Cygames and Senran Kagura creator reveal mystery title 'Project GAMM'
Japanese developer Cygames has announced that it is hard at work on a brand new mystery title codenamed "Project GAMM." The new game is described as a fantasy adventure and will be produced and directed by Kenichiro Takaki, creator of the Senran Kagura franchise.
In a short teaser in Weekly Famitsu, Project GAMM is described as being a multiplayer-focused title set in a steampunky world of magic and machines. Lavish illustrations from veteran industry artist Mogmo spotlight a variety of sullen characters, such as a magical maid. Early screenshots appear to depict Dynasty Warriors-style mass battles, despite Project GAMM's heavy PvP slant. No release date or platforms were confirmed.
Since Kenichiro Takaki moved on from Marvelous — following his frustrations with Sony's censorship of the Senran Kagura series — the producer has been looking for a title to sink his time and talents into. While I'm in no doubt whatsoever that Project GAMM may also prove to be very fanservice heavy, Mogmo's gorgeous early artwork is pretty darn classy. The new title, whatever form it takes, could see Takaki step up a rung on the director's ladder in the eyes of the industry — something of a diversion from the cheesecake titles that are synonymous with his brand.
Ni No Kuni II is coming to Switch this September
Switch RPG fans are getting another grand adventure. The very stylish Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom - Prince's Edition is coming to Nintendo Switch on Sept. 17, 2021.
Confirming an ESRB rating picked up on last month, the Prince's Edition will have all the DLC content that's been released for the original 2018 game, with both a digital and physical retail version at $59.99.
Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom follows the adventures of Evan Pettywhisker Tildrum, the dethroned ruler of Ding Dong Dell, as he works to build a new kingdom. It also stars Roland, a president from an unnamed Earth nation who is transported into the fantasy realm of Ni No Kuni. It's kind of a wild setup, but the art style and writing is very charming, and the "Higgledies" mechanic was pretty interesting.
It's a pretty solid RPG, if you're looking for something to fill the hours with this summer. And really, it's hard not to be happy about more RPGs on the Switch.
Battle royale Super Bomberman R Online hits Switch, PC, and PS4/PS5 for free next week
Super Bomberman R Online was announced a few months ago and stewed for a bit, but now it's ready for release. Konami has revealed this week that the game will be headed to PC, PS4 (it's "PS5 compatible"), and Switch on May 27.
In case you missed this entire franchise return, this is not the standalone Super Bomberman R game that came out back in 2017. It's the one that came out on Stadia originally late last year. Instead, the "Online" moniker brings it more into spinoff territory, functionally turning it into a 64-player battle royale game.
Note that this is a free-to-play title, which supports itself on a 100 rank season pass scheme (which is being ported back to the Stadia version too). Seasons will run for "three months," (similar to a lot of games like Fortnite) and add in an exclusive hero as well as other characters and a currency called Bomber Coins. The first bonus is a big one: Old Snake Bomber from Metal Gear Solid.
Now, the free-to-play schema is very confusing deliberately, but the game itself is actually free, so download it and give it a shot. The battle royale layer actually works far better than you'd think, and there's a fair amount of strategy to both the macro-game and the micro-arena battles.
If you're looking for the Xbox One and Series X/S edition, keep looking! Konami says that will be confirmed "at a later date." Maybe they're waiting for a crossover.
AkSys Games announces 2D throwback fighter Blazing Strike
Publisher AkSys Games is feeling the 1990s with the announcement of its brand new fighting title, Blazing Strike. Taking the genre back to its roots, Blazing Strike promises heavy-hitting, 2D, pixel-based throwdowns when it launches on PC and consoles next year.
"I was always fond of classic fighting games and I wanted to make a fun fighting game with an emphasis on mobility," said Mark Chung, founder of Blazing Strike developer RareBreed Makes Games. "Our goal is to create an homage to the classic pixel art-based 2D fighters, but with updated game mechanics that not only will bring nostalgia to 90's arcade kids but will offer something new and entertaining to all gamers, regardless of whether they have played fighting games before."
Outriders boasts 3.5 million unique players since launch
Outriders came just a week after Monster Hunter Rise, and man, do we have a lot of looter-type lifestyle games at this point.
While the two games have nothing to do with each other on many levels, there is one common denominator: time! One only has so many hours in the day to balance all of these lengthy loot-chasers, but People Can Fly is reporting that a good chunk of folks did indeed answer the call of Outriders.
As their main Twitter account notes, they have "surpassed 3.5 million unique players in the first month after launch." Platform breakdowns were not given, which in this case would be super helpful since it launched day one on Xbox Game Pass. But still, a 31-hour average playtime is nothing to sneeze at. The top, most-dedicated player invested "797 hours" into the game.
Amazingly, the studio also reveals that the class breakdown is pretty close together, with the Trickster clocking in at 27.9% as the most-used option, followed by Pyromancer (best class) at 26.3%, Technomancer at 23.9%, and Devastator in a commanding last with 21.9%. There's a bunch of other useless stats flung around too, but the most popular legendary weapons are the Deathshield and Funeral Pyre.
How many active players does it still have? That information wasn't provided. But we'll see what they have planned in the coming months and whether or not they can keep people invested.
Outriders [Twitter]
Resident Evil Village Lady Dimitrescu hat mod casts some serious shade
It took scant hours for the mod community to jump on Capcom's Resident Evil Village, with a fistful of weird, twisted, and fun code tweaks that added Barney the Dinosaur, turned Lady Dimitrescu into Thomas the Tank Engine, and swapped the heads of Chris Redfield and baby Rose Winters... Amusing and disturbing stuff, for sure.
But this new creation from modder Kallialee, while not quite as horrific, is equally as bizarre. The mod once again features everyone's favorite bloodsucking hostess, Lady Dimitrescu, chasing down the hapless Ethan Winters as she is wont to do. Only this time, each and every time Alcina shows up, her hat has grown in size. While modest at first, the good lady ends up blocking out more than a fair bit of light by the end of the video below.
As noted by several commenters, the freaky, super-sized chapeau recalls Trooper Champlin and her ever-growing hat in Scary Movie 3... NOT THAT I'VE SEEN IT. But given the people's love for Lady Dimitrescu, her eye for style, and her timeless fashion, I'm hoping that we'll be seeing real-life versions of these monstrosities on the catwalks of Milan this year.
We'll find out exactly what's in the Monster Hunter Rise 3.0 update next week
Some people in my circles have taken breaks from Monster Hunter Rise, but that might change once the next big update hits.
We're currently in the era of 2.0, but Capcom is ready to unleash 3.0 on us....soon enough.
As detailed in a new tweet, the publisher is ready to rock with another "Monster Hunter Digital Event," one of many Direct-like presentations for the series. They've typically been focused on Monster Hunter Rise as the main story, followed by Monster Hunter Stories 2 information afterward.
The next one will be held on May 26 at 10AM PT, which seems to be the current cadence for these things. "Details for Update Version 3.0 and the latest news for Stories 2" is directly teased. You can find the link to watch it right here! Capcom says that the update will be 1.4 GB in size, and if you haven't updated before, the full requirements are 2.9 GB.
Although I'm still enjoying logging in here and there, I hope they bring it for this update and get all of my friends back in. Also, an expansion at some point would do wonders, but that's likely not coming until the PC launch at the earliest, in early 2022.
Capcom [Twitter]
Returnal 1.3.7 update touches down today, blasting multiple bugs
Housemarque's great roguelike Returnal is getting a brand new update today. Version 1.3.7, which should be available on PS5 as your read this, brings with it a handful of welcome bug fixes and stability improvements, making Selene's journey into the unknown just a tad smoother.
Among the issues addressed in the new update are several black screen crashes, a bug that was causing our girl to get stuck in the scenery on rare occasions, an audio issue that would cause sudden amplification in sound, and a very specific issue regarding the Ophion boss fight. In addition, Deceased Scouts should now appear in the game world with more frequency. You can find the full patch notes over on the Housemarque blog.
It bears reminding that, should your PS5 be set to "auto-update", any live games of Returnal will automatically shut down once the update drops, so bear this in mind lest you suddenly lose a multi-hour run. The lack of mid-run save options is a complaint that has been levied at Returnal by some of its players. Housemarque is currently investigating ways that it can address this complaint, while retaining the sci-fi title's thirst for challenge.
Hello? Is it amiibo nightmare buying experiences you're looking for? Because you're in one! Two references, I'm on fire today.
Ah man it feels like forever since I've written something like this, but the Loftwing & Zelda amiibo situation is unlike anything I've experienced in years as an amiibo collector. So it came out recently that the figure would interface with Zelda: Skyward Sword HD and add a feature that basically should have come standard as a quality of life upgrade. Now we have a bit more info on the toy, and how tough it might be to acquire it.
First off it's $25, which is roughly nine bucks higher than the average figure. OK, it's bigger generally, and more detailed. Some people can live with that. But it's also one of the most elusive figures in years, and has sold out at GameStop and Best Buy at the time of publication: sales that went up in the evening (US East) without warning.
All of that aside, we also have a full picture of what amiibo support will entail in Skyward Sword HD: and you're looking at it. According to the site, "The Zelda & Loftwing amiibo figure is the only amiibo that can be used in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD." For a lot of people that's a sigh of relief, for others, it's kind of a pain that this hard-to-find, more expensive amiibo is the only way to unlock that fast travel anywhere feature: even if you own other Zelda figures.
Good luck if you're trying to get one!
New Zelda & Loftwing amiibo Figure [Nintendo]
Injustice animated movie in the works at Warner Bros.
It has been revealed that Warner Bros. Animation is currently in the midst of producing an animated adaptation of the DC Comics/NetherRealm Studios fighting franchise, Injustice.
The project was unceremoniously revealed in a press release listing the special features for WB's next animated feature Batman: The Long Halloween - Part II. One of the aforementioned bonus items is titled "A sneak peek at the next DC animated movie: Injustice," which somewhat gives the game away ahead of any official announcement.
Injustice: Gods Among Us, which launched for multiple formats back in 2013, saw DC's finest heroes and villains square off in a fighting fashion akin to that of NRS' own Mortal Kombat. Boasting over-the-top super moves, a unique control system, and some of the ugliest faces ever to grace gaming, Injustice told the story of two distinct DC universes that collide in a battle that could annihilate them both. Injustice was followed by superior sequel Injustice 2 in 2017 and also spawned a comic book adaptation.
Warner Bros. and NetherRealm have never been shy in cross-promotion, and often work together to time content — particularly DLC guest characters — to synchronize with incoming movies. With that in mind, some have taken the reveal of an Injustice flick as a clear signpost that a new Injustice game is in the works. While that seems a relatively snug assumption, a lot is currently up in the air at Warner Bros. Interactive, following the recent AT&T/Discovery merger. For now, all bets are off regarding Warner Bros. Interactive and its subsidiary studios.
Batman: The Long Halloween - Part II will premiere on streaming platforms July 27.
TimeSplitters studio Free Radical reunites for new series entry
Here's some mighty fine news for TimeSplitters fans to start the day. Publisher Deep Silver has announced that disbanded studio Free Radical Design has reformed and will begin work on a brand new entry in the beloved, quirky shooter franchise within the coming months.
"We are happy to announce the formation of a new studio, Free Radical Design, based in Nottingham, UK," said Deep Silver owners Embracer in a press statement. "This Deep Silver studio will bring the much-loved TimeSplitters IP back to life. Key original members include founders Steve Ellis and David Doak. This highly respected team has a 22-year heritage of making AAA-products."
"To finally be able to confirm that the studio has been formed and that we have a plan for the next TimeSplitters game is incredible," said Free Radical co-founder Steve Ellis. "While we cannot tell you anything more at the moment, we look forward to sharing information in the future."
The official announcement that work is set to begin on the new game will no doubt comes as a major relief for the TimeSplitters community, who have been very vocal in their desire for a new release in the strange shooter series. The last TimeSplitters title was 2005's Future Perfect, while TimeSplitters 4 was abandoned mid-development after Free Radical went into administration. Despite ultimately finding new digs within Crytek, the project was never resurrected, and TimeSplitters has remained a source of whispers and rumors since.
But it appears that the wheels are finally in motion, and with the original team on board — helmed once again by Steve Ellis and David Doak — TimeSplitters fans can tentatively rest easy in the knowledge that work is soon to begin on a brand new TimeSplitters game. Of course, there's still quite some time to go before its release. But you're more than attuned to being patient by now, surely?
I can't stop thinking about Lies of P, an upcoming Souls-like inspired by Pinocchio
It's always entertaining to see classic tales reimagined in video games. But today, Neowiz and developer Round8 Studio have announced a mash-up I never thought I'd see: the story of Pinocchio, in the form of a Souls game.
Lies of P is an upcoming entry in the "Souls-like" genre, hit me with a one-two punch. First was the trailer, which appears to show Geppetto entering a fallen city and presumably beat up an automaton? We only smash-cut to the aftermath, but Geppetto certainly seems to have given the robot a good walloping.
We then cut to Punished Geppetto, as I'm calling him, standing over a small boy he calls "son," who has a mechanical arm. And after the title drop, the "son" is seen walking towards a wall of various weapons.
This is already a wild trailer, but then you can over to the Steam page for Lies of P, which gives us some more solid details. Playing as Pinocchio, a mechanoid puppet, you seek out Mr. Geppetto in the city of Krat and find a way to become human. Alongside the late 19th century aesthetic and swapping out body parts for new skills, there is also a "lying" mechanic. According to the store listing, quests will play out depending on how you lie, and those choices can affect the story's conclusion.
I have to say, I'm intrigued! It feels like a throwback to dark fairy tale games like Alice: Madness Returns, so a Pinocchio Souls is honestly not that hard to imagine. But the lying system is another level, adding some nuance that's both thematic and really wild.
Lies of P is coming to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, though it has no release window just yet.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes almost showed its big bad threat
After Man of Medan and especially Little Hope, which had a div-i-sive ending, I'm curious to see how Supermassive Games frames House of Ashes — and how the supernatural elements will manifest.
The next standalone game in the Dark Pictures Anthology has revealed more of its buried Sumerian temple setting, the "awakened" evil, and the folks we'll try to keep alive (for a few hours, anyway).
Today's video is just a teaser trailer, and Bandai Namco says it will share the gameplay reveal on May 27. The last teaser, from November 2020, called to mind The Descent. We don't know quite what this underground threat is, but the creature (?) can see in total darkness. Spooky adventures await.
Where are you at with The Dark Pictures Anthology? I hope the series keeps going for at least a few more entries, if not the ambitious eight-game run that was suggested originally. We don't get many shared-experience "movie night" adventure games with this scope, so I'm cherishing these cornballs.
If nothing else, I want the Curator to step out of the shadows and his story to really go for it.
Mass Effect 2's intro still absolutely rules
The launch of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition has offered us a unique opportunity: to re-examine this trilogy in a new light, and replay these games in one package, to see the through-lines and how they illustrate a shift in a studio and an industry.
They're also a great reminder of how much Mass Effect's big moments still stand out, and the well-known intro to Mass Effect 2 is absolutely one of them.
Taking place not long after the conclusion of the first Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2 starts off with a conversation. Miranda Lawson, an agent of Cerberus, laments that Shepard did everything right, and yet they're being shipped out to carry out skirmishes against lingering Geth.
The Illusive Man, silhouetted against the massive space-window facing into a sun, chimes in when Miranda mentions what losing Shepard might mean: "Make sure we don't lose [them]."
We bump over to the Normandy to see the bridge bickering, but it's not long until the ship comes under fire. Shepard rushes to put out what they can, and once the player has control, they step out into the vacuum of space. They save Joker, but at the cost of their own life; and as the Normandy is reduced to scrap and salvage by an immense cruiser, Shepard writhes in zero-G for a few moments, and then finally, stops.
All three Mass Effect games have standout intros in their own right. The first game drops you right onto Eden Prime, facing a horrific and unknown threat in both the Geth and Sovereign. And Mass Effect 3, obviously, shows the first moments of the Reapers' invasion. The sheer destruction and feeling of helplessness Shepard feels as they take off is something that haunts them throughout the entire game.
But Mass Effect 2's intro feels personal. You know Commander Shepard isn't really dead. They're on the box art. But it still hurts to see this; to see the Shepard you made and shaped get blasted into space, succumbing to certain doom. And all around them are pieces of the Normandy, the ship you called home throughout your first adventure, scattered to the vacuum of space. That ship, your ship, is gone.
I wasn't exactly expecting a Metal Gear Solid 2-level twist, but I have to admit, I was worried for a moment back in 2010. I didn't know who made it and who perished alongside Shepard that day. And today, 11 years later, that intro still hits hard. Stepping out into that vacuum and watching bits and pieces fly by, seeing the giant nearby planet looming ever-closer to the wreckage, is all hard to forget.
Sending Shepard into orbit and the awaiting arms of Cerberus' Lazarus Project is one thing, but blasting apart the Normandy still feels like a gut punch. Booting back up into the first Mass Effect, it was heartwarming to be back aboard that old ship. And as Shepard can remark later on in Mass Effect 2, the SR-2 may be an upgraded version, but it's not the same ship. It can't be.
Mass Effect 2 sets some personal stakes early; even if you don't like the Illusive Man or Cerberus, you can't help but want to track down the ship that shot down the Normandy. And as Shepard awakes from their two-year slumber to find the world moving on, and having to cope with a galaxy that's moved without them, it's a heck of a way to start a video game. I've been really enjoying this chance to go back and replay these games, appreciating them in a new light thanks to the Legendary Edition. And I'm happy to say that yes, 11 years on, Mass Effect 2's intro still hooks me right in.
Epic Games files suit against AR studio over 'Nreal' trademark
As if Epic Games wasn't already in and out of the courtroom enough, the company has filed a new lawsuit against augmented reality firm Nreal. The Fortnite developer is suing the Chinese company over the similarities between its name and Epic's game engine "Unreal".
"Nreal was and is well aware of Epic and its Unreal marks," reads the suit, which was filed last week in a North Carolina court. "Nreal does not just sell glasses, it has already developed and sold a game to be used with those glasses. Nreal is willfully trading off Epic's rights, causing confusion, and acting with callous disregard for Epic's prior rights."
Once again, "customer confusion" is the lawyer-panicking problem here, with Epic concerned that people will confuse Nreal's Smart Glass products with its own "Unreal" engine and gaming brand. While Epic has been in protracted talks with Nreal since the latter filed the trademark in 2018, Epic has decided to take the matter to the courts.
Epic is seeking damages and legal fees for "the harm it has suffered, is suffering, and will continue to suffer as a result of Nreal's infringement," in addition to Nreal cease-and desisting with its use of the term. Meanwhile, Epic Games continues its industry-changing trial with Apple. Busy times for the multi-billion dollar corporation.
Zelda: Breath of the Wild cured my media burnout
These days, my mental health has been on the rocks. There's a myriad of factors involved, the pandemic being the most obvious contender, and I'm sure most people out there have been feeling something similar.
When the lockdown started last year it was obviously stressful, but my personal silver lining was that I was going to catch up on all of the media I hadn't otherwise had the time for. Every game, every book, every show became a respite when seemingly every part of my life — from my work to my relationships to my religious identity — were all exploding.
But after a while though, the effects of my escapism began to lose their potency. Playing games felt like a chore, and any time I put on a show I found my mind wandering back to my stressors instead. Social media became the only thing that could hold my attention, but the constant bombardment of information became too much for me.
My anxiety had fully taken over, and the distractions I usually deployed to cheer me up suddenly all blurred into noise in my head. I knew I was in trouble when I had no interest in watching Tangled, my comfort movie to end all comfort movies. I was burned out not only on work, but on my favorite media too, and that is not a good feeling.
Summer Game Fest 2021 announces its kickoff date and partners
Plans for this year's Summer Game Fest are starting to come together, and they include a pretty sizeable number of companies. Today, organizer Geoff Keighley announced the kickoff date, participating partners, and more for the 2021 festivities.
The action will kick off on June 10 at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT with a live show hosted by Geoff Keighley. On Twitter, Keighley estimated that the show will run "around 2 hours" with over 12 premieres—"[probably] more than that."
Rock band Weezer will also play a "co-stream safe" performance of a brand-new video game soundtrack song during the kickoff live show. As for participating partners, the Summer Game Fest site lists the following:
- 2K
- Activision
- Amazon Games
- Annapurna Interactive
- Blizzard Entertainment
- Capcom
- Devolver Digital
- Dotemu
- Electronic Arts
- Epic Games
- Finji
- Frontier
- Gearbox Publishing
- Hi-Rez Studios
- Innersloth
- Koch Media
- Mediatonic
- miHoYo
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Psyonix
- Raw Fury
- Riot Games
- Saber Interactive
- Sega
- Sony
- Prime Gaming
- Square Enix
- Steam
- Tencent Games
- Tribeca Festival 2021
- Ubisoft
- Warner Bros. Games
- Wizards of the Coast
- Xbox
Keighley confirms that "most but not all" partners will have content in the kickoff show, though some will save major news for their own events. The kickoff show's timing also puts it right before E3 2021. Folks, it looks like the summer of games is starting up again.
This recent trend among gamers isn't an aesthetic, it's racism
It's Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, and for many people, this means taking extra time to appreciate our cultural history, highlight Asian work, and call attention to issues in the community. For people who love video games, that second part might involve playing the huge amount of Asian-made and sadly less ubiquitous Asian-starring games that have impacted video game history and aesthetics, like Japanese-made Super Mario Bros. and Shenmue.
For some white people, though, Asian appreciation tends to crawl past appreciation and into something more damaging. Recently, some white e-girls have been catching criticism online for "asianfishing," a term predated by "blackfishing" and "catfishing," all of which refer to people that significantly alter their appearance online. For asianfishers, this usually means engaging in the highly-criticized "fox eye" trend of pulling eyes back to make them look slanted, taping their eyes back, or using makeup to significantly change their facial features to look "Asian," most typically East Asian.
The Last of Us Part II gets a performance patch for PlayStation 5
Naughty Dog has announced another good reason for PS5 owners to clear a game off their backlog. The studio announced a performance patch is out today for The Last of Us Part II on PlayStation 5.
Once The Last of Us Part II owners have installed the latest patch on their PS5, they'll be able to access a toggle in the Display options allowing them to target either 30 or 60 FPS. Though it's already a pretty nice-looking game, a bump in framerate sounds like a good reason to jump onto this one.
In today's PlayStation blog, Naughty Dog also teases that this patch is "just the first step" of working on the PS5, and they'll let us know when they have more news to share. Reports have said the studio is looking into a remake of the first game, but even if it's just more enhancements to fidelity, I'm down for that.
Either way, seems like a good time to finally get around to The Last of Us Part II. Hopefully all that revengin' and guitar-playin' looks even nicer running at higher FPS.
New Final Fantasy VII Remake DLC screens show off the Fort Condor minigame, which I'm stoked for
So Square Enix decided to unload a ton of new info for Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (the DLC/PS5 upgrade thing for Remake), and there's a lot to unpack. Let's start with the characters.
Nero has been revealed, serving as a "member of an elite unit in Deepground known as the Tsviets." Scarlet is also going to get down to business in the DLC utilizing the Crimson Mare mech, and Ramuh will be usable as a summon. As you can tell, from an antagonist standpoint the DLC is going to diverge quite a bit.
Super Mario Bros. 'warp pipe' pot plants anger UK residents
The residents of English town Walsall have levied complaints at their local council over the implementation of 15 enormous plant pots, which bear more than a striking resemblance to the "warp pipes" of the Super Mario series. While this is obviously a positive boon to any city, some members of the Always Pleased British public are unhappy with the "eyesores."
According to local newspaper Birmingham Mail, the Walsall council was asked to slash £29 million from its budget, which is leading residents to question why taxpayer cash has been splashed on the admittedly huge installations, which have been situated throughout the quiet market town. Rumors that running across Walsall's rooftops allows you to skip a few worlds are yet to be verified.
"We've had so many shop closures in the last few years and the best thing the council can come up with is these garish monstrosities," said local florist Andrea Loveridge to the Birmingham Mail, before cementing her point with delighfully old-school phrase "It beggars belief."
Here's a good look at Heroes of the Storm's new Overwatch Cosplay event
Heroes of the Storm is back!
After months of slight balance patches, the team has been emerging from the ground to speak to fans again on social channels like Reddit, and now the game just got a big-ish patch on top of a new event. It's none other than the Overwatch Cosplay theme that was teased but not spoken about or announced at BlizzConline; and features outfits for several characters.
Valla is rocking the Reaper digs (Shadow Stalker), Johanna is cosplaying as Reinhardt (Gleaming Peacekeeper), Stitches is fittingly Roadhog (Hogmeat Stitches), and Raynor is Soldier 76 (Raynor 76). This joins a few other Overwatch cosmetics, like the notable Widowmaker skin for Nova: at this point, there's a lotta Overwatch in Heroes!
I have to say, all of them except the Valla skin look pretty rad. It doesn't really feel "Reaper" to me, while all of the others are so obvious at a glance, even with a behind the back overhead view. Given that they cost 525 gems or 600 shards for each tint (Hogmeat Stitches is a little more), I would have liked a little more flair.
If you're not into buying skins, you can check out the full live patch notes here. Coincidentally, all of the above heroes have been reworked this week. And the loot boxes have finally been changed from the winter event to Nexomania II.
Rambo and John McClane lead Call of Duty's slew of mid-season content
Tomorrow sees the launch of Call of Duty's season three mid-season, kicking off a selection of neat in-game content across both Black Ops: Cold War and battle royale title Warzone. Activision has shared details of the incoming "80s Action Heroes" banner, which brings a couple of silver screen legends to the first-person shooter.
Leading the charge are new premium operator bundles for John Rambo and Die Hard's John McClane, which add new operators and weapon skins as well as alternate knives, watches, and other themed accessories. These bundles will only be available for a limited time, and are expected to sell for a meaty 2400 CoD Points each.
In keeping with the movie theme, several new locations are being added to Warzone's Verdansk map, including the P.O.W. camp and CIA Outpost from 1985's Rambo: First Blood Part II, and a replication of Nakatomi Plaza from the fantastic 1989 classic, Die Hard. New modes "Rambo's Gun Game" and "Die HardPoint" will also be temporarily added to mode rotation.
(Update) WoW Burning Crusade Classic's pre-patch is coming soon, here's how the transition will work
[Update: The pre-patch is now live, and you can begin the process of transferring your characters between each classic game. This is what your launcher will look like going forward. There's an option for "Burning Crusade Classic" as well as "World of Warcraft Classic."
Upon logging in I was able to make the switch and it was relatively painless. After changing one of my Druids over to Burning Crusade, the game told me I could clone my character into WoW Classic for $15 at a later date, which I'm electing not to do. Simple enough!
I gotta say, fumbling of the clone fee aside, it really takes me back seeing that Dark Portal splash screen again.]
WoW Classic is about to be cleaved in two.
On one side of the Dark Portal: Classic Classic. On the other, Burning Crusade Classic. We knew this day would come, and for months we tried to figure out how this would actually work. But just recently via Blizzard's BlizzConline stream, we know how it'll work. And it involves two completely different servers.
When May 18 hits, the "pre-expansion patch" will go live in Classic. At this point you'll have two choices: you can bring them forward into the new expansion or stay in the old hotness (which will confusingly be brought forward into new "old" servers). Or, you can "clone them" for a fee.
Blizzard is now ready to fully explain how it's all going to work, through this detailed blog post here. This is the gist of how cloning happens: "Upon installing and logging into the other game, in this case, World of Warcraft Classic, you'll see [your character] listed and is greyed out. The text under her name now reads as, 'Clone Available.' A Clone icon will appear next to Thuata's name as shown below. A tip will appear on mouse-over of the Clone icon. If you click the Clone icon, a confirmation window with more information will appear. It shows the 'cloned' date of the character which includes all progress on the character up to that date." Then you pay the fee, and you're good to go.
Between the video below and this full rundown, you should be fully set to log in on May 18 and plan your course. As a reminder, Blizzard recently changed the price for cloning characters from $35 to $15.
I'm planning on just bringing everything forward, if Blizzard keeps up this process of continuing on with expansions. It's a lot less overhead and I don't mind slowly replaying the game progression style all over again.
Playing Ahead: Making Choices in WoW Classic [Battle.net]
It doesn't look like we're getting any Hollow Knight: Silksong news at E3
While ethereal sequel Hollow Knight: Silksong remains high on the wishlist of many video game fans, developer Team Cherry has warned its followers to temper their expectations going into the E3 season.
Speaking on its official Discord, Team Cherry's marketing head, Matthew Griffin stated, in no uncertain terms, that the team does not have any blogs or announcements scheduled for E3 this year — suggesting that the charming Hornet and her long-anticipated subterranean adventure still remain some way away from seeing the daylight. The statement was then shared to the Hollow Knight Reddit by user Echo_The_Shadow.
Hollow Knight: Silksong was originally drafted as a DLC expansion to the best-selling 2017 release, Hollow Knight. However, as scope increased and the project became more ambitious, it was decided to make Silksong a fully-formed sequel instead. While this update will no doubt come as a disappointment to fans — who have eagerly anticipated a release date for some time now, the Hollow Knight pedigree suggests that Silksong will be more than worth the wait when Hornet and her trusty needle finally venture into the world of Pharloom.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is in development for PC and Nintendo Switch.
Vote now for the next Pokemon Sword and Shield distribution event reward
I'm actually fairly impressed with Pokemon Sword and Shield's in-game support over the past one and a half years.
I know I know, there's plenty to criticize overall. But the team has been rolling out Gigantamax events and distribution methods on a regular basis this entire time, giving hardcore fans something to look forward to when they log in. They're not game-changing to be sure, but I love that at pretty much any point when I feel like getting back into either game there's something there. Nintendo has been doing the same thing for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: it's great.
So anyway, the next event is actually crowdsourced through a fan voting process on this Twitter account, and you can pick the items that will be doled out to plays "later this summer," as part of the Players Cup IV broadcasts.
This Zelda: Skyward Sword amiibo is lovely, but its feature should be in the game by default
So first up I have to really compliment the sculpt of this new amiibo figure. Job well done, folks.
A new Zelda amiibo? Yes. With loftwing? That's a two for one! This figure is super rad and I dig that games like Skyward Sword are getting commemorative figures. For the most part, 2020 and 2021 have been dead on the amiibo front (although this year has already surpassed 2020). Onto the bad news.
My hype dwindled a bit after watching the below trailer, which introduces the duo. So normally the game offers "fast travel" using specific statues in-game to go back to the main hub (Skyloft). But with the amiibo, you can just tap the figure to the NFC point, and instantly travel back to Skyloft. Even better, when you use it again, you'll go right back where you left off.
Am I crazy or is this a basic remaster quality of life feature? I'm typically all for amiibo unlocking cosmetic content (even "early unlocks" are fairly innocuous), but this is something a lot of people probably expected to be in the base game. If this figure is hard to track down too (just like the recent Monster Hunter Stories 2 figures, which aren't even being sold online in the US), it'll be even more of a pain.
As a reminder, we've kept a running tally of every amiibo figure released to date since 2014. You can check it out here.
Deathloop preview: Arkane's greatest hits with an asymmetrical twist
Deathloop always starts back at the beginning. Colt, struck with amnesia, wakes up on a beach with one heck of a hangover and the revelation that time, on this island, is looping. He has a simple objective: to hunt down the Visionaries spread around Blackreef and kill them all in a day, closing the loop in the process.
He can wield handguns, nail guns, shotguns, a machete, and a handheld hacking device, all in the name of taking out Blackreef's partygoers and scholars, but there is one problem larger than the legion of Eternalists between him and his targets: Julianna Blake. She's armed, and she has one goal: stop Colt from ending the loop.
I recently attended a preview session for Deathloop, where we got to see a slice of hands-off gameplay of the time-looping adventure. Across the preview, we saw a few different options for Colt: means of approach, ways of playing, and methods with which to dispatch the various Visionaries. And it looks pretty dang good.
Early Access Review: PowerWash Simulator
Folks, I've spent over 10 hours power washing, and I feel great.
Ahem. I've spent over 10 hours power washing houses, cars, and even a skate park... inside a simulation PC game. I know what you're thinking — you've got that trademark Simpsons "Yard Work Simulator" image ready to go — and I don't disagree. But for what it is, this game is surprisingly well-thought-out.
I wouldn't go so far as to call it "fun," but I'm enjoying this comfortingly mundane experience.
Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness will premiere on Netflix July 8
It looks like there's only two months to go before we get to see the dynamic duo of Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield back in action. Netflix has announced that its upcoming series Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness will hit the streaming service July 8.
Five more NES & SNES titles are joining the Nintendo Switch Online Collection
Nintendo has announced that it will be adding four new titles to the Nintendo Switch Online Collection app — a compilation of classic NES & SNES releases that are readily accessible to all users who have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
Joining the roster on May 26 will be Jaleco's Ninja JaJaMaru-kun, a rarity that first launched for the Famicom back in 1985. From the 16-bit SNES era, the Online Collection will be receiving Natsume's 1991 action title Spanky's Quest, Culture Brain's 1991 sports release Super Baseball Simulator 1.000, Data East's arcade platformer Joe & Mac: Cavemen Ninja and, also from Data East, one of my personal favorite puzzle games, Magical Drop II, which is getting its first ever western release.
Now, admittedly this is hardly the most exciting or world-renown of releases, but it's definitely an interesting batch of oddities. The Nintendo Switch Online Collection seems to be a solid blend of the obvious (Super Metroid, Super Mario World, StarFox) and the sublime (Wild Guns, River City Ransom, Gradius). But I hope that Nintendo will continue to pull both popular and unknown releases from its extensive back catalogue of yesteryear's hits.
[When Destructoid reader PatBateman17 blogs, we listen. -Jordan]
If you've seen me lurking on any number of AMA posts here, you know by now my absolute favorite gaming question is, "What is your most emotional gaming moment?" Gaming is by far my primary hobby, but I want more than just good action, cool design, or grand setpieces. I want a deeply emotional story that goes places. I want a dev that takes me on a journey from start to credits — and if you can absolutely demolish my heart in the meantime, I'm even more here for that!
Give me an emotional game any day
Sure, I enjoy my shooty bang bang games as much as the regular lot, my puzzle games with minimal story, the highs and lows of Mario Kart... but what I really enjoy are the games that rip my heart out of my chest and leave me gaping at the screen after I've wrapped, totally distraught and in awe of the journey the developer has taken me on. NinjaSpeed's excellent blog got me thinking about what I really connect with in the games I've played throughout the different times of my life. I could go on and on with this one, but I figured I'd hit the highlights that immediately come to memory.
The Game Band secures funding to develop more Blaseball
The Game Band, the indie outfit behind the fantasy sports sim/metafictional narrative experiment Blaseball, has secured funding to keep making more. Today, the studio announced a "significant investment" from Makers Fund, with additional investments from 1Up Ventures and Matthew Ball.
The investment will be used "first and foremost" to pay the Blaseball team for all of the hard work that's been put into the development of the ever-growing community sports sim, and then to grow the team, according to founder and creative director Sam Rosenthal.
"We've read all of your feedback and have so many ideas of our own," wrote Rosenthal in the statement today. "Now we'll have the resources to be able to start to put some of them into action. And finally, the investment enables us to look to the future and plan out new projects without the fear of going under."
Blaseball will also remain free-to-play, and The Game Band will stay an independent studio. A subsequent tweet from the studio's account also confirmed that a mobile app is in development.
If you're unfamiliar with Blaseball, it's maybe best described as fantasy sports with an emphasis on fantasy, and with a heaping help of community participation. Players can bet (fake, not real, money) on simulated matches playing throughout the week, and spend that currency to vote for decrees and decisions that will alter the future of the league.
It might sound pretty straightforward, but even in its earliest seasons, Blaseball players were resurrecting people from the dead, watching their favorite players get incinerated, and fighting a godlike entity in the form of a massive peanut. It's a surprisingly deep community that ended up being a welcome and constant respite of mine throughout 2020. You can sign up over at the Blaseball site and play in your browser, and just remember: the commissioner is doing a great job.
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance's re-release on Switch delayed to May 20
[Update: The Nintendo Switch release of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance has been rescheduled for May 20, 2021. Black Isle called the delay "an unfortunate set of circumstances out of our control."]
There's a new Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance on the way, and today, Black Isle and Interplay have released a re-release of the classic Baldur's Gate variation of Dark Alliance. It's out now on PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, but the Nintendo Switch version has hit a snag.
On Twitter, Black Isle Studios posted a statement saying that "due to unforeseen issues," it would be delaying Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance's Switch launch for a few days. "We're incredibly sorry about this and we're working hard to remedy this as quickly as possible."
Hey all,
— Black Isle Studios (@BlackIsleStudio) May 7, 2021
Due to an unforeseen issue on the Nintendo Switch store, we’re going to have to delay the launch for a few days to fix it.
We’re incredibly sorry about this and we’re working hard to remedy this as quickly as possible.
Thanks for your patience! pic.twitter.com/qw3h8hey1L
The re-release of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance has higher resolution graphics, though it will still have the classic hack-and-slash action of the original. It will also have the ability to adventure with a friend, a key piece of the original Dark Alliance's appeal.
The only thing better than dungeon crawling and looting is doing so with a pal. Hopefully the Switch version snafu can get fixed up soon.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition smooths out the first game, but it's still ME1
Damn, it feels good to be back on the Normandy.
Booting up the Mass Effect Legendary Edition for the first time last week, I was hit with waves of emotions. Dueling swathes of nostalgia and newfound wonder at seeing this, all this, in a single package slammed me over the head. I've played through the whole trilogy a couple times, and through the first game the most; yet booting it up here, in 2021, in the Legendary Edition, I couldn't help but feel a little warm about jetting off in the Normandy once again.
I'm currently playing my way through the trilogy, and we'll be looking to do a more holistic review once I've seen the whole thing start-to-finish, as it's clear there are some changes littered throughout the saga. It's worth checking in now though, after I've seen credits roll in roughly 25 hours of the first Mass Effect, to see what the Legendary Edition is up to thus far. It's important to note that this is a remaster—so while the gameplay has been tuned and even some content adjusted, this is not a remake on the scale of Resident Evil 2 or Final Fantasy VII.
How a tiny robot convinced me to visit Japan
It was pouring down rain on Akihabara. The girls dressed as maids had an extra layer of transparent raincoat on, and I was happy to find that basically every shop carries cheap, plastic umbrellas for 500 yen. I was exhausted after a two-week trip around the country by rail, carrying a backpack roughly the size of a refrigerator. My back had a knot in it, I wasn't sleeping well, and my constant nausea meant the only thing I could put in my stomach that night was a donut and a cup of tea from Mister Donut.
It was 2014, and most people near me couldn't believe that I'd be traveling Japan alone. The idea seemed to come out of nowhere. I'd never traveled by myself before, it was a rare day that I wasn't grappling with anxiety, and I'd spent most of my life as an extremely picky eater. I was a homebody, an introvert; hardly the worldly traveler. So what suddenly changed? Why did I make such an effort to see another country?
It was a video game. One that never saw release in North America.
Review: Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster
Shin Megami Tensei is criminally underrated.
Look, I understand that it's rated. In JRPG circles, it's spoken of constantly, and fondly. But the name doesn't carry as much weight in general scenes as, say, Persona. That needs to change at some point.
And Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is helping that happen.
Saints Row: The Third Remastered has a free PS5 and Xbox Series X/S upgrade lined up
Shortly after the Steam and GOG release of Saints Row: The Third Remastered on May 22, Deep Silver will be rolling out the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of the remaster. I know, I know — this (surely) isn't your favorite entry. But what if I told you the new console editions are a free upgrade?
Saints Row: The Third Remastered will be available directly on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S starting May 25, and it's a free upgrade from PS4 and Xbox One. Always nice to see. Apart from new lighting and texture work compared to the original game, there's a performance boost — expect to hit dynamic 4K at 60FPS, and in the case of Series S, your choice of either 1080p at 60FPS or 4K at 30FPS.
The developers are calling this "equivalent to the PC edition at high settings."
On the PlayStation 5 front, there's Activities support. That might sound minor if you haven't used the PS5 cards before, but they're great time-savers when they're implemented with care. Also, the DualSense controller will glow purple while you play The Third Remastered because of course it will.
I liked the game well enough in 2011 (which is to say "less than Saints Row 2"), and I don't know if I'll ever go back. I'm looking forward to the future and whatever bonkers direction this series takes, though.
PlayStation is giving out PS4 themes and avatars for Days of Play 2021
[Update: The Player Celebration event starts today, and Sony announced the date for the Days of Play Sale — May 26. We're getting deals on Demon's Souls, Miles Morales, Sackboy, and Nioh Collection. There's also going to be a PlayStation Plus "free online multiplayer" promo from May 22–23.]
Sony is hosting a PlayStation Player Celebration for its Days of Play 2021 event, which is just a fancy way of saying that if you sign up this month and play games and earn trophies, the community at large can work together to earn some free stuff — namely, PlayStation-themed avatars and themes.
Before I get into the minutia, here are the prizes:
Sign-ups for the PlayStation Player Celebration opened up today and they'll stay open until May 31, 2021. You've just got to log into the PlayStation Store and click a link. That's about it for right now.
There are three "stages," each with distinct avatars and themes on the line, as well as bonus goals. For instance, the first stage, on May 18, has a goal of 2.4 million games played and 7.2 million trophies earned. Stage two starts on May 25, and stage three will begin on June 1. If we collectively reach all the baseline goals, we'll get a "cumulative prize": a neat theme and avatar with the PlayStation symbols.
If you can rope any of your friends into this scheme, you'll get double the goal progress for any games you play together online. Too complicated? Just register and do your own thing. I'm sure we'll hit it.
Even though I've got a PS5, I haven't left my PS4 Pro behind yet — it still has a tremendous library of games and cross-saves keep me connected. As such, there's still some value in themes, but I do wonder when, if ever, the PlayStation 5 will get themes. It's got to be one of the top "nice-to-have" requests.
Nintendo says roughly '20% of Switch sales' come from households that already have one
Look to your left. Now your right. Now in front of you. Now behind you. Now up above. Odds are you're looking at someone who has two Switch units, because that attach rate is roughly 20%, Nintendo says.
Via the new financial results briefing to investors for the last fiscal year, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa opens up about just who is buying Switch hardware by giving us another demographic: multi-buyers. This past fiscal year ending in March 2021, he says "roughly 20%" of Switch sales were from people who already owned one.
Here's his full statement: "In the previous fiscal year, household demand for multiple systems accounted for roughly 20% of unit sales of the Nintendo Switch family of systems. Going forward, we expect demand for multiple systems per household will increase even as hardware unit sales grow. By region, significant sales growth is continuing in Asia, and we believe there is still room for sufficient growth of new demand in Europe and the United States, considering the sizes of those populations. To this end, we must thoroughly convey the appeal of existing titles and future titles to consumers."
This is something Nintendo has been hammering home for years, trying to get people to buy into the idea of the Switch being a "family" console and portable. And it's paying off. Right now based on their sales report of 84.59 million Switch units sold, multi-buyers added 16.91m to that number, which is an impressive jump that allowed Nintendo to get ahead of lifetime Xbox 360 and 3DS sales.
If they can keep the momentum, they'll hit 100 million soon enough. Furukawa is probably pushing them to release more exclusives as soon as possible.
Q&A Summary [Nintendo]
Shooter-RPG The Ascent is coming to Xbox and PC in July
Neon Giant has set a date for its action-shooter RPG The Ascent. The fireworks will start on July 29, 2021 when The Ascent arrives on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
The Ascent takes place in a contained corporate metropolis, which quickly becomes a battlefield as multiple groups move in to seize power. Essentially, see bad guy, start blastin'. It's got a vibe of co-op alien shooter Helldivers, but with more RPG mechanics.
It looks mostly isometric, though there are some other camera angles and twists in the trailer. Neon Giant says The Ascent will have a "free-roam play style" set in a cyberpunk, dystopian world, but also have some RPG features that let you build your character up over time.
The Ascent is also playable in either solo or up to four-player co-op mode, and to help with that, it will also be coming to Xbox Game Pass on its launch day as well. Looks like if you're aching for some co-op shootin' with an RPG flavor this summer, The Ascent might be able to make that happen in July.
This Zelda: Breath of the Wild animated box art video effect is incredible
Zelda: Breath of the Wild has some incredible art, both in and outside of the game.
The box itself was pretty much perfect, showing off our hero Link in his new digs, overlooking a vast world that invited you to explore it. Artist Dion42o decided to take that beautiful art a step further and animate it.
I tried to make it as clear as possible in the headline: but this is a video effect imposed on the box itself. You can find a full rundown of how Dion42o did it here in this time-lapsed video. They used Adobe After Effects, as well as Photoshop.
The creator stated their original vision: "I really wanted a Guardian fight scene for the open case part, I was envisioning link parrying a beam and it shooting way outside of the case but I couldn't find anything like it."
Hey, this works! That Gold Lynel piece is one of my favorite all-time single selections of Zelda art. It really sums up the imposing feeling of squaring off against one for the first time: and all of the memories that go along with conquering them.
Fallout 76 is hosting another big test soon
The Fallout 76 team continues to pump out more content, as the game sustains itself on the subscription service, microtransactions, and season passes: it's give and take.
The recent Locked and Loaded update added a ton of quality of life upgrades and generally more oomph to "dailies," and now the squad is going to build on that foundation with a larger content update. Specifically, we're getting a Steel Reign narrative mini-expansion, that builds on the Brotherhood content released several months ago.
That's in testing now, actually! If you have the game via the Bethesda launcher, you can boot up and select the PTR and give the upcoming content a go. In fact, Bethesda says that "the entire Steel Reign questline" (!) is in, which features the "conclusion of the Brotherhood of Steel story" in Fallout 76. It's meaty!
Other additions include the legendary crafting/attribute rework, as well as the Meat Week event. Bethesda is going to release the Steel Reign update after the testing period concludes, but they also have more minor patches to deliver before that happens.
This month 76 will host a patch on May 25, which is "mostly prep work" for Steel Reign, and involves bug fixes. Welp, the game could always use those! A lot of the big stuff (and more importantly, the egregious quality of life issues at launch) has been addressed, but the original foundation was so shaky, the team is still catching up.
Inside the Vault [Bethesda.net]
SNK releases first gameplay video for mobile title Metal Slug Code: J
SNK has released the first gameplay footage taken from "Metal Slug Code: J," the in-development mobile project currently on the workbenches at Tencent's TiMi Studios. The still-unnamed (and undated) run 'n' gun adventure is in the works for iOS and Android devices.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition didn't ship with an FOV toggle on PC, so fans made one
I can get by without an FOV slider in a lot of games, especially if they're re-releases. But in 2021, it's a little weird to release something on PC and not have it in at launch. Fans are answering the call with Mass Effect: Legendary Edition. It's just how most AAA releases go these days!
This mod, found here and created by "Jade," allows players to utilize an FOV toggle for "the entire trilogy." Now I'm using the phrase "toggle" here rather than the traditional slider, because you need to install an individual mod for each game. In short, on this page here you'll find files called "ME1[-3] 80, 90, and 100 FOV."
You'll need to essentially pick one of those settings and install it for each trilogy entry. If you don't like it, follow the instructions and swap to another one until it's just right. It's not a huge leap as it only takes a few seconds, you just need to settle on a setting. The same creator has a whole suite of mods for the old PC versions of the trilogy if you're interested, including a minimalistic launcher and a "skip launcher video" mod for the Legendary Edition.
All that said I dealt with a lack of an FOV slider at launch and I can deal with it now. While it would be nice to see BioWare add it in (and developers have even started implementing it on consoles now with the latest generation), I can live without it.
Better Camera (Higher FOV) [Nexus Mods]
Grand Theft Auto V launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X November 11
Rockstar has announced a release date for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of what is arguably the company's magnum opus: Grand Theft Auto V. The open-world crime epic — now one of the greatest-selling video games of all time — will bring its brand of mayhem to the next-gen platforms on November 11.
Originally released on September 17, 2013 for PS3 and Xbox 360, GTA V was an instant smash seller and has continued to shift copies in its ensuing seven years, with an estimated 140 million units on the market. GTA V tells the story of three very different hoodlums — Michael Townley, Franklin Clinton, and Trevor Philips — whose paths cross in a spiraling story of chaos, betrayal, and violence, all viewed with the series' trademark satirical eye.
Alongside GTA V, November 11 will see the world of GTA Online open up to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S players. The MMO — which has been a cash cow for Rockstar for many years thanks to a slew of paid expansions and microtransactions — will offer PS5 users their first three months of mayhem free of charge, before resuming its typical paid subscription service in February 2022.
Finally, Rockstar hinted that there were some "fun surprises" in store for the 20th anniversary of one of the single most influential release of all-time: Grand Theft Auto III. It is hinted that these surprises pertain specifically to GTA Online so, for now at any rate, it probably isn't worth getting amped up for a full remaster/remake of the 2001 PS2/Xbox title.
For full details, check out the official press release over on the Rockstar Games blog.
Peggle 2 is coming to Xbox Game Pass, along with a bunch of other stuff
Remember when PopCap was pumping out a ton of hits that weren't freemium affairs or microtransactioned to death? It's hard to believe that was so long ago.
It was 2011 when EA took over, and their entire business model changed. Peggle 2 was one of the last games that maintained the same magic as their old releases, and now you can enjoy it on Xbox Game Pass via the cloud edition of the service.
I still think of Peggle all the time. My wife and I played the first one endlessly, side-by-side with multiple copies, having a blast. Somehow, someway, I hope PopCap can bounce back from the cold grasp of EA and start having fun again.
Other notable games hitting Xbox Game Pass this week include Plant vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville (cloud), Maneater (all platforms), and Fuzion Frenzy (cloud). You can find the full list below!
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition dethrones Resident Evil Village in UK Charts debut
Electronic Arts' epic space opera, Mass Effect, is back on top of the UK Charts for the first time in many years. Remaster Mass Effect: Legendary Edition debuted at number one in the physical sales charts this week, dethroning Capcom's equally rad horror sequel Resident Evil Village after just one week.
It should be noted that Mass Effect's physical sales were not extraordinary, merely enough to usurp that of Resident Evil Village, which saw a sales drop of almost 60% on last week's numbers. Both Mass Effect: Legendary Edition and Resident Evil Village can be considered successes, and digital sales figures for both titles will far outweigh those represented in the UK Charts.
Elsewhere in the Top Ten, an influx of PS5 stock saw Spider-Man: Miles Morales rocket back up the charts, with the web-slinger nestling at number three. Additionally, underwater escapade Subnautica: Below Zero made a modest debut at number five, while a Nintendo Switch double-pack — featuring Below Zero and the 2014 original — sits at number 38.
[This is a fun conversation starter from Destructoid reader NinjaSpeed. I can't believe I waited until Kingdom Hearts III of all games to try the series for the first time, and I'm still working through that mental whiplash. -Jordan]
Are there any beloved video game series that you've completely missed out on?
Resident Evil was one of those series for me. I noticed the positive buzz around Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, but didn't pay too much attention to it as someone who'd never touched a survival horror game before. I wasn't interested in those kinds of games... or so I thought. Enter: Resident Evil 2.
Sludge Life, a wild graffiti adventure, comes to Nintendo Switch on June 2
I haven't forgotten about Sludge Life, a wonderfully weird graffiti platformer-adventure game from Terri Vellmann, Doseone, and Devolver Digital, but I had forgotten that it was coming to Nintendo Switch. The day's almost here, too — the Switch version and Steam release are both planned for June 2, 2021.
The first-person / open-world / vandalism-centric SLUDGE LIFE is coming to Nintendo Switch and Steam on June 2!
— Devolver Digital (@devolverdigital) May 17, 2021
All SLUDGE LIFE merch comes with a Steam code for a limited time: https://t.co/1hC1IZLYb7 pic.twitter.com/X6tvlYHQIC
Over the past year, Sludge Life has been available for free on the Epic Games Store. That's where I messed around with it originally, and the free-to-claim-and-keep deal is still valid until May 28 if you're only hearing about this now. (Normally, the game will cost $14.99, so do what you gotta do.)
If you're someone who can tolerate a bit of the old crude humor and you enjoy exploring lo-fi 3D spaces, especially when just-out-of-reach collectibles are involved, then you're gonna have fun figuring out what's what. There's little to no hand-holding, so poking around the world, chatting with the locals, and figuring out how to get up to that one spot up there that's taunting you is a big part of the experience.
What else do you need to know? There's a glider. That should just about do it.
