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A Brazil Games Preview for GDC 2023

March 15, 2023 josechurape Leave a comment

I just received my press pass to attend GDC! If you like what I do and want to help me out, consider buying me the coffee I’ll need to get me through the week.

The Game Developer Conference is less than a week away, and I have been busy setting up interviews and other activities that I am not able to reveal to you at the moment.

What I can reveal is that I have the exciting opportunity to meet with the Brazil Game Delegation and try some of the games they have planned for release. Full disclosure, I was asked to write this post, but I wasn’t paid to do so. This post will be my honest impressions based on the materials I was shown.

The Brazil Games delegation is a collection of 43 companies that are working to build the growing and vibrant gaming industry in Brazil and Latin America. I will be trying out Drakantos, a Pixel Art MMORPG by Wingeaon Game Studios, but I am hoping I can sneak in a few others. I am very excited to see what people from my side of the world bring to the table. Until then, let me tell you a bit about what they have planned for GDC.

Drakantos

I will be trying Drakantos at GDC. I was drawn to the title because I am always looking for a new MMO to get into. The art is cute, the voice acting is amazing, and the story seems interesting. I can see this game being successful for those who want an MMO that doesn’t feel like a second job. As long as there is a fun leveling experience, enough content to keep me busy, and an end game, I can see myself sinking hours into this game. It is too early to say for sure with how little I know about it now, but stay tuned for a recap.

BlackThorne Keep – Chronicles

The next game I am hoping to try out is Limiar Studio’s BlackThorne Keep – Chronicles. The game is an open-world RPG for the PC and PlayStation that promises skill-based combat. The game looks a bit clunky in the trailer, but with enough love, I can see this being a lot of fun. The biggest hurdle I can see this game having is that the world might be too open, the physics might not be good enough for the jumping puzzles, and the combat might just be button-mashing. So far, it is very reminiscent of Elder Scrolls, and if they can make that combat more fun, I am here for it. It is too early to have a real opinion based on the trailer alone, but I will be back once I get some first-hand experience. You can check it out on steam if you are curious.

Kriophobia

Fira Soft’s Kriophobia is a hand-drawn survival game that looks beautiful. I am not sure if I will be trying this game because I don’t do well with horror games, but it is one to keep on your watch list if you are

a fan of horror. Based on the trailer, it seems to have some pretty terrifying exploration through a very eerie-looking setting. Based on the music and trailer alone, I am pretty terrified. I will try to make time for this game, but I don’t want to make any promises. Maybe I can find someone to play it for me. You can check it out on Steam if you are curious.

Galaxy Kart VR

If you like cartoon kart racers and have a VR headset, you need to keep an eye out for VR Monkey’s Galaxy Kart VR. I won’t be trying it because I don’t want to risk motion sickness with how busy my schedule is, but I’ll try to check it out. The characters are hilarious, the tracks look fun, and the racing combat is exactly what I want from a kart racer. If you like Mario Kart or any games like it, you should be looking into this game.

Lux Ex Cyber Initiation

Ilex Games is coming out with its sequel to Lux Ex. Lux Ex Cyber Initiation is a cyberhero shooter that promises better graphics and more levels. The amount of weapon choices and the procedural generation of levels promises a new experience each time you play through a level. I haven’t been a huge fan of these games because I am not smart enough, but if you are in the market for this kind of shooter, the music seems cool, and the gameplay seems solid. You can wishlist it on Steam.

Tower of Samsara – Hidden Treasures

Tower of Samsara – Hidden Treasures, also by Ilex Games, is a pixel art platformer coming to the PC and Xbox. I am not a huge fan of platformers so I might not try this one. That said, the art looks neat, and the combat and puzzles look interesting. Nothing against the game’s design, I just know that I lack the abilities to be successful in a game like this. That said, if you like platformers like Shovel Knight, Tower of Samsara might be worth getting into.

Wëiph: Reins of Fate

I will be trying to play Game Plan’s Wëiph: Reins of Fate. The art looks super cute, the music is fun, and you get to play as a cat. You play as an abandoned cat named Weiph through an adventure puzzle platformer that is sure to frustrate me, but I will probably cry at the end. It sort of feels like Ori:The Will of the Wisps with visual novel elements. The game is coming for the PC, Switch, Xbox, and PS5. I don’t think I am allowed to post video so here is some official art I pulled off the internet.

What the Duck

What The Duck is an action-adventure game by Seize Studios coming out for the PC and Nintendo Switch. It looks like it is going to be a goofy Zelda game. The game does look a bit clunky in the trailer, but I am willing to overlook this if the mechanics are fun. This looks to be one of those games that won’t take itself seriously. If it is as funny as I think it is, I am here for it.

Wizavior

Wizavior is a single-player 3D platformer coming to the PC, Switch, PS5, and Xbox in 2024. I wasn’t ready for how good the music is in the trailer. The art is also cute enough that I am willing to put my biases against platformers aside. I know this game is going to frustrate me, but I need to listen to the rest of this soundtrack. I am going to try to sneak a turn or at least have someone more competent play this for me. If you aren’t easily frustrated by 3D jumping puzzles, keep an eye out for Wizavior.

Mega Battle

Last but not least we have Cavylabs’ rogue-like deck builder, Mega Battle. I have a soft spot for card games and will be trying this game. What makes this deck builder unique is its mech-building mechanic. It looks like you will get the mech you to take into battle, and I gather that your deck is influenced by the type of parts you use. This is sure to open up the game to a diverse collection of strategies. It does look like a flash game which might turn some people off, but if the card game is fun, why should it matter? It is too early to tell from just the gameplay video, but hopefully, I can come back with a more concrete opinion.You can check it out on Steam.

In Closing

The games are listed in no particular order. I understand that it is unfair to judge the games without trying, so I will reserve my criticism for when I get to play the games. It is all getting more real with each day and I can’t help but to be overcome with excitement. With that, I am off to prep for some interviews.

*Feature Image by Rafael Javier from Pixabay

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Games to Look Into: Wayfinder (2023)

March 7, 2023 josechurape Leave a comment

I got into the Wayfinder closed beta over the weekend, but I can’t speak on the experience because of the NDA that went with it. The NDA is a reasonable tradeoff since the game isn’t finished yet. It would be unfair to judge it as it is. I appreciate that they opened the beta the way they did because it allows them to get meaningful feedback from members of their potential community. Now that the beta is done, I hope I get into the next one.

Wayfinder is an action MMO that you should keep on your radar if you are in the market for a new MMO. Instead of creating your character and choosing your class, you have to unlock characters as you do in games like Warframe. While I am a bit bummed I won’t get to create my character, it isn’t a deal breaker. I love the art style, and the characters available on the release are cooler than anything I would come up with. Each character seems to have its own combat style which can keep the game refreshing over time. I can’t speak on the gameplay yet because the game isn’t out, but it does look interesting. I hope that the characters aren’t locked behind predatory Gotcha or pay-to-win mechanics.

Wayfinder is planned for early access in Spring 2023 so make sure you keep checking the official site for news. You can wishlist Wayfinder on Steam, Epic Games Store, and PlayStation. The game will be free to play, so you have nothing to lose.

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Diablo IV Developer Livestream Recap

March 1, 2023 josechurape 2 Comments

The Diablo 4 developers just did an update livestream and it wasn’t too informative. The biggest takeaway from the stream is that we got dates for the Beta later this month. If you have preordered the game at any level, you will be able to play during the early access beta on March 17 from 7 am pst to March 20 at noon pst. Players will only get to play the barbarian, rogue, and sorcerer classes. For everyone who wishes to try the game before buying the game, the open beta is on the following weekend, March 24, 7 am pst – March 27, 12 pm pst. The open beta will give players access to all playable characters. The beta will be on PC and console with preloads available closer to launch. If you have a friend, Diablo 4 has couch co-op so long as both players have a Battlenet account.

It is important to note that while your progress in the early access beta carries over to the open beta, your progress will not carry over to full release. This restriction is because the first season will start shortly after the launch, and the developers wanted everyone to have the same advantages. There will be a few achievements that will carry over to full release. You can earn a couple of titles by playing through the game, which will also be available at launch, and a cute cosmetic you can only get from maxing out a character during the beta.

Make sure you make enough time to earn this cute little guy!

The max level for the beta is 25, and you will be allowed to create ten characters. Make sure you take as much time as you need with the character creation because your character will be featured in the cinematics. The beta will also have four world boss events. Make sure you check the schedule and location on the game’s socials or blog so you can participate. World bosses are 12-player events that do not need a party to enjoy. You should be able to participate so long as you are at the appropriate level. I like that Diablo 4 will have more of an MMO feel than 3. As you unlock more towns and strongholds, you will start seeing people running around the map like in Diablo Immortal, but hopefully with fewer predatory microtransactions.

Ashava will be the world boss for the beta

There wasn’t too much else to the stream. The rest of the stream focuses on how to play Diablo 4. Unless you’ve never played an RPG, the livestream isn’t worth your time.

I will be playing the open beta because I love Diablo, but $70 to preorder isn’t in my budget at the moment. I am a bit upset that a game this expensive also has a $10 season pass. While the season passes won’t affect gameplay, I don’t want to pay $70+ to play a game and an additional $40 a year to look cool. Season passes seem to be the norm now. What can be done?