Test your skill against the new escalating missions of Capes!
BRISBANE, Australia / HAMBURG, Germany, August 19, 2024 – Developer Spitfire Interactive and Publisher Daedalic Entertainment just released a new free update for their turn-based superhero tactics game Capes, introducing new unique missions that provide combat challenges for any skill level. Each mission is designed to be completed by all players regardless of experience. However, meeting certain combat criteria through expert play causes each mission to escalate and unleash an additional layer of challenge.
Can you face the ultimate Holo fight?
Capes is a turn-based superhero strategy game where XCOM fans will feel right at home. Level up your heroes and combine their powers to access devastating team up attacks in strategically challenging missions. Master compelling tactical gameplay while uncovering a cinematic story: Twenty years ago, the supervillains won. Since then, they’ve created a dystopian city where developing superpowers is a crime and no one has dared oppose them. Until now! Assemble a ragtag team of young heroes and hone their skills and take back King City. Play across the dark and gritty campaign to reveal the truth behind the horrific Enhancement Program of supervillain Operator Alpha and complete optional side-missions to level up your heroes and learn more about their past.
FEATURES
Be Mighty: Play as a team of heroic protectors, each with unique skills and powers. Master each hero and unleash their devastating ultimate abilities!
Assemble Your Team: Combat isn’t based on random numbers; knowing which hero Team Up abilities are best for the job will be key to your success!
Level Up: Complete challenging missions and side-quests to improve your heroes with new abilities and powerful upgrades!
Defeat Evil: Face down vile villains and criminal corporate henchmen. Do you have what it takes to free your city from the clutches of villainy!?
About Spitfire Interactive
Spitfire Interactive is an Australian development studio founded by former team members of Defiant Development, who made the critically acclaimed Hand of Fate (2015), an action role-playing video game based on a deck-building system. The team includes writer Morgan Jaffit, who helped break the original superhero curse working on Freedom Force (2009) and helped to direct the cult hit Hand of Fate (2015).
About Daedalic Entertainment
Daedalic Entertainment is a renowned publisher supporting indie developers for over 17 years, bringing their titles to every major gaming platform. The line-up of games is comprised of a diverse variety of unique titles, focusing on 4 distinct areas: story-telling, 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!, Potion Tycoon, Deponia, Shadow Tactics, Inkulinati, Hidden Deep, Fling to the Finish! and more. In regards to future titles please look out for upcoming games like 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.
Leamington Spa, UK – Aug 19, 2024 – Leading UK games publisher Kwalee and independent game development studio Inzanity have released a new update for their rogue-lite rhythm shooter, ROBOBEAT. The update introduces a new melee weapon, the ‘Shield’, a brand new utility ‘The Boombox’ and more.
ROBOBEAT is currently part of the Steam Rhythm Fest and is available at a 20 percent discount until August 26th. Furthermore, players can purchase ROBOBEAT in bundles with Bullets Per Minute, Dusk, UltraKill, Metal: Hellsinger, or Crypt of the NecroDancer to receive additional discounts.
The Shield – The Shield is a new melee weapon that places focus on combos rather than direct damage. Normal hits with the Shield will do a small amount of melee damage with a very short range, but the combos are where this weapon really shines.
Players can choose from three different parry-focused combos to maximise this weapon’s potential and turn defence into a brutal offence.
The Boombox – The Boombox is a brand new utility that is sure to blow enemies away!
It deals massive damage within short-range cone areas. Unlike The Nuke, however, it also does AOE damage! Gather your enemies into one place, get some air, and then boombox them out of existence.
Based on community feedback, the developer has also added the ability to reroll Data Chips! If you don’t like the Data Chips you’re offered, you’ll have the chance to reroll for some shiny new ones to give you a bit more control over what your loadout is like during a run.
About ROBOBEAT –
Beat. The. Bot. You’re Ace – a famous bounty hunter after your latest target, the eccentric robot-showman Frazzer. To find your way through his twisted techno-playground, you’ll have to master the art of shooting, wall-running, sliding, and bunny hopping, all in sync with the beat! Get ready to dance till you’re dead and then suit up for the remix in rogue-lite rhythm shooter ROBOBEAT.
Shoot to the Beat Shoot to your own beat with the custom music feature. Simply upload & trim your track or leave it as it is in our in-game editor to auto generate beats that suit your play style. Change custom songs effortlessly in-game anytime anywhere without interruption. The feature will support .wav, .mp3, and .ogg files. Maximise your damage and shorten your cooldown time by shooting in sync.
Master the art of charged shots, damage multipliers, armour piercing rounds, and more!
Move to the Music You’ll want some slick moves to go with those slick new weapons. Your enemies aren’t going to wait around for you to take a dance break, so you’ve got to keep moving if you want to survive.
Wall run, slide, double jump, bunny hop, and grapple hook your way through technicolour levels to give your enemies the runaround. Keep it fluid, keep it funky, and keep it moving.
Rewind, Remix, Replay ROBOBEAT is a rogue-lite remix.
Fast forward through procedurally generated levels, equip an arsenal of finely-tuned weapons, and accompany your arsenal with a symphony of modifications. Your playstyle is on continuous shuffle, so you never know what each new run is going to bring!
About Kwalee
Kwalee is a multi-award-winning games publisher and developer based in Leamington Spa, UK, and has published a growing catalogue of PC and console titles including Wildmender and ROBOBEAT along with upcoming titles The Precinct, The Spirit of the Samurai, Voidwrought, Hordes of Hunger and In Sink.
Founded by games industry icon and Codemasters co-founder David Darling CBE, who is joined by a team of global games experts with studios in the UK, India, Portugal and China, Kwalee is on the lookout for high-quality games to publish on all platforms and encourages developers to get in touch.
Officially recognised as ‘Best Publisher’ (TIGA 2022), Kwalee is also highly active in the industry, as an ambassador of not-for-profit organisation Women in Games and a regular supporter of charities like Safe In Our World, GamesAid and SpecialEffect.
About Inzanity
Founded in 2016, Inzanity is the brainchild of Simon Fredholm, an independent solo developer based in Sweden. Inzanity has previously developed and self published games like Break the Game and Escape the Game on PC. Simon is currently working on ROBOBEAT, a rhythm shooter where you’ve been trapped in the ever-changing mansion of the eccentric robot-showman Frazzer.
Montpellier, France – August 19th, 2024.Dear Villagers is excited to announce a new publishing partnership with Goat Gamez for their upcoming title, Sports: Renovations. This unique renovator sim challenges players to restore neglected sports facilities and save their beloved team’s court from a looming real estate threat.
The game’s demo will be playable at both Gamescom and PAX West, offering attendees a first look at the immersive experience. Sports: Renovations will be coming soon on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series consoles. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements!
Give sports facilities a second life in this relaxing first-person simulator! Restore the glory of old gyms, courts and pitches as you try to make enough money to save your hometown basketball court.
Goat Gamez SA is a video game developer and producer founded by Movie Games and Robert Lewandowski. The company focuses on creating sports-themed games, which it approaches in an unconventional way: Goat Gamez games focus on sports emotions shown from an unusual perspective, including from behind the scenes.
About Dear Villagers
Based in the South of France, in sunny Montpellier, we are a boutique publishing label composed of a team of twenty people. Open-minded and versatile, Dear Villagers offers handcrafted marketing and production guidance. Our mission: We tell memorable stories through memorable games.
BORDEAUX, FRANCE (Aug. 19, 2024) – Motion Twin and Evil Empire released the final update to the multi-million smash hit rogue-lite Dead Cells today. Update 35 of Dead Cells, “The End is Near,” is available now on PC and console platforms for free, concluding the journey started by The Beheaded in 2017. To celebrate the last content update for Dead Cells, you can pick up the critically acclaimed rogue-lite with a 50% discount today through Aug. 26 on Steam.
Watch the new, and last, video detailing the update below:
“Now Dead Cells is complete!” says the Motion Twin team. “Some of the developers here at Motion Twin have been working on Dead Cells for over ten years, and to see the community embrace it from Early Access, to 1.0, through 35 updates and expansions, and beyond is really the most awesome feeling. Although some of the original Dead Cells developers have moved on to cool, new projects since that original launch years ago, our original team vision for The Beheaded remains, and we want to celebrate this moment with the community that made this game the success that it is.”
The End is Near puts a bow on the legendary Dead Cells journey with one final content update, adding new mobs, weapons and mutations into the already jam-packed rogue-lite title. Building further upon Dead Cells with a veritable buffet of new content as well as gameplay changes, The End is Near pits you against three new mobs: The Sore Loser, Curser and Doom Bringer, all of which can appear in any biome if your Boss Cells level is high enough. Combat these curse-frenzied foes with Misericorde and Anathema, vicious melee and ranged weapons respectively, that can apply curse to you but deal massive amounts of damage. Three new mutations, the Cursed Flask, Damned Vigor and Demonic Strength serve to mix up your runs even further with some of the game’s highest risk vs. reward builds.
There are also 40 brand-new heads to unlock and equip. Who said being cursed meant you have to look bad? Be sure to check today’s patch notes for a full list of everything coming to Dead Cells in The End is Near: https://deadcells.com/patchnotes.
Dead Cells fans on mobile platforms can also look forward to both the release of Update 34 “Clean Cut” and Update 35, coming later this year.
“I joined Motion Twin in 2014 and started working on Dead Cells in various forms from my first day,” says Steve Filby, CEO at Evil Empire. “I never would have believed that ten years later I’d be writing a final farewell… Hell when we launched the game, I wasn’t even sure people would like it. From Motion Twin to Evil Empire, it’s been a privilege and a pleasure to contribute to the game, work with the community, and onboard new teammates to the adventure. So long Dead Cells, I think I’ll just start one more run before I go…”
While the journey for Motion Twin and Evil Empire with the Dead Cells game is coming to an end, both teams are busy with their own brand-new titles. Motion Twin is diving back into the world of rogue-lites with Windblown, a fast single-player and co-op title launching in Early Access later this year. With up to two friends at their back, players will dash across disparate floating islands while beefing up with unique weapon synergies, dozens of abilities, Trinkets and more until their build is truly overpowered and ready to destroy the fearsome Sentinels.
Meanwhile, Evil Empire has recently launched The Rogue Prince of Persia, a roguelike set in the universe of the legendary action-platformer franchise. The Rogue Prince of Persia is available now in Early Access, featuring fluid combat and silky-smooth platforming in this delightful indie take on a video game classic.
Dead Cells update 35 The End is Near is now available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch. Fans looking for even more Dead Cells content can also check out the new animated series, available on ADN’s YouTube channel with French VO and English and German subtitles, and with an English audio version coming soon. For more information on Dead Cells visit https://dead-cells.com/
About Motion Twin:
Motion Twin is an indie worker’s cooperative game studio based in France. We’ve been raging at the machines since 2001 and we’ll be doing so for as long as people keep smashing into our games. Our latest game, Dead Cells, has brought joy and tears to 10M+ players around the world.
About Evil Empire:
Evil Empire is a French independent studio that cut its teeth on post-launch content for Dead Cells over 5 years. Today, the studio employs 70 people well-versed in creating live-ops content hand-in-hand with the players and is working on The Rogue Prince of Persia TM currently on Steam Early Access. To learn more, please visit www.evilempirestudio.com.
Join the team in Cologne for some fantastic hands-on gaming!
Limassol, Cyprus – 19 August 2024. Publisher ESDIgital Games is thrilled to reveal its 2024 gamescom lineup, with some stellar titles showcasing never-before-seen gameplay in both the Business and Consumer halls at this year’s event.
Gamers heading to gamecom will have the chance to get hands-on with some truly exciting titles covering all kinds of genres! Located in the bustling Indie Arena Booth (Hall 10.2, Booth F010g – E019) ESDigital Games will be showcasing brand new game demos for AWAKEN – Astral Blade, Steel Seed, Island of Winds, BattleJuice Alchemist and Sky of Tides. There will also be the chance to snap a picture with two awesome cosplayers portraying the protagonists Tania from AWAKEN – Astral Blade and Zoe from Steel Seed as well as grabbing some cool branded merchandise after trying out the hands-on demos.
Watch the gamescom 2024 gameplay trailer for Steel Seed below
In addition to the Indie Arena Booth, the team will also have playable demos for Cats on Duty, Memory Lost, and REMEDIUM on the Polish Indie Booth (Hall 10.2, F-041) for fans to try out!
Can’t make it to gamescom? Don’t worry as ESDigital Games has you covered! Starting on 21 August for the length of the show, fans can head over to Steam and download the special gamescom demos for Steel Seed and AWAKEN – Astral Blade, the same demos as consumers can play at the show! Running for the length of gamescom (21 – 25 August) gamers will be able to download and play the brand new Steam demos from the show and experience all the new action and adventure these two titles have to offer. The Steel Seed and AWAKEN – Astral Blade Steam demos will be live on 21 August and run until the end of the show on 25 August. Head over to Steam for more information and add all of the titles to your Wishlist.
Watch the gamescom 2024 gameplay trailer for AWAKEN – Astral Blade below
More information on all the great games available to play at gamescom:
AWAKEN – Astral Blade – Steam | PS
Weave your own story in AWAKEN: Astral Blade, the dark 2D Metroidvania, side-scrolling game from developer Dark Pigeon Games. Join Tania, the bionically enhanced protagonist as she is sent deep into the rainforests in search of a missing Investigation Force. Here Tania’s journey truly begins when she discovers ancient secrets buried deep within the ruins of the forest, and she must discover the truth of her own origins and destiny. Dive into the dark and mysterious world Tania must navigate through and test your skills against some truly astonishing enemies!
Sky of Tides – Steam | EGS | PS | Xbox | Nintendo Switch
Sky of Tides developed by Lofty Sky Entertainment, is a story-driven sci-fi adventure with RPG elements set in a technologically advanced universe on the brink of war. Play as Rin, who must search for her missing father and heal the broken planet of Numen. Explore the world while your choices shape your character. Check out this latest version of Sky of Tides and dive into the deep narrative and see how balanced decision-making will influence the game progression.
Steel Seed – Steam | EGS | PS | Xbox | Nintendo Switch
Steel Seed developed by Storm in a Teacup, is a stealth action-adventure game set in a dark, sci-fi world where humanity hangs on the brink of extinction. Join our protagonist Zoe, and a flying drone Koby, as they investigate the depths of a hostile underground facility in search of answers and the key to the survival of mankind. Having revealed the stealth and action gameplay in Steel Seed, the gamescom demo will now introduce the deep story and exploration side of Zoe’s journey through the stunning futuristic environments.
Island of Winds – Steam | EGS | PS | Xbox | Nintendo Switch
Island of Winds developed by Parity Games is an adventure game set in a stunning open-world environment inspired by 17th-century Iceland, drawing upon its nature, folklore and history. The core gameplay involves a rich story, extensive lore and intriguing puzzles, as well as legendary creatures, spellcasting and a special focus on empathy encounters.
Battlejuice Alchemist – Steam | EGS | PS | Xbox | Nintendo Switch
‘GDC Best in Play 2024 winner’ – Battlejuice Alchemist is a complex alchemy RPG that adds an equipment-based skill system to the classic aRPG formula. Focus on top-down combat or opt for JRPG-style one-on-one fights. Explore the wilderness, learn ritual magic, and craft potions to fight demonic hordes overrunning the lands.
Cats On Duty – Steam | EGS | PS | Xbox | Nintendo Switch
Cats on Duty is a purr-fect blend of RTS, tower defense, and match-3 game genres. Manage two game fields at once, as well as arm and upgrade your cat towers to defeat hordes of formidable foes. Enjoy the meow-nificent battle!
Memory Lost – Steam | EGS | PS | Xbox | Nintendo Switch
Memory Lost is a story-driven action shooter built around innovative game mechanics based on capturing enemies’ minds and taking control of their bodies. With no med packs available and only one magazine in your weapon, you must change bodies in order to survive!
REMEDIUM – Steam | EGS | PS | Xbox | Nintendo Switch
A fast-paced twin-stick shooter game set in a grim post-apocalyptic Renaissance setting. It has been over a hundred years since the terrible plague devoured the whole continent and turned almost everyone into maddened mutants. Only a few survivors managed to find refuge behind the huge walls of the fortress cities. Infected while foraging outside the city walls, your only hope of survival is to fight through the hordes of mutants and chimaeras to find a cure!
The ESDigital Games team is looking forward to welcoming all gamers to the Indie Arena Booth from 21-25 August, so head over to Hall 10.2, say hi and play some awesome games!
About ESDigital Games
ESDigital Games is a global video games publishing company specializing in premium indie and mid-core games for both PC as well as consoles. ESDigital Games portfolio includes the 80s-themed point-and-click adventure Unusual Findings, the tactical card combat game Deck of Ashes, the Early Access release of roguelike action RPG Scholar of the Arcane Arts and the release of the action beat ‘em up 9 Monkeys of Shaolin. Their upcoming releases include twin-stick shooter REMEDIUM, RTS tower defense and match-3 mechanics title Cats on Duty, the Metroidvana inspired Awaken – Astral Blade, complex alchemy RPG Battlejuice Alchemist, and the story-driven sci-fi adventure Sky of Tides as well as new unannounced titles in development.
Tivola Games and MACK Magic Unveil ‘Ed & Edda: GRAND PRIX – Racing Champions’, an All-New Kart Racing Game Based on the Major Motion Picture, Featuring the Mascots of Europa-Park, Coming Summer 2025
Join stars Ed & Edda across 12 stunning racetracks with a familiar cast of colorful furry characters
HAMBURG, Germany (August 19, 2024) –Tivola Games—an international developer of family-friendly video games—in partnership with Europa-Park and MACK Magic, is delighted to announce Ed & Edda: GRAND PRIX – Racing Champions, an undeniably adorable kart racing game based on the major motion picture GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE, a co-production by MACK Magic and Warner Bros. Film Productions Germany, coming to PC and consoles in summer 2025.
Ed & Edda: GRAND PRIX – Racing Champions brings the loveable Europa-Park mascots and cinema stars Ed & Edda to video game format in a fast-paced, heart-warming adventure. Joined by the film’s cast of eclectic characters, players will race across a dozen stunning racetracks set in landmark European locations. From car tune-ups and upgrades to cosmetics, players will customize their racecars to their heart’s desire while mastering power-ups and unique driver abilities and playstyles.
Key Features of Ed & Edda: GRAND PRIX – Racing Champions:
Tear through exciting tracks in beautiful recreations of prestigious European landmarks
Choose from eight familiar characters, including Ed & Edda, Europa-Park’s historic mascots
Unleash unique driver abilities, skillfully wield power-ups, and customize vehicles to ensure no two races feel the same
Long-term racecar modifications and unlockable progression tune-ups ‘drive’ replayability
2-4 player split-screen mode for local multiplayer invites family fun and lifelong memories
Michael Mack is the Managing Partner of the Europa-Park Resort and operates the Mack family business in the 8th generation. As producer of the feature film and founder of the entertainment company MACK Magic, he emphasizes the meaning and the long-term strategy in producing content and building up brands: “With Tivola Games and Jumpgate, we are excited to have strong partners who believe in our Ed & Edda storyworld by bringing the beloved characters to PCs and consoles worldwide.”
Mack continued, “This will make the first feature film with the beloved Europa-Park mascots Ed & Edda more than just a movie: Together with the new associated family attraction 2025 at Europa-Park, the video game Ed & Edda: GRAND PRIX – Racing Champions and many other licensed products, it is the start of a very unique transmedia project. With our transmedia strategy, we are convinced that we will build a long-term sustainable brand with content based around our characters.”
Ed & Edda: GRAND PRIX – Racing Champions launches on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam with language support for English, German, and French.
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ABOUT MACK MAGIC
MACK Magic, part of MACK One, was founded by entrepreneur and producer Michael Mack and is dedicated to creating captivating transmedia story worlds and unforgettable characters. Our focus is on creating international media and IP brands that can be experienced with all senses – from film and TV productions to publishing and licensed products, theme park attractions, and much more.
As part of the 245-year-old Mack family business, MACK Magic has a rich history in the amusement industry. The family business began by building carousels for showmen and eventually became one of the leading manufacturers of amusement rides and roller coasters in the world, known as MACK Rides. In addition, the Mack family founded and operate one of Europe’s most successful amusement parks, Europa-Park, as well as other entertainment companies such as VR Coaster and MACK Animation.
Since 2019, MACK Magic has sold over 700,000 books in more than 10 countries and developed attraction-based media content that has delighted fans around the world.
Our passion lies in bringing unforgettable characters and their stories to life, developing fantastical worlds, and creating innovative and engaging experiences from these elements.
ABOUT EUROPA-PARK
With 250,000 guests initially visiting Europa-Park when it opened in 1975, the Europa-Park Resort has grown and is now one of the most visited tourist destinations in Germany with more than six million visitors a year.
More than 150 million people have visited the park since it opened its gates. With around 100 attractions and international shows, there is guaranteed fun and entertainment for the whole family on an area of 95 hectares. Europa-Park has been awarded the Golden Ticket Award eight times as the best park in the world.
Europa-Park Resort is more than just a classic theme park; it is also a renowned conference venue and popular location for events and television productions. Thanks to the addition of Rulantica Water World and the largest interconnected hotel resort in Germany, the adventure resort has become a unique short break destination for visitors from all over the world. Further information can be found at: www.europapark.de.
Meridiem is pleased to announce that between August 21 and August 25, the neo-noir cyberpunk RPG / Graphic Adventure Neon Blood will be available for hands-on gameplay in the Indie Arena Games for Spain (Hall 10.2) at gamescom.
Neon Blood is a neo-noir cyberpunk RPG / Graphic Adventure, with a 2.5D aesthetic, based on the use of 2D sprites in PixelArt with 3D modeled environments. Variety of puzzles, classic turn-based combat with precise Quick Time Events. The game is developed by ChaoticBrain Studios and published by Meridiem.
Watch the recently released gameplay trailer for Neon Blood below
Meridiem recently announced the release of a physical edition of Neon Blood, which will be available in specialist stores in Q4 2024. The physical Limited Edition physical edition of Neon Blood will launch for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch and includes a metallic textured sleeve, art book, city guide and downloadable soundtrack. In addition to the physical edition, the game can be added to your wish list at.Nintendo eShop, Xbox Store, Steam and PlayStation Store.
ABOUT NEON BLOOD
Year 2053, after the Third World War, humanity has been reduced to a single macropolis, Viridis, which is formed by two cities, the luxurious Bright City and the dystopian Blind City.
Axel McCoin, a detective from Blind City, will be motivated by his ideals to rebel against the injustices caused by the social separation between the two cities and the social inequalities that exist in society in general, becoming a symbol of a revolution.
In his adventure, Axel will meet powerful allies who will help him in his purpose as well as enemies who will stand in his way, such as Ruby Emerald who will do everything possible to make Axel’s plans fail.
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 ChaoticBrain Studios
We are ChaoticBrain Studios, an indie videogame studio from Madrid that has just started this adventure, which is to develop our own videogame. We are a small studio formed by 2 people, that after finishing our studies, we had the brilliant idea (Spoiler, no) to develop a JRPG as our first videogame.
And with this premise in mind, and thanks to our love for the Cyberpunk theme and great videogames like FFVII, Octopath traveler and Cyberpunk 2077, the idea of Neon Blood was born. And that’s how I met your mother… sorry, that’s how I met ChaoticBrain Studios.
Re-awaken a silent planet’s soul when this sci-fi musical adventure launches for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Steam!
Paris, France – 19th August, 2024 – Microids, publisher of acclaimed graphic adventure series Syberia and groundbreaking investigative narrative game Blacksad: Under the Skin, is today excited to announce its partnership with indie team Anomalie Studio to publish their first game, Melobot – A Last Song, launching for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Steam on September 12th.
In this genre-busting rhythm/action-adventure, you are Melobot, a musical robot on a mission to heal a post-apocalyptic world. Master a diverse mix of instruments, discover alien flora and fauna, and reawaken a silent planet’s soul, all while fending off mysterious mechanical beings. But you’re only a little fella, and you certainly weren’t programmed for fisticuffs…
Instead, listen to the Meloplants, the vegetation of this world, and learn their quirky music; play back what you hear using intuitive controls created for both controllers and keyboards, and save them from the mysterious disease poisoning their planet. Take flight on the Melobase and explore visually stunning sci-fi environments, each with their own unique style and challenges – and prepare for combat as powerful Guardians test your skills in musical duels!
Designed for both rhythm game veterans and newcomers alike, Melobot – A Last Song is a toe-tapping musical adventure that blends the best of the rhythm genre with emotional storytelling and artistry inspired by Pixar and Studio Ghibli. So listen up – whether you’re a musical maestro or a Mozart in the making, it’s time to feel the beat and save the universe!
Melobot – A Last Song will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Steam on September 12th 2024 for €/$24.99.For more info, check out the Steam page.
Features
Embark on an Adventure: Dive into vibrant landscapes filled with lush wildlife, unlock every corner of each region, and seek out the last remnants of humanity to uncover your story.
Unleash Your Inner Virtuoso: Master the art of music and combat in a race against time to recreate the melodies of the Meloplants and save their planet from the fearsome Guardians.
Be the Maestro of the Story: Immerse yourself in a rich narrative where the fate of humanity and an entire planetary ecosystem rests on your heroic deeds.
Marvel at Breathtaking Dreamscapes: Discover unique biomes in a sci-fi universe, inspired by the vibrant and enchanting visual styles of Pixar and Ghibli.
Engage in Pulse-Pounding Battles: Upgrade Melobot’s abilities and take on Guardians in intense duels that will push your skills to the limit!
A Game for Everyone: Embark on an adventure tailored to different skill levels, whether you’re a seasoned rhythm game veteran or a budding musical robot eager for contemplation and soothing melodies.
About Anomalie Studio
A French video game studio based in Paris, founded by Mathias Jacquin-Ravot and Paul Samuelson. They explore new horizons to create anomalies that push aside video game genres.
About Microids
Microids is a French video game publisher. Founded in 1985, Microids’ editorial strategy now focuses on 4 major areas: adventure games, racing games, retro gaming and games inspired by iconic titles. By collaborating with renowned studios and authors (Revolution Software, Sloclap, Oddworld Inhabitants, Pendulo Studios, Eden Studios, Go Nagai, Charles Cecil, Benoît Sokal, Paul Cuisset…), Microids has become a major player in international video games. Taking inspiration from legendary titles, Microids reaches a wide audience and creates original adventures which give gamers the chance to play as some of their most beloved characters.
Discover New Titles and Exclusive Previews, from High-Octane Action to Iconic Management Sims, at Gamescom 2024
Oberhaching, Germany, August 19th, 2024 – The German-Austrian publisher Toplitz Productions is excited to reveal its gamescom showreel trailer highlighting one of its most diversified portfolios of games during the week long event in Cologne.
Toplitz Productions will be presenting an exciting range of games when it meets with games media, streamers and influencers at their booth in the business area.
From the all-out fast paced visual tour de force of its action melee game Unawake which shows the battle between heaven and hell in all its brutal glory, to the return of a true icon with its engrossing business management sim Industry Giant 4.0. Toplitz Productions will also be presenting the frozen open world of Permafrost from SpacerocketGames, where players will explore, scavenge and hunt in order to survive and build a better future after a catastrophic global event plunges the world into a sub zero nightmare.
Watch the Showreel Trailer on YouTube
Elsewhere in the line up is Farmer’s Dynasty 2 from Umeo Studios which builds on the foundation of its successful predecessor and delivers an open world farming simulation set across two timelines in the past and present. The publisher is working in collaboration with the renowned power equipment manufacturer, STIHL, implementing their high-quality products in the game, thus enhancing the realism of the farming and craftsmanship experience in Farmer’s Dynasty 2.
Vampire Dynasty, brings the myth and mystery of Vampires to life, developed by Mehuman Games, Vampire Dynasty will give players a taste of what it means to be a vampire caught between destiny and the everlasting thirst for blood. Vampire Dynasty continues the publishers drive for diversifying its product range within its iconic Dynasty brand.
Sengoku Dynasty which has gone from strength to strength with a stream of meaningful updates during early access will be giving games media a fresh look at the journey so far. Games Media will get a keen insight into the exciting mixture of survival game and city builder set in an open-world feudal Japan, as well as finding out more details of its exciting new combat update.
Last but not least, open world survival action game Survive the Fall is Toplitz productions latest addition and adds to an already exciting lineup of games. Players will need to collect loot and fight to rebuild their community, and uncover the secrets of the fallen world after a meteorite strike!
Press Media / Influencers: Attending Gamescom are invited to Stop By Hall 4.1 – Stand# D38 – C29 and check out Toplitz Productions games.
About Toplitz Productions
The German-Austrian publisher, whose name originates from the mysterious Toplitz Lake in the heart of Austria, develops and publishes games with heart & soul for all platforms. The company consists of a healthy mix of experienced industry veterans and young talents, all of whom are passionate gamers. They enjoy working with creative developers on many exciting titles, such as those from the “Dynasty” and “Giant” series.
Stay up to date and learn everything worth knowing about Toplitz Productions by following the company on X (Twitter), Facebook, the official website and Instagram.
There are horror games that have evolved with the times, others that have become cult classics that have stayed true to their roots, and even more that many may never have heard of. White Day: A Labyrinth Named School happens to be the latter of these three since, despite being something of a cult-classic for Korean horror fans, many in the West have likely never heard of it until a remake was made in 2017. After some shifts in development, the unique brand of Korean horror returns with White Day 2: The Flower That Tells Lies. With PQube bringing the three episodes together in this Complete Edition with some extra content, is this a spooky good time or one ghost story too many?
Story
White Day 2 tells its story through three pseudo-connected chapters that players can choose to play through at any time, but should go through in order. The first chapter follows the story of a pair of students that return to the school of Yeondu High to uncover the truth behind a fire that took the life of a girl, the second involves a former teacher in training going to investigate the strange circumstances around her father’s death at the school and the strange occult elements that it involves, and finally the third chapter tries to bring everything together by following another young student searching for a way to bring peace to the spirit of a dead friend.
Unfortunately, perhaps thanks to the way that the game’s are broken up episodically or how there are so many different endings and variations to certain chapters, the actual way the story develops is incredibly vague and often barely touched upon. In fact, even obtaining the best ending for the first chapter will leave players scratching their heads with even more questions raised than not. In fact, there are fourteen different endings spread across the three chapters and some of them are incredibly vague to the point of laughable. In fact, while they are bad endings, two of the endings in the first chapter literally just involve a character being called stupid and the screen fading to black with the only elaboration coming through browsing the “unlocked endings” option in the menu.
The true ending for the first chapter is at least somewhat satisfying and the second and third chapters do help stay on task at least a bit better than before, but unfortunately the plot just never sticks the landing here and barely hangs together even when things try to tie together. Sure, White Day 2 manages to build up some wonderful world-building and scares through the various notes players can find detailing the hauntings of the school and the other ghost stories that players can encounter throughout their time in the game, though it is worth noting that players will need to play on at least Normal to experience some of these extra ghosts and hauntings and seemingly on Hard for others. Even with these bonuses outside of the core story it just never clicks. Instead, White Day 2: The Flower That Tells Lies often feels like a jumbled mess of spooky stories rather than a coherent one and even then it often doesn’t make the most of the scares it can deliver.
Gameplay
White Day 2: The Flower That Tells Lies is a first person horror game where, generally, most of the time players will simply be traveling through the sprawling school. There’s a reason that the first game had labyrinth in the name and it feels all the truer exploring here as players will find themselves needing to solve various puzzles that range from easy to understand via context clues, those that take some extra thinking with the help of notes, and some downright stumpers at times to complete. That being said, while some of these puzzles did require some extra thought, especially in regards to completing and obtaining certain endings, none of them felt impossible to solve. In fact, most of them can be downright simple once players get the hang of things, unfortunately though the in-game map could be a bit better as it doesn’t display locked doors and players will need to be doing quite a bit of backtracking at times to solve puzzles or obtain certain items. This can give players a real sense of completion at times, especially when solving particularly difficult puzzles that have multiple steps to complete and, at least in a few cases, actually change from playthrough to playthrough so the answer for some puzzles won’t always be the same.
Of course, nothing is ever truly simple in a horror game, especially one like this. Depending on what chapter players are playing on, they will eventually trigger a security guard that will then begin to roam the halls. The security guard serves as perhaps the most primary enemy that players will need to deal with throughout White Day 2 as they will be largely patrolling the school with seemingly random pathing and spawning. While other threats such as ghosts and other things that we won’t spoil here can chase players, threaten them with riddles, or even trigger one-hit kill moves, the security guard will continuously chase the player until they manage to get far enough away from them or end up dying. Any health that is lost (shown via blood appearing on the screen) will regenerate over time as long as players aren’t being chased.
Unfortunately, the AI on the security guards, ghosts, and other threats is both incredibly poorly handled and frustrating at the same time. This is because while their pathing is random and players can often sneak past them, once they are in a chase it is almost impossible to actually avoid being caught and killed. Players can make use of a disposable camera (of which multiple can be carried) to stun the guard and some other threats but the only way to actually escape is to simply put distance between players and the guard. Hiding behind furniture, going into a classroom, or even ducking into a bathroom stall will just have the guard instantly spot players and kill them. The AI hunts players down no matter what as long as they are within a certain distance seemingly. It also doesn’t help that, even if players stun a hostile foe, there is no way to duck or move around them. Meaning that if players happen to get stuck in a dead-end, tight corridor, or even in a locked room, they will die.
Thankfully, it does appear that either due to the random nature of the guard’s pathing or a bug, reloading a save often spawns the guard in a different location. Ironically, this bug is fairly prominent throughout a few “boss” style encounters that ended up being disappointing as a result. One of which saw a twisted game of “Red Light/Green Light” instantly end when, upon reloading from failure, saw the objective autocomplete itself. Even with these random bugs, the unique nature of some of the boss encounters as well as how players must solve the puzzles involved with them makes them quite memorable when they work right.
Audio & Visuals
The design of the school as well as the ghosts is handled incredibly well though the general character models of most of the actual characters are a bit simple even if most of the cast has two or three costumes players can swap between. Some of these costumes need to be unlocked by obtaining specific endings while others are part of the “Complete Edition” bonus. Thankfully, as mentioned, the real star is the layout and design of the school rooms. Players will find themselves traveling through each chapter and uncovering more interesting hints and encountering dangerous ghost stories all the while, with the ghost designs being the spookiest parts as well as some of the best jump scares. It is worth noting that it is unfortunate that some of the best designed scares require actually failing a task sometimes and while players can save anywhere with multiple slots, it is disappointing.
Another disappointing and often dangerous element at times is how long the title can take to load in the actual environmental objects. Despite playing on the Xbox Series X and setting conditions to favor performance, every reload saw pop-in that would require a few seconds to load in. Sometimes an entire room wouldn’t even load until we had left and returned to it. While this wouldn’t usually be too problematic, this happens during the game’s chase sequences as well, including ones that feature instant kills should the player get caught. This results in either getting caught on unloaded pieces of school equipment or killed simply due to lag and hoping that the game would load faster the next time through.
As for the voice work, the English dub is… there. That being said it is a nice option for those who don’t want to use subtitles in any way but players should swap the voice track to the original Korean to get the best possible experience as the voice actors handle their roles much better there. The atmospheric sounds of navigating through the haunted school at night are wonderfully spooky and the game does an amazing job of making players feel unsettled even when they are exploring a place they’ve been before, whether it be the distant cries of a ghost, unnatural flushing of toilets, or even the radio chatter of a pesky possessed officer, the atmosphere does wonders in White Day 2.
Overall
Although the original may have been seen as a cult-classic and saw new interest in the West with its remake, White Day 2: The Flower That Tells Lies – Complete Edition fails to maintain most of the magic that the first entry had. The lore surrounding the school that players can encounter as well as the ghosts that haunt the halls make for a wonderfully spooky atmosphere and the puzzles can be some real brain-scratchers that take actual work to solve but nearly everything else falls apart. From poor character models and animations, terrible stealth mechanics, a storyline that is barely strung together, and some awful technical issues this horror game is one that only the most die-hard will likely find themselves powering through.
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