Destructoid

As a nice little musical interlude during last night's PlayStation State of Play presentation, Bethesda released a new gameplay trailer for Arkane Studios' riotous looking shooter Deathloop, which is headed to PS5 and PC on May 21.

The video features a veritable banquet of first-person carnage, as protagonist Colt run 'n' guns his way through an endless cycle of death and rebirth, brought about by an island of eccentric assassins, headed up by the stylish and deadly killer, Julianna. As Colt faces death time, after time, after time, he must find a way to eliminate his targets, take down Julianna, and end the literal cycle of violence for good. It looks like one badass game, that's for sure.

The new gameplay trailer is backed by a track recorded especially for the game: "Deja Vu" by Sencit feat. FJ0RA, both of whom I'm far, far too old to know. The track almost undeniably has a decadent and epic "James Bond Title Sequence" vibe, which is well suited to Colt's shadow-chasing, quick-drawing lifestyle. It's a slick and sexy song, and only serves to further hype Deathloop's subversive action, cool characters, and sense of style ever more.

Shortly after my interview with Monster Hunter Rise producer Ryozo Tsujimoto ended, the team had a surprise for me. I was ambushed, I tell ya!

Out of nowhere, Tsujimoto confirmed that Monster Hunter Rise would be coming to PC.

Monster Hunter Rise is poised to make a huge splash on the Switch in March, and the core development team is a big reason why it's firing on all cylinders so far.

We got a chance to talk to producer Ryozo Tsujimoto about all things Rise, and learned a few things in the process.

"Where's Wally?" I don't know, who cares! It's "Where's Waldo," folks. I don't care if the former is the "original" British name, the US publisher got it right.

Anyway, there's a decent chunk of seek and find/hidden object games out there, but every single new release catches my eye in some way. Take Wind Peaks for example. It has a lot of that puzzly Where's Waldo charm, but with a dash of Gravity Falls-esque aesthetics. It even has a mystery involved!

This one actually came out in mid-2020 on PC, but has been laying a bit low on Steam since then. When it arrives on Switch on March 3, it'll probably get a higher profile. Keep a lookout for it! It features 10 levels, "relaxing forest sounds," and a light story told through the actual puzzle stuff.

Wind Peaks [Steam]

Following a glut of rumors and reports, Sony Japan has stated that it is currently in the process of "re-organizing" Japan Studio, Sony's oldest and longest-running in-house game developer.

Word of the restructure first came via an in-depth report by VGC, who noted that Sony Japan Studio had released a "vast majority" of its development staff, not renewing their annual contracts as the clock ticks down on a new financial year. It has also been impossible not to notice the growing list of producers who have recently left Sony to seek their fortunes and creative muses elsewhere. Sony has since responded to VGC's report, openly stating that the Japan Studio is currently in a deep process of consolidation and restructure.

"In an effort to further strengthen business operations, SIE can confirm PlayStation Studios Japan Studio will be re-organized into a new organization on April 1," said a Sony spokesperson. "Japan Studio will be re-centered to Team ASOBI, the creative team behind Astro's Playroom, allowing the team to focus on a single vision and build on the popularity of Astro's Playroom. In addition, the roles of external production, software localization, and IP management of JAPAN Studio titles will be concentrated within the global functions of PlayStation Studios."

In this post-Activision Destiny 2 world, Bungie has made several big missteps.

One is "vaulting," which takes away chunks of game content with the aim of making the base download more manageable. The other, far more contentious aspect, is "sunsetting." In short, this system created a constant grind by making gear untenable to use for long periods of time; which pissed off pretty much everyone. That latter bit is going away, but it won't apply retroactively.

The big news that brought about all this is the delay of The Witch Queen, Destiny 2's next big expansion. It's been moved into 2022, and Bungie needs to placate the playerbase until that date arrives. As such, "rewards will matter" now (very clever to sell old features back as a new one), as Bungie admits the execution of the late 2020-2021 system was "off the mark."

Here's a quick breakdown: "We've made the decision that any weapon or armor that can currently be infused to max Power will continue to be able to reach max Power permanently. Starting in Season 14 we won't be capping the infusion on any weapons or armor that have not already reached the cap as of the start of Season 13. This means you'll be able to take your Trustee, your Falling Guillotine, and all the high-stat armor you've earned this year to take on the raid in The Witch Queen."

As a concession, gear will be tweaked as needed (like the old days) to prevent things from getting out of hand, balance-wise. The Power Cap will also only be raised by 10 for each "non-expansion season," to avoid excessive grinding even further. It's a set of good changes! But the game didn't need to enter this territory in the first place.

My main concern for the rest of 2021 is whether or not Beyond Light is going to last me through the year just on seasonal updates.

The Road to the Witch Queen [Bungie.net]

Sources inside Electronic Arts are claiming that the publisher has done a severe about-face on the development of its upcoming Dragon Age sequel, pumping the brakes on the new title's multiplayer components in the wake of the recent sunsetting of BioWare's Anthem.

According to a report by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, the still-unnamed Dragon Age sequel had its design concepts revised in 2017, with EA envisioning a multiplayer-centric affair, peppered with long-term monetization goals. This new take on the Dragon Age project was allegedly described by some employees as "Anthem with dragons," and is supposedly what led to creative director Mike Laidlaw leaving the project entirely later in 2017.

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.

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.

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.

While Sony's new PlayStation 5 hardware packs a serious punch when it comes to gameplay, one area that it is still sorely lacking in is storage space. With many modern AAA game releases heading into the wrong side of three figures when it comes to file size, PS5 owners are quickly discovering that their shiny new SSDs are struggling from room less than six months into the console's lifespan.

And it looks like players still have a bit of a wait ahead before they can start freely swinging their elbows around like they own the place. According to a new report from Bloomberg, the PS5 is unlikely to see any kind of internal storage upgrade option until this summer, which sources say is when Sony will unlock the PS5's internal upgrade ability.

It's a question of temperature, the unnamed sources told Bloomberg. The PlayStation 5 needs ample cooling power to prevent the powerful technology from overheating, and as such new internal components cannot be installed until Sony allows the PS5's fans to spin up at a faster rate, as and when needed by any specific game. Once a firmware update unlocks this ability, then PS5 owners should be able to replace the internal SSD with a larger one of their own choosing.

It should be reiterated that this is an "unnamed sources" affair, and as such there has been no official word from Sony. But regardless, the PlayStation 5 is desperately in need of a storage upgrade option, and if it currently cannot have one simply because the fans aren't working fast enough, that feels like a bit of an oversight on the next-gen platform's overall design.

It's dropping several months later than expected, but I'm still planning to show up for Kena: Bridge of Spirits on day one – which now happens to be August 24, 2021. Some of us tend to associate this fantasy action-adventure game with PS5, but it's also releasing on PS4 and the Epic Games Store.

Ember Lab brought a new trailer to today's State of Play stream – a mix of quality animation work to set up the little critter premise and surprisingly fast-moving combat gameplay sequences.

"We're taking the next few months to further polish and optimize for the best possible game," said COO Josh Grier. "It's been quite an experience completing our first title during the pandemic."

I'm particularly stoked about the budget-friendly price tag: the standard edition is $40, and PS4/PS5 copies are bundled. If you end up pre-ordering Kena, you'll also get Celebration Hats for the spritelings.

Final Fantasy VII is one of the most expansive game universes ever created. It covers games across multiple platforms, remakes, and movies. It can be hard to keep up with everything that's happened in it, but Square Enix is looking to change that.

Coming to iOS and Android, Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis will retell the entirety of the FFVII timeline as a single-player, episodic game. Just to be clear, this will relive the events of the original Final Fantasy VII and all of its compilation titles. That includes Advent Children, Crisis Core, Before Crisis, and Dirge of Cerberus.

Ever Crisis will also feature new story elements surrounding the founding of SOLDIER written by Kazushige Nojima, the story and scenario writer for Final Fantasy VII Remake. The game will launch in 2022 as a free-to-play title with optional in-game purchases.

Do you love battle royales but hate that there isn't enough Final Fantasy in them? Well, good news! Following the reveal of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Square Enix dropped the curtain on another FFVII project: The First Soldier.

Coming to iOS and Android, Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier is a mobile battle royale where players will face off against one another before the events of Final Fantasy VII. As you can see in the trailer above, it has everything you expect in a battle royale (you know, guns) but pairs it with traditional Final Fantasy trappings, like chocobos, spells, and summons. Everyone on the battlefield will be a Shinra SOLDIER candidate, and there will be solo play as well as teams.

That's about all the info we have on it so far, but you can expect Square Enix to reveal more as we draw closer to its 2021 release. The First Soldier will be free-to-play with optional in-game purchases, but you probably already guessed that.

We're expecting to get a handful of free PlayStation games this year (including the PS4's Ratchet & Clank) as part of Sony's Play At Home program. Here's another freebie, albeit an offer from PS Plus.

The ever-freaky-looking Oddworld: Soulstorm popped up again during today's State of Play stream with an April 6 launch date on the Epic Games Store, PS4, and PS5. If you're a PlayStation Plus member, you'll be able to snag Soulstorm "at no extra cost" from April 6 to May 3, 2021. Don't mind if I do!

For those of you who really dig the haptic feedback of the DualSense controller when it doesn't seem like an afterthought, Soulstorm will let you "feel" poor Abe's heartbeat as he's put through the wringer.

If you're hoping for a physical edition of the game, details are coming "at a later date."

Sony ended its State of Play presentation with a bang, giving Final Fantasy fans a new look at Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade for PS5, with an additional new episode teased for the award-winning revisit to Square Enix's classic PlayStation adventure. The PS5 edition will launch June 10, available in standard format for $69.99 or a Digital Deluxe edition for $89.99, with a free upgrade path.

An action-packed trailer spotlit the return of feisty ninja Yuffie Kisaragi, who will re-join the action following the dramatic and calamitous ending of Final Fantasy VII Remake.

First appearing in an amusing Moogle disguise, Yuffie soon reveals her true identity, before letting rip on the forces of Shinra Inc., armed with her ninja prowess, her giant shuriken, and her big ol' socks. This special episode sees Yuffie take the lead as a loud-mouthed protagonist.

Sony took the opportunity to show off footage of Final Fantasy VI Remake Intergrade running on PlayStation 5 hardware. The PS5 edition of the epic RPG will naturally feature optimized lighting, improved textures, and reduced load times. An obligatory Graphics Optimization Mode will also be implemented in-game. A new Photo Mode will allow players to capture their party in all its finery.

Best of all, PS4 players who already own Final Fantasy VII Remake will be able to upgrade to the PS5 edition free of charge – though you will have to purchase the new Yuffie episode separately.

Hyper Light Drifter was one of the most interesting indie games to release in the past few years and the next project from developer Heart Machine just may be able to match its impact. Solar Ash was announced nearly two years ago, and during the PlayStation State of Play stream, it was confirmed the game will release in 2021 on PS4 and PS5.

After a surprisingly ho-hum start to this afternoon's State of Play presentation, PlayStation lifted the lid on Sifu, a new melee action game from the melee action masters at Absolver developer Sloclap. Can I interest you in an Oldboy-inspired hallway brawl? That's the thing that'll stick with me most after today.

This is a revenge story at its heart, as all good brawls should be. You'll rely on a magical pendant to cheat death on a martial-arts journey to avenge your family in a fictional Chinese city. Nothing's free, though – the protagonist ages each time they're revived. That explains the gray hair and beard.

"Careful positioning and clever use of the environment to your advantage are key to your survival," according to the developer. "Throwable objects, makeshift weapons, windows, and ledges... The odds are stacked against you, you will have to use everything at your disposal to prevail."

Could be cool! Also, if you're stuck on the pronunciation, it's "See-fu."

During today's State of Play presentation, Sony showed off the first gameplay video of first-person horror sequel Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach.

Stepping away from the strict CCTV setting, the new sequel will see our hapless security guards pick their way through a Wacky Warehouse-style environment in first-person gameplay, while dodging the murderous army of sentient animatronics - once again led by Freddy Fazbear - who are out for blood, or at least once all of the obnoxious children's pizza parties are done and dusted. Bring a torch and an extra set of batteries, it's going to be a long night.

You're the birthday... You're the birthday... You're the birthday Boy or Girl.

Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach will launch on PS4, PS5, and PC later in 2021.

Any month with a Nintendo Direct and a State of Play is a good month for video game news – especially when they're main events, not mini showcases or single-game streams like we've been seeing.

The February 2021 State of Play presentation starts today at 2:00 pm Pacific. It's about 30 minutes.

What to expect from the show: "new updates and deep dives for 10 games coming to PS4 and PS5," according to Sony. What not to expect: "PlayStation hardware or business-focused updates."

There's been enough of a gap since the last showing – and we're early enough into the PS5 generation – that I feel like people can speculate just about anything right now, and there's a chance it could happen. One example: the chatter surrounding the March PlayStation Plus lineup is heating way up.

Expect little, dodge disappointment. That's my motto.

Nintendo Switch fans who are craving something a little... out-there will want to set aside time next month for Gnosia, a "social deduction" sci-fi RPG with an unmistakable visual-novel style. After reports of a late February launch, Playism has confirmed Gnosia's March 4 launch on the Nintendo eShop.

With so-called "Gnosia" hiding in plain sight among your shipmates, you'll need to figure out who can be trusted and who has to sleep as you piece together a larger story split into 15-minute gameplay loops.

"The reviews the game received were overwhelmingly positive in Japan [for the original Vita version], and we can't wait for players in the West to experience the thrill of finding – or failing to find – the Gnosia," Playism executive producer Shunji Mizutani said today in a press release. "We are so excited to get to collaborate with Petit Depotto to bring this long-awaited English adaptation of Gnosia to Switch."

Not my usual jam, to be honest, but I love to see these kinds of games pop up on Switch. And as someone who doesn't care for deceitful social games, I appreciate the chance to let loose alone.

It's been a long and winding road for the future of the System Shock series, but at least in the case of Nightdive Studios' remake, the end is in sight. Along with news of a summer 2021 launch, the developer released its "final demo" for the System Shock remake on Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store.

I played the demo for a bit (that's code for "I played it until I was wiped out by cybernetic freakos"), and the latest build is noticeably creepier and feels more put-together than what I remember of the last check-in. I wasn't expecting to be so unnerved in broad daylight with a save file I'm not going to keep.

Here's what's new in the "feature complete" final demo:

• Cyberspace Level
• Crew Audio Logs
• SHODAN Audio
• Dismemberment
• Proximity Mines
• Bugs
• Enemies
• Generative Music System
• Snacks
• Save Feature
• Notes System
• Difficulty Modes
• Destructibility
• DLSS Support
• Nightdive intro
• Secrets

Presentation matters, especially in a new take on a moody classic, and I can see myself settling into some horrible nights on Citadel Station this year. I also dig the look of the difficulty-select screen.

[Update: The poster is now live! As predicted (I was close!), it's 700 points.]

Bravely Default II is coming very soon on Switch (February 26), but before then, you'll be able to pick up a new My Nintendo reward for it.

Now this isn't completely new news here, as Nintendo did vaguely tease a reward roughly a month ago when it unveiled its first demo session. But in a My Nintendo post today, the publisher has given us a full reveal of what that reward actually is: a poster.

The art features a character from the game's key art (Gloria), as well as a look at a kingdom locale (Halcyonia). It's 18" x 24" dimensions-wise, and it is reversible. There is no point count yet or a date ("coming soon" is the only hint), but expect it to be far less than 1000 Platinum Points.

After all, a set of three Mario posters clocked in at 800 points.

Get ready for the Bravely Default II launch—try the free demo now [My Nintendo]

If you haven't claimed an on-the-house copy of Destruction AllStars via PlayStation Plus, don't worry, there's still plenty of time – and now we know what's going to happen after the offer runs out in April.

Lucid's car-smashing multiplayer action game will cost $20 as a standalone purchase starting April 6, 2021. For those who already own it, you're good to keep playing as long as you're subscribed.

It's impossible to cover this news without mentioning the previously planned price for Destruction AllStars – a head-turning $70 – back when it was still going to be a PS5 launch game. Pushing the game back, baking it into PlayStation Plus for a couple of months, and selling it for $20 was a good call.

Admittedly, I haven't been back to play more Destruction AllStars since my review, though I've considered it a few times after seeing it sitting there on my mostly PS4-game-filled PS5 home screen.

In a blog post today, Lucid Games outlined what's next for February (the single-player Challenge Series for Genesis), March (Mayhem 8v8, Stockpile 4v4, Bluefang's Challenge Series, and 10 skins), and April (Carnado Solo and "a few more surprises"). That's on top of the ongoing Double XP Weekends.

"New Challenge Series will be continuously dropped throughout the year for you to have exciting new content to play and cosmetics to earn," according to Lucid Games community manager George Rule.

[Update: As expected, The Caligula Effect 2 will release outside of Japan later this year. NIS America will be handling localization and publishing duties. It's also giving the game a pretty sick-looking special edition that includes a messenger bag. The Caligula Effect 2 will hit store shelves this fall in North America for PS4 and Switch.]

Lurking among the Japanese edition of last night's Nintendo Direct presentation was the announcement of a new sequel to the bizarre 2016 PS Vita release, The Caligula Effect. Currently in development at Historia, The Caligula Effect 2 will launch in Japan on PS4 and Nintendo Switch on June 24.

Described as an "Academy Juvenile RPG," The Caligula Effect 2 will tell a fresh tale of "The Go-Home Club," a party of youngsters trapped within a simulation known as "Redo" which keeps all of its inhabitants in a perpetual idyllic high school environment where all their ideals are perfectly realized.

Nintendo is prepping the arrival of the latest update to its mobile battle title Fire Emblem Heroes. Launching just in time for the weekend, the new event sees the arrival of a brand new Legendary Hero, and this time around it's the turn of Claude von Riegan of Switch release Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

Of noble birth and heir to the House of Riegan, Claude will be immediately recognizable to fans of the Fire Emblem franchise. As the head of the Golden Deer - one of the titular "Three Houses" - Claude is one of the main points of contact for the player protagonist should they choose to settle in with the Golden Deer's conclave of keen-eyed, sharp-shooting officers.

The sci-fi oceanic survival adventure game Subnautica: Below Zero is releasing for PC and consoles on May 14, and as someone who has painstakingly waited out the Early Access version, I am stoked.

Unknown Worlds and Bandai Namco posted a release date trailer highlighting the physical editions.

Subnautica is not just one of the best story-centric survival games out there, it's among my favorite games, period. It's the survival game for people who don't (or think they don't) care for survival games. You don't necessarily need to have played the first before going into Below Zero – it's a standalone, not an expansion – although the new game does take place in the arctic region of the same planet.

Beyond Steam and the Epic Games Store, you'll be able to play Below Zero for $30 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch. The latter platform is also getting a $60 two-game bundle.

I'm curious to finally experience the game's more character-driven story and face my fears in the depths again. Accidentally discovering funky-looking biomes, mentally plotting them out, and pushing my diver to their limits to explore deeper and deeper were true highlights of Subnautica for me. Below Zero isn't going to feel as novel as its predecessor, there's just no way it can, but I'm still super excited.

I'll probably play on PC or PS5 to avoid texture pop in. I need to feel immersed!

Square Enix has announced that its ensemble RPG Octopath Traveler has achieved an impressive 2.5 million global shipments and sales to date. The character-driven adventure game first launched on Nintendo Switch in the summer of 2018, before ported to PC a year later and the Stadia service in April 2020.

Octopath Traveler is a narrative-heavy RPG that follows the journey of an ensemble cast of characters. Rather than playing as one protagonist on a typical adventure, the player bounces between a selection of distinct individuals, whose stories tend to overlap as they face up to their respective quests and hardships. It's a novel idea, and while it doesn't entirely work, the title's distinct charm and personality help it surmount its flaws.

When Square Enix last reported on Octopath Traveler's sales, it had just passed the two million mark, meaning that it has shifted a further 500,000 copies since, which is not too shabby for a new IP RPG already several years into its lifespan. Talented artist Ikusy released a charming illustration to celebrate the sales milestone, which you can check out below.

And we're back!

2021 is starting off on the right foot for Nintendo, as they've hosted a Mario re-release that has gotten a pretty positive reception so far, and this week we're getting the Switch exclusive Bravely Default II.

It's a pretty good week in general for the eShop actually, as it's getting another exclusive in the form of Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection, as well as the Blizzard Arcade Collection. Oh and there's a lot of other stuff too!

I don't need this kind of wholesome emotion this early in the morning. But regardless, Nippon Ichi Software has released the first trailer for Sayaka Oda's new adventure title The Wicked King and The Noble Hero, which launches in Japan this June on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

The lovely looking title tells the story of a young orphan named Yuu, raised by a powerful dragon known as The Overlord. Having never known her father, Yuu wants to follow in his footsteps and become a brave and noble adventurer - a dream which Overlord is helping her to accomplish. But unbeknownst to Yuu, the relationship between her deceased father and her dragon guardian goes way back, and could lead to heartbreak or worse for the inseparable pair.

Masaaki Yamagiwa, who worked as producer on the critically acclaimed Bloodborne as well as VR title Deracine and apocalyptic survival game Tokyo Jungle, has announced that they will be leaving Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan at the end of February.

Making announcement of their departure on Twitter, Yamagiwa thanked his colleagues and supporters, and noted that he was going to continue to work hard creating new games. Yamagiwa has not yet revealed what their immediate plans for the future are in regards to working alongside any particular studio or publisher.

Yamagiwa is the latest high-profile producer/developer to take their leave of Sony Interactive in recent months. Back in December, fellow Bloodborne alumni Teruyuki Toriyama stepped away from Sony after completion of their work on the PS5 Demon's Souls remake. Most notably, Gravity Rush and Silent Hill producer Keiichiro Toyama also left Sony this past winter in order to form Bokeh Game Studio, which employs two further ex-Sony Japan developers, Junya Okura and Kazunobu Sato.

Should Yamagiwa also end up working with Bokeh, it would make the fledgling studio quite the design force to be reckoned with. At the moment, of course, that move is purely speculation on my part.

Every so often, Game Freak does mystery gift giveaways for free creatures in Pokemon Sword and Shield.

Okay, it's mostly just different types of Pikachus. Okay, it's basically all Pikachu, all the time. But at the very least you're getting one that doesn't sport a hat this time around. In fact, it will use sing, encore, celebrate, and electro ball; with a lightning rod ability and a light ball item.

Starting today, you can grab a "showstopping Pikachu" in your game, which has the "exclusive move" sing. Yes, it's a singing Pikachu. It still looks the same. To get it, just load up the mystery gift portion of the game and enter: P25MUS1C.

If you're confused, you can find the full rundown below.

Play Pokemon [Twitter]

Just a few days ago, Capcom Arcade Stadium surprise-dropped following a last-minute Nintendo Direct.

The gist is that it includes bundles of old Capcom games, including stuff like Ghosts 'n Goblins. See what I did there? That's the one that's free through today! As a reminder, you have until the end of the day to redeem your free copy of the classic maddening platformer.

Here's a full breakdown.

It's taken the best part of a decade to get cameras rolling and slates chalked, but it seems that Amblin Entertainment's TV adaptation of Bungie's seminal shooter Halo is finally ready to go into production, with a tentative release date of Q1 2022.

As reported by Deadline, the Halo TV series is currently set to continue its shooting schedule in Budapest, which was halted by the start of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The first season will launch on ViacomCBS' paid streaming service Paramount+ and will tell the story of an interstellar conflict between humanity and a mysterious alien species known as The Covenant. Pablo Schreiber (American Gods) will step into the role of Spartan Commando Master Chief, while Natasha McElhone (Solaris, Californication) will play while scientist Dr. Catherine Halsey, while Jen Taylor will reprise her role from the video game series as iconic A.I. companion, Cortana.

"(The show) delivers the visceral excitement of playing the game, along with a much deeper emotional experience around the Spartans, human beings who got their humanity chemically and genetically altered," explained Showtime Networks CEO David Nevins to Deadline. "The story is about reclaiming what makes them human, and therefore it’s a very powerful story."

Pokémon Day might not be until February 27, but in lieu of anyone having to do any work on a Saturday, The Pokémon Company has announced that it will be hosting a brand new "Pokémon Presents" live stream presentation tomorrow, February 26, at 07:00 PT / 10:00 ET / 15:00 GMT.

The Pokémon Company is remaining extremely tight-lipped about what will be showcased in the new presentation, but it seems a lot of Trainers out there are expecting the reveal of the rumored Switch remakes of 2006 Nintendo DS releases Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl. All will be revealed at the allotted time over on the official Pokémon YouTube channel.

Hmmm... What would you like to see? I just want more Mimikyu to be honest.

I'm pretty into the idea of a Stone Age farming sim, even if the game in question, Roots of Pacha, has a lot left to prove and won't be ready for Nintendo Switch and PC until 2022 at the earliest estimate.

The game recently reached its baseline goal on Kickstarter, and while the funding drive is ongoing, that's my cue to dip my toes in with some initial coverage for my fellow Stardew Valley obsessives.

Apart from the must-have activities we've come to expect from the farming-life genre – fishing, friendship, and festivals – I like the notions of domesticating ancient animals, imagination as a mechanic, and tapping into the "spiritual world." Games aside, the brothers behind Roots of Pacha, Timo and Jhony, say they were inspired by the prehistoric novel The Clan of the Cave Bear from 1980.

It's also nice to hear that the game is being "developed from scratch with multiplayer support in mind." Having played something like 50 hours of Stardew split-screen, I now feel that co-op is essential.

It'll be some time before we see if Roots of Pacha can come together and live up to its potential. Soda Den is aiming for alpha access in April, beta access in Q1 2022, and the full release in Q2 2022.

I'm always down for more soothing life sims – especially if mammoths are involved.

PlayStation Indies is my kinda sale, especially knowing how weirdly all-encompassing the "indie" label can be in 2021. You never know what you're going to find in between higher-profile games, and to that end, there are a lot of names to sort through. The PS4-focused sale ends in two weeks on March 10.

On the better-known front, there's Fall Guys ($14.99), Little Nightmares: Complete Edition ($7.49), Overcooked 2 ($12.49), Untitled Goose Game ($13.99), Slime Rancher ($5.99), Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition ($5.99), Slay the Spire ($13.74), Moving Out ($14.99), and The Witness ($9.99).

How much controller rumble is too much? That's the question (you don't need to answer) at the center of this outlandish video from YouTuber Teenenggr. I just tumbled down a mini rabbit hole on the channel.

However much you think the table will shake based on the thumbnail, think bigger.

In a trip down memory lane, this silly rumble skit reminded me that I have one of those (at this point fairly obscure) Novint Falcon "3D Touch" haptic controllers sitting in a box somewhere, including a gun grip that had crazy kickback. I vaguely recall using it to play Portal in 2009. The controller fought back!

Actually earnest question: What's the weirdest, funniest, fleshiest, or downright most vivid memory you have related to using a video game controller, accessory, or device? Only one of you can mention Rez.

The ongoing development of Cyberpunk 2077 feels like a constantly shifting target, and for people hoping to wait to jump in until the "time is right" – whenever that'll be – it can be tough to keep up.

The latest word from CD Projekt Red: patch 1.2 needs "some additional time" in the aftermath of the company's high-profile data-theft hack. The developer also highlighted the update's "extensive scope."

While we dearly wanted to deliver Patch 1.2 for Cyberpunk 2077 in the timespan we detailed previously, the recent cyber attack on the studio’s IT infrastructure and extensive scope of the update mean this unfortunately will not happen — we’ll need some additional time. 1/3

— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) February 24, 2021

"Our goal for Patch 1.2 goes beyond any of our previous updates," CDPR tweeted today. "We've been working on numerous overall quality improvements and fixes, and we still have work to do to make sure that’s what you get. With that in mind, we're now aiming for release in the second half of March."

For context, you can see what patch 1.1 did for the game – there were a lot of crash fixes.

For those who like their horror a little on the tentacled side, Asmodee Digital has announced a release date for its upcoming release Arkham Horror: Mother's Embrace. Based upon the creepy tabletop game, this new trip into living nightmares launches on PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Switch March 23.

Picking one of 12 investigators pulled directly from the ranks of the board game, players will leap into the roaring '20s to solve the grim murder of a local astronomer. Nine chapters of cosmic horror await as our detectives gather clues, chat with suspects and witnesses, and pick their way through a selection of surprisingly poorly lit locations around Louisiana.

Like so many titles set within Lovecraft lore, sanity plays a large role in the game, as players attempt to keep their mind in one piece as it bends and twists to deal with the discovered horrors. Interestingly, Mother's Embrace will feature a turn-based combat system, as the gumshoes come face-to-face with various cultists and "other" adversaries, utilizing a range of items, curses, and spells to stay in the (relative) land of the living.