February 2021

The upcoming release of Monster Hunter Rise is an exciting launch for longtime fans of the RPG series from Capcom, bringing with it more combat, more palicoes, and even some good puppers. While the Switch release is set in stone for March 26, Capcom has confirmed that a Monster Hunter Rise PC port is on the way but will be a staggered launch like games in the past. Much like Monster Hunter World, Rise is slated for a PC date sometime in 2022. 

With Monster Hunter Rise dropping soon next month, many PC fans wondered if and when the game would be making it over onto a more moddable platform. Capcom has confirmed yes following several leaks in a recent interview with GamesRadar. During the interview, series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto confirmed that a PC release is in the cards, but it won't be happening this year. 

During the interview, Tsujimoto confirmed that a PC port is already developing because Capcom gets "many fan requests" for this platform. When Capcom brought Monster Hunter World to PC, especially with Iceborne, the community grew exponentially, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive after the initial launch once the initial technical issues were taken care of. Because of that, Monster Hunter Rise will also make a solid PC port, in terms of player interest, and will open up possibilities for more fans to be able to enjoy the continuation of this franchise. 

This week, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War got a new Zombie mode, Outbreak. Well, “mode” is kind of treating this experiment lightly, because it very well could be the framework of an entirely new Zombies experience - and one that’s far more compelling for folks that aren’t already immersed in the round-based puzzle-hunting and metasolving that Zombies is known for. In short, Outbreak is an open-world, co-op romp that draws upon many, many enjoyable elements that you can find in other CoD games and modes, today’s looter shooters, ARPGs, and even roguelites. Now, I don’t think what’s there in Outbreak is the final, realized version of what this mode can be, but rather some nascent aether where a breakout, big deal mode (or even game) could one day be. Let’s dive in.

Every Friday, A.V. Club staffers kick off our weekly open thread for the discussion of gaming plans and recent gaming glories, but of course, the real action is down in the comments, where we invite you to answer our eternal question: What Are You Playing This Weekend?

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I think most of us can agree that punching Nazis is a good thing. Heck, a bunch of great video games are founded on that very premise. That’s why it was weird when a State of Decay 2 player discovered that the game gives characters a negative effect for having taken out the trash in their pre-apocalypse life.

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Philippe Lacôte’s film turns a prison into a fairy-tale setting with life-or-death stakes

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Finally, I can wear Slaking everywhere I go

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Konami’s output on the Famicom was simply amazing. While we certainly got some good games on this side of the pond, such as Castlevania and Contra, there were a plethora of great titles that stayed in their homeland.

They were once a playful company with a cohesive catalog. Many games in their early days made reference to their other releases, and they even pioneered the idea of crossover titles with Konami Wai Wai World. I really, badly miss those days that I was too young and also in the wrong country to really experience. Creativity was rampant among those titles, and it wound up giving us some really memorable concepts.

Much has been said about Halo Infinite, whether it's in-depth fan discussions dissecting every detail, ongoing status updates from the developers, or even just onlookers making memes. But in the wake of the big delay, how are things looking? How does the game compare to what we saw last year?

343 Industries shared screenshots in a lengthy-as-always monthly Halo Waypoint blog post. Compared to the usual armor renders and artwork, they're substantial enough to warrant highlighting here.

These work-in-progress shots are taken from the Halo Infinite campaign running on a PC:

If you're worried about the PC-versus-Xbox divide, I hear you. Graphics producer Alex Le Boulicaut said they're "committed to deliver a great experience and high level of visual fidelity across all platforms."

Among the bevy of colorful titles appearing during yesterday's PlayStation State of Play presentation, we got to see much more of Electronic Arts' Knockout City, following on from its appearance during last week's Nintendo Direct. Developed by Velan Studios, the madcap dodgeball-style multiplayer will launch on PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on May 21.

And for those of you who wish to jump into the wild 'berg of Knockout City, you're in luck, as EA has announced it will be holding a special cross-play testing beta in early April. For the weekend of April 2-4, players on the aforementioned platforms can get a taste of the action, battling it out in two modes - 3v3 and 1v1 - on four maps, including the newly added Back Alley Brawl. Just make sure you sign up over on the official Knockout City website. Should players choose to commit to a full purchase, then they will be able to pre-order Knockout City at the budget price of $19.99.

The full version will feature a roster of OTT characters, customization options, distinct techniques, balls, and arenas, with free access offered to seasonal new content. For more info on the characters, maps, modes, and most importantly the rules of Knockout City, (so you can break 'em), then check out the video below - as featured in the State of Play presentation.

EA Play has become my preferred way of checking out EA-published games in most cases. Rather than paying to buy a digital copy of a game I don't need to own – or subscribing for a full year of EA Play – I spend the five bucks needed for one month of access, and make extra sure auto-renewal is turned off.

The service has three more games on the horizon: Madden NFL 21 (March 2), Star Wars: Squadrons (March), and NHL 21 (April). If you're subscribed to EA Play, you'll be able to play the full versions.

Worth noting: EA Play is baked directly into Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, so if you already have that big-boy membership, you're covered here. (What about PC players? EA reiterated today that EA Play will be rolled into Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on PC "later this year.")

Did any of you rack up multiple years' worth of Game Pass Ultimate in a conversion deal? Jealous.

Also worth noting if it's been a while: EA Play used to be called "EA Access" on consoles and "Origin Access" on PC, and these three games are joining The Play List, which used to go by the "Vault."

I'm probably going to pass on these titles, but if you need your Madden or NHL fix (particularly the latter) or you wouldn't mind dipping into Star Wars: Squadrons' single-player campaign, there you go.

The year has only just started, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t already some top-tier anime lined up for release. This includes shows that will be available through Funimation, complete with the bonus of having a stellar English dub somewhere down the line. Of those titles, these are the top 5 best anime coming to Funimation in 2021.

Fruits Basket Final Season

Best Funimation Anime 2021

It’s been a long, hard road for Fruits Basket fans, but the climactic end to the series is finally here.

Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium Games released two new videos focusing on upcoming content and features for the growing space game.

We get to see the ability to operate a gatling gun and to push and pull a cart around (and interact with it), on top of an extensive update on work being done on docking and various envuronments.

The second video focuses on the future of the inventory feature, which will become physicalized.

You can check both out below.

In other Star Citizen news, the crowdfunding total passed $348 million, and it’s currently at $348,215,308

Just a year on from Valorant’s very first beta session, Riot Games’ tactical shooter is thriving with a substantial player base, exciting esports program, and the promise of new content moving forward. Part of the developer’s live-service initiative includes the addition of more Agents, and it’s not long until another one arrives. Here’s everything we know about Valorant’s new Agent 15.

Update 02/27/2021: It appears as though Agent 15 has been leaked! Her name is Astra and you can check out the very first video of her below.

Third-party developers are continuing to work hard on new airports to enrich the world of Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Today we hear from Just Flight that provided an update for its Palma De Mallorca Airport (LEPA).

Interestingly, we get to see what appears to be a working visual docking guidance system, which is still rather rare in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Marc Whitten, VP of Amazon's Entertainment Devices and Services business and head of its game streaming service Luna, has quietly departed Amazon for another game company: Unity. ...

Curious about the best way to put a bit of randomness in your game? With the help of speedrunner research, Gamasutra examines how three classic games (Final Fantasy, Super Mario 64, and Pokemon) handle RNG. ...

In honor of the Pokémon series’ 25th anniversary, we’re looking forward at what we want from the future of the franchise.

The post What’s the Future of Pokémon? appeared first on Siliconera.

Preorder Pokemon Legends: Arceus

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What Is Stonefly?

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Season 2 just launched, and alongside its arrival comes the new Outbreak mode, which is an open-world twist on the series' beloved zombie mode offerings. Outbreak tasks up to four players to complete the daunting Operation Threshold, an all-new mission that is set across several regions in the Ural Mountains of Russia, wherein the squad must explore designated hot zones and compete in a variety of challenges. The official Call of Duty blog post states that each mission "begins with a Requiem strike team entering one of these regions via helicopter, armed with a custom starting weapon and Field Upgrade." The article then describes how players will navigate to their primary objective, with a waypoint marking the location on on the in-game map and mini-map. 

In September of last year, it was confirmed that the industry was moving toward a $70 price tag for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X games, and it likely only a matter of time until it becomes the norm. It looks like Final Fantasy VII Remake is joining the ranks of $70 games with its PS5 version, officially called Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade. 

PlayStation fans got a first look at how the Final Fantasy VII remake plays on the PS5 earlier this week during the most recent State of Play showcase. In addition to the Yuffie episode, Square Enix shared the differences players can expect with PS5 upgrades. What we didn't know until after the showcase was that the price was getting an upgrade as well. 

The standalone digital and physical versions of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade will both retail at $69.99. The new Yuffie episode is included in that package, but for those who want a little more, there is also a Digital Deluxe version of Intergrade that will come with goodies like a digital artbook, a digital mini soundtrack, and a Cacstar weapon for those that pre-order through the PlayStation Store. For those that want that option, the Deluxe version will retail for $89.99.

Back in my day, we caught Pokémon with good ol’ wood

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Ghost in the Shell and Haikyu!! studio Production I.G attached

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A colorful take on a genre with a troubled history

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This month has seen a flurry of announcements about EVE Online’s immediate future. Alongside the usual spaceship changes and rebalancing, a brand new, somewhat controversial skill system will be introduced, as well as what sounds like a largely cosmetic change to the game that could have huge implications for players.

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The X-Files premiered in 1993, gifting America with our first glimpse of a 25-year-old Gillian Anderson playing Special Agent Dana Scully, who was somehow both a medical doctor and an FBI agent at an age just five years older than the fictional Dr. Dougie Howser, boy genius, would have been when his show was canceled…

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Somehow, miraculously, video game movies and TV shows are suddenly good. The Witcher is fun, Sonic inhaled box office money like so many chili dogs last year, and star-studded renditions of Borderlands and The Last of Us are on the way. Also, the new Mortal Kombat movie looks dumb as hell in the best possible way. On…

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Just how badly did Google’s Stadia video game streaming service flop when it launched back in 2019? According to a new report by Bloomberg, it underperformed its sales target by hundreds of thousands of users, despite spending “tens of millions of dollars” secure ports of big blockbuster games.

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WandaVision’s first season transformed Marvel’s Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen). She’s been a newlywed, a mother, and something far more fascinating and complex than all of her other new identities combined. It’s all been in service of its larger overarching story about the Avengers’ least understood hero who will…

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After being utterly underwhelmed by BlizzCon, last week’s Nintendo Direct, and yesterday’s PlayStation State of Play, I wasn’t expecting much out of today’s Pokémon 25th Anniversary presentation. But it feels like The Pokémon Company took a good look at the competition and said, “Alright, now watch a master work.”

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Earlier this month, following a very public spat with Google, Terraria studio Re-Logic announced it was ceasing development of the game's Stadia version. However, it's now decided to reverse that decision and development will proceed.

Events came to a head at the start of February, when Re-Logic founder Andrew Spinks railed against Google on Twitter after his account had been disabled for three weeks with no explanation - preventing access to his Google Play app library, Google Drive data, and YouTube channel. "The worst of all," he wrote, "is losing access to my Gmail address of over 15 years."

"I absolutely have not done anything to violate your terms of service, so I can take this no other way than you deciding to burn this bridge," he added. "Consider it burned. Terraria for Google Stadia is cancelled. My company will no longer support any of your platforms moving forward."

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Ghost Recon Breakpoint didn't exactly impress when it launched back in 2019 but Ubisoft has stuck with the game, finessing and expanding the experience along the way - and it's now pledged to continue that process throughout this year.

Breakpoint was, according to Eurogamer contributor Vikki Blake, "a broken, swirling vortex of recycled Ubisoft mechanics stamped across a dismal, forgettable world" at launch. However, following a commercial reception as limp as its critical one, Ubisoft announced it was working on a "more radical and immersive version" of its online tactical shooter.

That initial overhaul work eventually surfaced the following year, and the remainder of 2020 brought a Splinter Cell tie-in known Deep Stage, as well as Ghost Recon Soldier crossover Red Patriot. And now, Ubisoft has confirmed its development efforts to improve and expand the game aren't stopping any time soon, and that Breakpoint fans can look forward to "new content to Ghost Recon Breakpoint throughout 2021".

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Maybe you've got enough games to play in your backlog, maybe you don't – or maybe you do but you're in too deep, you need a little breather, and you're looking for a short-lived distraction, the cheaper the better. How about free? Deep Rock Galactic is free-to-play this weekend on Steam. Like right now.

If you already know the drill, download away. The promo lasts until 10:00 am Pacific on Monday, March 1. For anyone feeling out the loop, this 1.0 launch trailer sets up Deep Rock Galactic rather well.

I recently brought up the alien-blasting space-miner game in light of it passing the two-million-sales mark, and there was a lotta love to go around from players. Multiple readers ranked Deep Rock Galactic among the best co-op FPS games since Left 4 Dead (RIP), to put that in perspective. While I can't speak to it much – I need to take my own advice and go hard with the free trial – I do believe the kind words.

For the third anniversary, players can earn the Scale Brigade Armor and Headwear through a new assignment – you need to have cleared the extended Conquer Hoxxes IV intro. There's also a party hat.

Do I embed the polished announcement trailer for Stonefly or go with the "gameplay first look" video featuring a pet reptile chilling on the technical game designer's shoulder? As if that's even a question.

Creature in the Well was an unusual pinball-with-swords romp from Flight School Studio, and the team's summer 2021 game, Stonefly, is even more conceptually out-there. In a good way, I mean!

It's an overhead action-adventure title about piloting an insectoid mech – with a painterly natural world you'd never normally associate with mech games. The young pilot has to "shoo" bugs off massive tree branches, collect resources for ability and traversal upgrades, and reclaim her father's precious rig.

She'll also "forge relationships with a cast of memorable characters from the Acorn Corps, a band of castaway mech pilots," which is the icing on top to keep me motivated once the eye-catching art fades.

I have to appreciate the creative "we're really going for it" energy flowing through this project. It stands out in a sea of small- to medium-sized games that either look the same, play the same, or both.

Square Enix is seeking motivated and experienced artists, programmers and technical artists to work with it in Tokyo on its next projects and push the boundaries in content creation. ...

"It seemed there were executive-level people not fully grasping how to navigate through a space that is highly creative, cross-disciplinary." ...