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Tag: Annapurna Interactive

  • People of Note Welcomes Joe Zieja, Erika Ishii, Debra Wilson and More to the Cast! – Xbox Wire

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    Summary

    • Musical turn-based RPG People of Note launches later this year for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud as an Xbox Play Anywhere title.
    • Check out one if its newly revealed musical numbers, Mashup.
    • The star-studded cast of actors and singers now includes Erika Ishii and Amanda Angeles (Synthia), Joe Zieja (Sharp), Heather Gonzales and Lexxe (Cadence), Jason Charles Miller (Fret), and Debra Wilson (Martell).

    The cast of People of Note, our upcoming musical turn-based RPG, just got bigger!

    Today, we’re happy to announce the rest of the cast joining our pop diva protagonist on her grand adventure into stardom.

    To celebrate this announcement, we’re unveiling the next musical number from the game: Mashup, where Cadence tries recruiting old garage rocker Fret into her band:

    As you can hear, People of Note’s cast includes not only massively talented voice actors, but an equally dazzling lineup of singers and musicians! As not every voice actor is a singer (and vice versa) there were moments where we had to find a matching pair to bring a single character to life. This was an additional challenge most productions don’t face: even if their voices sounded similar, we needed their natural energies and attitudes to match both the characters AND each other.

    Erika Ishii (from Halo: Infinite and Deathloop), who voices our EDM bandmate Synthia, is a great example: she brings her orchestral music background and general JRPG nerddom into perfect harmony with vocalist Amanda Angeles, who comes from a traditional musical theatre background.

    “As a lifelong devotee of musical theater, Final Fantasy fan, cosplayer, and orchestra nerd (or orc dork, as we dubbed ourselves), I’m thrilled to be part of my dear friend’s vibrant and clever game,” Erika explained. “Jason and the team have been working passionately to make the game we always wanted to play, and I can’t wait for everyone to discover the world of Note.”

    People of Note screenshot

    Joe Zieja does it all in People of Note, both acting and singing as the snobby music manager and politician, Sharp! Joe is known for voicing Bruce Banner in Marvel Rivals and Wriothesley in Genshin Impact, but as a longtime musician, he’s more than capable of belting out the powerful notes required of such a mainstay in the political scene of Chordia!

    “When they asked ‘can you play a British ‘80s pop star in his 50s, and sing like one too?’ my answer was an enthusiastic ‘maybe?’ Trusting myself behind the mic as an actor is one thing – trusting myself behind the mic as a singer was a totally new experience for me in a video game. I came out of our sessions PUMPED. I can’t wait for fans to meet this insufferable has-been!”

    People of Note screenshot

    As seen in the Mashup clip above, Cadence (played by Heather Gonzalez and Lexxe) recruits Fret, an old-school garage rocker, to the band. Fret is voiced and sung by Jason Charles Miller, but you might be surprised to learn he also literally wrote and produced the song you just heard, in addition to most of the musical numbers! You’ll meet Fret as he’s fending off Martell, voiced by Debra Wilson of The Outer Wilds 2 and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, second-in-command of the Homestead forces.

    Debra Wilson taps into that internal song when channeling her dangerous and driven character. “Everything in the known Universe is sound and vibration… and so it is with music!” waxes Debra. “This game was a privilege to be part of to tell this ‘funky’ story that places music at the forefront of every character, and captivates our own ‘song of life!!’ Play on, baby! Play on!”

    People of Note screenshot

    We’re so excited for players to witness all the spectacular performances from our cast above, and the many more we’re highlighting on our socials. In case you missed it, we previously released Under the Lights, People of Note’s jaw-dropping opening musical number:

    We’ll be rolling out more musical performances in the future, which you don’t want to miss!

    Find out more by checking out Annapurna Interactive on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, YouTube, and online at https://annapurnainteractive.com/en/games/people-of-note .

    People of Note launches later this year for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud as an Xbox Play Anywhere title. Add People of Note to your wishlist on the Microsoft Store below.


    People of Note

    People of Note

    Annapurna Interactive

    ☆☆☆☆☆

    ★★★★★

    In this turn-based RPG musical, join Cadence as she recruits an ensemble of musicians on her quest for stardom. Experience turn-based combat like never before, where each battle is a musical performance with evolving combat conditions and genre-bending mashup attacks!

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    Will Fulton, Xbox Wire Editor

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  • Bounty Star: How to Fight, Farm and Upgrade Your Mech in the Old West – Xbox Wire

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    Summary

    • Bounty Star is out October 23 on Xbox on PC and Xbox Series X|S, available with both Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere.
    • This 3D action game blends mech combat with light base-building and farming.
    • Customize your mech and upgrade your garage and homestead as you discover the tragic story of protagonist Clem McKinney.

    We here at Dinogod are happy to convey that Bounty Star: The Morose Tale of Graveyard Clem is being released on October 23. It will be available through Xbox Game Pass on both Xbox on PC and Xbox Series X|S, as well as through Xbox Play Anywhere.

    Bounty Star is a 3D action game that blends customizable mech combat with some light base-building and homesteading. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to run a solo bounty hunting operation on the edge of a dangerous desert region that’s a little too sick with thieves, bots and beasts – Bounty Star will scratch that itch.

    You will assume the role of Clementine McKinney, aka Clem, aka “Graveyard Clem” (although you must never call her this cursed moniker). Clem is a broken, but powerful ex-soldier who attempts to shed the guilt and shame of her past and become a legitimate force for good in the Red Expanse, a post-post-apocalyptic version of the American Southwest. Maybe even a bounty hunter can be a hero.

    What Happened to Clem?

    We don’t want to give too much away, especially since you will experience the terrible event that sets Clem on her path immediately. But we can say that she made a tactical decision that had tragic consequences.

    The story of Bounty Star asks some key questions that Clem does her best to answer as you watch her grow:

    • What does it mean to be a soldier? A protector? A deliverer of harsh justice? Can you be all 3? Do they matter?
    • How responsible are we for the actions of others?
    • What guilts are rightly held, and how do we manage them?
    • What does it mean to be an extremely, singularly powerful one-person force? What does being a mech pilot do to your soul?

    Don’t be surprised when these questions of enormous gravity promote a little self-sabotage, addiction, loving rage and therapeutic journaling. Fingers-crossed that our Clem figures it out before it’s too late.

    Mech Combat and Customization Tips

    In Bounty Star, you want to bring a well-suited mech to any bounty. Take good stock of all the equipment you own to make a loadout that does well by you on your next outing.

    Before pursuing any bounty, pay attention to the enemy list, and take note of their strengths and weaknesses. Certain weapons are more or less impactful, depending on what you’re slapping around.

    The Red Expanse is a harsh desert region, so you must also be cognizant of the temperature. Tune your thermals properly or you’re going to be shutting down left and right.

    We recommend always eating before a bounty, as it’s an inexpensive way to turn up certain engine properties, like speed, hit points, melee damage, etc.

    Play with the different systems to get a feel for what they all do and how they work together. Bounty Star’s enemies are pretty high-pressure combatants, but there’s no wrong way to win! Explore and experiment.

    Garage Operation Tips

    Clem’s home base is an old-world garage and tune-up shop at the edge of the game world. It is here that she intends to make just enough money to move on to the next lonely place. But the garage is still a functional and powerful location, full of potential.

    Making food is great, but can be pricey. Use the garden plots in the backyard to grow your own ingredients. Note that upgrading your garden plots streamlines the watering and maintenance of your growables.

    To maximize the payout on any successful bounty hunt, make sure you prepare some fuel and ammo. The further away the bounty is, the more it costs, and the nastier the weapon, the more expensive the ammo.

    You will eventually be able to raise and care for some critters – these will both provide useful ingredients and be another way to make some cash. Crucially, you can pet the critters.

    If you’re the kind of player who likes to collect all the combat systems, then utilize the garage to maximize your profits. Making money is expensive! While some combat systems are out in the field, many can be purchased or built in the garage.

    Time to Hunt

    There’s a lot to learn and do. If you’re ever wondering about something, go check out Clem’s extensive in-game library, or spend some time in the safe practice space.

    Enough talking – step into that war machine, right some wrongs, learn some things about yourself and make some money.

    Go on now, git.


    Bounty Star
    Xbox Play Anywhere

    Bounty Star

    Annapurna Interactive


    ☆☆☆☆☆


    ★★★★★


    Bounty Star is an over-the-shoulder third-person action game that marries mech combat and customization with farming and base building. The player takes on the role of a broken but powerful ex-soldier named Clem — a war veteran, talented fighter and expert mech pilot. Clem attempts to shed the guilt and shame of her past and become a legitimate force for good in the Red Expanse, a post-post-apocalyptic version of the American Southwest.

    Key Features: third-person character action, mech combat, mech customization, light farming, light base building, narrative experience

    Customizable Mech Action

    You pilot the Desert Raptor MKII, a Mech of extraordinary power. It is a highly-customizable battle vehicle that can be equipped with a variety of offensive systems: heavy, high-powered melee weapons, steam powered hydraulic siege weapons, explosive firearms, and more. It can also be equipped with a variety of defensive systems; high-speed thrusters, boosters for dashing, riot shields, and more .

    Become A Bounty Hunter

    The Red Expanse is a rich farming and mercantile region plagued by violent criminals and dangerous beasts. The government that remains in this post-post-apocalyptic outsources justice to experts like Clem—bounty hunters who are free to pursue their targets into whatever dangerous corners of the world they hide. She’ll fight her way through many corners of the region and deal with these marks as she sees fit.

    Upgrade And Maintain Your Garage

    Clem comes into an isolated and run-down garage that serves as a suitable base of operations and home—just barely. Build out water and power supply lines, grow and cook food, produce ammunition and fuel for combat, and raise animals. This decrepit ruin has a lot of potential, but it will have to grow alongside Clem.

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    Will Fulton

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  • Annapurna Interactive will reveal three new games in a showcase on September 23

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    Annapurna Interactive is hosting a games showcase on September 23, 2025 at 8PM ET / 5PM PT to show off three of its upcoming games. The publisher says the “Annapurna Interactive Direct from Tokyo” will stream on YouTube and feature new games from Kyoto-based developer Marumittu Games, Iridium Studios and Yarn Owl. Annapurna Interactive held its this past February to show off games like and .

    Marumittu Games’ Annapurna project was initially when the publisher announced it was working with the studio. At the time, Marumittu said it was pulling from the work of journalist Rutger Bregman and Homo Deus author Yuval Noah Harari to make a game that’s “thinking about humanity in the future.” Developer Yarn Owl similarly , saying that it was inspired by The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Annapurna Interactive hasn’t formally announced its partnership with Iridium Studios, but the developer as “an unannounced RPG with an unannounced partner” on its website, which certainly sounds like it could be what Annapurna plans to show off at its showcase.

    Despite what seems like a fairly normal past year of game releases, the future and long-term stability of Annapurna Interactive has been in question since the of the publisher’s staff in 2024. Since then, Annapurna Interactive has continued to announce and release games, while the publisher’s former staff to support in-development projects from Take-Two’s shuttered indie label, Private Division.

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    Ian Carlos Campbell

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  • Every Game We Saw At Nintendo’s Latest Indie World Showcase

    Every Game We Saw At Nintendo’s Latest Indie World Showcase

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    It’s been a surprisingly strong year for the Nintendo Switch even as sales slow and fans eagerly await its successor, and today the company promoted a bunch of indie games that will fill out the console’s release calendar heading into 2024, from a new Shantae action-platformer to a port of beloved cult-hit sci-fi mystery game Outer Wilds. Unfortunately, everyone’s favorite Hollow Knight sequel, Silksong, is still MIA.

    New Pokémon Scarlet And Violet Trailer Features Hot Profs, 4-Player Co-Op, And Lechonk, The Hero We Deserve

    Last month’s Super Mario Bros. Wonder was the fastest-selling game in the franchise’s history, and a remake of the beloved SNES classic Super Mario RPG arriving later this month rounds out another great year for the Switch. But plenty of smaller games are also coming to the device this holiday season and beyond, and Nintendo highlighted some of the big ones in its latest Indie World Showcase.

    Here’s everything we saw during Nintendo’s brief presentation today:

    Shantae: Risky Revolution (WayForward)

    The 2D half-genie is getting another retro follow-up to the original 2002 Game Boy Color adventure (which goes for four digits on eBay and still isn’t part of the Switch Online catalog). Risky Revolution will be a mix of old and new, with creature transformations and big boss fights as well as a four-player co-op mode and the ability to jump between the background and foreground. It’s out sometime next year.

    Outer Wilds: Archaeologist Edition (Mobius Digital/Annapurna Interactive)

    Gif: Mobius Digital / Kotaku

    Outer Wilds was an excellent space exploration puzzler and one of the best games of 2019. Now it’s finally coming to Switch next month on December 7. Archaeologist Edition will include the Echoes of the Eye expansion, and will be a must-play on Switch for anyone who hasn’t already experienced its compelling mysteries, deep secrets, and incredible ending, assuming the performance and visuals are still intact on Switch.

    On Your Tail (Memorable Games/Humble Games)

    Gif: Memorable Games / Kotaku

    This is a new one about exploring the seaside village of Borgo Marina trying to unmask who’s been menacing the place by collecting clues in the form of trading cards. On Your Tail has you play as the young detective Diana, who can chill, fish, and meet new friends in this detective life sim hybrid. It’ll be a timed Switch exclusive in 2024.

    A Highland Song (Inkle)

    Another 2.5D narrative-led platformer? Sign me up. A Highland Song is about guiding a character named Moira on a journey through the Scottish Highlands. There’s rhythm-action elements with the music affecting how quickly you can progress, and inclement weather forcing you to change up your approach. A Highland Song comes to Switch on December 5.

    Backpack Hero (Jaspel/Different Tales)

    Another deck-building roguelike? Sign me up for that too! Backpack Hero looks similar to a Dungeons & Dragons campaign turned into a Magic: The Gathering deck builder except your arsenal will be dependent on how you organize the limited space in your backpack. Loot you collect from dungeons is brought back to help repair your village, which you can expand and decorate as you see fit. The game goes live today.

    Howl (Mi’pu’mi Games/Astragon Entertainment)

    Gif: Mi’pu’mi Games / Kotaku

    Howl is a turn-based tactics game that features a “living ink” art style that lets you see upcoming enemy attacks and plan multiple turns in advance, making every encounter into a little puzzle box. A plague is sweeping through the world and the only way to defeat it is to collect resources and upgrade your abilities. You know, the usual. Howl is out now and has a free demo.

    Blade Chimera (Team Ladybug/WSS playground/Playism) 

    Gif: Team Ladybug / WSS playground / Kotaku

    Blade Chimera is basically a cyberpunk Castlevania. There have been a lot of these retro 2D action-platformers in recent years, but Blade Chimera’s art and abilities make it seem like it could stand out. A Lumina Sword helps the hero slice down enemies and also restore old parts of the environment to unlock new paths forward. It’s a Switch timed exclusive coming spring 2024.

    Death Trick: Double Blind (Misty Mountain Studio/Neon Doctrine)

    Gif: Misty Mountain / Kotaku

    The circus is in town and someone’s dead…probably. Death Trick is a choose-your-own adventure visual novel in which you play a detective interviewing acrobats and fire-breathers to find out what happened to a missing performer. It’s coming to Switch in 2024, with a free demo out today.

    The Star Named EOS (Silver Lining Studio/Playism) 

    Gif: Silver Lining Studio / Kotaku

    Picture a storybook where you dive into the pages and learn about your past memories. That’s what The Star Named EOS looks like. The puzzle adventure “explores photography and the ways we can capture the fleeting moments that shape our lives.” It will probably make you cry. The Star Named EOS is headed to Switch by spring 2024.

    Moonstone Island (Studio Supersoft/Raw Fury) 

    Gif: Studio Supersoft / Kotaku

    Moonstone Island might just have it all: creature collecting, dungeon crawling, deck building, card-based combat, and life sim farming. Hopefully the adorable and colorful-looking mashup of Pokémon, Stardew Valley, and Slay the Spire is half as good as the recipe suggests. The initial reviews on PC have been great. It will be a Switch timed exclusive launching in spring 2024.

    Core Keeper (Pugstorm/Fireshine Games)

    You probably know this one already. If you don’t, Core Keeper is kind of like Minecraft meets Zelda. Another way of saying that is it’s like crafting sim Terraria if it were top-down instead of a side-scroller. You dig tunnels to collect materials, items, and treasure that can be used to make a home-turned-factory deep underground while you search for an ancient relic. It features up to eight player co-op, lots of RPG elements, and some neat environments. The Switch port of the Steam hit is coming in summer 2024.

    But wait, there’s more!

    A sizzle reel near the end of the livestream also teased a bunch of other games coming to Nintendo Switch at the end of 2023 and in the year ahead. Here’s the PR:

    • Enjoy the Diner, a mysterious narrative adventure with point-and-click elements, available on Nintendo Switch later today!
    • Passpartout 2: The Lost Artist, a painting adventure in which you’re invited to explore the charming town of Phénix while creating and selling works of art, available on Nintendo Switch later today!
    • Heavenly Bodies, a delightfully challenging physics-based space puzzler that asks you to complete a series of seemingly simple tasks aboard a 1970s space station, arriving to Nintendo Switch in February 2024.
    • Braid: Anniversary Edition, a remaster of the acclaimed puzzle-platformer, with updated graphics and sound, plus newly added developer commentary, launching for Nintendo Switch on April 30, 2024.
    • The Gecko Gods, a relaxed puzzle-platformer starring a tiny gecko who must explore a set of mysterious islands and temples on a mission to save its friends, launching on Nintendo Switch in spring 2024.
    • Planet of Lana, a cinematic puzzle-adventure framed by an epic sci-fi saga that stretches across centuries and galaxies, launching on Nintendo Switch in spring 2024.
    • Urban Myth Dissolution Center, a captivating mystery game in which you’re tasked with investigating curses, haunted houses and other urban myths, coming to Nintendo Switch in 2024.

    While most of these games are still a couple of seasons away, Backpack Hero, Enjoy the Diner, and Passpartout 2: The Lost Artist are all out today. Howl and Death Trick: Double Blind also have free demos out today. The heavily rumored “Switch 2” could get revealed any day now, but there’s still a ton of games coming to the existing hardware. Hopefully all of them will be backward compatible on whatever new console Nintendo is currently cooking up.

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    Ethan Gach

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