!.07-Xbox Wire |
- Making Empathy Accessible in Life is Strange: True Colors, Available Now for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S
- Next Week on Xbox: September 20 to 24
- Legend of the Kestrel Lancers Expansion Coming to MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries on September 23
- Get Ready to Dig Deep with Surviving Mars: Below & Beyond
| Posted: 17 Sep 2021 09:00 AM PDT Summary
Hello! I'm a small part of the brand team for Life is Strange: True Colors, which recently released for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Today, I wanted to take you through how Deck Nine Games and Square Enix ensured that our core new gameplay mechanic — harnessing the emotions of others by tapping into blazing, colored auras — was made as accessible to as wide an audience as possible. The Power of EmpathyAlex Chen, our fantastic new protagonist, can see, hear, and experience the strong emotions of others as if they are her own – a psychic supernatural power. From the start, the team knew this power would manifest in colored auras around non-player characters (NPCs), being able to judge a character's emotional state before diving in deeper to reveal their innermost secrets. The look and feel of the game's four emotional auras – blue for sadness, red for anger, purple for fear, and gold for joy – evolved numerous times over the course of development, but never strayed far from the team's creative vision. But also front-of-mind for the developers was how a game that uses color as an emotive narrative device could best support and include players with Color Vision Deficiency (CVD). An Accessible Color SpectrumWorldwide, there are approximately 300 million people with colour blindness, and who have one of the three main types of CVD, so we knew a sizeable proportion of our audience would be affected. The solution? The team developed a suite of three specific, adjustable filters, found in the Accessibility menu, addressing those main types:
As they tweak, players can see examples of the filters in action across all four auras, and the strength of the filter can be adjusted to personal taste. They can also be adjusted at any point during play.    Making the auras more accessible wasn't just about the filters, of course. Other aspects of color accessibility included developing the unique textural design of the auras, so they become more distinct from one another, even in greyscale. Creating Nova Moments for AllThis applies most to the 'hero auras' you'll interact with during key emotional scenes in Alex's journey – scenes that start with what we call Nova Moments: instances where the strength of the emotion is such that the world around Alex warps to reflect a character's inner emotional reality. Scenes like those where Alex must help Ethan conquer his fear in a terrifying and life-threatening situation, or when she must uncover the real root cause of Steph's sadness and grief so that she might help her begin to heal. Here, the characteristic properties of the different auras become most evident – like the dark, snaking tendrils of fear, or the pulsating, oceanlike waves of sadness. The UI also has a part to play in every power moment, with the interaction icon changing styles to denote each emotion, as Alex draws near and triggers her abilities. With all these deeply rooted storytelling devices so integral to the story of Life is Strange: True Colors, it made it more important for us to make sure the experience was accessible to everyone. In speaking with Life is Strange: True Colors Producer at Deck Nines Games Rebeccah Bassell,she notes that when thinking about accessibility, it isn't just the work of a single department that comes in when the rest of the game is done. "It's an effort that crosses multiple disciplines from the start, from Art Direction, to UI, to Programming, and of course to QA testing," she explains. "As with everything on a game, it's the result of the whole team pulling in the same direction to deliver something bigger than the sum of its parts." Testing Accessibility During a PandemicLike many games releasing in 2021, the last leg of development for Life is Strange: True Colors took place during the unprecedented global pandemic. Every part of the game was affected, from having to adapt to distributed development at home, to finding creative – and unusual – ways to capture some of the game's most stunning performances in COVID-safe environments. But the pandemic affected player testing, too. Traditionally, near-final code is tested by small groups of focus testers around the world, to ensure features work as planned, and with the audiences at which they are targeted. With that option largely off the table due to strict lockdowns, the teams turned to one of Square Enix's biggest resources – its own in-house staff.  Developing better accessibility in our titles is a key concern for all our development teams around the world, as Square Enix West Accessibility Lead Améliane Chiasson attests. "The accessibility department is new at Square Enix West and we're still learning and working towards making more accessible games," she explains. "So, we were very excited to be involved, later in development, in assisting the team on Life is Strange: True Colors. That being said, we're well aware that work still has to be done. These learnings are very important and will help us in our mission to make our experiences more inclusive. It's a journey, and we are very grateful for our community of players, disabled and non-disabled, who are taking the time to give us feedback and report barriers." It was with Améliane and the Crystal Dynamics User Research team's help that testers were recruited and set to work. Gathering Global FeedbackWith employees in LA, Montreal, London, Paris, and Hamburg, to name just a few, the Accessibility team on Life is Strange: True Colors reached out to staff with CVD, sharing test builds and getting valuable feedback across three key sessions in late 2020. We salute those unexpected playtesters – and they got to play the game early! But our accessibility options don't end with color filters. As Life is Strange is such an accessible series by nature, with gameplay drawn from exploration and conversation rather than fast reactions, we've always endeavoured to improve accessibility from game to game. For example, we know that color filters are not the be-all, end-all solution for addressing CVD-related barriers. In the future, we hope to be proactive earlier in the design phase on our games, to avoid having those barriers to begin with.   From adjustable subtitle and text sizes and fonts to being able to adjust the speed at which you need to make timed dialogue choices, many aspects of the game can be tweaked. New for Life is Strange: True Colors are toggles to skip gameplay that may require particularly dextrous inputs, and optional warnings before sudden instances of brightness or volume. Creating Accessibility Beyond the GameOn Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, accessibility also extends beyond what's coded in-game through the controller accessibility options opened up to everyone on the platform, through the brilliant Xbox Adaptive Controller. Working with the team at Xbox, we explored even more ways to build accessibility into the game and following our close collaboration on previous Life is Strange titles it became clear the options are always expanding when you think of the player at the core of your strategy. In talking with Xbox's Gaming for Everyone Director Katy Jo Wright, she shared her vision on how developers like Deck Nine Games can have a tremendous impact on so many avid players. "When we intentionally focus on those who cannot experience the joy of a game and strive to solve for them, we're often unintentionally opening a door for many more to come in and join," she says. "This inclusive and accessible design is a core principle at Team Xbox as we want to provide experiences where everyone can play. It's always inspiring to see teams, like the developers of Life is Strange: True Colors, go beyond compliance to create enjoyable experiences for all players."  We were also fortunate to put the game through the Microsoft Game Accessibility Testing Service (MGTAS) at the end of the development process, to get detailed feedback on all the accessibility features we'd included – and gain insight for future titles across the Square Enix portfolio. Xbox's Director of Accessibility Anita Mortaloni also spoke to the exciting possibilities of the program and what it means for increasingly more accessible games in the future. "It's now so easy to get high quality accessibility feedback from both a subject matter expert and gamers with disabilities, all with the shared aim of making titles more accessible to our communities," she explains. "We want to get the word out that our program, and others like it, are out there, and we're delighted to see more and more developers taking advantage of them." We hope that Life is Strange: True Colors thrills and welcomes you, whomever you are. You can play Life is Strange: True Colors today on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.    Life is Strange: True ColorsSquare Enix $59.99 A bold new era of the award-winning Life is Strange begins, with an all-new playable lead character and a thrilling mystery to solve! Alex Chen has long suppressed her 'curse': the supernatural ability to experience, absorb and manipulate the strong emotions of others, which she sees as blazing, colored auras. When her brother dies in a so-called accident, Alex must embrace her volatile power to find the truth – and uncover the dark secrets buried by a small town. THE TRUTH WILL HURT Discover the shocking secrets behind your brother's death in an emotional roller-coaster of an adventure. FEEL EVERYTHING Change fate and change lives with the psychic power of Empathy. FORGE DEEP RELATIONSHIPS Build trust with the townsfolk – and embrace friendship or romance with Ryan and Steph. A TRULY PERSONAL STORY Make tough decisions and choose your own future. Freely roam the streets, stores, and hidden spaces of Haven Springs and meet unforgettable characters. FIND YOUR VOICE And decide Alex's style, with up to 24 outfits in your wardrobe. EXCLUSIVE SOUNDTRACK New tracks by mxmtoon and Novo Amor, and extensive licensed songs including Radiohead, Phoebe Bridgers, Gabrielle Aplin, and more.  Life is Strange: True Colors – Deluxe EditionSquare Enix $69.99 Alex Chen must embrace her volatile psychic power of Empathy to uncover the truth about her brother's death. Get the Deluxe Edition to play as Steph in 'Wavelengths', plus 4 Life is Strange hero outfits for Alex. The Life is Strange: True Colors Deluxe edition contains: • Life is Strange: True Colors: the complete game. • Exclusive Bonus Story: 'Wavelengths': play as Steph in the year before Alex came to Haven Springs, in a standalone story set in the iconic Rocky Mountain Record Traders store and KRCT radio station. • Exclusive Life is Strange Hero Outfit Pack: change up Alex's look with 4 new outfits inspired by past protagonists. The pack includes clothing inspired by Chloe's Misfit Skull, Sean's Wolf Squad, Daniel's Space Mission, and Max's Jane Doe outfits, with one outfit available for Alex to wear in each chapter of the main game. The Life is Strange Hero Outfit Pack will release alongside the base game. The bonus story, 'Wavelengths' will release after Life is Strange: True Colors. A bold new era of the award-winning Life is Strange begins, with an all-new playable lead character and a thrilling mystery to solve! Alex Chen has long suppressed her 'curse': the supernatural ability to experience, absorb and manipulate the strong emotions of others, which she sees as blazing, colored auras. When her brother dies in a so-called accident, Alex must embrace her volatile power to find the truth – and uncover the dark secrets buried by a small town. THE TRUTH WILL HURT Discover the shocking secrets behind your brother's death in an emotional roller-coaster of an adventure. FEEL EVERYTHING Change fate and change lives with the psychic power of Empathy. FORGE DEEP RELATIONSHIPS Build trust with the townsfolk – and embrace friendship or romance with Ryan and Steph. A TRULY PERSONAL STORY Make tough decisions and choose your own future. Freely roam the streets, stores, and hidden spaces of Haven Springs and meet unforgettable characters. FIND YOUR VOICE And decide Alex's style, with up to 24 outfits in your wardrobe. EXCLUSIVE SOUNDTRACK New tracks by mxmtoon and Novo Amor, and extensive licensed songs including Radiohead, Phoebe Bridgers, Gabrielle Aplin, and more. WAVELENGTHS Step into Steph's booth as the all-new radio show host for KRCT: Haven's best – and only – radio station. Over four seasons, discover more about Steph's past and her relationships as she makes her mark on the record store, uncovers its secrets – and decides her future. LIVE ON AIR You're the DJ: choose records for the playlist, 'ad lib' your way through local commercials, and help Steph compose an own original song. ROLL THE DICE Give D20-powered advice to callers with problems both serious and mundane, GM a tabletop RPG, and reach out to reconnect with an old friend. SMALL TOWN PRIDE Swipe left or right on Steph's dating app matches, and join Steph as she reminisces about formative Prides past. A ROOM OF HER OWN See the record store change over the seasons as Steph asserts her personality, and discover its hidden history and surprising spaces as you explore. ALL-NEW SOUNDTRACK Hits from Girl in Red, Alt-J, Portugal, The Man, Foals, Hayley Kiyoko, Maribou State, and more set the tone for Steph's journey, each packing an emotional punch.  Life is Strange: True Colors – Ultimate EditionSquare Enix $79.99 Alex Chen must embrace her psychic power of Empathy to uncover the truth about her brother's death. The Life is Strange: True Colors Ultimate edition contains: • Life is Strange: True Colors • Exclusive Bonus Story: 'Wavelengths' • Exclusive Life is Strange Hero Outfit Pack • Life is Strange Remastered • Life is Strange: Before the Storm Remastered • Life is Strange: Before the Storm – Zombie Crypt Outfit The Life is Strange Hero Outfit Pack will release alongside the base game. The bonus story, 'Wavelengths', and the Remastered editions of Life is Strange and Life is Strange: Before the Storm will release after Life is Strange: True Colors. A bold new era of the award-winning Life is Strange begins, with an all-new playable lead character and a thrilling mystery to solve! Alex Chen has long suppressed her 'curse': the supernatural ability to experience, absorb and manipulate the strong emotions of others, which she sees as blazing, colored auras. When her brother dies in a so-called accident, Alex must embrace her volatile power to find the truth – and uncover the dark secrets buried by a small town. THE TRUTH WILL HURT Discover the shocking secrets behind your brother's death in an emotional roller-coaster of an adventure. FEEL EVERYTHING Change fate and change lives with the psychic power of Empathy. FORGE DEEP RELATIONSHIPS Build trust with the townsfolk – and embrace friendship or romance with Ryan and Steph. A TRULY PERSONAL STORY Make tough decisions and choose your own future. Freely roam the streets, stores, and hidden spaces of Haven Springs and meet unforgettable characters. FIND YOUR VOICE And decide Alex's style, with up to 24 outfits in your wardrobe. EXCLUSIVE SOUNDTRACK New tracks by mxmtoon and Novo Amor, and extensive licensed songs including Radiohead, Phoebe Bridgers, Gabrielle Aplin, and more. WAVELENGTHS Step into Steph's booth as the all-new radio show host for KRCT: Haven's best – and only – radio station. Over four seasons, discover more about Steph's past and her relationships as she makes her mark on the record store, uncovers its secrets – and decides her future. LIVE ON AIR You're the DJ: choose records for the playlist, 'ad lib' your way through local commercials, and help Steph compose an own original song. ROLL THE DICE Give D20-powered advice to callers with problems both serious and mundane, GM a tabletop RPG, and reach out to reconnect with an old friend. SMALL TOWN PRIDE Swipe left or right on Steph's dating app matches, and join Steph as she reminisces about formative Prides past. ALL-NEW SOUNDTRACK Hits from Girl in Red, Alt-J, Portugal, Hayley Kiyoko, Maribou State, and more set the tone for Steph's journey. LIFE IS STRANGE REMASTERED Experience the BAFTA award-winning story of Life is Strange, now beautifully remastered with enhanced visuals and vastly improved animation using mocap technology. Play as Max Caulfield, a photography senior who discovers she can rewind time while saving her best friend Chloe Price. The pair soon find themselves investigating the mysterious disappearance of fellow student Rachel Amber, uncovering a dark side to life in Arcadia Bay. LIFE IS STRANGE: BEFORE THE STORM REMASTERED Life is Strange: Before the Storm returns with remastered visuals across characters and environments. Set three years before Life is Strange, you play as sixteen-year-old Chloe Price who forms an unlikely friendship with Rachel Amber, a popular girl destined for success. When Rachel learns a secret about her family that threatens to destroy her world, it is her newfound friendship with Chloe that gives her the strength to carry on. Next Week on Xbox: September 6 to 10 War for Wakanda Expansion for Marvel's Avengers is Available Now for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S Xbox Partners with Special Olympics for the Inaugural Gaming for Inclusion Esports Tournament  |
| Next Week on Xbox: September 20 to 24 Posted: 17 Sep 2021 07:00 AM PDT Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! Here we cover all the new games coming soon to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC as well as upcoming Xbox Game Pass and soon-to-be released ID@Xbox games! Get more details on these games below and click their profiles for pre-order details when available (release dates are subject to change). Let's jump in! Golf Peaks – September 21 – Xbox One X Enhanced  No understanding of golf is required! Just grab your controllers and conquer the mountain peaks by making your way to the hole, but not in the usual skill-shot style. Instead, plan your strategy and use action cards to move the ball to the goal. Street Outlaws 2: Winner Takes All – September 21 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S ● Smart Delivery  The stakes have just been raised! In this high-octane sequel, you must prove your mettle in some of the roughest and most unforgiving drag and street races across the United States. World War Z: Aftermath – September 21  The ultimate co-op zombie shooter and the next evolution of the original hit World War Z that has now captivated over 15 million players. Fight off hordes of ravenous zombies in intense story episodes across new zombie-ravaged locations around the world. Alder's Blood: Definitive Edition – September 22  A tactical strategy game with stealth-based combat, RPG elements, crafting, resources gathering, and management, exploration, and a rich storyline. Set in a grim world, where mankind killed their God and is facing extinction.  From enemy swarms to screen-filling boss battles, Crisis Wing offers a daunting challenge while remaining accessible to newcomers. Practice mode lets you replay stages with infinite lives. Score Attack and Boss Rush bonus games further extend the experience with unique levels and bosses. Are you ready for takeoff? Diablo II: Resurrected – September 23 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S ● Smart Delivery  Pursue the mysterious Dark Wanderer and fight the denizens of Hell as you uncover the fate of the Prime Evils Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal, now in all-new 3D graphics. Experience the genre-defining Diablo gameplay featuring robust RPG character progression, incredibly deep itemization, and visceral hack-and-slash combat.  Embr is a frantic firefighting game set in a hyper-capitalist reality where emergency services are a thing of the past. Scale buildings, smash windows, fight fires and save lives alone or with up to four players. May's Mysteries: The Secret of Dragonville – September 23  Follow May, an independent and charismatic girl, in her quest to find her missing brother. Advance through the cartoon-style drawn adventures by solving over 270 logic puzzles, tricky rhythmic games, and hand-drawn hidden object scenes. Search for clues about May’s brother, visit mysterious locations and meet interesting characters along the way, which will help you in your journey. Sable – September 23 – Xbox Game Pass  Available on day one with Xbox Game Pass. Embark on an unforgettable journey and guide Sablethrough her Gliding; a rite of passage that will take her across stunning deserts and ancient wonders. Explore a rich world by hoverbike, solve puzzles, climb great heights, and get to know the inhabitants. Discover who Sableis beneath the mask. The Plane Effect – September 23 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S  A dystopian isometric adventure, following a lonely office worker as he attempts to return home in the face of impossible odds. Experience a remarkable journey expertly brought to life with gorgeous visuals, crafted and tailored by VFX experts. A Gummy’s Life – September 24 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S  A local and online party multiplayer game with candy-coated, physics-based fights. Choose your favorite gummy, customize it to your taste, and show who rules over the sugar! It's impossible to keep your eyes off the relentless free-for-all gummy action with their floppy fist fights and sweet yet savage sucker punches.  Help a blind postman, who can see only walls, to collect all the letters and to find an exit out of lab. Gather letters and bring them to the end as you continue to try and find the exit to the labyrinth.  Explore a huge, abandoned amusement park with a killer clown at the center of it all. Will you be able to solve all the puzzles that are waiting for you on the path to escape in these horror stories? Play a deadly game of hide and seek and try to survive the night! Don't Touch This Button! – September 24 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S  A humorous, minimalist puzzle game with a first-person point of view. To win you must go through a series of rooms pressing a certain button in each of them. But with each successive room it will become more and more difficult, and the danger you face will become more and more serious. In Celebration of Violence – September 24  A fantasy action roguelike of exploration and murder. Methodical combat requires that you plan your attacks, dodges, blocks, and parries while considering your opponents and the environment. Death is permanent but you can improve your stats and purchase items to aid future lives. And if things get too tough then up to four local friends can grab controllers and aid the hero as player-controlled monsters, zombies, and bandits.  Follow the clues, deliver righteous beatdowns and crack an impossible case as Private Detective Takayuki Yagami in the next entry in the Judgment series. From the studio that brought you the Yakuza series, Lost Judgment weaves elements of investigative sleuthing, noir narrative and action combat into one mystery thriller.  Little Kite is a point-and-click story driven adventure that highlights the problems of a struggling family, in which one person has given up, and another tries to correct mistakes of the past. The Addams Family: Mansion Mayhem – September 24  Family game night is about to get terrifyingly exciting! Save the Addams Family Mansion from destruction in this hilarious 3D platform adventure for up to four players. Play minigames that will have you bumping and jumping over each other to win. Related:Inside Xbox Series X|S Optimized – Diablo II: Resurrected Next Week on Xbox: September 6 to 10 An Inside Look at the Missions of World War Z: Aftermath  |
| Legend of the Kestrel Lancers Expansion Coming to MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries on September 23 Posted: 16 Sep 2021 01:00 PM PDT Summary
On behalf of the entire MechWarrior development team at Piranha Games, I'm thrilled to announce MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries – Legend of the Kestrel Lancers is coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows 10 PC on September 23!  This second expansion takes MechWarrior 5 to the next level with more story, mechs, modes, biomes, and more. Moving away from the more sandbox-style structure seen in the Heroes of the Inner Sphere expansion, the single-player campaign for Legend of the Kestrel Lancers will focus on the amazing stories in the BattleTech universe. Set during the "Fourth Succession War," one of the most famous conflicts in the history of BattleTech lore, players can look forward to an epic 14-mission campaign with custom story dialogue as a war of galactic proportions unfolds.  "All-Out War" Scenarios While the high drama unfolds above, players will be in the thick of the action with mechs on the ground as the war rages on. Expect urban warfare to increase in scope with cities that are significantly larger in size than any Urban Centers previously seen in the series. We'll also introduce brand-new "All-Out War" scenarios designed to give players the feeling that the hulking BattleMechs they pilot are a part of a larger force at play. We're also exploring new territory for mission settings. All this comes on top of new Mega City, Jungle, and Tourmaline Desert biomes and over 20 additional Mech variants.  Melee Combat Mech-Punching and Instant Mech-Switching All MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries players can also look forward to a huge free content update also scheduled to launch September 23, which will add melee combat for the very first time! The ability to swing and punch with your mechs has continued to be one of the most requested and highly anticipated features from our MechWarrior community, and we're happy to announce that it's finally coming to the base game. In addition, this update will allow players to switch between any of the AI-controlled Lance BattleMechs during a mission. While this may seem like a small update, this feature has a significant impact over gameplay, offering pilots the ability to take full control over previously AI-controlled BattleMechs instantaneously with the press of a button.  With the brand-new Legend of the Kestrel Lancers expansion and our massive free update on the way there's a Mech-sized ton of new content, story, missions, and improvements to discover. The best part: MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is available to play with Xbox Game Pass for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows 10 PC. Xbox Game Pass members can also save up to 20% off select games in the Xbox Game Pass library, plus up to 10% off related game add-ons, in the Xbox Store — that includes MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries and the Heroes of the Inner Sphere expansion.  MechWarrior 5: MercenariesPiranha Games Inc. $29.99 PC Game Pass Xbox Game Pass BE YOUR OWN WEAPON OF WAR Welcome to the year 3015! It's a hell of a time to be alive. Humanity has colonized thousands of star systems spanning a vast region of space known as the Inner Sphere. The golden age of cooperation and advancement is now a distant memory, and humanity has once again splintered into disparate factions all vying for supremacy. In the midst of these Succession Wars, power hungry Mercenaries like yourself are in a privileged position to capitalize big time. It's dangerous work but that's why you're here, right? If you've got an itch to blast, wreck, stomp and go all out ballistic, step inside and become your own weapon of war!  MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries – Heroes of the Inner SpherePiranha Games Inc. $19.99 $17.99 In Heroes of the Inner Sphere DLC, we've opened up the Mercenary experience with the new Career mode and packed the Inner Sphere with new content to discover. With the New Career mode, you can start a career from scratch or import your progress from MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries. Work to establish your Mercenary Company while exploring the rebalanced Inner Sphere with New Warzones and Hubs to discover. Find and Collect 7 New hero 'Mechs and 7 New Chassis Types and 50 new 'Mech variants for the base game. Customize all your 'Mechs with new weapon systems and equipment! Experience the Beach Head Mode with Multiple objectives and incoming artillery fire to evade. Take the Fight to new planets on the Extra-Solar Moon Biome and Garrisons. EXCLUSIVE CONTENT! Heroes of the Inner Sphere also includes an exclusive 'Mech and new AI Pilot. The Phoenix "Kobold" hero 'Mech features a custom paint scheme and loadout. The AI Pilot "Goblin" features unique pilot stats, special character portrait, and new voice lines. Blast Some Heavy Metal in MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries with Xbox Game Pass Next Week on Xbox: May 24 to 28 Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass: The Wild at Heart, Conan Exiles, Knockout City, and More  |
| Get Ready to Dig Deep with Surviving Mars: Below & Beyond Posted: 16 Sep 2021 12:00 PM PDT Hello Martians! I'm Liz, Product Marketing Manager on Surviving Mars at Paradox Interactive. Get ready, because today we're taking you where no Martian has gone before! Below & Beyond is the next expansion for Surviving Mars, and the first for the game in over two years since 2019's Green Planet! During this time, we threw around a lot of ideas about what's next for Surviving Mars. While we were brainstorming content, one of the key questions that rang in our heads was not, “What can we do?” but “Where can we go?” Once we zeroed in on ways to expand players’ horizons beyond the surface of Mars, the possibilities were suddenly endless.  I'd like to take you on a quick breakdown of some of our favorite locales, features and mechanics being added to Surviving Mars with Below & Beyond. Since players have already charted the surface of Mars, we thought about other means of exploration – ways we can introduce mystery and continue the feeling of discovery. Immediately, exploring caves and lava tubes is something that initially just stuck out as the perfect next step for colonization. Not only can players discover more about the Red Planet through exploration, but underground locales provide protection against some surface hazards, like meteors. However, your colonists can also fall victim to natural hazards like cave-ins, and even mental ailments that come from long-term tunnel occupation, including loss of sanity from lack of sunlight.  One of my favorite features in Below & Beyond, and something that came to us early in development, was the idea of being able to mine passing Asteroids. Mining asteroids creates an additional level of strategic gameplay. Players needing to calculate the risk and reward of mining- stay on the asteroid longer to mine more resources, but risk staying too long and you'll lose your colonists and tools when the Asteroid leaves orbit. There is an auto load feature, which will make the rocket leave automatically when the asteroid goes out of range, but cargo weight limits mean players will often not be able to bring back everything they mine. Manual asteroid management will reward the most resources, but takes more time and attention. It's quite the strategic conundrum, and I'm excited to see the different ways players approach it. To unlock all of these exciting exploration features, we've added the Recon and Expansion research tree. This tree unlocks access to underground exploration and asteroids, as well as the tools needed to make those treks, including all the fun stuff like reinforced vehicles, buildings, and upgrades. This not only streamlines the exploration process, but weaves together previously unrelated functions to expand player abilities.  Another feature we added that helps build up the intrigue and mystery of Mars are Mini-Mysteries (we went pretty literal when it came to naming). These Mini-Mysteries are little questlines that require the completion of objectives to unlock breakthroughs, technology, colonists, research points, and other surprises. We felt that these mysteries added another level to exploration, and made for more rewarding progressions, rather than just collecting materials or XP. Well, there you have it! We wanted to give you an overview at some of the features we're most excited about. Surviving Mars: Below & Beyond is available now on the Xbox Store for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.  Surviving Mars: Below and BeyondParadox Interactive $19.99 The era of colonization is over and a new age of exploration has begun. You've just scratched the surface of Mars, now get ready to go below and beyond! Key Features Back to the Bases – Expand your colony into caves and lava tubes under the surface. Players can use existing structures, or underground-specific buildings to build a base for exploration. Expand with caution, potential cave-ins can destroy everything. Mine Your Own Business – Players can now go below the surface and beyond the red planet for resource mining. Construct special rocket-propelled buildings to mine resources, including exotic minerals and Data Samples, on passing asteroids. Don't stick around too long or else the Asteroid will drift away with your stuff! Branching Paths – The Recon and Expansion research trees unlock additional buildings, vehicles, upgrades, and locales. They will also unlock asteroid mining and tunnel colonization.  Surviving MarsParadox Interactive $29.99 Xbox One X Enhanced Colonize Mars and discover her secrets, with minimal casualties. Welcome Home! The time has come to stake your claim on the Red Planet and build the first functioning human colonies on Mars! All you need are supplies, oxygen, decades of training, experience with sandstorms, and a can-do attitude to discover the purpose of those weird black cubes that appeared out of nowhere. With a bit of sprucing up, this place is going to be awesome! Surviving Mars is a sci-fi city builder all about colonizing Mars and surviving the process. Choose a space agency for resources and financial support before determining a location for your colony. Build domes and infrastructure, research new possibilities and utilize drones to unlock more elaborate ways to shape and expand your settlement. Cultivate your own food, mine minerals or just relax by the bar after a hard day's work. Most important of all, though, is keeping your colonists alive. Not an easy task on a strange new planet. There will be challenges to overcome. Execute your strategy and improve your colony's chances of survival while unlocking the mysteries of this alien world. Are you ready? Mars is waiting for you. Main Features: · Building a sustainable colony in space: Building on a planet not fit for human life challenges you to build a smart, functional colony. Bad planning isn't about traffic jams, it's about survival of your colonists. You really don't want rolling blackouts in a city constructed in a place without oxygen. · Individually simulated colonists: Each colonist is a unique individual with problems and strengths that influence the needs and behavior of the other colonists. Things can get really interesting if your chief scientists develops alcoholism after one too many long nights in the lab. · Futuristic Space Dome construction: Retro-futuristic super structures housing colonists, factories and commercial buildings with their own "neighborhood personality." Create colonies that value science over everything else, while tired workers drink their pay away at a local bar, or attempt a utopia among the stars. · Exploration of Mars' secrets: Inspired by the classic sci-fi of Asimov and Clarke, Surviving Mars holds many secrets. During each playthrough players may encounter one of Mars' individually crafted mysteries. Uncovering these secrets might bring your colony great fortune, or terrible ruin. · Randomized research tree: Combine static and random research through exploration, which allows for a different experience for each journey through the game. Attain new scientific breakthroughs by exploring the uncharted terrain of Mars's surface. · Unique retro-futuristic aesthetic: A sleek, modern take on the bright futurism of the 1960s. A time of exploration and adventure. Flynn: Son of Crimson Available Today with Xbox Game Pass Catlateral Damage: Remeowstered Pounces onto Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S Today Boulder Dash Deluxe Available Now  |
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