December 2020

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Q: What’s the bravest insect?

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Not content with a slew of recent festive updates, the endless adventures of Nintendo's mobile battler Fire Emblem Heroes is getting set to ring changes, (and heads), with the arrival of its New Year's event. The new update offers a quartet of returning characters, bedecked in finery fitting the occasion.

The "New Year: Special Heroes" event sees the return of Fire Emblem Heroes' dream-master Plumeria, along with grumpy wolf-gal Velouria and narcissistic fox-boy Kaden from Fire Emblem Fates. Rounding out the quartet is a new Dual-Hero in the form of Ljósálfar Peony and Dökkálfar Triandra - the latter of whom seems a little uncomfortable stripped of her typically Gothic attire.

Editor's note: Take a breath. We're almost there. 2020's been quite the year, and it's very nearly over. Across the festive break, members of the Eurogamer team and our contributors will be running down their personal top five games of 2020, before we announce our game of the year - and before, of course, we hand over to you for the annual Reader's Top 50. Thanks for being with us this year, and see you on the other side.

Bartending isn't glamorous, but it has its perks. You get to be a background character in someone else's story, listening, watching, sometimes leaning over with a word of advice. Fertile ground for a writer, or anyone looking to slip out of their skin. Coffee Talk is the only late-night coffee shop in fantasy Seattle. It's also an easygoing slice-of-life sim with low stakes and good vibes, the perfect substitute for the pub chatter I've missed all year.

For halting first date small talk, I'd heartily recommend the visual novel A Summer's End: Hong Kong 1986 . With pulsing vaporwave backtracks and a palette of dreamy, dissolving neon, Summer's End resurrects a city out of time - Hong Kong in the grip of the eighties. Two lost souls have a chance encounter. Then another one. You know the drill. It's a love story of awkward pauses and small revelations, where the tactile and the emotional intersect. Pop records, a cassette player, old operas on DVD, everything takes on a hidden meaning. Watching these characters learn how to talk to each other will soften even the hardest gamer hearts.

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Editor's note: Take a breath. We're almost there. 2020's been quite the year, and it's very nearly over. Across the festive break, members of the Eurogamer team and our contributors will be running down their personal top five games of 2020, before we announce our game of the year - and before, of course, we hand over to you for the annual Reader's Top 50. Thanks for being with us this year, and see you on the other side.

I love the ring in Ring Fit Adventure: the way it pulses when positioned correctly for a move; hitting the sweet spot, feeling it tug like a bump in the air. I love the tremble and buzz as you pull hard for a Bow Pull, or go low for a Squat (or a Wide Squat, or a Knee Lift Combo which feels suspiciously like a Squat). I love the main theme, and the track that sounds like Kylie. I love that the linear stages feel a bit Sonic with all their springs and jumps, and I love the first level's beat-drop as you burst into a vivid colourscape. From leader board competitions against friends (200 on Endless Deltoids!) to the custom workouts I made after injuring my Achilles (fuck you barefoot trainers!) Ring Fit has been a 2020 constant. And I never would have played it if the gyms hadn't closed in Lockdown.

I’ll always make it my business to check out a game if music is meaningfully integrated. From Crypt Of The NecroDancer‘s beat-hopping and Vib-Ribbon’s path-generating, to the Rock Bands and DJ Heros that clogged up all of our attics with plastic instruments, I love it all. Well… not all.

I don’t need to tell you that Harmonix are the superstars of this world. They’re the ones that gifted us the cultural phenomenon of toy guitars, so you better believe I’ll be paying attention to whatever they release. It’s like that chart-topping act you had plastered all over your walls 20 years ago: they don’t get radio play anymore, but you’ll always give their new stuff a spin.

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Today Aerosoft had news to share about its upcoming Bombardier CRJ add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Unfortunately, it appears that it needs some more time in the hangar before it’s ready for prime time, so it has been delayed to Q1 2021.

You can read the full message relayed by program manager Mathijs Kok alongside the first official teaser trailer.

“Dear FlightSim Community,

We feel the expectation on us to give official information about the release of the Aerosoft CRJ 550/700 for the Microsoft Flight Simulator.

In this regard we have a concern and we’ll keep it short: We made a really tough decision to postpone the CRJ release into the first quarter of next year. This decision wasn’t easy for us, because we know how much anticipation there is in the community for this add-on.

We have decided to do so, because we want to deliver a CRJ that meets all expectations, but we have not reached this level yet. We need more time for the development and beta testing. We hope the additional time allows us to complete the necessary work to provide the highest quality and the best possible experience for you right from the start.

We therefore hope for your understanding. However, we do have a little present for you. The first official teaser:”

A free game isn’t quieting angry players

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Creators continue to push the envelope of criticism on YouTube

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2020 was a big year for giving older games another chance to shine. In this, Siliconera's Best Remaster of 2020 award, we hope to honor these efforts.

The post Siliconera’s Best Re-Release or Remaster of 2020 appeared first on Siliconera.

If you love NieR creator Yoko Taro’s games, there is a reason to celebrate the new year… or two.

The adorable masked developer and Square Enix’s producer Yosuke Saito were in attendance at Nico Nico’s year-end livestream, and they revealed that they are working together on two games, as reported by Games Talk.

The first is a game that Saito-san actually disapproved at first. Yet, Yoko Taro was very passionate about it, and managed to convince the producer with an hour-long presentation. While the developer’s enthusiasm convinced Saito-san to give it a go, he still appears to be unsure about it.

The second project is one that the two developers actually both wanted to make, and this is planned to be released first.

At the moment, no further hints about the nature of the games were shared.

If I was to speculate, I’d sure hope that one of the two games is Drakengard, but this is just my personal wish, and you should take it with a massive grain of salt.

In the meanwhile, NieR Re[in]carnation will launch in Japan on February 18 with a crossover featuring the characters from NieR: Automata. It’s coming for iOS and Android following a recent delay for the game, which was originally planned for a release in 2020.

January’s PlayStation Plus games are looking pretty good, and I can’t complain about getting three games instead of two. As ever, these games are only “free” if you have an active PlayStation Plus membership.

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LG CX OLED TVs and a Cubii Pro under-desk elliptical lead Wednesday’s best deals.

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The Japanese publisher Koei Tecmo announced over the Christmas holiday that some personal data from 65,000 users of its English language website was hacked, leading the company to take its US and UK websites offline for the time being.

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In the 2020 gaming judgment system, year-end lists are determined by two separate but equally important groups: the players who play the games, and the games they enjoy playing. These are their stories. Bah-Dum.

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Season 4 has so many subplots, and so little time

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Caundhula is one of the Twelve Divine Generals and the Ox Zodiac for the year 2021.

The post Here’s a Closer Look at Granblue Fantasy’s Caundhula appeared first on Siliconera.

[Update: Skunkape has since reached out to provide a tease of season two (the Ice Station Santa episode). They've also pointed out that the 2007 original is available on GOG as a free bonus for Remastered owners. They are "in the process of setting up the original episodes as free DLC on Steam" if you have the remaster.]

Itching for more Sam & Max remastered seasons? Well, developer Skunkape Games has you covered.

Revealed in a very low key AMA earlier this month, the studio is already working on future seasons. Two and three are outright confirmed in the following statement: "We started work on remastering Season Two before the Save The World remaster even came out! Surprise! How well Save the World sells will help us determine the scope for the remasters of seasons 2 and 3." That's confidence!

As a reminder, Beyond Time and Space (S2) debuted its first episode in 2007, and The Devil's Playhouse (S3) arrived in 2010. All of the seasons have their own charm to them, thanks in part due to the great performances and characterizations of the titular duo.

Skunkape Games also shed some light on a few other tidbits of the development process, like the fact that they don't plan on making old voices available in the remasters, and are "working on a way to make the old games playable again," in spite of their delisting. It is confirmed that each season will be "separate games," as well.

When the discussion of beautiful video games is raised, very rarely does the conversation go long without someone mentioning Square Enix's iconic RPG franchise Final Fantasy. And with good cause, as the decades-long adventure franchise has offered fans some of the most beautiful and memorable characters and vistas in the artistic media of video games.

Among the many people responsible for these indelible heroes, villains, and worlds is artist Isamu Kamikokuryo, who plied his tried at Square Enix for almost 20 years. In this time, Kamikokuryo worked as a lead artist and artistic director in a slew of Final Fantasy titles, beginning with 2001's Final Fantasy X, through 2017's Final Fantasy XV. Kamikokuryo would then leave Square Enix in 2017 to go freelance, and has since worked with Nintendo on titles such as this year's Paper Mario: The Origami King.

Today Npixel revealed another trailer of its upcoming MMORPG Gran Saga.

The trailer, which is rather brief, provides a look at the game’s characters and at its beautiful environments.

You can watch it below.

Incidentally, Npixel isn’t working just on Gran Saga, as they also recently announced the equally-impressive Chrono Odyssey, even if the visual style is entirely different.

If you want to take another (and much more extensive) look at the game, you can check out the previous gameplay trailer.

If you’re unfamiliar with Gran Saga, it’s a cross-platform MMORPG that will launch on both PC and mobile. Pre-registrations are already open in Korea and have already passed the 300,000 mark.

The 500,000 pre-registration reward should be well in reach, offering a Grand Weapon SSR ticket. So yeah, if you’re wondering, gacha is most definitely involved.

Today Sega announced another AC Scratch collection for the western servers of its popular MMORPG Phantasy Star Online 2.

This time around the offering is “Throwback Collection II” and it does what it says on the tin, bringing back popular outfits and items from past collection, including the spiffy Combat Raider costume and the charming swimwear inspired by Selvaria in Valkyria Chronicles.

Of course, there are also other elements like hairstyles, CAST parts, and even emotes. You can check out the official blog for a full list.

The collection will be available starting today until Jan. 6.

If you’re unfamiliar with AC Scratch, that’s basically the game’s loot box-like mechanic that you can get through tickets purchased with Arks Cash.

Today Sony Interactive Entertainment announced the games that will be granted to PlayStation Plus subscribers in January 2021.

Games that already made the jump to PS5 will receive Maneater, which won’t be granted on PS4.

If you’re still holding on to the old-gen, you have two gems to enjoy, Greedfall and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Below you can check out official descriptions for all three games, if you’re unfamiliar with them.

Maneater (PS5 version)

Experience the ultimate power fantasy as the apex predator of the seas – a terrifying shark! Maneater is a single player, open world action RPG (ShaRkPG) where you are the shark. Starting as a small shark pup you are tasked with surviving the harsh world while eating your way up the ecosystem. To do this you will explore a large and varied open world encountering diverse enemies – both human and wildlife. Find the right resources and you can grow and evolve far beyond what nature intended, allowing the player to tailor the shark to their play style. Eat. Explore. Evolve.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider (PS4 game)

Fight, explore, craft and survive amid the dense and perilous jungles of South America in Lara Croft’s biggest adventure to date as you race to save the world from a Maya apocalypse. Gather resources and master the unforgiving terrain. Outgunned and outnumbered, you need to use your surroundings to your advantage; strike from the shadows and use mud to camouflage your presence. Use advanced traversal techniques to reach long-forgotten tombs and negotiate deadly puzzles.

Greedfall (PS4 game)

One of the fortunate things about racing, compared to other sports, is that it’s relatively easy to simulate in a virtual setting. The experience of playing NBA 2K, for example, doesn’t correspond to any of the physical skills required to actually play basketball in real life. Those of us who love to drive are…

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Another batch of PS Plus games have been set for the first month of the new year. The collection includes two PS4 games - Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Greedfall - and the PS5 version of Maneater. 

Shadow of the Tomb Raider builds upon the story of Rise of the Tomb Raider and chronicles Lara Croft's journey to the treacherous South American jungles where players are tasked with preventing a predetermined apocalypse. The fluid stealth and gunplay from previous contemporary Tomb Raider games returns as well as the multi-layered puzzles that the series is known for.

NieR series creator Yoko Taro and Square Enix Producer Yosuke Saito are teaming up for more games, including one that sounds ominous.

The post Yoko Taro and Yosuke Saito Are Working Together on 2 New Games appeared first on Siliconera.

The Xbox One still had some great games in 2020. Siliconera's Xbox One Game of the Year 2020 selections gave us a lot to play and enjoy. Onto our picks!

The post Siliconera’s Xbox One Game of the Year 2020 appeared first on Siliconera.

As disappointing as it was to see Sony stop giving out PS3 and Vita games as a PlayStation Plus perk last year, I have to say, I'm liking the recent "two PS4 games and a PS5 bonus" push. It helps a lot.

The January 2021 PlayStation Plus lineup follows that format again with Shadow of the Tomb Raider (the third title in Square Enix's modern Lara Croft trilogy), GreedFall (a flawed RPG gem from Spiders), and the PS5 version of Maneater (a silly fish-, gator-, and human-chomping action game).

You'll be able to redeem these games on the PlayStation Store beginning Tuesday, January 5.

Maneater is also available on PS4 – there's even a free PS5 upgrade for owners – but this particular PlayStation Plus giveaway only covers the PS5 copy, so that's all you can play. No funny business. 

Did any of you just buy any of these in a sale? Always happens to someone.

I'm trying to think of the last time I've been this excited for a Monster Hunter game.

Don't get me wrong! It was a blast waiting for World, to see how Capcom brought the series into the current generation. But Rise feels different. It feels like an evolution in some ways, especially with the varied terrain and the addition of the Palamute dog companion; but it's also the simplicity of it being on one platform (which makes it super easy to team up with people, since everyone is on the same page).

That feeling is probably best portrayed in this quick 30-second commercial clip. You get the gist of the expansive new setting (with hunters literally looking down on the world at the start of the video, as well as the thrill of grappling around and running up a mountain), the cuteness of the dogs, a brief tease of new formidable foes; it's all there.

Oh, it has amiibo too. That might help shoot it up on the list of my most anticipated games of 2021 list! I can't escape the hold of those little things.

It†™s good to see that Valve is trying new things to deepen discovery. Alongside the Winter Sale this year, they†™ve unveiled faceted browsing, a new way to explore sales on Steam. ...

Through a bit of luck, I managed to acquire an Xbox Series S for the holidays. I’ve only had it for about a week now, but the slim, be-speakered machine—and, more specifically, the Game Pass subscription I purchased for it—has utterly changed my gaming life in ways I’m still trying to process.

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After 10 long years Super Meat Boy is back, this time as an auto-runner in a sequel that channels much of the original except for what I loved most about it: snappy controls and tight platforming. In the year of Spelunky 2 and Hades, it’s a letdown to see Meat Boy return without the key aspects that made it great.

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CD Projekt Red is having a catastrophic month, and Cyberpunk 2077 has been at the forefront of industry scrutiny since its controversial release at the start of December. Even though the game's sales have already exceeded its costs, investors have taken heavy monetary losses. One such investor - Rosen Law Firm in New York - filed a class action lawsuit right before Christmas in order to recover damages made by misleading statements.

A modern classic made better? A new look for a nostalgic tale? Or a signature aesthetic? Our PS4 Game of the Year 2020 selections all made their own mark.

The post Siliconera’s PS4 Game of the Year 2020 appeared first on Siliconera.

miHoYo shared new Genshin Impact emojis by Soreko designed to help people celebrate the holiday season and ring in the new year.

The post New Genshin Impact Emojis Ring in the New Year appeared first on Siliconera.

If you’re a subscriber to Nintendo Switch Online you can give the remastered version of Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled for free this week.

Starting today and running until Jan. 5, you can pick up a trial version of the full game including both single and multiplayer modes.

We were big fans of CTR: Nitro-Fueled when it released last summer with our reviewer Chris Jecks saying:

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is the faithful remake of the now 20-year-old title that claimed so many hours of my childhood that many fans and I had hoped it would be.

Today Taiwanese developer Rayark revealed a brand new game titled Binary Gods.

The game was revealed with a concept video providing a look at a lady in a rather spiffy mecha suit taking on beasts named Ravenous Devourer.

We see both cutscenes and what appears to be the concept of gameplay, which looks like some fast and stylish action.

You can check out the trailer below.

If you’re unfamiliar with Rayark, it’s a developer based in Taipei, Taiwan.

They’re known for games like Soul of Eden, Deemo – Reborn-, MO:Astray, and Cytus Alpha.

At the moment, not much is known about Binary Gods, and it’s likely in early development considering the fact that this is a concept video.

That being said, it certainly looks very promising, and we’ll keep an eye on it as development progresses and more is announced.

For now, we don’t have information on either platforms or release windows. Time will tell.

The time has come to check in with Japanese studios at the end of the year, via Famitsu's annual interview series. So far we've learned vague plans for both Platinum and Square Enix, but the Atlus portion of the check-in is fascinating in its own right.

Famitsu caught up with three of Atlus' main developers, all of whom have different goals. Shinjirou Takata, producer on the Shin Megami Tensei series, is very much head to the ground on the upcoming Shin Megami Tensei V. Their keyword for 2021 is "think outside the box" (this series, and Persona, usually do), and he and his team are "working hard on development," though we'll have to "wait a little while longer" for it to materialize. Take your time!

As for Katsura Hashino (who dabbles in just about everything at Atlus, including both of the aforementioned franchises) is going to focus on "silence" in 2021, and implies that the impact of the current pandemic on game development has caused he and his team to be more focused. Even so, he would like to "announce the title [they're] developing as soon as possible," which is a "fantasy RPG" project.

Kazuhisa Wada (chief designer and occasionally director/producer for Persona games) is fully focused on Persona it seems, and their project has been "steadily in the works." Wada gets the last word though and manages to tease "exciting plans" for the 25th anniversary of Persona. Vague! But promising.

End of Year Creator Interviews [Famitsu via Gematsu]

Yes, that one bot really has a lighter for a hand

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Wednesday’s Best Deals | Kinja Deals

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