News by Lindsay M.
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)!
It’s about time: Submerged sequel coming to PC, consoles
It’s been over a year since the launch of Submerged: Hidden Depths on Stadia. Quite honestly, I forgot about it, because… well, Stadia. But it’s now been announced the game will be coming to most consoles and PC. Submerged was such a special game, completely non-violent and gorgeous to boot. Submerged: Hidden Depths promises more of the same, but better. Ina press released, Uppercut Games co-found Ed Orman states, “After creating such a rich and vibrant world in Submerged, we knew we had to return and expand on that sense of sublimity.” Here’s the announcement trailer:
Miku (not Hatsune Miku, although that would be fun) and Taku are siblings lost at sea in their fishing boat. The scale of the sunken city they find is just breathtaking. The pair will need to scale skyscrapers, meet new creatures, and solve puzzles to piece together the city’s mysteries. Uncovering hidden objects will help move the story forward. There are also boat upgrades to be found. Compared to the original, the game features “further developed tools and puzzles.”
Developed and published by Uppercut Games, Submerged: Hidden Depths will be released for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, and Xbox One. There is currently no known release date.
Here’s two minutes of battle gameplay from Hyperdimension Neptunia: Sisters vs. Sisters
It’s time for the four younger sisters to shine in Hyperdimension Neptunia: Sisters vs. Sisters. As a mysterious smartphone’s popularity rises, they will try to get back their share of the portable games market. We’ve already gotten loads of information about the game, but there’s no such thing as too much! So here’s some more, in the form of a battle gameplay video:
In the game, the four CPUs head out in response to a request for help from the PC Continent. Nepgear and other candidates stay behind, visiting a research facility. There, they are trapped and put into a deep sleep for two years. When they awake, people are obsessed with a smartphone called MagiPhone. Nepgear will be unable to returns home because it fell to hoardes of monsters. Oh, and her sister is missing. According to a press release, “this is a story of destruction and restoration, by CPUs, for CPUs, to pave the way from a future of despair, to a future of hope.”
Developed by Compile Heart and published by Idea Factory, Hyperdimension Neptunia: Sisters vs. Sisters will be released for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on April 21 in Japan. I’d say it’s safe to expect a Western release somewhere down the road.
Two Point Campus launches in May
Two Point Hospital was a massive hit, so it surprised nobody when a successor – Two Point Campus – was announced. The game has players building a university from the ground up, so there are more customisation options versus Two Point Hospital. Of course, there are some twists and turns along the way. It was announced last week that Two Point Campus is now available for pre-order, and will be released in early May. Here’s the trailer:
When I say “build from the ground up,” I mean it: the land is completely empty when you get there, and everything from buildings to trees can be used. How simple or extravagant it is depends on what you want to do with it. Lay down paths, build libraries, hire staff, plant flora, place decorations, and more. It’s worth mentioning this isn’t your everyday college, as student enjoy courses from Knight School or Gastronomy. What courses are available is entirely up to the player.
Developed by Two Point Studios and published by Sega, Two Point Campus will be released for PC Via Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, and Xbox One on May 17. It is now available for pre-order.
Welcome to Elk coming to Nintendo Switch
Set on an island like no other, Welcome to Elk is a game like no other. Every single character has a story to tell, whether weird and wonderful or dark and desperate. The characters’ stories are all based on true stories. It is already available for PC and Xbox, and is now set to launch on Nintendo Switch (which feels like home this game, for some reason… it just makes sense). Here’s the Switch trailer:
Frigg is a young carpenter who travels to Elk for an apprenticeship. She’s used to the hectic city lifestyle, and may experience a bit of culture shock coming to isolated Elk (especially considering there are few young people and no internet). While on Elk, Frigg meets wonderful characters that the world has either ignored of forgotten. They have ups and downs, weird drinking rituals, and unique ways of tackling issues. There are some mini-games that connect directly to the story. The game places value on the importance of storytellers carrying and sharing tales.
Developed and published by Triple Topping Games, Welcome to Elk will be released for Nintendo Switch on February 10. Pre-orders are open now, and any purchase until February 17 will receive a 20% launch discount. The game originally released for PC in September 2020 (a Linux launch actually coincides with the Nintendo Switch release).
– Lindsay M.
News Editor
