 Traxmaster Software’s neon-drenched, level-shifting 2.5D platformer, Exception, is now available on PC and consoles.
All the action is set to a futuresynth soundtrack created by some of the genre’s top artists, including Waveshaper and Kalax.
“After five years in development I am stoked to finally release Exception for everyone to enjoy,” said Will Traxler, Founder of Traxmaster Software. “The shifting environment in Exception offers players a new way to experience action platforming while the whole game aesthetic harkens back to arcade nostalgia.” Exception is available now on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC with an RRP of $14.99/€12.49/£10.99 Let us know what you think of the game below or over in the forums.  The FPS had its name changed following the (somewhat predictable) threat of legal action from renowned metal band Iron Maiden.
“After careful consideration, we’ve decided to rename our first-person-shooter “Ion Maiden” to “Ion Fury,”” said Mike Nielsen, CEO of 3D Realms.
“A lot of thought went into this, but most importantly it would be a disservice to our loyal fanbase and the fantastic developers, to drag out a long lawsuit. The amazing gameplay, interactivity and pure fun, is what makes Ion Fury a great game. Not the title.” Ion Fury is a retro-styled shooter inspired by classic 90s titles such as Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior and Blood. Created with the Build Engine, which also powered the aforementioned shooters, Ion Fury combines old-school visuals with modern features such as auto saves, widescreen support, map interactivity, improved physics and even headshots. A preview campaign is currently available on PC through Steam Early Access for $19.99 (or regional equivalent). Those who purchased the preview campaign will receive the full game – which will cost $24.99 - as a free update when it launches next month. Ion Fury is out 15 August on Steam. Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Switch versions will be released at a later date. What do you think of the name change? Let us know below or over in the forums. Nintendo announce Switch Lite10/7/2019 
Nintendo have unveiled a new Lite addition to the Switch family.
Switch Lite supports local and online connectivity, amiibo, and will be available in either grey, yellow or turquoise varieties. A special Pokémon Sword and Shield edition has also been announced, and goes on sale in November.
It also appears to have improved battery life, with Nintendo stating on their comparison page that Breath of the Wild can be played for “roughly four hours on a single charge” on Switch Lite, as opposed to the three hours on a regular Switch.
Naturally, only games that support handheld mode – which is most Switch games – can be played on the Switch Lite. Additional Joy-Cons can be connected wirelessly for games that require motion controls, such as 1-2 Switch, Super Mario Party and Nintendo Labo’s Robot, Variety and Vehicle Kits, but these need to be purchased separately. 
Nintendo Switch Lite launches 20 September with an RRP of $199.99. No official UK or European price point has been announced yet.
What do you think of the Switch Lite? Let us know below or in the forums.  The Game Bakers have given us our first look at their new game, Haven, in action.
“It’s purposefully a very different experience from Furi. But as with Furi, we tried to make a game that you have never experienced before,” continues Thoa.
“The story of a couple fighting for their freedom, an established relationship: what love looks like when you’ve moved past the early seduction phase, when you can be your true self with one another… I don’t think that’s been done much in video games.” Players will experience a story-rich adventure that’s described as a “lovechild of Journey meets Persona,” on which they’ll help Yu and Kay through everyday life and challenges. An “innovative” combat system allows players to control both characters at once using tactics and timing. You can briefly see how combat works in the trailer above, with successful encounters seeming to relieve the local fauna of some sort of crystal that appears to be turning them aggressive. Haven is said to be “a solo game at its core,” but will support local co-op with a second player able to jump into the action, sharing in exploration and progression. Haven is out sometime next year and will be available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC. Whilst there’s no mention of an Xbox One version, developers The Game Bakers have stated that the complete platform plan is “not final.” What do you think of Haven? Let us know below or in the forums. Nintendo round-up | E3 201912/6/2019  While Mario himself was fairly quiet, there was plenty of news from Nintendo’s special Direct for E3. Here are all the biggest announcements.
Ghost-busting with Gooigi Luigi is back in the torchlight once again with Luigi’s Mansion 3. His customary poltergust now has some new abilities like slam, which can throw ghosts overhead to deal damage to them and nearby enemies, and suction shot, which lets you take ghosts’ shields from them, lowering their defences. The playful Nintendo visuals are in full effect in this new title, and reach their peak in the globular form of Gooigi, an all-green copy of our protagonist who is controllable remotely or by a co-op partner to solve puzzles or tackle enemies - just keep him away from water. There’s also an out-and-out online multiplayer mode, The ScareScraper, where up to four Luigis (and another four Gooigis…) must clear rooms, save lost Toads and solve puzzles in a spooky hotel. Get away from it all with Nook Inc. There was finally more news for Animal Crossing fans as well, as we got a first proper look at Animal Crossing: New Horizons. This latest chapter puts you on a deserted island in a tent to build up your town from scratch. You can have friends along this time too, with up to eight islanders able to explore the world at the same time and take part in a whole host of island activities. Crafting makes its debut in the series and elements seen in mobile titles are being included to make this what looks like the most comprehensive Animal Crossing entry to date. Fans will have to wait a little bit longer to get their hands on it however, as the game now comes out next year, on 20 March. The bear and bird come to Smash Bros. The Hero from Dragon Quest was confirmed to be entering the fray in Smash Bros. Ultimate (appearing as a number of forms drawn from across multiple entries in the series) and there was another Smash surprise in store: Banjo-Kazooie are raring to go. Rising to prominence in the title of the same name back in the 90s, Banjo and Kazooie have long been fan-requested combatants, and finally those wishes have been answered. The reveal showed off a few of their moves as well as a stage based on Spiral Mountain, the hub area for Banjo-Kazooie itself, and an ultimate move featuring the colourful critters the jinjos. The hits keep on coming Elsewhere, we got a first proper look at Link’s Awakening, a remake of the Legend of Zelda title released on the Game Boy back in 1993, which will return with a cheerful new art style on 20 September. We also saw the official, on-camera introduction of new Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser, complete with a suitably corny chit chat with his fire-breathing namesake. There were a slew of JRPGs including Trials of Mana, Collection of Mana, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, as well as the return of Travis Touchdown in No More Heroes 3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is on its way to the Switch, along with a number of other ports, including Resident Evil 5 and 6 and dozens of indie releases. Finally, there were highlights like Astral Chain from Platinum games, a remake of Panzer Dragoon and, for all the sports fans, Mario and Sonic are teaming up again for the 2020 Olympic Games. If you want to learn more, Nintendo will likely be sharing more information and gameplay footage on a number of the above titles as part of their Treehouse Live E3 coverage, which draws to a close tomorrow. Did you check out the conference? What are you most excited about so far? Let us know in the comments, and, from me and all of the team, thank you for checking out our E3 coverage.
Ubisoft round-up | E3 201911/6/2019  Ubisoft opened with a customary musical performance, except this time it was the orchestral melodies of the Assassin’s Creed Symphony, instead of the energetic pop of Just Dance kicking things off. Fans of the latter need not be disappointed, however, as Just Dance 2020 made its exuberant appearance later in the show, dancing pandas and all!
Breakpoint’s starring antagonist, TV’s John Bernthal (The Walking Dead, The Punisher), was joined on stage by a dog as he discussed Colonel Cole D. Walker’s rogue army from the latest Ghost Recon. The Wolves, as they’re known, are made up of former Ghosts who inhabit the fictional island of Auroa. With their lethal technology and spec-ops training, it sounds like they’ll prove more formidable opposition than Wildlands’ Santa Blanca cartel and Unidad army. Further reveals included AI teammates for solo players, a community feedback program, and confirmation of a beta taking place 5 September. Post-launch support will include free updates and more crossover events, including a Terminator one (just like in Gears 5) that was hinted at during last night’s presentation. Ghost Recon Breakpoint is out 4 October on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. Gods, monsters and more Tom Clancy There was also new content announced for The Division 2. Episode 1 arrives in July and takes players on missions outside the Washington D.C. city limits as they track down a rogue ally, take on a dangerous outcast leader in a zoo and try to find a missing convoy. The latter takes place in Kenly College, and is said to be home to an “entirely new gameplay experience.” Episode 2 arrives later in the year and features more main missions, this time set in the Pentagon, and adds another 8-player raid. Episode 3, meanwhile, arrives early next year and brings back the New York City setting from the first game. Finally, it was confirmed that Netflix will be making The Division movie, which stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Chastain. New games announced during the show were Rainbow Six Quarantine and a new IP called Gods and Monsters. The former releases early next year and sounds like an extended take on Siege’s Outbreak mode, which saw players fighting their way through levels infested with monsters. In Quarantine, players will take on a “devastating parasite” with their operators in cooperative action. The trailer, while light on details, at least looks impressive. Check it out below. We were also only treated to a vague cinematic trailer for Gods and Monsters, a new title from the makers of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. The game tells the story of a “forgotten hero on a quest to save the Greek gods.” It sounds like it’ll be an open world affair, with players able to fight mythical creatures and “explore a beautiful fantasy world where tricky trials, treacherous dungeons, and heroic feats await.” Gods and Monsters is out February next year on Xbox One, PS4, Switch and PC. Keep rollin’ rollin’ rollin’ rollin’ Another new IP revealed was Roller Champions, a “skill-based team PvP sports game that is as fun to watch as it is to play.” From the gameplay seen in the trailer, it looks like players race around an oval track on skates while trying to shoot a ball into a goal, as the opposition attempts to stop them. A pre-alpha demo is available to download now from Uplay on PC. Uplay takes on Xbox Game Pass Speaking of Uplay, Ubisoft announced a PC-only subscription service in Uplay+ during last night’s show. Players will be able to enjoy 100+ games through the service, including early access to the full versions of every new Ubisoft game, including premium editions and all their expansions. It’ll cost $14.99 (or regional equivalent) a month and launches this September. It’ll also be available through Google Stadia. What did you think of Ubisoft’s E3 presentation? Let us know below or over in the forums.
 The Pokémon Company and Game Freak today shared new information on Sword and Shield, the next set of mainline Pokémon titles.
Some of the new creatures players will come across are Wooloo, a sheep Pokémon, Gossifleur, a flowering Pokémon, and Drednaw, a bite Pokémon.
There was also an armoured crow Pokémon called Corviknight, which players can use to fast-travel to towns they’ve already visited. One of the major new features revealed during the stream was the Dynamax ability, a new power that lets players temporarily transform their Pokémon into super powered giants. Like Sun and Moon’s Z moves, players can only use this ability once per battle, with any Dynamaxed Pokémon reverting back to its regular form after three moves. Wild Dynamax Pokémon will retain their larger forms throughout encounters, however, with players able to team up with three other friends to take them down in new raid-like battles. Max Raid Battles can be played either online or via the Switch’s local wireless connectivity. Dynamax Pokémon also make an appearance during Gym battles, which return to the series following their absence in Sun and Moon. Finally, we got a glimpse of the regions’ new legendary Pokémon – Zacian and Zamazenta – one of which carries a huge sword in its teeth. Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield release 15 November on Nintendo Switch. What did you think of the latest Pokémon Direct? Let us know below or over in the forums.  Bigben and Zordix Racing have announced a new off-road simulator called Overpass, which will be making its way to PC and consoles later this year.
The game features a career mode where players must “manage their buggies and quads” as they try to win races and attract sponsors, while multiplayer has you competing against others to place the best track times.
Overpass is out this October on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Switch and PC. What do you think of the game? Let us know below.  The Game Bakers have rolled out a free update for their boss rush title, Furi, across all platforms.
One of the most notable new additions is Invincible Mode, which lets players skip a particularly tough boss fight or repeat a certain phase of an encounter to practice it. As the name suggests, you can also become immune to damage.
The mode is targeted at those who want to practice fights before attempting speed runs or players that want to better experience the game’s atmospheric setting and narrative. “We’ve been listening to Furi’s community about the features and improvements that they were hoping for and we have been releasing some of those over the months in our Steam version,” said Audrey Leprince, co-founder of The Game Bakers. “With the Freedom Update we’re happy to be able to share them with players regardless of the platform they play on.” To celebrate the update’s launch, Furi is currently discounted by up to 70% on Switch, Xbox One and PC. Let us know what you think of the new content below or in the forums.  It’s been quite the eventful day for Switch owners, with a whole host of indie titles announced for the hybrid console.
Another big announcement from today’s Showcase was a Legend of Zelda and Crypt of the Necrodancer crossover, called Cadence of Hyrule. This mashup between Brace Yourself Games’ rhythmic action game series and Nintendo’s iconic adventure franchise is due to arrive sometime this spring, but you can catch a glimpse of it in action below. Finally, The Bearded Ladies and Funcom are bringing their XCOM-like Mutant Year Zero: Road To Eden to Switch this summer. Sam described Road To Eden as a “strange game, but in the best way” in our review, highly recommending it to both role-playing and strategy fans alike. The Switch version is out 25 June, which coincidentally is also the release date of the game’s next expansion. A special boxed edition of the game will be available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Switch that includes the base game plus the new DLC. You can check out all the indie news from today’s Showcase in the video below. Be sure to share your thoughts on the deluge of Nindies heading our way this year below or over in the forums.
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