New Deus Ex Trailer Shows A Man Conflicted, A Humanity Divided

For the past three days, Square-Enix has been teasing a reveal of one of their North-American produced titles with an audacious, frustratingly obtuse interactive promotion campaign through Twitch called 'Project: Can't Kill Progress'. Neogaf however had other plans, blowing the lid on Eidios Montreal's Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, the highly-anticipated follow-up to their critically successful reboot/prequel to the Deus Ex franchise.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is set in 2029, two years after the events of Human Revolution, with players re-assuming the role of Adam Jensen; the Cervantes-bearded and lethally-armed (pun entirely intended) protagonist of the previous game as he is recruited by an newly-formed Interpol-funded task force aimed to hunt down and capture augmented terrorists in a world that now hates and fears transhumanism. With a new suite of mechanical augments that allow him to stealthily navigate, socially manipulate and offensively eliminate threats as never before; Jensen must once again maneuver through a shadow-net of proxy-conspiracies and double-agendas in a personal mission to uncover the truth and, by doing so, seek absolution for the havoc he helped to inadvertently unleash.

Human Revolution was one of my favorite titles of 2011, with my only complaints being the gratingly lackluster Boss encounters (a problem partially remedied by the game's Director's Cut Edition) and an overwhelming desire for more free-roaming areas to explore that were cut throughout production (for example, Upper Hengsha and ground-level Montreal). The sobriety and fatalism in this first trailer is chilling. As a long-time fan of the series, I'm looking forward to how this title narratively bridges the gap between Human Revolution's transhumanist renaissance period and the original game's dystopian oligarchic society shepherded by disease and information warfare.

No release window announced as of yet, though if I were to venture a guess, I'd say quarter four of this year only to be inevitably delayed for another quarter or two. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is slated for release on Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Brainstorm's Diablo Event Unleashes A Host of Horrors and Heroes

Lennart Verhoeff

The bad-ass artistic minds behind the Brainstorm collective knock it out of the park yet again with their month-long redesign challenge, this time reinterpreting the iconic imagery, classes and titular adversary of Blizzard Entertainment's classic dungeon-crawling series Diablo. Many of the results this past week impressively (if predictably) skew across the spectrum of sci-fi action, though a majority of the pieces submitted retain the distinctive gothic-horror flavor of the original.

Brainstorm mainstay Chen Nambiarooran (previously featured for his impressive 'Darth Vader' series) returns with some downright devilish-looking creature and class designs, joined by the likes of Luis Lashido, Tomaislav Jagnijc, and Lennart Verhoeff's impressively menacing profile portraits. It's all there and more, right after the break!

Worth Checking Out - Apotheon

I stumbled across the trailer for Apotheon this morning and immediately went hunting for a pre-order. Alientrap's 2D platforming RPG is styled after the black figure era of Greecian pottery artwork and follows an acolyte solider as he must battle the capricious Olympian Gods and save his homeland. The game comes out tomorrow(!) on both PS4 and PC, so if the trailer scratches your itch for mythological-god-and-monster-slaying, follow the link to Alientrap's website and go grab a copy yourself!

Worth Checking Out - Children of Morta

Children of Morta is a "narrative-based roguelike" being developed by Dead Mage, known for creating similar hack’n slash titles such as Shadow Blade and Garshasp: The Monster Slayer. Players assume the roles of the Bergson family, the ancestral guardians of the Mountain of Morta, who must battle their way along the mountain's peak to discover the source of the corruption transforming the wilderness into a host of blighted abominations and dispel it once and for all.

Let me tell you of the days of high adventure...

What really strikes me about this game besides its beautiful, densely pixelated art-style, is how the family members each represent a prototypical class of top-down RPG occupations (John the Father is the swordsman, Linda the Daughter is the archer, Lucy the Mage and Kevin the Rogue, etc.) and the ability to switch between them over the course of the game. The procedural-generated dungeons coupled with an emphasis on a strong narrative elements throughout add a nice twist to the mix too.

The game is currently sitting on over $46-thousand of its initial 65-thousand dollar goal, with the potential of expanding to the current-gen consoles (i.e. PS4, Xbox One, and Wii-U) post-release. Backer incentives include a download of the game's soundtrack and access to an exclusive family member. If the trailer piques your interest, throw some support their way!

It's Happening: Starr Mazer Launches Kickstarter Campaign!

Last April, I did a write-up for Jérémie Périn's epic concept-game trailer Starr Mazer before shouting from the rooftops into the vacuum of space hoping against hope that this ludicrously entertaining mash-up of bullet-hell Shoot 'em up and pulp sci-fi point-and-click mechanics manifested into something actually playable. 

Well, it looks like the long arch of the universe is smiling in my favor because Imagos Softworks has finally launched a kickstarter campaign to bring this modern-day opus of retro gaming to fruition.

I think my spaceship knows which way to go...

The team includes Périn who's back on-board doing concept-art; The pledge page promises an original chip-tunes soundtrack courtesy of the talented Alex Mauer (Serious Sam: Random Encounter), Manami Matsumae (Mega Man), The Protomen, and Virt (Shovel Knight), a colorful host of characters, and a multi-choice branching storyline that results in interesting subsequent play-throughs.

I really don't know if it gets much cooler than this. It's like if Space Ace, Commander Shepherd, Space Dandy, and Guybrush Threepwood got mashed all up into one guy who was then thrown into a black hole and then spat out into a Gradius Level. Go back this asap!

Worth Checking Out - Band Saga

I've always had an passing flirtation with rhythm and music games, but Band Saga has to be one of the most inventive and interesting twists on the genre that I've seen in a long time.

A roguelike action-RPG where every level, enemy and weapon is generated real-time through music, Band Saga follows the story of a young man whose dream of starting a band is kickstarted by the presence of a mysterious woman and an army of otherworldly baddies and abominations that are out for his head. Throughout their journey players will recruit new band-mates, adding a host of new instruments to their musical arsenal.

Road trip~

Each new hub-city and level explored will unlock new sounds, items and the ability to modify and sequence them musically in Band Saga's built-in FM Sequencer. The novelty of remixing sounds and manipulating the soundtrack to traverse the environments as well as taking down enemies could add a whole other layer of challenging complexity to the gameplay. Here's hoping the team can pull it off!

As Band Saga's kickstarter stands now, the game is just over a third of a way to its funding goal. As incentive, creators Roger Hicks and Hillmon Ancrum have put the game's entire soundtrack up for sale, including a promotional mini-comic prequel. A music-oriented RPG with a gorgeously kaleidoscopic art style reminiscent a la Scott Pilgrim and Mercenary Kings? Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

"BEACON" - A Sci-fi Roguelike With Body Horror?

(Via)

I've been an avid admirer of indie developer Monothetic ever since they released their first non-commercial mod project Black Snow in 2012. With its hope-crippling atmosphere and Carpenter-esque horror aesthetic, I've been patiently chomping at the bit to see what this young studio has to offer for their first commercial title. It looks I won't have to wait much longer as Beacon, a sci-fi horror Roguelike, is tentatively slated for release later this year. The game sounds like your average top-down action RPG, with one exception...

As in all Roguelikes, when you die in Beacon, you’ll be sent back to the beginning of the game, losing any weaponry and items you might have picked up along the way. However, rather than losing it, the DNA you harvested in that life is sent back to your personal clone bay (one of the few pieces of your ship still functioning), and spliced together with your own for your next life. This adds a level of  permanence to Beacon, as each subsequent life will stack more harvested DNA on top of what you had before, resulting in stat augmentations and (in extreme cases) full-fledged physical mutations. Be warned, however; not every mutation will be a positive thing.

If implemented correctly, this DNA element could result in a slew of compelling gameplay variations. A top-down action game that rewards trial-by-fire tenacity à la Diablo and Hotline Miami, balanced with a permanent trait bonus system that becomes deadly if left unchecked? Sign me up. Check out more of the mock-up concept art after the break!

Worth Checking Out - OMORI by OMOCAT

Awesome Robo favorite OMOCAT (who's work you can even buy from our store!) has been teasing at an RPG for a few months now and we're finally getting to see the progress she's made along with the opportunity to help fund it!

OMORI is a surreal exploration based horror RPG, with vibes similar to that of  the 2004 RPG Yume Nikki and the cult-favorite OFF. The story, which revolves around her original character OMORI, a "depressed otaku" who's story is already over before you begin it. The game, using the RPG maker as it's foundation, has an incredible lineup of features including an original soundtrack (which is absolutely amazing from what's been provided thus far), a huge slew of original characters, and even a room full of cats!

As of now, the Kickstarter has already hit about 80% of it's goal in less than 24-hours, essentially guaranteeing a successful campaign. Based on OMOCAT's work, we're expecting an incredibly stylish ad heartfelt experience that many RPGs seem to have lost sight of If you'd like to pitch in and get a copy of the game yourself, head over to the Kickstarter page here here.

OMOCAT has a few of the game's soundtrack for quick listening as well, I'm really digging the mix of electronic and acoustic pieces and I'm excited to see how they're incorporated into the game. 

South Park: The Stick of Truth Is Fantastic

Obsidian Entertainment’s South Park: The Stick of Truth is one of those rare titles that not only captures the essences of the franchise it represents perfectly, but also presents gameplay mechanics that are fun and engaging. Obsidian has successfully created the interactive world of South Park, and in more ways than not, a world that feels more alive, more immersive, than most titles released today.

If you’re a fan of the series, prepare to be serviced like no other. Just about every house, every building, can be entered and explored, and these houses are accurately depicted down the smallest details. When you combine these incredible environmental elements with the perfectly depicted characters you get these moments where you sit back and honestly can’t pick out if you’re playing a game or watching the show. It is in these moments where the game excels the most, almost serving as an example of how to branch a franchise across multiple mediums.



Being twenty hours into the game, I honestly feel that I’ve only cracked the surface. If you’ve ever considered yourself a fan of the series, Stick of Truth is a must have that does not disappoint. Even if you aren’t, but enjoy turn based role playing games, there is enough depth in the combat and exploration to satisfy. Obsidian Entertainment South Park: The Stick of Truth is a fantastic piece of entertainment and one that is very much worth the wait. It is available now on Steam and PS3/360 for $59.99

Monolith Soft's Project X Wiiu Trailer Rekindles Our Interest In RPG's

If you've never played Xenoblade Chronicles on the Wii, the game was an absolute ode to an era in which games like Final Fantasy, Suikoden, Persona and similar JRPG titles dominated the gaming landscape, a time in which games like Call Of Duty didn't even exist (Imagine that). Many people argue that it was the best JRPG title to come out in years, offering relatable characters, an epic storyline and a very well designed battle system.

The company's history is the most interesting aspect, especially founder Tetsuya Takahashi's vision for a 'Xeno' series dates back to 1998, when Takahashi directed the critically acclaimed Xenogears. Over the course of 13 years Takahashi and his team have attempted to fulfill their wild ambition of a cohesive series but have encountered numerous roadblocks in their path, including the folks at Square deeming Xenogears as 'Too dark and complicated,' to the ill fated destiny of the Xenosaga franchise, cut short during his tenure at Namco/Bandai. While we are as of yet unsure as to the relation of X to Xenoblade Chronicles, there's already enough similarities to safely speculate that this may be the case. If X turns out as good as it looks, I might finally be convinced to take the Wiiu plunge.

Worth Checking Out: Slayin' (iOS)

I'm always looking for a great 15 minute time waster on my phone, but just last night I may have stumbled upon the cream of the crop. Slayin' is a never ending action RPG, where players are pitted against a screen filled with enemies as they attempt to murder them without any apparent reasoning (they're monsters what more reason do you want?). The more monsters you kill, the higher level you gain and the better weapons you can purchase.

The game's pixel-art instantly reminding me the classic, Ghosts and Goblins, and with a supercharged chiptune sound soundtrack, the game keeps you in the the monster killing mood. For only a $1.29 the game is a steal and if you're looking for something new to pick up I suggest you drop a bit of money for the title.

Studio Ghibli's Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch E3 Trailer

Just in time for E3, we get an absolutely beautiful new trailer for the upcoming PS3 exclusive, the first Ghibli/Level 5 collab game to reach Western shores (Fingers crossed!). The trailer really reminded me of a mix between the original Chrono Trigger and the recent Dragon Quest installments in vibe. With a sneak peek of some wonderful looking hand animated segments, and a story rife with messages of hope and optimism, this is definitely a title worth looking forward to. We'll see if we can get some hands on time with this title at E3.

The Beautiful World Of Bravely Default : Flying Fairy

I recently found out about this incredibly oddly named Square Enix title recently while browsing Famitsu for some information on another game. Upon further inspection, I discovered a 3DS exclusive that all of a sudden brought back a warm, fuzzy feeling that I hadn't had in years from a Square title.

After getting alienated by Final Fantasy XIII, which pushed a visual style that was just too unrelatable and nonsensically quirky (a problem Nomura has increasingly had with his art direction over the years in my opinon), I kind of found myself longing for the more old school titles which had fantastical worlds still grounded in a reality that was somewhat familiar. I mean, good for you if you could relate with a cast of brightly colored metrosexuals with names like Hope, Lightning and Snow.

The old school revolution.

The game is being developed by Takashi Tokita, who is most known for his work as the director of the timeless Chrono Trigger and various other titles unrelated to the recent Final Fantasy installments. Visually though, the game is being art directed by Akihiko Yoshida, one of my favorite artists at the studio behind the visual look of memorable classics like Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre. His incredible art direction for this title delivers beautifully epic, vast vistas with a watercolor flair within the confines of a small 3DS screen.

A New Chapter For The Baldurs Gate Saga?

Classic (Via)

Whenever I hear or see that name, or something with 'gate' in the name and a skull somewhere, a part of my brain automatically triggers a cluster of memories from the late 90's. And when I hear the music, or any music remotely related to that epic opening theme, I get bat-sh*t excited (on the inside, of course). Over the years I've had to develop a poker faced reaction.

To be 100% honest, this is the most epic computer RPG experience of the last 20 years, in my opinion. A close second is the sequel to BG, another gem in the history of computer games. A few days ago I've noticed some stir on a domain registered to the name of this game, with no information whatsoever, except for the lines written beneath the saga symbol, and some easter egg on the source of the website.

Many people are concerned and excited at the same time at the prospect of a new installment of the series since Bioware, the company responsible for the game, has taken a different path on how they think games should be made.

A new episode would be completely awesome, but if not properly executed, it might send the whole saga the ''Star Wars'' way. Some think that this would be solely an HD remake, updating the old infinity engine on the graphic section, work to be developed by a company called Beamdog (rumors say).

If it's just an HD take, something of a trend over the past years on the console gaming market, I'm not sure what I'd think of it, since a new sequel would be pretty awesome.

If there's any news in the near future, we'll update. As for now, I'm on the 3rd installation disc. It's never too late for a replay.

Studio Ghibli And Level 5: A Match Made In Heaven

A collaboration between Level 5 games and Studio Ghibli started back in 2008 with a DS game called Ni no Kuni, which translates to 'Second Country.' Unfortunately, the DS game never saw a US release, despite getting stellar reviews in Japan. However, I've got hopes for this PS3 version, called 'Second Country: Queen Of White Sacred Ash.' Using a high level cel shaded style, Level 5 managed to translate the visual language that defines Studio Ghibli's body of work perfectly into 3d. The colors, atmosphere and even the animation all have that instantly recognizable, beautiful style that make it a legit Miyazaki product. Lets hope there's enough interest to get a US port of this game..I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Catherine Trailer Gets Less Sexy

I mentioned in a previous post, that Atlus did a horrendous job announcing Catherine. While many fans will be sitting this game out, I'll be first in line to pick up this game. I'm always for trying something new and Catherine seems to be something entirely different. What do you all think?

How NOT To Market Your Game

The upcoming japanese title Catherine has created a lot of buzz the past couple of months. With the Persona Team taking it's first big leap into the realm of HD with  sexy cover girl Catherine, it's no surprise why a lot of Atlus fans are frothing at the mouth. Beginning with teaser images, fans avidly waited for the next batch of info for the game's mechanics. Unfortunately Atlus decided to go about this reveal in a manner many found deceiving, setting themselves up for a huge wave of disappointment.

Hit the jump to read on!

An Argument For Linearity In RPGs.

Let me start this off by saying that I dip into western and eastern RPGs as equally as I can, I'm a huge fan of both Dragon Age and Final Fantasy, as opposite spectrum as those might seem.

Over the last ten years we've seen a rapid decline in the amount of eastern RPGs coming out in America, and on the opposite side of the coin western RPGs are finally coming to the forefront of console gaming. Games like Dragon Age and Mass Effect are making the western RPG more and more accessible with every new incarnation.

What people really seem to appreciate about these games is the vast number of choices they allow us to make. Whereas the eastern RPG sends you along a predestined path and you're more or less just along for the ride, the western RPG puts you in almost full control of the events surrounding your character.

Personally though, I feel like I'm in the small minority that's no longer impressed by the parlor trick that is "choice" in the RPG. I'll admit that I was initially blown away by Heavy Rain, Dragon Age and just about every other title in recent years that has allowed you to choose your character's path.