Latest Stories
Marvel’s Avengers Hawkeye update coming March 18th, next-gen version details
Marvel's Avengers will be coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles on March 18th alongside its second major update: Futures Imperfect starring Clint Barton, known as Hawkeye. In a new broadcast today, Square Enix shared that the next-generation console versions will have higher framerates and better visuals than their current generation counterparts. 4K resolution will be supported on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, and 1440p resolution on Xbox Series X. With consoles packing solid state drives, loading times are said to be "dramatically faster" and a higher graphical output and memory will allow for higher resolution textures and better draw distances on high-resolution models. You'll be able to transfer your profile and save games to the next generation platform you're currently on, and "cross-gen" gameplay will allow for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 players to play together. Xbox Series S and X will also be able to play with Xbox One players. The upgrade to next generation consoles is also free. Operation: Futures Imperfect continues where Taking AIM left off and can be played solo or with three others. In it, we'll find out more about Nick Fury's fate and his attempts to uncover a secret weapon being developed by
Trials of Mana celebrates surpassing one million in sales
Trials of Mana, the high definition remake of Seiken Densetsu 3 that originally released in 1995 as part of the classic Mana series, has surpassed one million units shipped and downloaded worldwide. To commemorate this impressive milestone and to thank all those who have supported the game, the development team behind Trials of Mana have released a brand-new illustration by HACCAN that features the main, supporting and villainous characters all together in delightful celebration. Trials of Mana is an adventure RPG that allows players to create a party of three from a roster of six protagonists, each with their own unique story. You can also upgrade classes, learn over 300 different abilities and explore a vast and mysterious world while embarking on an unforgettable journey. Additionally, after finishing the game, players can unlock a new chapter that was not in the original 1995 release, which offers new classes and a powerful new threat. For those interested, you can check out our review of Trials of Mana, as well as our gameplay footage for the recently released Patch 1.1.0, which features the new "No Future" difficulty mode. Trials of Mana is available now on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.
Another Go with Blue Mage
Final Fantasy XIV 5.45 arrived February 2nd, and included an update to the Save the Queen storyline featuring a new instanced duty named Delburum Reginae. It also included an update to the Blue Mage limited job with new quests, increased level cap for Stormblood content, and new spells to collect. For the uninitiated, Blue Mage is a different affair than all other combat jobs. Built around recreating the experience of learning unusual magic spells from enemies like in other Final Fantasy titles, the Blue Mage isn't designed so much for current progression or endgame raiding, though the community will organize coordinated raids for older content. Blue Mage starts off at Level 1, but has a modified experience curve weighted towards mobs fought outside of duties. If you're starting fresh, my sage advice is to find a buddy to power level you the current level cap. Level 59 mobs in the Dravanian Hinterlands, and 70 mobs at the Kholusian coast well-suit this purpose and set you up for learning spells without too much fuss. Instead, Blue Mage prioritizes its own ecosystem of content, such as the Masked Carnivale, housed in Ul'dah's Celestium. It's here that the Warrior of Light and their mentor Martyn set
Here’s 10 minutes of NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… gameplay; new soundtrack videos
Square Enix has gone live with a brand new gameplay video for NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139…, a remastered version of the 2010 action RPG directed by Yoko Taro. The video below showcases the protagonist, in his youth, as he visits the desert kingdom of Façade with a team of unlikely companions—the fierce warrior Kainé and magical tome Grimoire Weiss. Following his visit, he investigates the Barren Temple, where his exploration culminates in a boss battle against a swarm of mysterious, sentient cubes. Check it out: English https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB3B-pXihow Japanese https://youtu.be/YsCKgckaHk4 In addition to this, Square Enix has also released new videos featuring newly re-arranged tracks from the game, including “Snow in Summer” and “Kainé,” as well as a sampling of 10 Weiss Edition Arrangement tracks featured in the special Soundtrack CD Set included in the limited White Snow Edition of the game. View the videos down below: Soundtrack Weiss Edition “Snow in Summer” (Another Edit Version) https://youtu.be/7RphcLV-QkQ Soundtrack Weiss Edition “Kaine” (Another Edit Version) https://youtu.be/p9T1TTk5yO4 Soundtrack Weiss Edition Disc Two Samples https://youtu.be/Gag5JExJrBE NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… is set to release for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on April 22 in Japan and Asia, with the rest of the world getting it on April 23 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC via Steam.
The entirety of the Kingdom Hearts series is coming to PC this March
Square Enix has announced that the Kingdom Hearts series in it's entirety, including the recently released Melody of Memory, is at last coming to PC via the Epic Game Store. Releasing on March 30th, 2021 players can embark on a journey across Disney-themed worlds and fight against the spooky Heartless in a heart-warming story surrounding the power of friendship and the struggle between light and darkness. The full list of games include the following titles: Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIXKingdom Hearts Final MixKingdom Hearts Re: Chain of MemoriesKingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (Remastered cinematics only)Kingdom Hearts II Final MixKingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final MixKingdom Hearts Re:coded (Remastered cinematics only) Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter PrologueKingdom Hearts Dream Drop DistanceKingdom Hearts 0.3 Birth by Sleep –A fragmentary passage–Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover (Movie) Kingdom Hearts III + ReMind DLCKingdom Hearts Melody of Memory The games are available right now for pre-order on the Epic Games Store, and players who purchase Kingdom Hearts III + ReMind DLC will receive an exclusive "Elemental Encoder" Keyblade to use in the game. Additionally, Producer Ichiro Hazama had a few words to share in regards to this announcement: “It is truly a great pleasure to bring so many Kingdom Hearts adventures to
Final Fantasy XI’s ‘Voracious Resurgence’ continues in February Update
Available today, Final Fantasy XI's February Update continues The Voracious Resurgence scenario that started last year. This chapter takes place in San d'Oria. Square Enix prefaces: "Two knights find themselves in an unfamiliar situation--a royal ball where fates collide.The guest of honor is none other than the prince, who faces threats that cannot be bested by a glint of steel.Yet when fiends from the north get involved, it may take more than just the Royal Knights to protect their charge." The third chapter features Trion, the prince of San d'Oria "whose sense of duty to family and country has seen him on the frontlines of battle time and again--yet when it comes to social gatherings, he's got two left feet." Altennia is a Royal Knight and leader of the Carmine Swallows whose brother, Halver, "may just be in over his head." Excenmille is the head of House Aurchiat and "bester of orcs far and wide." The February Update will also update Ambuscade with new battles for both Normal and Intense difficulties. The Intense mode will have you square off against iron giants. Odyssey will be updated where players can test their strength against new monstered added to Sheol: Gaol. TrionAltenniaExcenmilleSheol: GaolAmbuscadeTroth shieldWivre mount Additionally, a
Final Fantasy XIV Live Letter 62 Summary; Patch 5.5 Part 1 out April 13
In the 62nd Letter from the Producer Live broadcast, Final Fantasy XIV director/producer Naoki Yoshida and global community manager Toshio Murouchi revealed the fifth and final major update to follow the Shadowbringers expansion. Titled "Death Unto Dawn," the main scenario will continue, along with updates for the NieR Automata collaboration and the Sorrows of Werlyt scenario. We've summarized the major information below -- check it out! Patch 5.5 Content & Features Patch 5.5 Part 1 arrives on April 13th, 2021Patch 5.5 Part 2 arrives in the end of May 2021.New main scenario quests will be added -- they're split between Part 1 and Part 2.A new Level 80 dungeon Paglth'an will be added. It is accessible through the main scenario quest and compatible with the Trust system.The Chronicles of Werlyt scenario continues with a trial versus the Diamond Weapon in The Cloud Deck. An Extreme-level difficulty version will be added.Alliance raid series YoRHa Dark Apocalypse continues in Chapter 3. The title of the duty is being with-held for now... A weekly quest tied to the story will be available after completing the duty.Job adjustments are coming to both PvE and PvP; more information will be shared in Part 2 of the 5.5 preview broadcasts.
Final Fantasy XIV Announcement Showcase Summary, Endwalker Expansion Detailed
In tonight's Announcement Showcase, Final Fantasy XIV's fourth expansion Endwalker was revealed. It continues after the events of the Shadowbringers expansion, and will feature two new jobs -- one of which being a new healer: Sage. Massive new areas will be added, including what appear to be the ruins of Garlemald and the island of Thavnair which seats the city of Radz-at-Han. Additionally, a PlayStation 5 version will commence beta testing on April 13th, and there will be no additional charge to upgrade to the PlayStation 4 version other than buying a PlayStation 5. Let's break down the major details in the following summary! 'ENDWALKER' TRAILER https://youtu.be/7-bkJ2ZoW6k THE STORY OF ENDWALKER Up until this point, each expansion including the base game A Realm Reborn, represented a different time of day. Yoshida described the "sunrise over A Realm Reborn," a "cold blue sky" of Heavensward, a "crimson twilight" of Stormblood, and the "black of night" in Shadowbringers. Endwalker will represent "a new dawn." While the Shadowbringers scenario concluded in Patch 5.3, beyond the base expansion, Endwalker's scenario will conclude in Patch 6.0. That's not to say that the story won't continue, but that it will depart from the scenario established in the base expansion. The story will investigate the
Digital Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2021 to be held May 15 and 16
Due to on-going complications with the global pandemic, Square Enix will be hosting this year's Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival activities completely online for the first time. A global digital event will be held on May 15 and May 16 and include two days full of content covering the upcoming expansion Endwalker as well as the live concert free of charge. Details on how to tune in will be announced at a later date. For those interested in some extras, paid content includes a Lunar Whale mount- the game's first eight person mount - based on Yoshitaka Amano's design. Additionally, fans can get their hands on commemorative minions including Edge, Rosa and Rydia from Final Fantasy IV. All of these items will be available for purchase on May 15 to coincide with the Fan Festival. More information on the show will be covered later so stay tuned.
Final Fantasy XIV announced for PlayStation 5, open beta starts April 13
Final Fantasy XIV is officially making its way to PlayStation 5, Square Enix announced today. The native PS5 release will come packed with a host of new features for the console version including 4K resolution support, faster loading times and a significantly improved frame rate. The game will launch with two modes: 4K mode will feature 4K resolution and a second "Full HD 2K" mode will also be available. Per producer/director Naoki Yoshida, Ccntinued support for the PS5 version is planned as well similar to how the PS4 release was handled. Additionally, those who already own a PlayStation 4 license for the game will be able to upgrade to the PS5 version at no extra cost. Fans can check out an open beta for the PS5 version on April 13, 2021 - which is also the same day Patch 5.5 is scheduled to launch. More information on the open beta will be revealed at a later date but for now check out the game running on PS5 hardware below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7ZEkdtTp8o