Did I wake you up from your depression nap? How does one even critique a game like Cruelty Squad? It...
The post Review: Cruelty Squad appeared first on Destructoid.
The strongest and most handsome jujutsu sorcerer is now available for pre-order from the Japanese Kotobukiya website.
The post Satoru Gojo ARTFX Figure Shows Off His Hollow Purple Technique appeared first on Siliconera.
Over on EA’s support website, the publisher explained that after the latest Battlefield was revealed at E3 2021, that a huge influx of players has hit Battlefield 4. This has led to extended queue and wait times for some folks jumping back in. To help alleviate that, EA is increasing the server capacity for the game.
Other tidbits from the interview include game-play footage and humorous anecdotes.
The post Lost Judgment Replaces Yagami’s Pinball Machine With a Sega Master System appeared first on Siliconera.
Every Pokemon is interesting and worth talking about. I don’t play a ton of Pokemon, but I do enjoy the universe and I love learning more about the creatures in it. So, Here’s Another Pokemon! It’s Galvantula!
EA has increased the Battlefield 4 server capacity after a player spike following the Battlefield 2042 reveal.
In a post on EA's website, community manager 'Straatford' said the company had noticed queue times in the US West region for the 2013 DICE-developed shooter were far longer than in other regions. In response, EA increased server capacity in this region, so players should expect less waiting to get into a game.
"We were absolutely blown away by your excitement and reactions to the recent Battlefield 2042 reveal," Straatford said.
Outriders' next patch tackles one of the biggest issues with the game: the dreaded grind for legendaries.
In a post on reddit, Outriders' community manager from publisher Square Enix 'thearcan' outlined a raft of changes coming to the looter shooter in a patch set for early next week.
Chief among them is a significant change to legendary drops. Legendary drop rates, across the board, will increase by 100 percent with this update.
Call of Duty: Warzone got a new LMG this week - and already its developer has promised a nerf.
The MG 82, added to the game as a tier 15 unlock from the Season 4 battle pass on Thursday, was soon found to shred enemies extremely quickly - at a time when developer Raven wants to increase Warzone's 'time-to-kill'.
One of the other issues with the gun is it is available out in the field as ground loot. This means players have early access to an extremely strong gun, simply from looting. Sometimes you'll pick up the MG 82 with decent attachments, too.
Hot in the City I don’t know how it is in your neck of the woods, but it’s been El...
The post Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid? appeared first on Destructoid.
Castlevania Advance Collection has been spotted on a ratings board.
The unannounced game popped up on the Australian ratings board, with Konami as publisher and M2 as developer. Platforms are not mentioned.
The suggestion is a collection of some or all the Game Boy Advance Castlevania games is on the way.
Noodlecake Studios' squirrel surveillance game NUTS stands out in particular for its exemplary art style and the way it sounds - no other game gave me the feeling of being in a forest quite like it. The latter aspect is courtesy of Almut Schwacke. Among her many skills - she's a composer, multi-instrumentalist, singer, sound designer and sound editor - I took a particular interest in foley design. Foley design is not a discipline many of us are familiar with, but it's an integral part of sound design.
Schwacke has worked on all things sound in films, TV adverts and games for over 14 years now, and you can find games such as Curious Expedition 1 and 2, Dead Island 2 and Anno 1800 on her resume. In NUTS, her wealth of talent is on full display - not only is it one of the most realistic-sounding virtual forests I've come across in a long time, Swacke also plays the role of your boss Nina, composed the music and performs the ending theme. It was on Schwacke's website that I came across the term foley artist first, neatly separated from sound design work - but why?
According to Schwacke, the term foley artist originated from film. In the era following silent film, sounds were added the same way as music, by artists performing live to the moving picture. Nowadays, that approach isn't as viable anymore, and so we have foley artists matching exactly what you see on screen, as well as sound designers who don't necessarily approach their work as a live performance. This distinction lead to the two different fields of work.
Alright that's it, E3 is over. A weird year, with the organisers struggling to find their footing after they skipped 2020 and other people filled the gap. A weird year of E3 coexisting with a whole lot of NotE3. Had some good-lookin' games, mind. But that's all both the past and the future, what are you playing this weekend?
Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja released the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection today and we can celebrate the launch with a brand new giveaway.
With this giveaway, you can win one of three PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, or PC codes for the game, kindly offered by Koei Tecmo.
The way to get involved is really, really easy.
All you have to do is comment on our articles, everywhere on the site. The more you comment, the better your chances. We want to hear your opinions and insight, and there is no better way for that to happen than sharing your comments with us.
An important caveat is that comments on this post are not eligible for the giveaway. Of course, you’re welcome to comment here, but in order to participate, you need to comment at least on one other article.
On June 18 at 11:59 pm EDT we’ll randomly select three comments made after this post has been published, and the authors of these comments will win a digital download code for Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection including remastered versions of Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Sigma 2, and 3 Razor’s Edge.
Of course, spam comments and throwaway one-liners will be disqualified, as we’d like to promote interesting commentary and conversations among our readers.
The winners will be able to select platforms and regions between PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PC (via Steam), North America, or Europe. IMPORTANT: due to code availability issues, only European copies of the Switch version will be offered. You can still play it anywhere, but you’ll need a European Nintendo account.
Savathun walks among us. The creepiest villain in Destiny 2--one Bungie has been slowly revealing over the course of the last four years--is seen apparently inhabiting some human form in the Last City in a recent lore entry for the Season of the Splicer. Some kind of shape-shifted Savathun is wandering our streets, puking up black stuff, and trying her damnedest to keep from being exposed while she unfurls her various evil machinations on the game's world.
The way Destiny 2 has been building Savathun, one of the three incredibly powerful Hive gods and seemingly the big bad of next year's Witch Queen expansion, has been absolutely masterful. Savathun has been a threat since vanilla Destiny 2, but we've only seen the effects of her influence as her many plans spread out across the game world. She's popped up again and again, but not physically or personally--only as the implied puppet master behind various events. The Dreaming City's whole three-week time-loop curse? That's Savathun. She engineered pretty much everything that happened in the Forsaken expansion--so far as we know, anyway--and has been popping up here and there to be the monkey in the wrench time and time again since then.
EA Sports is trying something new with FIFA Ultimate Team, or FUT, packs during their Festival of FUTball event. Starting today, June 18, the FUT store is swapping out all of the packs with new preview-able versions. None of the potential cards from the packs are changing, but now you can take a peek at the actual contents of a pack in the store before committing to making a purchase.
Here’s how it works according to a post on EA’s FIFA site: “In the FUT Store, you can select a Preview Pack to preview its contents. It’s important to remember that by previewing a pack, you are not yet making a decision to use FUT Coins or FIFA Points to buy the pack. Note the highlighted sections below, which signal that the pack you are selecting is a Preview Pack.”
Looking at a FUT pack’s contents will give the option to buy it or leave it sitting in the shop. Luckily there isn't a cost to preview a pack, though if you decide not to buy one that’s already been scoped out, you’ll have to wait for a timer to expire. Once the time runs up for that pack, it refreshes to a new set of contents. The pack will show some of its cards in the store window to signify it has been previewed. We should also mention that a previewed pack does not display whether its contents are duplicate items the owner may have in their collection, though when you do purchase a pack with duplicates, they can be handled like extras from any other pack.
Don’t get derezzed The sci-fi hacking and exploration action game Recompile is setting a launch window. Developer Phigames and Dear Villagers have...
The post Computerized hacker adventure Recompile will launch this August appeared first on Destructoid.
Kadokawa Games has released a new video, a new picture and new details about its upcoming strategy simulation JRPG Relayer.
Thanks to this new set of assets, we get to know Mercury a little better and we get the introduction of her voice actress Mariko Honda.
The image you can see below shows Mercury in a couple of different poses, while the has Honda-san introduce herself and her character to the fans. You may be familiar with her due to her roles as Yuuko Aioi in Nichijou, Katsumi Nakase in Steins;Gate 0, and more.
The tweets reveal that Mercury is a “serious class rep-type Star Child.” At first she isn’t very social with the rest of the crew of the Asterism, but getting involved with Terra changes that little by little.
When worlds collide, my brain breaks You know how you can play a game for so long, you eventually reach...
The post Seeing Stardew Valley’s Pelican Town in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a trip appeared first on Destructoid.
PlayStation is dropping some new threads and other items in its gear store to celebrate the one year anniversary of The Last of Us Part II’s release. A post on the PlayStation Blog written by Naughty Dog’s Lead Designer of Communications Joshua Bradley runs down some of the items available as of today.
Most impressive on the list of items is one for the collectors out there. A 16” statue featuring a scowling Ellie brandishing a large bowie knife is available to order, though it won’t ship until December. The figure was created using actual in-game assets, an impressive method used to sculpt this collectible. Here’s the product details for this piece:
It’s time to head to Seattle with Ellie from The Last of Us Part II. This Ellie statue shows an angry Ellie with both hands on the machete for extra power ready to strike. Her clothes are ripped and worn but she has revenge on her mind. In-game files were used in creating Ellie (a big thank you to the Naughty Dog team) and she stands approximately 16” tall (i.e. 1:4 scale) from the bottom of the moss covered stone and dirt base to the top of her head. The Ellie statue is made using polystone resin and is skillfully hand-crafted and painted by artisans*. The Ellie statue includes deluxe, full-color packaging, a hand-numbered base and a validation card.Ellie's new statue is priced at $529.99 while supplies last.
Today Capcom released two new TV commercials of its upcoming JRPG Monster Hunter Stories 2.
The videos focus on the depiction of the game’s world and its story, also providing a good look at the cast of characters that we’ll meet in the game.
You can enjoy them below.
Alan Wake Remastered also spotted The PC version of Final Fantasy VII Remake seems like a matter of time. The...
The post Final Fantasy VII Remake is seemingly on course for the Epic Games Store appeared first on Destructoid.
A few weeks ago, I asked Twitter for breaking AAA gaming news, and due to a clerical mix-up was instead inundated by top-notch indie gaming stories. Surely that couldn’t happen again? Spoiler: That happened again.
Alright driving game folks, here's an agility test for you. Absolute Drift is free on GOG until midday on Saturday. I believe in your ability to come in clutch and punch the redeem button before the countdown clock ends. This arcade-y racer has you test your drifting skills in free roam challenges and event challenges to the beat of some sweet tunes. GOG are offering the freebie alongside sales on lots of other driving and racing games in their ongoing summer sale.
For precisely the umpteenth year in a row, Nintendo held yet another E3 Direct presentation with no mention of Bayonetta 3. Despite debuting way back at the 2017 Game Awards as a Switch exclusive title, the game has been radio silent in the years since with the only updates coming in the form of vague reassurances that it's still happening, keeping the hope alive. Nintendo provided another such update during a recent interview with GameSpot.
GameSpot's Tamoor Hussain interviewed Nintendo Treehouse’s Nate Bihldorff and Bill Trinen about the company’s E3 showing and wrapped up the fun conversation by asking the million dollar question: Where is Bayonetta 3? Bihldorff began by confirming that the game “definitely still exists” with Trinen adding that Bayonetta 3 is not only real but is “progressing well”.
“We like to show things when we’re ready to show them, and certainly we like to show things when we think the developers are ready to show them,” explains Trinen before telling fans to “stay tuned”.
You can check out the clip yourselves at the 19:37 mark.
Click here to watch embedded mediaIf you're an Amazon Prime member and have a device with Alexa enabled--including the mobile app--you can currently score some ridiculous deals on a number of Amazon products right now. These are substantially better deals than you'll get ordering them via Amazon.com right now, and buying the new Echo Dot, Fire TV Stick 4K, and Kindle Paperwhite for a big discount is as simple as telling Alexa what to do. Through June 20, you can take advantage of Alexa-exclusive Prime Day deals just by saying, "Alexa, order an Echo Dot"--or any other eligible product that catches your eye.
Some of the items that qualify are both the 3rd Gen Echo Dot and the 4th Gen Echo Dot, available for $20 and $25 respectively when using Alexa. The Fire TV Stick 4K is a ridiculous $25 this way, and it comes with an Alexa-enabled remote. These are all-time lows for these products. Of course, the fact that Amazon is referring to these as "early access deals" means they'll probably be available online for all Prime members come Monday, but why wait until then and risk stock selling out?
Nippon Ichi Software announced a new visual novel titled Kochira, Hahanaru Hoshi Yori.
The game will release in Japan for PS4 and Nintendo switch on Oct. 28, 2021. The title translates as “This way, From the Mother Star” and it’s the new game of a line dedicated to Yuri games launched by Nippon Ichi Software
The character design and the game itself may prove familiar to those who remember Jinrui no Minasama e, as it shares the art by Yuu Akinashi, the relevant production staff, and basically the setting.
While Jinrui no Minasama e was set in an abandoned and overgrown Akihabara, this time the setting is shifted to Ikebukuro.
The story is about six girls surviving in a world in which no one else is left after a virus that allegedly came from space devastated the world.
The girls will have to learn to survive on their own in a world where no one else can help them, while supporting each other.
They wake up in an empty cruise ship, but when they leave they suddenly find themselves in the Ikebukuro district of Tokyo.
While they focus on surviving day after day leaving questions aside, a certain event provides hints about the nature of this strange world.
Below you can watch the trailer of Kochira, Hahanaru Hoshi Yori, alongside the first screenshots and artwork.
Curious about how the story goes in Guilty Gear Strive? Check out our spoiler-free thoughts on what happens in the latest chapter in the series.
The post Guilty Gear Strive Story Finally Offers Answers appeared first on Siliconera.
Just don’t look at the cover Released a scant few months after the Gamecube’s launch, FromSoftware’s Lost Kingdoms was always...
The post Lost Kingdoms is aptly named, considering it’s practically forgotten appeared first on Destructoid.
Pixar’s coming-of-age sea monster fantasy story is this weekend’s must-see movie
After the teaser trailer for Breath of the Wild’s sequel at Nintendo’s E3 2021 Direct, there has been a great deal of speculation regarding the game’s plot. There are many details hidden in the two-minute-long trailer that suggest a number of possibilities and theories for the game.
While we don’t expect every single one of these to actually happen, it’s fun to speculate and imagine what the game could be about. We’ll have to wait until 2022 to play Breath of the Wild’s sequel, so until then, let’s have some fun letting our ideas run wild. Here are four big theories we have about the game.
Taking the ‘F’, the ‘M’, and the ‘V’ out of ‘FMV’ E3 saw Limited Run Games show off its upcoming...
The post Abysmal 3DO ‘classic’ Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties is getting a re-release from Limited Run Games appeared first on Destructoid.
Rumors have circulated for months and months that Nintendo is working on some kind of updated Switch hardware, a "Nintendo Switch Pro" that would feature a bigger screen and be capable of outputting in 4K resolution. But E3 has come and gone and Nintendo didn’t announce any such device. Is all hope gone that we could see an upgraded Switch before the end of the year? Maybe. Or maybe not. Nintendo is keeping all of its cards very close to the vest.
President of Nintendo of America Doug Bowser addressed some of the Switch Pro rumors in a recent interview with The Washington Post, saying, “We are always looking at technology and how technology can enhance gameplay experiences. It’s not technology for technology’s sake. It’s how specifically can technology enhance a gameplay experience. And then where do you apply that technology? Do you want to apply it on current existing hardware or platforms, or do you want to wait for the next platform? And then what’s the right gameplay experience with that? There’s a host of factors that goes into it, and it’s something we’re always looking at.”
Amazon Prime Day 2021 kicks off this coming Monday, June 21, and while there's certain to be a number of big-ticket items on sale, you'll also find plenty of gaming and tech products under $50 that won't break the bank. We've scoured through the early deals to find the best items, but make sure to keep checking during Prime Day itself, as we'll be adding even more budget-friendly deals to this list.
Some of the best Prime Day deals under $50 include a great Turtle Beach headset, products from Amazon's own tech lineup (including the new Luna Controller), and a cool piece of Nintendo nostalgia in the form of the Super Mario Bros. Game and Watch. Plus, catch up on more of the best Prime Day deals, including TV deals, monitor deals, PlayStation deals, Nintendo Switch deals, and Xbox deals.
Niantic has responded to reports that a recent update to Pokémon Go is causing flashing images that could cause photosensitive players to suffer potential harm. The developer replied to various outlets explaining that they are working “as quickly as possible” to correct the issue.
One of the big surprises at E3 this year was the debut of Mario Party Superstars, a new game in the Mario Party Series. If you’re not up to date, Mario Party Superstars is essentially a “Best Of” collection of Mario Party boards and mini-games from throughout the N64-era of Mario Party, regarded as the golden age of the series for many.
It will launch on Oct. 26 with 100 classic mini-games across 5 N64-era boards which includes Peach’s Birthday Cake from the original Mario Party game.
It will support a full online experience. You’ll be able to matchmake with random people online to play full games, or you can play online with friends and even save your progress if you all want to take a break midway and continue later. This is a major step up from the state that Super Mario Party’s online play was in when it launched a couple of years ago.
And that kind of leads me right into why I’m writing this article: Mario Party Superstars really kind of irks me. No, it has nothing to do with the concept; I don’t care that they are rehashing old content and reselling it to me for $60. I love wearing rose-tinted glasses and you can inject N64 nostalgia directly into my veins, no issues for me on that one.
No, instead, my issue is that I bought Super Mario Party in late 2018 when it was kind of a barebones experience. While it was a great return to form in terms of game structure, its small handful of boards were very small and got old quite fast.
I'm happy to report that I've had a successful Steam Next Fest already. I promised myself I'd play at least one of the over 700 demos that are free on Steam until Tuesday—and I did. I've actually played three now, but Toem has been my favorite by far. It's an adventure game about taking photos and helping folks along your way to visit a magical phenomenon. In just over an hour, I went to a bear rave, played games with ghosts, and paid for my bus pass via stamp rally. It was a grand time and I'm keen on playing the full release.
Listed as multi-platform and developed by M2 I don’t know why it’s happening all of a sudden, but I love...
The post Castlevania Advance Collection was rated in Australia and my wallet is so ready appeared first on Destructoid.
If an Australian Classification Board rating is anything to go on, it appears Castlevania's Game Boy Advance entries are going to find a home on new systems. The Castlevania Advance Collection has been rated for a multiplatform launch, and the listed developer should have fans very excited.
The rating page on the Australian Classification Board website, which was just published June 18, gives the collection an M rating, which is not the same as the ESRB's M rating--it's more in line with a T rating and doesn't require any sort of restrictions on purchases.
No individual games are listed on the page, but a compilation with this name will almost certainly include Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, and Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow--all of which original released for the Game Boy Advance. The three acclaimed games were built on the metroidvania formula established in Symphony of the Night, which would become the standard for the series for about a decade.
Konami, naturally, is listed as the publisher of the collection, and M2 is listed as the developer. M2 has done excellent work on porting retro games for years, and it partnered with Konami to create the software for the TurboGrafx-16 Mini console, which itself included a Castlevania game, Rondo of Blood. That game is, for some reason, even getting a re-release on the long-discontinued TurboDuo console via Limited Run Games. M2 also developed the Castlevania Anniversary Collection back in 2019.
Crammed with action and bizarre, symbolic characters, this is a standout action series