Cancelled Dreamcast project Castlevania Resurrection released to the public
A little bit of gaming history has been made available for the Castlevania community. Konami's cancelled 2000 sequel, Castlevania Resurrection, is now available online, a build of the unfinished Dreamcast title having been uploaded by archivist Comby Laurent.
As reported earlier this month, Laurent, owner of the Sega Dreamcast Info Games Preservation website, acquired the prototype build via auction, and has generously decided to dump the ROM online, giving Castlevania fans the opportunity to get a taster of one of the Gothic franchises' long-lost chapters. In the build, players take up the whip of hero Sonia Belmont, and can battle a small selection of demons in several locations including a sinister chapel and an ornate hallway. It's hardly a full game, but it is an important piece of Castlevania history.
Finally, Fallout 76's big Locked and Loaded update is out, here's the patch notes
Fallout 76 just launched the Locked and Loaded update on all platforms, and everything seems good to go. I mean it happened, but it was tested beforehand for a lengthy period of time and the all clear, sans delays, was enough to push it out the door.
On several platforms (Microsoft Store, PS4, Xbox One) the download sizes are going to be massive, as it clocks in at roughly 60GB for that trio. And it makes sense, because it's a lot! Time to break it down.
So as advertised, the two biggest alterations are SPECIAL and CAMP loadouts. In short, you can now create multiple perk loadouts for your characters (up to two), and swap between them freely. Once you hit level 25, you can also respec more easily. Backend issues supposedly prevented this from happening earlier.
As far as CAMP stuff goes, it's kind of a big deal for folks who love to build. Now you can create a second base of operations, a la Minecraft, without trashing the first. When coupled with the bunker instanced build system implemented a while back, it's a great addition for tinkerers, of which there are a lot of when it comes to Bethesda games.
Daily Ops (daily quests) have doubled, and now dole out improved rewards. For people who are interested in playing beyond the "main questline," it should add a little wrinkle in terms of random play sessions. And there are evidently still a lot of people actively playing this game.
You can find the core gist of the patch notes below.
Patch Notes [Bethesda.net]
Knife-wielding man arrested at the offices of Genshin Impact developer MiHoYo
On April 24, a knife-wielding attacker was arrested at the offices of Genshin Impact developer miHoYo. While police are still to release an official statement, it is being reported that the man invaded the developer's Shanghai offices, allegedly with the intent to kill miHoYo's founders and then himself.
According to reports from Chinese news outlet Baidu (as translated by The Gamer), the alleged attacker sought revenge on miHoYo for reasons pertaining to an update to one of the developer's other releases: Honkai Impact 3rd. As part of the free-to-play title's third-anniversary celebrations, miHoYo released a video featuring the cast dancing in "bunny girl" outfits, with said skins and dance emotes being made available in-game as paid DLC, but only in territories outside of China.
Here's how the original Shantae was ported to the Nintendo Switch
Ever wonder how a retro port gets re-released? Wonder no more.
Without diving too much into the weeds, YouTube creator and coder Modern Vintage Gamer just put out a video on their channel that explains just that; in the context of the recent Shantae Switch release. As a reminder, Shantae originally came out on the Game Boy Color in 2002 and was recently brought to Switch. This very breezy 12-minute-ish clip here explains what went into getting it ported.
They note that it came out at the end of the Game Boy Color's lifespan (the Advance came out in 2001), and in most cases when bringing over an old game, you can either reverse-engineer the ROM, or "resort to emulation;" with the latter being a preferred choice unless you have access to the original source code.
From there, the channel breaks down the innards of the Game Boy Color, and how the emulation community generally "tests" their projects with good old fashioned Tetris, which can even work with "crude emulation." Modern Vintage Gamer calls this "step one in about 20." So uh, there's plenty of work to be done, like making sure the emulation actually measures up to the original hardware.
Breaking it down, the channel highlights how game preservation and the emulation community actually helps developers bring old games back to life. There are myriad tools to experiment with at this point, to essentially stress test the emulation layer. Once all that is done, you can actually start the process of porting to Switch. It's a lot of work folks!
Modern Vintage Gamer calls this their "first commercial release," and they are also credited with working with Night Dive Studio and other Limited Run Games titles via their Twitter bio.
Having played it, I can say "job well done!"
Sony reports PlayStation's 'best year ever' as PS5 shipments pass 7.8 million
Sony has released its latest financial earnings report for the latest fiscal year — and it's a real doozy. The industry giant's latest hardware, PlayStation 5, has shipped a staggering 7.8 million units since its launch back in November 2020, exceeding its sales forecast and leading to record profits for Sony's Game & Network division.
Despite distribution issues and ongoing component shortages, PlayStation 5's launch was an incredible success for Sony, shifting more consoles in its release period than last generation's PlayStation 4 — though it should be noted that PS4 was made available in fewer territories at launch than PS5, which enjoyed a relatively global release. Combined sales of hardware, software, DLC, and PlayStation Plus subscribers led to overall record-breaking revenue of $24.4 billion USD for the fiscal year
Speaking of PS4, sales and shipments continue to slow on Sony's trusty black box, which now stands at a very impressive 115.9 lifetime shipments. One million PS4 consoles have still moved from store shelves since the start of 2021, showing that there is life in the old dog yet. In regards to software, PS4 and PS5 sold a combined 61.4 million units in the fourth quarter of 2020, down a hefty 3.9 million units on the previous year, but still driving some $6.22 billion in revenue. Digital sales continue to dominate, with 79% of all software sales purchased as downloadable titles.
Paid subscription service PlayStation Plus continues to grow each year, currently standing at 47.6 million users, an increase of over six million users from the previous fiscal year. While the ninth generation of gaming has gotten off to a slow and troubled start — with issues concerning manufacturing, global distribution, scalpers, and a lack of first-party software — it seems that PlayStation remains firmly in the black, heading into gaming's new dawn in as strong a position as it has ever been.
FY2020 Consolidated Financial Results [Official]
The last time we checked in with Capcom's Platinum Title list, Monster Hunter Rise was breaking the top 10.
Now, it's sailed past that and is aiming to settle into the top five. Yep, Rise could feasibly become one of the five top-selling Capcom games of all time, in good Monster Hunter company too: as World has the number one spot by quite a bit (16.8 million units compared to Resident Evil 7's 8.5 million).
According to Capcom, Rise just hit the six million sold mark worldwide, including downloads. Impressive! It's crazy to think about Monster Hunter becoming the new Resident Evil cash cow for the company, especially having been in it since the start, but here we are. Of note, this is one of the few single-system games in the top 10. The vast majority of the games are multiplatform, and of course that will change after Rise hits PC in 2022, but for now, it's a fact.
To celebrate this achievement, conveniently piggybacked off of the announcement of Monster Hunter Rise's 2.0 update, a new item pack is hitting the game today. It contains 30 Mega Potions, 20 Well-done Steaks, 10 Large Barrel Bombs, 5 Mega Demondrugs, and 5 Mega Armorskins. Not bad for free!
You can check out the whole breakdown below. Remember, to grab it you need to head to the Courier in town, right near the main storage chest and the stairs leading to the foundry.
Kamura Pack 2 [Capcom]
Resident Evil Re:Verse delayed until summer 2021
Capcom has announced that Resident Evil Re:Verse has faced delays and will no longer launch simultaneously with Resident Evil Village next month. The pack-in multiplayer title, bundled for free with all copies of the incoming survival horror sequel, will now launch this summer.
No reason was given for the delay, but recent betas have not run quite as smoothly as Capcom would have wanted. The third-person shooter, a celebration of the characters, locations, and weapons of the entire Resident Evil franchise, suffered from connectivity and matchmaking issues during its first beta back at the start of April. A second beta was held this past weekend, and clearly, the developer has decided that Re:Verse needs a little more time in the oven.
Of course, this does not affect the launch of Resident Evil Village itself, which is still scheduled to bring its spine-tingling terror May 7 on PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Stadia platforms. This weekend will see a re-run of the sequel's recent demo, so be sure to jump on that if you want to take a peek inside the House of Dimitrescu for yourself.
Lost Soul Aside resurfaces with some impressive new gameplay
You might remember that, back in 2016, a game called Lost Soul Aside was making the rounds. It's easy to see why; even today, the flashy action in its trailers is pretty dang impressive.
Lost Soul Aside disappeared from the public eye for a while, but yesterday it returned with 18 minutes of new gameplay. And guess what? It still looks rad.
Originally a solo effort from creator Yang Bing, the developer was approached by Sony, which resulted in the creation of UltiZero Games, according to an IGN writeup informed by Niko Partners Senior Analyst Daniel Ahmad. It's currently slated for the PS4, PS5, and PC.
With some stellar action that would make Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum blush and some sick sword-boarding, it certainly looks like Lost Soul Aside is coming along well. It doesn't look like a release date's been set yet, but Lost Soul Aside has certainly made a second impression. Hopefully there's more to come soon.
If you're not yet sold on next-gen, what dream title would pull you in?
We're approaching the six-month mark of gaming's ninth generation, and it's been a liiiittle slow getting started. While we should all remember that most console generations have moved deliberately in their early days, it appears that a combination of both hardware shortages, high prices, and a lack of compelling exclusives have left many console fans content to hold off a little longer, comfortable that they aren't missing all that much in a PS5/Xbox Series-free world.
Personally, there hasn't been a single release that has rendered me stoked that I spent big bucks on a PlayStation 5. It was the most I had ever spent on a new console... and I owned a fucking 3DO. Still, I'm extremely excited to get my hands on Returnal later this week. I love Housemarque and I'm antsy to start dodging alien pew-pews, so I'm hoping the stunning-looking adventure will subdue some Buyer's Remorse while I wait for Gen 9 to BLOW UP!...
... Any day now...
Let's Build a Zoo looks like an adorable zoo management sim with a dark side
Today, publisher No More Robots and developer Springloaded Games announced Let's Build a Zoo, a new management game all about maintaining a zoo. But while it looks cute as heck, there's a shadier side to this whole thing should you choose to peel back the veneer.
Let's Build a Zoo puts you in the manager's seat of an animal sanctuary, creating enclosures and filling them with animals. It's not quite as simple as simply building a panda pen and placing some bears in there(s), though. There's also genetic splicing.
That's right, we're going full-on Jurassic Park with this. Using futuristic tools, Let's Build a Zoo will let you fuse together any two animals, with over 300,000 combinations possible. No More Robots' Mike Rose shared a few examples, like the "Crocoduck" and "Owlybara" on Twitter. Magnificent.
4. Splice any animal with any other animal, with over 300,000 combinations available! pic.twitter.com/hIsHLXxAx1
— Mike Rose (@RaveofRavendale) April 27, 2021
Is rampant gene-splicing not enough chaos? Then engage in black market trading, where you can buy and sell rare animals. You can work your staff to the bone and "essentially turn your zoo into a meat factory," according to a press release sent out today. Yeesh.
Does the sudden turn from cutesy zoo manager to potentially playing god for profit creep me out? Absolutely. Am I still very much intrigued by the possibilities? Oh yes, yes I am. Let's Build a Zoo will be coming out this summer, with a closed PC beta happening sometime soon.
Show of hands: who here thought World of Demons was quietly canceled months ago?
I know I did. When it was announced in 2018, I was really looking forward to seeing what PlatinumGames could do with mobile gaming given it's behind the best action titles I've ever played. Shortly following that announcement, the game had a soft release in a few countries, but was pulled from mobile shops by September of that year. From then, it was basically radio silence on the project. No new info, no new trailers; as the months and years passed and the mobile ecosystem evolved, the title quietly drifted from my mind. And just when I had forgotten about it completely, it shows up out of the blue on Apple Arcade.
Clearly, the lesson we should all learn with PlatinumGames is to have a little patience, because sometimes, it pays off.
New iOS update adds support for Xbox Series X and PS5 controllers
It's taken its sweet time, but Apple has finally released Version 14.5 of its iOS software, which adds support for both the PS5's Dual Sense as well as Xbox Series X/S' non-fancied-named controller.
iOS 14.5 passed a beta test period back in February, and is now good-to-go on modern Apple devices. Simply download the update and pair your controller with your iPhone/iPad, and you'll be good to go. The update arrives not a moment too soon, as Xbox recently launched its own beta test, with an aim to let iOS users stream Xbox Game Pass directly to select Apple devices... Probably not Apple Pencil.
In addition to the new controller support iOS 14.5 adds more Siri voice recognition options, optimization between Apple Watch and iPhone, and 5G data usage improvements — none of which have anything to do with the coming utopia of playing Streets of Rage 4 on your phone. You can check out the iOS 14.5 features over on the official Apple website.
Pop open an incognito tab, NSFW games have never been better
Ever since the first pixely penises flopped onto Atari screens in the early 1980s, erotic video games have earned a mainstream reputation of being heteronormative and, well, bad. A lot of erotic video games came from small software companies without the resources to create truly steamy and/or remotely attractive graphics, and most storylines remained within "ooh, a sexy lady… don't you want to put a big, veiny penis inside of her?" territory. By the mid-2000s, video game sex became a natural part of mainstream storytelling, but the clunky bed-rattling of God of War or absolute unhinged freakiness of a Grand Theft Auto pseudo-rape scene isn't what one might identify as "awe-inspiring" or even remotely "horny in a good way." Now, though, things have changed. Now, we're now living in a sex games heyday.
This erotic halcyon is largely thanks to indie game developers utilizing grassroots platforms like Patreon, itch.io, and Steam to put out complex, compelling, heart-and-also-sometimes-cum-filled games giving audiences what they actually want. Just like with real sex, virtual sex shouldn't be limited to vanilla, dead-eyed woohoo'ing. Recent games like the tender lesbian robot sim Hardcoded, crossdressing rom-com Ladykiller in a Bind, and uncomfortably nostalgic You Must be 18 or Older to Enter make sure it isn't.
"I feel like NSFW games are at a great spot right now," Cookiedraggy, who works on sci-fi furry platform game Kincaid with his partner Nullbunny, told me over DM. "Steam allows them without censoring and patching and itch.io also has a great collection of fun H-games. Porn games are in the process of becoming more accepted and mainstream as a medium for adult entertainment and I think that's a good thing."
But how do indie developers avoid the silly, sometimes harmful pitfalls, like sex as reward or depictions of assault, of the games that came before them?
According to Cookie and Kenzie Vermiform Moonsneak, Hardcoded's creator, humor and honesty really help. As Kenzie put it in her DM to me, "I don't assume that hets are having the type of humorless sex often depicted in porn," she continued. "But for some reason, they rarely stray from that stereotype while writing [sex scenes]."
But "humor has the highest potential to evoke emotion and to make a scene seem more authentic," she said. Avoiding being "problematic" can get more tricky, even when writing queer stories as a queer person. "I often have to remind myself that I'm making this game for me," Kenzie said. "It's enough to just write around my own triggers and let the people who click with the content come to me."
Nintendo's Miitopia gets a new demo today
If you've been eager to revisit the magical land of Miitopia, you'll get your chance today. A new demo is live on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo's Mii-made journey.
The demo takes place in the game's first area, and you'll be able to create and customize Mii characters using various wigs and makeup. If you have Nintendo Switch Online, you can share your Miis with friends and download popular Mii characters from the 3DS version of Miitopia as well.
The nice part is that, if you dig this Switch version of Miitopia, your save data will carry over into the full game. It's nice that any Miis I make will carry over if I get a little attached to them.
This Miitopia looks to be a step up from the 3DS version of Miitopia, with a new set of cosmetic options to adorn your Mii characters with and, of course, horses. Horses, y'all. Thought it might not be the same without random SpotPass party members, maybe the Nintendo Switch Online sharing can help out a bit. We'll find out when the full game's out on May 21, 2021.
NieR Replicant debuts in the top spot of the UK Charts
It looks like Square Enix's wistful remaster NieR Replicant is getting set to break a helluva lot of new hearts, as the updated RPG was the best-selling physical release in Britain last week, debuting at number one in the UK Charts.
It should be noted that existing within any post-apocalyptic universe is a step-up from living in present-day England, which may or may not have contributed to the fantasy adventure's sales. Despite hitting the top spot, NieR Replicant's launch sales are only 50% of the sales enjoyed by NieR: Automata back in 2017. Still, nice to see something a little different in the spotlight.
Elsewhere in the charts, Capcom's Monster Hunter Rise slipped out of the Top Ten for the first time since launch, while fellow Switch releases Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Ring Fit Adventure continue to enjoy week-on-week sales. People are still buying the console edition of CDPR's Cyberpunk 2077, which enjoys a second week back in the Top Ten.
Sega's latest entry in the Football Manager series - always a popular release in Blighty - joined the Top Ten at number eight. As a niche PC release, this should go some way toward demonstrating how quiet the UK's physical sales scene is right now. Both Sony's Returnal and Nintendo's New Pokemon Snap are going to just sashay right in come launch.
Titanfall 2 sees huge player resurgence ahead of Apex Legends crossover
Respawn Entertainment's Titanfall 2 is one of the finest first-person-shooters ever made, with an exciting, adrenaline-fueled, top-tier single-player campaign that only improves as it progresses. Five years on from the sequel's initial launch, new players are finally finding this out, thanks to Respawn's own battle royale release, Apex Legends.
On May 9, Apex Legends will launch its ninth season, "Legacy", which features multiple callbacks to Respawn's Titanfall days. Spearheaded by the arrival of new Legend Kairi "Valkyrie" Imahara, Legacy has already tipped its hat to Titanfall with its emotional, teasing cinematics. And, as spotted by VGC, it seems that the hype for the new season has encouraged players both old and new to jump back into the explosive world of Titanfall.
A modder created a way to take Fire Emblem out of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
By the time Byleth hit Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in early 2020, enough was enough for a lot of people. Some people were sick of Fire Emblem characters flooding the game, and even though Nintendo hasn't repeated the cadence since (afterward we got Min Min, Steve, Sephiroth, and Pyra/Mythra, every single reveal folks are expecting it. Well, now you can just mod them out entirely.
This mod from creator Akrenix takes all of the Fire Emblem stuff out of the game. That includes the characters, stages, and all references. Yes it's a bit extreme, but it's kind of funny, and something I'm going to be thinking about if we ever get another Fire Emblem character. Speaking of!
While this whole conversation has reached meme levels, and it's gotten to the point where Sakurai has to say publicly every few months that he doesn't have final cut on who makes it in; any character that's fun is going to get playtime out of me, full stop. If we get yet another Fire Emblem character and their design holds their own, so be it.
It also has me thinking: where the hell does Nintendo go from here? Will Sakurai keep working on Smash after Ultimate? Is Nintendo going to release a new "GOTY" edition on a potential future "Switch Pro" system? What about after that? If the Super Switch gets a new Smash without Sakurai at the helm, and without all of the Ultimate content so far: how is that going to be received?
No More Fire Emblem [GameBanana]
Monster Hunter Rise's Ver.2.0 update adds layered armor and massive monsters
Monster Hunter Rise is set to get its big 2.0 title update soon, and it's coming with more than just a few new ways to hunt. Some monsters making a return are always notable, but there are also some new ways to grow outside the hunting grounds, too.
Let's start with the big beasties. Apex versions of Diablos and Rathalos are on the way, as well as Teostra, Kushala Daora, and Chameleos. They all look fearsome in their own right, and I'm already seeing reactions from Monster Hunter veterans that make me eager to hunt these massive creatures. The update goes live at 12:00 a.m. UTC on April 28, which means it hits later today for U.S. players.
Another big change is that once you've updated to Ver.2.0, the Hunter Rank cap (previously set at 7) will be removed depending on how far you've progressed in the Hub Quests. Once it's gone, you can start earning Hunter Rank points, opening up new Rampage Quests, Arena Quests, and advanced single player quests.
Unlocking the cap will also let you forge layered armor, so you can alter your appearance without worrying about stats. Wear the numbers you want, with the look you like!
There are a few other bonuses, like specific quests for Apex monsters and Magnamalo appearing in Rampage Quests, as well as some Event Quests. The updates don't end with Ver.2.0, though; during today's digital showcase detailing the update, Capcom confirmed Ver.3.0 is set for the end of May, and will bring several new monsters, as well as a new ending for the game.
It sounds like there's a lot more Monster Hunter Rise ahead. The base game was already pretty solid to start, and with even more post-launch content ahead, it seems like the series has found a comfortable home on the Switch. There's at least one player who's going to have a lot more work ahead of them with all these new monsters...
May's Xbox Games with Gold line up is meh again and hey, another LEGO game
Xbox Live Games with Gold...look how they massacred my boy!
Last month wasn't much better and we're looking at a very dry May too. Maybe Microsoft is saving all their energy for June and E3?
This month is slim, with Armello, Dungeons 3, LEGO Batman, and Tropico 4 as headliners. The big reveal here is that Dungeons 3 will be available all the way until June 15 (two weeks later than Tropico 4, which is debuting on Gold the same day), and it's the most expensive game at 30 bucks.
Look, at least last month we got a bonafide masterpiece in Hard Corps Uprising, which I hope everyone redeemed (you still have three days!). But I just love how Microsoft advertises these as "Gamerscore" opportunities. This month, you can knock out 4000, as each game offers you 1000.
Remember when people blew through that Airbender game for 1000/1000? Those were the days of unregulated Gamerscore.
Super Mario Party randomly got a huge update that enables online play
Super Mario Party came out in 2018.
Did you forget about it? Because Nintendo did! Despite being perfect for DLC it kind of just....existed, and managed to muster up the sixth overall best-selling Switch software spot with 13.82 million units sold. It's a feat! And now Nintendo is finally getting back to caring about it.
As of this morning, Nintendo has updated the game to version 1.1.0, which adds a heap of online play options. Now you can play online in either Mario Party, Partner Party, or Minigame mode, with options to play with friends directly, or create a private game that must be accessed via passwords.
Nintendo notes that if two players are playing on their own systems, they can't play with two people using a third system. But, you can play two people per system and play between three and four players.
Former Street Fighter producer Yoshinori Ono appointed President of Delightworks
In a sudden and frankly surprising turn of events, Yoshinori Ono has been officially appointed President and COO of Delightworks, the company behind mobile phenomenon Fate/Grand Order, upcoming fighter Melty Blood: Type Lumina, and recent disaster Sakura Wars: Hanasaki Maidens.
Yoshinori Ono previously worked with Capcom for almost three decades, before leaving the company in the summer of 2020. During his time with the developer/publisher, Ono worked on top brands including Resident Evil, Onimusha, and Dead Rising, but his greatest achievement remains his incredible resurrection of the Street Fighter franchise. At the center of 2008's Street Fighter IV — a title his bosses at Capcom had zero faith in — Ono almost single-handedly brought the legendary series back to the masses, a move which helped reignite the entire fighting game genre, particularly with mainstream audiences. As such, Ono is deservedly respected by both players and those within the industry.
Capcom Arcade Stadium is getting paid 'invincibility' DLC
Yesterday, we reported that radical retro compilation Capcom Arcade Stadium was making the leap from Nintendo Switch to PS4, PC, and Xbox One. Since then, the publisher has made several addendums to the announcement, including the reveal of some pretty tacky paid DLC.
Capcom extending its Resident Evil Village demo availability to a full week
While very few had a problem with the well-received demos for Capcom's upcoming Resident Evil Village, many were left frustrated with the publisher's decision to release the taster trial in slight, 24-hour windows. It appears that Capcom has heard the criticism loud and clear, taking it on board for Village's third (and final) demo event.
As of Saturday, May 1, Resi fans will once again be able to creep the boards of The House of Dimitrescu, only this time the demo will remain available for an entire week, with servers open until Sunday, May 9. It should be noted that the demo is still limited to a single hour of gameplay, but now players will at least be able to take that hour at their own convenience.
Furthermore, the demo will be made available on all Resident Evil Village platforms. So whether you're playing on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, or Stadia, you can get your fill of the sequel's sinister locales — and their sinister-still occupants — ahead of the game's official launch on May 7. Personally, I'm yet to find the opportunity to check the demo out, but after hearing rave reactions from my colleagues, I'll be sure to tiptoe through its cobwebbed corridors this coming weekend.
Dread X Collection: An imperfect collection of unchained creativity
[I'm a huge fan of bite-sized games. The goofier and weirder, the better. I had heard of Dread X Collection before, but I'd never really taken a closer look at it until Mr. Knives conveniently put this blog together covering the series. Immediately after watching these trailers, I went ahead and bought them all. Some of it seems like standard indie horror fare, but a lot of it looks like it goes to some pretty fun places. - Kevin]
Think about how cool it would be to have a bunch of wildly different games in one collection. Think Heavy Metal. Think The Animatrix and Love, Death, and Robots. Think of video game anthologies, which were almost non-existent outside the occasional retro compilation that seems to come out every generation until the release of The Dread X Collections.
Forget Shades, goats are my mortal enemy in Nier Replicant
The world of Nier Replicant is full of dangerous mysteries. In its opening moments, you fight swathes of malevolent creatures determined to strike you down.
Yet none of them draws my ire as much as those damn goats.
I'm still working my way through the opening hours of the original Nier's remake/"version update;" for more on the rest of the game, check out Chris' writeup on Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139..., the very long version of a game I'm just going to call Nier Replicant from here on out.
Throughout the beginning of protagonist Nier's tale, I've had to fight escalating monstrosities: both fearsome beasts and malfunctioning machinery, as well as dozens upon dozens of Shades of varying size and strength. I was certain one Shade in particular was going to be my white whale; it shows up a few hours into the game, hanging out in one of the major throughways between towns, and it has a habit of one-shotting you with its surprisingly powerful hits. Yet once I recruited the help of Kainé, it was simply a matter of keeping my distance and firing off magical lances until it fell.
There is one adversary that seems to constantly get the upper-hand on me, though. Alongside the obvious aggressors in Nier Replicant's overworld, there is also wildlife. Usually they're just fodder, a simple resource that needs to be slashed or blasted with magic and subsequently harvested, so I can bring the ingredients back to town for a side quest.
Goats do not mess around, though. Some animals will attack if you get too close, but nothing hits quite like a surprise kick from a goat. And if you get anywhere within the vicinity of these goat's rear legs, they will laser-target your skull and bring two devastating hooves to bear on your poor, hapless self.
The other night, I was powering through some side quests, stockpiling cash for a new weapon I wanted to buy from the shop. At several points I had to make the trip from my home to the desert kingdom of Facade. While the desert holds its own dangers, the road that takes you there has one chokepoint that seems tailor-made to funnel players into the crosshairs of an angry goat.
And Nier's goats don't just kick you and call it a day. While you're still trying to stand up after having your day ruined by a farm animal, said goat is already squaring up for a headbutt. These goats are really looking to teach Nier a lesson, it seems.
Suffice it to say, by my third time getting wall-splatted by these jerks during sprints between towns, I just started blasting them with magic. They have very low health, but they always return. I know they will. And when I least expect it, when I'm just lazily flitting between hub areas for a few ingredients, that's when their hooves will strike.
All that said though, I'm really digging Nier Replicant. Be sure to read the message its creators put out ahead of launch, and if you do pick it up, be extra cautious of the goats. They might just seem like another resource, but they will absolutely ruin your day.
Abandon your individuality in EA's The Urbz: Sims in the City
In 2000, while humanity was crawling from the wreckage and trying to rebuild after the devastation of Y2K, The Sims exploded on the PC. It was an opportunity for people to look down upon their creations, trap them in the pool until they drown, and have absolutely useless children. It was massively popular, as you'd expect from a product that allows you to watch someone pee, and sold millions of copies.
In typical EA fashion, they immediately began to plot new ways to whore out their cash cow. So, they ported the game to consoles with fresh, 3D graphics and made even more money. Then they did it again with The Sims: Bustin' Out, which I'm not going to make fun of because it was sort of awesome. Riding high from that, they decided that the franchise wasn't vacuuming money out of people's pockets fast enough, so they decided to spin the series off.
They chose to move the game from the weird Edward Scissorhands depiction of suburbia and into the urban jungle where everyone listens to the Black Eyed Peas and the partying never stops. The result was The Urbz: Sims in the City, and if this is the first time in years you've heard the title mentioned, I'm not surprised.
Dying Light 2's lead game designer answers some community questions, including the lack of firearms
Dying Light 2 recently resurfaced after a quiet spell, and with it, the devs behind the game are starting to answer some questions fans have had about the parkour-infused action game.
In the first of a new AMA series, Dying Light 2's lead game designer Tymon Smektała addressed a number of common inquiries, including the size of the game's map and the impact of choices on the narrative.
One point that's come up a few times before but is still pretty interesting is the lack of guns. As Smektała says, "There are no firearms in the world of Dying Light 2." While the zombie action game will have ranged weapons, like bows, more modern or conventional weaponry looks to be out of the question.
He does describe an additional weapon the player can craft that's like a cobbled-together shotgun, which will offer a shotgun blast but with low durability. Basically, it sounds like traditional guns won't be littering the zombie-infested world of Dying Light 2.
The action sequel bounced back earlier this year with some new updates, following a reveal it determined was a little early. There have been some delays, as well as the departure of Chris Avellone over allegations last summer, but it sounds like Techland is now ramping up towards some more news. Here's hoping for a new look at the expansive game soon.
There's a reason NEO: The World Ends with You isn't called The World End with You 2
It was one of the biggest surprise announcements of 2020. After more than a decade of fans pleading and Square Enix teasing, we learned last summer a sequel to The World Ends with You was in development. For those like myself, it was a moment to rejoice. Long had we waited, and even with rereleases of the original title on new hardware with new content, the further away we moved from the debut of the original title, the less confident I became that we'd ever return to Shibuya and the Reaper's Game.
Turns out, I wasn't the only one doubting it could happen. Last Monday, I sat down over Zoom with the creative team behind NEO: The World Ends with You to discuss the game, its characters, its story, and how, after 14 years, we were finally getting one of gaming's most requested sequels.
Apex Legends' Arenas is a new, round-based permanent mode
Apex Legends has toyed around with different modes since its launch, but it's adding a permanent one to the rotation with its next season. Arenas is a new take on the Apex Games, focused on rounds and team-against-team combat, rather than the sprawling battle royale.
Detailed in a trailer and blog post today, Apex Legends' Legacy update will add the Arenas. Hosted by Titanfall 2's Ash, these games pits teams of three against each other. It's a fight to wipe the opposing team out, with no respawn points. You duke it out until a team hits at least three wins with a two-round margin win.
There's also a buy phase between rounds, in a move reminiscent of tactical shooters like Valorant and Counter-Strike, where players can opt for certain weapons, upgrades, and pick-ups. The action takes place in new spaces, the arenas of Arenas, as well as some familiar locales cut out from existing battle royale maps.
Some outlets have already had some hands-on time with the new mode, and it sounds like a blast. I've personally tired a bit of the battle royale grind; I got my fill from hours upon hours of PUBG and Apex Legends. This new mode seems way more my speed, taking some cues from the likes of Counter-Strike while still keeping the abilities and personality of the Legends intact.
Oh, and we got another glimpse of both the new weapon—the Bocek compound bow—and new Legend Valkyrie, the daughter of Titanfall 2 Pilot Viper. Not only does that modified jetpack look sick, but it sounds like she has lines inspired by her father's short-but-memorable appearance.
It all arrives next week when Apex Legends' Legacy update goes live on May 4, 2021.
Outriders dev People Can Fly acquires Phosphor Studios
Polish studio People Can Fly, fresh off of the success of its sci-fi shooter Outriders, has announced that it has acquired U.S. outfit Phosphor Studios. The Chicago-based outfit is the third American studio in People Can Fly's portfolio, and its seventh overall acquisition.
"Taking over the Phosphor Games' team is simply an execution of our strategy," announced PCF CEO Sebastian Wojciechowski. "With the variety of ongoing projects, we need well-seasoned, ambitious professionals to bring our plans to fruition. Considering Phosphor's team experience and quality I'm sure they will be a great addition to the PCF family and will facilitate our growth. Welcome on board!"
Phosphor Studios, which describes itself as a purveyor of "dark, quirky, and whimsical games," is known for creepy titles such as 2011's Dark Meadow and 2017's The Brookhaven Experiment. The studio will now work with People Can Fly on its upcoming releases and projects under the new moniker of People Can Fly Chicago.
"A new chapter opens for our team," said Phosphor CEO Justin Corcoran of the acquisition. "We are very excited to be joining People Can Fly to open a brand new studio. Our goal is to strengthen PCF's presence in the US and help build People Can Fly as a global brand."
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is coming to Xbox Game Pass next week
The journey of the apprentice builder and his amnesiac friend Malroth is coming to Xbox, and it will be headed to Game Pass as well.
Square Enix and Xbox confirmed today that 2019's Dragon Quest Builders 2 is coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S (via backward compatibility) on May 4. The sandbox builder-RPG will also come to Xbox Game Pass for console, cloud, and PC on the same day.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a follow-up to 2016's original spinoff, which combines Minecraft-like block-stacking and crafting with some RPG tenets and an overarching narrative. New to the sequel was a large island that acted as your home-away-from-home, as you and Malroth went island hopping in search of new denizens and materials.
It was a pretty solid sequel, and something about the building in Dragon Quest Builders keeps me coming back. The ability to build specific rooms with functions that your town's citizens will fill, like making food or arming themselves for battle, makes the cities you build feel alive. Game Pass owners looking for a building kick should absolutely give this one a shot next week.
Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection hits PS4, PC, and Xbox One June 1
Nintendo Switch remaster Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is getting set to bring its twitchy platforming action to multiple platforms in June, when the glossy new edition of Capcom's 1985 arcade will come leaping onto PS4, PC, and Xbox One.
"Did you know?"
The amount of Zelda: Breath of the Wild posts I could start with that phrase...and in some cases, I have! Four years on, and we're still discovering stuff together as a community. Oh no, not another Breath of the Wild post! I promise you, you probably didn't know about this one. A few of you probably did, and you're welcome to comment about it.
So ajsayshello shared this neat discovery on Reddit, and they pitched it with such a good title too: "Cool detail I just ran across." Isn't that how all of these Breath of the Wild revelations start? Well, it just so happens that you can perfectly view all four Divine Beasts on the highest point of Link's abode in Hateno Village (the same one that has an interesting and familiar past): the chimney.
It's a small detail, but a really cool thing I had never seen before, or noticed. And I've climbed to the top of the chimney! This has to be deliberate, as it was Link's destiny all along to help cure them and get Hyrule back in line.
It perfectly encapsulates why I'm still writing about Breath of the Wild all these years later. These community discoveries legitimately blow my mind and enticing me back into its world.
You can see all 4 divine beasts from the top of the chimney on Link's house [Reddit]
Deathsmiles, Cotton, Psikyo, and Strikers among the shmup headlines out of Daikanshasai 2021
This past weekend was a very exciting one for shmup fans, as it saw the 2021 edition of Japan's Shooting Game Daikanshasai presentation, bringing a full magazine of headlines regarding the timeless and beloved shmup genre — one of the most niche and enduring mediums of video game since the humble Space Invaders launches back in 1978.
While yours truly has definitely fallen a little behind the times with this adrenaline-filled genre, I'm so happy that it still has a global community of followers in the modern gaming environment. So let's take a look at some of the news that came out of this year's event. Thanks to Gematsu for translated information taken from the weekend's stream.
Ubisoft is taking more time to release big Assassin's Creed Valhalla updates to avoid more bugs
Have you ever played an Assassin's Creed game and thought "this probably needed a little more time?" For once, Ubisoft agrees.
Valhalla has been suffering from a number of bugs for a while now, which came to a head when an update was rolled out in March, and rolled back completely due to huge glitches. It was a watershed moment, and one that made Ubisoft realize that they couldn't just keep churning these out, with the publisher admitting: "recent title updates may not have met your expectations or been up to our standards."
We already knew that the first major DLC, Wrath of the Druids, was bumped to May 13, but now we know why. Ubisoft is evidently overhauling their entire testing system, which will now grant their team an extra week of preparation before updates roll out. Probably a good idea!
Their new developer blog explains that previously the game ran on a four-week title update release cycle, which will now shift to five weeks. Here's the rub: "Creating Title Updates is a complex and time-consuming situation for our dev team. We are always striking a balance between including as many fixes for known issues as quickly after spotting them as we can, while also providing new and exciting content for players that may not run into issues at all."
New planned fixes include plans to bring back the missing fish (which won't be fully resolved until June, but will be "partially" addressed with the next title update), and updates for two quests: In the Absence of an Ealdorman, and Pig of Prophecy.
You can also check out the revised road map below.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla - Update Pipeline [Ubisoft]
Capcom Arcade Stadium brings coin-op classics to PS4, PC, and Xbox One next month
Capcom has announced that its retro-infused celebration of its formative years, Capcom Arcade Stadium, will be bringing its catalog of classics to the PS4, PC, and Xbox One platforms on May 25, following on from its release on Nintendo Switch back in February.
Godfall might be coming to PS4, and I hope it's a smoother launch
Oh my God, Godfall is probably coming to PS4.
That wasn't a dramatic declarative statement, mind! Because this very niche, very odd action game isn't worth freaking out over. Although I enjoyed it for what it was, it ended up being a strange oddity of a PS5 launch game, seemingly released just to hit the target of a new console launch.
Since November 2020 it's kind of sat there in Sony land (as well as PC), and it looks like it's still going to be staying under Sony's purview. According to a PEGI rating, Godfall should be coming to the PS4 this year. As a reminder, a window of six months of exclusivity was always expected (it was stated as much via official marketing, but we don't know the details), so a release might be imminent.
With "just" a PS4 version in tow, it seems like Sony might be keeping it as an exclusive indefinitely, but at least it's heading to more platforms. Quirky or not, there's more chances to preserve this game in some shape or form. It's going to be a "remember this?" type of story a decade from now, like a lot of forgotten console-launch action romps.
Godfall [PEGI] Thanks John!
A Ratchet & Clank-focused State of Play is on the way
We just got a new look at the upcoming Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart this morning, but that isn't the only one we'll see this week.
Sony has announced a new State of Play for Thursday, April 29 at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT. In today's PlayStation Blog, it says there will be more than 15 minutes of gameplay to show, as Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will be the focus of the show.
For those who don't just want to see Ratchet and Clank venture through dimensional portals though, there will be some other news. On Twitter, PlayStation confirmed that there will be updates on "a pair of upcoming indie titles."
The most recent State of Play showed off some rad-looking indie games, including Sifu and Solar Ash, so hopefully there are some surprises in store for Thursday as well. You can catch the stream on PlayStation's Twitch and YouTube channels at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT.
Skullgirls will reveal its newest DLC character next week
It's 2021, and plucky punch-up Skullgirls is in as strong a position as it has ever been. Despite not being the biggest brawler on the block, Autumn Games' excellent tag-fighter has endured against the odds to remain one of the slickest fighting games available, almost a decade on from launch.
And "SHOWTIME" is set to continue with the arrival of the game's first season pass, bringing new fighters, stages, music, and other features to the super-stylized release. Having already welcomed Annie of the Stars to its roster back in March, Autumn Games will reveal the identity of the second character getting set to throw hands on Thursday, May 6.
Oops, someone designed another cool looking Switch UI mockup with folders
The Switch UI has been surprisingly dormant since it was released.
While it gets the job done in some respects, it lacks a lot of modern features like folders and other perks. Plus, the menu sound design is a huge downgrade compared to the Wii and Wii U. So every few months someone takes it upon themselves to upgrade the UI with a fan mockup: and I have to say, pretty much all of them are on point.
Take this one from Redditor Frieznburg. It's still elegant and clean, like the current official UI, but it allows users to add games to folders that look uniform with the other game icons. What I really like about it is that it showcases the "hours played" data right there on the main page when you highlight a game, as well as the release date. For reference, they used Figma to craft all this.
This isn't as drastic as some other redesigns, so I suspect that a lot of folks are going to be down with it. One common complaint when it comes to fan mockups is that they're "too busy or superfluous," and to some extent, I do agree that the official setup does look great when juxtaposed to the somewhat messy PS5 OS, or the Xbox interface.
But still, there is a way to add both functionality and flair to the Switch UI, and I'm eagerly awaiting the day that Nintendo actually implements some of these features.
Switch Home Redesign (Fan-Made) [Reddit]
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart trailer introduces Rivet
Sony Interactive Entertainment, alongside Insomniac Games, have released a brand new — and very impressive — gameplay trailer for the upcoming platformer Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, which will see the steampunk duo return for another exciting adventure this summer, exclusively on PS5.
(Update) You can unlock this free freaky World of Warcraft monkey charity pet now
[Update: Daisy has also been unlocked via the million dollar stretch goal. Just head here to redeem her for free. You have until August 1, 2021 to claim the rewards for this initiative.]
Look into the eyes of that monkey. He totally wants to eat your player character after you sit down to take a nap. But he's a charity item! So it's probably wholesome. Still...I'm watching you.
Wait where were we! Oh yeah, talking about World of Warcraft freebies. As part of a drive for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), a monkey pet named Bananas is now free for everyone. They were part of the $500,000 goal, with a further stretch goal of $1 million.
At the moment, the drive is sitting at just under $700,000 at publication, so it'll probably take a bit more time to finish out. Note that the Daisy pet can ride on your back though, it seems, so I'm a little more interested in that perk. Oh, and it doesn't look like it wants to murder you.
You can grab Bananas here from the Battle.net Blizzard Shop, in the pets section of World of Warcraft. It's right there at the top, for free, and listed first. The next stop on the charity train is Daisy the sloth at the $1 mil mark. Eventually, that should get unlocked through the same means and will be available in the Blizzard Shop.
Bananas Unlocked! Claim Yours Today and Donate to Unlock Daisy [Battle.net]
Mortal Kombat saw a $22.5 million opening at the U.S. box office
This weekend saw the U.S. opening of Warner Bros.' long-in-development adaptation of its gory fighting franchise, Mortal Kombat. And, all things considered, the film has been a success, pulling in domestic box office sales of around $22.5 million USD.
As noted by Deadline, this is the highest opening for an R-rated movie since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has understandably left cinema sales reeling over the past 13 months. Mortal Kombat was screened in almost all re-opened theaters (estimated to be around 60% of the U.S. total) and is available to stream at home on paid service HBO Max — though the money made via the latter is not taken into account.
Brush up on your suplexes for Tecmo's Tsuppari Oozumou
I don't have much to say about the sport of sumo. It's really old and has held onto many of its traditions. It's also not difficult to get the gist of. Push the other rikishi out of the ring or knock them off their feet. Because of this, size is a major advantage and that gives us the typical image of a sumo wrestler: a rotund mass of human. Immovable objects that walk like men.
It's interesting to me, but not enough that I've gone to the effort of actually seeking it out. If I want a dose of Japanese culture, I typically turn to dating simulators and my Famicom. What luck! Crossover! Way back in 1987, Tecmo released Tsuppari Oozumou, a simulation of the sport. Sort of.
What video games would you love to see localized?
Cblogs of 4/17 to 4/23/2021
-Egg&Brewsterjr gives thanks for the fan translation of Marvelous: Mohitotsu no Takarajima.
-BRAV0 F1VE reviews indie game Narita Boy.
-Gamingnerd looks back at the history of the Metal Slug franchise on its 25th anniversary.
-Lord Spencer writes a report about 11 games as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.
-Dinoracha reviews Animal Crossing: New Horizons on the Switch.
-Gamingnerd looks back at the history of the Wonder Boy franchise on its 35th anniversary.
-Lord Spencer updates his PS1 REVIEWS List where you can suggest games for him to review.
-Mr. Knives share his thoughts on the Dread X Collection of bit-sized games.
-Osc updates us on the progress of their hobbyist game.
-ABowlOfCereal continues the discussion on balancing Guardian Heroes.
-ChronoLynxx opens another TGIF open community forum thread.
Nightdive Studios does important work. Sure, there are a lot of companies out there that are all about remaking and remastering old games, but few of them dredge the bottom of the swamp for games that lay forgotten by time. It's one thing to resurrect a game that was near and dear to many, but it's another thing to dust one off that a lot of people may have missed out on. Not everyone remembers Strife or Forsaken, but they're no less deserving of a remaster than, say, Kingdom Hearts.
This time they've dug up a body that I recognize, but I swear I don't know how it got there. Shadow Man is a 1999 game from Acclaim that landed on the PC, N64, PS1, and Dreamcast. I recall seeing it on the rental shelf enough that I at least remember it, but I think it was too out there for my young mind, so I never picked it up. This is my first visit to Deadside, and I almost wish I dropped in sooner.
Whatever you may think of the new Mortal Kombat movie, it was made with the fans in mind
The new Mortal Kombat was always going to be a hard sell.
Not only do you have the stigma of video game movies lingering throughout the industry (I don't think Detective Pikachu completely "solved" it), but you have the nostalgia for the 1995 original to compete against.
It's an uphill battle for sure, and we spoke to director Simon McQuoid, Lewis Tan (Cole), and Mehcad Brooks (Jax) about that Sisyphean theatrical journey.
How Chicory: A Colorful Tale fuses creativity and colors with Zelda
2018's Wandersong was a game about a bard, who used the power of music and singing to change people's lives for the better. There were grander stakes for sure, but at its core, it was about helping people and singing. A lot of singing.
Developer Greg Lobanov is back, but rather than dulcet tones, he's turned to brushstrokes and watercolors with Chicory: A Colorful Tale, an upcoming game about painting the world. The titular Chicory is a hero, a legendary artist who wields the powerful and magical Brush. You don't play her; you're just her number-one fan, who cleans up after Chicory's messes, until one day Chicory vanishes and you're left in possession of the Brush in a world that's suddenly devoid of color.
Review: NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. I think about that title a lot.
It may not even be the weirdest game name. But it stuck in my mind as one of the quintessential "Square Enix" titles in recent memory.
The thing is, NieR actually earns the right to be weird. So I'll type out NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... just this once! Because the game deserves that respect.
Don't forget, Resident Evil Village is opening up the castle demo on Saturday
After last weekend's first of two demo slices for Resident Evil Village, I feel like we're a bit better equipped to handle Capcom's ridiculous constraints. Tomorrow evening, the castle portion will be playable — but only for a limited time in-game and a limited time in real life. Let's do another rundown.
Plenty of people pre-loaded the PS4 or PS5 early access demo for Resident Evil Village only to realize that it wasn't playable by the time they showed up and settled in. As it turns out, you have to be online to play, and if you fall outside Capcom's strict access window, the demo won't let you do anything.
As you can see in this demo schedule, there's an eight-hour window in which PS4 and PS5 players can fully launch the castle demo, and it starts on Saturday, April 24 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific. The double-whammy caveat is that within this window, you only get 30 minutes of playtime with the castle.
As we learned with the earlier demo slice, which was a cutscene-filled trip through the village with one tense but short lycan encounter, the 30-minute timer does not stop once you're in the game proper. That means you should figure out your preferred settings — like whether or not you want ray-tracing on PS5 — while you're still on the main menu. Once you're in, the race is on, even during cutscenes.
Capcom reiterated that there's one demo for Resident Evil Village, so if you played the village experience last week, you won't need to download a new client to access the castle section this weekend.
On the PlayStation Blog, producer Tsuyoshi Kanda says we'll see the "beautiful inner workings of the castle, the stronghold of the illustrious Alcina Dimitrescu and her bloodthirsty daughters."
"One of the major motifs of this area, and the game in general, was creating environments filled with beauty. When players aren't running for their lives, we wanted to create a setting that they could enjoy by venturing through and slowly taking in all the sights and scenes. Of course, every picture of beauty hides a face of terror. Players may also find themselves beneath the splendor in an underground prison, tiptoeing past cold cellar bars that offer a sharp juxtaposition to the warmth found up above."
The article also includes what I'll just refer to as a "claw gif." You can peek if you want.
Remember hearing Mr. X thud around and trying to pinpoint precisely where he was in the police station only to have him still get the jump on you? I'm ready for those same vibes in Village. (I think.)
If you're unavailable on April 24 or you don't have a PlayStation console, there will be another chance to try Resident Evil Village on Saturday, May 1. All platforms and both of the demo areas will be included.
