Monthly Archives: December 2017
Final Fantasy IV Lead Designer on Series’ Enduring Success
This week marks the 30th anniversary of Final Fantasy, the critically acclaimed franchise that changed the RPG landscape forever. In honor of this momentous occasion, I asked Final Fantasy IV lead designer and Chrono Trigger director Tokita Takashi to share his thoughts on the series' epic journey, what he thinks would make a cool Final Fantasy VR experience, and (while I was at it) if we'll ever see another Chrono Trigger game.
IGN: It’s been 30 years since Final Fantasy was first released, and you’ve worked on the series from pretty much the beginning. Did you have any inkling that the series would be this popular for this long?
Psychonauts 2 Delayed
Psychonauts 2 won't be released in 2018 after all.
In a production update on the crowd-funded sequel's Fig page, Double Fine said the studio is now in "full production mode." As such, the team has a better handle on the game's size and scope, and ultimately how long development will take.
While the developer originally expected to have the game ready for launch in 2018, it has opted to delay Psychonauts 2 to ensure it's a "game that carries on the legacy of Psychonauts in a meaningful and special way."
Steam Winter Sale Now Live With Discounts for Hellblade, Shadow of War, Prey, and More
The Steam Winter Sale is currently live, and Pyre, Wolfenstein II, Hellblade and more are getting substantial discounts.
Right now, you can score some incredible games at steep discounts on the Steam Store, including some of the best games from 2017, and some heavy hitters from previous years.
Pyre, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, Tacoma, Prey, and South Park: The Fractured But Whole are 50% off, while games like Cuphead (15% off) and Divinity: Original Sin II (10% off) receive more modest discounts.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Adds 7 New Animals
The latest update for Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp has added 7 new visiting animals to the rotation.
The UK official Twitter account announced the news with a graphic showing the crew of newly added characters Vesta, Goose, Mitzi, June, Drake, Marshal, and Avery.
Goose adds a brand new animal type to the mix, and these characters also introduce the new Rustic theme which comes with new items and amenities for players to craft.
What Are the Porgs Eating in The Last Jedi, Anyway?
SPOILERS are discussed ahead for Star Wars: The Last Jedi!
Don't read this if you haven't seen the movie! Bookmark this page and come back and check it out after you do!
Everyone loves a Porg, so why doesn’t Chewie? It may be because they’re an invasive species.
In case you didn’t know, Porgs are those cute little critters that live on Ahch-To with Luke Skywalker -- and who recoiled in horror as Chewbacca tried to eat one of their brethren. Apparently they buried the hatchet with Chewie because he’s definitely let them aboard the Millennium Falcon.
As much as we’d like to take it at face value that having a Porg on your spaceship is a good thing, we couldn’t help but wonder about the practical considerations of having a Porg as a pet.
Chrono Trigger Director Shares Which Ending He Personally Thinks is Canon
Chrono Trigger is considered by some people to be one of the best RPGs of all time. (In fact, it ranks #1 on the IGN Top 100 RPGs list.) It has many different endings, however. During a recent interview with Chrono Trigger's director Takashi Tokita, I asked him to weigh in on which ending he personally thinks of as canon. Here was his response (ye olde spoilers ahead!):
"It has to be the ending where you lose the Epoch and everyone is unable to see one another, ever again," he told me via email. "The fact that the game is coming to an end, and the fact that the characters are saying their goodbyes are in sync, and I’m sure those who have played the game can share the sadness and memories." An interesting answer, but that's not all.
Next Stardew Valley Update Adds New Outdoor Decorations
Stardew Valley developer Eric Barone has detailed a few new additions fans can look forward to from the game's forthcoming content update.
In a post on Twitter, Barone said the update will include a new town event for the winter, as well as more outdoor decorations—some of which change with the seasons—and new NPC events. The update will also add signs that can be used to display any item, a new collection type that can be started this winter, and the ability to re-spec professions.
In a subsequent post, Barone said the update will indeed come to consoles, but will arrive first on PC, Mac, and Linux.
19 Nintendo Switch Games Released This Week
The Nintendo Switch is seeing another packed release week, with 19 games and one demo hitting the system over the next seven days.
Among the confirmed releases are Max: The Curse of Brotherhood, Mom Hid My Game, Blossom Tales, and many more. Check out the full slate of releases below:
And a full list of releases:
- Frederic: Resurrection of Music — Available Dec. 21
- TINY METAL — Available Dec. 21
- Dark Witch Music Episode: Rudymical – Demo Version — Available Dec. 21
- 60 Seconds! — Available Dec. 21
- Tiny Troopers Joint Ops XL — Available Dec. 21
- Puzzle Box Maker — Available Dec. 21
Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition to Have Team Versus Mode
The upcoming Arcade Edition of Street Fighter V will feature a Team Versus Mode, and Capcom has outlined what players can expect from the mode when the updated version of its popular fighter launches next month.
As detailed in a post on Capcom Unity, Team Versus Mode will allow you to compete in local battles with teams of up to five members.
The mode will allow you to choose between Elimination and Best of Series matches. In the former, the winner remains in the fight until there's only one fighter remaining. In Best of Series, each team member is matched up against an opposing fighter, and the victor is the team who wins the most matches.
Splatoon 2’s New Weapon is The Squeezer
’Tis the season of giving and this weekend proves to be no different in the world of Splatoon 2. Earlier this morning Nintendo revealed the games latest new weapon: The Squeezer.
In what looks to be a bottle of champagne cloaked in some festive candy cane wrapping paper, The Squeezer aims to be the ideal weapon for inking-in the new year. The weapon will come with the Sting Ray as its special and the Splash Wall as its sub-weapon. Check out the images down below for a closer look.