March 2020

PlayStation 2 is 20 years old today; 4th March 2000 is the date of its Japanese release, although it wouldn't make it to the West until the end of the year. And what a way to kick off a new millennium - with a futuristic games console and (probably) a DVD of The Matrix.

At 155 million units sold, PS2 is the best-selling home console of all time, and during its time it enjoyed a hegemony over console gaming that hasn't been seen since. Part of that was down to its trailblazing predecessor and Sony's canny branding - classy, cool, and above all grown-up. Part of that was because it played the new DVD format relatively cheaply. But most of it was down to the console's astonishing software library, which matched quantity with quality all the way down. So many all-time greats made their debut on this machine, and so many creative, left-field gems too.

So it seemed like the only fair way to celebrate PS2's birthday was by running down 30 of our favourite games for it. What a machine!

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Preorder Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX

• Get it at Amazon - $59.99 (or $54.99 with Prime)
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• Get it on the Nintendo eShop - $59.99

I can credit a lot of games with having a major impact on my view of the hobby. Dragon Warrior was the first major game I played where I felt overwhelmed and had something to work toward. Chrono Trigger opened up how I felt about narratives in the medium. And games like Viewtiful Joe constantly reminded me of how a bit of simple style can go a long way when it comes to crafting pure joy.

Viewtiful Joe, a platformer about a regular guy who becomes a super hero, was released in 2003 as Clover Studio's first game (or what would eventually become the legendary Clover). It was so popular that it spawned a sequel a year later, as well as two spinoffs in 2005. Several years later the director of the original, Hideki Kamiya, and his crew moved away from Capcom and into their current outfit of Platinum Games; the series has remained dormant. Kamiya would like to change that.

Speaking to Nintendo Enthusiast at PAX East, Kamiya says that although he has "no control" over the series anymore as it is in Capcom's hands, he'd love to see it return, specifically on Switch. Kamiya opines, "Personally, I really hope that it comes back. I don’t want it to be lost in the sands of time, so to speak. I’m requesting it! I would love it if that would happen." He goes on to say that he would love to "finish that trilogy" with Viewtiful Joe 3.

The publishers bow out of the Seattle-based comic convention just a few days before the event

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You no longer need a backpack to carry 10 items

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The comedian reflects on his cult comedy series, Review

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As someone with dinkier hands than most, I love a good lightweight gaming mouse. I love the 80g Logitech G Pro Wireless, and I especially love the 58g Glorious Model O-. I’m also a big fan of the 69g Razer Viper that came out last August, which has the added bonus of being ambidextrous so its featherlight design can be enjoyed by righties and lefties alike. You’ll find all three of them in my best gaming mouse list, because they’re great mice. However, it seems that 69g wasn’t quite light enough for those snakey rainbow enthusiasts over at Razer, as they’ve now come out with the even lighter 61g Razer Viper Mini.

It is, of course, still a couple of grams heavier than the Glorious Model O-, but its super skinny chassis really is for the teeniest of tiny hands. Dare I say… too tiny? Here’s wot I think.

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Rumour has it that the Valve Index will be back in stock on Monday, March 9th, and Valve expect their VR headsets to sell right back out the same day. They sold out months ago and manufacturing has been disrupted by the Covid-19 virus, see, and now demand is extra high thanks to the impending launch of Half-Life: Alyx. I am surprised to learn demand is so high that some people plan to stuff their Steam Wallets in advance with enough store credit to buy one outright (that’s £919, cashcounters), to reduce the risk of checkout hiccups making them miss their chance. Wild. Wild times.

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AMD’s Radeon RX 5500 XT is one of the best graphics cards for 1080p gaming right now, but if you buy one from MSI right now, then you get another tasty treat alongside it: a £15 Steam voucher to be precise, and that’s on top of the two free games that come with the card as part of AMD’s current Raise the Game bundle. Don’t mind if I do!

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Pokemon Home will undergo maintenance to fix an issue regarding the distribution involving Magearna.

The post Pokemon Home to Undergo Maintenance on March 6 to Fix Pokedex Registration Error appeared first on Siliconera.

Fire Emblem Heroes is adding FERDINAND VON AEGIR and three other not-as-noble characters.

The post Fire Emblem Heroes Adds Lysithea, Annette, Ferdinand, and Bernadetta appeared first on Siliconera.

Ratalaika is bringing visual novels like Long Live the Queen, A Summer with the Shiba Inu, and Syrup and the Ultimate Sweet to consoles.

The post Long Live the Queen and Other Visual Novels Heading to Consoles appeared first on Siliconera.

Epic Games has canceled Unreal Fest Europe 2020 due to uncertainty caused by the spread of the coronavirus. ...

As we enter a busy month of releases, Xbox has revealed what new games will be coming to Game Pass Console over the next couple of weeks, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps is the highlight.

NBA 2K20 will be coming to the service on March 5, as will Train Sim World 2020.

Then, Ori and the Will of the Wisps will arrive on March 11, which is the day it releases, and Pikuniku will be added the day after.

The console exclusive Ori sequel sees you “embark on an all-new adventure in a vast world filled with new friends and foes that come to life in stunning, hand-painted artwork.”

NBA 2K20 is the most recent entry in 2K’s hugely popular basketball series. On top of improved visuals and gameplay, 2K20 features all the modes you’ll know well, and sees the return of The Neighborhood.

Today Bandai Namco Entertainment released a brand new trailer of the upcoming anime-inspired battle action  game My Hero One’s Justice 2.

The trailer focuses on new heroes joining the cast of the game, including Seiji Shishikura, Camie Utsushimi, Gang Orca, BMI Hero: Fat Gum, and Sir Nighteye.

You can check it out below.

Yes, if you all remember correctly, Genshin Impact is that open-world action-RPG from Chinese developer miHoYo that is heavily influenced by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It was revealed at E3 2019 and during ChinaJoy 2019, a Zelda fan even smashed their PS4 console in protest once they saw the similarities and was even angrier because Sony was promoting it.

Genshin Impact does have a lot in common with Nintendo’s flagship open-world title for the Nintendo Switch, especially visually, but after previewing the title at PAX East 2020 and being able to talk with one of the reps, I can genuinely say that Genshin Impact is not just a blatant Zelda clone –there are so many unique systems and gameplay elements that really sets it on a path of its own that should appeal to JRPG fans.

Now, there is cooking, sidequests, a stamina bar, similar-looking enemies, and other elements that obviously look very much like Breath of the Wild but Genshin Impact’s battle system and the way it utilizes its cast of characters is where it shines.

At launch, there will be 30 different characters for you to play as and while you do start off as a set character, you will later gain the ability to switch characters on the fly, with each one having a distinct fighting style, weapon, backstory, and stats.

You can have up to four characters in your party at once and you can easily switch them by simply pressing L1 (PS4) and then hitting the corresponding face button but if you wanted to switch these characters for others, you’ll need to jump into the menu and take a few seconds.

EA Sports and FIFA 20 haven’t had a good week. Not only has the game been suffering from server issues since Friday, but the esport qualifiers (FUT 20 Champions Cup) have continued their trend of being pretty embarrassing.

Some qualifying matches for the FUT 20 Champions Cup were taking place throughout the world this weekend, with the aim of them being to see who takes part in the finals later in the year. However, as is becoming the norm for official FIFA events, not everything went smoothly.

First – and I’m not making this up – some players had to play Rock, Paper, Scissors instead of FIFA because they weren’t able to match up properly due to connection issues.

Pro player, Shaun Galea, tweeted about the incident, saying, “I cannot believe it!! We literally had to play a rock paper scissors [match] because we couldn’t find each other to invite in an EA licensed qualifier. WTF. I am done.”

Other players had connection issues, causing them to default from the qualifiers, with Dutch pro M10 Levy trying to connect for three hours before it was decided that he had to concede to FaZe Tass.

For hours, it was almost assumed that the Rock, Paper, Scissors incident was a joke, until it was clarified by EA via their Competitive FIFA Twitter account. You can see their full statement below.

A Kindle sale, Philips Hue bulbs, Honest Company Gold Box, and a Seagate SSD lead off Wednesday’s best deals from around the web.

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We talked about the Tomogunchi all the way back when we got our first look at Call of Duty: Modern Warfare during our cover story extravaganza last year, and now it's finally here. This little pet you wear on your watch, clearly inspired by the Tamagotchi, comes with all manner of interactions while you bust people up in multiplayer modes from Hardpoint to Team Deathmatch. The cute little guy can evolve and has a multitude of quips and chirps to fire off as you dominate from map to map, game to game. Check out the cool retro trailer below for a look at the adorable lil thing.

Animal Crossing Has Us Hyped! | Final Checkpoint Podcast Ep. 25 Read More »

Halo: Combat Evolved is also available in the Master Chief Collection

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The statement comes during a lull in the national dialogue on violent video games

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[Update: As of today, Serebii.net reports that the bug has relaxed the requirements for the Magearna gift. Now all you need is a National Pokedex, but not a "Living" 'Dex. In other words, you don't need every Pokemon to be in the app at the same time, so long as you have credit for owning it at some point.]

If you recall, some folks reported last month that they were netting a free special Magearna in Pokemon Home for completing the National 'Dex. Several people thought it was a hoax, but as it turns out, many of those reports are legit, and the mystery has been solved. It was glitched.

As reported on the Pokemon Home app, there will be a downtime-related maintenance period this Friday from 8:30PM ET to 3:00AM ET the next day. During that time the powers that be will be pushing out an update that allows players who have met the requirements to obtain their gift.

The update mentions the "original color" Magearna, so if you got a different one (which has happened to some), you should be compensated accordingly. It's a bit of a wonky start for Pokemon Home, but all things considered things could have been more catastrophic. Hopefully everyone will get their gift if they went through the effort of paying and transferring their full 'Dex.

Pokemon Home [Serebii.net]

One of the greatest video games of all time, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, is now available to purchase on iOS and Android, giving fans the chance to carry Konami's 1997 PlayStation classic with them wherever they may wander.

Directed by Toru Hagihara and Koji Igarashi, Symphony of the Night excels in its design, audio/visual elements, and deep, exploratory gameplay. As dramatic hero Alucard, players explore a huge gothic castle, acquiring gear, spells and acrobatic skills while battling a huge catalogue of enemies and grim boss characters, all en route to a final showdown with the Lord of the Night himself, Count Dracula.

Symphony of the Night set a new standard for Castlevania on its release, and its influence can be found in further series entries such as Dawn of Sorrow and Order of Ecclesia, as well as Igarashi's own Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. Today, SotN remains one of the most influential titles in the so-called "metroidvania" genre.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is available for iOS via the App Store or Android via Google Play, priced at around $3. The mobile port is fairly bare-bones, but includes a new "Continue" feature, six language options, and supports game controllers.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night now available for iOS, Android [Gematsu]

The games industry (and the games press) have always had a weird relationship with old games. From the open hostility of publishers in the 2000s to the overdone retro stylings of the 2010s, we remain in an uneasy entente with our ancient past. Many will insist that very old games were better. Others have played them since, and found them wanting.

There is a way to reconcile these factions. That way is being pioneered by the unsung master of modern rebuilds of archaic arcade ar…cology? No that doesn’t work. The point is, Hijong Park makes brilliant games based on hits from the 1980s, and you should play them.

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Overwatch‘s very first Experimental game mode has come to an end. Over the last week, the game featured a Triple Damage mode as a way for Blizzard to test how they could reduce queue times for folks who want to play damage heroes.

For starters, what a great feature the Experimental card is! It’s a lot more accessible than the Player Test Realm (PTR), which requires downloading an entirely different version of the game. Having a quick new limited mode to try out for a week is a nice way to keep the game feeling fresh too, and letting players participate in something that will likely help Overwatch improve in the future is a great way to get the community more involved.

For seconds, oh my god please don’t bring Triple Damage into the live game.

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All you many Scrooge McDuck fans will be pleased to hear DuckTales: Remastered has returned to Steam. Remember when it just kind of, went away, last year? It was pretty weird, Capcom told everyone it was getting delisted from all the digital stores, then they put it on sale for 75% off as a “farewell price drop”. They didn’t even give us a reason. They also haven’t given a reason as to why it’s suddenly returning. Weird.

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This weekend you can breach walls without also blowing a hole in your wallet. Ubisoft’s multiplayer shooter Rainbow Six Siege is having a free-to-play weekend where you’ll be able to take a spin on all its maps and modes. Pre-loading has already started, so you can queue up a download right now if you’re looking to hop in on the free weekend starting Thursday.

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Phoenix Games has purchased Romanian live-ops company Studio Firefly for an undisclosed fee. ...

The PlayStation 4 lost PlayStation Vue, but it now has Hulu + Live TV as a live TV streaming option.

The post Hulu PlayStation 4 Live TV Service Begins appeared first on Siliconera.

The PlayStation 2 turned 20 on March 4, 2020 in Japan, marking two decades of the world's best selling home console to date.

The post The PlayStation 2 Celebrates Its 20th Birthday in Japan appeared first on Siliconera.

Atlus is now offering Persona 5 Scramble demos for PS4 and Switch through Amazon Japan with a bonus wallpaper.

The post Persona 5 Scramble Demo Now Available Through Amazon Japan appeared first on Siliconera.

Today Pearl Abyss updated the console versions of its popular MMORPG Black Desert adding cross-play, and celebrating with a trailer.

Starting today players on both Xbox One and PS4 will be able to pick between cross-play and platform exclusive servers depending on their taste, and enjoy an in-game event to celebrate this new feature.

On top of that, the PS4 version received the Archer character class and Kamasylvia region as part of the update, bringing it up to par in content with the Xbox One version. 

Of course, this was required in order to enable cross-play between the two platforms.

That is also means that there is no cross-play with the PC version (dubbed Black Desert Online) which is considerably ahead in terms of content.

The game will also be on sale until March 18. The PS4 version is 25% off with Pearls (the game’s microtransaction currency) sold at 10% off. The Xbox One version is 50% off with Pearls discounted by 20%.

You can check out the trailer below, showing heroes bearing colors that you’ll surely find familiar. 

Black Desert is currently available for PS4, Xbox One. Black Desert Online can be played on PC via the publisher itself or Steam. A mobile version dubbed Black Desert Mobile is also available.

Final Fantasy VII Remake is under a month away from launchingon PS4, kicking off an episodic approach to retelling the classic from the original PlayStation. In order to segment the story some changes have been made, one of which will prevent you from playing as Red XIII.

Red XIII has already been revealed as a part of this initial release for Final Fantasy VII Remake, featuring in previous trailers and even the upcoming PS4 theme available for everyone who downloads the demo off PSN. Although he appears right at the end of the Midgar chapter--the point where this first episode wraps up--you won’t be able to directly control him in battle, according to an interview with VG24/7.

Instead you'll fight alongside him, with all his actions controlled by the game's AI. Final Fantasy VII Remake co-director Naoki Hamaguchi, who explained that Red XIII's first appearance is so late into the game that it didn't make sense to introduce his mechanics to players at that point.