Yearly Archives: 2020
Arcade1Up Announces Infinity Game Table, a Smart Table That Plays Board Games, Puzzles, and More
Arcade1Up, makers of officially licensed arcade cabinets, has announced a new type of product that’s a little less retro than its other offerings. It’s called the Infinity Game Table, and it’s a wi-fi enabled table with a digital screen that plays a ton of different content, from board games to comic books.
The Infinity Game Table can be considered a big tablet in table form. Not only does it play classic board games like Monopoly, but it can also play puzzles, card games, coloring books, mini-games, comic books, and more. The HD screen can be personalized and even offers Tactile Feedback.
The Infinity Game Table will come in two sizes, a 24” and 32” screen, both in HD. So far the Infinity Game Table has announced a selection of Hasbro board games including Monopoly, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Chutes and Ladders, Candyland, and Yahtzee.
There are also some personalization options supported for the Infinity Game Table such as personalized player experiences, and you can even create digital puzzles using your photos that you can upload to the table.
There’s no word on release date and pricing just yet, but you can sign up for notifications over at the Arcade1Up website. If you're looking for something more classic, Arcade1Up recently announced licensed arcade cabinets for X-Men and Ms. Pac-man.
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Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.
The Infinity Game Table will come in two sizes, a 24” and 32” screen, both in HD. So far the Infinity Game Table has announced a selection of Hasbro board games including Monopoly, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Chutes and Ladders, Candyland, and Yahtzee.
There are also some personalization options supported for the Infinity Game Table such as personalized player experiences, and you can even create digital puzzles using your photos that you can upload to the table.
There’s no word on release date and pricing just yet, but you can sign up for notifications over at the Arcade1Up website. If you're looking for something more classic, Arcade1Up recently announced licensed arcade cabinets for X-Men and Ms. Pac-man.
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Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.Pendragon Review – History Repeating
Legends are slippery things. One tells of Arthur, the once and future King of Britain who united the realm against the Saxon invaders. Where historical fact is elusive, literary fancy has imagined Arthur's idyllic court of Camelot, its chambers populated with knights, wizards, and witches, its halls reverberating with chivalry, romance, and betrayal. In exploring the legend of Arthur, Pendragon mixes interactive fiction and tactical combat within a short-form roguelike structure to tell myriad tales. As a study of how myths are formed from countless half-truths, it's effective. But as a narrative journey, it feels slight, its more admirable efforts undermined by repetition and an uneasy relationship with combat.
In this particular rendition of Arthurian legend, the story always begins in 673 A.D., about a week before Arthur reaches the castle of Camlann to face his son, Mordred, whose challenge for the throne has ignited a civil war. Each time you roll a new game, you'll play as one of Arthur's court--his estranged wife Guinevere, her possible lover Sir Lancelot, the enigmatic Merlin, to name three of the more familiar characters--dashing across Britain to aid the king in the climactic showdown. En route, you will run into characters that you can convince to ride with your banner, others you'll need to put to the sword, and an alarming number of wolves, snakes, giant spiders, and rats to fight or flee from. Though rest and rations will help the wounded recover, all members of your party--even your starting character--can die permanently, and the journey is over if everyone falls in battle. A complete run will typically take only 20-30 minutes, depending on how quickly you find Camlann.
The rapid turnaround of a run serves to highlight the dynamic nature of Pendragon's storytelling. By embarking on a new journey, you'll quickly find yourself exploring a reconfigured map, discovering new locations and story events, and accumulating alternate perspectives on the core myths of the land. And the game does a remarkable job tying together the many disparate narrative threads you can follow throughout one run. In one run, I began as Morgana Le Fay before meeting and recruiting Guinevere. Morgana was later wounded in battle while Guinevere fled, leaving me to play on as the latter. By the time I reached Camlann, Guinevere too had perished and so I ended up facing Mordred's knights with just Arthur's brother, Sir Kay, and a strong-armed peasant blacksmith in tow. What's impressive is that the dialogue doesn't miss a beat; conversations feel coherent and reactive to whatever choice and chaos has occurred along the way.
Continue Reading at GameSpotPendragon Review – History Repeating
Legends are slippery things. One tells of Arthur, the once and future King of Britain who united the realm against the Saxon invaders. Where historical fact is elusive, literary fancy has imagined Arthur's idyllic court of Camelot, its chambers populated with knights, wizards, and witches, its halls reverberating with chivalry, romance, and betrayal. In exploring the legend of Arthur, Pendragon mixes interactive fiction and tactical combat within a short-form roguelike structure to tell myriad tales. As a study of how myths are formed from countless half-truths, it's effective. But as a narrative journey, it feels slight, its more admirable efforts undermined by repetition and an uneasy relationship with combat.
In this particular rendition of Arthurian legend, the story always begins in 673 A.D., about a week before Arthur reaches the castle of Camlann to face his son, Mordred, whose challenge for the throne has ignited a civil war. Each time you roll a new game, you'll play as one of Arthur's court--his estranged wife Guinevere, her possible lover Sir Lancelot, the enigmatic Merlin, to name three of the more familiar characters--dashing across Britain to aid the king in the climactic showdown. En route, you will run into characters that you can convince to ride with your banner, others you'll need to put to the sword, and an alarming number of wolves, snakes, giant spiders, and rats to fight or flee from. Though rest and rations will help the wounded recover, all members of your party--even your starting character--can die permanently, and the journey is over if everyone falls in battle. A complete run will typically take only 20-30 minutes, depending on how quickly you find Camlann.
The rapid turnaround of a run serves to highlight the dynamic nature of Pendragon's storytelling. By embarking on a new journey, you'll quickly find yourself exploring a reconfigured map, discovering new locations and story events, and accumulating alternate perspectives on the core myths of the land. And the game does a remarkable job tying together the many disparate narrative threads you can follow throughout one run. In one run, I began as Morgana Le Fay before meeting and recruiting Guinevere. Morgana was later wounded in battle while Guinevere fled, leaving me to play on as the latter. By the time I reached Camlann, Guinevere too had perished and so I ended up facing Mordred's knights with just Arthur's brother, Sir Kay, and a strong-armed peasant blacksmith in tow. What's impressive is that the dialogue doesn't miss a beat; conversations feel coherent and reactive to whatever choice and chaos has occurred along the way.
Continue Reading at GameSpotFamily Guy and The Simpsons Recast Major Black Characters
Update: Both Family Guy and The Simpsons have recast key roles heading into the fall TV season, as the two animated sitcoms work to end the trend of having white actors voicing non-white characters.
Variety reports comedian and YouTube star Arif Zahir will be taking over the role of Cleveland Brown from Mike Henry. Zahir actually rose to prominence in part due to his spot-on impersonation of Henry's Cleveland voice, so fans might not even notice a difference. Given the long lead time on Family Guy's production, though, it's expected that Henry will continue to voice Cleveland for most or all of Family Guy: Season 18 before the recasting takes effect.
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The Simpsons will be making a major recasting much sooner, however. Yahoo reports the Season 32 premiere (which airs Sunday, September 27) will feature a new actor voicing Homer's coworker Carl Carlson. Alex Désert (Better Things) is taking over the role from Hank Azaria, though it's unclear whether Désert is the permanent new voice actor for Carl and how many of Springfield's other minority residents will be recast in Season 32. As reportedly previously, Azaria is also stepping down from the role of Apu.
The original story is below:
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Family Guy fans can expect a big change in the show's upcoming 19th season. Voice actor Mike Henry announced he'll no longer be playing the role of Cleveland Brown on the long-running animated sitcom.
Henry made the announcement via Twitter, saying, "I love this character, but persons of color should play characters of color. Therefore, I will be stepping down from the role."
Henry has been a mainstay of the series since its debut in 1999, serving as a writer and co-producer as well as voicing several other recurring characters like Herbert and Consuela. Henry also co-created the spinoff series The Cleveland Show, which ran for four seasons from 2009 to 2013. Fellow Fox series The Simpsons will be undergoing similar changes in the near future. Fox released a statement declaring "Moving forward, The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters.” Both announcements come as more and more scrutiny is being directed toward animated projects that feature white actors voicing characters of color. Earlier this year, The Simpsons' Hank Azaria stepped down from his decades-long role as Apu, in response to criticisms raised by Hari Kondabolu's 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu. Family Guy executive producers Rich Appel and Alex Sulkin also announced in 2019 the series would begin phasing out gay jokes. It's unclear when exactly Family Guy's Cleveland overhaul will take effect or how far along the recasting process is. Given the show's long production lead time, it's likely Henry has recorded dialogue for at least some Season 19 episodes. That said, it's entirely possible those lines will be re-recorded when a new actor is cast. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-best-adult-cartoon-tv-series&captions=true"] For more on Family Guy's long history on the air, check out IGN's Top 20 Family Guy episodes. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.It’s been an honor to play Cleveland on Family Guy for 20 years. I love this character, but persons of color should play characters of color. Therefore, I will be stepping down from the role. pic.twitter.com/FmKasWITKT
— Mike Henry (@mikehenrybro) June 26, 2020
Nick Fury Getting His Own Disney Plus Series
Samuel L. Jackson is reportedly reprising his role as Marvel's Nick Fury in a Disney+ streaming series.
According to Variety, Jackson is attached to star in the Nick Fury series with Kyle Bradstreet (Mr. Robot) serving as writer and executive producer.
Reps for both Jackson and Bradstreet declined comment per the trade.
Variety says it's "highly likely" that the Nick Fury show will indeed go to series, joining the ranks of WandaVision, Loki, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, Hawkeye, and Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Jackson previously made a cameo as Nick Fury on Agents of SHIELD so this won't be his first time reprising his role for the small screen.
While there's no word on plot details for the Nick Fury series or when exactly during the spymaster's long career it will be set, it seems possible that it could explore Fury's work alongside the Skrulls that was teased during the end credits scene of Spider-Man: Far From Home.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/02/spider-man-far-from-home-wtf-questions"]
That scene revealed Fury to be working in a space station alongside the Srulls. As we reported in our breakdown of the end credits scene:
Variety says it's "highly likely" that the Nick Fury show will indeed go to series, joining the ranks of WandaVision, Loki, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, Hawkeye, and Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Jackson previously made a cameo as Nick Fury on Agents of SHIELD so this won't be his first time reprising his role for the small screen.
While there's no word on plot details for the Nick Fury series or when exactly during the spymaster's long career it will be set, it seems possible that it could explore Fury's work alongside the Skrulls that was teased during the end credits scene of Spider-Man: Far From Home.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/02/spider-man-far-from-home-wtf-questions"]
That scene revealed Fury to be working in a space station alongside the Srulls. As we reported in our breakdown of the end credits scene:
"This teaser strongly suggests SWORD will be making its MCU debut soon. Short for Sentient World Observation and Response Department, this sister agency to SHIELD is tasked with monitoring the cosmos and defending the planet from alien attacks. SWORD is traditionally staffed by a mixture of humans and friendly aliens, which makes the Skrulls perfect allies as Fury spearheads this major project."
What would you like to see the Nick Fury series be about? And which characters would you like to see join him in it? Let us know in the comments. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-phase-4-official-lineup&captions=true"]Nick Fury Getting His Own Disney Plus Series
Samuel L. Jackson is reportedly reprising his role as Marvel's Nick Fury in a Disney+ streaming series.
According to Variety, Jackson is attached to star in the Nick Fury series with Kyle Bradstreet (Mr. Robot) serving as writer and executive producer.
Reps for both Jackson and Bradstreet declined comment per the trade.
Variety says it's "highly likely" that the Nick Fury show will indeed go to series, joining the ranks of WandaVision, Loki, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, Hawkeye, and Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Jackson previously made a cameo as Nick Fury on Agents of SHIELD so this won't be his first time reprising his role for the small screen.
While there's no word on plot details for the Nick Fury series or when exactly during the spymaster's long career it will be set, it seems possible that it could explore Fury's work alongside the Skrulls that was teased during the end credits scene of Spider-Man: Far From Home.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/02/spider-man-far-from-home-wtf-questions"]
That scene revealed Fury to be working in a space station alongside the Srulls. As we reported in our breakdown of the end credits scene:
Variety says it's "highly likely" that the Nick Fury show will indeed go to series, joining the ranks of WandaVision, Loki, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, Hawkeye, and Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Jackson previously made a cameo as Nick Fury on Agents of SHIELD so this won't be his first time reprising his role for the small screen.
While there's no word on plot details for the Nick Fury series or when exactly during the spymaster's long career it will be set, it seems possible that it could explore Fury's work alongside the Skrulls that was teased during the end credits scene of Spider-Man: Far From Home.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/02/spider-man-far-from-home-wtf-questions"]
That scene revealed Fury to be working in a space station alongside the Srulls. As we reported in our breakdown of the end credits scene:
"This teaser strongly suggests SWORD will be making its MCU debut soon. Short for Sentient World Observation and Response Department, this sister agency to SHIELD is tasked with monitoring the cosmos and defending the planet from alien attacks. SWORD is traditionally staffed by a mixture of humans and friendly aliens, which makes the Skrulls perfect allies as Fury spearheads this major project."
What would you like to see the Nick Fury series be about? And which characters would you like to see join him in it? Let us know in the comments. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-phase-4-official-lineup&captions=true"]The Medium Composers Explain How the Game Uses Next-Gen Tech for Sound
The Medium is a horror game that takes place in two different worlds. That split-reality feature makes comparisons between The Medium and the Silent Hill series inevitable, but there's a direct connection as well: One of the game's two composers is Akira Yamaoka, whose work on the original Silent Hill is widely celebrated. The other composer, Arkadiusz Reikowski, cites Yamaoka as one of his primary influences. The two composers talked to IGN Japan during Tokyo Game Show 2020 about the upcoming horror game, their work together, and how hardware is enabling them to perform new tricks.
"The Medium is a game that is heavily connected with Silent Hill," Reikowski said, "and I myself was heavily influenced by Akira Yamaoka when I started composing music." He admitted that collaborating directly with Yamaoka on a project was "a dream of mine". For his part, Yamaoka said that an opportunity to collaborate with another composer, rather than work alone, attracted him to the project.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/24/the-medium-official-story-trailer"]
With The Medium offering players access to two separate-but-connected worlds at the same time, having two composers working together to score the game helps give each reality its own texture. "There are moments when you see two screens at the same time in The Medium, so you can see the spirit world and the real world simultaneously," Reikowski said. "The music will coexist between the two worlds."
"The audio – especially the spatial audio – in the next generation consoles is pretty powerful," Reikowski said, "so with the sounds and music, what players will hear will be really immersive." He believes this system would not work without the latest technology. "We have two listeners, we have two worlds, so this is basically like we would have two games which are playing simultaneously," he said. "So there are a few gimmicks and tricks which wouldn’t be possible without the technology behind the audio system that we have now."
With decades of experience, Yamaoka knows what the audience expects from the audio in a horror game. "There are ways of using sound that are kind of standard now, not only in horror games but in horror films as well," he said. Instead, he and Reikowski aimed for a "more interactive type of sound, which would make the story feel even more terrifying". Reikowski explained how his work adds another layer to the video game experience. "I would say the music is like additional subtitles for a scene," he said.
Reikowski had high praise for his collaborator's past work and Japanese horror games in general. "I think that one of the reasons why Japanese horror is so popular among Western players is that it all comes down to psychology and to things like the intimacy," he said, noting how Silent Hill 2 was a game about just one man's personal struggle. "Most horror music is kind of generic – Hollywood took the world by storm with making scary strings, orchestras," he said, "But Yamaoka-san’s work in Silent Hill is really subtle and intimate, it’s very different – and that is still true today."
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Yamaoka tried to maintain humility in the face of all this praise, even bristling when IGN Japan’s interviewer addressed him as a "legend". "I’ve been saying this repeatedly, but I’m not any kind of a legend!" he said, laughing. With regards to his most famous creation, he said, "After working on Silent Hill, I was like, ‘Really? It really inspired this many people?’ Which seems a bit extreme, but in all honesty I feel deeply honored."
He offered ample praise for his collaborator in turn, and the new game that they're creating. "What we have is like a Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross partnership. We were able to work together as though we were a band, in the hopes that we can create something new and interesting. I really enjoyed working with him," he said, "but also enjoyed playing the game myself, so I really hope that everyone will be able to enjoy the game too."
The Medium is scheduled for a holiday 2020 release on Xbox Series X/S and Steam.
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The Medium Composers Explain How the Game Uses Next-Gen Tech for Sound
The Medium is a horror game that takes place in two different worlds. That split-reality feature makes comparisons between The Medium and the Silent Hill series inevitable, but there's a direct connection as well: One of the game's two composers is Akira Yamaoka, whose work on the original Silent Hill is widely celebrated. The other composer, Arkadiusz Reikowski, cites Yamaoka as one of his primary influences. The two composers talked to IGN Japan during Tokyo Game Show 2020 about the upcoming horror game, their work together, and how hardware is enabling them to perform new tricks.
"The Medium is a game that is heavily connected with Silent Hill," Reikowski said, "and I myself was heavily influenced by Akira Yamaoka when I started composing music." He admitted that collaborating directly with Yamaoka on a project was "a dream of mine". For his part, Yamaoka said that an opportunity to collaborate with another composer, rather than work alone, attracted him to the project.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/24/the-medium-official-story-trailer"]
With The Medium offering players access to two separate-but-connected worlds at the same time, having two composers working together to score the game helps give each reality its own texture. "There are moments when you see two screens at the same time in The Medium, so you can see the spirit world and the real world simultaneously," Reikowski said. "The music will coexist between the two worlds."
"The audio – especially the spatial audio – in the next generation consoles is pretty powerful," Reikowski said, "so with the sounds and music, what players will hear will be really immersive." He believes this system would not work without the latest technology. "We have two listeners, we have two worlds, so this is basically like we would have two games which are playing simultaneously," he said. "So there are a few gimmicks and tricks which wouldn’t be possible without the technology behind the audio system that we have now."
With decades of experience, Yamaoka knows what the audience expects from the audio in a horror game. "There are ways of using sound that are kind of standard now, not only in horror games but in horror films as well," he said. Instead, he and Reikowski aimed for a "more interactive type of sound, which would make the story feel even more terrifying". Reikowski explained how his work adds another layer to the video game experience. "I would say the music is like additional subtitles for a scene," he said.
Reikowski had high praise for his collaborator's past work and Japanese horror games in general. "I think that one of the reasons why Japanese horror is so popular among Western players is that it all comes down to psychology and to things like the intimacy," he said, noting how Silent Hill 2 was a game about just one man's personal struggle. "Most horror music is kind of generic – Hollywood took the world by storm with making scary strings, orchestras," he said, "But Yamaoka-san’s work in Silent Hill is really subtle and intimate, it’s very different – and that is still true today."
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-medium-xbox-games-showcase-screenshots&captions=true"]
Yamaoka tried to maintain humility in the face of all this praise, even bristling when IGN Japan’s interviewer addressed him as a "legend". "I’ve been saying this repeatedly, but I’m not any kind of a legend!" he said, laughing. With regards to his most famous creation, he said, "After working on Silent Hill, I was like, ‘Really? It really inspired this many people?’ Which seems a bit extreme, but in all honesty I feel deeply honored."
He offered ample praise for his collaborator in turn, and the new game that they're creating. "What we have is like a Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross partnership. We were able to work together as though we were a band, in the hopes that we can create something new and interesting. I really enjoyed working with him," he said, "but also enjoyed playing the game myself, so I really hope that everyone will be able to enjoy the game too."
The Medium is scheduled for a holiday 2020 release on Xbox Series X/S and Steam.
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Tokyo Game Show 2020: The Biggest News, Trailers, and Gameplay
Tokyo Game Show 2020 has officially arrived and, from September 23-27, there will be a ton of incredible announcements, trailers, and gameplay videos from some of the most anticipated upcoming games.
It can be a lot to keep track of, so we've gathered the best parts of TGS 2020, and we will be updating this article throughout the weekend!
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Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness was announced at TGS 2020 and will be a CGI episodic series starring Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield. It will be arriving on Netflix in 2021.
Biggest Tokyo Game Show 2020 Announcements
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity - First Gameplay Shows Young Impa, Daruk, Combat, and More
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/26/hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-13-minutes-of-gameplay-japanese-vo-tgs-2020"] New gameplay for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity was revealed at TGS 2020, and gave fans a glimpse of what the action will look like playing as Link, the Champions (specifically Daruk in this look), and young Impa.Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity - Breath of the Wild Bonus Item, Special Editions Revealed
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/26/hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-official-trailer-tgs-2020"] Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity players who have a Breath of the Wild save will unlock a special wooden training sword, and those in Japan will be able to purchase a special edition of the game which includes a small metal charm of the mysterious white robot and a full-size "parasail blanket." It is unclear if this special edition will come see a western release.Monster Hunter Rise: Gameplay Shows Off New Abilities, Combat, and More
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/26/21-minutes-of-monster-hunter-rise-dual-blades-gameplay-tgs-2020"] Capcom showed off an extended gameplay demo for Monster Hunter Rise at TGS 2020, showcasing more of the Switch game's new abilities, combat, dog companions, and more.NieR: Replicant Ver. 1.22474487139 Coming West in April 2021
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/24/nier-replicant-ver122474487139-tgs-trailer"] NieR: Replicant, Ver 1.22474487139, an upgraded version of the 2010 Japanese RPG, will be released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam on April 23, 2021. TGS 2020 also featured a new look at the game's gameplay, showing off combat and exploration in the game's updated world.Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires Announced for 2021
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/27/dynasty-warriors-9-empires-official-trailer"] Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires has been announced for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and it will arrive in early 2021.Balan Wonderworld's Next-Gen Features Discussed by Sonic Creator
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/17/balan-wonderworld-nintendo-switch-announcement-trailer"] Yuji Naka, creator of many famous games for Sega such as Sonic the Hedgehog and NiGHTs Into Dreams, joined IGN Japan in the studio during a live Tokyo Game Show 2020 broadcast to discuss his new project, Balan Wonderworld, and how it makes use of the PS5's unique capabilities. He also spoke about his self-assessed "one chance" to make a platform action game for his new employer, Square Enix.Cyberpunk 2077 Environment Designer Explains How His Team Built Night City
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/18/cyberpunk-2077-night-city-wire-episode-3"] A special Cyberpunk 2077 livestream took place at TGS 2020, and environment city coordinator Hiroshi Sakakibara shed some light on the design behind Night City.Resident Evil Village: Capcom 'Looking Into' Xbox One and PS4 Release Alongside Next-Gen
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/16/resident-evil-8-village-gameplay-trailer"] While Capcom isn't making any commitments, it did mention that "While Resident Evil Village is being developed specifically for next-generation consoles and PC, we're looking into delivering the experience on Xbox One and PS4 as well. We're looking into it, but we can't make any promises. However, we will do our best in creating a top-tier survival horror experience on current generation consoles."Resident Evil Village Will Focus More on Exploration than Resident Evil 7
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/11/resident-evil-8-village-announement-trailer-ps5-reveal-event"] Capcom confirmed at TGS 2020 that Resident Evil Village will feature more exploration than Resident Evil 7, as it wants players to "experiment, to figure out what works for them."Vergil Is Coming to Devil May Cry 5 on PS4 and Xbox One via DLC
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/16/devil-may-cry-5-special-edition-ps5-gameplay-trailer"] Vergil was previously confirmed as playable for Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, and now it has been confirmed that he will be available on PS4 and Xbox One via DLC.Resident Evil Infinite Darkness Netflix Show Officially Announced
Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness was announced at TGS 2020 and will be a CGI episodic series starring Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield. It will be arriving on Netflix in 2021.
Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory Getting Playable Demo
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/26/kingdom-hearts-melody-of-memory-official-trailer"] Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory will be getting a playable demo in mid-October, ahead of its release on November 13, 2020.How Scarlet Nexus Uses RPG Elements Alongside Action
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/28/scarlet-nexus-the-first-preview"] IGN Japan spoke with Scarlet Nexus' producer Keita Iizuka and director Kenji Anabuki how there may be more to this RPG than meets the eye.Scarlet Nexus Will Have Two Playable Characters, Each With a Different Campaign
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/27/scarlet-nexus-official-trailer-tgs-2020"] Scarlet Nexus received a new story trailer at TGS 2020, and it showcased protagonists Yuito Sumeragi and Kasane Randall.Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster's New 'Merciful Mode' Explained
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/20/shin-megami-tensei-3-nocturne-hd-remaster-official-trailer"] In an interview with IGN Japan at Tokyo Game Show 2020, Shin Megami Tensei series director Kazuyuki Yamai outlined Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster's new Merciful Mode, which will be available as DLC after the cult RPG is re-released.NieR Re[in]carnation Gets a Western Release Announcement
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/29/nier-reincarnation-teaser-trailer"] NieR Re[in]carnation, a 3D and 2D mobile game spin-off title, will be released in Europe and North America. While we weren't given a date, it was promised that further information will come at a later date via the game's official English Twitter and Facebook channels.Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds - First Gameplay Revealed
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/26/ni-no-kuni-cross-worlds-15-minutes-of-gameplay-japanese-vo-tgs-2020"] Level-5 and developer Netmarble showed off the first gameplay of their upcoming mobile RPG Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds.Dynasty Warriors Mobile Game Announced for Japan, Closed Beta Starts Next Weekend
A mobile version of Dynasty Warriors designed for iOS and Android was announced during a special 20th anniversary livestream event at Tokyo Game Show 2020. Koei Tecmo also announced a Japan-only closed beta, with applications opening immediately after the presentation.The Medium Composers Explain How the Game Uses Next-Gen Tech for Sound
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/07/the-medium-announcement-trailer"] The Medium's composers spoke to IGN Japan during TGS 2020 and talked about the upcoming horror game, their work together, and how hardware is enabling them to perform new tricks.Latest Fault Visual Novel Game Gets a Gorgeous New Trailer, Previous Game Also Announced for Switch
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/25/fault-milestone-two-side-below-exclusive-japanese-trailer-tgs-2020"] Alice in Dissonance's newest visual novel, fault - milestone two side: below, received a new trailer at TGS 2020, and is expected to release on Steam in 2020. It was also announced for Switch and PS4 without an estimated release window.Xbox Series S Price Already Reduced in Japan
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/08/xbox-series-s-world-premiere-reveal-trailer"] Microsoft has already reduced the price of the yet-to-be released Xbox Series S by about $28 USD in Japan. No reason was given, but the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition prices were announced after the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S prices in Japan, so this could be in response to that.Microsoft Flight Simulator to Add Japan World Update Next Week
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/24/microsoft-flight-simulator-japan-world-update-trailer"] Microsoft Flight Simulator will get a Japan World Update, and all users will be able to download it for free on September 29, 2020. This update will enhance the game's coverage of Japan thanks to digital elevation mapping of the entire country.The Medium: Exclusive New Trailer Introduces Key Characters
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/24/the-medium-official-story-trailer"] IGN was proud to exclusively reveal a new trailer for The Medium, which revealed more about the upcoming next-gen horror game's story, and helps introduce two of its key characters, the mysterious Sadness, and Troy Baker's antagonist, The Maw.New GigaBash Character Pays Tribute to Japanese Hero Series
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/24/exclusive-17-minutes-of-gigabash-gameplay-with-new-character-gigaman"] GigaBash, the B-movie styled 4-player arena brawler in which giant kaiju, monsters, and ranger heroes battle it out for supremacy, revealed a new character, Gigaman and IGN exclusively presented a 17-minute gameplay video showing the game in action. [poilib element="accentDivider"] 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.Observer: System Redux Developer Introduces The Remaster’s 3 New Quests
IGN can exclusively reveal a new Observer: System Redux gameplay video, showing a fascinating glimpse at footage from new quests that have been added to this next-gen update of the 2017 game. The video, narrated by composer and audio director Arkadius Reikowski, shows new gameplay elements from early portions of the Errant Signal and Her Fearful Symmetry quest lines, both of which will be included when the cyberpunk horror game hits PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on each console’s respective launch date.
Observer: System Redux will feature three new cases in total, with the third titled It Runs in The Family. Each will introduce new characters whose stories are intertwined with the lives of tenants already known to returning Observer players, and Bloober Team say that these new stories will add “quite a bit of new content” to the game. Check out footage of the new quests below:
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In an interview with IGN Japan ahead of Tokyo Game Show, Bloober Team CEO Piotr Babieno shed extra light on the gameplay demo. Regarding Errant Signal, he explained, “While exploring the building, (protagonist) Dan (Lazarski) catches a cryptic message on his ComPass. The device glitches frantically for a few seconds, displaying just a simple ‘Help us’ and a number. Following this lead means that Dan will get to know the ugly underbelly of Krakow 2048 better than he’d like to. It seems that someone in the slums is occupied with human trafficking…”
Introducing Her Fearful Symmetry, Babieno continued, “Dan stumbles upon an odd-looking set of items strewn together in one hallway. Although their purpose is not clear, they were clearly left there deliberately. Along with the strange symbols scrawled on the floor and wall next to them, they appear to form an altar. Stuck into the contraption, Dan finds an unsettling message. Its author seems to be referring to some mysterious woman, longing for them to be together again. The intensity of his affection seems unhealthy, almost psychotic. Dan follows to check if there's a woman bothered by a stalker somewhere in the building.”
Babieno also detailed the It Runs in The Family quest. “In the Ripper Doc’s tattoo shop, Dan finds a key to one of the building’s apartments,” he said. “Mail on Doc's computer suggests that it is a spare key to a certain Stanley Tkaczyk’s home, and that Doc supplies him with illegal substances. What is the connection of this case to other of Doc’s questionable business pursuits? What brought Mr. Tkaczyk to the neighborhood’s notorious tattoo artist?”
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While leaving a few question marks hanging in the air so as not to spoil the mystery, Babieno told us that the new cases allow players to further explore “classic cyberpunk themes such as omnipotent but faulty technology, unfair work conditions and corporate governance over the smallest details of life,” along with “more timeless topics like familial duty, grief, loneliness, sanity, greed and lust, as well as self-consciousness and emancipation.”
In addition to new quests, Observer: System Redux will feature next-gen upgrades such as ray-tracing and improved loading times, which Babieno says will allow the development team at Bloober to realise their vision for a dark cyberpunk future more completely.
Also, the developers paid particular attention to overhauling Janus, the janitor in the original game, and his office. “As the old janitor is our guide to the building and Dan interacts with him quite a lot, we decided to do an entirely new model for the character with a full set of new animations, to make him more realistic and interesting,” said Babieno. “The office was redone to feel more homely, even if a bit creepy. It now feels like a place where someone actually lives and works.”
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Since the original version of Observer was released in 2017, its star Rutger Hauer – who voiced and gave his likeness to protagonist Daniel Lazarski – has unfortunately passed on. We asked Babieno how it felt to rework the game for a new audience in Hauer’s absence, and whether System Redux includes any previously unused footage of Hauer, or shows his work in a new light.
“It was a great privilege to work with Rutger Hauer and also to be able to make one of his last performances shine again,” said Babieno. “Sadly, there wasn't much unused footage to add to the game, but what we had was enough to give Dan Lazarski a chance to uncover a few new cases.”
Observer: System Redux will be released on November 10 on PC and Xbox Series X/S, and November 12 on PlayStation 5.
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Daniel Robson is Chief Editor of IGN Japan – follow him on Twitter to see if he survives Tokyo Game Show.