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)!
My Time at Sandrock leaves early access this September
It’s been so long since I’ve played My Time at Portia that I’ve basically forgotten everything about it, so it’s a perfect time for a sequel! My Time at Sandrock is an open-world western-themed adventure RPG. There’s farming, dungeon-crawling, building, and socializing in the post-apocalyptic world. Help rebuild a community to its former glory while fending off monsters with melee and third-person shooting combat.
Players will build an upgrade a Workshop to process materials and produce parts of massive structures that are assembled piece by piece. Grow crops and cook them to earn some extra cash. Explore the vast world to search for rare materials, discover long-forgotten relics, or find one-of-a-kind views. There are over 30 NPCs to get to know thanks to their individual stories told via side quests. Intense battles use a unique hybrid combat system that shifts between melee and third-person shooter.
Developed by Pathea Games (and published by Pathea Games and PM Studios), My Time at Sandrock will be released for PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, and Xbox One on September 26. The PlayStation 4 version may be released at that time as well, but it could also require extra time to prepare.
Bee-keeping sim Apico is coming to Xbox next week
I’m a bit obsessed with Apico these days, for no real reason other than it’s just cool to keep digital bees. In the game players breed different bees, play mini-games, make and sell beekeeping products, and more. The game is already available on multiple platforms, but not on Xbox! And that’s set to change later this month.
Apico is set on the islands of Apico, which was once abuzz with different bee species but that’s no longer the case. The goal is to rediscover lost species, cross-breed new ones, and repopulate each biome. It combines real-life and fantasy beekeeping and gardening while teaching players about maintaining a healthy hive and the importance of bees. A portion of the game’s profit goes towards bee conservation.
Developed by TNgineers and published by Whitethorn Games, Apico will be released for Xbox Series and Xbox One on June 22. Apico is currently available for PC via Steam/Epic/Humble/itch.io/Utomik, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.
Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed – Ecto Edition coming to Switch
I don’t know when, and I don’t know how, but Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed will be making its way to Nintendo Switch. Actually, that’s a lie. I know how: both physical and digitally. This version is specially made for the console, because presumably its hardware isn’t contemporary enough or something of the like. The Nintendo Switch version will run in a dynamic resoltion from 720p (handheld) to 1080p, at 30 frames per second. I know that matters to some.
In the game, Ray and Winston (you know ’em from the films) open the firehouse to you and the next generation of Ghostbusters. The game is basically hide-and-seek with a four-versus-one setup. Players can play as part of the Ghostbusters team or as a ghost. Play solo or with up to four friends; there’s also an online and offline single-player mode. The more you play, the more the story will unfold. The Ecto Edition will expand to other consoles, so it must have new cOnTeNt.
Developed and published by IllFonic, Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed – Ecto Edition will be released for Nintendo Switch later this year. The original non-Ecto version is currently available for PC via Epic, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, and Xbox One. It first launched last October.
Fae Farm launches for PC, Switch in September
One of the only points during the Summer Game Fest showcase on Thursday was Fae Farm. It’s so charming! The trailer was announcing that the game is coming to PC in addition to Nintendo Switch, while revealing its release date. It promises a spellbinding, magic-infused experience and is available for pre-order now. It takes players on a picturesque adventure where players tend to their farms and animals, befriends the denizens of Azoria, explore varied environments, gather resources, and decorate homesteads.
Fae Farm offers players a deep farm sim experience. There’s a robust character creator to use before setting out into the world. Design homes from the inside out. The “Cozy System” rewards players for creating special furniture and home decor, buffing their health, stamina, and mana each day. The game grew from the desire to create a love letter to the farm sim genre.
Developed and published by Phoenix Labs, Fae Farm will be released for PC via Steam/Epic and Nintendo Switch on September 8.
