Depending on who you’re playing against, Super Mario Bros. 35 doesn’t always feel as adrenaline-fueled as certain other battle royales. But this look at some skilled survivalists shows just how intense its late game can get.
Sony is making a profound user-experience change to the PlayStation 5 in Japan, the kind that will bug the absolute hell out of players who have gotten used to things being a certain way since the PS1.
Unlike its predecessors, the PS5 will default to the Circle button being "cancel" and the X button being "confirm" in all regions. That's fine for Western players – no change here – but in Japan, where the functionality of the two buttons is being swapped after decades, it's going to be such a nuisance.
As reported by Kotaku, a representative of Sony said this control change for PlayStation 5 is meant to keep button settings consistent across all countries and also make things easier for game developers.
It's going to take a while to unlearn years of muscle memory, but personally speaking, I've adjusted to some bizarre controls in my time. Just don't make me play with an inverted camera and we're good.
We haven't yet seen the PS5 UI or settings – frankly, there's still a ton we don't know about this console – and it's unclear if Sony will offer a system-level option for players to remap the controls. I'd hope so.
It's going to be extra jarring for players jumping from backward-compatible PS4 games to PS5 games.
Sony Is Changing The Confirm And Cancel Buttons In Japan And Folks Aren't Happy [Kotaku]
Nintendo has released a cute new trailer for its upcoming Switch release Pikmin 3 Deluxe, offering series newcomers a crash course in identifying the strange, plant-like, do-gooders.
The short overview spotlights the adorable little rascals as they follow the perpetually surprised Alph on his escapades throughout PNF-404. As explained in the video, Pikmin are a colourful species that are plucked from the undergrowth by our heroes before being directed to perform a number of tasks - from gathering sources and removing barricades, to building bridges and even cultivating more of their kind.
Minecraft Dungeons isn't the only title in the series that will see big changes in the future, as this past weekend's Minecraft Live stream confirmed that the original classic is getting a fairly massive update.
Although the next Minecraft patch has been in the works for a while, it now has an official name: Caves & Cliffs, and it does exactly what it says. Both caves and mountainsides will get significant biome upgrades, with the former seeing multiple new varieties (lush/dripstone). Crystals, telescopes, bundles, sculk sensor blocks and a new warden mob are all part of the update as well.
As for the mountain enhancements, we're getting a new mountain goat animal, on top of copper (which will turn green over time to sort of "age" your game). The axolotl and glow squid mobs will also be added at some point.
For those of you who regularly play Minecraft, a few components of Caves & Cliffs are fairly huge in nature. With more variety in the map overall, it adds a ton of replay value in terms of endlessly exploring and recreating adventure maps. I'm most excited about the lush and dripstone mechanics given my penchant to endlessly dig as one of the first things I do in any new map.
Minecraft Live The Recap [Minecraft.net]
It has been well over two years since Sony officially announced it was producing a motion picture based on Capcom's legendary Monster Hunter franchise. Since that announcement we've seen stars Milla Jovovich and Tony Jaa added to the cast, a plot outline, and even a whopping great sword. But we've yet to see any actual monsters... until now.
Sony Pictures has released a very brief teaser trailer for Paul W.S. Anderson's Monster Hunter, which gives us our first glimpse of action as Lt. Natalie Artemis and her non-specific military squad encounter the frightening horned giant known as the Black Diablos. Deciding that negotiation is not an option, Artemis and crew throw a little lead in harm's way, ending the preview.
One of the most popular entries in the Need for Speed franchise is getting ready to excite road-racers all over again, as Electronic Arts and Criterion Games have finally announced that Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered is coming to PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in November.
Originally released back in 2010 on PS3, PC, and Xbox 360, NFS: Hot Pursuit takes the gloss and sheen of the long-running racing franchise and applies it to a super-dramatic knock-down, drag-out road rager. Players can choose to hit the tarmac in a selection of high-performance roadsters, while others chase them down and take them off-road in several souped-up police cruisers, armed with a bevy of hi-tech gadgets and weaponry.
You can check out a cheesy-ass trailer, that doesn't feature nearly enough gameplay footage, below.
The Monster Hunter Rise Aknosom concept art puts the bird wyvern into a very flamingo-like pose.
The post Monster Hunter Rise Aknosom Concept Art Resembles a Flamingo appeared first on Siliconera.
To help get people ready for Pikmin 3 Deluxe, Nintendo issued a new trailer showing Pikmin in their natural habitat.
The post Pikmin 3 Deluxe Trailer Reminds People What Pikmin Are appeared first on Siliconera.
Masahiro Sakurai's Dragon Quest Builders 2 video clip showed off his Space Invader Builder's Banner and floating island.
The post Masahiro Sakurai Shared His Dragon Quest Builders 2 Floating Island appeared first on Siliconera.
Earlier today, on the Call of Duty YouTube channel, a brief and brand-new trailer revealed a handful of details about the Call of Duty: Cold War beta.
As expected, you need to pre-order Cold War in order to get access to the beta ahead of the Nov. 13 launch. But what’s exciting is that you’ll have five game modes to choose from on the lead up to the release date. One of which is the newest mode, Combined Arms.
This new multiplayer mode is essentially 12 v 12 capture the flag with land and sea vehicles such as tanks and gunboats. The other four modes are Team Deathmatch, Domination, VIP Escort, and Kill Confirmed. The only catch is that PS4 owners will be able to get access to all this earlier than any other platform.
In just a few days, on Oct. 8, PS4 owners who pre-order Call of Duty: Cold War will get access to the closed beta along with the Woods Operator and a Weapon Blueprint in Call of Duty Warzone. The other platforms will get the same extras, but can’t access the beta until a later date that has not yet been confirmed.
But if you don’t feel like pre-ordering the game just to be able to test out the beta, then you’re in luck. Starting on Oct. 10 and running this weekend only, you can access the beta for free on PS4. You can pick up Call of Duty Cold War on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC when it releases Nov. 13.
You can check out the official Call of Duty: Cold War beta trailer below.
Today Square Enix released a new trailer of its mobile JRPG Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent.
We get to see the story and boss fight focused on Titus one of the three main villains featured in the game.
These villains will be featured in three stories which will lead our characters to face off against those who have mastered “wealth,” “fame,” and “power.” Tius is specifically the master of power.
Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent is set a few years before the original Octopath Traveler released for Nintendo Switch and PC, which has now shipped 2 million units on both platforms worldwide.
At the moment, there is no information on whether this mobile prequel will come to the west, but we know it’ll release in Japan in a few weeks, on October 28. It’ll come for both iOS and Android.
In the meanwhile, you can check out the trailer below. You can also check out the full-size artwork for Titus himself.
There's a hefty update coming to developer Sucker Punch's samurai action adventure Ghost of Tsushima next Friday, 16th October, introducing New Game+, co-op multiplayer, and more.
Ghost of Tsushima's Version 1.1 update is free for all players and leads with an online cooperative multiplayer experience known as Ghost of Tsushima: Legends. Once unlocked via the PlayStation Store, players can access Legends' story missions (designed for two players), as well as four-player survival missions. Sucker Punch says a three-part Raid for four players is also on the way, and is expected in the week's following 1.1's release.
Story missions are framed around Gyozen the Storyteller, a new NPC situated at towns and various other locations on the map, who offers a different perspective on events of the solo game. Speaking to him will whisk players to the multiplayer lobby (also available from the main menu), and higher difficulties can be unlocked that include new encounters, tougher enemies, bonus objectives, and greater rewards.
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures
Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi blockbuster gets a new release date as theaters struggle to reopen
Graphic: Brian David Gilbert/Polygon | Source images: Activision, Sony Interactive Entertainment
Speedrunning nostalgia with an absurd amount of sour candy
From the minds that gave us something called the Big Yeetus comes a new standard of beauty: Fall Guys Season 2 is getting Thicc Bonkus because of course it is.
Fall Guys is an adorably competitive jelly bean battle royale game with a special Mario Party flair, but another big reason why this title has exploded in popularity is because it just doesn't take itself too seriously. First there was the Big Yeetus, now there is a new obstacle on the way to smash those hopes and dreams: Thicc Bonkus.
So what is Thicc Bonkus other than a perfectly named gaming feature? Like the Big Yeetus, this obstacle course addition looks to continue on the trend of yeeting beans off into the sunset, but with adorably deceptive baby pinks spikes. Because aw, and also ow.
I'm very pleased to announce the latest character in the Fall Guys Cinematic Universe...
T H I C C B O N K U S
Coming to Fall Guys Season 2 on October 8th
Reply with THICC BONKUS if your bean is ready 👀 pic.twitter.com/bs8y2tc1AV
The Swedish studio has now shared a slight update to Twitter to note that development on the game is moving along. ...
Welcome back to the Daily Death, in which I record my attempt at the Spelunky 2 daily challenge, and encourage you to do the same with your own runs. Today: the world’s luckiest lava droplet.
Over the past month, space espionage game Among Us has gotten astronomically popular. Too much so for its own good, it seems, after facing overloaded servers and now the unavoidable rash of cheaters and hackers known to arrive in even the most mildly competitive games. Innersloth say they’re working on multiple solutions to combat jerks and hackers.
It’s Monday and time for Ask Kotaku, the weekly feature in which Kotaku-ites deliberate on a single burning question. Then, we ask your take.
Knight Fever is one of the new Season 2 levels lined up for Fall Guys. It's a meat-grinder of a race with swinging axes, rolling spike-covered walkways, and drawbridges that have a mind of their own.
It's in the spirit of my favorite Fall Guys levels – Dizzy Heights, The Whirlygig, and the all-time cruel Slime Climb – so I hope to see it pop up a bunch. While other game types tend to have downtime once you learn the ropes, the thrill of hoofing it with a floppy horde hasn't lost its initial excitement.
The little victories matter too. If you take first place in a race, regardless of how poorly you fare in future rounds, you're gonna feel great in that moment. Surviving as a group is nice, but it just isn't the same.
Along with other new levels, Knight Fever will begin appearing in Fall Guys on October 8.
Fall Guys Season 2 Exclusive: New Level Knight Fever Revealed [IGN]
All this time, we've been gettin' jazzed for Cyberpunk 2077 without knowing the lay of the land. Sure, it's all in Night City, but what's where and who's why were all complete mysteries. We had more questions than Linda Ellerbee (three of you will get that one).
Now, on the day that Cyberpunk 2077 went gold, we finally have a confirmed glimpse at the map of Night City. It's not all that detailed, only providing major roads and the general outline of the city. And it's not all that interesting, as the names of regions don't do anything to tell us what makes those areas special. But damnit, it's a map!
Bask:
Death, Taxes, and Crash Bandicoot being a smash success in the UK. Yes, of no surprise to anybody, Activision's Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time has debuted in the top spot of the UK Charts, dethroning Nintendo's retro compendium Super Mario 3D All-Stars.
The mad marsupial just pipped Electronic Arts' Star Wars: Squadrons to the number one slot, with only around 1,000 physical copies between the two new releases. Never bet against Crash, as many of you will remember when Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy ruled the roost - for what seemed like forever - back in 2017.
You'll want to join the otome mob for this one.
The post Review: Piofiore: Fated Memories Is Dark and Delightful appeared first on Siliconera.
Respawn recently revealed that a new event is coming to Apex Legends this week. The Aftermarket Collection event starts tomorrow, Oct. 5, alongside the Flashpoint LTM and the crossplay beta. Today, they’ve shared the patch notes for tomorrow’s Apex Legends update.
The patch notes go over everything you’ll need to know about the Aftermarket Collection update, including buffs, nerfs, and other gameplay adjustments.
The most notable Legend changes are for Bloodhound, Wraith, and Pathfinder. Bloodhound’s Tactical now has an eight-second cooldown during their Ultimate, and Wraith has new running animations that correct issues that used to make her harder to hit.
Pathfinder mains will really appreciate these Apex Legends patch notes. His Tactical cooldown now directly correlates to the distance that he zips. Basically, if you zip/grapple into a faceplant by accident, your cooldown will be shorter. The 35-second cooldown still applies to longer grapples, though.
Additionally, Crypto’s drone can now open the vault if he has the key, and Loba’s Tactical and Ultimate have a greatly extended range.
Mondays are the absolute worst, am I right everyone? Let’s put a little pep in your step today and start your week off right with some good ol’ fashioned gaming memes.
We have some memes from Among Us, Ghost Goat of Tsushima, and many, many more that are sure to bring a smile to your face or at least make you exhale out of your nose a little bit.
While there is plenty of unique series throughout the medium, there is no doubt that anime tends to be dominated by shows that fit a similar mold – we are looking at you, action-adventure shonen. Netflix’s Great Pretender is the polar opposite of that archetype, weaving an intricate web of tales that help it stand out amidst a sea of new anime.
In this crime comedy, viewers follow a group of con artists throughout three different blocks of episodes, also known as cases. Throughout each case, the group picks a mark and comes up with a plan to swindle them out of their money.
While the concept is nothing new in entertainment, see Ocean’s Eleven, the personalities behind each heist really drive the show forward. Whether it is the charm of the group’s leader, Laurent Thierry, or the inner conflict of the young protagonist, Makoto Edamura, each character has distinct motives and habits that make them feel relatable.
The relationships between each group member grow with time, resulting in hilarious chemistry and even a bit of friendly rivalry when it comes to outwitting or out bantering one another. With each case, new members join, adding to the dynamic seamlessly.
Great Pretender’s overall tone is a nice change of pace, managing to be laid-back and funny at the same time. Though some situations and characters might seem a bit exaggerated at times, you can’t help but find the depths to which someone like Abigail goes when playing up a mark to be hilarious.
It also speaks to each character’s confident nature that every heist feels seamless despite the drastic stakes – like trying to steal from a drug kingpin.
There’s a new sale going on right now over on the PS Store that heavily discounts many of the best games to ever grace the PS4 this generation. The store has discounts on Ghost of Tsushima, Red Dead Redemption 2, and many other titles. If you want a rundown on the best titles to buy during the PSN Games of a Generation Sale, here are our recommended picks.
It’s worth noting that this sale will come to an end on Wednesday, Oct. 14, so make sure to grab these while they’re still on the cheaper side.
I suspect that Small World of Warcraft began its life with someone giggling about the way the two franchise names combined in an amusing way. But after that initial laugh, it must not have taken very long to realize that the popular Small World board game concept was an excellent match for the celebrated Blizzard video game. The resulting marriage has led to a tabletop game that should readily engage fans of the Warcraft universe, whether you’ve ever played the original Small World or not. Accessible rules and some gorgeous art on Small World of Warcraft’s plentiful components make this an easy choice for game night for you and your friends, especially if you're waiting impatiently for a certain expansion to arrive.
Earlier today, we had our first look at Geralt's new armor in Netflix's The Witcher season two, now we've got the official synopsis for what the next step in the story will be.
Season two will, as expected, pick up where season one left off: the Battle of Sodden. It was during season one's finale that Geralt believed Yennefer died in the battle itself. Grieving yet determined, season two will take Geralt and Ciri back to his childhood home in Kaer Morhen where he was raised by Vesemir and trained among the other witchers.
Spoiler alert (but is it really?), Yennefer isn't actually dead, but Geralt doesn't know that. We're anticipating a spicy reunion between the two, but it wouldn't be The Witcher if it were all sunshine and roses.
According to the official synopsis, provided by Netflix:
Convinced Yennefer’s life was lost at the Battle of Sodden, Geralt of Rivia brings Princess Cirilla to the safest place he knows, his childhood home of Kaer Morhen. While the Continent’s kings, elves, humans and demons strive for supremacy outside its walls, he must protect the girl from something far more dangerous: the mysterious power she possesses inside.
Fallout 4 wasn't a hit with everyone, but this game gave us Piper and Nick Valentine, so we're thankful. For those that are still on the fence about how they feel about the latest entry into the single-player branch of Fallout, maybe Ron Perlman's husky tones will be enough to persuade you.
For this week's Mod Corner, we're throwing it back to an older mod that I can't seem to quit no matter how hard I try. Every time I find myself booting up Fallout 4 (mostly because my character looks like Dorian Pavus from Dragon Age), this is always the first mod I make sure to toggle on.
Perlman narrated Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3, Fallout Tactics, Fallout: New Vegas, and Fallout 4's trailers with that iconic "War, war never changes" line. He also does an official voice in Fallout 4 with the War Never Changes quest, but his dulceat tones deserve more screen time.
But what does it do?
The Ron Perlman Fallout 4 mod alters the death music in the game. If you die embarrassingly, don't fret. Just wait. Wait for the dramatic camera pan and you'll hear that deep Perlman voice narrate your untimely demise. It is suspenseful, it's glorious, and it is 100 percent totally unnecessary.
Ubisoft's Leroy Athanassoff and Geoffroy Mouret walk through how the Rainbow Six Siege team uses data analysis and community feedback to shape the design of the popular team-based shooter. ...
As the first Art Director for this studio, this person will build an art team from the ground up, and own the art style and quality of an original game IP. ...
How big was the drive space required to install? “It was this big!” says Volo. Well maybe not that big. Bards do tend to exaggerate. Baldur’s Gate 3 is launching in early access tomorrow and I thought I was all set and ready, having glanced over those early access PC requirements, but it turns out that the required storage space has doubled.
Illustration: James Bareham/Polygon
Image: Powerhouse Animation Studios/Netflix
Image: EMU Films
Photo: ABC
Image: Nintendo