February 2020

Pathea Games, the developer behind My Time at Portia, has announced a new adventure puzzle game called Ever Forward. You play as a young girl who is trapped "somewhere between imagination and reality" and needs to solve puzzles to find her way out. The game will be released in May and will be available on PC through Steam, Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

The studio has been working on Ever Forward for four years and released the game as a demo called Protoform two years ago. Pathea Games commented that while Protoform's puzzles were great, they needed to redesign the world outside of the puzzles because it wasn't "paced very well nor attractive." Ever Forward is a result of that redesign.

The puzzles are designed with the "puzzle gamer" in mind and a few can be completed in multiple ways to fit different kinds of thinkers. New puzzles can be unlocked by collecting fragments of the young girl's memories.

Eve Online‘s big fan event in Iceland is now the latest to be cancelled over public health concerns surrounding spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19). CCP announced today that in order to prioritise the safety of attendees, staff, and the local community, Eve Fanfest 2020 is being cancelled. The event was scheduled for April 2-4 in Reykjavik, Iceland.

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This Saturday, hundreds of classic EverQuest players plan on flooding one of the game’s servers in protest of the lack of a vintage PvP server. The 21-year-old MMO still has a pretty thriving community, including several servers running older versions, but the game currently has just one official PvP server and it’s on modern EverQuest. This means anyone who wants a classic PvP experience needs to use private community-run servers. But these players have had enough, they want their old PvP back, and they’re rising up as ogres to get the developers’ attention. I spoke to one of the ringleaders ahead of the protest.

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Oxenfree developer Night School Studio's well-received pub-crawl-in-hell narrative adventure, Afterparty, will be slinging one back and staggering its way onto Switch next Friday, 6th March.

Afterparty, which released on PC, PS4, and Xbox One last October, tells the story of Milo and Lola, two recently deceased best friends who hatch a plot to escape the eternal torments of Hell - a task that, thanks to a loophole, requires them to drink Satan himself under the table.

What follows is a boozy adventure covering the many and varied drinking holes along the River Styx. It's not all cocktail chugging debauchery, however; Afterparty is a candid character piece as much as anything, peeling back the layers of its dual leads to really pick apart the relationship that got them to hell in the first place.

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Borderlands 3 debuted some big news at PAX yesterday. We have a Steam date! And the second DLC is now a known entity and is coming in March. But buried in all those announcements came something else: a spring content roadmap.

Again, the Guns, Love and Tentacles DLC is coming in March as a paid-addon, which rings in new legendaries and another planet. But after that Mayhem Mode 2.0 is arriving in April as a free update with "overhauled modifiers," followed by the "Revenge of the Cartels" free update in April. Then in May, the Guardian Takedown (dungeon) is coming, which is Eridian-themed.

Oh! And there's another (5x) Golden Key Shift code giveaway:  C3KJB-3H9HZ-63KZW-9BKJB-WZRCR. You can enter it here. You have a while until that one expires (March 19 at 11:59PT).

Again, despite some of the problems Borderlands 3 has; the constant roadmaps and free updates, while focusing on a regular cadence of premium content that takes place on new planets, is a huge plus.

PAX East [Gearbox]

I feel like I barely made a dent in the Nioh 2 open beta, and something tells me I'm far from alone. Thankfully, Team Ninja is giving us another shot at redemption before the sequel releases on March 13.

From February 28 at 12:00 a.m. Pacific until March 1 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific, you can hunt demons to your heart's content in the Nioh 2 Last Chance Trial. It's an opportunity to fine-tune your custom character, preview three story missions, and learn the ropes with new gear like the Switchglaive.

Best of all, you don't need a PlayStation Plus subscription to play the trial, and your character design will transfer to the full version of Nioh 2, so you don't have to toil away only to do it all again.

I'm curious to dig into the balance changes brought on by fan feedback. I struggled with the Dark Realm.

If you complete the Last Chance Trial, you'll get the "Mark of the Demon Slayer – a reward entitling you to unlock the Kamaitachi Helmet from the in-game Shrine to use in the full game."

One last thing: the trial is 13.25GB.

Global superstar Hatsune Miku is set to join roving 'n' raving reporter Ulala in the recently released Space Channel 5 VR: Kinda Funky News Flash. The Vocaloid star will feature in upcoming DLC, as announced by developer Grounding Inc.

It's a very natural crossover, as Miku's whole look, style, and hot-steppin' dance work will fit perfectly into the hypercolour world of Space Channel 5. The VR edition of the rhythm action game launched on PSVR just yesterday, after making its way through a troubled development cycle. There is currently no date for the Hatsune Miku DLC, but we will let you know when more information is forthcoming.

As studios pull out of PAX East and GDC left and right, one further-out industry event has now been canceled due to coronavirus concerns: EVE Fanfest.

Held in Iceland nearly every year for nearly a decade, CCP's EVE Online celebration has officially given notice that the event that was scheduled to run from April 2-4 will no longer happen: "In light of the ongoing global developments regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic and increasing health concerns, it is with a heavy heart that we have made the decision to cancel EVE Fanfest."

With CCP Shanghai becoming a large part of CCP's operations in recent years, and with their parent company, Pearl Abyss, stationed in South Korea, this move makes a whole lot of sense. A lot of key players outside of the home team in Iceland wouldn't be able to make it, amid the standard health concerns that a large gathering like Fanfest would bring.

Even so, this is a bold move for the company, as CCP opted to skip EVE Fanfest last year in favor of several smaller gatherings spread out across the globe. 2020 was supposed to be a huge coming home party for the company: but fans will have to settle for the new 2020 venues in Europe and North America.

EVE Fanfest 2020 Canceled [CCP]

Bangalore - Apex Legends

Bangalore, aka Anita Williams, is the certified badass of the Apex Legends crew. She’s a soldier, not a show-off, and while her kit isn’t that flashy, it proves that the basics still hit hard. From playing mind games with the smokescreen to running laps around your enemies before bombarding them from space, Bangalore is a formidable opponent and a great choice for the Apex games.

Sorry to be silent everyone! I've been really busy lately.....I think i can say more soon about what we are going to.....#KojimaProductions https://t.co/Vr0qPj3DwV pic.twitter.com/BiweDgGC4v

Look: this movie is probably gonna be a hot mess. It’s Paul W.S. Anderson taking on a Capcom video game again, and we’ve just gotta hope it’s a Resident Evil: Retribution hot mess rather than a Resident Evil: The Final Chapter hot mess. But, I will say this: that sword continues to look great.

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EVE Online developer CCP no longer plans to hold its annual fan gathering in Reykjavik this year, citing global concerns over coronavirus spread as the reason for the cancellation. ...

The 5th edition of D&D gave players lots of freedom, and it looks like Larian gets it

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It changes the rules by exploring reality after reality TV

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Premium Badge is a pricey option for those who don’t qualify as trade

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Where to find all 16 Animal Crossing amiibo

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The latest from Beasts of the Southern Wild director Benh Zeitlin puts style over substance

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Anything for some Atoms

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Both Activision and Blizzard have confirmed they will not have a GDC 2020 presence, canceling sessions from staff.

The post Activision Blizzard GDC 2020 Plans Canceled Due to the Coronavirus appeared first on Siliconera.

Capcom's Matt Walker talked about Devil May Cry 3 Switch, his work as a producer at Capcom, and Card Fighters DS.

The post Interview: Capcom’s Matt Walker on Devil May Cry 3, Working at Capcom, and Card Fighters DS appeared first on Siliconera.

VVVtunia will launch in July 2020, and a cavalcade of new information reveals details about characters like Neptune, Noire, Mii, and Yuu.

The post VVVtunia Will Be Broadcast Onto PlayStation 4s in Japan on July 2, 2020 appeared first on Siliconera.

Hotel X Toronto will have a Nintendo Switch Suite in March, and it'll cost $500 to spend time there.

The post A Nintendo Switch Suite Will Be Open in a Toronto Hotel in March 2020 appeared first on Siliconera.

The news of a Borderlands film being in development has fans excited for what’s to come, but also curious as to which part of the series the movie will adapt. We’re no exception, and that’s why we’re here with our top five Borderlands storylines that could work in a film adaptation.

The First Game’s Vault Hunt

Though a boring choice in some regards, sticking to the first Borderlands’ storyline would save the upcoming film’s creators many a headache across a wide swath of areas.

The game’s conceit is a simple one: After hearing of a legendary Vault full of treasure, four Vault Hunters journey to the dangerous planet of Pandora to claim it as their own.

Octane is such an adrenaline junkie. Granted, that's his entire schtick--we've known this about the Apex Legends character since his introduction in Season 1: Wild Frontier. The dude blew off his own legs in order to gain the necessary boost of speed to beat the Gauntlet record after all. But the speed demon's heirloom takes Octavio "Octane" Silva's obsession with chasing the high to new extremes and acts as a reminder that the adrenaline junkie's backstory is a sad one.

Coming to Apex Legends next week, during the System Override Collection event, Octane's heirloom is a butterfly knife. This isn't an ordinary blade though--the knife is filled with Stim, the drug that Octane uses to achieve his enhanced speed. And so Octane has customized the butterfly knife so that it can be used to both slash opponents and inject the drug into his own body.

While inspecting the heirloom, as seen in the video on the Apex Legends blog, Octane will dangerously twirl the butterfly knife around and then stab himself with its plunger to get the Stim into his system. He'll stab himself just because. He doesn't go on to use the drug to run faster either--Octane just celebrates the rush of the Stim coursing through his veins.

Developer Illfonic is running a trial weekend for its upcoming asymmetrical multiplayer shooter, Predator: Hunting Grounds. The trial kicks off on March 27 and runs through March 29, and will be open to Epic Games Store players and PS Plus members on PlayStation 4. There's also cross-play support.

The trial will be available to download on March 27 at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET / 4 PM GMT. You'll be able to play solo as the Predator, or team up online with three others as part of a human Fireteam.

Late last year, Illfonic revealed some details about the various Predator classes you'll be able to play as in Hunting Grounds, including some of the deadly weapons you'll wield as the galaxy's premier killing machine. Now, the studio behind 2017's Friday the 13th has shed some light on what it's like to play as a gun-toting human.

Back in January, developer Frictional Games--the studio behind horror titles Amnesia: The Dark Descent and SOMA--began teasing its next game with an abstract ARG. The studio's official website links to a page for "Next Frictional Game," which previously displayed little more than a pulsating white object that has now evolved into a pulsating white fetus.

This was accompanied by two unlisted teaser videos uploaded to Frictional's YouTube channel. Fans have combed through the two cryptic videos and compiled a list of all the possible ideas and theories they have on a Google Doc found on the Frictional Games Discord. Now, the studio has released another unlisted teaser simply titled "I am Tasi." Like the first two videos, this one doesn't show much beyond what appears to be a (possibly alien) desert landscape. The frantic character voiceover reiterates that "I am still Tasi," which certainly lends itself to the physiological horror the studio is known for.

After promising the feature even before the game launched in November 2018, DICE has announced that tank customization is finally coming to Battlefield 5 as a free update for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on March 4.

As part of Battlefield 5's upcoming 6.2 update--which also includes a big weapons balance adjustment and drops next week--tank customization allows you to deck out your armored-ballistic vehicle to your heart's content. With both Company Coin or Battlefield Currency--Battlefield 5's two in-game money options--you can make all sorts of changes from the tank's chassis to its turret and everything in between.

A new Holiday Joy Fest in the Seliana Gathering Hub is taking place in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. Live through March 12 and only on PC, the event includes new festive decor, new food platters, new armor and weapon pendants, and special event quests.

Each day you login, you'll receive an event-exclusive Joyful ticket. It can be used in a variety of ways like crafting an Oolong Armor or a Lucky Crimson Tiger Pendant, and for your Palico, a Shishi-mai outfit. (You'll need other materials as well, of course.) Players can also exchange the Joyful ticket for Melding ticket to the Elder Melder and try their luck at getting Armor Skill Decorations. Melding tickets can also be obtained by helping the Steamworks.

A rarer type of ticket, the VIP Joyful ticket, will also be available. You can come across them while helping Low Rank & High Rank hunters and during special event quests. To increase your chances of getting one, you'll need to craft the standard Oolong Armor and wear it during the aforementioned activities.

With the weekend only hours away, Best Buy has kicked off a limited-time flash sale. The sale features everything from the MacBook Pro and iPhone X to a powerful gaming PC and a robot vacuum--yes, a Roomba. There are also a couple deals on true wireless earbuds, in addition to 4K TVs, Windows laptops, and a 256GB microSD card that will work perfectly with a Nintendo Switch. The Best Buy flash sale lasts until 9:59 PM PT on February 28 / 12:59 AM ET on February 29.

In the flash sale, you can save from $500 up to $1500 on a MacBook Pro, depending on the specs you want with your laptop. Thankfully, all of the MacBook Pros are capable of handling heavy workloads, including video, audio, and photo editing, and can even hold their own when it comes to gaming--just don't expect the same experience you would on a PC, of course. The cheapest model is equipped with a 256GB SSD, so you don't have to worry too much about storage space unless you're dealing with big video files for editing. Each MacBook Pro also comes with a four-month subscription to Apple Music and a six-month subscription to Trend Micro Internet Security.

If you're looking for a new phone, then the Best Buy flash sale is discounting the iPhone X by $400. Both the Space Gray and Silver models are discounted and boast 256GB of storage. The iPhone X is an older phone, launching November 2017, so don't expect the latest tech seen in the iPhone 11 line of phones.

Developer Gearbox Software has released a brand-new Borderlands 3 hotfix update on PC, PlayStation 4, Google's Stadia cloud gaming service, and Xbox One. The patch addresses a number of community concerns, including progression issues, stuck enemies, weapon adjustments, and more, all of which is detailed in the full patch notes.

A number of fixes go toward a lot of gameplay problems, namely those relating to progression and enemies. After the hotfix is applied--which is done through the main menu--game progression during missions like All Bets Off should be resolved, allowing you to finally kill that last enemy so that you can move on. Further, enemies should no longer get stuck in locations such as Cistern of Slaughter and Billy the Anointed should not teleport as often during a fight. Finally, the hotfix will prevent you from getting stuck in the second VIP room at Beggar's Berth.

Elsewhere in the hotfix, Borderlands 3 will see a variety of its weapons adjusted. All Dahl assault rifles have had their damage increased by 35%, the legendary shotgun Lob had its magazine increased from four to 12, the legendary sniper Woodblock had its vertical recoil slightly reduced, and more. Check below for a full list of tweaks made in Borderlands 3's upcoming hotfix.

Big ol’ kingdom manager Crusader Kings 3 has put out another development update and it’s a chunky one. This month, Paradox Interactive developers take a really deep dive on all of the Lifestyles—like classes, but for your management self, not combat self. There are five different Lifestyles that your ruler can specialize in, all with different perk trees and focuses that let you decide how you’ll keep an iron grip on your land and lords and all.

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[Update: You can also watch the full trailer for the Season of the Worthy below.]

Destiny 2 has been missing one of its key components for a long while now, but it seems as if Bungie has finally figured things out. Trials of Osiris, a fan-favorite PVP mode, is now returning with the new "Season of the Worthy" content umbrella that's debuting in March.

Kicking off on March 13, Trials will be available from the get-go and will still retain its highly competitive, 3v3 shell and its unique gear rewards. The season itself will start on March 10 around 1PM ET (after the customary downtime during reset), and will bring subclass alterations, new gear and naturally: more cosmetic content.

One of the big draws of the season is going to be PVP, as Bungie is bringing back Cauldron, Exodus Blue and Anomaly from the original Destiny. Bungie is leaning hard into Destiny 1 nostalgia actually, as they're hyping up looks from the first entry as some of the coolest-looking armor in Destiny 2.

Ubisoft Nadeo announced a new game in its long-running online racing game series Trackmania today at the Trackmania Grand League finals in Lyon, France, and it's releasing much sooner than expected. Trackmania, a simply-titled remake of TrackMania Nations, is coming to PC on May 5, 2020.

Trackmania will have a campaign, a level editor with new surface types and special blocks (like a slow-motion block that could be placed right before the finish line), and a daily track rotation.

"Historically, Trackmania has always had a large amount of content thanks to our players," said Nadeo's Florent Castelnerac. "However, we noticed that after releasing a game, players rush through the campaign and then stop playing. So we decided to create a seasonal game, with a regular official campaign and one daily track selection among all players submitted and peer-reviewed maps."

The team says it also expects to "create regular updates" with "seasonal blocks or new features."

Trackmania is one of those series I like just fine but constantly forget it exists.

Pokemon the Movie: Coco, the whopping 23rd film in the series, is set to debut this July in Japan.

Naturally, following a pattern that they've been following since Mewtwo in the very first flick, The Pokemon Company is using it as an opportunity to promote their newest member of the legendary family: Zarude.

In case you missed it, Zarude was revealed yesterday as a new in-game legendary that's exclusive to Sword and Shield, and can be obtained through a customary event that will be detailed in the future. He's a dark/grass type and described as a "rogue monkey Pokemon." Based on the trailer (his heroic cape and his actions), he seems to be benevolent, at least as it relates to his film incarnation (he also raised one of the new main characters of the narrative, Coco).

In case you're curious, generally Pokemon films debut in July in Japanese theaters, then are eventually released overseas in November to December later in the year. Given the move back to traditional animation (after Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution), I'm more inclined to catch this one.

There's no stopping Hamster Corporation, as the retro-loving publisher continues to pump out hits 'n' misses of the golden era of arcades onto modern platforms. The next month will be no exception, as Hamster has revealed the names of some of its upcoming weekly releases.

Among the games headed to the Nintendo Switch are Konami shmups Life Force/Salamander (1986) - which is available to purchase right now - and Flak Attack (1987). Also on the way is NES "Vs." release Wrecking Crew (1985). Meanwhile, arriving on both Switch and PS4, are Jaleco's maze game Naughty Boy (1982) and weird shooter Formation Z (1984). Rounding out this collection is SNK's scrolling brawler P.O.W. Prisoners of War (1988).

All of these titles are expected to be made available for download for around $8 each. For the sake of history it's great to see so many of these titles being made available, but it's a shame that Hamster is yet to push into the arcade renaissance of the early '90s, which brought us so many amazing releases. Hopefully Hamster will eventually mine that fantastic era of coin-op entertainment.

Life Force, Flak Attack, Formation Z, join Arcade Archives [Siliconera / Ryokutya2089]