The wait for Pantsu Paradise is almost over. Gal*Gun 2, the sequel to gaming’s most feel-good first-person shooter, arrives on both PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on April 24th in North America.
Gal*Gun 2 ups the action of Gal*Gun: Double Peace by hurling players into situations even more outrageous than before. When a crazy demon menace is unleashed on the Academy, you must bravely step forward to put an end to the mischief.
Gal*Gun 2 features new girls, new gadgets, new modes and an improved Doki Doki Mode.
Gal*Gun 2 on the Nintendo Switch will also feature optional motion controls in Handheld Mode. Throw yourself into the middle of the action, and beware approaches from all angles.
Aksys Games announced that Little Dragons Café, the latest game by renowned game designer Yasuhiro Wada, will be coming to the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in late summer 2018.
Wada is most well-known for creating the popular Bokujō Monogatari series (published under the names Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons outside of Japan) as well as Birthdays the Beginning.
“Wada and I have been friends for a decade, and we’ve discussed teaming up on a new IP for about half that time,” says Akibo Shieh, founder and CEO of Aksys Games, “It wasn’t until Little Dragons Café that our schedules finally lined up so we were able to work together on a project, and the game has been in development for two years now.”
The story opens with a twin brother and sister learning to cook and manage a small café under their mother’s tutelage. All was peaceful and routine until one morning when the twins discover that their mother has fallen into a deep sleep and won’t wake up. Suddenly, a strange old man appears to inform them that they must raise a dragon in order to save her. Working together with three quirky café employees, the two siblings must figure out how to a wrangle a dragon and manage the family business while finding a way to save their mother.
SNK and NIS America have announced that SNK HEROINES Tag Team Frenzy will be released in North America and Europe on September 7th. The game will be available on Nintendo Switch in physical and in the Nintendo eShop and will also be available for PS4 digital only.
In addition to the dating of the game, NIS America has also revealed another character from the SNK HEROINES Tag Team Frenzy roster – Shermie.
In the game you can play online or with friends as SNK’s iconic heroines in the brand-new 2 vs 2 fighting game. Activate Special Moves with a single button, and make use of special items to change the tide of battle. There is also the option to spectate on other battles online, use your winnings to buy voice clips and accessories in an all-new costume system, and customize your favorite heroine.
NIS America has announced that Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA will be released for the Nintendo Switch on June 26th. The release will follow the release of the game for Steam, which is set for next week, April 16th.
This year marks the 31st anniversay of the Ys franchise and will be the first Ys game on the Nintenso Switch. In addition, the Nintendo Switch version of the game will include content fromboth the PS4 and PS Vita versions of the game.
Ys returns with a brand-new adventure for the first time in 2009. Adol awakens shipwrecked and stranded on a cursed island. There, he and the other shipwrecked passengers he rescues form a village to challenge fearsome beasts and mysterious ruins on the isolated island. Amidst this, Adol begins to dream of a mysterious blue-haired maiden living in an unknown world. Join Adol as he unravels the riddle of the cursed isle and the blue-haired maiden Dana in Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA.
Soon you’ll be able to join the colorful cast of Touhou characters on an incredible journey through the Tower of Desire. Touhou Genso Wanderer Reloaded is the definitive edition of a roguelike masterpiece, filled with new dungeons to explore, new items to collect, and new faces to meet.
Newcomers and veterans of the Touhou series will love journeying through the land of Gensokyo with Reimu Hakurei, the shrine maiden of the Hakurei Shrine, as well as new faces such as the spunky magician Marisa Kirisame, and wind priestess Sanae Kochiya! And now, with a ton of new content, new and veteran players can experience the world of Touhou wherever they go.
The game will be a definitive experience as gamers can relive the complete journey through the Tower of Desire and embark on all-new adventures. Become an unstoppable duo as you and your partner fight against evil and cast powerful bullet-hell spells. Craft items, upgrade weapons, take a break with other Touhou girls at the cafe… Enjoy the story and solve its mysteries at your own pace.
In addition to the game, a limited edition will be released for both the Switch and PS4 and will include a copy of the game, an acrylic parade stand, a Daring Damsels button set, hardcover art book, the official soundtrack for the game, all inside a collector’s box. The collector’s edition will retail for $99.99 CAD.
The game, from NIS America, will be released on July 17th.
With less than two months until the retail release of Dark Souls: Remastered a whole pile of off-screen footage has found its way onto YouTube and other channels. Footage has ranged from direct-feed captures of the PlayStation 4 Pro version in 4K to extended looks at Dark Souls: Remastered running in handheld mode fimed off of the Nintendo Switch’s 7 inch 720p screen.
5 Minutes off-screen Docked on Nintendo Switch (From GameXplain)
20 Minutes of off-screen on Nintendo Switch In Handheld Mode (Also From GameXplain)
20+ Minutes of PlayStation Pro Footage in 4K (From PlayStation Underground)
Dark Souls: Remastered will be out on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 (or PRO), Xbox One and Windows PC on May 25th. Are you prepared to die (again)? Let us know in the comments section.
Urban Trial Playground – This installment of the stunt bike racing series takes the action to the sunny and colorful beaches of California, mixing in crazier tricks, flips and combos than ever before. Backflip from rooftops and over palm trees to become the ultimate stunt racer.
The Adventure Pals – The Adventure Pals sets you and your best friends (a giraffe and a rock) out to save the world and your dad from turning into hotdogs. Explore the mystical forests of Treevale, hike the haunted craters of the moon and dive into the depths to find the lost city of Crablantis.
There is a saying that goes “jack of all trades, master of none”. This was what came to mind while I was playing Square Enix’s newly licensed game Fear Effect Sedna. While this in no way means Fear Effect Sedna is a terrible game, it does suffer from trying to accomplish t0 many things at once while not particularly achieving greatness in anything.
Fear Effect Sedna was brought to life via Kickstarter campaign from developer Sushee and is the third installment in the Fear Effect franchise. The original Fear Effect was a PlayStation 1 era game and this new addition to the franchise seems like it picks off right where the last two entries left off – straight out of the late 90s to early 2000s.
You got your sexy mercenaries, cyber punk / neo noir aesthetic and of course a dose of hacking and terrorism to boot. I have not experienced the past two games in this series, but I did pick up on things fairly quickly as far as the characters go. I enjoy Hana and her posse as they lurk in the shadows, take on missions and even share a sexy moment or two between each other. I enjoy the nostalgic feel of the game even with its silly early 00’s “post The Matrix” feel.
The plot of this game is similar to many heist movies. Our protagonists get in over their head when what was supposed to be a simple art theft turns into something much bigger than they imagined. The difference is, this game involves inuit magic along with this heist. From what I understand, this is not the first time this group has gotten into some mystical shenanigans. (Editor’s note: Video games have a long and troubling history appropriating aboriginal culture. For more on the subject, Dia Lacina’s Medium Post “What We Talk About, When We Talk About Natives” , is good reading material on this subject.)
The plot may be passable and interesting, but the script I feel is where this game falls flat, with dialogue that can be stilted and cliche, enough so at times it even made me cringe. The game could have done with another pass by an editor to take care of some of the lines. Overall, passable in story, characters and dialogue, but nothing impressive.
The gameplay is an isometric top down shooter with some puzzles added in as well. There is a distinct lack of challenge in these missions and puzzles. It is fairly simply to mow down enemies with your weapon as long as you start with some stealth to get your target in the optimal position. It’s not to say I didn’t enjoy feeling powerful against my enemies or finding my way through levels, it just seemed somewhat repetitive after a bit and less thrilling which I feel was the actual intent of the creators. I did enjoy the combat system though and the whole fear effect which involves an on-screen fear meter rising and the effect being more damage output, but your characters are weaker against enemy attacks.
I also felt a lack of challenge from the puzzles as well. A couple had me stumped for a bit, but for the most part I found them pretty easy and sometimes even just stumbled upon the answer by accident. I will admit, I enjoyed the variety of types of puzzles at least. From disarming a bomb, to hacking computers, the puzzles offered a breath of fresh air in the game..
Overall, this game is about quantity over quality. There is a lot this game is trying to add and include in this game, but little that impresses. There is a variety in the type of game it is whether it is a strategy game, a shooter game or a puzzle game, but none stand out. The game has passable art style, passable plot and passable dialogue. The characters are fun, but a tad cliche. Overall, this is an average game that only fans of the series would want to check out for the $17.99 price.
Spike Chunsoft has revealed their full 2018 slate of games coming out for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC. New entries in the Fire Pro Wrestling franchise, Pixeljunk Monsters series and the acclaimed visual novel 428: Shibuya scramble are all coming soon.
First up is a new entry in the Pixel Junk Monsters series:
Pixeljunk Monsters 2 Platform PlayStation 4 Release Summer 2018
Features:
Local & Online Play – Maximize the fun by playing with your friends on the couch or online!
Close Encounters – Multiply the suspense by toggling your POV from top-down to an in-your-face view!
3D Stop Motion Graphics – Immerse yourself in Gati Gati Island like never before as the animation takes full advantage of the power of the PS4™!
428: Shibuya Scramble Platform PS4 | Windows PC Release 2008 (originally), Summer 2018 (N.A / Europe localization)
Originally released in 2008 this murder mystery is finally being localized for North America & Europe. Tasking players with investigating the lives of 5 unique protagonists during a 10 hour time-frame this intriguing title boasts over 5 different endings a weird mix of live-action video, text and still image narration.
Features
A Mosaic of Mediums – Unlike traditional visual novels, the narrative is presented with a palette of different mediums, combining text, live action stills, and video sequences.
Non-linear Storytelling – Five Protagonists. 10 Hours. Decisions made in one character’s story can affect the story of another character in unforeseen ways, culminating in a total of up to 50 different endings!
Famitsu Fresh – One of the very few titles to ever receive a perfect score (40/40) from Japanese video game magazine Famitsu Weekly!
Fire Pro Wrestling World Platform PlayStation 4 Release Summer 2018
Last on our tour of Spike Chunsoft’s 2018 line-up is another entry in the decades old Fire Pro Wrestling series of games. Fire Pro Wrestling World is set to feature a story mode that will allow players to customize every facet of their matches. Different sets of rules will also be available ranging from deathmatch, to steel cage matches to even a set based upon the popular MMA style of fighting.
Features:
Play Online – Organize exhibition matches, tournaments, leagues, championship bouts and battle royals with players from around the world.
Mix Up the Rules – Modes include Deathmatch (steel cage, barbed wire or landmines), MMA rules and no-holds barred Gruesome Fighting.
Unlimited Customization – Create your dream wrestler from over a thousand devastating moves and even more body parts to battle for custom championship belts. Personalize the ring, mat logos and even the referee!
Realistic Simulation – Give your creations personalities with a robust CPU logic system that defines their every action. Does your wrestler play to the crowd, or play dirty? You provide actors for the ringside drama.
Penny-Punching Princess – The Penny-Punching Princess game is an isometric brawler that takes place in a world ruled by capitalism, where cash is king. Fight or bribe your way to reclaiming your kingdom from the greedy Dragoloans. Penny-Punching Princess will be available on April 3.
Toki Tori – Toki Tori isn’t very athletic. He can’t even jump! Take control of Toki Tori, a surprisingly heroic chicken, as he puzzles his way through 80+ levels. Use creative thinking and problem solving to collect all the eggs. The Toki Tori game will be available on March 30. Read More
While we don’t know when we’re going to learn more details about the upcoming Switch iteration of Super Smash Bros., we know for sure that we’ll see the game in action at E3.
On June 11-12 in Los Angeles, an invited group of players will gather to play Super Smash Bros. as Nintendo hosts an event featuring gameplay for the upcoming Nintendo Switch title. This will be the first-ever exhibition tournament featuring the recently announced Super Smash Bros. game coming to Nintendo Switch in 2018.
Qualified teams will also compete in the first world championship for Splatoon 2 since the game’s launch.
Both competitions will be livestreamed.
The event will be just one of Nintendo’s activities at the E3 video game trade show, which runs June 12th – 14th. Additional details about Nintendo’s E3 plans aren’t yet known.
Prior to the Splatoon 2 World Championship, Nintendo will host U.S./Canada online qualifiers. The U.S./Canada qualifier will be the Splatoon 2 U.S./Canada Inkling Open 2018 hosted by Battlefy. Open qualifiers for teams of four ages 13 and up will take place on April 21 starting at 2pm ET, and finals will take place on April 28 at 11am ET. Teams will compete in Turf War during the open qualifiers and in Ranked Battle modes during the finals.
“Nintendo always takes an original approach to video game competitions, and the portability of Nintendo Switch enables unique gameplay possibilities,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We’re looking forward to watching some of the best players in the world test their skills against each other in these two uniquely competitive games.”
If you haven’t tried Nintendo’s innovative figher ARMS yet you’ll get another chance.
Nintendo is planning another ARMS Global Testpunch this weekend. Switch owners can download the free software from Nintendo Switch eShop and get ready to join the fight.
The Global testpunch begins on Saturday, March 31st at 12:00am ET and runs until Monday, April 2nd at 11:59pm ET.
Bonus Level Entertainment’s retro 16-bit inspired platformer Fox n’ Forest will be hitting Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC this bring. To help drum up some hype for the release of this beautiful pixel creation publisher Eurovideo sent out a press release today highlighting a brand new in-game video – featuring level 1:2 titled “Gorgeous George”.
In Fox n’ Forest players take on the role of anthropomorphic fox who will utilize a magic crossbow and the ability to change the seasons at will to navigate the stunning worlds of this title. When the seasons change the world around Rick also changes – for example when changing the season to Fall, leaves might become platforms that open up alternate routes to harder enemies, epic loot and brand new puzzles.
Speaking about their approach to level design the game’s director Rupert Ochsner had this to say:
“Level design is one of the most important tasks in game development, All elements need to come together in an entertaining way and it can make or break the game.”
Based in Munich, Germany Bonus Level Entertainment successfully KickStarted 100,000+ Euros to bring their vision for Fox n’ Forest to life during the summer of 2016. Their mission is to reinvent the 16-bit style of gameplay by preserving what made the SNES era so magical while introducing new gameplay mechanics and systems from a more modern perspective.
Everyone has a mountain to climb, sometimes symbolically, sometimes literally. Everyone has their own journey they need to go on and their own life goals. It is in this way, I believe everyone can relate at least a little to the game Celeste.
Celeste was brought to you by the Canadian team, “Matt Makes Games”, who also brought us Towerfall back in 2013 for PS Vita, PS4, Xbox One, PC and other platforms. Celeste is a 2-D platformer that makes full use of Microsoft’s now defunct XNA framework. The platforming is challenging, but fluid and when you perform a move, it seems to work with little to no problems. Celeste is a tight game with great controls and little in the way of annoying bugs or omissions.
In Celeste, you start out slow, doing basic moves and jumps. You eventually learn more maneuvers across a number of levels – mastering moves like double jumps and mid air dashes that will assist you with problem solving; be clever however, because you can only hold onto walls for a limited amount of time and can only mid air dash once before needing a cool down or regeneration item.
Throughout this game, there are also puzzles to solve as well. Some involve pattern recognition, some involve timing and others involve careful maneuvering. The puzzles are challenging, especially those that involve gathering collectibles or special items. Puzzles also get more challenging as you climb the mountain, but that is nothing out of the ordinary.
Celeste’s graphics are simple, but the pixel art is a work of beauty. There are scenes when the use of shading and clever lighting look like mosaic paintings. My only wish would be that the character designs were a little more detailed in terms of overall design. They are perfectly serviceable, I just wish the sprites had a little more expression. This one area that could have been just a little better doesn’t take away from this game in the slightest. This game may have a simplistic visual design, but don’t underestimate the art that Amora Bettany and Pedro Medeiros created for Celeste.
Celeste has a beautiful story to tell on top of having beautiful pixel art and wonderfully executed gameplay. You play as Madeline and her desire to climb to the top of the titular mountain, Celeste. This mountain is unlike any other, in that is can turn one’s “inner turmoil” and “true self” into reality. She meets many other characters along the way and goes through many trials and tribulations leading to her main hurdle, her mental health. She starts to come face to face with her depression and anxiety and her many inner demons. I am not ashamed to say this was extremely relateable and had me teary eyed at many moments.
Celeste is a beautiful allegory for those fighting their own inner demons and climbing their own mountain. Madeline is the type of hero we don’t see nearly often enough in the video game medium. The only other recent example of something similar was Senua from Hellblade. Madeline may be troubled, but she’s a fighter. She is brave and even when faced with the scariest in her life, she keeps climbing that mountain. This game is the perfect opportunity to set an example for those dealing with similar issues feel that they are not alone and that they too can overcome. Seeing as this game is also rated E for everyone, this game can also reach younger players who are still figuring themselves out at a vulnerable time in their lives.
Celeste is not only a well designed and executed game, but the type of important game that brings the industry to a higher level. It is always my pleasure to come across a game like this and contribute to the attention it deserves. I am happy to see others review it, feature it and show it to a wide audience. Play it for yourself and support Matt Makes Games so they continue their work and surprise us with their future creations.
Studio Wildcard’s hugely successful futuristic / prehistoric mash-up survival game Ark: Survival Evolved will be coming to the Nintendo Switch in both physical and digital formats this Fall. The impending release of ARK in a few months time will mark the release of one of the first games on Nintendo’s hybrid platform to run on Unreal Engine 4.
Announced during the “State of Unreal Engine” panel at the Games Developer Conference 2018, the Switch port of ARK will be handled by developer Abstraction Games. Switch players will be able to enjoy all of the content from the original version of ARK: Survival Evolved including over 100 prehistoric and fantasy creatures, deep crafting mechanics and of course the unique dinosaur taming mechanic.
Also shown off at GDC was the mobile version of ARK, which I got the chance to see running in person. It pretty much faithfully recreates the PC experience on a smaller scale from the look of things. The mobile version of ARK: Survival Evolved will be coming to iOS and Android later this year and is available for pre-registration now – which you can do here.
If you want to see (briefly) what ARK looks like on Switch, check out a brief minute clip that was shown to crowd at GDC:
Studio Wildcard’s Lead Programmer, Co-Creator of ARK and Lead Designer had this to say about the forthcoming Switch port:
“With this new version, Switch players can go directly from hunting and taming while sitting on the couch, to forming online tribes and searching out new conquests when on the bus, waiting in line, or wherever they happen to be.”
