Twinworld Game Reviews

AALBORG, Denmark — September 5, 2020 — GRAVEN, the dark-fantasy action-adventure FPS co-published by 3D Realms and 1C Entertainment with development by Slipgate Ironworks, launches on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC in 2021.

Revealed at Realms Deep 2020, GRAVEN delves into a gruesome medieval world of deities and monstrosities as a disgraced Priest of the Orthogonal Order. When a heretical member of the Order sacrifices the Priest’s adoptive daughter, the Priest lethally retaliates in a bout of righteous fury. Tried and found guilty by his brothers and now exiled to the burning sands, he closes his eyes for one last prayer, for peace. The Creator speaks to him directly: “You will have to earn your peace.”

Heed the Creator by hunting down the foul heretical sects responsible for conjuring plagues and twisting the natural order of the seasons. Blending action, exploration, and puzzle-solving, GRAVEN takes cues from classic shooters, immersive sims, and action RPGs alike. Journey across three expansive, open-ended regions, and scour the lands to purge evil.

Carefully observe a reactive world to find the way: with a journal, the player drives the exploration instead of following waypoints. Listen to townsfolks’ woes and slay the monsters responsible for their torment. Banish over thirty distinct enemies from plagued madmen to swamp beasts with powerful sorceries such as wild blasts of lightning and scorching rays of flame. Solve environmental puzzles with those same powers, altering the world with spells.

Wield destructive conventional weaponry, including magic staves and wrist-mounted crossbows. Find hidden gold to upgrade weapons and spells at blacksmiths and alchemists. Return to previously-plundered areas with new abilities to uncover secrets and entirely new areas. With more than 30 weapons and spells, GRAVEN encourages experimentation. Play solo, with one friend in split-screen co-op, or even in a party of four online for complete arcane chaos.

“GRAVEN began as a game we had often dreamed of,” said Frederik Schreiber, vice president of 3D Realms and Game Director on Graven. “‘What would a spiritual successor to a Dark Fantasy series such as Hexen, have looked like if it was made in 1998 in the original Unreal engine?’ We think the answer is GRAVEN. We hope you do too.”

GRAVEN will be available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC in 2021.

Source: PR Email

Melbourne, Australia – September 4th, 2020 — Publisher Fellow Traveller and indie developer Kaizen Game Works are pleased to announce that Paradise Killer, the open-world murder-mystery, is now available on Nintendo Switch and Windows PC!

To celebrate the launch of Paradise Killer, Fellow Traveller is offering a 20% discount on copies bought for Nintendo Switch from now until September 11. Steam gamers also get a 20% launch week discount from now until September 18.

Welcome to a whodunit tale where you get to decide who did the deed—you just have to PROVE it.

Paradise is an island that regenerates every few millennia. The psychic power that the alien worshipers within release into the universe is meant to feed and eventually resurrect their fallen deities. But this force also attracts undesired interest from demons, who eventually corrupt each island — until a new alternate reality is birthed by the Council.

The system isn’t perfect, but it will be one day — on Perfect 25, the next island-to-be. But on the eve of rebirth, the Council is murdered and Paradise is killed.

In the aftermath, the “investigation freak” Lady Love Dies is summoned from exile to find the culprit. This is the crime to end all crimes.

What are the facts? What are the truths? Are they the same?

Who killed Paradise?

KEY FEATURES

• Breathe life back into Paradise – You are tasked with finding the killer and building an airtight case against them. Take your case to trial and argue your interpretation of the evidence. Only when someone is successfully convicted can the crime be considered solved and Paradise be saved.
• What are the facts? What are the truths? Are they the same? – The “truth” is that there are many possible killers, and many ways to build a case. Even if you make a convincing case for prosecution and get someone convicted, is the mystery really solved?
• Explore an island full of secrets – Paradise is an island set in an alternate future history filled with cryptic lore and even more mysteries. Examine bizarre relics to learn more about this world’s surreal history.
• Find YOUR Paradise – You choose who to accuse, and build a case to support a conviction. Everyone on Paradise has a secret to hide and something to gain. Old friends become new suspects, forcing you to choose between the evidence, the greater good and your own beliefs. There are many possible murderers, but who you pick will define your own personal truth.
• Gather evidence – Let your personal computer and electronic assistant Starlight be your guide through another dance of an investigation. Collect evidence, record testimony and interpret the facts to form your own truth.
• Unlock hidden areas – Solve hieroglyph puzzles on ancient nightmare computers to discover new areas of the island, find concealed evidence and reveal terrifying secrets.

Paradise Killer is now available on Windows PC and Nintendo Switch.

Source: PR Email

Manchester, UK – September 3rd, 2020 — The perfect way to settle a score is with good old fashioned fisticuffs… and energy beams, swords and undead minions! Merge Games, along with France-based developers Dark Screen Games, are delighted to announce that Bounty Battle, the 1-4 player beat-’em-up with characters from all over the Indie World, is coming to consoles and PC September 10th and is now available to pre-order on Nintendo Switch!

Bounty Battle is the ultimate indie fighting game: a new 2D fighter, where you can pit your favourite Indie heroes against one another! Indie heroes from games like Guacamelee! Dead Cells, Darkest Dungeon, Owlboy & more battle it out in this fighter frenzy. Bounty Battle features 30 fighters from over 20 different Indie games! Fighters come with their own Minion companion and unique abilities. Battle across levels inspired from the fighters’ native game worlds with up to 3 other players.

Characters:

Characters – Bounty Battle showcases your favorite characters from these beloved indie games – Guacamelee!, Darkest Dungeon, Dead Cells, Awesomenauts, Nuclear Throne, Owlboy, Axiom Verge, SteamWorld Dig, Oddmar, Jotun, Battle Chasers Nightwar, Death’s Gambit, EITR, Super Comboman, Pankapu, Flinthook, Doko Roko, Tower of Samsara, Blubber Busters, Ruin of the Reckless, The Bug Butcher, and Blocks that Matter

Key Features

• A host of game modes including a Tournament, Versus, Challenge Mode, Tutorial and Training Room to perfect your style
• 30 characters from your favourite Indie titles each with their own move set and special attacks
• Each fighter has their very own minion to summon and join the fight
• 16 different arenas to battle on – some plucked from the worlds of their fighters
• Multiple colour and palette swap options to fight in style!

Bounty Battle will release on Sept 10, 2020 for £19.99 $/€24.99/$24.99 on consoles and for £15.99/€19.99/$19.99 on PC. Consoles will see a 20% pre-order and launch discount (pre-order live for Nintendo Switch on Sept. 3, 2020), and Steam will see a 15% discount at launch.

Bounty Battle is also getting the Signature Edition treatment! This edition is currently only available from the Signature Edition website.

Bounty Battle will release digitally Sept. 10th on PC and consoles.

Source: PR Email

KARLSTAD (3^rd September 2020) – Clear River Games will start rolling out the physical version of Ys Origin for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 from October 1^st through retailers in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand (check with your favorite retailer for exact shipping date). The action RPG saga’s inaugural quest in which humanity flees a demon horde’s relentless pursuit is developed and ported by Dotemu, based on the original work created by the Japanese developer and publisher Nihon Falcom. Suggested retail price is €29.99.

In addition to the retail version, the Ys Origin Collector’s Edition will be sold in limited amounts through Strictly Limited Games partner store. Sharing the same values as Clear River Games on preserving our common video game cultural heritage, Strictly Limited Games is the perfect partner for the collaboration. The Collector’s Edition costing €44.99 will be available shortly after the retail release global to everywhere Strictly Limited Games ships.

The Ys Origin Collector’s Edition will include:

• Ys Origin Nintendo Switch or PlayStation 4 Game with Reversible Cover Art
• Collector’s Edition Box
• Diorama Set with Yunica Tovah, Hugo Fact and The Claw
• Official Soundtrack on 2 CD’s
• Ys Logo Enamel Pin
• Sticker Sheet
• Bonus Acrylic Card

Ys Origin presents a game through an emotional and exciting story, which takes place 700 years before the two first games of the series – Ys I & Ys II. Aspiring knight Yunica Tovah and mage Hugo Fact, two fighters desperately searching for the Goddesses that have abandoned them. Together the duo must best the demonic forces lurking within an enormous tower before the beasts reach humanity’s sanctuary in the clouds. As the game progresses, the player gets the chance to unlock a third playable character. With tons of powerful loot to earn, distinct scenarios and playstyles between each character as well as secrets to unveil, Ys Origin is a deep, compelling RPG experience.

“Ys Origin is the inaugural title for our new publishing unit Clear River Games. The Ys series has a long heritage and reflects what we want to bring to light. In the future you will see more retro related or inspired games and Japanese classics in different genres coming from Clear River Games,” says Ali Manzuri, founder and games industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience.

“Clear River Games is part of an effort by the Embracer Group to focus on games culture and history with a flair of retro as the foundation. We will be welcoming more studios, publishers and IP owners to join us on this voyage,” adds Martin Lindell, senior advisor at Embracer Group and equal games industry journey man with more than 20 years of experience.

Source: PR Email

Kuala Lumpur, MY— 3rd September, 2020 — Ready to get baked?? Violently cute couch co-op party game, Bake ‘n Switch is coming to Nintendo Switch on 10th September! Accompanying this highly anticipated news, Streamline have also released a new Bun Madness trailer today to introduce the various Bun breeds to players! Bake ‘n Switch will be available on the Nintendo eShop for $29.99.

Journey to the lush palms and sandy beaches of Tropic Toaster or the harsh aridity of the Serradura today in Bake ‘n Switch. Play as one of the six Bakers – Ginger, Rosemary, Thyme, Parsley, Sage or Salt – and embark on a bun-baking extravaganza through 100 levels of sweet and savory party action! Team up with friends in co-op or battle against them as foes in PvP or Team v Team in local and online multiplayer to merge, punch and bake the adorable Buns before time runs out.

And now about those Buns…

Tropic Toaster’s Lil’ Bun starts out as a roly-poly doughball and chomps its way into a Big Bun – give these little guys some space, and they’ll do your delicious work for you! The Doughdoughs may not be the smartest buns in the batch, but while they scare easily, they are easy to herd. Surround them and watch them flock toward the oven and hop right in! While the Doughdoughs and Lil’ Buns may be easier to manage, the Doughrillas have music in their feet and pound their mighty hands to their own jungle beat!

In Serradurra, the sweet “dessert” world, you’ll encounter a whole new bunch of delectably devious Buns. Armadoughs are tough on the outside, but… actually, just tough all the way through! These curly croissants act as giant bowling balls to smash through flavors and barriers, while the sneaky Bunboa burrows its body in the sand and launches surprise attacks to constrict your enemies. Fluff Foxes are fiendishly cute – fast, with a stunning tailspin. You’ll need to work as a team to corner these sly confections and corral them into the oven. And finally, the Batlava, whose super sweet – and sharp – tooth sucks the flavor right off those Buns in no time flat!

Source: PR Email

Stockholm, Sweden — September 1st, 2020 — Early Morning Studio’s dark, medieval tactical RPG Vampire’s Fall: Origins will launch on Nintendo Switch and Xbox One on September 17th. Already popular on Steam and mobile, the game has drawn a community around its clever, slightly dark-humoured story and classic 2D open-world RPG elements mixed with turn-based combat gameplay.

After the malevolent Witchmaster destroys the Vamp’Ire village you awaken as a fledgling vampire set on a course for revenge. Your efforts to halt the dark magic conjurings of your evil foe take you on a journey through a vast 2D open world where you embark on quests, encounter a variety of NPCs and engage in snarky dialogues that add a lighthearted counterpoint to the sinister atmosphere. Whether you choose the path of virtue or corruption you will face scores of enemies through over 50 hours of gameplay, leveling up your character by unlocking skills and abilities as well as upgrading your gear along the way.

“Vampire’s Fall has come a long way since the first time we came up with the concept,” said Emir Kuljanin from Early Morning Studio. “Now 10 years later and three platforms in, we are gearing up for Nintendo Switch and Xbox One launch to welcome console players into the gritty and witty world full of mystery.”

Source: PR Email

London, UK – Tuesday, 1st September: It’s almost time to don your space suit and ascend to the stars as Curve Digital and Runner Duck are positively pumped to announce that Space Crew, the sci-fi sequel to the sandbox hit Bomber Crew, will launch on 15th October worldwide.

Space Crew features the same compelling gameplay loop as its beloved predecessor with players controlling the moment-to-moment actions of their carefully selected, fully customisable crew. Their mission? To boldly go where no space crew has gone before and fight off an alien menace that threatens to eradicate humanity!

To help give would-be space travellers a proper taste of the kind of sci-fi drama at play in this single-player strategy sandbox, Runner Duck, has released a brand new Features trailer.

“In Space Crew, we’ve expanded the ‘Bomber Crew’ formula into the final frontier, so players can send their customised ship and crew to boldly go and brave the many hazards of space combat,” said Runner Duck co-founder and art director, Dave Miller.

“An early demo of Space Crew was released earlier this year and we were absolutely blown away by the response from fans. We can’t wait to put the full game into their hands so we can see what adventures they undertake.” he added.

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, Germany – August 31st 2020 – ININ Games and STUDIOARTDINK are happy to share the trailer of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World . The first official trailer was exclusively revealed by IGN on the Awesome Indies show at Gamescom last Saturday.

The game is a fully remastered version of Wonder Boy IV from 1994. The original team is working on the new Wonder Boy – Asha in Monster World, which will release at the beginning of next year for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.

Source: PR Email

Manchester, UK – August 28th, 2020 — Publisher Merge Games, in collaboration with indie developer Maple Powered Games, announce their farming action RPG with a twist, Monster Harvest! The newest game in the world of monster collecting will be making its way to Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch soon!

First premiered on the Future Games Show, get ready to grow, collect and mutate your crops and take them into battle! Brimming with multiple avenues to explore, players can craft and build their own farm or dream home as Monster Harvest blends RPG mechanics, exploration and action across the vibrant world of Planimal Point.

Providing a fusion of addictive farming gameplay, with RPG elements and battle mechanics included, Monster Harvest brings a fresh dimension to RPG action. From mutating your crops into several different variants and taking them into battle, to collecting a wealth of Planimal companions to help you fight enemies and explore the world with, Monster Harvest brings an array of different elements across its bright and colourful world.

Explore across three unique seasons which can affect the way you play, with bizarre weather and seasons shifting what crops you can grow – watch out for the strange mutations during the dark season which can dominate the land!

Features Overview

• Farm with mutants! Use magical slimes to mutate the crops you grow on your farm.
• Collectible Planimal companions! Some slimes mutate your crops into Planimals!
• Three unique seasons: Dry, Wet, and Dark – Strange weather and seasons shift what the player can grow.
• Explore the world of Planimal Point – Venture into the town of Planimal Point and discover the people and creatures that live there.
• Craft and place dozens of items on your farm!

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, Germany – August 28th 2020 – During yesterday’s gamescom Opening Night Live Show, the return of a video game icon was celebrated with an exclusive trailer. On this Turrican’s 30th Anniversary, the classic video game franchise will rise in full force!

Factor 5 and Strictly Limited Games are above and beyond pleased to present you with a new chapter in the history of Turrican, a complete compilation of the classic action series – now on modern platforms.

The sensational Turrican series has been heralded as one of the finest video games of all time, mixing exploration with non-stop action, and one of video game’s finest soundtracks by legendary German composer Chris Huelsbeck. The optional in-game soundtrack has been fully remastered and re-arranged.

Along with the original team at Factor 5, Strictly Limited Games curated and developed an anthology that not only lets you play through the history of Turrican’s finest moments, but also discover new information and secrets from the many extras packed in.

The classic series comes with a selection of filters and borders to customize the experience. Additionally included is the fabled and long-lost Super Turrican Director’s Cut, which features all the cut content reinstated, as well as the brand new Score Attack version. The legendary music can now be enjoyed in two ways: In-game, the player can choose between the original chiptune soundtracks or the new arranged versions by composer Chris Huelsbeck.

Turrican Anthology Vol. 1

• Turrican (Amiga)
• Turrican 2 (Amiga)
• Super Turrican (SNES)
• Super Turrican Director’s Cut (SNES)
• Mega Turrican Score Attack (MD/GEN)

Turrican Anthology Vol. 2

• Turrican 3 (Amiga)
• Mega Turrican (MD/GEN)
• Mega Turrican Director’s Cut (MD/GEN)
• Super Turrican 2 (SNES)
• Super Turrican 1 Score Attack (SNES)

Both editions are priced at 34,99€. Nintendo Switch Editions are each limited to 3500 copies worldwide, while the PlayStation 4 Editions are limited to 2000 copies each worldwide.

The Turrican Collector’s Edition (99,99€) and the Turrican Ultra Collector’s Edition (199,99€) encompass the two Turrican Anthologies and include lots of great extras.

One highlight in particular is the full-length documentary Blu-Ray created by industry veterans Audi Sorlie and John Linneman. With its developer interviews and in-depth look into the world of Turrican, this documentary is sure to please both old and new fans of the Turrican universe.

For all retro enthusiasts Strictly Limited Games brings out original retro cartridges for SNES and Mega Drive/Genesis with brand new cover arts from the two legendary box illustration artists Tom DuBois and Mike Winterbauer. Their work will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Also, Chris Huelsbeck’s most acclaimed sound work curated and mixed by himself for a brand new exclusive vinyl set! Hailed as one of the greatest retro game soundtracks of all time, now for the very first time on vinyl.

Furthermore, selected contents from ININ Games for digital and retail are also in the works, but with less content than the exclusive, limited editions from Strictly Limited Games.

Source: PR Email