Last time, you decided that bioluminescence is better than dark darkness. You want not just light but eerie, near-magical light, and I can understand that. We’re doing science here, we can’t go groping about in the dark. This week, I ask you to choose between a reward for caution and a dare to be reckless. What’s better: unit veterancy, or rerolling dice?
Let’s-a go to the National Recording Registry!
The US Library of Congress has today announced the 25 tracks that will be added to its National Recording Registry as “defining sounds of the nation’s history and culture”. For the first time ever, one of these tracks comes from a video game, and it is none other than Koji Kondo’s iconic theme from 1985’s Super Mario Bros. that is leading the way (thanks, Gizmodo).
Joining the likes of Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin’ and Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ in the class of 2023, the Super Mario Bros. theme’s inclusion is a huge stepping stone for video game music. In its announcement tweet (below) the Library of Congress stated that the track was “probably the most recognisable in history”, and we struggle to disagree.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Hi, I’m Lynda, one of the writers and game designers at D’Avekki Studios. Almost two years ago, we started developing our supernatural whodunit Murderous Muses with a very clear vision: to make a murder mystery you could solve again and again. In this article, I’m going to talk about some of the things we’ve done during development to make every playthrough unique!
Frame by Frame
Solving a murder mystery is usually a one and done affair and if you know whodunit, there’s really no reason to replay. But in Murderous Muses, like our previous games (The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker, The Shapeshifting Detective) the killer is randomised at the start of every game. That means that the murderer can be any of the six suspects every time you play – the undertaker, the clockmaker, the burlesque dancer, the tennis player, the criminologist or the ventriloquist.
This time we wanted to vary the mystery even more, so we decided to create nine different pieces of evidence that could be shuffled and shown as clips from a late night TV show, “Mirlhaven’s Unsolved Mysteries”.
In every playthrough, you’ll be able to solve the murder using just three of these evidence ‘frames’. That means in one game you might focus on the time of the murder, trace evidence left at the scene and the antique murder weapon, while in another you could be investigating a mysterious phone call, a piece of rope, and an occult symbol drawn in blood!
A big part of your detective work involves unlocking police interviews, which you can only do by outsmarting the gallery to reveal three specific clues for each suspect. We also shuffle these clues so the steps you take to find the killer will be different in every game.
It’s Alive!
In Murderous Muses, you play as the security guard working the night shift in a haunted art gallery. We decided early on that we wanted to exploit the supernatural theme to help make each playthrough different. Not only do the paintings come to life, but new rooms and corridors spawn every night in unpredictable ways, so it feels like the gallery is constantly shifting and changing around you.
It’s not just the walls that move either. The “open-world” gameplay lets you hang suspect portraits on various plaques in the gallery to reveal FMV clues about the murder. Early versions of the gallery had static keywords but we quickly realised during testing that it wasn’t really challenging enough, so we added a “clockwork” mechanism to change the keyword after you hang a painting. That means you’ll need to hunt for keywords and manipulate the plaques to use them – so each new gallery becomes one big environmental puzzle.
Layers of Story
Of course, before we got to any of this, we needed to make sure we had a good story. And just as importantly, we needed to work out how to reveal the story gradually, so more and more layers could be revealed each time you play.
The evidence that I’ve already talked about covers the nitty gritty of the case, but uncovering the suspects’ full motives requires a bit more digging. Every time you hang a suspect portrait you’ll reveal a bit more about what was going on between them and the victim, and why they might have wanted him dead.
You’re revealing these secrets in a non-linear fashion, so one of our concerns during development was that you might lose track of the story threads – especially if you left at some time between playthroughs. To combat this, we took inspiration from Double Fine Productions’2012 adventure The Cave, which used cave paintings as backstory summaries. So now, after you’ve seen a set of videos that reveal an important part of a suspect’s story, you’ll unlock a new “character lore” painting that ties all those threads together into one neat narrative package.
There’s so much more I could talk about – replayable puzzles, collectibles, the over-over-arching story! – but this article is long enough already. Hopefully, you’ll discover those for yourself as Murderous Muses launches on Xbox today!
D’Avekki Studios
Now, a new exhibition is opening on the anniversary of his death, featuring six of his most famous portraits – each one a potential suspect in his murder.
You play as a security guard, exploring the gallery in the echoing hours to uncover clues about the crime. Solve puzzles and use the Eyes of Mordechai to bring the portraits to life, restoring the past to find his killer…
From the creators of The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker, The Shapeshifting Detective and Dark Nights with Poe and Munro, Murderous Muses is an infinitely replayable supernatural whodunit where choosing how to investigate is an art form…
Related:
High-Tempo Tax-Paying Tower Defense Marfusha is Out Now on Xbox
Road 96: Mile 0 – How the New Psychedelic Rides Work
A Fun Hobby Turned into a Full-Fledged Game: the Journey of Shukuchi Ninja’s Solo Developer
Today we’re happy to reveal the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for April 2023. All games will be available on Tuesday April 18. Let’s dive in.
Immerse yourself in a story-driven action-adventure set in a charming world rich with exploration and fast-paced combat. Play as Kena, a young Spirit Guide travelling to an abandoned village in search of the sacred mountain shrine. Find and grow a team of tiny spirits known as the Rot who maintain balance by decomposing dead and rotting elements. Enhance your companions’ abilities, create new ways to manipulate the environment and uncover the secrets of a forgotten community hidden in an overgrown forest where wandering spirits are trapped.
Hell’s armies have invaded Earth. Become the Slayer in an epic single-player campaign to conquer demons across dimensions and stop the final destruction of humanity. The only thing they fear… is you. Experience the ultimate combination of speed and power in Doom Eternal – the next leap in push-forward, first-person combat. Armed with a flamethrower, wrist-mounted blade, upgraded guns, mods and abilities, you’re faster, stronger, and more versatile than ever. Use demon takedowns tactically to keep yourself equipped for battle: Glory kill for extra health, incinerate for armor, and chainsaw demons to stock up on ammo to become the ultimate demon-slayer.
Jump into the massive multiplayer playground! Grab your bike, skis, snowboard or wingsuit and squad up with your friends to compete in a wide range of multiplayer modes. Feel the rush of downhill races, dominate maps in team vs team competitions, or give it your best shot in epic mass PvP races with more than 50 other players. Live out the rider’s fantasy as you roam free in a huge, vibrant open world, always buzzing with other players around you. Immerse yourself in iconic American national parks including Bryce Canyon, Yosemite Valley, Mammoth Mountain… all mashed up for you to shred!
An exhilarating adventure brought to life by the industry-leading id Tech 6 sends players to Nazi-controlled America on a mission to recruit the boldest resistance leaders left. You are BJ Blazkowicz, aka “Terror-Billy,” member of the Resistance, scourge of the Nazi empire, and humanity’s last hope for liberty. Only you have the guns and gumption to return stateside and spark the second American Revolution. Fight Nazis in iconic American locations, equip an arsenal of badass guns, and unleash new abilities to blast your way through legions of enemy soldiers in this definitive first-person shooter.
Embark on a journey up the ever-changing Spire, in this fantasy deckbuilder adventure that fuses together card games and roguelikes. Craft a unique deck from hundreds of cards to efficiently dispatch foes and reach the top. Discover powerful relics to enhance your deck’s powers to help you overcome different enemies and bosses.
Enjoy a colorful action-adventure game made alongside Ryuichi Nishizawa, creator of the original Wonder Boy in Monster World series. Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom borrows the best from the classic series to deliver a fresh, modern adventure with fun gameplay, memorable music and gorgeous hand drawn animations. Transform into six awesome forms with unique combat and platforming abilities to help you explore a vast interconnected environment.
Developed by Shinji Mikami and Tango Gameworks, The Evil Within embodies the meaning of pure survival horror. Highly-crafted environments, horrifying anxiety, and an intricate story are combined to create an immersive world that will bring you to the height of tension. With limited resources at your disposal, you’ll fight for survival and experience profound fear in this perfect blend of horror and action.
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood is a standalone prequel to the first-person action-adventure shooter, Wolfenstein: The New Order. The adventure, which spans eight chapters and two interconnected stories, features the hallmarks of MachineGames – thrilling action, immersive story and intense first-person combat. As war hero B.J. Blazkowicz, arm yourself with new weapons such as the bolt-action rifle and grenade-launching Kampfpistole as you attempt to thwart the advancing Nazi war machine, and take advantage of duel-wielding pipes that can be used for wall climbing – or for vicious take-downs of never-before-seen Nazi adversaries.
For the first time ever, compete as or challenge 10 pro anglers from the Elite tour across 8 different real-world venues. Climb the ranks, earn your sponsors, and progress through your B.A.S.S. career to become the Bassmaster Classic Champion. Or take to the water and compete with other players in a variety of all-new massive multiplayer modes to conquer the global leader boards.
Solve a murder mystery set on an island outside of reality and filled with deities, all with secrets to hide and something to gain. Play as Lady Love Dies, summoned from exile to investigate the crime and find the culprit. Collect evidence, record testimony and interpret the facts to form your own truth to build an airtight case against whoever you think is the killer.
Iconic PlayStation hero Sackboy bursts back into breathtaking action with a huge, fun and frantic 3D multiplayer platforming adventure. Go solo in an epic race against time stuffed with danger and peril or enjoy local or online party play, creating teams of two to four adventurers as you work together to overcome nefarious tasks however you can imagine, including unmissable co-op only levels.
First released in 1993, Doom introduced millions of gamers to the fast-paced, white-knuckle, demon-slaying action the franchise is known for. Relive the birth of the first-person shooter and experience the demon-blasting fun that popularized the genre. This version includes expansion, Episode IV: Thy Flesh Consumed, local 4 player deathmatch and local 4 player co-op.
To save Earth, you must descend into the depths of hell, survive demon hordes, and take part in the fiercest battle ever. This beloved sequel to the groundbreaking DOOM (1993) gave players the brutal Super Shotgun to bear against deadlier demons, and the infamous boss, the Icon of Sin. This version includes the Master Levels, 20 additional levels made by the community and supervised by the developers, local 4 player deathmatch and local 4 player co-op.
Fight against demons in your crusade to hunt down the Mother of Demons and stop Hell’s invasion. As you battle through more than 30 action-packed levels, be on the lookout for enhanced weapons and secrets to help you put an end to the demonic threat.
In this critically acclaimed action-horror re-telling of the original DOOM, players must battle their way through a demon-infested facility before entering the abyss to battle Hell’s mightiest warrior – and put an end to the invasion.
This version includes the Resurrection of Evil and The Lost Missions expansion packs.
Arkane Studios’ Dishonored, winner of over 100 Game of the Year awards, and all of its additional content come to together in this Definitive Edition! With Dishonored’s flexible combat system, creatively eliminate your targets as you combine the supernatural abilities, weapons and unusual gadgets at your disposal. “Void Walker’s Arsenal” offers unique character bonuses, additional bone charm slots, and more that will aid you in pursuit of revenge. Enter the world of the Outsider in “Dunwall City Trials” where you will put your combat, stealth and mobility skills to the test. Finally, play as the legendary assassin Daud in ‘The Knife of Dunwall’ and “The Brigmore Witches”.
As part of our normal content refresh, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Resident Evil, and NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 will be among some of the titles leaving the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog in May. Members with Game Catalog benefits can still play by May 15. You can always check the ‘Last chance to play section’ on the PlayStation Plus -> Collections page on the PS5 console, or PlayStation Plus -> Games -> Games Catalogue on the PS4 console for titles you might want to play before they leave the service.
We hope you enjoy this month’s Games Catalog lineup. Check back monthly for new games added to PlayStation Plus.
Cococucumber – the folks behind the beautifully odd Echo Generation – are ready to release their next voxel adventure, the fairytale slasher Ravenlok coming to PC, Game Pass, and Xbox consoles on May 4th. It’s clearly riffing on Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland as our protagonist, the titular Ravenlok, moves to a new inherited house, gets sucked through a magical mirror and steps into a trippy, mushroom-filled land. From there, she needs to fight this realm’s off-brand Queen Of Hearts and save the remaining, slightly weird, storybook denizens.
The Resident Evil 4 merchant is one of the most absurd parts of a game that’s already jam-packed with completely ridiculous over-the-top stuff — but he also exemplifies everything that makes that game so great.
This guy first pops up in a random window like a sock puppet and then coaxes Leon to meet him around a corner with all the subtle salesmanship of a crack dealer in a 1980s anti-drug PSA. He’s vaguely menacing at first but you quickly realize how goofy he is — and that’s like so much of the resident evil series: it’s scary at first, and then it’s silly.
The merchant’s design also distills RE4 visual sensibilities into one guy: his clothes and mask and knapsack almost make him look like he stepped out of a fantasy RPG, but then he opens his coat, and it’s clear his area of expertise is the OTHER kind of RPG — And that’s really the game’s whole aesthetic, this incongruous mix of creepy old fairy tale stuff like villages and castles but also slick futuristic stuff like scientific laboratories and submachine guns with thermal scopes.
In what universe would someone trade an antique goblet covered in hand-inlaid gemstones for an automatic rifle and a spraycan of bactine? Well, in the Resident Evil universe — it doesn’t make any sense, but it works, because video games! You’ll guide Leon through the most arduous, death-defying obstacle course, fighting off unthinkable horrors, and then walk around the corner, and this chucklehead has folded out his little table and put up his spooky lantern he got from Spirit Halloween, ready to buy your dead fish and chicken eggs and sell you a laser sight for your gun.
How did he get there? It doesn’t matter, you’re always happy to see him, and he’s always happy to see you.
I’ve seen theories that maybe this merchant isn’t one man, but a bunch of different guys who dress up the same and spout the same one-liners, but if anything that makes him even more ridiculous, like… what, he’s a scary mall Santa who sells firearms?
So many games bend over backward to explain around their own “video-gaminess,” adding as much context as possible to try to quell any ludo-narrative dissonance that the player might feel when one of the systems that make the game fun to play shatters any sense of realism or immersion. Resident Evil 4 not only doesn’t try to hide its video gaminess, it flaunts it, and whether you’re suplexing a little old lady, stealing an antique jewel off the corpse of a genetically engineered monster, or rearranging all the crap in your purse so you have room for a crossbow that shoots landmines.
What is the merchant doing with all these valuable antiques? Who is supplying him with guns? Do any of the game’s many horrible enemies try to kill him, or is he cool with them? Do THEY buy stuff from him? Most importantly, if his back is killing him, why doesn’t he take his pack off and sit down? Also, he’s apparently friends with The Duke from Resident Evil Village… what do they do for fun?
As far as completely nonsensical things in video games that we take for granted go, the merchant is right up there with finding an entire roast chicken in a castle wall or fitting a rocket launcher in your back pocket – and really, RE4 wouldn’t be the same without him
Star Wars Celebration was held last weekend and the much-anticipated sequel Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is speeding toward us on April 28th. All of this nostalgia and excitement means there’s still fun to be had in a galaxy far far away, and luckily, there’s a 14-game Star Wars bundle on Fanatical to celebrate. It’s currently enjoying a deep 80% discount for a limited time.
One month to go!
With only one month to go until its official release, Nintendo has announced that the final pre-launch trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will be heading our way tomorrow (13th April 2023).
The trailer will be livestreamed on the official Nintendo YouTube channel for all regions at 15:00 BST / 16:00 CEST / 07:00 PT and will be roughly three minutes in length.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Developer Dambuster Studios have shared the system requirements for their zombie masher Dead Island 2 ahead of its release on April 21st. Most of the game’s requirements seem pretty standard for a modern open-world game, although you’ll need some pretty powerful CPUs and GPUs to run the sequel at recommended settings and above. Ripping into hordes in graphic details might cost you.
Our PlayStation VR2 MMORPG, Zenith: The Last City, has its next major content patch – Skyward Summit – on the horizon, and with that we are bringing a host of new features to the game.
Today, we are thrilled to announce that one of the features we will be introducing is player versus player (PvP) combat! We believe this feature will add a new layer of depth and excitement to Zenith. Players will now have the opportunity to test their skills against each other in a fun and engaging way.
Challenge yourself with thrilling one-on-one and team duels that will test your skills and push you to the limit. With our unique class system, including the brand new Cyber Ninja class, you can explore an endless variety of playstyles and strategies. While we are exploring additional options for PvP in future patches, Skyward Summit’s PvP will primarily focus on the implementation of one-on-one and team duels.
We believe that the addition of PvP in Zenith is a significant update that opens up new gameplay opportunities for players. We’re excited to see how players will explore new tactics, test their strategies, and learn from their opponents. We’re confident that PvP will provide a thrilling and engaging experience for our players.
Alongside the highly anticipated PvP mode, we’re excited to introduce the brand new Cyber Ninja class and a host of other thrilling additions. From player housing to resource harvesting and crafting, this patch has it all. We can’t wait for you to explore these exciting new systems and discover everything Skyward Summit has to offer.
Mark your calendars – the Skyward Summit patch is projected for release in Q2 2023. Stay tuned for more information and get ready for an unforgettable adventure.
