News by Lindsay M., News Editor
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)!
The successor to Mini Metro is on its way!
Mini Metro is, in short, a masterpiece. A train management sim, it combines stunning simple graphics with easy-to-learn gameplay, culminating in an experience worth picking up again and again. Matt S. reviewed it for PC, but I always preferred to play the mobile version. This week, Dinosaur Polo Club announced Mini Metro’s successor, Mini Motorways, coming to Apple Arcade at launch. Here is a teaser as well as a gameplay trailer:
I can honestly say I was on the fence about subscribing to Apple Arcade, but this game announcement changed my mind. Mini Motorways uses roads rather than subways as a starting point. The goal is to build a bustling metropolis by building a road network. Once roads are built, you’ll also need to carefully manage the upgrades available. The game will feature cities from around the world.
Dinosaur Polo Club is an indie studio based in Wellington, NZ, founded by twins Robert and Peter Curry. Robert Curry made a statement regarding Mini Metropolis, explaining that they wanted to combine Mini Metro’s minimalism with another mode of transportation. “Traffic congestion is something that many people experience daily and road network design is a complex and ever-changing problem as cities continue to grow,” he says. “Mini Motorways puts this challenge in the hands of the player, letting them use their creativity to build a better road network.”
A new game studio has opened up!
Founded by David Gaider and Liam Esler, Summerfall is a brand new game studio dedicated to character- and narrative-driven game development.
We’re super excited to announce Summerfall Studios, a new character and narrative-driven game development studio helmed by @davidgaider and @liamesler! Subscribe on https://t.co/scVLlFN0Dj for a secret sneaky preview of our first game next week… going to Kickstarter next month! pic.twitter.com/x8VlluaXiW— Summerfall Studios (@summerfallgames) September 17, 2019
Summerfall Studios’ first title will be an illustrated character-driven adventure… but it won’t be revealed until October 11 at 10:30 a.m. AEST (October 10 at 5:30 PST). The teaser website promises the developer will “crush your dreams and tear out your heart… in the very best way.”
Gaider is a writer perhaps best known for his work on the Dragon Age series. Both him and Esler worked at Beamdog. Esler is known for his writing in Pillars of Eternity and Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition.
Create your own museum in Mondo Museum
It’s a busy week for indies! Developer/publisher Kitfox Games, based out of Montreal (hello, neighbours!) has announced it will be publishing fellow-Montrealers Viewport Games’ Mondo Museum. Mondo Museum is a management sim that has the player building, administering, and curating their very own museum. Here’s a trailer:
Create your museum by deciding on a layout, which will include exhibit halls, gift shops, theatres, and more; you can then further customise each room’s decor. There are over 100 items available over multiple exhibit collections (such as Dinosaurs or Ancient Egypt), so combine them or mix and match to make your museum really shine.
That’s not all, though, as you’ll also need to participate in the museum’s day-to-day management. Make sure visitors are happy and exit through the gift shop, deal with that demanding VIP, and hire your own staff. You can Wishlist Mondo Museum on Steam now.
This new Pokémon evolution sure is… something…
Nintendo felt the announcement was worth a trailer, so here, in video form, I present you: Sirfetch’d.
That’s right, Farfetch’d of the Galar region will be able to evolve into Sirfetch’d in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield. Social media is abuzz about the looks of Sirfetch’d, but hey, looks aren’t everything. They are so noble in battle they’re often a motif for paintings.
Sirfetch’d uses the stalk of his its leek as a lance and its leaves as a shield. This leek is maintained over years and means everything to them. When the leek finally wilts, the Sirfetch’d will retire from battle. Sirfetch’d even has a new move that only it can learn, Meteor Assault, where it points its leek at the opponent and charges forward at a great speed. Too bad the move tires out Sirfetch’d, and they’ll need to rest immediately.
