Tag: Sega

Atlus finally gives us a new Metaphor Re:Fantazio trailer, release date frame

Atlus is back at The Game Awards with a Metaphor ReFantazio release date frame in a loaded new trailer

 

After a brief, but loaded tease during Summer Game Fest, Atlus is back at The Game Awards with another Metaphor ReFantazio trailer and even a release date frame. This time, we get a much bigger glimpse of what to expect – sort of.

The trailer, which you can see below, opens with a clear reminder that this is a fantasy, though we really wouldn’t need it. Metaphor has big fantasy adventure vibes, with characters who look like they would be at home in a Studio Ghibli movie, talking animals, outlandish monsters, and a world-changing war.

Metaphor ReFantazio takes place in a world that someone spilled Shin Megami Tensei all over. It’s a blend of what looks like real-world settings and fantasy architecture with a dash of surreal otherworldliness like you’d expect from Persona 3 and a walking boat that seems like it jumped right out of a Ghibli movie. The story seems to center on the contest to become the realm’s next ruler, something that apparently requires “the faith of the people.”

Multiple factions vie for that faith, evil spirits lure people astray, and your ragtag party of sword-wielding mice and other misfits fight for your beliefs in class-centric, turn-based battles.

Metaphor ReFantazio is due out for Xbox Series X|S and PC in fall 2024. It’s a busy year for RPGs and for Atlus in particular. The studio is also publishing Persona 3 Reload on Feb. 2, 2024.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

Sega wants Creative Assembly to keep making Total War games

After Sega canceled Creative Assembly’s multiplayer shooter Hyenas, the company wants CA to keep doing what they do best: Total War games

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After Sega canceled Creative Assembly’s multiplayer game-slash-shooter Hyenas, the company wants CA to keep doing what they do best: Total War games. Sega CEO Haruki Satomi made the comments during the company’s latest financial results briefing, where Satomi also provided some insight behind why Sega canceled Hyenas to begin with (thanks, VGC).

Satomi said Sega had confidence in Hyenas, but the company believed it wasn’t quite good enough to compete in a highly-saturated genre and admitted their ambitions were grander than the studio could realize. VGC’s sources suggested a slightly different story, as workers at CA pointed to lack of direction, overly-safe design, and a mid-development engine change as the primary problems.

Satomi recognized that Sega took a risk by tasking a studio that excels at creating grand strategy games with making a fast-paced FPS game. It’s a confusing decision, but the reason behind it is one of the industry’s recurring themes from the past two years.

“Each studio has its own strengths and weaknesses, but the favorable winds of the early COVID-19 period, coupled with the strong performance of each title, led us to adopt a strategy of accelerating more, even in areas where those studios have not tried yet for further growth,” Satomi said. “However, some studios did well and some did not, so we have decided to focus again on the strengths of each studio.

“As part of the process of structural reform centered on Creative Assembly, we intend to optimize the workflow and concentrate their resources on the development of their specialty genres,” Satomi said.

Satomi didn’t hint at the nature of Creative Assembly’s next project or whether development has begun yet.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth has the biggest map of any Yakuza game

RGG Studio already said the next Yakuza game is a “monster-class” Yakuza game, and that extends to Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth’s map.

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RGG Studio already said the next Yakuza game is a “monster-class” effort, but apparently, that extends to Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth’s map, which is the series’ biggest. RGG said in a new blog post (translated by Google Translate) that Honolulu and its surrounding areas are three times the size of Yokohama in Yakuza: Like A Dragon almost 10 times the size of Kamurocho.

Mmonster-class doesn’t sound like such an exaggeration after all now. This area, presumably, doesn’t include the customizable, Animal Crossing-like island retreat either.

The first area RGG highlighted is the beach, one of the city’s busiest and most popular attractions, which makes Ichiban’s nude arrival even more humiliating for the poor guy. You can surf and swim here if you want to.

There’s a large commercial district, probably based on the Ala Moana shopping center in IRL Honolulu; Waikiki Town if you want even more shopping; Chinatown, with its large international bank and probably one of the series’ signature Surprise Chinese Mafia moments; and a Little Japan region, with sushi restaurants, a shrine, and a “mysterious mascot.”

RGG ended the post with a cryptic tease about District 5, an area off-limits to the general public and the home of Honolulu’s local mafia.

The city hides secrets aplenty, including special weapons and other items to help Ichiban and his friends along their way. RGG encourages us to explore everywhere, including the toilets and trash cans.

Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth launches on Jan. 26, 2024.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

After Sonic success, Sega wants to make a Persona movie

Sega is keen on expanding Persona and Like A Dragon outside of video games, and it has some big plans for the future

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Sega is keen on expanding Persona and Like A Dragon outside of video games, and it has some big plans for the future, including movies. The news comes from Sega chief operating officer Shuji Utsumi during a recent interview with CNBC, where Utsumi teased plans for Persona movies and another chance at life for older Sega properties (thanks, IGN).

“We just revived Sonic in a big way, not only through games but also remember movies and TV shows, and actually Sonic is in Roblox too, and we’re working closely now with Lego, so now Sonic is reviving,” Utsumi said. “We have other major IPs and also, I cannot say too much about it, but we are thinking of reviving other classical Sega IPs too.”

Sega would make me a very happy person if Shining Force is one of those, but Utsumi said that, for now, the company has two major IP it’s focusing on: Persona and Like A Dragon, two series that have two new games launching in the next three months.

However, he also said movies are just one way Sega wants to branch out. Utsumi mentioned the Roblox example again and said

Sega and 1212 Entertainment announced a live-action Like A Dragon movie in 2020, so unless plans have changed, plans for that IP probably include something else as well. There’s something ironically fitting about putting Kiryu in Roblox, almost the kind of thing you’d expect from a Yakuza substory, though it doesn’t quite seem like the thing for Roblox’s target audience.

Sega also tried turning Persona into a movie before, or several movies, when it released multiple feature-length adaptations of Persona 3. Those went under the radar outside Japan, though, and released at a time when the series didn’t enjoy as much popularity as it does now.

For now, Sega’s got plenty to keep busy with for both franchises. Persona 5 Tactica and Like A Dragon Gaiden are available now. Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth – RGG’s “monster-class” game – launches Jan. 26, 2024, and Persona 3 Reload releases on Feb. 2, 2024.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

The best Yakuza games ranked from bruised to brilliant

Our list of the Yakuza games ranked from worst to best breaks down what works in each of RGG Studio’s action games and which aren’t so hot

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Putting together a Yakuza games ranked list is tougher than ranking other games. More than most games, what you get out of Yakuza depends on what you want. If you want an innovative action game, you’d probably appreciate Like A Dragon Gaiden or Yakuza 0 more than others. If life-sims and mini-games are your thing, then Ishin, Yakuza 5, or, again, Yakuza 0 are the best ones for you. While RGG Studio’s melodramatic series seems unchanging in a lot of ways, there’s a quiet thread of experimentation in every game, whether it’s trying to introduce new perspectives, adding different combat mechanics, or, sometimes, throwing zombies in the mix just because you can.

Sega is bringing a new 3D Sonic game to Apple Arcade

Sega might have wrapped up Sonic Frontiers, but a new Sonic game is already in the works – and it’s launching for Apple devices too

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Sega might have wrapped up Sonic Frontiers, but a new Sonic game is already in the works – and it’s launching for Apple devices too. Sega announced Sonic Dream Team out of the blue on Twitter, and you can play it on Apple Arcade starting Dec. 5, 2023.

“Join a race against time to stop Dr. Eggman’s bizarre dreams from coming true,” Sega said in the brief announcement paired with a half-minute trailer. 

Sonic’s friends this time around include Knuckles, Amy, Tails, Cream the Rabbit, and Rogue, the latter of which is a bit surprising, since she’s usually associated with less heroic Sonic characters. Apparently, she’s had a change of heart, or maybe it’s part of the whole dream world thing.

Either way, Dream Team looks promising, almost like a 3D Sonic Mania. Sonic and co. race across fragmented stages, over roaring rivers, through the clouds, and into surreal versions of classic Sonic stages at high speeds, grabbing rings and thumping bosses as they go.

Apple Arcade is Apple’s game subscription platform, and as you’d probably guess from the name, you can only access it on Apple devices – iPads, iPhones, even an Apple TV.

The platform offers a mix of exclusives, including Final Fantasy-maker Hironobu Sakaguchi’s Fantasian and the cozy, Animal Crossing-like Hello Kitty Island Adventure and games you can play elsewhere. Most Apple Arcade exclusives remain tied to Apple, so it’s unclear whether we’ll see Sonic Dream Team on other platforms.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

Yakuza meets Animal Crossing in new Infinite Wealth trailer

Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth includes a robust life-sim mode that looks an awful lot like Animal Crossing, because of course it does

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Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth includes a robust life-sim mode that looks an awful lot like Animal Crossing because of course it does. Sega showed off the new mode, called Dondoko Island mode, during Xbox’s Partner Showcase, and it features some pretty in-depth elements, including island customization, relationship networks, and beating up ruffians with baseball bats. It’s still a LAD game, after all.

Dondoko Island is home to literally tons of trash dumped illegally off the coast of Honolulu, but Ichiban sees its real potential as a resort island. His resort island. He sets to work restoring the island’s natural beauty with his friends, turning the trash into actual treasure and decorating the shores and clearings with it. You can craft items, fish, catch bugs, and even make friends with the tourists who stop to admire the island as you improve it, and you get to keep your clothes, too.

You can decorate their homes, a la Happy Home Designer, learn their routines and what makes them happy, and build new amenities and recreational facilities to make sure everyone walks away with a small. Almost everyone. Ichiban occasionally runs up against some malcontents determined to cause trouble, but a few quick swings of the baseball bat is enough to send them packing.

Dondoko Island launches as a side mode in Infinite Wealth in Jan. 26, 2024, for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, and PC via Steam and Windows.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

New Yakuza game Infinite Wealth has a release date

Sega debuted two lengthy trailers for the new Yakuza game, Infinite Wealth, complete with release date, story details, and more

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Sega debuted two lengthy trailers for the new Yakuza game, Infinite Wealth, complete with release date, story details, and more. The new Yakuza game, officially called Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, launches Jan. 26, 2024, for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, and there’s a whole lot going on in it.

The broad setup is this: Ichiban Kasuga, hero of Like A Dragon, finds himself in Hawaii to meet his mother at the prompting of a supposed friend. This is Yakuza, though, so that friend is a traitor, someone tries to kill Ichiban, Ichi’s naked on the beach, and then he’s beating up some police officers in Hawaiian jail. The mafia gets involved, some Chinese yakuza get involved – again, it’s a Yakuza game after all – Ichi’s old friends come back, there’s spy stuff, neon-lit clubs, and drama that runs the gamut from ridiculous to heart-wrenching.

The latter seems to center on longtime series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu. He returns once more, following the events of Like A Dragon Gaiden – which releases in November – though he apparently has just a short time left to live.

On the gameplay side, Infinite Wealth builds on the systems from Ichiban’s previous adventure. The job-based class system is back, with new jobs you unlock by taking Hawaiian tours, including Action Star, Geodancer, and Pyrodancer. Turn-based battles have a tactical element to them, where positioning and setting up combos matter. 

There’s also a broad range of mini-games you can take a break with – fishing, karaoke, Sujimon battles, attending Hawaiian strip clubs (apparently), playing arcade games, and taking on Crazy Delivery jobs in a nod to Sega’s classic game of yesteryear.

Infinite Wealth has more moving parts than usual, though how they all fit together and whether it’s a farewell to the series or the start of something new remains to be seen.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

A cult-classic retro Sega game is coming to PC for the first time

Treasure is bringing one of its classic Sega games to PC for the first time, the fan-favorite Radiant Silvergun

Treasure is bringing one of its classic Sega games to PC, the fan-favorite Radiant Silvergun. Radiant Silvergun first launched on Sega Saturn in the late 1990s and had a spot in Sega’s Japanese arcade scene as well, but despite several re-releases over the years, this marks the first time the game will be officially playable on PC.

“The light emitted by a ‘stone-like object’ excavated from the strata of B.C. enveloped the earth, destroying the human race. Only the four crew members of the space cruiser TETRA and one robonoid barely escaped into satellite orbit,” the Steam description reads.”

“One year later. The TETRA is forced to re-enter the atmosphere because the ship’s supplies have finally been depleted. The battle for the survival of the TETRA begins.”

Radiant Silvergun sees you pilot a spacecraft through a series of challenging stages, taking on waves of enemies, navigating twists and sharp turns, and chasing that old-school high of nabbing a high score. It has six stages in total, with nearly two dozen bosses spread out across them, upgradable weapons, and five difficulty modes, along with a soundtrack composed by the renowned Hitoshi Sakimoto, known for his work on Final Fantasy Tactics and 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, among other games.

The PC release will include online leaderboards as well. Radiant Silvergun has a Steam page, but no release date aside from a vague “coming soon.”

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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New Like A Dragon Gaiden story details show a different side of Kiryu

Sega and RGG Studio unveiled new Like A Dragon Gaiden story details, and we’ll be seeing a new side of Kiryu when the action game launches

Sega and RGG Studio unveiled new Like A Dragon Gaiden story details, and it looks like we’ll be seeing a new side of Kiryu when the action game launches (thanks, Gematsu). Like A Dragon Gaiden follows Kiryu after the events of Song of Life, as he retreats from the yakuza/ex-yakuza life in a bid to protect those he loves, even going so far as to erase his name – hence the game’s subtitle.

Anonymity can’t last forever for Kiyru, though. He gets drawn into a mission and recognized by a group that can’t be allowed to walk away knowing he’s still alive. Cutting himself off from his old life might be necessary to protect his loved ones, but RGG says the isolation has eaten away at Kiryu’s soul and created a “gaping hole” inside him, one he looks to fill by lashing out at those around him.

Back into Japan’s criminal underworld he goes, facing off once again with the Omi Alliance, now the country’s leading yakuza organization with the Tojo Clan’s dissolution. The Watase Family is one of the big players in Kiryu’s new tale, with the cruel Kosei Shishido and devious Yuki Tsuruno acting as Kiryu’s main antagonists. Homari Nishitani the Third leads another family in the Omi Alliance, a captain whose suave appearance masks dangerous, deadly tendencies.

Finally is Akame, an intelligence gatherer who operates in Sotenbori – a familiar location to those of you who played Yakuza 0 – who helps guide those her clients direct her to.

That’s a lot more in the way of people and motives than we saw at Summer Game Fest – but still no clear idea what Kiryu’s story is actually about. We don’t have much longer to wait, though. Like A Dragon Gaiden launches on Nov. 9, 2023. Infinite Wealth, the next mainline game that sees Ichiban Kasuga return, will release sometime in 2024.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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