The catch-up coffee: Thursday, September 17, 2020

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)!

There’s a Nintendo Direct scheduled for tonight/ tomorrow

I was really enjoying Nintendo’s new way of doing things: don’t announce presentations or announcements, just drop it at a moment’s notice and let the fans go wild. Brilliant marketing, in a way. But Nintendo has returned to its old habit, announcing Nintendo Directs in advance. But clearly, a non-surprise Direct is better than no Direct at all!

Tomorrow’s Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase will begin September 18 at 00:00 AEST (sorry!); this translates to 2:00 NZ (I’m even more sorry!). For Europe, it will begin at 16:00 CEST. Americas, you’re looking at 10:00 a.m. EDT, or 7:00 a.m. PDT. It will be available via Nintendo’s YouTube channels, including North America, https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/09-17-2020/ Europe, https://www.nintendo.co.uk/News/Nintendo-Direct/Latest-Nintendo-Direct/Nintendo-Direct-698557.html and Japan. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/nintendo_direct/20200917/index.html

The Partner Showcases give screen-time to third-party developers with games coming to the Nintendo Switch, so don’t expect any Nintendo-made titles. The last Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase was released on August 26 (the previous one was in July) and featured Just Dance 2021, World of Tanks Blitz, Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythmic Adventure Pack, Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions, Jump Force Deluxe Edition, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered, a SaGa collection, Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions, Minecraft Dungeons (DLC), and Fuser.

Dontnod’s next game isn’t too far off

This is one busy studio! Dontnod just finished released a three-part episodic game for Xbox and PC (and you should really play it), but the developer is already set for its next big launch. Previously announced, Twin Mirror will launch on December 1 and be available for PC via Epic, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The title is co-produced by Shibuya Productions (Shenmue III). The console versions will be published by Bandai Namco, the PC version by Dontnod itself. This is the first time Dontnod has self-published, so let’s give it some love! You may be familiar with the studio from the Life Is Strange series, or Vampyr, or maybe even Remember Me; I’d basically trust these developers with my life at this point, they hit the nail on the head so often. Anyway, enough of that tangent – here is the release date announcement trailer:

Sam Higgs has returned to his childhood town for his best friend’s funeral. At the present, Sam realizes the town hides dark secrets galore. It’s a good thing that he’s a former investigative journalist, which gives him to skills required to uncover the mysteries. He will be torn between finding the trust and rekindling past connections, always unsure of who to trust. His abilities won’t be enough, as he lacks certain social skills, and Sam will have to rely on the Double, a more empathetic and social version of himself. The Double can guide him through social interactions and navigate a society too complex for Sam to understand on his own.

Sam’s abilities as a journalist are mostly focused on one aspect of Twin Mirror: the Mind Palace. It is a safe space where he can study the environment and gather clues, playing out scenarios to see what may have happened. The Mind Palace also reaches into Sam’s past during flashbacks.

World For Two is now available on the Switch

Originally launched for iOS and Android last year, World For Two is described as a life creation sim. Developed by Seventh Rank and published by room6, the game is now available for Nintendo Switch in Japan. It costs 1,400 yen and is available through the eShop. Here’s the trailer:

An unforeseen event has killed almost all life on the planet. The sole survivor is a doctor who is trying to create life in a laboratory, with the aid of an android table built outside. Together, they begin to create life.

There are a handful of differences between the mobile version and the Nintendo Switch version. This new release includes 14 new organisms and updated animations. By completing the story, you can play a sort of prequel set in the doctor’s past. Completing the game will also give you the ability to change the background music in the main story.

This upcoming adventure game is super charming

Just announced this week (thanks PAX), TOHU is an adventure title developed by Fireart Games – a studio out of Poland – and published by The Irregular Corporation. It will be released later this year for PC via Steam (a demo is now available), PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One. Take a look at its video, a walkthrough of one of the earlier puzzles:

TOHU is set amongst weird and wonderful fish planets. The world The Girl knows has been disturbed by a shadowy creature intending to cause chaos. As a result, it destroys the engine that is key to this world’s survival, and all life is at risk of extinction. Players will follow the aforementioned mysterious girl and her mechanical alter-ago, and both characters utilize unique abilities to keep moving ahead. Some of the places they will travel include a theatrical stage production and a world full of staircases that defy physics.

The landscapes are quite pretty, and the puzzles are described as intricate. Gameplay should be familiar and easy to learn, but that won’t make it easy peasy. Mystery is behind every corner, and puzzles often require creative solutions. Get ready to ride in your fly-ship and fire a cannon of moustachioed moles!