There's only so much WCW: Backstage Assault the human body can withstand!
The Nintendo 64 and original PlayStation basically lived their lives during the "Attitude" or "Monday Night Wars" era of wrestling. If you're unfamiliar, it was this incredibly tacky time where cartoonish machismo was replaced with edginess and sexuality. I'm not much of a wrestling fan, but when I do watch oiled up muscle men hug each other in their underwear, I prefer the Golden Age of the '80s where superheroes won out against unambiguously evil athletes using the power of believing in themselves. And steroids.
I don't know. A lot of people really loved that era and think of it as a big part of their development, but I didn't get into pro wrestling until, well, a few years ago when I started collecting the games on N64. I'm definitely not the best person to talk about pro wrestling, but watch me try anyway.
More than a dozen pro wrestling titles hit the N64 library if you count Japanese-only releases like Virtual Pro Wrestling 64 and its follow-up. A few of them, especially the ones created by AKI Corporation, still hold up today. The PlayStation would see its own success in its latter days with WWF Smackdown! and its sequel. This is not one of those games.
It's weird to think how Monster Hunter low key became Capcom's top franchise in an instant.
While Street Fighter and Resident Evil still reign supreme overall, with multiple entries dotting the top 10 list, Monster Hunter is the absolute king with over 16 million units of Monster Hunter World sold.
Why would Capcom stop now?
Hit the courts with your fists and slam a dunk on the top net with Nekketsu Street Basket
River City Ransom was an important game in the development of my retro appreciation. My early attempts at familiarizing myself with the NES included such titles as Kid Icarus, Friday the 13th, and -- I swear this is true -- Total Recall. It left me with the impression that I just didn't like NES-era video games. River City Ransom and Punch-Out!! corrected that perspective and led me down the path of having difficulty conversing with normal people.
It would also lead me to explore the Kunio-Kun series. See, in Japan, River City Ransom was part of this staggeringly large series of games that had the absolute most inconsistent and complicated naming scheme imaginable. Alternating between Kunio-Kun, Nekketsu, Downtown, and even Dodgeball Club, their monikers were typically long and all over the place, but the titles were unified with a cartoonish appreciation for violence and a memorably weird art style.
We got a few over here in the West, such as Super Dodge Ball and Crash 'N' the Boys, but the majority stayed in their home country. The unfortunate truth is that the best games in the series never landed on the NES. Let us introduce you to one of them.
Review: Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town
Reviewing Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town has been an interesting couple of weeks, to say the least. When I first got my review code, I was told there would be a day-one patch that would aim to alleviate many of the issues that have plagued the title since its initial release in Japan. While those who buy it on day one will get all of the updates at once, I've been playing through it as it's been slowly fixed in a piecemeal fashion.
It's real shame the developers have had to spend the past month scrambling to fix the game because it's is supposed to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series. And generally, when you're celebrating a milestone year, you don't want a public apology to be part of the festivities.
Resident Evil at 25: Which is your favorite entry in the storied series?
Cblogs of 3/20 to 3/26/2021
-Kerrik52 reflects on the nature and application of crafting systems in video games.
-Eggs&BrewsterJr compares the Lord of the Rings games: Shadow of Mordor and Lego Lord of the Rings.
-RedHeadPeak asks which games were your greatest disappointments, his was Spore.
-Lord Spencer reviews Saga Frontier as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.
-Moths discusses Wolfenstein II's story and gameplay in this blog.
-Eggs&BrewsterJr shares a list of five games that could use an HD facelift.
-Sam van der Meer shares his thoughts on Super Mario Sunshine.
-ChronoLynxx opens last week's TGIF open community forum.
Watch out for Giant Enemy Crabs in Arcade Archives' Swimmer
If you need cooling off after last week's visit to the Mean Streets, then you'll be happy to here that Hamster is dialing down the intensity a notch with this week's Arcade Archives release, which sees Tehkan's 1982 release Swimmer make its return on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.
It will come as no surprise to anybody that Swimmer, given its age, is an incredibly simplistic title, which sees a dude (in what appears to be a grass skirt) breast-strokin' upstream - dodging logs, turtles, and other obstacles while gathering fruit, because its the early '80s and gathering fruit in video games is practically a law. After making his way past enough hazards and wildlife - including a crazy, bug-eyed, giant crab - our hero makes it to the shore of a treasure island, and we're done.
Swimmer is available to download now on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, priced at around $8. Today the game is obviously showing its age, but is a rare curio for retro game fans - if they can stomach the hefty price-tag. Check out the action in the video below courtesy of YouTuber RetroGamingLoft.
What's your favorite Monster Hunter Rise weapon?
Now that y'all have had a little Monster Hunter Rise under your belt, it's time!
Time to share!
What makes Kentucky Route Zero a classic?
Spoiler warning for the entirety of Kentucky Route Zero. If you haven't played yet, or don't want anything in the game spoiled for you, turn back now.
Kentucky Route Zero is one of those games where I spent a lot of my first playthrough feeling disoriented. I couldn't fully decipher my feelings until after I talked through the experience with my roommate. The first thing that struck me from our conversation was, due to the game's somewhat chaotic presentation of plot, character, and theme, we had very different readings of it. I come from a literary background, whereas she opted to study theater instead. When we started talking about how the game presents dialogue, which is very reminiscent of a script, its design prompted a discussion that made us realize we fundamentally disagreed on the definition of what makes a "play" a "play."
For me, that type of conversation is standard procedure when I play a game I really love -- I dive into YouTube looking for interviews with the creators; I scour the internet for blog posts and Reddit forums to see what other players got out of it; I play the soundtrack on a loop, just to remember the emotional beats that were so well crafted they brought me to tears.
While this research usually helps me gain a more complete, holistic understanding of a game I enjoy, any further exploration into the world of Kentucky Route Zero only complicated things. The more I tried to find others whose experiences playing the game were similar to my own, the more I seemed to come across players who had different readings entirely, like the Eggplant Podcast's conversations about the game's nods to architecture and the caving movement of the '70s and '80s.
In my initial confusion, I was searching for the one thing Kentucky Route Zero was trying to tell me. The reason I was having so much trouble though, was because the game is not using one character with one story to make one point, but instead presents us with dozens of characters with dozens of stories and no one correct way to think about any of them.
Blaster Master Zero III will come riding onto Xbox One in July
At the start of March, we received wicked news that Blaster Master Zero III was currently in development, and getting set to bring its interstellar action to PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Publisher Inti Creates has now confirmed that this climactic chapter will also release on Xbox One alongside its aforementioned brethren on July 29.
This third and final entry in the resurrected retro franchise will see protagonist Jason get behind the wheel of the G-SOPHIASV battle tank one last time, going all-out in a do-or-die mission to save the life of his dear friend Eve. The new title will see the action return to the planet Sophia, as well as spanning several galaxies and dimensions. It sounds like an epic, and a great way to cap off a very enjoyable trilogy.
In Japan, Inti Creates will also release the Blaster Master Zero Trilogy: MetaFight Chronicle, which will include all three titles in the series, alongside their respective DLC. In addition, MetaFight Chronicle will feature newly recorded dialogue for the first two titles in the series. Unfortunately, there has yet to be any confirmation that this compilation will be headed west at any point.
Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid?
This week has been all about The Tired. Tiredness in body, brain, and soul. It doesn't seem to matter whether I sleep 12 hours or two hours, everything has just felt slow and heavy. Like I'm a big ol' sack of spuds. I think a lot of us might be feeling this way at the moment, as pandemic fatigue sets in and we realize how long we've gone without socializing. But this too, will pass, and we'll all be back outside arguing about Star Wars or making ice sculptures or whatever you kids do these days. So stay rested and stay strong. You've got this.
Like any brain-drained maniac, I decided the best option would not be to spend my evenings resting or playing something restful and soothing, but to double down on the ultra stressful world of fighting games. Inspired by the arrival of the awesome Lidia Sobieska, I hopped back into Tekken 7 to bust a few nose bridges. From there I took a side-step into Street Fighter V, to rock a few rounds in Juri's new clobber. I ended the week returning to Mortal Kombat 11, but the toxicity of the online community remains too infuriating. I know we're there to fight but, frankly, you don't have to be an asshole about it.
But that's enough from me, let's pass the mic to you. Before you get settled into what I hope will be a happy, restful, and enjoyable weekend, jump into the comments below and fill us in on the video games that have been keeping you awake and alert during these strangely blurring times. It doesn't matter what you're playing, it's all welcome, so be sure to share your current gaming trends with us.
Have a safe and pleasant weekend, from all of us at Destructoid.
Giveaway: Hellpoint (Nintendo Switch)
Come one, and come all (heh) to another lovely giveaway! Today we have five copies of Hellpoint on Switch to give to you lucky folks (courtesy of the fine folks at tinyBuild). Released last year on PC, and back in February for Switch, this souls-like sci-fi/horror game is pretty cool in my opinion. It's had some good word of mouth, and if you also game on PC, you can take the stand-alone story for a test drive for free on Steam. No Steam? Let's go to the official blurb for an info dump:
Puzzle Quest 3, currently in early access, shows promise
Puzzle Quest is back! After a lengthy hiatus, studio Infinity Plus Two is taking up the mantle from Infinite Interactive, with 505 Games taking over publishing duties from D3 Publisher. You'd be right to be skeptical.
And while the free-to-play angle could get out of hand, so far, it seems worth a download, at least.
Lost '90s arcade game Clockwork Aquario will finally release very soon
Last summer, we reported on the strange-but-true news that Clockwork Aquario, an unreleased arcade platformer from the 1990s, would finally see release, some 30 years after the title's cancellation. And it seems that the party's about to start, as ININ Games has announced a launch window of Q2 2021 on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.
Clockwork Aquario was initially designed by Wonder Boy developer Westone Bit Entertainment, with the very ambitious platforming project scheduled to launch in 1992. Ironically, by the time said year rolled around, it was decided that the vibrant visuals and gameplay were outdated for the now fighter-heavy arcade scene, and Clockwork Aquario was shelved indefinitely, a sliver away from completion.
Monster Hunter Rise PSA: Don't forget to upgrade your buddies and check their skills
There's a lot of moving parts to Monster Hunter Rise. If you don't stop to look around once in a while, they'll pass you by!
Here's one thing that I didn't notice until much later into my playthrough.
The Bloodborne PS1 demake is shaping up nicely
Bloodborne's sixth anniversary is the perfect time to check in on Lilith Walther and Corwyn Prichard's promising Bloodborne PS1 demake that's in ongoing development. The mood is just right.
I don't know how I haven't brought this project to the site before – many of you have checked it out at one stage or another – but the game sure has come together since the last time I saw it in a hastily-read-in-line-at-the-grocery-store tweet. For everyone else, this footage is a great starting point.
Apart from the screeching Cleric Beast fight at the top of this article, there's also a longer Central Yharnam video to show off exploration. I can't believe I let a low-poly carrion crow startle me like this.
You can also catch this bonus clip if you want to see the good hunter melt the boss with the Flamesprayer. Most everything is still a work-in-progress, and with that in mind, I'm impressed. "There is still work to be done on the fight (it's pretty buggy), but it's all uphill from here," noted Walther.
The project is moving along, for sure. It's one thing to reinterpret a modern-day marvel through an old-school lens, but making sure it's actually enjoyable to play – or even playable, period – is a tricky task.
I look forward to playing this well past midnight in the hopefully not-too-distant future.
Someone brought a skin-crawling Junji Ito story into Animal Crossing: New Horizons using standees
Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Junji Ito together in one place? It's mad enough to work!
Players have wasted no time making the most of the newly-added Custom Design Pro Editor+ tool. For some creators, it's a chance to bring cats into the game with perfectly-laid-out custom umbrella patterns. For others, the upgraded tool is a way to unleash unspeakable horrors upon their islanders.
Gyo is far from my favorite Junji Ito tale, but I'll always appreciate it for its creepy-as-all-hell bonus story, The Enigma of Amigara Fault. That name may not ring a bell, but you might've come across a disturbing image or two cherry-picked for a comments section – it's the one about freaky human-body-sized holes in a mountain and the people who, against all reason, are compelled to snugly enter them.
Someone had the inspired idea to do this with the basic face-cutout standee template:
If you get it, you get it. You know how cursed this otherwise innocuous-looking creation is.
This is prime "Animal Crossing is actually messed up when you think about it!" fodder.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons creators are persistently creative in ways I'll never be, and this is my daily reminder. They know how to breathe new life into the game while we all wait for content updates.
noplaicelikehome [Tumblr]
Xbox announces over 20 indies coming to Game Pass day one
The Xbox Game Pass library has been great for accumulating access to a lot of games I need to get around to playing, and it's adding even more to the list.
At today's Twitch Gaming and ID@Xbox showcase, over 20 games were confirmed for Game Pass at launch. This means they'll launch day one on the service, so if you're eagerly awaiting a bunch of these, that's an easy way to nab them all in one fell swoop.
It's an eclectic group of indie games too, ranging from newly announced games from the showcase like Astria Ascending, while others are previously announced indies like Sable or S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.
Check out the full list below, as well as which platforms they're coming to Game Pass on:
- Art of the Rally (Console, Cloud)
- Astria Ascending (Console, Cloud)
- Backbone (Console, Cloud)
- Boyfriend Dungeon (Console, PC)
- Craftopia (Console, PC)
- Dead Static Drive (Console, PC)
- Edge of Eternity (Console, Cloud)
- Hello Neighbor 2 (Console, Cloud)
- Library of Ruina (Console, Cloud)
- Little Witch in the Woods (Console, Cloud)
- Moonglow Bay (Console, Cloud)
- Narita Boy (Console, Cloud)
- Nobody Saves the World (Console, Cloud)
- Omno (Console, Cloud)
- Recompile (PC, Console, Cloud)
- Sable (PC, Console)
- She Dreams Elsewhere (PC, Console)
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 (Console, Cloud)
- The Ascent (Console, Cloud, PC)
- Undungeon (Console, Cloud, PC)
- Way to the Woods (Console, Cloud)
- Wild at Heart (Console)
Looks like if you're using Game Pass, you've got some indies coming your way. Be sure to check out our preview of Drinkbox's upcoming game Nobody Saves the World for a glimpse of one of them.
Here's everything Microsoft announced at the ID@Xbox showcase
Microsoft just finished its "first ever" ID@Xbox showcase stream, and there's a lot to unpack.
As a recap, ID@Xbox kicked off in 2013, as a way for Microsoft to push indies forward specifically within their ecosystem. The publisher typically uses this branding for in house purposes, but over the years they've started to push it more toward a customer facing side, culminating in this stream; which brings the brand front and center.
But more importantly, a bunch of games were announced and reconfirmed. Like most "Summer of Gaming"-esque streams, there's a bunch of retreading here and some still-unconfirmed-nebulous-dates for stuff we knew about. But there's also a few new things, like the Zelda-esque Nobody Saves the World from Drinkbox, and Death's Door, a fantasy action game set in a world of mysterious death-decreeing crows.
We also have assurances that Twelve Minutes, previously known as "12 Minutes," still exists. That's good! As is the news that a ton of stuff is coming to Game Pass.
It was a lengthy stream, but it allowed a bunch of indie developers to get some much-needed airtime, and there's a bunch of cool things on the horizon. Mission accomplished.
Rust is coming to consoles this May
Rust has been a pretty popular entrant in the survival game genre, and in a few weeks, console players will be able to get in on the action.
Revealed during today's ID@Xbox showcase, survival game Rust Console Edition is coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on May 21, 2021. In a press release, publisher/developer Double Eleven describes the console version of Rust as a "separate experience from its PC counterpart," specifically optimized for console players.
"Our Console Editions of Rust are certainly Rust as people know it, but under the hood - where we've spent the last few years - we've created an exceptional Rust experience designed for consoles and their players," said Double Eleven COO Mark South.
Rust has players start out with nothing, waking up alone on an island, and leaves it to you to survive, possibly thrive, in the harsh and uncaring wild. Does this lead to a lot of running around naked and scared with a rock? Yeah, definitely, but there's some fun to be had in that as much as surviving.
Eventually you can craft objects, escalating from torches to actual assault rifles. The console edition has looked pretty good when we've seen it in the past, and in a few weeks' time, you'll be able to test your own mettle in the wilderness of Rust.
DrinkBox's new game, Nobody Saves the World, has flashes of Zelda meets Hades
Even since Tales from Space: About a Blob, DrinkBox Studios was one to watch for me.
But it was in 2013, when Guacamelee hit, that they kind of became a "must watch" developer. You know the feeling, like when Thatgamecompany released Journey, or Supergiant gave us Bastion.
We sat down with a few people from DrinkBox recently, and embarked upon a hands-on preview adventure with Nobody Saves the World, their newest game. Oh yeah, that's a thing!
Want to immediately get better at Monster Hunter Rise? Actually use the training room
Monster Hunter Rise lets you access 14 different weapon types at once. At the start.
Wait what?! It can be a lot to take in at first, but just pick one, stick with it, and head to the training room right away.
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! is way too much of a chore
Given the franchise's origins, it's surprising it took Activision Blizzard this long to make something like Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! I know the PlayStation original wasn't an auto-runner like this is, but seeing as mobile platformers like Sonic Dash and Spider-Man Unlimited copied its rear-view perspective to great financial success, I'm just a bit shocked it didn't get King working on this back in 2016 right after it bought out the mobile developer. Because had it released this in 2017 or 2018, it might not feel as dated as it does in 2021.
That's not to say there is no fun to be had with On the Run! I will admit I've enjoyed a few of its more difficult modes. Sadly, said modes make up a minuscule portion of a game that has a shocking amount of busywork.
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! doesn't have a standard energy meter like similar games in the genre. Rather, it employs a crafting system to keep you waiting or paying to speed things up. To advance the actual narrative of the game and stop Doctor Neo Cortex, you need to unlock courses using items you craft in the hub world's labs. The ingredients for those items are found on different endless-runner stages that you can repeatedly play, scooping up whatever collectibles you run into. Just don't run them for too long, as those ingredients need time to refill after you grab them.
Once you have those ingredients, it's time to start waiting. Each craftable item has a timer attached to it. Those timers start at just a minute, but late-stage items can take six or more hours to craft. And yes, you will have to craft items to use as ingredients when crafting other times. Now, you can speed up the process by spending purple crystals that you earn or purchase, but there is no way in hell I would ever recommend doing that. Especially not for a game this decidedly average.
Literal G.O.A.T. Shanty now available in Them's Fightin' Herds
It's been more than few grazes since we last heard from Them's Fightin' Herds, but fans of equine smack-fest will be pleased to hear that developer Mane6 has finally released new DLC character Shanty, with the adorable hellraiser ready to hoof it up this week.
As previously reported, Shanty is a seafaring goat who makes up for her short stature with an almighty fiery attitude. Our bleatin' beater uses her lightweight nature to its fullest, with a masterful array of dash attacks, a combo-starting air throw, and, best of all, a selection of "off-the-wall" attacks, instantly recalling those cute viral videos where baby goats frantically spin-kick off of logs, ramps, and each other.
Moonglow Bay looks like a pretty chill fishing RPG
Who hasn't wanted to escape the hustle and bustle of city life? Games like Stardew Valley offer a rural farming respite, but upcoming indie game Moonglow Bay heads for a different place: the sea.
Revealed during today's ID@Xbox stream, Moonglow Bay is a slice-of-life fishing RPG that mixes quiet town life with sailing and fishing. Set in the town of Moonglow Bay on the Eastern Canadian coastline in the 1980s, you take up fulfilling the final wish of your partner to help keep the business afloat as the town faces bankruptcy.
Setting out to sea, you learn how to cast nets and catch fish, document the different species you find, and then bring them home to cook and sell. Make money, upgrade the boat, and gradually uncover the secrets of the "Mythical Monsters of Moonglow."
Yes, it would not be a quaint, quiet town without its fair share of superstition, and the locals are wary of the sea and the rumored monsters that lurk beneath the waves. Whether this culminates in some magical clash with sea-monsters of legend or not, Moonglow Bay looks very chill. There's also drop-in, drop-out co-op, in case you want to fish with a friend.
I enjoy a good farming life sim, but I'm pretty excited to see what a fishing life sim can be. Moonglow Bay will launch on PC and Xbox consoles in 2021, and it'll also be coming to Xbox Game Pass.
As I've talked about this week, El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is a game that deserves to be remembered.
So we did just that, directly with the game's director, and frankly, father and steward, Sawaki Takeyasu. Let's dig in and see what the future might hold, and why it took so long to get a PC port.
The first thing you'll want to do in Monster Hunter Rise? Turn on gyro aiming, turn off auto-sheathe
Monster Hunter Rise is out today, and it's going to be a doozy of a game to pick up for brand new players.
Of which there will be many! Because there's basically 80 million Switch units out there and a lot of prospective Monster Hunter folks who are buying in for the first time. Here's a few quick tips to help you along your way.
9AM Eastern today. That was when the Sanrio Animal Crossing: New Horizons amiibo cards were supposed to go live for "in-store pickup" ordering at Target. You can guess what happened next.
Like most things amiibo related, the site broke immediately. I was there! The "in-store pickup" only proviso was bizarre enough, but I tried, regardless, to grab a pack for our own CJ Andriessen, to no avail. I had the pack in my cart at 9:00AM on the dot when the switch was flipped, and was greeted with a "you can't checkout because one or more of your items are currently unavailable at the selected store or delivery method. Try other stores or delivery method."
Welp!
Here's what Magic: Arena looks like on iOS compared to PC
Magic: The Gathering Arena has finally made its way to iOS.
It took Wizards of the Coast, what some refer to as a "small indie company," nearly two years to move the game off of the exclusivity of the PC/Mac platform and onto mobile devices.
How did it turn out? Mostly positive, if you have a newer device.
Call of Duty will reportedly return to World War II this year
According to a new report from Eurogamer, Activision's gabazillion-dollar franchise Call of Duty will, once again, return to World War II for this year's release.
In initial rumors printed by community site Modern Warzone, developer Sledgehammer Games will revisit the grim and miserable conflict for the latest entry in the CoD franchise. The new title is reportedly codenamed "Call of Duty WW2: Vanguard" and is expected to launch later in 2021.
Eurogamer - which has a track record for annually nailing Call of Duty leaks - has confirmed all of the above information, although it does argue Modern Warzone's tip that the new title will be set in "an alternative WWII." Vanguard is expected to take place in a typical and more realistic setting - or at least as "realistic" as Call of Duty gets, given that Sledgehammer's 2017 release Call of Duty: WWII had a hell of a lot of car chases in it.
The most intriguing factor in all of this will be seeing how Vanguard integrates itself with Call of Duty's sister title, Warzone. While the latter release has been implements elements from both 2019's Modern Warfare and 2020's Black Ops Cold War, these are, at the very least, both relatively contemporary games. Quite how this will blend in with WWII-themed weapons, skins, and vehicles remains to be seen, but will certainly make for some strange sights on the island of Verdansk.
Here's how Monster Hunter Rise's amiibo functionality works
Monster Hunter Rise has amiibo functionality at large; beyond the scope of the three official Rise figures we already know about.
Here's how it works! It's pretty simple.
Sexiest game ever Hades swipes five BAFTA Games Awards
Last night saw the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) hold its annual BAFTA Games Awards, which saw a cavalcade of excellent releases from 2020 line up in hopes of receiving recognition from Britain's premier arts & media academy.
And when the curtain finally fell on the evening's festivities, Supergiant Games' Hades emerged with the heaviest trophy bag, having scooped a total of five awards in numerous categories. The fantasy dungeon-crawler took home the gongs for Artistic Achievement, Game Design, and Narrative, with actor Logan Cunningham bagging the Supporting Role award for his work voicing numerous underworld characters. Hades rounded out the night winning the coveted Best Game award - a string of deserved accolades for a brilliant release.
Despite having been nominated in a whopping 13 categories, Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II only succeeded in taking home three awards: Best Animation, the public-voted EE Game of the Year, and actor Laura Bailey winning Leading Role for her excellent portrayal of dual protagonist/antagonist Abby Anderson. Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizons bagged Best Multiplayer and "Game Beyond Entertainment". Flying the flag for the little guys, Phobia Entertainment won Best Debut for their gooey body-horror title, Carrion.
Congratulations to all of the winners and the nominees. There was much to dislike about 2020 but, at the very least, it cannot be denied that our favorite pastime absolutely knocked it out of the park with hit, after hit, after hit. Check out the full list of winners below.
Balan Wonderworld update will remove potential epilepsy trigger
Square Enix is rolling out a day-one update for Balan Wonderworld to remove a climactic sequence which features flashing imagery that has been deemed an epilepsy trigger.
During Balan Wonderworld's final boss encounter, a transition between attack sequences can trigger a rapid flash/strobing effect, which sees momentary frames of bright white fill the entire screen. Further investigation by players found that not all copies of Balan Wonderworld featured this effect, however, denoting the potentially harmful sequence as a bug, rather than an intentional design choice.
Square Enix has responded to players' rightful concerns, confirming the bug and noting that the title's day one patch will remove the flashing effect from the final release.
"Please ensure that you install the Day One Patch before playing Balan Wonderworld," Square Enix said in a press statement. "We have received reports of a photo-sensitive epilepsy risk from a potential flashing bug if playing the game un-patched. The Day One Patch prevents this issue as well as enhances the overall play experience."
Of course, there are already copies of Balan Wonderworld in the hands of reviewers, influencers, and other pre-release players, so Square really should've stepped up and removed the harmful bug as soon as the problem was noted. Regardless, if you are picking up Yuji Naka's new adventure today, be sure to apply the launch update before you commence playing.
Melty Blood: Type Lumina is coming to PS4, Xbox One, and Switch in 2021
In a wonderful piece of news for 2D fight-fans, developer French-Bread has officially announced a brand new entry in its cult anime fighting game series Melty Blood. Launching later in 2021 for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, Melty Blood: Type Lumina will see new and returning characters square up for magical melee action.
The new sequel, the first major release since 2011's Melty Blood Actress Again Current Code, will retain the typical 2D one-on-one fighting action that is the series' trademark, but will be built upon an entirely new engine for the franchise's HD visual debut. Players will be able to choose from one of 10 initial characters - including new battlers taken from the upcoming visual novel Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon, which launches in August. The smaller overall roster reflects the new game's distinctly adaptive nature, focusing purely on the upcoming VN's narrative and cast.
PlayStation is giving out 10 fantastic PS4 games for Play at Home 2021
[Update: You wanted a reminder for the Play At Home free PS4 games, and you got it.]
We had heard that more free-to-keep PS4 games were coming soon from Sony after the Ratchet & Clank giveaway (which you can still claim today!), but I can't say I was expecting 10 more titles to show up for the Play at Home promo. It's not just about quantity, either – these are all quality releases.
You'll be able to grab nine games from March 25 at 8:00 p.m. Pacific until April 22 at 8:00 p.m.
- Abzu
- Enter the Gungeon
- Rez Infinite (PlayStation VR optional)
- Subnautica
- The Witness
- Astro Bot Rescue Mission (PlayStation VR)
- Moss (PlayStation VR)
- Thumper (PlayStation VR optional)
- Paper Beast (PlayStation VR)
Sony is also kicking in one of its own: Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition. You can add the robo-dino-hunting adventure to your PS4 library for free from April 19 at 8:00 p.m. Pacific until May 14.
Unlike the usual monthly "free games," you do not need PlayStation Plus for any of these.
Play at Home 2021 also has an "extended" 90-day trial for Funimation/Wakanim. If you're a new member and you want to go on an anime binge to end all binges, you have from March 25 to April 22 to take them up on the offer. I'll leave recommendations to the readers – they know what's good.
To give you a little bit more context on how much I like the games on this list, I own everything here except for Paper Beast – and the only reason it's on my yet-to-play list is that I've been on a VR break lately. Subnautica is one of my all-time favorites, Astro Bot is PSVR at its best, and Horizon Zero Dawn is a crowd-pleaser. I'm envious of anyone about to carve through these games for the first time.
Contest: Win Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons on Switch from Super Rare Games
In today's contest you can win a physical Switch copy of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, courtesy of Super Rare Games!
I have two sisters, so I don't think I'm at all capable of relating to this game. Sad! I always wanted a brother, but you know, a little brother who was kind of a wuss so I could beat him up and stuff. And now that we're older I'd still give him a noogie and download Grindr to his phone while he wasn't looking so his wife would think he was cheating and divorce him and wow that got dark really quickly.
Um, anyway, Super Rare Games just put out their limited physical release of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons on Switch! Win a copy and tell me what it's like to have a male sibling.
Dorfromantik, a peaceful city-builder, is out now on PC
No combat, tricky trade routes, overwhelming user-interface, or need to skim a wiki rundown – the peaceful city-builder Dorfromantik is just a chill game "to unwind with during turbulent times."
There's so much beauty in its simplicity, and while it's not finished yet, I can already see the appeal in jumping in with the Early Access version that launched today on Steam and GOG. The game's low price point – $8.49 if you show up by April 1 for a launch-window discount – certainly helps too.
The gist is that you'll build landscapes one tile at a time, lining each piece up as you see fit to create a cozy tabletop-esque world. I like that tiles are drawn from a stack in Dorfromantik – it's a nice balance in that it gives players the freedom to create while still having some structure to push back a bit.
Titles can have associated "quests" that encourage you to design the land in a certain way (say, a deer who might want to be near "a forest with at least 50 trees"). It pays to take your time while rotating and placing tiles to find them an ideal home. Quests award fresh tiles, and if your stack runs out, that's it.
Leaning into a "mid-late 2021" final release, the four-person team at Toukana Interactive says the "core mechanics of Dorfromantik are complete for us and we would now like to build on them with more complexity and variety. Next to a creative mode, we envision more biomes, more unlockable tiles (some with special behavior), more options to collect points, and more supported languages."
In other words, you can expect more content in Early Access but nothing that unravels the vibe.
Call of Duty Cold War and Warzone Double XP weekend kicks off tomorrow
If you're still rat-a-tat-tatting your way through Activision's gazillion-dollar shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and its battle royale sister title, Warzone, then you better get your fridge stocked and your calendar clear, as we have a new Double XP event incoming.
From tomorrow, March 26, until Monday, March 29, Cold War and Warzone players will earn Double XP, Double Weapon XP, and Double Battle Pass XP - all of which should help you see those numbers climbing high and offer the accompanying serotonin release. (The event starts tomorrow on PC and Xbox, but is live right now for PlayStation players).
This is an ideal opportunity to grind out the remainder of the current Battle Pass before the arrival of Cold War's next mid-season event. I still need to bag Portnova's "Artist" skin, so I'll be putting in time I'm sure - she's been rocking that Goth ensemble for too long now, and I'm sure those neon-orange leggings and tie-dyed bandanna will provide suitable camouflage.
In regards to mid-season, next week will see the Sanitorium map added to the cycle in Cold War's excellent Zombies Outbreak mode, which sees a squad of soldiers literally hopping portals and popping domes, fighting off wave after wave of the undead while completing a series of increasingly challenging objectives. It's absolutely the smartest Call of Duty addition in years, and with the addition of a new map, things can only get deader.
Finally, developer Treyarch has offered a sneak peek at the reworked "Miami" map, which has had a huge overhaul following player complaints about visibility, rotation paths, and general layout. I personally liked Miami - which probably makes me a monster - but I'm excited to see what the reworked "Miami Strike" brings to multiplayer. Maybe it will finally be the exciting and sexy locale that Will Smith told us all about.
Thymesia is going on my action-RPGs-to-watch list for 2021
I'm in "cautiously keeping tabs" territory with Thymesia, an action-RPG from OverBorder Studio and publisher Team17 that lets you "seize the disease from gruesome bosses and wield them as weapons."
The combat is speedier and more offense-oriented than the average Souls-like, which I appreciate, and the plague doctor protagonist can bust out a scythe. That's rad. But based on the gameplay's frankly lower-budget vibe and the sparse Steam summary, I'm far from convinced this can capture the magic of its inspiration, especially with Bloodborne fresh on my mind this week thanks to its sixth birthday.
I wasn't necessarily going to cover Thymesia today until I saw the beefy bat boss. They got me. As much as the environments look pretty same-y for the genre, I can't deny that I wanna wail on a bat beast, big time. If the combat is as relentless as it looks, I could have fun with this one. That's the focal point.
Thymesia is currently only announced for PC, and it's sticking to a "2021" launch for the time being.
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is an interesting action romp that deserves a new lease on life, and it's getting one on PC. But what about other platforms? We asked director Sawaki Takeyasu for comment, and like most things in his life, he's holding out hope.
"If the Steam version sells, yes, I'd definitely like to consider it, but I'm always delusional," he tells us, with his classic wit. "I know there are some problems, because the game development itself ended in the middle, and story is in the middle [of things]. I will attach a mini novel this time, so if you read it and if the fans support El Shaddai strongly, I may eventually be able to release the full version someday. This is my dream to make it happen."
It's a tease within a tease. Not only does Takeyasu want the game to live on outside of Steam, he also wants it to continue in grand fashion, with a potential "remake" and a full realization of the story. And that dream will entirely depend on the sales of the Steam version, it seems.
Stay tuned for our full interview with Takeyasu tomorrow.
There is a start to everything. All conflicts and compassions require a catalyst, but finding the true zero point can range from easy to very, very tricky.
This is the setup of Genesis Noir, an adventure from developer Feral Cat Den that's both about a night gone terribly wrong and also kind of about the creation of the universe. What's best described as a surreal exploration of what drives humans—to love, to lose, to lash out and lament—and how we cope with the consequences.
It's heavy stuff, but it's all told in a way that's gorgeous and evocative, and had me constantly in awe of what new audiovisual spectacle it held next for me. It's a noir story, broken up into vignettes with sparse writing, but in place of long dialogues it relies on fantastic art, music, and discretely designed areas to communicate the journeys of the protagonist, No Man.
A trio of new Godzilla games are stomping onto mobile
TOHO Studios will three free-to-play titles starring the iconic King of Monsters: Godzilla. Available on iOS and Android platforms, the three games will see old nuclear-breath engaged in his trademark activities of smashing cities, battling Kaiju and... competing in foot-races.
The first title, Godzilla Destruction, is pretty self-explanatory, and will see players with Doing the Stomp all over a variety of cities and neighborhoods, leave a path of annihilation in his wake. The second release, Godzilla Battle Line, is more of a strategy title, where players build a custom team of monsters from TOHO's long lineage of films to take on other teams in short three-minute dust-ups.
The best streamers have big boobies
Boobs. Boobs! Our first source of peace in this cruel, cruel world and great on a poster or perhaps even a commemorative mug, we all know and love boobs. Well, except for when people who have them take ownership of their bodies, of course. That sentiment has been applied to women for as long as their sexuality has been vilified (read: a long time), but in the late 2010s, it started being applied to femme streamers through a very specific term: boob streamers.
Interchangeable with "titty streamer" or "Twitch thot," it's not difficult to guess what the term means. Most often, it's used to refer to femme streamers who prominently display cleavage in their streams, like Amouranth and famously cat-throwing Alinity. It has been used in gross listicles with titles like "18 Hottest Female Streamers," by mean crusties on the internet, and, according to a detailed abuse report by GamesIndustry.biz, by male employees at Twitch, who have used the term to refer to women on their platform.
It's also been used in countless streamer-centric debates online, usually by misogynistic men who ponder why gaming has allowed a convention as supposedly evil as the titty streamer to flourish. These debates conveniently ignore how many male gamers also love to play games with sexy bikini-wearing characters, no matter how impractical said bikini might be. Male gamers have also issued death threats to developers who try to make video game women less unrealistically sexual and have uploaded Twitch streamer deepfakes to porn sites. But the gaming industry still coddles them — generally upholding the idea that men in games should be absurdly jacked (what men want to be) and that women should be obscenely sexy (what men want to have).
In other words, male gamers have created the demand for boob streamers, but when a real, human big-boobied woman uses that demand to her advantage — to get views, to cultivate a subscriber base, or to simply feel good about herself on stream — some start to see boobs as something evil. Something that takes power out of the male viewer's hands and places it in the palm of the woman streamer. And not everyone can handle that.
"I have been sent unsolicited nude pictures on my socials by viewers, and I have also received unsolicited requests for nudes for money," Twitch streamer and self-described booby-streamer LuminousSkye told me over email. "I know people who have been outright stalked and threatened with violence. It's absurd."
Skye said she was lucky to have a supportive audience that defends her when someone accuses her of "stealing views" with her body. "I display confidence in my body," she said. "I'm completely unashamed about it, there's nothing wrong with that. If someone chooses to give me bits or gift subs with the sole purpose of getting something in return, they're the ones using the platform wrong. Not me. I'm choosing to dress and wear what makes me happy and feel sexy."
Addressing how "boob streamers" is often used to minimize the work women streamers put in, Skye said that "some streamers who have been miscategorized as 'booby streamers' stream for up to 12 hours a day, engaging in conversations and giving pieces of themselves to other people...it's hard work, even if it isn't content [everyone enjoys]."
Twitch streamer Ashiirose, who wouldn't call themselves a "boob streamer" but has received harassment on Twitch for being femme-presenting in the past, echoed the sentiment in their email to me. "I find a lot of people assume that just because someone may be pretty, that makes streaming all of a sudden super easy," Ash said. "In reality, they're working their asses off."
And about misogyny on Twitch in general, Ash added, "I've had people come to me and be like, 'I'm so glad you're not a titty streamer,' and it's not the compliment they think it is."
"I've been sexualized during streams when I'm wearing a hoodie, or no makeup," Ash continued. "It has zero to do with how I look on any given day. I am me regardless of what I'm wearing, and I don't believe in trying to bring other women down in order to elevate myself."
And Twitch has demonstrated a fundamental misunderstanding of that fact, prohibiting women-identifying users from showing underboob or nipples, which, as we know from social media content policies at large, are inherently more full of wiles than the elusive male nipple. Meanwhile, women streamers with breasts of all sizes continue to experience violence or threats on the platform, especially if they aren't white, even after Twitch's recently updated content policy.
It's all the more reason why titty streamers are some of the most admirable users on streaming platforms. They're attuned to what their audience wants, they know how to cultivate their image, and they put long hours into creating engaging content. They're confident, they're sure of themselves, and they live through every day of incessant online abuse with glossed lips and perfectly straightened hair. It's pretty obvious that the best streamers also have huge titties.
[Image credit: HeiligesPannoid]
Sega and Annapurna Interactive are the top-rated gaming publishers, according to Metacritic
2020 was a year...is the most basic statement that's been said so far in 2021 on this site.
But we did have a lot of great games! Some of them were delayed until the tail-end of 2020, and some into 2021. But there's still a lot to celebrate, and Metacritic is doing just that, giving us a "game publisher ranking" chart for last year. The results are pretty interesting.
First up is Sega, who leads the way with the most amount of positive rankings. But it's Annapurna Interactive that actually holds the record for the highest average, coming in second with less total rankings than Sega. Next up is Capcom, then Sony, Activision Blizzard, Microsoft, Aksys, then No More Robots.
Humankind has been delayed to August
It looks like Humankind will have to wait. The new historical strategy game from Amplitude Studios is being delayed to Aug. 17, 2021 for a little more fine tuning.
In a press release today, the studio says it will be focusing on improving certain areas of work identified by the community during its recent Lucy OpenDev session. The team will be working on pacing, accessibility, diplomacy, AI, and more that's all outlined in detail in a new dev blog.
Additionally, some extra free content is being added for those who pre-order the game in the form of avatar sets of both "Lucy" and author Edgar Allen Poe.
Amplitude Studios is also currently working on Endless Dungeon, a squad-based tactical roguelite revealed last December, and has previously worked on the Endless series. Given their experience in the 4X space with Endless Space and Endless Legend—a personal favorite of mine—hopefully the extra time will help Humankind deliver on its promises.
We might get a Ghost of Tsushima movie from John Wick director Chad Stahelski
If everything goes according to plan, we're going to get a Ghost of Tsushima movie from John Wick director Chad Stahelski, and that's a (potentially!) thrilling sentence to write. Can it all come together?
Sony Pictures' movie development news was confirmed this morning in a PlayStation Blog post written by Ghost of Tsushima game director Nate Fox, who said the team at Sucker Punch Productions is "intrigued by the possibilities" of getting Jin Sakai's survive-at-all-costs arc on the big screen.
"[Stahelski's] vision for what could be, backed up by years of experience, combined to create some of the finest action scenes ever created. If anyone could bring to life the razor-sharp tension of Jin's katana combat, it's Chad Stahelski," said Fox. There's more to Ghost than action, of course, but if they can nail that aspect, Jin's struggles with The Code, and the game's picturesque flowing leaves, we're golden.
There's definitely an audience – the latest sales update for Ghost of Tsushima is 6.5 million copies sold.
Some of the best moments in this game for me were simply spent exploring the island's rolling hills on horseback. I also ended up really connecting with the side-stories, especially the (lengthy) Tomoe arc. There are multiple paths to take for this movie, and I'm curious to see what will and won't carry over.
Nintendo Download: Monster Hunter Rise
Monster Hunter Rise is the big dog this week: no question.
We haven't had too many of those this year so far for the Switch! A lot of the headliners have been things like Apex Legends coming to the Switch, or Plants vs. Zombies Battle for Neighborville coming to the Switch...and so on. Semi-recent games on other platforms.
But Monster Hunter Rise is a big deal. Capcom worked with Nintendo directly to make this happen, and although it's still going to be on PC within a year, it's a Switch exclusive upfront, and it's likely going to make waves.
Balan Wonderworld is going to be interesting too when it hits on March 26, and Narita Boy is out on March 30. Here's the rest!
Project CARS GO takes the driving out of the driving sim
If there is one genre that has been all but perfected for mobile gaming, it's the racing sim. Gameloft's Asphalt series has been killing it since it jumped to iOS in 2009, and even if its monetization systems get more aggressive with each release, the actual racing in those games is second to none in the mobile sphere. They're just legitimately fun and have created the perfect template for other racing games to mimic.
Project CARS GO, the recently released mobile spin-off of the Slightly Mad Studios racing series, goes in a different direction. Its focus is not on how well you can control your car around the small selection of tracks you'll repeatedly race, but how well you can time your taps of the screen, kind of like a rhythm game that's not set to any music.
Back 4 Blood backs up to October
Turtle Rock Studios' Left 4 Dead-like Back 4 Blood is taking some extra time. The developer announced today that Back 4 Blood is being pushed back from its original June date to October 12, 2021.
In an update posted to Twitter, the studio says its working hard to make Back 4 Blood the best it can be at launch and the team needs more time to do so.
— Back 4 Blood (@back4blood) March 25, 2021
If you're still eager for some co-op zombie action, you won't have to wait until Halloween is looming. Turtle Rock confirmed that an open beta will be coming this summer, so your team can get zombie apocalypse-ready before launch date.
Formerly Valve South and re-founded as an independent company in 2011, Turtle Rock is finally returning to its Left 4 Dead roots following some Oculus work and the humans-versus-monster competitive game Evolve. I've seen some old friends booting up Left 4 Dead over the course of the pandemic, as have I, and it's nice to see how well the ideas hold up. Hopefully Back 4 Blood can do the same when it arrives later this year.
What's in standard? A lot. And it's about to get even more cramped.
The Strixhaven: School of Mages set is joining Magic: The Gathering next month, and will be a part of standard play alongside of Eldraine, Theros, Zendikar, Ikoria, Core 2021, and Kaldheim. The theme is decidedly "Harry Potter meets Magic," and will center on multiple dual color schools, with varying philosophies.
We had the chance to meet with the development team virtually to see what the next set had in store, so let's take a look together.
When I think of hidden gem action games, my mind often wanders to El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron.
Along with obscure projects like Bujingai: The Forsaken City, I have a collection of this stuff waiting to go at any time, if I ever get the itch to enjoy a unique action system. And with El Shaddai, that go-to option is going to get even easier with a PC version launching sometime this year.
We recently had a chance to chat with director Sawaki Takeyasu, who also worked on character designs for classics like Devil May Cry and Okami, about how this all came about. The short answer? Development started around the Windows XP era.
Speaking to Destructoid, Takeyasu notes: "the PC version itself was made after we started El Shaddai development, but it was developed with Windows XP, and then since the times changed, it took time to move to the Windows 10 environment. Many past colleagues have helped me with this porting work. I am grateful that I had such a friend who helped me even after 10 years of the first release of the original game."
He goes on to explain that UTV Ignition Games' closure around the game's release was a big factor for the long wait, and he "didn't have a good feeling" about a possible continuation. In fact, he says he's been "working on about 10 projects," including "three small and three big ones," but that "so far, all of the projects have been canceled."
Takeyasu has hope still, though, noting "Making brand new gaming projects successful in Japan is very hard to make it, so if Steam version of El Shaddai's performance will be good, we may be able to remake El Shaddai in the future."
Stay tuned for our full interview with Takeyasu tomorrow.
