Top Audiences Last Week!

Who fought their way onto the list this week?!

Indonesia

USA

Netherlands

Hong Kong
Germany
France
China
United Kingdom
Ukraine
Australia

Japan, Brazil, and Canada... came close!

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First 30: Dead Cells

 

DESCRIPTION

Roguelite? Metroidvania? Roguevania!
You grew up with the roguelikes, witnessed the rise of the roguelites and even the birth of the roguelite-lites? We'd now like to present for your consideration our RogueVania, the illegitimate child of a modern Roguelite ( Rogue Legacy, Binding of Isaac, Enter the Gungeon, Spelunky, etc.) and an old-school MetroidVania ( Castlevania: SotN and its ilk).

Features:

• RogueVania: The progressive exploration of an interconnected world, with the replayability of a rogue-lite and the adrenaline-pumping threat of permadeath.
  
• 2D Souls-lite Action: Tough but fair combat, more than fifty weapons and spells with unique gameplay, and of course, the emergency panic roll to get you out of trouble.
  
• Nonlinear progression: Sewers, Ossuary or Remparts? Once unlocked, special permanent abilities allow you to access new paths to reach your objective. Opt for the path that suits your current build, your play style or just your mood.
  
• Exploration: Secret rooms, hidden passages, charming landscapes. Take a moment to stroll the towers and breath in that fresh sea mist-infused air...

Interconnected levels and progressive unlocking of access to the island provides you with a real incentive to explore your surroundings. Add in a degree of evolution for your character and permanent weapon upgrades and you can see where Dead Cells borrows from the long line of MetroidVanias that precede it.

At the end of the day though, it’s YOUR skills as a player that matter most! Roguelites are about constantly getting better, until what was an insurmountable obstacle becomes a walk in the park. Unforgiving combat wed to the absence of any kind of safety net makes for an adrenalin-pumping ride each and every run and unrivaled replayability.

PC/Mac/Linux + Nintendo

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SdgtEnt Mask Up Mondays: Muse Dash - ANK feat Kumako

 

Close one.

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Top Audiences Last Week + Curse of the Dead Gods x Dead Cells Crossover Event!

 

Who fought their way onto the list this week?!

Indonesia (way to go)

USA

Hong Kong

Netherlands
Romania
Germany
United Kingdom
Ukraine
France
China

Japan, Australia, and Canada... came close!

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PARIS -- April 7, 2021 -- Focus Home Interactive and Passtech Games have partnered with Motion Twin and Evil Empire for “Curse of the Dead Cells,” a new crossover event featuring the smash-hit indie roguelikes Curse of the Dead Gods and Dead Cells. On April 14, players will be able to download a free update for Curse of the Dead Gods on PlayStation®4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC featuring special new content inspired by Dead Cells.

Curse of the Dead Cells Screens: 

Here’s what surprises Dead Cells fans can discover in Curse of the Dead Gods when the new event kicks off next week:

• New Curse — Curse of the Headless: Players will move faster but take more damage, with a visual twist emblematic of Dead Cells’ main character.
• Three New Weapons: The Sword of Conjunctivitis, the Broadsword of the Knight, and the Crossbow of the Condemned.
• New Challenge Room that can be found during runs featuring a Dead Cells Cursed Chest, a special challenge and a rare weapon.

The update will also include other new content for Curse of the Dead Gods players, including a new two-handed weapon style and an additional Curse.

          

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Xencelabs Quick Keys Remote... Reviewed!

Many thanks to Xencelabs for sending over this product for a review. My opinions are my own. That said, let's jump in... after this quick unboxing.

Look who finally arrived to the party! The Xencelabs Quick Keys Remote showed up ready for some plus-one action to compliment the Xencelabs Pen Tablet! Is it useful? Let's find out!

Build: Like the tablet, I want to start off with the build. Right off the bat the first thing I notice when I held this remote in my hand was that... it's definitely solid (weighing in at 5.3oz exactly). The pen case weighs 3.5oz more... but it houses several things including the rubber grip that holds those items.

The same material can be found on the quick keys remote + its underbelly, and I appreciate that. It's not a variety of materials to try and break the mold, the product design does that. I likes, and I will get back to the underbelly in the next section.

The build also includes the physical dial with a dip to better spin it on top + the grip around the dial, it feels great and it doesn't have that loose feeling. I really like how it feels, its quality. There is also a button in the middle of the dial to change modes, which leaves no second guesses on whether it was pressed or not because it's nice and clicky. 

There is also an outer ring that changes different colors around the dial. The LED ring isn't just there to look pretty... even if it's eye-catching, but I will also get back to this in the next section.

The build also includes... the Quick Keys buttons (duh of the day), and a SET button on the face of the remote which have a lighter click (they also have bumps and dips on certain buttons). Outside of the other things on the face of the remote, I had to save the best for last, which is the OLED display (baby)!

Looking at the competing remotes, I have no problem with them... they are what they are and I'm sure members of the Xencelabs team had a hand in making a few of them (as veterans of the industry), but this is the first I saw with a display. Thoughts to be continued in the next section!

The head of the remote has a USB-C connector, while at the foot of the remote you have the Power button, the Power indicator + the Connection indicator. I can't ignore what's to the left of the remote either, which is the Kensington Nano Lock slot, so not only will you be able to secure your tablet but... also the remote. Something else you're able to see on the sides of the remote are the dips that run down the side, which allow for it to be held better.

Usefulness: I had to include this section in the review, especially for those of you considering the Xencelabs Quick Keys Remote as an add-on. This is my very first time using a shortcut remote with any tablet... so I had to get adjusted to using one. I'm still getting adjusted to it, but mainly in terms of remembering my settings... and deciding ultimately on what my settings will be.

I would generally just bounce from option to option in a software's toolbar as I create, but this truly eliminates that once you know what to do. 

Another Duh of the day: This decreases production time once you get the hang of it. It's like having dual analogs on a game controller, you can use one, but... It's so much better with two. Having the ability to zoom, rotate, undo, redo, and so on... with your other hand while working your Xencelabs thin pen or 3 button pen with the other, just feels... right.

Going back to the underbelly of the remote, I like that it has that full rubber grip... because it prevents the product from slipping while trying to use it. It also works as a nice grip when holding the remote in your hand (think of a cellphone case that gives you a better grip on your phone)... which allows you to easily spin the dial with your thumb and press the buttons. The dips you see running alongside the grip not only match the tablet's design but also increases the grip on the remote.

The buttons seen above can be easily identified once you get adjusted to the way they feel and what settings you've set. They all don't have the same bumps and dips, which is great, so you can identify them based on the way they feel versus looking at the screen when it isn't needed. That's not to say that the screen would be neglected because you have 8 keys with 5 different sets per key, so you will need to check out the screen which you switch things up from set to set (using the SET button).

By the way, that LED ring is sweet because it looks nice but it's not simply a cosmetic touch. The LED ring let's you know which mode the physical dial is on, and those colors are decided by you... as seen in the Xencelabs Quick Keys Remote UI.

I say all that to say... it's comfy, and the OLED display eliminates guessing games. By the way, I haven't charged the remote since the initial charge (you'll find out why in the next section).

By the way, I appreciate that all the products are under one digital roof.

In the Box + Specs: The Xencelabs Quick Keys Remote includes the following:

Max Programmable Shortcuts: 40 shortcut key options available

Hours per charge: 25 - 53 hours (1.5 hour charge time)

Display: OLED Display (text displayable vertically and horizontally)

Dial: Up to 4

Connectivity: Wireless or USB-C

Limited warranty: 2 Years

I wanted to include what you can expect in the box... since yours will be in a box:

Xencelabs Quick Keys

Dongle

USB-C cable L / USB-A to USB-C Right Angle 9- Degree

Carrying Case

Quick Start Guide

Warranty Booklet

Price: The Xencelabs Quick Keys Remote comes in at $89.99, which is a damn good price. This is a professional art tool equipped with an OLED display, on top of the other kick-ass features that decrease productivity. I don't want to hate on the other options out there (I don't), but I don't want the guessing games either... when I can actually see the quick key. Time is money, so having such a thing that you can also with a lock + a 2-year warranty, I call it a win.

Before I forget, you can bundle up and get the Xencelabs Pen Tablet (Medium) Bundle because... that comes with the Quick Keys Remote. I'm including this because with everything included in the bundle, it's still lower in price than the Wacom Intuos Pro (Medium)... so I hope this gives you a more informed decision.

Build 5

Usefulness 5

In the Box + Specs 5

Price 5

5 out of 5 Cool Points

Check out our review of the Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium here:

https://sdgtent.sdgtstudio.com/2021/03/xencelabs-pen-tablet-medium-reviewed.html

For more information on the Xencelabs Quick Keys Remote, check out: https://www.xencelabs.com/

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FTS: Gearbox Entertainment X Embracer Group

Embracer Group and The Gearbox Entertainment Company Successfully Complete Merger

 

FRISCO, Texas (April 6, 2021) – The Gearbox Entertainment Company and Embracer Group announced today that they successfully closed on their up to $1.3 billion merger agreement. Embracer and Gearbox announced in February of 2021 their intention to merge. With this, Gearbox Entertainment is the seventh operating group in the Karlstad, Sweden-headquartered Embracer Group, which has an extensive catalog of more than 240 franchises and more than 7,000 employees around the world. The merger fuels positions Gearbox for rapid growth with its robust IP catalog, AAA development studios, and North American publishing capabilities. 

 

“Our team is incredibly excited about the opportunity we now have,” said Randy Pitchford, founder of The Gearbox Entertainment Company. “Far from riding off into the sunset, we are now positioned to launch new IP, do more with our existing brands, grow our base of incredibly talented team members, and capitalize on new opportunities in our mission to entertain the world. This just the start."

 

With its 550 team members in Frisco, Texas, and Quebec City, Gearbox Entertainment is best known for its critically and commercially successful Borderlands and Brothers in Arms franchises and the development of award-winning, best-selling games in the Half-Life, Counter-Strike, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, 007 James Bond, and Halo franchises.   

 

“This was the largest merger that Embracer has undertaken. I am grateful to Randy and his entire team for their enthusiasm, creativity, and vision, says Lars Wingefors, founder and CEO of Embracer Group. "We are confident in Gearbox's long-term future within Embracer Group."

 

Juno Capital Partners and Union Square Advisors LLC acted as M&A and financial advisors to Gearbox on this transaction and Fenwick & West acted as legal counsel.

 

About The Gearbox Entertainment Company

The Gearbox Entertainment Company, LLC is an award-winning, independent creator and distributor of transmedia entertainment for people around the world. Gearbox Entertainment develops and publishes products through its subsidiaries, Gearbox Software and Gearbox Publishing. Gearbox Entertainment has become widely known for successful game franchises including Brothers in Arms and Borderlands, as well as acquired properties Duke Nukem and Homeworld, which it distributes across the world. Gearbox Software is an award-winning, independent developer of interactive entertainment based in Frisco, Texas. It was founded in 1999 by game industry veterans, and its first release was Half-Life: Opposing Force. Gearbox Publishing was established in 2016 with the goal of helping developers around the world bring their products to market while retaining their unique creative visions. More information can be found at www.GearboxSoftware.com.

- D. Hewitt

This is the first time I've ever heard of Embracer, but it's behind a lot of recognizable games. I like games in their catalog but some completely sucked, so I hope this is good news for Gearbox and not the deathblow. We know how big wigs can affect games, but if they increase or maintain quality then this will pay off.

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SdgtEnt Mask Up Mondays: Muse Dash - Best One feat. Tooko

As mentioned last week, I'm now going hard!

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