Samantha Lienhard's Blog, page 150

E3 2016 Predictions

Part of the fun of E3 (for me, at least) is surprises that come out of nowhere. At the same time, some announcements can be predicted.

I already have two years’ worth of pipe dreams I don’t expect to see at E3… but here are a few I consider plausible predictions.

(Things that have already been confirmed, like The Legend of Zelda and Mass Effect: Andromeda don’t count as “predictions.”)

Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Release Date

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, which is on the list because it’s my most-anticipated game of the year and not just because I love typing its title, is due out this year.

E3 is the perfect time to give it a release date, so I expect to end E3 knowing just when I’ll be able to play it.

Final Fantasy VII Remake

We still have plenty of reasons to be worried about the Final Fantasy VII Remake. What better way to calm (hopefully) fans’ fears than by showing off more gameplay… and explaining just how its multi-part structure is going to work?

Crash Bandicoot

That’s right, there are too many signs for me not to include it. I think Crash Bandicoot is about to return, and I think Sony will announce it this E3.

Mother 3

Yep, that’s right. Even though Nintendo’s E3 plans seem confusing at best, I think they’ll sneak in a Mother 3/EarthBound 2 announcement. Last E3, they announced EarthBound Beginnings at the Nintendo World Championships, so the lack of an actual E3 show doesn’t prevent this.

Halo 6

Halo 5 was first teased in 2013 and came out last October. Halo 6 might not be ready for a while yet, but I’d be surprised if we didn’t get at least a quick tease.

I didn’t intend for my headings to form a triangle, but now that they have, it seems a shame to mess it up (even if Halo already kinda does). So I’ll leave it at those five predictions.

What do you think? Will my E3 2016 predictions come true? Are any implausible enough to belong with my pipe dreams instead? And what are your predictions for this year’s E3 show?

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New Details About Ace Attorney 6’s DLC

Along with Ace Attorney 6’s English title and release window, we learned earlier this week that there will be a DLC called “Turnabout Across Time” as well as the two bonus episodes.

Now we know a little more about it.

Turnabout Across Time will be free for the first few weeks after Spirit of Justice’s Japanese release. According to the announcement, it will be a “complete volume” with investigation and trial sections.

It features, Phoenix, Maya, Edgeworth, and… Larry!

Larry is probably the unannounced returning character we heard about, but there are more possibilities I’ll get to soon.

Capcom released a special 11-minute trailer introducing the DLC case. This video is rather insane, but it’s a fourth-wall-breaking skit meant to advertise the DLC, so its contents shouldn’t be taken literally. (Apparently Capcom has made these before. Here’s an amusing one for Apollo Justice.)

All right, let’s take a look at the Turnabout Across Time skit, uploaded by Bolt2nd.

I emphasized that it intentionally breaks the fourth wall, because some people took the trailer’s ridiculous tone to mean the case can’t be canon. (And Oldbag probably won’t appear in the case, since the trailer used her 2D model, unlike Larry.)

The basic gist of the trailer is that the DLC case will involve time travel (probably not for real), and someone whose name begins with “M” will get married.

This character is someone who has appeared in both the original trilogy and the Investigations games. As a result, the most popular possibilities are:

Larry (His Japanese name is Masashi.)
Edgeworth (Mitsurugi)
Franziska (Mei)
Maggey (Mako)

Even though Larry is in the case, it’s probably not him. The later part of the video shows Larry was actually being kicked out of the ceremony.

Many people are really hoping it’s Maggey marrying Gumshoe. And you know, I hope so too. I’d like to see Gumshoe again, and it would be nice for those two to get a happy ending after everything they’ve been through.

(However, it’s possible Larry faked the clues entirely, and there is no returning character getting married, just the couple seen in the video.)

7 minutes of Turnabout Across Time gameplay has also been uploaded by Calios.

I’m so happy we can investigate anywhere again.

What do you think of Turnabout Across Time? If it comes West, will you play it? And who do you think is getting married? Let me know in the comments.

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Yo-Kai Watch 2 Arrives September 30

When I reviewed Yo-Kai Watch, I said I couldn’t wait for Yo-Kai Watch 2 to be localized.

From everything I’ve heard, Yo-Kai Watch 2 fixes my biggest criticisms of the first game, since it has a stronger story and makes recruiting Yo-kai less dependent on luck.

We’ll get to find out just how improved it is this fall! Yo-Kai Watch 2 is coming to North America on September 30.

In addition to the improvements I’ve heard about, Yo-Kai Watch 2 adds over 100 new yo-kai, new areas to explore, a better Yo-Kai Watch, and time travel!

Now, Yo-Kai Watch 2 isn’t a single game. Like Pokémon, Yo-Kai Watch 2 has two versions, each with exclusive yo-kai. In Japan, these versions were called Ganso and Honke, each referring to a type of manju relevant to the story. (Yo-Kai Watch 3’s two versions are Sushi and Tempura, so I sense a theme.)

They’re being localized as Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls.

Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls.

Japan received a third version, Shinuchi, which made more changes and let you pick between the two storylines. There’s no word yet on whether we’ll eventually receive the third version, but I shudder to imagine what they’ll call it.

The Yo-Kai Watch toy line is also being expanded, and Season 2 of the anime will air this summer.

(If you can’t wait that long for yo-kai or you want something a bit darker, don’t forget that I have a short yokai horror story called “Rokurokubi” published in Wicked Words Quarterly: Issue 3.

With both Yo-Kai Watch 2 and Final Fantasy XV releasing on September 30, it’ll be an exciting day for RPGs (hopefully Yo-Kai Watch 2 won’t be completely eclipsed).

In the meantime, I have to decide: Bony Spirits or Fleshy Souls?

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May 17: Wild Arms 3 and Tower of Swallows

Next Tuesday, May 17, is going to be an exciting day.

First, Wild Arms 3 is coming to the PS4! While I don’t have a PS4 yet, I played it on the PS2 and it’s one of my favorite JRPGs of all time.

Why? Fun gameplay, a great story, incredible foreshadowing… you can take a look at my Wild Arms 3 review for more details.

While it isn’t full backwards compatibility, I love that more PS2 games are becoming available on the PS4. Wild Arms 3 is still available physically at a reasonable price, but if you don’t have a PS2 and do have a PS4, you should definitely get it.

Wild Arms 3’s trophy list is available here.

And May 17 is also the day the English translation of The Tower of Swallows will be released.

The Tower of Swallows is the fourth Witcher novel, sixth following the two short story collections.

It’s definitely an exciting novel. If you enjoy the games, you really should read the saga, starting with The Last Wish, which I reviewed here.

So whether you’re looking for a good game or a good book, May 17 will be a great day! Are you going to get Wild Arms 3? The Tower of Swallows? Personally, I recommend both.

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Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice Comes West in September

Ace Attorney 6 has an English title and release window!

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice will be available in North America and Europe this September, although a specific date hasn’t been given yet.

Like Dual Destinies, it will be digital-only. That’s disappointing, but at least we’re getting the game! It will cost $29.99.

Interestingly, the announcement says Phoenix will travel to the Kingdom of Khura’in, the origin of the Kurain Channeling Technique. While it looks odd, apparently the Japanese game writes the two Kurains differently, so this is the localization’s way of conveying that.

It looks like Leifa has been localized as Rayfa, too. Maybe they want to avoid the Star Wars reference? Bokuto has become Ahlbi Ur’gaid. Subtle.

Meanwhile, Apollo will deal with a case that has “massive implications.”

Of course, an epic new trailer accompanied this news! Let’s take a look.

Very exciting. It’s a lot of what we’ve already seen, but I find it interesting that Apollo’s line about Nayuta, which caused so many theories when it was first shown, has been changed from facing “that person” to “confronting the familiar.”

Is there more significance to Apollo vs. Nayuta than we thought? Why would he be “familiar”?

But believe it or not, the excitement doesn’t end there. Court-Records learned that the Japanese Ace Attorney 6 demo includes strings that reference a Special Episode called “Turnabout Across Time.”

This isn’t one of the pre-order bonus episodes, and “Special Episode” was the term used for Dual Destinies’ Turnabout Reclaimed. It looks like Spirit of Justice will have a full-fledged DLC case of its own. And according to Court-Records, it will have an unannounced returning character…

The official art also shows Edgeworth and Blackquill, which suggests both will appear in the main game.

An English title, release window, trailer, and hints of a DLC case? I’m more excited for this game than ever! What do you think about Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice?

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E3 2016 Pipe Dreams

E3 2016 looms on the horizon, just over a month away. It’s time to anticipate exciting news and announcements, some more plausible than others. Part of me still wonders if Nintendo will show anything at all, but let’s set that aside for now and talk about some E3 pipe dreams.

None of my pipe dreams from last year came true, so consider Ace Attorney Investigations 2 localization, TWEWY 2, Bayonetta 3, and a (Mithos-centric) Tales of Symphonia prequel honorary members of this list.

And here are some new ones, games I’d love see announced at E3 that probably won’t be.

Dai Gyakuten Saiban

This is especially unlikely since Janet Hsu already confirmed Ace Attorney 6 was prioritized over Dai Gyakuten Saiban.

Until Ace Attorney 6 is out, we don’t even have a prayer.

But still… maybe a hint? A tease? Something to indicate we’ll get Dai Gyakuten Saiban after all?

Sure, it didn’t get the greatest reception in Japan, but that’s because it left a lot of loose ends hanging for its sequel. It’s supposed to be the start of a new series.

Not only does this Ace Attorney prequel look really cool, it co-stars Sherlock Holmes and has an amazingly cool-looking prosecutor.

Look at him! (He’s the sinister one in the upper right.) I want Dai Gyakuten Saiban if only for its prosecutor.

Xenosaga HD

I’ve never played the Xenosaga games. I haven’t played Xenogears, either, but at least I have a copy (and it’s easy to find digitally).

Xenosaga is much harder to find. That’s why I’ve supported all the efforts to make Xenosaga HD a reality. I want to play these games, and I’d love to see remasters, ports, a collection, etc. announced.

And I’m not alone! My request to bring Xenosaga to the PS4 remains one of my most popular Tweets.

Still hoping to see #Xenosaga I, II, and III added. #ps2ps4

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) January 11, 2016

Knights of the Old Republic III

On Star Wars Day, I blogged about how great Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is.

KotOR II: The Sith Lords was a good game, although it was rushed (which is never more apparent than in its all-but-nonexistent ending).

I’d love to see a new Knights of the Old Republic game. To me, an MMORPG just isn’t the same. Let this be the year a new single-player, story-driven Star Wars RPG is announced!

(On the subject of Star Wars, I wouldn’t say no to Republic Commando 2, either.)

A New Layton Game

Azran Legacy, which was a fantastic conclusion to the Professor Layton saga, was the last game to star Hershel Layton himself, but that doesn’t mean the series has to end.

Okay, so “Layton 7” is in development, but nothing about it looks like it fits with the series at all.

And as I’ve discussed before, I’d much rather a sequel to the spin-off, Layton Brothers: Mystery Room.

What will it be? The familiar accordion music heralds a new main-series game starring Luke? A jazz number kicks in as Layton Brothers 1 & 2 is bundled for the 3DS?

Or maybe Layton 7 will actually look good! And on that note…

A True Paper Mario

So far my impression of Paper Mario: Color Splash is that it looks like Sticker Star 2.0. My reaction to it was enough to appear in a montage of negative Color Splash reactions in a video about why fans are upset.

#PaperMarioColorSplash looks like a nightmare. And not the fun, Lovecraft kind. The Sticker Star kind. https://t.co/pLzi1AGCzO #PaperMario

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) March 4, 2016

But… it doesn’t have to be that way.

Maybe Nintendo has heard us. Maybe, somewhere in between streaming The Legend of Zelda and letting people play The Legend of Zelda, they’ll unveil a Color Splash E3 trailer that shows story, characters, and the fun gameplay we want from Paper Mario!

I just hope this isn’t the biggest pipe dream of them all…

There you have it, a few more games that probably won’t be announced at E3 no matter how much I want them to be. Last E3 was pretty crazy, though, so who knows?

What are your greatest unlikely hopes for E3 2016?

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New Rumors of Crash Bandicoot’s Return

I love the Crash Bandicoot games, and it would be great to see the series return.

Rumors about Crash Bandicoot’s return have been flying like crazy for a long time, and so far they’ve come to nothing. Last E3, and probably the one before that, some fans were convinced Sony intended to announce a new Crash Bandicoot game.

But now we have new rumors.

Lex Lang, the most recent voice actor for the series’ main villain Dr. Neo Cortex, supposedly commented about how he was asked to resurrect three game characters he previously played, “a doctor, a devil and a droid/AI.”

As a result, fans can’t help but hope the doctor is Dr. Neo Cortex.

(Any theories on who the devil and droid might be?)

Not only that, but Uncharted 4 (from Naughty Dog, the developer originally behind Crash Bandicoot) is apparently exploding with references to the series, including a playable Crash Bandicoot level.

This also reminds me that I need to give Uncharted 2 a chance, but that’s beside the point.

All of these things, together with the previous rumors, make it start to look hopeful. Will a new Crash Bandicoot game be announced at E3?

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The Force is With You in Knights of the Old Republic

Happy Star Wars Day!

As we celebrate May the 4th (one of many odd holidays we recognize), let’s take a look at one of the greatest Star Wars games ever: Knights of the Old Republic.

I got Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic as part of a bundle of PC Star Wars games (including another favorite, Republic Commando), and it blew me away.

You create your own character and eventually become a Jedi in your quest to stop the sinister Darth Malak from overtaking the Republic.

It’s a choice-driven game, and while everything ultimately comes down to Light Side or Dark Side, many situations can be handled in multiple ways. I remember being particularly impressed with the number of options in the Korriban section, as you decide who to work with, fight, or betray.

Along the way, several companions join your quest. Some fit basic character archetypes, but a few stand out, most notably the hilarious (if you like dark humor) assassin droid HK-47.

It was the first RPG of its type I’d ever played, so when I later played Mass Effect and Dragon Age, what stood out to me at first was how similar they were to Knights of the Old Republic.

Combat is quite similar to that of Dragon Age: Origins. When you aren’t fighting, you’ll be exploring, talking to NPCs (and making dialogue choices), and having entertaining conversations with your party members. You can talk to any party member on your ship, the Ebon Hawk, and when you visit a planet, you can take two with you.

The plot takes you to several planets and is really quite enjoyable even outside of its place in the larger Star Wars story. In particular, Knights of the Old Republic has one of my favorite plot twists ever.

I never saw it coming. All of the clues were there, but when that moment came, it astounded and amazed me. The twist alone would make it worth a recommendation, and it’s a fantastic RPG aside from that.

Do you like Star Wars? Do you like choice-driven western RPGs like Dragon Age? Do you like great storytelling? Then you owe it to yourself to play Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, especially since today is Star Wars Day.

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Check Out the New Nintendo Humble Bundle

Every time there’s a new Humble Bundle, I can’t wait to check it out and see what games it contains.

(My backlog is less thrilled.)

The newest one has especially caught my eye, because it’s another Nintendo Humble Bundle!

While most of the game bundles are for PC games, there was a “Nindie” bundle we discussed last January.

To me, this new one sounds even better. Let’s take a look at what’s included in the Humble Friends of Nintendo Bundle.

This list will be updated when more games are announced.

Pay Any Amount

Retro City Rampage DX (3DS)
Affordable Space Adventures (Wii U)
Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse (3DS and Wii U)

Beat The Average

Freedom Planet (Wii U)
Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure (3DS)
Citizens of Earth (3DS or Wii U, pick one)
3DS theme from Retro City Rampage DX

Pay $13+

Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition (3DS)
Darksiders II (Wii U)

I’m not interested in all of these, but a few stand out. Affordable Space Adventures is a puzzle game that received excellent reviews when it came out, I’ve had my eye on the platformer Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse for a while (and I have another Shantae game, so maybe I should try it), Citizens of Earth looks like a quirky, enjoyable RPG, and I’ve wanted Rhythm Thief for a long time.

Rhythym Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure is a rhythm game, but people often mention it in the same breath as Professor Layton and Ghost Trick. It’s supposed to have good music, an interesting story, and a lot of charm, so even though I’m not a big rhythm game person, I want to play it.

Physical copies are rare and expensive now, so I’ll have to get it digitally if I want to play it. With that in mind, why not through this Humble Bundle?

(Darksiders II also caught my attention, but I have it for the Xbox 360 already.)

Humble Bundles are always updated the next week with additional games. I can’t wait to see what else is included in the Friends of Nintendo Humble Bundle. Do you intend to get some or all of these games?

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New Ace Attorney 6 Footage Shows Ema and More

Last night, new Ace Attorney 6 footage was shown during an Ace Attorney stage show.

Thanks to Court-Records, those of us who missed the stream live can watch the new footage.

There wasn’t a lot of new information revealed, although it seems as though Nayuta will prosecute cases in Kurain.

However, the videos do show a little more of the first case, new footage from the second case (including Ema Skye and fingerprint analysis), and a bit from Apollo’s DLC story.

Here is the first video, which shows a little over 9 minutes of Case 1.

This second video covers about 10 minutes of Case 2, a few minutes of the DLC case (with Klavier and Jinxie), and a showcase of the bonus costumes.

It was fun to watch this footage and see Ema again (although I’m still holding out hope for at least a Gumshoe cameo). And personally, I don’t mind a lack of new information about the game… gotta have some surprises!

Right now, the main piece of Ace Attorney 6 news I want is its localized release date. An E3 announcement, perhaps?

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