Hunting My White Whale: The Tales Series Retrospective
[Destructoid user Kerrik52 is coming in hard and fast with an incredibly detailed blog covering their thoughts on the entirety of the beloved Tales series of games. The absolute mad man wrote over 9,300 words here, highlighting each game with its own dedicated section. Whether you've only played a single game in the franchise or every single entry, there's likely something here for you. Just be aware, there are a few spoilers below.
Personally, my favorite entries were probably Vesperia, Xillia, and Symphonia. They're not exactly groundbreaking or genre-defining, but they're wonderful "comfort food" games. It's easy to get lost in their worlds and watch the hours melt away. I love that about them!
Do you have a favorite entry in the series? Is Symphonia kind of overrated but still pretty dang good overall? Do you think Kerrik is right or wrong about some absurdly minuscule detail that is completely open to interpretation? Feel free to head on down to the comments and let us know! - Kevin]
During my formative years, when I was exploring what kinds of games I like, I spent a lot of time trying out loads of different JRPGs, particularly Atlus' games. But, while I did try out some Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest stuff, one series that felt like a giant unknown to me was Namco Bandai's Tales series.
Dodgeball brawler Knockout City has already hit 2 million players
Velan Studios' and EA's multiplayer dodgeball arena game Knockout City has been having a free trial period in celebration of its launch, and it looks like a lot of people are giving it a shot.
The team announced that two million players have already hopped on to play during the "Block Party" free trial period. The trial isn't over yet either; it's running through May 30, after which point it will be available as a $19.99 game.
It's also available on a lot of platforms—PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PS5 and Xbox Series X|S via backward compatibility—with cross-play and cross-progression. So basically, you've got the rest of this week to try out the dodgeballin' and see if it's something you're into.
I hopped in over the weekend and despite my low expectations, I came away pleasantly surprised. Knockout City has some cool ideas with tense games of back-and-forth, fake-out and mind-game battles, and powered-up ball spawns reminiscent of arena shooters. It being cross-play also meant it was really easy to get everyone on and playing, and I'll probably still be going back this week. Let us know if you tried it out and what you thought below!
The Elder Scrolls Online's next-gen update has been pushed back a week
The upcoming Blackwood expansion and update for The Elder Scrolls Online was set to coincide with its next-gen "Console Enhanced" version, with both launching for consoles on June 8 and PC getting it a week earlier. Now, Bethesda has announced it is separating its launches out to give each their undivided attention.
In what the team describes as an "abundance of caution," the Console Enhanced launch has been pushed out to June 15. This means PC, Mac, and Stadia players will get Update 30 on June 1, Xbox One and PS4 will get it on June 8, and then the new console update will arrive on June 15. (The Xbox One and PS4 versions will still be playable via backward compatibility on their respective newer consoles.)
"We apologize for the inconvenience, but want to ensure that everything launches smoothly during this very busy time," Bethesda said in today's announcement.
While it's a week later, the enhanced version will be a free update for anyone who owns The Elder Scrolls Online already on a previous-gen console, so players will just either have to wait or play the new update and Blackwood for a week on a backward-compatible version of the game. The new enhanced version will include a 60 FPS performance mode and improved load times, so it sounds like it could be worth a little extra patience.
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) was an embarrassing 15th birthday present
This may sound peculiar, but I don't necessarily pick games for this column and expect to hate them. Spelunker, for example, I legitimately like, despite its reputation. So I went into Sonic the Hedgehog '06 with a little bit of history with the title. I figured I'd mostly be picking it apart for its mediocrity; a disappointing release for the new generation of consoles. I'd probably make fun of the typically daft Sonic plot.
But after I sat down with the game for a little while, I got this feeling of betrayal. I was warned, sure, but someone should have intervened. The person who sold it to me should have first demanded a psychological evaluation. My PS3 should have just obliterated the disc. Why does no one care that I do this to myself?
What I'm saying is Sonic '06 is shockingly bad. I thought I knew what I was in for, and I was wrong.
The open-world genre gives me hesitation these days; it's almost a bad word. I blame Ubisoft. Not another waypoint! Not another tower to climb! Not another cathedral to parkour through! I'll get to the main plot soon, I promise! Just a few more collectibles!
It's not that I'm entirely down on the genre. I'll readily admit to enjoying it. Games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Spider-Man have captured my attention and drawn me in, but to me, it's like eating a bag of chips; my brain tells me I love it while it's happening, but almost as soon as I'm done, I feel empty. The expanse of the vacuum varies, but I think even the best open-world games have given me this feeling.
What gave me further pause about Biomutant was its protracted development time. It was announced back in 2017, I pre-ordered it in 2019, and here is finally in 2021. Its feature list has always struck me as over-ambitious, especially for a small team like Experiment 101. It was billed as this fully adaptable game that let you make all the decisions in what you do and how you approach the game's main objectives. I had my doubts that it would deliver, and now that it's finally here, I can firmly say that no, it doesn't quite make it. It's a bag of chips. Delicious, delicious chips.
Final Fantasy action-RPG spinoff could reportedly be revealed at E3 2021
E3 is getting closer, and so the pre-E3 rumor mill has started to spin up. One particular rumor, about a new take on the world of Final Fantasy, seems to be pretty solid.
Rumors of a new Final Fantasy spinoff were swirling in online forums like Reddit and ResetEra. These claimed that Team Ninja is working with Square Enix on a new Final Fantasy spinoff, akin to Nioh or a Souls game, and taking place somewhere tangential to the first Final Fantasy game.
Fanbyte reports that its sources have corroborated the rumor, and suggest the name of this game is Final Fantasy Origin. This new Final Fantasy appears to be exclusive to PS5 with a PC release further out, and could be one of Square Enix's tentpoles at its upcoming E3 event. The publisher is also reportedly hoping to launch an alpha demo this summer.
Things are always in motion, especially with a virtual E3 this year rather than an in-person event. This new take on Final Fantasy, blending Nioh with the oldest entry in the series, could be something to see if it does make the show, however.
We're still a couple of months out from the premiere of Netflix CG series Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness, and honestly, I think it's looking pretty sweet. Capcom obviously has stock in the adaptation, as the publisher has planned a slew of merchandise for the series, including clothing apparel and — of all things — Biohazard booze.
Fallout 76 team is keeping a 'close eye' on recent testing feedback
Fallout 76 will host the second part of its Steel Dawn update, Steel Reign, soon enough. But before that happens, Bethesda is doing a little self-reflection.
In their latest blog update, the team notes that they are going to be "reviewing" data and opinions from public test server (PTS) participants, in an effort to adjust all of the upcoming changes like legendary reworks, as well as the Steel Reign content itself. The developers are "keeping a close eye on discussions," and will potentially alter the testing ground as they gear up for the full release.
Here's the full statement: "While it is still early in this phase of playtesting, we are looking to make some improvements in future PTS updates. For example, we're looking into adjusting some Legendary Core drop rates and permanently increasing the Legendary Scrip limit, to help players more easily scoop up components they need to make legendary items. So, please keep sending your feedback to us on Legendary Crafting, as well as all of the other improvements, content, and features that are headed your way with the Steel Reign Update in July."
In other words, the bulk of the content is done, they just need to shore it all up and check for bugs/make adjustments before the actual July drop. In that case they have plenty of time to massage the numbers to avoid potential Reddit pushback if the new systems are overly stingy: an avoidable event that happens all too often in live service games.
To facilitate all of this, Bethesda is adding "several premade characters" to every PTS tester account. Convientnly, two of them can start right at the beginning of the Steel Reign questline. Another character is basically maxed out with every reward, which you can use to "try out legendary crafting." It helps to get more voices and a bigger sample size than just a few dedicated hardcore 1% players for sure!
"Every Friday" the team will add them to accounts that don't have time, so long as you log on before each Thursday.
Inside the Vault [Bethesda.net]
(Update) Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Anniversary Edition is coming to iOS and Android next week
[Update: As reported by TouchArcade, Spike Chunsoft has discovered a last-minute flaw in the final build of Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Anniversary Edition. The publisher has been left with no option but to delay the launch of the title. A new date will be announced once the build has been fixed.]
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.
Devolver Digital outlines its plans for Summer Games Fest 2021
Devolver Digital has offered a teasing glimpse into its plans for the upcoming Summer Games Fest 2021 event. The irreverent, punk-rock publisher has four brand new game titles waiting in the wings, alongside new footage from some of its previously announced releases.
Fans can expect more footage and details from morbid, soul-stealing adventure Death's Door, which is currently in development at studio Acid Nerve. We'll also get to see Team WIBY's asynchronous dungeon crawler Phantom Abyss, as well as more details on Flying Wild Hog's utterly boombastic shooter sequel Shadow Warrior 3. Here's hoping for that long-awaited release date.
As for the four new titles? Well, Devolver is currently remaining completely tight-lipped, so we don't know whether to expect sequels and spin-offs, or entirely new releases from some of the industry's coolest up-and-coming studios. Devolver's announcement also featured an appearance from the disgusting Carrion puppet from last year's event, set up like a political party organizer, but this may just be a funny image, as opposed to any sort of sequel hint.
Summer Games Fest 2021 kicks off June 10 at 11:00 PT / 14:00 ET / 19:00 BST.
New Switch eShop patent could allow Nintendo to suggest games to each user
Algorithms are all the rage!
If you watch the TV show Shark Tank, it's a buzzword that comes up in nearly every online-enabled pitch: "we've developed unique algorithms that suggest personalized content for each user." Of course, not all of them are created equal, and some of them are just marketing opportunities for investors; or you may have mixed results with your Netflix suggestions. That whole system might be coming to the Nintendo Switch eShop soon.
Here's the full rundown on Patentscope, via a patent recently filed for "generating implicit ratings for video games using external metadata:"
"In certain example embodiments, a computer system for generating an implicit video game rating is provided. The system generates a base rating that is a function of gameplay data for a specific user and other users. The system also generates an average external rating for the video game based on external data categories such as, user reviews, critic reviews, ownership data, etc. An adjustment factor is then calculated from an average base rating and external rating and then applied to the user's individual base rating to obtain an implicit rating of a video game for the user."
Sounds simple right? Well, it's likely just going to boil down to "mining data to suggest stuff for you to buy" in the end. It may even be wildly incorrect or suggest things you would never pick up. As Nintendo Life points out, Nintendo files patents constantly for new physical and digital concepts, whether they actually intent on implementing them or not.
This is all sort of innocuous for now, but don't be surprised if one day you wake up to a random update for your Switch and see them proudly displayed on the eShop.
US20210097584 [Patentscope via Nintendo Life]
Sony shuts down speculation surrounding God of War's TV and film chances
Sony's video game properties have been steadily turning into film productions as well over the last few years. With both movies and TV shows in the works, there are several franchises looking to hit screens in a different way, but it sounds like God of War may not be one of them.
In a story from The New York Times detailing the production of Sony's video game adaptations, a spokesperson shoots down God of War hopefuls. A Sony spokesman told The New York Times that, contrary to speculation, one series that is not getting the TV or film treatment—at least not anytime soon—is God of War.
This doesn't close the door completely, but it does put a damper on some rumors that have been floating around for a little while about Kratos' silver screen prospects.
Sony, meanwhile, is still working on other productions. The Uncharted film is slated for Feb. 18, 2022, production on the HBO series adaptation of The Last of Us is underway, and franchises like Ghost of Tsushima and Twisted Metal are getting their own adaptations too.
With Netflix getting deeper into video game series and films like Castlevania and the upcoming Resident Evil CG movie—as well as a reported foray into gaming in the works—it's a big time for video games to get their very own adaptation.
Jess Margera hints that there might be another Tony Hawk's Pro Skater in the works
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and Jess Margera: two things I did not expect to write about this morning!
Yep, the CKY drummer and brother of Bam Margera himself recently confirmed on the Behind Closed Doors podcast that his band's music would appear in "the new one coming out too," referring to a new Tony Hawk game. As PushSquare points out, Margera notes that he's not talking about the recently released 1+2. The whole conversation starts around 39:00 into the interview.
So there are multiple possibilities at play here, but the more than likely situation is that Activision is/was developing a Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4, and was working out getting '96 Quite Bitter Beings on the soundtrack for THPS3. Celebrity leaks for new Activision projects is just par for the course.
A theoretical 3+4 would be a no-brainer and would likely sell very well. But will they be ballsy enough to keep the good times going with THUG and THUG 2? I hope so! I mean they can go for one more and do American Wasteland and Project 8 if they really want to. It's a little complicated because Vicarious Visions as we know it is gone, but it's possible a lot of work is already completed; and they did continue to work on 1+2 after the transition.
Note that CKY is actually still around, with band member Chad Ginsburg taking over for Deron Miller in 2016. They haven't released a studio album since 2017's The Phoenix, but they have dropped some singles since and have performed live. Miller still plays too, under the guise of several project names, including the confusing "96 Bitter Beings" moniker.
Yep: all the folks that maybe defined your childhood are still at it!
[Update: Bungie addressed the bungle in their recent This Week at Bungie post, noting that their "current goal is for cross-play to ship in season 15," but a "beta" will begin early this week.
It actually kicks off Tuesday, May 25, and will run through May 27, and will feature "a unique Vanguard cross-play beta playlist" for all Destiny 2 players." PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, and Stadia users are confirmed to make the cut, and if you finish three strikes (dungeons) in the aforementioned playlist, you'll get a special "Stars Crossed" emblem. There is a caveat though: it's matchmaking only, no fireteams [friends] or invites.]
Remember when Sony said that cross-play was a no go, and then Epic "accidentally enabled cross-play for Fornite" showing us that it was all a scam? Well, under different circumstances, Destiny 2 just got surprise-cross-play.
We're far removed from the dark times of Sony excusing a lack of cross-play as "Sony systems being the best place to play" (yikes), but not every game has true cross-play even still, including Destiny 2...at least right now. This week a bunch of Destiny 2 players were randomly noticing, with incontrovertible evidence, that folks were interfacing with players from different platforms.
This was officially acknowledged by community manager Cozmo, who addressed the situation on Twitter. Cozmo notes: "We are seeing reports that some players are able to get a sneak peek at Crossplay. This isn't meant to be live yet and is not representative of the full experience. We will be implementing a fix to remove public access later this week, but in the meantime feel free to partake."
In this situation, Bungie gets to have their cake and eat it too. Simply enabling cross-play is a huge effort, as we've been told by publishers and developers alike in the aforementioned dark days. So players get to enjoy this little bonus period and drum up good PR while Bungie smooths the feature over. You'd think that a casual "we'll get to it later this week" reply wouldn't fly with all of the publishers involved, but it seems fine!
Still, it is a good thing in the end, and now that we know it works, we can be fairly certain that when it is "ready," it will actually come. We've seen it! Now everyone can commiserate over the insane transmog system together as one.
Cozmo [Twitter]
Netflix looking to get further involved in the games industry
Netflix is circling the video game industry, with an eye to getting deeper involved in the realms of interactive entertainment. The movie/TV streaming giant is now on the hunt for a new executive to lead a non-specific gaming division within the company.
According to The Information, sources state that Netflix is attempting to find avenues into the gaming industry, though whether this concerns game development, production, distribution, sales, rentals, or all of the above remains a mystery. Netflix has dipped its toe into gaming before — renting video games in its early years, producing TV series based on titles such as Castlevania and The Witcher and working alongside developer BonusXP for a Stranger Things tie-in title for Nintendo Switch.
Given that we now live in a media world where Everybody wants to do Everything with Everyone and earn All The Money, it figures that Netflix would look to expand into gaming's multi-billion-dollar industry, no doubt hoping to carve out a piece of that pie for itself. What exact form this expansion takes remains to be seen, but given the company's stranglehold on streaming, it would be wild if Netflix chose to launch its own Stadia-style cloud gaming service. Don't change that dial.
Sonic the Hedgehog Collection pops up on French retail website
An online retailer may have outed the existence of a new Sonic the Hedgehog compilation, currently being produced by Sega for the blue blur's 30th anniversary.
French retailer Sogamely, (interestingly the exact same retailer that leaked the supposed Sonic Colors remaster), put up a listing for "Sonic Collection EU version" for PS4 — with the title obviously being a webpage placeholder. This is no confirmation that said compilation even exists, of course, but given the anniversary year, the upcoming movie sequel, and Sogamely's rep for early Sonic the Hedgehog info, it's a strong possibility that said title is en route.
Making its Sega Mega Drive debut in 1991, Sonic the Hedgehog was an absolute smash hit platformer, birthing Sega's first true global multimedia mascot. Sonic and his dopey pals would go on to star and/or appear in well over 40 titles in the ensuing decades, while also appearing on a slew of merchandise and a string of animated TV and web series. To date, the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has shifted over one billion sales and downloads.
We'll keep you informed should Sega officially acknowledge the compilation's existence.
It looks like Sega could be planning a new Sonic Collection [VGC]
Thunderbird is bringing portable healing to Rainbow Six Siege: Operation North Star
For the past few seasons, Ubisoft's Rainbow Six Siege has added multiple new weapons, gadgets, and techniques to reduce your opposition to dust — regardless of whether you're playing Defender or Attacker. To date, only Doc and Finka can be considered anything close to "healers" within Siege's fast-paced, fast-dying universe. But that's all set to change come the tactical shooter's newest season.
Operation: North Star welcomes new Defender Mina Sky, better known by her call-sign "Thunderbird". Heralding from the Indigenous Nakoda nation, Mina grew up with a deep love and reverence for Mother Earth, dedicating her early life to the study of both hydrology and medicine. Now a trustworthy pilot, a fearless explorer, and a master of field adaptation, Mina's brave heart and skillful application of aid under fire saved the life of Rainbow operator Saana "Nomad" El Maktoub, an act which brought Mina to attention — and eventual induction — at Team Rainbow.
Which Marvel characters would you like to see in their own game?
Marvel Studios recently released a dramatic trailer for the fourth phase of what has come to be known as "The Marvel Cinematic Universe" (MCU). Leading on from over a decade of fantastic comic-book movies — each and every one a chapter within a compelling, emotive, and wildly entertaining universe — the coming years will see a new breed of heroes step from page-to-screen, defending a planet and its populace from the fallout of the devastating Infinity War.
As regular readers will be aware, I love movies. I've had the good fortune to spend four solid decades enjoying many films, from many countries, many budgets, and many generations. And while it's super fashionable to scoff at and mock the MCU, the fact remains that I am completely in love with this franchise. I consider it a blessing that I was able to not only experience the full cinematic run of movies — from Iron Man to Avengers: Endgame — but that I was also able to feel the hair-raising highs, heartbreaking lows, pulse-pounding action, and intense drama of this smash-hit series of blockbusters.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier... since you asked.
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.
Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries is way too picky, but I keep playing anyway
I've thoroughly enjoyed my 2.5 playthroughs (and counting) of Resident Evil Village. But while the main story is a blast to roll through, I've been having a much less consistent time with The Mercenaries.
It could be worse. It absolutely could be. Capcom could've packed in the throwaway PvP spin-off Re:Verse and called it a day. (No joke, I forgot Re:Verse existed until I spotted it in my PS5 library last weekend.) Instead, we also have The Mercenaries — even if it doesn't quite feel like "Mercenaries."
I'm not sure how the rest of you are faring in this score-chasing arcade gauntlet (or if you've only scratched the surface so far), but I thought I'd share my quick take and we could commiserate.
I'll say this much: as someone who recently went through all of Resident Evil 4 again in the lead-up to Village, including taking the time to earn those five-star ranks with every character in The Mercenaries to unlock the Handcannon, this new version of the mode falls way short of its potential. It's less that it's structured differently — which is fine! — and more that it's just too dang picky for its own good.
Fairy quick tips for Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD is nearly here (or now if you did the edition with incredibly odd early access). Owing to the fact it's roughly an 18-year-old game, some of its ways might feel obtuse to the modern JRPG player or newcomer to the SMT series.
I began my life here at Destructoid as something of an enthusiast for this game, even going by Pixie the Fairy for a time because she's actually the Demi-Fiend's canon sidekick. She serves as a way to introduce you to the wild ways of the post-apocalyptic Vortex World, a hellscape I'm starting to prefer to the one we currently live in.
Things can get dire in the Vortex World very fast, especially if you try to play Nocturne by the logic of other JRPGs, so let me set you on the right path.
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.
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.
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.
What's your all-time favorite Game Boy release?
Cblogs of 5/15 to 5/21/2021
-Eggs&Brewsterjr discusses eight Game Boy games they know they would love to play.
-GamingDino highlights another gaming dinosaur in ARK.
-D-Volt writes about how the Sonic franchise may be limited by their own focus on Sonic's speed.
-Manasteel88 highlights an incoming Sonic fan gaming jam.
-Lord Spencer reviews Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.
-Black Red Gaming reviews Days Gone on the PC.
-Queen of Philosophy opens this week's TGIF open community forum.
Arcade Archives back on its shmup kick with NMK's Task Force Harrier
If you think Hamster has already re-released every single 1980s shmup to its Arcade Archives range, they've only scratched the surface. Easily replicable at speed, the credit-killing genre saw a tidal wave of releases, reaching well into the treble figures in a short space of time. Thus, it's likely that we'll see many more examples of the genre's lesser-known entries over the coming weeks, months, perhaps years.
This week's entry is NMK's Task Force Harrier, which hit the arcade scene in 1989 before eventually being reworked for Sega Genesis in 1991. A fairly standard vertically scrolling shmup, Task Force Harrier has players pilot a futuristic jet fighter, alternating between air-to-air and air-to-ground weaponry against waves on enemy fighters and terra firma-based defenses. Power-ups add miniature "escort fighters" which add the player vessel with additional firepower.
Task Force Harrier offers little of note, slotting in-between the myriad shmups that packed out arcade centers in the late-'80s. Without much in the way of unique or groundbreaking gimmicks, Task Force Harrier is more of a "completionist" release, only really for those who are really digging building a collection of forgotten sky-fighters. Task Force Harrier is available to download now on Nintendo Switch, priced at around $8. Check out the action in the trailer below, courtesy of YouTuber World of Longplays.
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion fails to live up to the eccentricity of its name
It's pretty difficult for small indie games to get noticed these days. There are so many platforms out there and so many other tiny studios pushing out new games on a weekly basis, that getting lost in the crowd is the expectation for so many titles. Small games have to do anything they can to stand out, something to hook people in. That can be a clever game concept, beautiful artwork, or, in the case of developer Snoozy Kazoo, one catchy-ass title.
The name Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion easily burrows itself into the brain. It's the type of name that I hear once and immediately want to see what it's about, like Snakes on a Plane or Love Death + Robots. Of course, when you have such an exceptional title, you should probably make sure there is an exceptional game lying underneath.
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.
Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid?
Howdy, buckeroos! Welcome to the weekend! I hope that this week was a good one for you, and send love that the weekend will be even better. It was a rough one for yer boy, who had a horrendous flare-up of tendonitis. For those who don't know, my knees are totaled — a hard-run life of exploration, pro-wrestling, retail, and spending a lot of time kneeling down, (grow up). And occasionally, my patellas simply explode. It feels like having ground-glass in your kneecaps. So yeah... sign up for that.
As for video games, feeling under the weather has kept me from really indulging as I'd like. I spent some time in the red, red waters of Maneater for Nintendo Switch, (so expect a port report next week). I also checked out some of the new content for Call of Duty: Warzone, which sees Johns Rambo and McClane enter the world of Battle Royale. Once the pain subsides, I'm finally going to dive into Resident Evil Village... Well, at least until the first jump-scare, when I'll just uninstall it and go hide under the sheets.
But I don't want to know about me, I want to know about you. So before you dive headlong into your weekend, please take the time to drop a comment below and let us know what games you've been playing lately. The release year has started to pick up, and there's all sorts out on the market right now — not to mention the backlog I know all y'all have. So take a second to join the party below and share your current quests with us.
Have a wonderful weekend, from all of us at Destructoid.
Destructoid is live on Twitch to finish The Evil Within
Tonight I'm playing The Evil Within on Destructoid's Twitch channel starting at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
The Evil Within is WILD! I thought I had dipped my toes into survival horror enough to know the genre but I've never played anything like this and it's just so cool! There's so much choice and customizability on top of the setting and pacing.
Last Friday we burned through the first six chapters in a single sitting (and I finally picked up the sniper so I'm set for life). The combat can be daunting as a new FPS player, while still manageable, and the areas/storyline have me hooked. There are so many Resident Evil type callbacks and I honestly feel like this series outshines RE sometimes. If you're a fan of survival horror, join us tonight! You'll quickly be a fan of The Evil Within, too.
Miss the last stream? Catch up with the video on demand for part one of The Evil Within.
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. :)
This Lady D vs. Lady Maria fight in Bloodborne didn't go the way I expected
I never fully "got" the so-and-so fighting such-and-such mod craze, but that was before I came across this gem on the Bloodborne subreddit — it's a brawl between Lady Dimitrescu and Lady Maria.
This video was orchestrated by Garden of Eyes, and it truly goes places I wasn't expecting.
After watching all ten minutes of dueling, I'm expecting a mess of boss-vs.-boss mod videos to flood my already pretty questionable YouTube recommendations feed. It's a worthy price to pay to see these two fandom-capturing personalities vie for our continued admiration. I have room in my heart for both.
...that's what I'd say if I wanted to play it safe. Go Lady Maria go!
Stellaris: Console Edition will receive a major update on June 17
Ever since Stellaris released on consoles in 2019 it has been in a hyperdrive lane, barreling through updates and versions that released since Stellaris first launched on PC. As an older PC player, it has been interesting watching my friends on console get to different stages of the release and remembering all the changes the game has gone through over the game's five-year stint on PC. Console players might not have to live in the past for very long as the next update pack for Stellaris: Console Edition will bring the game much closer in parity to the PC release.
Featuring the Federations expansion as well as the Necroids and Ancient Relic packs, this will bring the console edition up to 2.8, leaving only the Nemesis expansion pack unreleased for consoles, which only released for PC a month ago.
While the Necroids and Ancient Relic packs aren't much to get excited about, the Federations expansion was a huge leap forward for the diplomacy side of the game, expanding not just on intergalactic relations but also expanding on your own society. Having just gotten back into Stellaris after two years away, grappling with the changes from even Federations' free update was enough to make me have to take a step back and readjust how I approached the game.
While no price was announced, previous expansion packs of this size were $24.99 at launch.
Along with the announcement of the expansion, it was revealed in the press release that optimization tweaks had been made for the Xbox Series X/S release of the game with the PlayStation 5 version "still playing great."
The Stellaris: Console Edition Fourth Expansion Pass will release on June 17.
Rewire the entire United States in Kemco's Electrician
For Famicom Friday, I cover a lot of obscure titles because I find it more fulfilling than regurgitating games that people have more likely heard of, but the downside is that the cream usually rises to the top. Often, you haven't heard of something because it's not worth hearing of. Not always.
Take Kemco's Electrician, for example. It's an obscure Famicom Disk System game from 1986 that I hadn't heard of until a shopkeep convinced me to buy it one day. I'm glad I took the advice, because Electrician is some of the most fun I've had on my Famicom Disk System since the day I changed the belt and recalibrated it. Except, you're probably going to make fun of me for liking it so much.
How the PS5's DualSense got updated to make its haptics feel better for PS4 games
While there have been some new games making use of the DualSense's haptics and triggers, plenty of backward-compatible PlayStation 4 games also use their own controller feedback. Today, The Last of Us Part II co-game director Kurt Margenau detailed just why those are feeling better lately.
"As many of you are jumping back into TLOU2 on PS5, you may notice the haptics feel better," Margenau says. (The Last of Us Part II recently got a performance update for the PS5.) "This is actually thanks to a firmware update to the DualSense controller back in April."
As many of you are jumping back into TLOU2 on PS5, you may notice the haptics feel better. This is actually thanks to a firmware update to the DualSense controller back in April. THREAD: pic.twitter.com/zle0XQwDw6
— Kurt Margenau (@kurtmargenau) May 21, 2021
Margenau goes on to say that a few months ago, he was able to send some feedback to the DualSense team, in order to improve "certain timing, intensity, and 'texture' of haptics when in backwards compatibility (BC) mode." This was intended to bring the feel closer to what Naughty Dog created for the original DualShock 4.
The difference, as Margenau details, is inside the controller; the DualShock 4 has two different-sized rotating weights inside it, and the DualSense has two weights that move forward and backward, and can express frequency and amplitude at high fidelity with low latency. The firmware in the DualSense has to receive "old" signals, and then emulate the resulting feeling in the controller using a different mechanical method.
This means accounting for timing differences and emulating inherent variations and the "'rumbly' feeling" that comes with a rotating motor, and it's all done inside the controller, without the game code changing. The DualSense's internal haptics have already been impressive thus far in games like Astro's Playroom. This in-controller implementation to make PS4 game feedback feel right? Pretty mind-boggling work from the DualSense team and Margenau to make it happen.
Of Bird and Cage â€" Review in 3 Minutes
There's only so much time each week to check out new games, much less play them — much less fully review them! — and inevitably, plenty of interesting games are destined to slip through the cracks as many of us move onto the next shiny thing. To supplement Destructoid's usual coverage, we're teaming up with our sister site The Escapist to fill in some of these gaps with their helpful 3 Minute Reviews.
In this 3 Minute Review, The Escapist's Will Cruz covers Of Bird and Cage, a metal album meets adventure game from Capricia Productions. It really has to be seen — and heard — to be believed.
Mech-based base builder The Riftbreaker will launch on Game Pass
Exor Studios' The Riftbreaker is a mix of mech action, survival, and base-building. And if that combination sounds appealing, you'll be able to try it out if you have Xbox Game Pass.
Today, Exor Studios announced that The Riftbreaker will be available day-one on Game Pass, for both Xbox consoles and PC. No firm release date has been set yet outside of this coming fall.
If waiting until the fall seems a bit too long, there's also a demo out for PC. Dubbed The Riftbreaker: Prologue, it takes place prior to the events of The Riftbreaker's campaign, letting you collect resources and fend off waves of angry alien hordes.
The Riftbreaker will be coming to Xbox consoles and PC, as well as PlayStation 4, later this fall.
$10 coupons are back on the Epic Games Store for the Epic Mega Sale
I pretty much just stick to free games on the Epic Games Store — speaking of which: this week's freebie is NBA 2K21 of all things — but I know some of you love your (basically) limitless $10 off coupons.
With the Epic Mega Sale running until June 17, it's once again possible to knock $10 off any full game priced at $14.99 or higher, and each time you do, you'll get a fresh coupon that can be applied to another purchase. You probably know the drill by now, and you can get your first coupon over here.
If you're open to recommendations, I've got a handful of games to check out:
- Grindstone ($14.99) — a ridiculously satisfying puzzler from Capybara.
- A Monster's Expedition ($15.99) — another puzzle game that flew a bit under the radar.
- Narita Boy ($17.49) — I'm a sucker for the pixel art, okay?
- Mundaun ($15.99) — hand-drawn horror in the valley of the alps.
- Hades ($19.99) — an instant classic for hack-and-slash roguelike fans.
- Curse of the Dead Gods ($14.99) — the lesser-known (but still great!) action roguelike.
- Breathedge ($17.49) — I've heard people liken this to "Subnautica in space," albeit with a humorous tone, but it's still on my backlog.
- Ghostrunner ($14.99) — pretty slick fast-moving cyber-ninja action.
- Carrion ($14.99) — a cathartic action-exploration game where you're the vile monster.
- Amnesia: Rebirth ($14.99) — the latest horror romp from Frictional at a great price.
- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 ($25.99) — it's fantastic even if you're brand new to THPS.
- Rogue Legacy 2 ($15.99) — the early access version has enough content that it's worth diving into, and even if you want to hold off, it's going to be tough to beat this price.
- New Super Lucky's Tale ($20.99) — 3D platformers always get my nod.
- Mortal Shell ($20.99) — something different for Souls fans in between replays.
- Superhot: Mind Control Delete ($14.99) — a tempting price for the new slow-mo shooter.
- Destroy All Humans! ($14.99) — more heavy lifting from the coupons.
- Huntdown ($15.99) — an absolute no-brainer for arcade shooter enthusiasts.
Some of these prices might not seem all that good on their own, but when you can easily take $10 off the top without jumping through hoops, it's a whole different story. Crazy deals.
This is not a drill, Victoria 3 is real
After years of memes and jokes and wondering if the world would ever see a sequel to Victoria II, it seems that our collective waiting now has a hypothetical end as Paradox Interactive announced Victoria 3 during PDXCON Remixed today.
Victoria 3 will send grand strategy fans back to the industrial revolution with all of its mechanical wonder and societal upheaval. The sequel to Victoria II looks to lean on the population mechanic that allowed the game to endure in fan communities for over a decade, despite using a very out-of-date engine. The population mechanic or pops hopes to create a political puzzle for players to solve by making sure that your citizens stay happy, lest they want revolution to foment in their lands. On top of the returning population mechanic, Victoria 3 aims to expand the trade with its deepest economic simulation yet as well as an emphasis on political negotiation in the last age of imperialism.
While the announcement was met with a wave of excitement from me, the fact that there was no talk of a release date or even a window is a bit worrying. Although whenever the game does come out it will be on Game Pass day one, so any subscribers can immediately dive into the 19th-century simulation.
Victoria 3 will release when it's done on Steam, Xbox Game Pass, and the Paradox Store.
Take-Two posts record $3.37 billion in revenue, has huge release plans for the coming years
Publisher Take-Two Interactive has released its financial report for the fiscal period ending March 2021, revealing that the Grand Theft Auto publisher raked in a staggering, record-breaking revenue of $3.73 billion USD over the course of the past year.
Recurrent spending is the main driver of Take-Two's profits, with 68% of revenue coming from the communities of ongoing releases such as Grand Theft Auto Online and NBA 2K21, as well as microtransaction heavy mobile titles such as Borderlands 3, Two Dots, and WWE SuperCard. GTA Online was particularly successful, with a record number of players jumping into the MMO over 2020, and in-game spending up 30% on the previous year.
PSA: Scarlet Nexus' demo is live on Xbox today
Action-RPG Scarlet Nexus is just a little over a month away, but if you've got an Xbox console handy, you can try it out today.
A new demo for Bandai Namco's stylish anime action game is out today for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. In it, you can play as either of the two main characters: Yuito Sumeragi or Kasane Randall. According to Xbox, you'll also get some in-game rewards for playing the demo.
PlayStation owners won't have to wait long to try it out, as Bandai Namco says the Scarlet Nexus demo will come to PlayStation 4 and 5 on May 28, one week from today. If you're looking for something flashy and filled with combat to eat up some time this weekend, sounds like Scarlet Nexus might be able to make that happen.
Scarlet Nexus is coming to PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and PS5 on June 25, 2021.
Shadow Warrior 3's newest trailer is all about the firepower
Shadow Warrior 3 knows what its audience wants. Apart from those rare occasions when the marketing focuses on amazing-looking, psychotic, demon women, Devolver Digital mostly directs all attention to the sequel's huge arsenal of ground-shaking weaponry.
This latest trailer is no exception, featuring a little over 90 seconds of explosive action featuring a wild range of pistols, automatic weapons, and heavy artillery — not to mention some pretty brutal melee weaponry for when things get up-close-and-personal. From the fast-firing six shooter "Outlaw", to the dual-wielding SMGs "Sidekicks" and the land-leveling power of the "Crimson Bull", Shadow Warrior 3 has the tools necessary to get the job done. Upgrades too? Give the bad guys a chance, man.
Meet the 'Cleaners' of upcoming Left 4 Dead-alike Back 4 Blood
For those of you eager to start mashing monsters in that unmistakable Left 4 Dead-style once again, the Turtle Rock Studios incoming Back 4 Blood will definitely scratch that gross, oozing itch. Publisher Warner Bros. Interactive has released a new trailer, spotlighting the eight heroes getting set to take lead to head come October.
Narrated by Spunky & Sarcastic (tm) gal Holly, the trailer introduces us to Back 4 Blood's rag-tag gang of zombie slayers — or "Cleaners" — getting set to wade their way through armies of the undead. These include medical expert Doc, marksman Jim, explosives nerd Hoffman, obligatory alterna-girl Karlee, and a more matured, tough-as-old-leather lady known as "Mom". Each of Back for Blood's eight Cleaners comes loaded for bear with unique skills, allowing for smart synergy between well-scouted teams.
Shin Megami Tensei III HD director: 'Dante was part of our original project proposal'
In case you weren't aware, Dante has a part of the Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne DNA for a long while. It spawned an entire cottage industry of "Featuring [x] from the [x] series!" and was one of the most prolific gaming crossovers of all time.
I got to chat with Kazuyuki Yamai, director of the new HD Remaster, to see how it all went down, nearly two decades later.
No Man's Sky players unlock Mass Effect's Normandy to add to their fleet
The ship that carried Commander Shepard and their crew through the Mass Effect trilogy is coming to another game. No Man's Sky players have unlocked the reward for a mysterious expedition: the Normandy SR-1.
Travelers in No Man's Sky can encounter the Normandy as part of the second expedition and have the opportunity to add it permanently to their fleet. The ship's description has some fun little references too, like how it "needs aquarium."
Players have until May 31 to undertake the Beachhead expedition for themselves. So if you want to add the Normandy to your fleet, better get moving!
Expeditions were added a little while ago to bring seasonal content to No Man's Sky, offering rewards for players who ventured and completed tasks together. Honestly, if more ships like the Normandy are going to end up being the rewards, I think it might be time for me to start playing No Man's Sky again.
It may have launched a little rough, but No Man's Sky has been steadily building up over the years, with additions like the massive Origins update bringing it closer to, maybe even beyond, its original vision. With the Normandy in the game, it'll be pretty exciting to see what else Hello Games has in store for future expeditions.
We've known that Destiny 2 would be reintroducing the classic Vault of Glass raid for some time, but now it's actually happening.
As highlighted in Bungie's new blog, the Vault of Glass will unlock on May 22 (that's a Saturday) at 10AM PT, at which point the race for world first will begin, and the streaming-fests will be flowing. As is customary the developers is doing a "world first title," and a 24 hour "contest mode."
Oh, and there's a real-life freaking ring reward if you finish the raid before May 25 at 9:59AM PT, which you have until June 30, 2021 to redeem. If you finish it before June 1 at 9:59AM PT, you can claim this raid jacket. Note that you have to purchase both, the code just rewards you the privilege of buying them. The ring is $124.99 and the jacket is $149.99. No one said this post-Activision era would be cheap!
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity reveals its special expansion pass DLC costume
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity has been out for half a year now, and we already want more content. That's how these things go! People tear through the Warriors games as a whole in an insatiable fashion. But eventually Koei Tecmo and Nintendo did announce that there was more coming: like there was any doubt.
So here's a recap: on May 28, folks who buy the expansion pass will get a new weapon and costume for Link. Then afterward in June, we'll get an "expanded roster," as well as more weapons, Royal Ancient Lab challenges, and "more challenging enemies."
Here's the plot for the second live action Sonic movie
Sonic the Hedgehog came out in early 2020 and managed to sneak in a pretty good box office showing: and was apparently enough of a hit on home video to strike up a deal for a sequel. Thankfully the same creative team is returning, so there's a chance it'll be just as authentic as the first.
With some new plot details leaked via the US copyright catalog, I think the chances of that air of authenticity is even higher.
Mild synopsis spoilers below:
Biomutant looks mighty fine running on PS5 & Xbox Series X
After a lengthy period of hyped and hushed development, THQ Nordic's epic open-world adventure Biomutant is almost upon us. The environmentally friendly journey of an ever-adaptive mammalian warrior will finally launch, May 25, on PS4, PC, and Xbox One.
While no next-gen edition exists, developer Experiment 101 has released two new gameplay videos, showcasing the PS4 and Xbox One editions performing on their PS5 and Xbox Series X counterparts. As expected, both editions look great, with PS5 running in native 1080p at 60 frames-per-second (upscaling to 4K with Dynamic Resolution), while Xbox Series X pulls of native 4K at 60 frames-per-second, bringing the luscious and dangerous world of Biomutant to life.
Virtua Fighter x eSports live stream comin' at ya next week
Sega has announced that it will be holding a Japanese live stream next week to announce the details of its previously teased "Virtua Fighter x eSports Project" The stream will be held on May 27 on the publisher's newly launched Virtua Fighter YouTube channel. Squee!
While no details have been released as to the stream's content, it's a snug bet to assume that Sega is getting set to officially announce Virtua Fighter eSports/Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown, which was recently leaked via the Korean Ratings Board, as well as the PlayStation Store database. This is believed to be an updated edition of the series' last entry: 2010's Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown.
Given the emphasis on the word "eSports", one can also assume that Sega has plans to push the 3D fighter hard onto the competitive scene, so perhaps expect the formation of some sort of league, ala Capcom's Pro Tour. The stream begins at 20:00 JST, which is an eye-searing 04:00 PT / 07:00 ET, but rest assured we will bring you all of the details once they are revealed.
I'm very excited to see what Sega has in store for this great fighting franchise. It might not be a true sequel, but it's a start, and it if gets people playing again — online and at events — I'll take it.
Samorost is back with a free enhanced version on PC, iOS, and Android
Whatever happened to Samorost, the darling point-and-click space gnome adventure we played in our browsers in the early 2000s? Don't worry, it hasn't been lost to the ravages of time. It's here — right here, actually. You can play a remastered version on Steam, itch.io, iOS, and Android. Best of all, it's free.
You might not be able to put your finger on what's different if it's been years since you've played Samorost, but as the video seems to suggest, there are touch-ups. According to Amanita Design, this new version for 2021 has "remastered sounds, enhanced graphics, and new music by Floex."
I had a lot of love for Samorost back then and I still do today. It put this team on the map for me.
As for what's next for Amanita Design, more adventuring. The studio's next project, Happy Game, is freakier than you'd expect — by like a few orders of magnitude. It's expected to hit Steam in 2021.
Also, I won't lie: that long branch extending out into another tree's "mouth" still cracks me up.
