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In the press today…
Sci-fi Survival Game ‘Distrust’ Comes to Steam This August
Alawar Entertainment today announced that its 3D survival game, Distrust, heavily inspired by the John Carpenter’s classic ‘The Thing’, has entered open beta, with the launch slated this August. Distrust throws you into the middle of the Arctic near an abandoned scientific base where you must play as both survivors of a helicopter crash. By switching between the two characters you have to scavenge the base for supplies, as you struggle to withstand a harsh climate, dangerous anomalies and try to unravel the mystery of what became of the base’s residents.
“Distrust is not your usual survival game. In addition to scavenging for food and equipment in a randomly generated map, players will have tons of quests, game events and plot twists to keep them coming back for more”, said Artem Bochkarev, Producer at Alawar. “Adding an even deeper psychological layer, character mutations caused by a lack of sleep can range from seemingly harmless, such as a survivor giggling uncontrollably or quoting Shakespeare, to dangerous, where the survivor may see his partner as a monster and try to kill him.”
A helicopter crash has left two lone survivors stranded near an abandoned Arctic scientific base. In Distrust you play as both of the survivors, switching back and forth between them to scavenge the base for food and supplies while also battling a terrifying force that attacks the characters as they sleep, sucking the life out of their bodies and distorting space and reality. Once one character’s perception of reality has been altered you must constantly switch between the two to determine what is real and what is not, all the while unraveling the mystery of what has happened to the base’s missing residents. Featuring a selection of 15 characters with unique skills and abilities, various mutations, quests and randomly generated maps, Distrust is now in open beta with a free limited demo available on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/635200/Distrust/
.HACK//G.U. LAST RECODE COMING TO PLAYSTATION 4 AND PC IN 2017
Experience the Entire .hack//G.U. Trilogy Remastered for PlayStation 4 and PC!
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe is glad to announce today .hack//G.U. Last Recode for the PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system (physical and digital) and PC.
.hack//G.U. LAST RECODE – the definitive .hack//G.U. experience for existing fans and newbies – collects the three .hack//G.U. action-RPG titles; Rebirth, Reminisce and Redemption with updated 1080p, 16:9 widescreen picture, and 60 fps frame rate, gameplay balance changes and additional features to be announced in the upcoming months.
.hack is a multimedia franchise created and developed by famed Japanese developer CyberConnect2. Comprising of video games, anime, novels, and manga, the world of .hack focuses on the mysterious events surrounding a wildly popular in-universe massively multiplayer role-playing game called The World. .hack//G.U. begins after the events of the original .hack series with players assuming the role of Haseo as he tracks down a powerful Player Killer named Tri-Edge who killed his friend’s in-game avatar Shino, and put her in a coma in real life.
In addition to offering the .hack//G.U. trilogy, .hack//G.U. Last Recode will also include enhanced battle balance and game pacing to provide an optimal experience as well as a new Cheat Mode allowing players who want to just enjoy the story to start the game with full stats.
“The .hack series has been one of the most acclaimed series in the history and we are excited to announce this definitive experience for those who loved the original games and those who haven’t experience them yet,” said Antoine Jamet, Brand Manager Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe. “With the new features that will be part of the title, fans will experience .hack//G.U. like never before with .hack//G.U. Last Recode!”
.hack//G.U. Last Recode will release for the PlayStation 4 system (physical and digital) and PC in late 2017.
SQUARE ENIX today launched FINAL FANTASY XIV: Stormblood, the latest expansion of the critically-acclaimed MMORPG that continues to capture the hearts and imaginations of over six million players worldwide.
FINAL FANTASY XIV: Stormblood continues the story of the Warrior of Light in his quest to liberate Ala Mhigo, a vast land conquered by the Garleans twenty years ago. Players will also be able to depart from the shores of Eorzea for the very first time, travelling to the Far Eastern lands of Doma and Kugane as they fight to liberate those lands oppressed by the Empire.
Players can adventure together with seamless cross-platform play on the PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system, Windows PC, and Macintosh.
Key Features
- Two New Jobs: Samurai and Red Mage – The highly anticipated Samurai and Red Mage jobs make their debut in Stormblood. The DPS jobs introduce new fighting styles for players to enjoy—learn and master the art of “Sen” as the Samurai, or unleash hybrid magic and melee combos with the Red Mage’s Chainspell ability.
- Level Cap Increase – The level cap for jobs and classes will be raised from 60 to 70. Players will need to make full use of the new powers at their disposal to defeat their Garlean adversaries.
- Swimming and Diving – Explore Eorzea’s pristine waters with the addition of swimming and diving. Players will be able to journey deep into the depths upon completing special prerequisites.
- New Beast Tribes and Primals – Players will encounter both the ancient Ananta, an all-female tribe who worship the primal Lakshmi in the mountains of Gyr Abania, and the Kojin—skilled traders residing in underwater settlements who worship the Lord of Revel, Susano.
- Fourth Residential District – Shirogane, an island belonging to the Far Eastern nation of Hingashi, is now open to adventurers who frequent the port of Kugane. Those with a fondness for Far Eastern aesthetics will find it the perfect place to call home. Plots of land will be available for sale beginning with Patch 4.1.
- PvP Updates – A revamped battle system bring a new, streamlined PvP experience to Stormblood. Job actions will now have PvP-exclusive counterparts, from which players can select to customize their skillset to match their PvP playstyle, for even more balanced and exhilarating matches on the battlefields.
- Expanded item inventory, new gear and crafting recipes, and more.
Players can also look forward to a variety of additional content that has been announced for release in upcoming patches:
- New High-level Raid: “The Bend of Time – Omega” – Omega returns to the FINAL FANTASY XIV storyline in a high-level raid series for Stormblood. The mystery behind its appearance and more will be unveiled through the story surrounding this raid.
- New Alliance Raid – Yasumi Matsuno (FINAL FANTASY XII / FINAL FANTASY TACTICS) and Keita Amemiya (Onimusha 2 / Shin Megami Tensei IV) join as special guest creators for the Stormblood alliance raid, “Return to Ivalice.”
Players will also have the option to purchase two types of items to advance through the main scenario and job levels respectively to immediately access Stormblood content. The Tales of Adventure: A Realm Reborn completes all A Realm Reborn main scenario content up to Patch 2.55: Before the Dawn for $18, while the Tales of Adventure: Heavensward completes all Heavensward main scenario content up to Patch 3.56: The Far Edge of Fate for $25. Each of the Tales of Adventure are also available for each job (excluding samurai and red mage), instantly boosting a single characters level in the specified job for $25. Tales of Adventure items related to jobs are currently restricted to one purchase per service account.
FINAL FANTASY XIV: Stormblood includes the ability to play Heavensward and is available now for the PlayStation®4 system, Windows PC and Mac for $39.99. The Collector’s Edition is available exclusively from the Square Enix Online Store for $199.99. Digital Collector’s Edition upgrades are available on the Mog Station. Additionally, new players may dive into the world of Eorzea with either the Starter Edition (the new name for A Realm Reborn going forward) for $19.99, or the Complete Edition (A Realm Reborn, Heavensward and Stormblood) for $59.99.
All editions of FINAL FANTASY XIV: Stormblood may be purchased through the Square Enix Online Store here: http://sqex.to/k4Z
FUTURAMA: WORLDS OF TOMORROW IS LAUNCHING ON JUNE 29; REVEALS NEW ANIMATION FEATURING STEPHEN HAWKING, GEORGE TAKEI, BILL NYE, AND NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON
Jam City, via its game studio TinyCo, and FoxNext Games today announced that their mobile game Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow is launching on the App Store and Google Play on June 29th. To celebrate the upcoming launch, TinyCo has released a new fully-animated trailer featuring legendary science and science-fiction celebrities Stephen Hawking, George Takei, Bill Nye, and Neil DeGrasse Tyson. Additionally, all four celebrities will be featured in the game as playable characters, each with their own unique storyline. Created in partnership with FUTURAMA creator and Executive Producer Matt Groening and his Curiosity Company, along with Executive Producer David X. Cohen, original FUTURAMA writers, and Rough Draft Studios, the trailer continues TinyCo’s commitment to working closely with the original FUTURAMA team to bring all new FUTURAMA stories to life. Even more fun Futurama surprises, including additional original animation, will be revealed in the coming weeks.
To view the new official launch date trailer for Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow on YouTube, please visit: https://youtu.be/1gDcZ4tTG3o
Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow, which will be free to play, blends simulation, combat, galactic exploration, and choose-your-own-adventure gameplay together to bring the escapades of the Planet Express crew to life.
Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow is coming June 29th to mobile devices via the App Store, Google Play, and the Amazon Appstore. More information on the game will be released in the near future. For more details on Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow as they are revealed, and to connect with FUTURAMA fans who will help create and play the game, please visit: www.fb.com/playfuturama , www.twitter.com/playfuturama , and http://www.JamCity.com
Additionally, pre-register on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tinyco.futurama or visit www.youwillplayfuturama.com to be notified when the game is released.
Starfall Expansion Announced For Villagers & Heroes
Mad Otter Games, the developers behind free-to-play MMORPG Villagers and Heroes, have announced a massive expansion to the game which will include a giant rework of many of the game’s systems. Starfall is set to add a ton of content to the game alongside the revamp of many of the games core features.
“We’re very excited to announce the expansion to our game”, Said Mad Otter Games C.E.O Damon Slye. “Starfall is our most ambitious expansion to date that not only adds plenty of new content such as new locations, but also reworks a large portion of the game such as crafting, loot, and the progression system. Oh, and did I mention we are removing repair costs for weapons and armor?”
Villagers & Heroes: Starfall is set to raise the level cap to level 90 and over time adding an impressive seven new zones allowing max level players to journey through all new story-driven content and face down new challenging Elder bosses.
The expansion also looks to revamp things like the loot system, which will make loot more significant and will allow players to craft more meaningful items. The class system is also receiving a rework and new content with Starfall bringing all-new talent trees and feats. Each class will now have three specializations and access to Ultimates, which are powerful bonuses that can allow players to access powerful combat feats or game-changing passives.
On top of the massive changes coming to the game, Starfall also brings a host of improvements including UI improvements, an all new world map, and a bunch of bug fixes and general enhancements.
Villagers & Heroes: Starfall will be Coming to PC, Steam, and Mobile later this year for free! For More information on the Starfall expansion head on over to thestararrives.com
VALKYRIE DRIVE – BHIKKHUNI- BURSTS ONTO WINDOWS PC VIA STEAM TODAY!
Marvelous Europe — publisher and localizer of the fan-favorite SENRAN KAGURA series — is proud to announce that VALKYRIE DRIVE -BHIKKHUNI- launches globally for Windows PC via Steam today during the regularly scheduled Steam store update (10 a.m. PST / 1 p.m. EST). VALKYRIE DRIVE -BHIKKHUNI- is available in two forms — a ‘Standard Edition’ available for $29.99 and a ‘Combined Edition’ containing all DLC bundled with the base game for $39.99. All DLC is also available separately for purchase as the ‘VALKYRIE DRIVE -BHIKKHUNI- Complete DLC Pack’.
For the duration of the launch week, those who purchase either edition of VALKYRIE DRIVE -BHIKKHUNI- will receive a 10% off launch discount; a further 25% discount can be earned towards the purchase of the ‘Combined Edition’ to any user who owns SENRAN KAGURA SHINOVI VERSUS on Steam, for total savings of up to 35%! New owners of VALKYRIE DRIVE -BHIKKHUNI- will also receive a 50% off discount to purchase SENRAN KAGURA SHINOVI VERSUS. Anyone who wants to take advantage of these sexy savings should act fast!
To celebrate the launch of VALKYRIE DRIVE -BHIKKHUNI-, feast your eyes on a brand new trailer!
VALKYRIE DRIVE -BHIKKHUNI- PC Launch Trailer:
https://youtu.be/aYA-VNeRypw [Youtube]
In VALKYRIE DRIVE -BHIKKHUNI- a mysterious virus known as the A-Virus infects young women, transforming them into weapons known as ‘Extars’, or those that control ‘Extars’, ‘Liberators’ — however, the voluptuous Valkyries are infected with a unique strain, the VR-Virus, allowing them to take on either role at will. Proving incredibly difficult to cure, they are sent to the sun-soaked Bhikkhuni Island for quarantine where a treatment is put into place. By having the Valkyries engage in combat against one another, they can strengthen both body and mind to allow them greater control of the Virus. Who runs the island? What is the secret of the Virus? Will you choose Order or Chaos? This and more will be answered throughout your time with VALKYRIE DRIVE -BHIKKHUNI-.
- Fully remastered in 1080p, 60FPS with native support for even higher resolutions!
- Choose between 7 unique playable characters to learn and master, each with their own playstyle!
- Battle your way through 24 Story Missions and crank up the difficulty or change your character for even more replayability!
- Engage in fast-paced arena-based online multiplayer with up to four players!
- Full-featured dressing room for deep customization of all playable characters — from hair to accessories, clothing and more!
- Print the underwear of your wildest and sexiest dreams by earning Bhikkhuni Points through combat prowess to spend on Echigoya’s revolutionary Lingerie Printer!
- Support for both Steam cloud saving, achievements, and exclusive trading cards, plus backgrounds, emoticons and badges to unlock!
The Steam page for VALKYRIE DRIVE -BHIKKHUNI- is live at: http://store.steampowered.com/app/550080
New features and System await in MU Origin’s newest update Land of Ordeals, available now on IOS and Android
WEBZEN, a global developer and publisher of free-to-play games, has launched another content update for its real-time mobile MMORPG MU Origin.
The content of version 1.8, Land of Ordeal, adds a significant number of new features and events.
MU Origin 1.8 introduces the Land of Ordeal, a new Server Boss Field that will add five new challenging monsters for players to tackle in large-scale battles of up to 100 people. The event is open on Saturdays and Sundays, and they’re given 30 minutes to beat these five bosses and accompanying monsters. Triumphant warriors will win random items from monsters, while the hero who deals the most damage to the boss will acquire rare loot.
With the update, the new Kalutan area is now available in the game. Players who are 10 Rebirth or higher, and who can pay the 15,000 Zen entrance fee, will gain access to a new all-server area, Kalutan, encountering new monsters and providing new opportunities to engage with players from all servers.
The Domain System, meanwhile, is a new feature allowing players to develop and maintain their very own domain. Their domain consists of four buildings: Observatory, Tower of Magic, Gate of Ordeal, and Tower of Battle. Players can develop these buildings by hiring workers. Naturally, they increase your EXP by building, and they can pick up various other items and rewards for completing various building quests. Domain development continues even when players are not playing the game.
What the 1.8 update includes can be seen in the new update trailer on the official Webzen YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ-og2wSuPk
Webzen has also launched a New Warrior Event for newbies who need a leg up. For the first seven days new characters will get login rewards, recharge rewards, and sales, while the game will also identify goals for the first seven days.
Also, as it is summer, there is now a swimsuit costume, leaving you with absolutely no excuse for not downloading MU Origin for free right now. MU Origin is now available for free in the App Store and Google Play.
For more information on new features and events, interested players are invited to check out MU Origin‘s official website at: http://muorigin.webzen.com, and join the official Facebook community at: https://www.facebook.com/MUOriginWEBZEN/
Astro Boy: Edge of Time released with Soundtrack and Limited Edition Items
Active Gaming Media Inc. in association with Tezuka Productions, is proud to announce that the latest battle strategy card game, Astro Boy: Edge of Time, and its accompanying soundtrack, has released on Steam!
Astro Boy: Edge of Time
A whole new deck and world built out of the beloved characters from Osamu Tezuka, reimagined by famous creators. Astro Boy: Edge of Time features a brand new story for the Tezuka universe and introduces a new tournament mode. This is a card game that can be enjoyed by everyone, from beginners to advanced players.
Active Gaming Media have launched the game on Steam today, June 20th, 2017, with both English and Japanese versions available.
Steam Store Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/542560/Astro_Boy_Edge_of_Time/
Launch Trailer: https://youtu.be/YPBNoe4KkWo
“Black Jack”, “Dororo”, “Ambassador Magma”, “The Pheonix”, “Astro Boy”…
2018 celebrates the 90th birth anniversary of Osamu Tezuka, a literature genius who is attributed as the father of manga. For his works to touch new generations to come, a new game has been developed to introduce the characters of Tezuka. New creators have redesigned his characters in a modern era to reintroduce them to a younger generation, meanwhile still retaining Tezuka’s original charm.
June 20th – July 3rd: Limited Edition Items!
To commemorate the release of Astro Boy: Edge of Time on Steam, we are distributing the following limited edition items from June 20th to July 3rd.
Basic Packs!
For everyone who logs in during this period, we will give them a free basic pack which contains 5 random cards!
Special Avatars!
For all members that win a rank battle, random matching, friend battle or tournament battle during the event, we will be offering a special avatar. You can get Hyakkimaru, Uran and Tengu:
Special Versions of Rare Cards!
We will be distributing a copy of a super rare card to winners of 5 consecutive matches in Tournament mode during the event!
These special versions will be Black Jack or Epsilon.
- Avatars and Special Card Versions will be distributed after the event is over.
Astro Boy: Edge of Time Original Soundtrack –Steam Version-
Upon the release of Astro Boy: Edge of Time, the original soundtrack will also be distributed simultaneously.
Eleven of the most prominent songs composed by Akira Yamaoka for Astro Boy: Edge of Time are featured in this Soundtrack.
Track List:
01. Mandelbrot Set
02. Infinity World
03. Nonstandard Analysis
04. General Theory of Relativity
05. Governing Equation
06. Control Theory
07. Robust
08. Fuzzer
09. ActiveX
10. Equilibrium Manifold
11. Exponential Stability
Title: Astro Boy: Edge of Time
Price: Free (In-App purchases available)
Trailer: https://youtu.be/YPBNoe4KkWo
Device: PC (Windows)
Platform: Steam
Languages: English, Japanese
Release Date: 20 June, 2017
WHITETHORN DIGITAL LLC Announces Release Date for Beans: The Coffee Shop Simulator
Independent game development firm Whitethorn Digital LLC has announced a July 1 release date for its Kickstarter-supported game Beans: The Coffee Shop Simulator.
Beans is a zany, narrative-driven pixel tycoon game in which players can run their own coffee shops, research crazy recipes, and build a coffee shop empire. Silliness soon ensues as players must also solve the mysterious murder of coffee magnate Peaburry Coffeebottom. Will Ruby Acee prevail as barista supreme? Will the rancid bagel-cino become the hottest new craze? Manage your way through six unique locations and over two-hundred stomach churning coffee abominations to find out!
“My first goal in making Beans was to really let a lot of the bad dad-puns and zaniness out from inside my head, and inflict them on players.” Said developer Matthew White. “I’m really a creative mess, and when I’m not making something, I start to get antsy; it’s games-as-therapy. Beans has been a joy to make, and it’s my hope that that will translate into being a joy to play. Fingers crossed.” He continued; “I’ve had a lot of great help. My best friend Matt Daye took point on writing our story and a lot of our dialog, and my wife Katie has been a constant source of support, as well as a great help in localizing the game, and building our social media presence.”
Developed with Construct 2, Beans is based in Javascript, and so will run on most platforms, and is intended to support PC, Linux, and Mac at launch. The game is slated to release for $4.99 USD or equivalent local currency coming July 1, 2017 on Steam, Itch.io, Game Jolt, and the Humble Store. More information can always be found at www.coffeebeansgame.com
War Wings Launches June Air Offensive with New Game Update
War Wings, the hit mobile World War II aerial dogfighting game, has released a new game update. The June update includes the ability to form Squadrons, more challenging skill-based Ace Achievements, and a new tier 4 airplane, the Soviet LaGG-3.
Scramble Squadrons
Coordinated cooperative play takes center stage in War Wings, as pilots are now able to form Squadrons with up to 20 members. Invitations to join Squadrons can be sent through the game’s Team Formation menu and every squadron member will bear a unique identifier during battles. There are 25 squadron emblem options available to personalize the new air combat units.
Ace Achievements
War Wings’ existing Achievement system has been completely overhauled in the new game update. The introduction of Ace Achievement challenges shifts the emphasis to recognizing pilot skill or collaboration during dogfights, over the previous system of rewarding easily attainable, repetitive actions. But Ace Achievements aren’t strictly about skill, some like the “Phoenix” challenge require some luck in order to survive a pilot injury and still manage a target kill. Pilots who earn Achievements now receive more historically accurate medals on the reward screen.
The Soviets Are Coming!
The new War Wings game update also introduces a new tier 4 aircraft. The Soviet LaGG-3 fighter is a versatile and capable performer available as a reward during the Red Square Military Parade event that occurs from June 19 to July 8. Pilots who log in daily during the event and participate in quick games and missions can also earn additional rewards like Wrenches, Gold Stars, and Cigarettes.
About War Wings
War Wings is a free-to-play mobile title that features real-time 4v4 online aerial dogfighting action with stunning 3D graphics. The game simulates World War II air combat with a dedicated adherence to historical accuracy, technical detail, and real-life flight dynamics. Players acquire and upgrade authentic WWII-era warplanes as they compete against other pilots from around the world for PvP air supremacy!
War Wings is currently available for Android devices in most European countries and recently released for iOS devices in Australia and New Zealand. War Wings will be coming soon to the U.S. market.
Visit the War Wings Facebook page for more information about the game.
That’s all for the news today!
~Ciao!