Ghostbusters

We know what you’re thinking. “Ghostbusters? The game based on the remake? Are you serious?” Well, the good news is that FireForge Games action title, which supports co-op, will feature a brand new cast of characters. In fact, they seem to be high school students. We can sense your enthusiasm waning but hey, Extreme Ghostbusters had high school students and it was a pretty good show. Yes? No? July 12th is the date so yeah. Get hyped.

Furi

Unfamiliar with The Game Bakers’ Furi? It’s every bit as trippy as it is compelling. This third person hack and slash title is comprised of nothing but boss fights, one-on-one duels that rely entirely on skill and your reflexes as you battle for freedom. If that weren’t enough, Afro Samurai creator Takashi Okazaki is in charge of character designs, lending even more flair in the visuals and combat. Keep an eye out on July 5th for its PC and PS4 release.

Necropolis

Harebrained Schemes’ next big game…isn’t a Shadowrun title. That’s cause for attention but Necropolis is more than a deviation from the norm. It’s a third person action RPG set in a labyrinth full of treasure and danger. Not only will the environments be constantly changing but you’ll even encounter other dead adventurers as enemies. If that weren’t enough, up to four players can traverse into the labyrinth together, hopefully holding hands as they die.

Song of the Deep

Insomniac Games’ Song of the Deep isn’t quite what you’d expect from the developer behind Sunset Overdrive and Ratchet & Clank. As its first game with GameTrust, GameStop’s publishing initiative, Song of the Deep sees players as Merryn heading under the sea to rescue her father. With a rudimentary submarine, Merryn will encounter various phenomenon in what’s essentially a Metroidvania-esque adventure. Song of the Deep will be out on PS4, PC and Xbox One on July 12th.

I Am Setsuna

An RPG on the theme of sadness may not necessarily tickle your fancy but I Am Setsuna – which is out on July 19th for PS4, PC and PS Vita – will channel the golden age of RPGs as per Square Enix. How will that translate to the West? Regardless, it’s an old-school RPG from Square Enix’s new Tokyo RPG Factory. That’s reason enough to check it out.

Obduction

If you’re a fan of the Miller brothers and their Myst series, then Obduction is a return of sorts. Cyan Worlds’ first person adventure title sees the player kidnapped by aliens and exploring several foreign worlds in an attempt to return home. Along with the traditional puzzle solving that we love (and loathe) Myst for, Obduction is set to feature the same visually arresting locales and laid-back exploration that its predecessor is known for. Time will how well this plays out in 2016 but you can play Obduction yourself on July 26th to find out.

Monster Hunter Generations

Released in Japan under the name Monster Hunter X, Monster Hunter Generations will be heading to North America and Europe on July 15th for the 3DS. Along with the trademark combat that the series is known for, Monster Hunter Generations will feature different hunting styles for weapons, new Hunting Arts (which essentially act as special moves that have to be charged up every once in a while). And really, it’s a Monster Hunter title. If you love those games, you’ll love this.

10 Second Ninja X

10 Second Ninja X is a fast paced sidescroller in which you need to complete each level in 10 seconds. Don’t expect any hand holding and checkpoints – what does this look like, a walk in the park? The game has 100 levels with 40 levels remastered from the original game to essentially create a brand new experience.

Obduction is an upcoming adventure game developed by Cyan Worlds. The game is considered as a spiritual successor to Cyan’s previous adventure games, Myst and Riven. GamingBolt recently spoke with Cyan Worlds’ Rand Miller and asked him whether Obduction will be coming to consoles at any point and whether there is any interest in developing for Xbox One, PS4 and Wii U. Miller stated that they have “already done some successful tests with consoles” possibly indicating that the it may release on them in the future.

Miller also revealed that they are currently using Unreal Engine 4 and Epic will do whatever they can to use DX12 and deliver a boost in performance. “At this point we’re concentrating on UE4 and getting the most out of what it has to offer. As Epic is able to take advantage of advances downstream we (and plenty of other developers) will get a boost.”

He also believes that DX12 will eventually help the Xbox One. “Eventually all graphic advances work their way through everything. Sooner or later!,” he added.

Obduction is due in 2016 for Windows and MAC platforms. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for more news and updates.

GamingBolt spoke to Miller about the game’s origins, the mechanics Obduction will use in this age of choice-based adventure titles, development on Unreal Engine 4 and much more.

"There’ll be plenty of switches and knobs. Designing Myst-like adventure games involves a lot of work trying to make the puzzles feel like they belong in the world – not just arbitrary or contrived."

It’s been a long time since the Miller brothers came together for an honest to goodness Myst title. How does it feel, especially with the support received through Kickstarter?

Rand Miller: It’s a great feeling to be working on a larger project that will give players the same feeling that Myst did. Although my brother has only a limited roll in Obduction (live action actor and music composition and performance) we really enjoy working together and hope to have some even larger projects we can work on in the future.”

What occupied your time after the Uru: Ages Beyond Myst and before Obduction?

Rand Miller: We primarily kept busy by converting some of our legacy games onto the mobile platform. It provided a small income to keep things going, and was a great way to stay up on the latest platforms and engines.”

Obviously it’s a new age of adventure games with various properties like Telltale Games’ IPs, Square Enix’s Life is Strange and even first person titles like SOMA and Outlast reinventing things. Will you try to adopt the design philosophy of Myst and Riven for a new generation or go in a completely different direction?

Rand Miller: We’re definitely not trying to re-invent anything with Obduction. It’s meant to be an entirely new storyline, unrelated to Myst, but with the same feeling of exploration and discovery.”

Personally, I remember back in 2001 when Myst III: Exile was all about manipulating switches and knobs and various buttons in order to progress. What kinds of puzzles will Obduction look to bring forth?

Rand Miller: There’ll be plenty of switches and knobs. Designing Myst-like adventure games involves a lot of work trying to make the puzzles feel like they belong in the world – not just arbitrary or contrived. But it means that we build puzzles around the items that people can understand and connect with other items – turning power on, opening a door, powering an elevator, learning how to start a complex device, looking at the environment and seeing what might affect something in a way that allows you to progress. We’ve got all of those things in Obduction, in a very diverse and unexpected environments.”

"UE4 has been vital in helping us be incredibly productive with a very small team. We’re attempting to put together a really large gaming experience with a small, and very talented team of artists and programmers."

What will the theme of Obduction be like? Is there anything you can tell us about the story past the initial abduction?

Rand Miller: We don’t like to give too much away, because the discovery is the reward — finding out what is over the next hill is a essential part of what makes playing a game like Obduction satisfying. Beyond the initial abduction the player finds themselves in some very unusual and complex places that will take plenty of exploration and investigation to understand.

How has Unreal Engine 4 helped in crafting the wide expansive environments that Obduction is pushing? What are your thoughts on its uses for lighting and ambient occlusion?

Rand Miller: UE4 has been vital in helping us be incredibly productive with a very small team. We’re attempting to put together a really large gaming experience with a small, and very talented team of artists and programmers. We don’t have any room for inefficiency. Our team has been able to make the most of UE4 to insure that everyone who contributed to this project is getting the most bang for their buck. It’s amazing to see how much we’ve been able to accomplish!

It’s been two years now since Obduction was funded on Kickstarter. What is the current state of development and when can fans look forward to playing the game?

Rand Miller: We’re shooting for a release in the 2nd quarter of 2016.

Robyn Miller has been working on the game’s soundtrack – and many will agree that this catered immensely to the ambiance in Myst and Riven. What are your thoughts on the music thus far and what goals were kept in mind for the sound design?

Rand Miller: Robyn has only just started creating the soundtrack, but we’ve already received a couple pieces for one of our worlds. It’s wonderful to see what his music adds to the environment – the emotion, the tension, the relief — it’s already adding so much to the experience. Our goals are the same for Obduction music — that the music and environments should work together — driving and enhancing each other, without ever getting in the way.

"We’re interested in building the most immersive worlds we can — and when we walk around in a VR version of Obduction it provides an entirely new level of immersion. We’re very excited about VR."

What are your plans for Obduction down the road? Will it become a whole new franchise like Myst?

Rand Miller: That would be great, but it’s not really up to us.

Will Obduction be coming to consoles at any point? Is there any interest in developing for Xbox One, PS4 and Wii U?

Rand Miller: Yes. We’ve already done some successful tests with consoles.

What is your take on DX12 and the possible improvements it can bring to games development? Furthermore do you think it will be adopted quickly by developers?

Rand Miller: At this point we’re concentrating on UE4 and getting the most out of what it has to offer. As Epic is able to take advantage of advances downstream we (and plenty of other developers) will get a boost.

Do you think DX12 will help out consoles in anyway?

Rand Miller: Eventually all graphic advances work their way through everything. Sooner or later!

What is your take on the whole VR thing that is going on and do you have any plans to support it?

Rand Miller: We’re interested in building the most immersive worlds we can — and when we walk around in a VR version of Obduction it provides an entirely new level of immersion. We’re very excited about VR.

Is there anything else you want to tell us before we let you go?

Rand Miller: Thanks for your time.