Once, many years ago, I read an argument that the enduring popularity of Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons in its homeland in Japan has to do with a very real desire for a “sea change” or “tree change” among Japanese urban populations. If this is true (and I believe there is…
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Ever since I first laid eyes on Bullfrog’s classic Theme Park, I’ve been equally smitten by theme park simulators and also terrified of what they make me do. Don’t get me wrong; the classic blend of management simulation – like it or not, you’re more or less balancing an Excel…
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The partnership between Eastasiasoft and Idea Factory is going strong! First, the pair released Moero Crystal H and Seven Pirates H. Then came the cult classic Mugen Souls. Now, Mugen Souls Z will be launching for Nintendo Switch. The vibrant RPG was originally developed by Idea Factory with Compile Heart,…
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Pathea Games has been busy: in addition to My Time at Sandrock, launching later this year, the developer now has another game launching this year. Let’s School is a charming low-poly sim-management game where players take on the role of a school principal trying to make their school the best…
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Bleak Sword DX is the latest Apple Arcade game to make its way over to consoles. This Devolver Digital-published title was always an admirable and interesting effort to take the core tension and taut action of the Souls “genre” and make it work on mobile devices. It did work and…
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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)!…
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Not-E3 is over for another year – I wonder if it will ever become a single event again. I’d like this week to have a better name than Not-E3, that’s for sure. I’ve compiled fifteen of my most anticipated games from all the showcases I’ve already covered, one game each.…
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Hello Kitty faces serious competition nowadays. Once the darling of Japan’s deep and beloved mascot culture, Kitty is under serious threat of being replaced by her direct rival, Rilakkuma. It’s almost poetic. Hello Kitty is the creation of the mascot company, Sanrio, Rilakkuma is the creation of the mascot company,…
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As anyone in PR or communications will tell you, the best time to make a catastrophic announcement is when everyone is busy looking elsewhere. You don’t want to hide it, but you want to push it through the news cycle at a time when you’ll only generate half as many…
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It’s really incredible to think about, but Sonic has been such a major part of the games industry for so long now. The blue hedgehog celebrates his 32nd birthday next week, and to celebrate that, as well as the launch of Sonic Origins Plus, the Australian distributor of SEGA games…
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