Darkest Hunters is out today on Steam. A combination of logic and tactics, puzzles land RPG, it’s quite possibly a thinking man’s game.
Darkest Hunters’ Gameplay
Based on arriving at a certain point or defeating opponents, the player moves, collecting the various coloured crystals that increase the wealth of the gold pouch – or, they obtain points for health, attack and magic.
Take note though: collecting crystals in a long sequence is very important for success – grabbing several of them during one turn is what you want to aim for. This allows you to quickly replenish your health, attack and magic points and create special crystals, which activate a “chain reaction”.
The effect of that reaction is a “one-time” gathering of a large number of consecutive crystals, meaning significant damage to your opponents.
Getting the hang of it?
In single-player mode, Darkest Hunters offers a total of 5 different lands, each with their own missions, including clashes with nasty bosses. The player has several different characters to choose from too.
You can check out some gameplay below to see if it’s for you:
JRPG Blue Reflection launches today for the PS4 and on PC via Steam. Got time for another JRPG?
Blue Reflection – Reflector Madness
In the game, you assume the role of student Hinako Shirai – when her ballet career comes to an end after a tragic accident.
Hinako “closes her heart off” from the rest of the world, but her life changes when she is bestowed the power of a “Reflector” and now must face challenges greater than most teenagers will face in their lifetime… No pressure.
Blue Reflection combines the battles you all know and love with simulation elements including making new friends, surfing the school’s online social networks, joining after-school clubs, and spending “much-needed” alone time.
Hopefully it looked at the masterful Persona 5 for some inspiration here.
A new trailer for episode two of Batman: The Enemy Within has been released. In case you’re unaware, The Enemy Within is a new five-part episodic game series that continues Telltale’s take on the Caped Crusader.
Here’s the exciting synopsis for part two:
Batman races to meet a new foe but encounters a “force” that may cause even the Dark Knight to fall. In the guise of the billionaire, Bruce meets John Doe’s ‘friends’ and becomes enmeshed in a plot where the only way out is to go deeper in. But at what cost?
Batman: The Enemy Within – The Pact
The second episode, titled “The Pact”, launches October 3rd on Xbox One, PS4, PC, and even Mac. In addition, the first two episodes will become available on iOS and Android devices that same day.
A special “Season Pass Disc” for Xbox One and PS4 will also be available on October 3rd in North America and October 6th in Europe.
OVERTURN, all caps, is a first-person shooter that’s been developed for VR and launches on the 17th October for PC – that’s via digital download on both the Steam and Oculus Store for $29.99.
OVERTURN is about the escape of two subjects from a “deadly” laboratory that engaged in live genetic experimentation… resulting in pretty frightening psychic power.
You can expect puzzle elements with action gameplay across multiple levels as you discover the truth about their capture. We’re not sure how this one will end.
You can watch the teaser trailer below to get you ready for next month:
Materia Collective has released their next album called “The Dark Hunter”. It’s a progressive rock tribute dedicated to Nintendo’s Metroid franchise.
The Dark Hunter
The album features tracks from the superb Super Metroid and Metroid Prime, including renditions of the dark lair of Kraid, the jungles of Brinstar, the battle theme with Ridley, and of course the main theme from Prime. Oh yes!
Arranger and guitarist Ro Panuganti had this to say:
“The gripping atmosphere, exciting turns and twists, and of course the soundtrack from Super Metroid gave me chills. Creating The Dark Hunter was fulfilling my long-running dream of focusing on one theme, one sound, and one game series and making a solid album”
Panuganti says you’ll hear influences of modern progressive artists like Periphery, TesseracT, Plini, as well as more ’90s musicians like Pantera and Alice in Chains, who have found their way into the album.
You can check out a music video featuring the “Ridley” performance below:
Meet indie title Exorder, a tactical turn-based game that resembles Advance Wars, Ancient Empires II and the X-COM series.
Exorder is set in a fantasy world with a roster of quirky and fun characters and the story focuses on the “Three Moons”, a powerful event that happens once every fifty years.
The game features two modes: campaign mode that introduces the world of Exorder to the player, and skirmish mode which allows two players to duel on a selection of pre-made maps. It’s developed by Solid9, a Warsaw-based game studio.
Further details on Exorder are expected at a later date, but for now, that’s all we have to go on. However, we do know the game will be out on February 7th, 2018 on PC. Stay tuned for more.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, the sequel to the critically acclaimed RPG Pillars of Eternity, will launch on PC next year.
In Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, you’ll embark on a dangerous voyage of discovery as you hunt down a god to save your soul.
Every aspect of Deadfire has been improved and expanded since the original game, according to the developers. That includes more detailed graphics, deeper game mechanics, increased player choice, a new companion relationship system, streamlined combat, and an entirely new, hand-crafted adventure.
You’ll find yourself on the titular “Deadfire” Archipelago region by ship, where you’ll discover new races, visit exotic islands, and, most importantly, get to choose your allies.
Want to get better at charming women? Super Seducer has you covered. The ‘game’ is coming to PS4 and PC next year on Valentine’s Day and promises to increase your chances of success.
Super Seducer is a live action experience with around 8 hours of video footage. It features 520 unique choices, and multiple endings to all of the game’s “ten levels” – it’s here that gamers can test out their skills.
London-based developer Richard La Ruina, who is the owner of dating advice company PUA Training, had this to say:
“When a guy successfully completes the game, his real-life seduction skills will put him in the top 1% of men. I have put the knowledge from eleven years of working as a dating coach to make sure the game is highly educational as well as fun”.
The game features ten real-world scenarios, including being a “wingman” for your friends and turning that friend into a girlfriend. La Ruina continues:
“You have full freedom, you can be obnoxious, or charming, funny, or serious. Karma is instant in the game, so expect everything from slaps to kisses depending on which route you take”.
It’s clear that while the game is a bit of fun, it’s still earnest in its intentions, with La Ruina, someone who regularly struggled to talk to women in the past, adding:
“I hope that the game is well received, but also that I receive many messages from men who go from single and lonely to living the love life they want and finding their soul mate…all because of what they learn from completing the game”.
Richard La Ruina is the author of “The Natural: How to Effortlessly Approach The Women You Want”.
The game will be released for other, unspecified platforms at a later date. You can find the Kickstarter campaign here.
Brace yourself. We now have the first official Tomb Raider film poster, featuring Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft. Yes, there’s going to be another film… What do you mean you’re worried?
Video Game Adaptations, Ahem
The first trailer for the new film, based on the world-famous game series, of course, is out tomorrow. But for now, we’ve been treated to this poster:
As aforementioned, the film stars Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina, The Danish Girl) in the lead role, under the direction of Roar Uthaug (The Wave), with Graham King (The Departed) producing.
It will also feature Dominic West (Money Monster, 300), Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained) and Daniel Wu (AMC’s Into the Badlands).
The full synopsis can be found below:
Lara Croft is the fiercely independent daughter of an eccentric adventurer who vanished when she was scarcely a teen. Now a young woman of 21 without any real focus or purpose, Lara navigates the chaotic streets of trendy East London as a bike courier, barely making the rent, and takes college courses, rarely making it to class. Determined to forge her own path, she refuses to take the reins of her father’s global empire just as staunchly as she rejects the idea that he’s truly gone. Advised to face the facts and move forward after seven years without him, even Lara can’t understand what drives her to finally solve the puzzle of his mysterious death.
It’s out next year on March 16th. Will it actually be any good? Probably not. That’s just the way almost all film video game adaptations are… Assassin’s Creed anyone? Sorry, no, let’s not forget Resident Evil either. Talking of Tomb Raider games…
The time has come to “prepare your bodies” once again… Yep. Gal*Gun 2 is coming to Europe and North America early next year for PS4 and Switch.
The sequel to rail shooter Gal*Gun: Double Peace, the game features new characters and mechanics, including the ability to suck up demons with the trusty “Demon Sweeper”.
This is where you separate demons from the girls they’re possessing with a well-placed “pheromone shot”.
Gal*Gun 2: “Cutie Pies” Galore
Don’t fear, we’ve been informed there’s a brand-new story with new “cutie pies” to meet. The story of Gal*Gun 2 starts off with the demon-hunting angel Risu, who finds herself in a tough spot apparently.
Making things complicated for her are two new heroines: the “girl next door” Chiru, and your childhood friend Nanako.
You can see the first game in all its… glory… below:
City of Brass, a palace crawler game, according to the lovely developers, is now available on Steam Early Access for PC. It’s looking pretty deadly to us. Sounds like your thing? Then do read on.
City of Brass: Procedurally-Generated and Trap-Infested
Armed with a blade and a whip that can grab, trip, disarm, stun or shatter, (of course it can), you’ll have to make your way through a procedurally-generated city that features “trap-infested” levels. Oh the joy. You’ll have to do all of that before time runs out… And believe me, it will. So if you think Dark Souls punishment…
Become a daring thief in City of Brass, a punishing first-person rogue-lite filled with treasure, traps and ghoulish foes.
Here’s a Steam Early Access launch trailer for you to see what we mean:
City of Brass From Uppercut Games
Indie developer Uppercut Games, who worked on the BioShock series, have promised additional content is on the way in the next 4-6 months, including more enemy types, bosses, districts, secret areas, gear, relics, genies and, oh, traps. You needed some more of them in the game, clearly.
Here’s a few reviews from Steam so far:
More progression would be great, obviously more weapons and abilities, maybe more uses for the whip, and this could be GOTY material.
Charming:
I’ve played a lot of “roguelike” games, and found few to be as stylish, charming, and fun as City of Brass.
A struggle perhaps:
I’ve played for 10 hours so far and only succeeded in getting halfway through and even that was a struggle. This is a fairly consistent theme for me when it comes to reaction based games.
Game comparisions:
I *hate* game comparisons, but I gotta say that this is truly Spelunky: the FPS. This is a very technical roguelite in the exact same way Spelunky is. In fact if you are a traditional FPS fan, you’d probably do better with something like Immortal Redneck.
The pacing here is much slower and planned out. Again, just like Spelunky. You learn how to make the most of the environment. You wanna go in with guns blazing? That aint gonna work here for many reasons (and one of them is that there are no guns).
City of Brass will be released for PS4 and Xbox One in 2018 after the PC version is perfected. It’s available now on Steam Early Access with an introductory price of $19.99 USD for the first week – after that, you can nab it for $24.99. Sounds reasonable to us, what about you?
It’s time to brawl. Fantasy Strike, the fighting game from SuperStreet Fighter II Turbo HD Remix lead designer David Sirlin, is now available on Steam Early Access for PC, (that’s Windows and Mac).
Designed with accessibility in mind, Fantasy Strike provides players with a game that’s easy to jump into, yet has the depth of strategy and tactics that hardcore fans of the genre would appreciate.
Fantasy Strike Steam Early Access: Features aplenty
The roster of combatants includes a painter, a watchmaker, a flame archer, a scary dragon-man, and more. It’s fifth (and latest) battle arena is the Morningstar Sanctuary, the in-world location of the tournament.
A full set of game modes are also available to try out, including arcade, practice, local versus, and online play. Hopefully, there’s another free demo on the way.
The Steam Early Access release also includes new graphical improvements to cel-shading and visual effects as well as a new “Friend Match” feature. Friend Match allows players to challenge friends online without creating lobbies. Lovely.
Fantasy Strike will launch for $19.99 on Steam Early Access. A PS4 version is coming in 2018.
