I won't excuUUUuse Nintendo for The Legend of Zelda's animated antics
If there is one thing that helped Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda franchise remain one of the most enduring and beloved series of all-time, it's consistency. There aren't many series that have put so few feet wrong in well over 30 years, which is a testament to the quality poured into each and every release.
Oh sure, there's been a few missteps along the way, including 1993's Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Sword of Gamelon, as well as the 2017 Switch entry Breath of the Wild (I kid, I kid...calm down), but nine times out of ten, you can always expect Nintendo to knock it outta the park, thanks to the protective nature and reverence with which it treats its home-grown IPs.
But it wasn't always so. In the late '80s and early '90s, Nintendo of America was definitely more lenient with the sharing of its franchises, licensing out golden geese such as Super Mario Bros. with a far more carefree attitude. For the most part, this proved unwise, resulting in sub-standard entertainment that failed to capture the essence of the source material - Super Mario Bros. The Movie, anyone?
Of all of these ventures, none is more notorious than the short-lived Legend of Zelda animated series, which attempted to capitalize on the success of NES releases The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventures of Link. Handed to DIC Enterprises ("DEEEK!"), The Legend of Zelda was an attempt to take Hyrule's inhabitants out of the video game realm and into the lucrative, backwards-baseball-cap world of '80s kids' TV.
The resulting show would contribute to Nintendo re-evaluating its attitude toward licensing. Forever.
Exploring Hyrule and gender identity
[With the 35th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda upon us, Destructoid is taking a look back at the series with original features covering some of our favorite aspects of the franchise. When I originally announced the plans for a "Zelda Week," the first thing brought up to me was this blog from Destructoid community member Seymour. Multiple people wanted to see it back on our front page, so here it is. Thanks Seymour and enjoy! ~CJ]
Breath of the Wild became a very special game for me over the course of my first 30-40 hours. It wasn't just the high-quality open-world design or delightful quests, but one unexpectedly engaging facet. A facet that was brought on to me via a short strand of these aforementioned quests within the desert wastes.
As you happen upon Gerudo Town, you aren't exactly welcomed along with a red carpet. Rather, you're shooed away for at least appearing to be a male. A "voe," as it were. Given that one of the only notable males in Gerudo history happens to be the biggest baddie in all of Hyrule, suffice to say, Gerudo women are wary of most men. All things, and Gerudo Town's governing body being (presumably) always headed by a "vai," considered, men are hard pressed finding their way in.
The solution?
Dress-up!
Cblogs of 2/13 to 2/19/2021: Bully, Viewtiful Joe, and the music of Final Fantasy VII
Cblogs Recap: Week 7
-EggsBert thinks that Bully deserved more attention from Rockstar.
-Flegma shares his thoughts on the video game conversion of the Captain is Dead boardgame.
-EggsBert shares his thoughts on Viewtiful Joe.
-Black Red Gaming reviews Speed Limit on the PC.
-Moths shares two thoughts on Tomb Raider.
-EggsBert highlights 15 games he is playing and still could be playing for the foreseeable future.
-ChronoLynxx opens last week's open community forum thread.
Final Fantasy XIV lead says he wants the game to keep going for 'at least another five years'
I could probably play Final Fantasy XIV indefinitely.
Not every update is created equal, and there are times where the game can feel like its not as thrilling. But every time an update does hit, the whole playerbase collectively screams. The FFXIV team really knows how to deliver time and time again when it comes to an engaging overarching story, perhaps more than any other MMO before it.
It's good then, to hear that producer Naoki "Yoshi-P" Yoshida is still intent on keeping the game alive and active, even after the new expansion drops. Speaking to the Washington Post, Yoshi-P explains that the game "may never end," provided that the players are there.
Regarding the process for all of that great update content I alluded to earlier, Yoshida shares some words of wisdom there: "For example, we'll look at an instance dungeon and it's within that circle of 60 to 70 percent. For creating our instance dungeon, we would need our game design to come up with the actual content of the plan and that would probably take about 10 business days, and then we would report that for proper approvals which cost another 30 days, and then we'll route that to the programmers, which would take them about two weeks to program in the mechanics. It's very clear as to how much cost and time we'll take with each component of the package that we have for our planners and the management."
Yoshida also has advice for other studios who are trying to get into live service games, espousing: "It's really crucial to understand how monetization is going to interweave with the actual gameplay. Looking at some recent examples, it does seem like the studios kind of throw on monetization elements and scramble to do so when the game is out there. It seems to be quite a challenge for those who come from console games."
He states that there is "at least another five years" left for the game, given the current growth rate. Yoshida says that the company's CEO (Yosuke Matsuda) is aiming for 30 million users, and future plans for the game are still in the cards. The support of the CEO was evident even during the recent livestream, where he came out for a skit to announce a PS5 port.
As we talked about previously, this growth does have limitations. The PS5 porting process seems to have eaten up a lot of time, so an Xbox version is not likely. I think the current playerbase can deal with it though, given the extreme upgrades the PS5 edition promises.
'Final Fantasy XIV' director discusses the challenges of building an always-online game [The Washington Post]
Blizzard: 'Diablo II Resurrected is a PC first experience,' offline play confirmed
Blizzard's biggest reveal today? Probably Diablo II Resurrected. Yes, it's getting a remaster, folks. But naturally, given how the state in which Warcraft III Reforged released, people are going to have questions.
We sat down with Matt Cederquist (producer) and Robert Gallerani (principle designer) to get a feel for how Diablo II Resurrected might shake out.
'90s shmup Cybattler is this week's Arcade Archives entry
Hamster is stepping with style into the 1990s for this week's Arcade Archives release, which sees Jaleco's brilliant but underplayed shmup Cybattler return for one more round on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.
Released in arcades in 1993 - long after the initial shmup craze had died and fighting game cabinets were filling up centers worldwide - Cybattler kept the flag flying with its chaotic, vertically-scrolling chaos. One or two players pilot huge mech units in an all-out war against waves of opposing mechas, spaceships, and huge, dominating boss characters. The brave pilots are armed with a selection of interchangeable firepower, as well as a powerful saber for close encounters. Gundam? Never heard of him... coughs.
Check out the non-stop action in the video below, courtesy of YouTuber Martinoz.
The Creative Gene, a Hideo Kojima book, is coming in October from Viz Media
I enjoy reading Hideo Kojima's thoughts on movies – enough to warrant buying a book? Sure!
The Gifted Gene and my Lovable Memes, a collection of essays from the Metal Gear and Death Stranding creator published in 2019, "explores the influences and inspirations that shape his work." It might ring a bell if you keep Twitter tabs on Kojima, but the book has been out of reach for English readers until now.
Announcement: Hideo Kojima, creator of Death Stranding and Metal Gear Solid, explores the influences and inspirations that shape his work. The Creative Gene drops Fall 2021. pic.twitter.com/VKL6yXtK79
— VIZ (@VIZMedia) February 19, 2021
Per Polygon, Viz Media is releasing a translated version called The Creative Gene on October 12.
The English adaptation's full long-winded title – The Creative Gene: How books, movies, and music inspired the creator of Death Stranding and Metal Gear Solid – is a better indication of what to expect. More to the point, there's this translated excerpt of Kojima's "What Memes Connect Us To" introduction.
Are you down for this trip, or are you fine sticking with his games and watching his antics unfold online?
Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid?
35 years... Believe it or not... it's been 35 years of exciting, engaging adventures set in the faraway land of Hyrule. Link, Princess Zelda, Ganon, and even the shopkeeper have been entertaining video game fans - of all generations and from all corners of the globe - with a raft of awesome, (and occasionally not-so-awesome), adventures for over the past three decades, with no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
Oddly enough, despite gaming having been an intricate part of my life for roughly the same amount of time as The Legend of Zelda's existence, I'm yet to run the gauntlet of the entire series, with most of my Zelda hours dedicated to 1992's The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and 1993's The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - both excellent titles, I'm sure you'll agree. Of course, I've dipped into many other entries in this charming series, but those two classics will likely always be the most enduring to me. I've played them both numerous times before, and I could play them again this very weekend.
And who knows? Maybe I will!
But that's enough about my weekend, let's hear all about yours. Whatever games you've been hitting for the past seven days - or perhaps have lined up for today - jump into the comments below and share them with us. And whilst you're on-site, maybe take a look back through the past week at some of our contributors' daily articles, featuring their own memories of Hyrule and its enduring chronicles.
Have a safe and pleasant weekend, from all of us at Destructoid.
My 30-year quest to beat Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Thirty-one years ago, The Legend of Zelda became the first video game I ever beat. A year later, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link became the first video game I ever quit.
To be fair, I didn't finish too many games in my elementary school days. We owned maybe five titles total for our NES, and everything else was rented. So most games I played in the early '90s were returned before I got the chance to see the credits roll.
But that's not what happened with Zelda II. Sure, it was a rental to keep me occupied for another stormy Western Washington weekend, but I gave up on it long before we had to take it back to the rental shop. As captivated as I was with everything Zelda following my victory over Ganon in the first game, attempting to play through The Adventure of Link made me want to cry like the little sissy boy I was and mostly still am.
Perhaps the game isn't designed to be beaten by six-year-olds, but I also couldn't beat it when I was 18 and it re-released on The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition bonus disc, when I was 22 and bought it for the Wii's Virtual Console, when I was 26 and got it for free as a part of the 3DS Ambassador's Program, when I was 31 and tried to beat it in time for the franchise's 30 anniversary, and four years ago when I set out to conquer it on my NES Classic Edition. This game has been destroying me my entire life, but this year, I finally found a way to see it through to the end.
I cheated my ass off.
Contest: Win Lonely Mountains: Downhill on Switch, courtesy of Super Rare Games
In today's contest you can win a Switch copy of Lonely Mountains: Downhill from Super Rare Games!
I was just talking with my wife yesterday how I really, really want to ride a tandem bicycle. I've never done it! It looks relaxing and fun and oddly romantic. I think it'd be a nice Saturday activity.
Lonely Mountains: Downhill is kind of the opposite of that. We've got a physical Switch copy to give away, courtesy of our friends at Super Rare Games! Try not to crash.
Hades deserves a physical edition and it's getting one on Nintendo Switch
[Update: The physical Switch edition of Hades costs $35, and pre-orders are live on Amazon.]
Hades is so good, you'd be forgiven for owning it twice – but what about triple-dipping? Sure!
Announced during today's Nintendo Direct, Hades will get a Switch physical edition with the game, a download code for Darren Korb's soundtrack, and a 32-page character compendium on March 19.
If you're wondering how Hades plays on Switch compared to the PC version, don't sweat it. It's on-point. And if you already have a PC save file with all of your relationships ~just so~, you can carry it over.
The future is now, old man. We're getting out of here.
Overwatch 2 didn't get a release window at BlizzConline
In a twist, Overwatch 2 skipped the BlizzConline opening ceremony, but Jeff Kaplan and the team had plenty – and I mean plenty – to cover in the ensuing "Behind the Scenes of Overwatch 2" presentation.
From new maps like Rome and New York City, to a few enticing peeks at ability-modifying skill trees for PvE, to mini-boss-looking Null Sector foes, the developers touched on a bunch of facets of Overwatch 2. On the one hand, I appreciate the super-wide view; on the other, so much of this feels subject to change in a way that makes it hard, as a lapsed Overwatch fan, to latch on to any one element.
My takeaways so far? I love that the new hero Sojourn is showing up for railgun fans. Overwatch needed a railgun. I'm also continuing to enjoy the sequel's new looks for the existing cast. Here's the latest:
As for everything else, I'm struggling to get too invested until things are – or at least feel – concrete.
"We're going to cross the finish line, and it's going to be awesome," said Kaplan, who added that the team is striving to make it feel like a "true sequel." See you in 2022? With a beta? That's my guess.
Everything that happened at BlizzConline 2021's keynote
So, are you satisfied?
I'm not really sure if I am. BlizzCons can be like that, sometimes.
The news that Diablo II is coming back should make a lot of people happy, as we all collectively grind 1000+ hours in it together all over again: but with shiny new visuals! Burning Crusade coming to World of Warcraft Classic is also very cool news, and it's even cooler that it's included in the base subscription fee on top of Classic Vanilla. One can hope that Blizzard keeps all of this going and hits Wrath of the Lich King and beyond.
The arcade collection is rad because that trio of games deserves to be remembered, and a lot of the other news was...expected. There's not a whole lot of bomb shells this time around, which kind of makes sense given that it was a pushed-back digital-only event. Usually BlizzCon has the chance to be more bombastic; sometimes to its detriment. Can you believe Overwatch 2 wasn't even in the keynote?!
That said, it's a crying shame there was no Heroes of the Storm showing today. That team has continuously put in work when at any given time, some bigger titles are resting on their laurels. They deserved a small spotlight today, even a recognition of their efforts. Sadly, there will be nothing showing for the game in particular even over the weekend.
Diablo II Resurrected is real, and is going to please a lot of Diablo purists
Blizzard cannot escape its past.
Look, they've made some really great games as of late. World of Warcraft waxes and wanes, naturally, but some modern expansions have made incredible advancements. Diablo III also sold incredibly well, and brought the series back to consoles for the first time since the original PlayStation. Blizzard has been embracing consoles in general actually in recent years: it's been great to see.
But hardcore fans always want to return to the classics. And Diablo II has been a huge sore spot for folks ever since the more vibrant Diablo III was announced. Well, in addition to the darker themes of Diablo IV, those players are going to get another option to return to: a Diablo II remake.
Today at the BlizzCon 2021 opening ceremony, Blizzard confirmed the long-rumored project Diablo II Resurrected, which in turn reconfirmed their commitment to older games. It'll be on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S with cross-progression. An alpha starts today (you can sign up at this site), and is supposedly out in 2021.
Let's just hope it ends up better than Warcraft III Reforged.
Diablo IV's latest class reveal is the Rogue and she's got quite the ear collection
It took a while, but we made it. We made it to the Diablo section of BlizzConline 2021.
What's new with Diablo IV? A class – the Rogue. That was Blizzard's big reveal, at least for the opening ceremony. Game director Luis Barriga said the nimble fighter has been re-envisioned for the new game, and the footage we saw involved zipping around to stab demons, flinging arrows, and dropping caltrops.
We also got a look at the motherload of all ear collections.
In Diablo IV, the Rogue can prioritize melee (swords and daggers) or ranged (bows and crossbows) and specialize in Shadow Realm (become immune for one second and pull targeted enemies into the Shadow Realm where you deal 50 percent more damage), Exploit Weakness (retaliate with critical strikes at the right moment if you have fast enough reflexes and can play "like a surgeon"), or Combo Points (build up combos with basic attacks to enhance your skills). For extra elemental oomph, the Rogue class can play around with frost, poison, and shadow imbues for their attacks.
"They can control the fluid motion of combat in a way that no other class can," said Barriga.
A few pre-alpha screenshots to tide us over until... when is this game coming out, again?
As part of today's BlizzConline proceedings, the team also shared a "Diablo IV: What's Next" talk.
Fresh off of several expansions (as is the custom for Hearthstone), Blizzard is ditching the Year of the Phoenix rotation and heading into the Year of the Griffin.
Ysera the Dreamer, Malygos the Spellweaver, and Deathwing the Destroyer are in, as is previously announced "Classic mode," where you can play the game like Hearthstone originally was. Also, the Year of the Griffin is kicking off with the "Forged in the Barrens" expansion, and a 30 Years of Blizzard card back.
Hearthstone Mercenaries is the big new announcement, which is "strategic RPG gameplay" where you "build teams," of heroes like Ragnaros and Sylvanas. The standard format is getting its shakeup still with the already-announced, but new 235-card core set, so there's going to be a lot of changes coming to the game. Amazingly, the new core set is free: which, for Hearthstone, is not something you hear often!
World of Warcraft Classic is adding the best expansion, Burning Crusade, into the mix
This moment has been a long time coming for Destructoid readers.
For years we've mused on our favorite expansions and moments in World of Warcraft history. While Wrath of the Lich King took the top spot as the most-favored expansion, Burning Crusade was right on its heels in second place: and my personal favorite era to boot.
Even just a few months ago we discussed and voted on where we'd like to see World of Warcraft Classic go next. To Outland it is!
Today at BlizzCon 2021, Blizzard has announced that Burning Crusade will indeed be incorporated into the mix of "Classic." It was kind of inevitable, given that Classic hit its end point, but we didn't really know when Blizzard would decide to reveal all that. This week, it seems! Or more accurately, a few months ago when BlizzCon would have happened in person in Anaheim, California.
Since this is a lot to parse, here's all the full info from Blizzard below. In short, content will "roll out in phases," and "players can decide whether to advance each of their characters to the new era" or "continue playing the original Classic content on new "Classic Era" servers.
Burning Crusade, like Classic, will be included in your subscription. It's allegedly out in 2021.
World of Warcraft is finally letting people fight Sylvanas in an upcoming raid
World of Warcraft proper was not left out of the BlizzCon 2021 news cycle, as Shadowlands is still trucking. Well, I might add!
I still play it weekly, and it looks like I'm going to have a lot more to do soon when the "Chains of Domination" update hits. As is the case with most WoW patches this is a huge chunk of content all at once, and there's a lot to unpack here.
Chains of Domination picks up after the last raid with the defeat of Sire Denathrius, who is but a smaller pawn in this larger game for the fate of the Shadowlands. You'll head to Korthia, "City of Secrets," in the next major story zone that will sport new quests and "outdoor activities." Also, the covenants will have an expanded role in the story as they are no longer just on the defense (you have been gathering all that anima for a reason, right?), which will culminate in a new raid battle, "Sanctum of Domination."
This one seems like a doozy, featuring the "true Eye of the Jailer," the Tarragrue, and Sylvanas! You'll also be able to head into a new mega-dungeon (Tazavesh, the Veiled Market) which is themed after the popular Brokers race. Oh, and PVP season 2 is starting, as well as new Mythic Keystone dungeon themes, more covenant armor, more mounts/pets...and flying! The latter of which will be enabled in "the covenant's four domains" (read: the four main zones).
It's pretty much what everyone could have wanted from a Shadowlands update: I just hope there's some quality of life changes baked in there too for the game as a whole.
Blizzard is bringing back Blackthorne, The Lost Vikings, and Rock N Roll Racing, TODAY
Blizzard is always down to mine nostalgia, and they're doing just that...thrice, today.
Live at BlizzCon 2021, the publisher has announced "The Blizzard Arcade Collection," which is an "enhanced release" of The Lost Vikings, Rock N Roll Racing, and Blackthorne. This pack is coming tonight on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch (nice!), and will feature PS5 and Xbox Series X backward compatibility.
It's $19.99, and will also be included in "The Celebration Collection" on PC, as well as the "Blizzard 30-Year Celebration Collection" on consoles. So what's changed? Here's a full rundown from Blizzard:
It's time to watch the BlizzConline 2021 opening ceremony together
The cat might be out of the bag with multiple leaked announcements, including Burning Crusade Classic, but there are still surprises in store for BlizzConline 2021, the streaming-only stand-in for BlizzCon. The two-day digital event starts February 19 (that's today!) with an opening ceremony at 2:00 pm Pacific.
After the main event, which is expected to last an hour, BlizzConline will split off into several streaming channels – WoW, Hearthstone, Diablo, Overwatch, and StarCraft – all of which are free to watch. With that in mind, it's worth perusing the schedule, especially on day one, to see what's happening where.
(I included the main Blizzard channel above; you can flip between the other channels over here.)
I'm pretty much just looking forward to seeing the Diablo II remaster's new graphics. Anything else – say, a meaningful update on the state of Overwatch 2 that gives me more confidence – is a bonus.
Come hang out in the comments if you're free for a bit. I saved you a seat right next to Chris.
Konami's Ganbare Goemon: Karakuri Douchuu might have been too Japanese for the NES
One of the fears that big decision-makers had in the '80s and '90s when it came to localizing games was whether or not it would appeal to Western audiences. We hadn't been indoctrinated with enough anime and Pocky yet, so ideas like tatami floors and bowls of rice were thought of as alien and terrifying to Westerners.
If we did get one of these too-Japanese-for-market games, typically, changes would be made. For example, Ganbare Goemon: Yukihime Kyuushutsu Emaki, which was localized as Legend of the Mystical Ninja in the West, replaced onigiri with pizza to prevent confusion. After all, we universally understand that pizza makes you healthier, but what even is an onigiri? A ball of rice? Rice goes in a burrito and that's it.
The other alternative was to just not localize it, and because this option was often the one taken, we missed out on entire series of games. We luckily got a few of the Ganbare Goemon games in North America, but the lion's share skipped our shores. Not least of which were the Famicom titles.
Mad Devils is a vengeful twin-stick shooter set in a demonic WWII
While the undead Nazi zombie shooter is a little bit played out as a concept today, indie developer Itzy Interactive is turning the often-used narrative on its head a little with its upcoming twin-stick shooter Mad Devils, in development for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
Set in an alternate version of World War II, (or "Weird War II" as noted by the press release), Mad Devils will tell the story of a team of the titular squad of G.I.s, recently killed during a failed assassination mission on Nazi officer Major Strauss. However, clearly determined to complete their objective by any means necessary, the Mad Devils have returned from the afterlife, armed with newly attained abilities and an arsenal of occult weaponry, ready to rain the hellfire and brimstone of the infernal on Strauss and his soldiers.
It's not done yet, but Rogue Legacy 2 is worth jumping into with the Arcane Hallows update
Did you know there's a Rogue Legacy 2? And that it's in Early Access on PC right now?
I know plenty of us prefer to wait until games like this are done, but even with that caveat, I feel like there isn't enough noise surrounding this sequel to such a beloved game. It looks and plays fantastic.
Going in, the biggest criticism I had for Rogue Legacy 2 was a lack of content to keep the roguelike machine spinning. The Far Shores update was a huge boon, and the latest update, Arcane Hallows, pushes the sequel past the original Rogue Legacy "in terms of raw content (excluding NG+)."
In terms of raw numbers, there are four biomes (the latest is the tricky Stygian Study), nine classes (including the just-added Gunslinger and the Assassin), and 650+ potential room layouts to come across. I made a beeline for the Gunslinger, who can fire off a stream of shots mid-air, letting you engage enemies from a safe distance, but they regularly need to reload and the timing is crucial.
Other highlights from the Arcane Hallows update:
- The Architect can lock in your randomized world – for a price.
- Fairy Room treasure-chest challenges won't automatically start the second you enter them. You'll be able to flip a lever to activate the challenge once you know what the rules are and you're ready.
- Relics were overhauled to have more reasonable trade-offs and now cost "Resolve." Long story short, they won't feel quite so out of reach due to their previous "drastic costs on maximum health."
- There are "experimental" Curio Shoppes to find on your runs that let you "swap your weapon, your spell, and even your talent" while netting bonus stats as an extra nudge.
Notably, Cellar Door Games also put in work to lift the performance – I immediately noticed a difference when I jumped back in; it's consistently smooth – and the load times should be shorter, too.
What's next? "In nearly all aspects we have either met or exceeded what was found in the original, and there's at least two more content patches planned! We have more biomes, more bosses, and more everything still in the pipeline, and we hope you stick around to see what's in store for the future."
I'll admit, it's a slight nuisance to have to re-purchase skills and perks with each major update (although it's satisfying to see the castle build itself back up again with each unlock). That said, you'll be able to enter each update with most of your gold refunded, so you don't actually have to re-grind anything.
I imagine most of you will continue to wait to play Rogue Legacy 2 for the time being, but if you do feel the castle-storming urge again, the game is already in a great place and there's lots of fun to be had.
Spider-smasher Kill It With Fire crawls onto PS4, Xbox One, Switch and mobile March 4
Some of the most unnerving video games are the ones that prey on primal fears. They Breathe, for example, with its suffocating underwater atmosphere, or Doki Doki Literature Club with the abyss gazing back at you. But for my money, one of the smartest and most relatable scares comes from tinyBuild's viral hit Kill It With Fire, which is headed to mobile and consoles next month.
Many games feature villainous spiders, usually of the super-sized form. But Kill It With Fire goes one step better and makes its arachnid antics relatable. For those yet to experience the creepy-but-goofy title, Kill It With Fire deposits a spooky spider somewhere in an intricate environment, and tasks the player with tracking it down taking it down with an over-the-top range of weaponry, from bats and books, to chainsaws, handguns, weed-whackers, even a flamethrower.
Don't forget to claim the Dragon Ninja skin in Nioh 2
As if I don't already have a hard enough time sticking to a single character transformation in Nioh 2, Team Ninja went ahead and released the Ryu Hayabusa-approved "Dragon Ninja" look for free in-game.
To celebrate the reveal of NINJA GAIDEN: Master Collection, The development team have created the "Dragon Ninja" skin, which players can use to transform themselves into Ryu Hayabusa in #Nioh2! Access the Shrine menu & select the Boons tab in order to obtain the exclusive bonus! pic.twitter.com/G6J5OCuwvo
— Team NINJA (@TeamNINJAStudio) February 18, 2021
To grab it, update your copy of Nioh 2 to Version 1.26, duck into the Shrine menu, and flip over to the Boons tab. It's been a while, so I had a few bonuses waiting for me – including the catgirl garb.
If you're rusty, I've snapped a few pics showing where to find the Dragon Ninja transformation:
The transformation is a nice little tie-in for this year's Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection trilogy.
Also, for those of you who are diligently carving your way through Nioh 2 on PC or PS5 right now, you can spar with a Hayabusa in due time. Don't sleep on the Darkness in the Capital DLC, y'all.
Bungie teases big 'growth' in 2021, hopefully some of that impacts Destiny 2
Bungie has announced their plans to expand on their official blog this week, with two new board of director additions (one of which is from Viacom CBS) and an expansion of their headquarters.
Bungie explains that they broke ground on an "extensive expansion" of their worldwide Bellevue Washington HQ, which should be finished by the fall of 2022. It'll increase the square footage from 84,000 to 208,000.
In 2022, they'll also open an office in Amsterdam, and have elevated the following people to new positions: Luis Villegas (Chief Technology Officer), Danielle Porter (Chief Financial Officer), and Don McGowan (General Counsel). Bungie is doubling down on Mark Noseworthy and Luke Smith, who will now "oversee the expansion of the Destiny universe into additional media." So uh, a Netflix cartoon?
Man, that's some NetEase money right there! Speaking of.
We knew this was coming, to an extent. Bungie already announced that they were getting in business bed with NetEase, one of the biggest tech companies in China. We haven't really seen the fruits of that labor from 2018 yet, as Bungie has basically only delivered a scaled-down version of Destiny 2, with more microtransactions than the Activision era, and propelled by the "seasonal" approach.
It's a bombastic missive for sure and a statement to the industry: Bungie has money to spend. Hopefully some of that is put into their flagship game.
Bungie prepares for future growth in 2021 [Bungie.net]
Steam bans indie developer for sneakily naming studio 'Very Positive'
An indie game developer has been banned from PC platform Steam after naming their studio "Very Positive" in a seeming effort to trick Steam users into believing that this was the review consensus for its latest release, an alchemy title named Emoji Evolution.
The developer chose the name for both its studio and publisher so that, at first glance, the words would appear in Steam's sidebar and be confused for audience opinion as it relates to the developer's games. In an interview with Vice, "Very Positive" said that it expected the cheeky tactic "Wouldn't be an issue" with Steam or its parent company, Valve.
Turns out it is an issue. Earlier this week, Valve decided to remove Very Positive and its game from the Steam platform, citing that the developer had broken Steam's rules on "review manipulation." The developer has taken to Twitter to express their disagreement, and will begin the process of appealing in order re-establish itself on the Steam database.
The weird irony to this whole affair can be seen in Simon Carless' Game Discovery newsletter, where it appears that, before Emoji Evolution was removed, it actually had received "Mostly Positive" reviews from the handful of people that had played it.
Steam developer banned after trying to trick users about positive reviews [Vice]
Yet another Nintendo documentary is on the way
In just the past year or so we've gotten two Nintendo-heavy documentaries. There's Console Wars, a feature film that deals with Nintendo's rivalry with Sega; and High Score, a Netflix series that covers all of gaming history, but with large swaths of Nintendo peppered in throughout.
Both projects overlap quite a bit, and we're probably going to get that same feeling with this new work, Playing With Power. Debuting on Crackle on March 1, the doc aims to cover Nintendo's history, and grabs gaming celebrities like Cliff Bleszinski and Wil Wheaton: Sean Astin also narrates, which is a huge bonus. Since it's Crackle, it'll be free to watch (with ads). We can all enjoy it together!
Hopefully it offers up something new that others haven't already. The trailer claims it will get "controversial" with its subject matter, which in some cases means "we'll vaguely show you some well-known facts, not assert them strongly, then get out of there and wade back into excitement." The trailer itself does that very thing, ending on a high note on the impact the publisher has had in the industry.
I'll be watching it on March 1 either way!
Here's what you need to know about next week's Outriders demo
Next week will offer PC and console owners their first opportunity to jump in on People Can Fly's new co-operative shooter, Outriders. In a lengthy thread on Twitter, the studio laid out all of the dates and details as it pertains to the demo - which the developer specifically notes is a demo and not a beta.
The demo will be available to all for free, you don't need to opt-in nor pre-order Outriders, and will launch on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X on February 25/26. PlayStation players will require a PlayStation Plus account. The demo will weigh in at roughly 22-24 GB and there are no plans for a pre-load period. Fortunately, the demo is not time-limited, and is expected to run up to and even beyond the official launch of Outriders, so don't sweat it if you cannot get to it right away.
This new mod aims to remaster Final Fantasy VII in HD without going overboard
Final Fantasy VII will never be out of style.
Even if the remaster didn't happen! Even if the remaster somehow doesn't have a real end due to some freak accident. People will always try and bring back the original classic, as it was a formative JRPG for many folks. Like Chrono Trigger before it, it's one of the biggest "gateway JRPGs" in history.
That's partially why so many prospective modders are messing with it, even now. Take this Satsuki Yatoshi Mod, for instance. Calling itself the "most accurate modern take on the PC version," this mod outfit is using deep learning AI techniques to really get it right.
The mod is billed as a "cleaner, more detailed" version than past "HD mods," upscaling the game with AI. Interestingly, they don't want to get "too upscaled." No: they're looking to not have an "oversharp or overclean effect," so that it feels constant and still true to the original.
You can get a good look at the comparison between the Steam/PC version and the mod below. These preservationists are doing the lord's work!
Famicom Detective Club members should investigate this Japanese special edition
One of the most low-key, yet most popular, reveals of Wednesday's Nintendo Direct presentation was the announcement that two '80s classics from the Famicom Detective Club would be making the leap westward, officially localized in the U.S. for the first time in history.
Released in 1988 and 1989 respectively, Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir and Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind, are two early examples of the visual, and tasking budding investigators with solving two murder mysteries with supernatural overtones. For many older video game fans, the return of these two titles is a big deal, and as such Nintendo has announced a neat collector's edition for Japan.
For Honor is getting...a Shovel Knight crossover?
Just the other day I was talking about how regardless of how many games Shovel Knight crosses over with, the character doesn't really feel stale yet. I'm still in that zone, even hearing the news of this recent crossover with For Honor.
This limited-time crossover adds Shovel Knight gear into the mix, including the "Stalwart Plate" armor, as well as the "Ornate Plate" and "Rodent Regalia" (the latter of which is named after the pesky little rat enemies). Other smaller bonuses include emotes and executions. Yes, executions! This crossover is dark.
It'll all run until March 4. Check out the sweet little cartoon promo image and the trailer below! You gotta give it to the marketing team: they actually tried for this one, and got the tone of Shovel Knight across. I'm surprised they went with the original music, but it totally works.
Super Bomberman R Online rated for PC by Korean Ratings Board
More news from our favorite spoilers, The Game Rating and Administration Committee of Korea, who has released a new listing for a PC port of Super Bomberman R Online, the fast and frantic multiplayer title currently only available on Google's cloud gaming service, Stadia.
The latest release in the now decades-old series, Super Bomberman R Online, takes the maze-blasting gameplay that is the series trademark and expands it to a staggering 64-player battle royale format. In true Bomberman fashion, players compete to make the most of their local play area, cornering foes, bagging power-ups, and strategically placing explosives, while hopefully not painting themselves into a corner. The clock is also against our boom buddies, with the player area shrinking down as the battle continues. Will you be the Last Bomber Standing?
Super Bomberman R Online features a selection of characters, including guest stars from other Konami titles - such as Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid - as well as full customization options. The new Crowd Play function offers streamers and their audiences the opportunity to quickly and efficiently hook up for multiplayer action. While publisher Konami is yet to announce a port of the release, this new rating all but confirms that the title will be arriving on PC - and perhaps other platforms - in the near future.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War & Warzone reveal full Season 2 content
Activision and Treyarch have spilled the intel on season two of their blockbuster shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and its sister title Call of Duty: Warzone. Kicking off on February 25, the new season brings a massive helping of exciting new content to both titles, including operators, weapons, scorestreaks, skin packs, modes, and a new Zombies experience.
GDC 2021 drops 'hybrid event' plan, will be fully digital due to COVID-19 pandemic
The organizer of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) has officially announced that its 2021 iteration will be an online-only affair. The annual event had originally planned to make GDC 2021 a hybrid in-person/online showcase, but concerns from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have rendered that impossible, forcing organizer Informa Tech to go all digital.
"While we can't wait to gather in the halls of Moscone [San Francisco] together again, and we did consider an in-person component this year, we have decided that it's more important that our speakers, attendees and sponsors be able to plan ahead, to continue to be as safe as possible, and to spend our attention on delivering the best possible GDC," said Informa Tech in a press statement. "As in a more traditional year, this year's conference will be filled with deep content developed with our advisory board, a focus on community-building, networking and celebrations that GDC is known for."
GDC 2021 is scheduled to take place the weekend of July 19-23, and will offer developers and publishers the opportunity to network and converse online, showcasing their respective wares, discussing the industry, and looking for new talent and opportunities. Both the Independent Games Festival and Developers Choice Awards will take place on July 21.
Additionally, GDC has several workshops and presentations planned for next month. March 4-5 will see GDC Masterclass offer in-depth advice and training via a series of paid "virtual workshops" held by industry veterans. Just a heads-up folks: They ain't cheap. A GDC Showcase event is also planned for the weekend of March 15-19 and will include AMAs, panel interviews, podcasts and presentations from various developers and publishers. For more information, check out the official GDC website.
Contest: Win a MapleStory M prize pack, featuring a charger, power bank, and tumbler
In today's contest you can win a MapleStory M physical prize pack!
It's physical prize time! I love giving away actual, tangible objects for people to get their hands on. And today, we've got a prize pack full of useful objects!
MapleStory M just dropped a content update, which means I'm here to promote it by giving away free stuff! It's my thing. Don't @ me.
Rage 2 is ripe for a revisit now that it's free on the Epic Store
The Epic Games Store has two free PC games lined up this week: Rage 2 and Absolute Drift. You can swing back and forth between all-out apocalyptic chaos to the chillest of chill score-chasing.
Here's a refresher on both games while you mull over logging in to claim them.
You have until Thursday, February 25 at 8:00 am Pacific to add the games to your library.
In my head, Rage 2 seems like it's been around for a long time, but 2019 wasn't that long ago – it just feels like it. Back then, I figured I'd enjoy it as someone who digs Far Cry, Borderlands, Doom, and Mad Max, but it wasn't something I was in the mood to play, even with ridiculous gunplay and abilities.
Getting it for free helps – as does Chris' one-liner about it being "screw around: the game."
As for Absolute Drift, it seems like a zen experience for the right type of person. I'm not sure I'm the guy, but I got a chuckle out of "Driftkhana" and the soundtrack is dope. There's free-roaming, if you're down.
Next week's Epic Store giveaway is Sunless Sea, a deep, dark, wordy adventure. Check back Feb. 25.
There's a pillow with Alucard from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and I really shouldn't
Konami just launched an online merch store, and I know, I know – you're not in the mood.
Regardless of how out-of-sync the company can be with modern sensibilities, we've got the good old days, and there are some surprising back-catalog picks in here like a Sunset Riders mug, a sweatshirt plastered with Goemon, and Track & Field t-shirts. I'm not here to dwell on that stuff, though.
I immediately darted toward the Castlevania section, straight past the apparel, to this:
Your eyes don't deceive you. Those are pillows with Alucard and Richter looking all majestic.
My recent (and at this point probably annual) trip down memory lane with Castlevania Requiem and Castlevania Anniversary Collection has been building to this silliness. I can't stop laughing.
$40 for a video game pillow? I shouldn't. I really shouldn't.
Crusader Kings II gets a subscription service for its hundreds of dollars of DLC
Even though Crusader Kings III is already out and available for all your nepotistic megalomaniacal fantasies, Paradox is continuing to push its Crusader Kings II candy on strategy fans at large. The base grand strategy game was previously made free for all just before the announcement of the sequel in late 2018, and it's currently free-to-play on Steam.
The problem is that the Crusader Kings II base game is simply that, a base – and Paradox used that base to build and sell six years' worth of DLC and expansions, some of which vastly changed how the game was played. If you wanted to buy the entire catalog of expansions, DLC, and soundtrack additions, it would run you around $300. That's a lot of dosh.
To give new players the option of trying all the DLC at a reduced rate, Paradox has now implemented a subscription service where $5 a month grants you access to the entire collection. You'll still be able to buy any and all of the DLC that tickles your fancy to own forever, which is nice as there's a lot of fluff in the form of art and music packs. To me, those seem a bit frivolous when compared to the mechanic and gameplay expansion sets.
In the forum release announcing the start of this new venture, Paradox stated that it is exploring the option to bring a subscription service to other games. Ominous.
The real question I have is what does this tell us about Victoria III? Nothing? I reject your answer.
Second Extinction is bringing zany dinosaur co-op firefights to Xbox soon
Second Extinction, a dinosaur-horde-blasting co-op shooter, reminds me of eating sugary cereal for dinner. It's not something you can pull off on a regular basis, but there's a time and a place, for sure.
This would go over well in Game Pass, wouldn't it? That electrified tripwire speaks to me.
I first heard about the game in the Xbox Series X showcase event last May, where it stood out in the crowd as a not-so-guilty-pleasure. While it has been playable on PC in Steam Early Access since October 2020, Second Extinction hasn't made it over to consoles yet – but it's finally getting closer.
Systemic Reaction is planning to launch the Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One versions in spring 2021. That's not to say it'll be "done" by then, though – Second Extinction will be a Game Preview title.
The work-in-progress PC version is a week away from getting its Pre-Season 3 update, so it's still trucking. One of the focal points is making sure players can jump in alone and learn the ropes.
Young me would've wanted action figures of these mutated dinosaurs. They could've faced off against my cherished Primal Rage and Jurassic Park toys (with an assist from the Kenner Aliens line).
How Breath of the Wild's soundtrack ferries Ocarina of Time's legacy across generations
The Legend of Zelda would not be what it is without its music. In 1986, composer Koji Kondo struck gold when The Legend of Zelda released in Japan on the Famicom. As players loaded up the game, the unforgettable melody from the "Overworld Theme" began to play over the main menu screen, and it never really stopped.
The success of the series would go on to snowball into its first 3D release on the Nintendo 64, Ocarina of Time, but just as the visuals gained an extra dimension, so too did the game's music. It became interactive.
Silent Hill might finally get a proper comeback thanks to a 'prominent Japanese developer'
Rumors are circulating that Konami is finally doing something significant again with Silent Hill.
While the forsaken series has drawn will-they-won't-they speculation for years, it's hard not to daydream about what could and should be, no matter how many rumors fail to materialize. The latest word, from VGC, suggests Konami has turned to external partners to help revitalize Silent Hill.
The outlet heard from sources that a Supermassive pitch didn't move forward, and that Konami has "outsourced a Silent Hill project to a prominent Japanese developer, with a reveal due this summer."
(The author noted on Twitter that it's not Kojima Productions – a frequent guess – and added that Konami is eying externally-developed Metal Gear Solid and Castlevania projects further out.)
On a separate but (maybe) related note, potentially suggesting that there could be more than one modern interpretation of Silent Hill, speculation has come out of a GamesIndustry.biz interview with Bloober Team CEO Peter Babieno, in which he commented on the studio's next horror game.
Babieno says they've "been working for more than a year on another gaming project, another horror IP, and we're doing this with a very famous gaming publisher. I can't tell you who. I can't tell you what the project is, but I'm pretty sure when people realize we're working on it, they will be very excited."
It's a long shot, but I can picture the creator of Layers of Fear, Blair Witch, and The Medium partnering with Konami for a new take on Silent Hill, particularly with the way the publisher has been lending the brand out to contemporary multiplayer horror games like Dead by Daylight and Monsters & Mortals.
That willingness to license tells me anything could be on the table – that it's just a matter of time. If all else fails and Silent Hill fans feel burned again, at least we've got Keiichiro Toyama's Bokeh Game Studio.
Bloober Team hints it could be working on Silent Hill... but it's not the only one [VGC]
Bloober Team adding action to its psychological horror focus [GamesIndustry.biz]
School's in for-ever with The Caligula Effect 2, coming to PS4 and Switch
Lurking among the Japanese edition of last night's Nintendo Direct presentation was the announcement of a new sequel to the bizarre 2016 PS Vita release, The Caligula Effect. Currently in development at Historia, The Caligula Effect 2 will launch in Japan on PS4 and Nintendo Switch on June 24.
Described as an "Academy Juvenile RPG," The Caligula Effect 2 will tell a fresh tale of "The Go-Home Club," a party of youngsters trapped within a simulation known as "Redo" which keeps all of its inhabitants in a perpetual idyllic high school environment where all their ideals are perfectly realized.
PC players can drag their old levels into Hitman 3 without paying again
You don't need to rebuy Hitman 1 or Hitman 2 to bring their levels into Hitman 3 on PC.
From the outside looking in, that should be a no-brainer with the (mostly generous!) way IO has handled its modern Hitman trilogy so far, but a last-minute switcheroo in mid-January meant that PC players weren't going to be able to freely bring their content forward by verifying their Steam purchases of Hitman 1 or 2 to unlock corresponding stages in the Epic Games Store-exclusive Hitman 3.
Fans were rightfully put off by the situation, and IO said it would reverse course. Now it has.
Hitman 3 players can head over to this support page to read about – and begin – the Hitman 1 and 2 location-importing process. Using an IOI Account, you'll be able to claim the Hitman 1 and/or Hitman 2 Access Pass DLC if you own those games, and then it's just a matter of launching Hitman 3. That said, IO warns to "double-check all your choices before claiming content. They cannot be undone or reversed."
If any of this unpleasantness was holding you back from getting into Hitman 3 on PC, it's time to hunt.
Tales from the Borderlands brings its quirky escapade to Switch March 24
As part of last night's Nintendo Direct presentation, it was confirmed that Telltale Games' 2014 release Tales from the Borderlands is headed to Nintendo Switch. The port was recently rumored after a new listing popped up on the Taiwan Digital Game Rating Committee's website.
The episodic adventure follows the hapless exploits of Hyperion employee Rhys and savvy con-artist Fiona as the duo collide while on a quest to find and open one of Pandora's many vaults. The mismatched pair team-up in order to faster achieve their individual goals, utilizing each other's unique talents in a quest for riches beyond belief. Of course, it isn't smooth sailing, and the likable adventurers soon find themselves in hot water and on many a hit list.
Tales from the Borderlands was received positively by both critics and Borderlands fans upon release, praising its visual style, interesting cast, and wry humor. But the episodic series failed to find the same success that had been afforded similar releases such as The Walking Dead. Frustratingly for fans of the series, it seems that a sequel is currently not on the cards, but with this new re-release (which also recently arrived on PS4 and Xbox One) perhaps the fires will be ignited and the right people will take notice. Here's hoping at any rate.
Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 was a no-show at the Nintendo Direct, and Nintendo acknowledged it
Everyone tuned in to see if we'd get more Zelda news during the new Nintendo Direct, and we...sort of did!
Although the Skyward Sword HD Switch project was confirmed, Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 was a no-show. Series producer Eiji Aonuma did show up to deliver the bad news however, specifically explaining that there was no news.
Arthur won't face danger alone thanks to Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection's strange co-op mode
Capcom's Ghouls 'n Ghosts and Ghosts 'n Goblins are renown for many things, not least of which is each titles' rock-hard difficulty. Still, it appears that when brave Sir Arthur takes to the graveyards once more in Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection, he'll at least have the option of a few helping hands.
For the first time in series history, Ghosts 'n Goblins will feature a new co-op multiplayer mode. But this helping hand isn't manifested in typical "two-player" fashion, and instead takes a far more unique tack. While the first player will control Arthur as he runs, double-jumps, and lances his way through each stage, the second player will control one of three supporting sprites, known as Archie, Kerry, and Barry.
You haven't been forgotten, Xbox fans, Fall Guys is coming your way this summer
During last night's Nintendo Direct broadcast, Mediatonic announced that its silly battle royale title Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout was making a heavy, saggy leap onto the Switch platform. This morning, Devolver Digital was quick to let Xbox owners know that they won't be left out, as the madcap multiplayer title is coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X this summer.
In case you've been living under a rock, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is an en masse multiplayer title in which a huge squad of colorful "beans" battle it out in a sequence of ridiculous rounds that include races, obstacle courses, inertia-based puzzles, wild charges uphill, and many other over-the-top events, all to grab the prestigious crown located at the end of the show. Just like Connor Macloed, there can be only one.
Launching on PS4 and PC in the summer of 2020, Fall Guys was an instant mainstream hit, thanks to its pick-up-and-put-down nature, simple learning curve, and basic control system, pulling in players from all over the globe and raising a lot of laughs and smiles while doing so. Now confirmed for Switch and Xbox, and with a China-exclusive mobile port in the works, it looks as if Fall Guys is set to keep 'em rollin' on in 2021.
Final Fantasy XIV for Xbox might be dead, at least for now
Back in November of 2019, Phil Spencer declared that Microsoft was going to bring Final Fantasy XIV to the Xbox platform.
It was a nice decree, and if it really could interface with PC and PS4 (now PS5 too), it would mean even more people could adventure together in Eorzea. But it seems like that's too tall of an order for Square Enix, at least for now.
Speaking to The Washington Post, producer and all-around personality Naoki "Yoshi P" Yoshida explained that it's a matter of resources. He puts it pretty plainly, stating: "We provide content on a fairly regular basis and our cycle is rather condensed. And it is a fairly stable cadence that we continue to follow...we have to think about long-term planning with additional platforms, we need additional testing for that particular platform. So it kind of exponentially grows the amount of resources that needs to be allocated."
Of course, Yoshi P is talking about the recently revealed PS5 edition, which took priority. As well as any potential graphical enhancements on PC, which Square Enix peppers in for each expansion release.
I reached out to both Square Enix and Microsoft last year to see how talks were going, and both offered an emphatic "no comment" on the situation. Now at least we have a hint of why the partnership might not be happening after all. This has been on and off since 2016: it would be nice to see it finally resolved at some point.
It's weird to think back on all of the MMO problems Microsoft has had over the years: we should have gotten True Fantasy Live Online!
'Final Fantasy XIV' director discusses the challenges of building an always-online game [The Washington Post]
Nintendo Download: Persona 5 Strikers
Atlus must be happy, as Persona 5 Strikers is finally out in the west on multiple platforms, including Switch!
So far the Switch edition has been favorably received by critics (we only had access to the PS4 version), so time will tell what the general audience thinks. You can also grab Capcom Arcade Stadium, Curse of the Dead Gods this week.
We're hard at work on a review for the surprise-dropped Arcade Stadium. In the meantime, here's the rest of the eShop releases this week!
