Siliconera |
- Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds is a Tedious Mobile Game
- Apico is a Cozy and Relaxed Beekeeping Game
- Interview: The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story Director, Actors Discuss Filming
- Monster Hunter Mofusand Merchandise Features Fluffy Cats
- Virtua Fighter Anime SD Blu-ray Slated for 2022 Release
- KonoSuba Season 3 and Megumin Spinoff in Development
- The Summertime Rendering Manga Comes at a Good Time
- Figures of Sora, Aqua, and Marine From Hololive Announced
- Here Are the Video Game Figures Revealed at WonHobby G
| Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds is a Tedious Mobile Game Posted: 30 May 2022 10:00 AM PDT
Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds is a mobile entry that mimics the trappings and aesthetics of Studio Ghibli, much like other Level-5-developed titles. A beautiful, animated introduction immediately sets the tone and provides a brief introduction to story elements that will drive the game forward. With some metatextual commentary, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds is candid about its identity as an MMORPG. Its players traverse a fantastical online world. The game shows incredible promise. Like NieR Re[in]carnation or Genshin Impact, it demonstrates just what this particular market is capable of. However, it is held back by aggressive monetization and monotonous mechanics. Players can select from a handful of different classes, each with their own unique specialization. I picked the Swordsman class, which is supposed to have an equal distribution of attack and defense stats. But this feels mostly insignificant due to the "auto-play" functionality. This includes things like auto-running to objectives and auto-combat. You can turn it off, of course. But it ultimately doesn't change too much about early gameplay. While Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds has immediately recognizable visual design, little actually sets it apart from other mobile games of its ilk. I found myself feeling the same kind of exhaustion that I had when playing Lineage II Revolution, another "MMORPG" style mobile game by Netmarble. While not completely identical, players can effectively set their phone down and let the game do the work. Which isn't a bad thing for those who want to grind to acquire materials and levels while busying themselves with more important tasks. It just feels completely uninvolved, with its visuals inspired by Studio Ghibli and Joe Hisashi composed score making it noteworthy in that regard. And honestly, those two things absolutely carry Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds.
The game looks especially impressive on a PC. The vast environments are truly given the opportunity to shine, with sprawling fields of wheat set against beautiful mountain ranges encapsulating that feeling of whimsy. Areas feel densely populated, even without a plethora of player characters running from objective to objective. And it feels like Netmarble really nailed that level of feeling like you as a character are existing in a mostly organic online world. However, lower end mobile devices may struggle to run Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds. I experienced several crashes on both Android and iOS. On my Android device, I was unable to get past the initial scripted tutorial area without constant crashes. While the PC version of the game is still in beta, I found it to be the most functional and most enjoyable to watch. Though it is clear the game was wholly intended to play on mobile devices, as the UI is mostly designed to accommodate mobile play. This can make dodging and rolling in combat a bit of a chore. Most of this is alleviated through the auto-play feature I mentioned before. The character creator in Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds is fairly limited, with players only able to change their hairstyle, eye color, hair color, and skin color. All options are severely lacking, especially concerning darker skin tones. Only two options are available, with the darkest skin tone looking desaturated. There are also no Black hairstyles in the character creator. Also, the way players can express themselves in game through costumes is fairly limited, with certain costumes only available to obtain through the gacha or by crafting. And Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds has a lot of gacha elements. There is a Familiar gacha, which players can use to acquire creatures to accompany them in combat. Each of these Familiars has their unique skills and abilities, which can help players progress through story quests or fight Field Bosses. I was lucky to obtain several three-star Familiars, which got me through a lot of the nearly two-hour introductory segment. There is also the mentioned costume gacha, which is purely cosmetic, and a weapon and armor gacha.
The functionality of these features is mostly the same as other games, with elemental attributes being ascribed to Familiars and weapons. Players will need to rotate between various elements to target the weaknesses of the enemies and bosses they are attacking. Currency is also relatively hard to come by, with a ten pull costing somewhere around $25. And Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds has several shop pages and tabs dedicated to "special offers" for enhancement packs and paid currency. Perhaps one of the most glaring issues with Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds is the inclusion of crypto currency and the implementation of NFTs within the year. The game functions on the "play to earn" model, with players gaining crypto currency earned through normal activities and PvP. This is a massive deterrent for me. Even if Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds was a more involved and enjoyable game, this alone would make me set it down. There are other games on the market that mechanically do exactly what it does, but without crypto currency and the promise of NFTs looming in the future. It's a shame, because Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds is a beautiful game. It's just engaging with it that seems to be the problem. The game is inundated with alerts to spend money on paid currency and other packs. The implementation of crypto currency and NFTs also leave a sour taste in my mouth. Ultimately, it is a game that shows a lot of promise, but is squandered by the constant attempts at monetization and a lack of a truly engaging system. Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds is available for PCs, Android devices, and iOS devices. The post Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds is a Tedious Mobile Game appeared first on Siliconera. |
| Apico is a Cozy and Relaxed Beekeeping Game Posted: 30 May 2022 08:00 AM PDT
The idea of leaving everything behind for a life completely opposite of the one you're living is an appealing prospect. So much so that many life sims offer that kind of fantasy life. Apico is one such game, involving a rural life beekeeping on an island. However, as it turns out, beekeeping means not only raising and breeding bees and gathering their honey, but keeping an eye on flowers and so many open windows. As with many games of this kind, things begin with an individual abandoning an urban lifestyle. They grew up in Port Apico, and decided to return to keep bees. Which means starting from scratch. You bring nothing back to the island. Fortunately, getting started is as easy as collecting an axe from some quests, chopping down a small part of the forest, crafting items to build a home and workshop, and getting some wild bees and hives.
From there, Apico grows and goes about as you'd expect. A player needs to create homes for bees. This can be done by appropriating existing hives and building their own proper homes, Apiary Frames, and Extractors to make production easier. You'll also need to gather flowers to plant near your bees, as a source of food and to begin crossbreeding kinds of flowers. Not to mention crossbreeding bees themselves to get new kinds of bees. As you become more successful, you can visit new areas or start making more profitable products like Apicola. What this also means is many windows. Queens have limited lifespans. This means a need to keep breeding and searching for new bees, so you can continue your operations. Once you've optimized an area as your "base," you may have the windows for each Apiary open to track their progress. If you're currently crafting, you'll have a Sawbench open to create planks for your next project. It is easy to run out of room while exploring, meaning needing to set down storage crates to hold items while you're deciding what to do next. You'll also spend a lot of time investigating your bees as you get into breeding to ensure you get certain results and populations. But, while queens do have a limited lifespan, nothing ever feels rushed. There's so much you can do as you get started without money that it is truly a relaxed experience. You can take your time and really learn about both the bees you're collecting and the process of caring for them.
My biggest issue with Apico, however, is that everything is so small. I was playing on a MacBook Air with 2560x1600 resolution, and I found it difficult to see items, navigate storage, and read text. Given that managing your bees, checking their natures to breed them, handling your items, and taking care of output is, well, the whole game, being able to properly read and see everything would be beneficial to a player. There is a lot of critical information you need to see at all times, and an option to be able to zoom in would really help. There are times it can be hard to determine what you're crafting or doing. Apico is just a soothing sort of game to play. There's a comfort that comes from finding a lot of bees, setting them up in the places you prepared around one of your hubs, and watching as they create honey that you can then turn into other things. It also gets quite satisfying as you breed new bees and learn more about this little world. Especially since there's no need to rush and I didn't feel a constant need to earn. It was more about experimenting and enjoying what I would see in the moment. Apico is available for PCs. The post Apico is a Cozy and Relaxed Beekeeping Game appeared first on Siliconera. |
| Interview: The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story Director, Actors Discuss Filming Posted: 30 May 2022 06:00 AM PDT
In the first part of our The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story interview, we spoke to the game's director and producer about the game's story and mechanics. This second part focuses on the live-action portions of the game. Cinematographer and Scenario Director Yasuhito Tachibana, as well as the two main actors, Nanami Sakuraba (Haruka/Yoshino/Iyo) and Yuta Hiraoka (Eiji/Josui), spoke about working on The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story. Annette Polis: Several of the actors and crew working on The Centennial Case are prolific in Japan's TV and film industry. What was it like creating a live-action video game as opposed to working on a television or film set? Yasuhito Tachibana: It was exciting to see how I could apply the experience and skills I had gained in the live-action film industry in the field of games. With the TV and film industry it is not easy to be seen around the world, and I think we gathered a group of those who wanted to work on a more global scale through the game industry. Yuta Hiraoka: Recently, there have been games released that are fully CG and have countless endings. Almost no CG was used for this title, and there was a real sense that the emotional aspect of the work was enhanced by the realistic conversations between the actors. Shooting multiple choice footage was a bit daunting at first, but it was very refreshing. Nanami Sakuraba: It was a wonderful and precious experience to be able to take on a live-action game which was a new challenge for me, with a wonderful cast and staff. My heart was filled with joy and excitement when the game was completed.
The Centennial Case features actors playing multiple roles. What was the casting process like, and is there a particular character or time period that you really enjoyed bringing to life? Tachibana: Casting proceeded with an emphasis on acting ability rather than recognition or celebrity status. I recall that we made our offers as we imagined whether the actors would feel like they belonged, especially in time periods that could go back 100 years. It was fun to see how the actors were particular about the way they dressed, behaved, and acted in the Taisho Era 100 years ago and the Showa Era 50 years ago. Even with similar kimonos, there were different ways of wearing them 100 or 50 years ago, each of which was the standard at the time, and the actors enjoyed these differences. The way that the Showa Era hostess played by Yokoyama-san wore her kimono with her back exposed, is symbolic of such changing times. Hiraoka: I enjoyed playing Josui. Unlike Eiji, who lives in the modern world, I could sense that he was a character who, in order to fulfill his purpose, would want to die as beautifully as cherry blossoms, and felt he had a samurai's soul. Sakuraba: That would be Yoshino. In addition to making deductions to solve cases, it was fun to express Yoshino's feelings about her parent-child relationship, and I also enjoyed wearing beautiful kimonos while acting.
What kinds of challenges did the team face in shooting a live-action game during COVID-19? Tachibana: The first step was to create an environment that would allow us to film with peace of mind and without confusion on site. Not only did we have to ensure thorough inspections, physical condition management, and on-site hygiene control, but wearing masks and face shields until right before the camera started rolling reduced the efficiency of the shoots. The burden on the staff and cast, including the mental stress, was very heavy. We also intentionally eliminated scenes that involved eating. On the other hand, morale was always high as we put our very existence on the line to create this title, and I believe this led to the high quality of this work. Hiraoka: Covid was a very serious challenge. If even one person tested positive, the schedule would stop, the actors' schedules might no longer match up, and this work itself could have been lost. We had a great script and project and definitely wanted to avoid that, so we took every precaution to prevent any infections. Sakuraba: As expected, many things were different compared to pre-Covid shoots. Because we had face shields as well as thorough disinfection and ventilation, we were able to complete the shoot without anyone getting infected during the filming period. The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is available now for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The post Interview: The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story Director, Actors Discuss Filming appeared first on Siliconera. |
| Monster Hunter Mofusand Merchandise Features Fluffy Cats Posted: 30 May 2022 03:00 AM PDT
Capcom is now selling Monster Hunter Mofusand merchandise. Mofusand is a series from the illustrator Juno, which consists of pictures of fluffy cats. The crossover items feature said fluffy cats wearing outfits that make them look like various creatures from the Monster Hunter series. As the mofusand products consist of daily necessities and small items, the Monster Hunter merchandise falls into those categories as well. There will be a total of eleven items you can get, all with cats cosplaying as monsters on them. Here is the list of goods and their prices:
[gallery columns="1" ids="928500" link="file"] These items will appear in the Capcom Store pop-up shops in Sendai from May 27, 2022 to June 12, 2022. After that, they will become available in the Sapporo one from June 18-26, 2022. Additionally, they will be in the permanent Capcom Stores. The website does not indicate when they will leave the stores. This implies that these items may be permanent fixtures. The Monster Hunter and mofusand merchandise has started to appear in Capcom stores around Japan. Overseas customers can also purchase them via Parco. The post Monster Hunter Mofusand Merchandise Features Fluffy Cats appeared first on Siliconera. |
| Virtua Fighter Anime SD Blu-ray Slated for 2022 Release Posted: 29 May 2022 04:00 PM PDT
Discotek Media announced that it will release Virtua Fighter on SD Blu-ray some time in 2022. It will have all 35 episodes with English subtitles. The first 24 episodes in the English dub are available, as well. Discotek will announce special features and extras on the Blu-ray at a later date via the company Twitter account. The Virtua Fighter anime first released in 1996, though it did not have the same story as the game. Anime Works dubbed the show's first 24 episodes. The company didn't finish dubbing the series due to poor sales. Discotek Media is the first licensing company since Virtua Fighter's original dub to pick it up for an English audience. An SD Blu-ray contains the episodes in standard-definition resolution, rather than the high-definition format of a standard Blu-ray. Virtua Fighter 2 had a fairly bare-bones story, similar to Virtua Fighter 5. Both games feature a fighting tournament and a secret organization trying to create ultimate fighting machines. However, the anime retains the setting while focusing more on the evil organization aspect. The show had Shinichiro Miki (Lockon Stratos from Mobile Suit Gundam 00) as Akira Yuki, and Naoko Matsui (Dorothy Catalonia in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing) as Pai Chan. The Virtua Fighter SD Blu-Ray is slated for a launch later in 2022. Discotek Media will post more information through Twitter. The post Virtua Fighter Anime SD Blu-ray Slated for 2022 Release appeared first on Siliconera. |
| KonoSuba Season 3 and Megumin Spinoff in Development Posted: 29 May 2022 02:00 PM PDT
Season 3 of KonoSuba has been announced, as well as an animated adaptation of the spin-off KonoSuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World. Animation studio Drive will take over from Studio Deen, who worked on the first two seasons. However, Takaomi Kanasaki will remain the director. [Thanks, ryokutya2089!] https://twitter.com/konosubaanime/status/1530535862441680896 KonoSuba is a light novel, manga, and anime series. It follows Kazuma Sato, who wakes up in a fantasy world after his death. While it is an isekai, it has comedic elements in Kazuma's dysfunctional party. They inadvertently find themselves fighting the Devil King's generals through their daily lives. As for KonoSuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World, the spin-off focuses on Megumin's past and how she learned her Explosion spell. https://twitter.com/konosubaanime/status/1530534355558203394 Aside from a show and a light novel series, KonoSuba is also a video game. This may not be a surprise, considering the amount of MMORPG tropes and references that are in the source material. A sequel to KonoSuba: Labyrinth Of Hope And The Gathering Adventurers is in development. The title will come out on the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. KonoSuba season 3 and KonoSuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World are in development. There is no news on when they will release. It is also unknown if they will air in the same anime season. The post KonoSuba Season 3 and Megumin Spinoff in Development appeared first on Siliconera. |
| The Summertime Rendering Manga Comes at a Good Time Posted: 29 May 2022 12:00 PM PDT
We've been seeing quite a few stories with mysteries to solve and secrets lately. The kinds of tales that get you wondering what a person could or should have done differently. For example, someone might wonder about that when playing a game like Gnosia. Summertime Rendering presents another situation that makes people wonder what exactly is happening. And, with Udon releasing its first three volumes at the end of May 2022 and last three in August 2022 and Disney+ showing the anime in Japan, it's really an ideal time to dive in. The Summertime Rendering manga begins with a mysterious encounter. A young man named Shinpei is on a boat with a friend named Ushio. After she chastises him for not coming home often enough, she offers advice about telling people hello, looking for her, and protecting someone named Mio. Only after that introduction does Shinpei "wake up." It turns out he's on a ferry heading to Hitogashima to attend Ushio's funeral. It's also then that Mio comes racing on her bike to meet him.
It all comes in at such a steady pace. Summertime Rendering is setting up these little touch points. There are clues hinting about certain things to potentially expect. But then, the story still manages to surprise you with some twists. As an example, I didn't expect the level of fanservice present in its introduction. For example, Ushio is in a swimsuit when we first meet her. When Shinpei encounters a mysterious woman on the ferry for the first time, he's waking up face-first in her breasts. After Mio races to Shinpei to greet him, her bike can't stop and we see her underwear. While it would be a spoiler to explain why I think it is appropriate in retrospect, all of this establishes a sort of tone. Which then make subsequent events feel like they hit harder. Since we are starting to see stories with situations like this more frequently, it becomes about seeing not only what is going on in the Summertime Rendering manga. It is also about how Yasuki Tanaka will make it stand out among its contemporaries. The things that are happening here. The way it builds out. How Shinpei addresses situations and uses what he learns. Not to mention, well, it's appropriate because of the season. This is a mystery set in the summer. It's on an island. There's the whole ambiance of swimming, festivals, and small town life. Again, not to offer any spoilers, but Summertime Rendering tells the sort of story that could work at any time of year. But it feels especially effective now. After going through the first volume of the Summertime Rendering, it really feels like the optimal time for this story to reach more people. The setting in-game, the appearance of its anime adaptation, and the fact that these sorts of tales are coming up more frequently really helps set the stage for it. The first volume of Summertime Rendering will be published via Udon on May 31, 2022. The anime adaptation is streaming on Disney+ in Japan. The post The Summertime Rendering Manga Comes at a Good Time appeared first on Siliconera. |
| Figures of Sora, Aqua, and Marine From Hololive Announced Posted: 29 May 2022 10:00 AM PDT
During Good Smile Company's WonHobby G announcements, it showed off three upcoming Hololive figures. Pop Up Parade figures of Minato Aqua and Tokino Sora will appear in the near future. The prototypes for both, as well as one of a Houshou Marine figma, already have paint on them, giving a good idea of how the final product will look. While there are no release windows yet for any of the Hololive figures, they look mostly complete. The Minato Aqua figure has her making a heart with her hands, while Tokino Sora has one arm high in the air. Both of these are Pop Up Parades, which means that they have a fixed pose you cannot change. [gallery columns="2" ids="928419,928418" link="file"] Since the Houshou Marine figure is a figma, you will be able to move her limbs and body as you wish. From the picture on the WonHobby G website, she appears to have joints on her elbows, knees, ankles, and chest. It is unclear if you will be able to remove her captain hat. [gallery columns="1" ids="928420" link="file"] Hololive is not the only VTuber group for whom Good Smile Company will release figures. During WonHobby G, it also revealed upcoming Nendoroids of Nyatasha Nyanners and Ironmouse from VShojo. While there is a painted prototype of Nyatasha, Ironmouse is still in the concept art stage. VShojo is an American-based VTuber company that primarily streams on Twitch. The Minato Aqua, Tokino Sora, and Houshou Marine Hololive figures will appear in the near future. The post Figures of Sora, Aqua, and Marine From Hololive Announced appeared first on Siliconera. |
| Here Are the Video Game Figures Revealed at WonHobby G Posted: 29 May 2022 08:00 AM PDT
During WonHobby G Spring 2022, Good Smile Company revealed a number of upcoming figures of video game characters. They are all in varying stages of development, and their release windows are unknown. More information on when they will launch and how much they will cost will appear in the near future. The full list of upcoming video game figures is on the WonHobby G Spring 2022 website. Here are some of the highlights: Figma
[gallery columns="1" ids="928440" link="file"] Nendoroid
[gallery columns="5" ids="928442,928443,928444,928445,928446" link="file"] Scale
[gallery columns="1" ids="928441" link="file"] The majority of the figures will be Nendoroids. This is also the case with the anime figures that Good Smile Company showcased at the same event. Other video games with Nendoroids coming out include Nier Automata, Tsukihime, Doki Doki Literature Club, and Genshin Impact. There are no release windows or price points as of yet for the video game figures shown at WonHobby G Spring 2022. The post Here Are the Video Game Figures Revealed at WonHobby G appeared first on Siliconera. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Siliconera. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
No comments:
Post a Comment