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)!
The original NieR is back!
Okay, this is a bit complicated, so bear with me. NieR was originally released for the Xbox 360 as NieR Gestalt in Japan, and then a PS3 version with a younger main character was announced. This second version is titled NieR Replicant, and that is what is being upgraded/”rebuilt.” Anyway, the moral of the story is that the original NieR is coming to PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One under the title NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139. I’m not kidding, that’s the name. Anyway, here’s a trailer:
As a disease and strange beasts are threatening the world, a young boy make a promise to his little sister. It turns out to be a thousand-year lie that would live on for eternity. Players will join the brother on his quest to cute his sister of the deadly disease. The game follows the fifth ending of the first Drakengard games, set one thousand years in the future. Don’t worry, though, as previous knowledge really isn’t necessary to enjoy NieR.
NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 will be fully voiced, with all lines being re-recorded for this version. All music is also being re-recorded, with the addition of new songs. The game will have new characters and possibly new endings. Square Enix hopes to have it released within the next year, but there’s no date set as of yet.
Clubhouse Games is coming to the Nintendo Switch
I honestly don’t think I know anyone who had a Nintendo DS that didn’t also have a copy of Clubhouse Games; the collection of 42 classic games was just perfect for the handheld console with a touch screen. It comes as no surprise that Clubhouse Games is back for the Nintendo Switch, titled Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics (or 51 Worldwide Games if you’re in a European territory). It will launch on June 4, and was originally announced during last week’s Direct. Here’s the trailer:
Not surprisingly, this sequel includes 51 games versus the 42 in the original. The games are all tabletop, and come from around the world. Some familiar games include chess, mancala, four-in-a-row, and renegade. There are even games that rely on your reflexes, such as slot cars and toy boxing.
Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics (I refuse to use the European name, I hate it so much) will be playable solo, along with multiplayer options. You can play with friends either locally or online, with up to four players total.
Epic Games announces new publishing effort
It’s time for Epic Games to push into a new space, as the company has announced Epic Games Publishing, described as a new multiplatform publishing effort with a developer-first approach. Its first partners are with gen DESIGN (The Last Guardian), Playdead (Inside, Limbo), and Remedy Entertainment (Control, Alan Wake). Here’s the announcement video:
Epic Games Publishing claims to give developers full creative freedom and ownership, fully-funded projects, and 50/50 profit sharing once costs are recouped (there’s the caveat right there, the dev won’t make money for quite some time unless the game is an immediate smash hit). As of now we only know of what’s in the pipe over at Remedy Entertainment, as it announced the team was working on an AAA multi-platform title as well as a smaller-scale project set in the same franchise.
So why gen DESIGN, Playdead, and Remedy? “gen DESIGN, Remedy, and Playdead are among the most innovative and talented studios in the industry, with strong visions for their next games,” said Hector Sanchez, Head of Epic Games Publishing. “They will have full creative control, while Epic will provide a solid foundation of project funding and services.”
Shantae will soon be returning to consoles
Developer/publisher WayForward has announced that Shantae and the Seven Sirens will launch for PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One on May 28. Already available for Apple Arcade, that version has been updated to include the title’s conclusion in Part 2.
Shantae is visiting a tropical paradise where she makes friends with other Half-Genies, but she soon discovers there are sinister secrets stirring beneath the island. Her foes? Why, the Seven Sirens, of course!
The game promises new locales, friends, enemies, and transformations. There are multiple towns and more labyrinths than ever. Shantae has new dance abilities and Fusion Magic. For the first time in the series, there are animated cut scenes and an anime-style opening. For consoles and PC (minus the Switch for obvious reasons), the title is 4K-compatible.
