Archive - 2017

Sodesco and 1C Team Up for Shiny and Blackhole

Rotterdam, The Netherlands – 14 August 2017 – Publishers SOEDESCO and 1C Company are excited to announce their cooperation. The first project in this cooperation aims to release boxed editions of award-winning hardcore sci-fi platformer Blackhole and non-violent sci-fi platformer Shiny to PlayStation®4 and Xbox One, with more titles expected in the future. The two games can be found in stores in early 2018.

About Blackhole
Blackhole is a hardcore sci-fi platformer made by FiolaSoft Studio. The game revolves around a spaceship which crashes on Entity, an unidentified object resembling a planet. The player takes on the role of the coffee guy of the crew, who wakes up all alone after the crash. The player’s only company is Auriel, the ship’s computer’s sarcastic A.I. Together, they need to fix the spaceship, save all the others and become heroes of planet Earth, while mysterious caves, lost cities, towering mountains and deep forest full of tricky, gravity defying puzzles and deadly traps stand in their way.

About Shiny
Shiny is non-violent family friendly sci-fi platformer made by Garage 227. Players play as robot Kramer 227, who has to find a way to harvest energy and rescue its robotic friends before the doomed planet of Aurora crashes into its sun. On their journey, players need to overcome obstacles and manage their energy levels to power themselves and their friends on their way to safety.

We’re glad 1C Company has put their trust in our skills.” Says Hans van Brakel, Executive Manager at SOEDESCO. “With our expertise in boxed games and their outstanding marketing and public relations support, we think this will be a long-standing cooperation.”

Nikolay Baryshnikov, VP Interactive Entertainment 1C Company, says about the partnership: “We’re happy to be teaming up with SOEDESCO for these two titles, because we realize that there are still players preferring boxed editions of games. We hope this cooperation will continue in the future.”

John Carpenter’s Tales Of Science Fiction Review – The Vault (Issue One Of Three)

John Carpenter has long been a household name for things that go bump in the night, and his work has had a huge impact on the world of horror entertainment. From video games to films to comics and more, you would be hard-pressed to find a modern piece of horror entertainment that doesn’t somehow borrow something from a John Carpenter film.  From a silent, knife-wielding man wearing a bleached out William Shatner mask to fog-roaming undead pirates to crashed alien organisms which assimilate other life forms. John Carpenter has always been incredible at making horror seem real, no matter the source.  Now, this “Master of Horror” has set his sights on a new medium: comic books. Thanks to the publisher, we have the pleasure of reviewing Tales Of Science Fiction – The Vault (Episode 1 of 3).

Everything Has A Beginning:

We have often looked to the stars to ask if we were alone. Many times in science fiction, once that question gets answered with a close encounter, we find that we might have been better off not asking in the first place. That is kind of the running theme in John Carpenter’s Tales of Science Fiction – The Vault.  It begins with a very Alien kind of vibe, an old helium-3 collecting freighter gets a new set of co-ordinates that take it into the dark side of the moon where a massively large and apparently derelict ship floats, looking much like the smooth dome rim of an HR.Geiger alien with little pieces broken off and afloat, a foreboding sight for a bunch of space miners.  They board the vessel which has an Earth name “Vault” and printed above the entrance is a quote from Dickinson (which is often a bad sign) “The spreading wide my narrow hands to gather paradise”.

What commences is a definite teaser into what can be expected in the other two issues and one could easily conclude it will end with a few less crewman than they started with.  Carpenter is no stranger to the otherworldly “Things” and he makes sure you know this won’t be pure science fiction but rather science fiction with his bread and butter: fear and blood. The comic is drawn wonderfully and features a lot of eye-catching visuals. Its story is great and it really is a John Carpenter film in comic book form.

I only hope that some of these characters will survive this trilogy! With Carpenter’s work, you never really can tell and that makes reading this book an absolute joy for a horror and sci-fi fan such as myself.

Left Wanting More:

It is hard to do a review on a series of movies, games, and especially comics off of the first section.  “John Carpenter’s Tales Of Science Fiction – The Vault” has been added to my box at the local comic book store because the beginning dug hooks into me and I have to see what happens in The Vault and the tales to come. For now, I will say that if you are a fan of John Carpenter, science fiction, or horror you will love this comic book. Dig your heels in and get ready ’cause it’s going to be a great trilogy!


Tales Of Science Fiction – The Vault (Episode 1 of 3) Review Score

[mks_icon icon=”icon-rocket” color=”#dd1313″ type=”sl”][mks_icon icon=”icon-rocket” color=”#dd1313″ type=”sl”][mks_icon icon=”icon-rocket” color=”#dd1313″ type=”sl”][mks_icon icon=”icon-rocket” color=”#dd1313″ type=”sl”][mks_icon icon=”icon-rocket” color=”#dd1313″ type=”sl”] (5 out of 5 rocketships)


 

Conan Exiles Announces Pricing and Xbox One Gameplay Video

Oslo, Norway – August 11th, 2017 – Only five days to go! On August 16thConan Exiles comes crushing onto the Xbox One platform as it finally enters Game Preview (the equivalent of Early Access on PC). Included on day one is also the brand new free expansion update The Frozen North which introduces tons of new content, features, and expands the game world by 70%. This release marks the start of the second phase of Conan Exiles’ Early Access phase.

Funcom today also revealed the price point for Conan Exiles on Xbox Game Preview: 34.99 USD. The game is currently available in 39 countries with pricing customized across various currencies. The price point will increase once Conan Exiles leaves Game Preview on Xbox One and Early Access on PC and launches in full in Q1 2018.

“We are thrilled to be opening up the gates of Conan Exiles to gamers on Xbox One,” says Funcom Head of Games, Lawrence Poe. “This version of Conan Exiles benefits from the six months of content updates, improvements, and enhancements done to the PC version during our first phase of Early Access. The launch of Xbox Game Preview paired with the release of The Frozen North expansion update marks the beginning of the second phase of Early Access for us, and the game is now bigger and better than ever. There is still work to do before full launch, but we are on track and very excited about what the future holds for Conan Exiles.”

Since launching into PC Early Access on January 31 st 2017, the development team has been working tirelessly to introduce new content, improve mechanics, and eradicate bugs and exploits. The team has added siege weapons, a new dungeon, a dye system, new armor and weapons, new decorations, avatar defenses, new building pieces, and much more.

To dig deeper into the many additions and improvements made to Conan Exiles, players can visit www.conanexiles.com/updates for a full overview. They can also head over to www.conanexiles.com/thefrozennorth to read up on the upcoming free expansion update which will be available on both PC and Xbox One on August 16th.

You can learn more about Conan Exiles and see the latest updates from the developers on www.conanexiles.com.

Absolver Character Customization Trailer

August 11, 2017 – It’s a glorious Friday and to celebrate we’re sending over a nice little video for the upcoming Absolver from Sloclap and Devolver Digital. The video focuses on character creation, taking players through the details of the prospects and character set up – and how and why your clothes and equipment matter in Absolver. What you wear affects how you play.

Clothes can denote where you are from, and each item you equip has a specific weight and purpose. There are thousands of possible combinations: Players will have to choose what’s right for their combat style but be careful: You can lose items and equipment to a victor in battle or drop them in combat as well.

Indie Megabooth Announces PAX West 2017 Lineup

Seattle, WA – August 11, 2017 – Organizers of the Indie MEGABOOTH (IMB) have revealed the curated PAX West lineup, which will bring together 84 independently made games within its MEGABOOTH, MINIBOOTH, and TABLETOP areas. Like previous years, the massive IMB PAX West footprint – more than 5,700 square feet – will house an eclectic collection of indie titles ranging from PC to console to tabletop games from September 1-4, 2017 in the Washington State Convention Center.

Some of the titles and studios selected to participate in the Indie MEGABOOTH are entirely new, with some being playable to the public for the first time. A snapshot of some of the playable titles include: the recently unveiled UFO 50, collection of 50 retro-flavored games (developed by Mossmouth a super group of devs behind several acclaimed indie games such as SpelunkyDownwell, among others); Dunk Lords, a two-on-two basketball beat-’em-up by Andy Hull of Story Fort (lead programmer of Spelunky); Return of the Obra Dinn, the next game by Lucas Pope the creator of the critically acclaimed title Papers, Please; and Klei Entertainment’s action adventure title Hot Lava, which transports players back to their childhood imagination to relive those moments of excited, joy and chaos – but whatever you do… don’t touch the floor!

Additionally, Indie MEGABOOTH has partnered with the creators of Exploding Kittens, the hit card game and one of the biggest Kickstarter campaigns of all-time, to organize a pop-up Kitten Café named “Non-Exploding Kittens Room” that will double as a pet adoption and fundraiser for MEOW Cat Rescue, a local non-profit animal shelter. The “Non-Exploding Kittens Room” will be located in the ACT Theatre and is open to the public, not just PAX West badge holders.

Within the MEGABOOTH area on the show floor, there will be four different games featured in the TABLETOP each day of PAX West. All sixteen games that cycle through, will also be playable in the ACT Theatre throughout the entirely of PAX West.

Indie MEGABOOTH would like to thank this year’s returning sponsors PlayStation and ID@Xbox, as well as Unreal Engine, Oculus, and Intel for their continued support. With special thanks to Cards Against Humanity and Kickstarter for their Indie TABLETOP sponsorship.

For more information on the full lineup and access press assets for each game, please visit indiemegabooth.com. Be sure to follow Indie MEGABOOTH @IndieMEGABOOTH on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for live updates from the show floor, use the hashtag #IMBPAX to join the conversation.

The official lineup for the MEGABOOTH, MINIBOOTH, and TABLETOP areas are listed alphabetically by group and then title name below:

MEGABOOTH:

  1. Aegis Defenders (GUTS Department)
  2. At Sundown (Mild Beast Games)
  3. AWAY – Journey to the Unexpected (Playdius Entertainment)
  4. Blasters of the Universe (The Secret Location)
  5. Castle Story (Sauropod Studio)
  6. Children of Zodiarcs (Cardboard Utopia)
  7. Crest (Eat Create Sleep)
  8. Date or Die (Dev or Die)
  9. Dead Cells (Motion Twin)
  10. Dunk Lords (Story Fort, LLC)
  11. Eco (Strange Loop Games)
  12. Figment (Bedtime Digital Games)
  13. Fort Triumph (Fort Triumph Ltd.)
  14. Galaxy of Pen & Paper (Behold Studios)
  15. Heaven will be Mine (Pillow Fight / Worst Girls)
  16. Holy Potatoes! We’re in Space?! (Daylight Studios)
  17. Hot Lava (Klei Entertainment)
  18. Interfectorem (Girls Make Games)
  19. LEGRAND LEGACY: Tale of the Fatebounds (SEMISOFT)
  20. Midair (Archetype Studios)
  21. Monster Prom (Beautiful Glitch)
  22. MOTHERGUNSHIP (Terrible Posture Games, Grip Digital)
  23. Mystic Melee (Serenity Forge)
  24. Nidhogg 2 (Messhof)
  25. Nine Parchments (Frozenbyte)
  26. Obduction (Cyan Inc)
  27. Once Upon a Coma (Serenity Forge)
  28. Pikuniku (Sectordub ltd)
  29. Q.U.B.E. 2 (Toxic Games)
  30. Runner3 (Choice Provisions)
  31. SHU (Coatsink)
  32. Signal Decay (Nela System)
  33. Stifled (Gattai Games)
  34. Super Slime Arena (JellyTeam L.L.C.)
  35. The Church in the Darkness (Paranoid Productions)
  36. The Gardens Between (The Voxel Agents)
  37. The King’s Bird (Serenity Forge)
  38. Thimbleweed Park (Terrible Toybox, Inc.)
  39. TINY METAL (AREA 35, Inc.)
  40. Trailmakers (Flashbulb Games)
  41. UFO 50 (Mossmouth, LLC)
  42. Way of the Passive Fist (Household Games Inc.)
  43. West of Loathing (Asymmetric)

MINIBOOTH:

  1. A Case of Distrust (The Wandering Ben)
  2. A Duel Hand Disaster: Trackher (Ask An Enemy Studios)
  3. Cloudbase Prime (Floating Island Games)
  4. EarthNight (Cleaversoft)
  5. Emily is Away Too (Kyle Seeley)
  6. Exception (Traxmaster Software LLC)
  7. Keen (Cat Nigiri)
  8. Keyboard Sports (Triband)
  9. Lifeless Moon (Stage 2 Studios)
  10. Light Fingers (Numizmatic)
  11. LIGHTFIELD (Lost in the Garden)
  12. Mulaka (Lienzo)
  13. Phantom Brigade (Tetragon Works)
  14. Planetoid Pioneers (Data Realms)
  15. Putty Pals (Harmonious Games)
  16. Return of the Obra Dinn (3909 LLC)
  17. Russian Subway Dogs (Spooky Squid Games Inc.)
  18. Rusty Lake Paradise (Rusty Lake)
  19. Spartan Fist (Glass Bottom Games)
  20. SUPER IMPOSSIBLE ROAD (Wonderful Lasers Inc.)
  21. Tasukete Tako-San: Save me Mr Tako! (Christophe Galati)
  22. The First Tree (David Wehle)
  23. Tiny Bubbles (Pine Street Codeworks)
  24. Vidar (Razbury Games)

TABLETOP:

  1. Abandon Planet (Orange Machine Games)
  2. All or One (Robot High Five)
  3. By Order of the Queen (Junk Spirit Games)
  4. Complicated Boardgame the Card Game (Offcut Games)
  5. Cult Following: The One True Game (Bravely Told Games)
  6. Emergence: A Game of Teamwork and Deception (Emergence Team)
  7. Fantastic Factories (Fantastic Factories)
  8. H.E.A.D. Hunters (Gut Shot Games)
  9. Human Era (Lay Waste Games)
  10. Larklamp: Wisp in the Vale (Lumo Amuzo)
  11. Maximum Apocalypse (Rock Manor Games)
  12. Now Everyone Get the F%$# Out! (Starcap Games)
  13. Phoenix Covenant (Hikari Games)
  14. Race For The Galaxy (Temple Gates Games)
  15. Sarah’s Singularity (Wandering Monster Studios)
  16. Someone Has Died (Gather Round Games)
  17. Spaceteam (Timber & Bolt)
# # #
About Indie MEGABOOTH
Founded in 2011 as a passion project and for the love of indie games, the Indie MEGABOOTH made its debut at PAX East in 2012 and has seen incredible growth since. To date, the Indie MEGABOOTH has worked with more than 700 companies and studios across multiple showcases per year. Indie MEGABOOTH is best known for its curated showcase of independent games at major consumer gaming expos such as PAX West and PAX East, as well as showcases at professional industry events like the Game Developers Conference (GDC) and E3. Indie MEGABOOTH has also built an impressive global support network for the indie development community. In 2015, Indie MEGABOOTH joined forces with BitSummit organizers to assist in expanding the Kyoto based event into the largest and leading indie games festival in Japan. Later in 2015, Indie MEGABOOTH founder – Kelly Wallick – was named the new chairperson to the esteemed Independent Games Festival held annually at the GDC and continues to lead that community. In 2017, Indie MEGABOOTH announced a new stand-alone traveling event series that features local talent in a variety of creative mediums – games, music, art – and hosted the first indie MEGASHOW in Atlanta, GA. Games showcased through the Indie MEGABOOTH’s efforts have become top-selling indie titles. Press, fans, and industry members consistently highlight Indie MEGABOOTH as a must-see during events.

Sudden Strike 4 Launch Trailer

RIDGEWOOD, NJ (AUGUST 11, 2017) – The legendary World War II Real-Time-Strategy series Sudden Strike has returned! Kalypso Media is proud to announce that Sudden Strike 4 is now available digitally worldwide on Steam, with a North American retail and PlayStation® Store release to follow on August 15, 2017. The boxed retail edition for Windows PC, Mac, Linux and PlayStation®4 is also available today across Europe. Today marks the return of a beloved PC strategy series and a groundbreaking moment for PlayStation®4. For the first time in the series’ history, Sudden Strike has received a multi-platform release, positioning the game to become the definitive strategy experience available on consoles.

Sudden Strike 4 on Steam supports Windows PC, Mac and Linux platforms, and includes the ‘Battle of Kursk’ DLC, a digital artbook and a digital soundtrack. These bonuses are also available with the physical Day One Edition for Windows PC, Mac and Linux. The PlayStation®4 Day One Edition is complete with a digital artbook and digital soundtrack. Both versions of the Sudden Strike 4 Day One Edition feature reversible cover artwork designed by Games of Thrones artist Robert Simon

Valnir Rok New Screenshots

August 11, 2017 – Independent game developer encurio GmbH will begin the second phase of Closed Alpha testing on their upcoming online Viking survival roleplaying game – Valnir Rok – this weekend. Starting 6:00AM EST this Friday, August 11 through 12:00AM EST Monday, August 14 gamers who registered for Closed Alpha Test access at www.valnir.net will be able to explore the brutal online land steeped in Norse mythology.

For those that want to join the Viking horde, please visit the official Valnir Rok website and register today! The Closed Alpha Testing period is also subject to change dependent on the developers need for longer/shorter testing durations.

Also, if you’re planning to attend gamescom 2017 in Cologne, Germany starting August 22be sure to visit the Valnir Rok booth to meet the development team and play the latest version of the game. The Valnir Rok gamescom booth is located at Hall 10.1, E52.

EVGA Launches SC17 1080 G-SYNC Gaming Laptop

August 10th, 2017 – The EVGA SC17 1080 G-SYNC Gaming Laptop has arrived. Featuring a 4K-ready IPS panel with NVIDIA G-SYNC technology, this high performance laptop was meticulously crafted from the ground up for hardcore gamers, performance enthusiasts, and overclockers alike.

Breaking away from the conventional brick form factor, a unique in-house EVGA designed power supply delivers up to 240 watts of power when needed, without sacrificing function or aesthetics.

The SC17 1080 pairs an unlocked Intel Core i7 7820HK CPU with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 capable of being overclocked to offer the performance you always wanted from a gaming laptop.

With performance and overclocking in mind, the EVGA SC17 1080 G-SYNC Gaming Laptop features a BIOS with mouse function to give you complete control over all aspects of performance, voltage and advanced settings to customize your gaming machine. A Clear CMOS button directly on the chassis helps you recover from an unstable overclock, and custom fan curve control keeps your laptop cool and quiet. This is the world’s first TRUE overclocking laptop.

Featuring a sleek design – measuring under 1.30″ (in) at its thickest point – that includes  Thunderbolt connectivity, excellent sound, and a beautiful 4K 17″ display, the SC17 1080 is all the performance you need in a sleek and stylish package.

Key Features:

  • Aluminum Unibody Chassis (Only 1.3in at thickest part)
  • 4K NVIDIA GSYNC IPS Display
  • Industry Leading Overclocking Features and GUI BIOS
  • Intel Core i7 7820HK Unlocked CPU and Full Performance GeForce GTX 1080 Graphics

Learn more and buy now at https://www.evga.com/articles/01136/evga-sc17-1080-g-sync-gaming-laptop/

F1 2017 Lando Norris McLaren Gameplay Trailer

Larkspur, Calif. – August 10th, 2017 – McLaren Young Driver Lando Norris recently test drove a host of his team’s classic FORMULA ONE™ cars, as well as the striking MCL32 from this year’s championship, in F1 2017, the official videogame of the 2017 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™. Codemasters® and Deep Silver have today released a new trailer which showcases Norris taking on the new Japan Short circuit and talking about how each of the cars feel to drive. The new trailer can be viewed on the game’s official YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzO035NTZf8.

The exciting young driver, just 17, recently took part in the official FORMULA ONE testing at the Hungaroring, setting the second fastest time behind World Championship leader Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari.

“Getting behind the wheel for the first time was a really great feeling – after my test in the 2017 car in Hungary, I’m happy to confirm that these cars are much faster and more intense to drive, and that really comes across in the new game,” commented Norris. “I think people are going to have a lot of fun driving the new breed of Grand Prix car in F1 2017.”

He continued, “It was also a really nice experience to get to re-live several chapters of McLaren’s past by driving classic cars from 1988, 1991, 1998 and 2008, each representing a world championship success for the team. The 2008 title-winning car has tons of downforce, and is a lot of fun to throw about. The heritage cars are really the icing on the cake.”

In addition to all the official teams, cars, drivers and circuits from the current scintillating season, F1 2017 features 12* classic cars from McLaren, Ferrari, Williams, Renault and Red Bull Racing. There are also four brand new shortened circuits in Britain, Bahrain, USA and Japan as well as the chance to race around the famous Monaco street circuit at night. F1 2017 releases onto PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one entertainment system by Microsoft, and Windows PC via Steam worldwide on August 25th.

*Consumers who pre-order or purchase ‘Day One’ copies of F1 2017 will have access to the iconic 1988 McLaren MP4/4, as part of the ‘F1 2017 Special Edition.’ Alternatively, the McLaren MP4/4 car will be available to be purchased at a later date. The eleven other classic cars are available in all editions of the game.

NBA LIVE 18 Demo Announced

Redwood City, Calif. – August 10, 2017 – Today, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) announced that the NBA LIVE 18 free demo* will launch tomorrow for all players with Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus accounts, August 11th on Xbox One and PlayStation® 4. In a franchise first, all progress and unlocked content coming out of the experience will carry over into the full game when it launches on September 15th. In addition, players who pre-order NBA LIVE 18 will get 33% off the retail price ($59.99) at participating retailers**.

In the NBA LIVE 18 free demo, players will experience The Rise, the prologue section of The One – an all-new way to pursue your legacy, centered on the player and defined by your choices.  Progress made in The One during the free demo can be carried over into the full game, so players jumping in early can continue their experience when the full game launches.  Players in the free demo will also be treated to specially-timed Live Events – limited-time activities with special rules, rewards and characters, only available in The One. Rewards earned in weekly Live

Events will also carry over into the full game, giving players reason to regularly come back and check out the new events in order to earn new rewards. The free demo rounds out with a Play Now experience between the NBA Finals rivals Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors.  The NBA LIVE 18 demo is available to all players with Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus.

NBA LIVE 18 will also feature Houston Rockets superstar James Harden as the cover athlete.  Harden has always been a wholly unique individual, staying true to himself and reaching stardom through his skill and authenticity.  Through intense dedication to the sport and his fiercely competitive nature, Harden embodies The One for Houston and its fans.

“When I heard about working with EA SPORTS and being the cover athlete of NBA LIVE 18 I was pretty excited for the opportunity,” said Harden. “NBA LIVE 18 is all about creating your own identity and making your mark on the league, and I can definitely relate to that. If anybody knows about creativity it’s me.”

Harden started his career as the first player ever drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder.  Since joining Houston in 2012, Harden has been a powerhouse in the league, finishing his first season with an average of 25.9 points and 5.8 assists per game, and growing into a perennial all-star and one of the league’s most-dominant players.

EA Access members receive an additional 10 percent discount*** when they purchase a digital version of NBA LIVE 18 on Xbox Live.

Players who need even more basketball in their lives can also check out NBA LIVE Mobile, available as free-to-download**** on the App Store and Google Play.

NBA LIVE 18 is developed by EA Tiburon and will be available worldwide September 15 for Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

The EA SPORTS™ brand is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, fan programs and cross-platform digital experiences. The EA SPORTS studios create connected experiences that ignite the emotion of sports through videogames, includingMadden NFL football, EA SPORTS™ FIFANHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball and EA SPORTS UFC® franchises.

For more information about EA SPORTS games, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete.