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)!
This (in)famous Japanese horror series is coming to PC
Horror fans, you’ll want to read on, even if you haven’t heard of Tsugunohi before now. The first title was first released on free game websites in 2012, and has since become a legendary title through Let’s Play sessions totalling over 50 million views worldwide. the version coming to PC later this week includes a whopping nine episodes. Here’s the trailer:
All titles feature someone doing something mundane outdoors and experiencing something… strange. Of the nine episodes, there are three remastered (1-3); these feature enhanced graphics. There are also four previously-released episodes included: A Closed Future, The Cat Ghost, The Parallel Train in the Dark, and Whispering Toy House. The collection is rounded out with two new episodes exclusive to this release, The Ethereal Railroad Crossing and another with a title yet to be announced.
Developed by ImCyan and published by Playism and Game Magazine, Tsugunohi will launch for PC via Steam on August 13. It will support three languages: Japanese, English, and Simplified Chinese.
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals coming to more consoles
The Oxenfree sequel will be released on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, and a post on PlayStation Blog has given us some new information on the title. It’s been five years since Alex and her friends discover that a town legend is actually factual while celebrating the school year’s end on an island. They accidentally tune into a signal that opens a dimensional rift and allow in vengeful ghosts. It seemed like the story ended happily ever after, but maybe not… Here’s the latest trailer:
The hero of Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is Riley. She’s long left adolescence behind, but she is questioning who her decisions and whether she is who she wants to be. She was raised in the same town as Alex and her friends, but left as soon as humanly possible. Returning for a job as an environmental researcher, she notices things have started to go a little weird. Unnatural electromagnetic waves are messing with electronics across town, with TVs turning on and off, planes losing radar, and radio stations unable to transmit. It’s up to Riley to discover why, but I think it’s obvious things won’t be easy.
Developed by Night School Studio and published by MWM Interactive, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals was announced for PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch earlier this year. The PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 versions of the title will launch alongside the others sometime next year. Oxenfree originally launched in 2016, and is currently available for mobile devices (iOS/iPadOS and Android), PC/Mac/Linux, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
Check out how The Medium utilises the DualSense controller
The Medium is coming to PlayStation 5, and since the DualSense has some pretty fancy features, the developer is taking full advantage of them. The game follows Marianne, who is unsurprisingly a psychic medium who can travel between our realm and the spirit realm. Fun fact, the concept has been bouncing around since 2012 but technological constraints mean it couldn’t be launched until now, two generations later. Anyway, here’s a video explaining some of the DualSense features:
So what controller features are unique to DualSense? The longer you charge a spirit blast, the less resistance you will feel on the adaptive triggers. Use energy to create a spirit shield when moths attack, and you’ll feel dozens of them as they bounce off the shield using haptic feedback. Haptic feedback will also occur as Marianne hides from monsters and tries not to breathe, signalling the player about when she will run out of breath. When she comes across objects containing echoes, she needs to look at them closely. Traditionally, this is done with the analogue sticks. With the DualSense, there is also the option of using the touchpad. She can look around using the motion controls, and when using tools the sound will come right from the controller. The light bar will mimic the in-game flashlight.
Developed and published by Bloober Team, The Medium is already available digitally for PC via Steam/GOG/Epic/Microsoft and Xbox Series. The PlayStation 5 version will launch digitally and physically on September 3; physical versions for PC and Xbox Series will be released on the same day. Bloober Team is the developer behind what I would describe as a contemporary classic horror game, Layers of Fear. You can read our review of that here, and the review for its sequel here. Bloober Team also developed Blair Witch.
Wytchwood is heading to PlayStation
That’s right, it is another title announced for other consoles but now also coming to PlayStation! These catch-ups keep having accidental themes; last time it was food. Wytchwood is set in a world filled where gothic fables and fairytales are real life, and described as a crafting adventure game. Here’s the latest trailer, with a focus on gameplay:
A rickety old witch once made a dark pact, but she can’t even remember making it. She’ll have to travel across various lands while discovering a colourful cast of characters inspired by the same stories we almost all know from childhood. The witch will need to use her wit and magic to right their wrongs as she moves forward. The basis of the game isn’t fighting; rather, it is all about exploration and collecting ingredients for spells. The witches grimoire holds all the potions and spells she could ever need to complete tasks.
Developed by Alientrap and published by Whitethorn Digital, Wytchwood was previously announced for PC via Steam later this year. Now, there will also be a simultaneous launch for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 versions of the game.
