https://www.scmp.com/rss/501985/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Microsoft and Discord hold a great deal of sway with video game fans. As they now hold talks for a potential US$10 billion acquisition, a deal would join two companies in pursuit of audiences far beyond gamers. Jason Citron and Stan Vishnevskiy, programmers and entrepreneurs, founded San Francisco-based Discord in 2015 as a platform for people to chat while playing video games together. The free service offers voice, video and text as well as gamer-friendly features including the ability for... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3126868/why-microsoft-wants-buy-video-game-chat-app-discord-place?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3126868/why-microsoft-wants-buy-video-game-chat-app-discord-place?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Mar 2021 12:15:07 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS The idea of “tiger parenting,” based on ideas of strict Chinese parenting, has drawn a lot of attention over the last several years. But what is it actually like to grow up with tiger parents in China? If you ever wanted to know, now you can experience it in the simulation game Chinese Parents.  This indie title is now accessible to an international audience, with an English version of the game that has already sold hundreds of thousands of copies in... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029452/hit-game-chinese-parents-funny-and-insightful-look-growing-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029452/hit-game-chinese-parents-funny-and-insightful-look-growing-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jul 2019 11:40:28 +0000 The idea of “tiger parenting,” based on ideas of strict Chinese parenting, has drawn a lot of attention over the last several years. But what is it actually like to grow up with tiger parents in China? If you ever wanted to know, now you can experience it in the simulation game Chinese Parents.  This indie title is now accessible to an international audience, with an English version of the game that has already sold hundreds of thousands of copies in China.  This life sim, developed by Moyuwan... https://www.scmp.com/reviewed/hit-game-chinese-parents-funny-and-insightful-look-growing-china/article/3016203?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/reviewed/hit-game-chinese-parents-funny-and-insightful-look-growing-china/article/3016203?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jul 2019 11:40:28 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Take a cyberpunk world, paint it in the style of exquisitely crafted pixel art, then throw in some neo-noir detective motifs and you get Tales of the Neon Sea. The new detective puzzle game from Chinese developer Palm Pioneer has almost all the right ingredients for an arresting experience. All the game really needs now is an engrossing story. While playing Neon Sea, I often found myself trudging through tedious puzzles, not knowing where they would... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029334/tales-neon-sea-beautiful-slow-cyberpunk-puzzle-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029334/tales-neon-sea-beautiful-slow-cyberpunk-puzzle-game?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 May 2019 13:07:27 +0000 Take a cyberpunk world, paint it in the style of exquisitely crafted pixel art, then throw in some neo-noir detective motifs and you get Tales of the Neon Sea. The new detective puzzle game from Chinese developer Palm Pioneer has almost all the right ingredients for an arresting experience. All the game really needs now is an engrossing story. While playing Neon Sea, I often found myself trudging through tedious puzzles, not knowing where they would take me, instead of feeling immersed in a... https://www.scmp.com/reviewed/tales-neon-sea-beautiful-slow-cyberpunk-puzzle-game/article/3009176?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/reviewed/tales-neon-sea-beautiful-slow-cyberpunk-puzzle-game/article/3009176?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 May 2019 13:07:27 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS What if all that was left of a crime scene were audio tapes of every relevant conversation? That is the peculiar scenario presented in the detective game Unheard. In this new PC title co-developed by Tencent’s Next Studios and Bilibiili, you’re tasked with a few crime cases in which you have to identify witnesses and determine the perpetrators by listening to their conversations. Sometimes the hints are obvious, but not always. As the premise suggests,... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029272/unheard-rare-gem-merges-detective-game-audio-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029272/unheard-rare-gem-merges-detective-game-audio-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Apr 2019 14:19:32 +0000 What if all that was left of a crime scene were audio tapes of every relevant conversation? That is the peculiar scenario presented in the detective game Unheard. In this new PC title co-developed by Tencent’s Next Studios and Bilibiili, you’re tasked with a few crime cases in which you have to identify witnesses and determine the perpetrators by listening to their conversations. Sometimes the hints are obvious, but not always. As the premise suggests, this game involves a LOT of listening.... https://www.scmp.com/reviewed/unheard-rare-gem-merges-detective-game-audio-drama/article/3005418?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/reviewed/unheard-rare-gem-merges-detective-game-audio-drama/article/3005418?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Apr 2019 14:19:32 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS If you’ve been waiting for a flashy, sci-fi battle royale mobile game that isn’t PUBG Mobile or Fortnite, NetEase has you covered. The Beijing-based company’s new game Cyber Hunter looks like Mass Effect, features a protagonist who resembles Alita: Battle Angel, and is equipped with guns from Halo. As wannabe Alita, you collect these Tesseract-looking blue cubes, which you can use to activate high-tech gadgets like a shield or a healing biotic field. I... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029268/cyber-hunter-has-all-battle-royale-essentials-no-genuine-creativity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029268/cyber-hunter-has-all-battle-royale-essentials-no-genuine-creativity?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Apr 2019 12:38:28 +0000 If you’ve been waiting for a flashy, sci-fi battle royale mobile game that isn’t PUBG Mobile or Fortnite, NetEase has you covered. The Beijing-based company’s new game Cyber Hunter looks like Mass Effect, features a protagonist who resembles Alita: Battle Angel, and is equipped with guns from Halo. As wannabe Alita, you collect these Tesseract-looking blue cubes, which you can use to activate high-tech gadgets like a shield or a healing biotic field. I allude to all these things because Cyber... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/cyber-hunter-has-all-battle-royale-essentials-no-genuine-creativity/article/3005234?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/cyber-hunter-has-all-battle-royale-essentials-no-genuine-creativity/article/3005234?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Apr 2019 12:38:28 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS I'm going to be a weirdo now and admit something: I really like fish. I love watching them at aquariums and fish markets. I like them steamed, cooked, grilled, and made into sashimi. I actually considered getting a fish tattooed on my body. This is why I was probably the only person who was excited about playing a game about fish. Koi, produced by Chinese game studio Dotoyou, follows a fish on a mission. It was actually the first game made entirely in... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029221/adventure-game-koi-all-about-fish-it-didnt-satisfy-my-fish-fetish?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029221/adventure-game-koi-all-about-fish-it-didnt-satisfy-my-fish-fetish?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Mar 2019 11:31:22 +0000 I'm going to be a weirdo now and admit something: I really like fish. I love watching them at aquariums and fish markets. I like them steamed, cooked, grilled, and made into sashimi. I actually considered getting a fish tattooed on my body. This is why I was probably the only person who was excited about playing a game about fish. Koi, produced by Chinese game studio Dotoyou, follows a fish on a mission. It was actually the first game made entirely in China that went out on PlayStation 4 back in... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/adventure-game-koi-all-about-fish-it-didnt-satisfy-my-fish-fetish/article/3001534?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/adventure-game-koi-all-about-fish-it-didnt-satisfy-my-fish-fetish/article/3001534?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Mar 2019 11:31:22 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Players worldwide were thrilled when thatgamecompany -- the brilliant mind behind console hits Flow, Flower and Journey -- announced during Apple’s Keynote in 2017 that their next game would come to iOS. Sky: Light Awaits has yet to launch officially, but we recently got our hands on the latest test version (0.4.6) for iPhone.  As the name suggests, this game is all about light: You play as children in a dreamy, bright landscape above the clouds.... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029212/sky-light-awaits-takes-you-back-childhood-dreams-hand-hand-friends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029212/sky-light-awaits-takes-you-back-childhood-dreams-hand-hand-friends?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Mar 2019 13:03:20 +0000 Players worldwide were thrilled when thatgamecompany -- the brilliant mind behind console hits Flow, Flower and Journey -- announced during Apple’s Keynote in 2017 that their next game would come to iOS. Sky: Light Awaits has yet to launch officially, but we recently got our hands on the latest test version (0.4.6) for iPhone.  As the name suggests, this game is all about light: You play as children in a dreamy, bright landscape above the clouds. Darkness has descended on many parts of the... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/sky-light-awaits-takes-you-back-childhood-dreams-hand-hand-friends/article/3001054?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/sky-light-awaits-takes-you-back-childhood-dreams-hand-hand-friends/article/3001054?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Mar 2019 13:03:20 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Sometimes we just wish things would happen at the right time and in the right order. Side-scrolling puzzle game Clocker lets you do just that. It’s a clever Chinese indie game where you pause time and rearrange the order of events to reunite a father and daughter. Launched on Steam after 2.5 years of crowdfunding, Clocker is full of time-bending puzzles that force you to ponder how one event leads to another, and how things -- in game or in real life --... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029201/clocker-exhausting-puzzle-game-explores-time-and-love?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029201/clocker-exhausting-puzzle-game-explores-time-and-love?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Mar 2019 11:09:20 +0000 Sometimes we just wish things would happen at the right time and in the right order. Side-scrolling puzzle game Clocker lets you do just that. It’s a clever Chinese indie game where you pause time and rearrange the order of events to reunite a father and daughter. Launched on Steam after 2.5 years of crowdfunding, Clocker is full of time-bending puzzles that force you to ponder how one event leads to another, and how things -- in game or in real life -- could turn out very differently even if... https://www.scmp.com/reviewed/clocker-exhausting-puzzle-game-explores-time-and-love/article/3001086?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/reviewed/clocker-exhausting-puzzle-game-explores-time-and-love/article/3001086?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Mar 2019 11:09:20 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Take it from someone who went to school there: Sex ed is not good in China. So a bunch of Chinese high schoolers took it upon themselves to act out a few sketches, turning that footage into a sex ed game called Self-Reliance. They released it on Steam, with gamers giving them encouraging reviews and many media outlets recognizing their efforts. Maybe that explains why they got it wrong. The scenario in the video gives players a choice: Clean a friend’s... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029183/sex-ed-game-made-chinese-high-schoolers-gets-sex-ed-wrong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029183/sex-ed-game-made-chinese-high-schoolers-gets-sex-ed-wrong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Feb 2019 14:35:34 +0000 Take it from someone who went to school there: Sex ed is not good in China. So a bunch of Chinese high schoolers took it upon themselves to act out a few sketches, turning that footage into a sex ed game called Self-Reliance. They released it on Steam, with gamers giving them encouraging reviews and many media outlets recognizing their efforts. Maybe that explains why they got it wrong. The scenario in the video gives players a choice: Clean a friend’s toilet before sitting on it, or just sit... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/sex-ed-game-made-chinese-high-schoolers-gets-sex-ed-wrong/article/3000846?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/sex-ed-game-made-chinese-high-schoolers-gets-sex-ed-wrong/article/3000846?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Feb 2019 14:35:34 +0000 Two minutes in, we had to switch off all the lights and play Devotion in the dark. We wanted to soak in every bit of atmosphere from this immersive game. Devotion’s first-person perspective does an incredible job of transporting you right into the middle of a grungy 1980s apartment complex in Taiwan, showcasing the detailed art and accompanied by a spooky soundtrack. The game makes one hell of a first impression. ​​​​​​ I can’t say I’ve ever played a game like this. Yeah, there are horror... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/horror-game-devotion-immersive-triumph/article/3000923?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/horror-game-devotion-immersive-triumph/article/3000923?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Feb 2019 14:32:52 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Two minutes in, we had to switch off all the lights and play Devotion in the dark. We wanted to soak in every bit of atmosphere from this immersive game. Devotion’s first-person perspective does an incredible job of transporting you right into the middle of a grungy 1980s apartment complex in Taiwan, showcasing the detailed art and accompanied by a spooky soundtrack. The game makes one hell of a first impression. ​​​​​​ I can’t say I’ve ever played a... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029177/horror-game-devotion-immersive-triumph?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029177/horror-game-devotion-immersive-triumph?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Feb 2019 14:32:52 +0000 With 4.5 million players, Dota Auto Chess is turning into a gaming sensation. Of course, that depends on how exactly you define Auto Chess: Is it a game, a mod, or “a mod of a remake of a mod based on a map from another game”? Whatever it is, Dota Auto Chess is a strategy game made by Drodo Studio in China. The game essentially consists of two phases. First is the preparation round, where you pick heroes to assemble an army, and then place them on the board. After that is the battle round, which... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/how-popular-pc-gaming-hit-was-influenced-ancient-game-mahjong/article/3000845?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/how-popular-pc-gaming-hit-was-influenced-ancient-game-mahjong/article/3000845?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Feb 2019 12:32:30 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS With 4.5 million players, Dota Auto Chess is turning into a gaming sensation. Of course, that depends on how exactly you define Auto Chess: Is it a game, a mod, or “a mod of a remake of a mod based on a map from another game”? Whatever it is, Dota Auto Chess is a strategy game made by Drodo Studio in China. The game essentially consists of two phases. First is the preparation round, where you pick heroes to assemble an army, and then place them on the... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029173/how-popular-pc-gaming-hit-was-influenced-ancient-game-mahjong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029173/how-popular-pc-gaming-hit-was-influenced-ancient-game-mahjong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Feb 2019 12:32:30 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Remember that Chinese indie game that looked like Dark Souls crossed with Titanfall? The one developed by one guy, who admitted that he used graphical assets from pirated software sites? The game is Bright Memory Ep1, and it finally replaced the previously unlicensed assets with new ones. So instead of fighting a pack of humongous, demented dire wolves... we ran into a pack of sleepy lion chimeras in the updated version. The game simply doesn't look as... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029157/indie-game-bright-memory-looks-worse-after-replacing-stolen-art?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029157/indie-game-bright-memory-looks-worse-after-replacing-stolen-art?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Feb 2019 13:47:25 +0000 Remember that Chinese indie game that looked like Dark Souls crossed with Titanfall? The one developed by one guy, who admitted that he used graphical assets from pirated software sites? The game is Bright Memory Ep1, and it finally replaced the previously unlicensed assets with new ones. So instead of fighting a pack of humongous, demented dire wolves... we ran into a pack of sleepy lion chimeras in the updated version. The game simply doesn't look as good anymore. A quick refresher: Bright... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/indie-game-bright-memory-looks-worse-after-replacing-stolen-art/article/3000804?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/indie-game-bright-memory-looks-worse-after-replacing-stolen-art/article/3000804?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Feb 2019 13:47:25 +0000 Some games have complicated, high-concept pitches. The Hong Kong Massacre is not one of those games. It’s the video game version of a John Woo film, taking all the slow motion dual-pistol acrobatics of Hard Boiled, and combining it with the indie gaming classic Hotline Miami. It’s a great combination, adding a heavy dose of cinematic style to Hotline Miami’s fast-paced ultraviolence. To be honest, it’s hard not to continually compare the two games, because they share so much in common. The... https://www.scmp.com/reviewed/review-hong-kong-massacre-bloody-good-time/article/3000663?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/reviewed/review-hong-kong-massacre-bloody-good-time/article/3000663?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Feb 2019 14:15:31 +0000 Some games have complicated, high-concept pitches. The Hong Kong Massacre is not one of those games. It’s the video game version of a John Woo film, taking all the slow motion dual-pistol acrobatics of Hard Boiled, and combining it with the indie gaming classic Hotline Miami. It’s a great combination, adding a heavy dose of cinematic style to Hotline Miami’s fast-paced ultraviolence. To be honest, it’s hard not to continually compare the two games, because they share so much in common. The... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029152/review-hong-kong-massacre-bloody-good-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029152/review-hong-kong-massacre-bloody-good-time?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Feb 2019 14:15:31 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS “No more yoga, no more babbling with friends!” My coworker Masha shouted that at our daughter in the game Chinese Parents, after she flunked her first exam at the age of 6. We decided that, in the coming months, the schedule of our daughter Xinmei (not this Xinmei, to be clear) should consist entirely of study sessions. Initially, I was even more single-minded, suggesting that Xinmei should only study science. But as ever, Masha was the voice of... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029148/satirical-game-chinese-parents-now-allows-you-have-daughter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029148/satirical-game-chinese-parents-now-allows-you-have-daughter?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Feb 2019 13:42:15 +0000 “No more yoga, no more babbling with friends!” My coworker Masha shouted that at our daughter in the game Chinese Parents, after she flunked her first exam at the age of 6. We decided that, in the coming months, the schedule of our daughter Xinmei (not this Xinmei, to be clear) should consist entirely of study sessions. Initially, I was even more single-minded, suggesting that Xinmei should only study science. But as ever, Masha was the voice of reason. “[She’s] also bad at English,” said Masha.... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/satirical-game-chinese-parents-now-allows-you-have-daughter/article/3000748?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/satirical-game-chinese-parents-now-allows-you-have-daughter/article/3000748?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Feb 2019 13:42:15 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS It’s almost the Lunar New Year. So let’s talk about something ominous and horrific! We've streamed the horror game Detention three times on our Twitch channel, and each time we were completely absorbed by it. It's a simple game, but still captivating. Developed by Red Candle Games, Detention puts you in control of a high school girl in the 1960s when Taiwan was under martial law. It starts with a boy named Wei meeting our protagonist Ray in their... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029139/horror-game-detention-taiwanese-silent-hill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029139/horror-game-detention-taiwanese-silent-hill?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Feb 2019 13:38:18 +0000 It’s almost the Lunar New Year. So let’s talk about something ominous and horrific! We've streamed the horror game Detention three times on our Twitch channel, and each time we were completely absorbed by it. It's a simple game, but still captivating. Developed by Red Candle Games, Detention puts you in control of a high school girl in the 1960s when Taiwan was under martial law. It starts with a boy named Wei meeting our protagonist Ray in their school, the last to evacuate from campus ahead of... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/horror-game-detention-taiwanese-silent-hill/article/3000683?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/horror-game-detention-taiwanese-silent-hill/article/3000683?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Feb 2019 13:38:18 +0000 Forget about taking down the Terminator. What if the future is about nanobots fighting viruses? In Bacterium, an action game on Steam from Dragon Whisper Game, you are a nanobot pilot in a dystopian future where bacteria and viruses have become the dominant living things on Earth. The human race is fighting against extinction. You were born into this war and have been tasked with treating infected humans by gunning down pandemic-spreading organisms in their bodies. Sounds daunting... but weirdly... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/virus-fighting-game-unpolished-gem/article/3000658?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/virus-fighting-game-unpolished-gem/article/3000658?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jan 2019 12:42:43 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Forget about taking down the Terminator. What if the future is about nanobots fighting viruses? In Bacterium, an action game on Steam from Dragon Whisper Game, you are a nanobot pilot in a dystopian future where bacteria and viruses have become the dominant living things on Earth. The human race is fighting against extinction. You were born into this war and have been tasked with treating infected humans by gunning down pandemic-spreading organisms in... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029136/virus-fighting-game-unpolished-gem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029136/virus-fighting-game-unpolished-gem?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jan 2019 12:42:43 +0000 A monk leads a god-slaying Monkey King, a lewd pig and a man-eating sand demon on a journey of redemption. That is the story of China’s classic fantasy novel Journey to the West. It’s also the blueprint for Magic Design Studios’ new 2D platformer Unruly Heroes. The game pulls off a refreshing, yet loyal, rendition of the classic. It’s an impressive feat since Journey to the West has inspired so many video games, anime and Netflix shows. (Did you know that Dragon Ball is also based on Journey to... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/unruly-heroes-tells-story-monkey-king-style-and-fun/article/3000605?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/unruly-heroes-tells-story-monkey-king-style-and-fun/article/3000605?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jan 2019 13:00:20 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS A monk leads a god-slaying Monkey King, a lewd pig and a man-eating sand demon on a journey of redemption. That is the story of China’s classic fantasy novel Journey to the West. It’s also the blueprint for Magic Design Studios’ new 2D platformer Unruly Heroes. The game pulls off a refreshing, yet loyal, rendition of the classic. It’s an impressive feat since Journey to the West has inspired so many video games, anime and Netflix shows. (Did you know... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029127/unruly-heroes-tells-story-monkey-king-style-and-fun?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029127/unruly-heroes-tells-story-monkey-king-style-and-fun?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jan 2019 13:00:20 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS What if your shadow was alive? What if you could become your shadow? If you’ve watched Naruto, you’ve seen Shikamaru’s shadow jutsu. And if you’re more of a  Game of Thrones person, you’ve seen Melisandre’s terrifying shadow assassin. Well, now you can experience what it’s like to be a shadow in Iris.Fall, a new puzzle game from Tencent's in-house developer Next Studios. You play as a little girl, Iris, who ventures into a dilapidated theatre -- much in... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029125/puzzle-game-irisfall-gorgeous-very-tedious?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029125/puzzle-game-irisfall-gorgeous-very-tedious?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jan 2019 13:42:01 +0000 What if your shadow was alive? What if you could become your shadow? If you’ve watched Naruto, you’ve seen Shikamaru’s shadow jutsu. And if you’re more of a  Game of Thrones person, you’ve seen Melisandre’s terrifying shadow assassin. Well, now you can experience what it’s like to be a shadow in Iris.Fall, a new puzzle game from Tencent's in-house developer Next Studios. You play as a little girl, Iris, who ventures into a dilapidated theatre -- much in the style of Alice’s Adventures in... https://www.scmp.com/reviewed/puzzle-game-irisfall-gorgeous-very-tedious/article/3000563?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/reviewed/puzzle-game-irisfall-gorgeous-very-tedious/article/3000563?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jan 2019 13:42:01 +0000 It’s 1992. A flickering neon light shines through the window of a seedy apartment building. Suddenly, a man bursts through the door in slow-motion, two pistols firing away at a gun-wielding figure. Every shot is accurate, and the unnamed enemy’s blood paints the room in splashes of crimson. If this sounds like a scene from the Chow Yun-fat classic Hard Boiled, well, that’s the point. Except this isn’t a movie, it’s a game. The Hong Kong Massacre, out today on PC and PlayStation 4, clearly pays... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/hong-kong-massacre-mashes-john-woo-hotline-miami/article/3000548?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/hong-kong-massacre-mashes-john-woo-hotline-miami/article/3000548?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jan 2019 14:12:11 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS It’s 1992. A flickering neon light shines through the window of a seedy apartment building. Suddenly, a man bursts through the door in slow-motion, two pistols firing away at a gun-wielding figure. Every shot is accurate, and the unnamed enemy’s blood paints the room in splashes of crimson. If this sounds like a scene from the Chow Yun-fat classic Hard Boiled, well, that’s the point. Except this isn’t a movie, it’s a game. The Hong Kong Massacre, out... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029117/hong-kong-massacre-mashes-john-woo-hotline-miami?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029117/hong-kong-massacre-mashes-john-woo-hotline-miami?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jan 2019 14:12:11 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Take Dark Souls. Add Chinese swordsmen and kung fu. What could possibly go wrong? Well... the game can be really frustrating and it has a boring story full of typos. But Bloody Spell, a Chinese action RPG on Steam Early Access, is pretty interesting -- and not just for its bizarre backstory. In Bloody Spell, you play as a swordsman who wakes up in a dungeon, trying to fight his way out. Along the way, you pick up weapons, unlock spells and battle ninjas... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029108/bloody-spell-tries-be-dark-souls-kung-fu-its-incomplete?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029108/bloody-spell-tries-be-dark-souls-kung-fu-its-incomplete?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jan 2019 13:28:34 +0000 Take Dark Souls. Add Chinese swordsmen and kung fu. What could possibly go wrong? Well... the game can be really frustrating and it has a boring story full of typos. But Bloody Spell, a Chinese action RPG on Steam Early Access, is pretty interesting -- and not just for its bizarre backstory. In Bloody Spell, you play as a swordsman who wakes up in a dungeon, trying to fight his way out. Along the way, you pick up weapons, unlock spells and battle ninjas and orcs that bizarrely look like they’re... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/bloody-spell-tries-be-dark-souls-kung-fu-its-incomplete/article/3000528?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/bloody-spell-tries-be-dark-souls-kung-fu-its-incomplete/article/3000528?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jan 2019 13:28:34 +0000 My Time at Portia a cartoony crafting game that looks a bit like a Zelda title, is set in a town named for a character from Shakespeare, and was published by Team 17, which also did Overcooked and Worms. From that description, it sounds like a Western game. Possibly European. But it’s actually from China. The sad thing is it feels like most of the deep, polished Chinese single-player games out there are wuxia games (you know, like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) -- and they’re only in Chinese,... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/miyazaki-and-zelda-combine-fun-open-world-crafting-adventure/article/3000509?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/miyazaki-and-zelda-combine-fun-open-world-crafting-adventure/article/3000509?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jan 2019 13:39:39 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS My Time at Portia a cartoony crafting game that looks a bit like a Zelda title, is set in a town named for a character from Shakespeare, and was published by Team 17, which also did Overcooked and Worms. From that description, it sounds like a Western game. Possibly European. But it’s actually from China. The sad thing is it feels like most of the deep, polished Chinese single-player games out there are wuxia games (you know, like Crouching Tiger,... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029106/miyazaki-and-zelda-combine-fun-open-world-crafting-adventure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029106/miyazaki-and-zelda-combine-fun-open-world-crafting-adventure?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jan 2019 13:39:39 +0000 Incredible Mandy's bright, colorful visuals and airy soundtrack are almost enough to convince you that it's a better game than it is. From the cel-shaded visuals and dreamlike environment, I thought this new Chinese title (developed by Dotoyou Games) might be something like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker or even Breath of the Wild. In reality, Incredible Mandy is a much more simplistic 3D puzzle platformer. But that doesn't mean it's not fun. The game puts you in an adventure on a floating... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/incredible-mandy-adventure-game-looks-classic-anime/article/3000445?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/incredible-mandy-adventure-game-looks-classic-anime/article/3000445?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jan 2019 13:21:56 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Incredible Mandy's bright, colorful visuals and airy soundtrack are almost enough to convince you that it's a better game than it is. From the cel-shaded visuals and dreamlike environment, I thought this new Chinese title (developed by Dotoyou Games) might be something like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker or even Breath of the Wild. In reality, Incredible Mandy is a much more simplistic 3D puzzle platformer. But that doesn't mean it's not fun. The... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029092/incredible-mandy-adventure-game-looks-classic-anime?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029092/incredible-mandy-adventure-game-looks-classic-anime?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jan 2019 13:21:56 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS When we first entered the world of Ink, Mountains and Mystery, it took my breath away. It’s probably the prettiest Chinese game ever made, with every frame resembling a rare landscape painting that you would only see in a world-class museum. That’s no coincidence, because this game was co-developed by NetEase and one of the world’s most visited museums: The Palace Museum at the Forbidden City in Beijing. In the game, you play as a monk who wants to be... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029086/gorgeous-game-was-made-one-worlds-most-popular-museums?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029086/gorgeous-game-was-made-one-worlds-most-popular-museums?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Jan 2019 13:18:15 +0000 When we first entered the world of Ink, Mountains and Mystery, it took my breath away. It’s probably the prettiest Chinese game ever made, with every frame resembling a rare landscape painting that you would only see in a world-class museum. That’s no coincidence, because this game was co-developed by NetEase and one of the world’s most visited museums: The Palace Museum at the Forbidden City in Beijing. In the game, you play as a monk who wants to be a great painter. At the instruction of his... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/gorgeous-game-was-made-one-worlds-most-popular-museums/article/3000411?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/gorgeous-game-was-made-one-worlds-most-popular-museums/article/3000411?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Jan 2019 13:18:15 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS With characters painted in calligraphic strokes and combat filled with splashes of ink, Bladed Fury’s watercolor-painting art style immediately drew me in. Bladed Fury is an action-adventure game, the third title from Tencent's NEXT Studios to be published on Steam. The game follows the story of an exiled Chinese princess in the Warring States period who sets out to uncover the truth after she was framed for killing her father. During her journey, she... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029085/bladed-fury-basic-stylish-action-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029085/bladed-fury-basic-stylish-action-game?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jan 2019 13:09:52 +0000 With characters painted in calligraphic strokes and combat filled with splashes of ink, Bladed Fury’s watercolor-painting art style immediately drew me in. Bladed Fury is an action-adventure game, the third title from Tencent's NEXT Studios to be published on Steam. The game follows the story of an exiled Chinese princess in the Warring States period who sets out to uncover the truth after she was framed for killing her father. During her journey, she battles an array of deities and monsters,... https://www.scmp.com/reviewed/bladed-fury-basic-stylish-action-game/article/3000397?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/reviewed/bladed-fury-basic-stylish-action-game/article/3000397?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jan 2019 13:09:52 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Tired of hiding behind bushes, crouching under rocks, scampering across wheat fields for what seems like eternity in PUBG? You might want to try NetEase’s smarpthone battle royale game Knives Out, which just added a new map that is a condensed version of Tokyo. The game has even just renamed itself Knives Out Tokyo Royale (though in fairness, it’s probably not permanent). Meet NetEase, China’s second-largest game publisher Knives Out’s rendition of... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029083/battle-royale-tokyo-knives-outs-new-map?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029083/battle-royale-tokyo-knives-outs-new-map?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jan 2019 11:19:51 +0000 Tired of hiding behind bushes, crouching under rocks, scampering across wheat fields for what seems like eternity in PUBG? You might want to try NetEase’s smarpthone battle royale game Knives Out, which just added a new map that is a condensed version of Tokyo. The game has even just renamed itself Knives Out Tokyo Royale (though in fairness, it’s probably not permanent).   Knives Out’s rendition of the city includes many Tokyo’s famous districts such as Shinjuku and Ginza as well as landmarks... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/battle-royale-tokyo-knives-outs-new-map/article/3000398?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/battle-royale-tokyo-knives-outs-new-map/article/3000398?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jan 2019 11:19:51 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Have you thought about what happens after you pluck out a body hair? Pluck it: Hairs and Emotions is a weird mobile game about, obviously, plucking hair… and experiencing emotion. Now, saying that I totally understand the connection between the two would be a lie, even after playing the game.  But many players seem to get it. The game, created by one developer alone at home, is rated 4.9 out of 5 on China’s iOS App Store out of more than 41,000 reviews.... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029081/indie-game-pluck-it-wants-you-pay-attention-your-emotions-while?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3029081/indie-game-pluck-it-wants-you-pay-attention-your-emotions-while?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jan 2019 13:09:51 +0000