News by Lindsay M., News Editor
Welcome to Digitally Downloaded’s regular catch-up news feature. With each issue we will bring you the best news that you may have missed. Grab the biggest mug you’ve got, fill it with your favourite brew, and catch up with us (and our favourite news anchor, Dee Dee)!
For the first time, Orwell’s estate is lending Animal Farm to a video game
The heavens part, and the angels sing from above. In the ray of pure sunshine breaking free from the clouds descends… a pig?! Yes, that is what my brain projected when I heard this news. It’s heavenly. Next to Godly. George Owell’s Animal Farm is getting its very own video game adaptation. In indie form, of course – an AAA title wouldn’t truly represent the content, so I’m thrilled to bits to see what these developers can do (the team doesn’t have a name yet, but it should be announced within the coming weeks). Could you image Ubisoft Presents Animal Farm? Oh hell no. Rabbids may have a place in the Mario universe, but not in an Orwellian one.
We are proud to announce that we are working on an indie game adaptation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm.https://t.co/K0rp1km5x7— Animal Farm Game (@AnimalFarmGame) August 17, 2017
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” There is no doubt that this profound quote from Orwell’s infamous novel has carried heavy significance since the original time of publishing. Simply replace animals with humans, and you have the race riots happening today: All humans are equal, but some humans are more equal than others. And there you have the point of the novel. As humans, we aren’t better than lowly farm animals. We “should” be. We are farther along on the evolutionary scale, at the very least. Yet we turn barnyard fights into worldwide wars.
The importance of this title as a video game is not lost on me. Always a loud supporter of video games as an art form, the Animal Farm content will be transformed into a new form of art/media that allows for more people to consume the content past those forced to in high school (a slightly exaggerated statement… slightly). For more news, follow the game on Twitter (above) or visit its website to sign up for the mailing list.
Square Enix’s Meshi Quest brings fine dining to your mobile device
What do you get when you combine Diner Dash with Square Enix? Meshi Quest: Five-Star Kitchen, an equally addicting free-to-play mobile title now available for Android and iOS. I know I’ve piqued your interest, so here’s a trailer showcasing the game’s features:
The goal is to cook, plate, and serve dishes to customers in your restaurants. You start out as a Sushi chef, making a single type and sometimes serving tea alongside the raw fish delicacy. While the title is decidedly Japanese in style – not only text, but logos and images reflect what I’ve seen in other titles published by Square – the world is your oyster, as you’ll also make curry rice, burgers, and Chinese cuisine alongside Japanese stables such as ramen and sushi. The meals become increasingly difficult. Earning stars and gaining experience points allows the player to advance through the states, with experience also unlocking new restaurants.
I’ve only picked up the title briefly, but it’s definitely a blast from the past considering the amount of time I spent (errrr, wasted?) on Diner Dash titles back in the day. There is also a worldwide ranking system incorporated, giving the title a more competitive feel then the Big Fish Games titles I keep referencing. There are 500 leaderboards, I kid you not. À la cuisine!
We Happy Few coming to PS4, 2018 release date also set
I previewed We Happy Few for its original preview release on the Xbox One, and I after all these months I am still following along incredibly closely. The news has come in slow drips, with some larger updates to the preview build but nothing coming close to satiating my hunger for more Joy. Well, happy happy joy joy, we’ve got a release date on our hands! The retail version of We Happy Few is hitting shelves (in both the physical and digital store sense) on April 13, 2018, courtesy of Gearbox. And not just for the Xbox One: the title will also be on PC and, perhaps most importantly because I am in love with my FFVX version of the console, PlayStation 4.
Feeling joyful yet? That’s a loaded question because you very well may be joyful at the news but unjoyful regarding the wait. And joyful because that moving logo at the end is amazing, but unjoyful because of the wait. And joyful because there will be three characters, each with the own stories… and unjoyful because of of the wait. I think you get where I’m going with this. The wait is a seemingly long one considering how long the title has been in preview build. But I’d much rather wait and have something wonderful, thoughtful, and exciting to play – and I am 100% certain that is what Compulsion Games is making.
Each of the main characters has their own stories, strengths, weaknesses, and reason for giving up Joy. After all, wouldn’t it be easier to just take the pill and go through life blissfully unaware of the crumbling world around you? Chatting with friendly strangers instead of being chased by crazies and cops? The final version of the game will retail for $59.99 USD, with Microsoft Store, GOG.com, and Humble Store buyers receiving access to the alpha build. Windows 10 consumers will gain access later this fall. For PS4 owners, your pre-orders will include an exclusive theme. There is also a $150 collector’s set available, including a lamp, replica Bobby mask, the soundtrack on vinyl, a Joy alarm clock, and more. Early Access and Game Preview Program owners of the game will receive the full version at launch at no additional cost… so I can put those dollars towards that collector’s set instead!
DrinkBox releases the best version of Guacamelee! to date: a physical one
One of my favourite Canadian indie developers (Toronto-based DrinkBox Studios) has now released one of my favourite Canadian indie video games – Guacamelee! – in a limited physical format. This is the stuff dreams are made of! The title comes in a lovely official PS4 blue case, a region-free disc copy of the game, and a code for a free version of the game’s complete package (including soundtrack and bonus content) via Steam.
Guacamelee is as guaca-licious as it sounds. Carlos Calaca has kidnapped the president’s daughter and plans to sacrifice her. The sacrifice is required to merge the worlds of the living and the dead. Luckily, an agave farmed named Juan finds a Legendary Luchador mask, finally giving him the courage to become the hero he’s destined to be. The game is often praised for building upon the classic Metroid games with a strong combat component and same-screen co-op multiplayer.
If you’re interested, head on over to the shop as quickly as your fingers will take you: as of writing, only 15% of stock remains of the 3,800 made available. It will set you back about $30 USD, but ships worldwide!
