Kill, Die, Learn, Repeat – Dead Cells Coming To Apple TV

In yesterday’s post I teased that something exciting was coming to Apple TV.

Dead Cells? Excited? ATVG is.

The vast majority of Apple TV games are of course ports of iOS games, and while there are some quality titles among them, the hardware is capable of more. A big flatscreen, controller in hand, and some processing power makes for a console, and deep down, I think Apple TV gamers are really wanting more gaming experiences that validate the console they know they already own.

Way back in 2017, Xander Davis of Astrogun told ATVG, “…there’s actually little difference with what you can do on an Apple TV versus a PS4, except for horsepower (and the gap is closing), at this point.”

Also, mobile hardware has some ridiculous horsepower under the hood, and thankfully, some studios when bringing console titles to iOS have gone the extra mile and added in tvOS and MFi controller support.

Such is the case with publisher Playdigious. Having already brought the excellent Teslagrad from Rain Games to Apple TV, the team will next publish French developer Motion Twin’s rogue-lite, metroidvania, action-platformer – Dead Cells.

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PS4 and Xbox One Controller Support Coming To Apple TV – Just In Time For Apple Arcade

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And with that little bombshell, dropped onstage by Apple CEO Tim Cook at yesterday’s WWDC 2019 keynote, the puzzle pieces continue to fall into place for Apple Arcade.

Just over two years ago, prior to WWDC 2017, I asked developers what they would like to see announced for Apple TV in relation to gaming, and the common thread was an Apple-designed controller.

Two years on, following yesterday’s announcement, those developers didn’t quite get what they wanted, but maybe they got what they needed.

Mash that continue button for more.

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Steam Link – Apple TV’s Current Number One Free Game Is Not A Game

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Surprised? Me neither.

An app that turns your Apple TV into a portal for games purchased through Valve’s digital storefront, was always destined for that number one spot. And not much more than 24 hours after the Steam Link app became available too. Sneaking in front of Crossy Roads and Real Racing 3, Steam Link shot straight to number one with a bullet.

ATVG has had mixed feelings regarding the Steam Link app ever since it was announced this time last year. At first I was excited.

Then Apple rejected it, and I was not excited.

Developer Björn Larsson of Legendo Entertainment then helped me to see the flip side, and I thought, hmmm, maybe Apple was right to reject it.

Apple then finally decided to comment on the whole saga.

And now that it’s out, how do I feel?

Optimistic.

Continue reading “Steam Link – Apple TV’s Current Number One Free Game Is Not A Game” →

Voice Actor Behind Final Fantasy XV’s Noctis To Play Oceanhorn 2 Villain

Despite all the emo-boy-band-on-a-road-trip jokes, Final Fantasy XV was a solid addition to the decades-old JRPG series.

I’ve never been one to get much into crafting in RPGs, but discovering new recipes to rustle up around the campfire was a treat, as was the more immediate, action-based combat that hid subtle layers of depth.

A third strength behind FFXV’s success was its quality voice acting. Ever since Final Fantasy X, vocals have been a key element in connecting the player to Square Enix’s stories, and the voice acting in XV hit a high-water mark for the series.

Earlier this week, studio Cornfox & Bros. revealed the actor behind FFXV’s Noctis – Ray Chase – will voice the villain Mesmeroth in its upcoming JRPG, Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm.

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Make Some Noise If You’d Like The Doom, Wolfenstein And Quake Series On Apple TV

iOS gaming site Toucharcade issued a call to arms for a worthy cause on the weekend.

Tom Kidd – self-described on his website as a “mobile developer for a boring old business firm” – has successfully ported almost all of id Software’s iconic DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein series of shooters to Apple TV, complete with controller support.

Sweet.

The catch however, is that Kidd can’t sell his ports to you and I via the App Store, as he doesn’t own the rights to id’s games.

That’s why the noise and call to arms – with a healthy pinch of wishful thinking and optimism – are needed.

Mash the continue button below for more.

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Everything ATVG Knows About Apple Arcade So Far

Update 2: This article has since been superseded (although you’re more than welcome to still read it!) since Apple’s September 2019 event. For the very latest news on Apple Arcade, including a release date, pricing, and a HUGE list of games coming to the service, head over to this article right here.

Update: Since posting this story, Apple has since revealed compatibility for PS4 and Xbox One controllers coming via an update later in 2019. This of course, is an important piece of the Apple Arcade puzzle, and you can read ATVG’s full story right here.

Original story:

Welcome back Apple TV gamers. What a week.

Admittedly, 2019 got off to a slow start.

After posting a couple of stories in early January – a Four Fats retrospective, and another Oceanhorn 2 reveal – things went quiet, as did ATVG.

Sure, there were the usual suspects cranking out some quality content-updates for games such as Shadowgun Legends, Real Racing 3 and Trials: Frontier, but other than that, there was very little in the way of new game releases. So ATVG hibernated.

Snakebird Primer is a nice little puzzle game to toy around with via the Siri Remote, but unless ATVG missed something, there hasn’t been much else. (Please let us know if you’re mileage varied)

And then March 25 happened, and it looks like Apple TV gaming might be born again.

Hello Apple Arcade.

Hit the continue button below to learn everything ATVG knows.

Continue reading “Everything ATVG Knows About Apple Arcade So Far” →

Oceanhorn 2’s Main Characters Revealed

If site traffic is anything to go by (and it is), then many of you out there in Internet-land are waiting very keenly for Oceanhorn 2 – the upcoming JRPG from Cornfox & Bros. Anytime ATVG posts news of its development, traffic flows. And from what’s been revealed so far, that high level of anticipation is definitely warranted.

While iOS is so far the only confirmed day-one release platform, ATVG reached out in 2018 to the studio and received an encouraging reply:

“I’m personally quite convinced that we will eventually cover the same platforms as we did with Oceanhorn 1, tvOS (Apple TV) of course being one of the main platforms,” wrote Cornfox’s Antti Viljamaa.

So with optimism, ATVG continues to keep a keen eye on developments, even making room for the sequel in our Most Anticipated Apple TV Games of 2019.

This week Cornfox & Bros. unveiled lots of juicy info outlining Oceanhorn 2’s three main characters, who will make up your adventuring party. A little of their backstories were revealed, and a few hints at the weapons and abilities they’ll contribute to proceedings, giving a glimpse at how they might work together to save Arcadia.

So let’s dig in.
Continue reading “Oceanhorn 2’s Main Characters Revealed” →

A History Of Four Fats’ Games In 10 Minutes

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After receiving word from studio Four Fats late last year that Blackmoor 2 would probably/definitely be coming to Apple TV, I promptly disregarded the probably part and locked it in as a definite. ATVG is optimistic like that.

In fact I was so confident I included it in ATVG’s Most Anticipated Apple TV Games of 2019 list.

The pressure’s on Four Fats. Don’t leave me hanging.

But while we wait patiently for the sequel to hit Apple TV, now is a great time to play catch-up. If you own an Apple TV, a compatible controller, and you haven’t yet discovered the games of Four Fats, then you’re in for a treat, as the studio has quite a presence on the platform.

Simon from Four Fats this week released an informative 10 minute video showcasing the team’s games from 2011 to 2018, and happy days, a bunch of them are available for your little black box.

For those who are already aware of the studio’s catalogue, it’s worth a viewing to learn some interesting tidbits you probably weren’t aware of. Girls v. Bears anyone?

Continue reading “A History Of Four Fats’ Games In 10 Minutes” →

ATVG’s Top Ten Most Clicked-On Posts Of 2018

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Holding up this mirror once a year to show the beast its true face tells a large part of Apple TV gaming’s story for 2018, but not the whole story.

The rest can be found between the lines; partly in the stories you think will turn up on these lists but don’t – such as the Steam Link app saga – and partly in the stories you know definitely won’t, such as my From The ATVG Bunker posts.

For me, and many other games writers, those least-viewed posts are often the most interesting, to both read and to write. And then of course those least-viewed posts leave us wondering why.

All that being said, I love you Internet, and I find these most clicked-on lists a fascinating snapshot of the status quo. And hey, as these very lists prove, readers love a good list.

Long time readers will see some familiar stories making an encore appearance, having also turned up in 2017’s most clicked-on list.

Right then. Following on from the Best Apple TV Games of 2018, the 2018 Apple TV Game of the Year, and the Most Anticipated Apple TV Games of 2019, let’s give that rearview mirror some perspective, and click the continue button below to check out ATVG’s Top Ten Most Clicked-On Posts of 2018.
Continue reading “ATVG’s Top Ten Most Clicked-On Posts Of 2018” →

Gone Fishing: The Apple TV Gaming Blog Will Return In 2019

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Okay folks, you’re on your own. The lists have been listed. ATVG has done what it can for 2018.

Anything interesting that gets missed between now and when ATVG returns in 2019 will be covered in a news roundup. If anything extremely miraculous or weird should happen, then I’ll rouse myself from hibernation and post something about it. Promise.

Otherwise, you’ll have to look after yourselves for a bit.

The last week has seen some notable holiday-themed updates to some excellent games, with PAKO Forever getting five new cars and a winter theme, Asphalt 8 getting an entirely new Transylvania track, and Rayman Adventures seeing some new… adventures.

ATVG received an email from studio MythicOwl last night with the news that beautiful looking puzzler Hexologic is out now on Apple TV. If you’re into sudoku and picross-style puzzles, Hexologic might be a nice game to add to your big screen, with these sorts of titles tending to work well with the touch interface of the Siri Remote. Unfortunately, ATVG received the news just as I was wrapping up the site for a few weeks, but I’ll dive in over the break and lodge a full report on returning in 2019. It looks nice.

In other, more Christmas-related news, Alberto Betalla reached out a little while back with a very small little title developed at a game jam, called Droppin’ Santa. His email was hilarious as it was addressed directly from Santa, which made me laugh, and while there really isn’t much to get into – it’s really a small demo rather than a fully fledged title – I wanted to let you all know about it, being Christmas and all. Hopefully Betalla stays in touch as he makes more games. I’d love some more emails from Santa.

For those of you unwrapping a shiny new Apple TV as you’re reading this, be sure to check out ATVG’s Best Apple TV Games of 2018, and of course the Game of the Year. Once you’re done, head into the future for a look at some exciting titles due to land in 2019.

There’s a lot to look forward to.

While not without its challenges, it’s been a fun year, and I wish you all a Merry this and a Happy that, regardless of the God, Gods, or Demonic Overlord that you pledge your allegiance to.

Thank you all so much for reading the words I commit to your screens, and the kind messages you send. It’s humbling, and makes the site all the more worthwhile continuing.

Cheers, and of course Happy Gaming.

(and almost forgot, safe planes and good whisky)

The Apple TV Gaming Blog

Tag: AppleTVGaming