Legendary creator turns 72 this year.
Nintendo recently held its latest Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, during which questions were raised about the company, its practices, and of course, future hardware.
Rather unexpectedly, however, one question raised concerns regarding Shigeru Miyamoto’s age and role at Nintendo, with the attendee noting their wish that creators “take care of their bodies”.
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Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree has been out for less than a week, and we already have absolute sickos beating the new content’s bosses at level 1. Just because they can!
A content creator known as LastDarkHope has been quietly plugging away on their YouTube channel for the last few months, defeating Elden Ring boss after Elden Ring boss with absolutely no rune levels gained, and no equipment leveled up. That’s impressive enough on its own, but when the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC dropped last week, this incredible player simply started beating those bosses too. Again, this is without using runes to level up at all, and without using any smithing stones to upgrade equipment.
Critically, LastDarkHope does seem to be using Scadutree Fragments. These fragments only impact the DLC content, but they do give damage negation and damage output increases that are far from negligible. As we’ve mentioned elsewhere on site, the Elden Ring community has been really struggling with the difficulty of some of Shadow of the Erdtree’s bosses. Scadutree Fragments are the DLC’s way of countering its heinous difficulty, and you’re very much encouraged to seek them out if you’re having trouble. But it seems that even these buffs weren’t enough for many, pushing FromSoftware to drop a patch today that increases the benefits from earlier Scadutree Fragments before leveling out their buffs later on.
That said, what LastDarkHope is doing is still a wildly impressive feat. Most people who are struggling with these bosses and stocking up on Scadutree Fragments are doing so at levels well beyond 100, while LastDarkHope is still stuck at 1. No 60 Vigor, no wildly high Intellect or Strength, and no ability to wield certain weapons with specific stat criteria. What’s more, they don’t even seem to be going that hard on Scadutree Fragments despite collecting a few. Checking out their most recent stream, it looks like LastDarkHope was barreling around Castle Ensis with just three Scadutree levels. That’s certainly lower than I’d personally be comfortable with, and I’m running around with a level 168 mage trying to sneak attack dudes with Comet Azur.
At the time this piece was written, LastDarkHope had just published a video defeating Chief Bloodfiend and seems to have tackled at least some of Jagged Peak – though no video of the very curse-able Bayle just yet. What’s extra interesting is that LastDarkHope doesn’t seem to have finished all of the regular Elden Ring bosses yet – ultra-hard Malenia, for instance, isn’t listed, nor are the final bosses of the base game. We’ll be keeping an eye on their run to see how it progresses…as well as on the certain parade of ridiculously hard runs that other content creators start to drum up in the coming weeks and months. We reached out to LastDarkHope for comment for this story but haven’t yet heard back.
If this somehow isn’t impressive enough for you, as we were on the cusp of submitting this story, another wild kill emerged from a different content creator and threw us for a loop. GinoMachino posted their own video of a Level 1, no weapon enhancement, no Scadutree Fragment, no hit kill on legacy dungeon boss Rellana. GinoMachino has been on a roll performing all sorts of challenging Elden Ring feats, but this is one of their first cracks at the new DLC, with more almost certainly to come. Absolutely incredible.
This boss is just beautiful. Already one of my favourite Fromsoft bosses.
Here is an RL1, +0 weapon, Blessing level 0, No status, No Hit kill on her 🙂 pic.twitter.com/Tc2v9WDJcE
— GinoMachino (@GinoMachino) June 26, 2024
We love talking to people beating Elden Ring bosses in cool ways. In the past we’ve interviewed community hero LetMeSoloHer, as well as MissMikkaa, who inexplicably beat Malenia using a dance pad. But if you just want to finish the DLC for yourself before reading about what others are doing, we highly recommend loading up on Scadutree Fragments even if you’re level 500. Here’s a guide to get you started.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
It includes a “crew of Pikmin to display”.
During Smile Fest 2024 last weekend, Good Smile unveiled its brand new Nendoroid based on the Pikmin enemy Bulborb.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
It will focus on three select games.
In some industry-related news, Capcom has today announced it will be hosting a ‘Capcom Next – Summer 2024’ showcase on 1st July 2024.
This broadcast will run for 25 minutes and will focus on three titles – the newly announced Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, Kunitsu Gami: Path of Goddess and Resident Evil 7 for Apple platforms. Capcom has also clarified there won’t be any updates on Monster Hunter Wilds or coverage of “other titles”.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is set to release exclusively for Nintendo Switch on September 26. In the best kind of surprise, Nintendo announced this brand-new mainline Zelda game during the June 2024 Nintendo Direct. Better yet, it’s coming soon. And it stars Princess Zelda. And it features a unique and clever gameplay hook. Preorders are currently rolling out at the usual retailers. Read on for the details.
There are no special editions of the game, so the standard one is the one to get. And if you’re waiting on it to go up for preorder at Amazon, you may be waiting a while. Recent Switch games have only become available at launch – not for preorder.
Echoes of Wisdom is the first mainline Zelda game to star Princess Zelda, which is pretty cool. Fans have been asking for that literally for decades, so it’s nice to see Nintendo finally listen. It also uses the same almost claymation-looking art style as the remake of Link’s Awakening. It looks great.
As the game kicks off, purple rifts start opening in Hyrule and swallowing people up. Link gets sucked in, but Zelda escapes. So it’s up to her to save the kingdom (because apparently her military can’t do it for her while she runs the realm? I don’t really understand how the details hash out).
The standout gameplay feature is the use of echoes. Zelda has something called a Tri wand, which lets her summon items and enemies she’s encountered previously. She can use these summoned echoes to fend off other enemies and to solve puzzles and to access previously out-of-reach areas. It looks like it will require players to be creative, which was also a big part of Tears of the Kingdom. It’s cool to see that kind of creative puzzle solving come to a 2D-style Zelda game.
In addition to the new Zelda game, Nintendo is releasing a stylish new edition of the portable-only Nintendo Switch Lite console. It’s not available to preorder yet in the US, though it is in the UK (and it ships to the US). The casing is gold, with black buttons and sticks. It has a tiny Triforce symbol under the right stick. The back of the device sports a big version of the winged Triforce Zelda symbol thingy. It looks great.
It also comes with a free 12-month individual subscription to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. That lets you play a whole bunch of classic games from Game Boy, NES, Sega Genesis, SNES, Nintendo 64, and Game Boy Advance. You also get free access to massive expansions to games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Animal Crossing, and Splatoon 2.
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN’s board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Threads.
The price has some fans confused.
Last year, when Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was released, there were concerns raised about the game’s $70 USD price tag. It followed with Nintendo mentioning how pricing of its new releases would be based on a “case-by-case basis”. Now, the latest game that seems to be generating some discussion about its pricing is Donkey Kong Country Returns HD.
The price of this upcoming Switch release has been revealed on Nintendo’s official game page, and it’s been confirmed it will cost $60 (or the regional equivalent). It’s led to some fans questioning Nintendo’s pricing model after last year’s release Metroid Prime Remastered only cost $40. This news also follows the arrival of Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, which is priced at $60.
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SteamWorld Heist 2 is no longer confirmed for a Game Pass launch despite previous messaging from developer Thunderful.
When the studio originally revealed its steampunk strategy follow-up in April of this year, it promised fans that they would see it launch on August 8, 2024, for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, and Game Pass. However, as spotted by XboxEra, social media posts mentioning a Game Pass release have since been deleted, and trailers that included the Xbox service’s branding have seemingly been modified and reuploaded without the logo. Its inclusion can still be seen in re-uploads from third-party accounts like YouTube channel GN Game Trailers.
A representative with Fortyseven PR confirmed with XboxEra that SteamWorld Heist 2 is no longer coming to Game Pass, adding that the Xbox service’s logo was mistakenly added. Thunderful and Fortyseven did not reveal how the Game Pass logo managed to worm its way into an official trailer, but in a statement sent to Kotaku’s Ethan Gach, a spokesperson further clarified that distribution plans for SteamWorld Heist 2 are still being ironed out.
“We inadvertently included a Game Pass logo in our reveal trailer,” the statement says. “We have not finalized our distribution plans for SteamWorld Heist 2 at this time. We’ll share news about our distribution plans closer to launch.”
SteamWorld Heist 2 is still planned to launch for all other previously announced console and PC platforms. The sequel follows Captain Leeway and their struggle against a new menace that threatens the Great Sea. Spicing up the turn-based combat this time around is real-time naval combat, more crew customization, more story, and more steampunk weapons.
Although it’s looking like SteamWorld Heist 2 won’t sneak its way into Game Pass when it launches this August, the service does currently offer other SteamWorld games to enjoy. Included in the PC and console tiers today are SteamWorld Dig 2 and SteamWorld Build. Console players also have access to the original SteamWorld Dig. We interviewed the team at Thunderful about SteamWorld Heist 2 when it was revealed earlier this year. During our chat, we learned more about how the team keeps the SteamWorld franchise chugging with each new release as well as how the sequel gives tactical players more to explore.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.
Winning Formula?
Announced as part of the Frontier Unlocked livestream, F1 Manager 2024 will launch on Switch on 23rd July, marking the first time the motorsport management sim series has made the starting grid on Nintendo’s system.
Rather than driving the cars, the F1 Manager series puts you in the shoes of a team manager responsible for every other aspect of the race outside the actual piloting. You can choose from one of the 10 real-life teams or, alternatively, create your own constructor in a new feature for the 2024 edition which lets you craft all sorts of details, including (most importantly) the colours of the cars. Stripes make it go faster, you know.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Another great month for indie games! This is the sixth set of Indie Selects and we’re happy to report that we had no problem finding some real gems again this month. Starting with the return of a classic Xbox Live Arcade title, the Indie Selects for June also includes a hysterical clown asymmetric horror title, a breakout hit starring your favorite action figures, a truly mesmerizing story that’s as funny as it is disturbing, and more. Here’s the list (in no particular order).
The original Braid came out 16 whole years ago and was a landmark release that helped define the Xbox Live Arcade era, demonstrating that indie games, artistic games, and digital only releases can succeed on consoles. Repainted “pixel by pixel,” the new Anniversary Edition puts you in control of the flow of time once again, and features a new world of puzzles and an incredible amount of developer commentary.
Thekla, Inc.
MANIPULATE TIME TO MOVE FORWARD
Rewind, pause and use the strange properties of time in each world to run and jump through beautifully painted environments. Avoid hazards, unlock doors and collect jigsaw puzzle pieces to assemble. If you get hung up on a particular puzzle, feel free to move on and return later.
A FRESH COAT OF PAINT
This is the game you remember, with all the original challenges and the same haunting, evocative score — but repainted pixel by pixel so that each carefully rendered world comes to life in high resolution. New visual details, animated brushstroke effects and revamped sounds add to the immersive experience.
GO (DEEP) BEHIND THE SCENES
Explore the most extensive developer commentary ever put into a game, with over 12 hours of recorded insight and conversation from developer Jonathan Blow, artist David Hellman and more members of the “Braid” creative team. Navigate it by visiting a new in-game world, which also contains new puzzles and redesigns of classic puzzles. – Created by Thekla, Inc.
Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is a delightfully quaky mystery detective game that puts you into the webbed feet of a down-on-his-luck duck with amazing powers of “deducktion.” But it’s not all duck puns. As the story unfolds, the narrative takes on a more complex and, at times, serious tone that will keep you hooked until the very end. Great animation and writing really bring the experience together.
Happy Broccoli Games
Aggretsuko meets Return of the Obra Dinn in Duck Detective, a cozy mystery game about a down-on-his-luck duck searching for answers in a sinister sausage-based conspiracy.
THIS MIGHT RUFFLE SOME FEATHERS.
Join the Duck Detective on his latest, greatest case:
Inspect and interview suspects to learn their hidden secrets, then use the information you’ve gathered (plus your own de-duck-tive reasoning) to locate the suspect and bust the case wide open!
Major Evil is coming for your hypercore! If you lose it, humans will forget about you and you’ll be relegated to the eternal dustbin of forgotten toys! You see, you’re an action figure. And so are your friends. In Hypercharge Unboxed you defend your hypercore against wave after wave of enemies in various rooms throughout the house. Between waves you can build up defenses such as glue traps, walls, and turrets. It hits a perfect mix of childhood nostalgia and frenzied action that is challenging but forgiving. Created by a tiny, indie studio the game has taken Xbox by storm.
Digital Cybercherries Limited
There was once an ancient line of action figures, who created a magical power source that would allow humans to keep their favourite childhood memories of their toys. This ancient power source is known as the Hypercore.
Inside the Hypercore are the beloved memories of our favorite toys. If Major Evil destroys it, these memories will disappear forever. Defend it with everything you’ve got, or see our cherished toys turn into lost treasures of the past!
Hypercharge is a first and third-person shooter action figure game you’ve always dreamed of! Grab your friends, complete objectives, defend the Hypercore against waves of weaponized toys, and defeat Major Evil together in the story campaign!
PLAY CO-OP WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Work together as a team to defend the Hypercore. Grab a friend, break out of your toy packaging, and get ready to fight waves of classic toys. Prepare for each wave by searching for weapons, resources, and even hidden secrets.
OFFLINE PLAY FOR SOLO PLAYERS
Not everybody likes to play online. Hypercharge supports Offline, Split-Screen and Local play. You can progress and unlock everything in-game while playing solo.
PLAYER BOTS
Don’t have a team to play with? Don’t worry, we’ve got you solo players covered. Player bots listen to your commands, collect resources, and even help to build defences.
UNLOCK ACTION FIGURES
In Hypercharge, hundreds of unlocks are available, all of which can be earned directly in-game without any microtransactions.
PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER MODES
Go head-to-head against other action figures as you fight to become top of the scoreboard! Classic PvP modes include Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Battery, Infection, and King of the Hill.
Indika is a narrative adventure set in an alternative Russia in the 19th Century. You play as a young nun who sets off on a journey of self-discovery in a story that explores themes of faith, human morality and religious extremism. Sounds pretty somber, right? It’s not, though. It’s darkly humorous, and features a diverse combination of “walking sim” like exploration in both first and third person, mixed with light puzzle solving, some action sequences, and a thematic or maybe symbolic RPG-like point system that doesn’t affect the gameplay. And then there are flashbacks that are told through retro, arcade-style minigames. It’s an absolutely fascinating game that pushes the boundaries of what we expect in gaming in a number of different ways.
11 bit studios
INDIKA is a third-person, story-driven game set in a strange world where religious visions clash with harsh reality. It tells the story of a young nun who sets off on a journey of self-discovery with the most unusual, horn-headed companion by her side.
On the outside, Indika seems to be a typical nun attempting to adjust to a difficult and monotonous monastery life. Humble and innocent in her appearance, do not be deceived as this young girl has also made a highly unlikely acquaintance—as she speaks with the devil himself.
Indika’s unusual connection with the Evil One leads her on an errand beyond the safe walls of the monastery. The world she discovers can only be described as a wild combination of comedy and tragedy straight out of the novels by Dostoyevski and Bulhakov.
ENJOY AN INDIE GAME WHERE EVERYTHING GOES
The subjects of religion and authority are prevalent throughout Indika’s journey and she’ll be faced with many questions along the way. Guide her to find the answers one by one before she can finish her life-defining odyssey.
Odd Meter is a small, independent studio formerly based in Moscow and now operating out of Kazakhstan. Its members put aesthetics at the forefront and aren’t afraid to tread the fine line of ethical norms. Their game is a great testament to that, as INDIKA constitutes an open challenge to the industry’s established approach to creating video games.
If you haven’t seen the 1980s cult classic horror (sort of) film Killer Klowns from Outer Space, you should probably just stop what you’re doing right now and go watch it. Yes, it’s cheesy and silly and not-very-scary, but it’s also hysterical and delightful. Seriously, it’s great. And it’s the basis for this new asymmetric horror game. There has been no shortage of those recently, ranging from Friday the 13th, to Evil Dead, to Texas Chainsaw Massacre, to the long list of famous killers that have been featured in Dead by Daylight. KKFOS takes that tried-and-true formula and makes it, well, Klowny. The Klowns themselves are absolutely hilarious and really fun to play, with their squeaking Klown feet, and balloon animal tracking dogs. But it’s also a blast to play as a human, with a large variety of props, tools and weapons to discover as you try to stay a popcorn blast ahead of the Klowns. Beyond just the humor, though, KKFOS has almost perfectly balanced the various roles players can embody, and it’s a visual treat that any fan of the movie (or just of asymmetrical gameplay) is going to love.
IllFonic Publishing
Crescent Cove is a sprawling arena for these unique multiplier fights between Klowns and humans – boasting various locations, and various tactical opportunities for both teams. Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Game provides a unique approach to hide-and-seek gameplay, customization, PvPvE, and dynamic objectives leading to multiple match results. This game evolves the online horror formula in new ways.
Take on the role of the iconic Killer Klowns – cooperate in a team of three players, utilize unworldly abilities, hunt humans with zany weapons, and plan your alien invasion to harvest the population of Crescent Cove successfully.
Fight back as a team of seven brave citizens of Crescent Cove – explore the city for valuable loot and weapons, avoid getting captured by Klowns, and try to survive the alien invasion.
Paper Trail is not the first “folding-based” puzzle game (check out A Fold Apart as another excellent example) but it’s really well done. The principle game mechanic seems simple enough: each screen is laid out like a piece of paper and you need to fold it from the side or diagonally to solve each puzzle. That can involve simply getting the character from one side of the screen to the other over, say, a broken bridge, or finding a key, or moving a boulder out of the way. As you might expect, the puzzles get more sophisticated and complex as you progress, with many involving multiple layers that must be completed in the correct order. Fortunately there’s a robust hint system to get you through any puzzles that might prove too difficult. The soundtrack is fantastic, and the saturated visuals are stunning, all adding up to make this a stand-out puzzle experience.
Newfangled Games
The post Indie Selects for June: Amazing Indie Games We Are Really Excited About appeared first on Xbox Wire.
