As the highly anticipated new video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed gears up to launch later this year, global video games publisher Outright Games is excited to reveal full details of the incoming Deluxe and Collector’s Editions, specifically for release on Nintendo Switch™ and PlayStation 5®.
With the game taking place following the events of the box office hit film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, the upcoming action-packed 3D Brawler/Platformer will serve up more mutant chaos for fans to enjoy, with the Deluxe and Collector’s Editions both loaded with exclusive TMNT-themed collectibles.
Paying homage to the iconic heroes in a half shell, fans will be able to get their hands on a radical artbook and an assortment of pin badges in both variants, with the Deluxe Edition also including 4 themed keychains and a unique Steelbook cover. The Collector’s Edition arrives jam-packed with access to the season pass for more post-launch awesome content as well as exclusive collectibles, including an iconic pizza van statue, gnarly LED pizza sign and more, all inside an incredible Collector’s Box!
Full details on contents and prices below:
Deluxe Edition – £54.99 / €59.99/ $59.99
Includes:
Exclusive Steelbook
4 Pin Badges
4 Keychains
Artbook
Collector’s Edition – £219.99 / €249.99/ $199.99
Includes:
Season Pass
Pizza Van Statue
LED Sign
5 Pin Badges
4 Patches
Mouse Mat
Notebook
Pen
Artbook
Poster
Stickers
Collectors Box
Get ready to wreak havoc in New York City, playing as the brothers in solo or 2 player co-op mode. Unleash their unique ninja skills to restore the peace and prevent the newly formed human-mutant relationship from going down the drain.
Exclusive to Nintendo Switch™ and PlayStation 5®, the Deluxe Edition and Collector’s Edition are available to pre-order in multiple countries now while stocks last. Check with local retailers for more information.
Wishlist Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed now or pre-order on PlayStation 4®, PlayStation 5®, Nintendo Switch™, Xbox One, Xbox X|S, Windows and Steam.
Developers from Frozen Way, a game development studio based in Cracow, Poland, are pleased to share some updates regarding Honeycomb: The World Beyond – their upcoming sci-fi survival-sandbox game set on an exuberant planet of Sota7.
May 23rd, Cracow, Poland. The creators of Honeycomb: The World Beyond have released the first story trailer for the game! With the game’s launch date fast approaching, the developers have decided to showcase some details of its narrative. This video material features events from the life of the playable protagonist, as well as an outline of the mission she participates in. The materials that have been published up until now have depicted an alien planet captivating with its fauna and flora – now, players have the opportunity to learn why the game’s action is set on this otherworldly planet, not on Earth. What’s more, the story trailer also includes glimpses of gameplay elements.
The developers have another important piece of information to share. They are delighted to announce that a demo version of Honeycomb: The World Beyond will be available to all interested players during the upcoming Steam Next Fest edition, from June 10-17! The creators of the game are eager to get the game into the hands of numerous players again. They are looking forward to receiving their feedback to make the game the best it can be. Every opinion and comment will be extremely valuable and helpful in making the game better. Mark your calendars and get ready to discover a world beyond your imagination.
Additionally, from May 27th to June 3rd, Honeycomb: The World Beyond will participate in the Open World Survival Crafting Fest on Steam. During this time, on the stream available on the game’s Steam page, developers will discuss the survival-related aspects presented in their game. Don’t miss the chance to learn about the dangers and challenges players will face on planet Sota7.
About Honeycomb: The World Beyond
Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to find yourself on an uninhabited, mysterious planet as a pioneer? Carry the weight of a mission that could save the world on your shoulders. Or perhaps you’ve always been fascinated by bioengineering and where its development might take mankind in the future. Honeycomb: The World Beyond sets out to offer its players a unique opportunity to experience all of that and more! Prepare for a journey of scientific exploration and survival on a planet that can be incredibly friendly, awe-inspiring, and slightly hostile.
Explore the world of Sota7 and uncover its secrets. Prepare yourself to be moved by its diversity. From calm forests and vibrant jungles to vast fields spreading at the foot of a mysterious volcano, prepare for a trek that will leave a lasting impression. Carve out a home for yourself and use that safe space to further your research. Play your part in saving the Earth’s ecosystem thanks to innovative bioengineering mechanics and see the vibrant world of an alien planet with your own eyes.
Bioengineering – meet fascinating life forms and create new ones
Gathering information about an ecosystem is a crucial part of a bioengineer’s work. You need to treat the life forms of Sota7 with caution and respect – after all, they’re all a part of a larger whole. Extract samples and procure resources carefully to find familiar patterns and understand this world. This will help you to create new fascinating life forms that will be able to easily fit in with those that inhabit it already – and who knows, maybe one of these species holds the key to solving the problems that plague the ecosystem back on Earth? Use innovative in-game mechanics such as allogamy and grafting to create hybrids that could change the world. Unleash your inner scientist and become a master of the art of crossbreeding.
Base building – expand your base of operations
A true explorer needs a haven to rest and contemplate if they want to succeed. One of the player’s many important tasks in Honeycomb: The World Beyond is to plan and build your perfect modular base – not only for shelter but also a place of experiments, reporting progress, and rest. Discover our artists’ vision of the future, inspired by natural shapes found in Art Nouveau. The modular design of the base isn’t just a visual feature, but also a strategic advantage that allows you to adapt to your changing needs as an explorer and a scientist. Add an extra room or a corridor whenever you want, matching the direction of the expansion to the surrounding area.
Nestled within your base lies a sanctuary of profound significance: the laboratory. Here you can grow as a scientist and bioengineer. Gather resources and create varied laboratory devices to experiment with samples collected during the exploration of the world. The laboratory is not just a place for discovering new life forms – it’s also a space where you grow and nurture plants. Cultivate them to make previously empty rooms alive with fresh greenery, and yield a satisfying harvest – a reward that springs from your commitment, which increases your chances of survival.
Honeycomb: The World Beyond comes with an exciting set of features:
Explore the unknown – each corner of Sota7 offers diverse biomes with different plants and animals for you to discover. Explorer, let curiosity guide your steps! Encounter the kaleidoscope of life forms, learn about them, and apply that knowledge to further research.
Awaken your inner bioengineer – in Honeycomb: The World Beyond you are both observer and creator. Find and experiment with new fauna and flora species to unlock their potential.
Witness the synergy of nature and science – crossbreed various plants or animals using bioengineering mechanics such as grafting and allogamy.
Build your perfect base – to survive and conduct experiments, you need to build your base first. Gather materials and set up your sanctuary – an oasis in a foreign world. If you’re not a keen builder, utilize the planning mode, which will do the job for you!
Arrange the laboratory – the heart of your base is a lab, where you can experiment with collected samples.
Find the hidden riches – remember that Sota7 is a unique yet challenging place. You should always be on the lookout for better resources.
Survive at any cost – face the upcoming challenges with courage and try to survive in the unfamiliar world of Sota7.
About Frozen Way
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 and Hairdresser 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 Campus Life, 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://frozenway.games/
Explore New Worlds with the Brilliant Retail Edition and iam8bit Collector’s Edition at cocoon.iam8bit.com
LOS ANGELES – May 23, 2024. iam8bit, together with developer Geometric Interactive and publisher Annapurna Interactive, have revealed stunning physical editions and vinyl of the acclaimed title COCOON will be coming soon to multiple platforms. Fans of the game may choose the retail edition, available on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch for $29.99, €29.99, £24.99, or opt for the otherworldly iam8bit Collector’s Edition, available for PlayStation 5 and Switch for $74.99. Fans can also get their cerci on the COCOON vinyl, available for $32.99.
A trailer showcasing the new physical editions is available below:
All COCOON products can be purchased from cocoon.iam8bit.com. The retail edition will be available via European retail stores.
The retail edition features the game alongside five beautiful orb art cards and will be available on European retail store shelves on September 13. More indulgent puzzle-players may obtain the iam8bit Collector’s Edition, which includes a 3” laser-etched crystal orb light with an activator pedestal, an 11” x 17” double-sided poster, five orb art cards and an exclusive cover with original art by Erwin Kho, all for $74.99. This version is exclusive to iam8bit.com and will begin shipping in Q4 2024.
Also not to be missed is the sleek 1xLP Vinyl, available for $32.99. Pressed on Classic Black vinyl, and housed in a foil-embellished jacket, this Vinyl features an arranged musical experience by composer Jakob Schmid, painting a complete portrait of COCOON’s music. Featuring all-original album art by Erwin Kho, the vinyl will begin shipping in Q4 2024.
Recommended by 98% of critics on OpenCritic, COCOON was named Eurogamer’s Game of the Year in 2023. The title has also consistently been lauded since its release, winning the Best Debut Indie Game at the Game Awards and the Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game Award at the 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. Additionally, COCOON was given an honorable mention for Best Audio and Best Technology at the 24th Game Developers Choice Awards. Offering a unique take on the puzzle adventure genre, each of COCOON’s many worlds exists within an orb that players can carry on their backs. Players are invited to interact with alien environments and biochemical devices left behind by an ancient civilization, facing the mighty guardians of each world in fierce battles and leaping between worlds to solve intricate puzzles.
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About iam8bit
iam8bit is a creative production emporium that’s been boldly redefining the entertainment industry since 2005. Its collaborative works have taken a variety of forms, including groundbreaking community events, immersive art experiences, and exclusive collectibles, all designed to bring surprise and delight to people’s lives. iam8bit played a crucial role in the vinyl renaissance, minting its first record in 2010, and is the industry leader in premium physical editions of top-tier games. iam8bit evolved into financing and publishing games under its iam8bit Presents imprint, including the smash hit Escape Academy; NES mash note Garbage Pail Kids: Mad Mike and the Quest for Stale Gum; and the upcoming chill vibes simulator Simpler Times. The company is based in Los Angeles and co-owned/co-creatively directed by Jon M. Gibson and Amanda White.
About Annapurna Interactive
Annapurna Interactive, founded in 2016, works with game creators from around the world to develop and release personal experiences for everyone. Their award-winning portfolio includes Neon White, Stray, Outer Wilds, Storyteller, What Remains of Edith Finch, Sayonara Wild Hearts, Solar Ash, and A Memoir Blue, as well as upcoming titles Thirsty Suitors, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, Open Roads, Forever Ago, Skin Deep, Flock, Bounty Star, Silent Hill: Townfall and more.
About Geometric Interactive
Geometric Interactive is an independent game development studio based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Geometric Interactive’s games are designed around unique gameplay ideas, with striking graphics and atmospheric sound created in service of the interactive experience. The studio was founded by former Playdead employees: Jeppe Carlsen, who was the lead gameplay designer on the internationally acclaimed award-winning titles Limbo and Inside, and programmer/composer Jakob Schmid, whose work on the music-based platformer 140 won the 2013 IGF Award for Excellence in Audio.
Brace for an immersive journey where time is your foe in a mutated and menacing world
Oberhaching, Germany, May 23rd, 2024 — Game Island, in partnership with Toplitz Productions are pleased to announce that their single-player immersive story-driven survival adventure game SERUM is now available for PC via Steam Early Access.
SERUM throws the player head-first into a dark and intriguing narrative driven by a unique game mechanic: a mysterious elixir (serum) is essential to survival, a lifeline to be injected regularly as a momentary respite from an infected world. Players will quickly discover how this vital liquid can prolong their existence, amplify their abilities, and enhance their hand-crafted arsenal of deadly weaponry as they uncover a government conspiracy. This is an adrenaline-fueled journey filled with intrigue, danger, and the relentless pursuit of survival under the pressure of time in a contaminated wilderness.
See the Early Access Gameplay Trailer here:
During its time in early access, developer Game Island will look to expand upon the features and resources available to players, and has also revealed Serum’s early access roadmap, which includes plans to bring an up to 4-player co-op mode later this year.
Initially, quality-of-life improvements, bug fixing and community feedback will continue, followed by the introduction of additional translations and achievements. The roadmap also reveals new combat options with deadly traps and a planned UI revamp, all of which will further enhance the player experience in the months ahead.
The roadmap also outlines a challenging new level in the form of a canyon biome with new mutated adversaries and more revelations about the mutagen that form the basis of the game’s main story and questline.
Underpinning SERUM’S dark narrative is the game’s unique crafting system. Players will need to explore the shattered world, hunting and setting traps for mutated creatures in order to harvest sources of Serum to create essential recipes, each granting distinct skills and abilities crucial for overcoming the diverse array of mutated enemies and hazards that lurk in the deadly environment. Against a ticking clock, they’ll need to procure that life-giving dose of serum and search for various clues in solving the human catastrophe, and information regarding the infection known as the Blight. Resource management, cunning tactics, and keen time management all come into play in the fight to survive.
SERUM is available today from 6pm CEST on PC Early Access on Steam priced $24.99 / €24.99 / £19.99, with a 20% launch discount for two weeks.
A Serum Ultimate Edition is also available to buy on Steam and includes a Serum story codex, Serum digital cocktail book and Serum official guide. The Serum Guide Edition includes the official guide and provides expert insights and strategies.
Further details on SERUM including its early access roadmap of planned content can be found on the games official Steam page, and through its regular diary on social media, revealing more about the world, crafting and macabre dangers that players will encounter.
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 Twitter, Facebook, the official website and Instagram.
About Game Island S.A
Game Island S.A. was established in July 2020 as a subsidiary of The Dust S.A. Game Island specializes in the production of games for Steam and console platforms. Serum is the first major title in the Game Island S.A. portfolio and is currently under development. The game will be published globally by Toplitz Productions.
CHICAGO, IL (May 14, 2024) — Premium graphic novel and games publisher Magnetic Press has announced the launch date for their pre-order campaign for the official tabletop Role-Playing Game based on 20th Century Studios’ world-renowned property, THE PLANET OF THE APES, along with details about campaign-exclusive offerings, to be hosted by popular platform Kickstarter. Developed by a team of award-winning writers and game designers led by acclaimed writer/designer Andrew E.C. Gaska, this roleplaying game will include material inspired by the canon established in the original five-film series, with brand new lore and adventures added to the original, sprawling science fiction universe.
PLANET OF THE APES: THE ROLE-PLAYING GAME will be available for pre-order on Kickstarter soon with numerous pre-order incentives and exclusive items that will only be available through this event. Such exclusive offerings include additional gaming materials, new miniature gameplay piece sets, physical in-world artifacts to assist roleplay, and bonus gameplay enhancements that will not be available in retail.
This new tabletop RPG will consist of four primary components, starting with the hardcover CORE RULEBOOK, which features cover artwork by legendary artist Bill Sienkiewicz. This deluxe 300+ page volume contains all of the rules, statistics, and lore necessary to introduce new players to the world of Planet of the Apes while a separate sourcebook, THE ANSA FILES, will provide references and resources specific to the classic films and novels. Two limited-edition Slipcase Sets of the two hardcovers will be available exclusively through the campaign featuring unique textured casing in one of two collectible colors.
In addition to these hardcover books, the FORBIDDEN ZONE Campaign Adventure Box will contain an assortment of supplemental tools and content to help players explore this dangerous world. Contents will include a campaign adventure book, unique maps and player markers, a set of 12 thematic “Alpha and Omega” 6-sided dice, a 3-panel LAWGIVER Reference Screen with handy tables, and a deck of game statistics cards.
To further immerse players into this adventurous world, the campaign will showcase the RUINS OF TOMORROWMiniatures Set of plastic playing pieces that will only be available directly from Magnetic Press. These detailed game pieces capture the various character types, both ape and human, for strategic tabletop gameplay. Additional sets of plastic playing pieces will be revealed throughout the campaign as unlockable “stretch goals.” Such unlockable additions include the ANSA astronaut spaceship, a Statue of Liberty dice tower, and many other character types and locations featured in the original films. Unlike the two core rulebooks, these plastic gameplay expansions will not be available at retail.
Fans are encouraged to visit www.PlanetoftheApesRPG.com to pre-register for the upcoming campaign and to receive an exclusive linen cardstock art print of the cover by Bill Sienkiewicz added to their pre-order for free.
ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM
The project is being led by writer Andrew E.C. Gaska, recipient of multiple awards for his work as lead narrative designer on the popular ALIEN RPG and TERMINATOR RPG, as well as author of two official PLANET OF THE APES novels. The team of writers and designers on the project includes numerous authors well-versed in the property, including Dayton Ward (Star Trek), Rich Handley (Timeline and Encyclopedia of the Planet of the Apes), Greg Cox (War for the Planet of the Apes movie novelization), David Walker (both Boom! Studios and Marvel’s Planet of the Apes comics), David Avallone (Star Wars RPG), E.L. Thomas (Terminator RPG), Dave Semark (Alien RPG), and Jim Beard (Tales from the Forbidden Zone).
Game design is built on Magnetic’s D6MV System, a modern update of the classic D6 System of role-playing rules originally made popular by West End Games with the first official STAR WARS RPG, MEN IN BLACK RPG, and GHOSTBUSTERS RPG.
ABOUT PLANET OF THE APES
Set on a strange yet familiar planet dominated by intelligent apes, the PLANET OF THE APES RPG will introduce fans old and new to the dynamic action, politics, and warfare between apes, time-displaced astronauts, and the post-apocalyptic survivors of humanity. Beginning back in 1968 with the groundbreaking first film, the PLANET OF THE APES franchise has spanned nine films, a TV series, video games, comics, and books. Experience the new entry in the most recent feature film series, KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, in theaters! Get tickets now at http://www.fandango.com/PlanetoftheApes
“PLANET OF THE APES is, without question, one of the greatest science fiction franchises ever,” says Mike Kennedy, Magnetic Press’s founder and Publisher. “It is not only an exciting high concept, but it does what great sci-fi does best: holding a mirror up to society. The PLANET OF THE APES RPG will contain all of that political intrigue while also giving players a vast and dangerous world to explore full of brand-new mysteries and adventures to experience first-hand. Andrew E.C. Gaska has gathered an incredible team of brilliant artists and writers to expand upon this classic scenario, and we are thrilled to have creators involved who are passionate about the franchise. We have many plans for both human and ape, and this launch is just the beginning.”
Closed Beta Access for The Hottest Military Extraction Shooter Continues Leading Into Upcoming Launch
After a week of positive feedback and amazing response from the gaming community, MoreFun Studios has extended the Closed Beta Test for military extraction shooter Arena Breakout: Infinite. Expanding the CBT period enables the Morefun Studios dev team to test further improvements and features while inviting more players to dive into the thriling high risk, high reward gameplay experience of Arena Breakout: Infinite.
Since the launch of the CBT on May 8th, Arena Breakout: Infinite has become one of the most popular viewed games on Twitch, peaking as the one of the top viewed games last week with over 220K viewers. The game has achieved over 1 million Wishlists on Steam, making it one of the most anticipated games in the FPS genre.
In Arena Breakout: Infinite, enter the Dark Zone and become the deadliest soldier of fortune known to man. As a highly skilled military operative, journey into a war-torn region where high-stakes equal high rewards. Join a fair and competitive community to shoot, loot, and raid your path to fortune. You can’t pay to win in Kamona – skill, awareness, and experience are what matter most, not the size of your wallet.
Pull the trigger, take cover, and move ahead. With jaw-dropping visuals and true-to-life audio, push through tough battles where the stakes are high and the rewards even higher. Get in, get rich, and get out… but be prepared to fight for survival.
MoreFun Studios was established in 2010, and has developed a number of projects with world-renowned intellectual property such as Arena Breakout, Arena Breakout: Infinite, and Project: The Outcast. MoreFun has the experience of working on a wide variety of genres including action, shooter, RPG, casual, and more. MoreFun Studios is committed to delivering quality content and experiences to its players across the globe.
Publisher Tripwire Presents and developer Digital Lode today announced the Espire 1: VR OperativeSydney Sneakabouts Mission Pack DLC, the first paid addition to the VR stealth experience since it released in 2019, will be available for purchase starting at 10am PT on Meta Quest Store (Quest, Quest 2, and Quest 3), for a MSRP of $4.99 USD. The DLC will be released on additional VR platforms including the Meta Rift Store (Rift, Rift-S) and Steam (Valve Index, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality) in the coming weeks. The Sydney Sneakabouts Mission Pack takes players to beautiful and bustling downtown Sydney, Australia where two new environments and a set of brand-new challenges await to test the skills of even veteran operatives. Alongside the DLC the developer has released a free update, patch 1.12, for all owners which includes a variety of AI and gameplay improvements made while creating the new content. The title is currently available as one of the first 12 entries in the first Meta Quest+ subscription service catalog, and has introduced tens of thousands of new players around the globe to the award-winning stealth experience.
The Espire 1 Sydney Sneakabouts Mission Pack DLC includes:
Two New Sydney-based Environments: Sydney’s downtown hosts two new environments taking agents far above and just below the city streets. Explore Maxim Tower, an abandoned skyscraper project near the city’s famous Circular Quay port area and home to a sophisticated Copperhead spy network, and the Entwine Construction Zone, a nearby construction site serving as a front for Copperhead’s own Espire ‘Control Theater’ R&D efforts. The Entwine site includes above and below ground sections and covers an entire city block, and is one of the largest and most diverse maps in Espire 1.
10 New ‘Virtual Challenge’ Missions: Take on new Intel, Takedown, Elimination, Person of Interest, Hold-up, and Sneaking challenges evenly spread between the two new mission locations. These missions offer fans of both stealth-based and ‘guns blazing’ approaches objectives catering to their playstyle, and feature some of the most challenging missions released in the game to-date.
The Espire 1 patch 1.12 available now on all platforms includes:
Enemy AI Improvements: A wide range of behavioral fixes and improvements have been made to make enemies more responsive and consistent. AI guard hearing has been updated for more consistency in being alerted by unsuppressed gunfire, bullet impacts, and player movements above or below them. Suppressed weapons have had their noise radius unified as well, generally resulting in a smaller noise radius.
Gameplay Improvements: Enhancements include an 8x reduction in the cost to use Espire Vision ability, corrections to grip alignment for the E1416 Rifle, Supernova Shotgun, and sawn-off shotgun on Quest and Rift platforms, additional interactions for tripmine detonations, and more.
New Localization: This patch includes support for Simplified Chinese text.
Espire 1: VR Operative has set the new gold standard for the stealth genre in virtual reality since its launch, delivering gameplay mechanics for the stealth and action genres that have yet to be explored in the space. Players are charged with the role of an “Espire Agent” and use cutting-edge Virtual Reality hardware to remote-operate the Espire model 1 drone while completing classified missions and challenges.
Espire 1: VR Operative is available for all major VR platforms, including Steam, Meta Quest (Quest, Quest 2, and Quest 3), Oculus Rift, Oculus Rift-S, HTC Vive / Vive Pro, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality, and PlayStation®VR for $19.99 USD. The Sydney Sneakabouts Mission Pack DLC is available on Meta Quest platforms for $4.99 USD, and will be releasing on additional platforms in the coming weeks.
For further information about Tripwire Presents please visit their official website.
The cards are on the table! Blackjack roguelike adventure gets official publishing deal and all-new demo
Bristol, United Kingdom — May 24, 2024 | Yogscast Games is thrilled to reveal the latest ace up its sleeve, Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers, joining an expanding roster of strategic, yet quirky, indie titles. Putting a unique spin on a classic card game and combining cards from both real life and other card games, Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers is definitely a title fans of deckbuilders will want to play and master.
The adventure begins in a tavern packed with the rough and ready, where everyone plays a very different version of traditional Blackjack. Players will have to try their hand at this newfangled card game in order to take down the greedy capitalists exploiting the Blackjack-addicted townsfolk.
Boasting a collection of over 250 cards, some extremely weird and wonderful and each with their own special effects, every new run promises nuance as players build different decks and experiment with strategies. Completing a run also unlocks new starter decks that demand different playstyles, allowing them to steer their decks in new and interesting directions. Will they unleash corporate hell with the Business Card, or wreck mystical havoc with Tarot Cards? The choice is theirs, and will ultimately determine their success.
For players looking to try their luck, the team is delighted to share that there is a playable demo now available on Steam. In addition, Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers will also be a part of the Steam Next Fest lineup in June, so there’s plenty of opportunity to see what’s on the cards.
Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers has been in development since September 2021 with various prototypes and demos proving enormously popular since then. Since early development, the game has evolved in terms of visual style, and today emerges with a new lick of paint following an art overhaul from celebrated Yogscast artists Harry, Nina-Serena and Jack. As such, players diving into the demo will be able to practically smell the stale ale, body odour and damp stench emanating from the game’s dingy tavern setting.
“From the moment we first saw it, we knew there was something very special about Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers, so I’m relieved to be able to finally talk about our partnership,” says Simon Byron, managing director, Yogscast Games. “It’s been a real collaboration between us and Purple Moss Collectors and a genuine honour to help Mike bring the game to life. With the demo now live, I can’t wait for players to experience Dungeon & Degenerate Gamblers incredible twist on a classic card game ruleset, which results in a fantastic roguelike deckbuilding adventure unlike any other. Yes, including that one.”
To find out more about Dungeons & Generate Gamblers and try out the demo, check out the Steam page here — and don’t forget to wishlist!
About Yogscast Games
Yogscast Games was established in 2017, with a simple goal: to work with small teams to develop and publish games which are as fun to watch as they are to play. Its most recent releases have included poker-powered deckbuilding game ‘Aces & Adventures’, the wickedly amoral ‘Trolley Problem, Inc.’ and the wildly successful restaurant management roguelike ‘PlateUp!’.
About Purple Moss Collectors
Purple Moss Collectors is a tiny game studio from New Zealand, making weird and wonderful replayable games. We are currently developing a blackjack roguelike deckbuilder called Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers.
Back in 2006 a ridiculous action movie called Crank was released and focused around a character that constantly needed adrenaline boosts to keep himself from dying. The movie was dumb fun and now Hammer95 is taking this story element and putting their own spin on things, producing a high quality boomer shooter where speed and precision are key, because every second counts. Combine that with the fact that everything is oozing with late ’80s action movies and ‘90s anime aesthetic with synthwave music and Mullet Madjack seems like hell of a mix. The question is, does Mullet Madjack manage to blend this into something amazing?
Story
Set in the far off future of the 2090s humanity has become so removed from their former selves and allowed AI and robots to take over the world to the point that super-rich A.I. robots called Robillionaires now rule everything humanity consumes. Players take on the role of a “Moderator” eponymously named Mullet Mad Jack who is a retrohuman that thrives on dopamine hits that he gets from streaming his exploits online to his viewers. The best way to get views, and a pair of sweet sneakers? Taking on a mission to save a beloved “Princess” with two billion followers that has been kidnapped by the robillionaires even if it means that he only has ten seconds of life for every floor, but as long as he keeps the robot blood flowing, he’ll keep moving up the floors of “Nakamura Plaza.”
Mullet Madjack isn’t afraid to wear its influences on its sleeves, in fact anyone familiar with some of the classic anime of the ’90s will catch the references made in the opening scene alone, be it the Akira style skidding of the car, Gunsmith Cats references, Blade Runner style visualizations, and much more. The actual plot takes more of a back-seat here, with players mostly focusing on blitzing through floors as fast as possible to avoid running out of time but every ten floors equals a boss battle that slows things down and either changes up the approach of the game entirely or offers some extra bits of lore. That being said, while the story is fairly thin, the sheer vibrant nature of the presentation, unabashed references to everything action and anime in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, and some real killer boss battles more than make up for what ends up being a fairly short game once players get the hang of things, with Mullet Madjack clocking in at around four and a half hours depending on skill level and difficulty for its campaign. Of course, it helps that all the man himself is just full of trashtalk and quips when plowing through robots, especially if players select a certain perk.
Gameplay
As said before, Mullet Madjack finds itself as a mix of a wide-range of genre that have seamlessly blended together to create an exciting and intense shooter. It has all of the makings of a “boomer shooter” with an FPS setting and fast-paced movement but also it is built entirely around speed-running and being as precise as possible when it comes to finishing stages. On the default Normal difficulty players are only given 10 seconds maximum of life at a time and can only gain extra time on the clock by destroying robots. Depending on how they are destroyed, be it through a fancy headshot, a nut-shot, or kicking them into a wide variety of stage hazards or through doorways, players will be given extra time to survive. Players can even grab extra weapons like crow-bars, knives, and even manga to perform dash executions for near full time restoration. Either that or they can smash open a vending machine to chug down the delicious energy drinks inside.
Along these same lines, Madjack is a powerhouse of a character, capable of jumping and even sprinting mid-air and can shrug off nearly any attack that comes his way unless it happens to be coming from a boss enemy, but more on that later. Instead players are meant to tackle each ten stage chapter in a row without running out of time, with a boss battle at the end of every tenth floor not only disabling the timer entirely (giving players a chance to slow down and look around a bit) but also giving them an actual health meter that will come into play against the boss. These make for some intense fights, especially against latter bosses and many of them end up featuring some rather surprising mechanics along the way.
At the end of nearly every stage players will be able to choose a perk that will help make their run through the next level a bit easier. These can range from changing the weapon available to them, adding bonuses to the weapon or upgrading it entirely, providing special skills, or even boosting speed, damage, and even increasing the maximum time on the clock. Herein lies the roguelike element that comes into play with Mullet Madjack. Rather than simply running through stages and eventually dying from either an annoying pitfall, again, more on that in a moment, or running out of time, it is possible to permanently unlock upgrades and obtain additional upgrades for each subsequent chapter. This includes the ability to obtain higher level weaponry, reroll the perks offered, and more.
It is also nice to note that while the game may feel a bit repetitive at times, especially since enemy variety can start to feel a bit stale early on, every chapter adds something new players will have to contend with. This can range from adding stage hazards like electric or acid panels that players will need to dash through to avoid taking damage, wall running sections that are incredibly awkward and can lead to some cheap deaths due to how odd they feel, lasers blocking certain paths, and more. Now, it is worth noting that even if the player dies, they respawn back at the start of the chapter rather than from the very beginning (outside of perma-death mode) but dying due to missing a shot at the last second or not going for a glory kill and running out of time is a far different feeling than simply falling into a death pit because of the awkward wall-running animation.
Outside of the core story mode players will also be able to take part in an “Endless” mode that puts the player’s skills to the test by seeing just how far they can go with very little actual support along the way beyond the upgrades at the end of a stage. This mode can be fun, especially for those looking to train their reaction times to enemies, but feels a bit flawed and repetitive. It is also nice to note that Hammer95 even went all out by providing a “digital” unboxing that allows players to unbox a retro-styled collector’s edition of the game complete with full instructions, fancy facts, and much more that happen to be incredibly interesting and a nice little addition to this game that absolutely oozes with style.
It is also nice to note that the game has a wide-range of “accessibility” options as well. The game features an aforementioned one life mode and all the way down to “classic” boomer-shooter that makes the player completely invincible by removing the timer entirely and both let’s players play at their own pace as well as give them a chance to warm up their skills before jumping onto the higher difficulty levels that include lower survival time, less time from defeating robillionaires, and more. In fact, the level of difficulty above “Normal” is the recommended option from the developers at the moment.
Audio & Visuals
Hammer95 has gone the extra mile to make sure that Mullet Madjack is just lavished with attention to detail. From the opening animation to the artwork that players will blitz past as they slaughter the countless robots in their way, the entire game is dripping with neon style. There is some small gore to be had as well as plenty of references to every property under the sun from the late ’90s and early ’90s scattered throughout the neon levels. The best chance to actually get a look at these stage designs and unique elements comes from boss stages that remove the timer though they all have their own unique mechanics as well. It is worth noting that players will start to notice that rooms do repeat from time to time, in fact in my instance I had a room repeat right after itself, feeling like deja vu as I fought my way through it again. Along these same lines, enemy variety could use a bit of an improvement as well.
As for the voice work, the English cast has handled their rolls incredibly well, be it the Peace Corp officer constantly encouraging the Moderator to keep up the pace and keep piling up the robo bodies or the many quips that Mad Jack himself makes whenever he scores a particularly brutal nut-shot or glory kill. The soundtrack is similarly a perfect match for the neo-retro aesthetic on play in Mullet Madjack as the synthwave music works wonders for speed running stages and taking down enemies and it isn’t afraid to let some tension set in when it comes to approaching bosses or dealing with important story developments.
Overall
Mullet MadJack takes the boomer shooter genre and spins it on its head by adding plenty of retro-futuristic style coated in neon and cheesy performances all wrapped up in a tightly paced speed-running shooting game where precision is key. It does have its flaws here and there, but , combined with its lighter roguelike elements, Mullet Madjack manages to mix together this strange combination and blend together one hell of a speed-running experience that’ll have players testing their skills even after the story has reached its short conclusion.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Set in the 90s, the 2090s, humanity has merged with the internet to the point that they need likes to survive and the best way to get them is to stream and for Mullet Madjack, that means he needs a new like every ten seconds to stay alive. With a mission to save a kidnapped “princess” from the robotic billionaires that rule the world, we take on this fast-paced and stylish shooter from Hammer95.
MULLET MADJACK is a single-player fast-paced FPS that brings you directly inside a CLASSIC ANIME. Power up your character and reach the last floor; Beat your best time or try again. Haste makes waste… OF YOUR ENEMIES!
MULLET MADJACK Developer: HAMMER95 Publisher: HAMMER95, Epopeia Games Platform: Windows Release Date: 16 May, 2024 Price: $19.99 USD
Recommended – “Mullet Madjack‘s retro-futuristic aesthetic that mixes anime and action movies together to create an exciting backdrop for a speedrunning boomer shooter that is filled with non-stop action.”
