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Nostalgia attacks first in new Cosmic Star Heroine video
Maybe this footage of Zeboyd Games' upcoming PS4 and Vita roleplaying game Cosmic Star Heroine could look more like a time-displaced refugee from the dawn of the 32-bit era if its first moments featured the classic Square logo and Chrono Trigger theme song. But that's a big maybe. [Image: Zeboyd Games]
Cosmic Star Heroine pits female lead against classic RPG gameplay
Cosmic Star Heroine is a blatant homage to 90s-era roleplaying games with one key difference: Instead of playing the part of a plucky young boy cast into epic adventure, players assume the role of blue-haired secret agent Alyssa L'Salle. "Alyssa L'Salle is one of the galactic government's top agents and always manages to save the day," states the game's official plot description. "But when she accidentally uncovers a dark conspiracy, her own government outs her as a legendary spy and the people's champion!" "Sure, now she has hordes of adoring fans but every villainous organization she's ever crossed in her career knows who she is and is out for her blood! Can she save the day once more while she faces her greatest challenge... Everyone!?" Developer Zeboyd Games is best known as the studio behind the third and fourth installments of Penny Arcade's On The Rain-Slick Precipice Of Darkness. With 29 days remaining in Zeboyd's Kickstarter effort, the game has attracted $7,075 of its $100,000 goal. Assuming this fundraising drive is successful, Cosmic Star Heroine is slated to make its debut on the PC, Mac, PlayStation 4 and Vita platforms at some as yet undetermined point in the future.
Zeboyd Games' Cosmic Star Heroine coming to PS4, PS Vita
Zeboyd Games has revealed its next game, Cosmic Star Heroine, is coming to PS4 and PS Vita in addition to PC and Mac. This sci-fi RPG is inspired by '90s classics such as Chrono Trigger, the Phantasy Star and Suikoden series. The game's story follows the titular heroine Alyssa L'Salle, a spy for the galactic government who stumbles upon a conspiracy and subsequently has her cover blown by her own government. Zeboyd Games, perhaps best known for Cthulhu Saves the World and wrapping up the Penny Arcade Adventures series, is an independent developer founded in 2009 by Robert Boyd and William Stiernberg. The studio is best known for creating retro-inspired 2D roleplaying games.
From Penny Arcade to Cosmic Star Heroine: Zeboyd's trip to the spotlight
Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4 was released this past June. It's a wonderful, funny RPG, one that belies the series' long, rocky development. The Rain-Slick series began as a collaboration between Hothead Games and Penny Arcade, but the relationship ended after the release of the (much less successful) second episode. The reason for the split depends on who you ask, but the upshot is that Episode 3 was, for a time, completely canceled. That was until a single, wishful Penny Arcade forum thread put development into the hands of Zeboyd Games, creator of offbeat retro RPGs Breath of Death VII and Cthulhu Saves the World. Zeboyd took the same retro approach with the final two Penny Arcade games, releasing both Rain-Slick 3 and Rain-Slick 4 within a year of each other. The fourth game wasn't as successful coming out of the gate, says Boyd, but a recent Steam sale has helped put it on par with the third in terms of sales.
Cosmic Star Heroine is Zeboyd's new sci-fi, turn-based RPG
Zeboyd's next (artfully pixelated) game is Cosmic Star Heroine, a futuristic, sci-fi, turn-based RPG starring master government spy Alyssa L'Salle. Alyssa uncovers a dastardly conspiracy within her own leadership and the government outs her identity, instantly making her the target of every agency she's ever wronged. Alyssa's main weapon is a bo that's also a gun and a shield, and she stores it in a satchel that's bigger on the inside than on the outside, like Mary Poppins' purse or Hermione Granger's beaded handbag. Or The Doctor's TARDIS. Zeboyd is developing Cosmic Star Heroine with Unity to get it on a range of platforms, and the gameplay won't involve separate screens for combat. As Zeboyd says, "combat will occur directly on the same maps that you explore on," and enemies won't be stagnant; they'll run around the map and chase players as they see fit. Hyperduck, who composed the music for Zeboyd's previous game, Penny Arcade Adventures 4, should be back for Cosmic Star Heroine. Zeboyd will launch a Kickstarter for Cosmic Star Heroine "later this year," and it plans to take a transparent approach to development. So far we can vouch for Alyssa's prowess as a spy – she's had a Twitter account since March 11, and she hasn't even been trying that hard to hide it.
PSA: Penny Arcade 4 is out today
Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4 is now available on Steam, and is coming soon on Xbox Live Indie Games "as soon as the proper sacrifices are completed." The asking price on both platforms is $5, though you can snag it for $4.49 on Steam for the next week. If you haven't followed the Penny Arcade games, they've had a rather unusual development path. The first two were developed by Hothead Games. The third, initially canceled, was resurrected by Zeboyd games, creators of Cthulhu Saves the World. The same team is behind Rain-Slick 4 and, if the last game was any indication fans should be in for a treat.
Penny Arcade launches Rain-Slick 3 giveaway, series finale coming June 7
Cthulhu Saves the World developer Zeboyd Games announced that its series finale Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4 will launch on Friday, June 7 for Windows and the Xbox Live Indie Games service. To mark the occasion, Zeboyd and Penny Arcade are giving away free Steam codes for Rain-Slick 3. Zeboyd assures that the giveaway has no strings attached, but fans have a limited window of opportunity to hop on this deal, as the offer ends tomorrow. Zeboyd Games resumed the Rain-Slick series after the departure of previous developer Hothead Games, producing a pair of JRPG-inspired sequels. Rain-Slick 3 was supported with a wealth of free DLC, and the upcoming sequel will likely follow suit.
Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4 teases in first trailer
While we do have some idea of what to expect in Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4, we have yet to catch a glimpse – until now. This teaser trailer from Zeboyd Games' upcoming sequel promises demonic trains and vast underhells; it promises a cadre of monsters to capture and throw into battle.Previously developer Zeboyd Games revealed this latest episode would not grace iOS, Mac or Android – all supported platforms for Rain-Slick 3. The upcoming fourth episode will launch on PC and Xbox Live Indie Games some time this spring for 400 MS Points ($5).
Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4 details emerge
Details on the fourth game in Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness series were revealed in a recent IGN interview with Zeboyd Games' Robert Boyd and Bill Stiernberg. For starters, Rain-Slick 4 will be less linear compared to the third game, as Boyd said the team has "added more optional areas" and have "tried to add more secrets and secondary routes to the main dungeons." The overworld will be "freely explorable" as well. Zeboyd's involvement as developers grew from its experiences with the third game, as Boyd noted they "had a lot more creative control over how the game and the story turned out with this one." Boyd said the two-man team plans to work on a "sci-fi/spy RPG" that involves a "distant future setting, female protagonist, on-map battles, more animated sprites" and a "cool level-up system" after Rain-Slick 4 is completed. Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4 will launch this Spring on PC for $4.99 and the Xbox Indie Game channel for 400 MS points. %Gallery-177329%
Zeboyd teases On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4
Zeboyd Games is gearing up to launch the fourth and final installment in Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness series, and it's going to look a lot like that screenshot right up there. Zeboyd posted the first screenshot as a teaser, promising more information about the game, along with more images, next week.On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3, also developed by Zeboyd, featured a radical graphical shift from the first two games, which were developed by Hothead. The fourth game looks to continue the success of 3's visual overhaul, smoothing out those final rough edges.
Final Penny Arcade 3 DLC on Steam this week, card game coming to iOS
"The Beginning of the End" is the final set of free DLC coming to Penny Arcade's On the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness 3, and Zeboyd Games has announced that it's arriving on PC and the Xbox this Thursday, December 20. The DLC, which aims to fill in the story between the first three episodes, will bring a new playable character to the series, along with new enemies and new spells to fight them with.As you can probably tell by the title, the DLC will set up the final game in the franchise, which is due sometime in 2013. This week, "The Beginning of the End" will only arrive on Steam and Xbox Live Indie Games, but Zeboyd says it'll be out for iOS, Android and Mac very soon.And elsewhere in interactive Penny Arcade news, Playdek and Cryptozoic have created a digital version of the Penny Arcade deck-building card game – it's coming to iOS this week as well. Penny Arcade: The Game: Gamers vs. Evil will be out on Apple's platform tomorrow for $4.99. There are so many different options out there to play with the Penny Arcade license that they should probably upgrade it to a nickel at some point.
Daily iPhone App: Penny Arcade's On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3
I've become a big fan of Zeboyd Games recently -- their last title, Cthulu Saves the World, is a really well-designed (and funny!) love letter to the Japanese RPGs of yesteryear. Penny Arcade is a very popular video game and pop culture webcomic that's released three games now, and Zeboyd was hired to work on the last one, entitled "Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3," which is now available on iOS for both iPhone and iPad. And, in short, it's also really great. As you can see in the video below, it hits all the right notes for a retro RPG, including a party wandering around an overworld and stumbling into gorgeously rendered turn-based battles, a full equipment and progression system, and a great chiptune soundtrack. Plus, the game also takes Penny Arcade's slightly warped and very knowing sense of humor and translates it well to an interactive environment. And Zeboyd even left room for some nice innovation, in the form of a very slick item system and a very well-designed class system, too. Penny Arcade's third game was great when it came out on the PC and Xbox, and while I think the best way to play it is probably still with a controller, iOS's touchscreens work also, especially with the experience Zeboyd picked up from releasing Cthulu Saves the World on Apple's mobile platforms. At US$2.99, Penny Arcade 3 is a must-grab for anyone who's a fan of Penny Arcade, this retro style of RPG or just an awesome bargain on iOS (this version also includes all of the DLC costumes from the Steam release, for no extra charge). Zeboyd is quickly moving through the ranks to become one of my favorite game developers, and it's because of quality, filled-out releases like this.
Penny Arcade 3 now on Mac, iOS, & Android, free Seamstress DLC live
Penny Arcade's On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 is now raining down on iOS, Android, and Mac. All versions include the free Lair of the Seamstress DLC which trickled concurrently onto Steam and Xbox Live Indie Games, as well as the Fanfiction Pack dropped earlier this year. The Android and iOS versions storm in at $2.99, with the Mac version a spot more at $4.99.The Lair of the Seamstress DLC includes a new dungeon, which Zeboyd says can be entered when all your classes are Level 40 or higher by "going to the top floor of the Class Shrine." There's also a new zombie-themed costume pack, almost as if to tie in to some horror-themed annual holiday.
Mac Game of the Week: Cthulhu Saves the World is the best version of a great RPG
I already sang the praises of Zeboyd Games' Cthulhu Saves the World when it appeared on iOS: I think the world could use about a million more of these kinds of classic Japanese RPGs (and Zeboyd's latest title, Penny Arcade 3, just arrived on the App Store.) But I also admitted that playing Lovecraft's God of Madness' adventure on a touchscreen wasn't ideal. The movement controls, specifically, threatened to rub the print off of my finger with all of the swiping I was doing. If anything, that makes CSTW an even better fit for the Mac App Store, where it arrived recently. This might be the ideal build for the game, as not only can you play it on a Mac's big, beautiful screen, but there are multiple modes, add-ons and new features to play with as well. You can play in the "Highlander" mode, for example, where you can only use one character but get four times the XP. Or the "Cthulhu's Angels" mode, which remixes the game up with new characters, dialogue and bosses. This is a fantastic game. If you've passed on it before, don't miss it this time. Heck, at the price of US$1.99, you might want to go ahead and buy it again just to see what it's like on the Mac. Cthulhu Saves the World is available on the Mac App Store.
Free On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 DLC coming 'soon,' fourth game coming
The first DLC offering for On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 is being finalized, Penny Arcade has announced. The free DLC pack, the first of two proposed free DLC packs, is called The Lair Of The Seamstress. No launch date has been finalized, but Jerry "Tycho" Holkins suggests it may be out in time for PAX Prime next month. "We don't know when, exactly, but apparently there's some kind of big convention or something next month; maybe we'll try and put it out then."Beyond Seamstress, there is also one more free DLC pack planned. After that, we'll see another full game. Tycho says Zeboyd Games is preparing to begin work on the fourth game and second free DLC pack for Precipice 3 starting tomorrow.
Cthulhu saves Mac, iOS, and Android on June 28
Lovecraftian horror turned counterculture icon Cthulhu will attempt to reclaim his ability to destroy all of mankind once again this Thursday, June 28, when Cthulhu Saves The World launches on OSX, iOS and Android, according to Touch Arcade.Each version of the game will run you a smooth $1.99, making these releases $1 cheaper than the PC version on Steam and $1 more expensive than the original XBLIG jam. It's unclear whether the game will be a Universal iOS app, or if iPhone/iPad specific versions will be released at $1.99 each, though the game's classic JRPG-style interfaces should adapt well to touchscreen devices either way.Launching on additional platforms has worked out well for Zeboyd in the past; it'll be interesting to see if the game's street cred translates to success in the indie-saturated mobile market.
Penny Arcade's game with a big title will come to these tiny devices
Some time after its PC and XBLIG launch on June 25, Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 will slip-and-slide onto the following mobile platforms: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android. On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 will also come to Mac, through Steam, on the same day as the mobile launches, Penny Arcade announced today.We knew Zeboyd's pixel-fest in the Penny Arcade universe would hit mobile platforms, but until now we weren't sure which devices would be supported. There is still no word on a specific release date for mobile and Mac versions, but Penny Arcade promises it will be "soon" after next week's Steam (PC) and XBLIG launch.
Penny Arcade's wet, edgy, shadowy game to launch early
Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3, Zeboyd's pixel-happy iteration in Penny Arcade's RPG series, is now set to come out on June 25 for Steam (PC immediately, Mac eventually) and XBLIG. It was originally slated to drop July 10, but as Penny Arcade puts it, "waiting until July seems dumb."Steam purchases in the first week will also get a copy of Zeboyd's Cthulhu Saves the World, which we think is most decidedly not dumb.
Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 lands July 10
Zeboyd's pixelated refresh of the Penny Arcade RPG series will arrive on Steam and XBLIG on July 10. Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 (phew) will cost $5 on either platform, the developer reports, though the XBLIG version is obviously sold in Microsoft's imaginary fun money. The PC version will support SteamPlay cross-platform compatibility with the future Mac version, so if you buy it on PC you get Mac as well.Zeboyd promises mobile versions as well, but more details on those are forthcoming. As in, don't expect to buy this on your phone in July.%Gallery-156693%
Cthulhu to Save the World on Mac, iOS, Android in 2012, Mayans wrong
Indie gem Cthulhu Saves the World has helped more than 150,000 people enact tentacled justice on XBLIG and PC since December 2010, and it will expand its reach with a release on Mac, iOS and Android devices in Q1 this year, developer Zeboyd Games announced. Zeboyd's Robert Boyd tweeted that he "waited until the ports were almost done before making the announcement," which marks a novel way of conducting game-release announcements, wherein developers wait until they're sure the game will be released before announcing that the game will be released. Revolutionary. Cthulhu Saves the World also got a price drop on XBLIG, to 80 MS Points ($1), effective right now. So go! The world won't save itself.
