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Inti Creates' track record shows that it knows its way around the 2D action kitchen better than most. While there has been the occasional misfire, you can generally expect to have a good time when you see the Inti Creates logo pop up. Gal Guardians: Demon Purge was no exception to that, with the developer slyly packaging a spiritual follow-up to the Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon games as a Gal*Gun spin-off. A solid romp, but one whose expansive levels made it hard not to wonder how the concept would do if given the full Metroidvania treatment. Wonder no more, friends. Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark is here, and this time it's exploratory.

The two-character mechanic makes a return in this game, but this time we've got a new dynamic duo. Kirika and Masha are a pair of demon maids who serve the great Demon Lord Maxim. After coming back from a little vacation, the two sisters are shocked to discover the castle has been attacked. All of Maxim's servants have been reduced to piles of bones, and the maids arrive at the throne room just in time to see their lord seemingly taken out by a turncoat maid and her true boss, the Demon Lord Lyzenborg. After a brief scuffle with the enemy, the sisters find themselves alone in the wreckage.

Luckily, it turns out that Maxim is not quite out of the game. While his power has been significantly diminished, he lives on as a floating skull. If his scattered bones can be collected, he can regain his original power. It's up to Kirika and Masha to venture out into the world and bring back every single bone they can find. It's a vast land filled with dangerous demons, monsters, and even some very familiar demon hunters. As Maxim's strength recovers, he can grant additional abilities to the sisters that will help them reach new locations and handle new obstacles. You know, the usual Metroidvania stuff.

Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark uses a similar gameplay dynamic with its playable characters. Kirika uses guns and can pepper enemies from a distance. She has to occasionally reload, and each individual shot only does a little bit of damage. Masha is the melee character, using her whip to thrash her foes up close. She can also make use of a selection of magic seeds that have various effects. In addition to their basic weapons, both sisters can equip two sub-items. You'll mainly encounter these as drops from enemies. There's quite a variety on offer, and they're useful for anything from shoring up each sister's weaknesses to interacting with the environments.

On top of that, Maxim himself can help out. He follows the sisters around in his floating skull form, and you can equip a number of special badges to him that convey different abilities and effects. He can also make use of a selection of demonic powers that expands as he gains levels. As a bonus, the maids' stats will also improve with each level Maxim gains. You can increase Maxim's level by collecting his bones and returning them to his throne room. The first one of these is found as part of the story, but after that they can be dropped by regular enemies, found in chests, or pop up in other places as rewards.

The powers Maxim offers are vital to your progress and you're probably going to need those stat boosts to deal with the baddies, so regular trips back home to make bone deposits are a must. In theory, this makes for a nice loop where you go out and explore for a while then head home to lick your wounds and upgrade. In practice, the game is easy enough and offers enough chances to restore your health that you'll rarely need to head home and patch up. The main reason to go back is simply to toss the bones and gain some levels. It's easy to head back from any of the frequent save spots, but returning to where you were is another matter entirely. You'll find fast travel spots now and then, but they're few and far between.

The more I thought about this, the more it felt like a lot of backtracking just for the sake of not doing a more normal experience system. It's particularly bad early on when you don't have a ton of navigation abilities. As things open up it gets more tolerable. You'll have more reasons to go back to Maxim Castle as more facilities open up there, and with more abilities unlocked you'll have more fun scooting through the areas to make your way back. It probably could have been handled a lot more elegantly, but I suppose in the long run it's not that big of a deal.

A lot of my issues with Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark can be categorized that way, I suppose. The inventory system is a mess as you quickly accumulate a ton of near-useless junk and can't do much more with it than chuck in the item box back home. The enemy variety could be better, with a heavy reliance on palette swaps despite rather large differences between each biome. The map is in some ways very useful due to it marking major points of interest, but it lacks the fine detail many other games in this genre offer. I also wish the game actually told you how to perform the new moves you've unlocked. Some of them are pretty complex and I basically had to smack the buttons in various combinations until something triggered in those cases.

None of that should really put you off of playing this game if you like the Metroidvania genre, though. For whatever failings Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark may have, it's ultimately got a lot going for it. The map is large and full of fun secrets to uncover. You get a lot of diversity in the terrain both in appearance and form. Puzzles are interesting to work out even if they can be a bit obtuse at times. As you would probably expect from an Inti Creates game, the boss battles are excellent. It's really satisfying to learn the patterns and then execute your strategy perfectly.

The game has a lot of heart thanks to its charming characters and interesting world. You get plenty of fun banter between the sisters and Maxim, and the rest of the cast do their part as well. Finding the souls of Maxim's servants and reviving them is always a treat, even if only to see what oddball pops up next. The pixel art graphics are very expressive in form and animation, too. On the audio end of things, the soundtrack does a good job of reminding you that this series is a riff on a riff of Castlevania, and the energetic voice acting rounds out the presentation nicely.

I haven't even mentioned the multiplayer feature yet. As with the first game, two players can play together, each one taking control of one of the sisters. While multiplayer Metroidvania-style games aren't unheard of these days, it's an uncommon enough feature to be noteworthy. The only bummer is that at launch you'll have to cozy up locally. Online multiplayer is apparently coming in a post-launch update, so keep that in mind if that's important for your needs.

The shift to a full-on Metroidvania format makes Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark a bigger and more satisfying game than the already enjoyable original. With charming characters, interesting map design, and thrilling boss battles, it's easy to forgive this game for minor sins like excessive backtracking and weak tutorials. Servants of the Dark is a solid choice for fans of the original game or Metroidvania enthusiasts alike.

Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark is available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, and PC via Steam.

The post Review: Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark Is a Natural Evolution appeared first on Siliconera.

As a developer that often worked on Mega Man games, we often see Inti Creates create original titles that are clearly inspired by them. In the case of Card-en-Ciel, we have a game that has a Mega Man Battle Network approach when it comes to aesthetics and gameplay. However, while it may look familiar and feels inspired by the other title, it lacks its charm of the other series.

In a world filled with VR full-dive games that people jump into, there are incidents that require accomplished hackers and detectives to solve. After getting an urgent message from someone working alongside a Rust Tactics VR game development team named Ancie, Neon the Gaming Chair Detective finds himself dealing with corruption and data tied to many different games. There involve abnormalities, bugs, characters from other titles are appearing where they shouldn’t, and Muses are buffing certain enemies with their songs. It’s up to us to work alongside Neon and Ancie to set things right in dungeons based on certain other “games” invading Rust Tactics. 

The thing is, Inti Creates isn’t great at telling a story in Card-en-Ciel or making its world appealing, something Capcom excelled at when it came to the Mega Man Battle Network games. When we go through the story dungeons based on full-dive games, each one looks practically identical. The structure of square rooms connected by brief “bridges” gets incredibly repetitive, especially considering the similar Mega Man titles managed to inject so much personality into the “net” we’d visit as MegaMan.EXE. When you enter an area inspired by an in-game series, there are no outward or immediately recognizable distinctions. Just the same blocks. Even the enemies you fight aren’t only drawn from that “title,” as instead Inti Creates pulls from its actual game library and original ones created for Card-en-Ciel. 

While this can make the idea of going through Card-en-Ciel dungeons a little boring, I feel the turn-based, deck-building gameplay actually improves upon the Mega Man Battle Network formula. When you’re dealt cards or pick them up after fights and while exploring, you’ll find they either deal HP or break damage to opponents. HP damage wears the enemy down and defeats them. Break damage affects the attack meter, keeping them from being able to take action against you and weakening their defense against HP attacks. Each round, you start with three points, and cards can require between 0-3 points to use. 

All cards are also used for movement to evade attacks or move so you can target enemies. Icons on each one show if they’ll move Neon up, down, left, or right. So you need to get out of ranged of the telegraphed attack under your feet that happens in X number of turns, you need to play one of your cards to move instead of taking the action shown on it.

While those are the three basic uses for cards, there are other factors to consider. Some are yellow. If you see the opponent’s timer counting down to show they are about to attack, you can play that card to counter and take action during that turn. Cards can have additional effects that add buffs, cause clones to appear, create 0-cost cards that deal damage and break damage, ensure cards of the same type get a boost, or affect future turns. 

There are also Muses to content with as you play Card-en-Ciel. You tend to start with one available when you enter a dungeon, with additional ones found in fights on floors. Once you collect one, you can trigger their buffs in battle by meeting requirements. So you may need to play the same card twice in a row, which means ensuring your deck is stacked with duplicates of a certain type. Another Muse might require you to play a three-cost card or for there to be exactly five cards in your hand after taking an action. Likewise, enemies can have Muses on their sides too, providing them buffs and adding junk cards to your hand that could force movement or affect your deck. 

It’s really quite clever, and I loved whenever I’d see a cameo from a returning Inti Creates game character in Card-en-Ciel. For example, Azure Striker Gunvolt and Gal Gun folks are here! But at the same time, since the story isn’t really compelling or well-executed, the cards and enemies based on “original” characters aren’t very appealing. In many cases, it feels like they’re excuses to insert some extra fanservice. But since we don’t know who they are until this title, it rings a bit hollow and doesn’t have the same appeal as it would if it involved actually recognizable people. Though personally, I also found the Muse and Ancie fanservice a bit overdone here. Others might enjoy it! But it was so out of place in the roguelike that it struck me as being more odd than appealing.

Once a fight is over, you will see certain options available in the “node” where you fought. You can choose to recover some HP. You can enhance one of the cards in your deck. It is also possible to station one of the characters in the cards you have, removing them from your deck in the process, for buffs. There can also be random events triggered after a fight is done that affects your cards and deck. Not to mention if you avoid fights for too long or make certain choices in those events, your Memory Gauge goes up and inflicts negative effects in fights until you battle enough to reduce it.

As Card-en-Ciel is a roguelike, there are elements that put you in a better position for future runs if you win. You can forge Wild Cards, which give you a chance to do better in a pinch during a fight. When recuperating with Ancie after a run, you can put points into determining if rarer cards come up, Neon’s HP goes up, Treasure Chests show up after battle, or other benefits come up. There are also different difficulties to choose from when heading in, which can help with players’ experiences. 

Though to be honest, I didn’t get much out of the PvP mode. This feature unlocks after a few runs. It offers a daily dungeon with leaderboards or an opportunity to face others. The daily dungeon is fine, but I got nothing out of the fights against others and would just… rather go through the base dungeons on different difficulties instead. 

I enjoyed Inti Creates’ approach to gameplay in Card-en-Ciel and appreciate how it built on the tactical deck-building found in the Mega Man Battle Network series. While it looks similar, it feels like its own thing. That’s great! Unfortunately, the actual story surrounding Neon and Ancie’s adventure is pretty weak and not handled well, and there’s no personality to any of the dungeons we explore. It’s a case where there’s some good gameplay we can sink our teeth into, but the style isn’t quite there even with colorful characters and some fun cameos. It can be entertaining, but lacks Mega Man Battle Network's charm.

Card-en-Ciel will come to the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC on October 24, 2024, and a demo is available on the PC via Steam and Switch. 

The post Review: Solid Card-en-Ciel Lacks Mega Man Battle Network Charm appeared first on Siliconera.

I wish I was better at Umbraclaw. I want to know what happens if I manage to preserve Kuon’s sense of self. I want to be able to go farther with her as a teeny, cute cat in a dangerous world. However, this is a challenging Inti Creates adventure designed to test someone. Yet because I couldn’t let go and felt a drive for perfection, it often seemed the restrictions I’d place on myself were what really made it feel difficult.

Kuon is dead. She’s a small, black cat who was raised and loved by her owner, Tsukumo. Upon awakening in the Soulplane as a fiend. Not satisfied to remain, she is determined to fight her way back to Tsukumo and reach the boundary to the human world and return. However, she is just a cat in a world with many hazardous enemies. If she falls, she can come back and gain an Anima Revive ability tied to another animal’s skill. However, this transforms who and what she is to her very soul. 

Umbraclaw is essentially a platformer, but it can almost feel a bit Metroidvania-ish in the way abilities affect gameplay. Someone incredibly skilled, who is trying to challenge themselves, might actually get pretty far as-is. Though Kuon is a relatively ordinary cat, the character can dash through enemies with temporary invisibility, do a wall cling for a double jump there, crawl through ages, and even damage bosses if you dodge enough to build up a “stomp.” If someone is observant and plays carefully enough, they could impose their own “rules” of trying to not need extra abilities. 

The way in which Anima Revive power doled out can make it potentially challenging. I’m not quite certain if it is random or based on behaviors, but in one normal difficulty run, the first skill involved an elephant ability that allowed Kuon to guard. In a run I started to test out the easiest difficulty level, Kuon’s first death involved my getting the ability to double-jump. It seems you can’t guarantee that she will get something you really want with her next death, which again can affect the difficulty.

However, choosing the degree of challenge you want when you start also lets you determine how punishing Umbraclaw could be. There are three levels you can choose from at the outset of the adventure, following the tutorial. Eternity gives you endless revives, and you can reset the Anima counter. Anima Mode is more traditional, with players restarting at beginning of stages and more limitations on survival. Novem is essentially permadeath. You can’t reset the death counter. If you fall, you restart at the beginning of a chapter. It’s punishing and designed to force you to be your best. Given there are sometimes “cheap” deaths, due to encounters with unfamiliar enemies or stage elements, I’d say it isn’t good for a first run. 

The thing is, endings being tied to Anima Revive and your progress also means how far you push yourself once you get to the end affects the degree of challenge. If you decide to keep running through until you complete Umbraclaw with minimal or no Animal Revive usage, then that’s on you. You took the difficulty of the experience into your own hands.

I’m also a little split on the art direction for Kuon. I love the general character designs for her and her evolutions. The story cutscene images are great, and Tsukumo are adorable. The Soulbeasts and other major entities are amazing. However, I’m not a fan of some of the more general enemy designs for the typical encounters in stages. Also, while the style is unusual and stands out, I also didn’t really care for the direction used in the stages. They seemed a little too similar at times or even generic, even though the major characters stood out in fun ways. 

Even though I really enjoyed my time with it and loved when I managed to get through areas without needing to lose more of Kuon’s sense of self and initial nature, I also felt like maybe Umbraclaw felt a little too difficult to try and survive as-is? I fully acknowledge it could be a skill issue on my part. My second attempt through it to sample the Eternity option did seem to go easier. But in some stages it seemed like Inti Creates purposely imposed some situations that would require prior knowledge of the situation or above-average skills to get past without resorting to an Anima Revive ability.

I love the idea behind Umbraclaw and its character designs. However, the demanding nature and restrictions I place on myself while playing and some design choices keep me from savoring it as much as other platformers. The idea of growing stronger via deaths for second changes is so refreshing, though, and people who really enjoy a challenge may relish the chance to see how far they can go without faltering.

Umbraclaw is available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC on May 30, 2024. 

The post Review: Umbraclaw Difficulty Can Feel Self-Inflicted appeared first on Siliconera.

Given the sensation Suiko Game became, there are a lot of watermelon game clones. Many are very similar to the original, but change from matching fruits to other types of characters. Inti Creates’ PuzzMiX adds some Azure Striker Gunvolt flavor to the mix for a budget Suika Game clone that sometimes feels a little more strategic.

Lola and her Lola Spheres are the focal point of PuzzMiX. Your goal is to pair up similar ones, so that they evolve into a larger one. You then pair up that with its match to create an even bigger one. This keeps going to increase your points. Once you fill up the box and Lola Spheres start flying out or crossing the top line, you lose. It’s typical of the Suika Game style. The exception is this involves the Azure Striker Gunvolt character and all happens while songs from the series play.

What really drew me to the game and made me appreciate it is the shapes of the Lola Spheres, however. These aren’t shapes that are 90% circular. Many of them have linear accents. This means that they can hook onto each other, keep from moving, and really be positioned in more static ways. With Suika Game and other clones, there’s an element of allowing physics and momentum to ensure things roll That doesn’t happen here, so someone needs to be more cautious about placement and positioning. I found it slightly more strategic.

There are some annoyances that keep PuzzMiX from being the best of the Suika Game clones I’ve experienced, however. One is Lola’s constant commentary. There’s no option to turn it off, and her asides get to be really annoying. Especially since there were occasional moments when it almost sounded like they overlapped.

The other issue is that, unlike other Suika Game clones, there’s no chart that lets you follow the Lola Spheres’ evolution in PuzzMiX. If you play frequently, you’ll catch on. But other titles follow Suika Game’s example and show what leads up to the highest “watermelon” equivalent item. That isn’t happening here, and it’s to the game’s detriment.

For a budget game, PuzzMiX looks and sounds quite good. It’s an entertaining diversion. The shapes of the Lola Spheres are enough to make them interesting from a puzzling aspect. The music is also a highlight, especially since you can unlock more tracks. I wouldn’t say it is better than the original Suika Game, but it is one of the better clones.

PuzzMiX is available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC. 

The post PuzzMiX Is One of My Favorite Suika Game Clones appeared first on Siliconera.

Inti Creates revealed the developer's next game will be Card-en-Ciel, and it is set to release in October 2024. The game is described as a "roguelite, card-battling RPG" and also looks to contain similar positioning and strategic mechanics like the Mega Man Battle Network series.

Battles will take place on two 3x3 grids, as players will use cards based on both in-game franchises and Inti Creates properties. These cards are voiced. Some contain Muse characters that provide extra bonuses if you can fulfill conditions and play unique music. Battles take place within dungeons, where defeating enemies earns you upgrades to your card deck. This will, in turn, help you to defeat the boss encounter and clear the dungeon. However, completing a dungeon faster nets a higher score so players will have to consider the trade off between gaining power and getting a faster completion.

You can watch the Card-en-Ciel gameplay trailer via Youtube below:

Back in April, 2024, Inti Creates announced and released PuzzMix, a puzzle game spin-off from the Azure Striker Gunvolt series. The series also received a rhythm game spin-off that was announced back in September, 2024.

Inti Creates will release Card-en-Ciel on October 24, 2024, for PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

The post Inti Creates Making Card-en-Ciel Mega Man Battle Network-like appeared first on Siliconera.

There’s a new Azure Striker Gunvolt spin-off, and this time Inti Creates made a Suika Game inspired title called PuzzMiX. However, instead of matching fruits to make watermelons, people are pairing up Lola Pods on the Switch on April 5, 2024. 

The main character in PuzzMiX is Lola herself. She’ll appear on-screen offering commentary as you match up the Lola Pods. Like Suika Game, you’ll need to to match up the pods of similar size to keep making larger ones. These drop from the top of the screen into a box. The game ends when the pods get so large or cluttered that they spill out of the box. The goal is to keep topping your high scores, and you earn more music when you do.

Here’s the first trailer showing how it will work:

Said trailer also included a number of the tracks that you can hear and unlock in the game. All of them are taken from the Azure Striker Gunvolt series. Here’s the list:

• “Beyond Probability”
• “Chronicle of Our Lives”
• “Command Prompt”
• “Countdown: 3-2-1-0”
• “Curiosity = Possibility”
• “Igniter”
• “Inner Alarm”
• “Kindred Spirits”
• “Love’s Sanctuary”
• “Luminous Promise”
• “The New World”
• “Original Chord”
• “Purification”
• “Raison D’etre”
• “Ready to Go”
• “Resonating Hearts”
• “Sparkling Elation”
• “Sword of Destiny”
• “Wordplay Magic”
• “You’re Not Alone”

While the Switch version is appearing first, more will also appear. It will also arrive on the PS4, PS5, and PC eventually.

This is the second recent spin-off where the characters and music from the series is a focus. GUNVOLT RECORDS: Cychronicle also appeared in 2024. That’s a more traditional rhythm game, however. 

PuzzMiX will come to the Nintendo Switch on April 5, 2024, followed by a PS4, PS5, and PC release.

The post Azure Striker Gunvolt Spin-off PuzzMiX Plays Like Suika Game appeared first on Siliconera.

A rhythm game spin-off based on a property known for its great music usually ends up being a fantastic idea, so GUNVOLT RECORDS: Cychronicle pulling from the Gunvolt series library seems like a good fit! However, a small track list that omits some songs to sell later as DLC and rudimentary design with four difficulty levels can leave it feeling a bit lacking.

There’s no overarching story or attempt to provide some excuse for Lola, Lumen, or Luxia taking the stage in GUNVOLT RECORDS: Cychronicle. Rather, it jumps right into teaching folks how to play before sending them into a concert mode to go through variations on 15 songs. There are four types of note indicators to hit in songs. The horizontal bars can appear as single hit or held notes, with the ones on the left side of the screen tied to the left triggers and action buttons on the switch and on the right to the right side. You can hit all of these, even ones that take up only half the lane, with any of those keys. (I exclusively used the L and R buttons.) Flick notes offer a fairly generous window in which to flick either the left or right analog stick, depending on which lane (or lanes) the indicators appear. The final type are yellow circular indicators that mirror the rings on the screen. For these, you must hit the initial note by flicking the analog stick at the right time, then continue to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise as indicated.

This input execution means that I found GUNVOLT RECORDS: Cychronicle to be one of the less challenging rhythm games I’ve played. The only notes I had an issue with her the gold ones that involved “hitting” the indicator by timing my analog stick press with a direction in the ring, then moving at the right time around the ring to complete the circular motion, since you might not exactly be sure of the positioning and speed due to it being more precise than the general “flick” actions. As a result, even the Hard difficulty versions of some tracks didn’t feel that much more challenging than Normal. Only the Expert options would really get to me.

While the execution is fine, I’m not the biggest fan of the character models for Lola, Lumen, and Luxia in GUNVOLT RECORDS: Cychronicle. Yes, they all look like the characters. It’s something about the way the faces and outfits look for these adaptations that made them look a bit off to me. The models look a little too rudimentary. It’s like instead of the actual Muse and songstresses, we’re getting the Temu versions accompanying us through songs instead. These look better on the menu screen than in the songs proper, at least.

But more importantly, I’m pretty disheartened by the song selection. Inti Creates composed some fantastic music for the Gunvolt series. So the selection fo tracks is strong. The problem is there are only 15 tracks here. The developer attempted to pad that out a bit by having some songs being snippets that must be played to unlock the “full” version. I get this is only a $14.99 title, which would put it into the budget category. However, these are songs from the series and company. To only have 15 in there and pay about $20 more for 20 songs spread across five more song packs is really frustrating. Especially since some of those songs do come from Azure Striker Gunvolt and Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX and aren’t from supplemental sources like the anime adaptation or other soundtracks. 

The fact that this is a budget sort of game does mean it’s a bit rudimentary in of what it offers. You get the Concert mode, which involves playing through the tracks. The Music Video section allows you access to a jukebox function with the Music Player or a Movie Player that lets you watch the music videos that would play if you were going through the tracks in Concert. The Gallery is a bit of a misnomer, as it is really only a place to see your personal records, revisit the tutorial, or see the game’s credits. Still, the Concert mode is what most will probably use and it works fine, and the Music Player works fine.

The Gunvolt series has fantastic music, and GUNVOLT RECORDS: Cychronicle feels like a natural spin-off. It also plays pretty well. I’m just disappointed in Inti Creates excluding so many tracks to sell separately and the final 3D model designs for the three heroines. If you enjoy the series’ songs, it’s probably a good idea to check the tracklist to see if ones you enjoy are in the base game and maybe pick it up if they are.

GUNVOLT RECORDS: Cychronicle is available for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. 

The post Review: GUNVOLT RECORDS: Cychronicle Gives Us a Selection of Gunvolt Songs appeared first on Siliconera.

As a massive fan of Love Live, imagine my surprise when a 2D action game featuring the series’ beloved chuunibyo Yohane Tsushima from Aqours called Yohane the Parhelion -Blaze in the Deepblue- was announced. Even more baffling was the fact that it was going to be made by Inti Creates, the creative minds behind the Gunvolt series of games. While this is my first time playing an Inti Creates game, I’m delighted to say that I enjoyed my time with it. I also suspect that those who love Metroidvanias and don’t know a thing about Love Live, Yohane the Parhelion -Blaze in the Deepblue- will find it delivers a gameplay experience that can be enjoyed regardless of whether you're an idol or Metroidvania fan.

The explanation as to how the high-school-girl-turned-butt-kicking-fortune-teller Yohane and her friends ended up in this dungeon isn’t outright explained at the very beginning. It's the core mystery of this game. What you do know is that the other of Aqours have been kidnapped, and it’s your job to help Yohane find them with her trusty canine friend Lailaps. After each comically large boss is killed, you’ll gain one more friend to aid you in your quest to save all of them.

The story takes a pretty massive backseat here, to be honest. The gameplay is where it’s at. You’re thrown into the action as soon as you arrive. Yohane certainly wastes no time defeating enemies and traversing each area to round up her friends. If you’re already into Love Live, this headstrong aspect of her character shouldn’t come as a surprise to you. She should sound familiar too. Aika Kobayashi’s voice performance as Yohane is, once again, outstanding. In fact, all of the voice actors did a fantastic job selling their character’s individuality, charisma, and humor in this fully voiced adventure.

I would say that if you’re already familiar with this crew of characters, you will get more out of small references, such as Ruby’s cotton candy shield or Hanamaru’s “Mirai Zura” laptop explosion. However, if those words mean nothing to you, you’ll likely still have a fun learning about each girl’s abilities and how they influence the game. For those who love Love Live, there’s enough here that it’ll be a nostalgic, feel-good experience for you as you see each character’s interactions with Yohane. As a fan, I thought that there was a little left to be desired, however I did appreciate hearing some Aqours music.

Still, if you really don’t care about or have never watched Love Live, I still wholeheartedly believe that you can still enjoy the game. It is a solid Metroidvania first and foremost. Each character interaction is tied to a gameplay element, like map progression and character upgrades, so there isn’t a lot of fluff that will distract you. Plus, these story segments are rare in general and rarely interrupt your exploration.

There are nine different characters to switch between, with each offering a different ability that can help you progress deeper into the dungeon and gain the upper hand in battle. These characters include the other eight of Aqours and Lailaps. In my experience, I felt that each character had time to shine. Yes, I used characters like Dia, Riko, and Hanamaru more often, as they are particularly strong against enemies, but I can’t think of a single character that was shelved. Plus, the pixel animations of the girls using their newfound powers looked very cute and charming. I especially liked the added touch of Hanamaru’s dizziness when she spin-dashes her way into a wall, Sonic the Hedgehog-style.

Yohane can learn a bunch of new abilities for herself, and each character gets their own extra scenes and treasure to hunt for to unlock their unique upgrade. Double-jumping and climbing walls as Yohane is especially helpful when it comes to fully exploring the dungeon. It was extremely satisfying to defeat bosses, unlock more girls, and then backtrack to use their help to enter areas that were previously blocked off before.

If you love using a variety of weapons and armor, you’re in luck. In addition to upgrading characters, there is a plethora of weapons to cast (craft) for Yohane. I had a blast testing out new ones whenever I had the chance.

Which was helpful, as I found there were times when this game was a bit of a challenge. There is no difficulty slider, after all. However, with some retrying, analyzing attack patterns, and perhaps a little grinding to stock up on buffs and healing items, I found it manageable. Just know that I opened nearly all of the hidden chests in the dungeon and still had to grind for money to be able to clear the final boss. This was even after I feel I created the best build for Yohane I possibly could by unlocking each equipment slot and giving her the best items. The final boss will test your knowledge of the girls’ abilities, since they will all need to be used properly to defeat it. That being said, I still felt that the difficulty of the entire game ramped up in a way that wasn’t surprising and felt natural.

Yohane the Parhelion -Blaze in the Deepblue- is a solid Metroidvania experience full of pleasant surprises that will delight seasoned veterans of both the genre and Love Live fans. With plenty to explore and discover, this game is well worth your time and dollar.

Yohane the Parhelion -Blaze in the Deepblue- is available on the PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PCs via Steam.

The post Review: Yohane the Parhelion May Pleasantly Surprise Metroidvania Fans appeared first on Siliconera.

Developer Inti Creates announced a new rhythm game based on the Azure Striker Gunvolt series titled Gunvolt Records Cychronicle. The game will have 15 music tracks on release, and there is DLC planned for it. Gunvolt Records Cychronicle will appear on February 15, 2024 for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam, and it will cost $14.99.

Singers Lumen, Lola, and Luxia will be the three protagonists of the new Gunvolt spin-off. The game will render the characters in 3D, in contrast to the main title’s pixel art aesthetic. Inti Creates also confirmed that they are planning to release 5 DLC packs with 4 new songs each. The DLC packs will cost $3.99.

You can take a look at the reveal trailer for the new Gunvolt Records Cychronicle rhythm game here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI1u4GMy-gk

Lumen is one of the central characters in Azure Striker Gunvolt 1 and 3. Meanwhile, Lola is The Muse of Hope and Copen’s companion in Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 and Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX and Luminous Avenger iX 2. Luxia is a main character featured in Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 and a member of the main antagonist group of the game.

Gunvolt Records Cychronicle is being developed for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, and it will release worldwide on February 15, 2024.

The post Gunvolt Records Cychronicle Rhythm Game Releases February 2024 appeared first on Siliconera.

Earlier in March 2023, Inti Creates' Gal Gun spin-off Grim Guardians: Demon Purge disappeared from the Microsoft and Nintendo storefronts. Now the developer explained the abrupt delisting. Following a complaint from the owners of the name GRIMGUARD, the game will now be known as Gal Guardians: Demon Purge.

Inti Creates noted that while the GRIMGUARD trademark holders only have the right to it in Australia, the European Union, New Zealand, the UK, and the US, this new title will apply to “English-speaking regions.” On Steam, the PC product page already reflects the new name and artwork. The eShop and Microsoft Store listings are still down. However, as of 2pm ET on March 9, 2023, the PlayStation Store still listed the PS4 and PS5 versions as available for sale under the old name.

Here is the official announcement.

[Important Announcement]
INTI CREATES is changing the title of "Grim Guardians: Demon Purge" to "Gal Guardians: Demon Purge."

During the transition, the game may become unavailable on some storefronts. We apologize for the inconvenience. pic.twitter.com/m7AMdL0P

— INTI CREATES (@IntiCreatesEN) March 9, 2023

The Gal Gun spin-off is an action game that can be played alone or cooperatively with another person. People follow sisters Shinobu and Maya Kamizono as they fight the demons that slipped into the human world when Kurona transformed their high school into a demonic castle filled with monsters.

Following the name change, Grim Guardians: Demon Purge will again be available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC as Gal Guardians: Demon Purge.

The post Grim Guardians: Demon Purge Name Changing to Gal Guardians appeared first on Siliconera.

Something is up with the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X version of Grim Guardians: Demon Purge. The game is currently listed as "not available separately" on the Microsoft Store. The Nintendo eShop page directs people to the Wario "Whoops! The info you're looking for can't be found!" error message. As of 9:30am ET on March 7, 2023, the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC versions are still available via the PlayStation Store and Steam. [Thanks, Jawmuncher on Resetera!]

Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is a fairly recent Inti Creates release. A 2D action-game spin-off of Gal Gun: Double Peace, it primarily stars the Kamizono sisters Shinobu and Maya. The two possess the ability to fight demons and, after Kurona stumbles onto extraordinary power and brings the demon world into the human one, the duo sets out to save the day. Along the way, they rescue fellow students trapped in the school before it was transformed into Kurona's castle, as well as some of the other love interests from the on-rails shooter.

Inti Creates didn't mention anything about a potential issue with the game ahead of this removal of the Grim Guardians: Demon Purge Switch and Xbox versions from their respective digital storefronts. The last update for the game came on March 1, 2023, when a patch was released.

Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, though the Switch and Xbox versions are unavailable from the moment via the eShop and Microsoft Store.

The post Grim Guardians: Demon Purge Switch and Xbox Versions Unavailable in the US appeared first on Siliconera.

Inti Creates often ends up being known for two kinds of games. One is the 2D run-and-gun sorts of titles along the lines of Azure Striker Gunvolt, Blaster Master Zero, and Mega Man. The other is the fanservice-filled Gal Gun on-rails shooters. So… what happens if you mash those two together? It turns out, you get a 2D, stage-based, Castlevania-like affair starring characters from Gal Gun. While it doesn’t hit the heights of the always impressive Azure Striker Gunvolt, it can be quite fun.

Set in the same world as Gal Gun: Double Peace, both Shinobu Kamizono and her younger sister Maya are demon hunters and high school students. When Kurona gains infinite power, she uses it to bring the demon world into the real one, transforming Sakurazaki Academy into her castle and leaving students captured inside. The sisters use their unique spiritual abilities to find out how Kurona developed these abilities, defeat the monsters and demons lurking throughout the building, and hopefully restore a sense of normalcy.

how Inti Creates worked on both Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon games? You will after you play Grim Guardians: Demon Purge for a while. While I’d say both are superior, the same sort of DNA is infused into this project. While you will eventually get weapons and abilities that will make returning to completed levels attractive, each area you traverse is essentially treated as a separate “stage” of the castle. This makes it feel more like some of the older Castlevania sorts of titles, rather than a true Metroidvanias.

Shinobu and Maya each feature unique abilities, much like the characters in Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon, which offer more tactical options when approaching situations. Shinobu can attack from a distance and tends to equip subweapons that inflict damage from far away. She also has more health. However, her ranged gun will eventually need to reload and doesn’t deal as much damage as Maya’s more direct attacks. Meanwhile, Maya is more frail as far as health goes, but she hits much harder and has subweapons that can create protective shields that damage enemies or deal more stationary, close-range damage.

Having two heroines means different approaches to levels too. There is a two-player co-op mode, which allows people to take on the challenge together. When both sisters are alive and a gauge is filled, you can use an overpowered special attack to damage all foes ahead of them onscreen. However, if you play alone, then you can swap between the two heroines. This also allows something of a “second chance” system, as if one dies, the other will appear at the start of the most recent room you entered and be able to go to her sister and perform R to “revive” her with some health.

I’d almost say that this, as well as other elements, can leave Grim Guardians: Demon Purge feeling a bit easy. It isn’t terribly long, as I ended up beating its eight levels in almost seven hours. The characters eventually grow in strength, which makes them more formidable. Shinobu even takes on a bit of a healer role after a point. The boss fights feature rather predictable patterns, and it wasn’t until the last fourth of the game that I started sweating. It’s also generally very straightforward, and as long as you lean into characters’ strengths and swap often, it’s never too creative when it comes to level design or enemy approaches.

However, Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is great about referencing its source material. As a nod to this being a former school, and one filled with female students, you’ll often find classmates to rescue! In addition to Shinobu, Maya, and Kurona, other characters from the Gal Gun series appear. When they do, they’re cleverly referenced. They’ll also end up in occasionally recurring placements, so you still get to see your “friends” around. Even though there’s something of a minimalistic approach to sprites, returning cast are distinctive and familiar. There are also multiple endings, which is a fun bonus.

I’d say Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is a good snack for people who enjoy Inti Creates titles, the Bloodstained: Circle of the Moon spin-offs, or games that are Metroidvania-adjacent. It’s a brief diversion, which isn’t a bad thing! In a world where so many games can be 20-40 hours long, sometimes I want something silly and fun that will keep me busy for one or two evenings. I really appreciated what Inti Creates accomplished with the generally delightful Grim Guardians: Demon Purge.

Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.

The post Review: Grim Guardians: Demon Purge Feels Like a ‘Lite’ Castlevania appeared first on Siliconera.

Valve's Steam Next Fest is on, and hundreds of new and games are getting free playable demos to for all and sundry this week. Until February 13, 2023, the front pages of the Steam storefront will engage in a "celebration of games," with developer-led livestreams of titles, as well as the opportunity to personally experience a slice of what's next up on the world's biggest PC game store. Of course, with all those new games available for the sampling, it can be tough to choose which to try out in the limited time available. Some demos might remain online after the festival, but the general assumption is that they'll be unavailable for a while once the fest is over.

To that end, we've gone ahead and selected a handful of titles we think are worth trying out, via their Steam Next Fest playable demos. Check them out below, and recommend your own favorites in the comments.

Note: The following games were picked by Siliconera staff out of the Steam Next Fest selection. The full lineup is viewable at this link and via the Steam client. System requirements and availability may vary by title or region. 1r4v3o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tNA6FvTDDk

Affogato 31h5y

Affogato blends coffee, conversation, and tower defense into a new style of RPG. The gameplay uses a "reverse tower defense" style, and players help a sorceress make her new café business successful by helping clients fight their "inner demons." Between battles, they'll converse with customers, build relationships, and use a realistic coffeemaking model to brew the perfect cup.

Check out its Steam page and grab its Steam Next Fest demo at this link. The full release is due in 2023.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7uWrjl95k4

Grim Guardians: Demon Purge 2g4w4r

A new title from Inti Creates, Grim Guardians is inspired by gothic horror in the "Metroidvania" vein. Two sisters must challenge a demonic castle that has consumed their school, hunting demons throughout the 2D, multi-floor labyrinth. They'll earn weapons and equipment from defeating bosses that unlock more areas to visit. Players will control the siblings in tag-team fashion, swapping sisters as the situation demand. Jump-in co-op also allows two players to control both Kamizono sisters on-screen, should the mood arise.

Grim Guardians launches on February 23, 2023. Its store page and demo are here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nra31mia8Y0

Mr. Saitou 5h2n6u

Mr. Saitou comes courtesy of Laura Shigihara, the singer-songwriter best known as the lead composer and sound designer for mega-hit title Plants vs. Zombies. It's a follow-up to her previous game, the story-based adventure Rakuen, and focuses on the titular Mr. Saitou. He's an average white-collar worker struggling to find meaning in a workaday existence. An accident lands him in a strange fantasy world, leading him to unexpected friends and adventure. Shigihara says that Mr. Saitou is "short and sweet", with a non-combat story and an original soundtrack.

Check out Mr. Saitou's store page at this link. The game will launch on March 24, 2023. Its Steam Next Fest demo is only in English, but the full release will multiple languages, including Japanese, French, Dutch, Korean, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, and Turkish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITlbiOSd3Vc

WitchSpring R 533y6k

A new title from WitchSpring3 Re:Fine developer Kiwiwalks, WitchSpring R returns to the well of witch-raising. It's a story-driven RPG that brings together daily life simulation, collection, crafting, and battle. Players control Pieberry, a bunny-eared witch living in a secluded, monster-infested forest. You'll help her reach the outside world to walk amongst the humans, and will need to help her gain power, find resources, and train her attributes.

The game doesn't have a release window, but Kiwiwalks says that the Steam Next Fest demo will last 2-3 hours, and include a tutorial. Check it out at this link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_f5fGNtg6k

Pocket Mirror ~ GoldenerTraum x484d

From developers AstralShift and VisuStella, Pocket Mirror ~ GoldenerTraum is a "remastered" edition of Pocket Mirror, a legendary horror RPG. Despite being created in RPG Maker, a popular game development tool suite for independent and hobbyist developers, Pocket Mirror impressed with its visuals and story. GoldenerTraum updates the visuals further, as well as adding more features, like a new ending, 2D animated sequences, a New Game+ mode, and additional content. Players will be able to switch between the new art style and the classic one.

According to its store page, the game doesn't yet have a release window, but you can grab the Steam Next Fest demo at this link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXGc7QMHTXU

Radio the Universe 142w1f

Radio the Universe might feel familiar, and it should. Its creator, known only as "6e6e6e" (or "sixe") has been working on it for nearly ten years. It was first funded via Kickstarter in 2013, and has been in development ever since. Now it's playable at the Steam Next Fest, though it doesn't have an announced release window (it was last planned to be ready by Winter 2020). Players take on the role of an immortal wanderer, traveling through the ruins of a mysterious city, taking on dangerous enemies and fighting to survive.

Here's its Steam store page, from which you can the playable demo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBhHesn3ka8

Banchou Tactics 35l2i

A tactics title themed after Japanese high school toughs, Banchou Tactics has been in the works at Secret Character. It is inspired both by games like Final Fantasy Tactics and titles like River City Ransom. Players take control of various school-age street fighters caught up in a gang war to determine the toughest and strongest delinquent in the city.

The demo is available at this link. A release date hasn't been specified, but it was last set for a Q1 2023 debut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRlI7dsID3s

Wandering Sword 4h6i6a

A Chinese-developed RPG boasting visuals in the vein of Square Enix's recent "HD-2D" productions (like Octopath Traveler and Triangle Strategy), Wandering Sword promises wuxia-inspired adventure in its STeam Next Fest demo. Players step into the role of Yuwen Yi, a warrior who is recuperating in a mountain village after a brush with death. Players will guide Yuwen on his journey through the land, learning various martial arts and weapons, and mastering their meridian points in pursuit of pure martial prowess.

The game is planned for a 2023 release. You can grab its Steam Next Fest demo on this page.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3XXgRpIKp4

1000xRESIST 6f272q

A narrative adventure set at the end of the world, players are placed in the role of Watcher, a clone member of a secret sisterhood living in a closed facility called the Garden. The sisterhood worships "The Allmother," the last surviving human. When Watcher's closest sister, Fixer, uncovers a dangerous rumor, Watcher must explore history through a time-shifting tool to uncover a lie thousands of years old.

1000xRESIST is playable as part of the Steam Next Fest, and launches fully in 2023. Check it out on its store page.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2CDeQx63kQ

Shadows of Doubt 4r505r

An entry into the venerable "immersive sim" genre, Shadows of Doubt uses low-poly visuals to "fully simulate" a functioning cityscape in an alternative 1980s timeline. Players take on the role of a private detective and use gadgets and sleuthing skills to solve cases. Players can get to know any one of the hundreds of NPCs in the game, each with their own daily routine, and take a variety of routes to meet their goals.

Check out the store page to access the playable demo. Shadows of Doubt doesn't have a release window yet.

The current Steam Next Fest runs until February 13, 2023.

The post Check Out These 10 Free Steam Next Fest Demos appeared first on Siliconera.

Inti Creates announced a release date for its Grim Guardians: Demon Purge game. A new trailer also debuted alongside the announcement. The gothic horror-inspired game will come out digitally on February 23, 2023 and cost $24.99.

Here is the new Grim Guardians: Demon Purge release date trailer. It focuses on showing off the title's gameplay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7uWrjl95k4

Additionally, Inti Creates has published numerous screenshots showcasing the game. You can check a few of them out below:

[gallery ids="944341,944342,944338,944343,944344,944346" link="file"]

Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is a 2D side-scrolling action game with a deep exploration element. It offers unique gameplay by allowing players to switch between its two main characters on the fly and without restrictions.

The game follows Shinobu and Maya Kamizono, a pair of demon-hunter sisters. After returning from a hunt one day, they find that their school has been transformed into a demonic castle. It’s up to the siblings to find and put a stop to whatever caused the transformation, rescuing the school’s missing students along the way.

Shinobu offers long-range attacks and higher HP, while Maya is able to deal large amounts of damage quickly but only at close-range. Each of the characters will have situations where they excel, making swapping between them essential.

The girls also have an ultimate technique called the Purge Cannon in which they work together to fire a powerful bullet that instantly destroys most demons. This attack can only be unleashed when the Purge Gauge is full. Filling the Purge Gauge happens naturally over time, and gets a boost when players pick up items.

Should either Shinobu or Maya run out of HP, the other can revive them. However, this process takes time and requires players to stand over the fallen sister, so rescuing them will take some planning. A Game Over only happens when both siblings go down.

Both characters will have several unlockable sub-weapons that are rewarded as players defeat bosses. These can be changed out at any time, though using them will require Weapon Points. Different sub-weapons will enable more bosses to be defeated and grant access to more areas.

Several features will be available to let players customize their Grim Guardians: Demon Purge experience. Options include 2 voiceover options (Japanese and English), 3 difficulty styles, and the ability to play cooperatively should a second controller be available.

The Grim Guardians: Demon Purge release date is February 23, 2023. It will appear for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam digitally.

The post Grim Guardians: Demon Purge Release Date Unveiled appeared first on Siliconera.

Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 has officially launched on PS4 and PS5, and along with it, the latest Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 update. According to developer Inti Creates, the game's 2.0.0 update is the largest one ever. It adds new story content, online ranking mode, and playable characters. On PlayStation platforms, the update also includes all Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 content updates to date. Players on existing platforms like the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC won't have long to wait to get the update. It launches for them on December 16, 2022.

Check out a trailer for the update below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvyg0Kso0Qk

The Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 update adds an entirely new story mode called "Epilogue ATEMS". It is set after the events of the game's main story. It stars "Golden Trillion" ZedΩ, a new playable protagonist. The story follows ATEMS, the organization led by ZedΩ, as it plots from within Sumeragi. ZedΩ fights with his blades of light that are as powerful as the sun itself. He also projects wings, feathers, and birds made of flaming light. He can also harness his feathers for various purposes, including healing, ranged attacks, or a bomb-like screen-clearing ultimate.

His companion Layla is also Luxia, the Djinn, and can use her Song of Djinn ability to revive ZedΩ. ZedΩ is voiced in Japanese by Shun Horie (Hacker from Akudama Drive, Kazuya from Rent-A-Girlfriend), and in English by Casey Mongillo (Shinji in Evangelion's Netflix dub, Nahobino in Shin Megami Tensei V). Luxia is voiced in Japanese by Rico Sasaki (Dia from Kiratto Pri-chan) and Michaela Laws in English (Chondra in YIIK, Crystal in World War Blue). Players can access "Epilogue ATEMS" after obtaining the main story's true ending. From then it will be selectable in the main menu.

Besides the new story, the Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 update adds online leaderboards for the Trial Mode.

You can also check out a new music video released to commemorate the launch. It features the song "Struggling to Dream," sung by Lumen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4t38DY2kMk

Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 is available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox series X|S, Switch, and PC via Steam. The update launches on non-PlayStation systems on December 16, 2022.

The post Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 Update Debuts with PS Versions appeared first on Siliconera.