Kotaku Friday, August 30, 2024 4:40 PM  Last year, Remedy released the survival horror title Alan Wake 2, a sequel effectively 13 years in the making and the next step in the studio's universe of connected games. Among them is Control, a brilliant and utterly weird third-person shooter focusing on the character Jesse Faden and her exploits with the Federal… |
Kotaku Friday, August 30, 2024 4:30 PM  As far as games, September looks to be just as fruitful as August, with the month that was owned by Black Myth: Wukong and Star Wars Outlaws being followed by yet another hyped release in Astro Bot. And for those who can't resist looking even further ahead, you may be in for a treat. It seems Team Asobi, the developer… |
Kotaku Friday, August 30, 2024 4:25 PM  Diablo 4's next big update arrives in October as part of the game's next season, which is also coming at the same time as its first paid expansion. This new update, which is going to be tested by players in September, is changing quite a lot of things, including the level cap, how monsters scale, the paragon system,… |
Kotaku Friday, August 30, 2024 3:10 PM  Reports of a game set in the universe of Matt Reeves' The Batman are, apparently, greatly exaggerated. The internet was swirling with rumors of such a game's existence on the morning of August 30, with many hoping that such a project was real. However, none other than James Gunn, the head of DC films, weighed in to… |
Kotaku Friday, August 30, 2024 3:00 PM  Ubisoft's big Call of Duty-like FPS, XDefiant, might only have until Season 3 to turn things around, increase its player count, and start making more money or the publisher could end post-launch updates and effectively kill the FPS. |
Kotaku Friday, August 30, 2024 2:35 PM  Don't ask me how many times I've watched the first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the third entry in Paramount's live-action adaptation of the life and times of Sega's speedy mascot. Don't ask me if I just watched it again after typing that sentence. While the wait was excruciating, fans' reactions to the first… |
PCGamesN Friday, August 30, 2024 6:59 PM  Destiny 2's third act of Episode 1 is now well underway, and its brand new Exotic is causing quite a stir. The new Destiny 2 Choir of One assault rifle is an absolute monster, but Bungie has admitted it's more powerful than it should be due to a couple of bugs. However, it has no plans on fixing those bugs just yet "so you can have a fun time." Continue reading Destiny 2 says it won't fix bugged new Exotic because it's too fun MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Destiny 2 classes, Destiny 2 The Final Shape review, Destiny 2 builds |
PCGamesN Friday, August 30, 2024 6:08 PM  The thrill of grinding for top-tier loot or the satisfaction of coming across rare or valuable items is a core aspect of many MMOs and RPGs. However, whether you're stuffing your postmaster full of junk in Destiny 2, constantly getting over-encumbered in Fallout, or hoarding gear for builds you'll never actually make in Baldur's Gate 3, loot can be a nuisance. Well, here's a game that turns endless inventory management into a core mechanic. Meet Megaloot, which just launched on Steam. Continue reading Megaloot, the roguelike RPG for loot-hoarders, finally hits Steam MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best indie games, Best roguelike games, Best strategy games |
PCGamesN Friday, August 30, 2024 5:21 PM  There aren't enough dinosaur games. Sure, last year gave us co-op shooter Exoprimal and its waves of vicious raptors, and there's Ark: Survival Evolved and Jurassic World Evolution 2 to go back to, but the prospect of spending time with prehistoric creatures is such a good fit for videogames that it's puzzling there aren't more options starring them. Fortunately, a new game called Kyoryu has just been announced, and it's looking to fill the dinosaur-shaped hole in our lives with a portrayal of a young T-Rex navigating a post-apocalyptic Tokyo. Continue reading Stunning new post apocalyptic game is like Stray but with dinosaurs |
PCGamesN Friday, August 30, 2024 4:29 PM  It's a years-long debate at this point, but it's one that shows no signs of slowing down. I am of course talking about the feud between mouse and keyboard and controller players in FPS games. Aim assist is usually a big talking point within this fiery debate, and Call of Duty Black Ops 6 is stoking up the embers. In order to "get everyone on a level playing field," the new CoD game has made a sweeping change to controller aim assist. Continue reading Black Ops 6 overhauls aim assist to create "a level playing field" MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Black Ops 6 release date, Best FPS games, New Warzone season |
PCGamesN Friday, August 30, 2024 4:13 PM  The first Darkest Dungeon is one of the best roguelike games to date. It combines the turn-based tactics of Baldur's Gate 3 and XCOM 2 with the Lovecraftian horror of Dredge, Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth, and The Shrouded Isle, all brought together with a distinctive comic book art style. Its sequel, Darkest Dungeon 2, continues to build on its predecessor in new and interesting ways, the most impressive of which is the upcoming Kingdoms DLC, which has just been further detailed by the game's creator, Red Hook Studios. Continue reading Gritty RPG Darkest Dungeon 2 is about to turn into a strategy game MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best tactical rpgs on PC, The best strategy games on PC, The best roguelike games on PC |
PCGamesN Friday, August 30, 2024 3:41 PM  It's been quite a while now since games like Surviving Mars and Anno 2070 and 2205 came out, bringing with them a take on the city building genre that incorporates science fiction visions of the future into a style of design more typically centered on recreating civilizations of the past and present. Now, though, a newcomer called Possible One: Lunar Industries has just been announced that plans to offer fans of building games a new sci fi setting to explore, with a greater emphasis on realism than the projects mentioned above. Continue reading New sci fi colony builder looks like a more realistic Surviving Mars |
PCGamesN Friday, August 30, 2024 2:49 PM  Warcana includes a bit of everything. It's a fantasy strategy game in the vein of Against the Storm or Endless Legend. It's also a deckbuilder similar to Slay the Spire or Hearthstone. On top of this, it includes the massive, screen filling enemy waves of Vampire Survivors and, in its multiplayer mode, takes inspiration from battle royale games like Apex Legends or PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. This wealth of inspiration seems to work well when put together - Warcana only launched yesterday but it's already garnering acclaim from players on Steam. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RTS games, Best strategy games, Best indie games |
PCGamesN Friday, August 30, 2024 2:31 PM  Reviewing an MMO expansion like WoW: The War Within is a difficult proposition. Two things are working against you - the first is knowing any look at the game is only a snapshot, a moment frozen in amber, with future updates twisting and changing it beyond recognition. The second is the weight of 20 years of history pressing against you, with the current game being a gestalt entity formed through a series of decisions running back two decades. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: WoW The War Within beta sign up, WoW The War Within release date, The best WoW addons |
PCGamesN Friday, August 30, 2024 2:12 PM  Starfield Shattered Space is not far away now, and the first DLC for Bethesda's space RPG will take us to the homeworld of the mysterious Va'Ruun. However, ahead of it dropping in a few weeks' time, some new achievements for the game have been uploaded to Steam, and judging from their contents, Shattered Space is going to be a lot bigger than I anticipated. Continue reading Starfield Shattered Space is a bigger Bethesda DLC than I expected MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Starfield mods, Starfield outposts, Starfield traits |
PCGamesN Friday, August 30, 2024 2:00 PM  Civilization 7, the next entry to the long running strategy series from Marvel's Midnight Suns, XCOM 2, and Civilization 6 creator Firaxis Games, is set to come out next February. It looks to be a solid iteration on the classic historical strategy design that's made Civ so successful for decades now. However, it may launch with the inclusion of controversial anti-piracy and anti-tampering software Denuvo, as evidenced by updates in Steam's back end recorded by SteamDB. Continue reading Civ 7 will potentially launch with Denuvo, based on Steam update MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best 4X games on PC, The best strategy games on PC, Civ 7 wishlist |
Twinfinite Friday, August 30, 2024 2:26 PM  |
Siliconera Friday, August 30, 2024 9:20 PM
In a twist that sounds like something from the Battle City arc of Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Monsters, Zayn Malik of One Direction was revealed on August 29, 2024 that he was the inaugural Shadow Duelist in the Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel tournament. During the event itself, he took on the persona of Nocturne, hiding his face underneath a horned mask.
Zayn's participation in the tournament had nothing to do with his surname sounding like the first name of Marik Ishtar, who was one of the main antagonists of Battle City. He's actually a huge Yu-Gi-Oh fan himself and talked about his passion for the game after the unmasking. Zayn shared his binder of cards, as well as the fact that his favorite card is the Shooting Star Dragon, which is also one of his best cards. The winner of the Master Duel tournament, Fictinium, won a signed copy of the Nocturne mask as part of the prize package.
Zayn Malik was part of One Direction, a very big and popular boy band from the early 2010s. He left the group in 2015 to begin a solo career. His lead single was "Pillowtalk," which was one of the clues that the tournament organizers dropped when teasing the true identity of the mysterious duelist Nocturne.
Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, and mobile devices. The world championship of the game will take place in Seattle on September 7 and 8, 2024.
The post Zayn Malik Unveiled as Nocturne, Shadow Duelist of Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel Tournament appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, August 30, 2024 8:00 PM
GU has announced a new collaboration with the Kirby of the Stars series, which is set to launch in Japan on September 13, 2024. This new apparel line is themed around a journey to Dream Land, featuring designs inspired by levels, characters, and elements from the Kirby games. Some of these include locations like the Fountain of Dreams and enemies like Whispy Woods. [Thanks, 4Gamer!]
View the official GU announcement post below:
The collection will include a variety of items fit for the autumn season. Among the offerings are cardigans, sweatshirts, and pajamas, all adorned with Kirby-themed designs. Additionally, the collaboration will feature pouches with images of Kirby and Waddle Dee, ideal for those looking to carry a piece of the game with them in their day to day travel.
This new apparel collection comes shortly after the announcement of a new lineup of Kirby figures by Medicom Toys. The Ultra Detail Figure (UDF) series includes six new Kirby figures, each representing various stages of the Kirby franchise. These figures, which involve different looks and styles for Kirby, are available for pre-order and are scheduled to release in February 2025.
The Kirby GU collection will be available for purchase in-store and online starting on September 13, 2024.
The post Kirby GU Shirts and Pouches Arrive in September appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, August 30, 2024 7:30 PM
The Steam page for Civilization VII has revealed that the upcoming strategy game will incorporate Denuvo Anti-tamper DRM. According to the information provided on the page, this third-party digital rights management (DRM) software will be included as part of the game's security measures.
The page notes that players will be subject to a machine activation limit, specifically allowing only five activations within a 24-hour period. These restrictions on Civilization VII is in line with the typical limitations imposed by Denuvo to prevent unauthorized copying and sharing of the game. In addition to the DRM details, the Steam page mentions that players will need a 2K account for online interactions. However, this third-party account is not required for offline play, offering some flexibility for those who prefer to play without connecting to the internet.
In related news, 2K and Firaxis have provided more details about Civilization VII at gamescom 2024, including its release date and gameplay mechanics. During the event, a new trailer was shown, featuring in-engine footage that highlighted buildings and units from various civilizations.
Sid Meier's Civilization VII will be available for PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X, and Xbox One on February 11, 2025.
The post Civilization VII Steam Page Mentions Denuvo DRM appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, August 30, 2024 7:00 PM
The next two Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream character trailers are here, and they feature SAO antagonist Oberon and Yui, who comes to see Kirito and Asuna as her parents. Oberon is a Mage, while Yui is a Support.
Yui's trailer begins with her flat out referring to Kirito and Asuna as her papa and mama. Her character model here starts out using her Sword Art Online appearance, but she can transform to her appearance from the SAO ALfheim Online arc.
Next, here's the Oberon trailer. It doesn't feature any spoilers for his storyline in the ALfheim Online arc.
You'll be able to go hands-on with Oberon very soon, as the Sword Art Online antagonist will be a part of the SAO Fractured Daydream Open Network Test. That starts on September 20, 2024. He's one of the nine characters people can use. However, Yui is not.
Since we're keeping track, here are all of the SAO Fractured Daydream character trailers that appeared before the ones for Sword Art Online staples like Yui and Oberon.
Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream will come to the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC on October 4, 2024. Pre-orders are open. The Open Network Test will run September 20-22, 2024.
The post SAO Fractured Daydream Trailers Focus on Yui and Oberon appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, August 30, 2024 6:30 PM
Sega has announced a new collaboration between the "MJ" network Mahjong game app and the Pachinko Neon Genesis Evangelion: Roar of the Future machine. This crossover is designed to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the anime series. The collaboration will kick off with the SEGA SAMMY PHOENIX MJ Championship, which will be running from September 1-21, 2024. [Thanks, Game Watch!]
We can view the official announcement video on YouTube below:
Players can participate in preliminary rounds to accumulate points and win exclusive prizes, including special in-game performances featuring voices and desk mats tied to the Evangelion theme. Additionally, a Pachinko x Evangelion Gacha will be available, allowing players to collect items featuring characters like Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami, along with background music from the Evangelion series, including tracks like Cruel Angel's Thesis.
In related news, a unique collaboration between Godzilla and Evangelion resulted in the creation of a special pachinko machine and a collectible figure. The pachinko game, titled P Godzilla vs Evangelion G Cell Awakening, was first introduced in 2022 as a result of a collaboration between Khara, Toho, Bisty, and Fields. This crossover event featured a physical model, based on the fusion of Evangelion Unit 01 with Godzilla, leading to the design of the "Burning G Awakening Form" figure.
The MJ Mahjong app is available on mobile devices in Japan.
The post Evangelion Pachinko Machine Coming to MJ appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, August 30, 2024 6:00 PM
Hololive Vtuber Usada Pekora recently visited the Kojima Productions studio offices, and Hideo Kojima shared a post on his Japanese social media account. The tweet included a picture of himself and the model of the virtual YouTuber, both posing alongside the studio's insignia Ludens statue.
In return to the post from Hideo Kojima, Usada Pekora thanked the developers at Kojima Productions for the opportunity to visit the studio and for the precious experience. In recent years, many celebrities and popular media figures have visited Kojima Productions. Among the many visitors, some of them have ended up as cameo appearances in the studio's first title, Death Stranding.
With Usada Pekora's recent visit to the studio, there's a non-zero possibility that the Hololive Vtuber might appear as one such cameo in the upcoming sequel. In fact, this would not be the first time that Pekora appears as a cameo character in a game, as she voiced and appeared as a unique Killing Machine monster in Dragon Quest Treasures.
As a reminder, Kojima Productions is currently working on various titles including Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, a sequel to the 2019 game, the new horror game OD developed in collaboration with filmmaker Jordan Peele for Xbox consoles, and Physint, a new action espionage title published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.
In addition, Kojima Productions recently announced that the studio will have a presence at Tokyo Game Show 2024 on September 29 with a special panel discussion about the upcoming game Death Stranding 2.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is currently in development for the PlayStation 5 and will appear in 2025.
The post Usada Pekora Visited Kojima Productions Studio Offices appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, August 30, 2024 5:30 PM
The BB Dubai banner in Fate/Grand Order has sent the application rocketing to the top of the weekly sales rankings. It went up five places, as it had been the sixth highest ranking game of the week just a day prior. [Thanks, Game Biz!]
The increase in sales very likely has to do with the new banner for Archetype Inception. In this one, you'll have the chance to pull the SSR Moon Cancer BB Dubai, the SR Moon Cancer Tenochtitlan, and the SR Foreigner Mysterious Heroine XX Alter. The Ciel banner from earlier this month is ongoing as well, but it's unlikely that people are pulling on that one out of the blue right after BB Dubai dropped in the game.
Here are the Noble Phantasms for BB Dubai, Tenochtitlan, and Mysterious Heroine XX Alter:
As a reminder, the Ciel banner is active until October 2, 2024. Meanwhile, you'll have until October 9, 2024 to pull BB Dubai. So even if you don't have enough Saint Quartz (or money) right now for them, you still have about a month to do so.
Fate/Grand Order is readily available on mobile devices. The BB Dubai banner is only live in the Japanese server of Fate/Grand Order right now, and it'll appear for the global server in a few years.
The post BB Dubai Helps Fate/Grand Order Top App Ranking appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, August 30, 2024 5:00 PM
Devolver Digital and Massive Monster announced there will be two actual Cult of the Lamb themed wedding ceremonies held at PAX Australia on October 13, 2024. This will be a real wedding, and people who go to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre's Handheld Lounge and Main Theatre area can attend and bear witness, even if they don't have tickets to the event.
The Cult of the Lamb Wedding Ritual is one of the options present in-game. People can perform it with a Follower to get a new option to increase their Loyalty and earn more Faith, provided you have 75 Bones to pay for it. To maintain that atmosphere at PAX Australia, the publisher and developer will actually have decorations and elements designed to resemble the Ritual in the game, complete with a build of the Temple in it. Said structure is apparently a 1:1 recreation.
These will not be a joint ceremony. There will be two separate ones. The first Cult of the Lamb wedding will take place at PAX Australia at 11am AEST on October 13, 2024. The Lamb will be in attendance, but the companies didn't specify if the character will also be the officiant. The second wedding is at 3pm AEST that same day. Anyone interested in attending is invited to show up.
Cult of the Lamb is available for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. The August 2024 update added co-op multiplayer, with The Goat appearing as the player-two character.
The post Cult of the Lamb Weddings Being Held at PAX Australia appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, August 30, 2024 4:45 PM
Atlus released a new Metaphor: ReFantazio hands-on interview video featuring NieR series creator Yoko Taro. In the new video, the game creator gave his impressions of the upcoming RPG and expressed excitement to play the full version of the game.
Tomomi Isomura, the Japanese voice actress for Lina in Metaphor: ReFantazio conducted the interview. The new video starts by revisiting an old video that Atlus made in collaboration with Yoko Taro back in December 2016, a few months before the release of NieR: Automata. In it, the developer jokes about the possible catastrophic fate of the NieR series since Atlus is trying to dive into a fantasy RPG similar to NieR with, at the time, Project Re:Fantasy.
After a few skits, Yoko Taro and Isomura reflect on the passage of time, NieR: Automata's release and how the game is currently receiving an anime adaptation. The chat itself had plenty of lighthearted jokes, with Yoko Taro claiming that the game's UI was so flashy and impressive that he almost wet himself.
Yoko Taro continued praising what he has been able to play and see of Metaphor: ReFantazio , and the developer was particularly impressed by the mix of action and turn-based elements, stating that it feels like a game with quite the budget. The developer also reflected on his past comments about an Atlus fantasy game possibly overlapping with NieR, and added that Metaphor: ReFantazio has a very distinct and unique Atlus style that clearly distinguishes itself from NieR.
Here's the video:
Metaphor: ReFantazio will come out worldwide on October 11, 2024 for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam.
The post Yoko Taro Voiced His Opinions on Metaphor: ReFantazio appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, August 30, 2024 4:30 PM
Taito announced the release of several collaboration plush sets of popular Vocaloid character Hatsune Miku and Sanrio's Cinnamoroll. The plushes are now available as prizes from a selection of Taito physical and online crane games.
The first batch includes a plush of Hatsune Miku wearing an outfit inspired by the popular Sanrio character, a plush of Cinnamoroll, and a plush of Cinnamoroll's friend Milk. All three plushes feature various similar ribbons and hair accessories.
Meanwhile, the second batch includes four new plushes. The first two are of Miku and Cinnamoroll wearing matching white and yellow idol performance costumes, with the final two featuring the characters cosplaying one another. Hatsune Miku is wearing a Cinnamoroll kigurumi, while Cinnamoroll is wearing the Vocaloid's classic outfit and hair accessories.
You can check out the new Hatsune Miku x Cinnamoroll collaboration plushes here:
The Hatsune Miku and Cinnamoroll pairing is very popular in Japan, with a plethora of merchandise items having been released in the past. One such includes a Nendoroid set featuring both characters that released in Japan on January 18, 2024. In addition, a collaboration featuring acrylic items, charms, leg covers, socks, tote bags, and other items appeared in Japan on August 2023, with another line of merchandise released later in September 2023.
The new Hatsune Miku x Cinnamoroll plushes are now available as prizes from various physical and online Taito crane games.
The post Hatsune Miku Cinnamoroll Plush Appear in Japanese Arcades appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, August 30, 2024 4:00 PM
Arc System Works announced there will be a Nintendo Switch version of Guilty Gear Strive, and it will include all 28 characters from the base roster and DLC fighters from Season Passes 1-3. It will launch on January 23, 2025, and Arc System Works Gear storefront is already taking pre-orders for the $59.99 physical copies.
A first trailer went over what we can expect from this release. All of the main modes will be there, such as Story, Mission, and Online Battle. The Digital Figures for dioramas will return.
Here's the trailer for the Guilty Gear Strive Switch version of the game:
These are all of the Guilty Gear Strive characters we'll see included in the base version of the port:
People who pick up this version will need to pay extra for the Season Pass 4 additions as they debut. Dizzy will already be available by then. Venom comes out in early 2025, Unika debuts in Spring 2025, and Cyberpunk Edgerunners' Lucy shows up in Summer 2025.
Guilty Gear Strive will be available on the Nintendo Switch on January 23, 2025. It is on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC now.
The post Guilty Gear Strive Switch Port Includes 28 Characters appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, August 30, 2024 3:30 PM
The Japanese voice actor for Joshua Bright in The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky shared on social media that she didn't know about the newly announced remake. Mitsuki Saiga voiced Joshua in the Trails in the Sky FC Evolution port released in Japan on June 2015 for the PS Vita.
In a recent X (formerly Twitter) post made by the voice actor of Joshua, Mitsuki Saiga seems to have learned about the recently revealed Trails in the Sky the 1st remake at the same time as everyone else. The post itself is written in Japanese and it roughly translates to "It's Joshua! A full remake of Trails in the Sky is being made, huh? Wow...!" in English.
At the time of writing, it is unclear whether Nihon Falcom will reuse the voice acting for the PS Vita Evolution ports or if the studio will replace the Japanese voice cast with a different one. More information will appear in the future. The Trails in the Sky remake was recently announced on August 27, 2024 as part of the latest Nintendo Direct partner showcase. Additionally, Nihon Falcom opened the official Japanese website for the remake project.
Mitsuki Saiga is also known for her roles as Morag in the Japanese dub of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Bravely Default protagonist Tiz Arrior, Rossiu in the original Japanese dub of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, and Maria Ross in the 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist anime adaptation.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 1st remake will come out on the Nintendo Switch in 2025.
The post Trails in the Sky Joshua Voice Actor Didn't Know About Remake appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, August 30, 2024 3:00 PM
So, if your mom dies of a strange, seemingly supernatural disease, then your wife does as well, maybe experimenting with fickle, dangerous entities to revive one of them isn't a good idea? That isn't what happens in My Lovely Empress. His uncle and kingdom's grand duke decides that the grieving Emperor Hong can have a little necromancy, as a treat. The result is we, as players, attempt to help a kingdom thrive and survive so we can be monsters who sacrifice everything for a cause that absolutely, totally, definitely could maybe, probably turn out okay.
My Lovely Empress begins with a kingdom in the throes of multiple crises. Emperor Hong's mother, the beloved Empress Dowager Wang, died of a strange disease. Within days, he discovers his pregnant wife Xiang is facing the same affliction. There is a potential treatment that could help, but it comes as a supernatural storm bears down on the capital. Whether you prioritize the natural disaster or search for medicine doesn't matter when it comes to her survival. Empress Xiang dies, and for months the Crimson Empire falls into disrepair. It is then that Grand Duke Chen, who was also Xiang's uncle, reveals the Crimson Empire family secret… Yaoguai.
His father Great Emperor Khan used them to make the kingdom rise. …And then they killed him, due to him doing things wrong. Empress Dowager Wang apparently perfected the technique and ritual, using Yaoguai properly and in the hopes of reviving Khan. But she stopped for some reason and dismissed them. Now Emperor Hong is taking up the family trade to summon characters that basically are hand grenades with the pins pulled, in the hopes they can fix his country and help him get the innocent souls needed to restore the recovered Empress Xiang's soul and revive her.
My Lovely Empress is a balancing act, to be sure. Your goal is to help the kingdom thrive, summon and strengthen Yaoguai, manage diplomatic relations with other regions… and also probably kill millions of innocent human people or some of the very Yaogui you've come to rely upon to resurrect Xiang. Part of this involves keeping the various factions that make up the city's population happy, to encourage population growth and income.
These groups you need to balance are the army, citizens, nobles, and traders. As time ticks down each day and season, events will come up across the map and remain for a number of days. In the case of ones Emperor Hong can handle, it means clicking on it to make a choice that will likely anger some and please others. You can send a Yaogui with stamina to investigate the result. However, I noticed these events start to repeat a lot very early on, so that's usually a waste of their energy. Other events specifically require a Yaoguai's intervention and have no negatives when performed. In some cases, a neighboring ruler might even like you more for it.
Since there's always too much to do and not enough time to do it, the Yaoguai become critical agents. You start with one, a nine-tail fox named Gumiho. However, quickly you'll learn that heading on expeditions to areas to unlock new resource items and performing rituals to summon more will make your life more manageable. These characters have different specialties for certain situations, and being able to tap into that and improve them helps significantly.
As for the empress part of My Lovely Empress, that's where the necromancy comes into play. Once you get what's left of Xiang's soul via Gumiho, it is constantly degrading. You'll need to make sacrifices to make that happen. Someone could sacrifice the Yaoguai called into Emperor Hong's service. However, Gumiho points out that a substantial number of human lives, those of the Crimson Empire's subjects, could be used to repair it as well. While investing in the kingdom to increase its size, acquiring materials, and building up Yaoguai forces is important, so to is deciding what choices to make. This comes into play both from the earliest moments, when you handle the medicine search and storm, to when you decide what sorts of sacrifices to make for Xiang.
As I mentioned earlier though, My Lovely Empress can get repetitive. You'll be going through many of the same actions or events repeatedly. Not to mention that while it is a challenge, if you manage to summon enough Yaoguai and never sacrifice any of them, it might get to be a little easy. If you get invested enough, it doesn't seem as noticeable. However, given that there are multiple endings, I expect it'd be a bit of a challenge to get through repeated runs in succession.
It's also important to note that people going in expecting to be able to date the Yaoguai will be disappointed. There is romance here! However, those endings are tied to the rulers of neighboring countries and decisions made while interacting with them. You can learn more about the Yaoguai themselves by talking with them and build up relationships, but there's no romance associated with them. Which is a shame, because the designs and background for them are often really fun. GameChanger Studio and Neon Doctrine drew from supernatural beings and mythology for their designs, and it would have been fun to see more.
I was absolutely fascinated by My Lovely Empress during my first run, when I tried to avoid as much bloodshed as possible and search for a healthy ending. I was shocked the second time around when things got much darker. It can be intriguing, even when it starts to get repetitive, and I appreciated the new approach GameChanger Studio took with the My Lovely series this time around.
My Lovely Empress is available on the Switch, Xbox Series X, and PC.
The post Review: My Lovely Empress Can Involve a String of Bad Decisions appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, August 30, 2024 2:30 PM
There are new Zenless Zone Zero videos for Jane Doe, and the "Under Arrest" character trailer shows how flirty the rat Thiren can be. While her Agent Combat Intel focuses on gameplay footage with minimal cinematics, the other teaser focuses on less lethal interactions with another individual.
"Under Arrest" begins with Jane Doe in disguise in the backseat of a Public Security vehicle. She's seemingly been captured, and we can see her using her tail to grab a snack and pick the locks on her handcuffs. We then meet the officer assigned to retrieve her, a new character named Tomiya who appears to be either a mouse or rat Thiren. Jane then teases and flirts with the straight-laced agent, smearing her lipstick. She then completely changes her clothes while in the backseat of the car, much to Tomiya's shock and surprise, and uses her tail to reach around and turn off all of Tomiya's cameras while complimenting her.
Here's the "Under Arrest" teaser:
Meanwhile, here's the other video HoYoVerse shared with us that focused on her gameplay.
As a reminder, Jane Doe will become playable on September 4, 2024, even though we can already see her in the game's story now. Her banner will also include the A-Rank characters Anby and Seth, marking Seth's debut in Zenless Zone Zero as well. Her signature Sharpened Stinger W-Engine will also debut at that time.
Zenless Zone Zero is available for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the Jane Doe banner begins on September 4, 2024.
The post Jane Doe Gets Flirty in Her Zenless Zone Zero Character Trailer appeared first on Siliconera. |
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