Author - Jerry Paxton

NORCO Out Now

NORCOthe critically lauded Southern Gothic narrative adventure game from developer collective Geography of Robots and published by Raw Fury, launches today on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. It is also free to download with Xbox Game Pass.

One of this year’s must-play experiences, winner of the first-ever Tribeca Games Award and nominated for Best Indie Debut at this year’s The Game Awards, NORCO has players searching for their missing brother in the aftermath of their mother’s death in a gritty, dystopian version of South Louisiana. Team up with a fugitive android, a bayou pirate, a barstool private detective and other eccentrics to solve puzzles and explore the sinking suburbs, dilapidated strip malls, and verdant industrial swamps of Louisiana’s petrochemical hinterlands.

Heavily inspired by the titular town of Norco, Louisiana, Geography of Robots has blended true stories and personal history with inspirations from Southern Gothic literature and pulp fiction to create a uniquely gripping experience. NORCO features richly detailed cinematic pixel art, plus a captivating original soundtrack with music from Gewgawly I and Southern metal band THOU.

NORCO is also available for Windows PC and Mac via Steam, GOG.com, the Microsoft Store and PC Game Pass. For more information, visit http://norcogame.com.

EVE FanFest 2023 Dates Revealed

CCP Games today announced that EVE Fanfest will take place in Reykjavík, Iceland on September 21 – 23, 2023. Since 2004, EVE Fanfest has been the ultimate destination for EVE Online players to come together and share their passion for the game. EVE Fanfest 2023 takes it to the next level with a celebration of the game’s 20th anniversary and a first look at what the future holds with keynotes, player and developer presentations, panels, and more.

“Fanfest 2023 will be the biggest celebration of EVE yet. EVE will live forever, but will only turn twenty once,” said CCP Creative Director Bergur Finnbogason. “We’re giving the community an extraordinary experience, reflecting on what this universe has given us, and showing our commitment to making EVE live on forever. EVE is entering its third decade strong and we have no plans of slowing down. The game’s future has never been brighter with the recent Uprising expansion and continued EVE Evolved updates. Our community continues to inspire us and we couldn’t be more grateful for their efforts over the last twenty years.”

Join CCP and fellow pilots in the land of fire and ice as EVE Online celebrates twenty years on its journey into forever. Early-bird tickets are available here starting at $159 USD until sold out. Afterward, standard tickets will be available for $295 USD.

EVE Fanfest 2023 celebrations include:

  • Presentations, panels, and immersive experiences featuring EVE developers and players.
  • Fleet Up with alliances or corporations.
  • Meet and greet EVE player luminaries and developers through a star-gazing Aurora Borealis excursion, nature and city tours, and the charity dinner.
  • Celebrations with space friends and enemies.
  • The epic pub crawl and the legendary Party at the Top of the World.
  • …and more!

The full schedule of events will be shared in the coming months.

Commemorating Fanfest’s return to Reykjavik in 2022, CCP Games partnered with The Escapist to give fans an inside look at putting together EVE Online’s most significant celebration and its impact on the community. Filmed throughout EVE Fanfest 2022, the ‘EVE Fanfest Documentary’ pulls back the curtain on EVE Fanfest and how players use the event to forge alliances or reconnect with fellow pilots from around the globe. Eager fans can check out the trailer here and catch the full documentary when it releases next year.

EVE Online can be downloaded for free by visiting www.eveonline.com.

Surviving the Abyss Announcement Trailer

Paradox Interactive, a publisher of deep, immersive games, today announced a partnership with Rocket Flair Studios to publish Surviving the Abyss under the Paradox Arc label. Surviving the Abyss, the debut title from Belfast-based Rocket Flair Studios, challenges players to build and maintain a self-sustaining science lab at the bottom of the sea, managing the needs of their inhabitants – including their dread from the unseen horrors that lurk in the darkness. The game will be available via Early Access on January 17, 2023, and is available to add to Wishlists today.

Surviving the Abyss puts players in charge of a deep sea research facility, tasked with carrying out secret experiments at the height of the cold war. Exploring and mining the seafloor will provide access to the resources necessary to keep the lights on and the scientists fed, and unlock new options for expansion – but unseen dangers lurk just beyond the lights, waiting for any mistake or opportunity to reclaim the abyss as their own.

Expand your base, explore the darkness, and learn to face your fear – and you may just survive the abyss for another day.

Risen Coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch

Faranga needs a new hero – will you heed the call? THQ Nordic is excited to announce that Risen is coming to PlayStation®4, Xbox One™, and Nintendo Switch on January 24, 2023. THQ Nordic has partnered exclusively with GameStop to bring Risen to PS4 and Switch players in North America. The Cult RPG that follows the game design direction of the early Gothic games will be finally running smooth and in its full quality on console platforms, while the old PC version will get a gamepad support update.

Delve into the gritty and atmospheric world of Risen, where every action has a consequence. Master the sword, learn the art of staff fighting, or become a powerful mage, forging your path across a land filled with mysterious earthquakes, fearsome monsters, and unimaginable treasures.

Explore the mysterious volcanic island Faranga and the heavy tremors which bode ill for its inhabitants. As ancient temples have risen from the ground, they are bringing with them bizarre creatures that terrorize the area – are you brave enough to face the dangers? Find yourself caught amidst rebellion, tyranny, and mystic rituals. It is up to you to decide which way the pendulum of fate will swing.

GUNDAM EVOLUTION Season 2 Launches November 30

Leading video game developer Bandai Namco Online and publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. today announced that Season 2 of GUNDAM EVOLUTION, the franchise’s first-ever free-to-play hero shooter, will officially commence on November 29 for PC users. Additionally, the currently PC-exclusive title will launch on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One in North America on November 30 (December 1 in Europe and Japan).

Season 2 of GUNDAM EVOLUTION will run for two months and introduce an array of new updates and features throughout, including improvements to the matchmaking system, various adjustments to ranked matches, brand new customized items, updates to supply pods, the addition of Achievements, Spectator Mode (for PC only), and more. New event modes and campaigns will also be added in late December during the second half of Season 2, along with a revamp of the in-game store.

With Season 2 on the horizon, two new videos were released to prepare Gundam pilots for the action ahead:

S2 MISSION BRIEFING: A top-secret briefing detailing the updates to come in Season 2 can be accessed at the following link:

MOBIUS TRAILER: A brand new trailer spotlighting the theme of Season 2, MOBIUS, can be viewed here:

GUNDAM EVOLUTION is a free-to-play team-based first-person shooter featuring 6v6 PvP combat with playable mobile suits from across the Gundam universe. The game offers three objective-based game modes: Point Capture, Domination and Destruction. The title presents a unique set of challenges that requires teams to craft and execute formidable offensive and defensive strategies to emerge victorious.

GUNDAM EVOLUTION is now available in North America, Europe, Japan and other parts of Asia on PC. Supported regions, for the upcoming PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One versions can be found on the official website (https://gundamevolution.com).

For more information about GUNDAM EVOLUTION, please visit the official website at GUNDAMEVOLUTION.COM, or join the conversation on Twitter at https://twitter.com/gundamevolution.

The Lord of the Rings Online Before the Shadow Mini-Expansion Out Now

Before the Shadow, the next mini-expansion for the highly acclaimed MMO The Lord of the Rings Online from Standing Stone Games, is now available. Before the Shadow focuses on early levels of the game, and players can expect more new content and special incentives for VIPs. The new mini-expansion will send players into two new regions, Swanfleet and Cardolan, as Boromir makes his way north to Rivendell ahead of the meeting of what will eventually become the Fellowship of the Ring while the Nazgûl search for “Baggins” in the peaceful land of the Shire. Players will discover the threat rising from Mordor and Saruman’s Uruks as they explore the far history of Middle-earth.

Key features:

  • Questing from levels 1 to 32 in addition to four new Books for new characters
  • Two new regions: Swanfleet and Cardolan
  • A new Six-person Instance
  • A new Skirmish
  • A new Delving difficulty system: Higher level characters can increase the difficulty of new missions to earn great rewards!
  • New Themed Missions Wrapper: Earn rewards by completing daily and weekly rotating Missions!

The latest blog post on Before the Shadow can be found here. The mini-expansion is available in the Ultimate Fan Bundle for $99.99, the Collector’s Edition for $59.99 and the Standard Edition for $19.99.

For more information on The Lord of the Rings Online, visit www.lotro.com.

Lonely Mountains: Downhill

Thunderful & Megagon Industries take you on an exhilarating new trip through nature in their latest free DLC for Lonely Mountains: Downhill, Redmoor Falls, launching today on all platforms. Race down the unforgiving hills of the lost “Whispering Lake” trail while sporting new outfits and accessories.

Enjoy a thrilling ride down an atmospheric and unspoiled mountain landscape. Wind your way through narrow dusty trails, along wild rivers and misty swamps while you take on the new challenges to win some eye-catching aqueous accessories for yourself and your bike from the new water elemental set.

“We’re excited for you to experience the beauty of Redmoor Peaks on the all-new Whispering Lake trail,” said Daniel Helbig, co-founder of Megagon. “Get back on your bike and take to the mountain trails for one epic adventure.”

Lonely Mountains: Downhill is available on Nintendo Switch™, Xbox One, PlayStation®4 and PC (Steam® & Microsoft Store). The game is also verified for Steam Deck and a demo is available on Steam® and Nintendo Switch™. Keep an eye out on Lonely Mountains’ Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages to stay up-to-date on all the latest, straight from the mountain peaks.

Lonely Mountains: Downhill was initially released on October 23rd in 2019. During its first year, the game has been a hit amongst players and critics alike; resulting in more than three million players (3.7 million as of November 2022). The game won awards such as “Best Indie Game” at the German Developer Awards and “Best International Indie Game” at Poznan Game Arena. Prior to the current Redmoor Falls DLC, Lonely Mountains: Downhill received two other free DLCs earlier which both added additional environments and tracks, “Riley’s Return” and “Misty Peak”.

For more information about Lonely Mountains: Downhill please visit the official website: https://lonelymountains.com/

THE DARK PICTURES ANTHOLOGY: The Devil in Me Official Launch Trailer

Leading video game publisher and developer Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. today released THE DARK PICTURES ANTHOLOGY season one finale, THE DEVIL IN ME, on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam®.

In THE DEVIL IN ME, players are invited to a stunning recreation of the World’s Fair Hotel built by American serial killer, H.H. Holmes. They control the crew of Lonnit Entertainment, low-budget documentary creators who are lured to the hotel with the promise of something truly unique, something that might just boost the ratings of their true-crime show. Their fate is in the hands of the players, who will have to make impossible decisions under pressure, while their murderous host watches their every move.

As well as a new story and star-studded cast, the Season One finale comes with an array of new gameplay features. Characters can now climb, jump, crawl and run through exploration areas that are larger and more complex than ever. Players will need to keep their cool to solve puzzles and using the new inventory system and special character tools at the right moment can save their lives.

As with all games in THE DARK PICTURES ANTHOLOGY, players can face the horror alone or team up with friends in the multiplayer modes: online with a friend or with up to 5 players in couch mode.

THE DEVIL IN ME is the season one finale in THE DARK PICTURES ANTHOLOGY, a series of stand-alone, branching cinematic horror games, designed to present a new terrifying experience on a regular basis. Each game features a brand-new story, setting and new cast of characters.

For press only, static assets are available at the Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. press room at www.bneapressroom.com; a library of video trailers ready for embedding are available on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/c/BandaiNamcoEntertainmentAmerica.

For information on this title and other products from Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc., please visit www.bandainamcoent.com.

Farming Simulator 22 Platinum Edition Available Now

GIANTS Software upgrades the family-friendly agricultural simulation by releasing the Platinum Expansion and Platinum Edition of Farming Simulator 22. Furthermore, the publisher and developer have over four million copies sold globally since the base game was released almost exactly one year ago. The launch trailer introduces virtual farmers to Silverrun Forest.

20,000 Trees and a Rollercoaster
With the Platinum Expansion, the forestry part of agriculture is heavily refined and extended – with 40+ new vehicles, tools & items from Volvo Group, IMPEX, John Deere, Koller, Komatsu, Pfanzelt, Schwarzmüller, WESTTECH and other renowned brands. The Platinum Edition combines the base game and expansion, driving the machine count to more than 500 authentically digitized vehicles and tools from over 150 real manufacturers.

Silverrun Forest, the most serene map by GIANTS Software so far, welcomes virtual business people with more than 20,000 trees, including sturdy sequoia trees and other new species. The atmospheric blend between agriculture, forestry, and recreational projects sees players shaping the character of the landscape by starting constructions – most impressive: a giant rollercoaster that is built by delivering resources.

Complex Machinery, Fun Logistics
Farmers harvest trees with state-of-the-art machines like the Volvo EC380DL and a variety of harvester heads. They drag logs through the dense forests with winches like the Pfanzelt Pm Trac and overcome impassable terrain with yarders like the Koller K 300-T which spans hundreds of meters of rope wires through the woods. With shipping containers, they deliver the logs to various new production plants or construction projects to build boats, dog houses, or furniture. Many new selling points and production sites are resident in Silverrun Forest.

New Milestone Reached
“One year since the initial release of Farming Simulator 22. One year full of additional content – lots of it completely free of charge – leading up to one of the gameplay-wise most ambitious expansions we ever did”, comments GIANTS Software’s Head of Publishing Boris Stefan.

After Farming Simulator 22 sold 1.5 million copies in the first week after launch and 3 million after nine weeks, GIANTS Software now reaches another sales milestone. “That assures the new, successful, and self-published era of the Farming Simulator brand. An era that sold no less than four million copies of Farming Simulator 22 since launch so far”, says Stefan.

Farming Simulator 22 – Platinum Edition is available for PC, Mac, PlayStation®5 (PS5™), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One – including the base game and the Platinum Expansion. A Year 1 Season Pass is available, containing the Platinum Expansion as well and extending the game with even more content. GIANTS Software will also continue to release free content updates and user-generated content on the official ModHub.

Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis Launches Collaboration With Overlord

SEGA today announced Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis, the free-to-play online action RPG game, has released AC Scratch Ticket: Overlord Style in collaboration with the popular dark fantasy anime, Overlord.

Produced by Madhouse and directed by Naoyuki Itō, Overlord is based on the Japanese novel of the same name written by Kugane Maruyama, which follows Ainz, a veteran player who refuses to log out of a popular DMMO-RPG.

AC Scratch Ticket items include Ainz and Albedo avatar items as well as Voice Tickets, Emotes, Weapon Camo, Stamps, and more to totally transform players into characters from Overlord.

The Global version of PHANTASY STAR ONLINE 2 NEW GENESIS includes fully localized text and character voices in English and will remain content current with the Japanese servers. Details can be found at https://ngs.pso2.com/. For additional up-to-the-minute updates, players can follow @play_PSO2 on Twitter, @PSO2Official on Facebook, and @play_pso2 on Instagram.