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.
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.
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.
Lady Dimitrescu had a great run, but Shadow Warrior 3's Motoko is here now
Work continues on boom-a-riffic shooter sequel Shadow Warrior 3. Developer Flying Wild Hog and publisher Devolver Digital continue to drop trailers and tidbits pertaining to the cataclysmic sequel, which is scheduled for release on PS4, PC, and Xbox One later this year.
The developers might have outdone themselves this weekend, however, with the reveal of amazing new character Motoko — the last remaining sorceress of the Kumo Brotherhood. Very little has been revealed about this fascinating new villain, but we do know that she holds mastery over electrical elements and that she plays host to an explosive and opulent fighting arena, which is fittingly titled "Motoko's Thunderdome."
We also know that she looks fucking awesome. Look at her...
Mass Effect Legendary Edition project director says Mass Effect 3's multiplayer could return
The Mass Effect Legendary Edition is out now, and contains most of what the original trilogy had to offer. One notable absence, however, is Mass Effect 3's renowned multiplayer. And while it was known it wouldn't make the LE cut, there might still be some hope.
Speaking to CNET, Mass Effect Legendary Edition project director Mac Walters said he would "never say no" to Mass Effect 3's multiplayer mode coming back in some form. "We want to see what kind of reception the Legendary Edition gets and what the demand for the multiplayer is," said Walters. "And then we'll ask ourselves if we have the resources and time to bring it up to the quality level we and fans want."
It's not much, but it's something. Previously, BioWare has cited the logistical concern of resurrecting the multiplayer mode for why it was absent. But now it seems that if enough people are hungry for it, we could be teaming up to take on the Reapers after all.
Among the many changes made to improve the overall experience of these games—especially the first one—I'd certainly be excited to play some Mass Effect 3 multiplayer again. It was essentially a horde mode in the Mass Effect universe, with tons of different races and classes, and some unique playstyles to learn apart from your Shepard's loadout. Returning to Mass Effect's single-player is fun, but I can't deny I'd like to load up a map as the Geth Juggernaut or Salarian Infiltrator too.
Get out some of that pent up aggression against pedestrians in Courier Crisis
Nineteen ninety-five was a rough time for games. The market was transitioning to 3D graphics, and there was a lot to figure out. To prove this, you need only look at the earliest PlayStation games; the ones that came in those ugly cardboard clamshells. Games like ESPN Espn2 Extreme Games and the original Twisted Metal plainly show the difficulties developers had with the new hardware. Warping textures, awkward physics, and…
Oh, hold on a moment...
Courier Crisis came out in 1997!? Wow, that's embarrassing.
Rough-and-tumble vehicle sim SnowRunner is coming to Xbox Game Pass
If you've been eager to brave the treacherous roads behind the wheel of massive vehicles, a pretty good option is coming to Xbox Game Pass. SnowRunner hits Microsoft's subscription service on Xbox consoles and Windows PC tomorrow, May 17.
Carrying forward the MudRunner legacy, SnowRunner has you drive a bunch of different vehicles across rain, snow, and more. Yes, that also includes mud.
Last year, Snowrunner came to Xbox for the first time​
— Xbox Game Pass (@XboxGamePass) May 17, 2021
tomorrow, it comes to the XGP library pic.twitter.com/Gp9XFBM0Kz
Games like Euro Truck Simulator have made it apparent that driving around from point A to point B can be serene and relaxing, but if you're looking for a challenge, SnowRunner might be able to offer that. Putting a snorkel on your exhaust to handle heavy water certainly sounds pretty hardcore.
Xbox Game Pass has been getting a bunch of games lately, including Dragon Quest Builders 2 and the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance. A number of games have also received an FPS boost on the new set of Xbox consoles, too. New games aside, it seems like spring's been pretty good for filling up Xbox players' backlogs.
Stadia heads want Stadians to know platform is 'alive and well'
Google has stated that cloud gaming platform Stadia is "alive and well." The statement comes from the industry giant following a slew of headlines that suggest the Stadia platform — still in its relative infancy — is suffering from numerous setbacks.
"We're well on our way to over 100 new games launching on Stadia in 2021, and we're continuing to make Stadia a great place to play games on devices you already own," said development marketing lead Nate Ahearn in a statement to GamesIndustry.biz. "I'd tell any non-believers to take notice of how we're continuing to put our words into action, as we grow the Stadia Makers program and partner with AAA studios like Capcom, EA, Square Enix, Ubisoft and others."
The words come in the wake of numerous eyebrow-raising headlines concerning Stadia's direction. Following disappointing first-year sales, Google announced it was closing its internal game development studios in February of 2021 — a decision that led to an exodus of developers, including producer Jade Raymond, who has since formed her own studio and with several former Stadia staff. This was followed by the news that Stadia's VP & Head of Product, John Justice, had also left Google. Justice's role has since been filled by Stadia co-founder Dov Zimring.
"Dov has been instrumental as a senior leader in the product development for both Project Stream and Stadia," said a Google spokesperson. "He will be leading the team toward our goals of creating the best possible platform for gamers and technology for our partners."
Google no longer publishes figures regarding Stadia sales, subscriptions, or users. As such it is difficult to accurately ascertain the status of the platform as of May 2021. While there are major releases joining the Stadia service this year, (Capcom's Resident Evil Village, for example), the proof of the pudding will not be in what Stadia is able to achieve in the remainder of 2021, but how many users — and importantly, publishers — continue to invest in the platform's future come 2022.
Google says Stadia is "alive and well" [GamesIndustry.biz]
Mass Effect Legendary Edition changes infamous photo of Tali
As players have been tearing through all three games in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, they've been discovering the changes that have been made throughout the trilogy. One in particular addresses a very well-known photo that can appear in Shepard's cabin.
(Spoilers for Mass Effect 3 follow)
During the course of Mass Effect 3, Shepard can carry on a romance with a number of different crewmates, including quarian squadmate Tali. In the course of her romance, Shepard can even end up with a photo of her in their cabin.
In the original Mass Effect 3, this photo turned out to be an edit of a stock photo that didn't sit well with some folks. Now, with the Legendary Edition, BioWare has replaced the old picture with a new one, as confirmed by Reddit user "Maxgoods" and others.
Whether it's an improvement or not is your call. It certainly looks like Tali, though the original photo stood out for showing her without the usual enviro-suit, which I liked to think of as her on the world of Rannoch. It was nice to think of her getting to finally experience the breeze on her homeworld, and Shepard preserving the memory. That said, this one is definitely closer to how we see Tali in the game—still wearing the suit, though without any apparent face-shielding. Still, it's probably a better version for fans as opposed to an edited stock photo.
While some of the larger changes of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition were detailed in the run-up to launch, but it seems like there are still a number of differences to spot in the details. It'll be interesting to see what else has been across all these games as players dig deeper into them.
Review: Path of Exile: Ultimatum
Somehow, Path of Exile is simultaneously in its best and worst state. Every league, it just gets more bloated as Grinding Gear Games (GGG) adds previous league mechanics into the "core" game. As someone who has played in a pretty serious capacity the last handful of leagues, I enjoy the new challenges and additions as I come up with zanier and zanier build ideas.
But the new player experience is at an all-time low. I cannot seriously recommend people to just jump into Path of Exile today and enjoy what's there. I'd recommend spending hours and hours performing some research first, and probably DMing me, and then tempering expectations before jumping into Wraeclast. As a result, this review will mostly be catered to those who have a decent understanding of the game, and ideally a conversation piece for others to share their opinions.
I'm officially in the "log in and do my weeklies" phase of World of Warcraft.
Look, the past year hasn't been easy on anyone, especially game developers. But right now World of Warcraft: Shadowlands has a severe content drought, and unfortunately, the studio didn't pivot to give us smaller content drops over time. Instead, we have to wait for the new Chains of Domination update to arrive. It's one of the longest waits between major content patches to date, and I feel it.
Thankfully, Chains does look like it's shaping up to be a fun romp so far, especially after this recent preview of the new eight-boss Mythic mega-dungeon. It's called Tazavesh: the Veiled Market, and it runs the gamut of insane-looking and likely-fun-to-fight bosses.
Timecap'n Hooktail, a giant dragon who Hulked out after having her heist hijacked, rules. I'm glad Blizzard is still experimenting with silly boss fights every now and then. So'leah, the final boss, also looks sufficiently epic, and I love how she fits into the overarching story of the in-universe cartel. I'm getting big Court of Stars vibes here and I love it.
A Blizzard community manager also hopped into the comments section to explain how it's going to work: "you will need to follow a (short) questline to locate the new mega-dungeon. Once you arrive there, you can learn a flight path and travel easily between there and Oribos [the new main hub]."
As of this week, they still don't have a date for Chains of Domination. It can't come soon enough. We have PTR patch notes, at least!
Shadowlands: Take a Day Trip to Tazavesh, the Veiled Market [Battle.net]
The Mario sports spin-offs have always taken a broader, zanier approach to their respective athletic past-times. In the latest trailer for the upcoming Mario Golf: Super Rush, it definitely seems like the trend is carrying forward, with a surprising number of modes to boot.
Today's trailer showcases some of the modes included in Super Rush, both multiplayer and single-player. On the competitive side, we've already seen Speed Golf, the fast-paced race to the finish where golfers can use special abilities to get ahead. Battle Golf is one step further: a Speed Golf variant with multiple holes to capture, in an almost Mario Kart-like battle arena.
Of course, there's still standard golf with a host of quality-of-life features. Mario Golf: Super Rush will also have a solo mode called Golf Adventure, where players can take their Mii through the ranks at a country club, completing a variety of challenges and leveling up in the process.
As someone who bounced off Mario Tennis Aces after a week or so, I'm eagerly looking forward to this one. The single-player side seems like it's got some interesting challenges to hold the player's attention, and I am all about the bonkers battle modes. I'm really just here for the incredibly good golf attire—did you see Bowser's visor?—but it looks like Mario Golf: Super Rush is gearing up to bring some more good golfin' to the Switch on June 25.
Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis has a lot of potential, based on the beta
Look, Sega doesn't have to sell me on a new Phantasy Star Online project.
It's been... a while since we've gotten one of those. I mean the west just got PSO 2 recently, which is great! But the prospect of starting something on a completely level playing field, at the ground level, is extremely enticing.
Based on what I've played of the PSO2: New Genesis beta, I'm even more jazzed for that day to come.
Did you check out Guilty Gear Strive's final beta?
Arc System Works' has entered its final marketing chapter for upcoming fighting sequel Guilty Gear Strive. After a long wait, some exciting character reveals, some fan frustrations, and an eventual delay, the wild roster of the GG universe is set to let rip on PC and PlayStation platforms June 11.
The publisher held one final beta this weekend in order to stress-test the effectiveness of GG Strive's rollback netcode — a key component in ArcSys' plan to make the new sequel a success within the global fighting game community. In addition to its run of crash course character guides, ArcSys also dropped a new video giving newcomers a brief overview of Guilty Gear's storyline. For a deeper look at the GG universe, be sure to check out our own Zach Bennett's in-depth guide to the series' world and roster.
WoW Burning Crusade Classic's pre-patch is coming soon, here's how the transition will work
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]
Stylish deduction RPG Gnosia is coming to PC in 2021
It's time to put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and re-open your detective agency. Publisher Playism has announced that the super-cool, ultra-hip "social deduction" game Gnosia will be coming to PC later this year, following its launch on Nintendo Switch back in March.
Over time, Destiny 2 has become more of a grind. But the recent transmogrification system (or "transmog," or even simpler, the ability to swap out cosmetic looks for gear, similar to MMOs) is a grind upon a grind, seated on a throne of microtransaction shortcuts.
So we knew it was going to suck. We had a heads-up where Bungie for some reason explained the system in detail like people weren't going to push back against it, like it was a good idea; to convolute a really old mechanic that developers nailed over a decade ago. But this Reddit thread from alonie-homie sheds some light on just how bad it is.
Remember how you needed to grind out materials to earn the right to start the transmog process? well apparently drop rates of those mats aren't based on kills: they're time-gated, according to community testing. So it can take about five hours to get past step one: then you need to actually collect bounties and complete them.
By some estimations, it would take roughly 150 hours to grab all of the ornaments across the three classes, or about 50 hours per class. Note that transmog is gated by season. Or, you can pay real money (silver) and skip this.
It's kind of indefensible, and Bungie will probably use their "we hear you and will adjust" shtick. But the extent to which people are willing to actually sit through it is dwindling over time, especially given the aggressive monetization of this whole mechanic.
Synthtrand isn't based on kills it's based on time [Reddit]
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Anniversary Edition is coming to iOS and Android next week
We may have moved beyond Danganronpa's 10th anniversary celebrations, but that doesn't mean that there aren't still some goodies in-store for Kazutaka Kodaka's super-twisted murder-mystery franchise. As spotted by Touch Arcade, next week will give fans the opportunity to take the series acclaimed second sequel for a pocket-sized spin, courtesy of Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Anniversary Edition, which launches on iOS and Android platforms May 26.
Originally released on PS4, PS Vita, and PC back in 2017, Killing Harmony was the first mainline series entry to launch on home consoles alongside their handheld brethren. The dark sequel features the typical investigative gameplay of its predecessors, as abducted high school student Kaede Akamatsu finds herself trapped alongside a group of similarly aged strangers, each an expert in his or her own field. The party is forced to take part in a violent "game" of kill-or-be-killed, once again presided over by the sinister Monokuma.
So the Nintendo Switch is on fire. It's so hot in fact that it just hit roughly 85 million units sold this year, and it still has plenty of life left in it.
It'll clear 100 million by the end of the year, which puts it right on pace for defeating the Wii, Nintendo's most successful home console to date. That's huge! The Switch's rise to fame has been more low key than the "my uncle bought a Wii Fit and never played it" obviousness of yesteryear, but Nintendo, like other hardware producers, is struggling to meet that demand.
It's all due to the semiconductor shortage, amid other supply pipeline issues, which have been raging since this past year. And Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa recently shed some light on Nintendo's strategy during these trying times (though he did not offer us an egg).
Speaking in a Q&A for the company's financial results briefing of this past fiscal year, Furukawa states: "As for production, we achieved steady hardware production through the end of last calendar year, and as a result, in the previous fiscal year we set a record for our highest fourth-quarter sales volume. Meanwhile, demand for hardware continues to exceed our expectations even after the beginning of this calendar year, and production has currently not caught up to this high demand due to the tight supply and demand situation for semiconductor materials worldwide."
He goes on to say: "Although we are currently striving to produce as many units as possible, the fact is that our production plans are more uncertain than they were at the beginning of previous fiscal years. Our full-year sales plan is based on the premise that we can secure the materials necessary for production, but if we are able to produce more units, we will work hard to meet the strong demand, and to be able to ship and sell those units."
It's a tall order. Nintendo needs to wheel and deal and get those Switch units out as quickly as they can while the going is good. And if their history with the industry is any indication, they can pull the strings to make that happen.
Q&A Summary [Nintendo]
Resident Evil Village puppets meet a special guest in their latest episode
Last week saw Capcom release the newest episode of "Let's Play in Bio Village," the infectiously creepy-cute puppet show starring the villains of Resident Evil Village. This episode is particularly special, as it features a guest appearance from another member of the horror sequel's Rogues' Gallery.
The episode begins with Big Sister Dimitrescu suggesting Moreau brush his teeth with a razor-sharp brush, with predictably messy results. While the edict of the entire show is that Resident Evil Village "is not scary," this latest gory happening proves too much for Angie, who admits to being terrified of the whole show. Dimitrescu and Heisenberg then question their recent, kind actions — embracing their dark side and giving in to their murderous intent.
Samurai Shodown hits Steam June 14, Shiro Tokisada Amakusa joining roster
Great news for fans of SNK's great 2019 fighter Samurai Shodown. The one-year exclusivity deal with Epic Games Store is coming to an end, which means that the tense fighting title will finally launch on the Steam platform June 19. In addition, that same day will see the launch of a brand new DLC character: The notorious Shiro Tokisada Amakusa.
Amakusa is a recurring villain in the SamSho universe, having featured in numerous iterations in the decades-long series. Amakusa is a loose interpretation of a legendary revolutionary who was executed in Japan in the late-1600s after leading a band of Catholic followers in an attempt to overthrow the Shogunate. The SamSho iteration of Amakusa started out as an evil, power-hungry monster, but the lore has since pushed a "dual-personality" slant, with two independent spirits battling for dominance of Amakusa's soul.
Shiro Tokisada Amakusa will be the third of Samurai Shodown's Season Pass 3 characters, following on from the recent releases of Cham Cham and Hibiki Takane. The fourth and final character will be a Guilty Gear guest star and is expected to arrive this summer. Samurai Shodown is a fine fighting title, unlike much else on the market. Hopefully the Steam release will open the reboot up to new players.
Hades for PS4 listed on the Korean Ratings Board
The greatest spoiler organization on the planet, The Game Rating and Administration of Korea, are at it again. As spotted by eagle-eyed Resetera users, the board has released a new listing that appears to show Supergiant Giant's much-loved dungeon crawler Hades is preparing to cut loose on PS4.
Launching on PC and Nintendo Switch in September of 2020, Hades won over an army of fans with its compelling story, super-cool style, wry sense of humor, and hot-as-hell (literally) cast of "heroes" and villains. Hades would go on to sell over one million copies by the end of 2020 — winning numerous end-of-year awards — and is still finding new followers all the time. A PS4 port would only add to this Army of The Damned.
For clarification, there has been no official confirmation that Hades is headed to the PlayStation platform, but time has long shown that once a title appears on the Korean listings site, it's more or less all the confirmation that you need. Here's hoping Hades arrives soon, I really miss Dusa... and Zagreus... and Nyx... and Megaera... and...
Striving to understand Guilty Gear's lore for Guilty Gear Strive
If you're looking for something to chew on until Guilty Gear Strive releases June 11th, look no further than its story. Guilty Gear's narrative is far from "easily digestible," so let's all take a lore laxative and gloss over some of the story's broader strokes. Below is an overview of every character's story arc leading up to the events of Strive. It's the kind of series that uses narrative to justify changes to characters' in-game moves between iterations: a beautiful, if not convoluted, piece of art.
So, what even is a Gear? And why is it guilty? Gears are augmented beings. Originally intended to speed up our biological advancement—and cure disease along the way—the military naturally gravitated toward Gears to use as weapons of war.
Keep in mind, this is a story told across decades of arcade and console games, manga, Japanese drama CDs, literal pachinko machines—it's a wild ride. But before we get into each character, we must first set the stage.
Get acquainted with Konami's Getsu Fuuma Den before playing Undying Moon
The announcement of GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon caught me off guard. It's like running into your human wreckage of an ex. You thought all they did was gamble away their money constantly, but here they are talking about their new job like nothing ever happened. You start remembering all the good times, you dare to believe that maybe they've finally cleaned up their act. Maybe Konami has really changed and this is proof of that. Truthfully, I'm expecting to wake up and find my wallet and jewelry missing.
What's weird about this, however, is that GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon is actually based on a Famicom exclusive title from 1987; Getsu Fuuma Den. It was never released in North America, it never received a sequel, all we got were some cameos in games like Castlevania: Harmony of Despair, while Japan would see him again in the Wai Wai World titles. I wouldn't go as far as saying the series was forgotten, but when Konami is sitting on a treasure trove of marketable franchises, it's strange to see them reach this far into the bucket.
Of course, it's unlikely you'll need to be versed in Getsu Fuuma Den to understand the new game. It's technically a sequel taking place 1000 years later, with the actual core gameplay being completely different. There is a connection there for fans, but likely nothing so intense you'll need to have the background. Nonetheless, let's take a moment to get acquainted with Konami's not-quite-classic.
Review: Subnautica: Below Zero
Subnautica was a survival game for people who thought they were sick of survival games.
Not only did it stand out in the genre with its one-of-a-kind alien water world, it also nailed a sense of genuine chart-your-own-course exploration. I felt like I had to work for every discovery, whether it was some bizarre biome or a new tool that would help me dive deeper, but it never felt like work. The game even had a pretty compelling sci-fi mystery to unravel, complete with an actual ending to reach.
In my 2018 review of the original Subnautica, I suggested that it might be the "best underwater game ever made." I stand by that today. Free-diving, recklessly piloting a submarine, stomping around the seafloor in a Prawn Suit — it felt fantastic to get to know Planet 4546B back then, and it still does now.
Three years later, after another Steam Early Access push, Unknown Worlds has put the finishing touches on Subnautica: Below Zero. Version 1.0 is done, and I'm glad I had enough restraint to hold off.
Five '80s action stars who should definitely be in Call of Duty: Warzone
Next week sees perhaps the most bombastic crossover in gaming history. On May 20, Sylvester Stallone's John Rambo and Bruce Willis' Die Hard hero John McClane will step away from the silver screen to bring their respective brands of rat-a-tat-tat mayhem to Activision's Call of Duty franchise, joining the rosters of CoD: Black Ops, CoD: Mobile, and uber-popular battle royale release CoD: Warzone.
The Reganized 1980s saw a (literal) boom in action movies, as a staunchly conservative populace fell completely and utterly in love with solving the world's — or just the neighborhood's — problems at the barrel of an Uzi. While some of these films were dang awful, we also received an abundance of stone cold classics, with films such as RoboCop, Total Recall, and Commando as ridiculous and as entertaining today as they ever were.
I think the Call of Duty franchise is sitting on a veritable gold mine with its "'80s Action Stars" crossover event. Presented for your consideration are a further five stars of the decade taste forgot, without whom Call of Duty: Warzone will never, ever reach its full potential. No need to thank me, Activision, just pay me the 1600 COD Points I purchased last month that never arrived in my account.
Review: Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids
You want more Assassin's Creed Valhalla?
Well you got it! And not much else.
Review: Famicom Detective Club
It was quite a surprise when Nintendo announced it was remaking and localizing its Famicom Detective Club titles for the Nintendo Switch. The games, originally released in Japan for the Famicom Disk System, are two of the few early gaming titles from Nintendo's repertoire that haven't been reintroduced to new audiences. Outside of a Super Famicom remake of the second game, both have happily existed as footnotes in Nintendo's extensive library.
But story-driven games are as popular as they've ever been, and with the Switch still red hot, there is no better time than now for Nintendo to pull these two relics from the past and into the modern era.
Huntdown for Steam is slicker and sicker than ever before
[Update: Huntdown is now live on Steam, early purchases will bag a 20% price discount.]
There's no denying 2020 was an explosive year for video games. But among the mega-bucks, mega-marketed, mega-sellers of the industry, smaller titles were still keeping it real, making names for themselves off of the back of hard effort, great design, hard effort, and solid gameplay.
In this regard, Coffee Stain Publishing's Huntdown completely won me over last spring, going on to become one of my most played games of the year. Developed in Unity by tiny Swedish outfit Easy Trigger Games, Huntdown overcame its budgetary shortcomings by accentuating its positives: awesome pixel graphics, a hard-hitting soundtrack, superb sound design, and raw, compelling, shamelessly violent gameplay. Huntdown is a dirty, dirty gem.
Which video games do you think demonstrate the sharpest A.I.?
Cblogs of 5/8 to 5/14/2021
-Gamingnerd wonders if single-player games are simply a multiplayer game against the game's AI.
-Febochulus reviews indie game, Hylics.
-Lord Spencer reviews Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.
-Dinoracha reviews the early access version of RoboQuest.
-NinjaSpeed writes about playing a long-term franchise for the first time.
-ABowlOfCereal continues their balancing suggestion for Guardian Tales.
-Boxman214 shares his experience being a Dungeon Master for the first time.
-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community thread.
Umurangi Generation brings the miserable future to Switch next month
As a budding amateur photographer, I am always on the lookout for photography games. Not video games with photo modes, which are a dime a dozen these days, but games built around the activity of taking pictures.
So naturally, when I first heard of Umurangi Generation, it immediately shot to the top of my most-wanted list. Unfortunately, it only came to PC, and because I'm an evil cretin known as a Mac user, I had to wait for the inevitable Switch port. As I found out today, I'm only going to have to wait a few more weeks. Publisher Playism confirmed today the game will hit the eShop on June 5.
Akiba's Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed will be haunting the west in late July
XSeed Games, in association with Marvelous!, have announced that the western localization of the upcoming RPG Akiba's Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed will be arriving in the west a mere two months after its Japanese launch. The 10th anniversary remaster will launch in North America on PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch July 20, with Europe to follow on July 23.
Duke Nukem Forever proves the worst part of Duke Nukem is Duke Nukem
Does Duke Nukem Forever really need an introduction? It was announced before I hit puberty. It spent 15 years in development hell, becoming legendary for its protracted development time. Every few years, another tease would come out, saying, "no really, prepare your uterus, he's coming for real this time," only for 3D Realms to roll over and fall asleep again. When it finally hit, reactions ranged from negative to "I guess it could have been worse." James Stephanie Sterling ripped the game a new one on release, right here on Destructoid.
There were only two reasons people cared to begin with: They either liked Duke Nukem 3D because it was an amazing title and you should love it, or they just like gawking at the carnival freak show. I was a part of the former group. Since playing Duke Nukem 3D at far too young an age, I've been in love with it. Every few years, I replay it and am reminded of how it sizzles, and just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. But somewhere down the line, perhaps even from its inception, developers made a severe mistake: They bet on Duke.
'80s oddity Guzzler is this week's Arcade Archives release
Following on from last week's excellent obscurity The Astyanax, this week sees Hamster add another relatively unknown title to its Arcade Archive range. Now available on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, Guzzler is a post-Pac-Man maze title from Tehkan Electronics.
Originally released in arcades in 1983, Guzzler puts players in control of a cute little dude with fantastic water-retaining abilities. Each of the game's 30 stages sees "Guzzler" drinking up puddles of water before extinguishing a variety of fire-based enemies and their respective generators. Amusingly, Guzzler can also down a swift cocktail power-up which, inexplicably, temporarily freezes the fire while fully refueling our hero. Talk about getting loaded.
Check out the strange action in the video below, courtesy of Old Classic Retro Gaming.
Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat is my new happy place
Last month, the Apple Arcade service got a real shot in the arm when Apple surprised dropped more than two dozen titles onto the subscription service. We've covered a few of those titles already, but there were many more we just didn't have the time or manpower to dive into for you. If you have the service, you should give games like Wonderbox, Star Trek: Legends, and Clap Hanz Golf a go. The latter title is from the developer of the Everybody's Golf series and features excellent touch controls and an interesting spin on the sport.
But there is another game I would like to talk about today because it has brought me so much joy since I downloaded it to my iPad. That game is Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat, and it is immaculate.
Everything that happened at the Final Fantasy XIV 2021 FanFest keynote
Somehow, someway, Final Fantasy XIV keeps getting better over time.
It's not typical that an MMO holds in terms of quality for this long, but XIV is hitting yet another stride with the move to PS5, and the next expansion, Endwalker, looks incredible.
Sadly, the FanFest event this weekend couldn't be held in person for obvious reasons, so it was broadcast instead. Upfront, here is the listing for the Fanfest event so you can watch everything yourself. Or you can check out this recap!
Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid?
Howdy folks, it's yer boy Moyse. Back in full effect and now with added Super Blood. Well, perhaps not, but since last week I've had some needles in me, and now I feel the Red, White, and Blue of your American drugs coursing through my very veins. Funnily enough, I was the only person in the room to receive said drug, which is WELL SUS. But I'll take your 95% effectivity rate, thank you very much. I just wish Valentine from Skullgirls had been there to administer it to me. But she wasn't. Mainly because she's a drawing.
In regards to gaming, I mostly bounced around some regular releases, but I also took time out to check out Huntdown's explosive new arcade mode, which somehow makes the game more chaotic than ever before. It's a real blast, and now it's on Steam maybe consider letting loose this weekend with a dose of old-school mayhem. I also went seven leagues under to check out the upcoming Switch port of shark-'em-up Maneater. So look out for my thoughts on that very soon. This shark... swallow you whole.
So I hope that all of you have a very happy and restful weekend. But before you jump into your Saturday morning activities, take a few moments to jump into the comments and fill us in on the games that have been taking up your time lately. Whether up to your eyeballs in bullet-hell aliens, vampiric babes, cuddly Poké critters, or anime corpses, be sure to fill us in on your thoughts about your current obsessions, old or new. (Just go steady on the spoilers, thanks!)
Have a wonderful weekend, from all of us at Destructoid.
Destructoid is live on Twitch with The Evil Within
Tonight I'm playing The Evil Within on Destructoid's Twitch channel starting at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
Welcome back! All this Resident Evil prep has totally immersed me in the survival horror genre. I picked up The Evil Within 2 earlier this week, and even though it gives me a run for my money sometimes I'm enjoying it thoroughly. I thought this could be the perfect time to explore the first game in the series, too. I've heard many times from chat that the first Evil Within outshines the second, so I'm eager to see what differences I notice and how it all comes together.
PS — Did you play the newest RE Village yet? Let me know what you thought of it! What are your favorite survival horror games?
Miss the last stream? Catch the on-demand archive of Resident Evil Village right here.
Come catch me live at Destructoid's Twitch channel every Friday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern! Let's chat it up about anything and everything while playing cool games! I hope to meet you there. :)
Who's your favorite Mass Effect squadmate?
The Mass Effect Legendary Edition is out today, letting first-timers and old veterans go cruising back through the Milky Way aboard the Normandy. But it's not just about the end destination, but the journey, and the friends you make along the way, right?
Mass Effect's squadmates became, throughout the trilogy, as integral as Shepard themselves. Garrus was a rogue C-Sec agent-turned-sniper Batman, Wrex goes from mercenary to leader, and even the cold, guarded super-biotic Jack grows and lets people in over the course of the games.
So as folks embark on new journeys, we wanted to ask, who's your favorite squadmate? Who do you always bring into battle? Who's your romance, and who's your ride or die?
Grindstone is finally coming to PC, but it's just on the Epic Games Store
Grindstone just won't stop, and with more platforms still to hit, that's for the best. Capybara is updating its monster-mashing puzzle game on Nintendo Switch and iOS today — the Fortune Grind update is out now — and the team is also releasing a PC version of Grindstone on May 20, 2021.
The PC version is launching exclusively on the Epic Games Store, and assuming it has price parity, it'll cost $19.99, which is fair. From Apple Arcade to Switch to the Epic Store — it's been a journey.
As for Fortune Grind, it's a new form of the Daily Grind mode in which you'll spin a wheel while strategically slicing through foes and pray it lands on a boon, not a creep. It's not something I plan to engage with, but I will probably dip back into the main game to find the newly-added cave with 10 more levels. Capybara has also tucked in a Gold Health Potion and new recipes in the Slöp Höuse.
This game rules. It's very long — to the point where you might not ever fully finish it — but it rules. It's so satisfying to try and master Grindstone. Even once you think you've got it all figured out, and you can get every optional goal done without relying on items, it'll find evil new ways to push back.
Nintendo is continuing on the path of profitability, as the Switch surges to potentially 100 million in total sales by the end of the year. But what do they have on the docket, software-wise? Let's take a look.
So Miitopia is set to make a small splash later this month, with Game Builder Garage and Mario Golf: Super Rush rounding out June. Then in July we have Skyward Sword HD, followed by Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl later this year. And then there's a few titles slated for 2022 (Pokemon Legends, Splatoon 3), and Metroid Prime 4, Bayonetta 3, and Breath of the Wild 2 are floating around somewhere.
So, it's not a whole lot confirmed for 2021 yet. Until today, vaguely. Speaking via the recent financial results Q&A conference call to investors, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa teased that there is more to come on the horizon, as early as this fiscal year.
He states: "Although the number slightly decreased after the beginning of this calendar year, a lot of consumers are playing Nintendo Switch with the recent March release of Capcom's Monster Hunter Rise, so we don't think that the momentum is fading. Many new software titles will be released this fiscal year, starting in the first quarter, which we think will help continuously expand the range of consumers who play Nintendo Switch to include those who haven't played Nintendo Switch in a while or are completely new users."
It's hype from a company top frontman, but I have no doubt that come next month, Nintendo will be revealing new stuff that we didn't even know about; as well as dole out dates for stuff we did know about.
Q&A Summary [Nintendo]
Monster Hunter Rise is running a new free event with cosmetic rewards
I'm still fiddling around with Monster Hunter Rise on a regular basis, and the ease in which you can hop into lobbies makes things so much more enticing. Little breaks to hunt down a monster here and there in portable form, wherever I want in my house, is a chef's kiss prospect.
Of course, Capcom is putting in little Siren's song updates and events on a regular basis to get people back in, too. The newest run is "Heart of a Warrior," which allows you to fight a Goss Harag and Magnamalo for new titles. There's 10 in all as a reward, and you can access the quest via the mailman in the village square.
The events themselves have garnered a polarizing response in some circles. Predominately, they are granting cosmetic rewards rather than weapons or armor, which some people want more of. But to be frank, it's still early in the game's lifecycle, and the game was pretty packed to begin with.
Rise is only going to go up from here. We have confirmation of a 2021 release for the PC edition, which Capcom is going to want to capitalize on with some form of content updates. We also have...the entire rest of the year, and historically, Monster Hunter has done a decent job with free DLC.
I'm willing to wait! I'm still experimenting with the base game and all of the weapons on offer as-is.
Monster Hunter [Twitter]
A spoiler-free guide to mitigating disaster in Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
The Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is finally out, bringing the whole Shepard trilogy onto new consoles with a fresh tune-up. For a lot of long-time Mass Effect fans, the build-up to release has been a rosy and nostalgic journey through all the reasons we love Mass Effect: compelling characters and tough choices, with ramifications that can ripple through all three games.
For newcomers though, the thought of making the "wrong" choice might seem a little daunting. My first point of encouragement is don't worry so much. Your Shepard's journey is your own, and there's no wrong choices to make—well, some are fairly morally deficient, but they're still your choices to make.
That said, I've played through the original trilogy numerous times, and guided a number of newcomers over the years in terms of what's good to know going into each game. This isn't a detailed walkthrough of Mass Effect 2's suicide mission or anything; rather, it's just a smattering of tips that should help guide you a bit.
A fan created a more detailed Pokemon Pearl and Diamond remake mockup
With the heavy amount of ceasing and desisting, the Pokemon modding community is very smart in the way it delivers its games: basically, dump them after they're finished, let them proliferate, then acquiesce to the legal threat from Nintendo.
But a bunch of groups and individuals have also diverged from that path, instead creating mockups of games that might be, especially in light of the polarizing fan reaction to the art styles of recent main series titles. Enter millenniumloops. The creator crafted a lovely little mockup they call "Pokemon Adventures Sinnoh," which takes us through the motions of a Diamond and Pearl remake that is a little more involved than the official reveal.
The results, to be frank, are stunning. This looks like a legit game, and although the actual creation of said project would be much more involved than this game concept, I really dig what they're putting down. It was made in Blender with after effects via Photostop, and they are calling it "fan art."
Sinnoh is one of those underrated regions: found in a period of time when some old school Generation 1 fans aged out of the games. It naturally has a lot of newer fans as the series never really slumped in terms of sales, but for many, this will be the first time they enter the Sinnoh region. And I have to say, I wouldn't mind doing it via Pokemon Adventures Sinnoh.
