Final Fantasy XV: The Biggest Name in RPGs Is Making a Comeback
After nearly 10 years in development, Final Fantasy XV’s coming out party feels overdue. At a glance, the real-time action in trailers (so far) looks like a departure from the series’ roots, but don’t be fooled: the core themes of friendship, deep characterizations, party customization, and drama-filled storylines that have been a part of the 29 year-old franchise are all here. Each chapter in the blockbuster RPG series has taken a chance on key ideas. FFX discarded the popular Active-Time-Battle system for another turn-based system. FFXI changed up the formula again into a massively multiplayer-online RPG. Meanwhile, FFXII shook up the ebb and flow of its epic campaign with a more open quest format. Square has a reputation of altering the recipe of Final Fantasy’s infamous RPG sauce.
Tarzan: Skarsgard and Robbie Revive a Classic
Tarzan’s not messing around. The six-foot-something, golden-haired ape-man (played by Alexander Skarsgard) is making his way through a 19th century train car, back to front, taking down a dozen Belgian soldiers along the way. Clad in a tan safari-type suit rather than his traditional loincloth, Tarzan throws the soldiers, he hits them, he even tosses one up into the ceiling of the car, where the poor SOB just gets stuck, dangling from above while the Lord of the Apes fixes his hair.
This scene unfolded in front of me and a handful of other reporters when I visited the set of Warner Bros.’ upcoming The Legend of Tarzan at Leavesden Studios, just outside London. This is the same place where the Harry Potter films were shot (and where the permanent Potter studio tour can be found), and where Wonder Woman just wrapped and Justice League is currently underway. (Tarzan helmer David Yates also directed four Harry Potter films here, and has the Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in the pipeline as well.) Leavesden is obviously a place for magical beings and superheroes, so where better to stage the latest incarnation of one of the original superheroes?
Daily Deals: Best Xbox One Deals, Last Guardian, Drones
Price Drop on Xbox One With Free Second Controller
If you'd rather get a great deal on the old Xbox One than fork over full price for the redesigned slim version, Dell will sell you the Name Your Game Bundle (choose from Forza Motorsport 6, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, or Rare Replay) with an extra controller for $280. Amazon has a similar price drop in effect, but with no bonus controller (it wants $338 for the system with two controllers).
New Mario Series Amiibo Announced
At E3 today, Nintendo revealed new amiibo from the Mario series.
Daisy, Waluigi, and Boo will receive amiibo for the first time, and new amiibo will be released Wario, Rosalina, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, featuring new poses separate from their Smash Bros. line counterparts.
Waluigi amiibo.
Nintendo also revealed that the Boo figure will glow in the dark.
The new figures will launch on November 4th.
Mario Party: Star Rush Announced
At E3 today, Nintendo announced Mario Party Star Rush, a new Mario Party game headed to 3DS on November 4, 2016.
Star Rush features new gameplay changes to make it more portable-friendly, including all players moving at once rather than having to wait for their turn.
Star Rush follows the previous Mario Party 3DS game, Mario Party: Island Tour, which launched in 2013. The most recent entry in the series was Mario Party 10, which was released on Wii U in 2015.
Stay tuned to IGN for more Nintendo news from E3.
Paper Mario: Color Splash Release Date Revealed
At E3 today, Nintendo announced that Paper Mario: Color Splash will launch for Wii U on October 7, 2016.
As Nintendo revealed back in March, Color Splash sees Mario on Prism Island, which has been drained of its color. Mario will use his paint hammer to restore color to the island.
Stay tuned to IGN for more on Paper Mario: Color Splash.
Andrew is IGN’s executive editor of news and would like someone to restore his color with a hammer. You can find him rambling about EarthBound and cute animals on Twitter.
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 9 Is Finally Happening
HBO's hit comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm is returning for a ninth season.
"We’re thrilled that Larry has decided to do a new season of Curb and can’t wait to see what he has planned," HBO programming president Casey Bloys said in a statement.
While it's been several years since Season 8 aired in 2011, series star Larry David has always had a deal with the network to continue the series on his schedule if he ever wanted to return for more. That said, this is the longest gap there's been between seasons.
Larry David as Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Zelda: Breath of the Wild Will Be ‘Same Experience’ on NX
Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma has revealed that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be the “same experience” on Nintendo NX as on Wii U.
The comment came during an E3 presentation after Aonuma was asked if the mysterious new NX will boast any exclusive features for Breath of the Wild, and Aonuma didn’t elaborate or offer any hints about what Nintendo may be planning.
Elsewhere in the presentation, Aonuma also confirmed that the Wii U version of Breath of the Wild will support the Pro Controller rather than requiring the use of the GamePad.
Stay tuned to IGN for more on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, including impressions and many more details.
Zelda: Breath of the Wild is 12x the Size of Twilight Princess
Nintendo has revealed that the open world in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is 12 times larger than the map in Twilight Princess.
During a presentation at E3, Nintendo also revealed that the demo of Breath of the Wild shown at E3 -- which contains a large portion of open field as well as several enemies, Shrines, and more -- represents just 1% of the game’s total size.
For more on The Legend of Zelda, including our Breath of the Wild impressions, stay tuned to IGN.
Andrew is IGN’s executive editor of news and is 12x taller than the average puppy. You can find him rambling about Persona and cute animals on Twitter.
Zelda: Breath of the Wild Amiibo Revealed
At E3 today, Nintendo revealed three new amiibo for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Archer Link features Link with a bow, Rider Link shows Link on Epona while holding a sword, and a larger Guardian amiibo is based on a new enemy in Breath of the Wild, and will also include flexible parts on an amiibo for the first time.
Nintendo also revealed how the Wolf Link amiibo released alongside The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, will interact with Breath of the Wild.
When scanned, the Wolf Link amiibo will bring Wolf Link into The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to help Link attack enemies and hunt. By default, Wolf Link will have three hearts, but if players played Twilight Princess HD and saved their data, he’ll have additional hearts in Breath of the Wild (as many as he had when data was saved in Twilight Princess HD). Wolf Link can be scanned into Breath of the Wild once per day.