After you reach the new cap with your main, your World of Warcraft alts can join a covenant earlier
Man, look at that World of Warcraft: Shadowlands screenshot! I have enough of those to last the entire next year, and then some. It's a beautiful expansion, but a lot of you will probably want to enjoy it with alts. The good news is that Blizzard is easing the barriers of entry for those extra characters beyond your main.
As detailed on the official World of Warcraft blog, the "Threads of Fate" system is designed to help make the leveling process from 50-60 (the new cap) a little more enticing. After unlocking the ability to pledge to a covenant at 60 with one character, the process opens up at 50 for everyone else. You basically just need to finish the "Stand as One" quest from Anduin and you're good to go.
In other words, you can create four characters to enjoy all three covenants at the same time, and earn progress toward each as you level: so there's less wasted time. I 100% get that the team wanted you to explore all four regions for storyline reasons before you made a choice, but given that you can swap at will regardless, that sounds like a more desirable mechanic overall.
Yeah you read that right: you can swap with your main if you want and then swap back if you aren't feeling it. Covenants are one of the more lore-heavy and fun elements of Shadowlands, and the lack of a grind (there's a weekly cap on certain parameters) has made it more bearable than a few other endgame concepts in the past.
Level Anew with Threads of Fate [Battle.net]
Xbox Series X gets its first update today
Sony and Microsoft have taken wildly divergent paths in their approach to their new console's first system update. Earlier this month, PS5 got an 800MB update that was simply detailed as "improves system performance." Xbox Series S/X's first update has begun rolling out now, and we know everything about it.
In a very comprehensive post, Microsoft outlined everything that's new to Xbox Series S and X. The most exciting inclusion is dynamic backgrounds. The first smattering has six animated backgrounds that are mostly based off of various Xbox branding throughout the generations. This implementation opens the door for premium backgrounds based on various games. It's something PlayStation has had for a long while now.
Swery's slice-of-life adventure game The Good Life is launching summer 2021
The long road leading up to the release of The Good Life, the next game from Deadly Premonition director Swery, doesn't feel like it's getting any shorter – but it is. A bit. The game is now being published by The Irregular Corporation (Murder By Numbers) and it's aiming for a summer 2021 launch.
This latest footage looks further along than our last check-in, but the frame rate is struggling.
The Good Life is a slice-of-life adventure game about an American photographer caught up in a strange rural English town where people – the protagonist included – can transform into animals. If you're the type of player who enjoys really settling into a new place and poking around, you might be down.
As a game, I don't have high expectations for The Good Life. As an outlet for Swery's creative characters, worlds, and stories, I'm far more interested. I just don't want a repeat of Deadly Premonition 2. There's "forgivable" and "endearing" jank, and then there's "so busted it's nearly unplayable" jank.
I'm not sure what to make of this game, and I probably won't be until I'm literally playing it.
@Swery65 [Twitter]
PSA: It's the last day to export your Rock Band 3 songs
Here's some housekeeping that will probably fall on deaf ears. Any committed Rock Band player took care of it long ago. Anyone who hasn't probably won't care enough to rush this through in the coming hours.
Alas, here goes anyway: It's the last day to export your Rock Band 3 songs into Rock Band 4/Rivals. The license expires on December 1, 2020.
For those who want make a last-second just-in-the-nick-of-time export, you'll need a copy of Rock Band 3 and $15. Harmonix's systems need to check that you're a "verified purchaser" of Rock Band 3 and then the export costs $15. The process is outlined on this very old blog post.
You had five years to push this through, but now you only have a few more hours. If this PSA helps anyone out, you're a procrastinator to the max. Get it done now though. Without the export, the only way to play Rock Band 3 games will be inside actual Rock Band 3. Your library deserves better.
UK Chart titles jockey for position as lockdown affects Black Friday sales
The latest UK Chart report sees most of the industry's biggest releases jostling within the Top Ten, as the UK's current COVID-19 lockdown legislation put the dampers on the lucrative Black Friday sales, (which Britain also adopted because Capitalism, yo).
Electronic Arts' football simulator FIFA 21 has once again returned to the number one spot, pushing out Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War after just one week. Nintendo saw its Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe climb to numbers three and four respectively, while Square Enix's stumbling Marvel's Avengers has managed to push back into the Top Ten at number seven. Rounding out the charts at number 10 is Ubisoft's perennial holiday seller Just Dance. 'Tis the season, after all.
The biggest single-week drop goes to Nintendo brawler Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, which slipped from number six to number 20, with a 61% sales decline. Given the current state of the UK high street and the rapid decline in physical sales, these rise and falls are becoming ever more irrelevant as an expression of a title's success or failure - but it's still an achievement to see your title hit the coveted number one spot, only encouraging further sales.
Pokemon's 25th anniversary is coming soon, and big things are being teased
Pokemon! Gotta catch 'em all. I have! Leave me alone!
I can't believe it's been 25 years since the first generation of Pokemon debuted. Okay, well it will be 25 years in February, 2021, in Japan. For me, the 25th anniversary will be September 2023, when I first went to Toys "R" Us and picked up a copy of Pokemon Red. One eight hour session later and I knew that it was something special. My link cable came in handy that year.
All of us have different memories for Pokemon (maybe it's going to the movie with a date and acting cool when you didn't get the Mewtwo trading card bonus). Or maybe you have none! Either way The Pokemon Company is celebrating next year. Teased during the broadcasted edition of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade of all places (where Pikachu made his debut as a float in 2001), the firm has revealed the new logo: a giant Pikachu face with the numbers "2" and "5" as his red cheeks. Cute and effective.
While The Pokemon Company is mum on what to expect right now, they're calling it a "very special celebration." The release of Pokemon Unite could likely come on the anniversary in February (remember that one?), as well as any number of other announcements. An E3-timed tease of a new mainline entry (or more Sword/Shield DLC) wouldn't be out of the question either.
Pokemon Teases Upcoming 25th Anniversary Celebrations [Pokemon.com]
Wonderful 101 Remastered is getting a special Bayonetta-themed demo, with no new news on Bayonetta 3
Bayonetta 3 is still a mystery, but today, we're getting a little more Bayonetta in our lives.
Platinum has announced that the demo for Wonderful 101 Remastered is out today, and it comes with a special tweak that allows folks to play as Wonder-Bayonetta from the start. The demo is available on PC, PS4, and Switch: the same platforms as the current remaster. In case you're wondering, it does allow save transferring from the demo to the full game.
As a reminder, Bayonetta was already a fixture in the original version of Wonderful 101 as a secret character. But this demo will have her unlocked already, ready to go. You can get a quick look at her in the trailer below if you haven't played with her yet.
So there's a few more things to cover here. Patch 1.03 allows players to use "Wonderful Codes," which are Platinum-provided in-game codes for goodies. You can use "UMBRANGIFT" and "ANGELSLAYERS" now to unlock Bayonetta and Jeanne/Rodin respectively.
Also, Platinum insists that there is "no news" coming for Bayoneta 3 today. We already asked! This is clearly just setting the table. Maybe we'll get a special Nintendo Direct before the end of the year?
Blizzard veteran launches charity networking platform Leyline
A former high-ranking employee of Blizzard Entertainment, Jeremy Dela Rosa, has announced the founding of a new, non-profit charity platform known as "Leyline." Through this new venture, Dela Rosa hopes to encourage PC and mobile video game fans to get involved with various charitable causes in return for games and gift cards, donated by the many business partners Dela Rosa has made within the industry.
"We have always been passionate about trying to make a big positive impact in the world," said the 10-year Blizzard veteran. "We realize that everyone wants to contribute to making the world a better place, but it can be needlessly complex. Through Leyline, we want to create an online ecosystem that rewards doing good things in the real world."
Leyline currently has a staff of 50 volunteers and is looking for investment and funding via a GoFundMe campaign. Leyline plans to promote a wide variety of charitable causes online and worldwide, hoping to encourage donations from video game players in the form of time, money, "idle processing power," and other means, dependent on the given charity. Though based on the company's first promo video, Leyline seems heavily in favor of the latter, using processing power borrowed from idle PC and mobile devices to contribute toward medical research.
Final Fantasy XV is four years old this week and it feels like it's had 20 spinoffs since then
Final Fantasy XV came out four years ago almost to the day (November 29, 2016). I repeat: Final Fantasy XV came out four years ago.
And in the time you've pondered what that means to you, Square Enix just greenlit another spinoff.
Genshin Impact trailer offers fans a better look at Zhongli's gameplay
Developer miHoYo has released a new trailer teasing the coming of Zhongli, the next character headed to phenomenally successful free-to-play gacha adventure Genshin Impact.
Zhongli - monikered here as "The Listener" - is a handsome and stoic young man contracted by the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Zhongli commands attention and respect with a calm and authoritative air, taking to the battlefield to casually dispatch his foes with his exquisite staff-wielding skills. The preview ends with a glimpse of an ultimate technique which sees Zhongli turn his enemies into literal dust, all without breaking a sweat or setting a hair out of place.
The new Record of Lodoss War game's next Early Access stage has been delayed
Good timing! I just recently re-bought the Complete Edition of The Record of Lodoss War OVA on Blu-ray. I mean, it's never a bad time to watch the Lodoss War OVA again: it's a masterpiece.
That's exactly why Team Ladybug is bringing this timeless classic back in game form. Titled Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth-, this action adventure platformer is due out sometime in 2021. Right now it's in Early Access, and will remain there for a bit: as evidenced by a new update from the development team.
According to the studio, the new "Stage 3 and 4 update" will not hit its November target, and is instead aiming for a January 2021 deployment. In the meantime the team is looking at fixing numerous fan-requested issues, like additional language support, volume settings, controller rumble, a proper game manual, and additional status effects.
Having played a bit of the game thus far (it's $12.99 and worth a plunge if you're remotely interested in the IP or 2D action platformers), I'm really enjoying the fact that Lodoss War is back in some capacity. While the elf Deedlit is the perfect vessel for a game like this, I hope we eventually see the entire crew make an appearance in another project: Curse of the Moon style.
The release timing of the Stage 3+4 update has changed [Steam]
Here's a quick look at Fallout 76's new big free DLC update
Microsoft got in on Bethesda at a decent time. Fallout 76 was in the rear-view mirror.
Everyone is abuzz about Ghostwire: Tokyo, Deathloop, Starfield, and the next Elder Scrolls. Right now, they have basically all of the hype behind them and none of Bethesda's failures too fresh in people's minds. I also wouldn't put it past Microsoft to allow Bethesda to delay some of the more broken games and bankroll that extra development time for the sake of their reputation. With a strong lack of exclusives for this new console generation, Microsoft needs that rep more than ever.
But before we get too ahead of ourselves, Bethesda did just launch the already-in-progress Steel Dawn update for Fallout 76; which improves the slightly-better-since-Wastelanders-but-still-partially-barren open world with new questlines. Although the DLC just launched, the below trailer just a decent job of spicing up the world of 76, while reminding us that NPCs do in fact now exist.
The main focus is on Paladin Leah Remini Leila Rahmani, as well as Knight Shin, and Scribe Valdez. Choices will be made! Faction loyalties will be tested! It is a Fallout game after all.
Zelda: Age of Calamity datamining sparks debate over who will be free or paid DLC
You can't really predict how Koei Tecmo or Nintendo will present DLC, but you can count on a Warriors game getting some form of paid add-ons.
That's currently the debate behind Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, as folks are wondering when the duo are going to announce the inevitable DLC to this highly successful Warriors entry: the most successful, in fact. We know DLC is coming, of all the games Koei Tecmo has ever released, this one is the most ripe for extra stories that are actually justified.
So who is coming? Well, according to datamining efforts, the first wave of choices seem pretty obvious. Minor spoilers below.
Sonic the Hedgehog movie sequel will begin shooting in March 2021
I don't think anyone was quite expecting Paramount Pictures' cinematic adaptation of Sonic the Hedgehog to be one of the most successful movie releases of 2020, especially given its shaky start, and yet here we are - with The Blue Blur sitting on a bank of $320 million USD.
Unsurprisingly, Paramount couldn't get sequel plans in motion fast enough, but given the production woes brought about by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, cameras are yet to roll on another of Sonic's dynamic, high-energy adventures. However, as reported by Comic Book, Creative BC, (overseers of all film production in British Columbia), have a new listing for a production known as "Emerald Hill", a recognizable phrase to all Sonic fans I'm sure.
According to the Creative BC listing, Paramount's "Emerald Hill" has a shooting schedule of March 15, 2021 to May 10 in the same year, with the final film still tentatively set for release on April 8, 2022. Of course, all of this is subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic and any other hurdles that might also be placed in the production schedule's path.
Now, it should also be clarified that all of the above is assuming that "Emerald Hill" is, in fact, the Sonic sequel. Given the codename, the British Columbia locale, and the expected release date, things seem pretty snug that Sonic - and perhaps some of his furry friends - are on course for their return to the silver screen.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 production details reportedly revealed [Comic Book / Eurogamer]
Doom Eternal on Switch isn't that far away after all, as it launches next week
It's still weird thinking about a Bethesda release being a "Microsoft" release. But this is one of the first major ports or game launches since the big publisher acquired the smaller one.
We were worried about Doom Eternal on Switch for a second! It never had a firm release date out of the gate, and it chucked its physical release into the sun. But Bethesda has confirmed this morning that Doom Eternal will arrive on Switch on December 8.
As a reminder, this pretty good Doom game (itself a sequel to Doom 2016) came out in March of this year on PC, PS4, Xbox One and Stadia (did you think I'd leave you out, Stadians?), and has received one DLC micro-campaign so far. It's due for another, but for now, Bethesda is poised to give us their Switch version.
Want the rundown? Well, it's 18.8GB in size (estimated), and Bethesda stresses that it's still a digital-only release ("at this time?" So you're saying there's a chance). The exact launch time is midnight on December 8, ET, and the aforementioned Ancient Gods: Part One DLC will come "at a later date," so it's going to be behind the other versions. I'd put money on it coming alongside of the second part. You can read all about the other known issues and glitches here.
It's still strange to see violent games like this on the innocent Nintendo YouTube channel! It even has that little Mario head logo pop up while Doom Guy is ripping and tearing. Jarring!
Grab the new Prime Gaming exotics for Destiny 2
If you've been slipping under the new Destiny 2: Beyond Light era, you aren't alone.
The "wow" factor and splendor of expansions has been missing since Forsaken, as Bungie is struggling to deliver content with a big impact ever since it went off on its own and jettisoned Activision. But if you're a Prime Gaming member, at least you can grab some free stuff in case you feel like logging in again. Or maybe you're enjoying Beyond Light, and even tried to snag that snazzy new jacket this past weekend! More power to you.
In that case, you can enjoy the new Prime Gaming rewards now. Here's the full list: An Unchained Exotic Emote, the Regal Howl Exotic Sparrow, a Transpose JT-24-X Exotic Ship, and the Arch Shell Legendary Ghost Shell.
As a reminder, Ghost Shells are now completely opened up by a new talent mechanic, so you can customize them to your heart's content without worrying. I'm really hoping the new transmogrification (transmog) cosmetic system gets here sooner than later though. The Ghost upgrade is a mere taste of it.
Bungie says there is another "12 months" of drops, so if you have an Amazon Prime account, log in and accumulate them even if you don't play Destiny 2 at the moment. If you ever pick it back up one day, you'll have a ton of free stuff.
Prime Gaming Rewards [Bungie.net]
Kadabra might return to Pokemon decks following Uri Geller apology
The long-lost Pokemon Kadabra is set to return to the Pokedex after the end of a dispute that has lasted some two decades. The Psi Pokemon has been missing from the famous card game decks since 2003, when British-Israeli illusionist Uri Geller claimed that the spoon-carrying creature infringed upon his brand and likeness.
At the weekend, the "originator of spoon-bending" apologized for ever kicking up a fuss, and stated that it was now up to Nintendo whether it wanted to bring Kadabra - originally known in Japan as "Yungerer/Yungeller" - back into the fold.
"I am truly sorry for what I did 20 years ago," said Geller on Twitter. "Kids and grownups I am releasing the ban. It's now all up to Nintendo to bring my Kadabra Pokemon card back. It will probably be one of the rarest cards now! Much energy and love to all!"
Speaking with The Gamer, Geller cited the voluminous amount of emails he has received over the years, which encouraged him to contact Nintendo and give them "permission to relaunch the Uri Geller Kadabra/Yungeller worldwide." Nintendo is yet to comment on the situation, so we'll just have to wait and see whether Kadabra makes a mystical comeback.
Uri Geller gives permission to print Kadabra on Pokemon cards again [TheGamer]
Beautiful Metal Gear Rising mural finally removed from UK building after seven years
A building-high mural, painted in England to celebrate the launch of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, has finally been removed after impressing city visitors for seven glorious years.
The painting of Revengeance protagonist Raiden has adorned the side of Aireside House in Leeds since 2013, when artist collective EndoftheLine was commissioned by Konami to create three separate works in Leeds, Liverpool, and London to promote the hack 'n' slash spin-off.
While the London and Liverpool murals were repainted years ago, this giant image of Raiden - in the style of the legendary Yoji Shinkawa - has continued to stand tall over the city's streets. That is until recent weeks when, as noted on Twitter by user @kraker2k, the building was finally repainted.
I personally stumbled across this mural quite by accident in 2017, while visiting Leeds for a fighting game tournament. Having decided to walk to the venue rather than take a cab, I was struck in awe upon turning a corner and immediately coming face-to-face, (or face-to-ankle) with the stories-high portrait, which hadn't weathered a day from its creation.
It's sad to see Raiden finally vanish back into the shadows, but congrats to EndoftheLine for creating such an impressive and enduring image. For more information on their work visit the official EndoftheLine website.
Super Nintendo World looks incredible, and I can't wait to go...eventually
So uh, does anyone else love theme parks? Because this guy loves theme parks.
Among the many other things I've missed this year, riding rides with family is one of the things I've lamented the most, but we're all sort of hoping for a light at the end of the tunnel...eventually. Nintendo is banking on February 4, 2021.
That's the date of the grand opening of Super Nintendo World: which was originally supposed to debut during the Olympics in August of 2020. For obvious reasons it was pushed back to August 2021, but the theme park will open separately a bit earlier. In one word, it looks incredible.
Although we've had plenty of "over the fence" peeks at its construction, Universal Studios of Japan just put out an official video (below) that showcases it in all its splendor. While the outdoor zone is impressive on its own, the indoor areas are really where this park shines, like the giant red staircase leading to a Bowser statue for the "Koopa's Challenge" Mario Kart ride queue. As a reminder, the other ride is Yoshi-themed.
Eventually, Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida (under the "Epic Universe" umbrella) will get their US versions, expected to launch in mid-2021 and 2024 respectively: minus any delays.
Someone uncovered a secret Crash 4 logo tease that only appears when you reach 106% completion
So Crash 4: It's About Time is fairly manageable if you're a platforming hound, but if you want to get the full 106% completion rate: good luck!
The extra content and time trial/limited life requirements are among the hardest activities I've played in 2020, and it looks like all those efforts do pay off; to some small degree. Sharing their discovery on Twitter, Kevin Fagaragan managed to uncover a secret logo that appears on the first level's television set.
The kicker is that the logo only appears when you've reached the aforementioned percentage. Like all secrets that pop up out of nowhere the solution was crowdsourced, and it seems like it doesn't work for a mere 100% completion rate: only 106%. It explains why it hasn't been as widely known this far out from launch. It's also a "blink and you'll miss it" moment, as it only appears on the screen for a split-second after you cycle through all of the main entry logos.
So what is it? Well, a tease of a new game, some DLC, or a Super Smash Bros. appearance would all work for me. I'm just happy to see Crash back and actually relevant again with a good game.
Review: World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Since World of Warcraft's launch in 2004, I've seen pretty much every up and down you can imagine. Its highest points (Burning Crusade into Wrath of the Lich King), its lowest point (shades of Cataclysm, Pandaria, and most of Draenor), and everything in-between.
But however you choose to slice it, I've really been enjoying the upward trend in the game since Legion. While Shadowlands isn't quite Legion-level quality, it does keep the spirit of the game alive and well after nearly two decades of service. That's a feat.
Who needs Black Ops Cold War when Konami's Green Beret has returned?
If you haven't gotten enough Cold War action from Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops entry, then retro publisher Hamster are offering a more old-school peek behind The Iron Curtain this week, thanks to its latest Arcade Archives release.
Originally released in arcades in 1985 - before being ported to a plethora of home computers and consoles - Konami's Green Beret, (also known as Rush'n Attack), sees a lone special forces agent infiltrate a Russian military base on a mission to rescue a party of P.O.W.s from behind enemy lines. This notoriously tough arcade sees our hero charge into battle against an entire battalion of soldiers armed with only a small knife, literally stabbing his way endlessly through an onslaught of military personnel.
Check out the action below, in this video from YouTuber Retrogaming Longplays.
Hibana statue coming for the dedicated (and rich) Rainbow Six Siege fan
Wealthy supporters of Ubisoft's Rainbow Six Siege now have a new way to showcase their love for deadly breacher Yumiko Imagawa - better known by her call-sign "Hibana" - in the form of a brand new premium statue, now available to pre-order from merch-maker PureArts.
This quarter-scale polyresin statue spotlights the Japanese S.A.T. operator kitted out in her Elite "Onkochishin" skin. Yumiko stands poised for action with her Kyudo bow, reflecting her in-game MVP pose. For traditionalists, the bow can also be swapped out for Hibana's wall-destroying X-KAIROS firearm. Additionally a small-scale Japanese lantern - complete with LED - can be situated on the statue's base to create dynamic lighting effects.
Review: Tracks: Toybox Edition
A grown man probably shouldn't be so interested in a game where all you do is play with toy trains, but I never had a wooden train set growing up. We skipped over that staple of childhood in favor of Hot Wheels tracks. At the time, I didn't really mind much as those die-cast cars were way cooler than some blue plastic engine with a face on it. However, after spending two weeks with Tracks, I'm starting to think I might have missed out on something great.
Hwang will vanquish the evils of the ages next month in Soulcalibur VI
The second season pass for Soulcalibur VI is about to wrap up, and it's going out in a good way. Hwang, one of the characters who first appeared in franchise precursor Soul Edge, will finally be made playable when he's added next month as the 13th piece of DLC for the game.
But that's not all. Because on December 2, the game will be getting its 14th DLC pack as well that adds some paid and free goodies to the game. If you love customizing characters, get ready for more options that include new bits from the Tekken universe, as well as a new stage and new episodes with Nightmare and Mitsurugi.
Cblogs of 11/21 to 11/27/2020: Soul Reaver, Yakuza, and M-Rated games
Cblogs Recap: Week 48
-Kerrik52 writes about when he first learned to like M-rated games.
-TheLimoMaker reviews Prey (2017) through a dive into his Backlog.
-Snukastyle looks back at the history of the Final Fantasy series.
-Nior continues his Legacy of Kain retrospective with this blog on Soul Reaver 2.
-EnigmaticRanger discusses how frustration can be used as a successful game mechanic.
-Black Red Gaming continues ranking the games in the Yakuza series with Yakuza 3.
-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Super Mario and marching music.
-ChronoLynxx opens yet another TGIF open community forum.
PlayStation classic SaGa Frontier getting the remastered treatment next summer
One of the great things about being Square Enix is it has such a rich and diverse history of RPGs from the NES, SNES, and PlayStation eras it can pull from when it wants to remaster a classic. Case in point, SaGa Frontier. Originally released for the PlayStation back in 1997, the seventh game in the SaGa franchise will have a chance to find a brand new audience when SaGa Frontier Remastered hits Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam, iOS, and Android next summer.
Not only will this remaster bring the original game into the HD era, but it's also adding some features, like new cutscenes and events and a new protagonist named Fuse. It's nice to see Square Enix really giving the SaGa series a second chance. As a reminder, the first three games in the series, Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legend, come to Nintendo Switch next month.
Square Enix [Twitter]
Have you ever heard an idea that you knew just couldn't fail? Something so spectacular and creative, and yet so blatantly obvious, that there would be no way it could possibly end up as anything other than an absolute triumph? Back in 2009, I was sure that Disney and Junction Point Studios had come up with a flawless formula as that was the year the world got its first substantial look at Disney Epic Mickey.
It was everything somebody like me could want at the time: a Wii exclusive from a third-party developer lead by an accomplished game producer that would offer us a new look at the classic cartoon character. Heading toward its 2010 debut, all signs pointed to this being, perhaps, one of the biggest new franchises in the industry. I pre-ordered the collector's edition, fully expecting some sort of religious experience from the game.
Instead, what I got was a lesson in hype and how easy it is to set oneself up for eventual disappointment. I tore into Epic Mickey like a doctor had just given me a week to live, but by the time I reached Lonesome Manor, I had to put the controller down. The idea that I'd fall madly in love with this game gradually thinned away like many of the walls of the Wasteland. I was bewildered by the lot of it. After a year of buzz and excitation for a Mickey Mouse game that wasn't aimed at the Elementary School crowd, I sat there staring at my television asking how could this have gone so wrong.
Ten years later, I'm still asking that question. How could the surefire idea of "Mickey Mouse in a world of forgotten Disney characters" result in two different studios ceasing to make video games? I wanted to find out what killed this franchise, and to do so, I dove back into the thinner-soaked Wasteland to see exactly what went wrong.
We could get a new Final Fantasy XIV expansion announcement as soon as February 2021
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn has somehow managed to basically get better with every expansion: I don't know how Naoki "Yoshi P" Yoshida and his team do it.
While many MMOs are content with braving severe ups and downs, XIV has remained consistently mesmerizing through its lengthy (seven years running) lifetime as A Realm Reborn. It'll probably stay that way as long as Yoshida is in charge. That includes the next expansion, which could be announced on February 5, 2021 at 5:30PM PT, according to a new tweet from Square Enix.
There's a lot to unpack here.
It's a shame that VR didn't catch on: it really is.
Although I perfectly understand that it doesn't demo well, and the buy-in, especially early on, was ludicrous; we've reached a point where the PSVR and the Oculus Quest have allowed a great deal of accessibility to the once-restrictive platform.
I've been fortunate enough to have tested every major device since the release of the original consumer version of the Oculus Rift, and so many games have redefined the medium it's hard to even keep track at this point. The recently released Until You Fall is one of those projects.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon proves big franchises shouldn't be afraid of taking big risks
With so many popular video game franchises staying true to course, it's refreshing to see when a publisher lets a developer go wild with their ideas. The Yakuza series is long known for its brawler gameplay, but in Like a Dragon, it shifts things up with an RPG formula that really works well for the series.
That's just one of the topics on this episode of Podtoid. Chris, CJ, Dan and Occams gather around the proverbial fire to talk Yakuza, Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War, the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, the Game Award nominations, and IOI's 007 game. All that, plus a comedy of errors for one street racer, on Podtoid Episode 468.
Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid?
Happy weekend, friends! As we approach the final month of 2020, I hope that this week has found you and yours very well indeed. For my American friends, I hope you are enjoying the Thanksgiving holidays. For everyone else, Hell it's still a Saturday so... we all win? I've had a helluva month, and the past week has really beat me down mentally - but the whole year has been a challenge for us all, and hopefully the new year will start to bring new fortune to you, I, and everyone. We got this.
What little gaming time I've enjoyed this week has been spent mainly with two titles: Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - where I ground out Prestige status thanks to the ongoing Double XP event - and Mortal Kombat 11, where I've bouncing around with everyone's favorite toothy gal, Mileena, as well as enjoying the excellent Mortal Kombat movie skins. More of those please, NRS. Gimme Talisa Soto and Musetta Vander and gaming has essentially peaked for me.
Anyway, it seems that gaming will never peak for any of you. I'm endlessly stunned by how many titles, new and old, you cram into seven days. I don't know how you all do it, but I love that you do. Jump into the comments below and fill us in on the great games that you're enjoying right now. And don't forget to take some time to rest up and recharge, we all deserve the break.
Have a safe and pleasant weekend, from all of us at Destructoid.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla's big Band-Aid patch fixes some broken quests but not all of them
Assassin's Creed Valhalla got a lot better on Thanksgiving from a quality of life standpoint. Ubisoft released a massive title update patch that addressed issues from all corners of the game.
Some of it was really necessary like "Corrected some instances where Load Game would not display save games correctly" and "Addressed an issue where allies would not help Eivor to open a door during Raids." Some of it was kind of silly like "Players can no longer use the fishing tool or the horn during the drunk walk with Tewdr" and "Fish in Norway will now spawn in bad weather."
Seriously, this patch does a lot. There are over 100 bullet points of varying fixes and reworkings. One of the more crucial aspects is that it resets some bugged quests so that they can finally be completed. They're mostly open-world events, as the widespread big critical path-blocking bug in "A Seer's Solace" was patched out a few weeks ago.
After firing up Assassin's Creed Valhalla, I found it to be a mixed bag. I was finally able to complete the "Winchell the Robesfree" quest as the crate respawned after it had fallen through the floor of the lake. However, the "Demon Odour at the Tithe" quest is just as broken as ever, as the sliding blocks are permanently stuck in unmovable positions. Similarly, the Alpha Animal in the Sciropescire region is still impossible as the bear spawns above his lair rather than inside it.
These are things that I can only pray Ubisoft gets around to fixing in due time. I'm marching toward my ill-advised ever-onward attempt at reaching 100 percent completion in every Assassin's Creed game. To get there in Valhalla, you need to do everything in every region. It's a massive undertaking, one that I hope won't be cut short by a few pesky quests that don't work.
Here are the full patch notes for Title Update 1.0.4. They're beefy, so there's a good chance that whatever you have a problem with has been addressed one way or another. If you have an outstanding issue, here's the running laundry list of stuff Ubisoft has its eye on. It's also beefy. Lotta stuff is broke so there's a lotta stuff to fix.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla -- Title Update 1.0.4 [Ubisoft forums]
This heartwarming Demon's Souls trophy video reminded me to delete 5GB of auto-captured clips
In what can be described as a heartwarming Demon's Souls moment (we take them whenever we can get them!), a "first-time Souls player" named helloiamjack shared a video of them toppling one of the early intimidating bosses, Tower Knight, only to realize that the DualSense microphone had picked up their vocal celebration when their PS5 created an automated 15-second "trophy unlocked" clip.
First time Souls player. I didn’t realise that the PS5 records your microphone’s audio whenever you get a trophy. Whoops. from r/PS5
(There's a similar clip for Flamelurker, too. The player even takes a triumphant swig of beer.)
It's a cute moment, one that brings me back to the first time I brought down this big lug, but it also serves as a reminder that, depending on your settings, your PS5 might be making loads of trophy clips.
After tearing through Bugsnax, Astro's Playroom, and Demon's Souls – and revisiting a few PS4 games in that free-with-PS-Plus collection – I found out that I had accumulated over 5GB of auto-captured trophy videos. Whoops! I'm glad I caught this early since it was just a matter of selecting everything on my console for mass deletion, but for people with lots of intentional screencaps or videos, it'll be a matter of scanning a massive list to figure out what's worth keeping and what's worth trashing.
There's a few things to point out here that you may or may not have already looked into.
If you want to turn off the trophy videos, you can do so in Settings (the gear icon at the top of the home screen). Head into Captures and Broadcasts, go down to Trophies, and toggle off "Save Trophy Videos."
If you want to watch or delete these video captures (none of mine seemed to pick up anything funny or weird), you can find them in the Settings menu under Storage – pop into the Media Gallery.
It's also worth pointing out that you can have the DualSense microphone muted by default. In the Settings, go to Sound, and then switch the "Microphone Status When Logged In" option to "mute."
As a few people commenting on Reddit have mentioned, when the DualSense microphone is on, the gamepad won't output its full haptic feedback. You'll know it's muted when the orange light is on.
First time Souls player... [Reddit via Push Square]
Even if you skip the Epic Games Store's Black Friday sale, make sure you grab MudRunner for free
Even if you aren't proactively hunting down Black Friday gaming deals, it's still worth popping over to the Epic Games Store this week to claim MudRunner – a sim game about trudging through "untamed landscapes" with big burly vehicles – while it's completely free until Thursday, December 3.
That's the same day the Epic Game Store's Black Friday sale will come to a close.
What looks good? Watch Dogs: Legion ($44.99) is already 25% off a month after launch. There's also Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 ($29.99), Ghostrunner ($23.99), Anno 1800 ($19.79), Crysis Remastered ($19.49), Ooblets ($19.99), Tetris Effect ($23.99), Saints Row: The Third Remastered ($27.99), Journey to the Savage Planet ($14.99), Wattam ($11.99), Maneater ($23.99), and Huntdown ($11.99).
Every time there's a sale, I try to take stock of the timed exclusives – and I'm usually surprised by the results. If you're coming at this from a similar mindset, Game Watcher has a solid running list.
Next week's free Epic Store game will be Cave Story+ of all things. It's an unforgettable adventure.
Sakura Revolution launches in Japan December 15
Sega has announced that its new Sakura Wars mobile title, Sakura Kakumei: Hanasaku Otome-tachi, (or Sakura Revolution) will arrive in Japan on iOS and Android platforms December 15.
Developed by Delightworks, Sakura Revolution is a scaled-down take on Sega's cult Sakura Wars series, as young women of various artistic endeavors take to their "Spiricle Dress" battle armor to fight off invading inter-dimensional monsters and demons. Sakura Revolution will feature touch-screen turn-based battles, intense boss fights and - as a free-to-play title - will no doubt come laden with microtransactions.
You can check out the latest gameplay footage in the new trailer below. Sakura Revolution is yet to receive official word of a western localization, but given Sega's desire to expand the franchise's fanbase on the international stage, it is not out of the question.
Star Wars: Squadrons just got its 120FPS new-gen upgrade: But only on Series X/S
So earlier this month, EA shared their plans for next-gen Star Wars: Squadron upgrades.
The gist was that Xbox Series X/S consoles would get a 120 FPS option, while PS5 would simply be bolstered with "improved visual quality and lighting." That patch has rolled out this week and did exactly that. Update 3.0 is now live for all you Squadrons players, which adds multiple toggles to the Series X/S editions, and the "same resolution and framerate as the PS4 Pro" for PS5.
But there's a little more here than new visual sheens. The Fostar Haven map is now available for the dogfight and fleet battles modes, and numerous bugs have been fixed on all platforms. HOTAS (hands on throttle-and-stick) rigs will also now work with devices that support up to 128 buttons: a stark upgrade from the previously supported 40. That's huge! Developer Motive was big on supporting that classic flight sim crowd pre-launch and they've stuck to that philosophy.
Also, more cosmetics are in too, including a paint job "inspired by the classic Kenner Products" Star Wars toys. Going off on a tangent, if you even remotely enjoy toy history, give The Toys that Made Us a watch on Netflix. They have an episode specifically dealing with the long and messy history of Star Wars products.
If you're more interested in the nitty gritty of the patch notes, you can find a rundown of the general upgrades below, or the full notes here.
Six Bit.Trip titles coming to Nintendo Switch on December 25
If you're a Switch owner yearning for the return of the fast-runnin' high-jumpin' antics of Commander Video, then today brings you good news, as QubicGames has announced that it will be bringing six entries in the beloved Bit.Trip series to the Nintendo platform next month.
From December 25, Switch owners can download up rhythm-action title Bit.Trip Beat, along with its follow-ups Bit.Trip Core and Bit.Trip Void. Also coming to the eShop will be fast-thinking platformer Bit.Trip Runner, as well as twin-stick shooter Bit.Trip Fate, and paddle game Bit.Trip Flux.
Each title will retail for around $5 USD, so that's a somewhat pricey $30 for the whole set. That said, they are excellent games, and if you've yet to experience this colourful, beat-heavy, and engaging collection of simplistic but addictive titles. This might be the perfect opportunity.
So we know that Animal Crossing: New Horizons is doing very well for Nintendo. How well? Try over 26 million units since September 30, 2020. It's poised to eventually eclipse Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's 28.99 million mark if it keeps this up; as New Horizons was released nearly three years after Deluxe.
But it's also very big in Japan. The Switch is crushing it over there (as are mobile devices, as Japan still heavily favors portable gaming), but New Horizons is too. According to information from analyst Game Data Library, now that New Horizons has reached the six million sold mark in the region, it is now one of only five titles ever to do so; and the first to reach that target since New Super Mario Bros. was released on the original DS in 2006.
As Game Data Library points out, it is likely the fastest-selling game in Japanese history too. It only took seven months to reach that figure, while Pokemon Gold/Silver attained that honor in 13 months, followed by Pokemon Red/Green/Blue (26 months), New Super Mario Bros (four and a half years), and Super Mario Bros. (Game Data Library projects around four years).
It's a big win for Nintendo, and it came at basically the perfect time. While you could argue that the developers didn't keep the ball rolling with substantial content (or timely quality of life updates that a lot of simulation titles are already employing), it already made its money!
Game Data Library [Twitter]
Greedfall to receive expanded edition on PS5 and Xbox Series X
Focus Home Entertainment has announced that its dark colonial RPG GreedFall will be journeying onto next-gen platforms in 2021. GreedFall for PS5 and Xbox Series X will bring the dramatic adventure to the new consoles in its entirety, along with brand new, undisclosed content.
Developed by Spiders (not literally) and released on PS4, PC, and Xbox One back in 2019, GreedFall tells a turn-of-the-century story about a group of explorers who travel to uncharted land in search of the cure for a grim virus. Arriving at the mysterious locale of Teer Fradee, our protagonists find a people at war with both invading armies and a slew of vicious monsters. It is up to the player to earn the trust (or ire) of the encountered characters, keeping the party alive whilst searching for a cure to save civilization.
No release date was announced for the PS5 or Xbox Series X release. We will keep you informed when more details are forthcoming.
For years, Final Fantasy XIV has been hosting these fireside chats for the game called "Letter from the Producer Live."
They're such a big deal that I've actually watched them in a room with other XIV players like they were an E3 presentation: it's generally where most of the bigger news breaks for the game. As the team prepares to deliver patch 5.4 (which has a date of December 8), news is indeed coming out of today's stream, recapped on Twitter. So let's start breaking down some of the bigger things patch 5.4 is going to offer, from the vague to the precise.
As is customary job changes are coming, with big alterations for the Monk on the docket. Triple Triad is also getting a substantial update, which the Twitter account jokes is the "true endgame" (haha, kind of true for some people). The new Eden's Promise raid (the last hardcore wing of the expansion) seems to have Final Fantasy VIII music, and the upcoming Unreal Trial is confirmed to be Titan. A tougher Titan fight has been rumored for a long while now, so this should be a welcome surprise for older players who witnessed countless party members fall off that cliff. The Ishgardian Restoration process will also hit its "final phase" in patch 5.4.
Perhaps most importantly for casual fans though is the new "explorer mode" mechanic, which was teased prior but shown off today in all its glory. Explorer mode allows you to basically roam free and hang out in certain areas (previously completed dungeons, including Shadowbringers ones for now, with "more to be added in the future"), with a focus on taking cool pictures like limit break poses: the sort of thing you can't really do in the heat of a big raid battle. Under the guise of the explorer demo, new minions were also shown off.
It's a lot! But then again, it's a Final Fantasy XIV patch.
Final Fantasy XIV [Twitter]
Corpse Party remake is coming to PS4
If you fancy a bit of adorable misery for your PS4, then you're in luck, as publisher Mages has announced that upcoming remake Corpse Party Blood Covered... Repeated Fear will be arriving on Sony's black box in 2021, alongside its previously revealed Nintendo Switch release.
As a reminder, Corpse Party Blood Covered... Repeated Fear is a remastered edition of the 2015 Nintendo 3DS release Corpse Party Blood Covered which itself is a remake of the original 1996 release Corpse Party - the title that spawned the uber-violent visual novel franchise. Built within a brand new engine, Repeated Fear will add newly recorded voice acting and several additional in-game scenarios, so now you can get more closely acquainted with the girls of Heaven Host Academy before they are mercilessly destroyed.
<Corpse Party Blood Covered... Repeated Fear is currently in development for PS4 and Nintendo Switch, a western localization is yet to be officially confirmed.
Corpse Party Blood Covered... Repeated Fear coming to PS4 [Gematsu]
Thanksgiveaway: Win Ghost of a Tale on Switch from Super Rare Games
In today's contest you can win a physical Switch copy of Ghost of a Tale from Super Rare Games!
Happy Thanksgiving, America! I know for most of the rest of the world it's just another Thursday, but here in America it's time to gorge ourselves, watch football, and silently seethe while our families embarrass the shit out of us in front of our new girlfriend, Karen. So I guess it's pretty normal for us, too.
If you're not too full to win something, you're in luck! Super Rare Games just launched Ghost of a Tale in physical form on Switch, and as always, we're giving out a copy!
Here's a giant list of all of our next-gen PS5 and Xbox Series X coverage
If you haven't noticed...we've been busy!
These past few weeks we've all been working on various projects, from (now) current-to-previous-gen, and it's time to celebrate the fruits of our labor...with a big list! Below, you'll find all of our coverage so far, including hardware rundowns and individual reviews or impressions pieces. As more games are covered in the coming weeks, we'll add them to this list.
I know the world is crazy right now, but I hope that through the comments section and our quickposts/community blogs, we can continue to connect and make sense of it all, together. Whether you've picked up a console already...or you're waiting for yours to ship...or you aren't getting one until 2021...or you're waiting for me to stop talking about new consoles...be safe out there!
[The platforms in parenthesis in the below lists denote the platform we tested/covered.]
Koei Tecmo's Winning Post 9 headed to PS4, PC, and Switch in 2021
Koei Tecmo has announced a brand new entry in its long-running horse-racing franchise, Winning Post. The ninth entry in the steeplechase simulator will launch in Japan in March 2021.
Debuting way back in 1993 on the Sharp X68000, the Winning Post franchise has won over a small army of Japanese fans with its furious furlong action. Despite the series ongoing success over the past three decades, to date only one entry was officially localized for the west: 1995's Winning Post EX, an enhanced Sega Saturn port of the original title.
Winning Post 9 2021 will launch in Japan March 18, 2021 on PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
Winning Post 9 2021 announced for PS4, Switch, and PC [Gematsu / Official]
Nintendo Download: Empire of Sin
Happy thanksgiving! It's time for some games. Or not, maybe you already spent all your cash on the Series X or PS5. Or, maybe you just play on Nintendo Switch. Either way, there's stuff. There's always stuff! A surprising amount of stuff out on Thanksgiving weekend.
The big release is Empire of Sin from Romero Games, which was announced, of all places, on 2019's E3 Nintendo Direct. It's out on December 1, so you have a few days to check out reviews and make sure it's all up to snuff. It feels like a lot of modern strategy games need that "grace period" given how easily they could be bugged out.
As for the rest, it's a bunch of ports and re-releases for the most part. Nintendo seems to be done with their holiday 2020 push, with Age of Calamity as their last major title of the year. Of course, there could also be some surprise DLC drops left in them: including a new Smash Bros. reveal.
Fall Guys announces third season 'Winter Knockout', headed your way in December
As we enter the frosty final days of 2020, Mediatonic has teased the third season of content headed to its popular multiplayer title Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout.
In keeping with the spirit of the holiday season, "Winter Knockout" will see the battle royale beans fighting it out in a cold and snowy environment. A single teaser image sees the cute characters donning snowman, penguin and yeti outfits as they topple over one another on their endless quest to bag those all-elusive crowns.
While no specific start date has been announced, Winter Knockout is expected to go live in-game in early December.
March 31, 2021 is now doomsday for a number of Mario games
So yesterday, we reported on the destruction of Super Mario Maker: which would be brought offline and removed from the eShop on March 31, 2021.
I thought about that date and figured "hey, that sounds familiar," but didn't make a connection until a reader pointed it out. That's Mario doomsday. While we could really use a Year of Luigi pick me up right now, instead we're getting a downer of a date. On that day next year, multiple Mario fixtures will be removed from existence.
But that's also the closure date for Super Mario Bros. 35, which will be allegedly wiped from existence on March 31, 2021. Oh, and Nintendo is apparently stopping the sale of Mario 3D All-Stars (including physical sales!) and the Game & Watch portable on that same date. Madness!
I'm sure most of you have strong feelings on the whole "limited time" sales tactic, but it's entirely possible that several of these (probably not Mario Maker's closure) will be overturned: just like Jump Rope Challenge. The problem is, if Nintendo does reverse multiple decisions to cut off sales, fans will be calling their bluff for ages to come.
Either way, consider this your warning!
Double trouble as Mythic Freyja and Triandra join Fire Emblem Heroes
I guess we've all been eating too much cheese before bedtime, as Nintendo is unleashing two new Mythic Heroes from the realm of nightmares to mobile battler Fire Emblem Heroes.
The new update - which goes live in-game from this evening - sees the coming of the beautiful but sinister Freyja and Triandra, two "dökkálfar" who, despite their demure appearances, are both tasked with delivering frightening and miserable dreams to the minds of mortal beings. Understandably, this has left both girls in perpetually downbeat moods, though they are steadfast and show little regret for their nocturnal activities.
(Update) The last major raid of Final Fantasy XIV's Shadowbringers expansion is coming in December
[Update: The official site has been updated to provide new context on some of the upcoming patch content. Castrum Marinum, the new trial, will feature Emerald Weapon from Final Fantasy VII: who now joins Ruby Weapon. We're a few degrees away from a Sepiroth boss battle (hey, Kefka made it in, as did a few other major "final bosses"). Blue Mage will also have its level cap raised to 70 in patch 5.45, and a new large-scale battle, Delubrum Reginae, will be a part of that same "half patch."]
Final Fantasy XIV's Shadowbringers expansion is winding down soon, at least as far as hardcore content comes.
In December (exact date not nailed down yet, as is customary for big patches), 5.4 will arrive, which will bring more main story quests (MSQ), another wing of the Eden raid (Eden's Promise), another dungeon (Matoya's Relict), a trial (Castrum Marinum), and extra sidequests (The Sorrow of Werlyt). The Eden raid is the big deal here, which brings the hardcore race for world first alongside of weeks or months of learning raids for casual players. The 24-person NieR storyline is expected to conclude next patch, which will help soothe the wait for the next unannounced expansion.
In terms of other housekeeping stuff, Blue Mage is getting an update, there's more Ishgardian Restoration shenanigans, another unreal trial is coming, and a bunch of ancillary modes will get new content. Oh, and New Game+ mode is getting more stuff. It's a typical "big" FFXIV patch that basically transforms the game.
A lot of this will be detailed later, either through a producer stream or via future posts. Square Enix likes to keep a lot of Final Fantasy XIV patch info close to the chest for multiple reasons (economy balance and spoilers).
Patch 5.4 [Final Fantasy XIV]
