Pokemon GO Fest 2020 is still a go, but it'll function much differently this time around.
The post Pokemon GO Fest 2020 Will Be a Virtual Affair appeared first on Siliconera.
America’s jigsaw puzzle consumption has increased wildly in the era of physical distancing. People stuck indoors with nothing to do have turned to tiny, brightly colored, irregularly shaped slices of cardboard to provide them with a sense of control over a chaotic world. For evidence, look to the ongoing Kickstarter…
inXile Entertainment has released the second chapter of its new dev diary series, exploring the characters, locations, weaponry, lore and mechanics of post-apocalyptic strategy sequel Wasteland 3.
Having covered some of the in-game mechanics in the previous video, this new chapter focuses on the world and its denizens, as inXile studio Head Brian Fargo and head writer Nathan Long take you on a short tour around the catastrophic Colorado, where you and your rag-tag party of Desert Rangers will explore the environment, gather supplies, tackle missions, meet the locals, and hopefully not be left lying face down in the dirt.
Wasteland 3 was unfortunately delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and is currently scheduled to launch August 28 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Pokémon Go's annual Go Fest extravaganza will this year take place over two days: 25th and 26th July.
As previously announced, the event will be held remotely in a virtual format, meaning fans can play without travelling to the game's usual big meetups.
Artwork for the event released today showed Pikachu and other Pokémon hanging out in a garden, reflecting the recent shift in emphasis for the event and entire game to playing at home where possible.
This year's Pokémon Go Fest will be held on July 25 and 26, and you don't need to travel to any particular location in the world to play it. Developer Niantic is turning this year's Fest into a global event that can be played anywhere by anyone. Tickets will be made available to as many players as possible.
The previous years' Pokémon Go Fests that were held in Chicago and other places around the world only allowed players to participate for one day. This year, players can play on both days.
If this year's Fest plays out like those in the past, this will be a great time to catch shiny Pokémon and possibly a new mythical tied to a quest. For more details on what the event may be like, check out my impressions of last year's Fest.
continues to be one of the [cms-block] around, but expanding your plans of urban domination can be a costly venture when there are so many DLC packs to dive into. Handy, then, that Humble have constructed their latest bundle all around Paradox’s excellent city-builder, letting you grab the base game for just £1 / $1 and up to 11 DLC packs for a grand total of £14.50 / $18. Here’s what’s on offer.
Fast & Furious Crossroads has changed course and is now headed for an August 7, 2020 release! Get ready to join the action. pic.twitter.com/8usLku2K4m
Square Enix revealed not one but three new games for Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai during a special V-Jump livestream today.
The post Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai Console, Mobile, and Arcade Games Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.
Today publisher Cloud Leopard Entertainment and developer Nihon Falcom had a couple of interesting reveals to make about The Legend of Heroes: Hajimari no Kiseki.
First of all, the game is going to get a PlayStation VR mode to be added with an update after release, allowing players to interact with the characters of the series in virtual reality.
On top of that, The Legend of Heroes: Hajimari no Kiseki will be localized in Korean and Chinese for PS4 with a release day and date with the Japanese launch, on August 27.
We also get the release of the Platinum Meister Box special edition whioch will include a set of 24 clear posters, a desk calendar, and 2 music CDs. A mini soundtrack will also be provided as early purchase bonus.
Pokemon Home's 1.1.0 update is now live on iOS and Android. The update implements the Battle Data feature, which displays your online battle stats as well as overall rankings, current online competitions, and more. To celebrate the launch of the update, Pokemon Home's trading features have also been enhanced for a limited time.
First, you can now directly trade Pokemon with players on your friends list over the internet. Previously, you could only perform direct trades with friends locally, making this is the first time you can trade with them from far away in Pokemon Home.
Additionally, the time it takes to complete trades via Wonder Box has been shortened, allowing you to use that feature more frequently. The amount of times you can join a free Room Trade group has also been increased from three to 10.
Continue Reading at GameSpotMore than a few big, in-person conventions have made the transition to become fully digital this year. From E3 to GDC, the list of events isn’t exactly a short one. Pokemon GO Fest 2020 is the latest one to make the adjustment.
Last year, Pokemon GO Fest was held in three different locations as three separate events. The events in Chicago, Dortmund, and Yokohama brought in a total of over 600,000 people.
This year may see that number increase since the event will be completely digital. Trainers from all over the world will be coming together this time around.
The event will be held on July 25 and 26 this year. Fans worldwide will be able to participate, and ticket holders will be able to attend both days. The weekend will include in-game bonuses, Special Research, and interesting Pokemon encounters.
Players will also have access to new ways of communicating and interacting with one another during Pokemon GO Fest 2020.
That’s all the information that was posted on the game’s site for now, but the Pokemon GO team has stated that more updates are coming soon. Keep your eyes peeled for new info from Niantic as we approach the event’s start date.
Jackbox Games CEO Mike Bilder joined us on the GDC Podcast to explain how his company is dealing with dramatic increases in traffic amid continuing stay at home orders in the time of COVID-19. ...
Brazil's massive video game audience offers a huge growth opportunity†"if you know the best way to approach the market. ...
The Limited Edition Playfield with van toy, Krang toy, and ramp diverter.[/caption]
There are three versions of Stern's TMNT (this is the way, in 2020). The Premium and Limited Edition versions have a cool turtle van that spews out pinballs for multiball, a glider toy diverter that allows you to select a ramp to send the ball down, and a Krang toy that... bounces.
I like some parts of Crucible, but the guns don’t feel good. That’s a deathblow to any hero shooter, even one that’s been mashed into a MOBA, and I can’t move past it. Great character design, sumptuous alien environments, and a handful of interesting ideas have all been squandered by the way firing hot lead feels like tossing soft mints.
That’s galling. More galling still is that even if the shooting was as sharp as Battlefield’s, I’d probably still chalk Crucible up as an interesting failure.
Shantae is going to be fashionably late on one platform in one region.
The post Shantae and the Seven Siren’s Switch Version Won’t Come to Europe Until June appeared first on Siliconera.
I can map out most of World of Warcraft, from the Vanilla era to the present, in my head.
Some zones are more memorable than others, but I've spent so much time in that world that it's like a second home to me. That's partially why these new 4K digital backgrounds released by Blizzard resonate with me.
Yep, right here at this link, you can download new 4K versions of local digital WoW haunts. Blizzard says that their purpose is to give streams more of a mood or be used in conference calls, but naturally you can just use them as wallpapers too.
Blizzard took the time to casually boast about the new Shadowland zones with half of the 12 slots taken up by the upcoming expansion, but Battle for Azeroth (Ny'alotha, The Necropolis), Legion (The Dreamgrove) and classic WoW (Stormsong Valley, Lordaeron, Stormwind, Orgrimmar) are represented too.
My low key favorite zone? Zangarmarsh from Burning Crusade. It would also make a hell of a background!
New 4K digital backgrounds [Battle.net]
Team17, the publisher behind Overcooked and Moving Out, has announced its latest game--and it sounds really interesting and unique. Developed by Infinigon Games, Epic Chef is a cooking-themed single-player life-simulator game coming to PC.
"Players will find themselves in the city of Ambrosia and as Zest, the mysterious new stranger in town, they must take on master chefs in histrionic culinary combat in a bid to become the best chef in town," reads a line from Team17's press release.
Epic Chef has a narrative element, along with life-sim activities such as farming and foraging. You go fishing, enjoy a day at the spa, or just zen out in the "laid back" city of Ambrosia.
Continue Reading at GameSpot
The latest silver ball playground from Stern Pinball is a trio of machines based on the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon. They’ve got a spinning magnetic pizza. They’ve got a sculpted Turtle Van that can capture up to four balls. They have a floating Krang. They even play the original theme song.
Xbox has soft launched a new Family Settings app to make it easier for parents to ensure their children are playing in a safe and healthy environment. ...
Paradox Interactive's in-depth city-builder is the latest PC game to receive the Humble Bundle treatment, with a new collection that corrals the base game and over ten DLC packs for under £15.
As usual, it's a tiered affair. If you want, you can just get the game by itself for a quid, which seems like a bit of a bargain to me. As for the DLC packs, these range from mini-expansions with themed items to new in-game radio stations.
Here's how all the tiers in the Cities: Skylines Humble Bundle breakdown:
If you're looking for a new role-playing game for Nintendo Switch, Best Buy has a trio of Square Enix titles on sale for $15 off today. Dragon Quest Builders 2, Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age Definitive Edition, and Octopath Traveler are $45 until 12 AM PT / 3 AM ET.
While $15 isn't a huge discount, all three of the games are currently full price at other major retailers, and Dragon Quest XI is sold out at Amazon right now. We have seen Octopath Traveler for as low as $30 and Dragon Quest XI for under $40 at one point, but there's no telling when they will dip below $45 again. Meanwhile, Dragon Quest Builders 2 has received regular discounts on PS4 and PC, but we don't often see it on sale for Switch.
Continue Reading at GameSpot
In a new trailer that was released today for Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, we get to see some of the sprawling locations that Shulk and the rest of the gang will be able to explore on their quest to change the future.
You can learn about the jungles, plains, Colony 9, and an awesome Sword Valley maze by watching the video down below:
Xenoblade Chronicles will release on May 29 for the Nintendo Switch. You can read our fresh review right here and if you need some tips and tricks before you dive in, just look into our beginner guide.
You can also enjoy the latest gameplay screenshots here and another trailer that goes into the new story content (Future Connected), and shows off the clean, remastered visuals of the game.
Do you all remember the Xbox strategy title Toy Soldiers? If so, then Ubisoft has great news, as the franchise is set to return with Toy Soldiers 2: Finest Hour, currently in development for PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Realised by Signal Studios back in 2010, Toy Soldiers was a staple of Xbox Live Arcade and saw battalions of miniaturised soldiers, vehicles, and encampments wage chaotic warfare on mom's kitchen table. It would receive several expansions and DLC add-ons, bringing new units, scenery and campaigns to the game, along with guest stars such as Assassin's Creed's Ezio Auditore.
Toy Soldiers 2: Finest Hour will be shifting the action to the events of World War II and will see a return to the scale-model strategy that made the original such a unique and fun concept - with raging battles taking place on land, sea, and in the air. A new website includes a short teaser video, which captures the neat, plasticky aesthetic of the franchise.
Alongside the sequel reveal, Ubisoft has also announced that the original Toy Soldiers titles are being remastered for Nintendo Switch. Toy Soldiers HD and Toy Soldiers: Cold War HD will feature both the original games, complete with all DLC, and spruced up with new content, tweaked difficulty settings, and optimised control systems. No release date has been announced for the new sequel or either remaster.
Toy Soldiers 2: Finest Hour is in development for PS4, PC, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
Toy Soldiers 2 announced alongside remaster [GameSpot]
Image: Niantic/The Pokémon Company
Mobile game’s annual gathering will take place virtually
Alienware’s 240Hz gaming monitors are firm favourites here at RPS, so it’s definitely a cause for celebration when we can slice £100 off one of them. This time around, it’s the AW2521HF on offer, which is the flashy Freesync successor to the excellent AW2518HF, and you can currently pick it up for £330 over on Dell’s deals site.
Toy Soldiers, a classic from the era of Xbox Live Arcade, is getting a full sequel more than a decade later.
Moving its tower defense action forward to World War 2, Toy Soldiers 2 will launch on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch in 2021.
In the meantime, remasters of the original Toy Soldiers and follow-up Cold War will arrive for Switch to get you caught up. These will include new content, a new difficulty, plus integrated DLC and other tweaks.
Yesterday, I reported that Audi driver Daniel Abt had been suspended from his Formula E team, after getting someone else to race for him in a charity esports event. Well, now he’s been straight up fired by Audi because of the incident. Last night, he posted a 14-minute video explaining the situation. Abt said that the reason he got pro sim racer, Lorenz Hoerzing, to drive for him was because they wanted to “create a funny story for the fans.”
A follow up to my piece about the new player's experience. We're now talking indie teams, and why no matter how niche or small the genre, everyone should always be thinking about their new players. ...
Tarsier Studios' puzzle-platformer horror title Little Nightmares has sold over 2 million copies worldwide. ...
For a story where controlling the future is a critical plot device, it’s pretty ironic that Xenoblade Chronicles has never managed to get its timing right until now. After it’s unfortunate 2012 debut in the final days of the Wii’s lifecycle and a low-res port to the 3DS that didn’t do it justice, at long last it can shine on a console in its prime – and the result is an improvement as massive as the titan Bionis itself – and that’s before we even get into any of the Definitive Edition’s numerous and largely positive improvements.
As part of the Hobonichi Mother Project, people in Japan will be able to pick up Mother logo t-shirts and a Mr. Saturn bag.
The post Mother Logo Shirts and a Mr. Saturn Bag Are on the Way appeared first on Siliconera.
[Update: A day later, the PlayStation 5 event is official (and also one day later than expected). Sony has confirmed its PS5: The Future of Gaming broadcast for 1:00 p.m. Pacific on June 4, 2020. Here we go!]
Sony is reportedly aiming to hold a game-centric PlayStation 5 event next Wednesday, June 3.
I'm in firm "I'll see it when I believe it" territory given the way plans seem to change weekly amid the pandemic, but that date – June 3 – was put forth by Bloomberg and VentureBeat, so it's credible.
The outlets have tried to keep expectations about the content of the PS5 showcase in check, especially after the less-than-favorable reaction to system architect Mark Cerny's high-level "Road to PS5" presentation in mid-March. Based on what their sources are saying, they don't believe Sony will announce everything yet. We'll reportedly see PlayStation 5 gameplay, but we won't necessarily hear the price or release date. Something tells me that caveat will come up at least a few more times.
"The company seems aware of the backlash that Microsoft faced for its first Xbox 20/20 event," according to VentureBeat's Jeff Grubb. "Fans were unhappy with the lack of gameplay at that presentation. In response, Sony wants to rely on PS5 games that are actually running on real hardware."
How much to read into the newly appended title of a re-release like this? In the case of Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition, a splendorous revisit of Monolith Soft's 2012 Wii RPG for Nintendo's Switch, it could mean so very much. By his own admission, creator Tetsuya Takahashi has always struggled to finish off the job with his own games, his Xenosaga series petering out halfway through its intended run, while Xenoblade Chronicles only saw it through to completion upon partner Nintendo's insistence it be done properly.
Even then, subsequent games have seen ambition often outstrip circumstance: Xenoblade Chronicles X's ambition was served rough, while Xenoblade Chronicles 2 creaked under the weight of its elaborate systems and some anime excess. A Takahashi game that's refined and one he's happy to call definitive? Now that's some prospect.
In many of the ways that really matter, Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition delivers. It takes an incredible RPG - one that could lay claim to being among the best of the last decade - and makes small, considered tweaks in all the right places. It serves the mad, magical majesty of Xenoblade Chronicles' world, staying entirely faithful to the original while gently polishing it for its HD debut - a little too gently in some places, you might argue.
Xenoblade Chronicles isn’t a JRPG that’s going to appeal to everyone; it’s massive in scale and ambition, fitted with an MMO-like auto-battle system, and absolutely littered with things to do, big and small. For some, it’ll be a wonderland of never-ending quests to attempt and colonies to rebuild, but for others, I imagine it could come off as a tedious mess of chores.
Released for the Wii about 10 years ago at this point, Xenoblade Chronicles wasn’t a very good-looking game. Character models and the graphics in general looked muddy and blurry, menus were cluttered and the user interface wasn’t very intuitive, and it was clear the game was pushing the Wii to its limits. With Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, it finally feels like this game has reached its true potential, even if some of its flaws still remain unresolved.
Right off the bat, the most obvious upgrade here can be found in its graphics and visuals. The character models have been completely redone, giving each and every member of the cast a beautiful sheen to them. They look much more animated and alive, and their crisp facial features are a sight to behold especially when you compare them to their Wii counterparts.
On the subject of graphical fidelity, though, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition does suffer from the same issue that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 did on the Switch. When docked, the game looks absolutely gorgeous. When playing in handheld mode, graphics look blurrier, and the difference is definitely noticeable. Not a game-breaker, of course, but still disappointing nonetheless.
The UI and menus have been updated as well, with a much more manageable and clearer quest list that properly keeps track of what you’ve done and what you need to do next.
It’s hard not to focus on Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition’s upgraded graphics. The Switch version’s crisp characters and updated textures are far removed from the washed-out, muddy visuals of the Wii original. But it’s the little quality-of-life adjustments to this enhanced version of Monolith Soft’s open…
Image: Studio Ghibli
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