Years ago, I found Total Extreme Wrestling while forum-surfing. It was a text-driven game where you could be the booker for a federation, and watch results simulate week after week. The game was pretty big online and even used to ultimately influence the much less interesting “GM Mode” that modern wrestling games would adopt. Over 20 years later, this little game is now out with its 9th iteration. How does it fare all of these years later with Total Extreme Wrestling IX? Let’s find out.
Story
You dream it, you build it. That’s the core thought process behind the narratives that happen here, as players are greeted with a full cast of original characters they can use to create an entire wrestling universe. From major organizations to the independents, TEW IX allows you take control of literally anyone, book matches and literally influence the entire wrestling scene through trades, shows, ratings, and so on. Yeah, this game is a lot, but the stories inside are rather clever, where injuries and other life events quickly change how you must think and strategize as you attempt to book your way to success. If your new here, this can be never-ending, or you can set your own goals to go until you feel satisfied. That said, there is something super-addicting about the formula once you make the plunge, as I spent hours into the night clicking away in this little toolbox.
Gameplay
Total Extreme Wrestling IX is easy enough to understand, but a lot to actually get started with. Everything is customizable. Everything. From the show names, to the talent, to the gimmicks, and so on. It’s almost a bit too complex as I feel I took longer to create my base of what I wanted than I did with the core game itself in some ways. Think of it as a giant menu where each show has a ton of options. Finances, creative, ratings, health reports, titles. It’s a lot for just running one show at a time, and sometimes the drop-down menu interface feels a bit archaic to understand due to the heavy amount of depth and options. Patient and imaginative players are rewarded, however, as there are limitless possibilities once you jump in and once it “clicks”, it’s hard to put down for a minute.
As a person who has not played this franchise in over a decade, I was pleasantly surprised with how everything almost felt the same. Sure, there are new features like a touted streamlined interface and so on, but there is something very satisfying to an older player like myself of how accessible the menu system still feels, as if no time has passed. That said, there have also been a ton of improvements elsewhere in the market over the years, and part of me wonders if this old engine would be a lot more accessible for others if it was simplified and overhauled for a younger market, as I see this being far from accessible to a new player.
It seems booking logic was a big thing this year, and that really does show. The world-building is incredible with how well each federation interacts by the moves you make, and its pretty neat seeing a nobody you create turn into a big deal, where their demand slowly becomes a centerpiece of the wrestling universe inside here. Kind of like fire-pro, this release is only as good as its community however, as mods really make it feel real, with the ability to fully customize an entire roster and federation with pre-loaded picture sets and talent that come with everything you know them from the actual product. It took a second, but after what may have been ten minutes I was able to load up some amazing creations, many of which I plan on returning to as I relive my own history in wrestling with this hefty sim.
Audio
I know this is more of a tool than a game, but there isn’t a lot of music to speak of here. I kind of feel that the lack of sound takes away a fun element of wrestling as music has such a role with identity, but alas, that’s just not what this product is built to do.
Visuals
The blue backdrop in Total Extreme Wrestling IX made me feel at home again as if I was yet again in my late teens and trying to build factions all over again from years ago. That said, there isn’t a lot of flash or style to speak of, even though the visuals have improved. Mods can certainly add some life to this, but again, this is more of a creative tool than it is a video game in the standard sense. How that reflects on the player is up to them.
Overall
Part of me wants to critique Total Extreme Wrestling IX as it has changed but still feels like that same program from years and years ago, despite its immense depth. That would be unfair, though. This is an amazing way to soak hours of your own creativity into, and the limitless options and ease of navigation make for one of the only real ways to truly play any sort of “GM Mode” correctly, as this title just overshadows all other experiences. It may be the 9th instalment, but Grey Dog has something truly special here, and hopefully it will continue to see refinement and life in the community to keep it around for another couple of decades. This is still the undisputed wrestling booker, and no one else is even close to touching what this simulator can do.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Test your success in the game’s free demo ahead of the Early Access release on September 24th.
Los Angeles, USA, 3 September 2024 | A perfect storm approaches as Skyward Extraction, a light horror, cooperative roguelike from indie developer Naughty Clogs, announces its Early Access for Steam, coming September 24th. Players can step into this high-flying adventure in the game’s free demo.
A Skyward Adventure
Encounter Skyward Extraction’s Relencost, a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by ancient conflict. A magic storm has rendered the surface unlivable, forcing the planet’s survivors above the cloud layer in search of safety. Even so, one place remains treacherous above all others: The Stormwall. A place so dangerous that its shifting depths are rarely explored, where only the bravest or most greedy dare to travel. Thus begins your journey.
Cooperative Extraction
Skyward Extraction is a co-op survival game with roguelike elements coming to Steam. Explore the depths of The Stormwall alongside your friends to retrieve valuable loot from Relencost’s pre-war period. Navigate through the clouds in your airship, allowing you to move deeper into the chaotic storm in search of valuable resources. As you pierce further into the storm, both your risks and rewards increase significantly. Player perks–including increased health and stamina or decreased fall damage–can protect you in a pinch, while equipment upgrades can alter your kit’s abilities. Scale vertical climbs with the long-range Grapple Pack, expand your inventory size with the Mule Pack, or cross gaps with increased efficiency using the Glider Pack. Commissions and dungeon loot will reward you with gold, letting you purchase new advancements at the game’s supply outpost.
Hosts of Challenges
Ensuring your swift escape is vital to retaining your loot. Activity within the storm attracts unwanted attention, so you must return to the ship often to store your rewards. A host of dangerous entities await, including slimes, goblins, automatons, and deadly scorpions. Patrolling the skies are Stormbeasts, posing another threat to your ship’s integrity. The game’s eight unique dungeons feature seven different interiors with various enemies and rewards. Each day, new escape and entry routes will open, closing other paths to keep players on their toes and exploring.
Gameplay Features:
Procedurally generated maps, dungeons, and events offer 7 unique interiors and a diverse cast of enemies, ranging from burrowing scorpions to high-flying Stormbeasts.
Voice proximity chat and co-op mode create a thrilling multiplayer experience.
Permanent character progression, combined with the game’s procedurally generated challenges, ensures players will never experience the same challenge twice and can continue building their stats after each run.
Equipment enhancements increase base functions, such as extended range on a grappling hook, reduced stamina consumption on a glider, or a large radius light to guide your way through the dark.
Skyward Extraction’s Early Access launch promises a thrilling cooperative experience, with additional features–such as mini-quests and open exploration environments–planned for the game’s full launch.
Skyward Extraction will launch soon in Early Access on September 24th. A free demo is available now on Steam, and interested players can wishlist the title for updates on its launch.
About Naughty Clogs
Naughty Clogs is a small team of passionate developers from all over the world. Made up of industry veterans, they take a Fun First approach to making games while focusing on community involvement. They strive to make sure that they are putting out games that they would want to play and never take themselves too seriously.
For many people when it comes to a video game being developed and published out of China the first thing they’ll think of is likely a gacha title as a certain company has grown quite famous through the years with its multiple efforts. When it comes to Chinese stories though, many will likely think of The Journey to the West in one way or perhaps Romance of the Three Kingdoms though the former has stretched far beyond its roots and encouraged countless inspirations that take elements of Sun Wukong’s story and make it their own, be it through a game, manga, tv series, and even films. These different stories all came from other countries, however, and now this time with Game Science we have a Chinese developer telling a tale so steeped in The Journey to the West with Black Myth: Wukong that those unfamiliar with elements of the book may miss out on some aspects. Filled to the brim with lore and designed to be a challenging action RPG, has Game Science managed to make their own mark on Sun Wukong’s legend?
Story
Long before the events of the game, Sun Wukong rebelled against the Celestial Court, and the irreverent Monkey King was unstoppable, easily overpowering anything that came his way. That is until his sudden defeat at the hands of the Court that results with him being sealed within Mount Huaguo. Centuries pass as the monkey men that reside on the mountain occasionally send out warriors to try and recover the relics of the Monkey King to revive him. One such monkey finds himself eventually named the Destined One as he begins his trip through the mountain, finding that not only is the Destined One capable of wielding the same spells, albeit far weaker, that Sun Wukong was able to at will and managing to use an extendable staff just like the legendary Monkey King.
With exceptional combat skills and a growing array of abilities, the Destined One’s quest to revive Sun Wukong is steeped in lore and richly engaging. Game Science has taken the classic tale of Journey to the West and infused it with its own twist on the narrative. Players familiar with the book, or with the various adaptations it has inspired, will likely catch the countless references and direct nods to Chinese mythology that appear throughout the game’s six chapters. It also helps that each of the six chapters have their own side-story and theme that is bookended by a beautiful cutscene that is portrayed differently every time.
This extra side-story and the amount of hidden content that players can find by doing simple side-objectives or interactions really helps expand the game’s storyline beyond just that of the Destined One, since he is completely lacking as a lead character that never speaks, instead putting the weight of storytelling on other characters or enemy lore summaries. It often goes into extensive detail about the events that led to the area that players just traveled through being the way it is or more background details surrounding the characters or bosses that they’ve fought and can offer useful rewards as well. Along these same lines, every single enemy type in the game, of which there are quite a few, has their own multi-paragraph detail and illustration to go along with it, with bosses and mini-bosses given even more detail than minor enemies.
This extra content helps expand the world and also provide important context for even those that are unfamiliar with The Journey to the West. In fact, as we mentioned before, knowledge of the book will help players understand certain character’s motivations and how some have been twisted in this new and unique telling but even those who haven’t read the story will still be able to enjoy the game’s storyline nonetheless. It is also worth noting that players should definitely do some searching around once they’ve completed the game the first time through, especially if they want to find some new content waiting for them both in terms of gameplay as well as story.
Gameplay
Much of the talk leading up to Black Myth: Wukong‘s release was about what type of game it actually was as many were saying it might be a soulslike despite the developer saying otherwise and it is easy to tell where the similarities might be seen but at its core the game is actually an action RPG that is at its best when players are taking on the countless bosses, mini-bosses, and secret bosses scattered across the game’s six chapters. The resemblances to a “soulslike” lay with the fact that the Destined One will activate shrines that serve as respawn points, a healing gourd that has limited uses that replenishes when resting at a shrine while also respawning generic enemies, and challenging boss fights with no difficulty options available all while dealing with a stamina bar. Everything else is entirely different in ways both good and bad.
The Destined One will fight with a wide variety of staffs that work in the exact same fashion as Wukong’s legendary extending and shrinking Ruyi Jingu Bang with every weapon (players will obtain numerous staffs and upgrades to these throughout the game) shrinking to store in his hair during exploration or even extend into a wider harder hitting attack to close out large combo strings or during heavy attacks. Combat itself is fairly simple at its core, players will use light attack combos that generate Focus with every hit that can then be banked to unleash powerful heavy attacks or add additional damage to certain skills. Players can even hold heavy attack to bank more Focus into it and deal substantial damage and stagger to an enemy, making it highly useful for foes or chaining a heavy attack into the end of a light combo attack if possible, though players will likely need to get a few upgrades to pull this off regularly. It is also worth noting that there is no actual block button in any way here, players (with a skill) can deflect incoming projectiles and use a spell learned later in the game to parry to avoid damage but otherwise they’ll be having to dodge to avoid any damage.
As players defeat enemies they obtain experience points that will help them obtain “Sparks” that can be spent in a number of skill trees with more unlocking as players progress through the game. Thankfully, Sparks can be reset at any time with no punishment meaning players can freely try out their abilities and styles to find what fits best for them or for specific bosses. These skill trees often unlock extra attacks, increase the Destined One’s stat, make it so dodges no longer break up the light combo, add additional Focus slots with enough upgrades into specific trees, and even three different fighting stances to choose from that each have their own combat skills assigned to them. This allows for a high level of customization and experimentation that doesn’t even touch upon spells and transformations yet.
Throughout the various chapters, usually whenever players defeat a boss of some kind, they’ll obtain a new spell or transformation, both of which have cooldown timers and use their own meter with spells requiring mana to cast. These spells range from helpful abilities like being able to freeze enemies in space to either land some devastating hits to them, dodge out of the way of their incoming blow, or get some distance to heal, turning to mist to land surprise attacks while leaving a mirage behind, or even creating clones of yourself to all deal extra damage to enemies and draw their attacks. Transformations are an entirely different thing as the Destined One can transform into certain previously defeated mini-bosses and assume their movesets at the same time. This transformation practically serves as a free life as players gain a fresh health bar that is only diminished when hit or using that form’s special skills only to revert back to their original self and status when it ends. There are even “special” attacks that can be used from other mini-bosses that come in the form of spirits. This opens up a lot of possibilities during combat and makes players pick and choose between their favorites while also factoring in what an enemy boss might be weak against at the same time, giving Black Myth: Wukong’s combat surprising depth beyond simple melee combos.
That being said, the only time players will actually have to put their skills to the test is during these types of boss encounters as otherwise nearly every other enemy is a push over. The level design in the game feels surprisingly limited and so does enemy placement. Players will travel through these locations, encountering scatterings of smaller foes that can be defeated in a solid half-combo and some slightly tougher ones that may take a full combo to defeat but even these don’t respawn. Along the way they’ll find that there is a shockingly high level of invisible walls to these levels. Yes, there are secrets to find and side-quests to complete here and there, but most of these are barely off the beaten path and a large number of locations that make it look like players can travel to will simply be walled off with an invisible barrier despite it being obvious players should be able to get through. It doesn’t help that there is shockingly no mini-map or even a map of any kind, though a small glimmer will appear whenever players are quite close to a new Shrine. This makes the level designs often feel more frustrating and empty than they should for an action RPG, instead making most locations feel more like boss rushes than anything else.
Thankfully the bosses themselves are often on the completely other side of the spectrum here as they are completely lavish affairs complete with introduction sequences and elaborate attack patterns that make almost every encounter feel like a labor of love from the developer in an effort to crush the player into the dirt. Every chapter will feature a variety of bosses throughout them with smaller bosses often leading into grander boss encounters before culminating in a massively over-the-top encounter to close things out. Sure, there are a few that aren’t quite as impressive as others, but using your abilities to the best all while fighting against an absolutely brutal boss with an incredible presentation feels amazing once they are finally defeated. It also helps that despite the large number of bosses throughout the game, it doesn’t feel like any of them are copies of one another, they each deliver a unique combat experience meant for players to overcome through brain and brawn. That being said, some of these boss encounters do have some problems and one of them that is almost always the case is the camera.
Since a large number of bosses are large scale enemies the camera can struggle with the enemy’s size while locked on and this is exacerbated by some of these bosses having some incredibly strange hit and hurt boxes. There are times players may feel like they’ve safely cleared the area of an attack or dodged out of the way only to find themselves taking massive damage or, in some cases, simply thrown flying while taking no damage at all oddly enough while some foes can have massive AoE attacks that, should the player be stuck near a wall, are impossible to avoid by simply dodging and require the use of a limited spell to avoid. Along these same lines, attacks that should clearly have dealt damage to an enemy boss can occasionally do nothing at all, apparently missing despite landing cleanly from the way things look. This can partially be attributed to input lag as well, which is another unfortunate problem the PlayStation 5 version of the game seems to suffer from even under the best of circumstances during large scale boss fights.
Audio & Visuals
Let’s be clear here, Black Myth: Wukong is an incredibly gorgeous game. Everything from the hair on the Destined One’s hair to the way combat flows smoothly when players are unleashing combo strings on standard foes or taking advantage of a staggered boss and the wonderful looking stages players will travel through as they take down boss after boss. The stylization of the game’s lore presentation in cutscenes and enemy descriptions is lovingly thematic and steeped in Chinese aesthetic all while the enemies players encounter are just as wonderfully designed looking and varied as ever, making sure to keep players entertained with every chapter. This isn’t even touching upon the game’s bosses that tend to take things to the next level when it comes to their design and arenas, making sure to make nearly every fight stand out in some way.
As for the voice work, the English dub works quite well for the characters that players come across and it is nice to note that there are even special lines for transforming into a subordinate of a boss and fighting them in that form, triggering unique dialogue is always a fun thing, especially during these types of fights. The soundtrack also features a wonderful collection of fitting music that matches the Chinese aesthetic perfectly, in fact a lot of the music used during the cutscenes that bookend each chapter is hauntingly beautiful.
Overall
Black Myth: Wukong takes the classic Journey to the West and successfully manages to put its own spin on things while delivering a very solid and impressive looking action RPG. It does often feel more like a boss rush than anything else, which isn’t a bad thing by any means, but some annoyingly placed invisible walls betray the game’s gorgeous design and lackluster standard foes make the boss encounters the only, albeit incredibly bright, shining moments of the title. Thankfully with a vast array of combat and upgrade options available for the player to take advantage of, challenging these difficult bosses is a frustratingly great time, making Black Myth: Wukong an impressive albeit flaw
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
The twisted, brilliant minds at Artificer and Devolver Digital have done it again. Sumerian Six, a character-based real-time stealth tactics adventure, has dropped behind enemy lines and exploded onto Steam today!
Sumerian Six transports you back to an alternate version of World War II, where you command The Enigma Squad – an elite team of six scientists-turned-commandos, each with unique skills and abilities, tasked with defeating Nazi general Hanz Kammler and recovering the mysterious material known as Geiststoff.
A gripping storyline sets the stage for a thrilling adventure inspired by historical locations, filled with challenging missions and sharp, tactical stealth gameplay over 10 chapters.
Sneak your way around Nazi strongholds and dispatch the ever-present watchmen in a variety of ways before taking on the more serious threats that lie in wait. Combine your team’s dynamic powers in creative displays of tactical tenacity, from the carcinogenic concoctions of brilliant chemist Rosa Reznick, to the mutated might of ‘The Werebear’ Wojtek Galica.
Put your strategic abilities and dexterity to the ultimate test against heavily armed, mutated, and supernaturally charged forces. The more you overcome, the more powerful your Squad becomes, striking fear into the black hearts of the Third Reich. Only you can stop Kammler from unleashing the full potential of Geiststoff – a mystical substance with the power to win the war.
As you delve deeper into the Nazi plot, you’ll encounter occult-scientific weapons and ancient Sumerian artefacts linked to Kammler’s machinations. A grim future awaits you should the Nazis be victorious, so do your best to prevent that dark timeline from coming true in this real-time tactical stealth adventure.
Sumerian Six is available now for PC via Steam, Epic Game Store and GOG priced $29.99
New update also brings French coastal fleet tech tree
Gaijin Entertainment announces that the online military shooter War Thunder will receive the “Dance of Dragons” update in September. It will bring two iconic Chinese-made fighters – the J-10 and JF-17. Closed beta testing of the French coastal fleet will also begin. War Thunder is going to receive dozens of other naval, ground and air military vehicles as well, i.e.the Pakistani Al-Khalid-I tank developed in China.
The JF-17 is a fighter developed in China for the Pakistan Air Force. It has been in service with this country since 2007 and has repeatedly participated in military operations. The aircraft’s power plant is a Russian turbojet twin-circuit RD-93 engine, the same as on the MiG-29. JF-17 features a modern radar system as well as radar and missile approach warning systems closely integrated with the aircraft’s countermeasures.
The J-10A is a Chinese 4+ generation fighter, developed in the late 90s and utilizing all the advanced technologies of its time. It is produced and used in China today. The powerful AL-31FN turbofan engine is capable of very quickly accelerating the aircraft to speeds of around Mach 2 at high altitudes, and the large-area tail allows for excellent controllability, which is especially important at high speeds. The pilot will be able to place an impressive arsenal on 11 external weapon hardpoints, including the maneuverable PL-5E close-range air-to-air missiles, new to War Thunder.
The tech tree of the French coastal navy begins with nimble light artillery and torpedo boats, such as the VTB-8, VTB-9, and VTB-11. Fans of military history will be interested to look at the Vedette-type 40K, which changed three flags – France, Britain and Germany – and in each case was equipped with different weapons and equipment. Another intriguing boat is the Arras sub-chaser disguised as a merchant ship, or as the French often called this class, “Aviso”. This relatively slow boat with artillery armament is almost like a mini destroyer! More information on the “Dance of Dragons” update content will be published on the official website of the game in the coming weeks.
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.
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/.
STOCKHOLM – September 2nd, 2024 – Today Paradox Arc and CoolAndGoodGames unveiled a new trailer for their upcoming game Starminer. In Starminer, players design and build an interstellar mining fleet to harvest valuable minerals from deep space and sell them for profit. However, unchecked greed can attract dangerous attention. Players must deploy warships and defense platforms to protect their fleet and push the boundaries of space. The new trailer introduces mining and exploiting space.
About Paradox Arc
Paradox ARC incubates and publishes deep, replayable games from studios with great ideas, including the titles Across the Obelisk, Mechabellum and Starminer.
Our mission is to cultivate long-term relationships with talented teams from around the world, build an exciting portfolio for players to enjoy over many years, and find future video game franchises for Paradox Interactive.
Paradox Arc is an initiative that is wholly owned and financed by Paradox Interactive.
MONTERREY, Mexico – September 2nd, 2024 – Funky Can Creative returns with PopSlinger Vol. 2 – Loveless, the highly anticipated sequel to the vibrant musical shooter that captured the hearts of fans worldwide. Launching on Nintendo Switch and Steam in October 9, 2024, this new chapter builds on everything players loved about the original, delivering a fresh and evolved experience with a bold new story, enhanced mechanics, and an all-new coffee-powered twist.
Take control of Agent Cooper McLaren of the Juncture Against Various Anomalies (JAVA) and Akane 2.0, a reformed digital idol, as they embark on a mission to rescue Ria, the heroine of the first game, who has mysteriously disappeared. Their journey takes them into the bizarre and unpredictable Purple District, where they must face off against the powerful Loveless Sisters in a battle for control. But this time, the fight isn’t just fueled by soda—Cooper brings an all-new coffee-based arsenal to the table, adding a rich new flavor to the action.
PopSlinger Vol. 2 – Loveless introduces an evolved combat system that expands upon the foundation of the original. Players can now unleash powerful new abilities like enemy-stunning summons and utilize an improved Dream Time system integrated into a beat ‘em up-inspired special bar. With the introduction of black and white enemies and the ability to switch between digital soda and coffee-powered attacks, the game offers fresh challenges that push strategic play to new heights. Multiple difficulty settings allow players of all skill levels to enjoy the game, while a new Time Attack mode offers additional replayability by challenging players to beat the clock in increasingly difficult scenarios.
Explore the Purple District, an evolved and more chaotic version of the original game’s Purple Lounge. Traverse crazier, more imaginative environments—from shrine-like baseball stadiums to Thunderdome-esque kingdoms—all brimming with unique enemy types. The game’s expanded retro-tech theme shines through, with Cooper’s coffee-themed weapons and Akane’s virtual pet-inspired design adding layers of nostalgia and innovation to the game’s aesthetic.
The sequel also takes the series’ iconic music to the next level, blending City Pop, Future Funk, French House, New Jack Swing, and now Punk/Pop Punk to create an electrifying and immersive audio experience. With more vocal tracks and diverse genres, the soundtrack plays an even more integral role in setting the tone and enhancing the game’s rhythm-driven gameplay. PopSlinger Vol. 2 – Loveless also introduces a Latin American Spanish dub, expanding its accessibility and appeal to a broader global audience.
PopSlinger Vol. 2 – Loveless is more than just a sequel; it’s an evolution of everything that made the original game special. The “New Retro” art style has been upgraded to bring even more life and color to the game’s world, while the narrative dives deeper into themes of family drama, mystery, and retro-tech, all wrapped in a vibrant, Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic. This is PopSlinger as you’ve never seen it before—bigger, bolder, and more stylish than ever.
“We’ve taken everything that players loved about the first PopSlinger and evolved it to new heights,” said Jose Luis Abreu, founder of Funky Can Creative. “With fresh characters, upgraded mechanics, and a groovy soundtrack, we can’t wait for players to experience this next chapter in the PopSlinger universe.”
To learn more about PopSlinger Vol. 2 – Loveless, visit the game’s official website, follow @FunkyCanDev on X/Twitter, @funkycancreative on Instagram, and like the studio’s Facebook page.
About Funky Can Creative
Based out of Mexico, Funky Can Creative is an award-winning studio founded in 2020 as a way to create an outlet for expressive developers during difficult times amidst lack of opportunities. The team’s main goal is to create expressive, memorable and musically-charged titles with influences of both Latin American and Japanese culture. PopSlinger Vol.2 Loveless is the studio’s second title.
Explore 663 Games’ new dark narrative-driven detective game and get a first look at ‘The Shadow’.
Guangzhou, China – 2nd September 2024. Publisher 663 Games and developer Shadowlight Sanctuary invite you to explore the dark world of the upcoming narrative-driven detective role-playing game Kill the Shadow in an all-new gameplay trailer.
Coming to PC in late 2024, Kill the Shadow transports you to an alternative post-war divided city brought to life with a mix of highly detailed 3D environments and 2D pixel art characters. Take on the role of Detective Ah’Guang as you investigate a series of murders. Use your eloquence, intelligence and the ability to rewind time (or even violence) to piece together the evidence of the bizarre cases and unravel the shocking secrets lurking behind them. Justice or love? The decision is in your hands.
This new trailer immerses you in the gritty streets of Darkwater as Ah’Guang uses his powers of deduction and persuasion to investigate a series of bizarre murders plaguing the city. But there are more profound mysteries revealed with the first look at the sinister ‘Shadow’ which clings to the detective’s back. . .
Fans can also get some firsthand experience with Kill the Shadow by downloading the free Steam playable demo! Head over to the Steam page and download now!
Watch the new Kill the Shadow gameplay trailer below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X331F1jAjp0
Kill the Shadow is a suspenseful narrative-driven detective role playing game. Investigate a series of bizarre murders in different areas of the Darkwater city: the missing Master Ruan at the temple fair, the sudden death of Wangcai, the grudges at the Shipwreck, and the dismembered limbs in the sewers.
Find the lost memories of the city and piece together the truth of its division from ten years ago. Unravel the truth – kill, judge, or even kiss (?) the mastermind behind it all.
Features:
Hints and Evidence – Freely choose how you enhance your abilities—strength, spirit, charm—and select your own methods to investigate cases—psychological warfare? Bribery? Or simply beating your suspects? Deduction System: Collect, analyze, and connect related clues to create your own unique investigation path
Seeing the Past – “The Shadow”, a strange creature attached to you that reads memories and reconstructs the traces of the deceased “Don’t worry, Ah’Guang, we’re just using each other. You use me to find the culprit, and I, well, I love tasting those bizarre stories, hahaha!”, says the Shadow.
The Ways of the World – Meet various characters in the city: the energetic girl with a camera, the elegant Mrs. Ruan, the rumoured goddess who can cast spells, and the elderly fish-selling lady. Discover the stories behind them. Encounter characters like the self-righteous Captain Wang, Lao Citou’s son Xiao Citou, the foul-mouthed Little Rascal, and the deceased Master Ruan. Earn the hearts of your favourite characters by completing certain events!
Retro and Neon – The combination of 3D environments and 2D pixel art characters creates a unique artistic style with a striking contrast between modern and retro aesthetics. Explore a variety of diverse and freely explorable scenes: the dilapidated steel forest factory, the muddy shipwreck dock built on water, the Zhulong Walled City blending the fictional traditional Ma Island and Imperial culture, and the bustling old city district.
Kill the Shadow will be released for PC via Steamin late 2024. Fans can add the game to their Wishlist now and try the free demo from Steam. Join the Kill the Shadow Discord channel for all the latest news.
About 663 Games
663 Games is a newly established publishing label committed to premium and indie game publishing on PC, consoles, and mobile platforms. The company, headquartered in China, was founded by a team of passionate gamers and industry veterans. The team had a proven track record of achieving global success with several titles previously, offering extensive experience and resources for worldwide publishing, along with unique advantages for a strong presence in the Chinese market. The team empathises with the financial challenges that independent developers and small teams often encounter, and 663 Games is dedicated to providing them with funding support to help bring their creative visions to life. As a new, ambitious and trustworthy global publisher, 663 Games collaborates closely with developers to ensure commercial success.
Yumia and friends set out on a quest to discover the truth behind the fall of the Aladissian Empire in the game’s spectacular first trailer
Hertfordshire,2nd September 2024 – Today, KOEI TECMO Europe and developer Gust are proud to unveil the latest instalment in the fan-favourite Atelier series, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land. To celebrate the announcement, an action-packed trailer was released, giving fans their first glimpse of the story, characters, and gameplay awaiting them in this new magical JRPG adventure. The stunning main artwork by beloved artist Benitama was also revealed, giving players an insight into the tone of the upcoming game. Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will be available on 21st March, 2025 for Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Windows PC via Steam® and, for the first time in franchise history, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Discover the first trailer of Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land on YouTube.
In a world where alchemy has become taboo and is considered evil, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land follows the adventures of Yumia Liessfeldt, and her companions as they seek to uncover the truth behind the fall of the Aladissian Empire, which once thrived with alchemy, and the memories of a lost history. Yumia’s quest will take her across a ruined continent and despite the uncertainties of confronting her past, she will need to create her own path if she hopes to unravel the mysteries behind the cataclysm that destroyed Aladiss.
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land takes players on a journey exploring the theme of memory. Playing as Yumia Liessfeldt, a young alchemist who lost her mother in an accident when she was young, players set out to uncover the forbidden art of alchemy while also learning the true intentions of Yumia’s mother, who hid her identity as an alchemist. Along the way, Yumia joins the Aladiss Research Team where she meets Viktor von Duerer and his younger sister, Isla von Duerer. There, they are also joined by an assorted cast of characters including a mysterious woman, a timid demi-human, and a former adventurer with spectacular experiences.
Together, Yumia and her companions will travel across the vast continent that was once the Aladissian Empire, where all civilization has perished. Players will have a wide range of actions and items at their disposal throughout the adventure, allowing them to explore a vast open world made up of different biomes as they make their way through these unknown lands. As they explore, players can gather materials and synthesis items, which can be used to synthesise and craft new items for use in their quest, both during exploration and combat. Not only fans will be able to craft items without having to return to their base thanks to the “Simple Synthesis” feature, but for the first time in the series, fans will be able to build, furnish and decorate their own base with the “Building” feature.
To help the game come alive, KOEI TECMO and developer Gust have teamed up with the brilliant artist Benitama to create the main visual and all of the character designs. Specialising in creating illustrations and character designs for various fantasy game titles, Benitama incorporates references to paintings and reliefs in his work while striving to balance both persuasive depth and cuteness. His design, characterised by a monochrome based style, gives a cool impression while bringing out the charm of the Atelier series.
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will be available on 21st March 2025 for Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Window PC via Steam®. The game will include Japanese voices with English, French, German and Spanish texts. For more information, visit the official website, Like us on Facebook, Join us on the KOEI TECMO Europe Discord server, and Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.
ABOUT KOEI TECMO EUROPE LTD.
KOEI TECMO EUROPE LTD. is a publisher of interactive entertainment software for current generation consoles, handhelds and digital download content based in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, UK. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD., headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. KOEI TECMO’s best known for their signature ‘one versus thousands’ Warriors series, the fan-favourite Ninja Gaiden and fighting entertainment title Dead or Alive. Through collaboration with strong existing franchises, such as A.O.T. Wings of Freedom (Attack on Titan), has brought fan-favourite shows to life in video game form. The company’s desire for innovation and diversity has seen the creation of the critically acclaimed dark-samurai action title Nioh, which takes on new and unique gameplay styles. The company’s acquisition of GUST, developer of a variety of heart-warming titles, has seen their flagship Atelier series span generations of consoles and fans alike. More information about KOEI TECMO EUROPE LTD and its products can be found at www.koeitecmoeurope.com
M2 — the same developers responsible for Castlevania Adventure Rebirth for the Nintendo Wii in 2009 — did a great job porting these highly requested Nintendo DS classics to current systems. We take a brief but thorough look at all three DSvanias (Castlevania Order of Ecclesia, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow) and show how their dual-screen gimmicks were adapted for use with modern controllers.
Castlevania Dominus Collection – Gameplay
Haunted Castle (JP) & Haunted Castle Revisted – Full Playthrough
Haunted Castle is heavily criticized within the Castlevania fandom, and rightly so. It had potential but was released as a game that felt clunky and incomplete.
Haunted Castle Revisited completely overhauls the old pixel art, giving it a fresh and crisp new look. The gameplay also feels new, with rebalanced mechanics and remade stages and bosses. We showcase full playthroughs of both games so you can draw your own conclusions.
Haunted Castle (JP) & Haunted Castle Revisted – Full Playthrough
Three incredible action adventure games from the Castlevania series have finally returned, for the first time! But wait, there’s more! Haunted Castle Revisited, a redesigned version of the very first Castlevania arcade game, makes its debut!
Castlevania Dominus Collection Developer: KONAMI Publisher: KONAMI Platform: Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S Release Date: 28 Aug, 2024 Price: $24.99 USD
Recommended – “As a long-time fan, I’d pay the price of admission for Haunted Castle Revisited alone. The fact that players also get three of the best metroidvanias ever released is just too good a deal to pass.”
