Author: dpugh007

This might be the first episode of New Releases containing zero full-priced games, so your wallet won’t hurt as much if you decide to pick up a few of this week’s big games. Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible lair is mixing things up with a different style of gameplay, while Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince is a return to form for the series. Killer Queen Black is a revamped version of the arcade cult classic, and Indivisible is combining action-RPG mechanics with platforming. Meanwhile, PS4 gets an exclusive this week with Concrete Genie.

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair — October 8

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch

2017’s Yooka-Laylee was a 3D platformer inspired by the Banjo-Kazooie series, featuring many of the same developers. The sequel, however, is more like Donkey Kong Country, with 2.5D levels to conquer. They’re all connected by an overworld with its own set of puzzles to solve and secrets to uncover.

More Coverage:

• Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair – 2D Platforming Gameplay | PAX West 2019

• E3 2019: New Yooka-Laylee Game Has A Donkey Kong Country Vibe

Concrete Genie — October 8

Available on: PS4

Concrete Genie sees you playing as Ash, a young boy whose town has been taken over by a force called the Darkness. To take it back, you’ll use your graffiti skills to create artsy monsters that actually come to life as “genies.” You can also freely paint to your heart’s content in PlayStation VR.

More Coverage:

• PS4 Puzzle-Adventure Concrete Genie Is About Creating Art In A Perilous Place

• Concrete Genie Makes A Dark World Your Canvas | E3 2018

Indivisible — October 8

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch

Indivisible might remind you of Skullgirls, and that’s because it’s made by the same team, using its signature hand-drawn art. The world of Indivisible is inspired by multiple cultures and mythologies, and it combines platforming with strategic RPG battles. How you arrange your party is key to winning each fight.

More Coverage:

• Skullgirls Studio’s Upcoming Anime-Like RPG Gets A Kill La Kill-Looking Trailer

• Skullgirls Dev’s New Action-RPG, Indivisible, Shows Promising Fighter-RPG Fusion

Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince — October 8

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch

Trine 3 took the series into a full 3D world, but the fourth game is a return to 2.5D form. Pontius the Knight, Amadeus the Wizard, and Zoya the Thief are back, each with new skill trees full of special abilities. You’ll have to use them all to solve puzzles, fight bosses, and complete each stage. You can play through them solo or with friends in co-op.

More Coverage:

• Trine 4 Is A Return For The Series

• Trine 4: 13 Minutes Of Single-Player And Co-Op Gameplay | E3 2019

Killer Queen Black — October 11

Available on: PC, Switch

This is the home version of the arcade cult classic, where two teams compete for victory in one of three ways. You can win by collecting enough berries, riding the snail to the goal, or killing the enemy queen enough times. For the first time, you can take the competition online.

More Coverage:

• Killer Queen Black – Nintendo Switch Release Date Trailer

• Nintendo Switch Gets A Beloved Multiplayer Game Next Month

October has more video games on the way. Next week, New Releases will take a look at The Witcher 3 and Overwatch on Switch, plus the return of an old favorite with Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville.

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Overwatch quickly became one of Blizzard Entertainment’s most recognizable brands following its debut in 2016, fueling the current obsession with multiplayer games known as hero-shooters. It’s unsurprising then that, following the success of the fantastic Switch release of Diablo 3: Eternal Collection, Overwatch became one of the more requested Switch ports from fans. This sentiment turned out to be a relief for the developers at Blizzard, which, as it turns out, was already working on bringing the online hero-shooter to the Nintendo Switch.

Ahead of its release on October 15, I spent some time playing the new version of the game, while speaking with director Jeff Kaplan and lead producer Matthew Hawley about its development. Co-developed with Iron Galaxy, Overwatch on Switch has been over a year in the making. It not only keeps its fast-paced team-oriented competitive gameplay intact, but it also includes some new features that you can only find on the portable console.

One of the reasons why the Switch has been a great destination for ports is because it allows players to re-examine games in a new light thanks to the console’s portability and flexible playstyle. On Switch, you can still play Overwatch on a monitor with a standard controller like its counterparts, but getting to play the game in the handheld mode made the shooter feel a bit more laid-back. What’s also new to Overwatch are the gyroscopic motion-controls via Joy-Cons, which can be used in tandem with the traditional set-up. This new style was something that took some getting used to, but I eventually took to it after a few rounds. In a way, I felt more drawn into the game when playing in handheld mode and with the gyroscope controls. This relaxed and immediately responsive playstyle makes Overwatch on the Switch feels especially distinct. Speaking with game director Jeff Kaplan, he reflected on his first time holding the Switch, which made him realize that Overwatch was a great fit.

“It’s been a project of passion. I actually waited in line to buy a Switch the day it came out, that’s how much the platform meant to me,” said the game director. “I remember getting my hands on it and going, ‘Oh my God, we need to be here.’ It’s just a great platform. We’ve worked on this for over a year now, and after getting Diablo 3 out there last year and seeing that excitement, we’re now launching Overwatch for the Switch. This has been the end result of that first excitement we had for the Switch back then.”

At launch, Overwatch on Switch will have all existing heroes and content from the PC and console versions. Unlike the release of Diablo 3, however, there aren’t any plans as of this time to include any Nintendo-exclusive items. The Switch version is an impressive port, but it was clear that some clear concessions had to be made to get it running on the more modest hardware. For starters, the Switch version runs at a mostly firm 30 FPS. When docked, the resolution is set at 900p, while undocked brings it down to 720p–with some slight moments of frame rate dips during heavy engagements. Kaplan stated that they’re aiming to release new updates at the same time with other versions, however, unlike Diablo 3: Eternal Collection, the Switch release won’t feature cross-progression, meaning players will have to start fresh within the new ecosystem.

This has been the end result of that first excitement we had for the Switch back then. — Jeff Kaplan, game director.

One of the more unique aspects of Overwatch’s outing on the Switch is the gyroscopic controls. Like Splatoon 2, which lead producer Matthew Hawley said was a source of inspiration from the team, you can use the Joy-Cons or Pro controller’s motion-sensors to move the camera and line up your shots. In the options menu, I noticed that there were several options that could be tweaked to fit your preferences, which include enabling or disabling motion-aiming while using the camera control stick and adjusting the sensitivity of your aim. Of course, if you prefer to stick with the game’s traditional set-up, you’re free to disable motion controls entirely. According to the devs, gyroscopic controls was something they wanted to include in the port, and they collaborated with Nintendo to get it working just right.

“We actually have a designer on our team who is a big Splatoon fan and he really likes gyroscopic aiming,” said the lead producer. “He detaches the joy-cons and kind of points one at the screen, in Wiimote style, and his level of precision just blows me away. It’s pretty cool. There’s no other platform that we currently have Overwatch on that has that kind of motion control, and Nintendo was really excited for us to try and implement it for Switch. There’s a whole world of people that have never played Overwatch before because they only play on Nintendo platforms, so bringing in a Nintendo audience into Overwatch is really, really exciting for us.”

In the dozen or so games I played, any concerns I felt about the game’s technical shortcomings went away when getting into the thick of it. I anticipate it’ll be tough for some players who are into the more competitive side of Overwatch to adjust to the scaled-back format, putting it in noticeable contrast to the high-resolution and 60fps gameplay from the other releases. In my experience, I didn’t really mind the change. If anything, the relaxed set-up that the Switch offered made it all the more easy to get back into. Overwatch on Switch is just as colorful and hectic as its PS4, Xbox One, and PC counterparts, and I really enjoyed myself playing it.

As the Switch is seeing more ports of online-centric games, the arrival of Overwatch–which is a more accessible team-based shooter–is especially welcome. Still, I can’t deny that it’s disappointing that cross-progression isn’t possible on the Switch. The newest release doesn’t totally deviate from the original, yet, the more flexible and responsive playstyle, along with the opportunity to bring Overwatch with you anywhere makes it feel especially novel in comparison to other versions. With its release on October 15, I foresee this port being a great way for players, new and lapsed alike, to revisit the game in a more fresh and laid back way.

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