Game release: “Liberated” (PC)

Atomic Wolf, L.INC, and Walkabout‘s action-adventure Liberated presents another graphic novel that comes to life on PC.

Comic books or visual novels never go out of style, and with the resurgence in cinema and TV, it’s no surprise to see more and more in videogame form, some even breaking the fourth wall by putting the player inside the pages. Set in a near-future dystopia when the government has taken control for safety reasons in a society that is more interested in being always online instead of free, one becomes part of the group “Liberated” to shake things up.

Being part action-adventure with puzzle solving, platforming and shooting action, and part graphic novel that uses its panels as levels (not something particularly new, considering Sega’s Comix Zone already did this in the 90ies), one is involved in all sorts of ways. As the story is told via different points of views, it’s kept fresh, while the black-and-white comics aesthetics make it look as cool and realistic as possible.

The game was already released on Nintendo Switch on June 2, 2020, and is out now on PC, including various free DLC chapters, with a 20% launch discount that lasts until August 6, 2020, at 1 PM UTC.

Buy the game for PC on
GOG
Steam

Official website

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Game release: “Synergia” (PC)

Radi Art and Top Hat Studios‘ cyberpunk visual novel Synergia shows that love and the hardships of life can be treated in a mature way.

There are plenty of visual novels around, and the yuri genre might usually be associated with teenager love, but this time the sci-fi setting could prove much more endearing for those who haven’t tried it yet. Taking place in a future when love is the ultimate crime, the player witnesses how veteran cop Cila slowly but steadily forms a bond with unit M.A.R.A. while technology giant Velta Labs becomes interested in the android.

Many visual novels are short and sweet, and even if the playtime of 6-9 hours doesn’t sound too intimidating, it might just be enough to get to know the main characters, plus 20 more that are put in 100 backgrounds and CGs. Depending on one’s choices, the protagonist’s journey changes, resulting in various endings. With its neon dystopian setting and hypnotic music, it’s a perfect fit for the cyberpunk themes.

The game is out now on PC with a 10% discount that lasts until tomorrow, August 4, 2020, at 7 AM UTC.

Buy the game for PC on
GOG
Steam

Official website

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Using the GOG link and buying the product also helps ;).

GOG release: “Fury Unleashed”

Awesome Games Studios‘ rogue-lite action platformer Fury Unleashed makes its explosive appearance on GOG.

It’s been 2 years since I played Fury Unleashed on the first day of gamescom 2018, and I still remember its frantic action that was already impressive in its Early Access state. What makes it stand apart is the idea that one explores the pages of a living comic book that reflects John Kowalsky’s creativity crisis, being the author of the Fury Unleashed series himself.

Collecting ink is important for upgrades and staying alive, the latter of which is made easier by choosing specific skills and chaining combos together. It’s even possible to complete the game in one giant combo, so anyone looking for a challenge will have it here. Local co-op play is a nice touch, too, while the hand-drawn graphics are a joy to behold, not forgetting that the soundtack is composed by Adam Skorupa and Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz who were already involved in the music for games like The Witcher or Shadow Warrior 2.

Fury Unleashed was originally released in May this year and is now available DRM-free on GOG with a 25% discount that lasts until August 5, 2020, at 1 PM UTC. The soundtrack can also be bought separately with the same discount.

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GOG releases 5 more RPGs

GOG celebrates the RPG genre with 5 more DRM-free releases and the Grand RPG sale.

With so many games to cover and only a few days to go before the individual discounts expire, I’ll write about each of them in short bursts.

Blades of Time is a spiritual successor of the overlooked X-Blades, a hack-and-slash action game that might not have been perfect with its storyline and gameplay, but which was still a lot of fun (I actually have to write a review, come to think of it). It tells the story of treasure hunter Ayumi who has to fight her way through an island full of monsters. With the help of a time rewind mechanic and around 60 different martial arts combos, including shooting, it’s a great throwback to yesteryear, even if it means a sexualized heroine and not much of a plot to boot.

Gaijin Entertainment‘s game was originally released in April 2012 and is now available DRM-free on GOG with a 30% launch discount that lasts until August 3, 2020, at 1 PM UTC.

Official website

Exiled Kingdoms might not look like much (especially with a rather boring trailer), but it’s a true classic action-RPG which offers players an open world full of adventures and secrets to discover, plus choices with consequences. Having over 300 NPCs and 135 areas to explore, it’s not really a small game, either, with around 120+ hours of playtime being even more intimidating.

4 Dimension Games’ title was originally released in February 2018 and is now available DRM-free on GOG with a 25% launch discount that lasts until August 3, 2020, at 1 PM UTC.

Official website

Gordian Quest is another epic fantasy RPG, fusing roguelike, turn-based strategy gameplay with card-building. It’s all wrapped up with some beautiful art style and looks like another title one can lose many hours with.

Mixed Realms‘ game is still in Early Access, made available in March this year, and is now available DRM-free on GOG with a 10% launch discount that lasts until August 3, 2020, at 1 PM UTC.

Official website

The Waylanders borrows from Celtic mythology, but sets itself apart from other games by making it possible to travel between Celtic and Medieval times. With inspirations like Dragon Age or Baldur’s Gate, this fantasy RPG certainly has its work cut out for it.

Gato Studio‘s game is another title in Early Access, originally open to the public since June 2020, and is now available DRM-free on GOG with a 10% launch discount that lasts until August 10, 2020, at 1 PM UTC.

Official website

Vampire’s Fall: Origins is a dark 2D open-world RPG with a twist: One plays as a vampire and roams an open world, taking full advantage of one’s chosen clan in fights. With over 250 unique weapons and armor sets, plus 100+ playtime, it’s another time-sinker.

Early Morning Studio‘s game was originally released in January 2020 and is now available DRM-free on GOG with a 50% launch discount that lasts until August 3, 2020, at 1 PM UTC.

Official website

If one still thirsts for more RPG love, then there’s the Grand RPG sale with many classic and modern titles that can be bought with discounts of up to 90%. It will end on August 3, 2020, at 1 PM UTC.

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Using the GOG links and buying the products also helps ;).

New additions to the media collection in June 2020

The media collection in June 2020 grew even bigger than expected.

What is better than an AT-AT LEGO build set? Two big LEGO heads to store everything, of course!

Playing through Marvel LEGO titles in this trilogy box also works wonders, especially since it was cheaper to get than buying them separately (I already owned one of the games). Finally having Gears 5 after buying the art book and Gears compendium in November 2019 was a bonus, too.

These four VR titles were also a part of a rather large ShopTo import order, with the only downside that it had overpriced shipping costs.

Starting alphabetically in genre terms, these were the newest action movie additions (although it’s debatable if the Rocky spin-off isn’t more drama). As expected, John Wick: Chapter 3 is even more violent and fun than the other two.

If you can speak German, then this rather dull movie is a lot more fun to watch thanks to a dubbing that introduces so many slang words and inappropriate dialogue parts that one forgets about the lacklustre story, characters, and pacing problems.

Yes, in German it’s called Das Söldnerkommando (translated: The soldier commando), and this media book should be owned by anyone interested in the VHS era, as there are three very cool documentaries about dubbing, VHS cassettes, and grindhouse cinema. Despite only interviewing Germans, there are English subtitles, and it’s highly entertaining stuff to watch!

Lots of classic adventure movies I still have to try.

The same holds true for these Dreamworks animation movies.

Despite my reservations about anime, I think I’ll add more and more of these to my collection, either from the UK or Germany, depending on the pricing and physical extras.

Buying anime in German is usually much more expensive, but with an Amazon 3for2 sale going on, the prices were more reasonable. Castle of Cagliostro was still as much fun as I remember from watching it on DVD, only this time it was with some rather good German dubbing. Too bad that I already owned Ghost in the Shell 2.0 as a UK BD import, as I could swear it was the original version…

These anime boxes looked lovely and it seems the content is also worth the space on the shelf.

I still remember watching one of the City Hunter anime movies back in the days, and even if I was/am a fan of Jackie Chan, I didn’t make the connection with the movies these were inspired by.

Another trip down Memory Lane with the panda movies I fondly remembered from my childhood, and despite being very short, they’re still charming and weird to experience again. I missed out on the Treasure Island anime adaptation, but it seems that it’s true to Stevenson’s original story, so I’m looking forward to this one in particular.

I finally decided to create a new category in my movie collection with live-action animated movies, so these should fit in quite nicely.

Comedies don’t necessarily have to be of high brow quality…

… although this Shakespeare work is quite lovely, or so I remembered when I watched it years ago.

Japanese cinema still shows much weirdness in their comedies with this fictional documentary.

The French are more about slapstick, at least when it comes to this comic adaptation.

Lots of different drama movies.

I still remember watching Sideways during a FilmSoc presentation in my academic year in Birmingham, UK, including lots of wine drinking, being a perfect fit for this mix of drama and comedy.

More additions to the horror collection, some of which will be featured in review form during this year’s Halloween movie special…

Shameless knows how to sell its sleazy cinema releases with alternative covers that are often more outrageous than the movies themselves, although there are a few surprisingly good ones, like Dellamorte Dellamore or The Church.

Unfortunately not all Shameless releases are uncut, which is a shame, as The New York Ripper wasn’t much more controversial than most Eli Roth flicks today (although it was more memorable with the killer having a Donald Duck voice).

The Mountain of the Cannibal God might not be a good movie, but having a boardgame as a physical extra is a nice touch, even if it doesn’t quite compensate for some cut scenes. Then again animal cruelty isn’t something one wants to experience more in these sorts of movies.

After having recently re-visited the catastrophic but highly entertaining 90ies version of The Island of Dr. Moreau, I’m not so sure this will hold up well today, but then again I might just be surprised.

Many more classic and modern sci-fi movies to watch for the first or second time.

Lots of thriller material with very different premises and settings.

Two new 3D additions, including a sequel to a great Disney movie that is quite different, even if it’s also quite unnessessary, despite having some good 3D effects.

June 2020 was a pretty expansive and expensive month for collecting, but it was nothing compared to what the following month would offer…

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