AFA Arcade: Unbeatable ,TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, Castlevania and More
Today, animated films and TV is more popular than ever, but the biggest and most successful part of the animation industry is actually video games. Animation is a big component of almost every game (rare exceptions being text adventures and visual novels) and many games feature excellent storytelling. We cover games every now and again on AFA but we're planning on levelling up our games coverage with our new feature AFA Arcade. This regular column will bring you news from where the gaming and animation worlds meet as well as the gaming industry as a whole. Don't expect updates on the latest hardware or the newest Call of Duty or Madden- we aim to highlight the standout work being done in the games industry, whether it's a triple-A game or something from the smallest indie developer.
Powerhouse Animation's video game-inspired animated series Castlevania is returning to Netflix for a fourth and final season next month. The 10-episode season will be streaming on May 13, and will bring the story of Trevor Belmont and his bloodsucking nemesis Vlad Dracula Tepes to a close. But it might not be the end of the story, as Netflix is reportedly interested in a spin-off set in the same world with a new set of characters. It's a pretty logical move as the original Castlevania has set the precedent- it features several generations worth of Belmonts across its various games- and the series has been a big hit for the streaming service.
Also coming soon is the first TV series based on the Resident Evil horror franchise. Resident Evil Infinite Darkness will feature the most iconic characters in the series Claire Redfield and Leon Kennedy as they deal with another zombie outbreak- apparently this time in the White House. Netflix has released a new trailer, which reveals a July 2021 release for the new series- the exact date is TBC.
Kickstart This: Unbeatable
Indie PC game Unbeatable from D-Cell games is described as a "rythym action game" set in a world where "music is illegal and you do games". Sporting a super-cool anime-influenced aesthetic, this is looking it could almost be FLCL: the game. Giving it some extra retro-cool, it's also run through a nifty filter designed to make it look like "a long lost bootleg 90's VHS recording of the hottest anime on the block". Clearly, these are our people!
Unbeatable is now seeking funding on Kickstarter, where it managed to blow through its initial target in just 15 hours. The campaign runs until May 7.
In the game, you play as the pink-haired Beat who brandishes a microphone like it's some sort of weapon. She teams up with guitarist Quaver, keyboardist Treble and drummer Clef to form a band, and free the world from this music-free tyranny.
D-Cell is a true indie labour of love being made by a small team, most of whom will be wearing multiple hats. The game is being written and directed by Andrew Tsai and RJ Lake, with Mireille Arseneault as head programmer. Unbeatable will have a wholly original soundtrack, mainly from peak divide- musicians TJ Maddux and Vasily Nikolaev, with vocals from Rachel Lake who will also be voicing Beat in spoken dialogue in the game. Jeffrey Chiao is producing.
The team are hoping to release the game in 2023, but will be releasing an episodic side-story demo called Unbeatable [White Label] on Steam that will give you a taster.
New Games Trailers
New action game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge takes the half-shelled heroes back to their roots. Developer Doemtsu has recreated the 16-bit aesthetic seen in the original licenced games in the 90s with remarkable accuracy. There's even a specially created updated version of the 80s cartoon's iconic opening sequence. The game will arrive later this year on PC and consoles. Cowabunga dudes! A Nintendo Switch version has also been confirmed.
New to Xbox One, adventure game Genesis Noir has a highly distinctive style,with mainly monochrome visuals employed to create a unique film noir style. Check out the trailer to see it in action!
Coming to Nintendo Switch is the return of Pokemon Snap! Gotta snap 'em all!
It's next-generation ninja action! (Karma) Boruto Uzumaki is the newest DLC character coming to Bandai Namco's latest Naruto game, Naruto to Baruto Shinobi Striker.
