Operation Backlog Completion 2026

Trials of Mana Demo Out Now, Resident Evil 3 Demo Out Tomorrow

 Video games  No Responses »  Tagged with: , ,
Mar 182020
 

A week ago we talked about the Final Fantasy VII Remake demo, but that isn’t the only one of April’s big-name releases giving fans an early taste of the gameplay.

The Trials of Mana remake, which is due out on April 24, has a demo available now from Steam, PSN, and the eShop.

I have the Switch version of the demo downloading even as I write this. I’ve only played one Mana game, Sword of Mana on the GBA, although I did get the recent collection of the original trilogy. The Trials of Mana remake looks pretty good, so I’m excited to give the demo a try and see how it feels.

Meanwhile, Resident Evil 3 is also getting a demo tonight/tomorrow. It looks like the PSN and Xbox release of the demo will be earlier than the PC version, and it’s already available in New Zealand and Australia.

Unlike the Resident Evil 2 remake demo, it doesn’t appear this one is limited in any way. I’m even more excited to try this demo once it’s available. RE2make got me hyped for this remake, but I’m still a little nervous that Resident Evil 3’s greater focus on action might come on too strong. Here’s hoping the demo feels like a survival horror game. I’m hoping for some locked doors and puzzles.

(Now that I think about it, it’s interesting that April has 3 high-profile remakes coming out, all with demos.)

Are you planning to play either the Trials of Mana demo or the Resident Evil 3 remake demo (or both)? Have you already played them? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Two Lines is a Short, Creepy Horror Game

 Reviews, Video games  No Responses »  Tagged with:
Mar 092020
 

Over the weekend, I played a short horror game called Two Lines after a friend recommended it to me.

When I say Two Lines is short, I mean very short. It took me 45 minutes, but that’s only because I kept dying and getting lost. So I won’t be able to go into much detail, or I’d spoil it.

You wake up in a bloody room and leave to find yourself in an ominous-looking town. Then you start searching for answers.

It’s set up largely like a maze, so you’re really looking for a way to progress and get to new places. I’m not crazy about the maze-like structure, because I felt like I was just wandering around, but that’s not a big problem in a game as short as this. And it isn’t long before you realize you aren’t alone in the town, either…

Two Lines has a great atmosphere. Even before I saw my pursuer, I was on edge due to the audio alone. The game is creepy and unsettling all the way through.

(There’s also a large nod to Silent Hill implying that it actually takes place there.)

Aside from my mixed feelings on the maze-like structure, the only thing I disliked was that I couldn’t find a way to pause. I see the appeal of a horror game where you can’t pause, but it meant I had to start over when someone started talking to me partway through my playthrough.

Two Lines was made in one week for a Game Jam, so I’m interested in seeing what the developer will do for his upcoming full horror game Nemeses, which has an alpha demo out now.

Anyway, if you’re interested in a short but very atmospheric horror game, go check out Two Lines.

Amnesia: Rebirth Announced for Fall 2020

 Video games  3 Responses »  Tagged with: ,
Mar 062020
 

Fictional Games has been teasing their next title for a while, and now it’s been revealed as Amnesia: Rebirth.

Described as “a new story set in the world of Amnesia: The Dark Descent,” it is set in the Algerian desert and follows a new protagonist named Tasi Trianon. According to the official description:

Retracing Tasi’s journey and pulling together the fragments of a shattered past will be the only chance to survive the pitiless horror that threatens to devour you. Time is against you. Still, you must continue, step by step, knowing that if you fail you will lose everything.”

(While it’s unclear if Rebirth will connect to The Dark Descent’s story or not, it’s worth pointing out that Algeria is where Daniel came into contact with the orb and set the events of the game into motion.)

Amnesia: Rebirth is planned for PC and PS4, with a fall 2020 release window.

In a Playstation Blog post about the game, Creative Director Thomas Grip says Rebirth will be “built on what [they] learned from the original game” and promises “an emotionally harrowing journey.”

So far, everything sounds great. I didn’t enjoy Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs a lot, but since Rebirth is being handled by Frictional Games themselves and the announcement specifically references The Dark Descent, I’m optimistic that this new entry will play more like the original.

Frictional Games is working on another project as well.

I’m excited for Amnesia: Rebirth, and I really ought to play SOMA before it comes out. How do you feel about the newly-announced Amnesia sequel?

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