The final chapter is coming soon: Song of Horror episode five hits PC May 28

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The final chapter is coming soon: Song of Horror episode five hits PC May 28

There was a bit of a set back due to the current pandemic, but the wait is almost over! Song of Horror episode five, the final chapter, will be available to PC gamers on May 28. It’s been a wild, terrifying ride, but the final chapter of this eldrich survival horror game will tie everything together as players face off against The Presence one last time.

 

 

The journey of development started way back in 2014 and is now coming to a close. It’s been emotional for studio co-founder Carlos Grupeli as the game reaches its conclusion. He expressed the studio’s desire to honor old-timey survival horror games while simultaneously creating something new. It’s safe to say they achieved both those goals. This game is not for the faint of heart, and I’m a horror fan to the bone.

“It wasn’t easy but, in many ways, the fifth and final episode is the natural culmination of all that ambition and the chapter where most is at stake,” Grupeli told GamesPress. “It’ll be sad to bring Song of Horror to a close after all this time, but we can’t wait to see what the fans make of it.”

Anyone who has been following the chapters will most certainly be excited to see how it all finishes up. After following several different characters, the final chapter will tie everyone together and hopefully answer a few questions.

Song of Horror episode five will include former patients of the psychiatric hospital haunting the hallways and a new playable character Lidia, Daniel’s guardian angel, and the only one who has listened to the song and survived.

The episode will bring everyone’s story to an unexpected conclusion and will feature a chilling epilogue that will change everything. Answers to why the song was created in the first place and what The Presence is will haunt players as they progress through the ending.

If you’re a horror fan who loves mystery over jump scares and creepy surroundings with fleshed-out characters, then this is a game to try.

The first chapter is available on Steam for $7.99. Later chapters are for sale individually (in case it gets to be too scary and you don’t think you can continue), or sold together in the Season Pass for $21.99 (if you know for sure you can muster enough courage to play through everything). The Season Pass will also unlock Song of Horror episode five.

Check out the Steam page here.

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Celebrate Alien Day with a free copy of Alien: Blackout

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Celebrate Alien Day with a free copy of Alien: Blackout

As a long-time fan of the Alien franchise, I am always ready to play a new game based on everyone’s favorite Xenomorph. So, in celebration of the April 26th fan created holiday, Alien Day, developer D3 Go is offering Apple and Android users a free download of their game, Alien: Blackout, for FREE!

Coming at the Alien franchise in a different way than previous outings, this game is a strategic and very intense adventure that is definitely a better experience than Alien: Colonial Marines, but that ‘s not entirely hard to do.

You may be asking yourself, how does Alien: Blackout hold up against other games in the franchise. Well, for one, its not an FPS so you don’t control your character directly like you do in Alien: Isolation.

Instead, this game has you guiding different characters through a damaged space station away from the Xenomorph that is hot on their tails. It also features permanent death for crew members if they’re killed, so as a gameplay tactic, you can sacrifice them in order to ensure Ripley survives.

As far as where Alien: Blackout fits in the Alien timeline, the events of this game takes place right after the ending of Alien: Isolation. I’m still working on Isolation but I think that I am going to jump right in to Blackout tonight.

Sometimes the Alien games can be hit or miss but I think that this one may be one to add to the “must-play” list. What do you think of Alien: Blackout? Let us know in the comments below.

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CUBERS: Arena heads for PC and console release

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CUBERS: Arena heads for PC and console release

I love a good arena brawl, they’re a really good way to let off steam and always frantic fun. The first one of these that comes to mind from way back when was Smash TV on the SNES. This was a great game for the time and got me hooked on that style of gameplay. This is long before the terms bullet-hell and twin-stick were invented. Back then you didn’t even have a stick! Shame the original release didn’t have an ending; that’s a story for another time, though. Coming back up to present, CUBERS: Arena is busily making its way through the certification process and toward your screens. If you like a bit of manic, hacky, slashy fun, this sounds like rather a good way to spend your time,

 

 

CUBERS: Arena is a gladiatorial combat game coming from Polish developer and publisher, Teyon. In this particular arena you will take control of Baller, a slave fighting his way up the gladiatorial ranks in a bid to reclaim his freedom.

You’ll have to do a bit of planning if you are to survive against your opponents. CUBERS: Arena offers an arsenal of over a hundred unique weapons, armor sets, and skills. Selecting the right combination for you will be critical to your chances of success. As you complete stages, you will be awarded gems with which to socket your gear, improving its power.

Battle will commence in four uniquely themed arenas, each with their own atmospheric effects and enemies, destructible environments, and savage boss fights in the game’s campaign mode. Aside from this, there is an extensive array of multi-player and solo mini-games for you to get your sword into. These include Time Attack, Defender, Sparring, and Dodgeball, to name but a few.

The arena is not just a lethal place for you, but also everyone else fighting in it. CUBERS: Arena uses a “free-for-all” friendly fire system. This means that the enemies you face can’t just mince you but also do a really good job of damaging each other. This adds another layer of tactical play to your game. Some dangers might just become an unexpected boon if you use this system correctly.

Finishing an arena for the first time will grant you double experience and rewards. There’s a snag to this, though. You’ll only get all that lovely loot if you kill everything on that stage. If you leave some baddies behind your rewards will be halved, so it pays to be brutal.

If CUBERS: Arena sounds like something that’s right up your street, it’ll be coming digitally to PS4, XBOX One, Switch, and Steam in the not so distant future. Those of you that want to start following the game are more than welcome to do so here.

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Trials Of Mana out to play now

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Trials Of Mana out to play now

Gather together Mana enthusiasts, there’s some exciting news we’ve got to share. Trials of Mana is available to play today!

In our current age of video game remakes, the third installment of the Mana series may not be as high-profile as other remakes but it’s a blessing to long-time fans and a beautiful introduction to newcomers. Japan originally released the game as Seiken Densetsu 3 in 1995 (yep, it’s a classic), but now the third installment of the series is available in high-definition and in 3D.

Players will have the opportunity to reunite with memorable characters as they adventure across a fantastical, colorful world with powerful enemies and trials to overcome. Characters can upgrade their classes and learn hundreds of different abilities and after completing the game new characters can be discovered that were not apart of the original release. Post gameplay also includes new classes and new challenges that will test players’ skills.

This is an exciting remake with its vibrant 3D world, noble heroes, and classic RPG elements. To celebrate its release, series artists HACCAN created brand new artwork, and it’s gorgeous.

Image by HACCAN

Whether fantasy RPG fans have played any of the games in this series or not, it’s definitely worth taking a look at. The visuals in Trial of Mana are a stunning array of color and cartoonish fantasy that keeps eyes locked on the screen. Just the images alone show how beautiful this game is.

For players who have downloaded the demo, they may continue their saved files in the full release. This is a nice mechanic that allows players to jump right back in where they left off. Also, anyone who purchases the game before May 21 for the Nintendo Switch or PlayStation 4 will receive the Rabite Adornment DLC. This will allow players to gain more EXP after battles up to level 10. Anyone purchasing the game on Steam by the same date will receive the same DLC and an exclusive wallpaper set.

Trials of Mana is available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Steam. See more information here.

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Final Super Mario Maker 2 update out now

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Final Super Mario Maker 2 update out now

The final major update for Super Mario Maker 2 is available now! The 3.0 update gives this title a huge overhaul. Most notably, among a variety of other new additions, is the much clamored for ability to create an entire Mario World!

Indeed, the much anticipated Mario World creator has arrived. Players may design a full game with up to 40 levels. Each world includes up to 8 sub-worlds, each containing up to 5 levels. The subworlds can be customized specifically to their themes, such as ice or desert. The map layout can be tailored as well via terraforming, adding toad houses and warp pipes, and choosing from a variety of level icons.

The update also gives a nod to Super Mario classics. Finally, Super Mario Bros. 2 gets some love in the form of character sprites that can pull-up and throw enemies. And the Frog Suit from Super Mario Bros. 3 is finally here, as well!

Super Mario 3D World receives a shout out too in the 3.0 update. Most notably, creators now have five box hats to toy with, each having its own unique ability such as air dashes or propeller jumps.

And finally, boss variety improves as the Koopalings arrive! Each of the 7 new villains has a unique look and ability set. This will spice up created Mario Worlds by staving off repeat showdowns with Bowser and Baby Bowser.

Other new additions include even more power-ups and enemy types!

This is the update many fans have been hoping for since the original Super Mario Maker on the Wii U. I personally am very excited to jump back in and create some more aggressively mediocre levels!

Here is one of the levels that I designed. Star me as a creator to see my other levels!

95Y-BNF-0PF

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Nimbatus launches May 14th

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Nimbatus launches May 14th

I’ve got something here for the science and adventure fans amongst you. In fact, anyone with a love of sci-fi might be interested in Nimbatus. This is a space exploration game with a bit of a twist and it’s coming to your screens next month.

 

 

Nimbatus is a game of space exploration, science, and creativity. You will be given the task of creating custom drones from multiple parts. When you’re happy with what you have, you’ll send your creation into a procedurally generated galaxy to collect resources and complete missions. As you journey into the stars, you’ll discover a plethora of different enemies, biomes, and destructible planets to navigate and explore.

In Nimbatus, your drone can be controlled manually or operate as a fully autonomous entity via an array of logic and sensor parts. These parts come from a bank containing hundreds of options so there’s plenty of room to be smart and creative. Drones given a brain and the ability to function of their own volition can be entered into a PVP arena for those of you that like topping leaderboards.

Those of you looking for the single-player experience have a choice between a couple modes of play. The first of these is Nimbatus‘ survival mode. Here you will choose a captain from one of six different archetypes, including the tech-savvy researcher, tough old boxer, and the mysterious cybernetic programmer; a class recommended for experts of the game. Each of these unique captains will offer bonuses, allowing you to further improve your drone builds.

Those of you wanting to take a little more of a meandering approach to Nimbatus are absolutely welcome to. This title also has a sandbox mode. Whereas resources are limited in survival, you will be able to do things more at your own pace in this anything-goes setting.

Interesting, right? I love the idea of taking something I’ve built from the ground up into a game and seeing how it manages to survive. Procedural generation, if it’s done properly, offers plenty of replayability and the sheer scope of what you can do in terms of what’s essentially character creation should see players coming back for more. If this title lives up to all that it’s promising it could be well worth a look. Those of you wanting in don’t have much longer to wait, either. Nimbatus will be hitting your PC, Mac, and Linux using screens via the Steam store on May 14th.

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REVIEW / Out of the Park Baseball 21 (PC)

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REVIEW / Out of the Park Baseball 21 (PC)

Prior to the start of the MLB season we are fortunate to get two quality baseball games to hold us over until Opening Day. One of those games is Out of the Park Baseball 21, the latest iteration of the premier baseball sim manager. I only just discovered OOTP when I grabbed OOTP 19 during a Steam sale and was blown away by the depth that these games offer. I also really loved OOTP 20. With the 2020 MLB season hold, there’s no better time to jump into the newest offering of OOTP 21.

In OOTP 21 you assume the role of manager/GM of your favorite baseball team, whether it be MLB or any of the 15 international leagues available, complete with real rosters and minor leagues (if available). There are also historical leagues that you can play spanning back to the inception of the game in 1871. Since I am a real life fan of the Tampa Bay Rays, I loaded the team in Challenge mode (ie, achievements enabled and no commissioner abilities) to take the current roster and supremely talented farm system out for a spin. Returning from last year is the ability to “Live Start” from the exact day in season, so you could start your play through to be up-to-date with your favorite team’s record and recent transactions. We’ll have to wait to see how this will work with the season on hold.

 

 

Because there are so many things you can do with your team in OOTP 21, heavy customization of each of your menu screens has been updated. You can keep track of everything from team finances and roster moves to hiring/firing your rookie league team manager, so you’ll need to put your organizational skills to work to get everything setup to your liking. I tend to sit in the Manager’s screen a lot, so I was able to set it up to get a glimpse of all aspects of my team that felt relevant for day-to-day operations. You can do this for every screen and menu you go through, so if you are an organization buff, go nuts! Also, the new menus and UI are as sleek as ever.

 

 

If you decide not to get too deep into things like farm team management or hiring staff, you can set the AI to do that. The AI can do as much or as little as you’d like, so if you need some time to ease into the depths of baseball management, let the AI help you out. Every screen has tools to optimize your experience, whether it be sorting your players by on-base percentage or scouting prospects for the upcoming draft. The amount of time and energy you want to devote to any one thing is up to you and the AI will help you out for the most part (more on the AI later).

 

 

OOTP 21 offers some new improvements to playing games; namely, new 3D camera angles have been included. While these graphics aren’t at the level of MLB the Show 20, these improvements made me jump into more games than I did in OOTP 20. You can sim half innings or decide each pitch when you play a game against your opponent; the level of commitment to each game is entirely up to you. I’d recommend setting up a schedule of games you feel you must play (apart from the playoffs!) so you don’t get too bogged down in the day-to-day of such a long season. Also, those of you looking develop your own ballparks now have the tools to build 3D parks. I’m sure the Tampa Bay Rays would appreciate a new ballpark but I didn’t have the time to dabble with these tools for this review.

 

 

The Perfect Team mode continues to improve in OOTP 21. This online mode allows you to compete in weekly leagues with a team made up of player cards (much like Diamond Dynasty mode in MLB the Show). You’ll get some packs to rip open and put together a squad to immediately compete online, but you’ll want to keep playing in order to earn in-game currency to buy new packs or buy player cards via auction. OOTP 21 boasts a huge collection of cards to collect, offering you the opportunity to field historical figures alongside today’s best players. There are also missions for you to unlock star players from your favorite teams or legends from the past. The developers will be continually updating Perfect Team mode as the season progresses, including tournaments and more cards to unlock.

 

 

There are still some aspects of OOTP 21 that may seem minor to most. Namely, the AI can make some questionable choices. Most trades offered by other computer-controlled teams are generally awful. The only way to make it somewhat fair is to initiate or discuss the trade, because everything coming at you is a lowball offer. You still can’t trade draft picks in Challenge Mode (you have to be a commissioner and enable this setting) which can be slightly annoying if you are in rebuild mode because most computer-controlled teams overvalue (unproven) prospects (although I am used to this in some real fantasy baseball leagues). Lastly, your ownership doesn’t react well to elements that are out of your control during the season; I currently have Charlie Morton on the 60-day IL for Tommy John surgery and there is no way I am going to resign him after this because his ratings are going to drop when he returns, but Stu wants him back. While this sounds like something the real Stu Sternberg would want because the man is an idiot, any logical person would say nope, this make no sense. Love you Charlie but at your age and this measly payroll I have to let you go. The TL;DR of this is that you will get a negative response from your owner even when it makes logical sense not to resign a guy or you couldn’t make the playoffs because your entire starting rotation was on the IL for half the year.

 

 

Nitpicking aside, OOTP 21 is yet another strong release in the OOTP franchise, continuing to improve year after year and keeping us coming back for more. With baseball on hold, this has been scratching just about every itch considering the circumstances. So if you are a baseball enthusiast who refreshes FanGraphs multiple times per day (which you should definitely still keep doing because it helps those guys out during these uncertain times), OOTP 21 is going to be your favorite sim. If you are on the fence about getting this invested in a baseball game, I still recommend checking it out!

 

 

This review is based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.

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