Yearly Archives: 2018

Tales of the Neon Sea Ready for a July 31st Kickstarter Campaign

Up-and-Coming Indie publisher based in China, Zodiac Interactive are starting their Kickstarter campaign on July 31st to fund their first point-and-click adventure. It’s titled Tales of the Neon Sea and developed by Palm Pioneer. Tales of the Neon Sea if a cyberpunk pixel art point-and-click detective adventure set in a future where skyscrapers and neon lights draw lovely aesthetics across the cityscape. Humans and robots are contending with one another as tensions continue to rise. Mutual distrust is rampant, and the player will have to explore each neighborhood in town and unveil the plot through dialogue with the characters that are met. Interested parties can find the Kickstarter link here, and specific platforms and definitive release dates will be announced in the future.

“The setting in Tales of the Neon Sea is inspired in sci-fi movie classics such as Blade Runner ”, says Xuan Li, co-founder at Zodiac Interactive. “Old-school point-and-click fans will be delighted with its pixelated visual style and its electro soundtrack which perfectly suit the steampunk universe involving this game”.

Citadel: Forged with Fire – Citadel Reignited Update Coming in August

The “Reignited” update for Citadel: Forged with Fire will be coming with a huge rebalance to the overall progression of the game and will also feature a new quest system, character customization, farming and so much more. In-game menus were adjusted visually and functionally, and the new spell system will encourage experimentation, and using new ingredients can players craft/modify a large number of unique spells. In addition, the House System is also overhauled, as well as the Raid System, which will also include a Raid Notification System. This is just the tip of the iceberg though, as visual improvements, gameplay, and progression were updated. The next phase of the Early Access campaign goes live on August 3rd.

Nickelodeon Kart Racers Announced for Consoles

Nickelodeon Kart News

GameMill Entertainment has announced a multi-player console racer title set in the Nickelodeon universe. Characters from Spongebob Squarepants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Rugrats, Hey, Arnold! and more will appear in 24 different Slime-themed tracks. Four player local co-op will be available as well as a Battle Mode to win cups and Kart upgrades. They are shooting for the game coming to all major consoles worldwide for the 2018 holiday season.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Nickelodeon to bring all of these amazing characters into one fun, competitive video game for fans of all ages to enjoy,” shares Mark Meadows, Partner of GameMill Entertainment. “Nickelodeon has created characters and stories that are loved around the world and we specialize in transforming treasured characters and stories into playable entertainment for the die-hard fans and casual gamers alike.”

Blood Ancestors Brings Team-Based Medieval Combat to Life

Blood Ancestors Open Beta

Spanish developer Snowpeak Studios first game has been announced in the form of Blood Ancestors. It’s set to be a team-based multiplayer game set in a medieval fantasy universe and is setting its sights for an Early Access release on Steam this August. They have also announced an open beta is coming within the next few weeks. Blood Ancestors is trying to shake up first-person multiplayer games by adding a two-phase gameplay system to keep teams on their toes, and giving challenging objectives with an ultimate goal of being to claim the Blood Relic. The first phase is Claiming the Relic, and then they must run it to the enemy portal in the second phase before time runs out, or if their Relic bearer dies.

Three warring factions are duking it out to claim the all-powerful Blood Relic for their own survival in a dying and ruin-filled medieval fantasy world. Claiming the Blood Relic will require your team of five to strategize and work together in fast-paced melee driven combat to take the Relic. Players can expect quick rounds in Blood Ancestors, and full games lasting around 25 minutes. Players will also have customizable skill trees and class configurations, to offer more tactical options to the game. More information on the open beta will be coming next week as well.

“We are excited to announce Blood Ancestors and we as a team cannot wait to dive into the fast-paced action with players very soon.” Said David Broto, Technical Director and co-founder of Snowpeak. “Blood Ancestors is our studio’s debut game and it’s our passion project from start to finish. We hope that the phase system in particular, as well as the general gameplay, will appeal to fans of team-based multiplayer games as we feel that changing the objectives during gameplay adds a certain interesting element to the genre.”

Ragachak’s Top 5 Dead RPG Franchises

by Jason Parker (Ragachak)

Earthbound: War Against Giygas

War never changes.

There are occasionally series that disappear from the gaming world and there’s not always a good reason. Sometimes they are viewed as “not popular”, or sometimes they just fall out of favor, or a developer leaves and the series just cannot (or in many cases, should not) go on without them. Sometimes a franchise should go away and does not, because as it goes on, the games decrease in quality and entertainment, not to point any fingers or name names. There are games that I want to include on this list but didn’t for a variety of reasons. Do I want more Mother?  You know I do, EarthBound is my favorite game of all time. I feel like each game in the series is more or less complete on their own, but I do want more. It just feels like too easy of a pick.

Retro Review Chrono Trigger - Magus' Castle

Every moment will illicit a reaction or emotion, from dread, joy, heartbreak.

Same for Chrono Trigger. Chrono Trigger and Cross were terrific games in their own way  (Trigger more than Cross, if I’m being honest). Another honorable mention definitely goes to Front Mission. That’s a series I think could easily be rounded off, and while I do love 1. Turn-Based Strategy and 2. Mecha, I think the last game in 2010 was a solid way to go. Front Mission is a series that can always come up with a new story though; there are always buttholes with money and robots out there, ready to stir up trouble. One more honorable mention is definitely the SaGa franchise. Though there is another game of it coming out this year (being localized) until very recently it was all but dead. The SaGa franchise has a really interesting history, maybe something I can get into in the future, but it’s still taking breaths and trudging along. Will it be good? We still have to wait and see.

Worst RPGs of All - Suikoden Tactics

Yet another “It could have been” . . .

5: Suikoden (Last Main Title: Suikoden V, 2006): Suikoden is a series of RPGs based on the Chinese Classic, Water Margin. The tale of the “108 Stars of Destiny”.  An RPG with 108 characters? It’s absolute madness! The first three Suikoden games, in my opinion, were masterpieces. Suikoden IV and V were lacking that magic that the first three had, and Suikoden Tactics, while being a spin-off, was absolutely wretched. Probably the worst tactics game I have played in my entire life. I loved the series a great deal and it just … wound up being disappointing. It’s been a long time, and I think the stain of some of those lesser games has worn off, and we could get another game in this franchise. I think Suikoden can come back and remind people why it was one of the biggest hits of the Playstation 1/2 era.

Ultima Hidden Gems - Ultima V

These were not games for people who wanted an easy time.

4: Ultima (Last Main Title: Ultima IX, Ascension, 1999): Richard Garriott is back with Shroud of the Avatar, an MMO set in an Ultima-esque universe. The Ultima franchise has been kicking around since 1979 with Akalabeth, and is built around the notion of Virtues, Sins, and in the turmoil-ridden land of Britannia. It was broken into three acts or parts, with three games per part. The down-side to this one is that EA owns the Ultima brand, hence SOTA using “New Britannia” instead of “Britannia”. But if they could mend that bridge and work together, I know Richard Garriott/Lord British could still write some incredible stories and create the single-player RPG franchise he is best known for. Ultima Exodus is one of the first RPGs I ever played, right after Dragon Warrior, so it does have a bit of nostalgia for me.

7th Saga Editorial 3

3: 7th Saga (Last Main Title: Mystic Ark, 1995): 7th Saga is kind of a grey area. This isn’t new in the Japanese RPG market though. The Soulblazer has games in its franchise that are a little gray but have similarities. 7th Saga was a JRPG from Enix, that had a planned sequel in America, 7th Saga II. In Japan, this game was Mystic Ark, but Mystic Ark was a bit more restrictive in comparison to 7th Saga. 7th Saga had 7 characters, each with their own race, stats, specialties, and goals. This is a series that could have seriously gone somewhere, even if they kept the same cast, there is a lot that could be done with this. This is admittedly, like I said a bit grey, but it’s could have very well done something miraculous with more games in this series. I’m not saying it would topple Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy, but another fun series with intricate characters? Totally on board.

Retro Review - Ogre Battle - Deneb

Oh, Deneb. You and your silly pumpkins.

2: Ogre Battle/Tactics Ogre (Last Main Title: Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber, 1999): There were two side games that came out in 2000 and 2001 respectively, and Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together was remade and re-released again in Japan in 2010, the Ogre series had so much lore, so much depth. The characters were incredible, and though Tactics Ogre and Ogre Battle had two very different approaches to combat, the world they shared is among one of the best I’ve ever experienced. Though originally designed by Quest, the series is currently owned by Square Enix, when Square acquired Quest, Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen, in particular, shook the RPG genre up with its squad-based automated combat, forcing players to really consider who they put where. multiple endings and so much more. I can’t think of too many series I want more than Ogre Battle. Except …

Lufia 2 Editorial 2

Lufia (Last Main Title:  Lufia: The Legend Returns, 2001): I do not count Lufia: The Ruins of Lore because it’s a side story (Estpolis Gaiden: Chinmoku no Iseki), or Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals, because that’s a remake (and a dreadful one at that) of Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals. Lufia is probably my second favorite game of all time, and that’s above the Final Fantasy/Dragon Quest franchise. Lufia’s series reads like a tragedy, with loss and woe being matched with bright, colorful graphics. It’s one of the most beautiful stories I’ve had the pleasure to experience, and it seems like it’s a simple, “Good vs. Evil” story until you really dive deep into Lufia 2, which as a prequel to the first game, expands the universe quite a bit. There are still stories to tell on top of that. Is Erim/Iris really dead? What about Arek the Absolute? We still need to do battle with him, or perhaps not. I’ve heard he might not actually be evil. It’s a series that I think would be really appreciated in this current market, and the cancelled Playstation/GBC games sincerely disappointed me.

What about you? What franchise do you think needs to make a return to the spotlight?

Dead by Daylight Patch Brings Tons of Balance and Tweaks

Dead by Daylight_ Curtain Call - Launch Trailer - YouTube

A huge mid-season patch hit Dead by Daylight across PC, PS4, and Xbox One breathes new life into the game as well as an absolute wealth of updates. Perhaps the biggest is that the matchmaking system has been evolved and tinkered with to help better match new players against themselves, instead of seasoned murderers and survivors. This is gigantic in and of itself, because nothing is more frustrating than trying a game online for the first time and absolutely being slaughtered. This is hot on the heels of a brand new map, a new killer, and survivor, so this is just the icing on the cake. Changes were made to several of the killers, from The Hag, The Huntress, The Shape, and The Trapper. Survivors saw some updates as well, and “Brand New Part” saw changes all on its own. It can no longer repair a Generator 100%, and installing the Brand New Part will complete 15% of a generator over 5 seconds.

They will also be hosting a special livestream on Thursday, and a link to it can be found here.

The full patch notes can be found here.

PC Patch Notes

PS4 Patch Notes

Xbox One Patch Notes

No Man’s Sky Launches NEXT Update and Xbox One Version

No Mans Sky NEXT Update

Today, No Man’s Sky has launched on XBox One. Along with this, all platforms are receiving the NEXT update (version 1.5).

The NEXT Update dramatically transforms No Man’s Sky with the following features:

  • True co-op multiplayer including shared battles, explorations, and bases;
  • Expanded base building that includes many new parts and the ability to build multiple bases, anywhere on a planet;
  • Third person view
  • Character customization
  • Increased visual detail and performance
  • Expansions to the freighter system
  • Expanded space market
  • Expanded crafting and resource system
  • Improved scanner
  • Procedural technology
  • New story and procedural missions
  • UI improvements
  • New creatures and NPC AI

The patch is expansive and you can find the full notes here.

Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 & 2 Launches Today

-Mega Man X Legacy Collection - PS4 Gameplay _ PlayStation Underground - YouTube

The Mega Man Legacy rolls on as Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 & 2  go live today, bringing all eight games from the X franchise to current platforms. They’re available on PLaystation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC. Collection #1 offers Mega Man X 1-4, and Collection #2 adds Mega Man X5-8. The battle against the Mavericks comes to modern consoles and introduced a lot of brand new mechanics and upgrades to the Mega Man franchise. These collections also contain modern enhancements and exclusive features for both new and old fans alike.

Mega Man X Collection Features:

  • X Challenge Mode – Brand new multi-boss challenge mode complete with three difficulty options and online leaderboards.
  • Rookie Hunter Mode – An all-new easy mode turning down the difficulty for newcomers.
  • Improved visuals and options – Three visual filters to enjoy including a retro CRT simulation filter, a smooth filter for cleaner sprites or the choice to enjoy the original graphics scaled to modern screens.
  • Museum of the era – Step back in time and explore the rich history of the Mega Man Xseries! The museum contains a huge collection of archived art, collectible merchandise, historical trailers and in-game music from each title. Also included is The Day of Σ, an animated short film exploring the beginnings of Sigma’s rebellion.

Gene Rain Arrives on Xbox One Today

Chinese publisher E-Home Entertainment brings a third-person futuristic shooter to life on the Xbox One in both Germany and the United States. This is a post-apocalyptic world where humans and technology are in a heated war for supremacy, each side defending their own ideals and land. Technology advancements continued, and humanity did not change with the times. Failing to do so turned out to be a fatal mistake. Dr. Bill Feynman created a genetic spraying agent to change the genetic structure of humans, making everyone’s IQ equal. The spray was spread by wind towers, known as the Gene Rain.

This would create a war between those in favor of the Gene Rain and those against it. Players are in charge of the Death Squad, formed to put a stop to the Gene Rain era, and control three characters: LiYing (human), Salman (robot) and Alex (half human half robot), and over the course of the game will do their best to save the world from the Gene Rain. Nine different guns, four game scenes/areas, and an intricate AI tree will allow for interesting and unique behavioral patterns. Gene Rain is available for 24.99 on Xbox One.

“Today the dystopian Gene Rain world opens up for Xbox One players, and we’re looking forward to recruiting more rebels in Europe at the end of the month,” says Kavka Wang, the Marketing Director at E-Home Entertainment Development. “Featuring incredible next-gen graphics and extreme TPS combat, Gene Rain expands the plot through new human narrative structures and delves deep into moral convictions as in how far you will go to achieve your goal.”