Lost Judgment Review — Back To School
Like most good detective stories, Lost Judgment begins with the ghastly discovery of a maggot-infested corpse. A single homicide is merely the tip of the iceberg, of course, but the unusual circumstances surrounding the dead body's discovery set the stage for another compelling mystery for private investigator Takayuki Yagami to solve. The first Judgment began in a similar fashion, presenting itself as a Yakuza spin-off that was nevertheless overly familiar due to its penchant for delving into the criminal theatrics Rya ga Gotoku Studio is known for. Yagami's latest adventure still dips its feet into the deep end of the criminal underworld, but Lost Judgment distances itself from its Yakuza-flavored origins with much more regularity than its predecessor, resulting in a better and more distinct game that's still tinged with an overt sense of deja vu.
This begins right from the off, as the first hour or so is spent traversing the well-worn streets of Kamurocho. Revisiting the bustling red-light district for the umpteenth time still doesn't grow stale thanks to its lively atmosphere and intricate visual design. It's a place full of fond memories and there's a pleasant sense of comfort in its familiarity, yet it's hard not to feel relieved when Yagami's latest case takes you south of Tokyo and into the port city of Yokohama. The fictional district of Isezaki Ijincho was first introduced in last year's Yakuza: Like a Dragon and makes its return in Lost Judgment relatively untouched. Based on the real-life Yokohama district of Isezakichō, it's a bigger urban sprawl than Kamurocho but still maintains the same density, from the busy streets of Isezaki Road to the various storefronts and eateries located throughout the district.
Step through the automatic doors of a Poppo store and you'll be greeted by a short electronic tune that announces your arrival. The magazine aisle is stacked with lifestyle magazines, manga, and cookbooks, while the refrigerators at the back of the store are filled with assorted snacks, from onigiri and Bento lunch sets to a dizzying array of drinks including Suntory green tea and BOSS coffee. Elsewhere, you can head to the bar district to find each cozy hangout stocked with real-world alcohol, while passing beneath the Paifang in Chinatown will lead you to restaurants adorned with dragons and golden guardian lions, as residents converse under a baroque pavilion.
Continue Reading at GameSpotWipEout Rush Announced
Following in the footsteps of games like Super Mario Run, wipEout Rush brings a fan-favorite gaming franchise in a way uniquely suited to the mobile platform. It will be released for both iOS and Android devices in early 2022. Check out the announcement trailer above and a gallery of screenshots below.
Publisher Rogue Games is aware that many fans still want to see a return on its original PlayStation platform. “If I want that visceral, immersive, intense racing experience, I’ll find it waiting on PlayStation," said Rogue CEO Matt Casamassina. "But at the same time, we’re delighted that we could rethink wipEout for mobile with some fun new play mechanics and gorgeous visuals.
“We hope fans will come to it with an open mind because—although different—we’re proud to bring the wipEout franchise back into focus with a fresh take on the formula," he continued. "And we’ve poured a lot of love into the presentation, which includes loads of iconic ships and tracks, a new comic book-inspired narrative, a fitting electronica soundtrack, and gorgeous visuals that run at 60 frames per second on modern hardware.”
wipEout Rush includes 60 ships from the original games as well as a single-player campaign featuring 12 championship cup races across five distinct environments. That campaign also includes comic book-influenced storytelling that will give more personality to the racers. And in one more nod to the originals, wipEout Rush features an original electronica soundtrack from veteran Sony musician Alastair Lyndsay.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
Bitcraft, a ‘New Kind of MMORPG’, Announced
Startup developer Clockwork Labs has announced Bitcraft, a "new kind of MMORPG" that emphasizes player cooperation and allows players to have a large amount of agency over the game world.
The PC MMO, which you can sign up to play the pre-alpha build at on the official Bitcraft website, features a mix of crafting, building, hunting, farming, trading, and exploration. It's also got a unique art style, which you can see for yourself in the trailer above and the screenshot gallery below.
“BitCraft is an MMO community sandbox game which takes place in an enormous, fully editable, procedurally generated landscape all hosted in a single unsharded world, providing players with an unparalleled level of creativity and depth,” said Clockwork Labs cofounder Tyler Cloutier.
The developers promise "unparalleled freedom and long-term character progression which enables players to create their own stories and write the new history of this world." Stay tuned for more on Bitcraft as development progresses.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
Lost Judgment Review — Back To School
Like most good detective stories, Lost Judgment begins with the ghastly discovery of a maggot-infested corpse. A single homicide is merely the tip of the iceberg, of course, but the unusual circumstances surrounding the dead body's discovery set the stage for another compelling mystery for private investigator Takayuki Yagami to solve. The first Judgment began in a similar fashion, presenting itself as a Yakuza spin-off that was nevertheless overly familiar due to its penchant for delving into the criminal theatrics Rya ga Gotoku Studio is known for. Yagami's latest adventure still dips its feet into the deep end of the criminal underworld, but Lost Judgment distances itself from its Yakuza-flavored origins with much more regularity than its predecessor, resulting in a better and more distinct game that's still tinged with an overt sense of deja vu.
This begins right from the off, as the first hour or so is spent traversing the well-worn streets of Kamurocho. Revisiting the bustling red-light district for the umpteenth time still doesn't grow stale thanks to its lively atmosphere and intricate visual design. It's a place full of fond memories and there's a pleasant sense of comfort in its familiarity, yet it's hard not to feel relieved when Yagami's latest case takes you south of Tokyo and into the port city of Yokohama. The fictional district of Isezaki Ijincho was first introduced in last year's Yakuza: Like a Dragon and makes its return in Lost Judgment relatively untouched. Based on the real-life Yokohama district of Isezakichō, it's a bigger urban sprawl than Kamurocho but still maintains the same density, from the busy streets of Isezaki Road to the various storefronts and eateries located throughout the district.
Step through the automatic doors of a Poppo store and you'll be greeted by a short electronic tune that announces your arrival. The magazine aisle is stacked with lifestyle magazines, manga, and cookbooks, while the refrigerators at the back of the store are filled with assorted snacks, from onigiri and Bento lunch sets to a dizzying array of drinks including Suntory green tea and BOSS coffee. Elsewhere, you can head to the bar district to find each cozy hangout stocked with real-world alcohol, while passing beneath the Paifang in Chinatown will lead you to restaurants adorned with dragons and golden guardian lions, as residents converse under a baroque pavilion.
Continue Reading at GameSpotSteam’s Latest Surprise Hit is a Sim Where You Run a Gas Station
Aside from showcasing the latest triple-A heavyweights to grace the world of video games, the Steam store is also no stranger to the occasional out-of-the-blue indie success story. The store's latest surprise hit comes in the form of Gas Station Simulator, a game that does exactly what the title suggests: run a gas station.
Currently ranked third on Steam's Top Sellers list, DRAGO Entertainment's Gas Station Simulator is topped only by new releases Deathloop and Timberborn.
In Gas Station Simulator, players find themselves at the forefront of a brand new business opportunity. After purchasing their very own abandoned gas station - The Dust Bowl - budding entrepreneurs are then tasked with restoring it to its former glory. Throughout the game, players will need to expand upon their station's services as they attempt to keep up with the pace of its customers' demands.
Gas Station Simulator incorporates all the best elements from your multiple memorable times at gas stations. From refuelling cars at the pump to tending to customers at the checkout, and even changing tires in the workshop, the game looks to draw upon the best tasks of station life.
In an attempt to keep players grounded, the game does more than just show off the wild side of running your own gas station. Taking out the trash and sweeping the station's shop floor are a couple of the day-to-day jobs players will need to master in order to maintain high standards at their business. That being said, if work-life balance is a concern for prospective new company owners, the game also has a basketball hoop that you can visit and attempt to earn high scores on.
According to SteamDB, Gas Station Simulator has reached a peak of 5619 concurrent players since its launch yesterday (September 15). With over 4,000 players currently playing Gas Station Simulator at the time of writing, that's a lot of floors swept, tanks refuelled and tires changed. Players looking to try their hand in the car refuelling business can pick up a copy of Gas Station Simulator on its Steam store page where the game is currently listed with 10% off until September 22. If you prefer your simulators a little more exciting, then check out Flight Simulator's upcoming Top Gun DLC.
Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
The New Cowboy Bebop Netflix Comics Have Stunning Cover Art
Titan Comics has unveiled six variant covers for the first issue of its Cowboy Bebop comic series, which is based on the new Netflix live-action adaptation of the iconic anime.
The upcoming miniseries, written by Dan Watters with art by Lamar Mathurin, aims to expand the Cowboy Bebop universe with an original story set in the world of the Netflix show. The first issue hits shelves on December 8 and there are six variant covers to choose from. Have a browse through our slideshow below and let us know which one you would pick:
Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau is the artist behind the primary cover to Titan Comics' Cowboy Bebop #1, which means his cover for the issue is also available in black and white. The rest of the covers feature different takes and various styles having been drawn by a range of artists, including Claudia Ianniciello, Afu Chan, and Yishan Li.
The Cowboy Bebop comic series will transport readers into the future with a story set in the year 2171, where a bounty hunter crew of the spaceship Bebop are being chased down by an ex-gang member who holds a vest that gives the wearer "unlimited luck," so the Bebop bunch will need to have more than just luck on their side.
The four-issue series is based on Netflix's live-action Cowboy Bebop series, which is set to arrive on the streamer on November 19. The show seems to be faithfully recreating the look and feel of the popular anime, with an all-star cast line-up that features John Cho, Mustafa Shakir, and Daniela Pinada, amongst others.
The comic is part of a broader push for Cowboy Bebop, with the live-action adaptation also getting a supporting prequel novel written by Sean Cummings, and an official companion book for the Netflix series showcasing concept art and behind-the-scenes photography across its pages, with a foreward by showrunner André Nemec.
The prequel novel, titled Cowboy Bebop: A Syndicate Story: Red Planet Requiem, will be releasing just a few days after the show on November 23, and the companion book will be launching on January 11. The first installment in the four-issue comic series will be out December 8, with a trade paperback to follow in May 2022.
Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
Halo 5 Won’t Be Heading To PC Any Time Soon Despite Nvidia Leak
343 Industries has once again stated that Halo 5 won't be heading to PC anytime soon, despite a recent datamine leak suggesting otherwise.
343's stance on the matter comes after the recent Nvidia GeForce Now leak which seemed to point to a number of potential PC announcements for various games including Sony's God of War, Gears of War 6, and Halo 5: Guardians.
As fans once again built up hope for a PC port of the 2015 Halo game, Community Director at 343 Industries, Brian Jarrard, was quick to clarify the 343i's stance. He addressed fans on Twitter, explaining that while the studio will never say never, it currently has no plans to bring the game over to PC.
"Maybe this was for H5:Forge," Jarrard said. "But I can confirm there are no plans to bring H5 to PC. We know there's some demand for it, but as we've stated before, not in the cards as the studio is fully focused on Infinite and MCC. Will never say never, but nothing [is] underway currently."
Maybe this was for "H5:Forge" but I can confirm there are no plans to bring H5 to PC. We know there's some demand for it, but as we've stated before, not in the cards as the studio is fully focused on Infinite and MCC. Will never say never, but nothing underway currently
— Brian Jarrard (@ske7ch) September 13, 2021
As noted in the response, 343 Industries' current focus is largely directed toward the upcoming release of Halo Infinite. Following the conclusion of the game's recent technical preview, the studio has been working on a number of tweaks and changes brought about by the feedback it received from the event. One such change comes to Infinite's combat sensor, which the developer says it has updated to feel more like the 'motion tracker' of old Halo games.
In a bid to receive further feedback on Halo Infinite, 343 has announced that further previews of the game will roll out before it launches later this year. The next multiplayer preview for Halo Infinite is set to go live on September 24. All players with a fully registered Halo Insider profile (created before September 13) are eligible for the preview.
Halo Infinite is set to be released for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on December 8. For more on the game, make sure to check out this article detailing why some fans are feeling worried about 343's approach to Halo Infinite's multiplayer progression.
Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
Bryce Dallas Howard to Direct a Remake of Flight of the Navigator
Bryce Dallas Howard is set to direct and produce a female-led reimagining of 1986's Flight of the Navigator for Disney+.
As reported by THR, this new take on Flight of the Navigator will also be produced by John Swartz and Justin Springer. Swartz is actually Howard's partner at production company Nine Muses.
Flight of the Navigator is a film about a 12-year old boy named David who was abducted by a UFO and wakes up eight years later without aging and with no recollection of what occurred. While we don't know much more about the new project, we do know that David will be replaced by a female protagonist.
This isn't the first time a reboot was planned for Flight of the Navigator, as Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly were once attached to write a script for Disney in 2009. Disney would lose the rights to Lionsgate shortly thereafter, and another failed attempt was in the works with Lucifer showrunner Joe Henderson. Now, its rights are back at Disney.
Bryce Dallas Howard has not only starred in Jurassic World and Spider-Man 3, but she has also directed episodes of The Mandalorian and will direct one episode of The Book of Boba Fett. This new Flight of the Navigator film would be her first credit as a director of a feature film.
Flight of the Navigator was on our list of the 19 TV shows we would love to see on Disney+, and while it doesn't appear to be arriving as a series, this news should be great for many around the world.
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.
Bryce Dallas Howard to Direct a Remake of Flight of the Navigator
Bryce Dallas Howard is set to direct and produce a female-led reimagining of 1986's Flight of the Navigator for Disney+.
As reported by THR, this new take on Flight of the Navigator will also be produced by John Swartz and Justin Springer. Swartz is actually Howard's partner at production company Nine Muses.
Flight of the Navigator is a film about a 12-year old boy named David who was abducted by a UFO and wakes up eight years later without aging and with no recollection of what occurred. While we don't know much more about the new project, we do know that David will be replaced by a female protagonist.
This isn't the first time a reboot was planned for Flight of the Navigator, as Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly were once attached to write a script for Disney in 2009. Disney would lose the rights to Lionsgate shortly thereafter, and another failed attempt was in the works with Lucifer showrunner Joe Henderson. Now, its rights are back at Disney.
Bryce Dallas Howard has not only starred in Jurassic World and Spider-Man 3, but she has also directed episodes of The Mandalorian and will direct one episode of The Book of Boba Fett. This new Flight of the Navigator film would be her first credit as a director of a feature film.
Flight of the Navigator was on our list of the 19 TV shows we would love to see on Disney+, and while it doesn't appear to be arriving as a series, this news should be great for many around the world.
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.
Deltarune: Chapter 2 Arriving on PC and Mac This Week
Deltarune: Chapter 2, which is the second entry in the follow-up to Undertale, will be released on both PC and Mac on September 17, 2021, at 5pm PT/8pm ET/1am BST (9/18).
A short video of Deltarune: Chapter 2 was released on Twitter alongside the announcement from Undertale's 6th-anniversary celebration event, and Deltarune.com has been updated with a few more details regarding save transfers and more.
See you soon. https://t.co/Z19tzGlRmW pic.twitter.com/hKU0st0LCb
— UNDERTALE / DELTARUNE (@UnderTale) September 16, 2021
To ensure your Deltarune: Chapter 1 save file is transferred to Deltarune: Chapter 2, players will need to see the credits of the first game. Chapter 1's "completion data" will be created when you "go to sleep in your bed at the end of the game."
If you happen to be on a different computer than the one you played Deltarune: Chapter 1 on, the FAQ also reassures that, "as long as you generally remember what happened story-wise, you'll be fine."
The much-anticipated release date annoucement came after Undertale creator Toby Fox was part of a playthrough of Deltarune: Chapter 1, and the extended glimpse of Chapter 2 includes a tease of what fans can expect in this game that is arriving around three years after the original.
What is yet unclear is how much Deltarune: Chapter 2 will cost, or if it will also be free like Chapter 1.
Toby Fox gave an update on Deltarune's development in 2020, saying that this follow-up to Undertale has been much harder to develop for than the original game due to "the complexity of new systems, plotlines, and graphics."
He also mentioned that he believes that Chapter 3 of Deltarune should be a bit easier to make as the team can use what they learned in Chapter 2 as a guiding light.
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.