‘Dragon Quest Builders’ comes to the West this October

It’s hard to talk about Dragon Quest Builders without mentioning Minecraft. Clearly, Square Enix has taken inspiration from the block-building phenomenon developed by Mojang. But the two play quite differently — Builders is a more structured adventure with clear objectives and villagers to help. The game launched on PS4, PS3 and PS Vita back in January, but that was only for Japan. Today, Square Enix has confirmed it’ll be coming to the West too, arriving on PS4 and PS Vita (digital-only) this October.

I played the new, localized version for roughly 30 minutes and came away pleasantly surprised. It’s set after the original Dragon Quest and explores what might have happened after the so-called “bad” ending, where you choose not to fight the Dragonlord. The world of Alefgard is ruined and you wake up with no memories (surprise, surprise) and the power to build. Your task is to venture out into the world and teach the art of creative construction to everyone you meet, healing the land along the way.

The characters, items and monsters are all Dragon Quest-themed, offsetting the blocky visuals taken from Minecraft. I enjoyed the simple quests, which served to explain the crafting system and blueprints — unlockable patterns which you set on the ground and build on top of. Once you’ve laid down the necessary number of blocks, and thrown a pre-determined list of items inside, the game recognises that you’ve built a certain structure. Villagers can then use and inhabit them, building out your tiny empire.

It won’t be for everyone, but if you fall into one of two camps — a diehard Dragon Quest fan, or someone that’s been looking for a more guided and focused Minecraft experience — this could be up your alley.

‘LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ season pass detailed

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is coming to a galaxy near you this June, and it’s bringing a bevy of downloadable content with it accessible via Season Pass.
The Season Pass itself will come packing three brand new Level Packs to further extend the LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens story with situations not seen in the movie. These packs include Poe’s Quest for Survival, following Poe Dameron’s treacherous journey back to the Resistance base after escaping the First Order.

Additionally, the First Order Siege of Takodana and Escape from Starkiller Base Level Packs offer additional interactions between characters like Kylo Ren, Rey, BB-8, and a swath of vehicles to manuever with. Strus Clan Speeders, Jakku Freighters, Assault Walkers and Jedi Interceptors are available for starters, if you needed yet another reason to get excited.

The Season Pass doesn’t just include Level Packs, however. The Jedi, Prequel Trilogy, Freemaker Adventures, Star Wars: Rebels and Clone Wars Character Packs add favorites like Aayla Secura, Anakin Skywalker, Darth Maul, Jango Fett and Ahsoka Tano. The Jedi Character Pack is a Season Pass exclusive, and it’ll be available beginning June 28th.

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens releases for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and PC on June 28th.

Gunless MMO game ‘Absolver’ slated for 2017 release

Indie studio Sloclap has teamed with Devolver Digital on a new melee-based MMO, dubbed Absolver. The game is currently scheduled for release on both consoles and PC some point in 2017.

It follows the standard RPG trope format wherein a player’s neophyte character joins an organization — in this case, the “Absolvers” who maintain world stability through combat — and must advance through the ranks by clearing dungeons. You know, just like your first job out of school. The game will include both PvE and PvP arenas and offer all sorts of upgradeable/customizable gear. Everything from armor and weapons to combat styles and even individual attack sequences can be tweaked to the player’s preference — fingers crossed for a One Punch Man skin.

But what really sets Absolver apart from other MMOs is its utter lack of firearms. From what you can see in the reveal trailer above, characters will have access to swords, staves and maybe even some magic but projectile weapons appear strictly verboten. Also looks like players will be able to assemble themselves into mobs for large-scale PvP rioting. We’ll get a better look at the action at E3 where Devolver Digital will host hands-on demos.

Avian dating sim ‘Hatoful Boyfriend’ makes its mobile debut

Visual novels and dating sims run the gamut from benign to completely out there. Hatoful Boyfriend, a dating sim all about birds, is quirky but not totally unapproachable. It’s just cute enough to pique your interest and then reel you in. It’s also finally made its way to the App Store.
Developer Mediatonic and publisher Devolver Digital have released the romantic tale of the only human based at St. PigeoNation for iOS users today. You’ll meet a host of colorful feathered suitors while managing classes and wrangling dates. It may sound like a totally bizarre concept, but dipping into the weirdness is absolutely worth it, especially when you consider some of the game’s more poignant moments.

You can pick up the iOS version of Hatoful Boyfriend for $4.99/£3.99 today. That’s a paltry entry fee for one of the most accessible visual novels with a dash of weirdness out there. Just don’t be surprised if you’re left wanting more after you complete it. Then you’ll be moving on to Saya no Uta or Clannad, and it’s a slippery (but awesome) slope from there. The original game is still available via Steam if you’d prefer to play on PC.

‘Hyper Light Drifter’ special edition comes with a SNES cart

I know what you’re thinking — another special edition for an indie game? Sure it’s been done before, many times, but the Hyper Light Drifter Collector’s Edition looks pretty sweet. It comes with a cyan “SNES cartridge,” a 24-page manual, a 24-inch by 18-inch world map poster, a box to store it all in and a digital code for the game. That manual is particularly welcome; a full-color booklet with information on enemies, drifters, and tons of beautiful artwork. The SNES cartridge is in quotes because it’s just a non-functional piece of art. Also it’s a North American-style SNES cartridge, so if you owned a European or Asian console, it won’t look very familiar to you.

As for the game… Hyper Light Drifter is really good. A lot of people have compared it to Dark Souls, but it’s only similar in that it’s difficult. It’s a top-down 2D action game, with a mysterious but gentle storyline and some very tough combat. When you die — and you’ll do so a lot — though, you just get transported to the beginning of the combat area with no punishment. In that way, it’s got the “live, die repeat” mechanics of other indie games like Hotline Miami.

Pre-orders for the Collector’s Edition start today in PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One flavors, all priced at $65. If you order the PC version, you’ll get a Steam code immediately, and the cool collector-y stuff late this summer. As the Xbox and PS4 versions aren’t due out until summer, you’ll get your code as soon as it’s available. iam8bit, the store selling the special edition, says its goal is “to have the boxes shipped out in concert with Hyper Light Drifter’s console release.” In addition to the Collector’s Edition, iam8bit is also selling a 4LP vinyl soundtrack and some fine art prints from the game.

Source: iam8bit

‘Deus Ex’ trailer shows mankind divided over augmentation

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided explores a future where humanity is torn by the rise of augmentation. Set fifteen years in the future, it’s now commonplace for people to equip themselves with artificial limbs. But after the so-called “aug incident,” where augmented humans were covertly hacked and suddenly turned violent, society is split down the middle — both ethically and physically. Augmented and non-augmented individuals are separated in the streets, fuelling civil unrest. It’s a gripping backdrop for a video game, and one you can now absorb through a live-action trailer.

Live-action video game trailers are normally a bit rubbish, but this one is surprisingly effective. You get a good sense of how the technology has developed, why so many people have embraced it, and a hint of the “madness” that gripped people during the pivotal “aug incident.” Whether you’re a longtime Deus Ex fan or a franchise beginner, it’s enough to give you the gist of hero Adam Jensen’s situation. An augmented individual himself, he works both for Interpol and a hacker group in order to find “Illuminati,” the people responsible for the lethal malfunctions.

The game is set to land on August 23rd.

Source: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (YouTube)

The trippy, haunting ‘Oxenfree’ soundtrack is on vinyl

Oxenfree’s soundtrack is an electronica daydream that fades into a bumping nightmare; it’s the aural interpretation of the sun setting over an abandoned, beachside military base packed with deadly secrets. In other words, it’s perfectly suited to the game’s haunting storyline and award-winning visual style. Thanks to iam8bit, the Oxenfree soundtrack is now available in vinyl form, including art from comic illustrator Austin James (Wet Brain) and a holographic portal on the front cover.

The double LP vinyl set costs $35 via iam8bit and it should ship in September. Anyone who buys it will also be emailed a download code for the digital album in early June, once mastering is complete. Get a taste of the soundtrack, created by veteran video game composer Andy Rohrmann (SCNTFC), on Bandcamp.

Oxenfree hits PlayStation 4 on May 31st complete with a New Game+ mode that expands the narrative even after players have finished the game. Steam and Xbox One versions will also receive New Game+ on May 31st in a free update. Oxenfree is $20 across all platforms, but it’ll be $15 for PlayStation Plus members in a launch month sale.