Just when I thought I'd be able to play as Blade... we get the announcement that the Midnight Suns has been delayed. It's less than a year away when you think about it, as long as they keep it that way.
Take-Two Interactive delayed the game into its next fiscal year as part of its second-quarter earnings release. While it's safe to jump and say that it's about the money, Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick said the game required more development time.
He told GameIndustry.biz that "In this instance, there was more work to be done to make sure we deliver the best possible title," Zelnick said. He went on to say, "Our Standards are very high, and we don't take delays lightly. We always want to deliver the highest quality entertainment experiences...".
While it's a bummer to hear, it's bittersweet because it's going to be released in due time, and if they stand true to their word... we should be expecting a kick-ass game. Covid-19 did come up as a potential factor, which is something to think about when it comes to all developments, because they may find it easier to get into the studio and grind it out together versus separately. It's doable, but we don't know what the individual challenges are... which could also be a low morale type of thing.
Anyway, we shall see how things work out... and it had better be in the favor of gamers.
"They Always Run": The single-player 2-D platformer + space western.
Developed and Published by Alawar Premium
Released October 20th, 2021
Story:"They Always Run" is a single-player 2-D platformer with space and western themes Developed and published by Alawar Premium. You play as Aidan, a 3-armed mutant bounty hunter. As a bounty hunter you will be rewarded with not only money but also information that leads you down a rabbit hole of a galaxy-wide conspiracy!
Gameplay:The game does a great job of introducing you to the many controls that will be used as a 3 armed bounty hunter. While I'm not the best at fighting, navigation was a breeze in the game and oh so smooth. I had so much fun zooming through the levels. I did struggle with remembering how to parry and dodge a lot, along with frequently dying at the hands of gunmen. However, the quick re-spawn and the nearest check-point and no live count kept me going and trying, again and again, to get to the next checkpoint.
If you're looking for a breeze of a game, this isn't it, but if you're into challenges and have nostalgia for Samus and her Metroid games, you may have found a gem here.
Replay Value + Visuals:I love pixel art, so it was already a plus in my book. The game is visually pleasing and I found myself thinking how well done and pretty they made the animation of blood spewing from my foes.
Price:The purchase price of $19.99 is great for those who love 2-D platformers and generally the way indie titles are priced. I would say as a gamer, I wouldn't bat an eye at dropping cash for a game like this.
"They Always Run", is now available on Gog.com, Steam, and Epic Games!
To see which characters have made the biggest impression on Gen Z, We surveyed 1,800 Americans ages 16-24 and found that while 83% of Gen Z can identify Sonic the Hedgehog, only 67% recognize Bill Gates.
Interesting Findings:
85% of Gen Z can identify Pikachu, making him the most recognizable video game character.
Gen Z correctly identified video game characters at an average rate of 80%, but only identified public figures with 56% accuracy.
Lara Croft trailed the whole group of most recognizable video game characters at 66%—perhaps because the player point of view shows the back of her head.
Just 40% of Gen Z recognize Zoe Saldana, despite her Marvel Universe credits and status as one of the top-grossing actors of all time. - Hilary J.
Story: The official description for this game's story is: Rainbow Billy tells a universal coming of age story about dealing with changes in the world and accepting ourselves and the others around us! Sometimes it only takes a conversation, empathy, and a new point of view to make a world of difference. - Skybound Games
I wanted to list the actual description of the game for the parents out there. It's a really awesome story that adults could even benefit from... because there are countless people in the world who have no idea how to speak to others. It's actually a game that can speak to gamers on both sides of the coin, and I don't believe that anyone is one way all the time... because seasons, situations, and moods... change. The Leviathan stripped away the vibrant joy of the world because of something caused by Rainbow Billy, and so... Rainbow Billy and his friends band together on a 2.5D Puzzle-Platforming (taking a breath) RPG-Infused-Adventure to undo the curse of the Leviathan.
Gameplay:When it comes to Rainbow Billy: The Curse Of The Leviathan's gameplay, I really appreciate It (I know it sounds weird, but hear me out). I haven't completed the game in its entirety, I just want to say that... but the 10.1 hours of gameplay I've experienced have been amazingly cool.
As a dad, this would come to mind for my daughter because it looks great + the fun factor is there, it's challenging without being overly challenging, and... the combat system is actually tied to mental and emotional health.
When you're taking on a creature, you have a combat system that challenges you to either hit button commands at a certain time, match up shapes in a slot machine type set up, select the correct buttons using your analog stick and buttons, etc. If you do it correctly, you get the shapes that your team presents to use in battle to defeat the creature. You have to either look at the shapes revealed by the creature to select the correct characters and start chipping away at getting them out of their... bad mood via selecting the right things to say (which is awesome) or guess if you responded in a cold-hearted way.
You aren't going to actually defeat the creature if you aren't being considerate of their feelings, so chip away at it before they decrease your morale to 0. Rather than say anything else, here's the First 30!
Replay Value + Visuals: When it comes to the replay value, there is plenty to go back to, you have multiple islands to hope and take on multiple creatures. You aren't just going to small islands either, and part of the challenge is you actually making it to those islands before your Rainbow Fuel runs low. If you don't make it to a new island that allows you to create a safe space from the Leviathan, it will pull your ship under (granted you just go poof and go back to your last safe space).
I found a lot of interest in this because it requires strategy. You can't just go to an island, so you have to use other islands, and make potential safe spaces on closer islands if you want to reach the desired location. You have over 85 islands and caves to explore, over 60 creatures to capture, and the team also says that there are over 30 hours of gameplay. I can see that, I've just been roaming around the sea trying to figure out how to reach gray islands in different ways and I'm already 10+ hours in.
I can't forget the visuals that you saw above, they totally remind me of that old-school Steam Boat Willy style art mixed with Paper Mario. They look great, and I can't help but to use roam around on land or sea and just admire them at times. This includes the cutscenes, and I know the game is Rated E for Everyone, but... I think they did a damn good job with the visuals for what I feel is a game more geared towards kids. Trust me, you won't be missing out on anything if you play this game as an older gamer, and you just might learn something or reignite your desire to be a nicer person.
Price: You can get Rainbow Billy: The Curse Of The Leviathan for $29.99... which is actually a really good deal. The game plays smoothly, looks great, has depth, and it's a full adventure with plenty of replay value. I don't always recommend games, but I would like for parents to check this game out for their children. It touches on various personalities like introverts, highly self-conscious creatures, bullies, etc.
I really like the message in the... confrontations (because they aren't really battles, but at the same time they are). I think that it's one of those games that can open up a conversation between you and your children, to be honest. Not only that, it could actually reinforce conflict resolution and things like that and just increase that overall awareness.
