Mar 2, 2018 | Game ON news

Friday, March 2, 2018

News:: Final Fantasy XIV now has a Dragon Ball style power-up emote

Square Enix packs a ton of regularly updated content into Final Fantasy XIV via patches, but they occasionally also craft some great premium cosmetics. While I haven't purchased anything yet from the store myself, a few of the new offerings -- the power-up emote, songbird emote, two new outfits, and the eastern cherry petal pile/Little Ladies' Day poster are tempting.

Most of these are on-theme to celebrate the Little Ladies Day event, which kicked off on March 1, and will run through March 14. Power-up, which you could probably tell from the above image, is heavily influenced by shonen anime and Dragon Ball in particular. $7 is a hefty sum for an emote (which is why I never really feel inclined to buy premium items when the free event rewards suffice), but I know a handful of people who are already enjoying it and have built glamours (appearances) around it.

It's just one of XIV's many anime influences, which include Super Sentai emotes, Garo crossover gear, and Yo-Kai Watch weapons, minions, and a Whisper mount.

Power-Up [MogStation]

Final Fantasy XIV now has a Dragon Ball style power-up emote screenshot

News:: Is World your first Monster Hunter game?

If Monster Hunter: World is your first Monster Hunter game, you may have occasionally seen this question floating around: what was your first Monster Hunter game and what weapon did you start with? It's interesting. While I haven't seen this bit of trivia confirmed, it's widely believed that the fifth fleet you're apart of in World represents the fifth generation of the Monster Hunter series, and each fleet before it represents the previous generations of the game.

For example, the first fleet hunters in the game like the Commander and the Huntsman are tired, grizzled veterans who have done it all, like the players who started playing the games way back when. The third fleet is composed of researchers and scholars, just like how Monster Hunter Tri brought lots of online resources like the wiki and Kiranico.

Is World your first Monster Hunter game? screenshot

News:: Myst studio Cyan's latest adventure is Firmament

Cyan could continue making puzzle-rich worlds indefinitely and you wouldn't hear any complaints from me. The maker of Myst and Obduction has unveiled its next project, Firmament.

The teaser focuses on a frigid mountainous landscape, but the official site curiously describes the game as "a monumental voyage through four diverse and curious realms, working in concert with an ever-present, clockwork companion, and the support and instruction of a long-dead, ethereal mentor."

There's also the ominous tease that "everything is not as it seems." While the studio describes this as a "new VR experience" on YouTube, platforms and a release window aren't yet known.

Myst studio Cyan's latest adventure is Firmament screenshot

News:: Contest: Win a copy of Immortal Redneck!

I'm trapped in an otherworldly, eternal realm. In this realm, I am unable to think. Breathe. Eat. Sleep. There is only one thing here:

Giving away games to Dtoiders!

Today we've got fifteen copies of Immortal Redneck (five apiece for Xbox One, PS4 NA, and PS4 EU) to give out. Resident ReviewBot 8000 Chris Carter recently used his complex cognitive algorithms to judge the game as Great, monotonously and robotically quipping, "Immortal Redneck's loop is dead simple: play some, upgrade, play more, buy the item that lets you skip past the mid-boss, play some, upgrade, then confront the final boss. But you know what -- it's a blast, and I never really thought of any of the above as work."

I guess you could say it's Chris-tested, ReviewBot-approved!

Contest: Win a copy of Immortal Redneck! screenshot

News:: The most passionate Mega Man fan community is holding a fun contest to finish the ending for Legends 2

Mega Man Legends 2 came out in 2000, and since then we haven't had a real resolution to its cliffhanger of Mega Man being stranded on the moon (Elysium). We almost got Mega Man Legends 3, but it was infamously canceled and the Blue Bomber as a whole was put on ice shortly after.

After running many events since its inception in 2012, fan group Get Me Off The Moon (also known as 100,000 Strong) is taking the opportunity to run a fun little contest -- resolve the cliffhanger yourself. If you win, you'll net a Bad Mega Man Volnutt 4Inch-Nel figure, an 11" by 17" poster of the 20th anniversary Legends artwork commissioned from Bonus Level, and a 13" bead sprite of Volnutt's sprite from Namco X Capcom. The Nel is a New York Comic Con exclusive, and generally runs around $90 on the open market.

Entries can be "a fan fiction, comic, playable fan-game, audio drama, a piece of animation...anything you want." In case you forgot how Mega Man Legends 2 ended, you can watch it here, and be sure to check out all the rules if you want to enter the contest.

Get Me off the Moon [Facebook via Rockman Corner]

The most passionate Mega Man fan community is holding a fun contest to finish the ending for Legends 2 screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/the-most-passionate-mega-man-fan-community-is-holding-a-fun-contest-to-finish-the-ending-for-legends-2-492492.phtml

News:: You'll prey on humans in the sci-fi horror game Carrion

We're so often the ones fighting against monsters in games that whenever there's an opportunity to change roles, I've got to relish it. Carrion from Phobia Game Studio is pitched as a "reverse horror game," and it calls to mind a short but immensely cathartic sequence in Playdead's Inside.

Playing as a tentacled alien creature, you'll snatch people up, tear them apart, and just generally make a huge mess of things. The destroy-all-humans premise works for me, but the trick will be having environments that make the most out of that carnage. This pre-alpha footage shows promise.

Carrion will be playable later this month at The Mix in San Francisco.

You'll prey on humans in the sci-fi horror game Carrion screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/you-ll-prey-on-humans-in-the-sci-fi-horror-game-carrion-492528.phtml

News:: Twitch clarifies its updated guidelines in new FAQ

Last month, Twitch announced that it would be updating its community guidelines in order to clarify its policies on harassment, hate speech and sexual content. But while they were initially set to go into effect on February 19th, Twitch decided to push that date back to March 5th in light of all of the questions it received over the new guidelines. At the time, Twitch said, "It's important [the guidelines] are clear to everyone and we need to better explain some sections, so we're pushing back enforcement to start March 5." It also said it was working on an updated FAQ regarding the guidelines, and today, Twitch released it.

Source: Twitch

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/03/02/twitch-clarifies-guidelines-in-new-faq/

News:: Review: Retro-Bit Super Retro Trio Plus

Clone systems everywhere, in my dreams, and my nightmares. Clone systems coming out of my ears.

It feels like not that long ago the first cheap NES clones were coming out. They felt so novel back then, a way to play your old games without dealing with the problems of old hardware. Today, a lot of the kinks are worked out, the hardware has (mostly) become more reliable, and they are a dime a dozen.

I have reviewed several here, and I have very little to say about the Super Retro Trio Plus by Retro-Bit. It is a clone console with software on a chip design rather than emulation. It plays Super Nintendo, Nintendo, and Sega Genesis games. It has a front lid that pops down to reveal controller ports for all three consoles and a region switch for region-locked games. It has a handy selector switch to allow you to choose your console on top. And three nice and tight cartridge slots to put your games in.

In short, you have seen this before. It is meant to consolidate all of your old game systems into one. But the addition here, which is a popular one, is 720p HDMI output.

Review: Retro-Bit Super Retro Trio Plus screenshot

News:: Indie darling Flinthook is coming to Switch next week

Tribute Games has had a nice little run for the past eight years or so. The original Ninja Senki (which was later remade in DX form years later) was fantastic, as was Wizorb, and Mercenary Kings directly after.

Flinthook was another hit just last year, arriving on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. But now the studio has announced that there's a Switch port...and it's coming next week! They must have kept this one close to the chest as it's coming out rather quickly. No direct enhancements were highlighted, but naturally you'll be able to take it on the go now.

This is the only Tribute joint I haven't played yet so this might be the perfect opportunity.

Tribute Games [Twitter]

Indie darling Flinthook is coming to Switch next week screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/indie-darling-flinthook-is-coming-to-switch-next-week-492490.phtml

News:: New map and weapon arrive this week in Splatoon 2

This week was a good one for Splatoon 2 fans. Not only did Nintendo's arena-shooter get a huge patch, filled with game updates and bug squashes, but it also got a new map and - tonight - its new weekly weapon.

The Dark Tetra Dualies will be hitting the game's arsenal later today. These hand-held bad boys are for the squid kid who prefers speed and agility to some of the game's slower, heavier-hitting weapons. This variant of the Dualies comes equipped with an Autobomb sub and a Splashdown special. Not only that, but they have "Dark" in the title. Psst... Nothing Personnel, kid.

You can take the new weapon for a test-drive in new map Goby Arena, a huge basketball venue that makes Madison Square Gardens look like my local, piss-riddled leisure centre. Goby Arena went live in the game last night, with the Dark Dualies dropping this evening in America, and in Europe and Japan early tomorrow.

Speaking of Japan, this weekend also sees philosophical Splatfest Flowers vs Dango take place. Japanese squid kids can argue over this particularly deep topic from March 3 at 15:00 JST.

New map and weapon arrive this week in Splatoon 2 screenshot

News:: Here's what Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Trilogy looks like on Switch

It's no longer in the rear view window -- Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Trilogy is Switch-bound, and it has a trailer and a release date to prove it. Previously announced just for Japan, Bandai Namco has confirmed a western release today. The trilogy, which includes HD remasters of Ultimate Ninja Storm, Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, and Ultimate Ninja Storm 3: Full Burst, will drop in digital and physical form on Switch on April 26.

As a prep of sorts the original trilogy was 18GB on PS4, supports two players locally, and eight players via online play. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 is still only available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One -- but it's probably a given that it'll also arrive at some point on Switch if the Trilogy is coming.

Here's what Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Trilogy looks like on Switch screenshot

News:: Review: Sprint Vector

Sprint Vector is one of the fastest-paced VR experiences I've ever had. It's a cross somewhere between a kart racer, the first-person sprinting of Mirror's Edge, and the style of Jet Set Radio.

You can compete against AI or friends in an intergalactic racing game show where your prize is getting to live. As a heads up, this is probably one of the most physically involved VR games around, so be ready to break a sweat.

Review: Sprint Vector screenshot

News:: SNK's scrolling slash 'em up Sengoku 2 available now on Switch

This week in the Neo Geo ACA range, SNK's scrolling brawler Sengoku 2 has been re-released for Nintendo Switch, courtesy of the fine folks at Hamster.

Originally appearing in arcades back in 1993, before being ported to the Neo Geo home console, Sengoku 2 is the second (duh) in a trilogy of scrappers. One or two players control a duo of sword-swinging heroes who, one of whom is apparently a ninja cowboy, as they attempt to stop a sadistic warlord from manipulating time for his own evil ends.

Although a fairly bog-standard brawler, Sengoku 2 does feature some unique touches. Player characters can not only block, but they can also shift forms, allowing them access to new abilities and attacks for a period of time. The game is also kinda gory in it's torso-removing ways, but the blood is an amusing shade of turquoise, so don't fret about being turned into a mindless killer whilst playing.

Sengoku 2 is available now on Nintendo Switch, priced at $8.

SNK's scrolling slash 'em up Sengoku 2 available now on Switch screenshot

News:: Bethesda's E3 2018 press conference locked in for June 10

Bethesda has settled nicely into the Sunday before E3 for its press conferences and I think I've finally come to terms with that creep into the weekend. For E3 2018, the showcase is set for June 10 at 6:30pm Pacific. You'll be able to follow along on Twitch, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.

Here's a neat little save-the-date video:

Last year, the showcase was all about building on Bethesda's existing games. The company announced VR versions of Doom and Fallout 4, expansions for Dishonored 2 and The Elder Scrolls: Legends, and The Evil Within 2. This year? We're hoping to see something new from Bethesda Game Studios.

I'm also still holding out for more Doom. A sequel, an expansion, whatever -- I'll take it.

Bethesda's E3 2018 press conference locked in for June 10 screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/bethesda-s-e3-2018-press-conference-locked-in-for-june-10-492523.phtml

News:: Xenoblade Chronicles 2's massive patch that includes NG+ is out

After several days, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 players can now boot up their game and download a massive new patch in version 1.3.0. Not only did this welcome update fix no less than eight glitches that were present in the original, but it also brings with it the welcome New Game+ option -- billed as Advanced New Game.

Monolith Soft actually put some effort into this mode, adding in new Blades, more options to send story-centric Blades out on missions, a new skill for Zeke, level four specials, traveling bard NPCs, hidden Driver affinities, and the ability to decrease levels at inns if you're into that sort of thing.

Conversely, there's also now an "easy" difficult that you can swap to at any time that can get you through some of the game's tougher battles, as well as the power to skip the Blade bonding cutscene and lock Blades so you don't accidentally delete them.

I really enjoyed Xenoblade Chronicles 2 as-is, but the team has worked pretty hard to get out some welcome quality of life updates and should be commended for it.

Ver. 1.3.0 [Nintendo]

Xenoblade Chronicles 2's massive patch that includes NG+ is out screenshot

News:: Two-step into your weekend with these Mitsuro and Yusuke's Persona Dancing trailers

It's the weekend, a time for many to chill out, grab some friends and hit the local discotheque. What better way to get into the mood than these new trailers from Atlus' upcoming rhythm-action games Persona 3: Dancing Moon Night and Persona 5: Dancing Star Night.

The video stars Persona 3's gorgeous diva Mitsuro Kirijo and Persona 5's tortured artist Yusuke Kitagawa, who has left his emo at the door to strut his stuff in some sexy civvies. Both characters, two of the series' classiest, are joined by their good pals Akihiko Sanada and supposed "best girl" Futuba Sakura, respectively.

Of course, what would a new game be without pre-release DLC announcements? Atlus have uploaded a third video featuring a set of assorted costumes selected for the game's first DLC bundle, named the Atlus Selected Assorted Costumes DLC Set, naturally.

Persona 3: Dancing Moon Night and Persona 5: Dancing Star Night are set for release in Japan May 24 on PS4 and PS Vita. A box set,, which includes Persona 4: Dancing All Night, will also be available.

Two-step into your weekend with these Mitsuro and Yusuke's Persona Dancing trailers screenshot

News:: Review: Pit People

I really admire The Behemoth. The studio has found success time and time again without resorting to sequels, charting a varied course from Alien Hominid to Castle Crashers to BattleBlock Theater. The team's latest, Pit People, lives in yet another genre: it's a turn-based strategy adventure.

We've seen the developer hone its style, humor, and craft over the years, gaining the confidence to take on bigger and more ambitious projects. Pit People is certainly those things. It's also The Behemoth's strangest game to date, with life-giving cupcakes standing in for more traditional healer units and characters like the troll mom out there barfing up little gremlin children to clog the battlefield.

It's a supremely weird game in a (mostly) good way. The hot streak continues.

Review: Pit People screenshot

News:: Red Bull announce their own U.S. fighting game circuit

Red Bull, purveyors of small cans of weirdly-popular energy drinks, have announced that they are throwing their hat into the eSports ring with the announcement of "Red Bull Conquest", a fighting game circuit featuring some of the genre's biggest titles.

The tour will travel the U.S. holding qualifying heats in fifteen cities. The games featured on the circuit will be Street Fighter V, Tekken 7 and Guilty Gear Xrd Rev. 2. Each city will boast one winner per game, all of whom will gather in November for the National Finals, to be held in Washington, D.C.

The press release emphasises that the theme of the tournament is local pride, with the company attempting to capture a spirit of local heroes squaring off to bring the championship back to their city.

"Red Bull Conquest will foster and encourage a sense of local pride that the fighting game community (FGC) was built on, empowering players nationwide to rise to the occasion and compete in prestigious tournaments with the goal of repping their city and winning it all at the national championship," reads an official statement. "Red Bull will continue to support organizations across the country, working closely with tournament organizers to grow and strengthen local scenes from the ground up in three steps: RISE, RALLY and CONQUER."

Red Bull Conquest begins in Chicago on April 28 before visiting Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco and Seattle on its way to the National Finals. For more infomation on dates and attendees, you can visit the circuit's smashGG page.

Red Bull Conquest announced [smashGG / Eventhubs]

Red Bull announce their own U.S. fighting game circuit screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/red-bull-announce-their-own-u-s-fighting-game-circuit-492472.phtml

News:: Mario Odyssey datamined, more hats and costumes seemingly on the way

Famed dataminer SciresM has found some potentially new information from Super Mario Odyssey's latest patch, and it seems to hint that new costumes and hats are coming at some point.

New outfits include the Rango, Hariet, Spewart, and Topper varieties, which come with matching hats and suits. In case you weren't paying attention during your playthrough -- these are the names of the Broodals, the new mid-boss enemies, so just use your imagination and slap them on Mario.

We just got the Luigi's Balloon World free update -- I wonder if Nintendo is planning any premium DLC or more substantial patches? Either would probably be fine as Odyssey is packed as it is.

SciresM [Twitter]

Mario Odyssey datamined, more hats and costumes seemingly on the way screenshot

News:: Ubisoft acquire Brawlhalla developer Blue Mammoth Games

Blue Mammoth Games, the indie-studio behind free-to-play fighter Brawlhalla, are an indie no more. The 21-strong team have announced that they have been acquired by big-time publisher Ubisoft.

Matt Woomer, head honcho of the Georgia-based studio, excitedly announced the news via a statement to the press, where he spoke of how pleased the studio were to have been picked up, also stressing that they would continue to push forward with Brawlhalla, and that it would remain a free-to-play title.

"The list of ways this is good for Brawlhalla is so long, I literally don’t know where to start," stated Woomer. "We have some power in our corner now; we’re now backed by a big ten publisher known for many of the best and most creative games out there."

"So, what does this mean for Brawlhalla? Only good things... We will have more stability and more resources to improve the game and add new features... We will get opportunities to raise Brawlhalla’s profile among gamers. And we’ll be able to confidently share a roadmap with you for the next years of Brawlhalla development."

Brawlhalla is available now on PS4 and PC.

Ubisoft acquire Brawlhalla developer Blue Mammoth Games screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/ubisoft-acquire-brawlhalla-developer-blue-mammoth-games-492465.phtml

News:: I love that people are making amazing Zelda: Breath of the Wild clips a full year after launch

Zelda: Breath of the Wild turns one year old tomorrow. Wow how time flies! The Switch is effectively celebrating its first birthday and it beat out the Wii U weeks ago.

That makes this video, which just hit Reddit this week, that much sweeter. People are still trying out weird things and sharing them, something that rarely happens for single-player games these days. The below clip, titled "Sweet Revenge," has player thefropro wreaking havoc on some flower beds -- but it's not the how in this situation, it's the why.

So a bit of background: Watch Out for the Flowers is a relatively easy, but contentious Shrine Quest found out in the open world. Players aren't big fans of Magda, the keeper of the shrine, who forces you to not step on any flowers while you reach the shrine -- teleporting you back to the start of the challenge if you do.

Every clip just makes me want to boot it back up!

I love that people are making amazing Zelda: Breath of the Wild clips a full year after launch screenshot

News:: Review: Death Wish

I don't know how Death Wish's release wasn't delayed. It is quite possibly the most ill-timed release in the history of cinema. A gun-toting vigilante mows down "bad guys" in Chicago with gags about the ease of getting a fire arm, torture porn, and a heavy dose of lines about what it really means to be a man? Yeah, let's release that two weeks after a mass shooting at a high school that has sparked national outrage towards gun violence, an introspective look at masculinity, and brought out some of the worst this country has to offer. That sounds like a super great idea.

I know these things are planned way ahead of time, but, with digital cinema, studios can and will delay releases just a week in advance. Maybe MGM just gave up. After its trailer dropped at an insanely terrible time near a recent, nationally-reported shooting maybe they thought they'd be in the clear. But after a mass shooting basically happened every week since then they just said, "Screw it, if we don't do it now, we'll never release it."

The worst part about it? The movie would suck no matter when it was released.

Review: Death Wish screenshot

News:: Microsoft pushed out a pretty big Xbox One update for Insiders this week

I dig Microsoft's approach to console updates. They're not every other week like Sony, and when they do arrive, they herald myriad enhancements, not just "stability."

For their spring Xbox One update that's rolling out to Insiders this week, you'll now have the option to swap to 1440p video, share a controller over Mixer (their streaming platform that still needs traction but is actually nice to use), a better Edge browser, a balance option for your own tunes versus game audio, more Club filter options, smarter feed sorting options, and open tournaments through Game Hubs.

The former is probably one of the biggest things, as many PC users who default to 2560x1440 (read: between 1080p and 4K) will find that their Xbox Ones are much more wieldy when using a monitor. Naturally, the Insider program will probably smooth out a few of these additions before they launch for the public later this spring.

The Xbox Spring Update Begins Rolling Out to Insiders Today [Xbox Wire]

Microsoft pushed out a pretty big Xbox One update for Insiders this week screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/microsoft-pushed-out-a-pretty-big-xbox-one-update-for-insiders-this-week-492489.phtml

News:: It looks like Square Enix is setting up to resurrect Valkyrie Profile again

Valkyrie Profile is a bonafide classic for the original PlayStation, arriving all the way back in 1999. The gist, which was original at the time and still is in many respects, is that you'd play a Valkyrie who recruits party members for Ragnarok, the end time battle in Norse mythology.

It was ported in 2006 on PSP, but Square Enix isn't done resurrecting this game it seems. Billed as the "first teaser trailer [of] 2018" the publisher dropped a new video on us, hinting at a possible remake, remaster, or re-release.

A newly minted Twitter account further supports that this is something substantial, and given how how many hours I spent with the original that's great news. E3 maybe?

It looks like Square Enix is setting up to resurrect Valkyrie Profile again screenshot

News:: 'Far Cry 5' is deeper than you think

Far Cry 5 is the most socially relevant game in the series yet. This is the first time Ubisoft has brought the open world franchise to America -- specifically, to the wilderness of Montana. But it's more than just another free for all shooter. The game is really a statement on the increasing influence of violent religious extremism in the US, and the need for good people to take a stand against them. While we got a brief glimpse at the game's partner mechanics at E3, we recently a had chance to play it for a few hours, and came away mostly impressed.

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/03/02/far-cry-5-hands-on/

News:: ESA hasn't received an invite to discuss video games with Trump

Yesterday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders claimed that President Trump was planning to meet with "members of the video game industry" to discuss violence in video games and how it might play into the spat of school violence that has plagued the country for years now. But it seems Sanders may have gotten ahead of herself -- the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), which represents the US video game industry, released a statement last night saying that neither it nor non of its members received an invitation to talk with the president.

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/03/02/esa-white-house-video-game-violence-invites/

News:: Teasing Blizzard tweet features Diablo and a 'switch'

Blizzard Entertainment have posted a tweet featuring a terrifying Diablo night-light being flicked on and off, along with the accompanying message "Sweet Dreams".

Fans and websites everywhere have taken this as early confirmation that epic dungeon-crawler Diablo III is skulking its way to Nintendo's hybrid-console, giving that the light in the video is "switched" on and off.

To be honest, I'd say that's pretty tenuous, were it not for the fact that, last week, "industry insider" Marcus Sellars straight-up tweeted that the 2012 adventure title was indeed in development for the Nintendo console, and that we should expect to see it hit the shelves early 2019.

Diablo III is an amazing game. Fight me. One which took literally thousands of hours away from me on multiple formats. The idea of it becoming a readily available portable title is the stuff dreams (nightmares) are made of. Whatever the real deal is, here's hoping Blizzard comes through with an official announcement soon.

Teasing Blizzard tweet features Diablo and a 'switch' screenshot

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Friday, March 2, 2018