Anycolor announced that the Nijisanji Japan Vtuber Naruse Naru will graduate on August 31, 2024. He debuted in VOIZ back in June 2018, meaning he was with the company for over six years.
Here is the official Anycolor notice about Naruse Naru deciding to graduate. While he will depart from the company on August 31, 2024, fan letters will be accepted until September 30, 2024. Also, as is customary for a Nijisanji Vtuber graduation, we will see the social media account close once he does graduate and videos could be archived.
Naruse Naru also took to social media to talk about his decision to graduate from Nijisanji. In his statement, he noted that he will still be a part of Vsaikyo 2024. That is the yearly Vtuber Apex Legends tournament. Naru is part of the D.D. Dogs alongside Nijisanji’s Harusaki Air, Cover Holostars Vtuber Rikka, and FENNEL’s Miki "Pinotr" Tsurumaki. That is being held August 24, 2024.
Most recently, Naru has been playing Apex Legends during streams. He was known for playing games primarily. However, he would also occasionally perform covers of songs as well.
Naruse Naru will graduate from Nijisanji on on August 31, 2024, and he will still be in Vsaikyo 2024.
Good Smile Company announced seven Rebuild of Evangelion Huggy Good Smile figures of Asuka, Kaworu, Mari, Rei, and Shinji. These will cost ￥1,800/$10.99 each, and will debut in February 2025 in Japan and Q3 2025 worldwide.
While there are seven figures in this collection, two of them are alternate versions. All of them feature Asuka, Kaworu, Mari, Rei, and Shinji in their plugsuits. The bonus Asuka one is her Eye Patch Version one, while the extra Rei is a Long Hair Version. Each one is about two and a half inches tall, which is 65mm. You can adjust the position of the arms. However, the other parts can’t be moved. The extra magnet is in the back of the head, should someone want to display it on a magnetic surface.
Here’s the Japanese announcement, which also shows how the Huggy Good Smile Evangelion figures of Asuka, Kaworu, Mari, Rei, and Shinji can be posed on shelves or displayed on magnetic surfaces like fridges.
We also have a better idea of each one looks, as Good Smile Company shared individual photos of each character.
The Huggy Good Smile Rebuild of Evangelion figures of Asuka, Kaworu, Mari, Rei, and Shinji will come to Japan in February 2025, followed by a global release in Q3 2025. Pre-orders close on September 18, 2024. People can catch the Evangelion anime on Netflix, and the Rebuild of Evangelion films are on Amazon.
Square Enix released a Chrissy Costanza music video for the FFXIV “Give It All” Arcadion Raid song, as well as shared the official English lyrics for the track. The song debuted alongside the 7.01 Dawntrail Raid AAC Light-heavyweight Tier.
In FFXIV, you hear the song “Give It All” during AAC Light-heavyweight M4. The Orchestrion Roll for the track is also a basic rarity reward from a Treasure Coffer from the fight. The idea is that Wicked Thunder is “performing” the track. In reality, it is a The Primals song with Costanza providing the vocals. Previously, the company shared the track following its release. However, now the additional video and lyrics are also available.
Here are the full, official “Give It All” FFXIV Arcadion Raid song lyrics:
Tonight our city bleeds red, blue, and green As I walk in the dark unseen
Yet like the grey the sky is draped in The colors in my heart have faded
Gone They're gone They're gone All gone
A girl looks to the stars and dares to dream On the world she'd make her mark, it seemed
This phantom in my mirror starin' back I realize that girl is
Gone She's gone She's gone I'm gone
Climbed every mountain, made it to the top I had it all, or so I thought Traded tomorrow for a lie And found the price too high
The clock is ticking counting down to naught I'm outta time but it won't stop I'll bet my life before it's lost That final line I'll cross
There ain't no going back No going back No going back No
What light's left here inside I'll suffocate If that's what it takes, oh
And those who look to cast me aside or turn their backs and leave me to die
You can try, can try, come try, But I will survive
No going back No going back Won't ever (no) Never again, no
Ain't no going back No going back No coming back from the edge
Look in my eyes, yeah I know you understand (somebody help, my misery's taking me) I've made up my mind, now there ain't no going back (somebody help, I'm losing what's left of me) I've made up my mind, now my heart's demanding I'm ready to fight til there's one left standing Tonight, lightning'll strike, thunder will fall (and) You're gonna give it all
To me To me To me To me, I gotta believe You'll set Me free
Tonight my circle finally comes complete One last step from the dark, I breathe
The music's swellin', crowd is chantin' And for this moment fear's an after-thought It's gone It's gone All gone
I look out to the crowd and there I see A thousand little girls--all me
I've turned the tables, yeah I'm fightin' back I'll bring the lightnin', now it's
On It's on It's on You're gone
Climbed every mountain, made it to the top I had it all, or so I thought Traded tomorrow for a lie And found the price too high
The clock is ticking counting down to naught I'm outta time but it won't stop I'll bet my life before it's lost That final line I'll cross
There ain't no going back No going back No going back No
What light's left here inside I'll suffocate If that's what it takes, oh
And those who look to cast me aside or turn their backs and leave me to die
You can try, can try, come try, But I will survive
No going back No going back Won't ever (no) Never again, no
Ain't no going back No going back No coming back from the edge, no more
Next, here’s the “Give It All” music video from YouTube, which features gameplay footage from FFXIV, Solution Nine, and the Arcadion Raid. Note there are spoilers for all the AAC Light-heavyweight Tier fights in the video below, and not just the Wicked Thunder one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSU-swmCxVM
Both standard and Savage versions of the AAC Light-heavyweight Tier Arcadion fight are available in the game. The more difficult version of the Raid debuted at the end of July 2024 in patch 7.05.
Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the Arcadian Raid series are part of the Dawntrail patches.
Square Enix released a Chrissy Costanza music video for the FFXIV “Give It All” Arcadion Raid song, as well as shared the official English lyrics for the track. The song debuted alongside the 7.01 Dawntrail Raid AAC Light-heavyweight Tier.
In FFXIV, you hear the song “Give It All” during AAC Light-heavyweight M4. The Orchestrion Roll for the track is also a basic rarity reward from a Treasure Coffer from the fight. The idea is that Wicked Thunder is “performing” the track. In reality, it is a The Primals song with Costanza providing the vocals. Previously, the company shared the track following its release. However, now the additional video and lyrics are also available.
Here are the full, official “Give It All” FFXIV Arcadion Raid song lyrics:
Tonight our city bleeds red, blue, and green As I walk in the dark unseen
Yet like the grey the sky is draped in The colors in my heart have faded
Gone They're gone They're gone All gone
A girl looks to the stars and dares to dream On the world she'd make her mark, it seemed
This phantom in my mirror starin' back I realize that girl is
Gone She's gone She's gone I'm gone
Climbed every mountain, made it to the top I had it all, or so I thought Traded tomorrow for a lie And found the price too high
The clock is ticking counting down to naught I'm outta time but it won't stop I'll bet my life before it's lost That final line I'll cross
There ain't no going back No going back No going back No
What light's left here inside I'll suffocate If that's what it takes, oh
And those who look to cast me aside or turn their backs and leave me to die
You can try, can try, come try, But I will survive
No going back No going back Won't ever (no) Never again, no
Ain't no going back No going back No coming back from the edge
Look in my eyes, yeah I know you understand (somebody help, my misery's taking me) I've made up my mind, now there ain't no going back (somebody help, I'm losing what's left of me) I've made up my mind, now my heart's demanding I'm ready to fight til there's one left standing Tonight, lightning'll strike, thunder will fall (and) You're gonna give it all
To me To me To me To me, I gotta believe You'll set Me free
Tonight my circle finally comes complete One last step from the dark, I breathe
The music's swellin', crowd is chantin' And for this moment fear's an after-thought It's gone It's gone All gone
I look out to the crowd and there I see A thousand little girls--all me
I've turned the tables, yeah I'm fightin' back I'll bring the lightnin', now it's
On It's on It's on You're gone
Climbed every mountain, made it to the top I had it all, or so I thought Traded tomorrow for a lie And found the price too high
The clock is ticking counting down to naught I'm outta time but it won't stop I'll bet my life before it's lost That final line I'll cross
There ain't no going back No going back No going back No
What light's left here inside I'll suffocate If that's what it takes, oh
And those who look to cast me aside or turn their backs and leave me to die
You can try, can try, come try, But I will survive
No going back No going back Won't ever (no) Never again, no
Ain't no going back No going back No coming back from the edge, no more
Next, here’s the “Give It All” music video from YouTube, which features gameplay footage from FFXIV, Solution Nine, and the Arcadion Raid. Note there are spoilers for all the AAC Light-heavyweight Tier fights in the video below, and not just the Wicked Thunder one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSU-swmCxVM
Both standard and Savage versions of the AAC Light-heavyweight Tier Arcadion fight are available in the game. The more difficult version of the Raid debuted at the end of July 2024 in patch 7.05.
Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the Arcadian Raid series are part of the Dawntrail patches.
At gamescom 2024, Bandai Namco shared a new Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero trailer that featured both Super Buu and Ultimate Gohan. Both will be among the Buu Saga representatives joining as playable fighters in the game.
The focus of the trailer is more about us being 50 days out from the launch of Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero in October 2024, rather than one focused on just revealing new members of the roster, though Ultimate Gohan and Super Buu are featured in it. Both quickly appear during brief gameplay segments. This is in stark contrast to the typical trailers for the title. Those tend to give people a better chance to see fighters in matches against new or previously announced fighters.
Here’s the full “50 Days from Now” trailer for Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROcsMP0yHJ4
Recent trailers tended to focus on certain arcs for character reveals. For example, the Android Saga one showed four versions of Cell, Android 16, Android 17, Android 18, and Android 19. The Saiyan and Namek Sagas trailer involved five versions of Frieza and two versions of Zarbon.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero will appear on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC on October 11, 2024.
At Opening Night Live at gamescom 2024, the Marvel Rivals release date and Captain America and Winter Soldier gameplay appeared. The game will launch on the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on December 6, 2024.
Here is the new Marvel Rivals release date, Captain America, and Winter Soldier gamescom 2024 trailer. It begins with Wakanda being mentioned and Black Panther shown. From there, we get to see more of Captain America and Winter Soldier. First, Bucky gameplay comes up. After that, Steve takes the stage. The video closes with the confirmed release date for the title.
The trailer also included a number of promises and commitments at the end of it. Netease noted that the game will launch with every playable character unlocked. People won’t need to pay to unlock them or earn them via playing. It will also be free-to-play. The publisher noted this will apply past launch as well.
Seeing Captain America and Winter Soldier in Marvel Rivals marks two additional series staples. Others showed up as of late in the past few weeks and months. For example, a more obscure character named Jeff the Land Shark will be a part of it.
Marvel Rivals release date falls on December 6, 2024, and people will find it on the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Epic Games Store and Steam.
During gamescom 2024 Opening Night Live, HoYoVerse announced a Genshin Impact Xbox Series X release date. The game will come to the console on November 10, 2024, following the 5.0 launch on August 28, 2024.
The Xbox Series X version of Genshin Impact came up in the gamescom 2024 trailer for the title. For the most part, the video focused on the 5.0 update. We got to see the three new characters joining in August 2024 in action. These are the five-stars Mualani and Kinich and four-star Kachina.
This is the second Genshin Impact trailer to appear recently. On August 19, 2024, there was a Natlan-focused one. It highlighted certain areas we’ll visit and creatures we’ll encounter in the new region.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-IgLbEmtDM
This announcement means Genshin Impact is only missing on one major console. The Switch version of the title was announced not long after launch. However, it’s since been absent over the years with no updates. It is unknown if this means it might not appear on a Nintendo platform until a Switch successor appears.
Genshin Impact is available on the PS4, PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the Xbox Series X release date is November 10, 2024.
I’m going to honestly admit that whenever I would see Mika and the Witch’s Mountain, I’d think of it as the Kiki’s Delivery Service game. I mean, it’s a young girl who is an apprentice witch riding around on her broom to help her community by delivery packages. Chibig and Nukefist even included an anime-style opening. The good news is that it is exactly what it appears to be, though some broom-riding mechanics and deliveries can be a little frustrating.
Mika is heading to the Stellar Lighthouse to train under Miss Olagari, just as her mother did. However, upon getting there, her new teacher boots her off the side of the highest peak on the island’s mountain. She tells her she can’t really begin until she gets back up to the Stellar Lighthouse. Upon landing, Mika breaks her broom. She starts working for Greff, who runs the local delivery business, as a courier to pay for repairs, connecting to the island and its mysteries in the process.
Screenshot by Siliconera
While Mika is a witch, Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is pretty much entirely a flying sim about making deliveries, recreating the whole Kiki’s Delivery Service experience. You’ll be tasked with completing the deliveries on your Delivery Card, some of which won’t come up until you kick off a chain of events by taking or making the first drop-off in the line. Most delivery items have a certain number of hearts representing their health and restrictions like you can’t get them wet or damage them. (If you mess up, you can hold X to reset the package and retry.) Occasionally, there may be a timer asking you to complete a delivery in a certain amount of time.
Since your early brooms aren’t great, you’ll often need to rely on certain outside elements to aid in your deliveries. These can involve wind currents, which lift you up or provide a burst of speed to get along a straight pass. Former ruin parts can also help you trigger additional wind-generating portals or elements to reach even greater heights. However, depending on how fragile your package may be, these could also work against you and send you careening into obstacles, ruining the item.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND8J9PCStMY
Not to mention there are also optional deliveries. For example, you may find an item like a kite or ocarina lying around, indicated by sparkles in a section. Picking these up only gives you a hint as to who the owner is. Meaning you need to have an idea of who the residents are to ensure those things get back to the rightful owners.
In general, Mika and the Witch’s Mountain works much better than I expected. Flying simulators are a bit finicky sometimes, especially when they don’t involve planes. Mika definitely feels like a witch just finding her footing. This means that the brooms themselves don’t always feel very precise! There was one early Greff delivery that involved taking an already damaged item to a certain place I’d only visited once before on the opposite side of the island, and it took me about seven tries to actually get it there safely. The further you get in the game, the more fiddly it can feel like some items are, so there are definitely a few times when I wished the brooms and controls were a bit more exact.
But really, aside from that, only one thing kept me from feeling like Chibig and Nukefist nailed what they were trying to accomplish with Mika and the Witch’s Mountain. I really wish there was a way to “pin” objectives on the map. Sometimes, characters move around! They’ll be in different spots than they were before. When you check the delivery card, you’ll also only get a general area of where things are. I get what the developers were trying to accomplish. It really does feel like I’m an apprentice witch checking a map, often repeatedly, to make sure I’m headed to the right spot. But when I started really relying on different airstreams or relics to get places or trying to use those elements to proceed, I started to wish I could see a little on-screen indicator to at least remind me I was headed in the correct direction.
Screenshot by Siliconera
That said, everything else about Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is handled quite well. The script is charming. Even characters you don’t spend a lot of time getting to know initially leave a big impression. The developers did a great job of getting us to root for Mika! The layout of the island is conducive to exploring, especially when you start to memorize which wind currents will be most helpful. The designs for everything are also very vibrant and engaging. Also, the few stressful and timed deliveries aside, it can be shockingly low-key! I also like that while this is definitely designed to feel like Kiki's Delivery Service, Mika is a very different sort of witch and protagonist and the game involves other types of themes.
Mika and the Witch’s Mountain really does do a good job of giving us a Kiki’s Delivery Service sort of game, and it’s often quite relaxing too! Mika’s a fun protagonist, and the island is this vibrant setting filled with big personalities and life. Sometimes the broomstick-riding can feel a bit fiddly, but it’s genuinely a delightful simulation about being a courier witch.
Mika and the Witch’s Mountain will come to the Nintendo Switch and PC on August 21, 2024.
Another Puella Magi Madoka Magica staple is confirmed as a playable Magia Exedra character, as we’ll be able to be Homura Akemi in the game as well. A first trailer appeared for her. Keep in mind though, it does involve some Madoka Magica Homura spoilers if you aren’t familiar with the anime and past games.
Editor’s Note: There are some Homura Akemi Puella Magi Madoka Magica spoilers in the MagiaExedra trailer below.
The latest Madoka Magica: Magia Exedra trailer is more about establishing the character and showing one major attack than showing off a lot of her gameplay. It begins with Homura inside of a Witch’s Labyrinth. She asserts, “I can do it on my own, and I’ll do it over and over.” From there, we get to see an animation that looks like her summoning an attack in the series. She brings out a major rocket launcher, which she crouches on, that shoots an unseen opponent. All of the text references her actions in the original anime for the sake of Madoka.
The video then shows Homura’s official art and voice actress for the game. Chiwa Saito will play her in Madoka Magica: Magia Exedra. She also played her in the anime, games like Madoka Magica: Magia Record, and in other game crossovers involving the series. People may also recognize her as the voice of Jean in Genshin Impact, Changli in Wuthering Waves, Elaine in Trails Through Daybreak, Tamamo no Mae in the Fate/ series, and Aoi in Danganronpa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5foPPMU_RV8
While we’ve seen screenshots of Madoka Magica characters like Homura Akemi, Sayaka Miki, Kyoko Sakura, and Mami Tomoe in parties before, Aniplex only confirmed Madoka Kaname and Iroha Tamaki in official trailers so far.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Magia Exedra will be available on the PC via Steam and mobile devices.
The latest PC farming and life sim is now available to play, as Fields of Mistria launched on early access. To go along with that, there’s a launch trailer highlighting what people can expect from the title. In addition, many of the available songs from the Fields of Mistria soundtrack ended up shared online.
Here’s the Fields of Mistria early access launch trailer. It begins with general farming footage. People can watch as someone tends crops. From there, we get to meet some of the people living in the nearby village. Hayden shows up first, alongside some of the animals you can buy from them. From there, portraits of 10 of the 12 marriage candidates show up. Two remain as secret silhouettes in the video. After that, we see what it’s like to explore the mines and the enemies inside one. Collecting elements for the town museum come up as well. Early access will last for a year, new content will be added as time goes on, and the team says it currently doesn’t expect the price to change from $13.99.
Here’s the full Fields of Mistria gameplay footage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maEjeW8uL2Y
In addition to the launch trailer, 52 songs off of the Fields of Mistria soundtrack are now available on the official YouTube channel for the game. They’re composed by Hidehito Ikumo. Here’s the full list of the tracks released so far:
Bandai Namco is releasing Bleach Rebirth of Souls character trailers to highlight different fighters’ gameplay styles, and Byakuya Kuchiki is the latest one to appear. This marks the second time a video focused on him, as he starred alongside Ichigo Kurosaki in a general gameplay video at the end of July 2024.
The video begins with an introduction to who Byakuya Kuchiki is. In addition to being Rukia’s brother and Renji Aburai’s superior, he’s head of the Kuchiki family and Sixth Division. His Zanpakuto is Senbonzakura. After showing him off, more specific attacks are highlighted. He uses Senbonzakura Seal & Release as his Signature Move, and it has two forms to it that swap when used. His Spiritual Pressure moves are Release: Senbonzakura/Seal: Senbonzakura and a That Won’t Touch Me counterattack. His Awakening involves Bankai: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi being unleashed.
Here's the full Bleach Rebirth of Souls Byakuya trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzBelDvJt4c
We’re now at four Bleach Rebirth of Souls character trailers total. The first three provided us an opportunity to see Ichigo, Rukia, and Uryu Ishida fight. Other characters confirmed so far who haven’t shown up in videos are Renji and Yasutora “Chad” Sado.
Bleach Rebirth of Souls is in development for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. The Bleach anime, including Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, is streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. Viz Media handles the manga.
Back on July 10, 2024, Pocketpair announced on social media that Palworld Discord Shop animated avatar icon and profile cosmetic effects would be sold until July 24, 2024. On August 5, 2024, the company again took to social media to extend the run of the items in the official storefront until December 31, 2024.
Here’s the announcement, which confirmed that the items will remain in the Discord Shop. It included official art of the Discord Wumpus mascot with the Pals Chillet, Cattiva, and Lamball. The reasoning for the extension is that fan demand showed a desire for the items to remain available for an extended period.
We ended up seeing nine Palworld avatar and profile items appear in the Discord Shop as part of the promotion. There’s also a Best Pals Forever Bundle that pairs the Wake Up profile design with Cattiva, Chikipi, and Lamball with the Chillet avatar cosmetic for $17.99.
Here’s the list of all of the items in the storefront until the end of 2025. Some of them are inspired by the Sakurajima update that launched in June 2024, such as the cosmetic with Saya on it.
Cattiva Avatar Icon Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Chillet Avatar Icon Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Depresso Avatar Icon Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Lamball Avatar Icon Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Pal Sphere Avatar Icon Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Saya Profile Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Selyne Avatar Icon Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Tocotoco Profile Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Wake Up Profile Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Once you hit a certain age, life gets so busy. You tend to see it all. Work takes up more of your life than you’d expect. Arranging time to hang out with friends can get tougher. It’s part of why some probably seek out a cozy life sim or two, so they can at least virtually enjoy some downtime. With Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid, Millennium Kitchen and Toybox present an experience that perfectly recreates that summer vacation experience. It really is like you’re 10 again, life is new and fresh, you have total freedom, and only new, pleasant, positive experiences await you.
Satoru is a circus kid. I mean, not literally. His parents are letting him decide his own path. But the two of them are a part of a circus, and the three of them set up shop with coworkers at Yomogi Town for a show. While Satoru’s parents and crew work out some details related to the show and debt, he — and by extension the player — have the whole summer ahead of them to explore the town, meet the locals, engage in peaceful activities, take on challenges like bug catching, fishing, fundraising, solving mysteries, and summer homework. While there are recommended quests and you’ll eventually take on tasks that increase your stamina for climbing power, it’s up to you to do what makes you happy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnPRIEbXqWE
Almost immediately after getting into Natsu-Mon, a player is given the freedom to do whatever they’d like. After initially talking with your family, the owner of the Guesthouse Ashitaba where you’re staying, and fellow circus troupe members… you’re free. I ended up catching 10 bugs to boost my stamina by one, met the local kids and agreed to help them with their first mystery, then got home in time for dinner. After that, I met more of the people staying at Ashitaba, talked to the Shrine Dude, relit lanterns, then fell asleep. The next day, I took a look at my map to see who I hadn’t met yet, talked to more locals, and looked into doing some fishing to help the circus with some debt.
You’re never gated off while playing Natsu-Mon, and it’s refreshing. I felt like as long as I kept being curious and exploring, I’d get to see new things, meet new people, and savor these delightful moments. Especially since it’s so easy to earn Stickers to increase the Stamina gauge for climbing and dashing via things like Big Adventures quests or Flatfoot Files with the Yomogi Town kids. And recounting said activities in the diary for summer school homework is a great way to keep track of everything you’ve done.
Image via Spike Chunsoft
Which also ties in to another amazing thing about Natsu-Mon: the localization. I think it’s one of the most charming, cozy, funny, creative, and curious scripts in a Switch life sim. The lines Satoru has, including the choices you can make for his responses, are fantastic. The reactions of other characters are so personable and feel real. This is one of those games where you want to talk to every NPC, as well as do so as often as possible, so you can see what they’ll say next. I will definitely eventually replay it again, so I can relive certain moments, like the summer festival and see experience certain interactions again.
The only time Natsu-Mon doesn’t delight is that sometimes this life sim can feel more awkward than cozy. For example, you might occasionally happen upon a challenge or task that involves Satoru engaging in some light parkouring or platforming. Lighting the shrine lanterns is a perfect example. As good as the game is, it doesn’t lend itself well to precise jumping. It also can be so freeform that, before you find your bearings, you might not immediately know where to go and what to do. On the very first day, I found myself flummoxed when it came to figuring out how to actually go to bed. Especially since the game just warned that if I stayed up late, I would miss morning exercises! I also found myself wasting time the first day trying to find a way to fish, with it not happening for me until my second day began. Also, while bug catching does involve a helpful circle around potential catches within range, I sometimes didn’t feel like I was catching the critter I intended to if multiple ones were around.
Image via Spike Chunsoft
Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid launched at a time when I really needed it, and that made me appreciate this cozy life sim even more. The older we get, the rarer it is to enjoy weeks of freedom, discovery, and joy. I get so caught up in work, especially around summer events when there are events back-to-back. Millennium Kitchen and Toybox really captured the magic of a peaceful summer where you can live at your own pace. Everything is new and an adventure. It’s refreshing and rejuvenating.
Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid will be available for the Nintendo Switch and PC on August 6, 2024. A demo is available on the Switch.
Another Puella Magi Madoka Magica staple is confirmed as a playable Magia Exedra character, as we’ll be able to be Homura Akemi in the game as well. A first trailer appeared for her. Keep in mind though, it does involve some Madoka Magica Homura spoilers if you aren’t familiar with the anime and past games.
Editor’s Note: There are some Homura Akemi Puella Magi Madoka Magica spoilers in the MagiaExedra trailer below.
The latest Madoka Magica: Magia Exedra trailer is more about establishing the character and showing one major attack than showing off a lot of her gameplay. It begins with Homura inside of a Witch’s Labyrinth. She asserts, “I can do it on my own, and I’ll do it over and over.” From there, we get to see an animation that looks like her summoning an attack in the series. She brings out a major rocket launcher, which she crouches on, that shoots an unseen opponent. All of the text references her actions in the original anime for the sake of Madoka.
The video then shows Homura’s official art and voice actress for the game. Chiwa Saito will play her in Madoka Magica: Magia Exedra. She also played her in the anime, games like Madoka Magica: Magia Record, and in other game crossovers involving the series. People may also recognize her as the voice of Jean in Genshin Impact, Changli in Wuthering Waves, Elaine in Trails Through Daybreak, Tamamo no Mae in the Fate/ series, and Aoi in Danganronpa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5foPPMU_RV8
While we’ve seen screenshots of Madoka Magica characters like Homura Akemi, Sayaka Miki, Kyoko Sakura, and Mami Tomoe in parties before, Aniplex only confirmed Madoka Kaname and Iroha Tamaki in official trailers so far.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Magia Exedra will be available on the PC via Steam and mobile devices.
The latest PC farming and life sim is now available to play, as Fields of Mistria launched on early access. To go along with that, there’s a launch trailer highlighting what people can expect from the title. In addition, many of the available songs from the Fields of Mistria soundtrack ended up shared online.
Here’s the Fields of Mistria early access launch trailer. It begins with general farming footage. People can watch as someone tends crops. From there, we get to meet some of the people living in the nearby village. Hayden shows up first, alongside some of the animals you can buy from them. From there, portraits of 10 of the 12 marriage candidates show up. Two remain as secret silhouettes in the video. After that, we see what it’s like to explore the mines and the enemies inside one. Collecting elements for the town museum come up as well. Early access will last for a year, new content will be added as time goes on, and the team says it currently doesn’t expect the price to change from $13.99.
Here’s the full Fields of Mistria gameplay footage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maEjeW8uL2Y
In addition to the launch trailer, 52 songs off of the Fields of Mistria soundtrack are now available on the official YouTube channel for the game. They’re composed by Hidehito Ikumo. Here’s the full list of the tracks released so far:
Bandai Namco is releasing Bleach Rebirth of Souls character trailers to highlight different fighters’ gameplay styles, and Byakuya Kuchiki is the latest one to appear. This marks the second time a video focused on him, as he starred alongside Ichigo Kurosaki in a general gameplay video at the end of July 2024.
The video begins with an introduction to who Byakuya Kuchiki is. In addition to being Rukia’s brother and Renji Aburai’s superior, he’s head of the Kuchiki family and Sixth Division. His Zanpakuto is Senbonzakura. After showing him off, more specific attacks are highlighted. He uses Senbonzakura Seal & Release as his Signature Move, and it has two forms to it that swap when used. His Spiritual Pressure moves are Release: Senbonzakura/Seal: Senbonzakura and a That Won’t Touch Me counterattack. His Awakening involves Bankai: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi being unleashed.
Here's the full Bleach Rebirth of Souls Byakuya trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzBelDvJt4c
We’re now at four Bleach Rebirth of Souls character trailers total. The first three provided us an opportunity to see Ichigo, Rukia, and Uryu Ishida fight. Other characters confirmed so far who haven’t shown up in videos are Renji and Yasutora “Chad” Sado.
Bleach Rebirth of Souls is in development for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. The Bleach anime, including Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, is streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. Viz Media handles the manga.
Back on July 10, 2024, Pocketpair announced on social media that Palworld Discord Shop animated avatar icon and profile cosmetic effects would be sold until July 24, 2024. On August 5, 2024, the company again took to social media to extend the run of the items in the official storefront until December 31, 2024.
Here’s the announcement, which confirmed that the items will remain in the Discord Shop. It included official art of the Discord Wumpus mascot with the Pals Chillet, Cattiva, and Lamball. The reasoning for the extension is that fan demand showed a desire for the items to remain available for an extended period.
We ended up seeing nine Palworld avatar and profile items appear in the Discord Shop as part of the promotion. There’s also a Best Pals Forever Bundle that pairs the Wake Up profile design with Cattiva, Chikipi, and Lamball with the Chillet avatar cosmetic for $17.99.
Here’s the list of all of the items in the storefront until the end of 2025. Some of them are inspired by the Sakurajima update that launched in June 2024, such as the cosmetic with Saya on it.
Cattiva Avatar Icon Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Chillet Avatar Icon Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Depresso Avatar Icon Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Lamball Avatar Icon Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Pal Sphere Avatar Icon Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Saya Profile Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Selyne Avatar Icon Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Tocotoco Profile Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Wake Up Profile Cosmetic: $9.99 ($7.99 with Nitro)
Once you hit a certain age, life gets so busy. You tend to see it all. Work takes up more of your life than you’d expect. Arranging time to hang out with friends can get tougher. It’s part of why some probably seek out a cozy life sim or two, so they can at least virtually enjoy some downtime. With Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid, Millennium Kitchen and Toybox present an experience that perfectly recreates that summer vacation experience. It really is like you’re 10 again, life is new and fresh, you have total freedom, and only new, pleasant, positive experiences await you.
Satoru is a circus kid. I mean, not literally. His parents are letting him decide his own path. But the two of them are a part of a circus, and the three of them set up shop with coworkers at Yomogi Town for a show. While Satoru’s parents and crew work out some details related to the show and debt, he — and by extension the player — have the whole summer ahead of them to explore the town, meet the locals, engage in peaceful activities, take on challenges like bug catching, fishing, fundraising, solving mysteries, and summer homework. While there are recommended quests and you’ll eventually take on tasks that increase your stamina for climbing power, it’s up to you to do what makes you happy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnPRIEbXqWE
Almost immediately after getting into Natsu-Mon, a player is given the freedom to do whatever they’d like. After initially talking with your family, the owner of the Guesthouse Ashitaba where you’re staying, and fellow circus troupe members… you’re free. I ended up catching 10 bugs to boost my stamina by one, met the local kids and agreed to help them with their first mystery, then got home in time for dinner. After that, I met more of the people staying at Ashitaba, talked to the Shrine Dude, relit lanterns, then fell asleep. The next day, I took a look at my map to see who I hadn’t met yet, talked to more locals, and looked into doing some fishing to help the circus with some debt.
You’re never gated off while playing Natsu-Mon, and it’s refreshing. I felt like as long as I kept being curious and exploring, I’d get to see new things, meet new people, and savor these delightful moments. Especially since it’s so easy to earn Stickers to increase the Stamina gauge for climbing and dashing via things like Big Adventures quests or Flatfoot Files with the Yomogi Town kids. And recounting said activities in the diary for summer school homework is a great way to keep track of everything you’ve done.
Image via Spike Chunsoft
Which also ties in to another amazing thing about Natsu-Mon: the localization. I think it’s one of the most charming, cozy, funny, creative, and curious scripts in a Switch life sim. The lines Satoru has, including the choices you can make for his responses, are fantastic. The reactions of other characters are so personable and feel real. This is one of those games where you want to talk to every NPC, as well as do so as often as possible, so you can see what they’ll say next. I will definitely eventually replay it again, so I can relive certain moments, like the summer festival and see experience certain interactions again.
The only time Natsu-Mon doesn’t delight is that sometimes this life sim can feel more awkward than cozy. For example, you might occasionally happen upon a challenge or task that involves Satoru engaging in some light parkouring or platforming. Lighting the shrine lanterns is a perfect example. As good as the game is, it doesn’t lend itself well to precise jumping. It also can be so freeform that, before you find your bearings, you might not immediately know where to go and what to do. On the very first day, I found myself flummoxed when it came to figuring out how to actually go to bed. Especially since the game just warned that if I stayed up late, I would miss morning exercises! I also found myself wasting time the first day trying to find a way to fish, with it not happening for me until my second day began. Also, while bug catching does involve a helpful circle around potential catches within range, I sometimes didn’t feel like I was catching the critter I intended to if multiple ones were around.
Image via Spike Chunsoft
Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid launched at a time when I really needed it, and that made me appreciate this cozy life sim even more. The older we get, the rarer it is to enjoy weeks of freedom, discovery, and joy. I get so caught up in work, especially around summer events when there are events back-to-back. Millennium Kitchen and Toybox really captured the magic of a peaceful summer where you can live at your own pace. Everything is new and an adventure. It’s refreshing and rejuvenating.
Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid will be available for the Nintendo Switch and PC on August 6, 2024. A demo is available on the Switch.
D3 Publisher’s Yeah! You Want “Those Games,” Right? So Here You Go! Now, Let’s See You Clear Them series may sound like some gimmick. After all, the premise takes the games from mobile ads and turning them into actual minigames for each collection. Yeah! You Want “Those Games,” Right? So Here You Go! Now, Let’s See You Clear Them, which we’ll call Those Games 2 going forward, extends the premise by bringing back one type of mobile game from the original and adding four more to the mix. It can get shockingly challenging sometimes!
The returning minigame based on fake mobile game ads in Those Games 2 is Pin Pull, aptly called Pin Pull 2. It draws inspiration from the ones where you see two sad people freezing or something, like the Homescapes ads, and you need to pull pins in the correct spots and order to get them coal to warm themselves up. These are joined by Draw & Guard (the one where you draw to save a Shiba Inu from bees), Knock-Back Shooter (Evony: The King’s Return), Numbers Dungeon (Hero Wars), and Spellbinding Scroll (also Evony). All of the inspirations are incredibly obvious, and they all play the way they seem to in those ads on places like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter/X.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QQTlwzc8fc
The number of puzzles for minigames vary, with some only being around 20 and others past 40. You earn up to three stars per stage depending on the speed with which you solve the puzzle. I was shocked going in at how strong all of the Those Games 2 minigames are, considering they are based on fake mobile ads. When I’d see the “inspiration” for Draw & Guard online, it usually seemed like a circle, a line shaped like a capital I, or one shaped like an H would do the trick. However, elements like fire or collapsing blocks mean it gets genuinely challenging. The first few stages of Knock-Back Shooter are incredibly easy, but after about 15 in I started only managing 1-2 stars per level due to needing to figure things out. (The brick blocks for areas helps with determining angles and where to shoot a lot!)
Pin Pull 2 and Spellbinding Scroll ended up being my favorites. In the case of Pin Pull 2, new elements like rocks that prevent things from getting past, switches, and items that can negate the heating or cooling effect of the items you’re trying to get to the bottom really do make you think about the proper order. I did notice a little control issue with pulling items in later stages, perhaps because so many pins were around. There’s a lot to consider though, and it’s genuinely thoughtful. With Spellbinding Scroll, the idea of knowing which one to “keep shooting” to make numbers go down seems easy. However, a few stages there left me really plotting when it came to prioritizing targets in a way I didn’t expect. I do wish it was a bit more responsive
Screenshot by Siliconera
The only minigame based on a mobile ad in Those Games 2 that didn’t actualized properly is Numbers Dungeon. This isn’t because the concept isn’t sound or it was too easy. There are some great ideas here, such as dropping roads that keep you from doubling back, items that increase or reduce your number, and stages that really do require you to figure out the right “road” through what is actually a labyrinth of challenges. Rather, it’s the inputs. You can’t just press up, down, left, or right on the Switch. You have to cycle through the directions. That eats away at your time. Plus, while I got accustomed to that, I did accidentally send the little warrior down the wrong path twice.
Minor missteps aside with controls side, Those Games 2 can be a genuinely strong minigame collection. It gives a perfect amount of games for each fake mobile game ad, so you don’t feel like they wear out their welcome. They do get genuinely challenging after the first 10 levels, in many cases. It’s a fun game to play when you just want to take 10-15 minutes to play something and feel smart, and doing so in short bursts helps keep you from noticing that some levels can get repetitive.
Yeah! You Want “Those Games,” Right? So Here You Go! Now, Let’s See You Clear Them! 2 is available on the Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC via Steam.
HoYoVerse announced the 1.1 Zenless Zone Zero release date and confirmed the characters that will appear in the version update. The patch will show up on August 14, 2024, and the new Agents being introduced are the S-rank Jane Doe, S-rank Qingyi, and A-rank Seth Lowell.
The first banner in the update will feature Qingyi as the focus Electric Stun Agent affiliated with the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team. The A-Rank Billy and Corin units will appear more often as well. Qingyi’s signature Ice-Jade Teapot S-rank W-Engine will also be the focus for the weapon banner.
In the second part of the update, Jane will be the focus unit. She’s a Physical Anomaly character. The two A-rank units featured on her banner are Anby and newcomer Seth. The W-Engine banner in that phase will introduce Sharpened Stinger, which is designed with Jane in mind.
Some of the highlighted events were noted too. There will be login events that guarantee you 10 Encrypted Master Tapes and 10 Boopons. Some of the activities coming in this update include the Obsidian: Strategic Partner commission, Inferno Reap, Shiyu Defense - Special Operation, Camellia Golden Week, a First-Class Customer Service Random Play event, and Daily Life of a PubSec Officer.
Here is the teaser trailer for 1.1, which focuses heavily on the Zenless Zone Zero characters Qingyi, Seth, and Jane Doe and upcoming Criminal Investigation Special Response Team storyline.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsy3OLFi04o
You can watch the full August 2024 Zenless Zone Zero Special Program below. An English translation is available for us, but closed captions must be turned on first.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKBkO2ATfQU
Finally, there is only one code from the Zenless Zone Zero Special Program. Entering UNDERCOVERRNB nets you 2 Senior Investigator Logs, 3 W-Engine Energy Modules, 300 Polychromes, and 30,000 Dennies.
Zenless Zone Zero is available for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the release date for 1.1 is August 14, 2024.
Alongside the release date reveal for Fate/stay Night Remastered, Aniplex and Type-Moon revealed Fate/hollow Ataraxia Remastered will appear on the Switch and PC. Like its predecessor, it is also confirmed for a worldwide English release.
Few details are available about the remaster of Fate/hollow Ataraxia. The confirmation is that it is now in development, with no release window set. When it does appear worldwide, it will be via Steam. A first trailer did show up to hint at things to come. However, it only focuses on environments and teasing the events of the title.
Here’s how that reveal video for the Switch and PC versions of Fate/hollow Ataraxia looks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCiyflcEDv8
Fate/hollow Ataraxia is a sequel to the original Fate/stay Night set after the Holy Grail War and its events. In addition to Shirou playing a prominent role, it also introduces fellow Masters Bazett Fraga McRemitz and Caren Hortensia and the Servants Avenger and Lancer. While the original game appeared on multiple platforms, that didn’t happen for the sequel. Following its debut on PCs in Japan in 2005, it took almost 10 years for a PlayStation Vita version to appear.
Fate/hollow Ataraxia Remastered is in development for the Nintendo Switch and PC. The original game is available in Japan on the Vita and PC.
Type-Moon and Aniplex announced the Fate/stay Night Remastered English Switch and PC release date, and it’s sooner than people might expect. We’ll see the digital copies appear on storefronts on August 8, 2024.
To go along with the release date announcement, a Fate/stay Night Remastered trailer appeared that highlighted some of the most important characters and Servants in the game. It begins by introducing the Holy Grail War proper and briefly explaining why the Magi and their Servants are fighting. It’s then that Saber and Shirou Emiya are briefly scene, highlighting him potentially being “a champion of justice” and her assisting him.
From there, the video focuses more on the specific characters. It starts by showing Saber and her devotion. CGs of her in quieter moments and while fighting Lancer appear. From there, we see fellow Magus Rin Tohsaka. Her Servant Archer also shows up in that segment. Rin’s introduction is followed by Sakura Matou’s. The segment for her highlights some elements that may be a bit more of a spoiler for people. Certain Servants are also teased during those moments.
The end of the video focuses on some details going over what to expect from the Fate/stay Night Remastered Switch and PC English release. This entry is based on the Fate/stay night Realta Nua version. There is now a 16:9 resolution with HD images. Also, in addition to Japanese and English, Simplified Chinese is available for subtitles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeHShG5Bv-8
Fate/stay Night Remastered will come to the Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam worldwide on August 8, 2024. It is also available on the PS2, Vita, and mobile devices in Japan.
Yet another Bunny Garden Rin figure update appeared at Smile Fest 2024, but this was for a Pop Up Parade L model and not the Nendoroid. The painted prototype showed up at the event.
Rin is wearing her bunny costume from the hostess club for the figure. The pose shows her with her right hand on her hip and the left making a peace sign. As it is a painted prototype, this could suggest that the final version of the figure could open for pre-orders soon.
To compare, here’s a screenshot showing how Rin looks in-game.
Image via Qureate
As she’s a Pop Up Parade L figure, she should cost $57.99 like other ones of that size. That also means she should stand at over 8 inches tall (220mm).
This is the only Bunny Garden character who showed up during the August 2024 event. There’s no update on the Nendoroid of this character just yet.
However, updates on the Bunny Garden game still keep showing up. For example, Qureate shared a new patch in July 2024. That added more Cheki Poses for photos and extra gifts.
There's no release window for the Bunny Garden Pop Up Parade L figure of Rin yet. Bunny Garden is available on the Nintendo Switch and PC worldwide.
There’s another update on the Hades 2 Nendoroid at the latest Good Smile Compant Smile Fest 2024 show. While the first version shown in July 2024 was an unpainted prototype, the new version is a painted prototype that is further along in development.
The painted prototype of the Melinoe Hades 2 Nendoroid addresses some of her more unique features. For example, we can better see the colors of her two eyes. It also gives us a better idea of how her armor will look. The ultimate design of her see-through left arm isn’t addressed just yet, however. It only appeared completely painted teal for this latest version of the figure.
Hades 2 Early Access updates have been coming at a steady pace as well. Patch 3 appeared in June 2024, and it handled things like Aspects of the Nocturnal Arms and the Crossroads Cauldron. The July 2024 patch addressed Boons and Blessings.
The Hades 2 Melinoe Nendoroid is in still development, and Good Smile Company has yet to announce a launch window for it. Hades 2 is currently in early access for PCs, and there's no word yet about an exact release date for the 1.0 version.
At Smile Fest 2024, Good Smile Company showed off the latest version of the upcoming Persona 5 Royal Haru “Noir” Okumura Pop Up Parade figure. This time it showed up as a painted prototype, suggesting pre-orders could end up opening in the next few weeks or months.
Haru is wearing her full Noir Phantom Thief attire for this figure. She’s also tipping her hat and pointing with her right hand. She doesn’t have any weapon “equipped.” Also, as this is a Pop Up Parade standard figure, there are no additional parts or options.
Here’s a closer look at the Pop Up Parade figure of the character that is based on her Persona 5 Royal appearance.
All Persona 5 figures in the Pop Up Parade line are standardized. So they all tend to be about the same high and cost the same amount. So like the Oracle or Crow ones, she should be around over six inches tall and will cost￥4,800/$38.99.
There’s no release window for the Persona 5 Royal Haru “Noir” Okumura Pop Up Parade figure just yet. Persona 5 is on the PS3 and PS4, while Royal is on the PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.
Attack on Titan follows these soldiers who use their equipment to go soaring through the skies to take down colossal enemies. Seems like a good game premise, right? It’s happened before, and they can be fun! When it comes to an Attack on Titan VR game, it seems like the sort of thing to go into more cautiously due to all the movement and the concerns about VR sickness or handling it right, but the execution Univrs used almost makes it feel like a Spider-Man sort of game.
I just really wish the titans' models weren’t so hideous and weird-looking.
Screenshot by Siliconera
Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable is an early access game, so it isn’t all there yet. The concept is that titans are again attacking the cities and getting inside the walls, just like they did in the iconic opening parts of the manga and anime. In the two chapters you have access to, you can see what it’s like to fight back against them.
I was incredibly worried going into Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable. All of the early details and videos made it seem like a very active game. After all, it focuses on the Omni-Directional Mobility (ODM) gear and zipping around the map. You’re even, ideally, supposed to be attacking while swinging too. The funny thing is while walking on the ground sometimes did feel a little uncomfortable, I didn’t feel uneasy or ill at all while actually using the ODM to fly around. It is really accommodating! It’s always the main reason why Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable felt like a Spider-Man game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BijYiRhxEGU
See, Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable actually gets really in-depth about movement, and the actions used to soar seemed like ones Peter Parker or Miles Morales would use. If you want to quickly scale in one set, defined direction, you aim both the left and right controllers in such a way that their reticles line up together and look like a diamond. Then, you pull back on them. (Like how Parker or Morales would probably pull back on webbing.) After that, you then sort of pull and swing toward areas. Even the nature of swinging the blades that you can pick up, replace with new blades, and use to swipe at the back of titans’ necks or appendages feel like maybe a certain friendly, neighborhood superhero might with a weapon. It’s really neat and feels good.
So the gameplay is strong. But, in some cases, the depictions of characters isn’t? It’s weird. As part of the introduction and tutorial, Levi saves you as you’re being eaten by a titan. (Like as in you actually see yourself going over the lips, past the gums, look out stomach…) It looked like a 3D model, from what I saw, and it was great! But then when story segments with Armin came up, he very clearly looked like an unmoving, 2D figure. Like instead of animated segments setting things up, you’d see him static and flat in one position, the game would cut to black, you’d see him static in another position, things would cut to black again, and so on. I’d have preferred static images like the used for the introductory and expository segments instead.
Screenshots by Siliconera
But I would take the Paper Mario version of Armin any day over the ugly titans. They look so bad in Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable that they aren’t even scary. They’re just disgusting. It made me appreciate the Koei Tecmo Attack on Titan games more, as at least there these fearsome foes actually seem scary and menacing. In the VR adaptation, they’re too dopey and goofy to feel like a threat. I mean, yes, you will die in only two hits if one manages to actually swat at you before you get in the right position to attack them. But the enemy models and designs just look bad.
I mean, look! Gross.
Screenshot by Siliconera
I will say that even though these are goofy and abominable, at least it is easy to see the neck for attacks. Also, the arms and legs are easy to swipe at and attack, so there are no hitbox issues when striking at them.
I am genuinely curious about how the final version of Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable is going to turn out, as the ODM mechanics are surprisingly fun! Like it really offered a sense of freedom, without making me feel queasy. Well, unless I was looking at a titan. Or needing to really quick spin and maneuver in circles to get around a titan to attack it. You know what I mean. There are some rough spots, which honestly could be due to it being an early access title. But it may prove to be an interesting Attack on Titan game, or at least a fun not-Spider-Man game with Spider-Man-like mechanics.
Square Enix announced the Final Fantasy XIV gamescom 2024 events. The company will set up gameplay sessions, challenges, and merchandise at Booth B-054 in Hall 9.1 at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany for the August 22-25, 2024 event.
Some of the activities will be happening at all times during the event. If people head to the booth, they can take on the Valigarmanda Battle Challenge. Winning with a group will earn you an “I Beat Valigarmanda Battle Challenge” shirt and picture on the photo wall. There will be a New Player Area to sample the game. Stage Programs will be held. People can likely also expect merchandise, as some will be on display and other items can be won as prizes.
Here's how the “I Beat Valigarmanda Battle Challenge” shirt looks:
Image via Square Enix
There are also certain events, such as panels and a fan meeting, that will only happen at certain times. Here is the full Final Fantasy XIV gamescom 2024 schedule:
August 22, 2024 at 11:30am CET: Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida and German Localization Lead Pamela Drobig Valigarmanda Trial at Stage Program at Booth B-054 stage.
August 22, 2024 at 1pm CET: “Bridging Language Barriers: A Glimpse Behind the Scenes of FFXIV Localization” panel part 1 with Drobig.
August 22, 2024 at 9pm CET: Fan Celebration at gamescom 2024 at Hellers Brauhaus in Cologne, Germany. 500 tickets available at Eventbrite starting at 8pm CET on August 5, 2024.
August 23, 2024 at 1pm CET: Yoshida and Drobig Trial Roulette Show Match at Booth B-054 stage.
August 23, 2024 at 2pm CET: “Bridging Language Barriers: A Glimpse Behind the Scenes of FFXIV Localization” panel part 2 with Drobig.
August 23, 2024 at 4pm CET: Yoshida Signing Session at Creator Signing Hall 11.2. Tickets available at official site or at Booth B-054.
August 24, 2024 at 11:15am CET: "Why are you or your friends not playing FFXIV?" panel with Yoshida with Q&A session. Questions can be submitted at gBooth B-054.
August 24, 2024 at 1pm CET: Yoshida and Drobig Trial Roulette Show Match at Booth B-054 stage.
August 24, 2024 at 4pm CET: Yoshida and Drobig Trial Roulette Show Match at Booth B-054 stage.
August 23, 2024 at 6pm CET: Yoshida Signing Session at Creator Signing Hall 11.2. Tickets available at official site or Gamescom booth.
August 25, 2024 at 12pm CET: Yoshida and Drobig Trial Roulette Show Match at Booth B-054 Stage.
August 25, 2024 at 1pm CET: PvP stage showcase with Yoshida at Booth-054 stage.
Gamescom won’t be the only August 2024 event where Final Fantasy XIV will appear. Square Enix is also bringing the MMORPG to PAX West. That event will feature a UI panel that also discusses the group pose feature and another Valigarmanda Challenge.
Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. Gamescom runs August 22-25, 2024.
The Final Fantasy XIV Moonfire Faire, a recurring summer-themed FFXIV event, is about to return on August 8, 2024 with a new Uchiwasshoi emote and Bomb balloon furnishing. People get just over two weeks to earn both, as well as pick up past event items at in-game vendors, before the event ends on August 26, 2024.
If you’re at level 30 (or hit it during the event period), head on over to Limsa Lominsa, Upper Decks (X:11.5, Y:13.8). You’ll find the NPC Mayaru Moyaru waiting for you there. (He’s a Lalafell.) Talk to him to start the quest “Fire Red, Beast Green.” This will get you a chance to take part in the Moonfire Faire.
The Uchiwasshoi emote in FFXIV makes a player’s character wave a fan with a Namazu face on it. The Namazu themselves wave similar sorts of fans in-game. (The cover of the picture book The Namazu and the Greatest Gift even shows one with a fan.) Meanwhile, the Bouncing Bomb Balloon furnishing item lets you place a decoration that involves blue, red, and yellow Bomb-shaped balloons on any tabletop in FFXIV.
Here’s how the FFXIV Moonfire Faire emote and furnishing will look:
Bandai Namco revealed even more of the Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream roster with character trailers for Agil and Argo. They’ll be available as a Rogue and Tank, respectively.
Both Agil and Argo have been a part of the Sword Art Online story since the original SAO arc and ALfheim Online. Argo also showed up during the events set in Gun Gale Online, while Agil appeared in Ordinal Scale and Project Alicization too.
First, here’s the Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream trailer for Agil.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhF1xYYEYfw
Next, here’s the Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream trailer for Argo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz9LGOCVLBg
These two trailers appeared alongside the English character trailers for two other already removed allies in Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream. Bandai Namco also showed off Klein and Silica. The two of them were revealed alongside Lisbeth at the end of July 2024, just after Yuuki was shown.
Here’s the English version of the Klein trailer. It's not too different from the Japanese reveal, as this time there are English subtitles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykh1WzTF7v4
Finally, here’s the Silica English trailer. Like the Klein trailer, English subtitles are available to helo show what's going on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSCGyp_doSQ
Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream debuts on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam on October 4, 2024.
HoYoVerse shared a new Genshin Impact trailer for the Natlan region that seems to show a baby Geovishap referred to as “Lil’ Buddy” accompanying the Traveler. After it steps away from Aether and Paimon, it walks around the new region and gives the viewer a chance to see notable places that will debut in 5.0.
The Genshin Impact “Natlan Preview Teaser - Lil’ Buddy” begins with the new character standing behind Aether and Paimon as they sit on a platform overlooking some cliffs and a valley. It’s distinguished from other, enemy monsters by the red and yellow bow on their tail. After being distracted by a bird, it follows it and goes on a brief journey through a cavern with ruins and crystals, a place alongside a river, and a small settlement in a valley and beside a lake.
After burrowing underground for a bit in the same way a Geovishap Hatchling does in Genshin Impact, Lil’ Buddy encounters one of the Natlan enemies. It looks like some sort of Elemental Lifeform, with a green color that suggested it could be a Dendro element one. After Lil’ Buddy roars at it, the opponent turns around. This causes Lil Buddy to turn around and run away.
Here’s the full teaser trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCxbxTI_zL0
We should learn more about Lil’ Buddy and other elements soon. HoYoVerse will hold the 5.0 Special Program for the game on August 15, 2024.
Genshin Impact is available for the PS4, PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the 5.0 update is expected to arrive at the end of August 2024.
It’s an exciting weekend! Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree is live, giving us an excuse to head into the Lands Between and to the Land of Shadow. New challenges await, basically. So, as we all prepare to dive back in, let’s each share what we consider our best Elden Ring build. Maybe it can help us with different ideas or to overcome certain bosses!
I'd been trying to move away from sword and board builds in soulslikes, but Elden Ring hit me with the double whammy of timed blocks and the gorgeous looking Sword of Night and Flame. It requires a big investment into a whole spread of stats which isn't ideal, but that's a price I'm willing to pay to shoot lasers AND fire waves. — Elliot
I feel like I need to preface this by apologizing before revealing that I am one of those players that dual wields the Moonveil and the Meteoric Ore Blade katanas. And when not throwing magic lasers from my sword and using gravity to destabilize enemies, I like to use a vast array of magic spells to keep enemies at bay. Or... just simply throw a laser beam for good measure. — Daniel
I am nothing if not predictable. Even in my attempts to play a Souls-esque game in a new way led me back to a Big Sword and Bigger Flips. Between the Ruin Greatsword, the classic Greatsword, the Royal Greatsword, and the Moonlight Greatsword: I found myself holding two colossal greatswords enchanted with ice as extra spice. That, combined with the intense poise damage from the jump attacks, made my journey through The Lands Between less Berserk and more Moe Szyslak. I gotta tell you, it was pretty terrific. — John
I love the aesthetic of classic Game Boy Color games. The minimalistic tones, as well as the creativity of developers working within the system’s limitations, meant we got to see some strikingly stylish titles. While Cicada Games didn’t have that kind of hardware limitations, Isles of Sea and Sky has the same sort of atmosphere and really pays tribute to that retro approach.
A good way to think of Isles of Sea and Sky is as a Sokobon sort of block-pushing game with a little more ambiance and meet to it. I liked to think of it as being like The Witness in a small way, due to the cohesiveness. You wash up on the shores of an island without any memory of who you are or why you’re there. (I got some serious The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening vibes from the introduction.) After an encounter with a young woman, you gradually go from one island to another in the chain to learn more about their history and what’s going on.
Now, you’ll notice I mentioned The Witness up there, rather than continuing to focus on The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. There’s some LOZ elements there! Especially in that as you get to different islands and meet the masters living there, you gain new abilities. Some come from items, others from creatures. However, there is also an open-world approach. So you are getting the freedom to choose where you go and what you try to do, even though some progression is limited until you find the right abilities to complete the puzzles there.
Also, there is no combat whatsoever. Isles of Sea and Sky is all about exploring and using your brain to overcome challenges. Brawn? I mean, it takes some serious muscles to move blocks around. But really, it is about challenging how you think about the space and move items around to proceed. Coupled with a capability to rewind, it really becomes about seeing how you best approach situations in the way you feel most comfortable.
It’s really quite brilliant. Especially since some of the puzzles in Isles of Sea and Sky can be truly confounding. I’ll admit sometimes I felt a bit bad or even stupid when I didn’t realize certain other abilities were tied to progress, and that would be what was keeping me from success. Also, even though it is an open world game, I did sometimes feel like the nature of some requiring certain abilities keep it from truly being a “go anywhere, solve puzzles at any time” adventure. I appreciate the notion, but the actual execution means I’m about seven hours into it and having trouble enjoying myself sometimes because I need certain skills I lack to progress.
I appreciate what Isles of Sea and Sky does. I love the ambiance, and I enjoy looking for puzzles to solve. I’m not the biggest fan of sometimes finding ones that are impossible to complete at the moment because of the need to eventually head certain ways and earn certain means to make headway. But I do applaud the ideas in play and think it can be quite fun.
As part of the Good Smile Company Smile Fest 2024, three Nekopara figures of Cinnamon, Maple, and both Chocola and Vanilla together came up. While the Cinnamon and Maple ones are the latest entries in the Race Queen line, the one of the two sisters together will be a 10th anniversary figure.
Two of the figures are much further along in development than the other. Both the Cinnamon and Maple Race Queen Nekopara designs showed up as painted prototypes. This could mean both will be available to pre-order in the immediate future and launch in late 2024 or early 2025. Meanwhile, the Chocola and Vanilla 10th anniversary Nekopara design only showed up as concept art. While their sisters appeared in racing maid outfits, they’ll appear in white dresses on a staircase with the series name and a 10th anniversary logo above them.
There’s been quite a gap between Nekopara Race Queen releases. The first one was the Azuki version. She launched in October 2021. The Coconut variant appeared after that in September 2022.
The Nekopara Race Queen Cinnamon, Racing Queen Maple, and Chocola and Vanilla 10th anniversary figures are in development.Thegames are available on the PS4, Switch, and PC. The anime series is streaming on Crunchyroll.
During its Smile Fest 2024 announcements, Good Smile Company revealed five Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout figures of the characters in normal clothing and swimsuits. Two of them are Reisalin “Ryza” Stout, two are of Lila Decyrus, and one is of Klaudia Valentz.
First, the one Ryza figure is actually a PLAMATEA model kit. If someone gets it, they can build a figure of her in her normal clothing from the game and anime. It is very early in development, so only an announcement with her official character art appeared.
The one Lila Decyrus figure is also of her in her official attire from the game and anime. In it, she is sitting while staring at the sky. It appeared as an unpainted prototype, so the scale figure is a bit further along in development.
Finally, the last three are Solarain Atelier Ryza figures of Ryza, Lila, and Klaudia in swimsuits. Each one is only at the unpainted prototype stage of development.
Even though the Atelier Ryza original game has been out for a while, lots of figures based on it and the anime adaptation keep appearing. For example, a summer version of Ryza will appear in 2025. One involves a matching pair of her with Klaudia. Taito also recently released Aqua Float Girls versions of Ryza in a swimsuit while floating in an inner tube.
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout is available on the PS4, Switch, and PC, and five figures of Ryza, Lila, and Klaudia are on the way. The anime adaptation is streaming on Crunchyroll.
A number of figmas showed up at Good Smile Company’s Smile Fest 2024, and one was an updated version of the Metal Gear Solid 2 Solid Snake figure. It is a new take on the item that first appeared back in August 2018.
The Metal Gear Solid 2 Solid Snake figma wears his original uniform, just like the first version of the figure. His face plate is a stern, stoic expression in the example photo. He’s also holding the tranquilizer that he came with originally. It does seem like the bodysuit is a different shade than the original version of the figma. Also, the paint job on the face seems a bit different and more in line with other recent releases.
To compare, here’s how the original 2018 version of the Metal Gear Solid 2 Solid figure looked. The additional accessories also included an assault rifle and a cardboard box. Some of the hand parts would even allow the figma to be posed as though it is hanging from a shelf or table.
Images via Good Smile Company
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is available on the PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5, Vita, Switch, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox Series X, Windows PC via various collections, and the Solid Snake figma will return in the future.
Qureate’s Bunny Garden dating sim game inspired its first figure, with Good Smile Company revealing a Nendoroid of Rin at Smile Fest 2024. There’s no release window for it yet.
This announcement is very early in the development process. As such, there’s no unpainted or painted prototype just yet. However, when the reveal came up, the image teasing did show concept art of Rin as a Nendoroid. She’ll be wearing her uniform from the club.
There’s no word yet on if the other heroines from Bunny Garden will eventually appear too. The other two characters you can romance are Kana and Miuka. For those unfamiliar with the game, players follow an individual who is down on his luck and discovers the hostess bar where Rin, Kana, and Miuka work. You can take on tasks to earn money so you can visit the bar and spend it on drinks and time with them.
Meanwhile, those looking to watch others’ streams of the Bunny Garden game may run into some trouble. The ones from both Hololive and Nijisanji Vtubers are disappearing and being removed.
The Bunny Garden game is available on the Nintendo Switch and PC worldwide, and the first Nendoroid figure of Rin is in development.
Good Smile Company announced it is working on another The Song of Saya figure at Smile Fest 2024, and this time it is a Pop Up Parade one. However, it will be a part of the L Size and larger than usual.
Normally, a Pop Up Parade figure costs about $31.99 and is between six and a half and seven inches tall. The L Size variants are about $57.99, and those tend to be eight and a half to nine and a half inches tall depending on the character. The announcement didn’t include any concept art of how the item might look when it is released.
This is the second The Song of Saya figure Good Smile Company will offer. The first was a WING scale figure. That featured Saya with green wings, suspended by a pillar of blood. It showed up in November 2020 and was a more expensive one, costing about ¥18,700 (~$117).
In addition to the game and upcoming figure, there was another update on Saya about a year ago. An AI app was created that would let people talk with the series’ heroine. That was also available in English.
The Song of Saya Pop Up Parade figure of Saya is in development. The game is available on PCs worldwide via Steam.
Konami revealed the Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Collector’s Edition, and it actually allows someone to bring Snake home in a small terrarium. Pre-orders opened on June 10, 2024.
The standard copies of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater are $69.99, while the Collector’s Edition is $199.99. There are five major bonuses, in addition to a PS5 or Xbox Series X copy of the game. To start, there are fox and Halo Jump patches. Both feature iconography from the game. People also get Snake’s ID card lanyard. It makes it look like he’s a scientist heading into Groznyj Grad Northeast. The aforementioned terrarium has him beside a tree, attempting to get his backpack down from a branch. Finally, there’s a metal case to hold someone’s copy of the game.
Here’s how all that looks:
Image via Konami
Konami also noted there will be a Tactical Edition for people to potentially pick up. That includes digital bonuses and the game. There’s no price set for it yet.
Since Summer Game Fest 2024, Konami revealed a number of details about the game. For example, we learned more about the camera system. There was also a new gameplay trailer that let us see more of Snake.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will come to the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2024.
HoYoVerse offered more details about the Honkai: Star Rail Apocalyptic Shadow and Divergent Universe early access that will be present after the 2.3 update. The short of it is, after the new version arrives, people at Trailblaze Level 21 or higher can immediately access certain modes they normally would need to unlock via other means.
This is due to Finality’s Vision. It can be found in the Travel Log. Once you go there, a Honkai: Star Rail player who meets the Trailblaze Level minimum can head into the Divergent Universe Simulated Universe mode or take part in the new Apocalyptic Shadow feature.
Both of these new elements are going to be new to the 2.3 update. Divergent Universe is a Simulated Universe mode not unlike the Swarm Disaster or Gold and Gears ones currently present in Honkai: Star Rail. Meanwhile, Apocalytic Shadow is a different mode that is along the same lines as Memory of Chaos and Pure Fiction. Like those two, it will have rotating phases with new challenges. The first is confirmed to last for six weeks.
Honkai: Star Rail is available for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the 2.3 update appears on June 19, 2024.
Both Resident Evil 2 remake and Resident Evil 7 are lurking in the future of some Mac and iOS device owners. Resident Evil 7 is on the way on July 2, 2024. Meanwhile, the remake is in development for the new platforms.
Resident Evil 7 pre-orders just opened. People can get it with Chris Redfield’s Not a Hero DLC. The Gold Edition update adds End of Zoe, Banned Footage 1-2, Madhouse difficulty, and extras like a 5-Coin Set and Survival Pack. A free download trial is going to be available, and there is cross-compatibility across all Mac and iOS devices. It also supports Bluetooth controllers and an auto-fire option.
As for Resident Evil 2 remake, only two element of it are confirmed just yet. It will also support the free download to check support and gameplay. Universal purchase and cross-compatibility will also appear.
Here’s the full list of supported Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil 2 remake supported devices:
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Pro
iPads with M1 or better
Macs with M1 or better
This comes after other Resident Evil games were confirmed for Mac and iOS devices. Resident Evil 4 and Village (8) were revealed back in September 2023.
Resident Evil 7 will be playable on select Macs and iOS devices on July 2, 2024, and the Resident Evil 2 remake is in development. Both games are playable on the PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.
Square Enix announced it will open a Final Fantasy XIV pop-up store in Paris, France, and it will include FFXIV Dawntrail merchandise. People will only be able to visit and buy items between June 21-23, 2024.
The Final Fantasy XIV pop-up store will be present at 9/11, Rue des Déchargeurs in Paris, France. It will only be open from 11am-7pm CET each day. While being able to pick up merchandise tied to both Final Fantasy XIV and FFXIV Dawntrail is a part of the experience, there will also be activities available. Photo ops will appear, temporary tattoos will be available, a crane game will appear, and an art exhibit will be open. Someone earns crane game chances by buying items. Demo stations will be set up to make accounts and get PC copies of the Starter Edition.
As for the sorts of merchandise being sold at the Final Fantasy XIV store, three were confirmed and shown in the official image. There will be post cards, with the five examples showing scenes from the new locations Kozama Uka, L’Hoirie Recouvree, Tuliyollal, Urqopacha, and Yak T’El. Magnets of the Pictomancer, Viper, and FFXIV Dawntrail logo are among the merchandise. There is also a sticker sheet that features the two new jobs, the logo, a Moogle, and creatures from the new region.
Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the Dawntrail expansion will arrive on July 2, 2024. The Paris pop-up store will be open between June 21-23, 2024.
Now that MultiVersus launched and we’ve had a chance to get comfortable, it’s time to talk about the characters we like the best. The game has its issues, for sure. But there’s also some fun to be had if you can deal with quirks like finding lives up for sale that is apparently a “bug.” Let’s talk about our mains.
Sadly, I found MultiVersus to be Very Bad and dropped it after about a day of playing around with the beta. However, if I must pick a character I had some enjoyment out of, it's easily Bugs Bunny. I've always been a Looney Tunes nerd since I was a kid and that trickster god of a rabbit is my favorite cartoon character of all time. And despite the problems I had with the game overall, I did feel he was represented well. He had all the Acme props you'd expect plus a sneaky burrow move which you could mess with other players with. If the relaunch improves the game, he would be a strong candidate for a personal main. — Leigh
I also didn’t stick with MultiVersus, so my opinion may not be the best for those looking for a character to pick. I really liked Wonder Woman! She’s always been one of my favorite DC heroes and she’s easy enough to get. She’s a Tank type fighter, so it meant I didn’t have to worry about being defeated too quickly before I figured things out. Plus I really found her Sword of Ares and Amazon Shout attacks. — Jenni
MultiVersus is available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.
LaoO Studio announcedSensei: I Like You So Much, a simulation game that lets players be a fangirl, create an oshi, develop relationships with other people in the community, and create fan fiction, fanzines, and ita bags dedicated to their favorite characters, is on the way in 2024. The Steam page for the title is now live.
The whole simulation follows someone immersing themselves in the life of a fangirl, creating an oshi they adore, and then developing fan fiction and works ahead of a major comic convention. Along the way, you need to visit places for inspiration for your works, collect items starring the character you love, go through other activities, and interact with fellow creators and fans.
Here’s the first official trailer for Sensei: I Like You so Much, which shows off fangirl activities like making an ita bag, selling fanzines, exploring a con, writing fan fiction, and getting inspiration. It also goes over the schedule elements, taking commissions, and room decoration At about the one minute mark, the characters you can meet and build relationships with like Cordelia, Ethereal Snow, Nora, and VelvetYummy appear.
The first round of screenshots are also available. Note that the game is available in multiple languages, but the initial examples are only in English and Chinese.
Sensei: I Like You so Much is in development for PCs and will appear on Steam.
Square Enix and Applibot announced the first FFVII Ever Crisis Monster Hunter banner is live in-game alongside the event, with Cloud and Zack being the first characters featured. We can get Glavenus and Zinogre equipment from them, if RNG is on our sides, until July 2, 2024.
In the case of Cloud, people can get the Monster Hunter Glavenus Sword and Armor in FFVII Ever Crisis. The sword features the Fierce Charged Slash C. Ability that deals non-elemental physical dmaage to one enemy, reduces their physical defense, and increases Cloud’s physical attack if his HP is over 50%. The armor boosts his PATK and has the Physical Ability Mastery that increases his physical ability power when his command gauge is maxed out.
As for Zack, his Monster Hunter FFVII Ever Crisis equipment items are the Zinogre Sword and Armor. The sword has the Lightning Edge C. Ability. That deals lightning physical damage and multiplies that when Zack’s health is over 70%. His armor boosts lightning damage with Levinblade Arcanum and has the Boost Phys. Ability Pot. ability that increases damage when the command gauge is maxed out.
Here are the official images for both the weapons and the armor:
Image via Square Enix
FFVII Ever Crisis is available for the PC and mobile devices, and the Cloud and Zack Monster Hunter banner will appear until July 2, 2024. Square Enix also noted these items will only ever be in this banner, but reruns could happen.
When you think about it, The Quintessential Quintuplets is a perfect anime and manga to dating sim game adaptation situation. We have a number of heroines. For much of the series, there’s the question of which Nakano sister Futaro will end up with at the end. The Quintessential Quintuplets: Memories of a Quintessential Summer gives players a chance to get closer to the sisters, with tutoring playing a part, in the hopes of getting a chance to date one of them.
For those completely unfamiliar with The Quintessential Quintuplets, Futaro Uesugi is hired to tutor his classmates, the quintuplet sisters Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, and Itsuki Nakano. As a reward for the efforts, the young women invite him and his kid sister Raiha to their family’s private island. It’s supposed to be a short jaunt, but a storm leaves them stranded there for two weeks. However, while it’s a potentially harrowing experience, it also gives Futaro a chance to grow closer to the sisters and perhaps even find love with one of them.
Image via Spike Chunsoft
The Quintessential Quintuplets: Memories of a Quintessential Summer is an unusual dating sim! It’s basically divided into two parts. In the first half, you need to keep meticulous schedules. You must raise the five sisters’ stats to ensure they can pass a test at the end on various subjects, while also occasionally sending people to gather supplies so there’s always something to eat. For the first half, you need to ensure each of the girls can pass a test with a 60 in each subject. If you do, then you can move on to routes with each sister, a family-route with Raiha, and an “all route” with all the siblings. The second half is a more traditional dating sim visual novel game, which feels like a reward for The Quintessential Quintuplets and is a much less demanding experience.
I did feel that the balancing might be a bit off in The Quintessential Quintuplets: Memories of a Quintessential Summer. Basically, if you let someone’s mood drop too low, they’ll need to recuperate for a time slot. Okay, fine. I’ve played Princess Maker and Idolmaster style games before. I figured that meant losing some morale and some time. No, here that also means a severe stat drop across the board. It happened to me once early on with Miku and Yotsuba, as both were about to dip below 20 mood. Instead of getting some grace period, they immediately took off to relax and came back with some of their 15-17 stats dropped down to 0. It’s a harsh lesson to learn!
Image via Spike Chunsoft
It almost feels like it is a lesson you have to learn. Once I did, I found I got into a much better groove as I worked my way toward the second half of the game. The stat requirements aren’t too demanding for a route. In fact, given the way in which affection builds up, it’s very easy to have multiple characters at the necessary relationship level to end up with Futaro. I was able to find a much better balance as I arranged the Nakano sisters’ schedule to ensure they would get a passing score and do well, all while surviving on the island.
Plus, the story and relationship portions of The Quintessential Quintuplets: Memories of a Quintessential Summer are can be quite fun. The “trapped on a deserted island” plotline gives Mages an excuse to focus only on Futaro, Raiha, Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, and Itsuki. The studying and gathering elements also provide opportunities for Futaro to spend time with just one of the sisters, furthering a relationship with them. The CGs are well-executed, and it’s a good amount of fanservice handled well for a series with established, beloved characters. There are some awkward formatting elements though, as sometimes the font in text boxes won’t stay consistent and will shrink to fix everything into them, and every once in a while something might read a bit awkwardly.
The Quintessential Quintuplets: Memories of a Quintessential Summer really sets itself apart with its unique premise that is part tutoring and life management sim, then part visual novel dating sim. It’s true to the series, given there is still that element of helping tutor the sisters. Plus, you absolutely are earning your happy ending here. I enjoyed it, because it’s an approach we don’t often see paired with likable characters and a fun premise, but the approach may make it an acquired taste. Just be sure you really pay attention to the sisters’ stats and make smart choices.
The Quintessential Quintuplets: Memories of a Quintessential Summeris available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC. The anime is available on Crunchyroll. Kodansha handles the manga.
Supermassive Games and Bandai Namco announced that Little Nightmares 3 is delayed. Instead of appearing in 2024 as planned, it will now launch in 2025.
Supermassive Games released a statement going into why Little Nightmares 3 is delayed alongside the announcement. It essentially noted the goal is to ensure the overall quality of the experience. As such, to ensure it meets expectations, its release window is being pushed out of this year. As a reminder, there was no exact quarter set for the game initially, so we don’t know exactly how long this delay will be.
Here’s the official announcement made on social media:
Little Nightmares 3 first appeared at gamescom Opening Night Live 2023. There are few details about characters and the story just yet. However, it will be a multiplayer experience.
This installment marks the first time Supermassive has been completely responsible for a game in the Little Nightmares series. Tarsier Studios created the first and second installments. Supermassive only became involved when the Enhanced Edition of Little Nightmares 2 was made for the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC.
Little Nightmares 3 is delayed until 2025. People will be able to find it on the PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC when it does debut.
HoYoVerse shared the release date for the Honkai Impact 3rd 7.5 update. It will arrive on June 6, 2024, bringing with it a new chapter for the story, new events, and the Lantern Lone Destruction: Shadowchase Battlesuit.
As one might expect due to recent events and Battlesuits, the 7.5 Honkai Impact 3rd story and events all have to do with the Seven Shus and Lantern. The new story questline is called “A Crime Foretold” and deals with the seven individuals awakening again to deal with Langqiu and Oxia’s troubles. Lantern will be playable as an S-rank character, and the Lantern Against Shadows event goes into her background.
Here is the full launch trailer for the Honkai Impact 3rd 7.5 patch’s additions. It started with the look at Lantern and the new story chapter. After that, it offered some overviews of upcoming events. It shows how there will be a Lantern Against Shadows event, which includes a Magic Academy Uniform for the Sirin Miracle Magical Girl Battlesuit. After that, the Theresa Apocalypse Lunar Vow: Crimson Love Till Death Do Us Part Battlesuit outfit appeared. A login event with Fprged Light Stigma and 12 Equipment Supply Cards will run too. It ends with a teaser for things to come.
While the story is firmly going over the Part 2 characters and events, merchandise is still covering people from Part 1. A Seele and Veliona figure is in development, for example.
Honkai Impact 3rd is available for PCs and mobile devices, and the release date for the 7.5 update is June 6, 2024.
Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida offered an updated release date for the FFXIV Dawntrail Benchmark Tool update following a slight delay. Instead of appearing in May 2024, it will now launch on June 3, 2024.
Yoshida noted the last minute delay is due to Square Enix needing to squash a bug. During the final testing, they found and fixed a problem. Before releasing it, the team is doing another final review. Following that and building inspections ending on June 2, 2024, the FFXIV Dawntrail Benchmark Tool update will launch.
While part of the update went over the brief delay, the rest of it went over fixes and additions people will notice when they use the tool after the update. There will be a background option with no blue lightning, there will be blue and plain lightning effects, and the lighting and time of day can be set. The vignette effect is gone, so it doesn’t influence the character design. Also, characters’ pupils, lips and lip gloss, facial textures, hair textures, shadows, and lighting were adjusted. The announcement also reminded people that Phials of Fantasia will be available via a quest and will have a grace period of 60 in-game minutes for editing after use.
Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the Dawntrail expansion debuts on July 2, 2024. The FFXIV Dawntrail Benchmark Tool update arrives on June 3, 2024.
I loveLittle Kitty, Big City. Even though it is probably a four or five hour game, I’m at double that due to enjoying messing around in its world. Which is why I can’t help but hope for more. It feels like Little Kitty, Big City would be even better if Double Dagger Studios decided to make DLC.
The first reason I feel like DLC would be fantastic for Little Kitty, Big City is that it could fit in pretty much at any time. Open up new areas? You could enjoy it right away or in the post-game. It’s the sort of game that feels like it lends itself to perhaps more to-do items being added to the cat’s list. Especially since there are opportunities for them to or not to include additional NPCs. Maybe have a task that involves getting characters to photograph you. Perhaps add challenges tied to already present elements like the little putting green.
The fact that there are also places in the city now that look like they could lead to new places in a Little Kitty, Big City expansion are also perfect excuses to say, “The DLC could go here.” There are a lot of puddles around. Some of it seems like it is due to rain or people using hoses. Others look like they are tied to construction. Well, maybe if Double Dagger wanted to explore work on an add-on, remove the water or make it possible for the kitty to jump or sneak past those spots to access a new neighborhood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xJ2rxWvwX4
Not to mention, there’s an awkward number of cat hats currently present in Little Kitty, Big City. There are 42 available. This means there are even two gaps in the in-game menu with “space” for two more. Even if there wouldn’t be an expansion that makes the Big City even bigger, some add-ons that bumped the number up 44 to eliminate the game would be great. Or, I mean, just give us more hats and bump that number up to 48 or 60. Kitty deserves a big wardrobe.
I suppose it all comes down to my loving Little Kitty, Big City so much that I want DLC so I can send the cat out on the town again. Yes, I could always replay it. Going into my cleared save to explore for fun is an option too. However, I can’t help but want to make more fun animal friends and experience more of these lighthearted adventures in an expansion.
Little Kitty, Big Cityis available for the Nintendo Switch , Xbox Series X, and PC, and no DLC has been announced.
MangaGamer announced that it picked up another otome game at Anime Central 2024, and this time it is the fan disk Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam. It is expected to release in 2024, and it will come to the Switch and PC.
We already knew the next entry in the series was on the way. HuneX revealed it back in December 2023. It also confirmed a 2024 launch window, but didn’t mention any additional details. No platforms were confirmed either The Anime Central reveal confirmed it will release simultaneously worldwide in Japanese and English.
More details about the game came up. In addition to epilogues between Cyrus and existing characters, there will be new love interests. The three additional bachelors will be found in the Cainabel Story and A New Theory storylines.
MangaGamer previously acted as the publisher for the PC version of the original Steam Prison visual novel. However, HuneX self-published the Nintendo Switch version on the eShop.
MangaGamer and HuneX will release Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam on the Switch and PC in 2024, and the original otome game is available on the Nintendo Switch and PC worldwide. Steam Prison is also on the PlayStation Vita in Japan.
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