Twinworld Game Reviews

Archive for January, 2023

Indie publisher Ratalaika Games, together with developer Sky Bear Games, is delighted to announce Wonderland Nights: White Rabbit’s Diary; a very unique and compelling journey set in the world of Alice in Wonderland. Scheduled for release on the 27th January 2023 coming on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch, priced at $6.99 / €6.99. Assuming the role of the White Rabbit this schedule /diary based visual novel will pull you into a world of make believe.

Setting the Scene…

Wonderland Nights: White Rabbit’s Diary is intended to be a loose sequel to the events of Alice in Wonderland. Alice experienced a catastrophe that happened years ago, and culminated in the death of the previous Queen of Hearts, mother of the current Queen. In the intervening years the story of her brief jaunt through Wonderland has become more scary and elaborate in the telling, to the point where she becomes a boogie man figure.

The four nations of Wonderland meet every year to agree on shared policies and enact their various schemes against each other. There are personal vendettas to resolve and enchantments hidden everywhere, and did someone mention the dreaded Alice? You are the White Rabbit, and your job is to organise the schedule for the annual summit. Every decision you make affects the destiny of Wonderland!

Will the King of the barbaric desert of Clubs declare active war on the pastoral paradise of Hearts? Will Prince John of the psychedelic land of Spades be able to elope with Princess Julie of the wealthy Diamond nation – two nations that are deadly enemies? What’s up with the King and Queen of Spades’ weird marriage? Does the King of Hearts suspect his loyal Duke Jorge of having an affair with his wife? Explore this and much more as you negotiate the likes and dislikes of the twelve guests of the summit.

1. Is war allowed to take place in the next year?
2. Is magic allowed to be used?
3. Will the nations trade freely, or with taxation?
4. Will the borders between the nations be opened or closed?

There are 16 different political endings to unlock.

But on top of that, there are personal plots between all of the characters that can be unlocked using different combinations of pairings (the way to unlock things is hinted at in the Notes section of the in-game menu, and there is an extensive guide published online).

You are in charge

The White Rabbit is in charge of planning the interactions, and is a bit of a meddler. Sometimes they are dragged into the plotlines by other characters, but oftentimes they must sit by helplessly and watch the consequences of their actions unravel. That can be a bit of an unusual experience for players at first, taking on a role that’s a facilitator rather than someone pursuing direct goals. But every action taken leads to the ultimate ending, which does have direct consequences on the life of White Rabbit.

Stories are unlocked over a series of playthroughs, with the in-game Codex magically remembering things from previous playthroughs for White Rabbit to read. For the most part, White Rabbit watches the proceedings as an unobtrusive observer… a spy, perhaps… and while they do not interrupt the royals and nobles during their activity, they get an opportunity to correct the course of events the next day by choosing how they pair people and activities.

Features include:

• Lots of replayability
• 42 achievements, 14 characters
• 25000+ words in almost 3000 lines of dialogue – each playthrough only reveals at most 1/12th of the whole fabric of the story
• Fully voice-acted dialogue
• Gallery with 36 pieces of unlockable artChoose between simple choice menu for first time players, and the drag and drop choice menu for the power players, with randomizer, repeat and reset functions
• Player codex containing unlockable information about characters’ relationships, secrets, motivations, and player goals and event history

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, Germany – 19 January 2023 – First released in the late 80s, the Ninja JaJaMaru series steadily became one of the best-selling Famicom releases in Japan! ININ Games is excited to announce the pre-order start of the three incredible Ninja JaJaMaru collections, with games never before released in the West from the developers at City Connection. The physical version of Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle+Hell Deluxe Edition is available now for pre-order on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.

Both physical and digital versions release on February 21!

Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell Deluxe Edition is a must-have for both old and new fans of this Japanese action-adventure platformer! This collection includes six of the series’ most important games, so international fans can finally experience some of these classics for the first time ever! The special +Hell update features new original music and two new boss battles in the unlockable Hell Mode. With this iconic series restored to new glory, this collection is definitely one you cannot miss.

The physical edition of Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell Deluxe Edition is now available for pre-order on PlayStation 4 (PS4) and Nintendo Switch.

Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell Deluxe Edition features the following titles:

• Ninja JaJaMaru-kun (1985, Famicom/NES®)
• JaJaMaru’ no Daibouken (1986, Famicom/NES®)
• Oira JaJaMaru! Sekai Daibouken (1990, Game Boy)
• Ninja JaJaMaru – Gingadaisakusen (1991, Famicom/NES®)
• Super Ninja-kid (1994, Super Famicom/SNES®)
• Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell (2022)

More of a fan of JRPGs? ININ Games will also publish Ninja JaJaMaru: The Lost RPGs, a bundle of two RPG entries of this franchise that have never been released outside Japan! For the first time ever, fans all over the world will get the chance to play “Ninja JaJaMaru: Ninpouchou” and “Ninja JaJaMaru: Gekimaden – Maboroshi no Kinmajou” – fully localized in English! Ninja JaJaMaru: The Lost RPGs will be available as a digital download.

Ninja JaJaMaru: The Lost RPGs is comprised of the following titles:

• Ninja JaJaMaru: Ninpouchou (1989, Famicom/NES®)
• Ninja JaJaMaru: Gekimaden – Maboroshi no Kinmajou (1990, Famicom/NES®)

The last collection, JaJaMaru: Legendary Ninja Collection, is a catch for all fans of the franchise who want the full Ninja JaJaMaru experience. JaJaMaru: Legendary Ninja Collection includes all titles of the previously mentioned collections and will be an ININ Games digital-only release for PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

JaJaMaru: Legendary Ninja Collection contains the following titles:

• Ninja JaJaMaru-kun (1985, Famicom/NES®)
• JaJaMaru no Daibouken (1986, Famicom/NES®)
• Ninja JaJaMaru: Ninpouchou (1989, Famicom/NES®)
• Ninja JaJaMaru: Gekimaden – Maboroshi no Kinmajou (1990, Famicom/NES®)
• Oira JaJaMaru! Sekai Daibouken (1990, Game Boy)
• Ninja JaJaMaru – Gingadaisakusen (1991, Famicom/NES®)
• Super Ninja-kid (1994, Super Famicom/SNES®)
• Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell (2022)

For retro gaming enthusiasts, limited physical editions of JaJaMaru: Legendary Ninja Collection will be exclusively available via Strictly Limited Games.

Source: PR Email

Raiden III x MIKADO MANIAX is coming to Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox X|S in summer 2023!

Soar sky-high in Raiden III x MIKADO MANIAX, an electrifying entry in the classic arcade shoot-‘em-up series! Customize your music, wallpapers, game mode, and more before launching into high-octane aerial action!

Gear up for the battles that await you by joining the retweet contest for a chance to win a Limited Edition!

Source: PR Email

Vienna/Austria, January 17th, 2023: Evil never sleeps – Remnant: From the Ashes is coming to Nintendo Switch! Get the game either digitally or physically at participating retailers and confront the danger as the world has been thrown into chaos by an ancient evil from another dimension.

Humanity is struggling to survive, but they possess the technology to open portals to other realms and alternate realities. Are you brave enough to travel through these portals to uncover the mystery and take back what’s yours?

Explore dynamically-generated worlds that change each time you play through them. Each of the game’s four unique worlds is filled with monstrous denizens and environments that will provide fresh challenges with each playthrough. Adapt and explore – or die trying. The hostile environments will greet you with tough-as-nails enemies and epic bosses. Slay the monsters, earn experience, grab the loot and upgrade materials to prepare and approach each encounter in dozens of unique ways.

Remnant: From the Ashes is in development for Nintendo Switch, and available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.

About Remnant: From the Ashes

The world has been thrown into chaos by an ancient evil from another dimension. As one of the last remnants of humanity, you must set out alone or alongside up to two other survivors to face down hordes of deadly enemies to try to carve a foothold, rebuild, and retake what was lost.

• Explore dynamically-generated worlds that change each time you play through them, creating new maps, enemy encounters, quest opportunities, and in-world events
• Overcome enemies and epic bosses to earn experience, valuable loot and upgrade materials you can use to build a wicked arsenal of weapons, armor, and modifications
• Team up with up to two other players to increase your chances of survival. Teamwork is necessary to make it through the game’s toughest challenges… and unlock its greatest rewards.

Source: PR Email

Paris – January 16, 2023 – Microids is delighted to announce the game Front Mission 1st Remake, developed by Forever Entertainment, will receive a Nintendo Switch retail edition. Conceived by Microids, this Limited Edition will be available spring 2023, and is now available for preorder. In North America, the Limited Edition will be launched this summer.

The Limited Edition will include:

• The game Front Mission 1st Remake on Nintendo Switch
• An exclusive lenticular
• A printed game manual
• 2 lithographs

About Front Mission 1st Remake:

Play as a member of the O.C.U. or U.C.S., customize your Wanzer, strategize and use your firepower as well as the terrain to gain an advantage over your opponent.

In the year 2090, the world’s conflicts are fought using giant war machines called Wanzers. Huffman Island, the only place where the Oceania Cooperative Union (O.C.U.) and the Unified Continental States (U.C.S.) share a land border, is a hotbed of conflict.

An O.C.U. reconnaissance platoon led by Captain Royd Clive is assigned to investigate a U.C.S. munitions plant. They are ambushed by U.C.S. Wanzers, triggering a series of events that plunges the whole island into war.

Key features:

• Experience an adventure in a complex Geo-political universe and choose your side through two different campaigns.
• Customize every part of your Wanzer, improve its firepower, defense, speed and gain combat efficiency.
• Take into account your environment and develop the best possible strategy to quickly gain the upper hand over your opponent.
• Enjoy the remake in full 3D with enhanced graphics and effects. Play in modern mode with new features or experience the original gameplay.

Preorders are now available for the Nintendo Switch Limited Edition of Front Mission 1st Remake, set to launch this spring. In North America, the Limited Edition will be available this summer.

Source: PR Email

Indie publisher Ratalaika Games joined forces with developer Steelkrill Studio to announce a dark and disturbing horror survival game – Trenches, set in WW1. Planned for release on the 20th January 2023 coming on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch, priced at $9.99 €9.41, its atmospheric setting is a stark reminder of a period that will send chills down your spine!

Death Walk Besides You

The word Trenches alone conjures up many negative views and the experience that is presented is one the development team has delved into in as much detail as possible to create the barren, isolating world of war and your one focus is on surviving!

Inspiration has come from reading about historic incidents, watching many documentaries, and a fascination for WW1, however, the development team pointed towards the awesome movie 1917 as a big determining factor. There is no getting away from the fact that “WW1 is often forgotten as to how brutal it was”, was a stand out comment.

The Game!

Trenches begins when the soldier you play wakes up from a blast and sees everything in ruins. He reaches into his pocket and finds the picture of his family. He knows that he must try to survive if he ever wants to see them again. From there, your objective will be to escape the claustrophobic environment and experience the war from the eyes of a soldier caught behind enemy lines, in this surreal nightmare, as you fight for your life (and sanity) to get back home to your family.

Surviving

The only way to escape is by finding clues and objectives scattered around the Trench map which will be like a maze. These objectives will be randomised on each play-through so all will be different. The player needs to be focused as a monster will be following him and will be roaming around the Trenches. The player can use a “trench whistle” which, when used, players can hear a crying sound and they need to follow the crying sound to find the next clue. However, the catch is the monster can also hear the trench whistle and comes running at you.

Enemies will also be able to hear if you walk on wood as it will make creaking noises or if you break any bottles. Alongside that, there will be other things that can aid you in the game such as Wire Cutters, Gun, Map, etc. which can help.. if you find them.

Does Another Dawn Beckon?

The atmospheric ambience of the game is heightened by attention to detail of light and textures, as the developer explained, “We wanted to make players feel like they really were stuck in the Trenches and to feel helpless and lost at all times. The gritty atmosphere helped, but also sounds and environment plays a big part too. We focused a lot on creating the right environment and since the game takes place only in the trenches, we could focus on those little extra details when it comes to the graphics.”

Features and Gameplay Elements Include:

• Randomised actions and scares
• Every changing setting, puzzles and challenges.
• Freedom to explore
• Lots of objectives to find
• Two game modes
• Surprises galore…………

There will be many challenges that the player will face in Trenches. Will you survive!??

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, Germany – 12 January 2023 – Strictly Limited Games, in partnership with Blowfish Studios and Emilie Coyo are delighted to announce the pre-order start for exclusive and highly limited boxed editions of Infinite-Beyond the Mind. This exciting release of the 2020 indie platformer is scheduled to launch in spring 2023 and eager collectors can already pre-order their exclusive Limited Edition Edition, starting on Sunday the 15th of January!

These editions will only be available at Strictly Limited Games and will be the only physical version of the game.

About Infinite-Beyond the Mind:

Raised on battlefields in a world devastated by war, two women who share a bond over their special powers fall under the watchful eye of the tyrannical Beljantaur Kingdom. When one is abducted by Queen Evangelyn and her heavily armed forces, the other must spring into action and rescue her friend from captivity by any means necessary.

Battle as Tanya or Olga through 16 side-scrolling stages rife with enemy troops, platforming challenges, and intense boss fights, overcoming waves of enemy soldiers and environmental challenges while you clear your way across the Beljantaur Kingdom.

Features:

• 16 Side-Scrolling Stages – Make your way across the Beljantaur Kingdom and explore its beautiful countryside.
• Cute Chibi-Styly Pixel art – Stunning Chibi-Style pixel art with impressively detailed environments.
• Take on a literal army! – Take down the Beljantaur Kingdom’s army in a whole host of unique and memorable boss fights.
• Co-Op Gameplay – Play single player as either Tanya or Olga or play as both characters in local co-op!

Limited Editions:

Infinite Beyond the Mind gets physical, powered by Strictly Limited Games. The Limited Editions for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 (PS4) can only be found there.

The Limited Edition is limited to 3,000 individually numbered copies for Nintendo Switch and 1,000 for PS4, at a price of 29.99€ / $29.99. Customers have the option between two cover variations, which feature either Olga or Tanya respectively.

Both editions will be available for pre-order on Sunday the 15th of January, at 8 AM PDT / 11 AM EDT / 5 PM CEST and shipping is expected for spring 2023, alongside the launch of the game.

Source: PR Email

Hamburg, Germany, January 11th, 2023 – Children of Silentown lets you uncover the unsettling secrets surrounding the hushed village – starting today. Publisher Daedalic Entertainment, along with developers Elf Games and Luna2 Studio are delighted to announce that their dark, beautifully hand-drawn, point-and-click adventure is now available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.

The story follows Lucy, a girl growing up in a village deep in a forest inhabited by monsters, as she slowly begins unraveling the mysteries that surround her. During the day, Lucy spends her time with her friends or helping her mother. But at night she is haunted by terrible nightmares, listening to the horrible growling coming from beyond the town limits. One thing is clear to her: the dark brings terrible danger and she must never set foot in the forest. But when tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to delve into the forbidden woods and face her fears.

Children of Silentown is a dark point-and-click adventure with a unique hand-drawn and eerie art style, combined with atmospheric music to create a hauntingly beautiful world. Players have to find notes, collect items and combine them to solve puzzles and play minigames to discover the secrets of Silentown and the forest. Additionally, learning songs is paramount to communicating with others and progressing in the game. This tool even allows players to shape Lucy’s story and experience multiple endings.

Children of Silentown is now available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Source: PR Email

11 JANUARY, 2023 – An update for Severed Steel, the intense movement shooter developed by Greylock Studios, has now been rolled out for all console versions – Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series.

The ‘Rogue Steel’ update, which first launched for the PC version in October last year, brings various new features, including a new game mode, new levels, and new weapons. In addition, the Switch, PS4, and PS5 versions have also been updated to support gyro controls.

The full list of new features included with the Rogue Steel update:

• New game mode, Rogue Steel
• Gyro controls (Switch, PS4, PS5)
• 23 new Firefight mutators unlocked through Rogue Steel
• 6 new weapons
• 5 new modified enemy types
• 8 new exclusive Rogue Steel levels
• New Cannon Mode: Cutting Beam
• 10 Character skins to unlock in Rogue Mode
• 15 Cannon skins to unlock in Rogue Mode

The new Rogue Steel mode features rogue-lite elements and challenges players to complete a run across a number of randomly chosen levels. At the end of each level, players choose a card, which applies an upgrade or effect for the rest of their run. While most cards provide a buff, some increase the score multiplier but at the expense of a negative status effect.

About the game

Severed Steel is a single-player FPS featuring a fluid stunt system, destructible voxel environments, loads of bullet time, and a unique one-armed protagonist. It’s you, your trigger finger, and a steel-toed boot against a superstructure full of bad guys. Chain together wall runs, dives, flips, and slides to take every last enemy down

Key features

• A unique fighter: Play as Steel, a nimble, one-armed sharpshooter on a mission. There is no reloading – pick your shots well and be ready to pry a loaded weapon from your enemies’ cold dead hands
• Stylish combat: Dodge bullets, leap off walls, slide kick, throw weapons – do whatever it takes to come out on top in intense and frenzied firefights
• Fully destructible environment: Pepper through plaster with sharp 4.7 mm rounds, punch through thick concrete with .50 cal slugs, or make big holes in things with your arm cannon
• Dynamic AI: No two battles are the same thanks to dynamic, unscripted, squad-based AI
• Firefight Mode: Chase high scores and fast times for leaderboard acclaim in this arcade-styled mode. Features 42 levels, each with their own sub-challenges, and over 20 unlockable, game modifying ‘Mutators’
• Campaign Mode: Blast through six compact story chapters as you battle against the forces of nefarious mega-corporation, EdenSys. Finish the campaign and want more? Try New Game + mode which mixes up the campaign for a fresh playthrough
• Rogue Mode: Severed Steel with Rogue-lite elements. Click the Rogue Steel button on the main menu to start a short, randomly generated, 10 level campaign. Features unlockable perks, skins, and more.
• Accessibility: A range of adjustable settings for features such as difficulty, visuals, audio, controls, navigation, and more
• Level Editor (with Steam Workshop support): Build levels and share them with the community

Source: PR Email

Paris – January 9, 2023 – Microids Indie is delighted to celebrate the launch of Scrap Riders on the Nintendo eShop and Steam (PC and Mac). Prepare for a unique gameplay combination of classic Point’n Click adventure and Beat’em up action, by checking out the game’s launch trailer!

“We are very excited and proud that our game is finally coming to life, we can’t wait for players to discover it and we hope they will enjoy playing it as much as we do. The development of Scrap Riders has been a fantastic journey in which we have put all our love, expertise and the best of ourselves.”– Raúl Díaz – Game Designer / Programmer at Games For Tutti

About Scrap Riders

Scrap Riders is a pixel art beat’em up adventure game set in a cyberpunk future, developed by Spanish studio Games for Tutti. You play as Rast, a member of the outlaw bikers gang Scrap Riders, and make your way through the wastelands as well as a big metropolis controlled by corporations. Act as a smuggler with caustic humor to survive in this post-apocalyptic world.

Fight your way through this 2D beat them up using your fists and guns, but beware: the wastelands are not for the faint of heart. There, violence is always the answer, but it won’t be enough! Without your wits you won’t last long. Talk to the right people, gather clues, and kick bad guys’ butts!

Key features:

• A unique gameplay mix: Scrap Riders offers an original combination of Beat ’em up gameplay and old-school Point’n Click adventure puzzles & dialogs. Fight, point & click your way through the story!

• A retro art style: Embrace a unique retro vibe with lovely pixel art visuals and a 16-bit soundtrack!

• Crazy humor and references: Have some laughs with zany dialogs from quirky characters and try to identify all the meta jokes and pop culture references hidden throughout the game!

• A fascinating cyberpunk world to explore: Wander through the diverse environments of this post-apocalyptic universe, from wastelands to a big neo-punk metropolis controlled by corporations.

Scrap Riders is the latest game from the Microids Indie label, after Grand Mountain Adventure: Wonderlands, Fallback, Murder Mystery Machine, Lornsword Winter Chronicle and the Kingdom Majestic compilation. Microids Indie is a publishing label aimed at providing support to indie studios and developers with the creation and launch of their games.

Source: PR Email