Square Enix has revealed more details about the battle system in Dragon Quest XI, the upcoming PS4 and 3DS chapter in the long-running RPG franchise. While the game will employ traditional turn-based combat like previous installments, it will also introduce two new wrinkles to battles in the form of the "Zone" and "Link" systems.
The new mechanics were revealed on the title's Japanese website (as translated by Gematsu). Square Enix describes Zone as a "state of heightened concentration." Like Limit Breaks in the Final Fantasy series, taking damage from foes will cause characters to enter Zone, surrounding them with a blue aura and temporarily increasing their abilities. Characters retain these enhancements until the aura dissipates, so you can carry its effects over into other battles. Zones also aren't limited to your party; monsters are able to enter the state as well and will pose more of a challenge when powered up.
Screenshots of the PS4 version
The Zone system ties into the game's Link mechanic. When two or more characters enter Zone, they can combine their skills into one powerful Link attack. The kinds of Link techniques you'll be able to use in battle vary depending upon the skills and spells known by the other Zone-enhanced characters in your party. Monsters that enter Zone are also able to combine their powers and unleash Link attacks during battle.
It's not cheap, but First 4 Figures' upcoming bust of Amaterasu is certain to stun fans of Capcom's 2006 action-adventure game Okami (and anyone else for that matter). The "life-size" statue stands 26.5 inches tall and is 16 inches wide, and is now available for preorder.
The bust comes in "deluxe full-color packaging," showcasing the sun goddess Amaterasu in her white wolf form with crimson markings, along with her artistic partner Issun. To get a full look, the crew at First 4 Figures put together the documentary video below.
The bust is available for preorder now at a cost of $725 for the exclusive edition, which features LED lights throughout to illuminate the flames surrounding Amaterasu (giving a fire effect). The regular edition, which doesn't light up, goes for $675.
If you do pre-order, you'll be waiting some time for it. The busts won't be ready until Q1 of 2018.
This isn't the first Okami statue to be made by First 4 Figures. In 2016, the company created a 12-inch tall statue of Amaterasu, now available in an exclusive edition for $384.99 (although it looks like it's only available for sale in Asia and Australia at the moment).
Call of Duty: Black Ops III is getting another piece of DLC based entirely around the series' long-running Zombies mode, and now publisher Activision has announced how much the pack will cost.
Zombies Chronicles will set you back $30 (with international pricing yet to be announced), whereas most Call of Duty map packs cost $15. More content is included than in most Call of Duty add-on packs, however: Chronicles bundles together and remasters eight old Zombies maps from World At War, Black Ops, and Black Ops II.
In addition, Activision has revealed the bonus content players can look forward to grabbing when the DLC launches (for PS4) on May 16. All customers will receive:
An exclusive Pack-A-Punch weapon camo
Twenty vials of Liquid Divinium, a type of powerup and in-game currency
Two "all-new Whimsical GobbleGums." GobbleGums are a form of persistent upgrade within Black Ops III's Zombies mode.
Preorder customers on PS4 will also receive a dynamic Zombies theme, and players on all platforms can earn double XP and earn various in-game rewards in Zombies mode for eight days starting May 16.
Zombies Chronicles launches that day for PS4. Treyarch has not announced when it will come to Xbox One and PC, but Past DLC packs typically arrive on those platforms about a month after the PS4 release.
This is a somewhat unusual content drop, as DLC support for Call of Duty games generally ends when the next game in the series is released; Infinite Warfare is the most recent installment in the series. However, Treyarch hinted last year that, due to sustained interest for Black Ops III, it wanted to bring more content to the game.
Deadly Premonition is attempting a comeback--but not as a video game. Following last week's teaser, Rising Star Games today announced a Kickstarter campaign for a board game based on the 2010 video game, which has become something of a cult hit.
The board game is based on the characters, locations, and events from Deadly Premonition. In a news release, Rising Star said the board game is a "passion project" for Rising Star's Samuel Elphick and Saniel Osuna Perez. The adaptation has the blessing of Hidetaka "Swery65" Suehiro, the video game iteration's director.
The board game is a card-based affair for two to four players, with games taking between 30-45 minutes. You take on the role of a detective in search of truth and justice, but there is a killer among the ranks, and the game involves seeking out and bringing this Raincoat Killer to justice.
The Kickstarter campaign goes live tomorrow, May 9, with a goal of $50,000, and an official website can be found here. Click through the images in the gallery below to get a closer look at the box and components, while there is also a picture of Swery holding the game box.
"Our vision was to create a compelling, atmospheric game inspired by Deadly Premonition's delivery of big reveals, plot twists, and consequential moments," Elphick said in a statement. "The venture started out as an idea between colleagues. With hopeful optimism we put together a proposal for Swery and he loved it."
Rising Star says it's launching a Kickstarter for the game instead of funding the project with its own money because the board game market is outside of its normal business ventures. Kickstarter also affords the company an avenue from which to gather feedback about the game, it said. If the crowdfunding campaign is a success, the plan is to have the game out by Fall 2017.
While it's typically the 500 GB variety of Xbox One that goes on sale, you can pick up a 1 TB model for less than $250 right now.
Over on eBay, Newegg is selling the 1 TB Gears of War 4 bundle for only $240. That's a solid price for this particular model of Xbox One S, provided you're interested in Gears; the 1 TB bundles normally retail for $350.
Shipping is free within the United States. A limited quantity of systems is available, and there's no telling exactly how long this will be available for.
If you're in the market for an Xbox One, one thing to keep in mind is the impending launch of Project Scorpio, which is due out later this year. That will provide a significant boost in horsepower over the existing Xbox One (and Xbox One S) and could drive down the price of existing models.
The amazing first full trailer for Blade Runner 2049 is here. The long-awaited sequel to the sci-fi classic arrives in October, and stars Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford. Check the trailer out above.
In a recent interview with Deadline, Villeneuve spoke about the challenges of making a sequel to such an iconic film. "It's the first time that I had to take the universe of someone else and to make it my own," he said. "It's very challenging, the biggest artistic challenge I've had in my life probably. I hesitated a lot before doing it, but when I said yes I committed at one hundred percent .
"It's very difficult to talk about it because I'm in the process of doing it, so it's a bit like asking a hockey player to describe how he will score as he's going through the other players. It's a massive challenge."
A live-action movie of DC's supernatural superhero team-up Justice League Dark has been in the works for several years, but it looks to be moving closer. Director Doug Liman has been attached to the project since last year, and he has now spoken about the movie.
In an interview with Collider to promote his new film The Wall, Liman, who also directed The Bourne Identity and Edge of Tomorrow, explained that his take on the superhero genre would stand apart from other films in the genre. "I have a really amazing take on it, that is in keeping with my approach to superheroes," he said. "Jason Bourne is a superhero, of sorts. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and John Cena, in The Wall, are superheroes. They're very grounded, but the amount of training and stuff that soldiers bring to the field, they're like Iron Man.
"So, I'm really excited, with Justice League Dark, to actually look at what it's like if I actually tackle a real superhero. [However], it's not gonna look that different from my other superheroes."
Justice League Dark comprises more supernatural members of the DC Universe, such as John Constantine, Madame Xanadu, Swamp Thing, and Deadman. In a separate interview with Cinema Blend, Liman explained that his film would have "real horror elements."
"I love early horror films, be it The Exorcist, or Carrie, The Omen," he said. "In the same way that for Bourne Identity, I went back to '70s paranoia. I'm never going to do something that's straightforward, but I'm not going to do something campy either. I have a take on it that isn't like anything else out there. At the end of the day, I make character-driven movies."
Although Justice League Dark currently has no confirmed release date or cast attached, Liman's comments suggest that DC is very much moving forward with it. At one stage the movie was rumored to be going under the title Dark Universe, but it is unknown if this is still case. An animated version of the property was also released earlier this year.
Bethesda has revealed that Quake Champions will receive a "Large-Scale Tech Test," starting May 12.
The trial will last through May 21, and unlike a previous beta trial, this test period will be open to all, meaning everyone who signs up is free to play the game and share footage and screenshots online.
In addition, a new team-based, 4v4 mode has been revealed. Titled Sacrifice, it challenges players to "work together to dominate the Arenas," and it will be playable for the duration of the approaching Tech Test. The company did not elaborate on what you'll actually have to do in Sacrifice, however.
To register, simply go to the official Quake website. It's unclear, however, whether beta sign-ups currently listed on the site refer to the upcoming Tech Test or to the previous closed beta. We'll likely learn more soon; Bethesda has promised more news "in the next few days."
Being a Viking wasn't easy. Between the icy winters and all the fighting, it's a tough life. Enter Expeditions: Viking--a game founded on the intrigue that lies between Jutland and the British Isles centuries before they grew to be the modern marvels we know today. It's a premise that the hardcore tactical RPG wields with enthusiasm, but its performance isn't the most refined. Rampant bugs trigger frequent crashes and make portions of the game unplayable, but when you catch a smooth multi-hour stretch, the strategy game will entice you back with solid storytelling, deep combat, and satisfying role-playing.
Expeditions: Viking opens (as these stories so often do) with your father's passing. He died on a journey to the British Isles, so his position of leadership falls to you. Immediately, you're berated by some of his most bitter enemies and dissenters, and you're tasked with holding everyone together and bringing glory to your tribe.
As a setup, it works well enough--and does a wonderful job of inviting you into this world. But it's also an early sign of the game's blemishes. While bands of drunkards challenging your claim to rule on the night of what amounts to your coronation is exciting, it also leads, inexorably, to some basic questions, but there aren't too many answers. Some say your father was too focused on conquest, while others claim he ignored the needs of his people.
It's a confusing tangle of different, conflicting accounts. Some of those issues fall away soon enough, however, as more vibrant, nuanced characters come into focus. Stitched between the dialogue, you'll find rich descriptions that round out the development of your gang. As they worm their way into your adventure, though, it's tough to shake the feeling that Viking is nudging you away from the man behind the curtain, so it wows you with its cast and the novelty of its setting. And it works...mostly.
The needs of your people aren't as straightforward as you might expect. There's an entire pantheon of gods whose favor you'll need, not to mention requisite arcane knowledge of the lands and its medicines. These sorts of crisp details play up the role and mystique of magic in the world without breaking believability. Divine presence is faint but palpable, and that imbues the world with a certain vitality. Vikings, like most Dark Ages folk, were a superstitious lot, and Expeditions: Viking shows you that perspective as clearly as it can.
Morality, too, has to be viewed through the eyes and conscience of the era. It's a notable challenge, but it's also a fun one to play with. There aren't any deep, profound revelations about humanity to be found here, but novel ethical frameworks are the bread and butter of most role-playing classics, and it's wondrous to see a backdrop leveraged to such effect. Resources are scant in the frozen north, and staying the slaughter of conquered combatants isn't always prudent or kind.
Combat keeps to that theme. It's slow and painful--you'll take losses and often face permanent consequences along the way: arrows tear through bone and sinew; axes break bones and shields; no one gets out unscathed. That's all a natural part of Viking life, though. Battles are hard, but fair--especially as the game opens up its tactical options.
Fun as political jockeying in the 700s may be, mixing it up with blood and iron is even better. Expeditions: Viking borrows heavily from its tabletop forerunners like Dungeons & Dragons. Bulky warriors grab axes, nimbler fighters use bows or slings or knives, and everyone else can pick from an array of simple sidearms. When you're ready to bop some baddies on the head, you'll have plenty of skills and abilities to complement your tactics. Taken together and spread across your party of marauders, techniques are a tactician's dream, offering all manner of precise or circumstantial benefits to exploit. Archers can spot for one another, offering each other battlefield support, while a wall of shieldmaidens can choke an enemy advance and help you crack opposing lines. Just about any approach is valid--as battles get tougher, though, you'll have to think to keep moving.
If you do lose, you'll face the usual game-over screen and have to restart--but not every time. Early on, the game is quick to suggest that failure isn't a big deal, and that you may see new story or plot regardless of the outcome. While that's true, the concept gets short shrift. Vikings are, to reiterate, brutal and bloodthirsty. It's rare that you'll be allowed to walk away from defeat. And that's a shame, because there's so much that Viking nails. Deep connections between plot and play yield powerful synergy, at times. The choice to switch to non-lethal attacks at the right moment for the right person might net you a bargaining chip for later. Similarly, exploration and trade will outfit your fledgling fighting force--at least until you hit a modern term that pulls you out of the experience.
So much of the game is spent being a bit too pedantic about Norse culture for it to escape critique when it drops the pretense. That would be fine on its own, but a lot of that world-building crumbles with quest design, too. The nature of the setting lends itself to politicking, and to a degree, that's explored. You'll need to rework some relationships and build alliances to cement the legitimacy of your rule, after all. But it's hard to stay in the moment when you're told you need to collect generic "trade goods" in order to progress.
Those headaches compound a few hours in when excessive, intrusive bugs start to hit. Conversations might fail to load and progress, loading screens will hang and then crash to the desktop, and Viking seems to be so poorly optimized that at one point, it pressed an eight-core processor and a GTX 1080 graphics card close to their thermal limits. That's far more disruptive than it may sound, and players may find themselves stalled for real-world days trying to figure out ways to advance that don't crash the game.
Viking lives in its atmosphere, so it's appreciated that most of the game is a spirited romp. For now, that experience is mangled by dozens of technical hiccups and anachronisms. At its heart lies an earnest drive to recreate a slice of Viking culture, and those looking for just that niche will find nothing better. But for everyone else, it's impossible to recommend until it's given some major help. There's a lot to be gained from stepping into the 8th century, but be prepared to have your journey hindered by bugs.
May has no shortage of new games to get sucked into. From bigger releases like Prey and Injustice 2 to smaller experiences like TumbleSeed and Rime, there's plenty to play. Below, you can see the biggest May releases as well as a list of some of the most notable games coming out this month. You can also see this week's major releases in the video above.
Prey is a reimagining of the 2006 original made by a team from Arkane Studios, who gamers will recognize as the developer of the Dishonored series. The new title is seen by some as a spiritual successor to the 1994 game System Shock.
Injustice 2 is the follow-up to NetherRealm's Injustice: Gods Among Us. It introduces loot, character customization, and items to its fighting system. It also continues where its predecessor's narrative left off, focusing on the aftermath of Batman's successful insurgency against Superman's tyrannical empire.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia -- May 19 (3DS)
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is a remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden, which is the second installment in the Fire Emblem series and was never released outside of Japan. It consists of elements that differ from other games in the series, including a world map and 3D areas you can wander around.
Hideo Kojima's appreciation of movies is no secret, and like many others, he seems to be a fan of Logan.
The Metal Gear creator shared his thoughts about the recent X-Men movie in an essay for Glixel, writing, "What's unique about Logan is that, while it's a significant piece of a larger universe, it also succeeds in breaking away to become an independent story in its own right, finishing a story that would otherwise seem unfinishable. If this isn't special, I don't know what is. It's precisely because of this that Logan is a movie to remember."
Kojima also draws comparisons to his own series. He talks about the position that Logan puts Wolverine in and how it's similar to that of Snake in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots--the final game, chronologically, in the series.
"[B]oth Snake and Logan had their place in the world taken away from them," he said. "What place is there in the world for those whose very being has been wrested from them? All that remains is the end of their story--a story of their departure. I attempted to pull the same trick you see in Logan--of simultaneously writing an 'end' for MGS4 while trying not to actually end the whole saga."
Kojima also offers some thoughts on how games and movies compare, saying, "[T]he entertainment medium of video games has already exceeded the storytelling capabilities of movies. Games can give birth to as many stories as there are players. Games don't seek to create endless stories--they can already deliver stories that don't need to end. Games are also more addictive than movies. And let's face it, endless addictive entertainment is just what the market--and players--ask for."
Capcom has released a Street Fighter V trailer showing off Ed, the newest character to join the fighting game's roster. Ed returns from Street Fighter IV, where he was featured in the story but wasn't available as a playable character.
Having been raised by Balrog, Ed's fighting style leans towards boxing, but he also utilises kicks, unlike his teacher. As the subject of experimentation at the hands of M. Bison, he's also able to channel Psycho Power since he shares genes with the Shadaloo leader.
In the trailer we're given a look at some of his key abilities, including the Psycho Snatcher V-Skill, which pulls his opponent towards him. His V-Trigger, Psycho Cannon, creates a ball of Psycho energy that slowly advances towards his enemy. Finally, his Psycho Barrage Critical Art is a flurry of Psycho energy-enhanced punches. Check it all out in the video above.
Ed will be available to play from May 11-14 during the Capcom Fighters Network Beta. As for his actual release, Capcom said that he will join Street Fighter V "soon."
The Capcom Fighters Network beta runs from May 11-14 on both PC and PS4. You don't need to own Street Fighter V in order to take part, as it will be open to everyone on both platforms. Cross-play will be enabled, so you'll be able to take on players from both platforms. In addition to Ed, all other previously released DLC characters will be accessible during the beta.
Ed is one of the characters included as part of Street Fighter V's Season 2 Character Pass. The pass is available for £24.99/$29.99 and also includes access to Akuma, Kolin, and three other fighters that will be released in 2017. Premium battle costumes and different colour variants for outfits are also included.
Click image to view in full screen
In related news, Capcom has said it won't release new balance changes as part of Street Fighter V Season 2 until it has finished reworking the Capcom Fighters Network platform.
"We know you're all very eager for the new CFN but we also want to ensure it meets all of our expectations before it officially launches," it explained in a statement.
Nintendo will be reducing the amount of time it takes for stages to rotate in its colorful team-based shooter Splatoon 2, the game's producer revealed in an interview with Edge.
One of the more unusual aspects of the first Splatoon for Wii U is the way it handles stage selection. Rather than letting players vote for a map to compete on, the game randomly cycles between two specified stages each round. The designated maps are then refreshed at regular intervals. The stages would rotate out every four hours in the original title, but Splatoon 2 will update its map choices every two hours.
Splatoon 2 producer Hisashi Nogami explained the reasoning behind this decision: "We feel that part of the gameplay is actually selecting which weapons would be best for that combination of two maps. In Splatoon 2, the maps rotate every two hours, so it'll be a much faster cycle than the previous game."
Currently, Nintendo has unveiled four stages for Splatoon 2: a shopping district known as The Reef, the indoor gymnasium Musselforge Fitness, an outdoor music venue called Starfish Mainstage, and a BMX-inspired arena dubbed Humpback Pump Track. The game will also include stages from the original Splatoon; the only one confirmed to be returning thus far is Moray Towers.
Splatoon 2 launches for Nintendo Switch on July 21. Nintendo held a global testfire demo for the title back in March which showcased a few of its new weapons and specials, though the company hasn't announced if it will be holding another testfire closer to the game's release.
Deep Silver has released a new trailer for Agents of Mayhem, the upcoming stylized single-player shooter from Volition, the makers of the Saints Row games.
This newest video shows three of the game's characters: Hollywood, Fortune, and Hardtack. Hollywood is a full-of-himself, former reality TV and adult film star. He delivers "over-the-top" gameplay and "necessary spectacle," the video's narrator says.
Fortune, meanwhile, is a pistol-wielding fighter with an attitude. She has a drone called "Glory" that helps her in battle. Finally, Hardtack is a big bulky bruiser who is deadly up close and also has a cool-looking ability that traps enemies in bubbles so he can blast them off into the sky with ease.
The three of them combine to make up the Franchise Force. You can swap between the different agents on the fly using the game's "teleport" feature.
Not surprisingly, NBA 2K18 will have a couple of special editions when it comes out this fall. This year, those editions focus on the well-known Hall of Fame player, Shaquille O'Neal.
Publisher 2K announced today that the NBA 2K18 Legend Edition will feature Shaq on its cover. It'll also include some Shaq memorabilia and digital items. If you buy the Legend Edition, you'll get a Shaq poster, stickers, in-game currency and items, among other things. The Legend Edition Gold also includes a lenticular print and more virtual currency. You can see the full list of items included in these editions below.
In a press release, O'Neal stated, "I want to thank NBA 2K for their continuous support of my basketball and broadcast career. I'm excited to be on the cover of the NBA 2K18 Legend Edition and I hope my fans have a blast playing it up big-man style and recreating my most legendary in-game moments!"
The Legend Edition costs $100, while the Legend Edition Gold will run you $150.
NBA 2K18 launches on September 19 for PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, and PC. However, if you buy one of the special editions, you get early access to NBA 2K18 starting on September 15.
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