In an interview with IGN Japan at Tokyo Game Show 2020, Shin Megami Tensei series director Kazuyuki Yamai outlined Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster's new Merciful Mode, which will be available as DLC after the cult RPG is re-released. Earlier this year, Atlus revealed that a remaster of Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne is coming to the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in 2021. Nocturne was the first main entry in the Megami Tensei series to get a Western release back in 2004 on the PlayStation 2, and helped kickstart a series that has increased in popularity ever since. "I think Atlus as a whole is perceived as its own genre – our fans seem to be Atlus fans as a whole," Yamai said, noting that thanks to the popularity of the Persona series outside Japan, "our fan base has grown a lot more". More fans means more expectations, which the developers are all too aware of. "We felt that we needed a mode that lots of different people can play," Yamai said. He admitted that the game, which was well-received in each territory, had a reputation for being difficult. "When we were developing the original, it was a different era, and with the turn-based battle game system at the time, there had to be a certain extent of difficulty which created tension," he said. Sixteen years later, there are more player motivations to consider. "There are those who enjoy the high difficulty battles, and those who want to finish those parts as quickly as possible and follow the story; there are also multiple endings to the story, so there are people who want to check the different endings," Yamai said. "We wanted to make the difficulty easier so people can play it by being able to clear the story small amounts at a time." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/shin-megami-tensei-3-nocturne-hd-remaster-official-trailer"] Yamai recognizes that tinkering with an old game, particularly one that already has an established following and fans, is not easy. "I feel like many games have an intrinsic feature that makes them unique and attractive which shouldn’t be changed," he said. However, he also knows he cannot treat video games as immovable objects in history and ignore the needs of modern players, adding, "the world is also constantly evolving". Yamai explained that Atlus actively seeks feedback from players, which informed their work on this new version of the fan favorite. "Every year, Atlus holds a survey among our players, and of course we read through all of their responses," he said. All that interest in a remaster meant the team knew they had a challenging balancing act ahead of them. "We wanted the concept to respect the original work and not change so much of the gameplay, but at the same time, ensure that it doesn’t seem out of place, and keep evolving those parts," he said. The optional Merciful Mode isn't the only change coming to Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne; some dialogue has been rewritten, and nearly every character and spirit will now be voiced. Yamai said the remaster project has been in the works for "about two years" and that development has been completed. "It went even bigger than what we had in our minds as we received so many messages about the game," he said. "For these reasons, we might not be able to answer everyone’s wishes, so I’m sorry about that." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/top-5-upcoming-game-remakes-remasters-power-ranking"] Ultimately, despite its nature as a remaster of a title originally released in Japan in 2003, Yamai hopes it will appeal to more than just Atlus fans or retro game enthusiasts. "It really doesn’t feel like an ‘old’ game," he said, "It’s something that never gets old, and because of how difficult our current situation with the world is, the story might feel even more relatable." Yamai closed the interview on a speculative note: "I think it would be very interesting for people to play it as a brand new game, so I hope that you look forward to it." [poilib element="accentDivider"]

In an interview with IGN Japan at Tokyo Game Show 2020, Shin Megami Tensei series director Kazuyuki Yamai outlined Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster's new Merciful Mode, which will be available as DLC after the cult RPG is re-released. Earlier this year, Atlus revealed that a remaster of Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne is coming to the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in 2021. Nocturne was the first main entry in the Megami Tensei series to get a Western release back in 2004 on the PlayStation 2, and helped kickstart a series that has increased in popularity ever since. "I think Atlus as a whole is perceived as its own genre – our fans seem to be Atlus fans as a whole," Yamai said, noting that thanks to the popularity of the Persona series outside Japan, "our fan base has grown a lot more". More fans means more expectations, which the developers are all too aware of. "We felt that we needed a mode that lots of different people can play," Yamai said. He admitted that the game, which was well-received in each territory, had a reputation for being difficult. "When we were developing the original, it was a different era, and with the turn-based battle game system at the time, there had to be a certain extent of difficulty which created tension," he said. Sixteen years later, there are more player motivations to consider. "There are those who enjoy the high difficulty battles, and those who want to finish those parts as quickly as possible and follow the story; there are also multiple endings to the story, so there are people who want to check the different endings," Yamai said. "We wanted to make the difficulty easier so people can play it by being able to clear the story small amounts at a time." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/shin-megami-tensei-3-nocturne-hd-remaster-official-trailer"] Yamai recognizes that tinkering with an old game, particularly one that already has an established following and fans, is not easy. "I feel like many games have an intrinsic feature that makes them unique and attractive which shouldn’t be changed," he said. However, he also knows he cannot treat video games as immovable objects in history and ignore the needs of modern players, adding, "the world is also constantly evolving". Yamai explained that Atlus actively seeks feedback from players, which informed their work on this new version of the fan favorite. "Every year, Atlus holds a survey among our players, and of course we read through all of their responses," he said. All that interest in a remaster meant the team knew they had a challenging balancing act ahead of them. "We wanted the concept to respect the original work and not change so much of the gameplay, but at the same time, ensure that it doesn’t seem out of place, and keep evolving those parts," he said. The optional Merciful Mode isn't the only change coming to Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne; some dialogue has been rewritten, and nearly every character and spirit will now be voiced. Yamai said the remaster project has been in the works for "about two years" and that development has been completed. "It went even bigger than what we had in our minds as we received so many messages about the game," he said. "For these reasons, we might not be able to answer everyone’s wishes, so I’m sorry about that." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/top-5-upcoming-game-remakes-remasters-power-ranking"] Ultimately, despite its nature as a remaster of a title originally released in Japan in 2003, Yamai hopes it will appeal to more than just Atlus fans or retro game enthusiasts. "It really doesn’t feel like an ‘old’ game," he said, "It’s something that never gets old, and because of how difficult our current situation with the world is, the story might feel even more relatable." Yamai closed the interview on a speculative note: "I think it would be very interesting for people to play it as a brand new game, so I hope that you look forward to it." [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Darkel can swing the Boulder Breaker one-handed!

Darkel can swing the Boulder Breaker one-handed!

Bandai Namco has announced a new playable character for Scarlet Nexus, as well several new members of the Other Suppression Force (OSF), during a livestream broadcast as part of Tokyo Game Show 2020, A new story trailer focusing on previously announced protagonist Yuito Sumeragi was also revealed, showing flashbacks to his childhood when he was saved by the OSF, and his interactions with his present-day teammates in battle. New protagonist Kasane Randall was previously announced but only by name, but today it was revealed she will be playable in addition to Sumeragi. Randall, voiced in Japanese by Asami Seto, has psychokinetic powers just like Sumeragi and is a new recruit to the OSF, fresh from training school. She is a cool, rational and somewhat aloof character; an elite with exceptional fighting skills alongside her special powers, but with questions about her mysterious visions. Rather than controlling both protagonists in one play-through, players choose between Sumeragi and Randall to experience the same story from different viewpoints. More details will be released at a later date. Three new members of the Other Suppression Force were announced during the livestream. Tsugumi Nazar (voiced by Marika Kouno) has been in the OSF for 12 years and is a clairvoyant. She is shy but a determined fighter who keeps her composure in battle. Gemma Garrison (Ryota Takeuchi) is a 38-year veteran of the OSF whose special ability is to make his body impenetrable as a defensive measure. Since extra-sensory powers decline with age, Garrison is being treated with growth suppressants – so while he only looks a little older than the others, this combat expert is in fact nearing retirement. Finally, Luka Travers (Chinatsu Akasaki) is an androgenous male fighter who has been with the OSF for 22 years and is able to teleport. Travers ranks highly in the OSF as one of the Septentrions (the seven most talented members), and is a cool-minded soldier who is able to analyze a fight and make tactical decisions. Scarlet Nexus will be released on Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PS5, PS4 and Steam. No release date has been announced. Daniel Robson is Chief Editor at IGN Japan, and here he is on Twitter.

Bandai Namco has announced a new playable character for Scarlet Nexus, as well several new members of the Other Suppression Force (OSF), during a livestream broadcast as part of Tokyo Game Show 2020, A new story trailer focusing on previously announced protagonist Yuito Sumeragi was also revealed, showing flashbacks to his childhood when he was saved by the OSF, and his interactions with his present-day teammates in battle. New protagonist Kasane Randall was previously announced but only by name, but today it was revealed she will be playable in addition to Sumeragi. Randall, voiced in Japanese by Asami Seto, has psychokinetic powers just like Sumeragi and is a new recruit to the OSF, fresh from training school. She is a cool, rational and somewhat aloof character; an elite with exceptional fighting skills alongside her special powers, but with questions about her mysterious visions. Rather than controlling both protagonists in one play-through, players choose between Sumeragi and Randall to experience the same story from different viewpoints. More details will be released at a later date. Three new members of the Other Suppression Force were announced during the livestream. Tsugumi Nazar (voiced by Marika Kouno) has been in the OSF for 12 years and is a clairvoyant. She is shy but a determined fighter who keeps her composure in battle. Gemma Garrison (Ryota Takeuchi) is a 38-year veteran of the OSF whose special ability is to make his body impenetrable as a defensive measure. Since extra-sensory powers decline with age, Garrison is being treated with growth suppressants – so while he only looks a little older than the others, this combat expert is in fact nearing retirement. Finally, Luka Travers (Chinatsu Akasaki) is an androgenous male fighter who has been with the OSF for 22 years and is able to teleport. Travers ranks highly in the OSF as one of the Septentrions (the seven most talented members), and is a cool-minded soldier who is able to analyze a fight and make tactical decisions. Scarlet Nexus will be released on Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PS5, PS4 and Steam. No release date has been announced. Daniel Robson is Chief Editor at IGN Japan, and here he is on Twitter.

A mobile version of Dynasty Warriors designed for iOS and Android was announced during a special 20th anniversary livestream event at Tokyo Game Show 2020. Koei Tecmo also announced a Japan-only closed beta, with applications opening immediately after the presentation.

Titled Shin Sangoku Musou in Japan, producer Akihiro Suzuki described the game as "the definitive smartphone action game" and one allows players to "easily enjoy exhilarating Dynasty Warriors action and the grand story of the Three Kingdoms". In addition to the main story mode, Suzuki said mobile Dynasty Warriors will also include new game modes including "cooperative play with other users" and "asynchronous versus matches".

The game was played live during the presentation, showcasing the single-player story mode. After choosing a map location and locking in a team of three fighters, Suzuki demonstrated the game can be played in both landscape and portrait, switching instantly from one to the other by rotating the phone. Movement is controlled via a virtual touchpad, while attacks and special abilities are performed using the on-screen buttons. Players can swap between their three fighters at any time by tapping their on-screen portraits, plus they're joined by an AI partner for combination attacks, one of which included a cinematic where a woman grappled a soldier with a chain. The main menu also revealed two other modes, Free and Conquest

Suzuki also demonstrated the "gacha" function, seen in many other Japanese mobile games, where players spend virtual currency to unlock random new fighters as well as concept art of the characters.

Details on how to register for the closed beta were revealed via the game's official website and Twitter account. Applications will be accepted until Monday 5 October, with the beta running from 8-12 October. Although beta and full game is currently limited to players in Japan, a Koei Tecmo representative told IGN a Western release may be considered at a later date.

A mobile version of Dynasty Warriors designed for iOS and Android was announced during a special 20th anniversary livestream event at Tokyo Game Show 2020. Koei Tecmo also announced a Japan-only closed beta, with applications opening immediately after the presentation.

Titled Shin Sangoku Musou in Japan, producer Akihiro Suzuki described the game as "the definitive smartphone action game" and one allows players to "easily enjoy exhilarating Dynasty Warriors action and the grand story of the Three Kingdoms". In addition to the main story mode, Suzuki said mobile Dynasty Warriors will also include new game modes including "cooperative play with other users" and "asynchronous versus matches".

The game was played live during the presentation, showcasing the single-player story mode. After choosing a map location and locking in a team of three fighters, Suzuki demonstrated the game can be played in both landscape and portrait, switching instantly from one to the other by rotating the phone. Movement is controlled via a virtual touchpad, while attacks and special abilities are performed using the on-screen buttons. Players can swap between their three fighters at any time by tapping their on-screen portraits, plus they're joined by an AI partner for combination attacks, one of which included a cinematic where a woman grappled a soldier with a chain. The main menu also revealed two other modes, Free and Conquest

Suzuki also demonstrated the "gacha" function, seen in many other Japanese mobile games, where players spend virtual currency to unlock random new fighters as well as concept art of the characters.

Details on how to register for the closed beta were revealed via the game's official website and Twitter account. Applications will be accepted until Monday 5 October, with the beta running from 8-12 October. Although beta and full game is currently limited to players in Japan, a Koei Tecmo representative told IGN a Western release may be considered at a later date.

Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires has been announced for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. Unlike previous cross-generation Dynasty Warriors games, the PC port will be at the same level as the next-gen editions of the game. It will arrive in early 2021. The Empires sub-series takes Dynasty Warriors' '1 vs. 1,000' action game set-up, and places it within a strategy game structure, seeing players take on the role of a hero, and either aiding existing factions to conquer medieval China - or establish their own. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/27/dynasty-warriors-9-empires-official-trailer"] Dynasty Warriors 9 was the first open-world installment in the series and, while 9 Empires will stick with its traditional strategic structure, producer Akihiro Suzuki tells IGN that the freedom of approach offered in the mainline game will be replicated in this spin-off, saying, "we are incorporating a variety of strategies in the siege battles." The game will also support 2-player online co-op. The Nintendo Switch version – which will be the first Dynasty Warriors game specifically built for Switch – will exclusively support local wireless co-op play. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dynasty-warriors-9-empires-screenshots&captions=true"] 9 Empires will also include an "enriched" edit function to let you create your own officer. Suzuki explains that, "The facial editing will allow for more customisation compared to previous Empires games," and compares it to Nioh 2's character creation features. No features will be unique to the next-gen editions of the game, but players should expect, "improvements on the next-gen versions in the visual quality, framerate stability and crowded chaotic gameplay." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires has been announced for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. Unlike previous cross-generation Dynasty Warriors games, the PC port will be at the same level as the next-gen editions of the game. It will arrive in early 2021. The Empires sub-series takes Dynasty Warriors' '1 vs. 1,000' action game set-up, and places it within a strategy game structure, seeing players take on the role of a hero, and either aiding existing factions to conquer medieval China - or establish their own. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/27/dynasty-warriors-9-empires-official-trailer"] Dynasty Warriors 9 was the first open-world installment in the series and, while 9 Empires will stick with its traditional strategic structure, producer Akihiro Suzuki tells IGN that the freedom of approach offered in the mainline game will be replicated in this spin-off, saying, "we are incorporating a variety of strategies in the siege battles." The game will also support 2-player online co-op. The Nintendo Switch version – which will be the first Dynasty Warriors game specifically built for Switch – will exclusively support local wireless co-op play. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dynasty-warriors-9-empires-screenshots&captions=true"] 9 Empires will also include an "enriched" edit function to let you create your own officer. Suzuki explains that, "The facial editing will allow for more customisation compared to previous Empires games," and compares it to Nioh 2's character creation features. No features will be unique to the next-gen editions of the game, but players should expect, "improvements on the next-gen versions in the visual quality, framerate stability and crowded chaotic gameplay." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.