Headup Games

The dark and mysterious short story 'The Fabled Woods' Opened Its Tortuous Paths on Steam

DLSS and new ray-tracing tech by NVIDIA create an outstanding narrative first person experience

25 March 2021 Together with developer CyberPunch Studios we are thrilled to announce that The Fabled Woods is out now on Steam. It is a dark and mysterious narrative short story played in the first person perspective.

The game is available now on Steam and on the Epic Games Store at a price of $14.44, €14.44 and £11.89, and includes the game's art book (called “the Notebook”) as well as its atmospheric soundtrack.

In close cooperation with NVIDIA for support in technical regards, and by the help of Pumpkin Jack's developer Nicolas Meyssonnier in terms of effects and lighting, The Fabled Woods features striking visuals and an intriguing story with many twists and turns. The use of DLSS provides for a significant performance boost enabled by NVIDIA’s recently-released Unreal Engine 4 DLSS plugin. In addition, the game features RTX Global Illumination as well as ray-traced foliage, shadows and reflections.

“Our goal was to launch the first game that can handle ray-tracing foliage with over 1 million instances and good performance." explains the developer Joe Bauer. "All the trees cast ray-traced shadows and there are ray-traced reflections in all the water you can find in the woods.”

For even more info about the game, please check the game's Community Hub on Steam, watch the new release trailer or follow The Fabled Woods on Twitter and Discord.

HEADUP PARTY SALE Now Live on Steam!

19 March 2021

Great news for all the discount hunters among your readers: We just kicked off the massive Headup PARTY SALE on Steam, bringing indie fans discounts to 99% of our whole portfolio!

Even the newest titles are reduced now; for example, the eerie 3D platformer Pumpkin Jack, the strategic zombie roguelike Dead Age 2 (both 40% off), and our first inhouse production the cheerful 16-bit sandbox adventure RPG Tinkertown with 33% off! You can find a complete discount overview below.

In connection with the sale, we also happily present five new Demos of yet unreleased games:

All discounts at a glance - enjoy:
40%   Dead Age 2
40%   Pumpkin Jack
33%   Tinkertown
77%   The Textorcist: The Story of Ray Bibbia
75%   Bridge Constructor Portal
75%   Everreach: Project Eden
75%   Outbuddies DX
75%   Silver Chains
75%   Trüberbrook
66%   The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters
40%   Bridge Constructor The Walking Dead
50%   Colt Canyon
85%   Dead Age
80%   Pixel Heroes: Byte and Magic
80%   The Inner World
80%   The Inner World Bundle
77%   Windscape
75%   Bridge Constructor Bundle
75%   Bridge Constructor Stunts
75%   Dead End Job
75%   Earth Atlantis
75%   SEUM: Speedrunners from Hell
75%   The Coma: Recut
75%   Vambrace Cold Soul
70%   Doodle Derby
66%   Slime-san: Super Slime Edition
60%   Slime-san Deluxe Edition
90%   Hero Defense
90%   Trapped Dead
90%   Trapped Dead Lockdown
90%   Trapped Dead Lockdown 4-Pack
80%   Arson & Plunder: Unleashed
80%   Bunker Constructor
80%   Deadly 30
80%   Dub Dash
80%   Fill Up!
80%   Future Wars
80%   Game Royale 2
80%   Greed Black Border
80%   Grotesque Tactics 2 Dungeons and Donuts
80%   Grotesque Tactics Complete Pack
80%   Grotesque Tactics Evil Heroes
80%   Holy Avatar Vs Maidens of the Dead
80%   Looterkings
80%   Meridian: New World
80%   Meridian: New World Contributor Pack
80%   Meridian: Squad 22
80%   Onikia - Demon Killer
80%   Onikira - Demon Killer Contributor’s Pack
80%   Onikira - Demon Killer Contributor’s Pack Up
80%   Race.a.bit
80%   Runes
80%   Shiny The Firefly
80%   Skilltree Saga
80%   Solar Shifter EX
80%   Soulcraft
80%   Sunny Hillride
80%   Super Treasure Arena
80%   Trapped Dead 4 Pack
80%   Tristoy
80%   Trulon: The Shadow Engine
75%   Bridge Constructor
75%   Bridge Constructor Medieval
75%   Bridge Constructor Playground
75%   Safety First!
75%   Super Blackjack Battle 2 Turbo Edition
70%   Viking Rage
60%   Krypt Crawler

Update your games now!
70% SEUM: The Drunk Side of the Moon DLC
60% Bridge Constructor Portal Proficiency DLC
60% Bridge Constructor Trains - Expansion Pack
60%   Slime-san: Creator DLC
60%   Slime-san: Blackbird's Kraken
60%   Slime-san: Sheeple's Sequel
40% The Coma 2: DLC Beach Bum Skin
40% The Coma 2: DLC Gamer Girl Skin
40% The Coma 2: DLC Local Celeb Skin
40% The Coma 2: DLC Mina Model Student Skin
40% The Coma 2: Mina - Locks of Love Skin
40% The Coma 2: Mina - Summer Child Skin
40% The Coma 2: Mina - Winter Princess Skin
40% The Coma 2: Mina School Bully Skin
40% The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters DLC Artbook

And for the soundtrack lovers:
80% Meridian: New World Video and OST
70% SEUM: Speedrunners From Hell OST
70% Solar Shifter EX OST
70% The Coma: Recut - OST and Art Pack
70% The Inner World OST
70% The Textorcist: OST
70% Vambrace Cold Soul OST
50% Colt Canyon OST
50% Meridian: Squad 22 - OST
50% Pixel Heroes: Byte and Magic OST
50% Slime-san Official OST
40% Cardaclysm OST
40% Dead Age 2 OST
40% The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters OST
20% Pumpkin Jack OST

https://store.steampowered.com/sale/headup-party-sale-2021
The Headup Party Sale will last until next Friday (March 26).

Happy bargain hunting and have a great weekend!
Your Team Headup

Exciting DLSS and Ray Tracing Features Announced for The Fabled Woods

17 March 2021 March 18, Cologne – In close cooperation with NVIDIA, Headup is pleased to announce significant tech enhancements for CyberPunch Studios’ upcoming adventure game The Fabled Woods for PC.

With implementing DLSS by using the Unreal Engine 4 plug ‘n’ play plugin, NVIDIA graphic cards such as the GeForce RTX 3070 and up will enable the narrative short story with maxed out settings and all ray tracing effects enabled at over 60 FPS at 3840x2160.

“Adding NVIDIA DLSS to The Fabled Woods was easy thanks to the Unreal Engine 4 plugin, and the impact it makes on performance is substantial.” adds Joe Bauer, Founder CyberPunch Studios. “With the Unreal Engine 4 plugin, adding DLSS to The Fabled Woods was a no-brainer; it really opens DLSS up to a whole new world of developers.”

Besides the performance boost in terms of FPS, The Fabled Woods also features enhanced ray-traced foliage, reflections, and shadows. Joe explains: “Our goal was to launch the first game that can handle Ray Tracing foliage with over 1 million instances and good performance. All the trees cast Ray Traced shadows and there are Ray Traced reflections in all the water you can find in the woods.” It is also the second game worldwide that uses RTX Global Illumination.

For even more info about the game’s tech, please check Joe’s detailed explanations on Steam. But first, check the all-new RTX Reveal Trailer.

Keep up to date by following The Fabled Woods on Twitter, joining the Discord channel and Steam.

Outbuddies DX, a Love Letter to Classic Metroid Games, Is Coming to PS4 in Late March

Explore a mysterious world deep below the ocean in this otherworldly Lovecraftian adventure

17 March 2021 Headup is delighted to announce that Outbuddies DX, a pixelated 2D adventure game in the spirit of the classic ‘Metroid’, is coming to PS4 on March 31. It was created by developer Julian Laufer over the course of seven years, and first released on PC. Fans of the genre can look forward to a feature-packed adventure with several hours of exploration, deadly enemies including gigantic bosses, and a helpful and ever-trustworthy robot sidekick.

Set deep in the Ocean and infested with hostile Lovecraftian creatures as well as lethal environmental hazards, you must dash, dodge, and blast through Bahlam, a danger-filled sunken fortress of the Old Gods. By deploying the robotic unit Buddy, you manipulate and scout the surroundings through hacking, scanning and telekinesis. That way you discover various ancient weapon systems and gear upgrades to battle through a gigantic sunken labyrinth. The local co-op mode allows a second player to control Buddy with an expanded tool set, perfectly suited for co-operational speed-runs.

Outbuddies DX offers a nonlinear gear-based progression system for both combat and level-layouts. Selecting weapons from the four-tier upgradeable system, as well as memorization of attack patterns and split-second reflexes are essential to stand a chance against an onslaught of unforgiving bosses and to escape Bahlam’s hostile maze. Outbuddies DX’ unique atmosphere is supported by OGRE ’s thematic soundtrack written as an ode to the 16-bit Megadrive/Genesis era.

Based on the feedback from core-speedrunners and Metroid enthusiasts since the game‘s PC release, Outbuddies DX now offers a variety of new features added to the well-received original as well as vastly improved visuals.

For more information, tune into the game’s trailer and follow Headup on Twitter or Discord for more details.

Tactical Rogue-like Zombie Survival Game Dead Age 2 Out Now on Steam and GOG

Are you ready to rebuild the world? Get ready for the zombie apocalypse with a twist!

12 March 2021 Toagther with developer Silent Dreams we proudly announce the release of tactical rogue-like Zombie survival game Dead Age 2 on Steam and GOG today.

The game is now available for $17.99, €17.99 and £14.99, with a 40% discount for the first week at $10.79, €10.79 and £8.99!

Dead Age 2 arrives with an all-new story of human survival in a world torn asunder by a terrifying zombie onslaught. Survival at its core, Dead Age 2 blends resource management and role-playing with elements of rogue-like gameplay and turn based combat. Exploring through a land of horrors, every decision made on resource management and combat engagement will ultimately lead to one of six unique endings.

New features, including an all-new story, and a new free-to-explore open-world map with over 80 locations were added to the game. The base is now upgradeable in 3D, with the introduction of new vehicles and an advanced combat system designed to satisfy your zombie smashing cravings.

Check out the official Steam or GOG page, the Discord channel or Headup’s Twitter page. Tweets are much appreciated!

Dead Age 2: Tactical Rogue-like Survival Horror, Fully Released on PC March 12

The zombie apocalypse is here! Get ready to fight, survive, and rebuild the world

04 March 2021

Headup and developer Silent Dreams proudly announce the full release of Dead Age 2 for Steam and GOG on March 12, 2021.

Back in 2016, Dead Age brought something new to the horror genre: it combined turn-based combat with survival management, and a non-linear narrative with rogue-like elements in a sinister horror setting. The game quickly gained huge active fans on Steam who wished to see more of the game.

Four years later, in July 2020, its sequel, Dead Age 2, was launched into Early Access with many new features, including a complex combat system requiring a more strategic approach. Thrilling survival and exploration possibilities have expanded with a larger map and over 80 locations, offering an open world feel while remaining compact. A new base, this time in 3D, will still be the center of events.

Multiple factions exist within the game to fight or trade with, and to receive requests for quests. Successful completions will improve standing with their faction leaders. Dead Age 2 plays like an RPG, with numerous quests and different outcomes based on each decision.

Thanks to the many active players with their helpful feedback (thank you, community!), the game has improved over the past nine months with general polishing and bug fixes, and some exciting new features revealed today:

Threat barometer: Areas can now be pacified with several social events
Companions can be healed
Level-ups now with manual adjustment of attributes
Upgrades can be reset at any time
The tutorials were shortened and are now skippable
Additional pretty portrait models for the main character
Additional helmets for customization

Dead Age 2 will be fully released on Steam and GOG for PC, Mac and Linux on March 12, 2021 for $17.99, €17.99 and £14.99 with a discount at launch.

Check out the official Steam page, its Discord channel or Headup’s Twitter page.

Single Player Card Combat RPG, Cardaclysm: Shards of the Four, Officially Releases on Steam Today

26 February 2021 We are are pleased to announce the official release of Cardaclysm: Shards of the Four on Steam for $14.99 / €14.99 / £11.99. To mark the official release, the game is available with 40% discount for the first 7 days.

Initially launched in Early Access last July, the full release unlocks the ferocious final boss, a new deathly realm, and end game content. The official release completes the game with all remaining cards and artifacts gained through hard-won battles to defeat the final boss.

Cardaclysm: Shards of the Four is a procedurally generated collectible card game with action RPG elements. Tinkering with magic and spells beyond his ability, a dark wizard accidentally unleashes The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and their minions. The only way to send them back to the fiery pit from whence they came is by battling with 240+ cards and 40 artifacts.

In the final chapter of the game, players must fight brutal creatures called “Agents of Death” at every corner. An Agent of Death is a new enemy type appearing for the first time with its own keywords. Only those who win enough keys are allowed to enter the final realm and face the ultimate boss: Death himself.

Cardaclysm: Shard of the Four is available in English, French, German, Russian, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese. The game will launch on other platforms later this year.

Check it out: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1252710/Cardaclysm

Spooky 3D Platformer Pumpkin Jack Out Now on PS4

Get it now and enjoy an eerie yet diversified adventure!

24 February 2021 The dazzlingly spooky 3D platformer Pumpkin Jack is available now on the PlayStation®Store, playable on PS4 and PS5.

The price for the scratch to everyone's 3D platformer itch is $29.99, €29.99 and £24.99. You can also get the soundtrack, it is available for several digital platforms, all listed here on ffm.to.

Pumpkin Jack is set in a dazzlingly eerie world – just imagine a mashup of Jak & Daxter and MediEvil made with Unreal Engine 4. Even though it was created by just one single developer, Nicolas Meyssonier, the 3D platformer features a hair-raising array of gameplay mechanics providing an entertaining playtime of 5-8 hours (one run).

Playing as Jack, you overcome tight platform sections, solve riddles (literally!) with your head, run for your life to escape giant burning barns, ride mine carts (in a classic roller coaster-ish manner of course…) and much more – and yes, using an varied arsenal of weapons you’ll fight lots and lots of foes, from small weak ones up to huge bosses all of which will test your skills.

For honoring him for this astonishing achievement feel free leave a "thumbs up" at the Release Trailer and join him on Discord or Twitter!