Indie RPG Everhood looks like Undertale by way of... Guitar Hero?
It's been a rough start to the day for Red, an animated wooden doll who awakens to find that one of their arms has been stolen by a mischievous dwarf. Undaunted, Red sets about the seemingly simple task of recovering the missing appendage from its thief. But this is just the start of Red's adventure, and adventure that will bend the very fabric of all realities...
This is the premise that sets up RPG Everhood, developed by indie outfit Foreign Gnomes and headed to PC and Nintendo Switch on March 4. Everhood will see Red interact with a cast of bizarre characters on a kooky quest through a fantastical kingdom. Characters such as a sentient ATM machine, a banjo-playing froggo, a "nearly-nude" knight, and a giant spider, among others.
From the trailer, you can see Everhood has a similar overall style to Toby Fox's beloved RPG, Undertale - what with its pixelated visuals and slightly unnerving universe. But Everhood's combat appears to be a sort of bullet-hell take on the rhythm-action of Guitar Hero and Rock Band. It looks like one wild ride, that's for sure.
Warning: The trailer below contains flashing imagery.
The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon DLC hits Switch February 10
If you're currently zapping through the Switch port of Obsidian's The Outer Worlds, then you'll be pleased to hear that Peril on Gorgon - the sci-fi adventure's first DLC expansion - will be arriving on the Nintendo platform on February 10.
Released on PS4, PC, and Xbox One back in September 2020, Peril on Gorgon sees the crew of The Unreliable travel to an abandoned science outpost located on the titular asteroid. There they discover the grim aftermath of Halcyon's experiments, as they pick their way through the ruins of a project gone very, very wrong.
Peril on Gorgon features a brand new location filled with weaponry and gear just waiting to be looted. It also introduces new questlines and characters - both friendly and not-so-friendly. Once installed, players can visit Gorgon at any time provided they have passed the planet Monarch, so you don't have to have completed The Outer Worlds before you take this detour into the new world.
We're days away from a new Mario game. Well, a re-release of an old Mario game. But it has a new title!
Before Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury gets here, there is other stuff to peruse on the Switch eShop. Like...Blue Fire! Or Haven. Or Skyforge, a free-to-play MMO that came out in 2015 on PC to mixed reception (and in 2017 on PS4/Xbox One), but is hitting Switch today.
Please clap! Or not. It's totally okay for a marketplace to have calms before storms. The Switch eShop could use a legitimate break actually, before it tries to slam 30-40 square-shaped games into a round hole again.
Robert A. Altman, the co-founder and CEO of ZeniMax, has died
Bethesda announced that Robert A. Altman, the co-founder and CEO of ZeniMax, has passed away.
"He was a true visionary, friend, and believer in the spirit of people and the power of what they could accomplish together," Bethesda said. "He was an extraordinary leader, and an even better human being."
We are deeply saddened to tell you of the passing of Robert A. Altman, our Founder and CEO. He was a true visionary, friend, and believer in the spirit of people and the power of what they could accomplish together. He was an extraordinary leader, and an even better human being. pic.twitter.com/FZFsVtHc5t
— Bethesda (@bethesda) February 4, 2021
In its statement – viewable in full on Twitter – Bethesda said it was "proud to carry on the values and principles Robert taught us," and extended its "deepest sympathies to Robert's family [his wife Lynda Carter and two children], who are a part of our family and have always treated us as part of theirs."
Current and former employees of ZeniMax – to say nothing of subsidiaries including id Software, Arkane, Tango Gameworks, and MachineGames – have shared their condolences and memories.
Free Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 update adds characters, challenges, and color blind options
Sega continues to roll out cool free content for its great puzzle title Puyo Puyo Tetris 2. Today sees a new update arrive on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms that adds a handful of extra characters, new challenges rules, and accessibility options.
Once downloaded, players will be able to step into battle as gothic weirdo Strange Klug, cute mermaid Serilly, magic gal Rafisol, and ghostly troublemakers Yu & Rei. The Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 soundtrack will also be expanded with three new tunes, which include Rafisol and Strange Klug's personal themes.
Challenge mode receives a total of six new Multiplayer rulesets: Endless Fever, Endless Puyo, Tiny Puyo, Sprint, Marathon, and finally Ultra, all of which can be played in online and offline Vs. battles. Most importantly, new settings have been added for color blind players, with new trichromat, protanopia, deuteranopia, and tritanopia adjustments.
You can check out a trailer for the new update below. Don't forget that Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 will be hitting PC on March 23. It's a really great time - alone or with friends - and if you haven't checked it out, I suggest you do. Puyo!
A big Borderlands 3 reveal is coming this month
Borderlands 3 has been dormant for a bit, but it's about to get another windfall very soon as a result of newly minted DLC.
The thing is, we haven't really seen that much of the fabled "Director's Cut" add-on that was announced a while back, but that all changes on February 10. Gearbox has confirmed on its blog that the Borderlands Show is returning on that date at 9AM PT, where it'll share a "mountain of mayhem" sized news tidbit.
The main event is the aforementioned Director's Cut, and if it's anything like past shows, it'll be fairly comprehensive, spliced in with live footage. Gearbox promises "additional missions, endgame content, and behind the scenes extras." Hopefully the Director's Cut is better than the Designer's Cut. At this point, the second season pass really hasn't justified itself.
Not that I necessarily want or need any more content from this game (a second season pass is a bit much, and a third would be a Pitchford hat trick), but I would have liked to have seen more worlds and sandboxes like the prior DLC pass. It wasn't all perfect, but at least it added extra incentive to future playthroughs.
Don't Miss the Director's Cut Reveal on February 10 [Gearbox]
EA sees 'incredible opportunity' in Codemasters acquisition
Electronic Arts has spoken of its delight in the publisher's acquisition of developer Codemasters. EA purchased the racing games specialist back in December 2020 for $1.2 billion - the sudden bid pulling the sale out from under the nose of Take-Two Interactive.
During a recent conference call, in which EA discussed the status of BioWare, the Star Wars license, and its upcoming releases, CFO Blake Jorgenson called the Codemasters acquisition "one of the best growth opportunities there is," denoting why EA was so willing to fork out top dollar to add the British studio to its bulging portfolio of developers.
"The Dirt franchise, the Grid franchise, all of their franchises are incredible games, but none of them have actually taken advantage of a large publishing organization and a marketing muscle that we're able to deliver," said Jorgenson to investors. "We think that has growth to it, not to mention the talent that's in that organization that could continue to help our Need for Speed business or our Real Racing business. It could be very powerful. So we know it is not a FIFA-sized business, but we know there is incredible opportunity to own essentially all of the driving business there is."
Own essentially all of the driving business there is...
Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson also spoke of the "incredible potential" the company sees in Codemasters' established range of racing IPs. "We think that F1 plus live service plus our marketing muscle is a profound opportunity. And we think that Grid and Dirt also represent great new additions to our portfolio [...] But the big win here is bringing together what we believe is going to be the greatest collection of racing talent in the industry."
Later that day, Codemasters board of investors gave their official approval of EA's purchase, with 63 of the company's 76 shareholders voted in favor of selling up. European antitrust regulators have already passed approval on the deal, and as such EA is expected to complete the sale in spring.
EA sees "huge potential" in racing following Codemasters acquisition [GamesIndustry.biz]
Danganronpa like Tantei Bokumetsu unveils its killer mystery
Nippon Ichi Software has released the opening movie to its upcoming murder mystery RPG Tantei Bokumetsu, (literally "Detective Eliminator"), which the publisher recently revealed following a series of strange and unsettling teasers.
The hyperactive cinematic introduces us to the 14 detectives of the Detective Alliance - each and every one of them highly specialized in a trademark field - who find themselves cloistered together on the remote "Morgue Island". One of these lawmakers, however, is actually a lawbreaker, the notorious serial killer "Yatzuzakikou," who is currently wanted for over 100 brutal murders.
The Destruction AllStars team is aware of the annoying voice bug
In case you missed it, Destruction AllStars is out on PS5 via PlayStation Plus right now. And it's totally not called "Destructoid AllStars," I promise.
While playing, folks have noticed a really strange issue right from the get-go: like people screaming into a mic unprompted. Why? Well, AllStars has a weird voice system that instantly enables DualSense microphones, so everyone will hear each other in a giant auto-created party system.
I know a lot of people are already freaked out at the idea of the DualSense mic picking up your thoughts, but that's another plane entirely! Here's the full tweet: "Thanks for all the feedback so far! We're aware of issues surrounding voice chat in Destruction AllStars and are hard at work on a fix! In the meantime, you can mute a party chat by pressing the PlayStation button, then Square on the party card or create a private party chat."
So you heard it straight from the developer's mouth: mute party chat if you're having issues until a fix arises. Just know that you need to do that over and over, and not in-game, but from the actual system UI card. Oof! At least a fix is on the way.
Lucid Games [Twitter]
(Update) It looks like Tails' voice actor is out for Sonic Prime too
[Update: Amy is out too, it seems. The voice of Amy for around a decade announced that she is not going to be working on Sonic Prime with the rest of her crew. As she puts it: "It's true. I'm loading out with my brilliant compadres."]
As you may have heard, there's a new Sonic show in town called Sonic Prime, and it's headed to Netflix in 2022. But it will be moving forward without Roger Craig Smith, the former voice of Sonic.
Fans have been speculating for roughly a week now as to what happened behind the scenes: is Sega gearing up to have Ben Schwartz (who voiced Sonic in the film) take over the role? Or will they be moving in a new direction entirely? The fate of Tails might give us a clue. When asked on Twitter by a fan on whether or not they would be participating in the Sonic Prime series, Tails voice actor Colleen O'Shaughnessey plainly responded, "No. I'm sorry to say I am not.."
This is a weird one, because O'Shaughnessey did voice Tails in the feature film (and recent games, and the Sonic Boom show), even if it was a cameo. It was a huge sign of goodwill for Sonic game fans, so it would be strange for Sega to undo all of that by recasting her entirely. Then again, recasts happen all the time for Hollywood, so it's in the realm of possibility.
Sega could also be planning a drastic revamp for these characters, separate from the film universe. We'll likely see more on those plans as early as this year.
Colleen O'Shaughnessey [Twitter]
LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog set green-lit thanks to fan submission
Sonic the Hedgehog is set to be the next video game superstar to receive his own LEGO set. A cool diorama featuring Sonic, Dr. Robotnik, and other series icons has been approved by both LEGO and Sega, and is set to go into production this year, just in time for the blue blur's 30th anniversary.
The new kit, inspired by the Sonic Mania interpretation of Green Hill Zone, was submitted to the LEGO Ideas initiative by British Sonic the Hedgehog fan Viv Grannel. The neat looking setup received the requisite 10,000 votes by the LEGO community to be taken into official consideration, and as such Grannel's design will now become a fully-realized release.
Embracer Group purchases Gearbox, Aspyr Media, and Easybrain
Video game holding company Embracer Group has announced a series of mergers and acquisitions, which sees the Swedish conglomerate open its doors for Borderlands developer Gearbox Entertainment, Mac developer/publisher Aspyr Media, and mobile game developer Easybrain.
Of these purchases the spotlight has mostly fallen on the acquisition of long-time independent Gearbox Entertainment, which was purchased for $363 million, with a six-year performance target of $1.3 billion. Naturally, questions have been asked regarding the developer's team of personnel and future releases, with Borderlands publisher 2K Games being quick to note that the Embracer merger does not affect the relationship between 2K and Gearbox. The former will continue to publish Borderlands sequels going forward. (And given that six-year performance plan, we'll definitely be seeing them).
As for Gearbox as a studio, founder and magician Randy Pitchford will continue to lead a team of 550 employees on all future projects. Speaking in a new interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Pitchford called the merger "a rocket booster for our ambitions and our mission to entertain the world," while noting that "Embracer's strategy also provides access to capital, and access to capital was a limiting factor in Gearbox's ambitions."
Gearbox Entertainment, Aspyr Media, and EasyBrain join Embracer's already expansive family of developers and publishers, which also includes DECA Games, Coffee Stain Holding, and AAA publisher THQ Nordic, along with its subsidiaries Saber Interactive and Koch Media... Yikes. Lend us a tenner.
(Update) Here are all of the The Wonderful 101: Remastered Wonderful Codes
Did you know that Platinum Games is now retroactively adding cheat codes to The Wonderful 101 Remastered months after its release? Yes? No? Well I'm going to explain anyway!
Tucked away in the game's menus is a "Wonderful Code" option, which allows players to put in a string of letters to unlock new characters. The very first code that was unveiled was "UMBRANGIFT," which, as astute Platinum fans will recognize, unlocks Wonder Bayonetta for use in the game.
But since then Platinum has released a few more codes, all of which you can find in one location below (as more arise, we'll add them). The latest update involves the "Space Pirates, Unify!" code, which adds three members of the antagonistic space pirates: Prince Vorkken, Chewgi, and Immorta.
As a reminder, Platinum says that they plan on providing seven codes in total (for now), which are coming at a cadence of around one per week (give or take).
The Wonderful 101 Remastered [Steam]
Nioh Remastered Collection launches on PS5 tomorrow
Tomorrow sees the launch of Nioh Collection on PS5, bringing together two excellent adventure titles, freshly remastered for Sony's next-gen hardware. Publisher Koei Tecmo, alongside developer Team Ninja, has released a dramatic launch trailer to get fans ready for the revisit.
The Nioh Collection includes 2017's Nioh and its 2020 sequel Nioh 2, complete with all six previously released DLC expansions. Both titles have been blessed with a visual upgrade, significantly improved load times, and run at a maximum 120 frames-per-second - provided your display will allow this, of course.
The remasters also take advantage of the DualSense Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Trigger technology. Players who own the PS4 edition of Nioh 2 will receive a free upgrade to the PS5 edition. Cross-save support will allow you to pick up right from where you left off. Additionally, for PC players, Nioh 2: The Complete Edition will hit Steam tomorrow.
Set in Sengoku-era Japan, the Nioh series mixes sword and sorcery to present engaging, classy, and damn difficult RPG action. Both Nioh and its sequel received huge acclaim from critics and players alike, with praise directed towards its deep combat, interesting world, and challenging nature. If you never got around to checking out these samurai epics, then this collection might present the perfect opportunity.
Review: Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood
"You can't stand in the way of progress" is a favored motto of your resident capitalist, and no company knows that better than Endron, the energy corporation currently sucking the life force directly out of our dying planet. But this ecological matter goes far beyond your average Wall St. executive's portfolio. The greed, recklessness, and inconsideration of this particular conglomerate's schemes are far more frightening, going beyond the bottom line.
Endron is one of the many humanistic fronts for The Wyrm, a terrifying spiritual entity that greedily drains civilizations of their very life force, leaving behind inhospitable husks, destroyed wilderness, and millions of broken lives. While the snake suits and shark smiles of its executives are avaricious enough, at its heart The Wyrm is a more ancient and primeval force, one that has currently focused its endless thirst on the greenery of Washington State woodland Tarker's Mill.
Hope is not lost, however, as Tarker's Mill is home to a pack of equally ancient, but far more noble Garou: men and women born of man, wolf, and spirit. The Warriors of Gaia. The werewolves. While the outside world merely sees another case of Endron's inhumanity visited upon Mother Earth, the Garou are more attuned to The Wyrm's machinations, vowing to stop the evil spirit from destroying their homeland, their people, and the planet itself.
BioWare skipped multiplayer in Mass Effect: Legendary Edition due to logistics
The multiplayer side of Mass Effect 3 was unexpectedly fun in a hundreds-of-hours sort of way – the people who dug it genuinely loved it – but it won't be a part of this year's Mass Effect: Legendary Edition. While the three-game remaster bundle has a lot going for it, multiplayer feels like a major omission.
Speaking to Game Informer, project director Mac Walters said that the decision came down to time and resources; getting the main Mass Effect campaigns and story DLC up to speed took precedence.
"I feel strongly that we've chosen the things that are what the majority of our fans were most passionate about," he told the publication. "On the topic of multiplayer, it was just really hard. Getting all of the online systems working and functionality would have been another large chunk to do but at the same time, there are a lot of other logistics involved. The economy is built completely differently. Then questions came up like, 'Do we support it post-launch? What about people who are still playing multiplayer today? Do we try to find a way to somehow do crossplay between the PS3 and PS4?'"
In an interview with The Verge, Walters said that "at least at one point in time, everything was on the table." The lack of multiplayer let BioWare "focus on those single-player moments," and in the case of Mass Effect 3's Galactic Readiness, which had hooks in multiplayer, things are being rebalanced.
I'm sure fans will delve into the minutia and pick apart Mass Effect: Legendary Edition in due time post-release, but at least for now, there's one other notable absence: the combat-heavy Pinnacle Station DLC.
As it turns out, the training facility DLC would've required a full-on new remake – Pinnacle Station was originally developed by Demiurge, and the source code isn't usable. "It would basically take us another full six months just to do this with most of the team we've got," Walters told Game Informer.
"I wish we could do it [...] leaving it all on the cutting-room floor, it was heartbreaking."
BioWare Explains Why It Didn't Bring Back Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer In Legendary Edition, BioWare Explains Pinnacle Station DLC Exclusion From Mass Effect Legendary Edition [Game Informer]
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition cuts multiplayer in favor of single-player improvements [The Verge]
With the new firmware update, PS5 should stop randomly installing PS4 discs
It feels like it's going to be a while before Sony starts pushing out big new system-level features for the PlayStation 5. For now, it's a lot of tidying up – making sure there aren't moldy crumbs everywhere.
The newest PS5 firmware update, Version 20.02-02.50.00, was released today.
What's new? Not much. There's the crowd favorite stability/performance improvements to try and help us keep our tech-faith, a small quality-of-life editing feature for Share Factory Studio, and a fix for a rare but pesky-sounding installation issue that's been bugging some players with cross-gen titles.
- This system software update improves system performance.
- In rare cases, the PS4 version of a game would install from the disc after you upgraded to and installed the PS5 version. Now, when you insert the PS4 game disc, the PS4 version won't install unexpectedly.
- You can now select and edit video clips using Share Factory Studio from your media gallery.
Come to think of it, I've yet to put a disc in my PS5 – in part because I still have my PS4 Pro hooked up to a separate television – but rogue installations are never fun. Hopefully that's the last of 'em.
Steam has entirely too many PC demos for us to check out again
The demo-packed Steam Game Festivals are becoming a fixture of the PC storefront, and I'm so here for it. The latest event began this morning and will continue until February 9 at 10:00 am Pacific.
At first glance, the landing page for the February 2021 Steam Game Festival is better than before for casual "let me poke around" browsing. Maybe you have a wishlist all ready to go – that's the ideal way to do it – or maybe you're interested in trying some upcoming PC games but aren't sure where to start.
Steam has a bunch of genres, sub-genres, art styles, and even "moods" to help you whittle things down. That said, there are hundreds of Steam Festival demos to sift through if you're up for it.
I'm not above using the Popular Upcoming list as a cheat sheet. Little Nightmares II is up at the top, and I second that, hard – I wish I could say more today! Also consider looking into Tasomachi, Dream Engines, Stay Out of the House, Loop Hero, Genesis Noir, Minute of Islands, Dorfromantik, and Steel Assault.
One last thing: you don't need to have played the first Little Nightmares to dig into this demo.
DuckTales NES originally had an out-of-character ending where Scrooge gave up his fortune
If there's one thing Scrooge McDuck loves, it's gold. But in the NES version of DuckTales, he almost loved something more than his fortune: "dream and friends."
Speaking to Kotaku on the story of the NES classic, Darlene Lacey, who was in charge of overseeing Disney games at the time, made a crucial change to the game's ending. Originally, there was an option for Scrooge to give up his fortune and inform his nephews: "There really is more important treasure than this. That is . . . Dream and Friends."
Lacey was "tempted" to keep it in, but "knew" that they couldn't. So they altered it to the one we know today: "Right, lads! I couldn't have done it without you. I really am the richest duck in the world." They follow that up by saying that they "love" that fans found out about the original though, and thinks "it was the better line."
It's tough to accept! Having Scrooge show a change of heart isn't completely without precedent (both within the DuckTales TV and film universe, as well as the new series); but ultimately he still gets back at it, chasing his fortune and expanding his money bin beyond his coveted Number One Dime. I mean, Capcom and ostensibly Disney would have needed to hand-wave that other ending for the sequel!
The Story Behind DuckTales On NES [Kotaku]
Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack ventures onto PS4, PC, and Switch in April
For anyone currently enjoying the anime adventure of the recent Nintendo Switch release Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy, prick up your ears, as publisher Koei Tecmo has unveiled the Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack, which is coming to PS4, PC, and Switch worldwide as soon as April 22.
The special set contains three titles from the cult JRPG series, namely Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey DX, Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book DX, and Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings DX.
Each game in the collection not only comes complete with its original DLC, but will also feature a few new goodies, such as new costumes, vehicles, quests, and scenarios. Also added to each re-release are a new photo mode, a digital art gallery, and a quality-of-life double-speed battle option.
All three games will be made available separately.
PlayStation Store has a Critics' Choice sale on PS4 and PS5 games
It's once again sale time on the PlayStation Store, and thankfully, there's now a much-needed Deals tab when browsing the shop on a PS5. The Critics' Choice sale lasts until February 17, 2021.
I have quite a few highlights before I get to the full list further down in this post: Spelunky 2 ($13.99), Assassin's Creed Valhalla ($40.19), Doom Eternal ($19.79), Sekiro ($38.99), The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope ($20.09), Warhammer: Vermintide 2 ($11.99), World War Z ($8.99), The Sinking City ($17.99), Civilization VI ($14.99), and Dishonored: The Complete Collection ($17.99).
I'll also give a shout-out to Borderlands 3 ($19.79), which includes the PS4 and PS5 editions, the latter of which was excellent in co-op. It looked sharp, ran well, and the DualSense shooting kickback was wild without annoying me. If you're more into Destiny 2 these days, I get it. Beyond Light is down to $26.79
Otherwise, you can't go wrong with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 at $29.99 – it's a feel-good gem. And while Resident Evil 3 took a wallop for being too light, it's a breezy, highly replayable romp at $19.79.
I'm considering Immortals Fenyx Rising at $35.99, but I think the price will dip before long – and I think I can hold off. I'm at a point with Ubisoft open-worlders where it's best that I just wait until they've gotten their last major updates, however long that takes. Otherwise, I get in these situations where I marathon them once and never touch them again no matter what DLC inevitably comes later.
Total War: Warhammer III looks sick in its first cinematic trailer
Not that we were expecting any different, but after a handful of cheeky teaser videos meant to rile up fans, Creative Assembly lifted the lid on Total War: Warhammer III, and boy does it look sick.
As much as I feel like cinematic trailers are overplayed in this industry, there's still a place for them, especially for a game like Total War: Warhammer III that's building on a firmly-established foundation. Player support has "pushed our ambition to new heights," as game director Ian Roxburgh puts it.
The new Warhammer III campaign will revolve around the forces of Kislev and Cathay, with grisly appearances from Khorne, Nurgle, Slaanesh, and Tzeentch. "Each race offers a unique journey through the nightmarish Chaos Realm, culminating in an endgame that will determine the fate of the world," according to the studio. Players "will be tasked with saving or exploiting the power of a dying god."
To be clear, the setting is "around the reign of Karl Franz" and there are nine playable Legendary Lords.
The game is releasing in "late 2021" on Steam and the Epic Games Store, with cross-platform multiplayer planned for launch. The pre-order incentives will be announced down the road.
One last note plucked from the FAQ: Creative Assembly intends to release a "massive combined map that will be a huge free DLC for owners of all three games," but you'll need all three parts "through a single store." Total War: Warhammer I and II are expected to launch on the Epic Store before III.
Watch Kislev battle a Bloodthirster in the first trailer for Total War: Warhammer III [Warhammer Community]
I never thought I'd be the type of person who'd enjoy a game where you pump high school girls full of pheromones to satisfy their needs, but here I am reviewing my third Gal*Gun title. Despite clearly not being in its target demographic, I've always enjoyed the absurdity of it all. It's nice to have something downright outlandish to revel in while the rest of the industry pushes toward that homogenized center.
Of course, that absurdity and outlandishness come at a price, and the Gal*Gun franchise has always been in the middle of one controversy or another. Gal*Gun Returns is no different as a few weeks ago, we learned the Xbox One port of the title had been canceled after some "productive discussions" with Microsoft.
Having seen what this series can do, the move didn't surprise me. But now that I've played it, the cancellation seems even more ridiculous as this is easily the tamest entry in the franchise.
You can now casually play through all of WoW: Shadowlands' first raid
One of the best features to come to World of Warcraft in recent years is the "raid finder" (LFR). In short, anyone can dive right into WoW raids in LFR form, with the caveat that the rewards are often lessened, the difficulty is lower, and the raid itself slowly unlocks in "phases." As of today though, you don't have to wait for that latter hurdle.
Right now, the Castle Nathria raid is fully open for LFR business. The whole process started on December 15 when the first "wing" opened up, and wave four just unlocked: so you can take on every single boss in the castle up through Sire Denathrius: betrayer and antagonist from the main storyline of Shadowlands.
As a whole, Castle Nathria has been a huge success, striking chords with hardcore players and aesthetic appreciators alike. The theme is fantastic, as are the production values of the raid: which beckon everyone into its halls. Its complex mechanics also sated the dedicating raiding crowd, making it a win for pretty much everyone who has entered it. Shadowlands has a big bar to surpass with whatever it has planned next.
Castle Nathria Raid Finder Wing 4 Now Live [Battle.net]
Firebase Z will resurrect Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's Zombies mode
If, like myself, you get a cathartic kick out of the fast-paced mayhem of Call of Duty's Zombies mode, then you bet load up on Deadshot Daquiri and Pack-a-Punch dollars, as tomorrow sees the dawn of a brand new battleground in Black Ops: Cold War.
Firebase Z, which comes crawling onto all platforms tomorrow, is an abandoned military outpost hidden deep in the jungles of Vietnam. The cadaver chaos is set to continue as Cold War's strike team follows in the footsteps of mysterious operative Samantha Maxis, who remains one step ahead of our crew while on her dimension-hopping quest through the Dark Aether.
The free map will be packed full of hidden intel, new lore, and disgusting new enemies, including what appears to be a terrifying, stories-high "elite." Keep your eyes peeled, as a brand new Wonder Weapon can be found hidden among the base's decaying ruins, which will provide the team with the heavy-duty firepower needed to take on the relentless army of the undead.
Activision has released a new overview video, which features Treyarch team members discussing the grim fate that awaits you and your running buddies. Send more paramedics.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will feature the extended cut ending by default
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition was fully fleshed out yesterday, and so far, the changes look pretty good.
An enhanced Mako and improved elevator-masked load times sound like big upgrades, as do enhanced visuals for all of those lovely planets. But what about that ending? While BioWare avoided courting that controversy again directly in the new trailer that debuted this week, they did speak to IGN about the direction they were going.
The game's director, Mac Walters, confirms outright that the "extended cut," otherwise known as BioWare's attempts to smooth over the ending debacle, will be the default mode of the Legendary package: "For the people who had an extended cut, that became the experience for them, and so that will be the experience for everyone who is playing the Legendary Edition as well. And ultimately...you finish a game and there are things you wish you had been able to do or things you want to add on, and to me that Extended Cut was that opportunity to add a little bit more love and a little bit more context around the ending. So to me that is part of the canon."
NIS reveals murder mystery Tantei Bokumetsu, coming to PS4 and Switch
Nippon Ichi Software (NIS) has finally unveiled the strange title that it has been teasing for the past week, pulling back the curtain on Tantei Bokumetsu, (or Detective Elimination), which will launch in Japan on PS4 and Nintendo Switch May 27.
As revealed in the newest issue of Weekly Famitsu, Tantei Bokumetsu sees 14 top detectives - each an expert in his or her particular field - gathered together on a remote island and tasked with ascertaining the identity of the killer that lurks among them. Players will explore the island for clues and interrogate the suspects while hopefully keeping their own name off of the kill list. Sounds pretty freakin' familiar...
While NIS has launched a new website and Twitter for Tantei Bokumetsu, it is yet to release a full trailer or any gameplay footage. There is no word as to whether this latest tale of friendship and fatality will receive an English localization, but given NIS dedication to its western fanbase, it remains a possibility.
NIS announces Tantei Bokumetsu for PS4, Switch [Gematsu / Ryokutya2089]
EA: The new Battlefield will be announced in the spring and arrive in late 2021
So we know a new Battlefield is coming this year. I mean...it was kind of inevitable, it is EA after all, but now we have concrete info on the timeline of everything. And in this chaos of instant-AAA announcements at the drop of the hat this past year, we could all use some stability.
Speaking on an earnings call, Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson confirmed that the next Battlefield will be revealed "in the spring," and this "defining Battlefield experience" will arrive in the 2021 "holiday season." Wilson also stated that due to the souped-up nature of the Series X and the PS5, the new game should "bring massive and immersive battles to life with more players than ever." This is coupled with the "unprecedented scale" of the game."
That's what EA says during every console generation, to mixed success: so stay tuned to see if that actually becomes a reality. EA is constantly chasing the monetary success of the Call of Duty series, and in several cases, it's never even close. I wonder what they'll have up their sleeve this time.
Battlefield 6 will feature 'massive immersive battles' on PS5 and Xbox Series X [Techradar]
EA says it's definitely not done developing Star Wars games
Last month, the newly revitalized Lucasfilm Games announced that it was currently working with Ubisoft studio Massive Entertainment to create a new, open-world adventure set in the Star Wars universe. What made the news particularly surprising was the lack of contribution by Electronic Arts, who has held exclusive rights to the blockbuster IP for the past decade.
Shortly after the announcement of the untitled Ubisoft project, Disney's Senior VP of Interactive Experiences Sean Shoptaw confirmed that "EA has been and will continue to be a very strategic and important partner for us now and going forward. But we did feel like there's room for others."
Andrew Wilson addressed the changing situation in a call to investors yesterday, where the EA CEO was questioned as to how the loss of exclusivity has impacted the publisher's plans in regards to the future development of Star Wars video games.
"I don't think you should imagine that the fact that some other people will build some Star Wars games is going to change our commitment to that IP, or our ability to build the appropriate number of games," said Wilson. "We've had a long partnership with Disney, both before our exclusive period that gave us a great opportunity to really establish some very strong franchises like Battlefront, like Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes, like Jedi: Fallen Order - you should expect us to continue to invest in our Star Wars relationship. It's been very profitable to this point - over $3 billion in net bookings - and we're excited about what we'll be able to do in the future."
EA does indeed have several notable franchises already established within the digital Star Wars canon, many of which it would be foolish for the publisher to simply abandon. While EA would perhaps wish the world would forget the negative press surrounding the launch of 2017's Star Wars Battlefront II, recent releases such as Respawn Entertainment's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Motive's Star Wars Squadrons received almost unanimous praise from critics and fans.
It remains to be seen what steps EA will take with the Star Wars license going forward, (although a Fallen Order sequel seems to be a foregone conclusion), but perhaps the new competition provided by other studios, coupled with the franchise's ongoing financial success, will see the publisher maintain its recent track record of producing solid and engaging experiences set in a galaxy far, far away.
Valve loses controller patent lawsuit, to pay $4 million in damages
Last week, we reported on how Valve was facing a lawsuit over the design of its Steam Controller hardware, with manufacturer Ironburg Inventions, (acting on behalf of subsidiary SCUF Gaming), alleging that the discontinued gamepad infringed upon its patents. Yesterday, a jury voted unanimously in favor of Ironburg.
The patent in question concerned the implementation of rear triggers - located on the underside of the Steam Controller and operated by the player's middle fingers. This simple invention was patented back in 2011 by Simon Burgess and Ironburg CEO Duncan Ironmonger. While the design has been officially sub-licensed to brands such as Xbox, Ironburg stated that Valve had no such license and was therefore infringing upon its patent with the Steam Controller's design.
After the jury found in favor of Ironburg on all seven of its patent infringement claims, the court ordered Valve to pay damages to the amount of $4 million. Ironburg had been initially pushing for $11 million, reduced to $6 million (comparable to the Xbox sub-licensing contract). Importantly, however, the jury found Valve's patent infringement to be "willful," and as such, the District Judge could potentially raise the damage amount.
As an interesting aside, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the trial was conducted remotely via online calling tool Zoom, making it the first completely socially distanced jury trial in the United States.
$4 million verdict in first virtual patent jury trial [Law.com / Gamesindustry.biz]
Sony shipped a total of 4.5 million PS5 units in 2020
Sony Interactive Entertainment has released its financial earnings report for the quarter ending December 31, 2020. This particular report is an important one for the industry giant, as it gives the public its first look at the sales figures for the company's next-gen hardware, PlayStation 5.
As of the end of 2020, Sony has shipped 4.5 million PS5 units worldwide. This is a fantastic start for the new platform and one that has given the company confidence it will hit its forecast of 7.6 million units shipped by the end of March 2021, even with global stock shortages. It should be noted that Sony has sold each PS5 unit at a loss when compared to its manufacturing costs, though the deficit was boosted by huge software sales.
Meanwhile Sony's trusty black box, PlayStation 4, continues to enjoy a healthy lifecycle, having shifted an additional 1.4 million units during the final quarter of 2020, which brings the console's lifetime sales to a staggering 115 million units. While PS4 hardware sales have undeniably slowed in recent months, the now eight-year-old platform continues to rake in cash via steady software sales and PlayStation Plus subscription fees.
In regards to said paid subscription service, PlayStation Plus now boasts over 47.4 million subscribers, which is an increase of 8.6 million subscribers over the same period in 2019. Software continues to be the lion's share of SIE's revenue - more important than ever given the PS5's high manufacturing costs. 2020's third quarter saw PS4 and PS5 reach a combined total of 103.7 million software units sold, with the majority of revenue coming from digital full game sales and DLC, continuing the market's pivot from physical releases.
Overall, the figures represent a secure base for the PlayStation brand as it heads into a new year and a whole new generation of gaming. With impressive launch figures, millions of PlayStation Plus subscribers, catalogue of great-looking releases on deck, and even its last-gen hardware still bringing in the bucks, PlayStation looks set to continue its success well into the new decade.
Q3 FY2020 Consolidated Financial Results [Official]
Bloggers Wanted: Zelda turns 35
This is going to be the least surprising statement I've ever made on Destructoid, but I'm a huge fan of The Legend of Zelda. I have been ever since I was single digits, and over my few years here, I've written about my love and admiration for a few games in the series. I always remember where I was when I first beat Gannon -- which is how his name was spelled back on the NES -- sitting on my parents' bed playing on their tiny 13" bedroom television because that's the only place in the house they'd allow the console to be hooked up.
I have such great memories of nearly all the mainline games, and this month, they're all going to come creeping back into my mind as The Legend of Zelda celebrates its 35th anniversary on February 21. It's one of several games that will celebrate a milestone anniversary this year, and while I'm sure there are other franchises our community would love to gush about in 2021, for February, I want to see what our community has to say about Zelda.
Contest: Win a pair of EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid Earbuds
In today's contest you can win a pair of EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid In-ear Earbuds!
If you're sick of using the same crappy, wired pair of earbuds that came with the phone you bought nearly four years ago (I can't be the only one, right?) then today's contest is just for you! Our friends at EPOS are giving us a pair of their fancy new GTW 270 Hybrid Earbuds, compatible with pretty much every mobile device - phone or gaming - still on the market. I think you're gonna like these.
Definitely Not Fried Chicken is a PC sim game about running a drug empire
In the upcoming PC management sim Definitely Not Fried Chicken, you'll need to balance the day-to-day of running a genuine public-facing establishment while also growing a hidden drug empire on the side.
Pack your bags – we're heading to a "sunshine-soaked city in the glamorous '80s."
While developer Dope Games is leaning hard into fast-food iconography, you don't strictly have to run a restaurant – a nightclub or laundromat can also get the job done. And in terms of wheeling and dealing behind the scenes, your empire can revolve around weed, meth, coke, or "other goods." Take your pick.
According to the Steam blurb, Definitely Not Fried Chicken lets you build out and customize your dual businesses, upgrade equipment as you can afford it, and manage employee duties and morale.
As the devs put it: "Design and lay out your complete production line and establish distribution routes. Fortify your compound's defenses and make sure any 'overly-enthusiastic' customers can't break in. Research and develop better strains of narcotics like marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine."
This is a fantastic premise for the genre, one I think players will be into, but it always comes down to the nitty-gritty details. A management sim can't be judged in a day – it has to be fun upfront and stay fun.
Definitely Not Fried Chicken is releasing on Steam in 2021, and the creators say fans of Cartel Tycoon, Prison Architect, Two Point Hospital, and Planet Zoo will feel at home; that last one made me chuckle.
I'm curious to see how successful I can be as a good-natured drug lord with a heart of gold.
Apex Legends hits Nintendo Switch on March 9 with 'full feature parity'
While there had been rumblings about a February release for the Nintendo Switch edition of Apex Legends, the game is launching on March 9, according to Respawn. There's our confirmation!
The Switch version came together with "smart optimizations" from Panic Button (the studio behind the Switch ports of Doom, Wolfenstein II, and Warframe), and it should be the real deal. Expect "full feature parity" with all versions of Apex Legends, including cross-platform multiplayer – a must-have.
If you're wondering what it'll be like to roll in mid-season, you'll be able to start the Season 8 Battle Pass with 30 levels knocked out and everyone on Switch can earn double XP until March 23.
#NintendoSwitch players will earn double XP March 9-23, receive the first 30 levels and all associated rewards immediately with the purchase of the Season 8 Battle Pass.
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 2, 2021
It would've been nice for the Switch launch to go hand-in-hand with Season 8, but March isn't bad.
You can get a free PS4 theme while you check your 2020 PlayStation Wrap-Up
I can't say that 2020 is a year I'm eager to look back on, but when it comes to my game-playing habits, sure, I'll reflect. Sony has another year-in-review Wrap-Up for PlayStation fans to look through.
To participate, you'll need to have logged 10 hours last year and, in certain regions, including Europe and Australia, you will have needed the Additional Data toggled on in the PS4 system settings. All set?
Your personalized PlayStation stats will cover the number of games you played in 2020, your favorite genre, your hour count, your top day of the week for gaming, your trophy unlocks, and, if you actually got a PlayStation 5, some insight about your favorite PS5 game and total PS5 gameplay hours.
If you scroll to the bottom, you'll be able to claim a code for a PlayStation 2020 Wrap-Up dynamic PS4 theme – it's a minimalist gray theme with PlayStation shapes calmly floating across the background. Once you've redeemed it, you can download the Wrap-Up theme from the console's Settings menu.
Apparently, I spent the most time with Nioh 2 (141 hours), Fall Guys (81 hours), and Ghost of Tsushima (58 hours), with a total of 859 hours spent across everything on PS4, and 142 hours spent on PS5. It's also amusing to me to learn that Friday afternoons are my most game-packed day of the week. Huh.
Celebrate your gaming year with PlayStation Wrap-Up 2020 [PlayStation Blog]
Longplay of canceled GoldenEye 007 Xbox 360 port slips onto YouTube
In an undercover operation worthy of Bond himself, a full playthrough of the canceled Xbox 360 remaster of Rare's GoldenEye 007 has surreptitiously slipped onto YouTube, giving fans of the legendary N64 title perhaps their only opportunity to see the lost game in its entirety.
Originally planned for release on the XBLA service in 2008, Microsoft, Rare, and Nintendo somehow aligned the moon and the stars in order to get the remaster developed. However, the James Bond license serves many, many masters, resulting in endless issues that have plagued the franchise for decades. GoldenEye 007 for Xbox was no different and ultimately required too much plate-spinning in order to get the remaster into the hands of the players.
It amazes me what the Stardew Valley community can still come up with
When it comes to action games, I see things like Neo in The Matrix. But as soon as you tell me to start crafting an elaborate design in a builder: I freeze.
People like NetWarrior FM see it as a challenge. They rise to the occasion. That's how they were able to build a giant "Super Mario Bros. theme song" speedway in Stardew Valley. You've probably seen these sorts of things before, but regardless, it still amazes me. They even use the Mario costume for extra effect! It's 433 flute blocks in all. That's dedication.
Sumo Group acquires Polish indie studio PixelAnt
UK digital marketer Sumo Group has acquired indie developer PixelAnt, adding the Polish outfit to its family of ten-strong studios - although PixelAnt is Sumo's first acquisition from mainland Europe.
PixelAnt, based in Wroclaw, will retain the leadership of studio heads and industry veterans Pawal Rohleder and Adam Lasoń, who co-founded the company just last summer. Going forward, PixelAnt will now work exclusively with Sumo Digital on its upcoming releases.
"We're incredibly excited by the opportunities that being part of the Sumo family offers to PixelAnt," said Rohleder in a press statement. "Sumo has demonstrated a proven commitment to each of its studios to give them what they need to make incredible games and hire the best people. We have very ambitious plans in place, and we know that Sumo is going to support us every step of the way."
Sumo MD Gary Dunn also spoke of his pleasure at the new partnership. "In addition to adding supremely talented people to our family of studios in the form of Pawel, Adam, and their team, we now have our first base of operations in mainland Europe, allowing us to tap into Poland's phenomenal talent pool. As a full-service studio, PixelAnt will provide game development services to clients across the world, as well as own-IP opportunities, and will continue to work on Sumo projects."
In addition to PixelAnt, Sumo Group consists of studios The Chinese Room, Lab42, and Red Kite Games, as well as internal developers based out of Sheffield, Newcastle, Nottingham, Leamington, and Warrington in the United Kingdom and Pune in India.
Fall Guys' new level Snowball Survival is a bloodbath
Fall Guys pushed out its Season 3.5 update today with a chaotic Snowball Survival round, an on-screen Fall Feed to keep you up to date as the competition progresses, and 40 variations for the old stages.
New levels are a highlight whenever they pop up – well, assuming the Fall Guys community takes to them – and Snowball Survival looks like a potential favorite for team-haters. Players have to dodge boulder-sized snowballs on a cracked floor until the timer runs out. Every bean for themself!
To get a leg up before you run into this level in a live match, here's a clip from Reddit user ThinkFree:
New final from r/FallGuysGame
If you've held off with Season 3 until now, this mid-season content will be even sweeter.
Heck, I'm less interested in figuring out precisely what's been tweaked in the existing levels than I am just revisiting all of this stuff in general. I enjoyed what I've seen of Season 3 but I haven't kept up as much as I'd like. I'm considering this a gentle nudge in that direction. We'll see if I can find the time.
If nothing else, I gotta pop into the store for the Godzilla costume and try my hand at Snowball Survival.
iOS 14.5 will add support for PS5 DualSense and Xbox Series X controllers
Well la-de-dah, check out you, the rich kid with the next-gen console and the fancy iPhone. You're the equivalent of that one kid at school in the 1990s who had a Neo Geo. But if you can tear yourself away from your vinyl collection long enough, Scrooge McDuck, I have some news for you concerning your shiny new hardware.
Apple has released the beta version of iOS 14.5, adding support for the PS5's snazzy DualSense and the Xbox Series X's own slick controller. This will allow next-gen players the opportunity to enjoy their iPhone/iPad games with the latest handheld tech. It should be reiterated iOS 14.5 is currently only in beta, but full compatibility with both next-gen controllers will be cleanly implemented once the software launches in the near future.
In addition to the controller support, iOS 14.5 will also allow for emergency contact calling via Siri, dual-SIM 5G support, and the ability to unlock your Apple Watch - which you also own, Ted DiBiase - while wearing a mask. A mask probably made of solid gold.
iOS 14.5 will support PS5 Dual Sense and Xbox Series X controllers [The Verge]
Control is still stunning on PS5
Control left a mark on 2019: I still think about it.
It's hard to believe that it came out roughly a year and a half ago, but here we are, a console generation later, and we're still talking about Control. With the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S editions out today, that's not going to change.
Microsoft seeks EU approval on $7.5 billion ZeniMax purchase
Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the biggest stories in the gaming industry last year was Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media, which saw the former dole out a staggering $7.5 billion for the umbrella group and its subsidiary companies, including publisher Bethesda Softworks.
But despite the initial sale declaration made back in September 2020, Microsoft still has to settle several matters of red tape before the purchase can be completed, the latest of which sees Microsoft appealing to the European Union for its approval of the industry-shaking transaction.
The regulators of the EU must investigate Microsoft's purchase regarding matters of Antitrust - essentially checking to make sure that the purchase does not break any of the EU's laws designed to prevent the formation of monopolies. This is a standard stage of legality in mergers of this nature, and was also applied to Tencent's 2016 purchase of mobile developer King, as well as the 2008 merger that spawned the company we know today as Activision Blizzard.
Shortly after the purchase was announced, Microsoft officials were quick to note that the deal did not necessarily mean future Bethesda products would be Xbox exclusive, noting that game platforms would be decided on a "case-by-case" basis. In fact, out of the gate, Sony will retain its PlayStation exclusivity deal on Bethesda's Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo.
The EU has until March 5 to complete its investigations and come to a decision, but it remains likely that the commission will offer Microsoft its approval of the ZeniMax purchase, which will then enter its completion stages later in 2021.
PSA: Grab some free packs in Magic: Arena now with the code 'PLAYKALDHEIM'
The viking-themed Kaldheim set is out now in Magic: Arena, and people seem to be taking to it.
A few new archetypes have already sprung up to combat the popular Dimir Rogues theme, and I love seeing all new lovely card art. But before you dive in, you probably want to grab some free packs. Just like in the past, you can enter a code in the storefront to get free stuff. Right at the top, enter the code "PLAYKALDHEIM" without the quotes and you're good to go with three packs.
So how is Kaldheim going in general? Goldspan Dragon is a really fun and interactive card that I'm seeing a lot more of now, as well as new hotness like Magda, Brazen Outlaw. As usual, new cards from previous packs are also now seeing more life in the competitive circuit.
As a reminder, you can check what sets are in standard here: it's quite a bit until later this year! Next up is Strixhaven: School of Mages in the spring, followed by the D&D set in July, then Innistrad (which is two sets) in September and November respectively.
February's PlayStation Plus games strike a nice balance between PS4 and PS5
The PlayStation Plus lineup for February 2021 is one of my favorites in recent memory – a mix of new, familiar, and overlooked. These are the games you'll be able to claim starting Tuesday, February 2:
- Concrete Genie (PS4)
- Control: Ultimate Edition (PS4 and PS5)
- Destruction AllStars (PS5 only)
I think it's fair to say that Concrete Genie flew under the radar for a lot of people in 2019, and to me, those are the kinds of games I want to see included with PlayStation Plus. It's a magic-paint-brush adventure that Chris called "Pixar-esque" in his review. Bonus points for the PlayStation VR side modes.
Control: Ultimate Edition has been through the wringer over its new-console-generation upgrade path for existing players, but it's a great Remedy game, and as a PS Plus freebie, I definitely want to revisit it for the 60 FPS Performance Mode (and to play the two expansions I never got around to trying on PC).
As for Destruction AllStars – who knows! Could be good, could be bad, but it's probably fine as a hero-based car combat game. The main question is: will people be into it? And for how long? I genuinely don't know. Sony released a State of Play overview that's a comprehensive look at gameplay.
Another heads-up: Destruction AllStars will be free-to-claim until April 5, 2021. Go ahead and claim it for your future library even if you don't have a PS5 in-hand yet. Just hop over to the web store or app.
Resident Evil x The Division 2 crossover is now live
Today sees the start of a surprising crossover between two popular franchises, as Capcom's Resident Evil tips its decayed hat to Ubisoft's team-shooter The Division 2. Strange bedfellows indeed... and this isn't even the weirdest Division crossover you'll read about this week...
Can't go to Japan's Super Nintendo World park? Explore it in Minecraft
We've been learning a lot about Super Nintendo World, the newest addition to Universal Japan, lately! The opening might be delayed even further past February 4, but we still basically know everything about it.
So basically no one, outside of a select few industry insiders and theme park journalists, have gone in. Well, you can fix that, digitally! Over on Planet Minecraft, intrepid designer Dippy22 is hard at work crafting up a 1:1 replica of the park.
Here's a quick rundown of the project: "If you may recall, I created a fan adaption of the land last year based on some early concept art. Now, as more footage and promotions begin to release, I am finally able to recreate the entire land faithfully on a 1:1 scale. I've just started this new undertaking and any experienced help would be welcomed."
They need help people! You can check out the call for action on the aforementioned Planet Minecraft page, where they link the appropriate Discord.
Super Nintendo World Japan | 1:1 Recreation [Planet Minecraft] Thanks Tom!
Cris Tales resets the clock with July release date
Modus Games has announced an approximate release window for its delayed but charming looking adventure Cris Tales. The time-hopping RPG, which did not meet its initial November 2020 release date, will now arrive in July on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Stadia.
A new overview trailer gives us a fresh look at Dreams Uncorporated and SYCK's magical world of spirit and adventure, as young time mage Crisbell and her newly met companions journey through the kingdom of Crystallis. This party is on a seemingly insurmountable quest to stop the nefarious Empress of the Ages, who is using her mastery of time itself to wreak chrono-based havoc on the kingdom.
Described by Modus as a "gorgeous, indie love letter to classic JRPGs," Cris Tales features vibrant hand-drawn art and a plethora of characters and locations inspired by Colombian architecture and culture. When last year's demo received a fairly lukewarm reception, Modus' candidly stated that a delay would be put in place to allow for further polishing. I'm looking forward to exploring Cris Tales' world and meeting its characters, so here's hoping that said delay will allow this intriguing new adventure to shine in all its splendor.
Here are the digital rewards for this year's BlizzConline
BlizzCon's chance for a physical meetup (safely) came and went, but now it's time for the publisher to shine...digitally, in February. As previously announced, it's going to be free to watch.
But before that happens, you can get in on the festivities with goodies for World of Warcraft, Heroes of the Storm, Overwatch, StarCraft, Hearthstone, and Diablo. It's the usual smorgasbord and smattering of stuff: pets/mounts, player icons, and loot boxes: that sort of stuff.
What about that Heroes bonus, though? On the most recent episode of the podcast Into the Nexus, the duo speculated that we might not get anything from the Heroes of the Storm team at BlizzConline: but now you're saying there's a chance?
With the addition of the OSV-03 Rogue mount as well as the Tracer hero bonus, it seems like Heroes is still sticking around for the BlizzConline festivities in some form. We know, the game is alive and well, and is still getting updates and new heroes. I think it is telling, however, that the premium packs only contain items for World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and Diablo III.
You can find the full list and breakdown of all the packs below!
Celebration Collection [Battle.net]
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition launches May 14, features extensive technical improvements
Electronic Arts and developer BioWare have announced that remaster trilogy Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will launch on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, (via Steam and Origin), on May 14. A brand new trailer has been released to help get fans' warp engines in overdrive.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will remaster BioWare's fantastic space opera, which took players on a wild and emotional ride on PS3, PC, and Xbox 360 between 2007-2012. These three sci-fi epics tell the story of Commander Shepard and their party of beloved, rogueish, and memorable allies, thrown together in a battle for the very fate of the galaxy, held at the mercy of a generational doomsday race known as "The Reapers."
