As Crystal Dynamics has said, the launch of Marvel’s Avengers is just the beginning. Once the game is out, the team will add new heroes, villains, missions, story arcs, and more, free of charge. Shortly after release, Hawkeye will be available as the first post-launch hero. Since the bow-and-arrow-wielding Avenger is considered a core member of the traditional Avengers team, the in-game story isn’t just going to ignore that he was missing throughout the main campaign. 

“He was lost track of at the end of [the attack on A-Day],” studio head Scot Amos says. “There’s an entire story pack that comes with him that tells what he’s being doing for these last five years. What you get is a full story that you can, uniquely, play his story as a full co-op experience. Then you can go back and replay all the stuff that comes out on day one in the Warzones with Hawkeye now, as well as all the new stuff that comes with him. He also has some unique story threads that tie up a few gaps that you might have noticed in some of the campaign but also throw out some new threads for the future.”

Given Crystal Dynamics’ history with the Tomb Raider series and Lara Croft's satisfying bow combat, Hawkeye seems like a perfect fit for the studio. However, it’s not a one-to-one translation, even if some of the gameplay mechanics were transferrable to this new character. 

Sometimes, the best way to learn about your game is to watch someone else play it in a way you never intended; at GDC Summer 3 notable games will be speedrun live, as a dev offers commentary! ...

New videos explain Nexomon Extinction gameplay elements, like actually catching a Nexomon. (Hint: That involves food and traps.)

The post Nexomon Extinction Video Explains How to Catch Nexomon appeared first on Siliconera.

You want the truth? You can't handle the truth! Or, at a bare minimum, you're not going to like the truth.

The Lens of Truth -- the all-seeing, illusion-breaking, magical item from Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask -- has lips. Why. This creepy little adornment is impossible to unsee. You've seen the truth and now you forever carry that burden.

And Kermit riding a bicycle is one of the most perfect images on Earth

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From Software’s excellent shinobi adventure Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is getting a free update on October 29 to coincide with the game’s arrival on Stadia, publisher Activision announced this morning.

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Rare's multiplayer pirate adventure Sea of Thieves has just received its latest monthly helping of fresh nautical goodness on Xbox One and PC, this time in the form of flamethrower skulls and fiery new bosses as part of today's Ashen Winds update.

This month's additions might not be quite as dazzling as the wonderfully cinematic ghost ship battles introduced in June's Haunted Shores update, but the four new Ashen Lord boss battles do at least promise to bring more challenge and variety to the oceans.

These new encounters are initiated by visiting islands marked with a fiery tornado cloud on the horizon, and battles against either Captain Grimm, Red Ruth, Old Horatio, or Warden Chi await those that make the trip. Each boss has new tricks up its sleeves for pirates to contend with - ranging from a thick ash cloud that reduces visibility to fireballs raining from the heavens - and a variety of rewards are available for those that defeat them.

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Open-world zombie survival sandbox PC game Unturned will be coming to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 this fall, publisher 505 Games announced.

The free-to-play title originally launched as a web browser game before entering the Steam Greenlight program in 2014. It officially released on Steam in July 2017 after three years in beta.

The PC game was developed by Smartly Dressed Games, while the console versions will be handled by 505 Games and FunLabs with the original studio “actively involved in the console development process.”

The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions will offer the same gameplay features of scavenging for weapons, gathering resources, and building defenses alongside “restructured visuals, enhanced game mechanics, a new deeper unlock progression system, and a refreshed experience for players.”

According to the press release, the console version will contain:

• Massive maps – explore up to 8 sandbox maps by traveling by land, air, and sea
• Craft – create your equipment and structures from supplies you collect
• Power up – upgrade skills in three categories: Offense, Defense, Support
• Customise – avatars can be fully cosmetically personalized
• Multiplayer – brave zombies and other foes alone or team up with friends
• Split Screen – play locally with a friend in split-screen mode
• Compete or ally – attempt to form alliances with other players or take out all competition

While Unturned was free-to-play for PC, the console versions will cost $24.99 through the respective digital storefronts.

With the crowdfunding campaign for Rabbit & Bear Studios’ JRPG Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes in full swing, today the studio released a new update.

The game’s crowdfunding tally has now reached $2.217.864, with new stretch goals revealed since the previous batch.

The $2.2 million goal brings the 103rd hero named Hildi and has already been achieved.

The $2.35 million goal involves a “Top Battle Minigame” and the $2.45 million goal is titled “The Honest Soldier.” While it has not been fully unveiled yet, it’s likely another character.

• Hildi Joins – The right hand officer of Seign Kesling and notable neat freak, Hildi joins the game at this stretch goal, bringing the total heroes to 103.
• Top Battle Minigame – Addictive, mesmerizing, and downright fun! At this stretch goal, the top battling minigame dubbed “Beigoma” will be added to the game. It’s time to spin!

Incidentally, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is now among the top-20 gaming Kickstarter campaigns of all time, and it took only two days.

This success shouldn’t be too surprising considering that it brings back together Suikoden creators Yoshitaka Murayama and Junko Kawano, and appears to be a spiritual successor of the popular franchise.

The two characters revealed today were also previously achieved via stretch goals.

Perrielle Grum

Age: 18 years old

Have you had enough vampires yet? No, of course not. There are still flocks yet to come this year, a number of them hailing from the World Of Darkness setting. We’re still expecting big RPG Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 sometime this year, and it looks like it’ll be joined by another visual novel in the same world. Vampire: The Masquerade – Shadows Of New York is planned for 2020 as well.

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Oooh ouchies ouchies hot hot hot

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Hardspace: Shipbreaker is a game about cutting up spaceships with heavy industrial tools for cash. It’s a thrill to drift in zero-G, slicing and chopping and severing hull panels, superstructures, cockpits, airlocks, partly because the way you take them apart is up to you. You know what you have to do as soon as you get into space; you just need to figure out how.

That was also the experience of developer Blackbird Interactive as it began to develop Shipbreaker and brought it to Early Access. The theme quickly crystallised, but figuring out how freeform cutting would actually work was a lot harder, setting stern technical challenges that were never really solved, posing questions about player freedom that resulted in surprising answers, and causing spaceship designers’ nightmares.

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Monopoly Arcade Pac-Man is on the way in August, and people get to play Pac-Man when they land on or pass Go.

The post Monopoly Arcade Pac-Man Lets You Play Pac-Man When You Pass Go appeared first on Siliconera.

Super Mario Party felt like a missed opportunity to anyone who hoped for even a smidgen of DLC, and I can't shake the feeling that my beloved Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics will probably have a similar fate. Outside of a launch-day update in early June, we haven't seen any movement.

I briefly got my hopes up this week when an update – version 1.1.2 – started downloading. I should've known better. It's not a precursor to new games, and it doesn't add any quality-of-life features that folks have been asking for like expanded local multiplayer support for groups and Pro Controllers.

Instead, the July 28 update mainly deals with bug fixes (in Ludo, Mahjong, Renegade, and Texas Hold'em, among others) and strives to improve the "stability of synchronous communication when playing online." The latter point is noteworthy, though – online play can be super shaky. It needs work.

The update also "raised the maximum Play Count for each game from 99 to 999." I've definitely played more than a hundred rounds of Renegade in a misguided attempt to beat the Impossible AI. Stop me.

I'd gladly pay for more Clubhouse, but if it never materializes, I'll still pop back in from time to time.

How to Update Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics [Nintendo]

Yesterday two major European esports brands—the Counter-Strike Global Offensive tournament organizer BLAST Premier and Riot’s League of Legends European Championship division—announced a sponsorship deal with NEOM, a 500 billion dollar techno-city funded by Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The…

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If you loved Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout, the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu included an interesting announcement.

The game will receive a manga adaptation that will be serialized on Famitsu itself starting this fall.

The art will be by Riichu, whom you may know for Shinomiya Kouta Still Can’t Die -Border Of The Dead-.

Below you can check out the first illustration, directly from the magazine.

The folks that are bringing you Wasteland 3 are also working on another cold and deadly hellscape, only this one’s got 19 other players in it. Frostpoint VR: Proving Grounds is a team-based shooter where two groups of ten battle it out in a military base in Antarctica. It’s planned to hit VR headsets later this year.

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I’ve already posted about Valorant‘s new upcoming agent, but now she’s official. Following an accidental leak, Riot have unveiled Killjoy in the way they meant to: with a trailer that looks like one of those commercials for stupidly expensive gadgets you don’t need. She’s a turret-packing, grenade-chucking, robot-deploying hacker who looks a bit like ex-RPS vidbud Alice Liguori.

I’m being snarky but I do quite like the trailer. And Alice Liguori.

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Game Developers Conference are excited to confirm that the popular GDC Pitch event will return in a special online-only format for next week's all-digital GDC Summer! ...

The Icon A5 will also let players land in any body of water

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It'll soon be time to hop into and protect a good book. New Super Lucky's Tale PS4 and Xbox One versions will launch in August 2020.

The post New Super Lucky’s Tale PS4 and Xbox One Versions Arrive August 21, 2020 appeared first on Siliconera.

Me, to anyone who tries to silence my off-key wailings that pitifully approximate Freddie Mercury's cherubic voice: Don't stop me now.

There's a Queen-themed Let's Sing game headed to consoles this fall. Let's Sing Queen is a collection of 30 classic Queen songs assembled together for your at-home karaoke needs. Like other Let's Sing games, this edition supports USB mics but most people will find it most convenient to sing through their phones via a dedicated Let's Sing app.

The full track list hasn't been revealed, but here's what has been called out in the press release and shown via screenshots:

When Lisa* met Adam* in graduate school, she thought she’d hit the dating jackpot. “He was very wealthy, very charismatic, and at first he was very charming,” she says. “He was constantly showering me with gifts, fancy dinners, and romanic nights out. He was playing by this 1950s courtship rulebook.” But over time,…

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InXile Entertainment - the developer best known for the RPG-shaped likes of The Bard's Tale 4, Wasteland 3, and Torment: Tides of Numenera - has unveiled its latest project, multiplayer VR shooter Frostpoint VR: Proving Grounds, which is heading to PC later this year.

Frostpoint's 10v10 team-based action unfolds within an abandoned military base somewhere in the icy expanse of the Antarctic, with InXile promising to deliver "high-intensity PvP game modes, with a unique PvE twist". The latter comes in the form of "otherworldly" biomechanical creatures that constantly threaten to upset players' carefully laid plans as they attempt to thwart the opposing team across four unique maps.

InXile says to expect a range of game modes - Team Deathmatch and Domination are confirmed in an interview with UploadVR - and a broad selection of tools that can be utilised in combat. There are grenades, turrets, and health kits, for instance, plus "over a dozen" rifles and pistols (with accompanying attachments) that can hoisted realistically in one or two hands.

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We have generally avoided posting about things that exist in the intersection of “games, things that are enjoyable and we love” and “the global pandemic, a thing which is terrible”, mostly because this intersection is quite weird and grim. I am, however, making an exception today in order to highlight a mod that adds both a slight pandemic slant to Stardew Valley, and a good dose of much-needed humour.

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Surprise! FromSoftware’s most recent very difficult action game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is getting a big free update on October 29th. Because of who I am as a person, the immediate thing I’m drawn to in said update is the fact that there are some cool new outfits for everyone’s favourite Shinobi. But there are two other very exciting things on the way, too – a boss rush-style mode, and a recording feature that allows you to send ghosts of yourself to other players’ worlds (kind of like the ones you see wandering around in Dark Souls).

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Today Kadokawa Games announced with a press release an upcoming livestreamed event dedicated to its upcoming Metal Max Xeno Remake titled Metal Max Xeno Reborn.

The first part of the event will start at 2:00 pm Japan time and it will include live gameplay with developer commentary. The development team will showcase the finished game ahead of the Japanese release.

You can check out a few images below showing a boss that will appear during the livestream.

The second part of the event will begin at 8:30 pm Japan time and will be a talk-show with the development team.

Only the first part of the event will be viewable for free on Nico Nico, while the second part will require the purchase of a 2,000 yen ticket.

Watch Ryza and Klaudia reuniting, see the new "mysterious creature" Fi, and check out Ryza and Klaudia's bonus costumes.

The post Atelier Ryza 2’s Klaudia and Fi Stand Out in the Newest Trailer appeared first on Siliconera.

The next Sea of Thieves update belongs on the cover of the cheesiest '80s metal album. Get ready to melt some faces -- not through the sickest of guitar riffs but through actual hot hot heat.

The Ashen Winds update is live and it introduces a new enemy type called the Ashen Lords. They're a fiery bunch -- literally. Their presence is marked by a firenado. They're capable of turning their faces into flamethrowers. They summon meteor storms. Thematically, you get the idea.

There's a badass payoff for dealing with the sweaty temperature change. Ashen Lords will drop the Ashen Winds skull which is straight-up a skull the spits fire. It's a great way stop another buccaneer dead in their tracks. It's an even better way of setting another crew's all-wood ship aflame. Wood, as I understand it, is extremely flammable.

It's not a permanent accessory, though. They burn hot and flame out quick. The Order of Souls will buy skulls from you, but they're willing to pay a lot less if you've used up all the firepower. An empty propane tank is a worthless propane tank.

Here are the full patch notes for the Sea of Thieves Ashen Winds update.

Today Koei Tecmo reached out with a press release to reveal the first details of the upcoming Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy.

We get to learn a few tidbits about the story and setting, on top of underwater gameplay. 

Alongside the returning heroine Klaudia, we also hear about Ryza’s new companion, Fi.

Last, but not least, the press release mentions that purchase the game in the first two weeks after release will get the Summer Fashion Costume Set. 

On top of that, if the game detects save data from Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout, it will unlock the Classic Costume Set that will bring back outfits from the original game for Ryza herself and her friends.

Below you can watch a new trailer and relevant images, on top of reading the details from the press release.

Among the images, we can see the first screenshots, plenty of artwork including Ryza’s summer costume, Klaudia’s new look, the key artwork, and environmental art. 

At the bottom of the post, you can also find a bonus illustration by character designer Toridamono who will reprise his role in the new game. 

In Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy, Ryza returns for an all-new adventure, this time set three years after her heroic efforts in Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout. This dynamic sequel revolves around Ryza’s journey to the Royal Capital of Ashra-am Baird as she explores ancient ruins while seeking the truth behind the mystery of the lost legends. Along the way, she will be able to learn a number of new skills to help her successfully navigate the dangers of her surroundings, including the ability to swim. Ryza’s newfound swimming techniques help her not only discover aquatic materials but also the entrance to an underwater dungeon. 

Remember the other day when I reported that some skelly-head flamethrowers were coming to Sea Of Thieves? Well, it turns out those heads belong to four particularly deadly Skeleton Captains, who’ve arrived in today’s Ashen Winds update. It doesn’t look like it’s going to be easy to nab their flaming skulls, either, as each of these Captains will use all sorts of dirty tricks to stop you from defeating them – from whipping up clouds of ash to obscure your view, to raining molten meteors right on top of you.

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Valorant's newest agent to join the roster is Killjoy, a German operative that thrives on technology and mechanized mayhem. Killjoy joins the Valorant roster on August 4, but we have a rundown on her abilities and a trailer today. If you're looking for an option with area-denial capabilities, Killjoy might be the one for you.

Killjoy can place a turret to defend key positions, hurl Nanoswarm grenades, deploy a homing Alarmbot, and even potentially freeze an entire enemy team in its tracks with her ultimate ability Lockdown. While the Lockdown device can be destroyed by the enemy during its long deployment time, if it takes root, there's going to be a big cleanup opportunity. Robots!!!

Check out Killjoy's introduction trailer below.

The new character’s ability kit includes automated turrets

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The closed beta test for NieR Re[in]carnation started today in Japan and new footage is already here to check out.

The post NieR Reincarnation Closed Beta Gameplay Footage appeared first on Siliconera.

Publisher Microids has announced a remastered edition of action-adventure title Asterix & Obelix XXL, adapted from René Goscinny's classic French comic. The remaster, or "romaster" is in development at Osome Studio for PC and consoles.

Originally released in 2003 on PS2, Asterix and Obelix XXL sees the Gaulish warriors defend their village from the might of The Roman Empire, exploring the environment, solving puzzles, and uppercutting Roman soldiers into the sun. Asterix & Obelix XXL would eventually be ported to PC and GameCube, and was followed by two sequels in later years.

Asterix & Obelix XXL Romastered will feature overhauled visuals, reworked animations, new game modes, an improved camera and control system, as well as the option to switch to the classic aesthetics if you want to relive that early '00s lifestyle. Microids is yet to offer video of the game in action, but has noted an October 22 launch date, so shine your knuckles.

Asterix & Obelix XXL Romastered launches October 22 on PS4, PC, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

Asterix & Obelix XXL Romastered announced [Gematsu]

On May 21, 2019, this sly son of a bitch gazed into our bleak future, and now he reaps the bitter fruit of the trap he set.

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Early prototypes of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl have emerged from the Nintendo “Gigaleak.” Like much else involved in this Snorlax-sized trove, it’s a lot to comb through, so Kotaku reached out to Pokémon expert Lewtwo to help sort through the many differences between the prototypes and the Diamond and Pearl we all know.

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