A Lesson in Murder

[Update: As reported by TouchArcade, Spike Chunsoft has discovered a last-minute flaw in the final build of Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Anniversary Edition. The publisher has been left ??with no option but to delay the launch of the title. A new date will be announced once the build has been fixe??d.]

We may have moved beyond Danganronpa's 10th anniversary celebrations, but that doesn't mean that there aren't still some goodies in-store for Kazutaka Kodaka's super-twisted murder-mystery franchise. As spotted by Touch Arcade, next week will give fans the opportunity to take the series acclaimed second sequel for a pocket-sized spin, courtesy of Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Anniversary Edition, which launches on iOS and Android platforms May ?26.

Originally released on PS4, PS Vita, and PC back in 2017, Killing Harmony was the first mainline series entry to launch on home consoles alongside their handheld brethren. The dark sequel features the typical investigative gameplay of its predecessors, as abducted high school student Kaede Akamatsu finds herself trapped alongside a group of similarly aged strangers, each an expert in his or her own field. The party is forced to take part in a violent "game" of kill-or-be-killed,?? once again presided over by the sinister Monokuma.

Thanks to its striking visual aesthetic, great soundtrack, and shocking narrative, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony was a big hit on launch. Having the series debut a new chapter on multiple platforms ensured that Killing Harmony would see the series' biggest sales figures to date, encouraging new fans to go back and retroactively play its predecessors. Much like Sega's Yakuza 0 did for its own franchise, Killing Harmony attracted entirely new audiences to the Danganronpa brand, helping to solidify its ??cult status in gaming.

As is the case for the previously released Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc Ann??iversary Edition and Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Anniver??sary Edition, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Anniversary Edition will feature an overhauled UI, touch screen controls, and a new gallery option, allowing fans to enjoy through Rui Komatsuzaki's unmistakable artwork at their leisure. While the new m?obile part has only been announced in Japan, it is expected to launch worldwide and, like its predecessors, will feat??ure English and Japanese language options.

The post (Update) Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Anniversary Edition is coming to iOS and Android ne?xt week appeared first on Destructoid.

Imposter Syndrome

It's time to put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and re-open your detective agency. Publisher Playism has announced that the super-cool, ultra-hip "social deduction" game Gnosia will be coming to PC later this year, following its launch on Nintend??o Switch back in M??arch.

Developed by Petit Depotto, Gnosia is a dark and quirky tale of a group of humans together on a drifting spaceship. Among these humans are several "Gnosia," a shape-shifting being hell-bent on rep??licating and eradicating its human hosts. Players must use social skills, conversation, and gut instincts to ascertain which characters are real and which are Gnosia, confining those accused to suspended animation. But will you correctly identify the imposters, or condemn innocent parties to the "Cold Sleep"?

This unique gameplay — reminiscent of tabletop titles of the "Werewolf" genre — plays out against a repetitive and ever-evolving narrative, allowing players to become better acquainted with characters and hopefully a little more adept at spotting the imposters. Gnosia offers a novel and unique concept for a video game, married to a cool cast of characters and some very stylish art direction. Check out CJ Andriessen's Switch review to read his th??oughts on the surreal, sci-fi experience.

Gnosia launches on PC via Steam later th??is year. It is available now on PS Vita and Switch.

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See Annie of the Stars in action

Publisher Autumn Games, in conjunction with developer Hidden Variable, has released a new gameplay trailer for Annie, the next character headed to excellent tag-fighter Skullgirls 2nd Encore. No date was revealed for The Star Child's debut, but she is available in Skullgirls Mobile right now.

Annie's gameplay trailer, which you can check out below, sees the literal superstar battling Skullgirls regulars Ms. Fortune, Filia, and Painwheel on the set of her hit TV show, where she showcases her fast-paced, knife-wielding style. Annie - who has been a long time coming - lost out on the character vote during Skullgirls crowdfunding campaign, b??ut has been fortunate enough to find her way into th?e fighter via its mobile counterpart

Also, in a surprising bit of news, the trailer ends with the tease that another new character will be joining the Skullgirls roster soon. This will no doubt g??et the community speculating on who is about to step into the spotlight, but I'm personally hoping for ice-cold, gun-toting assassin Black Dahlia - coincidentally another character who lost out on a vote to appear in the main gam??e.

Regardless of who makes the grade, it's great to see Skullgirls find renewed life under Autumn Games and Hidden Variable. Annie will be joining 2nd Encore as DLC in early 2021.

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BABYBABYBABYBABYBABYBABYBABYBABY...

If there's one aspect of the Persona series that truly epitomizes the franchise's slick and stylish aesthetic, it's the smooooth sounds. Every Persona title has been blessed with a magnetic and electrifying score, usually consisting of pulse-pounding beats, s??mooth jazz tones, and completely and utterly baffling lyric?s.

From today, Persona fans can soundtrack their own lives with the same tunes that scored the adventures of The Phantom Thieves, The Investigation Team, and the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad. As noted by AniPlaylist, music streaming ??service Spotify has just added a slew of OSTs from ?the globally-popular RPG franchise.

Spotify now hosts a playlist of 14 Persona albums, compiling a whopping 746 tracks taken from 1999's Persona 2: Innocent Sin, right through to 2016's Persona 5. Also accounted for are fighting game Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, Nintendo 3DS spin-offs Persona Q: Shadow of Labyrinth and Persona Q 2: New Cinema Labyrinth, as well as a live recording of the "Night of the Phantom" concert – which took place at Japan's Budokan Hall back in ?2015.

Currently, the OSTs for Persona 5 Royal and Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers have not been made available for purchase, and as such are not included here. Still, there's more than enough awesome music to keep you going as you steal heart??s, battle demons, and solve murders in the real world. Just don't go diving into any TV sets.

The available soundtracks are as follows:

• Persona 2 Sound Collection Vol. 6

• Persona 3 FES Original Soundtrack

• Persona 3 Original Soundtrack

• Persona 4: Dancing All Night Original Soundtrack

• Persona 4: Dancing All Night Soundtrack Advanced CD

• Persona 4 Golden Original Soundtrack

• Persona 4 Original Soundtrack

• Never More - Reincarnation: Persona 4 -

• Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold Original Soundtrack

• Persona 5 Original Soundtrack

• Persona Music Fes 2013 ~in Nippon Budokan

• Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth Original Soundtrack

• Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth Original Soundtrack

• Persona Super Live 2015 in Nippon Budokan – Night of the Phantom -

The post A bevy of brilliant Persona soundtracks are no?w streaming on Spo?tify appeared first on Destructoid.

Music to Murder By

Spike Chunsoft has released the fourth episode of its excellently in-depth "Dangan TV" show, looking at the inspiration and creation of the adorable and maniacal Danganronpa franchise. The video series was produced as part of the ongoing anniversary celebrations for the visual novel franchise, which has presented fans with a decade of d?estruction.

Following previous episodes - which focused on specific franchise entries - Episode 4: Hope Keeps on Going is more of a series overview, spotlighting one of Danganronpa's most important features: its stylish soundtrack. Host Megumi Ogata returns to hold court with series planner Shun Sasaki, sound designer Jun Fukuda, and composer Masafumi?? Takada, whose memorable tunes have scored many a brutal murder and intense confession.

In this particularly lengthy episode, our panel discusses the importance of sound and music within the franchise, as well as the influences behind Takada's awesome OST. With help from Danganronpa fans on Twitter, the team also present a "Top Ten" of the series' most popular tunes, including Danganronpa 2's "Kill Command" and Danganronpa V3's "Let's Kill Each Other" ...are you noticing a tr??end here??

The episode winds up with the obligatory merchandise reveal, which this time around includes a beautiful Gothic parasol, much like that of Trigger Happy Havoc's gambling queen Celestia Lundenberg, and a brand new tabletop card game, Love Letter of Despair, which will launch in Japan this fall.

Dangan TV has been a great series. Each episode a detailed, personable, and fascinating look at one of gaming's most-bizarre franchises. Any title would be lucky to receive similar "Inside Baseball" treatment. It's a grand year to be a Danganronpa fan, and Spike Chunsoft has gone above and beyond with its anniversary celebrations. With a couple of m?onths still to go before 2020 shuffles? off, there's still time for a potential surprise. Fingers crossed!

The post Episode four of Danganronpa’s ‘Dangan TV’ looks at the series’ eclectic soundtrack appeared first on Destructoid.

You're (not) gonna have a bad time

Believe it or not, it's already been five years since the launch of Undertale. A blend of visual novel, RPG, and retro arcade action, Toby Fox' labour-of-love won over an army of fans with its emotional narr??ative, iconic cast of characters, and great chiptune soundtrack.

To celebrate five years of Flowey, Papyrus, Undyne, Sans and pals, Fox and Fangamer are teaming up to present a free online "concert stream," with select tracks from Undertale's great OST being performed live by MUSIC Engine. The concert is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15, with festivities kicking off at 19:00 PT / 22:00 ET. Fans can watch the concert on the official Undertale website and YouTube channel.

On the same day, a selection of new Undertale merchandise will also be released. The new range will include a "Stay Determined" shirt, among other items. Proceeds from merch sales will be donated to the United Way COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund.

Undertale is available now on PS4, PS ??Vita, PC, and Nintendo Swit?ch.

//t.co/CiqBCnPvlA has been updated! First announcement...

♪UNDERTALE 5th Anniversary Concert Stream♪
(organized by Fangamer & 8-4)

On 9/15 at 7PM PDT (10PM EST), we'll be streaming a free orchestral concert by MUSIC Engine! Check out //t.co/CiqBCnPvlA for details! pic.twitter.com/CGqrAJQ1wx

— tobyfox (@tobyfox) September 8, 2020

The post Undertale anniversary celebrations ??to include free concert stream and new merch appeared first on Destructoid.

The kooky visual novel series goes all-action

You wait months for a localisation of Dangan TV, and then two episodes come along at once! Spike Chunsoft has added English subtitles to the third episode of its in-depth web series, looking at the creation and development of the cult murder-mystery series, Danganronpa.

Following on from previous episodes on original entry Trigger Happy Havoc and first sequel Goodbye Despair, episode three focuses on the series' first spin-off entry, Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls, which first lau??nched on PS Vita in 2014, before ported to PS4 and PC later in 2017.

For the first time to date in the Dangan TV webseries, creator Kazutaka Kodaka does not put in an appearance. The panel for this episode consists of series producer Yoshinori Terasawa, game director Shun Sasaki, and voice actor Aya Uchida, who portrays Ultra Despair Girls' ass-kicking protagonist Komaru Naegi. A?s always, the episode is hosted by Megumi Ogata, channe??ling the spirit of Monokuma in a delightful black/white jacket.

Running almost an hour in length, the episode is chock-full on trivia and anecdotes relating to the creation of Ultra Despair Girls ?which eschewed the typical "visual novel" style of its predecessors in favour of presenting a traditional, third-person, action-adventure. Alongside discussion of the action's transition to a new genre, we also get to see some great concept art, while the cast remini??sces about the spin-off's cast of heroes and villains. Be sure to check out some wild new merchandise around the 44:00 mark, including a shirt that "exemplifies Monokuma's primal energy."

While several PS Vita Danganronpa releases w?ere recently removed from the PlayStation Network, Ultra Despair Girls currently remains readily available to purchase on PS4. Whether or not this unique series entry will receive a remaster akin to that of the mainline Danganronpa titles remains to be seen, b??ut Spike Chunsoft still has lots of 10th anniversary news to come.

Dangan TV really has been an absolute treat for Danganronpa fans, in regards to offering documentary-level break?downs of an instant cult classic for even hardened devotees. With remaining titles still left to cover (and perhaps even?? the anime/manga adaptations) it seems the Class Trials are yet to adjourn.

Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls is available now on PS4 and PC.

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EVERY DAY, YOUNG LIFE

If you've only just recently been bitten by the Persona 4 bug, perhaps from the recent PC port of the classic JRPG sequel, then you might be interested to hear that its anime adaptation has been added to the Funimation network in North America and Canada.

For clarification, this is not the original 25-episode Persona 4: the Animation series, but a "side-series" expansion focusing on some of the elements that joined the murder-mystery party in 2012's Persona 4 Golden. These include a focus on new Velvet Room assistant Marie, and an appearance by Persona 4: Dancing All Night's pop idol Kanami Mashita.

Produced by A-1 Pictures, Persona 4 the Golden Animation runs a scant 12-episodes in length and can be watched in its original Japanese dub, complete with English subtitles. Funimation also recently added the anime adaptation of Persona 5 to its network, complete with an all-new optional dub from the game's English cast. So if you f?ancied a major binge session of angsty teens and demon-fighting action, now's th??e time.

Persona 4 Golden is available now on PC via Steam.

Pe??rsona 4 Golden the animation is no?w available on Funimation [Siliconera]

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Trouble in Paradise

It's been a bit of a wait for all you murder maniacs, but Spike Chunsoft has finally added English subtitles to the second episode of its web series "Dangan TV" which looks at the legacy of the cult visual novel series, Danganronpa. Following on from episode one's breakdown of Trigger Happy Havoc, this episode looks at 2012 sequel Goodbye Despair.

Once again, host and Danganronpa voice actor Megumi Ogata is joined by series creator Kazutaka Kodaka and producer Yoshinori Terasawa to discuss the aftermath of Trigger Happy Havoc's release, and how the team approached the design of its terrifying tropical follow-up. Also joining the trio for this episode is Danganronpa "planner" Shun Sasaki.

The near one-hour video is full of anecdotes about the design of Goodbye Despair, as well as the trials of creating a sequel that not only lives up to the original, but hopefully surpasses it. Among the topics discussed in episode two are the difficulties of creating and casting a whole new class of characters, and the addition of Monokuma's lovable little sister, Monomi. As with the previous episode, the video concludes with the panel answering questions posed by fans on Twitter.

Currently, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is playable on iOS and Android via its recently released Anniversary Editions. It is also available on PS4 via the Danganronpa 1-2 Reload release. Spike Chunsoft is in the process of retaining western distribution from NIS America and, as such, select titles are being removed from the PlayStation Network, to no doubt be re-rel?eased at a later date.

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is available now on iOS and Android devices. Further Danganronpa news is planned for the remainder ??of 2020, as the series contin??ues its 10th anniversary celebrations.

The post Second episode of Danganronpa’s ‘Dangan TV’ looks at Goodbye Despair and the series’ growing legacy appeared first on Destructoid.

Wanted game sold well, funnily enough

Sega has stated that it is "proactively pursuing" plans to port more "previously released" titles to the PC platform, following the success of Persona 4 Golden, which launched on Steam in June and racked up over half a million sales in scant weeks.

Speaking in a quarterly financial investors' call, Sega Sammy CEO Haruki Satomi and CFO Kouichi Fukazawa stated that the publisher was not only looking into re-releasing other titles to the Steam platform, but that it was also investigating the possibility of launching future releases on PC alongside their console brethren. As translated by DualShockers, the phrasing of the statement suggests that Sega may be referring to multiple game franchises, not just Persona.

Sega seem to be the only people surprised by the success of Persona 4 Golden's PC port. Fans have been crying out for titles such as Persona 4 Golden, Persona 3 FES, and Persona 5 Royal to rece??ive PC ports for years. Now that Sega has seen a favourable bottom line, it's hopefully only a matter of time before these long-requested c??lassics find themselves ported to Steam, to be enjoyed by new communities of players.

The PC port of Persona 4 Golden features high-definition visuals, English and Japanese voicetracks and support for achievements and Steam Trading Cards. It is available to purchase on Steam right now. You can read Chris Carter's thoughts on the port right here.

Persona 4 Golden's PC?? success l?eads to planned port releases [DualShockers]

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Dan-gone-ronpa

[Update: As suspected, Spike Chunsoft has just announced that it will be self-publishing all Danganronpa titles going forward. Further news is coming "once statements are f??inalized."]

Publisher NIS America has announced that several releases in its wild murder-mystery series Danganronpa are to be removed from the PlayStation Store in the coming months.

The first title to hit the chopping block will be Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls, which will no longer be purchasable on PS Vita. This will be followed additional PS Vita titles Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc and Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair on September 4. Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony for will vanish on PS Vita and PS4 on September 25.

NIS America thanked fans for their purchases but has offered no explanation for the removal. It seems an odd time for the games to disappear, as 2020 has been Danganronpa's most prominent year for news and announcements in a decade. It is fully expected (though not confirmed) that Spike Chunsoft will soon republish the removed titles, hopefully at somewhat less startling prices. It should also be noted that, for now, Danganronpa 1-2 Reload for PS4 will remain purch??asable on the PlayStation ??Store.

This weekend will see Spike Chunsoft release the latest episode of its behind-the-scenes show Dangan TV, so ?maybe we'l?l hear some more news regarding the cult series soon.

The post (Update) Select Danganronpa titles to be removed from? PlayStation Store appeared first on Destructoid.

You say 'Goodbye,' I say 'Hello'

Spike Chunsoft has announced that the next title in the Danganronpa Anniversary Collection is ready to slice 'n' dice its way onto mobile platforms. Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Anniversary Edition will launch fo??r iOS and Android devices? on August 20.

Originally released for the PlayStation Portable way back in 2012, Goodbye Despair is the equally nutty sequel to 2010 murderthon Trigger Happy Havoc and once again sees a motley crew of students fighting for their lives under the mismatched eyes of psychotic plush toy Monokuma, (this time ?accompanied by his lovable bunny-rabbit relative, Monomi).

Moving the action from the schoolyard to a tropical island, players will step into the shoes of another "lucky" student, and must use their sharp wits and powers of deduction to solve a series of grisly killings and root out the perpetrators. New features include the argument-inducing "Rebuttal Mode", and a unique mechanic known as "Logic Dive" which has a snowboarding-style mini-game represent the character's search for? the facts, ma'am.

As was the case with Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc Anniversary Edition, this version of Goodbye Despair will include several new features such as optimised visuals, an overhauled control scheme, a gallery mode, and other tweaks to modernise the title for its mobile re-release. Other Danganronpa titles will be receiving similar treatment in the near future.

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Anniversary Edition la??unches? in Japan on iOS and Android devices August 20. While no localisation has been announced, a global release is expected.

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Annivers?ary Edition launches August 20 [Famitsu / Gematsu]

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EVERY DAY, YOUNG LIFE

Atlus has announced that the PC port of Persona 4 Golden has surpassed 500,000 players since its launch on the Steam platform last month. The publisher announced the milestone on? Twitter, accompanied by cute new artwork from character designer Shigenori Soejima.

Originally released on the PS Vita in 2012, Persona 4 Golden is the expanded edition of 2008 PS2 release Persona 4, and tells the story of a young group of friends who are thrust together when a series of gruesome murders befall thei??r rural town of Inaba. With help of bizarre sidekick Teddie, and the strange parallel dimension ??known as The Midnight Channel, the self-appointed Investigation Team set out to unmask the killer.

The PC port of Persona 4 Golden includes high-definition visuals, graphic options, English and Japanese voicetracks and support for achievements and Steam Trading Cards. It is available to purchase on Steam now, and you can read Chris Carter's thoughts on the port right here.

The one can't be witho?ut the true other. So let's get together, see what we can uncover.

We're excited to announce?? th?at Persona 4 Golden has hit 500,000 players on PC! Thank you for all your support!

Character Designer Shigenori Soejima created this original sketch to celebrate. We hope you're enjoying #P4G and welcome back to the Midnight Channel! pic.twitter.com/SlYBINYedY

— Official ATLUS West (@Atlus_West) July 11, 2020

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Limited Run Games to produce physical edition

Evocative RPG Ys Origin is coming to the Nintendo Switch later in 2020. The news was announced this morning by publisher Dotemu, who also took the time to reveal not one, but two physical e??ditions from boutique retailer Limited Run Games.

Originally released on PC way back in 2006, Ys Origin would eventually make the jump to PS4, PS V????ita, and Xbox One a little over a decade later, with additional content and options. While there's no doubt that the wait has been a long one, Ys Origin is a solid entry in the legendary franchise, and will no doubt feel right at home on the Switch?????????????????????????? platform, perfect for leng?thy commutes and late-night adventuring.

Ys Origin will be made available in both standard and collector's edition format from Limited Run Games. The former will simply consist of a boxed hard copy of the game for Switch, while the latter also includes a poster, a soundtrack CD, and an art book of Ys Origin's lavish visuals, all housed in a special collector's box. Pre-orders will open tomorrow, July 8, for North American customers. A separate agent will handle European? orders at a later da??te.

Ys Origin launches on Nintendo Switch later in 2020. It ??is available now on PS4, PC, and Xbox One.

The post Ys? Origin is coming to Nintendo Switch? later in 2020 appeared first on Destructoid.

The beginnings of a loco legend

Spike Chunsoft has launched the first episode of "Dangan TV: Hope Keeps On Going!", a new web series looking at creepy/cute murder mystery series Danganronpa. The series has been commissioned in part to celebrate the 10th anniversary of K??azutaka Kodaka's wild world of classroom chaos.

The first episode, titled "How I Discovered Danganronpa", goes back to the first game in the series - 2010's Trigger Happy Havoc - as host and series voice actor Megumi Ogata chats with both Kodaka and series producer Yoshinori Terasawa about Danganronpa's conception and creation.

The conversation is full of interesting tidbits such as how Kodaka first envisioned Danganronpa, why the team chose the Visual Novel genre, and how early audiences reacted to Trigger Happy Havoc's sudden and shocking violence. The hosts close out the episode by answering ??a slew of questions posed by ??series fans on Twitter.

Running a meaty 45 minutes in length, it's an absolute must-watch for the Danganronpa faithful, and it sets a precedent for what looks to be an entertaining and ??informative series going forward. The next episode of "Dangan TV: Hope Keeps On Going!" will broadcast on July 18.

Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is available now on iOS and Android devices, with more Danganronpa news planned for release throughout 2020.

The post First episode of Danganronpa’s ‘Dangan TV’ looks at Trigger Happy Havoc and the creation of a classic appeared first on Destructoid.

Goodnight, sweet prince

[Update: It seems as if the rep that spoke to Comicbook.com was misinformed, or Sony had a change of heart. Mercenary servers are back online.]

As we continue our "farewell tour" for the PlayStation Vita, we can add another stop: Killzone: Mercenary's online play.

As confirmed by Comicbook.com through Sony support, the platform holder has shut down Killzone: Mercenary's online servers, seemingly for good, without a warning. For reference, Mercenary was one of the Vita's marquee (and frankly, upper echelon) first-party games from 2013 on, and people were still playing?? it. Giving a heads-up before shutting down services for big-name games like this is customary, but didn't happen here.

Destructoid has also confirmed the shutdown. Busting out our trusty (I won't joke that it's "dusty" as it has been next to my bed for the past eight years!) OG OLED Vita, we tried to boot up Mercenary's online comp??onent ?to no avail. You can find said confirmation below.

This is the second Vita related diss track in a week!

PlayStation Quietly Shuts Down a Game's Servers With?? No Warning [Comicbook]

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No cross-play, a trial is on the way

Catherine is getting a new lease on life? following its 2011 (!) release on PS3 and Xbox 360 with multiple editions these past few years.

After a long wait we got a PC version in 2019, followed by the "Full Body" remaster that hit PS4 and Vita in?? 2019. But Atlus isn't done resurrecting the classic relationship simulator and puzzl??er just yet, as the Switch edition is still slated for a July release.

That version will also be the Full Body package, which now has some Switch-specific details thanks to a new Atlus landing page. Most importantly, a demo is? coming soon, so you'll be able to try before you buy. Also, a Switch Online membership is required to play online (duh), there is no cross-play with PS4/Vita, it does work with a Switch Lite ??(just in case), the download size is roughly 11.4 GB, you can play two-player with two single Joy-Con inputs and local play is confirmed (with two Switch units and two copies).

If you haven't experienced Catherine yet, the Switch is a great place to start (provided that the port is up to snuff technically). The stage-by-stage puzzle nature is great for on the go play, as is the idea of linking up for multiplaye??r.

"Catherine Full Body for Ninten??do? Switch" Q & A [Atlus]

The post Atlus rolls out details for Catherine: Full Body’s Switch port appeared first on Destructoid.

STAND UP!

In a very surprising bit of news, a new update has seen a netcode overhaul applied to the most recent re-release of one of the greatest fighting games of all time: SNK's Garou: Mark of the Wolves.

The patch was developed by Code Mystics - who were responsible for the PS4 and PS Vita ports of DotEmu's original PC port - and is now live in all three editions of the awesome Fatal Fury title. The new rollback netcode allows players to fine-tune their latency threshold when playing ?online, providing a more stable performance and reducing input delay.

While this new patch will improve online performance on PC (via Steam and GoG) PS4 and PS Vita, it will obviously not be applied to Hamster's Nintendo Switch release, which is more a straight arcade ROM dump and therefore does not support online multiplayer. Garou: Mark of the Wolves remains one of the?? finest fighters ever made, so?? any efforts to keep its faithful community online and throwing fists should be celebrated.

Garou: Mark of the Wolves is available now on PS4, PS Vita and PC.

Thanks @SNKPofficial SNK for letting us bring #Garou: Mark of the Wolves into the Code Mystics rollback netcode family! :) PS4/Vita's patched & Steam/GOG versions are updated to our code too. (Fans of the Steam/GOG DotEmu version can still access it via beta code "dotemuversion") pic.twitter.com/zd45WzKtTM

— Code Mystics Inc. (@CodeMystics) January 23, 2020

The post Garou: Mark of the Wolves receives new rollback ?netcode on PS4, PS Vita, and?? PC appeared first on Destructoid.

All for MeMeMeMeMeMe

The source code for one of the greatest video games of the last decade, VVVVVV, has been released to the public by its creator Terry Cavanagh. The surprise drop happened during AGDQ, after runner Mohoc's crazy 100% run, which was held to commemor??ate the 10th ??anniversary of the tricky platformer.

After a short tweet from Cavenagh, the VVVVVV source code was dumped in GitHub, where it is now available for download. It should be noted that VVVVVV is not strictly "open source", however, as there are still licences pertaining to the game's visual assets and amazing soundtrack. Players who want to tinker with their own levels would be better served picking up the "Make and Play" edition. The source code has been released more as a curio for the t??echnica??lly-inclined.

Speaking on his blog, Cavanagh modestly notes that he's looked forward to pulling back the curtain and letting people see just how simplistic VVVVVV is in structure. "I was young and more interested in getting something on the screen than implementing it properly," notes Cavanagh. "Maybe the best thing about VVVVVV’s source code is that is stands as proof of what you can hack together even if you&rs??quo;re not much of a programmer."

"Hacked together" or otherwise, VVVVVV is an amazing, engaging and addictive title, and legitimately one ??of my favourite video games of all-time. If sharing this code can inspire future bedroom programmers?? to make similar modern classics, that'd be VVVVVVunderful.

VVVVVV is available n??ow on PS4, PC, ??Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS, PS Vita, and mobile devices.

VVVVVV is now open source <3 //t.co/reAzQETiK7 pic.twitter.com/g8a7o1Jytn

— Terry Cavanagh (@terrycavanagh) January 10, 2020

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Nu Gundam isn't just for show!

It feels like SD Gundam G Generation Genesis is forgotten sometimes.

While it wasn’t the first of Namco’s licensed games to be translated in English for the Asia region – that honor goes to Gundam Breaker 3 and Super Robot Wars OG The Moon Dwellers – it was still one of the earliest ones. It played a major part in helping Namco realize how big the potential import market for Gundam games was in an era where all consoles were region-free and importing was easier than ever. Hell, it's arguably one of the games that started getting titles like Versus released internationally.

Looking back on it three years later, it’s easy to see how this game helped keep that momentum, and how the SD Gundam franchise as a whole has manage?d to? keep going for 20 years.

SD Gundam G Generation Genesis (PS4 [Reviewed], Vita)
Developer: Tom Create
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Released: November 22, 2016
MSRP: ~$50

The story of SD Gundam G Generation Genesis, which we’ll just call Genesis, is not an original one nor a singular plotline. Instead, it consists of 67 stages based on 17 different shows, movies, games, and more from the Universal Century timeline of the Gundam franchise. There is also a 68th one, with an original setting, acting as the final boss of the game. While the number of missions dedicated to each of the 17 entries varies, each one has at least two stages, and presents an abridged version of that storyline. Needless to say, if you don’t like an entry like Zeta or Unicorn, the game isn’t looking to present a version that will change yo?ur mi??nd.

This method of compressing the stories has its advantages and disadvantages. Many entries make the transition perfectly fine. For a few entries, this transition does not go so smoothly, for better or worse. For ZZ Gundam, this method cuts out much of its more lighthearted and goofier early half, such as the Moon Moon arc, bringing its overall tone to be more in line with its predecessor Zeta Gundam. For the original show, the death of Lalah Sun, which haunts Char and Amuro for the rest of their lives, is red??uced to a cutscene that removes much of its impact.

However, the entry that takes this change the hardest is 08th MS Team, which is a former shadow of itself. Having been reduced solely to two stages, it strips the show down to the bare bones in order to focus on the relationship between Shiro and Aina. Outside of the Gouf Custom fight, there are no other exceptions – every encounter is defined by Shiro and Aina. Terry, K?aren, Eledore, and Michel lose all signs of character development, with Kiki and the guerrillas cut entirely from the game. It absolutely needed at least one more stage to avoid being too short for its own good.

As for the missions themselves, they are generally divided into two parts. One half has players commanding a squad comprised of units assigned by the story, while the other half has them leading a mix of story-units along with a custom squad that can be assembled between missions. Just like Super Robot Wars, battleships and VIP units will always need to be protected, in addition to other requirements – otherwise you're looking at a game over. It should al??so be mentioned the game has a permadeath mechani?c, where if a unit from that custom squad is shot down, that machine will be lost permanently and another one will have to take its place going forward.

Continuing the Super Robot Wars comparison, the e??ntire game is a grid-based strategy RPG. As one would also expect, the perfo?rmance of a unit is dependent on the stats the mech and pilot each contribute. Missions also have side objectives, which are often truer to the source. For instance, the first mission of the original show gives players Amuro in the RX-78-2 and asks them to defeat Denim who is piloting the Zaku II. However, the optional version asks the player to deal the finishing blow with the beam saber weapon, as it happened in the source material. Doing these optional objectives gives the player extra funds but also the possibility of an extra enemy squad spawning, which can be captured for personal use if its leader is defeated.

At this point, Genesis sets itself apart with not just different takes on some of these mechanics, but also a large variety of its own unique systems – so many that I can’t fit them all into this review and will only be focusing on a few. While the presentation for the maps could use some work, the game often breaks the map apart into segments. Sometimes these parts are connected, such as one area acting as a city for the ground troops, with another acting as the sky above it. In other cases, they’re not connected and used for plot purposes, so events can play out as intended. For instance, the finale of War in the Pocket has the custom squad in space play??ing the role of the Federation fleet that must prevent nukes from destroying the colony. Meanwhile, inside that very colony, the game assigns the player Christina in the Alex with the goal of taking down Bernie in his Zaku. It’s hard to get across in writing how effective this simple mechanic can be at times for making battles feel larger in scope, and also instrumental for keeping the smaller set-pieces of the source materials intact.

Let’s move onto the ships, which, as mentioned, still hold their VIP status. Due to changes in how unit sizes are handled, ships now take up multiple tiles, and must be rotated in order to aim certa??in attacks and navigate tight spaces. The stats of a ship aren’t determined by just the captain, but also the six other characters that help crew the ship. In fact, there’s a whole separate set of stats on characters for when they are part of a ship crew. These vessels are much more involved than before, and this is before getting into how they can launch group attacks on multiple enemy units along with being the main means of capturing surrendering units.

Plus, Genesis isn’t exactly generous with ammo for units. Every attack in the game uses energy and it’s the only ammunition type. When you start out, many units can only handle up to eight attacks before needing to refuel, and that’s with the weakest option. With?? fewer options to replenish energy, and skills that can potentially only be single-use, units will be making trips to the battleship frequently. This in turn encourages the player to be mindful of energy level and keep a rotation going during resupplies, in order to keep their ships safeguarded. Now this energy issue can be potent??ially fixed via grinding, but it’s often a slow process.

In addition to the pilots, all the mechs and ships are also able to level up. Upon doing so, the machines get a static bonus to all stats, including energy, but also points for the player to use to manually increase stats of their choice. As a stat is increased, it will start requiring more points to be invested per stat increase. This is balanced out by higher levels granting more points to be used to enhance?? the stats. Now it should go without saying, but a stronger unit like the Sazabi will take more experience than the Zaku II in order to level up. These levels also ?serve a different purpose between battles, which we’ll get to momentarily.

Between missions, players will spend a lot of time assembling, growing, and training their custom team. While they’ll initially start with original characters and machines from the SD Gundam series, they’ll slowly grow a roster of dozens of iconic characters and over 400 machines and ships that can recruited and deployed in any manner. A large part of the roster is also from series that do not have story missions in the game, like Gundam Sentinel or the Psyco Gundam Mk-III from the Battle Assault series. There are no restrictions here, with even crazy what-ifs being possible like putting Al from War in the Pocket in the Alex, and pl?aye??rs are encouraged to mix and match as they please.

This is also where the other benefit of mobile suits leveling up comes into play. Every mobile suit has a development plan where, once they reach specific levels, they can be changed into different machines. While this process resets them to level 1 and undoes the manual stat growth, it’s also the fastest and most efficient way for growing the roster and reaching endgame units such as the Unicorn Gundam trio, which includes the Phenex as depicted in the MSV design books. Once a unit is unlocked, it is added to the factory list, where it can be freely purchased from then on. There are other ways of unlocking units, including an exchange and fu?sion-esque systems, but there is one that’s not particularly efficient.

The game has a mechanic called the Get Gauge, which appears only on story units. When a story unit defea??ts a foe, a part of the gauge is filled. Once it’s maxed out, the unit is added to the factory list, where it can be freely purchased if players have the funds. This is a good shortcut that cuts out the grinding for stronger units like the Zeta Gundam. However, if the meter isn&rsquo;t filled by the end of the mission, it resets. This can be f?rustrating as units only receive experience from kills, and it denies the custom squad potentially dozens of kills in order to fill out this gauge. To accidentally end a mission early and see all of that time and effort can go to waste feels awful. While many machines can still be obtained without dealing with this mechanic, it’s a must for pilots.

The game has a quest system in place, with over 200 of them to complete. These little side tasks range from ‘obtain x unit’ to requiring players to complete stages while following a specific set of instructions. All of the non-SD Gundam characters, excluding Haro, are locked behind these quests. For many of the protagonists, they are locked behind quests that require the Get Gauge to be filled for a unit they pilot. This means for Char and Amuro in their Char's Counterattack incarnations, there is only one stage for each of them where this quest can be completed. Whether it’s because of the Get Gauge or que?sts with conflicting goals, some stages will need to be played at least twice to in order to complete this list.

Now, there are some other issues, but their impact will vary from person to person. Most of them don’t get in the way of the gameplay itself, but they are major enough to warrant mentioning. The most notable of these is the game's subtitles. While the menus, cutscene dialogue, and pilot cut-ins have a perfectly fine English translation, the battle animations do not have subtitles. This is a major blow to those animations. Without the dialogue, characters that do not partake in the included stories, like the Gundam Sentinel or SD Gundam ones, remain these undefined random characters that can??’t show any sense of per??sonality to players.

Furthermore, the animations in Genesis are not consistent. Some of the attack animations are performed by 3D models, while others are by 2D sprites of the models. The two feel dramatically different, especially when the attacks using 2D sprites aren’t necessarily as dynamic or have as many frames of animat?ion as their 3D brethren. It’s especially jarring when an attack starts out as one before transitioning to the other. Trying to have the best of both styles doesn’t work; it should have been only one? or the other.

Finally, the ability to see the range of attacks has a glaring omission. When players are in a mission, they are not only able to see the range of an attack in text, but also a visualization of its range. This is important because not all attacks have a range based on a diameter around the unit. Sometimes it can be a straight line from the unit, which is frequent for ships, or something ridiculous like a checkerboard pattern. Outside of stages, these options do not exist. In between battles, Genesis will only gi??ve its range, but not the shape of that range, and it will give nothing for map attacks. It’s annoying to get new mobile suits and ships when it’s not possible to tel?l what they’re capable of without wasting time going into a map and figuring this out.

While SD Gundam G Generation Genesis has issues, it’s still a good game at its core. The mission formatting, multiple difficulties, side objectives, and mechanics will give all players, regardless of Gundam knowledge, a great time. Plus, the large roster containing hundreds of characters and machines will give Gundam fans plenty of fanservice to enjoy, and numerous custom squad possibilities to run in terms of stats for even non-Gundam fans. However, the abridged storytelling and tailoring to fans of the Universal Century timeline might limit how much enjoyment both parties can get out of Genesis.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of t??he game purchased by the reviewer.]}

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SHOWTIME!

[Update: Lab Zero Games has announced that the Xbox One port of Skullgirls 2nd Encore has been "postponed indefinitely", citing "unforeseen development and production challenges". The s??tudio apologised for ??any disappointment caused.]

Lab Zero's excellent tag-fighting title Skullgirls 2nd Encore, will finally arrive on Nintendo Switch next week, with the wild and beautiful fist-fes?t launching October? 22.

Originally launching way back in 2012, Skullgirls is a fantastic and deep fighting game, featuring a unique and utterly magnetic roster of loopy characters. From retro-cartoon cyborg Peacock and circus performing mobster Cerebella, to resurrected opera singer Squigly and ninja nurse Valentine, the Skullgirls' universe is alive with expressive characters, detailed loc??ations and deep (and surprisingly dark) lore, all dressed up in Lab Zero's high-quality art and animation.

This is to say nothing of Skullgirls excellent, Marvel vs Capcom-inspired action. The game also features character story and training modes, a palette of fun colour schemes and one of the best soundtracks in fighting game history, composed by Castlevania veteran Michiru Yamane. 2nd Encore ?is the latest a?nd final version of the game, and includes all previously released DLC.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore launches on Nintendo Switch October 22. It is already available on PS4, PS Vita, and PC. An Xbox One edition is still waiting for a confi??rmed release date.

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Heavens! Dimensions! We'll pierce them all!

During a livestream this week, Bandai Namco confirmed the release dates of the Nintendo Switch and PC ports for Super Robot Wars X. The game will be releasing in Japan on January 10, 2020. Shortly after, the Southeast Asia branch of the company confirmed that these ports will arrive on the same day for the?? rest of Asia, complete with English subtitles.

You can catch the new trailer below.

If you remember the details for the Super Robot Wars V ports that came out th??is week??, then you know the drill.

All 20 DLC scenarios, which include getting C.C. from Code Geass a pizza, are featured by default. However, anything that was for first-run copies is still treated in the same manner. This means the prologue mission along with the mission that allows you to obtain Super Robot Wars veteran Masaki Andoh and the Cybuster after stage two will not be included in later runs. While the loss of former mis??sion isn't that big of a deal, the latter is, as it means you will not have Cybuster until after stage 34.

It's also worth noting that the PC port of Super Robot Wars V is region locked. If Steam's servers detect that you are not in that region, you will not be able to purchase it. The same thing will likely happen with Super Robot Wars X when it releases next year. If you are looking to support it and are not located in Asia, you'll have to consider the Switch port or the already released PlayStati??on 4 and Vita versions.

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1.070

Chasm came out in the middle of last year, and eventually walked into a room full of Metroidvanias, getting somewhat lost in the shuffle. For many years the genre has thrived, and developers have taken to frequent, huge updates to ke??ep things interesting and competitiv??e.

In addition to a 35% off sale, Chasm now sports (thanks to its 1.070 update) arcade mode, daily challenges, more translations, unique/legendary items, a new chiptune soundtra??ck, "86+" new rooms, new background art, enhanced combat and AI, better controls, and other balance changes. Developer Bit Kid is praising arcade mode as the biggest deal of 1.070, which "generates a new layout of the world on the fly," to the point where if you leave a room and return, it'll be different. The idea is that you need to get through each zone in eight minutes or less to avoid a game over.

Although I'm not sure it's enough to get me to do a full run all over again right now, it's great to see a studio?? support th?eir game long term!

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How low can you go?

I shouldn't need to talk you into picking up a game as perfect as Downwell when it's free. Heck, you should probably already own it somewhere -- PC, Switch, PS4, mobile -- because it's only $3. B??ut, $3 is $3, and free is free.

For the next week, Devolver Digital is giving away Downwell for free on Android devices. Something was bugged with the original version, Devolver had to make a whole new app to fix it, and for all the hassle, Devolver's just making it free until September 27. Here's the Google Play page; it goes free today at 5pm Pacific. (Also, if you bought the original version on Android, read this page to figure out how to get a refund.)

We gave Downwell a 10 back in 2015 because it perfectly executes on its simple concept: A roguelike with second-to-second decision-making all while gravity pulls you down. It's one of those games that takes a while to get the hang of, but once it all clicks, you feel so fabulously competent during the long descent. If you're an Android us??er and you've never played, do yourself a favor and give it a download.

Downwell Accidentally Leaves, Then R?eturns to?? Google Play [Devolver]

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Tilt the table, Luke

For a little over a decade now, Zen Studios has been perfecting its craft at making pinball games. Starting with Pinball FX on Xbox 360 all the way back in 2007, the s??tudio has seemingly not stopped finding ways to adapt different properties into pinball tables. With a release on basically every major platform (including the Wii U) and tons of IPs to work from, Zen Studios has its work cut out for it.

One of the more recognizable releases from the studio has to be Star Wars Pinball. Originally a few small tables as an add-on for Pinball FX2, the DLC has morphed into basically its own game over the years. Zen Studios even released a standalone version of the spin-off on PS3 and Vita in 2013. Combining pinball with one of the most recognizable brands in entertainment history, it was a match made in heaven for fans of Pinball FX.

?At long last, the title is finally available on Switch and it somehow manages to bring even more new features into the fold. The Force is definitely strong with this one, but let's breakdown exactly what you can expect should you opt into Jedi training on your Switch.

Starting off, Star Wars Pinball on Switch is based on the latest version of Pinball FX3 for Nintendo’s platform. When Zen Studios first brought over its premiere pinball game to the hybrid machine, there were some disappointing performance issues. Thankfully, this new release contains all of the fixes done to get Pinball FX3 running ?at 60 FPS on the device. You won't even need a day-one patch?? to see it running smoothly, either (which should be great news for anyone wanting the physical version).

As for what this package entails, you'll be getting all 19 Star Wars-themed tables along with a "campaign" mode, an XP-based multiplayer power struggle, and the option to play with vertical orientation. That last part is crucial since it is technically the only console port of the game to feature that. You can get "cabinet mode" on the Steam release of Pinball FX3, but it requires a special key from Zen Studios?. On Switch, it's available with a simple push of the minus button and it even works i??n docked mode.

Two years afte??r the release of Nintendo's console, I’m still in awe of how smoothly it operates. Starting up a table on your television, removing the console from its dock, tilting the orientation, and resuming ?play is just so seamless. It's the kind of thing that would have absolutely obliterated my mind as a kid.

The campaign mode is probably not what you're expecting. You won't be getting any additional story or some table-based recreation of the classic Star Wars plotlines, but more a series of challenges set to specific tables — things like "Earn X score ?in five min??utes" or "Complete X score in under 200 flips." It's pretty basic stuff, but it does give you an incentive to get better at individual tables or improve certain techniques.

As you do improve your scores, you'll earn tokens that can be traded in for upgrades. Much like Pinball FX3 proper, you'll find various upgrades that all give you boosts to your score. Things like slow-motion and bonus multipliers are available as well as other ways of bolstering your points. If you feel that diminishes the challenge a bit, you can opt to forgo them completely and play a purer version of pinball. A single-player hot-seat mode even o??ffers just as much.

What I was surprised to find is that a few of the tables have mini-games. On the Empire Strikes Back table, you can actually re-enact the famous lightsaber duel between Luke? Skywalker and Darth Vader. It's a little clunky and obviously a gimmick, but it perfectly captures the vibe that old-school pinball tables used to have. It also looks stellar in vertical mode, with Vader appearing larger than life on a big-screen television.

There's been a lot of care given to specific little details here. John Williams' iconic score is present, all of the sound effec??ts are film accurate, and the visuals do a splendid job of capturing the atmosphere of George Lucas' legendary series. The only real stumble is that the voice actors aren't very good. Maybe it's more?? that I'm expecting sound-alikes, but it's so hard to hear someone attempting to be Han Solo and missing the mark by a Tatooine mile.

Voice acting isn't what is going to keep drawing you back to Star Wars Pinball, though. If it's not the addictive table design (of which only a few are duds), then it will probably be the interesting multiplayer component. No?t some kind of direct head-to-head mode, Zen Studios has included what it calls the "Galactic Struggle" as a means of extending replayability. Players will select which side of the Force they align with, and then perform a series of score-based challenges to earn favor and XP for their team.

I’m not sure what the full extent of Galactic Struggle is (the player count was incredibly low post-launch), but it could make for a neat tug-of-war that draws you back in every now and then. If that's not your thing, then you'll likely still find that the sheer value proposition of Star Wars Pinball makes it palatable. Retailing for only $29.99, this is not only a hel??l of a buy but a cheaper alternative to grab?bing all of the tables individually on other platforms.

You don't get cross-compatibility with Pinball FX3 (something that is possible on other platforms), but you also don't need to worry about getting multiple DLC packs. This is a simple, one-time purchase that caters to Star Wars fans with little fuss. As I started out mentioning, Zen Studios has perfected its craft, so why wouldn't you want multiple tables? Almost everything here is really good and even if you hate The Last Jedi, the table is damn fine.

Star Wars may be a bit old hat by now and maybe Zen Studios hasn't really innovated on its formula all that much, but does that ultimately matter? Star Wars Pinball is a great package for Switch owne??rs and something I can ??easily recommend to fans of digital pinball.

_{[This impressions piece is based on a retail build of the software provided by the publisher.]}

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Lacrimosa of portability

Does anyone here remember that Ys VIII is coming to mobile devices? No? Well, it's still being developed, bu??t has gotten a slight delay to 2020. To make up for its belated appearance, it looks like developer Falcom will be adding some new content to Adol's adventure in Seiren. The first of these new additions comes in the form of a character and boss fight.

At some point during the story, Adol will encounter Rucol. An incredibly young, pampered, crybaby of a bandit, Rucol unleashes her pent up power when she cries. Her costume features the design of a rabbit since it's her favorite animal. As with most foes in Ys, Rucol likely befriends Adol after the battle and will accompany him for the rest of ??the game.

If you happen to be going to the Tokyo Game Show this year, Falcom will have a playable build of Ys VIII Mobile on the show floor. Ys IX will also be there, though no new information ??was given for that particular title. Wh?ile I think it's great that Falcom is taking the time to expand this port, I have to wonder if Rucol will end up making her way back to the console versions at some point.

Ys VIII Mobile? Makes It?s Way To Smartphones In 2020, Features Original Character Rucol [Siliconera]

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A nice port (get it?)

Atlus is one hell of a company. Following up on its success with the Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and Etrian Odyssey series, the publisher decided to release a little old game about cl??imbing blocks in a nightmarish hellscape and navigating (sometimes hellish) relati?onships.

Catherine is just as good now as it was in 2011. The question is whether or not the new "Full Body" additions are worth ??double-dipping for.

Catherine: Full Body (PS4 [reviewed], Vita (Japan only)
Developer: Atlus (Studio Zero)
Publisher: Atlus
Released: February 14, 2019 (Japan), September 3, 2019 (WW)
MSRP: $59.99

Catherine: Full Body is basically a beefed-up, touched-up version of the original. Before I begin it's important to note that this release is $60, and the PS3 version can be purchased for around $15 new, even less used. Catherine Classic is on Steam for $20. Now I know a lot of you don't own a PS3 or game on PC, but I thought I'd point that out: you can decide i??f it's worth the diff?erence by the time this review is over.

More cutscenes, more characters, more music, more levels, more multiplayer pretty much describes Full Body to a tee. There's more concessions for a lowered bar of entry with accessibility options, which don't shame the pl??ayer and still offer up the chance to fully experience the story (with in-game toggles if you just need help on a more difficult part). Wai??t, puzzles? Yeah, this relationship simulator has puzzles: lots of them!

You step into the shoes of Vincent: a 32-something man in a relationship who wakes up in bed with another woman near the beginning of the narrative. Vincent's efficacy as a character and as a metaphor for commitment have been debated over the course of the last seven years; but I think the Catherine team is capable of striking real, poignant, and relatable chords th??roughout the story.

That's partly because there isn't any real meat on Catherine's bones. Most of the narrative parts take place in a divey bar, complete with a dedicated drink button, the ability to chat with patrons and friends, and answer text messages from your potential relationships (the count is upped from two to three in Full Body with Rin). Occasionally you'll get the chance to make major choices that impact the story and converge into one of the (now) 13 endings. It's a unique-as-hell game, dotted with subtle and obvious symbolism for responsibility and adherence to the pas?t.

To help facilitate the new story, more anime cutscenes have been added, and the touched-up visual style looks somewhere around the neighborhood of a remaster. It's not like cutting-edge graphics really serve to enhance a game like this that's mostly spent in menus or staring at dialogue boxes, but some of the?? game's more sanctified puzzle arena backgrounds do look markedly improved.

As was always the case, the narrative can be h?it or miss. Rin is an interesting character at first, but some of the choices for ??her story end up not really following through. With that said, she doesn't feel tacked-on at all: like she always meant to be there, and even influences gameplay slightly with her piano-playing skills. Honestly, I'm in it more for the puzzle aspect, and this timeless formula still delivers.

Ah, so on those elusive puzzle bits! Imagine Q*bert on crack and you'll have the basic gist down. Each evening Vincent is thrust into a "Nightmare," a series of vertical labyrinths stacked on high with cubes. With a simple control scheme in hand (movement, one button to pull/push blocks, and a sparing power?-up pr?ess) you'll need to grab blocks and climb your way to the top to avoid falling to your doom or getting eaten by a monstrosity (which serve as the level series bookend boss fights). When you hit the top Vincent will wake up, have another living nightmare of a day, then go back at it until he discovers why this is happening.

Given the unique rule sets of the block physics and the sheer number of different types strewn about the game, there are frequently multiple ways to solve each tower. The action is also well-paced, as there is a sense of urgency to it all, but in a contained way that doesn't turn Catherine into a button-masher. It's incredible how well this idea holds up eight years later, and how much it forces you to think out of the box: some of the later puzzles are more delightfully devilish than Seymour Skinner. The same goes for the bite-sized in-universe arcade game Super Rapunzel, which apes the main cube concept.

Perhaps the most long-lasting Full Body feature is multiplayer. In case you haven't noticed, Catherine is basically played as a fighting game at many FGC events. Multiplayer is online-enabled and immediately available (without having to finish the campaign once), with new stages to boot. Local play is also in with the chance to play co-op or versus, the former of which informs ?the overarching universe of the game with more lore bits. It's the kind of old-school flair you'd expect from Atlus, and with more levels, it's just as resplendent as it was in the original version.

Catherine: Fully Body contains many of the blemishes from the original but doubles down on the amount of puzzles, which is a net gain?. If you already had your fill though, you may as well catch up on some of the new endings and call it a ??day.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Super Robot Wars X also confirmed

Bandai Namco has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch port of Super Robot Wars V will be releasing on October 3. In addition to Japan, the game will also be releasing in the Southeast Asia region with its English translation once again. The company also confirmed that the port for Super Robot Wars X will also release in the region, but no date was given at this time. The PC port for Super Robot Wars V, which will release via Steam, was not given?? a release date either.

Further details were also given about V's port and what content it would include.

Bandai Namco confirmed that the 20 bonus scenarios released as DLC for the PlayStation 4 and Vita versions of V will be included in the Switch r??elease. These scenarios could be best described as filler episodes. They are self-contained missions that don't necessarily have any relation to the overall plot and have set teams for them. For instance, in one scenario, Misato is concerned about the Evangelion pilots, and asks the Mazinger and Getter Robo teams to train them. It's just fun little scenarios like that, and there's something for every fan in there.

However, there is one piece of DLC that is not included in the port from the get-go. For those who purchase the game early, they will receive the same bonus that PlayStation 4 and Vita players did. This consisted of some extra parts, but also a bonus scenario that let early adopt??ers use the Huckebein and Grungust machines as early as the second scenario instead of over the halfway point at scenario 40. It's a shame this remains separated, since the port is going for nearly full price in Japan, and likely w??ill in Asia as well, so many may pass on it for the now-cheaper original releases or just wait.

While no details were confirmed, the port for X will likely follow the same process. All 20 DLC scenarios will be included, but the first print bonus, which includes earlier access to Cybuster, will remain separate. Given that SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays will not launch until November 28, I could see the re-release for Super Robt Wars X not occurring until 2020 to avoi??d cannibalizing sales.

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Which Rin should I choose?

Those wishing to get a taste of what's new in Catherine: Full Body can now head onto their PS4s and download the new demo. Sega and Atlus have uploaded the sampler to the PSN for everyone ahead of the remaster's September 3, 2019, launch. While only a small portion of what the full game will have, the demo tasks you with making a decision between which Catherine you'll pursuit.

From what I played at E3, Full Body feels like a very faithful update to the cult classic game. I'm not sure about some of the finer details regarding the new character, Rin, or how certain story segments will play out, but the game isn't far from release. With only a few short months left, why not give this latest demo a try and see if Catherine is right for you. Katherine may be a ?better fit for the more conservative among us, however.

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You Can (Not) Port

In a surprise reveal, Bandai Namco has announced that Super Robot Wars V and X will be ported to Nintendo Switch and PC. While details are scarce at this time, the company has promised more details will arrive in the upcoming issue of Weekly Famitsu. It should be noted that Bandai Namco Southeast Asia has not announced anything yet, meaning there is a chance these may not release outside of Japan with their English translations, just like SD Gundam G Generation Genesis with its Switch port.

For those unfam??iliar with these entries and the differences between them, here is a quick ru?ndown.

Super Robot Wars V released on February 23, 2017 for PlayStation 4 and Vita, and was the first licensed title to be translated into English. We reviewed the game, awar??ding it a 7.5/10, highlighting a lack of difficulty holding it back. The series included are as follows, with franchise de?buts highlighted in bold:

• Invincible Super Man Zambot 3
• Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3
• Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
  
• Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
• Mobile Suit Gundam Char's Counterattack
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash
• Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam
• Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam: Skull Heart
• Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam: The Steel Seven
• Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny
• Mobile Suit Gundam 00: A Wakening of the Trailblazer
• Mobile Suit Gundam UC
• Brave Express Might Gaine
• Martian Successor Nadesico: The Motion Picture - Prince of Darkness
• Getter Robo Armageddon
• Mazinger Edition Z: The Impact!
• Shin Mazinger ZERO vs. Great General of Darkness
• Fullmetal Panic!
• Fullmetal Panic? Fumoffu
• Fullmetal Panic! The Second Raid
• Fullmetal Panic! (Original novels)
• Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone
• Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
• Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo
• Space Battleship Yamato 2199
• Cross Ange: Rondo of Angel and Dragon

The following year, on April 26, 2018, Super Robot Wars X released for PlayStation 4 and Vita. We had a review for it as well, awarding it a 7.5/1??0, citing improvements in mechanics, difficulty, and visuals but a major mishandling of t?he story for the series included. The properties included are as follows, with first-time appearances in the franchise highlighted in bold:

• Aura Battler Dunbine  
• Brave Express Mightgaine
• Buddy Complex
• Buddy Complex Final Act: Into the Skies of Tomorrow
• Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2
• Cross Ange: Rondo of Angels and Dragons
• Gurren Lagann
• Gurren Lagann the Movie: The Lights in the Sky are Stars
• Mazinkaiser
• Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
• Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack – Beltorchika’s Children
• Mobile Suit Gundam F91
• Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz
• Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam: The Steel Seven
• Gundam Reconguista in G
• Mashin Hero Wataru
• Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water
• New Story of Aura Battler Dunbine
• Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3
• Mazinger Edition Z: The Impact!
• Shin Mazinger ZERO vs. Great General of Darkness

It should be noted that while I favor the more recent Super Robot Wars T for newcomers due to solid storytelling, presentation, and difficulty options, that could potentially change wit??h these ports.

If V has the expert difficulty mode introduced in X, and the Super Expert mode that a recent patch added to T, then its major flaw will have been addressed. In turn, V will be just as much of an ideal entry point as T is currently.

Of course, ??that's also assuming these will ports will be released to regions that have the translations, so don't get your hopes up yet.

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