During today's State of Play, developer Rogue Factory and publisher NACON showed the first glimpse of gameplay for Hell is Us, an upcoming 3rd person action first announced back in 2022. In the t??railer, we see the player take on a variety of spooky-looking demons ?that have literally caused Hell on Earth.

The trailer is giving me somewhat soulslike vibes, but also reminds me both in enemy design and gameplay of Scarlet Nexus. Players will wield a wide range of weapons including swords, spears, and?? axes as they take on supernatural creatures that have invaded Earth.

Hell is Us is coming to PlayStation 5 in 2025.

This story is still developing and may be updated with more details.

The post Hell is Us has some? spooky Souls-like vibes in gameplay reveal appeared first on Destructoid.

Judgment Day will have to wait. Publisher Nacon has announced that Terminator: Survivors' Earl?y Access launch has been delayed to an unknown date in 2025.

Terminator: Survivors, by Studio Milan, was originally slated for an October 24, 2024 release. In the announcement, Studio Milan CEO and Creative Director Marco Ponte cites the need for just a bit more development time. I'll choose to ignore the fact that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is arriving on October 25. Wait, forget that last part!

This deferral of the game’s release was a tough decision to make, however we believe that this additional time will enable us to ensure that our vision of the post-apocalyptic world of Terminator meets the expected level of quality. On behalf of the NACON Studio Milan team, I would like to thank all the players and fans of the franchise for their enthusiastic reception of Terminator: Survivors. We are extremely proud to have this opportunity to work on such an iconic franchise as Terminator, and are eager to reveal more of it to you. Thank you all for support�We'll be back.

Marco Ponte, CEO and Creative Director at Nacon Studio Milan

Terminator: Survivors lets you live the dream of surviving among robot friends

The open-world survival game places you in a post-Judgment Day apocalyptic future where you must eke out a living among wandering death machines. Terminator: Survivors lets you work together or ??with friends to gather materials and construct a base for your resistance buddies. Naturally, Skynet's walking death bots are everywhere, but you can fight back using tactics, stealth, and guns.

There is a story to experience as well. According to the details, you can learn about the origin of Judgment Day and follow an "unexpected storyline and try to change humanity's fa??te." Whether or not the game ties into the time-travel plot isn't known, but we'll likely experience something of the sort.

Terminator: Survivors will launch into Early Access in 2025. Check out the Steam page if yo??u're hankering for more info, screenshots, and flashy gifs.

The post Open-world Terminator: Su??rvivors gets its Early Access launch delayed to next year appeared first on Destructoid.

A new Terminator game has been in development for some time, and you'll be able to play it later this year. Well, in Early Access at least, as Terminator: Survivor will be hitting Steam on October 24. Check out the "Aftermath" trailer belo??w.

If you haven't heard of this �and I must admit I was a bit ignorant of it �Survivors is an open-world game ??that's set after Judgment Day in James Cameron's sci-fi universe.

The above trailer doesn't give a huge amount away. We see two scavengers, nervously seeking out supplies. With the world in such turmoil, the threat of a Terminator is ever-present. We then get to see the reflection of one of? the skeletal robots as it scans the two fuel-seeking humans.

100% rustproof

Terminator: Survivors is being developed by Nacon, and is pretty hot off the heels of the publisher's previous game based on a popular sci-fi franchise: RoboCop: Rogue City. Much like the latter, Rogue City offer?s a?? new lease on life for the iconic film series.

Whether Survivors will be as well received remains to be seen at this stage. An open-world game where you're fighting and surviving again??st killer robots? Sign me the heck up.

Nacon describes the upcoming game �which is also getting a release on Xbox Series X|S an??d PS5 �thus:

It’s been four y??ears since the day humanity nearly perished. The truth of the event is still muddied in half-truths as you emerge from a shelter to attempt [to] reestablish some semblance of society in a world that seems hell-bent on eliminating you and the last vestiges of mankind. You are tasked with sc?ouring the surrounding land for materials, information, other survivors and key resources in order to establish a base of operations for your fledgling group.

Fun!

The post Open world Terminator game, Terminator: ??Survivors, comes to Early Access this October appeared first on Destructoid.

[Update: Frogwares' CEO, Wael Amr?? has provided Destructoid with t?he following comment:

"We've seen a lot of support online from people saying they were waiting for the game to be back under our control before they buy it, so that has been very heart-warming to see. Our team is dealing w??ith so much given what is still ?happening in Ukraine, so this type of response truly helps a lot. We're also happy that we can now fully control the destiny of our creation and what we might do next in this setting."

Our original story follows.]

Via a post on Twitter, developer Frogwares has announced that they are now the sole publisher for 2019’s The Sinking City. As a result, they will be up?dating storefronts with the latest version of the game in the coming weeks.

Back in 2021, Frogwares got embroiled in a dispute with Nacon, the publisher of the game for PC platforms, over copyright and withheld royalties. The resulting lawsuit saw The Sinking City pulled from PC, Xbox One, and PS4 storefronts. It was then reinstated to Steam before being pulled again because it was allegedly just a hacked version of the game put together by Nac?on. It was a messy situation.

It’s currently unclear what led to the resolution of the dispute. On Steam, the develope?r merely says, “We're happy to finally put this whole thing behind us, and we look forward to sharing more news about the future of the franchise down the line.�We’ve reached out for comment, and will update th??is article if we receive clarification.

Frogwares warns that saves from the old PC version of the game will not be compatible with the updated version they will be releasing. They say that the old version will still be available but only for a limited time and suggest that you should finish any ongoing playthrough before February 28, 2024. They also plan on releasing a new DLC named Merciful Madness, wh?ich will only be compatible with the new version o?f the game.

While Frogwares is most renowned for their work on the Sherlock Holmes series of games, The Sinking City is a detective game set in the world as envisioned by H.P. Lovecraft. In particular, it takes place sometime after The Shadow Over Innsmouth and deals with the fallout of ?that story. It nails the eldritch creeping horror of t??he author while encasing it in a detective adventure game.

As an enjoyer of H.P. Lovecraft’s works, I really got into The Sinking City on PS5, but I got too embroil??ed in sidequests and eventually lost interest. I then picked it up again later, got further, and then the same thing happened. I should probably finish it b?efore I forget what was happening.

The post Frogwares r??egains full publishing rights for The Sinking City?? (Update) appeared first on Destructoid.

Nacon has published several games but these days it's more known for its gaming accessories. It recently unveiled the Revolution 5 Pro controller which is officially?? licensed by PlaySta??tion. The controller is compatible with the PS4, PS5, and PC.

It looks like the DualSense Edge and it has many of the same features, including back buttons. You can customize the Revolution 5 Pro, as it comes with 3 sets of weights, 3 stick sizes, and 3?? sets of stick heads t?o have the controller feel perfect in your hands.

There are some reasons why you may pick the Nacon over Sony's controller. Most notably, Nacon's controller features asymmetrical sticks?, wh?ich is a preference for some players. It also boasts a battery life of over 10 hours and supports Bluetooth audio in addition to wired headsets.

According to Nacon, this controller is geared towards gamers seeking maximum performance. It fe??atures magnetic Hall effect technology that brings increased accuracy and durability and gives you less reason to fear stick drift.

The controller is available in black and white, and it is set to release in October. You can pre-order it for $199.90. If you're looking for greater accessibility, you may want to turn to Sony's upcoming Access Controller which is highly cust??omizable and catered towards players with varying ne?eds.

The post Nacon announces new PS5 controller, ??the Revo?lution 5 Pro appeared first on Destructoid.

From vampires to Ganondorf

The May 2023 video games lineup is heating up as we dive (literally) straight back into the land of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and stake vampires in Redfall. 

The games keep on rolling in May after an impressive April with Minecraft Legends, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and Dead Island 2. Now, we prepare for stealth ramps, open-??world titles, and an adventure into Metropolis. Her??e's what to expect in May.

Darkest Dungeon II (PC)

[caption id="attachment_373325" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Red Hook Studios[/caption]

Publisher: Red Hook Studios
Developer: Red Hook Studios
Price: $19.99
Release Date: May 8
Trailer

The highly anticipated indie roguelike follow-up Darkest Dungeon II will finally release out of Early Access on May 8. The sequel seems to be a step up in every way possible from the original. The art style has been improved with upgraded visuals and special ??FX. The new token system gives your character special perks and abilities, and your characters can get to know each other at the inn while reducing their stress.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Switch)

[caption id="attachment_373326" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Price: $69.99
Release Date: May 12
Trailer

Breath of the Wild amazed us when it was first released on Switch (and the Wii U). The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom seems to be even grander as Link explores the skies above and reverses time to solve puzzles. One of the common complaints is how the weapons degrade quickly; thankfully, you can now fuse items together creating all new swords, hammers, and tools. It looks expansive, and Tears of the Kingdom even lets you create your own vehicles that soar in the air and drive around the open world. This mysterious but exciting experience will be released on May 12. 

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

[caption id="attachment_373340" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Daedalic Entertainment[/caption]

Publisher: Daedelic Entertainment and Nacon
Developer: Daedelic Entertainment
Price: $59.99
Release Date: May 25
Trailer

The most precious game in the May 2023 video games lineup is The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. You'll be playing the unlikely titular protagonist as he tries to find his wonderful Ring of Power. Just like the character in the movie, he has a split personality between the violent Gollum and shy Smeagol. You'll be making decisions along the way that will determine the former hobbit's identity throughout the story; but the game will be mostly stealth-driven as you kill your way or pass through Middle-Earth's deadly creatures. You'll be looking for Gollum's precious on May 25. The Switch is getting the game later in 2023.

Redfall (Xbox Series X/S, PC)

[caption id="attachment_373344" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Xbox[/caption]

Publisher: Xbox
Developer: Arkane Austin
Price: $69.99
Release Date: May 2
Trailer

After I realized that Redfall is a Far Cry-like experience with horror elements, I was in. With three other players, you'll be exploring Redfall, Massachusetts, a town that's waging war against droves of vampires. Many haven't survived but it's up to you to protect the remaining citizens. Xbox says the game has "a deep story campaign as you unravel the mystery behind the vampires' appearance." Developed by Dishonored's Arkane Austin, this game features stealth, all manner of different hero load outs, and cool weaponry to find in the wild. In addition, Xbox promises there will be "unique upgrades and abilities to suit your playstyle." The action begins on May 2. 

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

[caption id="attachment_373351" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via WB Games[/caption]

Publisher: WB Games
Developer: Rocksteady
Price: $69.99
Release Date: May 26
Trailer

As of the time of writing, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is still launching on May 26. As the title suggests, you're playing as the ragtag group of characters such as Harley Quinn and Captain Boomerang against the Justice League's Superman, Batman, and The Flash. It sounds ridiculous, but somehow Batman Arkham Asylum developer Rocksteady has a somewhat promising story on its hands ?if the trailers are to be beli?eved so far.

To the chagrin of many of Rocksteady's fans, however, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a seemingly dull third-person shooter with a live service angle to it rather than the solid single-player experience of the Batman Arkham series??. Hopefully, it can blow our expectations out of the water...or not.

[Update: Suicide Squad was been delayed until 2024 mere d?ays after this article was publi?shed. What timing!]

Honorable Mentions

[caption id="attachment_373359" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Focus Entertainment[/caption]

The May 2023 video games lineup is also host to a bunch of promising indies a?nd other triple-A titles including:

• Amnesia: The Bunker (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PC) - May 16
• Dokopon Kingdom: Connect (Switch) - May 9
• Hello Neighbor: Search & Rescue (PSVR 2) - May 25
• Miasma Chronicles (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) - May 23
• Lego 2K Drive (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC) - May 19
• Soul Delivery (PC) - May 21
• Super Dungeon Maker (PC, Switch) - May 3
• System Shock (PC) - May 30
• Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC) - May 23

The post Most anticipated game releases – May 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

How incredibly precious

Having spent years in development, and having suffered numerous delays, publisher Nacon has finally announced a launch date for its Tolkien adaptation The Lord of the Rings: Gollum �The fantasy adventure ??title will crawl out of its cave on ??May 25 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

The third-person adventure will tell the tale of the notable Tolkien character Smeagol, better known among LOTR as "Gollum", after the strange guttural noises that emerge from his esophagus. Set between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the game will see Gollum embark upon his own ??odyssey across Middle-Earth, meeting tentative allies and bitter enemies in his pursuit of the core of his being... "The Precious".

You can check out a new, lengthy gameplay showcase video below.

//www.youtube.c??om/watch?v=YOBqFV6EO80&ab_channel=Nacon

Developed by Daedalic, this ambitious project has seen several setbacks since its initial reveal way back in the spring of 2019, but is finally on the road to fruition. Offering new LOTR lore, a very different perspective on Middle-Earth, and an intriguing "inner turmoil" mechanic, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum w??ill be nothing if not interesting for Tolkien fans, who will get to experience their favorite universe from the perspective of one of its strangest, saddest, and most conflicted chara?cters.

The Lord of The Rings: Gollum launches on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox on May 23. A Nin??tend?o Switch edition will follow at a later date.

The post The Lord? of the Rings: Gollum will finally emerge on May 25 appeared first on Destructoid.

Names become Numbers

As part of yesterday's Nacon Connect live stream, the French publisher released a new trailer for its affecting and intense-looking release, War Hospital, ??w?hich is currently in development for PC and consoles.

Developed by indie outfit Brave Lamb Studios, War Hospital is a harsh management simulator that will afford the player the unenviable task of attempting to build, run, and maintain makeshift medical facilities in the t?hroes of World War One. As a British combat medic on the French frontline, with an almost hopeless situation at hand, it ?is the player's task to ensure that wounded soldiers are able to receive the care needed to keep them alive, standing, and ultimately, returning to the fight.

//www?.youtube.com/watch?v=unLUFJFvOt0&ab_channel=Nacon

Understaffed and undersupplied, massively difficult matters of efficiency and pragmatism will need to be tackled in order to ensure maximum survivability rate for a constant influx of patients. Research and develop new fields of medicine and healing, build extended wards and theaters within earshot of battle, and, when the war gets a little too close for comfort, be prepared to venture into the field in a desperate search for resources, and face the consequences of desperate, nec?essary actions.

While War Hospital certainly doesn't look to have the jolly, low-stakes nature of similar titles such as Theme Hospital and Two Point Hospital, the trailer above showcases a meticulously designed and stylishly presented example of the hospital sim genre. While certainly not a title for the weak of heart and nerve, War Hospital looks very promising, and worth watching for those willing to tip the ultimate scales?? of life and death.

War Hospital launches later this year on P?S5, PC,? and Xbox Series X.

The post Survival is a rarely affordable privileg??e i??n War Hospital appeared first on Destructoid.

That's life in the big city

During today's Nacon Connect live stream, the French publisher released a new gameplay trailer for RoboCop: Rogue City, which is curre??ntly in development at?? Treyon for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X.

The new title, representing the first video game adaptation of the RoboCop franchise in many years, will see players mount the leg holster of Alex Murphy, slain in the line of duty and resurrected as The Future of Law Enforcement. The new gameplay clip sees our boy Go Robo through the slums of Old Detroit, where he investigates, (ie decimates), a suspected inner-c??ity drug trafficking operation.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnqLsINgQDA

In the clip, we see Murphy note evidence littering the crime scene, before encountering an addict of the city's most prominent and destructive drug, NUKE. Having followed police procedure to this point, Murphy then executes a search warrant �Which basically means he punches down the door of an arcade and slaughters everybody inside. Rogue City looks to be replicating much of the iconography from Paul Vehoeven's 1987 masterpiece �including grid-based aiming, the recording of evidence, and buckets and buckets of the red stuff. Actor Peter Weller has retu??rned to voice Murphy in-game.

Also of note is a similar vein of black humor, such as a gang of buggy-whip-armed thugs even considering taking on our titanium-covered walking tank. RoboCop: Rogue City is certainly being developed in an interesting era, when the movie's underlying themes of capitalism gone amok, corporate-run crime, and the overbearing police state have reached upsetting highs in the real world. Hopefully, Treyon will be able to finely balance the carnage an??d violence of Murphy's actions with the satire, commentary, and heart that lies buried within the film's narrative.

I might be asking too muc?h, but I'd still buy that. For a do??llar.

RoboCop: Rogue Nation is scheduled to launch in September on PS5,? PC, and Xbox S??eries X.

The post RoboCop: Rogue?? City gameplay trailer is suitably rid??iculous appeared first on Destructoid.

A tale untold...

Perhaps the crown jewel in Nacon's incoming slate is its intriguing adaptation The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, which is curr?ently in development at Daedalic Entertainment and sche?duled to launch on PC and consoles later in 2023.

The long-in-development title will see players follow the broken-minded Stoor Hobbit on a journey through Middle-Earth, set between the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and his magnum opus, The Lord of the Rings. Gollum will make his way through a variety of legendary locations from the novels, meeting tentative allies and dangerous en?emies both new and familiar to fans of Middle-Earth. Gollum will also have to combat his greatest foe, himself, via a mechanic that sees him wrestle with the voices of his own mind for ownership of his very sanity.

//www.youtube.com??/watch?v=2PsOV7Q3ao0&ab_channel=NaconNorthAmerica

We have seen many, many Lord of the Rings-themed video games since Peter Jackson's heralded movies brought the franchise back into the zeitgeist of a global audience. With The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, Daedalic is attempting something different, and very ambitious, essentially writing new chapters that take place within the original LOTR timeline, and building a game around a meek??, relatively powerless character. Still, it is from unique concepts that we often get head-t??urning titles.

Following years of delays, it won'?t be too m??uch longer before we find out whether our feeble fiend has what it takes to make his very own adventure... I gotta say it... Precious.

The Lord of The Rings: Gollum launches on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Ninten??do Switch titles in 2023.

The post The Lord of the Rings: ??Goll??um trailer focuses on its dramatic lore appeared first on Destructoid.

Once upon a time...

As part of this afternoon's Nacon Connect 2023 live stream, the publisher showed off a new gameplay overview for its artistic fantasy roguelite Ravenswatch, which will be entering Early Access on St?eam on April 6

Developed by French studio Passtech Games, (the team behind the highly acclaimed Curse of the Dead Gods) Ravenswatch sees a ?roster of familiar characters of legend, including Beowulf, The Snow Queen, The Pi??ed Piper, and Little Red Riding Hood, come together to save a fantasy kingdom from an army of dark corruption, manifesting in the form of a platoon of monsters and demons.

//youtu.be/bmzNnZZOsxY

Each of the heroes has their own plethora of skills and abilities, with further talents unlocked as you level up and progress the world and,? as a roguelite, the pla?yer will be pushed to perform better and better as they grow the party of heroes to face

Ravenswatch will enter Steam Early Access on Ap??ril 6. You can register your interest over on the official St??eam page.

The post Ravenswatch brings fairy tale dun?ge?on-crawling to Early Access April 6 appeared first on Destructoid.

Hell on Earth. Moreso.

Fledgling German studio Hekate has released new gameplay footage of its grotesque psychological horror Ad Infinitum, which remains in development for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X. Hekate believes that the creepy-looking release will be read??y for lau?nch in September of this year.

As we have previously reported, Ad Infinitum is the story of a lone German soldier, lost in ??the miserable trenches of World War One. Told from a first-person perspective, players will explore a clash of realities, as the true horrors of "The Great War" merge with frightening monstrosities and fa?ntasies that have seemingly become a part of No Man's Land. Ad Infinitum will combine stealth, exploration, and puzzle elements as the protagonist picks their way through a living nightmare.

//www.youtub?e.com/??watch?v=_uEcgVDH7X4&;ab_channel=NaconNorthAmerica

As the first release from Hekate, the studio wishes to make a major impression with its debut. As such, the release date has been pushed back from the second quarter of 2023 to September, which will afford the development team more time to further?? polish the release ahead of its launch. The team originally conceived the idea over a decade ago, and have worked on it painstakingly for the last three years. As such, it behooves them to make sure that this long-time-coming passion project is the very best that they can make it come launch day.

Ad Infinitum is scheduled to launch in September 2023 on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X.

The post Ad Infinitum unleas?hes World War hor??rors in September appeared first on Destructoid.

Golly, what a day...

As part of this morning's Nacon Connect live stream, the publisher offered up our first look at the gameplay of co-op action adventure Gangs of Sherwood, which is currently in development at Appeal Studios? ?for PC and Gen 9 platforms. It is currently expected to launch in the fall of this year.

As the name suggests, Gangs of Sherwood is a multiplayer adventure set within an alternate, steampunk-style take o?n the Robin Hood legend. Up to four players will step into the roles of warriors Little John, Friar Tuck, Maid Marian, and, of course, Robin of Loxley himself. The very early gameplay footage sees our band of outlaws battling their way through a castle, with each member of the party bringing bespoke weaponry and fighting skills as they sally forth past a squadron of guards.

The trailer ends with Sherwood Forest's finest facing off against a monstrous contraption of flesh and steel, known as "Red Roger of Nottingham". What is it with Nacon and rusty, aristocratic robots?

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ_IRpUuj5c

While this alpha footage is a tad rough around the edges, I actually really dig the idea of a multiplayer hack 'n' slash title, and the novel twist on the tales of Robin Hood is a pretty bold concept. I don't see any sexy foxes, nor can I hear Brian Adams, so I'm assuming that this will be a particularly unique adaptation of the Totally Real and Definitely Existed hero. I'm especially eager to see what form Robin's nemesis, The Sheriff of Nottingham, will take in Gangs of Sherwood.

He's going to be a ??massive fucking robot spider, isn't he?

Gangs of Sherwood is scheduled to launch this fall on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X. You can check out an extended gameplay preview over on the official Steam store page.

The post Check out the first gamep??lay footage for Gangs of Sherwood appeared first on Destructoid.

Stay out of Trobble

[Update: The Nacon Connect Spring live stream kicks off in 15 minutes. You can check out the show in the embed below or over on the official Nacon YouTube channel.]

//www.yo??utube.com/watch?v=oSBzONLqVd0&ab_c??hannel=Nacon

Nacon is gearing up for its next Nacon Connect live stream, where the publisher plans to show off an array of its upcoming releases, spearheaded by Teyon's RoboCop: Rogue City and Daedalic Entertainment's RPG adaptation The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. The stream will take place on March 9.

//www.youtube.com/wat??ch?v=jQ2hZ-4JCTE&ab_ch??annel=Nacon

Originally announced in the summer of 2021, RoboCop: Rogue City will see The Future of Law Enforcement laying down the Prime Directives in the city of Old Detroit. Fans are hoping that the title will capture the ridiculous violence ?and biting satire of Paul Verhoeven's fantastic 1987 movie. Actor Paul Weller is confirmed to be on board to provide his voice and likeness to the irreplaceable Alex Murphy.

//www.youtube?.com/watch?v=YYrJdAdi1WI&ab_channel=PlayStation

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is an action-RPG that has unfortunately fallen into something of a development spiral, having been delayed several times since its initial announcement. Initially slated for launch in 2021 and then 2022, Daedalic Entertainment is yet to announce an official launch date for The Precious' arrival on PC and console platforms. Perhaps this Nacon Connect will finally mark the calendar with ink, giving LOTR fans something particularly intrigu?ing to look forward to.

In addition to RoboCop: Rogue City and The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, the Nacon Connect will feature appearances from Robin Hood-themed multiplayer title Gangs of Sherwood, motorbike sim TT3: Ride on the Edge, psychological WWI horror Ad Infinitum, and fantasy roguelike Ravenswatch. We can also expect to see the latest from the publisher's line of gaming hardware and accessories, including headphones, micr?ophones, and keyboards.

You can check out the stream over on the official Nacon YouTube channel on March 9, with the action scheduled to kick off at 10:00 PT / 13:00 ET /?? 18:00 BST.

The post The N??a?con Connect 2023 live stream is starting soon appeared first on Destructoid.

But where's Lupin III?

Nacon has announced the arrival of a new DLC expansion for its robo-revolutionary RPG Steelrising �T Cagliostro's Secrets story expansion is available to purchase now ?on PS5, PC, and Xbox Seri??es X, priced at $14.99. The new gameplay can be accessed once the player has completed the "Bastille" mission.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbfkLMOqw-o

Cagliostro's Secrets throws a little more heavy metal action in the divine Aegis' path. The DLC includes a new area, Hôpital Saint Louis, which features a new questline and several brand new enemies, along with variants on some of Steelrising's already established mechanical nightmares. In addition, the DLC drop adds five new weapons to our girl's arsenal of death, and includes several brand new side-quests that can be found and completed in Steelrising's other districts.

While Steelrising was not quite the gemstone it might have been, I still found it a gorgeous-looking and very challenging adventure, that rose above its budgetary shortc??omings thanks to its classy visuals and in-depth combat mechanics. While certainly not for everyone, the ambitious adventure is a sign that, as a developer, Spiders is growing with each successive release, and I hope that a future sequel could really deliver upon the game's compelling premise.

Steelrising is available now on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X.

The post Delve into Cagliostro’s Secrets in new Steelrising DLC appeared first on Destructoid.

Another month in the garage

Publisher Nacon has announced that WRC Generations has been hit with a last-minute delay, and will no longer meet its October 13 release date �the Kylotonn-developed racer will now lau??nch November 3 on PlayStation, ?PC, and Xbox platforms. A Nintendo Switch port is still in development for later release.

Speaking on Twitter, Nacon notes that it has decided to bring the console release in line with the PC launch date in order to allow for some further polish time for the PlayStation and Xbox editions by the development team at Kylotonn. Console players can pre-order WRC Generations now to receive a bonus vehicle �the Peugeot 206 WRC model. While PC players cannot pre-order the game, this bonus DLC will be offered to everybody who purchases WRC Generations on PC within its first two weeks of release.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFJuV7ufIeY

WRC Generations promises to deliver the most content ever featured in a rally game. In addition to hosting over 750km of racetrack from no less than 22 countries, the new sequel will include 49 teams from the official WRC 2022 season, as well as 37 legendary cars and 165 timed special stages. WRC Generations will also feature hybrid cars for the very first time, bringing with them their own unique racing strategies �based on the battery management of the some??what greener mud-rippers.

WRC Generations launches November 3 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms?.

The post WRC Generations hit ??with slight delay, will now launch in Novem?ber appeared first on Destructoid.

Liberty, equality, fraternity... or death

Paris.?? 1789. The Renaissance was so very l??ong ago... Did it even happen?

Looking around the f??allen capital, one would fairly assume not. The City of Lights, a place celebrated for its art, invention, cultu?re, and architecture now resembles The Gates of Hell, a vision soon to be crafted by Rodin himself. The streets are awash with blood and bodies �innocent civilians, rebellious conspirators, and even the king's own army lying in miserable piles of broken flesh.

And the king himself? This citywide massacre is his doing, the heart of his capital torn in two by a seemingly unstoppable army of robotic soldiers. Far from being the loyal guardians and entertainers of Paris, as ??initially de?signed, the automaton army has instead become her oppressor, stalking the cobbled streets and killing those who would stand against the bereaved monarch with extreme prejudice. Starving, scared, and cowering within their own homes, the city's populace has neither the weaponry nor the knowledge to take on The Clockwork King's footsoldiers, let alone flee the city for safer ground.

But there is one hope. One automaton that is not under the command of King Louis XVI but is, ironically, guided by his own lady wife, Marie Antoinette. She is the Queen's personal bodyguard, built to withstand the most brutal of assault??, outfitted with a devastating arsenal of weaponry, and blessed as one of the only automatons in ?France to possess anything close to free will.

She is Aegis, and she is come to open the purple testament of ble??eding war.

Steelrising (PS5 [reviewed], PC, Xbox Series X/S)
Developer: Spiders
Publisher: Nacon
Released: September 8, 2022
MSRP: $49.99

Steelrising is French developer Spiders' first title since colonial RPG GreedFall, which launched to middling praise back in the fall of 2019. Much like that title, Steelrising focuses on an alternate retelling of another specific moment in human history �namely the French Revolution, which waged its bloody, class-based warfare in the late 1700s. Steelrising takes the framework of this tumultuous, world-shaping event and uses it as a backdrop to tell its own fictional tale, blended with a phantasmagoria of anachronistic technology to create a ficti??onal retelling of these dark days of cake and head severings.

In Steelrising, players step into the delicate chassis of Aegis, a high-level automaton who serves as bodyguard to Marie Antoinette, currently residing in "protection" (see "relative captivity"), at the Chate?au de Saint-Cloud. Aware that the streets of Paris are torn asunder, Queen Antoinette orders Aegis to travel into the heart of the capital and find her creator, Eugene de Vaucanson, who may hold the key to stopping the increasingly unstable Louis XVI and his battalion of automatons. Automatons that are already leading a campaign of death and violence throughout the capital.

Politics is politics, however, and every actor on this stage has a part to play. Queen Antoinette, King Loui?s, Vaucanson, the members of the Estates General, the mysterious Comte Cagliostro, and, of course, th?e sublime Aegis herself �who will emerge the victor when the gears finally stop turning?

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-pii4ZK6wg

Rise of the Robots

For all intents and purposes, Steelrising is a Soulslike �its gameplay typified by map exploration; deliberate, brutal combat; the accessing of stat-building checkpoints; and the mastery of both alchemic weapons and lo??ng-winded attack animations in ord??er to win the day, whether stood against the lowliest of guard bots or most terrifying of titans.

Strangely, however, the chosen genre does not synergize wholly with the universe Spiders has created. There is an ever-present impression that the developer should have crafted Steelrising as a straight action-adventure, akin to Horizon: Zero Dawn, or the Batman: Arkham series.

While Steelrising does offer a solid and capable Souls experience, some of its brilliant conceptual capability is certainly lost in its slow-paced, measured, and deliberate approach to world traversal and in-game action. By choosing to jump on the, shall we say, Soulswagon? Steelrising leaves some of its own potential on the table, wearing the Souls genre in an admirable, but i??ll-fitting fashion. One wonders what might have ??been had Spiders chosen to go with a different vibe for the chrono-bending adventure.

Still, while I do think that the world and its engine do not entirely sync, it must be noted that Steelrising is most certainly a fine �and pr?etty darn classy �?adventure title in its own right.

I love my 18th Century Goth Robot Wife

When your protagonist is an indebted roboservant, you run the risk of alienating the player due to a lack of character rela??tability. Blank-gazing automatons can feel a little flat, after all.

Fortunately, Aegis is a marvel of design, as achingly beautiful as she is painfully deadly, with a surprisingly engaging personality despite her dry, staccato line delivery. Aegis is no 2B of NieR fame �her gears and cogs crunch and grind as she runs, her engine sputters and cho??kes, and her vocal tone is reminiscent of the "What is this thing you call "'love'?" lore of old-school sci-fi. But despite �perhaps because of �her fundamental fla?ws, we like her. We like her very much. Additionally, a selection of customization options allows us to tune Aegis' design. This includes her skin tone. An important touch, even for automatons.

As Aegis, the player journeys through several quarters of Paris, each defined by its own style, atmosphere, and variety of intriguing �and very dangerous �enemies. The automatons themselves are a veritable circus of iconic 18th-century design, from rickety, inelegant, sword-swinging guards, to fanciful trumpet-playing clowns, frightening feline scouts, and bulbous, heavy-hitting giants. In typical Souls fashion, each of these enemies is a legitimate threat to Aegis, and must be closely studied for its vulnerabilities, so that our girl may strike?? hard, fast, and with finality.

Evening the odds, Aegis can head into battl??e with a variety of bladed and blunt weaponry including swords, polearms, chains, fans, and mallets, as well as firearms and rudimentary explosive devices. Each weapon has its own range of weak, fierce, and charged fierce attacks, as well as specia??l skills including aerial strikes, parries, or shielding options. In addition, "Anima Essence" (XP) can be spent on increasing a given weapon's statistics, or on upgrading Aegis herself, affording her a stronger moveset, better armor, elemental resistance, or fine-tuning for her offensive and defensive animations.

Ultimately, the player is enco?uraged to build "their" A?egis, from her abilities in battle and her aesthetic presence, to her internal build, weapons of choice, and her decidedly dapper robo-fashions.

Fetch the WD-40

As I noted in my review for another mid-budget Soulslike, Thymesia, control and combat are the beating heart of the genre. The core of any given example's gameplay experience. In this regard, Steelrising is, unfortunately, nothing to write home about. It is solid, but it is not great. It is precise, but it's not polished. Controls can feel a little sluggish at times, and even unresponsive on occasion, while the game's lock-on system, (which is a "Must Use" feature), can be woefully unreliable and cost me more than a few lives. Aegis, by design, is balletic chaos, a finely-honed machine of death that moves with all the grace and beauty of a dancer, but this wondrous design simply isn't reflected in Steelrising's mechanics.

When cornered, or when fighting several opponents in close proximity, Aegis is less Battle Angel: Alita and more Metal Mickey, stumbling between PoVs while the camera dawdles behind a nearby hedge. Steelrising's combat works. It's solid and it serves. But it falters under pressure, with lock-on fumbles, spinning camerawork, or obstacles posted frustratingly just out of frame aren't on a player's side. As a rule of animatronic thumb, Steelrising's combat mechanics are acceptable,?? but i??n a genre that requires scalpel sharpness, they need a little tweaking, lest Aegis break down like yer boy Moyse on Twitter last week.

Perhaps hoping to corral players who do not sport the required Souls Sadist Streak, Steelrising features a clever "Assist Mode" option. This feature can be used to fine-tune the difficulty to your own personal level, with sliders available for enemy damage and endurance regeneration speed, as well as an option to retain all unbanked XP on death. I found that the Assist Mode offered excellent training wheels while I got to grips with Steelrising's function �switching it off once I'd cleared the first chapter. Steelrising also features three console modes, tuned for Performance, Resolution, and Graphics. I chose Performance for my playthr??ough (and for these screenshots) be??cause I like it when video games play.

Oh??, there is also a toggle for "Hat Visibility," whi??ch I want to see in every single game from now on.

Eyeful Power

Steelrising looks marvelous. From shadow-strewn woodland, mud-filled ghettos, and palatial estates to the carnage of The Bastille itself, Spiders' masterful eye for exterior locations �honed in the equally attractive GreedFall �is in full effect here. Sharp lighting, shadow, and other effects bring each location to life, while smartly shifting moods give each quarter its own distinct vibe. One moment you're taking in the opulence of The Lourve, and the next you're headed to Luxembourg, where the game goes full horror. In addition to the environmental design, clever concepts such as the Horseless Carriage, the "Vestal" checkpoints, and Aegis' death-dealing weap??onry will please steampunkers.

Add to this Steelrising's cavalcade of memorable and disturbing automatons, (yes, of course there are arachnids), and there's no doubt that both historical concepts and slick visual design are assuredly Spiders' strong points. This is a studio of ambition. An ambition that often outweighs budget, mind, but ambition nevertheless. Even when Steelrising disappoints, it works to win back the player with a creepy new enemy, a haunting v??ista, or a satisfying instrument of destruction �ready and waiting to be brought down on the noggin of a sleazy conservative bastard.

Steelrising, ultimately, plays tug-o-war with the player, repeatedly swinging between "alright," "good," and "great" on an hourly basis. Some of its design is disappointing, such as the clunky menu system, a genuinely funny mechanic whereby Aegis converses with NPCs through closed doors (likely due to a lack of character models), and an emphasis on rooftop traversal with a character that... well... isn't exactly Ezio Auditore. Most shockingly of all, Steelrising lacks a French dub, meaning that the dialogue proffers London East End accents for its peasants, while the aristocracy relies on the ??time-tested? "half-language" gimmick:

"Mon Dieu, I do not know what it is that we shall do next, c'est fini!"

"Calm yourself, Maitre, maybe this automaton will adiez nou."

So, here we are on jour du jugement dernier, and where does Steelrising stand?

I've personally been looking forward to this title since it was first revealed in the summer of 2020, and while I will admit that the final product is not quite the game I was hoping for, I still found it an enjoyable and challenging action RPG, despite its disappointments. We're not looking at your newest Souls obsession here, but Spiders has made a solid and agreeable title. Anyone with an interest in Steelrising's classy aesthetic and interesting take on history will enjoy guiding Aegis to her rise to glory, standin??g proud and tall over the aimless meat bags that make?? up the human race. Vive la robolution!

Though slightly wanting when compared with its Souls contemporaries, Steelrising still offers up challenging combat, inventive enemies, and an attractive and atmospheric take on 18th-century Paris at a time of great upheaval. Much like its previous release, GreedFall, you can see Spiders' ambition, passion, and talent at play here, and while the final product is not quite the success it could have been, Steelrising's robot revolution is still worth its w?eight in cake.

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

The post Review: Steelrising appeared first on Destructoid.

The precious needs some extra time

Daedalic's new LOTR adventure is pushing its release date back a bit. Nacon and Daedalic Entertainment are pushing the launch of The Lord of the Rings: Gollum back a few months to an indeterminate date.

No more has been confirmed about Gollum's new date, except that it is "a few months" out from its original. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum was previously? set to launch on September 1, 2022.

In a statement on the delay, Daedalic says it has been pushed in order to deliver the "best possible experience" for the Gollum game. An?? update more exact timing will arriv??e sometime in the near future.

/?/twitter.com/GollumGame/statu?s/1551598260732792832

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is slotted to launch on both generations of Xbox and PlayStation hardware, as well as PC and the Nintendo Switch. It's unclear if the launch date will affect the Nintendo Switch date in particular, as it had previously been pushed back from the other? versions' September 1 date. We reached out to clarify, but were told Daedalic has no further comment at this time.

Waiting in the darkness

Gollum's very own video game is a bit different than the hack-and-slash or role-playing games you might be used to from the Lord of the Rings game.

Rather, it's a stealth affair, suited to Gollum's own talents of sneaking around and leaping onto people's backs. Plus, balancing the careful line between ?Smeagol and Gollum, and getting the narrative bits right. Although one section of this cinematic trailer where Gollum dumps lava on some orcs looks pretty alright.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJn2AjYOIJA

While the Fellowship had their time in the spotlight, Lord of the Rings: Gollum will give the little hobbit who's down on his luck his due. It'll just take a little extra time f???or all the pieces to come together.

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The Neon Nitrous

During the recent Nacon Connect live stream, the publisher offered up another slick cinematic trailer for its upcoming racer Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown. But while the dramatic preview offered up some styl?ish visuals and dramatic pontificating, it failed to showcase any gameplay for the title, ??which is currently scheduled to launch on PC and next-gen platforms in 2023.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2RxYui-Jhc

Developed by veteran studio KT Racing, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown certainly sounds like an incredibly meaty undertaking, with a host of highly realistic licensed vehicles burning rubber through what has been touted as a meticulous "1:1" recreation of the entirety of Hong Kong Island. An emphasis on customization will allow players to not only fine-tune their cars' appearances to perfection but also customize the appearance of the driver themselves �a feature that takes center stage in the new Solar Crown trailer.

First announced in the summer of 2020, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown was originally expected to hit the streets this September, but became one of a litany of cross-gen releases pushed back to 2023. It was also confirmed that the PS4 and Xbox One editions of the title had been canceled. Now over two years into its development, with a release scheduled for sometime in the coming 18 months, fans are becoming a tad antsy at the persistent rolling out of cinemat??ic trailers, and are starting to wonder when the??y will finally get to see the ambitious-sounding racer in action.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is in de??velopment for PS5, PC, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch.

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Curse of the Dead Gods didn't quite grab me, but I'm down to try again

The creators of Curse of the Dead Gods are back with another action roguelite game called Ravenswatch, and this time, you aren't alone �there's four-player co-op?? support.

Announced this week at Nacon Connect 2022, Ravenswatch will star playable hero?es with? abilities "inspired by characters from folktales and legends." Right off the bat, we've got the Red Hood, the Pied Piper, Beowulf, and the Snow Queen, with "more to come."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQBlSgRtCyc

On the gameplay front, expect randomly generated maps and character builds to be at the forefront, with iconography and themes plucked from "The Three Little ??Pigs to? Norse mythology to One Thousand and One Nights," among other stories.

Solo or up to four players

Though solo play is an option, Ravenswatch will likely be at its best in co-op. "To defeat the Nightmare and reach the final chapter, you will need a strong build, focus, and excellent teamwork," acco?rding to Passtech Games. "Increase your fighting power in battles then face the level boss when you feel rea??dy�or when you no longer have a choice."

From ??the tra??iler, we can see the Red Hood transform into a wolf, the Pied Piper command a horde of rats, and the Snow Queen skate around foes on ice. Dibs on the former.

[caption id="attachment_333978" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{The four heroes revealed so far.}[/caption]

Admittedly, I barely made a dent in Curse of the Dead Gods �it's a tough game right from the get-go �but I enjoyed what I played, and there's a world in which I got really into it for a few months. I feel like Passtech must've learned a lot while making that game, so having a similar but still distinct follow-up in the same genre sounds ideal. The action looks familiar, but the e??nvironments seem much less cramped and intimidating.

(Did any of you try Curse?? with Pla?yStation Plus? That's where I got my copy.)

Ravenswatch will debut on Steam Early Access in?? 2023, with console versions �Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S �coming later.

The post Ravenswatch, a folktale action roguelite game from the Curse of the Dead Gods team, h?as co-op appeared first on Destructoid.

No name yet, but here's a teaser

The "one last thing" at the Nacon Connect 2022 showcase was a new Terminator game for PC and consoles, and while we don't have a name yet �or anything concrete, footage-wise �we do know this is the "first survival game set in the Terminator universe."

I bet you can?? predict everything that happens in this teaser trailer.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HNPT7efHq0

Nacon's Terminator survival game is in production at Nacon Studio Milan, rather than Teyon, the team behind Terminator: Resistance, which some fans have rallied around.

Open-world survival in the wake of Judgment Day

"The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic open world and features an original story that builds on the events of the official films," according to the studio.

"You play as a group of nuclear apocalypse sur?vivors fighting to stay alive in a time period between Judgment Day and t??he creation of John Connor’s resistance."

With little to grasp yet, this is a harder sell than another '80s-icon-turned-game, RoboCop: Rogue City, which?? shared the first look at gameplay during Nacon's stream.

After playing way too many survival games, I can imagine what this game could look like �and really, I feel like it could go either way. Genre, scope, and budget are all top of mind when it comes to licensed games like this. And to me, this team is a wildcard. I am vaguely into the idea o??f fighting for life in an intimidating machine-dominated world, though.

Are you open to a Skynet survival game, or have you had your fill of Terminator tie-ins by now? Come to think of it, I've gone pretty deep in the Sega Genesis and SNES libraries over the years, but I've never touched RoboCop Versus The Terminator. Hmm.

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Peter Weller is on board

Yes, there's a RoboCop game on the way, and not to jinx us, but it looks good! Nacon and Teyon �who you might remember from another recent licensed game, Terminator: Resistance �debuted the RoboCop: Rogue City gameplay trailer at Nacon Connect 2022.

It's hard to adapt a perfect movie into a video game, but they're going for it.

//youtu.be/jQ2hZ-4JCTE

In line with the 1987 movie, OmniCorp has taken control of the Detroit Police Department, and it's now on RoboCop to clean up the streets by popping scumbags' heads. Today's gameplay trailer showed several first-person skirmishes, including?? RoboCop's iconic targeting system, and I hope Teyon goes all the way with the HUD elements.

I'm not expecting glossy high-budget FPS action, but that's okay if they nail the little details. If this one's "for the ?fans," that'll be fine. I hope it's widely enjoyable, though.

"You have the power to decide how to fulfill prime directives in your own way, but as the story unfolds proc?eed with caution because corruption and greed know no limit," according to the summary. It's also confirmed that RoboCop himself, Peter Weller, will return for "voiceover work on the game." It's a check they needed to write, for sure.

The Steam page has a few more screenshots, including one with ED-209.

Remember those directives

I'm curious what kind of progression this game might have �how do you make RoboCop feel powerful without going overboard? To be honest, I wouldn't mind being totally OP. As the crime wave escalates, I'm sure OCP's heavy weaponry will come out in full force.

RoboCop: Rogue City is in development for PC (Steam and the Epic Games Store), PS5, Xbox Seri??es X/S, and Nintendo Switch. (I was surprised by that last one, but there's a logo and everything at the end of the trailer.) It's launching in June 2023, and I'm hopeful.

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Stay out of trobble

Nacon is getting set to kick off its summer Nacon Connect live stream, offering updates, trailers, and reveals pertaining to the publisher's upcomin??g wares. The action will kick off in about 15 minutes' time and is?? expected to run for around an hour in length. You can check out the action in the stream below.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwkTwMa3c-A

Nacon has been pretty forthcoming about the titles it will be spotlighting during the stream. We can expect new updates on robo-revolution title Steelrising, Lord of the Rings adventure Gollum, racers Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown and WRC Generations, and Games Workshop's ultra-violent sports sim Blood Bowl III. We will also be hearing about sev?eral new Xbox access??ories in development in Nacon's hardware division, including the Daija Arcade Stick and the snazzy Pro Compact Colorlight controller.

Perhaps the most intriguing title on the lineup is RoboCop: Rogue City, which was first revealed during last summer's Nacon Connect live stream. Developed by studio Teyon of Terminator: Resistance fame, we still know so little about Alex Murphy's latest jaunt into the digital realm. Though RoboCop, as a franchise, seems custom-designed for video games, the brand has always struggled to truly rec?reate the cinematic excellence of ?Paul Verhoeven's 1987 classic.

While Teyon's Terminator title admittedly left something to be desired from a gameplay standpoint, it was clear that the studio does understand the potential buried within these enduring cinematic licenses. Fingers crossed that the developer will deliver the goods with RoboCop: Rogue City, and that we'll see?? some promising gamepla?y footage today.

Join us on Destructoid this lunchtime and we ??can see what'??s in store. You have 15 minutes to comply.

The post Dead or al??ive you are watching the Nacon Connect with me appeared first on Destructoid.

Stay Out of Trobble

Nacon is joining the long list of publishers dropping dates for its own summer live stream pr?esentation. Nacon Connect 2022, which is scheduled to take place on July 7, will feature a slew of reveals, updates, and trailers pertaining to the company's catalog of upcoming games, accessories, and development projects.

"This year, NACON Connect is reinventing itself in its format and will feature even more content for gamers," said the company in a press release. "Two pre-show and post-show sessions wi?ll be added and hosted by renowned influencers. The conference will be the occasion to announce several major projects, reveal new trailers and exclusive gameplay, and introduce new accessories that will delight all gamers."

While Nacon is expected to reveal the show's itinerary at a later date, we can snugly assume that we'll be seeing updates on the cyber revolution RPG Steelrising, Daedalic's action-adventure title The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, and Teyon's previously teased RoboCop: Rogue City. Nacon promises n?ew trailers, exclusive gameplay footage, and the debut of several new accessories from the company's hardware division.

Nacon Connect 2022 will go live on July 7 at 10:00 PT / 13:00 ET / 18:00 BST and can be watched on the official Nacon YouTube and Twitch channels. I? may not be a "renowned influencer", but I'll also do my best to bring you any pertinent news from the strea?m right here on Destructoid.

The post Nacon ?Connect 2022 live? stream will take place on July 7 appeared first on Destructoid.

She's a good girl, loves her mama

With over two million copies sold, the role-playing game GreedFall is getting a sequel. Spiders and Nacon are circling back for GreedFall 2, a prequel set three years befo??re ??the rough but charming original game, and it's launching for PC and consoles in 2024.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_HS1Kb31UE

Today's announcement trailer sets the mood (and I fear for those hounds), but there's also a more detailed summary of what to expect from GreedFall 2. It's a POV swap.

"This time you play as a native of Teer Fradee, uprooted by force from your island and taken to the continent of Gacane, where the colonists are from."

"In this old world ravaged by war and scarred by the Malichor plague and the political scheming of the different factions, you must regain your freedom and control of your own destiny. Using diplomacy, cunning, or combat, as well as help from allies you make, it's up to you to end one man's ambitions of conquest, which could spell the end for the cont?inent and your island."

Meaningful player choices in a not-that-common RPG setting from a studio that isn't afraid to punch above its weight? Yeah, GreedFall 2 should be another interesting one.

Rising expectations

If the original game ends up feeling like a proof-of-concept compared to this hopefully tighter, more confident sequel, then that's a win-win. It's great that there's still a place for big, rough, memorable RPGs that don't need to reach triple-A sales figures. Whether you're into these kinds of RPGs or not, I think we can all agree that?? it's nice to see somethin??g try and stand out from the polished-to-"perfection" big-budget crowd.

[caption id="attachment_322564" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{The Lewolans are back for GreedFall 2.}[/caption]

Now, hold on a sec �aren't these developers busy with Steelrising? Well, yes.

"While we were working on Steelrising, our love of the GreedFall universe never faded, and so we are thrilled to be returning to it," Spiders founder and director Jehanne Rousseau said in a press release. "In this new chapter, players will explore the old continent with its bigger and more diverse environmen??ts. They will meet new companions and new factions, and I hope they will have unforgettable adventures."

It's an early announcement given the launch timing, but 2024 sounds like a reasonable bet. Nacon hasn't committed to specific platforms yet beyond PC and "consoles," so we'll have to see where GreedFall 2 lands. For context, the first game was playa??ble on Steam, PS4, and Xbox One. By the time 2024 rolls around, who knows what the subscription service and PC storefront landscape will look like. I'm sure Nacon will?? crunch the numbers.

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Don't make a bloody mess

Ambitious, brooding, stylish, and messy, Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong feels right at home with the eternal unde?ad it follows.

It takes the narrative adventure style, mixes it with tabletop RPG and some pen-and-paper puzzle solving, and comes away with something fresh. It just also stumbles a few times on? its way there.

The Vampire brand has been slowly upping its presence in video games over the past few years. Alongside the slew of visual novels and a nebulous in-development Bloodlines sequel, Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong is an interesting new entrant. When it shines, it really fe?els like the better parts of ?playing a tabletop campaign. It's the stutters in-between that cause the most trouble.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=d76hfJVVvYA

Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong (PC [played], PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S)
Developer: Big Bad Wolf
Publisher: Nacon
Released: May 18, 2022
MSRP: $49.99 on PC, $59.99 on console

Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong follows three different vampires—Galeb, Emem, and Leysha—hailing from three different clans but all falling under the thumb of the Boston Camarilla and i??ts up??start Prince Hazel Iversen. An attempted reunification party meant to consolidate Hazel's power became a bloodbath, and so she disperses the three protagonists on different quests to ascertain who has attacked them, why, and whether another strike is imminent.

It's a good kickstart to the plot, and I enjoy the moments where Swansong leans heavily into the lore of Vampire: The Masquerade. There'?s a lot of internal politicking and posturing, as internal disputes within the Boston Camarilla spill over. It doesn't hurt if you don't know the difference between a Toread??or and a Nosferatu, and a Codex is available to handle more esoteric concepts like the Beckoning.

Swansong also hands you some generally straightforward vampires to play. Galeb, the Ventrue, is a dominating pres??ence as one of the older souls ??still in Boston; the tension between managing his legacy and leaving for distant shores was a highlight for me. Emem Louis is younger, a fast and charismatic Toreador who finds herself caught up in the politics of the court.

Leysha, the Malkavian among the bunch, has the most interesting gameplay mechanics. She can obfuscate her appearance and even change outfits, making some of her sequences feel like the recent Hitman trilogy. She also struggles with visions and premon??itions, and possibly hallucinations. Her story can feel a bit fraught at times, though it ultimately hit a solid resol??ution (with my decisions, at least).

As each one gets wrapped up in the fallout of the party, they have to infiltrate operations and interrogate others to get information. Part of this involves traditional adventure game exploration. Developer Big Bad Wolf's previous project, The Council, had?? a similar basis of adventure g?ame exploration and discovery.

Talk it out

Swansong also ?pulls a similar twist with its confrontations, where major decision points play out as debates between two characters. Throughout each level, the player has to manage two resource meters: their willpower, used to employ reasoning, and their hunger, which grows as they invoke vampiric powers.

These come to a head in confrontations, which pit you against another NPC in a pretty engaging duel of wits and reason. I was often forced to ascertain how certain characters might respond to certain attempts, metering out ??my willpower left. Do I spend a lot of willpower to employ some Rhetoric, in hopes it wins me this round and gets me closer to the go??al? Or do I intentionally fail this point, saving my resources for later?

It seems like a lot the first few times it happens, though ultimately confrontations are simple: m??ake it through the conversation and win the final point, without "missing" too many times and failing. Failure is usually soft anyways, usually cutting off one of several points of progression or incurring a physical change in a character. But it feels good to just barely eke out a battle of the minds.

I just wish the dialogue interactions outside these battles felt a bit more rewarding.? Once in a blue moon, I'd get a piece of info that I could use. In a few cases, the??y opened up a new route forward. Largely, I felt like spending willpower on basic dialogue didn't reward me enough to keep doing so. Exploration and discovering hard clues, like a letter in someone's safe or an SD card from a camera, often elicited more tangible rewards.

There's a lot of exploring to do too, as Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong's puzzles can get in-depth. The best ones heavily lean on the "get out a pad and pen" style; I've got a notebook full of scribbled passwords, number sequences, and even a cipher. I'm someone who enjoys that stuff, and in a few cases, the??y really resulted in some tense sequences. A few of the final puzzles in Swansong really got my heart racing, as I had to make fast deductions and quick logical leaps to avoid terrible outcomes.

A few others are a bit more obtuse, especially in the breadcrumb hints they give. Getting a "completionist" run in your first go will feel a bit arduous, and while I enjoyed the more standard puzzles, some involving navigating the area just felt annoying to poke away at. It felt better organizing my th??oughts and solving riddles, rather than trying to ascertain how to use preset jumps to get from point A to point B.

Character models look nice in still images, though once they get moving, they have a bit of an unnatural look ?in some dialogue scenes. The navigation in general can feel a bit stiff too, and it's also where I encountered a fair deal of bugs. Sometimes my cha?racter would get hitched on a stair wrong, or it would take a deal of time to accurately land my cursor on the marker I was aiming for. Controller suffers the most from this, though the mouse-and-keyboard had some awkward moments too.

Camera angles got misaligned in a few conversations, characters would clip into walls or sit on air. In general, there were a decent number of "oh, that's weird" moments. It never felt game-breaking, but Swansong is noticeably janky at times. One sequence in particular brought all those issues together though: a stealth mission that really felt out-of-place and genuinely un?enjoyable. I breathed a heavy sig??h of relief once I knew I was done with it, and have no desire to go back and replay that part in particular.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong does feel like a game that encourages replaying though, if only to see different permutations of the ending. There are definitely a few major branching points, where a character could end up in a very different epilogue or even prematurely meet their Final Death. I don't know that I'm keen to explore them personally, but a few choices did really tug at my heart, and I found myself caring about the fates of the protagonist??s a good bit by the time credits rolled.

It's an un-living

Swansong really feels like it tries to capture the better parts of Vampire: The Masquerade's? tabletop roots. The segmented structure, level-over-level progression in stats like Education and Technology, and many alternative methods for advancing the story can make it feel like a good, short campaign. I clocked about 20 hours, which felt like just the right length, even as the ending chapters rapidly leapt between the three protagonists as their narrative arcs closed.

When it's leaning heavily into logic puzzles, mystery, deduction, and sleuthing, Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong sings. It's the janky issues, rough exploration puzzles, and a few odd choices that prevent Swansong from being a showstopper.

If you're heavily interested in a vampire-fueled mystery game with some good "a-ha" moments, Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong can deliver. It'll falter and mi??ss some notes here and there, but it does at least sate my thirst for some vampire storytelling for now.

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

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French publisher opens new Italian digs

Nacon, one of Europe's fastest-growing publishers, has announced that it has established a new development studio in Italy. Nacon Studio Milan will, in part, house Nacon subsidiary?? RaceWard Studio and will be the site of the racing enthusiast??'s future production projects.

"We are proud of the direction we are heading in," said Nacon Studio Milan's new CEO, Marco Ponte. "Originally a team of racing experts, [RaceWard] has grown quickly, and our new talent has given us the desire to?? explore new territory... That's why we decided to broaden our horizons and try another type of game. We are lookin?g forward to presenting this new project to the world. Our family is growing and we are hoping to welcome new members soon as we build our team."

Na??con Studio Milan has already begun work on its first project: a survival tit?le based upon "one of the world's most popular film franchises." More details on this release will be shared later in 2022.

The establishment of Nacon Studio Milan is the next stage in Nacon's fledgling growth. The publisher, formerly known as Bigben Interactive, has several young studios within its portfolio, including Greedfall and Steelrising developer Spiders, German developer Daedalic Entertainment, and French studio Cyanide. Nacon's most recent acquisition was another French firm, Midgar Studio, which it purchased in February of this year.

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The robo-revolution is on hold for now

As some of you may have read previously, I've been pretty fascinated with Spiders' upcoming alt-reality adventure Steelrising, currently in development for PC and new-gen platforms. Unfortunately for interested parties such as myself, the fascination will need to hold a little longer, as publisher Nacon has officially delayed the launch of Steelrising to September 2022.

To help soften the blow and tide fans over, Nacon supplied Game Informer with a six-minute gameplay video, giving us our first real-time look at Steelrising in action. You can check out the new gameplay video below, courtesy of Game Informer. Commentary is provided by Spiders CEO and Steelrising?? lead writer Jehanne Rousseau, alongside design director Sebastien Di Ruzza, and localization lead Ciaran Cresswell.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl7vozWD94M

Set?? against the backdrop of the French Revolution, King Louis XVI has managed to oppress the will of the people with a seemingly insurmountable mechanical army. The last hope for La Resistance comes in the form of Aegis, a delicate, but incredibly deadly automaton, whose precision movement, balletic acrobatics, and razor-sharp combat abilities could see the revolution turned in ??the favor of the downtrodden.

Players will guide Aegis through The City of Light, undertaking covert missions of subterfuge, sabotage, and assassination �pulling at the threads that will bring the monarch's fascistic reign tumbling down around his very ears. Steelrising launches September 8 on PS5, PC, and Xbox Se??ries X.

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Hello, darkness, my old friend...

Publisher Nacon has lifted the lid on a brand new adventure game, Hell is Us, currently in development at Canadian studio Rogue Factor. The dark-looking title is?? expected to launch on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X at some point next year.

Set against the backdrop of some unknown civil war, Hell is Us sees a lone protagonist explore this strange-but-familiar world, rendered asunder by a strange supernatural presence known as "The Calamity." While Rogue Factor is currently staying slim on plot details, Hell is Us is described as offering an epic "semi open-world" adventure, which will encourage the player to "follow their nose" and trust their directional instincts, rather than abide by any for??m of directional hand-holding.

You can check out the game's first teaser trailer below.

//youtu.be/jDbkWYYJ0FI

"We are delighted to be able to finally announce this game," writes Nacon CEO Alain Falc. "As a publisher, we always want to offer games with orig??inal ideas that will appeal to as many people as possible. The first game from Rogue Factor since we acquired it is also one of our most ambitious projects, and we can't wait to reveal more about it in the coming months."

Hell is Us has a pedigree of talented developers on board. These include creative director Jonathan Jacques-Belletete, previously responsible for the acclaimed cyberpunk adventure Deus Ex: Human Revolution and its sequel Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. More recently, Jacques-Belletete worked on the concept art of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, and is no doub??t looking to bring their distinctive eye for dangerous, attractive, and intricate worlds and characters to Rogue Factor's project.

Hell is Us is currently in development for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X. It is sche?duled to launch in 2023.

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One publisher to rule them all

In the?? latest in an ever-increasing litany of industry mergers and acquisitions, publisher Nacon has announced ?its intention to purchase studio Daedalic Entertainment.

The acquisition, reported to close for around â‚?3 million ($60 million USD), will see Nacon acquire the Hamburg-based studio and its catalog of adventure game IPs. The two companies are no stranger to one another, already currently working together on the upcoming release The Lord of the Rings: Gollum.

"We knew, through our current collaboration on Gollum, that Nacon and Daedalic share the same values and the same objectives to deliver unique experiences to gamers," remarks Nacon CEO Alain Falc in a press release. "Therefore, it seemed logical to go? further together and we’re extremely happy of this acquisition. It represents a significant step in Nacon’s strategy."

"Afte?r eventful years in which we always came out on top, I feel proud looking back at the past 15 years and the development of the company," agrees Daedalic founder and CEO Carsten Fichtelmann. "Daedalic Entertainment has established itself as a publisher and developer of exceptional games across various genres and on all relevant platforms and has cemented that position globally. Together with Nacon, we are now taking the next step to further develop our catalogue of games created by our own team as well as many incredible indie studios."

Daedalic Entertainment will continue to operate under its current management, with Nacon providing studio support in regards to the development, financing, marketing, and distribution of the studio's future titles. Nacon itself has been coming into its own as a confident player in the AA gaming space, and currently has multiple intriguing releases on the horizon, including robotic RPG Steelrising, monster masher Rogue Lords, and cinematic actioner RoboCop: Rogue City.

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