Archived News:

Monday, Sep 16, 2024

Next Battlefield Set in the Present

An interview on IGN talks with Vince Zampella about the next Battlefield game, a big reveal that comes before EA's investor day, belying the focus on shareholders that keeps the series going. And some of the conversation does cover sales figures and competing for supremacy with the Call of Duty series. The big reveal is that the game is returning to the current era, after recent forays into the future and both world wars. Here's word on that:
Ahead of its Investor Day on September 17, EA revealed fresh details on its untitled Battlefield game alongside its first officially concept art, which IGN can exclusively reveal for the first time. IGN can also confirm that Battlefield will be returning to a modern setting after stints in World War I, World War II, and the near future.

While EA is cagey about specifics when it comes to the concept art, including declining to name of the city where its set (though it looks a lot like Italy, France, or somewhere else in Europe), it does include details that should stand out to longtime fans of the series. Among other things, it appears to suggest that ship-to-ship and helicopter combat will be part of the new game, and that it will feature natural disasters like wildfires. Its greyish color scheme is evocative of Battlefield 4, which remains one of the most popular games in the series despite being released a decade ago.

Steam Planes, Trains, and Automobiles Fest

Get your hand out from between those pillows, the Steam Planes, Trains, and Automobiles Fest is now underway with an assault on your wallet from the land, sea, and air. This has the expected festivities, including demos, presentations, and discounts between now and next Monday. Here's the Official Trailer and here's more:
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles Fest is offering up discounts on games that feature all sorts of transportation! It's just that we couldn't resist the chance to give this fest a catchy name.

From September 16th through the 23rd at 10am PT, vroom vroom your way through transportation-based games: Fly, train-conduct, and drive around Steam scoring all sorts of deals and playing through all sorts of demos. Getting to the fest requires no transportation.
Continue here to read the full story.

Enotria: The Last Song Released

Enotria: The Last Song is now available for PC and consoles, offering a soulslike action/RPG from Jyamma Games steeped in Italian folklore. The PC release was moved up a couple of days so that this is now on Steam simultaneous with the launch of preorder access on PlayStation 5. The Launch Trailer introduces the game's mask-based magic, which is outlined further in the description:
"Enotria: The Last Song" is a thrilling Soulsike set in a sun-lit land inspired by Italian folklore and filled with danger.

The world has been gripped by the Canovaccio - a twisted eternal play that keeps everything in an unnatural stasis. You, Maskless One, are the only one without a given role and master of your destiny. Defeat the fearsome Authors that created it and free the world from stagnation, by harnessing the power of Ardore.
Continue here to read the full story.

The Spell Brigade Early Access

Get ready to join the spell brigade, as Early Access to The Spell Brigade is now underway on Steam, kicking off this magical co-op survival game for Windows and macOS. One of the genres listed is free-to-play, which is not the case, as this is a pay-to-play game with a 10% launch discount, but there is a free playable demo. The Official Early Access Launch Trailer takes a look, and this post on Steam recaps the launch livesteam with the developers at Bolt Blaster Games. Here's word:
The Spell Brigade is an online co-op survivors-like for 1-4 players. Team up with your wizard friends to slay hordes of dark creatures. Complete team-based objectives, unlock new upgrades and create overpowered spell synergies. Friend nor foe is safe in this friendly fire bullet hell!

The Spell Brigade combines the survivors-like gameplay you love with good old multiplayer madness. Fight thousands of weird monsters together. Complete random team-based objectives and upgrade spells together. Survive together!
Continue here to read the full story.

TRUST Announced

Byte Barrel announces TRUST, a first-person shooter with sim elements and a vampire theme coming "soon" to Steam. The Official Announcement Teaser has a brief, candlelit look at the game not in action, and the description has the details:
You play as a vampire who has awakened from a slumber that lasted for centuries. The world you knew is long gone. Discovering the truth about the immense power that vampire blood offers changed the course of the war between humanity and creatures of the night. Blood reactors and batteries from vampire hearts began generating electricity for entire cities, powering cars or everyday objects, as well as deadly weapons. Unfortunately, your kind is not on the winning side and their fate is in your hands. Who will be the last one standing in this uneven fight between two species obsessed with blood?

Continue here to read the full story.

Into the Black

Last Link of the Day: Largest Collection of Wacky Vehicles - Guinness World Records (video). Thanks Ant.

Core Keeper Boasts 3M Players

Fireshine Games and Pugstorm announce that players are digging Core Keeper, and the mining adventure has now reached a total of three million players on PC and consoles, just three weeks after launching out of Early Access. Here's an outpouring of love over this outpouring of love:
“Core Keeper’s success has only been possible because of the love, care and attention that developer Pugstorm has poured into the game, and we are absolutely delighted to see so many players enjoying the adventure across console and PC,” said Sarah Hoeksma, Chief Marketing Officer at Fireshine Games. “We’re so thankful to our incredible community of players who have shown such positive support throughout Core Keeper’s journey, and we can’t wait to bring the game to additional platforms for many more to discover this enchanting sandbox adventure soon.”

Trail of Ayash Officially Launches

Trail of Ayash has reached the end of the road in Early Access, and the open-world action/RPG from Nowsky is officially available for Windows on Steam with a 40% launch discount. This trailer celebrates the occasion, showing off third-person action and the game's native American themes. Here's the deal:
Trail of Ayash is an innovative and exciting open-world game focused on indigenous people and their struggles. Our world is a unique version of the lands dominated by the myths and legends of Its Inhabitants. Various tribes interact with one another, engaging in diplomacy, war, and expansion. This game is not historically related and doesn't include any real tribe.
Continue here to read the full story.

Dragon Spirits 2 Launches

Dragon Spirits 2 is now available for Windows on Steam, kicking off what FHNBHJ and 2P Games call a "modern urban-themed RPG," despite the whole dragon thing. The Release Trailer celebrates the news with a look at what to expect. Here's more on the game, which is 20% off for the next two weeks. This post is a detailed discussion of the release, discussing lessons from the first game about localization and more. There is a warning that this includes spoilers for the first Dragon Spirits. Here's a description:
Dragon Spirits 2 is a creature-collecting RPG set in a modern urban environment with a storyline about 300,000 words. Players can explore a city filled with urban legends, venture into various otherworldly spaces, and form contracts with different dragon spirits. You can nurture these spirits, customize their abilities, strategize team compositions, and build a formidable dragon spirit squad.
Continue here to read the full story.

Demos & Freebies

  • Signy & Mino: Against All Gods Demo on Steam (Windows). "Signy & Mino: Against All Gods is a new kind of combo RPG where you and your pup piece together flashy combos to dismantle a plethora of enemies! Discover your hidden powers as you find yourself hurtled into a conflict amongst the gods."

On Sale

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Out of the Blue

Sometimes there's no rest for the home handyman, as this morning I discovered another toilet continuing to run because an internal gasket deteriorated. The good news is this is a similar model to the one I fixed last month, so the process, including pitfalls, is still fresh in my mind. So I'll head off today for some supplies to set this right. And yes, there is a third toilet in the mix which is almost assuredly on the verge of failing, but I think I'll let that sleeping dog lie for now. It will probably break on its own soon enough, and I can always go for a prophylactic fix if it holds out and I feel inspired. But given the choice, spreading the time I spend up to my elbows in toilet is appealing.

Handy Round-up
Thanks Ant, Neutronbeam, and Max.

Stories

Science

Media

Creature Features
Thanks VideoSift.

Follow-up

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