Tales of Arise Gets Rated in Australia, Might Be Back and Arriving On A 2021 Midnight Train

Tales of Arise

Tales of Arise got rated in Australia by Bandai Namco on August 19, 2020. It was also rated in Brazil on August 11. (Thanks to Renka Schedule for pointing it out). I'm personally not fond of making an article out of these, as it's especially hard to write on such flimsy content, but these ratings are interesting for one reason. It's possible Bandai Namco will be releasing Tales of Arise sooner than expected.

As you already know, Arise was delayed from its 2020 release date estimate to an indefinite release date estimate. Seeing this rating though, perhaps it'll be coming very soon in 2021.

The currently published Australian classification ratings for Tales of Arise read as follows: We've got moderate impact for "themes" and "violence". Mild impact for" language". A "none" classification for "drug use" and "nudity", and a very mild impact classification for "sex".

The "none" classification on nudity is quite surprising for a Japanese game. However, seeing the game is still in development, it's likely this will be resubmitted and changed later on. This already happened.

Tales of Arise First Trailer: Character Introduction Ver.

Tales of Arise was first announced at E3 2019. It is the newest Tales of main console game following Tales of Berseria in 2016. The game's producer is Yusuke Tomizawa, known for the God Eater series. After the initial reveal, further details were revealed at Tokyo Game Show in September 2019. However, since then we haven't heard anything about the game besides its delay. I wonder what's wrong. It's like a pandemic happened or something.

You can read in detail everything we know so far via our past coverage.

Tales of Arise is currently scheduled to launch on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Recently, Tales of Crestoria also launched on mobile. It has a pretty fun story revisiting the Tales of characters, and cool and cute chara designs. But the gameplay… You know that traditional anime gag about characters who can't cook who end up "cooking" things? This is Tales of Crestoria gameplay.

Bandai Namco also hinted at more developments to come for the 25th anniversary of the Tales of series. I'm keeping my hopes up for official localization of all the previous Tales of games.

The post Tales of Arise Gets Rated in Australia, Might Be Back and Arriving On A 2021 Midnight Train by Iyane Agossah appeared first on DualShockers.

New WB Montreal Batman Game Tease Leads to Batgirl's Involvement

Batgirl, Batman: Gotham Knights

In a report from Video Games Chronicle, the upcoming WB Montreal Batman game may include Batgirl somehow. While including Batgirl would be awesome, this isn't confirmed by WB Montreal and it could be false.

"This may be just a coincidence, but if you put all the codes together to unlock the four teasers from R3DAKT3D.com, you get "761941364995", which is the EAN number for Detective Comics #359, the debut of Batgirl," said in a tweet from Twitter user @ArkhamVideos. "WB Montreal developed Batgirl's DLC for Arkham Knight." 

In a follow-up tweet, a member of the Arkham Videos Discord uncovered that the covers for Detective Comics 359 is similar to the cover of issue 43 for Batman: Gotham Knights. This could lead to WB Montreal's upcoming Batman game is called Batman: Gotham Knights. The comic series of the same name ran from 2000 to 2006 and explored different Batman family members such as Alfred, Nightwing, and Batgirl among others.

WB Montreal's Batman game has been teased since last year, with a focus on the Court of Owls. More recently, it's been confirmed that their game will be shown off this weekend during DC Fandome, a virtual convention that will cover some of DC's upcoming comics, movies, TV shows, and video games. It won't be the only game to appear at the convention. Rocksteady's upcoming Suicide Squad game will also be shown off during a 20-minute panel. The last full game from WB Montreal is 2013's Batman Arkham Origins and Rocksteady's last game was 2016's Batman Arkham VR and 2015's Batman Arkham Knight.

WB Montreal's Batman game will be shown off on August 22 during a 20-minute panel. Additionally, Rocksteady's Suicide Squad game will debut the same day with a 20-minute panel. As we find out more details on both games, we'll be sure to let you know.

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Project CARS 3 Developer Confirms No PC Ray Tracing and No Cross-Play Support

Project Cars 3, Slightly Mad Studios

In an interview with Wccftech, Project CARS 3 developer Slightly Mad Studios confirms there won't be ray-tracing on the PC version and no cross-platform play features.

"Ray tracing is an awesome new development for gaming as a whole. It's exciting to see light and color getting ever closer to reality," said Joesph Barron, Slightly Mad Studios' marketing and e-sports manager. "For Project CARS 3, we're still targeting the current generation of consoles and PC, so ray tracing wasn't something that was on our radar for this particular title. We target 60FPS on all platforms since the frame rate is so crucial in simulation racing to help you to maximize your driving performance, and of course the PlayStation 4 and current Xbox consoles are not ready for ray tracing.

For those that don't know, ray tracing is where you can get very realistic lighting effects. Additionally, ray tracing tracks how lighting interacts with in-game objects which further helps with making things more realistic. Upcoming games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Dying Light 2 will support ray tracing.

When asked about Project CARS 3 support cross-platform play, Barron said while it's a feature they're interested in adding to future games, Project CARS 3 won't support it.

"We can't wait to see what sort of experiences will come out for the PS5 & Series X, and we're looking forward to getting stuck into developing for them ourselves," continued Barron. "Additional processing power will open doors for even deeper and more immersive sim-racing than ever before. The more details we can add while maintaining resolution and framerate will continue to bring virtual racing closer and closer to the real thing."

Project CARS 3 was announced back in June.  The series began in 2015 with the first game in the series, followed by a sequel in 2017. The latest entry in the series includes features like a career mode, earning credits to redeem on cars, and the realism fans expect from the series.

Project CARS 3 launches on August 28 on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Currently, there's no next-gen version announced. While we wait for Project CARS 3 to release, you can watch the latest trailer below.

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Battletoads Review — Jack of All Toads, Master of Some

Battletoads Review

It's been 26 years since the Battletoads last graced our screens and at that time I was the grand old age of one. Although I don't remember the launch of the game for obvious reasons, I still have fond memories of it growing up. I had it on my Game Boy and needless to say as a youngster, while I enjoyed it, I didn't get very far.

Fast forward to 2020 and we have Dlala Studios and Rare's reimagining of a cult classic. The game was announced back in 2018 and was met with some polarising responses. Many were happy to see the return of Zitz, Pimple, and Rash, while others bemoaned the new "Saturday morning cartoon" art style and different direction that the Toads had gone. Now, I understand that people may have concerns, but let me tell you, Battletoads is a very solid game.

Canonically, it picks up 26 years after the last game. The three Toads have been stuck in a simulation for that period and are oblivious as to what's happened around them whilst they were away. One thing leads to another, they reunite with their former antagonist, the Dark Queen, and set off on an adventure around the universe to find and fight The Topians.

While the story is fun, if not a little unremarkable, the rest of the writing sadly brings the game down a little. Battletoads gives off some strong Rick and Morty vibes at times, but the jokes miss the mark far more than they manage to hit. And for a game that leans heavily into the comedy, it's a shame. That's not to say it's all bad, as there are some genuine chuckle-worthy moments, but unfortunately, they're few and far between.

As mentioned, the game is clearly inspired by cartoons seen on the likes of Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. While Battletoads offers players some glimpses of this in the gameplay, specifically the brawling segments, it's the cutscenes where this really shines through. Writing aside, each one of these cutscenes is clearly crafted with a love for the medium that it's emulating.

Although the script doesn't quite hit the Cartoon Network vibe, the art style and music certainly do. And they're delightful. The Battletoads soundtrack can be described in one word: rocking. Heavy guitar riffs accompany you on your whole journey as you fight your way across the galaxy.

Battletoads

The whole game is hand-drawn and hand-animated and after getting my hands on it, I can definitely say that any worries people had surrounding the art direction should be forgotten. Now, it's not going to please the Battletoads purists, that's for sure, but anyone who appreciates a unique style will definitely enjoy this. Each of the Toads has a very distinct look and playstyle and the two complement each other incredibly well. Rash, Zitz, and Pimple are all wholly unique from one another, and their special animations help to differentiate them even further.

Rash, the cool, glasses-wearing all-rounder, has a good mixture of speed and strength and his move set compliments him nicely. Then there's Zitz, zippier than the other Toads, but also far weaker. His moves hit a lot quicker, making combos easier to pull off with him, but his lack of strength means I wouldn't recommend him when facing the bigger enemies. Lastly, there's Pimple, who was surprisingly my favourite. He's bigger and bulkier than the others and is therefore slower. What he lacks in speed though, he more than makes up for in strength, pummelling enemies like nobody's business. His pièce de résistance is his power move in which he turns into a train and smashes those around him.

The combat as a whole in Battletoads is incredibly satisfying. Fighting is swift and fluid and you really feel each hit connect. Each of the Toad's attacks are well thought out and feel like they're designed with pulling off some outrageous combos in mind. You can whack an enemy up into the air with a rubber chicken, jump up, unleash a flurry of attacks, and then use your tongue to pull more enemies into the fray. Mix these with the ability to "tag in" the other Toads and you've got some super fun beat 'em up segments. The problem is, there's just not enough of them. For a game that falls into the side-scrolling beat 'em up genre, those segments only make up about 30% total of Battletoads' gameplay despite them being my favourite parts.

The game describes itself as an "epic multi-genre adventure" and to its credit, it is certainly that. Unfortunately, that's not always a good thing and Battletoads feels a little bit like a jack of all trades but only a master of some.

As mentioned, the beat 'em up sections are top class and the turbo-bike missions are also great, but it's some of the other stuff that feels a little forced. The early puzzle segments slow things down and fragment the game a little, as do the roshambo sections. There's also a weird scene where the Toads have to get jobs, and while it's predominantly there for story purposes, it has some unnecessary gameplay elements to it.

Not all of the new genres are negative though. The majority of the later sections offered interesting twists on the gameplay that I genuinely enjoyed. I would have just liked some more of the mindless fighting.

Battletoads and difficulty historically go hand-in-hand and it was always a contentious point heading into the game. How would Dlala balance bringing a notoriously difficult game to a modern, mass-market?  The answer is: relatively well. For the diehard Battletoads fans, there's the Battletoad difficulty, which I can only imagine is exactly what you'd expect it to be. I played on Toad difficulty, the middle of three, and it was hard but, for the most part, fair.

The vehicle missions felt good as they were punishing but not in a bad way. If I died, I never felt like it was unfair and was always down to me mistiming a dodge or jump. They're not procedurally generated either, so you learn the patterns of the obstructions with every run you do – and there will be a few. Checkpoints are always a reasonable distance away too, so you never feel unfairly treated when you do die and don't have to restart from too far back. Most of the other missions felt like this too. Yes they were hard, but not in an obnoxious way.

Occasionally, however, the combat's difficulty could be a little frustrating. It felt at times, in lieu of actual challenge, Battletoads just stuck a lot of enemies on the screen for me to deal with giving a false sense of difficulty as I got bashed about and couldn't land an attack. This was only on rare occasions, so it's not the end of the world, but when it did happen, it was more than a little irking.

Battletoads

While overall the game definitely has some little niggles, the biggest problem is the lack of online multiplayer. It's easy to see what Dlala was going for by wanting to get people together on a couch and play games like days of old. Sadly, we aren't in those times at the moment. Now, don't get me wrong, it would have been impossible to predict what's currently going on in the world when production started, but online multiplayer is a standard feature in almost all games these days, and to leave it out, pandemic or no pandemic, is an oversight. It's definitely a game that would be a blast to play with friends online but sadly, we don't even have that option.

In a year when brawlers like this and Streets of Rage 4 are making a comeback, Battletoads tries a lot of different things. While it does many of them well, some fall short of the mark or just feel shoehorned in, to the point where it confused me. That shouldn't put you off though as the game is still charming, stylish and a bundle of fun to play. It's a great example of what an Xbox Game Pass game should be and a very strong first major outing from Dlala.

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Red Dead Redemption 2 and NBA 2K20 Leaving Game Pass in September

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC

One of the great parts about Xbox Game Pass is its rotating selection of titles. Simultaneously, that rotating selection is also one of its worst traits, because it means you'll have to buy the games you've been playing to keep enjoying them. That's likely to be the case with players of the two high-profile departures from the service in early September: Red Dead Redemption 2 and NBA 2K20.

That's right, no more rootin' and tootin' or hoop shootin', at least on console. Xbox Game Pass for the Xbox One will be losing both of these titles; NBA 2K20 is off first on September 1 and Red Dead Redemption 2 is gone September 7.

This month also has some major losses for Xbox Game Pass for console. Subscribers have until August 31 to enjoy games like Creature in the Well, Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams – Director's Cut, Metro: Last Light Redux, and The Jackbox Party Pack 3. However, the award for most notable losses this month go to Metal Gears Solid 2 & 3 HD, which I will be yelling about since I never knew it was even part of the service.

With all these losses, Game Pass has to make up for it with some pretty sweet titles, and it sure does. Spiritfarer is already available for subscribers on both console and PC and Battletoads is hopping over tomorrow along with Don't Starve: Giant Edition. For the full list of what's coming to Xbox Game Pass for PC and console in the coming weeks, check out Xbox's news post right here.

Now, if you've been getting into Red Dead Redemption 2 or you can't wait until September 4 for NBA 2K21 to come out, there's still an upside. Your Game Pass subscription makes you eligible for up to 20 percent off at check out, so be sure to nab that deal before these titles leave the service.

The post Red Dead Redemption 2 and NBA 2K20 Leaving Game Pass in September by Otto Kratky appeared first on DualShockers.

Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War Finally Announced, Full Reveal Coming Next Week

Well folks, it has been one of the most open secrets in the video games industry over the past few months, and Activision today decided to finally make it official.

In a newly leaked trailer titled "Know Your History," Activision today formally announced that Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is indeed the name of this year's entry in the long-running shooter franchise. The video itself features plenty of throwback footage from the 1960s, with voiceover being provided from an anonymous person that has a Russian accent. The game, which is said to be inspired by true events, ends with the phrase "Know your history, or be doomed to repeat it," before the title of the game finally appears.

As for what's next, the trailer concludes with the date of August 26, which is when we'll formally get a first look at what will likely be the first gameplay footage of Black Ops: Cold War. Most interestingly, and in line with what Activision has already been doing, the reveal is set to take place within the battle royale title Call of Duty: Warzone.

It remains to be seen what Treyarch and Raven Software will have up their sleeves with Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War, but let's just hope that the final product turns out well. Rumors and reports over the past year or so have indicated that the game's development has been somewhat troublesome. Still, despite whatever dire straits the title may have been in, Activision is still very much set on releasing it at some point later in 2020.

The post Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War Finally Announced, Full Reveal Coming Next Week by Logan Moore appeared first on DualShockers.

Dinosaur World is Pandasaurus Games' Next Massive Board Game

Dinosaur World, board game, Pandasaurus Games

Dinosaur Island is the game that truly put publisher Pandasaurus Games on the map in the board game industry. It is a massive, brightly colored epic from the mind behind Dead of Winter and has sold more than 40,000 copies. Next month, the hit game gets a follow-up with Dinosaur World. Check it out.

Of course, we don't know much about the game just yet. Outside of the tweet above, all Pandasaurus has given us is a September 22 date for the start of Dinosaur World's Kickstarter. That said, there are a few things we can probably expect from what will surely be a massive board game experience.

The original game was all about developing your own dinosaur park. You have to manage your park's ability to drive excitement with not killing guests. After all, no one's going to visit a park full of boring herbivores. Though, they also probably won't go if they have to risk being eaten by a pack of velociraptors. It's all about finding that balance.

Dinosaur World could either build on that system or take it in a completely different direction. As much as I'd love to just see a bigger, better Dinosaur Island, there's a certain appeal to the idea of a band of heroes fighting back against the dino threat. A war game might not be everyone's first thought for a Dinosaur Island sequel, but I'd be down to check it out.

We'll know much more in the coming weeks. Dinosaur World is set to launch on Kickstarter on September 22. The team is sure to slowly start trickling out details. Stay tuned to DualShockers for further updates.

The post Dinosaur World is Pandasaurus Games' Next Massive Board Game by Ricky Frech appeared first on DualShockers.

Cyberpunk 2077 Fans Have Started to Perform Rituals to Ensure the Game Doesn't Get Delayed Again

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 fans are getting nervous. If you aren't keeping track, we're nearing the 91-day mark until the game's launch. While that might not seem significant, as strange coincidence would have it, CD Projekt Red's two delays of Cyberpunk in 2020 both occurred 91-days prior to their planned releases. To ensure that the 91st day before launch doesn't bring impending doom with it this time around, fans are starting to go to great lengths.

Over on Twitter recently, in a post that was eventually shared to Reddit, user @dcig66 shared a video of themselves performing a ritual to prevent Cyberpunk 2077 from getting delayed again. Yes, you read that correctly. This fan of the highly-anticipated RPG created a small setup to perform the ritual at, complete with candles and a random game disc of some sort. The standee also contained a picture with the CD Projekt Red logo and various other images associated with the game, including Keanu Reeves and Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith. The ritual itself saw the fan chanting, "No delay, no delay, no delay," multiple times over, among other things.

You can check out the full video right here if you'd like to have a chuckle for yourself.

Worried about the possibility of another delay? Don't worry @dcig66 got our backs. from r/cyberpunkgame

So the big question here: will @dcig66's ritual prove to be beneficial? Well, only time will tell, but if the 91st day before release truly is cursed, we should hear of another delay come tomorrow, which will be the date in which this dread-inducing period rolls around. Keep your fingers crossed, folks.

Cyberpunk 2077 is currently on track to launch later this year on Xbox One, PS4, and PC on November 19 and will later come to PS5 and Xbox Series X. Given the fact that CD Projekt has been showing off much more of the game via its Night City Wire live streams as of late, it stands to reason that we'll absolutely be seeing it released on time. That said, given how complicated development has been for many studios around the globe in 2020, perhaps another delay isn't totally out of the question after all.

The post Cyberpunk 2077 Fans Have Started to Perform Rituals to Ensure the Game Doesn't Get Delayed Again by Logan Moore appeared first on DualShockers.

Take One Last Video Tour Through SEGA's Iconic Akihabara Arcade Before It Closes

SEGA

The Akihabara neighborhood in Tokyo, Japan has long been an iconic part of the city and a colorful representation of Japanese culture. Dominated by flashing lights, book stores, and of course video games and arcades, one of the signature landmarks of Akihabara has been the SEGA Akihabara Building 2, one of the largest (and last remaining) arcades in the world. Sadly, it was announced earlier this month that the longstanding arcade would be permanently closing its doors at the end of August, but you still have a chance to experience the iconic arcade for yourself in this video tour.

Over on Twitter, Dave Gibson–a developer and designer at Creatures on the Pokemon franchise–shared a video tour walking through the SEGA Akihabara Building 2 to revisit the iconic arcade one last time before its closure. Trailing through many of the arcade's various cabinets and games, the video gives a good indication of what the arcade has been known for, and how it has served as a beacon of Japanese gaming culture. You can check out the full video below:

The SEGA Akihabara Building 2 arcade had been open to the public since 2003, and in that 17-year span became one of the most iconic parts of the Akihabara neighborhood. While SEGA hasn't formally explained the reasoning behind the arcade's impending closure, presumably the most likely cause would be due to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

In compliance with Japan's state of emergency orders to retaliate against the coronavirus pandemic, the building had closed to the public for part of the year until June 12. However, with the lack of foot traffic and tourism due to the pandemic, it's more than likely that the arcade's closure was a direct result of that. While the building itself will be closed, SEGA's other arcades in the region will remain open to carry on its legacy of highlighting gaming culture in Japan.

The post Take One Last Video Tour Through SEGA's Iconic Akihabara Arcade Before It Closes by Ryan Meitzler appeared first on DualShockers.

Paper Mario: The Origami King Fan Art is a Colorful Sight to Behold

paper mario

As one of the Nintendo Switch's biggest exclusives of the year so far, Paper Mario: The Origami King was a long time coming for fans of the charming RPG series featuring everyone's favorite plumber. The game itself has plenty of humor and colorful art to go around, and this fan art happens to showcase it in the best light.

Over on Twitter, artist and designer PaulDrawsArt (Twitter) shared his own fan art inspired by The Origami King, featuring the title's cast of characters in a detailed mural. You can check out the full illustration below, along with more of his gaming-inspired art right here. There are plenty of other pieces in his portfolio worth checking out from franchises such as Persona, NieR, Danganronpa, Digimon, and more, so take a look for yourself.

Our own senior staff writer Ricky Frech reviewed Paper Mario: The Origami King last month when it came out, and we ended up scoring it at a 7.0/10. In his review, Ricky emphasized that The Origami King features all of the signature humor and charm that makes Paper Mario such a standout series, along with some surprising story moments. However, his main criticisms boiled down to the fact that the game underutilizes its RPG mechanics, where it could have done a little more with them. You can read more of his thoughts below:

"Paper Mario: The Origami King is far from a bad game; it's just not one that meets its potential. This feels like a solid first step from Intelligent Systems to finally find a new groove for the franchise. Hopefully the team continues to iterate on the design and deliver a follow-up that finally mixes that classic Paper Mario tone and feel with quality gameplay that fans love. It can, and arguably should, be different from the original games, but it needs to be more than this."

Paper Mario: The Origami King is available now exclusively on Nintendo Switch.

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