Kotaku Sunday, September 11, 2022 8:00 PM  Disney had a big event last week that, I'll be honest, I let wash over me because announcements like Avatar games and Alien games that aren't an Isolation sequel aren't really for me. One thing they didn't really cover, though, and which I wish they had done in a lot more detail, was the excellent news that classic … |
PCGamesN Sunday, September 11, 2022 2:33 PM  It's September, which means that the long-awaited Terraria 1.4.4 update Labor of Love is finally almost upon us. Terraria developer Re-Logic has long been known for claiming its updates for one of the best crafting games are the 'final update,' and Labor of Love follows on from the previous two such final updates - Journey's End and Journey's Actual End. Labor of Love was pitched primarily as a quality of life and balance update, but that doesn't mean there aren't new items - and plenty of the changes give more than enough reason to return to one of the best sandbox games on PC one more time. We've compiled all the new additions and tweaks into one handy list for your perusal down below, but we'll start off by detailing a few of the biggest changes you can expect in Terraria 1.4.4. First up, your Terraria inventory size is due to get a huge upgrade as the stack limit for most items in the game leaps from 999 to a massive 9999. A Void Bag rework causes the special sack to function as basically a second inventory that can be opened at will, and the addition of Terraria gear loadouts means you can switch between various equipment setups on the fly. Meanwhile, fans sick of having to go through extensive preparation and maintenance to keep their Jungle from being destroyed by evil biome corruption will be overjoyed to know that the addition of Infected Mud Grass means that your Jungle biome will never be turned into dirt again, and a new Biome Sight potion will make picking out those pesky evil nodes and cleaning them up vastly more straightforward. One of the strongest Terraria endgame accessories is getting a buff too - although it's left fans a little split on its usefulness. RELATED LINKS: The best Terraria mods, Terraria happiness guide, Terraria bosses guide |
Twinfinite Sunday, September 11, 2022 7:22 PM Third-party developers have released new screenshots showcasing upcoming add-ons for Microsoft Flight Simulator. |
Twinfinite Sunday, September 11, 2022 6:08 PM Square Enix released two new trailers of the upcoming Star Ocean JRPG Star Ocean: The Divine Force, focusing on Nina and Midas. |
Twinfinite Sunday, September 11, 2022 5:47 PM Shoji Meguro, known for his work as composer on the Persona series, will launch a Kickstarter campaign for his game Guns Undarkness. |
Twinfinite Sunday, September 11, 2022 5:20 PM Ubisoft released a new cinematic trailer for the 12th DLC of its popular city/empire builder Anno 1800. |
Twinfinite Sunday, September 11, 2022 4:32 PM Yostaar revealed upcoming events coming to Azur Lane, including a crossover with Atelier Ryza 2. |
Twinfinite Sunday, September 11, 2022 1:55 PM Indie developer Polygonomicon released another gameplay trailer of its upcoming 3D combat action game Varvarion. |
Twinfinite Sunday, September 11, 2022 1:04 PM Unsure of when the Bleach The Thousand Year Blood War anime is coming out? Worry noy. We've got you covered with this guide. |
Twinfinite Sunday, September 11, 2022 12:20 PM The new Bleach anime covering the Thousand Year Blood War arc has received a new trailer packed with reveals, including a firm date for its release. |
Siliconera Sunday, September 11, 2022 3:00 PM
Friday's D23 Expo saw media behemoth Disney unveiling, among other things, a host of new game-related announcements connected to Disney's various properties. Updates for older and recently-released titles, as well as entirely new Disney games based on classic Disney shows and Star Wars joined the company's slate of productions. In case you missed the live show, you can see the archived broadcast at this link. If you've not the time for that, we've taken the liberty of rounding up the most notable Disney and Marvel Game additions here, sorted by alphabetical order. Aliens: Dark Descenthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W_fIqBj3gc Not to be confused with legendary horror game Amnesia: The Dark Descent, this new game a different kind of terror: That of seeing a plan go all wrong and all your little soldier guys die. It's a tactical title, headed for consoles and PC in 2023. The game was first revealed at this year's Summer Game Fest, but some new gameplay was shown off at D23. Avatar: Reckoninghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uptowxTUSFg Pandora is coming to your Android or iOS device in the form of Avatar: Reckoning, a new mobile MMORPG. A developer update revealed more gameplay, showing off character customization and multiplayer battles. It's coming "soon". Disney Illusion Islandhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM_PCKwC484 This cartoony new Switch-exclusive Disney game stars Disney's own Fantastic Four (aside from the Marvel one): Micky, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy. The OG quartet gets together in a co-op focused 2D platforming adventure. It's coming to Switch at a date "TBD". Disney Speedstormhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKJaZV3up4w Disney is known for theme parks, but once kart racer Disney Speedstorm comes out later in the year, it may be known for race course (some of them evoking theme parks). The latest trailer promoted a course based on Monsters, Inc., with cameos from Mike, Sully, and Randy. The game comes to Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Xbox One. Gargoyles Remasteredhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFWgokKStzo It's unlikely that younger folks remember the old '90s cartoon Gargoyles particularly well, but its Disney game adaptation for the Sega Genesis is getting remastered for consoles and PC by Empty Clip Studios. Check out the video above for some gameplay footage of the original, courtesy of YouTube user Media Pool. Marvel and Skydance New Media's Untitled Adventure Gamehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f5JMCX1-7I This game's so early into development that it doesn't even have a title, but its developers do have a concept set up. It's a "narrative-driven ensemble adventure", featuring an original story set in the Marvel Universe. It's a World War II-era setup, featuring Captain America and Black Panther fighting alongside Howling Commando Gabriel Jones and Wakandan warrior Nanali. Amy Hennig, formerly of Naughty Dog and a key creator behind the Uncharted series is leading the project. No platforms were announced, but consoles and PC are a safe bet. Marvel Snaphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eWAAKQcv0c A Marvel game previously announced in May, the card-battler Marvel Snap has a release date now: October 18, 2022. It's a Marvel-branded take on Hearthstone or any number of mobile device-based collectible card games populating the space. Marvel's Midnight Sunshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZDalw6r-XA After getting pushed back once, Marvel's Midnight Suns got pushed back another time, to a final December 2, 2022 release date. The game is an unusual, magic-focused take on the Marvel canon. D23 Expo saw some new gameplay footage and more about the game's tactical battle and storytelling. The game's also got some tactical pedigree, being developed by XCOM and Civilization studio Firaxis. The game's headed to PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5. A series of "Prequel Shorts" laying out the backstory will debut on October 31, 2022 via Marvel's YouTube channel. Marvel World of Heroeshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ajfk9eT6pY A new geolocation-based game from Niantic, developers of Pokémon GO, Marvel World of Heroes brings that familiar AR touch, and incentivizes folks to get out and and play in physical locations (while glued to their phones). Tron: Identityhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDuiZ-s3GvU Based on the classic sci-fi film, Tron: Identity comes from Bithell Games (developer of John Wick Hex and Thomas Was Alone), and is apparently a visual novel. Little else about the story was revealed. Updates and MoreBesides new and upcoming titles, the D23 Expo Marvel and Disney Games showcase also teased updates and rereleases for existing titles. The recently-released farming sim Disney Dreamlight Valley got a tease for a new realm based on Pixar's Toy Story in Fall 2022, with plans to release a Lion King-based expansion later. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijpy1RK1n4k Mobile RPG Disney Mirrorverse also got a tease for its upcoming Halloween event, featuring Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas and other Disney villains. To round things out, Marvel Strike Force teased the appearance of the Red Hulk next week on September 13, and Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will have a "Galactic Edition" rerelease on November 1, 2022. The Galactic Edition launches with 13 character packs: The 7 released for Character Collection 1 and 6 brand-new ones in Character Collection 2. It's more of an update for new buyers, as all of the above save a "Classic Obi-Wan Kenobi" character can be purchased separately by owners of the original release. The game lands on Switch, PS4, PS5, PC, and Xbox One and Series X|S. Which Disney Games (or Marvel Games) are you interested in? The post New Disney and Marvel Games Revealed at D23 Expo appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Sunday, September 11, 2022 1:00 PM
Sword Art Online focuses on the stories of people who dive into life-threatening virtual worlds, at first by force, and then by choice. The new Sword Art Online 10th Anniversary Blu-Ray box highlights a key tool from the very first death game Kirito and his pals endured: The NerveGear. The VR helmet that trapped the participants in Sword Art Online is emblazoned on the cover of the box, which contains the first two seasons of the anime. Only 10,000 copies of this box will be available. Aside from the Blu-Ray discs and CDs, the box will come with a 500-page storyboard book and a 112-page 10th Anniversary art book. It will cost 65,870 JPY, or $462.10. https://twitter.com/sao_anime/status/1568623079554748416 Information on the contents of the Sword Art Online 10th Anniversary Blu-Ray box first came out in late May 2022. It will contain 20 discs, with twelve of them containing the first two seasons, as well as the movie. It will also come with the Sword Art Offline shorts, and bonuses include audio commentaries. Discs 13 to 20 contain the soundtracks for the show and Ordinal Scale. In total, it will contain 223 pieces and songs. As well, depending on which retailer where you pre-order from, you can get a different bonus. The bonuses (with pictures), as well as where you have to order them from, are:
[gallery columns="5" link="file" ids="935270,935269,935268,935267,935266,935265,935264,935263,935262,935261,935260"] The Sword Art Online 10th Anniversary Blu-Ray box is available for pre-order in Japan, and will come out on October 31, 2022. No overseas release plans have been detailed as of yet. The post Sword Art Online 10th Anniversary Blu-Ray Box Immortalizes the NerveGear appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Sunday, September 11, 2022 12:00 PM
To be honest, I never thought that I would be playing Pac-Man World again, especially in 2022, nearly two decades after I first picked it out of my parent's video game pile. I absolutely adored the game growing up. Given the opportunity to play Pac-Man World: Re-Pac, the choice was a no-brainer. Now, after playtesting the game for several hours, I'm not quite sure anymore. The game was different, and not in a good way. It was easier to play, looked fantastic, and was almost exactly how I'd remembered it. But something -- some distinct sense of charm -- was missing. Was I reminiscing about the game through rose-tinted glasses? Had my tastes simply changed? Or was the remake truly an inferior product to the classic platformer? There are various schools of thought when it comes to how companies should remake games. No wonder, as the practice has become somewhat of an industry staple within the last decade. Square Enix with its Final Fantasy VII Remake series took the opportunity to completely redesign the game from the bottom-up, blurring the line between a reboot and a remake. Other companies, like Capcom with the Resident Evil remakes, may largely keep the same level layout or mechanics, but with slight changes to the storyline.
When compared to these titles, however, Pac-Man World: Re-Pac almost feels like a remaster. The stage layouts are almost identical, save for a few changes to boss fights (the most notable being Krome Keeper). The location of practically every fruit, every button, every steel ball powerup, and every Galaxian collectible is unchanged. Pac-Man's animations, attacks, and moves are all pretty much on par with his blocky, PlayStation predecessor. And aside from a few improvements in quality, even sound effects and stage themes are the same, for better or worse. Here's a video comparing the two games' animations, courtesy of YOYO-DODO from YouTube: https://youtu.be/FKu2_kTsWcw When it comes to new additions and quality-of-life updates, there were fewer than I had expected for a nearly two-decade-old game. While in mid-air, Pac-Man can wiggle his feet for longer air time, making platforming less of a hassle. The steel ball power-ups respawn, and there is also a toggleable easy mode to make things even easier. Coupled with the UI and graphics updates, Pac-Man World: Re-Pac is noticeably easier to play than its original version. The game's 4K resolution and high-quality textures also make levels look crisp and clean, though it's hard to appreciate it when the camera perspective is always fixed. On the other hand, I was disappointed by a few of the significant changes that Bandai Namco did make. Classic mode, for example, is now locked behind the completion of the Quest mode. Arguably the most heinous change is that the intro cutscene of the game has been completely recreated, but with gibberish instead of actual spoken dialogue. On top of that, the new cutscene removes any reference to the five world bosses that you fight in the game and removes the party scene introducing Toc-Man entirely. While the change may seem minor, players who didn't play the original game might find it a bit confusing as to why you're suddenly fighting a flying ship at the end of the first area. The most disappointing change, personally, was that Pac-Man no longer does his dramatic scream.
Pac-Man World: Re-Pac is a solid game, and I scarcely encountered any game-breaking bugs during my playthrough. It's faithful to the original game, almost to a fault. At the same time, it fails to recreate a lot of the off-beat, wonky humor that was present in Pac-Man World. For someone who doesn't own a working PlayStation anymore and wants to re-experience the game, it might even be worth the $30 price tag. But if you're really itching to play the game, your money may be better spent simply buying a second-hand PlayStation 2 and a copy of Pac-Man World. That way, you'll at least be able to play Pac-Man World 2, too. Pac-Man World: Re-Pac is available to play on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC. The post Pac-Man World: Re-Pac Adds Some, Loses Some appeared first on Siliconera. |
Pivotal Gamers Sunday, September 11, 2022 1:35 PM What's up folks? itch.io holds a new giveaway for Pink Takes Shape. Their message follows. Get Pink Takes Shape for FREE! A few words about Pink Takes Shape Pink Takes Shape is a queer metroidvania about exploration and changing shape. Last minute notes Login with your itch.io account, follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your library. Isn't that great news or what? Just... |