The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD Overview Trailer Released
The earliest title in the series' timeline, learn more about the world of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD with the overview trailer for the game.
Telling the ancient tale of a time long past, this game tells the story of the Master Sword. Things begin on Skyloft, an island that floats high above the clouds. One day, Zelda finds herself engulfed by a whirlwind and is set plummeting beneath the clouds. Enter the hero Link, who sets out to find her with his trusty loftwing to this uncharted land.
Learn more with the trailer below:
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD – Overview Trailer – Nintendo Switch
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD allows its in-game movements to correspond to the angle of each strike made with the Joy-Con controller. For those looking for a more traditional experience, button controls have also been included. This is on top of increased processing power and improved graphics compared to the Nintendo Wii original.
The game will come out for the Nintendo Switch on July 16, 2021.
The earliest title in the series' timeline, learn more about the world of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD with the overview trailer for the game
The world of Cold Iron Studios and 20th Century Games' Aliens: Fireteam Elite will make its debut on August 24, 2021
Ahead of its release early next month, see what awaits adventurers in Capcom's Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin with the opening cinematic for the game
The world of Bohemia Interactive's Arma franchise is celebrating 20 years of Arma with rare insights, gifts, and surprises
The post The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD Overview Trailer Released appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite Coming August 24
The world of Cold Iron Studios and 20th Century Games' Aliens: Fireteam Elite will make its debut on August 24, 2021.
In this title, players will fight their way through four unique campaigns as a fully customizable Colonial Marine. Waves of Xenomorph and Weyland-Yutani Synthetic foes must be taken down, and players can choose from a number of classes, weapons, gear, and perks.
The main release will be released for $39.99. A Deluxe Edition of the game will be available for $69.99, which will include the Endeavor Pass and the Endeavor Veteran Pack. The Endeavor Pass contains four cosmetic DLC bundles, while the Endeavor Veteran Pack will contain over 20 cosmetic items.
Pre-ordering any edition will net players the Hardened Marine Pack. This includes a Bandana head accessory, three weapon decals, Red Digital Camo weapon colors, and a "Chestburster" joke emote. Learn more about the pre-order bonuses for the game with the trailer below:
Aliens: Fireteam Elite Pre-order Trailer
The game will come out for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
The earliest title in the series' timeline, learn more about the world of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD with the overview trailer for the game
The world of Cold Iron Studios and 20th Century Games' Aliens: Fireteam Elite will make its debut on August 24, 2021
Ahead of its release early next month, see what awaits adventurers in Capcom's Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin with the opening cinematic for the game
The world of Bohemia Interactive's Arma franchise is celebrating 20 years of Arma with rare insights, gifts, and surprises
The post Aliens: Fireteam Elite Coming August 24 appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Monster Hunter Stories 2 Opening Cinematic Released
Ahead of its release early next month, see what awaits adventurers in Capcom's Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin with the opening cinematic for the game.
The second installment of the turn-based RPG series, this title will allow players to become a Rider and form bonds with Monsties. As the grandson of the legendary rider Red, players will meet the Wyverian girl Ena. She has been entrusted with an egg that has the potential to hatch into a legendary Rathalos, which players must contend with.
Learn more with the trailer below:
Monster Hunter Stories 2 – Opening Cinematic
The game will come out for the Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam on July 9, 2021. Starting on June 25, a Trial Ver. of the title will be available on the Nintendo Switch. Players will be able to take their story progress into the full game.
The earliest title in the series' timeline, learn more about the world of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD with the overview trailer for the game
The world of Cold Iron Studios and 20th Century Games' Aliens: Fireteam Elite will make its debut on August 24, 2021
Ahead of its release early next month, see what awaits adventurers in Capcom's Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin with the opening cinematic for the game
The world of Bohemia Interactive's Arma franchise is celebrating 20 years of Arma with rare insights, gifts, and surprises
The post Monster Hunter Stories 2 Opening Cinematic Released appeared first on GamersHeroes.
20 Days of Arma Celebration Announced
The world of Bohemia Interactive's Arma franchise is celebrating 20 years of Arma with rare insights, gifts, and surprises.
The celebration kicked things off yesterday with a live stream. During this two hour session, Bohemia Interactive CEO Marek Spanel, Creative Director Ivan Buchta, and Arma 3 Community Manager Niles George revisited old memories, played iconic missions, and unveiled new pieces of news.
You can watch the video on demand below:
20 Years of Arma Series Anniversary Live Stream #20YearsOfArma
The team also released an infographic with some key insights – you can see all of the stats below:
Players will be able to get themselves the Arma: Cold War Assault for free on Steam and GOG for two days. This is alongside the launch of the Arma Anniversary Bundle, which includes every Arma title to date.
Fans should also follow the Arma blog and follow the conversation on Twitter here and on Discord here to stay on top of social media activities and special content.
The earliest title in the series' timeline, learn more about the world of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD with the overview trailer for the game
The world of Cold Iron Studios and 20th Century Games' Aliens: Fireteam Elite will make its debut on August 24, 2021
Ahead of its release early next month, see what awaits adventurers in Capcom's Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin with the opening cinematic for the game
The world of Bohemia Interactive's Arma franchise is celebrating 20 years of Arma with rare insights, gifts, and surprises
The post 20 Days of Arma Celebration Announced appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 Coming to PlayStation 5 August 24
The PlayStation 5 version of CI Games' Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 will make its debut on August 24, 2021.
This version of the game will feature support for Dualsense adaptive triggers, improved SSD loading times, upgraded visuals and textures, and the ability to play in performance mode (at 60fps, 2K resolution) or visual mode (at 30fps, 4K resolution).
Learn more about this title with the accolades trailer below:
Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 – Accolades Trailer (+ PS5 Release Date)
According to Tobias Heussner, EP, CI Games:
All owners of the PlayStation 4 version of the game (both digital and physical) can get themselves a free digital upgrade to the PlayStation 5 version of the game.
The title is currently available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
The earliest title in the series' timeline, learn more about the world of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD with the overview trailer for the game
The world of Cold Iron Studios and 20th Century Games' Aliens: Fireteam Elite will make its debut on August 24, 2021
Ahead of its release early next month, see what awaits adventurers in Capcom's Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin with the opening cinematic for the game
The world of Bohemia Interactive's Arma franchise is celebrating 20 years of Arma with rare insights, gifts, and surprises
The post Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 Coming to PlayStation 5 August 24 appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Bandai Namco introduces players to a dark and gritty dystopian, brain punk adventure in Scarlet Nexus. This brand new, anime-styled IP offers a deep and weaving narrative alongside real-time combat and a cast of memorable characters. Fully voiced and available on all major console platforms and PC (barring the Nintendo Switch), this title definitely looks to be ticking all the right boxes, but does it boast a greater appeal than the niche-style anime games of today?
Scarlet Nexus Review
Scarlet Nexus places a heavy focus on its story, offering players two branching paths of adventure through the selection of one of its two main characters. For my completed playthrough I used Yuito Sumeragi; there are male and female protagonists available, both with differing story arches.
Yuito Sumeragi is a young man who has dreams of joining the Other Suppression Force (OSF) after a member saved his life as a child. He is a descendant of the founding father and has relatives in the highest ranks of the OSF, making his climb to the top even more difficult than regular recruits – having to impress both his family and superiors at the same time.
Scarlet Nexus places a very heavy focus on delivering an impactful story adventure. Humanity is under threat from extra-sensory beings known as Others. Long into the future, a special psionic hormone was discovered within the human brain. This special hormone unlock a hidden potential of the mind with some humans, granting them supernatural-like powers. This surge of powers attracted horrifying, mutant-like creatures that descended from the skies looking to feast on the hormone, devouring the brains of every human they encounter. Traditional military weapons and tactics were no match for the Others, leaving humanity's final hopes of survival in the hands of the psionics of the OSF.
If delivery of narrative and enjoyment of story was the only benchmark to meet, Scarlet Nexus would have knocked it out of the park. The developers combine a stylized delivery of story, using animated character portraits and environments, gorgeous cutscenes, and great voice over work. It all came together to create a story that had me gripped from start to finish. Unfortunately, it struggles with issues that have plagued these type of titles for years.
The design and creative direction of the game are both very linear. From the corridor-like environments to the predictably constructed phases, it struggles with repetition and pacing issues, leading to much of its direction being very predictable and lackluster.
You complete a mission, get flooded with story, and then have an intermission where you can chat with your allies, give them gifts, and learn more about them. This in itself isn't a bad design, but the flow of the experience suffers when the game favors either combat or narrative too heavily. Oftentimes I was almost exhausted at the thought of another fight, and other times I was dreading yet more dialogue. Even though both the story and combat are very above average, the pacing will not be to everyone's liking.
Scarlet Nexus focuses on combat and story above everything else. The side content – meaningless side quests that offer very little outside of rewards to aid in combat – are cumbersome. They offer very little thought on managing several quests at once, or even tracking down objectives. Exploration is also nonexistent; there is nearly always a singular path to reach your goal, and straying from that path never offers more than items or other minor perks. The linear design will likely appeal to some, but I would have enjoyed more meaningful side content in a game that is rich in its story and world. Put simply, it feels a wasted opportunity.
Thankfully the side content can be completely ignored, which I did for much of the latter stages of the game. I wanted to push forward in the story, learn more about the characters and this intriguing world, a setting that has quickly become one of the best Bandai Namco has ever delivered. Even the opportunity to completely immerse myself in this creative environment was hampered by a repetitive and often frustrating combat system.
On its surface, the combat system in Scarlet Nexus is fantastic. The visuals are gorgeous, the enemy designs are incredible, dark, and disgusting – even terrifying in places. However, as the game progresses, its lack of depth and variety start to become monotonous. Playing as Yuito Sumeragi, you use psycho-kinetic abilities that allow you to use your mind to pick up nearby objects and hurl them at your enemies. Trash cans, metal grates, crates, even cars; there's an impressive array of items that can be tossed around in combat. Some of the more powerful items deliver brief but easily manageable quick-time-event style button prompts that are impactful and enjoyable.
Combining these psycho-kinetic with sword combos allows for some intense combat sequences, but the basics don't really grow much from there. As you progress through the game and recruit more allies, you unlock special Struggle Arms System (SAS) actions (what's with these games and strange acronyms?). The SAS attacks allow you to use the supernatural-like abilities of your allies as if they were your own. There's a good variety on offer. You can slow down time, imbue your weapon with special elemental damage, use defensive skills to become immune to damage, and unlock the ability to teleport. The variety and delivery of these features is fantastic, but its the necessity of these skills that breeds repetition.
Most of the SAS abilities are tools specifically designed to defeat specific types of enemies. Certain enemies become invisible during combat, other enemies become immune to damage as soon as you're within melee range. You can use SAS abilities to counter these actions, but it's mandatory. Instead of opening a new wave of potential combination attacks and abilities, it simply acts as a tool required for you to progress.
That's not to say there isn't still a level of satisfaction, especially in the latter stages of the game when enemies of multiple types attack you at once. Stringing together the right set of SAS attacks to take down a string of foes is an impressive feat and one that feels great – at least the first few times – but it quickly becomes stale. Compounding this issue is the game's awful camera and lock-on mechanics.
Trying to focus on one specific enemy is far more difficult than it should be and even when focused, there's not enough movement in the attacks to close the gap, often leaving you swinging at nothing as the auto-targeting picked up the wrong enemy and turned the character around. Manual target switching is an option, but each time you hit a new enemy, the target automatically changes. It's a cumbersome system that really detracts from what could be a flowing combat experience.
This creates for a thoroughly frustrating experience on any difficulty setting that isn't easy. All Others have a weak point, a part of their body that you can exploit to unlock more devastating attacks. However, much like the SAS abilities, these are more mandatory than optional. It can be the difference between taking 30 seconds to defeat and enemy and five minutes. These weak points are displayed with visual cues, but you are unable to lock on to these particular parts of an enemy. More often than not, you're fighting with the camera and lock-on system to get to a very specific part of an enemy and hope to hit it with the minimal movement offered with combination attacks.
Scarlet Nexus boasts a story that is impossible not to recommend. Bandai Namco has created a truly intriguing world that, even after completing the game, has me yearning for more. The option of playing the second main character, which boasts a different story direction, would be the perfect remedy if not for the other areas of the game falling short. Repetitive mechanics and frustrating combat design hamper what could otherwise be an incredible adventure.
Fully voiced and available on all major console platforms and PC (barring the Nintendo Switch), Scarlet Nexus definitely looks to be ticking all the right boxes, but does it boast a greater appeal
More than 20 years after its original PlayStation 1 release, the world of Square Enix's Legend of Mana has gotten a remaster. Are the quality of life improvements worth it, or does the original reign
Nearly ten years after its original entry, Torn Banner Studios' Chivalry 2 is here to bring us more medieval madness. Is the sequel a worthy investment, or should you just stick to the first game?
A little more than a year after its original release, it's now Yuffie's time to shine with the DLC for the Final Fantasy VII Remake. Is Episode INTERmission worth installing the 100+ GB JRPG once
The post Scarlet Nexus Review appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Cosplay Wednesday – Wario and Waluigi
Players will be able to hit the links once more with the release of Mario Golf: Super Rush. A number of fresh faces are set to hit the roster, but we at Gamers Heroes are paying tribute by taking a look at cosplays of two of the series mainstays – Wario and Waluigi.
The dynamic duo of UsernameCosplay and ElvisDitto teamed up for this shoot of them as Wario and Waluigi. The WarioWare version of Wario was picked – a nice touch. ElvisDitto said that he's very happy with how these costumes turned out.
Wario and Waluigi Cosplay
Credit goes to SteamKittens for the photo.
You can find ElvisDitto on DeviantArt here and on Facebook here.
Do you enjoy a bit of gaming cosplay? Or maybe you're passionate enough to do it full time. Drop me a line at casey@gamersheroes.com and we'll feature some of your cosplay.
The post Cosplay Wednesday – Wario and Waluigi appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Legend of Mana Remaster Review
More than 20 years after its original PlayStation 1 release, the world of Square Enix's Legend of Mana has gotten a remaster. Are the quality of life improvements worth it, or does the original reign supreme? Check out our review and find out.
Legend of Mana Remaster Review
When Legend of Mana begins, players choose between a female or male character and then select a weapon. You aren't locked into the weapon choice, but the character is the one you'll be for the entire game. The world you inhabit was once home to a great mana tree that spread magic throughout the world. The tree was burned down, and everyone fought for the remaining mana until there was none left. You start playing at a time when the world is empty, and it's up to you to rebuild it. You then set out from your home on a 25-30 hour adventure.
You begin with your house and a single town to place on the map. The items you place down on the map are called Artifacts. They can be towns, mines, jungles, lakes, and other areas you will explore. Generally, each new Artifact has one quest for you to complete, along with treasure to find. It's an odd system because there isn't a main story for you to follow at first; just a number of minor quests to complete. The only downside to this system is if you don't know where to go for the next quest. There are no waypoints, so often you'll have to speak with everyone you see until someone gives you a mission.
The combat in this game isn't turn-based, but instead features a more action RPG-like system. You get into fights, and then the actual fighting is in real-time. It makes for a hit-and-miss combat system that you can sometimes exploit or be exploited by. You can't swing up or down; just left and right. You have to move your character up and down to get someone above or below you. The hitboxes work the same way; sometimes, you find the mark easy, while other times your weapon goes right through the enemy. That being said, I was able to completely stun lock a couple of bosses by repeatedly doing two-hit combos in the corner. I'm partial to turn-based combat, and this game would have benefited greatly from it.
Legend of Mana also gives players the chance to find monster eggs and hatch them into creatures that travel alongside you. Much like the combat system, the AI leaves much to be desired. Your allies will sometimes be on the opposite side of the screen doing nothing while you are off fighting. Other times, they are taking out three enemies before you can even charge up a special attack. Know what's cool? Consistency. That's a really cool thing to have in combat. If you can play with two people, I recommend it, but you'll also completely dominate the game.
Special attacks are learned from weapons and by crafting instruments to use magic. During combat, you fill up your special bar and press one of the buttons to activate your abilities. These have to do a slight charge up before launching, which often means the enemy will move before you strike. I mostly used large area of effect attacks to avoid this problem. You are invulnerable when charging up your special attack though, meaning you can use it to get out of a sticky situation instead of doing damage.
When you aren't fighting, you will be back at your house doing work around your yard. Here you can forge new equipment, make new instruments, planet seeds, and take care of your monsters. The price of weapons and armor is absurd, so crafting is beneficial. I upgraded from an iron axe to a silver axe as soon as I got blacksmithing and saved about $3,000. Seeds provide food to feed your monsters to make them more powerful or sell for extra cash. Your monsters can join you on your adventure and fight with you. You can send extra monsters to gather items and gain experience when you are away as well.
The monster-catching mini-game probably could have been its own game. You need to find a monster egg and catch it; simple as that. The eggs are moving when you find them, so you need to lure them into food and wait for them to sleep. The problem is if they see you, they run the other way and ignore the food. Each egg hatches a different type of creature, and then you can decide if you keep it, sell it, or have it stay in your barn. You can only hold five, so selling them eventually becomes mandatory. It's a fun little side quest you get to do while playing. The only downside is that there aren't many eggs to find; either that, or I missed them.
As far as improvements are concerned, you can save anywhere and the game autosaves. This is a considerable improvement, because you can easily get killed in battle early on. There is no way to speed things up, but you can turn off encounters if you want. The soundtrack has been rearranged, but you can still use the original music. The PlayStation 4 version used for review had no bugs, crashes, or frame drops.
The Legend of Mana Remaster plays things a bit too safe with its combat system, but this action RPG still proves to be a worthwhile experience. Any old-school Mana fan will not be disappointed.
Fully voiced and available on all major console platforms and PC (barring the Nintendo Switch), Scarlet Nexus definitely looks to be ticking all the right boxes, but does it boast a greater appeal
More than 20 years after its original PlayStation 1 release, the world of Square Enix's Legend of Mana has gotten a remaster. Are the quality of life improvements worth it, or does the original reign
Nearly ten years after its original entry, Torn Banner Studios' Chivalry 2 is here to bring us more medieval madness. Is the sequel a worthy investment, or should you just stick to the first game?
A little more than a year after its original release, it's now Yuffie's time to shine with the DLC for the Final Fantasy VII Remake. Is Episode INTERmission worth installing the 100+ GB JRPG once
The post Legend of Mana Remaster Review appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Green Hell's Spirits of Amazonia Part 2 Expansion Now Available
The prequel story to Creepy Jar's Green Hell, the Spirits of Amazonia Part 2 expansion is now available on the PC.
Part one of the Spirits of Amazonia expansion had players stepping into Jake's shoes once more as he befriended an Amazonian tribe. Part 2 brings with it additional content from new Tribal Legends, the black panther and small tapir, and fully revised map areas that portray how they looked before the base Green Hell Story Mode. Jake also has the ability to equip a two-handed axe.
Learn more with the trailer below:
Green Hell – Spirits of Amazonia Part 2 – Trailer
An open world survival simulatior set in the Amazonian rainforest, Green Hell is currently available for $24.99. There is aslo a further 30% off discount promotion on Steam to celebrate this expansion (you can find the Steam page here).
Note that this update will come to the console versions of the game for free at a later date.
The earliest title in the series' timeline, learn more about the world of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD with the overview trailer for the game
The world of Cold Iron Studios and 20th Century Games' Aliens: Fireteam Elite will make its debut on August 24, 2021
Ahead of its release early next month, see what awaits adventurers in Capcom's Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin with the opening cinematic for the game
The world of Bohemia Interactive's Arma franchise is celebrating 20 years of Arma with rare insights, gifts, and surprises
The post Green Hell's Spirits of Amazonia Part 2 Expansion Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes.
Sonic the Hedgehog DLC for Minecraft Now Available
The team at Mojang is partnering with SEGA to release the Sonic the Hedgehog DLC pack for Minecraft.
Available in the Minecraft Marketplace starting today, fans of the blue blur will be able to celebrate thirty years of Sonic with the latest DLC for the game. This DLC will allow players to explore the Green Hill Zone and Chemical Plant Zone as they collect rings, avoid obstacles, defeat bosses, and build momentum in an attempt to reach a high score.
A Character Creator item will be available for free in the Minecraft Marketplace. Fans can also celebrate Sonic's birthday by joining the special server event; The Hive will soon host a two-week server-hub takeover featuring mini-games and surprises.
Learn more with the official trailer below:
Sonic x Minecraft DLC: Official Trailer
You can learn more about the Minecraft Marketplace here.
The earliest title in the series' timeline, learn more about the world of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD with the overview trailer for the game
The world of Cold Iron Studios and 20th Century Games' Aliens: Fireteam Elite will make its debut on August 24, 2021
Ahead of its release early next month, see what awaits adventurers in Capcom's Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin with the opening cinematic for the game
The world of Bohemia Interactive's Arma franchise is celebrating 20 years of Arma with rare insights, gifts, and surprises
The post Sonic the Hedgehog DLC for Minecraft Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes.