Time to beat-em-up as the most famous heroes in a half-shell. Luckily, you don’t need to do it alone. Four turtles equals four players. The math checks out. Today,  Super Evil Megacorp is happy to announce that their upcoming Switch rogue-lite title, TMNT: Splintered Fate, will feature 4 player couch co-op. Additionally, the game will also be making its debut on PC via Steam later in 2024. Interestingly, the game features a new adventure for everyone’s favorite ninja turtles and will now allow them to group up with their friends. Featuring upgraded elements, the Switch version of the game will provide players with new sounds, set pieces, and more. 

TMNT: Splintered Fate introduces players to the beloved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on a new quest to save Master Splinter. Featuring randomly generated runs, the game ensures that every time players play will feel unique. Importantly, now, players will be able to take on the roles of Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo together with four player couch co-op. Allowing players to play with their friends while experiencing, graphical, sound, and set piece upgrades. Of course, the game will provide the same random runs featuring random upgrades, enemies, boss modifiers and more. Importantly, players can also experiment with the different turtles and discover whose playstyle fits them the best.

Importantly, a new trailer for TMNT: Splintered Fate shows off the couch co-op gameplay. Check out the trailer below.

TMNT: Splintered Fate is releasing for Nintendo Switch on the 17th of July. Additionally, the game will release for PC via Steam later in 2024. Players can preorder and wish list Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate here.

SOURCE: PRESS RELEASE

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It’s been just over twenty years since the adventure game Beyond Good & Evil first graced our screens. It originally launched in 2003, so technically, they could have called this the 21st Anniversary Edition – but for marketing purposes, 20th just sounds better.

I first played Beyond Good & Evil not long after it was released on Nintendo GameCube. While some of my memories of that experience have been lost to time, the feeling I had when playing it has never left. Beyond Good & Evil was, and still is, a brilliant game, and well deserving of it’s cult classic status.

An evil group called the DomZ are threatening the world of Hillys. You play as Jade, a photojournalist who has been caring for children orphaned by the DomZ with your uncle Pey’j. The world is protected by the Alpha Sections, but this doesn’t stop the DomZ from launching attacks. During one of these attacks, Jade is thrust into the fight. Along her adventure, she is recruited by Iris, an underground group who believe there is something more sinister happening. You’ll need to uncover the dark secrets, photograph key conspiracies, and shine a light on the truth.

Combat and More

Beyond Good & Evil has a nice variety of gameplay styles spread throughout the game. When you first start of the game, you’ll be introduced to combat, with Jade utilizing her Daï-Jo – a staff-like weapon. Soon after, other elements come into play, such as photography and platforming. You’ll be able to pilot a vehicle in the game, giving you access to the various levels spread throughout the open-world. Of course, you won’t be able to access every area immediately – you’ll need to follow the mission structure pretty closely, but there are a few opportunities to explore.

Within missions, you’ll spend a good chunk of time utilizing stealth to complete objectives. You can attack enemies head-on, but, even with a companion, you’ll find they’re just too overpowered – so navigating by means of stealth is usually the best option. Stealth works quite well – crouching from point-to-point, staying out of the line-of-sight of the Alpha Section guards. Each section feels a bit like a puzzle to be completed, which makes completing each section so satisfying.

While the game does an okay job at providing players with in-game instructions, there were a few tidbits that weren’t immediately obvious to me until far later into my adventure. For example, pressing down on the D-Pad brings up the character screen. Within that screen, I had no idea I could actually select each characters in-game “backpack”, allowing me to share items between them. Turns out, I was hogging the power-ups that increase character health.

Treats for Returning Fans

The 20th Anniversary Edition brings a wealth of improvements that should make most fans happy. Visually, the game is relatively unchanged, just higher resolutions and everything looks smooth & sharp. The soundtrack received a huge upgrade, with over 15 pieces of music re-recorded with a live orchestra. Another huge improvement is the inclusion of autosaves. No longer will you need to use an in-game MDisk to save at specific points – the game will autosave quite frequently.

But wait, there’s more! For those looking for a challenge, a new Speedrun Mode has been included that will keep track of just how long it takes for you to complete the game in one sitting. This mode does not allow for saves, so you better have snacks readily available.

And another addition worth mentioning is the incredible collection of images and videos from the Ubisoft vault showing the development of Beyond Good & Evil. This includes everything from conceptual work to cut content. It’s an absolute treasure trove of information.

Please Wait

Despite how amazing Beyond Good & Evil is – both the original, and this 20th Anniversary Edition – it’s not without it’s issues. The first thing you’ll notice when loading the game for the first time is the excessively long load time between the health & safety warning and the game’s title screen. It’s damn near close to a minute wait! Fortunately, with Quick Resume, you might not experience this too often. This new edition still has load times between areas – but they’re pretty quick and barely impact flow too much.

Like most games of the era, you’ll often have to fight with unruly camera angles – and these don’t seem to have been improved much with this edition. And probably the most bizarre issue was when the game would completely freeze for anywhere between 5 and 10 seconds. This happened a few times and caused me to wonder if I would need to quit to the dashboard and restart the game – only for the game to start chugging along again.

Stupid AI

In terms of the actual game, there were only a handful of moments that made me shake my head in disbelieve, particularly during the last hour of the game. The companion AI is often quite dumb and will block your path or get in the way of your attacks. During one sequence, my companions and I had to run past an active cannon firing lasers. One companion just stopped and stood in one place. I had to run back past the shooting lasers, bump into him, just to trigger his running sequence again.

The final boss of the game is also as frustrating as ever – I must have blocked out memories of it from my previous playthrough 20 years ago. Once you figure out how to beat the final boss, you should be good, but there is zero indication on how to actually do this correctly. It just makes the final bit of the game more of an annoyance than a satisfying conclusion.

Could We See A Sequel Finally?

It’s been 20 years since Beyond Good & Evil was originally released. Of course, that means that it’s been 20 very long years without the much anticipated sequel. Despite a number of announcements over the past decade or so, we’re still in the dark as to when Beyond Good & Evil 2 will even be released. Fortunately, it does appear that Ubisoft is still plugging away at the sequel and it will see the light of day at some point. Included in Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition is a brand new quest that ties this game to the eventual sequel, which will actually be a prequel. The new quest isn’t much more than another fetch quest – but it’s still a worthwhile scavenger hunt just to get a taste of what to expect in the new game, and I’m grateful Ubisoft took the effort to include it.

Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition is the absolute best way to replay a cult classic of a game. It still retains the look and feel of the original, while providing some much needed improvements like resolution, frame rate, controls and more. Hopefully this edition will create a new generation of fans. It truly is a must-play game.

Finish that sequel, Ubisoft!

***Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition Xbox Series X key provided by the publisher.***

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Developer NoLan Games and publisher TyGAMES have launched their latest indie title, Kubits Gallery on Nintendo Switch. You can purchase it right now on the Nintendo eShop. The game is also available on PC via Steam as well, so make sure to check it out.

Kubits Gallery is a logical puzzle game that will allow players to discover the wonderful history of painting around the world. A huge tragedy has occurred where every painting in the museums vanished. Everything has gone blank and no one knows what’s behind it. Fortunately, the Kubits are taking control, and with their help, you can recreate all your work.

You must solve nonogram grids (picross) to reveal magnificent canvases from the history of painting, reimagined by the tiny, chameleon-like squares that adhere to grids to create new images. Take your time and relax as you solve over 120 levels of nonograms, each set in a fictional gallery representing the history of painting in three different countries.

Features:

– More than 120 levels of nonogram (picross) with various difficulties.
– A journey through the history of painting, from prehistoric times to ours.
– Fictional galleries from 3 different countries to visit.
– Accessibility features to make playing more enjoyable like undoing your moves or 3 difficulty levels.
– A modern interface, colorful and dynamic.
– Even more puzzles to come in the upcoming updates.

SOURCE

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Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- is a visual novel I have been waiting decades to play. The long-awaited remake of indie classic Tsukihime has finally come out in English. Is it the same as the original? No. Was it worth the wait? Yes. Even if you don’t like visual novels, this game is still worth a try.  This review may contain spoilers.

After a childhood accident that nearly kills him, Shiki Tohno begins seeing mysterious lines. When he traces them with fingers or a knife, whatever they’re on breaks. And the lines are on everything. He wears glasses to avoid harming others and protect himself from the intensity of staring into death.

For years, he lives like a normal boy, exiled from the rest of the wealthy Tohno family. Then his father dies, his sister calls him home, and a serial killer begins stalking the city streets. Finally, a mysterious blonde girl passes Shiki on the street, and all his hard-earned control shatters.

Without hesitation and without reason, Shiki kills that girl. When he comes back to his senses, he’s horrified and confused. The next day, she tracks him down, introduces herself as the vampire Arcueid, and drafts him into her hunt for another vampire who’s slaughtering his way through the streets at night. What follows is a tangled story of love, blood, and betrayal. A tale of disability, responsibility, classism, and death.

Lunar Legend Resurrected

Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- is a visual novel. Interaction and mechanics are limited, but the story develops differently depending on the choices you make. This game features two possible heroines, Arcueid and Ciel. Each girl is lovable and intimidating in her own way–and dragging a ton of action and baggage behind her. While this is a romance, it’s a very plot-focused one, and the game’s plot and thrilling presentation are some of its strongest points.

Shiki makes for an engaging, sympathetic, and sometimes scary protagonist. His perceptions are unreliable at the best of times, but those around him are also lying to him. Sometimes out of a misguided desire to protect him, sometimes to use him for their own agendas. Whether it’s a centuries-old vampire, a schoolmate, or his own family, Shiki can’t afford to trust anyone blindly. The absurdity of his life is played for both laughs and tears.

This game is a genre-blending masterpiece with a thick and often unsettling atmosphere. It can move from sweet romance to uncomfortable family drama to psychological horror very fast. The characters are complex, messy, and wonderfully realized, even the new additions. And the translation is really solid. Shiki’s internal narration is lively and engaging, the dialogue is fun, and Japanese kanji puns are carefully explained. There’s a flowchart to make finding endings and specific scenes easier. This is good, because there are also a lot of bad endings.

The original Tsukihime, published in 2000, was the first visual novel produced by Type-Moon of Fate franchise fame. It introduced many of the concepts that would go on to dominate its sister franchise. This game revisits those themes, expands the narrative, and updates the classic story with a modern setting, updated Fate-consistent lore, and a much higher budget. The results are spectacular.

Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- is a Fascinating Remake

Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- is a visual and auditory delight. The updated art is nice, especially the backgrounds. All of the portraits make the cast wonderfully expressive. The ‘camera’ moves around constantly to create an illusion of movement, and there are some really striking CGs. There are lots of visual and audio effects to keep the viewer’s interest. And the expanded story more than deserves a read.

The game is almost fully voiced and the Japanese voice acting is quite solid. The soundtrack is very good at setting the mood, even when that mood shifts on a dime. And the soundscape can provide all the ambiance a scene needs. Ciel and Arcueid hold themselves differently, have unique reactions when angry or embarrassed, and have very different relationships with Shiki. It all makes for a truly incredible visual novel.

There is one problem it’s impossible to overlook. There’s a lot of worldbuilding exposition. Arcueid literally breaks out a whiteboard to explain how vampires work at one point. That said, when the monsters actually appear, there’s a deep, visceral horror to them.

This title is a more grounded urban fantasy/horror than most of the Fate franchise. It’s part family drama, part high-octane urban fantasy horror/romance. It also asks more questions that it answers, as expected for the first half of a two-part game. That said, it is still a good entry point to the Fate franchise.

Disability, Absurdity, Alienation, Trauma

Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- is a game about being young and sick, feeling like a burden and a monster, knowing you’re a danger to yourself and others, but still trying to live. It is a messy and sometimes ugly story focusing on a cast of messy and troubled characters. At 40-50 hours, it is also a hefty read despite only having two routes. And while it’s more polished than the original version, for better and for worse, it is a grim and joyous experience in its own right.

Shiki’s fragile health, lingering trauma from his half-remembered childhood, and special ability make him an eccentric and sometimes unreliable narrator. Trying to figure out exactly what happened to make him like this is part of the experience. So is puzzling out how aware he actually is of the wreck his life has become.

Not everything that’s brought up in this game is resolved here. The specific circumstances of the Tohno family and Shiki’s accident will be examined in the upcoming second game. But the affairs of the Church and Arcueid, the titular “lunar princess”, are more than interesting enough to carry this half of the title.

Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- is not the original Tsukihime. But it is a fascinating update and expansion of the original game’s first two routes. I’ll definitely be looking forward to the second part of this remake, and so should you.

***Switch code provided by the publisher***

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Every week, the cosplay crew at COGconnected dive deep into the world wide web to uncover the very best in cosplay. This week, our cosplay journey takes us to Sandusky, OH for ColossalCon 2024. So, I’ve never actually heard of Sandusky before, but apparently they have some pretty talented cosplayers! I’ll have to add it to my travel bucket list. Until then, I’ll enjoy their incredible cosplays from afar, and share those amazing finds with all of you.

Putting the Oh in Ohio!

And that concludes are journey to Sandusky, OH and the ColossalCon 2024. If you’re in the mood for more cosplay, be sure to check out some of these recent articles featuring Lady Kayleen, Naib, and Feisty Vee! We also had this spicy collection of cosplay clips from TikTok that you’ll probably really dig.

Images used in this article from DTJAAAAM Instagram.

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Developer ChaoticBrain Studio and publisher Meridiem have announced that Neon Blood is now available for pre-order and wishlist on all digital platforms. Players, eager to get their hands on the neo-noir action adventure can now wishlist it on Nintendo eShop, Xbox Store, Steam, and PlayStation Store.

Meridiem also announced that a boxed edition of the game will be available in specialist stores in the fourth quarter of 2024. This Limited Edition will be coming out on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. It includes a metallic-textured cover, an art book, a city guide, and a downloadable soundtrack.

Neon Blood is a 2.5D cyberpunk action-adventure game that takes in the year 2053, at Viridis. At this point, the world has come to an end due to a war lost in time. Now inequality is everywhere in Viridis, the great city encompasses the dangerous Blind City and the luxurious Bright City.

You will step inside the shoes of Axel McCoin, a detective from Blind City. Driven by your ideals, you must rebel against the injustices stemming from the social divide between the two cities and societal inequalities, and become a symbol of revolution. Along your journey, you will encounter powerful allies who aid him in his quest. As well as formidable enemies who oppose him, such as Ruby Emerald, determined to thwart his plans at any cost.

Key features:

– Elaborate and deep story with a cyberpunk theme combined with a turn-based combat style like old RPGs with a strong strategy factor
– Two different realities of the two cities with complete 2.5D aesthetic, merging cyberpunk and sci-fi
– A big macropolis full of secrets to be solved with a complete dialogue-based detective system
– A lot of neons

SOURCE

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Developer Lioncore and Singapore-based publisher Soft source Pte has announced a new title, Memory Rewind, coming to PC and Nintendo Switch in 2025. It is a visual novel about a private investigator’s journey to the past. As well as his quest to solve super-powered client problems through a unique deduction gameplay.

Memory Rewind is a thrilling detective visual novel game where you embark on a journey of unraveling mysteries with your assistant, Olivina. You will navigate through a bizarre case that pulls you into unique investigation gameplay. Along the way, you will also meet a cast of colorful characters that will either help you or cause more trouble.

Get an experience of the life of a “self-proclaimed” detective alongside his cute and quirky assistant. Try to solve a case that may sound normal, but is full of complex hidden twists and turns. Seek the “Best Ending” for the case, where the truth may not align with the reality people wish to accept.

Features

– Detective visual novel with a compelling story
– Unique Investigation mechanic that challenges players to be observant
– Beautiful cast of unique characters with gorgeous art
– Smooth live 2D animation that gives life to the characters
– Collections of beautiful and artistically hand-drawn CG for player to unlock

SOURCE

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PONOS Corporation has released a new title called The Battle Cats Unite! based on the hit mobile game for Nintendo Switch. This exciting new chapter of this epic saga is currently available for just $19.99 on the eShop with many Switch-exclusive features and content. Check out the official trailer below to get a glimpse of the game.

The Battle Cats Unite! is an action strategy game where you embark on a journey of world conquest with your Cat Army. You can enjoy it with either one player or two players with one game copy. There are three main stages Empire of Cats, Into the Future, and Cats of the Cosmos. As well as other special Legend Stages and daily stages.

In the two-player mode, each player has control of five different units. You can combine forces to fire the Boosted Cat Cannon and, turn the tide of battle in your favor. There is even a versus mode where you can battle it out with your friend.

Additionally, you can take a break every once in a while in four different mini-games. Aim for the highest score to get special in-game items and Rare Tickets. So, are you ready for the ultimate feline war?

SOURCE

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Raquel G. Cabañas has officially announced the Steam release date for Encounters: Music Stories. This awesome two-handed casual music rhythm game will arrive on the platform on 17th July 2024. Additionally, there is a demo with three levels for everyone to try out before its official release. What are you waiting for? Dive right into it and get a first-hand experience of it.

Encounters: Music Stories is a rhythm game where you guide charming characters, each playing a unique musical instrument, through various challenges. You need to clear obstacles to help them progress and reach the final encounter platform. While you can train each character individually, winning a level requires coordinating both hands to achieve harmony.

In this game, precision in rhythm and coordination are essential. If you enjoy challenging rhythm games, you’ll love it. Not sure if it’s your type? Try out the three levels available in the Steam demo.

Beyond its original concept, the gameplay is enriched with cute characters and heartfelt stories featuring a diverse range of marginalized or underrepresented individuals. This includes people with physical disabilities, women in tech, the elderly, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, among others.

Encounters: Music Stories is already available on Nintendo Switch, so make sure to check it out.

SOURCE

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Get ready for some fun with your friends! SAT-BOX is proud to introduce its new upcoming title, Scoop It! Goldfish. The game will launch on Nintendo Switch on 4th July 2024 in English and Japanese. Prepare your poi, which is a paper net for scooping fish, and capture as many fish as possible to get the highest score.

Scoop it! Goldfish is a casual party game and it’s all about scooping up fishes. This game is a brand-new take on the classic Japanese fairground game. You can share your Joy-Con and play with up to 4 players as you’ll compete for the highest score possible.

By the way, every match has a time limit, so make sure you don’t mess around and focus on scooping. The player with the highest score at the end of the timer will become the winner of the game. It features different play modes as well and they are as follows:

– Score Attack: Scoop as many goldfish as you can and aim for a high spot on the leaderboards!

– Battle: Compete with others and test your goldfish scooping skills!

– Display: Display the fish you’ve caught in Score Attack in an aquarium! Change to fullscreen mode and relax while watching your fish!

To build up the hype, check out the official gameplay trailer below to take a sneak peek of the game.

SOURCE

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The younger brother of Nintendo’s mascot returns to the Switch. With his second adventure being tied exclusively to the 3DS, this is the first time the title is available to play on home consoles. Will Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD manage to capture the same magic on a home console that made it a standout on the 3DS?

The personality packed into the Luigi’s Mansion series helps the title stand out compared to its peers. The unique capture mechanic successfully creates the notion of being a ghost hunter and links perfectly to Luigi’s cowardly persona. While the first in the franchise was well-regarded for its concept, its length left players wanting more. The sequel addressed that by including five distinct mansions for you to explore. Although considered one of the best releases on the 3DS, will it hold up on modern consoles? Check out our video review below to find out.

Lugi’s Mansion 2 HD is out now exclusively on the Nintendo Switch and you can read our full review here. Which other games would you like Nintendo to remaster? Which is your favorite release in the series? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter, and don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more great video game content.

Thank you for keeping it locked on COGconnected.

• For amazing videos, head over to our YouTube page HERE.
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The post Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD Video Review – Ghostly Gig Work appeared first on COGconnected.

We’re so happy to once again bring you the weekly COGconnected cosplay feature. In previous iterations, we’ve showcased the brilliant Raisor Cosplay, the beautiful Sailor Virgo, and some incredible holiday-themed recreations. We’ve even posted coverage on the best cosplay couples! This week, we turn our attention to Lady Kayleen.

Without further ado, here’s the work of this wonderful cosplayer!

Continue on to page 2 for more from Lady Kayleen.

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June 2024 was a unique month for video game reviews. Almost all of the games covered in The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games from June 2024 are releases mentioned in the Top 5 Video Games Arriving in June 2024. All three of the games from The Good section of this article were hotly anticipated. And one of the games from The Bad section of this article might be remembered a little too fondly by franchise fans. Without further ado, here are The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games from June 2024:

The Good

Destiny 2: The Final Shape DLC

***click here for our review***

Bungie nailed it with Destiny 2: The Final Shape! It’s the narrative conclusion to all the events of all the expansions. The story is much more linear and focused than past expansions. But it’s a conclusion that ties up everything, and packs an epic emotional punch. With some of Destiny 2’s expansions being less than stellar, Destiny 2: The Final Shape greatly exceeded our reviewer’s expectations. They wrote “it’s perhaps the closest Destiny has come to feeling like vintage, Halo-era Bungie”, which is the highest praise an FPS can get.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC

***click here for our review***

There wasn’t any doubt in anyone’s mind that Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree was going to be excellent, and an obvious entry on The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games from June 2024. It continues the quality of Elden Ring, but adds a new endgame area the size of two areas. The only critiques our reviewer had were that a few bosses were repeated, and to access the DLC, you basically have to have beaten the main game. They mentioned “to see everything plan in 60+ hours of playtime”. This is DLC the size of a full game, and a must play for all Souls fans.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

***click here for our review***

Shin Megami Tensei V is an excellent monster collecting JRPG. It brought open world exploration elements to the dark monster collecting franchise. On first glance, it seems almost perfect, but after beating the game, a lot of players found the story felt a little hollow. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance corrects this by adding a new plotline that adds fullness to the narrative that compliments the base game’s gameplay. Our reviewer wrote the new plotline protagonist “Yoko is a very engaging heroine in all her bitter glory”, so people who have beaten the original version for the Switch have a great reason to play this upgraded version. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance easily deserves to be on The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games from June 2024.

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July 2024 is such a cool month for video game releases. It seems like there’s something for everyone. There’s a few massive releases, several of which are new IPs. Similar to June 2024, our top spot is a major DLC drop. Our runner up this month is the long-awaited Earth Defense Force 6! For those who haven’t played an EDF game before, they’re dopey Japanese 3^rd person shooters that have more to do with spectacle than polish. Check out the trailer below. And without further ado, the Top 5 Video Games Arriving in July 2024 are:

5. Nintendo World Championships – July 18

The Nintendo World Championships took place in 1990. They were a series of events where players got a combined score in the NES games Super Mario Bros., Tetris, and Rad Racer. Finalists were given NES cartridges that had the games and scoring used in the competition. There are an estimated 350 of those cartridges in existence, and they are usually listed on eBay for around $25,000 USD. In honor of this most expensive and ridiculous NES game, Nintendo is releasing an official Nintendo World Championships game for the Switch! It will feature at least 13 different NES games, as opposed to the original 3. Expect lots of modern features, and an experience similar to the Wii U’s NES Remix games. Nintendo World Championships is kind of a goofy entry to the Top 5 Video Games Arriving in July 2024, but how could we not include it!?

4. The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak – July 5

The Trails series is almost caught up in North America! We’re only one game behind Japan now! The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak is the first game in the new Daybreak series. It’s the start of a new story arc that takes place in the Calvard Republic. This JRPG has been out in Japan for 3 years! Trails fans have been waiting for its release in North America for a long time, which makes it an obvious entry in the Top 5 Video Games Arriving in July 2024. The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak will be available for everything expect Xbox.

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Prepare yourself to immerse in the amazing world of SPYxFAMILY. Bandai Namco has officially released its latest title, SPYxANYA: Operation Memories today. It is now available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. So, dive right into it to create and cherish joyful memories with the Forger family.

SPYxANYA: Operation Memories is a casual daily life simulator game. You will control Anya and create a photo diary of memories for her homework. Go to school on weekdays and once the class is over, head out to all sorts of exciting places to take photographs of treasured memories.

There are 10 outing places to explore, including parks, beaches, art museums, aquariums, and more. You can even enjoy 15 different minigames as well, all inspired by the series and originally designed for the game. The exciting part you can play 10 of these minigames offline with two players.

Along the way, you will have a chance to meet not only with the family members, Loid and Yor, but also Anya’s friends, Damian and Becky. Even Yuri and Fiona make an appearance in the game. Not only that, there are tons of customizations to explore for Anya, Loid, Yor, and Bond.

Check out the official launch trailer below to get a glimpse of the wholesome adventure ahead.

SOURCE

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Time to go monkey mode. Friends and family alike can face off in the first addition to this bananas series in a decade. That’s right, today, SEGA is happy to announce the release of their arcade party game, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble, on the Nintendo Switch. The first Super Monkey Ball game in over ten years, this new addition is bringing players back to familiar characters with more customization. Of course, players will be able to battle against one another, play in four player co-op and even go into an all new adventure mode. A trailer gives players a glimpse of what they can expect from the gameplay. 

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble reintroduces players to AiAi and his friends. An adventurous little monkey, AiAi embarks on a quest alongside new team member, Palette, on a quest to find the Legendary Banana. Of course, as the name implies, players will be able to zoom about over 200 different levels in adventure mode in their individual monkey balls. Each character from the diverse cast comes with its own upsides, downsides, and powers. Importantly, these differences in skills translate to the battle mode where up to 16 online players can go head to head. Yet there’s more. Obviously, a cast of characters requires customization. So, of course, the game includes ways to make your monkey unique. For instance, players can customize their favorite monkey with apparel, including clothes, footwear, accessories – even the monkey ball itself.

Importantly, a trailer shows off the gameplay. Check it out below.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is out now on the Nintendo Switch. Check out the game’s page for a look at different versions of the game as well as the SEGA pass. Of course, the pass includes some extra character. Who knows, maybe a certain blue hedgehog will be making an appearance to Monkey Ball.

SOURCE: PRESS RELEASE

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Although I’m several decades out of my teens, I can remember at least a little of what it was like. While the slang and tech have changed, navigating the treacherous waters of interpersonal relationships is still fraught with confusion and heartache. Joy, sorrow, and dashed hopes exchange places moment by moment. Then there’s the whole matter of finding meaning and direction. That formative and perplexing time forms the backdrop for Until Then, an interactive visual novel. But there are bigger themes and deeper mysteries than who is dating whom, and I’ll do my best not to spoil them.

B-Ball, Book Reports, and Crushes

Set in a fictionalized version of the present-day Philippines, Until Then’s main protagonist is Mark, a high school kid with more talent than ambition. Mark is the kind of kid who puts off school work until the last minute, risking the failure of his group’s presentation and the ire of Louise, a brainy, high-achieving classmate on whom he has a crush. Mark and Louise’s immediate friend group includes Cathy, a close friend of Mark who also has set her sights on Louise. In one series of scenes, we meet Louise’s secret best friend, the impetuous Sophia. We also learn that Louise has a secret boyfriend, an older student, and a budding rock star. For a moment, everyone’s romantic longings are dashed.

That all sounds pretty banal. Honestly, it takes some time for Until Then to pick up a little steam. However, by the end of the game’s first chapter, I was solidly invested in the characters. It was around this time that there were hints that things were not quite right. One character’s memories didn’t square with others, that kind of thing. As the narrative mysteries evolved, so did the characters, backgrounds, and their relationships.

Obviously, teens can be cruel, heartless, and unsympathetic. By and large, the kids at the center of Until Then are appealing, open-hearted, and aware that actions have consequences. I wish I could say more about the plot, but surprise and discovery are at the heart of the game. For a title in this genre, Until Then is a substantial game, clocking in at well over a dozen hours.

Point-and-Text Adventure

As engaging as its characters and story are, Until Then also plays with the visual novel format in a memorable way. A great deal of the dialogue is presented through real-time text chats that feel authentic and contemporary. While the text exchanges contain all the slang, erasures, and edits we’re used to, the teens in Until Then are considerably more literate, witty, and grammatically correct than their real-life counterparts. I suspect the Philippine education system might be to thank. As an aside, the game allows the player to “input” the pre-written texts in a way that’s a bit more immersive. Like any dialogue-based game, there are choices to be made, though I’m not sure how they impact the overall narrative. 

Aside from the texts, the story is mostly delivered through unvoiced dialogue, which means over a dozen hours of reading. Recognizing this can end up feeling repetitive, Until Then takes the format of a 2.5D action game, action being a very relative term for walking from place to place. There are also some simple mini-games, like a timed slider game to pick up fish balls from a street food cart. From buying a subway ticket to waking Mark with his alarm clock, these mundane tasks help bring the player into the character’s world. This becomes important later when the story begins to develop in more surprising ways. Still, don’t expect a lot of rewarding platforming or combat. Until Then is a visual novel, after all. For the player with a lot of time, there are a ton of optional interactions with NPCs and the environment. 

Move It Along

I have a couple of minor gripes about Until Then’s narrative mechanics. First, the game is too long by a couple of hours. I think this excess mostly comes from dialogue and texts that simply drag on a bit past their points of interest. There were a few times in the opening hours when I really wanted to move the story along. But then a new character or story development hooked me back in. 

Until Then has a retro, pixel art style that’s colorful and inviting. It took me a while to warm up to it, to be honest. I’m just a little tired of the aesthetic. However, the art is much more expressive and sophisticated than I originally gave it credit for, and the use of depth and detail kept the visuals interesting. There’s just enough visual information to portray emotion, and in this case, the reference to games fits the story naturally. The cities and countryside of the Philippines form a visually and culturally unique backdrop that integrates into the story without ever feeling artificial. 

Sound On

Any game without spoken dialogue depends that much more on sound design and music. Mark is a budding — if inconsistent — pianist, and his attitudes towards practice and music reflect larger emotional moments. Both Until Then’s musical score and diegetic music are well done and varied with the shifting moods of the story. The sounds of the environment, city noises, and nature are carefully crafted.

My feelings about Until Then evolved the longer I played. What at first seemed like a slow-paced visual novel with retro graphics gradually began to reveal itself as something much more sophisticated. Excellent character development and a surprising, emotionally varied narrative are at the heart of Until Then, but its storytelling mechanics are fresh and contemporary, too. Mark and his gang have interesting stories to tell, and so does Until Then.

***PC code provided by the publisher for review***

The post Until Then Review – Teen Angst and Deep Mysteries appeared first on COGconnected.

Here’s the trouble with Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD: there’s a lot more downtime than I can handle. I love the aesthetic, the core mechanics, and the premise. On the other hand, you spend way, way too much time poking around dingy rooms on a pixel hunt. Sucking up every scrap of cloth, every loose bit of wallpaper, on the off-chance it becomes something? Absolutely not. Fighting ghosts is awesome, but looking for those ghosts is a major drag.

Your premise is simple enough. Luigi has been dragged into service once again by Professor E. Gadd. Some malicious spirits have shattered the Dark Moon, and you’ve got to re-assemble it. We’re pretty light on story, and that’s totally fine. A short pitch means more room to explore mechanics and design. And to be fair, the nuts and bolts are properly slick. You’re given new skills, new tech, and new ways to hunt down ghosts. The movement and combat systems feel smooth and seamless. Except for the right stick, and it seems like your spectral buddies are pretty forgiving in response. I only wish things weren’t chopped up so aggressively.

I dug into the mission system in more detail in the preview, which you can check out here. To be brief, I can’t stand it. Less brief, slicing things into missions dramatically increases how many cutscenes and loading bars you have to smash through and/or hide. For every 10-20 minutes of gameplay, we get a pixelation sequence. There’s also a mission briefing, a victory dance, a ghost deposit scene, and the mission select segment. All of this doesn’t add up to that much time, but! The missions themselves also feel somewhat padded.

Too Much Between Missions

It turns out I have no patience for pixel hunts. Luigi’s Mansion 2 involves poring carefully over every inch of a map, hitting every surface with every ability, and doing tons of backtracking. All of that saps my life force immediately. At first I didn’t mind, mostly because you don’t do too much of it per mission. But it gets worse as you go on. Soon missions were 40-minute affairs. I was doing laps all over the map, combing each spot to see what I’d missed. The regular ghost fights became rote, though the boss battles still felt creative.

Although, honestly? There’s a lot of waiting in the boss fights. You wait for the ghost to pop its head up, stand around while it reacts to your attacks, and wait for the cycle to repeat. The rest of the time you’re dodging, or maybe just patiently memorizing the pattern. In that sense, the boss fights are a great microcosm for the frustrating pacing of the whole game. It is satisfying to figure out their gimmicks, though.

Sweet Spooky Vibes

I wish Luigi’s Mansion 2 lived up to the promise of its aesthetic. The spooky mansions are crammed with detail. Cobwebs camp out in every corner, flickering candles line the halls. The walls are dotted with rotten neglect and secret passages. The rich carpets, elegant furniture, and vintage design speak of a vibrant history untold. Each stage has an ominous yet approachable vibe. This game looks amazing and feels exhausting. And then there are the stairs.

Said stairs are in world two. It’s important to me that you know how awful they are. The final boss of world two is guarded by a gigantic staircase. There is no reliable strategy for quickly surmounting this specific obstacle. It’s just a long, exhausting slog. It’s technically a puzzle, but one that feels more cruel than clever. Honestly, it’s a wonder that I got to world three at all. I tried every strategy that I could, every trick in my toolkit. What I need you to understand is that they did not help in any substantial way. I hate those stairs so much.

Those Stairs Are The Worst

Hunting ghosts with a vacuum cleaner is a rad premise. The aesthetic is perfectly suited for this idea. Every mansion looks and feels distinct. But all of this falls apart for me in the execution. Not at first, and not all at once, either. But I slowly realized that Luigi’s Mansion is built around wasting your time. The mission structure puts roadblocks between you and the action. Each world is chopped into half a dozen trips to the same map. And you spend so much time backtracking, pixel-hunting, and getting lost that it’s baffling. I recognize that game criticism is a subjective art, that my opinion might be unusual. But I simply can’t summon the obsessive patience and persistence that this game consistently requires. Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is a frenetic, atmospheric ghost hunt that’s been sliced and stacked into something safe, digestible, and slow.

***A Nintendo Switch code was provided by the publisher***

The post Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD Review – Ghostly Gig Work appeared first on COGconnected.

Boris, the solo developer of Flocons Studio and publisher JanduSoft has announced the release date for their upcoming title, Prune & Milo. It will be available on Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on 11 July. Furthermore, Xbox users can pre-order the game a week before the official launch, so keep an eye out as well.

Prune & Milo is a charming 2D turn-based puzzle game. Players will join this awesome brother and sister duo on an enchanting journey during their vacation. Their adventure began when Milo accidentally fell into a mysterious cave. Soon after, Prune joins in and together they must navigate the puzzles in the cave, unravel its secrets, and prevent the end of the world as Christopher the Wise Owl forewarned.

The game offers an unforgettable experience with over 70 levels of turn-based puzzles with unique mechanics. You will travel across three different worlds, and encounter quirky characters while solving complex puzzles on the way.

Key features:

– Turn-based puzzle game: Strategically plan your moves and solve puzzles at your own pace.
– Three unique worlds: Explore diverse environments, each with its own challenges.
– 70+ levels: Engage in various puzzles with different mechanics in every world.
– Two playable characters: Switch between Prune and Milo to utilize their unique abilities.

Are you ready to immerse yourself in a vibrant pixel-art adventure, brimming with secrets, dangers, and unusual characters?

SOURCE

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The Dutch indie game developers Ewoud and Nils have finally announced the release date for their award-winning platformer, SCHiM. This awesome game will be coming out on 18 July on Steam Steam, Xbox One/Series X|S, PlayStation 4/5, and Nintendo Switch. The standard price will be $24.99, but it will vary according to the region.

The game enjoyed huge success in the Steam Next Fest, surpassing 200k Wishlists and with over 50k players trying the demo out. Rock Paper Shotgun praised the demo, calling it “pretty froggin’ delightful!”. Even IGN Benelux highlighted it, stating, “After playing SCHiM for only half an hour, I already realised it’s a very special game.”

SCHiM is a charming indie platformer about helping a lost shadow find its way back to its human by jumping from shadow to shadow. The game takes elements of light, shadow, and animation, and then adds them to the awesome 3D platformer gameplay, offering a unique take on the genre.

Here are some key features:

– Unique 3D platforming through shadows.
– Animated shadow platforms and environments.
– Each level has its scenery with small stories.
– A story of a person losing their shadow.
– A beautiful abstract world.

The free demo version is still available on Steam for everyone to get a first-hand experience. Nintendo Switch users can already pre-order the game on the Nintendo eShop.

SOURCE

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After rolling to success on the Gamecube, Super Monkey Ball has struggled to recapture the same magic with its sequels. Building on the success of remakes and remasters, Sega is now bringing the beloved apes back for their first new release in 12 years. Developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku, Banana Rumble looks to revitalize the series with new mechanics to enhance gameplay and crank up the chaos for its multiplayer modes. With its commitment to authentic modernization, will the game manage to recapture the hearts of long-time fans and attract a new generation of players?

With fully animated cutscenes and a brand new character, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble’s Adventure Mode follows the team as they join forces to find the Legendary Banana. Scenes bookend each world to ensure the narrative stays prominent throughout. While the story is basic and not the main focus for players, it’s nice to see the effort that Ryu Ga Gotoku has gone to in order to create a comprehensive tale. This helps to add context for your trip to strange and wonderful worlds as you venture through mazes and collect bananas along the way.

Rolling Towards Victory

Each stage challenges you to avoid obstacles while trying to stay on the platform and veer towards the goal. Although your objective is to reach the end, there are additional missions such as collecting all the bananas, completing the level within a particular time limit and grabbing the golden banana. Completing all of these in one go is impossible, which gives the incentive to replay stages. The difficulty steadily increases as the worlds become more varied adding new mechanics to challenge your wits and skill. Each zone includes a gimmick that helps to distinguish it from others. With buttons to control platforms, invisible surfaces and much more, the latest entry in the franchise features some of the best courses in the history of the series.

Courses are designed to suit a range of playstyles. If you strive to find shortcuts and slingshot across the map in one manoeuvre then you’re in luck. After completing each world, you unlock a time trial mode so that you can post your fastest time. It’s a thrill to try to reach the end as quickly as possible as you’ll need to experiment with the game’s physics and work out the optimal speed and areas to bounce in order to reach your destination. However, if that’s not your forte and you prefer a steady stroll to the finish, then assist options are available. These include checkpoints, guides and rewind features which will help you cross the line on courses you’re struggling with. As Monkey Ball can get a little frustrating, it’s great to see a feature added that supports you with the process and ultimately makes the game more accessible.

Going Bananas

After completing the campaign, you unlock EX versions of each world. These are not just small alterations, they are effectively a brand new challenging campaign. Paths are narrow, gaps are larger and you will need adept control to keep your Monkey safe. The learning curve is extremely well designed as by the end, you’ll understand how to control your ape at pivotal points. In fact, each character has specific attributes which may be more beneficial for certain maps. Towards the later levels, I found myself switching between characters to find the most suitable primate for the job.

The series has experimented with new mechanics to add variety. While most have failed, the Spin Dash works perfectly. If you hold down the button, you can boost across the terrain, allowing you to leap towards shortcuts and reach elevated areas. Combined with the intuitive controls, this allows you to experiment on every course, making it a joy to discover the quickest route from A to B.

Monkeying Around

While the single-player portion is a resounding success, the multiplayer elements fail to capture the frantic fun of the originals. Race is a staple of the series and its implementation is similar to previous iterations. You must speed your way around the course to achieve the best time. Banana Hunt is a chase to get the most fruit in the designated time limit and Robot Smash sees you work with others to destroy the most robots. The two stand-out modes are Ba-Boom where you chase or run away from players with explosives and Gold Rush, where you roll down a course toward the highest gate. While enjoyable, the activities maintain a similar pace. In previous entries, games like Target added a chilled, serene aspect which is missing from this release. In addition, the frame rate drops with the multiplayer element making it feel sluggish.

The signature cute design is in full swing with brightly colored environments and its adorable cast. The game goes a step further as you can purchase costume items to dress up your monkey so that you can style your way through each course. Although the overall presentation sticks firmly to its roots, it manages to deliver a strong aesthetic that blends classic charm with modern vibrancy.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is the return to form that fans have been waiting for. Courses develop in their complexity in order to create the best single-player campaign since the sophomore release. While the multiplayer portion includes new minigames, it struggles to maintain the same level of engagement and longevity as the originals. Despite that, the dedication to improving the franchise’s gameplay mechanics ensures it’s a significant addition for both longtime fans and newcomers alike.

***A Nintendo Switch code provided by the publisher for review***

The post Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble Review – Balls to the Wall appeared first on COGconnected.

The Brazilian indie studio Wired Games has announced that Frogue is coming out on consoles on 27 June 2024. It will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. For those eager to try this stylish turn-based action platformer, the game is already out on PC, so make sure to check it out.

Frogue is a stylish 2D turn-base action platformer with roguelike, bullet hell, and time manipulation elements. It is the fifth game from developer Thiago Oliveira, the independent solo developer behind Wired Dreams Studio. It is the fourth game published for consoles in partnership with QUByte Interactive.

In the game, you will step inside the shoes of a brave frog and dash through your enemies. You can even freeze time and throw your sword to solve every obstacle in your way. Every stage demands agility and precision in every move. The character can stick to walls and use special powers as well, giving the game a three-dimensional feel. It also opens up many possibilities for coming up with a solution to any challenge.

Take a look at the official release date announcement trailer below to get a glimpse of the gameplay.

SOURCE

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Get ready for an epic adventure across the universe! Developer ImaginationOverflow has officially released their space rogue-like title, Stellar Interface on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The game is also available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC as well. So, make sure to check it out.

Stellar Interface is a 2D rogue-like space shooter where you ride and spacecraft and take down your enemies. Traverse through a randomly generated galaxy, discover new perks, shop in merchants, unlock more spacecraft, and more. You can also collect StellarNetES Cartridges, and checkmark your kills of the various galactic overlords while dying hundreds of times.

Here are some key features:

– Rogue-like Elements: With a randomly generated universe and randomized perks, no journey will ever be the same.

– Synergistic Perk System: Over 100 perks and consumables! Look out for the synergistic nature of the perks

– Galactic Bounties: ​​Complete over 100 missions to participate in the StellarNET Entertainment System lottery.

– Customize Your Start: Choose your spacecraft: there is one for every playstyle, as they have unique starting perks.

– Unlock Spacecrafts, View Your Progress: Check out your accomplishments in our in-game encyclopedia StellarNET. Unlock the spacecraft, and kill all the bosses to progress in StellarNET’s kill table.

– Explore the Universe: Some levels are more special than others: Merchants, Bosses, Spacecraft Factories.

– Controller Support: Plug-and-play with any controller!

SOURCE

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We have exciting news for everyone! Ukiyo studio has unveiled a short teaser of their first project titled Transhumance on transhumance.site. So, get ready for an epic adventure as you guide a flock of ewes and discover many magnificent landscapes. The game will be coming out on all the major platforms, so stay tuned for more updates. In the meantime, check out the teaser below to take a sneak peek of the game.

Transhumance is a narrative, poetic, and contemplative game in which you have to lead a herd of ewes during transhumance. It is the periodic migrations between winter pastures on the plains and summer pastures in the mountains. The route is purely fictional, though it draws inspiration from paths taken by shepherds in southern France, between Provence and the Alps.

You will be accompanied by one or more dogs to guide the sheep and direct them. These dogs can evolve and improve as well. The more experience the dogs get, the easier it will become to lead the flock. This is the main gameplay element: Controlling the dogs efficiently to guide the herd to its destination on time and in health.

Here are some key features:

– A poetic and original theme: the transhumance, listed as a world cultural heritage.
– Unique gameplay: lead dogs, with different characters, to move the herd with the constraints of a transhumance.
– Discover the mountain ecosystem with realistic and changing weather.
– Raising awareness of several related ecological issues: global warming, reintroduction of wolves and bears, human impact, etc.
– A strong narrative linked to grief, solitude, freedom, the mountains, their inhabitants, and their mysteries…
– It’s also a game that lets you contemplate nature, stroke your dog, talk to your sheep, and photograph marmots!

SOURCE

The post Transhumance Has Unveiled Its First Teaser appeared first on COGconnected.

School is out! Which makes it a perfect time to go to Hogwart’s Legacy. It is COGconnected’s duty, and and joy, to gather the hottest game deals into this one article to help you out. Here is a potpourri of games to play.  Here’s a mix of games you may be interested in – Hogwart’s Legacy leads the charge for Potterheads. But fear not for the rest of the you. There are some other great franchises to choose from – Miles Morales, God of War and an old standby – The Master Chief himself!  Hopefully, there will be a game or two that will pique your interest. 

Unicorn Overlord – $49.96 (Save 38%)

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch) – $70.00 (Save 12%)

Hogwarts Legacy – Nintendo Switch – $49.96 (Save 23%)

Just Dance 2024 Edition – Nintendo Switch – $39.99 (Save 50%)

Hogwarts Legacy: Digital Deluxe Edition – PlayStation 5 – $44.99 (Save 55%)

Dead Space PlayStation 5 – $39.96 (Save 11%)

God of War (PC) – $32.57 (Save 50%)

Cyberpunk 2077 (PC) – $17.49 (Save 65%)

HALO: THE MASTER CHIEF COLLECTION (PC) – $12.49 (Save 75%)

Did you grab some sales this weekend? Let us know in the comments below. If you’re looking for some hardware deals we’ve found some great steals available too right here!

Thank you for keeping it locked on COGconnected.

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