The June 2021 Games With Gold include The King's Bird, Shadows: Awakening, NEOGEO Battle Coliseum, and Injustice: Gods Among Us.
Available on the Xbox One for the entire month, The King's Bird by Serenity Forge and Graffiti Games has players making use of their momentum to glide and dash through a number of different challenges. There are five unique worlds to explore in all, with influences pulled from Southeast Asian, Mayan, and Roman cultures.
Available from June 16 to July 15, Shadows: Awakening is an isometric single-player RPG that features real-time tactical combat. Developed by Games Farm and published by Kalypso Media, this title has players taking control of a demon that has been summoned from the Shadow Realm.
From June 1 to June 15, SNK's NEOGEO Battle Coliseum will be available for the Xbox 360. Originally released for the Sammy Atomiswave arcade board, this two-on-two tag team fighter features characters from The King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, and Metal Slug SNK properties.
Finally, NetherRealm Studios and WB Games' Injustice: Gods Among Us will be available for the Xbox 360 from June 16 to June 30. The storyline in this fighter is set in a parallel universe within the DC Comics' Multiverse, and characters such as Batman and Superman are joined by The Joker and Wonder Woman.
Players will be able to get ready for battle when tinyBuild and Hungry Couch Games' open-world action-adventure Black Skylands hits Steam Early Access on June 11, 2021
All those that subscribe to PlayStation Plus will be able to add Operation: Tango, Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown, and Star Wars Squadrons to their collection in June
Players will be able to get ready for battle when tinyBuild and Hungry Couch Games' open-world action-adventure Black Skylands hits Steam Early Access on June 11, 2021.
This title takes inspiration from farming simulators, RPGs, sandboxes, and even bullet hell shooters. Combining open-world gameplay elements with a top-down shooter action-adventure, players will take control of Eva. This proud daughter of the Earner must rebuild her aerial home "from the deck up" as she contends with the cold-blooded Kain's Falcons.
Dozens of weapons are in Eva's arsenal, including aerial attacks and a grappling hook. Players will be able to choose a skyship that fits their playstyle, outfitting them with different mods and special abilities. Along the way, players will be able to build, expand and protect thier aerial base, and can also capture territories and explore a sprawling world.
Learn more with the following trailer:
Black Skylands is coming to Early Access June 11 | Wishlist on Steam!
You can find the game on Steam here. The game will be in Early Access for up to 12 months, and the development team stated that they will take their time as they polish the game while adding as much quality content as possible.
Players will be able to get ready for battle when tinyBuild and Hungry Couch Games' open-world action-adventure Black Skylands hits Steam Early Access on June 11, 2021
All those that subscribe to PlayStation Plus will be able to add Operation: Tango, Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown, and Star Wars Squadrons to their collection in June
All those that subscribe to PlayStation Plus will be able to add Operation: Tango, Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown, and Star Wars Squadrons to their collection in June.
Available for the PlayStation 5, Operation: Tango is a cooperative spy adventure that has players completing dangerous missions worldwide in a high-tech near-future world. Playing as either a Hacker or an Agent, asymmetrical challenges that require teamwork and communication are key.
SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's Virtual Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown will be available for the PlayStation 4 this month. In addition to overhauled visuals and redesigned UI, players will also be able to test out online modes like ranked matches, tournaments, and leagues.
Finally, Star Wars: Squadrons for the PlayStation 4 has players mastering the art of starfighter combat in frenetic multiplayer space dogfights. Iconic crafts like X-wings and TIE fighters will be included, and players can also play the entirety of the game with PlayStation VR. You can read our review of the PlayStation 4 version here.
Learn more with the following PlayStation Access video:
PlayStation Plus Monthly Games – PS4 and PS5 – June 2021
All three games will be available starting June 1, 2021.
Players will be able to get ready for battle when tinyBuild and Hungry Couch Games' open-world action-adventure Black Skylands hits Steam Early Access on June 11, 2021
All those that subscribe to PlayStation Plus will be able to add Operation: Tango, Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown, and Star Wars Squadrons to their collection in June
Originally making an appearance on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita, Ryu Hayabusa's Sigma entries are getting a new lease on life with the release of the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection. As players get ready to wield the legendary Dragon Sword once again, Gamers Heroes takes a look at a cosplay of the main protagonist.
Taken at PAX East 2014 and FanimeCon 2014, volko-dav's Ryu Hayabusa cosplay is true to the Ninja Gaiden warrior. As a part-time martial artist, this cosplay was made for him.
Ninja Gaiden Ryu Hayabusa Cosplay
Credit goes to CanteraCosplay, General Gau's Kitchen, and CosPortraits for the photos, and Alissa.Jess.Cosplays for the editing.
You can find volko-dav on DeviantArt here and on Facebook here.
Do you enjoy a bit of gaming cosplay? Or maybe you're passionate enough to do it full time. Drop me a line at casey@gamersheroes.com and we'll feature some of your cosplay.
Players will get ready to explore the Sinnoh region when Pokémon Legends: Arceus hits the Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2022.
As players complete the region's first Pokédex, they must observe Pokémon behavior, sneak up on them, aim their Poké Ball, and let fly. To aid in each capture, ally Pokémon can be used to battle wild Pokémon.
The same region from the Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl games, but the story will unfold in a long-gone era. Players will be able to kick their adventures off with the familiar Rowlet, Cyndaquil, or Oshawott partner Pokémon.
The Alpha Pokémon Arceus holds the key to this tale, with claims that it shaped all there is in this world.
Learn more with the trailer below:
Pokémon Legends Arceus: A familiar region. A new story.
Players will be able to get ready for battle when tinyBuild and Hungry Couch Games' open-world action-adventure Black Skylands hits Steam Early Access on June 11, 2021
All those that subscribe to PlayStation Plus will be able to add Operation: Tango, Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown, and Star Wars Squadrons to their collection in June
The second title from AMC Games, the world of Thunkd's The Magnificent Trufflepigs will make its way to the PC on June 3, 2021.
Designed by the lead designer of Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, this first-person, romantic metal-detecting game features the talents of Arthur Darvill (Doctor Who) as Adam in the idyllic English countryside. Returning home, he helps a woman named Beth (Luci Fish, Safe House) on her journey to uncover a local treasure. Along the way, players will be able to take a deep dive into Beth's history, soon learning that not everything is what it seems.
Gameplay has players using a metal detector in a laid-back fashion while exploring its world. Trying everything together is an interpersonal narrative with both walkie-talkie and instant message communication. Kevin Penkin, who previously worked on Necrobarista, was brought on to compose The Magnificent Trufflepigs' original, dynamic score.
Learn more with the live action vignette below:
The Magnificent Trufflepigs: Live Action Vignette | Coming Soon This Summer 2021
The game will launch on Steam, making its way to the Epic Games Store soon after. The Nintendo Switch version of the game is planned for this summer.
Players will be able to get ready for battle when tinyBuild and Hungry Couch Games' open-world action-adventure Black Skylands hits Steam Early Access on June 11, 2021
All those that subscribe to PlayStation Plus will be able to add Operation: Tango, Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown, and Star Wars Squadrons to their collection in June
After its seventh anniversary last year, there's going to be a whole Year of War for Keen Software House's Space Engineers.
The studio stated that their focus over the last few months has been on combat and skirmishes across the frontier. The Warfare 1 update brings with it refined combat, which includes hit, damage, and enemy indicators, along with improved reload and recoil animations. A set of new pistole and rocket launchers has been included, along with new settings for multiplayer servers. Tying everything together is a Uranium Heist PVP scenario.
As the Year of War marches on, improvements to ship combat will be made. In addition, there will be a number of new blocks to build futuristic fortifications in this open world sandbox game.
Catch up on all of the latest updates with the Devs Lost in Space stream that aired last week:
Devs Lost In Space – Hotfix Release & News – May 20th
Space Engineers is now available for the Xbox One and PC via Steam for $19.99. Note that an Ultimate Edition is also available, which features all the cosmetic items and decorative blocks from both 2019 and 2020.
Players will be able to get ready for battle when tinyBuild and Hungry Couch Games' open-world action-adventure Black Skylands hits Steam Early Access on June 11, 2021
All those that subscribe to PlayStation Plus will be able to add Operation: Tango, Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown, and Star Wars Squadrons to their collection in June
In celebration of media icon Sonic the Hedgehog's 30th anniversary, SEGA of America and creative agency Liquid+ Arcade have released a new unstoppable video campaign for their mascot.
The new "Unstoppable" campaign puts the spotlight on a number of young Sonic fans in the past 30 years. Sonic will see his 30th anniversary on June 23, 2021, and there's no better time to take a nostalgic look at the franchise.
You can watch the throwback below:
Unstoppable
The celebration of all things Sonic will continue on May 27 at 9am PT with the Sonic Central broadcast on their YouTube and Twitch channels. SEGA's Sonic Team department will pay host to a number of special guests as they talk about partnerships, projects, and events revolving around the blue blur.
Players will be able to get ready for battle when tinyBuild and Hungry Couch Games' open-world action-adventure Black Skylands hits Steam Early Access on June 11, 2021
All those that subscribe to PlayStation Plus will be able to add Operation: Tango, Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown, and Star Wars Squadrons to their collection in June
Learn more about the story of Insomniac Games and PlayStation Studios' Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart with the latest story trailer for the game.
Zurkon Jr's Almost Launch Party continues this week with his story overview of the game. After previously talking about the weapons and traversal mechanics of this platformer (you can watch that here), he now goes over how dimensional chaos is causing havoc, with alternate dimensions sprouting up. Players must contend with the evil Emperor Nefarious, who has armies at his disposal looking to take the two hero lombaxes and their little robot.
Learn more with the trailer below:
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – Story Overview | PS5
The sixteenth installment of the series, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will feature an original score composed primarily by Mark Mothersbaugh (Thor: Ragnarok). The development team has set out to design a soundtrack that evokes a retro futuristic sound.
The game will come out for the PlayStation 5 on June 11, 2021.
Players will be able to get ready for battle when tinyBuild and Hungry Couch Games' open-world action-adventure Black Skylands hits Steam Early Access on June 11, 2021
All those that subscribe to PlayStation Plus will be able to add Operation: Tango, Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown, and Star Wars Squadrons to their collection in June
Spanish gaming site Areajugones may have leaked that Star Wars: Squadrons, Virtua Fighter 5, and Operation Tango are coming to PlayStation Plus in June 2021.
Originally released last year, Star War: Squadrons is a space combat game that has players taking control of starfighters from both the Galactic Empire and the New Republic navy. A single player campaign has been included, along with a number of multiplayer game modes. You can read our review of the PlayStation 4 version here.
Meanwhile, Operation Tango by Clever Plays is an espionage-themed cooperative adventure that has players infiltrating, investigating, and eradicating the forces of evil. Players must work in tandem in a team of two, with communication being crucial.
Note that SEGA is planning to reveal more information about its "Virtua Fighter x eSports" project on a May 27 livestream, which could add validity to the claim.
Areajugones previously leaked the new DualSense controllers earlier this month, which proved to be real later that week – you can read our coverage of that here.
What do you think – will we see these titles coming to PlayStation Plus in June 2021? Let us know in the comments.
Players will be able to get ready for battle when tinyBuild and Hungry Couch Games' open-world action-adventure Black Skylands hits Steam Early Access on June 11, 2021
All those that subscribe to PlayStation Plus will be able to add Operation: Tango, Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown, and Star Wars Squadrons to their collection in June
The PlayStation Store is running its annual Days of Play sale through June 9, 2021 — and if you're hoping to scoop up some PS5 game deals in addition to the usual PS4 sale circuit, you're finally in luck.
I'm glad to say that the early MVP Demon's Souls has a discount. Now, it isn't a great discount — the game is $60.19 — but 14 percent off the top isn't nothing. It's been slow-going since launch outside of Returnal and Resident Evil Village, and if we're talking big, impressionable PS5 titles, Demon's Souls is still my favorite. Spider-Man: Miles Morales, another fun one, is down to $39.99 for PS4/PS5.
Some other recommendations from the Days of Play 2021 sale:
If you ended up getting a PS5 but you could only snag a Digital Edition console that can't play discs, and, as a result, you're at the mercy of the PlayStation Store for your PS5 game deals, I feel for you. It's going to be a long wait for some of these $70-at-launch titles to reach anything approaching half price.
One thing I'll say about this sale: while a lot of the deals aren't very enticing price-wise, I appreciate the new sorting options in the web-based PlayStation Store. I like being able to break these sales down by platform, content type, and even "most downloaded" to quickly see what's catching everyone's eye.
Sega announced today that the official video game for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, that may or may not still happen, will be released on June 22, 2021. It features track-and-field events, baseball, rock climbing, and more, but most importantly, there is also avatar customization, and the options are great.
In the trailer for the game, you can see an eager and determined astronaut, still suited up for space travel, keeping pace with Olympic hurdlers as they dash across the field. In another, an armored knight steps into the boxing ring, which seems a little unfair but hey, it's a video game.
While we already have the Mario & Sonic take on the Olympic Games in Tokyo, that's an arena where goofiness is expected. Seeing a massive, fire-breathing turtle-king sprint along the track is the norm. But here, in a somewhat-realistic Olympic event with realistic competitors, I love the one astronaut, determined to proudly represent their nation.
And as the site details, there are options to create your dream competitor. Astronaut, pirate, caveman, ninja, knight, and I think some sort of steampunk attire are all in the clothing options.
As for actual events, there is a bevy of track-and-field events as well as basketball, baseball, rock climbing, swimming, boxing, judo, tennis, table tennis, soccer, beach volleyball, rugby, and even BMX. Yes, my glorious astronaut will conquer them all on June 22, when Olympic Games Tokyo 2020: The Official Video Game launches for PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Stadia.
Virtual racers have dealt with all kinds of obstacles in user-created arenas, but today might be a first. The Xbox Series X arrives in Dirt 5 today, not as a gaming console, but as a fridge.
Imitating an infamous meme that became a real-life appliance, the Xbox Series X fridge arrives in Dirt 5 today as part of the Power Your Memes pack, an exclusive content pack available as an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate perk.
Stay cool, and respect the ⬛ U N I T ⬛
The DIRT 5 ‘Power Your Memes’ Perks pack is available right now for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members, on Xbox and Windows Store, featuring the legendary Xbox Series X fridge!
If you're a Game Pass Ultimate subscriber you can log on and simply redeem it, and coincidentally, Dirt 5 is also on Game Pass. It all works out pretty well! Also included in the pack are three new liveries for cars, one of which is adorned in Xbox logos and designs.
Normally this is something I'd expect to see in a modded Trackmania server, but sure, any excuse to jump a car over a giant Xbox-emblazoned fridge is a good one.
Disgaea fans have had one helluva wait for Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny, but we're on the home straight now. With the latest entry in the long-running RPG series just a skip over a month away, publisher NIS America has dropped a demo on the Nintendo eShop, giving the community a final burst of hype to help get them over the finish line.
nWay has released the "Super Edition" of its high-energy tag fighter Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid. Now available digitally on PC and consoles, this bumper pack includes the base game alongside all previously released DLC. Everything you need for a Mighty Morphin' melee.
While Battle for the Grid had something of an inauspicious launch, nWay has faithfully supported the game in the ensuing years, not only adding DLC characters and stages, but also a full story mode, voice talent from the original TV series cast, brilliant online play, crossplay, and even a dedicated competitive league. As testament to the title's underdog spirit, Battle for the Grid has even partnered with fighting game kings Capcom for a Street Fighter crossover.
CD Projekt RED cannot offer a date for when its troubled RPG Cyberpunk 2077 will return to the PlayStation Store. The hi-tech, hi-issues title was pulled from the PSN platform by Sony following the game's incendiary launch, which saw the PS4 edition plagued with problems and subject to thousands of refunds from disappointed players.
"We are still in discussions and with every patch the game gets better and there is a visible progress," said CDPR Co-CEO Adam Kicinski in a shareholders' meeting. "As we said, the decision is an exclusive decision of Sony. We are waiting for the information about the fact that they took the decision to bring back this game. Until then I am not able to tell you anything more."
Work continues at CDPR to improve the state of Cyberpunk 2077 on both PS4 and Xbox One, with numerous patches and hotfixes applied since the game's notoriously rough release in December of last year. The publisher has previously stated that abandoning the port is "not an option". Cyberpunk 2077 is scheduled to launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X this year, but these releases are obviously now mired in a queue of damage control and after-market repair on its platform predecessors.
Despite all of the above, Cyberpunk 2077 was — at least from a strictly sales standpoint — hugely successful for CDPR. The controversial title sold over 13.7 million copies in 2020 alone, with over half of all sales taking place on PC, where the title is far more stable. This huge number led to a revenue growth of over 550% for CDPR, year-on-year. In regards to refunds, only 30,000 copies of Cyberpunk 2077 were returned via CDPR's own refund program, though the numbers pertaining to PlayStation and Microsoft Store refunds remains unknown.
Sony has announced its PlayStation Plus lineup for June, the month of E3 2021, and it's a good mix of both old and new.
On the PlayStation 5 side, Plus subscribers can pick up Operation: Tango, a new upcoming co-op infiltration game. One player acts as the spy on the ground, infiltrating a locale in-person, while the other player is their hacker-in-the-chair, navigating firewalls and helping them solve puzzles.
Face zero-grav dogfights in Star Wars Squadrons, go head-to-head with legendary brawlers in Virtua Fighter 5 or team up for a spy adventure in Operation: Tango, your PlayStation Plus games for June: https://t.co/nzsEzyJtg2pic.twitter.com/226uhQnNE4
— PlayStation Europe (@PlayStationEU) May 26, 2021
It's launching on June 1, and it supports both cross-platform play and Friend Pass play. If you're not getting it through PlayStation Plus' PS5 offering, you can also pick it up on PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, or PC via Epic or Steam.
All in all, it's a really solid month for PlayStation Plus—one new game, one resurrected game, and one stellar Star Wars game, with a mix of good single-player, co-op, and multiplayer offerings. As someone who's been neglecting to redeem their Plus games in recent months, I'm setting a reminder for June 1.
Xbox and Bethesda have both confirmed their plans for their summer games showcase. The two will be hosting a joint Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase stream on June 13 at 10 a.m. PT.
The stream will focus on games from both Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda, as well as other partners around the world. Now that Bethesda is under the Xbox umbrella, the two will share the stage for a 90-minute show that will run down upcoming holiday launches and additions to Xbox Game Pass.
Games, Games, Games ðŸ—£ï¸ World Premieres 🎬 New titles on @XboxGamePass â«
At least now, we have a clearer idea of both company's plans for E3 2021 and the big summer showcase rollout. The teaser image makes it fairly obvious that Halo Infinite will be a part of the showcase, but Xbox and its massive lineup of studios could have a lot more to show as well. We'll all find out on June 13.
As much as it is typified by its wild fashions, awesome artwork and litany of fairweather players, Guilty Gear Strive is known for its relentless, teeth-gnashing soundtrack. A veritable melody of metal and mayhem combined, GG's guitar-squealing riffs and sub-Mike Patton wailing has become as iconic to the brand as anybody on its colorful roster of characters.
Guilty Gear Strive is apparently no exception, with each and every one of the starting roster's 15 characters being blessed with their own bespoke theme song. Dramatic to the point of operatic, and packing more adrenaline than Eric Stoltz in a dirty bathrobe, the GG Strive soundtrack looks to be the series' most ambitious to date, and will hopefully help each and every fight feel like a world-ending battle for the ages.
I really miss the days when Heroes of the Storm was more active than pretty much any other MOBA.
The team has always killed it, giving it their all when developing content of any kind, and they're still killing it, even with a smaller scope due to Blizzard's cutbacks. But it's a real treat when we get a peek inside the window every now and then and see how the sausage is made: like the recent breakdown of the new Overwatch skins.
Blizzard has confirmed today that there won't be plans to try and return to an in-person BlizzCon this year. The company announced today that it will not be hosting a BlizzCon this year.
Today's statement notes the amount of preparation large events like these entail, from both inside Blizzard and organizing the production and competition side as well.
"The ongoing complexities and uncertainties of the pandemic have impacted our ability to properly move forward on many of these fronts," wrote Saralyn Smith, executive producer of BlizzCon. "And ultimately we're now past the point where we'd be able to develop the kind of event we'd want to create for you in November.
While there won't be any in-person festivities, Blizzard does say it's still planning for something online similar to its recent BlizzConline event, albeit not this year. Blizzard says it's planning a global event for the early part of next year, combining the online show aspect of BlizzConline with "smaller in-person gatherings," and that it will share more as plans come together.
This isn't too surprising, and likely the best choice, as many events are still opting to host online virtual experiences. Plus, it seems like the games most would want to see from Blizzard, like Diablo IV and Overwatch 2, are still a ways out.
Japanese developer Kadokawa Games, (of Metal Max and God Wars fame), has announced a brand new strategy RPG. A self-proclaimed "New age space opera", Relayer is currently in development at the studio for release on PlayStation platforms at some point in the future.
A feature in the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu offered up the sci-fi title's preliminary deets. Set in Stardate 2049, humanity has come into contact with a new alien life-form known as "Relayer". At the same time, a supernatural phenomenon is reported across the planet, seemingly brought about by the arrival of a "Star Child" known as "Terra". Understandably perturbed by the increasingly unnerving events, world governments and military factions become entangled in the situation's escalating drama.
Rooting its characters, narrative, and arc within Greek mythology, Relayer will see players pilot platoons of mechs — known as "Stella Gear" — in a variety of small-and-large-scale battles. Relayer is a turn-based strategy title, and will feature numerous classes, maneuvers, weapons, and ally patterns, tasking the player with creating efficient attack patterns to win the day and become one step closer to God... quite literally. Oh, and of course, all of the Stella Gear pilots are sexy and stylish anime characters, each of which has their own sub-stories to be explored as the main campaign progresses.
It's very early days, with nary a screenshot or trailer in sight. We also don't know whether Relayer will do the numbers necessary to see a western localization. But for strategy/anime fans — perhaps those who dig the great gameplay and melodramatic nature of Valkyria Chronicles — Relayer might prove to be one title worth keeping an eye on.
Nothing is a given in the world of Blizzard. The phrases "soon" and "Blizzard Time (tm)" aren't just jokes, they're a reality.
While the "gameplay first" mantra wanes a bit from project to project in modern times, for the most part, Blizzard gets a decent chunk of time to create their games, with the aim of supporting them for long periods of time. And as we wait for Overwatch 2, people have a lot of questions.
So is there going to be a beta? It seems like it! On the recent Overwatch 2 AMA, technical director John Lafleur confirmed just that. Lafluer states, plainly, "Almost certainly, yes. If I knew when, I couldn't tell you. If I told you, I'd have to kill you. But u/blizz_akeller [Game Director Aaron Keller] is our resident secret-leaker, so you might give him a try! :)."
He also reminds us that the sequel is making some technical strides, noting: "Yes, we've had a lot of changes to the game engine. Many optimizations, better lighting, and many new features have been added. PvE has also allowed us to look much more at how our environments tell our story, so we've added many features that help with that."
However, he also says that "Switch is a little more challenging than some, and we'll have to make some compromises there." He further explains the situation by stating: "For that reason, some of the higher end visual enhancements might not be visible, there. We'll focus on making sure all of the gameplay-related features get in, first, and then accentuate with additional features as much as possible."
What about Overwatch 1? Well, it doesn't seem like it's going to get major upgrades for the time being, as Lafleur says that they "don't have any plans" to provide a 120 FPS PS5 patch, and would have to "invest a non-trivial amount of time to upgrade original Overwatch to recognize and separately treat the PS5." Instead, they're "focusing on Overwatch 2."
You might remember, back in the fall of 2020, we sent word of a sexy-looking street scrapper, Mayhem Brawler, in the works at indie outfit Hero Concept. Well, the comic-book style brawler has a release date, and will bring its titular mayhem to PS4, Xbox One, PC, iiRCADE, and Nintendo Switch August 18.
Set in a self-styled "urban fantasy", Mayhem Brawler sees a city that has spiraled wildly out-of-control, with its avenues and alleyways dominated by a super megacorp and its army of mutated minions. While the thugs roaming the streets are trouble enough, things get really out of hand once you throw werewolves, wizards, vampires, and other fantasy creatures into the mix. Fucking wizards, I tell ya.
Into this burned-out berg stride three agents of the Stronghold enforcement division, for whom a routine investigation is about to become a real bad day. While they may be hopelessly outnumbered, our protagonists Star, Dolphin, and Trouble are loaded for bear with amazing martial-arts abilities and super-powered special moves, redressing the balance somewhat against the horde of bad dudes that stand in their way... Including the wizards. Again, Do Not Forget the Wizards.
This Friday, we'll get a glimpse at the gameplay of the next entry in the Far Cry series. Ubisoft has announced that a new live stream featuring gameplay of Far Cry 6 will air on May 28.
The stream, which will go live at 9:30 a.m. PT, will be the first glimpse we've had of the next Far Cry in a good while. On top of seeing gameplay, I'm also hoping we see more of Giancarlo Esposito's villain too, as he stars in the teaser for this week's stream:
Since Far Cry 6 was delayed from its previous launch, it'll be interesting to see how much we learn about the new game this Friday. With Ubisoft's E3 Forward looming, this could be getting some news out a little early, or at least teasing more to come once June 12 rolls around.
But of course the new hotness always benefits from advancements, and in this case, the Switch edition just got patched to support the Power-Up Bands from Universal's Super Nintendo World theme park. This is on top of all of the prior amiibo figure functionality.
As a refresher, these bands are sold at the park (and can be imported on the secondhand market), and are basically amiibo equivalents. Right now Nintendo is only producing them for some of the more popular characters in their stable, but if they catch on, they'll likely expand the line. You can read all about them here in our hands-on impressions.
To use them in Miitopia, you'll encounter an NPC called the "Nintendo Fan" (which you can customize) very early in the game: just a few steps from the starting town. Head to them and just tap an amiibo to your controller/Switch and you're good to go. Figures range from outfit to minor item bonuses.
[Update: In this roller coaster of a saga, four months after announcing that he was departing the role of Sonic with a broken blue heart, voice actor Roger Craig Smith tweeted out a picture of a mended heart, noting: "I hope to honor your support and passion as I'm officially back voicing Sonic the hedgehog in games."
Uh what? I mean, that's good news, but maybe some sort of contract deal got worked out on the backend, possibly involving Smith voicing the character in Sonic Prime? This news comes right on the heels of May's Sonic news stream, so maybe we'll hear more about it tomorrow.
Odds are you've heard Roger Craig Smith speak before.
Perhaps as Chris Redfield in modern Resident Evil games? Or in cartoons like Regular Show, as a host of different characters. He's even been the voice of Batman several times! But many ardent fans will always think of him as the main voice of Sonic following Jaleel White's turn in the role: until today, that is.
Shared on Twitter by the man himself, Smith had the following to say today: "Welp, 10 years was an amazing run. Onward to new zones! Much love to the fans who've been so kind. It's been an honor."
Fans are speculating that the parting was not mutual, using the broken blue [Sonic] heart in the tweet as evidence. While it's hard to say what went down; it's possible that Smith has become busy as he has no shortage of work, and offered the broken heart as a message to his fans. Or, Sega wants to offer the role to Mr. "Jean-Ralphio" himself, Ben Schwartz, who played the character in the feature film: or go a different direction entirely.
Schwartz would be a shrewd pick, as he has a history of voicing cartoons, so he'd slot into any sort of cross-media project Sega might have planned. Either way, Smith was a fantastic Sonic and was mostly beloved by fans (myself included), so I'm sad to see him go. We'll likely see the next stage of Sonic whenever Sega decides to unveil the new projects they've been teasing for forever.
Monster Hunter Rise is getting another update to end the month, and alongside some new creatures to take down, this also includes a new ending for the story.
Announced during today's Monster Hunter Rise stream, the Ver.3.0 update will go live at 1 a.m. BST on May 27, which means U.S. players can get a hold of it later tonight. The update is free for all players, and alongside a new ending, also adds the Crimson Glow Valstrax and Apex Zinogre.
Capcom also laid out the road ahead for Monster Hunter Rise, which includes several more free updates for players. Three Capcom collaborations are due from mid-June through August, as well as more DLC and event quests.
It's nice to Monster Hunter Rise not only get a full ending, but so much post-launch support. It's definitely a good reason to boot back into your village and hunt some more monsters.
While I have no doubt that Zelda will get some sort of anniversary shindig, the jury is out on some of the other series (poor Metroid). Some rogue agent on some Twitter account might put out an unauthorized "remember this series I grew up with?!" tweet, but that's all about I'd expect for say; Kid Icarus. At least it's getting an in-game Smash Ultimate event?
Nintendo announced via the official Smash Bros. Twitter account that the next Ultimate event this weekend will commemorate the Zelda, Metroid, Kid Icarus, Castlevania, and Dragon Quest anniversaries. Well, they're off the hook for the latter two, but uh, what about everything else?
A double dose of Pokémon news this morning. Not only did we receive a date for Nintendo DS remakes Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, but The Pokémon Company has also revealed the release date forPokémon Legends: Arceus, which will launch on Switch January 28, 2022. Pre-orders are now live on the Nintendo eShop.
A step away from the traditional Pokémon experience, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is set in the Sinnoh region's bygone days — a take on Japan's feudal era — when the forefathers of what will come to be known as Trainers gathered their own Pokémon with somewhat more mechanical and ramshackle variants of the tools used by today's critter catchers.
Developed by series veterans Game Freak, Pokémon Legends: Arceus features its own tweaks on classic Pokémon gameplay, allowing players to use stealth mechanics to sneak up and swipe Pokémon without the need for battle. Additionally, as The Pokémon League is yet to be invented, Pokémon battles will instead take place out in the wilds of Sinnoh's untamed lands.
Our protagonists' actions will eventually lead to the creation of the very first Pokédex, blazing a trail for Nintendo's marketing teams for centuries to come. Wow, it's like Genesis... but for small furry monsters.
Grab those Poké Balls, trainers. Nintendo and The Pokémon Company announced the release date for Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl. The two Nintendo DS remakes will be hitting the Switch platform November 19, just in time for the holidays.
Much like previous remakes Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, or HeartGold & SoulSilver, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl will recreate the player's trek across the Sinnoh region, hunting, catching, and training a roster of critters in tried-and-tested Poké-fashion. The twin remakes are handled by developer ILCA, as stalwart studio Game Freak is already hard at work on Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
A new tweet from The Pokémon Company showcases the cover art for both titles, which once again feature Dialga and Palkia in all of their (literal) dazzling glory. Oh, we also get a shot of our two trainers, Lucas and Dawn, but sadly not in their hilarious and divisive chibi stylings. But don't fret, I put Dawn in the header image to remind you all of her huge wellie greatness.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Pokémon Shining Pearl launch on Switch November 19.
All good things must come to an end...is the exact phrase I was thinking when reading over Masahiro Sakurai's newest Famitsu column, as reported by ryokutya2089.
In case you've missed it, Sakurai has been contributing to a Famitsu column for nearly 20 years, dishing out inside info and insights into the development process of the Super Smash Bros. series. He's able to get fairly frank in these articles (within reason), and provide a window into his mind in a fireside chat sort of way.
But, they might be ending. Musing in the latest Famitsu column, Sakurai allegedly is thinking about retiring, noting that "everything must come to an end." He also notes that he will not "stop working on games," but is thinking about ending the long-running Famitsu column in general after the last DLC for Ultimate ships this year.
As VGC points out, the full Famitsu column will give us a better picture of the context when it hits. But at this point, with his masterpiece almost done, it would make perfect sense to retire afterward and maintain a sort of "consultation" status in the gaming world. That way he technically doesn't "stop working on games!"
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart can most assuredly be called a "next-gen" title. With each and every video, Insomniac Games' world-hopping adventure looks bigger, brighter, and better than before — at least in regards to its delightful aesthetics and modern-day technology.
We've built and run virtual cities as omnipotent mayors before, but not quite like this. In MeNic Games and Mastiff's PC city-builder Tinytopia, we're working with wobbly miniatures in precarious places.
The game is less of a typical data-heavy city-builder with lots of minutia to worry about — which can be fun in its own right! — and more of a lighthearted physics-based playground. You'll stack buildings on top of each other to transform them into "megastructures" and hope they don't topple over.
Tinytopia also has challenge levels with distinct hooks, whether it's building a well-balanced town on a teetering ruler or crafting an island retreat that can hold up against a knock-off Godzilla wind-up toy.
In a note from the publisher, Mastiff said the team is looking to touch up the game before it releases on Steam this year — they want to improve the UI, tutorials, and writing, add in new level goals and achievements, and work in "a new illustrated Instructor to guide players through Tinytopia."
The game looks cute, which is something I've rarely if ever said about a city-builder.
Today, developer Ion Lands launched DLC for its cyberpunk taxi game Cloudpunk. Dubbed City of Ghosts, it's the size of a sequel, according to Ion Lands. And what's more, it's not all the developer has planned for the world of Cloudpunk.
City of Ghosts sees players return to the city of Nivalis, continuing the story of Rania and Camus. There are two viewpoints, swapping between Rania and deadbeat gambler Hayse, as well as new features like street racing and vehicle customization.
Alongside the launch of City of Ghosts, Ion Lands also launched a store page for Nivalis, a slice-of-life sim set in the same world as Cloudpunk. Taking place in the city of Nivalis, you choose how to spend your time: grow your business, hang out with characters, and decorate your home, or blow it all off to go fishing.
There's no release date or window set just yet, only a Steam page. It's nice to see that Ion Lands is finding more ways to explore this world, though. Cloudpunk was a pretty alright little experience that I've heard folks talk about for a while, and an experience that's just about running a shop and living your life in a cybernetic future? I'm intrigued.
It seems like Valve might be working on a new PC gaming device that's a little more portable than a PC. A new report from Ars Technica says that Valve has been working on a portable, Switch-like PC that could run games on the Steam platform through Linux.
Earlier in the week, SteamDB's Pavel Djundik noticed a change in Steam's code pointing towards a device named "SteamPal," which seemed related to another codename, "Neptune." These came with a string for "Neptune Optimized Games," though their intent was unclear.
According to Ars Technica, this "SteamPal" (which might not be the real, final name) is an all-in-one PC with gamepad controls and a touchscreen. Multiple sources familiar with the information confirmed to Ars Technica that this PC has been in development for some time.
Ars Technica also says that while it can confirm the device's existence and development, as well as gesture at a recent coincidental statement on something console-related, Valve is still in a position to switch things up—it could still get delayed or canceled or any reason. Hopefully this device fares better than other hardware attempts, because a portable PC handheld certainly sounds appealing in light of the Switch's popularity.
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.
You all know me... know how I earn a living. I'll review Maneater for you. But it ain't gonna be easy. Switch port. Not like booting up the PC to go down to Resident Evil Village. This port report embargo... swallow your weekend... a little eyestrain, a little finger cramp, and down you go.
I'm gonna keep it quick, that'll bring back the players, put all your eShop customers on a paying basis. But it's not gonna be pleasant. I value free time more than your gaming Twitter clout, Chief. I'll check out your Switch port. I'll install it for 3,000 clicks, but I'll play it — and review it — for 10. Carter got no volunteers, and I've got no mates. But you gotta make up your minds: 10,000 clicks... For me, by myself.
For that you get the screencaps... the summary... The Whole Damn Thing.
Resident Evil Village is back in the number one spot of the UK Charts. Capcom's horror sequel clambered over Electronic Arts' Mass Effect Legendary Edition and also held off Nintendo's cartoony social title Miitopia in order to claim the premier position once again.
Elsewhere in the Top Ten, the recent restock of physical PS5 products in the UK high street saw another round of sales for Insomniac Games'Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The web-slinger sits at number four ahead of Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, both of which have remained in the upper echelon since their respective releases.
This week sees the launch of THQ Nordic'sBiomutant, Atlus' Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster, as well as Deep Silver's Maneater and NIS' World's End Club. It seems that, for the time being at least, Lady Dimitrescu is set to retain her UK chart dominance. And who would deny her, frankly?
Dead by Daylight revealed the Resident Evil chapter it teased a little while ago, and it's going back to the classics. Both Leon S. Kennedy and Jill Valentine, as well as Nemesis (or The Tyrant) and the Racoon City Police Station are coming to Dead by Daylight next month.
Leon and Jill will be Survivor characters, and they each have their own special Perks. Leon in particular can create a flash-bang grenade once the generators have reached a certain level of repair, something that's new to the asymmetrical horror game.
Nemesis also brings his own unique powers: tentacle attacks that can infect Survivors, forcing them to use limited-quantity vaccines to remove the debuff. Zombies will also appear alongside Nemesis, hounding the players as they attempt to activate the generators.
And if you want the extra level of Resident Evil immersion, there's also a new map: the Raccoon City Police Station. Yes, there's even a "Welcome Leon" banner hanging in one area. Poor guy just can't have a normal day on the job.
The Resident Evil crossover goes live on June 15, 2021, and will cost $11.99. Dead by Daylight is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Stadia, and Switch, so there's really no shortage of platforms to get your asymmetrical Resident Evil fix.
Boutique retailer Limited Run Games has announced that it will be hosting a showcase of its upcoming wares during E3 week. Much like its 2020 iteration, the "LRG3" live stream will be packed full of video games set to receive a variety of physical releases over the course of the year.
The hour-long broadcast will feature over 25 titles getting set to receive the LRG treatment, including brand new games and classic re-issues, alongside merchandise, soundtracks, and more. Produced by the Mega64's RoccoBotte, LRG3 will feature fast-paced reveals and will be dishing out a selection of prizes to viewers in Twitch chat, so be sure to tune in for a chance to bag some neat-o goodies.
The action will kick off Monday, June 14 at 13:00 PT / 16:00 ET / 21:00 BST and can be viewed live on the Limited Run Games Twitch channel. I'm not one for physical media these days, but I always enjoy seeing what classic titles are being added to the catalogue. In any case, I'm hoping for some more terrible Sega CD re-releases, we're long overdue an American Laser Games collection.
News is on the way for Sonic fans. Sega announced today that it will be hosting Sonic Central, a Sonic the Hedgehog streaming event, on Thursday, May 27.
The virtual event will air on May 27 at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET, on both the Sonic YouTube and Twitch channel. The stream will have a "first look" at upcoming projects, partnerships, and events to celebrate Sonic's 30th anniversary.
Did someone say news?
Tune in at 9am PT on 5/27 for a first look at some of the projects, partnerships, and events for our #Sonic30th celebration! pic.twitter.com/rd4RpyVWFj
— Sonic the Hedgehog (@sonic_hedgehog) May 25, 2021
There's no more indication on whether this will be game-related or if there will be more shown about other projects, but I imagine for Sonic fans, any and all news is good news.
This does mean Thursday is getting packed though, with both a Horizon Forbidden West State of Play and a Dying Light 2 stream planned for May 27. E3 2021 still isn't set to start for a few more weeks, but it seems like the summer of gaming news is already getting off to a running start.
Rockstar Games has entered into a business partnership with club promoter CircoLoco to found a new record label. Titled "CircoLoco Records", the label will aim to promote and grow dance music and its surrounding club culture, a culture which has understandably seen a significant decrease in both status and revenue during the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The sequel to Axiom Verge is taking a little more time to build up to launch. Axiom Verge 2 has been pushed back from the first half of the year to Q3 2021.
The news, via IGN, came along with a sort of make-good for the second delay of Axiom Verge 2. Developer Thomas Happ confirmed that the documentary about the making of Axiom Verge, originally included as a special in the Multiverse Edition or a separate purchase on Steam, is being made freely available. You can watch it now on IGN here, and it will be available for free on Steam "soon."
Axiom Verge 2 was originally set for 2020, and now its second delay has pushed the project to Q3 2021. According to IGN, this second delay is so that Happ can avoid burnout and crunch, and also says the game will "be better for the additional time."
Hopefully the extra time does help out, both for the developer and the game. Axiom Verge 2 is still planned for Nintendo Switch and PC via Epic Games Store.
Despite being yet to bless us with a launch date, Devolver Digital continues its explosive marketing drive for Flying Wild Hog's Shadow Warrior 3. Having already given us a glimpse at the shooter sequel's devastating weaponry, this new trailer gives us a look at some of the unfortunate villains that will be stood in the line of fire.
Making open world games is hard. There's so many variables to account for, so many potential glitches to test: it's impossible to ship it and cover everything.
The most you can hope for, however, is that the game is playable, and Nintendo more than hit that mark with Zelda: Breath of the Wild. But players have still found esoteric "hold this item and press these buttons to sink through the floor" bugs, and have been doing all sorts of wondrous things with them.
Enter the mysterious chests. For the past several years, players have been hunting down errant treasure chests that are stuck in certain objects. Redditor vohnandrew managed to snag one of the crazier ones in Hateno Village.
Basically, they use a glitch to sink into the ground (prescient example), and then fly to a point where they can place a DLC item travel point. Then they create ice platforms to pull the chest out of the "stuck" spot in the glitched zone. It's a wild series of bugs and it must have taken a lot of testing to get there.
Chinese conglomerate Tencent has purchased a minority stake in developer Remedy Entertainment, amounting to around 500,000 shares, or a stake of just under 4%.
As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, the stake was sold to Tencent by holding company Accendo Capital, which itself retains 14% of the Finnish studio's shares — something in the region of 1.8 million shares total. Remedy itself was unaware of the transaction until after it had been completed, but has noted that the sale represents typical stock movement, and should not be seen as any sort of commercial deal that directly affects studio ownership or future development plans.
"We are naturally aware that Tencent has extensive expertise in the industry," said Remedy CEO Tero Virtala in a brief statement. "so we are honoured by their interest in Remedy and happy to welcome Tencent as a new shareholder."
Tencent Holdings Inc.'s portfolio includes bountiful stakes within a huge laundry list of international developers and publishers. As well as owning four internal game development studios, Tencent has varying stakes in companies such as Activision, Ubisoft, Supercell, Epic Games, Riot Games, PlatinumGames, Bohemia Interactive, Dontnod Entertainment, Klei Entertainment, and Funcom.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is sparking a new interest in many prospective N7 fans, and re-sparked the passion of millions of folks who ate, slept, and breathed this series for years before it was put on ice.
And lo and behold, we're back in the schoolyard talking about what companion is "best." Well, now we have actual stats to help prove our cases. Enter Steam stats. There's just so much to glean from this giant list, but for the most part, the achievements showcase just how many people started with the first Mass Effect; and how many dedicated fans have completed large chunks of Mass Effect 2.
But one of the most illuminating bits of data is easily the stats that deal with squadmates. According to the list, "Quarian Ally" (Tali) is the most popular achievement, with 54.6% of players at the time of publication having completed five missions with her. This is a direct display of popularity, as folks favor her above any other party member.
In second, but deservingly of first, is Garrus, with the "Turian Ally" achievement hitting 51.9%. Next is Liara (Asari Ally) at 41.5%, then Wrex (Krogan Ally) at 37.8%, followed by Ashley (Soldier Ally) at 33.8%, and Kaiden (Sentinel Ally) at 33.5%.
Although Garrus is my boy, if I had to put money on this list, this is exactly how I'd frame it. Tali is one of the most consistently beloved characters throughout the series, and one of the few (along with Garrus) with an arc going through all three games.
Sony is gearing up to reveal more of Horizon Forbidden West. A new State of Play showcase centering on the Horizon sequel is coming later this week, with some new gameplay in tow.
The State of Play will air on Thursday, May 27. It kicks off with a specially made countdown timer at 9 a.m. PT, followed by the main event, which starts at 2 p.m. PT.
In today's announcement, Sony said it will be a 20-minute segment, with 14 minutes of "brand new in-game action" captured on the PlayStation 5.
It's been almost a year at this point since Horizon Forbidden West's reveal, so Horizon fans are likely eager to see what this new game looks like in action. Even for folks who just have a PlayStation 5 on their shelf, it's another big game to add to the collection. We'll hopefully learn a lot more about what Guerrilla Games has in store this Thursday.
In case you missed it, Konami recently revived the 1987 classic Getsu Fuma Den in the form of GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon, which is now in Early Access. Konami has a soft spot for Getsu Fuma Den, as it pops up every now and then; with the titular Fuma even appearing in Castlevania: Harmony of Despair as a playable character.
The deal came about through a collaboration between Konami and developer GuruGuru: with the former keen on outsourcing more than making games these days. Speaking to JP Games, Undying Moon and Konami producer Shin Murato explains: "We are continually inspired by various indie titles, and how they innovate and produce exciting games. We felt that GetsuFumaDen would be an interesting IP to bring back to follow this indie approach, and so we decided to contact GuruGuru as we know the team well."
Given Konami's missteps in recent years, this practice could be a favorable end for all of us. Murato had something to say about the possibility of this kind of practice continuing, noting: "In terms of other collaborations, please wait for future projects like this!"
This is the point where we all make huge lists of great Konami IP that we hope another studio serves as a worthy steward of. I can get behind this "lending" approach over stuff like Metal Gear Survive.
There's more to come about Dying Light 2 later this week. Developer Techland has teased a new Twitch stream with the catchphrase "Dying 2 Know More?"
The stream is currently set to air at 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT on May 27, over on Techland's Twitch channel.
And how did we find out about this? Well, they—Techland—sent me a package with a poster, paper, letter, and what looked like a flashlight. The letter reads:
Hello, survivor!
Remember Harran?
Of course you do. But all that—that was just the beginning... Now The City is our refuge, and it needs your help.
Want to know more?
You will, but you'll have to hunt. I had to hide the info—this place isn't safe. Track down the clues and remember, it's all for your eyes only. This message cannot fall into the wrong hands.
You're our last chance, survivor!
So I grabbed the flashlight out of the tube, assuming it to be a little more than your average flashlight, and sure enough it didn't cast normal light—it's a little UV light, similar to the one in the original Dying Light. And by shining it on the poster, it showed a message:
That's the 27th of May, at 9 p.m. CEST—or 12:00 p.m. PDT. A neat little detective game to go with the announcement, though I'm really not sure what I'm going to do with this UV light now. I'm definitely not taking it to any conventions.
JÅ«nen hayainda yo! Sega has announced that the recently leakedVirtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown will be released as soon as next week. As revealed by IGN, the updated edition of one of the finest 3D fighters of all time will return as a PS4-exclusive title on Tuesday, June 1.
Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown is the final (for realsies this time) iteration of Sega's legendary one-on-one fighting sequel, which first launched in arcades back in 2006 before receiving updates in the form of 2008's Virtua Fighter 5 R and 2010's Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown.
Ultimate Showdown has been developed by a team comprised of both Sega AM2 and Team Yakuza. The classic fighter has been rebuilt with the latter's Dragon Engine technology, affording it updated visuals, new light & shadow effects, a fresh U.I., an alternate soundtrack, and new online features — including tournament brackets, a spectator mode, custom lobbies, emotes, and other communication options.
[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.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
