Free update includes new characters, combat mechanics, cutscene improvements
SINGAPORE – Dec. 2, 2024 –YIIK I.V, the definitive version of mind-bending adventure YIIK: A Post-Modern RPG from Ysbryd Games and Ackk Studios,reforms realities as two paths converge on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4|5, and Windows PC via Steam and GOG as a free update today.
When a vision reveals a woman disappearing in the grip of an iron maiden, recent college grad Alex descends into an obsession to find the truth, even if that means destroying the world around him. I.V takes Alex’s world to uncharted dimensions: three new party members, a brand new combat system, new and improved cutscenes, ten new areas, more than 150 new tracks, reimagined dungeon layouts, revamped Monster Dens, and a new leveling system within Alex’s Mind Dungeon all await in the ultimate YIIK experience.
Find inscrutable puzzles, peculiar enemies, and lethal traps alongside newfound allies as Alex investigates saturated, complex dimensions. Fight off unnatural beings in turn-based combat alongside Karta, mysterious collectible beings acting as their partner’s first line of defense. Synergize their distinct passive and active abilities and HP defenses when choosing which three to equip.
“Throughout years of development, my brother and I have never stopped reaching for our vision of what the story and world of YIIK could be,” said Andrew Allanson, co-founder and co-director of Ackk Studios. “We’re proud to say we’ve finally reached our vision and want to thank our community for coming along for the ride!”YIIK I.V is available now on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4|5, and Windows PC via Steam and GOG with English and Japanese language support.
Publisher Ysbryd Games delivers games with stories that have the heart and soul to stay with players for a lifetime, underlined by captivating gameplay and striking aesthetics.
About Ackk Studios
Established in 2013, Ackk Studios is a New Jersey-based developer of PC and console games with a focus on experimental storytelling and gameplay mechanics. Their releases to date include Two Brothers and YIIK: A Post-Modern RPG, which have garnered industry attention and a devoted fanbase across the world.
Stockholm, Sweden– December 3, 2024 | With a combined 7,000 reviews on Steam, PlayStation and Xbox, Smalland: Survive the Wilds has captured the imagination of players around the globe since its launch in February this year – and a large part of that is thanks to its stunning sound. A sound that’s only going to get better!
Maximum Entertainment is excited to reveal a behind-the-scenesvideo that follows the (perhaps appropriately-named) composer, Pav Gekko, and his orchestra; as they create a special orchestral version of the stunning sound behind Smalland!
The game has had regular updates since its release, but the cornerstone to everything in Smalland is its compelling score and even that’s now being updated too. Bringing this world to life in so many ways, this behind-the-scenes video from the special Orchestral performances captures the love and care that was put into creating such a vibrant sound for this beloved title.
Pav Gekko has created a Smalland soundtrack that is inspired by classical music and the greats from the world of cinema. He appears in the video alongside fellow composer Ryan Williams (Dead Island 2), who joined to observe the orchestra, and musicians from the local area that help to give the elf-like hero of Smalland their own Hollywood-style score.
“It is important that the music in games of the highest quality,” says Pav Gekko, “The Smalland soundtrack stands out with its lush, deliberately old-fashioned sound, neo-classical orchestration, and vintage treatment that capture the magical, whimsical atmosphere of the game’s world. Inspired by iconic symphonic adventure scores of the 1980s, it blends nostalgic action-adventure idioms with a fresh, fairytale-like quality and vibrant orchestral colours. This approach transports listeners into the world of Smalland, where a tiny elf-like character embarks on a grand journey.”
Make like a cricket and hop on over to the PC, Playstation 5, and Xbox Series X|S stores to check out this delightful title today. For those looking to treat their ears to some of the tantalising singles, head over to Pav Gekko’s Spotify to hear more. These tracks include: the Main Theme, Enchanted Forest, Gloomy Gateway, Surviving the Storm.
Find out more about Maximum Entertainment and follow for more updates on our social media channels:
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.
New Service Buildings and Housing Assets Bring a Modern Flair to Players’ Cityscapes
STOCKHOLM — DECEMBER 2 — Paradox Interactive today released two new Creator Packs and a new Radio Station for Cities: Skylines II, the sequel to Paradox’s best-selling city-builder game. The “Urban Promenades” Creator Pack, featuring mixed housings with stunning rooftop terraces at the top, accompanied by urban promenades with expanded sidewalks below band the “Modern Architecture” Creator Pack, which adds a broad variety of sleek, modern buildings for service, transportation, and more, are available alongside with a new Radio Station, “Soft Rock Radio”. The three new DLC are available for sale separately, or all together in the Modern City Bundle for $17.99/€17.99/£14.99. These DLC are also included as part of the Cities: Skylines II – Waterfronts Expansion Pass and Ultimate Edition, and will be downloadable to owners of those editions upon release for no additional cost.
In “Urban Promenades,” content creator Feindbold brings the essence of modern city life to players with new mixed housing buildings, with commercial spaces on the ground floor and stunning rooftop terraces. 60 mixed housing assets, together with 5 new urban service buildings that can fit in compact spaces within a bustling urban center, will give players new ways to add energy and life to their growing cities.
“Modern Architecture” from content creator Richard Shi adds new ways to cater to both residents and tourists with 21 new service buildings, from new bus stations all the way up to universities and city plazas. Education, arts, transportation and more can take on a sleek, cutting-edge, modern aesthetic and bring the latest styles to any town.
With the energy and spirit of rock paired with a relaxed, soothing delivery, “Soft Rock Radio” is the perfect accompaniment to realize players’ urban aspirations. This radio infuses your adventure with mellow guitar strums and gentle vocal harmonies, creating a musical landscape that uplifts and energizes.
Paradox Interactive is one of the premier developers and publishers of strategy and management games for PC and consoles. The players are located all over the world but some of the biggest markets are North America, Western Europe and Asia.
The game portfolio consists of popular franchises such as Stellaris, Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron, Crusader Kings, Cities: Skylines, Prison Architect, the Surviving games, Age of Wonders and Victoria. Paradox Interactive also owns the World of Darkness brand catalog.
WILD WOODS arrives in Early Access on December 9th. Join us in local or online co-op, including Steam Remote Play, to fend off the forest critters while protecting your wooden wagon!
02.12.2024 Hamburg – Daedalic Entertainment and Octofox Games are proud to announce that the thrilling and enchanting Wild Woods will officially launch on December 9th, 2024 on Steam! Gather your squad, prepare for adventure, and charge into a vibrant forest teeming with excitement, teamwork, and epic challenges. Enjoy the game with your friends in a local or mixed local-online co-op adventure. Steam Remote Play will be supported, so you and your friends can enjoy the journey easily – embracing that indie spirit with fun for players of all experience levels!
A Forest Full of Fun and Challenges Awaits By day, the kittens gather everything they need – wood, plants, and solve ancient shrine puzzles for powerful buffs to strengthen themselves and upgrade their wagon. But hold on tight, because when night falls, the danger escalates! Forest critters, from angry bunnies to sinister badgers, rush in to attack. The precious wagon is at risk, and the kittens need brave players like you to help defend it!
Get Ready for an Unforgettable Forest Adventure Even in early access, the game includes:
15 Unique Kitten Skins: Choose from an array of adorable options to personalize your character.
30 Diverse Challenges: Test your teamwork and individual skills across exciting scenarios.
46 Upgrades to Discover: Tailor your playstyle with a wide range of enhancements for your cart and team.
2 Beautiful Biomes: Explore richly designed environments that bring the forest to life.
2 Epic Bosses: Face off against formidable foes that demand strategy and skill.
6 Distinct Enemy Types: Adapt and refine your approach to overcome varied challenges.
3 Difficulty Levels: Find the perfect balance of fun and challenge for your group.
20 Achievements to Unlock: just to to show off, honestly.
Support your Journey with the Exclusive Supporter Pack For the ultimate Wild Woods experience, grab the Supporter Pack, available at launch! This special bundle includes:
3 Exclusive Kitten Skins: Have the option to add the charming Sir Cat, White Lion, and Star Cat to your adventuring party.
2 Exclusive Wagon Skins: Customize Rosie with the stunning Star Wanderer and Corsair designs to ensure your cart is as stylish as it is functional.
Exclusive Discord Role: Show off your support with a unique community role thathighlights your dedication.
The Wild Woods Digital Soundtrack: Relive the adventure anytime with the game’s magicaland heartwarming music.
Explore the Exciting Roadmap Ahead Wild Woods is just getting started! Post-launch, players can look forward to an amazing roadmap packed with exciting updates, including:
New Character Role: Add fresh dynamics to your team with an exciting new character role.
New Upgrades and Challenges: Discover powerful new abilities and tackle new thrilling challenges that push your teamwork and strategy to the next level.
Session Browser & Hot Join: Easily join or host games with improved accessibility features.
Community-Selected Features: Players vote for new content to make the game even better.
Biome 3 & New Boss: Unveil thrilling new areas with unique challenges.
New Enemies and Lore: Encounter more adversaries while discovering collectible story bits that deepen the world.
More QoL Features: Enjoy button remapping, player kick features, Steam friend invites, and much more.
Seasonal Events: Celebrate holidays and special occasions with unique in-game events and rewards!
Stay tuned for regular updates that will keep the forest adventure fresh and thrilling for months to come!
About Octofox Games: Octofox Games, a small remote-only indie game development studio based in Germany, is currently developing their debut title Wild Woods. With a team of just three people, their mission is to create easily accessible action co-op games for a wide audience.
About Daedalic Entertainment Daedalic Entertainment is a renowned publisher that has supported indie developers for over 17 years, bringing their titles to every major gaming platform. The line-up of games includes a diverse variety of unique titles, focusing on four distinct areas: storytelling, strategy, co-op games, and wholesome games. With an international team of around 45 employees, Daedalic is currently working with various development studios to create a new line-up of innovative games across consoles and PCs to market. Recent hits include New Cycle, Barotrauma, Unrailed!, REVEIL, Potion Tycoon, Deponia, Shadow Tactics, Inkulinati, Hidden Deep, Fling to the Finish! and more. Please look out for upcoming games like The Occultist, Woodo, Magin: The Rat Project Stories, Edge of Sanity, Wild Woods, and many more. Since April 2022, Daedalic Entertainment has been a subsidiary of the French publishing house Nacon.
As long as I can remember, the Romancing SaGa series has always been at odds with the JRPG subgenre’s gradual shift towards an overreliance on storytelling. The games focus on delivering compelling and multi-layered RPG mechanics that are purposefully obscured to reward curiosity and experimentation, encouraging players to learn through discovery.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven gives modern players the chance to experience a fresh take on the series’ most beloved entry, now fully remade in 3D with revamped and more accessible gameplay.
We follow Emperor Leon and his sons as they battle the advancing fiend army threatening the land. We explore the expanded 3D towns and dungeons, facing challenging foes in fast-paced, turn-based combat. Along the way, we also highlight the game’s many mechanics and customization options.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven – Gameplay
In this non-linear RPG, rule and expand the Empire of Varennes across multiple generations. Discover a vast array of story experiences as you fight the Seven Heroes in an epic battle that plays out over thousands of years.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Developer: Square Enix, xeen Inc. Publisher: Square Enix Platform: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Windows Release Date: 25th October, 2024 Price: $49.99 USD
Recommended – “Revenge of the Seven modernizes a 1993 classic with vibrant graphics, and better accessibility, all while keeping its challenging, open-ended gameplay intact.”
Kick off the festivities with RuneScape’s seasonal event, playable in-game today
Monday, 2 December 2024, Cambridge, UK. Dive into festive fun, embark on an all-new seasonal quest and discover a winter wonderland glistening with holiday cheer as the Christmas Village returns to RuneScape today!
Watch the Christmas Village 2024 Dev Diary here
Ringing in the holidays in a new limited-time event, enjoy new seasonal activities, a brand-new area, and special festive rewards, including the arrival of the in-game Advent Calendar kickstarting the countdown to Christmas, with new rewards available each day – and an extra special giant gift available on December 25th.
Get into the swing of the season by exploring Diango’s Workshop and aiding an old friend. Santa has enlisted Diango to help spread the Christmas cheer, but first, he’ll need help setting up his workshop. Take part in the brand-new quest ‘A Christmas Reunion’ to help Diango build his workshop, find pixie helpers, craft uniforms, and of course – stock up the breakroom with lots of festive treats. Help Diango to unlock the title of Diango’s Little Helper, two Treasure Hunter keys, and access to Diango’s Workshop Skilling Activities.
Celebrate the festivities with a wintery world full of seasonal activities. Use your Cooking skill to make hot chocolates, paint toys with your Crafting skill, and chop down some festive fir trees with Woodcutting.
After a day in the snow, head to the warmth of Santa’s Lodge for a chance to earn the ultimate reward: the coveted Black Partyhat. Deliver letters to earn entries on the nice list and grab additional exclusive clothing rewards perfect for getting cosy this winter.
RuneScape Christmas Village Features:
Diango’s Workshop: Get into the seasonal spirit and help Diango construct his winter workshop in time for Santa’s arrival in the newest RuneScape Quest. Gather pixie helpers, craft uniforms, and spread the Christmas cheer throughout Gielinor.
New Seasonal Activities: Enjoy Christmas-themed activities with the introduction of Hot Chocolate Making, Toy Crafting, and Fir Woodcutting that uses players’ Crafting, Cooking, and Woodcutting skills.
The Black Partyhat Returns: Share the holiday spirit by delivering letters to Santa in a mission to climb up the Nice List and have a shot at earning the coveted Black Partyhat along with other weekly rewards.
The Return of the Christmas Spirit Shop: Spend your well-earned Christmas currency in the Christmas Spirit Shop to pick up seasonal gifts and holiday rewards. Deck the halls with winter hats and scarves, and pick up the new festive Holly Guard and Snowglobe Lantern to celebrate Christmas in style.
Gifts Galore: Countdown to Christmas with new rewards available each day in the daily Advent Calendar, and log onto RuneScape on the big day itself for extra special thank you gift available on December 25th.
RuneScape Christmas Village 2024: Diango’s Workshop is available for all RuneScape players to enjoy today until January 6th, 2025. RuneScape is available now on PC, Steam, iOS, and Android, complete with cross-platform progression and play on PC and mobile.
About RuneScape
Celebrating more than twenty years of adventures and acclaimed by PC Gamer as “one of the most endearing and unique MMOs available”, RuneScape is an ever-expanding, community-driven game that’s bursting with activity and life. Today RuneScape is one of the world’s longest-running online games, with over 300 million player accounts.
Set in a medieval fantasy land, players embark on epic journeys through a vast sandbox world that’s full of gods, warring races, unexplored dungeons, and glittering riches. Propelled by the game’s narrative, choose your own path through enthralling quests, and progress through 29 diverse skills to shape a single character in a classless world. RuneScape is available across PC, iOS and Android devices.
A leader in creating deep and engaging forever games that empower our communities across PC, mobile and consoles. Jagex’s flagship MMORPG, RuneScape, has welcomed over 300 million player accounts to its world and is a $1billion + lifetime revenue franchise. Today the RuneScape franchise exists beyond live operations; our titles are forever games that connect and inspire millions of players, with content and experiences both inside and outside of inexhaustible game worlds. Both RuneScape and Old School RuneScape, on PC and mobile, offer ever-evolving, highly active worlds and our community-focussed development ethos empowers players to have a real say in how each game is shaped.
In 2022, Jagex expanded with the acquisitions of PipeWorks and Gamepires, bringing its expertise in building forever games to SCUM, a multi-million selling open-world survival title in Steam Early Access & other unannounced titles. Jagex employs more than 600 people globally, and is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom.
SMASH INDIE MOBILE HIT RETURNING TO THE SLOPES FEBRUARY 6, 2025
With Over 20 Million Downloads, Grand Mountain Adventure is Back – and it’s Bigger and Better Than Ever
Check out the teaser trailer for Grand Mountain Adventure 2
Check out the teaser trailer for Grand Mountain Adventure 2
December 2, 2024 – Sweden -Toppluva AB today announced that the eagerly anticipated sequel to their worldwide hit ski and snowboarding game, Grand Mountain Adventure 2 will be schussing onto iOS and Android devices on February 6th, 2025 and is available for pre-order now on both the Apple and Play store.
Grand Mountain Adventure 2 is an open world Winter Sports arena for skiers and snowboarders to explore, experiment and have fun in, featuring a host of upgrades and improvements from the original Grand Mountain Adventure which was released 5 years ago and boasts more than 20 million downloads.
Grand Mountain Adventure 2 features:
Five huge new ski resorts.
The ultimate snow sports playground: Parachuting, Ski Jumping, Speed Skiing, Trampolines, Ziplining, Wakeboarding, and Longboards.
Introducing mini-games like a 2D platformer mode and top-down skiing, both new to the game.
Multiple new challenges and challenge-combos: including downhill racing, trick challenges, speed skiing, ski jumping and many more.
Earn XP for new outfits and better gear.
And if that all sounds like too much fun, then freeplay ‘Zen’ mode removes all challenges from the mountain so you can simply enjoy the snow or the new ‘Observe’ mode where players can add hundreds of additional NPCs to the mountain and simply watch what they all get up to on the mountain.
Each ski resort is 2-4 times larger than the first game, with vastly improved graphics. Grand Mountain Adventure 2’s slopes and resorts are filled with ‘smart AI’ NPCs who manage their own activity on the slopes from taking the lifts, skiing around obstacles, racing and enjoying the mountain as much as you.
‘”We had so much fun filling this snowy sandbox with every activity and detail we could imagine.” said Sebastian Sehr, Game Director. “We are passionate snowboarders ourselves in real life, and there are so many moments in the game when we feel the ski resorts come to life – riding a squeaky chair lift to the top, slaloming through skiers down a busy slope, stopping by a lively apres ski, or discovering a serene backcountry line.”
Grand Mountain Adventure 2 will be available on iOS and Android on February 6th, 2025.
About Toppluva AB
Toppluva is a tiny indie studio based in Stockholm, Sweden. Founded in 2015, Toppluva develops the Grand Mountain Adventure series with 20M+ players worldwide on iOS, Android, Steam and Nintendo Switch. The studio consists of three snowboarding brothers — Viktor, Sebastian, and Alexander. With a passion for creating truly unique, handcrafted games, they design everything from scratch, including the game engine, physics engine, map editor, music, 3D models, and even the mountains you’ll ski on.
Garage auction simulator where you turn trash into treasure releases new hard mode as it cements cult status with sales milestones
Warsaw, Poland – 2nd December, 2024 – Raccoons Studios and co-publisher BeardedBrothers.Games are pleased to announce that Storage Hunter Simulator has now hit 100k sales since its Early Access release in October. New updates for the game have continued to drop as the game’s cult status grows, with the latest adding a much-requested hard mode. The Hard Mode update lets players who really want to grind to make it to the top, while also adding over 60 new items to discover and sell, item selling for player houses, along with a host more gameplay enhancements, tweaks and bug fixes.
Raccoons and BeardedBrothers are also pleased to announce there will be new content dropping this month ahead of the holidays. This new update will include a festive Christmas Content Pack, new items and a few other surprises for players.
In Storage Hunter Simulator, you take risks and fight for garages amongst fierce competition as you compete with other bidders to find hidden treasures that will help you turn a profit. There are thousands of unique items to discover, which you’ll have to properly identify before they can be valued for sale, with a series of experts healing you out to value your rarer items, until your business grows enough for you to obtain the tools to value them yourself.
As you build your auction empire, you will eventually get the opportunity to purchase your own pawnshop that you can upgrade over time. With increased shelf space, the option to choose a specialisation for your shop and the ability to hire an employee to automate the process, your pawnshop will help you turn ever greater profits for your growing business.
Grow your renown in different districts to receive benefits and discounts, take risks on locked containers that might contain treasure or trash and manage your resources efficiently as you invest in tools, upgrades and employees. It’s up to you to manage your resources effectively to maximise your earnings and balance the need for short-term profits with long-term investments if you are successfully to go from rags to riches!
About Raccoons Studios
Based in Warsaw, Poland, Raccoons Studios strives to create experiences that everyone from casual players to gaming aficionados can enjoy. They are currently working on Storage Hunter Simulator.
About BeardedBrothers.Games
BeardedBrothers.Games was founded in 2018 by brothers Darek and Lukasz Skrzypkowski in Warsaw, Poland. The company makes games that use procedural generation to create immersive gameplay with high replayability and prides itself on creating projects together with the gaming community.
Italy celebrates games culture with new museum now open in the heart of Rome
2 December 2024, Rome: GAMM – Game Museum has now opened to the public in the historical center of Rome at Piazza della Repubblica. GAMM – Game Museum aims to highlight the cultural and artistic value of video games as interactive works allowing visitors to immerse themselves in a path based on the combination of history, technology, and the exploration of gameplay.
Marco Accordi Rickards, Director of GAMM said: “GAMM is a wonderful celebration of video game culture that showcases a journey for preservation digitally and physically in a modern space. With its iconic setting within the heart of Rome, the Museum will also be a forum for entertainment, hosting cultural events and occasions. We very much look forward to welcoming visitors from around the globe and sharing pieces of game history.”
Born from the extraordinary success story of Vigamus – The Video Game Museum of Rome, which has hosted over two million visitors from around the world since its inception in 2012, GAMM will be Open 7 days a week, and will span approximately 700 square meters, divided into two levels and three thematic areas. It offers an immersive and interactive journey through the world of video games, combining cutting-edge digital content with a collection of unique, valuable artifacts. It promotes the interactive medium as a form of cultural art and expression.
The exhibition area of GAMM – Game Museum features three main different interconnected levels, allowing multiple immersive experiences:
GAMMDOME – An immersive path throughout digital interactive stations with contributions from industry experts, presents itself with the 4 E Concept: Experience, Exhibition, Education & Entertainment. The path interconnects digital contributions with a physical exhibition of unique objects, consoles, pieces and donations that made the history of games.
PARC Path of Arcadia – The Path of Arcadia is the second thematic are of the museum, dedicated to the golden age of coin-op games, spanning from the late ’70s through the ’80s, with some forays into the early ’90s.
HIP Historical Playground – Historical Playground will be constituting the second level of the exhibition space. This area is entirely dedicated to gameplay, offering an immersive experience that deeply explores game structure, interaction mechanisms, and game design rules, with a detailed analysis of the historical evolution of video games, the technologies used, and the various target audiences.
The museum is designed not only for video game enthusiasts but also for families, young people, tourists, schools, academies, and industry experts, and for anyone interested in discovering the unique cultural medium that has, over the years, captivated and moved people of all ages and backgrounds.
GAMM – Game Museum information Location: Piazza della Repubblica, Rome Opening hours: 7 days a week from 9:30 AM to 7:30 PM, and on Fridays and Saturdays also from 8:30 PM to 11:30 PM Website:www.gammuseum.com
Tickets to the museum will cost: 15 euros
About KABUTO s.r.l
KABUTO is an innovative and technological start-up with a rich heritage rooted in over 25 years of experience in the field of interactive works. It was founded by the team behind Vigamus Group. GAMM – Game Museum aims to constitute the evolution of the Group’s history in preserving, promoting, and expanding the cultural and artistic value of the interactive medium as a cutting-edge museum space. Our journey has seen the development of several key assets, including the VIGAMUS – The Videogame Museum of Rome, which opened its doors in 2012, and the VIGAMUS Academy, offering specialized training since 2014.
The aesthetic of a cyberpunk world is always a huge draw, especially when done well. Mix that with a little, or a lot, of dystopian future and there is the makings for some great storytelling to pull from, whether it involves humanity pushing the limits of what actually can still be considered human or mega corporations dominating the world. Chaotic Brain Studios has brought out their own take on a cyberpunk dystopia with a unique blend of pixel characters and 3D environments dripping with signature neon. So, now that it has arrived, is Neon Blood worth the trip to the grungy neon-lit future?
Story
The year is 2053 and everyone in Viridis has cybernetic implants of some sort, whether they are older biological based implants or the new fangled top of the line tech being rolled out by Nilkcorp. The quality of these implants is massive and with everyday life revolving around cybernetics in this dystopian future, those who are wealthy rule while those who are barely scraping by end up in the sewers, literally. Players take on the role of Axel McCoin, an amnesiac detective who was once one of the best cops in Blind City but once his memory loss, migraines, and addiction to the powerful drug Spark took hold he’s been barely holding it together.
With the help of his police commissioner wanting to honor his legacy and a fellow Spark addict who happens to be the best hacker in the city, McCoin finds himself placed on a serial killer’s trail. A mysterious murderer known as Robin Slash has been slaying any engineers working for Nilkcorp and with the company about to roll out the next major patch to their cybernetics, the company’s owner Ruby Emerald is prepared to take any means necessary, even if it means using her own security force “The Samaritans” that far outnumber and outgear the police to do it. With little time and only a few clues to go off of, McCoin soon finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy that’ll change the lives of everyone and not only contains the truth behind McCoin’s memory loss but his unusual abilities that slowly unveil themselves over the course of the investigation.
Neon Blood tells a fairly interesting tale with a world that is just detailed enough to draw players in but never quite deep enough to keep them interested for long and is a bit stereotypical for a cyberpunk story as well. This is both something of a blessing and a curse as Neon Blood is an incredibly short game with players being able to explore and talk to nearly every NPC in each location, find all the notes and newspaper clippings scattered around that provide a bit of extra context, and still beat the game in roughly three hours. This, accompanied with the fact that there are no unique paths or different outcomes to McCoin’s journey means that this is a one and done experience, even if some later revelations add a bit of extra context to earlier scenes.
That’s not to say that the story is bad by any means however and what the writers have detailed about the world is entertaining enough. Whether it be the Spark drug that many fall victim to and the foul way it is created, the “Rat Man” transformation the addicts can suffer, or even the dilapidated conditions a region can turn into once its mega corp pulls out. These little world details help add extra context to Neon Blood’s storyline but unfortunately the actual characters are the ones that need the most growth and explanation. Numerous characters that join McCoin’s investigation or come up against him have their own little personalities but they are never expanded on in any meaningful way in game. In fact, the main villain of the story, while stereotypical for their reasoning about what they want to do, isn’t even given most of their backstory within the title. Instead it is relegated to dev logs on the game’s Steam page where players shouldn’t even delve into before playing the game as it will spoil certain events within the game itself. Including these extra pieces of background information as post-game rewards or unlockable in-game content would have been a far more preferable way to handle these.
Gameplay
Throughout Neon Blood players will only find themselves controlling McCoin as he travels around the various locations pertinent to his current investigation. The only real navigation options are a slow walking pace, a standard jog, and shortly after starting the game, the ability to scan a small area for clues. Players can talk to various NPCs with quest-related NPCs given special exclamation marks next to their chat boxes as well as examine some objects in the environment but for the most part, almost everything having to do with exploration is incredibly simple.
Puzzles themselves are pretty much non-existent other than having to occasionally scan an area and follow a neon-lit trail left by McCoin’s target. This is as simple as going from point A to point B at nearly every occasion and even the dreaded sewers are a slog of activating terminals to lower bridges, an activity that players will need to do twice as they return to pad out the game’s length near the end of the title. The only notable puzzles have to deal with a couple of interactions that require the player to properly remember some clues to convince a character to move or real life knowledge of games as the title is full of references to both gaming as well as the cyberpunk genre in general. We counted at least three obvious game references though there are likely more for a more discerning or cyberpunk loving eye.
There is no inventory system in any way, as players will simply obtain items that will then just be used as needed by the plot and the same can be said for McCoin’s cybernetics and combat abilities. As players advance through the story McCoin will just be given upgrades by his allies or, in a couple of odd cases, just grow stronger out of nowhere. Ironically, despite having a turn-based battle system and featuring allies that seem like they could fight alongside McCoin at multiple times throughout the game, McCoin will always be alone when it comes to fighting. As for the fights themselves, as mentioned before they are entirely turn-based and there is no real way to judge which character will act first. McCoin’s initial combat options are standard attack, items that take turns to recharge, defend, and a headshot critical skill with no cooldown. As players progress they’ll obtain more item and skill attacks to the point that combat becomes a moot point, with there ironically being absolutely zero challenge once players obtain a certain final skill, making even the big bosses a breeze.
Not that there is any actual punishment for dying in combat. Should players take a risky gamble or take an unlucky critical hit and die, the game will simply reset the fight. Every so often after a fight, and one other time, players are sent into a series of quick time events to rapidly unleash powerful moves to finish off a foe in a bombastic looking fashion. The only problem here is, these quick time events are completely silent and so is the action happening on screen, removing a lot of the impact they may have otherwise.
It is rather unfortunate to note that despite clocking in at roughly three hours, Neon Blood has its fair share of bugs throughout our time with the game. This included interacting with an NPC only to find our character locked in place and unable to move, forcing a quit to menu and relying on the game’s lackluster auto save only option, a handful of translation issues, characters having the wrong text boxes for their dialogue to the point it made them look like they were talking to themself, and even an issue that glitched out a quest NPC that once again forced a quit and reload. It is also worth noting that while this may or may not be a bug, a combat skill that states that McCoin’s attack will never miss but will always attack second if used, misses extremely often.
Audio & Visuals
Players will immediately be able to tell that Neon Blood’s unique blend of chunky pixel art against 3D backgrounds laced with neon lighting throughout is a real labor of love. The game’s environments are great looking, even if some are unfortunately reused a couple of times too many, while the characters look wonderful, maintaining a unique aesthetic throughout while also providing a bit of a twisted look at how some of those who fall prey to the Spark become. Throughout the game the quick time action sequences are some of the best looking pieces of pixel art in the game and oddly enough, there are even full blown animated cutscenes from time to time but they are rather brief. That being said, these scenes do help provide a bit of extra detail to put some proper features to pixelated faces.
There is no voice work in any form throughout the game, though there are a large number of text language options available for accessibility. As mentioned before, there is a strange lack of sound effects for quick time event fights and even some of the animated scenes lack sound too which is extremely unfortunate. As for the background music, there are a solid array of tracks that fit the cyberpunk/retro theme of the game but none stand out in any notable way.
Overall
Playing through Neon Blood it is easy to see that it is a labor of love from some passionate developers. The pixel artwork and setting of the game are impressive and gorgeous looking at times and there is a certain level of detail to the world building that feels like there could be so much more to the game. But that feeling is sadly one that persists throughout many aspects of it, as the storyline itself isn’t bad but lacks impact thanks to its short length and lack of background details for certain characters outside of Mc Coin and the combat is bare bones at best and lackluster at its worst. With a handful of bugs accompanying it as well, it feels like Neon Blood could have been much more.
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