Well here’s one I didn’t see coming: a new Onimusha game. It’s called Onimusha Way Of The Sword, and is the first new game in Capcom’s samurai action-horror series since… well, that upcoming VR entry doesn’t count, and nor does the Warlords remaster in 2018. So, 2012? Maybe 2006, if you rule out the Unity browser game? Cor.
Relationships will be broken.
Well here’s a surprise from The Game Awards! The team behind Overcooked, Ghost Town Games, has announced that it’s teaming up with No Man’s Sky‘s Hello Games on an all-new couch co-op experience, Stage Fright.
From what we’ve seen so far, this isn’t Overcooked (nor is it Overcooked 2), but it does look just as chaotic. Hello Games has noted that it aims to bring “a brand new two player experience” to the couch co-op realm, with a spooky setting that has a definite whiff of Luigi’s Mansion.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Fire up your Atomicycle and ride the devil down — Warframe: 1999 launches tomorrow, December 13! The next step in Warframe’s cinematic narrative continues as players leap back to 1999 and the city-state of Höllvania. Fight alongside The Hex, a crew of enhanced soldiers resembling some of your favorite Warframes, as they tackle new enemies like the Techrot and Scaldra. Make new friends and foes or even indulge in a little romance for the first time in Warframe’s history!
For some extra insights into the new update, we spoke to Senior Community Manager Danielle Sokolowski about what’s coming in Warframe 1999, the setting of Höllvania as well as new missions and PvPvE updates that players can look forward to.
The Hex is a big part of 1999. In what ways can players look forward to interacting with this crew of unique characters?
Sokolowski: They sure are! You’ll first interact with Arthur, Aoi, Lettie, Amir, Quincy and Eleanor in the new Cinematic Quest appropriately titled “The Hex,” where you’ll take part in their efforts to prevent disaster in the city of Höllvania on December 31, 1999. Nothing says “Happy New Year” like taking down a tank with six of your soon-to-be besties.
Members of The Hex are core to many of the new systems in the update, which means you’ll have lots of opportunities to spend time with them and attempt to woo them, if that’s your speed. Playing as the Drifter, the Operator’s more mature counterpart, you’ll get to know each Protoframe through a ’90s chat messenger system called the Pom-2. This is really where you’ll interact on a deeper level with them—whether that’s through a platonic friendship or steamy romance!
You’ll also be able to join The Hex in-mission by picking up Bounties. Each member of The Hex will have tasks for you, so you’ll get to spend time with your faves. Turning in Hex Treasures you find in Höllvania or completing Bounties will grant rewards like Blueprints for the new Warframe Cyte-09, Weapons, Cosmetics and more.
And you can’t forget the Gemini Oath Collection—which lets you play as (and customize) the Protoframes themselves, and hear more of their personalities with a full gamut of unique voice lines. There will rarely be a moment when you aren’t interacting with The Hex in Warframe: 1999!
What kind of excitement awaits in Höllvania, the battleground for Warframe: 1999?
Sokolowski: You can definitely expect a lot of Techrot and Scaldra activity on and below the streets of Höllvania! The Scaldra are equipped with corrosive weapons to fight off the pervasive Techrot: a mutated, infested menace. As you explore Höllvania and assist The Hex, you’ll have to fight your way through both of these new threats.
You’ll also find that the environment offers a lot of dynamic combat opportunities. Whether you take on enemies in the streets, high above the skyline, or deep underground amongst the festering Techrot, it’s definitely a parkour enthusiast’s dream. You won’t have to traverse the city just on foot, though! We’ve added a new vehicle called the Atomicycle, a souped-up (and stylish) motorcycle. Players got a chance to try it in the 1999 Demo and since then, thanks to their feedback, we’ve improved its overall handling and responsiveness, as well as added new features.
There are other interactive elements in Höllvania as well. As someone who spent too much time playing Snake on my old phone, the coda.worm.nomnom<v.42> mini-game has a special place in my heart. You’ll also want to keep your eye out for Hex Treasures to pick up, like an On-lyne CD and Mood Crystals. Returning these beloved items will have the team back at the Mall hideout singing your praises.
Höllvania transitions through multiple seasons. How do seasons affect gameplay in the update?
Sokolowski: Once you complete “The Hex” Quest, an in-game Calendar becomes accessible from the Pom-2 PC that will tell you which season is active. At launch, players will first experience Höllvania in the dead of winter, with spring to follow, then summer, fall and winter again. Combined with procedurally-generated tiles, players will step into and experience a very different Höllvania each season with unique lighting, vegetation and soundscapes.
As Höllvania changes with the seasons, so do the systems in 1999. The Calendar is where you can take stock of the challenges, rewards, upgrades from The Hex and more that you can interact with in a season. A week in the real world equals a season in 1999 and the types of challenges and rewards change with this weekly rotation.
What experience are you trying to bring to players with Warframe’s new PvPvE mode?
Sokolowski: Warframe is primarily a PVE game that lets you work with a squad to complete objectives against NPCs, so adding PVP elements—while keeping that collaborative spirit—is a combination we feel players will really enjoy.
We call this game mode “Faceoff” and I think that perfectly embodies friendly competition—everyone wins in the end, but what if you “won” just a little bit better than the opposing team and scored a pizza party? With eight players running around Höllvania, it’s definitely an ambitious game mode with lots of moving parts. Players are encouraged to bring their best equipment to these missions and coordinate with their teammates towards victory! If battling other players isn’t your speed, there is a solo mode that fills both teams with NPCs.
What other new mission types will be available in Warframe: 1999?
In addition to the new Faceoff mode, there are four other mission types in Höllvania guided by members of The Hex. Some will be familiar to players, but with extra-special 1999 flare.
Take down the Scaldra H-09 Efervon Tank with Arthur’s intelligence in a multi-phase Assassination fight. Or let Lettie guide you in HellScrub to clear the Techrot by keeping Hell-Scrubber devices charged and clear of Infested gunk. There’s also classic Exterminate, with Quincy directing you to clear out Höllvania to protect civilians, alongside optional supply caches—at the cost of sending Techrot enemies into a frenzy. Eleanor instructs you in Legacyte Harvest to follow Kalymos, Albrecht and Loid’s faithful feline companion, as she searches for Techrot Legacytes to destroy. But she must be protected in order to track properly.
There is also the 1999 Arcade classic Caliber Chicks 2! If you want a break from the chaos in Höllvania, you can kick back with Jillian and Lillian Killian in this run-and-gun platform game co-developed by Sumo Digital. This endless game mode has you gunning down punks and chasing their ruthless leader, Anna Ki, to rescue the President.
Can players expect the roster of Protoframes to grow in the future?
Sokolowski: 1999 isn’t even out yet and there’s already been so much love for our six Hex Protoframes! Reception since the first teasers has been overwhelmingly positive, and the amount of fan art and fan edits alone has been astounding… just constantly flowing.
There’s already clear interest from the community, so it would feel like we’d be missing out if we were to stop here. We can’t promise who’s up next, or if we’d consider all possible options, but we’re definitely also interested in seeing more Protoframes after 1999. The storytelling possibilities are endless with the Warframe roster; it’s just a matter of finding what best fits the team’s vision.
The launch of Warframe: 1999 tomorrow, December 13, isn’t the only reason to celebrate. We’re also giving away a set of custom, limited-edition Xbox controllers inspired by the update! Just like their Protoframe counterparts, these controllers have been changed into something new: one is clad in the armor of Hex leader Arthur Nightingale, while the other sports the sleek blue hues of his right hand, Aoi Morohoshi. You can enter to win one of these exclusive controllers right now!
The post Create the Party of a Lifetime in Warframe 1999, Coming December 13 appeared first on Xbox Wire.
The time has come, Helldivers. The War has changed.
These are dark times for freedom loving citizens everywhere. Our galaxy grows cold from the embrace of old enemies returning and darkens with the threat of new horrors emerging.
We must now stand together in Super Earth’s light and oppose these sinister tidings. These Omens of Tyranny.
Missing for almost a century, the Illuminate will challenge our recruits more than the other factions they have faced. They are advanced, highly-intelligent beings wielding powerful technology that appears to average citizens like a kind of dark magic.
At the end of the First Galactic War, the Helldivers worked together to eradicate the Illuminate. We believed we were successful, and for nearly 100 years, we have lived in relative peace, holding the Terminid and Automaton threats at bay. Thanks to our continued recruitment and training of new Helldivers, we have held these two fronts with complete, unmitigated success.
But now the Illuminate have emerged seemingly out of nowhere. Even though we don’t know the true origin of the invasion, we have no choice now but to suppress three factions in the Galactic War.
The Illuminate are spreading through mind control, abducting citizens of weaker dedication to democratic ideals and brainwashing them for a dark purpose which is still yet unknown to us. These mind-controlled citizens have been twisted and corrupted into a menace we call The Voteless–Super Earth’s own people turned against the principles of Democracy and fair elections, losing their ability to vote entirely.
The intentions behind the Illuminate invasion are still unclear. Right now, they remain as smaller bands of insurgents, staging attacks, building mysterious structures, and abducting citizens before disappearing again.
It’s up to us to stop them from getting their totalitarian tentacles any deeper into Super Earth’s domain.
Omens of Tyranny is bringing the fight into the streets, with new mission areas inside Super Earth’s many colonies.
Our colonies are being ravaged by these invaders, turning our once bright and sunny streets filled with smiling citizens into dark ruins, overrun by Voteless and Illuminate. Arm yourselves with your trusted tools of destruction and rid our colonies of this scum.
But it won’t be easy. Gone are the wide-open spaces that Helldivers are accustomed to fighting in. Cities mean closer quarters, dark alleys, and forked paths where one wrong turn means meeting a horde of Voteless to liberate. You’ll need your best and brightest squad to navigate them carefully.
With all these new developments, there won’t be time to take driver’s ed. courses, Helldiver. A Fast Recon Vehicle “FRV” will now appear in the colonies, ready to plow through the Illuminate at high speed.
Keep following the Major Orders issued by Super Earth High Command and you will get the keys to your very own FRV–a brand new, top-of-the-line manual transmission reconnaissance and combat vehicle. The whole squad can ride together, and your passengers can even lean out of the windows to lay down some suppressive fire as you shift gears and speed to your next destination. Just one question left: Who’s driving?
There’s more to discover yet, and we can’t wait to get you back into the fight.
The newest major update for Helldivers 2, Omens of Tyranny, featuring the return of the Illuminate faction, is now live! High Command has ordered all Helldivers to report to their Super Destroyers – it’s time to give these squids hell.
Eliminate bugs, bots and squids with the Super Earth Ministry of Defense’s sleek new DualSense Wireless Controller – Helldivers 2 Limited Edition, sporting the iconic yellow and black armor paint scheme.
The DualSense wireless controller – Helldivers 2 Limited Edition will be available in limited quantities for $84.99 / €84.99 / £74.99. Pre-orders start on December 20, 2024 at participating retailers, with launch on February 6, 2025. The exact launch date and availability for the controller may vary by country/region.
direct.playstation.com Purchase Information
Starting Friday, December 20 at 10am ET in the U.S. and 10am local time in the U.K., France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Austria, and Portugal, players will be able to pre-order the DualSense wireless controller – Helldivers 2 Limited Edition exclusively through direct.playstation.com.
Suit up, Helldivers! The Helldivers 2 (Original Game Soundtrack) vinyl is being prepared for deployment.
It features:
· Translucent bright yellow disc
· Incredible music by Wilbert Roget, II
· Single-pocket jacket with credit insert
Yakuza / Like a Dragon developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has revealed Project Century at The Game Awards 2024, a new action game set in 1915 with some absolutely fantastic vibes.
Despite a pretty lengthy trailer, we don’t actually know much about what Project Century is. It looks kind of like a classic Yakuza action game, with a tough guy protagonist walking around what we probably can safely assume is Japan, beating people up. But this is much gorier than we’re used to seeing, the protagonist seems to be a mystery man we haven’t met before, and the Japan we’re exploring seems to have some sort of alt-history stuff going on? Neat!
Fans will likely be surprised at the announcement given RGG Studio only revealed its last game in September and is yet to release it, as Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii isn’t due out until February 21. But this isn’t the highly anticipated and most obvious choice of Yakuza / Like a Dragon 9, however, which still goes unmentioned at RGG Studio. The developer only released the last mainline entry in January with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, of course, but given its intense release schedule, another mainline game already wouldn’t be out of the question.
The developer is known for juggling multiple games at once, as in the last five years, for example, RGG Studio has released Yakuza 4 Remastered, Yakuza 5 Remastered, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Judgment Remastered, Lost Judgment, Like a Dragon: Ishin, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, alongside three Super Monkey Ball Games and an enhanced remaster of Virtua Fighter 5. That’s 12 games in total.
In our 9/10 review of the last RGG Studio release, IGN said: “Sprawling, enthralling, and packed with dynamic brawling, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth isn’t just the best turn-based Like a Dragon game, it’s one of the greatest games in the entire series.”
Developing…
It’s the Game Awards this evening, which means another year of Josef Fares appearing on stage to performatively say “fuck” like he thinks it’s naughty. Thankfully this year he also had a game to show: Split Fiction, a new co-op action adventure. It’s about two aspiring authors, one who writes science fiction and one who writes fantasy, being sucked into and having to survive inside their own fictions.
CD Projekt has explained why it went with Ciri as protagonist for The Witcher 4 instead of continuing with Geralt as the main character.
The Witcher 4, just revealed at The Game Awards 2024 with a debut trailer, is the first in a new trilogy of Witcher games set after the events of The Witcher 3.
Speaking exclusively to IGN ahead of the reveal, executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga said Ciri was “the very organic, logical choice.”
“It was always about her, starting from Saga when you read it in the books. She’s an amazing, layered character. And of course, as a protagonist we said goodbye to Geralt previously. So this is a continuation. I guess for all of us it’s like she was meant to be. That was always her.”
Game director Sebastian Kalemba added that because Ciri is younger than Geralt, players will have more freedom to define her character in a way they couldn’t with Geralt. This also affords the developers more space to explore her character.
“She’s actually about to become the Witcher,” Kalemba explained. “She’s about to actually form her own codex, but on her own terms. The way she actually deals with the monsters, the way she deals with quests, the adventures, it’s her own unique way. And also I think that she gives more room to be able to tell different stories here and there. Of course, we want to give the opportunity for the player to explore more nuance because this is what we do. But she deserves that.”
Both Mitręga and Kalemba acknowledged a potential backlash from some corners of the internet at Ciri’s role as protagonist in The Witcher 4, but both insisted Ciri was always going to be the game’s main character.
“There was an intention behind this choice,” Kalemba said. “It was far from roulette. It wasn’t random. I remember we had discussions nine years ago, we were talking about who’s next? The very, very instant answer was Ciri. There are many reasons behind that. We’ve already mentioned a few. But she really deserves a stage and we want players to really experience her story because she has so much to tell, so much to prove. The amount of challenges that are in front of her give us so much amazing energy and fuel to create an epic saga that we had no choice but to go with it. We all felt that this is the way. I believe this is the super right choice.”
We’ve got plenty more exclusive content on The Witcher 4, including a trailer breakdown and an interview with CD Projekt where the developer explains why The Witcher 4 will avoid a Cyberpunk 2077-style launch disaster.
And be sure to check out IGN’s round-up of everything announced at The Game Awards 2024 for more on what’s coming to the world of gaming in the years to come.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Pac-Man is doing a Prince Of Persia: Warrior Within, everybody. That’s to say, the Bandai Namco series is doing one of those dark, edgy iterations. It’s called Shadow Labyrinth, it’s out in 2025, and it’s a 2D hack-and-slash with gruesome monster designs. But none so gruesome as Pac-Man, who can transform into a huge champing black hole. Wakkawakkawakkawould you play this?
Gong show.
It’s time for The Game Awards, the annual bash that sees a load of industry people head to LA to showcase their upcoming games and accept awards in the company of their peers (and sometimes some random who managed to get on stage).
Geoff Keighley’s main show officially kicks off at 5pm PST / 8pm EST / 1am GMT (Fri) / 2am CET (Fri) / 10am JST (Fri), but a pre-show section takes place half an hour before that.
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Open world fuhgeddaboudit simulator Mafia: The Old Country will release in summer 2025, according to a Youtube trailer that has leaked on social media ahead of tonight’s Game Awards. The trailer also treats us to a few snippets of the game’s story scenes, shoot-outs and punch-ups. We get to see wise guys swinging knives, riding horses and glowering silently at sun-baked Sicilian countryside.
