Destructoid

Long-term access to digital and even physical video games is one of those concerns that might not necessarily matter day-to-day for the average person, but without intervention – without ongoing preservation efforts – it's likely going to sneak up on a lot of people. What happens when a digital storefront gets taken down? In the case of PlayStation, we might find out sooner than expected.

According to a report from TheGamer, the PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation 3 stores are going to shut down in 2021. In the aftermath of such a move, people would no longer be able to buy digital copies of PSP, Vita, and PS3 games and content – they'd be inaccessible to new players.

It's not official yet – TheGamer's source believes Sony will make an announcement by the end of this month – but the closure dates are expected to be July 2 (PSP and PS3) and August 27 (Vita).

That's so soon! To some extent, it's understandable for support to eventually fade away (or at least be diminished), but I don't feel like we're anywhere near ready for that day to come for these platforms.

The current web-based version of the PlayStation Store doesn't officially support the sale of PSP, Vita, or PS3 games, meaning if you want to buy legacy titles, you need to do so using your original systems. That said, there's still a workaround to access the "old" PlayStation Store in a browser right here.

Among the final wave of DLC characters headed to Street Fighter V this year is guest star Akira Kazama, who is making the jump from Capcom's M.I.A. fighting series Rival Schools. For those of you who haven't encountered the ass-kicking biker gal, fear not, as Ms. Kazama will be making her presence felt in an official Street Fighter V comic this summer.

Capcom, in association with publisher Udon, will release a special issue of Street Fighter V for this year's annual Free Comic Book Day festivities, which will take place August 14. The "Back to School" special will head, literally, back to school, as Akira shows up to battle other teens such as Sakura, Karin, Makoto, Ibuki, and even Street Fighter III's Elena. It's like when you heard kids from the school across town were coming to the field for a massive scrap (that always ended up not actually happening).

Akira is the fourth of five characters headed to Street Fighter V in its twilight season. Dan Hibiki launched earlier this month, and will be followed by Street Fighter Alpha's Rose, Street Fighter III's Oro, Akira, and a mystery fifth character, still to be revealed. In other recent SFV news, Korean killer Juri Han recently got two new skins, the result of last year's community-led design contest. You can read more about Juri's hi-jinx right here.

This week sees the launch of Yuji Naka's strange and hyperkinetic new fever dream, Balan Wonderworld, which sees two young children whisked away to a bizarre land of adventure and merriment, daubed in Naka's classic colorful style and dripping with "Big Top" showmanship.

Publisher Square Enix has released a new trailer focusing on the title's co-op focus, as heroes Leo and Emma work together - aided by a huge wardrobe of skill-based costumes - to overcome Wonderworld's many obstacles and hazards. As the children explore the strange environment, comprised of memories and dreams from their real world, it will take some coordination and smart teamwork if the siblings are to find their way back home.

We got a few minor Resident Evil announcements this morning, including news about a Re:Verse open beta in early April and RE7 and Village coming to Stadia, but what about the big 25th anniversary blowout? Are fans going to materialize a Resident Evil "classic collection" through sheer willpower?

That remains to be seen, but we do have a glimmer of hope. Capcom announced the next Resident Evil Showcase for April and confirmed that today is "just the start of the [25th anniversary] celebration."

"We've got more surprises for Resident Evil Village in store that you won't want to miss at the Resident Evil Showcase, so keep an eye on our social channels and be ready to mark your calendar, set an alarm on your phone, and take the day off this April," Capcom wrote in a vague but well-meaning blog post.

After overcoming a little drama, developer Andrew Spinks and studio Re-Logic has finally released world-builder Terraria on the Stadia cloud gaming service. In addition, the developers announced that the title has now sold an amazing and almost unbelievable 35 million copies since its initial launch back in 2011.

The globally-popular crafting sim, perhaps described loosest and easiest as a 2D pixelated version of Minecraft, is now available on a huge array of platforms including desktop, console, and mobile. The Stadia port was almost cancelled following Spinks' frustrations with Google after the developer lost access to his Gmail and other accounts, but this was soon cleared up, and now Stadia players can dive into Terraria's hour-eating world.

"We remain hard at work on the litany of updates across the board as we press forward into 2021," noted Re-Logic in a forum update. "Things are really starting to come together, and we are beyond excited for what the rest of the year has in store. That said, we did our usual numbers updates to close out 2020 and we wanted to share that once again - thanks to your beyond-amazing support - Terraria has reached another units sold milestone! Terraria has officially exceeded 35 Million copies sold across all platforms!"

The breakdown of this huge number specifies 8.5 million copies sold on console, 9.3 million copies sold on mobile, and a staggering 17.2 million copies purchased on PC. Despite reaching this amazing number, and being almost a decade into its lifespan, it appears that Terraria's devs are not even close to calling it a day.

The cool and highly nostalgic Sega Astro City Mini is coming to North America, after all – but actually getting a hold of one might prove difficult. Only 3,500 units are being produced with English packaging.

The miniature arcade cabinet with 37 built-in games will be sold for $129.99 through Limited Run Games, and if you've been eying it for your collection, you'll want to set a reminder for Friday, March 26. Limited Run is opening pre-orders for the Astro City Mini at 10:00 a.m. Eastern with no purchase limit.

The mini machine has a 16:9 LCD screen, headphone jack, and HDMI-out. Here's a shot of the rear:

In terms of the game list, we've seen so many repetitious Sega collections over the years in various forms, but there are some less-common picks here.

Last month, Activision confirmed that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2 was headed to new horizons. Specifically, the Switch and next-gen platforms, after launching on PC, PS4, and Xbox One several months ago.

But who is handling the Switch port? The same studio that brought the game into the world, it seems. Although they were mum when it was announced, sometime after launch, Activision confirmed to Polygon that Vicarious Visions is indeed handling the Switch port themselves.

Although a lot of the work was already done, this is a somewhat interesting arrangement, as Vicarious Visions was incorporated into Blizzard a while back. While the jury is out on whether or not the Switch port is up to snuff, at least we know that the original studio is the one handling it. And Vicarious Visions has worked with the Switch for so long, it's reasonable to put a good degree of faith in them to get it right.

Anything can happen though!

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch [Polygon]

As Silent Hill fans solemnly await news of a brand new release in the survival horror series, Konami continues to sub-license the brand out to other franchises. The latest horror title to step into the fog in Glowstick Entertainment's Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals, which will be joined by some recognizable faces, (well, for those that have faces), tomorrow.

Among the Silent Hill stars joining in Dark Deception multiplayer party action are Silent Hill's Cybil Bennett, Silent Hill 3's Heather Mason, The Nurse, Pyramid Head, and even the survival horror franchise's comical mascot Robbie the Rabbit. Glowstick Entertainment has humbly spoken of its excitement to be involved with such a major gaming brand.

"It's highly unusual for a small indie team like Glowstick Entertainment to obtain an IP as big as Silent Hill," admitted the developer candidly. "We are extremely proud to have worked on it and we owe the opportunity to the success of Dark Deception and the passion of the Dark Deception community!"

So Assassin's Creed Odyssey was kind of a turning point for a lot of people.

A lot of folks agree: it was a step up in many ways from previous Assassin's Creed games, and the string of free updates that were added after the fact only elevated that notion. Completely free transmogrification (also known as transmog, where you can change your appearance without sacrificing loot stats) was the cherry on top. Naturally, Valhalla screwed it up.

Transmog was added to Valhalla last week, but as folks noticed, it comes with a price. Literally, a price of 50 Silver, the game's in-game currency that can be purchased with real money. But that low price isn't as much of a problem as the hassle of having to go back to the hub zone and speak to the Ravensthorpe blacksmith every time you want to change.

So there's currently a debate about whether or not the silver price was meant to feed into the microtransaction system, and it's a little up in the air. Ultimately, 50 Silver is a nominal fee. The main issue is that it's just plain annoying when you combine it with another location-based requirement.

Why have these at all? Was Valhalla in need of some economy-stressed gold sink like a live service game or MMO? I remember when Odyssey got transmog; it was a blessing! I was constantly changing how my character looked on the fly and thought "I can't wait for this exact system to hit every Assassin's Creed game."

Little did I know Valhalla would get an inferior take on it months after launch. Like several other things in the follow-up to Odyssey, it feels like a step back.

It's a good day to be a bad dude, as Zagreus, Theseus, Nyx, Dusa, and the rest of the Underworld's denizens have come strutting into the UK Chart scene. Last week saw Supergiant Games' Hades finally hit the Top 20 at number seven, thanks to the sexy-as-all-fuck roguelike getting a physical release on Nintendo Switch.

Hades joins a parade of Switch titles currently jamming up the Top 10. Both Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe retain their respective number two and number four positions from last week, while social sim Animal Crossing: New Horizons is once again back on top in the number one spot, no doubt brought about thanks to the title's anniversary celebrations and impending spring events. Super Mario 3D All-Stars is bringing up the rear at number nine.

So, I have both console versions of Marvel's Avengers for testing, and when the new upgrade was released, I decided to take them for a spin. I had completely different experiences.

Like most things dealing with the "Smart Delivery" system on Xbox, I had no issues moving from Xbox One to Xbox Series X. Barely an inconvenience. The game knew I was running it on Series X, swapped to that version, and my save was there.

But on PlayStation (my main platform because of the eventual promise of Spider-Man), like the Call of Duty upgrade, it was a pain. The main problem is save-migration. To do so, you need to launch the PS4 version first, update the game, then you can see the "save migration tab" in the PS4 version. Initiate that, then download the PS5 version (is Sony aware of how quickly space runs out on the PS5?), and transfer the save. Then delete the PS4 version.

It was the same deal with Spider-Man Remastered at launch; so this process doesn't seem to be a launch day mishap, nor is it going away anytime soon. Instead, Sony is putting the burden on publishers to troubleshoot the cumbersome process. This is going to get real old real fast.

Marvel's Avengers [Twitter]

Team 17 has announced that it will be publishing new tactical shooter Ready or Not when it comes smashing onto Steam Early Access in the near future. Developed by Void Interactive, the team-based shooter will task players with breaching numerous deadly, high-volatile situations  - sieges, if you will.

Players will take up the roles of highly skilled and heavily armed operators as they utilize stealth movement, top-tier technology, and devastating firepower to take out terrorists, rescue hostages, and round up the bad guys. Ready or Not will feature customized weapon loadouts, and will lean heavily on teamwork, communication, and efficient, clean action in order to save the day - and the world.

It's that time again: when we learn a little more about what Fallout 76 has in store for us. This time, it's a roadmap edition!

Bethesda is ready to unveil grander, more long-term plans for Fallout 76, and they confirm that the game will be updated at least throughout the end of the year. That's kind of big news on its own, as Bethesda hasn't given up on this game after nearly three years. In November, when the winter "Tales from the Stars" update hits, it'll have been the game's third anniversary.

Speaking of, stuff is on the way. In the spring we're getting "Locked and Loaded," an update that adds CAMP and SPECIAL slots, as well as a few new mechanics. This is the highly touted upcoming addition that Bethesda has been hyping up these past few months. Then in the summer, Steel Reign Part 2 is coming, with legendary crafting and legendary power armor; on top of unlimited seasonal ranks. It's a system several season passes have been toying with for years now to keep people playing and ranking up.

In the fall private worlds will be implemented into the game, as well as a daily ops (dailies) expansion (the second in total). But the winter is when the big guns hit, as the graphic hints of alien involvement, "new legends," four-star legendaries, a seasonal event, and the "invaders from beyond" public challenge and daily ops "surprises."

Bethesda is being very mum on private worlds, no doubt because they want to get the messaging right in this extremely badly-rolled-out games as a service campaign. To that end, we might get a few vague answers as early as tomorrow, as the team is holding an AMA on Reddit at 11:30AM ET on the Fallout 76 subreddit.

Capcom has announced that it will release Resident Evil 7: Biohazard on Stadia April 1. This will then be followed by the upcoming Resident Evil Village on May 7, bringing the two terrifying first-person horror adventures to Google's cloud gaming service.

The Stadia version of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard will be the "gold edition," containing the original 2017 release along with its two Banned Footage DLC expansions and the End of Zoe epilogue episode. What's more, Stadia Pro subscribers will be able to claim the title for free as part of their subscription. Players will be able to retread the terrifying footsteps of protagonist Ethan Winters and his encounters with The Baker Family while searching for his missing wife, Mia.

Resident Evil Village - a direct sequel to the above title - will once again see darkness and misery plague the Winters' lives, forcing Ethan to venture into a mysterious European town in search of answers. Players who pre-order Resident Evil Village on Stadia before May 21 will receive an exclusive Stadia Premiere Edition, which includes a copy of the game, a Stadia controller, and a Chromecast Ultra (while stocks last).

Resident Evil Village will launch on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Stadia May 7.

With all of the excitement of Capcom's upcoming Resident Evil Village, it's quite easy to forget that there's another Resident Evil title launching in the near future. Resident Evil Re:Verse, the "packed-in" multiplayer shooter announced during January's Resident Evil showcase stream.

For those who prefer gung-ho Resi action, as exemplified in titles such as Resident Evil 6, and Umbrella Corps., or the series reoccurring "Mercenaries" mode, Re:Verse hopes to offer similar non-stop action, as up to six players compete in a frenzied, time-based deathmatch packed with incendiary weapons and explosive chaos. Classic Resident Evil characters will be on hand, including Leon Kennedy, Ada Wong, Claire Redfield, and Jack Baker. While this mode isn't really to my personal tastes, stick Excelle Gionne in there and I'm sold.

If you want to check out Re:Verse's multiplayer action, then you're in luck, as Capcom has announced that it will be holding an open beta - no doubt to test server stability - at the start of next month. All you need do is link a Capcom ID linked to your PS4, PC, or Xbox, and you'll be able to download the client to the aforementioned platforms and jump in on the action. The beta will run between April 7-8, and then later that week between April 10-11. Just remember to bring a weapon that's really powerful, especially against living things.

[Update: The Nintendo listing is live, and it confirms that on Switch, the HD re-release is 8.5 GB

You can find the PlayStation listing here.]

Atlus is finally ready to tell us when Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD is coming. Ready? It's May!

Today, Atlus has confirmed to Destructoid that the Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster will arrive on May 25 on PC (Steam), PS4, and Switch. Pre-orders start today, and there's a really weird promotion happening in regards to the Digital Deluxe Edition of the game.

In short, picking up this version will not only net you the "bonus content" (which includes Dante from the Devil May Cry series via the Maniax Pack), and four days of early access to the game. Yep, you can play on May 21 instead.

Atlus reminds us that the game features remastered 3D models and backgrounds, as well as a suspend save mechanic, "additional difficulty settings," English and Japanese voiced audio options, and an "alternative branch featuring Raidou Kuzunoha." Yep, that cool-looking Raidou of Devil Summoner fame.

For clarity, you can find the full rundown of the Digital Deluxe Edition below, with exact DLC verbiage so you know what you're getting. The standard edition is $49.99, and the Digital Deluxe Edition is $69.99.

Adventure fans looking forward to expansive next-gen release Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade will want to peruse this new video from Square Enix - an extended edition of the debut trailer showcased during February's State of Play live stream.

Featured alongside the exciting footage of returning superhero Yuffie Kisaragi is a closer focus on the two spec modes that will be available to FFVII Intergrade players. "Graphics Mode" will place the emphasis firmly on the flash, prioritizing 4K visuals to keep Midgar and its occupants looking their very best, while "Performance Mode" will keep the framerate running at a steady 60 FPS. I personally am finding this whole "dual mode" meta in next-gen gaming a bit of a disappointment. But, for now, it is what it is.

Bandai Namco has released the debut gameplay trailer for Lidia Sobieska, the mysterious Polish prime minister getting set to take down the Mishima Zaibatsu in Tekken 7. This all-new DLC fighter will be available to purchase on March 23, the latest addition to Season 4 of the 3D fighter.

The new video gives us our first look at the stylish martial artist and top-tier politician, who has joined the Iron Fist Tournament with an eye to ruining the Heihachi empire and removing its presence from her beloved homeland. As you can see from her hard-hitting trailer, Miss Sobieska is as domineering in the ring as she is in politics, with the world karate champion wrecking on Dragonov, Brian Fury, and Hworang before taking the fight to Heihachi Mishima himself.

Lidia Sobieska will come packaged with a brand new fighting locale: the sunny and inviting "Island Paradise" stage. Don't spend too long admiring the view, because Lidia is here fighting for her people - putting down the pen and the red tape, and putting up her fists instead. The premier has the chair, and she might just wrap it 'round your dang skull.

"Critical" Kate Wileart, last seen on Destructoid with a tribute to both comics legend Jack Kirby and Nintendo's Kirby, is back with a much larger scale project. This time she's celebrating National Woman's Month with a YouTube series called Video Dames of the '80s. Her plan is to catalog every named, playable woman character in games throughout the decade. After that, she may continue on to the '90s and beyond, creating a veritable virtual all-inclusive encyclopedia of women of the medium. 

That would be quite a challenge, but of course, it would also be a heck of a fun job if the money was right. Kate's just getting started though, so time will tell if continuing the series with thousands of future entries will end up being a prudent professional undertaking. For now, her focus is just on the '80s, and a scant list of 84 woman characters who were both named and playable in games throughout that decade. Considering there were 8000+ games released in that time frame, that's an embarrassingly small number. 

If you’re familiar with my Famicom Friday articles, you’ll know I’ve already bemoaned the lost soul of Konami, and I don’t plan to stop sulking anytime soon. What you might not know are the depths of my despair. They weren’t just great for Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid, they were once a company that constantly pushed the limits of technology and design, and they did it playfully without carrying the whiff of corporate oversight.

I wasn’t there, obviously, but if I was to make presumptions of the corporation’s Famicom years, I would envision a friendly company full of camaraderie and passionate people based on their output. There was a level of cohesion I can only imagine coming from a group who supported each other and their projects. Maybe I’m being a little idealistic, but Konami’s Famicom catalogue is my comfort zone. It’s a warm and safe place to explore, full of wonders and oddities, and this game may be one of the most interesting. To look at, if nothing else.

I’m going to be honest with you, the advice I usually give people who are looking to give Chulip a try is to make sure you have something nearby to read. Chulip is an unfriendly game, and among its unfriendly features is a nasty little habit of wasting your time. Trains, for example, are used to carry you to all the different locations, but they run on a strict schedule. Miss the last train and, well, that's what the reading material is for.

While I know I’m not exactly selling the game here, I’m sincere when I say I wouldn’t change a thing. On the surface, Chulip tantalizes with its weirdness. A game about kissing more or less sums it up. But beneath its unique and charming concept is a title that pulls no punches when it comes to addressing the crushing reality of everyday mundanity.

One of these days I'm going to go to Japan. It's been a lifelong dream of mine, and there is so much I want to see over there, from Mt. Fiji to Chuka-Soba Tomita to the torii gates of the Fushimi Inari Shrine. I'm also going to want to ride its public transportation system because after living in the Bay Area for a few years and dealing with Bay Area Rapid Transit, it'd be nice to see what a competent transit system looks like.

If A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism is any indication, Japan really has its shit together when getting people around on rail.

While most rabbits prefer the simple life — hanging around in fields, lolloping in runs and hutches, playing basketball with Bill Murray — such mediocre pastimes do not trouble the head of tomb waidin' wabbit, Kaze. Kaze chases excitement and adventure, burrowing her way into hazardous worlds and uncovering the treasures that lie within...

...This time however, our headstrong hero might have bitten off more carrot than she can chew.

As a result of Kaze's unquenchable curiosity, a curse long-forgotten has fallen on her world, draining it of its peaceful atmosphere and idyllic nature. What's more, this plague has severely affected the crops of her people, turning all of the land's fruit 'n' veg into strange, rabid monsters. The worst fate was reserved for Kaze's dear friend Hogo, whose spirit has been drained and imprisoned within a mystical artifact, leaving him a literal wisp of his former self.

With seemingly nobody on hand, and with her entire world and community at stake, it is up to Kaze to set things right. It will take all of her skill, dexterity, and courage if she is to battle the killer crops, restore her land, defeat this dark evil, and, most importantly, rescue Hogo. Kaze might have spent her whole life wisely eating her greens, but now her greens are coming to eat her...

This might come as a shock to you: I'm not a fan of the Crash Bandicoot series. I know this doesn't make sense, as I'm British, and we in Blighty love the mad marsupial as much as we love pie-and-mash and rewarding corruption... To be fair - I'm not a fan of Britain either. My general mood toward Crash is rooted in my dislike of "into-the-screen" platform games. There's a special place in the underworld reserved for the people who decided platform games needed to make the transition from the tried-and-tested horizontal layout.

I personally find it bizarre that a genre entirely based around perfectly gauging distance would choose to have its camera perspective changed in such an unholy fashion. And while the 3D Mario titles get away with it - thanks to their softer gameplay pace and large open areas - Crash Bandicoot seemed to want to capture the same frenzied speed and funneled action of a Sonic the Hedgehog, but with all-new depth perception issues, adding elements of frustration and false difficulty to the proceedings.

Still, as technology progresses and visual clarity improves, this has become somewhat less of a problem in modern 3D platformers. It has taken many years, but developer Toys for Bob has turned me around with its excellent Crash Bandicoot 4, which has won me over with its spirited world, infectious personality, creative level design, and fun, wholesome aesthetic.

I've finally found a Crash Bandicoot platform game that I enjoy playing. It's about time.

I’m the world’s foremost expert on the Army Men series of games, and while I can see you raising a skeptical eyebrow, I have to ask: do you really want to challenge that claim? The series is something of a guilty pleasure of mine. A majority of it is mediocre, some of it is decent, but a lot of it is bad. The experience is a lot like dumpster diving; every once in a while, you might find a discarded treasure, but you’re mostly just going to wind up with tetanus and a foul smell.

It’s an interesting part of gaming history because a massive deluge of the titles hit between 1998 and 2002 before it coughed out the disturbingly depressing eulogy that is Army Men: Sarge’s War shortly after 3DO went bankrupt. The rights were bought up by Global Star Software, a subsidiary of 2K. They tried rebooting the series twice before just giving up and leaving it to be forgotten.

Army Men: Major Malfunction is the first such effort. Developed by Team 17, it at least has some pedigree, but sometimes pedigree comes with severe medical complications and genetic mutations.

Cblogs of 3/13 to 3/19/2021

-Exber writes about the psychological milestone of actually beating a game.

-Black Red Gaming thinks that Outbreak mode is the correct path forward for the Zombies mode in Call of Duty.

-GoofierBrute shares his thoughts on Pokemon Stadium as part of his Games that Times Forgot blogging series.

-Lord Spencer reviews Saiyuki: Journey West as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.

-Damien Quicksilver thinks that Amazon Luna is the irrefutable future of ALL gaming.

-Humantofu looks back at Techland's Dead Island games.

-RedHeadPeak writes about the nature of "key wounds" in video game storytelling and the pitfalls associated with it.

-Gamingnerd writes about the history and prevalence of Gacha games.

-Gamingnerd shares tips on hardware modifications to make legacy systems work better today.

-Black Red Gaming shares his thoughts on Sir Brante's Life, According to Myself and Others.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Final Fantasy VI and romantic waltzes.

Outside of MMOs, one of the longest "gauntlet-runs" I've ever done for a single game involves Marvel vs. Capcom 2.

I picked it up from a local game store for Dreamcast, and played it for what felt like an entire day: I nearly unlocked everything. It was a breezy summer afternoon in 2000, and the world was my oyster. But as simple as it would be to say "that's my favorite Marvel vs. Capcom," it's not! Let's talk about the impact of each game, briefly, and discuss our top picks.

For the purposes of this post, we're not counting X-Men Vs. Street Fighter, or Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter. Just raw mainline "Marvel vs. Capcom" titles, starting with Clash of Superheroes from 1998. We can add way more of those into the mix at some point, like Children of the Atom.

You have to love that flyer... Jerrica Benton from Jem, some dude doing Joey Tribiani's "Smell the Fart" acting, a British football hooligan, an Offspring fan, and me on the far left wearing shades... Even though I don't remember this photo being taken, I'm sure that's actually me.

Hamster has stepped away from its run of shmups to deliver close encounters of the worst kind for this week's Arcade Archives release. Revisiting the brawler genre, the retro publisher has dropped Konami's 1989 release Crime Fighters onto PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

Crime Fighters sees up to four players take to the mean streets in order to rescue a literal parade of kidnapped women from a gangland boss. Seriously, there's not one damsel in distress in Crime Fighters, there's about 14. As is the meta of the 1980s, rather than simply send an armed task force directly to the villains' lair, the police instead assign a small contingent of undercover cops. Their mission: Trudge through the city and beat the ever-loving shit out of anyone sporting tie-dyed clothing or a mohawk.

Check out the action below, in this video courtesy of YouTuber World of Longplays.

A little over a year ago, I published my review of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Back then, I only had a few weeks with the game before I had to render a verdict, and I ended it by writing, "it's what I've wanted Animal Crossing to be for many years." Three-hundred and sixty-five days later, I still believe that, even if the game isn't quite at the point where I thought it would be by now.

Obviously, my impressions of what an Animal Crossing game should be are based on what's come before. I've been with the series since it first released on the GameCube, and I've seen it grow and evolve over the years. I've met new characters who have wormed their way into my heart and have said goodbye to others who just didn't have a purpose as the series moved forward. It's that history that always has me pointing out missing features, like perfect fruit, Nookway, or the Roost.

While I do miss those elements, getting back into New Horizons this month has reminded me of why I put 200 hours into it last year, and while I'll probably put another 100 hours into it this year. This is a special game, one that has proven itself to be essential throughout 2020. As we all know, the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic prompting shutdowns, layoffs, and mandatory work-from-home orders around the world. We all joked about how well this game would sell because of it (and it did), but there was something genuinely comforting about the gentle familiarity of Nintendo's social sim in a time of such uncertainty.

Hit the lights, strike up the band, pop the corks, lose your pants. We are gathered here today to celebrate the anniversary of the coolest and hippest video game website on the internet - right up there with such contemporary trends as Tamagotchis, Fidget Spinners, and The Macarena. Yes, friends, today sees Destructoid celebrate its 15th birthday.

It's been 15 long years since founder Niero Gonzalez started his own gaming blog for the sole purpose of blagging an E3 press pass. Suffering for his art, our affable overlord crammed his head inside a home-made, razor-sharp helmet and spread the gospel of a brand new games media experience. A website that aimed to take a wry look at the video games industry - its wares, people, politics, and curiosities, offering informed and honest information without taking itself too seriously.

Since those humble beginnings, Destructoid has grown into the "phenom" it is today - like The Undertaker, but without the weirdly right-wing clothing. For well over a decade, Destructoid has posted thousands upon thousands of features, reviews, videos, interviews, podcasts, show reports, and contests. The site has raised money for numerous charities and causes, while Destructoid alumni have birthed memorable series such as Podtoid, Jonathan Holmes' 'Sup Holmes, Ashly Burch's Hey Ash, Whatcha Playin'?, and The Jimquisition, hosted by the irrepressible Jim Stephanie Sterling.

Would you Adam and Eve it? 15 years of Destructoid. It definitely feels like I've been hanging around these halls longer than that. I've most certainly written more words than I've read. Many long-timers - whether staff or readers - have seen a lot go up and a lot go down on the good ship Dtoid. But the goal remains: to bring you informative, fair, and entertaining content, to the best of our abilities, each and every week. We're all doing our best, often under difficult and thinly-spread circumstances, so thank you for being here.

This week has been a very busy one for The Industry's Chris Moyse. I mean, they're always busy ones, that's just the top-tier, go-getter lifestyle I lead. But it sometimes means I don't get around to playing as many games as I'd like to. I found myself mostly embroiled in cartoony platformers such as the brilliant Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time and the fine Kaze and The Wild Masks. I might have to BRO it up this weekend with some Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War to get rid of all the joy and merriment.

But I know someone who does get around to playing plenty of games, and that's all y'all. In fact, I'm blown away every week by the passion you all have for squeezing both old and new titles into your hours, and it's legitimately wonderful to see the community having so much joy and escape each and every week. It's important to take victories wherever you find them right now. So, before you get back to the action, jump into the comments and let us know what's happenin' in your sphere, Daddy-O.

Have a safe and pleasant weekend, from all of us at Destructoid.

In today's contest you can win this limited Maximilian statue from Evil Genius 2!

Man, we're really killing it this week with physical prizes! Artbooks, consoles, phones -- what could we do next?

How's about this limited Max statue from Evil Genius 2? The full release is right around the corner, so let's get some hype going by giving away this cool little figure!

Jackbox! Oh how I want things to eventually settle down so people can safely play it in a giant room together, laughing and pointing fingers all the way.

Alas, it'll be a while before that happens, but Jackbox Games is forging ahead with a new iteration anyway. It's called, expectedly, The Jackbox Party Pack 8, and it's no longer just a tease; it's a fully fledged revealed entry.

Jackbox Games confirms that it will have five games, like "every Party Pack," and will bring the "phones as controllers" concept back with no major changes. The first game will be announced "before the end of May," and the rest of the pack will be drip-fed "periodically over the next few months." Word Spud 2 is not fully confirmed as one of the five, but it's hinted at in the blog post.

It's slated to arrive "on major digital platforms" this fall. You ready for the laundry list of platforms that we can expect, based on where Jackbox Party Pack 7 launched? PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, Apple TV/iOS, Amazon Fire TV, Mac, and Android. Major and minor platforms!

Although "fall" is the target, Jackbox is aiming for September, which is the "usual" goal.

Jackbox Party Pack 8 [Jackbox Games]

Resident Evil 4 is a super-replayable game in a series full of them.

Whether you're tearing through it as fast as possible, limiting your arsenal for an extra self-imposed challenge, scrounging up secrets and obscure death animations, or just playing it again for no particular reason because it's a thrill ride that expertly hides its age, there's always something fun to do in RE4.

For me, a huge part of the Replay Factor is the way Capcom blends barely-hanging-on tension with nigh-unstoppable power. Overcoming the odds with know-how and cheesy-as-hell weapon unlocks is the series' not-so-secret sauce – it's the stuff that keeps Resident Evil on my mind all year long. The way in which you gradually slide from one extreme to the other (and go back to face harder difficulties) is so entertaining. A lot of horror games are built to be replayed, but few put in so much work to earn it.

My first time through a main-series Resident Evil game, my adrenaline is pumping. I'm playing on permanent high alert, always wary of what might happen when I least expect it. But as I settle into the enemy and item layouts, the boss strategies, and the overall pace of the horror-adventure, the tide turns in my favor. Once-freaky foes suddenly become pushovers, and I feel like I'm in total control.

The Resident Evil cycle is a beautiful thing, and this clip from Redditor magnum609 illustrates it well.

[Update: As an extra bonus, Square Enix has uploaded a music video for Blinding Indigo from The Primals, the theme song of the Leviathan raid boss in the Shadowbringers expansion. It, like the Endwalker theme, is also isolated audio without background sound effects and such: you can watch that below! If you're curious, you can watch the fight here.]

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn has a huge focus on music. Huge!

It drives so many of the boss battles, and adds a ton of flavor to the game as a whole. Hardcore fans look forward to hearing a new boss or raid theme just as much as the encounters themselves, at times. That's why it's such good news that Square Enix finally put out a version of the Endwalker expansion theme without background noise.

Previously folks were listening to it via the presentation stream video, which was full of noise from the actual trailer. But thanks to a tweet from Square Enix directly, you can listen to the isolated audio yourself. Check it out below.

Another added bonus of the video? It's informative!

Clocking in at just under two minutes and 50 seconds, you can get a bird's eye view of the entire expansion pitch. It goes through everything from the new story content, to the two dungeon teases, to the PS5 beta and the enhancements therein.

The town-building plaything Townscaper is coming to Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android later this summer from Raw Fury and creator Oskar Stålberg, whose name you might recognize from Bad North.

If you missed the initial Steam Early Access chatter about Townscaper last year, it's still a work-in-progress on PC – the latest notable update made the plops and blips sound "80 percent more professional and 120 percent more pleasant." The final PC version will also launch in summer 2021.

This isn't a game for people who crave direction or enjoy getting deep into the nitty-gritty management of typical city-builders, but it will be perfectly cozy for anyone who enjoys the simple act of building a scenic island town in a care-free sandbox. As Stålberg says, this is "more of a toy than a game."

It's cool to see a unique passion project like this do well enough on Steam to justify a Nintendo Switch version. I think it speaks to just how wide-ranging games have become in the console space.

If you have Amazon Prime, you should probably just head to the Prime Gaming (formerly Twitch Prime) landing page and mass click everything to redeem some games.

That includes a heap of SNK games, which are actually going away at the end of the month. All of them are retro-tinted, and part of a partnership between Amazon and SNK to deliver a ton of free stuff all at once. There's over 20 games in tow, and the promo runs until March 31.

You can peruse the full list below, but suffice to say there's a few King of Fighters titles in there to pad the numbers a bit, amid gems like Garou: Mark of the Wolves, Metal Slug, and King of Monsters.

Prime Gaming also put out a little sizzle reel as a reminder, and to showcase the games on offer.

Dust off that suit, don that mask, and prepare to do your best Michael Mann monologue. Starbreeze has announced that it has finally scored a publishing deal for its long-in-development multiplayer sequel Payday 3, essentially guaranteeing that the troubled title will finally see daylight.

The developer announced that it had entered into a $50 million USD co-publishing deal with Swedish holding group Koch Media - a deal that sees Payday 3 "fully financed" and ready to enter its remaining development phases. The deal will also see Koch cover the sequel's marketing costs and 18 months of post-release support of the shooter's "games as a service" model.

"We are delighted to welcome Starbreeze as a new partner for our global publishing business," said Koch Media CEO Klemens Kundratitz."Payday 3 is shaping up to be an incredible game. Based on what we’ve seen already, Payday 3 is going to take the franchise to new heights and will delight Payday fans as well as new audiences alike with innovative multiplayer gameplay."

While this is most certainly exciting news for the Payday community - which includes over 150,000 active players years after Payday 2's release - there is still quite a wait ahead. Starbreeze is expecting Payday 3 to hit both PC and console platforms at some point in 2023. And so the franchise's band of gun-toting lawbreakers will at least have some more time with which to perfect their getaway plan. Will banks even exist by then?

Final Fantasy XIV is still alive and well, even if we might be in a semi-drought as we wait for the new expansion to hit.

The main hardcore raid phase has been completed, and now we're awaiting patch 5.5, which will add in the third and final casual 24-person NieR raid, and allow players to catch up and play out the epilogue of Shadowbringers. From here on out, it's table-setting for Endwalker, which will arrive later this year.

On April 13 Patch 5.5 will hit, and it'll bring new main story scenario quests, as well as the aforementioned NieR raid. It'll also add the Paglth'an dungeon, more Chronicles of a New Era content, another trial (The Cloud Deck), a Save the Queen (PVP) battlefield called Zadnor, more New Game+ options, performance updates, and another Unreal trial (super hard mode).

Perhaps the biggest thing is the arrival of the PlayStation 5 open beta, at which point folks will be able to opt-in and try the game out with major enhancements. On April 13 you can access it so long as you have a PS4 license attached to your account: from there, you'll get the new version for free.

Death Unto Dawn [Final Fantasy XIV] Thanks John!

Deep Silver, in association with developer Tripwire Interactive, has announced that the manic, deep-sea shark sim Maneater will finally come swimming onto Nintendo Switch on May 25, following on from causing many a limb-severing bloodbath on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

Released - or UNLEASHED - in May of 2020, Maneater tells a tale of an orphaned bull shark who, disfigured by man and sick with revenge, begins an all-out war on the human species - tearing boats, buildings, and bodies with extreme prejudice while attempting to track down her arch-nemesis, rugged fisherman Scaly Pete.

While Maneater has its fair share of flaws, it has won over a dedicated army of followers with its unique premise, open-world carnage, and anarchic nature. Back in January, it was revealed that public reception of the title had convinced developer Tripwire to get to work on DLC, which is coming later in 2021. With new DLC on the horizon, Maneater's recent appearance on PlayStation Plus, and this new Switch port, the fanbase is sure to increase.

It may never be safe to go back into the water.