Twinworld Game Reviews

Archive for September, 2022

September 30th, 2022 – Indie publisher Ratalaika Games, together with Indie developer Kikai Digital, join forces to celebrate today’s (30th Sept) Caffeine: Victoria’s Legacy, a choice rich, fantasy visual novel, set in a steampunk Victorian alternative reality, where coffee is all that matters! Released on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch, priced at €17.99 / $17.99, this is one to check out!

Features, facts and fantasy!

• Appealing and engaging story!
• Beautiful graphics.
• Over 25 hours of gameplay
• Four romanceable routes with one true ending.
• Voices characters.
• 450,000 word visual novel.
• Hundreds of choices.
• Original Music
• Animated CG scenes.
• A rollercoaster of romance
• Plus more

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, Germany – 29 September 2022 – It’s time to channel your inner animal and bust out your best and fastest moves because Jitsu Squad pre-orders are now live! ININ Games are proud to bring this adrenaline-tingling 2D beat ‘em up from Tanuki Creative Studio to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 (PS4), and PlayStation 5 (PS5) this winter, with a digital release for the Xbox family of consoles planned for a later date.

Jitsu Squad brings back the fun of old-school brawlers from the 90s paired with an awesome hand-drawn cartoon look and the exciting style of modern beat ‘em ups, while staying true to the age-old arcade gaming rule: easy to learn, hard to master. Play alone or with up to four people in co-op mode against waves of enemies while amassing massive combo-chains and unleashing flashy super moves. Also, the game’s soundtrack was created by none other than Crush 40 singer Johnny Gioeli, famous for the iconic SONIC The Hedgehog music. Johnny’s hit single “Surfing on the Lava” is featured in the most recent trailer, which sees the Jitsu Squad hitting the lava waves on their boards.

Jitsu Squad has even been nominated at this year’s Dutch Game Awards in October, in the categories “Best Debut Game” and “Best Art”! The game is now widely available to pre-order at participating retailers. For more information and to pre-order, visit the official ININ Games website.

Story

Containing the soul of a powerful demon, the legendary Kusanagi Stone can grant godly powers to those who awaken it but has remained hidden over the centuries. Now, the wicked sorcerer Origami, destroyer of worlds and lord of darkness, has summoned ancient warriors to find the stone for him, cursing their souls and turning them into animals. Luckily, a mysterious monk called Ramen manages to save four warrior souls from Origami’s call: Hero, Baby, Jazz, and Aros, together are the Jitsu Squad!

Features

• Fight lightning-fast, adrenaline-tingling battles
• 4 playable characters – Turn your warrior into a real legend with the upgrade system and unique secondary weapons that open up new combos
• Slay your enemies in style with 100+ chain-combos, infinite juggles and Epic Super Specials that will make your heart beat faster
• Powerful in-game character transformations will get your blood boiling
• Tons of unique enemies to slay and 8 different planets to save
• Up to 4-player local couch co-op fun
• Team up with a friend in 2-player tag-team mode, where each player can choose up to 2 characters
• Enter the battlefield while blasting original tunes by Crush 40 singer Johnny Gioeli, famous for the iconic SONIC The Hedgehog music
• Fighting game input commands provide a nice 90s throwback

Limited Editions:

An explosive game like Jitsu Squad also deserves a bombastic Collector’s Edition, with insane items for fighting game fanatics. That’s why ININ Games is once again teaming up with Games Rocket, preparing exclusive editions that are only available in a limited quantity. You can place your pre-order right now at Gamesrocket.com.

The Collector’s Edition will include the following:

• Game for Nintendo Switch, PS4 or PS5
• Collector’s Edition box
• Colourful game manual
• Japanese-style hand fan
• Hand surfboard
• Artbook
• Soundtrack on CD
• Headband
• Acrylic diorama
• Paperwheel
• Reversible Poster
• Postcard set
• Stickersheet

Source: PR Email

Paris, September 28^th, 2022 – Publisher Microids and IMPS, the Smurfs world license holder, are thrilled to reveal the first trailer for their highly anticipated upcoming kart-racing game, Smurfs Kart, and what fans can expect from upgraded Turbo Edition. Developed by Eden Games, well-known for their iconic racing games (Gear.Club Unlimited, Test Drive Unlimited, V-Rally), Smurfs Kart will launch November 15^th 2022 on Nintendo Switch!

The brand new trailer welcomes players to the Smurfs Racing School with an introduction to the basics of Smurfs driving!

First things first: A good start is the best way to get ahead in the race! Step on the gas at the right time to get an advantageous speed boost.

Lesson #2: Drifting allows you to race through the trickiest turns, and even gives you a speed boost!

Lesson #3: Know the tracks and you will be unbeatable! Use the ramps, discover all the shortcuts, and drive on the boost areas to take the lead on your opponents.

Lesson #4: Make the best use of the items you collect along the way! Acorns are Smurf-busting missiles, Sarsaparilla gives you a speed boost, and protective bubbles make you temporarily invulnerable. Best of all, each Smurf has their own special item to get rid of opponents in a unique way!

The “Turbo Edition” includes:

• The game
• An embroidered Papa Smurf patch
• 2 sticker sheets

Key features:

• 12 tracks set in the Smurfs’ universe: The village, the forest, the dam, the swamps… even Gargamel’s house!

• 12 iconic playable Smurfs: Handy, Hefty, Smurfette, Papa Smurf, Jokey… choose your favorite Smurf and get ready for the race! Each Smurf has its own kart and a very handy special item to help you breeze past your opponents.

• Reach 1st place by using the environment around you: Bonus items, boosts, ramps, destructible boxes, shortcuts and more!

• Smurf together: Play solo or with family and friends, with support for up to 4 players in split-screen local multiplayer!

• “Time Challenge” mode: Try to beat every Smurf at their own racetrack and reach the top of the online leaderboard with your best time!

• Unlock original bonuses as you play and try to Smurf them all in your personal album!

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, Germany – September 28th 2022 – Strictly Limited Games, in partnership with Mebius & Starfish-SD are proud to announce that Snow Battle Princess Sayuki will receive an exclusive, limited physical release. This Run and Gun shares the gameplay legacy with its spiritual predecessor Pocky & Rocky and will be available for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. Preorders for the Limited Edition and Special Limited Edition are kicking off on Sunday, October 2nd at 12 AM CET (midnight), only at https://www.strictlylimitedgames.com/.

About the game:

The snow goddess Sayuki is in love with a mortal boy who has fallen under a grave illness. Therefore, you go on a journey to find a remedy for his condition and gain the trust of the villagers, who are wary of the goddesses. If only the forces of evil wouldn’t get in the way.

With your trusty bunny Toto at your side, use different types of snow magic, upgrade them and blast your way through the hordes of yokai and other monsters standing in your way! Battle Princess Sayuki rewards an aggressive playstyle!

Snow Battle Princess Sayuki can also be played with a friend who takes the role of Sayuki’s sister Koyuki. Playing in 2-player couch co-op mode will turn the game into a competition. Who will have the highest score at the end?

Snow Battle Princess Sayuki originally was planned to be a part of the Pocky and Rocky/Kiki Kaikai series. The game changed its appearance due to TAITO being acquired by Square Enix in the fall of 2005.

Instead of scrapping the whole game, developer Starfish took their hard work and transformed the Pocky & Rocky exterior and narrative into Snow Battle Princess Sayuki. Combining the cuteness of Cute ’em Ups and the intense action of isometric fast-paced scrolling shooters, the game turned out to be a true fan-favorite within a small but passionate following and was released for the PS2 and Wii back in 2008.

Features:

• The spiritual successor of Pocky and Rocky with the familiar gameplay and a combo meter twist!
• Single and two-player modes
• Fresh setting using elements from Japanese and Western myths
• Hand-drawn meets pixel art for a unique style

Strictly Limited Editions:

Strictly Limited Games is happy to bring you this unique piece of history as part of our catalog: Giving Snow Battle Princess Sayuki the boxed legacy it deserves, with two unique limited editions, available for pre-order exclusively via the Strictly Limited Games online shop.

The Limited Edition is limited to 2,500 copies for Nintendo Switch and 1,000 for PlayStation 4, at a price of 29.99€/29.99 USD, including a colorful game manual.

The Special Limited Edition is limited to 1,500 copies for Nintendo Switch and 500 for PlayStation 4, for 49.99€/49.99 USD, including lots of additional collectibles:

• Special Limited Edition Box
• Game Card/Disc (NSW/PS4)
• Colorful Game Manual
• Enemy Sticker Sheet
• Original CD Soundtrack
• Toto Bunny Plushie
• Reversible Poster
• 6 Mini Art Cards
• Mochi Bunny Recipe

Source: PR Email

Experience the first chapter in the Crossbell saga from the renowned The Legend of Heroes series!

Lloyd Bannings returns to his hometown to follow in his late brother’s footsteps and join the Crossbell Police Department. However, he finds himself assigned to a ragtag new division called the Special Support Section. Now, he and his new teammates must prove themselves as they fight to overcome the injustice of a city gripped by corruption!

Check out the Trails from Zero Fanart Gallery to see some truly amazing creations! Then check out the custom avatars and wallpapers too!

Be sure to pick up your copy from the following retailers:

• Amazon
  
• Best Buy
  
• GameStop
  
• GameStop Canada

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero is now available on Nintendo Switch™, PS4™ and PC!

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, Germany – September 27, 2022: ININ Games is happy to announce that 80 Days & Overboard! from the award-winning studio inkle is releasing on October 28 and can now be pre-ordered from a selection of retailers. Get ready to dive into two amazing narrative adventures that will have you racing around the world in 80 days, and getting away with murder aboard an ocean liner. Available exclusively for Nintendo Switch™, this bundle will bring you many hours of captivating stories to enjoy – at any time and anywhere.

80 Days & Overboard! consists of two of the most beloved games from inkle, honored many times by critics around the world, to be released for the first time ever as a boxed retail bundle. Pre-orders are now widely available at participating retailers. For more information and to pre-order, visit the ININ Games website.

80 Days

In this steampunk retelling of Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days, players set out on a journey to circumnavigate the globe. Playing as Passepartout, long-suffering valet to Phileas Fogg, you must set the route, manage the budget, oversee the health and well-being of your master, and get back to London before the clock runs out. The game has been critically-acclaimed and was one of the best games of 2014, according to Time Magazine!

Features:

• Visit over 170 bespoke cities on your journey around the world.
• Discover creative ways to travel – by train, airship, moving city, ice-walker, hydrofoils and much more…
• Lose yourself in a richly imagined, diverse alternative-history steampunk world created by award-winning writers Meg Jayanth and Jon Ingold.
• Experience a unique journey with thousands of choices for endless possibilities and replayability.
• Enjoy striking Art Deco-styled visuals by Jaume Illustration.
• 80 Days is not the end – can you do it in less?

Overboard!

Your husband has been murdered! There’s just one problem – you killed him. Now you have eight hours to cover up your crime and get away without being caught. Frame other passengers, conceal the evidence, and figure out how to get away with it before the time runs out in this Writers’ Guild and Apple Design award-winning game.

Features:

• NPCs have their own agendas and remember everything they see and hear.
• Choose every line and every action. Go where you want, when you want.
• Some characters are friendly, and some are out to get you. Who will you befriend? And who will you betray?
• You only have eight hours to escape justice, and the clock is always ticking.
• Play once for a thrill, or multiple times to uncover all the secrets and achieve the ideal ending.

Limited Editions:

Collectors and inkle enthusiasts also have the chance to pre-order exclusive, limited editions of 80 Days & Overboard! at the Gamesrocket store, with many fantastic collectible items.

Source: PR Email

27 SEPTEMBER, 2022 – The fun-filled, action-packed adventure Trifox will launch next month, publisher Big Sugar is delighted to announce.

The furry escapade begins 13th October on Nintendo Switch, and 14th October for Xbox and PC (Steam, Epic, GOG and other PC storefronts). PS4 and PS5 versions will follow shortly after (exact date TBC). Trifox will be priced $19.99 and be available with a 10% launch discount for a limited time.

The debut game from Belgian developer, Glowfish Interactive, Trifox takes inspiration from the team’s own childhood gaming favourites, such as Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter, and Ratchet & Clank.

An action-adventure with a variety of ways to play, Trifox‘s titular hero is a fox on a mission: to retrieve his stolen TV remote! A multi-talented mammal, Trifox can use the skills of three different character types – Warrior, Mage, and Engineer. Each has its own unique set of class-based abilities which can be mixed-and-matched, allowing players to create a wily protagonist with a tailor-made moveset.

About the game

Trifox is a colourful and cartoonish action-adventure featuring a phenomenal fox with a multitude of talents! After his home is attacked and his TV remote stolen, Trifox sets out in pursuit of the mysterious looters in an action-packed adventure. Use magic, might, and marvelous gadgets to outfox foes across four danger-filled worlds as you fight your way to a final showdown at Villain HQ!

Key features

• Three different classes: Wield a giant hammer as a Warrior! Master magic and mystery as a Mage! Use a backpack full of gadgets as an Engineer!
• Mix-and-match styles: Customise your Trifox by combining different class-based abilities! Want to cast spells and fire a Gatling Gun? No problem!
• 30 abilities to unlock: Collect and spend coins to gain new skills, such as Spike Slam, Shield Bubble, Guided Missile, and many more!
• Four worlds to beat: Fight hordes of enemies, traverse platforming pitfalls, overcome environmental puzzles, and battle big angry bosses!
• A modern retro adventure: A new and fresh experience designed to evoke the spirit of classic 3D platformers!

Source: PR Email

September 23rd, 2022 – Indie publisher Ratalaika Games, together with Indie developer Kikai Digital, join forces and announce the up and coming release of Caffeine: Victoria’s Legacy, a choice rich, fantasy visual novel, set in a punk cyber victorian alternative reality, where coffee is all that matters!

Out on the 30th September for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch, priced at €17.99 / $17.99, this is one to check out!

Setting the scene

The backdrop story and focus to Caffeine: Victoria’s Legacy is about Taka, who, while trying to investigate the whereabouts of his mother, is mysteriously sent to a parallel world where caffeine has magical powers and technological advancement is set still at the age of steam. Taka has lost all memories of his past and his only memory is a little coffee house in the corner of an alley, where his parents happily brewed coffee and served customers from all walks of life. Whilst on a plane journey to his mum’s homeland, he mysteriously falls off the plane and finds himself in the city of Victoria, staring at a coffee house named ‘Taka Coffee House’, the same coffee house that he remembered so fondly during his childhood…

Caffeine: Victoria’s Legacy is an exciting visual novel where you have to make choices along the way to uncover the true mystery behind Taka’s history and the workings of this world. Depending on the choices you make throughout the game, you may reach the individual good and bad endings for each of the 4 romanceable characters. After completing their routes, the true ending will unlock which goes on to uncover the secrets behind the whole story. With its unique story full of plot twists and intricate world building, those who stay till the end of the journey will be rewarded handsomely.

When caffeine is consumed, it gives the drinker powers which they call ‘Caffeine’. This makes coffee beans and other caffeinated products like tea a valuable commodity, making the city which Taka ends up in one of the richest in the world. But as the story progresses, it’s also pointed out that with new technological advancements coming up, the appeal of caffeine will diminish and thus there is a danger that those who rely on caffeine powers will become irrelevant.

We won’t spoil things by giving too much detail so delve into this enticing story and see for yourself!

Source: PR Email

Welcome to Car Mechanic Pinball – repair and pimp up cars for your clients! The more money you earn by flipping cars, the more you can invest back in your workshop to improve it. All of that nicely packed as an old school arcade pinball game with a voxel look and feel!

Car Mechanic Pinball features include:

• Fast paced arcade gameplay,

• Easy to grasp pinball basics with workshop management mechanics,

• Earn money to improve your workshop for car upgrades,

• Tons of cars to flip,

• Hit the mechanics to fix cars,

• Visit chassis, wheels, body, engine workshops and upgrade relevant car elements,

• Fuel up and drift around!

Car Mechanic Pinball in now available on Nintendo Switch for $4.99/€4.99!

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, Germany – September 22, 2022: ININ Games is happy to announce the official release date for Hidden Through Time: Definite Edition. This charming point & click puzzle game will launch on November 11th on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 (PS4) and can be pre-ordered from a selection of European retailers right now! Together with the developers at Rogueside, a brand-new trailer is unveiled, showing off all the five DLCs included in the Definite Edition.

In the base game, you’ll find yourself in the Stone Age and witness the course of history as you click your way through Ancient Egypt, the Middle Ages and the lawless Wild West in beautiful, hand-drawn levels. The Definite Edition is definitely a must-buy since it has wilder and more exotic adventures, in five DLCs, two of which are brand-new.

The Viking Tales DLC will send you and Clicky on a quest through Norse mythology to discover all of the hidden treasures and myths the Vikings have kept from us.

Past the temples on Mount Fuji, through the rice fields around the hills, secrets lay hidden all across Legends of Japan, where you’ll experience the wonderful firework festivals and learn about the samurai traditions in their dojos.

In Roads to Rome you will hear the roar of the arena, march into battle with the troops and earn the favor of the gods, while you discover the secrets hidden in the amazing architecture, intriguing mythology and powerful emperors of Rome!

Plow through the swamps, climb the highest mountain peaks and behold the greatness of Tenochtitlan. Unveil all the secrets that lay hidden within the most powerful Mesoamerican kingdom of all time in this newly released DLC: Aztec Rituals!

Finally, set sail for the adventure of a lifetime: weigh anchor, haul wind and traverse the briny deep looking for all that’s shiny and gold in the last released DLC: Pirate Treasures!

Every DLC includes 10 new levels and features tons of themed objects and characters, which will be in the level editor upon purchase! In the editor, you can create your own levels and share them in the cloud. Here you can also discover, play and rate levels created by other hobby developers around the world, which works across all platforms!

Who said that learning about our history can’t be fun? Pre-order Hidden Through Time: Definite Edition and embark on a beautiful journey with sceneries that expand in size and difficulty as players progress!

Source: PR Email