As the days grow shorter and the air grows colder, Sunblink and Sanrio® are celebrating all things autumn with the Days of Plenty event in Hello Kitty Island Adventure! The constantly updated life-sim that’s all about friendship and positivity is available now on Apple Arcade and will come to Nintendo Switch, PC, and PlayStation consoles starting early 2025.
A magical autumnal wind blows through the Seaside Resort, carrying a delicious scent. What could it be…and could a missing Pompompurin have anything to do with it? Starting today, run through leaf piles to gather currency to spend at the event stand for lovely autumnal rewards.
Days of Plenty comes on the heel of Update 2.1, letting players explore even more of City Town with Usahana as well as customize the Imagination Cafe!
New divisions, units, upgrades, abilities, and cosmetics
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Nov. 18, 2024 – The upcoming fourth season “Domination” update for Eximius: Seize the Frontline, the strategy shooter hybrid from Ammobox Studios seamlessly blending FPS and RTS action, arrives on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store Wednesday, Dec. 11th.
Return to the frontlines with new units, upgrades, and Commander Abilities, as well as ten new cosmetic packs. Additionally season four features updated core missions, a revamped matchmaking system, and quality-of-life updates for a better feel and overall gameplay experience.
Compete in epic battles to seize control over a crumbling dystopia. Choose between a private research organization known as the Axeron Corporation (AXR), or the Global Security Forces (GSF), a peacekeeping organization. Each side firmly believes their burning crusade will bring back society from the depths of destruction, and will not stop until victory is achieved.
Assemble a powerful team of officers to deploy onto the battlefield in destructive 5v5 squad-based skirmishes. Survey the frontlines, building bases to train soldiers as one of the acting Commanders from each faction in an RTS perspective. Or run in guns-blazing as one of the four other players via the first-person shooter Officer roles to neutralize threats and secure resources to upgrade the factions power.
“Eximius is back with an all new season and another expansion that will continue to test Commanders and Officers alike,” said Jeremy Choo, Director, Ammobox Studios. “We can’t wait for the community to experience the new divisions and updates we have in store for Season 4.”
Eximius: Seize the Frontline is available now for $9.99, and will bring the free Season 4 “Domination” update to PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on Wednesday, Dec. 11th, and will include English, German, Russian, and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) language support.
Ammobox Studios is an independent developer based in Malaysia. Founded on the core concepts of innovation and a people-first studio culture, they seek to deliver memorable experiences by innovating on classic mechanics. Eximius: Seize the Frontline is their debut title.
Join the adventure of a ghost and its bubble in this classic remake – demo available now for Nintendo Switch and PC
Barcelona, Spain – 18th of November 2024. Publisher SelectaPlay and developer VIDIBONDare thrilled to announce the release of the first ever playable demo of Bubble Ghost Remake for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. This whimsical adventure promised to breathe new life into the beloved classic, offering players a new visually captivating experience of a little ghost and its bubble. Bubble Ghost Remake will be launching for PC via Steam and Epic Games Store and Nintendo Switch in early 2025.
The demo will introduce players to the world of Bubble Ghost Remake and offer the chance to experience some of the fun and exciting platform gameplay action through the haunted mansion. The team at VIDIBOND has been working to stay faithful to the game’s original concept while embarking on a nostalgic yet refreshing modern journey with fantastic visual, audio and gameplay treats along the way.
The Bubble Ghost Remake demo is available to download now for PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch now and you can also check out the exciting new demo gameplay trailer just released by the team!
About Bubble Ghost Remake
Guide a little ghost and his bubble through an enchanted mansion filled with dangers and thrilling challenges in this incredible remake of Bubble Ghost. Master levels of skill and clever puzzles as you unveil the story hidden behind the spirit of Heinrich Von Schinker. This remake of the game features a fresh new look and a myriad of new features (like new game modes, fierce bosses, collectibles, and many more surprises) that will captivate you for hours. Get ready to protect your bubble through the rooms of this mysterious castle… Will you uncover all its hidden secrets?
Enjoy an adventure with over 40 skilful levels and clever puzzles that promise hours of entertainment and challenge.
Dive into Story, Arcade, Challenge and Speed Run game modes or prove your worth and compete for a spot in the pantheon of “Bubble Ghost Remake” legends in the Hall of Fame.
Fully revamped graphics and sound bring the magical world of the castle to life.
Unlock in-game achievements and compare your scores with the world’s best players.
Discover new hidden game modes, collectables, and secrets for an even more thrilling gameplay experience.
Bubble Ghost Remake will launch for PC via Steam and Epic Games Store and Nintendo Switch in early 2025. Fans can Wishlist the game on Steam and Nintendo Switch now.
About SelectaPlay
SelectaPlay is SelectaVisión’s video games publishing branch. The company works with talented studios on unique video games and helps them publish their titles in both physical and digital formats in Europe and worldwide.
About SelectaVisión
SelectaVisión is a video publishing company founded in 1984. Based in Spain, SelectaVisión’s catalog includes anime and live-action feature films, TV shows, and movies. Publishing both anime classics and the latest Japanese productions since 1997, SelectaVisión has built a long relationship with fan-favorite Japanese producers and distributors, becoming the major publisher of anime content for Spanish audiences.
About Nakama Game Studio
Nakama is a game development studio and interactive experiences for companies and publishers. Their team of passionate developers, designers, and artists brings a wealth of industry experience, fueled by a genuine love for video games.
LONDON (Nov. 18, 2024) – Get ready to tune up your car and head back into the Olympic Exclusion Zone, but before you do, why not deck out your garage with some fresh decorations? In the third free content update released today for their acclaimed driving survival game, Pacific Drive, indie developer Ironwood Studios delivers a range of cosmetic options in addition to new gameplay features. For those looking to add a touch of winter flair, the new Frosted Customization Pack is also available for $4.99 and brings more cosmetic add-ons.
For those eager to uncover additional secrets, it’s time to venture back into the Pacific Northwest once more. The Trips and Treasures update brings something new to discover in the Zone which [INFORMATION REDACTED]. Players will also encounter various types of Goldshells growing from twisted trees, each containing garage and car cosmetics. However, they’ll need to figure out how to crack them open to claim the loot inside.
Free Content Update Highlights:
Goldshells: Found growing in the Zone these come in multiple varieties and hold garage and car cosmetics
[INFORMATION REDACTED]
New Activity
Players can decorate their garage with treasures found in the Zone
30 mounting locations
23 garage cosmetics
Items include posters, neon signs and treasures found in the zone
New Free Cosmetics:
Ski Pole Shifter
Hot Cocoa Sticker
Frosted Customization Pack:
Snowflake (Antenna Topper)
Frozen Steering Wheel (Steering Wheel)
Snowman (Bobblehead)
The Chrome Toboggan (Hood Ornament)
Snowdrop (Mirror Ornament)
Blizzard (Decal Kit)
Pacific Drive is available now for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. A physical collector’s edition is available through select retailers and distributed by Maximum Entertainment. To find out more, visit:https://www.pacificdrivegame.com/
About Ironwood Studios
Since its founding in 2019, Ironwood Studios has been hard at work on Pacific Drive and are extremely proud to be working with PlayStation to bring it to life. The team’s passion stems from a love of road trips and the relationship between the driver and the car, always dreaming about surreal worlds and the Pacific Northwest – two things that feature prominently in the game. Ironwood’s goal is to create games that inspire players to tell their own stories, with systems that work together to create unexpected and unique experiences.
About Kepler Interactive
Kepler Interactive – led by the founders of Kowloon Nights – is a developer and publisher that operates on a co-ownership model. Its studios are given strategic leadership roles, all while continuing to develop their games their way, with no creative limitations. Kepler’s partner studios are as varied as they are talented, including A44 Games in New Zealand, Alpha Channel and Timberline in North America, Awaceb, Ebb Software, and Sloclap in Europe, and Shapefarm in Asia. Kepler Interactive itself is headquartered in London.
Players can try out Monster Mop Up and Kaya’s Prophecy on November 18
Bristol, United Kingdom — November 18, 2024| After this year’s success with The Holy Gosh Darn and Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, Yogscast Games is thrilled to announce that two new titles will be available to playtest towards the end of this month. Jérémie & Thibaut’s tribal deck-and-village-builder, Kaya’s Prophecy, joins Terahard’s creature-collecting cleaning sim Monster Mop Up in this opportunity for an early look at the publisher’s upcoming titles. Players are invited to head over to Monster Mop Upand Kaya’s Prophecy’s respectivestore pages and hit ‘Request access’ to try them out for themselves.
For those who have dreamed of appeasing a power-hungry leader while building their own tribe, then Kaya’s Prophecy is the answer to their twisted prayers. For the first time, players can have a go at hunting, gathering and building day and night – to the catchy beat of the tam tams – as they fight for the survival of their village. Protect the townsfolk from foes with a carefully crafted deck, and keep them out of the cruel hands of the village master. Players must exercise caution – if they fail, your poor townsfolk may end up poisoned, electrocuted, or even turned upside down!
Unlike these fearsome tribal attackers, the creatures encountered in Monster Mop Up are incredibly cute – though messy. As Custodian of the Ministry of Monster Concealment, it’s up to players to keep the rowdy Ragamuffins away from the human world. Rescue the adorable little rascals and mop up any trace of them – yes, that includes their poop. In fact, especially their poop. Plus, for the first time, players can flush with friends thanks to Monster Mop Up’s multiplayer mode.
Both titles will open their doors to playtesters on Steam on November 18, with press invited to preview the games from today (November 12). Whether you prefer protecting men or monsters, try your hand at these two exciting new titles from Yogscast Games and their respective indie developers, Jérémie & Thibaut and Terahard.
About Yogscast Games
Yogscast Games was established in 2017, with a simple goal: to work with small teams to develop and publish games which are as fun to watch as they are to play. Its most recent releases have included poker-powered deckbuilding game ‘Aces & Adventures’, the wickedly amoral ‘Trolley Problem, Inc.’ and the wildly successful restaurant management roguelike ‘PlateUp!’ which recently passed 1.5m Steam units sold.
About Jérémie & Thibaut
Thibaut is an indie game developer operating under the name of Chaos Interactive since 2007. He started working for hire on well-know licences games like Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull on american’s Didj handheld or Adibou series on Nintendo DS. He worked on Xbox360, PC, Mobile and html5 video games and during this time he met Jérémie and they decided together to create a brand new video game, Kaya’s Prophecy.
Based in the French Alps, Jeremie has been an independent artist since 13 years. He worked on several mobile video game projects where he met Thibaut and illustrated many board games. Together they decided to create their own game.
About Terahard
Founded in 2012, Terahard began as a skeleton crew in London, working with external clients in order to raise funds for our own dreams. These days we have a full time 30+ roster of amazing engineers, artists and designers from all over the world who strive to make the experiences we’ve always wanted.
London, United Kingdom — November 18, 2024| Have you ever wondered why the chicken crossed the road? Who were they running from? Who hit them, and why is a befuddled squirrel detective at the scene of the crime? Help Detective Cox in his search for the answers in No Stone Unturned, a detective tale with the whimsy of Hot Fuzz in an Adventure Time-looking world. Check out a glimpse of what to expect in the demo on Steam today!
Perfect for fans of the recently released Rise of the Golden Idol, the first 20 minutes of the comedy adventure see Detective Cox whip out his magnifying (and x-ray) glass and examine the start of the poultry puzzle. Players can even pre-order their own discounted copy of Detective Cox’s debut dive into deductive drama on Kickstarter here for £10 less!
But who is the squirrel cop of the hour? Detective Cox awakes with a battered notebook, amnesia and an unshakeable sense of justice. Once he dusts himself off, Cox explores the town of Orchard Under Hill, a quiet village set in the footsteps of giant humans, where the animals of No Stone Unturned reside.
A rich and strange mirror of the English countryside, this beautifully rendered world includes aptly appley-named locales like The Rotten Apple, Big Red’s Brewery and even a Village Church for players to explore.
With over 30 hours of gameplay, No Stone Unturned is built upon RPG mechanics and fast-paced minigames — bound together by absurdist humour. Take a break from the hard work of investigating for a spot of fishing or pub games at the local inn, or even try your hand at a Zelda-like temple. Don’t dally for too long, however – there are six challenging cases to solve in No Stone Unturned. From the curious case of ‘Cat Got Your Tongue’ to ‘The Owl Hoo Knew Too Much’, it’s safe to say that Cox is on the case.
For more about the game, check out the noir-esque trailer below:
With over £25,000 raised, head over to Kickstarter and snag a discounted copy of the game until it ends on November 23, or wishlist on Steam and get ready to solve a mystery most fowl.
Wise Monkey Ltd
Gareth Owens (the game’s creator) started out at 15 years old as a freelance script writer for the Film Industry whilst lying about his age, before becoming an Escape Room designer for the best interactive experiences in London. With two police detective parents and old comedy cassettes to inspire him, he turned his creative efforts to Mystery and Detective fiction. Thanks to a love for video games and the Film Industry feeling “doomed by streaming”, Gareth began learning to make games. Many years later, his debut release is coming soon with the help of a very small remote team of industry professionals and worldwide artists.
No Mic Needed, Just Sing to Start! Pre-Order Now to Prepare to Sing & Dance to A Star-Studded Setlist Including Never Ending Story, Dancing Queen, & Sweet Caroline
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – November 18, 2024 – Always Blue Games confirmed today that its all-new karaoke VR game will be launching on December 5, 2024. Created for the Meta Quest, Songbird invites players to experience the thrill of singing and rhythmic dancing in an interactive, colorful world known as Nestopia. Play your way by choosing your mode style: Performance, Quick Play or Rehearsal. No audience pressure! Songbird is designed for an uplifting experience with dozens of adorable characters cheering you along your journey.
Preorder on the Meta Quest Store for a 20% discount or Wishlist Songbird to be notified as soon as it’s available!
MEDIA NOTE: Press members interested in pre-release access to Songbird, please email Tracie Kennedy ([email protected]).
Created by the musical minds behind the groundbreaking rhythm game Guitar Hero, Songbird features a curated setlist of 33 iconic tracks with hits from global superstars like Billie Eilish, ABBA, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, and more! With a New Song Pack each month the music never stops. Today seven more songs were revealed, including:
Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline
Laufey – From The Start
The Interrupters – Raised By Wolves
Evanescence – Bring Me To Life
B.o.B feat. Bruno Mars – Nothin’ On You
Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
Lorde – Royals
and more!
Key Features of Songbird:
Engaging VR World: Explore the enchanting world of Nestopia, where your voice brings the landscape to life. From a lush and cozy garden to a magical snow globe wonderland, each stage is designed to immerse you in the music.
Revolutionary Note Tracking:Songbird features a seamless, non-intrusive note tracking system that adapts to your voice and lets you focus on the performance—whether you’re belting out your favorite tunes or just humming along.
Real-Time Scoring & Multiplier Gameplay: Improve your vocal skills while earning points and boosting your performance with dynamic multipliers. The more on-point your singing, the more vibrant the world of Nestopia becomes.
Easy Setup & Playability: Put on your Meta Quest headset and start singing! No extra equipment is required. Whether you’re looking for casual fun or a more challenging experience, Songbird offers multiple difficulty levels to suit all players.
Songbird was designed and created by the rhythm game visionaries at Always Blue Games in collaboration with the genius minds at Muteki Games Collective. This original karaoke game has stunning visuals, a vast song library, and easy-to-jump-into gameplay. It’s the ultimate choice for music lovers and VR enthusiasts alike. Find your voice, unleash your inner star and join the karaoke revolution with Songbird— find your voice to bring the magic of music to life.
Songbird will be available for download on Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 2, and Meta Quest Pro. Players can wishlist now by visiting the Meta Quest Store page here.
Based in the Bay Area, Always Blue Games The founders and creative talent at Always Blue Games have been responsible for some of the best selling music games of all time, including the Guitar Hero franchise, Rock Band Unplugged and many more. With decades of experience in rhythm game design and massively successful post-launch marketing efforts, this all-star collective has helped shape modern rhythm gaming as we know it.
About Muteki Games Collective
Muteki Games Collective has been bringing the joy of games to players since the days of the original Nintendo Game Boy. We put love and care into everything we do from the biggest AAA console releases to the most unique indie games.
New illustration by beloved artist Benitama and new trailer also unveiled!
Hertfordshire,18th November 2024 – Today, KOEI TECMO Europe and developer Gust revealed new details about the gameplay of their upcoming JRPG, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land. Players can also discover the new artwork by beloved artist Benitama and catch a glimpse of the adventure that awaits them in a brand-new trailer. Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will be available on 21st March 2025 on Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Windows PC via Steam® and, for the first time in franchise history, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Discover the second trailer of Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land on YouTube
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land follows the adventures of Yumia Liessfeldt and her companions as they set off to unravel the mysteries behind the cataclysm that destroyed the once great continent of Aladiss, resulting in alchemy becoming taboo. Mysterious characters obsessed with alchemy such as a Noble in a Black Cloak, a Monocular Werewolf, a Sheep-Eye Witch, and a Dragon-Winged Warrior, stand in Yumia’s way.
To prepare for the adventure ahead, players will rediscover the Atelier franchise’s signature synthesising system in a fresh form by manipulating “mana” to create new items useful in combat or exploration. To create more powerful items, fans will have to master the art of “Resonance Synthesis” by adding ingredients which resonate with each other to the “Alchemy Core” of the recipe. The strength of the resonance will depend on the quality of the ingredients selected.
The combat system has also been revamped in Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land to offer intense real-time combat with intuitive gameplay. The skills available to active team members will depend on their distance from the enemy (close or ranged combat). Compared to previous instalments, players can now move or interchange characters at any time during the fight. When certain conditions are met, a powerful “Friend Action” combo can be unleashed in battle. By meeting certain conditions, players will be able to activate “Mana Surge”, which will allow for exclusive actions to be performed. In addition, each character will have a unique special move, “Maximize Mana Surge”, which can inflict significant damage on enemies.
Journeying alongside Yumia and her friends, players will explore the vast open world of the Aladiss continent. As they travel, they will be able to build their own bases. Thanks to the new “Building” feature, fans will freely be able to create and decorate their atelier from a vast choice of walls, floors, roofs, furniture, and more, or choose to select a predefined base model from the catalogue. By increasing the “comfort level” of their atelier, players will unlock bonuses such as the ability to develop their base and enhance the skills of Yumia and her companions.
Lastly, if players do not wish to return to their base during exploration, they will be able to set up a camp where they can spend time cooking, which will provide various benefits during exploration and combat, or resting. Certain character events that can only be seen at camps will sometimes occur, providing greater insight into Yumia and her companions.
In addition to the standard edition, players can pre-order two special physical editions; the PREMIUM BOX that includes the base game*, an artbook, a B3-size cloth poster with original illustration, a CD with extra tracks, and the exclusive early access costume for Yumia “Alchemist of her day off”. The SPECIAL COLLECTION BOX includes all the content from the PREMIUM BOX as well as a handkerchief in the style of the Aladiss Research Team bandana, an A1-size tapestry with original illustration, a set of 6 decorative keychains, a set of 6 special clear file folders, a special sticker sheet, Yumia’s precious stuffed animal, an official short story and accompanying translation booklet.
Everyone who purchases either a physical or digital edition up to two weeks after release will receive the “Athlete of Memories” early purchase costume for Yumia, the “Floating Object of Memories” costume for Flammi, and the unique “Training Wrist Weight” equipment.
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will be available on 21st March 2025 on Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Window PC via Steam®. The game will include Japanese voices with English, French, German and Spanish texts.
KOEI TECMO EUROPE LTD. is a publisher of interactive entertainment software for current generation consoles, handhelds and digital download content based in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, UK. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD., headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. KOEI TECMO’s best known for their signature ‘one versus thousands’ Warriors series, the fan-favourite NINJA GAIDEN and fighting entertainment title DEAD OR ALIVE. Through collaboration with strong existing franchises, such as A.O.T. Wings of Freedom (Attack on Titan), has brought fan-favourite shows to life in video game form. The company’s desire for innovation and diversity has seen the creation of the critically acclaimed dark-samurai action title Nioh, which takes on new and unique gameplay styles. The company’s acquisition of Gust, developer of a variety of heart-warming titles, has seen their flagship Atelier series span generations of consoles and fans alike. More information about KOEI TECMO EUROPE LTD and its products can be found at www.koeitecmoeurope.com
There have been many different spin-offs featuring Mario and his various allies throughout the years but one that has always remained fairly consistent are the Mario & Luigi RPGs. Or at least they were, until the series vanished for nearly nine years and its original developer, AlphaDream, was shuttered. Now Nintendo has teamed up with a new development team to bring the brothers back together for their first RPG on an actual home console. Well, console/handheld hybrid, with Mario & Luigi: Brothership arriving for the Switch. With a new team behind the wheel and plenty of time between releases, will this latest Mario & Luigi game live up to expectations?
Story
Out of nowhere a number of mysterious portals appear in the Mushroom Kingdom and not only are Mario and Luigi sucked into the vortex but Peach, Bowser, and a large number of Bowser’s subjects are as well. After a brief period of separation, Mario and Luigi find themselves reunited on an island that is capable of traveling the ocean they find themselves on, Shipshape Island. The Mario Brothers soon meet up with a resident from the island named Connie that explains that the world they find themselves in now is called Concordia and that the lands used to be united by the powerful Uni-tree that connected everyone. That is until an unknown and malevolent force destroyed the Uni-tree and split the lands apart, isolating villages from one another.
With Connie, who happens to be a “Wattanist” planting a new Uni-tree on Shipshape island, it is up to The Mario Bros. to launch themselves, literally out of a cannon, at the islands they pass by and reconnect them to the Uni-tree in an effort to reunite the world. Along the way they’ll encounter not only a number of different kinds of residents and those seeking to rejoin the grander world, but also discover the truth behind what destroyed the Uni-tree to begin with and the sinister plot behind it all.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership tells a fairly simple and easy to understand story that isn’t afraid to take a few twists and turns with big reveals, especially past the halfway point. The primary focuses are of course on uniting with one another and creating bonds, especially the bonds of family and rising to meet expectations. There is some drama mixed in here and there but for the most part the story is light and has plenty of little bits of comedy mixed in, nevermind the fact that nearly every aspect of the Concordian world, be it names or objects, are electrical puns or designs. There are even a solid number of side-quests and bits of optional story content to take part, albeit with minimal actual developments.
Unfortunately, despite finding a great balance between comedic moments and some more dramatic twists here and there with big reveals, Mario & Luigi: Brothership manages to suffer quite a bit from two very specific issues, which is rather surprising since the two rarely coincide with one another. The first issue is the fact that the story is incredibly slow to get going, with some of the first major and important reveals taking far too long to actually happen and kickstart the pace. This is then combined with the fact that the game feels rather padded to try and stretch the runtime far longer than it should. This is usually not a problem with an RPG, however Brothership manages to repeat certain plot elements and even character interactions can have some of them explaining the same piece of information multiple times over. This latter issue may be due to the game targeting a younger audience, to try and make sure they catch what the writers are going for and want them to do next, but it grows to be rather tiresome, often dragging the pace of the game’s plot.
Gameplay
The gameplay loop for Mario & Luigi: Brothership is fairly straightforward but quite interesting simply thanks to the amount of variety on offer when it comes to the places players will be exploring. Mario and Luigi will be shooting themselves out of a cannon to different lands and meeting the people there, battling their way through and figuring out the problems of that current location before finally making it to the land’s lighthouse and connecting it back to Shipshape.Shipshape itself serves as the main hub for players to use and any islands that the players connect to it can instantly be fast-traveled back to, which is helpful since many different side-quests and new pathways only open up after the island has been reconnected to the freshly planted Uni-tree. Perhaps one of the strangest mechanics in the game at Shipshape is one that the developers can’t even end up sticking with, as initially players will find that they will need to wait a specific amount of real world time when charting a course to a new island, having to spend this time either going back to old islands to do side-quests or simply kill enemies, Eventually the speed of the island can be increased, sharply reducing travel time which brings up the question as to why include it in the first place.
Anyways, once out in the field and exploring, players will be able to control Mario with Luigi following behind and while it is possible to have Mario jump with A and Luigi B, Luigi will usually stick close by without any need for extra commands as he does have some mind of his own in this entry. In fact, this mind of his can goa bit into overdrive at times and help players solve certain environmental puzzles and target a boss’ weak points for massive damage. These moments are called “Luigi Logic” and appear fairly frequently when Luigi is seen pondering a possible solution. Simply tapping L will then send Luigi off to head out and put his ideas to good use and it is an entertaining mechanic, especially with how fun the celebration and Luigi’s actions tend to be during these sequences.
Eventually, players will also gain a number of special abilities called Bros. Moves and these allow for special open world traversal options that can be used to solve puzzles or reach previously unreachable items or platforms. While we won’t spoil just how ridiculous some of the Bros. Moves can look like in exploration, it must be noted that not only are there a number of new moves but also a few returning ones from past entries that fans will love. Bros. Moves aren’t only usable during exploration however, there are also certain moves that are only available for use in the game’s combat system.
Speaking of which, Mario & Luigi: Brothership makes use of the same turn-based style that fans are familiar with but it has been modified slightly. Yes, once again players will have Mario attack with A and Luigi B, but they act far more in sync with one another. Standard attacks will allow the brothers to back each other up through well-timed prompts that allow for players to deal maximum damage to an enemy with alternating timing depending on which character is the primary attacker. Similarly, the game puts a lot of emphasis on dodging and counter attacking enemies. There is an emergency guard button should players feel like using it, but the best way to take on combat is to figure out each enemy’s attack pattern and properly time their dodging jump so that either Mario or Luigi will land on them, dealing extra counter attack damage. This helps keep fights interesting and dynamic, always making sure to keep players on their toes as long as they aren’t too overpowered and simply demolishing their enemies after certain points. The flashy Bros. Moves are also impressive in combat, offering some truly spectacular looking attacks. The game is far from challenging, but players will need to make the most out of these mechanics to actually survive certain fights, especially those that we can’t talk about as they’ll be in for a world of hurt otherwise. That being said, players can make use of multiple save slots and even just retry the battle if they happen to fall in combat.
Outside of standard equipment that players can equip onto Mario and Luigi, which is honestly rather disappointing in nature as it offers zero cosmetic change outside of swapping weapon types, the primary equipment players will be using happens to be the brand new “Battle Plugs.” Initially Mario and Luigi can only have a couple of plugs equipped at a time but eventually will gain the ability to have more usable at once. These Battle Plugs serve as various boosts to the brothers’ skills, sometimes offering something as simple as making every attack an “excellent” one or triggering an AoE effect when landing a perfect move. There are also augment plugs that boost certain stats or make attacking or defending far easier and what makes things interesting is that these Battle Plugs can be swapped out at any time during combat.
The downside to them is that they only have so many charges before they need to be recharged over the course of many turns. Oddly enough, players cannot “charge” a Battle Plug unless they drain it entirely, forcing players to drain their favorite resource if they want to make use of it properly after a period of time, rather than laying off of using it for a bit.Late game Battle Plugs offer a large amount of variety and ways to really customize the way that players want to take on certain challenges. There are even certain plugs that augment other ones, really making it so players can try to minmax if they wish. That being said, there is a bit of an issue here as once players find what works for them, there is very little reason to branch out to new plugs which is quite a shame as some offer some truly powerful abilities that need a bit of experimentation to work right, though we can’t say what they are here. This gives Mario & Luigi: Brothership’s combat a surprising level of depth even if it does start to feel a bit “samey” after a while as the brothers only have so many little upgrades that they can gain and the amount of combat in the game is surprisingly high for modern RPG standards..
Audio & Visuals
Thanks to the fact that Mario & Luigi: Brothership is the first game to actually be released on a console, the developers were able to pull a lot more emotion and expressions out of Mario and Luigi here. The expressions the two make throughout the game, including some actual cutscenes, are incredibly emotive and quite humorous at times. There is also an impressive amount of variety when it comes to the places players will be exploring and the enemies that they will be facing down in these locations. That being said, the Switch does have some issues handling some of the busier areas in the game, often experiencing a bit of slowdown, and this can also happen during some of the flashier attacks which can be problematic given how important timing is for most moves.
As for the voice work, there really isn’t much unfortunately. While Mario and Luigi will spend plenty of time yelling each other’s name and there are also small voice barks from other characters, the game’s dialogue is simply presented as gibberish which is unfortunate. The soundtrack is as catchy and enjoyable as one would hope for a Mario game and there are a number of great tracks to go with the wide variety of biomes players will venture through.
Overall
Mario & Luigi: Brothership manages to be a mostly successful return to form for a beloved spin-off RPG series that sees everyone’s favorite plumbers in a brand new adventure all while working together to pull through. Once the story finally gets going it delivers a fairly satisfying, albeit padded, tale with some positive themes and a few worthwhile twists to keep players on their toes. Combine that with a wonderful combat system that has plenty of customization depth and Brothership looks to be a solid offering for fans of the franchise or even Mario in general, but it is far from smooth sailing for this returning spin-off series.
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Operation Collision Point brings robust changes to anticheat, an Operator remaster, PC & console crossplay, Siege Cup, and more gameplay updates
Sydney, Australia — Nov 18, 2024 — Today, Ubisoft revealed the final season of Rainbow Six Siege’s Year 9, Operation Collision Point. This season kicks into high gear with significant improvements to player protection and anticheat, PC and console crossplay, a remaster of Blackbeard, Siege Cup Beta on all platforms, and more quality-of-life updates.
Player protection and anticheat receives several updates this season, including improved cheater detection to ensure fairness. With the arrival of PC & console crossplay, players with a Mousetrap Penalty will be forced into the PC-matchmaking pool for 90 days. If crossplay is turned off, these players will be unable to join matchmaking until the option is turned back on. Additionally, matches with a detected cheater will be automatically canceled with no impact on MMR. These changes reflect Rainbow Six Siege’s ongoing commitment to player protection.
Year 9 Season 4 brings a long-awaited update to Rainbow Six Siege: the arrival of PC and console crossplay! Players will now be able to Squad up and play with friends from other platforms seamlessly. Console players will have the option to join the PC player pool, and squads including a PC player will be automatically moved to the PC-matchmaking pool. However, PC players will not have the option to join the console matchmaking pool. Console players who play Ranked playlists with crossplay active will maintain a PC rank that is separate from their console rank.
Operation Collision Point unveils the new and improved Blackbeard and his H.U.L.L. Adaptable Shield gadget. Capable of expanding and contracting for use on foot and in rappel, Blackbeard’s upgraded gadget provides him with cover wherever he goes with its impressive ability to breach walls. With his renewed shield, Blackbeard can take on the enemy team, create new strategies, and open new lines of attack while remaining protected during his charge. Blackbeard is a two one speed, two three health Operator whose loadout features a MK17 CQB or SR-25 as a primary weapon and a D-50 as a secondary weapon.
Get ready to assemble your Squad with the release of Siege Cup beta on all platforms. Available to all players above Clearance Level 50, Siege Cup is our most competitive playlist, where 5-player squads compete in skill-based ladder tournaments for Competitive Coins that can be used to unlock exclusive skin collections every two weeks.
This season also features changes to Ballistic Shields as well as balancing updates for Attacking Operators Ying and Sens. The number of bullets needed to suppress Shield Operators have been reduced to add value to suppressive fire and improve Shield Operator counterplay. This allows suppression to occur sooner and last for a longer duration. Operators will not take damage from melee attacks while shielded, but guard break intensity from melee attacks will remain the same. Ying’s rush has been changed to encourage more precise gameplay in addition to Sens’ R.O.U. Projectors update that allows for more flexible and creative play.
Other updates this season include additional player protection changes that bolster the Rainbow Six Siege experience. The Reputation Center has been overhauled to provide a clearer overview of how different actions affect player standing and thresholds for receiving warnings or penalties. Account-related information such as rank, reputation, and match replays will also be concentrated in the new Career hub, with account stats coming soon. Finally, players can now flaunt their accomplishments in-game. Each time a player completes a new set of challenges, they are awarded a badge to honor their skill and dedication, which can be showcased on their Operator Card.
Rainbow Six Siege is now available to play on Ubisoft+, Ubisoft’s subscription service*, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, the Xbox One family of consoles, Xbox Series X | S, Windows PC, including on Steam, and Amazon Luna*.
For the latest news on Rainbow Six Siege and other Ubisoft games, please visit news.ubisoft.com. To purchase Rainbow Six Siege, please visit store.ubisoft.com. For more information about Year 9, visit rainbow6.com/Roadmap.
*Ubisoft+ on Luna requires account linking and a Multi-Access plan. Territorial restrictions apply.
About Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
Alongside a thriving professional esports scene and a community of over 80 million registered players, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege puts players in the middle of a fast-paced, ever-evolving multiplayer experience grounded in the selection of unique Operators. Using the right mix of tactics and destruction, Rainbow Six teams engage their enemies in sieges, where both sides have exclusive skills and gadgets at their disposal. Defenders prepare by transforming the environments around them into modern strongholds, while attackers use recon drones to gain intel for carefully planning their assault. With access to dozens of Operators inspired by real world counter-intelligence agents from around the globe, players can choose exactly how they want to approach each challenge they encounter. Through the constant addition of new Operators and maps that add to the depth of both strategy and combat, the unpredictability of each round of Rainbow Six Siege sets a new bar for intensity and competition in gaming.
About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a creator of worlds, committed to enriching players’ lives with original and memorable entertainment experiences. Ubisoft’s global teams create and develop a deep and diverse portfolio of games, featuring brands such as Assassin’s Creed®, Brawlhalla®, For Honor®, Far Cry®, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon®, Just Dance®, Rabbids®, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six®, The Crew® and Tom Clancy’s The Division®. Through Ubisoft Connect, players can enjoy an ecosystem of services to enhance their gaming experience, get rewards and connect with friends across platforms. With Ubisoft+, the subscription service, they can access a growing catalog of more than 100 Ubisoft games and DLC. For the 2022–23 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €1,739 million. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com.
