Atlus announced today that it has partnered with iam8bit to release two different versions of the soundtrack on vinyl. The first, dubbed the Essential edition, is a 4xLP that features a "curated" selection of Persona 5's "most popular music," as chosen by Atlus Sound Team. The other, the Deluxe edition, is a 6xLP with the complete soundtrack, consisting of all 110 songs.
Both of these will be "quality box sets," but you'll notice the images above don't feature any proper artwork. That will remain a mystery until some unspecified point in the future but is described as "the result of an intimate collaboration between iam8bit, Atlus, Sega, and a to-be-announced, top-secret artist."
Iam8bit, which has previously offered video game vinyl like this awesome-looking Rez one from last year, plans to offer a behind-the-scenes look at the package's creation. "We're going to document and share the entire process of creating a vinyl album with Persona 5 fans, from start to finish," the site explained.
If you're willing to plunk your money down without seeing that art, preorders are live now through iam8bit's website. The Essential edition costs $100, while the Deluxe edition goes for $175. If you're interested in the latter, you may have a limited time to place your order--only 1,000 are being made. Both are scheduled to ship in Q4 2017 "in time for the holidays."
The long-awaited new season of cult TV show Twin Peaks arrives in less than a month, and a new promo has arrived alongside a confirmed date for the season finale. The teaser showcases some of the iconic locations in the mystery-shrouded town--check it out below:
The new season is set to premiere with a two-part episode on Sunday, May 21 at 9 PM. Showtime subscribers will be able to watch the next two episodes immediately afterwards on the network's streaming service.
The following week, Episodes 3 and 4 will air on Showtime, before settling into a single episode a week until the two-part finale in September. This will air from 8-10 PM on Sunday, September 3.
The show's co-creator, David Lynch, has directed all 18 of the new episodes, and much of the original cast are returning, including Kyle McLachlan, Sherilyn Fenn, Sheryl Lee, Everett McGill, Madchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook, and Peggy Lipton. Some of the cast were revealed in new images back in February--check them out here.
While this news won't come as a surprise in light of two recent leaks, Joker fans will be happy to learn that the villain has been officially confirmed as a playable character in Injustice 2.
Developer NetherRealm announced the next member of the roster today as promised, releasing a gameplay trailer centered around him. It provides a look at some of Joker's abilities, which lean on various weapons--crowbars, knives, explosives--to mete out punishment to his enemies.
At the end, we also get to see a Super ability of Joker's that involves an electric chair. Check it out above.
Earlier this week, NetherRealm shared a new trailer featuring Darkseid, who will be available as a playable character to those who preorder.
Injustice 2's release date is slated for May 16 on PS4 and Xbox One.
The wait for the next iteration of PlayStation may not be as far away as you expect, at least according to one analyst.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Macquarie Capital Securities analyst Damian Thong "said he expected Sony to release its next-generation PlayStation by the second half of 2018."
PS4 Pro
Analyst predictions don't always pan out, and this isn't necessarily based on some inside scoop. But the WSJ's reporter notes on Twitter that this is the same "analyst who correctly predicted PS4 Pro and Slim" ahead of their respective launches.
That certainly lends credence to the prediction, though in all likelihood, we won't receive any official word from Sony for quite some time. The PS4 was announced nine months prior to its release, while the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro revisions were revealed just one week and two months, respectively, before they hit store shelves.
Announcing a new system in the near future would undercut some of the hype for Microsoft's upcoming Project Scorpio, which stands to be more powerful than the PS4 Pro. But doing so would also likely have an impact on sales of the PS4 and PS4 Pro. With Sony's console routinely outselling the competition, it may be too soon to tease new hardware.
The WSJ report doesn't elaborate on what Thong believes this system will look like--"next-generation PlayStation" could mean the PlayStation 5. Scorpio launches toward the end of 2017, and if a new PlayStation comes less than a year later, the two will inevitably be compared. Scorpio, which is essentially a souped-up Xbox One, will be capable of playing all Xbox One games (and hundreds of Xbox 360 games). If Sony launches a brand-new system soon after it, will it be able to play PS4 games, or will its library be limited to new releases? That's a key question we don't yet have an answer to.
We've reached out to Sony regarding Thong's prediction and will report back with anything--likely a "no comment"--that it has to share.
Twitch has revealed the latest free game available to anyone with an Amazon Prime membership. From now until May 1, subscribers can claim tactical military RPG Breach & Clear for free.
The strategy title was first released on mobile in 2013, before later coming to PC and PS Vita. The shooter is all about planning your moves as you, well, breach and clear your way through various rooms and buildings.
To secure your copy, you'll need to visit this page while logged into a Twitch Prime account and claim it. You can then download and play the PC version of the game using the Twitch desktop app, which can be downloaded here (that link will direct you to the .exe file) if you don't already have it.
This offer is for the full game, but you only have until May 1 to claim your copy.
Once in a while, a renowned series from the past makes a welcome return after years in hiding. In their day, Syberia 1 and 2 were regarded as distinguished point-and-click adventure games that captured both mysticism and mystery, but 13 years later, most of that has been lost in Syberia 3. Although the threads that weave this series together return, its delivery is wholly underwhelming. Dialogue feels disconnected and the important moments lack impact, resulting in a story-centric game that rings hollow.
You play as series protagonist Kate Walker, an adventurous ex-lawyer from New York who ended up in Eastern Europe after helping one Hans Voralberg fulfill his dream: to ride the once-mythical mammoths on the island of Syberia. She leaves the island and is found by the Youkol tribe nearly frozen to death, and this is where Syberia 3 begins. Having been saved by the Youkol, Kate is compelled to help them overcome the roadblocks along their sacred migration across the Eurasian landmass. Many pieces of the previous game remain--the robotic Automatons built by the Voralberg family, Kate's vehement departure from home, and the aforementioned Youkol, a spiritual indigenous Asian tribe.
Set in fictional locations across Russia and the Eurasian landmass, Syberia 3 illustrates a quaint port village named Valsembor that's sprinkled with light snow. The charming town has a cozy tavern where the locals gather, and it feels like a place I'd want to spend a late afternoon. The game also takes you through the abandoned and rusted theme park in Baranour, where you can see remnants of a place that once fostered fun and imagination. It was tragically destroyed by nuclear fallout, and radiation still blocks off parts of the park, but once you get the power back on, a flicker of hope seeps through as your Youkol companions enjoy the salvaged rides for a brief moment.
As Kate, you complete objectives that consist of locating an item needed to solve a puzzle or speaking to someone who has information that's needed to move on. Syberia 3 moves away from the point-and-click controls of the past, and you're now in direct control of her. There aren't any fail-states or action sequences that ratchet up tension; that's fine, but the solutions to your goals are only mildly interesting obstacles that never really tap into or build upon your knowledge. Many of these moments rely on arbitrarily placed objects that either require a sharp eye or just blind luck to find. One genuinely clever puzzle forces you to finagle with the accelerometer of a broken-down roller coaster and figure out how to get the car to stop at a the entrance of a secret passageway. The necessary information can be derived from a paper clue nearby, but you need two metal poles to do the job. However, one is haphazardly placed under a bench within the expansive amusement park. So, even the better gameplay moments of the game are held back by curious design decisions.
Another scene requires you to find flares to fend off an attacker at sea, but the flares are placed under a bench in your ship that's only visible if you enter the room from a specific angle. You may come across this item within minutes, or just as likely scramble for much longer. Regardless, player skill or cunning is not in the solution's equation. Important items are sometimes indistinguishable in the environment, a problem compounded by the game's semi-fixed camera angles and sluggish movement. Simple actions, such as changing direction and getting Kate into position, can be downright frustrating.
When you're not pitted with obtuse puzzles, you're speaking with other characters who can assist you along the journey. You're given Telltale-style speech options to either alter Kate's conversational tone or dig up more backstory, but these often result in a slightly altered scene afterward or further down the road. You also have the ability to hear her thoughts during heated conversations, but it's simply meaningless exposition that tries to justify any of the presented options. There's always only one specific solution to objectives, devoid of any player agency.
For a game that relies so heavily on character interaction and dialogue to tell its story, Syberia 3 falls well short of making good on its approach. A large majority of dialogue sequences feature close-up views of the characters, which makes the overtly out-of-sync lip movement far too jarring to ignore. More often than not, the poor voice acting detracts from the characters' presence and authenticity. Lines are delivered in the most inconsequential tones and out-of-context manner, reaching territory that'd have Siri or Alexa seem organic. For example, one supporting character speaks in run-on sentences, not even pausing to take a breath or express emotion for her ailing grandfather. That elderly man sounds as if he's voiced by someone 50 years younger. Meanwhile, Kate's original voice actress makes a return, but rarely do her lines ever match the gravity of the events that surround her. There isn't a natural pace to the speech, and many of the phrases and words sound like they've been lost in translation, sometimes bordering on nonsensical. Kate is constantly referred to as the American interfering with the issues at hand, but no one--other than the Youkol--seems to have any accents to match the game's setting. This relentless dissonance in tone and delivery permeates the entire game.
A returning companion and the captain of the Krystal ship are a few faint highlights, characters with more complex backstories and important roles. However, Syberia 3's antagonists are as cliche and faceless as they come. An evil doctor (who is constantly and nauseatingly called by her full name) and an eye-patched military commander make for the most hamfisted and cheesy villainous duo in recent memory. Without any semblance of purpose or motivation, they want the Youkol to modernize and integrate with modern society.
Rather than playing a vital complementary role in the Youkol's journey, Kate is essentially their lone savior. Without her direct help, the Youkol tend to helplessly flounder about and sit idly by while she solves all their problems. The problem with this doesn't rest solely on some fictional Western savior complex, but also in the fact that the Youkol people never really develop as characters or become a bigger part of their own story. A late-game reveal adds a layer of depth to Youkol history, but it's first introduced in a throwaway line. The meat of this lore is relegated to a book in your inventory, which gives the time and place of your actions relevance. It's a significant tragedy that contextualizes a political struggle, but again, it's held back by clumsy presentation.
Amidst the grating dialogue and off-putting character animations is an atmosphere worthy of a better game and better-delivered story. Renowned composer Inon Zur (whose background includes the 3D Fallout games, Dragon Age series, and even Syberia 2) delivers incredibly rich and memorable music. The beating percussion uplifts a sharp orchestra that exudes infectious melodies and harmonies, driving home the feeling of charting unknown territory in remote parts of Eastern Europe. I even found myself unconsciously humming these songs outside of the game. The great music coincides with a cold and grim, yet captivating atmosphere, creating a world that should be lived in.
And that's the overall feeling with Syberia 3. Slivers of enjoyment and potential are found within a disconnected and underwhelming journey. The characters, their interactions, the way they speak, and the reason they even exist all mash into a puzzle-adventure game devoid of significance or impact. The Syberia series deserved a better return, otherwise, it should've been left in the past.
Sony today revealed its DQXI-branded PS4 Slim on Japan's PlayStation Blog. It features a simple blue design with a symbol on the top--or side, if you buy a vertical stand--and a slime on the front. Much like the metal slime PS4 previously released in Japan, there's also a USB cover that resembles a slime (although this time, it's gold). The controller matches the system, with the symbol on the touchpad and a slime on the right grip.
Best of all might be the box it comes in, which is quite elaborate. And as with the special-edition New 2DS XL, this package comes with a Dragon Quest theme for the system. You can see all of this in the gallery above.
The PS4 is equipped with a 1 TB hard drive and comes with a copy of Dragon Quest XI. It's priced at 39,980 yen (about $359 / £277) and launches on July 29, the same day as the game and the DQ-themed New 2DS XL.
There's no word regarding an international release. As noted in our coverage of the 2DS, Dragon Quest is far more popular in Japan than the rest of the world, so this may very well remain Japan-only.
In addition to 3DS and PS4, Dragon Quest XI is also coming to Nintendo Switch, but that version has not yet been dated.
Speaking to the Toronto Sun to promote Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Gunn confirmed that the current narrative will end with the third movie. "I think the first three movies tell a single story and that story is pretty simple," he said. "I think that there could be a Guardians Vol. 4, but it would not be the same. It would not be the same group. Basically, the story of this group ends with Vol. 3."
The line-up of Guardians that feature in the movies have only existed in Marvel comic books since 2008. Prior to that, the team was entirely different. They first appeared in 1969, and included such characters as Major Vance Astro, Martinex T'Naga, and Captain Charlie-27.
There are two characters that overlap with the original comics and the movies--Yondu Udonta, played by Michael Rooker onscreen, and Starhawk, who is portrayed by Sylvester Stallone in Vol. 2.
Earlier this month, Gunn explained that he wanted to ensure that Vol. 3 ended the trilogy properly. "There is a history in Hollywood of haphazard endings to trilogies, and I didn't want to become a part of that dishonorable tradition of pretending the third one doesn't exist," he said. "My love for [the characters] goes deeper than you guys can possibly imagine. I feel they have more adventures to go on and things to learn about themselves and the wonderful and sometimes terrifying universe we all inhabit.
"And like in both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, we will work on creating the story that goes beyond what you expect."
A new collection of Mega Man games may soon emerge, according to a Korean Game Ratings Board listing, with publisher Capcom seemingly applying for "Rockman Legacy Collection 2" to be rated. Rockman is, of course, the name given to Mega Man in some international markets.
The listing, which refers to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC versions, states the proposed game "combines 7-10 of the Rockman series that have been released in the past." The original Mega Man as well as 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 were all already put into one game with the first Mega Man Legacy Collection.
It's worth noting that the first collection did not remaster or remake the classic titles in any way: the original games were "recreated faithfully, with all of their glitches and frame rate issues intact," according to our Mega Man Legacy Collection review.
The latest mainline Mega Man game was 2010's Mega Man 10, while long-time series director Keiji Inafune launched his spiritual successor Mighty No. 9 to mixed reception last year.
From its opening moments, Little Nightmares' haunting aesthetic pulls you into its world of existential conundrums. It enthralls you with its eerie atmosphere and makes your heart pound with tense cat-and-mouse style chases. But the curtains close on this psychological puzzle-platformer far too soon, and for better or worse, it leaves you craving more.
Little Nightmares uses its time efficiently to deliver a poignant look at the consequences of sacrificing innocence and its ensuing madness. You follow the journey of Six, a nine-year-old girl trapped in The Maw--an underwater resort filled with monstrous, disfigured inhabitants that tower over her. The background details are never explicitly explained, but it's clear from the beginning that you must escape.
That vagueness continues throughout the game's short runtime, inspiring you to keep pushing forward in search of answers, as you observe vague narrative details in the places you visit. How did Six get trapped in the Maw? What is the Maw's purpose? And who is Six, exactly? These questions persist until the game's thought-provoking conclusion, and they're likely to remain with you after the fact. This lasting ambiguity drives an enticing narrative that keeps you engaged even if the answers it provides aren't entirely clear.
The answers you do discover can be found in the unsettling macabre imagery you encounter. There are many stories to decipher and interpret from the derelict, poorly lit rooms and corridors of the Maw--in fact, it's only a few minutes in that you find the hung corpse of a large man swaying back and forth from the noose that took him. Such sights are commonplace, each effectively reminding you in various disturbing ways of the world's cold, morbid state. The varied environments that serve as the backdrop of your adventure also keep you uneasy; your relative sense of scale is ever-changing, and the frequent, shifting Dutch angles that frame your viewpoint distort your perception of the world. The sound design is just as stirring as the visuals, from the creaking floorboards to the dissonant ambience that fill the Maw's vacant underground chambers. The game's presentation engenders a deep sense of foreboding that makes each moment you spend in it all the more chilling.
In light of Little Nightmares' presentation, the juxtaposition between its cartoonish qualities and the dark mood that permeates its world is striking and distinctive. Its childlike perspective counterbalances its horror. This is reflected in the puerile ways you navigate and interact with the world: you pull up chairs to reach doorknobs, throw a cymbal-banging monkey toy at a button to trigger an elevator, and hug small critters wearing cone-shaped hats to prove your good intentions. This juvenile style of exploration and contact imbues the game with an underlying innocence. As a result, you always feel like there's a sliver of hope, even if it seems like it's continually in jeopardy against the grisly realities you must face.
You're not alone in this world surrounded by iniquity; there are several deformed creatures that stand in your path towards freedom. Those that inhabit the Maw fuel some of the game's most harrowing moments. The blind underground caretaker known as the "Janitor" has long, slender arms that heavily juxtapose his thick frame, while the chef twins are hulking, grotesque creatures that wear the skins of other people's faces as masks. To evade their clutches, you must sneak past them and solve basic puzzles under their noses, like finding a crank to open up a nearby hatch. You also navigate the occasional platforming section during the inevitable moment they spot you and give chase. The moments you spend hiding or running for your life are some of the most thrilling and tense that Little Nightmares has to offer. The suspense is further heightened by how small in size you are compared to them; it feels like the odds are always stacked against you. As a result, every successful escape seems like a fluke, which makes each encounter feel just as riveting as the last. That isn't to say you won't fail a fair number of times. Luckily, the game's run-ins with trial-and-error never overtly punish you, and it usually only takes a couple attempts to overcome even its most challenging sequences.
The adrenaline-fueled chases you have with the game's gruesome enemies are exhilarating, but the moments in between spent platforming and solving puzzles are often too brief and straightforward. Most times you're simply climbing up containers to reach a vent or acquiring a key to open up a path ahead. These rudimentary tasks, while utilized well during chase sequences to create tension and panic, aren't memorable on their own and serve as little more than busywork. Their facile nature keep things moving, aiding in the tight pacing of the adventure. But they're not as fleshed out as they could be, making your efforts to push forward in these sections feel superficial and hurried, especially when compared to your daring escapes from the Maw's inhabitants.
It's likely you'll finish Little Nightmares in one or two sittings; its brief length may diminish the spark of its highs, making you wish there was more to prolong the time it takes to overcome its tense set pieces. But regardless of how you view the time you spend with the game, its strange and distorted world is enough to pull you back in for a second playthrough. The journey to reach its provocative conclusion is filled with unnerving questions and imagery that take hold of your morbid curiosities and pull you deep into introspection. While its puzzles are at times too straightforward, Little Nightmares is a chilling odyssey well worth taking.
This Dragon Quest-themed Liquid Metal Slime system is black and gray, with the face of a slime on the rear of the top screen. On the back of both halves of the system are a series of Dragon Quest silhouettes showing weapons and slimes. The inside features a plain black look, with a lone slime adorning the area just below the d-pad.
In addition to the system itself, buyers will receive a special Dragon Quest theme for the system's menus (pictured in the gallery above) and a copy of Dragon Quest XI.
Nintendo will launch the special-edition system in Japan on July 29 for 22,480 yen (about $202 / £156). There's not yet any word on an international release; given Dragon Quest's popularity in Japan relative to the rest of the world, this is something you may only be able to get your hands by importing.
Nintendo announced the New 2DS XL overnight. It's on par with the New 3DS XL in terms of power and plays all of the same games, but it lacks that system's 3D capabilities. It launches on June 15 in Australia and New Zealand, while those in the US and UK will have to wait until July 28.
The recent first teaser for Star Wars: The Last Jedididn't give much away in terms of story or characters. However, we now have a better idea of what Rey and Kylo Ren will look like in the movie, via a promotional image for the upcoming Battlefront II game.
The picture was posted by GameStop Ireland. The shots of Rey and Kylo have the disclaimer "movie production still" on them, which implies they are taken from The Last Jedi. Check them out below:
The pictures show Rey (Daisy Ridley) dressed in distinctive Jedi robes, which links to the training that the teaser shows she receives from Luke Skywalker. Her clothes are also slightly different from those worn in the poster for the movie. Kylo (Adam Driver) meanwhile is shown without his helmet, and his robes no longer include a hood.
The Last Jedi arrives in theaters on December 15, 2017. It also stars Mark Hamill, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Laura Dern, Domhnall Gleeson, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis.
After a successful launch, the Nintendo Switch is about to get its next big exclusive in the form of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, a port of the 2014 Wii U game. This Switch version of the arcade racer includes all the original game's DLC, as well as some new characters and a completely revamped Battle Mode.
Ahead of its launch today, reviews have made their way online. In our review, critic Kallie Plagge awarded the game a 9/10, stating that the changes made "refine an already great racing game." Read more in our full Mario Kart 8 Deluxe review, or check out some more of our recent coverage below.
For a wider view on critics' opinions, check out our roundup below. Alternatively, you can take a look at GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
Game: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Developer: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release: Available now
Price: US $60 / £50 / AU $80
GameSpot -- 9/10
"Even if you didn't really care about Battle Mode, the smallest changes in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe refine an already great racing game. But the huge overhaul to the original's afterthought of a Battle Mode is a chaotic, varied opportunity to play very differently than in Grand Prix mode and well worth reinvesting yourself in Mario Kart 8 on Switch." -- Kallie Plagge [Full review]
IGN -- 9.3/10
"Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an amazing game for all the same reasons I mentioned in our original review. It's still a gorgeous kart racer and every bit as addictive as it was in 2014. This is the best entry in the series so far, and it has all the content you'll need. Returning players have seen a lot of this game before, but the overhauled Battle Mode and its five additional ways to play are a great reason to pick it up. Nintendo didn't do enough to make the online experience better, but the rest of this game holds up well." -- Jose Otero [Full review]
Destructoid -- 9.5/10
"Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is straight-up a better version of the game without compromise. It looks crisper, there's more to do, it's portable, and it might even outsell the Wii U version to ensure a healthier long-term community. With Battle Mode firmly in place, it's one of the best kart racers ever made." -- Chris Carter [Full review]
Game Informer -- 9.25/10
"Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is primarily a re-release of an acclaimed game from three years ago, but by adding new content and addressing the biggest complaint of the original, this version is unquestionably the best way to experience Nintendo's great racer. Battle Mode is back to its original glory, and when combined with the rest of the robust Mario Kart 8 package, it creates a great addition to the fledgling Switch library." -- Brian Shea [Full review]
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Gimple confirmed that Season 8 would move at a much faster pace than the more character-driven Season 7, as the show's heroes prepare for war with the villainous Negan.
"The narrative has turned into one of pretty intense conflict," he said, "[And] it's going to affect the structure in ways that make it a bit more kinetic, a bit more breakneck--shifting away from entire stories in one episode, and sort of fractured over several episodes, with little pieces of each story coming together."
Gimple went on to explain that the decision to give Season 8 a different feel was made while Season 7 was in production.
"I remember talking about that with [co-executive producer] Angela Kang early on in Season 7," he said. "Because we knew the way that 7 was going to be structured, and we knew we wanted to mix it up in 8. We knew what 8 was going to be and how that would dictate a very different kind of structure. Things are going to move, and possibly not have the kind of deep dives into characters in single episodes, but rather laying out the pieces as we go on."
It was announced last week that three of Season 7's supporting actors have now been made series regulars, which may give a hint as to where the plot will develop. Pollyanna McIntosh (Scavenger leader Jadis), Steven Ogg (Negan's right-hand man Simon), and Katelyn Nacon (Enid) will all feature more heavily.
The Walking Dead Season 8 premieres on AMC in October.
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GameSpot's editors and video team race it out in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Nintendo Switch.
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