Yearly Archives: 2019

Everspace 2 Begins Kickstarter Campaign Today

Everspace 2 Kickstarter

EVERSPACE 2, revealed at Gamescom 2019, has officially begun its Kickstarter today, with a financing goal of 450,000 EUR (493,000 USD). Set to end on November 4th, 2019, the full release is scheduled for the second half of 2021, on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Those interested in donating can do so at this link.

The official successor to the original Everspace, they are aiming for it to surpass its predecessor in both quality and scope. Instead of being more of a roguelike, Everspace 2 will be an open-world game, that also combines classic RPG elements and extended storytelling. The story of EVERSPACE 2 continues from its successful predecessor. As one of the surviving clone pilots, the player is faced with the remnants of his past: the cloning program has been canceled, the colonial authorities have placed a bounty on him, and now that dying means the ultimate death the search for the meaning of life suddenly takes on new importance.

To ensure the narrative quality of the 20+ hours campaign, with countless side missions, ROCKFISH Games is working with creative minds such as Joshua Rubin, who has been involved in AAA productions such as Destiny, Assassin’s Creed II, and The Walking Dead. Streamline Studios and Volta will also be involved as external development partners.

Yes, Your Grace Revealed for 2020 Release

No More Robots announced the next major publishing project, and it’s Brave at Night’s Yes, Your Grace, which is a medieval kingdom management sim. They are aiming at bringing the narrative-driven management game to PC and consoles in 2020. Inspired by Slavic folklore, monsters and arcane practices are just a part of everyday life. As King, it’s up to you to talking villagers through everyday life, whether it’s monster attacks or a lack of places to relax.

Some will bring humor to your throne room, and some will present you with difficult choices. Your family is important too, and throughout your time as King, you will have to support them in their struggles. As the King, you will be tasked with the following:

• Listening to petitioners each turn and decide who needs your support
• Aiding your family with their personal problems and decide upon their fate
• Hiring Generals, Witches and Hunters to aid your efforts
• Making alliances by satisfying the whims of lords and kings
• Following the stories of the quirky, determined characters that visit your halls

A public beta is on the way, and players can sign up for it via the Yes, Your Grace Discord. For those attending EGX in London, it will be shown publically there, for the very first time.

One Gamer Fund Brings Industry Together for Third Annual Fundraiser Event

Press Release:

onegamerfund.org

One Gamer Fund, an initiative committed to supporting AbleGamers, Child’s Play, Games for Change, Global Game Jam, IGDA Foundation, Stack-Up and Take This, is for the third year in a row offering an annual Steam sale and, for the first time, holding a 24-hour livestream benefiting seven of the most significant video game charities. More information can be found here.

Forty-one titles on sale include tinyBuild’s Hello Neighbor and Clustertruck, Double Fine’s Psychonauts and Grim Fandango Remastered, Gang Beasts, and Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes. Each title is on sale from 10:00 a.m. PT today through Oct. 6 with discounts up to 84% off.

Charity streams by channels including Raeyei, tvgBadger and Jenosuke will grace the Twitch front page during the steam sale. Viewers will have opportunities to contribute during the streams, but anyone can donate directly to the fund via the One Gamer Fund PayPal widget. For more information, see the full Twitch schedule.

Fifty percent of proceeds from the One Gamer Fund Steam sale will be divided amongst the supported organizations, with the other half going to the developers and publishers. The full amount of donations via streams and PayPal will be split amongst the nonprofits, which will use the money received to help their charitable endeavors.

Jo Summers, executive producer, Global Game Jam discussed the One Gamer Fund:

“As gaming spreads to more people, so too do the benefits games provide. One Gamer Fund offers near endless possibilities for helping with mental health, bringing marginalized communities together, and much more. Each of the organizations benefiting from One Gamer Fund are working to make the industry and the world better, and it’s the generosity of gamers everywhere that fuels the good work these charities can do.”

Hades Early Access Review

By Jaime Skelton (MissyS)

Long is the way
And hard, that out of hell leads up to light.
-JOHN MILTON, Paradise Lost

It isn’t often that I get to channel my love for literature and mythology. I put my English degree aspirations behind me long ago, and I’ve been quite happy exploring the (relatively) young story-telling medium of video games. For better or worse, the stories of the past have rarely intersected with the modern video game narrative, and quite often, those intersections that do occur are narrow references meant to invoke a common symbolism. Sometimes, however, a new narrative emerges fused from the bones of the past. Enter Hades.

Hades Early Access ScreenshotHypnos will almost always greet you each time you return back home.

No, I’m not wishing you to literally go to hell – I’m referring to Supergiant Games’ Hades, an action-RPG currently in Early Access. Oddly, as much as I have adored the style and gameplay of Supergiant’s other titles (Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre), I wasn’t “fan enough” to see Hades until Terris (NWOrpheus) pointed it out as a game we should cover. And with the busy work schedule I have here, it’s rare that I have a chance to pick up a game to look at myself. I’m glad I sniped this one from under our other writers, though, because Hades has been an unexpected delight.

The invisible depth of Tartaros presseth thee down with iron chains of necessity.
-Pindar, Fragment 207 (trans. Sandys)

The premise of Hades is that Prince Zagreus, son of Hades, is seeking to escape the underworld against the wishes of his father. As “Zag,” the player must attempt to break through four biome regions, fighting off fiends in twisting passages to seek freedom. On his journey, Zagreus is aided by many Olympians (eight total, at the time of this preview) who grant ‘boons’ to strengthen the Prince and bolster his chances.

Hades is a rogue-like (or rogue-lite, depending on how you define these terms): defeat proves a true set-back, not just an inconvenience. After “dying” (though not in the true sense of the word), Zagreus will be sent back to his father’s chambers to restrategize and begin the journey again. This also resets boons and obol (the game’s common coin currency); however, the Prince retains Skeleton Keys and Darkness, which can be used to unlock permanent perks and weapons. I’ll reiterate: there is no save state that will let the player zip to their furthest unlocked location. The journey must resume from the first step into Tartarus.

Combat can be very intense. Controllers are recommended.

There are four biomes of the Underworld to challenge Zagreus, each requiring a set number of ‘chambers’ before reaching the final boss. Here, too, are rogue-like elements: each room is randomly selected, creating a unique map on each journey. In order to pass from room to room, players must defeat all waves of enemies or complete other special room conditions. When complete, at least one door will open. Each door has a floating orb in it that indicates what’s ahead in the next room: a helpful clue, as sometimes you must choose between multiple doors to set your path.

… an artifact of metal and of flame so dreadful that the gods themselves abandoned it once their fell work was done…
-Codex on the Adamant Rail

Prince Zagreus begins his journey with only one weapon: Stygius, Blade of the Underworld (a two-handed sword). Four more weapons can be unlocked with Skeleton Keys: Coronacht, the Heart-Seeker (a bow); Aegis, Shield of Chaos; Varatha, the Eternal Spear; and Exagryph, Rail of Adamant (yes, a rail gun). Each of these weapons has their own style, with unique attacks; rather than lecture you on the specifics, I’ll instead review how weapons work in general.

Each weapon has at least two attacks: a regular ‘Attack’ and a ‘Special’ attack. Attacks are executed by clicking — or holding — the primary attack button and offer basic damage. Some Attacks are split into two: the Blade and Spear both have a point-blank AoE attack, and the Shield has a ‘Bull Rush’ that is an aimed charge attack; the Bow offers a critical shot when timed right with a flash on screen. The Special Attack is accessed on a different button, and differs per weapon, from weapon throws to grenade tossing; it is usually on a small cooldown.

A sped-up demo of the current five weapons, in order of unlock.

Whichever weapon you choose, you’ll be stuck with until you’re defeated and start a new run. Thankfully, there’s a dummy you can practice on right before you head out into Tartarus. My personal favorite? The Shield, which lacks a strong basic attack but has incredible deflection capability.

Also of note regarding weapons: One of the possible rewards you can find is the Daedalus Hammer, which will offer weapon-specific upgrades. These can significantly change the playstyle during your run, especially combined with the Olympian Boons. In my opinion, using one of these is a real essential gamechanger to make it to the final stages.

Hades Early Access ScreenshotThe hammer can provide serious improvements to your game.Always pick it up.

Though not weapons, there are two more combat actions that are important to learn and utilize. The first of these is the Dash, an activated rush in the direction Zagreus is facing, which can be used both defensively (to dodge) and offensively (to rush or perform a dash attack). The second is the Cast, a limited crystal attack that does some damage unenhanced, but which can be greatly affected by boons.

O various-formed, from whom all natures spring; propitious hear my prayer, give blameless health, with peace divine, and necessary wealth.
Orphic Hymn 15 to Zeus (trans. Taylor)

If you’ve ever played The Binding of Isaac, you’re already familiar with the Boon system. In Isaac, the player will encounter random items which will change key factors about their attacks, stats, and other gameplay features. The boons of the Olympian Gods of Hades are similar, though more moderated and a thousand percent clearer on what they do. The trick is to learn each god’s theme, and plan accordingly around the options you’re presented.

Starting in the first chamber of Tartarus, and as a possible reward in each chamber after, Zagreus will encounter floating orbs containing the symbol of one of the eight Olympians. On interacting with it, the God will offer a choice between three boons. These boons have their own rarity scale, meaning you might find common boons or legendary ones. Each God has a theme that stays obvious to their nature: for example, Zeus’s boons focus on lightning, Hermes’ focus on speed, and Ares on pure damage. Particle effects are added based on the God and boon’s effect. Each God also has a focus on certain status effects that either enhance Zagreus or debuff his enemies.

Hades Early Access ScreenshotThis duo is between Artemis and Aphrodite – after the latter teased the former, of course.

There is a wide variety of boons between the Gods, but most fall in the category of enhancing your Attack, Special, Cast, or Dash. A few boons will enhance Zagreus directly by boosting damage or speed, for example. Finally, there is the rare Call boon: an unlockable action which calls upon the God to offer a very powerful (and short-lived) boost during combat. The Call has its own meter which is filled during combat, and is best saved for bosses or otherwise dangerous situations.

Boons can be enhanced by revisiting a God and choosing the same boon option, upgrading that existing boon. Many boons are ‘slotted;’ that is, Zagreus can only have one of their type (the Call is one such example). If a similar boon is chosen, it will replace the previous ‘slotted’ boon, allowing you to change your options to something better suited (if you’re so lucky). Some boons can only be unlocked after obtaining previous boons from the same God. And even more curiously: the Gods you interact with on each run may interact with each other and offer you a ‘Duo’ boon, which combines their themes in a powerful way.

The Master of the Heavens, god among gods; so much of my mortal life was impacted by him. And now, even in death, I serve his brother.
-Codex entry on Zeus

Hades has a story. That reads as a pretty weak, boring statement to put in this article, unless you’ve played a rogue-like before. The thing is, they don’t really have a story. They have settings, and characters, and tidbits of lore, but nothing that really comes together as a cohesive story. At least, nothing like what I’ve found in Hades.

Hades Early Access ScreenshotOh, narrator…

I’ve already laid the story premise open, but it’s just the beginning. At certain milestones, you will encounter short story events that further the plot of Zagreus’ escape. That’s fairly standard. However, there are over two dozen characters and most of them, Zagreus has a measurable, changing relationship with, depending on how often he has spoken with them and how often he has given them a gift (Ambrosia). But most impressively: each interaction Zagreus has with other characters and the environment is responsive to all of these factors.

The end result is that Hades, in terms of story and setting, almost feels more like an in-depth RPG than it does a rogue-like. Zagreus will overhear conversations between other characters, speak with NPCs in ways that reflect his other relationships, escape progress, recent boss and god interactions, and more. Oh, and most importantly: you can pet the dog.

Hades Cereberus Pets

Here is the place, where the road parts : there to the right, as it runs under the walls of great Dis [Haides], is our way to Elysium, but the left wreaks the punishment of the wicked, and send them on to pitiless Tartarus.
-Virgil, Aeneid 6. 530 ff

With all of that said, there is still so much more depth to Hades that I haven’t covered: Artifacts, the Codex, Charon, Heat and Toil, Chaos, challenges, hidden characters, collectables, secret lore hidden in the game’s files. With over eight hours spent so far, I’ve yet to bust through to the fourth biome or make my escape. All of this with the polish of a completed game, and the style Supergiant is known for.

And here’s the final crazy thing: Hades is still in Early Access, and it’s still not done. While a launch is slated for 2020, Supergiant is planning another major update in less than two weeks from this article’s date. They have an extensive roadmap that includes addressing replayability and resources at end game, tweaking game balance, adding a new weapon, and adding more story, at the least.

Hades Early Access ScreenshotChaos offers boons of a … different sort. Let’s just say they come with a cost.

So I’ll be honest here: I haven’t felt this enthusiastic about a rogue-like since Binding of Isaac (which I’ve retired from for a couple of years now). Hades offers an experience beyond what I’d expect, and I can only hope that its next few updates continue to satisfy long-term playability – because I can assure you, I’ll be logging plenty of hours in the months to come.

Note: A game key was provided for preview purposes.

Classic quotes as presented on the Theoi Project

Hades Early Access Screenshots:

Dear Esther Now Available for iOS and iPadOS

Dear Esther iOS iPad launch

Dear Esther, by The Chinese Room, is an acclaimed first-person narrative adventure, and it’s now available on iOS and iPadOS devices in the App Store. For 4.99, this mobile version offers a new away to play this award-winning experience.

Dear Esther asks the player to explore the mysterious windswept coastline and shimmering caves of a dreamlike Hebridean isle. Beginning with an unnamed narrator uttering fragments from a letter addressed “Dear Esther”, players must make sense of peculiar markings on the walls, strange machine parts, and eerie, otherworldly sightings.

Gary Dunn, Managing Director of Sumo Digital discussed the release:

“Dear Esther is a timeless example of pushing the boundaries of video games as a storytelling medium. It’s fitting that this incredible game represents Sumo Digital continuing to push beyond what we’re known for. We look forward to The Chinese Room’s next game, Little Orpheus, coming in spring 2020.”

Green Hell Announces Post-Release Plans In New Roadmap

Green Hell Roadmap

Green Hell launched its 1.0 update/full launch only a month ago, and already they are looking to the future, for updates coming in 2019 and 2020. The depths of the Amazon have many dangers, and there are some pretty ambitious updates on the way for the future. Co-Op Mode is planned for late 2019 or sometime in 2020, and Creepy Jar is taking plenty of time to make sure that this update is perfect.

Greater details will be offered in the future. There is also work going into updates for plant cultivation and expanded shelters. Even more exciting, console players will have their day in the jungle when Green Hell launches on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2020.

Dragon Quest I-III – Nintendo Switch Remake Review

by Jason Parker (Ragachak)

Dragon Quest Review

It all began here.

When Dragon Quest I-III was announced, initially it was a Japan-only announcement. This reveal took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions. I was disappointed, but then a physical edition was revealed with English menus! Joy replaced that despair, but then I realized I’d have to import. A new low bottomed out my emotions, but then the North American announcement came! That’s right, Dragon Quest I-III were on the way to the Nintendo Switch, and sooner than I thought! Now I won’t lie to you, friends. I was expecting and hoping for the Super Famicom remakes of DQ I-III because those were gorgeous. I perhaps assumed this because  DQXI also getting a 16-bit/2D mode. While I was initially let down that they were, in fact, mobile ports, I got over that quickly enough.

Most of you probably know by now that Dragon Quest, as far as actual franchises go, is my favorite. It takes the cake over Final Fantasy by a country mile. I love EarthBound as my favorite single game, but you never forget your first: Dragon Warrior 1. It made my blood boil with anger, as it does to this day, but the quality of the games is second to none. Unfortunately, I will not beat all of these by the time I review them, and that’s okay. I already know what to expect. Most of my time has been focused on Dragon Quest I and III because those are the ones I love the most. But I have put in time with all three of the games.

Dragon Quest Review 2

Honestly? This doesn’t look so bad.

These are the mobile ports of the games, for all the good and bad that comes with that. That means visually, you may not be a fan of these. Personally, it feels the worst on DQ1, because the Hero sprite is so damn huge. It makes things look clunky and awkward. The party sprites for DQ2 and DQ3 are smaller but still bigger than normal. They feel less frustrating to look at in Dragon Quest 3. I do miss the smaller enemy portraits from the original trilogy; they’re much larger in these releases, perhaps distractingly so. Most of my complaints about the trilogy are simply “I miss the way it was”. But at least unlike some of the other Square-Enix mobile ports, I like these. The Final Fantasy VI sprites looked like pure rubbish, let’s be honest. The art looks good, but still looks very much like a mobile port, so be advised.

Perhaps the biggest improvement from the NES release is the ability to basically Save State. At any time, you can set a save state and either keep playing or close and come back to it. In the traditional Dragon Quest games (at least these), you could only save when talking to a King in the world. This made the games incredibly frustrating. You had to walk a million miles if you didn’t have a “Wing of Wyvern/Chimera’s Wing” to teleport you back. At least Dragon Quest III had a teleport spell. Being able to save state lets you take more risks, and more importantly, it makes the money grind in Dragon Quest III exceptionally better. When you get to the monster battle gambling, you can save state, place your bet, and if it fails?

Dragon Quest Review 3

GAMBLIIIIIIIING!

Reset and start where you were! Another important change is that your allies will act on their own, but you can change their tactics to decide what they do at least. This was probably done to speed up gameplay on your mobile device, but thankfully the NPC AI tends to lean on the smarter side. Spellcasters are a bit greedy with their casting and don’t appear to use items, but other than that, they’re pretty great. If you need multiple people to use items or fighting major bosses, I’d control them manually. When you’re grinding and exploring, there’s no real harm in it.

Worth the Buy? 3.5/5:

Dragon Quest Review 4

It’s time to throw down with the forces of evil, on the go no less!

I love these games, and the visual style, while not what I wanted, is what I expected. It’s still good, the music still sounds fantastic, and all of the intensity and difficulty you remember is here. If you missed out on the original, and want to know what the fuss is about, I highly recommend them. Since they are sold separately, my personal recommendation is Dragon Quest III, but if you can get them all, they’re still worth it. DQI gives you one hero, DQII has a trio, and DQIII lets you have the hero and three customizable allies (with more that can wait in the wings to replace them). Dragon Quest III has the longest playtime, the most secrets to find, and just has so much depth for an NES RPG. There are secrets, from the Sage to evolving Goof-Offs, hidden items, and so much more. I cannot possibly say enough good things about Dragon Quest, and while I was initially put off by the visual style, ultimately, the gameplay was still great. It didn’t re-use a hideous mobile overlay, and that’s important too.

WHAT THE GOLF?

WHAT THE GOLF? is a 3D physics-based golf parody game featuring a unique set of mechanics on a stage-by-stage basis.

Business Model: Buy-to-Play

Microtransactions: No

Key Features:

FORE!: Take a swing at a golfball or perhaps a horse, house, or car.

Get My 9 Iron: Go up against big bads in epic fights filled with over-the-top surprises.

Cross Country Caddy: Explore a a world of silly humor, know-nothing golf, and impossible to predict scenarios.