Shadow of the Road announced for PC
Owlcat Games is getting into publishing, and Shadow of the Road will be one of its first titles. The blend of CRPG and turn-based combat is set in an alternative 19th-century Japan. It has a complex cast of characters, deep narrative, and a unique setting. You'll find yourself in a world combining tradition, modernity, mythology, and steampunk technology. Lead a group of adventurers through an enchanting world where your decisions will shape your destiny.
Tokugawa's spymaster has recruited Ronin warriors Satoru and Akira to protect a boy with uncontrollable powers. Other characters will join them as the game progresses. As a group, confront challenges, reclaim honor, and change the war's outcome. When speaking to other characters, your choices determine if they make friends, lose friends, or fix family issues. The turn-based combat features a tactical samurai vibe, and each member of your team will bring unique abilities to the fight.
Developed by Another Angle Games and published by Owlcat Games, Shadow of the Road will be released for PC via Steam. No release window was announced.
Crowdfunding coming soon for Fatherhood
Fatherhood sounds like it will break my heart, which is what draws me to it. Inspired by This War of Mine, Inside, and The Last of Us the 2.5D side-scrolling atmospheric adventure puts you in the role of a father trying to survive a war. The war caused his daughter to become blind, and he will do anything to save her from a worse fate. Fatherhood features a hugging mechanic (aw!), narrative choices, and multiple endings. A Kickstarter campaign for Fatherhood will begin soon.
Here is a trailer from May:
The main characters will have to navigate through armed soldiers but can rarely rely on weapons themselves. Difficult decisions will impact the characters' fate and relationships. Do you hold onto humanity or do whatever it takes to survive? The stress of it all can overwhelm your daughter with anxiety, but a hug will soothe her. Fatherhood includes side stories to emphasize the consequences of war.
Developed and published by Persis Play, Fatherhood will be released for PC via Steam, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox.
A release window has been revealed for Urban Myth Dissolution Center
I've kept a close eye on Urban Myth Dissolution Center since it was announced, with my excitement peaking at Not-E3 this year. The psycho-mystery adventure game was featured in last week's Nintendo Indie World (the Japanese version) and was well-received at gamescom 2024. The game follows a woman who uses special glasses to see the paranormal and solve cases involving urban legends. The game's release window has been slightly bumped back, as it is now set to launch in early 2025.
In the game, you are Azami Fukurai. She rungs the day-day-day business of the Dissolution Centre, but she also solves mysteries thanks to her ability to see the past of locations using her glasses. She is supervised by her unenthusiastic yet capable colleague Jasmine and the Center's director (and psychic) Ayumu Meguriya. Using her gifts, Azami will navigate cursed objects, dimensional anomalies, and otherworldly creatures. Each case features paranormal activity.
Developed by Hakaba-Bunko and published by Shueisha Games, Urban Myth Dissolution Center will be released for PC and Nintendo Switch in February 2025. It will support roughly a dozen languages: English, Japanese, Korean, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, and Hindi.
Clock Tower: Rewind launches on Halloween
It just makes sense that Clock Tower: Rewind will be released on Halloween. Unfortunately, it is only versions for three of six platforms that will see the game at that time. The announced date is for PlayStation and Nintendo Switch; there is no news on the launch of the PC and Xbox versions. For the first time, the original Clock Tower is leaving Japan! This "revival" of the 16-bit classic will have you, a teenage orphan named Jennifer, searching a manor and trying to find ways to evade the shears-wielding psychopath known as Scissorman. There are randomized gameplay elements and multiple endings.
Here is an animated intro preview from July:
Clock Tower: Rewind includes two ways to play. Experience Clock Tower how it was first launched in original mode or enjoy extra content/improvements in enhanced mode. The game features a new animated opening (above), opening/ending vocal themes, border artwork, save states, and a music player.
There is a long list of companies attached to Clock Tower: Rewind. WayForward, Limited Run Games, Sunsoft, and Capcom. Clock Tower: Rewind will be released for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.
