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We now have a better idea of what sorts of Splatoon 3 Inkling and Octoling hairstyles will appear in the game. Nintendo shared four images looking at new options for both races. In each case, folks can see four new styles for each one.

First, here are the four new looks for the Inkling characters. Both different hair colors and styles show up in the images. Different skin tones also appear in the images showing off looks for both Inklings and Octolings.
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Next, here are the four Splatoon 3 Octoling hairstyles being added.
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The different Inkling and Octoling hairstyles weren’t the only new Splatoon 3 customization option shown off. Earlier in June 2022, Nintendo shared screenshots of four different pants options people can use.

The Splatlands are knee deep in legwear, with a robust array of colours, patterns, and styles. From distressed to dashing and hip to drip, you'll surely find a perfect match with your fave gear and hair! #Splatoon3 pic.twitter.com/lDqh3g05AB

— Nintendo of Europe (@NintendoEurope) June 15, 2022

The FFXIV Endwalker EP with songs from the Myths of the Realm raid is here, and so are “In the Balance” song lyrics. The track plays during one of the rather important fights during the raid. To celebrate the five track soundtrack’s debut, the Developer’s Blog offered all the words to it.

Editor's Note: There will be FFXIV Endwalker Myths of the Realm spoilers connected to the song below.

In FFXIV, the song “In the Balance” plays when someone is fighting Nald’thal during Aglaia. The lyrics refer to the fact that someone is fighting both Nald and Thal.

Here are the full lyrics for the FFXIV Endwalker song.

O twin gods bless this land, to us treasure bestow
City of desert sands, water and gold below

Lifeblood and rubies red, precious coins cast aglow
Four hands our fortunes mend, that want we may not know

And when we reach our ends, to scales we gladly go
Our fates are yours to bend, to hells and heavens flow

Under arid sky, with silk veils we weave a rainbow
Voices lifted high, dreams upon our backs we carry

When day beckons night (day and night dancing),
As does restless time we never slow

SNK revealed the next KOF XV DLC. The characters should look familiar! That’s because all three of them are a part of the main roster. The add-ons will feature them in different forms. KOF XV Team Awakened Orochi will bring Orochi Chris, Orochi Shermie, and Orochi Yashiro to the game. The pack has an August 2022 launch window.

The name comes from the fact that all three are among the Four Heavenly Kings of Orochi in the KOF series. (Goenitz is the fourth and isn’t in KOF XV.) With their KOF XV debut, Team Awakened Orochi’s Chris, Shermie, and Yashiro all feature new looks. The teaser trailer only shows them in their new outfits and doesn’t offer any hints as to their new movesets.

Here’s a closer look at Orochi Chris, Orochi Shermie, and Orochi Yashiro in KOF XV.

Square Enix's Naoki "Yoshi-P" Yoshida has been making the rounds promoting Final Fantasy XVI, and an interview with Game Informer teased the arrival of a new trailer for the game. Fans won't want to hold their breath yet, though, as the next full FFXVI trailer won't arrive until Fall 2022. In the meantime, the interview revealed more about the game as it enters its last year of development.

According to Yoshida, the third FFXVI trailer will focus more on the game's world of Valisthea, as well as the overall storyline. He said he plans on "showing what the story is going to be like, what the narrative is going to be like, and how that's going to fit into the world."

The interview also covered new tidbits regarding the game's battle system and the involvement of its Eikons (Final Fantasy summons). Yoshida spoke about Final Fantasy XVI's heavier emphasis on real-time action and the involvement of Battle Director Ryota Suzuki. Suzuki joined Square Enix in 2019 after a stint at Capcom working on games like Devil May Cry 5 and Dragon's Dogma. 

An interview in the PlayStation Blog with Final Fantasy XVI Producer Naoki Yoshida revealed further insights into the current development status of the game. FFXVI is now in its last scheduled year of development, just under two years after its announcement in 2020. Though there are multiple months to go until Final Fantasy XVI hits its release window of Summer 2023, Yoshida said that the game is "fully playable from start to finish."

Elaborating, Yoshida mentioned that there's much more to be done before it's ready for the public. Multiple languages of voiceover work still need to be recorded, and playtesting for things like difficulty balance needs to take place. Tweaks on things like narrative cutscenes are still on the docket, as is the "full-scale debugging process." Though he didn't use the specific term, the details suggest that Final Fantasy XVI has entered what is typically defined as an "Alpha" stage of completion. Though exact definitions vary, games in the Alpha phase are usually considered "feature complete" with their gameplay systems, technological base, and overall content already settled and implemented in some fashion. At this point, a developer would focus on extensive and comprehensive playtesting to tune mechanics, gameplay balance, and other factors, as well as finding and eliminating as many bugs and errors as possible.

Grasshopper Manufacture and Marvelous Games announced the release date for No More Heroes 3 in Japan. Originally a Nintendo Switch launch exclusive, the game will release for other consoles on October 6, 2022. Specifically, the game will be available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. While a PC port was also announced, there is no word on a release date.

No More Heroes 3 launched in August 2021 for the Nintendo Switch. The game takes place after the previous games and follows Travis Touchdown as he fights against intergalactic villains using a beam katana. Special releases of the game included bonus items such as a shot glass and a t-shirt.

https://twitter.com/marvelous_cs/status/1539414922072707072

Notably, the Japanese release of the game adds Japanese voice acting that was not present at launch. Kazuya Nakai, who voiced Travis Touchdown in the game's trailer, will reprise his role. Additionally, Grasshopper Manufacture lists a variety of A-list voice acting talents such as Kenjiro Tsuda and Yuki Kaji.

Despite recent trends in triple-A design, it seems Final Fantasy XVI will not be adopting the popular open-world structure. An IGN interview with Producer Naoki Yoshida, who's heading the project at Square Enix, revealed that FFXVI won't be an open-world game. Open-world games are typically defined as having one or more very large areas that contain most of the available activities, ranging from narrative quests to optional challenges. Grand Theft Auto, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim are all examples of open-world titles.

The previous mainline Final Fantasy title, FFXV, was also touted as an open-world game, giving the party license to range over its maps and uncover quests and challenges. Its map regions were progressively unlocked as players followed the main narrative, and by the end, players could unlock a free-roam mode for both of its main areas. For its part, FFXVI will not be a "traditional" open-world game but will take inspiration from existing titles that are. Without naming specific games, Yoshida noted that Square Enix's user research shows that many younger players have never played any Final Fantasy titles and that one of their goals in designing Final Fantasy XVI is to "excite and resonate not only with [their] core fans, but also with that new generation."

Bushiroad has uploaded the opening movie that will play in The New Prince of Tennis Let’s Go!! ~Daily Life~ from Rising Beat. It is just over two minutes long, mostly featuring the various boys who will show up in the game. Additionally, there is now a confirmed Japanese release date of September 29, 2022. It is unclear if the game will have a localization. [Thanks, ryokutya2089!]

The opening movie mostly consists of key visuals of the various boys, sorted by their school. There are also a few shots of the CGs and sprites that you will see as you play through it. While the game is a spin-off of the Rising Beat rhythm game on mobile, as well as based on a sports anime, The New Prince of Tennis Let’s Go!! ~Daily Life~ from Rising Beat will be closer to a visual novel.

You can watch the opening movie here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qoNUvE6cVg

In late May 2022, Bushiroad revealed more information about how the game will play. You will be able to interact with the 62 characters who will appear in the game, as well as play mini-games to unlock CGs. The game will have 67 new pictures to collect, as well as about 800 from the Rising Beat game.

The New Prince of Tennis Let’s Go!! ~Daily Life~ from Rising Beat will come out on September 29, 2022, in Japan for the Nintendo Switch.

Good Smile Company will release Pop Up Parade figures of Edelgard and Bernadetta from Fire Emblem: Three Houses. They will appear as they do in the Academy chapters of the game. Both figures are available for pre-order until August 17, 2022. They will come out in November 2022 in Japan and January 2023 for those in North America.

As a reminder, Pop Up Parade figures do not have poseable joints, and they do not often include interchangeable face plates or optional parts. The Edelgard figure has her standing with a hand by her cheek in a regal pose while her long hair and cape billow behind her. She will cost 4,800 JPY, or $43.99.

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We finally have a Dragon Quest X Offline release date for Japan. Square Enix confirmed that version of the game will come to the Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC on September 15, 2022. It also confirmed its The Sleeping Hero and the Guiding Ally Offline expansion will show up in Spring 2023. [Thanks, Gematsu and Game Watch!]

This news comes after multiple delays. Initially, Square Enix said the Dragon Quest X Offline release date would be February 26, 2022. However, that was pushed back in December 2021. At the time, Producer Takuma Shiraishi cited quality concerns. Shiraishi noted a desire for the offline version of the game to appear in “perfect condition.”

At the time, the new release window was Summer 2022. Given that the season ends on September 22, 2022, it will just be making the cut-off.

In Japan, Dragon Quest X Offline will appear both digitally and physically. The deluxe edition of the game will include the The Sleeping Hero and the Guiding Ally Offline with it, as well as some other items.

Square Enix will release the Final Fantasy XIV Myths of the Realm raid soundtrack on June 22, 2022. Composer and Sound Director Masayoshi Soken revealed that he had been working on putting together the soundtrack behind the scenes. However, he did not disclose which tracks from the raid will appear on the EP. A link to the Apple iTunes store was provided through the announcement Tweet.

[embed]https://twitter.com/SOKENsquareenix/status/1539264123866710016[/embed]

The Myths of the Realm raid in Final Fantasy XIV centers on the mythology surrounding The Twelve, the major deities of Eorzea. The first series of the raid appeared in Final Fantasy XIV Patch 6.1, and featured boss fights against several of these figures. Each of the arenas reflect the iconography of the deities, and have provided a glimpse into how these figures actually appear.

More content concerning the Myths of the Realm raid will appear in the future through subsequent updates, like previous raid content. However, unlike the Final Fantasy Tactics and NieR: Automata raids, this content is completely original. Meaning that the story for this raid content has been made with the greater world of Eorzea in mind.

Final Fantasy XIV is immediately available on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Epic Games announced the next round of Naruto characters heading to Fortnite will include Itachi Uchiha, Orochimaru, Gaara, and Hinata Hyuga. On June 23, 2022, their cosmetics will show up in the game’s Item Shop. The Nindo Community Battles will also be back as of June 21, 2022, with the Akatsuki Wrap and Manda Glider as rewards there.

The Naruto Itachi, Orochimaru, Gaara, and Hinata Fortnite outfits each feature two styles. Itachi appears in his Black Ops Anbu and Akatsuki styles. Orochimaru has standard and Hidden Leaf Era styles. Gaara wears his typical attire and fifth Kazekage. Hinata comes with both Byakugan and Hinata Uzumaki styles. As for back bling, Gaara’s Sand Gourd, Hinata’s Backpack, and the Black Ops Mask will be there. People can also get the Minato Kunai Pickaxe, Sword of Kusanagi Pickaxe, Gaara’s Sand Cloud Glider, a Rasenshuriken emote, and a Striking Shadow Snakes emote.

Some bundles will also appear. People can get the Itachi and Orochomaru outfits, Black Ops Mask like the Anbu ones, and an Islandbound Ninja loading screen in one. The other bundle features Gaara and Hinata items, like their outfits, the Gaara Sand Goard Backbling and Sand Cloud Glider, and the Hinata Backpack Backbling. That also comes with a Shinobi Lineup Loading Screen with all four new characters.

Kojima Productions opened pre-orders for a Ludens Peace Mark Unit charm, with all proceeds made from sales being directly donated to help Ukrainian refugees in Japan. The Ludens Peace Mark Unit charm will cost 5,000 yen (about $40) and will release in August 2022. The charm is made from duralumin and will come with a nylon strap. Kojima Productions will keep pre-orders for the Ludens Peace Mark Unit charm open until it has met the reserved quantity of stock.

The Ludens Peace Mark charm features the slogan "No War" and features the logo of the studio. The logo draws direction inspiration from the mascot of Kojima Productions. Which is a character in a futuristic space suit wearing a skull mask.

You can take a look at the charm below.

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This isn't the first time Kojima Productions has released merchandise either based on their mascot or Death Stranding. Seiko partnered with the studio to release a series of Ludens inspired watches in February 2021. Several versions of the watch were available to purchase, alongside a special Japan exclusive release.

Gawr Gura celebrated her “birthday” on June 20, 2022 and, as is common for Hololive Vtubers, that means new merchandise. The latest round involves things like a rubber mat and plush of Gura dressed up as a dinosaur. Pre-orders are open now, with the items expected to ship between late December 2022 and late January 2023. Things can be purchased together in an $82 bundle or separately.

The Gawr Gura birthday merchandise set consists of four physical items. People can get a rubber mat with Gura on it. The art is by Pan. That’s $21 alone. People can also get a bowl for $18. There is a fork and chopsticks set to go with it for $18 as well. Finally, the Dino Gura plush toy is $24. It can be displayed with the hood up or down, and it is just over seven and a half inches tall. As for the digital item, people get a birthday voice notification pack. That is $4 alone. Should someone get the full bundle, they also get a bonus postcard.

As the English edition of Fate/Grand Order closes in on its 5th Anniversary, Lasengle and Aniplex are finding ways to help players fill the time as they wait for the celebration to kick off. One of those ways is a new Main Interlude addition called The SERAPH event. Formally titled Abyssal Cyber Paradise, SE.RA.PH, the Fate/Grand Order SERAPH event is now part of the game's Main Interlude feature. That means any player, old or new, is free to replay its story portion and receive its unique reward, which is a 4-Star Mooncancer-class Servant BB.

Main Interludes are a way for FGO players to experience events that have already had a rerun and are thus removed from the game's content schedule. For English-language players of Fate/Grand Order, SERAPH landed first in 2019, and had its rerun in 2021. Without the Main Interlude, players who started playing after February 2021 would never have a chance to acquire BB or see the event storyline. The Main Interlude version of SERAPH is a stripped-down version of the original event. Things like free quests and the event reward shop aren't available, and some of the event's mechanics have been simplified. However, players can still receive BB as a playable Servant if they haven't done so before. Players who didn't finish the event will even have their progress carried over, so they can continue and experience the entire story.

There are certain otome games in which the romance is absolutely there, but might not always feel like the main focus. For example, Hakuoki is absolutely romantic, but it also a thriller offering an alternate, supernatural take on the Shinsengumi and Bakumatsu period. Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei feels similar, due to it being a Heian period piece offering its own alternate take on the events after the Heiji rebellion. There are battles! Its heroine, posing as a man and last member of the Genji, is an incredible warrior! It can absolutely get romantic in routes. It’s just that the action and drama can feel just as important.

Rumor has it Yoshitsune Minamoto, the youngest member of the Genji clan, is around and still ready and willing to face the Heike and Taira. And it is true. That individual does exist, training alongside Shungen at Kurama Temple. However, rather than a man, this heir is a woman. She’s also about to step into her destiny. That can mean traveling alongside her vassal Benkei Musashibo and dealing with her Heike enemies Tomomori Taira and Noritsune Taira. Depending on the choices someone makes, she might find a happy ending or more violent, tragic ones.

Among the Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak teases include details about additions to existing features. For example, Capcom went over the dango hopping skewers in May 2022. Now its latest video shows some of the additions coming in the Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak photo mode.

Three new features are specifically highlighted in the teaser trailer. First, there will be a Buddies: Face Camera option. If someone presses a button, any Palamutes and Palicos with you will turn to face the camera. On the Switch, this will be the left trigger.

Next, the Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak photo mode will allow people to hide the UI. The video shows what it looks like with and without the UI there. The example features a hunter standing with Chichae, the new quest damsel for the expansion.

Finally, the video shows off the ability to have characters in the photo face the camera. On the Switch, pressing the - button will cause your hunter and any NPCs around to turn and pose.

Here’s the full Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak photo mode video.

Budding photographers, additional camera features are coming to #Sunbreak, helping you capture the perfect pic!

Buddies: Face Camera
Hide UI
Face Camera pic.twitter.com/aL6muskDVE

A new Street Fighter 6 video from Jeff Gerstmann shows all of the modes in its Fighting Ground area. The very beginning of the video briefly shows all areas in the main menu as of the 0.1000 Trial Version. It also shows off Chun-Li, Jamie, Luke, and Ryu’s movesets ahead of matches. [Thanks, The Jeff Gerstmann Show!]

People don’t need to wait long to see the list of modes in this build of Street Fighter 6. Gerstmann’s over 20 minutes of footage begins with a look at the Fighting Grounds main menu. The Arcade mode only has Story underneath it. Its description states every character has their own storyline. The Practice section has Character Guides, Combo Trials, Training, and Tutorials under it. In Versus, people can play One on One or in a Team Battle alone against the CPU or against another person. The Special Match option will apparently have “special rules and mechanics.” Only the Extreme Battle mode appeared in the menu in this build. Finally, the Online area mentions league points and clubs. It lets people choose either casual or ranked matches or lets them make a custom room.

The only mode available in the Street Fighter 6 0.1000 trial is One on One under Versus. Here’s the full Gerstmann showing off the menus and matches.

Back in the beginning of June 2022, Atlus offered a tease of the English voice acting in Soul Hackers 2. Now, there’s a full reveal. A new trailer appeared. It goes over the entire English dub cast for Soul Hackers 2.

The trailer goes over the Soul Hackers 2 English dub cast one by one as their characters appear. People get to see the person they’re playing, then hear a few voiced lines from them. Things begin with Ringo, the lead heroine, with Figue, Arrow, Milady, Saizo.

Here’s the full list of the Soul Hackers 2 English cast so far.

• Arrow: Zach Aguilar
• Figue: Erica Mendez
• Milady: Erica Lindbeck
• Ringo: Megan Harvey
• Saizo: Griffin Puatu

Here are the Japanese voice actors, to compare.

• Arrow: Kaito Ishikawa
• Figue: Nanako Mori
• Milady: Ami Koshimizu
• Ringo: Tomoyo Kurosawa
• Saizo: Masaya Matsukaze

And here’s a trailer showing off the Soul Hackers 2 English voice acting.

The FFXIV Japanese and European data center expansion details are here. Square Enix announced both will take place in patch 6.18 following the July 5, 2022 maintenance. It then went over what can expect from moves to the new FFXIV Meteor logical data center in Japan or new European worlds Alpha, Raiden, Phantom, and Sagittarius.

First, there will be the typical two-week grace period for FFXIV Home World Transfers following the Japanese data center expansion and European data center expansion. As usual, the service will temporarily be down due to maintenance and to ensure it is working. Once it is back, people have two weeks to make a move for free.

People on the Japanese data center with residences will get bonuses for going to a new world. If they owned an apartment, they’ll get 500,000 gil for their old place and 500,000 gil for furnishings they can’t remove and take with them. Those with an estate get 100% of its cost and 3,000,000 gil for any furnishings that would have to be left behind. Just don’t vacate or relinquish before you move. Square Enix said in the FFXIV Chaos and Light data center new worlds, housing will temporarily be unavailable.

On June 16, 2022, the official Alchemy Stars Twitter account teased a Persona 5 Royal event. Now it's confirmed. In July 2022, the crossover will begin.

Details about the Persona 5 Royal Alchemy Stars crossover are rather vague. It’s known this will be a limited event only available in-game for a brief time. While it runs, there will be a new storyline with characters from the JRPG. People will also be able to get a few folks from Persona 5 Royal and use them in-game. The announcement noted that some of the event-related items will require purchases. Apparently some could be unlocked by playing.

Celebrating #AS1Year!

[Alchemy Stars] x [P5R] Collaboration!

Do stay tuned for more information regarding the collaboration!#P5R#AlchemyStars#AlchemyStarsP5RCollab pic.twitter.com/MtvkOILzG9

— Alchemy Stars (@AlchemyStarsEN) June 17, 2022

Multiple SNK social media accounts including the SNK Global Twitter account are teasing a King of Fighters NFT project titled CryptoKOF. However, there is only a short trailer and a Twitter account, which has since protected its tweets, dedicated to the project at the time of the announcement. Though details are scarce, the project will involve SNK and a Shanghai-based NFT marketing firm.

The 1-minute-long trailer shows clips of a futuristic city with seemingly no connection to the King of Fighters universe. Towards the end of the video, it closes in on a retro-style arcade with several arcade cabinets showing a "King of Fighters Crypto" logo. The video then shows the phrase "Remember Every Time You See The Moon" in Japanese. This could be a reference to the King of Fantasy spin-off novel and manga adaptation.

You can see a screenshot of the announcement tweet below.

Capcom and Cafe Reo will release a series of Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak gaming mouse mats. A total of three versions will be available, with each mat featuring the Malzeno, the flagship monster of Sunbreak. The Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak gaming mouse mats will cost 3,300 yen (about $24) and will release on June 30, 2022, to coincide with the release of the expansion. The mats will be available at Cafe Reo locations. [Thanks, Gamer!]

The dimensions of the mouse mats are H 400mm×W 800mm×D 3mm. As mentioned previously, each mat features the Malzeno. However, one of the mats includes renders of the Garagolm and Lunagaron. This is the first time these two monsters have appeared in a Monster Hunter game. The other mat designs primarily focus on the Malzeno and are pieces of promotional artwork that have been used for Sunbreak.

You can take a look at the gaming mouse mats below.

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Capcom has given players the chance to take on the Malzeno ahead of the release of the expansion. A demo for the expansion allows Hunters to challenge this fearsome vampire-inspired dragon through an Advanced Quest.

Bandai Namco and CyberConnect2 announced a .hack// 20th anniversary exhibit will be held in Japan in August 2022. It will appear at Yurakucho Marui in Tokyo, Japan. The .hack// 20th anniversary exhibit will feature special commemorative goods and a look back at the history of the series. People can attend between August 9-28, 2022. Tickets will cost 1,000 yen (or roughly $10). [Thanks, Dengeki!]

More information about the merchandise attendees will be able to obtain will be shared in the future. These announcements will also include purchase benefits and what kinds of displays will appear at the exhibit. However, a special illustration feature major protagonists from the series has been shared leading up to the event.

Bandai Namco also shared that it plans to release more merchandise to commemorate the anniversary of the series. This included the announcement of an artbook that will feature illustrations from the various game entries of the .hack series. Additionally, the physical edition of the 20th anniversary book will release in July 2022.

A 3 disc collection of music from the .hack series will also be released sometime in December 2022. It will include over 30 songs from titles such as:

Famitsu announced physical editions of the .hack 20th anniversary book will release on July 19, 2022. The .hack 20th anniversary book will cost 3,250 yen (or roughly $24), which is close to the price that was previously announced. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

The anniversary book will feature developer interviews, the results of a reader survey, and a special manga. There will also be concept art not limited to the release of the games. Things from the anime will appear too. Pre-orders for the book are still available through the Japanese retailer Ebten.

Additionally, Bandai Namco entertainment released a short video to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the .hack series. You can watch it below.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHr2hkhAYU0&ab_channel=BandaiNamcoEntertainment[/embed]

The video reveals that a .hack commemorative 20th anniversary artbook will release in December 2022. A price for the artbook has yet to be shared, with more information to appear in the future. It will feature artwork specifically created for the .hack video game series. It will also feature entirely new illustrations. It will include artwork from the following titles:

It's said that one person's trash is another person's treasure, and nowhere is that expression more apt than in the aftermath of the apocalypse. From Fallout's bottle cap currency to the precious bullets of The Road Warrior, everyday items become valuable resources wherever the world as we know it has collapsed into myth and ruin. So it goes with Metal Max Xeno Reborn, where yesteryear's vehicles of war and destruction are the future-present's platforms of hope. One could also say the same for the game itself, salvaged over the course of years and redeveloped into something quite different — and much better - than before.

Metal Max Xeno Reborn is essentially a reboot of 2018's Metal Max Xeno. Though I didn't play more than a few hours of the original release, I went back to it prior to taking up Xeno Reborn for this review to see what's changed. While I can't speak comprehensively as to the differences, what I did see was substantial enough for me to consider Metal Max Xeno Reborn the definitive version of the game and recommend it above the original release for any curious newcomers. This might actually be some cold comfort for people who own the original, seeing as they'd have to pay again to experience a more complete realization of Metal Max Xeno's vision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnLA0Yo4eaI

We now know the Dusk Diver 2 release date. Idea Factory International confirmed it will bring the game to North America and Europe on August 30, 2022. Previously, the game had a general Summer 2022 release window.

There’s also a new trailer to accompany the announcement. People can see Yang Yumo again attempt to save the world. The video begins with a bit of exposition. It also shows Yumo running through the streets while she’s being watched. She again finds herself facing Chaos Beasts. From there, the trailer shows how the action-RPG works. People can see Yumo, Leo, Le Viada, and Bahet fight enemies.

As a reminder, the launch edition of Dusk Diver 2 will come with bonus items. In North America, the $49.99 version comes with a soundtrack CD and art book. Pre-orders already opened for it there. However, the European pre-orders aren’t open yet. Idea Factory International hasn't announced when they will be available.

Square Enix shared more Final Fantasy VII Remake art and images on Twitter. This time, it also references Crisis Core FFVII's Banora. When Cloud is heading from the train station to the Mako Reactor in the beginning of FFVII Remake, Banora White apple juice advertisements appear. The latest concept art drop offers a closer look at these materials.

The backstory regarding Banora White apples and apple juice comes up during Crisis Core FFVII. As Zack is going about the adventure, he learns that fellow Soldier 1st Class Genesis Rhapsodos is from the town where they are grown. Genesis is the one who created the drink. They’re also called dumbapples in-game.

As for the FFVII Remake art, there are two pieces of Banora White apple juice promotional material. The first is the poster. This appears in multiple locations in-game. Though it is most obvious during the introduction. It shows a young woman drinking the juice. The second piece of art looks more like a label and features a better look at a dumbapple.

The latest JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R video is here, and it stars Wamuu. He is one of the major enemies from the Battle Tendency part of the story.

Wamuu isn’t a Ripple user. Rather, he’s a member of the Pillar Men. All members of this race can change their bodies. In the case of Wamuu, he changes his body into gusts of winds and tornadoes. His trailer shows how he changes his body’s structure to attack. The ultimate attack in the video is his Final Mode, Atmospheric Rift wind whip.

One of the key Pillar Men, Wamuu, storms into JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R!

Wamuu is equipped with not only the ability to manipulate the wind, but deadly strength to match. pic.twitter.com/2spBPhjYja

— JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R (@jojo_games) June 20, 2022

Only one of the Pillar Men isn’t playable in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R. Esidisi, Kars, and Wamuu all appear in the game. Santana does not.

In case you missed some of the past JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R character trailers, here are ones for folks who appeared ahead of Wamuu.

Square Enix is continuing its newly launched run of Final Fantasy XIV music video releases. Each one so far takes a song from Endwalker and shares it online. As the track plays, scenes from the expansion appear to set the stage. The latest FFXIV music video is for "Close the Distance."

Here's the full FFXIV "Close the Distance" music video. As a note, there are spoilers shown in it. While presented without context, they can still spoil some of the events in Endwalker. Especially regarding things that happen for the Scions of the Seventh Dawn.

For those aware of the context, this a song Masayoshi Soken composed that plays while in Ultima Thule. In-game, people will hear multiple variations of "Close in the Distance" play as part of the story. For example, there is an instrumental version of it. Another is called "Echoes in the Distance."

The last FFXIV music video Square Enix shared was for "Flow." That track is another one with variations of its theme appearing throughout songs appearing in the expansion.

We now know when Denji’s adventures will continue. Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man manga will return with part 2 on July 13, 2022. Shonen Jump Plus will offer the next new chapter starting that day. A worldwide release date hasn't been set yet. [Thanks, Famitsu and Manga Mogura RE!]

As a reminder, Chainsaw Man follows Denji, a young man who fuses with the Chainsaw Devil Pochita. As such, he’s able to transform into Chainsaw Man. The first part of the series follows him as he works for the government’s Public Safety Devil Hunters alongside folks like Makima, Power, Aki, Himeno, Kobeni, and Kishibe. Together, they face various devils who threaten the innocent. The first part of the manga ends with the suggestion that Denji might be able to pursue a different sort of life in its second part. Previously, the new arc had a general Summer 2022 release window.

This means part 2 of the Chainsaw Man manga will return ahead of the anime adaptation. That is in development. It will appear worldwide, with Crunchyroll having announced it will offer it streaming online and with simuldubs.

Nintendo announced a June 2022 Direct. However, instead of one going over its general announcements for 2022 and beyond, it will focus on one game. The Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Direct will appear at 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET/4 p.m. CET on June 22, 2022.

The placeholder is already live. People can bookmark it to get notified when the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Direct begins. The announcement confirmed it will be about 20 minutes long. It will only go over new details about the upcoming Switch RPG.

Veteran voice actor Kumiko Takizawa, who played Grandis Granva in Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, has died. Takizawa passed away on June 11, 2022, due to a heart attack. Takizawa's talent management agency 81 Produce announced her passing. She was 69 years old. [Thanks, Natalie.]

Kumiko Takizawa was born in Tokyo, Japan on August 21, 1952. From an early age, Takizawa showed interest in theater and performing arts, frequently going to see stage plays and performances. She joined a drama club in junior high school before going on to join an acting troupe after graduating high school. Separately, Takizawa also dabbled in voice acting, though did not consider it for her career at the time. Her first major role was Temple in the Tatsunoko Productions anime Temple the Balloonist in 1977.

Takizawa's most well-known roles came in the '80s and '90s, where she appeared in a variety of mecha and fantasy anime. This included the 1983 mecha anime Ginga Hyoryu Vifam as Lucina Pressette and Kate Hathaway, as well as Super Dimension Century Orguss as Shaya Thoov. Notably, Takizawa played the gang leader Grandis Granva in Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water. She would also later voice the same character in 2018's Super Robot Wars X, nearly three decades later.

HoYoverse has released another Genshin Impact EP, with this video focusing on Arataki Itto. A total of three tracks are available through the Genshin Impact Hanamizaka's Aspirations EP, which shows Arataki Itto as he traverses Inazuma. He is seen lounging at various locales, including a restaurant and the remains of a ship.

The three tracks available on the Genshin Impact Hanamizaka's Aspirations EP are as follows:

• "Savory Treat"
• "Stranded Wish"
• "Dream of Scattered Petals"

You can watch and listen to the EP below.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkGtTJ6kHPY&ab_channel=GenshinImpact[/embed]

Arataki Itto will return to the pool of characters players can obtain through a special banner. It will be available on June 21, 2022. However, Itto won't be the only character to appear. Kuki Shinobu, his second in command, will also be available to obtain through the banner. She will be the first Electro Healer to join the roster of Genshin Impact.

Leading up to her release, HoYoverse has shared several videos and provided a breakdown of her kit. This includes a complete list of skills she will have at her disposal.

HoYoverse (also known as miHoYo) announced that the A Muddy Bizarre Adventure event will appear in Genshin Impact. The event will begin on June 22 and last until July 4, 2022. The event will see players cleaning up The Chasm for rewards like Primogems and Mora. Event quests will be staggered upon release. This means that certain quests associated with the A Muddy Bizarre Adventure Genshin Impact event will appear over the course of several days.

However, there are some stipulations as to who will be able to participate. Players must be Adventure Rank 28 or above and have completed the Surreptitious Seven-Star Seal Sundering World Quest. Additionally, they will have to obtain the Lumenstone Adjuvant from the Chasm Spelunkers World Quest. The Lumenstone Adjuvant must also be at least level 2.

Just ahead of the event quest, a new banner will appear in Genshin Impact. It will allow for players to test their luck and roll for Arataki Itto and the Electro ninja Kuki Shinobu. Shinobu will appear as the first Electro Healer in the game. HoYoverse has shared information about her kit, including how her skills will function once she appears in the game.

Genshin Impact is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, and mobile devices.

Universal Studios Japan (USJ) announced that it will have Jujutsu Kaisen-themed rides and attractions for a limited time. They will appear from September 16, 2022. Attractions will focus on the theme of “curses,” though there are no details as of yet as to what they will be or involve. However, going off the precedent of previous USJ collaboration events, they will likely entail roller coasters (including a 3D ride), as well as goods and food. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

Universal Studios Japan worked with multiple anime and video game franchises in the past. Usually, these events feature roller coasters or special restaurants. Previous USJ  collaborations include ones with Hunter x Hunter and One Piece Film Red. Aside from more "conventional" roller coasters, USJ also provides 3D rides. These place guests in a roller coaster simulator that will move and shake in accordance to the action playing on the 3D screen. More information on the other rides and events that will go on during the Jujutsu Kaisen collaboration will appear in the future.

The Pixel Frames shadow boxes have been around for a while now. The idea is the line captures a classic retro game moment, typically an 8-bit or 16-bit scene. Each one is officially licensed, for the sake of accuracy and authenticity. They all add a bit of depth by placing elements on multiple layers. A number of different series, like Castlevania, appeared in the collection. Now the latest Pixel Frames scenes capture moments from the Mega Man, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Street Fighter series. And as always with these items, the impression left by the final piece varies depending on the scene chosen.

All three of the Pixel Frames shadowboxes I examined were of the nine inch by nine inch variety. Each frame is black and about two inches thick. They also each include a silver metallic name plate sticker. A person can peel off the backing and apply as desired to the frame, with the game’s title and release date noted. The shadowbox then has elements of a design appearing in a foreground layer, up to two midground layers, and a background layer. The result is, well, an image that might call to mind those old Sega 3D Classics entries on the Nintendo 3DS. You have a recognizable scene from a title, only with added depth to provide some extra context. The company uploads YouTube Shorts videos, to offer a better sense of how it works.

A movie for Mononoke will premiere some time in 2023 in Japan, with an all-new story. This is part of the 15th anniversary of the franchise. Takahiro Sakurai will reprise his role as the unnamed medicine seller, who is the main character of the show. The team will reveal more information closer to the release date.  [Thanks, ryokutya2089!]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL076eIru9k
 
So far, the website for the Mononoke movie features a teaser trailer that is a little over two minutes long. It mostly features scenes from the show, looking back on key moments. The video also includes some announcements for the Mononoke 15th anniversary. A stage play is in the works, and 15 artists will release commemorative art. Twin Engine also announced that it would open up crowdfunding for the 15th anniversary commemorative project. More information will come out in regards to these announcements soon.

Toho Animation released a new trailer for the upcoming season 6 of My Hero Academia. The show will start up again from the Fall 2022 anime season. The trailer shows off the Heroes and the Villains facing off in an all-out war. Characters like Endeavor, Hawks, Dabi, and Toga also make appearances.

The majority of the trailer focuses on the ongoing conflict between the Heroes and the Villains, who formed the Paranormal Liberation Front. This is a giant organization that combines the League of Villains with the Meta Liberation Army. The battle in Season 6 of My Hero Academia will pick up from where season 5 left off. This means that it will start up from the Paranormal Liberation War arc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDoQMIE2l3w
 
While things heat up in the anime, the manga is starting to draw to a close. In May 2022, Jump released a video promoting the current finale arc in My Hero Academia, which will end sometime within the year.

The original premise of My Hero Academia revolves around Izuku Midoriya, who is Quirk-less in a world where everyone has a Quirk. A Quirk is essentially a superpower, such as invisibility or pyrokinesis. One day, he receives the Quirk of All Might, who is the greatest Hero, and he gains the right to attend U.A., which is a school for fledgling heroes. As the series progresses, the story moves away from the high school setting and focuses on more societal threats.

The Hololive Ichiban Kuji is now available in convenience stores and hobby shops around Japan. It will cost 700 JPY ($5.20) to try for an item. The Double Chance Campaign will end some time in September 2022. It will also become available online from mid-July 2022. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

Normally, Ichiban Kuji prizes follow an alphabetical order. The “top-tier prize” is the A Prize and the further down the alphabet one goes, the smaller the prizes are. For example, the A Prize of the Kingdom Hearts anniversary Ichiban Kuji is a statue of Sora whereas the H Prize is a Keyblade charm. However, the Hololive Ichiban Kuji does not separate the prizes into such tiers. Instead, the division is based on either the Hololive member or the type of goods.

The line-up of prizes is:

• Minato Aqua Prize
• Inugami Korone Prize
• Usada Pekora Prize
• Shirogane Noel Prize
• Houshou Marine Prize
• Chokonokko Figures
• Canvas boards
• Rubber charms
• Last One: Illustration board set

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