SANTA MONICA, Calif. – April 28, 2025 – thatgamecompany (TGC), the visionary and artistic studio behind Journey and Sky: Children of the Light, has teamed up with COREBLAZER, the global video game investment brand of HYPERGRYPH, to co-host their first-ever global game jam to champion emotionally impactful games and a new generation of upcoming industry talent.
Dubbed “thatgamecompany x COREBLAZER Game Jam,” this three-week event – kicking off on April 28 – invites developers of all skill levels to create an interactive, evocative game inspired by TGC’s signature style: universally accessible, deeply emotional, and designed to connect players of all ages. In line with COREBLAZER’s values, the jam will highlight original games that push creative boundaries, reflecting its commitment to empowering creators and bringing bold ideas to life.
Submissions will be reviewed by team members from both thatgamecompany and COREBLAZER. Finalist submissions will be evaluated by a panel of celebrated industry talent, including TGC co-founder and creative director, Jenova Chen; HYPERGRYPH co-founder and creative director Light Zhong; director emeritus of the USC Games program Tracy Fullerton, and other leading industry figures. The game jam will offer visibility with some of the most respected game industry luminaries, as well as feature numerous awards and cash prizes will be up for grabs.
Details on thatgamecompany X COREBLAZER Game Jam:
Celebrating Four-Quadrant Games: In line with TGC’s belief in the power of emotionally resonant and widely enjoyable game design, thatgamecompany X COREBLAZER Game Jam aims to support the creation of four-quadrant games – interactive experiences that are equally enjoyed by all ages.
Worldwide Invite for Participation: Aspiring developers from around the world of all levels – from game dev students to experienced creatives – are all encouraged to participate.
Awards & Prizes: Qualifying projects will be recognized in multiple categories including “Best Overall,” for a grand prize of $4,000 and “Best Visual Design,” “Best Gameplay” and the “Community’s Voice Award,” each with a cash reward of $2,000 respectively.
Easy Submission Process: Participants can read all guidelines and rules and conveniently submit their projects online here.
Awards Showcase and Expo: thatgamecompany X COREBLAZER Game Jam winners will be announced on July 11, 2025. Participants will also be invited to showcase their winning games at COREBLAZER Game Fest 2025 on July 26-27 in Shanghai, an indie game celebration focused on creativity, originality, and the developer behind them.
Known for transforming emotional storytelling into powerful interactive experiences, TGC is extending its belief in games as an elevated art form and this inaugural thatgamecompany X COREBLAZER Game Jam aims to inspire meaningful storytelling while spotlighting and encouraging developers to explore creativity without boundaries, no matter the genre.
More details on thatgamecompany X COREBLAZER Game Jam can be found on the official website.
About thatgamecompany
thatgamecompany is committed to developing broadly accessible, artistic, emotional and enriching experiences, including award-winning titles Flow, Flower, Journey and Sky: Children of the Light. Its accolades include an induction into the Smithsonian’s permanent collection, as well as the Museum of Modern Art. Its hope is to expand the range of emotional experiences possible in video games, so that it can be enjoyed and loved by people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds.
About COREBLAZER
COREBLAZER is the global video game investment brand of HYPERGRYPH, operating as a cross-border initiative to support exceptional game developers through funding, incubation, creative and operational support, and international events.
About HYPERGRYPH
Known for Arknights and Ex Astris, HYPERGRYPH is a video game company dedicated to creating unique worlds for players worldwide. HYPERGRYPH is currently developing Arknights: Endfield and POPUCOM to further achieve its creative vision. Beyond games, HYPERGRYPH actively extends its IPs into animation, comics, music, live concerts, fan conventions, and merchandise. HYPERGRYPH is headquartered in Shanghai, China, and has over 1,500 team members. It also operates offices in Japan, Korea, and Singapore.
El Segundo, California – April 28, 2025 | Embrace the mystery of Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch for 25% less this Spring! Ahead of its full 1.0 launch, Kakao Games and Ocean Drive Studios are excited to bring this tactical RPG to entirely new shores from April 28 until May 5.
Awaken on a deserted island. Tear through hordes of monsters and uncover mysteries long forgotten in a world of secrets. No story is the same, as adventurers meet and recruit their squad and uncover a deep story, tactical gameplay and evolving maps that encourage players to rediscover this eerie land.
Stuck between life and death, players may die – but it’s a sacrifice they should be willing to make. For glory, for treasure and because the veiled witch will resurrect them when they feel death’s cold grip.
Spinoff to the beloved Lost Eidolons, players are now invited to enjoy this refreshing new take on the world of TRPGs, blending RPG storytelling with deep tactical gameplay and a hero that never knows when to quit – literally. Plus, now players can enjoy a more immersive experience thanks to a patch that launched on April 23 which introduced voice over to early gameplay!
Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch will also be landing on the shores of PAX East this May and is the perfect opportunity for players to try the game.
Forge the mightiest team of warriors and become a hero today in Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch, available on Steam with a 25% discount today!
About Kakao Games
Founded in 2016, Kakao Games is a leading publisher of online and mobile games, responsible for releasing titles including Pearl Abyss’s Black Desert Online (serviced in North America and Europe until early 2021), KRAFTON’s PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (serviced in Korea), XLGAMES’s ArcheAge (service in North America, Europe and Oceania), Nimble Neuron’s Survival MOBA Eternal Return (serviced in North America, Europe and Oceania), Kong Studios’ Guardian Tales (serviced in North America, Europe, Latin America and Oceania), and Nineark’s Eversoul (serviced in North America and Europe).
About Ocean Drive Studio
Ocean Drive Studio, a subsidiary of Kakao Games, is a company dedicated to developing and servicing games that resonate with global fans who love the same genres that their developers know and are passionate about. The studio gained attention with the release of its first game, the turn-based tactical RPG Lost Eidolons, on Steam, PS5, and Xbox. Building on this success, they are working on the second game in the same genre, Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch, as well as other titles including the roguelite shooter Section 13, the physics-based sandbox survival game God Save Birmingham, and an action RPG based on the IP Sword Master Youngest Son,. Ocean Drive Studio aims to deliver unique and engaging gaming experience to gamers around the world through these diverse game genres.
HellHades collab, Freya debut, and Real-Time Arena headline explosive livestream
Shanghai, China — 28 April, 2025 | Thousands of fans tuned in over the weekend for Etheria: Restart’s global pre-launch livestream, where XD Games officially announced that the highly anticipated next-gen RPG will launch on June 5, 2025 across iOS, Android, PC, and Steam. Alongside this announcement, the team revealed a final closed beta starting May 8, giving select players early access to the latest systems and characters ahead of release.
Set in a dazzling digital metropolis, Etheria: Restart immerses players in a future where elite warriors known as Hyperlinkers command sentient beings called Animus in sleek, tactical combat. During the livestream, XD pulled back the curtain on several major features debuting at launch. Chief among them was the introduction of Freya, a brand-new SSR Animus. Poised and powerful, Freya brings chilling frost magic and a layered backstory to the battlefield, quickly becoming one of the most anticipated characters in the roster. With her elegant, glacial-themed design and devastating area control abilities, she’s expected to play a pivotal role in both PvE and competitive team compositions. Freya’s narrative, shaped by isolation and resilience, mirrors the icy precision of her combat style — offering players a hero who’s as emotionally complex as she is strategically versatile.
Gameplay enhancements also took center stage, including the unveiling of new systems like the Smart Shells, which offer tactical AI support in battle, and Origin Gear, a modular progression tool allowing deeper customization of Animus builds. Revamped Instance Dungeons streamline endgame PvE while retaining the game’s signature cinematic feel, with new boss mechanics and layered environments adding challenge and visual flair.
Multiplayer and competitive updates rounded out the preview. The Phantom Theatre, a cooperative PvE mode, lets players team up to overcome bosses in dramatic staged encounters. PvP fans can look forward to the launch of Real-Time Arena (RTA) — a head-to-head combat mode where players engage in live, synchronous battles that demand tactical thinking, team synergy, and real-time decision-making. RTA introduces a ranked ladder system with seasonal resets, exclusive rewards, and matchmaking designed to challenge top-tier players while remaining accessible to casual competitors. Looking further ahead, XD Games also announced the Etheria World Summit (EWS) — a high-stakes global tournament circuit set to feature the best players from each season. With structured qualifiers, championship brackets, and broadcast support, EWS marks Etheria’s official entry into the competitive RPG esports scene.
“This is not just another turn-based RPG,” said Jack Zhou, Game Director at XD. “We’re building a platform where narrative, tactics, and player mastery collide — and we can’t wait for the world to dive in this June.”
In a major move for the global strategy community, Etheria: Restart also confirmed an official collaboration with renowned RPG content creator HellHades. Known for his deep-dive tier lists, team-building strategies, and gameplay analysis, HellHades will serve as a strategic content partner for the international release. He will be co-producing guides, launch-day breakdowns, and ongoing meta analysis to support players throughout the game’s competitive lifecycle.
The journey through Etheria begins on June 5, 2025, with pre-registration now open across all platforms. Richly animated battles, real-time tactical depth, and a constantly evolving world awaits as Etheria: Restart invites players to step into the future — and take control of their legacy. Those who can’t wait until June can look forward to a final closed beta from May 8, offering select players hands-on access to the newly revealed features ahead of launch.
XD Games
Founded in 2003, XD Games. is a global video games developer and publisher with extensive experience across development, publishing and operations. As of 2022, XD has 38 free-to-play and paid games with over 50 million monthly active users worldwide. In addition, TapTap — a mobile games community and app store — was launched by XD in 2016 and is estimated to currently have 44 million monthly active users.
XD’s mission is to assemble like-minded talented games industry craftspeople with a common goal of touching the hearts of players around the world. XD produces games of the finest quality with passion, offering a pure gaming experience, and encouraging players of all ages to embrace the unique joy of video gaming.
Skövde, Sweden, April 28, 2025 – Stunlock Studios is thrilled to announce that V Rising Update 1.1: Invaders of Oakveil is officially available now on Steam and PlayStation 5.
The vampire survival action RPG V Rising expands today with a new biome: Oakveil Woodlands, a once-peaceful forest now twisted by corruption. Players will venture into this eerie region, teeming with dangerous enemies, hidden secrets, and a deadly new invading force. At the heart of this invasion lies Megara, the Serpent Queen, and her fanatical warriors, the Venom Blades. Players must fight to reclaim their power, raise their castles, unlock the secrets of venom sap, and confront Megara within her ritual sanctum.
Alongside the free Update 1.1, fans can also look forward to the launch of the Eternal Dominance Pack, a new cosmetic DLC priced at €19.99 / $19.99. This exclusive pack offers players even more ways to personalize their vampire’s dark dominion and embrace their immortal style.
Update 1.1 Key Highlights:
Explore the Oakveil Woodlands: Venture into a deep forest filled with dangerous enemies and dark secrets. Uncover the hidden threats of a new invading force, Megara: The Serpent Queen and her devoted Venom Blades, as you fight for control over the heart of Oakveil
Castle Arena & Duels: Design custom arenas in your castle, set your own rules, and engage in risk-free, epic duels or team battles. Test your strategies without losing gear or challenge players around the world in one-on-one duels
Three New Weapons & Seven New Spells: Wield new weapons – Claws, Twinblade, and Throwing Daggers – each offering unique playstyles. Additionally, unlock seven new spells, including a powerful ultimate ability tied to Megara’s legendary shard necklace
Ascended Alchemy: Discover new body-enhancing elixirs from the Venom Blades, which will allow you to boost your combat prowess and enhance your magical abilities. Elixirs boost more than just attack power and spell power now, unlocking new strategies with greater variety!
Blood Reborn: Reworked blood types, including the new Corrupted Blood! Build the Blood Homogenizer in your castle, mixing bloods together and offering greater flexibility and customization in combat. Craft the perfect blood type to fuel your Vampiric conquest!
Fuse and Reforge Your Gear: No longer wait for the perfect drop! Use the Fusion Forge to combine and customize your weapons or jewels to create your ideal loadout
Improved Combat Mechanics: A complete overhaul of combat, including stat reworks, rebalanced gear, and deeper customization, giving players more control over their vampire’s progression
New Castle Features & Cosmetics: Enhance your vampire lair with new decor, craft directly from chests with Treasury Rooms, customize your production lines with the Gloomrot-inspired electrical routing, and upgrade your wood-cutting station for even more customization and efficiency
New Cosmetic DLC ‘Eternal Dominance Pack’: Available for €19.99 / $19.99, this new cosmetic DLC adds luxurious dark designs for your castle. Adorn your domain with gilded decor, golden cages, and opulent coffins, making your vampire’s fortress truly supreme
V Rising’s Update 1.1: Invaders of Oakveil is available now on Steam and PlayStation 5. Prepare for the next evolution of vampiric warfare. Conquer or be consumed!
About Stunlock Studios Stunlock Studios is one of the leading independent Swedish game developers in Skövde, known for the vampire survival game V Rising and arena brawler Battlerite. V Rising’s gothic world has already attracted more than 5 million vampiric initiates and Battlerite was among the most popular free-to-play games on Steam with over 6 million unique players entering the arena. With a passion for multiplayer action games, the studio crafts groundbreaking and community-driven games, always with their players in mind.
Madrid, 28 April, 2025. Meridiem and Wired Productions are pleased to announce that KARMA: The Dark World, a first-person cinematic psychological thriller set in a dystopian world where the Leviathan Corporation is omnipresent, will launch a Limited Edition physical release on June 19th, 2025. The year is 1984, the place is East Germany, and things are not quite what they seem. Developed by Pollard Studio and digitally distributed by Wired Productions, you will delve into a dark and strange world with an investigation officer from the Thought Bureau, to find traces of lost memories and fulfil your destiny.
Meridiem has been responsible for the design and manufacturing of KARMA: The Dark World-Limited Edition for PlayStation 5, which includes a special case, three art cards,a physical Leviathan ID Badge, a downloadable code for the soundtrack and a downloadable code for the art book!
What starts out as another case for Roam Agent Daniel McGovern, sees him discover a world of deceit and betrayal, where everything you know starts to be questioned, including your own identity.
Explore a city under the iron grip rule of the Leviathan Corp, where employees are drugged to increase productivity and surveillance is widespread. But are you ready to confront your demons and uncover the truth lurking in the shadows of your mind?
Features
Welcome to the Leviathan Corp: Immerse yourself in a dystopian world built on future technology, where the city never sleeps and every shadow holds a secret.
Become a Roam Agent: Step into the shoes of Daniel McGovern and use a combination of investigative tools and your own keen intellect to solve puzzles and unravel the truth.
Open Your Mind: Dive into the memories of suspects to retrace their steps and piece together your investigations, but be careful – the human psyche is a dangerous place where emotions, will and desire hold power.
Discover the Truth: Keep your sanity and wits as you uncover a dark story of love, loss and deception, where nothing is as it seems and every corner brings another twist to unravel.
Next Generation Visuals: Explore a meticulously detailed world with stunning visuals and effects all powered by Unreal Engine 5.
A Stunning Soundtrack: A completely original OST featuring original songs that draws you into the cinematic world of Karma, and created in collaboration with Dolby Atmos.
Karma: The Dark World – Limited Edition will launch as a physical edition for PlayStation 5 on June 19th, 2025.
About Meridiem
We are Meridiem, a video game publisher and distributor in love with its culture, which we protect and pass on in order to preserve it. We do this by fostering talent through investment in independent projects with potential, bringing back classic titles, promising indies and AAA games while continuing to support the physical format.
About Wired Productions
Wired Productions is a true Indie Publisher proudly presenting a diverse range of specially curated games from some of the greatest storytellers and independent developers. Named as “Indie Publisher of the Year” at the MCV / Develop Awards, Wired is home to an award-winning collection of titles including: DIG VR, Gori: Cuddly Carnage, Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles, Arcade Paradise VR, Tin Hearts, Martha Is Dead, The Falconeer, The Last Worker, and Deliver Us the Moon. Upcoming titles include: Hotel Architect, Beneath and KARMA: The Dark World.
About Pollard Studio
Pollard Studio is based in Shanghai, China. They are an elite team with talented and passionate developers with experience on many titles from studios such as EA, Virtuos, and other game companies. Founded in 2018, they are a team of 20 with four based in LA, USA.
New players from all over the world will step into the malfunctioning body of an escaped Sleeper, commandeer a ship, find a crew, navigate relationships, and take on contracts as they explore the Starward Belt – all while trying to survive.
Players will have to choose between pushing their luck for greater rewards or potentially taking on stress that damages their dice – their only true means of survival – and accrue glitches in their Sleeper’s system.
Fellow Traveller is an indie games publishing label exploring the possibility space of what narrative games can be. Since our founding in 2012, we have sought out and partnered with pioneering game developers working on unusual games with narrative at their core.
You may know us from the tabletop-inspired RPG set in the ruins of interplanetary capitalism (Citizen Sleeper), the polar exploration survival story riddled with life or death decisions (The Pale Beyond), the noir adventure set before, during, and after the Big Bang (Genesis Noir), or the murder mystery with a cast of otherworldly suspects (Paradise Killer).
About Jump Over the Age
Jump Over the Age is a one-person game development studio founded by Gareth Damian Martin (they/them). Gareth is the winner of GDCA and Indiecade awards, and has been nominated for a Games Award, multiple IGF Awards, a GDC Award, and four BAFTAs. They have been named both “An accomplished world-builder” (Edge Magazine) and “one of the most exciting indie talents around” (Eurogamer).
For Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, Gareth was once again joined by renowned comic book artist, Guillaume Singelin and celebrated composer, Amos Roddy – the same exceptionally talented development team responsible for Citizen Sleeper’s moving narrative, eye-popping art and immersive music and sound.
Battle Colossal Titans, Tame Exotic New Creatures, and Uncover Earth’s Final Secrets in this Element-Infested Map
SEATTLE, WA – APRIL 28, 2025 – ARK Survivors can return to Earth today as the game’s third expansion map “Extinction” is available now in ARK: Ultimate Mobile Edition. This element-infested map is now available for all mobile survivors on the App Store® and Google Play Store™.
Finish your journey through the worlds of ARK in the game’s third canonical expansion map ‘Extinction,’ an Element-infested, ravaged planet filled with fantastical creatures both organic and technological. Earth holds both the secrets of the past and the keys to its salvation. As a veteran Survivor who has conquered all previous obstacles, the ultimate challenge awaits: can you defeat the gigantic roaming Titans which dominate the planet and complete the ARK cycle to save Earth’s future?
The Ultimate ARK Experience on Mobile ARK: Ultimate Mobile Edition brings the full ARK: Survival Evolved experience to mobile devices, including all major expansion packs such as Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, and Genesis Parts 1 & 2. Extinction is the latest addition to this already expansive world, ensuring thousands of hours of immersive gameplay for mobile players.
For those looking to maximize their survival experience, the ARK Pass Subscription ($4.99/month or $49.99 annually) unlocks all current and future expansions, plus exclusive in-game bonuses including:
God Console for single-player commands
Access to all Expansion Packs
Bonus XP across all game modes
Monthly in-game currency drops
Exclusive access to premium servers
Players can also purchase each map and feature individually.
In ARK: Ultimate Mobile Edition, players are stranded in a harsh prehistoric world where they must hunt, harvest, craft, build, and tame over 150 dinosaurs and creatures. Whether playing solo or online, survivors will battle to endure the elements and uncover the secrets of the ARKs.
For the latest ARK: Ultimate Mobile Edition updates, join the ARK Survivor’s conversation on Discord, follow us on Twitter or on BlueSky, subscribe to us on YouTube, and visit our website at playark.com.
ABOUT GROVE STREET GAMES
Located in Gainesville, FL, Grove Street Games has been an influential game developer since 2007. They have delighted fans of the world’s greatest games with bold interpretations on new platforms and have delivered fresh and original games to millions of happy players. They have grown to be a leader in the industry because of their commitment to building incredible and accessible gaming experiences. Their games can be found worldwide across all major gaming devices, including consoles, PC, and mobile. www.grovestreetgames.com
Google Play is a trademark of Google LLC
ABOUT SNAIL GAMES
Snail is a leading, global independent developer and publisher of interactive digital entertainment for consumers around the world, with a premier portfolio of premium games designed for use on a variety of platforms, including consoles, PCs and mobile devices. https://www.snailgamesusa.com/
ABOUT STUDIO WILDCARD
Since revealing its flagship game ARK: Survival Evolved in 2015, Studio Wildcard has tirelessly strived to bring its dinosaur-filled vision to the masses. With millions of players worldwide, the team has delivered an amazing amount of new content and leveraged cutting-edge technology to keep fans engaged. With a transmedia universe, the ARK story can be discovered on all gaming platforms, within spin-off titles, and now as a new epic narrative featuring a star-studded cast in ARK: The Animated Series on Paramount+. www.studiowildcard.com
This weekend, id Software revealed never before-seen location and enemy details within DOOM™: The Dark Ages. The DOOM Slayer will explore the strange lands of the Cosmic Realm, battling insane enemies including the monstrous Cosmic Baron and otherworldly Cacodemon.
See what the unholy union between Hell and the Cosmic Realm holds in store here below:
DOOM: The Dark Ages launches on May 15 for Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5 Pro, PC, and Battle.net. Pre-order the Premium Edition to receive two days of early access, along with the Digital Artbook and Soundtrack, the Divinity Skin Pack, and access to the campaign DLC coming at a later date. See all pre-order options here: https://doom.bethesda.net/en-AU/the-dark-ages/buy-now
Inaugural IEM Melbourne sets milestone as the biggest esports tournament ever held in Australia, breaking all previous attendance and viewership records.
Melbourne, Sunday 27 April — This week, global pro gaming tour Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) made its debut in Melbourne, Australia. 26,000 fans flocked to the sold-out Rod Laver Arena over April 25-27 to cheer on the world’s top Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) teams. After a week of unforgettable esports action, Team Vitality emerged victorious and walked away with their share of the $1,000,000 USD total winnings.
The IEM Melbourne Group Stage kicked off on Monday, April 21, with 16 of the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 teams competing for a spot at the Playoffs in Rod Laver Arena. Following three days of intense competition, Team Vitality and MOUZ topped their groups to secure a spot in Playoffs, and were joined by GamerLegion, Team Falcons, The MongolZ, and Team Liquid.
Wins against GamerLegion and MOUZ in the Playoffs saw Team Falcons secure a slot in the Grand Final, where they faced off against Team Vitality who blazed their path to the match with a historic undefeated run. After an incredible five map series, Team Vitality raised the trophy in Rod Laver Arena with a 3-2 win in triple overtime.
On top of their 1st-place total winnings of $285,000 USD, Team Vitality also took home $1,000,000 USD after claiming the ESL Grand Slam. Team Vitality are now the fifth team to win this accolade in history, and team member ropz will be the second player ever to have won this prestigious accolade twice.
Over 1,253,000* people tuned in at once to watch IEM Melbourne across livestreaming platforms, earning the title of the most viewed esports event ever hosted in Australia, and the 2nd highest peak of a non-Major Counter-Strike tournament, of all time.
At the close of the event, ZywOo was announced the DHL MVP of IEM Melbourne 2025 for their role in the finals series, and the tournament as a whole.
The legendary Caches showmatch also made a return for the 5th time, pitting Team Australia against Team UK in a Counter-Strike spin-off of the famous cricket series. This year, Henry “HenryG” Greer returned to captain Team UK, unsuccessfully facing off against Team Australia captained by Chad “SPUNJ” Burchill, who led his home team to a fifth consecutive win. The IEM Expo made a return, featuring exhibitors including Intel® and DHL showcasing the latest and greatest in games, technology, and more. Within the Expo, attendees also took part in signing and meet-and-greet sessions with attending teams, including hometown heroes FlyQuest.
“As the world’s longest running pro gaming tour, Intel Extreme Masters has been taking place around the world for almost 20 years. This year, we made the decision to bring the tournament into a new city, and one of the world’s most iconic sporting arenas – a decision that was rewarded with a record sell-out crowd,” said Marc Winther, Director Game Ecosystems – Counter-Strike at ESL FACEIT Group. “Australian fans have proven their appetite for the highest tier of competitive Counter-Strike is only growing, and helped make our first trip to Melbourne a truly memorable one.”
IEM Melbourne 2025 results:
Placement
Team(s)
Total Winnings (USD)
1st
Team Vitality (Includes ESL Grand Slam prize winnings of $1,000,000 USD)
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) is the world’s largest esports and video game entertainment company, dedicated to creating worlds beyond gameplay where players and fans become a community. Built on a legacy of world-renowned brands including ESL, FACEIT, and DreamHack, EFG provides innovative ecosystems for global communities of players, fans, and creators around the games they love. In January 2022, EFG was acquired by Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group—a company 100% owned by the country’s Public Investment Fund—for $1.5 billion. As the main official operating partner of the Esports World Cup for the next five years, EFG continues to shape the future of esports on a global scale. Working alongside leading partners, brands, and global IPs, EFG operates an unmatched portfolio of live events, digital platforms, and developer tools that reach and engage millions of gamers worldwide. For more information, visit www.eslfaceitgroup.com.
About ESL
ESL creates a world where everybody can be somebody. For more than two decades, we have been shaping the industry and leading esports and gaming innovation globally across the most popular video games, creating a comprehensive ecosystem with opportunities for players to go from zero to hero and for fans to witness the best stories esports has to offer. The ESL portfolio consists of high-profile products such as the ESL Pro Tour, Intel® Extreme Masters, the Snapdragon Pro Series, and many more, ranging from grassroots to global elite competitions. ESL is part of ESL FACEIT Group, the leading esports and video game entertainment company.
About Intel® Extreme Masters
Intel® Extreme Masters is the longest-running global professional esports tournament circuit in the world. Started in 2006 by Intel® and ESL, the competition features the world’s best gamers in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, StarCraft® II, and other esport titles. Approaching two decades of history and many record-breaking events in terms of viewership and stadium attendance, IEM is widely considered one of the most prestigious and traditional esports tournaments in the world (www.intelextrememasters.com).
About Visit Victoria
Visit Victoria is the state’s tourism, business and major events company, inspiring people to visit Melbourne and Victoria through creative story-telling and enriching events.
When it comes to the Phantom Breaker series and the West, you never really know what to expect. The original release of the fighting game was something we managed to preview only for it to never be released when 7sixty shuttered but not even a year later a brawler featuring roughly half of the roster arrived in the West featuring a follow-up story called Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds. Now not only has Rocket Panda Games managed to bring over the actual fighting game in the form of its enhanced version Phantom Breaker: Omnia, they have now released Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate as well. Featuring a number of enhancements and arriving over a decade after the original’s release, is this anime brawler worth checking out?
Story
The story picks up following the events of Phantom Breaker‘s bad ending for Waka that sees the priestess manage to defeat Phantom’s minions but have her sister Nagi kidnapped as a result. With enough clashes of the character’s battling against one another using Phantom’s provided “fu-mension artifacts,” the barrier between worlds has started to splinter. With Phantom’s mind-controlling powers leaking into the normal world as well as flooding it with his demonic and robotic army, the four warriors find themselves battling against countless enemies and even finding their own powers drained as they are sent to the other realm by one of Phantom’s minions but still striving forward to save Nagi and put a stop to Phantom’s plans.
Although Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate allows players to select from one of four main heroines, Mikoto, Waka, Itsuki, and Yuzuha, the story mostly remains almost the exact same throughout with the only differences being character dialogue between the player’s chosen character and the boss they are about to fight in most instances, and even this is rather minimal as there are barely any interactions in the first place. This is rather unfortunate as not only does it make replaying the story a bit lacking, outside of using it to obtain equipment or level characters, but feels like a missed opportunity, especially in an “enhanced” version like this, not to add extra potential story elements, especially for characters that are given only the briefest of screen time and explanation as to who or what they even are.
That being said, it is nice to note that unlike the original release, all of the character dialogue is voiced in English this time around should the player choose. It must be said also that without any prior knowledge of playing Phantom Breaker: Omnia, players will likely have no clue as to who certain characters are, their motivations, or even the slightest hint about many plot elements as Ultimate, just like the original, does not spend much time explaining things outside of a quick introduction in the beginning. At least this time around fans of the franchise have access to the fighting game it is based on, though that does make this brawler something of a niche within a niche.
Gameplay
Mechanically Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate still plays very close to the original though things have been smoothed out a bit, enhanced, and given brand new forms. For example, one of the late game stages is no longer an actual maze which makes playing through it a far better experience. For newcomers though, this beat’em up takes advantage of its fighting game roots by giving every character (besides enemies) their own unique attacks depending on button press. This means players can string together light combo attacks, heavy attacks, high combos that can even include juggling an enemy or low attacks as well. Characters, once the skill is unlocked, can also perform special moves just like they could in the fighting game as well, using up part of their “special” meter to do so.
This special meter charges as players dish out damage or pick up food that can either heal them or charge their meter. Alongside executing special moves or finishing attacks players can trigger a powerful “outrage” attack that will vary depending on the type of equipment they have, initially players will only have access to auto-locking lighting balls, but more on that in a bit. Alongside this players will find themselves being able to fight in both the front and back lanes, with upgrades available to unlock attacks that can target the other lane directly. Swapping between lanes can be strategic both for picking up items as well as for getting some breathing room when enemy swarms become too intense, especially on harder difficulties. Speaking of harder difficulties, as mentioned before, once players complete the game once they will obtain the ability to gain rare equipment and “outrage” drops from enemies. These equipment items boost things such as attack, defense, experience, or point gain and the outrage attacks can heal, trigger powerful explosions in pinpoint areas, and more.
Now, as players play through either story mode or through local four player co-op mode (that can be done with CPUs) where any of the base game characters can be used, they will obtain experience points that will level up their chosen fighter and give them skill points. These skill points can be used to unlock various skills such as the aforementioned ability to use special attacks or attack the other row, extend combos, or straight up boost a character’s attack, defense, and speed parameters. The side modes are also where players will be able to access most of the side characters available in the game such as Cocoa, M, J, Nagi, and more. This includes the two guest-characters that were added to the original as DLC, Steins;Gate’s Kurisu Makise and Robotics;Note’s Frau Koujiro are also available in this mode. It is worth noting that no matter what character players use, the skill tree and stats are always the same when unlocking and players can reset their build at any time, though with a level cap of 99 it is possible to max it all out eventually.
Arcade Mode allows players to replay through either a stage or even the entire game again at any difficulty aiming for a high score or fastest completion time but it is worth noting that players can also have access to the entire roster of not only playable characters but even the enemies as well. This includes playing as everything from a golf-club swinging businessman to a giant demon or even a big truck. Obviously these gimmick picks are stranger than simply playing as the main fighters but do add some novelty to the game if players really want to try out something different. There is also the “Battlegrounds” mode that is literally pitting the player against four others locally and seeing who will be the last fighter standing. This mode can be done locally with friends or against CPUs as well and once again makes use of the entire roster of characters including enemies.
While local co-op is fun and giving players the option to have CPUs run alongside them to fight makes for some chaotic action even when playing solo, there is even more fun to be had online, or at least on most platforms. Online players can play with up to six total players running co-op through stages with one another or battle against one another in up to eight person brawls with cross-play enabled to make finding rooms easier. Unfortunately for the co-op mode, there is no way to drop-in to battles already started, so joining a group midway is unfortunately impossible. Also, at least at the time of this writing, it is nearly impossible to currently play any form of online on the Xbox Series X. Finding a lobby to join will make things work just fine, but trying to create a lobby either for co-op play or battlegrounds will almost instantly crash to the Home screen every single time. This issue has persisted throughout our time with the game and hopefully will be patched sometime in the future..
Audio & Visuals
Making the jump to Unreal Engine 5 has been an extreme improvement for Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate as the character sprites are as crisp as can be for every character and special move that they unleash. Even the backgrounds have been given significant facelifts which make the few city stages look even better. The frame rate is solidly locked even when four characters are battling against a mass wave of enemies on Nightmare difficulty with no slowdown in sight.
As mentioned earlier, one of the biggest improvements to Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate is the fact that the entire game now features complete English voice acting. This doesn’t mean that the story isn’t still rather thin overall, but it is nice to hear characters talking and interacting in English and utilizing their special movies with their signature phrases from the fighting game. The Japanese voice track is still available should players wish to use it. As for the soundtrack players can select from a nicely modified remix version or the original, though the remix does sound quite a bit better.
Overall
As said before, Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate is already something of a niche within a niche. Basing a beat’em up off of a fighting game and providing only the bare minimum of story building to help set things up. That being said, the fact that it was able to release at all is already a welcome surprise and between a graphical overhaul, the addition of co-op play both online and locally, even if it is with CPUs, makes for some truly chaotic fun especially on harder difficulty modes. While it may have been nice to see a little more done to add to the game, such as improve upon its story or bring new characters from the core fighting game into the roster beyond simply adding in enemies as playable characters, this enhanced brawler is everything a fan of the franchise could ask for and a colorful good time for fans of the genre in general, even if the story will leave newcomers scratching their heads.
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