Collection of Mana and Trials of Mana Announced
Square Enix has revealed a western release for Collection of Mana, which comes to Switch today, as well as a full action-RPG remake of Seiken Detsetsu 3, titled Trials of Mana in the west.
Collection of Mana was released in Japan in 2017, and comprises the original versions of Final Fantasy Adventure, Secret of Mana, and Seiken Densetsu 3 - the last of which has never seen an official western release. It will be available later today.
But alongside that, Square Enix is also remaking Seiken Densetsu 3 as an action-RPG, now called Trials of Mana, arriving in early 2020.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Release Date Announced
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening remake for Switch will arrive on September 20.
Announced at today's E3 Nintendo Direct, we also learned that the (incredibly pretty) game will be getting a dungeon builder. You'll be earning specific dungeon chambers throughout your adventures, which can then be assembled, Lego-style, into custom dungeons. Playing through them will earn you rewards to take out on your main quest.
It feels very much like a tentative step into a Zelda take on Super Mario Maker, although it's not clear if those dungeons will be shareable with other players.
The Link's Awakening remake was announced early this year, and we think it's secretly the darkest Zelda game ever made.
Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics Announced
Netflix has announced a Dark Crystal game, Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics, which will arrive this year.
Revealed during the E3 Nintendo Direct today, Age of Resistance resembles a Dark Crystal-themed XCOM, pitting teams of Gelflings against Skeksis enemies.
It ties in with the new Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance series coming to Netflix on August 30.
If this all seems a bit odd to you, it's worth remembering that Mario + Rabbids somehow turned two family-friendly franchises into a surprisingly excellent (and bastard hard) XCOM-alike.
Luigi’s Mansion 3 Still Doesn’t Have a Release Date
We got a first proper look at Luigi's Mansion 3 today, including its two multiplayer options, but we still don't know when it's coming out this year.
During today's E3 Nintendo Direct, we saw that Luigi's Mansion 3 will take place across the many floors of a mysterious hotel, with Luigi armed with a new Poltergust, the G-00.
Aside from some new attacks, the G-00's key feature is the ability to create Gooigi, the slimy clone of Luigi introduced in the 3DS remake of Luigi's Mansion. It marks the first of two multiplayer modes for the game - Luigi's Mansion 3 can be played entirely in co-op, with a second player controlling Gooigi.
Alongside that, ScareScraper mode returns from Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, pitting four Luigis (and Gooigi's) against increasingly difficult maps full of hidden ghosts.
Dragon Quest 11 Switch Definitive Edition Release Date Announced
Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition will be released for Nintendo Switch on September 27.
Announced in today's E3 Nintendo Direct, the game will include an expanded storyline, more rideable monsters, and the ability to speed up battles.
The trailer also promises the ability to travel to past worlds - it looks as though you'll be returning to past Dragon Quest games' pixel-y settings.
We awarded the PS4 and PC version of Dragon Quest 11 an 8.8 review. We recently learned that Square Enix was beginning work on Dragon Quest 12.
Our Final Fantasy 8 Remaster Reveal Reactions Were Mixed
Square Enix's 2019 E3 had a lot to get excited about, from an extended gameplay demo of Final Fantasy VII remake to the unveiling of Crystal Dynamics' Avengers game. But, oddly enough, the Final Fantasy 8 Remastered reveal caused the loudest excited response among the staff in IGN's temporary studio - and simultaneously prompted just as many groans.
The Future of Xbox May Hinge on E3 2020
Ever since the Xbox One’s nightmarish launch in 2013, Microsoft and the Phil Spencer-led Xbox leadership team have done a remarkable job of rebuilding the entire Xbox brand on the fly. There could never be an overnight fix; restoring Team Xbox to its Xbox 360 glory days would require a complete systemic overhaul in order to win spurned fans back over.
And so they began. The Xbox One S, the Xbox One X, Xbox 360 backwards compatibility, original Xbox backwards compatibility, Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Game Pass for PC, Xbox All Access, eight new first-party studios, Project xCloud, and on and on and on. Every E3 program has come with a clear focus and a gamer-first message. Kinect is dead, the “all-in-one entertainment device” is dead. Xbox is a gamer-focused brand, and this year, it was playing for tomorrow.
Marvel’s Avengers Teases Spider-Man PS4 Connection
The reveal of Marvel's Avengers in the 2019 E3 Square-Enix press conference came with an unexpected surprise: a possible link to Spider-Man on PS4! But before we get to the details, it's important to point out that this connection would be a huge stretch given Marvel's Spider-Man (Insomniac Games) was created by a different studio than Marvel's Avengers (Crystal Dynamics), and they are both published by different companies. Still, we're going to explore whether they may share the same universe. After all, Marvel Games is the overseer of both, so creating an interconnected Marvel Games Universe similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe may be in the cards. And we've seen Marvel make a special deal for Spidey before when Sony agreed to share the character with Marvel Studios.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s New Battle System Is a Little Like Fallout’s VATS
Final Fantasy 7 Remake has a brand new combat system that’s a significant departure from the 1997 original’s Active Time Battle system. Of course it does, because we’re in 2019. As much as using that old-school turn-based mechanic continues to bring me joy two decades after I first used it, the remake needs to put a fresh spin on it. And, with a sigh of relief, it looks like we can say that the new system is taking Final Fantasy 7 Remake in the right direction.
The new system is a hybrid design, blending a Kingdom Hearts-like action approach with a modified version of the Active Time Battle mechanic. Playing as Cloud, you can swing the Buster Sword around as you would in a hack-n-slash, landing blow after blow. But, while that iconic sword may be a chunky lad, standard sword attacks are a slow way of killing enemies. That’s why you need to combine them with special abilities, which is where our old friend the ATB gauge comes in.
Jon Bernthal Reveals Ghost Recon Breakpoint Details
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint is set to release on October 4, 2019, and developer Ubisoft recently revealed that its open beta will go live on September 5. Marvel's The Punisher alum Jon Bernthal plays the game's antagonist, Colonel Cole D. Walker, the charismatic leader of a group of former Ghosts who call themselves The Wolves.
At E3 2019, Bernthal spoke to IGN about his upcoming role in Breakpoint and how his character will impact in the game. "I think the important thing to take away is that