Before anyone gets too excited about the headline return of Command & Conquer, (wasn’t that franchise dead?), myself included, it’s probably worth remembering that the new game, announced at EA’s E3 conference today, is for mobile only:
Command & Conquer Is Back?
Shown live on the stage, Command & Conquer Rivals is a competitive, multiplayer mobile title. You fight for points on the map, harvest resources (like the old days), and can build classic units like the Mammoth tank. GDI and Nod are back too. So is Kane, apparently:
Kane
You never know… it might be quite good. The bigger question is: does this signal a full return for C&C in the future? Time will tell.
Not sure when everything is happening at E3 2018? Not to worry, we’ve got you covered. You can find the key times and dates below for all the big E3 conferences this year.
It has been far too long since I experienced a Castlevania game. It wasn’t until I played Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon that I realised the full meaning of that statement either. Regardless of what Konami wants to do with the ‘Castlevania’ name, this is what the real future of the franchise now looks like. And it’s looking bright.
Let me just say, though, that it’s an increasingly common trend in the games industry. That being where the original creator, (Koji Igarashi in this case), has to fight back for the same individual and creative control they once knew. I won’t digress any further on that point, don’t worry, but it’s great to see a positive outcome in such a mad, fickle world.
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon Review
So, here we are with Curse of the Moon and the short answer is: it’s essentially everything you might expect and want from a ‘classic’ Castlevania game. What I mostly mean by classic is the absence of the Metroidvania exploration and, to a degree, upgrades we all know and love. That’s not a bad thing at all…
What we have instead are levels, with multiple paths within them, that all nevertheless lead to the same ending point. At the end of the levels are challenging bosses that remind you of how tough video games of the past used to be. You’ll have to fight your way through endless creatures of the night and avoid nasty traps to get there as well.
Fundamentally then, what Iga and the extremely talented Inti Creates have produced here recaptures the magic of the very first 2D Castlevania games from the NES and SNES days. That includes an awesome soundtrack (of course), gorgeous 8-bit graphics and the ability to control four different characters. The latter is an area in which Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse is fondly remembered for.
Four Characters, Eight Stages
In Curse of the Moon, we have the exorcist Zangetsu who fights with a sword, the heroine Miriam who deploys the classic whip, the latest ‘incarnation’ of Dracula called Gebel, (although not officially), who can turn into a bat or summon them from his cape and, lastly, the alchemist Alfred who can use powerful magic. Each of these characters is unlocked at the end of the preliminary stages. All of them have individual life bars too, making things a bit easier.
You’ll be switching between the group to get through the eight stages, although, for a first playthrough, Miriam’s range of attack with her whip is a safe bet. There are also diverging points on each of the levels that can only be accessed through certain character abilities. Finding these points will take you through a variety of scenarios that keep Curse of the Moon feeling fresh.
This magic spell is essential
It wasn’t until I completed the game twice on ‘Veteran’ (Spoilers: there are multiple endings), that I truly started to understand where each character excelled. Basically, the more deaths I endured, the easier it became. Yes, there is certainly a high difficulty to overcome in Veteran (probably not as tough as some of the older Castlevania titles), but purists will most likely love every masochistic second of it.
Veteran Or Casual?
Have no fear though. Players that are new to the series or just want to take a smoother ride are also well looked after with the ‘Casual’ style of play. Casual removes the dreaded knockback from enemies and lives are unlimited. The game asks you whether you want to change the style frequently, encouraging either more challenge or a break from the stress. This is a great implementation.
I can’t say Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon does anything truly new for the series, but sometimes that’s perfectly ok. What it does do, however:
Recreates the classic games, to brilliant effect
Continues the dormant legacy of the wonderful Castlevania series
Nintendo’s next smartphone release is an original RPG called Dragalia Lost. It’s quite a welcome curveball, certainly when you consider the previous games in their ongoing mobile effort are bite-sized, sometimes unremarkable versions of key franchises: Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp.
Dragalia Lost – From Cygames
So, Dragalia Lost. It’s being co-developed with Japanese developer Cygames (they did Battle Champs) and is out this summer:
Next to nothing else is known about the title at the moment, including what revenue model it will employ. At this point, and in this writer’s opinion, it’d be nice to have a one-off paid release for a change (like Super Mario Run did), skipping the free-to-play approach altogether.
Unless, of course, said free-to-play model is done right. That’ll work too.
It Lurks Below is a true passion project developed by Diablo creator David Brevik. With those credentials in mind, here’s a quick look at the gameplay:
It Lurks Below Trailer – From Graybeard Games
It Lurks Below is now available for purchase as part of Steam’s Early Access program for $19.99 (or £15.49 over here in the UK). Brevik had this to say about the decision to bring the indie title to the aforementioned service:
“At the Game Developers Conference last month, I talked to a lot of indie developers who recommended doing Early Access through Steam – they basically said I’d be crazy not to do it”.
It Lurks Below
Terraria, Minecraft and Diablo itself inspired the survival-RPG that, according to Brevik, is coming “soon”.
The developer also plans to do a Reddit ‘Ask Me Anything’ in the near future at http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/. So if you’re interested in the title, be sure not to miss the online event.
Meet Robbotto, a freshly announced indie game. The even better news? It’s inspired by arcade legends Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands.
Classic Retro Gameplay
Robbotto, developed by JMJ Interactive, is scheduled for a Q3 release this year and it’s heading to PC, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One:
Here’s what it’s got to offer us ‘old-school’ gamers:
You take control of Robb and Otto, two intrepid maintenance robots as they travel through a malfunctioning star cruiser
It’s a retro-inspired arcade platformer that features single-player or couch co-op
To keep you busy, there are over 100 levels, 20 enemies types, and 10 bosses to beat
Robbotto
Details are thin at the moment, but we can expect to hear more out of this one as the release date draws closer. If you’re a Bubble Bobble fan, there’s a chance this might bring back a few memories…
A teaser trailer, along with the new date, shows us the hellish scenery and the demonic creatures that await within:
You’re quite literally thrown into the midst of an abyss, trying to stay alive; trying to solve the riddle behind the mysterious ‘Red Goddess’. Luckily, you have the ability to possess demons and other souls.
As well as the story mode, there’s an open challenge system that randomly generates levels for players to survive on. And yes, you can compete for high scores.
Indie developer Denis Galewski has been secretly working on a game for three years. Well, we’re not entirely sure that it was secretly, but this is the first time he’s in a position to show the fruits of his labour.
Gun Rage – Explosions, Gore and Blood
Yes, Gun Rage releases this summer for PC. It’s an old-school, side-scrolling run and gun, or run ‘n gun, as the cool kids say.
Gun Rage
Inspired by the greats, Contra and Metal Slug, the title takes place in the distant future where you control a smuggler named Axel… wait for it… Gunn. Axel is robbed and nearly killed in a delivery mission, so he decides some revenge is in order:
Gun Rage promises a variety of foes to take down, memorable boss fights, 16-bit graphics and some dark ’80s synthwave music.
You’ll be able to try out Galewski’s debut game on Steam soon, although we don’t have a price yet.
Developer Tripwire Interactive has announced the release date for virtual reality horror title, Killing Floor: Incursion.
When? May 1st. So, not long. It’s going to be playable in the Sony booth at PAX East this weekend and available for pre-order later this month on the PlayStation Store.
Killing Floor: Incursion – Feel The Rage
Killing Floor: Incursion for PS VR will also come with a timed exclusive Holdout Mode map, ‘The Crucible’, which finds players defending locations against increasingly deadly hordes of enemies in a frenetic, arcade-like action experience.
In addition to that, players can expect the PS VR version to include all post-launch content updates released for HTC VIVE and Oculus Rift platforms, including the ‘Hardcore’ difficulty mode, Katana weapon, and leaderboards.
Killing Floor: Incursion charges players with taking on the role of an elite Horzine Security Forces soldier. You can team up with allies to fend off the horrific Zed hordes with a wide array of guns and blades:
You’ll be able to play it for $29.99, €29.99 or around £22 in the UK.
Set in the Planet of the Apes universe, specifically in-between the excellent Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes films, Crisis on the Planet of the Apes (continuing the trend of clunky titles) is a first-person adventure game from FoxNext VR Studios.
The better news is that it’s out now – released yesterday – on PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive.
Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR
The title sees you control an ape with advanced intelligence, captured and held prisoner in a heavily guarded scientific facility as mankind desperately searches for a cure to the Simian Flu – which has wiped out most of humanity:
You must climb, jump, arm yourself, and fight your way through the chaos of an apocalyptical world to escape with your fellow apes and return home, all, of course, in virtual reality.
Brendan Handler from FoxNext VR Studio had this to say:
“There’s power in being able to feel both the physical aspects and emotional conscience of an Ape with advanced intelligence. Players will move like an ape while experiencing first-hand, the discrimination and reprehensible treatment of the Apes in this universe.”
You can grab Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR on PlayStation VR for £11.99, Oculus Rift for £10.99, and HTC Vive for the strange price of £11.39.
As we all know: games sourced from movies, not to mention in vice versa, are generally a cause for concern. It would be nice for this one to finally break that detrimental trend then, wouldn’t it?
Train Valley 2, the train tycoon management and puzzle game by indie developer Flazm, is now available on Steam Early Access, (that’s Windows, macOS, and Linux).
Train Valley 2 – Bust My Buffers
The game allows you to build an efficient, or inefficient railroad based on your actions, upgrade your locomotives, and keep trains on track without delays to meet the evergrowing demand of the industries in the valley:
Key features include:
Gameplay which mixes puzzle micromanagement with tycoon elements
There are 50 levels in ‘Company Mode’
You can upgrade your stock of locomotives and unlock advanced engines with 18 locomotives from 6 different generations
There’s even a level editor with Steam Workshop integration where you can create your own Valleys – or play levels from other players. It’s a useful addition that should extend the lifespan considerably. All you have to do is use that noggin.
You can pick up Train Valley 2 for $9.99, around £7.
Ok, so there was no Oddworld: Soulstorm to be found, (as we speculated). And from what we can tell, the big tease from Oddworld Inhabitants today seems to have been over Oddworld: Abe’s Origins: a new book that, shockingly, celebrates the origins of Abe – it’s via Kickstarter. That’s pretty cool, but we’re sure there’s more news on the way for Soulstorm (it’s apparently out this year).
Nintendo’s Nindies Showcase Spring 2018
What about Nintendo? What did they announce today at their Nindies Showcase? Well, in short, lots of great indie titles will be heading to the Switch, including the following:
Fantasy Strike – out summer
Banner Saga 1 and 2 – TBA
Banner Saga 3 – out summer
Just Shapes and Beats – out summer, first on Switch
Garage – out spring, first on Switch
Lightfall – out spring, first on Switch
Pool Panic – out 2018, exclusive to Switch
Bomb Chicken – out summer, first on Switch
Lumines Remastered – out spring
Reigns: Kings and Queens – out spring
West of Loathing – out spring, exclusive to Switch
Pode – out spring
The Messenger – out summer
Garage – out spring, first on Switch
Mark of the Ninja Remastered – out fall
Bad North – out summer, first on Switch
You can catch the brief Direct-style showcase here:
It’s worth mentioning that some of these indie titles are bigger than others (Banner Saga, for example), but overall, it was another strong commitment from Nintendo to put the smaller guys out there front and centre on the Switch.
