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)!
Save an island in Alba: A Wildlife Adventure
Go at your own pace in ustwo games’ next title, Alba: A Wildlife Adventure. The feel-good title is set to launch for Apple Arcade and PC via Steam on December 11. In addition to the announcement, there is also a new gameplay trailer to enjoy:
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure follows Alba as she visits her grandparents. They live on a Mediterranean island, which actually needs a lot of help to thrive. Alba was settling in to explore with her friend, but has to come to the rescue when she sees an animal struggling. The two friends found an organization to save the island… and maybe the world, once the island is good to go. The townsfolk will help out if Alba helps out first.
The developer, ustwo games, is one that I basically trust implicitly. It is the studio behind Monument Valley and Assemble With Care. Oh, and it is a BAFTA-Award winner, which is pretty impressive. Alba: A Wildlife Adventure is based on the childhood experiences of the developers.
This witchy VN is set to launch on consoles this month
I have a thing for witches. Wait, that sounds far worse than intended. What I meant to say is, I keep an eye out for games involving magic or spells or witches/wizards. My Aunt is a Witch is something I’ve become quite excited for. The visual novel contains adventures and quests while giving the player a chance to become a witch’s apprentice.
Thomas has had a difficult life, and it gets even worse when his father marries a woman who doesn’t like her new stepson one bit. During a sudden trip to visit his aunt (thanks, evil stepmother) he learns that she is a real witch. There are talking cats and loads of magical objects, and quite frankly the house isn’t a good fit with young boys. Thomas decides to follow in his aunt’s heels, deciding to become an amazing potion-maker and revealing the secrets of magic.
My Aunt is a Witch will be released for the PlayStation 4, PS Vita (yes!), Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One on November 25. The price seems remarkably low all that the game is promising: $9.99.
A new Lovecraftian game is coming next year
Let’s be real: Lovecraft mythology has been used repeatedly in video games for a few years now. Some are great, some are middle of the road, and some are absolutely terrible. It’s difficult to know where Underworld Dreams will fall in that spectrum, but it’s looking pretty good right now. Here’s the reveal trailer:
Lovecraft isn’t the only fiction writer that Underworld Dreams is inspired by; it is also based on the work Robert W. Chambers, although it’s hard to tell if the inspiration comes from his short story collection titles “The King In Yellow” or the fictional play of the same name that is threaded through the stories. The game is a first-person horror experience that will include puzzles, combat, mystery, and adventure. It’s set in the 1980s, the story centres on the mystery of the Groc house. There are multiple endings based on what the player does during the playthrough.
Developed by Drop of Pixel (which is just one person, Nestor Alfaro, making the title more impressive), Underworld Dreams will be published by Skystone Games. It it set to launch for PC via Steam and consoles (last-gen too please!) sometime next year.
This PSP title is returning to a handheld console
Originally released for PSP in 2009, a remake of Ranshima Monogatari Lairland Story: Shoujo no Yakujou Remake launched for Steam earlier this year. Circle Entertainment is now bringing the title to the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo eShop in Japan; it will launch on November 12 for 2,000 yen. Just a warning, there doesn’t appear to be an English option, as the Steam version only supports Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. Here’s the announcement trailer:
Lairland is a kingdom that has spent hundreds of years reaching peace and prosperity, but the calm was ruined when invaders with falling meteors appeared. A young baron, Hiro, counterattacked and defeated the enemy leader. You’d think that’s the entire story, but no, it’s only how the story begins… Hiro is trudging to the holy shrine when he finds a girl sleeping on its alter. She gives off a strange radiant glow, and says only her name, Chilia, before collapsing. She does regain consciousness, but with amnesia.
So the narrative follows Hiro and Chilia as they try to rebuild their lives. The game is described as a “girl raising simulator” which is a bit… well, it’s offensive, but these kinds of games – Princess Maker et al – aren’t as bad as the genre name might suggest. There are two parts in the game, training and adventure. There are four training options, while the adventure brings the player into the story. Chilia’s growth will depend on what commands are chosen for her.
– Lindsay M.
