Jul 07, 16:00


GamersHeroes Sunday, July 7, 2024 1:21 PM
    

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble sticks to its roots a little too closely, with its multiplayer mode coming off as more of a bonus than the main attraction.

The post Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble Review appeared first on GamersHeroes.


Kotaku Sunday, July 7, 2024 10:00 AM
    

Unless you've been living under a rock or swore off gaming for the summer (understandable), you're probably either playing Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC or Final Fantasy XIV's new Dawntrail expansion, and we've got tons of tips for both. If you just so happen to not be playing either of these games, we've got…

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PCGamesN Sunday, July 7, 2024 12:53 PM
     Roguelike Dice and Fold celebrates launch success with extreme update

With the huge success of Balatro, major updates to Wildfrost and Heretic's Fork, and the recent release of Zet Zillions, we've been spoiled of late when it comes to deck-building roguelike games. The genre has exploded in popularity in recent years, with the likes of Slay the Spire giving way to all manner of different takes on the format. Launched on Monday June 24, the Dungeons and Dragons style Dice and Fold has had a very positive reception so far, and developer Tinymice is bringing us a special update early.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelike games, Best strategy games, Best indie games

PCGamesN Sunday, July 7, 2024 11:50 AM
     Long-awaited JRPG Trails Through Daybreak finally arrives in English

Almost three years after its original release in Japan, The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak is finally out on Steam with an English-language release. The detective JRPG is already racking up an excellent Steam rating, with early reviews sitting at a very positive 95% score. In even better news, publisher NIS America celebrates the launch with confirmation that it plans to bring the sequel to English-speaking territories in "early 2025," making now a fantastic time to start.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best single-player games, Best JRPGs, Best story games

PCGamesN Sunday, July 7, 2024 10:09 AM
     L.A. Noire dev

Sydney-based developer Video Games Deluxe, best known for its work on L.A. Noire, says it is "working exclusively on projects for Rockstar" after an Instagram post suggested it was in development of a new project titled Snowden House. The studio, founded by Team Bondi head Brendan McNamara after the original team's closure, also worked on virtual reality spin-off L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files.


PCGamesN Sunday, July 7, 2024 10:09 AM
     Free Monopoly Go dice links July 2024

July 7, 2024: We've added three new Monopoly Go dice links to get free dice rolls.

How can I get Monopoly Go free dice links? The household favorite board game has been reimagined as a free-to-play app on smartphones, allowing everyone to experience the thrills of Monopoly on practically any device. Everything that makes the board game special is here in Monopoly Go, so you'll be collecting properties and building hotels as you go around the board, and there are a variety of multiplayer minigames to get through along the way.

You're going to need to get your hands on Monopoly dice rolls, but they are difficult to come by no matter how far you are into the board game. There are ways to earn additional dice rolls, including logging into the game every day to collect daily bonuses, progressing further in the game, and inviting friends to try Monopoly Go. While you can also spend real money to unlock more dice rolls, you may want to give our list of Monopoly Go dice links a try instead, especially if you're waiting for the next Monopoly Go Golden Blitz event. Take a look at all the currently active Monopoly Go free dice links for today.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Monopoly Go events, Monopoly Go dice

PCGamesN Sunday, July 7, 2024 8:06 AM
     20 years later, Ubisoft's smallest world is still its best

In the years after Beyond Good and Evil's launch and subsequent flop, it's taken on a legendary status as a shining example of originality in the action-adventure space. In 2003, following the success of the Rayman games, Michel Ancel turned his hand to a new IP, moving to a darker, more young-adult-oriented universe inspired by the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche and late '80s to early '90s animation. Now, Ubisoft's newly remastered 20th-anniversary edition offers some quality-of-life improvements, bumps up the visual fidelity, and presents an easy entry point to one of the most charming videogame worlds yet created.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best platform games, Best story games, Best old games

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Sunday, July 7, 2024 11:00 AM
    

Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week - our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! "What's with the politics? Stick to games!" is a common refrain you might hear from the sort of winning individual who thinks books are a communist plot to lower their sperm count. Luckily, those people are elsewhere, so I hope you'll allow me a brief moment of relief that the Tories are no longer in power. This is a great thing, providing you have absolutely no follow-up questions! This week, it's QWOP, Getting Over It, and Ape Out's Bennet Foddy! Cheers Bennet! Mind if we have a nose at your bookshelf?

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Siliconera Sunday, July 7, 2024 1:30 PM
    

zenless zone zero manga

Several manga artists have drawn art for Zenless Zone Zero in commemoration of the game's official release. You can see them all on the game's Japanese X (Twitter) account.

Here are all the manga artist illustrations of Zenless Zone Zero:

https://twitter.com/ZZZ_JP/status/1809240853153538399

https://twitter.com/ZZZ_JP/status/1808878446749028406

https://twitter.com/ZZZ_JP/status/1808516133194260515

The first one is of Masakazu Katsura's take on Billy Kid. Katsura worked on Zetman and Shadow Lady. He was also a character designer for Astral Chain and Tiger & Bunny. Then, we have Mizuki Yoda's version of Nekomata feeding (and eating with) some cats. Yoda is the illustrator for ne0;lation and Marriagetoxin. Finally, You Chiba, the mangaka of Kindergarten Wars, drew a picture of Koleda trying to recruit more people to Belobog Construction.

Zenless Zone Zero is the latest gacha game from HoYoVerse of Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail fame. It is a hack 'n' slash similar to Honkai Impact 3rd, taking place in an urban sci-fi world in which the player takes on the role of Phaethon. Phaethon is one of the best Proxies around, meaning they serve as mission control for people who go inside Hollows for their own reasons. You can read our review of the game here.

Zenless Zone Zero is readily available for the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices.

The post Manga Artists Draw Zenless Zone Zero Characters for Its Launch appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Sunday, July 7, 2024 11:30 AM
    

hunter x hunter nen impact chrollo

During Anime Expo, Bushiroad announced that Chrollo will be a playable character in Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact. You can watch a trailer for his character here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD-UT1ofUKI

Other members of the Spiders appear in his trailer as well. Bushiroad had previously revealed that Uvogin and Machi will also be playable characters in the game. Feitan isn't, but since Bushiroad made a model for him, it's likely that he will be. Chrollo is a very close-ranger fighter, which matches with what we see from him in the anime. He uses his stolen Indoor Fish Nen ability a lot as opposed to the poisoned knife that he uses in his fight with the older members of the Zoldyck family. Granted, this is Nen Impact so perhaps the developers placed more emphasis on Chrollo's Nen powers.

In the Hunter x Hunter anime and manga series, Chrollo is the leader of the Phantom Troupe, or the Spiders. Despite his genial personality, he is a very cold and ruthless murderer and thief. As the leader of the Spiders, he was the one who ordered the attack on Kurapika's village, serving as Kurapika's main motivation and nemesis. As a Nen user, Chrollo is a Specialist whose Skill Hunter ability can steal other people's Nen powers so long as they remain alive.

Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact will be available worldwide on the PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC in 2024.

The post Chrollo Will Be Playable in Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Sunday, July 7, 2024 10:30 AM
    

juliet voice actresses lollipop chainsaw repop

Yoshimi Yasuda has announced that players will get to toggle between the different Japanese voice actresses for Juliet in Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP. You can watch a short video on his X (Twitter account) where you hear Yukari Tamura's performance, with Tamura being the new voice actress for the zombie-slaying cheerleader.

The three voice actresses for Juliet in Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP are:

  • Eri Kitamura: Cana and Aquarius (Fairy Tail), Keqing (Genshin Impact), Juri (Street Fighter)
  • Yoko Hikasa: Mio (K-On!), Kyoko Kirigiri (Danganronpa), Rias (High School DxD)
  • Yukari Tamura: Nahida and Qiqi (Genshin Impact), Rika (When They Cry), Talim (Soul Calibur)

As mentioned earlier, Tamura is new. She will debut in RePOP. You can hear how she sounds as Juliet here:

https://twitter.com/yasudaD5/status/1808289574663475690

Even in the original release of Lollipop Chainsaw back in 2012, Juliet had multiple voice actresses. Eri Kitamura was the default for her in the Xbox 360 version. Meanwhile, Yoko Hikasa was the default for the PS3 version.

In English, Tara Strong is the only voice actress for her no matter which platform you were on. Tara Strong is a very prolific voice actress who has starred in a large number of cartoons, anime, and more. Her prominent roles include Rikku in Final Fantasy X, Timmy Turner in The Fairly Oddparents, and Raven in Teen Titans. Dragami Games has confirmed that Tara Strong, as well as other members of the English cast, will reprise their roles for RePOP.

Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP will come out on September 25, 2024 for the PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC via Steam.

The post Players Can Choose the Lollipop Chainsaw RePop Juliet Voice appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Sunday, July 7, 2024 9:00 AM
    

Review: Spy x Anya Is a Spy x Family Pokemon Snap Game

While there are exciting, thrilling moments in the lives of spy Loid Forger, assassin Yor Forger, and telepath Anya Forger, a lot of the series is a day-by-day, slice of life experience. Spy x Anya: Operation Memories, the first major Spy x Family game, really gets that by putting the focus on Anya attempting to complete a school assignment. While the nature of getting every photo does mean a bit of repetition and there is an awkward launch into it, it ended up being a fun little sim about family and photographing Anya at key moments like she's an ever-present Pikachu in Pokemon Snap.

I was actually a bit thrown when Spy x Anya: Operation Memories began, since there was no introductory story setting the stage for the Spy x Family game. Rather, Anya Forger was in her class at Eden Academy and a tutorial went over controls right away. It didn't even explain the whole purpose of the game until I went through learning how to move Anya, the camera, talk to people, and head home. It's only once she was back home with her parents Loid and Yor that the whole purpose of the game was revealed in a flashback. One of her latest assignments is to create a diary. Because she wants to make it awesome and impress "Second Son" Damian Desmond to help her actually-a-spy father with his mission involving Donovan Desmond, her family agrees to help her with outings to create memories.

Screenshot by Siliconera

It's an awkward choice, to be certain. I'm very familiar with Spy x Family, thanks to reading the manga and watching the anime, so I had no problem immediately catching up with what's going on in the game. However, people who don't have that familiarity are going to be completely left in the dark. Something as simple as a brief introduction with Anya explaining who she is, her telepathic powers, why her "father" Loid created the fake family, and that her "mother" Yor is actually an assassin, would be a big help and would help make the transition into the experience easier and smoother. 

Once you get past the many tutorials, it becomes fairly clear that Spy x Anya: Operation Memories is a Pokemon Snap sort of game that mixes minigames and opportunities to socialize with the cast of Spy x Family with dress-ups and photo ops. Anya will take part in a family meeting, during which the destination of the next outing will be selected. While waiting for that day to come up, she'll go to school and spend time at home. At both locations, there are opportunities to talk with members of the series' casts to form relationships with them and chances to make memories. There will also be chances to interact with items Anya finds especially interesting for a photo for her diary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oEKGGILTIc&ab_channel=BandaiNamcoEntertainmentAmerica

Said photos are their own minigame. You need to get the shot in focus, ensure the angle is correct to be able to catch all people or points of interest, then nail the timing to get the perfect shot. A visual indicator of three light-up frames let you know when that moment arrives. That's also paired with multiple opportunities to repeat the moment, so you can be assured you'll get a perfect three-star picture photo for the diary showing the focus, angle, and timing is just right. You get to do one of these at school each day, and another one at home every evening.

In the case of the outings in Spy x Anya: Operation Memories, those are a bit more involved. You get a chance to buy items from the in-game store with points earned from photos and minigames. These can be used at certain points in outing locations for special memories and photo ops. It also makes the prospect of purchasing or earning extra raffle outfits and accessories more appealing, since everyone's appearance changes when you do. There are missions with rewards like raffle tickets for completing certain tasks. Plus taking photos with all three special items assigned to an area unlocks an additional shot. 

Unlocking actually comes up quite a bit, but it's handled in such a way in Spy x Anya: Operation Memories that it doesn't feel too burdensome. New outing prospects open up as you get through the tutorial and view existing ones. More clothing, accessories, and items do as well. Though honestly, in the case of the cosmetics, they're more of a nice bonus than a requirement. Given how cute Anya is and how faithful Loid and Yor's appearances are, it's totally fine and doesn't feel terribly limiting if you don't completely splurge. 

The additional outings and such also unlock new minigames, which Anya can play in the evening to earn Play Points to put toward items in the store if she uses earned Eurekas. The qualities of these vary, to be honest. I wasn't a fan of the Cooking with Yor experience, as the timing seemed awkward for cutting vegetables. I did enjoy the rudimentary beat'em up involving Thorn Princess taking down waves of enemies as she headed toward a boss. Dodgeball Day at Eden College and the Loid's Escape stealth minigame also weren't too bad. I appreciated there was an attempt to offer more variety and experiences tailored to the series than in most minigame collections. 

I suppose where Spy x Anya: Operation Memories succeeds is that the game really does feel like a true Spy x Family experience. It's cozy in its way, mimicking what daily life is probably like for the Forger family. Anya is allowed to ham it up as a character, and her personality helps carry it. It also looks spot-on, with some fantastic recreations, and the voice acting helps sell it as well. The only downside is the repetitive nature, since you will need to repeat outings and go through a lot of the same minigames and motions to unlock everything for Anya's awesome diary.

Still, I enjoyed Spy x Anya: Operation Memories more than I expected, even though this Spy x Family game occasionally feels a bit awkward and repetitive. I would have appreciated an easier introduction to the experience and less hand-holding, but it's thoroughly pleasant and true to the series its based on. As long as you're not trying to speedrun it or marathon it in a single weekend, I think it'd be a lovely game to play at a relaxed pace.

Spy x Anya: Operation Memoriesis available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. The Spy x Family anime is streaming on Crunchyroll, while Viz Media handles the manga outside Japan

The post Review: Spy x Anya Is a Spy x Family Pokemon Snap Game appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Sunday, July 7, 2024 8:30 AM
    

black butler emerald witch arc

Crunchyroll has announced a 2025 release window for Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc. This will be a direct sequel to the current Public School Arc.

You can watch the trailer for Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc here:

https://twitter.com/Crunchyroll/status/1809705639435718782

The trailer, which is a minute long, opens with dogs barking in a forest with fallen trees. A pair of riders pull up, confused as to their dogs' reaction, before it reveals a monster emerging from the woods. It then ends with narration from Sebastian. As we can see from the end of the trailer, Maaya Sakamoto and Daisuke Ono will reprise their roles as Ciel and Sebastian, respectively.

Currently, the Black Butler anime is covering the Public School Arc. A relative of Queen Victoria, Derrick Arden, has refused to return home or write letters from Weston College, which is very uncharacteristic for him. Ciel and Sebastian infiltrate the school in order to investigate. The anime covering this arc ran from April to June 2024, with eleven episodes in total.

Black Butler is a long-running and highly influential anime and manga series from Yana Toboso, who also worked as a character designer on Twisted Wonderland. It covers the story of Ciel Phantomhive, who inherited the position of Queen's Watchdog from his father. His butler Sebastian is actually a demon with whom he'd formed a contract with, with the reasons behind this a rather dark mystery in the series.

Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc will appear in Japan and on Crunchyroll some time in 2025. More information on it, as well as a longer trailer, will appear before then.

The post Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc Announced for 2025 appeared first on Siliconera.


WGB Sunday, July 7, 2024 9:03 AM
     A recent leak suggesting an LA Noire sequel or spiritual follow-up has been debunked by the developers themselves.

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Sunday, July 7, 2024 2:57 PM

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Sunday, July 7, 2024 2:34 PM
    

The event will feature over 700 developers and publishers.

The post PlayStation Will Be Featured at Tokyo Game Show For The First Time Since 2019 appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Sunday, July 7, 2024 2:15 PM