Sclash: Don't underestimate this 2D Samurai fighting game + the First 30!

 

Slice Into Sclash - The Tense 2D Samurai Fighter Available Now

PC Version Also Gets New Sakura DLC Today in This Unique Hand-Drawn Fighter

Console players can now experience the exhilarating tension of samurai duels, as the critically acclaimed 2D fighting game Sclash slashes its way onto Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S! Developed by Bevel Bakery and published by Maximum Entertainment and Abiding Bridge, Sclash brings the art of sword combat to life with gorgeous hand-drawn characters battling across stunningly painted environments.

In Sclash, a single well-timed strike can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Players must carefully manage their stamina and breathing while sizing up opponents, looking for the perfect opening to unleash a deadly blow. With an intuitive yet supremely skill-testing combat system, Sclash captures the patient lethality and solemn drama of traditional samurai duels.

"We wanted to recreate the intense psychological warfare and surgical precision of real sword fighting in a way that was both accessible and endlessly rewarding to master," said Yuki Morimoto, lead developer at Bevel Bakery. "Sclash's deceptively simple controls belie an incredibly deep combat system that forces you to be hyper aware of everything from your spacing to your breath control."

Fun fact: Our dojo was split between karateka like myself... who were learning Uechi Ryu, and the other half were Kendo & Iaido. So while we were empty handed, they had (wooden) swords outside of certain occassions where non-battle ready blades came out for demonstration. Good times. -  Blu 

While the game may seem minimalist on the surface, players can take their skills online and duke it out against other samurai masters from around the world. There's also an immersive story mode that fleshes out the conflict between the warring Aki and Natsu clans through the lens of Japanese culture and history.

Perhaps Sclash's most stunning feature, though, is the breathtaking hand-drawn visual style that brings the characters and environments to life. Each of the 5 playable samurai characters and their 50+ unlockable skins has been painstakingly animated frame-by-frame, while the 16 battleground stages look like living Japanese ink-brush paintings. It's a real feast for the eyes.

The storymode is badass. Really look at the environment when you're in the heat of battle (especially the boss battles) and remind yourself that it's... hand drawn. I have to share this one with my Renshi, and i'm sure our Kyoshi would've been impressed. HAJIME! -  Blu 

To celebrate the console launch, Maximum Entertainment is also releasing the "Sakura" DLC for the existing PC version of Sclash today. This new add-on content includes two new customization items inspired by the iconic Japanese cherry blossom imagery.

Since first releasing on PC back in August 2023, Sclash has cultivated a passionate following among fighting game enthusiasts who appreciated its unique spin on the genre's fundamentals. With its easy-to-learn but insanely difficult-to-master mechanics and stunning visual style, it quickly established itself as an under-the-radar gem.

Now, with Sclash finally making the leap to consoles, an even wider audience can discover the unparalleled tension and exquisite artistry of this new take on samurai sword-fighting games. Grab your controller of choice, steady your breath, and prepare to put your focus and reflexes to the ultimate test against worthy foes. Just don't blink, or it may be Sclashed!

If it were me, I'd hold game tournaments at dojos, but... that's just me. HAJIME! -  Blu 

Sophima

 + Blu 

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First 30: Trek To Yomi

TREK TO YOMI

As a vow to his dying Master, the young swordsman Hiroki is sworn to protect his town and the people he loves against all threats. Faced with tragedy and bound to duty, the lone samurai must voyage beyond life and death to confront himself and decide his path forward.

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Will Nintendo Switch Sports Be A Game Changer? It's Safe To Assume It Will Be!

 

Before I wrote about this, I had to discuss it with a few people... and I got more people to agree with me than not, but even those who disagreed eventually agreed also. So outside of my healthy dose of W's for the day... I wanted to share my thoughts about why the Nintendo Switch Sports game would be a game-changer.

The biggest duh of the day as to why it will be a game-changer is... it's the Wii Sports successor. This is a game Nintendo was holding on to until the time was right and that time will be April 29, 2022. I think this launch date aligns perfectly with the seasons of Spring + Summer so that when the kids are out of school they have something they can game together on in person or online with family + friends!

I know people still playing Wii Sports, so you already know how this might go when a prettier shiner funtastic looking successor pops up... it's gon' be on like Donkey Kong. You have new sports to play, but Nintendo didn't take the boneheaded approach to this... they brought some of the best ones along for the ride.

In Nintendo Switch Sports you can expect new additions like...Volleyball + Badminton (although I don't know how I feel about this one) when it could've been Basketball (like in Wii Sports Resort), Football, or even Hockey. I say that because beloved Tennis is already in the game, I have nothing against Badminton, but... consider the games people are really going to play and be different enough to have enough fans in those online sessions. I don't want Badminton getting neglected because Tennis is in the game, that's the only one I feel was just thrown in there (in my opinion).

Anyway, there is also Chambara which should put a smile on the faces of those training in Kendo & Iaido. Fun fact: I was in a Dojo where we were side by side with Kendo & Iaido students... so you could imagine the yelling while we were training in Uechi Ryu (Karate-Do). Fun times!

There is also the return of bowling, which is another beloved game from Wii Sports, but this time around you can play side by side with friends, family, and others online in different lanes (woot woot). The game looks great, they have it set up in a vibrant city-like area and if you look at the map, it looks like there might be some more sports in store... because there will be more (like one of my faves, which is Golf in Fall 2022). 

Nintendo Switch Sports golf tournaments would be sweeeeeetttt! Oh yeah... Survival Bowling should prove to be very interesting and should allow 20+ bowlers to lace up and... strike out the competition. Get it? #DadJokes people!

Soccer is also on deck, and I'm saving this one for last because... I wanted to point out an obvious similarity to another game. Nintendo Switch Sports has Rocket League written all over it, it doesn't matter if Nintendo denies this or not... it looks like a soccer game built from the Rocket League engine or something (from what I saw). That's not to say the game is bad, and if Rocket League developers have no objectives... neighbor do I, but either way, it should be fun..., especially with family and friends on the field.

Instead of these characters with the Rayman hands on deck, you have characters with arms this time around and the features have a lot more depth.

The few people who pushed back about why I felt that Nintendo Switch Sports would rock, all comments on the fact that Nintendo Switch is handheld. Know your tech! The Nintendo Switch has the name it has because you can switch from handheld gaming to console gaming on the telly... so you will be able to play the game on your TV in high resolution and continue your enjoyment of digital sports from 2022 and... beyond! Wii Sports brought new gamers into the fold, and I look forward to that trend continuing with its successor.

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SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE

This is the second coming of... Tenchu. I'm sure of it. - Blu

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Pre-order and receive a Digital Artbook and Digital Mini Soundtrack upon the game's release.*

Winner of “Best of gamescom” and “Best Action Game” at gamescom 2018, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the next adventure from developer FromSoftware, creators of Bloodborne and the Dark Souls series. Carve your own clever path to vengeance in an all-new adventure from developer FromSoftware, creators of the Dark Souls series.

In Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice you are the "one-armed wolf", a disgraced and disfigured warrior rescued from the brink of death. Bound to protect a young lord who is the descendant of an ancient bloodline, you become the target of many vicious enemies, including the dangerous Ashina clan. When the young lord is captured, nothing will stop you on a perilous quest to regain your honor, not even death itself.

Explore late 1500s Sengoku Japan, a brutal period of constant life and death conflict, as you come face to face with larger than life foes in a dark and twisted world. Unleash an arsenal of deadly prosthetic tools and powerful ninja abilities while you blend stealth, vertical traversal, and visceral head to head combat in a bloody confrontation.

Take Revenge. Restore your honor. Kill Ingeniously.

游戏开始！

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