stack up online against one another via network play with other gamers on Windows PC as they enjoy added features such as new victory animations for some fighters, animated stage backgrounds, and menu settings in training mode which are now saved from the player’s last play session.
After selecting a main character, players will duke it out while charging up the abilities of their two chosen partners, who – once called into the fight – will contribute with battle damage and various other effects. As the combatants exchange blows, their Power Gauges build at the bottom of the screen. Filling this gauge meter by meter, up to a maximum of three, allows players to gain access to devastating abilities, including character-specific super moves and a massively powerful “Lethal Blaze” attack that deals incredible damage but depletes all three meters.
Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duelalso features an innovative “Blast” system, which provides players with the option to use one of three special tide-turning maneuvers once per round, such as creating distance between the player character and her opponent, breaking an opponent’s combo, and extending a player’s combo beyond normal limits. Additionally, a player’s health and meters both begin regenerating once the Blast state has been activated.
Published by XSEED Games, Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duelwill launch for Windows PC this winter. The console version of this title has been rated “T for Teen” by the ESRB.
More information on the game can be found at http://www.nitroplusblasterz.com. 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.
Best-Selling Turn-based Card Game Splendor Introduces Online Multiplayer for Mobile and PC
Digital expansion of award-winning board game “splendor” transports players to the heart of the Renaissance and compete in an online global quest to create to world’s most-powerful gem empire
Paris – September 30, 2016 – Days of Wonder, a worldwide innovator in board game development and publishing, owned by board and card game publishing leader Asmodee, today announced the release of an online multiplayer mode for Splendor, a popular strategy game available on iOS, Android and PC. A faithful adaptation of the outstanding board game published by board creators Space Cowboys, which has sold more than 400,000 worldwide, Splendor transports players to the heart of the Renaissance, and allows them to compete against players from around the globe to try and become the world’s greatest gem merchant.
In Splendor, players take on the role of a wealthy Renaissance-era gem merchant and take hold of the reigns of their empire with the goal to expand it in wealth, prestige and international recognition by winning challenges and collecting as many gems as possible. Players can accomplish these goals with strategy by operating mines, leading expeditions, connecting with other influential merchants, and many other challenges.
In the new online version of Splendor, players will be playing against other gamers from around the world in a competitive, but friendly and unifying game environment and format, they can enjoy anywhere, anytime, on their mobile device or PC. The online version also allows players to arrange their own exclusive games with friends which can only be accessed by those invited into the competition.
“The online version of Splendor fully captures all of the fast-paced, addictive gameplay of the board game and transports it into a new digital universe where players can enjoy the game on the go and in an interactive and enthralling new social format which can be shared with friends,” said Yann Corno Chief Technical Officer of Days of Wonder. “We also believe there is a massive collection of brand new features in the online version which fans of the original game and new players will both fall in love with.”
New “Challenges” Mode
The online version of Splendor features a new “Challenges” mode players can discover. Similar to chess, “Challenges” mode presents players with complex situations which push them to achieve specific goals such as earning a number of points, earning a special card, or collecting a specific combination of gems. The “Challenges” may also have to be executed in a limited number of attempts, in a limited amount of time, or a specific order.
Players can set for themselves the minimum level of Karma to participate in the game. They are incentivized to finish their online game sessions in order to increase their Karma. Conversely, each time they disconnect from an online session, they will lose Karma points. By selecting ranked games to climb the chart, they get involved in a bitter struggle for power against the best. In addition, non-ranked online gameplay sessions offer a less competitive and more free approach, enabling players to meet other opponents for friendly games.
Splendor is available on iPhone, iPad, and Android $6.99 and on PC via Steam for $9.99.
About Space Cowboys – publisher of Splendor board game
Space Cowboys is an up-and-coming board game publisher who already has mutiple games under his belt : the worldwide bestseller Splendor (Golden Geek Award 2014), Elysium (nominated for KennerSpiel Jahres ), Black Feet (UK Games Expo 2015 Board Game of the Year Award), Time Stories (nominated for the Kennerspiel des Jahres 2016) and the new-released Via Nebula.This board game design studio was established in 2013 by the founders and pillars of Asmodee (French board game market leader) Marc Nunes, Philippe Mouret and Croc. Expanding their footprint over the game market for several years now, they have created a new synergy to create bold and innovative play concepts.
About Days of Wonder, an Asmodee studio – publisher of Splendor digital games Days of Wonder®, a studio owned by Asmodee, develops and publishes one of a kind games, as reflected in the company’s slogan “Play different.™. The smashing successes that are Ticket to Ride™, the best-selling train game, Small World® and its epic conquests in a fantasy world; and Memory ™ 44, the reference in World War II board games, powered by more than twenty extensions and recently Quadropolis motivate Days of Wonder to always raise the bar higher. Days of Wonder games are distributed in 40 countries and their digital versions are available on the App Store and on Google Play, as well as on Steam and on Days of Wonder’s website. To date, the company has sold more than 5 million games and over 50 million game sessions have been played online on its website. It also remains the youngest company to ever win the prestigious “Spiel des Jahres” (Game of the Year Award in Germany), the most coveted prize in the world in the board games industry.
About Asmodee
Founded in 1995 in France and now with offices in 10 countries including the United States, England and China, Asmodee is a publisher and distributor of popular board and card games (Spot It!, Jungle Speed,…). With eight studios publishing and distributing games in more than 44 countries, Asmodee sells more than 10 million games per year. Asmodee’s reputation for delivering strategically challenging games with attractive design, has earned the company unfailing loyalty from fans, families.
