Reporting on the games made in Canada and the creators behind them
Far Cry 5 has been updated with a photo mode and some other additions to the Arcade Mode. You can download the patch for free on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Photo mode would be a good addition while we wait for the remaining DLC. Check out the patch notes here.
Way of the Passive Fist came out earlier this year, we even spoke to Jason Canam shortly after it released, and now the game has been updated with the "New Dawn" update.
The New Dawn update is a free download and includes a new Epilogue campaign "New Dawn" which has 5 stages, a new rogue-like Survival Mode, as well as some revamped story and difficult adjustments..
#WayOfThePassiveFist is BIGGER and BETTER than EVER with our greatest update yet: NEW DAWN!
— Household Games (@HHGamesInc) June 21, 2018
NEW DAWN is live on Steam, and is coming soon to consoles!https://t.co/YOS063pNEw pic.twitter.com/MAn3FKLWIH
If you own Way of the Passive Fist then you can download the free update now. If not, the game is currently on sale on Steam.
Indie developer Lightning Rod Games have been working on A Fold Apart, their emotional 3D puzzle game about being in a long distance relationship.
To help bring the game of live they are looking into public funding via Fig. If you're unfamiliar with Fig it's similar to Kickstarter but also offering the chance to invest in the game. $20 dollars on the Fig page gets you access to a copy of the game when it releases.
You can check out the full trailer and some screenshots below which shows off the "folding" mechanic. The game will contain over 50 levels when its released.
A Fold Apart is a 3D puzzle game about the emotional struggle of a long distance relationship set in a world of folding paper. 💙 Help support the game and get it first: http://Fig.co/AFoldApart Inspired by origami and papercraft, this award-winning game mechanic allows players to fold and manipulate the paper world, both to physically and to metaphorically navigate a long distance relationship - based on a true story.
"A Fold Apart is a 3D puzzle game about the emotional struggle of a long distance relationship set in a world of folding paper.
Inspired by origami and papercraft, our award-winning game mechanic allows players to fold and manipulate the paper world, to both literally and metaphorically navigate the struggles of a long distance relationship - based on a true story."
Now on @PlayFig!
— Lightning Rod Games (@LRGthunder) June 19, 2018
A Fold Apart is our award-winning 3D #puzzle #game about the emotional struggle of a #longdistancerelationship set in a world of folding paper.
Help us by pledging your support + get it first! https://t.co/2PmuuhRPqH #games #indiegames #AFoldApart 💙#origami pic.twitter.com/harC62unmF
Solo indie dev expert and longtime friend-of-the-site Devon Wiersma joins us to talk their latest release Centauri Dark, working across AAA, mid-sized and solo indie dev and how to fix this goshdarn industry.
David B joins us from the west coast best coast to talk about the upcoming Quiver Games Incubator!
Bizdev extraordinaire Eric Beer joins us to give his Hades II impressions and chat v-bucks subsidized game preservation.
We break down Baldur Gate 3's unprecedented success & the knock-on effects it'll have on the industry and how we make games moving forward. We also speak to Ontario-based indie game devs Twinolli about their upcoming action-puzzler Highlighters which just got a (Dad Deck-verified) Steam demo!
We speak to Québécois game dev Dragon Slumber, creator of Tech Support, Aethernaut and many more!
We reveal the winners of our ‘23 Community Awards poll and discuss Drinkbox’s latest teaser for their next project- and more!
This week thousands more game developers join Stephan in the "terminated by evil, stupid people" camp as layoffs hit tons of studios all over Canada and the world. We discuss Sonic as well. Sonic supports Unionizing your Workplace!
Stephan got terminated but that’s okay he just has more time to cover Canadian games now.
System Siege, the turn-based strategy game from Waterloo based 56 Gaem Studios hit Early Access on Steam last week. You can get the game here, which looks like a little love letter to Advanced Wars.
Negotiations have failed. We tried to destroy the technology we'd spent so long building. Now is the time for action. The ultimate battle for survival rages on between humans and androids. Use your strategies to dominate and destroy in System Siege. Who will be left when the smoke clears, commander?
System Siege is a top-down turn-based strategy game set in the distant future. An homage to the classics, System Siege showcases a diverse range of units and commanders to choose from - know their strengths and dominate.
According to the Steam page, the game will be up for Early Access for 10 months to gather feedback, while also adding different difficulties, a full singleplayer, and a map editor.
Wishlist now on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/683910 It's all out war and it's either us or them. Humans or Androids. Battle as different commanders in System Siege, a tactical turn-based strategy to defeat the androids and win not only the planet back, but the entire solar system.
Groover Gunner, the rhythm VR game from BitCutter Studios will be leaving Steam Early Access on February 10th, there have been various updates since the game was first released in 2020. You can check out the full details below, and luckily the game is currently 25% off.
Chute Apps have released their “Bullet Hell Insanity + Tower Defense Strategy” game on Steam as a full release. Version 1.0 of the game comes with new items, guns and improvements and is currently enjoying 20% off at the time of writing.
Windsor based Chute Apps will have their bullet-hell/tower defense game Rogue Star Rescue leave Steam Early Access on February 4th - with a Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One version coming later this year.
Vancouver-based independent game studios Redstone Interactive (@redstoneio) and Offworld Industries (@OffworldInd) have announced their upcoming large-scale multiplayer first-person shooter Beyond The Wire (@play_BTW) launches in Early Access on Steam next week.
Toronto-based game studio Cellar Door Games (@CellarDoorGames) have launched the sequel to 2013’s indie darling Rogue Legacy into Steam Early Access.
Music-maker, bullet hell Beat Blast from Toronto-based two-person team Woolly Walrus (@WoollyWalrusInc) is launching on Steam Early Access soon with music from Toronto musician Harrison (@prodbyharrison).
British Columbia-based two-man indie studio MinMaxGames has released their golf course building sim-strategy game GolfTopia on Steam Early Access.
Nova Scotia-based indie game studio Cosmocat Games (@cosmocatgames) has announced their rogue-lite survival horror game TOXICANT will be launching in Steam Early Access later this month.
Edmonton-based indie studio Only By Midnight (@OnlyByMidnight) is hosting an open beta for their third-person arcadey twin-stick shooter Curved Space which can you get access to through the studio’s official Discord.
A major update titled Minerals and Craftmanship has released for Early Access grid-less, sprawling medieval city building sim Foundation (@foundationgame) which is being developed Québec-based Polymorph Games (@polymorph_games).
The Blobs Fight! by SkyPyre Studios has gotten a new trailer! Check it out!
The Blobs Fight! will be releasing on Steam on June 21.
Starlink Battle for Atlas, the first game from Ubisoft Toronto where they are the lead developer since Splinter Cell: Blacklist, was announced at last years E3 and we already know we're going to see more of the game at this years show. Ubisoft's E3 press conference will be at Monday June 4:00 EST and we'll have all the details here.
Get ready to visit Atlas, #UbiE3 is coming! Join us on June 11 from 1pm PT and see more #StarlinkGame. pic.twitter.com/khOhz6Qfou
— StarlinkGame (@StarlinkGame) June 4, 2018
Watch the world premiere of Starlink: Battle for Atlas and travel deep into space to protect the Atlas star system from enemies! Available Fall 2018! #Starlink Website - http://ubi.li/mthfr ABOUT Starlink: Battle for Atlas: In Starlink: Battle for Atlas, you're part of a group of heroic interstellar pilots, dedicated to free the Atlas star system from the Forgotten Legends, an evil robot force.
Solo indie dev expert and longtime friend-of-the-site Devon Wiersma joins us to talk their latest release Centauri Dark, working across AAA, mid-sized and solo indie dev and how to fix this goshdarn industry.
David B joins us from the west coast best coast to talk about the upcoming Quiver Games Incubator!
Bizdev extraordinaire Eric Beer joins us to give his Hades II impressions and chat v-bucks subsidized game preservation.
We break down Baldur Gate 3's unprecedented success & the knock-on effects it'll have on the industry and how we make games moving forward. We also speak to Ontario-based indie game devs Twinolli about their upcoming action-puzzler Highlighters which just got a (Dad Deck-verified) Steam demo!
We speak to Québécois game dev Dragon Slumber, creator of Tech Support, Aethernaut and many more!
We reveal the winners of our ‘23 Community Awards poll and discuss Drinkbox’s latest teaser for their next project- and more!
This week thousands more game developers join Stephan in the "terminated by evil, stupid people" camp as layoffs hit tons of studios all over Canada and the world. We discuss Sonic as well. Sonic supports Unionizing your Workplace!
Stephan got terminated but that’s okay he just has more time to cover Canadian games now.
Golem, the platforming puzzle from Hegemony developers Longbow Games is out now on Steam, and enjoying a 10% discount (as of this writing). Golem has you playing a young girl and shape-shifting golem who must navigate the ruins of an ancient tower.
No one knew who built the ancient tower that loomed beside the coast. The young girl figured water must have once flowed down its giant aqueducts into her village, but even her grandfather couldn't remember seeing the mill's old water wheel turn. These days it is the job of her and the other children to journey to-and-from the tower to collect what little water bubbles up in the caves beneath it. But everything is about to change when she awakens a mysterious glowing orb buried beneath the puddles. Images long hidden on the cavern walls now glow with hints of a new hope for her drought-stricken village, and the sealed door of the tower sits ajar for the first time in centuries. With her curious companion in tow, the young girl bravely enters the crumbling ruins of the ancient machine to discover if its long-held secrets hold the key to her future.
#GOLEM is now available for PC ! Buy it now for -10% off !
— Golem (@longbowgolem) May 29, 2018
Steam: https://t.co/PUI0NU2NgE
GOG: https://t.co/7BvNLo3kOm@LongbowGames #longbowgolem pic.twitter.com/S9a5WgU8nh
You can pick up the game on Steam right here $16.99 CAD (and it's currently on a 10% discount).
We knew that Far Cry 5 was getting three pieces of DLC, and now we know the date of the first one - Hours of Darkness. The DLC will take players to Vietnam as they relive the experiences of Wendell Redler who was a character in the main campaign of Far Cry 5. The DLC will be out June 5th, and comes part of the Far Cry 5 season pass.
We also get a timeline of future DLC, including ones based on missions to Mars, and zombies. Full press release and trailer is below:
Escape from behind enemy lines in war-torn Vietnam and get your squad to the extraction zone! Far Cry 5: Hours of Darkness will be available on June 5th, 2018 #FarCry5 #FarCry Please SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/UbisoftYouTubeChannel Visit our official channels for the latest information on all things Far Cry: https://far-cry.ubisoft.com/ https://www.facebook.com/farcry.usa https://www.instagram.com/farcrygame_us/ https://twitter.com/FarCrygame http://www.youtube.com/UbisoftNA ABOUT FAR CRY 5: Far Cry comes to America in the latest installment of the award-winning franchise.
FAR CRY 5: HOURS OF DARKNESS LAUNCHES ON JUNE 5
Travel from Hope County to Vietnam in Far Cry’s First DLC Adventure
Montreal — May 24, 2018 — Today, Ubisoft announced Far Cry 5: Hours of Darkness, the first post-launch adventure, will release on June 5 across all platforms. The first DLC will transport players back in time as they play Hope County’s Wendell “Red” Redler, who must find and rescue his fellow squad members from hostile forces during the Vietnam War. Hours of Darkness can be purchased as part of the Far Cry 5 Season Pass for $39.99 and Gold Edition for $119.99.
Far Cry 5: Hours of Darkness transports players into a war-torn Vietnam as they relive the harrowing experience of Wendell Redler from the main campaign of Far Cry 5. Playable in solo or online co-op, Hours of Darkness transports players from rural Montana to a dangerous jungle where they must rescue imprisoned squad mates, wreak havoc on the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army, and fight to get back home by any means necessary. This first DLC adventure will feature new gear and abilities as well as two different playable modes that will be unlocked after completing Hours of Darkness: Survivor Mode, giving players a limited loadout for a more challenging playthrough, and Action Movie Mode, where a generous loadout delivers over-the-top action.
In addition to the DLC, all Far Cry 5 players will have access to new Vietnam-themed assets in Far Cry Arcade available on May 24 with the release of title update (TU) 6, the Vietnam Update Map Builders will be able to integrate these assets into their existing maps or create new maps focused on the Hours of Darkness theme. All future DLCs will also include thematic assets that will be added to Far Cry Arcade for free.
Alongside today’s title update, Ubisoft released the soundtrack for Far Cry 5: Hours of Darkness, available here: https://idol.lnk.to/FarCry5_Hours_of_Darkness. Composed by Wade MacNeil (Alexisonfire, Gallows, Black Lungs) and Andrew Gordon Macpherson. Driven by fear, confusion and violence, the music takes us on a journey into the madness of war. With the participation of renowned multi-instrumentalist Kim Uyen Le, Wade and Andrew have created a sound palette that blends traditional Vietnamese instruments with hypnotic, late 60’s psychedelic soundscapes, gritty vintage electronic textures, and pounding rhythmic patterns.
Far Cry 5 post-launch will continue with two new DLC adventures – Lost on Mars and Dead Living Zombies – which will be released in July and August of this year. Two additional asset drops will give map builders more tools to create unique Far Cry Arcade experiences. The DLC adventures are available in the Season Pass, or as standalone DLC purchases, while new asset releases for Far Cry Arcade will be available for free to all players.
Set in America, a first for the franchise, Far Cry 5 offers players total freedom to navigate a serene-looking yet deeply twisted world as the new junior deputy of fictional Hope County, Montana. Players will find that their arrival accelerates a years-long silent coup by a fanatical doomsday cult, the Project at Eden's Gate, igniting a violent takeover of the county. Under siege and cut off from the rest of the world, players will join forces with residents of Hope County and form the Resistance. Far Cry 5 will continue to receive premium DLC adventures available in the Season Pass as well as free content including new Far Cry Arcade assets and in-game live events following the launch.
For more information about Far Cry 5, please visit farcry.com.
For the latest on Far Cry 5 and other Ubisoft games, please visit news.ubisoft.com.
ABOUT UBISOFT
Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s video game series, Rayman, Far Cry and Watch Dogs. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2017-18 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,732 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoft.com.
© 2018 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Far Cry, Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are registered or unregistered trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries. Based on Crytek’s original Far Cry directed by Cevat Yerli.
If you didn't get a chance to play The Blobs Fight at EGLX, then never fear - as the arena party game from SkyPyre will be coming to Steam in June. There is even a Steam page that you can add to your wishlist.
"The Blobs Fight is a silly, over-the-top arena party game about creatures of blob like nature, fighting each other to the blash! (Blob for death). Run around as a blob attacking other players to knock pieces (aka bits) of them off, collect those pieces to get bigger, be the largest or the last one standing, profit."
#TheBlobsFight is coming soon on #Steam!#Wishlist here: https://t.co/X88DXOgzef#madewithunity #TBF #blobs #indiegame #indie #indiedev #game #videogame #gaming #localmultiplayer #partygame #beatemup #gamedev #gameplay #letsplay #steamrelease #comingsoon pic.twitter.com/msdVu9nofE
— SkyPyre - The Blobs Fight! (@SkyPyreStudios) April 23, 2018
The VR game which launched into Early Access in February 2017 will see it's official release on June 8th, according to developers Red Meat Games.
Run Jump Fail is the latest game from Luke O'Connor, who previously released Kapsul Infinite on Steam. In Run Jump Fail is a platformer where you will...fail, a lot:
"Run Jump Fail puts you in control of the hapless HappyMan, and tasks you with guiding him through a whole load of treacherous obstacle courses. You'll fail a lot along the way, but watching HappyMan collapse and flail when he's just run into a wall, or tripped on a ledge, or been hit by a big red spinning thing is a lot of fun.
Seriously, failing is 90% of the fun. So fail away."
You can check out the trailer and screenshots below. But make sure to head over to Steam to pick it up for only $7.99. Of course if you're a Patreon at the $4.00+ level you have a chance at getting a free copy as well.
Out now on Steam https://store.steampowered.com/app/781640/Run_Jump_Fail/
Canadian indie game studio Red Meat Games have released their episodic, narrative-driven audio game Project Dark on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
As part of the Mix Showcase last month, Toronto developer Kitten Cup Studio showed off some gameplay from their 2022 game Pekoe.
Quebec developer Norsfell have announced their 10-player co-op action-RPG Tribes of Midgard will be out on PlayStation, and Steam on July 27th - the game is also available for pre-order on both platforms.
Triversal, the puzzle game from Toronto developer Phantom Compass has a release date, and thankfully we won’t have to wait that long. The game comes out on July 13th, and you can wishlist it on Steam here.
BOMBING!!: A Graffiti Sandbox, the graffiti sandbox simulation game from indie dev (and friend of the site) Devon Wiersma, is out now on Steam, and itch.io.
After launching on Steam last year, St Catharines based Rocketship Park will be porting their puzzle story-driven adventure game LOVE to Nintendo Switch “soon”.
PixelNAUTS Games, who last released Lost Orbit: Terminal Velocity on various platforms have released a new trailer for their upcoming space-racing brawler Rocket Rumble. You can wishlist the game on Steam right now which is scheduled for sometime this year.
Mad Devils, the twin-stick shooter from Itzy Interactive got a new gameplay trailer ahead of its May 10th release date. Mad Devils is an arcade co-op shooter set during World War 2 but has Allied special forces hunting down Nazi occultists resurrected as demons
Way of the Passive Fist came out in March, and I think you should pick it up. Whether or not you have the game has been updated to version 1.1.0.3 with some improved UI and bug fixes. You can check out the patch notes here.
The first Title Update for #WayOfThePassiveFist is now live! We have a new site to track all updates, so check out the details of v1.1.0.3 here!https://t.co/PIQfXv4SO6 pic.twitter.com/xYdoMoWkp8
— Household Games (@HHGamesInc) May 1, 2018
V1.1.0.3 features many quality of life updates, like making the blast zone of mortar fire much more clear. No more guessing the blast radius, stay clear of the red zone! pic.twitter.com/SXFFemiD1q
— Household Games (@HHGamesInc) May 2, 2018
Way of the Passive Fist is out now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Do you want to give For Honor a try but don't want to straight up purchase the game? Ubisoft got your back as they'll be having a free weekend for the medieval pvp fighter next weekend from May 3rd - May 6th.
Details can be found on the website here with the timing below.
Xbox will start on May 3, 2018 at 1am PDT, and will end on May 7, 2018 at 12am PDT
PS4* will start on May 3, 2018 at 1am PDT, and will end on May 7, 2018 at 12am PDT
PC* will start on May 3, 2018 at 10am PDT, and will end on May 6, 2018 at 1pm PDT
*PS4 & PC pre-load available starting May 1, 2018 at 12am PDT
Become a Warrior during the For Honor Free Weekend happening May 3-6. Keep the progress of your adventures and save up to 67% on the game. Existing Warriors, if you train with your apprentice friends, you can both earn a bounty with the Warrior Training Program. Visit ForHonorGame.com/FreeWeekend to learn more!
Ubisoft has announced that Prince of Persia is returning…sort of. The series, which hasn’t seen a console game since 2010’s Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is coming as a limited-time event in For Honor. The update includes 30 pieces of Prince of Persia-inspired loot to unlock.
Ubisoft is having a special Halloween event for For Honor - live now until November 1st the “Fans of the Otherworld” in-game event is free for all players. It comes with a new game mode, exclusive Halloween-themed loot, and new executions
Ubisoft announced that Season 3 of their third year for For Honor on August 1st will introduce new Viking Hero ‘Jormungandr’, as well as a new Breach map, and various quality of life and balance changes. Check out the full trailer below.
Power Level Studios have released their strategy RPG Soul Reaper: Unreap Commander on Steam Early Access. The game is featuring about 1/5th of the planned content, with obviously lots more on the way. The studio posted on their Steam page why they went with the Early Access route.
It's mostly about content creation. You see, we're aiming to have 100+ monsters and 400+ loot, and drawing and animating all that takes time. Now, having 100+ monsters sounds arbitrary, doesn't it?
I assure you it isn't! We want every monster to be unique. And by that, I don't just mean visually and stats-wise, but I mean that it's useful in some situations, but may be less optimal in others. Plus, with 100+ monsters, there are many unique ways to work out synergies between other monsters and leads to more interesting team builds.
The full releasse is planned for Q4 of this year, and by going with early access you can shape the future of the game:
“Price will not change when we leave early access. But! By taking part of our development journey, you'll have your say on how you want the game to shape up. It's like being an assistant-designer. Just without getting paid. Mwahaha!”
Now LIVE on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/775920/Soul_Reaper_Unreap_Commander/ Soul Reaper: Unreap Commander is an asynchronous multiplayer version of Soul Reaper, focusing on monster team building as well as Soul Reaper's signature fast turn-based combat, and loot and souls systems. Assemble teams of Unreaps and train them against pre-defined challenges, or compete online against other players' teams and earn epic loot and souls!
Check out the game on Steam and follow the gang on Twitter.
Drum roll please.... #SoulReaper: #UnreapCommander is FINALLY OUT AND LIVE! Catch it while it's hot and steaming (sorry) on #Steam! And, feel free to let us know what you think about this little guy and his team of #unreaps! https://t.co/OaF6spq7vA#indiedev #gamedev #indiegame pic.twitter.com/rz6eWkmmhf
— Power Level Studios (@PowerLvlStudios) April 24, 2018
Playing Hard a documentary that gives an inside look into Ubisoft creating last years medieval action game For Honor will have its debut at Hot Docs May 2nd (tickets can be purchased here). The movie will take a look at the games development, as the team grew from one, to twenty, to over 500.
'In the world’s biggest video game studio, a constantly growing team works on the creation of For Honor, a game that stages an epic war between Vikings, knights, and samurai. Like the game’s characters, the main creators will face adversity that will take their personal lives to the breaking point.'
If you can't make it to the event then you can preorder the digital version right here. For Honor came out last year on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC and has had a healthy dose of updates since release - including Season 5 in February.
In the world’s biggest video game studio, a constantly growing team works on the creation of For Honor, a game that stages an epic war between Vikings, knights and samurai. Like the game’s characters, the main creators will face adversity that will highly impact their personal lives, up to the breaking point. _________ Playing Hard offers unprecedented access to a highly secret world where a few gamers/designers are shaping what has now become the biggest entertainment industry in the world. It follows the creation of the game For Honor over a four-year period. As the production team grows from 20 to 500 people, we witness the human theatre involved in creating and launching a major video game. From Montreal to Los Angeles, through Cologne, Moscow, Seattle, and Asia, we follow Creative Director Jason VandenBerghe, Producer Stéphane Cardin, and Brand Manager Luc Duchaine as they struggle to bring an idea to life. Beyond the commercial success of the game, their dreams, fears, and relationships are at stake.
Ubisoft has announced that Prince of Persia is returning…sort of. The series, which hasn’t seen a console game since 2010’s Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is coming as a limited-time event in For Honor. The update includes 30 pieces of Prince of Persia-inspired loot to unlock.
Ubisoft is having a special Halloween event for For Honor - live now until November 1st the “Fans of the Otherworld” in-game event is free for all players. It comes with a new game mode, exclusive Halloween-themed loot, and new executions
Ubisoft announced that Season 3 of their third year for For Honor on August 1st will introduce new Viking Hero ‘Jormungandr’, as well as a new Breach map, and various quality of life and balance changes. Check out the full trailer below.
