Aug 29, 20:00


Kotaku Tuesday, August 29, 2023 5:58 PM
    

It felt like this day might never come, but former world champion Magnus Carlsen and grandmaster Hans Niemann have finally put the cheating scandal that rocked the chess world last year, including meme-filled speculation about anal beads, to bed.

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 29, 2023 5:45 PM
    

In the weeks since Baldur's Gate 3 launched, some fans of Karlach, your party's feisty, hopeful, and powerful Tiefling Barbarian, have been unhappy with the conclusion to her storyline. There are even extensive threads about it on developer Larian Studios' own forums, with some decrying the particulars of Karlach's…

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 29, 2023 5:05 PM
    

If you've read enough Reddit and Twitter posts over the last few months, you might have heard about an interesting Destiny 2 conspiracy involving Strand—an in-game power added in the online shooter's latest expansion—and The Witch Queen expansion from 2022. The theory suggests Strand was a leftover idea shoved into

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 29, 2023 4:00 PM
    

Starfield launches on September 6, unless you preordered one of the special editions that gives you early access starting on August 31. But if you're down to play on PC, you can grab Bethesda's massive spacefaring RPG for either $12 or $17 off, depending on the edition.

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 29, 2023 3:35 PM
    

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 29, 2023 3:30 PM
    

Sonic Superstars is bringing proper cooperative play to a series that has often, as far back as Sonic the Hedgehog 2, let a second player pick up a controller and play as Tails while the camera followed the blue blur. Playing the 2D platformer series alongside your friends isn't a new concept, but when I got hands-on…

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 29, 2023 2:30 PM
    

Steam's latest sale event is its Strategy Fest which is offering discounts on some of the best strategic PC games around. If you need a meaty campaign full of tactics to devise and menus to tinker with, look no further than these excellent PC games.

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 29, 2023 1:46 PM
    

Like any good fantasy setting, Baldur's Gate 3's world is full of hidden secrets, accessible only to those with the right ability. There are entire areas and questlines you might miss, for instance, if you don't have the skills needed to find them, like Feather Fall. But one particular spell that will help you not…

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 29, 2023 1:28 PM
    

Sonic Superstars, the new 2D Sonic platformer from Sega coming out later this year, looks a lot like a fresh take on the famous blue blur. It ditches pixel art for a cartoony new visual style that looks pretty good. But if you were hoping for a future Sonic game to return to its classic pixel-art roots, that might not…

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 29, 2023 1:20 PM
    

Larian Studios' Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game Baldur's Gate 3 wouldn't be what it is without nearly hundreds of actors' diligent motion capture performances, mo-cap director Aliona Baranova explained in an August 25 Twitter thread.

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 29, 2023 12:22 PM
    

Though you still can't play it, Bethesda's massive spacefarer role-playing game Starfield recently beat out one of 2023's biggest games, D&D RPG Baldur's Gate 3, as a Steam top seller, GamesRadar first noticed.

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 29, 2023 12:14 PM
    

Riot Games' free-to-play tactical hero shooter Valorant nerfed a bunch of characters in its latest update, and actor Ben Affleck doesn't sound too happy about the tweaks made to one of the game's most goated characters.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 29, 2023 3:02 PM
     You could win this limited edition Avatar AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX GPU

It seems that a new AMD can't help busying itself with new Radeon graphics cards, be they entirely new models or new designs of existing SKUs. Now, to coincide with the release of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, AMD is giving away limited edition Radeon RX 7900 XTX graphics cards, fit for any adventuring Na'vi.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7000 CPUs - everything we know, RDNA 3 GPUs - everything we know, Best gaming CPU

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 29, 2023 3:04 PM
     Best Starfield settings speculation

What are the best Starfield settings? Just like actual astronauts blasting off into space, performing a launch status check of your Starfield settings will save you from a choppy flight and even adventure-ending crashes. Thankfully, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to get this Bethesda RPG running with out of this world performance with visuals to match, and we're here to help your frame rates blast off.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Starfield release date, Starfield companions, Starfield traits

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 29, 2023 2:54 PM
     This Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU from MaxSun holds a 'cool' secret

It's well understood by now that the power of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 requires a mega cooling system to keep the graphics card going. While Nvidia and its partners have already crafted a myriad of conventional cooling systems to solve this, MaxSun has come up with its own unique way of cooling down the pixel pushing beast.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: RTX 4060 review, DLSS explained, Best graphics cards

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 29, 2023 3:06 PM
     Lenovo Legion Go is more expensive than Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally

More details on the Lenovo Legion Go have emerged, and there's as much cause for excitement as there is concern. While the next Steam Deck rival to enter the handheld gaming PC market may be available sooner than expected, with beefy specs to boot, the Lenovo pocket rocket will cost a pretty penny.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 29, 2023 12:43 PM
     All Starfield research projects and what they do

What are Starfield research projects? Spread across five distinct categories, laboratory research projects are another reason why you'll want to stuff your ship full of trinkets, materials, and minerals as you journey across the stars. You're free to fly the cosmos without hitting the books, but you'll be holding yourself back.

The more you tinker with all that good stuff, the more powerful Starfield guns you'll be able to piece together. You'll also have plenty of room to improve the restoratives you craft at other stations. All in all, taking a peek under the microscope can help perfect your preferred Starfield build. You'll just have to navigate the dozens upon dozens of Starfield planets out there to find what you need.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Starfield release date, Starfield companions, Starfield traits

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 29, 2023 1:25 PM
     This Armored Core 6 player has turned it into a Pacific Rim punch-up

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon lets you equip your giant mecha in the robot game with an absolute wealth of weaponry, from machine guns to missile launchers. But what if you don't want that? What if you'd prefer to take on your opponents Pacific Rim-style in Armored Core 6, with some good old-fashioned punching? One YouTuber has shown that it absolutely can be done.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Armored Core 6 bosses, Armored Core 6 parts, Armored Core 6 builds

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 29, 2023 12:21 PM
     Can you respec in Starfield?

How do you respec in Starfield? The decision to pick your traits and skills can be a difficult one, especially if you haven't spent hours meticulously planning your character. We know certain aspects of your avatar can be customized in-game, but it's unclear whether our decision to select specific skills will come back to haunt us.

When it comes to the Starfield character creation options, you can change your entire appearance by heading to genetics facilities on civilized Starfield planets. Whether the same can be said for your Starfield traits and Starfield skills remains to be seen, though it should be noted that Bethesda RPG games typically don't allow players to reselect their skills. Here's what we know about the respec option in Starfield.

Continue reading Can you respec in Starfield?
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Starfield release date, Starfield companions, Starfield traits

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 29, 2023 12:22 PM
     Starfield outposts explained

What are Starfield outposts? The outposts system in Starfield allows you to create your base camp wherever you desire on almost every planet. Depending on the purpose of constructing these outposts, your buildings can range from miniature homes to full-blown resource generators.

There are over 1,000 Starfield planets to explore, many of which are resource-heavy and have been left uninhabited by any other species. Utilize these planets by building extractors and assigning your Starfield companions to help mine precious resources, giving you the materials you need for Starfield research projects to improve your equipment. Here's what you need to know about Starfield outposts, including what it costs to build them and why they're so important.

Continue reading Starfield outposts explained
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Starfield release date, Starfield companions, Starfield traits

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 29, 2023 12:21 PM
     Starfield voice actors and cast list so far

Who are the Starfield voice actors? Bethesda may be returning to the age-old tradition of silent protagonists for Starfield, but that doesn't mean this highly anticipated game won't still feature a universe chock-full of colorful characters with voices to match.

Back in 2021, Todd Howard revealed that over 300 Starfield voice actors had been hired to deliver 150,000 lines of dialogue. However, the studio has been remarkably tight-lipped on exactly who we can expect to hear on the Starfield release date as we journey across the Settled Systems. Here's everything we know about the Starfield cast so far.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Starfield release date, Starfield companions, Starfield traits

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 29, 2023 12:33 PM
     Starfield release times for all regions

What time does Starfield release? If you, like me, are struggling to resist the allure of space, then I have good news for you. We've got a full rundown of all of the release times per region.

After all, the Starfield release date is just around the corner, and it never hurts to be prepared. If you're more concerned about which Starfield companion you'll be wooing, or what Starfield traits you'll be picking, we have loads of different guides to help you conquer the space game's expansive universe. Before we get ahead of ourselves, though, here's a rundown of all of the different Starfield release times.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Starfield release date, Starfield companions, Starfield traits

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 29, 2023 12:03 PM
     Starfield mods explained

Will Starfield have mods? Mod support is an important part of many PC games, especially RPG games. Skyrim has endured all these years partly because it's a great game, partly because Bethesda keeps releasing it on hitherto unknown gaming platforms, but also because it's powered by a vibrant and creative modding community.

Thankfully, Starfield mod support is one of the few things we have a definitive answer for, like whether or not it will be on Starfield Game Pass when the Starfield release date comes around.

Continue reading Starfield mods explained
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Starfield release date, Starfield companions, Starfield traits

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 29, 2023 6:45 PM
    

There are a lot of Picross-style nonogram games available on PC these days, but many of them fail to inspire the easy, compulsive fugue of Picross itself. I'm hoping Logiart Grimoire will achieve such numbing delights when it launches into Steam Early Access next month. It's got the pedigree for it, given that it's made by Jupiter Corporation, the creator of all those original Picross games for Nintendo devices.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 29, 2023 6:08 PM
    

If a strategy game gets its hooks into you, it can easily consume hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of your life. That either makes Steam's latest sale of strategy games absurdly good value for money, or an assault upon productivity everywhere.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 29, 2023 5:40 PM
    

Baldur's Gate 3 first patch was released last week and fixed over a thousand bugs, but Larian aren't done. In a new post on Steam, Larian have laid out their future plans for updates - including performance improvements, a new Karlach epilogue, and more bug fixes.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 29, 2023 5:06 PM
    

Released in 2006, Dark Messiah Of Might And Magic made the most of still-novel physics tech by letting you torment orcs with slippy floors, collapsing log piles, and swift kicks directly into spikes. These slapstick delights made it a cult classic, but rights-holders Ubisoft haven't done much with the game since.

Now a group of modders have been given a "completely blank check" by Ubisoft to do what they want with their efforts to build a modding SDK for the nearly 20-year-old game, and their ambitions include co-op and raytracing.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 29, 2023 4:00 PM
    

You may have heard a little game called Starfield is coming out soon, and that its review embargo is due to lift later this week. Alas, RPS' review won't be among them, as we haven't received code yet.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 29, 2023 1:32 PM
    

The Opening Night Live trailer for 'comedy slapformer' Thank Goodness You're Here! was a joyous balm in a sea of shoulder shrugs last week. Its bright, cartoon visuals instantly stood out against the grey, ultra-realistic grizzle beards of everything else Geoff had to offer in his Gamescom mega show last Tuesday, and even now I still find myself whistling its jaunty little song around the house. But what exactly is Thank Goodness You're Here!? Well, having played through one of its 15 minute missions now, I can tell you it's a bit like Untitled Goose Game, in that you have a village you can wander about in causing chaos, but it's also much more structured than that, with specific quests and people to help as you guide your tiny travelling salesman through its surreal neighbourhood. Here's what I learned.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 29, 2023 12:57 PM
    

AMD's Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a screaming-fast processor for gaming, and one that I've recommended on many occasions at RPS and beyond. Last week I noted that the CPU had dropped to $385, but now the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is even cheaper: it's just $354 at Walmart, with the unit being sold and shipped by Newegg.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 29, 2023 12:39 PM
    

Lara Croft is coming to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone as part of the imminent Season 5 content drop, and... I am not OK with this. I am not OK. The news has been out there for a while, but today's Activision screenshot bulletin is the first I've heard of it, and I am here to tell you that this is a travesty and a disgrace and, excuse me, I'm sorry, I need a moment. What have they done to you, Lara? Oh hell, they've even used your "I only play for sport" quote from the original TR intro as a finishing move catchphrase. Good night, sweet Croft. May flights of angels (of Darkness) sing you to your rest.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 29, 2023 12:35 PM
    

Solidigm's P44 Pro is one of the most underrated PCIe 4.0 SSDs on the market, offering similar performance to the WD SN850x and Samsung 990 Pro while costing significantly less. I've been using this drive for months, and now it's down to $104.99 for a 2TB model at Newegg - from an original price of $170. For context, the last time we saw a deal on this model was $117 back in June.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 29, 2023 12:27 PM
    

'Allo everyone. Just a reminder that we'll be live-chatting all about this month's RPS Game Club game, Aperture Desk Job, this Thursday 31st of August – and you can join us. Simply rock up to the liveblog (post pending) from 4pm BST and share your thoughts on desks, jobs, Cave Johnson's head, mantis tragedies, and anything else pertaining to Valve's comedy microgame.

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Twinfinite Tuesday, August 29, 2023 2:26 PM
    
Is the power you've gained enough to not be human any more?

Twinfinite Tuesday, August 29, 2023 2:00 PM
    
Blast into the past and see the best games on the Sega Genesis!

Siliconera Tuesday, August 29, 2023 7:00 PM
    

Rufus Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia

Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia August 31, 2023 update will add Rufus, a main antagonist from Final Fantasy VII, as a playable character. This was announced on the game's official Japanese Twitter account. This announcement was for the Japanese version of the game only. There has not yet been a confirmation on when we can expect Rufus's inclusion in the global version of the game. However, Weiss from Dirge of Cerberus: FFVII appeared in the global version of the game about six months after his Japanese debut.

Here's the official announcement for Rufus becoming playable in Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia.

[embed]https://twitter.com/DFF_OperaOmnia/status/1696341900595503613?t=U4HvsyfW-0ofXtSh9H4L7g&s=19[/embed]

Rufus will be appearing in part 4 chapter 7 of the main story. A promotional video for the new chapter will be released on August 30, 2023, while a video introducing Rufus will drop on August 31, 2023.

Rufus will be wearing the complex outfit he sports in the Final Fantasy VII Remake. Recently, Square Enix provided some extra details on the creation of this outfit.

Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia is a free-to-play mobile game that features a variety of characters from the Final Fantasy series. It is a turn-based RPG that has players collect and raise the power of these characters by equipping them with weapons acquired via the gacha.

Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia is available to download for free on iOS and Android devices, and Rufus join the roster in Japan on August 31, 2023.

The post Rufus from FFVII Will Be Playable in Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 29, 2023 6:00 PM
    

Attack on Titan Character Rings

U-Treasure's line of fashion message rings based on characters from Attack on Titan is being re-released in Japan. Pre-orders are available until September 26, 2023 on the U-Treasure online store. They will cost 16,500 yen ($112.85) each.

Each ring is engraved with memorable quotes from the main characters from Attack on Titan written in English. They also each feature stones tied to the represented character. They are available in rhodium plated silver or black plated silver.

There are seven different character rings available. Below is a list of all of the featured characters, along with their chosen engraved quotes and matching image stone:

  • Armin (Aquamarine): "We promised to go to the sea together, right?"
  • Eren (Garnet): "If you don't fight, we can't win…"
  • Erwin (Citrine): "What do you see? Who do you think the enemy is?"
  • Jean (Peridot): "I've decided. I… I'm… I'm gonna join the survey corps."
  • Levi (Green garnet): "You're not wrong. If you wanna do it, go ahead."
  • Mikasa (Sapphire): "Thank you…for wrapping this scarf around me…"
  • Hange (Amethyst): "If there's something we don't know… we should find out."

In the past, the company released jewelry based on other anime series. For example, there is a Puella Magi Madoka Magica watch.
The Attack on Titan rings from U-Treasure are available to pre-order until September 26, 2023. The anime is available on Crunchyroll, and the manga is handled by Kodansha.

The post Attack on Titan Character Rings with Famous Quotes Re-released appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 29, 2023 5:00 PM
    

Takanashi Kiara Album Cover

Hololive Vtuber Takanashi Kiara announced that she will be releasing her first album of original music. A preview video is available on her Youtube channel. The album is available to pre-order now and is expected to ship in late November 2023.

The album, titled Point of View, will include several previously released songs. "Hinotori," "DO U," and "Heart Challenger," as well as new music, will appear on it. The physical CD edition will also include an exclusive remix of the song "SPARKS."

The announcement came as part of a four-hour stream of the Hololive fangame Holocure . It featured the recently debuted Nerissa Ravencroft as a guest. Kiara has asked fans to share their impressions on social media with the hashtag #TakanashiKiara1stAlbum.

You can listen to the preview below:

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMifAM0JBd8[/embed]

You can also see the full tracklist below:

[caption id="attachment_980931" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Takanashi Kiara Album Tracklist Image via Cover Corp[/caption]

Takanashi Kiara was recently involved in the release of "Holotori Dance"as part of a a Hololive sub-unit along with Nanashi Mumei, Pavolia Reine, Takane Lui, and Oozora Subaru. Hololive also recently announced the graduation of two Holostars EN members, Vesper Noire and Magni Dezmond.

The album Point of View by Takanashi Kiara is available to pre-order now from Geekjack or the Hololive shop, and will also be available for streaming via Spotify, Youtube Music, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Deezer.

The post Hololive's Takanashi Kiara to Release 1st Album, Preview Appears appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 29, 2023 4:30 PM
    

River City Girls 2 Online Multiplayer Player Count Expanded

Now that the free River City Girls 2 online multiplayer update is live, up to four players can go through the beat'em up at once. The patch is now available on all platforms. In addition, there is also a new $74.99 bundle that packs it in with River City Girls and River City Girls Zero. There's a new trailer accompanying its debut to offer an overview of the series as a whole.

Prior to the patch, we could only have up to two players online with River City Girls 2 multiplayer. However, the offline local option let four people play together. As a reminder, the game also features cross-play.

Here's the new River City Girls trailer, which covers all three games, It generally explains the characters and experiences. It doesn't cite what's specifically going on in each game or what to expect. But River City Girls Zero is a localization of the Super Famicom game Shin Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-tachi no Banka, only with one option being a themed localization that makes it part of this timeline. River City Girls is the original adventure of Misako and Kyoko trying to save Kunio and Riki. River City Girls 2 is the follow-up where the four of them, Double Dragon's Marian, and River City Underground's Provie face a whole new threat to the city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyQyKdKIPrA&ab_channel=WayForward

River City Girls 2 is available on the PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, and its multiplayer patch for four players is live now.

The post River City Girls 2 Online Multiplayer Player Count Expanded appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 29, 2023 4:00 PM
    

jojo's bizarre adventure phantom blood musical cast header

Toho Stage revealed the main cast for the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood musical. Mamoru Miyano, a prominent singer and voice actor, will star as Dio Brando. Other core members of the cast include Yuya Matsushita, Shotaro Arisawa, and Young Dais.

The musical will take place in Japan from February to April 2024. A more specific schedule is as follows:

  • Imperial Theater, Tokyo
    February 6 - 28, 2024
  • Sapporo Cultural Arts Theater Hitaru, Hokkaido
    March 26 - 30, 2024
  • Hyogo Performing Arts Center, Hokkaido
    April 9 - 14, 2024

The cast list is as follows:

  • Dario Brando: Kong Kuwata
  • Dio Brando: Mamoru Miyano
  • Erina Pendleton: Miisha Shimizu
  • George Joestar I: Tetsuya Bessho
  • Jack the Ripper: Yamato Kochi
  • Jonathan Joestar: Yuya Matsushita, Shotaro Arisawa
  • Robert E.O. Speedwagon: Young Dais
  • Wang Chan: Jumpei Shimada
  • Will A. Zeppeli: Yoshihisa Higashiyama, Yusuke Hirose

[gallery columns="5" ids="980746,980745,980744,980743,980742,980741,980740,980738,980737,980736,980735" link="file"]

Some characters have two actors. This is because they are rather extensive roles, and thus different actors will portray them on different days.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood is the first part of the long-running JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga. It focuses on the rivalry between Jonathan Joestar and his adopted brother, Dio. The first part introduces mechanics such as the Ripple, as well as the animosity between Dio and the Joestar descendants.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood is available for streaming via services such as Netflix and Crunchyroll, and the musical for Phantom Blood will start performing in Japan from February 2024. The most current JoJo's Bizarre Adventure part is JOJOLands.

The post JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood Musical Cast Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 29, 2023 3:30 PM
    

Bandai's Tamashii Nations is producing a new posable 9S action figure from Nier:Automata. It is a part of the SH Figuarts line and has a planned release window of February 2024. It will cost 8,000 yen ($54.34) before tax. Pre-orders will be open in Japan starting on September 1, 2023 at AmiAmi and the Tamashii Nations Amazon store page.

The figure is made of ABS and PVC materials. It stands at about 145 millimeters tall, or about 5.7 inches. Some parts of the figure, such as the clothing, are made up of soft plastic to allow for ease of mobility when putting the figure in different poses. He can also be posed alongside the SH Figuarts figure of his partner from the game, 2B. An additional face plate features him without his mask.

The optional parts the 9S figure includes are the following:

  • Cruel Oath sword
  • Eight hand parts (five left, three right)
  • Five hand parts
  • Four face parts
  • Pod 153
  • Posing stand
  • Swappable hair part

Get a closer look at the figure in the gallery below:

[gallery ids="980900,980901,980902,980903" link="file"]

The 9S SH Figuarts NieR:Automata figure is planned to release February 2024. NieR:Automata is available to play on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Its anime adaptation is streaming on Crunchyroll, and there is a second cour currently in development.

The post SH Figuarts NieR: Automata Figure of 9S Arrives After 2B appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 29, 2023 3:00 PM
    

Preview: Blue Protocol Offers Dynamic Action in an MMORPG

Blue Protocol is an MMORPG developed by Bandai Namco, with Amazon Games to release it in North America and Europe. This cel-shaded title features a plethora of classes and a unique story with voice acting and a fully customizable character. At gamescom 2023, Amazon Games provided access to a high level area, which allowed me to more sufficiently test the handful of classes Blue Protocol will have at launch.

My time with the game included moments with the Spell Weaver and Foe Breaker, both primarily ranged classes with their own unique gimmicks. As someone who generally plays a support, I thought the Spell Weaver would fit into that slot nicely. However, Blue Protocol functions differently from your standard MMORPGs and has a lot more in common with Bluehole Studios' TERA Online than Final Fantasy XIV, for example.
[caption id="attachment_980691" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Preview: Blue Protocol Offers Dynamic Action in an MMORPG Image via Bandai Namco[/caption]
Blue Protocol is an action game through and through. The Spell Weaver reminded me a lot of how the Priest class in TERA played. While that Priest was a healer, it was also capable of dealing significant amounts of damage while also being mobile. The only difference between these two is that the Spell Weaver actually cannot heal at all. Instead, it is a purely offensive class that allows you to fling various elemental spells at enemies. Each of these elemental spells has their own range and unique feature as to why they would be more preferable in certain situations than others.

Thankfully, the class is given a very generous dodge (like all classes in Blue Protocol), which allowed me to gain some distance and charge up a Fire Blast to immolate my foes. You can also regenerate mana as well, which will need to be done between combos to keep the flow of combat going. It offered a nice balance and doesn't feel too difficult to do. However, my opinion of that may change when I get to tackle high end raids and such when the game officially comes out in North America and Europe.

In contrast to the Spell Weaver, the Foe Breaker is a hybrid ranged and melee class that uses bullets to perform its skills. My first thought when looking at the Foe Breaker was that it reminded me a lot of the Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter. You can perform ranged attacks to keep enemies at a distance, or rush in and slam the ground with your combination hammer-gun. What makes the Foe Breaker unique is that you will need to manually reload, and if your rotation consumes the standard amount of bullets, you will be granted an additional bullet on your next reload.
[caption id="attachment_980692" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Preview: Blue Protocol Offers Dynamic Action in an MMORPG Image via Bandai Namco[/caption]
This means you can squeeze in another attack in your following rotation. It's all about balance with the Foe Breaker, and it was the class suggested to me by the Amazon Games representative when I told them my tanking class in FFXIV was the Gunbreaker. I see some similarities, mostly because I am using bullets to attack foes, and the Foe Breaker is a little sturdier than most DPS classes in Blue Protocol.

However, after everything I've experienced during my brief time playing the game, I'm excited! I love action based MMORPGs. TERA and Blade & Soul, while experimental by comparison to the popular MMOs we have now, were some of my favorites in terms of gameplay. Blue Protocol seems to have more in common with those games over more traditional experiences like World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV. I can't wait to get my hands on the game and give the other classes a shot. It'll definitely be on my list of games to sink my time into once it officially releases outside of Japan in 2024.

Blue Protocol is currently available to play on Windows PC in Japan. PS4 and PS5 versions are set to release at a later date. Blue Protocol will release worldwide in 2024.

The post Preview: Blue Protocol Offers Dynamic Action in an MMORPG appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 29, 2023 2:30 PM
    

The Witcher Ciri Bishoujo Figure

The latest Kotobukiya figure in the Bishoujo line is a new figure of Ciri from The Witcher video game series. The figure costs $170 in North America, and ¥22,000 yen (or approximately $150) in Japan. The figure is now available for pre-order from the Sideshow online store in North America, and from the Kotobukiya online store in Japan. Pre-orders for the new Ciri figure close on October 3, 2023, and it is expected to come out on March 2024 in Japan. There is currently no North American release window for the figure.

As with the previous Geralt Bishoujo figure, pre-ordering the new Ciri figure from the Kotobukiya store will include an acrylic stand with an exclusive illustration of Ciri drawn by artist Shunya Yamashita as a bonus gift. This promotion isn't available at BBTS.

You can take a better look at the new Bishoujo Ciri figure on the gallery below.

[gallery size="medium" ids="980769,980770,980771,980772,980773,980774" link="file"]

In June 2023, Kotobukiya revealed another The Witcher Bishoujo figure, this time of protagonist Geralt of Rivia reimagined as a woman. Pre-orders for the Geralt Bishoujo figure close on September 19, 2023.

The new Kotobukiya Bishoujo figure of Ciri from The Witcher is now available for pre-order from the Sideshow online store in North America for $170, and from the Kotobukiya online store in Japan for 22,000 JPY (~$150).

The post The Witcher Ciri Bishoujo Figure Arrives Next Year appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 29, 2023 2:00 PM
    

What Is the Front Mission 2 Remake Switch Release Date

We now have a final Front Mission 2 Remake Switch release date following a past delay. Forever Entertainment said we'll see it on October 5, 2023. The game initially was supposed to appear in June 2023. There's also a new trailer to show how the game is looking so far.

As a reminder, Forever Entertainment made the decision to delay Front Mission 2 Remake in May 2023. The company cited quality control concerns. At the time, it didn't have a new release window. It said it expected it to still appear in 2023, but only suggested Q3 2023.

Here's the release date trailer. It completely focuses on gameplay. People can see mechs attacking each other directly. There are also some brief looks at maps, but it is mainly about showing match-ups between units that encountered one another.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VeqGrxGaR4&ab_channel=ForeverEntertainment

This is one of three remakes on the way from the company. Front Mission 1st Remake is already available. This leaves the remake of the third game as the only one left. There are few details about that one, however. Forever Entertainment only confirmed it is part of the titles in development back in September 2022.

The Front Mission 2 Remake Switch release date is October 5, 2023.

The post Front Mission 2 Remake Switch Release Date Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 29, 2023 1:30 PM
    

tales of symphonia plushes characters

Furyu Hobby opened up pre-orders for eight Tales of Symphonia plushes based on major characters in commemoration of the game's 20th anniversary. Pre-orders will close on October 27, 2023. Not all of the party members are available. It looks as if Furyu chose to only make dolls of some of the more popular or prominent characters from the game.

The 20th anniversary Tales of Symphonia characters that you can pre-order are:

  • Colette
  • Genis
  • Kratos
  • Lloyd
  • Mithos
  • Noishe
  • Presea
  • Zelos

They all of the 20th anniversary logo on the bottom of their feet. A single doll costs 7260 JPY, which is approximately $49.60. The doll is around 250 millimeters tall, and Furyu will ship them out some time in February 2024. It does offer international shipping, so overseas customers can order from their website if they wish.

Tales of Symphonia originally came out in 2003 for the Nintendo GameCube. It was the fifth main entry in the Tales series, and has since become one of the most popular. Since its debut, it also appeared on the PS2, PS3, Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One. A sequel, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, came out in 2008 for the Nintendo Wii.

Tales of Symphonia is readily available on the PS4, Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One. The Tales of Symphonia 20th anniversary plushes from Furyu are available for pre-order.

The post Tales of Symphonia Anniversary Plushes of Characters Announced appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 29, 2023 1:00 PM
    

Custom Mech Wars coming to PS5 and PC Steam

D3 Publisher has revealed that it will release Custom Mech Wars for the PS5 and PC worldwide "this Winter." The new game will be a third-person shooter with a robust mech customization system. It will have an offline single-player mode and online co-op with up to four players.

As the title implies, the mech customization will be the game's biggest feature. While other established mech games like Armored Core and Gundam Breaker have pre-determined part locations, this game's Omega Customization System will let players freely construct mechs without such restrictions.

D3 Publisher has also shared some examples of mechs that players can produce with the Omega Customization System. Some of the bizarre examples show that players can use a tank, car, or train wagon as the mech's body, or even shape it like a hamburger.

[gallery columns="2" ids="980822,980823" link="file"]

The company also uploaded the reveal trailer for Custom Mech Wars in both Japanese and English. The official English version is available to watch right below.

[tnm_video layout="mnmd-post-media-wide"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLB2KnAVli4[/tnm_video]

D3 Publisher will place playable demos of the game at Tokyo Game Show 2023. Its booth will also feature a live concert by Psychic Lover, the band that will perform the game's opening theme song "It's Time To Scream."

Custom Mech Wars will also have "Twilight" by Humming Bird as its ending theme. JAM Project's Yoshiki Fukuyama recently re-established the latter band in 2023 since it broke up in 2000 after having previously provided theme songs for Macross VF-X2 and Next Senki Ehrgeiz among others.

Custom Mech Wars will be available for the PS5 and PC via Steam in the Winter 2023 window, which runs from December 2023 to February 2024.

The post D3 Publisher Will Release Custom Mech Wars on PS5 and PC appeared first on Siliconera.