November 2021

Halo has always had some great collector’s editions with each new release – looking at you, Master Chief helmet that came with Halo 3 – and Walmart sort of surprise announced a new one for Halo Infinite overnight. As expected, it sold out immediately. 

As far as special editions of Halo Infinite goes, there’s the Halo Infinite Xbox Series X bundle, the special steelbook that comes with preorders in select locations, and that’s about it. Before today, we hadn’t yet seen a special Halo Infinite edition that comes with what’s usually expected i.e. a statue of some kind, maybe some patches or stickers, and an art book. 

FromSoftware showed off 15 minutes of Elden Ring gameplay this morning, and also revealed a pair of snazzy special editions at the presentation's conclusion. Those who want more swag for their buck can pre-order these bad boys now. 

First up is the Collector’s Edition, which includes the following goodies:

• Elden Ring game
• Malenia – Blade of Miquella statue (23 cm)
• Exclusive steelbook
• 40-page hardback artbook
• Digital soundtrack

The Premium Collector’s Edition includes everything in the Collector’s Edition but tosses in a 1:1 replica of Malenia’s helmet, which may or may not be big enough to wear. Check it out below. 

FromSoftware has released 15 minutes of Elden Ring gameplay and it features some of its open-world traversal in The Land Between, Souls-like combat, a healthy amount of death, and a look at some of the dungeons that await players within. 

The entire showcase heavily emphasizes player choice when navigating the world of Elden Ring. Unlike previous FromSoftware games which are more akin to wide-open, interconnected areas rather than a full-on open-world, Elden Ring’s world is completely open, allowing players to tackle objectives how they see fit. 

Maybe you open the main gate to proceed through the castle? Perhaps you’re worried about a secret archer that might snipe you down when you walk through the gates so you take a side route instead? The choice is seemingly yours and that seems to be a running theme through Elden Ring – do what you want, when you want. 

Now, that’s not to say that Elden Ring will allow you to do that easily. Something tells us the game will have its own way of telling players, “no, not yet,” but only time will tell for now. In fact, Elden Ring has a guiding light that seems to nudge players in a suggested direction, but as the gameplay showcase narrator notes, players don’t have to choose to follow it. 

A year ago, Animal Crossing: New Horizons offered us the tantalizing opportunity to emulate something we couldn’t do in real life: go outside. Now, the new 2.0 update similarly allows some of us a vicarious experience we can’t attain IRL. Namely, you can now craft Instagram-worthy meals, even if you’re actually a cook…

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Ever since Nintendo announced Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ big 2.0 update players have been scrambling to build up their Nook Mile stashes knowing good things were in store. Now the update is live and they’ve been rewarded with lots of cool new stuff like better hairstyles, outdoor furniture, and fairy lights, which…

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Sure, there are lots of positive things to say about Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but there was one argument that could tale it all down: the Sea bass. But not any more! In the New Horizons 2.0 update, those sneaky people at Nintendo have made the floppy blighters useful. You can cook them!

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Netflix’s Squid Game is a popular show, having been watched by some 142 million households worldwide since it hit the streaming service on September 17. Unfortunately for Twitch streamer Lydia ‘SquidGame’ Ellery, the username and brand she’s built for the past decade is in jeopardy due to a perceived association with…

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You never know what kind of ad you’ll find on Craigslist. While some listings may be unorthodox, one gig post back in late September was wholesome enough to sound like a fairy tale. And this one has a happy ending.

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While the Jurassic Park series may have gone a bit off the rails with recent iterations, there is no denying that the original is still a classic. Whether it is the mystery of the island and its creatures, the chaotic action, or the visual effects, just about everything still holds up today.

As good as Jurassic Park is, though, it simply can’t hold a candle to the Jurassic Purrk video that Youtuber OwlKitty just made using their cat. As you can see in the video below, this adorable video replaces the infamous T-Rex with the creator’s black cat, and it makes for some hilarious results.

Instead of the T-Rex barring down on the group in the car in its intro scene in Jurassic Park, OwlKitty’s cat scratches on the window and cuddles up with the car for some cute, yet still surprisingly intimidating, action. Cat food also replaces a flair in order to get this giant kitty’s attention, and it works seamlessly.

If you’re wondering how exactly the Youtuber was able to accomplish this swaparoo, you need only look at the rest of their page, which features plenty of other amazing cat movie parodies that are all done with the help of green screen and editing. There, you’ll find everything from Claws! to Godzilla vs. Cat to Home Alone, all of which will surely have you laughing till it hurts.

Sega has today revealed the release date for its anticipated upcoming strategy game Total War: Warhammer III, which is set for launch on Feb. 17, 2022. In addition to the standalone release, it will also be available via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate PC on day one.

“It’s fantastic to finally put a release date on our epic third installment,” said Chief Product Officer, Rob Bartholomew in a press release sent to Twinfinite. “And, in partnering with Xbox Game Pass, we’re able to bring the ruinous powers of Chaos to as many players as possible. May all serve within their glorious embrace.”

Today also saw the reveal of the Ogre Kingdoms race pack as the early-adopter bonus for the forthcoming title. Any player who orders Total War: WARHAMMER III in advance, or buys it during the first week on sale, will gain access to this additional content for free.

The Race Pack unleashes the Ogre Kingdoms and their two Legendary Lords – Greasus Goldtooth & Skrag the Slaughterer – into the grand campaign, enabling players to lead an army of colossal warriors and primeval monsters in search of plunder, gold, and meat for their insatiable bellies.

You can check out a first look at the Ogre Kingdoms in a new trailer:

Photo modes are all the rage in video games these days, but the Gran Turismo series has featured one since the early 2000s, and so it’s no surprise to see developer Polyphony Digital pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved with a photo mode in its upcoming Gran Turismo 7. Today, a trailer introduces Scapes, an enhanced photo mode feature that is described as avant-garde by CEO Kazunori Yamauchi.

Scapes was first seen in GT Sport, but it looks to have been improved and expanded for GT7. It’s essentially a range of different beautiful backgrounds that players can take their cars to and snap pictures against. It simulates the practice that many car enthusiasts enjoy in real life — taking their cars to scenic locations and taking a bunch of pictures. You’ll now be able to do the same in GT7, and of course the incredible graphical fidelity of the game results in near photo-realistic image quality.

They say that variety is the spice of life, so why not add a little golfing to your RPG adventure, eh? Well, hold that thought, as developer ArticNet has done just that with its latest title, RPGolf Legends.

That’s right, the Osaka-based studio is working on a rather unique gameplay experience that blends isometric 16-bit RPG mechanics with Tiger Woods’ favorite sport.

Yes, RPGolf Legends has today been confirmed to be coming to PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC on Jan. 20, 2022.

Accompanying the news is a brand new trailer showcasing the golf-RPG hybrid in all its glory. Go ahead and check it out down below:

With its charming pixellated aesthetic and its light and breezy RPG vibe, RPGolf Legends looks like an intriguing title to keep an eye on.

Of course, you’ll not only be spending a lot of your time putting balls on fairways, but you’ll also be busy taking care of a dastardly monster threat that is trying to conquer the world. That ol’ chestnut!

FromSoftware has finally revealed a detailed gameplay overview of its highly anticipated upcoming action-RPG Elden Ring, and fans of the Dark Souls on which the studio built its esteemed reputation will be pleased to discover it’s an open-world experience built around a similar blueprint as that beloved franchise.

Although, the scope of the gameplay and overall design is, of course, has been expanded substantially, incorporating new ideas and some of the features seen in FromSoftware’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Today’s trailer showcases free-world exploration across a vast and beautiful dark-fantasty-themed sandbox that appears to offer all sorts of emergent gameplay, from epic boss encounters to quirky and bizarre NPC encounters.

While there are some obvious differences between Elden Ring and Dark Souls that suggest the development team has evolved its signature gameplay in clever ways –such as an increased focus on traversal, crafting systems, and much more–, the signature combat remains a key part of its overall design.

One interesting feature also detailed in today’s trailer is the map of the world itself, which highlights not only the enormous size and scale of Elden Ring but the progression system that governs exploration. Map fragments are collectible items that reveal sections of the map to make navigation easier — there appear to be no waypoints or handholding as is typical in many conventional open-world experiences.

Later in the trailer, you’ll also get a brief look at Spirits, a feature that allows players to summon NPCs to help them in combat, as well as the first glimpse at co-operative multiplayer and an example of the dungeons that are scattered around The Lands Between.

Rune Factory 4 Special will launch for PS4, Xbox One and Steam on 7th December 2021.

The critically acclaimed remaster, which arrived on Switch last year, will receive an upgraded resolution and improved performance.

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Now that the 2.0 update is here, people can get gyroids in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Here's how you build up a collection.

The post How to Get Gyroids in Animal Crossing: New Horizons appeared first on Siliconera.

Which of the eighteen designs would you choose for your holiday table?

The post Persona 5 Christmas Cakes Return in Japan for 2021 appeared first on Siliconera.

The figure releases in December 2021 and was inspired by the recent crossover with the anime series Shinkalion Z.

The post Evangelion EVA Unit-01 Shinkalion Figure Transforms Into a Train appeared first on Siliconera.

SNK shared another KOF XV story, and the latest update introduces Dolores and Isla and helps explain why they're working with Heidern.

The post Here’s Why Dolores, Isla, and Heidern Joined KOF XV Team Rival appeared first on Siliconera.

Spider-Man is finally arriving in Marvel’s Avengers later this month. Specifically, he's coming to the PlayStation versions of the game – he’s an exclusive character, after all. But even non-PlayStation owners will be treated to a substantial update that adds a new Raid, power cap increase, and a perhaps friendlier method of unlocking cosmetics. 

November 30 is the big day that patch 2.2 hits the game. Spider-Man arrives in the Great Power Hero Event. The story centers on Peter Parker uncovering a mysterious threat and joining up with the Avengers to prevent AIM from procuring powerful technology. Although Spidey struggles with working as part of a team, he manages to form bonds with Ms. Marvel and Black Widow (despite insisting on maintaining his secret identity). The crux of the campaign hinges on whether or not Peter decides to become a full-time Avenger or stick to crime-fighting solo.

Unfortunately, and surprisingly, there are still no screenshots or a trailer showing off Spider-Man’s appearance/moveset, but expect him to be as acrobatic as you’d think. It's also unclear if this free add-on will be a smaller Operation, like Kate Bishop/Hawkeye's debuts, or a larger expansion akin to Black Panther's arrival. 

Xbox exclusives are coming in fast over the course of the next month, with Playground Games' Forza Horizon 5 speeding onto Microsoft's consoles and PC next week (or this Friday for those who bought the Premium Edition or Premium Add-on). We're lucky enough to get behind the wheel of this anticipated holiday release early, and show you what to expect when racing through the lush, detailed, and diverse environments Forza Horizon 5's Mexico has to offer.

Join us on today's edition of Game Informer Live as John Carson and Marcus Stewart take to the streets and become the superstars of this year's Horizon Festival. The stream is set to start at 2 p.m. Central, exclusively on Twitch, so make sure you don't miss it!

Our own Senior Editor Brian Shea reviewed this entry in the motorsport spin-off series, coming away dazzled by its visuals and enticed by all of the various activities. Here's an excerpt from his review:

In Spider-Man's story mode, Peter Parker discovers that A.I.M. plans to acquire tech that would make their robot army invincible, prompting Spidey to join forces with Ms. Marvel and Black Widow, who remain unaware of his identity. One of Spider-Man's big conflicts throughout his journey will be whether to stay a solo superhero or to lend his strength to the Avengers Initiative.

If you’ve downloaded the new Animal Crossing update early, chances are good that you’ve already bought the new Pro Camera and are fiddling with its new features, like the fancy new first-person view. But that’s not all. The camera also comes with a few other new features and filters, which I am ignoring in their…

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The Rune Factory series has mostly been exclusive to Nintendo platforms since its debut, but soon fans who have a PS4, Xbox One, or PC will be able to partake.

More specifically, Rune Factory 4 Special will launch on the three Non-Nintendo platforms on Dec. 7, priced at $29.99. courtesy of Xseed Games and Marvelous Europe.

This release, announced a few months ago, will come with improved resolution and performance taking advantage of the more powerful hardware, and will include the “Another Episode” DLC.

You can watch a new trailer below, alongside screenshots from the PS4 and PC versions.

PS4

Over a year ago, an official PlayStation Blog post announced that Spider-Man would be a post-launch DLC addition to the Marvel’s Avengers roster. Today, it’s finally been confirmed that Spidey will be coming exclusively to PlayStation consoles at the end of the month, on Nov. 30.

Marvel’s Avengers has weekly War Table blogs that update fans on the status of the game and inform them on what’s to come, and this news comes as part of a roadmap that also includes a new Klaw Raid and other further gameplay feature updates. You can check out the November roadmap right here:

The latest episode of the Muv-Luv Alternative anime series included an absolutely spectacular mecha battle scene, and it’s so good that Avex turned it into a trailer.

The trailer showcases a mock battle among our heroes fighting at the controls of Type-97 Fubuki TSF mecha.

The scene, masterfully created by studio Graphinica, certainly shows a lot of promise for further battles that should be coming in future episodes if the anime keeps following the beloved visual novel closely.

You can check it out below, alongside the opening and the ending songs (titled “Rinne” and “Tristar”) that have just been published by Crunchyroll, which simulcasts the anime every Wednesday.

Incidentally, if you’d like to play with the same mecha, the new Muv-Luv action game Project Mikhail has just been released in early access on Steam.

Today Square Enix hosted a ton of new gameplay of its upcoming strategy JRPG Triangle Strategy.

The gameplay, introduced by producers Tomoya Asano and Yasuaki Arai, on top of Vtuber Noel Shirogane.

It certainly will feel rather familiar to those who love Final Fantasy Tactics and Octopath Traveler.

You can watch it below, with the video set at the appropriate timestamp. The second clip focuses of a sample of the music composed by Akira Senju, who worked on Gundam, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and more.

Earlier today, TOHO animation revealed the first major trailer for their upcoming title Jujutsu Kaisen 0 the Movie. In the video below, we get our first real look at the prequel cast, which includes some familiar faces from season one, as well as a preview of the theme song.

Jujutsu Kaisen 0 the Movie will once again be animated by MAPPA, with Sunghoo Park in charge of directing. Viz Media released the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 manga back in January, giving the following description of the story.

Yuta Okkotsu is a nervous high school student who is suffering from a serious problem—his childhood friend Rika has turned into a Curse and won’t leave him alone. Since Rika is no ordinary Curse, his plight is noticed by Satoru Gojo, a teacher at Jujutsu High, a school where fledgling exorcists learn how to combat Curses.

Gojo convinces Yuta to enroll, but can he learn enough in time to confront the Curse that haunts him?

Earlier today, video game developer Mike Bithell, best known for his work on Thomas Was Alone and John Wick Hex, revealed his hit 2020 card game, The Solitaire Conspiracy, is now available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Almost exactly 15 months after it was revealed Spider-Man would be heading to Marvel's Avengers as a PlayStation-exclusive playable character, developer Crystal Dynamics has announced a release date for the much-delayed hero; he'll be swinging into action on 30th November as part of a relatively beefy update for the beleaguered live service game.

Spider-Man was originally due to arrive "early" 2021, but players began to wonder if something was seriously amiss when the character, having failed to materialise in that initial launch window, was conspicuously absent from a development roadmap stretching all the way into "summer and beyond". Crystal Dynamics eventually moved to reassure fans that Spidey was still coming but his exact arrival date remained unclear - until now.

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Another day means another round of SMT V videos, with the latest two showing off the Nahobino with Chimera and Sui-Ki.

The post Chimera and Sui-Ki Show Up in SMT V appeared first on Siliconera.

According to EVGA, one of NVidia’s primary manufacturers, a shipment of RTX 30-series graphics cards has been stolen from a truck in California. I do not care how badly you think you need more frames per second, you should not rob a truck to do it. The frames just aren’t worth it. I promise you that your eyes will…

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Riders Republic has been live for a week now, giving players ample time to shred and sore throughout the mountain via a bevy of different ways. To thank and celebrate its first week, the team over at Ubisoft has put together a community update that addresses player feedback and lets everyone know about upcoming events.

The update came via a post to the Riders Republic subreddit, which you can check out for yourself right down below.