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Adventure games like Wytchwood soothe my soul. It's like being wrapped up in a warm blanket and eating butter tarts that are just slightly cooled on a wintry day. They often feature interesting characters on personal quests, which are ultimately ones of self-discovery. So it's no surprise that when I first learned of Wytchwood back during E3 this year it was immediately added to all of my wishlists.

Our Witch wakes up from a deep slumber to find a goat destroying her little chunk of swamp. But this is no ordinary goat. It refuses to leave until the Witch completes her contract with him. As soon as she brings him the souls of twelve troublemaking animals, he'll trot back to wherever he belongs. This means traveling through eight different areas of the world to track down manipulative jerks and get back to what's really important. (Which is making potions from her grimoire and taking naps.)

In this case, Wytchwood blends what I love about the action adventure genre and adds a crafting element to the mix. You need to know your ABCs: Always Be Collecting/Crafting. Plenty of crafting items can be harvested from your surroundings. You'll also collect items from any wildlife you trap and pesky creatures running amok. Learning new recipes is easy peasy. The Witch's eyesight reveals weaknesses and other useful information. If there's a unique item to deliver for a quest, the recipe will reveal itself should you not already have it.

The ingredients you need might not always be local. For example, you won't find dryad hearts in the graveyard. Nor are newts hanging out in the fields. If you ever find yourself trying to where you collected that one missing item you need, highlighting it within the grimoire shows where to find it. If it's another craftable item, it's just a quick button press away. It feels like flipping the pages in a cookbook.

Exploring these areas is just wonderful. Nothing ever seems too cluttered or too barren. NPCs bustle around the city and its surrounding hubs, while the rural locales have very few people to talk to. Resources littering each section respawn at a decent rate. Which is great for farming common items like twigs (which I always seemed to need). None of the areas are too large. Finding where it is you need to go doesn't require ten minutes of backtracking if you had to leave to find an ingredient. It's all scored with an absolutely lovely soundtrack that perfectly fits every area visited.

I truly appreciate the way Alientrap's writers wove these well-knowns fables into new takes for Wytchwood. The Witch does not suffer fools, but she will lend them a hand if it means erasing her debt. This makes for some entertaining dialogue and witticisms sure to leave you grinning. The twist on the "Three Little Pigs," for example, might just be one of my favorite rewrites ever. The fact that you are free to complete the four missions within each act in the order you like is perfect. Sometimes, all you want is a little guidance and not a strict path to follow. This allowed me to advance each segment of the story as I crafted pertinent items. There is no pressure to stick to one soul's tale at a time.

If you want the TD;LR version, here's my elevator pitch: DeathSpank and Don't Starve tossed in a blender with a dash of Grimm's for good measure. It's quirky, funny, encourages exploration and discovery, and is a great way to spend some time if you are feeling a bit burnt out on huge open world games.

Wytchwood is available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and PC.

The post Wytchwood’s Twisted Tale Conjures Up a Good Time appeared first on Siliconera.

The Xbox website was updated with a new blog post from Xbox head Phil Spencer. It's essentially a Xbox Series X rundown, comprising a list of information about the next-generation platform and a list of promises from the Xbox team. Most of the information is centered around the services Microsoft's Xbox division is offering, which third parties have to choose to opt into. The post also includes a new announcement concerning the Project xCloud streaming service and its inclusion with Xbox Game Ultimate, which is good news for anyone planning to look into that.

Spencer started off the post by stating, "You Are the Future of Gaming." What that means, if you sift through the friendly marketing language, is that Microsoft is showing its hand with a focus (at least initially) on being as consumer-friendly as possible considering the impending debut of new hardware. This will include making additions to the Xbox Game service, making an effort to have more accessory compatibility, and Smart Delivery improvements.

The big news here is that in September 2020, Project xCloud will be rolled out as an included part of Xbox Game Ultimate, which already combines Game with Xbox Live Gold. Spencer also confirmed accessories like the Elite Controller or Adaptive Controller will work with Series X out of the box, and backwards compatibility will include any Xbox One game that doesn't require Kinect on day one. That's the plan, and the plan is also for older games from previous gens to look, run, and play better on Xbox Series X.

There's a lot of information in the post and a lot of it serves as a Xbox Series X rundown of information that isn't necessarily news, but the above seem to be the major highlights.

Xbox Series X will launch later in 2020.

The post Xbox Game Ultimate Will Include Project xCloud appeared first on Siliconera.

Alfa System’s most recent shooter and Castle of Shikigami successor is back again. A Sisters Royale Xbox One port has been confirmed. People will be able to shoot things up with five sisters who all have various magical abilities on July 10, 2020. It will cost $13.99/€13.99/£11.74.

In case you haven’t seen it before, here’s an older teaser trailer showing what Sisters Royale looks like. You can see the shoot’em up in action, hear a bit of its soundtrack, see the different sisters’ bullet patterns and special attacks. Since it isn’t an English version of the trailer, the story segments are in Japanese.

Since it isn’t an English version of the trailer, the story segments are in Japanese. The basic premise is that there are five sisters who are supposed to save the world. The problem is, they can’t stand each other. Also, they are all in love with the same man. When you choose a playable character, you’re picking which heroine you’ll in her journey to beat up her sisters and maybe win Yashin’s love. (And maybe you’ll also still save the world along the way?)

The Sisters Royale Xbox One version will arrive on July 10, 2020. The game is immediately available on the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, and it even received a physical run.

The post Alfa System’ Sisters Royale Xbox One Port Arrives July 10, 2020 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.

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Title Update 4 is scheduled to release in early July 2020. Title Update 4 was originally scheduled to release in May 2020. After being delayed due to concerns surrounding COVID-19, the fourth Title Update now has an updated window of release. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

Title Update 4 will add fan favorite Alatreon to the already impressive roster of Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. With the addition of the Legendary Dragon, players will be able to craft weapons and armor out of Alatreon materials. Other content will be included in the update, as shown on the Monster Hunter World: Iceborne’s 2020 Title Update Roap, but the developers haven't specified what that content will be.

Since the release of Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, the developers have consistently added free updates to the game. This includes the addition of classic monsters (and their variants) like the Furious Rajang, Arch-Tempered Namielle, Raging Brachydios, and more. In addition to this, recent updates have added more layered weapon and armor choices, allowing players to dress their best and hunt in style. More monsters will be added to Monster Hunter World: Iceborne in future updates as well.

Monster Hunter World and its expansion, Iceborne, are available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.

The post Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Title Update 4 is Scheduled to Release in Early July 2020 appeared first on Siliconera.

Bandai Namco has revealed the next effort in its ongoing bid to dominate action games with an anime-style aesthetic with its newest original title, Scarlet Nexus. Revealed in a trailer during Microsoft's May 2020 Inside Xbox livestream, the game promises "Brain Punk" action antics and a story from staff involved with Tales of Vesperia. The main character appears to be a young man named Yuito Sumeragi. He's a member of the OSF, an elite group of psychic soldiers charged with destroying the "Others," monsters that can't be harmed through normal means.

Here's a trailer for Scarlet Nexus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyCdiZ10Tgc

As a teaser, this doesn't show much in the way of actual Scarlet Nexus gameplay, but emphasizes a lot of flashy finishing moves as Yuito uses his powers to weaponize debris, form energy blades, and chop up baddies. Visually, the game appears to have a sci-fi, cyberpunk aesthetic going for it, with lots of neon, urban wear, and holographic doo-dads. It's a departure from the gothic stylings of Code Vein and the apocalyptic fashion of God Eater, two other Bandai Namco anime-style action titles.

Scarlet Nexus is due out on both Xbox One and Xbox Series X. It'll be compatible with 4K resolutions on the Xbox Series X, but not the Xbox One or Xbox One S. The game will use Microsoft's "Smart Delivery" system, an upgrade program of sorts similar to PlayStation's "cross-buy" functionality. Smart Delivery will automatically upgrade Xbox One copies of Scarlet Nexus to the Xbox Series X version, if the owner decides to purchase the new console, and vice versa. Other Smart Delivery-compatible games include Yakuza: Like A Dragon and Assassin's Creed: Valhalla.

The post Scarlet Nexus Brings Telekinetic Anime Action to the Xbox Series X appeared first on Siliconera.

Nightdive Studios revealed that DOOM 64’s port will include an exciting new chapter in addition to many quality of life updates. Fans might know Nightdive as the team working on the System Shock remake, which is expected to release sometime in 2020.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtvHGrPyJw8

The new chapter will take place shortly after Doomguy's campaign ends in the main game. Here's a quote from James Hailey, Nightdive Studio Senior Developer, about what players can look forward to:

On our end, persistent players will have the opportunity to unlock a new chapter in the Doomguy's saga, taking place shortly after [DOOM 64's] original campaign concludes. The Mother Demon you defeated in that outing had a sister, and since you've been mes Hell non-stop, she tries to get rid of you by sending you away. If you can make your way back and take revenge, you’ll be rewarded with a bit of lore that fans of both series, new and classic, should enjoy.

Originally, DOOM 64 released in 1997 for the Nintendo 64. For many players, this will be their first time to play the game. It was designed, in many ways, as a sequel to DOOM 2. Also, DOOM 64 was originally developed by Midway.

DOOM 64, like DOOM 2, has darker levels and a strong, foreboding ambient soundtrack. That atmosphere and story will be expanded up with this exclusive new chapter in the port as DOOM 64 continues its dive back into Hell.

DOOM 64 will have a lot of quality of life upgrades. Players can choose to run the game at 120 FPS or even go beyond 1000 FPS. Furthermore, players old and new will be able to finally experience DOOM 64 as a PC game too. This mode should feel familiar to classic DOOM players. PlayStation 4 players can use the touchpad to navigate the automap, and Switch players can use the touchscreen to do the same. Additionally, Xbox One players can hook up a keyboard and mouse for a PC-like feeling.

Other quality of life upgrades include an over 60 Hz refresh rate, motion controls, and autorun features. Also, you'll find reduced input lag, new brightness settings and the ability to change the blood from red to green. Originally, only the Japanese release had this ability. Now, we’ll all have a chance to tinker around in-game.

DOOM 64 will release on March 20, 2020. It’ll be coming to the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, and Xbox One and is a DOOM Eternal preorder incentive.

The post Doom 64 Port Will Include a New Chapter and Quality of Life Updates 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.

Bandai Namco released a new trailer that showcases new playable characters with Metal Knight, Stinger, and Melzargard. It also revealed a new release date for Japan.

Update: Bandai Namco announced that the game is coming out in the West on February 28, 2020:

In addition to Metal Knight, Stinger, and Melzargard, the video shows Saitama sporting his PJs as a special outfit.

If you were curious about how the game plays, Saitama has a unique mechanic as part of the “Arrival System” where you basically have to keep fighting until time runs out and he shows up to dummy the other team. You can read more about that in our previous report.

One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows releases in Japan on February 27, 2020 for PlayStation 4. It’ll release worldwide in 2020 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The game also borrowed elements from Jump Force, which you can read about here.

The post One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows Releases In Japan On February 27, In The West On February 28, 2020 appeared first on Siliconera.