From the Musical Minds Behind Guitar Hero, Songbird is Coming this November to Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3 Featuring Songs From Billie Eilish, ABBA, Selena Gomez and More!
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – OCTOBER 29, 2024 – Get ready to step into the spotlight with Songbird, the first-of-its-kind karaoke game developed for the Meta Quest! Created by the musical hearts behind the iconic Guitar Hero, use your voice to bring the world of Nestopia to life as you engage with this vibrant world filled with “catchables,” rhythmic multipliers, dancing and fun companions who accompany your musical journey. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or having fun with friends, this immersive singing experience delivers the thrill of karaoke directly to your living room. The world of Songbird is coming to the Meta Quest this November.
Developer Always Blue Games is led by Marcus Henderson, the California-based multi-instrumentalist who recorded the majority of the high-energy, shredding guitar parts for the original and highly successful Guitar Hero franchise.
“Music unites us all and singing has a unique power to connect humanity regardless of language and location,” stated Henderson, Founder and Creative Director of Always Blue Games. “With Songbird, we set out to create a uniquely vibrant and cozy world for Karaoke lovers to sing their hearts out and even practice the songs in a no-fail environment that everyone of all ages can enjoy.”
Curated Setlist Launch day will feature a carefully curated setlist of 33 licensed tracks, including hits from a variety of genres. Starting in early 2025, new song packs will be released monthly to expand your catalog. Sing along to favorites like:
Billie Eilish – I Love You Selena Gomez – Love You Like A Love Song ABBA – Dancing Queen Miley Cyrus – Party in the USA Flipturn – August Tyler Hubbard- Dancin’ In The Country Grace Oliver and George Wilson’s Enigma Ensemble – Habanera Laufey – From The Start Limahl – Neverending Story Paramore – Ain’t It Fun Sublime – Badfish Seal – Kiss From A Rose And more!
Game Features:
Beautify Nestopia: Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Nestopia, that needs your help to bring harmony to the land. Featuring a variety of stunning stages—from your bedroom to brilliant mountain vistas—each environment is designed to elevate your karaoke performances. Engage with this vibrant world filled with hand-tracking enabled “catchables,” fun companions, rhythmic multipliers, dancing, and interactive elements to accompany your quest.
33 Master Tracks: The launch soundtrack will have 33 licensed songs, featuring hits from artists like Billie Eilish, Selena Gomez, and Sublime, with new monthly song packs starting in early 2025.
Easy Setup: Simply put on your Meta Quest headset and start singing—no extra equipment needed!
Play Your Way: Choose between Quick Play for casual fun or Performance mode for a challenge, with three difficulty levels to match your skill.
Interactive Gameplay: Experience dynamic gameplay with real-time scoring and rhythmic multipliers – reach out to catch them for extra points! Sing to bring the world of Nestopia to life as the song progresses and improve your vocal skills along the way as you strive for high scores and earn achievements.
Revolutionary Note Tracking: The unique and proprietary note tracking interface drops away seamlessly as you sing, allowing players to focus solely on the performance and the beautiful virtual world. Hum to the tune or belt it out loud – you’ll get real time feedback to perfect your performance.
Songbird was designed and created by the rhythm game veterans 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.
A decade has passed for Max (and nearly one for us) since she had to make the most devastating choice in her young life. Now an award winning photographer Max is working at university with a fresh life only to have it disrupted horribly by the death of her best friend and the appearance of new powers that may make it possible to bring her back in Square Enix’s Life is Strange: Double Exposure.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure – Gameplay
When Max Caulfield finds her friend Safi dead in the snow, she tears open the way to a parallel timeline. Here, Safi is still alive – and still in danger! With her new power to Shift between two timelines – can Max solve and prevent the same murder?
Life is Strange: Double Exposure Developer: Deck Nine Games Publisher: Square Enix Platform: Windows, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 Release Date: 29th October, 2024 Price: $49.99 USD
Recommended – “Life is Strange: Double Exposure brings Max back with a mystery full of twists and new superpowers that add a new layer to investigation but lacks the emotional punch the franchise is known for.”
Tuesday, 29th October 2024 – HEXWORKS, a CI Games studio, has today confirmed Lords of the Fallen will be enhanced for PlayStation 5 Pro, which launches on 7thNovember.
The PS5 Pro version of Lords of the Fallen allows players to experience the game with a 40% increase in pixel density over the base PlayStation 5 console, resulting in a sharper image and finer details. Performance Mode delivers rich visual detail at 4K60 (upscaled from 1440p) with a fluid 60 frames per second, sharper distant details, and refined textures on characters and environments. For those prioritizing visual fidelity, Quality Mode runs at native 4K30, showcasing intricate visuals across the dual realms of Axiom and Umbral at a stable 30 FPS.
Today’s announcement arrives ahead of further planned updates and enhancements for the game across all platforms, many of which are based on feedback from players of the dark fantasy action-RPG.
About CI Games
Founded in 2002, CI Games is an independent, global video games developer and publisher. The company has created internationally recognised and celebrated titles for nearly 25 years, including the acclaimed Lords of the Fallen and Sniper Ghost Warrior franchises. CI Games has two internal studios: HEXWORKS, which is currently developing the next major instalment of the Lords of the Fallen franchise due in 2026, and Underdog Studio, which is currently in pre-production of an original, fantasy action-RPG, due in 2028. For more information about CI Games, please visit www.cigames.com.
Get ready to live a farmer’s life, when you tend to your homestead, try to find love and leave a lasting legacy for the next generation
Oberhaching, Germany, October 29th, 2024 – Independent Polish developer Umeo Studios in partnership with games publisher Toplitz Productions proudly announce that Farmer’s Dynasty 2, their cozy open-world farming simulation will launch into Steam Early Access on December 5th 2024.
Building on the successful predecessor released in 2019, farming sim enthusiasts and newcomers alike will get a chance to experience the immersive world of agriculture and fully embrace rural life as they build and manage their farms. Becoming a vital part of the close-knit community is key, when you develop not only your homestead but friendships and maybe romantic relationships as you forge a farming legacy of your own. Set against the picturesque backdrop of mid-European landscapes, the agricultural adventure offers a beautifully detailed, living world where dynamic weather and seasonal cycles enhance the realism and depth of the farming experience.
Farmer’s Dynasty 2 blends the nostalgic charm of traditional farming with the conveniences of modern machinery. You can cultivate crops, tend to livestock, and manage your farms with a wide range of equipment, from classic underpowered tractors of a bygone era to more modern 400 bhp machines. Emphasizing sustainability and upcycling, the game lets you renovate and use trusted traditional tools or embrace modern technology to streamline your farming chores. As you immerse yourself in this vibrant, dynamic world, you will be encouraged to nurture lasting bonds within your community, help other farms with their tasks including resurrecting old machinery and assisting with forestry work among other things.
“Farming sims have become increasingly popular in recent years. In this crowded competitive field, Farmer’s Dynasty 2 carves its own path, building on the foundation of its predecessor, but enhancing the gameplay on every level. The game offers a unique blend of traditional farming with a generational legacy aspect, providing both depth and nostalgia for fans of the genre.” said Matthias Wünsche, CEO Toplitz Productions GmbH
Further details on the game can be found on the Farmer’s Dynasty 2 official Steam page here
About Umeo Studios Umeo Studios is a small independent development studio nestled in Poland, dedicated to providing engaging player experiences, their previous titles include Lumberjack Dynasty and Farmers Dynasty.
About Toplitz Productions The German-Austrian publisher, whose name originates from the mysterious Toplitz Lake in the heart of Austria, develops and publishes games with “heart & soul” for all platforms. The company consists of a healthy mix of experienced industry veterans and young talents, all of whom are passionate gamers. They enjoy working with creative developers on many exciting titles, such as those from the “Dynasty” and “Giant” series.
Stay up to date and learn everything worth knowing about Toplitz Productions by following the company on Twitter, Facebook, the official website and Instagram.
Just in Time for Halloween, Join the Boo Crew in a New Platformer Adventure!
El Segundo, Calif. and London, UK (October 29, 2024) – Mattel, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAT), a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world, in collaboration with Outright Games, the leading publisher of family-friendly interactive entertainment, today released Monster High™: Skulltimate Secrets™, the newest video game based on the popular fashion doll franchise. Developed by Petoons Studio, the game is now available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC available on Steam and the Microsoft Store.
In Monster High: Skulltimate Secrets, players team up with Draculaura™, Frankie Stein™, and Clawdeen Wolf to help rid their school of haunted happenings. By collecting monster keys around the campus, players work to unlock an ancient door and restore peace to the school. Along the way, they’ll visit many iclawnic locations from the Monster High series and customize their own fangtastic monster with an array of haunted hairdos, scary cool clothing, and scareccessories for the ultimate Monster High experience.
“Monster High has always been about encouraging fans to embrace their uniqueness, creativity, individuality, and self-expression,” said Erika Winterholler, Head of Business Development, Digital Gaming at Mattel. “We are thrilled for all to experience the world of Monster High: Skulltimate Secrets today as the game embodies the franchise’s creative spirit and lets players solve spooky mysteries in a whole new dimension.”
“Expanding the beloved world of Monster High for new gaming platforms has been such an incredible experience, highlighting the brand’s lasting impact and evolution,” comments Stephanie Malham, COO of Outright Games. “We worked closely with Mattel to ensure Monster High: Skulltimate Secrets captures the franchise’s spirit of individuality and inclusivity, delivering players an exciting story to uncover in an environment faithful to the series. We can’t wait for fans to enter Monster High and uncover all the secrets waiting to be discovered.”
One of the most successful properties of all time, Monster High, features fashion dolls as the children of legednary monsters in a fangtastic world. The brand encourages fans to embrace what makes them unique and rallies people of all ages everywhere to be yourself, be unique, and be a monster. Monster High’s Skulltimate Secrets line is currently ranked #4 in Fashion Doll & Accessories items in the US (YTD 2024) and was the #9 item in 2023.* Now, the haunted halls are opening their doors to popular gaming systems with Monster High: Skulltimate Secrets, now available on all major gaming platforms.
About Mattel
Mattel is a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends™, UNO®, Masters of the Universe®, Matchbox®, Monster High®, MEGA® and Polly Pocket®, as well as other popular properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences. Our products are sold in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.
About Outright Games
Outright Games is a global video games publisher with a focus on bringing quality family entertainment to a worldwide audience. Founded in 2016, Outright Games has established its place in the market delivering engaging interactive games of beloved entertainment licences globally. Outright Games brings stories and characters to life with titles including favourites such as Peppa Pig: World Adventures with Hasbro, DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos with Warner, Star Trek Prodigy: Supernova and Paw Patrol: Grand Prix with Nickelodeon, and DreamWorks Dragons: Legends of The Nine Realms with NBC Universal. With an Outright Games title there will be fun for all the family to enjoy.
Lord of Nazarick is Now Available on the App Store and Google Play Delivering Strategic Turn-Based RPG Gameplay to Anime Fans
Culver City, CA (Oct. 29, 2024) – Crunchyroll and A PLUS JAPAN are joining forces to launch Lord of Nazarick—a turn-based roleplaying game based on the hit OVERLORD anime. Starting today, fans eager to command their armies on iOS and Android can download the game on the Google Play and App Store and start the journey at 2PM today (CET).*
Upon download, fans can dive into Lord of Nazarick to relive OVERLORD’s story through strategic, turn-based RPG combat, culminating in the first season’s climactic battle. The game’s faithful reimagining of the anime and is a perfect way to catch up on the series ahead of OVERLORD: The Sacred Kingdom’s theatrical run beginning on November 8 in the United States, Canada and select international regions. More information about the film can be found here.
Post-launch, Lord of Nazarick will receive continuous updates. Of course, all the companions Ainz Ooal Gown meets will be along for the journey as the roster exceeds the more than 50 available at launch.
Official LORD OF NAZARICK Details
After twelve years of playing his favorite MMORPG game, Momonga logs in for the last time only to find himself transported into its world playing it indefinitely. Throughout his adventures, his avatar ascends to the title of Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown.
Epic OVERLORD Stories: Experience the game’s main story from a fresh perspective alongside all-new canon scenarios as you command every fight.
Iconic Characters: Recruit over 50 characters from the anime—guardians, pleiades, and more—in the game, with more to come in regular updates!
Strategic Battles: Build a party of fan-favorite characters across 5 classes and 3 unique attributes to the deadliest force in Lord of Nazarick.
Dynamic Gameplay: Beyond the story, take on roguelite dungeons, take on boss challenges, mini-games and so much more in this full-featured RPG.
Stunning Visuals: Experience the immersive world of OVERLORD completely re-imagined in stunning 3D with high-quality animation that brings fan-favorite characters to life.
Immersive Exploration: Take your time wandering the world and visit the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Carne Village, E-Rantel, and other familiar locations from the anime. Who knows what surprises await you along the way!
Cooperative Play: Join with friends to create your own legendary alliance (just like Ainz Ooal Gown!) or join an existing one to take on powerful foes together.
PVP Combat: Challenge other players with your strongest lineup, climb to the top of the leaderboard, and earn plenty of rewards along the way!
Lord of Nazarick is the first game to fully implement Crunchyroll Login—a new feature enhancing the free-to-play experience. OVERLORD anime fans who log into the game with a Crunchyroll Premium membership will receive daily rewards totaling more than $35 worth of in-game currency monthly, access to an exclusive in-game shop, and value-filled battle pass.
Right now, Crunchyroll is offering OVERLORD fans the best way to play, watch and collect their favorite series. Anyone with a free Crunchyroll membership can watch all four seasons of the series with ads. At the Crunchyroll Store, all OVERLORD items are 10% off with Crunchyroll Premium members saving up to 30% off. There’s also a chance to win tickets to catch OVERLORD: The Sacred Kingdom in theaters.
For more on how fans can bask in all things OVERLORD, please visit Crunchyroll.
About the OVERLORD franchise
Momonga is a regular salaryman who leads a guild in the MMORPG video game Yggdrasil. After twelve years of playing the game, the servers are finally shutting down. Momonga logs in for the last time, seeing the game to its end. However, after the clock strikes midnight, nothing changes…and Momonga finds himself playing the game indefinitely and is transported into its world. Throughout his adventures, he ascends to the title of Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown.
Originally a web novel by Kugane Maruyama that was adapted into light novels and manga publications, the first season of the anime series debuted in 2017 and quickly became popular among fans. Currently, all four seasons are now streaming on Crunchyroll along with OVERLORD: The Undead King and OVERLORD: The Dark Hero, two omnibus films that serve as recaps for season one.
About A PLUS JAPAN INC.
A PLUS JAPAN INC. is a mobile game publisher with its headquarters in Tokyo and an office in Shanghai.
The company’s mission is to bring fun and surprise to the world by combining its globally influential IP titles with its mobile game development ability to deliver compelling content to the world.
With its strong presence in publishing high-quality and innovative games, A PLUS JAPAN expects to expand beyond its publishing area with more upcoming titles and a new branch office in Singapore.
About Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll connects anime and manga fans across 200+ countries and territories with the content and experiences they love. In addition to free ad-supported and subscription premium content, Crunchyroll serves the anime community across events, theatrical, games, consumer products, collectibles and manga publishing.
Anime fans have access to one of the largest collections of licensed anime through Crunchyroll and translated in multiple languages for viewers worldwide. Viewers can also access simulcasts — top series available immediately after Japanese broadcast.
The Crunchyroll app is available on over 15 platforms, including all gaming consoles.
Crunchyroll, LLC is an independently operated joint venture between US-based Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Japan’s Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., both subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group.
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
