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Fall Guys Adding New Level in Update This Week

Fall Guys Season 2

Fall Guys is now deep into its second season. The medieval based season ushered in a whole host of new levels, costumes and changes when it launched at the start of last month. While the game continues to add new cosmetics including both Sonic the Hedgehog and Godzilla, there haven't been any major changes in a while.

That was until the next update, which is due to drop at some point this week. After teasing it for a while, with the odd Only Fans joke here or there, Mediatonic has confirmed that a new level is coming to the game. The stage, which has now received its official title, "Big Fans", is loaded with you guessed it, lots of fans.

The level is another that falls into the Race category and will see Beans clamber across an array of rotating fan-like platforms and avoiding obstacles to reach the finish line.

Alongside the new level, Mediatonic are implementing a few other changes and bug fixes, detailed below:

  • NEW LEVEL – Big Fans!
  • NEW VARIATIONS throughout the game!
  • [PC] NEW name system!
  • Server Region Selector!
  • Featured Crown Costumes now available in regular store rotation!
  • Show Selector now lets you queue for multiple shows at the same time
  • Improved stability when playing in parties!
  • New Language selection option in-game
  • Lowered chance of Medieval Rounds, Perfect Match, and Tail Tag
  • Fix: Falling through tiles on Hex-A-Gone Fix: Losing jump inputs, especially on Jump Showdown
  • Fix: Grabbing the crown on Fall Mountain and hanging from it instead of winning
  • Fix: Infallible achievement sometimes not unlocking
  • Fix: Falling on flat surfaces

If you're one of those who are still addicted to Fall Guys, manufacturers Numskull recently revealed the perfect item for you this Holiday Season. The new ugly sweater is loaded with bright colours and tonnes of Beans and will certainly make you stand out this Christmas.

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is available now on PC and PS4.

The post Fall Guys Adding New Level in Update This Week by Sam Woods appeared first on DualShockers.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Gets a Phenomenal Launch Trailer

Spider-Man: Miles Morales Into The Spider-Verse Suite

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is finally coming alongside the PS5 launch later this week. According to all early reports, the game sounds like quite the hit. From incredible load times to some fancy new powers, Miles is sure to be one of the better Sony launch titles. Today, the team provided players with yet another great look at what's coming. In a new two-minute-long trailer, we got to see plenty of punches and a fair share of plot. Check it out below.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales looks to be all about a young superhero learning to live the shadow of an all-time great. Which, if you've read or seen anything from Miles in the comics, isn't much of a surprise. That said, it's still cool to watch the young man in action. After all, no two spiders are exactly alike.

We can see that throughout the footage. Not only is Miles struggling to live up to Peter Parker, but he's also having to grapple with powers Peter never had. You'll notice several shots of Miles using his trademark energy strikes to deliver a new level of force behind his blows. You might also have picked up the moment where he uses his camouflage to become completely invisible. Plus, he has that awesome cat friend at the end.

It's going to be fun seeing what new scenarios Insomniac Games can dream up in Spider-Man: Miles Morales. His altered power set should open up several new avenues for gameplay. Obviously, it's still going to feel like the original Spider-Man, but I expect several new wrinkles with Miles in the mix.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales comes to PS4 and PS5 on November 12.

The post Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Gets a Phenomenal Launch Trailer by Ricky Frech appeared first on DualShockers.

Halo 4 Coming to Master Chief Collection for PC Next Week

Halo: The Master Chief Collection on PC has given PC gamers the opportunity to experience classic Halo titles in a way they've never been able to before. High framerate options and customizable graphics settings have brought so many PC players to Halo that it's possible to reliably find matches of Slayer in Halo 3 at almost any time of day. However, the last chapter for the game is finally coming up — Halo 4 is making its way to the Master Chief Collection on PC on November 17.

While it's retrospectively not the highest point for the Halo franchise, 4 is still a fondly remembered entry. It diverges largely from the remainder of the games, pitting Master Chief against the Prometheans, a new, powerful enemy with access to advanced technology that naturally threatens the safety of the Earth.

A community mailbag on developer 343 Industry's site details some of the new features coming to the game along with Halo 4. Players can expect the return of Spartan Ops, an episodic co-op campaign present in the original release of Halo 4, as well as a litany of new weapon skins for anything a Spartan can arm themselves with.

Players can also look forward to a very PC-centric change: advanced graphics settings. Currently, Halo: The Master Chief Collection on PC offers minimal options for messing with the game's looks. To remedy this, the game will be receiving an update with the release of Halo 4 that gives PC players the control they can expect from a PC game. Anti-aliasing, detail quality, effects quality and more will all be able to be configured when Halo 4 arrives as part of the Master Chief Collection on PC on November 17.

 

The post Halo 4 Coming to Master Chief Collection for PC Next Week by Otto Kratky appeared first on DualShockers.

The Witcher Fan Art Is Just As Haunting as It Is Stunning

Just like The Last of Us fandom and many others, The Witcher fandom is packed full of unbelievably creative artists. Whether that's cosplayers who take on the likes of Geralt, Yennefer or Ciri, the sheer talent that pours out of this dedicated community never ceases to amaze me. As we hear the horrible news that Netflix's The Witcher has had to halt production and filming again at their Arborfield Studios due to another COVID-19 outbreak, let's try and cheer ourselves up by gazing upon some striking Witcher artwork to start our week off with more positivity.

Omer Tunç who is a Freelance Artist and Illustrator from Izmir, Turkey has taken on Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher in a striking illustration. As we can see from the image, Omer crafted an extremely haunting art piece that sees Geralt with a flaming sword in hand seemingly about to take on the Lady of the Lake. For those unfamiliar with this part of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the Lady of the Lake is is a powerful being, considered by some to be vila or nymph, worshipped by both vodyanoi and humans in places of chilvalry like surroundings of Vizima in Temeria or whole duchy of Toussaint. Geralt first meets the Lady of the Lake in the first Witcher after he fulfills her wishes and then again in The Witcher 3's DLC Blood and Wine in which the Aerondight, a silver sword, can be regained by completing the quest 'There Can Be Only One'.

Omer certainly sets a spooky scene in his painting, choosing to use strokes of moonlight as they crawl from the forest behind to illuminate key areas to keep this image as haunting as possible. Looking closer, you can see that the Lady of the Lake's eyes have a glint in them making her look even more sinister and the difference in scale between her and Geralt also makes her seem like if she stood up, she'd tower over the entire forest but, of course, this doesn't look like it hinders Geralt one bit as he stands really to strike. If you love this type of art style, please do head on over to Omer's Artstation and Instagram to check out his other amazing pieces of art that range from Batman to Ghost of Tsushima.

As you may have heard, The Witcher Season 3 is already in the books as seen in the official Writers Guild of America's database although, as of yet, Netflix hasn't made the announcement to fans but it's clear the show will, thankfully, continue awhile longer but let's hope that the recent halt in production won't mean we will be waiting too long for the show to continue into Season 2.  The Witcher: Blood Origin, the prequel series which was announced back in July, is set to become even bigger with the introduction of a group of talented writers known for a wide range of works ranging from Swamp Thing, Carnival Row, Moon Knight, Snowpiercer, Mandy, Iron Fist, and many more. Also, even more importantly, the writer's come from a wide and diverse background meaning that the variety of ideas and creative input will lead to an even greater experience for 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.

If you wish, be sure to check out our own review for the Netflix series The Witcher here as you wait until next year sometime to get a look at season 2. If gaming is more your style, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available now on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC and the Complete Edition will be heading to next-generation platforms and this time, the game will look as pretty as ever. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt celebrated its 5-year anniversary a few months ago in May so, naturally, I took to my keyboard to type out why I still love it so much to this very day. If you have a few minutes, you can check that out right here.

The post The Witcher Fan Art Is Just As Haunting as It Is Stunning by Rachael Fiddis appeared first on DualShockers.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Review — Ichiban is Number One!

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Review

I think the best way to summarise my feelings for Yakuza: Like a Dragon are as follows. I intended to finish the story before committing to a score, but due to changes within the review copy invalidating my saves, that was no longer possible. I was in the final chapter and had overcome some serious hurdles of boss fights, but it was all gone now. I'd have to start from scratch.

Please note: This is an updated and finalized version of the Review-In-Progress published here a few days ago. Much of the text remains similar, but the subsequent opening has changed, and I've added a few more thoughts towards the end. If you're getting deja vu, that's why!

For most games, this is a death sentence. Time is limited, and I rarely relish having to re-experience something just to get to what's new for me. So imagine how surprised I am to find that not only am I keen to start over and jump right back into Like a Dragon, but I am relishing it. I cannot wait to do so, trying out new class combinations and experiencing all the great moments with more of an eye for their nuance. I want to dive right back in, retrace my steps through Yokohama, and become reacquainted with Ichiban and the gang. In short, I just want to play more Yakuza: Like a Dragon. If that's not enough to sell just how much I adored this game, I don't know what more to say.

Once again, many general statements and feelings about the game can be found in my earlier preview article. If you haven't read that, I'd recommend starting there and coming back.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon (or Yakuza 7) is a first for the franchise in many ways. It's the first game not to star the iconic Kiryu Kazuma in a lead role. The action/brawler combat of old has been benched in favor of an exaggerated turn-based JRPG system. It's the first game in the series (excluding Judgment) to feature an English dub since the original Yakuza on PS2. Any three of these could really have let the game down if implemented poorly; thankfully, it absolutely delivers on all of these aspects.

Afro-sporting leading man Ichiban Kasuga is, to put it simply, a fantastic protagonist. He's as charming and likable as any Yakuza protagonist to this point, if not more so. Yet when push comes to shove, Kasuga is as determined and principled as it comes. He'll happily take a stand for what he believes in, risking his life without a second thought to protect people and look out for his friends. He's blunt, he's goofy, and he epitomizes the low intelligence/high wisdom character archetype. But combine all this with excellent writing, an equally deep and enjoyable cast of characters for Kasuga to interact with, and a fantastic delivery of the English dub by Kaiji Tang? I hadn't even finished the first chapter before I was in love with this wild-haired vagabond with a heart of gold. It's only gotten more pronounced since then, and I've long since stopped questioning my decision to stick with the dub.

Kasuga's story begins 18 years before the narrative's key events. He's a low-level grunt for the Arakawa Family, which itself is a low-level family within the Tojo Clan. Nonetheless, he shares a strong rapport with the titular family patriarch. After a higher-ranked member kills a yakuza from another family and threatens a clan war, Arakawa requests that Kasuga go to prison in their place to prevent it. Driven by his loyalty to his boss, Kasuga willingly accepts and ends up serving a full eighteen years.

When he finally emerges, expecting to be greeted by Arakawa, he instead finds that the yakuza world has changed dramatically in his absence. The Tojo Clan is seemingly no more, having been wiped out and replaced by the Omi Alliance, and Arakawa is the traitor who let them in. Trying to find answers as to why, Kasuga ends up shot and his body dumped in the city of Yokohama, barely alive. What follows is Kasuga's struggle to find answers and a meaning to his life… not to mention a means of not starving on the streets.

Like Kamurocho and other cities in prior Yakuza games, Yokohama is dense with content and detail. The blocks and districts within are loaded with restaurants to eat at, minigames to play, or side jobs to pick up. Yakuza: Like a Dragon continues the franchise's trend of marrying the serious and stylized crime drama with the borderline ridiculous substories, and the selection on offer this time is pretty hefty. I've helped a masochist feel pain again, gotten a lesson in fatherhood from a yakuza patriarch in a diaper, and mercenaries under the assumption that a sex-line was being phoned. The game rarely keeps me waiting long before I'm back to grinning like an idiot.

Of course, when I'm not grinning like an idiot, I'm engaging in a fantastically written drama with a complex mystery woven amidst in-depth worldbuilding. Yokohama's underworld has its own flavor and power balance compared to Kamurocho. Learning all about this while interacting with the varied factions was the real highlight of the story to me thus far. When I wasn't unraveling this mystery and learning all the connections between the players on the field? I was probably at a bar, drinking with my party members and learning about their rich backstories. Whatever the tone, Kasuga's earnestness and determination are infectious and always drive the story onwards. And then, moments later, he'll bust out another Dragon Quest reference and shift the moment right back to the other tonal extreme as if it was completely natural.

The Dragon Quest references are quite fitting, given Yakuza: Like a Dragon's genre shift to JRPG. All aspects of the system are framed as Kasuga's imagination being dominated by his love of that series, to the point that even the mechanics play quite similarly. Compared to other JRPGs of the year, such as Persona 5 Royal or my personal favorite Trails of Cold Steel 4, Yakuza 7 is somewhat simplistic. It's borrowed many of the core mechanics from Dragon Quest, sometimes to a fault. You'll gain a selection of abilities as you level up, and it's largely a choice between using those skills, regularly attacking, using items, or guarding. Enemies will have weaknesses and resistances, but beyond dictating what moves you should be using, it's largely just fire and forget.

The complexity and unique spin of the system comes mostly through positioning. Battles take place on the streets, much like in previous Yakuza games, and both allies and enemies will move around and position themselves on their own as you wait. Though you can't directly move, these positions do have an impact. Area of effect abilities can strike enemies around or between you and the target. Choosing to attack an enemy regularly may see others in their path block the attack and interrupt it. Attacking someone on the ground before they can get up will net you a guaranteed critical hit. Items or hazards on the ground might be kicked or picked up to empower attacks. A lot of effort went into making these turn-based battles have some of the energy of the Yakuza franchise's fights, albeit slower.

Most of your power in battles comes from your Jobs, however. The job system of Yakuza: Like a Dragon is unlocked in chapter 5 and lets you choose from a selection of different classes that your characters qualify for. Compared to some systems that really let you build your dream characters out of it, however, Yakuza 7 is a little more straightforward. Your job rank levels up separately to your character, unlocking more abilities and permanent stat ups as you reach thresholds. Many of these skills can't be used unless that job is equipped, however. They'll typically have two "character skills" that can be used regardless of what class you have equipped, but it can take quite a while to get to them.

I found that this meant I wasn't really changing my combinations too much. Every character has their own unique class, and while these aren't specifically the best job, they did help create useful niches for the cast. Usually, I'd find one or two classes that I liked for that character, get them a few ranks in each, and then settle on what seemed best. Job rank experience also takes a while to get doled out, with most of the biggest jumps coming after beating bosses (in some cases, so much so that I thought it was a balance bug). It wasn't until I was reaching later chapters that I felt I could really start experimenting. That said, the challenge does ramp up as the story progresses, and so eventually I really did start considering more idealized team combinations and setups out of necessity. Better late than never, but I can't say that the system was the most engaging job system I've experienced in JRPGs.

Still, this is ultimately a minor gripe. The battles themselves are still entertaining, and the way they're contextualized is frequently hilarious. Seeing how Kasuga will let his imagination run wild with enemy designs is fantastic and really gives the game a unique charm that other JRPGs might lack. The game also isn't a pushover, with some of Yakuza 7's enemies and bosses really making me work for a victory. Chapter 12, in particular, had one boss that halted my progression for a while and really made me re-evaluate my strategy and prepare. As such, I imagine some of the late-game content will really test me.

Regardless, I'm immensely keen to experience it. Perhaps the biggest hindrance to writing this review was simply that I wanted to keep on playing. At its best, Yakuza: Like a Dragon has had as much heart and character as any of the strongest games in the franchise. At its worst, it's still been a game that I can't get enough of. The team's writing has continued to improve with each installment since Yakuza 0. Yakuza 7 is well on its way to letting Kasuga rub shoulders with Kiryu's greatest adventures. Sadly, I still haven't seen how it ends up, but nearly everything I have seen has been wonderful thus far. It'd take a Final Fantasy 7 Remake level of poorly executed endings to really sour the experience, yet even then, I can say that Yakuza: Like a Dragon would've been worth it.

Still, it'd be remiss of me not to address some issues, minor though they can be. I played the PC port on a mid-to-high-end machine, and while it was overall consistent, there were occasionally frame dips and struggles to hold a consistent frame rate. Character models and animations are largely good, but there can be some texture pop-in or degradation. All this stuff is minor, but the battle pathfinding is much more of a nuisance. Once a battle is started, you'll be left waiting until non-combatant NPCs have run out of the area to clear the field. In busier streets with lots of clutter, this can take several seconds of awkwardly staring while an older woman gets stuck against a bike rack. The pathfinding issues extend to battles and sometimes cause enemies or allies to get stuck or take roundabout paths to deliver their attacks. On some occasions, my character would just be running in a circle right next to the enemy they were supposed to attack. This was a common enough occurrence that I could pick what streets I was best avoiding fights on.

In addition to this, there are a handful of sharp difficulty spikes in Chapter 12 onwards due to seriously tough bosses. While I didn't mind the challenge, these enemies were tough enough to necessitate swapping jobs around and potentially grinding to approach their higher levels. Unfortunately, most of the fights around the world don't offer enough progress to make it worthwhile. This is conveniently where the Battle Arena opens up, which provides an absolute ton of experience and shores up these weaknesses. Still, it's balanced in such a way that the Battle Arena felt practically mandatory, while the average fight in the streets stopped meaning much of anything. If the battles weren't fun enough, this could turn the game into a real slog, but I was at least still enjoying myself. Even so, some number tweaks would definitely go a long way to smoothing out later battle areas.

None of this was ever enough to dissuade me from pressing on for long, though. For every minor gripe or negative I came across, there were a dozen positives that I could gush about for hours. Quite frankly, I love Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Everything about the heart and soul of the Yakuza series is here in full force, and the only time it ever really makes me stop smiling is to shed manly tears. Ichiban Kasuga is a fantastic protagonist, and his party is full of fascinating characters in their own right. This is a great story, a delightful open-world city to play around in, and a hilariously fun recontextualization of JRPG tropes in a real-world setting. It all just serves as another reminder that Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios are still at the top of their game and that the Yakuza franchise is really something special.

Seriously, play Yakuza 7.

The post Yakuza: Like a Dragon Review — Ichiban is Number One! by Kris Cornelisse appeared first on DualShockers.

Inon Zur, Composer for Fallout, Dragon Age Games Working on Next-Gen Title

If you ask a Fallout player what they remember most about the franchise, they may tell you that the world it takes place in stands out the most. Or maybe Ron Perlman's raspy reading of the game's intro sequences, at least, prior to Fallout 4. But one thing that any Fallout fan can recite, or at least admit has buried itself into their brains, is the opening track featured in most of the games. Players can thank composer Inon Zur for that and much more. Besides working on the Fallout franchise, he's made music for the Dragon Age games, among others, and now he's working on an upcoming next-gen title.

Revealed through a tweet on his personal Twitter page, Zur showed a massive orchestra, assumedly tuned up and ready to go. In the tweet, Zur says the ensemble of musicians is for "a massive next-gen game."

While it's exciting knowing that the composer behind the main themes of Fallout 3 and 4 is back to work, it's impossible to say for sure what he's working on. That being said, making an educated guess certainly isn't.

Zur has enjoyed a close relationship with Bethesda recently, having worked on the soundtracks for every entry in the Fallout franchise since Fallout 3, and yes, that includes Fallout 76. However, without a Fallout title announced by the RPG giant, the pickings for a title that Zur could be composing for are slim. At this point, it's likely that he's making music for The Elder Scrolls VI, arguably Bethesda's most hotly anticipated title that's been kept under wraps. Considering Zur's experience with fantasy themes – just listen to his work in the Dragon Age franchise – it wouldn't be too far fetched.

 

The post Inon Zur, Composer for Fallout, Dragon Age Games Working on Next-Gen Title by Otto Kratky appeared first on DualShockers.

The Witcher 3 Crafted Using a Pixelated Artistic Flair Is the Next Must-Have Game

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is never far from the fingertips of the staff here at DualShockers with many of us having fallen in love with Polish developer CD Projekt Red's last big game. Over five years later since its initial release on 18 May 2015, The Witcher 3 has continued to receive bags loads of praise for its immersive storytelling and lovingly fleshed-out characters. Even though the game sprouted from the pages of fantasy novels written by Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher has turned into more than just Slavonic mythology and killing monsters, it found itself delving into the world of TV, too, that ended up as one of the biggest Netflix shows ever. Not to disappoint in our wide range of Witcher coverage, check out this particular scene from the DLC made using a beautiful pixel style.

For those who couldn't get enough of the main story and all of those quests in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Blood and Wine which is the second and final expansion for the game and announced on April 7th, 2015, was on the table for fans. The expansion introduced players to the all-new in-game region of Toussaint where an atmosphere of carefree indulgence and knightly ritual masks an ancient, bloody secret and, of course, even more Geralt. If you haven't yet jumped into the DLC, I'd suggest coming back to this part when you have as it includes spoilers but for those who completed it, you may remember a certain scene with Geralt and Regis in Mère-Lachaiselongue Cemetery. 

After a long and grueling adventure, Geralt and Regis pay an emotional farewell to each other as they sit down to drink some fine wine. After a lengthy conversation about what they will do now, Geralt asks Regis if they could sit awhile longer with Regis replying "So we shall my friend. We have witnessed – and in fact, on several occasions incited – many great and weighty events. After all that toil, I believe we deserve a bit of a rest." Geralt agrees and says "That we do." while looking straight into the camera, making it seem he was talking straight to the player in a heartfelt goodbye, thanking them for the adventure.

IF The Witcher 3 was made on RPG Maker… [4] +little animation from r/witcher

Kishi_kun, a 21-year-old artist and animator from Russia, has taken this touching scene between Geralt and Regis and has turned it into a pixelated work of art that many Witcher fans, including myself, would buy in an instant. Being able to play this incredible game in a retro-style world would certainly prove to be very different and also pretty exciting, giving Geralt and company an old-school vibe could very well bring a sense of nostalgia to new and older players, especially those who love games like Stardew Valley, Shovel Knight, Terraria or Celeste. Kishi has also created an animated scene of the encounter that includes swaying grass and flickering flames from a campfire that is extremely relaxing to watch that you can view below. Make sure you check out Kishi's Twitter and Instagram for more Witcher artwork that also includes plenty of adorable illustrations.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available now on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Also, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition will be heading to next-generation platforms and this time, the game will look as pretty as ever.

The post The Witcher 3 Crafted Using a Pixelated Artistic Flair Is the Next Must-Have Game by Rachael Fiddis appeared first on DualShockers.

PS5 Trailer Brings The Hype Ahead of Release – Reveals Horizon, Ratchet, Returnal and Gran Turismo Launch Windows

Horizon PS5

This is not a drill. The PS5 is releasing in just three short days!

After months of build-up, PlayStation's next-gen offering is tantalisingly close. To celebrate the impending launch of the PS5, Sony has released a very exciting new launch trailer that offers a glimpse at some of their top upcoming exclusives. Alongside the footage of the games, the trailer reveals some interesting information about the launch windows of four of the PS5's biggest titles.

The launch trailer was released via the official PlayStation YouTube Channel and Twitter accounts and shows off six of the biggest exclusives, including Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon's Souls Remake and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart.

While a lot of the footage within the trailer has been seen before across various events, including The Future of Gaming event and other State of Play showcases, Sony has offered some insight into the release windows of a few of the games that don't currently have firm dates.

The video first confirms that the first half of next year is likely to be stacked with Sony first-party exclusives. While we already expected Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart was coming in the first half of 2021, the launch trailer confirms that Housemarque's sci-fi horror shooter, Returnal is due to drop in that same period. The trailer also confirms the recent rumours that Gran Turismo 7 is due to drop in H1.

The final date to come out of the trailer was for Horizon Forbidden West. The game was originally revealed during The Future of Gaming showcase and is still scheduled to come out next year. Fans will have to wait a little longer for that one, however, as that's anticipated to drop in the latter half of 2021.

With next-gen just around the corner, be sure to stay tuned to DualShockers for all of the latest news, reviews and information on both the PS5 and Xbox Series X and Series S.

The post PS5 Trailer Brings The Hype Ahead of Release – Reveals Horizon, Ratchet, Returnal and Gran Turismo Launch Windows by Sam Woods appeared first on DualShockers.

KonoSuba Gacha KonoFan Global Version Coming Soon in 2021

KonoSuba Gacha Global announcement 2021 key visual

On November 9, the official twitter account for Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku o Fantastic Days, also known as KonoFan, the KonoSuba gacha game, announced a global version is coming in 2021. Handled by Nexon, KonoFan first launched in Japan on iOS and Android on February 27, 2020, and is one of the high-end anime sociage out there, with animated portraits, tons of animated scenes and voiced lines. The battle system is the usual turn-based + cooldown skills stuff. KonoFan also has regular collab event with other post 2010s popular anime like Re:Zero. It's a must play if you're a fan of KonoSuba and aren't allergic to gacha games.

The game's official global name will be KonoSuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World! Fantastic Days.

KonoFan is the first KonoSuba game getting a localization, but KonoSuba got three consoles games so far. The latest console game adaptation is Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! -Kono Yokubou no Ishou ni Chouai wo! , an ADV (what we call visual novels) by Mages. It launched in Japan on PS4 and Switch on September 24, 2020. Each girl has her specific route in the game. There's also a dungeon crawler available on PS4 and Switch, also only in Japan: Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! ~Kibou no Meikyuu to Tsudoishi Boukenshatachi Plus~. Lastly, the first KonoSuba console game was Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! -Kono Yokubukai Game ni Shinpan wo!-, released in 2017 on PS Vita and PS4. It was another ADV by Mages.

KonoSuba Gacha KonoFan, Re:Zero Collab Trailer

As usual, you never know what'll happen, if you're planning to play KonoFan and invest a lot of time in it, I'd suggest playing both the Japanese and the Global version. And avoiding putting money in the gacha. Personally speaking the only game with gacha elements I'm truly playing right now is  Genshin Impact. And I'd recommend it to anyone seeing it's a full-fledged JRPG and pretty awesome. As long as you don't put some money in the gacha itself.

KonoSuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World! is originally a web novel part of the Isekai boom, written by Natsume Akatsuki. Its publication ran from 2012 to 2013 on Shōsetsuka ni Narō. A much longer Light Novel version ran in Japan from 2013 to 2020, with illustrations by Kurone Mishima. The novel got multiple anime and manga adaptations and is pretty popular worldwide. It's one of the most appreciated Isekai, alongside Re:Zero. Personally, I'd recommend Sentouin, Hakenshimasu!, another series by Natsume Akatsuki.

The post KonoSuba Gacha KonoFan Global Version Coming Soon in 2021 by Iyane Agossah appeared first on DualShockers.

Bugsnax Review — A Charming Island Getaway

Bugsnax, PS5, Young Horses

With the way 2020 has gone, it'd be nice to leave everything behind and escape the real world. In Bugsnax, the latest game from Octodad developer Young Horses, we're taken to Snaktooth Island filled with Bugsnax — creatures that are half-bug, half-food. Though there are some technical issues, Bugsnax oozes with charm, quirkiness and boasts an entertaining story and characters that'll brighten your day.

Bugsnax follows a journalist who travels to Snaktooth Island after being invited by explorer Elizabert Megafig to interview her and see the Bugsnax for yourself. By the time you reach the island, Elizabert has gone missing, and the residents of the island have gone their separate ways. You eventually run into Filbo Fiddlepie, the major of Snaxburg, the game's main area. With the help of Filbo and your journalistic skills, it's up to you to convince the missing residents to come back to Snaksburg and find Elizabert.

Like Young Horses' Octodad: Dadliest Catch, the story in Bugsnax is charming, fun, and whimsical. It also goes in directions I didn't see coming. During the game's 6 to 10-hour story, you'll explore the island's 9 diverse sections. These areas range from mountainous areas, beaches, and deserts. As the story goes on, you learn more about where the Bugsnax came from, what makes them tick, and how they affect everyone.

Additionally, each area features Bugsnax specific to that map and the in-game time of day. If you want to catch a specific Bugsnak that shows up between 4 AM and 4 PM, you can sleep in a nearby bed to speed up time. The time of day becomes key as you try catching each Bugsnak and meeting each resident's needs. The inclusion of times when Bugsnax come out adds a sense of strategy to the game. It isn't just a tacked-on feature that you use once. Speeding up time makes Snaktooth feel like a real place that's filled with life.

As you explore Snaktooth Island, you'll come across Snaxburg's residents. Each of them is goofy in their own way and have different personalities from one another. One set of story missions has you finding Wambus Troubleham, a farmer, while another story mission has you meeting Cromdo Face, a sketchy salesman. As you try convincing each resident to come back, you'll have to complete quests for them that mostly boil down to finding specific Bugsnax and feeding it to them.

Doing this for each story mission can get repetitive quickly, and some missions drag on a little too long. However, the game mixes things up since each character wants Bugsnax specific to the area you're in. The missions can increase in difficulty and complexity since you'll need to use multiple traps to catch certain Bugsnax. Some missions stumped me at times, but patience and experimenting is key to progressing through the story. Once each resident is back in Snaksburg, you'll have the chance to interview them.

Bugsnax, PS5, Young Horses

You'll get to ask each character questions such as why they came to the island, what they think of Bugsnax, and if they have info on Elizabert. Once the interview is over, you'll also receive clues as to where Elizabert might be. The interviews not only put your journalism skills to use, but you also learn about the characters and their motivations. Once you interview each character, side quests will open up where you can help them out. As a whole, the inclusion of interviews is a creative way of learning about each character and understanding their perspectives on Snaktooth, Bugsnax, and the reason they came to the island. Like good journalism, this aspect of the game highlights the different residents' perspectives to give you a more well-rounded idea of the game's setting.

Speaking of the game's setting, a chunk of the game is spent in Snaksburg–the main town area. Here, you'll get to visit each person's home, talk to residents, donate Bugsnax, and get missions. Through visiting each resident's home, you learn a bit more about them and their personalities. It can be fun to walk around and see certain residents interact with one another and hear what they're talking about. While it can be fun to see what each resident is up to and where they'll go, some of them stay in one spot for most of the time. Regardless, seeing how most residents act makes Snaksburg feel more like an actual village than a basic HUB world.

Like the main missions, side quests mostly end up with you finding specific Bugsnax for them. If you want a distraction from the main story or want to see everything on Snaktooth, completing the side missions are worth it. While you may learn more about each character, the side quests weren't as interesting as the main story. Sure, they're entertaining, but it boils down to catching more Bugsnax you may have caught previously while also learning little tidbits on the characters.

By far, the heart and focal point of the game is the Bugsnax themselves. Each one is cute, creative, and well thought out. You can tell Young Horses had a fun time creating each one. They range from a Bunger, a heavier Bugsnak that's a hamburger with curly fries for legs, to a Pinkle, a jar with pickles for legs. By far, one of my favorites is the Charmellow, which is smores themed, featuring crackers for wings, chocolate for legs, and marshmallows as its body. Some Bugsnax also come in several variations. One of these is a Weenyworm, a worm that looks like a hot dog. It doesn't have condiments on it in one location, but another location has one but with things like mustard and other ingredients on it.

There's not one Bugsnak that isn't cute or charming. They add so much character to the game and help make Bugsnax unique from other narrative puzzle games. Also, each Bugsnak having their own personality traits, likes, and dislikes makes each one feel more fleshed out and more than just bugs that look like food. To complete story missions, you'll have to feed certain Bugsnax to characters. These change the appearance of certain body parts, and you can choose where the changes go. Feeding them to characters is a weird but entertaining addition that adds more humor. Sure, why not feed a Weenyworm to a character and have its nose look like a hotdog?

To finish the side quests and story missions, we get into the game's main puzzle: figuring out how to catch each Bugsnak. Whenever you try catching one, you can open up the trap wheel, which reveals six tools that you'll unlock over time. Some Bugsnax like the Strabby, a small Strawberry bug, can just be caught by the Snak Trap. While the Snak Trap can work against smaller creatures, larger Bugsnax will break it if they see it. Others may require more strategy and using more than one trap at once. Additionally, some creatures will not only require traps but also help from your surroundings. For example, some larger Bugsnax may need to crash into other Bugsnax or a hard surface to be caught.

You'll also have to use items like chocolate, peanut butter, and hot sauce to lead them in traps or a direction. Like the traps, these items are unlocked over time and can be replenished by plants in the area. Once you catch a Bugsnak in a trap or knock them out, you only have ten to fifteen seconds to catch them before you have to start the process all over again. Some Bugsnax can't be caught right when you knock them out since some may freeze or burn you when you touch them. This is another great way that the game freshens things while also requiring you to add more thought.

One crucial tool at your disposal is the Snakscope, which lets you take photos of each Bugsnax and scan them by pressing R3 on the DualShock 4. When you take a picture of one, you'll see what they like and dislike, a description of them, and see which direction they go in. It's one of the most useful tools in the game and important if you want to see everything in the game.

The inclusion of multiple traps and lures is a fantastic way of adding variety to each time you catch a Bugsnax. It helps make things feel less stale and adds more strategy into each Bugsnak encounter. Some traps may be used more than others, depending on what you catch. Some traps, like the Buggy Ball (a Strabby Bugsnax inside a ball), are used for a few encounters in the main story and then not as useful later on.

Other traps like the Snak Grappler can catch things from a long distance, but you can't zoom in to get a closer look. At the end of the day, the use of each trap comes down to your playstyle and how you'd approach catching each Bugsnax. When it starts getting into several traps needing to be used, that's where I really loved the act of figuring things out.

Bugsnax, PS5, Young Horses

With each Bugsnak I caught, I felt a sense of accomplishment, and it made me want to catch even more. When you start, you can hold a few of them in your inventory. However, if you donate enough Bugsnax to Snaksburg, you can increase your inventory. Catching them takes time and patience to figure out how they act. At the same time, it's a rewarding experience once you figure out how to catch them.

Each Bugsnak has their own quirk and personality. Some may hide once they see you or run towards you. There were so many times where I'd get near several Bugsnax as they'd run into each other and knock each other out. Having each Bugsnak act differently adds more variety to each encounter and prevents things from getting old.

To help you keep track of things, you'll carry a detailed journal broken up into different sections such as the map, what Bugsnax you're holding, the list of missions, and the clues on Elizabert you've found so far. One of the most important sections of the journal is Bugpedia, which tracks what Bugsnax you've found and caught so far. Bugpedia will expand as you visit each main area of Snaktooth and scan each Bugsnak on the map.

Each entry is detailed and includes the same info you got when you first scanned them. The entries also tell you the time each Bugsnak comes out, which is especially helpful for those who want to catch each one. Additionally, you'll find clues during the story that'll help you piece together what's going on. Some of these will be given to you during character interviews, while others will have to be found in certain areas.

The journal is extremely helpful, in-depth, and makes you feel like a journalist on the scene. Every aspect of it is useful, and going through it is vital to getting everything out of the game. As I kept catching Bugsnax, I'd always look to see if there was a checkmark by certain ones to see if I caught them or not. If I didn't, I'd go to the area they're in and look for them. Bugpedia being broken into sections based on location is also a great feature that makes things easier to sort out. One of my favorite touches to the journal is seeing a calorie count for each Bugsnax. You'll see a Rootle, a carrot worm that's 2,500 calories, while there's a Noodler, a spider that looks like a bowl of noodles that's 50,000 calories. It's a creative detail that shows just how much thought Young Horses put into each Bugsnax.

As a whole, the journal is helpful and detailed but leaves things to be desired. The journal's map is limited and doesn't give you an option to fast travel anywhere. There were times where I had to go through more than one area to make it back to Snaksburg or to another area, which takes up time. Having a fast travel feature would also make it easier for those that want to collect every Bugsnak and bounce back from one area to another. Additionally, you aren't able to pin a specific part of the map. While this is minor, some Bugsnax only appear in certain parts of an area, and being able to add a pin would help you figure out a path to go in.

What adds to Bugsnax's charm is its art style and music. Each section of Snaktooth Island is distinct from each other but cohesive at the same time. In certain parts of Snaktooth, you'll find cave paintings on walls, which are a nice touch of environmental storytelling. The Bugsnax that populate each area also add charm to each area, and seeing more than one Bugsnax interact is always fun to watch.

Despite being great to look at, there are times where the game stutters and has performance issues. For example, one volcanic area features some framerate issues since there are multiple Bugsnax in this area alongside lava. I also encountered one weird bug where I talked to a character and randomly backed up as the character was still talking to me. None of these performance issues are game-breaking, but they can break your immersion.

As for the music and sound design, Octodad's Seth Parker returns to provide a whimsical score that adds to the game's charm. The music in each area complements its respective part of Snaktooth and helps make each area feel unique. In addition to the score, each Bugsnak has its own cute sound effects. These can be heard once you catch or get close to them. The noises they make injects personality into each Bugsnax and helps make them distinctive from one another. Additionally, the iconic theme song from Kero Kero Bonito appears in the game's credits as your journey on Snaktooth Island ends. The music, including Kero Kero Bonito's theme song, never detracted from the game or my enjoyment of it. None of the songs were distracting in any way, and they fit everything perfectly.

I loved my time in Bugsnax and on Snaktooth Island. It's a game I instantly fell in love with when it was announced in June. It has a charming story of coming together and putting your problems aside for the greater good. The characters you meet are also fun to meet and add to the game's charm. The Bugsnax themselves are the heart and soul of the game and inject so much personality and creativity into every part of Snaktooth. The highlight of the game is catching each Bugsnax and figuring out how to do it. Each one you encounter has its own traits and ways of catching them. It's up to the traps at your disposal and some patience to trap each Bugsnax on Snaktooth Island.

Despite some technical issues and wanting more out of the game's map, Bugsnax is a fantastic follow-up to Young Horses' Octodad: Dadliest Catch. It's unlike any game released this year, and it feels like a breath of fresh air as this year ends. With 2020 being a hard year for me and everyone else worldwide, playing Bugsnax helped me forget about what's going on for a moment and provided nothing but pure joy. With such heavy hitters like Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Demon's Souls on the PS5 at launch, Bugsnax is a delightful experience that no one should skip out on.

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