Welcome to TAG Roundup!
Ever wonder what you missed in the world of gaming last week? No worries – we’ve got you covered!
We read a ton of video game articles each week and wanted to share some of our favorites with the Average Gamer community. We’ll feature everything from previews to reviews and everything in between.
The articles we share will be from a combination of well-known sources (like IGN) and more niche blogs that you may not have heard of. In the previous TAG Roundup post, we talked about a Far Cry 6, Polymega, Tropico 6 and more!
At the top of the hour, we’ve got a new Free-to-Play battle royale to add to your gaming library! Spellbreak will hit consoles and PC this year, bringing spell-based combat to the masses.
Spellbreak Goes Free-to-Play – IGN
Spellbreak changes the battle royale arena a bit by utilizing spell-based attacks vs traditional weapons. Battlemages loot for spells around the map and engage in magical combat!
Before the match, players choose a class that is centered around a specific element. At the start of each match, your character has access to a starter skill, then can unlock other skills in chronological order throughout the course of the match.
Like most BRs, Spellbreak has an ever closing ring – dubbed the Spellstorm – which shrinks the safe zone on the map. Players level up by making it to the next safe zone, thus, earning their subsequent skill.
Match XP in Spellbreak increases your Mage Rank and Class Mastery Rank. Both of these contribute towards earning some sweet cosmetics to be the coolest looking mage!
Additionally, you can pick up equipment to boost your stats. The combination of classes and loot allow for a high level of customization in Spellbreak.
The game’s closed beta ended yesterday, and there’s no official launch date yet, but we know that it will be F2P at launch. You can even crossplay across PC, PS4, Xbox and Switch!
If you like battle royale games, Avatar, and/or Harry Potter, Spellbreak might be the game for you!
https://youtu.be/RwgIu0CtVL4
Button Mapping on New Switch Controller – Nintendo Life
PowerA just opened pre-orders for what might be the most attractive Switch controller on the market. The Nano Enhanced Wireless Controller includes motion controls, button mapping and an impressive 20-hr rechargeable battery!
I’ve talked about the huge difference the back buttons can make for competitive games and PowerA takes things a step forward by letting you map buttons on the fly! You can pre-order now for $49.99 at the PowerA website.
Rocket League with Alpacas – Destructoid
If the trailer for Alpaca Ball: Allstars doesn’t get you hype, nothing will. The lively music combined with four-legged soccer makes Rocket League look like a second-rate game.
Customize your alpacas and take them into variations of soccer, hockey, football and volleyball. Take part in some ridiculous puns, alpaca-head swinging mayhem and vibrant celebrations when Alpaca Ball launches on Switch and Steam in late 2020!
Theme Park Simulation Coming to Console – Game Informer
If you’ve ever played Roller Coaster Tycoon, you’ll want to keep an eye out for Planet Coaster. The self-proclaimed “best coaster game ever”, the game launched on PC in 2016 with new simulation features like landscape sculpting, communal creation and piece-by-piece construction.
The devs just announced that they’re porting the game over to console! While these games are typically keyboard + mouse-centric, they promise to deliver intuitive controls and a user interface that translates well on consoles.
Planet Coaster’s console version will also include quality-of-life improvements to help usher the game into the next decade. Look out for a release on PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X in Holidays 2020.
Mad Max Meets Zelda – Gematsu
Gripper is an action-RPG about loss. Someone attacks your farm, kidnaps your sister and now you need to go on the offensive with your hook-equipped car.
In true Megaman-fashion, you gain new abilities by defeating each of the 11 bosses. You’ll solve puzzles, hear great music, collect statues and tear your enemies apart to find your sibling.
Pick up Gripper next year on Steam to dive into this “story of human love, forgiveness, and betrayal”!
Sci-Fi Co-Op Shooter – Well Played
The developers behind Bulletstorm and Gears of War: Judgement bring us a new class-based RPG for the upcoming generation of consoles. You can definitely see influences from both as well as a bit of Destiny in the official reveal trailer for Outriders!
Players will explore the hostile planet of Enoch as one of four classes, combining fast-paced gunplay with deep RPG elements. Outriders will be available on several platforms and folks who pre-order will even get a free upgrade to the deluxe edition!
It’s set for a 2020 release but we don’t have an exact launch date yet. Stay tuned for more updates!
Digital Art on Switch – Nintendo Life
Colors! is a ‘powerful and fun painting app/game bundled with a pressure-sensitive pen’, bringing detailed painting to the Switch. Each stroke can have varied thickness and transparency based on the amount of pressure the player applies to the screen.
The game has evolved from the Nintendo DS to the Nintendo 3DS and is now getting a boost on Nintendo’s latest console. Players paint something new every day according to a set of rules. You can pick up the Backer package on their Kickstarter for $38 or pay up to $600 to become a super patron!
Colors ships in August 2020.
Indie Tactics Strategy Game – Gamespot
Fae Tactics follows the blueprint of Final Fantasy Tactics, pitting your crew of characters in strategic, turn-based battles against enemies known as Fae. Players will take advantage of magical elements to gain the advantage over their opponents and collect Fae creatures into your team.
The isometric environments look great and you can explore at length in this open world. You can pick up Fae Tactics on Steam on July 31, 2020!
No Man’s Sky Gets Creepy – IGN
The exploration game’s latest update brings horror with abandoned freighters and alien threats. No Man’s Sky has just released the Desolation update which shows off plenty of tech to be salvaged, as well as new enemies to battle!
It’s an interesting change of pace for Hello Games, since they’ve primarily released low-threat content in their DLC. You can pick up the update now and they’re even offering a 50% discount on the game if you don’t already own it!
That’s All For Now
There were plenty of other highlights from last week but these ones really stood out. Be sure to check in next time to read about video game current events.
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What were some of the most interesting things you read last week? Leave us a message in the comments so we can check it out!
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Also, we just started a new podcast! Check out episode one here, where we talk about the free-to-play gaming model!
