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Having not played an Atelier game since the first Ryza, I will admit this series from Gust and Koei Tecmo has never quite grasped me. Outside of my first game Atelier Rorona, which I still adore to this day, I haven’t completed a single game in this series. Well, until now, with Atelier Yumia, which is by far the best game in the series I’ve played yet. While it takes some bold steps in unique directions, it still retains its core alchemist ideas while also being what I had hoped Tales of Arise would be. For starters, this is an almost true open-world experience. There are four key regions the player is able to explore. Though most regions are locked at the start until you progress later on, they are seamlessly connected to one another. In addition, loading times when fast traveling is nearly instantaneous, even on the underpowered Steam Deck where I reviewed this title. Image via Koei Tecmo Atelier Yumia opts for a fascinating open-world experience that feels similar to survival games in some ways like Valheim, which directly inspired it. Instead of sprawling cities and towns to explore, it is a vast, diverse, and often beautiful land that is customizable to the player’s liking in many areas. I will say the lack of true explorable cities with loads of NPCs and vendors is one of the few major gripes I have with the experience. It takes some adjustment, but this is not the type of experience Gust seems to be going for. Instead, Atelier Yumia is all about building out your own bases. While you can’t build anywhere, you frequently unlock home bases and campsites where you can customize to your heart’s content. You might want to turn one location into a three-story mansion. In another place, it might be the custom headquarters for your party. There is a lot of freedom in the building system to make what you want. However, it is welcoming to newcomers to this type of gameplay as well. There are blueprints you can create instantly for various types of places. Or, you can do what I did and just create your own home from scratch. The UI is intuitive, snappy, and easy to use. The best part is how the building ties into the rest of gameplay. You use the materials you gather all throughout the world to build. This adds a neat dual nature to the materials that would normally just be for the alchemy. Speaking of which, alchemy is back and with a new system. It is a bit daunting and confusing at first, but it is actually quite simple. You can use almost any material to make any type of item, but there are bonuses for using preferred materials. This leads to an alchemy system that is far more welcoming and open. While I prefer some of the older games’ alchemy still, it is certainly better than Atelier games in recent memory. Image via Koei Tecmo When not synthesizing weapons and recipes or building your dream fantasy home, you’ll be exploring the four regions that is full of content. Fortunately, there is something interesting to do every few feet. I had a lot of fun doing the side content in Atelier Yumia, such as little minigames to restore a terminal or an optional boss battle. There are also welcome side quests as well. Some of them are short and sweet gather or battle sequences, while others are story quests with your party members that lets you learn more about them. The battles in Atelier Yumia are also radically different and another example of the more mainstream approach this title takes. I would fully describe this as a true action RPG now, even more than the Ryza games. Battles take place in essentially a circular arena. There is a circle you can rotate 360 degrees around the enemy target. You use this to dodge AOEs and the like. You can spam various skills in succession to create combos to deal damage to enemies. However, you are only able to use the skills on your face buttons (if using a controller) a few times before they run out. This then requires you to switch to the weapon items you craft. You basically have two hot bars of four skills each to constantly use to consistently be dealing damage. In addition to this, there are two ranges within the circle. You can switch at a moment’s notice between close range attacks and long range ones. These two ranges even come with their own set of skills to boot. Image via Koei Tecmo Then there is the ability to switch between party members, who all control radically different. For instance, Viktor is the dedicated tank, Rutger is the powerful scythe-wielder with underrated gun attacks, and so on. Without a doubt, Atelier Yumia has one of the most unique action RPG systems I’ve seen and it takes time to master. However, the depth is incredible and, while I still prefer traditional turn-based gameplay, it justified itself and felt far more enjoyable than Ryza’s battles. That said, the standout, most surprising parts about Atelier Yumia are the characters and story. This is not your usual friendship is magic, happy-go-lucky storyline right here. The backstory of the ancient empire that you’re exploring the ruins of is immense and at the heart of the experience. Alchemy is forbidden in this world and the titular character Yumia has to combat this discrimination head-on. The plot goes in some shocking directions that don’t get too grim, but are far more serious and emotional than I expected. This is especially true with a couple of the party members. Yumia herself is the best protagonist in the series hands down; she is not overly positive, but is still passionate about the alchemy her mother taught her and her dreams. Then there is Rutger and Nina whose writing really surprised me with how well done they are. The party members interact with one another so well, too. With the six party members and action combat, this game reminds me quite a bit of Tales of Arise, but it addresses all of my problems with that game. Instead of the six party members pairing up and really only having solid interactions with their “love interest,” you see everyone have a relationship with one another. For instance, Rutger understands and respects Nina, bonds over shared circumstances with Yumia, has a healthy rivalry with Viktor, and constantly pisses off Isla. And this character depth is true for nearly all six party members, too. Image via Koei Tecmo Better yet, this rich character development even goes to the villains. The villains in this story are some of my favorites, both in design and writing, in a long time. I won’t dare spoil them, but just know they make a tragically solid case for why they do what they do. In fact, there is at least one boss battle that was painful plot-wise for both myself and the main characters. Overall, Atelier Yumia is an extraordinary and highly surprising direction for the series. It retains the core alchemy and strategic combat, but builds upon everything in fascinating ways. While the world doesn’t have enough civilizations, it makes up for that with worthwhile content around every corner and a remarkable yet optional building system. The combat might switch fully to action, but it stands out with how uniquely deep and enjoyable it is. And then there is the story and characters, which is far and away better than anything Gust has done up until this point. This all comes together to make Atelier Yumia the best game in the series and the most widely appealing at the same time. Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land releases for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on March 21, 2025. The post Review: Atelier Yumia Is What I Wanted Tales of Arise to Be appeared first on Siliconera.
During the Genshin Impact Version 5.5 special program, HoYoVerse announced some new characters and events for the upcoming patch. There will also be a new region to explore in Natlan. For starters, new characters Varesa (5-star Electro Catalyst) and Iansan (4-star Electro Polearm) will appear in the first phase of Genshini Impact Version 5.5. Xianyun will re-run alongside them. During the first phase, you’ll also have the chance to pull for the Vivid Notions Catalyst, which is Varesa’s signature weapon. Meanwhile, the second phase will star Xilonen (5-star Geo Sword) and Venti (5-star Anemo Bow). Genshin Impact Version 5.5 will also debut two new Artifacts. Long Night’s Oath will increase Plunging Attack DMG, making it perfect for characters like Xiao. Finale of the Deep Galleries will increase Cryo DMG, as well as Normal Attack DMG and Elemental Burst DMG when the character has 0 Elemental Energy. Thanks to the condition of 0 Energy, it doesn’t seem like there are any characters in the game right now who can use the full set to its maximum potential. New content in Genshin Impact Version 5.5 includes a boss (Lava Dragon Statue) and area (The Sacred Mountain and Sanctified Land). The flagship event will be the Tournament of Glory in Bloom, and you can complete it to obtain a free copy of Ororon. The picture for the event stars Iansan and Varesa, along with Ifa, who hasn’t made his playable debut yet. Other events that’ll appear later on in the patch include Quirky Quaking Arena and Rhythm Ball Meztli. Genshin Impact is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. Version 5.5 will go live on March 26, 2025. The post Here Are the Banners And New Content For Genshin Impact 5.5 appeared first on Siliconera.
Junta Terashima will replace Showtaro Morikubo as the voice actor for Ifa in Genshin Impact. In the same announcement, HoYoVerse revealed Shouhei Komatsu as Cacucu, who is Ifa’s Saurian buddy. Though Morikubo had played Ifa during his brief appearance in Natlan, HoYoVerse had to remove him for “various reasons” in March 2025. Though the post did not give any specifics, many speculate that this is because Morikubo appeared in a reading of Inochigake no Shougen, which highlights the Chinese government’s persecution of the Uyghur ethnic group. Morikubo also lost his roles in Arknights and Onmyoji, which adds credence to the theory. Terashima is a voice actor who started his career in 2009. He also has a singing career separate from his job as a voice actor. Some of Terashima’s more prominent roles include Hyoga Yukimura in Inazuma Eleven Go, Shiki Ando in Paradox Live, and Sugiura in Judgment. As for Komatsu, he appeared as Gaming in Genshin Impact and Hizen Tadahiro in Touken Ranbu. In Genshin Impact, Ifa is a Saurian veterinarian from the Flower-Feather Clan, and a friend of Ororon’s. Since he has a Vision and a unique design, he may appear as a playable character in the future. So far, he only made an off-screen appearance in the Natlan Archon Quest. Genshin Impact is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. The post Genshin Impact Ifa Voice Actor Replacement Announced appeared first on Siliconera.
During the first Identity V Reveal Show of 2025, NetEase announced an upcoming crossover event with Ib. It’ll start from April 17, 2025. The official X (formerly Twitter) account has posted a picture of the key visual, which shows the logo for both Identity V and Ib in a cracked photo frame that’s surrounded by red roses. While the global versions of the game haven’t given a lot of information on the crossover, the Chinese version of the announcement already revealed the characters who’ll receive collaboration outfits. Coordinator: Mary Journalist: Ib Ripper: Garry Of the three crossover characters, Garry is the only Hunter. NetEase likely chose the Ripper for him due to the Rose Cane (Blue) accessory. It’s harder to pinpoint why NetEase chose Mary for Coordinator and Ib for Journalist, though.The Ib skins will appear in the shop, and one of them will be free after completing event quests. Ib is a 2012 indie adventure horror RPG Maker 2000 game that kouri released for the Windows PC. Today, many view it as a cult classic and a highly influential title, with remakes and ports appearing since 2022. It follows the titular Ib, who’s a young girl visiting an art gallery with her parents. After a blackout, she finds herself in an otherworldly version of the gallery that’s full of hostile creatures. While trying to escape with fellow unfortunate soul Garry, they come across a bizarre girl named Mary, who seems to know more than she’s letting on. Identity V is readily available on the Windows PC and mobile devices. The Ib crossover will start in Identity V from April 17, 2025. The post Ib Crossover Event to Appear in Identity V appeared first on Siliconera.
The Pokemon Company has reopened its Pokemon Center Tohoku physical store in Sendai, Japan. People living in the northern areas of Japan's Honshu island can now find the renewed outlet on the third floor of the Sendai Parco department store. The fifth-generation mythical Pokemon Victini will greet visitors with Pikachu via the entryway logos. The new store also features an Ogerpon statue in its plush sales area. In addition, the store has two areas dedicated to Pokemon games. One of them features games for mobile devices and Nintendo consoles, and the other is specifically made for the Pokemon Trading Card Game. Image via The Pokemon Company Image via The Pokemon Company Image via The Pokemon Company Image via The Pokemon Company The Pokemon theme does not only appear in the indoor store. The company has also set up a Pokemon Center Tohoku Garden outside the second floor of the same building. People can sit in front of Pokemon-themed topiaries like Pikachu and the Poke Ball. Image via The Pokemon Company A good number of Pokemon Center outlets across Japan have been getting renewals in recent months. The Nagoya outlet had its renewal completed in October 2024. The Gyarados-themed Hiroshima outlet will be the next in line after Tohoku/Sendai, with its reopening date set for April 11, 2025. Pokemon Center Tohoku is now available at Sendai Parco every day from 10 AM until 8:30 PM JST. The post Pokemon Center Tohoku Reopens With Ogerpon Statue appeared first on Siliconera.
During the Nippon Ichi Software Untitled// program, Nippon Ichi Software announced some of the new titles it plans to release in the future. Currently, it’s working on five different projects. [Thanks, 4Gamer!] Project Curse will be a turn-based RPG in which you play as an adventurer trying to save a curse-ridden town. You will have to enter dungeons that contain monsters, traps, and treasure, so it sounds like there are rogue-like elements as well. There will be a hint of strategy as well, since you will need to decide how long you endure a curse before heading back. If you return to town with a curse and purify it, you can use it to power up your character. Project Curse is in development for the PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch, and it’ll come out in 2025. Images via Nippon Ichi Software Project Gobble stands out for its American comic-like art style and animations. It was born from the yearly Nippon Ichi Project Festival, which is an internal competition. The winner, who is now the project's development manager, has only worked at Nippon Ichi Software for two years. Project Gobble will be a side-scroller action game, and it’ll take place in a world that should’ve become peaceful after the defeat of the Demon Lore. You play as a boy who comes across a talking sickle. After defeating enemies, the sickle can consume them and use their powers as its own. Project Gobble will come out for the PS5 and Nintendo Switch in 2025. Images via Nippon Ichi Software Project Kyouran will be an action RPG in which you play as a mercenary in a vast world filled with various types of monsters. Its development manager, character designer, and composer all previously worked on the Disgaea series. In Project Kyouran, your job is to defeat them using various weapons and techniques, and then defeat the boss waiting for you at the end of each level. It’s in development for the PS5 and Nintendo Switch, and it’ll come out in 2026. Images via Nippon Ichi Software Project Renzu is a horror adventure game that focuses on curses. The protagonist is a writer for an occult magazine who visits a supernatural hotspot after hearing rumors of a deadly curse. However, they actually get cursed while they’re there. As the countdown to their death continues to tick, they must solve puzzles to try and lift the curse from themself. It’ll come out for the PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch in Summer 2025. Images via Nippon Ichi Software Finally, Project Shinigami Hime is the third game after The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince and The Cruel King and the Great Hero. Like the previous titles, you'll be exploring in a picture book-like world. It’ll be an action adventure game following young girls suffering from trauma, who find themselves in a strange library in the bizarre world of picture books. It’ll come out on the PS5 and Nintendo Switch in 2026. Images via Nippon Ichi Software More information on the various titles will appear later. Project Renzu will likely be the first as it’s the only one with a more concrete release window. The post Nippon Ichi Software Reveals Five Game Projects For 2025, 2026 appeared first on Siliconera.
HoYoVerse has uploaded three illustrations to the official Honkai: Star Rail X (formerly Twitter) account to celebrate White Day 2025. This year, we have Jiaoqiu, Boothill, and Aventurine. Like the previous years, a short description of the snack they give you accompanies each picture. Aventurine gives you a custom gift box that smells like golden kumquat and red currant, and it’s full of different snacks from various regions. Boothill gives you a bullet with a satin ribbon around it. According to the description, this is a real bullet, and not a bullet-shaped chocolate. Finally, Jiaoqiu gives you a hot pot-flavored pastry inside a bamboo steamer. You can look at the White Day 2025 illustrations via the Honkai: Star Rail X account. Images via HoYoVerse All three characters this year are limited 5-star units. Aventurine is an Imaginary Preservation, Boothill is a Physical Hunt, and Jiaoqiu is a Fire Nihility. Objectively, of the three, Aventurine is likely the most popular character. HoYoVerse released goods that draw inspiration from him in 2024, as well as announced a set of apparel based on his design in March 2025. Back in April 2024, before he even came out, some of his fans even adopted a peacock in the Dalian Forest Zoo in China and named it after him. Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. Mydei, the newest 5-star character, will make his playable debut on March 19, 2025. The post Honkai: Star Rail White Day 2025 Stars Aventurine, Boothill, Jiaoqiu appeared first on Siliconera.
For White Day 2025, HoYoVerse shared three special illustrations of Genshin Impact characters giving the viewer a return gift. This year, we have Ororon, Sethos, and Seymour. Like in the previous years, a short blurb of the character talking to you accompanies each picture. Ororon gives you some “sweeter-than-life” honey and “bitterness-begone” chocolate. He also protected the snacks from a potential thief. Sethos gives you “Mystery Candy” that tastes like the starry sky, while also commenting on the number of characters lining up to give you a gift. Finally, Seymour doesn’t actually give you anything, though he teases Paimon about all the desserts she’s imagining. You can check out the White Day 2025 illustrations on the official Genshin Impact X (formerly Twitter) account. Images via HoYoVerse Both Ororon and Sethos are 4-star Electro Bow users in Genshin Impact, though they’re from different regions. Ororon is from Natlan, while Sethos is from Sumeru. Meanwhile, Seymour is an NPC from a Fontaine world quest. The addition of important NPCs rather than using playable characters for all three White Day illustrations started on Valentine’s Day 2024. Jeht was one of the characters giving you chocolate that day. HoYoVerse also held a livestream for the upcoming Genshin Impact 5.5 patch. The stream gave more information on new characters, Iansan and Varesa. There will also be a new region to explore in Natlan. The new patch should come out on March 26, 2025. Genshin Impact is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. The post Genshin Impact White Day 2025 Illustrations Include Seymour appeared first on Siliconera.
The Ghibli official Donguri Republic store in Japan opened pre-orders for planter sets based on the My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service films. The Totoro planter costs 12,320 (or approximately $82.83) and the Kiki’s planter costs 11,220 yen (~$75.51.) [Thanks, Game Watch!] Pre-orders are now open in Japan until April 29, 2025, and the planters are expected to ship between May 7-11, 2025. The new merchandise goods are available as part of the Mother's Day gift sets in Japan. The planters come each with different sets of carnations, as well as message cards featuring characters from each movie. The My Neighbor Totoro set features the popular character alongside other smaller Totoros, and the planter itself is modeled after a big tree stump. Meanwhile, the Kiki’s Delivery Service planter includes Jiji and the logo for the movie’s namesake business. The container is modeled to look as stained glass flowers. You can check out the My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service planter sets in more detail here: Images via Studio Ghibli, Donguri Republic As a reminder, a concept art collection from My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service director Hayao Miyazaki released in Japan on December 5, 2024, and it features art from the aforementioned films and more. The My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service planter sets cost 11,220 yen (~$75.51) each. Pre-orders are open now and will close on April 29, 2025, with the release date set somewhere between May 7-11, 2025. The post My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service Planter Pre-Orders Open appeared first on Siliconera.
Steam isn’t known for its excellent selection of otome games, but if you dig deep enough you will find a number of gems. The Steam Spring Sale is the perfect time to dive into the romance genre, as many of the best games are available at a deep discount. If you’re looking for some great otome games to expand your Steam collection then we’ve got ten that are worth picking up. Here are the ten best otome games available during the Steam Spring Sale. 7’scarlet Image by Idea Factory 7’scarlet is a supernatural mystery novel first and a romance adventure second but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking handsome husbandos to smooch. Our protagonist travels to the rural Japanese village where her brother was last seen, with the idea of staying at the local ryokan until she finds him. With the help of the people of the village she realizes that everything in this quiet town isn’t quite what it seems. 7’scarlet costs $7.49 during the Steam Spring Sale. Psychedelia of the Ashen Hawk Image by Idea Factory Another supernatural mystery, Psychedelia of the Ashen Hawk doesn’t follow the standard otome formula. Rather than choosing a route, there is one common route and your decisions dictate what ending you get. There is no bad or good ending for each sweetheart, or even a true ending at the end of your journey. Psychedelia of the Ashen Hawk tells the story of a woman living life as a man, lest she be outed as a witch, in a town no one can leave that is set in perpetual winter. Another standalone game in the series Psychedelia of the Black Butterfly is also on sale. Psychedelia of the Ashen Hawk is reduced to $7.49 during the Steam Spring Sale. Stardew Valley Image via Concerned Ape Stardew Valley isn’t technically an otome, but it has romance options and is an amazing deal during the Steam Spring Sale. After inheriting a farm in Stardew Valley from your grandfather, you move to the village to start your new life. Alongside romancing the various residents of the town, you build and manage your farm, go mining, fishing, attend festivals, and everything else cute and cozy. A beautiful adventure that will make you dream of rural life. Stardew Valley is available for $8.99 until the end of the Steam Spring Sale. Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds Image by Idea Factory Both Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms are discounted during the Steam Spring sale, but you should definitely play Kyoto Winds first if you haven’t tried the series before. Surrounded by hunky samurai from the shinsengumi during the Edo period in Japan, it tells an old-school story, with a supernatural twist. Hakuoki is known for its huge number of suitors, and if you don’t mind letting your boyfriend drink your blood now and then, this is the game for you. Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds is priced at $5.99 during the Steam Spring Sale. Ozmafia! Image by MangaGamer Ozmafia! has 13 different love interests, vast branching routes with multiple endings each, and an overarching story, or Grand Route, if you manage to romance them all. Waking up with no memory in a war torn world, you get closer to those around you in the hope that you can all survive. A story that goes in every way possible with a huge pay off at the end. Ozmafia! costs $17.49 until the end of the Steam Spring Sale. London Detective Mysteria Image by Karin Entertainment London Detective Mysteria is one of the beefier otome games out there, with a large number of suitors and very long varied stories for each potential companion. Attending a detective school for those gifted in the art of deduction, you’ll meet – and can romance – famous characters from crime fact and fiction, such as Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, Arsène Lupin, and Jack the Ripper. The perfect otome game for those who want to spend a long time wrapped up in a single world. London Detective Mysteria is $14.99 until the end of the Steam Spring Sale. Taisho X Alice Image by Primula An episodic visual novel based on popular fairy tales, Taisho X Alice is an otome for those who want to be carried away in the fantasy. Across the game’s three episodes and epilogue you’ll romance seven gender-swapped fairytale princesses like Red Riding Hood, Snow White, and Cinderella. An otome for those who like twists on traditional stories. Every episode of Taisho X Alice can be purchased as a bundle during the Steam Spring Sale for $14.99. Amnesia: Memories Image by Idea Factory Amnesia: Memories is a classic game in the otome genre, and is the first game that many fans of the genre played. Waking up with no memory, and a pixie called Orion that only you can see, you try to find out what your life was like before without letting those around you learn how vulnerable you are. Whether you want a man who women find irresistible, or one who doesn’t understand social cues at all, then Amnesia: Memories is the classic for you. Amnesia: Memories is just $5.99 during the Steam Spring Sale. Steam Prison Image by MangaGamer In a world of the haves and the have nots, our heroine lives in the utopia of the Heights, looking down on all those who live in the Depths. However, after being framed for her parents murder she is dropped below, and must befriend the hunky civilians in order to survive. The overall concept is strong, but the characterization is a little weaker, so it’s one we wouldn’t recommend if you are just dipping your toes into the genre. Steam Prison is $17.49 until the end of the Steam Spring Sale. Nightshade Image by Red Entertainment If you didn’t get your fill of samurai hotties with the Hakuoki series, then Nightshade should fill the gap. More than just full of enticing romances, Nightshade has five routes, and goes heavy on the world building of the lives of people in the Sengoku period. An otome with a traditional story structure, but has made sure that everything is well put together. Nightshade costs $19.24 during the Steam Spring Sale. The Steam Spring Sale is on now and ends on March 20, 2025. The post Ten Discounted Otome Games From The Steam Spring Sale appeared first on Siliconera.
DLsite has released a new Japanese idol group-themed concert rhythm game on the PC gaming platform Steam. The game is titled Under Ichigo: Love me baby!!! in Tokyo Super Arena 2025. All users on the platform can get it for free and play it with subtitles in Japanese, English, Korean, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese. This game contains eight songs performed by the Under Ichigo group, which consists of Himeka "Hime-chan" Momoyama, Miyu "MyuMyu" Yuzuhara, and Mei "MeiMei" Aoyama. The game's venue, which is named Tokyo Super Arena, is actually a fictional representation of the Saitama Super Arena. The new game has outfit selection and formation position features that are also commonly seen in other similar games, such as Bandai Namco's Idolm@ster series. However, this game will distinguish itself with the custom vocal distribution system. Players will be able to choose which among the three idols will sing specific parts of the songs, irrespective of their locations. They can then save up to three vocal sets. The game will also have preset examples focusing on each particular idol. Image courtesy of DLsite and Lightup Promotion Under Ichigo: Love me baby!!! in Tokyo Super Arena 2025 is now available for free worldwide on PC via Steam. The post Under Ichigo Concert Rhythm Game Appears for Free on Steam appeared first on Siliconera.
Sunrise has revealed that it will gradually publish Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion episodes for free, temporarily, on YouTube. The studio is making this campaign to celebrate the first anniversary of the official Code Geass channel established on the popular video platform. The announcement also includes a schedule for the episodes' airing times. Sunrise will gradually publish episodes from both seasons of the Lelouch of the Rebellion sub-series every Friday and Sunday at 9 PM JST (8 AM EDT), starting on March 21, 2025. Each episode will also be available for only ten days except for the first episode, which will remain available until the final R2 episode that airs on September 19, 2025, expires on September 28, 2025. The official teaser video is also available to watch right below. But while it is also viewable outside Japan, it remains to be seen whether the actual episodes that appear from March 21, 2025, will be available worldwide or not. This is because Japanese publishers often limit their anime episode accesses to Japan only, as in the case with Shueisha's Jump Anime Festival. Anime episodes of the 2006 show Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion and the 2008 second season R2 will appear on the franchise's official Youtube channel from March 21 until September 28, 2025. The post Code Geass Episodes Will Appear Temporarily on YouTube appeared first on Siliconera.
The JoJo World event is turning into the first permanent JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure interactive store. The new store is set to open in Japan on Summer 2025 and the venue will be located at the Shibuya Parco. [Thanks, Gamer.ne.jp!] Bandai Namco shared a new key visual for The Jojo World store featuring the protagonist JoJo from each of the first six parts of the series and their corresponding main villain, all standing atop a spiral staircase. The store will offer limited edition merchandise goods with newly drawn illustrations, and new information about the initial lineup will appear at a later date. The Jojo World store will also offer minigames in which visitors can revisit iconic moments and scenes from the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure series, and receive prices according to their score. Other interactive attractions will also be available. Furthermore, a collaboration cafe titled “Iggy Café” will also appear and it will include exclusive food and drink items. Since 2021, Bandai Namco has held three different The JoJo World interactive events where visitors can experience the world of the manga and anime series. Due to the increase in popularity of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, not only in Japan but overseas as well, Bandai Namco has decided to turn The JoJo World into a permanent fixture. The JoJo World permanent store will open at the Shibuya Parco on Summer 2025. The post JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Permanent Store Opens Summer 2025 appeared first on Siliconera.
The Steam Spring Sale can often be overwhelming, with thousands of titles slashed in price, it can be hard to figure out which games are a good deal. There is also the problem of choice, and gamers don’t want to spend their hard earned cash on a game they don’t like. If you’re an RPG fan, then we’ve rounded up ten of the best RPGs in the Steam Spring Sale that are worth both your time and money. Here are our recommendations for the best value RPGs in the Steam Spring Sale. Chrono Trigger Image by Square Enix Chrono Trigger is one of the best games of all time, and while the Steam version isn’t the best, this Steam Spring Sale discount is still a bargain. One of the most iconic turn-based RPGs, Chrono Trigger is about exploring time periods, and getting dragged into a quest far bigger than yourself. With seven recruitable characters, and 12 different endings, Chrono Trigger set up many features that great RPGs use to this day. Chrono Trigger is available for $3.74 until the end of the Steam Spring Sale. Yakuza 0 Image by Ryu Ga Gotoku All of the Yakuza games are available during the Steam Spring Sale, but we recommend Yakuza 0 as a starting point if you haven’t played anything from the series. Yakuza 0 is not only chronologically the first game in the series, telling the back story to two of the series’ main characters Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima, but it’s also one of the best. This action RPG series is one that every RPG fan should try. Yakuza 0 costs just $10.99 during the Steam Spring Sale. Persona 4 Golden Image by Atlus Like the Yakuza series, the modern Persona series including recent releases like Persona 3 Reload and Metaphor: ReFantazio, are all available during the Steam Spring Sale, but we’re recommending Persona 4 Golden. It’s one of the lesser played games in the series as it was a PlayStation Vita exclusive for almost a decade, and as all Persona games are standalone stories, it’s a great place to dive in. This turn-based RPG asks you to strengthen your friendships to unlock your true power. Persona 4 Golden can be bought for just $11.99 during the Steam Spring Sale. Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 Remix Image by Square Enix This one is more expensive than most games on this list, but it also includes four Kingdom Hearts games and two movies. Another classic RPG series, Kingdom Hearts blends Final Fantasy and Disney characters in an action RPG with a completely unique battle system. The Remix collection includes the first two mainline games as well as Birth By Sleep, Re:chain of Memories, and a cutscene collection from 358/2, and Re:coded. It’s a great starting point in the series. Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 Remix costs $29.99 until the end of the Steam Spring Sale. Final Fantasy VII Image by Square Enix When it comes to classic RPGs there isn’t anything more iconic than Final Fantasy VII. You can also purchase the remakes during the Steam Spring Sale, but the original game is available at an incredible price. Take on the epic adventure, which sees Cloud and his clan travel across the continent, visiting different towns and cultures, and discovering who the true enemy is along the way, with a deep turn-based battle system. The original Final Fantasy VII is just $4.79 during the Steam Spring Sale. Nier: Automata Image by Square Enix If you like RPGs that challenge your preconceptions, and break the fourth wall with unexpected twists, then action RPG Nier: Automata is for you. Not only does it look gorgeous even with its fast-paced combat system, but it combines this with its well-built world, and engaging storyline. With multiple endings that require multiple playthroughs to see them all, Nier: Automata asks you to question what you believe about the genre. Nier: Automata costs just $15.99 during the Steam Spring Sale. Live A Live Image by Square Enix A gorgeous 2DHD remake of a classic turn-based RPG, Live A Live tells eight separate stories across different time periods, protagonists, and gaming genres, before they all align for one final adventure. Live A Live is a fighting game, a tower defense game, a stealth game, and a visual novel as well as an RPG, and it blends everything together beautifully and seamlessly. A must-play older game that everyone should experience. Live A Live is available for $19.99 until the end of the Steam Spring Sale. Lies of P Image by Neowiz A more modern game than most on this list – hence the price – we’ve added Lies of P as our soulslike of choice as it’s a great entry point for this subsection of the RPG genre. Far more story heavy than other soulslike games, Lies of P tells a steampunk Pinocchio story with challenging combat, and choices that have major outcomes on the story. Lies of P is on sale for $35.99 during the Steam Spring Sale. Trails of Cold Steel Image by Nihon Falcom Starting in 1989, there are few series that are as long-lasting as The Legend of Heroes, and almost all of these games are on offer as part of the Steam Spring Sale. Trails of Cold Steel is one of the best games to jump into as it includes a four game story arc with a satisfying start and end. Once you get into the turn-based RPG series there are so many other games to explore that your wallet might just regret grabbing this first game. Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel currently costs $19.99 during the Steam Spring Sale. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Image by Bandai Namco One of the most popular RPGs from the PS3 era, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch combines whimsical storytelling, and the gorgeous art style of Studio Ghibli. Evocative voice acting brings the whole world to life as you feel as if you are living in a Ghibli movie while playing this turn-based RPG. This is the perfect game if you’re looking for somewhere whimsical to get lost in and escape. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch costs $7.49 during the Steam Spring Sale. The Steam Spring Sale is on now, and ends on March 20. The post Ten Great Value RPGs to Grab During The Steam Spring Sale appeared first on Siliconera.
Anycolor and Cover have revealed that their respective Vtuber groups, Nijisanji and Hololive, will hold a major collaborative baseball video game match. The event will have the official title Niji-Holo Exhibition Match, and it will take place physically in Hokkaido on May 24-25, 2025. Sasaki Saku and Shirakami Fubuki will become key figures of the event as they have been appointed as the chairwomen for their respective groups. Fubuki will also bring Amane Kanata and Usada Pekora as coaches for the Hololive team. Meanwhile, Saku has appointed Hoshikawa Sara and Lize Helesta to coach the Nijisanji side. The two team chairwomen will simultaneously launch live streams dedicated to the event on their respective YouTube channels on Monday, March 17, 2025, at 8 PM JST (7 AM EDT). Besides providing more details about the event, each group will also hold a draft of in-game players whom they will add to their respective teams. The collaborative match between Nijisanji and Hololive will take place in Konami's real-based baseball game, Professional Baseball Spirits 2024-2025. But while the game is available on PlayStation 5 and PC, the groups have yet to specify the platform they will use. The Japanese press release added that Anycolor and Cover will also utilize the two gigantic screens inside the Es Con Field to showcase the Vtubers. In addition, the companies will place LEDs on the actual baseball field's bases that can also project the Vtubers on the spot. The Niji-Holo Baseball Exhibition Match will take place physically at the Es Con Field in Hokkaido, Japan, on May 24-25, 2025. The post Nijisanji and Hololive Will Play a Collab Baseball Game appeared first on Siliconera.
G-Mode announced that Bokujo Monogatari: Minori no Shima, an old mobile flip phone Harvest Moon (known as Story of Seasons nowadays) game, will release on March 29, 2025 in Japan. The game will cost 1,500 yen (or approximately $10) and will appear on the Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. [Thanks, PR Times!] To celebrate its release, the game will be 30% off on sale for 1,050 yen (~$7.07) on both platforms. The sale will last until May 27, 2025 on Switch, and April 11, 2025 on Steam. The original title of the game translates to Harvest Moon: Island of Crops, and the game originally released on 2008 as a digital download for mobile phones exclusively in Japan. The game was divided into a "for Boy" release which appeared first on April 3, 2008, and a "for Girl" version which released on August 8, 2008. The new port will include both versions of the game in a single package, which will be available only in Japanese. The re-release of the game will be part of the G-Mode Archives+ collection. G-Mode specializes in ports of old Japanese mobile games that aren’t available anymore. The company already released ports of mobile game Bokujo Monogatari Mobile: Live & Love back in September 2024. Bokujo Monogatari: Minori no Shima will reléase on March 29, 2025 for the Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. The post Harvest Moon Mobile PC and Switch Port Release Date Shared appeared first on Siliconera.
Alter has revealed a new figure featuring the Fate/Grand Order Saber Alter version of Altria Pendragon, who is also alternatively known as Artoria Pendragon. The company will release the figure with the title "Star of Twilight" in March 2026. This figure will primarily depict Saber Alter in the outfits that she wears after players have unlocked her late-stage Ascensions, and both dress options will be available. Alter will provide swappable parts that let the owner choose between the longer dress skirt from Stage 3 and the shorter one from Stage 4. As the 1/7 scale figure is set to depict the character sitting on the floor, the overall height will be just 13 cm (~5.12 inches). Alter also shared that the figure's total length—presumably with the long dress part equipped—will be around 27 cm (~10.63 inches). Image via Alter Image via Alter Alter will sell the figure exclusively on AmiAmi. However, the latter also makes the figure available to order on its English website, so people from all around the world can get the figure at 37,180 yen (~$250.70). The new figure featuring the Saber Alter Star of Twilight version of Artoria/Altria Pendragon from Fate/Grand Order will be available to ship worldwide in March 2026. Type-Moon's Takashi Takeuchi expects the popular mobile game that launched for Android and iOS devices in late July 2015 to continue running past its 11th year. The post Saber Alter Fate/Grand Order Ascension Figure Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.
The official X (formerly Twitter) account for Arknights announced that Showtaro Morikubo will be removed from his role as Elysium for “various reasons.” Hypergryph has not yet stated whether the replacement actor will re-voice all of Elysium's previous lines. Prior to the official announcement, the March 14, 2025 patch notes on the Chinese version’s Weibo account had hinted at Morikubo’s departure. One of the new fixes included the deletion of certain voice resources. At the time, the patch notes did not state which character this would affect. However, many replies to the Weibo post and Twitter guessed that Hypergryph would remove Morikubo. This is because of another recent incident regarding him and a Chinese game company. On March 12, 2025, the official Genshin Impact X account announced it would remove Showtaro Morikubo from his role as Ifa. Like with the Arknights post, it did not state the reason behind this decision. However, many fans have speculated that it’s due to his appearance in the reading of Inochigake no Shougen, which may have caught the Chinese government’s attention and in turn put pressure on companies like HoYoVerse and Hypergryph. Inochigake no Shougen, based on the book of the same name, highlights the Chinese government’s persecution of the Uyghur ethnic group. This is not the first time that Chinese game companies removed a Japanese voice actor for political reasons. In July 2021, Ai Kayano was recast from her roles in Azur Lane and Arknights after she visited the Yasukuni Shrine. The shrine is controversial, as it enshrines war criminals from World War II, and visits to it tend to draw negative attention from Chinese and Korean citizens. Arknights is readily available on mobile devices. As of March 14, 2025, Showtaro Morikubo is no longer voicing Elysium in Arknights. The post Showtaro Morikubo Recast as Elysium in Arknights appeared first on Siliconera.
Konami shared the first official trailer for Silent Hill f during the latest Silent Hill Transmission stream. The game is currently in development for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC, and wishlists are now open on all platforms. Over 2 years since the reveal of Silent Hill f, Konami has shared the first new details for the game with a new story trailer. The new footage introduces protagonist Shimizu Hinako, some of the areas in the game, as well as a first look at some of the monstrosities and creatures that await in the new mainline title in the series. Silent Hill f takes place in Ebisugaoka, a rural town in Japan during the 1960s. The game focuses on Japanese themes, such as terror being able to be found within beauty, and what happens when this beauty becomes too intense. As part of the livestream, writer Ryukishi07 was invited to talk about his work on the title. Ebisugaoka is inspired by Kanayama in Gifu Prefecture, and was suggested by Ryukishi07 himself. You can check out the new Silent Hill f trailer below: Yamaoka talked about including some Japanese elements and sounds in the soundtrack for the game, but wanting to make it an experience that international fans would also connect with. The game will include little easter eggs and references to the series, but will be a standalone title that doesn't require people to have played any game before. Silent Hill f was originally announced on October 2022 with a teaser trailer revealing that Ryukishi07, writer and creator of the When They Cry series, would be the writer for the new title in the survival horror game series. No details have appeared since the announcement, with the Silent Hill 2 Remake being the latest title in the series to release. Silent Hill f is currently in development for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. The post Check out the Silent Hill f First Official Trailer appeared first on Siliconera.
In a story from Toyo Securities analyst Hideki Yasuda on the “volatile yet alluring gaming sector,” he mentioned that sales for Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XVI surpassed 3.5 million units worldwide. He also discussed the successes and failures of other Japanese games from the past few years. [Thanks, Kabutan!] Yasuda brings up Final Fantasy XVI when discussing how Japanese IPs will soon become widely popular around the world. He predicts that Bandai Namco and Sony Group will have a large hand in that. Bandai Namco has anime going for it, whereas Square Enix has had successes like Final Fantasy XVI and Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. However, he also warns investors of the unpredictability of the gaming sector, since Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai was a failure compared to other titles in the same series. It’s not a stable market since the difference between a “good” game and a “bad” game is quite drastic, even if they belong to the same IP. As a note, Square Enix had announced in June 2023 that sales for Final Fantasy XVI on the PS5 had passed 3 million units. This includes both digital and physical copies. Since the game is now available on the PC, it would mean that Square Enix only sold around 500,000 copies on both PS5 and PC since June 2023. The full report looks at the shifting stocks for various gaming companies, as well as why certain games failed while others succeeded. For example, he noted that Koei Tecmo’s Rise of the Ronin and Capcom’s Kunitsugami: Path of the Goddess both led to dips in their respective companies’ shares. He believes this is due to the games’ names and confusing contents as to why the audience didn’t like them. However, he also points to the success of Sega’s Metaphor: ReFantazio, which adds a new story and characters to a foundation familiar to those who played the Persona series. Final Fantasy XVI is readily available on the PS5 and Windows PC. The post Final Fantasy XVI Sales Top 3.5 Million Units Worldwide: appeared first on Siliconera.
Cygames announced that it’ll release Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond on June 17, 2025. It’ll come out for the Windows PC and mobile devices. [Thanks, 4Gamer!] Here is the new trailer for Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond: The game will be available in Japanese, Korean, English, and both Traditional and Simplified Chinese. You can only play Simplified Chinese on the PC version, though. Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond is an online digital card game that plays like an evolved form of the original Shadowverse. New mechanics include super-evolution, Shadowverse Park, and an AI advisor. You start each battle with two SEP, and you can expend one to activate super-evolution on any follower. Super-evolved followers can activate their Evolve and Super-Evolve abilities, gain Rush, gain +3 to ATK and DEF, cannot take damage, and cannot be destroyed by abilities during the player’s turn. The AI advisor is available in practice matches, and is still a beta feature. You can use this to learn how to play the game, as well as pick up basic rules and strategies. Shadowverse Park, which is also a new feature, is a World where you can wander around and engage in fun activities using a personalized avatar. You can socialize with other players, play card games with them, and participate in events like tournaments. Other information that appeared include details on new leader characters. This includes Portalcraft Leader Dreizehn (Elsie Lovelock, Yu Sasahara), Forestcraft Leader Lovesign (Nazeeh Tarsha, Jun Fukuyama), and Heavencraft Leader Esperanza (Erin Nicole Lundquist, Mamiko Noto). More information on the game is available via the official Shadowverse website. Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond will come out on June 17, 2025 for the Windows PC and mobile devices. The post Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond Release Date Shared appeared first on Siliconera.
A new figure of the Dark Magician from Yu-Gi-Oh has appeared in Taito online crane game machines. This is the newest work from the Yu-Gi-Oh Card Game Equal Arts series of figures. [Thanks, Dengeki Online!] The Dark Magician figure stands at around 200 mm tall. It’s also striking the same pose as it was in the OCG (2nd in the TCG), in which he’s holding out his staff while placing his other hand against his hat-like helmet. While the card art depicts him standing in front of a magic circle, the prize figure does not offer a background of said circle. Since this is a prize figure, you have to obtain it through the Taito online crane game, or via a proxy service. Dark Magician (or Black Magician) is one of the more iconic monsters from the Yu-Gi-Oh series. It was Yugi’s ace monster for most of the anime, as well as a key character in the final arc of Duel Monsters. It also spawned an entire archetype, which includes the equally popular monster, Dark Magician Girl. As such, both Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl often appear as figures or in crossover goods with other properties. You can obtain the Dark Magician figure from Yu-Gi-Oh from Taito online crane games. The post Yu-Gi-Oh Dark Magician Figure Recreates Original Pose appeared first on Siliconera.
Nintendo will open its second store in the United States on May 15, 2025 in San Francisco. You will need to make a reservation if you want to get in on the first day, and more details on the requirements for that will appear in the future. The specific location of the Nintendo San Francisco branch will be 331 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94102. It’s on the corner of Powell and Geary in Union Square, and you can reach it via Powell St station. As of the time of writing, the website doesn’t have any information on a phone number, e-mail, or store hours. It also has a banner depicting popular Nintendo characters like Link, Mario, and Isabelle walking as if they’re going to visit the store. The only other official Nintendo Store in the States is in New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza. Aside from buying goods from the games and seeing past consoles from the company’s long history, the Nintendo Store sometimes holds exclusive events. For example, you could take a picture with Mario and Luigi on March 10, 2025 for Mar10 Day. Other upcoming news from Nintendo includes a direct dedicated to the Switch 2, which will finally come out this year. You can catch the stream on April 4, 2025. While New York is one of the cities that’ll host one of the Switch 2’s “experiences,” San Francisco is not. Nintendo San Francisco will open up on May 15, 2025. More details on the grand opening will appear later. The post Nintendo San Francisco Will Open Up in May 2025 appeared first on Siliconera.
Mixi has revealed that it will add crossover content from Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion to Monster Strike. The mobile game will have numerous collaboration events that run throughout the latter half of March 2025. They will reward characters from the anime series, and most of them will come from the R2 season. This event will feature more than ten recruitable character units. Five of them—Lelouch, Kallen, Suzaku, Rolo, and Toudou—will be recruitable via gacha banners. Anya, Gino, Jeremiah, Cornelia, Bismarck, and Xingke will be available by clearing their respective quests, and C.C. will only be available by purchasing a starter pack. Another set of Geass Missions will reward the Black Knights (Zero, Kallen, Ougi, and Kaname) as a single character unit. There will also be a daily login stamp campaign that will let players earn another character group unit based on the Ashford Academy students (Lelouch, Suzaku, Kallen, Shirley, Milly, and Rivaul). Monster Strike has been one of the long-lasting titles that defined the Japanese mobile game scene for over ten years, with the other one being GungHo's Puzzle & Dragons. Both games have been recently known for adding crossover content from a vast number of external franchises, which have since also included the Mobile Suit Gundam series. The Code Geass crossover event in the Japanese Android and iOS mobile game Monster Strike will launch on March 15, 2025. The closing date for each content in the event will vary between April 1-5, 2025. The post Code Geass Crossover Content Will Appear in Monster Strike appeared first on Siliconera.
Square Enix released a new pack of Final Fantasy XIV stickers for the LINE messaging app featuring various recognizable minions from the MMORPG, including the Fat Cat or the Sand Fox, among others. [Thanks, aitaikimochi!] The new FFXIV LINE sticker set is the fifth pack to come out based on the online RPG, and it costs 250 yen (or about $1.69.) The set includes 40 different stickers, and some of them include captions with text in Japanese. Most of the stickers focus on Minions looking cute, emoting, or making humorous expressions. However, some miscellaneous stickers are also included such as a dialogue box, a thought bubble, a Brink of Death status effect icon, and the "Level Up!" text. You can take a better look at the various Final Fantasy XIV LINE stickers in the Volume 5 set here: Images via LINE Other FFXIV LINE sticker sets have previously focused on iconic characters in the game and have been more text-heavy, with a lot more Japanese dialogue. However, some other LINE stickers have been inspired by community jokes, such as the infamous hexagonal low poly grapes. Yoshi-P even commented on the grape sticker back when it first released. Final Fantasy XIV is readily available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. The post Final Fantasy XIV Minion LINE Stickers Include Fat Cat appeared first on Siliconera.
Capcom has just restocked its Monster Hunter figure of Lagiacrus on March 13, 2025. People have another chance to order the figure on e-Capcom at 13,200 yen. Those residing outside Japan can also place orders via the WorldShopping widget at around $89.15. This Lagiacrus figure originally appeared in June 2012, which was the year after Capcom released Monster Hunter 3 G (Ultimate) for the Wii U and 3DS in Japan in 2011. The company also used to release alternate colored figures based on the Ivory and Abyssal subspecies simultaneously. However, only the regular species figure has received restocks multiple times in September 2018 and July 2024. The more recent and frequent restocks may have been attributed to Lagiacrus' status as the third most-voted monster in the series' 20th anniversary poll held in 2024. Despite debuting as the flagship monster of the 2009 Wii entry Monster Hunter 3 (Tri), Capcom did not bring it back at all in the fifth-generation Monster Hunter entries World and Rise, along with their respective expansions Iceborne and Sunbreak. Lagiacrus does not appear in Monster Hunter Wilds either, as of the new game's launch in early 2025. The Capcom Figure Builder Creators Model of Lagiacrus is now available for purchase again, while supplies last. The latest Monster Hunter game that features the Lagiacrus is Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, which is available worldwide on Nintendo Switch. The post Monster Hunter Lagiacrus Figure Restocked in March 2025 appeared first on Siliconera.
Alter Age is a competent RPG that does a few interesting things with a strange premise. Arga, our protagonist, has the ability to shift into a preteen version of himself at will. While this ability sounds useless when you’re staring down a colossal plant monster, it causes shifts in your other party members as they age forward into grownups, gaining more combat capabilities. Swapping the ages of you and the other party members results in a simple, but entertaining battle system, and it also creates some interesting moments outside of battle as well. None of what this ability offers makes the game terribly deep or gripping, but it does make for some light RPG fun. Arga has been struggling to leave his home town, but without an awakened class ability, he’s out of luck. Naturally, his abilities finally reveal themselves shortly after starting the game, but their effects don’t seem immediately useful to him. Being able to make yourself into a preteen doesn’t have any apparent combat bonuses when you start, but simply having your Soul Alter ability gives you increased power in a fight. It’s enough to help Arga win a battle against a little girl so that he can finally leave the town and start on his quest to hunt down his father, a powerful man who abandoned him and his sick mother long ago. That said, when he gets tricked into pairing up with a pair of young girls in his party, Lillieka and Elsie, his power’s usefulness finally comes into play. Alter Age gives preteens and grownups different roles to play in combat. In preteen form, you aren’t capable of doing as much damage (although MP costs are reduced by 40%, making them useful as cheap spellcasters or users of support magic), but you accumulate Braver Hearts every turn. As a grownup, you do 20% more damage with skills, but you’ll do even greater damage as you expend Braver Hearts on your strikes. Only grownups can expend Braver Hearts to get that boost, so what you’ll be doing is swapping between forms to gain Braver Hearts until you have a bunch, then expending them as a grownup. Image courtesy of KEMCO. The kicker is that your party swaps ages in a very specific way. You have three characters, and every time Arga switches his age, both of the other characters will swap as well. This means that you’ll have either grownup Arga with preteen Lillieka and Elsie or a preteen Arga with two grownup women. This can make your overall damage output a bit lopsided depending on how many adults you have in the party at a given time and how many preteens you have charging up Braver Hearts. This isn’t a huge crisis during basic battles and many early boss fights, but the game’s late game fights, bonus dungeons, and higher difficulty levels can make you pay more attention to how this mechanic works. Grinding for levels largely kept me safe (although there can be some surprising difficulty spikes if you start getting lazy about your combat actions) and Alter Age’s Bell items make that much easier to do. The game offers you some bells you can use that affect the frequency of combat as soon as you start the game. The Safe Bell lowers encounter rates significantly (and can drop them to 0 if you find a special place called a Mana Spot in the area). It’s not bad if you’re in a hurry, but the Encounter Bell was far more useful. With that equipped, you get in a fight every step you take, allowing you to rack up fights in a hurry. This allowed me to idly grind levels fairly quickly (and you gain levels pretty fast in the game), taking away some of the time sink needed if I wanted to get stronger or gain more money. While I was seeing a lot of the combat system, I found it didn’t look too bad. The various pixel art creatures look decent and have some good designs. The characters also look pretty good in motion as well as they go through their various special attacks. They often leap into combat together as well when you enter a command for one of them, making things feel a bit more dynamic as everyone joins in on the beatdowns. None of the designs of visual effects in combat left me truly floored, but it all looked solid when it came together. I had a good time beating on the monsters. Image courtesy of KEMCO. In towns and in dialogue, though, Alter Age is a bit flat and generic, which is a shame as I expected a lot more from the story given the ability to change the character’s ages. Much of the story feels filled with anime and fantasy tropes, making it all fairly dull to sift through. Changing the character ages does result in some slightly different dialogue options sometimes but a lot of the time it doesn’t do anything. The few times it does do something, it’s usually just a minor change in the dialogue or event. There are a few charming moments, but they're so far apart that it felt like a chore to look for them. I found myself begrudgingly trying the mechanic out in places only because I was playing the game for review; I would have stopped bothering with it had I been playing for my own benefit. It doesn’t have any bearing on the story so it’s really just a playful mechanic tossed into the game, but it feels like it was vastly underused. The game tries to make up for its story being a bit uninteresting by giving you lots of reasons to tinker with its items and carry out actions in the game’s world. There are tons of items you can pick up that you can Synthesize with your equipment to make it stronger, as well as food items you can put together to make special meals to power up the party. You also get a suite of quests you can complete, most of which are basic in-game tasks, to get a constant stream of rewards as you play. You have a ton of these quests available without picking them up, so you just reap a bunch of rewards from playing the game and doing things. It creates a steady stream of benefits, and adds some extra appeal to fighting things, opening treasure chests, and talking with people. Alter Age makes use of its age-swapping mechanic to add some spice to its combat, but unfortunately fails to use it to make its story any more interesting. It’s a decent RPG that has some good monsters to beat up using its systems, but its trope-filled storyline doesn’t grab the imagination or stir the heart. It’s a decent RPG that I wish had done just a little bit more with its premise, but as is, it still offers a bit of light entertainment. Alter Age is available now on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, and PC. The post Alter Age Doesn’t Quite Get Full Use Out of its Age-Swapping Mechanic appeared first on Siliconera.
March’s PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium games have been announced, and the Premium tier includes a classic PS1 trilogy. Armored Core, its prequel Project Phantasma, and Phantasma’s sequel, Master of Arena, will all be added to the most expensive tier of the service this month. Image from Ubisoft In total there are 12 games that will be added to PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium this month, with all 12 available on PS5, and ten of them playable on PS4. One of the highlights of the month is Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, which is a standout metroidvania from last year. Here are all eight games that will be available via PS Plus Extra from March 18, 2025: UFC 5 *PS5 only Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation Code Arcade Paradise Bang-on Balls: Chronicles You Suck at Parking Syberia – The World Before Here are the further four games you will receive from the same day with PS Plus Premium, including the four Armored Core titles. Arcade Paradise VR *PS VR2 only Armored Core Armored Core: Project Phantasma Armored Core: Master of Arena PS Plus is available at three tiers, and offers a library of playable games for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 users. The post Three Armored Core Games Join PlayStation Plus Game Catalog appeared first on Siliconera.
Wooper is the next Pokemon creature to join the Build-a-Bear plush collection with a new bundle. The bundle costs $62.50 and is now available for purchase from the Build-a-Bear online store. The bundle includes the Wooper plush itself, a diving goggle and tube set, as well as a five-in-one sound chip featuring various “voice” lines. The diving goggles and tube are optional parts that can be attached to the Pokemon to make it look like it’s about to go on a swim. The float tube is red and features a pattern inspired by Pokeballs. The plush is 14 inches tall (or about 35.6cm.) In a similar fashion to most Pokemon creatures, Wooper can only say its own name, so the various voice lines included capture different intonations, volume, and emotions with each delivery of Wooper’s name. The five-in-one sound chip is exclusive to the online bundle and cannot be obtained on retail stores. You can check out the new Build-a-Bear Wooper plush set in more detail here: Images via Build-a-Bear The Pokemon line of Build-a-Bear plushes is constantly receiving new additions, with the most recent one being a Yamper plush with a cape and bandana accessories. Furthermore, the Build-a-Bear Vaporeon plush was restocked for Pokemon Day 2025, which falls on February 27. The new Pokemon Wooper plush bundle is now available from the Build-a-Bear online store. The post Wooper Joins Pokémon Plush Build-a-Bear Collection appeared first on Siliconera.
People who visit Capcom Cafe outlets between late March and April 2025 will be able to purchase new merchandise themed after Monster Hunter Wilds. Capcom has revealed the list of goods in a new Japanese press release. The items will range from stickers to T-shirts. Note that even though the goods are primarily sold in Japan, Capcom will use the English terms and names of the characters rather than the Japanese versions, such as "Palico" instead of "Otomo Airou." The primary highlight of this lineup will be the Storm Glass art, which also costs the most at ¥4,950 (~$33.40). The background scene featuring the Plains biome inside this item will have a weather change emulation that depends on the room's temperature and humidity. Here is the complete list of merchandise set to be available temporarily at Capcom Cafe, with prices listed in Japanese yen: Clear file - ¥660 Leather keychain - ¥660 (5 random variants) Craft badge - ¥550 (5 random variants) Sticker - ¥440 (5 variants) Acrylic clip stand - ¥1,320 (2 variants) Leather tray - ¥1,540 T-shirt - ¥3,850 (XL size only) Reflective keychain - ¥1,100 (2 variants) Potion icon keychain - ¥1,320 (3 variants) Storm Glass art - ¥4,950 Quality Pelt towel blanket - ¥3,630 Image courtesy of Capcom These new goods will add even more entries to the list of Monster Hunter Wilds merchandise that Capcom has released. On the game's launch day on February 28, 2025, the company also released numerous items, such as Palico-themed items in arcade crane games and designable apparel on Amazon Merch on Demand. The Monster Hunter Wilds collaboration theme at Capcom Cafe will launch for a limited time from March 21, 2025. It will end at the Ikebukuro (Tokyo) outlet on April 30, 2025, and the Umeda (Osaka) outlet on May 1, 2025. The post See the Monster Hunter Wilds Capcom Cafe Goods Lineup appeared first on Siliconera.
Koei Tecmo and Gust have revealed that they will release the public digital demo version of Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land on Monday, March 17, 2025. Everyone who has a PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, or PC will be able to check out the early parts of the game for free ahead of its full release on March 21, 2025. In the demo version, players will be able to play the game up until the key main quest, "Pioneering the Ligneus Region." The early parts of the game will include tutorials that let them check out the gameplay features, such as synthesis and battles. Players can create a save data anytime during the demo, and they will also be able to carry it over to the full release. However, Gust included some fine print warning that depending on the demo's saved progress, players may be unable to obtain specific achievements or trophies in the full game. Koei Tecmo and Gust are preparing to release Atelier Yumia simultaneously worldwide with a bigger bang than before. Earlier in March 2025, they announced a special collaboration with Bandai Namco's Tales of Graces f in the form of Asbel Lhant's outfit for Yumia as free DLC. The demo version of Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will go live on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on March 17, 2025. The full version of the game will appear worldwide four days later on March 21, 2025. The post Atelier Yumia Demo Will Appear Digitally Next Week appeared first on Siliconera.
Square Enix has revealed a new Play Arts Shin action figure modeled after Lightning, the protagonist of Final Fantasy XIII. The company has also opened pre-orders on its e-Store in Japan, where it will release the action figure in late October 2025 at 26,400 yen (~$178.30). This new action figure will have a total height of around 257 mm (~10.12 inches) when Lightning is standing still. The set will come with several alternate hand pose parts. Square Enix will also include the two variations of the Blaze Edge weapon in its sword and gun modes separately. Here are the sample images showing the parts list and some of the poses the action figure will be able to take: Image via Square Enix Image via Square Enix Image via Square Enix Image via Square Enix Image via Square Enix Image via Square Enix Lightning will be the third character to receive a Play Arts Shin action figure adaptation. Square Enix launched the new brand with the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth version of Vincent Valentine, whose action figure will be available on August 30, 2025. The second character is Final Fantasy XV's Noctis Lucis Caelum, who will follow suit the month after on September 27, 2025. The Play Arts Shin action figure of Lightning from Final Fantasy XIII will be available in Japan on October 25, 2025. The post Final Fantasy XIII Lightning Play Arts Shin Figure Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.
Three games are being added to the Crunchyroll Game Vault library this month, including the services first otome title. Alongside the first otome game, Crunchyroll is also adding two Ys games to its gaming library. All three games will be available on both iOS and Android devices. Image by XSeed Games Destiny’s Princess: A War Story, A Love Story is the first otome game to be added to Crunchyroll’s gaming library, and it’s the first time that the game has been made available on mobile. It tells the story of a princess who has to learn how to fight in order to save her kingdom, and who encounters five handsome bachelors along the way. Ys I Chronicles is also available right now on Crunchyroll, and is the updated version of the first game in the long running series of Ys RPGs. The second game, Ys II Chronicles, will also be joining the Crunchyroll Game Vault library later in the month. Here are the three games coming to Crunchyroll Game Vault in March 2025: Destiny’s Princess: A War Story, A Love Story – out now Ys I Chronicles – out now Ys II Chronicles – late March The Crunchyroll Game Vault is included with your Crunchyroll Mega and Ultimate Fan subscriptions, and includes almost 50 games playable on iOS and Android. The post First Otome Game Joins Crunchyroll Game Vault Library appeared first on Siliconera.
Making a sequel to a beloved indie game is a balancing act. With new expectations set, how do you go about improving the previous title or making any changes? The through line in Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist is a more refined game than its predecessor. Instead of making things larger or adding new layers of complexity, the developers took what they learned from Ender Lilies, polished all its systems to be as immediately fun as possible, and expanded on the game’s strengths to great results. Ender Magnolia leans into its 2D action RPG and Metroidvania roots. The sequel leans into both of them in significant ways, such as introducing more significant traversal abilities to unlock and adding more varied combat options for players. While Ender Lilies had some variations in how to approach fights, you inevitably ended using very small variations of the most convenient and powerful Spirits, making some options overwhelmingly more popular to the point of other Spirits not being worth your time. With the Homunculus overhauling the way combat works as your new “weapons,” players are encouraged to be more creative and try out different loadouts. This doesn’t mean all issues are gone, but it does a great job at evening things across the board. Image by Siliconera In the sequel, almost every single Homunculi is noticeably strong and there are a lot of combinations that work for dealing with enemies. Every Homunculi has 3 different abilities they can alternate with, but players are restricted to equipping only one ability per Homunculus, being able to have up to 4 active in your loadout.While your Primary Homunculus and starter Nola is the star of the show, which of her abilities you favor changes how you approach combat. Do you stick to the sleek and balanced rapier, or do you opt for a scythe that deals more damage in a wider area? Or maybe you prefer hitting hard with a powerful axe that deals devastating stamina damage? These choices apply to all Homunculi and kept me constantly changing loadouts depending on the situation, something I don’t usually do with most games once I’ve found a method that clicks. I appreciate that heavier and slower weapons have been buffed compared to its prequel, where fast combat was heavily prioritized over selecting your preferred fighting style. Similarly, automatic Homunculi are actually rather useful this time around. While not dealing as much damage as active abilities, they offer a solid option for players that are not as versed with action games, and one particular Automatic Homunculi ability is extremely useful against some bosses. Images by Siliconera I don’t mind the new limitations that Homunculus introduce, and increasing the number of tools you can use from 3 to 4 in the sequel feels very necessary. However, I miss the option to have two different loadouts like you had in its predecessor. Additionally, Primary Homunculi can only be used by themselves or with a Cooldown Homunculi mixed in. Meanwhile, the two Pressure Homunculi available can be used at the same time. While at a first glance they feel situational, this makes them extremely useful and a very powerful endgame combo that shreds boss health bars. This doesn’t make Primary Homunculi useless, but I would have liked to see this level of freedom expanded, maybe allowing only 2 Homunculi on screen at every given time, adding some strategy to your choices of which buttons to press. Exploration in Ender Magnolia makes the subtle trade-off of including more areas, while making them smaller and easier to navigate. There are only a couple of areas that are frustrating to explore, these being the sewers and the maze-like red forest, both of which you encounter somewhat early on in the game. While I had to put up with the swarms of rats in the sewers killing me over and over, this has already been patched, reducing the amount of frustration in this area. Because of areas being smaller, it’s easier to feel like you’re making progress and advancing through the game at a breezy pace. Unlocking equipment and various relics feels nice, and they generally feel more useful and powerful in Ender Magnolia. You also unlock Homunculi or obtain upgrade materials at a really fast rate. However, the second Primary Homunculi you can find in the game joins the party way too late in the game, by the point where you have your preferred team locked in and you have only the final boss to beat. It also doesn’t help that he doesn’t feel strong, his attacks are slow, and his damage output is low. Which is a shame, because his design is fantastic. Image by Siliconera While abilities have changed, combat is still pretty much the same. You have a handy dodge with pretty strong invincibility and you unlock a parry button early on. This system has been expanded upon, with a specific equipment slot that changes the effects of a successful parry. Depending on your equipment, protagonist Lilac will either fill her special ability meter or summon magic fireballs that pursue enemies on a successful parry, among a handful of options available. While the parry window feels similar to Ender Lilies, bosses in Ender Magnolia feel tighter and less erratic, with their moves being well telegraphed. I can imagine beginners to the genre would have a decent time learning the moves and patterns for bosses and find great satisfaction in beating them. The various fights with Gilroy are a highlight of the game, reminding me of the boss fight against Julius in the first game. Like its predecessor, Ender Magnolia is more interested in crafting a perfect vibe rather than overcomplicating things with an overcomplicated plot. The world is fleshed out enough while keeping things vague and mysterious, lending the Land of Fumes a strange and ethereal vibe much like Land's End in Ender Lilies. Both are places that have been consumed by the Rain of Death and the Blight that comes with it, seeping deep into the heart of the land, rotting and corrupting everything and everyone it touches. The main different with the Land of Fumes in Ender Magnolia is that magic-based technology has given an edge to its inhabitants, thwarting the corruption of the Blight and offering a better quality of life and protection to its people. This is reflected in the more advanced technology level when compared to Land’s End. Images by Siliconera The inclusion of a lot of varied dialogue between Lilac, Nola, as well as the Homunculus and characters you meet along the way, fleshes out the characters and makes for a rich tapestry of connections. I was a bit sceptic at first of this extra level of characterization in Ender Magnolia, as I really enjoyed the quietude of Ender Lilies, but the sequel pulls this off rather well. The story is also a bit more active and involved this time around. You can experience Ender Magnolia without having played Ender Lilies, but the game rewards returning players by having pretty substantial references to the first game, especially in Ending B. What’s more, the main conflict in the story differs from that of Ender Lilies, while still having the same context of the Rain of Death and the Blight as its framing. The clash that Lilac and Nola head against the nation’s Homunculi administrator Gilroy is compelling and the mystery behind everyone’s identities is solved in a satisfying climax. Another thing that carries over in the sequel is the beautiful combination of 2D visuals with subtle 3D models for characters and enemies, perfectly blending both elements. The larger variety of biomes and maps in Ender Magnolia makes for an even more impressive game visually. The use of parallax is even better as well, with a lot more details appearing on screen when compared to the more medieval setting of Ender Lilies. Environments have a lot more moving parts and complexity without adding clutter or reducing visibility. The gorgeous visuals go hand in hand with the understated and relaxing music composed once again by Japanese music group Mili. In essence, the artistic department of the sequel remains as stunning as always. Images by Siliconera Ender Magnolia is a great time from beginning to end. The sequel takes what the first game offered and gives a more refined experience in a new setting. Similar to the first game, the inspirations in this Metroidvania are immediately apparent, and both games avoid taking any massive risks. However, it is the developer’s own take on these inspirations and the commitment to fun combat and exploration that keep me coming back. Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist is now available for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam. The post Review: Ender Magnolia Blossoms Into a Beautiful Adventure appeared first on Siliconera.
Do you have a bucket list of the various things you want to die before your time is up on this Earth? If you don’t or you just want to add some anime series to that list, I have some recommendations for you. Below, you’ll find the 10 anime series that I think every single anime fan should watch or at least try once before they die. Image via Brain’s Base 10 Anime You Must Watch Before You Die When it comes to determining the 10 anime series to watch before you die, I tried to broaden the spectrum and focus on series that are seemingly completed or at least have a fair bit to watch. In addition, I wanted to focus on various genres from action to romance to more depressing works. While not perfect, these are series that I think will impress and appeal to the most people at once. I also tried to focus mainly on more recent anime since many people already know about the classics like Akira, Clannad, Cowboy Bebop, and Naruto. Without further ado, here are the 10 anime series I recommend to everyone to try: Death Parade: This is Madhouse at its finest. Taking place in the afterlife, each every two episodes or so focuses on a new set of people who die at the same time. They compete in fun little games before being judged for their actions. The revelations that come about during these seemingly innocent games provides some of the most thought-provoking and tragic anime moments of all time. Dr. Stone: One of the few modern masterpieces, this series takes place in the far future as people start to awaken from being petrified in place for thousands of years. Its storytelling is remarkably consistent alongside the welcome action as main character Senku reinvents science and technology in surprisingly realistic ways. Fruits Basket: If you want to see a romance series, look no further. The masterpiece manga series was made even better in its latest anime adaptation. It is so well-rounded, able to make you laugh one second, cry the next, and constantly cheer for this Zodiac-themed, animal-transforming family. Kino’s Journey - The Beautiful World: Episodic anime series tend to be some of the best and this is one prime example. Each episode focuses Kino and a talking motorcycle as the duo travels from town to town. It never overstays its welcome, while also teaching some unforgettable lessons about life, especially in the latter half. The less you know, the better here. March Comes in Like a Lion: No other anime takes a look at depression like this one. It follows an orphan boy who happens to be a genius shogi player. While it may appear like a sports or competition anime at first glance, it is actually a riveting and unforgettable look at mental health through the eyes of the incredible Studio Shaft. My Hero Academia: While not completely done at the time of writing, it is quite close. This superhero action-packed shonen series can appeal to anyone. However, its real value comes from the incredible action and characters that only get better as the series goes on. Spy x Family: Yes, this is still ongoing. But there are a couple of seasons, a movie, and still more on the way. Spy x Family is the quintessential anime for everyone. It has a bit of action with this spy and assassin-themed makeshift family’s shenanigans. But then it is also extremely heartwarming and hilarious the rest of the time. This is the feel-good anime series. To Your Eternity: No list about dying is complete without the anime that focuses on an immortal character. His journey across hundreds of years leads to some of the depressing yet meaningful plot development and characters I have ever seen. Violet Evergarden: This emotional masterpiece tells the story of a girl who experiences trauma and becomes half a mechanical doll, both literally and figuratively. She helps a different person in each episode. At the same time, she learns about herself, leading to some of the most tearjerking scenes in anime. Yuri on Ice: Even if you aren’t a sports anime fan, this is the one to watch. It tells the story of Yuri, a down-and-out former ice skater looking to return, and Victor, his renowned coach. The two’s connection with one another leads to one of the most memorable relationships in anime. Plus, the actual ice skating sequences from MAPPA are gorgeous along with having one of the best soundtracks. It is a shame, honestly, that we will likely never see a continuation of this series. The post 10 Anime You Must Watch Before You Die appeared first on Siliconera.
InZOI Studio and Krafton have released the system requirements you’ll need to play upcoming life simulation game, inZOI. It’s obviously more taxing than The Sims 4 (which InZOI Studio and Krafton do not view as a direct competitor), but time will tell how it fares with mods and extended gameplay time. [Thanks, Resetera!] The minimum system requirements you need to play inZOI are: OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit Processor: Intel i5 10400/AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Memory: 12 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 2060 (6G VRAM)/AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (6G VRAM) DirectX: Version 12 Storage: 40 GB You will also need an Internet connection to play the game. Again, these are the minimum requirements. A more powerful machine will let you see the world of inZOI with much better quality, as well as smoother animations and the like. Here is a video comparing the game's graphics using different specs: As mentioned earlier, inZOI asks more of your machine than The Sims 4, which is the latest entry in the genre-defining series. However, The Sims tends to falter after long game sessions and mods due to poor optimization. We will have to wait until the finished product comes out to see if inZOI will have a similar issue. The higher minimum specs do mean that players with much weaker machines cannot play this game, which may present another problem in its own right. inZOI will enter early access on March 28, 2025 for the Windows PC. It will also come out for the PS5 and Xbox Series X at a later date. The post Here Are the Minimum System Requirements For inZOI appeared first on Siliconera.
Capcom will release three cute plush toys of classic monsters from the Resident Evil series. Each doll will cost 1100 JPY ($7.40) and you can get a toy of HUNK, a Licker, or a Cerberus. These are part of the “Capcorom” line of dolls, which feature the character in question lying down on their stomach like a Tsum-Tsum. Though you can tell which doll is what creature, Capcom redesigned them to look cuter than they appear in their home game. They still retain their horror elements, though. You can see the open sores of the Resident Evil Cerberus plush, as well as the exposed brain of the Licker. These Resident Evil dolls will come out on March 15, 2025 in Japan, and you’ll be able to get them in Capcom stores around Japan. Cerberus and Licker are iconic monsters from the Resident Evil series. The Cerberus is specifically the “zombie dog” that you encounter in the first game, as the Arklay Laboratory created it. Meanwhile, the Licker is a dangerous enemy that debuted in the second game. As for HUNK, he’s an Umbrella operative who’s appeared in multiple games throughout Resident Evil. He usually appears in mini-games or alternate gameplay modes, rather than the main story. The Capcorom dolls of the Cerberus, Licker, and HUNK from Resident Evil will appear in Japan from March 15, 2025. The post Bring Resident Evil Licker and Cerberus Enemy Plush Home appeared first on Siliconera.
Kadokawa released a book that aims to use Minecraft to teach children how to clean up after themselves and improve their organization skills. The book, which loosely translates to Level Up With Fun Learning: Minecraft - Cleaning on Your Own, costs 1210 JPY ($8.15), and you can find it in bookstores around Japan. There’s no word regarding a worldwide release yet. [Thanks, Dengeki Online!] The book combines charts and manga, along with familiar Minecraft characters, to make it easier for children to learn how to read about cleaning and organization. There are also some activities to “game-ify” chores and turn it into a game. For example, one of the pages shows a chart that’ll let you know what type of cleaner you are based off your habits and personality. All the “type” names draw from Minecraft, such as the Slime type and the Enderman type. Another one shows a picture of a messy table, with the game asking for kids to find three “bad spots” about the table that they absolutely have to fix. Images via Kadokawa Edutainment, or educational entertainment, has been around for generations. Aside from video games like Reader Rabbit or The Cluefinders to foster an interest in learning via games, schools and educators have been using games to make school interesting for kids. Back in October 2021, Aeon Fantasy used Pokemon Unite to improve children’s strategic and critical thinking, as well as communication on a team. Minecraft is available on multiple platforms, including Windows PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices. The post Minecraft Book Teaches Kids to Be More Organized appeared first on Siliconera.
Retired competitive figure skater, Akiko Suzuki, who had worked on the choreography in figure skating anime Medalist, helped to develop the Ice on the Edge game. Aside from her recent work in figure skating media, Suzuki won multiple medals between 2007 and 2011 (including gold at the 2013 Japan Figure Skating Championships. She also appeared at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. [Thanks, Famitsu!] According to director Yasuhara, no one on the 10-people development team knew much of anything (or had any interest) in figure skating prior to working on the game. Like how MAPPA hired Kenji Miyamoto to come up with the programs for Yuri!!! On Ice, Melpot asked Suzuki to create choreography for the characters you raise in Ice on the Edge. She also gave advice on cool moves the game could incorporate, as well as which skaters they should use for reference. As a note, the staff did not use motion capture for any of the figure skating animations. Rather, they animated everything by hand. This is to reduce costs. However, the lack of a motion actor allowed them to include the difficult jumps and spins that Suzuki suggested. Ice on the Edge is an upcoming simulation game in which you play as a coach to figure skaters. Similar to games like Umamusume: Pretty Derby or the Idolmaster series, you need to raise parameters and teach your figure skater moves or skills they can use in their program. Changing the skater’s outfit can also alter their skills, and each song will have a specific order of elements. Your job will be to choose which techniques best match the song, while also making sure your skater has enough stamina to successfully pull off the various moves. Ice on the Edge will come out in 2026 for the Windows PC via Steam. The post Akiko Suzuki Helped Make Ice on the Edge Game appeared first on Siliconera.
As part of the Fields of Mistria March 2025 update, people could choose a pet to live on their farm, and new trailer shows off what it’s like to get a cat. The video goes through the whole process, which also includes customization that lets you choose what the kitten will look like. The trailer notes that this process begins with a “dream” that happens after the player goes to sleep one night. They will get to envision the animal first. There are then 12 cat and 12 dog options to choose from, each with different color schemes. After you choose one, you can name it and select its gender. It is also possible to select a randomized name. The pet cat then appears outside the house the next morning and walks right into the home to move in. Like other animals in Fields of Mistria, a cat has an affection and relationship gauge affected by petting it every day. You can also choose a “job” for it. In the video, the options for a kitten are to collect forageables, stone, or wood. Once you choose one of those options, you can see the animal in the wild “working.” When it arrives home each evening, it will share what it found. In this case, the video shows it returning with three stones. Here’s the full Fields of Mistria pet cat trailer. NPC Studio often introduces Fields of Mistria features with short trailers. It’s how we saw Elsie’s gift advice ahead of that ability’s launch. A preview of the Animal Festival, which happens every winter in-game, came up too. The Lava Caves mine biome was shown off too. Fields of Mistria is available on PCs via Steam in early access right now, and the March 2025 patch added a cat as a pet option. The post Fields of Mistria Pet Cat Introduced in New Trailer appeared first on Siliconera.
HoYoVerse is releasing more Twitch drops for Zenless Zone Zero. The drops are available now up to April 8, 2025. Earning them works the same as usual, so those of us who've collected these types of rewards will be able to immediately start watching streams for the bonuses. The best one this time around involves free Polychromes. As usual, the new Twitch drops require you to watch Zenless Zone Zero livestreams on the streaming service after linking your HoYoVerse and Twitch accounts. The linking process can be completed via the official web page. Simply sign into both accounts and they’ll be linked, allowing you to gain rewards by watching streams of the game. Here are the Twitch drops available: 15 minutes: 12,000 Dennies 20 minutes: 2 Senior Investigator Logs 45 minutes: 3 W-Engine Energy Modules 60 minutes: 2 Bangboo System Widgets 120 minutes: 50 Polychromes The Twitch drops will be available until April 8, 2025. The Twitch drops event has started just in time for the release of Zenless Zone Zero 1.6, which brings a new S-Rank variant of Anby to the game. A new story update also sheds light on her past, which has been kept deliberately vague up to this point. However, the new update has also attracted controversy, with the English voice actors for Von Lycaon and Soldier 11 both being replaced. Zenless Zone Zero is out now for PS5, PC and mobile devices. The Twitch drops event will continue until April 8, 2025 The post New Zenless Zone Zero Twitch Drops Appear appeared first on Siliconera.
Blizzard have released a new article looking at how interior decoration will work in WoW's upcoming Player Housing system. The hotly anticipated feature is expected to arrive with the Midnight expansion, which currently has no release date but is expected to be shown off sometime in Summer, 2025. The interior decoration system will work in two modes, which players can freely switch between. Basic mode will allow you to place objects that snap to walls or ceilings, with collision as you might expect. Advanced mode however, will allow for more freedom in decorating by turning collision off and letting players freely resize, rotate, and elevate objects as they wish. The article includes several short videos showing work-in-progress builds of the system on both control modes. It also gives some examples of how the team has used the advanced mode, such as using paint buckets as spice jars on a kitchen shelf or a bed to make a boat's prow. Additionally, players will be able to recolor some of the interior decoration objects made specifically for WoW's new Player Housing, but legacy objects made previously may be less customizable. Late last year, Blizzard announced the return of the Plunderstorm battle royale mode alongside a new zone called Siren Isle. More recently, we saw the launch of The War Within Season 2 which brought a variety of new mounts and delves. WoW's Player Housing system is expected to launch alongside the Midnight expansion, which does not currently have a release date. World of Warcraft: The War Within is immediately available for PC and Mac. The post New WoW Player Housing Details focus on Interior Decoration appeared first on Siliconera.
The official Genshin Impact social media account announced that HoYoVerse will recast Showtaro Morikubo, who was slated to appear again in his role as the voice actor for Ifa. Though the official account did not give a specific reason, some are speculating it’s because of his appearance in the reading of Inochigake no Shougen. That is based on a book that highlights the Chinese government’s treatment of the Uyghur people. The announcement from HoYoVerse only stated that it would recast Morikubo in Genshin Impact for “various reasons.” It apologized for all the trouble this will cause affiliated parties and players. It asked for everyone’s understanding at the end of the statement. While there hasn’t been any confirmation as to what happened behind the scenes, a lot of the interactions on the announcement have pointed to Morikubo’s appearance in the August 2024 live reading of Inochigake no Shougen. This is based on the book of the same title by Tomomi Shimizu. It’s about the Chinese treatment of the Uyghur ethnic group in the Xinjiang region, and it includes testimonies from Uyghurs who survived the government’s persecution. Speculation online revolves around the main Chinese branch of HoYoVerse pressuring for the Japanese side to recast Morikubo due to his appearance in this reading. This is only a theory, though. Morikubo and other parties have not confirmed the reason behind his departure. Showtaro Morikubo is a veteran voice actor and singer who first appeared in Genshin Impact as Ifa in late 2024. Some of Morikubo’s more prominent roles in other media include Yosuke in Persona 4, Makishima in Yowamushi Pedal, Shikamaru in Naruto, and Okita in the Hakuouki series. He also has a singing career separate from his work as a voice actor. Genshin Impact is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. The post Showtaro Morikubo Recast as Genshin Impact Ifa Voice Actor appeared first on Siliconera.
The time and date for the 5.5 Genshin Impact Special Program is here, and we’ll be able to watch details about the new additions on March 14, 2025. It will air at 5am PT/8am ET, as usual. HoYoVerse also confirmed it will appear on both Twitch and YouTube. The 5.0 series of updates all pretty much focused on the new Natlan region and its storyline. Some of the events took place there as well, and it meant more characters from that place. This holds true for 5.5. However, one of the hosts for this latest showcase seems to be Yumemizuki Mizuki, an Inazuma character who showed up in 5.4. We do know two of the characters who will debut in Genshin Impact 5.5 already. It’s more people from Natlan. They are a master and student duo. Iansan is the Pilgrimage Victors Academy coach, and Varesa is her prized student. Both of them will be Electro characters. However, we don’t know what their rank will be, so it is uncertain if they are both five-stars or if one is a four-star unit. At the moment, two rerun banners are active in Genshin Impact. People can get the five-stars Furina and Wriothesley. Both debuted after the Fontaine region appeared, and Furina was the Archon for the region. Genshin Impact is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and mobile devices, and the 5.5 Special Program airs at on March 14, 2024. The 5.5 patch is expected to arrive on March 25, 2025. The post Next Genshin Impact Special Program for 5.5 Airs This Week appeared first on Siliconera.
Marvelous released a new bachelor trailer for Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, the latest entry in the series, and it focuses on Murasame. He is a samurai training to become the strongest swordsman in the world, and you can date and marry him. The trailer shows female protagonist Kaguya, who is accompanied by bachelorette Ulalaka, talking to Murasame about his swordsman training. The clip also shows a glimpse of the one-on-one love confession from Murasame to the player character. You can check out the new Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma short trailer introducing Murasame here: Marvelous has yet to confirm who voices Murasame in the English dub of the game. Meanwhile, Murasame is voiced by by Makoto Furukawa in the Japanese dub of Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma. Furukawa is well known for his roles as Saitama in the One-Punch Man anime adaptation, Sylvain in Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and Gepard in Honkai: Star Rail. You can check out how Furukawa sounds as Murasame here: The previous bachelor trailer for Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma focused on treasure hunter Mauro. Additionally, Marvelous released a general bachelor and bachelorette trailer showcasing all the possible romance options in the game. Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma will come out for the Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam on May 30, 2025. The post Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma Bachelor Murasame Introduced appeared first on Siliconera.
Pokemon GO and other mobile games from Niantic have been sold to Scopely. The deal is reported to be worth $3.5 billion. The company confirmed this via official sites for titles. This sale means that all Niantic games will now be managed by Scopely, the mobile developer responsible for Monopoly Go, Star Trek: Fleet Command and Marvel Strike Force. While Pokemon GO is the most prominent game sold as part of the deal, Scopely will also be overseeing other former Niantic games. This includes Nintendo's Pikmin Bloom and Capcom's Monster Hunter Now. At present, the existing teams handling these games will remain in place, with no changes to personnel. This includes the Pokemon GO team leader, Ed Wu, who wrote about the sale in a blog post on the game’s official website. The sale attracted some criticism due to Scopely’s connection with the Saudi Arabian government. While the company is based in the US, it is a subsidiary of Savvy Games Group, an investment firm created by the Saudi Arabian public wealth fund. Meanwhile, Niantic have sold off their games division in order to focus on technology development, particularly AI. Despite the game being sold to Scopely, Pokemon Go should see no immediate changes. Updates and events will continue as normal, such as the recent event that brought Black Kyurem and White Kyurem to the game. Pokemon Go is out now for mobile devices. The post Pokemon GO and Other Niantic Mobile Games Sold to Scopely appeared first on Siliconera.
Netflix released a new trailer for the upcoming Devil May Cry anime series featuring a first look at Lady and Vergil. The trailer also teased Dante’s Devil Trigger form, with the character’s eyes and skin turning red. The new footage shows Lady in a new design similar to a futuristic police outfit. The trailer is accompanied by Papa Roach’s “Last Resort.” This is a similar move to the choice for the anime’s opening theme, which was revealed to be “Rollin’” by Limp Bizkit back on January 31, 2025 alongside the show’s April 3 release date. Check out Lady and Vergil in the new Devil May Cry Netflix anime trailer here: Vergil will be voiced by Robbie Daymond in the new Netflix anime. Daymond is a renowned voice actor and has previously voiced Goro Akechi in the English dubs of the Persona 5 games and animes, Hubert in Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and Megumi Fushiguro in the English dub of Jujutsu Kaisen. Meanwhile, Hollywood actress Scout Taylor-Compton will voice Lady. Taylor-Compton is known for her roles as Laurie Strode in the 2007 and 2009 remakes of Halloween. The new Devil May Cry anime adaptation will release worldwide on April 3, 2025, and it will be available to stream through Netflix. The post Vergil and Lady Make an Entrance in Devil May Cry Anime Trailer appeared first on Siliconera.
Palworld is a work-in-progress, with the title being in early access on the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and soon an update will add cross-play. Pocketpair confirmed that will arrive at the end of March 2025, though there is no exact date for the feature yet. There are very few details about what the crossplay element of Palworld will entail. Essentially, it seems it will apply to both multiplayer and Pal world transfers. Currently, up to four people on the same platform can play together in a standard game, but those with a server could bring 32 players together. So if this works as intended at launch, we’ll likely be able to see up to four people from the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC versions all joining up to adventure and work together. This should also mean guilds would be open to everyone, which would also open up Pal trading via Pal Boxes. While details about that gameplay element are scarce, Pocketpair was very forthcoming about a new sale on the early access game. It is reduced temporarily on both Steam and the PlayStation Store. In each case, it is 25% off, bringing the price down to $22.49. That offer lasts until March 27, 2025. This is the second major update for Palworld in March 2025. At the start of the month, the game appeared on Macs. Given the lawsuit against Pocketpair by Nintendo, it is unlikely we will ever see the game on a Switch console. Palworld is available for the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in early access, and the crossplay update will arrive at the end of March 2025. The post Palworld Crossplay Release Date Falls in March Set appeared first on Siliconera.
Koei Tecmo and Bandai Namco announced that there will be a Tales of Graces f Remastered DLC costume in Atelier Yumia that gives Yumia Liessfeldt a free add-on outfit. There’s no release date for it yet, but it will appear in the game after launch. However, initial art hinting at how it will look will appear. Basically, when the costume add-on is released, the Tales of Graces f Remastered DLC will let us dress Yumia in Asbel Lhant’s outfit. It appears this cosmetic change won’t affect her weapon. She’ll just wear his full suit. Benitama, the artist who designed the characters in Atelier Yumia, created a piece of concept art showing how this will look. It features Yumia standing alongside Asbel. Both are wearing the same Tales of Graces f Remastered outfit. While it is nearly identical, she will still wear her bird charm at her waist and it seems her shoes will be different. Here’s the key art for the Tales of Graces f Remastered DLC outfit for Yumia in Atelier Yumia. Image via Gust, Koei Tecmo, and Bandai Namco Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will come to the Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One and PC via Steam on March 21, 2025. Tales of Graces appeared on the PS3, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Wii, and PC. There’s no release date for the Tales of Graces f Remastered DLC costume for Atelier Yumia yet. The post Atelier Yumia Tales of Graces f Crossover DLC Costume Shared appeared first on Siliconera.
Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio confirmed the existence of a bug in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii that impedes progress under certain circumstances. The glitch is present in Patch 1.12 of the game, and the developers are currently working on a new patch that will fix it. No release window has been given yet. The bug revolves around the Sicko Snap minigame in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. After Patch 1.12, after purchasing Golden Ball from the Snap Points Exchange menu available at the minigame reception, opening the Inventory may cause the game to become unplayable. The developers have offered no further details on how this glitch works, or in which platforms it is present. It seems like no other Golden Ball items are affected by this glitch, so people that have already obtained the item prior to Patch 1.12 should be in the clear. Fortunately, players can easily avoid this glitch by abstaining from purchasing Golden Ball from the Snap Points Exchange, at least until a new patch that fixes the issue is released. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC. A new patch fixing the current Sicko Snap glitch will appear in the future. The post Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Game-Breaking Bug Confirmed appeared first on Siliconera.
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