EVERSPACE 2: Titans launches today with two new storylines that introduce massive space encounters to the series. The DLC releases alongside a base game update, bringing bug fixes and optimization improvements to all platforms.
Hamburg, Germany – September 16, 2024 — ROCKFISH Games is excited to share EVERSPACE 2: Titans, the first major DLC for the award-winning spaceship action RPG, EVERSPACE 2, is now available on Steam, GOG, Xbox, and PlayStation. In addition to two new storylines, EVERSPACE 2: Titans adds item sets, legendaries, consumables, and more to discover as pilots are pitted against the biggest challenges to be found in the series. The DLC launches at $14.99 / €14.99 / £12.99 / ¥1700 and is fully voiced in English and German.
Watch the EVERSPACE 2: Titans Launch Trailer below
EVERSPACE 2: Titans brings two new mid-game storylines to the star systems of Cluster 34. These adventures surrounding the fearsome Dreadnought and mysterious Leviathan introduce new gear alongside repeatable experiences unlocked by completing each story.
EVERSPACE 2 players have seen the bones of these ancient creatures planet-side and in deep orbit. Now, they must chase down the rumors of a living leviathan. The Redeemers have plans for these creatures—pilot deep inside to battle new biological and mechanical enemies as you work to save these gargantuan beasts. No two adventures within will be the same. Discover parasites, traps, puzzles, and new resources while exploring a leviathan’s procedurally generated insides.
The scars of the Okkar-Colonial War run deep in Cluster 34. The Dreadnought Minokawa was hijacked while enroute for decommissioning—a warship this mighty can turn the tides of power towards whoever holds it. Track and defeat this titanic threat, but be prepared for the biggest battles in the EVERSPACE series so far. Test your skills and ship loadout in gigantic, multi-stage boss fights designed to push pilots to their limits.
“Our first story DLC,Titans, gives space pilots a small taste of what’s to come. We’re exploring entirely new scales of possibility for our breakout space shooter RPG with the inclusion of massive encounters like Dreadnought and Leviathan that will echo forward into the future of the EVERSPACE series,” said ROCKFISH Games CEO and co-founder Michael Schade. “The team and I are excited to continue pushing the boundaries of possibility in our award-winning game world as we build our next, substantially larger expansion.”
The ROCKFISH Games team also released an update for EVERSPACE 2, bringing AMD FSR 3.1.0 to EVERSPACE 2 as well as a migration to Unreal Engine 5.4, and optimizations to performance for PC and consoles. Find the full list of patch notes on Steam and the EVERSPACE website.
EVERSPACE 2 is available on PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, GOG, and the Microsoft Store for $49.99 / €49.99 / £44.99 / ¥6930. The game is available as a Play Anywhere title on Xbox and PC Game Pass. EVERSPACE 2 is fully voiced in English and German and currently localized in thirteen languages, including English, Brazilian Portuguese, Czech, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, and Spanish.
Every second Friday, the ROCKFISH Games team shows off content from their latest EVERSPACE 2 dev build on the ROCKFISH Games Twitch and YouTube channel from 8 pm to 10 pm CET / 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm ET / 11:00 am to 1:00 pm PT. Viewers are encouraged to bring their EVERSPACE questions to ask the dev team.
About ROCKFISH Games GmbH
ROCKFISH Games is an independent game studio specializing in cutting-edge space action RPGs for PC and consoles. Industry veterans Michael Schade and Christian Lohr founded ROCKFISH Games to create a new breed of adrenalin-filled adventures for space shooter fans through their acclaimed EVERSPACE IP. After spending over two decades as joint entrepreneurs in the 3D graphics and mobile gaming space, Schade and Lohr built ROCKFISH Games from the ground up alongside their former team of veteran talents to the current studio of 30 game developers and community experts from across the industry over the past ten years.
Using Kickstarter to build a new community in 2015, ROCKFISH Games reached a runaway success with EVERSPACE, which has sold over three million copies on PC and consoles. Building on this success and propelled by yet another wildly successful Kickstarter campaign in 2019, ROCKFISH Games is dedicated to crafting a compelling next-gen single-player open-world space shooter experience that is driven by quality storytelling while being highly accessible at the beginning and yet deep in its gameplay mechanics to appeal to casual as well as hardcore space action aficionados from around the globe with EVERSPACE 2.
September 16th, Krakow, Poland. This exciting new expansion is set to launch simultaneously on PC, Xbox One / One S, and PlayStation 4 / 4 Pro on November 26, 2024. House Flipper – Dine Out DLC promises to take players on an adventure in the restaurant industry, offering a variety of new quests, mechanics, and items that will enrich the gameplay experience.
House Flipper – a popular simulation game adored by the public worldwide, that lets players transform neglected properties into beautiful estates – soon will get even better. A new content pack, Dine Out DLC, is set to be released soon! This add-on is themed around the restaurant industry and will add new exciting elements to the game.
As with previous content packs for House Flipper, players will gain access to brand new quests related to the renovation of various dining establishments, such as fancy restaurants, sushi bars, food trucks, and cafes. During these quests, players will interact with new customers, each with their own unique story and motivations. Since simply renovating a restaurant may not be enough, this add-on will bring in a variety of furniture and decorative items to the game, allowing players to decorate the establishments with real artistic taste.
Moreover, Dine Out DLC will introduce new innovative options for food preparation,precise furniture placement, table setting with tablecloths, and designing advertising signs. Another significant innovation will be the ability to lease the premises to interested clients.
It is worth noting that players won’t be tasked with managing their restaurants. Instead, the gameplay will emphasize renovation work and won’t involve responsibilities such as hiring staff, managing their work, or setting meal prices. Property renovations remain the main focus of the House Flipper series.
Preparing food
One of the new features introduced in the Dine Out DLC is the ability to prepare dishes using a new device – the Universal Cooker. To do that, players will need to select it from the list, purchase the necessary ingredients, and interact with the device. Those who own the previous House Flipper add-on, Farm DLC, will be able to access reduced prices for dishes, provided their Storehouses contain the required vegetables and fruits.
Developers found it important to ensure that the dishes available to prepare will be diverse and inspired by various cuisines from around the globe. Players will have the opportunity to prepare various dishes from different cuisines including Thai, Polish, Italian, Korean, Indian, and more.
Arranging objects and decorating tables
Although House Flipper already supports the placement of objects on flat surfaces, the Dine Out DLC will introduce new tools to make the process of arranging objects more precise and symmetrical. An option to queue objects for placement will be added too, making the process of setting up establishments more efficient and enjoyable. Moreover, a new feature will allow players to decorate big dining tables by adding tableware and tablecloths in various color schemes and sizes.
Designing Advertising Signs
In the Dine Out DLC, players will have the opportunity to design and create the advertising signs for their restaurants. The game will offer numerous options for modifying and customizing it, giving an opportunity to craft unique compositions of shapes, colors, texts, and illustrations for each signboard.
Leasing Premises
Another important addition to the gameplay will be the option to lease renovated properties to the clients. Players interested in preparing spaces for rent will be able to choose between residential properties, restaurants, cafes, or offices. The rent value of the properties will be influenced by several factors such as the number of rooms, their type and furnishings.
House Flipper – Dine Out DLCadds more content to your game, including:
10 engaging and immersive quests
10 houses to renovate and decorate
30 dishes from around the world to prepare
The ability to rent out restaurants, offices and houses
Precise and symmetrical object placement on flat surfaces
The ability to decorate tables with tablecloths
The ability to design your own advertising and neon signs!
Frozen Way is a game development studio and publisher from Cracow, Poland. You may know them from co-creating House Flipper with its Pets DLC and Farm DLC, as well as creating and releasing House Flipper VR, co-releasing Builder Simulator on Steam, and co-developing Chornobyl Liquidators. Currently, they are developing Honeycomb: The World Beyond and House Flipper – Dine Out DLC, while also releasing Millennials and Hairdresser Simulator, focusing on the PC market and next-generation consoles. They are a group of friendly people with a passion for video games. Gamedev is their lifestyle and philosophy, so there’s nothing better than seeing their creations bring a lot of joy to the community. In the end, we’re all nerds, aren’t we? https://frozenwaygames.com/
About GameFormatic:
We are a Polish game developer and publisher. With passion, we create innovative and engaging experiences for our gaming community. As a company, we thrive on the dynamic intersection of commitment, expertise and the relentless pursuit of excellence, making us a driving force in the ever-evolving landscape of interactive entertainment. https://gameformatic.com/
Prepare for a satisfyingly sweet 16-bit adventure with Rocket Panda, now available for the Sega Genesis and Mega Drive courtesy of Mega Cat Studios and Video Game Sage
Pittsburgh, PA, Sept. 06, 2024– Grab your goggles and gas up your jetpack, Rocket Panda is now available for the Sega Genesis and Mega Drive.
Published in partnership with Mega Cat Studios and Video Game Sage, this tasty 16-bit treat from the classic gaming confectioners at Space Pants Games puts players in control of a rocket-powered panda as he attempts to rescue his friends and save the world from the evil Biscuit Head and his legion of baddies.
To do so, you’ll need to soar through over 60 labyrinthine levels, collect scores of scrumptious sweets, and save your badger buddies before it’s too late. With seven sprawling sweets-themed worlds to explore and massive bosses to battle, Rocket Panda is filled with sky-high 16-bit excitement for your Genesis and Mega Drive.
To celebrate Rocket Panda’s public release, we’ve released a heroic launch trailer introducing the game’s intrepid panda protagonist while showcasing the sweet-yet-dangerous worlds you’ll explore and foes you’ll encounter.
Rocket Panda Launch Trailer
Rocket Panda is now available to purchase directly from Mega Cat Studios’ online store, where collectors can get their paws on three different cartridge variants:
Standard Blue and Red Labels: Experience the classic console gaming experience with the standard Sega Genesis/Mega Drive cartridges.
Limited Edition Panda Cartridge: This adorable panda-themed cartridge, complete with aviation goggles, brings you into the sweet and tasty world of Biscuit Land!
Limited Edition VGS Collab Cartridge: A tasty collaboration with VGS brings you an exclusive cartridge that features a redesigned box and cartridge art!
Key Features:
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!
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.
Uncover the mysteries of the Sanctum of Rebirth and work with unlikely allies in the latest RuneScape adventure.
Monday, 16 September 2024, Cambridge, UK. Embark on an epic adventure to investigate the mysterious Sanctum of Rebirth, and prepare to fight off a deadly curse in the latest RuneScape Story Quest, ‘Ode of the Devourer’, available to RuneScape members today.
Called upon by the mighty guardian of the dead Icthlarian, players will need to uncover the secrets of the Sanctum of Rebirth in a race against time to lift the curse of the Devourer. Join forces with familiar faces and work together with Icthlarian to cure Amascut’s deadly curse on Bill before his soul is destroyed.
The Ode of the Devourer Story Quest is steeped in lore and, upon completion, unlocks access to the upcoming Gate of Elidinis Skilling Boss, launching on September 23rd for RuneScape members. Also up for grabs are lucrative rewards, as curing Amascut’s curse will bestow players with four 50k XP Lamps for a well earnt skill boost.
Ode of the Devourer Features:
The continuation of the Requiem for a Dragon storyline, progressing the lore and narrative to new depths with a closer look at the Sanctum of Rebirth and the secrets it holds.
Work alongside old allies when summoned to a mysterious land by Icthlarian. Investigate the strange temple, progress the Bilrach and Desert storyline, and hunt for an antidote to cure Bill of Amascut’s terrible curse.
Collect plentiful rewards to earn additional XP and progress the storyline to open up access to the Gate of Elidinis Skilling Boss when it launches on September 23rd.
RuneScape ‘Ode of the Devourer’ is available to RuneScape members who have completed the ‘Requiem for a Dragon’ and ‘Soul Searching’ quests. 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.
Indie sensation passes major milestone shortly after 1.0 release
LONDON, UK – September 16th, 2024 – Fireshine Games and Pugstorm are thrilled to announce that mining sandbox adventure Core Keeper has unearthed a major new milestone, reaching a lifetime total of over 3 million players.
The milestone follows shortly after the game’s launch onto console and into PC 1.0 on August 27th, securing a ‘Very Positive’ rating on Steam with over 37,000 user reviews.
Available now on Xbox Series X|S, the PlayStation®5 (PS5) system and PC, and coming soon to the Nintendo Switch™ system, the PlayStation®4 system and Xbox One consoles, Core Keeper is an award-winning sandbox adventure set in an ancient cavern of creatures, treasures, and trinkets. Set out on an adventure alone or with friends in online co-op, harvesting relics and resources to build your base, craft advanced tools, and discover a vast subterranean world.
Explore diverse biomes, level up your skills, and defeat legendary Titans to unveil the power of the Core. Grow your garden, fish in mysterious waters, master recipes, hatch pets, drive vehicles, fight rival explorers in online PvP, and carve out your own unique adventure alone or with friends in an enchanting sandbox adventure.
Core Keeper is also available with Xbox Game Pass for console, PC, and cloud on Xbox Series X|S and Microsoft Store for Windows.
“Core Keeper’s success has only been possible because of the love, care and attention that developer Pugstorm has poured into the game, and we are absolutely delighted to see so many players enjoying the adventure across console and PC,” said Sarah Hoeksma, Chief Marketing Officer at Fireshine Games. “We’re so thankful to our incredible community of players who have shown such positive support throughout Core Keeper’s journey, and we can’t wait to bring the game to additional platforms for many more to discover this enchanting sandbox adventure soon.”
Pugstorm is an award-winning development studio specialising in juicy pixel art games that will make your inner dog bark with joy.
About Fireshine Games
Fireshine Games is a global publisher of digital and physical video games based in London, England, with a focus on finding fun and bringing innovative indie gems to players around the world. Originally established in 2014, Fireshine Games has built a portfolio of digital titles and indie sensations, including award-winning titles Core Keeper and Shadows of Doubt, while partnering with studio giants to bring digital hits to physical release, including Lies of P from Neowiz, Balatro from Playstack, and Planet Zoo: Console Edition from Frontier Developments. Fireshine Games is part of the EG7 group of companies.
Short episodic stories delve into the historical unlife of a 3000-year-old vampire
Berlin, Germany — September 16, 2024 | Little Bat Games today released the first in a series of content updates for its critically-acclaimed debut video game exploring psychotherapy, Vampire Therapist. Free to play for existing owners, this series of content updates will allow players to administer therapy to their mentor, a 3000-year-old vampire with a troubled history of his own.
The first update, out today, is entitled The Blood of Troy and follows the story of the founding of Rome through the eyes of an immortal vampire.
Two more free updates, entitled Spanish Nights and Fathoms Below, will explore the history of pre-Renaissance Spain and the birth of psychoanalysis, respectively. Both will be released within 2024.
“Vampire Therapist has touched players in ways we could not have anticipated. With our talented, lean studio, we thought we could scrounge up a nice treat to invite players back into our world to learn more about our oldest vampire,” said Cyrus Nemati, Creative Director at Little Bat Games.
Vampire Therapist has earned accolades from critics and players for its deft, compassionate portrayal of therapy, its real-world therapy mechanics, and stellar voice acting, with a Very Positive rating on Steam.
For the latest on Vampire Therapist, check out the key links below:
Little Bat Games is an indie games studio funded in partnership with Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg. Helmed by Cyrus Nemati, Little Bat Games aims to create titles with rich stories, engaging characters and innovative mechanics that will resonate with players long after they have finished playing. This is all underpinned by a dedication to sustainable studio practices.
The smell of fungus will cause fear and gnashing of teeth in the distant future…
Madrid, September 16th, 2024. Meridiem is pleased to announce that it will publish a physical edition of Smells Like a Mushroom, the hilarious third-person shooter/platformer developed by Red Limb Studio and digitally published by Fatal Error and Destructive Creations. The physical Smells Like a Mushroom – 100% Vegan Edition will launch for PlayStation 5 across European specialist retailers on November 12th, 2024.
Meridiem is responsible for the design and manufacturing of the physical 100% Vegan Edition for PlayStation 5 and includes a super cool neon-effect packshot, an exclusive and mega-cute sticker set, and a Boss Guide, specially designed to prepare you for all the challenges you’ll face in this vegan adventure.
Watch the trailer for Smells like a Mushroom – 100% Vegan Edition below
About Smells Like a Mushroom
The intelligence of these ancient organisms far exceeds that of all living things in the universe. Their goals are simple: extermination, infection and reproduction – a fungal massacre! Only the plants that inhabit the Earth after the extinction of human civilization are capable of fighting them!
Will they succeed? Even the president of the United Plates, A. Lincorn, couldn’t tell. The truth is that “Smells Like a Mushroom” is an utterly absurd adventure for shooter and platformer fans. The fun of the game is not only provided by shooting these creatures, but also by hilarious dialogues, a unique electronic soundtrack and a plot full of symbols of “human” pop culture.
Smells Like a Mushroom– 100% Vegan Edition will launch on November 12th, 2024 for PlayStation 5 and can be pre-ordered now from specialist European stores.
We are Meridiem, a video game publisher and distributor in love with its culture, which we protect and pass on in order to preserve it. We do this by fostering talent through investment in independent projects with potential, bringing back classic titles, promising indies and AAA games while continuing to support the physical format.
About Destructive Creations
Since 2014, we’ve been uncompromising, original game developers and publishers. Our approach? We like to tell serious stories without taking ourselves too seriously. When you get to know us, you’ll know what we mean by that.
Biggest update yet introduces new gameplay presets and over 50 new settings
LONDON (Sept. 16, 2024) – The indie hit Pacific Drive has launched its second free content update, Drive Your Way, courtesy of developer Ironwood Studios and publisher Kepler Interactive. This major update introduces a range of exciting features, giving players greater control over their car, environment and overall experience as they navigate the desolate roads of the Pacific Northwest. Alongside the update, a new cosmetic add-on, the Anomalous Customization Pack, is also now available for just $4.99.
Get under the hood and explore the update in the brand-new trailer:
This is the game’s most significant update since its February release, introducing six gameplay presets, in addition to the default Pacific Drive setup, giving players new experiences such as Iron Wagon, Scenic Tour and Mechanic’s Road Trip. For the bravest drivers, Iron Wagon brings a high-stakes challenge where failing a run results in permadeath and the loss of the save file. Meanwhile, Scenic Tour offers a more relaxed, story-driven experience by removing the possibility of death and reducing overall difficulty. Mechanic’s Road Trip alters how different types of terrain impact driving and how the car responds to various status effects, adding further depth to the gameplay.
These presets can be fine-tuned with over 50 new settings, offering even more ways to experience Pacific Drive. Players can adjust gameplay elements like terrain impact, storm intensity, damage modifiers and crafting requirements, among others. Additionally, Ironwood Studios has implemented further performance optimizations delivering improvements across all platforms.
Free Content Update Highlights:
Gameplay Presets:
Iron Wagon: Significantly increases difficulty, adds permadeath
Scenic Tour: Lowers difficulty, removes death and reduces requirements to driving, hazards, damage and crafting
Mechanic’s Road Trip: Driving is impacted by the terrain and status of the car. Items cost more to repair and cannot be crafted while on runs
Joyride: The same gameplay and tension as Pacific Drive, but gathering, crafting and research requirements are all lowered. Damage and failure penalties are minimal
Nuclear Journey: Every map will be filled with lose dose radiation that is harmful to the player. Storms are faster and stronger, hazards and damage are more plentiful
Olympic Gauntlet: All aspects of the game are much harder. An extreme gauntlet to challenge the most dedicated breachers
Gameplay Settings (over 50+ in total), highlights include:
Customization to the car:
Performance challenge can be tuned on every surface type
Engine power can be tuned
Flat tire severity
New slider to control crafting requirements
Radiation can now be made invisible
Ambient radiation can be added across the entire game
Instability shown on the route planner can be controlled
Added controls for the storm including storm speed and the radius to the Exit Gateway
Trunk Bonk can be flagged to instant kill the player
New Free Cosmetics:
The Balloon Blaster (Mirror Ornament)
The Scrappy Gladiator (Antennae)
Anomalous Customization Pack:
Bunny Express (Bobble Head)
The Mail Opener (Hood Ornament)
Souvenir Shifter
Anchor Steering Wheel
Vacation Sticker
Decal Kit: Wave of the Future
Pacific Drive is available now for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. A physical collector’s edition is available through select retailers and distributed by Maximum Entertainment. To find out more, visit:https://www.pacificdrivegame.com/
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About Ironwood Studios
Since its founding in 2019, Ironwood Studios has been hard at work on Pacific Drive and are extremely proud to be working with PlayStation to bring it to life. The team’s passion stems from a love of road trips and the relationship between the driver and the car, always dreaming about surreal worlds and the Pacific Northwest – two things that feature prominently in the game. Ironwood’s goal is to create games that inspire players to tell their own stories, with systems that work together to create unexpected and unique experiences.
About Kepler Interactive
Kepler Interactive – led by the founders of Kowloon Nights – is a developer and publisher that operates on a co-ownership model. Its studios are given strategic leadership roles, all while continuing to develop their games their way, with no creative limitations. Kepler’s partner studios are as varied as they are talented, including A44 Games in New Zealand, Alpha Channel and Timberline in North America, Awaceb, Ebb Software, and Sloclap in Europe, and Shapefarm in Asia. Kepler Interactive itself is headquartered in London.
Atari has one of the longest and most storied histories in video games, making some of the biggest and most popular hits at the dawn of gaming. Throughout the years, Atari has gathered these games into collections that celebrate this history and now they are teaming up with WayForward to breathe some new life into a revival of Yars’ Revenge. WayForward has handled revitalizing classic franchises in the past and created a number of great original games, so now with Yars Rising looking to bring the 1982 classic back into the light, have they managed to succeed?
Story
Emi Kimura, known to many by her blackhat hacker codename Yar, has worked undercover at the powerful Qotech corporation after being hired by an unknown client. With her three friends working as part of the team and offering support through comms and providing navigation points, Emi has finally decided to slip out of her office worker disguise and go for the secrets hiding within Qotech’s servers. It doesn’t take long before Emi realizes that there is not only way too much security for a company such as this one but it’s layout is incredibly strange as well. Things only get stranger when she hacks a glowing terminal and obtains the ability to fire energy blasts out of her hands.
With Qotech hiding far darker secrets than any organization in the cyberpunk styled future should have, even in a setting like this one, Emi resolves herself to get to the bottom of this, even if it means hacking her way through numerous consoles, evading unstoppable guards by sneaking around, or simply blasting away robots. Of course, when face to face with a boss that she herself even quips feels right out of an anime and a far more outlandish secret, it quickly becomes clear that Qotech is something far worse than just an exploitive corporation, it is one that might just doom the world.
Yars Rising tells a solid enough storyline for a metroidvania and does help to expand upon what little lore the actual Yars series has had throughout its long life. There are some twists here and there including a large plot point being revealed that switches the narrative in an entirely different direction shortly before the midway point of the game, and while there are no extra bits of lore, the writing isn’t the deepest so players can follow along quite easily even if they aren’t familiar with Yars’ Revenge or other Atari titles. It is interesting to note that there are numerous easter eggs throughout the plot that reference other popular Atari games including the bosses themselves, so longtime fans of the classic arcade games should be pleased with these little cameos, references, and straight up boss fights.
As for the characters themselves, it is rather unfortunate that most of the side characters in the game that support Emi are very superfluous, usually only chiming in to make a reference about a newly acquired skill or shown off during the game’s few comic book style cutscenes. This gives the surrounding cast very little in the way of actual development outside of two of them, one who sees herself attempting to redeem herself and another that is quite a dark twist especially with how bluntly the game deals with the way things play out. As for Emi herself, she feels like a perfect fit for the cyberpunk style setting and has plenty of humorous quips and remarks about the increasingly dangerous situations she gets into as well as things she straight up doesn’t like doing despite players needing her to. These little interjections help breathe a bit of extra life to the metroidvania styled exploration, though it is worth noting that if she does get on the player’s nerves they can turn her exploration dialogue off in the settings, though those do will be missing out on some pretty funny references and stale jokes that are humorous simply because of how bad they are.
Gameplay
WayForward has found a rather unique way to take and make sure that Yars’ Revenge remains a solid mainstay throughout Yars Rising despite the fact that the game is designed as a metroidvania. Emi will navigate through the large Qotech building, outside through the nearby parts of the city, and eventually a far different place and initially her skills are incredibly simple. In fact, starting out Emi is entirely defenseless, capable of only sneaking around, hiding in doorways, crawling through tight spaces, and of course her main talent, hacking. Through hacking not only does Emi gain new abilities but it is also the way that Yars’ Revenge’s legacy lives on in the game.
Anytime that Emi has to hack a console, whether it be to open a locked door or disable some lasers to obtain an entirely new power or eliminate a boss, she will need to partake in a good ol’ stage of Yars’ Revenge. This means she will control a small Yar that, depending on what is required for each mini-game, must use the Zorlon Cannon to destroy the Qotile. Sometimes this is as simple as aiming the deadly cannon and hitting the stationary Qotile but other times it may involve nibbling through a barrier, nibbling at the Qotile to power up the cannon, or even dodging homing missiles while the Qotile also attacks as a whirling insta-kill. Anyone familiar with the classic game will know these terms right away but it doesn’t take much for newcomers to feel right at home with these classic arcade style mini-games. In fact, there are even a number of mini-games that combine Yar with other classic Atari games, even a surprising one right at the end though we’ll leave these spoiler free.
These hacking minigames grow increasingly difficult as players continue through the game with some, especially ones involving bosses or power unlocks, involving players beating multiple stages to properly “hack” the object. Thankfully, not only are these stages varied wildly thanks to the aforementioned content WayForward was capable of pulling from, they feel quite balanced as well, slowly introducing elements that eventually will all be thrown into the mix together to challenge the player. Of course, should players find themselves struggling to complete a hack the game will, after a few failures, give players the chance to turn on invincibility for that terminal only, making the game accessible for those who may be struggling and never appearing at all if they aren’t.
Special glowing terminals throughout the world, and required to progress properly, will unlock new abilities for Emi such as her primary weapon the Zorlon Shot and Trionic Nibble. Both are capable of defeating most enemies she comes across with the latter also being able to disable glowing shields. Oddly enough, Emi cannot actually aim the Zorlon shot up, down, or even at an angle which is unfortunate for combat but this just means players will need to be actively moving to target foes or dodge them as they make their way through each room, making combat feel quite simple throughout the game. A few other abilities that are eventually unlocked include high damaging energy missiles, an actually controllable explosive that is a bit too weak to be utilized properly and leaves Emi open to attack, and even things that allow her to jump off walls or run across the surface of water because just like a usual character from an ‘80s game, she can’t swim. Combine this with a slew of other navigation abilities and players will eventually find themselves capable of exploring every nook and cranny of each area, even if there really isn’t too much actually hidden away.
Despite being a metroidvania, Yars Rising doesn’t really keep too many secrets from players to uncover as the map very clearly outlines where players haven’t gone yet or if they can even reach a location at the moment with their current abilities. Most of the time going slightly off the proper track will take Emi to a small blue terminal that, when hacked, will reward her with a “biohack” that can then be applied in an upgrade block the shape of a Yar. These upgrades are as simple as having more health or dealing more damage to being able to jump even higher or simply highlight the current background song playing in a stage. These upgrades are the only real reason to explore as there are surprisingly no real unlockables or hidden secrets despite being a genre staple.
One thing that is nice to note is that if players ever feel like going back and playing a mini-game with their Yar to destroy the Qotile all of these can be played again from the main menu. This collection will show all mini-games that players have played and beaten so far, with those they haven’t found or finished yet remaining locked until they do.
Audio & Visuals
Yars Rising is a very colorful game with some solid character and enemy designs, though the game could use a little bit more in the way of enemy variety. Along these same lines, while the 3D models for characters aren’t bad, it might have been better to use character portraits similar to how most in-game cutscenes are handled through gorgeous looking comic-book style art. The presentation during the hacking mini-games is a perfect callback to the classic Yars titles with a more modern appearance. It is also worth noting that while there are a few different main locations to explore, some of the background environments can grow to be quite bland, especially in the first half of the game.
The voicework in the game is handled solidly enough with Emi’s voice actress doing a great job presenting her sense of humor at how ridiculous some situations become as well as a few other characters doing a great job as well. Unfortunately some of the cast is just as stiff as how poorly developed they are, mostly regarding two of Emi’s allies. As for the soundtrack, WayForward really hit it out of the park with this one as the background music in Yars Rising is wonderful. As players progress from screen to screen the background music will change and the list of tracks available in the title is quite extensive with a wide range of standard instrumentals and plenty with some great vocals as well.
Overall
Yars Rising is a stylish and colorful spin on the classic Atari 2600 game that no one could have seen coming. Taking the core of Yars’ Revenge and making it into a hacking mini-game within a metroidvania to bring the franchise back to modern day all while trying to present a storyline is a fascinating way to handle a classic property and breathe some new life into it. With a solid story and a charmingly sassy main character in the form of Emi, WayForward has done a great job here even if the gameplay can be a bit too simple at times and most of the supporting cast are very limited.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
After a little extra time in the oven, Five Nights At Freddy’s: Into the Pit will deliver pizza and peril to PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch later this month
Pittsburgh, PA, Sept. 13, 2024 — The anticipation is almost over! Following its massively successful launch on Steam, the latest installment in the critically acclaimed Five Nights at Freddy’s series, Five Nights at Freddy’s: Into the Pit, will be released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series of consoles on September 27, 2024.
Five Nights At Freddy’s: Into the Pit Switch Launch Trailer
Developed by the animatronic felines at Mega Cat Studios, Into the Pit plunges players into the shoes of Oswald, a bored teenager who finds himself immersed in terror after discovering a time-twisting secret at the bottom of a ball pit in a rundown pizza restaurant. Emerging in the past, players will solve puzzles, gather clues, and travel through time as they evade bloodthirsty animatronics and attempt to save their father and children from the pizzeria’s past.
“We’re thrilled to bring Into the Pit to a wider audience with the console launch of Five Nights at Freddy’s: Into the Pit,” said Becca Peters, Marketing Director at Mega Cat Studios. “We’re so grateful for the support of the amazing fans that have been anticipating these releases and are very excited to get it into the hands of the players later this month.”
Five Nights At Freddy’s: Into the Pit is available digitally on the Nintendo Switch eShop, PlayStation Store, Xbox Marketplace, and Steam for $19.99. For more information, visit the game’s official website.
About Mega Cat Studios:
Mega Cat Studios is dedicated to bringing the joy of retro gaming to modern audiences. Our passion for creating unique, high-quality games with a nostalgic twist is reflected in every project we undertake. From pixel-perfect graphics to engaging gameplay, we strive to deliver unforgettable experiences for gamers of all ages.
