The first extended gameplay footage of Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising – an action RPG spin-off of the upcoming Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes – has been revealed.

During a special video presentation from publisher 505 Games at Tokyo Game Show 2021, Yoshitaka Murayama and Junko Kawano introduced a trio of playable heroes: JB, Isha, and Garoo.

JB is an athletic young girl, Isha is a magic-wielder, and Garoo is, well, an anthropomorphic kangaroo (complete with a pouch on his shirt). In the story, these three meet in a village called "New Never" and they go underground exploring ancient ruins recently uncovered by an earthquake. The heroes seek both treasure and anyone who might be trapped underground.

Gameplay is 2.5D and fast-paced, and players can swap between the characters at will. The trailer shows one hero seamlessly fade out as another fades in, and their attacks chain together to deal large-scale damage to the monsters roaming the environments. For example, Isha can fire magic bolts at enemies out of her reach, then swap out for Garoo who leaps into the air with his giant sword to smash them into pieces.

The trailer features a pair of boss battles: first a giant, ferocious tree, then a large rock figure. The tree attacks with roots from beneath the ground as well as insects descending from its branches, requiring the heroes to move fast to dodge all the hazards on-screen. Eventually a worm emerges from the trunk, which proves vulnerable to direct attacks. When the three leads team up and actually go on the offensive, the battle ends quickly thanks to all the damage they're able to dish out.

The trailer focuses on the action aspects of Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising, but the developers did outline the connections between this title and the main game, Hundred Heroes. At least seven characters from that game will make appearances in Rising, and all three heroes from Rising will show up in Hundred Heroes. References to a "conspiracy under the surface" came up more than once during this conversation, so the stories of the two games are definitely intertwined.

The developers hope that Rising will appeal to both action game fans and RPG fans, with Murayama adding that he hopes this spinoff of Hundred Heroes will "fill the gap" between now and that highly anticipated game's 2023 release. Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is scheduled for a simultaneous Spring 2022 release on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox X|S and One, Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Nintendo Switch.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will also be multi-platform, though Murayama said that the team is "investigating" a Switch release. At the time of the original Kickstarter, the campaign text said the game might come to a "next-gen Nintendo console". Both versions of Eiyuden Chronicles have been confirmed as day one releases on Xbox Game Pass.

Diamond Feit is a writer/podcaster in Osaka, Japan, who uses Twitter and Twitch as feitclub.

Netflix's Squid Game featured a real-life phone number belonging to a Korean man, who is now reportedly receiving thousands of calls per day.

The South China Morning Post claims the man on the end of the line is being bombarded with endless calls, both day and night, after his phone number was allegedly exposed in the first episode of the hit Netflix series. The owner of the number, who's in his 40s and lives in Gyeonggi Province, told MBC news that he's currently getting around 4,000 calls a day.

The man's phone number apparently made an appearance in Squid Game's debut episode, where it was found printed on multiple business cards. A mysterious man handed out the cards, which contained the eight-digit number, to multiple characters, offering them the chance to compete in a deadly survival game and potentially win a big cash prize.

It seems some viewers called the number out of curiosity, with many of them registering their interest to "be in the game." According to local newspaper Hankook Ilbo, Netflix is "in negotiations with the phone number owner to resolve the issue," though another outside party has stepped forward and offered to take the situation into their own hands.

South Korea's National Revolutionary Party's honorary chief, Huh Kyung-young, has reportedly offered to buy the phone number for 100 million won ($85,000 USD). "I heard that the owner of the phone number showed on a business card in Squid Game is suffering serious damage from prank calls," he said on Facebook. "I would like to buy the number for 100 million won."

The owner of the number is said to be reluctant to give it up as he has been using it for 10 years and it is linked with his business. However, he may have a change of heart as Squid Game's popularity continues to grow. In fact, at the time of writing, the dystopian thriller is on track to become Netflix's biggest show ever — if the early viewership figures hold.

IGN awarded Squid Game a 9 out of 10, calling it "one of the most exciting series to hit Netflix in some time." We praised the way it unravels the story to deliver "a white-knuckle thriller, drama, and episodic psychological breakdown with a sickly pastel veneer," which is "equal parts gut-wrenching and squirm-inducing" for both the players and the audience.

Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin – the action-focused Final Fantasy 1 spin-off – will be released on March 18, 2022.

Announced during Tokyo Game Show 2021, the new release date was released as part of a new story trailer (below) that seemingly confirmed that the game's main character, Jack is related in some way to Final Fantasy 1's anatagonist, Garland.

The game will also get a second demo that will include multiplayer features. Available only on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, the demo is arriving today. It will add a new stage not seen in the last demo, and includes updates made based on player feedback from the first. This demo will also include a survey, which Square Enix wants to make further changes based on.

Announced earlier this year, Final Fantasy Origin is being developed alongside Nioh studio Team Ninja for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, and PC. The game is a spin-off from FF1, but isn't a direct sequel.

“The game was inspired by FF1," producer Tetsuya Nomura explained previously. "The setting is based on FF1 as well. Where did the Warriors of Light come from and who are they? This is something you find out in the ending of FF1.

“Jack and his friends are strangers in the same way. Who are Jack and his friends? Are they the Warriors of Light? These function as the main themes of the story, so in the story they are depicted as [the eponymous] strangers.”

Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

It's a movie and TV edition this week as Cardy, Matt, and Dale frankly just haven't had the time to play any new games. No Time to Die is finally in cinemas so Cardy and Matt tell you all about what they thought of Daniel Craig's final outing as Bond. Cardy's also watched everything else under the sun recently so gives his impressions of Soprano's prequel The Many Saints of Newark, Netflix horror series Midnight Mass, medieval fantasy The Green Knight, and why everyone should be excited for Paul Thomas Anderson's Licorice Pizza. There's also a tightly contested Endless Search, and of course your feedback.

Want to submit your own Endless Search, food opinion, or a bit of other nonsense? Feel free to get in touch with the podcast at: ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.

IGN UK Podcast #612: Finally, Time to Die

• IGN UK Podcast #611: New Spicy Arrakis Flavour
• IGN UK Podcast #610: Deathloops and Toffee Hoops
• IGN UK Podcast #609: Too Much Happened This Week
• IIGN UK Podcast #608: A Far Cry from The Forgotten City
• IGN UK Podcast #607: DokeV's Llama Would Batter a Xenomorph

It's pretty clear that Spider-Man 3 was a scarring experience for all involved. It's considered a textbook case of executive meddling that brought Sam Raimi's trailblazing run with Spider-Man to a screeching halt.

Things are better now. The Spider-verse is alive and well at both Sony and Marvel, and Sam Raimi is currently directing Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Still, it's pretty clear that Raimi's Spider-Man 3 experience had a big impact on him.

In a interview with Collider, Raimi talked about how hard it was to return to directing superhero films after Spider-Man 3. It was bad enough, he said, that he wasn't sure he could face it again.

"I didn't know that I could face it again because it was so awful, having been the director of Spider-Man 3. The Internet was getting revved up and people disliked that movie and they sure let me know about it. So, it was difficult to take back on," Raimi said.

When his agent called him about the opportunity to direct Doctor Strange 2, Raimi found himself wondering if he could do it. "They're really demanding, those types of pictures. And I felt, 'Well, that's reason enough,'" he said.

Raimi went on to praise the character of Doctor Strange, saying he's "right up there with the favorites." He also had kind words for the first movie, saying director Scott Derrickson "did a wonderful job, an incredible job."

"I didn't think I would be doing another superhero movie. it just happened," Raimi said.

First released back in 2007, Spider-Man 3 notoriously crammed in Venom at the last minute, to the movie's detriment. The result was a fairly messy movie, though we liked it at the time, calling it a "great ending for both a standard three-film arc and the best comic book trilogy in film history."

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness releases on March 25 in 2022. Go here to see read about every upcoming MCU movie and TV show for the rest of 2021.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN.

Scarlett Johansson and Disney have settled the acrimonious lawsuit that has turned Hollywood upside down since first being filed in July, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Terms were not disclosed.

The suit was part of a breach of contract lawsuit over the decision to release Black Widow simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+. Johansson alleged that the decision hurt her salary, which was said to be based in large part on the earnings from the film. The lawsuit asked for more than $50 million in damages, arguing that Disney pressured Marvel to release it on the streaming service in order to appease investors.

The lawsuit touched off a major public relations war that grew to engulf much of Hollywood. The fallout reportedly affected negotiations with Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, directors of some of the most popular MCU properties, who worried about how future movies would be released and how they would make money. Marvel boss Kevin Feige was said to be "angry and embarrassed" over the lawsuit.

Black Widow was a comparative success by pandemic box office standards, earning some $379 million worldwide. According to Disney, it also earned another $60 million in purchases through Disney+ Premiere. It was the Disney's boast about streaming earnings that reportedly angered Johansson, encouraging her to move forward with the lawsuit that she had been mulling for "several months," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Disney has since returned to a 45-day theatrical window with films like Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings, but it has been blunt about its intentions to release its films however it pleases. While this lawsuit is over, the battle over simultaneous releases on streaming services has undoubtedly just begun.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN.

Scarlett Johansson and Disney have settled the acrimonious lawsuit that has turned Hollywood upside down since first being filed in July, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Terms were not disclosed.

The suit was part of a breach of contract lawsuit over the decision to release Black Widow simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+. Johansson alleged that the decision hurt her salary, which was said to be based in large part on the earnings from the film. The lawsuit asked for more than $50 million in damages, arguing that Disney pressured Marvel to release it on the streaming service in order to appease investors.

The lawsuit touched off a major public relations war that grew to engulf much of Hollywood. The fallout reportedly affected negotiations with Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, directors of some of the most popular MCU properties, who worried about how future movies would be released and how they would make money. Marvel boss Kevin Feige was said to be "angry and embarrassed" over the lawsuit.

Black Widow was a comparative success by pandemic box office standards, earning some $379 million worldwide. According to Disney, it also earned another $60 million in purchases through Disney+ Premiere. It was the Disney's boast about streaming earnings that reportedly angered Johansson, encouraging her to move forward with the lawsuit that she had been mulling for "several months," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Disney has since returned to a 45-day theatrical window with films like Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings, but it has been blunt about its intentions to release its films however it pleases. While this lawsuit is over, the battle over simultaneous releases on streaming services has undoubtedly just begun.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN.

IGN turns 25 this year, and what better way to celebrate this momentous occasion than with a video game? We're partnering with the creators of the 2020 Game to make our very own mascot platformer, featuring the best moments in gaming and entertainment history.

In the spirit of the occasion, we made a trailer that would be right at home on a cable station circa 1996, which you can see above.

While games have long since moved on from the heyday of mascot platformers — our user-driven bracket just recently named 2018's God of War the best of all time — it's fun to look back on this very particular moment in gaming history, when Mario, Sonic, Crash Bandicoot, and many other colorful characters were jockeying for space in the hearts of console gamers.

Apart from the new game, we've been celebrating IGN's 25th anniversary in various other ways, from merch to a variety of special features. Just today we released a piece about the marketing of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace — the movie that dominated the discourse in 1999.

IGN 25: The Game will be available to play on browsers via both desktop and mobile. Expect a release date soon.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN.

IGN turns 25 this year, and what better way to celebrate this momentous occasion than with a video game? We're partnering with the creators of the 2020 Game to make our very own mascot platformer, featuring the best moments in gaming and entertainment history.

In the spirit of the occasion, we made a trailer that would be right at home on a cable station circa 1996, which you can see above.

While games have long since moved on from the heyday of mascot platformers — our user-driven bracket just recently named 2018's God of War the best of all time — it's fun to look back on this very particular moment in gaming history, when Mario, Sonic, Crash Bandicoot, and many other colorful characters were jockeying for space in the hearts of console gamers.

Apart from the new game, we've been celebrating IGN's 25th anniversary in various other ways, from merch to a variety of special features. Just today we released a piece about the marketing of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace — the movie that dominated the discourse in 1999.

IGN 25: The Game will be available to play on browsers via both desktop and mobile. Expect a release date soon.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN.

Tokyo Game Show 2021 has arrived and brings with it some big announcements from such companies as Xbox, Square Enix, Ubisoft, Capcom, Konami, miHoYo, Bandai Namco, and much more.

The show has already begun and will continue through Sunday, October 3, and each day is filled with livestreams and presentations for some highly-anticipated games coming later this year and beyond.

We are here to not only help ensure you don't miss any of the best moments with our Tokyo Game Show 2021 How to Watch Guide, but this article will also be constantly be updated with the biggest news, trailers, interviews, and more as they happen each day of the show.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Gets March Release Date

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin - the action-focused Final Fantasy 1 spin-off - will officially be released on March 18, 2022. To help with the wait, Square Enix has released a second demo for PS5 and Xbox Series X that features not only multiplayer features, but also updates that were made with fan feedback in mind from the first demo.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin's Devs Discuss Changes Made Based on Player Feedback

Following the first demo for Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, the developers behind the upcoming Final Fantasy 1 spin-off have taken players' feedback and have discussed how they are implementing it to make the game a better experience for all.

Some of these changes include updating the graphics and lighting after complaints were made about the game being too dark, utilizing a new feature called Resonance to improve the usefulness of NPCs and much more. Some of these changes can be seen in the new demo for the game that will be available until October 11.

Forspoken Developers Discuss Magic Parkour System and More

At Tokyo Game Show 2021, Forspoken co-director Takefumi Terada and creative producer Raio Mitsuno revealed a bit more about the upcoming game, including its spells, antagonists, and its "magic parkour." More was also teased about Athia, where the majority of the game takes place, and how it has become a "harsh and cruel place" after an event the developers aren't ready to reveal yet.

New Shin Megami Tensei V Gameplay Features an Angry Ogre Boss

TGS 2021 presented fans with a new extended look at Shin Megami Tensei V that features both an angry red ogre boss and a supernatural "Avengers"-level gathering of demons.

Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier Gets Release Window, New Features Announced

Square Enix has revealed that the mobile battle royale title Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier will be available on iOS and Android devices in November 2021. It has also further detailed some new features coming to the game, including that it will support controllers following fan feedback.

Square Enix's Showcase Featured Trailers for Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier, Triangle Strategy and More

Square Enix showed off new footage of its upcoming tactical RPG Triangle Strategy, the mobile battle royale title Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier, Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars, and the Final Fantasy kart-racing spin-off Chocobo GP. You can check out some of those trailer and everything else Square revealed at TGS 2021 here.

Atelier Sophie Sequel Announced for 2022

Koei Tecmo has revealed that Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream will be released on February 25, 2022 on PS4, Steam, and Nintendo Switch. This new game is a sequel to 2015's Atelier Sophie and follows Sophie and Plachta as enter a new realm called Erde Weige and run into another young alchemist named Plachta who doesn't seem to know Sophie at all.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising Gets a First Gameplay Reveal

Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising - the action-RPG spin-off of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes - received its first extended gameplay trailer at TGS 2021. JB, Isha, and Garoo - three of the game's playable heroes - were also introduced alongside new details ahead of Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising's Spring 2022 release date on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Steam, and Nintendo Switch.

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak Expansion Will Include a New Hub, Monsters, and Locations

Capcom shared a bunch of new details for the "massive" Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak expansion that is also set to introduce a new Master Rank level for quests. This new story will take players to a new base of operations, put them face-to-face with the Elder Dragon Malzeno, and even a return of some familiar monsters like the Shogun Ceanataur.

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is set to be released in Summer 2022.

SEGA's Mysterious RPG Is Sin Chronicle

SEGA has revealed Sin Chronicle, a new mobile RPG that is based on player decisions that can only ever be made once. This new game headed to iOS and Android devices on December 15 in Japan is a "successor, not a sequel" to Chain Chronicle, which was released in 2013 and later came to PlayStation Vita.

New Square Enix RPG Dungeon Encounters Revealed, Coming in Two Weeks

Dungeon Encounters is a brand-new "dungeon exploring RPG" that is set to be released on October 14, 2021, on PS4, Steam, and Nintendo Switch. This Square Enix RPG is not so much a JRPG and will instead have players marching along a narrow grid to explore a dungeon map rather than the dungeon itself.

Monster Hunter Rise Comes to Steam in January 2022

Capcom has revealed that Monster Hunter RIse will be released on PC via Steam on January 12, 2022. This new version will feature 4K resolution support, high-res textures, uncapped framerates, optimised keyboard and mouse controls, voice chat, and ultrawide 21:9 display support.

Monster Hunter Showcase Reveals Sonic and Ghosts n Goblins Collaboration and More

Alongside all the details for Monster Hunter Rise's Sunbreak expansion and PC release, it was also revealed that the game will have a collaboration with not only Ghost n Goblins but also with Sonic in honor of his 30th anniversary. While we don't know much about the Sonic collaboration, the Ghosts n Goblins one will arrive on October 29 and will give hunters a chance to become the legendary Sir Arthur.

Monster Hunter Stories 2 will also be getting new DLC, including new Monsties, quests, co-op challenges, and more.

Phil Spencer Wants Xbox to Increase Its Japanese Game Line-Up

Head of Xbox Phil Spencer said that Xbox is working "every single day to increase our line-up of Japanese games", in order to "help bring Japanese games around the world." "It's an honour to support [TGS] and our Japanese partners," Spencer said in a conversation with Shinji Mikami. "We're working with Japanese publishers every single day to increase our line-up of Japanese games on Xbox. We know it's really important to fans and customers on Xbox."

Ex-Tango Gameworks Developer Ikumi Nakamura is Working on Gungrave Sequel

Koch Media not only revealed a new gameplay video for Gungrave G.O.R.E., but it also shared that ex-Tango Gameworks developer Ikumi Nakamura is involved in the game's development. Gungrave G.O.R.E. is the latest in the "Grave" series of 3D action games and will be released on PS5, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.

Tango Gameworks Is Developing a New Game, Evil Within 2 Director Leading

Despite Tango Gameworks working to finish Ghostwire: Tokyo, Shinji Mikami revealed that John Johanas, the director of The Evil Within 2, is "hard at work at a new game."

Scarlet Nexus and More Headed to Xbox Game Pass

Microsoft has revealed that Scarlet Nexus, Ai: The Somnium Files, and Mighty Goose are all playable on Xbox Game Pass as of today.

Redfall, Starfield, and More Will Be Localized for Japan

Microsoft reconfirmed its commitment to Japan by revealing that Arkane Studios' Redall will include a complete Japanese voice cast at launch and that Bethesda's Starfield will include Japanese text and voices. Bethesda's Todd Howard revealed that this will be the team's "largest translation ever" with "over 300 actors and 150,000 lines of dialogue."

Guilty Gear Strive Confirmed for Next ARCREVO Tournament Alongside Soundtrack Release

The fighting game tournament ARCREVO will be returning and Guilty Gear Strive will be the game to headline it all. Furthermore, Arc System Works has released the game's soundtrack and confirmed that more themed merchandise is on the way.

King of Fighters 15: SNK Reveals Its First All-New Character

SNK unveiled Isla, the first brand-new character for the upcoming The King of Fighters XV. This fighter is a "rival" to Shun'ei, who was the previous hero of The King of Fighters XIV.

SWERY's The Good Life Gets an Xbox-Exclusive Demo

Deadly Premonition's Hidetaka "SWERY" Suehiro revealed that his upcoming game The Good Life, which is set to be released on October 15, will be getting an Xbox-exclusive demo today, September 30.

Eternal Return Gets a Release Date and Trailer

Alongside a brand-new gameplay trailer, it was revealed that Eternal Return would be released on October 19.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.