Scavenge, struggle, and survive against the undead masses
WELLINGTON, NZ – Oct. 28, 2024 –Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days, the shelter survival game set in a zombie-infested Texas city from PikPok, launches its first-ever Steam demo today. Face fears and overcome the undead in the demo ahead of the Early Access launch in 2025.
Take to the streets of Walton, Texas, in 1980 during an undead outbreak. As law and order give way to chaos and confusion, those trapped within the city limits must band together to try and stay alive. Recruit survivors to the cause, sending members on harrowing scavenging missions for much-needed resources and building up a shelter in an attempt to survive each night.
Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days’ debut playable demo blends survival horror exploration and shelter management mechanics. Set out from your shelter and search for weapons, food, and building materials in dangerous locations throughout Walton. Creep past undead inhabitants, carefully avoiding detection before attempting to return home safely. Or tempt fate and go on the offensive against enemies, utilizing melee weapons and firearms to thin the hoard.
Expand and improve your shelter with scavenged materials for a temporary reprieve from the impending apocalypse. Recruit new survivors encountered in the city, each with their own positive and negative traits, but consider carefully who to trust and bring into the fold as the tension ratchets higher with each passing day. As time advances, your survivors will discover different leads to uncover additional locations, fellow survivors, and maybe even ways to escape the city.
“Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days is an exciting new installment in the franchise,” said Mario Wynands, CEO of PikPok. “As development progresses towards our 2025 Early Access launch, we’re excited to be able to share the first-ever public demo of the game, available from today. We can’t wait for players to get a taste of what we are building, and are excited to get feedback and impressions.”
The Into The Dead: Our Darkest Days demo is now available on Steam for PC. The game will launch on PC via Steam Early Access in 2025. For more information about Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days, visit the official website and follow the game on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and Discord.
About PikPok
PikPok® is a leading developer and publisher of critically acclaimed games across PC, console, and mobile. We give players rich gaming experiences with intuitive gameplay, highly polished art, and immersive audio design. Our 200-person strong team across New Zealand and Colombia have created the Into the Dead® series, the Rival Stars® franchise, the BAFTA-nominated Super Monsters Ate My Condo™, and the critically acclaimed Shatter® and Shatter Remastered Deluxe®, plus many more.
For many, the Clock Tower series is one that they have either never heard of or have only the faintest knowledge of as the horror franchise hasn’t received a new release in over two decades outside of two spiritual successors, one of which some may recognize since it’s often thought that a certain “that dog” from Capcom happened to reference a main ally in one of these successors, Haunting Ground. Even then, the original Clock Tower was left untouched for nearly thirty years as it was only ever released in Japan for the SNES but that has all changed thanks to WayForward. Often thought as one of the influences on creating the survival horror genre, now that this point and click horror game has arrived in the West after nearly thirty years with some updates as Clock Tower: Rewind, is it worth checking out?
Story
Jennifer Simpson and three other orphans have found themselves luckily adopted by the wealthy Simon Barrows that lives on a distant mountain in a large mansion named Clock Tower thanks to the prominent clock tower in the middle of it. The woman accompanying them, Mary, leaves to find Mr. Barrows and when she is gone for a long time, Jennifer decides to investigate, leaving her celebrating friends behind. Once she leaves the room however, a loud scream is heard and she returns to find the room dark and all of her friends are gone. It doesn’t take long before one of these friends is murdered by a monstrous little man wielding a giant pair of scissors called the Scissorman.
With this murderous child appearing at random and even jumping out from boxes, curtains, or even straight through the ceiling, Jennifer must do everything she can to survive all while trying to figure out what exactly is happening in this mansion. Clock Tower: Rewind tells a tense and spooky story albeit… an anemic one that focuses more around spooking players with the ever present threat of the Scissorman and the creepy locations and other horrors that Jennifer comes across. There are various documents that players can find throughout the game that provide extra context behind the mysteries but some of the horrors always remain unexplained.
Perhaps the most interesting, as well as the most confusing element about Clock Tower: Rewind, as it was in the original version of the game, is the fact that it sports not just a few different endings, but nine different endings though many of these are just small variations depending on whether or not players were able to discover certain secrets or take certain actions throughout their current run. As such, the game focuses heavily on replaying the title to see what might change, especially since some item locations and required items for progression change from playthrough to playthrough.
Gameplay
Clock Tower: Rewind is very much a product of its time and it was created before the genre “survival horror” really existed. Rather the title is a point and click adventure horror game where players have only a few controls available to them as they explore the mansion and try to survive. This includes using the shoulder buttons to direct Jennifer to head left or right, using their joystick or D-pad controlled cursor to find objects in the environment to interact with, sitting down and catching a breather to recover stamina, and occasionally taking items out of her inventory to use to solve a problem.Now it is worth noting there are a couple options open to players when they start the game as the option to play the classic 1995 version, bug and all, is fully available while the Rewind option that offers a couple extra rooms, scenes, and hiding places that were cut from the original release.
Both versions of the game offer the helpful ability to make Jennifer run at any time, speeding up the actual exploration immensely despite her slow jog, and the ability to rewind to possibly fix a deadly mistake. The rewind feature is a nice little addition as it can help players avoid running into Scissorman or even triggering an appearance from him but it is often far too short to actually be worthwhile since the most players can rewind at a time is around six or seven seconds and given Jennifer’s slow pace when interacting with things, it rarely feels helpful. The option to save the entire state of the game at any time is a nice help, though it is worth noting that these saves work similar to a “save state” than a proper save, meaning that anything they reload won’t carry unlocked content over such as completed endings for that save, helping to ensure that players play through the game multiple times to see everything.
Along these same lines it is worth noting that there are tons of odd little puzzles and items to obtain throughout Clock Tower: Rewind and in true to form fashion for the point and click genre, many of these puzzles are quite obscure at first and might even lead to a “Dead End” if done too soon or after completing another task. Similarly completing some tasks or discovering some clue might remove another one from the game entirely, making sure to try and make every runthrough of the title feel different, especially since it enjoys moving some items around as mentioned before.
Another far more randomized aspect in this version of the game is the fact that Scissorman is far more active than before, appearing at random many times throughout the game. This is a far cry from the scripted appearances that would make him only appear if players interacted with certain useless items or objects, now he might leap out of a box randomly, shatter through the ceiling, or simply appear in the hall and start stalking Jennifer until she finds either a hiding place or a trap that can be used to send him off of her tail for the moment. It is interesting to note that it is possible to push the Scissorman down when he is attacking Jennifer by mashing the “panic” button that players will need to do whenever her portrait starts flashing red, which happens in other parts of the title as well, but it does appear rather random when this will work or not. Sometimes Jennifer will reach up to try and defend herself at the cost of stamina, other times she’ll simply take the scissors to the stomach and die even when she has full stamina.
One incredibly annoying aspect of Clock Tower: Rewind happens to be its cursor and the complete lack of control players have over its sensitivity. It comes as a rather shocking surprise that there is no way to turn down the sensitive nature of the cursor which moves far too quickly at times to find the “sweet spot” on certain items hidden in the environment or even when it comes to running away from Scissorman. Having to flee and locate a safe spot inside a room only for the cursor to fail to properly land on the interaction point is incredibly annoying, either that or using an item in time to avoid death from other obstacles as well, especially since some are far from clear. These moments tend to be where rewind is most useful as players can rewind and take aim again for the proper interaction point though that is likely far from what it was meant to be primarily used for.
Outside of the game players will find a pretty solid offering of bonus content provided with the game. This includes a brand new interview with the original director Hifumi Kono for this game specifically that ends up running nearly fifty minutes in length, though it is broken up into specific questions, a number of motion comics that players can unlock by reaching the specific scenes that they would usually show that have been translated and voiced in English, and plenty of original Japanese scans. This includes the original game’s box art and promo materials, snippets of a strategy guide, and even some short snippets of the game in the original Japanese that were provided to demo the title at the time. There is also a jukebox of sorts that allows players to listen to all of the game’s sound effects and music from the menu screen, including the newly recorded opening song.
Audio & Visuals
For the most part Clock Tower: Rewind still looks very similar to the original release though there have been some small touch-ups to make everything just a bit more presentable while exploring the mansion. The real highlights of new content come from the animated opening introduction that looks quite wonderful. Those who want a more authentic experience can play with a CRT filter on the screen and even shrink the screen size down to various sizes if they want. There are also a number of side-panels to choose from to help fill in the black space surrounding the screen should players want it.
The atmospheric noises and background music that plays whenever something scary is happening or Jennifer is being pursued is quite thrilling and it must be said that the composer really nailed the haunting aspect of the mansion even with the classic bit-tracks used throughout. Hearing Scissorman’s pursuing theme kick off whenever he appears at a distance or pops out of nowhere will haunt players throughout the game and send chills up their spine. Earlier it was mentioned that a brand new opening theme for the game was recorded and it must be said that the song sounds absolutely wonderful, accompanying the animated opening as well as the main menu, the vocals really feel like they fit the horror and plight of Jennifer in the title.
Overall
It is clear that Clock Tower: Rewind is still very much a product of its time and is still held back by many of the limitations at the time as well. This is more like a slightly enhanced release of the original rather than anything else, as its added bonus content is enjoyable but mostly found outside the game itself while the game’s mechanics remain the same and, while certainly spooky and confusing at times, doesn’t really offer too much in the way of storyline beyond a few reveals tied to the best endings. Clock Tower: Rewind’s emphasis on replayability and randomizing certain things makes sure that multiple playthroughs remain fresh feeling despite all taking place in the same location and while it would have been nice to see WayForward put some more effort into quality of life elements beyond a near-useless rewind and the ability to run at all times, this is is a solid horror game that delivers scares and the feeling of helplessness like few modern titles do.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Starting today, The Elder Scrolls Online Update 44 is available for free on PC/Mac. This latest update introduces a series of improvements and additions to The Elder Scrolls Online including upgrades to the Battlegrounds PvP mode and introduces two new Companions.
As a base-game update, Update 44 is now available on PC/Mac with Xbox and PlayStation consoles receiving the update on November 13. More details on what’s featured in this update can be found below.
Update 44 introduces big changes to the fast-paced combat of ESO’s PvP Battlegrounds. In this update, Battlegrounds are shifting to two-sided PvP matches, instead of the traditional three-sided. At launch, there will be two main Battlegrounds match types:
4v4—a competitive mode between two teams of four
8v8—a standard mode featuring powerups and two teams of eight
The traditional 4v4v4 game mode will no longer be available for queues; however, it may return in the future for limited times during special mini-PvP events. This new two-sided format also includes seven brand-new maps to battle your fellow players within.
Update 44 also introduces two brand-new Companions to ESO: Tanlorin and Zerith-var. Tanlorin is a scrappy High Elf who mixes Soul Magic with Dragonknight abilities, while the stoic Khajiit Zerith-var utilises the power of Necromancy. At launch, you can acquire both new allies for free with an active ESO Plus membership or purchase them with crowns from the in-game Crown Store.
For all the details on Update 44, be sure to check out the official blog post here. The complete list of fixes, improvements, and additions can be found on the official forums here.
Gaijin Entertainment announces that the online military shooter War Thunder will receive the “Firebirds” major content update in early November. Its main stars are the American F-117 stealth attack aircraft, the Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber and its American competitor – the F-15E Strike Eagle. In addition, dozens of other military vehicles will debut in it, such as the British FV107 Scimitar light tank and the French battleship Dunkerque.
The F-117A Nighthawk is the first aircraft in War Thunder to implement stealth technology. As in reality, it will have reduced IR and radar signatures, which makes interception much more difficult (but, as practice has shown, does not make it impossible). The aircraft looks futuristic, and the design is dictated precisely by reducing visibility: the geometry of the fuselage and wing is designed to reflect electromagnetic waves away from the radiation source. In addition, the F-117 uses radar-absorbing materials and ferromagnetic paint, and the engine nozzles are hidden by complex shielding mechanisms. Today, the aircraft has already been withdrawn from service, but during Operation Desert Storm, the F-117As made more than 1,200 combat sorties and did not suffer a single loss.
The F-15E Strike Eagle is a strike version of the F-15 fighter. The payload has increased by almost 50%, a ground target detection radar has been added, and the arsenal of available weapons has expanded. The F-15E Strike Eagle can use AGM-65 Maverick missiles, various types of laser and conventional guided bombs, bombs with navigation and guidance modules (JDAM), and new GBU-39 satellite-guided bombs (up to 20 at a time!). The F-15E remains one of the main strike aircraft of the US Air Force to this day.
You can learn more about the new content and other features of the “Firebirds” update from the devblogs on the official website of the game.
About Gaijin Entertainment
Gaijin Entertainment is the developer and publisher of the online games War Thunder, Crossout, Enlisted, CRSED: F.O.A.D. and Star Conflict as well as other PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, iOS and Android titles across several genres. The company’s diverse portfolio has received a range of mass media and game industry awards including such as Gamescom Award and many more. Official website: http://gaijinent.com/
About War Thunder
War Thunder is a free-to-play, cross-platform, massively multiplayer military masterpiece with millions of fans worldwide, that allows players on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Mac and Linux to fight their way across air, land, and sea in the same battlefield. War Thunder offers 2000+ playable aircraft, armored vehicles and ships from the 1900s to the 2010s. The US, Russian, British, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Swedish, Israeli, South African and French military vehicles represented in game are carefully researched, historically accurate recreations of their real world counterparts. Fans can expect hundreds more added as Gaijin Entertainment commits to ongoing development via regular updates. Official website: http://warthunder.com
October 28th, Cracow, Poland. This expansion will debut later this year, on the 5 December 2024, inviting players into the world of long hairstyles, where they can showcase their skills in crafting intricate, trendy styles and create entirely new, stylish masterpieces!
The Long Hair DLC allows players to perfect the art of styling and caring for long hair, introducing fresh gameplay mechanics that include crafting complex styles and fulfilling various client requests. From repairing split ends to creating voluminous curls or sleek, straight looks, the Long Hair DLC gives players complete control over every detail, letting them set trends and become the ultimate stylist in town.
Additional features include:
15 new hairstyles inspired by the latest trends, such as the Butterfly Cut, Curtain Bangs with Layers, and the Wolf Cut.
A pastel-themed salon by the seaside, providing a relaxing atmosphere for clients.
Three new storyline characters bring unique challenges and stories that add depth and excitement to the salon.
To make the wait for the new DLC more enjoyable, the developers have prepared an all-new trailer showcasing gameplay elements and giving players a glimpse of what to expect from the Long Hair DLC!
About Hairdresser Simulator – Long Hair DLC
Hairdressing is a craft filled with endless possibilities, and the Long Hair DLC for Hairdresser Simulator takes it to the next level by introducing a fresh range of styling challenges and tools. This new addition lets players dive into the art of long hair, where precision, creativity, and mastery are essential for crafting head-turning styles.
The Long Hair DLC transforms your salon experience, adding precision and flair to every appointment. Styling long hair requires patience, creativity, and the right tools, and you’ll find it all here. With access to a full set of professional hairdressing equipment, you’ll be prepared to tackle even the boldest requests. Whether your clients dream of Hollywood-style waves or daring new cuts, you’ll have what it takes to fulfill their unique needs.
What’s inside the Long Hair DLC?
Ability to cut and style long hair: Choose from 15 brand-new, trendy hairstyles, including the Butterfly Cut, Curtain Bangs with Layers, and Wolf Cut. Design your own pastel-themed seaside salon: Open a calm, stylish salon tailored for long hair treatments, where clients can relax and feel at home. Unique storyline characters: Work with three fresh characters, each bringing their own challenges and personal stories, enriching your salon’s atmosphere.
New tools for long hair styling: Use a variety of professional tools to maintain your clients’ hair in top condition and execute intricate, multi-layered cuts. Set trends and make your salon a top destination.
Step into the role of a hair trendsetter, transforming your salon into the most sought-after spot in town for clients with long hair. Not only can you cut, curl, straighten, and style long hair, but you’ll also be tasked with keeping hair healthy and vibrant by preventing split ends and maintaining a natural shine. Every decision you make will shape your client’s look and your salon’s reputation.
The freedom to create and innovate
With Long Hair DLC, your creativity has no limits. This expansion is all about giving you control, so you can layer, volumize, smooth, or experiment with new looks that will set your salon apart. Whether you’re going for voluminous curls or sleek, straight strands, the tools and styles are at your fingertips.
About Hairdresser Simulator
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a legendary hairstylist? Hairdresser Simulator gives you a unique chance to make this dream a reality! Imagine hair with complex physics, designed to behave just like in the real world. Discover the technology developed by us, especially for the game, and check out the crazy hairstyles you can do!
In Hairdresser Simulator elements of simulation, fashion design, and management are combined to create a dynamic playground that lets you dictate trends in the hairdressing industry. The game puts you in the shoes of a newbie hairdresser, providing a detailed experience and varied, challenging gameplay. You will have to divide your time and effort wisely between mastering your professional skills, giving each customer a dream haircut, and managing your own hair salons. To become a top-notch hairstylist, you will need to stay up to date with current fashion trends and learn new hairdressing techniques. Experiment with hair colors, cuts, styles, and trends that push the boundaries of imagination, and build your hairdressing empire from scratch!
With an extensive selection of styling tools and skills, you will have a wide range of options when it comes to your customer’s hair. Unique coloring, asymmetrical cut, brush modeling, or straightening? There are plenty of ways to appeal to customers – their positive opinions will support building up the virtual salon’s reputation.
There are two kinds of customers you will meet in Hairdresser Simulator. The first one comes with specific requirements regarding a hairdo, and the second one – on the contrary! Thanks to an extensive in-game character creator you will be able to create any character you want. Choose the color and condition of their hair, customize the face, select clothes… Create your very own character!
Hairdresser Simulator comes with an exciting set of features:
Choose from 10 hairdressing tools, like scissors, clippers, straighteners, curling irons or combs
Master your skills in 10 hairdressing techniques – thinning, dyeing, straightening, curling, brushing, and more
Use extensive in-game character creator and let your imagination go wild
Purchase 9 potential salon locations in need of renovation – like a library or a pub in the basement – and turn them into perfect hair salons
Take good care of 18 customers with individual stories, hand-drawn avatars, and full voice-acting
Take appropriate actions to treat your customers’ hair and improve its health
Manage your hair salon wisely – customize it, hire new employees, set the work schedule, and more
Take care of the reputation of your hair salon
Meet Hairry – an adorable little robot that helps clean up after haircuts.
Frozen Way is a game development studio and publisher from Cracow, Poland. You may know them from co-creating House Flipper with its Pets DLC and Farm DLC, as well as creating and releasing House Flipper VR, co-releasing Builder Simulator on Steam, and co-developing Chornobyl Liquidators. Currently, they are developing Honeycomb: The World Beyond and House Flipper – Dine Out DLC, while also releasing Millennials and Hairdresser Simulator, focusing on the PC market and next-generation consoles. They are a group of friendly people with a passion for video games. Gamedev is their lifestyle and philosophy, so there’s nothing better than seeing their creations bring a lot of joy to the community. In the end, we’re all nerds, aren’t we? https://frozenwaygames.com/
About GameFormatic
They are a game developer and publisher based in Cracow, Poland. With a passion for innovation, they create engaging experiences for their gaming community. As a company, they thrive on the dynamic intersection of commitment, expertise, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, making them a driving force in the ever-evolving landscape of interactive entertainment. https://gameformatic.com/
This year, almost 3300 participants and business attendees gathered in Poznan, Poland, for Eastern Europe’s most important gaming event, as the Game Industry Conference continues to grow and set new records year after year.
Poznan, Poland – October 28th, 2024: Last Sunday, 27.10, the Game Industry Conference (GIC) closed its doors in Poznan, Poland. This year marked the 17th edition of GIC, and the conference has truly established itself as the biggest and most significant business event in the region’s gaming industry. A record number of over 3290 business attendees and participants gathered for hundreds of high-quality talks and networking opportunities.
Over the course of several days, 199 professional talk sessions, panels, and roundtables took place, featuring over 290 speakers across 9 parallel stages – a nearly 50% increase in the number of speakers compared to the 2023 edition. This year’s conference offered more side events than ever before, including Geek Startups & Feedback Battle Royale, Women in Games Day,GameDev Investment Forum, HowToMultiplayer – Dev Summit, GIC Legal Summit powered by dotlaw, and Mobile Summit in partnership with Game Camp and Google. Attendees enjoyed traditional, complimentary city tours showcasing Poznan’s most beautiful landmarks. Every aspect of the event was expertly prepared and executed with the support of generous sponsors and dedicated conference partners.
Beyond hours of lectures and countless meetings, the Game Industry Conference includes an extensive B2B zone, which this year featured a record-setting 57 booths—30% more than in 2023. Major companies, including Larian Studios Warsaw,11 Bit Studios, and Fool’s Theory, participated and opened doors to new candidates during the CEE region’s largest job fair.
Saturday 26 October marked the much-anticipated Central and Eastern European Game Awards (CEEGA), where the top honor went to Croteam for their game Talos Principle 2. These awards were born from the collaboration of 16 industry associations across Eastern Europe, reinforcing the strength and unity of the region’s gaming industry. The full list of award winners is as follows:
Visual Art – Let Bions Be Bygones, by Bohemian Pulp
Audio – Ghostrunner 2, by One More Level
Design – Talos Principle 2, by Croteam
Narrative – Let Bions Be Bygones, by Bohemian Pulp
Technology – Ghostrunner 2, by One More Level
Hidden Gem – Death must die, by Realm Archive
Best Mobile Game – Raccoon Mania, Sun Storm Studio
Best Game – Talos Principle 2, by Croteam
This year, for the first time, the CEEGA Awards featured additional “Code the Rights” awards, presented by Amnesty International in collaboration with industry experts. In the “Best Game” category, nominees included titles released between August 2023 and August 2024 that explore themes of exclusion, acceptance, and equality. The 2024 award was presented to Baldur’s Gate 3 by Larian Studios.
In addition, a Special Award, granted solely at the discretion of Amnesty International, was introduced to recognize games that address significant social issues, regardless of release date. This year, the prize was given to 11 Bit Studios for their impactful game This War of Mine.
“We want to recognize creators who reflect the complexity and diversity of reality—those who don’t shy away from difficult global issues shaping our world, such as social inequalities, armed conflicts, migration, and refugee crises, but approach them with care and thoughtfulness. They use the power of media to offer insightful diagnoses, ask the right questions, and bring important topics into public debate,” said Anna Błaszczak-Banasiak, Director of Amnesty International Poland.
The date of the 2025 edition will be announced in the upcoming weeks. For more information about The Game Industry Conference, please visit https://gic.gd/
The Game Industry Conference once again partnered up with the event networking app GRIP, which not only digitalized the ticketing system but also facilitated the planning of business meetings on-site and online and gave attendees the ability to personalize their event schedule on their mobile devices.
ABOUT GAME INDUSTRY CONFERENCE
The GIC, along with Poznan Game Arena, forms the biggest game event east of Cologne. It features professional knowledge exchange, workshops, roundtables, a B2B exhibition area, GRIP-meetings, Geek Careers recruitment opportunities, and networking parties. Not to mention the Central Eastern Europe Game Awards ceremony, GameDev Investment Forum, and many more. Since its beginnings in 2008, the GIC grew to become one of the most significant events in Europe’s gaming landscape.
Sonic X Shadow Generations isn’t just a remake or a port, it’s a brand-new story on top of one. Join us as we relive some memories with Sonic as well as check out what Shadow has to offer for his journey.
SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS – Gameplay
Shadow the Hedgehog is back with Classic and Modern Sonic in SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS, an all-new collection featuring two unique experiences!
Play as Shadow in a brand-new story campaign featuring never-before-seen abilities that prove why he’s known as the Ultimate Life Form! Speed through iconic stages from Shadow’s history, discover hidden secrets in an expansive hub world, and unlock new powers to take on Black Doom and save the world.
SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS Developer: Sonic Team Publisher: SEGA Platform: Windows, PlayStation 5|4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch Release Date: 25th Oct, 2024 Price: $49.99 USD
Recommended – “Sonic X Shadow Generations is a welcome remake that adds just enough to be worth a re-visit. This is the Sonic we have wanted, and Sega would do well to keep this mascot ticking to this beat.”
The cats have taken over the mansion in this new online platformer party game
28th October 2024 – Team17 Digital and Montreal based Le Catnip Collective, have joined together as a formidably friendly feline focused force to work on Jumping Jazz Cats. It’s what everyone has wanted for a long time, a game where you play as a cat, with your friends!
Key Features:
2-9 players online
4 local players can join via split-screen
6 levels across the mansion to discover
6 cat-GIF inspired mini-games
10 original jazz tracks that influence gameplay during the choruses
Mix and match levels, mini-games and songs for immense variety
Blend of co-operative and competitive strategies
Team17 brought the game to Gamescom this August for some hands-on time with press and are looking forward to sharing Jumping Jazz Cats with even more people.
Ann Hurley, General Manager, Team17 Digital, said: “We’re excited to share that Team17 has partnered with Le Catnip Collective! Our developers showcased Jumping Jazz Cats at Gamescom this year, and the response was fantastic. We know that party game and cat lovers alike are going to enjoy finding out lots more about the game.”
Arun Sol Warszawski, Co-founder and Sound Designer said “Le Catnip Collective is paws-itively delighted to announce our partnership with Team17! With their support, our little indie studio has created its first game, Jumping Jazz Cats, and we are SO excited for folks to find out more about it!”
To stay up to date with Le Catnip Collective and all things Jumping Jazz Cats you can follow the developers on Discord and X
About Le Catnip Collective
Founded in Montreal, Canada Le Catnip Collective is an indie developer led by Cofounders Daniel Harris and Arun Sol Warszawski. Their first game Jumping Jazz Cats is a feline infused online party game.
About Team17 Digital
Founded in 1990, Team17 Digital is a leading developer, video games label, and creative partner for developers around the world. Part of Team17 Group plc, which floated on AIM in 2018, Team17 Digital has an extensive portfolio comprised of over 140 titles, and fully encapsulates the spirit of independent games. Team17 Digital’s
Walnut Creek, CA (October 28, 2024) – Maximum Entertainment and Goodwin Games today celebrate the lure of mythical mermaids and omnipotent oceanic deities with the first Selfloss accolades trailer. The dark fantasy adventure, released last month across PC and consoles, has received critical and consumer praise around the globe, and starting today, players looking to experience the magic can benefit from a 25% discount on PC and PS5.
Set in a world between life and death that worships the majesty and strength of whales, Selfloss highlights the beauty of Slavic folklore and creates a haunting tale about love and loss. Players take on the role of healer Kazimir and join him on his quest to rid the world of Miasma, discover a ritual that might cure his wounded soul and battle with his all-consuming grief.
Accompanied by his trusty staff, which players can wield independently of the sagely healer, Kazimir wanders, fights, and sails through the wondrous lands of Yord. And he is not alone, a host of curious and magical entities reminiscent of key figures in traditional Slavic folklore will both aid and obstruct his journey. For more on what to expect from Selfloss, check out the official launch trailer here:
Selfloss is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
About Maximum Entertainment
Maximum Entertainment is a global entertainment company dedicated to crafting indie to AA video game experiences through original content and licensed partnerships. A fully integrated group with a broad portfolio of content, the company emphasizes collaboration and inclusivity in its partnerships to produce the highest level of interactive entertainment. With more than 300 titles in its catalog, Maximum Entertainment has joined forces with talented creators and renowned franchises around the globe to deliver magic to the gamer in everyone. Maximum Entertainment employs experienced professionals across the entire value chain of video games including development, publishing, transmedia, sales, and operations.
About Goodwin Games
Goodwin Games is an independent game studio based in Almaty, Kazakhstan. We are a talented team of 3 creators. Our studio specializes in creating uniquely emotional beautiful games with whimsical mechanics, paying special attention to story, atmosphere, music, and visual design. Our journey began with one person – Alexander Khoroshavin, who created the initial prototype of the game Selfloss. Due to our small team size, we have a unique approach to development. Each member of our team strives to acquire a wide range of skills and thoroughly understand the development process. We are true indies!
The long-awaited Offline Mode is finally available for Men of War II fans – alongside a host of new content and gameplay fixes
Prague, Czech Republic – October 28, 2024 – Fall in, Soldiers! Fulqrum Publishing and Ukrainian studio Best Way are delighted to announce that the latest update to their popular real-time strategy game Men of War II, the Steel Rain update, is finally available for all players!
This update includes a host of new units, new gameplay mechanics and general improvements – but perhaps most excitingly, the long-awaited Offline Mode is finally here, allowing players to experience Men of War II without an internet connection.
Men of War II | Steel Rain Update Trailer
Thanks to the Steel Rain update, there’s more to enjoy in Men of War II than ever before! Here’s just a quick taster of the new features to join the game today…
Offline Mode
Men of War II’s Offline Mode is the flagship feature of this update and has been heavily requested by the game’s community since its launch. Players can now switch between playing the game online (default setting) and offline, and of course, if they start the game without an Internet connection, it will run in offline mode automatically. Just move the cursor to the cog wheel “Settings” icon in the upper-left corner, where players will find an indicator telling them which version they are playing at the moment – green for online, red for offline.
The Offline Mode features any single-player mission or campaign (including Conquest and Raid), and players can set up a “multiplayer” lobby to play custom matches with AI bots. Currently, progress made in a campaign while playing offline cannot carry over to the online mode (and vice versa). Players have voted in a community poll to release the update in this state, while the developers continue to work on enabling the progress to be shared.
New Content and Gameplay Mechanics
But that’s not all! A whole host of new content has been added to the game – including 8 new units, all focused on rockets and missile launchers. To make the best use of the new units, each nation has received a new battalion: the 3rd Mortar Regiment. These have zero logistic timers for mortars and Rocket artillery, and -50% Battle rank Modifier for Mortar units, and -25% for Rocket Artillery units.
Another addition to Men of War II is the ability to control the game’s speed in a single-player. This feature is available in any game where the player is alone. Including in Conquest, Raids, and even a custom lobby with bots.
There has also been the addition of a “turbo mode” in single-player games, in which the game world will be calculated as quickly as the computer’s performance allows, significantly improving the quality of simulation, especially on powerful PCs.
And, of course, that still isn’t all – with this update bringing a range of multiplayer and match-making improvements, visual and audio improvements, and more! For the full list of updates, check out the game’s news hub on Steam.
Men of War II, the new chapter in the evolution of the top-rated RTS franchise, brings you an unprecedented number of units with different specializations to command, unyielding attention to historical fidelity, new levels of visual and audio excellence, as well as advanced enemy AI. Lead your troops in intense real-time battles on the Western and Eastern Fronts and overwhelm your opponents in epic narrative single-player campaigns and skirmish modes before diving deep into the multiplayer action.
Men of War II is available to purchase via Steam and the Epic Games Store – at the special price of 25% off starting 10AM PT/5PM GMT/6PM CET October 28th
About Fulqrum Publishing
Fulqrum Publishing is a global games publisher with a diverse portfolio of titles, that includes both in-house and independent productions. Fulqrum Publishing has successfully launched over 100 game titles including the critically acclaimed series – King’s Bounty, Men of War and Space Rangers. Recent releases include such games as Ancestors Legacy, Deep Sky Derelicts, Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark, Forgive Me Father, & more.
About Best Way
Best Way is a video game developer company founded in 1991 in Sievierodonetsk, Ukraine. After the release of its first title, Soldiers: Heroes of WWII (2004), a real-time tactics strategy game set in World War II, the franchise that would come to be known as Men of War was born. Historical accuracy, in-depth simulation systems, and realistic combat are the studios’ three design pillars. Over the years, Best Way has offered detailed and intense tactical combat experiences and is currently working on Men of War II, the long-awaited sequel to the classic RTS series.
