Ganacci to appear as a character in FATAL FURY, launching April 24, 2025
OSAKA, Japan — April 3, 2025 – SNK CORPORATION today announced that DJ extraordinaire Salvatore Ganacci will appear as a character in FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves—SNK’s newest fighting game set to release on April 24, 2025. City of the Wolves will release on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and the Epic Games Store. Pre-order the physical edition of the game at major retailers, including Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon, and GameStop.
Check out the FATAL FURY: CotW × Salvatore Ganacci announcement trailer below.
Ganacci’s gameplay trailer below
In addition to his role supervising the collaboration that is bringing 11 world-renowned DJs’ music to FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, Salvatore Ganacci will not only be contributing original music, but also entering the ring himself as a playable character! Check out his South Town story as he brings a host of special moves into the fold!
The Story Behind the DJ Salvatore is a justice-dealing Artist who has arrived in South Town looking for inspiration to help finish his latest (and hopefully greatest) anime music video. When his good friend Duck King tells him about the KOF tournament on the horizon, Salvatore decides it just might give him the spark he needs. Combining DJing and martial arts, Salvatore is nothing if not versatile—mixing music, muscles, and mayhem leaving even the most formidable opponents stunned and disoriented by his extraordinary abilities.
About Salvatore Ganacci Salvatore Ganacci is a groundbreaking artist whose unique approach to electronic music, captivating performances, and innovative visual storytelling has set him apart in the global music scene. Known for his bold style, creativity, and unorthodox methods, Ganacci continues to redefine the genre and captivate audiences worldwide in constantly new ways, not just a DJ he’s a force of the sound.
FATAL FURY: City of the Wolvesintroduces a stunning, comic-inspired art style that’s a visual treat for series fans, combined with fights fueled by the cutting-edge REV System to deliver dynamic matches.
For all the latest on FATAL FURY, follow SNK’s KOF Studio on X and Instagram, or join the official Discord.
About FATAL FURY TheFATAL FURY series made its debut in 1991, igniting the fighting game frenzy of the 1990s that would soon engulf the gaming industry. GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES, released in 1999, has remained the latest installment in the franchise for quite some time. FATAL FURY will soon make its triumphant return for the first time in 26 years when FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves launches on April 24, 2025, featuring a dynamic art style, new and familiar fighters, and modernized battle systems.
About SNK Founded in 1978, SNK CORPORATION is a Japanese video game company headquartered in Osaka, Japan. SNK is an acronym of Shin Nihon Kikaku, meaning New Japan Project, and was the company’s legal name until it was shortened to SNK in 1986. SNK is best known for creating the NEOGEO arcade system and several game franchises, including THE KING OF FIGHTERS, METAL SLUG, SAMURAI SHODOWN, and FATAL FURY. SNK also published classic games like WORLD HEROES, NINJA MASTER’S, and SENGOKU. Learn more about SNK CORPORATION by visiting https://www.snk-corp.co.jp/us/.
Waking up in a fancy hotel room would usually be a good thing, only Alex Thorn has a bad case of amnesia and remembers just enough that she’s in serious trouble. Watch as we play through the entirety of Mega Elixer and Sometimes You’s Sol Dorado Heist to track down The Silent Ace before they commit their next great heist.
Sol Dorado Heist – Full Playthrough
Sol Dorado Heist is a mystery visual novel where you play as Alex Thorn, a woman who wakes up with amnesia and flashbacks of being involved in a series of casino heists. With the police closing in and a final grand robbery looming, your choices will determine who to trust, what’s real, and how the story ends. With multiple paths and endings, it’s a stylish, suspenseful ride into the heart of a criminal mystery.
Sol Dorado Heist Developer: Megalixir Games Publisher: Megalixir Games Platform: Windows, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4/5 Release Date: 24 Apr, 2021 Price: $4.99 USD
Not Recommended – “Sol Dorado Heist has a colorful cast of characters whose chance to shine is squandered by its short run length, leading to a mostly satisfying story that has its fair share of presentation issues.”
LUNAR Remastered Collection will be available physically and digitally for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch™, and Steam!
REDONDO BEACH, Calif. – January 14, 2025 – GungHo Online Entertainment America announced that the LUNAR Remastered Collection — a collection of two JRPG classics: LUNAR: Silver Star Story Complete and LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue Complete — will be released physically and digitally on April 18, 2025, for the PlayStation 4 (compatible with PlayStation 5), Xbox One (compatible with Xbox Series X|S), Nintendo Switch™, and on Steam.
Digital editions will be available for $49.99 USD / €49.99 EUR, while physical editions offer an alternative for the collectors:
North America: Physical editions will be available exclusively through Amazon for $54.99 USD. A purchase link will be shared soon.
Europe: Physical PS4 and Nintendo Switch™ editions will be available through our partnership with Clear River Games, priced at €54.99 EUR. Follow @clearrivergames on social media for updates.
The physical editions will feature reversible covers showcasing two new key arts for LUNAR: Silver Star Story Complete and LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue Complete, both illustrated exclusively for the LUNAR Remastered Collection by Toshiyuki Kubooka.
Originally developed by GAME ARTS for the PlayStation 1 (PS1), the LUNAR Remastered Collection brings the beloved JRPG classics to a new generation with modern enhancements. This remastered edition features a new English voiceover, wide-screen support, high-definition pixel and animated art, and quality-of-life updates, such as customizable battle and strategy settings for streamlined combat. Two additional language options are also introduced, making the game more accessible to fans worldwide.
Whether you’re a long-time fan or a newcomer to the LUNAR saga, this remastered collection will captivate you with its romantic storytelling and breathtaking soundtrack that has made this series a timeless classic. This remaster not only preserves the heart of the original games, but also showcases the LUNAR series’ influence on generations of JRPGs to follow.
LUNAR Remastered Collection Key Features:
Strategic Turn-Based Action: Play through two magical worlds in LUNAR: Silver Star Story Complete and LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue Complete as you fight it out in turn-based battle style, where each character’s speed, distance, position, and attack range must all be accounted for.
Powerful Voices and Captivating Animated Sequences: Immerse yourself in battles with fully-voiced attacks and incantations in either Japanese or an all-new English voiceover by playable characters and enemies. Not to mention, the stylistic animated sequences that still capture the hearts of players today.
Relive the Classic or Go Remastered: Choose between classic or remastered mode — an option that allows fans to travel back in time to the games’ PS1 releases, or see them in a new light with wide-screen support, revamped PS1 pixel art, and high-definition animated cutscenes.
Two New Language Options:LUNAR Remastered Collection not only includes Japanese and English subtitles and sound, but also two new subtitle language options: French and German.
Speed up Battle + Improved Strategy Settings: Save time and speed through battles with the flip of a switch! Additionally, new options have been added to the original strategy settings for streamlined combat.
About LUNAR: The Silver Star
Originally developed by GAME ARTS, creators of the GRANDIA series, LUNAR: The Silver Star was met with wide critical acclaim upon its first release on the SEGA CD in 1992. As its first hit game, LUNAR: The Silver Star remains the best-selling SEGA CD title of all time in Japan. Relive the tale with Alex Noa – a young and resilient fighter who recently passed the White Dragon’s trial–as he embarks on his journey to become a Dragonmaster. As Alex revels in his success in passing the trial, a mysterious Magic Emperor unexpectedly enters the fold, aiming for world domination. With young Alex determined to become a Dragonmaster, will he and his companions band together and succeed in saving the world? The PlayStation 1 version, LUNAR: Silver Star Story Complete, is included in the LUNAR Remastered Collection, which will be available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch™, and Steam in Spring 2025. For more information, visit the official website: www.lunarremastered.com
About LUNAR: Eternal Blue
After the success of LUNAR: The Silver Star, GAME ARTS developed LUNAR: Eternal Blue. Originally released in 1994 for the SEGA CD, LUNAR: Eternal Blue takes place one thousand years after LUNAR: The Silver Star. It follows the story of Hiro, an inquisitive archaeologist, and friends as they journey to help a mysterious girl from the Blue Star, Lucia, to seek out the Goddess Althena and stop Zophar – a relentless and evil God of Destruction who plots the demise of Lunar – from wiping out their existence. The PlayStation 1 version, LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue Complete, is included in the LUNAR Remastered Collection, which will be available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch™, and Steam in Spring 2025. For more information, visit the official website: www.lunarremastered.com
GungHo Online Entertainment America, Inc. (GOEA) is a multi-platform developer and publisher dedicated to delivering fun & unique titles like Puzzle & Dragons, Ninjala, and LET IT DIE. GOEA is the US division of GungHo Online Entertainment (GOE), whose studios include leading developers SUPERTRICK GAMES, GAME ARTS, and Gravity. GOEA distributes games for consoles, handhelds, mobile devices, and PC. GOEA is located in Redondo Beach, CA. For more information, visit www.gunghoonline.com.
Clear River Games is a multi-platform publisher with a passion for classic retro games. Based in Karlstad, Sweden, the company was founded by Freemode, a part of the Embracer Group. Their vision is to bring the joy of experiencing vintage retro and revived classic game franchises to players around the globe. Clear River Games focuses on publishing high-quality classic game franchises, modern retro, pixel art, and indie games that inspire gamers, bring back great memories of the past, or help discover new great games, making them accessible both physically and digitally to players worldwide.
Nuclear disaster is never a good thing. In real life, that is. In video games, it can lead to some fantastic things. It can give us the Fallout series and Metro games, and we can always relax by climbing the towers or hunting the collectibles in Far Cry New Dawn. The rush of shooting at enemies with only 4-5 bullets left in the clip, scavenging for food and water, finding shelter before the night comes – life in the post-apocalyptic games can be pretty amazing. And that’s exactly what Rebellion is trying to make us feel with Atomfall. These devs have honed their craft with the great Sniper Elite series, but will this expedition in the uncharted waters with a new genre (at least for them) pay off in the end? Let’s find out.
Story
The game is set in the aftermath of the disaster at the Windscale nuclear power station, and it is up to you to find out what exactly happened. Fun fact: This is based on the actual nuclear disaster that happened in 1957 in the UK, which you can read more about here. Anyway, to solve this mystery, you will need to navigate through military camps, ruined houses, and abandoned bunkers and deal with paramilitary, scavengers, and cultists. Solving the mystery is anything but straightforward – you will meet a lot of eccentric characters and a strange advisor that only helps by randomly placed red telephone booths all over the country. The story will sometimes go from weird to intriguing with a bit of abstract sprinkled from the pages of Monty Python.
Gameplay
The beginning is as standard as you might expect. You wake up with no recollection of who you are, where you are supposed to go, and you’re slowly picking up the pieces of the story (and our goals) as you search for food and supplies. Pretty soon, crafting in the game is introduced, along with some melee weapons and firearms. You’ll be mostly fighting enemies with cricket bats, hatchets, sicles, and so on since the ammo in the game is limited unless you decide to explore every nook and cranny. Also, every shot counts, and going for anything except for headshots is a waste of ammo. If you survive long enough in these barely inhabited lands, you’ll be able to upgrade the firearms, learn more crafting recipes, and unlock plenty of skills.
The enemies are not rich in variety, you’ll be going against humans, robots, blue glowing mutants, and occasional swarms of bees and birds. What I do have to praise is a simple and smart enemy AI, too often we see in games enemies with weapons that will switch to melee when you get close to them (thus that can be exploited every time) but in this game if they have firearms enemies will always keep their distance, go behind the cover and flank you. But that can also be countered as soon as you unlock the skill to throw melee weapons at them. Oh, my gun is empty? No worries, here is that empty revolver right into your face! There is also some big exploration factor once you find the metal detector and go nuts on finding the caches. Another thing that I liked is the flexibility in finishing the quests. There is an overarching task in the game of finding a couple of atomic batteries, and you can get your hands on them by exploring abandoned sites or trading, but what happens when you don’t have enough resources to barter with someone? It’s easy: just shoot them in their face and take everything (that is, if you can live with what you just did). With that said, I do like the trading mechanic and the lack of actual currency in the game. If anything, it makes everything far more authentic.
Visuals
This is the part of the game that didn’t impress me, and honestly, it dragged down the overall experience. While the game can look fairly decent when played on the highest graphical settings, the moment you lower them—even slightly—the visuals take a serious hit. The environments become muddy, textures look flat, and the entire aesthetic starts to feel outdated. I’ll give credit where it’s due: the level designs in the early stages, especially the bunkers and half-ruined cityscapes, are well-crafted and atmospheric. But beyond that, the environments begin to feel repetitive, almost as if they were built using a limited set of assets that were just copy-pasted across different areas. The character animations and facial models are also underwhelming, particularly for enemies. To make matters worse, the game features respawning enemies who all come back with those same bland, lifeless expressions—which kills immersion in a game that’s supposed to reward exploration.
Audio
Well……the voice actors really tried. I’ll give them that much credit. You can tell there was some genuine effort and emotion put into their performances. There’s a certain energy and commitment in how their lines are delivered, and you can tell they were doing their best with the material they were given. Unfortunately, none of the characters in the game stand out or feel compelling. They’re all bland archetypes, and their stories are either predictable or just not interesting. The dialogue often feels cliche and exhausting to sit through. As for the music, it behaves most weirdly—randomly popping in and out with no rhyme or reason. Sometimes, I’ll wander around for hours in complete silence, and then suddenly, a dramatic theme kicks in like it’s signaling a major boss fight, but nothing happens. The weapons are equally uninspired, sounding generic and recycled like they used stock sound effects for everything.
Overall
One thing I can say about this game with great praise is its stability. No crashing, no game-breaking bugs. Actually, there are no bugs at all in my playthroughs. It is fairly well optimized. No microtransactions either – what you see is what you get. Unfortunately, what we got is nothing exactly impressive. The game is too short for its price, and after one playthrough, every next one feels like a slog. I liked Atomfall to some extent because it tried to bring something new to the table, but at the end of the day, it is a game with an uninspiring gameplay loop, and I don’t see how they could make a sequel and improve on its shortcomings.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
The highly addictive and well-reviewed Drug Dealer Simulator is coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles on April 16. On PC, this criminal simulator has found about one million buyers. In 2025, Drug Dealer Simulator will also be released on PlayStation 5, but the exact release date has not yet been set.
The game by Polish studio Byterunners debuted on PC in 2020, and was published by Movie Games S.A. Ultimate Games S.A. is responsible for the development and release of Drug Dealer Simulator on Xbox consoles.
On the PC, Drug Dealer Simulator has so far found about one million buyers. The title also boasts very good player ratings. Currently on the Steam platform, the percentage of positive reviews is 87 percent out of nearly 18,000 reviews.
Shady business finally on consoles
Drug Dealer Simulator will launch on April 16 this year on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles. These versions will include all key updates from the PC, including graphical fixes.
According to Ultimate Games S.A., on Xbox Series X consoles Drug Dealer Simulator will offer 60 frames per second at 1440p resolution. On the other consoles (Xbox Series S and Xbox One), the title runs at 30 frames per second at 1080p resolution.
A PlayStation 5 version is also currently in development, and a release date has not yet been revealed.
Addictive simulator of the criminal underworld
Drug Dealer Simulator is a unique game with a first-person perspective. The player’s goal is to build a shady business, which requires, among other things, establishing relationships with suppliers and customers, as well as fulfilling orders for larger and larger batches of increasingly powerful goods.
In a criminal career it is also important to avoid service and gain new contacts. In Drug Dealer Simulator you have to take care of organizational and economic matters. The scope of “duties” here includes not only dealing with supplies, hideouts and relations with the underworld, but also preparing unique recipes and recruiting new associates.
Drug Dealer Simulator – main features:
a career in the criminal underworld;
the struggle for influence and territories;
unique mechanics;
taking care of supplies and hiding places;
preparing your own recipes.
Drug Dealer Simulator will be released on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles on April 16, 2025. The game is also expected to hit PlayStation 5 later this year.
Rewrite fate itself in new story expansion almost doubling the size of the original game
(April 4, 2025) — Developer Redboon has officially released the massive Nightmares of Millenis DLC for Knock on the Coffin Lid, a fantasy-mystery whodunnit RPG wrapped in a deckbuilder originally launched last summer after its time in Early Access. The new Nightmares of Millenis DLC introduces the enigmatic power of Tarot cards and weaves together lingering storylines, offering a scope nearly double the size of the original game, for $10.99 (https://store.steampowered.com/app/2891150/Knock_on_the_coffin_lid__Nightmares_of_Millenis/). Until April 12, players can enjoy a 10% discount on the Nightmares of Millenis DLC, while newcomers can grab the same discount on Knock on the Coffin Lid.
Knock on the Coffin Lid beckons players down a path shrouded in mystery, where the empty throne of the Northern Gate awaits its rightful ruler. As players investigate their own untimely demise, the fate of the land of Midian trembles in their hands. Each decision made will weave the threads of destiny, shaping the fates of goblins, orcs, and elves in both wondrous and perilous ways.
In Nightmares of Millenis, the past is not as immutable as it seems. Shadows of your past choices stir, giving rise to new storylines that will mend loose ends or perhaps unravel them further. History is a malleable force in this story expansion, one nearly as vast as the original journey that came before. Overcome Millenis’ trials and find the way to bring an end to the war in Midian.
Nightmares of Millenis Content:
New enemies and allies each with unique abilities and tactical options.
Story Variants will add new endings and outcomes to the main story, adding replay value and branching narrative paths.
21 new Tarot cards will introduce gameplay modifiers and challenges, letting players customize the level of difficulty and strategy.
Two new dungeons with distinct visual styles, enemies, puzzles and unique rewards.
Daily runs and leaderboards for players to track their rank against friends and other players.
Stay up to date with Knock on the Coffin Lid and future updates by following the official X account and joining the Discord server.
LIMASSOL, Cyprus – April 4th, 2025 –My Little Universe, the charming worldbuilding sandbox adventure with more than 50 million downloads across all platforms from developer Estoty and publisher SayGames, travels to new frontiers on PlayStation 5|4 and Xbox Series X|S today.
Brave the mysteries of nine planets with only three trusty tools: a pickaxe, axe, and sword. Gather resources to summon hexes of land and venture deeper into plains, mountains, grottos, and other biomes in search of glowing emblems to unlock hidden areas. Fill the blank canvases of the galaxy solo or with a crew of up to four brave explorers and build a new little universe!
Chop down reappearing trees, stone stalagmites, glittering crystals, and other resources. Deliver them to the continent’s edges to build new hexes of land. Use resources to craft wooden planks and metal bars, and to upgrade tools, weapons, and armor as the journey continues.
Overcome skeleton pirates, floating rock golems, giant spiders, and other threats with skillful sword swings and swift dodges. Challenge monstrous bosses like towering trolls, giant gingermen, and colossal cyclops octopi to earn momentous rewards. Level up to earn new power-ups and cut through enemies with ease!
“After becoming a best-seller on mobile platforms, we knew My Little Universe had the potential to make it on traditional platforms,” said Davis Toliasvili, CEO of Estoty Riga. “Like our ambitious little Stickman, we took our game on an adventure as we celebrated launching on each platform, including a well received release on Nintendo Switch. Now we can’t wait for Xbox and PlayStation explorers to join this cozy journey!”
In addition to the PlayStation 5|4 and Xbox Series X|S releases, My Little Universe has opened the portal to the Microsoft Store alongside its Play Anywhere feature; with cloud saves to seamlessly transition from Xbox to PC and supported handhelds without losing progress. It is also available on PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch for $14.99 USD. All platforms support English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese languages.
My Little Universe will also be discounted by 60% during Steam’s Daily Deal on April 5th, 2025. The Xbox and PlayStation (Plus members) versions will be discounted by 20% until two weeks after launch.
Estoty is a mobile games studio creating entertainment solutions for iOS and Android across all game genres. Their success reflects this with over 2.5 billion downloads across platforms and more than 30 hits in app stores. They strive to create a fun and intuitive gameplay experience with signature striking visuals and engaging gameplay mechanics!
About SayGames
SayGames is a leading cross-platform games publisher with 150+ launched games and over 6 billion game downloads globally. They work with developer partners to create delightful experiences enjoyed by everyone. SayGames has offices in Limassol, Paphos and Warsaw.
Collaborate, Compete, Craft, and Conquer Enemies in a Uniquely Designed Contest That Resets Every 14 Days
Wolfpack Games, a passionate team of indie developers, are excited to announce Havenhold, a unique combat focused social sandbox game centered around a contest to ascend the mystic Kunlun Mountain that resets every 14 days. Train as a Taichu warrior monk, wield primordial powers, craft, trade, battle dark monsters and compete with other players in intense battles for access to the sacred peak.
“Havenhold is about pushing the boundaries of a social sandbox experience with a unique cyclical structure,” said Stephan Wang, Co-Founder of Wolfpack Games. “We’re excited to welcome players into our closed beta test in April, and see how they forge their own legends in Kunlun.”
Havenhold will launch a special Closed Beta Test starting on Thursday, April 17. Players interested in participating in the Havenhold Closed Beta Test can sign-up on the Steam page today.
Players are descendants of the Taichu Order, warrior monks with the gifted ability to Spirit Bind and use the transformative avatar powers of Primordial Spirits. Journey through Kunlun, search through dungeons, ruins, and sacred temples to uncover ability scrolls and master new combat skills, as well as acquiring blueprints to craft and upgraded gear and weapons. As players journey higher toward the peak of Kunlun Mountain, challenging bosses and competitive PvP environments will encourage warriors to party together in the more difficult areas. In the final days of the Cycle, warriors compete in all-out war to see who is deserving of glory, as the Mountain favors the strong… and the contest begins again with player items carried over to the new cycle.
Havenhold Key Features
Cyclical Warfare: Compete in a dynamic contest that resets every 14 days. Your hard-earned items carry over into new cycles.
Primordial Powers: Spirit Bind with ancient powers to transform into avatars, and master devastating combat abilities.
Craft and Trade: Acquire blueprints to craft superior gear and weapons. Crafted items can also be freely traded between players.
Exploration and Combat: Explore dungeons, ruins, and temples, uncovering ability scrolls and loot.
Cooperative Challenges: Team up with fellow warriors to overcome formidable bosses and contest for valuable loot in the mountain’s treacherous higher reaches.
All-Out War: In the final days of each cycle, engage in intense PvP battles to gain additional glory.
Havenhold is currently in development for Early Access on Steam. For more information on the game, visit the official website, subscribe to us on YouTube, and join our community on Discord.
About Wolfpack Games
Wolfpack Games is an independent game studio based in Beijing, led by a veteran core with extensive experience in online games. The studio is dedicated to delivering innovative takes on the traditional MMO experiences, blending fresh ideas with the multiplayer social experience. Wolfpack Games is currently developing Havenhold, a combat-focused social sandbox inspired by Ancient Eastern Mythology.
ROCKFISH Games reveals a May release date for their upcoming expansion, Wrath of the Ancients, plus a new artbook, digital soundtrack, and console bundle.
Hamburg, Germany – April 4, 2025 — ROCKFISH Games has revealed the release date for their upcoming new expansion for EVERSPACE 2, their award-winning space looter-shooter RPG. EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancients continues the EVERSPACE 2 story, taking space pilots to new explorable star systems filled with fresh challenges and never-seen-before enemies to overcome. The expansion will launch on Steam, GOG, Xbox, and PlayStation May 12, 2025 and will be priced at $29.99 / €29.99 / £24.99 / ¥3900, fully voiced in English and German.
Watch the EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancient Release Date Trailer HERE
EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancients adds new post-game and side quest storylines to Cluster 34. Players will discover four new explorable star systems each with multiple locations packed with new enemies, secrets, and puzzles, as well as a new spaceship, introducing a new playstyle through powerful ability combos.
“Space pilots only have a short while longer to wait until they can experience this exciting chapter of the EVERSPACE saga. This massive expansion packages together much of what our community has been asking for: new places to explore, more enemies to fight, an additional spacecraft to master, and gear to discover,” said ROCKFISH Games CEO and Co-Founder, Michael Schade. “The team has pulled out all the stops for Wrath of the Ancients. They’ve excelled themselves over the course of development, crafting stunning content for players all around the globe. I can’t wait to see what fans think of it.”
EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancients and EVERSPACE 2: Titans were made possible through partial funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany.
“The German video game industry remains strong, supported by generous grants from the German government to create a level playing field to countries that have had tax break programs for decades.” said Schade. “These grants help create jobs and fund creative projects that showcase German technical and expertise across many game genres. I hope to see programs like this continue as they do an excellent job supporting especially small and mid-sized studios all over the country to stay fully independent. A program that has become even more important with the ongoing lack of industry funding for new projects.”
The release of EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancients will be accompanied by new digital Official Soundtrack and artbook DLCs on PC, collecting music and art developed since the release of the base game, as well as a Galactic Edition collecting EVERSPACE 2 and all its expansions into one package on Xbox and PlayStation.
EVERSPACE 2 is available on PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, GOG, and the Microsoft Store for $49.99 / €49.99 / £44.99 / ¥6930. EVERSPACE 2 is fully voiced in English and German and currently localized in thirteen languages, including English, Brazilian Portuguese, Czech, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, and Spanish.
Join the community Discord for the latest development news. Every second Friday, the ROCKFISH Games team shows off content from their latest EVERSPACE 2 dev build on the ROCKFISH Games Twitch and YouTube channel from 8 pm to 10 pm CEST / 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm EST / 11:00 am to 1:00 pm PST. Viewers are encouraged to bring their EVERSPACE questions to ask the dev team.
About ROCKFISH Games GmbH
ROCKFISH Games is an independent game studio specializing in cutting-edge space action RPGs for PC and consoles. Industry veterans Michael Schade and Christian Lohr founded ROCKFISH Games to create a new breed of adrenalin-filled adventures for space shooter fans through their acclaimed EVERSPACE IP. After spending over two decades as joint entrepreneurs in the 3D graphics and mobile gaming space, Schade and Lohr built ROCKFISH Games from the ground up alongside their former team of veteran talents to the current studio of 30 game developers and community experts from across the industry over the past ten years.
Using Kickstarter to build a new community in 2015, ROCKFISH Games reached a runaway success with EVERSPACE, which has sold over three million copies on PC and consoles. Building on this success and propelled by yet another wildly successful Kickstarter campaign in 2019, ROCKFISH Games is dedicated to crafting a compelling next-gen single-player open-world space shooter experience that is driven by quality storytelling while being highly accessible at the beginning and yet deep in its gameplay mechanics to appeal to casual as well as hardcore space action aficionados from around the globe with EVERSPACE 2.
When it comes to myths, legends, and different types of magic players are likely familiar with many of the common tropes and those that come from ancient European culture, but they are likely quite unfamiliar with those from America, especially from the American Deep South. Sure, there are occasionally tales of voodoo and whispers of dark magics in the bayou, but these are barely explored in most media, let alone in video games. That is something that makes South of Midnight so special. Compulsion Games has crafted something of a love letter to this untapped lore by providing an emotionally impactful narrative presented with a unique visual style and a glorious soundtrack even if it does have some issues along the way.
Story
With a powerful hurricane ready to rip through her hometown of Prospero, Hazel is quickly gathering up her valuables and waiting for her mother to come home from her work at children’s services. This isn’t their first hurricane so Hazel knows what to do, but when she goes to check on her neighbors only to find that their house is being swept away in the powerful hurricane waves with her mother still inside it is up to the former track star to run with everything she has. Despite this, she loses sight of the house and, upon seeking the help of her incredibly well-off but estranged grandmother, finds that there are secrets literally hidden in the attic. Following the whispers of threads in the air, Hazel discovers a pair of Weaver hooks that immediately acclimate themselves to her, giving her the abilities of a Weaver and the ability to search for her mother deep in the murky waters of the back bayou.
Along the way she sees visions of another Weaver from before who helped escort runaway slaves through back pathways, learning as she goes from the ghostly visions and doing what she can until she stumbles upon the wise, and wisecracking, Catfish dangling from a magical tree. Not only does the massive Catfish (also his name) coach her through solving her first major encounter with a mythical creature and the way she can accumulate the pains that have turned into twisted hauntings over the years into a glass bottle, but even re-weave the wounds that plague the very souls of the swamp and the creatures within it. With her newfound abilities, Catfish as her guide, and her mother her true goal, Hazel sets off as a Weaver learning on the go only to find that the deep south holds many dark secrets and pains within its shadows and some might be far more dangerous, or overblown, than she has heard folktales of.
South of Midnight weaves a tale that is not only steeped in the type of lore that we rarely see explored, but also one that feels both extremely heartfelt at the same time. Throughout Hazel’s journey to find her mother not only does she discover various objects from her home, each showing off a side of her mother’s feelings she knew little about, but learns the dark more about the darkness that has pervaded her town’s history throughout the years, even some that still roam freely to this day. These range from mythical creatures brought about by the pain and suffering of the townsfolk, transforming them into twisted urban myths and beings of legend, to massive beings of folklore from all over the south. Florida’s gator Two-Toed Tom, a Rougarou from Cajun mythology, Huggin’ Molly from Alabama, The Devil’s Crossroads, all these and more are some of the mythical or legendary creatures that most have likely never heard of before but South of Midnight not only puts them right in the forefront but builds their own story along the way, serving as an origin point for the pain and suffering that may have triggered their transformations along The Grand Tapestry of life.
South of Midnight‘s core storyline is a bit straightforward, though it isn’t afraid to throw a few twists the player’s way even if they are more than hinted at a few times. If it wasn’t clear before, it is also worth noting that this is far from a cheerful adventure as this is a dark gothic tale filled with tragic tales. After all, a Weaver’s job is meant to heal and soothe the knots in the tapestry caused by such brutal pain and there has to tragedy at the root of it all. While we won’t spoil what the exact events are here, it must be noted that some can be quite dark and the writing handles them expertly here. There are also plenty of notes and bits of lore scattered throughout the environment as well to help expand the lore, even if they can be a bit too subtle sometimes. It is also worth noting that the story can feel a bit disjointed at times, with Hazel just magically knowing where she needs to go next, though this is mostly thanks to a lot of inter-chapter transitions being done thanks to Catfish ferrying her along.
Gameplay
At its core, South of Midnight is a rather simple but effective action adventure game with players playing through mostly linear levels that mix in some combat sections, platforming, and a few puzzles here and there to change things up. Coming in at a respectably paced eleven to twelve hours depending on how much players want to explore, these levels all feature different themes and obstacles, some that remain exclusive only to that level. This can range from feces-spewing sprinklers to giant man-eating plants alongside the ever-present thorns that sprout from the miasma that rises from the tangles spread throughout the land. As mentioned, players will find themselves clambering around ledges and other platforms to move around obstacles, make use of her double-jump and short glide ability to cross dangerous waters or, later on, even fly, and of course wall-run along tangled threads.
This type of navigation is light, fluid, and quite effective. There are a few hitches here and there when Hazel might slip off a ledge she otherwise should have grabbed but these are few and far between. Puzzles range from simply destroying or moving objects around the environment using Hazel’s abilities or “re-threading” (summoning) an object from the past to temporarily serve as a foothold and while some of these tend to involve general progression, others revolve around tracking down the game’s limited but useful collectables. These collectables include health strands, which when three are gathered increase Hazel’s total health, various pieces of lore left behind as notes, etchings, and more scattered through each stage though these can be quite hard to locate at times, and of course Floofs. Floofs serve as the upgrade material for all of Hazel’s abilities, whether they enhance her standard combo attacks or special cooldown abilities, Floofs are required and while players obtain some by defeating enemy encounters, almost all of the rest are found scattered off the beaten path, meaning players might want to use the “Guiding Thread” that points to where they should go as a way to track down the opposite instead, looking for collectables. It is worth noting that while players will not need to collect every Floof to max out Hazel’s abilities, they will need to gather nearly all of them to do so though this is far from necessary.
In a rather interesting fashion, South of Midnight doesn’t just randomly throw enemies at players, nor does it spring surprise encounters on them. Players will always know when they are about to enter a fight against the “Haints” as each combat area will become enclosed once Hazel approaches it, trapping her inside until she unravels them all and untangles the tangle. The variation of Haint types is slowly introduced, perhaps a bit too slowly at the start, but players will regularly find themselves battling against numerous foes, using Hazel’s speedy dodges to avoid incoming attacks as well as her hooks and abilities to defeat them. Hazel also receives her various abilities at a satisfying place, being able to weave enemies into a tied up and higher-damage receiving knot, pushing or pulling them in a fight, or even siccing Crouton, her beloved childhood toy turned companion that also can be used to explore tight spaces, onto enemies and have them temporarily control them. All of Hazel’s abilities work on a cooldown but have a hefty weight to them alongside her standard combo. There isn’t a whole lot of complexity here, but it does work extremely well and feel great when zipping around and putting down the numerous Haints haunting a location.
The extra challenge here is, not only do most Haints have unblockable attacks that make them invulnerable mid-combo, but every foe has to be properly “untangled” to finish them off or they’ll revive and enter the fight again. Each combat arena will also have a healing tangle that will restore a generous portion of Hazel’s health and unraveling foes will also heal a portion. That being said, most players will find themselves rarely challenged by default difficulty level, especially once Hazel has been upgraded. In many instances, even bumping the difficulty up to Grand Weaver saw things as being a bit on the easier side. For those looking to really test their skills, there is a completely customizable difficulty slider to make things as easy or as hard as players want. This means those who want to put South of Midnight’s combat to the test can crank the difficulty to the highest settings possible while those who want to minimize things can go so far as to skipping combat or even skipping boss encounters if they so wish. This level of accessibility is nice for those who need it, but perhaps takes it a little too far.
Outside of the exploration and combat players will occasionally find themselves on the run as well. Generally most stages follow a specific pattern that, despite being predictable, works quite well, and the larger stages almost always feature Hazel needing to eliminate four sets of enemies to put together a story-themed around one of the mythical creatures mentioned before and having to take part in a chase sequence. Or, in this instance, an escape sequence as Hazel finds herself being chased by an unknown entity nearly every time. Players will need to think on their feet and make use of all of Hazel’s traversal abilities to run through the path provided or risk being caught by the fog or falling to her doom.
Audio & Visuals
Compulsion Games took a bold approach when it came to selecting South of Midnight‘s art style and it has paid off quite well here as the stop-motion animation style combined with the unique stylings of the characters makes for some truly exceptional looking presentations during cutscenes and even standard interactions between characters in the world. The world itself is even designed around having this stop motion style effect, with wildlife often featuring this movement style, especially when players are traveling through burrows as Crouton and seeing things like rabbits playing a card game or a fox being spooked at its bed. It is worth noting that players can disable the stop motion element altogether if they wish, but doing so is something of a disservice to the style. Speaking of style, it must be said again just how outstanding some of the major enemy designs truly are and how outstanding they look. The mythological creatures players will come across are presented remarkably well, especially in many of the grander cases, putting the generic Haint designs to shame.
The game features authentic sounding English voice acting that feels like it fits right in with the type of accents one would expect from the American Deep South and all of the English voice actors do an exceptional job here. This is especially true during the numerous emotional moments that happen throughout the title and revelations as Hazel uncovers the festered wounds plaguing the land. Special mention must go out to the soundtrack as well. While many action adventure games feature standard exploration and combat music, which South of Midnight does, nearly every single level features a unique track of music that begins playing once players have filled Hazel’s bottle and are heading towards, usually, the final objective for a stage. These songs all feature vocal tracks accompanied by bluegrass tunes, jazz, folk songs, choir music, and even the blues sometimes depending on the stage. This makes every major culmination to a story feel special, building players up for the culmination of the chapter in outstanding fashion that really helps put a finishing touch to most chapters.
Overall
South of Midnight is clearly a love-letter to the American deep south and the folklore within it that has often gone untouched in gaming media. Not only does it take numerous myths and legends to work them into Hazel’s adventure but also the land’s history as well as she searches for her mother. The story itself is unfortunately a bit too straightforward for its own good, with the game itself similarly being mostly straightforward unless players go off the beaten-path themselves for collectables. This, along with some relatively basic but smooth flowing combat makes South of Midnight a more than satisfying action adventure title but one that truly shines when it is focused on its setting and themes, letting players experience the lore and world that the developers have worked hard to present as strikingly as possible here.
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