Samantha Lienhard's Blog, page 118

E3 2018 (More) Pipe Dreams and Predictions

It’s that time of year again.

E3 2018 press conferences begin at the end of the week, so it’s time for some new hopes and predictions!

E3 2018 Pipe Dreams

One of my hopes from 2015 finally came true (Bayonetta 3), and I doubt they’d announce a TWEWY sequel until the Switch version is out, so that leaves us with:

Ace Attorney Investigations 2 localization
Tales of Symphonia prequel

From 2016, I still have:

The Great Ace Attorney localization
Xenosaga HD
Knights of the Old Republic 3 (already mentioned)
A true Paper Mario (I promise I’ll try Color Splash)

We also have the one pipe dream I added last year:

World of Final Fantasy 2

(At least some of my predictions from last year came true.)

This year, I’m going to add Mother 3 localization (because there’s only so often I can predict it before deciding it’s a pipe dream) and a Persona 3 remake combining the best of FES and Persona 3 Portable.

And that brings us to…

E3 2018 Predictions

You know what? I’m going to move Xenosaga HD into the “predictions” category. There have been plenty of rumors, plus the cameos in Xenoblade Chronicles 2. This year, it’s happening.

Now, I don’t include confirmed E3 titles in my predictions, but since CD Projekt RED was just confirmed to be showing something, I’ll toss in the prediction that we’ll get to see Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay.

I also think Square Enix will give us new details on the Final Fantasy VII Remake as well as a Kingdom Hearts 3 release date (all but confirmed).

Maybe we’ll also get to see the three mysterious JRPGs, Square Enix’s Project Prelude Rune, Monolith Soft’s medieval fantasy RPG, and Atlus’s Project Re Fantasy.

After reading this, I think we’ll see a Tales of Vesperia remaster and maybe an announcement of the next Tales game.

FromSoftware’s “Shadows Die Twice” game will finally be revealed.

BioWare will give us a tiny tease of the next Dragon Age game.

Finally, I think Nintendo will at least give us a hint about a new Legend of Zelda game.

E3 Awaits!

We’ll find out soon enough. I probably won’t blog on Friday, since Saturday will kick off my usual coverage of the E3 press conferences. What are you hoping to see at E3? What are you expecting? Let me know in the comments.

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A Third Hatoful Boyfriend Game is Coming

Back in February, at Yukicon, there was an important announcement I missed entirely.

There’s going to be a Hatoful Boyfriend 3!

Yes, Hatoful Boyfriend and Holiday Star are getting another sequel. Moa wrote a blog post in April explaining what the new game will be like.

Hatoful Boyfriend: MIRROR takes place in the alternate universe featured in some of the Holiday Star side stories, a mirror universe where certain important characters are still alive.

Click for Hatoful Boyfriend and Holiday Star spoilersThis includes at least Nageki and Kazuaki-kun.

【ブログ更新】現在制作中の「はーとふる彼氏MIRROR」に関する概要をまとめました。初代やホリスタ同様にWin/Mac対応の単体完結VNです。主にWEBシリーズをUnity移植して完走する感じの内容なので、鏡世界（ほぼ全員生存if）が舞台です。 -7周年のご挨拶と鏡の話 | Hato Blog https://t.co/gqXV6ITO8B pic.twitter.com/lbNOlGJCuL

— Moa (@moa810) April 6, 2018

It will be divided into episodes like Holiday Star was. (My guess is that we won’t be dating birds like in the original Hatoful Boyfriend, but follow a set story in in BBL and Holiday Star.) It will be a paid game, although she might make some sort of short free version, and it is planned for PC and Mac.

The Hatoful Boyfriend web series has been cancelled, but its story will be told in MIRROR.

Finally, the Japanese version is planned for this summer/fall, and she’ll begin work on the English version afterwards.

I’m really excited for this. I loved both Hatoful Boyfriend and Holiday Star, and I’m looking forward to what MIRROR will bring. I believe there’s also a manga set in the alternate universe. Maybe it’s about time I read it, as we await the third game.

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Platinum’s Mobile Game World of Demons Looks Promising

This morning, I saw PlatinumGames had tweeted about a gameplay trailer for World of Demons and its “wild world of yokai.”

Two things caught my attention right away. First, it’s PlatinumGames! Second, yokai! What is this game, and why didn’t I know about it?

World of Demons is a mobile game announced in April. PlatinumGames is working together with DeNA to develop an action game with RPG elements about samurai warriors fighting yokai.

According to IGN, World of Demons features both traditional yokai as well as a few new creations. They’re trying to make the world feel authentic.

It’s a free-to-play mobile game, which might be why I missed the announcement in the first place. However, it might be all right. There is some sort of gacha system related to the yokai minions you can summon to help you in battle, but you’ll be able to play it without purchasing anything.

Only special events will feature stamina, so you’ll be able to play most of the game as much as you want. (Next to gacha, stamina systems are one of the most annoying things about typical mobile RPGs. However, you’ll need an Internet connection to play it, which is third on my list of annoyances.)

Let’s move on and take a look at the new trailer.

The game’s appearance is very Okami-esque. I might not be the biggest Okami fan, but that’s mainly because of the pacing. I like the style, and the gameplay shown in the trailer looks pretty cool.

A 14-minute gameplay demo with developer commentary is also available from IGN. Among other things, it shows how you use the touchscreen to move, attack, and dodge.

World of Demons actually looks pretty cool, although I wish it wasn’t a mobile game. What do you think?

In other mobile gaming news, Star Ocean: Anamnesis is coming west this July.

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Catching Up on All the Pokémon News

Yesterday, there was an explosion of Pokémon news.

First, Pokémon Quest is available now for the Switch (and coming to mobile devices in June).

Pokémon Quest is a free-to-start action RPG set on Tumblecube Island, where you direct the attacks of cube-like Pokémon. It features Pokémon from the first generation of games and seems pretty much set up like a mobile game.

Next, Pokémon Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! have been confirmed after many rumors. They’ll be out for the Switch on November 16.

These are effectively remakes of Pokémon Yellow, except Eevee is an option this time. (And like Pikachu, you won’t be able to evolve this special Eevee.)

Gameplay-wise, they seem like hybrids between traditional Pokémon games and Pokémon Go. The biggest change is that you won’t battle wild Pokémon, only other trainers.

Catching Pokémon now uses Joy-Con motion controls. A friend can also help out with the second Joy-Con.

You’ll be able to transfer Kanto Pokémon from Pokémon Go to the Let’s Go games, and thanks to the information provided by Gematsu about the Q&A, we know there will be one all-new Pokémon available through connecting with Pokémon Go.

Despite these changes, the trailer shows a lot of familiar Pokémon gameplay, too. It has typical exploration and turn-based combat for battles with trainers.

Finally, a new device called the Poké Ball Plus will work as a Joy-Con but also let you take your Pokémon with you. You’ll also be able to use it with Pokémon Go. It sounds a bit like the Pokéwalker (except not a pedometer).

Pokémon Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! are intended to help Pokémon Go players transition to the main series. Does that mean these aren’t the next mainline Pokémon games teased last year at E3?

That’s right. A new core Pokémon title is coming in the second half of 2019.

With #PokemonQuest and #PokemonLetsGo, there are so many new ways to explore the world of Pokémon! Trainers can look forward to even more with an all-new core series Pokémon RPG title in development for the second half of 2019! pic.twitter.com/d5uiIpenMI

— Pokémon (@Pokemon) May 30, 2018

The Q&A session clarified that the 2019 title will not be linked to the Let’s Go games or Pokémon Go. They also mentioned that the Let’s Go games are focused on the home console experience while the 2019 game will focus on elements from the handheld games.

While it’s odd to say LGP and LGE are more focused on home console gaming when they connect to a mobile game and have a device so you can take your Pokémon out of the house, I think this just means the next Pokémon game will be a traditional entry in the series while these are more experimental.

I haven’t finished Pokémon Sun/Moon/Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon yet or even played the two I own in a long time. However, I’m interested in learning about the next core Pokémon game and potentially interested in the Let’s Go games.

What about you? Pokémon Quest? Let’s Go? The mysterious next game? How do you feel about the recent Pokémon announcements.

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Killer7 is Coming to Steam

I know, this post is late. The news came out on the weekend that Killer7 is coming to Steam!

We discussed Killer7 a couple months ago, when Grasshopper Manufacture indicated interest in remastering Killer7 and Flower, Sun, and Rain.

NIS America is bringing Killer7 to Steam this fall. Nothing has been said about console versions yet.

Some fans are concerned because of some trouble lately with NIS America’s PC ports, but they also published The 25th Ward without any problems that I know of.

Now, I did watch Game Informer play through Killer7 in their most recent Super Replay, but I really can’t say I have a solid grasp of the plot. Playing the Steam remaster for myself when it comes out might be just what I need!

Are you interested in the Killer7 remaster? Do you think this means a Flower, Sun, and Rain announcement is on the way next? Let me know in the comments.

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RE2make Rumors Claim It Has a “Stylized” OTS Camera

We recently discussed the possibility of the Resident Evil 2 Remake being one of Capcom’s upcoming “major titles,” and now new rumors have surfaced about it.

According to Rely on Horror, they have a source who revealed details about the game.

Their source says the Resident Evil 2 remake will use an upgraded version of the RE Engine with revamped lighting and shadows, aim for 30fps/1080p on a regular PS4 and 60fps/4k on a PS4 Pro, and use photogrammetry for realistic graphics.

They’re taking care to make the characters look like the originals, although Claire will have a new outfit.

(Normally it would be bizarre for rumors to include reassurance that the characters will look like themselves, but there was a lot of confusion due to Chris in the RE7 DLC looking too different.)

The source also says the Resident Evil 2 Remake won’t use fixed camera angles or first-person, but instead an over-the-shoulder camera that has been “stylized” in some way. Leon and Claire will both have campaigns, like in the original, and there will also be new content and areas.

Most importantly, they said it will retain the classic Resident Evil design and horror focus.

These are just rumors, but let’s discuss them anyway. At first, I was disappointed to learn about the OTS camera. I’ve been hoping for something similar to REmake, after all. On the other hand, the camera doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be an action-fest. Resident Evil: Revelations, for example, had glimmers of potential, and could have been traditional survival horror if they’d been willing to go all the way.

So if the Resident Evil 2 remake really does have a traditional Resident Evil design (puzzles and recursive unlocking, please), I’ll be okay with an over-the-shoulder camera. Meanwhile, the additional content sounds right in line with what REmake did.

Here’s hoping we finally get to see the game soon…

What do you think of the latest RE2make rumors? How do you feel about a potential camera change? Will we see it at E3? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

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Resident Evil 7 is Coming to the Switch… on the Cloud?

Over the weekend, Capcom announced that Resident Evil 7 will be coming to the Switch in Japan on May 24.

Using the cloud.

Resident Evil 7: biohazard Cloud Version will not actually run on the Switch like a regular game.

Instead, the game will run on the Ubitus cloud service, and players will stream it to their Switches.

15 minutes will be free, after which it will cost 2,000 yen (roughly $18, so they’d probably make it $19.99 if it was available here) for 180 days of access.

I definitely didn’t expect this.

On one hand, I can see how it makes sense from Capcom’s perspective. If they believe the Switch isn’t powerful enough to run Resident Evil 7, this lets them bring the game to Switch owners by letting it run on remote servers instead of the console.

On the other hand, streaming games requires a constant, stable Internet connection. You won’t be able to play Resident Evil 7 offline, which takes away some of the Switch’s portability, and if you have any problems with your connection, it will interfere. I’d never be able to play this – my Internet connection couldn’t handle it.

For a horror game, connection problems might be a major problem, either making it more difficult or just breaking the mood. Spirit Camera: Cursed Memoir, for example, couldn’t maintain its horror atmosphere when almost every encounter was disrupted by a message telling me it couldn’t make out the AR book anymore. Lag or lost connection messages could do the same for Resident Evil.

Now, it’s not like this is the first time anyone has thought of cloud gaming. Sony, for example, has its PlayStation Now service for streaming games. While it has never appealed to me, many people (with fast Internet speeds) swear by it.

We also should keep in mind that this Resident Evil 7 announcement is only for Japan so far. From what I’ve read, Japan’s Internet infrastructure makes cloud gaming much more viable.

So what should we take away from this?

Even if Resident Evil 7: biohazard Cloud Version comes to the west, I don’t think it’s necessarily something we should worry about. It’s unlikely to lead to developers abandoning regular game releases in favor of forcing Switch players to stream everything – the “always online” concept is still unpopular, especially for a system where the portability is such a huge part of the appeal.

However, it could set a precedent for companies whose games can’t run on the Switch to use cloud streaming as a way to get around that.

If the choice is between “no Switch version” and “streamed Switch version,” there’s nothing wrong with developers choosing the latter. The only danger would be if they decide to use cloud gaming as an easier solution for a game that could be run on the Switch.

What do you think of Resident Evil 7 running on the cloud? Do you think this will impact other games? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

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Why Did Steam Start Targeting Visual Novels?

Near the end of last week, several visual novel developers (and developers of similar games) were told by Steam that their games would be removed from the store if they didn’t censor them.

This seemed bizarre for a number of reasons. Some of the affected games had been on Steam for years, and it’s not like they were obscure titles that somehow slipped by. HuniePop, for example, was very popular and its content could easily be checked.

Even stranger was the inclusion of Kindred Spirits on the Roof, because MangaGamer specifically worked with Valve to make sure the content was acceptable.

I haven’t played Kindred Spirits on the Roof, but I’ve gotten the impression that while there is nudity, it doesn’t show anything particularly explicit.

Now, I’ve never been quick to jump on an anti-censorship bandwagon. If companies choose to alter content or make changes for localization, I’m usually okay with that. They’re doing what they think is best for their game and its sales.

Even when visual novels are censored for Steam, I’m okay with that. In these cases there’s usually an “all-ages” version on Steam, with either an 18+ patch to download elsewhere or a separately 18+ version entirely. I play all-ages versions, and I think the compromise is fine.

But this situation just felt weird. Valve was reversing decisions it had made years ago, with no clear reason. More importantly, it wasn’t equal. If they’d sudden changed their policy and went after every game with nudity, that would be one thing. Instead, they targeted a number of visual novels, while games like The Witcher went untouched.

Why?

There’s no clear answer. The organization formerly known as Morality in Media implied they could take credit for it (while also accusing these games of being responsible for sexual assault… somehow). It also could be linked to the removal of Maidens of Michael earlier this year earlier this year, which was speculated to be caused by false reports.

Steam seems to have gotten wind that something is up. Several of the affected developers who received the warning received follow-up notices that their games will be re-reviewed.

Hopefully this means they’ll review the games, see that their content does meet Steam’s guidelines after all, and not trouble the developers further about this. On the other hand, if they do decide that these games don’t meet their new content standards, then they should apply that equally across Steam. Don’t target a niche genre while ignoring the more popular games.

(Note: I’m not advocating for censorship here, just saying that if it’s a legitimate policy shift, Steam should apply it equally.)

How do you think Steam should handle nudity and sexual content? Why do you think they targeted these visual novels? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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All the News from the Kingdom Hearts 3 Premiere

Today was a huge day for Kingdom Hearts fans thanks to the Kingdom Hearts 3 Premiere Event, where many people got to try a demo build of Kingdom Hearts III for the first time.

With the embargo lifted, we now have plenty of gameplay details, videos, and screenshots. Here’s a compilation of comments about the premiere at KH Insider, with impressions from various publications.

The premiere event featured the Hercules and Toy Story worlds. Take a look at these new gameplay videos from each.

I’m pretty excited for the Toy Story world especially.

The overall consensus is that Kingdom Hearts III feels great, but let’s take a look at some of the specific details revealed.

As shown in the Toy Story gameplay video, Ralph from Wreck-It Ralph is a new summon. This is the second summon confirmed alongside Ariel. You’ll also be able to skip the summon intro.

You can have multiple Keyblades equipped and switch between them. Different Keyblades have their own Shotlock attacks. There are also different team commands in different worlds.

Somehow, Young Xehanort has split the Toy Story world in two in order to better understand hearts. (He can do that?) There is a possessed doll that the team must fight, too.

Rex also mistakes Sora for a character from a video game he’s playing, where he’s been stuck on a fight with Bahamut.

"Rex is certain that Sora is actually a character named Yozora from a video game he plays. “I’ve levelled you up to 47 but I still can’t beat Bahamut,” Rex says." – @Polygon #KingdomHearts #KH3Premiere pic.twitter.com/WFq3Yr1R4f

— Kingdom Hearts Insider @ #KH3Premiere (@khinsider) May 18, 2018

The official Kingdom Hearts Twitter account shared a bunch of new Kingdom Hearts III screenshots, too, so check them out!

#KH3Premiere pic.twitter.com/gs4yBtO5Ag

— Kingdom Hearts (@KINGDOMHEARTS) May 18, 2018

#KH3Premiere pic.twitter.com/OE7J59zcur

— Kingdom Hearts (@KINGDOMHEARTS) May 18, 2018

#KH3Premiere pic.twitter.com/6yxnfOQJa0

— Kingdom Hearts (@KINGDOMHEARTS) May 18, 2018

#KH3Premiere pic.twitter.com/HiBpdp3ENv

— Kingdom Hearts (@KINGDOMHEARTS) May 18, 2018

#KH3Premiere pic.twitter.com/kj4meLWWUf

— Kingdom Hearts (@KINGDOMHEARTS) May 18, 2018

It looks great!

There’s also a new interview with Nomura from Famitsu, translated at KH Insider. According to Nomura, the big themes in Kingdom Hearts III are “What is a heart?” and “resolution.”

The worlds in Kingdom Hearts III will be “vertically expansive,” with features such as wall-climbing. Each world will have new gameplay elements, such as the Gigas robots in the Toy Story world. The areas do look like they’re pretty big.

Did somebody ask for MASSIVE AREAS!? #KingdomHearts #KH3Premiere

(This gif was originally somehow over 300mb in size and had to be cut down in size, that's why the frame size might appear tiny) pic.twitter.com/Gi682tJMPc

— Kingdom Hearts Insider @ #KH3Premiere (@khinsider) May 18, 2018

There will be other mini-games aside from the Classic Kingdom mini-games. As for the Classic Kingdom games, they won’t be all unlocked from the start. Instead, you’ll have to collect them. They’ll be played through a device called the “Mobile Portal,” which has other features as well.

Finally, everyone was hoping we might get a release date announcement today… but we didn’t. However, Nomura said the release date should be announced “early next month.”

Did I miss anything? Probably. There’s a ton of Kingdom Hearts III information out there now. What do you think about how Kingdom Hearts III is shaping up? As for me, I’m excited!

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No, the Final Fantasy VII Remake is NOT Delayed Until 2023

By now you’ve probably seen it, reported either with excitement or dismay, “Final Fantasy VII remake will be out by 2023.”

While I’m sure we will see it by 2023, this has caused a frenzy of upset reactions that we might have to wait that long.

But did Square Enix really indicate we might have to wait until 2023 to get the Final Fantasy VII remake?

No.

In a conversation translated over at The Lifestream, producer Yoshinori Kitase said they would polish up the game for Final Fantasy’s 35th anniversary (which is 2023).

Kitase then signs us off by making the joke previously mentioned in the thread, saying he wishes to keep on polishing up the game for the 35th anniversary, to which they all laugh and Hamaguchi responds objectingly “Hey that’s a long ways off!”

He then however, also goes on to say that a lot is hanging on the next (presumably big) event, and that they’re hoping to show off (the game) by then.”

It was a joke.

They were laughing about it, not making a serious prediction. It’s like when I tweet that I’ll be editing for the rest of my life. They were talking about the 30th anniversary and joking that they’ll still be working on it for the 35th.

Really, if you want to be concerned about anything in this conversation, it should be the part that also puzzled the translator, that they’re designing Cloud to visually look not cool, or more like his actual self than the front he’s putting on.

But the most important thing to take away is that the sites reporting that the Final Fantasy VII remake is still 5 years off are doing so based on a joke.

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