Step into the frenetic, bullet-hell world of UNYIELDER with a combat demo now available on Steam. A boss rush rogue-looter movement FPS, UNYIELDER challenges players to brave post-apocalyptic Antarctica, customize their arsenal, and face off against powerful bosses. The ultimate goal: to forge your own boss.
Tokyo, Japan – January 14th, 2025, 2024: TrueWorld Studios and Shueisha Games are thrilled to unveil a limited-time combat demo of UNYIELDER, available now. This first glimpse of the game sets the stage for its anticipated full release on Steam in 2025.
UNYIELDER is a relentless, single-player bossrush movement FPS that pushes the boundaries of rogue-looter gameplay with its intense, high-stakes action. Set in the frozen wastelands of post-apocalyptic Antarctica, you must assemble a devastating arsenal and master lightning-fast movement and precision to survive. Every second counts—hesitate, and you die. Along the way, you’ll gather unique weapons, perks, and abilities, forging a personalized arsenal to suit your playstyle. But be mindful that your greed for loot doesn’t lead to your demise. The ultimate challenge awaits: Will you conquer the chaos and rise to become the ultimate boss?
In the Combat Demo, face off in adrenaline-charged 1-vs-1 battles against two powerful bosses, including the fearsome knight Garrison! Quickly overcoming the initial bosses unlocks the chance to face a secret boss in the demo.
Wishlist the game on Steam and join our community on Discord!
ABOUT THE FULL GAME
UNYIELDER unites Looter-Shooters, Movement FPS and Character Action Games in an infinitely expandable Roguelite to create Spectacular, Absurd and Chaotic Boss battles.
THE RULES
BREAK THE GAME: Like any good toy, play with it vigorously, and experiment. (and have fun)
EMBODY TENACITY: The further you go, the more dangerous the world becomes. (but so do you)
DOMINATION: Gather unique weapons and perks to empower your build and playstyle. (or just pick the weird stuff, who’s going to stop you?)
BYOBoss: With parts from enemies you defeat, customize the Final Boss to unlock special weapons, perks and characters.
EREBUS, THE CAPITAL CITY OF ANTARCTICA, 1972 – A hotspot for apocalyptic-level events, after decades of existential torment, Erebus finally collapsed. Towering derelicts of the once concrete utopia are buried in dunes of rust: “PNEUMA”, a by-product of entropic weapons; Man-made “Heaven”.
CARVE YOUR PATH – Journey through the war-torn lands of Erebus, Defeat enemies, loot weapons, grow in power. The Fool awaits.
A WALKING CATACLYSM OF YOUR OWN DESIGN – Wield RUPTURE, RHAPSODY and REVERIE, volatile sources of ineffable power. Unleash your unique brand of devastation with bizarre weapons and perks.
BUILD YOUR FINAL BOSS – Scavenge the limbs of slain enemies and build your own Pattern of machine-god punching bag. Unique combinations alter the boss fight. Discover hidden Patterns to pave for new, Endgame Character classes, Weapons, Perks and other Secrets.
Featuring an Original Soundtrack Composed and Produced by Kāru
Abizer Imran, CEO of TrueWorld Studios, commented: “UNYIELDER is a cumulation of the passion and hard work from our team here in Singapore and our international partners to bring a refreshing twist to the single-player roguelite FPS genre! We are grateful to the players who tried the early demos and shared feedback to help us make this game great!”
John Davis from Shueisha Games added:“We’re excited to welcome players into the world of UNYIELDER with this demo! Our friends at TrueWorld have crafted a truly unique take on the roguelite genre, delivering an experience that is intense, challenging, and immensely rewarding. The response at events in 2024 has been amazing thus far, and we can’t wait to hear what the online community thinks!”
About Shueisha Games
Founded in February 2022 and headquartered in Tokyo, Shueisha Games is a new video game publisher born from the intersection of the publishing and game industries. As a subsidiary of Shueisha Inc., the publisher of the influential Jump manga publications, Shueisha Games brings together the ability to discover and nurture new talent with the expertise to develop and deliver unique gaming experiences. Committed to pushing boundaries and creating innovative, engaging titles for consoles, PCs, and smartphones, Shueisha Games aims to captivate a global audience and build on a legacy of world-class storytelling.
About TrueWorld Studios
Based in Singapore, TrueWorld Studios is a talented game development studio comprising seasoned professionals with extensive experience at major publishers and developers. UNYIELDER marks their first major project, showcasing their commitment to artistic excellence and engaging gameplay.
Tripwire Presents, the publishing division ofTripwire Interactive that focuses on releasing great games from other independent studios, today revealed the Special Edition and opened digital pre-purchase for The Stone of Madness, launching Jan. 28, 2025 on Windows PC via Steam (officially Steam Deck Verified), Epic Games Store and GOG, PlayStation®5, and Xbox Series X|S, with pre-purchase on the Nintendo Switch™ system beginning soon. Developed by The Game Kitchen, acclaimed developers of Blasphemous and Blasphemous 2, The Stone of Madness is currently available for pre-purchase for a MSRP of $29.99 for the Standard edition and $34.99 for the Special edition, which includes a digital copy of the game, digital artbook with over 60 pages of gorgeous art, and the digital official soundtrack (OST) featuring 24 songs including title song ‘La Piedra de la Locura’ available to listen to now on YouTube.
All digital pre-purchases will be discounted at 10% off their standard pricing, ending on Jan. 28. Eager fans on PC can download the demo available through Steam, taking players through the multi-hour prologue experience. Players can learn more about strengths, weaknesses, and phobias of the five uniquely flawed playable prisoners in the latest series of character vignettes released by Tripwire Presents. From young Amelia the rogue, using her small size and quick hands to sneak into forbidden areas and pilfer goods whilst avoiding the horrors of a child’s overactive imagination, to Eduardo the oversized craftsman, silently using his immense strength to overcome obstacles and avoiding dark and dimly lit areas that haunt him, each of the prisoners will work together to overcome their fears and escape…hopefully with their sanity still in tact. All five videos can be viewed via this YouTube Playlist.
The Stone of Madness is a tactical stealth adventure game set in a Spanish madhouse in the late 18th century, presented with gorgeous hand-crafted, period-inspired artwork. Located in the Pyrenees, a timeworn Jesuit monastery is home both to a madhouse and an inquisitorial prison; five mysterious characters have been imprisoned between its walls under different pretenses. Plagued by cruel punishment, madness, and despair, they will soon devise a plan to escape this place and its evil inhabitants, relying on each other to face their deepest fears.
The Stone of Madness key features include:
Escape the Monastery: Control all five characters independently to aid in their escape, taking care to preserve each member’s sanity as much as possible. As they explore the corridors and rooms of the monastery they may discover useful tools or clues to aid their escape. They must avoid detection at all times, the Inquisition is not known for their mercy.
Manage the Madness: Each character carries their own unique traumas and phobias contributing to their own respective madness. Managing their mental health will be crucial to their escape, using a system of character progression and regression. Failing to maintain a character’s sanity can trigger new negative traits including paranoia, dementia, or bouts of violence.
Discover the Secrets Within: Choose between two different escape plans, with each campaign featuring unique stories, objectives, and surprises. These plans will play out through a day and night cycle separating daytime actions and nighttime preparations, giving the prisoners time to rest and recover. Most actions will be best performed during daytime, even with the Inquisition’s presence, however the darkness of night offers unique opportunities, and risks. There is a reason most inmates rarely venture out after dark.
Experience Stunning, Hand-painted Art Style: The visuals in The Stone of Madness have been lovingly hand-painted and animated, drawing heavy inspiration from 18th-century artist Francisco De Goya. An isometric perspective allows players to explore scenes and observe minute details as if they’re adventuring through a Goya painting brought to life.
Developed by The Game Kitchen and published by Tripwire Presents, The Stone of Madness will launch on Windows PC via Steam (officially Steam Deck Verified), Epic Games Store and GOG, PS5™, Xbox Series X|S and the Nintendo Switch™ on Jan. 28, 2025.
London(January 14, 2025) It’s time to welcome everyone’s favourite cheery ninja as SNK’s Kunoichi Mai Shiranui joins the Street Fighter™ 6 roster on February 5, 2025, across PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam! As the second guest character in Street Fighter™ history, players have plenty of reasons to get excited for Mai’s unique move-set inspired by a variety of SNK classics with the modern touches of Street Fighter 6 mechanics. Players will be able to bring the heat with Mai across all three game modes, including Fighting Ground and Battle Hub, as well as checking her out as the newest Master in World Tour.
Check out the fiery Mai Gameplay Trailer below:
The dazzling Mai also drops with two Outfits. Outfit 1 is reminiscent of her classic style across SNK’s historic Fatal Fury series while Outfit 2 will be themed around her newest look in the upcoming Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. Outfit 2 can be acquired via Fighter Coins or maxing out your bond with her in World Tour.
As seen in the trailer. Mai’s move-set uses a variety of familiar and newer techniques during matches to control her opponents with flaming projectiles, dive kicks and more, including:
Kachousen: Mai throws her fan like a fireball. When used normally, the fan loses to other projectiles and your opponent’s strikes can knock them down. But when you hold down the input, they can no longer be neutralised by strikes. In addition, if the fan hits an opponent, it will pop up and fall down on them for another hit.
Ryuuenbu: Spin forward in a fiery blaze for combos or to control space.
Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi: Performa cartwheel and fly towards opponents to elbow them. The OD version sends Mai into the air to follow up on the attack or to surprise opponents below.
Hishou Ryuuenjin: Mai’s dragon punch, which works as an effective anti-air as she delivers a flying upwards kick bathed in flame.
Kagerou no Mai:Mai’s Level 1 Super Art, she sets the immediate vicinity on fire, which can be useful as an anti-air move or combo ender. The move also gives Mai five Flame Stocks which give all of Mai’s special moves and Level 1 and 2 Super Arts special properties.
Chou Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi: Mai’s Level 2 Super Art where she rushes forward in a blaze of glory that can get around projectiles.
Shiranui Ryuu: Enbu Ada Zakura: Mai’s Level 3 Super Art, she flies like a butterfly and stings like a bee in a series of elegant fan strikes.
Mai will be available next month for players who own or purchase the Year 2 Character Pass or Year 2 Ultimate Pass, and can also be purchased with Fighter Coins. The wicked M. Bison and easygoing Terry (both available now) will be joined by Mai (February 2025) and Elena (Spring 2025) to round out Year 2 of Street Fighter 6. Stay tuned for more details!
About Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter 6, having sold more than four million units since launch, is available now and represents the next evolution of the Street Fighter series with a combo of unique fighting game innovations, brimming with content across three brand new game modes – Fighting Ground, World Tour, and Battle Hub. Players around the world can get their hands on all the hard-hitting Street Fighter 6 action now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
About Capcom
Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment for game consoles, PCs, handheld and wireless devices. Founded in 1983, the company has created hundreds of games, including groundbreaking franchises Resident Evil™, Monster Hunter™, Street Fighter™, Mega Man™, Devil May Cry™ and Ace Attorney™. Capcom maintains operations in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Tokyo, with corporate headquarters located in Osaka, Japan. More information about Capcom and its products can be found at www.capcom.com or news.capcomusa.com.
SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada`s Amasia Collapse Investigation missions will let players unfold the story of Alba, a drifter, and Ada, his Magus who are seemingly connected to the fall of humanity’s final fortress, Amasia. Players will have to go on missions and get details on what happened before and during the fall of Amasia.
In SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada, players take the role of Drifters and board their CRADLECOFFIN on a mission to collect AO Crystals, a rare resource, as well as discovering the reason behind the collapse of Amasia. They will choose a Magus, an AI companion that will accompany them on the field and with whom they will grow together, trying to survive the threats that loom during missions, from monsters to other players.
SYNDUALITY Echo of Adais set to release on 24 January 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Pre-orders of the Deluxe or Ultimate editions will grant an early access to the game starting on 17 January 2025.
If you would like access to this game for review, please respond to this emal.
Discover the opening cinematic which sets the backdrop for the rise of vampires, and learn more about the gameplay and storytelling mechanics in this 14th century dark fantasy open world.
Under the full Wolf Moon, Rebel Wolves revealed the first look into the world of The Blood of Dawnwalker, its action RPG. The studio, co-founded by Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, director of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, set the game in an alternative 14th century, where feudal lords have been overthrown by a clique of powerful vampires. In this narrative sandbox players will forge their own story about saving their family… or taking whatever path their choices lead them down. The Blood of Dawnwalker is developed by Rebel Wolves in Unreal Engine 5 and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Players can follow the game’s latest developments on the official website:dawnwalkergame.com.
14th century Europe. Bloody conflicts sweep the lands, and the Black Death comes for the survivors. In the wake of the disasters claiming thousands of lives, the decimated human population struggles for survival. It’s a moment of weakness. In Vale Sangora, somewhere in the forgotten corner of the Carpathian Mountains, vampires seize their opportunity to walk out of the shadows, overthrow the feudal lords and claim what they’ve been denied for centuries: freedom, and ultimate power that comes with it. Legends turn into reality, and history as we know it will never be the same.
The Blood of Dawnwalker is the first chapter of the Rebel Wolves’ original dark fantasy saga. You play as Coen, a young man turned into a Dawnwalker, forever treading the line between the world of day and the realm of night. Not fully human, not entirely a vampire, you have 30 days and nights to save your family, or swear revenge on your sire and destroy everyone standing in your way.
“Inspired by classic RPGs, we want players to feel the sense of urgency in an open world game. There are multiple approaches to saving Coen’s family with no clear division between main and side quests, you decide on how you spend the time.”, explains Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, Game Director and Co-Founder of Rebel Wolves. “Time is a resourceand with each quest progressing its passage, it is impossible to complete all stories and arcs before the dreadful deadline, making each playthrough unique. We call it a narrative sandbox.”
The freedom in gameplay is reflected in Coen’s very nature as a Dawnwalker. Depending on the time of day, players will have different skills, abilities and storyline outcomes. Players must choose: do they fight for humanity or embrace the cursed powers?
Watch The Blood of Dawnwalker opening cinematic, taking place two years before the game, and meet Coen, his sister Lunka and the vampire clique led by their ruthless yet charismatic lord, Brencis. And take a look at a glimpse at the in-engine gameplay teaser here:
The Rebel Wolves pack plans to share more information about The Blood of Dawnwalker in the following months, including a gameplay reveal this summer. For now keep an eye on an updated dawnwalkergame.com, follow the official Dawnwalker social media channels: X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
About Rebel Wolves
Rebel Wolves is a studio built on talent and ambition. A mixture of gamedev veterans and fresh blood that aims to create the dark fantasy games of their dreams. Established in 2022 in Warsaw, Poland, with a plan to bring RPG adventure to the next level. Fueled by strong vision and fascination with story-driven approach to games.
Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe S.A.S. is a leading global publisher and developer of entertainment content for platforms including, but not limited to, all major video game consoles and PC.
Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe is producing intellectual property for a global audience and is building its reputation with franchises such as LITTLE NIGHTMARES™, PARK BEYOND™ and UNKNOWN 9™ Awakening – developed by Reflector Entertainment based in Montreal, QC.
Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe serves as the Headquarters of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. for mainland Europe, which is known for creating and publishing many of the Toy & Entertainment industry’s top franchises, including PAC-MAN™, TAMAGOTCHI™, GUNDAM™, TEKKEN™, DARK SOULS™ and the recently released ELDEN RING™.
INDIANAPOLIS – Jan. 13, 2025 – Luck be a Landlord, the smash hit roguelike deckbuilder about using a slot machine to pay rent and defeat capitalism from TrampolineTales, welcomes new tenants on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5|4, and Xbox Series X|S on Feb. 6, 2025. Pull the lever and see why 500,000 PC players and 100,000 mobile players keep spinning and winning!
Begin as an optimistic renter with low payments, and watch in horror as they creep higher and higher! Add symbols to the slot machine after each spin to collect coins, accruing funds ahead of the next due date. Rejoice at a high-yield turn, but beware: luck can easily run out, resulting in empty pockets and untimely eviction.
Synergize slot symbols and special items to create lucrative chain reactions. Choose between furry friends, precious gems, and other unlikely symbols. Transform eggs into chickens, sprout seeds into fruit, watch toddlers devour delicious candy, and avoid the catastrophic loss of the Hex of Destruction!
Increase earnings with myriad powerful items: stockpile extra coins with the Swear Jar, smash urns with the Grave Robber, and try to score rare symbols with the X-Ray Machine. Luck doesn’t have to be tenants’ only ally: get a little help from Commie McComrade’s game-changing boosts, allowing the rerolling of choices and the removal of symbols.
Make 12 payments to game the capitalist system of property ownership and defeat the dreaded landlord! However, rent payment never really ends, does it? Ascend additional floors, each with mounting difficulty after defeating the landlord. Battle increasing rent, dwindling skips, and the crushing demands of capitalism to reach the top floor and come face to face with a secret boss.
“We feel like we really hit the jackpot thanks to everyone’s support of Luck be a Landlord on PC and mobile, so it’s finally time to bring the terrors of tenancy to consoles!” Said Dan DiIorio, lead developer and founder of TrampolineTales. “We welcome console players to take a spin on the slot machine and defeat Landy McLandlord and the ruthless capitalist system once and for all!”
Luck be a Landlord will be available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5|4, and Xbox Series X|S Feb. 6, 2025, and is currently available on PC, Mac, and Linux, and mobile via iOS and Android. Languages supported include English, French, Italian, German, Spanish – Spain, Danish, Portuguese – Brazil, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Spanish – Latin America, Traditional Chinese, Portuguese – Portugal, Turkish, Vietnamese, Thai, and Bulgarian.
For updates on Luck be a Landlord, check out the official Bluesky account and website.
About TrampolineTales
TrampolineTales is run out of Indianapolis, IN by Dan DiIorio, sole founder, owner, and Lead Developer. After making several small indie titles, Dan made a big splash with his anti-capitalist roguelike, Luck Be a Landlord.
The Wandering Band’s flying city builder blends open-world exploration, role-playing, and combat
January 13, 2025 – Indie game studio The Wandering Band and publisher Stray Fawn are thrilled to announce that their highly anticipated skyward adventure Airborne Empire is available now in Early Access on Steam for PC.
Airborne Empire brings the aerial city-building and colony management series to new heights. The skyward city buildertasks players with building a fantastical settlement in the clouds, all while managing resources and fighting off nefarious sky pirates. Players uncover secrets and complete thrilling quests across the massive world, in hopes of attaining enough materials to grow their settlement into a fortress and a home. Only the most daring leaders can reforge a harmonious world between the land and the skies.
By traveling through arid deserts and dense woodlands, you encounter a vibrant cast of characters, citizens to recruit, and a slate of unlockable upgrades. Airborne Empire is the follow-up to The Wandering Band’s BAFTA-nominated Airborne Kingdom. This new experience brings expanded open-world exploration, deeper role-playing mechanics, and colorful characters, and introduces combat.
Airborne Empire is now available for purchase on Steam for PC, priced at $24.99. Visit airborneempire.com for more information.
About The Wandering Band
The Wandering Band is an indie games studio focused on creating unique, high-quality interactive experiences that challenge genre boundaries and explore new topics through game mechanics. It was founded by industry veterans Frederik Gareau, Zachary Mumbach, and Ben Wander in 2018. The founders have decades of combined AAA experience, with work spanning multiple hit franchises like Dead Space, Dragon Age, Battlefield, and Star Wars. In 2020, they released their first title Airborne Kingdom, which received a BAFTA nomination for “Best Debut Game.” For more information, visit thewandering.band.
About Stray Fawn Studio
Stray Fawn Studio is a ten-person indie game studio based in Zurich, Switzerland and the publisher of Airborne Empire. The company focuses on developing their own projects which are often situated in the simulation game genre. Procedural content generation and the simulation of living worlds form the core of the studio’s creations. Stray Fawn was founded by Micha Stettler, a space enthusiastic software engineer and Philomena Schwab, a biology loving game designer. In 2023 the studio expanded into indie game publishing and is now supporting other developers on their journey.
Discover the first in a new trilogy of quests leading to the final confrontation with Amascut, the Goddess of Destruction
Monday, 13 January 2025, Cambridge, UK. Pack your waterskin and return to the scorching hot sands of the Kharidian Desert for a trilogy of new quests coming to the beloved MMO RuneScape, starting with the first quest ‘Beneath Scabaras’ Sands’, available to RuneScape members today.
Watch the RuneScape: Beneath Scabaras’ Sands Dev Diary
The sands are stirring and corrupted scarab creatures have been sighted across the desert. The Pharaoh of Menaphos can’t sit idly by and seeks assistance to find the God of Isolation and Wisdom. The time has come to return to the Desert for a trio of quests leading to the final confrontation with the Goddess of Destruction herself: Amascut.
To embark on this new adventure, players will need to have completed the ‘Ode of the Devourer’ and ‘’Phite Club’ questlines and reached the 87 Slayer skill level. After meeting the requirements, venture to the throne room in Menaphos to catch up with some familiar faces and start this quest!
RuneScape is available now on PC, Steam, iOS, and Android, complete with cross-platform progression and play on PC and mobile.
About RuneScape
Celebrating more than twenty years of adventures and acclaimed by PC Gamer as “one of the most endearing and unique MMOs available”, RuneScape is an ever-expanding, community-driven game that’s bursting with activity and life. Today RuneScape is one of the world’s longest-running online games, with over 300 million player accounts.
Set in a medieval fantasy land, players embark on epic journeys through a vast sandbox world that’s full of gods, warring races, unexplored dungeons, and glittering riches. Propelled by the game’s narrative, choose your own path through enthralling quests, and progress through 29 diverse skills to shape a single character in a classless world. RuneScape is available across PC, iOS and Android devices.
A leader in creating deep and engaging forever games that empower our communities across PC, mobile and consoles. Jagex’s flagship MMORPG, RuneScape, has welcomed over 300 million player accounts to its world and is a $1billion + lifetime revenue franchise. Today the RuneScape franchise exists beyond live operations; our titles are forever games that connect and inspire millions of players, with content and experiences both inside and outside of inexhaustible game worlds. Both RuneScape and Old School RuneScape, on PC and mobile, offer ever-evolving, highly active worlds and our community-focussed development ethos empowers players to have a real say in how each game is shaped.
In 2022, Jagex expanded with the acquisitions of PipeWorks and Gamepires, bringing its expertise in building forever games to SCUM, a multi-million selling open-world survival title in Steam Early Access & other unannounced titles. Jagex employs more than 600 people globally, and is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Warsaw, Poland – January 14th, 2024 – Techno Banter, the highly anticipated techno-infused, bouncer simulator, will launch on Nintendo Switch on January 30th 2025.
To amplify this announcement, a trailer was published, offering a fresh look at the game’s unique blend of humor, weirdness, and music. See the trailer below:
About the game
Set in a dystopian city teeming with underground rave culture, Techno Banter combines razor-sharp dialogue with pulsating techno beats, immersing players in a neon-soaked world where they decide who gets past the velvet rope.
Players take on the role of a bouncer at the notorious Green Door club, navigating a colorful array of characters. With wit as their weapon, they’ll choose from a variety of clever comebacks to keep the club’s vibe intact, making each night a unique experience.
Techno Banter’s developers Dexai Arts are true Berliners, which can clearly be felt in the inspiration the game takes from the wonderful and weird underbelly of the techno capital of the world. Having spread long roots in the Berlin DJ scene, they’ve brought many local DJs on board to spin tracks inside the game’s main club Green Door.
The game has already gathered some attention, winning the GameStar.de “Find Your Next Game” Indie award, the Reboot Develop Blue Special Selection award, and being featured in this year’s Guerilla Collective’s Official Selection.
About Dexai Arts
Their interdisciplinary team consists of a group of close family members with many years of professional experience in their respective areas of expertise. They decided to unite their art in a medium that connects us since childhood: video games. Dexai Arts consciously plays on all artistic levels and interweaves them in a braid of sound, image and content which shows in their hand-drawn characters and self composed/produced game music.
About Crunching Koalas
Crunching Koalas is a Warsaw-based boutique publisher and porting studio that focuses on bringing exceptional games to players across all platforms. They have worked on many recognisable and critically acclaimed games (Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, Darkwood and This War of Mine are just a few). Their ever-expanding portfolio is full of great, indie titles and with new projects coming in every year, it is only expected to grow.
Over the last few years the Dynasty Warriors series has struggled to find where it would actually go next. Sure, Omega Force’s other efforts such as Warriors Orochi and Fate/Samurai Remnant, and their other licensed Warriors style games have shown innovation and some unique stylings, their signature franchise has languished. After an incredibly solid Dynasty Warriors 8 back in 2013 that saw fans eager for what to expect in the next mainline entry, Dynasty Warriors 9 shifted completely in the other direction in 2018, taking on an open-world feel and robbing almost every character of their charm and style in an attempt to force more characters into the bloated and nonsensical story.
In an attempt to go completely back to the drawing board, Omega Force and Koei Tecmo have came back with a far more in-depth telling of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms with a central character looking to both introduce newcomers to the franchise and return to the roots of what fans loved, the battle of one vs thousands in Dynasty Warriors: Origins.
DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS – Gameplay
Story
The Dynasty Warriors series usually requires at least some type of knowledge about the Romance of the Three Kingdoms to get the most out of it, but Origins is unlike any other game in the franchise in numerous ways. First of all, rather than sprint through the historical novel’s key battles, this entry takes things slow, secondly instead of dropping players into the story as one of the historic warriors or even a created character that serves as a background character to history, they take on a character bereft of their memory but not of their skills. A powerful warrior found venturing the edges of a simmering rebellion that is soon to ignite the lands in turmoil. Alongside famed warrior Guan Yu and the assistance of a charismatic yellow-clad leader, this unnamed warrior makes a name for themselves (literally as players choose their name here) in their first conflict against corrupt officials.
Yes, as per usual in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the first major conflict is the Yellow Turban Rebellion but unlike any game in the past, rather than blitz past the minutia and smaller conflicts, Dynasty Warriors: Origins takes a far closer look at how events played out, focusing on battles that were merely mentioned in passing before as players are given an in-depth look into some never before focused on elements of the rebellion and further events throughout the storyline. This includes a major focus on showing the fallout from the rebellion and the upheaval that ensued throughout the realm afterwards, culminating in eventually players needing to select one of the three kingdoms that they must align themselves with, Wu, Shu, or Wei. Aligning with one kingdom will inevitably pit the player against former allies and friends as well as showcase only story elements that are told from that kingdom’s perspective. For example, fighting as a Wu companion will mean seeing the events that unfold with the Sun family firsthand while Cao Cao’s actions and Liu Bei’s are told only through brief summaries.
Thankfully, once players complete the game in a… very strange stopping point for the storyline, they gain the ability to revisit not only any battle that they wish, but even the pinnacle choice of selecting which kingdom to fight for. This means that players do not need to play through the entire game three times simply to enjoy every element of the story, instead being able to take their trained fighter into each extra storyline and bonding with units from said faction as they wish once completing the game fully.
Now, not only is Dynasty Warriors: Origins’ storyline far more in-depth when it comes to the exact events that happened, it also features some wonderful bond storylines and interactions with the player character and the many famous generals and warriors from the era, be they villains, heroes, or something in-between. As for the original storyline featuring the main character, it is handled well enough and explains not only the reason for their unique abilities and skills on the battlefield but also why they are driven to enter the fray. It does take a bit too long to unfold unfortunately, with some of the most meaningful and actually worthwhile revelations happening in the final two chapters, but it is satisfying enough. What will be a bit confusing for many fans of the franchise is the game’s stopping point. Then again, given that the title is called Dynasty Warriors: Origins, it is a fitting one as it serves as the true formation of the three kingdoms at the culmination of this specific battle and, if Koei Tecmo is looking to develop sequels from this point on and continue this method of in-depth storytelling, it is off to a stellar start.
Gameplay
Dynasty Warriors: Origins takes a step away from the much derided open world aspect of the last entry in the franchise and instead opts for an overworld instead. In the overworld players will travel through the various provinces and visit towns that all have a weapon shop and item shop that sell various things as well as their own inn to rest at. They will also be able to interact and talk with the various famous fighters and characters, triggering “bond” moments or activating training missions with them, collect upgrade material, and take on various small scale conflicts that randomly generate. These small conflicts generally see players range from running in and taking down a few hundred soldiers, eliminating specific enemy officers, claiming bases, or even escorting a merchant or civilian unit. Completing these rewards players with money and increased “peace” for that province that will reward players with some bonuses when it reaches up to three different tiers for each province. It is also where players will find “missions” that are larger scale battles with useful rewards and of course the main objectives as well, that range from just talking with certain characters to entering a large-scale battle.
Once in battle players will find that Dynasty Warriors: Origins still plays and feels very much like a classic Dynasty Warriors game and none have captured the real feeling of the 1 vs 1,000 design philosophy quite like this entry. This is especially true due to a certain feature we’ll talk about in a moment. For now, the combat’s basic structure remains the same, players will use one of nine weapon fighting styles that they’ll slowly unlock through the campaign to deal out damage through a series of light combos and heavy combos, mixing together certain move-sets to take down hundreds of generic enemy soldiers. As players eliminate enemies they’ll gain “bravery” that can be used to trigger weapon skills that vary depending on the weapon type equipped and players can change these at any time. In fact, players can even change the weapon they are using if they so choose in the middle of battle, a very useful little feature and one that makes completing certain training missions much easier. For example, while twin axes are great at eliminating swarms of troops and clearing bases, taking down a pesky general’s endurance meter might see the player favoring the fast striking sword or hoops.
While the battles against general enemies and claiming bases mostly remain the same it is the fights against other named warriors and “Wise”, “Brave,” and “Mighty” generic generals that brings the most change. For the most part players will still battle it out using the same type of attacks, but enemy officers no longer sit there and take any punishment dealt to them. Instead every enemy officer will have a certain level of endurance indicated by shields above their head and can dish out combos and special attacks just like the player. This means players will need to either dodge, block, or preferably parry most incoming blows and take advantage of the opening to deplete the enemy’s gauge and leave them stunned. Officer’s in a stunned state can then be either taken down with one powerful move or sent into a flurry of blows depending on how much health they have left. This leads to some rather lengthy and occasionally quite challenging fights with opponents as enemy officer’s, especially with high morale, can deal out a lot of punishment. This includes late-game battles where foes can not only enter their own rage states and trigger “musou” attacks but even perform special maneuvers that can leave players reeling if caught unprepared. From time to time players can even be given the choice to accept a “duel” with an enemy officer, pitting the two in a one on one match with a timer that, should the player fully fill the duel gauge with their own meter, will instantly eliminate the officer.
It is also worth noting that Dynasty Warriors: Origins isn’t afraid to make sure that players are actively keeping an eye on the movement of battle either. Neglecting to pay attention to certain allies or the movement of enemy officers may lead to a failure in battle. Players can rush to a wounded officer’s side and their health will recover and for the most part allies can take care of themselves, but if the flow of battle is going downhill, then extra attention is needed. It is nice to note that should players either fall in combat or be forced to retreat due to the defeat of their commander, most battles feature checkpoints that can be reverted to instead of having to start the entire battle over again. This can mean that playing defensively as a soldier in the grander battle is just as effective as the more defensive nature of officer combat. A useful tool at the player’s hands is the main character’s unique “Eyes of the Sacred Bird” that not only displays the health status of ally and enemy officers and the placements of enemy soldiers but also through the fairly rare illusions or secrets that appear during specific fights.
Eventually, players will also gain access to their own personal “guard” that can open up strategies. These strategies run on cooldown and depend on if the player’s guards are still actually alive to perform them however. They vary from raining a volley of arrows onto a target, performing a cavalry charge, to straight up ordering them to defend an ally officer. Offensive strategies often have special effects if used in the right circumstances and can cripple an enemy officer’s morale, making them an easy target. It is also worth noting that alongside player triggered strategies the title will occasionally indicate enemy strategies as well, tasking players with either eliminating a certain number or type of foes to put a stop to it or assisting an ally to help theirs succeed, though these generally only happen during “large” battles.
These large encounters happen to be some of the most over-the-top and troop overload fights that the series has ever had and it is truly impressive to see happen, especially when leading the charge. Players will find that some battles will feature their allies setting up for a charge, be it either a head on charge into combat or ambush, and joining them will trigger the movement. This means that players can charge down on horseback or foot if they so choose alongside the massive force of their allies right into enemy infantry that looks right out of a Total War style game. Blocks of enemy infantry, shieldwalls, volleys of arrows fired from behind, catapults, the works. Charging headlong into this chaos and cutting a swathe through enemy forces feels and looks amazing. The 1 vs 1000 dynamic might not be true, as allies will be right there fighting too, but it has never felt more real and “knockout” counts of over three thousand in a single fight are far from absurd.
Now, it is a bit unfortunate to say that the game does start to feel a bit too repetitive over time, especially once players have unlocked every type of weapon and reached the highest available rank, with total weapon mastery ranks dictating the player’s current level. This is also because unlike other entries, players only occasionally have a chance to play as other historical officers and this is only when they accompany them into battle and fill a meter that lets players temporarily take control of that warrior instead of the main character and this isn’t offered in every battle. Alongside this, some may be disappointed that their favorite weapon type or fighting style hasn’t made the cut either as the fighting styles are far smaller compared to before as well even if they have been more refined as a result. It is also worth noting that a large portion of side characters have also not been included in the game in any form, meaning some fan favorites may also be missing even if they would only play a background role or at most a bond opportunity here.
Audio & Visuals
The Dynasty Warriors games have never been the best looking games, prioritizing troop size over detail, but it is clear that Omega Force has spent a lot of time revamping and detailing the officers in Dynasty Warriors: Origins. Many characters will look just like fans remember but with far more detail while others have been given complete revamps, especially characters that were previously more caricature than anything else. These details look their best during cutscenes and in-game bonding moments while the battlefield sees them take a backseat to the chaotic action. Even when charging headlong into a large force with an allied large force the game runs completely smooth on the Xbox Series X, slamming into foes with a powerful Musou attack capable of taking down well over a hundred soldiers at once. The battlefields themselves are also nicely varied and change depending on where players are in the overworld, though it is worth noting that there is re-use in battlefields when it comes to side missions and skirmishes.
Koei Tecmo has offered both an original English dub as well as their own Japanese voice track for the game, giving players the choice to choose between them at any point. That being said, the subtitles are quite small so players may prefer English voices here, especially since the characters are portrayed quite well here. The soundtrack consists of many remixed tracks that fans of the franchise are familiar with as well as some original tracks that fit well during the game’s action and more poignant moments that happen throughout the story.
Overall
Dynasty Warriors: Origins proves that Dynasty Warriors is back and in a big way. While it may deviate from the standard formula in many different ways by focusing on an original non-customizable character with only a limited number of weapon types compared to the many on offer usually and wide cast of playable characters, it does manage to tell its familiar story in a brand new and incredibly interesting way, giving even veterans new looks at their favorite characters, if they made the cut that is. Dynasty Warriors: Origins brings the 1 vs 1,000 design philosophy to reality and those who love action games will find that this one has plenty to offer and then some, even if things might get a bit repetitive near the end.
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