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Dark Fantasy FPS ‘Witchfire’ Gets an Overhaul With New Ghost Galleon Update [Trailer]

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Developer The Astronauts have announced a new Early Access update for their dark fantasy shooter Witchfire in the Ghost Galleon Update. In addition to quality-of-life features, the update introduces “soul-style classes”, vault raids, weapons, and new Calamities.

Alongside the new features in the update, The Astronauts team has implemented careful redesigns of Witchfire‘s level progression and Calamity systems, based on Early Access feedback. Players will begin the game with souls-style classes, granting boosts to certain stats and unique gear. Those classes include Slayer, Berserker, Hunter, Shadow, Saint and Penitent, with Penitent giving Witchfire veterans an extra challenge.

A new feature, called Gnosis, will allow players to “over-level” (slightly) without a corresponding uptick in enemy difficulty. Gnosis is the understanding of dark magic. As this occult knowledge expands, players gain power and uncover hidden paths and events in the game. The update also adds a Calamity Meter on the HUD, which calls attention to player actions (and missteps) that make Calamities more likely.

And speaking of Calamities, there’s the eponymous Ghost Galleon, a new spectral ship in Witchfire that’s infested with demonic minions of the Witch.

“I like when gameplay matches lore,” said Adrian Chmielarz, Creative Director and Co-Founder of The Astronauts. “The Witch launches Calamities at preyers as they venture further and further into her realm. The threat of a Calamity is immense, but so is the reward. The witch tends to launch these assaults when players are wounded, at their weakest— which hasn’t always been well-received by players— but this design still feels exciting to me. So we’ve kept the soul of it, but redesigned it to feel more fair. It’s a feature that both teaches you how to play by pointing out mistakes, and motivates you to do better. Yet it’s also an element great players can abuse: trick the Witch into thinking you’re losing, then strike back and reap the rewards. This supports two main pillars of our design philosophy: Competence and Autonomy.”

Witchfire is available now on the Epic Games Store.

Writer/Artist/Gamer from the Great White North. I try not to be boring.

Toys

Official Funko Video Game ‘Funko Fusion’ Unites Properties Including ‘The Thing’ and ‘Jaws’! [Trailer]

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Funko and 10:10 Games have announced upcoming video game Funko Fusion this afternoon, and much to our delight, the game is absolutely loaded with Funko POP-style horror icons.

The official trailer for Funko Fusion heavily features John Carpenter’s The Thing, as well as 1999’s The Mummy, Jaws, Jurassic World, and even Jordan Peele’s Nope!

Other horror properties including M3GAN, Shaun of the Dead, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Jurassic Park, and Chucky have also been confirmed for Funko Fusion.

Funko Fusion is coming to PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on September 13, 2024. Pre-orders for physical console editions of the game open starting today at select global retailers, with pre-orders opening across digital storefronts soon.

Funko Fusion is an action-adventure, single player and online co-op experience that pays tribute to NBCUniversal’s deep roster of beloved worlds and the irreverent Funko Pop! interpretations of the figures who inhabit them. In the game, players will celebrate their favorite movies and TV series across a wide range of more than 20 franchises: from blockbuster movies like Jurassic World, JAWS, Back to the Future, The Thing, Shaun of the Dead, and Chucky, to hit TV series such as Battlestar Galactica, The Umbrella Academy, and Masters of the Universe, and many more.

Funko Fusion is the debut title from 10:10 Games, a studio co-founded by five-time BAFTA award winner and TT Games founder Jon Burton with a team of experienced developers known for their work on brick-based games.

“Our vision at 10:10 Games is to create an incredible co-op videogame experience that will bring gamers from across the globe together in a unique, fun, energetic, and authentic gaming experience,” says Arthur Parsons, Co-founder and Head of Publishing at 10:10 Games. “Crafted by a talented team, Funko Fusion is the ultimate celebration of fandom, blending beloved movie and TV properties for every generation with humor, fun mechanics, and fast-paced high-adrenaline action. Funko Fusion is the experience we believe fans are waiting to play, and finally, on a personal note, I get to have He-Man in a video game!”

Funko Fusion is our first, explosive entry in console video gaming. New and longtime Pop! fans will traverse, explore, and adventure through incredible worlds inspired by some of NBCUniversal’s most iconic brands and characters, in addition to a wealth of surprises from both Skybound and Funko,” said Jason Bischoff, VP of Licensing and Business Development at Funko. “Fans have been champing at the bit for more information since our announcement. We are so grateful for that excitement, and for the opportunity to start sharing the extraordinary work, and partnership of our friends at 10:10 Games. Fall 2024, it’s all about Funko Fusion!”

Fans who pre-order Funko Fusion will receive a themed The Walking Dead Pack at launch for no additional cost, which includes two additional playable characters from Skybound’s award-winning The Walking Dead comic books – Rick Grimes and Michonne Hawthorne. The pack also includes Variant Outfits for both characters – Rick Grimes as Alexandria’s Leader and Michonne in her Traveler outfit.

“We’re honored to be working alongside these juggernauts of entertainment and pop culture to bring Funko Fusion to life,” said Ian Howe, Managing Partner at Skybound Games. “To expand the fun for Skybound fans, bringing The Walking Dead and Invincible into the fold, is really just icing on the cake. Invincible, Omni-Man, Rick Grimes, and Michonne, alongside some of NBCUniversal’s most amazing characters? We can’t wait for fans to experience this!”

Funko Fusion delivers both quintessential and cult classic IPs from our incredible library in a game experience that is completely unexpected,” said Bill Kispert, SVP & GM, Games & Digital Platforms at Universal Products & Experiences. “The game will unlock new adventures for fans, allowing them to interact with favorite characters in wild and exciting ways, with tons of clever homages to these worlds they love to discover along the way.”

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