Yearly Archives: 2018

AVerMedia Launches Live Gamer 4k and Live Gamer ULTRA Capture Cards

AVerMedia Technologies, a leader in digital video and audio have launched two new 4k UHD capture cards – the Live Gamer 4k and Live Gamer ULTRA, which are top of the line hardware. The top of the line Live Gamer 4k (299.99) is an internal PCIe card capable of capturing 4k HDR at 60 frames per second and is the first consumer card capable of capturing 4k HDR footage. The high performance, laptop-friendly Live Gamer ULTRA (249.99) is a driverless external card which is capable of capturing up to 4kp30 with full 4k HDR passthrough and onboard video processing. 4k and 4k HDR is a growing trend in gaming, both on PC and console, and AVerMedia is right on the trend of what’s hot and growing right now. With these new cards, gamers and influencers can capture a full 4k resolution, including HDR, or choose to play in Full HD with incredible frame rates (up to 240 fps), and they are incredibly easy to use.

“The Live Gamer 4K and Live Gamer ULTRA empower gamers to capture and stream their greatest moments in stunning 4K HDR and 4K, respectively, with no impact on gameplay responsiveness,” said David Kao, Marketing Director of AVerMedia. “Gaming is increasingly becoming a 4K medium and these Live Gamer cards provide entry to a new world of incredible clarity and realism, including the ability to play in 4K HDR while capturing.”

PRODUCT DETAILS
All Live Gamer 4K UHD Cards
  • Widely Compatible: Work with all major capturing and streaming software, including OBS and XSplit
  • Video/Audio I/O: HDMI 2.0
  • Recording Format: MPEG 4 (H.264+AAC) or (H.265+AAC)
  • Bundled Software: AVerMedia RECentral, CyberLink PowerDirector 15
Live Gamer 4K (GC573)
  • Top of Line Tech: AVerMedia’s top capture card, capable of handling any game at ultra-high resolution and framerate and with ultra-low latency
  • 4Kp60 HDR: The first consumer card to capture High Dynamic Range, which provides brighter whites and darker blacks and a wider color gamut overall, significantly superior to standard 4K
  • Maximum Performance: Via Internal PCI Express x4 Gen2 card form factor
  • Look like a Rock Star: RGB lighting with three preset modes to make your setup shine
  • Max. Pass-Through Resolution: 2160p60 HDR / 1440p144 / 1080p240
  • Max. Capture Resolution: 2160p60 HDR / 1440p120 / 1080p240
  • Recorded Quality: 150 Mbps default @2160p60; up to 240 Mbps is possible
  • MSRP: US$299.99
Live Gamer ULTRA (GC553)
  • For Pros and Aspiring Pros: AVerMedia’s intermediate capture card, designed to work well with both laptops and desktop gaming PCs and equipped with onboard video processing to lighten the CPU load
  • Laptop-friendly Form Factor with Ultra Low Latency: USB 3.1 (Gen 1) Type-C interface
  • Supports HDR Passthrough: Play and view 4K HDR gameplay while capturing at 4Kp30; other cards force you to turn off HDR before capturing
  • Max. Pass-Through Resolution: 2160p60 HDR / 1440p144 / 1080p240
  • Max. Capture Resolution: 2160p30 / 1440p60 / 1080p120
  • Recorded Quality: 150 Mbps default @2160p30; up to 240 Mbps is possible
  • MSRP: US$249.99

Haimrik Review: Combining Words and Violence

by Jason Parker (Ragachak)

Haimrik - Story

What a beauty, huh?

I remember it like it was interesting. . . 

I first found Haimrik quite by accident. I was covering Pax South 2017 and in one of the booths I stopped at because I had free time, I stumbled upon a puzzle/RPG where words, and how you use them matter. It’s a real zero-to-hero sort of tale, it’s Lester the Unlikely, but amazing and more of a puzzle RPG. I absolutely fell in love with this game for so many reasons, and have been direly waiting for it to come out. This is a game that, outside of its ridiculous, overdone gore, could be used as a real teaching tool. The gore personally doesn’t bother me, but the game uses a very muted color palette. The greys, blues, and sepia really make the red of a destroyed body significantly stands out. It’s very over-the-top, so I think it shouldn’t really upset children or adults, but you never know these days. “But how is Haimrik a teaching tool?” I hear you asking, and my response is, “Well if you’d hold on a minute, I’ll tell you! Jeez”! Let’s talk about what Haimrik does.

Haimrik - Puzzle

I blew myself up so many times on this stage…

As the story unfolds, the story is written (literally) under Haimrik’s feet, so as you walk to the right, you’ll see the images of what’s going on for the cutscenes, and these can also be interacted with in vague but fun ways. This is a game that just uses a keyboard, but I’d love to play with a controller. Using the “S” key, certain words when going through a stage can be interacted with. In the space under Haimrik’s feet, the story of that particular area is visible, so you can determine which words are possible weapons/tools. A prime example is early on when you first enter the Book World, and there’s a stage (seen above) where you can pick up a sword, a torch, a barrel, and gunpowder. Going too far over will trigger the guards, so you have to figure out which of these is the best way to fight. Do you just grab the sword and fight? Do you try triggering the fireworks (also on this stage)? Well, they do nothing. So it’s either make a fireworks barrel or fight with the sword. Your jump isn’t so great, so you can’t just leap over either. You do take damage though – When your name runs out of blood/red coloring, you die. The same goes for bosses at least. You can see clearly how low on health they are.

Haimrik - QTE

Sometimes I died on an area, just to learn how it works to help me get through it faster next time.

The best solution is to get the barrel, gunpowder, torch, and run down to where the knights are, and throw the barrel. Since I couldn’t figure out how to throw a held item, it took me a few moments. You hurl the barrel at the knights and they explode into a bright, crimson gorefest. That’s why this game is so important: You really need to read everything, whether you’re being chased by an ice monster, fighting an evil wizard, or simply walking slowly through a castle. It’s not always right in order, so you should take a moment to read and really think about what’s going on. In so many RPGs, you skip over the dialogue/story because it isn’t often important to the actual gameplay, but in Haimrik, the words are the gameplay. It’s not a game that requires you to read insanely fast (but it does help), but even the bosses need you to act and think fast, activating the right words, and doing what it takes to survive and thrive as a Word Warrior. You, as Haimrik, wind up activating a strange leather tome, so an evil wizard cannot use it. You are the chosen one, the Word Warrior. The cast of characters is fascinating, from Haimrik’s mom, who insists you must always be good and kind, to the buxom innkeeper who lends Haimrik a room in her basement, to the mighty lioness that he rides about on, everything and everyone in this game matters.

Haimrik - ZAP

ZAP!

The boss battles are infrequent but challenging. Nothing about this game feels impossible or overwhelming, and while combat is far from engaging, that’s not what we’re here for. The world is alive, the characters and story are both well written. Haimrik as a game is very entertaining, and I found myself laughing even in the face of adversity and pain, as the Lioness considers Haimrik’s regenerating hand as an infinite source of meat. There are times it can be frustrating if you’re not really sure what to do because the game doesn’t have any form of notation on what buttons do what. You just have to pay attention when it’s taught and hope for the best! Luckily it’s not a ton of buttons you need to know. The only weakness to the game is that Haimrik himself is not very interesting, and the music, while nice at first, kind of wears on me after a while. But the visual aesthetic and the actual gameplay is what really makes this shine.

The Will and the Word: 4/5

Haimrik - Violence

The violence is always over-the-top, but still lovely.

I think what really enchanted me about this the most is its possibility as a tool to help teach the importance of reading comprehension and critical thinking. Sure, the game has some pretty ugly violent spots, but so do most of my favorite fantasy books, and I read them at an early age too. I think it’s fascinating and fun, and I’m a sucker for a good puzzle and a story well told. When I was a kid, this is something I kind of wanted, minus the constant turning into a pile of blood and bones; no, I just wanted my words to hold some kind of power or sway, and in a way, I suppose that has ultimately happened. I adore Haimrik, and I think everyone who loves puzzles, RPGs, ridiculous humor and amazing art will find something here. From the wobble of certain body parts to Haimriks’clear distressed features anytime he does more than walk at a normal pace is a treasure.

 

Sci-Fi Sandbox Survival ‘Dig or Die’ Announces Release Date

Gaddy Games have announced that their Terraria-inspired sandbox strategy title Dig or Die will have its final version released on Steam as of July 10th, 2018. Inspired by Terraria and Starbound, but with its own look, it offers a defense building system and a sci-fi universe to explore with a real objective for the player to pursue. It’s been in development for three years, and achieved an average of 91% positive reviews on Steam and will go on sale for 11.99. You play as a member of CRAFT & Co, and your latest contract is to accumulate resources in order to build a spaceship and get your way home. But when daylight fades away, horrific monsters will come out of hiding to clear you out of their domina. So it’s up to you to build up a defense, erect barricades and turrets to protect your holding from enemies.

“Dig or Die has received an incredible feedback from the community since we launched the Early Access. It has now scored an average of 91% positive user reviews out of 2430 total, and has sold over 160000 units on Steam. I’m so grateful to all the early adopters. They have made my indie developer dream come true, and I am looking forward to hear back from the fans at launch onJuly 10“, says Nicolas Gadenne, founder of Gaddy Games.

Life is Strange 2 Is Coming in September

The story continues on September 27th, 2018 – Life is Strange 2 will be coming to Xbox One, Playstation 4, and Windows PC at this time. But before that, The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit is a narrative demo will be 100% free on June 26th, 2018 and will link to Life is Strange 2. Life is Strange 2 will also have a brand-new 5-episode story, bringing the award-winning narrative adventure back once again.

New GUNDAM BREAKER – Launch Trailer

Bandai Namco has announced today that New Gundam Breaker has come to life in the west, bringing decades of GUNPLA (Model Gundam Building) to life, letting fans to build mobile suits from an endless supply of parts and take them into battle to destroy their foes. It’s an exciting title to have come to the West, and Gundam fans can create the GUNPLA of their dreams and take them into single player or 3v3 online co-op battles. Only the best mobile suit builders and pilots stand a chance at destroying their enemies, collecting additional parts, and using the spoils of battle to create stronger and deadlier mobile suits.

GUNDAM and the art of building plastic model kits based on this storied franchise have been alive and well for decades, and now with NEW GUNDAM BREAKER, we’re offering GUNDAM fans in the Americas an unprecedented way to construct, interact, and enjoy their mobile suit creations,” said Eric Hartness, Vice President of Marketing at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. “We look forward to seeing players let their creativity run wild when building their custom mobile suits in NEW GUNDAM BREAKER and the fierce battles that will surely follow.”

Nintendo Switch News – Week of 6/22/2018

by Jason Parker (Ragachak)

So last week I missed this news piece because there simply wasn’t all that much going on, and I was getting set to take a weekend away from the Internet (which was frankly, pretty nice). But I’m back, and I do have a few things I want to point out to you guys. One of the biggest is that Dragon Ball FighterZ is going to be officially coming to the Nintendo Switch on September 28th, 2018. While it is coming a little late compared to the Playstation 4, Xbox One and Steam versions, it will come with a little something extra. An exclusive Nintendo Switch pre-order offer is that it will come with the Japanese classic Dragon Ball Z game, “Dragon Ball Z: Super Butoden”. Butoden, legit, in America?! God IS good all of the time. I’ve played Butoden but never seen a legit copy, and so this is a pretty big deal to me. It will also come with early access to SSGSS Goku & Vegeta, instead of having to buy/grind for them (which is quite tedious).

There’s another title coming a little sooner that I’m also pretty excited for: action-RPG Victor Vran: Overkill Edition! It’s coming to the Switch on August 28th, 2018. I have yet to play Victor Vran, but I’ve covered it previously here a number of times. It will also have two-player co-op (local) and four-player online co-op and will also come with two expansions:  Motörhead: Through the Ages and Fractured Worlds. It looks like an action-packed time and perhaps when it comes to the Switch I’ll be reviewing it right here! So stay tuned and see for yourself. It will be coming for the suggested retail price of 39.99. So an ARPG for 40 bucks with all the DLC and lots of awesome demon-slaying and sick Motorhead metal? I’m sold. So let’s get started!


Lost in Harmony (June 21st): Playdius and DigixArt Entertainment ported their mobile musical adventure/runner title, Lost in Harmony to the Nintendo Switch. It focuses on destiny and desire, and you play as two characters. There’s Kaito’s Adventure which features Kaito and Aya, and also includes a bonus companion adventure in M.I.R>A.I.’s Escape, where players take an unforgettable journey through the universe. It combines rhythm tapping with the Joy-Con/Touch-Screen functionality and has a terrific soundtrack, featuring artists like Wyclef Jean, Roc Chen, Borislav Slavov, Xlix (and is also available to be purchased online). It looks like a lot of fun, and if you’re into runner/rhythm games, it could very well be for you! (6.99)


Pode (June 21st): Henchman & Goon have offered up an adorable co-op exploration title in the form of Pode, which is now live on the Switch. Couch co-op is something I often worry is dying, but Pode brings it right back where it belongs: on the couch. In Pode, a rock and a fallen star work together to use their unique powers and abilities to solve puzzles. It emphasizes friendship and cooperation as this unlikely pair wanders through a gorgeous, mystical land. This is one of the titles announced in the Nindies announced this year on Nintendo Direct and is visually inspired by Norwegian Art and Culture as well as a soundtrack from Grammy-nominated (and two-time BAFTA winner) Austin Wintory. (24.99)

Mario Tennis Aces (June 22nd): Okay, confession time, here’s what I’ve got. I have never given a Mario Tennis game a shot. But I have to say, this one looks pretty exciting, and everyone I’ve talked to virtually is pumped for Mario Aces. Familiar, iconic Mario universe characters team up to do battle in tennis. It’s a pretty simple concept, but it’s done with that Mario flair that only Nintendo has captured. And you know what people really love about it? Walugi was not forgotten. Smash may have neglected the second most Mario character (Luigi is number one, don’t @ me, Internet nerds), but Mario Tennis Aces didn’t, and boy is he fabulous. Fans of Mario sports games, fans of Tennis or even just fans of Mario/Mario party games ought to give this a swing. (59.99)

Oblivia: The Lost city

Oblivia: The Lost City is a F2P 3D MMORPG incorporating both sci-fi and fantasy elements for a creatively themed auto-pathing beat-em-up. Effortlessly cut your way through the world exploring story beats, grinding levels, and picking up a variety of valuable loot. Available in the browser.

Features:

Posting Up: Brawl through wave after wave of bad guys bringing out the powerful ult when their forces start to overwhelm you.

Domo Arigato: Casually make progress with the auto-path and auto-combat mechanics.

Mix it Up: Discover a world of familiar fantasy mixed with the exciting unknown of near-future technology.

Ancestor’s Legacy Brings A Handful of New Content

Ancestor’s Legacy is a history-inspired squad-based real-time strategy and as it has been out for a month, Destructive Creations have offered their plans for future improvements and expansion of the title. Their plan is to offer an enhanced player experience alongside more content. There is a free demo that’s available to everyone to get a feel of the single-player campaign to get a feel for the game. Though it has been around for a while, this gives the first Slavic mission that introduces the prince Miezko and his desire to unite the Slavic tribes. Ancestor’s Legacy will also be a part of the Steam Summer Sale, so it’s a great way to get a trial of the game and if you like it, get it for cheaper. There is a lot on the way for Ancestor’s Legacy, and below we have a Development Roadmap Stream that goes into great detail on what is to come.