Dragon's Dogma anime looking slick in its debut trailer
Netflix has released the debut trailer for its upcoming anime adaptation of Capcom's celebrated series, Dragon's Dogma, which will premiere on the streaming service from September 17.
Dragon's Dogma will tell the story of warrior Ethan, whose heart was stolen in battle by a fearsome dragon, leaving him to wander the world as an "Arisen", living in a perpetual limbo state between life and death. Ethan, along with comrade Hannah and other allies, must battle an army of vicious dragons - representing the Seven Deadly Sins - if he is to confront his nemesis and find his eternal peace.
If there's one thing that anime has proven most adept at, it's gathering together a gaggle of doe-eyed, sexually-charged women and tossing them into a mixer with a random sport, occupation, or hobby, usually creating a successful multi-media franchise in the process. Kandagawa Jet Girls is no exception.
Launching as a TNK-produced anime series in the fall of 2019, Kandagawa Jet Girls is a brand still very much in its infancy, having not yet quite developed the full range of movies, toys, OVAs, manga, and body pillows that often spawn from such franchises. It does have its first video game, however, which launched in Japan in January, courtesy of Senran Kagura publisher Marvelous.
Still, the appeal of anime is not strictly limited to the borders of Japan, and so Xseed Games has taken upon itself to localise this all-women's jet-ski extravaganza for cheesecake fans over on the western shores. So slap on some sunscreen, put on your best swimsuit, and let's dive into the action.
Oh, and a warning to the first four rows: You Will Get Wet.
Destructoid's So You Think You Can Stream finale is tonight! Tune in at 8:30PM ET
Update: Head on over to our Twitch channel at 8:30PM EST to watch all of the action!
Back in June, we hosted our first ever So You Think You Can Stream contest, sponsored by G-Fuel and Luminosity. We got to see a lot of talented individuals, and a couple of impeccably sexy faces from the Destructoid community, compete to win $5,000. Not only was it a huge success, but it was also just a genuinely fun time for a lot of the folks involved.
Well, as soon as that contest drew to a close, we decided that we should make an even bigger and better one happen in the very near future. Starting on August 2, that contest will be underway, and we hope to see as many folks from the Destructoid community check it out!
After listening to a lot of audience and streamer feedback, we've decided to make a few changes to the format for our second contest.
During the initial So You Think You Can Stream contest, entrants had twenty minutes to demonstrate their talents as Twitch streamers to the Destructoid community and Dreezy, one of our two resident streamers. They were then ranked both on skill and style points – essentially, how good they were at the game, and how entertaining they were.
From there, the top three, and a personality voted for by the community, battled it out for that top spot.
Here's a few of the changes that we've made for our second contest:
First off, we're cutting out the skill points category for voting. Folks will now be ranked entirely on how stylish they are. What counts as stylish, you might be asking? That's simple! It's a measure of how entertaining you are. Are you adept at coming up with amusing puns on the spot? Do you have a kickass lighting setup? Are you just downright fun to chat with? These could all count towards those sweet, sweet style points.
Then there's a couple of changes to the tournament structure, itself.
For the first round in this tournament, entrants will have ten minutes to impress us (and Dreezy) with their personalities while they play any game of their choosing. Heck, even Old School RuneScape would be valid here. The one caveat is that the game must be appropriate to stream on Twitch. Apologies to anyone who wanted to stream Nekopara, but this means that you'll need to uninstall that 18+ patch.
During the second round, there'll be three judges selected by Destructoid instead of just Dreezy. Only the top twelve contestants from round one will move over to this stage of the competition.
During both of these rounds, community members will still be able to vote alongside Dreezy and the other judges and, like the initial tournament, results will be pooled to determine who moves on to the next round.
Community picks, too, will still be totally in effect. And neither Dreezy nor any other non-audience judge will be able to impact who moves on to that final round.
Oh, and I guess there is the most obvious change: the prize is now $10,000 instead of $5,000.
Alongside this wonderful cash prize, the winner will be fast-tracked to the top 32 during Luminosity Gaming's upcoming Rising Stars tournament, where they can battle it out to win $100,000 and a one-year contract with these esports titans! This opportunity would have been offered as a prize to the winner of our previous So You Think You Can Stream contest, RockyNoHands, but his performance was just so impressive that he was signed up with the organisation pretty much immediately.
Contest: Win an EPOS GSP 601 or 602 Pro Gaming Headset
In today's contest you can win an EPOS | SENNHEISER GSP 601 or 602 Pro Gaming Headset, courtesy of EPOS!
Here at Dtoid we're all about giving things away, and let me tell ya, folks -- today we have a doozy!
EPOS just launched a new line of their GSP Pro Gaming Headset series, the 601 and 602. These babies retail for $219 USD, but we've got you covered by giving away one of each for free!
Wholesome Snack indie game showcase set for August 25
With far too many streaming presentations competing for our limited attention this summer and many of them falling short of expectations, it's been tiring, but I have to give props to the team behind the Wholesome Direct. The crew pulled off a pretty darn good event, especially for a first-time effort.
They're highlighting even more good-natured indie games at 10:00 a.m. Pacific on August 25, 2020.
This next showcase is a mini version of the Direct called a Wholesome Snack. How darling!
Keeping expectations in check – a must for any showcase – the team says it'll share a "bite-sized look at some of the most exciting wholesome indie games, including two brand new game announcements."
If you missed the first Wholesome stream in May, it's not too late. The games are still relevant today.
@_wholesomegames [Twitter]
Fall Guys now has inverted camera controls and evenly split team games
Careful camera control can be the difference between life and death* in Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, especially in rounds like Roll Out, Jump Club, and Slime Climb where visibility is everything.
If you're the kind of person who prefers inverted controls, you're in luck. Update 1.06 added camera sensitivity options and an invert setting, both of which are in the far-right tab on the main menu. Our own Darren Nakamura complained about this omission on PS4; around 20 of you backed him up.
Here are the other bullet points in the 1.1GB update:
- Tweaked round selection algorithm to select a Team game only if the team sizes can be equal. [Update: it's coming tomorrow instead]
- Slime Climb: players can no longer grab some of the moving obstacles.
- Jump Showdown: changed geometry to prevent a gameplay exploit.
- Jump Showdown: fixed camera auto-panning.
- Improved in-game Store purchase dialog to avoid accidental selections.
- Addressed the top five most frequent crashes.
- Visual fixes to some of the outfits.
- [PS4 Only] Improved UI performance on non-Pro PS4 models.
- Added option to change the Jump button binding for Japan.
- Trophy/Achievement names and descriptions are now correctly displayed in all supported languages.
- Removed move speed nerf from Yellow Team (Don't post this one)
Another planned feature – prioritizing Party members over randos when you're kicked to the spectator mode – is waiting until the next update, but it's coming. Brett brought this mild annoyance to my attention after we played a few rounds together and I haven't been able to shake it since. Good stuff.
I did that thing again where I let crowns burn a hole in my pocket. I can't afford the Peabody outfit.
*Do the beans die when they plummet off the map? Is this a Valhalla sorta deal? What does the slime taste like?
I can't wait to play as Batgirl in Gotham Knights
DC FanDome was quite the fun showcase of all things DC Comics despite being just a glorified Zoom call. There were a lot of great trailers for upcoming movies, some exciting comic book news, and the reveals of what will hopefully be two awesome games. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League may have the pedigree behind it with its developer but Gotham Knights is giving something I've wanted for a very long time: a massive action-adventure game where I can play as my main squeeze Batgirl.
That's just one of the topics on this episode of Podtoid. Charlotte, Chris, Dan, CJ, and Occams are here to talk superhero games, The Batman, delicious snowfall, Bury Me, My Love, 13 Sentinels, and Fast & Furious: Crossroads. All that, plus CJ fails basic high school Spanish, in Podtoid Episode 456.
Gollum is a stealth parkour game that's (mostly) non-combat
No real surprise here but Daedalic's Lord of the Rings: Gollum game isn't going to end with Sméagol sitting atop a pile of bodies. Video games often skew toward power fantasies, but Daedalic's being respectful of Tolkien's lore. The feeble, frail Gollum isn't going to murder every orc in Middle-earth in pursuit of his precious.
IGN talked with Daedalic recently about exactly what kind of game Gollum aims to be. Lead designer Martin Wilkes says "The game mixes stealth with vertical climbing parkour." For a point of reference, Wilkes likened it to Prince of Persia but without the combat. Gollum has the ability to stealthily dispose of enemies but it sounds like his underwhelming stature will come into play. Wilkes emphasizes that engaging any enemy will "always come with big risks."
As for the structure of Gollum, Daedalic has landed on something that's best described as a series of levels and hubs. Gollum will arrive in a new area, and then it's up to the player to eventually open up all the locations within the new level. It's a lot of puzzle-solving and pathfinding, and sometimes there are multiple ways to accomplish the same goal.
That's half the game. The other half is narrative-focused and has the player making decisions between the opposing Sméagol and Gollum personalities. The developer states the obvious by saying the two sides have conflicting goals, but was unwilling to talk about how choices affect what plays out.
Lord of the Rings: Gollum is scheduled to arrive on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X next year but we're yet to see any gameplay. Although the revelation it's a vertical platformer with cinematic emphasis on Middle-earth's vistas has me more interested than before.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum Is a 'Prince of Persia-Like' Stealth Game With a Branching Narrative [IGN]
Serious Sam: The First Encounter is free to keep on GOG
While next month's Serious Sam 4 is potentially on your mind, it's worth popping over to GOG to claim a free copy of the original 2001 FPS. You'll find a giveaway banner near the middle of the main page.
Serious Sam: The First Encounter is dated in a lot of ways, but there's a certain everlasting charm to a game like this, especially if you're only looking to breeze through a few levels for old times' sake. Get in, blast the monstrous hordes to bits, and get out – it doesn't have to be any more complicated than that.
The freebie is part of a wider Harvest sale on GOG. It's being offered until August 26 at 6:00 a.m. Pacific.
While we're in the circle-strafing mood, it's worth watching Ars Technica's War Stories video on Serious Sam with Croteam founder Davor Hunski. It's such a digestible format for a behind-the-scenes show.
Marvel's Avengers assemble for final launch trailer
We are a little over a week away from the launch of Square Enix's squad-based superhero showdown, Marvel's Avengers. The publisher has released one final story trailer in efforts to stoke the hype fires ahead of the game's September 4 launch.
In the short, one-minute preview, we are given a brief overview of the story, which sees The Avengers disbanded after the catastrophic events of "A-Day" which saw a devastating super-villain attack lay waste to San Francisco. With the city now under the rule of A.I.M., and all superheroes outlawed, it is up to plucky inhuman Kamala Khan to reassemble Earth's Mightiest Heroes to take on the oppressive ruling body of A.I.M. and uncover the truth behind that fateful day.
Ooblets roadmap points to a new region in September
A lot of people have run into a content wall in Ooblets. The Early Access launch was a fine first taste -- an introduction to all the farming, collecting, socializing, and dancing that awaits us. It didn't last terribly long though, as most players exhaust all the tasks around the dozen-hour mark. Unless you're meticulously hunting for gleamies or flipping lurge lattys, there's not much left to do.
Developer Glumberland has given us an idea of when we can expect major content additions. Ooblets has a roadmap now, and the nearest thing on the horizon is the introduction of Nullwhere in September. Nullwhere is the spooky-themed area where Ooblets like Glanter and Marshling are found. It'll be the first opportunity to get another piece of the Oobnet up and running.
Looking further out, Glumberland says we can expect a full 1.0 launch in mid- to late 2021. The Wildlands area is targeting a December 2020 window, the Port Forward area is aiming for early 2021, and then there are two unannounced regions and some meta story stuff that will be included in mid-2021.
The timeline is kind of hazy and subject to change, but for good reason. Glumberland is a two-person team, and they're expecting a baby in the very near future. Family life might mildly affect the pacing of future updates, which is certainly understandable. They're bringing on some extra development help to hopefully stick as close to the roadmap as possible. The Oobcoop is about to get a little more crowded.
Roadmap [Ooblets]
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World already put a smile on my face
The happy-go-lucky Wonder Boy games have long been a bright spot, and that sentiment unquestionably goes for the newer entries, too. If you played through Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap or Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom, you probably loved them – or at least really, really liked them.
More of these cheery vibes are on the way. As covered by IGN ahead of a Gamescom Awesome Indies showcase on August 29, a new game – Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World – is in the works.
The two main points worth stressing: Asha in Monster World is coming to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in 2021, and several people with strong ties to Wonder Boy are returning to work on the new title with Studio Artdink and Inin Games. That list includes creator Ryuichi Nishizawa, composer Shinichi Sakamoto, character designer Maki ÅŒzora, and creative manager Takanori Kurihara.
Before the on-stream gameplay reveal, there's a piece of artwork with Asha and friends.
I didn't grow up with Monster World IV like some of you, but I discovered it years back with the re-releases on the Wii Virtual Console, Xbox Live Arcade, and PlayStation Network. I dug it! It's worth checking out, even now. These games are classics in a way that still holds up to newer audiences.
Wonder Boy - Asha in Monster World Announced, Led By Series Creator [IGN]
Iron Man VR got a gigantic update that adds more content and '20-30 second decreased load times'
Iron Man VR was fun, but I had some complaints. For one, the load times were laughably lengthy: an issue that is being addressed in the latest 1.06 patch that just dropped this past week.
According to a post on the PlayStation Blog, developer Camoflaj has gotten the load times down "across the board," which includes a 20-30 second decrease in load times for Shanghai missions. That's...pretty significant. Several missions that could be seen as training wheels type deals are now fully skippable, and you can skip cutscenes ahead of time: cutting down on more loading.
As far as content goes the big draw is a New Game+ mode, which will allow you to retain your research points and progress after game completion. An "ultimate" difficulty is now available, as well as a host of new weapons, armor decorations and challenges. It's a hefty update!
Free patch update for Marvel's Iron Man VR including New Game+ [PlayStation Blog]
Rare Fire Emblem Satellaview title receives English fan-translation
One of the rarest and most unique entries in legendary RPG franchise Fire Emblem has finally seen an English translation, courtesy of a dedicated FE fan, some 23 years after its Japan-only release
BS Fire Emblem: Archanea War Chronicles originally launched in 1997 exclusively on the Nintendo Satellaview service. As a quick refresher, the experimental concept allowed players in Japan to stream broadcasts, magazines, and games directly to their Super Famicom via a paid radio satellite subscription. The service would feature several titles that never saw the light of day on any other platform, or even outside of its native Japan.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons atop the UK Charts once again
Isabelle has won her rematch against Electronic Arts' UFC 4, with Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizons regaining the number one spot of the UK Charts, after being usurped by the MMA simulator last week.
Sticking with the sports theme, 2K Games' golf sim PGA Tour 2K21 also had a successful physical launch, making an impressive debut at number three. The rest of Top Ten saw the summer mainstays jostling for position, as Nintendo's Ring Fit Adventure, Minecraft, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Sony open-world epics Ghost of Tsushima and Marvel's Spider-Man.
As we reach the tail end of August, September will see the new release schedule pick up, with the launch of titles such as Square Enix superhero throwdown Marvel's Avengers, Activision's retro-remake Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 & 2, 2K Games' WWE 2K Battlegrounds, and inXile's Wasteland 3, paving the way for the 2020 holiday season.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is still planned for consoles
Microsoft Flight Simulator came out just recently on PC on August 18.
But what about consoles? Well, that's still in the works. Although Microsoft has previously confirmed that Flight Simulator 2020 was coming to Xbox One and Series X, there's no timeline in mind. Though, a recent stream from Major Nelson confirmed that it is still indeed in the works.
Speaking on the stream, Jorg Neumann (head of Microsoft Flight Simulator) issued the following statement: "we are dedicated to come to Xbox, and we are working really hard to make this happen. We don't have a timeline quite yet, but we're working full speed." Nelson also reminded us that the game is already compatible with an Xbox controller; and Neumann says that the game is "totally doable" on a traditional controller.
For reference, the Microsoft Flight Simulator bit starts at roughly 29 minutes in, and the "Xbox question" happens right around the 48 minute mark.
Sonic the Hedgehog x Ninjala collaboration to be revealed this week
GungHo Online Entertainment has announced that its bubble gum-flavoured battle royale title Ninjala will be crossing over with one of the most recognisable gaming brands of all time: Sonic the Hedgehog.
Speaking in a new Developer Diary video, GungHo announced that the first season of Ninjala is coming to a close, with season two starting almost immediately thereafter. The new season will bring with it a new stage, four new Gum weapons, and the aforementioned Sonic collaboration, the details of which are expected to be revealed later this week.
It looks like we're getting a Sonic double-pack on Switch because why not
Sega loves to bundle all their games together from time to time: bonus points of a bunch of Sonic titles are headlining it!
While I miss the days of rampant economical collections (sometimes we still get them!), double-packs are alive and well, as evidenced by a new Amazon listing from Sega. Simply titled Sonic Mania + Team Sonic Racing Double Pack, the Switch bundle is a physical release for both of the aforementioned games in one SKU. The retail price? $39.99.
As a note: this isn't a horrible deal, especially for hardcore collectors. Sonic Mania and Team Sonic Racing will run you around $35 each for new physical copies on Switch. Digitally, Sonic Mania is $19.99 on the eShop, with Team Sonic Racing clocking in at $39.99. At the worst, this bundle could drive the physical prices down for each game. We've reached out to Sega to see exactly what version of Sonic Mania is included here.
Sonic Mania + Team Sonic Racing Double Pack [Amazon] Thanks Jeff!
(Update) Game Freak is giving away a free Porygon2 this weekend for Pokemon Sword and Shield
[Update: And here you go! The code is: "PKMNPLAYERSCUP." Enter it under the Mystery Gift portion of Sword or Shield.]
Following that free Amoonguss distribution by way of the Korean Trainer's Cup event, Game Freak and The Pokemon Company are holding another freebie giveaway this weekend.
Announced on the official Pokemon website, you'll be able to grab a free Porygon2 for Pokemon Sword and Shield if you watch the broadcast this weekend. Those times are actually August 22 and August 23 at 11AM PT, and at some point a code will flash on the screen that can be entered as a mystery gift to claim the character. Of course, that code will be available on all of the usual places the minute after it airs.
As a note, Porygon2 is already available in the DLC (you can just take it from the dojo and evolve it): but this one is a bit different. The Pokemon Company is calling it a "battle-ready" creature, with Trick Room strategies "just as you might have seen in the Pokemon Player's Cup battles."
If you don't watch the event live, don't sweat, as the code distribution is going to be more forgiving than the Korean promo. This time you have until August 31 to claim your Porygon2.
Receive a Battle-Ready Porygon2 Celebrating the Pokemon Players Cup [Pokemon.com]
Summer Games Done Quick 2020 raises $2.3 million for charity
Against all of the odds, and despite all of the hurdles 2020 has put in place, the annual Summer Games Done Quick speedrun marathon has delivered once again. As the curtain fell on this year's event, SGDQ 2020 succeeded in raising an amazing $2.3 million USD for charity.
Typically held every August at the Double Tree Hilton Hotel in Minnesota, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced the GDQ team to move their annual summer extravaganza to an online-only format, with an army of speedrunners showcasing their skills from the comfort and safety of their own homes.
As a week of awesome gaming action closed with a five-hour speedrun of Nintendo's Pokemon Shield, a grand total of $2,309,530 had been raised by a home audience watching along on Twitch. The money raised will be donated directly to international charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, a global network of medical professionals who provide relief, medicine and care wherever it is needed worldwide, regardless of race, creed or political persuasion.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is out on November 13, will arrive on Xbox Series X 'day one of its release'
We are about to enter new territory when it comes to the Yakuza series, and we're all going to be doing it together: On November 13.
Today, Sega has announced that Yakuza: Like a Dragon will be available on PC, Xbox One and PS4 on that very date, with vague promises of when the next-generation versions will hit. Sega has clarified, and say it with me now, that the Xbox Series X edition will be available "on day one of its release," with the PS5 port coming "at a later date."
Sega is celebrating the news with a trailer titled "How Will You Rise," which showcases more RPG elements of the game and our hero Ichiban Kasuga. This is a very rapid-fire clip, showcasing "20+ unique jobs" and some of the wackier elements of Like a Dragon in just under two minutes.
It's entirely possible that the Xbox Series X is actually out on November 13, and "day one of its release" is just third party PR talk for "Microsoft is the one that gets to announce its console release date."
Early Access Review: Rogue Legacy 2
We've been spoiled by all of the great roguelike games over the past few years, but for some people's money, there's no topping Rogue Legacy, a platformer spanning generations of would-be heroes.
Seven years later, Cellar Door Games is back with Rogue Legacy 2 – a smoother, prettier, all-around more refined take on the castle-crashing formula. It isn't close to done yet, but it's already fantastic.
If all goes well, I could easily see it surpassing the original.
Rhythm Heaven lives on in this massive fan animation
I was driving in the car yesterday and much to my surprise, the Wii's Mii Channel music came on the radio, sending me on an unexpected, much-appreciated nostalgia trip. Actually, nostalgia may not be the right word, as it implies wistfulness for a time when I was a younger, happier person. The truth is, I wasn't. It was the world that was better back then, while I was pretty much the same (for better or worse).
I mean, just look at how much Nintendo has changed since then, especially when it comes to their relationship with music. Back in the late 2000s and early 2010s, all their online shops and various apps used to come built in with their own unique theme songs, and you'd scarcely go more than a year or two without the company releasing something from the Ouendan/Elite Beat Agents, Wii Music, Jam with the Band, or of course, Rhythm Heaven franchises. Last I heard, all those franchises are asleep or dead, and nothing that anyone has said since has done much to reassure me otherwise.
Thankfully, fans of the series are more active than ever. Case in point, this nearly 20 minute long animation that essentially works as an updated, video version of the classic Rhythm Heaven zine from a few years back. Other than a few cameos from otherwise copywritten characters like Aku from Samurai Jack, Doom's Cacodemon, and the main character from Minit, the art here is relatively indistinguishable from something you may see from Nintendo proper, leading many to confuse it with actual gameplay.
Hey Nintendo, if you can lend the Zelda license to fine folks are Brace Yourself Games, could you consider loaning Rhythm Heaven to these kids for an indie Switch revival?
Review: A Total War Saga: Troy
It took some time (about a hundred turns, give or take), but the mighty walls of Troy finally fell. Embarrassingly, they didn't fall by the hand of mighty Achilles and his giants (he got some giants on an island after convincing its king to join his faction), or the siege towers the other Greeks were working on. Instead, Troy's walls succumbed to the ire of the god Poseidon, crumbling from a devastating earthquake.
After that, poor Paris -- the bloodied victor of a power struggle with his brother Hector over the throne of Troy -- was ground up under the wheels of Achilles' war chariot as the Greek armies under Achilles poured through the gaps torn by the quake. All that was left to do to claim the jewel of the Mediterranean was to stand on the control point for a couple of minutes while the flag changed hands.
Konami shmup Trigon/Lightning Fighters returns on PS4 and Switch
Retro publisher Hamster has added another classic coin-op to its expansive Arcade Archives range. Now available to download on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, Konami's great shmup Lightning Fighters is ready to entertain a whole new generation of players.
Originally released in 1990, Lightning Fighters (known in Japan as Trigon) is a sci-fi themed vertically scrolling shmup - very similar in style and gameplay to Tecmo's Raiden, which launched the same year. One or two players take off to battle waves of aliens over nine stages of non-stop action. As is typical of the genre, multiple power-ups and weapons can be gathered in battle to help even the odds. The titular "Trigon" refers to a rotational orb that can be added to the player's vessel to provide extra firepower.
Check out the action in the video below, courtesy of YouTuber World of Longplays:
Review: Peaky Blinders: Mastermind
I'm actually quite surprised it's taken this long for a Peaky Blinders video game to hit the market. Given that Steven Knight's smash hit period drama hit the BBC way back in 2013, and is already five seasons and 30 episodes deep, it would seem that the violent and conniving shenanigans of The Shelby Family would have made their digital transition long before now.
Perhaps the problem was a lack of ideas. How do you convert a talky period drama into a deeply interactive format while still keeping the overall atmosphere and style aesthetic of the show? Developer FuturLab has taken a stab (no pun intended) at this difficult task with Peaky Blinders: Mastermind, a strategy/puzzle title that attempts to capture the razor-sharp wit and instinct of the charismatic-yet-dangerous Tommy Shelby and convert that to a playable gaming experience.
It seems, however, that some brands will always struggle with the leap into the realm of video games, and while Peaky Blinders: Mastermind is certainly inventive, even somewhat stylish, it ironically fast loses connection with both its excellent source material and the player because of its very efforts to become... well... a video game.
Review: Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time
Samurai Jack rules.
It ruled in 2001 and it ruled in 2017 when it came back. Genndy Tartakovsky is frankly still an underrated talent in terms of being one of the most prolific storytellers of the past 20 years; a title partially obscured by the boat loads of cash he got from the Hotel Transylvania series.
While Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time tries to capitalize on the resurgent popularity of the show's latest season, it doesn't really succeed as an action game or a Samurai Jack adaptation.
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link was a massive departure from the original title. More linear, carefully metered progress, and with more RPG elements. It bore few similarities to its predecessor with its unique mix of top-down overworld exploration and side-scrolling action.
I hated it. But don't tell boss Niero I said that. I'm pretty sure that making disparaging comments about Zelda II is a fireable offense at Destructoid.
It wasn't the game's formula that left a bad taste in my mouth, however. On the contrary, it was an interesting mix of play styles. Despite this, the formula didn't catch on to a wide extent. Few games have followed its lead, with even the Zelda series neglecting its mechanics as the franchise widened.
Phoenotopia Awakening seems to have latched onto that misunderstood title and squeezed it for all it was worth. It wears its Zelda influences on its sleeve, but also layers on its own fantastic personality. The result is something that is markedly different than Zelda II, even if you can easily see its foundation, and I couldn't be happier for that.
Rocksteady's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League looks like a GaaS GaaS GaaS
Harley Quinn, King Shark, Captain Boomerang, and Deadshot are teaming up to take down Superman in Rocksteady's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. During the DC FanDome stream, it was confirmed the game is a continuation of the Arkham universe.
You'll be able to play the game solo with three A.I. partners that you can take control of at any time. The entire story will also be playable in online co-op with up to four players teaming up to take down Superman and other members of the Justice League. Each character will have their own unique movesets, as well as customizable weapons and skills.
The game will be set in an open-world Metropolis that is seen in the trailer above. Described as an "action-adventure shooter," Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is set for release in 2022 for Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and PC.
Review: Fast & Furious Crossroads
In a post-Arkham Asylum world, it's easy to forget how Batman was the victim of decades of poor-quality video games. While Gotham City, a rogues' gallery of great villains, cool gadgets, and the Batmobile seemed custom-designed for gaming, fans suffered through years of abominable titles starring The Dark Knight before Rocksteady finally captured the essence of the DC Comics universe, ultimately delivering one of the greatest games of all-time.
The Fast & Furious franchise has a similar curse. The billion-dollar film series seems like a "can't miss" prospect for interactive entertainment. With wild, ridiculous action, caricatured stud-muffin dudes in open shirts, hot women having Krav Maga throwdowns, crashing jet-planes, submarines, and all the excesses of a bombastic franchise that's thrown reality to the curb, it seems almost impossible not to sculpt this action series into a massively entertaining adventure.
And yet, like Batman before it, the adventures of Dominic Toretto and his "family" just haven't been able to make the transition into a quality video game title. Unfortunately, with the release of Bandai Namco's Fast & Furious Crossroads, it seems this series' "Arkham Asylum moment" is still a long, long way away.
Cblogs of 8/15 to 8/21/2020: Sekiro, Sly Cooper, and video game music
Cblogs Recap: Week 34
-Queen of Philosophy shares her first impression of the Marvel's Avengers beta test.
-Falloutdogmeat wonders if Sly Cooper should be remastered.
-Caius RV reviews Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
-Black Red Gaming ranks the Saints Row series with this blog focusing on Saints Row 4.
-Jeremy Comans shares his collection of favorite video game music.
-ChronoLynxx opens up another TGIF community forum to discuss gaming related things.
As the gray hairs have slowly replaced the brown ones on my temples, I've become quite fond of shorter games. I don't mind diving into something meaty that takes me two weeks or more to complete, but with the color of my hair reminding me of how little sand I have left in the hourglass, I'm gravitating more and more toward bite-sized adventures.
But just because a game is short doesn't mean it can't be memorable. In fact, some of my favorite titles of the past few generations have been those I can complete in 10 hours or less. And while Giraffe and Annika doesn't quite measure up to those short adventures that came before it, its endless charm has me appreciating the experience anyway, warts and all.
Here's your first look at WB Games Montreal's Gotham Knights
DC FanDome is in full swing and, after kicking the event off with a new look at Wonder Woman: 1984, the show gave us our first look at Gotham Knights. Set to release in 2021, the co-op action-adventure game kicks off with the death of Batman and the rise of his wards to be the heroes of Gotham. Playable characters include Batgirl, Robin, Red Hood, and Nightwing. Standing against them are villains like Mr. Freeze and the Court of Owls, but the developers promise the game is so much bigger than just them.
Raise your hand if you still hold water for Battletoads outside of that GameStop meme. I see...a few people in the horizon!
Wait, am I one of the only ones who played all seven games in the series, including the Tiger Electronics handheld release? Who is this 2020 version of Battletoads for? After playing it, I'm even more confused and delighted.
Learn about the sexier side of Skyrim on this episode of Podtoid
I imagine one of the most entertaining parts of building an epic video game is building up the world players will be exploring. There are many different ways to do this, and in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, you can find a lot of information about the inhabitants of this world the old-fashioned way: in a book. You can find out about the history of the land, as well as some saucier little details you might not expect.
That's just one of the topics on this episode of Podtoid. Charlotte, Dan, Occams, and CJ talk Skyrim, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, IKEA furniture, Epic's lawsuits, Galaxy of Terror, and the Xbox Series X launch. All that, plus you shouldn't point a gun at your dick, on Podtoid Episode 455.
Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid?
Sometimes, I use this spot as an opportunity to talk about my thoughts on all matters gaming. Sometimes, I use it to touch upon world events at large. Sometimes, I don't know what to say and just talk about my infatuation with Z-grade exploitation movies. But this week, I want to take a moment to speak my mind on you, our beloved community.
I worked long and hard, for years, to make it to Destructoid. And I specifically worked to arrive at Destructoid. As a writer, I didn't hope to get a gig "writing on a gaming site," I wrote with the goal of working with Destructoid. I had this goal because I believe in the brand, I believe in the team and, most of all, I believe in you, the readers. I was a member of the community myself for many years and, like many of you, have found genuine comradeship and friendship among the articles, comments and Qposts of our humble abode.
(I'm gonna split this text with Ben Daglish's awesome C64 Cobra theme.)
Since being brought on as staff, I've worked my ass off every single day, resulting in over 5000 articles in a little over three years. It's tireless and sometimes unrewarding work - who likes being shouted at en masse for their opinion? But I get up every day and do what I do because you're worth it. There's occasional falling out, sure, but in general the Destructoid community remains the most personable, friendliest, and most interesting gaming community on the internet. I believed that then and I believe it now. Why am I even getting soppy? 2020 has been a strange and fragile year, and right now I don't think I can predict or take anything about the future for granted, so sometimes it's best to just say things now, rather than putting it off for later.
Thank you for your continued support, your interesting, opinionated, and entertaining voices, your kindness and respect toward the site, the team, and each other. Thank you for sticking with us through the good times and the bad. Oh, and on a personal note, thanks for making this weekly article such a massive success, it sees triple-figure comments each and every week and that's wonderful. I see you.
Have a safe and pleasant weekend, from all of us at Destructoid.
...Oh yeah, I've been playing Kandagawa Jet Girls. What have you been playing?
Contest: Win Pathfinder: Kingmaker Definitive Edition for PS4 or Xbox One
In today's contest you can win classic RPG Pathfinder: Kingmaker - Definitive Edition for PS4 or Xbox One!
Pathfinder: Kingmaker hit Steam a few years ago, and from what I can gather, it was kind of a big deal! I guess y'all really love your classic, tabletop-inspired RPGs.
Well, the Definitive Edition hit PS4 and Xbox One last week, so now console players can get in on the action. Comment below and you could win your own copy of the new port, including all paid DLC!
Fall Guys is bringing its Season 2 reveal trailer to Gamescom
The first season of Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout will end in 45 days. What's next? Another one, of course. We'll get our first look at Fall Guys Season 2 on August 27 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific.
If that date sounds strangely familiar, that's just Gamescom: Opening Night Live. Host Geoff Keighley has promised another one of his trademarked "world premiers" for the game with the flailing beans.
Fall Guys is great and all....but what if I told you there is @FallGuysGame: Season 2! ðŸ'' 😮🤯
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) August 21, 2020
Don't miss the world premiere sneak peek from @Mediatonic during @gamescom Opening Night Live.
Thursday, August 27 at 8 pm CEST / 2 pm ET / 11 am PT at https://t.co/AFycLZXKPd pic.twitter.com/WQB08qadhb
Ever the attention-grabber, Keighley says he "saw a rough trailer yesterday that [Mediatonic] showed me and you will not be disappointed." It's one of the 20+ showings lined up for the two-hour stream.
What can we reasonably expect? New levels, new skins, and variations for existing levels to keep Fall Guys feeling fresh, hopefully. While the developers have a ton of feedback to sort through from the millions of people who are playing this goofy competitive game, and many of those ideas are big-picture additions like split-screen co-op or a level editor, I'm sticking to modest expectations for now.
If all goes well, Fall Guys will remain relevant for years to come. There's plenty of time.
As for me, I've slowed down to a few matches a day but I'm still very into Fall Guys. Just a few more ranks left on the Season 1 battle pass and I can rest easy. Somehow, boredom hasn't set in yet.
On another positive note, the end is well within sight for the summer of gaming streams, and I'm relieved. There were highs, lows, and everything in between. Let's finish this thing already.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2's launch trailer dropped in a little early
The launch trailer for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is a trip down memory lane. And it makes it all the more unbearable that I can't personally take that stroll yet.
Two weeks before Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 actually launches, Activision has released the game's launch trailer. For those of you who were brought up on these games, it's a sizzle reel flyby of some of the most memorable levels in the series' history. San Francisco ("Streets)! Minneapolis ("Downtown")! The Hoover Dam ("Downhill Jam")! The first Tony Hawk avoided proper named locations like they'd need to be licensed.
Then the camera finally slows down for a second to show Roswell's anguished alien. Hint for all your first-timers: You'll need to find the "ET Grind."
I am going to play the ever-living hell out of this game. My first 100-percented career? You know that goes to my boy Rune.
Here's one last teaser video before Gotham Knights is revealed tomorrow
I am so bad at this. On Monday, I told you "The next Batman game is probably getting revealed tomorrow." Wrong! Just like earlier in August, I assumed that some Call of Duty crates would mean a worldwide announcement was imminent. Mistaken! I should not have underestimated the allure of protracted hype buildups for marketing departments that are stuck at home.
I am, however, confident in this latest headline. Gotham Knights will be announced tomorrow at DC FanDome. This is one last teaser video before that happens. It even has a one-day countdown. I will throw my hands up in exasperation if I'm somehow fooled yet again. I might even make a puzzled bewildered gasp, like an old retired guy when the mail doesn't come at exactly the time he's used to.
If you've somehow avoided the worst-kept secrets in games -- and, frankly, WB hasn't even tried keeping them under wraps -- DC Comics is getting two reveals tomorrow. At 10:30 am Pacific, there's a panel for the new WB Montreal game. That's going to be Gotham Knights. Later, at 5:10 pm Pacific, there's a panel for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. That's Rocksteady's new game.
Anyway, one more day. Probably. Almost certainly. Or else I get really frustrated. You wouldn't like me when I'm really frustrated.
Marvel's Avengers got a screen shake update in time for the last beta weekend
Today is the beginning of the end for the Marvel's Avengers beta, and for many players, it's the first real chance to play this kinda wonky, better-with-friends brawler before its September 4. launch. After a string of restricted events, the Marvel's Avengers open beta is now live on Steam, PS4, and Xbox One.
Many of you have shared your thoughts about Avengers in general and the beta in particular, but there's a reason to return if you participated in the prior tests – Crystal Dynamics updated the game.
A few highlights: there's a Camera Shake Sensitivity option in the Settings, less motion blur "during sprint and flight," matchmaking optimizations, better "vaulting," and less of a delay for loot drops.
On PC specifically, the developers "have seen how some people struggled with severe stutters/lag and irregular performance and we have made several fixes that will solve or at least improve those. A variety of fixes for crashes seen during last weekend have been implemented, which includes certain older systems not being able to launch at all, but also some that occurred rarely during gameplay."
The Dynamic Screen Resolution feature should also be working as intended. It struggled with HBAO+. If you're an ultrawide screen owner – first off, jealous – expect to see "some initial improvements."
The Avengers open beta will be playable through August 23, 2020. Smash your stress away.
Maybe your PC can run Crysis Remastered... but Steam can't
Seventy-five percent of the Crysis Remastered platforms have not yet launched. Following a catastrophic gameplay reveal leak, Crytek pushed back the most performance-intensive platforms in hopes that some changes would keep it from getting shredded to bits. Switch launched though, and it's surprisingly good!
PC, PS4, and Xbox One need another month. Crytek has announced that Crysis Remastered is coming on September 18. It'll be priced at $30.
Aside from the release date, Crytek slid in some more info about the remaster. Somewhere along the line, Epic secured Crysis Remastered as an Epic Games Store exclusive on PC. Crytek, no stranger to being in dire financial straits, probably leapt at the opportunity for Crysis Remastered's development to be automatically profitable.
As for technical capabilities, Crysis Remastered is said to have "high-resolution textures up to 8K, HDR support, temporal anti-aliasing, screen space directional occlusion, global illumination, state-of-the-art depth fields, new light settings, motion blur, parallax occlusion mapping, screen space reflections and shadows, new particle effects, and more." Also, PS4 Pro and Xbox One X players will get console ray tracing. PC supports Nvidia DLSS technology and ray tracing on RTX cards.
It all sounds beefy enough that, yes, your PC will probably have trouble running Crysis if you crank up the settings just to struggle for the sake of nostalgia.
Borderlands 3 adjusts even more weapons, kicks off new Eridium bonus event
Borderlands 3 is racing toward its fourth DLC, which is the last add-on that is currently announced and teased. But if we know Gearbox, they aren't done squeezing every ounce of cash out of the game yet.
But until then, there's more anniversary events. Loot Monster Mayhem just ended yesterday, with Show Me the Eridium kicking off from now through August 27. During the event, you'll get increased Eridium drops and Eridium item discounts. It's basically a repeat of the event from last October: you can check out a recap here.
After that, Mayhem Made Mild (all easy modifiers in mayhem mode) runs from August 27-September 3, with Making it Rain (enemies drop more in-game cash) starting on September 3 and going through September 10.
A hotfix dropped yesterday that not only flicked the switch for Show Me the Eridium, but also adjusted a ton of weapons. Notably, the Lyuda was buffed quite a bit, with a ton of weapons just getting straight-up buffs across the board. You can check out the full list below.
Borderlands 3 Hotfixes [Borderlands]
Contra, Super Cobra, Gradius II and Super Dodge Ball headed to Arcade Archives range
Publisher Hamster has offered retro fans a sneak-peek at some of the future titles headed to its record-breaking Arcade Archives range. This latest batch of titles includes several classic arcade shooters and a rarity from the Kunio-kun sporting side series.
First on the agenda is the original release in Konami's beloved Contra series. Originally released in 1987, Contra sees muscle-bound heroes Bill and Lance fight off swarms of alien invaders in tough, full-blooded, trigger-pumping action. This release will feature both the Japanese and International versions of this all-time classic.
Fallout 76 is adding incentives for PTS players, Bethesda asks more people to join testing periods
Bethesda wants more people to test out Fallout 76. Maybe if they had a lengthy beta period from the start, the whole launch debacle wouldn't have happened! Wakka wakka.
The reality is that we're nearly two years removed from the arrival of Fallout 76, and many aspects of it have improved. A lot of free content has been added amid big quality of life changes, even if a lot of folks see it as too little too late. Of course, those advancements came with the recent sting of the "season pass" system that creates an incentive to grind for content you could otherwise earn in-game. Fallout 76 is cyclical like that.
As for more recent developments, Bethesda says they need more people to playtest Fallout 76. If you're a PC user on the Bethesda launcher with a copy of the game you can access the PTS (public test server) for free, which is now getting certain incentives that will transfer to the main game. In short, more testing is needed for multiplayer Daily Ops sessions, and if you complete eight of them in the PTS you'll earn a PTS pennant reward.
It's small, but it's the sort of thing developers like Bungie do often. If you hit that goal you'll get your reward once Update 22 hits. Your call!
Inside the Vault [Bethesda.net]
If you haven't played either Prinny game yet, here's a good idea of what the series is about
Playing through both Prinny games on PSP was an absolute treat.
Although they aren't for everyone (as folks will soon learn all over again), the pair of PSP platformers ruled in their irreverence and commitment to difficulty. If you aren't familiar with the vibe that these two games give off, the trailer below pretty much provides a crash course on them.
The concept is simple: you have 1000 lives to finish the campaign, which revolves around a mundane task (like making an amazing dessert or obtaining...a stolen article of clothing). You get a sword attack and a butt bump, as well as special abilities from unlockable unique prinnies in the sequel (Asagi/Laharl). As a reminder, the re-releases will have "all bonus stages and special weapons DLC" baked in, and there's a decent chunk of stuff to do in the postgame as-is.
Prinny 1-2: Exploded and Reloaded is available as a package deal on October 13 on Switch, but you can also buy the games piecemeal on the eShop for 20 bucks each.
Wasteland 3's co-op mode will let you share the misery with a friend
We're one short week away from the launch of inXile Entertainment's dystopian RPG, Wasteland 3. Keeping the hype fires stoked, publisher Deep Silver has released a new trailer showcasing the post-apocalyptic sequel's co-op multiplayer elements.
Knowing that a problem shared is a problem halved, even in the mire of nuclear fallout, Wasteland 3's co-op mode will allow two players to squad up to take on a series of brutal and hazardous missions. Use tactical teamwork to overcome the odds in battle, explore enemy encampments, and navigate the harsh and brutal overworld. You might have to share your ill-gotten gains, but it's probably better than ending up face-down in a ditch.
Bungie reminds us that some of Destiny 2's best content is going into the 'vault' later this year
As the developer confirmed earlier this year, Destiny 2 is going to have a lot of content cut out of it come November 10 to "make room" for the new expansion. In short, they're using the Disney Vault method. Bungie took the time this week to further clarify what that means.
When November 10 hits, a ton of stuff is going to be removed from the game completely until a potential mystery date. While the vast majority of the vault deals with entire areas in the PVE portion of the game (including items and gear), even PVP maps and several modes aren't safe. You can find the full list of content that will be erased from Destiny 2 in November below.
Bungie also says that "With some of the core Year 1 destinations entering the Vault, it's true that the free-for-all-players Red War, Curse of Osiris, and Warmind campaigns will no longer be playable." They are "building" a new expanded origin story that will launch in Year 4: the quality of which remains to be seen. If you want more info on vaulting as a whole, you can go here.
This whole concept is a mess, and belies the entire idea of Destiny 2 even being remotely close to an "MMO"; a marketing term I dismissed as early as the original beta for the first Destiny. I get that Bungie wanted to reduce the bloat of the game to make it even easier to manage and make the file size more manageable, but it seems like Activision was able to help them out in ways that they can't muster on their own.
Before Bungie transitioned to self-publishing the game felt like one giant world. Now it's been shifted to a monolithic grind framed around "seasons" like every other shooter: with even less content to play come November. I'll be there to at least check out the Beyond Light expansion, but there's less of a reason to linger now.
This Week at Bungie [Bungie.net]
World of Warcraft is getting an overhauled app for the upcoming Shadowlands expansion
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is still coming "this fall," and it'll bring hundreds of hours of extra stuff to do. While WoW players are probably champing at the bit to see if the story is any good (knock on wood), for the meantime we can gaze at the new companion app: which is actually looking pretty great.
Come this fall the new mobile app allows you to toggle between each recent expansion (Legion, Battle for Azeroth, Shadowlands) at will, all of which will retain their former app functionality. As far as the new stuff goes you can fiddle with your favorite covenant (Necrolord, Kyrian, Night Fae, Venthyr), wit the previous "adventure" mechanic making an expected comeback.
Just like Final Fantasy Tactics' tavern or the core of Valkyrie Profile, you can still send recruits off to invisible missions to reap rewards. While you can do it in-game, the app makes things much easier as you can micromanage everything on the go, or before bed.
Thankfully the app isn't just being pigeonholed into an adventure screen like it was in the past, as it's also getting a general WoW news section, as well as the ability to look at your character like a mini Armory mechanic. Community and guild chat, as well as the helpful calendar, are also all coming.
It's a straight-up upgrade!
Shadowlands Preview: A New Look for the WoW Companion App [Battle.net]
Sega Astro City Mini coming to Japan in December
The video game industry continues to find new-old hardware to shrink down and re-release, as the "mini" console craze continues. The latest example is this, the Sega Astro City Mini, a scaled-down edition of the classic cabinet that packed out arcades in Japan and elsewhere throughout the '90s and '00s.
The Astro City Mini features the iconic green-and-white design of its older brother, and will come pre-loaded with 36 Sega arcade classics including Shinobi, Shadow Dancer, Golden Axe, ESWAT, and Virtua Fighter. An Astro City stylised controller will also be available to facilitate two-player action, while an adorable little base and stool can be attached to the main unit to truly create that pint-sized coin-op aesthetic. The Astro City Mini is powered via USB and features HDMI output, allowing for connection to a display.
