Curve Digital announces Peter Moorhead’s ‘Murder’ – a cyberpunk short story adventure for PC and mobile
Peter Moorhead’s new point and click narrative-heavy adventure title will be heading to Steam, Humble, iOS and Android on October 21st.
London, Wednesday 30th September 2015
Developed by Peter Moorhead and published by Curve Digital, Murder is a short story told in the form of a classic point and click adventure, creating an experience that prides itself on environmental storytelling and confident, cinematic flair. Heavily inspired by the works of Masamune Shirow, Katsuhiro Otomo, Neal Stephenson, and other cyberpunk greats, Murder aims to be a fresh, but familiar take on the setting.
Over its memorable twenty to thirty minute playtime, murder takes players on a journey through a near-future Tokyo, following the actions of Lieutenant Motomeru Minori of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police on an unusual and dangerous case, in a story that explores the intersection of morality and sentience in a future where both have become commodities.
Designer and lead developer of Murder, Peter Moorhead said: “Murder aims to deconstruct the fundamentals of the point-and-click genre, creating a style somewhere in-between the classic form and a more minimal, story-focused and streamlined one. It’s a different experience, but one that really suits the story that we wanted to tell.” ”Where Stranded scattered its message throughout the world’s canyons and caves, Murder stashes its message behind a firewall of noise and information; it’s designed and written to reward attentive and thoughtful play.”
The world of Murder is brought to life through beautifully constructed and highly detailed pixel-art drawn by Lucas “Midio” Carvalho and Glauber Kotaki, full voice-acting, a dynamic noise-hop soundtrack by KubrixXx, and sound design from “Steven Universe” composer Surasshu. The game is playable with a traditional mouse and keyboard setup, or through Big Picture mode using a controller.
Murder will be available for PC, Mac and Linux for £1.99 / $2.99 / €2.99 on October 21st, with a 10% launch discount. Mobile versions of the game for iOS and Android will be available in November. Press can request review codes from Curve Digitals Do Distribute which will begin to be sent out from October 6th onwards, and more screenshots and assets are available on the games press kit, here.
SUPER MARIO MAKER FOR Wii U HAS SOLD 1 MILLION UNITS AROUND THE WORLD
Fan Created Levels Have Been Played a Whopping 75 Million Times by Fellow Mario Fans around the World
September 30, 2015 – With over 310 million units sold worldwide in the Super Mario franchise, it is clear to see that for the last 30 years, Super Mario fans have proven to be some of the most passionate, loyal and dedicated video game fans in the world. Since Super Mario Maker for Wii U launched on September 12*, it is clear to see that dedication continues, as today it was revealed that more than one million units** have been sold around the world so far, making Super Mario Maker the 32nd game in the Super Mario franchise to sell at least one million units globally.
With Super Mario Maker, Nintendo has a new way to measure fan engagement: level creation, and the addition of one million new “fan” developers has led to the creation of more than 2.2 million Mario courses, which combined have been played nearly 75 million times.
Using the touch screen of the Wii U GamePad controller, Super Mario Maker players can create levels in four different Super Mario game styles. The game offers dozens of enemies, items and power-ups, and lets people design everything from the terrain to where to place Warp Pipes. Completed levels can then be uploaded and enjoyed by other players around the world. Some seem simple, some offer fun challenges and some prove maddeningly difficult – it all depends on the designer. But everyone can find courses to enjoy and may find some courses to provide insightful inspiration for their own new creations.
For more information on Super Mario Maker, please visit the game’s website.
Note to Editors: * Super Mario Maker launched on Sept. 10 in Japan; on Sept. 11 in Europe and the Americas; and on Sept. 12 in Australia and New Zealand
** Based on Nintendo’s internal sales figures. Includes standalone physical, bundled physical and digital units.
The next pack in Project CARSOn Demand DLC service has been released. The Aston Martin Expansion features three new cars and a new track to race them on. Mojave, located in the wilderness of Nevada comprises of five race layouts and a special open Test Track layout allowing players to freely practice and test their car’s performance/handling via Banked Oval, Drag Strip, Hillclimb, Skid Pan, and Tight Corner sections. The three new cars are listed below.
1959 ASTON MARTIN DBR1
Designed by Ted Cutting and powered by an Aston Martin 2943cc straight six engine, the DBR1 rose to fame as Aston Martin’s first ever Le Mans champion. Driven by Caroll Shelby & Roy Salvadori, the open-top DBR1 clinched top honors at the French classic in 1959, followed by team mates Maurice Trintignant & Paul Frère who helped Aston Martin to an impressive maiden 1-2 victory at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
2009 ASTON MARTIN DBR1-2
To celebrate the 40-year anniversary of their overall victory, Aston Martin returned to top-flight prototype racing at Le Mans in 2009, fielding the brand new Aston Martin DBR1-2. Built to the LMP1 class prototype rules, the DBR1-2 is a closed-cockpit race car, powered by the company’s proven 6-liter V12 engine. The DBR1-2 did not only hold up well at Le Mans, it also helped the team clinch the 2009 Le Mans Series Championships, driven by elite sports car racing aces such as Darren Turner, Stefan Mücke & Tomas Enge.
2014 ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE GTE
The Vantage is Aston Martin’s current choice for competition in the ultra-competitive GTE sports car racing class. Powered by an all-aluminium 4.5 liter V8 engine, the Vantage is battling for glory against some of the world’s most prestigious sports cars.Competing in the world’s premier GT racing class, the Vantage is packed with the latest racing technology including fully adjustable double wishbone suspension, lightweight bodyparts made of carbon & CFK and a fully-adjustable rear-wing.The Vantage GTE has clinched countless poles, podiums, wins and fastest laps in sports car races around the globe, including classics such as the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Sebring 12 Hours.
Both the Aston Martin Vantage GTE and DBR 1-2 can be used in career with brand-new contracts. All three cars will receive new invitational events. To continue the trend of the monthly free car, the iconic 1952 Mercedes 300SL (W194) will be next in line for players to download alongside the third pack of Community Liveries that includes five real-life Zakspeed Capri Group 5 designs as well as the official Project CARS SMS-R livery. Project CARS is out now for the PS4, Xbox One and PC. The Wii U version has since been cancelled.
Did you think that the story of Geralt of Rivia was done? Think again! After a slew of free DLC and extra content, CD Projekt RED are releasing the first paid expansion for the epic Wither 3: Wild Hunt, and it looks awesome! Adding 10 hours of additional story content and a new take on the game’s already fluid combat will no doubt have many of you heading back into the Northern Realms!
We have some new screenshots for the new expansion below. The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone Expansion will be released on all platforms on October 13th, and is also available as part of a limited physical bundle that comes with two fully-fledged Gwent decks for you to enjoy!
It seems that with the suspended nature of Nintendo Directs that Nintendo related announcements can spring up at anytime as is the case with this latest news. A number of new Mii outfits and three new stages have been released as DLC for both the Wii U and 3DS versions of the latest Super Smash Bros. games. The full list of additions with pictures and an embedded video are available below for your viewing pleasure.
Stages
Super Mario Maker (Wii U/3DS, $AU 3.25)
Pirate Ship (Wii U only, $AU 2.60)
Duck Hunt (3DS only, released for free as part of new patch)
The Smash Bros. Ballot, which allows users to vote for any character in the history of anything to be added to the game as a DLC fighter closes on the 3rd of October, so be sure to get your votes in if you’re keen for a certain fighter to make it into Smash.
SOLVE PUZZLES AND SURVIVE DUNGEONS ALONGSIDE FRIENDS IN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TRI FORCE HEROES – RELEASING OCTOBER 24 ON NINTENDO 3DS
Set out into the Drablands – solo, or alongside two other players – to unravel the mystery of the curse placed upon the Princess of Hytopia
September 30, 2015 – In just over three weeks, form a legendary trio with your friends and tackle dungeons and boss battles together in The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, coming to Nintendo 3DS family systems on October 24. Presented in the same top-down style as the critically-acclaimed The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, prepare to solve inventive puzzles as a team and kit out Link in a range of outfits to enable new abilities that enhance your adventure.
In the Kingdom of Hytopia, a fashion-obsessed realm where sartorial elegance is celebrated, an evil witch has placed a mysterious curse upon Princess Styla, casting the realm into disarray. With citizens calling for the return of a legendary trio of “Totem Heroes” to protect them, and King Tuft offering a unique reward for whosoever lifts the curse, venture into the Drablands to hunt down the witch and restore peace and stylishness to the land.
Buddy up with two similarly heroic friends via online* or local multiplayer, and co-operatively solve puzzles in environments ranging from lava-strewn volcanoes to icy caverns. In online play, you can also choose to play alongside unknown heroes not on your friend list. Only by working as a team will you be able to progress through the various hazards lying in wait, but for those who master an area, bonus challenges can be unlocked for access to more valuable rewards. In order to communicate with friends during gameplay, you can send instructions using in-game emoticons, such as asking for their urgent assistance in taking down an enemy, or even in helping form a Totem, a new gameplay mechanic whereby all three Links can stack up on top of one another, making it possible to reach new locations.
Solo adventurers can choose to take on the perils of the Drablands in single-player format, equipped with a pair of replica Link figures called “doppels” that come to life on command, allowing you to control each one in turn. However, with Download Play functionality, players can always link up with two other Nintendo 3DS system-owning friends to take on the action, even if they don’t have a copy of the game.
To fit the fashion-focused world of Hytopia, meanwhile, collecting in-game materials lets you order stylish outfits at Madame Couture’s shop for Link to wear, with each one giving special abilities to help tackle the action. While fans of The Legend of Zelda series will recognise certain pieces, such as a “Goron Garb” outfit that allows you to swim in lava, or a “Zora Costume” that lets you swim with greater speed, with 36 outfits to acquire, you can experiment with different looks in order to best tackle each of the 32 stages that lie in wait.
Finally, to share your great acts of teamwork and skill with others, secure a camera from the Photo Bro character managing the in-game Miiverse Gallery and snap away whilst out exploring the wilds of the Drablands. As well as posting these snaps to Miiverse*, you can even unlock Miiverse stamps for each outfit you unlock in-game, which you can apply exclusively to your hand-drawn creations.
Assemble two of your most heroic friends and solve challenging puzzles together as the saviours of Hytopia in The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, coming to Nintendo 3DS family systems on October 24.
For a full overview of what lies in store, check out this extended trailer on YouTube! – https://youtu.be/X6PGalU7foo
* Wireless Broadband Internet connection required.
The Hawk has returned. That sounded great, didn’t it? Well, Tony Hawk‘s Pro Skater 5 is one title many didn’t expect, but has finally landed on shelves after a decent little wait, bringing new names, faces, and more in general for fans both old and fresh to the franchise.
A launch trailer has arrived showing the new blood, as well as the visual style that I am still undecided about overall. We shall see I suppose, but you can see now by checking out the game for yourself as it is indeed out now, and by watching the trailer that Activision have released down below.
Overview
If one thing is certain, it is that Super Meat Boy brought with it a ton of clones last generation. What I mean by that is a lot of titles have decided to go with an 8-bit art style and ramp up difficulty to give gamers of today that “old school challenge”. This sounds great, but instead of receiving quality gems – we have received a ton of games that are a chore to play due to poor balancing and artificial difficulty. Not to mention a lot of these titles lack any charm whatsoever. Penarium looks to change that, taking players to the circus with a bit of something new as players now have to deal with more bite-sized challenges that are all connected rather than levels. How does this three ring extravaganza end up? Let’s find out.
Story
Penarium does have an interesting little story- even though it only serves the small purpose of an introduction to the characters you will be seeing for the experience. A young boy named Willy is curious and ends up on a circus cart, with an evil ring-leader kidnapping him and forcing him to do challenges to entertain the masses that could very well end his life. Its dark, yet menacingly charming in its own bizarre way. There isn’t a lot of depth to the tale, but much like Mario, Sonic, and so on, we get a clear idea about the story in minutes and have that one goal (in this case freedom) that acts as a reason for progression. Its simple and satisfying to say the least, and a smart way to write a narrative in such an odd little game.
Gameplay
The first thing you should know about Penarium are the three modes. There is an arcade mode where you can compete for a high scores while attempting to simply survive for as long as possible, a nifty little multiplayer mode that allows for two player action that is rather insane and competitive, and the campaign mode which is the center ring to this circus. Campaign mode has players take part in challenges that start easy enough. Avoid projectile fire or some sort of hazard while smashing barrels. If you get enough, its onward to the next task. The difficulty however is the game’s greatest strength, and that is for more than one reason.
Before I continue on I must let you know that I dislike really hard games that are hard for the sake of being hard. Back in the 90’s, games were not that hard (such as Buster Breaks Loose or The Lion King), they just were unforgiving when it came to hand-holding. You had a set amount of lives and that was it. There was no push forward or nudge to do better. You either beat that hard part or you didn’t continue. End of story. Today a lot of titles like to say “I AM SO TOUGH TO BEAT! LOOK AT ME!”, and that makes me angry to be honest. I don’t want a game that knows its difficult before its even made. I want a product that is complete and fun that will allow itself to let go of our hands and learn how to overcome obstacles because we don’t want the fun to end. With that rant aside, I can say that Penarium does it right. The level structuring kind of reminds me of WarioWare in minor ways as the levels are short and over quick, but the game is still fun as the objectives are easy to grasp and this title makes it seem as each task were a carnival game of sorts. Each section is a learning experience, with the game leaving little time to master one mechanic before introducing another.
Catch potions, put them in a pot by their color. You let too many drop its game over. Smash barrels, collect coins. Avoid enemy fire and hit switches in sequence with chaos going on around you. Those are just a few of the factors that go into Penarium being a blast to play, and even though it is hard as nails and will make you question life, you will still enjoy yourself as you will want to get to that next game. I never had a bad time as the controls were tight and fluid, and everything was so simple that I knew the flaws I had were caused by my own bumbling during the game. That being said, I wish there was a bit more variety overall and a little more done with the general theme of this design, but that is really just me wanting more and not actually barking about any real frustrations. Those who want a bit of help can cash in their loot to get power-ups that work well enough as well, and while they won’t shrink the difficulty, they do add to the chaos in a good way.
Visuals
If I have to mention one negative about Penarium it would be the visuals. I know, some will love those charming, 8-bit pixels. I feel that the look is getting over-saturated and at this point is like a red flag for a more mediocre product. You’ve got a good story, the gameplay is fun, why not go all out with these designs and make them modern, rather than go for a look that is just going to capture a crowd who will probably snub their noses at the concept? Colorful models and worlds are great, but the 8-bit look makes this world look rough and jagged when it should be a little more appealing. I am sure the look is 100% intentional and wasn’t meant to be a shortcut, but I took it that the developers said “Oh look, our game is hard, lets make it look like older games that were hard!”, which is a bit sad to see in an otherwise fantastic product.
Audio
The music is quite swanky and fun. While not all the tracks are upbeat, they do go with the circus theme and even the 8-bit look hand in hand. Yeah, I guess the music does remind me of games of yesterday – but I am ok with that as this collection of tunes were done right. The sound effects are also great, giving off that satisfying chime of a coin collected and smash of a barrel. I don’t what it is about those two sounds (other than the throwback to Donkey Kong Country and Mario), but I always enjoy that little detail in games both new and old.
Overall
Penarium is a fun little adventure that comes with polished gameplay that is cruel, addictive, and fun. I think that last word is a big part of of the experience, as its rare to have a blast in a test of wits. The story is also lovely despite its one dimension, and the extra modes give a good bit of life to those who are ready for even more challenge. I think we will continue to see clones of Meat Boy and the like for years to come and sigh as developers miss the point, but gamers should know that Penarium is its own fantastic product, hidden underneath a pixel look that hides the wild circus underneath.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Classic time travelling movie Back to the Futureturns 30 this year. Telltale Games is celebrating by remastering their Back to the Future adventure game, which serves as the sequel to Back to the Future Part III. Back to the Future: The Game – 30th Anniversary Edition features high resolution graphics, updated voice acting from Tom Wilson, and behind the scenes videos from movie trilogy co-writer/producer Bob Gale, Tom Wilson, development team members, and young Marty McFly voice actor AJ LoCascio.
The updated game launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One on October 13th in North America and on October 16th in Europe. It will be available digitally and in brick and mortar stores.
Harebrained Schemes are at it again. After their successful reboot of the Shadowrun franchise, the indie developers are looking to resurrect another dormant franchise. The Battletech reboot will a be a tactical turn-based combat game destined for Linux, Mac, and Windows. It will be set during the 3025 Succession Wars, the classic BattleTech setting.
Fans of the series can expect the new game to be true to its roots. Harebrained Schemes just happens to be co-founded BattleTech and MechWarrior franchise creator Jordan Weisman; plus both Catalyst Game Labs, the publisher of the Battletech tabletop games, and Piranha Games, the developers of MechWarrior Online, are contributing to the new game! Weisman is spearheading development with Shadowrun creative director Mike McCain. Shadowrun: Dragonfall – Director’s Cut and Shadowrun: Hong Kongcomposer Jon Everist will also be returning to score Battletech.
The studio is returning to Kickstarter to help expand the game beyond the Skirmish mode. Harebrained Schemes has already poured in a million dollars of their own money to get the game this far. Kickstarter funds will be used to expand the Skirmish mode, add a singleplayer campaign, and implement PVP multiplayer. Harebrained Schemes hopes to raise an additional 2.5 million dollars to develop the game in its entirety.
Digital copies of the game start at pledges of at least $25 USD. The Kickstarter campaign ends on November 3 and has already surpassed their minimum $250,000 goal. Harebrained Schemes expects to launch Battletech in May 2017.
