September 2020

77" LG CX-Series 4K OLED TV + $300 Visa Gift Card | $3,697 | BuyDig

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Super Mario Sunshine. Mario’s second foray into a three-dimensional plane built on the foundation of 1996’s Super Mario 64. It gave Mario a new way to get around (the F.L.U.D.D. jetpack-gizmo) and sent him out of the Mushroom Kingdom. It also featured an unmistakable pro-environment bent, wherein Mario had to clean up…

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The most wonderful time of the year is truly here. On Wednesday, Katmai National Park and Preserve’s annual Fat Bear Week will officially kick off—a tribute to the months of gorging that bears must undertake to stock up on body fat before the coming winter famine and hibernation. This year, people will vote on 12 of…

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Dearest reader, I bring you tragic and wonderful news. A wealthy long-lost relative has died (oh no!) and bequeathed you their estate (oh ho!) but with one unusual condition (o-oh?). Should you wish to claim their riches, titles, and mansion, you must fully accept into your heart and life one of two new ludicrous 1/4-scale video game statues. From now until your end, you shall live surrounded by them. Tell me, reader dear: will it be the giant Nier: Automata trio or the 51cm Cyberpunk 2077 Keanu Reeves?

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Having already fit the world on my hard drive, Microsoft Flight Simulator now begins the long and painful process of making it all look a bit nicer. The flight sim’s first World Update drops today, sprucing up Japan with photogrammetry-scanned cities, improved terrain mapping, custom-built airports and new landing challenges to break in the new runways. Tickets are free, so why not pop over to Tokyo for a spell?

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Meet Galarian Slowking! The poison and psychic-type will be a Galarian Slowpoke evolution option in The Crown Tundra expansion.

The post Galarian Slowking Appears in The Crown Tundra Expansion appeared first on Siliconera.

Ready for a Mortal Kombat 11 Halloween look? Aftermath's All Hallows’ Eve Skin Pack is here with some scary costumes.

The post Mortal Kombat 11 Halloween Skins Arrive for D’Vorah, Johnny Cage, and Sub-Zero appeared first on Siliconera.

Get exclusive items in Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia and Dragon Quest of the Stars through an upcoming collaboration event.

The post Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia and Dragon Quest of the Stars Collaboration Announced appeared first on Siliconera.

Octopath Traveler: Conquerors of the Continent trailer introduces Helminia, the "Witch of Greed."

The post Octopath Traveler: Conquerors of the Continent Story Trailer Introduces Helminia appeared first on Siliconera.

Today Sony Interactive Entertainment revealed the Demon’s Souls Digital Deluxe Edition for PS5.

The edition is priced at $89.99 / €99.99 depending on where you live, and it comes with several additional goodies.

Here’s a full list and a rendition of what you can expect in the Digital Deluxe Edition.

• Original Soundtrack
• Legendary Hero Soul
• Renowned Warrior Soul
• Storied Warrior Soul
• Red-Eye Knight Armor
• Boletarian Royalty Armor
• Ritual Blade
• Hoplite Shield
• Ring of Longevity
• Preservation Grains
• Phosphorescent Grains
• Bearbug Grains
• Large Hardstone Shard
• Moonlightstone Shard

It should go up for pre-order on the PlayStation Store some time today.

Today Microsoft released the first world update for Microsoft Flight Simulator alongside a general software patch.

The world update focuses on Japan and it adds a rather spectacular level of detail to the archipelago of the rising sun.

Here’s a list of what’s included for free.

“World Update I: Japan features upgraded digital elevation mapping across the entire country, high-resolution 3D photogrammetry for six prominent Japanese cities (Sendai, Takamatsu, Tokushima, Tokyo, Utsunomiya, and Yokohama), and six exquisitely hand-crafted airports (Hachijojima, Kerama, Kushiro, Nagasaki, Shimojishima, and Suwanosejima). Throughout the environment, new countryside and pagoda-style architecture has been added, along with nearly two dozen custom landmarks & POIs that invite you to explore the area’s timeless World Heritage sites, towering neon skyscrapers, iconic bridges, and sacred shrines.

But that’s just the beginning – this update also brings a trio of exciting Landing Challenges set at Japanese airports, new opportunities for pilots to overcome environmental obstacles and prove their skills.”

On top of that a new the update numbered 1.9.3 brings a lot of tweaks and fixes to Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Here are the patch notes:

Airports

Airports added:

• LEMG – Málaga Airport
• LFLC – Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne
• PAFR – Bryant Army Airfield Heliport

Airports improvements:

My expectations heading into today’s reveal of Pokemon Sword & Shield’s second expansion pack, The Crown Tundra, were set at zero. The Isle of Armor was an OK enough expansion if you were already sucked into the original gameplay loop of Sword and Shield. But for someone like me, though, that had a hard time staying interested, it was a massive disappointment.

I have pumped at least 100-200 hours into each and every Pokemon generation since the franchise’s existence, but with Sword and Shield, I was done shortly after beating the campaign.

The narrative was dull, the endgame wore thin shortly after getting into it, and Dynamaxing just feels too gimmicky for serious competitive play.

Isle of Armor did nothing to address any of those issues. In fact, Isle of Armor doubled down by adding more of the same.

It doused players with even more bland wild areas, introduced nothing meaningful in terms of new gameplay experiences, and its story was just as meh as the original campaign. The sole notable bright spots were how cute/powerful Kubfu is and that giant Wailord.

There seems to be no limit to the creativity we see in the gaming community. YouTuber TheJumiFilm specializes in creating Lego stop motion videos, and his latest creation is an impressive Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout animation. 

TheJumiFilm says that it took him three whole weeks of building, animating, and editing the video before it was finally finished and posted for the world to see. The animation is so smooth and of high quality that it hardly even looks like stop motion at all.

The stop motion video even uses music and sound effects from the game, so it truly feels like it could be straight out of Fall Guys if the characters and stage weren’t made out of actual brick Legos.

The animation is about two minutes long and starts with a pig Lego character falling through the air on the populating screen as he waits to join a Fall Guys game. 

It then cuts to eight Lego characters hurdling their way through the Door Dash stage of Fall Guys. The camera follows the pig character as he tries to knock down doors and reach the finish line in order to qualify for the next round.

After the pig character attempts (and fails) to break down the wrong door, we see two other characters pull ahead of him with only one qualifying spot left. 

Does the pig character qualify for the next round? You’ll have to watch the video below and find out.

TheJumiFilm has an entire YouTube channel with stop motion Lego animations, but this is his first Fall Guys themed video. He says that he’s planning on making two more Fall Guys Lego stop motion videos later this year after he finishes one for the game Among Us.

Ubisoft has been steadily releasing new trailers for both Watch Dogs Legion and Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla as their launch dates approach. This time, they’ve provided an Assassin’s Creed Valhalla story trailer that shows the beginnings and purpose of Eivor’s journey to England.

The video shows the struggles that the Vikings are facing, leading up to the Viking invasion of England. Eivor’s clan is driven from Norway to escape constant warring, as well as to find more resources.

One of Eivor’s greatest allies on this journey is Sigurd, another Viking raider. The bond between the two runs deep. Throughout the story, players will be pulled between their duty to Sigurd, and their quest for glory.

Together, the pair will have to go up against a number of Saxon kings and warmongers in a land that is foreign to them.

The trailer mixes story moments, gameplay, and dialogue to allow players to see the mentality of Eivor’s Viking clan.

Checkout the trailer below to get a small glimpse of what you can expect from the Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla story:

Today Square Enix announced that the latest Dragon Quest mobile game Dragon Quest Tact will come west.

The western release will be in early 2021 for iOS and Android..

Pre-registration is open for the Android-only closed beta, and you can find it here.

Of course, the game is free-to-play with the usual in-game purchases.

Below you can find a few images and the official description directly from Square Enix.

As we wobble precariously on the brink of October, let us look ahead to pleasant things to come in the form of Microsoft's latest batch of Game Pass additions on Xbox One, PC, and now, thanks to the magic of clouds, Android. And while we're here, I'll do October's Games with Gold - featuring the likes of Costume Quest and Maid of Sker - too, okay?

October (specifically 1st October) starts with a bang and a hop on Game Pass, bringing Doom Eternal to Xbox One and Android - which should delight fans of shooting things messily and also jumping. "The game is fundamentally the 2016 reboot again with new props," said Eurogamer contributor Edwin in his review earlier this year, "and its dogged commitment to Doom's narrative universe is as baffling as the firefights are exhilarating".

Meanwhile, 1st October also sees the arrival of Drake Hollow on Game Pass for PC. This one, if you're unfamiliar, is the darkly whimsical cooperative village-building action mash-up from The Flame in the Flood developer The Molasses Flood.

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Ubisoft has today revealed a little more of Assassin's Creed Valhalla's story in a new trailer.

Up until now, we knew very little of Valhalla other than the fact it featured a Viking named Eivor who would come to Ancient Britain and rub King Alfred up the wrong way.

Well, now we know a few morsels more. Eivor has a brother, Sigurd, and will meet the Hidden Ones (the proto-Assassins) before shipping out of Norway.

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Over the past year we’ve seen game subscription services launch, grow, and evolve, and it’s time to check-in and find out which services offer the best bang for your buck. From Xbox Game Pass to the newly announced Amazon Luna and everything in between, we break down each of the biggest game subscriptions available today to help you decide which is best for you.

Note - all prices are in USD, and will vary from country to country.

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Xbox Game Pass (+Ultimate)

Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PC, compatible Android devices

Price: Console Only $9.99/mo, PC Only $9.99/mo, Game Pass Ultimate (Xbox One, PC, mobile streaming + Xbox Live Gold) $14.99/mo.

Trial Period: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate $1 for first month

The king of game streaming continues to be Xbox with its Game Pass subscription service.

Even though Sony was first to the subscription party, Microsoft has just about perfected the formula. Xbox Game Pass allows you to play over 100 games as part of an ever-evolving catalog, including all of Microsoft’s first-party titles on the day they launch such as Halo Infinite, Gears Tactics, and more.

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Will your save files carry over to PS5 in all cases? Unfortunately, there's not an easy or neat across-the-board answer to that question, and anxiety has only spread as developers share their specific plans.

We learned yesterday that Yakuza: Like A Dragon will not support PS4/PS5 cross-saves, but Spider-Man: Miles Morales – another prominent cross-gen game with a PS4 version and a PS5 version – will.

A fan posed the question on Twitter and Insomniac came back with a simple yes.

Hi there, you will be able to transfer your save to PS5. We'll share details closer to launch

— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) September 29, 2020

In other words, if you get Miles Morales digitally on PS4, you can move over to PS5 whenever you please. If you buy a physical PS4 copy, you'll just need to play on the PS5 model with a disc drive.

On a separate but related note that's probably worth reiterating right now, your progress in Spider-Man PS4 – as in, the 2018 game – will not carry over to 2020's Spider-Man Remastered on PS5. (Also, the remaster is tied to the Ultimate Edition of Miles Morales and that's a whole 'nother annoyance.)

A lot of times, Microsoft misses the mark with Games with Gold. That's not in terms of the quality being crappy -- although that has certainly been a problem in the past -- but in terms of disassociating months from their biggest holiday. Everyone's in the mood so just give us what we're already vibin'.

That is not a problem for this October's Games with Gold. It is Halloweened to the max, with no time for anything other than scares and slayings. This is exactly how October should be. 

It starts strong on Xbox One as Slayaway Camp: Butcher's Cut is the first to die freebie. I actually wrote about this little gem a few years ago. It's a cutesy block-moving puzzle game where the goal is to murder everyone in any given scene. It's well worth a try. Also, its name is a nod to Sleepaway Camp which is my favorite camp slasher movie. Joining the festivities halfway through the month is Maid of Sker which certainly looks more the part of a traditional horror game.

On the backward compatibility side of things, Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy is available for the first half of October as an original Xbox game. Next up is Double Fine's Costume Quest which I unapologetically adore. It might be time for a replay of that one. It's breezy and light in all the right ways. This one doesn't even have a Hardcorn mode to trip you up.

Here's the full Xbox Games with Gold breakdown for October:

If the $70 price tag for Sony's PS5 games didn't pummel your wallet enough, well, wait until you see some of these special editions. I would spend a lot on Demon's Souls, but $90 for a Digital Deluxe Edition with the soundtrack and around a dozen in-game items? Yeah, I'm gonna have to sit this one out.

PlayStation has opened pre-orders for Demon's Souls, and here's what the extra $20 gets you:

• Legendary Hero Soul
• Renowned Warrior Soul
• Storied Warrior Soul
• Red-Eye Knight Armor
• Boletarian Royalty Armor
• Ritual Blade
• Hoplite Shield
• Ring of Longevity
• Preservation Grains
• Phosphorescent Grains
• Bearbug Grains
• Large Hardstone Shard
• Moonlightstone Shard
• Original soundtrack

If you pre-order any edition, including the $70 standard version, you'll get the Reaper Scythe.

Essentially, most of these items are a head-start for the opening hours – nothing to fret over – with the exception being a pair of armor sets. It's unclear if the Red-Eye Knight and Boletarian Royalty armor can be earned in-game, but I wouldn't be particularly shocked to find out they're Digital Deluxe exclusives. For what it's worth, the official image only calls the Reaper Scythe pre-order bonus an "exclusive."

I'm also curious to find out what the deal is with these grains.

In brighter news, the store page has several new screenshots and they're delectable. I truly hope my Demon's Souls remake machine shows up at my house in time for the Demon's Souls remake.

Hades is out on both PC and Switch following a lengthy Early Access period, and for the most part, all is well. There's just a few loose ends to tie up, most notably some errant bugs and of course: cross-save.

While Supergiant wasn't able to get the feature out on time for the cross-launch, it will be coming sooner than we anticipated. According to a new tweet from the company this week, the feature will apparently arrive "sometime in October." For now though, you can download a recent Switch patch that addresses "save data not loading properly," as well as "several other minor fixes and improvements."

Supergiant is also aware of several other known issues, like the fact that Achilles won't give the player the codex (in-game dictionary). That one sounds rough! As for me, I cleaned up my "true ending" runs and completed the final boss on Extreme Measures 4, so I think I'm good for a bit; maybe until I get the itch to finish the epilogue.

Supergiant Games [Twitter]

The Epic Games vs. Apple lawsuit continues with the most recent hearing on September 28. The lawsuit began when Epic Games implemented their own pay system in the mobile version of the game, effectively bypassing Apple's 30 percent cut regarding in-game purchases. While still ongoing, the latest update favors Apple's stance that this move was a breach in agreement and a security concern, with the judge stating that Epic lied by omission. 

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers says that Epic Games was "not honest" with their intentions regarding in-game purchase actions, even stating that Epic's defense actually bolster's Apple's initial claims that the former took a contract-breaking stance when implementing its own programs against Apple's app review standards. 

"You did something, you lied about it by omission, by not being forthcoming" stated the judge during the most recent hearing. She continued, "That's the security issue. That's the security issue!" 

During the proceedings, the judge called into question Epic's motives behind the move and how its actions has impacted fans of all ages that enjoy Fortnite, especially given its free entry. "There are a lot of people in the public that consider you guys heroes for what you guys did, but it's still not honest."

PlayStation 5's Demon's Souls is an exciting remake that looks to immerse Soulsborne veterans and newcomers in a classic, hardcore adventure. However, the remake isn't merely an upgraded carbon copy of the original action/RPG. The Demon's Souls pre-order content includes the Reaper Scythe – an enemy boss' weapon that appeared in the old game. But in a recent PlayStation tweet, we can get a clearer picture of all of the never-before-seen gear and consumables that will come with the Demon's Souls Deluxe Edition. 

First look at the Digital Deluxe Edition of Demon's Souls, coming to #PS5 on November 12: https://t.co/nFRBshdAdR pic.twitter.com/p6z4h8fS1o

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) September 29, 2020

Like the Reaper Scythe, some of the weapons belong to Demon's Souls bosses like the Golden Skeleton and Hoplites. Other items like the three Grains and the Ring of Longevity are a mystery.

Demon's Souls releases alongside the PlayStation 5 on November 12. 

In an answer to player queries, Insomniac Games released a tweet affirming that Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales saves are transferable. Players that own the PlayStation 4 version of Spider-Man: Miles Morales will not only get access to a free next-gen upgrade of the game, but they can rest assured that their save data will be easily available too. Insomniac Games plans to release more info on the transfer process closer to launch. The original Spider-Man game will come as a remastered addition to the Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition but, unfortunately, it will not have transferable saves. 

Hi there, you will be able to transfer your save to PS5. We'll share details closer to launch

— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) September 29, 2020

You can purchase the base version of Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales for $50 or the Ultimate Edition for $70. The game launches for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on November 12. 

Sacha Baron Cohen reprises his most infamous character

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Arrr, this be a shakedown.

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Some intriguing changes are coming to the PS5 launch game

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If we talk about user experience, we are at the heart of the game and that is the domain of the game designer. So who do you need: A UX designer, a game designer, or both? ...

A partnership with Xbox and Electronic Arts sees EA's subscription-based library rolled into Xbox's existing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership. ...

Amazon Echo Dot 2-Pack | $40 | Amazon | Promo code: DOTPRIME2PK

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Flight Simulator pilots discovered a trippy glitch over the weekend that causes the earth to open up and warp space-time like a black hole.

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The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth

is almost finished. No, actually, for real this time. Two years after it’s announcement, five years after Afterbirth+ and almost a decade after the game’s flash debut, Edmund McMillen reckons The Binding Of Isaac: Repentance is just shy of finished – closing out the roguelike with one final DLC that promises a sequel-scale faecal basement adventure.

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Given the subject, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla probably didn’t need to tell us why our merry band of Norsemen are off pillaging England. Who wouldn’t? But it’s gone and done so anyway with this week’s new story trailer. As it turns out, there’s a whole lotta brotherly love, royal squabbling and series-mandated Templar conspiracies rumbling underneath all that Anglo-bashing.

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Just like Piofiore, Cafe Enchante art cards will be included with physical copies of the upcoming Nintendo Switch otome game.

The post Cafe Enchante Art Cards Will Come With Physical Copies appeared first on Siliconera.

The Dökkálfar introduced in Book IV can join your party in Fire Emblem Heroes' next Mythic Hero banner.

The post Fire Emblem Heroes’ Next Mythic Hero ‘Plumeria: Lewd Dream’ Joins September 30, 2020 appeared first on Siliconera.

Is new Nintendo Switch game Kirby Fighters 2 a hidden gem? It depends on what you want out of a platform fighter — and how you feel about smoochin'.

The post Review: In Kirby Fighters 2, Kirby’s Both a Lover And a Fighter appeared first on Siliconera.

The Demon's Souls Digital Deluxe Edition includes the soundtrack, Boletarian Royalty Armor and Red-Eye Knight Armor, and other items.

The post Demon’s Souls Digital Deluxe Edition Includes Extra Equipment and Souls appeared first on Siliconera.

The Devil May Cry 5 Vergil battle theme is now on Spotify! Capcom also shared the official "Bury the Light" lyrics.

The post Devil May Cry 5 ‘Bury the Light’ Lyrics Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.

Today Gearbox Publishing released a brand new trailer of its upcoming looting-slashing game Godfall.

The trailer is of the cinematic flavor, showing off the intro of the game, telling tale of division and betrayal.

Here’s how it’s described:

“If I’d left well enough alone, Macros would still be bullying rivals and battling enemies. Instead, he’s on the brink of godhood and our civilization lies in ruins. But Macros forgets what he said to me that day: Gods belong in the sky.

Save Aperion. You are the last of the Valorian knights, masters of combat equipped with legendary armor called Valorplates. Ascend in Godfall, a first-of-its-kind, looter-slasher, melee action-RPG.”

Incidentally, pricing for the PS5 version of the game has been officially confirmed as pre-orders opened. The standard edition is priced at $69.99. The deluxe edition costs $89.99, and the Ascended Edition is priced at $99.99.

You can check the trailer out below.