January 2022

Today Wuhan-based developer Nekcom announce its brand new game Showa American Story, previously code-named “Project SAS.”

The studio had started teasing the game a few days ago with a website and a rather cryptic trailer. Today, we finally get to see what it is about with a reveal trailer.

Here’s how the developer describes the game.

Showa American Story is a brand new RPG and an enthusiastic love letter to the 80s’ pop culture that features a strong taste of B-Movie.

Players will play as Choko, a teenage girl miraculously revived from the dead, and embark on a journey of truth and revenge across the United States, the country under Japanese “Cultural Colonization” long before a mysterious catastrophic incident changes the whole world drastically, while meeting different people, overcoming difficulties and trying to live a better life in this long post-apocalyptic adventure.

Showa American Story is set in the year “Showa 66,” which is a fictional year. It means the 66th year of the reign of Emperor Hirohito (which in the real world ended in Showa 64), which would equate to 1981.

As mentioned above, it’s a single-player JRPG for PS4, PS5, and PC.

The new year is not off to a good start for Rockstar Games, at least when it comes to how fans are reacting to the first 2022 update to the game. Currently, one of the biggest trending hashtags on Twitter today is Save Red Dead Online.

According to numerous tweets, the consensus is that Red Dead Online fans are begging Rockstar to support the online version of Red Dead Redemption 2 with more substantial content. The SaveRedDeadOnline hashtag has had over 10,000 tweets over the last day.

Sega isn't all-in on NFTs just yet.

The post Sega may Avoid NFT Games if Players Reject Them appeared first on Siliconera.

“Ugh, not this bucket of bolts again,” I thought the second time Installation 07’s Adjutant Resolution Sentinel mech showed up to grind my Halo Infinite playthrough to a halt. Then he killed me. Again. And again. And again. I was not owned, except I was, and I hated him for it, not least of all because it’s not even a…

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Not often do video game trailers wed my love for cheesy B movies, anime references, and balls-to-the-wall action spectacles, but this upcoming action role-playing game might as well have lifted its premise from my fever dreams and brought them to life.

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If you’re someone who feels most comfortable in a pair of Chucks who is also a fan of Pokémon, then we have some news for you: Converse has made your new favorite pair of shoes. 

That is, if you can get your hands on them, err, feet in them. Converse’s Pokémon collection went live today and it features 22 different things to buy ranging from adult shoes to children’s shoes to shirts, hats, and more. And to be honest, all of it looks great.

Right now, a quick stroll through the collection page will reveal that the Converse x Pokémon First Partners Chuck Taylor All-Star shoes, Converse x Pokémon Poké Ball Chuck Taylor All Star shoes, and the Converse x Pokémon Pikachu Chuck Taylor All Star Easy-On shoes are sold out. 

The Converse x Pokémon Pikachu Crewneck T-Shirt, Converse x Pokémon Team Long Sleeve T-Shirt, and Converse x Pokémon Patch Long Sleeve T-Shirt are sold out as well. However, there’s still plenty of stylish Converse x Pokémon merch up on the site available to buy. Here’s a look at some of the shoes you can purchase:

Click image thumbnails to view larger version

Third-party developers have provided new assets and updates about upcoming aircraft add-ons for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

We start with a look at the Fokker F28 Fellowship by Just Flight, showing quite a few exotic liveries, alongside a small development update.

“Development work on the aircraft visuals (models, textures, animations and liveries) is pretty much complete now and is undergoing testing, alongside the flight dynamics for each of the four variants (-1000 to -4000).

Systems coding and an extensive custom Wwise sound set are now in progress and we’ll be sharing previews of those in the coming months as we work towards the release later this year.”

Valorant’s fourth Episode gets underway next week, and Riot Games is starting 2022 with a bang as it introduces a new Agent to the roster. She’s called Neon, and you’re likely to have already seen her in action during the reveal trailer from earlier this week. What you won’t know yet, though, is exactly how her abilities work. Twinfinite has the lowdown.

Below you’ll find a full overview of all her abilities, the most nutty of which is her ultimate, which sees Neon shoot a zap of electricity which is accurate while moving. In combination with her increased speed, it sounds like a game-changing ability that duelists will thrive on.

(E) HIGH GEAR

• Official Tool Tip
  • INSTANTLY channel Neon’s power for increased speed. When charged, ALT FIRE to trigger an electric slide. Slide charge resets every two kills.
• Power Fantasy
  • Neon channels radianite-infused bioelectric charge into the synapses of her leg muscles, making them fire at supernaturally high speeds. This allows her to sprint exceptionally fast for as long as she has bioelectric charge to draw from.

(Q) RELAY BOLT

• Official Tool Tip
  • INSTANTLY throw an energy bolt that bounces once. Upon hitting each surface, the bolt electrifies the ground below with a concussive blast.
• Power Fantasy
  • Neon forces a burst of radianite-infused electricity from the palm of her hand. The electrical burst creates a brief field of static electricity that delivers a fierce zap to anyone caught in it.

(C) FAST LANE

Pokemon Legends: Arceus brings a new adventure in the ancient Sinnoh region, Hisui. Which Pokemon do you think most needs a Hisuian form?

The post Which Pokemon Needs a Hisuian Form? appeared first on Siliconera.

Capcom shared new Monster Hunter Rise concept art of Magnamalo ahead of the PC release, and some sketches show it acting like a house cat.

The post Monster Hunter Rise Magnamalo Concept Art Shows It Acting Like a Cat appeared first on Siliconera.

The point of the card game Uno is to discard your hand one card at a time by matching the color or number of the previously played card. In Mattel’s new take on the classic game, Uno All Wild, you need not worry about numbers or colors, because every single card is wild.

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Recently, my fiancée and I started playing Destiny 2 together. We were looking for a co-op game with a lot of stuff that supported crossplay and cross-saving. Somehow, I convinced her to give Destiny 2 a shot. So far, we’ve had a great time. It’s been excellent coming back to the game after years away. But returning to…

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On this first 2022 episode of All Things Nintendo, we dive into the Wii U wasteland to see what we can possibly still salvage. With 2022 on the horizon, Brian invites former Game Informer editor and current MinnMax co-host and GameMill Entertainment marketer Kyle Hilliard on the show to chat about the biggest Wii U games that still haven't made the jump to Switch. 

If you'd like to follow the people from this episode on Twitter, hit the following links: Brian Shea (@brianpshea), Kyle Hilliard (@KyleMHilliard)

The All Things Nintendo podcast is a weekly show where we can celebrate, discuss, and break down all the latest games, news, and announcements from the industry's most recognizable name. Each week, Brian is joined by different guests to talk about what's happening in the world of Nintendo. Along the way, they'll share personal stories, uncover hidden gems in the eShop, and even look back on the classics we all grew up with. A new episode hits every Friday!

Wii U (10 Years)

Big Video Game Anniversaries in 2022

One of Nintendo’s most controversial consoles, the Wii U, turns ten years old this year in November. This was the first Nintendo console to support HD graphics and had a relatively short lifespan. Despite its low sales numbers, it was home to a number of hit games, such as Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon.

Though the marketing was a bit confusing and a lot of people saw the device as clunky, there’s no doubt that the Wii U GamePad, the console’s main controller, revolutionized gaming and led the way towards the development of the Nintendo Switch. Whether you loved or hated the Wii U, it’s pretty hard to believe it’s been ten whole years since it was originally released.

Earlier this week, Kinda Funny host and producer Blessing Adeoye Jr. and Game Informer video editor and host Alex Van Aken revealed a brand new video game remix project that they’ve been working on titled, The Nintendo Tapes. This LoFi collection of video game remixes includes a boatload of Nintendo classics, each of which are sure to soothe even the grumpiest of gamers.

You can check the remix out for yourself below, as it was recently posted to Adeoye Jr.’s official Youtube account.

The tracklist includes:

• 00:00 – Rito Village Night (Zelda: Breath of the Wild Remix)
• 02:30 – Evening In Kakariko (LoFi Zelda-Inspired Beat)
• 05:33 – 7PM (Animal Crossing: New Leaf Remix)
• 07:43 – Forest Interlude (Donkey Kong Country 2 Remix)
• 10:46 – Life In Ruins (Zelda: Breath of the Wild Remix)

Each track on The Nintendo Tapes playlist was mastered by Van Aken, who also mixed tracks 2 and 3. Adeoye Jr. is responsible for mixing tracks 1, 4, and 5.

Make Some Quality of Life UI Changes

The Nintendo Switch UI has been praised by some for its simplicity. It’s true; it’s very straightforward and doesn’t overwhelm you with garbage like the PS5 UI. However, it’s far from perfect.

We would love to see Nintendo in 2022 add at least two very simple changes that would go a long way towards enhancing the Switch user experience before loading up a game.

For Valorant’s fourth episode, Riot Games is releasing one of its most ambitious weapon skin lines to date. It’s called ‘Protocol 781-A,’ and it’s themed around a dark-futuristic aesthetic that features some highly impressive attention to detail. More than just an extremely cool design, each weapon adds 60 unique cyberpunk-esque voicelines for weapon inspects and various other triggers.

Here’s the full specification:

Price – 9,900 VP

Weapons included:

• Personal Administrative Melee Unit (melee)
• Protocol 781-A Phantom
• Protocol 781-A Spectre
• Protocol 781-A Bulldog
• Protocol 781-A Sheriff
• Protocol 781-A Gun Buddy
• Protocol 781-A Card
• Protocol 781-A Spray

Gun Upgrade Tiers:

• Level 1 – New gun model; custom ADS reticle; custom bullets
• Level 2 – Custom muzzle flash visual effects and firing audio
• Level 3 – Custom animations and visual effects during equip, reload, and inspect; weapon “transforms” during equip, reload, and inspect
• Level 4 – Finisher and Kill Banner
• Level 5 – Custom male voice-over for inspect animation and various other triggers that occur in-game (approximately 60 unique VO lines); the voice-over is “visualized” in the in-game interface when the weapon talks to you
• Variant 1 – White/Pink Variant with female voice-over
• Variant 2 – Red/Blue Variant with male voice-over
• Variant 3 – Green Variant with female voice-over

Melee Upgrade Tiers:

It’s time for a whole new Episode of Valorant content, and so it should come as no surprise that Riot Games is intent on making a big splash for its first Act. There’s a new Agent, snazzy premium skin line called Protocol 781-A, and of course, a fresh battle pass to sink our teeth into. This time around, the big draw for most is likely to prove the inclusion of a karambit melee.

Up until only recently, there was no karambit in the game at all. Then the Champions bundle featured one to go alongside the Prime, and now there’s one in the battlepass! Below you’ll find the full overview of what’s included, and then underneath that some images of the three skin lines (Velocity, Schema, and Hydrodip), as well as some of the other goodies, such as sprays, gun buddies, etc.

While Final Fantasy VII Remake does include an updated take on the original game’s infamous crossdressing scene, there isn’t a way to play as Cloud in a dress throughout the game. Or, at least, not an official way. Thankfully, PC players who want Cloud to keep rockin’ his feminine side have options, like this PC mod…

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Today Bandai Namco released new footage of the upcoming Tales of Luminaria anime.

We get to see a trailer both in English and in Japanese, and the first 10 minutes of the anime, albeit those are exclusively in Japanese.

The anime will be approximately 60 minutes long and will be distributed on January 21 on various streaming services.

The animation is by Kamikaze Douga and it depicts the core story of the Tales of Luminaria game, suitable as an introduction for newcomers and even for those who don’t play the game at all.

You can check all the videos out below.

Earlier today, Amazon confirmed that The Boys season 3 will return to its subscription service, Amazon Prime Video, on June 3, 2022. The news came by way of a terrifying tease, which features Homelander smiling for the camera as if business were usual, though he’s clearly struggling to maintain his composure.

You can check out the quick tease for yourself below.

For anyone that has never seen this dark superhero comedy, here is a brief description that summarizes the concept of its plot:

The Boys is an irreverent take on what happens when superheroes, who are as popular as celebrities, as influential as politicians and as revered as Gods, abuse their superpowers rather than use them for good. It’s the powerless against the super powerful as The Boys embark on a heroic quest to expose the truth about “The Seven”, and their formidable Vought backing.

Type-moon released another trailer of its fighting game Melty Blood: Type Lumina, showcasing the upcoming DLC character Dead Apostle Noel.

This trailer displays a full match with Dead Apostle Noel fighting against Ciel, but it ends differently compared to the one published a few days ago.

You can check it out below.

Dead Apostle Noel was announced a while ago, and she will be released as DLC on January 13 alongside Aoko Aozaki.

“A certain executor who has become a dead apostle.
She now appears as a girl at her most lovely, who has also acquired the Mystic Eyes of Roses in addition to the abilities of a dead apostle.

She is able to forcefully remove the soul of her target and lock them away in her Mystic Eyes of Roses, where they experience an unending nightmare. Not only that, but she is also able to manipulate a large number of spears (bells) in a battle style evocative of a dancing butterfly.”

Snow is falling across parts of the UK, and I consider myself blessed to live close enough to snowlands to go play in it, yet not so close that I have to live with it. I look forward to swimming in sight of some snowy hills today then hiking through some snowy hills tomorrow, then returning to my cosy flat. But what are you playing this weekend?

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Gary McKay has written candidly about his first year as general manager at BioWare, describing how the studio continues to adapt during the coronavirus pandemic, and how it intends to "rebuild [its] reputation" following the cancellation of its live-service shooter, Anthem.

"This has been another challenging year, with both work and home life continuing to be disrupted by the uncertainty of the global pandemic," McKay wrote in a blog on the official BioWare website. "We've had to continue to think on our feet to adapt to changing circumstances.

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Remember that brief Serious Sam teaser that had fans thinking a new instalment - or, in the very least, new DLC - might be on the way? Turns out they were right, and a new Serious Sam is set to release later this month.

Croteam dropped a cryptic video tease just before Christmas, but at just 34 seconds long and the description "man, it's cold", we didn't have a lot to go on.

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Games like to take us places, whether it's space, hidden jungles or a bygone version of England. As much as I love these alternate realities of the real thing and the joys of video game tourism, increasingly they've made me think about the home, the place in the physical world where most, if not all, our gaming actually takes place.

The home, or even just home in the wider sense, seems in many ways antithetical to the stories many games tell. Going on a journey means leaving home - RPGs in particular like to deal in permanent displacement. Baldur's Gate 3 begins after your player character has been abducted by mind flayers, Divinity: Original Sin 2 similarly starts with your imprisonment and escape. JRPG classic Secret of Mana compels you to travel because you've been exiled from your village, and in Dragon Quest 11, the protagonist's home is destroyed completely. This year, I loved Eastward's mild subversion of this classic idea of displacement - here, the whole quest was about finding a home. The game takes its time to introduce us to its different towns and sprawling cities, because it wants to make sure that we see protagonists John and Sam build a life there with all that entails - helping out in the community, making new friends, even sitting down at the end of an eventful day and having a meal together. However, many players later told me that these lengthy segments felt slow to them - pulling them away from the adventure gameplay that only happens when a calamity repeatedly displaces John and Sam.

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Sega has abandoned plans to embrace NFTs following "negative reactions" from gamers.

In an interview with Tweak Town, Sega CEO Haruki Satomi acknowledged the publisher would like to "try out various [NFT] experiments", but was quick to say "nothing is decided at this point" and the company would have to "carefully assess" "what will be accepted and what will not be by the users".

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Amazon Studios has plans to improve the end-game of its MMO, New World.

In a lengthy blog post on the official website, the team explained how "expedition mutators" will improve challenge and enjoyment of the game for those who've already experienced much of what the MMO has to offer.

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The new banners and kimonos are part of an ongoing collaboration between the Sumo Association and Pokemon.

The post Pokemon Sumo Collab Features Gen 4 Starters and Legends appeared first on Siliconera.

Disney and Pixar have officially confirmed that their upcoming animated coming-of-age pic, Turning Red, will be foregoing a theatrical release in favor of an exclusive launch on the Mouse House’s bespoke streaming service, Disney+, on March 11.

The news comes by way of a tweet last night from Disney’s official twitter channel, which you can see below:

After tackling Metroid in Season 1, the second season of Game Informer's Video Gameography podcast moves on to one of the biggest shooter franchises in existence: Halo. This week, we examine Bungie's smaller experimental entry in the series, Halo 3: ODST.

Halo 3: ODST was released on the Xbox 360 on September 22, 2009, and was intended to be a smaller project designed by a skunkworks team. However, the development of ODST has roots in Peter Jackson's aborted attempt to make a Halo film/game. For the next hour, we talk about ODST's relatively short development time, why the title changed from Halo 3: Recon, the innovative Firefight multiplayer mode, and Bungie's push to spin out from under Microsoft and become its own company again.

Join hosts Ben Reeves (@BenjaminReeves) and Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7), and former Game Informer editor Bryan Vore (@Bryan_Vore) as we unpack the history and impact of the first Halo game to not feature Master Chief.  And for more Halo, be sure to check out our definitive ranking of every Halo game.

Apex Legends developer Respawn is exploring "what [it] can do" about "visual clutter" in the fan-favourite first-person shooter.

Boasting fluid gunplay and a distinctive artistic style, free-to-play battle royale Apex Legends is a fan-favourite, but some players purport that the game's HUD has become increasingly cluttered, particularly when they're under attack in-game.

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UPDATE 10/1/22: Over the weekend, details of a new Armored Core game turned up on the internet, apparently originating from a consumer survey. At the time, only text details were posted. Now, a series of screenshots have leaked as well.

The images are partially obscured - likely to remove a text watermark covering each picture designed to prevent leaks - but are now being widely shared on social media, as well as gaming forum Resetera:

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