Two boxed collector’s editions coming for PlayStation®4 and Nintendo Switch™ in 2024.
Barcelona, Spain – 19th December 2023. Global publisher and distributor SelectaPlay has revealed the content of the two special boxed editions of the critically acclaimed Narita Boy. Developed by Studio Koba and published by Team17 Digital, the boxed editions will launch for PlayStation®4 and Nintendo Switch™ across European retail stores in early 2024.
Watch the Narita Boy Collector’s Edition trailer below:
Narita Boy is a narrative-driven RetroVania adventure game inspired by the digital age of the 80s and brought to life with the neo-retro aesthetic of times past, but never forgotten. SelectaPlay has been working closely with Studio Koba and Team17 Digital on creating two boxed editions for retro gaming fans to add to their collection.
The Standard boxed edition will be available with an exclusive artwork sleeve and will contain a printed Narita BoyComic Book inspired by the game, along with a physical copy of the game.
For real retro aficionados, there will also be a Narita BoyCollector’s Box which will include a copy of the Comic Book, a ‘Save the Arcade World’ pin badge, a sticker pack, a copy of the soundtrack composed by Salvinski in a digipack and a stunning artbook all housed in a VHS tape style collector’s box.
Both physical editions of Narita Boy will be available for PlayStation®4 and Nintendo Switch™ from specialist European retailers in early 2024.
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About Studio Koba
Studio Koba is an independent game development studio founded in 2016 by Eduardo Fornieles, a concept artist, visual developer and storyteller. Their desire is to create unique and strange experiences for players.
About Team17 Digital
Founded in 1990, Team17 Digital is a leading developer, video games label, and creative partner for developers around the world. Part of Team17 Group plc, which floated on AIM in 2018, Team17 Digital has an extensive portfolio of over 120 titles, and fully encapsulates the spirit of independent games. Winner of the ‘Publishing Star’ award at the 2023 Develop: Star Awards, Team17 Digital has assembled a portfolio of multi-award-winning and award-nominated in-house brands include Hell Let Loose, Golf With Your Friends, The Escapists, and the iconic Worms franchise, alongside its games label partner titles, including the award-winning games Blasphemous, Greak: Memories of Azur, DREDGE, and the Overcooked! franchise.
About SelectaPlay
SelectaPlay is SelectaVisión’s video games publishing branch. The company works with talented studios on unique video games and helps them publish their titles in both physical and digital formats in Europe and worldwide.
About SelectaVisión
SelectaVisión is a video publishing company founded in 1984. Based in Spain, SelectaVisión’s catalog includes anime and live-action feature films, TV shows, and movies.
James Cameron’s Avatar managed to make the biggest possible splash back when it was released in 2009, becoming the top grossing film of all time. Most of this success came through the absolutely gorgeous and vibrant world of Pandora and giving movie-goers a familiar premise wrapped in such a pretty package. Despite having to wait thirteen years for a sequel film to be released, fans of video games shockingly only saw one game released back when the first film arrived and never since. Now, with promises of an open world making the best use of what Pandora has to offer, Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment have released Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Now that players have a chance to explore elements of Pandora never seen before as a Na’vi, does this game manage to tap into the franchise’s potential?
Story
Set partially prior to the events of the first film, players take on the role of a customizable Na’vi child who is being taught by the RDA as part of The Ambassador Program, or TAP, supposedly as a way to acclimate children to the ways of humanity to serve as a bridge between the Na’vi and the RDA, though nothing is ever as simple as it seems. Years pass and the events of Avatar happen, with Jake Sully and the rest of the Na’vi managing to drive the RDA from Pandora, resulting in the children in TAP being put into stasis for sixteen years. Upon being woken by their former human teachers, players find themselves immediately under attack as sixteen years have passed and the RDA has returned to Pandora and is looking to eliminate the Na’vi. As players escape from the RDA, they learn that a sizable human resistance has teamed up with the Na’vi forces to fight against the RDA and it is up to the player, as the only surviving member of the legendary Sarentu clan, to unite the clans in their rebellion and drive off the RDA once and for all.
It is worth noting that while the events of the films are referenced and used as backdrop to what happens in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, the game itself takes place entirely separate from the events of the films. As such players will find themselves exploring entirely new areas, interacting with new characters, and learning far more about the world of Pandora and the Na’vi people than they ever did through the film’s limitations. That being said, don’t expect a complicated plot line here as the narrative is mostly predictable for anyone familiar with the series as a whole. The RDA, through any means necessary, is looking to obtain the resources that are abundant on Pandora even if it means wiping out the Na’vi people and players must put a stop to them. The real delightful element here comes from learning more about the Na’vi, especially the Sarentu tribe that players belong to as they uncover just how impressive their tribe was and how important it was to the Na’vi people.
In a few ways Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s open world nature does damper its storytelling a little while also allowing for plenty of background information and lore that can be uncovered through exploration. The open world nature means that many of the game’s side-quests, while interesting, lack any form of staying power and a majority of the characters that players meet throughout the game quickly fade away or only appear in a side-mission later on. This is a bit of an issue that remains true through the majority of the first half of the game before the plot starts to culminate in the second half, though even here the game’s primary antagonists are lackluster at best and stereotypically predictable at worst. As mentioned before, the real highlight throughout the game’s story is the lore that players will uncover while playing, both through collectables, exploration, and more, as any fan of the Avatar series will be delighted to learn more about the fascinating and vibrant world of Pandora and its native inhabitants while playing through the fairly sizable story even with its faults.
Gameplay
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora features first person exploration and combat but, similar to its story, the exploration aspect of traveling through the world of Pandora is the main highlight here. Players will start in the Kinglor Forest and eventually progress to two other unique zones called the Upper Planes and The Clouded Forest as they progress through the story. Each area in the game features its own unique aesthetic and designs, all feeling like they match what fans know of Pandora perfectly. The game also opens up quite quickly, giving players freedom to explore and see what the world has to offer fairly fast.
This includes the ability to tame the familiar Pa’li horse-like creatures and, in one of the best sequences in the game that manages to combine both its puzzle platforming aspects and sheer gorgeous design, tracking and taming an Ikran for flying through the skies. Rarely does exploring a world feel like the best part of an open-world game but thanks to the sheer level of design and unique elements on offer on Pandora players will constantly be in wonder of what they are seeing as they navigate the world, especially with how striking the very first location ends up being. Collectables are also handled well, with there being a variety of simpler lore collectables as well as those that provide various worthwhile boosts. These include Tarsyu Saplings that provide skill points that unlock a wide range of upgrades along five different skill trees with different benefits for the player and Bellsprigs that permanently boost their health.
Even some of the game’s looting and gathering mechanics feel rooted in the Na’vi’s respect for nature. Players will find themselves harvesting plants for cooking and crafting with players needing to take part in a small mini-game to harvest a plant without damaging it forever, offering higher quality rewards for leaving no destruction behind. Along these same lines, hunting animals will offer higher quality meat, pelts, etc. if done mercifully or with a single shot. Using a bow to instantly kill an animal by targeting its weak point will reward some of the best components while unleashing on them with a machine gun will only provide some low quality meat and maybe some materials. This attention to detail is wonderful when it comes to making players feel like they are actually part of the world rather than simply tearing through it in search of upgrades.
This level of authenticity carries over into the actual sight-line of the player as well. Since players are playing as a full grown Na’vi they stand easily ten feet tall, towering over any humans they encounter and finding themselves cramped when navigating human-designed locations. Along these same lines, players can nimbly move and leap from place to place, including using charge jumps, and easily using their powerful blows to take down enemies as needed. One element of the more “authentic” experience is the scaled back UI that feels like both a bit of a blessing and a little curse.
Rather than littering the world with quest markers, component locations, collectables, etc. players must make use of their “Na’vi Sense” to track down various objects that are useful or the direction of a quest. This works well as it allows players to enjoy the world without clutter but can make some navigation a little on the rougher side, especially since some locations are poorly marked even when using a waypoint to help with navigation. Na’vi Sense will also temporarily highlight harvestable items, wildlife that can be analyzed or hunted, crates, and even enemies making it something players will use incredibly often, to the point that it is easy to overuse the world-dimming sense that could have been avoided with at least a little bit more optional UI to work with.
With combat being entirely first person, the first person shooting mechanics are handled decently though can feel a bit too generic at times. Using some of the Na’vi’s native weaponry such as the bow and sling make for stealthier more intense combat though players can also make use of their stealthier nature to try and sneak around and eliminate enemies that way as well. Alongside native weaponry players can also obtain RDA weapons such as assault rifles and shotguns though unlike the native Na’vi weaponry, ammo is a bit more scarce as it isn’t readily craftable even if it can deal plenty of extra damage against the RDA’s mechs.
Along these same lines, players can target the weak points of RDA equipment just like any animals they hunt, with a well placed arrow in a mech suit’s exhaust dealing out plenty of damage or shattering the protective cover over a vulnerable pilot. While enjoyable for the most part, the combat really doesn’t evolve too much throughout the game, and many of the open world activities and encounters will also feel quite familiar to the standard “bread and butter” encounters of Ubisoft’s other open world shooters. Taking down an RDA base may have some extra twists to it, like tracking down a specific part that must be destroyed or hacked before it can be fully completed, but this extra bit of variety is only a small inclusion compared to how standard most of these encounters play out.
As mentioned before, players will find that they will be doing plenty of crafting throughout Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and part of that is to upgrade their equipment while the other is to acquire food and ingredients used to cook recipes that can provide long term buffs for the player. Making sure your equipment is up to snuff is incredibly important in the game as well, since rather than having levels or things similar to that, the game features a Combat Strength meter instead. This factors in the player’s weaponry, armor, and attachments and provides them with a number depending on how strong they are.
This wouldn’t be too much of an issue if the game didn’t allow these numbers to so heavily play into the combat, as taking on a foe even one level stronger than yourself is asking for trouble, let alone taking down an entire group of enemies. This means that sometimes players will feel like they are at the mercy of RNG to obtain stronger equipment simply to properly advance through the game, with some lucky drops making players incredibly powerful early or leaving them struggling to upgrade their gear simply to get by the next story mission. For example, an enemy barely a level higher than the player can dish out tons of extra damage while soaking up a lot more punishment only for a single attachment to be applied, bumping the player’s level up to match the enemy, and laying them out in a single shot. While this does make some sense to try and limit just how far players explore some of the more dangerous areas of Pandora, keeping them reigned in through Combat Strength, it can ruin the pacing of the game.
Audio & Visuals
Now multiple times we have mentioned that the best part of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is the world itself and a lot of that is thanks to how absolutely gorgeous the world of Pandora is in this game. The amount of lush foliage, vibrant colors, and unique designs that feel right at home with what fans are already familiar with makes exploring this world an absolute delight. Even when exploring human facilities there has been plenty of attention given to certain details, like how players will need to crouch or slide through locations that a human would fit through but a Na’vi cannot. The character designs are handled fairly well while the various wildlife that players will fight and hunt are also perfect matches for what one would expect to find on Pandora.
The voice work for the title is handled well enough, with there being plenty of Na’vi terms bantered about to make sure things feel authentic, though once again the antagonists have some of the weaker performances. The soundtrack features a great collection of background music that works exceptionally well during set-pieces and intense moments but also knows when to relax a bit and let players enjoy the ambiance of the jungle.
Overall
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora has captured the magic of exploring the gorgeous and lush jungle planet of Pandora perfectly. Running around the world, climbing obstacles, hunting for resources or collectables, all of these activities thrive thanks to the gorgeous world design and graphical attention to detail. The storyline is fairly predictable and the combat is solid, albeit a bit on the blander side with some annoying RNG dependent gear gates at times, but those who want to explore everything Pandora has to offer will find that Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora delivers on this promise perfectly while surrounding a serviceable open world FPS
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
The Newest ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON Content Challenges All Pilots to Climb to S-Rank in Player vs. Player Combat
ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON is adding Ranked Match and Nameplates in the new 1.05 patch available on 19th.
Players will now be able to customize Name Plates for Custom and Ranked Match play.
IRVINE, Calif. – Dec. 18, 2023 – From the rubble and wreckage of all the mercenaries on Rubicon 3, only one can stand at the top. ARMORED CORE™ VI FIRES OF RUBICON™ is adding Ranked Match with patch 1.05 available on all platforms beginning Dec. 19, when the climb to become the top pilot on Rubicon begins. The critically acclaimed title from Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. and FromSoftware, Inc. (ELDEN RING™, DARK SOULS™) is currently available for PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam®. Visit the official website for more details.
Watch the new ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON PVP trailer here below:
The major updates in the 1.05 patch are:
Ranked Match – NEST is getting an upgrade! Pilots will now be able to choose Ranked Match in order to compete with other foes and rivals as they clash, fight, and blast their way to the top of the leaderboards, one pile of scrap metal after the other. Fight all the way up to S-Rank in 1-on-1 and 3-on-3 matches.
Customizable Nameplates – In Custom and Ranked Matches, players will be able to customize a Name Plate, which will display their emblem and other information about their ranked skill. New Name Plates can be earned with Nest Points, which are received from participating in Ranked Matches, or depending on the results of the Ranked Matches.
In ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON, a mysterious new substance called Coral was discovered on the remote planet, Rubicon 3. As an energy source, this substance was expected to dramatically advance humanity’s technological and communications capabilities. Instead, it caused a catastrophe that engulfed the planet and the surrounding stars in flames and storms, forming a Burning Star System. Almost half a century later, Coral has resurfaced on Rubicon 3, a planet now contaminated and sealed off by the catastrophe. Extra-terrestrial corporations and resistance groups fight over control of the substance. ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON puts players in this desolate world, where they infiltrate the planet as an independent mercenary and find themselves in a struggle over the substance with rival corporations and rogue factions.
ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON will be included in PlayStation® Free Upgrades and Xbox Smart Delivery. The game will be presented with both English and Japanese VO, with text localizations in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Neutral Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Korean. Find out more on the official website.
For more information on ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON and other products from Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc., please visit www.bandainamcoent.com.
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About Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.
Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc., part of the Bandai Namco Group, is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for major video game consoles, PC, online, and mobile platforms. The company is known for creating many of the industry’s beloved classic franchises such as PAC-MAN®, GALAGA®, TEKKEN®, SOULCALIBUR®, and ACE COMBAT®, and publishing the critically acclaimed DARK SOULS™ series and the blockbuster title ELDEN RING™. Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. is also the premier publisher in the Western hemisphere for anime-based video games including GUNDAM™, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, DRAGON BALL™, and ONE PIECE®. Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. is headquartered in Irvine, California.
The successful show continues to expand its franchise.
Netflix Games is continuously growing, and the streaming service has confirmed a Squid Game-based video game. Netflix aims to launch an online game where players compete in Squid Game competitions.
More than 10 video game titles adapting original Netflix IPs are currently in development. The platform plans to offer over 80 games in Netflix Games by the end of the year.
The streaming giant has acquired many studios for its future game projects. Netflix’s game studios are located in California and Helsinki. Among the other studio acquisitions are Night School Studio and Spry Fox.
Return to the golden age of classic RPGs in this original grimdark fantasy adventure featuring turn-based party combat and choice-driven storytelling
STOCKHOLM – Dec. 18, 2023 – Independent developer High North Studios and publisher Raw Fury have revealed that SKALD: Against the Black Priory, the retro-style, party-based RPG that combines the nostalgic charm of classic role-playing games with richly illustrated grimdark fantasy and Lovecraftian horror, will launch in spring 2024 on PC and Mac via Steam and GOG.com.
Skald: Against the Black Priory is an old-school RPG combining modern design and a fully realized narrative with Commodore 64 era-inspired visuals and charm for a unique adventure that will appeal to genre fans old and new alike. Delve into an elaborate fantasy world full of tragic heroes, monstrous horrors and lovingly drawn pixel-art illustrations.
Experience an engaging, branching story with rich exploration and multiple-choice dialogue. Battle foes in gripping turn-based combat as you journey through handcrafted environments to unravel SKALD’s sinister secrets. Do you have what it takes to lead a company of broken heroes from the tainted shores of Idra to the gates of the Black Priory – and beyond?
Watch the latest trailer to get an updated look at the core pillars of SKALD: Against the Black Priory, including:
A dark and mesmerizing narrative set in an amoral fantasy world full of ill-fated heroes, violent deaths and freakish horror.
Classic RPG features, including dice roll-based gameplay, deep exploration opportunities, meaningful dialogue options, and a tactical, party-oriented, turn-based combat system featuring a diverse roster of characters.
A beautiful retro soundtrack and authentic pixel art visuals, enhanced by a new lighting system.
The free playable demo for SKALD: Against the Black Priory continues to be available on Steam and GOG.com. While the demo does not include all of the elements shown in the latest trailer, players can experience a taste of what is to come! For more on the game, visit www.SkaldRPG.com, and follow the latest development updates on Twitter and Discord.
About High North Studios
High North Studios is a one-man indie studio from Northern Norway, created and fueled by Anders Lauridsen.
About Raw Fury
Raw Fury is a boutique indie (un)publisher founded in 2015 by Jonas Antonsson, Gordon Van Dyke, and David Martinez. We do not care about genres or mechanics. We care about experiences and emotions. We want to help developers make magic.
RIPOUT’s First Content Update Arrives Today on Steam! – Tear through more mutant monstrosities in the co-op horror shooter’s all-new Payload Update
AALBORG, Denmark — Dec. 18, 2023 — 3D Realms and Pet Project Games are excited to announce the first Steam Early Access content drop for RIPOUT: the Payload Update. This update adds all-new payload missions and levels, the Machine Pistol, a new sidearm to mow down enemies, and additional garments to do it in style! But you aren’t the only one getting new toys. The monstrosities that lurk in the darkness also gain access to the Geist, a module that allows them to turn invisible. Luckily, your trusty Pet Gun can steal it to give you a tactical advantage as you complete missions.
The Payload Update is live today along with new bug fixes and game balance updates based on community feedback.
In RIPOUT, you’ll face off against mutant monstrosities transformed by Cell, a human-made biological weapon that has turned its sights on its creators, able to adapt their bodies in grotesque ways. Use your trusty biomechanical Pet Gun to gain a tactical advantage over your enemies by ripping weaponry off them while exploring procedurally generated derelict spaceships, collecting loot, and customizing your character to survive whatever dangers lurk around the corner.
Payload Update Features
Payload Missions: Blast into additional levels with the brand-new Payload Delivery mission type. Deliver a critical payload through the mutant onslaught to receive your loot!
New Sidearm: Tear through monstrous enemies quicker than ever with the new Machine Pistol sidearm!
Additional Garments: Unlock two new full suits.
New Module: The new Geist module will allow you to become invisible – but beware – your enemies gain invisibility, too.
Tutorial Improvements: Tutorial, lobby and navigation updates make RIPOUT easier to tear into than ever before!
Additional Updates: In addition to new content, the Payload Update brings with it more bug fixes and balance updates to the easy and hard difficulty modes.
Redefining AAA – Action, Attitude, Adrenaline, 3D Realms has rocked the world for almost 30 years by publishing unforgettable, iconic games like Duke Nukem, Terminal Velocity, Shadow Warrior, Death Rally, Max Payne, and more recently Ghostrunner, Ion Fury, Cultic, Tempest Rising, Phantom Fury, and RIPOUT. Lead by industry veterans, 3D Realms is a proud member of the Embracer Group as part of Saber Interactive, with a mission of publishing games for grownups. Unapologetic and uncompromising, we’re not afraid of being who we are and being damn good at it – for everyone’s benefit. For more information, visit 3drealms.com.
About Pet Project Games
Pet Project Games is an indie video game company founded in January 2020. It consists of seasoned developers that have many years of experience in the gaming industry, developing multiple projects together. While working on these projects, they realized they could take the gaming experience to the next level and offer a new game. As passionate gamers and fans of classic video games, they are developing RIPOUT, their most ambitious project to date.
Sabotage Studio’s Magnum Opus Clears Remarkable Milestone Following String of Award Wins & Nominations Ahead of Upcoming DLC
QUEBEC CITY (Dec. 18, 2023) – Sabotage Studio (The Messenger) today announced that Sea of Stars, the acclaimed turn-based RPG inspired by the heights of ‘90s role-playing classics, has seen more than 4 million players embark on its grand adventure since debuting this year on Aug. 28. Sea of Stars is available across PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One for $34.99; it’s also free to subscribers to Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass, as well as PlayStation Plus’ Extra and Premium membership tiers:
This astonishing reception by the community accompanies Sea of Stars’ recognition with the games industry’s most sought-after accolades, including Best Indie Game at The Game Awards, Best Indie Game at the Golden Joysticks and recognition by the British Academy Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) as one of the best games from 2023. The ambitious RPG continues to appear as a top pick within critics’ Best of 2023 selections following its August debut with more than 25 perfect review scores.
“Sea of Stars is the game of my dreams, and seeing its quest resonate so strongly with players and critics means the world to everyone at Sabotage,” said Thierry Boulanger, co-founder of Sabotage Studio and game director on Sea of Stars. “The team behind this game is the most talented and dedicated group I could have ever hoped to create Sea of Stars with, and I’m again reminded of their brilliance as we progress with creating Sea of Stars’ upcoming DLC, Throes of the Watchmaker. For fans to have recognized our adventure in such an incredibly prosperous year for RPGs alongside new arrivals from the genre’s biggest franchises … we simply just cannot thank you enough for supporting us, and we can’t wait to show you what’s next for Sea of Stars.”
Sea of Stars is the second game from Sabotage Studio and takes place in the same universe as The Messenger, the studio’s award-winning debut. Legendary composer Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger) joined composer Eric W. Brown on Sea of Stars to produce a rousing original soundtrack, which was released on streaming services this month:
iam8bit will also be releasing exclusive physical editions of Sea of Stars for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S in 2024.
Sea of Stars features:
Active Turn-Based Combat: Pressing the action button in sync with battle animations strengthens a hero’s attacks and reduces incoming damage during defense. Along with interactive timed attacks, combat features boosting and a strategic “locks” system, providing options for leveraging different damage types in order to hinder enemies while they are preparing powerful attacks or spells, all in an immersive take on the RPG genre; no random encounters, transitions to separate battlefields or grinding.
Unshackled Traversal: Swim, climb, vault, jump off or scale ledges while seamlessly traversing through the world with a navigation system based on platformer expertise that breaks free from classic, bound-to-the-ground tileset movement.
A Story-Rich Adventure: Meet dozens of original characters and progress memorable narrative arcs throughout a captivating journey. Sometimes epic, sometimes silly, and other times emotional, Sea of Stars explores classic themes of adventure and friendship with heart, while also being chock-full of the unexpected twists and events you’d expect from a Sabotage Studio production.
All Fun, No Tedium: Enjoy experimenting in combat without fear of hitting a wall requiring grinding or farming for unique items; in Sea of Stars, defeat calls for a change in battle plans, not hours of repetition to better the odds in a rematch.
A World You Can Touch: There are many ways to hang out in the world of Sea of Stars if you feel inclined to change the pace during your adventures. Sailing, cooking, fishing, stopping by a tavern to listen to a song, or playing the beloved tabletop game known as “Wheels” … every system has been designed to deliver a journey that pays tribute to retro classics, while rethinking conventional elements to offer a smooth and refreshingly modernized experience.
Radiant Lighting: Dynamic lighting effects pair with a world-influencing day/night cycle to make every area feel truly alive, pushing the traditional visual limits of classically stylized 2D pixel art games – the only way to properly tell the story of heroes conjuring the powers of the Sun and the Moon.
TOKYO – Dec. 18th, 2024 –Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya, the cozy restaurant simulator set in the Touhou Project universe from developer Dichroic Purpilion and publisher Phoenixx, crafts the perfect dining experience on Nintendo Switch starting Thursday, May 2nd, 2024.
An unruly customer destroyed Mystia Lorelei’s tavern – the most popular in all of Gensokyo. While restaurateur dreams were shattered, bills must still be paid! Rebuild, starting with a humble new food cart, pay off Mystia’s ever-growing debts, and grow the business to revive the restaurant to its former glory.
Running the best tavern in the Touhou universe requires round-the-clock work! During the day, collect recipes and source hand-picked ingredients from the wild to cultivate fresh produce. Befriend the local townsfolk and hire employees to help with daily duties. Watch the clock while running daytime errands – restaurant doors open every night and hungry customers await!
Open for business in the evenings and deliver a flawless experience. Each visitor has distinct preferences, favorite dishes and beverages, as well as individual budgets. Converse with guests, showing hospitality with promptly-fulfilled orders and friendly interactions. Chain together successively-satisfied customer service combos to create massive profits, but invite ire from Mystia’s mentors when careless management leads to unhappy guests.
While hired workers can handle everyday tasks, keep an eye out for rare visits from Reimu, Akyuu, and more than 30 hungry Touhou characters who require a personal touch. Learn the culinary preferences of each special visitor who will only hint what they would like to be served, and be prepared to cook up off-menu items to unlock special rewards.
Scout new locations for Mystia’s food cart across six familiar Touhou locations including the tranquil Hakurei Shrine and the bustling Human Village. Re-invest profits to improve the business, collect cute costumes, enhance the ambiance with decorations, and unlock two soundtracks’ worth of music for customer’s enjoyment during every evening (Soundtrack 1 and Soundtrack 2 are both available for purchase on Steam).
“Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya breaks the mold of the usual Touhou game. Instead of combat, players must utilize cooking and customer service to achieve victory”, said Youzi KK, founder of Dichroic Purpilion. “We are very grateful for the success that Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya has experienced on Steam, and we look forward to bringing the mobile restaurant experience to a new platform.”
Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya launches on Nintendo Switch on Thursday, May 2nd, 2024 for $24.99 with language support in English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean. For more information, please visit the Phoenixx official website, Phoenixx Facebook page, and follow @Phoenixx_inc on Twitter.
About Dichroic Purpilion
Dichroic Purpilion is an indie game developer based in Japan specializing in creating Touhou Project based games for which he received the official recognition of being “Touhou Project Approved”.
About Phoenixx
Established in 2019 by industry veterans, Phoenixx aims to support innovative and creative developers from Japan and around the world. Its mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one creator, one game, and one community at a time.
LOS ANGELES – December 18, 2023 – Mabinogi,Nexon’s free-to-play fantasy MMORPG, is thrilled to launch the second part of its two-part winter update, Arcana: Dark Arts. Milletians can gain new Arcana talents and powerful skills, plus enjoy improvements to enhancement and enchantment.
The latest update includes the addition of two new Arcana talents, Alchemic Sharpshooter and Dark Diviner! Arcana is a powerful force you can unlock when you push your talents to the limit. To learn more about acquiring Arcana, reach cumulative level 20,000 and find Laoire of the Arcana Talent Association.
Alchemic Sharpshooter, an Arcana talent combining the Alchemy and Archery talents into a piercing elemental power. Some of the exclusive skills are:
Ventus Howl: The flow of battle will be in your favor! Harness the power of the wind with one shot.
Terra Scourge: When synergy is needed most, this skill performs necessary attacks simultaneously.
Ignus Plume: Bolts of hot fire fly out and explode, burning everything on the battlefield.
Dark Diviner an Arcana talent combining the Magic and Chain Slash talents into a fusion of power. Some of the exclusive skills are:
Thunderblight: Ideal skill for when you need to attack, move, and use various skills–all at the same time.
Hexshroud: Block damage from magical opponents by sealing tricky enemies.
Polar Vortex: In a moment of crisis, let this skill be the solution.
The Arcana: Dark Arts update improves the Arcana Enhancement experience, with an expanded Arcana Total Level Effect that unlocks an even higher upper stat limit for the character according to the overall level of Arcana (up to level 150). At level 150, the max critical cap increases by 2%. With New Arcana Growth, players forge the Scorching Crests needed to unlock the links of the new Arcana at the Enkindling Lectern in the Arcana Association Room.
The update also features enchanting improvements where when attempting an enchantment, players can choose a failure penalty in the UI window. In addition, convenience and accessibility are improved to try enchanting any time.
From now through January 11, players can participate in the Erinn-Go-Round event and travel with Rowan. The event starts by talking to Joy The Erinn-Go-Round tour guide, then registering your main character. Complete the event to earn valuable rewards!
Return to Mabinogi and experience the unmissable update first-hand!
About Mabinogi
Released in 2008, Mabinogi is an immersive free-to-play MMORPG world where mystical adventures await. Create anime-inspired heroes with thousands of customization options, such as hairstyles, facial features, and outfits. Select from dozens of talents ranging from professional gunslingers and archers to musicians, tailors and cooks. Players can enjoy the game on their own terms, taking the perilous path of an adventurer or building a thriving business using unique trade skills.
About Nexon America Inc. Founded in 2005, Nexon America Inc. delivers outstanding free-to-play online game expertise and live game support, taking the strengths of NEXON Co., Ltd. (“Nexon”) and applying them to uniquely Western audiences. Nexon America has consistently sustained iconic franchises such as MapleStory and Mabinogi for more than a decade, which have gone on to break records and captivate players. With new projects on the horizon, Nexon America maintains the pioneering and innovative spirit of its parent company, employing its player-first approach, while designing the best possible gameplay experiences for the Western market.
Indie publisher collaborating with Maniac Panda Games on a boxed version of award-winning 2.5D adventure.
Barcelona, Spain – December 18th 2023. Following an exclusive presentation at the Bilbao International Conference 2023, global indie publisher and distributor Selecta Play is thrilled to announce a new publishing deal with developer Maniac Panda Games to release a boxed edition of One Last Breath for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5.
Winner of the Indie Arena Booth Best Game Award at Gamescom 2022, One Last Breath is a stunning 2.5D adventure game developed by Maniac Panda Games where you take on the role of Gaia, a powerful being born from Mother Nature’s last breath and tasked with using her powers to save our dying planet.
Selecta Play will be releasing further information on the content for the physical edition of One Last Breath in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for the latest information.
“We are thrilled to be the publishing partner for this physical boxed edition of One Last Breath, a game which we believe will be an instant indie hit when it launches next year.” commented Javi Puertas, Head of Gaming at Selecta Play. “Our publishing team is working hard to produce a beautiful and highly collectable boxed edition worthy of the innovative and award-winning gameplay experience Maniac Panda Games is creating.”
As expressed by Daniel Valdés, CEO of Nexxyo Labs, “We’re excited to bring Gaia to life and present to the players One Last Breath as a new immersive experience with a unique social message behind it. One Last Breath marks our grand entrance into 2024, standing as our first launch of the year, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to do so alongside Selecta Play.“
The physical boxed edition of One Last Breath will be launching in 2024 for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5. Stay up to date with all the latest Selecta Play news on the official community channels:
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About Maniac Panda Games
Maniac Panda Games is an independent video game studio by Nexxyo Labs, a vibrant technology company headquartered in Navarra, Spain, that unites a global team of talented and young professionals.
Born in 2019 from the dream of a group of friends passionate about gaming and possessing a wealth of experience in development, Maniac Panda Games has evolved into a mission to revolutionize the way people engage with gaming, actively crafting new ways to immerse players in the exhilarating world of gaming with thrilling games in the oven. Rooted in our dual commitment to delivering entertainment and fostering a global gaming community, we continually push innovation ensuring enduring value for each player.
About Selecta Play
Selecta Play is SelectaVisión’s video games publishing branch. The company works with talented studios on unique video games and helps them publish their titles in both physical and digital formats worldwide.
About SelectaVisión
SelectaVisión is a media entertainment distributor company founded in 1984. Based in Spain, SelectaVisión’s catalogue includes anime and live-action feature films, TV shows, and movies. Publishing both anime classics and the latest Japanese productions since 1997, SelectaVisión has built a long relationship with fan-favourite Japanese producers and distributors, becoming the major publisher of anime content for Spanish audiences.
