Felix “Patent Leather Shoes” Threepaper
Welcome folks, and happy “352nd Anniversary of the end of the Siege of Candia” week! Candia was the capital city of Crete, which had been held by Venice since 1212, and was besieged by the Ottoman Turks in 1648 during the fifth Ottoman-Venetian War. It was the second-longest siege in history, lasting a mind-boggling 21 years before the Ottomans finally prevailed and took the city. At one point, the Venetians considered trying to break the siege by poisoning the occupying army with black plague, but this was never carried out. The siege was costly to both empires, marking the beginning of each of their declines, although they would continue on for a few centuries yet. You may all celebrate by playing a game where an expensive mid-game war costs you the endgame.
This week, and the last few weeks, is generally regarded as the calm before the storm, release-wise. If this is calm, beware the storm, because the tide of games is unceasing.
New World is the latest game from that plucky upstart dev, Amazon Games. It’s a grand-scale MMORPG. You start off shipwrecked on a mysterious magical island, Aeternum, with nothing but rags, and grind up enough to form a company with other players and claim your own settlement. The general aesthetic is “conquistador fantasy”, so there’s sorcery, swords and guns, while the outfits have a 1600s vibe, with plate armor alongside tricorne hats.
Combat is based on Dark Souls, as all games say these days. This means there is no tab-targeting. Despite combat being action-RPG-oriented, there is strangely no controller support. The class system is quite open: rather than pick a class, then find gear to suit, you can use any weapon from the get-go and unlock skills by using it, Elder Scrolls-style. There’s also the crucial decision of which of the 3 factions to join, which could see you joining 100-person PvP wars to capture opposition settlements (or defend your own), which will dynamically affect the map. And there will be the usual MMO in-game economy stuff with crafting and trading.
Amazon has been notoriously fickle with past games, cancelling Breakaway before launch and Crucible after only a few months. Will it stick with New World long enough to iron out the inevitable MMO launch wrinkles?
Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye is DLC that contains a new mystery to explore in the Outer Wilds. Given that discovering lore details about the gameworld is most of the Outer Wilds experience, they’re not giving away very much in the promotional materials. There’s a MacGuffin, and you have to find it. ‘Nuff said. For most fans, just hearing that banjo strumming on the trailer will be enough to pull you back in.
This week’s artsy, triple-I puzzle-platformer is A Juggler’s Tale. You sidescroll your way through levels and story based on twisted fairy tales. The gimmick is that you’re an escaped puppet on strings, and these strings have a bearing on how you solve puzzles.
If you like Psychonauts’ idea of exploring levels that are manifestations of damaged people’s psyches, but would rather it were presented more like an Alan Wake style of psychological thriller, then In Sound Mind is for you.
Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot: The First Cases will have you playing as a young Poirot, still in the police force in pre-war Belgium. While it is not based on an actual Poirot story, all the tropes are there: a body is discovered during a party in a large estate house, with many guests, serving staff, and their secrets. You will collect clues and interrogate people, then go to the obligatory “mind palace” (all good detective games have a mind palace now) to exercise your little grey cells and piece it all together. It will, of course, culminate in a denouement where you gather everyone in the drawing room to reveal your findings.
Astria Ascending is a JRPG by a dev team featuring alumni from Nier Automata and Final Fantasy. Most of the preview material has focused on lore-dumping. As for the combat, it’s turn-based and, as a rank JRPG amateur, the main distinguishing feature I can spot is that your heroes line up on the right-hand side of the screen, whereas I notice that in other JRPGs, they usually line up on the left-hand side. How’s that for insight! I can also say that it looks pretty and has fairly detailed difficulty customisation; not as granular as the Pathfinder games, but with about a dozen different options to tweak.
FIFA 22 is out, and its big-ticket new feature is “HyperMotion”, where they basically mo-capped a bunch of professional footballers playing a practice match in order to better render player animations. EA will also apply machine learning to all the match capture footage it takes, studying it for updated animations and match-play AI. The Switch will get the Legacy edition, which is basically FIFA 21 with updated rosters and none of these new, processor-intensive, gameplay features.
Otherwise, hack-n-slash roguelite Skeletal Avenger comes out of Early Access and onto all platforms. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania is a 20th-anniversary remaster of the first 3 games in this series. The Switch boasts a list almost as long as the PC list, full of mobile ports and Steam re-releases. One of those is Darksiders III.
Out of this week’s hefty list, my GOTW is Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot: The First Cases. I’m a sucker for the source material, and this promises a well-crafted whodunit, with plenty of side mysteries to solve as well. I don’t know how checkpointing or progression in the game works—for example, can you get to the final scene and name the wrong person? Nor can I tell whether the mind palace will require you to use actual deduction and reasoning, like a real fictional detective. I am, however, intrigued enough to check it out. And young Poirot has the most impossibly snazzy pair of red shoes.
Here's the list, now in release-date AND alphabetical order!
EDIT: The PC list was indeed cut short this week—the List-O-Matic 5000 could not cope with the sheer number of titles it had to process and had a meltdown. Staygold has spent the last few days under the hood of the List-O-Matic, whacking it with a spanner. Eventually, it spat out the PC entries from 30 September to 3 October, which are now included below. Thanks, Staygold!
PC
-
09-27
- COSMOSAPIENS
- Crom: Journey of Conquest
- Dance like a butterfly, Shot like a Bee!
- Detective AI
- Endless Soul Light Solitaire
- Farmers' Market
- FATAL ERROR
- Festival Tycoon
- flak (Hefei Li Yong)
- Go Home, Mr. Fisk!
- How To Bathe Your Cat
- Lucky Tlhalerwa's Cybernetic Titan
- Memories Of Loneliness
- Momentum
- NYKRA
- Peachleaf Pirates
- Rainbow Laser Disco Dungeon
- Retro Three Kingdoms
- Solo Royale
- Space Yandere
- Sword story
- The Handler of Dragons
- Tiger Trio's Tasty Travels
- Weatherworn: The Adventure of Pap & Pup
- Would you like to run an idol cafe? 2
- Zippo
-
09-28
- Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot: The First Cases
- am i the baddie?
- AWAY: The Survival Series
- Behind Closed Doors: A Developer's Tale
- Close Quarters Supremacy The Legis
- Concordia: Digital Edition
- ConnecTank
- Fantastic Troop
- FiberTales: DummyKart
- Flappy Person
- FUN Platformer
- Funny puzzle
- Genesis God
- Impulse
- In Sound Mind
- Keyword: A Spider's Thread
- Kungfu Football Captain
- Lemnis Gate
- Luffy: Way Back Home
- Maritime Calling
- Mind Space
- Mystery Swords
- NEO: The World Ends With You
- New World
- Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye
- Procedural Soccer
- Quasar
- Rectitude
- RX Racing 2021 Pro
- Searching for objects in the forest
- SGS Afrika Korps: Tunisia
- Sola
- Soulstopia -PHI-
- Spinner Invaders
- Starry Moon Island
- Steel Assault
- Storage Chase
- Tower Tactics: Liberation
- Unarmed Area
- Unicorns on Unicycles
- UnMetal
- VERTIGO
- Warp Frontier
- Yoli
-
09-29
- A Juggler's Tale
- A YEAR OF SPRINGS
- Ballin'
- Big Cat from Hell
- Bridge of Dawn
- Caves Of Mars
- Centipede: Recharged
- Dap
- Dinogotchi
- DunDun VR
- Escape Ninja
- Eyes of the Night
- Golf For Fun in Ice
- Heroes Twilight
- Horror Maze
- MADNESS: Project Nexus
- Never End, Neverland!
- Paradise Trails
- Pieces of Beauty
- Pixel Force
- Puff Town
- String Rush
- Tower Rush
- Treffen
-
09-30
- 4 Witch Seasons & Convenant
- Aeon Drive
- Alisa
- Astria Ascending
- Below The Ocean
- Bonfire Peaks
- Bubble Bobble 4 Friends
- Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron's Workshop
- Calluna
- Circe's revenge
- City Air Battle
- Coffee Noir: Business Detective Game
- Color Your World
- Colours and Symbols
- Coronation
- Cosmic Cube
- Curving Over It with Evgeny Podoynikov
- Death's Gambit: Afterlife
- Doom Work
- eFootball 2022
- Empire Takeover
- ExZeus: The Complete Collection
- Fated Blade
- Flaskoman
- Game of Life: Heart Demon
- Gewevo : Interstellaire
- Heterodoxy.
- History of Football World Cup
- Hobo Cat Adventures
- Honor of Knight King
- Hot Wheels Unleashed
- Impostor Factory
- INDUSTRIA
- Journey to the West 2021
- Junkyard Fury
- Kanja S no Kyuusai
- Little Hats
- Lords & Villeins
- Mage Time
- Mageo
- Melty Blood: Type Lumina
- Memory Booster
- Mistral
- Naki
- Operation Thunder
- Outergalactic Aliens Pinball
- Oval Racer Series - Stoxkarts
- Planet Hotpot
- Rebirth:Beware of Mr.Wang
- Road of Heroes
- Rogue Lords
- Scientific Shutdown
- ShootOut(SystemD)
- Smashing time
- Space Revenge
- Super Taco Crew
- Sweet Surrender
- The Eternal Cylinder
- The Last Friend
- Toadomination
- Tomes & Quests: a Crossword RPG
- Toree 2
- TRIOS - lofi beats / numbers to chill to
- Typer Hero
- UFO Checkers
- Unsighted
- Wife Quest
- WORDDING
- Yahtzee Dice
- Zombies Everywhere 2
-
10-01
- 13 WOOD ST
- 3D Double Dealing Character
- 80's Night
- Among Dots
- Animal Cafe
- Astaria
- Back to 2001 to Buy a House
- Bad Dream: Stories
- Bahamut 2-Bride of the Dragon
- Balcony
- ball.io
- Balls Mania!
- Box Survivors World
- Carnal Coup - Overseer's Edition
- Clan of Death
- Comet
- Dark Light (2021)
- Dear Agony Aunt
- Dreams Of The Elements
- Escape Hospital
- Farmers' Market
- FIFA 22
- Fishing Frenzy
- Frontier Army at the End of Ming Dynasty
- Gearshifters
- Gold Miner
- Gra & Vity
- Gutting Goblins!
- Izanami
- Jeebo & Jerbo vs. Life
- Les aventures de Fierot
- Lingua
- Little Red Rocket Ship
- Lost and found - What if I come and find it
- Marcella Moon: Curse of the Black Cat
- Metempsychosis (WASABI entertainment)
- Midnight Blues
- Minimal Crypt
- Monster Wilds
- Night Stalkers
- Oh, Dungeon Master
- One Pixel TWB
- Phantom Project
- ProtectSeaWar
- RAILROADS Online!
- Realms VR
- Rescue Troopers
- Serene Asylum
- Sneezeman: Return To Planet Sneeze
- Somni
- Space Merchant
- Star Fighter
- Super Grave Snatchers
- The Hero of Bangaona
- The Trials
- The Twins' Experiment
- The Ways of Bloody Larry
- Train 113
- Tres-Bashers
- Variables 2
- VLORP
- Welcome Back
-
10-02
- Nuclear Drifter
- Shelter Manager
- Turing's Puzzle
Xbox Series X
-
09-27
- FIFA 22
- Hot Wheels Unleashed
-
09-28
- Ghostrunner
- Lemnis Gate
- Open Country
-
09-29
- A Juggler's Tale
- Centipede: Recharged
- Skeletal Avenger
-
09-30
- Asdivine Saga
- Astria Ascending
- eFootball 2022
-
10-01
- Phoenix Point: Behemoth Edition
- Space Revenge
Xbox One
-
09-27
- FIFA 22
- Hot Wheels Unleashed
-
09-28
- Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot: The First Cases
- Chernobylite
- ConnecTank
- Dandy Ace
- In Sound Mind
- Lemnis Gate
- Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye
- UnMetal
-
09-29
- A Juggler's Tale
- Centipede: Recharged
- Creepy Tale
- Insurgency: Sandstorm
- Skeletal Avenger
-
09-30
- Aeon Drive
- AlphaLink
- Asdivine Saga
- Astria Ascending
- eFootball 2022
- ExZeus: The Complete Collection
- Fishing Sim World: Bass Pro Shops Edition
- Immortal Legacy: The Jade Cipher
- Melty Blood: Type Lumina
- Stellaris: Ancient Relics
- The Eternal Cylinder
- Toy Soldiers HD
- Unsighted
- Xuan-Yuan Sword 7
-
10-01
- Phoenix Point: Behemoth Edition
- Space Revenge
-
10-02
- Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania
PlayStation 5
-
09-27
- FIFA 22
- Hot Wheels Unleashed
-
09-28
- AWAY: The Survival Series
- Ghostrunner
- KeyWe
- Lemnis Gate
-
09-29
- A Juggler's Tale
- Centipede: Recharged
- Skeletal Avenger
-
09-30
- Astria Ascending
- Bonfire Peaks
- eFootball 2022
-
10-02
- Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania
PlayStation 4
-
09-28
- Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot: The First Cases
- AWAY: The Survival Series
- Chernobylite
- ConnecTank
- Lemnis Gate
- Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye
- Streets of Rage 4: Anniversary Edition
- UnMetal
-
09-29
- A Juggler's Tale
- Centipede: Recharged
- Insurgency: Sandstorm
- Skeletal Avenger
-
09-30
- Aeon Drive
- Astria Ascending
- Bonfire Peaks
- eFootball 2022
- ExZeus: The Complete Collection
- Fishing Sim World: Bass Pro Shops Edition
- Hot Wheels Unleashed
- Mary Skelter Finale
- Melty Blood: Type Lumina
- Stellaris: Ancient Relics
- The Eternal Cylinder
- Toy Soldiers HD
- Unsighted
- Xuan-Yuan Sword VII
-
10-01
- FIFA 22
- Phoenix Point: Behemoth Edition
Switch
-
09-28
- Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot: The First Cases
- Antonball Deluxe
- ConnecTank
- Dandy Ace
- Fantasy Friends: Under the Sea
- G-Darius HD
- Knockout Home Fitness
- Steel Assault
- Streets of Rage 4: Anniversary Edition
- UnMetal
- Warp Frontier
-
09-29
- A Juggler's Tale
- Centipede: Recharged
- DroneRidge
- Math Classroom Challenge
- Meteoroids 3D
- Skeletal Avenger
-
09-30
- Aeon Drive
- Asdivine Saga
- Astria Ascending
- BARRICADEZ ReVisited
- Bonfire Peaks
- Cabela's The Hunt: Tournament Edition
- Cotton 2 Saturn Tribute
- Cotton Boomerang Saturn Tribute
- Cotton Guardian Force Saturn Tribute
- Darksiders III
- Death's Gambit: Afterlife
- ExZeus: The Complete Collection
- Gearshifters
- Hot Wheels Unleashed
- Ludo XXL
- Mary Skelter Finale
- Melty Blood: Type Lumina
- Mini Car Racing 2
- Prepare the First RPG Village ~ The Adventures of Nyanzou&Kumakichi: Escape Game Series ~
- Road Racing: Highway Car Chase
- Ronister Adventure
- Space Revenge
- THE Card Battle ~ Eternal Destiny ~
- The Last Friend
- Toy Soldiers HD
- Unsighted
-
10-01
- 2weistein - The Curse of the Red Dragon 2
- Blaze and the Monster Machines Axle City Racers
- Colsword
- Doom & Destiny Worlds
- Earth Marines
- FIFA 22: Legacy Edition
- Kyle is Famous: Complete Edition
- SGC: Short Games Collection #1
- Sports & Adventure Pinball
- Survival Z
- Takorita Meets Fries
Comments
I think the PC listings are missing the last few days of the week.
Most interesting game of this week - or any week - for me is The Eternal Cylinder (Xbox, PS and PC via Epic). It's honestly one of the most bizarre and surreal things I've ever seen: an open-world adventure set in an alien world where you play an odd creature at the bottom of the food chain who must evolve and develop skills to overcome puzzles and threats. The whole enterprise is really "out there", and I hope it does well.
I also have an eye on Bonfire Peaks (all platforms except Xbox), which is an isometric voxel game in which you solve environmental puzzles to move around.
"Quotations are useful in periods of ignorance or obscurantist beliefs."
~ Guy Debord
Astria Ascending has my interest, but I'm not too certain of it yet. The artwork definitely has that Vanillaware style quality to it, and is clearly a primary inspiration for the game's look, but I can't really gather how well the game is bound to play from trailers. I'll wait and see on that one.
Steel Assault is also releasing this week, a retro action brawler for Switch and PC by Tribute Games, who are basically WayForward if WayForward bothered making their own IP these days. They're masters of sprite art and retro-style mechanics with modern polish, so this game ought to be just as interesting as well.
For me, though, I've already dropped cash on Knockout Home Fitness. I tried the demo to Fitness Boxing 2 and found it worked pretty well, and decided I'd get the far more varied game releasing at the month's end instead. Using a punching bag was the only form of exercise I managed to keep up with regularly for several months, and only stopped because I couldn't take the bag with me when I moved. While it was easier to box to heavy metal than EDM and pop tunes I can't stand, I expect this sort of fitness and work out to be more effective to stick with in the long run than Ring Fit Adventure, whose leg strap refuses to stay on my flabby thigh no matter what I do.
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That's simply insane.
This is an interesting week overall. Not sure what direction I'll go in, probably nothing this week, but my eye is on a ton of titles:
Astria, Eternal Cylinder (give the demo a go, it's weird, even for ACE Team), HOT WHEELS, a new Centipede game, Super Monkey Ball, ConnecTank, New World, and AWAY (interactive nature documentary!). Whew!
How did I live before digital distribution of old, cheap games?
MilkmanDanimal wrote:You did live before digital distribution of old, cheap games. Now you just play games.
Centipede Recharged? Seems like some sort of Geometry Wars or Radiangames type game.
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The Hot Wheels game is getting good reviews and I might just buy it.
Madre de Dios! Es el pollo diablo!
I futzed around with the backend that pulls this info for Felix. Now it should do a better job of capturing everything! Thanks for pointing out the bug!
"What Eleima says is the final word on it and not even God could undo it"
- ClockworkHouse
Yessir, shockingly good. Only real downside seems to be race variety.
How did I live before digital distribution of old, cheap games?
MilkmanDanimal wrote:You did live before digital distribution of old, cheap games. Now you just play games.
The PC list is incredible. I can't figure out how some of the people behind those games make money. Or is it just there are so many PC gamers the pool of customers is that much bigger?
Property of the Bensonhoist Lesbian Choir of Ground Zero, Brooklyn