It's rare for me to want to play a game just to appreciate its environmental artwork, doubly so when it's stranded on a less-than-ideal platform like Apple Arcade. But that's where I'm at with Fantasian, a new RPG from Mistwalker (Terra Battle, Lost Odyssey) that's set in a painstaking world of miniatures.

I can't get over the craftsmanship that went into creating "over 150 handmade dioramas" for this game. Creators from Godzilla, Attack on Titan, and Ultraman helped establish the miniaturized look.

Hironobu Sakaguchi and co. know what they're dealing with here: there's a built-in way to postpone the random JRPG battles in Fantasian so that you can breezily take in the sights and sounds "uninterrupted."

A so-called Dimengeon Battle mechanic lets you push "previously encountered" foes into a "separate dimensional dungeon," at which point you can square off with the creeps when you're good and ready.

Get some Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove DLC with a kids meal

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Collaborators and fans took issue with Adam Koebel’s involvement

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Sixty hours later I still love watching these numbers go up.

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Harry Potter prequel game Hogwarts Legacy is planned to include a "trans-inclusive" character creator, as well as a transgender character, Bloomberg has reported.

The character designer will let you pick from unlinked body type and voice options for your Hogwarts school protagonist. Body types are labelled as either "witch" or "wizard", and this will also determine which of the school's dormitories your character is placed in.

Numerous video games now offer unlinked body type, voice, and gender pronoun options, or simply avoid specific gender labels, but the fact Hogwarts Legacy will as well has drawn attention due to the game's connection to Harry Potter universe creator JK Rowling.

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While the FFVII Remake is 18 chapters long, the Yuffie episode add-on will only contain two chapters.

The post The FFVII Remake Yuffie Episode Length Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.

Cooperative video games have always been a bit of a tough nut to crack, with many developers coming up with their own distinct methods of cracking them. Some games don’t separate single player from coop at all and just let multiple players go through the same campaign. Others craft a separate and typically smaller experience meant for coop play exclusively. And others still are massively multiplayer and generally expect players to group up into large parties.

But Josef Fares and the team and Hazelight Studio have a very different view of what a cooperative game should be like, and their latest, It Takes Two, is shaping up to continue pioneering this new breed of coop-only adventure games, and maybe even in the process, bring a pair of former lovers back together.

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It Takes Two is a cooperative-only action adventure platformer, but even to leave it at just that wordy description is doing the game a disservice. Much like Hazelight’s previous game, A Way Out, It Takes Two largely adopts the genre of whatever the story calls for. In the first level of my demo that I got to play with Josef Fares himself, things began very traditionally with the two characters, Cody and May — a divorced couple that get transformed into dolls by a magical book of love — awakening in a workshop shed. With Josef taking control of May and me guiding Cody, we had to make our way through the shed, hopping over boxes and chasing after a runaway fuse using all the familiar 3D platformer fundamentals: Double jumps, wall jumps, butt stomps, and so on.

Arkane Studios has released a lighthearted video looking at its upcoming chrono-shooter Deathloop, which will launch on PS5 and PC May 21. The trailer sees the stylish title's designer, Dinga Bakaba, walk the viewer through the clock-warping concepts of Blackreef.

Deathloop concerns one single day of destruction for our protagonist, Colt, a professional hitman who awakens on Blackreef with a pocket full of targets and a mind full of holes. Cursed to live out the same day over and over again until he gets it right, Colt must efficiently strategize the use of his time in order to eliminate his targets: a band of merciless killers known as "The Visionaries." Not helping matters is Julianna, another expert assassin and every bit Colt's equal. Before this misadventure is through, Colt will find himself lined in chalk again and again, until he finally makes it to the top of the hit-list.

While time-looping very much seems to be the "in vogue" mechanic for gaming right now, Deathloop looks to stand apart with its charismatic cast, opulent style, and sharpshooting action. Check out Bakaba's video below if you want to know more about Deathloop's odd premise. Oh, and don't forget to check out the recent slick, 007-style theme song right here.

What do you think of when you hear the name Josef Fares? Is it his moment during The Game Awards where he gave his...candid opinion about The Oscars? While the man is responsible for one of the more memorable moments in TGA history, he and his team at Hazelight have also been pioneers in the field of co-op video games. It Takes Two, the studio's upcoming release, follows in the footsteps of A Way Out in that players are only able to play together if they hope to achieve success.

This time around, the story follows May and Cody, a couple on the precipice of divorce who get turned into dolls through the youthful magic of their daughter. The two must work together to get their lives back to normal and (hopefully) mend their relationship while fighting all manner of squirrels, insects, and (checks notes) sentient toolboxes?

The enemies in It Takes Two are diverse from level to level. That also includes the bosses you'll square off against. Join Jeff Cork, Blake Hester, and me as we take you through some of the game's earliest boss fights and discuss how the different encounters feel unique and challenging in their own way.

Hazelight Studios likes to make games about collaboration. In Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, players controlled a pair of characters simultaneously to play through an interactive fable. A Way Out gave two players a chance to break out of prison and experience life on the lam. The studio’s latest project, It Takes Two, is a romantic comedy featuring more split-screen co-op, and also an insane amount of variety. In this episode of NGT, I share my experience playing three hours of the game with Blake Hester and Alex Stadnik – and how it nearly tore my family apart.

OK, that’s a little bit of hyperbole. I dragged one of my sons along with me for the co-op session, since we had a fun time playing through A Way Out together. Besides, who wouldn’t want to participate in an interactive romantic comedy … with their … dad? He was exactly as enthusiastic about the idea as you might expect. Once we started playing, however, he was fine (thanks for asking). 

There's a new Aliens game on the way.

Aliens: Fireteam is a co-op third-person shooter due out summer 2021 on PC via Steam, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and Xbox One.

The gameplay trailer is below (it looks a bit like Gears of War meets Aliens to me):

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A sale on Pokémon 25th anniversary apparel and Aukey’s Smart Watch lead Tuesday’s best deals.

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It’s an ongoing dispute

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The upcoming Harry Potter game Hogwarts Legacy will allow players to create transgender characters, according to a new report from Bloomberg.  ...

Finally, the Aliens franchise is getting another video game. Called Fireteam, the upcoming third-person shooter is a PvE experience developed for next-generation consoles and PC by Cold Iron Studios.

It faces a tough act to follow after Creative Assembly’s critically acclaimed Alien: Isolation, though to be fair it’s an entirely different sort of game. Where Isolation was inspired by the original Alien horror film, Fireteam is inspired by the more action-oriented Aliens sequel.

Set 23 years after the original Alien trilogy, Aliens: Fireteam drops players into the role of a Colonial Marine aboard the USS Endeavor, recently tasked with answering a distress call from the outer colonies.

Players will deploy to overrun facilities, abandoned ruins and strange alien landscapes as they battle xenomorphs across four different campaigns with two friends or AI teammates.

The game will feature 20 different Alien types, from Xenomorphs to Weyland-Yutani Synthetics, which is designed to challenge players into mastering teamwork and co-ordination.

There are five different character classes, an expansive arsenal of customizable weapons and mods, and a character progression system. Also, a unique Challenge Card system also lets players mutate each mission, offering a new experience with every playthrough.

Craig Zinkievich, head of Cold Iron Studios explains the concept of the game in a press release:

“With Aliens: Fireteam, you and your friends will experience stepping into the boots of a squad of hardened Colonial Marines fighting in the ultimate battle for survival.

Today Square Enix released a large batch of screenshots and details about the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade.

Intergrade will include two modes, Graphics Mode will focus on high resolution, displaying the game in 4K. Performance Mode will focus on smooth framerate, targeting 60 frames-per-second. You can see the dedicated menu in the gallery.

Improvements, that you can see in the screenshots, include lighting, fog effects, and upgraded texture resolution showing more details.

The photo mode also showcased in the gallery, lets you take screenshots from different angles, adjust color correction, exposure, and more.

The story of the new episode focuses on Sonon and Yuffie after the Mako Reactor is blown up. Their aim is the Ultimate Materia developed by Shinra Electric Power Company. With the cooperation of Avalanche, Sonon infiltrates enemy territory alongside his moogle-caped companion as they seek retribution for their hometown. Guided by the crying of the stars, a new gear of fate starts spinning.

Yumi Kakazu reprises her role as Yuffie Kisaragi. She wields a huge shuriken and she has many self-proclaimed titles like “Ninja Beauty” and “World-Class Materia Hunter.” She infiltrates Midgar to save her hometown after Wutai lost a war against Shinra.

Sonon Kusakabe is voiced by Yoshimasa Hosoya (who voiced Belial in Granblue Fantasy, Reiner Braun in Attack on Titan, Male Robin in Fire Emblem, & many more relevant roles). He studied under Yuffie’s father Godo Kisaragi who taught him Kenpo and Bojutsu (the art of the staff). He took part in the war while very young and grew to hate Shinra. He has a serious personality and looks after his senpai Yuffie, who tends to be more impulsive.

The new episode includes two chapters focusing on the infiltration of Midgar with the collaboration of Avalanche and the mission to steal the Ultimate Materia from Shinra.

Blasphemous is one of those games that left me hoping it sold well enough for its creators to keep doing what they know and love. It's a gripping and often unforgiving action-platformer set in a world dominated by religious fervor, and as dark as it could be, the game really resonated with me.

Well, me and a bunch of other people. The Game Kitchen and publisher Team17 just announced that Blasphemous has passed "one million players." Here's a pleasant little video to capture the moment.

In a Steam post, the developers said "thanks to you we've been able to continue working on Blasphemous, adding even more free content to the game beyond what we initially planned."

Given all the free content updates, including the recent Boss Rush mode and Bloodstained crossover, I figured that Blasphemous was in a good spot financially, but it's nice to have a proper confirmation. I'll take a potential sequel – think of the lore! – but even if The Game Kitchen goes in a different direction with a new IP, I'll be there too. The post-launch support has been fantastic for this game. Truly.

Yes, the Vita lives. ScourgeBringer Vita digital and physical copies are on the way, with digital copies showing up next month.

The post ScourgeBringer Vita Digital and Physical Copies Are on the Way appeared first on Siliconera.

According to a Bloomberg report

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PlayStation users will still have access to any content they’ve already purchased

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Cold Iron Studios’ new shooter is coming to consoles and PC

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PlayStation and Nintendo fans waiting to get eyeballs-deep in the grim 'n' gross world of The Binding of Isaac: Repentance have, at the very least, a release window with which to mark their calendars. Described by creator Ed McMillen as "the best version" of the twin-stick roguelike, Repentance will hit PS4, PS5, and Switch in the third quarter of 2021.

The supposed "final" chapter sees The Binding of Isaac fine-tuned to perfection, adding new playable characters, alternate paths and chapters, over 100 new enemies, a new final boss character, seven extra challenges, and multiple surprises. Nicalis Games suggests that Repentance brings with it "thousands of hours" of gameplay, ensuring that both newcomers and The Binding of Isaac's most fanatical followers will find plenty of dark deviance within.

The Binding of Isaac: Repentance launches on PC via Steam March 31 and on PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch later this year. In addition, pre-orders for PS5 and Nintendo Switch physical editions are now open on the Nicalis store, retailing for $59.99 USD.

Coming summer 2021 to Xboxes, PlayStations, and Steam from Cold Iron Studios, Aliens: Fireteam is a co-op survival shooter set 23 years after the original Alien trilogy. Turns out those pesky H.R. Giger critters are still a huge problem, and it’s up to the Colonial Marines to feed them. Or exterminate them, I guess.

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Alien fans got their moment in the sun with Alien: Isolation, Creative Assembly’s exquisite homage to Ridley Scott’s 1979 film. Folks who lean more toward the bombastic action that James Cameron’s 1986 sequel Aliens provided have had to be more patient. We haven’t gotten a truly great Aliens game (sorry, Colonial Marines), and while it’s absolutely too early to assess its quality, the newly revealed Aliens: Fireteam looks like a combat-booted stomp in the right direction.

Cold Iron Studios is using Aliens as a launching point, but the development team is determined to carve out its own path. One way it’s doing so is by setting Fireteam in the year 2202 – 23 years after the events of the Alien trilogy. In other words, don’t expect to see cameos from familiar characters or to revisit locations that we’ve explored time and time again. Instead, players will be experiencing an all-new storyline that spans four campaigns (each containing three missions). 

We're finally getting a little closer to the release of Rust's elusive console version, as developers Double Eleven and Facepunch have released a new trailer - and opened up registration for a closed beta.

The trailer itself doesn't show anything particularly revolutionary - it's Rust, looking quite nice on console - and we don't yet have a release date for the final product, but you can put your name in the ring for access to the closed beta. You can sign up over here, and if selected, you'll be sent a key to access the beta. According to the new Rust Console Edition Twitter account, some players have apparently already been sent keys, but according to the FAQs more players will gradually be given access over the next few weeks, with this particular window of beta testing due to end on 29th March.

Rust was originally supposed to launch on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 sometime last year, but the port had to be delayed due to the difficulties of working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic. With the console release now getting official ratings and inviting players into betas, it seems we're finally inching closer to the full release.

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The latest Hu Tao trailer is here, and Dainsleif has something to say about all of her attacks in Genshin Impact.

The post Learn About Hu Tao’s Attacks in the New Genshin Impact Trailer appeared first on Siliconera.

Kadokawa Games’ newest visual novel Root Film is finally coming soon to the west courtesy of PQube, and it just got a new trailer.

Like the Ace Attorney series and its predecessor Root Letter, Root Film isn’t just a visual novel in which you sit back and read the story making the occasional choice. It actually has more involved interaction, and the trailer shows exactly that.

You can watch it below and see for yourself.

You can read more about Root Film below. It’s coming west on March 19 for PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

Hybrid of Two Genres

‘Root Film’ differs from a standard kinetic novel by fusing elements of both mystery themed visual novels with unique investigative and fighting-game-style mechanics to create an entirely unique experience for players.

Inspired to break the walls of the standard gameplay within the established visual novel genre, Kadokawa Games wanted players to draw from their personal intuition as well as pit them against rapid fire face-off mechanics as a central spoke of the games’ investigation mechanics.

Intuition Mechanics

Aniplex, in association with developer CyberConnect2, has released the new trailer for its upcoming video game adaptation of popular manga/anime series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Hinokami Keppuutan, which launches on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms later in 2021.

The new video focuses on one of the franchise's major demon slayers, Giyu Tomioka, who is the current Water Hashima, (essentially a posse of element-based swordmasters) as he lays waste to his hapless opponent. Barely breaking a sweat nor his stoic nature, Tomioka demonstrates his graceful and devastating sword skills, before winding up the battle by calling upon the very waves themselves. Better bring an umbrella.

Aniplex has restricted the trailer to specific territories, but you can check out a re-up of the video below, courtesy of Gematsu. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Hinokami Keppuutan will launch in Japan on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X later in 2021. The anime fighter is yet to receive official confirmation of a western release.

Naughty Dog's acclaimed sequel is up for 13 awards at the 2021 British Academy Games Awards, beating the previous record of 11 nominations. ...

As usual, Genshin Impact developer MiHoYo really loves trailers, and today they released another for the massively-popular free-to-play RPG.

Following her introduction and her first look at gameplay, we get to take another look at the newest character joining the game, the cute Hu Tao, who the 77th Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.

This time around the video shows even more of her gameplay, focusing on her skills and talents.

You can check her out below, including both English and Japanese voice acting, depending on your preference.

Sony announced the PlayStation Store won't offer TV and movies anymore, but your existing purchases are safe.

The post PlayStation Store Movies and TV Shows’ Sales Will End in August appeared first on Siliconera.

The PlayStation Store will remove the ability to purchase or rent movies and TV shows on 31st August 2021.

Any existing content you have purchased will remain yours to view, and you'll still be able to access this via the PlayStation Store on all your devices. You just won't be able to buy more, and have to get Netflix instead.

Explaining the change via the PlayStation blog, PlayStation pointed to the shift away from owning individual movies or boxsets. People are now more likely to just stream content from a subscription-based service (such as Disney+ or Amazon Prime) or one that's free but includes ads (such as ITV Hub or All 4).

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Maquette – March 2 (PC, PS4, PS5)

Here’s a winner winner for PS5 owners. Maquette releases today, offering up its weird recursive puzzle-based gameplay to the masses. What’s more, it’s also the free PS5 PlayStation Plus game for March, meaning it won’t cost you a penny.

Maquette tasks you with solving a series of puzzles where you’ll be dealing with plants, buildings and objects that are both absolutely massive, and teeny tiny at the same time.

What you need to do is manipulate the smaller objects in order to move the larger ones and clear your path to the objective. The further out you make it, the larger and more complex things get.