I am very into the whole Cyberpunk genre at the moment. Whether it be anime films in the shape of Ghost in the Shell or Akira. Or me waiting for Cyberpunk 2077 it’s a fascinating genre when done right. That being said maybe my expectations were set a little too high going into playing Orangeblood, then again it ticked a lot of boxes for me in theory.

Orangeblood is a turn-based RPG that is set in New Koza, an urban town located off the coast of Okinawa. It is based in an alternate universe sometime in the 90’s I think, I’m not sure as the game is very shy on explaining what is going on at times. Anyway, you play as Vanilla Vincent a cocky pink-haired anime girl that is on the wrong side of the law and has to do some off the books jobs for the CIA, think Harley Quinn without the charm and likability.

The city itself has been carved up by multiple gangs of various ethnicity’s as you find out straight away when you and you sidekick a DJ by the name Machiko land your flying car and run into and get beaten by some tough Russians (to be honest I would have been happy if the game ended there).

Welcome to New Koza

I liked the look of this game, the pixel art style along with the neon lights really helped set the tone of an alternative Japanese based future…or past..or whatever. The streets feel somewhat claustrophobic at times and are bunched together. I found this annoying at times and hard to get around or to your next location beacon.

Where the streets are felt full I just wish they spent a bit of time on the “indoor” parts of the game as they were sparse and a bit generic for such a setting even the main character doesn’t really care about the city so this game could have been based anywhere and I think that is a shame as I think the look of New Koza was the shining light of Orangeblood 

Orangeblood, more final minutes than Final Fantasy

Don’t get me wrong, I wanted so much to like this game. It looked like an old school JRPG in the mould of SNES era Final Fantasy, it even had the same turn-based goodness and an easy to use battle menu but with all that, they somehow made a game that I honestly thought was created by two teenage boys. I am no shrinking violet but the language and some interactions in the game were very crude, to say the least. I don’t know if they were going for edgy but they missed the mark by a mile. It wasn’t funny or endearing and this is coming from a bloke that still laughs at fart jokes, I just couldn’t understand why as it wasn’t really needed.

This goes for the music choice as well. Now don’t get me wrong I don’t mind a bit of 90’s Hip Hop but my god did this ruin that for me. It was just generic 90’s bad hip hop music beats that didn’t really add anything to the game in any way other than to have some music there. Maybe the developers wanted to give a nod to their musical heroes of those days or maybe they think this is how the hood is but either way the missed the mark.

I try not to be too hard on games I review but it was hard to keep an upbeat positive attitude for Orangeblood. I’m afraid that it might not have been a pleasant experience but it was an experience and there will be people who will play it and like it but just not me.

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In the new teaser trailer, Mai Toyama sends a sincere postcard to her long-lost sister, Sanae, but there seems to be more than meets the eye.

Players will see the story through the eyes of Mai Toyama, as she searches for her younger sister in the mysterious town of Le Choara. The town has many hidden secrets that players will begin to discover over time, and may even run into a few familiar characters.

Story

Mai Toyama seeks an escape from her traumatic past. She enrols at Wordsworth, an all-girls dormitory situated in the small, mountainous town known as Le Choara where it was rumoured that her sister, Sanae, was last seen. Hopeful, Mai seeks to find her kin, but she soon finds terrifying inhabitants which lurk throughout the town after dark. At night, Le Choara’s streets are filled with Shadow Matter—a horrific group of menacing creatures. Around every cobblestone corner, Mai discovers that her hope of finding her sister lies beneath the long-buried secrets which haunt Le Choara.

Key Features of Death end re;Quest 2

Overkill Brings Huge Rewards – The Overkill system is an added feature where characters can stack damage beyond the health of an enemy for bonus experience! Try to inflict as much damage to all the monsters for bigger rewards.

Beware of the Berserker – During dungeon exploration and battle, a faceless, black figure will appear out of nowhere. The figure will also display an area of attack once it appears. Mai and her squad must step away from the Berserker’s area of attack, as it will instantly kill anyone with one single blow. Run away from the Berserker in the dungeon or defeat all the existing monsters in the battlefield to escape!

Day n’ Night – Mai will need to explore the town of Le Choara during the day and speak with the townspeople to find out clues as to where her sister is. By night, Mai will fight her way through dark creatures stylized in a turn-based RPG. Experience the story through the lens of a visual novel during the day and battle it out against horrific creatures by night!

Don’t Call it a Knockback – The Knockback system is back in Death end re;Quest 2, but this time, Mai and her squad can smack Shadow Matter even harder! Combo your attacks by flinging monsters to other party members!

Stay tuned to GamEir for more, and if you’re interested, converse with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir). Check out our videos on Twitch (GamEir) and YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content!

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What is Sandstone?

Sandstone is a tactical RPG intended to emulate the feel of a tabletop RPG using a grid layout for combat. It utilizes the 5.1 SRD rules written by the Wizards of the Coast. Players can assemble a party of six characters to form their adventuring party. Their adventure is narrative-driven with a friendly bartender providing most of their quests.

Sandstone has been written in the Unity engine by a single programmer/designer/tester using art and sound assets purchased online.

A demonstration version of Sandstone is also available for people who feel they may be too faint of heart to handle the full version.

It’s always fascinating to learn about one man teams bringing a passion project to life and it sounds like Allan Millis did just that. This game looks like the old Final Fantasy titles and thus immediately endears itself to any potential audience.

If you’re a one-man team and are looking for more exposure for your upcoming work please get in touch with GamEir. We’re all gamers here

Stay tuned to GamEir for more, and if you’re interested, converse with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir). Check out our videos on Twitch (GamEir) and YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content!

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Forged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that truly reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through the Forgotten Realms of Dungeons & Dragons in Larian’s biggest adventure yet.

Where we go in Baldur’s Gate 3

Mysterious abilities are awakening inside you, drawn from a Mind Flayer parasite planted in your brain. Resist, and turn darkness against itself. Or embrace corruption and become ultimate evil.

Gather your party and return to the Forgotten Realms in a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power.

Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. That power may help you to survive, but there will be a price to pay. More than any ability, the bonds of trust that you build within your party could be your greatest strength. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms together.

Choose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes or play as an original character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone, and select your companions carefully, or as a party of up to four in multiplayer.

No two adventures will ever be the same. The Forgotten Realms are a vast, detailed and diverse world, and there are secrets to be discovered all around you – verticality is a vital part of exploration. Sneak, dip, shove, climb, and jump as you journey from the depths of the Underdark to the glittering rooftops of the Upper City. How you survive, and the mark you leave on the world, is up to you.

• Online multiplayer for up to four players allows you to combine your forces in combat and split your party to follow your own quests and agendas. Concoct the perfect plan together… or introduce an element of chaos when your friends least expect it.
• Origin Characters offer a hand-crafted experience, each with their own unique traits, agenda, and outlook on the world. Their stories intersect with the entire narrative, and your choices will determine whether those stories end in redemption, salvation, domination, or many other outcomes.
• Evolved turn-based combat based on the D&D 5e ruleset. Team-based initiative, advantage & disadvantage, and roll modifiers join combat cameras, expanded environmental interactions, and a new fluidity in combat that rewards strategy and foresight.
• Define the future of the Forgotten Realms through your choices, and the roll of the dice. No matter who you play, or what you roll, the world and its inhabitants will react to your story.
• Player-initiated turn-based mode allows you to pause the world around you at any time even outside of combat. Whether you see an opportunity for a tactical advantage before combat begins, want to pull off a heist with pinpoint precision, or need to escape a fiendish trap. Split your party, prepare ambushes, sneak in the darkness – create your own luck!

Stay tuned to GamEir. And if you’re interested, converse with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir). Check out our videos on Twitch (GamEir) and YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content.

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