Welcome to Digitally Downloaded’s weekly catch-up news feature, the catch-up coffee. With each issue I 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)!
Finally! The first gameplay trailer for Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened
I was stoked when Frogwares announced its remake of Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened. The game is a Holmes/Cthulhu mashup, combining two of my favourite things. The game has been rewritten so that it fits in with Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One, but also remade from the ground up with modern graphics and gameplay, and an expanded storyline. The original title was first released in 2008, so you can image what a big leap in technology this is.
In the game, a young (but post-Chapter One) Holmes and Watson travel to Louisiana to investigate some mysterious disappearances, linked to a dark cult that worship a specific Ancient God. For the first time, Holmes is legitimately afraid; he’s a man of rationale and reason, but he’s facing an otherworldly entity that defies all logic. He’s pushed to the brink of madness. It’s so bad that this is the one story that Watson never publishes.
Developed and published by Frogwares, Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened will be released for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, and Xbox One in February 2023.
Meet Iyo, a ninja from Samurai Maiden
Samurai Maiden is something I’ve had my eye on for awhile. It follows Tsumugi, a young woman from the 21st century, as she is transported back to Honnoji in the Sengoku period. Specifically, she ends up at a temple in flames, with the angry shouts of soldiers surrounding her. There she meets Nobunaga Oda, and three ninja friends. The ninjas help her on a journey through the underworld, where they are constantly confronted by enraged corpses. When things get tough, Tsumugi can kiss one of the ninjas to enhance their abilities.
Iyo Is a ninja who serves Nobunaga. She’s fully equipped with shinobi tools; she’s adept with gunpowder, bombs, and flaming kunai. Her great respect and love for Tsumugi mean she would give her life for her. Maybe those kisses mean something more to her?
Developed by Shade and published by D3 Publisher, Samurai Maiden will be released for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch in Japan on December 1; it will be released for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch worldwide on December 8.
To the Moon sequel coming to Switch, mobile devices next week
It began with To the Moon, but soon expanded to A Bird’s Story, Finding Paradise, and Imposed Factory; Dr. Watts and Dr. Rosalene traverse through the memories of their dying patients to artificially fulfill their final wishes. Finding Paradise is the second instalment, and was released nearly five years ago for PC. Now, it’s coming to Nintendo Swich and mobile devices, with some updates.
Players enter the minds of Colin, a retired airline pilot with an inarticulate wish for a better life. This version of the game features remastered visuals, a redesigned interface and menu, new tap controls and a virtual joystick, auto-save, and a new music box mode used to access the soundtrack.
Developed by Freebird Games and published in XD Inc., Finding Paradise will be released for Nintendo Switch, iOS via App Store, and Android via Google Play and TapTap on November 18. It was first released for PC in December 2017.
The next Sword Art Online game has been announced!
Sword Art Online has a huge following across various forms of media, and now it’s time for another video game set in the universe. Sword Art Online: Last Recollection is a story of soul, passion, and therefore, life. The virtual world known as the Underworld is approaching its final moments, and an adventure is about to unfold…
There is a demonic land known as Dark Territory. On the other side of the mountains lies a hazards world where only the strongest survive. What fate awaited Kirito and friends there? The Underworld was created to give birth to the ultimate artificial intelligence, and its about to end. The gate separating the Human Empire and Dark Territory is about to open, and war is about to begin. A dark knight and a young girl coming flying in from the other side of the gate…
Developed and published by Bandai Namco, Sword Art Online: Last Recollection will be released for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, and Xbox One sometime next year.
