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Square Enix will release Trials of Mana on April 24, 2020
Nintendo just blew away the Internet with possibly their biggest Nintendo Direct ever. Front and center during the presentation was Trials of Mana, an upcoming RPG from Square Enix. The publisher confirmed that Trials of Mana, which is a modern-day remake of Seiken Densetsu 3 (AKA Secret of Mana 2), will be released for the PC, PS4, and Switch on April 24, 2020.
Originally released in Japan as Seiken Densetsu 3 in 1995, and later making its debut in the West with the Collection of Mana on Nintendo Switch earlier this year, Trials of Mana is a full, high-definition remake of the third entry in the classic Mana series, seamlessly bringing the beloved story and characters to a new, modern era of fans with real-time combat, beautiful 3D graphics and updated gameplay. The game tells the story of six heroes as they battle against the forces of evil that threaten a world where Mana has been weakened. Players will craft their own experiences by selecting a party of three from these unique characters as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime to protect the very essence of Mana itself.
Naturally, a new trailer for Trials of Mana has made its way online, focusing on the game’s upgraded visuals, new combat system, character classes, and the brand new English voiceover. Square Enix produced an expanded version of this video for next week’s Tokyo Game Show, and it’s been embedded above.
Doom 64 rated by Australian Classification Board
Though Doom 64 is canonically a direct sequel to Doom II, the fact that it was released exclusively for the Nintendo 64 (and published by Midway) has made it something of a black sheep for the franchise. It’s sprite-based graphics also made it stand out (and not in a good way) from the polygonal shooters of the late 90s.
But a handful of references to Doom 64 managed to make their way into 2016’s excellent Doom reboot, so somebody at id Software or Bethesda must think highly of the game. And after those teases (and on the eve of Doom Eternal‘s November launch), it looks like the publisher might be prepping a re-release for Doom 64.
Over the weekend, a Doom 64 re-release for “Multiple Platforms” received a Mature rating from the Australian Classification Board for “Horror themes and violence.” While that can’t be seen as concrete confirmation that Bethesda plans to re-release the game in the near future, it should be considered a very good sign.
So cross your fingers and gas up your chainsaws, we’ll hopefully get the chance to replay Doom 64 soon.
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is here… and so is a new Launch Trailer
Square Enix launched Final Fantasy VIII Remastered for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One today, and the publisher also produced a new Launch Trailer for the re-release, which has been embedded above.
While the RPG was a massive hit in 1999, Final Fantasy VIII Remastered marks the first time its been actively available in more than 20 years (save for a short PC print run in 2000). So it’s possible that fans won’t be as familiar Squall as they are with other Final Fantasy protagonists:
About Final Fantasy VIII Remastered
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered celebrates its 20th anniversary by bringing the cherished RPG to modern platforms, featuring newly rendered visuals that bring the game’s beloved characters to life like never before. Players step into the shoes of SeeD recruit Squall Leonhart and resistance fighter Rinoa Heartilly as they work together to save the world from the military nation of Galbadia.Final Fantasy VIII Remastered’s Enhancements
- Battle Assist: The ability to always have maxed out HP and ATB, and trigger Limit Breaks at any time.
- No Encounters: An enemy encounter option that allows players to enjoy the storyline uninterrupted. While enemy encounters are turned off, players can still enjoy the story event battles.
- 3x Speed Boost: Play through the game with three times the speed.
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is available to download now and it’s been priced at $19.99 on all platforms.
Bulletstorm: Duke of Switch Edition now available to download for the Nintendo Switch
Gearbox brought back People Can Fly’s forgotten first person shooter, Bulletstorm, in 2017 as Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition. The PS4/Xbox One re-release gave players a second chance to experience the game, now with upgraded visuals and a smattering of new content (including the option of replaying the entire game as Duke Nukem).
Today, at PAX West, Gearbox confirmed that Bulletstorm is now available to download for the Nintendo Switch as Bulletstorm: Duke of Switch Edition:
Step into the boots of Grayson Hunt, an exiled member of the elite assassin group Dead Echo, after a battle with his former general sends them both crash landing on the abandoned resort planet of Stygia.
Grayson must brave the wasteland on his way to confronting the man that once ordered him to do the unthinkable. Will he get his team out alive? Or will he finally quench his thirst for revenge?
Battle your way through throngs of Stygia’s less than hospitable hosts, performing masterful kills throughout the single-player campaign using Bulletstorm: Duke of Switch Edition’s unique Skillshot system that rewards you for executing the most creative and deadly kills imaginable.
Bulletstorm: Duke of Switch Edition also includes Duke Nukem’s Bulletstorm Tour. Play through the entire Bulletstorm campaign as Duke Nukem, the original FPS action hero, featuring brand-new lines from the original voice of Duke!
A new trailer for Bulletstorm: Duke of Switch Edition has been embedded above.
Capcom will unveil Resident Evil: Project Resistance at Tokyo Game Show 2019
Capcom has announced that they plan to unveil Resident Evil: Project Resistance (which is probably just a working title) at this year’s Tokyo Game Show.
The official website for Project Resistance promises that the first teaser trailer for the game will be available to view online at 11:00 AM (Eastern Time) on September 9th. The site also said that fans attending this year’s Tokyo Game Show (which runs from September 12th through the 15th) will be able to watch a gameplay demonstration at Capcom’s booth, as well as pre-register for a chance to test out the demo for themselves at the show.
Resident Evil: Project Resistance is currently in development for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and we’ll learn more about it next week.
Castle Crashers Remastered will bash its way onto the Switch on September 17
The Behemoth promised that Castle Crashers Remastered would make its way onto the Switch this Summer, and it looks like they’re going to keep that promise… though just barely. Today, the developer confirmed that the well-loved beat ’em up will make its Switch debut on September 17, with a PS4 release to follow soon after.
They put together a cheeky new trailer to mark the occasion, and it’s been embedded above.
The Remastered edition of Castle Crashers will include a number of improvements over the original game, including a graphical overhaul (according to The Behemoth, “the game is five times more beautiful”), the Back Off Barbarian minigame, 60FPS gameplay, and all previously-released downloadable content. But getting all of this content onto new platforms was a tad more difficult than the developer had anticipated, as they explained on their official website:
Although Castle Crashers Remastered has been around for quite some time, we haven’t brought a game to a Sony system since the PlayStation 3, or a Nintendo console since the GameCube. We’ve gone generations in between then and now, and while we’re beyond excited to be bringing Castle Crashers to modern consoles, making that leap has come with a number of difficult development challenges. Some of these challenges took us longer than expected to work through; in fact, the PlayStation 4 version of the game is still going through it’s final approval processes, which is why we are not yet confirming it’s exact launch date. However, we wanted to take our time to make sure that when we launch the game it is complete, polished, and the best quality it can be.
And if you’re heading out to PAX West this weekend, be sure to stop by The Behemoth’s booth to give Castle Crashers Remastered a try.
Shovel Knight gets upgraded to 16-bit as Yacht Club Games announces Shovel Knight Dig
Shovel Knight is back! After ceding the spotlight to three members of The Order of No Quarter in Plague of Shadows, Specter of Torment, and King of Cards, the blade-wielding hero is returning in a full-fledged new sequel.
Shovel Knight Dig picks up right where the first game leaves off, as Shovel Knight chases the diabolical Drill Knight down underground in an SNES-styled game that features “meticulously crafted” levels stitched together using procedural generation, so every playthrough will be slightly different. Yacht Club has more details about Shovel Knight Dig, which has been in development for “more than a year,” at their official website:
When Drill Knight and his dastardly digging crew blast apart Shovel Knight’s peaceful campsite and steal his loot, he grabs his trusty Shovel Blade and starts tunnelling after them! Meet new friends and foes, visit strange lands, and outfit yourself in your quest to keep the entire land from collapsing underfoot! Jump, slash, and dig your way down an ever-changing chasm of mystery in Shovel Knight Dig, an all-new Shovel Knight adventure!
Shovel Knight Dig will feature new Knights to battle (including the aforementioned Drill Knight and the mushroom-themed Spore Knight) and other new characters to interact with. But don’t worry, plenty of familiar faces can be found in the Announcement Trailer, which has been embedded above.
Shovel Knight Dig is being co-developed by Yacht Club Games and Nitrome, with Jake Kaufman once again providing the soundtrack. The game still has “quite a ways to go,” so we have no clue when it’ll be released, but we do know that it’s in the works for the PS4 and Switch (and likely the PC and Xbox One as well).
Attendees at this weekend’s PAX West convention will be able to test out Shovel Knight Dig for the first time at Yacht Club’s booth.
Shovel Knight Showdown will brawl its way to release in December
Shovel Knight Showdown began life as “Battle Mode,” a distant Stretch Goal that was added to the very end of Shovel Knight‘s Kickstarter campaign. But with the platformer’s final expansion nearing release, developer Yacht Club Games has finally been able to more fully turn their attention to the four-player brawler.
For starters, Shovel Knight Showdown has moved well beyond its beginnings as a simple “Battle Mode.” The full-fledged game got a new full-fledged trailer today, with glimpses at the game’s single-player Story Mode, as well as the addition of Mona, Plague Knight’s potions expert. Yacht Club talked more about it on their official website:
Shovel Knight Showdown has grown to be a robust and delightful multiplayer and singleplayer adventure. It’s full of new stories and revelations, goofy humor, great multiplayer level design, beautiful character art, varied playstyles, and frenetic battles. We really put our all into crafting this wholly new experience and we can’t wait for you to give it a shot!
Shovel Knight Showdown will be available as a free download this December if you own Shovel Knight on the PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Wii U, or Xbox One. It’ll also be available as a standalone download on the PC, PS4, and Switch, and as part of the Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove retail compilation for the PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Fans who are staking out a spot at this weekend’s PAX West convention in Seattle will also want to swing by Yacht Club’s booth to try out Shovel Knight Showdown before its released.