Oct 25, 2023

Risk of Rain Returns - HAN-D

Hi everyone! No lengthy intros today - I know what you’re here for...

Release Details

Risk of Rain Returns will release on Steam and Nintendo Switch on November 8th 2023 - the exact 10 year anniversary of the release of the original Risk of Rain!

The suggested retail price of Risk of Rain Returns will be $14.99 however for a short period at launch there will be a -15% discount down to just $12.75

All of us at Hopoo Games want to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you for both following along during the development of Risk of Rain Returns and all the support you’ve given us over the last ten years. It’s been a wild ride and we have plenty of plans for the future…

…but that’s a story for another day. For today, let's take a look at the final new Survivor joining the roster for Risk of Rain Returns.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1337520/Risk_of_Rain_Returns/

Pilot

Revealed in the intro cinematic, the Pilot of the Contact Light is joining the survivor roster for Risk of Rain Returns - bringing with him a highly mobile and context-sensitive playstyle unlike any other survivor in the game.

The workhorse of Pilot’s kit is his standard attack Clusterfire - a triple burst shot where the third shot pierces enemies.

Great for damaging groups of enemies to set them up for your other abilities or to finish them off once you’ve already rained damage upon them from the skies..

…speaking of which the key to success when playing as Pilot is mastery of his utility ability - Rapid Deployment.

Launch into the air and deploy your parachute to glide while unleashing your full arsenal of weapons on the enemies below.

Your secondary attack Target Acquired is a diagonal blast dependent on your current airborne status. If you’re in the air it will auto target on the enemies diagonally below you. If you’re on the ground it will auto target airborne enemies.

Don’t worry about there not being as many flying enemies in the game - your special ability Airstrike can solve that particular problem.

Dropped below you if airborne - or placed at your feet with a backwards dash if you’re grounded - the Airstrike hits multiple times both damaging enemies and launching them into the air.

This gives you the perfect chance to juggle them with Target Acquired and finish them off with Clusterfire.

As with all the other survivors Pilot has three alternate abilities to unlock and discover when the game is released on November 8th.

Check out the video Dev Thoughts above for an extended gameplay clip of Pilot in action.

Festival of Gup

The release of Risk of Rain Returns will not be the only way we're celebrating 10 years of the franchise - we will be taking a walk down memory lane and looking back at what got us here - and our friends at Gearbox will also be talking about what’s ahead!

This 10th anniversary Showcase will be a celebration of the Risk of Rain community, and the big lovable orange blob - If you are a fan of Risk of Rain, or blobs, this is not to be missed so make sure you're following Gearbox on Twitch!

http://www.twitch.tv/GearboxOfficial

Risk of Rain 2 fans do not want to miss this showcase...

Risk of Rain Returns OST Vinyl Pre-Order

As you’re hopefully aware by now not only has Chris Christodoulou returned with some special guests to produce some new music for Risk of Rain Returns, he has also remastered the original tracks to perfection.

Chris will be releasing a 4-Vinyl set including some great bonus content (contained on a Ukulele-shaped USB stick!) early next year but those pre-orders usually sell out quick so make sure if you want one, you grab one ASAP - the pre-order is available right now!

https://blackscreenrecords.com/products/risk-of-rain-returns

And That’s Not All

One last bit of news - for all you *very patient* console fans out there I am also very happy to announce that the Risk of Rain 2 Expansion: Survivors of the Void will be arriving on Xbox One, Playstation 4 and Nintendo Switch on… you guessed it…. The 8th of November!

We’re all very excited for you to finally get your hands on Risk of Rain Returns and we really want to know what you think! The best way to give us feedback is by joining the Risk of Rain Discord where we will be opening a Returns-specific feedback channel - and we’ll also have channels for you to find groups for multiplayer along with dozens of voice channels to use.

https://discord.gg/riskofrain2

The whole Hopoo Games team will be there and we’ll be eagerly reading all your feedback, so please join us for the release of Risk of Rain Returns on November 8th!

Cya then!

Jonathan
Hopoo Games
Community Manager

Oct 25, 2023

Photography Challenge - Best Screenshot Showcased at Times Square, New York

Lords of the Fallen - CIG_Shikallum

Greetings Lampbearers,
The lands of Mournstead might be treacherous, but blood-starved, fire-breathing, self-flagellating enemies aside, it’s still a pretty darn beautiful place. And safe to say, you - our courageous Lampbearers - have been risking life and limb to capture its beauty.

In fact, we’ve been so blown away by the sheer quality of your in-game photography, that we feel it's only right we share your talents with the world. Ergo, the Lords of the Fallen ‘Photography Challenge’...

On Thursday 2nd November, we’ll be selecting our favourite in-game user screenshot to showcase front-and-centre on the prestigious Nasdaq Building in Times Square, New York. Live from 26th Nov, your screenshot will be in circulation for no less than two whole weeks, with an estimated 85,000 people walking through the intersection every day. We’re talking Umbral-level of eyeballs!

So, what are we looking for?

In short, a photo that encapsulates your experience of Lords of the Fallen, whether that’s an epic adventure, a harrowing crusade, or a white-knuckle expedition through the nightmarish realm of the dead.

Due to the nature of the digital billboard, your image needs to work in portrait ratio, and we will need you to provide a high-resolution render (so keep your original copy safe!).

How to take part!

- Tweet/X us using #LordsOfTheFallen (for a chance to also be retweeted)
- Be at least eighteen years of age to be considered, and you’ll need to sign a waiver if selected

You have until midnight Pacific Time on the 1st Nov, with the selected photo announced by the end of that week.

In light, We walk.

HEXWORKS

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1501750/Lords_of_the_Fallen/

Oct 25, 2023

Wayfinder Wednesday #04

Wayfinder - Foxryte

It’s that time again for Wayfinder Wednesday. We hope you’ve had time to answer the Call of the Void Mid-Season Update and are ready for the next batch of content headed your way!

This week, we’ll be covering:

Mid-Season Update 2 Overview: The Reaver King
Next Community Stream
Updates and Known issues
Community F.A.Q
Fan Art Contest Winners

Mid-Season Update 2 Overview: The Reaver King

Mid-season update 2 is on its way, and with it, the way to the Hollow Heart is open. Once a paradise of primal power and a place of worship to the Woodwen people, it too has fallen to darkness. Now the Reaver King has set his sights on the Beacon. If Skylight is to be saved, Aturach and his Hollow Ones must be slain. Wayfinder, you will have to face this danger and discover what it all means.

Get ready to topple an empire and put the crown in its rightful place in The Reaver King, coming soon.

Main Quests

Four new main story quests await. These quests continue your story, and the story of Evenor’s attempts to combat the Gloom.

The Hollow Heart

Start your journey to stop Aturach the Reaver King in The Hollow Heart. Here you'll find Greymourn. As much as she talks down to you, her help will be invaluable in uncovering the mysteries unseen in The Hollow Heart. "Oh little Echo, you think you know so much when you know so little.”

Wormwood - Hunt
Roots of Evil
The Final Battle - Hunt

It’ll be up to you to uncover the secrets and rewards these hold when our update goes live. While you’re securing these new locales, you will come across four new side quests in your travels.

Side Quests

Eclipse

“Finally, you’re ready for the good stuff.” Answer Arsenal’s summons and start on your path to unlock the essence to craft a formidable piece of gear.

Ring of Ashes
Painful Secrets
Woodwen Mystic

Through these quests you’ll unlock two new Hunts and discover the secrets of Reaver Woods. You will shed light on many things in your journeys, including a new challenge - the third Imbuement slot. With levels of might never seen before, it’s time to look at arming yourself, Wayfinder.

Weapons

This update brings with it three new weapons and the ability to craft a fan favorite!

Eclipse - This weapon was forged in the vaults of the Deep Eldren and infused with the power of Shadow. It yearns to consume light and life.

Rose & Thorn - As deadly as they are beautiful, these weapons were once wielded by the legendary Blade Dancer of the Golden Aerie. Blood sustains the flowering petals.

Legacy - This ancient weapon was forged in the dawn of the world, before humanity existed. It was made for Eldren hands, and it burns with eternal light.
Nightshade - Aturach isn’t the only new deity that needs to be taken down in a Hunt. Primal powers from long ago will be at play as you battle our largest colossal enemy to-date, Wormwood, to finally get your hands on Nightshade’s essence.

Keep an eye on https://playwayfinder.com and our socials for when we release the full patch notes, guide to all the content, and more when The Reaver King launches in the coming weeks!

Community Stream

Join Alex, AKA ‘Sir Snarf’, from the community team once again for another livestream celebrating the Mid-season update 2: The Reaver King on Twitch! He’ll be your guide as you walk through some of the brand new content. Keep your eyes glued on our socials (links found in the footer of this page) for a date and time coming in the next few weeks. Don’t miss it!

Prior to the launch of The Reaver King, you'll still have some time to participate in our Call of the Void live event where you can earn a limited-time shiny new Gloom Dagger Skin, The Dawning Hope! Seek out Commander Wolf in Skylight to begin the quest, and be sure to have the main story quests up to Chapter 2 Part 1 completed first. Call of the Void will end when the mid-season update 2 begins.

Purchase a Founder’s Pack now to unlock Early Access and prepare for mid-season update 2.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1171690/Wayfinder/

Updates and Known Issues

If you missed all of the fixes recently added, be sure to check out the previous Wayfinder Wednesday #03.

Our most recent patch squashed a few bugs and crashes some players were experiencing:

Patch 0.1.7.0

Fixed a crash related to awarding trophies/achievements (a rare instance may cause this crash to keep happening)
Fixed a crash related to leaving an expedition while the timer was still active
Various backend fixes for player crashes

We didn’t want to miss a few common questions we’ve been seeing as well -

Community F.A.Q

Q1: What are you doing about long load times?

A1: Our team is constantly focused on the performance in-game. We have been tracking long load times since we launched and believe we have some solutions, but none are a fix-all. We hope to make progress on this in upcoming patches, and need to ensure these fixes work for Wayfinders on all platforms. The first pass of the inventory system did make a small impact, but we know there is a lot more we can do. We're also exploring ways to reduce load screens, including when you accidentally fall off the map or while traveling within Skylight.

Q2: Is the content in "Call of the Void" what we can expect moving forward for Live Events?

A2: While Call of the Void was our first event, it’s not a blueprint for all future events. Our teams are hard at work reading the feedback from this event and are preparing the tech to bring you even more exciting experiences in the future. For example, our next event will feature THREE new weapons instead of one! Also in Founder's Season 2 we'll have an event featuring a special vendor. You’ll be able to earn exclusive rewards and more when you visit them.

Q3: Where’s the big kitty (Grendel)?

A3: Grendel will claw his way into Founder’s Season 2! He will be available instantly with a Founder’s Awakened Pack or Exalted Pack, and earnable with a Founder’s Base or Initiate Pack. Make sure to keep an eye out for more info on Grendel!

Fan Art Contest Winners

First and foremost, we want to give a great big thanks to all of you talented Wayfinders who participated in our very first fan art contest to show off your best spooky Gloom themed art! It was a joy to see your creations and we can’t wait to run more contests in the future. Congratulations to the winners!

1st Place - Dr_Fess

2nd Place - Deekkru1

3rd Place - elouenbp

Honorable Mentions

A large congratulations as well to our honorable mentions, who will each be receiving 1,000 Runesilver!

We’ll be reaching out to all winners via X (Twitter) DM so please keep an eye on your inbox if you were one of the lucky few! Thank you again for your amazing submissions and if you ever want to share more Wayfinder art with us, make sure to tag @playwayfinder on social.

That concludes Wayfinder Wednesday #04! See you on November 8 for Wayfinder Wednesday #05 where we’ll cover more of the second mid-season update, reveal something very exciting for content creators and more!

Oct 25, 2023

Stray Souls Has Officially Arrived!

Stray Souls - Renee | VE CM

It’s finally here, horror fans! The moment you’ve been anxiously waiting for is upon us.. The game that will plunge you into a heart-pounding world of terror, is ready to hit your screens!

Stray Souls, developed by Jukai Studio and published by Versus Evil, is now available on PlayStation 4|5, and Xbox Series S|X for $29.99!

PC players will be able to purchase the Stray Souls: Cult Classic Edition for $39.99, which includes the official soundtrack and Sacred Tome artbook. Please note, both of these items can be purchased separately – but there will be no physical edition.

The soundtrack features legendary guest composer Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill) and veteran indie composer Pete Wicher. The Stray Souls OST contains a total of 60 tracks and over 3 hours of music, including exclusive bonus tracks not featured in the game.

The Sacred Tome is an unholy compendium that includes a gorgeous collection of gothic watercolor illustrations from the vault of artist Phil Worobey, plus a complete digital lore library encompassing all the discoverable notes, letters, and various documentation found throughout the game.

Stray Souls delivers the classic horror experience but with a modern twist. The combat system pays homage to the classics while introducing a precision reminiscent of souls-like games. Get ready for heart-pounding action as you navigate a world filled with dread and despair.

Prepare to traverse the dark and mysterious world of Aspen Falls, where you’ll come face to face with your worst nightmares. In this third-person action-horror game, you’ll combat horrifying creatures, unravel mind-bending puzzles, and unearth a family secret so chilling it’ll make your blood run cold. Your very existence hinges on exposing the grim truth.

If you’re a connoisseur of frights and a fan of games like Alan Wake, Silent Hill, The Last of Us, or Resident Evil 2, Stray Souls is the game you’ve been waiting for. It’s got everything you crave: an unsettling psychological experience dripping with lore, and enough scares to keep you up at night.

“Stray Souls is the first psychological horror game in Versus Evil’s history, and we couldn’t be more excited about its release,” said Dave Hulegaard, Sr. Brand Manager of Versus Evil. “The talented team at Jukai Studio are students of the genre, and their passion is on full display from Daniel’s very first chilling encounter with the paranormal.”

The game’s graphics are simply out of this world. Powered by the Unreal 5 Engine and Metahuman technology, it’s a visual feast that’ll leave you in awe. Advanced facial animations add a level of realism you’ve never seen before. Dynamic lighting and weather bring Aspen Falls to life in exquisite detail, from the peeling wallpaper in Grandma’s house to the fog-covered forest that’ll have you questioning every step you take.

Jukai Studio, the masterminds behind Stray Souls, are horror enthusiasts to the core. While some team members have previously contributed to titles like The Medium and Visage, Stray Souls gave them the creative freedom to put their own unique spin on J-horror and survival horror. And to top it off, having Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka on board was a dream come true.

“We at Jukai Studio have been obsessed with horror games for seemingly our whole lives. Members of our team have contributed to titles like The Medium and Visage in the past, but Stray Souls allowed us to really flex our creative muscles and use our expertise to put our own spin on both J-horror and survival horror,” said Artur Łączkowski, Owner & Director at Jukai Studio. “Being able to get Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka on board was a clear sign that our vision was coming through to an industry legend, so we’re excited to finally share the full game with the public just in time for Halloween!”

We want to take a moment to express our deep gratitude. We know that waiting for a highly anticipated game can be difficult, but you, our incredible community, have been more than patient. Your unwavering support during the development process has fueled our determination to create a unique and unforgettable gaming experience with Stray Souls.

So, dear horror enthusiasts, the stage is set, and the nightmare awaits. Stray Souls is your ticket to a journey filled with fear, dread, and mystery. Don’t miss out on the terror of a lifetime, and get ready to confront your fears!

You don’t want to keep Grandma waiting…

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1807210/Stray_Souls/

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