Monster Hunter Rise is getting a special edition console and Pro Controller
Nintendo has a long and storied history of console editions of varying value and quality. Some of them are super rare, others were produced in bulk. Several are really cool to look at, a few are the tackiest systems I've ever seen. There's going to be another one to judge pretty soon!
The publisher has announced that Monster Hunter Rise, one of the most anticipated games for the Switch this year (so far) is getting its own console and Pro Controller line. Both of them are out on March 26.
Originally the bundle and Pro Controller were confirmed for Japan for that same date, but eventually Nintendo of Europe came through and announced it for release outside of the east. Thankfully, the Pro Controller is completely separate from the Switch, just in case you want an extra without forking over for a new console.
The Joy-Con are unique as well, sporting icons and runes from the Monster Hunter series, while maintaining the original gray look of the launch Switch (the gray/rune theme continues on the back of the console). The dock is a little flashier, with gold etchings on top of the name "Monster Hunter Rise" emblazoned on it.
I kind of want it! But with two Switch units and a Switch Lite, I don't need it. But I want it!
Nintendo of Europe [Twitter]
Awesome mod turns Doom into a first-person Castlevania
id Software's Doom does not only hold the title of being one of the single most influential video games of all-time, but it also seems to be the go-to for a whole bevy of fun fan projects, from efforts to get the shooter running on every platform under the sun, to a host of amusing in-game mods and re-designs.
The latest in this long line of fan projects comes from modder Andrea Gori, who has used the Doom engine as the basis for their wicked first-person take on Konami's gothic classic, Castlevania. As you can see from the video below, the GZDoom mod - titled Castlevania: Simon's Destiny - sees the whip-cracking Belmont storm Dracula's castle in first-person form, taking on all of the series' original villains and perils from a whole new perspective.
Well, there might be three new Monster Hunter amiibo on the way
Great scott! With three new amiibo confirmed that brings the grand total of 2021's known figures to...11. That's...kind of huge these days, given that we only got four real amiibo last year, and they were all from the Smash line.
Where are these new figures found? Nintendo Wire uncovered a trio of PlayAsia listings, which have placeholders set for "Heroine, Rathalos, and Felyne." No further details have been revealed yet, like any pricing info, launch dates, or even functionality. For now we just know they exist.
If you recall, Monster Hunter Stories had a grand total of six amiibo produced for it, so getting three more for a sequel isn't a stretch. Also, Capcom arguably supports the amiibo line more than Nintendo these days, so it seems like whatever deal is involved here is equitable for the them.
Keep pumping out the plastic!
Monster Hunter [PlayAsia via Nintendo Wire]
Here's what amiibo do in Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
Nintendo has been very choosy when it comes to anything amiibo-related in the past few years. Just look at the stark decrease in production!
But alas, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury is not only getting amiibo support for both modes (read: each game between the "plus" symbol), Nintendo is also reprinting the Bowser and Bowser Jr. figures to celebrate.
Here's a quick rundown.
PSA: You can select Bowser's Fury right away in Mario 3D World Switch
So this is definitely a brief PSA post, but I thought everyone might like to know!
As was hinted recently in a Japanese tweet, it seemed like you could select the Bowser's Fury portion of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury right away, without having to clear the 3D World part. Well, that's accurate!
We've gotten our hands on a build of the game and can confirm that this is the case. If you want, you can dive right into the completely separate Bowser's Fury addon without having to worry about anything else.
While we can't give away a ton of details yet (expect our full review closer to launch), suffice to say that this was a pleasant surprise, being able to play the new content immediately. Nintendo/Monolith Soft recently did this with Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, and it's a pretty great trend. Keep it going!
I respect Bloober Team's persistence in the realm of psychological horror games. They're not for everyone, and I understand the complaints that their games lack a certain impact, but I like 'em okay.
The Medium, Bloober Team's latest release following the back-to-back Layers of Fear 2 and Blair Witch, feels higher-profile. The horror-adventure game has been pushed quite a bit as an early Xbox Series X/S title due in large part to its distinct "two worlds" split-screen concept, but it's also out on PC.
That's where I played it, and after seeing the recommended specs, I was surprised to have pretty good performance with my setup: an i7-7700K, GTX 1080 Ti, 16 GB RAM, and SSD. I didn't have to make too many visual compromises at 1080p. Whether Marianne was in the spirit world, the real world, or she was inhabiting both realities at the same time side-by-side, the game ran consistently well for me.
But apart from The Medium working on a technical level, is its world worth exploring? Is it actually scary? And what about those stealth encounters with a trash-talking demon voiced by Troy Baker?
The revered Saint Seiros is Fire Emblem Heroes' newest Mythic Hero
The armies of Nintendo's Fire Emblem Heroes continue to grow with each and every passing week. This week is no exception, heralding the arrival of the mobile battler's newest Mythic Hero: Saint Seiros.
Debuting in 2019's Fire Emblem: Three Houses, it's difficult to explain Seiros' backstory without venturing heavily into spoiler territory. Needless to say, she is the deity of the Church of Seiros, and a legendary figure of mythos to be both revered and feared for her power of dominion, devastating dragon abilities, and breathtaking, glorious visage.
Balan Wonderworld is saving its best bits for the full game
Balan Wonderworld made a huge splash when its debut trailer dropped in the pre-show for an Xbox Games Showcase last July. It was bright, colorful, and full of as much whimsy as its creator, Yuji Naka. I was immediately smitten with it as it looked like a dream. After a week of repeatedly playing through its demo, I'm happy to report it plays like a dream as well.
Contest: Win the new Dead Cells DLC, Fatal Falls, for PC and consoles
In today's contest you can win Dead Cells' newest DLC Fatal Falls for PC, Xbox One, PS4, and Switch!
Guess what? I'm drunk! I'm usually at least buzzed when I write these (and also all the time), but today I'm going all-in. Deal with it, MOM! I mean, READERS!
Anyway, Dead Cells is pretty dope, and so it its newest DLC, Fatal Falls. So why pay for something when my broke ass is up here giving it away?! I put out a tip jar just in case you, ya know, wanna give something back.
Deep Rock Galactic originally aimed for 200K sales, and it just cleared two million
A whole lot of people were in the mood to squad up with their friends (and even strangers) in Deep Rock Galactic last year, and that momentum is only picking up. The cave-busting co-op game cleared two million copies sold – a big step up from Ghost Ship Games' original goal of 200,000 lifetime sales.
"Before we launched into Early Access, we reached an internal agreement that 200,000 units sold during the game's lifetime would be suitable, and would allow us to continue and do a new game," the studio wrote today. "But now we just crossed 2 MILLION units sold [across PC and Xbox One], and the game is performing stronger than ever – not only in sales, but also in the strength of the community."
Among many other nitty-gritty statistics about Deep Rock Galactic and its players, there's a yearly sales breakdown: 502K copies sold in 2018, then 404K in 2019, and finally 1.18 million sold in 2020.
This game has been drifting at the edge of my orbit for a while now, and it's about time I started my career as a high-tech spelunker and did my part to stamp out the infestation. I also fully expect to join the ranks of the 7.5 million player deaths caused by friendly fire. Happens to the best of us.
The next major push is Update 33 on February 4, and it's adding the Azure Weald and Hollow Bough.
The Past Within is a co-op point-and-click adventure from Rusty Lake
There's something so intriguing to me about solving two-player puzzles with a friend in a point-and-click adventure. That's the premise for The Past Within, a new PC and mobile game from Rusty Lake.
If you've checked out this team's prior work, you're likely on-board. The setup for The Past Within is to "travel through both past and future to piece together the mysteries surrounding Albert Vanderboom."
The live-action-meets-gameplay trailer is light on details, but it establishes the mood and its blend of 2D and 3D. The idea is that players will work together to make sense of their surroundings from two different perspectives using good old-fashioned communication. There's even the promise of cross-platform play, with PC, Mac, iOS, and Android versions launching in 2021. ("Hopefully" consoles too.)
"We have been working on this project for more than a year overcoming a lot of challenges, creating our first Rusty Lake game set (partly) in a 3D environment using Unity and mixing this with multiplayer gameplay. We still have a long way to go before we can communicate a release date, but we hope to keep you excited on our social media, our blog, and Steam on the development progress of the game."
The Past Within seems like a pretty decent entry point to this brand of puzzle gaming. I'll be watching.
The Past Within – Teaser Trailer [Rusty Lake Blog]
Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection has four difficulties and here are the differences
Coinciding with a gameplay overview trailer for Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection, Capcom shared a quick breakdown of how the difficulty settings differ. Knowledge is power (but I'm still gonna die a ton). There are four choices – Legend, Knight, Squire, and Page – and none of them look particularly kind.
Here's what to expect, going from the highest difficulty to the most forgiving:
- Legend mode: your armor can only take one hit and there are more on-screen enemies.
- Knight mode: you can take an extra hit.
- Squire mode: you can take an extra hit and there are fewer enemies.
- Page mode: you can revive yourself "on the spot."
Capcom also confirmed that if you clear Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection on Legend, Knight, or Squire, you'll be able to run it back and face tougher Shadow versions of every stage – the classic "second loop." That seems like a fair trade-off for people who want to go all the way and feel sufficiently rewarded.
The very end of the trailer shows noticeably faster-paced footage of Arthur outmaneuvering a leaping boss. There are apparently "more surprises in store" for this game, and that clip is one of them.
I'm curious to see the How Long to Beat listing for Resurrection.
Review: Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout was my introduction to the long-running Atelier series. And while I definitely enjoyed it, it didn't leave enough of an impact for me to run with it and check out the rest of the millions of other games in the series. That's a big commitment, and that sort of thing terrifies me.
However, it did leave me thirsty enough for a sequel which has now arrived in the form of Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy. It's time to hit the cauldron again and stir up some adventure and also find out if anyone has gained some fashion sense since the last game. Spoiler: they haven't.
Space-love adventure Haven blasts off on PS4, PC, and Switch next week
You may recall last year we reported on super-chill sci-fi title, Haven. The intergalactic indie adventure, about an eloping couple on a distant planet, is ready for launch, and will take off on PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC (via Epic Games Store) February 4, following its release last month on PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Developed by The Game Bakers, Haven is the tale of the young lovers, Yu and Kay, who escape the chaos of civilization to live together on a strange and exotic new planet. Haven sees one or two players control both Yu and Kay in harmony, both in exploration and combat, as they build a new life for themselves on the dreamlike world, filled with strange flora and fauna.
The Game Bakers hopes that Haven not only treats our protagonists' relationship with relatable realism, but also that players find the title a relaxing, low-intensity experience - featuring drop-in/drop-out multiplayer and gameplay that's easy to pick up or put down at a moment's notice. Explore the world, build a life, and work through the complications of Yu and Kay's new reality, backed by a score from French electro composer DANGER.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum falls back to 2022
I'm not sure how much I'm into the idea of a Gollum video game, particularly since the first pre-alpha shots came out, but my stance could change with time. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum isn't launching this year, after all – it's now aiming for 2022 and Nacon is co-publishing with Daedalic Entertainment.
The companies reiterated that the release plans include PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
From what we've heard so far, Gollum is a blend of narrative decision making – a battle of wits between his dueling personalities – and slinking around in the shadows, striking only when the coast is clear. I can't say that sneaky climbing sounds all that riveting to me, but the more choice-based adventure gameplay could turn out well. As for the exaggerated art direction, we'll see. I'm just not sold yet.
It's been a wacky run for Lord of the Rings video games over the past decade, and I don't just mean Shadow of Mordor. Remember Guardians of Middle-earth? No wonder Chris sticks with the card game.
Celeste celebrates third anniversary with sequel to the Pico-8 original
Everyone's favorite charming, ethereal, evocative, and controller-snappingly difficult platformer Celeste is now three years old. How time (and Madeline) flies. And to celebrate the birthday of the indie smash hit, original creators Noel Berry, Maddy Thorson, and Lena Raine have released a sequel to the 8-bit title that started it all.
Developed during a Game Jam back in the late 2010s, the rudimentary title now known as Celeste Classic inspired the mega-selling 2018 release, which tells the tale of a young woman's battle to surmount the titular mountain along with her own doubts and fears. Made in just three days, Celeste Classic 2: Lani's Trek sees a new hero embark upon her own pixelated adventure, swapping out Celeste's air-dash mechanic for a trusty grappling hook.
We waved goodbye to the world of Celeste - as well as its memorable cast of characters - in 2019 DLC expansion Farewell. But Lani's Trek will hopefully scratch an itch for all you C-Side conquerors, at least until we see a new project from the talented team that gave us an instant classic.
Apex Legends Season 8's gameplay trailer hints at new legend's passive ability
Season 8 of Apex Legends is just about a week away, and as usual, we've been peppered with some teasers about what to expect with the changing times over the past few days. Moyse showed the launch trailer along with the Nintendo Switch launch rumor this morning, but just a few hours later, Respawn released the gameplay trailer above.
It explicitly shows some of the new stuff coming, like the new 30-30 Repeater rifle and gold magazines. (The 30-30 looks like it hits hard and fires more slowly than a G7 Scout; gold magazine automatically reload weapons while they are stowed.) Season 8 will also introduce the new legend, Fuse, and this trailer teases his abilities. Clearly, his ultimate is the cluster of napalm he launches at around 2:12 in the video, and most players expect his tactical to be the small cluster grenade he shoots out of his mechanical arm at around 1:52. But it doesn't take an eagle eye to see what he does at 2:08, launching an arc star out of his arm cannon at an airborne enemy. My guess is his passive allows him to fire existing explosive ordnance (frags, thermites, and arc stars) faster than a normal throw, allowing them to go further and arc less, making them easier to hit faraway targets.
What might take a bit more of an attention to detail to spot happens at 1:23 and 1:59. While aiming down sights on the 30-30 Repeater, there is a small meter that fills up over time, resetting on a shot. My guess here is that the Repeater has bonus damage with slow, paced shots, and less damage per shot when the trigger is spammed.
As usual, the above is all speculation until confirmed, but if history is a reliable indicator, we can expect a character trailer for Fuse within the next week to go through all of his abilities before the new season officially launches on February 2.
Rainbow Six Siege's Y5S4.3 patch shakes things up and continues to devalue my boy Buck
Ever since Ubisoft announced that there would only be one operator released per season of Rainbow Six Siege, the team has been diligently reworking and re-balancing some of the more requested changes to the aging tactical shooter. Some like the Chalet rework have been good, while others have been a bit of a mystery. The Year 5 Season 4.3 patch rework falls in the latter category, albeit with some positives.
First and foremost, the biggest change (and possibly the most controversial) is the removal of Zofia's Withstand ability. Previously Zofia could get up on her own after being downed without the assistance of any other teammates – an ability unique to her without using any gadgets. This ability was at the center of heated debate over the past week after it was utilized in a pro EU match in the lead-up to the Six Invitational. No word on whether the controversy in the eSports realm was the catalyst for this removal, but the timing is rather suspect.
The most personal change for me is the fact that Buck continues to be made into something he isn't with the removal of his claymore, instead getting one of the new utility hard breaches. The patch notes state that the team wanted to lean into his "master of destruction" role and give him a hard breach. To that, I say, "go to hell." No one is going to use him for hard breach; Buck's strengths lie in his ability to play the vertical and that means being alone on a non-objective floor. The claymores were integral for his safety. This is on top of him losing his frags. Please Ubisoft, tell me how Buck wronged you.
Another personal attack towards me from Ubisoft this patch was the complete rework of how Kali's gun does damage. Instead of just downing everyone with one shot to the limbs, what happens to you now will be determined by what your character's speed is. One-speeds get injured from a limb shot, two-speeds get downed, and well three-speeds just straight up die. I for one can't wait for more CS:GO dropouts to sit and pick through the entire match.
So what about that positive I mentioned? Ahem.
🦀🦀🦀Pre-reinforced roof hatches are dead.🦀🦀🦀
When the idea was floated that roof hatches were going to be automatically reinforced at the start of the match, the collective reaction among everyone I talked to was "wtf is Ubisoft thinking?" Thankfully the idea died in the test server as it would have wrecked team balance with everyone that could bring a hard breach needing to bring one. Dodged a bullet with this one, y'all.
Other changes are a general nerf to Ash's ability wherein her breaching charge only damages out to 2m, down from 3.5m. The team also sped up the utility breaching charge from nine seconds to seven seconds which annoys me as a Kaid user but I can't complain, I guess. For those wanting to see how bad the patch is in its totality, the full patch notes can be viewed here.
Give Buck his frags back.
Rainbow Six siege Y5S4.3 Designer's Notes [Ubisoft]
That kooky action-RPG Biomutant releases May 25
After what feels like several wellness checks, Biomutant has a release date for PC, PS4, and Xbox One: May 25, 2021. If you were expecting a Nintendo Switch version, THQ Nordic didn't bring it up today.
Biomutant is part melee action, part shooter – and it's set in an open world in which you can ride a jet-ski or a giant mechanical hand, mutate your fuzzy warrior to open up new abilities, and craft weapons. That's... a lot. As long as the world traversal isn't a slog and the fighting is fun, it should hopefully click.
I've had a soft spot for this action-RPG for some time, and while I'm not convinced it will be able to escape "flawed gem" status, there's no denying it has quite a visual hook. The latest video, from June, is a strange one. Will this game be spread too thin and outstay its welcome? I can't wait to find out.
There's something extra enticing about a game like this that can either go so right or so wrong.
Fallout 76's long-awaited inventory quality of life improvements arrive today
As promised, Fallout 76 is getting some upgrades today in the form of an update that almost entirely focuses on quality of life perks: appropriately dubbed "The Inventory Update."
So here's the big stuff. As a reminder, the stash limit is going up from 800 to 1200 pounds. Three new tabs have been added to the Pip-Boy UI, which allows you to sort and identity new items like food. Armor also has its own tab now, separated from outfits.
One of the best parts of the update is a little more low key, and something some people might not notice at first. As shown in the below video, you can now preview items from player vending machines directly on the map. It's the definition of a quality of life upgrade, as you don't need to mindlessly hunt them down to find cool player-driven items. You can see how it looks below.
Another bonus includes a slight change in aesthetics, to assist colorblind players. Here's the rundown: "Going forward, whenever you find a valid spot to place an object, its outline will appear light-blue instead of green. This should help some of our players with colorblindness more easily differentiate between valid and invalid placement when they're building their latest and greatest C.A.M.P. creations."
So what about the future? Well, the team "can't wait to share more information as to all updates to Fallout 76 arriving later this year." This game still has life in it!
IO's Project 007 will star an original iteration of James Bond
IO Interactive has confirmed that its upcoming James Bond video game, tentatively known as Project 007, will not feature any of the actors who have portrayed the character on the silver screen, instead featuring an original interpretation of Ian Fleming's famous secret agent.
Speaking in an interview with the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DRK) (via VG24/7) IO studio head Hakan Abrak noted that Bond himself will be as new and original as the game's narrative, which itself is not based upon any previous 007 adventure. The freedom of creating its own universe and narrative gives IO the opportunity to develop a potential trilogy, should Project 007 prove to be a success.
Abrak also spoke of the difficulty in convincing EON's Barbara Broccoli in allowing IO to create another James Bond digital adventure, given the producer's distaste for previous 007 video games having "violence for the sake of violence." Abrak believes that the class, style and more meticulous pacing of the Hitman series is what helped IO bag the coveted 007 license
As exciting as the concept of Project 007 remains - even without an appearance from Craig, Lazenby, Moore, Connery, Dalton, Brosnan, or - hell - Nelson, it seems that fans have a long wait ahead of them before we see anything of our boy James, with Project 007 still in its very early stages. Personally, I'd still like to see players given the opportunity to create their own incarnation of the suave secret agent, but that's looking very unlikely for now.
Still, never say never (again).
The Zelda: Breath of the Wild trick shot master is back to teach another class
If you haven't seen ゼルダãã"(Neko)'s previous trick shot breakdown video for Zelda: Breath of the Wild, make sure you watch it.
Not only do they actually perform one of the coolest tricks we've seen to date in the game, but they also showcase it bit by bit, to help everyone understand how they did it. Well, they've been making videos before that one, and they've been making them after, so there's so much more knowledge to consume.
This one follows up on the "Guardian flip" phenomenon from the semi-recent Breath of the Wild meta, with an aerial trick shot. Our own Jordan Devore said it perfectly when he showed me the video: "there's something classic about a 3D model spinning wildly out of control."
If you're interested, you can find the full trick shot list here from Neko. On a recent YouTube video, Neko states that they'd like to get more "creative" on future videos and to "stay tuned," so we may be in for a treat.
Keep doing them! We will keep watching them.
ゼルダãã"(Neko) [Twitter]
Review: Dead Cells: Fatal Falls
It only took a single (unsuccessful) stab at Dead Cells for me to get back in the swing of things and boy does this game still feel fantastic. Its sense of ferocity and flow is up there with the best of 'em.
I didn't just boot up Dead Cells for the heck of it – there are a few new premium levels to check out today. Following the first paid DLC, The Bad Seed, you can now spice up your Dead Cells runs with Fatal Falls. The first level pack was successful right out of the gate, and this next one proves it wasn't a fluke.
Fractured Shrines, Undying Shores, and The Mausoleum slot right into the mid-game.
Here's how to find the Fatal Falls levels in Dead Cells
Before you can master the Fatal Falls DLC levels in Dead Cells, you'll need to reach them. Here's a quick, no-nonsense guide on where they slot into the progression route and how to access them.
Once Fatal Falls is installed (you can verify this from the DLC listing on the main menu), you can start a Dead Cells run like normal from the Prisoners' Quarters. The first of the three DLC levels is called Fractured Shrines, and it's accessible right after Black Bridge (Concierge) or The Nest (Mama Tick).
Here's the door to Fractured Shrines after clearing Black Bridge and taking the elevator up.
You can take Fractured Shrines to the second Fatal Falls DLC level, Undying Shores. But before you can do that, you'll need to unlock a door at the end of the area guarded by spear-holding statues.
The door to Undying Shores is locked by default – you'll need a costume to get inside.
While you're carving a path through Fractured Shrines, be on the lookout for a dead cultist. Here's one.
The cultist corpse is easy to miss if you don't know what you're looking for.
Using your possession ability (clicking in the right stick on a gamepad), you can "leave your body" and take over the cultist, resulting in a change of clothes. You should see a text-based prompt.
The first time you steal the cultist outfit, you'll see a little cutscene. That's all you need.
Head back to the Undying Shores entrance with the cultist garb and it'll open up.
The path from Undying Shores to The Mausoleum is straightforward. Here's what you're looking for.
This third and final level of Fatal Falls is a boss fight (Scarecrow), and if you win, you'll be able to exit to either High Peak Castle or Derelict Distillery and continue your run as you normally would.
According to the Dead Cells developers, once you beat Scarecrow, you'll be able to reach The Mausoleum from Undying Shores or Cavern on future runs – but I haven't tried the latter method yet.
If you need a visual aid, consult the Dead Cells wiki biome map. I'm sure it'll be updated soon.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga features 300 characters from a galaxy far, far away
One thing that the licensed LEGO video games are well renowned for is their tendency to squeeze in as many characters as possible, taking even the most ancillary cast members and re-imagining them in Minifig form. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will be no different.
Speaking in an interview with Official PlayStation Magazine, (via GamesRadar) TT Games' lead hub designer Dawn McDiarmid states that the latest in a long line of LEGO Star Wars releases will include some 800 unique characters, with around 300 of them available to unlock and play as you battle your way through the epic nine-film saga. McDiarmid specifically notes The Rise of Skywalker's Babu Frik as their personal pick to take on the might of The Empire.
Warner Bros. Interactive is set to have a fairly big next few years, with major LEGO Star Wars and Batman games launching this year, as well as Hogwarts Legacy and Suicide Squad arriving in 2022.
They have a ton of properties just by virtue of having access to DC alone, but prepare for another cultural shift in the way they support their games. Even further from what they've already done, apparently.
According to a job listing on WB Interactive's career page, the publisher is ready to continue to put out games based on "well-known franchises," but will also delve into a "heavy focus on live service." The listing states that "all of this would provide for a well-rounded experience at an exciting game publishing studio making its mark on the industry." Well, I guess from a monetary perspective, staying in business is exciting!
Last year after the dual Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad reveals, it seemed like WB Interactive was already focusing even more on live service romps; but now we seemingly have it confirmed by this listing. We all kind of assumed this would happen, but the question is "how far will they take it?"
As we saw with games like the two Middle-earth adventures the audience can revolt, and even get WB to change their ways and reverse some of the live service mechanics.
Virtual Games Production MBA Intern [WB Games] Thanks John!
Konami's production restructure has not 'shut down gaming division'
Last week, industry giant Konami announced that it would be going through something of a corporate restructure, consolidating some of its internal departments and rearranging its personnel in order to better streamline its production division in response to a rapidly changing market. What it did not do, however, was "close down its gaming division."
This was the word that fast spread around the internet yesterday, popping up all over social media despite the actual announcement being made back on January 15. In response to this fast-spreading rumor, the long-time developer sent a hastily penned official statement to IGN, confirming that, for the most part, it remains business as usual at chez Konami.
"The announcement made refers to an internal restructure, with Production Divisions being consolidated," reads the statement. "We have not 'shut down' our video gaming division."
Essentially, these changes simply relocate several top executives into new roles, while officially dissolving and then restructuring multiple production divisions into larger, singular departments. The staff of each dissolved division are all expected to move into roles within the new teams. Konami's restructure is effective as of February 1, 2021.
So, don't worry, Konami is still around to not make a new Silent Hill.
Get set for Festivale in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
It's almost time for the snow to thaw in the bright and cheerful world of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Already waiting in the wings is the newest seasonal update, which will see Nook Islands prepare for the colorful coming of Festivale!
Beginning January 28, Nook Island-dwellers will have the opportunity to pick up a selection of limited edition party-going clothing from the Able Sisters, as well as some feel-good animations with the arrival of new reactions "Viva," "Let's Go," "Feelin' it," and "Confetti." Also arriving during this period are special items to help lovebirds celebrate Valentine's Day, including outfits and presents for that special Fuchsia in your life.
Festivale itself will kick off on February 15, heralded by the arrival of dancing sensation Pave, who will bring an electric atmosphere to your local plaza. Gather hidden feathers from around your island and gift them to Pave to get your peacock pal bustin' moves, while also earning exclusive rewards for your good self.
Get into the party spirit early by checking out the new content in the trailer below.
More evidence points to February 2 release for Apex Legends on Switch
A new listing on Amazon Japan suggests that Respawn Entertainment's sci-fi multiplayer shooter Apex Legends is headed to Nintendo switch on February 2. The retailer has opened a new pre-order page for the battle royale release, currently available on PS4, PC, and Xbox One.
This is the second appearance of that specific calendar date, following a swiftly-removed reference to February 2 that was made in the blurb of a recent trailer. The Amazon listing itself advertises Apex Legends: Champion Edition, which includes the base game, all post-release characters to date, a selection of Legendary skins, and 1,000 Apex coins.
Conveniently, February 2 also marks the launch of Apex Legends' eighth season, "Mayhem", which brings with it a new champion - the reckless and destructive Fuse - alongside an "Obliterated" variant of King's Canyon. You can check out a cinematic trailer previewing all of this explosive chaos below.
Contest: Win a Gioteck PS5 or Xbox Series X TX-50 Headset and cable bundle
In today's contest you can win a Gioteck TX-50 Headset and cable bundle for your PS5 of Xbox Series X!
Were you lucky enough to get your hands on a next-gen console? I wasn't! I didn't try or anything -- I'll probably wait a few years before picking one up. I'm in no rush at the moment.
If you're enjoying the next generation of gaming, however, we've got a treat for ya! Gioteck is giving us a TX-50 Gaming Headset to go with your PS5 or Xbox Series X/S, and a Viper VP-1 cable bundle featuring both a fast-charging USB C cable AND a 2.1 8k HDMI cable. Whew!
Fall Guys is changing things up with a new level and tons of variations in Season 3.5
We're inching closer toward the mid-season update for Fall Guys, and there's a bit more going on than I was expecting. On the tentative list for Season 3.5: one "brand new" level (which will probably be icy like the rest), 40-plus level tweaks to freshen up the current stages, a so-called "Fall Feed" to keep tabs on winners and losers while you compete, and the return of Sonic, Godzilla, and Goose Game outfits.
Mediatonic stopped short of saying what the new level or variations would entail, but every little morsel of newness in this game can have a ripple effect on the chaos. I want it to be semi-unpredictable.
According to the team, new shows and costumes will "go live over the coming weeks."
I missed the Godzilla garb the first time around, but I'm ready to drop my saved-up crowns the moment it's back in the shop. (Question for a "friend": is it on- or off-brand for Godzilla to drop an innocent baby penguin into the great abyss? And could that crime be the impetus for a feud with King Kong?)
Amazon Luna is a stunning example of why data caps suck
A few years ago, Amazon seemed like it was taking the correct steps to establish itself as a player in the video game industry. In 2014, it purchased Double Helix Studios, which was then riding high on the successful rebirth of the Killer Instinct franchise. In 2016, it announced a trio of ambitious multiplayer titles: Breakaway, Crucible, and New World. It was Amazon getting its foot in the door in a big way.
But things just haven't panned out. Breakaway never made it out of alpha, and Crucible crashed and burned in less than six months. New World is still on its way and is slated to launch later this year. But if that goes the way the dodo as the other Amazon Game Studios titles have, the world's biggest retailer may already have its back-up plan ready to go: Amazon Luna.
The streaming service launched in Early Access last October by invitation only. Last week, I received my invitation and spent several days seeing what the service is all about during my week-long free trial.
Over 19 million people got Star Wars Battlefront II for free from the Epic Games Store
I knew that Star Wars Battlefront II would get a significant boost from its free giveaway on the Epic Games Store, but now that the dust has settled on the deal, the final tally is truly ridiculous.
In a tweet today, Electronic Arts confirmed that "more than 19 million players" took part in the promo. That doesn't mean they all played it (or ever will), but that figure bodes well for the inevitable Star Wars Battlefront III, to say nothing of the Epic Games Store's foothold in the PC game marketplace in general.
(As a point of comparison, A Total War Saga: Troy was claimed by over 7.5 million people.)
"Thank you so much for the continued support, even after our final content drop," EA added.
Were you one of the new players? How brutal of a bloodbath was it out there with Battlefront vets?
Debuting during the golden age of home computing, Turrican shook up the action gaming genre with a string of explosively popular releases that, whilst somewhat different in and of themselves, are all typified by their dynamic combat, ruthless difficulty, awesome soundtracks, and eye for exploration.
Initially developed for the Commodore 64 in the late 1980s by German coder Manfred Trenz, Turrican would make a name for itself thanks to Factor 5's stunning Amiga port, bagging a bevy of media plaudits and awards while simultaneously blowing players away with its huge host of technical achievements. 1991 sequel Turrican II: The Final Fight would only serve to further establish the brand as one of the premier shooters, thanks in no small part to composer Chris Huelsbeck's legitimately industry-changing score.
And now, some 30 years since release, ININ Games has compiled Turrican and Turrican II - as well two of its console-based pseudo-sequels - to create Turrican Flashback. This new compendium will offer fans and newcomers the opportunity to experience this iconic franchise, with every weapon, every power-up, every boss, every secret, and every joystick-snapping death exploding onto modern platforms.
To paraphrase a classic: Welcome Back to Turrican.
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World launches this spring
Start packing your cutest sword and most colorful outfits, as ININ Games has announced that Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World will launch this spring. The dinky adventure title will arrive in Japan on PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch April 11, before headed west later in Q2.
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is a remake of lost Sega Genesis release Wonder Boy IV, and sees the titular hero swashbuckling her way through a mystical kingdom. Developed from the ground up by Studio Artdink - guided by members of the original development team - Asha in Monster World features redesigned 2.5D visuals, a remastered score by composer Shinichi Sakamoto, and new, fully-voiced cutscenes. As a neat bonus, the original Wonder Boy IV release will come bundled with the new game.
ININ also released a new trailer. I can't help but notice that the frame-rate issues - first noted in the Gamescom 2020 trailer - have improved, but are still apparent in busy scenes. Hopefully this anomaly is a product of a development build, or the video itself, and will not be present in the finished game.
It feels like just yesterday that Yacht Club Games was formed: now it's publishing stuff. Our little shovel studio is growing up!
The first publishing duty on the docket? Cyber Shadow.
Hitman 3 hits its mark, debuts at No.1 in the UK Charts
They say you can't keep a good man down - turns out that goes for relatively amoral men too. Agent 47 has stealthily crept his way into the top spot of the UK Charts, thanks to the release of IO Interactive's excellent sequel, Hitman 3, physically published by Square Enix.
As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, the eighth (just go with it) mainline entry in the long-running murderthon, Hitman 3 was the biggest-selling physical release in the UK last week, with the PS5 platform accounting for almost half of all sales. Speaking of PS5, Sony Interactive Entertainment's pseudo-sequel Spider-Man: Miles Morales also made a return to the Top Ten, web-slinging in at number four, while Demon's Souls made its return to the Top 40 at number 27.
Aside from these two releases, it was mostly business as usual. Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe occupy slots two and three respectively, while additional Switch releases, Ring Fit Adventure, Just Dance 2021, and Minecraft, nestle at the back half of the Top 10. The bro-tastic FIFA 21, Grand Theft Auto V, and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War all continue to see steady week-on-week sales.
GameStop's stock reaches its highest price ever thanks to Reddit having a laugh
To say GameStop has been struggling as of late would be an understatement. The company wasn't doing great before last year's economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, then things got so bad that the company declared itself essential by selling hand sanitizer. With more than a thousand store closings planned in the next few months, you would think this would mean the publicly traded company's stock price would be in the gutter.
GameStop briefly posted its highest stock price ever this morning thanks to a Wallstreet trading subreddit having a giggle and we're now gallivanting in Phillip K. Dick's nightmare world.
The subreddit, r/wallstreetbets, is "a community for making money and being amused while doing it." In-between the memes of losses, there are discussions of good bets across all the different trading platforms. Somewhere along the way, these Redditors got into a pissing match with establishment Wall Street investors and committed to a war of economic futures against the old guard. To explain how this all went down would take an exceedingly long time to type out and I'd probably get the finer details wrong, but I'll try to summarize it.
Over the past two years, despite an increasing belief that GameStop was more than likely on its last legs of life, staunch believers in r/wallstreetbets pushed their case that the stock was undervalued and to invest then would have great returns if you're patient enough. It started with the idea that the company was undervalued, then it evolved into making a case for an upcoming short squeeze.
A short squeeze is a rapid gain in price for something that is either on the brink of some world-changing discovery or was previously a left-for-dead company that has one last gasp of life. The phenomenon is compounded by the fact that buyers who had previously written the stock off for dead will try to jump on in the short-term to cut their potential losses, therefore driving the price up even higher. For a short squeeze to happen, there needs to be a big event or news development to drive interest in the stock.
In the case of GameStop, the catalyst for today's meteoric rise came in August of last year when Chewy co-founder Ryan Cohen announced a 5.8 million share interest in GameStop, signaling that it had at least some future. The ball was now at the top of the hill and all it needed to do was gain momentum.
Momentum came in the form of the usual fall AAA game lineup releases along with the once-every-seven-years console launch. While gains weren't monstrous, they were steady from September onward starting at $7.65 a share then and rising to $19.26 by the end of the year. This was used by investors on r/wallstreetbets to exemplify that there was still money to be made.
All through this period, Andrew Left, an establishment financial analyst, warned about the dangers of investing in the stock. Left reported that despite the short-term gains, the physical-based company had no future in the impending digital age. He's not wrong, but to the denizens of r/wallstreetbets, the stock had become a hill to defend, and they weren't going to go down without a fight.
Another bump in GameStop's share price came when Cohen was named to the board of directors in early January of this year, doubling the stock price in a week from around $19 a share up to $39 a share. At this point to those watching the stock closely, the writing was on the wall for a potential short squeeze in the near future – all it needed was a spark.
The spark came late last week after Left announced that he would no longer criticize the stock publicly. The gates were now open for those who were hesitant to jump on, and jump on they did. At one point, the stock trading had to be halted because the stock rose so much over such a short period of time. When a stock rises or falls too much over a short period, a timed lock is placed on trading the stock to prevent rapid buying or selling. This was recently invoked in March of 2020 as the Covid-19 pandemic started a massive panic sell-off as the world economy took a nosedive. The stock ultimately closed at around $65 at the end of last week.
With no trading allowed on the weekend, interest grew on the internet and r/wallstreetbets. This morning, when the markets opened, a massive amount of people started buying into the share, thereby increasing its value. At 10:47 AM Eastern, the price reached $158.69 a share; the short squeeze was here. As of the writing of this article, that is the peak and since then, prices have begun to return to Earth. Long-term investors in the stock are already posting their wins with one user turning $53,566 into $11 million.
For those who want the fully gritty details, Bloomberg wrote up an excellent retrospective on the players and the battles of this economic war. While I still can't see any future for GameStop even as it continues to pivot its strategy, it did make for an interesting and somewhat terrifying look into how the dark cyberpunk future imagined is here already and it's much worse than anything we could have thought of.
How WallStreetBets Pushed GameStop Shares to the Moon [Bloomberg]
You can dress like Chris from Resident Evil Village with this expensive as hell collector's edition
I love rubbernecking video game collector's edition sets that are as outlandish as they are expensive. Resident Evil Village's Japan-only Collector's Edition Version Z is one such extravagant example.
This is the ultimate edition of Village in that it comes with everything – the game, a map, a SteelBook case, a Chris Redfield statue, an art book, 1/6 scale miniature weapons and trinkets (that I want to buy separately), a fancy package to contain it all, and the real wallet-buster: a buttonless chester coat.
It might not seem that bad – how much could a coat possibly cost? – but the price tag would beg to differ. All told, this limited-edition bundle from e-Capcom costs 192,500 yen (or about $1,850).
If that sounds like something someone would drop cash on purely for an irresistibly dumb YouTube thumbnail, I agree. There's also a version without Chris' high-end coat for 42,669 yen (or around $400).
I'll stick to dressing like Ethan Winters, thank you very much.
Resident Evil Village Collector's Edition Version Z [e-Capcom via Technclub]
The original Super Smash Bros. is now 22 years old
Super Smash Bros. came out on January 21, 1999 in Japan. That's roughly three months before the US debut in April, and a while 10 months before the European launch. Imagine that wait!
Having been there, I can attest to the explosive nature of the Nintendo 64 original. The N64 had been a staple in multiple households at my school at the time, but the promise of allowing all of your fictional childhood friends to battle each other was too much to handle. People started recruiting brand new fighting game players into their ranks, and the rest was history.
Smash just completely changed the entire landscape of fighting games. While Street Fighter and its various Versus iterations were in their arguable heydays, and Arc System Works was gaining traction with Guilty Gear just a year earlier, Nintendo made an undeniable grab for the genre and it paid off big time. As of this past week, the Smash series as a whole is 22 years old and still going strong.
Tencent purchases majority stake in Klei Entertainment
Klei Entertainment, the studio behind homegrown hits such as Don't Starve and Oxygen Not Included, has announced that it has sold a majority stake to Chinese conglomerate Tencent. The news was revealed on Klei's official forums by studio founder James Cheng.
The sale is something of an inevitability, given that Klei and Tencent have worked together closely of distributing the studio's releases throughout Chinese territories. In the forum announcement, Cheng spoke of his confidence in the new partnership, stating that Klei will retain full autonomy of its future projects, with no change to the studio's current infrastructure.
"We looked at a lot of different companies, and over the years, we've worked with a large number of publishers and distributors," said Cheng. "Tencent is the only company that we felt would let us retain the level of control that we demand."
"We've been working with Tencent for years and even at points where we disagreed, they were always willing to work with us to find the best solution for everybody involved and defer to us when we felt strongly [...] This partnership helps us navigate a changing industry, and helps us focus on what we do best: making unique experiences that no one else can."
Tencent adds Klei Entertainment to a portfolio of partner studios that includes League of Legends developer Riot Games, mobile giant Supercell, Warframe's Digital Extremes, UK outfit Splash Damage, and Path of Exile's Grinding Gear Games.
Look, Hitman speedrunning pretty much always ruled.
There's something so liberating about playing through a Htiman game as fast as you can, with no restrictions, including those that are self-imposed outside of the game: otherwise known as an "any percentage" run. The game is...pretty much built for that on the ground up! But that doesn't make these new Hitman 3 speedruns any less impressive.
The race has been on this past week, as folks have been clearing the first Hitman 3 mission (Dubai - On Top of the World) in less than 10 seconds. In fact, for several days, the world record was nine seconds. Today, someone in Sweden claims to have cleared it in eight. It's just a one-second margin: but the race is heating up!
Tekken producer is up for Pokken Tournament 2, but the decision is out of his hands
Eyebrows were raised when, back in 2014, it was announced back that Nintendo and Bandai Namco were tagging up to create a fighter styled on the Pokémon franchise. But with Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada at the helm, it seemed likely to be a hit. As expected, Pokkén Tournament delivered upon release - offering fun, goofy, and exciting throwdowns between an entire army of colorful critters.
In the following years, however, the Pokkén Tournament brand has all but vanished, with 2016 Nintendo Switch port Pokkén Tournament DX being the last we heard from the franchise. With Pokémon still riding high and pulling in profits decades after launch, a sequel to the 3D fighter would seem a no-brainer. But according to Harada himself, it's all up to the folks at Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.
"We have a good relationship with Nintendo and Pokémon Co., Ltd., and POKKÉN has had a great response, so I would like to make it again," said the shades-wearing maestro on Twitter, responding to a fan. "But it's not what we decide, it's what they decide."
Obviously, Pokémon as a brand serves many masters, and so putting together a new Pokkén Tournament isn't quite the same from a technical stance as Harada just rocking up to Bandai Namco with a new Tekken under his belt. Ultimately, Pokkén Tournament was an experiment, one which fared well on home formats but bombed in Japanese arcades. With the fate of any sequel in the hands of Nintendo, it's something of a dice roll as to whether Pikachu and pals will ever see a rematch.
One developer contends that a Switch Pro might not be that big of a deal
We are we in 2021? Have we had 10 rumors about the Switch Pro yet? Can we even really call this a "year" without them? They're a pastime at this point!
This week, we don't actually have a Switch Pro murmuring, thankfully. It's an opinion! From a pretty respected developer, in fact. Nintendo Everything spoke to Engine Software co-founder Ruud van de Moosdijk (the studio that worked on No More Heroes 1+2 on Switch, among other games like the recent Scott Pilgrim re-release), and in the words of Shania Twain, the Pro don't impress them much.
After making light of the ever-present Switch Pro rumors, Ruud van de Moosdijk explains that although their opinion, as a studio, might be "counter-intuitive for a lot of people" (read: jarring), they "are not large subscribers of the 'Pro' model."
They go on to explain why in detail, stating: "Sure, it would be nice to have more RAM or faster GPU/CPU compared to before, but if it is still considered the same platform you must make sure your game runs on every model. So, for compatibility reasons your performance gets benchmarked on the lowest specifications. We have seen with prior 'upgraded systems' that the additional power never really got utilized well for this reason."
As far as Nintendo is concerned, they're generally right, but it really depends on the circumstance the hardware is currently in. It's assumed that they're speaking in part of the "New 3DS," which only had a scant few exclusives and generally didn't make a massive impact on the 3DS market as a whole. But a potential 4K Switch, with a much larger upgrade and even slightly better framerate capabilities, could be poised to make a huge splash and extend the lifecycle of this generation for Nintendo.
Plus, as we typically know, Nintendo kind of plays by their own rules, and could skirt these requirements as they see fit. Either way, we're still currently Switch Pro-less, and Engine Software brings up an interesting point.
Engine Software talks Switch ports: No More Heroes 1 and 2, Falcom games, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World [Nintendo Everything]
Vicarious Visions might be working on Blizzard's Diablo II remake
Before the weekend, the industry heard the surprising news that Vicarious Visions, the developer behind the recent Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 and Crash Bandicoot remakes, had become an official support studio for World of Warcraft titan Blizzard Entertainment.
The plot thickens thanks to a report from Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, which claims that Vicarious Visions has actually been working in close proximity with Blizzard for some time, and may in fact already be hard at work on an upcoming remake of 2000 RPG Diablo II.
According to Bloomberg's sources, Diablo II has been in development at Blizzard Team I, but the project fell into disarray in mid-2020 following the lukewarm reception to another classic remake: Warcraft III: Reforged. Supposedly, Team I has been pulled from the project, (possibly dismantled entirely) and Diablo II placed under the watch of Vicarious Visions and the Diablo IV team. All of this is unconfirmed, of course, and should be treated as informed speculation.
The common link here is the theme of remakes. Given that Vicarious Visions absolutely knocked it out of the park with both Crash Bandicoot: N.Sane Trilogy and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2, it would make sense that Blizzard would want the same expert recreation skills applied to a title that, for many in the community, remains Blizzard's finest work.
Vicarious Visions has been working on a Diablo II remake [Jason Schreier]
This long lost Game Boy Advance brings me back to the banana yellow days of hardware
I'll never stop singing the praises of the Game Boy Advance.
Whether it's the original model or the SP (which might be the best handheld ever made): the power to play years of classics built in, on top of all of the new GBA games that would become modern classics, is priceless. Okay, you can put a price on it, but still, you get my point.
To that end, "Developer Jeff," a video game conservationist and hardware enthusiast, gave us this lovely relic the other day: the "Lemon Yellow" GBA! Jeff contends that this was prototype hardware that never actually went to market. They promise "more photos and a teardown coming soon."
It makes perfect sense that this color was toyed with by Nintendo! They're huge fans of yellow variations, with the special Pokemon "Pikachu Yellow" edition, Donkey Kong "Banana Yellow," and more accessible "Dandelion" style Game Boy Color serving as a few of the most iconic old school handhelds.
Developer Jeff [Twitter]
(Update) Zelda: Age of Calamity is now the best-selling Warriors game, according to Koei Tecmo
[Update: Koei Tecmo has reported in their most recent January 2021 earnings document (as translated by ResetEra) that Age of Calamity continues to be a success. As of January 25 of this year, the publisher reports that they've pushed 3.5 million copies of the game, which is still the crown jewel of the entire "Warriors/Musou" franchise.]
Someone, somewhere, whether it's at Nintendo or Omega Force, is smiling ear to ear right now.
Whoever's idea it was to tie Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity directly into Breath of the Wild is a genius. The whole "prequel" and alternate history angle fit very well with the general audacious feel of the Warriors series, and it looks like that gambit paid off financially as well.
According to Koei Tecmo, Age of Calamity shipped three million worldwide units, which to them, makes it the best-selling Warriors game of all time. This period technically started around the year 2000, when the first proper Dynasty Warriors (Dynasty Warriors 2, a sequel to a fighter) was released. The publisher also notes that they will continue to distribute the demo for the game, in case you've been meaning to check it out, but are worried that they might pull it.
Remember the distinction between shipped and sold here. For Koei Tecmo, it's their most successful Warriors game. But it remains to be seen how many of those units will be sold-through. As a general rule, modern mainline Dynasty Warriors titles sell roughly one million units worldwide throughout the lifetime of each game. Spinoffs can fare better: the original Hyrule Warriors also previously smashed Warriors records back in 2015.
I think it's safe to say that there will be another Hyrule Warriors at some point, as well as DLC for Age of Calamity and potentially a "Complete" edition on a future Nintendo console.
Koei Tecmo [Twitter via Gematsu]
Cyberpunk 2077 had the biggest digital launch ever
Despite being mired among a string of controversies, CD Projekt RED's futuristic RPG Cyberpunk 2077 achieved the biggest digital launch sales in gaming history. That's according to a new report by SuperData.
As noted by the industry number-crunchers, CDPR's future-noir adventure sold an estimate of around total 10.2 million digital copies on PS4, PC, and Xbox One during its launch month of December 2020, simultaneously causing a huge 40% spike in PC game sales. Amazingly, this number does account for refunds - an important disclaimer given the poor state of Cyberpunk 2077's console release and its ensuing money-back campaign.
"An extremely high share of [Cyberpunk 2077's] digital sales (80%) were on PC, likely due to the delisting on PlayStation and overall state of the console versions," said SuperData of its findings. "Regardless of the short-term financial success, the critical backlash means the developer will now have to invest significant resources fixing the game in order to rehabilitate its image before the launch of its next title."
Rehabilitate indeed. CDPR, who has a string of excellent titles to its credit, has been feeling the sting of Cyberpunk 2077's fallout since its fateful launch, with the developer rescheduling its year around fixing the console ports while trying to get the title ship-shape for its upcoming PS5 and Xbox Series X release. None of this is to speak of two class action lawsuits the company has faced, as well as the loud chagrin of disappointed players.
Cyberpunk 2077 is the biggest digital game launch of all time [Eurogamer / SuperData]
Platinum's fifth 'Platinum 4' tease to be revealed this year
Popular developer PlatinumGames has updated its teasing "Platinum 4" website, now confirming that its bonus fifth reveal, added to the initial quartet back in April 2020, will be ready to show its hand at some point in 2021.
The site itself still features zero clues to the project's identity, simply noting that the proverbial beans will be spilled on "xx.xx.21". The teaser in question still results in a strange and glitchy "Bonus Stage" message. For now we'll just have to wait and see. I mean, we're all on the same page here, right? But don't say it. I don't want to jinx it.
Revealed in early-2020, which took place 14 years ago, The Platinum 4 announcements were The Wonderful 101 Remastered, Hideki Kamiya's still-in-development kaiju fighter Project G.G., the opening of a new Platinum studio in Tokyo, and April Fool's gag Sol Cresta. The fifth teaser was added soon after, perhaps to placate fans disappointed at the final reveal being a goofy joke... Though Sol Cresta did actually look pretty ace.
Nioh 2: The Complete Edition seems fine enough on PC
After pouring easily hundreds of hours into Nioh 2 and its three DLC packs on PS4, it's admittedly been pretty jarring to start a fresh save on PC – even if I'm only here for preview purposes right now.
I had forgotten just how lethal and unforgiving the early hours of Nioh 2 can be when you aren't leveled up enough to feel all that versatile. Before you bolster your custom-created avatar with enough stamina to stand a chance in the Dark Realm, crack open a few key abilities in the Onmyo and Ninjutsu skill trees, and make your weapon class of choice really work for you, this game can be particularly brutal. That said, without trying, I've somehow already played for 10 hours. I couldn't help myself!
Around half of that time went into an all-new character in the first two world-map regions, and the rest of my preview energy was spent bouncing around later missions with a Dream of the Strong-ready save file provided by Koei Tecmo. How is the PC port? So far, it's been mostly fine – with a few nitpicks.
