February 2021

Don’t exit Disney Plus too quickly

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

Subscribers are getting the Final Fantasy VII Remake, Remnant: From the Ashes, and Farpoint for PS4, and Maquette for PS5

Of course, Farpoint requires PlayStation VR, while the Final Fantasy VII Remake doesn’t include the upgrade to the PS5 version.

If you’re unfamiliar with any of them, here’s an official description:

Final Fantasy VII Remake | PS4

Play VideoPlayStation Plus games for March: Final Fantasy VII Remake, Maquette, Remnant: From the Ashes and Farpoint
Square Enix’s modern reimagining of its iconic RPG boasts unforgettable characters, a mind-blowing story and epic battles. Return to the city of Midgar as Cloud Strife, former member of Shinra’s elite SOLDIER unit now turned mercenary, lends his aid to the resistance group Avalanche. Initially executing daring raids against Shinra to fight back against its planet-threatening machinations, Cloud and his comrades are unaware of the epic consequences that await them.

The story of this first, standalone game in the Final Fantasy VII Remake project covers up to the party’s escape from Midgar, and goes deeper into the events occurring in Midgar than the classic original.

Please note the PS4 version of Final Fantasy VII Remake available to PlayStation Plus members is not eligible for the PS5 digital version upgrade.

Remnant: From the Ashes | PS4

It appears that the cat has been let out of the bag regarding March's PlayStation Plus offerings, thanks to a premature leak on the PlayStation Netherlands Facebook. As spotted by Nibellion, next month will allegedly see PS Plus subscribers bag Sony's Farpoint VR,  Annapurna's Maquette, Gunfire Games' Remnant: From the Ashes, and, as previously rumored, Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII Remake.

In a notable disclaimer, however, it appears that players bagging the PS Plus version of FFVII Remake will not receive the free upgrade to Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, as premiered during last night's State of Play presentation. The upgrade will only be for players who purchased a full retail or digital copy of the award-winning adventure.

Regardless, it's still a very hefty premier release for PS Plus subscribers, and will give many people yet to revisit the world of Midgar in all of its revisioned splendor the perfect opportunity to get reacquainted with one of the finest adventures in video game history.

Since the arrival of Xbox One and PlayStation 4, the dividing line between PC and console technology has become more of a blur - both last-gen and current-gen hardware from Microsoft and Sony are effectively integrated, customised PCs. Profoundly illustrating this is the arrival in Far Eastern markets of a PC motherboard that's actually based around the Xbox One processor. We've acquired one, tested it, and even run Cyberpunk 2077 on it - so what we have we learned from this bizarre experience?

While there is convergence in technologies - in terms of AMD CPU and GPU architecture at least - the last-gen consoles were still a novelty in their own way. The AMD Jaguar CPU cores were originally targeting low power laptops and tablets, only reaching the desktop PC market in a quad-core configuration with the AM1 'Kabini' platform, designed for basic tasks and even more basic gaming. Faced with a lack of CPU options that would work within a console, Microsoft and Sony adapted the same solution - strapping two of those quad-core CPU complexes together. If they couldn't have a fast CPU, they'd have a 'wide' one instead. The graphics side of the equation was more easily accommodated, tapping into AMD's new-for-the-time Graphics Core Next architecture.

Designer fashion range Pokémon Shirts is expanding its collection to cover creatures originally found in Hoenn region.

34 Ruby and Sapphire Pokémon coming soon to a shirt near you include starter creatures Treecko, Torchic and Mudkip, as well as other favourites such as Slakoth, Plusle, Minun and Absol.

As ever, all of these fabrics can be mixed and matched to create your perfect Pokémon shirt. I'm a particular fan of Spinda on his desert island:

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The PlayStation Plus titles for March have been revealed seemingly ahead of time.

As spotted by @Nibellion on Twitter, the PlayStation Netherlands Facebook page confirmed Final Fantasy 7 Remake (PS4), Maquette (PS5), Remnant from the Ashes (PS4) and Farpoint VR (PS4) are the March Plus games.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a particular highlight, given the PlayStation 5 upgrade version was announced last night during Sony's State of Play broadcast. The trailer for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is below:

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If you've yet to experience the terror of being chased down by a TIE-Interceptor, well now's your chance, as Star Wars: Squadrons is coming to EA Play - and by extension, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Squadrons is due to arrive on EA Play "sometime in March," although EA is yet to announce a precise date. Motive's space combat game released in October last year, delivering excellent dogfights that are particularly spectacular in VR.

Along with Squadrons, EA is also putting a couple more sports games on its subscription service: Madden NFL 21 arrives on 2nd March, while NHL 21 lands sometime in April. If that's your thing.

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Hello! Welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we've found ourselves playing over the last few days. This time: plagues, vikings and ancient cities.

If you'd asked me a week ago to give you the whats and wheres and whens of ancient Mesopotamia, my history-deficient brain wouldn't have had much of a clue. Now, though, thanks to Nepos Games' engrossing old-school city builder, Nebuchadnezzar, I feel like I've an entire history lesson's worth of facts and figures with which to regale you.

That surprising bounty of actual historical context is just one of Nebuchadnezzar's lovely touches, niftily informing the structure and difficulty curve of its main campaign so your Mesopotamian city's rise from a couple of huts to a sprawling metropolis unfolds through the gradual introduction of chronologically correct new buildings and other mechanical complexities. You're essentially discovering new stuff at the same time your city's founders would have done in their own historical timeline.

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Capcom has confirmed that Monster Hunter Rise is coming to PC, with a port due to come out early in 2022.

Monster Hunter Rise marks the debut of Capcom's hugely successful series on its own RE Engine, with the Switch version due out towards the end of March. It introduces new traversal options and, of course, new monsters to hunt down, and looks set to be one of the gaming highlights of 2021.

Monster Hunter World saw some 16.8 million units shifted, with the profile of the series finally being raised in the west. Capcom will surely be looking to replicate some of that success with Monster Hunter Rise as it extends beyond the Switch.

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February is officially coming to a close and just like with every new month, Sony is offering active PlayStation Plus members a chance to snag a few free games. While February's freebies are available for a little while longer, the free PS Plus March 2021 games lineup has just been revealed for the month ahead. 

PS Plus March 2021 Games

The month of March has a pretty stellar lineup, including one game that was a major focus for the most recent State of Play. Earlier this week, Sony revealed more about the Yuffie-driven episode of Final Fantasy VII as well as what the remake looks like on current gen titles. That segway was absolutely perfect going into the March PS Plus games, because the remake for PlayStation 4 is one of the free titles being offered. 

Whether it's the social media countdown, a collaboration with Levi's, or the announcement of a digital concert headlined by Post Malone, The Pokémon Company has recently been building the hype around the 25th anniversary of one of the world's most recognizable entertainment franchises. While I love the song Sunflower as much as the next webhead, it hasn't become abundantly clear how gamers will be able to celebrate their love for the iconic series. That all (hopefully) changes today.

The Pokémon Company is set to premiere a Pokémon Presents update that they say fans of all things Pikachu won't want to miss. While there are sure to be updates on Pokémon projects outside of games, there are plenty of titles in the works fans hope to get an update on.

You can change her pose slightly to remove her mask or equip her with weapons.

The post Persona 5 Royal Makoto Figure Can Be Unmasked appeared first on Siliconera.

You will need to have purchased Final Fantasy VII Remake in order to upgrade your copy once the PlayStation 5 version finally releases.

The post Final Fantasy VII Remake PlayStation Plus PS4 Version Cannot be Upgraded to PS5 Version appeared first on Siliconera.

Final Fantasy VII Remake will be available to download through the PlayStation Plus subscription service soon.

The post Final Fantasy VII Remake Will Be Available Through PlayStation Plus appeared first on Siliconera.

A California magistrate judge has ordered Valve to comply with Apple's recent request for financial data on over 400 Steam titles. ...

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Final Fantasy VII Remake, Maquette, Remnant: From the Ashes and Farpoint are your PlayStation Plus games for March: https://t.co/tQFJNoURI9 pic.twitter.com/cPOmwsKxHN

PlayStation Plus seems to be on a roll right now with another great slate of games. There are, count’em, four games, headlined by the excellent Final Fantasy VII Remake, which released less than a year ago. As always, these games are only “free” if you have an active PlayStation Plus membership.

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Bravely Default II | $50 | Walmart

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A resident of Saitama, Japan is in police custody after sending death threats to Square Enix. A suspect named Toshiyuki Kan sent thirty-seven of them to the game maker last November.

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Get ready for an epic (ha) crossover!

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Settle in for 20 minutes of fresh Pokémon news

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The remake joins recursive puzzler Maquette and more

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During the Pokemon Presents stream today, we got another look at New Pokemon Snap, which is releasing on the Switch in late April. The latest trailer details many new features and gameplay that we can expect from this on-rails photography game.

It starts with a look at the NEO-1, the vehicle we’ll be riding in to take photos of the Pokemon in the Lentil region. The trailer shows off a few of the environments we can visit, such as the jungle, desert, and even under the sea.

There is a large variety of Pokemon to encounter, as the trailer shows off a surfing Alolan Raichu, Vaporeon, Tyranitar, and others.

We also get a look at some of the other items we can use to interact with the Pokemon we are taking photos of. We already know about the apples called Fluffruit to make Pokemon happier, and we learn about a few more.

A melody can be played to make Pokemon excited and dance around, which will make for higher-scoring photos. We’ll also be able to use a new item called Illumina Orbs, which will make any Pokemon glow.

Just like in the original Pokemon Snap, you’ll be able to show your photos to the professor to fill up the photo dex and score points. This time, you’ll be able to edit the photos with stickers and frames.

To show off your best photos, you can connect to the Internet to share them online. If your photo is popular enough, it may even be featured and get more attention.

The trailer ends with a look at another special Pokemon you’ll be able to encounter: the mythical Celebi. It’s possible that this will be equivalent to Mew appearing as a final “boss” in the original Pokemon Snap, or perhaps many legendaries and mythicals will make an appearance.

It’s finally happening everyone. The Pokemon Diamond and Pearl remakes are actually a thing. In honor of the fifteenth anniversary of the original two game’s release in Japan, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will release this year in late 2021.

No firmer release date was given at this time, but a logical guess is that it will release somewhere between September and December based on the history of the franchise.

The games will be developed by Ilca, the company behind Pokemon Home, alongside Game Freak’s Junichi Masuda, and will be faithful remakes of the original games. It appears to have a graphical style that looks somewhere between the 3DS and Nintendo Switch.

The Pokémon Company has revealed Pokémon Legends Arceus, a new entry in the series which looks to change up the franchise’s established gameplay.

Revealed via a trailer and breakdown video during the Pokémon Presents livestream event held on Feb. 26, the game sees players take the role of a trainer from the Sinoh region in the distant past. Pokémon roam free amidst the wilderness of the region, and can be caught with the press of a button and some careful stealth in open world environments.

Players can spring into battle with other trainers and wild Pokémon as they would in past games, but otherwise the title offers a more open world approach to the series.

The breakdown video, meanwhile, provides some more hints as to the setup of Pokémon Legends Arceus. As a trainer who has come to the Sinnoh region in search of fortune and adventure, players are tasked with collecting information on the world’s creatures to contribute toward the world’s first Pokédex. There will be a village which will act as players’ base of operations, and they can travel throughout the region from it.

As is standard with the games, players will also be given a starter to set off on their adventure with. The starters available include Cyndaquil from Gold and Silver; Rowlett from Sun and Moon; and Oshawott from Diamond and Pearl.

It then concludes by making mention of Arceus, and how it will be linked to the player’s journey. How exactly it’s linked, though, is yet to be revealed.

It’s a big step forward for the series, and one fans will need to see to believe. Both videos for Pokémon Legends Arceus can be found down below.

Nihon Falcom and its partners at Nippon Ichi Software revealed new trailers for the upcoming JRPG Nayuta no Kiseki Kai and the Switch version of The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV.

The Nayuta no Kiseki Kai video is quite brief, but in its commercial-style 15 seconds still provides a look at the familiar characters from the remake.

You can watch it below.

The game will launch in Japan on June 24, 2021 both digitally and physically exclusively for PS4. The digital version will cost  3,600 yen plus taxes, while the disk will be priced at 3,980 yen plus taxes.

At the moment, we don’t know if it’ll ever come to the west, but you can check out a gallery of screenshots.

Next is a trailer of the Nintendo Switch port of The The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV.

This is a lot more extensive, showing the cast, features, and gameplay.

While you wait for the Pokemon Present livestream happening in a few minutes, here’s an appetizer straight from Japan.

Many Japanese municipalities and prefectures in the country have been installing colorful manholes called “Poke-Lid” featuring Pokemon associated with their area, and today you get to see how they are made.

To be more specific, the video released today takes you through the creation of the Poke-Lid featuring Bronzong with Simisear that has been installed in  Nara prefecture’s Ikaruga town in January.

We get to see the process basically from the drawing board to installation, all the way through the forging and painting. It certainly shows that a lot of craft and love goes into creating those unique art pieces that bring a touch of color and joy to the Japanese streets (and quite a bit of visitors to the cities hosting them).

You can watch the video below.

Well, The Pokémon Company didn't waste any time today!

This isn't like one of the more recent presentations that gave us a Pokémon MOBA that still isn't out yet. Oh no, they learned their lesson this time. The Pearl and Diamond remakes that have been rumored for the last few presentations were finally confirmed this morning via the clip below.

The new versions are called "Brilliant Diamond" and "Shining Pearl," and will release in late 2021. ILCA will be working on this, because Game Freak is busy with Pokémon Legends.

The Pokémon Company wowed us with another Sinnoh-region announcement today beyond the Diamond and Pearl remakes: a brand new game coming in 2022.

This one takes place in an "older" Sinnoh region where "Pokémon roamed as they pleased," and will feature Wild Area-like gameplay. It's called Pokémon Legends: Arceus and will "break new ground" for the series. It's described as an "action RPG."

Rowlet, Cyndaquil, and Oshawott will be the starters, and the protagonists will look distinctly different this time around (see below). The Pokémon Company later clarified that this will be out "early next year," so we hopefully don't have to wait super long for it.

Yesterday's news that original video game development at Sony's Japan Studio was ceasing wasn't so much a surprise - Gravity Rush and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama departed late last year, taking some of his team with him to form new studio Bokeh, while there's been a steady stream of other departures ever since - even if it still felt desperately sad.

Japan Studio is an odd little outfit, and while you'll be familiar with the logo from start-up screens from countless PlayStation classics, most of its work has been done in tandem with external partners. Demon's Souls, its most recent release, was in partnership with Bluepoint Games; The Last Guardian, one of its most high profile, was in tandem with Japan Studio alumni Fumito Ueda's team at GenDesign. The last game that was an original Japan Studio joint was Knack 2, though it might perhaps be kinder to remember the developer by 2013's much-loved Puppeteer, its last effort before it was tasked with bringing Mark Cerny's vision to life.

Japan Studio's original output was infrequent and erratic, which only made it all the easier to love. Ape Escape was Japan Studio's first high profile release, and every subsequent game carried that same spark of inventiveness. I loved the offbeat, uniquely Japanese games they'd occasionally produce; cult classics like the Trash Panic, or the brilliantly batshit Kung Fu Rider. It's that kind of eccentricity that first really endeared me to PlayStation, and that always felt like an indelible part of its identity.

New Pokémon games set in Diamond & Pearl's Sinnoh region are coming to Nintendo Switch later this year and in 2022.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl will launch in late 2021, and see a retro-styled return to Sinnoh. Characters have a chibi-style on the overworld, not dissimilar to the Link's Awakening remake, but will be full-size in battles.

An open-world Sinnoh game set in a more feudal version of the region will then follow next year, more similar in style to Pokémon Sword and Shield. It's called Pokémon Legends Arceus, and it's due in early 2022.

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It's hard to pass up the opportunity to look at a pinecone. Really look at it. The edges, the many angled surfaces, so compact and shielding, but with a sense of this rich inner country, forever out of view. It helps, as a maths friend once told me, that pinecones are an absolute riot of primes. Anyway, if you like to look at pinecones, you're probably going to like Stonefly. It's a game about nature, up close, and although it's fantastical it's also really about how nature is pretty fantastical in the first place.

Like Robert Hooke's flea! There it is in Micrographia, 1665 or whatever. Fleas are so small, aren't they, but this one is a giant. It seems to hover on the page. And the body! Armour plating, those dangling legs, concertinaed for action. Those tiny eyes, and is that a moustache? No, not a moustache - this flea looks more like a machine than a living thing. Something a tiny operator might climb aboard before setting off to scorch the earth somewhere. Horrors.

It's not just the flea. A few years back, an insect with leg gears was discovered! Gears, naturally occurring in nature, the first proof of its kind. Again, this hopping charmer is both animal and machine, toothed sections meshing, controlling the hopping action. Insects, nature, pinecones: these things are astonishing up close.

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DC Comics has announced Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point, a new six-issue limited series which will reveal new Fortnite lore.

The storyline will see the Dark Knight and other DC friends turn up on Fortnite island. It's penned by Christos Gage (Netflix's Daredevil) and Donald Mustard (Fortnite's head honcho).

Issues of the comic will include codes for in-game Fortnite items, such as a new style for Harley Quinn. Collect the whole series and you'll get an "Armored Batman Zero" skin.

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Wow, what a week! Prepare yourself for a bumper Eurogamer News Cast because we have a lot to talk about.

We start with Sony's State of Play broadcast, in which the Final Fantasy 7 Remake PlayStation 5 upgrade was announced. But did the show meet our expectations? Join Eurogamer news editor Tom Phillips, reporter Emma Kent and me as we each deliver a review in the video below.