Glum’s reluctant adventures will kick off this month
Aalborg, Denmark, May 1 2025 – CinderCat Games is delighted to announce that their comedic action-adventure title GLUM will be launching for PC in Early Access on Steam on May 22nd, 2025!
Developed and published by CinderCat Games, GLUM stars a grumpy, misfit goblin with a magical boot and a serious chip on his shoulder. After a career of serving his overlord through broom duty, our (very) reluctant hero finds himself facing a job well above his minion paygrade as he sets out on a quest to rescue his kidnapped boss in a journey of magical ass-kickery and whimsical violence.
Come May 22, GLUM will invite you to become the menace you were always meant to be, as you kick your way through a crude and chaotic world. Enemies? Kick ‘em. Obstacles? Boot ‘em. Anything else in your path? Well, if it looks kickable, it probably is.
You can plan out your attacks (or just wildly kick everything that moves, we’re not the boss of you), rack up points for obscure combos, oh, and figure out where your overlord is while you’re at it (no biggie). Each new level will give you the opportunity to acquire new abilities, offering all-new ways to teach your foes to love the taste of boot.
About GLUM
Kick first, ask questions never: Use well-timed kicks and quick movements to launch enemies into walls, traps, and each other in chaotic physics-based combat. Need more firepower? Charge up your boot to cast spells and punt those enemies straight to boot camp. To Glum – everything’s a weapon if you just kick it hard enough.
Journey into the wacky realm of Damoros: Follow the trail of your kidnapped boss through a world where rival overlords rule with ridiculousness, chaos is just another Tuesday, and one man’s catastrophe is another man’s comedy.
Embrace whimsical violence: Combine kicks, spells, and environmental chaos for ever more creative destruction. As Glum, you’ll unlock new magical powers for your boot, proving that even the least qualified anti-hero of Damoros can kick his way to notoriety in this darkly comedic misadventure.
CinderCat Games is a Danish indie game studio founded in 2022 as newly graduates. CinderCat Games as a company strives to create strong game IPs with loveable characters, humour and attitude that resonates with players around the world.
TOKYO, April 30th — The uncensored and uncut English release of the latest adult title from 3rdEye, developers of Sorcery Jokers, The Pillagers of Raillore, is finally available for pre-order on the MangaGamer store with a slated release date of May 29th, 2025. Customers who pre-order can save themselves 15% off the retail price of the game.
All the people in the world have awakened to unique abilities called ‘Dunamis’. As these special powers become rooted in people’s everyday lives, their value system changes, and those who lack powers are the ones who are treated as strange. With the passing of the ages, the environment has changed completely, while society has greatly regressed. The overall population of mankind has diminished as well, and most of the world is made up of wastelands and greenery dotted with the weathered ruins of the world before.
The City of Raillore.
With brickwork buildings like those of the Middle Ages, developed over land graced with lush greenery and rivers. With the concept of nations gone from the world, Raillore exists as something of a self-sufficient commune. The Order of Security and Regulatory Knights – AKA the Regulatory Corps – serves as a government organization in charge of handling crime prevention and other tasks that require force of arms.
But things begin to change as odd incidents take place, one after another…
Those possessing abilities different from those of Dunamis begin to appear. The people fear this power and the phenomena it causes, and those capable of it are designated as ‘Errors’. The sudden appearance of these Errors is regarded as a disease, and the handling of Errors is placed under the jurisdiction of the Regulatory Corps. As people tremble in fear of the vicissitudes of the changing times, there are those who try to open a way to the future with their own strength…
For more information on The Pillagers of Raillore, as well as other titles from MangaGamer, be sure to join the discussion on Discord or follow MangaGamer on Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook. You can also check out the staff blog for comments from the staff and other featured articles!
ABOUT MANGAGAMER.COM
MangaGamer.com is the world’s biggest publisher of English translated Visual Novels. Since its launch in July 2008, it has offered services where fans can download and enjoy popular Visual Novels such as 07th Expansion’s Higurashi When They Cry series,Alicesoft’s infamous Rance series, and Novectacle’s critically acclaimed The House in Fata Morgana right from their home.
Sydney, Australia, May 1st, 2025: Milestone and MotoGP™ are thrilled to announce the release of MotoGP™25. The newest chapter of the official MotoGP™ videogame is now available for PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch™, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.
In this new instalment, players will be able to fully express their passion, skills, and mental strength, their Heart of Racing, to the fullest, with revamped features and new modes that provide a cohesive and immersive experience for everyone. The new Race Off modes allow players to train like real-life riders in three unique and very different disciplines. From the off-road Flat Tracks, to the fast Motards, up to the agile Minibikes, players will be able to test and perfect their skills. With different physics and handling, these bikes will be available in standalone events, but also, they will be an important part of the renewed career mode, where players will be able to improve both their character and their relationships with the other riders.
MotoGP™25 offers everyone the chance to express their love for racing regardless of their skills level, thanks to the new Arcade Experience and Pro Experience. The former offers a game experience that immediately immerses players in the action, while preserving the true essence of the sport. This option offers a simpler style of gameplay, allowing fans to live the life of a MotoGP™ rider without having to think too much about the technical aspects of the bike. On the other hand, the Pro Experience promises to be the pinnacle of simulation. Players will be able to tune and set up numerous elements for truly personalised gameplay sessions.
The career mode introduces a new Turning Points system. Players will now have the opportunity to choose their path more freely, with their objectives and rivals changing based on their ultimate goal. These may include securing the contract of their dreams or leading a lower field team to the top of the grid. The Riders Market and the FIMMotoGP™ Stewards are back, along with a new Bike Development System. In this new feature, communication with the team is fundamental, as the bike will evolve around players’ feedback, bringing the virtual experience even closer to reality.
Importantly, MotoGP™25 includes new bike sounds, recorded on track in collaboration with the official MotoGP™ teams. This new recording method has resulted in a richer and more complete sound compartment, which will create a bigger sense of immersion for players, who will feel like being on the real track. The new sound presets offer an even more customisable gameplay experience for everyone. From the Passion one, for the crowd lovers, to the Focus one, for those who want to concentrate on the race.
Whether it is against friends or other riders from all over the world, the full Cross-play* allows players to test their abilities, while the new ranked races will establish a balanced competition based on skill level. The LiveGP Championship* will introduce new challenges that will push players to improve even further and become the best on the grid. For those who want to compete from the comfort of their couch, the two-player local split-screen is the perfect choice.
Creativity will be freer than ever with the power of the game editors. Players will be able to unleash their imagination to create incredible customisations and share them with the rest of the community*. There is also the opportunity to create the helmet of one of the twenty-two MotoGP™ riders with the Helmet Contest. Those who will submit their creation during the contest period will have the chance to be selected and see their design in a real MotoGP™ race.
The lights are out, the new MotoGP™ chapter is here. Who will be the next champion?
MotoGP™25 is available on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch™, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.
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*Cross-play, LiveGP, UGCs sharing not available on Nintendo Switch version
Nintendo Switch is a trademark of Nintendo.
“ “, “PlayStation” and “” are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved
About Milestone
Founded in Milan in 1996, Milestone is one of the leading and longest-established racing game developers and publishers in the world. The +300 people team is responsible for hit series like MotoGP™, Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame, the acclaimed Hot Wheels Unleashed™, as well as its own IPs, RIDE and Screamer. For more information, please visit https://milestone.it/
About MotoGP™
Welcome to the most exciting sport on earth. The fastest bikes. The most forward-thinking manufacturers. The world’s most fearless riders. This is the hunt, and there can only be one winner. Come with us to the edge of possibility and the edge of your seat.
Tame dinosaurs to survive an island paradise, mix and match card decks to win big and head to the far-future for some retro shooting action with May’s PlayStation Plus Monthly Games lineup. Ark: Survival Ascended, Balatro and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun will be available to PlayStation Plus members from May 6.
Ark: Survival Ascended | PS5
Get ready to form a tribe, tame and breed hundreds of species of dinosaurs and other primeval creatures, explore, craft, build, and fight to the top of the food-chain. A new world awaits in this survival sim, reimagined from the ground-up with Unreal Engine 5, with high-end graphic features, advanced physics systems and quality of life revamps in every area. Ark: Survival Ascended includes access to all of Ark’s worlds, including Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Ark Genesis Part 1, Ark Genesis Part 2, and more. The game supports public online multiplayer for up to 70 players, private-session multiplayer for up to 8 players, and local split-screen for 2 players.
Balatro | PS5, PS4
In this poker-inspired roguelike deck builder, it’s all creating powerful synergies and winning big. Play illegal poker hands, discover game-changing jokers and trigger outrageous combos in this roguelike strategy experience. Combine valid poker hands with unique joker cards in order to create varied synergies and builds. Earn enough chips to beat devious blinds, all while uncovering hidden bonus hands and decks as players progress. Players are going to need every edge they can get in order to reach the boss blind, beat the final ante and secure victory.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun | PS5, PS4
Load up the Boltgun and plunge into battle headfirst! Experience a perfect blend of Warhammer 40,000, classic, frenetic FPS gameplay and the stylish visuals of fan-favourite 90’s retro shooters. Play a battle-hardened Space Marine on a perilous mission across the galaxy, as they battle against the Chaos Space Marines and daemons of Chaos. In glorious boomer shooter style, unleash devastating Space Marine arsenal while blasting through an explosion of sprites, pixels and blood. Run, jump and charge across huge levels to shoot, shred and slice the worst heretics across the galaxy!
All three games will be available to PlayStation Plus members on May 6 until June 2.
Last chance to download April’s games
PlayStation Plus members have until May 5 to add RoboCop: Rogue City, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory to their game library.
To learn more about the full lineup, visit the PlayStation Blog.
Mayhem-fueled gameplay footage showcases how the iconic Borderlands experience is reaching new and thrilling heights
Sydney, Australia – 1 May, 2025 – Today, during a dedicated PlayStation’s State of Play, 2K and Gearbox Software shared an extended look at the action-packed gameplay coming in Borderlands® 4, the next entry in the iconic looter-shooter franchise. Borderlands 4 will launch on September 12, 2025 on PlayStation®5 (PS5®) console, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store. It will also be coming to Nintendo Switch 2 later in 2025.
In the extended gameplay footage, players were treated to a first look at two of the four new Vault Hunters that will be featured in Borderlands 4. Vex the Siren is a powerful Siren who can empower herself or manifest deadly shades to fight alongside her, while Rafa the Exo-Soldier shines as a former Tediore trooper who wears an experimental exo-suit capable of digistructing an arsenal of weapons. Each Vault Hunter offers a unique playstyle, further augmented through the most advanced skill tree system in a Borderlands game to-date.
Across the vast and seamlessly connected planet of Kairos, players will face the oppressive Timekeeper. For thousands of years, he kept the planet hidden, controlling its inhabitants with cybernetic implants called Bolts and an army of synthetic soldiers known as The Order. Players will travel across the planet where they’ll encounter new and returning characters, creatures and inhabitants to battle, and unique factions spread across four distinct regions that seek freedom from the tyranny of the Timekeeper. The friends discovered along the way will be recruited by players to their cause while enemies will experience first-hand the arsenal of weapons and abilities wielded by the Vault Hunters.
As seen in the explosive footage shared during PlayStation’s State of Play, Vex and Rafa tear a path through a secret blacksite in Terminus Range, a frigid, mountainous region. This extended gameplay segment showcases the destructive power of the updated gear system in Borderlands 4, fueling the wildest loot chase ever, including:
Deadly weapons from across eight new and returning manufacturers, each boasting their own devastating strengths;
Licensed Parts system that combines the behaviours and abilities from multiple manufacturers into a single weapon;
Enhancements gear slot to augment weapons based on their manufacturer, rewarding extra firepower with an optimised gear loadout;
Ordnance, a shared slot for Grenades and Heavy Weapons like rocket launchers, recharges on a cooldown to keep you locked and loaded during especially tough encounters;
Rep Kit gear adds utility by letting players heal themselves or activate temporary buffs to help turn the tide of an intense battle.
Borderlands 4 makes it easier than ever for friends to jump into co-op multiplayer with a new system for players to form parties online and stay together when switching game modes.* The game is designed for co-op from the ground up, with instanced loot for each player, dynamic level scaling, and individual difficulty to keep the party together and having fun through the whole campaign.
Be sure to check out the full dedicated PlayStation’s State of Play for additional never-before-seen footage and behind-the-scenes insights from the development team.
Borderlands 4 is currently rated CTC for Check the Classification.
Gearbox Software is a 2K studio. 2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).
*Online play requires an Internet connection and a SHiFT Account. Console online play requires a separate paid subscription. Terms apply.
About 2K
Founded in 2005, 2K develops and publishes interactive entertainment for video game consoles, personal computers, and mobile devices, with product availability including physical retail and digital download. The Company is home to many talented development studios, including Visual Concepts, Firaxis Games, Hangar 13, Cat Daddy Games, 31st Union, Cloud Chamber, Gearbox and HB Studios. 2K’s portfolio currently includes several AAA, sports and entertainment brands, including global powerhouse NBA®️ 2K; renowned BioShock®️, Borderlands®️, Mafia, Sid Meier’s Civilization®️ and XCOM®️ brands; popular WWE®️ 2K and WWE®️ SuperCard franchises, TopSpin®️ as well as the critically and commercially acclaimed PGA TOUR®️ 2K. Additional information about 2K and its products may be found at 2K.com and on the Company’s official social media channels.
The statements contained herein, which are not historical facts, including statements relating to Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.’s (“Take-Two,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or similar pronouns) outlook, are considered forward-looking statements under federal securities laws and may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “projects,” “seeks,” “should,” “will,” or words of similar meaning and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the outlook for our future business and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to them, which are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may vary materially from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of risks and uncertainties including risks relating to our combination with Zynga Inc.; the risks of conducting business internationally, including as a result of unforeseen geopolitical events; the impact of changes in interest rates by the Federal Reserve and other central banks, including on our short-term investment portfolio; the impact of inflation; volatility in foreign currency exchange rates; our dependence on key management and product development personnel; our dependence on our NBA 2K and Grand Theft Auto products and our ability to develop other hit titles; our ability to leverage opportunities on PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S; factors affecting our mobile business, such as player acquisition costs; the timely release and significant market acceptance of our games; and the ability to maintain acceptable pricing levels on our games.
Other important factors and information are contained in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the risks summarized in the section entitled “Risk Factors,” the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the Company’s other periodic filings with the SEC, which can be accessed at www.take2games.com. All forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements and apply only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
The First Major Update Arrives 6 May with New Story Content
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — 1 May, 2025 — Today, Ubisoft revealed its Year 1 Post Launch Roadmap for Assassin’s Creed® Shadows, highlighting a series of regular updates that will expand the live game experience over time. These updates will contain free content for all players, including additional story content, special collaborations, updates made in response to community feedback, new rewards, and more.
The roadmap outlines specific details for the first few upcoming updates coming in May and June, introducing exciting additions to the game such as highly anticipated parkour improvements based on community feedback.
Since it first launched in 2007, the Assassin’s Creed® series has sold more than 230 million games worldwide. The franchise is now established as one of the best-selling series in video game history. Recognized for having some of the richest, most engrossing storytelling in the industry, Assassin’s Creed transcends video games, branching out into numerous other entertainment media.
About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a creator of worlds, committed to enriching players’ lives with original and memorable entertainment experiences. Ubisoft’s global teams create and develop a deep and diverse portfolio of games, featuring brands such as Assassin’s Creed®, Brawlhalla®, For Honor®, Far Cry®, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon®, Just Dance®, Rabbids®, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six®, The Crew® and Tom Clancy’s The Division®. Through Ubisoft Connect, players can enjoy an ecosystem of services to enhance their gaming experience, get rewards and connect with friends across platforms. With Ubisoft+, the subscription service, they can access a growing catalogue of more than 100 Ubisoft games and DLC. For the 2023-24 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €2.32 billion. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com.
Convicted of horrific crimes he didn’t commit, Morgan Lee finds himself serving a 1,300-year prison sentence on Sigma, the galaxy’s most dangerous and inescapable prison planet. His one chance at freedom? Win on “The Last Ticket,” the galaxy’s deadliest game show, hosted by the grotesque Volkov. And if Morgan dies, well… Volkov will just revive him for further amusement.
Ascend to the prison’s roof in a blend of beat ’em up and roguelite carnage. Curate an arsenal of melee weapons and firearms to stand a fighting chance. Deal headshots with rifles, crush skulls with devastating melee blows, or make internal organs external with shotgun blasts. Experiment with offensive and defensive play styles against each deadly wave of prisoners and guards.
Gain the upper hand in Morgan’s killing spree with powerful cybernetic abilities. Replace body parts to enhance melee, defensive, and agility skills. Weave firearms and cyborg implants together in gut-wrenching combos. Earn permanent upgrades, find the right loadouts to maximize Morgan’s arsenal, and make Volkov regret his sadistic schemes.
“It’s rewarding to see KIBORG out now after spending several years bringing it to life,” said Dmitry Kachkov, Head of Sobaka Studio. “I hope everyone experiments with Morgan’s skillset and finds a way to escape from Sigma.”
Sobaka Studio is an indie game developer. Previously released titles include top-down shooter Redeemer and 9 Monkeys of Shaolin – two beat’em ups with epic combat. They are currently working on the twin-stick shooter REMEDIUM available now in Early Access and time survival game REMEDIUM: Sentinels, which both share one grim post-apocalyptic Renaissance setting. Their next title is KIBORG, the rogue-lite with brutal, cybernetic-enhanced combat.
Get Ready for Total Train Mayhem on PC and Nintendo Switch this Summer – Build Decks, Lay Tracks, and Send Explosive Locomotives to Vanquish Enemies
Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe is excited to announce it will publish BATTLE TRAIN, the deck n’ track roguelite game co-developed by Terrible Posture Games, Inc. and Nerd Ninjas LLC. The game offers an innovative take on the genre, combining the strategy of roguelite deckbuilding with explosive train-based combat, framed as the world’s most popular game show. BATTLE TRAIN is slated to release on June 18 on Nintendo Switch™ and PC via Steam®. For more information on the game, visit: https://www.bandainamcoent.com/games/battle-train
Watch the new BATTLE TRAIN trailer below:
BATTLE TRAIN is co-developed by Terrible Posture Games, Inc. and Nerd Ninjas LLC, both pedigreed in creating memorable roguelite games. Founded by industry veteran Joe Mirabello, Terrible Posture Games is the developer behind the classic roguelites, Tower of Guns and MOTHERGUNSHIP, as well as being known for their narrative contributions to such brands as The Walking Dead and Invincible. Nerd Ninjas, a proven force in co-development and original IP creation, recently launched the well-received roguelite Rogue Piñatas: VRmageddon. BATTLE TRAIN is a mashup of theircreative energy and game development expertise, and self-ascribed as “the world’s most ridiculous dueling train game”. The game puts classic roguelite gameplay on rails – literally – with players laying down tracks trains to send explosive locomotives to the enemy’s train depot. With fast-paced duels, branching paths, boss battles, special events, and ever-escalating stakes, BATTLE TRAIN has a ticket for everyone.
“We were on board with BATTLE TRAIN from the moment we met the creative teams behind it and had a chance to play this unforgettable deckbuilding game,” said Karim Farghaly, senior vice president, business innovation and licensing at Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. “What struck us with BATTLE TRAIN is its innovations in visual style, narrative backdrop and combination of genres, all of it coming together to create an explosive experience that’s incredibly fun and remains a joy as you play over and over again.”
BATTLE TRAIN is set against a backdrop of the world’s most exciting game show of the same name, where players take on the role of contestants to engage in train combat against Rival Champions. By collecting and playing cards, contestants build tracks to unlock resources, protect their own bases, and attack enemy structures. Tracks are played on the grid by using cards, each with a resource cost. Connect a track to an enemy base to send a locomotive on a one-way ticket to the enemy, chock full of explosives. Destroy the rival conductor’s bases first to win the round, which provides new deck cards, currency for customization, train upgrades, and more. Players must devise strategies to build the right decks and out-blast opponents in a battle to become the Supreme President Conductor. Curious “loco-splosive” enthusiasts can try a free demo of the game now on Steam® https://store.steampowered.com/app/2921140/Battle_Train_Demo/.
“BATTLE TRAIN has been a project we’ve been percolating internally for a long time, always coming back to it,” said Joe Mirabello, CEO and founder of Terrible Posture Games, Inc.. “It’s a ridiculous concept that resulted in a magic blend of tactics, fun, and roguelite replayability. The sheer joy of sending an explosive-laden train into your opponent’s base and setting of a cascade of chain reactions is just too good for words. Partnering with Bandai Namco Entertainment America lets us get this title we love so dearly into a much wider audience, not to mention all their help steering this thing to its final destination and helping to bring the game to Nintendo Switch players.”
For more information on BATTLE TRAIN and other products from other titles from Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe please visit: https://www.bandainamcoent.eu.
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About Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe S.A.S.
Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe is a leading global publisher, developer, and distributor of entertainment content for platforms including, but not limited to, all major video game consoles and PC.
Producing intellectual property for a global audience, Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe is building its reputation with franchises such as LITTLE NIGHTMARES™, and production capabilities of two studios, Reflector Entertainment and Limbic Entertainment.
Based in Lyon, France, Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe is known for bringing many of the entertainment industry’s top franchises such as PAC-MAN™, GUNDAM™, TEKKEN™, ACE COMBAT™, DARK SOULS™, and ELDEN RING™ to EMEA and ANZ markets.
Terrible Posture Games is a developer with a penchant for fresh ideas in gaming. Founded by industry veteran Joe Mirabello, in 2014 we released Tower of Guns, one of the earliest FPS roguelite hybrids. Since then, we’ve co-developed MOTHERGUNSHIP, released two seasons of the unique playable sitcom 3 out of 10, worked on popular brands such as The Walking Dead and Invincible, and built the highly regarded VR exclusive MOTHERGUNSHIP: FORGE. Find out more at: https://www.terribleposture.com/
About Nerd Ninjas LLC.
Nerd Ninjas is an indie gaming studio of digital mercenaries, known for its innovative approach to AR/VR, desktop and mobile platforms. With a focus on pushing boundaries of creativity and technology, Nerd Ninjas is masterfully trained in the electric arts and has the combined nerd experience of publishing over 20+ games, many which have been ranked within the Top 10 of Apple’s App Store. Find out more at: https://nerdninjas.com/
After celebrating 10 years on mobile, Kabam is excited to share that Marvel Contest of Champions will be playable on PC in 2025! Pre-registration is now open through the official website with unlockable, exclusive milestone rewards when you enter The Contest on PC, gearing its players for epic battles on the new platform.
The PC version will offer the classic arcade experience of modern combat games, stunning graphics in full HD & 60FPS, and overhauled UI to optimize the game for the platform. Now with cross-play functionality, players can start the game on one platform and then pick up their progress on the other. As with mobile, new events and stories will be released each month on PC, and the game will continue to grow its expansive roster of 300+ Champions to collect and rank up.
Check out the official PC Announcement video below, and stay tuned for more PC news as direct download for MCoC will be available soon!
Additionally, Marvel Contest of Champions has a range of new monthly content in store for its mobile players in April – Check out a snapshot below!
50.0 UPDATE, QUESTS, & SPECIAL EVENTS
Spider-Woman Swings In As The Eidols Take Over The Battlerealm: This month’s content update marks the debut of honorary web-slinger SPIDER-WOMAN and the first Eidol Champion of 2025, LUMATRIX! Players have the opportunity to obtain Spider-Woman and collect Lumatrix now! To obtain Lumatrix, players must collect LIGHT ESSENCE while battling in The Contest from areas such as Battlegrounds, Saga Incursions and Raids in order to trade them in for Lumatrix. The chase for Lumatrix kicked off on March 5 and is now available through June 4.
Spy Games: Black Widow has been researching the arrival of the Eidols and needs a trusted friend to continue this spy-craft. Luckily Jessica Drew, AKA Spider-Woman, is ready to swing into action! Will these super spies be able to see through the sinister light-show of the newest Eidol arrival? Or will they be actors in a twisted play? Players can discover these secrets beginning now through May 7.
Thunderbolts Daily Super Event–7 Day Supply Drop: Beginning tomorrow, for a limited time, the Daily Super Event is being taken over by the Thunderbolts! From April 18 through May 2, complete milestones and collect Poolshields to trade in for rewards in the upcoming Red & Dead’s Discount Shed. Additionally, players can look forward to daily supply drops now through May 23. Players can log in daily to claim all the free rewards!
Red & Dead’s Discount Shed:Deadpool has kept a stash of special rewards hidden, and Red Guardian has convinced him to share with the community. From April 25 through May 2, players can look forward to deals and discounts this season, including event currency, crystals, bonuses, and more. Don’t miss out!
Heart of Fire Sale: Following the Red & Dead’s Discount Shed, for one week only, beginning May 7 through May 14, players can open “Heart Of Fire” crystals and receive valuable Champions and rewards!
Other Marvel Contest of Champions monthly updates, including bug fixes, and other event quests such as “Alliance War Showcase,” “Dark Phoenix Incursions” side and event quests, and more can be found in the latest release notes HERE.
We’d love for you to consider sharing the latest MCoC news with your readers, as well as consider for any upcoming Marvel or gaming round-up feature stories.
MARVEL Contest of Champions is available for iOS and Android
When it comes to a visual novel you never quite know what you’ll be in for. Will it be a straightforward kinetic novel looking to tell its own storyline without player interaction? Could it be one with multiple choices that offer numerous endings or even completely different routes that follow specific characters depending on player choice? Or can it work some other type of mechanic as well, such as offering army commanding or puzzle solving to mix things up even further? This makes the visual novel genre one that, despite having a simple surface, quite a complex one and Blankspace, a visual novel from NoBreadStudio now arriving on consoles via Penguin Pop Games is definitely one that is more than meets the eye, especially at its low entry price.
Story
Players take on the role of Chris who, despite being quite the rowdy partier in life going from what we eventually learn about him, rarely finds himself blackout drunk to the point of not remembering how he got where he is, but that happens to be the case right now. Chris awakens in a strange gray-scale room handcuffed to a pipe where the only thing of any actual color happens to be an aqua-colored hair woman who is similarly cuffed to the leg of a couch and seemingly unconscious. After making enough noise (or better yet, throwing a boot) to wake her up, Chris learns that the girl is named Beryl.
Despite also claiming to have no memory of where they are, Beryl is rather suspicious, as she indicates not only some knowledge already of their predicament but even the location of the first puzzles the pair will need to solve to escape their current predicament, or at the very least escape their set of handcuffs. Even after the pair free themselves from their initial chains, they soon find out that there is far more to this room than might meet the eye as seemingly every object is either bolted in place and those that aren’t are part of a puzzle, with the only door out being locked with no obvious key in sight. Trapped in this strange place with no memory of how he got there and so untrusting of this even stranger girl that players choose to give a fake name to her, it will be up to Chris and Beryl to figure things out and hopefully escape, or perhaps find an even worse fate.
Blankspace is an incredibly interesting visual novel wrapped up in a small package. It leaves players with a lot of questions right off the bat but not only drops a few hints early but happens to reveal the major twists almost right in the middle of the game, revealing most of the biggest secrets at a surprising time. While this could hurt the storytelling for some titles, the writers have managed to pull off this reveal quite well thanks not only to how impactful these revelations are about who these two characters are and the rooms they find themselves trapped in but also the fallout from these reveals. It is worth noting that Blankspace is a title that isn’t afraid to broach some darker subject matter and players should be wary of that as a result and both Beryl and Chris can ironically feel like a perfect match depending on how players choose to interact with her. Both characters are quite bold and sexual with their jokes and interactions as well, making them feel like real characters that players will grow fond of for the short time that they get to actually see them interact with one another.
In the end, depending on how stumped players might be by the puzzles and their reading speed, Blankspace clocks in at roughly three hours in length for a standard playthrough, meaning that this visual novel is quite short when mixing in its puzzle mechanics. That being said, since player choice plays a major factor in how certain scenes play out and the game offers six primary endings and a hidden one with special conditions, there is a lot of replayability here, even if all the puzzle solutions will remain the same. We do wish however that the endings were given a bit extra to go off of in most cases as it appears that even the SFW bonus content originally released for the PC version did not make the jump to consoles. It is also interesting to note that Beryl and Chris’ interactions and dialogue will vary quite a bit depending on how some dialogue choices are made and how mean or crude Chris is when it comes to Beryl, which also plays into the ending results.
Gameplay
Since Blankspace is a blend of a visual novel and puzzle game, players will be spending a roughly equal amount of time doing both, depending of course on their puzzle solving skills. During visual novel scenes players will read along with Chris and Beryl’s interactions and occasionally make choices, some of which seem completely innocuous but, as mentioned before, will factor into how the player is steering towards an ending. When not talking or “thinking” players will find that they can actually freely move around the room or rooms available to them and interact with various items in the world.
Movement is unfortunately done through tapping red arrows in the environment, something that can be tedious and imprecise as Blankspace was originally released on PC. The primary goal of exploring a room is to find the various puzzles that are scattered throughout it, various hints as to how to solve these puzzles that usually are in the environment or mentioned by Beryl, or find an item that can be used to open or help complete a puzzle. In fact, there is even an inventory system where players can select an item to use on an object in the environment or select two items and “combine” them to create a “complete” version usually used to solve or access a puzzle or other item.
The puzzles themselves in Blankspace have quite a lot of variety to them both in how they are solved and their complexity. Some are as simple as finding a few objects to combine and using it to complete said puzzle, others are more complicated and can range from figuring out how to properly decipher what certain symbols might mean or putting together a code using clues gathered around the current room. In fact there are even times players will need to return to old rooms to help complete a puzzle to keep things fresh. This level of variety and challenge feels properly balanced and while there are two puzzles in particular that were quite difficult to solve, eventually figuring them out was quite rewarding, especially since even Beryl asks not to take the easy way out on one of them.
It is interesting to note that while not necessary to complete the storyline by any means, outside of obtaining a highly specific ending, players will find that Blankspace also includes a few optional objectives scattered throughout each room. This includes an elaborate “find the difference” style piece of glowing art hidden somewhere in the environment as well as three of the developer NoBreadStudio’s logos tucked away as well. As mentioned, this is simply bonus material for the most part and having it included is a nice little bonus to the puzzle solving.
Audio & Visuals
It is a bit difficult to discuss Blankspace‘s chosen art style because there is at least a plot reason behind why the rooms players travel through are the way they are. The rooms are presented almost entirely in grey tones with hints of red spread throughout and all have a 3D model to them. As for the character designs Beryl is nicely drawn and has a decent level of fan-service to her outfit, especially in one scene, while Chris’ design is about as over-the-top as they come to the point that it is a bit ridiculous. There are a mix of CGs spread throughout Blankspace as well but for the most part dialogue is handled through the character portraits simply moving slightly and reacting.
It is worth noting that there is no voice work for either of the two characters in the game and even the sound effects are kept to a rather simple. Unfortunately the same can be said about the background music as well as, with one exception, the background music during exploration is incredibly simplistic and while it might provide a decent enough backdrop to exploring the rooms, it doesn’t do it enough to leave any lasting impression. The one exception does involve a spoiler but we will say that fixing an optional item at one point, at least as long as players are heading towards one of the game’s better endings, does have a nice song and sequence as a reward.
Overall
Blankspace offers a surprisingly interesting and well-realized plot hidden beneath its gray-scale surface. The game’s control mechanics are unfortunately rather annoying and its presentation may be a bit lacking though as players learn more about the reality of the characters’ situation it all starts to make sense, just like the many different and varied puzzles they will need to solve to complete the game. It is unfortunately a bit on the short side and while replaying the game to see the many different endings, the fact that all puzzle solutions remain the same does hinder it a bit alongside its short runtime. That being said, Blankspace offers a surprisingly unique and far more detailed storyline than initially meets the eye and feels like a real surprise as a result.
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