July 2023

Ubisoft Reveals Educational History of Baghdad Feature For Assassin’s Creed Mirage

10 months ago

Ubisoft has announced a new History of Baghdad feature for Assassin’s Creed Mirage which will allow players to explore the historical realities of the city as they progress through the campaign.

Unlike the educational Discovery modes featured in previous Assassin’s Creed games such as Origins, and Odyssey, The History of Baghdad content will not require the player to enter a separate mode of Mirage.

Instead, the offering will be via an in-game codex as the player progresses through the story, in a similar vein to how Ubisoft imparted historical facts in earlier Assassin’s Creed titles.

"From the start we had an ambitious premise: to help the players better understand the world of ninth-century Baghdad."

"From the start we had an ambitious premise: to help the players better understand the world of ninth-century Baghdad, a world that is seldom represented in popular culture," explained historian Dr Raphaël Weyland, who is working on Mirage at Ubisoft Montreal.

"In the pursuit of this lofty goal, we were given the freedom to choose what topics we wanted to tackle. We just had to make sure that what we wanted to describe existed in the world of Assassin's Creed Mirage."

The History of Baghdad will strive to add historical context to the fictional storyline with the inclusion of an expanding database of expertly curated information, paired with real-world images of ninth-century artifacts supplied by partner museums.

Author
Anthony Wood

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Gollum Players Fight For World Records In 2023's Worst Game

10 months ago

While The Lord of the Rings: Gollum may be one of the worst games of 2023 so far, even bad games can be fun to speedrun. In fact, sometimes the very things that make a game so frustrating for normal players—things like bugs and busted controls—can create exciting opportunities for glitches, level skips, and other ways…

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Author
Levi Winslow

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Bokeh Game Studio Shows Early Slitterhead Footage

10 months ago

slitterhead early gameplay bokeh game studio playable dog horror silent hill

In 2020, we learned that Keiichiro Toyama, the creator of Silent Hill, had opened Bokeh Game Studio to develop a new horror game. The following year, at The Game Awards 2021, Bokeh revealed Slitterhead. Thanks to a new development diary released today, we can peek at more early-development gameplay in action. 

Most of the video focuses on the developers working on Slitterhead, with a particular look at user tests and gameplay feedback. However, sprinkled throughout the diary are new clips of Slitterhead, ranging from training room-esque encounters, some clips of a neon-lit Chinese city, and even a dog that appears to be playable. 

Check it out for yourself

As you can see in the small and often blurred snippets of Slitterhead gameplay, the studio's debut game continues to look grotesque. We see a character attack enemies using Wolverine-like claws, guns, and more. Oh, and below is that playable dog: 

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

NetherRealm Reveals Smoke And Rain For Mortal Kombat 1 Fighter Roster

10 months ago

Mortal Kombat 1 Smoke Rain Liu Kuei gameplay trailer new fighters

NetherRealm has revealed two more playable fighters joining the Mortal Kombat 1 roster: Smoke and Rain. 

These two returning characters were revealed as actual fighters on the roster – they still could be part of the Kameo roster, however – in a new gameplay trailer released today focused on the Lin Kuei faction. In it, we witness Scorpion and Sub-Zero's further attempts to establish this faction in Liu Kang's newly rebooted Mortal Kombat universe (hence the Mortal Kombat 1 title), where Smoke and Rain come into play. 

Check these two fighters out in the Lin Kuei gameplay trailer below

"With deep ties to Scorpion and Sub-Zero, Smoke has made the clan's mission his own and joins his Lin Kuei brethren in defense of Earthrealm," a press release reads. "The trailer also provides a first look at Rain, the High Mage of Outworld who has honed his craft of water magic into a fierce weapon and now hopes to learn the realm's darkest and most powerful sorcery." 

Elsewhere in the trailer, you might have spotted Sektor, Cyrax, Frost, and Scorpion as Kameo fighters. 

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

Silent Hope Opening Movie Focuses on Its Characters

10 months ago

The Silent Hope opening movie is here and Kami wa Saikoro wo Furanai is the band behind the game's theme song.

Marvelous and XSEED Games released the opening movie for Silent Hope, which shows off its main characters. This is the new JRPG set in the Rune Factory universe. It features the theme song, which is performed by Kami wa Saikoro wo Furanai. However, the title of the track wasn’t revealed.

Here is the opening movie. It highlights the nature of the title. When we head into Silent Hope, we will have access to seven different characters. Each one uses a different weapon in the dungeon and can work at a different station outside of it. So one character can work at the Atelier to create items like adamantite, bronze, crystal, platinum, and silver for crafting. Another character may be able to use a sword and shield while in the dungeon, and then equip a Greater Flamestone Magistone to increase their attack speed, odds of burning an enemy, and critical rate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh-jzbz7HNY&ab_channel=MarvelousEurope

As for Kami wa Saikoro wo Furanai, the group may sound familiar. The band is behind the World Trigger opening theme “Time Factor.”

Silent Hope will come to the Nintendo Switch and PC on October 3, 2023. There will be a Day 1 collector’s edition, which will be available while supplies last. In Japan, the game will be known as Frederica.

Author
Jenni Lada

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Mortal Kombat 1 Includes Smoke and Rain

10 months ago

Mortal Kombat 1 Includes Smoke and Rain

Netherrealm Studios shared its first Mortal Kombat 1 Kombatcast and revealed Smoke and Rain will return. Both will be playable in the newest installment. They also featured heavily in a new trailer, which focused on the role of the Lin Kuei in this new installment.

Here’s the new trailer. It initially focuses on both Sub-Zero and Scorpion, who are working together to assist the Lin Kuei in its mission. Both story scenes and gameplay appear. However, at the 50 second mark, we get to see Smoke in Mortal Kombat 1 for the first time. After seeing him interact with Sub-Zero and Scorpion, we also get to see him in action for a bit. At just about the two minute mark is when Rain comes up in the Mortal Kombat 1 trailer, and we see him meet the group of ninjas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66opZ1Go_ZA&ab_channel=MortalKombat

People already had a chance to go hands-on with some of the Mortal Kombat 1 cast. A stress test appeared in June 2023. There will also be a beta in August 2023. Exact dates for it haven't been revealed yet.

Mortal Kombat 1 will release on September 19, 2023 on the PS5, Switch Xbox Series X, and PC. People who get the Kollector’s Edition get early access on September 14, 2023.

Author
Jenni Lada

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Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising Pre-Access Beta Registration Opens

10 months ago

Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising Pre-Access Beta Registration Opens

Cygames announced pre-registration is now open via the official site for the Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising pre-access beta test. People can sign up to take part until July 16, 2023. Those picked will get to play on July 26-27, 2023. As a reminder, it is only available for the PS4 and PS5.

The announcement also included some details about the schedule and participation requirements. Someone has to have an Asian, European, Japanese, or North American PlayStation Network account. They also need to be over 18. Those who pre-registered will be picked on July 23, 2023. If they get in, then there will be two sessions during which they can play. The first is on July 26, 2023 from 6pm-11pm PT (9pm-2am ET). The second is on July 27, 2023 from 4am-9am PT (7am-12pm ET). Data doesn’t carry over. However, people in the pre-access beta can keep it on their system and then use it to participate in the July 29-30, 2023 open beta.

Here’s the full list of all playable characters we will see in the Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising beta:

Author
Jenni Lada

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You’ll Find the Super Mario Bros Movie on Peacock

10 months ago

You'll Find the Super Mario Bros Movie on Peacock

We now know exactly which streaming service will be home to the Super Mario Bros Movie. People will be able to find it on Peacock. It will begin airing on the service on August 3, 2023. As a reminder, this is a Universal and Illumination film, and Peacock is part of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. [Thanks, Deadline!]

It’s already possible to watch the Super Mario Bros Movie multiple ways ahead of its streaming service debut. Digital copies showed up in online storefronts back in May 2023. In June 2023, the physical copies appeared as well.

As for a sequel, we likely won’t know anything about one for a while. Chris Pratt, who plays Mario, did an interview with ET and mentioned the film. He noted his support for the WGA strike and said that “everything has been paused” during it. In that same interview, he did express that announcements could come after the strike ends and deals are arranged and finalized.

Author
Jenni Lada

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Final Fantasy XVI Physical Sales Decrease 90% in Its Second Week in Japan

10 months ago

Final Fantasy XVI sales decrease

According to an estimate released by Famitsu on June 6, 2023, sales of physical units for Final Fantasy XVI in Japan decreased 90% during its second week. The game sold 336,027 units during release week in Japan, compared to 37,763 units shipped during the second one. However, digital copies are not included in this estimate. [Thanks, Bloomberg!]

According to Square Enix, Final Fantasy XVI sales passed approximately 3 million units sold worldwide during its first week in the market. Compared to its successor, Final Fantasy XV sold 5 million units on its first week. However, FFXV released on both the PS4 and Xbox One, whereas FFXVI is a PS5-exclusive title. The Famitsu report also mentioned that FFXV experienced a similar reduction in sales during its second week in Japan, reducing its numbers by 90% as well.

Hideki Yasuda, an analyst at Toyo Securities, commented that the decrease in sales for Final Fantasy XVI is a really severe result and it will be impossible to increase them without a significant price drop. Yasuda added that, for the most part, this failure is a result of pre-release marketing and the game itself being so different from past Final Fantasy entries that consumers left the title behind.

Author
Daniel Bueno

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FFVII Remake Motion Capture Used Lots of Handmade Props

10 months ago

FFVII Remake Yuffie

In an interview with 4Gamer, Square Enix detailed what goes on behind the scenes in its studio when it came to motion capture for FFVII Remake. Not only are all of the props handmade, but all of the sets are as well. What the team did when it came to motion capturing for FFVII Remake is standard practice for all of the company’s games when it comes to mocap. [Thanks, 4Gamer!]

Square Enix has a huge stock of various fake weapons that it uses for its games. The team uses a combination of purchased models and toys, and handmade fare. However, for Final Fantasy VII Remake, the team had to make a lot of the props by hand because of how unique they are. Examples include Sephiroth’s long Masamune and Yuffie’s giant shuriken. However, some of the weapons’ early designs are difficult to recreate in a manner that would guarantee endurance. So the mocap actors couldn’t use them.

Although Cloud’s Buster Sword canonically does not have a sheathe, the model version of it does. This is to re-enact the motion he has where he removes it from his back and then returns it after a fight. When mocapping for Cloud on his motorbike, the box-like structure that the actor rides on has sticks on it, and it’s resting on a yoga mat. The yoga mat makes it easier to move around.

[gallery columns="1" ids="971749" link="file"]

Author
Stephanie Liu

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Interview: Ayunda Risu, Moona Hoshinova, and Pavolia Reine Discuss the Hololive EN Concert

10 months ago

Interview: Ayunda Risu, Moona Hoshinova, and Pavolia Reine Talk About Hololive EN Concert

It isn't uncommon for hololive Vtubers to take part in concerts and performances. After all, there's the concert every year at the Super Expo in Japan. However, it is a special occasion when a region or group gets their first one. The hololive English 1st Concert: Connect the World was held on July 2, 2023, for example, and it featured some members of the Indonesian branch as special guests. To learn more about what goes into preparations for and a performance like this, Siliconera spoke with hololive ID Vtubers Ayunda Risu, Moona Hoshinova, Pavolia Reine.

Jenni Lada: How do you feel about being able to participate in hololive English 1st Concert: Connect the World?

Ayunda Risu: It was very exciting! It’s really an honor to be invited!

Moona Hoshinova: It was an honor, I was so happy when I’ve got the invitation to participate. I hope everyone enjoy our performance.

Pavolia Reine: I was really surprised when I heard the news and beyond excited to perform!

How do preparations work for a concert like this given the difference between timezones?

Author
Jenni Lada

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Hear Final Fantasy VII Remake’s ‘Aerith’s Theme – Memories’ Song Again

10 months ago

Hear Final Fantasy VII Remake’s ‘Aerith’s Theme - Memories’ Song Again

Square Enix shared a new video going over a version of the "Aerith's Theme" song from Final Fantasy VII Remake. This time it's a piano arrangement called "Aerith's Theme - Memories." It is designed to evoke a specific sort of emotion between Aerith's mother Elmyra Gainsborough and her.

Here's the full video going over this version of Aerith's theme song in Final Fantasy VII Remake. It pulls footage from when we actually hear the song in the game, which is when Cloud meets Elmyra for the first time. The idea is to convey a motherly tone and how she feels about her daughter Aerith. It then flashes forward to a later point in the game, when Elmyra was talking about Aerith with Cloud, Tifa, and Barret.

Author
Jenni Lada

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Pokemon Sleep Pre-Registration Opens Ahead of July Debut

10 months ago

Pokemon Sleep Pre-Registration

Pokemon Sleep is pre-registration is now open. The Pokemon-themed sleep monitoring game will be released in late July 2023, but users can sign up ahead of its launch. Pre-registration is currently only available for players on Android devices. The application will also be available on iOS devices.

Pokemon Sleep was originally announced at the May 2019 Pokemon presentation, then returned again at the February 2023 one. It’s a sleep tracker app with Pokemon elements designed to help players rest better at night. It will measure sleep quality, sleep duration, and how long it takes for the user to fall asleep. The app will contain audio recordings to help you sleep. It will also record your room to identify sleep disruptions.

The game aspect of the application involves researching how the characters sleep. Ones with similar sleep styles to you will gather during the day around a Snorlax. Collecting these Pokemon can help you gain berries that you can feed to Snorlax. These berries increase Snorlax’s Drowsy Power, enabling its growth.

Pokemon Sleep is compatible with the Pokemon Go Plus device, which will release on July 21, 2023. However, this is not required, as the game can operate purely with a smartphone.

Author
Leigh Price

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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Wave 5 Tracks And Characters Revealed, Out Next Week

10 months ago

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 5 new tracks characters

Nintendo has released a new trailer for Wave 5 of its Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass, revealing eight more tracks joining the game alongside new additional racers. 

Wave 5 hits the game next week on July 12 and comes included with the Booster Course Pass, which costs $24.99, and as part of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscriptions. Here are the tracks coming to the game in Wave 5:

  • Athens Dash (Mario Kart Tour)
  • Daisy Cruiser (Mario Kart Double Dash)
  • Moonview Highway (Mario Kart Wii)
  • Squeaky Clean Sprint (brand new Mario Kart 8 Deluxe track)
  • Los Angeles Laps (Mario Kart Tour)
  • Sunset Wilds (Mario Kart Super Circuit)
  • Koopa Cape (Mario Kart Wii)
  • Vancouver Velocity (Mario Kart Tour)

You can check out all eight of these tracks in action in the Wave 5 trailer below: 

Wave 5 of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass also brings four new racers to the game as well: Kamek (medium weight class), Birdo (medium weight class), Petey Piranha (heavy weight class), and Wiggler (heavy weight class). 

Wave 5 goes live next week on July 12. 

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

Against The Storm's latest update continues to revamp its world map, adds a big egg

10 months ago

Against The Storm is a fantasy citybuilder in which you're challenged to construct not a sprawling metropolis, but a series of small settlements scattered across a world map wilderness. Recent updates have focused on making that world map more interesting and dynamic, including another released today.

The straightforwardly-named World Events update adds five new choosy, consequence-rich encounters to stumble across, as well as polishing older events, improving the UI, and more.

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Author
Graham Smith

Helldivers 2 explains how its newly third-person chaotic co-op will work

10 months ago

There must be no games but third-person action games, said Sony. And so it was. Helldivers 2 is the next victim, trading the co-op sci-fi shooter's from-above camera view for a from-behind perspective that really screams 'hey it's every other game'.

A new post and a new trailer from developers Arrowhead explaining how Helldivers 2's combat and co-op works is, at least, an opportunity to differentiate itself.

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Author
Graham Smith

Total War: Pharaoh video explains how its factions work and fight

10 months ago

Every Total War is about a big bunch of bastards vying to be king of the bastards, and Total War: Pharaoh looks no different. It's got eight wannabe King B's to choose from, and a new 14-minute video from developers Creative Assembly explains how four of these play differently depending on their particular skills for combat, production and diplomacy.

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Author
Graham Smith

Insomniac's Spider-Man 2 Is Getting Its Own San Diego Comic-Con Hall H Panel

10 months ago

Insomniac Games is hosting a panel dedicated to Marvel's Spider-Man 2 at San Diego Comic Con. The panel, titled, "Symbiotic Relationships," is slated to take place in Hall H on July 20th.

For those who haven't been to Comic-Con before, it's worth noting that Hall H is blockbuster placement - it's where, for example, Marvel Phases 5 and 6 were unveiled at last year's convention.

Set to release this September, Insomniac's third Spider-Man game continues to have a big presence this summer. Following a 12-minute blowout at the end of PlayStation's 2023 Showcase in May and a brief spotlight during Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest Kickoff event last month, Insomniac teased the panel in a Tweet this morning.

Author
Charlie Wacholz

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Diablo 4 Season 1 Release Date Revealed Along With Fresh Details on Quest Line and More

10 months ago

Diablo 4 Season 1 will release July 20, Blizzard revealed in a new livestream that also included a host of new details about the upcoming content update.

Titled Season of the Malignant, the new seasonal content will bring with it a brand-new quest line featuring "new faces and new enemies, new powers, the first Season Journey, and the first Battle Pass." It takes place after the events of the main campaign and introduces a new character in Cormand, an ex-priest from the Cathedral of Light who is trying to stop the spread of the Malignant.

Season of the Malignant features a "dangerous new threat" in the form of Malignant Monsters spreading throughout Sanctuary. Any elite monster will be able to spawn as a Malignant Monster with additional powers. Malignant Monsters can be defeated by drawing out their corruption and trapping their Malignant Hearts, which can then be inserted into rings and amulets.

Author
Kat Bailey

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Ivy and Tharja Are the New Summer Units in Fire Emblem Heroes

10 months ago

Fire Emblem Heroes Tharja

Fire Emblem Heroes' latest summer banner is led by Ivy and Tharja, typically gloomy mages who donned bright swimsuits for the season. They are joined by a summer variant of Fjorm and a duo unit consisting of Ymir and Eir. The banner goes live on July 7, 2023, along with the Paralogue story Summer Firsts. The score reward for the next Tempest Trial will be Donnel: Sunny Villager.

You can get a look at the trailer below:
[embed]https://youtu.be/Xg9hT88Org8[/embed]

Ivy: Tidal Breeze is a green, flying tome user who focuses on buffing allies and debuffing foes before using her Divine Draught special. Meanwhile, Tharja: Beach Dark Mage is a mounted blue tome user with speed-focused abilities like Seashell Bowl+. Wielding a sword is Fjorm: Seaside Thaw, who uses the abilities Ice-Bound Brand to speed up her special counter when attacked with certain weapons, and Frostbite Mirror to reduce damage from enemy attacks and reflect it back upon them. Finally, Ymir: Seasons of Life is a duo unit featuring Eir and Ymir fighting together as a blue tome user on foot. Their abilities benefit from staying close to allies and their Duo skill heals allies and cleanses debuffs in an area around them.

The Fire Emblem Heroes Summer Firsts banner featuring Ivy and Tharja will launch on July 7, 2023. Previous banners featured characters like Legendary Hinoka and Mythic Heidr.

Author
Elliot Gostick

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Check Out the New Yu-Gi-Oh Dark Magician Girl Figure

10 months ago

Yu-Gi-Oh Dark Magician Girl figure

MegaHouse revealed a new figure of the Dark Magician Girl from the Yu-Gi-Oh series. It costs 26,400 JPY (or about $183), and pre-orders will start on July 7, 2023 from the Japanese Premium Bandai online store. The scheduled release date in Japan for the figure is sometime on March 2024.

The figure stands at 225mm, or about 8.8 inches tall. To advertise her, MegaHouse released a teaser trailer showcasing the Dark Magician Girl figure. The video includes a newly drawn illustration by artist tyuga as well. (You can find the artist on on Twitter as well.)

You can check out the teaser trailer in more detail here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZakwO8lDck

And you can also check out some pictures of the new figure in more detail on the gallery below.

[gallery columns="5" size="medium" ids="971596,971597,971598,971599,971600" link="file"]

The Dark Magician Girl is a very popular Yu-Gi-Oh characters and there is plenty of merchandise available of the character. A recent example of this is another recent MegaHouse announcement from April 2023 of two new Yu-Gi-Oh Look Up figures of Yami Yugi and the Dark Magician Girl that are expected to appear on October 2023 in Japan.

Author
Daniel Bueno

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Wonder Woman Model Kit Gets Restock and New Color Variant

10 months ago

Wonder Woman Model Kit

Kotobukiya revealed that the model kit of Wonder Woman based on the design drawn by Humikane Shimada is back in stock. Additionally, a new alternate color version of it is now available to pre-order. Each one cost 6,380 JPY (or approximately $44). The original model kit and the new alternate color version are now available for purchase from the Kotobukiya online store.

Both model kits include different parts to customize the figure in different poses, including Wonder Woman’s lasso, shield, and a sword. You can take a better look at the original model kit here:

[gallery columns="4" link="file" ids="971624,971625,971626,971627"]

Meanwhile, the Another Color version sports a lighter and brighter color scheme for the suit, as well as a lighter skin tone. You can check out the new alternate color version below:

[gallery columns="4" link="file" ids="971628,971629,971630,971631"]

The two model kits are based on the illustration designed by famous artist Fumikane Shimada, who also created the design for Galatea in Fate/Grand Order. Shimada is responsible for influencing the mecha musume art genre or mecha shoujo, which features girls wearing military hardware or armor inspired by mecha.

Author
Daniel Bueno

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The Best Games Of 2023 So Far | GI Show

10 months ago

best games of 2023

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, hosts Alex Van Aken and Marcus Stewart determine the best games of 2023 (their favorites, actually, but "best games" is better SEO) by looking back through Game Informer's 2023 video game release schedule. Obvious picks are The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and Resident Evil 4 (Remake), however we also highlight lesser-known standouts like Friends Vs Friends, A Space for the Unbound, and Terra Nil. 

Follow us on social media: Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7)

The Game Informer Show is a weekly gaming podcast covering the latest video game news, industry topics, exclusive reveals, and reviews. Join host Alex Van Aken every Thursday to chat about your favorite games – past and present – with Game Informer staff, developers, and special guests from around the industry. Listen on Apple PodcastsSpotify, or your favorite podcast app.

Author
Alex Van Aken

Diablo IV’s Season Of The Malignant Kicks Off July 20

10 months ago

Diablo IV Season Of The Malignant

Diablo IV’s first season kicks off on July 20, and it’s called Season of the Malignant. Blizzard revealed a new trailer along with details of the content update in a livestream today. 

Season of the Malignant introduces a new questline set after the main campaign in which Malignant Monsters, born from Lilith’s corruption, are terrorizing Sanctuary. It’s up to you and a former priest named Cormond to locate and eradicate the source of this blight. 

Killing these creatures lets players harness their corrupted hearts to transform into new powers. Up to 30 new Malignant abilities are borne from these monsters, and this power can be imbued into Rings and Amulets. This update also introduces a new boss in the form of Varshan the Consumed. Players can also earn six new Unique items and seven Legendary aspects. Additionally, you can gain a Mastery title and a Scroll of Amnesia granting a free reset for the Skill Tree and Paragon Board. 

Author
Marcus Stewart

Mortal Kombat 1 confirms Smoke and Rain as returning playable fighters

10 months ago

The steady drip of Mortal Kombat 1 info continues in the run-up to the sort-of-rebooted fighter's 19th September launch, with developer NetherRealm having now confirmed Smoke and Rain as playable characters, alongside some familiar faces returning as assistive Kameos.

Not including today's announcements, NetherRealm has so-far confirmed a total of 10 playable characters for Mortal Kombat 1: Johnny Cage, Kenshi, Kitana, Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Mileena, Raiden, Scorpion, Shang Tsung (available via pre-order), and Sub-Zero.

Two more additions have now been revealed as part of NetherRealm's latest Kombat Kast livestream. Assassin-turned-cyborg Smoke is in, marking his first playable appearance in the main series since 2011's Mortal Kombat reboot. He's joined by moody demi-god Rain, who hasn't been benched quite so long, having appeared in Mortal Kombat 11 as a DLC character.

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Author
Matt Wales

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Mortal Kombat 1 Trailer Adds a Host of Returning Characters to its Roster

10 months ago

NetherRealm Studios has released a new trailer for its upcoming fighting game Mortal Kombat 1, with the latest trailer confirming more characters that will be on the roster at launch.

The latest trailer spotlighted Smoke and Rain, two characters with a long history in the Mortal Kombat series. It also revealed four new Kameo Fighters: Sektor, Cyrax, Frost, and Scorpion. As a quick refresher, Kameo Fighters is a separate roster of characters in Mortal Kombat 1 that can assist players during a match.

Smoke was first introduced back in Mortal Kombat 2 as an unplayable secret character before eventually making a proper debut in Mortal Kombat 3 as a cyborg. His first appearance as a human was in 2011's Mortal Kombat. He primarily specializes in ability utilizing speed and smoke, which is reflected in the trailer as he strikes his foe with a dagger then reappears in a puff of smoke for the finishing strike.

Rain, meanwhile, first appeared in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 as a gag character intended to mislead players into thinking he was unlockable before eventually appearing for real in the console versions. He was subsequently playable in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon and Mortal Kombat (2011). As a half-god, Rain controls water and lightning, and he's shown in the trailer abusing Scorpion with his particular brand of water bending.

The rest of the trailer features Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Smoke working together to infiltrate a compound, as a well as a typically gruesome fatality from Smoke. Outside of the new story trailer, NetherRealm Studios released several new gameplay videos, including a high level battle between Scorpion and Johnny Cage.

Author
Taylor Lyles

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