Aug 23, 08:00


GamersHeroes Wednesday, August 23, 2023 4:01 AM
    

Nexon and Nexon Games, during Gamescom's Opening Light Night event, revealed an exciting new trailer for the upcoming release of the free-to-play looter shooter, The First Descendant.

The post Epic New Trailer For Free-To-Play Looter Shooter The First Descendant appeared first on GamersHeroes.


GamersHeroes Wednesday, August 23, 2023 3:40 AM
    

During 2023's Opening Night Live Gamescom event, developers Phoenix Labs released an exciting new trailer and post-launch content and support plans for the upcoming cozy farming sim, Fae Farm.

The post New Launch Trailer For Delightfully Cozy Farming Sim Fae Farm appeared first on GamersHeroes.


GamersHeroes Wednesday, August 23, 2023 3:23 AM
    

Gamescom's Opening Night Live kicked off in true epic fashion last night with a flurry of exciting announcements, reveals, and invasions. Nexon, a leading publisher of free-to-play titles, confirmed the upcoming Early Access launch of its epic 12 vs. 12 fantasy brawler, Warhaven, alongside a number of huge changes from the previous beta event.

The post Huge Changes For Warhaven Confirmed – Release Date Announced appeared first on GamersHeroes.


Kotaku Wednesday, August 23, 2023 3:30 AM
    

I've only played about a dozen hours of a Yakuza/Like a Dragon game because I swore a blood oath that I wouldn't play another one of those until a friend of mine played the Danganronpa games, but Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, shows a lot has changed since I Yakuza Zero. The main change being that…

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Kotaku Wednesday, August 23, 2023 3:15 AM
    

After spending time with Persona 5 Tactica, the upcoming tactics-based spin-off reuniting the Phantom Thieves for another adventure, I'm intrigued by how P-Studio has recontextualized long-time mechanics for a different subgenre. I got hands-on time with the game alongside a separate demo of Persona 3 Reload, and…

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Kotaku Wednesday, August 23, 2023 3:00 AM
    

I fucking love Persona 3. On any given day I could say it's my favorite entry in Atlus' supernatural teenage life sim RPG series, or at the very least tied with Persona 5 Royal. That's why Persona 3 Reload, which remakes the 2006 game from the ground up,  is such a treat. I spent around 45 minutes with the upcoming…

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PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 7:52 AM
     Starfield max level speculation

What is the Starfield max level? If you're wondering how leveling works in Starfield and whether there's a cap on the level you can reach, we explore everything we know about the space game's character levels.

Thanks to the Starfield showcase, we've seen plenty of gameplay and know a lot more about the open-world game as we approach the Starfield release date. Though we don't know if there's a level cap, we can speculate based on the Starfield creatures, Starfield planets, and Starfield missions, on what that could look like in the RPG game.

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

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 7:50 AM
     Diablo 4 hotfix rolls back broken Heart of the Barber glitch

Blizzard has undone its most recent Diablo 4 hotfix because it interfered with the functionality of the Caged Heart of the Barber, one of the most useful artefacts in Diablo 4. Malignant Hearts are part of the online action RPG game's first season and, while undoubtedly powerful, the Barber Heart has become the subject of some player controversy.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo 4 builds, Diablo 4 review, Diablo 4 classes

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 7:07 AM
     Mortal Kombat 1 release date, gameplay, and trailers

What is the Mortal Kombat 1 release date? Mortal Kombat 1 is the next installment in NetherRealm's series and has been teased almost infinitely on various channels. Finally, though, the announcement has landed and we've scoured the corners of the internet to bring you all of the latest trailers, news, and gameplay.

The fighting game is a reboot of sorts that sees new mechanics such as the Kameo system, and a story that features familiar characters. And that's before we get into the fact that Jean-Claude Van Damme is involved in Mortal Kombat 1. Intrigued? We were too, so we put all of the information in one handy hub for you to peruse.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Mortal Kombat 1 characters, Mortal Kombat 1 release date, Mortal Kombat 1 system requirements

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 6:52 AM
     League of Legends Mastery is finally changing, Riot says

If you, like me, are actually semi-decent at League of Legends, you'll likely have a whole slew of Mastery shards sitting in your loot tab. At the moment, you need to collect several Mastery shards, as well as blue essence, or a champion shard in order to increase your status in the MOBA (you can also sacrifice the champion, but who does that?). However experience designer on League of Legends, Jordan 'BarackProbama' Checkman, hints that the current system might change in the future - and I am elated.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: League of Legends Arena tier list, League of Legends patch 13.16, League of Legends tier list

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 6:46 AM
     Armored Core 6 release times for every region

The Armored Core 6 release times are nearly upon us, letting you strap yourself into a heavily armored but surprisingly manoeuvrable death machine. But with the game less than two days away, just when will you be able to fire up your mech in the robot game? Developer FromSoftware has helpfully revealed Armored Core 6's precise Steam release times.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Armored Core 6 bosses, Armored Core 6 release date, Games like Dark Souls

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 6:44 AM
     Beloved Star Wars game Dark Forces is back, nearly 30 years on

The Star Wars Dark Forces Remaster finally gives one of the best Star Wars games, albeit often one of the more underappreciated entries, the love it truly deserves. As the origin point for the beloved Jedi Knight series, Star Wars Dark Forces is a classic of the '90s, blending Doom and Star Wars to make something truly memorable that has stood the test of time. Now Nightdive Studios, the studio behind the recent Quake 2 Remastered and the System Shock Enhanced Editions, is bringing it back in full 4K, 120fps glory.


PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 6:40 AM
     Diablo 4 Season 2 release date – Season of Blood

When does Diablo 4 Season 2 begin? Taking over once you've cleared up the malignance spreading across Sanctuary in season one, the next chapter in D4's hellish, blood-soaked story includes vampires, vampire hunters (naturally), and a new, inspirational sidekick voiced by Marvel actor Gemma Chan.

We've already calculated how long you'll need to finish each of the Diablo 4 seasons, vital knowledge when it comes to collecting all those Unique items and Legendary Aspects that will be seasonal exclusives. Similarly, the arrival of Season of Blood determines exactly when your Diablo 4 characters will transfer to the Eternal Realm at the end of Season 1.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo 4 builds, Diablo 4 review, Diablo 4 classes

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 6:55 AM
     Tekken 8 roster – every confirmed and leaked character

August 22, 2023: Added entries for Dragunov, Shaheen, Steve Fox, Leo, Yoshimitsu, and Kuma.

Which characters are in Tekken 8? Over the years, many fighters have participated in the King of Iron Fist Tournaments, but the latest installment sees the absence of one key face in particular. Heihatchi Mishima is officially dead, and now the world's fate is in the hands of those rising to face his demonic son, Kazuya. Some directly oppose him, whereas others fight for their own ambitions.

Most of the characters in the Tekken 8 roster so far revealed are returning characters, and we've had enough time with some of them that we've got a Tekken 8 tier list that shows how good they are during the early stages of development. Some fighters have been with the fighting game series since the beginning, whereas others are more recent inclusions, and one character is even making a long-awaited comeback in Tekken 8. With 24 characters officially revealed and a recent potential leak showing a couple more, while we wait for the Tekken 8 release date, here is everything we know about the roster so far.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Tekken 8 roster, Tekken 8 release date, The best fighting games on PC

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 7:22 AM
     All Starfield factions and groups

What are all the Starfield factions? Many Starfield factions live in the Settled Systems, all with wildly different ideologies, areas of expertise, and fashion sense. While this upcoming space game will likely play into the fear of the unknown that's synonymous with the inky black expanse of the cosmos, it's still your fellow humans who pose the greatest threat to your survival.

When you begin your voyage in the space game, you are doing so on behalf of Constellation, one of at least seven different Starfield factions. As a new Constellation recruit, it's your mission in potentially one of the best PC games to seek out and expose the secrets of the known galaxy. As a result, you may come face-to-face with one of the other factions during your travels in Starfield, and first impressions are vitally important.

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

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 6:07 AM
     Huge Valheim update Hildir's Request is live – patch notes 0.217.14

Valheim update Hildir's Request has arrived on live servers. If you've been waiting for the big overhaul to move to the game proper, it's now time to jump on and find Hildir in Valheim. The sister to Haldor, Hildir the merchant follows in his profession - but has run into troubles with missing stock in the Viking co-op survival game. The update also includes the introduction of difficulty modifiers, and developer Iron Gate is running a Valheim contest titled the Trial of Tyr for the toughest hardcore players to prove themselves.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games , Best Valheim mods, Valheim console commands and cheats

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 6:01 AM
     The best thin and light gaming laptops of 2023

There are plenty of reasons to opt for a gaming laptop, not least being able to play your favorite games wherever you are. And whether away from your desk or on the move, a thin and light model offers the best in gaming portability.

Portability doesn't necessarily mean sacrificing power, either. Today's thin and light laptops combine lightweight materials, sophisticated cooling tech, and smaller components to deliver comparable gaming performance to thicker laptops and the best gaming PCs

Compact laptops are usually thinner than 1 inch and under 2 kg in weight, making porting them around a breeze. Their aesthetics have recently erred on the restrained side too, combining clean lines and minimalist designs that make them suitable for the office or library as well as home.

With a dizzying array of choices, we've shared advice on how to choose a thin and light gaming laptop at the bottom of this guide. Design is important if you want a sleek laptop that could look the part in the office or library and still have pride of place as a mainline gaming rig.

Next up are the capabilities of its GPU and CPU, and display quality — size, resolution, refresh rate, and pixel density. All the compact gaming laptops in this guide have at least 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of disk drive space.

We really rate the latest Asus Zephyrus G14 series of Asus gaming laptops. It offers a gorgeously light chassis surrounding blisteringly powerful hardware that'll set you up for years to come. Expect to pay a premium for the latest in benchmark-busting performance, though. 

If you're more budget focused, we'd point you in the direction of the MSI GF63 Thin. It cleverly blends a high-end RTX GPU with slightly lower-spec hardware, but at under $1,000/£1,000, it's an absolute steal. 

With all the above in mind, it can get overwhelming thinking about GPUs, CPUs, PPIs, and QHDs. Luckily, we've found some key contenders for a variety of uses, needs, and budgets.

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

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 6:13 AM
     Lords of the Fallen release date, trailers, gameplay, and story

What is the Lords of the Fallen release date? The soulslike RPG is back this year from CI Games, so here's everything players can expect from the reboot of the beloved action game. Lords of the Fallen is set a thousand years after the first game, boasting a map that's five times larger than the original 2014 title.

If you're counting down the days to the Lords of the Fallen release date, then be sure to check out PCGamesN's very own Lords of the Fallen preview, which charts our own experience with the first three hours of the action-adventure game. We've also got the Lords of the Fallen system requirements to help you prepare for your journey ahead of time. All that said, here's everything we know about Lords of the Fallen, including the release date.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best soulslike games, Best RPG games, Best fantasy games

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 6:36 AM
     Assassin's Creed Mirage release date, news, and gameplay

When is the Assassin's Creed release date? We know that Mirage is an homage to the original Assassin's Creed games, bringing back the stealth-focused gameplay in a densely populated Middle-Eastern city. While it's still an action-adventure game with a strong narrative focus, long-time Assassin's Creed players will be reminded of Ezio's adventures rather than Eivor's.

Assassin's Creed Mirage, announced in September 2022, is part of Ubisoft's larger Assassin's Creed series. Following the release of Valhalla back in 2020, it's the thirteenth major instalment. Like other AC games, Mirage is all about fascinating historical settings, intriguing characters, and stealth - something that will hopefully place Mirage among the best PC games when it eventually releases. Whether you're a veteran assassin or new to stealth games, here's everything we know about the AC Mirage release date and gameplay.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Assassin's Creed Mirage release date, Best stealth games, Best RPG games

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 5:58 AM
     Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 release date and beta details

When is the Modern Warfare 3 release date? There were rumors last year that Activision might be taking a break from its annual cycle of Call of Duty games, giving Sledgehammer Games more time to craft a sequel.

Modern Warfare 2 was originally intended to last two years, with Sledgehammer Games set to work on a 'premium release' expansion to continue the FPS game's single-player campaign. This plan pivoted to a full-blown release, and now we know Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 launches later this year. MW3 is set to become one of the biggest upcoming games, so here's everything we know about the MW3 release date, including the latest rumors and leaks.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, CoD Modern Warfare 3 release date, Best war games

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 5:55 AM
     Payday 3 system requirements

What are Payday 3 system requirements? You won't need a particularly beefy gaming PC to cause mayhem in Payday 3, as the co-op shooter will run on pretty old hardware.

Continue reading Payday 3 system requirements
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best co-op games on PC, The best crime games on PC, The best FPS games

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 6:51 AM
     Tekken 8 release date, betas, and trailers

When is the Tekken 8 release date? As one of the biggest fighting games in the world, Tekken 7 was the most impressive game in the series to date, so it's no surprise that fans are excited to see what the developers have in store for the next entry.

One of the most highly anticipated fighting games got its big reveal during September's Sony State of Play, pleasantly surprising Tekken fans with the shock reveal that Tekken 8 was in development, with a trailer premiering showcasing gameplay in the new game engine. Given the critical and commercial success of Tekken 7, there's a strong possibility Tekken 8 will end up on our best PC games list in the future. Now that we've seen a fair bit of the game, here's everything we know about the Tekken 8 release date, trailers, gameplay, story, and more.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Tekken 8 roster, Tekken 8 release date, The best fighting games on PC

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 5:40 AM
     Lords of the Fallen system requirements

What are the Lords of the Fallen system requirements? In a game with a world as detailed as Lords of the Fallen, you're going to want a set-up that can truly bring the grand, gothic atmosphere to life. Hexworks has outlined the best specifications for the job, so you can focus purely on feeling immersed during your journey between the land of the living, and the land of the dead, to take down the resurrected demon God.

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

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 5:33 AM
     Mortal Kombat 1 system requirements

What are the Mortal Kombat 1 system requirements?  MK1 specs won't finish your PC off with a fatality, but you'll need a spacious SSD to install the iconic reboot. Naturally, you'll want to play the fighting game using a relatively new graphics card to increase frame rates and embrace higher resolutions, even if it will technically run on a GPU from nearly ten years ago.

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

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 6:04 AM
     Homeworld 3 release date, gameplay, trailers, and more

What is the Homeworld 3 release date? Homeworld is back and this time Blackbird Interactive and Gearbox Publishing are at the helm of the project and aiming to deliver the long-awaited experience that meets fans' expectations. What have we seen so far from the game and what can you expect from it once it releases?

Announced at PAX West 2019 Homeworld 3 quickly met its crowdfunding goal by one hundred million percent after Gearbox Publishing only asked for $1. With fans of the series waiting patiently for so long for their backer rewards and the next entry in the series, the game has seen some quiet periods and a delay, which has stalled excitement somewhat over the last year or so. But, with the release date finally on the horizon, expect to see a lot more on top of what we already know about what will hopefully be one of the best PC games of 2024.


PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 5:52 AM
     Lies of P release date, trailers, gameplay, story, and more

When is the Lies of P release date? Lies of P is a third-person action game from Neowiz Games based on the famous tale of the living puppet named Pinocchio. This is a gritty reboot of the classic Pinocchio story, so if you're familiar with the classic Disney movie, there's a good chance we're going to see some reoccurring themes crop up.

Lies of P is set in a gloomy steampunk environment filled with extremely dangerous fiends, promising to be a true Dark Souls-like experience featuring RPG game elements. If this action game has piqued your interest, let's have a truthful look at the Lies of P release date, gameplay, story, and scary coffin-carrying bunnies of doom.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Upcoming PC Games, Best PC RPGs, Best games like Dark Souls

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 5:19 AM
     Stream Starfield on launch day via the Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung is offering you another way to play Starfield, and all you need is a compatible gaming monitor and a Game Pass subscription. Thanks to a partnership from Samsung and Bethesda that will see the studio's upcoming sci-fi RPG, Starfield, be available to stream through the Samsung Gaming Hub.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Samsung 970 EVO 1TB review, Best SSD for gaming, Best gaming monitor

PCGamesN Wednesday, August 23, 2023 6:26 AM
     The new Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is likely too much monitor for your PC

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 57-inch and upgraded Samsung Odyssey Ark 55-inch (model G97NC) are the latest additions to the Samsung Odyssey gaming monitor series. The former of which is the first dual UHD monitor to hit the market, with an astoundingly high resolution that's sure to provide unparalleled immersion and test any graphics card.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Samsung 970 EVO 1TB review, Best SSD for gaming, Best gaming monitor

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, August 23, 2023 6:46 AM
    

We already knew that roguelite sequel Streets Of Rogue 2 was going open world, but we finally saw the free-flowing chaos in action at last night's Gamescom blowout. The immersive sim playground, sequel to an RPS favourite from 2019, looks even more over-the-top than the original. You can smash through buildings in a truck. Or smash through buildings on horseback. Or smash through buildings as a giant gorilla. Or... you get the gist. In other words, there should be a metric mega-ton of options when the game hits early access next year, as you'd expect if you played the first Streets Of Rogue.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, August 23, 2023 4:15 AM
    

Tencent are bringing back NovaLogic's venerable tactical FPS series Delta Force. Created by Shenzen-based TiMI Studios, who have now acquired the IP from THQ Nordic, the new Delta Force will be a free-to-play military-realist PvP shooter set on destructible maps featuring driveable vehicles and aircraft, with dynamic weather and a variety of enemy factions and classes. It'll launch in 2024 across PC, consoles and mobile, and will support crossplay.

The original Delta Force launched in 1998, which was a busy year for videogames: it saw the release of Half-Life, Starcraft, Thief: The Dark Project, Baldur's Gate, Fallout 2 and Grim Fandango, together with Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Metal Gear Solid on the console side. I'm not sure Delta Force can hold a candle to any of those, but it had a decent critical reception and attracted enough fans to spawn a fairly staggering number of sequels. It stands apart in my memory mostly for its huge draw distances and its corresponding emphasis on long-distance firefights.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, August 23, 2023 4:00 AM
    

Revealed last night at Gamescom 2023's Opening Night Live, we now know that Little Nightmares 3 is indeed a thing, coming in 2024. It's being made by Supermassive Games, who specialise in horror games (although not quite the same as the nitty-gritty childhood terrors style of Little Nightmares). Following the trajectory of the previous two games, Little Nightmares the third has two controllable protagonists, so you can play in co-op. It also has a tie-in podcast, to build out some of the Little Nightmares lore, a thing you might not have known existed.

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Siliconera Wednesday, August 23, 2023 4:00 AM
    

Preview: Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name Is Classic Yakuza Fun

A helicopter flies above a massive tanker, neon lights slipping through stacked crates that hide an opulent playground and enormous golden castle. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name's camera pulls away to reveal Kazuma Kiryu, former protagonist of the Yakuza series, accompanied by a mysterious young woman. She explains that this is the "Castle," a place where only those part of the underground can access. Here is where Kiryu — now named Joryu — seeks answers to yet another mystery set in the series universe, and one that will inevitably pull him back into the life he so desperately tried to get away from.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a miniature adventure in the Yakuza (now Like a Dragon) series. It stars Kiryu, a character those familiar with the franchise will most certainly recognize. While Sega has revealed this is just a smaller piece of a larger story, the area they've created feels in line with other locales that have appeared in the franchise. Kiryu also comes equipped with a plethora of new toys, now that he's donning a new identity and new outfit, Ryu Ga Gotuku Studios has mixed it up a bit while still keeping the familiar in tact. I wasn't given access to any major story beats during the preview, despite being briefly introduced to Akame, the mysterious young woman who flew Kiryu to the Castle in a helicopter.

In terms of combat, there are a total of four different types of tools at your disposal. While they may be described as "styles" that are not at all functionally similar to the style system that appeared in Yakuza 0 and Yakuza. Instead, Hornet, Spider, Firefly and Serpent function more like special moves you can perform when holding down certain face buttons. Spider allows you to grab one enemy and whip them around with reckless abandon, Hornet summons a drone, Firefly drops a bomb wherever you're standing, and Serpent allows you to rocket around the area to knock down and damage enemies like rocket boots. These add some variety to "Joryu'"s Agent style, though I was reassured that players would be able to swap back to the bread and butter brawling style fans of the series know and love. You can also power up your attacks with the right trigger, which is great when surrounded by enemies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5uq1i7vt9k&ab_channel=SEGA
Overall, the Agent style in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name reminded me a lot of how Akiyama controlled in Yakuza 4. For a man pushing 55, Kiryu is as spry as ever. He can slide around on his knees, performing sweeping kicks to launch enemies in the air. Your jabs are also much faster, but do a little less damage than what I was used to, which meant I'd need to incorporate these new tools into my combo. I liked Spider the best, with Firefly being an interesting one to use when I could corral enemies around the bomb to deal some massive area of effect damage. But being me, I mostly kept it to kicks and punches, getting used to how this new style for Kiryu controlled. Regardless, it was a lot of fun and way more fast-paced, which made fights in the Colosseum a breeze.

The Colosseum is one of the several attractions on the Castle, a tanker just off the coast of Japan that functions as a playground for the most nefarious members of the underground. Two modes were available for me to try. One involved a "time attack" mode, where I needed to kill enemies within a specific limit. The second required me to kill 100 enemies to see the finish line. What was interesting about these modes is that you could form teams with a wide variety of colorful characters like Chicken Man, who is a man wearing a chicken mask, or series favorite Goro Majima.

You can even play as these characters, and for the wave clear mode I picked Majima. He wasn't as agile as he was in Yakuza 0, which makes sense. He's a lot older now, but he dealt a far more considerable amount of damage than Kiryu. I was slicing through enemies with ease, dodging around the arena and kicking and stabbing with that kind of finesse only Majima has. It was nice having the chance to play him, because he really does function differently than Kiryu, and adds a level of reliability to this game mode.
[caption id="attachment_979239" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Preview: Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name Is Classic Yakuza Fun Image via Sega[/caption]
The Castle has other attractions too, which includes the cabaret club, gambling, and a boutique. The cabaret club is exactly the same as it is in previous games. Kiryu can spend his down time getting to know the individual hostesses and chat with them. And if you think you have an excess of funds you can always gamble it away, or go to the boutique to dress him up. Since this was a new feature, I ran to the boutique to check it out. There are a handful of ways you can customize Kiryu, which boils down to the kind of suit he wears, including the color and texture, and various accessories. While a mostly shirtless outfit was available (with Kiryu only wearing a blazer), I opted for a garish pink suit with white shoes. You could also select the wetsuit from Yakuza 6, and several different kinds of suit combinations, with your selection being shown in a little fashion show after.

Overall, there seems to be a decent amount of things to do in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, and my impressions are fairly positive. The Castle is gorgeous and looks a bit like a bite-sized Sotenbori with its plethora of neon signs and over-designed signage, and the massive golden castle sitting smackdab in the middle. It was fun, and Kiryu's new style is an interesting addition that will help freshen up gameplay. I'm interested to see what The Man Who Erased His Name will add to Kiryu's story, and what his return means to the franchise at large.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name will come out on November 9, 2023 for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC.

The post Preview: Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name Is Classic Yakuza Fun appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, August 23, 2023 3:30 AM
    

Preview- Persona 5 Tactica Is a Twist on the Familiar 1

Atlus decided to take the Persona series in an entirely different direction with at least with one of its spin-off titles. Persona 5 Tactica is exactly what you'd expect from its title. It's a tactical game set in the universe of Persona 5. Featuring an entirely new story with a returning cast of characters, it's a new spin on something familiar. And while it being a tactics title may turn some off, it's more than accommodating to those unfamiliar with the genre.

Persona 5 Tactica features a wide range of difficulty modes, which makes it approachable to players who are otherwise unfamiliar with tactics games. The easiest difficulty is more focused on story, allowing you to clear stages with ease even if you don't play the game as intended. Which is great, since Persona 5 Tactica is a lot deeper than one might expect.

Instead of traditional tile based movement, players can move their individual party members freely over a set radius. While your end point will always be a title, the game provides a decent illusion of being more dynamic than other games that share the genre, like Fire Emblem or Tactics Ogre. Additionally, line of sight will be important when attacking foes, especially at a distance, because if your line of sight is broken by a party member you will not be able to attack an enemy. This makes unit placement your primary concern, along with taking cover.
[caption id="attachment_979208" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Preview- Persona 5 Tactica Is a Twist on the Familiar 2 Image via Atlus[/caption]
The cover mechanic is something all players will want to keep in mind, as taking cover can either reduce or completely negate damage. This goes both ways, as any enemies behind cover will take reduced damage. Your party will need to use melee attacks to knock enemies out of cover and strategically push them around the field to deal the full amount of damage with your ranged attacks. Additionally, lining up your characters into a triangle formation will allow you to perform a Triple Threat attack (which is the game's All Out Attack), with any enemy caught in the triangle taking significant damage.

You can also use your Personas to perform special attacks. These vary between characters, with some providing debuffs and others performing area of effect attacks. These are mostly situational and do require some positioning to use effectively. There is also an entirely new character introduced in Persona 5 Tactica, Erina. I wasn't given the opportunity to really get to know her, outside of her melee skill which knocks enemies back a few tiles and was useful in positioning enemies in later fights.

And Persona 5 Tactica is just as stylish as Persona 5, with menus consisting of slick motion graphics and loading screens awash in swirling patterns of red and black. It's everything you would expect from a Persona 5 spin-off, even if the visual style is more in line with Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt. Characters are still incredibly animated, and the 3D style works well with the simplified designs of Persona 5's colorful cast of characters. The environments I saw were sparsely detailed, but were effective in their design — mostly because they served as battlefields over explorable areas where you could interact with NPCs.
[caption id="attachment_979209" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Preview- Persona 5 Tactica Is a Twist on the Familiar 3 Image via Atlus[/caption]
Major cutscenes are in 3D and are cel shaded, and works well with the style. There are of course dialogue boxes that pop up when characters are communicating with one another, and these are accompanied by small illustrations. I was given a small glimpse into the narrative as well, which focuses on the disappearance of a political candidate for the Japanese Diet. The Phantom Thieves are then sucked back into the Metaverse, now tangled up in this new mystery.

Overall, Persona 5 Tactica is a great entry for those new to the genre, and is a treat for returning fans of Persona 5 specifically. The combat is snappy and fun, and if you put in enough effort feels extremely rewarding. It's a game that will definitely take some time to master, but feel rewarding if you do. And while I wasn't the biggest fan of Persona 5, I'm actually willing to give this game a spin based on what I played.

Persona 5 Tactica is in development and will come out on November 17, 2023 for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC via Steam.

The post Preview: Persona 5 Tactica Is a Twist on the Familiar appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, August 23, 2023 3:01 AM
    

Preview: Persona 3 Reload Is Nostalgic in the Best Way Possible

Persona 3 Reload is a ground-up remake of the original Persona 3 — a game considered to be the highlight of the long-running franchise. Recreated in Unreal Engine, it looks phenomenal. Character renders and artwork look great, the menu is just as stylish as ever, and more than anything, it captures the essence of Persona 3 and what made it so great to begin with.

I had the opportunity to play through two segments of Persona 3 Reload, which included exploring the early levels of the near endless dungeon of Tartarus, and a more story heavy encounter on a train. Both of these segments ended with a boss fight, and each of them were fairly easy.

However, I walked into the game with prior knowledge of Persona 3, which immediately came flooding back to me the moment "Mass Destruction" (the game's battle theme) began to play. I remembered which enemies had which elemental weaknesses, and took advantage of downing them to perform an All Out Attack, making quick work of whatever stood in my path. For those unfamiliar with the system, taking advantage of elemental weaknesses means you can perform an additional attack, with the potential to knock all enemies encountered to the ground. This always feels satisfying and keeps the tempo of combat going strong.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnZJL1Mg900&ab_channel=OfficialATLUSWest
This is especially important when you explore Tartarus. Enemies appear in the form of "shadows" that you choose to engage or avoid as they roam each floor. Fighting them and performing All Out Attacks will reward you with buffs that last for your Tartarus run, or Personas — summons you can equip that have their own set of abilities. I fought every available enemy in Tartarus, snatching up any Personas I could just to see what was available. I managed to obtain Angel and Pixie, but still ended up using Orpheus, the protagonist's "canon" Persona since everything on the level was weak to Agi.

Yukari provided support, topping my part up when our HP got too low. Her healing was generally stronger than the items I found along the way. And Junpei provided the extra DPS I needed to finish off enemies if I wasn't performing an All Out Attack. Party synergy was high and I mowed down enemies before reaching the final level of Tartarus I had access to. And in a matter of three turns the boss that awaited me was down and I moved on to the next segment, which was the train players explore fairly early on.

Much like Tartarus I took advantage of knocking down enemies and eliminating them swiftly with an All Out Attack, or just finishing them off with your standard attacks. This section is more story focused, with the party investigating a mysterious train during the Dark Hour. Dialogue can be sped up, but these micro cutscenes cannot be skipped entirely. Which means if you fail a segment you can just rush through the dialogue automatically, sort of like fastforwarding on a VHS tape or hitting that 2x speed button on a YouTube video.
[caption id="attachment_979198" align="alignnone" width="1200"]persona 3 reload 3 Image via Atlus[/caption]
This segment also ended in a boss fight, which was timed. The more you chunked down the boss she would speed up how fast the train was moving, cutting away more than a handful of minutes from your timer. It adds a level of tension as you start with roughly 30 minutes, but end with barely three remaining depending on how quickly you get through it. She also summons adds, but can be quickly disposed of if you have the right Personas equipped.

One thing I did notice, however, was that Yumi Kawamura, the lead vocalist for Persona 3, didn't come back to re-record music for the game. It wasn't obvious at first, but when certain tracks played out it was more noticeable. And it isn't an issue, but definitely pulled me out of the game for a hot second. However, the new vocalist is just as good and the tracks are effectively the same and always easy to listen to. Additionally, the new voice cast is great and does a great job emulating the previous voice actors while also adding their own flourishes. I especially loved Yukari, Junpei, and Mitsuru's new voices. Aleks Le is also great as the protagonist, even if you really only hear him shout "Persona!" or grunt in pain, he sounds identical to the previous voice actor.

Even though my time playing Persona 3 Reload was relatively brief, it brought me back to sitting in my room as a teenager, cross legged and roaming Tartarus well into the early hours of the morning. It made me remember what I initially loved about the Persona series, flaws and all, as it drew me back in with its memorable score and simple yet effective combat system. It shows me that the Persona 3 I loved is back, and that new fans will get to experience perhaps one of the best entries in the series. And honestly, what more could you ask for from a ground-up remake?

Persona 3 Reload is in development and will come out on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass, and Windows PC via Steam some time in early 2024.

The post Preview: Persona 3 Reload Is Nostalgic in the Best Way Possible appeared first on Siliconera.


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