Epic Games Store Will Have 'More Exclusives Than Ever' Over The Next 2 Years

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It is hard to believe, but it's now been over 2 years since the launch of the Epic Games Store, a new storefront/launcher from Epic Games. While that event in and of itself wasn't particularly noteworthy as many major companies have storefronts and launchers nowadays, this store became something of a firestorm of controversy within the PC community for its use of buying third party exclusives to their launcher, something that was unheard of in that space in the past. Well, it doesn't seem like that will be stopping anytime soon.

A representative of Epic Games spoke to PC Gamer about the exclusivity strategy. They said, "We have more exclusives coming in the next two years than we have published to date." That seems pretty self explanatory. The exclusives that have come to the store range from the smaller indie titles to some very big games like Borderlands 3 that were exclusive for various amounts of time.

The third party exclusives and the copious free game giveaways have defined the store, and Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney once said he saw exclusives as a key strategy in trying to carve a market against Steam, which has become something of a de facto standard on the PC platform. The company also announced that starting this week will be a new Epic Games Store Showcase coming to Twitch, so it's possible we will see some of the exclusive announcements there. It was reported that the Epic Games Store had over 160 million users by the end of 2020.

Shadow Warrior 3 And Evil West Dev Is Working On Two Unannounced Games

shadow warrior 3

Flying Wild Hog has quite a lot of interesting things on their plate. There is the upcoming Shadow Warrior 3, which we did an interview about with the game's Lead Designer not long ago, and the recently announced Evil West that looks to be an action title of some type set in a very wicked and twisted wild west. But it seems the developer has even more to come.

In a blog post from the studio, it was revealed that Flying Wild Hog has two other mystery games in development that they have yet to reveal. Unfortunately, they don't have any details to give us on what either project will be. They only say that the two titles will "maybe" be revealed this year.

While we don't what either of these new games will be, the announced games they do is Shadow Warrior 3 that is slated to come to PC and Evil West that was announced for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC. Both are planned for 2021, though neither have solid dates as of now.

Forza Horizon 4 Comes To Steam On March 9

Forza Horizon 4

The Forza Horizon series is one of the biggest and best racing series out there. The last mainline entry in the game, Forza Horizon 4, has been going strong ever since releasing with lots of support and many playing it. While rumors are starting to float about the fifth game, number 4 isn't out of the race, yet, as it will drive into a new home on PC.

Microsoft has announced that the PC version of the game will head to Steam next month. The Steam edition will include full crossplay with the current Windows 10 version, all Xbox versions and even other devices with Xbox Cloud Gaming. This is part of a continued initiative on the part of Microsoft to bring first party titles to Valve's storefront and will be the first time a game in the franchise has come to Steam.

Forza Horizon 4 is available now for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC. The Steam version will launch on March 9th.

Forza Horizon 4 Steam

E3 Aiming To Return In 2021 With Digital Event

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Once upon time, E3 was the the premier show in the gaming industry where companies big and small came to show off their upcoming projects, hardware and software alike. While that has changed somewhat in recent years, it was still looked at this single biggest event in gaming. However, due to COVID, the 2020 show was canceled and though it seemed there were plans for a digital event of some kind, it did not come to be. For 2021, the show is looking for a comeback.

As reported by VGC, documents from the ESA, the association that primarily runs the trade show, detail that they hope to revive the event in a digital format this year. Pitch documents have been sent out to major publishers and developers, detailing keynote speeches, demos, streams from influencers and media partners, awards show and more about what this thing would look like. As it stands now, it seems nothing is for certain, but there is a movement to try.

Even before the 2020 event was canceled, the show itself had taken some hits. The biggest was that Sony dropped the show in 2019 and Nintendo had reduced its presence significantly over the last 4-5 years. In the absence of E3 last year, there were several other digital events to do game reveals and trailers. Nothing is certain about a potential E3 2021, yet, and it will depend on how many big publishers sign on as to whether we will see it or not.

Konami Denies Asking For Yamaoka Interview With Potential Silent Hill Tease To Be Removed

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Over the last year, there has been a persistent rumor that some type of Silent Hill revival is coming. While the details are somewhat unclear (with some leaks suggesting it's Konami and an unknown third party developer with others going as far as to say Sony is stepping in to fully develop this new game), it's been one that has popped up time and time again. We once again found ourselves there a few days ago when legendary Japanese video game composer Akira Yamaoka seemed to potentially be teasing the game in a recent interview.

The interview in question, which you can read more about through here, had Yamaoka stating there was a project he was working on that would be revealed soon that was 'the one you've been waiting for.' The YouTube channel that hosted that interview removed the clip and was told they were asked by a company to do so, without naming who. This lead to much speculation that Yamaoka spilled the beans a bit early and either Konami or Sony asked for it to be removed. However, Konami at least, made a statement to VGC that they were not the ones to ask for its removal.

While Yamaoka no longer works directly for Konami, he has been the composer for the series since the beginning and was even involved in the film adaptations and post-Team Silent entries. It is worth noting, however, that he's a prolific composer and works with a lot of companies, so while the connection to Silent Hill is an obvious one to make, he's probably also involved in several other big projects that he very well could be teasing.

Terraria Cancelled for Stadia After Creator Loses Google Account Access

Terraria

Following his account being disabled for over three weeks, Terraria creator and Re-Logic founder Andrew Spinks has cancelled the game's Stadia version. Spinks recently tweeted his frustration over the whole affair, noting that, "I still have no idea why, and after using every resource I have to get this resolved you have done nothing but given me the runaround."

Along with losing "access to thousands of dollars of apps" on Google Play, Spinks said that his Google Drive data was gone. Access to YouTube and Gmail have also been lost. "I absolutely have not done anything to violate your terms of service, so I can take this no other way than you deciding to burn this bridge. Consider it burned."

Spinks then announced that Terraria was cancelled for Stadia and that his company would "no longer support" any of Google's platforms moving forward. "I will not be involved with a corporation that values their customers and partners so little. Doing business with you is a liability."

As such, things haven't been looking too hot for Stadia. Despite having some 400 games in development for the platform, Google announced the closure of its first party Stadia Games and Entertainment division. Jade Raymond, who joined as the head of Stadia Games and Services, is also set to leave the company. While new titles will certainly be released, it remains to be seen if Google can iron out its own issues in the meantime.

On the bright side, Terraria is currently available on numerous other platforms like Xbox One, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, PS3, iOS and yes, even Android. It received a massive update last year with Journey's End, followed by Journey's Actual End. Now, time will tell if this is really the end of Re-Logic's free updates.

Ys 9: Monstrum Nox Review – Beautiful Monstrum

Active since 1987, the Ys series has been around just as long as the Final Fantasy series, but it seems to lack the same type of cultural relevance. The series has been reliably sending Adol Christin on adventures and has, at least in the West, not been able to get over the hump that these other, more well-known series got over years ago. It's certainly not common for a series' ninth main installment to bring a series to higher modern relevance, but Ys IX: Monstrum Nox could just be the type of game that puts a brighter spotlight on the venerable Ys series. Without straying from the series' established mechanics or narrative roots, Monstrum Nox crafts an intricate, dynamic action-JRPG, one whose combat is addictive and whose characters are engaging, resulting in what is easily one of the series' best entries and an early contender for 2021's shining JRPG.

Noted series trouble-finder Adol Christin and pal Dogi come once again to the center of conflict, this time in the city of Balduq, which is controlled by the Romun Empire and is known for its massive prison. Immediately on the run to escape from said prison, Adol runs into a mysterious figure known as Aprilis, who shoots him with a magic bullet and turns him into a Monstrum, giving him a special, superhero-esque power and allowing him to enter an otherwise-inaccessible world known as the Grimwald Nox to fight the monsters there. The catch is that Adol, along with the five other Monstrums he meets, isn't initially allowed to leave the city. What ensues is a tale of deciphering both the Monstrums themselves and the city they're trapped in. It's evident from the get-go that something is amiss with the prison and the people in charge, especially from the interludes between chapters that give perpetual hints as to what is really going on in Balduq, and over the course of the 30-plus hour story, their connection starts to clear up.

The mystery isn't the whole story, though. Instead, for the majority of the runtime, Ys IX is almost entirely character driven. Each of the five other Monstrums you meet has a chapter almost entirely dedicated to them. In gameplay, these act as your methods of inviting them to your party to help you unravel the confusion, but narratively, each chapter delves into each Monstrum's underlying troubles. They're not all particularly thematically unique or thoughtful, as you might roll your eyes when they talk about how someone's courage was on the inside all along, but some of them actually touch on darker themes than other games in the series or genre might. It's certainly more lighthearted than not, but the touch of depth in the storytelling is a surprising and interesting addition.

"Without straying from the series' established mechanics or narrative roots, Monstrum Nox crafts an intricate, dynamic action-JRPG, one whose combat is addictive and whose characters are engaging, resulting in what is easily one of the series' best entries and an early contender for 2021's shining JRPG."

It helps that the story is largely well-written and the characters diverse because there can be an overwhelming amount of story and dialogue. Whether you're focusing on the critical path or off doing side missions, you'll be inundated with leagues of text, with characters explaining every detail of every objective. Many chapters open with you effectively being forced to complete side missions to advance the story, too. It begins to make sense structurally and narratively by the end, as completing these missions opens up a vortex to the Grimwald Nox and some side missions play a role in the main story, but it's a major tone shift to go from fighting a major boss to being required to help a shop owner publicize their goods.

The only reason that it didn't become a complete turn-off is that every character is engaging in their own way. Even outside of their particular story chapter, each Monstrum has a unique voice and motivation that comes across clearly, and even side characters that join you in your hub or that you come across over the course of the story are interesting, including impressive voice acting across the board that properly heightens emotional moments and brings some life when the dialogue gets slow.

Every Monstrum brings their own unique spin to gameplay, too. The bullet that Aprilis used to give Adol a special power also gave every other Monstrum a different so-called Gift, and when they join your party, every member has access to everyone else's Gift. Most of these abilities have to do with traversal. Adol's power is the equivalent of a grappling hook; the White Cat can climb up walls; and the Hawk can use his wings to glide. The world has been crafted around these added elements, too, with much more verticality and intricacy that makes the city genuinely interesting to explore. I wouldn't say that the city of Balduq is remarkably large, and because it's the main place you can explore outside of story missions, you might think that it gets boring after a while.

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"The world has been crafted around these added elements, too, with much more verticality and intricacy that makes the city genuinely interesting to explore."

Instead, though, the consistent addition of new traversal elements makes it rewarding to return to places you've already been to see what new secrets you can find. Many environments outside of Balduq are highly complex and contain interconnected paths and multiple levels, which take further advantage of the Gifts and bring a sense of exploration to every location. Simply running around without using any Gifts is slick and smooth, and adding in the additional traversal powers makes for a hugely satisfying moment-to-moment experience.

The gameplay shines even brighter in its traditional real-time combat. It doesn't mechanically reinvent the wheel, but it implements its own twists on modern action-JRPG mechanics and infuses them with rhythm and diversity to make it consistently enjoyable. You can have up to three Monstrums in your party at once, and switching between them happens at the press of a button. You have your standard attack and dodge, as well as up to four special skills that do more damage and use SP. There's also a boost meter that, when filled, makes your character stronger and faster. None of this is necessarily unique to this game or series, but it somehow never seems to get old or feel repetitive.

Part of the reason for this is how quickly everything happens. At points it begins to take some hints from the musou genre and throw as many enemies as possible on screen at once, and you almost don't have time to think about what you're doing before you're doing it but are able to take on many or all enemies at once. The camera doesn't always cooperate, though, and will sometimes get caught up when you're trying to fight a big cohort of baddies. The game also doesn't require you to get too in tune with any character's move sets or combos for that character to be effective. You might benefit from combining a couple skills together, but I found that mashing the special skills and timing the boost correctly worked most of the time, which allowed for a constant refresh of characters in my party based on new weapons and higher stats, instead of having to focus on one or two whose move sets I had mastered. Combine all of this with fluid animations and an constant stream of action and it becomes exhilarating and impressively diverse.

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"The gameplay shines even brighter in its traditional real-time combat. It doesn't mechanically reinvent the wheel, but it implements its own twists on modern action-JRPG mechanics and infuses them with rhythm and diversity to make it consistently enjoyable."

That's not to say there's no strategy whatsoever. Each character has their own special strengths and weaknesses, and you can equip weapons and armor with different damage types, as well as other items like Sacramentals that add a twist into gameplay. You can also manage the rest of your party to fight offensively or defensively, and they, along with other non-party members, are usually important aspects of combat. The game just doesn't want to leave anyone behind. It allows you to play aggressively without having to micromanage every detail to succeed, and even if you fail, it gives you the option to retry in combat with weakened enemies or proceed in dungeons as if you've completed the relevant puzzle. I respect that it doesn't require an overwhelming grind as well, especially because I was actually inclined to do so to experience the combat again, which then felt like more of an excess bit of enjoyment than a required piece of gameplay that overstayed its welcome.

Combat usually comes either organically in the world or through the Grimwald Nox. Enemies are littered around the world, which expands the further you progress through the game. Every story chapter takes you generally to a different place around the world and lets you explore new areas, whether it's underground or in an entirely new location. These encounters, which happen all in real-time, are enjoyable in themselves, but the highlights of these sequences are usually the boss fights. Bosses are commonly massive and difficult enough to be satisfying but not infuriating, and it always lets you dial down the difficulty if you're stuck. They're highly diverse and often mesmerizing in size, and it rarely feels like bosses become formulaic.

The other main source of combat comes through the Grimwald Nox, which only the Monstrums can access. You go into the Grimwald Nox about once per chapter, and these fights, even more so than boss fights, are often where your skills are tested the most. They consist of multiple waves of enemies attempting to destroy a centralized crystal, and they get increasingly long and difficult as the game progresses. I found these fights to be the most satisfying because of how much they test your skills of managing larger groups of enemies in tandem with larger, more difficult individual ones, as well as how they build on one another over time. Some of these become more frustrating than any bosses because of the fragility of the crystal, but completing them is just as satisfying as fighting a boss, and you can replay them to get higher scores and ranks after the fact.

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"Technically, Ys IX doesn't push the boundaries that recent JRPGs like Final Fantasy VII Remake or Persona 5 Royal do, but it makes up for it with enough diversity in characters and level design."

Technically, Ys IX doesn't push the boundaries that recent JRPGs like Final Fantasy VII Remake or Persona 5 Royal do, but it makes up for it with enough diversity in characters and level design. Environments are commonly filled with dull colors, and textures are muddy, especially in some of the flatter locations outside of Balduq. Character models are more colorful and diverse, especially among the main characters, and even the dozens of enemy types bring a bit more life to gameplay. Everything is backed by a wonderful soundtrack that is mostly peaceful during gameplay but ramps up in impactful story moments.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox makes the case for the Ys series to be put in the top tier of JRPGs. Its combination of established mechanics and storytelling with addictive combat and a wonderful cast of characters lets 30 hours feel like a breeze. It's one of the more accessible Ys games in the franchise and is easily one of the series' best, even when hampered by some overlong dialogue and a finnicky camera. Consistently engaging in almost every diverse moment of gameplay, Monstrum Nox delivers one of the most exciting recent entries in an already-packed, well-established genre.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Tops UK Charts Again

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The latest retail charts for weekly game sales in the UK are in (via GamesIndustry), and it's been a pretty quite week. Nintendo and Switch games have largely dominated the top 10, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which was on top of the charts last week, is on top once again. In, fact, the entire top 3 is unchanged, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War in second and third place respectively.

One of the few notable new releases of this week was Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood, but the game failed to break into the top 10, coming in at No. 36. Assassin's Creed Valhalla at No. 10 did manage to break back into the top 10 of the charts, while Hitman 3 falls out of the top 10 following its successful launch.

Meanwhile, the likes of Ring Fit Adventure, Minecraft, FIFA 21, Grand Theft Auto 5, and Super Mario 3D All-Stars are also around the top places, where they generally tend to be in these weekly charts.

You can check out the full top 10 for the week ending February 7 below.

  1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
  2. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
  3. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
  4. Ring Fit Adventure
  5. Minecraft (Switch)
  6. Grand Theft Auto 5
  7. Just Dance 2021
  8. FIFA 21
  9. Super Mario 3D All-Stars
  10. Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Announcement Teased for This Saturday

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Square Enix are going to be holding the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Orchestra World Tour in Japan this weekend (on Saturday, to be more precise), and while it's going to be an exciting occasion for fans of the game in and of itself, it seems they have some special announcement planned for the occasion as well.

Recently, members of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake development team have been posting messages to Twitter to hype up the concert (which seems like enough of a reason to keep an eye on the event in and of itself). One particular message recently shared by the game's co-director Motomu Toriyama (translated by @aitaikimochi on Twitter) revealed that Square Enix have "a special programme planned" for the concert as well. "There will be a few things related to Final Fantasy 7 Remake that will be revealed only at this concert," Toriyama said.

There's a number of possibilities for what exactly Square Enix could be gearing up to announce this Saturday. The dream pie in the sky scenario would be a sequel being announced, which we know is currently in development. Recent trademark registrations by Square Enix also lend credence to that wish (if only a little).

Meanwhile, Final Fantasy 7 Remake's PlayStation exclusivity is also ending on April 10, so it's possible that Square Enix are preparing to bring the game over to PC, and possibly to Xbox as well (though given the fact that the concert is a Japanese event, and the fact that Xbox is far from popular in the region, that seems a little less likely).

Finally, recent rumours have suggested that Final Fantasy 7 Remake will be receiving a PS5 upgrade soon, so maybe that's something that's going to be announced.

Either way, we'll keep you updated on whatever the announcement is, so stay tuned.

Final Fantasy 14 Producer Says He Wants to Update the Graphics Engine "Someday"

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Final Fantasy 14 players have a lot to look forward to over the coming months. The next major expansion for the MMORPG, Endwalker, is releasing this Fall. Meanwhile, the game is also receiving a PS5 update soon, with a beta launching this April (and a major new patch coming at the same time).

But while the game is, of course, going to look and run better on the PS5, players shouldn't expect the graphics engine to be updated as the game makes a generational jump. But will that ever happen? Speaking in an interview with Japanese site Game Watch, Final Fantasy 14 producer Naoko Yoshida said that that's something he that he wants to make happen someday, but given the sheer volume of assets that have accumulated over the years that would need updating, it's been held off for now.

Yoshida explained that the update isn't happening right now either because he wanted to focus more on the actual gameplay and story with Endwalker, which is supposed to be the conclusion to the game's ongoing narrative arc, and the setup for a new one for its future. That said, Yoshida also says work on the graphics engine update will begin eventually.

Final Fantasy 14 is available right now on PC and PS4, and will be launching for the PS5 in full in the Fall, with the beta kicking off on April 13. Meanwhile, you can get more details on Endwalker's new healer job, Sage, through here.