The elite Contra unit may be used to taking on various military forces but when the organization hears that the Red Falcon terrorists are mobilizing on the Galuga Islands, the group finds themselves in for far more than they bargained for in Konami and WayForward’s complete re-imagining of the run-n-gun classic.
Contra: Operation Galuga – Story Mode Full Playthrough
The legendary Contra series returns! This reimagining of the classic run-‘n’-gun action game from the ‘80s features new stages, new enemies, new play mechanics, and co-op combat for up to 4 players!
Contra: Operation Galuga Developer: WayForward Publisher: KONAMI Platform: Windows, PlayStation 5|4, Xbox Series X|S Release Date: 12th March, 2024
Recommended – “Contra: Operation Galuga is a reimagining with fresh touches to gameplay and story to breathe new life into a series that fans have been dying for, yet brevity and limited co-op hold it back.”
Drive Pass Season 4 features 100 tiers, an all-new biome, new rewards, and more
Today, 2K and the LEGO Group announced that the fourth Drive Pass* Season is coming to LEGO 2K® Drive on March 13. In the free update, players can play through 100 tiers, with the ability to earn 21 free rewards including four vehicles, five brick packs, five drivers and more! Season 4 also introduces an entirely new biome and new game modes available to all players.
Stargaze Summit – The icy mountain range and tundras of Stargaze Summit capture the majesty of the frozen north, but things will get extra cold when players start cruising through outer space in later races. As players explore this frigid expanse, they’ll find seven races, three challenges, and nine On-the-Go (OTG) events. Make sure to keep a lookout for hidden Herring Barrel collectibles while dashing through the snow!
Goal Karts Hockey -Players can take their custom ride to the ice, slam into a gigantic puck, and use teamwork to score in Goal Karts Hockey, a new 3v3 online multiplayer mode** that can also be played in 1v1 local split screen. It’s absolute chaos in the rink as both teams try to knock the colossal puck into the opposing goal, all while activating destructive Power-Ups that can blast the other team to bits.
Time Trial Races -Time Trial mode is a new way for players to test driving abilities as they strive for even faster times. In these races, it’s just the player and the track, so there won’t be any distractions while trying to beat their personal best. Players have the option to race against a Ghost of their best time as they continue to refine their route, and they can compete on the Leaderboards in an effort to overcome any friends who posted a faster time.
Special Flairs In The Garage -All players will also find new Special Flairs to collect and add to their collection in The Garage. Special Flairs have unique effects – like notifying players when they’re near a collectible item, or a full-on flamethrower that can melt other vehicles and the environment – and can only be used in single-player and non-competitive modes. Collect them all by completing Stargaze Summit’s races and add them to vehicles for some extra fun!
Those who purchase the Premium Drive Pass for Season 4, which is included in the Year 1 Drive Pass, will also have the ability to earn 84 Premium Rewards including nine new Vehicles and 10 new Drivers. Players can earn creations inspired by the all-new biome, Stargaze Summit, including new viking and sci-fi themed creations and more! With Premium Drive Pass Season 4, players can also take their creativity in the Garage to new heights with new Brick Packs, Stickers, Sounds, and Flairs.
There are no time limits for LEGO 2K Drive Seasons so players can pick up and play each Season at their own pace. The Premium Drive Pass for Season 4 is included in the Year 1 Drive Pass*, and is also available for individual purchase. Players who have been playing through the Free version of Season 4 and decide to upgrade to the Premium version of Drive Pass Season 4, will instantly unlock all the Premium Rewards they have earned based on their current level.
Visual Concepts is a 2K studio. 2K is a wholly owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).
* Drive Pass rewards require unlocking with gameplay. Premium Rewards are only available as part of the paid Premium Drive Pass. Season 4 of the Premium Drive Pass is available for individual purchase and included in the Year 1 Drive Pass. The Year 1 Drive Pass is included in the Awesome Edition and Awesome Rivals Edition and is available for individual purchase. Base Game, Internet Connection and 2K Account or 2K Child Account required.
** Crossplay not available on Nintendo Switch. Base Game, Internet Connection and 2K Account or 2K Child Account required. Online console play requires paid subscription.
OPEN, a multi-biome, multi-IP, multi-mode battle royale experience interoperable with globally recognized IP will set the stage for the future of gaming
Los Angeles, California and Stockholm, Sweden – March 11, 2024 – From recently announced publisher Readyverse Studios in partnership with developer Walker Labs, comes OPEN, the first AAA quality metaverse experience interoperable with AAA IP that leverages web3 technology.
The third-person battle royale experience OPEN will be the hero experience in The Readyverse. The Readyverse is a next-gen immersive and interoperable platform for discovering metaverse games and experiences. A first glimpse of OPEN was debuted in a trailer today by Readyverse Studios Co-Founders at SXSW; below:
Enter OPEN’s immersive multiverse filled with nostalgia-infused biomes featuring characters and cultural legends across iconic franchises. Challengers embark on game-show styled, multi-round collaborative and competitive game modes, but only one hero can emerge victorious. Hone and showcase a vast array of gaming disciplines, where tactical positioning, sly movement, strategic shooting, and driving skills take center stage, as you join forces with worthy allies, plan together for strategic advantages, and engage in intense gameplay sessions.
OPEN derives its name from the principles that The Readyverse will champion including asset interoperability, digital ownership, decentralization and security. Among additional globally recognized IP, such as Reebok and DeLorean featured in the teaser, OPEN will feature a Ready Player One biome where fans can engage in competitive experiences born from the novel and film itself; including branded environments and skins.
“We are incredibly proud to announce OPEN as our flagship experience in The Readyverse. Joining forces with Walker Labs to create a super-team of seasoned game developers from Epic Games, DICE, Microsoft, PlayStation, Mojang, Remedy, Ubisoft, Lucasfilm, Electronic Arts and more has allowed us to tackle the ambitious genre-defining challenge of building a AAA, MMO open metaverse experience worthy of iconic IP in a way that has never been done before,” said Readyverse Studios Co-Founders Aaron McDonald, Shara Senderoff, Ernest Cline and Dan Farah.
“With OPEN, our team of experienced game developers is passionately committed to bringing fan-favorite and original IP to life at highest fidelity,” said Wajhi Jafri, Executive Producer at Walker Labs. “As avid fans ourselves of the IP entering OPEN, especially Ready Player One which came to define the open metaverse for mainstream consumers, we understand the responsibility we have to satisfy gamers and enthusiasts, who have been dreaming of engaging in this type of world for a long time. In close collaboration with Ernest Cline, we’re busy crafting a memorable lore where players can immerse themselves for years to come.”
Readyverse Studios recently announced its partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery to exclusively bring the Ready Player One franchise to the metaverse. Readyverse Studios is a first-of-its-kind studio co-founded by Futureverse Co-Founders Shara Senderoff and Aaron McDonald, as well as Ernest Cline, the best-selling novelist and renowned creator of the groundbreaking franchise Ready Player One and Dan Farah, Ready Player One film producer.
OPEN is now in development for PC and current-generation platforms. For more information, check out the official OPEN website at visitopen.game, and follow @visitopen on X.
About Readyverse Studios
Readyverse Studios is a first-of-its-kind next-gen technology and experience studio co-founded by Futureverse Co-Founders Shara Senderoff and Aaron McDonald, as well as Ernest Cline, the best-selling novelist and renowned creator of the groundbreaking franchise Ready Player One and Dan Farah, Ready Player One film producer. For more visit:readyverse.com
About Walker Labs
Walker Labs is a venture-backed videogame and next-gen web technology developer with a strategy to combine experienced AAA veterans with best in class web-tech developers to create never-seen-before experiences in gaming and digital social spaces. Walker Labs is a seasoned team of senior game developers that hail from Epic Games, DICE, Microsoft, PlayStation, Mojang, Remedy, Ubisoft, Lucasfilm, Electronic Arts and more. For more visit: walkerlabs.io
Warner Bros. Games have announced that MultiVersus, the free-to-play platform fighter videogame featuring an all-star cast of iconic characters, will officially launch on May 28, 2024. MultiVersus will release with a new PVE mode, more heroes and personalities added to the roster, additional stages based on reimagined universes and environments, first-class online play, improved visuals, and much more. MultiVersus will be available as a free download for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 consoles, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One consoles, and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store) with full cross-play and cross-progression support.
View and share the MultiVersus – Official Launch Date Announcement feat. Tony Huynh, Game Director, Player First Games below:
Developed by Player First Games, MultiVersus features a strong emphasis on online cooperative gameplay that is complemented by an ever-expanding roster of popular characters based on Warner Bros. Discovery franchises, including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, and Black Adam (DC); Shaggy and Velma (Scooby-Doo); Bugs Bunny, Tasmanian Devil a.k.a. Taz, and Marvin the Martian (Looney Tunes); Arya Stark (Game of Thrones); Tom & Jerry (Tom and Jerry); Finn the Human and Jake the Dog (Adventure Time); Steven Universe and Garnet (Steven Universe); Iron Giant (The Iron Giant), LeBron James (Space Jam: A New Legacy); Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith (Rick and Morty); Gizmo and Stripe (Gremlins); and an extraordinary original creature named Reindog.
The Contra series used to be one of Konami’s familiar workhorses that the publisher could trot out to excite fans with some new stylistic take on the run-and-gun formula that made it so popular since the late 1980s but that hasn’t been the case in quite a few years. Following a strange choice made back in 2019’s Contra: Rogue Corps, the series has remained dormant with Konami finally turning to a familiar developer to work on an entirely new reimagining of the original game. WayForward isn’t entirely new to the series, as they produced Contra 4 back in 2007 and offered a few unique takes on the formula despite the DS’ limitations, so now that they have a full console to work with and seemingly free reign to take Contra wherever they feel like, how has Contra: Operation Galuga turned out?
Story
Six months after a meteor shower strikes the Galuga islands Bill Rizer and Lance Bean have been tasked as members of Contra to investigate the terrorist group called Red Falcon that has begun making strange movements on the isolated island, movements that coincide with world-threatening gravity readings. After blasting away at countless enemy soldiers with a few strange events along the way, the pair encounter a surviving native from the island named Ariana who warns the group that the Red Falcons are not seemingly in control anymore and that a far more dangerous force seems to be leading the once human terrorist organization. Soon, this threat becomes reality as the Contra forces begin to face off against an alien threat mixed with some human soldiers still in the mix, only to learn that their true objective lies deep within the heart of the Galuga islands.
When it comes to storytelling, Contra games tend to be on the thin to non-existent side of things so it is nice to see that WayForward was given wriggle room to work with here as Contra: Operation Galuga basically reworks the entire beginning of the franchise as a whole while introducing a couple of new characters along the way and even establishing the origins of a few other characters at the same time that ended up appearing in later entries in the franchise, including Hard Corps. Now the only place this story is told at all is during the story mode gameplay as arcade mode simply removes all dialogue with players running straight through levels and fighting bosses right away, while the story often features pauses in gameplay that see the characters talking to either their allies at HQ, the enemy boss they are about to fight, or even each other while trying to expand on the lore of the series, or establish some at all.
It is nice to note that players are given a bit of incentive to replay through the story mode, or at least certain stages, besides simply obtaining points which we will go over a bit later. That is because playing through story mode is the only way to unlock additional playable characters outside of Bill and Lance for the game’s other mode, as Arcade initially only offers the pair and their easter egg replacements in overseas versions, the red and blue Probotectors. Playing through the storyline eventually unlocks Ariana, the familiar Lucia who features an entirely new role this time, and even an armored fighter named Ironsides. Playing through levels in story mode as some of these new unlockable characters does provide new unique dialogue from some boss encounters and character interactions which is a nice touch. It is also worth noting that anyone that is a fan of Contra’s long history of games and spin-offs will adore what the game does with some of the characters that have already been established in older games, making us wonder just where Wayforward and Konami can go from here with these developments especially since this entry is fairly short, clocking in at under an hour and a half with all cutscenes and some extra failures here and there.
Gameplay
Players will be presented with three different game modes when starting Contra: Operation Galuga with these modes being the aforementioned Story Mode alongside Arcade mode and Challenge mode. Arcade Mode will be where players who want to make the most out of the co-op function go as that allows for up to four players to run-and-gun alongside each other while story mode limits things to only two players. Strangely enough, there is no online co-op of any kind, not even with friends. The only way to play co-op is through local play which is a nice offering, but feels strangely lacking. Challenge Mode features a wide array of objectives to complete within certain limits, such as never firing your gun, only using one type of weapon, speed running a stage, never getting hit, etc. and rewards extra points and unlocks additional Challenges when completed.
Now, Contra is the game that started the famous “Konami Code” (which still works) in an effort to make things easier for players in the original game and players can heavily customize their challenge level here as well. In both Story and Arcade modes players can select from three difficulty levels and even choose to play the classic 1-hit kill mode or the more modern HP bar system that allows for players to take a few extra hits before losing a life. To add to this level of customization, each player can also equip up to two perks to their chosen character at the selection screen. These perks can be purchased using points earned simply by playing the game, with bonuses coming for completing a full run or multiple stages in a row without restarting, and can include things such as extra overall lives, bonus HP, starting with certain weapons, etc. Players can choose to simply not do any of these things and make things as hard as they want to or load up the perks to make things a bit simpler.
Contra: Operation Galuga still plays in a way that many fans of the franchise are familiar with, enemies will shoot at the player character’s and fill the screen with bullets while the player does the same, all while trying to avoid incoming fire and progressing through a stage and taking on a boss at the end. Along the way players will pick up power-ups that include all of the classics such as Laser, Flamer, Homing, Spread, etc. but a few tweaks have been made to the formula besides the aforementioned difficulty options. Players can choose to have the ability to aim in any direction or be limited to classic style in options and can still stand still to aim as they please with a press of the trigger but what is perhaps the most unique element here comes from the fact that each character now has two weapon upgrade slots and can swap between them on the fly. This also includes the ability to power-up a weapon by picking up an extra version of itself, such as increasing the amount of homing rockets or range of the flamer. Along these same lines, players can now make use of a special power attack unique to each weapon by sacrificing it through Overload. This ability varies depending on the weapon but often triggers a massive barrage, a shield, or even moments of invulnerability. This is highly useful since, upon death, players will lose their current weapon anyways.
Some classic levels still feel the same as always while others have been given complete overhauls to work better with new systems and the newly established characters and lore. It is worth noting that both Bill and Lance control the same way with the ability to double-jump and even dash a little to avoid incoming fire but the other playable characters do have unique abilities of their very own, including variations of certain weapons. Ariana has the ability to slide and dive during jumps and one variation of her weaponry involves throwing grenades instead while Lucia cannot double jump at all but can make use of her grappling hook to reach climbable surfaces and has a chargeable spread shot variant. This lends some new playability to trying out each character and seeing who fits best for the player, but it also does mean that some simply play a bit better than others depending on the stage.
Now as mentioned before, it is worth noting that there is a Perk Shop in the game. As players advance through either Story or Arcade Mode they will gain points and can use them to purchase perks, many of which are mentioned earlier. The thing is, some of the most unique perks happen to involve either extra BGM from classic Konami series, a speed-running mode, and additional characters that are nearly the most expensive unlock available. While players will be able to obtain points at a fairly quick pace, especially when they get the hang of the stages and use perks to help them out, unlocking some of these bonuses is a bit of a slog, especially given the game’s lack of online multiplayer options.
Audio & Visuals
Contra: Operation Galuga offers a solid amount of variety between its eight different stages with players being able to quickly traverse locations should they please or annihilate everything in their path, though a few occasions do call for expedience. The 3D models of the characters and enemies on the 2D stages look decent enough, especially on faster moving stages where a lot is happening at once, unfortunately the actual character models are a bit too simplistic looking most of the time. Sure, everyone expects the Contra characters to be buff muscular guys but even the newcomers and easter egg characters could be more impressively designed. It is nice to note that, playing on the Xbox Series X, saw no slowdown in any way even when absolutely filling the screen with as much firepower as possible during the largest boss battles, so this level of smoothness is appreciated.
The game features some solid voice work for the game’s story mode with the voice actors handling their characters decently, though it is worth noting that a lot of these characters also happen to only ever appear in story scenes that are unfortunately a bit cheap in production. Some are full blown CGI looking scenes while others are comic book style and a few are barely above a standard visual novel presentation of dialogue. As for the soundtrack it is nice to say that the game features a wonderful collection of background music both new and old as well as the option to purchase a wide-array of classic tracks from other Konami properties in the Perk store.
Overall
WayForward and Konami have come together to create a Contra game that literally seems like a perfect “way forward” for the series to continue from this point on. By establishing a solid albeit short storyline filled with easter eggs for longtime fans and hinting at more developments in the future, Contra: Operation Galuga’s wonderfully refined run-and-gun gameplay is as enjoyable as ever with players having a wide-array of customization options that can make the game as punishing as they wish while leaving the door open for those simply looking to dip their toes into the series and look to get better for what will hopefully be more Contra games in the future, though hopefully these will feature some form of online multiplayer.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Celebrate over 25 years of Mutants, Synths and Raiders, with Magic’s Vault-tec approved sets
Sydney, Australia – March 11, 2024 – Since 1997, players have journeyed to unforgettable post-nuclear, dystopian wastelands, brought to life in the Fallout® games.
Now Magic: The Gathering® celebrates the series’ incredible legacy with four new Commander decks, showcasing the very best of Fallout, NS paying tribute to the unique characters and items from the games. And yes, that includes our goodest boy Dogmeat!
“This exciting collaboration with Bethesda brings one of the biggest video game franchises to the Magic multiverse for a one-of-a-kind experience in the Fallout world,” said Ken Troop, Vice President of the Magic: The Gathering franchise. “We’ve always pushed the boundaries of what makes the Universes Beyond sets extra special, but this partnership takes it to a whole new level. Our team has been working tirelessly to ensure that every card and every play experience brings the essence of this unforgettable video game world to life.”
“I’m a huge fan of Magic and have been playing since 1994. Bringing Fallout to Magic: The Gathering is an excellent fit. Fallout’s action, adventure and narrative aligns perfectly with Magic’s strategic and competitive gameplay,” said Mike Kochis, Vice President of Global Sales and Development for Bethesda Softworks. “As a fan of both Magic and Fallout, it’s exciting to see 25 years of the Wasteland reinterpreted through this legendary card game.”
Each Commander deck features new cards that will be legal in Legacy, Vintage, and Commander. These decks are ready to experience Commander straight out of the box, letting players compete against each other and utilise social intrigue and strategic plays, elements that are perfectly fitting for this classic roleplaying series.
There are four Commander decks, each based around a different theme. Scrappy Survivors features everyone’s favourite pup Dogmeat as the commander, and requires players to focus on scavenging for tools, food tokens, and allies. The deck also introduces junk tokens, which can be sacrificed to draw cards.
Mutant Menace is for players looking for something a little “different”, with brave souls managing a host of strange mutated creatures. Led by The Wise Mothman, a firm believer in weaponising radiation, players using this deck will irradiate both themselves and their startled opponents by using new rad counters.
For something less radioactive, but equally as deadly, the Hail, Caesar deck features the franchise’s infamous Caesar as the commander. This deck’s theme revolves around leaders of militant factions and their soldiers, as well as wasteland Raiders. Aggression and strategy is the key to victory with an army of creature tokens and a special squad mechanic, which lets players create extra token copies of creatures.
Finally there is the Science! deck, embracing Fallout’s impressive retro-futuristic technology. Here players will wield high-tech energy weapons, Synths, and pre-war robots. With the illustrious Dr. Madison Li as the commander, players will utilise artifacts to generate energy.
Alongside the four Commander decks, Collector Booster packs are also available. Players will encounter borderless Vault Boy cards, showcase Pip-Boy frames and exclusively to these boosters, serialised Vault Boy bobblehead cards. Seven special cards in this set feature serialisation, available on only 500 copies each.
These new decks represent the first “modern view” of some of the classic Fallout games, including updates to characters and settings from Fallout and Fallout 2, providing something extra S.P.E.C.I.A.L. for fans. This is a true celebration of one of the longest running and most beloved computer role playing games in history.
Magic: The Gathering® – Fallout® is available now from online retailers like Amazon, your local game store, and wherever Magic products are sold. For more details, visit DailyMTG.
About Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering’s compelling characters, fantastic worlds, and deep strategic gameplay have entertained and delighted fans for 30 years. Fans can experience Magic through the tabletop trading card game, the digital game Magic: The Gathering Arena, a New York Times bestselling novel, and a critically acclaimed comic book series. With more than 50 million fans to date, Magic is a worldwide phenomenon published in more than 150 countries.
About Wizards
Wizards of the Coast, a division of Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS), develops legendary games that inspire creativity, spark passions, forge friendships and foster communities around a lifetime love of games. Wizards delivers compelling experiences for gamers across tabletop and digital gaming through its best-known franchises MAGIC: THE GATHERING and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and Hasbro’s unparalleled portfolio of approximately 1,500 brands. With headquarters in Renton, Washington and studios in Austin, Montreal and Raleigh; Wizards is dedicated to fostering world-class talent to create unforgettable play experiences on all platforms. To learn more about Wizards, please visit our Company website and social channels (@Wizards on Twitter and LinkedIn).
About Hasbro
Hasbro is a leading toy and game company whose mission is to entertain and connect generations of fans through the wonder of storytelling and exhilaration of play. Hasbro delivers engaging brand experiences for global audiences through toys, consumer products, gaming and entertainment, with a portfolio of iconic brands including MAGIC: THE GATHERING, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, Hasbro Gaming, NERF, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH and PEPPA PIG, as well as premier partner brands. Hasbro is guided by our Purpose to create joy and community for all people around the world, one game, one toy, one story at a time. For more than a decade, Hasbro has been consistently recognised for its corporate citizenship, including being named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by 3BL Media, one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute and one of the 50 Most Community-Minded Companies in the U.S. by the Civic 50. For more information, visit https://corporate.hasbro.com.
Now Available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X
Sydney, Australia – 11th March 2024: ATLUS has launched the tactical fantasy RPG Unicorn Overlord for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X. From the creators of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim™, Dragon’s Crown™, and Odin Sphere™, Unicorn Overlord combines the timeless tactical RPG genre with overworld exploration and innovative battle system for a unique epic fantasy experience set in a beautifully lush game world that developer Vanillaware is known for creating.
Watch the Unicorn Overlord launch trailer below:
Follow Alain, Prince of Cornia, as he flees the traitorous General Valmore and his uprising against the royal family. Traverse the vibrant world, cultivate a grand army with over 60 uniquely designed characters, and grow your renown throughout the five nations in this unique epic fantasy experience!
Players looking to get a head start on their quest to liberate Fevrith can try out the free demo on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. With up to five hours of gameplay, players can learn the game systems and transfer their progress over to the main game.
About ATLUS
ATLUS delivers unforgettable, story-driven gameplay experiences to enthusiastic and dedicated fans around the globe. Established in 1986, ATLUS features a portfolio of beloved and long running game series including PERSONA™, which has sold over 22 million units worldwide, and the legendary SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI™. ATLUS games are published in the west by SEGA of America, Inc. with its principal office in Irvine, California.
SEGA of America, Inc. is the American arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA CORPORATION, a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment. Established in 1986, SEGA of America publishes innovative interactive entertainment experiences for console, PC, mobile and emerging platforms. In 2020, SEGA ranked #1 among Metacritic’s Annual Game Publisher Rankings. Its globally beloved franchises include Sonic the Hedgehog™, Like a Dragon™, Virtua Fighter™, Super Monkey Ball™, and Phantasy Star Online™, along with ATLUS’ Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series. Since its debut more than three decades ago, Sonic has become a pop culture icon featured in dozens of games, TV series, and movies. SEGA of America has offices in Irvine and Burbank, California.
WWE Games have been on a bit of a streak with consistency the past few years, ever since they relaunched their 2K series of popular wrestling titles a couple years back. While far from perfect, the franchise has seen the community return with record numbers, and all have been waiting for WWE 2K24 to launch for yet another yearly dose. With a few improvements, does this title have what it takes to continue the climb back up, or does 2K24 gas out before it gets started? Let’s find out!
WWE 2K24 Match Gameplay
Story
This year’s WWE 2K24 starts players off with a familiar feel. From Cody Rhodes’ own “Finish the Story” arc weaved into the branding and modes, to menus which look sleek and tight, with a phenomenal presentation, there is an awfully warm feeling a fan will get when booting up the game. When it comes to narrative, there is a lot to chew on, but not a lot of flavor being offered for the dishes provided. Showcase mode is back with the theme of “40 Years of Wrestlemania”. Sure, it sounds grand, but the end product is anything but. Packaged in this mode are twenty matches, cherry-picked and “retold by Corey Graves as he recounts history. To Graves’ credit, he does an excellent job with this, as his contributions are the ultimate highlight for the mode. The issue with this mode comes with several factors diminishing the excitement and grandiose affair that Wrestlemania truly is.
For a long-time fan like myself, a lot of the biggest problems found here are the rules of Showcase mode itself. Players still have to go through match after match, unlocking content by participating in tasks while the story plays out in the ring. The issue is that the pacing never allows the player to go in and have fun, or even make the experience their own. The game forces you to run a linear path and when you veer outside that, you are punished by not progressing correctly. Its the same frustrations I have had year after year with this concept, and now being strung along for 20 matches just makes it even more tedious. To add salt to the wound, faces of staples like Earl Hebner are blurred, along with Mean Gene and others who are mainstays of this illustrious history we are supposedly celebrating. I think this would be due to residuals and contracts, but this is the biggest wrestling game in the history of the industry, and we can’t pay to include a likeness? I personally have no argument with the matches included, as I would have been happy with anything if the mode was enjoyable, but regardless of the match, trying to check boxes and get the match to end will never be a good time for anyone involved.
MyRise thankfully has improved a lot. Now broken up into two narratives, this allows the player to create a Superstar and take one of two paths to stardom.”Unleashed” has the player take on the indie circuit, where they attempt to rise up the ranks. WWE get involved and they must battle new foes while trying to remain true to their roots. “Undisputed” sees Reigns quitting WWE and abandoning the belt after the longest reign in decades, where the player gets an opportunity to take that ball and run with it as they participate in some very over-the-top story elements. Both modes are solid, and have gotten rid of a lot of currency fluff that plagued past story modes in the past. Universe Mode is back, but other than maybe a few minor additions, it felt pasted straight from last year’s experience, which really wasn’t much of a highlight. There is a lot of content there, but it feels a little like an afterthought in this year’s entry. There are a lot of stories being told here in the full package, but results certainly may vary on one’s levels of enjoyment with these modes as a whole.
Gameplay
It took Visual Concepts a moment to come out of the hole that WWE 2K20 dug for this brand, and by far, this is the finest entry since then in terms of quality control. While there are still some wonky bugs, the game feels more polished and refined this time around, as players have the same options but with ultimately smoother results. Yep, punching, grappling, finishers – all are here and function the same, but a few new mechanics attempt to mix things up in the smallest ways – with impressive results.
WWE 2K24 My Rise Gameplay
Its really all in the details this year. Superstars now can hold a submission and risk disqualification by staying in a hold past a count. Rest holds can drain momentum. Tag matches now feature less interference from AI through limitations, making the events more enjoyable and fluid. There are so many minor additions to add a realistic flare that I really have to give credit to the team here, as you can tell they really attempted to give this game a unique feel all to its own. There are a few misses in all of the changes as well, such as a punch mini-game that has players trade blows randomly with another meter-driven obstacle that is just as intrusive as it sounds. The pros do outweigh the cons however, and what we get is another step in the right direction for the series.
Casket and Ambulance matches have risen yet again to flesh out a lot of the match types, and those matches act as a decent distraction from the standard exhibition fare. That said, the rest just feels like last year’s game. The AI has also improved a good bit, with managers and non-playable participants becoming more (or less) involved based on their role. This works for normal matches, but in things like Showcase where players are imposed with checklists, it can be really annoying having a manager constantly argue with the ref while you try to relive some famous moment of the past.
On paper, it sounds like there is a lot to complain about, but personally, I really enjoyed the gameplay engine this time around. WWE 2K24 has a following of creators and those who just want to make their favorite wrestlers, go in, and play matches with friends. We get that here, and I genuinely think the core audience will love the product here. Sure, past games were better by miles in some ways. For instance, GM Mode is still just a one-note track to obliterate your opponents in ratings, as once you figure out the formula – there really isn’t any creativity needed (or celebrated for that matter) when picking match cards. Matches still veer a little too close to simulation to be imaginative, and that will always make our childhood titles feel more special as this entry is another one that just wants to look pretty. After so many years however and as someone who has now purchased every year’s entry for 25 years solid (man, I am getting old), I just concede. I accept this direction,I just wish it could reach its full potential and find a clearer identity. You ever hear that phrase “too many cooks”? That is where we are. There just is too much change year to year to drive consistency, and too many bugs and mishaps with new features to not move into more change. This franchise is still stuck in that cycle, but at least there is still a lot of fun to be had with the core wrestling buried in the center of the experience.
Audio
Well, there is at least a soundtrack? I am not a fan of Post Malone personally, but those who are fans will have his personal setlist here, trickled in with other random tunes. Of course you can shuffle this with WWE themes, which all sound great for the most part. Its funny, Showcase mode actually features some really fun tunes in its menu that are callbacks to past Wrestlemania events, but instead of capitalizing on those tunes, the plastered soundtrack is what we ended up with here. Odd choice, but not something to gripe too much about due to the ability to customize slightly as you play. Other than that, the voice acting is here, but Superstars in MyRise either sound disinterested in reading their lines or like they recorded in a closet. Commentary however is excellent, and the best it has ever been. My first match was Liv Morgan going against Rhea Ripley, and hearing Cole run down the history between these two as we traded blows was really special and a huge highlight of my time with the game.
WWE 2K24 MyGM Gameplay
Visuals
In some ways, this is the best looking wrestling game to date. Sure, that is now the appeal of this franchise, but the models (mostly) look superb, outside of the usual hair issues that struggle with animating during specific situations. There are a ton of new animations that do well to add to the experience, such as new weapon animations and all the moves you could want to see, looking as fluid as ever. The mini-games still plague a lot of this fluidity, but again, this will come down to personal preference on how it hinders your own experience. Presentation is certainly a strong suit, and the creation suite along with all of its thousands of options will allow you make this ring your own.
Overall
Modern wrestling titles for someone who grew up cherishing the genre are difficult to review. There has been so much change and growth that one should be excited to dive in and explore it all. WWE 2K24 is a great wrestling game. It has functional features, improvements that offer needed refinement, and can be a lot of fun to play. That said, this is a game stuck in a cycle of repetition, weighed down with bad ideas and an identity crisis that feels never-ending. This is the spectacle that is WWE, and for now, there is no other way to celebrate the current product in its truest form than this entry. Just like its main “Wrestlemania” Showcase, WWE 2K24 has everything you want to celebrate, the Superstars you tune in to see, yet still manages to not tie it all together to let the player suspend disbelief all over again. I will still give credit where credit is due for all of the good here, but there are still a few bumps in this mat that need to be flattened out.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
The Free-to-Play Open Beta For Omeda Studios’ Third-Person MOBA Debuts on Xbox
(LONDON, UK) – March 08, 2023 – After a very successful Closed Beta period, Omeda Studios, a community-founded studio created by Robbie Singh, will launch the MOBA Predecessorinto Open Beta on Thursday, March 28 for PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 4/5. Predecessor was built on the foundation of Paragon which was originally developed by Epic Games but was shut down in 2018. Thanks to Omeda Studios, they are breathing new life into the MOBA genre with Predecessor. Players can enter the Open Beta on March 28 through Predecessor’s Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation and Xbox Store pages.
Predecessor is a fast-paced action-MOBA title that combines strategic thinking and teamwork with pulse-pounding combat. Two teams of five players choose from a roster of more than 30 unique Heroes and fight to protect their bases while working together to take down the enemy team’s base. During the fight, players earn XP to unlock and level up powerful abilities, while collecting gold to buy items to help them defeat the enemy team.
Predecessor was born from the ashes of Epic Games’ now-defunct MOBA Paragon. In 2020, Paragon’s most dedicated player and content creator Robbie Singh created Omeda Studios not only to bring back Paragon’s legacy, but to evolve it more with Predecessor. Building upon Paragon’s existing visual assets, Omeda Studios overhauled the game’s maps, gameplay mechanics, characters and more for something new and improved that stays true to the heart of Paragon. More than 400,000 players are already playing Predecessor in Steam Early Access and in a free closed beta on PlayStation. Predecessor is going fully F2P as part of an Open Beta starting on March 28th.
In the latest dev diary, Robbie Singh delves deeper into the game coming to Xbox consoles with all the same features found on Steam and PlayStation in addition to crossplay. Localization is also a priority as global PC players can enjoy the game in French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and simplified Chinese – Xbox and PlayStation will receive language support shortly after. Robbie also discusses upcoming visual improvements, new item slots, a new secret game mode including the heavily-requested ranked mode, and more. Audiences can check out the new dev diary below:
Key Features:
Truly Unique Gameplay -With the core of a MOBA but the mechanics of a third-person shooter/brawler, Predecessor offers a visceral experience that other MOBAs lack, while rewarding teamwork and strategy in a way many shooters overlook.
Over 30 playable characters –Predecessor’s deep character roster contains over 30 unique Heroes with distinct play styles and abilities.
The Only Unreal Engine 5 MOBA – Created in Unreal Engine 5, Predecessor is the only MOBA to be developed in Unreal’s latest engine. This new state-of-the-art game engine produces high-resolution and high-fidelity graphics for current and previous gen consoles.
Play with Friends, No Matter Where They Are – Predecessor was developed with both console and PC gamers in mind with cross-play functionality so friends can play together regardless of their platform.
Earnable In-Game Content – Predecessor features a ton of rewards, including custom skins, for players to earn or purchase with in-game currency.
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About Omeda Studios
Predecessor is a team-based action MOBA, powered by Unreal Engine 5, that combines MOBA and third-person gameplay to put players at the heart of tactical and fast-paced 5v5 matches. Currently in development for PC via Steam and Epic, PlayStation, and Xbox, Predecessor is already being enjoyed by other 400,000 players in its Early Access phase.
Wield skeleton-raising maces, build unique classes and make deals with devils in RPG that keeps compelling choices coming
Los Angeles, USA – 8th March 2024 – Burst2Flame are pleased to announce that their simultaneous turn-based tactical RPG, Stolen Realm, is available now on PC, Xbox and Switch. Stolen Realm takes the core of the RPG experience and distills it down into a fast-paced experience free of RPG-bloat so that you can focus on making important choices. That includes strategic decisions in combat, how to take advantage of a highly flexible class system that lets you build everything from spell-slinging assassins to shadow-infused knights, and the opportunity to make dubious deals with demons in just one example of the attribute-altering events you might encounter on your journey.
Play Stolen Realm solo, or in co-op with up to six heroes, as you build a unique hero from a pool of over 300 skills in 10 distinct skill trees and arm yourself with over 700 unique lootable items, each fully customisable with modifiers. Frictionless drop-in/drop-out systems give players the flexibility to join or leave mid-quest, with the game automatically scaling difficulty based on the number of players currently active.
Stolen Realm takes the deep tactical systems of RPGs like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin and gives it a unique twist. Simultaneous turns allows all members of the player and enemy team to take their actions at once, creating the kinds of fast-paced encounters you’d typically find in action RPGs, without sacrificing the strategic richness you’d expect from a turn-based RPG.
As you explore procedurally generated dungeons that range from frosty peaks to overgrown jungles, picking your path between battles, story events, resource gathering, shops and treasure rooms on your way to the final boss, you can discover and customise awesome gear that can radically change the way you play. Wield Abbadon the Soul Crusher, a mythic mace that raises slain enemies as skeletal warriors to fight for you, or unsheath the Bloodletter, a cursed sword that grants additional power at the cost of your lifeblood. D&D-like attribute based rolls that have permanent effects on your character in special events add further variety and intrigue to your adventure.
Stolen Realm features a full story-based campaign, a roguelike mode, hardcore mode and a streamer mode that allows viewers of a stream to step onto the role of dungeon master, voting and deciding on the enemies and events the streamer will face.
“We can’t thank our community enough for all their feedback on Stolen Realm during a fantastic Early Access period,” said developer Jason Jolley. “We’re really excited that the release version is now complete and available for everyone on PC, Xbox and Switch.”
About Burst2Flame
Burst2Flame is an indie game developer who is currently making Stolen Realm. They are a small group of passionate developers who love making multiplayer games for 1-6 players.
