Atlas Fallen is a very ambitious title from developer Deck13. While overall it shares some similarities to their previous title, including Lords of the Fallen and The Surge 2, it's also their first step away from the Soulslike genre. At its core Atlas Fallen is a third-person action RPG that focuses on speed and fast-paced encounters. While you sometimes encounter groups of smaller enemies, the bulk of your enemies is giant hulking beasts, which quickly becomes a staple of the gameplay.

[caption id="attachment_395703" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Atlas Fallen (PC, PS5[reviewed], Xbox Series X|S)
Developer: Deck13
Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Release: August 10, 2023
MSRP: PC: $49.99, PS5 & Xbox Series X|S: $59.99

In Atlas Fallen, the world lies in ruin due to the savage sun god Thelos. Most of the once lush landscape is now entirely sand dunes with the occasional dead tree or patch of dried-out grass. The inhabitants are forced to serve Thelos by extracting a powerful resource called Essence from the world and delivering it to him. Some people have pledged loyalty to the sun god in exchange for an elevated status or a more desirable job in the harsh desert. Others are tasked with performing slave-like labor, extracting Essence, and transporting it across the dunes.

The protagonist discovers a powerful ancient Gauntlet that is able to manipulate Essence to shape the sand, granting its wielder powerful weapons and powers. With this newfound strength, the player sets out to lead a rebellion and put a stop to the savage rule of Thelos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGQfhGubWns

All hope relies on the Gauntlet

The Gauntlet allows you to equip two of three potential weapons at all times. The Dunecleaver is a powerful heavy weapon axe and hammer hybrid. The Sandwhip is a fast attacking whip that also allows you to close distances quickly. Finally, the Knuckledust is a hard-hitting fist weapon that also allows you to grow additional arms as you pound your foe. Each weapon has its own specific attacks and combos that synergize differently with the other weapons. Honestly, the three weapons are unique enough, but once I found the combo of weapons that worked for me—Sandwhip and Knuckledust—I never really found the need to ever us the third weapon.

While beating up on majestic beasts in the desert, you'll also learn how to master Atlas Fallen's Momentum system. Momentum is a bit of a risk-reward system. As you successfully land attacks, you will fill up your Momentum bar. As its filled, you will be able to carry out more hard-hitting special attacks. However, the fuller the bar is, the more damage you take when you are hit.

It's a great premise, but it honestly feels like it misses the mark a little bit. There's not truly any risk to be had, because at the end of the day you're just going to be focusing on beating down your enemy. I never really stopped building momentum to consider the risk of doing so. Instead, I'd just try to land as many attacks as I could while also prioritizing not getting hit so I didn't risk taking additional damage.

Throughout the world you will find deposits of Essence, as well as from dropped enemies. With this Essence you can unlock new abilities and upgrade your Gauntlet, increasing its capabilities.

[caption id="attachment_395700" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

A truly beautiful world

Visually, the world of Atlas Fallen is simply beautiful. I literally found myself stopping to look around the vast open landscapes, and admiring the beauty of the ruins scattered amongst the sands. The detail in some of the areas such as the Knights of Bastengard Stronghold is second to none.

As you progress through the world you will visit three different areas in total. Each one has a main hub that you will pickup the bulk of your quests from. Additional optional quests and collectables are peppered all throughout the area as well, in no short supply. Your Gauntlet also has the ability to raise buried objects up out of the sand, which can include chests and even structures that allow you to reach higher elevation areas.

Some of the colossal beasts that you encounter are pretty incredible as well, both in size and appearance. Fans of Monster Hunter will find familiarities here, as some of the bigger monsters have various body parts that you can focus on. If you deal enough damage to them, they will break, causing massive damage to the enemy and also dropping special loot. Unfortunately, I found loot to be mostly irrelevant throughout Atlas Fallen. I still tried to break as many monster parts as I could, but never found the materials I obtained for doing so to really matter.

In fact, this is perhaps one of the bigger issues with Atlas Fallen. A lot of the systems in place are great in premise, and even have their own intricacies to them. However, in most cases they fall short in terms of relevancy. In a vast open world action RPG like Atlas Fallen, equipment and itemization should be important. Unfortunately, this isn't the case. In fact, I think it would be quite possible to play through all of Atlas Fallen without bothering to equip anything you've obtained throughout the entire experience.

[caption id="attachment_395704" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

But, not everything is beautiful

Unfortunately there are some pretty sizeable problems with Atlas Fallen as well. The biggest issue without a doubt is the voice acting. Don't get me wrong, I don't expect every title to have Baldur's Gate 3 level of voiceovers. But the voice acting in Atlas Fallen isn't even average, it's downright terrible. Some of the non-important side NPC's were alright, but the playable character as well as your main companion, Nyaal, were not great. It really took from the overall experience.

From a lore perspective, the weight of the world is on these two character's shoulders. But you wouldn't have known that based on their monotone line delivery. I know I'm emphasizing this a lot here, but can't stress how bad it is. We're talking worse than Peter Dinkelage as Ghost in Destiny 2 before they replaced him.

Overall the story of Atlas Fallen had a lot of potential, but it falls short and overall I think the voiceover was a big part of it. Furthermore, the story felt a bit rushed at times. In total it took me just over 14 hours to complete Atlas Fallen, but I did a good bit of the optional content it had to offer. If someone was beelining through the main story quests only, I would not be surprised to see a sub 10 hour completion. However, if you do choose to take your time and really explore every nook and cranny to obtain every collectible and complete every side quest, I could see it taking 20 hours.

Also, a lot of the potentially fantastic features in Atlas Fallen end up feeling tacked on. There's a feature called Watcher's Fury where once you've done enough to draw the attention of the eye of Thelos, he will create a massive sandstorm on your location. Inside the storm an onslaught of enemies will attack you, all while you have limited visibility. When I first encountered Watcher's Fury I was excited to see the outcome of it. You have the choice of running and escaping the storm, or fighting all the enemies to the end. At the end you get some rather basic loot...and that's about it.

All in all, the Watcher's Fury felt pretty lackluster in every way. Furthermore, I only experienced the Watcher's Fury a few times throughout Atlas Fallen, making me wonder why it existed in the first place.

[caption id="attachment_395708" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

A flawed but good experience

Overall, I like Atlas Fallen. It's great to see Deck13 step outside its comfort zone and show us their take on an open world. It's a good time, but it could have been a great time.

This was honestly a tough title to review for me. In some ways, Atlas Fallen shows glimpses of a truly remarkable AAA title. The world is vast and beautiful and lively. But in other ways, it just makes me wish it had been more. The combat system had the potential to leave a memorable mark on the genre. But, in reality, it will instead probably end up being forgettable instead. It felt like perhaps Deck13 played things way too safe with their first non-Soulslike endeavor.

I do think there is reason enough to experience Atlas Fallen. Especially if you are a fan of the action RPG genre. It may not leave a lasting impression once you've completed the adventure. But it will be enjoyable enough along the way to hold your interest. Also, I didn't get the opportunity to try it out but you can play the entirety of Atlas Fallen co-operatively. Honestly, while I don't think that would fix any of the bigger flaws. However, I do think it could enhance the experience overall.

Perhaps the best words to summarize Atlas Fallen is this: I can't wait to see what Deck13 does next.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Atlas Fallen appeared first on Destructoid.

There are even breakable body parts

Developers DECK13 have released a new trailer for their upcoming fantasy action RPG Atlas Fallen that primarily highlights its combat. And, I have to admit, it looks very impressive! The battles looks fast-paced and reminds me a lot of the combat in Monster Hunter. I'd say maybe even with a mix of God of War thrown in.

You can target specific body parts on larger enemies like their legs and feet in an effort to incapacitate them and cause them to fall to the ground. Also similar to Monster Hunter, breaking certain body parts can result in unique resources unlocking special crafting options. Here's the combat trailer for Atlas Fallen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGQfhGubWns

In Atlas Fallen, you can have two main weapons equipped at the same time and switch between them to unleash a variety of combos. Throughout the video, we see several weapons with varying styles including a cleaver, whip, and even fist weapons. You evade attacks by rolling and dashing and can even jump high into the air to keep the pressure on bigger enemies.

You also build momentum with each successful attack. Momentum grants you the ability to use special attacks and also empowers your weapon. However, the more momentum you have, the more damage you will take the next time you are hit. I'm excited to see how this risk vs. reward system actually feels in combat.

The trailer also confirmed that Atlas Fallen will be fully playable via online two-player co-op. The entire campaign can be completed with a friend, which will definitely be fun with this style of combat. I always enjoyed teaming up with friends to take down a particularly pesky beast in Monster Hunter.

Atlas Fallen releases on August 10 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

The post New Atlas Fallen combat trailer gives me Monster Hunter vibes appeared first on Destructoid.

All Aboard

Publisher Focus Entertainment continues on its journey to grow as a company and as a brand within the market, announcing that it has acquired Railsimulator(dot)com, the parent company of train sim studio Dovetail Games.

The purchase sees Focus secure 100% of all Dovetail Games shares, as well as ownership of the British studio's niche-but-popular IPs such as Rail Simulator, Train Simulator Classic, and Train Sim World. The studio itself will continue to run under its own steam (no pun intended) via the current leadership team. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Focus spoke of its excitement in purchasing the genre-dedicated developer.

https://twitter.com/Focus_entmt/status/1649088666529304577?s=20

"We like their business model based on fully-owned IPs and creating recurrent revenues from regular content updates to a passionate and committed community of fans," explains Focus Entertainment CEO Sean Brennan. "Dovetail is perfectly aligned with our strategy and is led by a very talented senior management team who are excited about growing the business further."

"[Dovetail management] will keep their distinct culture and way of managing the business for sure, a policy that we have followed with all our past studio acquisitions. We hope we can add value in a number of areas though in order to bring their fantastic games to a wider audience."

Dovetail Games joins Focus' modest but burgeoning portfolio, which also includes Lords of the Fallen developer Deck13, Space Hulk: Deathwing's Streum On Studio, Metal Slug Tactics' Leiker Studio, French studio Douze Dixiemas, and finally the hugely successful, retro-driven outfit Dotemu. Focus also has a close relationship with acclaimed studios such as A Plague Tale's Asobo Studio and Atomic Heart's Mundfish.

The post Focus Entertainment acquires Train Simulator studio Dovetail Games appeared first on Destructoid.

The squad that stays together, slays together

Over the years, we've seen a few different takes on the Aliens franchise. The xenomorphs have been tackled in shooters, Pac-Man-style mazes, and of course, raw horror. With Aliens: Dark Descent, the player takes command of a crack squad of commandos, heading into derelict depths of space that may or may not be crawling with the multi-mouthed creepy crawlies.

The question, really, was whether a narrow focus on just a squad of units, with individual talents and a high risk of immediate doom, could incorporate the tension and fear one might look for in an Aliens game. The answer is yes, it is extremely tense, and has some really cool ways of conveying the omnipresent fear of the xenomorphs. But it's a little complicated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W_fIqBj3gc

Quiet space goliaths

Sitting down for my demo at PAX East 2023, I was intrigued by the premise. I've really enjoyed small, focused takes on the strategy genre. Developer Tindalos Interactive has previously worked on some Battlefleet Gothic games, and that legacy shows here. Right out of the gate, the atmosphere is superb. Even in a top-down, overhead view, corners felt dangerous and the shadows were imposing. Fog of war, a strategy mainstay, works incredibly well here as a tool for tension.

Ticking in the bottom-right corner is a minimap, complete with the Aliens signature heartbeat monitor. Each little pip heightens the mood, and once the xenomorphs are loose and on the hunt, it can really feel like you're scrambling and hiding from a horde of the nasty hunters.

[caption id="attachment_371975" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Focus Entertainment[/caption]

What starts out as a routine mission quickly descends into chaos as you try to work your way through a ship overtaken by the xenomorphs. So from the outset, Aliens: Dark Descent nails the setting. It's the combat that adds a few more wrinkles.

All for one

Aliens: Dark Descent is a tactical action game, set in real time, with the potential to pause and issue commands. If you've played a real-time-with-pause game before, it will feel familiar. There's just one twist: you don't issue commands to individual marines, but to the entire squad.

Commands will let certain marines enact their own special moves, or automatically assign them based on proficiencies. Otherwise, ordering the squad means ordering the whole squad in Aliens: Dark Descent. Part of this helps, as a full squad can mitigate the damage that would otherwise overwhelm a single marine. When I was exploring, sweeping for information and extra munitions for an eventual holdout against the xenomorphs, it worked fine.

[caption id="attachment_371976" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Focus Entertainment[/caption]

Eventually, Aliens: Dark Descent narrows the battles down and focuses them. In one section, I knew that the second I activated a certain machine, the entire nest would descend on me. This is a classic set-up that works great for the Aliens setting, and I had many interesting tools to hold off the horde. Auto-turrets could maintain killzones, welding doors allowed for chokepoints, and different vantage points meant I could maintain range and fire on enemies as they rushed in.

Once the swarm started up, though, it was an awkward moment of sitting and watching. There are abilities to use, like the flamethrower, but they felt a little awkward. A developer I spoke with afterwards mentioned this particular slice takes place later in the game, after some of those elements have been explained. Maybe they're a bit easier to implement when the player's more familiar with them.

[caption id="attachment_371973" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Focus Entertainment[/caption]

Either way, this was the one moment I wanted to pause and shift around a bit. Setting up alternate angles for cover, or even getting a finer control of my marines, would've made me feel more in control. It's a nitpick, but one I felt right away as the action got heavy. Despite all that, I still loved the holdout sections. While the mission had up to that point been a lot of eerie quiet punctuated by sudden xenomorph strikes, this was all-out chaos, looking on as I tried to mete out what resources I could to keep the waves of xenomorphs from overwhelming my hapless team.

Down to the wire

I eventually limped my way through the mission, perishing to a wave of aliens my few surviving marines couldn't handle. Xenomorphs are intimidating, and I really felt like I was constantly up against difficult odds. The resource management is an especially interesting wrinkle; taking stock of ammo, ability points, and the turrets I had to cover retreats was a constant source of tension. These moments made Aliens: Dark Descent click a lot more for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjHtin_ejcE

Control woes aside, this is at least a novel take on the franchise. Tindalos Interactive and Focus Entertainment have the atmosphere nailed, and some of the resource and squad management meta-layers seem compelling too. I'm curious to see how this lands, as Aliens: Dark Descent will head to both PC and consoles, via PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Console strategy games have their ups and downs, and maybe the focused squad controls will feel comfortable on a controller. I'm still really into Tindalos' take on the Aliens world, and even after seeing my squad wiped out, I'm still curious to see whether the tension can carry over mission-to-mission.

We'll see soon, as Aliens: Dark Descent arrives on June 20.

The post PAX: Aliens: Dark Descent brings sci-fi horror to squad-based strategy appeared first on Destructoid.

Nice of the Aliens to wait their turn

Focus Entertainment has announced that Aliens: Dark Descent, a new video game adaptation of the terrifying sci-fi series, will officially launch June 20 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

The new game, which was first announced during Summer Game Fest 2022, will see a squad of hardened marines taking on an infestation on the dark planet, Moon Lethe. Aliens: Dark Descent is a real-time strategy title and will task the player with efficiently equipping, maneuvering, and affording their troops with the tactical advantage over hordes of Warriors, Face Huggers, Queens, and, of course, the soul-sucking capitalism of Weyland-Yutani. XCOM in the Alien universe? Eh, more or less.

You can check out a new trailer below, courtesy of IGN.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YilVs3-B42k&ab_channel=IGN

As the trailer spotlights, Dark Descent is not just another bug hunt, as players will also have to ensure that their squad is well-trained, well-maintained, and afforded some of the greatest weaponry that researchers can provide. The Xenomorphs will almost always have the speed and number advantage, so the marines will have to play the field a little wiser — setting up traps, pinpointing enemy movement, and heading into battle well-equipped for the nightmare that lies ahead.

As we all know, the Alien franchise has had a real rollercoaster ride when it comes to video games, but I think the visuals here are looking pretty authentic, and it will be great to head into the acid-dripping universe from a perspective that isn't first-person. There's no sign of Lt. Vasquez, or Lynn Kurosawa for that matter, but this new take looks promising, and here's hoping that it delivers come June.

But besides all of that, I only need to know one thing... Where they are.

Aliens: Dark Descent launches June 20 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

The post Aliens: Dark Descent brings strategic Xenomorph action in June appeared first on Destructoid.

Back in the U.S.S.R.

Yesterday, my Review in Progress for Atomic Heart went live, focusing on a few of my thoughts covering the first ten hours of the game. When I submitted my draft for edits, I honestly didn't know where I stood with the game.

There were elements I liked about it, mostly centered around its art direction, as well as some design choices that didn't necessarily sit well with me. With a lot of games, ten hours is more than enough time to draw a clear conclusion about how you feel about it. With Atomic Heart, I needed to see it through to the end.

And then I needed to see it through to its other end.

[caption id="attachment_364428" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Atomic Heart (PC, PS4, PS5 [reviewed], Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S)
Developer: Mundfish
Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Released: February 21, 2023
MSRP: $69.99 ($59.99 on Steam)

The opening moments of Atomic Heart can best be described as a Stalinist's wet dream with how it depicts its idealized vision of the Soviet Union. A city, floating in the clouds, with people lining its streets and waterways conversing about how great life is under communist rule as they prepare to learn about the future of their empire. Dmitry Sechenov, arguably the most famous scientist in all of the Soviet Union, is set to unveil Kollectiv 2.0, a neural network that will connect all Soviets using a small invention known as the THOUGHT.

Its full launch is imminent, but before it can be brought online, some matters need handling. Back on the surface world, an area known as Facility 3826 is no longer operational. Robots, built with a substance known as Polymer that has been the backbone of the Soviet's successes, have lost control and killed most of the workers at the facility. To mitigate this disaster, Sechenov employs Major P-3, who, along with his Polymer-powered talking glove, CHAR-les, sets out to get to the bottom of this robot rampage.

The early hours of P-3's journey across Facility 3826 are easily the most troublesome he'll face. With just a melee axe and a gun at his disposal, players will have to adapt quickly to Atomic Heart's combat system lest they fall victim to the many robots that are out for blood. P-3 will have three different attacks at his disposal, including guns, melee weapons, and glove skills. As he kills robots and the other creatures that have ravaged this once-picturesque land, he'll collect Polymer and materials he can use to craft and upgrade his skills and weapons. The first glove skill he unlocks is Shok, which lets him cast out an electrical charge that can stun enemies for a very brief time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQOeZPLHook

Other glove skills include a frost attack and shield, but Atomic Heart's choice of control scheme really limits a player's ability to use their full suite of skills. While Shok is always equipped via the triangle button, P-3 can only equip two of his other glove skills at once, and only one of those can be used at a time. You can switch between these two skills by hitting up on the D-Pad, but I didn't find it to be an intuitive system when trying to survive an onslaught of robots. Switching between weapons is just as cumbersome on a controller as you scroll through them pushing left or right on the D-Pad. Given that most of Atomic Heart's menus point to a game that was primarily optimized for a mouse and keyboard rather than a controller, the controls on the PlayStation 5 leave something to be desired.

That's not to say I struggled with the game. In the early buildings of Facility 3826, I did encounter the Game Over screen more than I would have liked to, but it wasn't an issue with the controls. Part of that was me getting into the rhythm of the combat. But it was also due to just how quiet these robots can be. You really have to be aware of your surroundings in this game because these robots enjoyed trying to take me from behind. And it wasn't unusual to face off against several robots at once and have one or two try to sneak their way around me when I was distracted by other enemies. It's a sound tactic, one I was able to counter once I gathered enough Polymer to improve P-3's speed and dodge capabilities. Once I did that, I was able to peel back the curtain on Atomic Heart's combat and realized it was rather elementary.

Certain enemies do have elemental weaknesses that you can learn via scanning, but if you don't have any weapons boosts that can exploit said weaknesses, then all you can do is hit them with a combination of dodges, melee attacks, gunshots, and whatever glove skills you have equipped at the time. While that combination might sound ripe for experimentation, the anemic nature of the glove skills can be a real letdown. Shok was the only consistent glove skill in my arsenal, though I got a good amount of use out of a skill that hangs your enemies in the air, letting you swing at them like pinatas. That's pretty much how I spent all my Polymer beyond upgrading P-3 himself, and honestly, it was all I needed.

The game does attempt to amp up its difficulty by hitting you with clusters of enemy types, but as long as you stay on top of upgrading P-3's capabilities, once you get out into the open area of Facility 3826, you probably won't face too much trouble.

[caption id="attachment_364441" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

What you may have trouble with, however, is caring about Atomic Heart's story. It's a rather basic tale of people in power trying to tighten their control of the world with P-3 standing in the middle. Social commentary is kept to a minimum, though various audio logs, emails, and audio attachments within emails do add some flavor to the world and show that life in the Soviet Union isn't as glorious as they would like you to think it is. As for P-3, the secret to his backstory is largely predictable given that several early bits of dialogue tell you exactly who he is. Speaking of the dialogue, it's atrocious in English, so you're better off turning on subtitles and switching the language option over to Russian. Just know that, because Atomic Heart is heavy on the conversational dialogue between P-3 and CHAR-les, you might miss a great deal of exposition when trying to read the tiny subtitles during the heat of battle.

I was hoping the story would actually have something new to say, but there's nothing here that hasn't already been said countless times before. While the narrative threads do touch on some interesting topics, such as how Russian robots are changing life for workers in America, it ultimately plays it rather safe with two equally unsatisfying endings. When looking at P-3, he doesn't venture far from his initial view of the Soviet Union. He comes into this journey as Communism Fanboy #1 and rarely ever bends.

I actually become frustrated by his lack of growth given the many conversations he has that should have been the catalyst for some introspection. Not that I'm arguing his adventure should have ended with him getting a massive erection for western capitalism, but this dude straight-up waffles on basically every piece of information he gets. I thought perhaps the developers were molding him to be a dumb hero who just doesn't absorb anything he's told, but he's not dumb. He just chooses to ignore most of it because it clashes with the beliefs he already has.

If I were being generous, I would say that P-3 was Mundfish's way of critiquing those who refuse to change their points of view despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, but that might be giving the developers too much credit.

[caption id="attachment_364426" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

What I can say is Atomic Heart's narrative does not do its setting justice. Facility 3826 is a monumental achievement of design, with an outstanding representation of Stalinist Architecture and Socialist Realism. From the propaganda posters to the statues that tower over the land, Mundfish has crafted a Soviet Union that, outside of the floating cities and advanced robotics, feels like something Stalin and Lenin could have achieved if they weren't so busy murdering their own people. There are so many breathtaking sights that I would often stop playing just to soak it all in. Credit where credit is due, the environmental artists and programmers who brought this world to life did an outstanding job.

It's a shame, then, that the gameplay does this world a disservice by filling it with so much bloat. In the early hours, the bloat can be seen by all the keys you need to fetch to open doors. P-3 even comments on how he's a magnet for shitty door-locking mechanisms. Once you get outside and into the fresh air, you can feel the developer padding the game time again with an open world that connects all the different stations that make up Facility 3826.

On paper, a sandbox open world sounds like a good idea. Why not connect all these intricate locations with the actual land and houses the workers of this facility call home? In practice, however, it's mostly just a lot of open space. You can take your time and hoof it from place to place on foot, fighting robots and avoiding sensors along the way, but the game will supply you with poorly-controlled jalopies that hasten travel time. Though, given that most roads are littered with disabled vehicles and robots for you to crash into, you're going to have to walk through these sections more than you might plan to.

[caption id="attachment_364425" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

If there is anything that makes these long treks across the land worth it, it's the outstanding music you'll hear along the way. Admittedly, the game is a bit overeager to explain why so much music that would never exist in 1955 Soviet Russia can be heard here, but that really doesn't matter when the soundtrack is this good. Composers Mick Gordon, Geoffrey Day, and Andrey Bugrov did an outstanding job scoring this game, whether it's music that sounds like it was ripped from an old Russian propaganda film or the ear-shattering metal that accompanies some of its fight sequences.

While you can wrap up Atomic Heart in about 15 hours, there are ways to extend your stay in Facility 3826, including puzzle-based training facilities that unlock upgrades for the weapons you can craft. After publishing my Review-in-Progress, the game was updated with a patch that added a way to return to the grounds of the facility after beating the game, allowing me to go back and finish up any tasks I may have missed. It's a nice addition, but I honestly don't have much reason to return to Atomic Heart other than to gawk at its architecture.

And really, unless an extensive photo mode is added in a future update, I don't see myself ever booting up Atomic Heart again. I admire the gusto with which Mundfish approached its debut game because it's created one hell of a world to explore. But beyond its pristine setting and ass-kicking soundtrack, it's largely forgettable. Maybe if the gameplay evolved beyond its basic beginnings or if the story was — I don't know, good — I might be willing to give it another go. However, given how unlikely such a monumental change like that would be, Atomic Heart is destined to be a one-and-done type of experience.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Atomic Heart appeared first on Destructoid.

For the motherland

Before I get into this Review in Progress, I should probably discuss the elephant in the room. Atomic Heart is the debut title from developer Mundfish, who, in recent weeks, has come under pressure to be more transparent over its ties to Russia. According to a Eurogamer article, which goes into far more detail on the matter than I will here, Mundfish's investor is the Russian firm GEM Capital, which is run by Anatoliy Paliy, who used to work for the state-owned Gazprom. The developer bills itself as a multinational developer with team members in 10 different countries, including Poland, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates. However, the original development team was based in Russia, and Russian-state media has referred to the studio as Russian in reports on the game.

Without more concrete answers from the developer on its ties with Russia, it's all still kind of up in the air. What we do know for sure is composer Mick Gordon, best known for his work on games like Killer Instinct and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, has donated his fee from the game to Red Cross Australia's Ukraine Crisis Appeal. I'm not going to lecture anyone on whether they should buy this game or not, as there are plenty of people online who are ready to do that. But, I will say, maybe take a peek at that Eurogamer piece before dropping $60 on something that, so far, feels like it's better suited for a rental than a purchase.

[caption id="attachment_364167" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Atomic Heart (PC, PS4, PS5 [reviewed], Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S)
Developer: Mundfish
Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Released: February 21, 2023
MSRP: $69.99 ($59.99 on Steam)

Atomic Heart takes place in an alternate version of the Soviet Union in 1955. The country has experienced a tremendous amount of growth and prosperity thanks to its discovery of Polymer, a substance that paved the way for the advanced robotics that have allowed the nation to flourish. You play as Major P-3, a hardscrabble sort of guy who descends from the city in the clouds to Facility 3826 on a top-secret mission. A terrible atrocity has taken place in this wide-open facility that serves as the birthplace of the Soviet's robotics empire. Blood stains the streets, and robots that were once considered peaceful are now killing everyone in their path. With the impending launch of the neural network known as the "Kollectiv" that'll allow people to control robots with their minds, P-3 is dispatched to the facility to find the source of the tragedy before word leaks out.

And these robots are not willing to go down without a fight. As I do with all games I review for Destructoid, I started my time with Atomic Heart on the "normal" difficulty, thinking that it wouldn't cause me too much trouble. But I quickly realized these robots are built Tonka tough when I emptied a clip into a mustachioed humanoid bot only for it to still come after me like it was the fucking T-1000. It went down with a couple of whacks from my fire axe, and it was then I knew I couldn't just run and gun my way through place. I would have to be more methodical about it, switching between P-3's firearms, melee weapons, and assorted glove skills.

Nestled snuggly on his left hand is CHAR-les, a highly adaptive talking glove that can shoot lightning from his hand while dropping some exposition. As you slaughter robots and other creatures at Facility 3826, you'll collect Polymer and other ingredients you can use to upgrade P-3's arsenal. With Polymer, you can unlock new skills for CHAR-les, including an electrical shock attack, a freeze attack, and a Polymer shield that protects you from damage. You can also use Polymer to improve P-3's basic abilities, and I highly suggest you unlock his faster movement speed and double dodge as soon as you can.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WplTw-DSGYc

You'll need those skills unlocked because this game ain't playing around. Even on "normal," I constantly found myself surrounded and in unwinnable situations. Part of the problem is these robots are awfully light on their feet, and it can be difficult to hear them creeping up behind you. It doesn't take that many hits from them to completely drain your health bar, and when you get three or four robots all attacking you at once, you can be finished off in seconds. The other problem is, as I said above, these robots often require a lot of damage before they're put down. On the one hand, that can make for some exhilarating fights for survival. On the other hand, in the early hours at least, you can see these encounters quickly drain you of all your ammunition, leaving you with less-than-ideal first-person melee combat.

Unfortunately, most of the fights I've encountered so far — including the several bosses I've faced —haven't really reached a level I'd call "exhilarating." Most of them have been pretty rote in their execution, and they become more pedestrian as I continue to upgrade my arsenal. So far, the game's best strategy has been to swarm me with several enemies at once. In the early hours, that was pretty effective as I had several encounters where all I could do is shock, dodge, and swing as I didn't bring enough ammo to get any use out of my guns. But now that I've unlocked so many skills and upgrades, the game is going to need to think of a new trick if it wants to keep me feeling challenged.

It also needs to start doing a bit more with its story. Right now, it's all pretty elementary, with P-3 caught in the middle of a mystery where he doesn't completely know who he can trust. Nothing too unpredictable has happened yet, and the game is starting to foreshadow some pretty obvious twists. For anyone who watched a trailer for this game and thought it was nothing more than "Soviet Bioshock," that's pretty much all it's been so far, right down to the audio logs and some of the game's chosen settings. There is still plenty of time for Atomic Heart to forge its own path, one that doesn't immediately draw comparisons to Ken Levine's creations, and I'll let you know if it does in the full review.

[caption id="attachment_364166" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Before I wrap up, I want to touch on the dialog and voice acting. I've been playing in English for most of the game, and it's been less than stellar. Nobody seems to have a Russian accent, P-3 talks like he's living in our modern era and not in 1955, when the game takes place, and it's clear the developers are trying to make his catchphrase — "Crispy Critters" — a "thing." There is a Russian voice-over option, which is how I think this game should be played.

However, Atomic Heart's dialog is conversation and banter heavy, with P-3 and CHAR-les pretty much talking throughout the adventure. In English, it's easy to follow along. When I switch to Russian, I have to rely on the way-too-small subtitles that will be ignored if they're chatting it up while I'm in the heat of battle. That's not to say that every word they say is gold, but a lot of important exposition has reared its head while I was busy dodging robot lasers.

I'm going to try not to miss any more conversations as I continue to work my way toward the heart of Atomic Heart. Ten hours in, I still don't know where I stand with it. It's big and beautiful with plenty of potential. And there is something quite captivating about this version of the Soviet Union that Mundfish has created. All that said, the gameplay hasn't yet shown itself to be anything more than a standard shooter, and the story has a long way to go to get out from under the shadow of the franchise it so clearly wants to replicate.

_{[This review in progress is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review in Progress: Atomic Heart appeared first on Destructoid.

Plague Tale's million players still don't outnumber the rats, though

A Plague Tale is always one of those game series I'm glad to see is doing well, because the games provide a nice new perspective in the industry. A few years ago if you had told me one of the protagonists of a popular action game franchise were a teenaged girl and her younger brother as they evade hoards of bloodthirsty rats, I likely wouldn't have believed you.

The studio behind the games, Focus Entertainment, has announced via Twitter that A Plague Tale: Requiem has surpassed 1 million players, which is always an impressive milestone for an indie game. The game was officially released on October 18th, so it's also pretty telling that it was able to surpass that number only a few weeks after its release, as well. The announcement tweet gave a kind "thank you" to the million players who have "embarked on an incredible journey with Amicia and Hugo."

https://twitter.com/Focus_entmt/status/1587854817879552000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1587854817879552000%7Ctwgr%5E8ca7f4f66be7162291d6bf35ed3bad92aa1220ed%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eurogamer.net%2Fa-plague-tale-requiem-has-welcomed-1m-players

The Plague Tale games certainly don't look like what we normally expect from indie titles, namely when it comes to the graphics. Times have really changed for smaller studios, because they're proving time and time again that they can hold their own against some of the biggest companies around, not just because they can keep up with the graphical fidelity gamers have become used to, but also because they design interesting, compelling, and simply well-made games that keep us coming back again and again.

It's been a great year for indie games, because other titles like Cult of the Lamb also hit the 1 million mark, and while Trombone Champ didn't quite reach that level, it was still one of the most in-demand and talked about games we've seen in a while. I mean, people seriously calling a silly trombone rhythm game a Game of the Year contender speaks the quality of titles that indie studios are putting out, in my opinion.

The post A Plague Tale: Requiem passes the 1 million players milestone appeared first on Destructoid.

Of Rats and Resilience

Asked about "horror games", a genre that has come into its own over the past two decades, many players will distinctly think of the visceral, the grotesque, and the physically unfathomable.  These terrors can arrive in the form of mushroom-headed mutants, giant, overhead spiders, or hideous, skinless, black-eyed zombies, ready to pop up directly into your PoV with a ghastly scream in what we have coined the "jump scare".

Boo.

But, even within scenarios set outside of our own sphere of time or reality, horror can strike much closer to home.  It can be presented in its purest form, via themes of grief, regret, responsibility, and, scariest of all, the loss of one's own capabilities, focus, and mind.  I've never encountered a mushroom-headed mutant, but I've been completely terrified at the thought of a loved one in peril, or concerned that I won't deliver in a desperate hour of need.  More candidly, I frequently feel abject fear about my own ability to be who I want to be, or even the person that I need to be.

A Plague Tale: Requiem is a horror game, no doubt.  But its teeming, skin-crawling swarm of black rats only represents its horror in a physical and fantastical form.  Who we are, our inescapable fates, the fragility of our lives, the untold damage we can do to ourselves and others, and the irreversibility of said damage — this is also horror.  And it is the horror that faces Amicia and Hugo de Rune.  A horror so relatable, so tangible, so real, that it can reach out through the screen and grab hold of us, cutting deeper than any sackcloth-wearing, chainsaw-wielding madman.

A Plague Tale: Requiem (PS5 [reviewed], PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Game Pass)
Developer: Asobo Studio
Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Released: October 18, 2022
MSRP: $59.99

A Plague Tale: Requiem is the sequel to the cult 2019 sleeper hit A Plague Tale: Innocence, produced by French developer Asobo Studio.  As an untested IP, not boosted by the billion-dollar cogs of the marketing machine, Innocence had to fight to make something of a name for itself, despite being well-regarded by critics and beloved by an ardent fanbase.  As a stealth title with a heavy emphasis on narrative progression, patient gameplay, and extensive dialogue, Innocence struggled to find its audience against similar cinematic adventures.  Sat against the Molotov cocktails and box-cutter zombie stabbings of its brethren, Innocence's flower-collecting side-quest wasn't really pulling in the masses.

And it's a damn shame, because it was a pretty special release.

In creating the sequel — a sequel that was never guaranteed to get the go ahead — Asobo Studio has chosen to stick to what originally brought it to the dance.  For better and for worse. A Plague Tale: Requiem chooses not to stray far from what made its predecessor a low-key classic. Instead, the studio has merely tweaked some of the gameplay elements, while focusing on boosting the scope, scale, and narrative power of its world and story — also harnessing modern-day tech to further polish the franchise's celebrated, stunning environments.

And thus, rather than attempting to win over everybody, A Plague Tale: Requiem instead has chosen to double down for somebody.  In doing so, Asobo Studio has created what can be considered a flawed but very enthralling mini-masterpiece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK9vYJ1g2WE

Light their way, When the darkness surrounds them,

Following on from the events of Innocence, Requiem sees Amicia and Hugo de Rune attempt to rebuild happier lives in the aftermath of their tragic odyssey through the province of Guyenne.  With life looking up for the first time in months, the de Rune offspring are moving into a beautiful new province, away from the oppression of The Inquisition and the terrifying black rat plague known as "The Bite". Unfortunately, these youngsters soon discover that, no matter how far they travel, their fate is inescapable.  A chance encounter with ultraviolence reawakens Hugo's dormant bloodline, "La Prima Macula", bringing with it a million piercing eyes and a billion razor-sharp teeth.

Their new life in ruins, and riddled with guilt and despair, Amicia is convinced that the answer to stopping this endless nightmare lies in a mythical island, envisioned by her brother in a series of strange dreams. With death nipping at their heels, thousands of innocent bodies behind them, and myriad armies, doomsday cults, and vengeful victims out for their blood, the duo is forced back onto the road — searching for a place, a cure, or simply an answer that may not even exist.

Requiem is a story about duty, family, friendship, and destiny. Its sharply written and utterly compelling chronicle is set against the backdrop of the encroaching rat army, but places its focus squarely on our heroes, their allies, and their enemies. From young Hugo's despair at a world that forever disappoints him, to Amicia's increasingly declining mental and physical health, Requiem is about the frayed bonds of hope, as two broken youngsters search for stitches to repair seemingly irreparable lives.

Give them love, Let it shine around them,

It behooves me to speak at great length about the narrative because, as previously mentioned, A Plague Tale: Requiem does not do a whole lot to reinvent its gameplay. Still a stealth adventure at heart, Requiem consists of lengthy, (but arresting), walk-and-talk sequences, perforated with frequent forays into crawling through long grasses, throwing pots, starting fires, and, when the best-laid plans of... rats and... women... come crashing down, fighting for your life with the aid of a slingshot and a selection of alchemic ammunition.

While some new elements are introduced, little has advanced in Requiem's gameplay from its predecessor. A veritable feast of cart pushing, lever-pulling, and stick-burning lies ahead. Hell, even Amicia's hilarious habit of bolting every door behind her is still present and correct.  There are some new abilities, alchemic items, and weapons introduced, while a new counter-attack feature always offers our girl a "second chance" upon discovery.  This helps a little with the frustration of getting caught in the act.

The clunky "Stay and Come" Hugo mechanic is gone entirely, with the young lad developing some... worrying abilities himself as the story progresses. In addition, the stealth sections are a little more open-ended than they once were, typically offering more than one route to the objective. A neat feature sees Amicia's skill tree auto-fill based upon playstyle, with respective rewards for going in quiet as mice or all crossbows blazing. Still, for the most part, anyone who has played Innocence knows what to expect here: walk and talk, stealth, action setpiece, and plenty of hidden flowers (and feathers) to collect.

While this sounds like very "safe" design, (and it is), Requiem's calling lies in its surrounding elements. Literally.

Keep them safe, keep them warm

A Plague Tale: Requiem is a gorgeous game. While Innocence already pushed console limits in regard to environment and visual effects, Asobo Studio has harnessed modern tech to produce some of the most beautiful and absorbing towns, meadows, beaches, and vistas experienced in gaming. The flora and fauna of Requiem's world, along with its bustling town fairs, ramshackle villages, and ornate monasteries are dazzling, equally juxtaposed by the skin-itching misery of its sewers, slums, swamps, and endless mounds of viscera that our protagonists will be forced to wade through.

Adding further to its world are some fantastic weather effects and a highly realistic audio package that certainly deserves to win awards. From the dynamically adaptive and deeply affecting score of returning composer Olivier Deriviere, to a smorgasbord of authentic and seamlessly integrated sound effects, Requiem sounds every bit as good as it looks.  Its paradise islands, cheerful marketplaces, storm-ridden seas, and bleak, war-torn fields balance its majestic audio/visuals to create a "lived-in" world — as warm and attractive as it can be completely cold and repellent.

Give them shelter from the storm

Clearly aware that its stealth-based gameplay is somewhat on the rote, even repetitive side, Requiem goes all-out to present a story, world, and cast of characters that truly embrace the players and their emotional resonance. Requiem's tale runs a gamut of themes focusing on unspeakable tragedy and how it affects the individual, the family, the fanatical, the religious, and all those who fall in the cracks between. As one might expect, it's a rough ride, with events getting almost unbearably oppressive as the second act progresses, (though the arrival of some likable new characters brings relief).

Amicia de Rune still holds fort as one of the great unsung heroes of gaming's modern age. The elder de Rune's struggle is depicted at great cost to the player's heartstrings.  Amicia's declining mental health, loss of self-identity, and abandonment of her stolen teenage years form a core theme of Requiem's underlying narrative. In the (highly recommended) French voice track, Amicia is once again brought to life by actor Charlotte McBurney, who gives a stunning, nigh-on flawless performance as the young woman forced to abandon all that she is, and to take up arms, to endure, and even to kill, by the terrible hand dealt her bloodline. True character strength. Depicted and performed with passion and conviction.

A Plague Tale: Requiem is a legitimate cinematic epic — a deliberately paced odyssey that expresses its heavy emotional arc at its own speed.  Several hours longer than its predecessor, Requiem is confident in its story and asks that the player allow themselves to sink into the adventure without paying too much attention to their watch. In Requiem, we are not here to run (at least not always) and the game will reward the patient with engaging conversation and resonant dialogue.

Bless the beasts and children

It's difficult to score a game that does little in the advancement of gameplay, instead choosing to put all of its chips in its visuals, sound design, world layout, characters, and narrative. Ultimately, Asobo Studio has created a fantastic, rewarding sequel for fans of A Plague Tale: Innocence that will, just like that release, likely turn off those who prefer their third-person adventures with a little more machine gun.

A Plague Tale: Requiem is a stealth game through and through, and the gameplay carries with it all of the exact same perils and pitfalls of repetition that come with the now-aging genre.  This element, much like Innocence, may dissuade fence-sitters from parting with their hard-earned $60 (though Requiem is available on Xbox Game Pass). However, as an example of video games as a cinematic storytelling medium, it is fair to call Requiem a bar setter, capably delivering a solid and emotive journey.  A Plague Tale fans — their passion and loyalty rewarded — will be captivated.

Choosing not to reinvent the wheel in regards to its by-the-numbers stealth gameplay, A Plague Tale: Requiem instead goes above and beyond to present greatness in its overall package, delivering an enthralling story, magnetic characters, tense action setpieces, and stunning visuals that rank among the generation's finest. It won't bewitch everyone, but for devoted fans of rats and resilience, A Plague Tale: Requiem absolutely delivers.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: A Plague Tale: Requiem appeared first on Destructoid.

All those lil' critters need some oomph

Focus Entertainment and Team Asobo have released the final PC requirements for their incoming stealth sequel A Plague Tale: Requiem. The grim-looking adventure is currently scheduled to launch on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X on October 18.

A Plague Tale: Requiem will tell of the continuing tale of orphaned children Hugo and Amicia de Rune, violently torn from their aristocratic family and thrust into a miserable world of death and disease — pursued by both The Inquisition and a terrifying army of needle-teethed black rats. The sequel will see the de Rune as they country their epic journey through 16th century France, outnumbered and outgunned.

Despite being a so-called "AA" release, predecessor A Plague Tale: Innocence was an incredibly attractive title with highly detailed worlds and lavish lighting and visual effects. As such, it would figure that the French developer would go all-in on new-gen for the sequel, in order to further realize its ambition of creating and grimly gorgeous world.

You can check out the Minimum and Recommended requirements/specifications below.

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Nothing but dust in the wind

As part of the Gamescom Opening Night Live presentation, Focus Entertainment released a dramatic cinematic for its upcoming fantasy epic, Atlas Fallen. The new title is currently in development at Deck13, and will launch on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X in 2023.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hFePdmcci0

The narrative trailer depicts two powerful heroes, seemingly with the strength of gods, as they protect a passing caravan of travelers and merchants from attack by the claws of some terrifying creatures. The action is set against a desolate, ruined desert world, with civilization seemingly confined to what little rubble remains within the arid lands.

The trailer ends with some very short, but visually very impressive gameplay footage, which sees the heroes of the cinematic exploring the world in third-person. It was a very intriguing presentation, and it will be interesting to learn about the events that led to this bizarre clash of apocalypse, monsters, and magnificent superpowers.

According to developer Deck13, players can "target and gather the essence of your enemies to shape your own custom playstyle, forging a new era for humanity in a fully cooperative or solo story campaign."

Atlas Fallen is currently in development for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X. It will launch in 2023.

The post Take on Gods and Monsters in Atlas Fallen, coming 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

We All Fall Down

Publisher Focus Entertainment has announced a release date for its dour, rat-ridden A Plague Tale: Requiem. The grim follow-up to the great 2019 release A Plague Tale: Innocence will launch October 18 on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X. A Nintendo Switch port will also be available via cloud gaming. The Xbox edition will also be available via Xbox Game Pass on launch day.

You can check out a brand new gameplay trailer for the stealth adventure below, as premiered during this morning's Focus Entertainment Showcase live stream.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k_WdZwwwmk

A Plague Tale: Requiem will see players reunite with the former aristocratic siblings, Amicia and Hugo de Rune, as the duo journey on with their pilgrimage through the dank devastation of 14th century France. Hardened by their experiences and brave beyond their years, the orphans battle to survive the trials of the road, while attempting to stay one step ahead of The Inquisition and the monstrous army of plague-ridden black rats that continues to engulf the Aquitaine.

The new narrative looks set to address both Amicia's exhaustion at maintaining safe passage for her brother, while also digging further into Hugo's mysterious connection with "The Macula," a reckless and overwhelming power that is somehow attuned to the terrifying rodents themselves. As we can see from the trailer above, Requiem is looking to be yet another rough ride for our protagonists and, much like its predecessor, will be treading softly through its strangely compelling dirge of despair.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0eUCER7YWc

The original adventure, developed by independent French studio Asobo Studio, was one of the finest mid-tier releases in recent years, offering stunning visuals, evocative storytelling, and emotive, likable characters. It was one of my favorite games of the year, and one of my favorite stealth adventures ever. I am very much looking forward to seeing what Team Asobo can do, handed a few further years of experience and the technological power of current-gen hardware. Itching with anticipation... so to speak.

A Plague Tale: Requiem launches on PS5, PC, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch (via the cloud).

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John Smith, 1882?

Focus Entertainment has announced an official release date for its gory, gothic shooter Evil West. This grisly and alternate take on undead life in the American Frontier will hit PC and console platforms September 20.

Developed by studio Flying Wild Hog, who sure know their way around an exploding head or three, Evil West sees players don the hat and poncho of a lone gunslinger, one of the last remaining members of a clandestine monster-hunting society. As a terrifying and bloodthirsty battalion of vampires, ghoulies, and legions of the undead emerges to lay waste to the Old West, it is up to our hero to lay down a law that goes way beyond a sheriff's badge, and put these decaying varmints back in the ground. Permanently.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O35NOsTIoE

One or two players can saddle up for a hyper-violent campaign that will follow our outlaws as they forge a path through America's formative towns, cities, and wildlands, facing off against an army of ungodly creatures and offering all a date with oblivion. In typical Flying Wild Hog fashion, Evil West is loaded for bear with a huge arsenal of explosive, anachronistic weaponry, while players will also earn perks and upgrades to help turn the tide of battle in their favor.

It's a really cool setup, and I'm liking what I'm seeing in both the chaotic, cathartic gameplay and the atmospheric old-west-horror cutscenes. Evil West already looks to be one of those titles that might not be making a huge impact on the radars of the gaming community, but will prove to be one of the year's slickest and most compelling shooter experiences.

Evil West launches September 20 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

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Shipbreaking is coming to Game Pass, too

The shipbreaking sim set in space is ready to leave the docks. Hardspace: Shipbreaker is leaving Steam Early Access and launching into version 1.0 on May 24, 2022.

Developer Blackbird Interactive and Focus Entertainment confirmed the news today, alongside the announcement that it's coming to PC Game Pass on the same date.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMwA5txM9Nc

Blackbird Interactive also went back over everything that's been announced for the full launch. The 1.0 update will include the final act of Hardspace: Shipbreaker's campaign, bringing the events of Act One and Two to a conclusion.

Saving and loading in-progress salvages is also on the way. Progression, performance, and stability will all be fine-tuned. There will be a progression reset for the 1.0 update, but the dev team says this is the final one.

You're a ship-breaker, scrap-taker

Hardspace: Shipbreaker has been one to watch for those who like to scrap ships. The first-person sim game is all about breaking down old ships for their best components. It might sound like tedious or boring work, but only if you've never accidentally tripped a reactor core.

The basic idea is that you, as a shipbreaker, carefully pick apart ships and comb their innards for valuable pieces. It's both cathartic and stress-inducing, made all the more dangerous thanks to zero-G. Carefully maneuvering pieces into the right place is all part of a careful, elaborate dance to get the most creds.

There's a campaign with a story and dangerous mega-corp involved. But if that's not your cup of space tea, there's also a leaderboard mode to challenge others in. Or maybe just relax with a no-limits Freeplay ship salvage instead.

In a press release, Blackbird also confirms that it's still working on a future release for consoles. But for now, the 1.0 update and full launch of Hardspace: Shipbreaker is set for May 24.

The post Hardspace: Shipbreaker launches out of Early Access on May 24 appeared first on Destructoid.

Nielsen Rat-ings

It seems that A Plague Tale is getting set to bring its grim nightmare to a whole new medium, as the Team Asobo stealth adventure is to be adapted as a live-action TV series at some point in the future.

Details about the new production are incredibly thin on the ground, with the news first reported by French outlet Allocine, before being later confirmed by the new show's director, Mathieu Turi. Turi already knows his way around a grisly encounter or two, having previously worked on horror films Hostile (2017) and Meander (2020), while also directing episodes of the Rosemary's Baby TV series.

"I’m honored to work on the adaptation as a TV series of A Plague Tale," wrote Turi on Twitter. "Thank you to Asobo Studio and Focus Entertainment for their trust. I can’t wait to bring Amicia and Hugo’s journey to the screen!"

It is believed that the new A Plague Tale adaptation, much like its video game source origins, will see the displaced De Rune children pick their way through 14th century France, desperately trying to stay one step ahead of both The Inquisition and a terrifying army of black rats that has enveloped the countryside. It's no secret among Destructoid readers that I'm a big fan of said game and I'm very much looking forward to seeing its period gothic story of loss and survival played out in televisual form.

A Plague Tale: Innocence is available now on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox Platforms. Sequel A Plague Tale: Requiem is currently in development for PS5, PC, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch (via cloud).

https://twitter.com/MathieuTURI/status/1504430034202812417?s=20&t=2XWEeqvfCkagLMJApRZc_g

The post A Plague Tale to be adapated into live-action TV series appeared first on Destructoid.

Rats to That

This past weekend, publisher Focus Entertainment offered up the first gameplay footage of its incoming next-gen sequel A Plague Tale: Requiem. If the grim-looking footage piqued your whiskers, but you still aren't sure whether the franchise is for you, then you're in luck, as Team Asobo is offering up a time-limited demo of original release A Plague Tale: Innocence.

The demo offers up to 50 minutes of gameplay or the entire first chapter, (whichever comes first), of the 2019 stealth adventure. This will give curious rat fans plenty of time to learn about aristocratic siblings Amicia and Hugo de Rune, along with the horrifying events that leave them out of home and hunted down like dogs — stalked by both The Inquisition and a devastating plague of black rats. More than enough opportunity to check out the gorgeous and gloomy adventure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evv-ECAk35g

The A Plague Tale: Innocence demo is available to all PC players via the Focus Entertainment Store, and is powered by the cloud. Thus you need not worry about any downloads, just boot up the client and let the misery into your world. Yes, even more. Now a couple of years into its lifespan, the full game can be bagged for a relatively modest price on most platforms. You don't need to hear, once again, that I really dig this title, but I also appreciate it might not be for everybody. At least now you can find out if it's for you.

A Plague Tale: Innocence is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms. A Plague Tale: Requiem is currently in development for PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and Nintendo Switch via cloud gaming.

The post A Plague Tale: Innocence demo now available on PC via cloud appeared first on Destructoid.

Rat's in the Cradle

As a part of last night's Game Awards, publisher Focus Entertainment and Team Asobo released the first gameplay footage of their grim-looking sequel A Plague Tale: Requiem — the dark, sullen follow-up to 2019's evocative stealth escapade A Plague Tale: Innocence.

Still on the run from The Inquisition and a terrifying plague of black rats, the De Rune continue their nigh-on aimless journey into oblivion, painted against a backdrop of 14th century France. Having escaped the district of Aquitaine, Amicia, Hugo, and their new compadres venture south in search of home and respite, but will only find themselves face-to-whisker with more turmoil, more despair, and thousands more piercing eyes. A torrid cacophony of squeaking returns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN1VgU__NpU

The journey thus far has hardened our young heores, which sees Amicia de Rune a little older, a little wiser, and a little better equipped for the violence that lies ahead. But she and her brother remain children, and as such will have to use subterfuge, stealth, and smart adaptation of the environment to avoid the officers of The Inquisition and others that would do them harm. What the De Rune's and their friends lack in size and strength, they make up for in wit, guile, and spirit, and they'll no doubt need every last bit of it to survive this new nightmare.

It's common knowledge to the good folks of Destructoid that I loved the original game, and I'm hoping that — lessons learned and modern technology in tow — Team Asobo will deliver another creepy and emotive adventure, packed full of hope and heart, stunning locales, and perpetually unnerving adventure. While A Plague Tale: Innocence was by no means a masterpiece, it was something special, and I couldn't be more excited to see where this particular chapter will lead us.

A Plague Tale: Requiem will launch in 2022 on PS5, PC, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch (via cloud). The sequel will launch day and date on Xbox Game Pass.

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New games to be premiered

Saber Interactive — the developer behind great AA titles such as World War Z and SnowRunner — has announced that it will be in attendance at both tonight's Game Awards show, as well as tomorrow's Twitch Winter Gathering event, and is bringing a fistful of new release trailers and announcements.

"Saber is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and it’s amazing how much the company has evolved in that time," said Saber Interactive Head of Publishing Todd Hollenshead, "Our company has long been known for its sterling reputation as a developer, and since joining the Embracer family we have continued to grow on that front by acquiring some of the most talented studios from around the world. At the same time, we have been quietly building our publishing division and lineup which is about to rapidly expand with the announcement of multiple new titles for 2022 and beyond."

Fans can expect to see a world premiere from Saber Interactive and publisher Focus Entertainment during tonight's TGA live stream, with a further three new releases putting in an appearance at the Twitch winter live stream, which will take place tomorrow, December 10. Also in attendance for the Twitch stream will be The Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell, taking time out to chat about The Evil Dead: The Game, which is currently on track to launch in February 2022. Geoff Keighley will also be in attendance for this conversation, making it a pretty busy weekend for both Saber and the TGA producer.

The Game Awards 2021 kicks off tonight at 17:00 PT / 20:00 ET / 01:00 BST. Saber Interactive's Twitch Winter Gathering stream will take place tomorrow, December 10, at 13:50 PT / 16:50 ET / 22:50 BST.

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Maintaining Focus

In a small but significant piece of business news, European video game publisher Focus Home Interactive has officially rebranded itself as the more succinct and slicker Focus Entertainment. The name change was confirmed in an official statement yesterday.

"From now on, the Focus Entertainment brand covers all of Focus' activities, with the term Entertainment being representative of the desire to diversify its games, products, services, and revenue streams. Entertainment also emphasizes the ambition to offer players around the world unique experiences, supported by an editorial policy that stands out thanks to innovative concepts, inventive gameplay, and original worlds that transcend the boundaries of video games."

Focus Entertainment has had an excellent run in recent years, releasing mid-tier and highly profitable releases such as A Plague Tale: Innocence, World War Z, Vampyr, and GreedFall. In recent months, the publisher has also acquired several talented indie studios such as The Surge's Deck 13 and Streets of Rage 4's DotEmu.

With new releases and partner projects already in development and sporting fresh new branding, the newly-monikered studio looks set to continue its growth into 2022 and the new generation of gaming. A sequel to A Plague Tale: Innocence, titled A Plague Tale: Requiem, is expected to launch on next-gen platforms in 2022.

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