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 game about super cute bunnies will launch in two weeks
I have one of DDnet’s contributors, Trent, to thank for knowing Bunhouse even exists. The couch co-op about bunnies managing a greenhouse game first got some traction earlier this year, as Wholesome Games featured the title. It also had a great run on Kickstarter, trying to raise US$11,800 but actually raising US$36,691. That’s pretty darned impressive! The game is now poised to launch, so it’s a great time to talk about it. Here’s the official Steam/launch trailer, originally posted a few weeks back:
Bunhouse is downright adorable. The game is about stepping back from out hectic world and relax in a bunny-filled world. There’s no guns, no violence, just fluffy goodness and some gardening. Players can choose what to plant, take care of them by watering as needed, decorate the garden, upgrade the greenhouse (I love the mint green!) – all with up to three other people joining in for some couch co-op! The only downside is that couch co-op via PC isn’t always the easiest thing to do, as they’re not often attached to, say, a television in a living room.
Developed by Reky Studios (a solo developer, really) and self-published, Bunhouse will be released for PC via Steam on October 19. We love bunnies around here, so a review should be up between now and then!
Coffee Talk Episode 2 coming to consoles
Coffee Talk (my review here) is an amazingly chill game about running a coffee shop overnight is a town where natural and supernatural beings live in harmony. It’s sequel, Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly, was announced for PC a little over a month ago, and it is now confirmed that it will also be coming to three consoles. Take a look at the consoles teaser trailer:
The game brings us back to the same familiar coffee shop as in the first title. Players will have to remember drink recipes and customer preferences, while also taking requests (some of which may be… odd). Of course, latte art returns, and players can show off their skills using an in-game fluid simulation (sorry, that’s a hilarious term, I needed to include it). The sky is grey, the air is pierced with rain, but inside the shop there is nothing but warmth. A familiar cast will return, including an graphic designer elf, a succubus business executive, and an orc game developer.
Developed by Toge Productions and published (on consoles, anyway; the PC version is self-published) by Chorus Worldwide Games, Coffee Talk 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly is a stand-alone sequel to Coffee Talk. It will launch for PC via Steam, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One sometime in 2022.
The western release date for Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires has been announced
Combining classic one-versus-one thousand action with tactical elements, Dynasty Warriors 9 Empire’s launch is mere months away. The goal? Conquering ancient China using both strategy and sword. Of course, the political intrigue and domestic system from the Empires series will be included. Kingdom goals are set every six months, with commands being executed monthly. Watch the release date trailer here:
The game includes a new feature, Storming the Castle. The areas around castles are now battlefields so skirmishes have evolved. There is then Siege Battles with Troops option to invade an enemy’s base while taking advantage of siege weapons and giving instructions to troops. Finally, once players have broken through the gate, a Decisive Battle begins and victory is theirs after defeating the commander. Something that seems pretty fun is Secret Plans, a battle preparation phase activated as missions during battle. Each plan has its own different conditions for success or failure. If successful, good things happen, like capturing surrounding bases, defeating messengers, and escorting engineers.
Developed by Omega Force and published by Koei Tecmo, Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires will be released for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5 (digital only), PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, and Xbox One on February 25, 2022 in western territories. The game will launch in Japan on December 23, 2021.
A second trailer for Second Light
Blue Reflection is perhaps one of the greatest games of the last generation of consoles, and we went a bit nutty learning about its sequel. Blue Reflection: Second Light follows three students trapped in a mysterious floating academy, trying to find their way home. Here’s the latest trailer:
While trapped, Ao Hoshizaki, Kokoro Utsubo, and Yuki Kinjou must search for clues to find their way back home. There’s a bit of a problem, though: nobody remembers where home is. Each knows their name, but recall nothing else. One day, a new space spread out around the academy’s outskirts, dubbed Heartscape by the girls. Unfortunately, Heartscape isn’t the nicest place; it is beautiful but most certainly dangerous thanks to monsters. The three girls will use the power of rings to summon weapons, chance appearance, and become Reflectors ready to defeat the beasts.
Developed by Gust (who also does the Atelier series that we covet so much) and published by Koei Tecmo, Blue Reflection: Second Light will be released in the west for PC via Steam, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch on November 9. It will be released in Japan for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on October 21.
