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)!
Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen launches in the West this May
Publisher NIS America has announced that Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen will be launched this May, available physically and digitally for the PlayStation 4 and digitally for the PS Vita. The game will be released on May 26 in North America and May 29 in Europe. Here’s the latest trailer:
In this land, many tribespeople have beast-like ears and tails. They were there long before settlers arrived and nations began to form. Yamayura Village is the home to a young girl named Eruruu. She finds and carries a young man, who is gravely injured, back to her village. He’s lost all of his previous memories, and adapts quickly to village life. With him, the village prospered, but the feudal lord hears of this and sends his troops to seize everything.
As with its predecessors, Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen features two distinct parts of gameplay, story and battle. These parts alternate as the story progresses. The title is cross-save compatible, so as long as you’re signed into your PSN account you can move the save between the PS4 and the Vita.
Spirit of the North coming to PC, Steam
Originally launched solely for PlayStation 4 last November, Spirit of the North is set to come to PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo eShop sometime this (Northern) spring. Developed by Infuse Studio, the game is published by one of my favourites, Merge Games. There’s a new trailer to celebrate the news:
The game follows an ordinary red fox whose story gets mixed up with the guardian of the Northern Lights, who happens to be a female spirit fox. You’ll journey together, over mountains and under the red skies.
Spirit of the North is inspired by Nordic folklore, and takes the player on an adventure through the mysterious landscapes of Iceland. You’ll need to solve puzzles and work to uncover the meaning of a lost ancient civilization. The developer compares the title to Lost Ember, RiME, and Journey.
Backbone coming to PC, Consoles early next year
Developed by EggNut, Raw Fury will publish noir adventure game Backbone for PC/Mac/Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The game will be available in early 2021, with a free demo titles Backbone: Prologue available on Steam now. Here’s a new trailer:
Howard Lotor is not just an anthropomorphic raccoon, he’s also a private detective in a dystopian Vancouver. His days are tedious, and he has come to accept the abusive authoritative regime in power. Then a string of cases occur, each more outlandish than the last, and it shakes his view of the world. He’ll need to find clues, collect evidence, interrogate witnesses, and decide which lead is worth following.
The gameplay is rooted in the point-and-click adventure genre but also features stealth elements and branching dialogues inspired by old-school CRPGs. The animation is handcrafted frame by frame, with the environments modelled after the actual streets of Vancouver. There’s even an original jazz soundtrack to keep you enveloped in atmosphere.
I’ve never been able to flip a house on console before!
I suppose in The Sims you technically could, but that’s not really the point so I’m not counting it. House Flipper launched for PC in early 2018, and the game is making the leap to PlayStation 4 on February 25 and Xbox One on February 26. I suppose we won’t be house flipping on the go with the Nintendo Switch, but darned if I don’t want to play it immediately on my PS4. Here’s a trailer.
In House Flipper, you’re “a one-man renovation crew.” Sexism aside, you’ll be able to buy, repair, remodel, and sell dilapidated houses. At your disposal are a variety of tools and parts, which will continue to unlock through progression. There are also interior design options.
The game can pretty much be played as you want to. If you’d like, focus on interior decoration and only purchase houses that need a cosmetic facelift. If you’re feeling more daring, purchase a house whose bones also need fixing. You’ll need to pay close attention to the budget, no matter what your business style ends up being.
