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Developer Cygames announced the release date of the newest Granblue Fantasy: Versus DLC character: Belial, the Fallen Angel. He'll grace players with his presence when the Character 2 DLC goes live on September 24, 2020. During the August 8th livestream Cygames also released a character trailer for Belial, which you can see below:

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

Belial is voiced by Yoshimasa Hosoya, who also played anime characters like Orga Itsuka in Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, Joe in Megalo Box, and Reiner in Attack on Titan.

In Granblue Fantasy proper, Belial was a leading figure among the Fallen Angels, a group of rebellious Primal Beasts that attempted to destroy the world during the years-long "What Makes the Sky Blue" event series. Belial worked with Beelzebub (also known as Chaos Bringer, the final boss of Granblue Fantasy: Versus' arcade mode) to kill the Supreme Primarch Lucifer, and revive the malevolent Astral Lucilius. He was defeated and banished by the protagonists at that story's conclusion, so how exactly Belial turns up in Versus and what role he might play in its ongoing story is anyone's guess. Among Granblue Fantasy fans he's acquired a reputation as "the horniest man alive" thanks to the relentless stream of saucy innuendos and double-entendres that flows from his mouth. Just check out the full lyrics of his theme song "Parade's Lust" for a taste:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2MHUJTciRg

As a fighting game character, Belial appears to exude the same irrepressible bravado, equipped with a number of projectile attacks and what looks like several close-range reversal moves. Changing his cosmetic weapon skins will change the style of his worn glasses or shades. The trailer also teased the next character, the alchemical genius Cagliostro. During the stream Cagliostro was described as a "technical" character, able to set traps on the ground and in midair.

Players who purchase Granblue Fantasy: Versus Character 2 will unlock Belial and Cagliostro (along with other unannounced characters). Those who purchase the Belial DLC for the PS4 edition of the game will also receive a special "Alter Ego Malicious" cosmetic skin for Granblue Fantasy proper. The skin will allow Gran and Djeeta to channel Belial's alluringly sinister aura:

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is available now on PS4 and PC. Belial will be added to the game on September 24, 2020.

The post Granblue Fantasy: Versus Trailer Shows off Belial, Confirms Cagliostro appeared first on Siliconera.

Atlus and Vanillaware's latest title, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, is now available for pre-order via the PlayStation Store. The localized version of the game will arrive on September 22, 2020, after its original September 8, 2020 release date was bumped back slightly to accommodate the addition of a day-one update that adds an English dub as an option. 

That dub wasn't quite ready in time to add to the newest trailer, though. Titled "Doomsday," the video highlights new footage, more characters, and lays out the game's time-traveling premise. It's also a showcase for Vanillaware's uniquely lavish approach to 2D graphics and art direction.

Check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aXTUhNCNt0&feature=youtu.be

The trailer also revealed a few more seconds of gameplay. While story segments are conveyed in a 2D, side-scrolling fashion, the main gameplay screen resembles a tactical display. Players issue orders to the Sentinels and their pilots as they fight giant invaders.

As for additional goodies, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim preorders will include an artbook at launch. PlayStation Store digital pre-orders will receive a digital edition of the art book, while physical retail pre-orders will reward a paperback one while supplies last. The game will cost $59.99 USD at launch.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim will release on September 22, 2020 for the PS4.

The post 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim Pre-orders Open Alongside a ‘Doomsday’ Trailer appeared first on Siliconera.

Pilgrimage-style tourism isn't just for religious devotees and fans of Game of Thrones anymore: The phenomenon is now available to players of the PlayStation 4's hottest new open-world game, thanks to the Ghost of Tsushima tourism partnership. The Sucker Punch-developed samurai showcase is based on the real-life Japanese island of Tsushima, and the Mongol invasions that ravaged it in the 13th century. That makes for a prime opportunity to promote local sights and activities, and the Nagasaki Prefectural Government and the Tsushima Local Promotion Association have partnered with the game to encourage people to come and visit.

To that end, they've put up an informative little Ghost of Tsushima tourism page highlighting the real spots that are mirrored in the game. Also available in Japanese, the page gives some brief background of the game, and focuses on notable locations. Those locations include places like Komoda Beach (the site of the Mongol landings during the invasion), Mount Shiratake, Watatsumi Shrine, Banshouin Temple, and the ruins of Kaneda Castle. All these locations and more appear in Ghost of Tsushima's approximation of the island, and in the case of Kaneda Castle and other historical buildings, are recreated in close detail.

The Ghost of Tsushima tourism site also highlights suggested activities for would-be visitors. Tsushima's natural landscapes make hiking and outdoor sports like kayaking and diving particularly appealing. The site even notes local cuisine and delicacies like Iriyaki-nabe (a hot pot dish of fish and chicken), Rokube noodles made from sweet potato starch, Anago eels, and Taishu soba, a dish of buckwheat noodles. Taishu soba in particular are interesting, as the site claims that they may be the first version of soba brought to Japan, owing to Tsushima's status as a  close point of trade between Japan and the asian mainland ("Taishu" is an archaic reading of the name "Tsushima").

All this and more can be found on the site itself. Though international travel and tourism is currently restricted in many countries due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, one can at least make plans, or do some vicarious hiking in Ghost of Tsushima.

Ghost of Tsushima is available on PS4 now. Learn a bit more about the Mongol invasions of Japan here.

The post Ghost of Tsushima Tourism Partnership Shows Off the Real Sites Behind the Game appeared first on Siliconera.

Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima will debut on July 17, 2020, but it's heir to a long and illustrious tradition of samurai-themed video games. Though hundreds of titles in that vein have been released over the years,  this one has a chance to stand out, and not just because it's a lavishly produced open-world title and possibly one of the last major PS4 releases before the PS5 debuts. Ghost of Tsushima has a chance to make its mark thanks to its setting, which covers a period of samurai history that gets comparatively little pop-cultural attention: The Mongol invasions of Japan.

Ghost of Tsushima's Mongol Invasions 14s3o

The Mongol Invasions were a pair of attempts by the Mongol Empire of the 13th century to subjugate Japan. Both times, the Mongol armies attacked and sacked Tsushima island, a trading hub located almost exactly between the Japanese main islands and the Korean peninsula. The first invasion, which took place in 1274, forms the basis of the events of Ghost of Tsushima. The invasions' significance in Japanese history can't be understated: They marked one of the only times in recorded history that Japan defended itself against a foreign invasion, as well as one of the few times a samurai army would go to war against a non-samurai foe.

Like most wars, the Mongol Invasions stemmed from a failure of diplomacy. Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan and ruler of Mongol Empire, was still in the midst of conquering China, as his Yuan Dynasty was warring against the southern Song Dynasty. Japan, through the ruling Kamakura Shogunate, maintained diplomatic and economic ties to the Song, a fact that was not lost on the Great Khan. He sent envoys, demanding Japan become a vassal of the Yuan instead, and when the Shogun rejected the offer, he ordered his vassals in Korea (then known as Goryeo) to build ships and supply soldiers for an invasion.

(Picture credit: The Samurai Sourcebook, Stephen Turnbull 1998)

The Great Khan sallies forth 1i33y

A massive fleet of 900 ships carrying an army of over 40,000 Mongol, Han Chinese, Korean, and Jurchen troops set sail from Happo, (a port city near modern-day Busan, South Korea) and crossed the straits. The invasion fleet's first stop was Tsushima island, ruled by the Sou clan. The clan leader, Sukekuni Sou, met the landing Mongols near Komodahama with a force of eighty mounted samurai and an unspecified number of foot soldiers. They were quickly overwhelmed and killed. Since Ghost of Tsushima's main character Jin Sakai is reportedly the sole survivor of a "massacre" at the game's outset, this battle might have served as the inspiration for that moment.

Beyond Sukekuni’s last stand, most of the widely available records focus more on the Mongol landings at Hakata than on Tsushima. Most note only that the Mongols ravaged Tsushima (and the neighboring island of Iki) for a couple of weeks before moving on to land at Hakata bay (near modern-day Fukuoka city) to face forces assembled by the local lords under the shogun’s orders. Even the  Though the residents of Tsushima and Iki would likely disagree, to historians of the time the sacking of those islands was something of a footnote, a prelude to the "main event" that was the invasion proper. However, it’s safe to conclude that the brief occupation was not peaceful: The Korean Goryeosa historical document notes that the Mongol army (which included many Korean troops) killed a large number of people on the island. of the Sou clan would survive to rebuild, though, and the Sou would go on to become prominent intermediaries in Japan-Korea relations, all the way up to the Meiji Restoration in the 19th century.

(Picture Credit: Komoda Shrine, Tsushima via The Mongol Invasions of Japan 1274 and 1281, Stephen Turnbull 2010)

On landing at Hakata, the Mongol army faced resistance from samurai commanded by Tsunetsugu Dazai Shouni, the regional governor. The Mongols’ numbers, technological advantages, and combat experience put the Japanese forces on the back foot, and by nightfall, the invaders had made far enough inland to threaten Dazaifu, the regional capital. However, the Mongols declined to press their advantage. According to the Yuan Shi, a Yuan Dynasty record, mounting fatigue, potential Japanese reinforcements, and the injury of Liu Fuxiang, a senior Mongol commander, prompted the Mongols to reconsider pushing forward. After burning the town of Hakata, they conducted a tactical withdrawal, choosing to spend the night on their ships before sailing back to Korea. Fortune favored Japan further. Overnight, a fierce storm developed, dashing many ships on the rocks and killing almost one-third of the Mongol army. This, and a storm that would later impact the second invasion in 1281, helped reinforce the notion of the kamikaze, a divine wind that protects Japan.

(Picture credit: Mouko Shurai Ekotoba, Museum of Imperial Collections)

The impact of the Mongol attacks 4fz5u

The Mongol Invasions had a lasting effect on samurai history, not least for the initial shock the Mongol approach to combat delivered to the defending samurai. According to the Hachiman Gudoukun, a "pop history" of the time that contained records of the invasion, the Mongol armies advanced in dense formations, throwing loud explosives and defended by wooden shields. By comparison, samurai warfare of the time was practically genteel, opened by single combats and archery duels between elite warriors on both sides. Samurai would step forward to declare their names and achievements, calling for a worthy adversary from the opposing side. This time, though, the samurais' foes couldn't speak Japanese, much less honor the rituals of samurai warfare that had gone largely unchanged since the 10th century. The samurai would be forced to change to match an unfamiliar foe, and this changing of tradition to adapt to a new status quo is, in a way, reflected in Jin's transition from "samurai" to the titular "ghost" of Ghost of Tsushima.

The Changing Way of the Samurai 6g5f6z

The changes to samurai doctrine extend to more than just tactics. Ghost of Tsushima shows Jin Sakai using a classical Japanese katana in combat, but in reality, this is something of an anachronism. The design of the "Sakai blade" shown in the game would only have been in its earliest stages of development at the time of the Mongols' arrival at Tsushima.

13th-century samurai were much more likely to use the tachi, an earlier form of the Japanese sword. Reflecting the role of a samurai as a mounted warrior at the time, tachi were cavalry swords, with a more pronounced curve in their blade, ideal for slashing downward from a saddle. Tachi were slung on the armor with their edges pointed down, making them easier to draw while on horseback.

Ironically, it would be the Mongol invasions themselves that would spur development of samurai swords in the direction of the katana. Tachi-wielding samurai encountered difficulty fighting Mongol soldiers on foot. They couldn't cut through the enemy's hardened leather armor without their blades chipping and breaking. To accommodate the changing conditions of close combat, the tachi evolved into the katana. Its blade was slightly shorter and less curved, making it more suitable to stabbing as well as slashing attacks in close quarters while on foot. Rather than being hung, katana were secured with a special sash around the waist, with their edge pointing up, allowing a skilled samurai to draw the sword and cut an enemy in a single smooth motion.

Sucker Punch itself has confirmed it's aware of this historical inconsistency, itting that some equipment and techniques will appear a bit "out of time," added in service of bringing that more popular image of samurai as expert swordsmen to life. The vagueness in records surrounding what actually happened on Tsushima in those days is a convenient excuse for this sort of creative liberty-taking. Sucker Punch and other creators with stories can then claim they don't have to worry too much about contradicting historical details.

For what it's worth, trailers for Ghost of Tsushima do show Jin wearing more period-accurate armor. Some of his armor shows off the large, flat shoulder plates distinctive of the Heian and Kamakura eras of armor design. The shoulder plates were ideal for defending against arrows, in keeping with the samurai specialty of accurate marksmanship. Later armor from the sengoku period would shrink the plates on the shoulders for greater flexibility, and add thicker torso protection, thanks to the increasing spread of firearms in the 16th century.

Regardless, it'll be interesting to see what other details and research Sucker Punch chooses to incorporate in Ghost of Tsushima, and what other liberties it chooses to take.

Additional Material 2k6td

Though accessible media surrounding Tsushima and the Mongol Invasions is uncommon compared to other samurai periods, it does exist. If you're interested in seeing more, consider checking this stuff out:

(Picture credit: The Mongol Invasions of Japan 1274 and 1281, Richard Hook 2010)

The Mongol Invasions of Japan 1274 and 1281 - Part of the Campaign series of military mini-histories and written by author Stephen Turnbull, this book provides an easily accessed single-volume of both invasions, bringing information from sources on both sides of the conflict. The book is available on Amazon and via Osprey Publishing.

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

Total War: Shogun 2 - Rise of the Samurai - UK-based studio The Creative Assembly outdid themselves when they revisited the Japanese setting for their 2011 strategy game, crafting an evocative picture of Sengoku-era Japan. But the game's Rise of the Samurai expansion turns the clock back even further, to the 11th-century Gempei Wars, the wars that helped form the very idea of the samurai in the first place. The game is available on PC via Steam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbb-tCLXbS0&

Angolmois: Record of Mongol Invasion - This anime series might be the most recent, relevant, and accessible work available to anyone interested in reading more about Tsushima. Based on a manga by Nakahiro Takagi, Angolmois is quite literally a story about what happened when the Mongols attacked Tsushima in 1274. Heavily fictionalized, it plays off a folk legend of an "army" of exiles and criminals who were believed to have aided the Sou clan's warriors in resisting the Mongol occupation. In a sense, the ragtag fighters pull their own Ghost of Tsushima moment, using guerrilla tactics and subterfuge to undermine the numerically superior invaders. Angolmois is streaming on Ani-One and Crunchyroll.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xpm007vne54

13 Assassins and Zatoichi - While Ghost of Tsushima clearly aims to evoke classic samurai films with its "samurai cinema" visual modes, I'd bet the full-color work of Takeshi Miike lives closer to the game's heart. The ultraviolence of 13 Assassins and deliberate, stylized anachronisms of Zatoichi capture the same spirit as Sucker Punch's game seems to aim for: History as a mood, rather than a dry record of events.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=y46C5mtz60M

Nichiren and the Great Mongol Invasion - This 1958 film by Kunio Watanabe focuses on the adventures of Nichiren, a legendary Buddhist priest and founder of his own sect of Buddhism. While the film itself is focused more on morality plays and Nichiren himself, it does capture the sense of crisis that surely accompanied news that Japan was about to be invaded by the world superpower of the time.

Ghost of Tsushima will be released for the PS4 on July 17, 2020.

[Editor’s Note: Additional sources and details were added covering the Mongol landings at Hakata and the end of the initial invasion. Language was clarified in one point so as not to sound authoritative or suggest no records exist, as well as more clearly note that creators taking liberties with historical detail or appropriation could then claim this as an excuse, rather than the absence of detail excusing inaccuracies.]

The post Learn More About the History Behind Ghost of Tsushima (Updated) appeared first on Siliconera.

Coffee Talk, a conversation-based adventure game released on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC back in January. Players of the Xbox One version noted, though, that the game asked for some unusual permissions when first run, particularly with regard to collecting personal data. Now the developers of the Xbox One version at Chorus Worldwide (the original PC edition of the game was developed by Toge Productions) have answered players concerned about the game via a Twitter statement.

https://twitter.com/ChorusWorldwide/status/1277081885420646400

The statement clarified to concerned Xbox One s that the permissions asked are a "default behavior" resulting from the way Chorus Worldwide developed the Xbox One port of Coffee Talk. This version used the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) framework, a development framework created by Microsoft for Windows 10, and intended to make Windows programs easier to standardize, install, and manage from the Microsoft Store. UWP also makes it easier to unify builds across Xbox One and Windows, which drove Chorus' decision to use UWP for Coffee Talk on Xbox One. Unfortunately, despite the fact that Coffee Talk itself uses no personal data, UWP requires that data permission be given in order to save the game and achievements, and they can't be chaned, even after Chorus consulted with the Xbox developer team. This has led to a situation where some players, if they rejected permission initially, would not be allowed to save their game or achievements even if they accepted again later on.

Chorus apologized for the situation, and reaffirmed that they did not collect personal data at all, regardless of permissions given. Further, they took full responsibility, since the decision to use UWP in the first place was theirs and not the decision of Toge Productions. They pledged not to use the UWP framework in future Xbox One projects, including their next, The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters. In the meantime, they are currently investigating if Coffee Talk can be re-ported using another method than UWP, though they cautioned that such a solution might mean that the game may need to be re-released under a different app ID, potentially endangering players' saves and achievement data (which is tied to the app ID of the game).

Coffee Talk is available now on PC, Xbox One, Switch, and PS4.

The post Developers Explain Why Coffee Talk Xbox One Asks for Personal Data appeared first on Siliconera.

The first New Game+ Expo brings with it news of one of Aksys' latest, Tin & Kuna. The 3D platformer is due for a Fall 2020 release on "all platforms" (meaning the PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch).

Players will spin and smash through the world of Tin & Kuna, controlling cutesy characters as they fight the powers of Chaos.

Check out the teaser trailer Aksys released in April:

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

Kuna is a purple creature of sorts, that looks a bit like a hybrid of bear and turtle. They're able to roll into a ball-like shape to get around, over, and through obstacles and enemies. Collecting power crystals will unlock new abilities, like the ability to catch on fire and attach to magnetic objects. The game also promises additional story paths, as taking Kuna to the "Prime Orb" will unlock a new adventure with a new playable character: Tin.

The gameplay trailer revealed at New Game+ Expo also reveals more of the pinball-like aspects of Tin & Kuna's gameplay, as Kuna drags along a large object and scales a vertical wall via platforms:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OabA3LbcjlU

Tin & Kuna is due out in Fall 2020, with a suggested pricing of $29.99 on PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Switch.

The post Tin & Kuna Comes to All Platforms in Fall 2020 appeared first on Siliconera.

F, Harmonix's next rhythm game, aims to give players a great deal of control over the music they play and create. Through mixing aspects of various songs together, players can creating compelling songs that let them express themselves in song as they strive to break high scores.

Siliconera spoke with Harmonix's Dan Sussman at PAX East to learn more about what led to the studio taking rhythm games in this new direction, the challenges that can come from a more creativity approach, and the unique difficulties that come from licensing songs for such a unique music title.

Joel Couture, Siliconera: What prompted this exploration of being a DJ?

Dan Sussman, Harmonix: I feel like Harmonix's special sauce is looking at how people are interacting with music and what's going on in pop culture, then channeling that into an interactive experience. We're done that multiple times over the years, whether you're talking about the Guitar Hero phenomenon or Rock Band or Dance Central.

I think about F as the next big evolutionary leap in the history of Harmonix. I started on Frequency and I see how it informed decisions we made about Amplitude, how that gameplay lead to Guitar Hero, and how that lead to Rock Band. I think about Fantasia: Music Evolved and how that asked the question "Can we do more with player choice and player agency?" Then, we reach DropMix, and here we are.

I feel like there are two really interesting things going on. One is that players and music fans have more access than ever before to everything. So, you think about tastes and what people like, and people have really broad, eclectic tastes now because they're not boxed in by budget or availability. You can just go on YouTube and find whatever it is that you want. I feel like that is one huge element of the F experience: breaking down the genre boundaries. You can say "Oh, I like Blue Oyster Cult AND Billie Eilish!" and that is normal.

The other part has to do with player choice and creative agency. I think that players now don't really want to be told exactly what to do. They want to be able to express themselves and mess around. I think F s that in the context of a game. There is a lot of skill and we're seeing that right now with our live demos, where we're seeing staff showcasing their skills and ability to hit timing - make the right drop at the right time - and understand where you are in that loop. There's a whole campaign that brings you in to that headspace.

That's a long answer, but it's a deep question. We're here today as a result of twenty+ years of making music games and trying to understand what people want and how we give them that.

F focuses on letting players be creative with the music. How difficult was it to create systems that allowed them to do this?

Sussman: It's impossible [laughs]. Well, it's not impossible. We're doing it. That is the hardest thing: managing directed play on one side (which is critical for any game) with creative agency. The line that we try to walk is that we basically look at your skill as a performer as a function of objective scored gameplay. Are you dropping on the beat?  Are you leveraging the whole toolkit? Are you moving things out and into the mix and flow. That's all stuff we can measure and give you a score on.

What we don't want to do is say: "Your song sucks!" The game will never tell you that your mix is bad. It's really up to you. If you want to put whatever vocals down, you do you. At the same time, we want to make sure players are getting into the content and getting into the interface and the framework so that they can make informed decisions. That's kind of the split: the subjective part of your mix is totally up to you, and your objective scoring is all about your skill as a DJ.

Does that create any challenges with progression?

Sussman:  Yeah. I think progression in a game like this is critical. There's progression as it relates to access to some of the second-order mechanics - things you can do, as well as the content you'll earn over time.

What I've seen, in respect to Rock Band, is that songs are almost disposable. You play a song, you get your five-star score, and you move on to the next. Here, a big part of your skill as a F player is really getting to know that loop. Knowing when the whistle comes in during the All Star vocals. When the DUH comes in during the Billie Eilish vocals. Being able to drop for that one moment. That's a thing that happens over time. The pacing is really important in of our ability to really put you into these loops and make sure that you're spending enough time with them to really understand the ins and outs. Then, when you get new songs, it's super refreshing.

Speaking of that, I can't tell you how happy I'm going to be to go back to the office and play a build that has more than these sixteen tracks [laughs]. [NOTE: The PAX East build contained sixteen tracks, which were played for the full four days of the convention]

After four days of the event, it's probably getting old.

Sussman: I mean, it's been really invigorating to watch people have fun with it. I feel like the other piece is that every performer that we've had on our PAX East stage, and every mix that's happening in the PAX demo, is unique from every other one.

It's fun. The soundtrack is going to have over a hundred songs. There's so much variety and choice in the player's performance. I think it's going to take a long time for players to get bored.

I think it's interesting that you have created a system where players can put a lot of work into perfecting their play, while casual players can also pick it up easily and enjoy its systems.

Sussman: The pace is very different from the other games that we've made where you're thinking that you've just got to press the right button at the right time. I describe the gameplay here more as a plate-spinning mechanic; your job as a DJ is to pay attention to the crowd, pay attention to the goals and your objectives as a player, and also make it sound good. You're managing a lot of things and if you get distracted on one thing, you might lose. But that's okay. There's a very different kind of skill curve to a game like this than there has been for a lot of our other titles.

It seems very welcoming for new players.

Sussman: Yeah! I think that a lot of our best work has reset the bar with respect to skill. I had this funny experience with Rock Band 4 back in 2015. It's a new game, but it's Rock Band with very traditional Rock Band gameplay. You watch people come in and fire up Expert, and they crush it because they've been playing this game for ten years. We're not seeing that here. Everybody is coming in at zero skill level. They're going to have to build that skill up over the course of the game, and everybody's starting from square one. That, to me, is very refreshing.

Everything I'm seeing is showing me that the universe is ready for a new music game. I was talking about how people were interacting with music, and it seems like the way that people think about interactivity and gaming, with respect to music, has been kind of the same. When you ask people to define what a music game is, they're going to go back to a rhythm action experience.  I feel like it doesn't have to be that. What we're seeing here is that people are really ready for something different.

I love rhythm action games and I'm not trying to take anything away! I just think it's awesome that there's something new. And we're seeing the response! Our fantasy of performing in front of a crowd - spinning a set at this music festival - is resonant. I think that it's something people relate to. I do! I relate to it! It's a fantasy that I'm all in on, and it's really fun!

How does F add mechanically to what was in DropMix's party mode to make it a deeper, more engaging experience?

Sussman: I think what's unique about F is the degree to which the fantasy and the gameplay is directly in line with what makes F so interesting. The gameplay is all about the music. The fantasy is all about the music. I worked on DropMix - great team, really innovative product. The gameplay and music were incidental. The point of the game was not to make a good mix. The point of the game was to get more points and defeat your opponent using strategy (maybe with a little bit of luck). It was a CCG, really.

I love the degree to which F is doubling down on music mixing and gameplay and fantasy fulfillment. All of those one another in a way I think is really awesome.

Will any of Harmonix's house bands and original tunes be available in F, or is purely licensed music?

Sussman: I'm going to give you a somewhat evasive answer on that. We've got sixteen songs here in the PAX demo, we have a soundtrack of over a hundred, and I will say that Harmonix has a long history and tradition of shining a light on some of our friends in the business, and this will be no different. We have a really interesting music conversation that will unfold over the next couple of months.

How did the deal with NCSoft come together?

Sussman: NCSoft saw this game early on, fell in love, and it's been an amazing partnership. They've been awesome. They made our PAX booth and appearance happen. It's gone extremely well. I feel that their skills and expertise is a really strong compliment to ours. They're a big, super powerful publisher and we're a super-talented developer. It's a really good mix. And, for me, it all comes down to your ion for the product. They're one hundred percent sold on what we're trying to do here. As are we. It's been really fun to work with them. It's been easy.

How has licensing music changed since the early days of Guitar Hero and Rock Band?

Sussman: I mean, we're the best in the business as it relates to music licensing. We know what we're doing there. We have a staff that has all of the relationships. Still, this is a challenging game to license for because our ask is super aggressive. Not only are we asking artists to give us permission to mix their songs with other songs, but we're also saving those songs and sharing them to socials. It's kind of outrageous, and some people are really into it and others aren't, and that's just how it works. It's been great.

F is coming to Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC in Fall 2020.

The post Harmonix Talks About Letting Players Get Creative With F appeared first on Siliconera.

Black Desert Online will begin ing cross platform play between both its PlayStation 4 and Xbox One version on March 4. [Thanks, 4Gamer!]

This comes exactly one year after the Xbox One release of the Pearl Abyss MMORPG. In addition to this, additional languages will be added to the Xbox One version of the game. These include Japanese, Korean, and both Traditional and Simplified Chinese. For more details you can read the press release below. This will be the first time these languages will be available for the Xbox One version of the game.

Cross play will also allow players from both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions of the game to the same guilds, use the same markets, and have access to the same content, as stated by the official Black Desert website. However, because of this server merge, players will the same "family" names will have their names slightly modified to allow for the servers to merge smoothly. Don't worry though, Black Desert Online will be supplying these players with free name change vouchers so you will be able to change your name for free if you are one of the players effected.

In 2018 Black Desert Online's Remastered patch went live. This included a higher graphics setting and remastered audios. A interface overhaul was also included in this update patch.

There is no word if cross platform play will be implemented between the console versions and PC.

Black Desert Online is available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

The post Black Desert Online to Cross Platform Play Between Console Versions appeared first on Siliconera.

A Hat in Time will have players stitching an array of different hats for themselves to gain useful powers that will let them traverse the 3D platformer’s wild, vibrant, cheerful lands.

A Hat in Time follows the spacefaring Hat Kid, who has found herself trapped on a varied world after her starship loses its fuel, the Time Pieces, which has become scattered on this planet. The Time Pieces are all over the place, and to get them back, players will have to platform through perilous landscapes, leading bands through their music, solving murders on a train, and helping out wherever they can.

Hat Kid is more than capable of getting around these locations, able to do several types of jump, swing over gaps, and climb up walls. When those powers aren’t enough, players can help her by collecting magic yarn that can be made into a variety of different helpful hats. These will let Hat Kid cook explosive potions with the Witch Hat, peer into alternate worlds with the Ghost Hat, and more. Not only this, but players can add collectible badges to their hats to increase their power even further.

A Hat in Time’s five worlds of cute platforming and collectibles are available now on PS4, Xbox One, and Steam.

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Back in 2014, an Indiegogo campaign for a sequel to the 1994 cult-classic Shaq-Fu reached $458,000 from 1339 backers, and a trailer for the game was later shown off in 2015 at The Game Awards. However, not much about the sequel, Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn, had been heard of until now.

Speaking with Nintendo Everything, Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch has confirmed that Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn will be coming to the Nintendo Switch. During its time featured on Indiegogo, the game had gained enough funds for a Wii U version, though it is unclear at this point if the Switch version will replace this or if both versions will see production.

In addition, though a large window of time ed of not hearing much from the game, Karch did assure that it was still in the works, with Shaquille O’Neal already having finished all of his voice work.

Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn is set to release for PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, and the Nintendo Switch, though exact release date has been revealed.

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Silly medieval shmup Gryphon Knight Epic pits players against waves of enemies, huge bosses, and other beast riders on PS4 on March 29 and Xbox One March 30.

Previously released on Steam, Gryphon Knight Epic has players fighting against their former rider allies, trying to discover what would make the other beast riders turn evil across eight stages. With each hero they defeat, players will gain access to that hero’s weapon, getting new abilities over the course of the game.

Items and equipment can also be found during the sidescrolling stages, giving players even more abilities if they manage to locate them during the firefights.

The post Duel Opposing Beast Riders In Shmup Gryphon Knight Epic appeared first on Siliconera.

Catlateral Damage, where players are cats and must knock all of their owner’s things on the floor as fast as they can, is coming to PS4 on March 22.

Catlateral Damage offers two different modes to channel your feline destructive tendencies. Objective Mode tasks players with doing as much damage as possible within a time limit, and Litterbox Mode lets players freely cause destruction for as long as they like.

Each stage, which can be based in places like mansions, homes, supermarkets, and museums, are randomly generated to ensure a new chaotic experience on each playthrough.

The post Catlateral Damage Brings Home Wrecking To PS4 March 22 appeared first on Siliconera.

With as big and busy as the PlayStation Experience was, I decided to spend a lot of my time looking at the booths and kiosks that weren't as packed. It was because of this that I found what I believe was the biggest surprise at the show. Namely, that Zeboyd Games' Cosmic Star Heroine had a playable demo at the event. Despite being about halfway through the development processes, with the developer at the point where they have the basic structure and engine build and are working to get the content put together, a sampling of what to expect was there.

Ever since I heard Zeboyd Games' Kickstarter pitch, talking about how Cosmic Star Heroine would take inspiration from games like Chrono Trigger and Suikoden II, I've been excited about the endeavor. I've been dying to see more about it, and there it was. True, it was a build running on a PC, but that didn't matter. It was there in a playable form, with three of the 11 playable party before me.

The Cosmic Star Heroine demo began with Alyssa and two of her team, Chahn and Dave, heading to a planet to explore an abandoned facility. The three quickly learn they aren't the only people there, as a group of terrorists is nearby. Not to mention, the planet is full of hostile, native creatures. It isn't a good place to be.

Which was evidenced both in the number of hostile creatures roaming around, as well as the forboding ambiance. Cosmic Star Heroine was very clearly channeling Chrono Trigger, with its detailed character sprites and environments, as well as a system where enemies appear on the field and wandering into their range instantly triggers a turn-based battle on the spot.

The actual battle system, however, is totally original and makes a lot of sense. Each character has a number of skills or actions they can use. Alyssa is a standard, balanced character with standard attacks, a water spell, a ability, and a healing ability. Chahn is a healer and master of gunmancy, summoning guns for attacks. Dave uses lightning spells, but can also hack the environment to help allies/attack enemies and use various abilities. The thing is, most non-standard abilities can be used once before the character has to recharge. It makes sense, because you wouldn't be able to spam certain attacks in real life.

Cosmic Star Heroine also relies on "style". Attacking successfully and other skills boost style, which increases damage output and chance of status effects being inflicted on enemies. Being knocked out depletes style completely, so a big part of battles in even the demo involved boosting character's style for big rewards. For example, in the boss fight I made frequent use of Alyssa's Inspiration ability to make her allies' attacks stronger and Dave's Grind ability to up his style.

What I really liked about the Cosmic Star Heroine PSX demo, though, was the attention to detail. Even though this was a demo built for the event, Zeboyd Games went out of their way to put personality into it. Early on in the demo, Alyssa and her team discover a bomb that is poisoning the planet. Alyssa wonders if someone could tweak it so it heals, rather than hurts. Dave said good luck finding someone who would willingly do so, working under harsh conditions. It felt like a hint at a future sidequest.

Even the treasure chests had meanings. There was nothing in any of them, given this was a demo where I couldn't change equipment or use items, but each had a special message. One had Alyssa finding cat ears, which she decided she'd rather not wear. Another was a matryoshka chest, filled with many smaller ones. There was even a chest with a PlayStation Experience flyer in it. It was the little things that added personality and style.

Even the demo's ending was forboding. Once someone beat the boss, they were treated to a little segment suggesting the encounter wasn't the end, and found Alyssa separated from her team and on her own. Oh, those cliffhangers!

There was only downside, and it was something Zeboyd Games' Bill Stiernberg said they would be fixing in the final build. At one point in the demo, a gun could be acquired for Chahn that added a new ability. It also allowed trees to be cut down in the map area to create new paths. The thing is, it wasn't obvious how it worked outside of battle, and I had to have it pointed out to figure out what I needed to do next. Fortunately, none of you will have to worry about that happening to you.

Before you move on to other articles, let me share two more Cosmic Star Heroine tidbits. First, Zeboyd Games mentioned it would like it to be a cross-buy title, since the game is coming to the PS4 and Vita. Second, the team hopes to have cameos of characters from previous games, like Cthulhu Saves the World and Breath of Death VII, perhaps even having them as recruitable agents. Keep that in mind, and perhaps let it keep you hyped about what I think could shape up to be Zeboyd's best game.

The post Cosmic Star Heroine Was An Unexpected PSX Surprise appeared first on Siliconera.

Sorry, Hayden Panettiere. Your character died in Until Dawn and it's all my fault. I thought I was making the right choices, taking into the things I've learned from watching horror movies and playing games like Silent Hill 3 and Fatal Frame. I was wrong.

The demo began with a few questions. Until Dawn wanted to know what scared me, and would take that into consideration with the game. It knew I was more afraid of crowds than the dark and that needles terrified me. The former wasn't taken into , but I quickly saw the second was.

As Samantha and her magic towel's story began in a bathtub. Though, I must say, Until Dawn lampshaded the idea. I was able to have her search the bathroom, and come across a single sock that had been left behind. So it wasn't that she chose not to dress, she couldn't. The boogieman is a pervert, I guess.

She roamed the lodge, searching for her friends and calling them out on what she believed was their "prank." As she did, I couldn't help but notice the little details. A grandfather clock sounded the hour, scaring Sam and making me jump. Red balloons with arrows guided her way. When one loosed itself from the banister and floated skyward, I stopped to see what would happen. Nothing did, but it was a nice touch.

Then, the hunt began. I followed the guideline set up in the keynote's demo. I threw the vase. I jumped over the bed. A door was pushed down. I didn't bother trying to hide in the cellar, I ran again. When I reached the door without a handle, I pulled down the wine rack. However, my undoing was nigh. I reached a point where I had gained the advantage and had a lead. I could run, or hide. I chose to run, since it had been working so well for me.

That was it. The masked man was waiting, grabbed Sam, and injected a syringe of something straight into her heart. A butterfly icon appeared in the upper left corner, indicating I had made a choice that mattered and would make a greater implication on the story.

Sam died, but I feel it was worth it. The fact that there are so many possibilities available in Until Dawn when it comes makes me feel as though deaths won't matter if they happen. It felt akin to visual novels, except one where even if the "wrong" choices are made, you would still want to see the result.

The post Until Dawn Changes The Game Based On Your Fears appeared first on Siliconera.

I'm not good at stealth games. If I'm playing one, my characters are going to die. I feel bad for them, but they knew what they were getting into when they placed their virtual lives in my hands. Knowing how those kinds of games frustrate me and the challenge they present, I can't help but crave The Order: 1886.

It's the ambiance. We saw a fantastic example of it during the PlayStation Experience keynote, where player saw a snippet of a mission they could experience on the show floor. It looked stunning in the trailer, more like an FMV someone was pretending to play, rather than actual gameplay. Yet, it was real. That was how The Order: 1886 looked in real life.

I saw it myself, the moment I had a chance to play The Order: 1886. It's striking. Even the demo astonished me. While I love the look of PS4 and Xbox One games, I can't get over the uncanny valley aspect of it. It nearly made me question my romancing of Solas in Dragon Age: Inquisition. But here, with The Order: 1886, there was no awkwardness. Everyone looked amazing.

Do you know what struck me, as I began playing? When Galahad rappeled down the Agamemnon, you could see his feet rest on the blimp and leave impressions. I almost wished I could control how far he would jump, because I loved seeing the impressions and shadows. I never thought I would marvel at lighting in a game, but I did in The Order: 1886.

I couldn't help but wonder if the ambiance even helped my performance. As I said earlier, I'm not very good at stealth games. With shooters, I only excel if I set it to super-idiot-baby mode. With The Order: 1886, I found myself being pulled in and forced to pay more attention in the nicest ways. I dawdled during my initial exploration of the Agamemnon, because I was marveling at the inside of the blimp. I stopped and pored over a music box, on the off chance it had something to do with the story.

When it came time to sneak past guards, I feel like The Order: 1886 made it easier to be patient. The score is incredible. The lush, elaborate orchestrals mesmerized me, yet also seemed to help me focus. I felt like it almost helped me control my pace when I was creeping around.

The same happened with action segments. As I played The Order: 1886 demo, I feel like it helped me understand why I don't do as well in some third-person shooter and stealth games. The fact that I was taking things slow, to enjoy the music and sights, made me realize I sometimes rush through other games.

I enjoyed The Order: 1886 at the PlayStation Experience, but I have to be honest. I feel as though I will enjoy it much more when I can play at a far more relaxed pace. I know tense segments await and this is an action game, but this taste makes me think I'll love this game for the world Ready At Dawn is creating.

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