Team17 and Sassy Chap Games have announced that Date Everything �the game in which you date everything �will be released on October 24, 2024. It’s c?oming to?? Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Switch, and PC.

As someone who likes to live under the illusion that everybody likes them, I’m pretty excited for Date Everything. I’ve been elbow-deep into quite a few dating sims in my time, but I can’t say I’ve dated a towel. In reality or in video games. Date Everything lets you live that fantasy by setting you loose in an apartment full of dateable furniture. I hope my couch loves me as much as I love it.

The trailer also shows off more dateable objects, er... characters. This includes Shelly the Shelf and Doug the Overwhelming Sense of Existential Dread. You can even date the text box, for some reason. I throw words at people, ?too! We'd have so much in common!

Date Everything is coming to Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Switch, and P?C on October 24, 2024.

The post Save the d?ate, Date Everyt?hing gets dated for October appeared first on Destructoid.

The Wholesome Games Steam event is here to announce new games and spotlight current releases, and one of today's reveals is Ritual of Raven. This witchy farming sim comes from Spellgarden Games, who previously worked on Sticky Business. It's currently due out through p?ublis??her Team17 sometime in 2025.

Beyond Steam, Ritual of Raven is eyeing a release on Nintendo Switch. Spellgarden is aiming for maximum coziness with this one, as ?previewed in the announcement trailer ?below.

Ritual of Raven describes itself as a farming sim, but you actually collect and enchant Arcana Constructs to work on your magical herb garden for you. While these magica?l creatures help grow ingredients for rituals, it's up to you to embark upon quests, befriend various characters, and get to tradin'. You'll also want to suss out what's up with all these portals that have been popping up throughout the land.

If the crux of your coziness lies in customization?, it seems there's plenty of it to go around here. You can decorate your farm as you see fit, and you can also apply a bunch of customization options to the wider world of magic beyond your farm's borders.

Enchanting ingredients

So far, it all looks like it's eyeing a nice balance between chill sim gameplay and a touch of mystery lurking around the edges. If you want to try it out for yourself and happen to be heading to gamescom, Ritual of Raven will be playable at the event. Look for the demo at the Indie Aren??a Booth in Hall 10.2 | F010 E019 for all your occult-adjacent cu?ltivating needs.  

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Team 17 has announced Sassy Chap Games�sandbox dating sim Date Everything. All of my best dates have been in a sandbox. It’s coming to Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Switch, and PC eventually. No release date w?as given.

You’ve dated people before, but have you dated a vacuum cleaner? No, wait�Don’t answer that. I d?on’t want to know. Let’s just move on.

Date Everything is a dating sim where you walk around your house dating your furniture and appliances. This is enabled by a pair of tacky specs that personify your belongings. Your belongings are all DTF and have their own personalities and backstory with three endings apiece. Thankfully, the house in Date Everything isn’t nearly as cluttered as my apartment. Like most dating sim protagonists, they clearly have no personality whatsoever and have decorated accordingly. An empty existence for an empty soul, but at least it keeps their furniture-dating life reasonably simple.

All your furniture is depicted as a dive?rse and sexy line-up of characters. Certainly, you’ll find someone in the mix that you’ll mesh with, but I think I’d be crushed if I didn’t find my couch attractive. I guess that’s why they say you shouldn’t meet your heroes. I have ??the ideal concept of my couch in my head already, and if it doesn’t actually align with that, it will leave me jaded and disappointed.

This is a writing project I wish I was in on. I worked on a project some years ago (that hasn’t been announced and was maybe canceled, I don’t know), and one of my contributions was making the side characters datable. It was more of optional side-missions than dating sim style dating since that would have been way out of scope, but the amb??ition was there.

On the other hand, Destructoid alumni James Stephanie Sterling has revealed that they’re part of Date Everything’s w??riting team. That’s ?pretty rad, but now I get to stew in jealousy.

Date Everything is coming to Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Switch,? and PC. No release window has been stated.

The post Date?? Everything is a sandbox dating sim?? that has you try to date everything appeared first on Destructoid.

Question: What new weapon would you expect to see for the guns-blazing, bullet-time-powered Trepang2? That's right, a sword! Well, believe it or not, it is what the community has been asking for. And it will get swords in the appropriately named Bladekisser DLC coming to Trepang2 in July.

Trepang2 - Bladekisser is the game's second DLC and it launches on July 25. As mentioned, the DLC is bringing a katana to the fray, along with a couple of other not-swords, which my editor assures me are called guns. Bladekisser will include more than weapons for those looking for additional content? to play. The DLC can be purchased separately, but will be availa??ble for those who bought the Season Pass.

Trepang2 DLC brings hack-and-slash sword action to the fight

As you can no doubt conclude from the trailer, the sword is a nasty bit of work in Trepang2. The game found its fame aping the likes of FEAR, embracing bullet-time action with butt-sliding and face kicks. You probably wouldn't think a sword fits into the mix, but the footage seems to speak for itself. Being able to slow time, slide around enemy backs, and belt out a Hokuto no Ken one-liner before the killing blow definitely looks possible and pretty fun as well. The DLC will include ?the sword along with a new revolver and machine gun, for those enemies who are sadly ou?t of your reach.

The DLC will also come packed with:

• Two new missions

  • TF63 command center and Omega Facility

• Nine more maps for the combat simulator
• Three high-value targets
• Ten new intel documents

The new maps should test your sword-swinging skills. Omega Facility in particular sounds interesting, as it features a a raid on an ocean platform that's "de?fended by a nuclear submarine." Next month, you'll know if you can slice a torpedo in half using a sword.

Trepang2 - Bladekisser will be available on July 25 for $7.99. As of this writing, Trepang2 is on sale for 40% during the Steam Summer Sale.

The post Trepang2 is mak?ing bullet-time up close and personal with swo??rds DLC in July appeared first on Destructoid.

Catchweight Studio and Team17 have announced that the anticipated World War I horror game, Conscript, wi?ll be releasing on July 23, 2024 on PC and consoles?.

World War I is fertile ground for horror, considering it was�horrific. A clash of new technology and old tact??ics meant that ??soldiers were the test subjects in the new landscape of warfare.

Set in 1916, during the Battle of Verdun, you play as Andre, a French soldier looking for his brother amongst the trenches and on the battlefield. While Conscript cops its stylings from early PS1 horror titles such as Resident Evil, you exclusively (or perhaps mos?tly) fight against enemy soldiers. After? all, the greatest monster is humankind.

It’s an interesting approach to the war, as the destruction and senseless carnage left a lasting mark on those who fought in it. Little has to be done to the bleak setting of wartorn France to make it oppressively atmospheric. Taking from its inspiration, Conscript has inventory management, strict supply accessibility, documents, environmental puzzles, and saves limited by item usage (though, this can be tweaked along with the d??ifficulty.) It also promises multiple endings and unlockables.

Conscript is coming to PC, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Ser?ies X??|S, PS4, and PS5 on July 23, 2024. If you’re interested, a demo is available now as part of Steam Next Fest.

The post World War I sur??vival horror game Conscript releases in J??uly appeared first on Destructoid.

Recently, we told you that British developer Team17 may experience job losses foll?owing the CEO leaving the company. Sadly, it looks as th??ough this may be the case after all, with the studio possibly losing a third of its staff.

That's according to a recent report from Eurogamer, which says that cuts to Team17 could see 91 positions being affected. Initially, it was thought that the QA department would be the main focus of the layoffs. However, it appears a?s though redundancies may be felt in the IT, HR, marketing, customer service, and usability departments.

Developers are said to have contacted Eurogamer with concerns that upcomi??ng games publi??shed by Team17 may be in jeopardy. At the time of writing, the studio has not issued an official statement, nor publically given a reason behind the restructure.

A bad time to be part of a development team

This seems to be just one more example of a wider issue in the current gaming industry. Publishers and studios have been restructuring departments and teams, whi?ch has unfortunately led to staff members being let go.

Recently, it was reported that Naughty Dog had also been hit with layoffs, as had The Walking Dead and Wolf Among Us studio Telltale Games. Epic Games has also cut 16% of its workforce recently, impacting around 830 employees in? tot?al.

It's not just game developers, either. Streaming service Twitch has also been experiencing layoff?s, making it feel like anyone who w??orks in gaming in any capacity isn't safe.

Hopefully, Team17 will issue a statement about the reported layoffs, but ri?ght now feels like a shaky time to be involved in the video game industry.

The post Wo?rms developer Team17 set to lay off a third of its staff appeared first on Destructoid.

It has dredged up a release date.

 Black Salt Games and Team17 have announced that the first expansion DLC for the nautical horror game Dredge is set to release for all platforms on November 16, 2023. The Pale Reach will have sailors exploring a frozen a new “icy expanse.�/p>

The Pale Reach adds a new arctic biome. You’re tasked with following in the footsteps of a doomed expedition. I’ve read At the Mountain of Madness. I know exactly how this is going to turn out. In this new region ?is 11 new species of aquatic life, as well as their twisted ab?errant alternatives.

That’s all I got. It’s more Dredge. Here’s the trailer:

I reviewed Dredge when it launched back in March. I wasn’t too impressed. I summed it up by saying, “It’s hardly condemning to say, ‘this fishing game is about fishing.�I’m mostly trying to stress that, ‘No, this is really about fishing.’�Because,?? like, it looks like a horror game �and it is �but it’s less unraveling a mystery and more selling the catch of the day. I felt that the fishing got a bit repetitive over time, and everything around it was a bit sh?allow.

I'm not really certain if The Pale Reach expansion is going to do anything to fix that, but a lot of people enjoyed Dredge for what it was, s??o that's not necess??arily a bad thing.

The Pale Reach is coming to Dredge on November 16, 2023. It will run you a reaso?nable $5.99.

The post Horror fishing game ??Dredge gets its first expansion in November appeared first on Destructoid.

Team17, the publisher of works such as Blasphemous 2, Gord, and Moving Out 2 has entered “a period of consultation,�meaning the company will seek to identi???fy potential redundancies in the organization.

Eurogamer first reported that “significant job losses�at Team17 are expected, with the majority impacting the internal QA, and that company CEO Michael Pattison is leaving. Team17 confirmed that it's “amicably parted ways�with Pattison in a statement via VG247.

"We can also confirm that we have sadly entered into a period of consultation today within Team17 Digital, with Astragon and Storytoys?? remaining unaffected by the restructuring plans," the publisher said to VG247.

Employees were reported??ly made aware of potential layoffs in a letter following an emergency town hall. In the letter, the company reportedly praised employees for the company’s significant growth in the first half of 2023.

“However, we recognise these results were against the backdrop of one of the most competitive years for high quality launches and deep peer discounting that the industry has ever seen,�the letter continued. “Within our Group, Team17 Digital in particular has felt the pressure of these challenges, as have many companies in our industry.�/p>

This past March, Team17 experienced layoffs impacting its art and design teams, via Eurogamer. If this current consultation period results ??in layoffs, this will be the second round this calendar year. In the report by VG247, an unnamed source claims Team17’s marketing department looks to be shrinking by a range of �0-30%,�in addition to the loss of around 50 QA department roles reported by Eurogamer. 

Fil??ling the vacant CEO role will reportedly be Ann Hurley, the commercial operations director for Team17. Pattison joined Team17 in 2021 after se?rving for over eight years at PlayStation. 

These reports indicate just one of the recent rounds of layoffs at gaming companies. Just in the last month, Embracer Group cut roles at Tomb Raider studio Crystal Dynamics, as well as Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition developer Beamdog. Also, Epic Games let go of 16% of its employees, equating to abo?ut 830? people.

The post Team17 looks to be hit by lay??offs a?s CEO departs company appeared first on Destructoid.

Pivot!

Get packed, Team17, SMG Studio, and Devm Games have announced that Moving Out 2, the sequel to their backbreaking furniture moving simulator, is coming out on ??August 15.

Picking up after the end of the volcanic climax of Moving Out, Moving Out 2 sen?ds the Furniture Arrangement Relocation Technicians (FARTs) to cosmic new places. While this does still mean you’ll be lugging couches around, there also appe?ars to be more abstract stages where you’re loading up delicious confections.

//youtu.be/BfaDFovJ_2M

Moving Out 2 looks to be more of the same, honestly. There are new levels and more movers to jump into the pants of. However, it’s not like Moving Out was nothing more than moving refrigerators and color TVs. There were more challenging conditions in between, and that seems to be the case again in t??he ??sequel.

That’s fine with me. Moving Out is one of my favorite couch co-op games to play with my parents and husband. It’s slightly less stressful than Overcooked, which means there’s less chance that my mother will ??stab my father. I’m looking forward to another chance to push them closer to the edge.

Moving Out 2 will be dropping on PS4, PS5, Xbox One??, Xbo??x Series X|S, Switch, and PC on August 15, 2023.

The post Team17 is dropping Moving Out 2 on August 15 appeared first on Destructoid.

Say Your Prayers

Something very wicked this way comes, as publisher Team17 and developer The Game Kitchen have announced a release date for their unholy sequel Blasphemous II. The second scripture?? in this particularly sinful franchise will launch on PC, Switch, and Gen9 platforms on Aug?ust 24.

Continuing on from the Wounds of Eventide DLC, Blasphemous II follows the continuing adventures of The Penitent One, torn from the grave and thrown back into a terrible cycle of death and return, confronting sinners and ensuring redemption is paid for their actions �usually at the end of a particularly pointy stick. The sequel offers up a vast and entirely new labyrinth, ready and waiting for our protagonist and their array of hideous new weaponry. Of course, a gallery of hellish new enemies awaits, including Blasphemous' memorable and utterly horrible boss battles.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ7V4RLC4Nw

A new release date trailer (courtesy of IGN) spotlights the Gothic grossness of Blasphemous II's new world, along with its returning bl??oodlust, highly technical combat, and beautifully ugly environments. For all of you Inquisitors out there, The Game Kitchen's sequel looks to deliver upon the excitement, challenge, and abject misery of the 2019 original, and is set to stain your soul once again.

Blasphemous II launches August 24 on PS5, PC, Xbox Se??ries X, and Nintendo ?Switch.

The post Unholy horror returns this August with Team17’s Blasphemous II appeared first on Destructoid.

The Jeds

Team17 has announced that they will be publishing Absolutely Games�World War II title, Classified: France �4, sometime in �3. The turn-based strategy game is targeting ??PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Oh, crap. It’s just a teaser.

We get to see some Nazis get killed? up in different ways, which is always fun, but no actual gameplay.

//youtu.be/54JYIQaD-V8

Let’s se?e here. There’s a press kit. It looks like an Unreal 3 Engine game. That migh??t be why they chose to go with CG over in-engine stuff.

Aesthetics aside, WWII is a great setting for squad tactics. Killing Nazis never gets old, and when WWII gets strategic, it’s usually in the form of some grand strategy game. Which are enjoyable, don’t get me wrong. I guess Classified: France �4 got my attention because I’m pining for the days of Silent Storm.

There’s a big Silent Storm-shaped hole in my heart right now.

Quiet squall

Classified: France �4 is inspired by the untold story of the Je??dburghs" which, uh, have a Wikipedia page, so I’m not sure it’s definitely untold. However, the term is applied to allied groups who were dropped in occupied France, the Netherlands, and Belgium as part of Operation Jedburgh. They helped set the stage for D-Day by sabotaging German opera??tions.

To set itself apart from other tactical games, Classified: France �4 promises a greater emphasis on stealth. The campaign is to be non-linear and will have you guiding a growing team of operatives while gaining favor with various factions. Absolutely Games says that the P??C version will come with a mission editor that will be the same one that the studio itself used to design the in-game missions.

[caption id="attachment_382952" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Team17[/caption]

I’m down for this. I like turn-based strategy games, and despite the fact that it’s well-trodden ground, I haven’t tired of games set during WWII. Still, there’s not a lot of information given, especially when it comes to any inspiration it might have gained from Silent Storm.

Sorry. I promise I won’t mention Silent Storm again.

Classified: France �4 is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Serie?s X|S so??metime in 2023.

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More slack in the line

Team17 has revealed the roadmap to Black Salt Games�indie darling, Dredge, that continues through to the end of the year. While many additions could?? be considered “small,�it will conclude with paid DLC at the end of the year.

First up, we’ve got map markers. I didn’t even realize they weren’t already in the game. I guess I just didn’t need them so hard that I never looked to see if they were there.

Next up is a feature I always appreciate: a photo mode. It's always nice being able to set up the perfect visual. You’ll get this ability from a character in the game and can then use it to find new wildlife to snap photos of. As part of this update, you’ll be able to turn off the aggressive behavior of certain sea monsters. While I feel like vulnerability is sort of central to the horror of Dredge, it will be he??lpful for anyone who just wants to explore without be?ing harrowed.

In Q3, the Dredge team will be adding boat customization. O??nce again, I didn't neces??sarily look for this while playing, but I always love new ways to get creative. This will come in the form of paint schemes and flags.

Life at sea

Finally, at the end of the year, Black Salt Games will release paid DLC for Dredge. The DLC will center around a mysterious corporation known as Ironhaven. While they claim to be simply investing in drilling operations to revitalize the area’s towns and settlements, their actual goals seem much more sinister. Nonetheless, you’ll be aiding them with building up the?ir facili??ties while uncovering their secrets.

While I wasn’t in love with Dredge, I appreciate it thematically. The paid DLC seems kind of cool, and I might be willing to check it out when?? it finally drops at the end?? of the year.

If you haven’t dropped anchor on Dredge, it’s available on PC, PS4, ?PS5, Xbox One, ??Xbox Series X|S, and Switch.

The post Team17 reveals roadma?p (seamap?) for Dredge updates appeared first on Destructoid.

I probably should play Trepang1 first

Team17 has announced that Trepang Studios�effects-filled supernatural FPS will be hitting PC on June 21, 2023. Trepang2 is billed as a love letter to “the fast-paced and over-the-top FPS games of the mid-2000s,�and by that, they mean 2005’s F.E.A.R.

Trepang2 puts you in the super-shoes of a super-soldier who is busted out of a Government black site. They’ve been given a super-hammer, and everybody ?else looks a lot like nails. You’ll be able to ?upgrade your superpowers, giving you access to slow motion, invisibility, and super-human speed.

//youtu.be/WLcy-agdpaM

A trailer has dropped alongside the announcement that shows off some dim environments and bloody combat. Trepang2?? seems particularly proud of its dismemberment systems, and why shouldn’t it be?

Trepang2 is shaping up to be a slick homage to F.E.A.R. My only concern is that a few superpowers aside, it does seem to be sticking rather close to the aesthetic of that game. Industrial environments and offices are all poorly lit: check. That said, I loved F.E.A.R. It came out around the time that I built my first gaming rig, so it was fun to have something that pushed it a little. I was in awe of the graphics and AI, and even today, it’s a solid shooter. Hopefully, Trepang2 can live u?p to that. I’ll probably be checking it out.

Trepang2 is coming to PC on June 21, 2023. You can try the demo right now.

The post FEAR-like FPS Trepan??g2 locks and loads on PC ?June 21 appeared first on Destructoid.

Gone fishin'

Anecdotally, one of the most common complaints I hear about The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker is that there was too much time spent sailing. That’s completely valid.?? I get it, not everyone is fine with looking at the ass end of a boat for ?large slabs of time, but for me, that was one of my favorite parts.

Dredge marries the ass end of a boat with horror. I love horror. I moved onto it after I explored so many depressing games that I eventually reached the other end of them and realized it was a cliff. So, rather than jump off that cliff, I turned around and meandered through the bramble field of horror. Let’s ignore this obvious cry for help and take a look at Dredge instead.

[caption id="attachment_369896" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Dredge (PC [Reviewed], Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S)
Developer: Black Salt Games
Publisher: Team17
Released: March 30, 2023
MSRP: $24.99

Horror fishing is a vastly under-utilized genre of video game. Off the top of my head, I can only really think of one other game that did it: Monster Bass on PS1. Dredge takes a different approach.

You’re cast as a fisherman who is called to help the small town of Greater Morrow after their last fisherman…uh…did a bad job. You find out quickly that night is a bad time to be out at s??ea, as your ship is wrecked on the nearby rocks. The ma?yor hooks you up with a new ship (and debt) and sets you back off to work.

It’s not long before you pull up something horrible from the deep. Some of the fish are badly mutated. The townsfolk whisper of madness and other dark things. You learn the fate of the old mayor and get wrapped up in some questionable errands. Keep your head down and keep working. You’re just a fisherman. You know nothing of the horrors that lurk deep bene?ath the waves.

When it's raining and when it ain't

The mystery of Dredge is unfurled slowly. Then it just keeps unfurling. The main crux of the narrative is that you’re tasked with finding a number of i?tems fr?om the four corners of the map by this creepy guy who keeps casting spells on you.

Largely, you fish to make money. Money gets you better equipment and also helps keep your boat afloat. Yo??u can unlock new equipment by finding research material out at sea. This can allow you to get better fishing gear and engines. You’ll also find debris that can be used to improve your boat to hold more items.

Your goals also? involve a lot of fishing. There’s an item to get in each of the four corners of the world, and usually, you’ll need specific species of fish in order to get to them. One, for example, has you slot in various sea creatures to unlock keys that eventually result in you getting the sought-after treasure. Another, those fish are used to make special chum, and so on. It’s a n??umber of different fishing systems that all feed into one another. While the challenges in each part of the world are unique, they’re all unified under catching fish.

[caption id="attachment_369897" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

A sailor's life

On the surface, Dredge is actually a? rather relaxing game. Chu??gging across the waves in your little boat is peaceful, and the music is rather nice. Despite being a horror game, the biggest hazard is bumping into rocks. There are monstrous entities in the deep, but they’re not much of a threat as long as you give them a wide berth.

The relaxed mindset is probably the best one to go into Dredge with. The actual gameplay is rather drab. Not that I expected a lot of action here, but chugging back ??and forth from the different locations can grow a little stale over its 10-ish hour playtime. While some of the characters are relatively well-defined, not much is done with the dialogue system. There’s backstory floating on the ??waves, but I never found much of it to be very interesting.

For that matter, the narrative is pretty weak. It’s not bad, but it never quite makes it above the waves. The way it started, I half expected it to start out relatively normal while gradually piling on the horror as it continues. However, it never really gets to that point. It’s sort of flat throughout, and I was left a bit confused about how some of it progresses. By the end, I had some questions I felt I wasn’t provided answers?? for. Not in a “read between the lines�kind of way, but rather, “why did things unfold this way?�There’s no growing threat that leads to a terrific climax. It just kind of chugs along.

[caption id="attachment_369899" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Catch of the day

That’s not to say that Dredge is bad. It’s hardly condemning to say, “this fishing game is about fishing.�I’m mostly trying to stress that, “No, this is really about fishing.�The horror part is mostly a framework. The fishing mini-game isn’t that involving, which can lead to a bit of repetition. At least the pr??ogress is good.

I just don’t think Dredge is all that it could be. While the sea-harvesting foundation is solid and well thought out, nothing else around it has much depth. There’s a dearth of imagination surrounding it, which I found disappointing. The plot is lifeless, the gameplay is one-note, and it never really picks up speed. However, if you want a more relaxing take on horror, Dredge might be worth hauling up from the depths.

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

The post Review: Dredge appeared first on Destructoid.

Don't stay out too late

I didn't know I needed a creepy fishing game, and that's where Dredge comes in.

In this drifting exploration game, you'll head out on a trawl??er in search of fish and "long-buried secrets." It's a peaceful(ish) job during the day, but when the sun goes down, horrible creatures surface. If you're afraid of the ocean, maybe sit this one out.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfniX3fH1l0

Dredge is the debut title from Christchurch-based Black Salt Games and publisher Team17, who has a knack for finding projects wit??h intriguing new concepts in familiar genres.

This trailer is more about establishing the serene-meets-sinister vibe of Dredge, which is fine �it serves its purpose. But if you want to see gameplay, I'd check out the Steam page for some more illuminating scre?enshots and gifs. The lighting is fantastic.

Yer fond of me lobster, ain't ye?

I like the idea of roaming between islands for quests, snatching up and selling sell fish, earning enough money to upgrade the ship, and heading out into the great unknown, potentially at my own peril. The inventory system also catches my eye as a perpetual Resident Evil 4 replayer; it's going to be fun to twist and turn odd-shaped items (in this case, fish and gear) to squeeze them all into a tight space t??o maximize trips.

[caption id="attachment_342338" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Making room for all the fish on the ship with a bit of "inventory Tetris."}[/caption]

I'm hazy on how the nighttime mechanics work �how screwed are we? �but the scenery is unnerving. (And I'm generally not one to be too put off by freaky Subnautica-sized sea creatures.) As the creators of Dredge put it, you'll be able to "strengthen your mind and use special abilities to survive trips out on the water afte?r dark."

Dredge is launching in 2023 on Nintendo Switc?h, PC (via Steam), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. There's much more to see before then, and I'll be keeping tabs.

The post Dredge is a fishing game with a creepy side appeared first on Destructoid.

Get ready to move... again

We're in something of a couch co-op revival, with awesome games in the genre out now, including Overcooked, It Takes Two, and Escape Academy. Now, another beloved co-op game is getting a well-deserved sequel in Moving Out 2.

Moving in rea??l life is one of the most stressful things you can do, but in game form, it provides all kinds of zany fun for you and your friends.

The adorable physics-based moving simulator will get more than 50 new levels and challenges, and for the first time, players will be able ?to play in online multiplayer with crossplay in a??ddition to the local co-op mode. There will also be a whole host of new characters to interact with, and the developers are introducing an Assist Mode to "welcome movers of all abilities."

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

Moving Out 2 was announced during the Gamescom stream today, where we got a first look at the new trailer. All we know so far is that the game is com??ing in 2023 with no further details on the release date, but it is coming? to pretty much every platform, including PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One.

The post Moving Out 2 announced, releasing next year appeared first on Destructoid.

Secret of Nevermore

In my four decades of gaming, ther?e have been very few 'new' genres, and even fewer that have proven to have lasting staying power. Aside from the phenomenon that is Battle Royale, there is probably only one 21st-century-birthed genre that has proven itself with consistent and cemented success with developers, player communities, and cash registers: The Soulslike.

A sub-genre of RPGs, Soulslikes generally feature grim, deep lore, an emphasis on exploration, build-heavy protagonists, and a typically gloomy, gothic aesthetic. Oh, and they're also hard as nails. And yet, despite their punishing difficulty, steep learning curve, and joyless demeanor, the Soulslike genre has enraptured a huge community of devotees, won over by FromSoftware epics such as Demon's Souls, Bloodborne, and one of the finest releases of the year to date, Elden Ring.

Capitalizing on the current craze from hard 'n' heavy hack 'n' slashers, indie out OverBorder Studio and British publisher Team17 have tossed their own night-black cape into the gloom, with the arrival of their own take on the Soulslike, Thymesia. With a dark, nightmarish aesthetic, a despondently topical tale of an unstoppable pandemic, and teeth-clenching, merciless difficulty, Thymesia makes no bones about its desire to be the next challenge for sadistic fa??ns of the genre merc??y forgot.

Thymesia (PS5 [reviewed], PC, Xbox Series X/S)
Developer: OverBorder Studio
Publisher: Team17
Released: August 18, 2022
MSRP: $29.99

Thymesia, (a Greek derivative for "Memory"), is set in the despairing Kingdom of Hermes, a once thriving community now awash with plague, calamity, and death. Into this sorrowful city strides Corvus, a mysterious young stranger suffering his own affliction, that of total amnesia. Not long after picking their way through the body-strewn streets, Corvus enters the palace walls only to find themselves on the business end of a right royal beatdown. In the afterma?th of defeat, our hero awakens in the tranquil-yet-gloomy everglades of Philosopher's Hill �cared for by a very young girl, wise beyond her years, Aisemy.

Within this framing device, Corvus must revisit the events of their recent life, piecing together the actions and reactions that brought them to Hermes' diseased gateway. Along the way, they must gather small and subtle fragments of information t??o help their new compadre put together the lore of the land, the conception of the plague, and the actions that brought a relatively peaceful city to its knees. Should they attain total recall, then Corvus and Aisemy may discover more than just the falsehoods of their own legacies �they may uncover the answers to ending the epidemic altogeth?er.

A punishing action RPG, Thymesia wears its influences so broadly on its steel-coated sleeve that it's frankly ridiculous not to call it out immediately. Thymesia is not only a Soulslike, but it has gone to great lengths to be as reminiscent as possible of its bigger-budgeted, larger-scale brethren. Every box is ticked, from the game's overall dour demeanor, to its beacon-lighting save points, steel-clashing combat, extra large boss battles, lengthy "single line" health bars, and, of course, slow-fade red writing whenever birdy hits the br??icks, (although here "Memory Interrupted" replaces "You Died").

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8ftSU5zlQA

Under the watchful eye of their young friend, Corvus embarks on a series of "Recalls," essentially embodying their own adventures i??n real-time. These adventures see Corvus recall the events that brought the kingdom to its knees and saw our beak-faced pal draw a big ol' blank. What this translates to, gameplay-wise, is a series of mini-mapped adventures, that see Corvus explore various areas of Hermes and battle it out with the infected locals, the decaying remnants of the king's army, and more than a fair share of nightmarish monsters and mutants.

As is the wont of the genre, every enemy in Thymesia is a legitimate death threat, with even the most Ray Harryhausen-looking skeleton carrying the ability to blast Corvus out of the memory bank and back into the cold emptiness of his own brain. Combat, from the lowliest grunt to the mightiest boss, is a matter of pattern recognition, precision evasion, and expert parrying. You know this, of course you do, because you know the Soulslike score. Importantly, OverBorder Games knows that you know, and wastes little time setting the metaphorical dinner table �throwing you into a pit of misery and ??raining axes onto your dome in a matter of seconds.

Corvus is equipped with a dagger for parrying, and a saber to lay wounds on their opponent. In addition, the hero's razor-sh??arp talons can be used to keep those wounds open, with combat coming down to a tight formula of Saber strikes to damage armor, Claw strikes to reduce health, and smart parrying to open up the enemy's defense. The enemies also have specials, that can only be parried via smart acrobatics or the throwing of mythic "Raven Feathers." Unfortunately, this last mechanic is very poorly implemented, with feather-tossing effectiveness proving such a coin toss, that it's almost always better to hit the skids and live to fight another round. Hopefully, this can be improved in a later update.

As well as the old one-two, Corvus can use their mastery of plague control to "Reave" weapons from his opposition. Upon their defeat, Corvus can use a charged talon attack to essentially "steal" a spiritual version of the enemy's axe, scythe, spear, broadsword, bow, or any other skull-splitter. Using "memories" (XP) gathered from battle, (and from piecing together their fragmented past), Corvus can level up not only their attack, defense, and acrobatic abilities, but also?? apply various effects to their Plague arsenal, enabling combos, air assaults, floor sweeps, and earth-shattering ground pounds.

As you might expect, Thymesia ain't easy, and newcomers need to be wise to the combative structure that is the core of both this release and the genre itself. Importantly, however, the combat is never unfair, and is merely a matter of patience, wits, reactions, and experience... Oh, that said, the "Varg" boss has a painfully unfair unblockable, which is pretty much the only time that game had me clucki???ng my tongue in true "That's Bullshit" fashion.

A game that places its core action above all other factors, it is vital that Thymesia's combat is both solid and appealing. And I'm pleased to report that it is. A meaty challenge designed to punish the arrogant and the impatient lies herein, while box-ticking grinders will get a kick out of gathering all of the Plague ?Weapons, digging out the memory remnants, and ?experimenting with the game's potion and alchemy mechanics. This array of build opportunities lends some sense of variety to Corvus, which somewhat makes up for the protagonist's complete lack of visual customization.

While it may seem that this review has been overly focused on the fighting, it has to be noted that this is by design. Thymesia, as a low-to-mid-budget title, doesn't have too much in the way of opulence on offer. The cast is incredibly slim, there is no voice-acting or narration, and the Kingdom of Hermes feels somewhat compact when compared to the gargantuan labyrinths that genre fans will be used to. Thymesia's tale is conceptually interesting but ultimately accounts for little more than picking up a hell of a lot of notes. These clues form a tale of conspiracy, classism, and the alchemic arts, but without the necessary tools to dramatically deliver upon ideas. Thymesia does offer multiple endings depending on how much of Corvus' memory is re??stored, so 100%?'ers will be in their element.

Thymesia is undeniably hurt by its limitations, but OverBorder Studio has worked within those same limitations to deliver a short, sharp, and impactful gameplay experience. The visuals are adequate, the special effects are impressive, and the highly cinematic score punctuates the action very well indeed. Importantly, Thymesia is rock solid from a technical standpoint, running? (on PS5) at an extremely steady frame rate and spotlighting its action with a reliable, smart, ?and unobtrusive camera.

Taking feedback from the early demos, Overborder has improved control response time, all but eliminated camera drift, and ironed out several other issues pertaining to the game's combat. If the first demo didn't work for you, know that many of the problems have been addressed. Today, Thymesia plays very cleanly, and feels good while doing so, ensuring that the only thing you'll need worry about is getting a dagger o??r three in the spleen.

I have zero doubt that right now, somewhere on the internet, somebody is writing "A Poor Man's Dark Souls." And while it is, frankly, impossible not to view Thymesia as a lower-budgeted version of its blockbuster brothers, that easy soundbite is doing the title an injustice. Those yet to dive into the Soulslike genre should consider giving this new release a crack of the whip, as Thymesia works well as an "onboarding" title for those who fancy dipping their toe into blacker waters but are perhaps not ready to smother themselves in the hundred-hour epicness of a Bloodborne or an Elden Ring. Conversely, genre veterans who are willing to compromise with Thymesia's s?hortcomings will find several hours of sick 'n' satisfying action adventure lies in wait.

Thymesia isn't shy about its influences, an admittance that helps and harms the title when inevitably compared to its legendary brethren. But any Soulslike fan who is willing to look past the budgetary shortcomings will find this modest monster masher a fine way to spend a gloomy weekend. While Thymesia is certainly lacking in some key departm??ents, the solid control, satisfying combat, moody atmosphere, and com??pelling challenge are still well worth crowing about.

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

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Launching November 22 on PC and consoles

Ship of Fools is the latest co-op game to catch my eye, and if you liked Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, this "aquapocalypse"?-canceling adventure might speak to you too. Sailing alone or? with a mate, you'll fire off cannons and swat creatures on deck.

Team17 and Fika Productions released a new trailer and announced the big day. Ship of Fools lands on PC, PS5, Xbox Se??ries X/S, and Nintendo Switch on?? November 22, 2022.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARAJ7UJtZ3w

This is a roguelite game, so the stakes are high if (when?) your ship goes down. You'll need to make repairs as you go and ??smartly chart your course on a shifting map screen.

There are "100+ trinkets and artifacts to collect and combo for winning strategies," according to the developers, and different Fools �"the only creatures fool enough to brave the sea" �have different abilities. Some of the items I caught in the trailer were dynamite, harpoons, ??and a snow cone that grants a "10 percent chance of Ice" for cannon projectiles. I also think that sand dollars are a particularly cute, on-brand form of currency.

With teamwork, good fundamentals, and likely a bit of luck, you'll take down leviathans like a laser-firing colossal crab. Positioning yourself and your cannons se??ems t?o be key.

It's my deck now, buddy boy

[caption id="attachment_339805" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{You can pick up and reposition cannons as needed.}
[/caption]

If things get too heated, I might start dropping Captain Lee quo??tes.

I've played plenty of games that fall under this umbrella, but not that many roguelites with co-op a???????????????????????????t the forefront. My tolerance for repetition is much higher when there's another player in the mix, and this seems like an approachable amount of chaos.

Ship of Fools is the first big game from Quebec City-based Fika Productions.

You can wishlist it on Steam if you've got a foggy memory like me, and if you're attending Gamescom, Ship of Fools will be playable at Team17's consumer booth (Ha??ll 7.1/B-040).

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A Plague Tale

Publisher Team17 has announced that its upcoming action-RPG Thymesia has been pushed back by a little over a week, j??ust missing its initially scheduled August 9 launch date. The grin ??'n' gloomy-looking adventure will now launch August 18 on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X.

Developer OverBo?ard Studio chose the push the release back a few days after considering recent ?demo feedback.

"After listening to the community feedback from the recent Steam demo, we’ve made the difficult decision to push the launch date for Thymesia back by a few days to August 18," wrote the developer on Steam. "We are 100 percent committed to making Thymesia the best experience possible, and those few extra days allow us to do this by implementing changes and fixes that were asked for across all platforms. We appreciate all the support and love you’ve shown Thymesia so f??ar, and we can’t wait for you to jump in as Corvus next month!"

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOKotr-ZvV0

Set against the backdrop of a decaying kingdom that took its newfound love of alchemy just a step too far, Thymesia will see players don the mask of an amnesiac wanderer �the aforementioned Corvus �as they attempt to rid the land of its plague of monsters, demons, and other supernatural horrors, Thymesia hopes to capture the attention of FromSoft fans, offering deep ??and? challenging combat in a bleak and hopeless environment.

As they progress through the land, Corvus will be able to forge new weaponry from the remnants of their former enemies, offering something in the way of balance as they pick their way through the dark kingdom, confront the source of the demonic invasion, and perhaps learn something of the truth behind their own torrid existence. While Thymesia is certainly a ??little more low-key than many of th?is summer's blockbusters, I'm digging its vibe, and will likely check it out for jbsgame.come launch day.

Thymesia launches August 18 on PS5, PC, and X??box Series X.

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The Medieval Dead

If you lack your action RPGs a little on the bleak side, (and given our community's love for FromSoft, I'd wager that you do), then you might want to mark your calendars for August 9, for that is the day Team17 will release its grim-looking adventure Thymesia on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X.

An old forgotten kingdom finds itself ridden with calamity after its love of the newly discovered skill of alchemy goes a step too far. Grasping defeat from the jaws of victory, the city is now plagued with disease, death, and a menagerie of gruesome monsters. Only a mysterious, amnesiac wanderer seems to hold any hope?? for the citizens of this doomed 'burg, and they must now sally forth on the plague-soaked streets. Cheery.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOKotr-ZvV0&t

The player will guide the protagonist, Corvus, as they attempt to clean the kingdom of nightmarish beasts, utilizing an array of mythical weaponry, and some surprisingly avian abilities, to carve their way through the darkness. As Corvus makes their way through the cit?y, they will harness the powers of their enemies to forge new weaponry, turning the powers of a gallery of boss beasties back against themselves. In addition, Corvus will regain knowledge of their own origins, and how their own life ties into the cursed land.

While soaring somewhat under the radar, Thymesia doesn't look too bad at all in this new trailer. I like the acrobatic combat, cool spirit weaponry, and that creepy bat boss is suitably nasty. For those looking to scratch their down and dirty RPG vibes in a post-Elden Ring summer, this might just fit the bill, keeping the black cl??ouds rolling in against the sun-filled August backdrop. But then, I'?m kinda goth like that.

Thymesia launches August 9 on PS5, PC (via Steam), and Xbox Series X.

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After both public pushback and developer response, the publisher is stepping back from NFTs

The MetaWorms have been shelved. Following public response online and from its developer partners, Team17 has announced it is ending its Worms-based NFT project MetaWorms.

Yesterday, the Worms publisher announced it would mint a new NFT collection based on the well-known multiplayer series Worms. Much like other NFT announcements that have been made over the last few months, you can imagine how this went.

The "MetaWorms" project was met with instant pushback online. Notably, developers who have worked with Team17 also began publishing their own disavowal of the idea, including Overcooked developer Ghost Town Games and Yooka-Laylee developer Playtonic. Going Under studio Aggro Crab put it succinctly: "We believe NFTs cannot be environmentally friendly, or use??ful, and are really just an overall fucking grift."

Today, Team17 announced that after listening to feedback from its games communities and development partners, it would cancel the MetaWor??ms NFTs.

//twitter.com/Team17/status/1488618187109408780

NFTs have become a hot-button issue in gaming. Publishers have toed the water, or even dipped their whole foot in, seeing potential money to be made. Critics and developers have pointe?d out the environmental concerns, developmental issues, and general questions of what they would add in the first place.

The pipeline of announce NFT project, get major blowback, and walk back or outright cancel it is becoming increasingly streamlined. It's to the point that I'm wondering why any company would see these responses and still willingly walk ??onto the coals. I won't be surprised if there's another announcement tomorrow. Its subsequent apology is probably alre??ady drafted.

As the concept booms, so does its issues?. We'll see how it pans out further in the gaming space. For now though, the Worms and their World Parties are not NFTs.

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NFTs inherently draw a line in the sand

There's a reason so many people ?have chosen to hate, instead of create, ??NFTs. And by that, I mean go back on their initial plans to do NFTs after a huge backlash that irreparably damages their brand. Oops! The Going Under NFT stance? is getting ahead of the situation, as one of their publishers, Team17, forced their hand.

On Twitter, in no uncertain terms, Aggro Crab (the studio behind Going Under) states, in the opening line of their missive:

"We believe NFTs?? canno??t be environmentally friendly, or useful, and are really just an overall fucking grift."

Bam! You can read the entire message below, where they confirm that they will not work with Team17 "unless this decision is reversed??."

It's a bad situation overall, as anyone associated in any form with NFTs inherently has to make a statement on where they stand on the issue. Aggro Crab notes that this dissent should not broach harassment, as "the decision seems to have taken everyone o??ff guard and likely came from the very top" (as these things often do).

Given the biting nature of the game itself, this stance makes a whole lot of sense! The tweet is gaining a lot of traction and industry-wide support, including Ghost Town Games (Overcooked), who says that their studio will "never engage with NFTs." As a reminder, ??Ghost Town Games has also worked with Team17 in the past.

//twitter.com/Agg??roCrabGames/status?/1488224784760459266

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Something, something, environmentally friendly

[Update: In a statement to Eurogamer, Team17 has already addressed the negative feedback toward the Worms NFT announcement. E?urogamer suggests that many within the company did not know the project was forthcoming until it was publicly announced.

"Team17 is licencing the Worms brand to our newest third-party partner so they can produce collectible digital artwork based on one of the most beloved IPs in indie games, in a similar way to already available physical merchandise. Team17 has no plans to introduce NFTs ?or play-to-earn NFT mechanics into any of its indie games label titles."]

Original Article:

Team17 has partnered with Reality Gaming Group to mint a new "generative" NFT collection based on the iconic multiplayer franchise, Worms. The news was revealed to a chorus of eye-rolls and boos on social media earlier this morning, after being reported by website PocketGamer.biz.

The "MetaWorms" collection will see Reality Gaming Group use its Digital Asset Platform (DAT) to manage a wide variety of characters and artworks taken from t?he storied 26-year-old battle franchise. Reality Gaming Group notes that each worm will be "unique" and "generative" and "stored" and "blockchain" and all those words that y??ou hear whenever anyone is promoting the controversial scheme.

Perhaps predicting said controversy, Reality Gaming is quick to point out that its own take on the NFT market is "environmentally friendly," allowing the? company to mint MetaWorms for "low energy" costs. The group equates 100,000 MetaWorm NFTs to the average annual costs of running a kettle in 11 UK households, (so... 11 years of daily kettle usage?) In addition, the company will donate an unspecified percentage of each NFT sale to ReFeed Farms, a company that itself uses worms as an "enhancer and bio converter" for the fertilization of soils.

"The ultra-low energy technology Reality Gaming Group uses, together with their carbon neutral servers, played an essential part of the reassurances we sought before our agreement; we’re very much looking forward to giving Worms fans a chance to own a p?iece of our history," said Team17's Harley Homewood.

Recently, the team behind survival sequel S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 abandoned its plans to go all-in on NFTs after getting railed by its community. Just last week, Ubisoft raised the ire of video game fans by brazenly suggesting that they just "didn't get" how its own NFT range �a href="//jbsgame.com/right-on-cue-ubisoft-quartz-brings-nfts-digits-to-ghost-recon-breakpoint/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Quartz �is a "really beneficial" player-centric endeavor. Other publishers, including Sega, Electronic Arts, and Konami, are also dallying with the concept of NFTs, eager to make a buck, but perhaps not so eager to tak??e public flack.

For more reading on NFTs within gaming, check out our own Jonathan Holmes' take right here.

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All aboard

Legendary British outfit Tea?m17 announced that it has acquired publisher Astrogen Entertainment. The Dusseldorf-based company was reportedly purchased for â‚?5 million (or roughly $86 million USD), with a further consideration of â‚?5m (or roughly $28 million), should performance targets be met.

To the average video game fan, that might seem like a lot of moolah for what appears to be an unknown entity, but Astrogen is the key publisher and distributor of the games in developer GIANTS' simulation series. Titles such as Farming Simulator, Bus Simulator, Construction Simulator, and the upcoming Firefighting Simulator might be the nichest of the niche, but have been proven best-selling brand for many years �with Farming Simulator alone having sowed over 25 million copies.

"Our goal is to become the number one brand in the field of 'working' simulation games," said Astragon CEOs Julia Pfiffer and Tim Schmitz. "Collaborating with Team17 will enable an?d help Astragon to evolve and focus on this strategy. We look forward to the possibilities that are opened up by working with what we believe to be a great partner to deliver our ambitions."

Astrogen Entertainment is the latest in a number of recent purchases performed by Team17. The Worms developer also recently opened its wallet to acquire U.S.-based indie publisher The Label, as well as the IP for Black Matter's World War II shooter Hell Let Loose. Clear?ly, Team17 is on something of a shopping spree. Astrogen will continue to operate as a separate entity under the Team17 umbrella and will work with its new partner to produce new titles while continuing its simulation line.

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If you're into roguelike chaos, that is

We're two days into the Epic Games Store's 15 days of free games promo for the holidays. While I suspect quite a few people snatched up Shenmue III out of morbid curiosity, today's free PC game, Neon Abyss, seems intriguing in a "Hey, I might actually mess with this" sorta wa?y. It's a running, gunning, pet-hatching roguelike action game.

If you ?can handle heaps of projectiles, it's comfort-food gaming

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mc0mWIVKM4

Since the god-toppling game launched in July 2020, Veewo Games has kept up with regular content updates for Neon Abyss, including one as recent as last month.

Just knowing that it's still getting attention from the developers puts my mind at ease a b?it. It's nice to know that you're walking into a bigger, better, hopefully more balanced experience after the early adopters put in their time and shared their takes with the team.

It's probably not going to budge Enter the Gungeon or Binding of Isaac in anyone's power rankings, but as a freebie, I'm a bit more willing to put up with a grindy grind and some less-than-ideal RNG. Sticking around for the long haul might be a tall order, though. How Long to Beat suggests a 10- t?o 12-hour-or-s??o clear time for the main story.

Neon Abyss is free as a on??e-?day-only offer until 8:00 a.m. Pacific on December 18, 2021.

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Blasphemous: Wounds of Eventide is the final DLC

Over a million people have stepped into the beautifully tormented world of Blasphemous, and they'll be called?? back to atone in Cvstodia this December with one ??last trial.

Announced at Gamescom (via IGN), The Game Kitchen has a final free DLC chapter �Blasphemous: Wounds of Eventide �coming to PC and consoles on December 9, as well as a sequel in the works for 2023. Yep, they're making a Blasphemous 2, and I'm stoked.

//youtu.be/RKg34fPKaQU

Instead of showing gameplay yet, the Gamescom trailer for Wounds of Eventide sets the scene with a surprisingly cool anime sequence. The visuals do all the heavy lifting. Blasphemous 2, meanwhile, is simply a bit of text at ??the end of the footage.

Not that I expected The Game Kitchen to walk away from Blasphemous after its critical and commercial success, and the studio's continual post-launch support, but still. Even if a sequel seems like it's in the cards, you never k??now when it might materialize. The timeline here, especially with another generous DLC, feels ideal. It's already been two years.

Blasphemous was a great first entry in the crowded metroidvania scene fueled by an intrig??uing yet extreme world of intense religious devotion. There's still so much more room in the lore to say more without ever running the risk of over-explaining.

Mechanically, as a 2D action-platformer, Blasphemous wasn't perfect �it could be finicky. Imagine where the (hopefully a little tighter-feeling) next game mi??ght go.

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Deal with living playing cards, mirrors, and some tea

Ghost Town Games and Team17 are celebrating the fifth anniversary of the Overcooked: series with a special free update. The Birthday Party update goes live for Overcooked: All You Can Eat today, adding some new content and of course, new challenges to?? overcome in the name of good cooking.

The Birthday Party update features five new, birthday party-themed levels to take on. The general aesthetic is very regal and fancy, but there are obstacles to deal with as well. Living playing cards are walking around with magical mirrors, which transport players across the kitchen with a mechanic called "Switcheroo." Seems like there will be a lot of chaos coming to the world of Overcooked: All You Can Eat with this update.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5QfnwF0Cg0

There's also a new chef, the Tabby Cat, and a new recipe. In this birthday party fervor, you'll learn how to serve a good cup? of tea, which also s?eems to include massive boiling tea pots. Seems like some good fun.

Overcooked being five years old definitely made me do a double take, as it doesn't feel like it's been that long since I first booted up the co-op cooking game and ruined my friendships. Through the first two games, and the dual-package game All You Can Eat, Overcooked ??has been one of my go-to ??co-op party games for a while.

With the Birthday Update, it seems like there's some reason to bust that back out again. Team17 and Ghost Town Games are also allowing folks who are curious about Overcooked to get a free sample, as the entire game of Overcooked: All You Can Eat will be ??free to play on Steam, from Aug. 9 at 6 p.m. BST (1 p.m. ET) to Aug. 11 at 6 p.m. BST? (1 p.m. ET).

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Content for your satanic sticker album

Fans of the grim 'n' ?gory a Blasphemous might want to mark June 29 on their calendars, for that is the day when Team17, in association with physical media marketers Sold Out, will be releasing a physical edition of the gothic h??orror title on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

"We’re thrilled to team up with Team17 once again to deliver this deluxe Blasphemous physical edition, said Sold Out product manager Katie Clark. "Whether you’re already a fan of the game or want to jump into the nightmare world of Cvstodia for the first time, Blasphemo??us Deluxe Edition offers an exciting physical package for players to add to their collection."

The Deluxe Edition of Blasphemous is currently available to pre-order via Amazon, priced at around $30, and will launch on June 29. This edition will include a boxed physical copy of the game on the console of your choice, as well as a digital soundtrack - featuring 32 hellish tunes from the depths of Cvstodia - a 195-page digital art book, a digital comic, two exclusive in-game skins, a poster of the land of Cvstoida, and a totally not-on-brand "sticker sheet". I assume these are the kind of stickers you'd get taken off of you at school... like Garbage Pail Kids.

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Add to that backlog

The Xbox Game Pass library has been great for accum??ulating access to a lot of games I need to get around to playing, and it's adding even more to the list.

At today's Twitch Gaming and ID@Xbox showcase, over 20 games were confirmed for Game Pass at launch. This means they'll launch day one on the service, so if you're eagerly awaiting a bunch of these, that's an easy way to nab them all in one fel??l swoop.

It's an eclectic group of indie games too, ranging from newly announced games from the showcase like Astria Ascending, while others are previously announced indies like Sable or S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.

Check out the full list be?low, as well as which platforms they're coming to Game Pass on:

• Art of the Rally (Console, Cloud)
• Astria Ascending (Console, Cloud)
• Backbone (Console, Cloud)
• Boyfriend Dungeon (Console, PC)
• Craftopia (Console, PC)
• Dead Static Drive (Console, PC)
• Edge of Eternity (Console, Cloud)
• Hello Neighbor 2 (Console, Cloud)
• Library of Ruina (Console, Cloud)
• Little Witch in the Woods (Console, Cloud)
• Moonglow Bay (Console, Cloud)
• Narita Boy (Console, Cloud)
• Nobody Saves the World (Console, Cloud)
• Omno (Console, Cloud)
• Recompile (PC, Console, Cloud)
• Sable (PC, Console)
• She Dreams Elsewhere (PC, Console)
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 (Console, Cloud)
• The Ascent (Console, Cloud, PC)
• Undungeon (Console, Cloud, PC)
• Way to the Woods (Console, Cloud)
• Wild at Heart (Console)

Looks like if you're using Game Pass, you've got some indies coming your way. Be sure to check out our preview of Drinkbox's upcoming game Nobody Saves the World for a glimpse of one of them.

The post Xbox announces over ??20 indies?? coming to Game Pass day one appeared first on Destructoid.

It hasn't wowed me yet, but I'm open to seeing more

I'm in "cautiously keeping tabs" territory with Thymesia, an action-RPG from OverBorder Studio and publisher Team17 that lets you "seize?? the disease fro?m gruesome bosses and wield them as weapons."

The combat is speedier and more offense-oriented than the average Souls-like, which I appreciate, and the plague doctor protagonist can bust out a scythe. That's rad. But based on the gameplay's frankly lower-budget vibe and the sparse Steam summary, I'm far from convinced this can capture the magic of its inspiration, especially with Bloodborne fresh on my mind this week thanks to its sixth birthday.

I wasn't necessarily going to cover Thymesia today until I saw the beefy bat boss. They got me. As much as the environments look pretty same-y for the genre, I can't deny that I? wanna wail on a ba??t beast, big time. If the combat is as relentless as it looks, I could have fun with this one. That's the focal point.

Thymesia is ?currently only announced for PC, and it's sticking to a "2021" launch for the time being??.

The post Thymesia is going on my? action-RPGs-to-watch list for 2021 appeared first on Destructoid.