Untold Tales (Nintendo Switch, Xbox)"},"platforms":{"wt":"{{ubl|[[Microsoft Windows]]|[[PlayStation 4]]|[[Nintendo Switch]]|[[Xbox One]]|[[Xbox Series X/S]]}}"},"genre":{"wt":"[[Top-down shooter]]"},"released":{"wt":"{{ubl|'''Microsoft Windows:'''|January 22, 2019{{cite web|url=https://gematsu.com/2019/01/the-hong-kong-massacre-launches-january-22|title=The Hong Kong Massacre launches January 22|last=Romano|first=Sal|work=Gematsu|date=January 17, 2019|accessdate=May 21, 2019|archive-date=January 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190117172642/https://gematsu.com/2019/01/the-hong-kong-massacre-launches-january-22|url-status=live}}|'''PlayStation 4:'''|January 29, 2019{{cite web|url=https://blog.us.playstation.com/2019/01/25/the-drop-new-playstation-games-for-january-29-2019/|title=The Drop: New PlayStation Games for January 29, 2019|last=Turi|first=Tim|work=[[PlayStation]]|date=January 25, 2019|accessdate=May 21, 2019|archive-date=March 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308022728/https://blog.us.playstation.com/2019/01/25/the-drop-new-playstation-games-for-january-29-2019/|url-status=live}}|'''Nintendo Switch:'''|December 26, 2020{{cite web|url=https://nintendoeverything.com/untold-tales-putting-the-hong-kong-massacre-beautiful-desolation-on-switch/|title=Untold Tales putting The Hong Kong Massacre, Beautiful Desolation on Switch|website=Nintendo Everything|date=September 29, 2020|accessdate=September 29, 2020|archive-date=October 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022160219/https://nintendoeverything.com/untold-tales-putting-the-hong-kong-massacre-beautiful-desolation-on-switch/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2020/12/the-hong-kong-massacre-for-switch-launches-december-26|title=The Hong Kong Massacre for Switch launches December 26|website=Gematsu|date=December 14, 2020|accessdate=December 14, 2020|last=Romano|first=Sal|archive-date=December 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214171537/https://www.gematsu.com/2020/12/the-hong-kong-massacre-for-switch-launches-december-26|url-status=live}}|'''Xbox One, Series X/S:'''|June 7, 2024}}"},"modes":{"wt":"[[Single-player video game|Single-player]]"},"engine":{"wt":"[[Unity (game engine)|Unity]]"}},"i":0}}]}" id="mwBw">2019 video game
The Hong Kong Massacre | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Developer(s) | Vreski |
Publisher(s) | Vreski (Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4) Untold Tales (Nintendo Switch, Xbox) |
Engine | Unity |
Platform(s) | |
Release | |
Genre(s) | Top-down shooter |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
The Hong Kong Massacre is a top-down shooter video game developed and published by Vreski for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4 in January 2019, and for Nintendo Switch in December 2020. It is the first game to be developed by the studio. Set in 1990s Hong Kong, the game follows a former police detective as he sets out to exact revenge against the Triad for the death of his partner.
Inspired by classic action movies such as those of John Woo as well as other video games like Hotline Miami and Max Payne , [5] [6] The Hong Kong Massacre is a top-down shooter in which the player character will die by being shot only once. [7] As a balance measure, the game features a number of special abilities, such as a slow-motion system, a dive/dodge which renders the player invincible for a small amount of time as well as weapon upgrades. [8]
The story of the game is told through a series of conversations and cutscenes, with each of the 35 levels serving as a flashback. [9] At the beginning of each level, the player can choose to equip one of four guns available: pistol, rifle, SMG or shotgun. They must then enter the level and kill all enemies inside it in order to progress to the next level. [10] Visually, the game is reminiscent of Hong Kong action films, including locations such as ruined buildings, kitchens, back alleys, rooftops and abandoned restaurants. [11]
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
Metacritic | PC: 68/100 [12] PS4: 71/100 [13] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Destructoid | 6/10 [11] |
GameSpot | 7/10 [10] |
IGN | 7.9/10 [9] |
Nintendo Life | 6/10 [14] |
Push Square | 4/10 [15] |
According to review aggregator Metacritic, The Hong Kong Massacre has received "mixed or average reviews". [12] [13]
Although the game was praised for its intense action and for its emulation of classic action movies, it was criticized for the lack of variety in gameplay and challenges and for quickly becoming repetitive. [12] [13]
In an interview with SlashFilm , director Chad Stahelski said a climactic shootout scene in John Wick: Chapter 4 was directly inspired by The Hong Kong Massacre gameplay. [16]
Crystar is an action role-playing game developed by Gemdrops and published by FuRyu. The game was released for PlayStation 4 in October 2018 in Japan, and internationally by Spike Chunsoft in August 2019 with an additional Microsoft Windows version. A port for the Nintendo Switch was released in Japan in February 2022, and worldwide by NIS America later that year.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a 2014 platform game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii U console. The fifth installment in the Donkey Kong Country series, Tropical Freeze is a direct sequel to the 2010 Wii game Donkey Kong Country Returns and was released in February 2014. An enhanced port for the Nintendo Switch was released in May 2018.
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is a 2015 top-down shooter video game developed by Dennaton Games and published by Devolver Digital. The game takes place before, during, and after the events of Hotline Miami (2012), focusing on the background and aftermath of the massacres committed against the Russian mafia in Miami by Jacket, the protagonist of the previous game. The player takes on the role of several different characters during the game, witnessing the events from different perspectives across the United States. In each level of the game, the player is tasked with defeating every enemy through any means possible. In the version of the game released on Steam, the player has access to a level editor, allowing them to create and share custom levels with other players.
In the video game industry during 2019, both Sony and Microsoft announced their intent to reveal their next-generation consoles in 2020, while Nintendo introduced a smaller Nintendo Switch Lite, and Google announced its streaming game platform Stadia. The controversy over loot boxes as a potential gambling route continued into 2019, with some governments like Belgium and the Netherlands banning games with them under their gambling laws, while the United Kingdom acknowledging their current laws prevent enforcing these as if they were games of chance. The first video cards to support real-time ray tracing were put onto the consumer market, including the first set of games that would take advantage of the new technology. The Epic Games Store continued its growth in challenging the largest digital PC game distribution service Steam, leading to concern and debate about Epic Games' methods to seek games for its service. Dota Auto Chess, a community-created mod for Dota 2, introduced a new subgenre of strategy games called auto battlers, which saw several games in the genre released throughout the year. Blizzard Entertainment faced criticism due to their involvement in the Blitzchung controversy, which began after they had banned a Hearthstone player for making comments during a tournament regarding the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests.
Tropico 6 is a construction, management and political simulation game in the Tropico series, developed by Limbic Entertainment, published by Kalypso Media, and announced at E3 2017. Originally intended for a 2018 release, Tropico 6 was released on Microsoft Windows, macOS and Linux in March 2019, and for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in September 2019. It was released for the Nintendo Switch in November 2020, and on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in March 2022.
Katana Zero is a 2019 platform game created by the indie developer Justin Stander. Set in a dystopian metropolis, the neo-noir storyline follows Subject Zero, a katana-wielding assassin with amnesia who can slow down time and predict the future. Zero unravels his past while completing assassination contracts. Katana Zero features side-scrolling hack-and-slash gameplay in which the player attempts to kill all enemies in a level without being hit, using Zero's abilities to manipulate time, dodge attacks, and take advantage of environmental hazards. In between levels, the story is told in sequences where the player converses with non-player characters through dialogue trees.
Attack on Titan 2, known in PAL regions as A.O.T. 2, is an action hack and slash video game based on Hajime Isayama's manga series of the same name released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Windows, Xbox One, and Stadia.
In the video game industry, 2020 saw the launch of the next generation of video game consoles, with both Microsoft and Sony Interactive Entertainment having released the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 consoles, respectively, in November 2020. The industry was heavily affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which had begun in March and was characterized by COVID-19 lockdowns and remote work. While this caused numerous delays in software and hardware releases and the cancellation of live conferences and events in favor of virtual shows, it also created a boom for the industry as people turned to gaming as a means to pass the time. The industry also reacted to various political/cultural events.
My Hero One's Justice, known in Japan as My Hero Academia: One's Justice, is a 2018 fighting game developed by Byking and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. The game is based on the manga series My Hero Academia by Kōhei Horikoshi.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is a 2019 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom. A part of the Ys series, it was released for the PlayStation 4 in Japan in September 2019 and worldwide by NIS America in February 2021. The game received additional releases for Windows, Nintendo Switch and Stadia in July 2021, and PlayStation 5 in May 2023. Ys IX received generally positive reviews from critics.
Fallen Legion is a role-playing video game series developed by Indonesian studio Mintsphere and YummyYummyTummy. The games are a series of action-based sidescrolling RPGs in the style of traditional JRPGs.
Persona 5 Strikers is an action role-playing game developed by Omega Force and P-Studio and published by Atlus. The game is a crossover between Koei Tecmo's Dynasty Warriors franchise and the Persona series developed by Atlus. The game's narrative is set half a year after the events of Persona 5, and follows Joker and the rest of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts as they investigate a series of mysterious events involving people across Japan.
John Wick Hex is a 2019 tactical role-playing game developed by Bithell Games and published by Good Shepherd Entertainment based on the John Wick franchise. It was released on 8 October 2019 for macOS and Windows. The PlayStation 4 port of the game released on 5 May 2020. The Nintendo Switch and Xbox One ports of the game were released on 4 December 2020. The game serves as a narrative prequel to the film series.
Doraemon Story of Seasons is a 2019 farming simulation role-playing video game developed by Brownies and Marvelous and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for Nintendo Switch and Windows. It is a crossover of the Story of Seasons video game series and the Doraemon franchise. The title's release marks the first release of a Doraemon video game to international audiences.
The Touryst is an action-adventure puzzle game developed and published by Shin'en Multimedia. It was announced during Nintendo's Indie World stream on August 19, 2019 and was released on November 21, 2019 for Nintendo Switch and July 30, 2020 for Windows and Xbox One. An enhanced version of the game released for Xbox Series X/S as a launch title on November 10, 2020. The art style is blocky and makes use of voxel art techniques. The game uses a custom engine developed by Shin'en, which allows the game to deliver high-fidelity graphical effects while still maintaining a smooth framerate. The game was voted as one of the four most loved eShop games of 2019. The PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions were released on September 9, 2021.
Worms Rumble is a 2020 action game developed and published by Team17. As a spin-off of the long-running Worms series, the game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in December 2020 and for the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in June 2021.
Bayonetta is a urban fantasy action-adventure video game franchise created by Hideki Kamiya. It is developed by PlatinumGames, owned by Sega, and currently published by Nintendo. The franchise was introduced in 2009 with Bayonetta, which was followed by two sequels, Bayonetta 2 (2014) and Bayonetta 3 (2022), as well as a spinoff, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon (2023). The games follow the titular character, a witch who wields dual pistols, shooters in her high heels, and long, magically transforming hair which becomes a supernatural weapon.
Capcom Arcade Stadium is an arcade video game compilation by Capcom. It includes 32 arcade games originally published by Capcom between 1984 and 2001. The compilation was initially released on Nintendo Switch in February 2021, then on PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in May 2021, and Amazon Luna in May 2022.
Gensou SkyDrift is a racing Touhou Project fangame developed in 2019 by illuCalab for Microsoft Windows and Nintendo Switch, by a development team who had previously worked on Mario Kart 8. In 2021, it was released for PlayStation 4.
Eastasiasoft Limited is an independent game developer and video game publisher headquartered in Hong Kong, specializing in indie video games and niche media. Eastasiasoft was founded in 2007 as a digital publisher before branching out to publishing physical games in 2016. The company publishes digital and physical versions of games for Windows, MacOS, SteamOS, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, and Nintendo Switch.