Everything You Should Know About Umineko Saku Coming in January 2021 on PS4, Switch

Umineko PS4 Switch Release Date Feature

The PS4, Switch version of Umineko Saku will be launching on January 28, 2021 in Japan. Entergram announced the release date on September 3, though the seacat was out of the bag a few hours early when several shops like Amazon and Rakuten started listing the game's release date. A Limited Edition, a live stream, several details, screenshots, and samples for the artwork used for shop-specific preorder goods, were revealed as well. Be sure to check it all out below.

First print copies of Umineko Saku will include a DLC code for Umineko Ougon Musou Kyoku Cross (Umineko Golden Fantasia), the 2D fighting game of the series, available on Steam in English. Through this bonus, it'll be available on PS4 and Switch for the first time, bringing the game back to console since its Xbox 360 release:

Umineko PS4 Switch Golden Phantasia screenshots Umineko PS4 Switch Golden Phantasia screenshots Umineko PS4 Switch Golden Phantasia screenshots Umineko PS4 Switch Golden Phantasia screenshots

The official site states multiple important details:

  • You'll need a PlayStation Plus or Nintendo Switch Online subscription for netplay.
  • There is no cross-play: players on PS4, players on Steam, and players on Switch can't fight each other online.
  • The numerous guest illustrations included in the PC version of Ougon Musou Kyoku Cross will not be included in this version.

It's unspecified if it'll be using the same rollback netcode as the Steam version.

A limited edition for Umineko Saku was announced too. It features a different cover artwork with all the witches: Beatrice, Eva-Beatrice, Ange-Beatrice, Maria, Virgilia, Lambdadelta, and Bernkastel.

Umineko PS4 cover artwork limited edition

Looks like whoever decided on the artwork don't consider Erika Furudo a witch, and I'd agree. Would have still liked her there though.

The limited edition includes:

  • An acrylic stand featuring the illustration with all the witches.
  • An artbook with all the gorgeous portraits paintings artwork used in Umineko. Including those from Golden Phantasia.
  • A Golden Butterfly pin badge (not pictured)
  • A One-Winged Eagle coaster (not pictured)

Next, the opening sequence for Umineko starting Episode 5 was remade by Entergram with the PS4, Switch artwork. This is the comeback of opening theme Occultics no Majo. It'll be in the game, as well as the two other openings revealed a few months ago:

Umineko Saku Opening: Occultics no Majo (Singer: Ayumu. Composer, lyrics: Chiyomaru Shikura)

Umineko Saku Opening: Inanna no Mita Yume (Singer: Zwei. Composer, lyrics: Chiyomaru Shikura. Arrangement: Shinichi Yuki)

Umineko Saku Opening: Senkyou no Igreja (Singer: KOKOMI (Asriel). Composer, lyrics: Chiyomaru Shikura Arrangement: Masaki Mashita)

Next up, a live stream is coming with new details on Project07, the games made between 07th Expansion and Entergram: Umineko Saku on Ps4 and Switch, Higurashi Hou on PS4 and Switch, and Kaleidoscope of Phantasm Prison. The stream's YouTube page isn't up yet, but it'll be on Entergram's channel. The stream will be on September 10, at 1900 JST (click here for a time conversion table).

Moving on, translation team Witch Hunt brought up in a news update the PS4, Switch version of Umineko Saku. The group mentioned it's very unlikely they can do anything about bringing it over in English, as it would require a game publisher. While it's not impossible, don't expect this version of Umineko Saku to leave Japan. Lastly, the translation team is still working on the PC version of Umineko Saku. However, it might get postponed if they need to focus on Ciconia, as per the wishes of Ryukishi07:

Umineko is the second entry in the When They Cry franchise by 07th Expansion and Ryukishi07. Initially, it's about the wealthy Ushiromiya family stuck on its private island during a typhoon, with mysterious and gruesome murders happening. The protagonist, Battler Ushiromiya, meets a witch named Beatrice, who claims she's the culprit and killed everyone using magic. Battler doesn't believe in magic, so Beatrice puts him in a timeloop, where the murders keep happening differently, with Battler trying to explain them with rational tricks in heated debate battles.

Umineko PS4 Switch screenshots Umineko PS4 Switch screenshots

That's the initial story pitch. However, Umineko evolves into a masterpiece as it goes on, with perfectly written characters, stories, and elements I won't be spoiling. It also includes maybe the best soundtrack ever since Streets of Rage 2. The series was first released on PC at the Comiket events between August 2007 and December 2010, spanning 8 games, 8 Episodes in total. All of Umineko is available in English on Steam, but without voice acting.

Umineko PS4 Switch screenshots Umineko PS4 Switch screenshots Umineko PS4 Switch screenshots 18

After the game ended on PC, Umineko was ported to PS3 by Alchemist, a Japanese studio which now closed down. Using the same script as the original PC versions, it added new artwork and voice acting. It was adapted through two games:

  • Umineko no Naku Koro ni ~Majo to Suiri no Rondo~ (Rondo of the Witch and Reasoning). Released on December 16th, 2010. It covered Episode 1 to 4.
  • Umineko no Naku Koro ni Chiru ~Shinjitsu to Gensou no Nocturne~ (Nocturne of Truth and Illusions). Released on December 15, 2011. It covered Episode 5 to 8.

The PS4, Switch version of Umineko Saku is officially titled: Umineko no Naku Koro ni Saku: Nekobako to Musou no Koukyoukyoku (Symphony of Catbox and Dreams). It's an ultimate version based on the two PS3 ports we cited above, reusing their voice acting and updating their graphics for Episode 1-8.

Umineko Saku Siesta 556 screenshot

Moreover, it'll include two new stories from the PC version of Umineko Saku, released in October 2019 on PC. We have "Our Confession", which features new character Flauros the demon, and "Last note of the Golden Witch" which features another new character, Piece, the Witch of Pieces:

Umineko Our Confession Flauros PC artwork Umineko Last Note of the Golden Witch PC Piece artwork

These two stories will be voiced for the first time. We'll get to hear who are the seiyuu for Flauros and Piece, and see their new artwork.

All of this might sound complicated, but I'm sure you already knew all that anyway if you clicked on this article in the first place and read this far.

Seiyuu, Staff Reactions:

Sayaka Ohara, the seiyuu of Beatrice, shared a photo of herself during the game's dubbing. She said she loves Beatosama and voicing her is always tons of fun. Ryukishi07 quote-retweeted, thanking her and noting they'll see each other next week. Entergram didn't say yet who will appear on the September 10 stream, but it's likely Ryukishi07 and Sayaka Ohara will both be there:

It looks like she's holding the One-winged Eagle coaster from the limited edition.

Seiko Yoshida, the seiyuu of Belphegor, said she's happy the site was finally updated and the release date was announced. She's also happy the artwork with Belphegor and the other Seven Sisters of Purgatory was used again:

zts, one of the multiple composers on 07th Expansion games, is really hyped about Golden Phantasia coming to PS4 and Switch:

Lastly, Entergram published samples for the artwork used in shop-specific preorder bonuses of Umineko Saku. They're included in the gallery further below. As usual with Japanese games, most of these artwork focus on sexual fanservice, so don't scroll down if you'd rather not see that. If you're planning to import the game, check on the official site which shop has which bonus goods.

The brand new entry in the When They Cry series, Ciconia, debuted in October 2019. The first Ciconia game is available on Steam. Ciconia is scheduled to be four games in total, and the second one should release sometime in late 2020.

Last but not least, Higurashi, the first When They Cry series, got a new RPG and an anime TV series.

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Madden NFL 21 First Franchise Mode Update Detailed

Madden 21, EA Sports

Madden NFL 21 has been met with an overwhelmingly negative reaction from fans and critics alike. The game holds the worst Metacritic score of the franchise's long history and fans have regularly trended negative hashtags on Twitter. One of the bigger problems people have with the game is a complete lack of meaningful changes to franchise mode. Today, the team announced the first of three updates to the mode. While it doesn't solve everything, it does add a few highly-requested features.

These changes to franchise mode for Madden 21 definitely qualify as small. It's unlikely that they will completely change your mind on the mode. That said, they are important as the team hopefully adds more substantial changes over the course of the game cycle. First up, the team is giving players the ability to customize X-Factor and Superstar abilities. Importantly, you'll be able to edit players in both offline and online franchises. Of course, the player has to unlock the ability first, but it's a solid step.

The team is also finally re-implementing important sections of the player career stats card. For example, currently, you cannot see what teams a player played for throughout their career. That, along with a host of other stats, is making a comeback.

EA Sports is also tuning development trait regression to help keep players balanced over the course of a franchise. Plus, they're providing a visual playoff bracket to make it easier to see the playoff picture during a season.

Again, these aren't massive changes, but they are necessary. Hopefully, this November update signals a commitment to giving players what they need for a deeper franchise mode. Of course, it doesn't fix the gameplay, but that's another story.

Madden NFL 21 is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

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DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods Composers Confirmed to be Andrew Hulshult and David Levy

id Software and DOOM Eternal composer Mick Gordon had a pretty public falling out earlier this year when Gordon expressed frustration at the way the game's official soundtrack had been mixed. While id's Marty Stratton ended up responding with his own take on the situation, the whole matter essentially ended with it seeming as though Gordon would not be returning for the project's DLC. Fortunately, when it comes to the forthcoming The Ancient Gods add-on, id has now acquired the talents of another incredibly esteemed composer.

Over on social media today, Andrew Hulshult announced that he would be stepping in to work on the music for DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods. Hulshult, who is likely most well-known for his work at 3D Realms and has also worked on titles like Quake Champions, Brutal Doom, and Dusk, said that he is working on the score alongside id's David Levy. Many had theorized for quite some time that it was Hulshult's work that was heard in the debut trailer for The Ancient Gods, and the composer confirmed as much.

While Gordon has been just as attached to DOOM in recent years as the Doom Slayer himself, there's no denying that Hulshult is an excellent new selection to create heavy metal jams for this franchise in the near future. If you haven't checked out Hulshult's past work, I highly encourage you to do so. I think you'll quickly find that he's a great choice to take up the DOOM mantle with this DLC.

Hulshult's latest score will be on full display next month when DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods Part 1 comes to Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Stadia on October 20. If you'd like to get a taste of Hulshult's prowess, you can also check out the reveal trailer down below.

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Fall Guys Should Have A Mode That Removes Team Games

Fall Guys is one of the first competitive multiplayer titles I plan on keeping up with in quite some time. I'm still experiencing technical issues relatively often, but it is a unique take on the battle royale genre that is easy to hop into and play with friends. There is a solid variety in games despite some being much more fun than others, specifically, the team games.

I have only obtained the coveted crown once, however, I have begun to notice an ongoing trend with my many, many losses; team games. Now don't get me wrong, there are some team games that I really enjoy in general like Egg Scramble and Hoopsie Daisy, but at the end of the day, I don't want to lose because of something I do not have direct control of.

The goal in Fall Guys is to be the last Fall Guy standing, but when you have to rely on players that you can't communicate with, it hurts itself as a competitive game. Granted, this is a title for all ages where not everyone is focusing on the competitiveness, and we aren't going to see Fall Guys turn into an esports title. But with it being approachable for a vast majority of players, there is an opportunity to have numerous mode options, especially when it comes to team games.

Not only are team games frustrating due to having to rely on other people in a "last man standing" environment, but another issue is that overall, most of the team games just aren't very fun. Some like Fall Ball go on for way too long. Team Tail Tag and Royal Fumble have the notorious "tail issue" that the community has continuously brought to light. Outside of one or two team games, I always end up groaning whenever I see one pop up as the next round.

Fall Guys

As far as I'm aware, the potential games that are chosen in each round are based on how many players are still in the game, so removing team games wouldn't ruin the flow of game selection. The one potential issue I see with not having team games is the number of games available to play. There are currently 25 mini-games in Fall Guys, with 7 of them being team games. With only 18 games on the roster, you could potentially play through all of them as early as 3 games if they all went to round 6. That could cause the replay value to go down with players getting bored more quickly. Despite my grievances, it might be more ideal to implement a "teamless mode" farther down the line once more mini-games are incorporated; but again, this is an additional mode on top of what we already have. I just want more options.

I understand that the charm of team games is being able to play with the friends you group up with, but honestly, I have more fun competing in a free for all and end up supporting them if I ever get eliminated. You can still have fun playing with a party with no team games being in the picture.

Fall Guys

Fall Guys Season 2 is coming next month with new medieval-themed games alongside it, likely adding new team games to boot. Naturally, as the game continues and more and more mini-games are being added, things may change and team games will be less of a drag. But as of now, we don't know if games will cycle in and out every season or if they will just go to a pool that will get bigger and bigger as the months or years go on.

In reality, I don't see developer Mediatonic adding a mode that doesn't have team games in it, but I still hope they do. The team at Mediatonic has been transparent with updating the game and has already made fixes to the team games after only being out for a month. I don't doubt the possibilities of new modes, but being a small team and many other plans already in the works, I don't think we will see it anytime soon. While Fall Guys is friendly towards kids, teens, and adults, having different modes would add more variety and more competitiveness for those who are itching for that experience, and I hope that starts with tweaking how team games are implemented.

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Latest World of Warcraft Afterlives Short Shows Us What Thrall's Mom Is Up To

World of Warcraft, Acitivision-Blizzard, PC

Even if you haven't played World of Warcraft in a while (or maybe ever), you've likely heard of Thrall. The former Warchief of the Horde is, outside of maybe Jaina Proudmoore and Arthas Menethil, the most well-known character from Warcraft lore. Less is known about his mother Draka, though that could be changing once Shadowlands hits on October 27. Today, the team at Activision-Blizzard dropped the second short in their Afterlives series. This one focuses on Draka and what she's been up to in Maldraxxus. Check it out below.

In World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, Madraxxus is home to the Necrolords. If you haven't been keeping up with the Shadowlands pre-release news, the Necrolords are one of the four covenants you can join. In the short, we see Draka working with one of the five houses that work to protect the land. However, someone has betrayed the houses and she must now find a new crew.

During her time with them, it seems she has embraced the skills of something akin to a rouge. She can disappear from sight and attacks from stealth only when she must. And, I mean, how many of us haven't decided at one point or another to reroll as a rouge?

It's awesome to see the World of Warcraft team focus on a mostly fringe character with this second short. The first gave us a look at what Uther has been up since being murdered by Arthas. Uther isn't a household name by any means, but he's certainly had a much bigger slice of the lore pie than Draka. Plus, I'm always down for more Thrall-centric story-telling. She very well could get us there.

World of Warcraft: Shadowlands launches on October 27 for PC. Next up, the team will drop two more of these Afterlives shorts, making for one of each covenant.

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Media Molecule Co-Founder Alex Evans Announces He's Stepping Away from Game Development

LittleBigPlanet, Media Molecule

In a Twitter thread, Media Molecule Co-Founder Alex Evans announced he's stepping away from the company and video game development.

"Hey! So a few months ago I did a bit of lockdown-inspired soul searching & decided to step down from 'dreams dev' to 'dreams fan' – take a break from gamedev, a career I've been lucky enough to enjoy since I was a spotty 15-year-old," said Evans.

Evans said Media Molecule is a great place to work and he couldn't imagine working at any other developer. Though he's not sure what's next for him, he wondered what else he could do. "For anyone worrying about dreams – don't! what MM are doing on dreams atm is gonna *blow your minds* & though I'll miss them all, I'll be cheering from the sidelines! thanks to them for the first 13 wonderful years & here's to MM's next 13."

Media Molecule was founded in 2006 by Mark Healy, Kareem Ettouney, David Smith, and Evans. Their first game was 2008's LittleBigPlanet on the Playstation 3. From there, they released LittleBigPlanet 2 in 2010, followed by Tearaway in 2013 for the PlayStation Vita. Additionally, the developer ported Tearaway to the PlayStation 4 in 2014 as Tearaway Unfolded.

Their most recent game is Dreams, which released back in February. Like Media Molecule's previous games, Dreams lets players create whatever they'd like to, from full games to films and music. A PlayStation VR mode for Dreams launched back in July. More recently, Dreams users have done things from recreating a version of Fall Guys to Halo Infinite being remade.

Dreams is available now on PlayStation 4. While we don't know what Evans will do next, we wish him nothing but the best for his future endeavors.

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Super Mario 3D All-Stars Resolution Details Revealed

Super Mario 3D All-Stars

Today Nintendo announced the long-rumored Super Mario 3D All-Stars a compilation of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy. Each title has been remastered to support the current generation visuals but the resolutions differ depending on which game you are playing. Nintendo Japan put out a news article detailing the collection's three games and their in-game soundtracks including the resolution for each title whether you are playing docked or on the go.

Super Mario 64 while remastered will only be running at 720p regardless if you're playing handheld or on the big screen. Both Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy will play in 720p undocked and 1080p docked. Another point worth noting which was shown during the 35th anniversary direct is that Super Mario Sunshine will now be playable in 16:9 aspect ratio instead of it's original 4:3.

While some may be upset due to the lack of 1080p across the board. Having access to all three of these major Nintendo titles on the Switch in one package for only $60 makes up for that. completely. On top of 3D All-Stars, we can also expect Super Mario 3D World to make its way to the Switch this coming February bringing even more Mario goodness to the platform.

Despite these incredible announcements, Nintendo still has a vacant lineup this coming holiday season. We've been getting a bunch of different directs the past few weeks, but still have yet to get the first-party Nintendo Direct we've been waiting for since June. At least we have All-Stars to hold us over.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars is set to release on September 18 exclusively on Nintendo Switch. If you are planning to get a physical copy be sure to pre-order as soon as possible. 3D All-Stars will only be available until March 31, 2021, so there will be a very short supply unless you purchase digitally. You can pre-order the game right now on Amazon. To check out all of the Mario announcements, you can watch the full direct on Nintendo's official YouTube channel.

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Call of the Sea Gets New Trailer Featuring Developer Commentary

Call of the Sea

When it was revealed at the Inside Xbox showcase last May, Call of the Sea turned some heads for being a narrative-based puzzle game, the type that seems to always be in high demand ever since the release of Portal. A new trailer for the game dropped this week for Gamescom 2020 and features some developer commentary that provides a little bit of background on what Call of the Sea has to offer.

In the video, Out of the Blue's Tatiana Delgado explores the influence that H.P. Lovecraft had in Call of the Sea's production. She says:

"As you can see, although our game is heavily influenced by his tales, Call of the Sea is a twist on the traditional H.P. Lovecraft works. We're trying to focus on the surreal and the oneiric more than the horrific and the grim. In short, Call of the Sea isn't a descent into madness, but a rise to sanity; losing your mind makes you see a dreamlike, colorful world."

Delgado puts major emphasis on the narrative portion of the game in a developer presentation video from the Future Games Show saying that while it is primarily a puzzle game, Out of the Blue wants the major focus to be on the narrative.

Voice actress Cissy Jones, best known for her roles in Firewatch and the Telltale Walking Dead games, plays the main character Norah, a woman who has traveled to the South Pacific in search of her missing husband to pick up the pieces and find out what happened to his mysterious expedition.

Despite being the first game for Madrid based developers Out of the Blue, Call of the Sea looks to be a promising first entry in the developer's library.

For more on Call of the Sea make sure to check out the game's website and stay on DualShockers for more updates.

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Super Mario Galaxy Co-Op on Switch Requires Detached Joy-Cons to Play It (UPDATE)

Super Mario Galaxy

Update: In a report from Polygon, Nintendo clarifies that motion controls are only required for pointer functionality for Super Mario Galaxy when it's in TV, Tabletop, and Handheld modes. Additionally, the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is compatible with the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection.

"Super Mario Galaxy is supported in TV, Tabletop and Handheld Modes. In TV and Tabletop modes, motion controls are required for pointer functionality," said Nintendo to Polygon. "In Handheld Mode, pointer functionality has been adapted to use Touch Screen."

On the product page for Super Mario 3D All-Stars, Nintendo confirms that detached Joy-Cons are required to play Super Mario Galaxy in co-op.

"Defy gravity as you explore space in the Super Mario Galaxy™ game, originally released in 2007! Help Rosalina restore her ship by collecting Power Stars and save Princess Peach," says the Mario Galaxy description. "Gently shake a Joy-Con™ controller to activate Mario's Spin ability or pass a Joy-Con controller to a friend for some extra help in Co-Star Mode."

For those with a Nintendo Switch Lite, you'll need separate, detached Joy-Cons in order to play the game in co-op. Additionally, the detached Joy-Cons are only for Super Mario Galaxy's co-op mode and they aren't required for Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine.

During this morning's surprise Mario 35th anniversary direct, Nintendo announced Super Mario 3D All-Stars, a collection of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy. The collection will release on September 18 for $59.99. The weird thing about it is it's only available till March 31, 2021. Besides the collection, Nintendo announced a rerelease of Super Mario 3D World for the Switch which comes out on February 12, 2021. The rerelease also comes with Bowser's Fury, but Nintendo hasn't revealed much about it.

Besides those two major announcements, Super Mario All-Stars has been added to Nintendo Switch Online. Super Mario Bros. 35, a battle royale-like take on Super Mario Bros., has been announced and will be available from October 1 to March 31, 2021. Additionally, we got a look at Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, a mixed-reality game where the player controls a real-life Mario Kart with their Nintendo Switch.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars launches on Nintendo Switch on September 18 and is available till March 31, 2021. You can watch the full Super Mario 35th anniversary direct below if you missed it.

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The Witcher: Blood Origin May See Aquaman Himself, Jason Momoa, Joining the Cast

Following the success of the first season of The Witcher on Netflix, the streaming service announced earlier this summer that is was doubling down on the IP by putting into production a 6-part spin-off series titled Blood Origin. While there still isn't much known about this new series, it seems as though we now have an idea as to who Netflix could be looking at to star in the show.

According to news site Redanian Intelligence, Netflix is looking to cast Aquaman and Game of Thrones star Jason Momoa as the lead character in The Witcher: Blood Origin. While the report first stemmed from We Got This Covered (which is a site that is known to not always report on factual information), Redanian Intelligence says that it has been able to independently verify with two anonymous sources that Momoa is tied to the project. While the deal isn't locked-in just yet, Momoa seems to be Netflix's first choice.

Assuming that Momoa does end up getting cast for Blood Origin, he would slot right alongside fellow Justice League star Henry Cavill as the two main lead actors tied to Netflix's The Witcher universe, which is a bit amusing. That said, can you really blame them? Momoa and Cavill are two huge, beefy, muscle men — who wouldn't want them to each star in a series where they run around and slay monsters?

Obviously, The Witcher: Blood Origin is only just now getting off the ground and is still in pre-production, but if Momoa does end up landing the show's lead role, we'd probably hear about it well in advance of the series' actual premiere. We'll keep you updated on this story moving forward if there's anything new that ends up coming about.

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