London, UK – September 29, 2025 – KaijuCorp needs YOU, citizen! Grab your licence to scrub and get ready for a colossal cleanup job in Kaiju Cleanup, an all-new monster attack cleaning sim coming soon to PC. Add Kaiju Cleanup to your Steam Wishlist today.
Kaiju Cleanup – PC Gaming Show Tokyo Direct Trailer
In the aftermath of colossal Kaiju attacks, the world finds itself in need of a true hero: you, a hazardous-materials cleaner who knows exactly what to do when faced with the carcass of a 400ft dead monster.
Join KaijuCorp to clean disaster zones and become the world’s best Kaiju cleanupcompany, slicing, dicing, clawing, slurping, and packaging up the bodies of massive monsters to leave the environment clean and serene.
Relax after the rampage by cleaning up the monstrous remains of defeated Kaiju, decontaminating destroyed city streets, and washing down walls of mammoth monster guts. You’ll die, of course – the Kaiju may be dead, but its corpse is leaking radiation, seeping acidic fluids, shedding explosive organs, and generally making the area inhospitable to any other form of life – but that’s fine. Send another clone, mop up your corpse, and carry on.
Enjoy therapeutic tasks and use a variety of specialist Kaiju cleanup tools to tidy at your own pace. Extract Kaiju innards with a meat-wrenching claw, slice and dice monster meat with your trusty laser cutter, slurp up each Kaiju’s grisly jellies, and powerwash detritus until each hazard zone is sparkling clean.
Complete missions across an expansive cutting-edge career to upgrade your equipment and customise your KaijuCorp base, outfit, and van. Because you know what they say: where there’s a monster mess, there’s monster money to be made. Explore each environment, pick apart audio logs, chat with your crew, and flick through an evolving codex of research to figure out what the Kaiju have against skyscrapers anyway.
Be wise and sanitise: the world can’t clean up this monster mess without you.
“We’re thrilled to reveal our monster new IP Kaiju Cleanup today, in partnership with the hugely talented development team at Brightrock Games,” said Stuart Morton, Publishing Director at Mythwright. “Kaiju Cleanup brings a new monster-sized twist to the beloved cleaning simulation genre, soaked with quirky humour and satisfying gameplay, and sprinkled with scenarios that Kaiju disaster fans are going to love.”
Kaiju Cleanup is currently in development for PC and can be added to your Steam Wishlist right now.
ABOUT BRIGHTROCK GAMES Brightrock Games is an independent video game studio based in Brighton, UK, with a core team of people from around the world. Our goal is to create genre-twisting 3D simulation and management games; and if we can do it with a quirkily British sense of humour, then all the better! So far we have launched War for the Overworld and Galacticare.
ABOUT MYTHWRIGHT Mythwright is an independent publisher founded by industry veterans. Established in 2024, Mythwright has already signed a range of exciting titles including Kaiju Cleanup, TerraTech Legion, TerraTech, TerraTech Worlds, War for the Overworld, Going Medieval, Bladesong, Innkeep, Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts, Deadstick – Bush Flight Simulator and Touch Type Tale – Strategic Typing.
A survivor-like and roguelike hybrid set in a fantasy medieval world of monsters, magic, and relentless battles.
Istanbul, Turkey – September 29, 2025 – Independent developer Nords Games has officially announced Arcane Overdrive, a survivor-like and roguelike hybrid coming soon to Steam. Set in a fantasy medieval world, players create custom vehicles by combining modular parts and monsters, then battle waves of enemies including orcs, werewolves, skeletons, and other monstrous bosses using medieval weapons and spells. A playable demo will be live during Steam Next Fest, running from October 13 to 20.
Each vehicle is made from three parts: top, middle, and bottom. Each part affects stats, abilities, weapon slots, and movement. The lower parts of vehicle components are the parts that generally affect a vehicle’s movement, whether you’re controlling it like a normal vehicle or a swaying horse-drawn carriage. An option is planned to allow players to control it like a normal player character, separate from the vehicle controller..
“In Arcane Overdrive, we wanted players to fight using their own unique fantasy vehicles. These machines are assembled from mystical parts and monsters found throughout the world. Rather than relying on traditional medieval transports, the vehicles are designed to feel like they belong in this fantasy universe. To reinforce that feeling, we added visuals that show adventurers such as wizards and mercenaries wielding wands and weapons, emerging from the doors and windows as if they’re supporting the player in battle.” – Can Sancaktaroğlu, Game Designer
Weapons and spells can be obtained from both vehicle parts and level-up rewards, spanning elemental powers such as fire, ice, electric, physical, and poison. Each vehicle’s configuration determines how many weapons players can equip, and selecting the same weapon multiple times during level-up enhances its attributes and stats, allowing for increasingly powerful combinations.
Arcane Overdrive key features:
Customize your playstyle with unique vehicle and monster parts
Choose between car-style driving or classic directional movement
Battle map-specific bosses with unique mechanics
Combine magic and weapons to create powerful combos
Explore a richly detailed fantasy medieval world
Unlock permanent upgrades and new mechanics through the Skill Tree
Watch Arcane Overdrive teaser trailer here:
A playable demo of Arcane Overdrive will be available during the upcoming Steam Next Fest, running October 13–20.
Visit Arcane Overdrive Steam page for more information, and be sure to follow the game on Discord, X and TikTok.
About Nords Games Founded in 2024, Nords Games is an independent studio based in Turkey, focused on developing imaginative and innovative game experiences. The team has contributed to several collaborative projects across Europe and is now creating its own titles, starting with Arcane Overdrive.
Fans Get First Look at PC Gaming Show Tokyo Direct
Sydney, Australia 29th of September – Deep Silver and KING Art Games have officially unleashed the first trailer captured entirely from in-engine gameplay for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV during the PC Gaming Show Tokyo Direct.
The Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV“Back to War” In-engine Trailer marks a long-awaited return to the planet Kronus, many years after the events of Dawn of War: Dark Crusade. Watch the trailer below.
Witness the classic RTS battles and cinematic spectacle, featuring the return of base building to the franchise series, the expansive battle animations of the Combat Director and the diverse biomes players will discover as they fight to reclaim Kronus.
Kronus Burns Again
Space Marines clash with brutal Ork hordes, joined by their allies in the Adeptus Mechanicus, equally determined to eradicate the enemy. Victory is just within reach, until a new threat emerges: the Necrons. As this new faction overwhelms the battlefield, the Imperium forces must rebuild and grow their forces if they hope to stand a chance.
Shot entirely in-engine, this trailer is a sneak-peak at what to expect from the gameplay of this hugely anticipated game, closing with the rallying call to arms: At last, back to war!
Whose banner will rise from the flames?
***
About Dawn of War IV
Dawn of War IV delivers an unforgettable sci-fi RTS experience set within a faithful recreation of the beloved Warhammer 40,000 universe. Take charge of four factions in an epic story that spans multiple non-linear campaigns, clash with other players in tense multiplayer combat, and enjoy fan-favourite modes including Last Stand, Skirmish and more!
KING Art is an independent game developer, celebrating 25 years of experience in creating high-quality games for all major platforms. More than 100 employees across several teams are located at the offices in Bremen, Germany and work with about as many freelancers around the globe. Founded in 2000, KING Art has since released more than 50 titles in different genres, with a focus on narrative games, RPGs and strategy games. The company and its games have received multiple prestigious awards, including Best Strategy Game and Best Development Studio, multiple German “Games of the Year” and “Studio of the Year” awards.
KING Art is a licensed developer for Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo platforms and a member of Verband der deutschen Games-Branche (GAME).
About PLAION
PLAION is a dynamic and diversified business in the global entertainment sector, masterfully crafting franchises that captivate audiences worldwide. Boasting a vast network of eight game development studios, fifteen regional publishing offices, three game publishing labels including Deep Silver, and PLAION PICTURES as an independent film publisher and distributor, the company extends its influence with merchandise production and expansive distribution capabilities across the globe. Founded three decades ago, PLAION has firmly established itself within the entertainment arena. With a diverse range of services and solutions, PLAION stands as the premier publishing partner for console and PC games across both physical and digital channels. Moreover, its strong foothold in the Virtual Reality (VR) domain highlights the company’s commitment to varied gaming experiences. PLAION is an Embracer Group company.
About Deep Silver
Deep Silver is PLAION’s flagship publishing label, and the home of captivating gaming worlds from the gripping post-apocalypse of Metro to the twisted paradises of Dead Island to the authentic Medieval landscapes of Kingdom Come: Deliverance. For more information, please visit www.deepsilver.com
About Games Workshop®
Games Workshop® Group PLC (LSE:GAW.L), based in Nottingham, UK, produces the best fantasy miniatures in the world. Games Workshop designs, manufactures, retails, and distributes its range of Warhammer® Age of Sigmar® and Warhammer® 40,000® games, miniatures, novels and model kits through more than 570 of its own stores (branded Games Workshop® or Warhammer®), the www.games-workshop.com web store and independent retail channels in more than 50 countries worldwide. More information about Games Workshop and its other related brands and product ranges (including our publishing division ‘Black Library’ and our special resin miniatures studio ‘Forge World’) can be found at www.warhammer.com.
C4SH will be the first of two new Vault Hunters being added to Borderlands 4 as part of paid DLC
Revealed during the Borderlands 4 panel at Tokyo Game Show 2025, C4SH is an all-new Vault Hunter included in the first Story Pack*, Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned, which is planned to launch in Q1 2026 for Borderlands 4.
A former casino dealer bot, C4SH is now a drifter who chases the probability-breaking highs of cursed eldritch artifacts. As luck would have it, Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned is full of cosmic horrors that harbour uncanny curios, some of which can surely bend the odds in C4SH’s favour.
Like the other Vault Hunters in Borderlands 4, C4SH has three unique Action Skills to choose from, but C4SH’s Action Skills are distinctly unpredictable, as they all involve an element of chance. We’ll be revealing the full details of his Action Skills later on, but C4SH’s risk-reward playstyle can lead to good fortunes like buffing himself and allies, dealing devastating damage, sapping the strength from foes, and more.
Here are the ways you can add C4SH to your roster of playable Vault Hunters as soon as he’s available:
Own Borderlands 4 Super Deluxe Edition
Own the Vault Hunter Pack (included in Super Deluxe Edition)
Own Story Pack 1: Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned (included in Vault Hunter Pack)
All players can look forward to constant free Updates that will introduce Seasonal Mini-Events, Invincible Bosses, and more. There are also the paid Bounty Packs** including new bite-sized-yet-flavourful narrative content, new gear to earn, and cosmetics to collect—plus a Vault Card that lets you unlock additional loot through gameplay. Four Bounty Packs are included in the Bounty Pack Bundle that comes with the Deluxe Edition and Super Deluxe Edition of Borderlands 4.
Borderlands 4 is now available worldwide for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store. For the latest information on Borderlands 4, visit www.borderlands.2k.com, and follow the game across YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
Gearbox Software is a 2K studio. 2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).
*Story Packs are paid post-launch DLC that are included with the Borderlands 4 Vault Hunter Pack, and included in Borderlands 4 Super Deluxe Edition. They will also be available for separate purchase (base game required). Exact release timings of each Story Pack to be announced at a later date and will be subject to change. Terms apply.
**Bounty Packs are paid post-launch DLC that are included with the Borderlands 4 Bounty Pack Bundle, and included with the Deluxe and Super Deluxe Editions of Borderlands 4. They will also be available for separate purchase (base game required). Exact release timings of each Bounty Pack to be announced at a later date and will be subject to change. Terms apply.
Warsaw-based developer Artificer (Sumerian Six, Showgunners) and Devolver Digital are thrilled to announce Minos, a maze-building roguelike where you, the fabled minotaur of legend, must defend your sanctuary from hordes of bloodthirsty adventurers.
They’ve heard the stories of a fearsome monster lurking in the dark, fame and riches waiting for the one who slays it and survives to tell the tale. What they don’t know is that you are the one who built this confounding labyrinth, laid the traps, and now lie in wait.
Drag walls, gates, and corridors into place to shape your maze however you like. Make long, winding paths full of traps or confuse and split the interlopers up with rotating passages and shifting gates. It’s your maze: clever or cruel, it’s up to you.
Every run brings new enemies, new traps, and new ways to turn their bravery into a bloody disaster. No two nights are ever the same in Minos, and as you play you’ll learn more about this not-so-mythical minotaur and the man who became it.
You can venture into the labyrinth when Minos launches on PC in 2026.
Can’t wait? Check out the demo on Steam today, which gives you a taste of the game’s unique strategic gameplay and provides an assortment of traps, artifacts, tools, and enemies to experiment with. Time to show those adventurers who’s boss.
Sonic Racing: Crossworlds takes the genre to the next level. Join us as we dive in, tackle Grand Prix mode, customize a character and head online for some quick matches.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – Gameplay
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, developed by Sonic Team and published by SEGA, is the latest kart‑racing entry in the Sonic franchise, launching on September 25, 2025 across PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One & Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam & Epic Games.The game brings back the speed, flavor, and chaos of Sonic racing, enhanced with new mechanics, big character variety, and vibrant tracks spanning land, sea, air, and even space.
One of the standout features is the CrossWorlds / Travel Rings mechanic: during races, players can warp mid-race through Travel Rings into new dimensions, giving tracks dynamic shifts and surprises. You can also customize your ride with gadgets, vehicle parts, and decals, choosing from a huge roster (23 racers at launch, more to come), with crossplay support, both online and local multiplayer. For Kart‑racing fans looking for something that blends the classic Sonic flair with modern surprises, CrossWorlds delivers.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Developer: Sonic Team Publisher: SEGA Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam & Epic), Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date: September 25, 2025 Price: $69.99 USD
Recommended – “Sonic Racing: Crossworlds is a major competitor to Mario Kart, offering an air of fresh winds that will surely carry it beyond this release and into the future. From the presentation to the audio, and of course, the addictive gameplay, this is a fantastic offering across platforms that finally gives Sonic new legs to stand on.”
Forget Everything And Run…because the Huntsman is not alone
London, UK(28/09/2025) – Ten Image Publishing debuted the first trailer for Huntsman, an immersive survival horror experience fuelled by arachnophobia, at PC Gaming Show Tokyo Direct. The trailer also announced the upcoming Steam demo, going live on 13th October, and the full game’s launch in November, on Steam. The game can be wishlisted here.
Forget Everything And Run…FEAR has eight legs! Upcoming survival horror game, Huntsman, is coming to PC in November, with a demo on 13th October. As the new security guard at Atherton Laboratories, chaos erupts as eight-legged predators infest the hallways. Outnumbered and defenseless, you must find a way to eliminate the threats and lift the facility lockdown to escape. Will you survive, or become the spider’s next prey?
Today’s trailer also revealed that the Huntsman is not alone, as Atherton scientists have experimented on other arachnids, including the deadly Orb Weaver. Learn its behaviours, or become its next victim.
Descend into the Web – Explore a facility overrun by invasive predators. Divert limited power between sections of the building to access new areas, gather vital resources, and outmaneuver the swarm.
Improvise or Die – Use your flashlight, throwables, and the environment itself to distract, mislead, and evade the deadliest creatures you’ve ever faced. Just remember: one wrong move, and you’re prey.
Fear Has Eight Legs – Experience arachnophobia like never before! Each spider moves, hunts, and reacts with terrifying realism triggering primal instincts your mind won’t be able to ignore.
OnTheHouse Studio founder, Jory House, said, “Huntsman was a way to help overcome my own fear of spiders, and the incredible feedback from players inspired me to turn the demo into a full game. As my first commercial product, it’s been a thrilling challenge to navigate and I can’t wait to show everyone what the full game has to offer.”
Ten Image Publishing founder and CEO, Chris White, said, “It’s a dream come true to finally announce the label, and to start with a game so full of potential (and scares) as Huntsman. What Jory has made is a testament to his future in the industry, and I know he will go on scaring people for years to come. And to any arachnophobes we terrified with the trailer…sorry.”
The Huntsman demo will launch on 13th October on Steam, and the full game will be available on Steam on November. The game can be wishlisted here.
Ten Image Publishing is focused on supporting the best up and coming horror and horror adjacent games in the aAA space, providing long term plans to create lasting brands.
About OnTheHouse Studios
OnTheHouse Studios is the work of solo developer, Jory House, a lifelong arachnophobe and avid horror fan, who is channeling that fear and knowledge into his first title, Huntsman, to create a truly terrifying experience. The studio is dedicated to creating challenging and immersive experiences for all players.
Remake history in the upcoming turn-based RPG by Riyo Games!
[September 28, 2025] – Riyo Games debuted the new trailer for Threads of Time in the PC Gaming Show during Tokyo Games Show. This modern 2.5D love letter to JRPG classics invites players to lead a party that bends time itself in engaging, turn-based combat. Watch as heroes of different eras battle to save those who came before and those yet to come.
The Threads of Time trailer spotlights strategic turn-based combat that lets players bend time, chain stylish combos, and outmaneuver time-twisted foes, while introducing Rin, a kitsune ninja from 2400 AD whose illusions and blade arts disrupt the flow of battle. Viewers step into Himmenheim, a prehistoric town where Vikings and dinosaurs forge a shared civilization, then jump forward to a sharper look at 2400 AD’s cyberpunk dystopia of neon rain and cameras that never call it a night.
Venture from era to era, curate your party of intrepid adventurers throughout history, and pull off impressive combos to defeat your enemies on the way to saving the past, present, and future in Threads of Time.
Key Features:
Time-Traveling Adventure: From an age where dinosaurs roam to the far-flung future and alternate realms in between – travel across fantastic and distinctive time periods, and discover the threads that bind the ages. Uncover an epic tale of interwoven fates and secrets that shaped civilizations…and follow the threads of a sinister plot that traverses the tapestry of time.
Timeless Turn-Based Combat: Weave together powerful attacks in visually dynamic, strategic turn-based battles. Bend time to your will, unravel enemies’ defenses, and unleash your party’s full potential through devastating team combos.
Heroes From Across Ages: Assemble a party of charismatic and unique characters recruited from different eras. Restore the ancient Order of the Time Knights and unite heroes from across epochs to defend the timeline from impending chaos and corruption.
Retro Charm Meets Modern Visuals: Step into vibrant worlds powered by Unreal Engine 5, meet lovingly hand-crafted 2D characters, and experience the timeless charm of pixel art as you explore through the ages. Threads of Time captures the essence of your favorite retro RPGs, wrapped in a new and immersive adventure.
Keep up to date with everything you need to know about Threads of Time. Wishlist the game on Steam.
About Riyo Games
Riyo Games’ vision is to craft retro-infused RPGs that awaken treasured childhood memories.
It all started with a promise between two kids, huddled next to their CRT TV playing RPGs after school, to one day create fantastical, story-rich adventures together. That dream turned into Riyo Games, a Canadian studio full of passionate and seasoned developers with experience from Shovel Knight, Fortnite, Deltarune, and Tomb Raider. They have all embarked on an epic quest to make Threads of Time, the studio’s first title, while aided by legendary developers and composers from Japan who have helped define Xenoblade Chronicles, the Mana series, and more.
About Humble Games Best known for critically acclaimed and award-winning hits such as A Hat in Time, Forager, Project Wingman, SIGNALIS, Slay the Spire, Temtem, UNSIGHTED, Unpacking, and Wizard of Legend, Humble Games is Humble Bundle’s publishing arm, composed of a passionate and nimble team that works remotely with a collection of talented global development partners. Humble Games was founded on a shared passion to support developers and deliver excellent content and gaming experiences to players around the world, while continuing the Humble mission to be a force for good in the industry.
New equipment, cosmetics, updated animations, and more coming soon
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Sept. 25, 2025 –Eximius: Seize the Frontline, the strategy shooter hybrid from Ammobox Studios seamlessly blending FPS and RTS action, squads up for the launch of its Season 5 “Retribution” update on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on Oct. 22, 2025.
“Retribution” unleashes new equipment and Weapon Packages for Officers. Deal explosive damage by planting new Explosive Packs on structures or vehicles, deploy a new Auto Capture Tool to continue the fight while claiming objectives, and dare to bring a knife to a gunfight with all-new tactical Knives.
Flank foes in style with revamped equipment and weapon animations as well as six new cosmetic packs. Turn the tides of battle with new Battlesuit Abilities and take advantage of new quality of life updates, like enhanced controller support in FPS mode, AXR Pioneer and GSF Commando support for Skirmish AI, cosmetic packs, performance improvements, and more.
Join forces with Axeron Corporation (AXR), the private research organization, or pledge loyalty to the Global Security Force (GSF) in a post-apocalyptic world speeding towards inevitable destruction. Manage bases in a top-down RTS view as a Commander, or take the role of an Officer to dive into FPS action in 5v5 squad-based clashes.
“Season 5 is around the corner, and our team is thrilled to bring both new quality of life improvements and lethal new updates to Commanders and Officers everywhere,” said Jeremy Choo, Director, Ammobox Studios. “Though Eximius has been quiet for a while, we are always committed to adding new content and features to provide a fresh experience to long-time players!”
Eximius: Seize the Frontline is available now for $19.99, and the Season 5 “Retribution” update launches for free on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on Oct. 22, 2025. The language support includes English, German, Russian, and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional).
Ammobox Studios is an independent developer based in Malaysia. Founded on the core concepts of innovation and a people-first studio culture, they seek to deliver memorable experiences by innovating on classic mechanics. Eximius: Seize the Frontline is their debut title.
When it comes to the Atelier franchise, fans never quite know what to expect after one of their trilogy reaches a conclusion. With the Ryza series concluding a couple of years ago, it saw the release of a gacha game called Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy & the Liberator of Polar Night that told its own original storyline following a pair of main characters named Resna and Valeria and their allies coupled with as many familiar alchemists and warriors from past games as pullable characters.
Unfortunately, such is the way with most gacha games, Atelier Resleriana’s global servers never quite hit the highs of the original Japanese release, seeing its eventual closure earlier this year, ending the original storyline for English audiences even as the Japanese story continued with a brand new arc. That being said, this wasn’t the end for all things Atelier Resleriana as Koei Tecmo and Gust have crafted a simpler but enjoyable game pulling from the gacha title’s lore and concept of character cameos, though not quite leaning on it as heavily as Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists, and releasing Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian.
Story
Over a decade ago a strange red mist swept through the town of Hallfein and in its wake nearly the entire town’s citizenry vanished and devastation was left behind. Since then, the town has been left to rot, thought cursed by many but when a renewed effort to revitalize the town is brought, two former residents make their return in an attempt to both revitalize the town and find out the secrets behind what happened that day, and for one perhaps find why they were given such a unique relic by their passing father. When starting the game, players will be able to select either Rias Eidreise or Slade Clauslyter as their main character but this only changes a few small elements at the start and some minor extra background information for each as the two quickly meet one another within a freshly uncovered ruin. Rias is a fledgeling adventurer looking to restore the town in honor of her grandfather all while trying to raise his shop, the Mistletoe Miscellaneous, back to prosperity, while Slade must uncover the secret behind the Geist Core given to him by his now dead parents.
Through their combined efforts and a little luck, the two find that the ruins obtain something long thought lost in the region, an alchemist’s atelier and one that has mana in it as well as Rias manages to craft a simple but crude medicine. Not too long after, Slade discovers that his Geist Core can trigger Dimensional Pathways to open up within the Atelier to allow for exploration in strange unknown dungeons to reach far off locations. With this power at their hands, it will be up to this duo, a small collection of familiar faces directly helping, and a bevy of other familiar faces along the way to try and figure out the truth of what happened all while revitalizing Hallfein to its former glory.
Now it is worth noting that, despite sharing the same name, Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian (mostly) does not require players to have played the failed global release of the gacha game to understand the storyline since the two primary characters here and the setting itself are completely new. The storyline itself is rather tame and similar a bit to the slice of life stylization that many of the older Atelier games featured with some extra drama worked in here and there to keep things fresh. This includes more than a few twists here and there to keep players guessing as to the reality of what happened and its source, but don’t expect anything too dramatic. Thankfully the primary characters themselves are strong showings for leads here.
Rias is a bit of a show-off and too carefree for her own good but she has an infectious personality and charm that really shines while Slade serves as the proper more serious foil to her while also playing the straight man to most of her actions. Now one thing that is worth noting is that every other character of note in the game is from another Atelier franchise, calling themselves “wanderers”, but unfortunately the actual direct contact players have is limited to four. This includes Raze from all the way back in Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy, the ever charming witch Wilbell from numerous Atelier entries, the beloved Totori from Atelier Totori, and fan favorite Sophie from her own pair of games. While this is a strong roster of additional playable characters that join the player’s party including their interactions with Rias, especially seeing Totori and Wilbell again, it is unfortunate that it is actually only four. This is because there happens to be so many other characters that are included in the game’s storyline as they make often dramatic entrances to start with but are relegated to side-quest givers, gatherers, and even some out of character moments as well through basic interactions.
This of course includes everyone’s favorite Ryza as well as Klaudia, Ayesha, Logy, Meruru, Marlone of all girls, Mu, Shallotte, Plachta, and more, with only a few surprising legacy characters not being included such as Rorona. Oddly enough the legacy characters from Atelier Resleriana directly appear as well this includes Resna and her feline demi-human ally Izana, Valeria and Heidi, and even the primary antagonists of the first major arc of the gacha game, Lara and Geron who were a massive pain to beat back in the gacha. It is in these moments that those who have not touched the original gacha title will feel a bit lost as to who these characters are and what they mean to one another directly, let alone the fact that they are talking with Rias or Slade. This feels like a missed opportunity to not allow players to have more interaction with some of these characters, especially since many now exist only in this game thanks to the closure of the gacha title that birthed them. One of the best aspects of the Atelier franchise has always been how great the characters are and unfortunately it just isn’t taken advantage of to its fullest here.
Gameplay
In many ways Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian returns to its classic gameplay roots here by offering both turn-based combat, a simpler form of item synthesis, and of course plenty of materials to harvest both from the dungeons and fields but also from the monsters themselves. Rias and Slade can move around freely as players explore locations, with players needing to swap to one or the other from time to time in order to either use Rias’ whip-staff to swing across tree branches or pull herself up to an edge while Slade can use his Aegis to open up hidden paths. Practically everything can be harvested in the field and the player’s basket is quite large so they are encouraged to gather as many materials as possible, especially rare ones or those only available by using a gathering tool such as a scythe or axe.
While exploring out in the field, or within dungeons, time can pass and the materials players can harvest as well as the enemies that spawn in each location will change depending on whether it is night or day. Players can attack enemies in the open field to gain an advantage in the turn-based combat, with players being able to have three fighters in the front line and three in the backline. Characters in the frontline will be the active attackers and each turn these characters can choose to use a standard attack to build up TP, spend TP to use a skill, or use an item crafted by alchemy that has a limited number of uses and vanishes when used up. Every enemy is weak to certain elemental types and players can target them for extra damage and the chance to “break” an enemy’s guard, making them more vulnerable for a short period of time. While entirely turn-based it is interesting to note that players can actively guard incoming attacks to reduce damage and properly timed blocks will reduce incoming damage even further and restore TP a bit.
Characters in the backline can be swapped into the frontline during a character’s turn but their primary benefit is the Unity system. As players battle they fill up the Unity gauge and can use part of the gauge to perform extra attacks by combining magical attacks or skills with fighters from the front and back grows or even using items that, when properly utilized together, can trigger even more powerful combinations when used on enemies or allies. This allows for plenty of interesting combinations and ways for players to explore with not only their combat items but how they want characters to be positioned in their party as well, as limiting as a six person party can be. It is interesting to note that the mechanic that saw various buffs or weaknesses be applied to allies and enemies in the turn-order from the mobile gacha game has transitioned here as well, with players being able to reap beneficial rewards by stealing bonuses from enemies.
Outside of the field and back in the atelier players will find a far more simplistic item synthesizing system. Most recipes in the game are learned through either buying them through a merchant, acquiring them from a treasure chest, or simply obtained as a quest reward, while others can be discovered through lucky synthesis. Crafting specific items requires a certain set of base ingredients and aligning their “color properties” properly will apply additional bonuses to the item, including adding extra items alongside the base ingredients to improve the quality, damage dealt or health recovered, amount, status boosts, or even increasing the price of the item. This simpler synthesis is a far cry easier than past entries and may be a bit off-putting for those who liked the more complicated processes in more recent entries but it does make the title’s signature mechanic far more approachable. Combine this with the fact that players can, rather quickly, obtain the ability to clone synthesized items at a price, but thankfully money is rarely an issue in the game thanks to Rias’ shop.
As mentioned before, one of Rias’ goals is to restore the town of Hallfein and the best way to do this is to draw in more people to the town through her shop and while she can simply place basic ingredients out for sale, it is also possible to synthesize items that are directly meant to be sold or can be sold for a high value, boosting both the player’s money and the status of the town overall. Selling items at the shop can be done through painstaking organization or handled randomly by fairies, more on those later, and these shortcuts do help keep things moving even when it comes to grinding out some money or fairy levels. The fairies are little guys that all look alike and reside within Dimensional Pathways but have special abilities that will not only provide a buff to the player’s party while traveling through that randomized dungeon but also can be hired on at a price befitting their skillset.
Every fairy has different abilities at cleaning, selling, and tending to the shop and assigning them to the right categories helps sales. It is interesting to note that anytime players are out adventuring, the fairies will recover stamina on their own, encouraging players to balance selling items at Rias’ store and going out and adventuring with her friends, increasing bonds with the other Wanderer alchemists who can send players out on side-quests or even sent out themselves on gathering missions, making for a fairly rewarding loop despite the aforementioned missed chance of giving players a big party roster to work with.
Audio & Visuals
Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian is an impressive looking game and while it may not quite reach the levels of a certain other Atelier game released this year, it does have its own sense of charming color palette. The character designs are as wonderful as ever for the new cast of characters and seeing so many returning characters from older games now being shown in far higher quality than they ever were before, with many being limited to the PlayStation 3, PS Vita, or even PlayStation 2, seeing them in their full glory is a real treat. The environments themselves are wonderfully varied, ranging from the magical feeling Dimensional Pathways to the explorations through the vast fields and varied designs of the forests and even the mines that rarely feel overused. It is worth noting that some enemy designs are unfortunately far too simple, even by Atelier standards, and palette swapping also occurs quite quickly.
This release unfortunately does not feature an English dub of any kind though it is nice to note that it sounds like all of the original Japanese voice actors, including those from the mobile game, have returned to reprise their roles here. It is a bit unfortunate that not all of the returning characters have a lot of spoken dialogue but it is still a nice touch for those that do. The soundtrack features a classic collection of fitting music for the game, with a catchy battle track and enough varied exploration music to keep things feeling fresh from area to area.
Overall
Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian manages to deliver a charming yet impactful storyline that fumbles its guest characters a bit too much to take advantage of the franchise’s greatest strengths, the characters themselves, but still pulls it together with satisfying combat mechanics and exploration. Combine this with a satisfying loop of synthesizing items in a simpler but approachable system and selling items to restore the town and this title not only will attract longtime fans eager to see their favorite characters again but potentially newcomers looking for an easier entry point, even if they won’t know all of the returning cast.
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