As we celebrate the release of ASTRO BOT, Team ASOBI’s tribute to 30 years of iconic PlayStation characters, stories, and magical moments, PlayStation Australia wants to thank you, the players, for the love and passion you’ve shown for PlayStation. While PlayStation’s 30th anniversary is still a few months away, today PlayStation Australia is delighted to share some of the ways they’ll be commemorating this milestone with all of you.
Explore a nostalgic homage to the original Gran Turismo, enjoy digital soundtracks from classic PlayStation games, and compete in PlayStation Tournaments – these are just a few of the ways PlayStation Australia is inviting you to join the community celebration, which starts this month.
And for everyone excited to jump into ASTRO BOT, PlayStation Australia is pleased to share a first look at a 30th anniversary photo opportunity located in the game’s central hub where Bots you’ve saved throughout your spacefaring adventures will hang out, ready to dance along with your stylish moves.
An early look at what’s ahead
My First GT
This holiday period, look forward to a free trial version designed to attract players of all skill levels to the globally acclaimed Gran Turismo 7. This upcoming release will include some of the favourite cars, tracks, and race events that evoke the nostalgia and excitement of the very first GT experience. Look out for more details on My First GT, available to all PS5 and PS4 players this holiday period.
Digital game soundtracks.
In collaboration with Sony Music, each month from October through January, PlayStation will release, for the first time, on Spotify a set of digital soundtracks from fan-favourite franchises. You’ll be able to stream the following game soundtracks on Spotify or purchase them on various digital music storefronts, including Amazon Music, Apple Music, and participating music retailers:
God of War
God of War II
God of War: Ghost of Sparta
Twisted Metal
Starhawk
Unit 13
You can also vibe to the specially curated PlayStation 30th Anniversary playlist on Spotify, available to stream today. PlayStation Australia will have more to share on the upcoming digital soundtrack releases, which will be added to this playlist over time, so stay tuned!
Free online multiplayer weekend and esports tournaments
Join PlayStation Australia later this month for a free online multiplayer weekend and exciting esports tournaments! To celebrate the fantastic online games and communities on PlayStation, there will be a free online multiplayer weekend on Sept. 21 and 22.* During those days, you can enjoy online multiplayer for games you own without having a PlayStation Plus membership, on PS5 and PS4 consoles.
During the same weekend, PlayStation will host a series of PS5 esports tournaments, featuring titles like NBA 2K24, NBA 2K25, EA UFC 5 and Tekken 8. If you own any of these games and qualify, you can compete on Sept 21 and 22 to win a special 30th anniversary-themed avatar and other game-specific prizes. Players on PS5 can sign up via the Game Hub or the in-game PlayStation Tournaments button. Keep an eye on compete.playstation.com for all the upcoming tournament details.
Image of the PlayStation avatars players will receive for participating in any of the Sept. 21 – 22 esports tournaments.
As PlayStation celebrates 30 years of play, these upcoming activities and releases are just a taste of what’s to come. Be on the lookout for more announcements in the near future!
*Available for PS5 and PS4 games with online mode. Internet connection and account for PlayStation Network required.
To learn more about the full line up visit the PlayStation Blog.
Discover new characters coming to DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO,with atrailer featuring characters from the iconic Majin Buu saga.
The Buu Saga is the last of the DRAGON BALL Z anime series. This arc introduces the legendary Majin Buu, a powerful and unpredictable villain who threatens the universe and had been sealed for millions of years. The Z Fighters must then unite to defeat Buu and save the world.
Brace yourself for the new battle, the ultimate challenge awaits:
The latest Buu Saga character trailer reveals Super Buu (Gotenks Absorbed), Super Buu (Gohan Absorbed), and Kid Buu, expanding the game’s roster of playable characters. Kid Buu is the original form of Majin Buu, known for his pure evil and immense destructive power. Super Buu (Gotenks Absorbed) is a fusion of Majin Buu and Gotenks, known for his incredible speed and power. Super Buu (Gohan Absorbed) is a powerful form created when Majin Buu absorbs Gohan.
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO will launch on 11 October 2024 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Supermassive Games has worked on a variety of titles since their founding, but they have truly become known for their adventure horror games, bookended by two stellar standalone entries with Until Dawn and The Quarry with the shorter Dark Pictures Anthology series settled right in the middle. As such, when it was revealed that Behaviour Interactive would be teaming up with the studio to develop their first ever story based Dead by Daylight game, it came as a great surprise to both fans of horror games and the asymmetrical multiplayer title alike. Telling a story that looks to expand upon the lore of the world it’s based on, is The Casting of Frank Stone a worthwhile scare or a poor ghost story trying to prop itself up on existing popularity?
Story
Now, before we get into the actual story the biggest question most will likely have about The Casting of Frank Stone is whether or not it requires a lot of knowledge or investment in the Dead by Daylight universe to actually enjoy it and the answer to that is, a little. For the most part players unfamiliar with the greater lore will still be able to enjoy most of what is shown throughout the game as the writers do a solid enough job fleshing out events to keep those looking for a new adventure horror feeling like they are sticking with the game without feeling lost. As for those who are familiar with Dead by Daylight, it will become quite evident just how many easter eggs, references, straight up call-outs to the multiplayer game, and more are dropped and referenced from beginning to end.
The Casting of Frank Stone tells a tale across three time periods spanning quite a few decades apart, with Sam Green facing off against the twisted killer in 1963 in the steel mill, a group of ambitiously dumb teens eager to film a movie right there in that same shut down steel mill in 1980, and finally a group of strangers arriving in a far off mansion in 2024, called to sell their pieces of the film strip made back in 1980. It is worth noting that since the 1963 time period serves as basically the prologue only, the majority of the time players will be spending is with two mostly separate groups of characters with the plot jumping back and forth between timeframes as chapters progress.
The storyline throughout 1980 is an interesting one and perhaps the most “horror” filled among the rest as it tries its best to establish these characters as ones that players want to root for but does a pretty poor job about it, mostly thanks to the fact that interactions are kept so basic and minimal. Oddly enough, The Casting of Frank Stone easily features the least amount of actual character interaction of most Supermassive Games which does its already weak cast further disservice. Ironically, the only two characters that serve as any standouts among the group happen to be the blunt Linda who only grows more sardonic with age and Sam who retains his presence throughout all three time spans, ironically with the most variation depending on how things play out as well. It also doesn’t help that the titular character, Frank Stone himself, is barely in the game at all. Despite making an appearance across three timelines, he feels like only the most basic of threats in two instances entirely. Even then, with players gathering collectables to help expand the lore of the world and Frank a bit, it really makes him feel like a rather poorly thought out killer despite all of Augustine’s machinations.
The current setting in 2024 is where many of the mysteries finally come to light. Players will meet with the mysterious Augustine whose mansion is filled with haunting curiosities and eventual danger that brings most of the plot to its head, even if players can’t ultimately change too much in the end. Now, that isn’t to say that there aren’t plenty of choices to be made and nowhere is that more evident than a brand new mechanic we’ll detail more later called the Cutting Room Floor which shows just how many branching and alternative paths scenes can go depending on what actions or choices players have made up to certain points, including the ability to reload at the nearest “playable” section to try a different path.
What we mean here is, the actual ending of the game is something of a letdown despite being a perfectly fitting one given the lore. After playing through a few times and changing things up, the final sequences remain almost rigidly strict with only slight variations depending on who may or may not be alive or have a certain item on them, though even this changes little. Ironically this makes the whole “Your choices have consequences” mantra from the game feel like a bit of a lie this time around, especially with how many variations the usual Supermassive offering can end up with. While still offering a plethora of branching paths and potential deaths at various random choices of failed QTEs, it really feels like there are few scares to even be had as well, something that is rather disappointing considering the setting. In fact, it almost feels like things are being held back by the setting at times, the writers not willing to brush too closely against the direct lore of Dead by Daylight beyond the Entity’s existence and fleshing it out a bit more as well.
Gameplay
For the most part, anyone familiar with Supermassive Games’ past works will feel right at home here with only a few exceptions. Players will still spend the majority of every chapter exploring a small environment, gathering the occasional collectable referencing Dead by Daylight or “artifact” that tends to expand the game’s backstory while also taking part in various button mashing sequences to succeed certain actions, aiming a reticle at a target during combat or quick time events as well. The quick time events have undergone a change to make them like Dead by Daylight, instead they are now “skill checks” with a slider that has a fail and success range. Oddly enough, getting a “great” check only matters when repairing the game’s generators in a manner similar to that of DbD.
Otherwise players will still find themselves making dialogue choices that will play a factor into how much certain characters like one another or not and making certain choices that will play into their “fate” that can spell either success or a possible death sometime further along in the game. It is interesting to note that, while there are actually very few collectables compared to other entries from the developer, players can unlock additional dialogue options occasionally if they find a specific item before talking to a character. Along these same lines, there are small little puzzles that players will occasionally need to solve, though the answers are almost always in the same room or just about and the return of moving boxes around to reach climbable locations also returns though it is used a bit more this time. It is worth noting that some mechanics such as “hold your breath” or the rhythm based heartbeat events do not return in The Casting of Frank Stone, nor does the company’s signature “premonition” items that can hint at future events.
Speaking of differences, The Casting of Frank Stone does incorporate one brand new mechanic as, halfway through the game, the film crew’s Super 8 style camera becomes magically imbued and capable of being a weapon used against Stone. These segments see players needing to pull out the camera to focus on Stone in an effort to absorb his spiritual life force and drive him away in an effort to keep everyone alive. Unfortunately, since his appearance is marked by the same glowing red of killers in Dead by Daylight as well as the obviously glowing camera indicator, players will rarely feel shocked when he appears. In fact, it feels like a missed opportunity for the camera to not reveal hidden secrets or something else along those lines as the potential for uncovering more supernatural elements left behind by Stone and the Entity’s dark influence would have made things far more interesting.
Now, perhaps the most useful feature is one that unlocks after players beat the game at least once and it happens to be the “Cutting Room Floor.” This feature, as mentioned before, allows players to see all of the choices that they have made in the past as well as how many different branches that choice may trigger off into. This can then be used to revisit any of these playable locations and make a different choice to see how things might have played out otherwise or gather a collectable they missed. It is a bit unfortunate however that despite having an offering that allows some very free flowing choice changes, there is actually no way to skip previously seen dialogue still, meaning if players want to change something that happened right at the end of a sequence, they’ll need to watch everything again. Despite this clunky replay feature, it is appreciated especially since it does reveal just how many branching paths this game has and it would be great if Supermassive considered this type of mechanic for all of their titles going forward.
Audio & Visuals
It must be said that Supermassive Games has done a wonderful job designing the appearances and character models for the cast. They are expressive and have quite a bit of detail to them, especially whenever something gruesome happens. Some of the best looking scenes ironically involve someone getting torn apart, sliced in half, or some other form of mauling as a lot of attention has been paid to making sure there is plenty of gore. Along these same lines the developer has made the various environments players explore spooky in nature and have some rather unique looking rooms in them, especially in the mansion, but unfortunately makes the grave sin of having players go back through these same small locations countless times. In fact, one location saw over four revisits throughout the course of the game, with absolutely nothing changed between trips. There also tends to be some rather noticeable texture pop-in on the Xbox Series X, with most scene transitions taking an extra second to pop everything into full resolution.
The voice work throughout the game is a bit on the hit and miss side, with some actors clearly putting in more effort than others here. Linda, Sam, and Augustine sound excellent compared to most of the other characters, though if one were to suppose that Supermassive was looking to capture the “campy 80s horror” voice work than they’ve surely captured it for the rest of the cast. Thankfully the soundtrack makes a much better impression with a great number of fitting horror themes as well as some perfectly worked in tracks from Dead by Daylight itself to help make specific moments make fans feel right at home.
Overall
The Casting of Frank Stone is at its best when it’s delving into cosmic horrors as well as the very real supernatural horrors that its characters must try to survive against, but those moments are unfortunately very few and take quite a long time to get to. The characters themselves are a mixed bag that struggle to make players care about them even if the overarching plot is actually rather interesting with the various twists it can take and how player choice factors in, at least on the journey. Unfortunately, these issues as well as how repetitive it feels at times make this feel like a bit of a letdown for even die hard Dead by Daylight fans and one that will only be seen as a serviceable but unimpressive offering for those unfamiliar with the property.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Alan Tudyk Joins Karl Urban and Auliʻi Cravalho in Bob’s Tall Tales as Voice of New Robot Companion SIR-5rM8; Two New ARK Experiences Explore the Lethal Underground Ecosystem; AMD FidelityFX Frame Interpolation Increases Frame Rates by Over 80%
Strap on your goggles and gear-up for an incomparable journey into the dark heart of Aberration! This hauntingly beautiful, derelict ARK is a sci-fi themed, vertigo-inducing, bioluminescent cave system. Survivors will drop onto a damaged, radioactive ARK, featuring a myriad of lush underground biomes containing exotic new creatures and gear to be acquired or crafted, along with dangerous surprises and horrors untold. All ARK: Survival Ascended owners get this massiveARK: Aberration Ascended Expansion Pack for free, along with that dark world’s new community-voted creature, Yi Ling, a giant bat-winged dinosaur.
Watch the NEW combo trailer with ARK: Aberration Ascended & Steampunk Ascentbelow.
Meanwhile, ARK: Survival Ascended today released its initial implementation of AMD FidelityFX Frame Interpolation, resulting in an +80% average frame rate boost on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC for most GPU’s.
Also newly available today is Bob’s Tale Tales – Steampunk Ascent! This second entry in the larger-than-life Bob’s Tall Tales series takes you beyond the underground chaos of Aberration and into a world where gears, cogs, and steam power reign supreme! The saga is narrated by ARK’s legendary “Bob” (Karl Urban, The Boys) to young Meeka, (Auliʻi Cravalho, Moana), recounting his absolutely pivotal role within ARK’s epic storyline.
Each entry in Bob’s Tall Tales delivers unique creatures and vehicles, and with Steampunk Ascent, you can defy the subterranean depths by Zeppelin Airship, swing from luminous spider-silk strands with the new ‘Cosmo’ tame, and meet SIR-5rM8 (voiced by Alan Tudyk, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) a trusty clockwork-robot companion! Gum up adversaries with viscid projectiles, and even evade attacks with a wondrous watch that allows you to slip backwards to safety! SIR-5rM8 will be at your side to help brave the lethal underworld while also automating all domestic survival chores. Additionally, within Steampunk Ascent, players will unlock:
3 New Weapons & Tools
11 New Structures
40+ Cosmetic Structure Skins
15 New Player Character Cosmetics
1 New Creature Saddle Cosmetic
The final Bob’s Tall Tale – Wasteland War – will be released alongside the Extinction Expansion Pack in late 2024.
Steampunk Ascent introduces Cosmo, a web-slinging tame, and a new gear-shifting steampunk-themed adventure.
Haven’t yet experienced ARK: Survival Ascended? The base game is on sale for 33% off (Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S), while Bob’s Tall Tales DLC is 20% off and Fantastic Tames: Pyromane is 20% off.
Partner up with SIR-5rM8, your indispensable automaton companion, as you traverse the mechanical marvel of Steampunk Ascent.
ARK: Aberration Ascended Gameplay Features
Harsh and Dark! Aberration places survivors on a damaged ARK whose internal atmosphere has leaked away, resulting in a harsh surface with intense radiation, and a plethora of lush biomes underground. With the maintenance systems of this ARK malfunctioning, the many hazards, creatures, and nature of the environment present a treacherous new world to explore and master. Navigate your way down to the deepest depths of Aberration to discover the ancient terror that lurks within…
New Creatures! Encounter, capture, and tame 15 new creature types with amazing abilities, including the feathered fiend Yi Ling! This unique creature has a flair for the dramatic—part raptor, part rogue, and all sharp edges. Yi Ling joins other Aberration specific creatures, including among others, the self-camouflaging ‘Rock Drake’ and the luminous ‘Lantern Pets.’
Craft 50+ Unique Items! With 30 new Engrams to speed your crafting, you’ll now have access to cave-climbing picks, gliding wingsuits, and ziplines to traverse this new ARK. Survivors can dominate the harsh environment and protect themselves with hazmat outfits, charge lanterns, flashbangs, batteries, glowsticks, railguns and much more. Thrive by gathering new resources, using fishing baskets, and gas collectors.
The definitive survival experience returns better than ever with ARK: Survival Ascended! Create a Survivor, form a tribe, and then tame, train, breed & ride dinosaurs within a living ecosystem. ASA is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC and Steam.
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ABOUT STUDIO WILDCARD Since revealing its flagship game ARK: Survival Evolved in 2015, Studio Wildcard has tirelessly strived to bring its dinosaur-filled vision to the masses. With millions of players worldwide, the team has delivered an amazing amount of new content and leveraged cutting-edge technology to keep fans engaged. With a transmedia universe, the ARK story can be discovered on all gaming platforms, within spin-off titles, and now as a new epic narrative featuring a star-studded cast in ARK: The Animated Series on Paramount+. www.studiowildcard.com
9/6/2024 – For immediate release – Manavoid Entertainment launches roguelike city-builder Roots of Yggdrasil today out of Early Access and into 1.0 with a new update “Valkyrie’s Lament“. Roots of Yggdrasil launches with a 20% discount and a pause on price increase for the next 7 days along with a Daily Deal on Steam to celebrate its 1.0 launch.
To further celebrate the post-Ragnarok city-builder, Manavoid is partnering up with friendly Quebec studios Norsfell and Thunder Lotus Games to create the ultimate nordic-themed Steam Bundle “Valhalla Awaits“.
Tribes of Midgard by Norsfell is a vibrant blend of survival and action RPG for 1-10 players that surpassed half a million sales on PC and PlayStation in the game’s first week alone.
Jotun – Valhalla Edition, the first game from indie studio Thunder Lotus Games, is a hand-drawn action/exploration game inspired by the epic stories of Norse mythology. Thunder Lotus Games then went on to release Spiritfarer in 2020 – nominated for Best Independent Game in 2020 and receiving the Editor’s Choice award by IGN with a stellar 9/10 rating – and has since announced their new title 33 Immortals which is a co-op action-roguelike for 33 players currently in Early Access.
The bundle will be available for the entire month with the best savings during Week 1 (Sept 6 – 13).
Pittsburgh, PA, Sept. 06, 2024– The confectionary connoisseurs at Mega Cat Studios, Space Pants Games, and Video Game Sage are excited to announce that their upcoming jet-powered adventure, Rocket Panda, will launch for the Sega Genesis and Mega Drive on September 16, 2024.
Get ready to soar in a scrumptious adventure where collecting treats and battling ferocious enemies is the name of the game! In Rocket Panda, players join our heroic panda as he sets out on a delicious quest to gather goodies, rescue badgers, and thwart the nefarious Biscuit Head. With more than 60 maze-like levels to navigate and cookie-crumbling action, this retro gem promises to be a treat for fans of classic 16-bit gaming.
KeyFeatures:
Blast through hordes of enemies commanded by the evil Biscuit Head, such as Flying Pigs, Mines, Toasters, Tanks, UFOs, and other dangerous creatures!
Collect all of the biscuits for the highest score, and drink tea to power up your dash move!
Challenge and defeat 7 Bosses in the game, including a giant Teacup, Dragon, Mega Toast, and Cheese Ball.
Fly through 60+ levels in the game, taking you across seven worlds. From Biscuit City to the Ice Cream Archipelago, the Chocolate Mountains, Candy Catacombs, and more!
“We’re really excited to get this out to the wonderful people still supporting the Genesis / Mega Drive,” said Julian Scott, owner of Space Pants Games.
“Rocket Panda is finally here, and it’s packed to the brim with all that sweet, sweet, retro fun that ya’ll have been missing,” said Jev Reyes, Retro Marketing Manager at Mega Cat Studios. “We have been working on this with the Space Pants Games Team for a long time, and it means a lot to us that we can finally bring it to you. We hope you enjoy the game as much as we had fun working on it. This game would not be possible without your support!”
As players soar across a smorgasbord of vibrant, snack-themed stages strapped to their trusty jetpack, they’ll face the nefarious Biscuit Head’s evil lackeys, collect delectable power-ups, and test their mettle against a legion of bosses dead set on watching your bear-shaped cookie crumble. Whether you’re a seasoned 16-bit veteran or new to the world of retro gaming, Rocket Panda promises to deliver a confectionary experience that’s as enjoyable as it is challenging.
So, mark your calendars for September 16th and get ready to blast off as Rocket Panda buzzes your Sega Genesis & Mega Drive.
About Mega Cat Studios:
Proudly based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Mega Cat Studios has a passion for creating unforgettable retro experiences for your favorite classic consoles.
AUSTIN, Texas — Sept. 6, 2024 —Limited Run Games and Aspyr have teamed up to bring STAR WARS™: Bounty Hunter™ to players with an all-new physical release. Standard, Premium, and Master Editions are available to pre-order for four weeks, starting today. The Premium and Master Editions of this fan-favorite STAR WARS™ title include several collectibles available exclusively in these Limited Run Games collector’s editions, including lithograph prints, a SteelBook, a hardcover strategy book, and more. In addition, both collector’s editions include a numbered certificate of authenticity and will be available for both modern consoles and PC.
Limited Run Games is excited to give this timeless STAR WARS adventure a premium collector’s release, allowing new players and long-time fans to experience this classic third-person action adventure.
Standard Edition (Switch, PS5 & Xbox Series X) $34.99
Includes a physical copy of STAR WARS: Bounty Hunter
Premium Edition (Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X & PC) $89.99
Includes a physical copy of STAR WARS: Bounty Hunter
Commemorative Coin
Jango Fett Enamel Pin
SteelBook
Reversible 12” x 18” Poster
Premium Foil Box
Individually Numbered Certificate of Authenticity
Master Edition (Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X & PC) $174.99
Includes a physical copy of STAR WARS: Bounty Hunter
Commemorative Coin
Jango Fett Enamel Pin
SteelBook
Reversible 12” x 18” Poster
Premium Foil Box
Lithograph Prints
Bounty Tracking Journal with Sticker Sheet
Individually Numbered Certificate of Authenticity
Hardcover Strategy Guide
Metal Mythosaur Skull
About STAR WARS: Bounty Hunter:
In this classic third-person action-adventure, you’ll become Jango Fett, Prime Clone of the Grand Army of the Republic, hired to capture a deranged Dark Jedi.
Relive the Timeless Tale: Experience the legendary Bounty Hunter fantasy set before the events of Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones™. Face off against foes and maneuver through acrobatic battles in this adaption optimized for today’s consoles and hardware.
Armed to the Teeth: Fight your way through the galaxy’s underbelly, equipped with Dual Blasters, your Flamethrower, Whipcord, and pure Mandalorian Rage.
About Limited Run Games
Limited Run Games is the industry leader in the production and distribution of premium physical video games. Founded in 2015, they have published over 1,000 physical games and soundtracks in addition to winning several awards for their bespoke Collector’s Editions. Limited Run is the gold standard in bringing digital games to physical form for casual fans and collectors alike. Visit limitedrungames.com for the latest offerings, or follow the brand on your social media platform of choice for all LRG-related updates: @limitedrungames.
About Aspyr
Aspyr is a leading entertainment publisher that creates, packages, and delivers fun to millions around the world. Aspyr made its name specializing in porting video games from Microsoft Windows to macOS, including popular franchises Call of Duty, Sid Meier’s Civilization, Borderlands, and SimCity. Since their inception in 1995, they have launched over 190 titles.
GUANGZHOU, CHINA – SEPTEMBER 7, 2024 – Kuro Games announced today that the second phase of Version 1.2 of its story-rich, open-world action RPG Wuthering Waves is available now. The “Moon-Chasing Festival” update features the ‘By Moon’s Grace’ event and participants can acquire 5-Star Resonator Xiangli Yao, who always responds with a smile, acknowledging the path his devoted parents have paved for him while embarking upon his own journey. Xiangli Yao features a critically high resonance combined with high stability.
The “Moon-Chasing Festival” update also features a new weapon banner and gameplay optimization. Players who boost The Moon-Chasing Festival’s popularity by fulfilling wishes and building fair stalls (now through September 28) will acquire Xiangli Yao once target popularity has been reached. Players must reach Level 17 and complete the Main Quest Chapter I Act III Ominous Star to be eligible.
Xiangli Yao is Huaxu Academy’s principal investigator who is widely respected within his community and is a caring character and model student, beginning each conversation with a cup of tea.
Happening now is the limited-time Tower Defense Event “Do Echoids Dream of Electric Sheeps” (now through September 26). To participate in the event players must reach Union Level 22. Upon completion of all the required event tasks players will receive Astrite x500, Malleable Elite Class Echo I x1, Malleable Elite Class Echo II x1, Premium Sealed Tube x36, Shell Credit x490000, and other materials.
Cosmos has shown up near a strange gate, asking you to go inside and assist with some kind of test. Kind Rover, may you find your fortune in the lucid world.
Wuthering Waves Version 1.2 will significantly enhance players’ in-game exploration experience through continuous updates and optimizations. Kuro Games has responded to player’s feedback by enhancing the details, and providing a more comprehensive gaming experience. More details on optimizations can be found HERE.
Wuthering Waves demonstrates its commitment to developing a quality game that is dedicated to listening to player’s feedback with future updates that help maintain the game’s vitality through more innovative and interactive updates.
Wuthering Waves is a free-to-play, cross-platform, open-world action RPG that emphasizes dynamic movement and freedom of exploration on a mysterious, post-cataclysmic, sci-fi planet. Engage in fast-paced PVE combat that focuses on special dodge, parry, and counter mechanics. Wuthering Waves hosts a deep storyline, breathtaking art and atmosphere, and addictive action-RPG combat that is suitable for novice and veteran RPG players alike. Wuthering Waves features plenty of fierce opponents and captivating quests that unfold in the game’s vast world.
For more information on Wuthering Waves, news and updates, join the community on Discord, and follow on X / Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and the game’s official website.
It was a matter of time before we got an anthology featuring the Castlevania titles released for the Nintendo DS. Although it feels kinda natural for it to be shadow dropped on a Nintendo Direct, most players probably didn’t expect the inclusion of a remade version of the infamous Haunted Castle – the original Castlevania arcade game. Is it finally good? We’ll take a look into that and also on how Konami fared in adapting the Nintendo DS’ gimmicks to the “touchless” screen.
Koji Igarashi was one of the directors responsible for Castlevania Symphony of the Night. He wanted that same kind of intricate narrative for the series going forward. The stories in this collection are the culmination of his team’s continued effort in bringing fresh and interesting lore to the franchise. That said, the series lost a lot of its edge in its portable incarnations, toning down the grittiness the franchise was usually known for.
Story
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow follows the events started in the Gameboy Advance title Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, which was included in the previously released Castlevania Advance Collection. Just one year after the events in Aria of Sorrow, a mysterious cult wants Dracula “alive” and well, as the existence of a dark entity is integral for God to be truly “good.” Once again, players take control of the enigmatic Soma Cruz and must put a stop to the cult’s machinations while preventing Soma’s dark fate from coming to pass.
As an admitted Castlevania fan, Igarashi was committed to keeping the series’ legacy alive. Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin pays homage to the awesome Castlevania Bloodlines for the Sega Mega Drive. The story takes place during World War II and features John Morris’ son, Jonathan, as one of the playable characters. Furthermore, players get to witness the fate of other characters related to Bloodlines which is a welcome addition, especially for older fans.
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia doesn’t follow any particular game’s storyline, but its events are set up just after Castlevania Symphony of the Night. Coincidence or not, Order of Ecclesia is a return to form for the series, bringing back, to some extent, the darker tones and moody presentation found in Symphony of the Night. In the mid-1800s, the Belmont clan vanished without a trace. To fill in their gap and defend humanity from Dracula’s ever looming threat, many institutions are formed. The Order of Ecclesia is the most prominent among them. You play as Shanoa, an agent from the order tasked with retrieving a stolen power that is humanity’s last hope against Dracula. In the game’s hub village, players can interact with NPCs that give a bit of insight on the game’s world and Shanoa’s personality. This, combined with the game’s dark presentation, makes for a somewhat “mature” and involved storytelling.
In conclusion, the stories in these games feature iconic characters and descendants of old heroes well-established in the Castlevania lore. Their portrayal is as one-dimensional as ever but their design is fresh and enticing. The writing seldom tries to stray from the series’ usual clichés and dialogues are generally monotonous. Fortunately, the stories are easy to follow, with fun twists and even some humorous moments.
Gameplay
This collection includes strong action-adventure titles ported with precision by M2. The DS games are emulated accurately without any semblance of input lag. The inclusion of Haunted Castle in this collection would surely raise the collective eyebrows of series’ fans if not for the addition of Haunted Castle Revisited. The original game is known for its unfair difficulty and weak campaign with stages that feel unfinished, especially towards the end. Haunted Castle Revisited’s gameplay was redesigned to feel more like the series’ console counterparts. The stages are still short and overly simplistic, but most bosses received a significant and much needed rework making them the highlight of this remake. However, I’m not fond of the removal of obstacles in certain sections. I also feel that the difficulty was too undertuned with only bosses providing a satisfying challenge. That said, M2’s effort in reconstructing Haunted Castle from the ground up is impressive and the game offers some challenge and novelty between its two difficulty settings.
Despite being designed around the particularities of a portable console, the DS titles deliver fun and feature-rich gameplay on par with what could be found on big consoles at the time. In truth, I’d argue their quality is superior to most games, indie or not, that try to emulate the same style even today. Their 2D gameplay is satisfying, combining exploration, combat and RPG elements. Each game plays very similarly, building upon the core elements of the previous title while introducing changes and expansions. Furthermore, there’s enough distinction between player characters with each bringing their own set of skills and upgrade mechanics. Difficulty is normally on the low end with some spikes here and there. That said, the gameplay is more focused on exploration, giving players a lot of areas to discover and a never-ending supply of items and skills to collect. Nevertheless, the games lack more creative level layouts and enemy encounters.
Dawn of Sorrow brings back the same system used in its prequel. Using the power of dominance, Soma can absorb the souls from defeated enemies, converting them into weapons, familiars and skills. As the first game in the series released for the Nintendo DS, its touch-screen gimmicks are more prominent but that failed to bring any interesting new ways to play. Regardless, M2 did well in adapting those particular features for use with a standard controller. The right stick serves as a pointer while the right trigger “touches” the screen. The seal system is now activated with simple button prompts. This control scheme is shared between all games, and works well enough. Players can also use a mouse if playing on PC.
In Portrait of Ruin, players can control two characters interchangeably, but they can also be on the screen at the same time assisting each other in combat, puzzles and platforming. Jonathan can use a variety of weapons and martial arts while Charlotte is a sorceress who wields powerful attack and support spells. This provides a fun dynamic where players are encouraged to change between the two characters and test different loadouts.
Order of Ecclesia has players pick specific missions laid-out on a world map in what may look like a classic Castlevania. Indeed, new missions appear as the story progresses, but exploration is mostly non-linear. Additionally, missions can be revisited at any time, and some paths are only accessible further on with the use of new abilities. Similar to Castlevania 2, there’s a hub village that’s populated as Shanoa rescues people met during missions. The difficulty is higher than in the previous two games with enemies dealing a lot more damage. Furthermore, curative items and save points during missions are also not as plentiful. That said, the fast-paced exploration is intact but players need to be more mindful of enemies and effectively exploit their weaknesses.
Visuals
To display the multiple screens in the DS titles, M2 opted for a hybrid configuration that accommodates both screens at the same time while adding two more panels displaying character stats and enemy information. It’s a functional and practical solution but those looking for an option that stretches the playable area to cover the entire screen will be disappointed. Furthermore, scanline and smoothing filters can be selected for both Haunted Castle games but are strangely not available for the DS titles.
Audio
The soundtrack which was already solid, now sounds even better as that grainy, noisy sound typical of games on the DS was removed. The song compositions were made by a number of new artists, but also feature long-standing Castlevania composer Michiru Yamane and even Yuzo Koshiro, known for the music in Streets of Rage. Suffice it to say, Castlevania Dominus Collection features an extensive selection of quality tunes that can be listened to at the players’ leisure in the gallery mode.
Overall
M2 once again delivers a quality collection featuring great games that run without hitches. Add to that an extensive gallery mode featuring dozens of artworks across all titles and even a robust and easy to access sound mode. Last but not least, we also get an entirely new “classicvania” with Haunted Castle Revisited. All in all, Castlevania Dominus Collection is an amazing anthology that should not be missed by fans and newcomers alike.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Arcade Paradise VR: “Out of This World” Track Gets Another Music Video Release
Watford, UK – September 6th, 2024: Black Razor Records, the indie record label founded by video games publisher Wired Productions, today released a brand-new music video for “Systems” by Ivar & The Horde.
The ‘Out of This World’ Soundtrack is inspired by Arcade Paradise VR and will take you back to those halcyon days of the early 90s when the neon lights of the arcade shone brightest and a pocket full of quarters could take you to any world imaginable.
Watch the “Systems” Music Video here:
“Out Of This World” takes you on a journey inspired by one of the richest and most diverse eras of electronic music. Giving respect to the artists of the time, whilst transporting you to the heady and sweaty days of raves, great music and mutual love for your brothers and sisters on the dancefloor.
Arcade Paradise VR is currently available on Meta Quest, Playstation VR2 and PC VR and takes players on a journey from virtual rags to arcade riches, where they’ll transform the decrepit “King Wash” Laundromat into a thriving arcade business. The game features 12 fully realized VR cabinets alongside 27 traditionally controlled games to keep players perpetually entertained.
For the latest news and updates, visit the Wired Website and follow Arcade Paradise on Twitter.
About Wired Productions
Wired Productions is an independent video games publisher based in Watford, UK. Wired has produced and published award-winning titles across all major platforms and its games are curated to deliver on its mantra: ‘Driven by Passion.’ Bringing games to market in both physical and digital media, recent notable launches include: Gori: Cuddly Carnage, Arcade Paradise VR, Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles, Tin Hearts, The Last Worker, Arcade Paradise, Martha Is Dead, The Falconeer, and Deliver Us The Moon. Upcoming titles include DIG VR, KARMA: The Dark World and Hotel Architect.
About Black Razor Records
Black Razor Records launched in 2022 and is a wholly owned label of Wired Productions. Its mission is to bridge the gap between the video game and music worlds and to provide music creators a platform to showcase and commercialize their talent. All music originates from video games, whether in-game or for promotional purposes. By collaborating with great writers and producers, the loadout is complete. Music is in the DNA.
About Nosebleed Interactive
Nosebleed Interactive is a multi-award-winning independent developer based in Newcastle upon Tyne, in the heart of the North East of England. After critical hits Vostok Inc. and Arcade Paradise, Nosebleed are working on Arcade Paradise VR as their next hit title.
