AOC Is Gearing Up To Stream Among Us on Twitch and Get Out the Vote

AOC

It's no secret that New York state representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been known to play games during her free time. Having publicly spoken about her accomplishments in League of Legends among other games, she's earned a lot of attention from the gaming community.

Now, the New York-based representative is jumping rails a bit from the ever-popular MOBA to Among Us, the cultural phenomenon based loosely on games like Werewolf or Town of Salem that's seen immense success among content creators. This all started earlier today when she tweeted out that she would be hopping into the popular game to try and motivate people to vote and asked her followers to suggest people and streamers for her to play with.

After her first tweet went up, Dot Esports reported that she would be streaming on Twitch with the likes of other popular personalities from the streaming site like Pokimane and Hasanabi helping her learn how to play.

Not long after the report from Dot Esports went live, the congresswoman tweeted that she was setting up her stream with an official Twitch link. While she hasn't quite started streaming yet, it'll be interesting to see what personalities she brings on, especially considering the broader political implications of streaming with her. With the 2020 US presidential election looming, it will be interesting to see AOC connect with the gaming community and popular streamers to encourage voting and awareness towards the election.

The post AOC Is Gearing Up To Stream Among Us on Twitch and Get Out the Vote by Charlie Wacholz appeared first on DualShockers.

Atelier Ryza 2 Introduces New Battle Mechanics, Sub Characters Zephine, Dennis, Romy and Cassandra

Atelier Ryza 2 screenshots battle system Serri order skill

Koei Tecmo and Gust revealed new details on Atelier Ryza 2 coming to PC via Steam, PS4, PS5, and Switch, most notably new battle mechanics and more sub characters. Below, we have all the details from the press release, mixed in it with additional details translated from the Japanese press release.

First, take a look at the new side characters of Atelier Ryza 2:

Zephine Baudouin, voiced by Rikako Aida

"What were you two talking about? Something lewd?"

Zephine Baudouin is a young woman who works at a café in the Academy District of the royal capital Ashra-am Baird. Zephine is pretty much the café's manager, because the real manager never shows up. She's doing a great job and the café is bustling.

Atelier Ryza 2 screenshots quests billboard 2

Zephine also manages the café's request bulletin board. Citizens of Ashra-am Baird post jobs on the bulletin board, from gathering materials to defeating monsters. Ryza and her friends can take them on. Players can earn money, items and Skill Points by completing these jobs.

Dennis Holland, voiced by Ryo Yaginuma

"Actually, there's a certain reason why I'm looking for rare metals"

Dennis Holland is a blacksmith in the capital. He's renowned as one of the best craftsmen in the whole capital. He excels at metal engraving, and is also good at weapons processing. He's a friendly guy, but gets so focused when working that he won't notice anything even if you call him.

Atelier Ryza 2 3d model Romy Vogel Atelier Ryza 2 screenshots Romy Vogel

Romy Vogel, voiced by Yuki Nagaku

"Yeah yeah coming, I'm the owner, Romy"

Romy Vogel already appeared on Kurken Island in the first game, Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout. In Atelier Ryza 2, Romy is a strong and cheerful woman who owns her own store in the royal capital. Before that she used to be a peddler, traveling the country, and that's how she'd visit Kurken Island and how she first met Ryza. Now, she decided to settle in the capital for a while.

Atelier Ryza 2 3d model Cassandra Cappelli Atelier Ryza 2 screenshots Cassandra Cappelli

Cassandra Cappelli, voiced by Sayumi Suzushiro

"I've never seen a girl having so much fun looking at the fields"

Cassandra Cappelli is the eldest daughter of a rich farmer, who owns an incredible amount of fruitful land inside the Royal Capital's Farming District. Cassandra only has sisters, and they all work the fields. The land is too big for them though, so now they only farm a small portion for their daily needs. Cassandra and her sisters are worried about what to do with the rest of the land, which is currently abandoned.

Next up are the new details on the battle system:

The battle system of Atelier Ryza 2 is described as a Real Time Tactics Battle system. Party members accumulate Action points and Core Charge as they fight.

Atelier Ryza 2 screenshots battle system Serri order skill

You can also receive requests from allies, asking if they should use a certain move. These are the Action Order. If you respond to an Action Order, the party members will support you with powerful Order Skills.

Atelier Ryza 2 screenshots battle system guard

When guarding enemy attacks with the right timing, you'll also earn more Action Points.

Atelier Ryza 2 screenshots battle system Skill Chain

Characters with many Action Points are able to use multiple Skills in a row via Skill Chain. Using Skill Chain also increases the power of Skills and the amount of Core Charge gained in each attack.

You can also connect a Skill Chain with sub party members, that's called a Shift Skill. Using Skills also fills up the Tactics Level gauge, and each time it rises, the amount of hits a regular attack does will rise as well, and Action Points will accumulate quicker.

When the Tactic Level reaches the max level, you can use a character's ultimate move, the Fatal Drive.

Items can be used in battle by spending Core Charge. You can use up to 4 Core Charge in a row to use 4 items in a row. So for example, you can throw four bombs at once at an enemy.

Later on as you progress in Atelier Ryza 2, you'll also be able to use item ultimate moves called Core Drive.

That's all regarding the battle system of Atelier Ryza 2

On a related note, the Atelier Ryza 2 fanart & cosplay contest is ending soon, on October 31:

You can read more on Atelier Ryza 2 with our past coverage, mos notably Producer Junzo Hosoi's comments from TGS 2020. Alongside more comments and interviews we translated from Japanese outlets. Most notably how Producer Hosoi said Ryza was always supposed to be the protagonist for two games.

The PS5 physical version of Atelier Ryza 2 was also canceled in Japan and Taiwan.

Atelier Ryza 2 will launch in Japan on December 3. The American version launches on January 26, 2021. The European version releases on January 29. You can check out the limited edition and early bonuses too. You can preorder it on Amazon to support us.

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Xbox Game Pass is Adding 3 Double Fine Classic Remasters on October 29

Known for their timeless humor and point-and-click gameplay, LucasArts' acclaimed titles like Day of the Tentacle, Grim Fandango, and Full Throttle defined an entire genre in the years since their release. In the wake of LucasArts' closure, Double Fine Productions brought all three games back for a new generation in the past few years, with the three remade games coming to Xbox Game Pass for everyone to enjoy next week.

Developer Double Fine Productions has announced that the three recent remasters of these classic adventure titles–Day of the Tentacle, Grim Fandango, and Full Throttle–will be coming to Xbox Game Pass subscribers on October 29, 2020. After their initial release on other platforms such as PS4 and PC, their debut on Game Pass marks the first time that the LucasArts classics will be available to Xbox console owners.

According to Double Fine, all three games will be playable through Game Pass on PC and Android devices (through xCloud) alongside Xbox consoles, which seems to indicate that they'll be playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/Series S once they release. Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will be able to stream the games to PC or Android devices for on-the-go play, which should work well for these 3 story-driven games.

Double Fine Productions was acquired last year by Microsoft to become one of its many first-party development studios, so the addition of its past games to Xbox Game Pass makes a lot of sense. In addition to these three, Brutal Legend is also currently available on Game Pass, which gives a good incentive for players to discover the studio's quirky sense of humor and charm.

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A Black Lives Matter Theme is Now Available on PS4

PS4 Black Lives Matter

Continuing its support of the Black Lives Matter movement, Sony has released a new BLM inspired PS4 theme for free today. Users can download the theme off of the PS Store now.

This new theme comes with a black and gold color scheme. Icons on the home screen are recolored in gold and the movement's signature raised fist is featured at the bottom, along with the phrase "Black Lives Matter." Installing the theme is as simple as downloading it and then going to your PS4's settings menu. From there, navigate to the Themes menu and apply your new theme.

The tech giant took more vocal steps to support the Black Lives Matter movement after the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In June, PlayStation delayed a PS5 event to make room for other important social issues. "While we understand gamers worldwide are excited to see PS5 games, we do not feel that right now is a time for celebration and for now, we want to stand back and allow more important voices to be heard," said the company in a tweet. Sony also took a vocal approach, posting a series of tweets to its official account at the end of May stating the company's support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

It's not clear if this new theme will be available on the PS5, although it certainly would have a place there. Issues of racial inequality and discrimination won't suddenly disappear by the time the PS5 comes out, and bringing this theme forward would be another clear sign of support from Sony and PlayStation.

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GameStop Will Close Its Stores on Thanksgiving and Offer Early Pre-Black Friday Sales

With the launch of a ton of upcoming games and the arrival of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/Series S, GameStop is looking at a big rush of sales for new hardware and software this year, especially with Black Friday coming up next month. However, in a break from the retailer's past few years, GameStop is approaching the holiday shopping season a little differently in 2020 by focusing in on early deals ahead of Black Friday.

GameStop has announced some of its plans for Black Friday and heading into the holiday shopping season this year alongside its official 2020 gift guide for new consoles, games, collectibles, and more. Specifically, the retailer noted that it will be closing its stores on Thanksgiving in the US (Thursday, November 26), breaking from the past few years where it opened on the holiday to get a jump on Black Friday sales. Additionally, the company also confirmed that it will plan to offer Black Friday deals and sales early, and that it will feature "more pre-Black Friday sale events than ever before." Specifics on when Black Friday deals will launch (and when) will be announced by GameStop at a later date.

GameStop also noted that while physical stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, online orders can continue to be placed through their official website and mobile app on Thanksgiving to take advantage of Black Friday deals and offers. Customers will have the option to pick up their orders in-store (when they are open), ship items from a store, or for the first time this year can also select Same-Day Delivery service in specific areas.

GameStop is likely following the lead of other major retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart, which have all similarly announced plans to spread their Black Friday deals and sales over the course of November. Given the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic across the world, this strategy shift makes sense to make up for the (likely) decreased traffic that retail stores will see this holiday season, which also provides another incentive to close for Thanksgiving Day.

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Where Cards Fall Comes to Nintendo Switch and PC Next Year

Where Cards Fall, The Game Band

Where Cards Fall is a game from the creators of Blaseball that came out exclusively on Apple Arcade in 2019. However, after just past a year, the team at The Game Band announced that they're finally bringing the game to other systems. The game is a story-based puzzle game that sees you building a house of cards to learn more about its coming-of-age tale. It doesn't have a firm release date yet, but we know it's coming next year. Give the new announcement trailer a watch below.

Given how much Blaseball took the world by storm, I'm excited to try this out. Obviously, it's a very different game; however, I'm fairly confident that anyone that can make Blaseball knows how to make a great game. Plus, Where Cards Fall has solid reviews and picked up several mobile game awards last year. So, I'll definitely be giving this a look when it does release.

As an Android user, it's awesome to see more and more games freed from Apple Arcade's exclusivity. Of course, many of the games wouldn't get made without it. So, this isn't me wishing it didn't exist. That said, bringing the game to a wider audience after a period of exclusivity always seems to be a good thing. Hopefully, The Game Band sees a solid uptick in sales once it does launch.

Where Cards Fall is available now on Apple Arcade. The game is set to come to Nintendo Switch and PC sometime in 2021. We'll have a release date for you as soon as they announce it.

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PT Can't Be Redownloaded to PS5, Konami Confirms

With its release back in 2014, PT — the "playable teaser" for Kojima Productions' ill-faited horror title Silent Hills — instantly became one of the most terrifying horror experiences of the generation. The captivating demo title was only available for a short time on the PlayStation Store before being delisted by Konami in 2015 after Silent Hills' cancellation, leaving the game stranded on PS4 for those that have already downloaded the game. However, with the PS5 coming next month, it seems PT will continue to be left behind on the PS4 with no option to redownload it onto the system.

GamesRadar reports that according to a confirmation by Konami, PT will be unavailable to redownload on the PS5 due to its delisting on the PlayStation Store. A Konami representative stated that "the content will not be available on the PS Store, so users won't be able to re-download the content through the backwards compatibility feature to the PS5."

Initially released in August 2014, PT was removed from the PlayStation Store in April 2015 after Konami officially cancelled development of Silent Hills. As a result, players couldn't redownload the title from the PlayStation Store, leading many to find alternate ways to bring the game to their system alongside a string of fan remakes on PC in attempts to preserve the title.

However, the report from GamesRadar doesn't specifically confirm whether players may be able to bring the title over to PS5 by directly transferring it from a PS4 console or external hard drive containing the game files. As Sony confirmed that the PS5 will support external storage to play PS4 games, this may be a potential workaround if the PS4 game is able to be played on a PS5 console, but there's no direct way of knowing that until the system is available after launch. However, Konami's language may insinuate that since the game is no longer being hosted on the PlayStation Store, the PS5 may not be able to access and play the title even with the files being transferred locally to the system.

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Persona 5 Was the Game I Didn't Know I Needed In 2020

Persona 5

Disclaimer: I'm going to talk about some heavy stuff in this article regarding current events and the many tragedies of 2020. Also, there will be some light to moderate Persona 5 spoilers, so please read at your own discretion.

I think it would be fair to say that 2020 has been a pretty rough year on everyone. Things like corruption and the abuse of power within the government, acts of violence committed in the name of white supremacy, and an American public that is completely apathetic to itself are not new issues for the U.S., but it feels like the bow made out of garbage tying this particular pile of garbage together is the global pandemic. All of the things listed above are heinous and horrible and should not be swept under the rug in the way that they have been for decades, but the coronavirus has added another level of stress and anxiety to the lives of everyone who understands and believes that it exists — and believe me, it exists.

Because of the infectious nature of the virus, we've taken (or have tried to take) many steps to ensure our safety and the safety of those around us; however, we've lost a lot of human warmth in the process. Handshakes, high-fives, and hugs are being retired as greetings and even friendly passing smiles are obscured by masks. We shouldn't be going to restaurants or visiting with large groups of friends, so what's left? A lot of staying home. And for me, a lot of Persona 5.

Persona 5 is the game that I had no idea I needed when starting it for the first time back in June. It's a video game that seems to be tailor-made for people struggling to cope with the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19. The very premise of the game is something of a fantasy for those of us who feel horrified by the government's inaction and inability to properly take care of the people they're supposed to protect.

For those who don't know, in Persona 5, you play as a quiet mannered high school student who is on probation for a crime he didn't commit. He joins up with some friends (and a talking cat; just go with it) to create the Phantom Thieves, a group whose sole goal is to change the hearts of evil and corrupt adults. Basically, the Phantom Thieves enter the brains of people with corrupt desires and "steal their hearts," which causes them to change their ways and recognize the evils they've committed.

The ability to make people good by stealing their hearts is a power that I've fantasized about having after learning of its existence from Persona 5. It's nice to play a game where the main cast is doing what's right because they can easily recognize when someone is doing something wrong.  But towards the end of the game, the Phantom Thieves set their targets on up and coming prime minister candidate Masayoshi Shido, who publicly wants to save Japan from financial and moral ruin. However, behind closed doors, he's organizing hits on his political opponents and abusing the power that he has amassed.

You can understand where I might see some parallels from Persona 5 to current events.

Being able to see the profound positive changes that the Phantom Thieves have on their targets made me want to have their powers. Every day when I doomscroll through Twitter reading about the ever-growing list of terrible things that the US government has gotten away with, I wish that I could change their hearts.

The ability to play a game where that option not only exists but is used to change the world for the better is a wonderful escape. It makes the real world feel a lot less scary and like I'm not alone in recognizing the wrongdoing of those in power. It's a wonderful "imagine if…" that got me excited for the end of each workday when I got to sit down, relax, and roleplay as a member of the Phantom Thieves.

Because of the pandemic, I've stayed inside. I'm not a huge social butterfly regularly, but because I've hardly left the house since March, I've been itching to get out and go be social. Despite restaurants, malls, and other social places being open, I avoid them because I don't want to contribute to the spread of COVID-19. So instead, it's Persona 5 for me.

By night, the main cast of characters are heart-stealing Phantom Thieves, but by day, they're high school students who have bustling social lives. The game offers all kinds of different hang out spots and activities to do either on your own or with your friends, from batting cages to restaurants, from libraries to amusement parks. Because I can't do these things right now in real life, the social life simulation part of Persona 5 has been a breath of fresh air. Meeting up with Ryuji to go to the gym or with Yusuke to check out the newest art exhibits seem like unnoteworthy events, but for someone who can't do them in real life, they're huge.

It might seem silly because playing a game alone is the exact opposite of having a social life, but Persona 5 has given me social connections that I am in desperate need of right now. My own personal social life has basically been killed right in front of me because of COVID-19, so now it's turned into learning shogi from Hifumi at the church and helping Makoto keep her friend safe from an abusive relationship. While they're not real people, the characters in Persona 5 have served as my "friends" during 2020 in a way that I wasn't expecting.

The bonds you make with your friends in Persona 5 are essential to the story and to making your character stronger. By placing such a heavy emphasis on friendship and relationships, the game was able to fill part of that void for me. Obviously, nothing can replace real-life friendship, but the characters in the game do a wonderful job of being stand-ins.

The compassion that the Phantom Thieves show each other and the world around them is something that feels good. The idea of being close to people, both figuratively and literally, right now is something that feels a little bit far away, but Persona 5 has done a good job of reminding me what awaits at the end of this tunnel. The escape and fantasy that this game has provided me was unexpected. I didn't know that I was going to be absolutely hooked in the way that I was when I started it, but there couldn't have been a better time for it.

As the anxiety continues to ramp up this year with the U.S. election looming ever closer and as our government continues to do nothing to prevent the spread of the pandemic, I'm reminded by the single loading screen tip that Persona 5 has: "Take Your Time." It's been a nice reminder when things feel like they're getting too big or when I feel like I'm missing out on the social life that it seems my friends are all having without me. We're all on different paths and I will rejoin them once it's safe.

The world is pretty tough right now, but it's a little less tough when you're playing Persona.

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Monkey Island Anthology Collection from Limited Run Games is Setting Sail Later This Month

As the home for all things physical media, retailer Limited Run Games has made it their mission to bring indie games and older favorites to physical release over the past several years. Notably, the classic Monkey Island series was next on the retailer's list to bring back in physical form, and the collection will be coming at the end of the month for lovers of the LucasArts adventure games.

Limited Run Games has officially revealed the Monkey Island Anthology after previously announcing the PC game collection earlier this year at its annual upcoming releases showcase. The collection features all five games in the Monkey Island series for $159.99 alongside a number of special edition items that will likely appeal to longtime fans of the series, such as artwork, collectibles, and more.

You can check out an image of the collection below from Limited Run Games:

As seen in the image from Limited Run, the Anthology will feature a collectible statue of the series' protagonist Guybrush Threepwood, alongside a collectible shadowbox, art, a set of enamel pins, and a LucasFilm USB drive with all five games stored on it. Additionally, the set includes a special collector's edition book with behind-the-scenes details and art that showcase the making of the series over the years, alongside interviews with the developers of the games.

The Monkey Island Anthology from Limited Run Games will be available on October 30, 2020; stay tuned to more word from Limited Run later this month for how to pre-order.

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Genshin Impact Reintroduces Klee Ahead of Her Gacha Banner Launch

Genshin Impact Klee trailer feature

miHoYo released a new trailer introducing Klee in Genshin Impact (PC, PS4, Mobile, soon on Switch, PS5). The trailer focuses on the fiery girl as she goes on adventures and blows things up with her pyro bombs. That's only until she gets caught by Jean, who puts Klee in solitary confinement. Where she creates new bombs, repeating the cycle.

The trailer is particularly nice and with much more direction than the others so far. Not that the previous trailer looked bad, but you can really tell the PR staff at miHoYo is starting to feel it now. See for yourself below.

Genshin Impact: Klee Introduction Trailer (Japanese and English)

That trailer definitely does a good job at introducing her. Regular Genshin players might have noticed for a while now, but Klee's running animation is identical to Qiqi, the loli jiangshi voiced by Yukari Tamura. Klee is voiced by Misaki Kuno.

Our previously published guide on the Klee banner includes everything you should know about it, alongside my Unneeded Opinion. The Klee banner will be available on October 20 on each server when their specific clocks hit 1800.

miHoYo is currently considering adding key bindings to Genshin. You could say it's one of the key functions the game is missing so far. Lisa's seiyuu Rie Tanaka is regularly streaming the game too on YouTube.

Genshin Impact Version 1.1 is expected to launch on November 11 with a new event. Version 1.2 is expected to launch on December 23, and will add another event and the new Dragonspine area. Version 1.3 is scheduled for February 2021. Each update is scheduled to be spaced by six weeks. You can read in detail about each update here and here.

Genshin Impact has been incredibly popular since its worldwide launch on September 28. The game is making waves in Japan and Southeast Asia specifically.

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