Gaming News Week 17

Come on in, get yourself a nice cup of coffee or tea and pull up a chair.

Even with a lot of gamers super excited as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is getting close, there’s still a lot of other news to share.

So let me give you the news that caught our eye this week; enjoy!

Kickstarter Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara

Remember Summer in Mara? Developer Chibig has embraced the universe of Mara and will bring us another game that takes place in that magical world. This time, we follow a young Kao and Napopo chasing pirates through a new tropical archipelago and help restore Qälis in Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara.

Unlike Summer in Mara, Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara will not be a simulation game but an adventure game. You have to outwit traps, manoeuvre dangerous environments, and explore a series of dazzlingly different landscapes on their quest to recover stolen pirate loot.

The Kickstarter will start soon, on May 4th, with some Early Bird rewards and physical rewards as well. You can check out the project here.

Zoeti Released

Good news for those of you who like deck builders. Featured in the Guerilla Collective 3 last June, Zoeti has now been released on the Switch and Steam (Windows).

Zoeti is a turn-based roguelike game that equips you with a deck of playing cards, with which you play card combinations to activate skills that will attack or defend against enemies. Create your perfect inventory of skills by battling through various encounters, discovering upgrades and relics of power, or by receiving aid from the locals to enhance your plays and overcome the evil plaguing your land.

Loop8: Summer of Gods is coming on June 6

Pretty soon now, Marvelous will release Loop8: Summer of Gods on the Switch, PS5, Xbox One and Steam (Windows). A very interesting coming-of-age adventure RPG, where the party members don’t level 8 through experience in battle but because of the strength of their relationships.

You will follow Nini and his classmates as they try to defeat the Kegai, demonic entities who have forced humanity to the brink of extinction. Raised on a failed space station known as “Hope”, Nini returns to Earth to spend his summer in Ashihara, one of humanity’s last remaining sanctuaries.

Gifted with “Demon Sight,” Nini can use his special connection to the gods to reset the world, with each loop allowing him and his allies to relive the 8th month over and over until they get it right…or the Kegai overwhelm them entirely.

Want to see more? In the narrated video below, the publisher walks viewers through interactions with some of the residents of Ashihara, and how those relationships factor into both the narrative and gameplay, culminating in a battle against one of the monstrous Kegai that threatens the countryside town.

Atelier Marie Remake Has a Release Date

Great news for us Atelier lovers: Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is coming on July 12th 2023!

The game takes place in the city of Salburg, the capital of the Schigsal Kingdom, where subpar student Marie attends the Royal Magic Academy. Marie has five years to create an item that will satisfy her teacher, and to succeed; she will need to improve her skills by buying books and tools necessary for synthesis at the Academy. Marie will also be able to synthesize objects and check her assignments in the alchemy atelier her teacher gifted her. To gather the ingredients needed for her recipes, Marie will venture outside the city while being careful not to cross paths with the many monsters living in the area!

To prepare for battle, players can buy weapons and armour at the Weapon Shop and hire adventurers at the Sky Tavern to defeat the monsters together. At the tavern, Marie will also meet various characters with whom she can make friends and accept their requests.

When you pre-order the game digitally, you get a “Useful Items Set” bonus. There will also be a Digital Deluxe edition that will include the original game Atelier Marie Plus: The Alchemist of Salburg, the Gust Extra BGM Pack and Another Look Costume Set. You can get that one with the game digitally or as a Digital Deluxe Upgrade Pack when you buy the standard game separately.

And whether you pre-ordered or not, in celebration of 25 years of Atelier games, two free DLC will be available for all players from July 13th with the “25 Glasses” accessory and the Atelier Series Legacy BGM Pack.

It will be interesting to see how this first game from the Atelier series holds up compared to the last Atelier Ryza game.

Major Update for Garden In!

Don’t you love it when a developer stays active and keeps adding to a game? There has been a major update that will make your green thumb wiggle with joy!

Here’s what’s new:

• Nine charming vases, including dice, light, cocktail glass, open book, and cauldron sets
• Six mysterious new plants, two for each type (shh, no spoilers!)
• Two cosy furnitures – a hammock and a locker
• Seven adorable props like BBQ sets, carpets, a mushroom lamp, and two very cute plushies

Farming Sim With Dinosaurs

Fancy farming in a town where dino’s, are an everyday sight? Paleo Pines will come to PC, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch this fall, in digital and physical format from Modus Studios and developer Italic Pig.

Paleo Pines is a quirky island populated with friendly dinosaurs and welcoming townsfolk. When you arrive in Paleo Pines, you’ll move into an old ranch that you must fix up ( I wonder if shows like Fixer Upper are based on the same thought? 😁). By the way, you can enlist the dinosaurs you befriend to help fix it up and grow crops too. Make your own patch of paradise with the help of the townsfolk of Pebble Plaza and the newfound friendship of the wild dinosaurs of the region. And aside from farming, it’s up to you and your trusty Parasaurolophus, Lucky, to uncover the lost history of Paleo Pines.

Befriending dino companions is the name of the game in Paleo Pines – tasty treats, nose boops, and comfy pens will aid you in your quest to fill your haven with various creatures. You’ll keep track of their dislikes and favourites with a handy dino journal. Paleo Pines also provides a variety of locations to explore, from flowery fields to high canyons; you can make the most out of each day by discovering enchanting landscapes and witnessing different species in the lush wilderness.

Lord Winklebottom Investigates pre-order on Switch and PS4

The release of the mystery point-and-click adventure Lord Winklebottom Investigates in physical format is still some time away (September 2023). But you can now pre-order them on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 at most retailers. We gave the game a Two Thumbs Up in our review! Want to know what it’s about?

The game is inspired by Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle and offers a challenging point&click adventure. It’s the 1920s, and the world’s foremost detective is about to embark on his most challenging case yet – he also just so happens to be a giraffe!

Final Expansion Cities: Skylines

We already know that Cities: Skylines II is coming, but Paradox Interactive still revealed a final expansion for Cities: Skylines – Hotels & Retreats. Paradox also revealed Industrial Evolution, Railroads of Japan, and Brooklyn & Queens content creator packs, marking the final stops on the ‘Cities: Skylines World Tour’ and offering players increased customization and depth. The Hotels &Retreats expansion and Content Creator Packs will be available on May 23. And, of course, you can expect Paula’s review on LadiesGamers!

That’s it again for this week! Thanks for reading, and join me again for a cup of coffee or tea next week!