steam early access

Multiplayer survival sandbox Outpost Zero hits Steam early access

4 comments

The super pretty survivalbox Outpost Zero has planted roots in Steam’s early access program. It’s currently $15.99; tinyBuild and Symmetric Games say it’s a fully featured version of the game, though the devs are still working on more mechanics and balancing, particularly in regard to PvP and base raiding. The full launch is expected early next year.

“This Early Access version is a fully featured version of the game. Animals, Pirate Raids, PvP combat, Base Building, Corporations, and Bot AI are all implemented to create a full cohesive survival experience. We will continue to polish and improve these systems over the course of Early Access release. […] In the final version of the game we will be introducing many more powerful and fun Bot AI classes to craft, many additional Pirate Raid mechanics, Flying Vehicles, Massive Battle Mechs, several additional game modes (like horde mode and team vs team base defense), and of course a ton more content, from Equipment and Weapons, Structure types, Animal classes, and more.”

Massively OP’s MJ has been touring the game this summer as part of her deep-dive into multiple survival games for her ongoing column; you can check those streams out below, along with the official quickstart tutorial and trailer.

Read more

Arr! Puzzle Pirates: Dark Seas has fully launched on Steam

Leave a comment

Arrrr! If Sea of Thieves isn’t doing it for you, maybe you should board a more classic ship, like Puzzle Pirates – specifically, Puzzle Pirates Dark Seas. Puzzle Pirates, of course, has been around for 15 years as an adorable puzzle-oriented MMORPG. Developer Grey Havens has been hard at work on a more PvP-centered version of the game with a new ocean map and a clean economy, and that version, dubbed Dark Seas, has just formally launched on Steam after a stint in early access. Notably, this version is Steam only, whereas the “classic” game also works in-browser; the devs have plenty of fun lined up to get the game’s initial economy rolling.

“In celebration of our Full Release Launch we’re going to have a series of blue grey tournaments and competitions. These festivities will culminate in the opening of the first large island, Melanaster, for blockade on July 14th. We suggest you start recruiting mates and making plans in Parley.”

Did we mention it’s free-to-play? You can dive in right now!

Read more

Interviewing Frostkeep’s CEO as Rend announces July 31 early access

15 comments

Are you looking for a new way to survive? It’s coming. We’ve watched as Rend wandered down its closed alpha path since May, but now the unique survival game is inviting everyone to join in the journey as it makes the turn to beta. Starting on July 31st, Rend launches on Steam early access. Those who want to try the three-faction, pet-taming, base-building, win condition experience can grab the buy-to-play title for $29.99 and dive right in.

What will that one-time purchase get you? I sat down with Frostkeep Studios CEO and co-founder Jeremy Wood to talk a bit about the experience players will have jumping into early access.

Read more

New Dawn, a survival sandbox set in the 1800s, has launched into Steam early access

16 comments

New Dawn – not to be confused with Darkfall New Dawn or Osiris New Dawn or Star Trek Online’s New Dawn – is hitting Steam’s early access this week after a lengthy period in closed alpha.

We began watching the game two years ago, when we described it as a “survival sandbox that puts players in the role of South American natives in the 1800s who must fend off pirates while living off the land,” complete with “interesting mechanics, such as taming horses, being killed in your sleep while you’re offline, and a slavery system with the NPCs.” It ran an unsuccessful Kickstarter in 2017, which raised only 4.4% of its $82K goal before it was canceled by Italian developer e-visualsoft.

“At the moment, New Dawn is in Pre-Beta stage, many game mechanics are complete and we have a solid base in programming, which allows us to add new content quickly,” the devs told followers this weekend.

Read more

The Stream Team: Testing the Will to Live Online

4 comments

Do you have Will to Live Online? Massively OP’s MJ does! And she’s willing to see how long her will actually keeps her alive in this new MMORPG-shooter set in an apocalyptic world. Tune in live at 2:00 p.m. as OPTV‘s infamous Stream Team brings you a first look at…

What: Will to Live Online
Who: MJ Guthrie
When: 2:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, July 2nd, 2018

Read more

Enter to win a copy of Will to Live Online from AlphaSoft and MOP!

19 comments

Here’s a new one for us: Will to Live Online hit Steam early access back in April. Developer AlphaSoft calls it an “MMORPG-shooter whose action takes place in a severe post-apocalyptic world” – a survival game, in other words. “Explore the world, engage in fights with mutants and other survivors, join the clans in the struggle for existence and prove your right to Live.” It includes basic crafting, quests, survival mechanics like hunting, character development, dungeons, raids, and yes, player-to-player trade. It’s expected to launch next year, but in the meantime, it’s on Steam.

Want to give it a go right now? AlphaSoft has issued Massively OP a bundle of keys for the B2P game, normally worth $14.99 apiece on Steam, to distribute to our readers. There are no regional restrictions, other than the caveat that the game must be available to you on Steam for you to use the key. Read on to enter to win!

Read more

E3 2018: Hands-on with Mavericks, the MMO battle royale hybrid

16 comments

Automaton Games CEO James Thompson came along with Improbable, Bill Roper, and Mavericks to this year’s E3, where I got a second chance to see how everything in the battle royale/MMO hybrid is doing since GDC. I know battle royale is a hot topic around here, and the reaction we saw at GDC did have me worried about Mavericks’ potential audience.

Thompson was quite eager to talk about Mavericks, especially its battle royale side, but as someone who’s much more of an MMORPG player, I felt the one key thing we found common ground on was that Mavericks is aiming to be less of a simple genre game and more of a “platform” to build on, not because of any strength of the BR or even MMO genre but because of its ability to run a simulation. For virtual world fans, this is something I feel we should be paying more attention to.

Read more

Bless Online explains why it chose early access, lays out the content coming soon

10 comments

Bless Online Executive Producer Sungjin Ko is back with another letter for the community today, this one offering insight into why Neowiz picked early access in the first place, especially given the game’s rocky reception. In short, it’s because Neowiz did so much rewriting of the game for western audiences and really wanted western audiences to give it a thorough testing.

“Ultimately, this desire to try something new with the systems of Bless Online combined with the need for an open discussion with our player base led us to Steam’s Early Access platform,” Ko explains. “It allows us to make sure we have the funds to continue supporting Bless, while also working directly with our players to make Bless everything it can be and more. […] Where we are today with Bless Online’s Steam Early Access is not where we will be when the game officially launches in the coming months. As you hopefully have seen, we’ve been hard at work addressing feedback, making changes, fixing bugs, and working to make the best game for both Neowiz Bless studio and our fans.”

Read more

Wild Terra spinoff Corrupted hits Steam early access wearing Wild Terra’s favorite shirt

2 comments

Heading into Steam early access today is new isometric game called Corrupted, and if it looks familiar, that’s because it’s from Juvty Worlds, which also operates PvP sandbox Wild Terra. The new game appears to utilize Wild Terra’s world and graphics; the sole user review active as I type this rather uncharitably calls it an “asset-flip” and more of a “wave defense” title than an ARPG, but it definitely takes after its MMORPG kin on the surface.

For its part, Juvty says the game is a “mix of arcade, RPG and visual novel” in which you’ll “fight off the hordes of monsters and break through to the truth” and “discover new skills and improve your combat arsenal” as you cleave your way through enemies. This early access edition includes a 20-chapter campaign, multiple biomes, and a “twisted” storyline.

The full game is expected to launch later in 2018, Juvty’s Steam entry notes. “In the full version, we plan to add more active and passive skills, different opponents, more weapons and equipment, improve locations for battles, and make all necessary balance corrections. Together with you, we can make Corrupted even better and more interesting.” It’s currently $7.99.

Read more

Hi-Rez launches standalone F2P game Realm Royale, a mix of ‘open-world PvP MMO and your favorite hero shooter’

31 comments

You can’t accuse Hi-Rez of not chasing trends: Not only is it introducing a battle royale mode to SMITE, but it’s actually just launched a standalone free-to-play battle royale game into Steam early access today. It’s called Realm Royale, and the company is calling it the “first 100-person fantasy Battle Royale” title. You might remember it from its previous incarnation as Paladins: Battlegrounds, a mode originally planned for the MOBA-shooter Paladins (and we liked it when we played it then too).

“Players begin each round of Realm Royale by selecting one of five traditional fantasy classes. Each class offers a unique playstyle; Mages can soar above the battlefield and rain down fireballs, while Engineers deploy turrets and shields in hero shooter-style combat. […] Each round unfolds in true battle royale style, with 100 players dropping from a zeppelin into a massive fantasy-inspired map full of goblin villages and mushroom forests. Players loot weapons and abilities from chests as the fog closes in, customizing their character and effectively creating their own personal champion. In another fantasy twist, players are able to summon a mount at any time to quickly cover open ground and get right into the action.”

Read more

No, Bless Online’s naked pets are probably not going to make it to the west

48 comments

As the effort to westernize Bless Online continues, Neowiz is facing one issue that is bringing out the snickering junior higher in all of its fans: monster nudity.

Players have noticed that at least in a few instances, there are creatures in the game that show partial or total nudity. These include a harpy pet, a fairy pet, and a spider woman mount. Chances are good, the Reddit community concludes, that these models are going to see visual changes when the MMO hits Steam early access on Wednesday.

The western version of Bless is rated T by the ESRB for violence and blood. Guess the studio took its critters to the mall for some clothes shopping. Goofy jokes aside, these changes raise the specter of censorship when it comes to localizing games to a specific market. Should Bless stick to its guns and put out the same version globally, or is this a smart move that gives the game a less extreme rating?

Source: Reddit. Thanks Leiloni!

Comment

Massively OP Podcast Episode 171: Bless you, my subscriber

2 comments

On this week’s show, Bree and Justin delve into the future of Lord of the Rings Online, debate when a sub isn’t a sub, head on into Summerset, fly high with Worlds Adrift, and more!

It’s the Massively OP Podcast, an action-packed hour of news, tales, opinions, and gamer emails! And remember, if you’d like to send in your own letter to the show, use the “Tips” button in the top-right corner of the site to do so.

Listen to the show right now:

Read more

Worlds Adrift launches on Steam early access while overseen by actual airship

8 comments

Floating up out of the drydock of closed beta, Worlds Adrift launched into the bright blue skies of early access today. The airship sandbox drummed up hype for the release with a publicity stunt that involved hauling a batch of players high up into the air over London to try out the game. (The first livestream in the sky? Why not!)

“Worlds Adrift is now releasing to Steam Early Access,” Bossa Studios trumpeted. “This means we have opened up additional servers for both US and EU regions, and will release more servers depending on player population. The UI for the character creation screen has been adjusted to make it easier to pick a server to play on.”

With the early access start comes a full wipe and a new build that includes a different layout, additional islands, new clothing items, double the amount of ancient written stories, all-new music, and plenty of bug fixes.

Read more

1 2 3 … 13