bandai namco
Latest
Tekken team's Project Morpheus demo is voyeuristic
Bandai Namco Director Katsuhiro Harada and the team behind the Tekken series put together a demo for Sony's VR hardware, Project Morpheus, though it's just about the furthest from a fighting game you can get. The demo is called Summer Lesson and it's an interactive tour through a Japanese schoolgirl's bedroom, schoolgirl included. In the introductory video, we see players look around the sunny room, nod yes or no to the girl's questions, and make her pull back in discomfort when the viewing angle gets too invasive. Yes, really. See a video of the demo (from the Sony Computer Entertainment Japan & Asia event) below (skip to the 55:40 mark). Summer Lesson will be playable at Tokyo Game Show, which kicks off on September 18. [Image: SCEJ]
God Eater 2: Rage Burst terrorizes Japan on PS4, Vita
Bandai Namco Producer Yusuke Tomizawa announced the action-RPG God Eater franchise will live on. During Sony's Pre-TGS media briefing, Tomizawa revealed God Eater 2: Rage Burst is coming to PS4 and Vita in Japan. With the addition of Sony's console, Tomizawa said – via a translator – the franchise can live on and allow the developer to try new things. God Eater 2 first launched on the PSP and Vita, in Japan, in 2013. The Burst branding indicates an expansion of the original sequel, similar to the re-release of the first game in the franchise under the banner God Eater Burst in 2010 (Japan, 2011 worldwide). God Eater Burst added new characters, story and monsters.
Wang tough, 'small delay' to Shadow Warrior console ports
Shadow Warrior isn't slicing and dicing into consoles until October 24 in the UK, Bandai Namco revealed in a release schedule sent to Joystiq this morning. As VideoGamer reports, a statement from developer Flying Wild Hog suggests the delay to the PS4 and Xbox One ports is likely to be reflected stateside, while both Amazon and GameStop are now listing the US release for October 21. "Bringing Shadow Warrior to PS4 and XB1 has proven to be a challenge for us as we want to make sure the player experience is perfect," reads the statement to VideoGamer. "In play testing we have been focusing in on the controller inputs and response. We recognized that we needed more time to improve this as Shadow Warrior is an old school FPS and this demands perfection. Sadly this means a small delay in the release date, but Lo Wang needs to be at his best on these shiny new consoles."
Dark Souls 2 DLC still locked for EU PS3 season pass holders [update]
Update: Perhaps we're a lucky charm. Shortly after this post went live, users on the game's Facebook page began reporting the DLC issues are now resolved, and PS3 pass holders in Europe can download the content for free. Bandai Namco's yet to confirm that officially. Original Story: European PS3 season pass holders for Dark Souls 2 are currently unable to unlock content they've already paid for, despite it being available for everyone else. The second of a trilogy of DLC, Crown of the Old Iron King, launched this week with no hitches on PC and Xbox 360, but for EU owners of the PS3 pass it shows up as requiring purchase. This may seem like another of the game's nefarious lateral challenges, but the only solution at present is to buy the DLC, which is a pretty terrible solution since you've already ponied up the cash. Bandai Namco apologized for the error and warned PS3 pass holders to not purchase the content while it tries to fix the problem.
Pokken Tournament won't star Tekken fighters
Pokken Tournament, the Tekken-style fighting game starring Pokemon characters, will not feature Tekken fighters, Bandai Namco Director Katsuhiro Harada said on Twitter (translation by Eventhubs). "Nope, Tekken characters will not be making an appearance," Harada said. "As we're making a Pokemon fighting action battle game, I've already touched on this while on the livestream, but in this game there will not be a high/mid/low guard system mechanic. Instead, we're planning to include a new type of [mechanic]." Harada also noted that Pokken Tournament supports all kinds of Pokemon types, not only the humanoid fighters we've seen so far. In terms of adding Pokemon trainers, Harada said, "Worry not." Pokken Tournament is scheduled to launch in Japanese arcades in 2015 as a collaboration between Nintendo and Bandai Namco. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Tekken-style Pokemon fighter unveiled for arcades in 2015
Pokken Tournament combines the world of cutesy critter-catching series Pokemon with fast-paced 3D fighting in the vein of the Tekken series. Do not adjust your monitors, this is for real. As Famitsu confirms, the game represents a collaboration between Nintendo and Bandai Namco, and it's coming to arcades in Japan some time next year. The game was revealed today during a Niconico livestream by The Pokemon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara, Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada and Soulcalibur producer Masaaki Hoshino. Gematsu reports Pokken Tournament will be developed under the leadership of Harada and Hoshino. Details are limited, but a short announcement trailer showed Lucario and Machamp duking it out, before revealing the Pokken Tournament logo. To see the announcement trailer, pokken below the break.
Rumor: Super Smash Bros videos show Bowser Jr, Shulk, Duck Hunt Dog [Update: Videos pulled]
Update: The videos have been removed from YouTube, though you can still see snippets of them in GIF format on the NeoGAF post linked below. If rumors are to be believed, we're not even close to seeing the final roster of Super Smash Bros. Several images and videos of Nintendo's upcoming mascot brawler have surfaced (handily collected on NeoGAF), showcasing lots of new characters. Among these are King Koopa's bandana'd progeny, Bowser Jr, Xenoblade protagonist Shulk and ... the dog from Duck Hunt. In the videos, Bowser Jr is seen piloting a tiny version of his father's iconic flying machine, while Shulk seems to have a few things in common with fellow sword-swingers Roy and Marth. There's no video of the Duck Hunt dog, sadly, but if his appearance turns out to be true: best ... taunt ... ever. Of course, we have to point out that talented modders have been squeezing new characters into Smash Bros Brawl for years – everything from Master Chief to Cloud Strife – so we suggest a smashing serving of salt to go along with all of this. See the videos after the break.
Jam to Smash Bros. 3DS tracks on the go in Sleep Mode
After Super Smash Bros. Brawl's extensive, impressive recollection of Nintendo's musical heights, Super Smash Bros. on Wii U and 3DS has a lot to live up to. If the incoming soundtrack resembles the quality of its predecessor, the 3DS version could be a prime opportunity to revisit incessantly-catchy stage themes on the go. The Smash Bros. team is apparently thinking the same thing, as Director Masahiro Sakurai's explains that Smash Bros. 3DS will have a "Play in Sleep Mode" option in its playback mode. Once activated, players can listen to tracks and character voices with their 3DS closed, using the L and R buttons to navigate a playlist. Sakurai also noted that tracks displayed with a pink remix label (seen above) were freshly composed for this version of Smash Bros., whereas songs with white remix labels are encores from previous soundtracks. We can't start unlocking Smash's full playlist until October 3, but at least the official site offers a few samples and a list of contributing musicians. [Image: Nintendo]
Adventure Time: Nameless Kingdom debuts November 21 in Europe
WayForward's next Adventure Time game, The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom, premieres in Europe for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS, and PC platforms via Steam on November 21, publisher Bandai Namco revealed this week. Announced earlier this year, The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom takes gameplay cues from classic entries in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series, and models its structure after the lauded 16-bit action-RPG A Link to the Past. Gameplay focuses on solving environmental puzzles to progress through the game's many dungeons, ditching the roguelike-styled gameplay of its predecessor Explore the Dungeon Because I Don't Know! for a more traditional approach. A North American release date for The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom was not announced. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Amazon: Wii U game pre-orders up following Gamescom
With all the news that surfaced last week during Gamescom, it makes sense that video game pre-orders would increase at retailers like Amazon. As it turns out, the biggest winner coming away from the show is Nintendo, as Wii U games saw the biggest boost in pre-orders on Amazon (8.67 percent). By comparison, pre-orders for PS4 games rose 5.16 percent and Xbox One games increased 2.81 percent. The largest increase for a single game was 42.3 percent for Slightly Mad Studios' Project Cars. Bandai Namco announced a limited edition version of the game last week, which likely spurred new pre-orders. Rounding out the top five are Rise of the Tomb Raider (30.25 percent), Bloodborne (16.08 percent), Hyrule Warriors (11.77 percent) and Quantum Break (10.77 percent). You'll find the full list of the top ten games whose pre-orders increased on Amazon after the break, courtesy of MCV.
Bandai Namco reunites Spider-Man with The Avengers
Thanks to an unending tangle of intellectual property laws, it's unlikely that American gamers will see Spider-Man joining forces with Thor, Iron Man and Captain America, but Japanese gamers will receive just that in the upcoming Disk Wars Avengers: Ultimate Heroes. Based on the Marvel Disk Wars animated series from Toei Animation, Disk Wars Avengers: Ultimate Heroes stars Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, The Wasp and Spider-Man as playable Marvel heroes. It's unknown what foes this team will be battling in the game's Story Mode, but screenshots published by Bandai Namco feature images of AIM troopers and a hapless purple lizard creature on the wrong end of a Mjolnir lightning strike. Disk Wars Avengers: Ultimate Heroes is slated to hit the 3DS in Japan on November 13. There's no word on an English-language release, but it's not entirely outside of the realm of possibility as Disney Magical World, another Bandai Namco production based on Disney properties, made the jump from Japan to the United States in March of this year. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Project Cars' Limited Edition parks five cars in your garage
Bandai Namco revealed a Limited Edition version of Project Cars today, which will include a copy of the game, collectible book and five drivable legendary cars. The collector's book, titled "Project Cars: By Racers 4 Racers," offers a behind-the-scenes look at the game's development and influence from its community during Slightly Mad Studios' crowdfunding process in 2011. The five cars featured in the collector's edition are: The Ford GT40 Mk IV, the BMW M1 Pro Car, the McLaren F1, the Sauber C9 and the Mercedes-Benz AMG C-Coupe DTM. Those that pre-order either the Limited Edition or standard versions of the game will also receive the Modified Cars Pack, which includes three cars: The Ruf CTR3 SMS-R, the Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster and the Ariel Atom 3 Mugen. Project Cars will launch in November on Xbox One, PS4 and PC. The Wii U version of the racing game, which replaced the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions in November 2013, was previously delayed by the new publisher to 2015. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Tales of Xillia 2 preview: Black and white
While you can rarely base much off an RPG's opening hour or so, Tales of Xillia 2 quickly establishes some of the things it's doing the same as its 2013 predecessor, and some of the things it's doing differently. The most obvious difference is the new central hero, Ludger Will Kresnik, and how the game presents him. It's not just Ludger's look that grabs you, with his dapper navy shirt and yellow tie overshadowed by his half-and-half black and white hair - right down to differently colored eyebrows. Unlike the last game's heroes, it's something that isn't there that claims your attention: his voice. Ludger is mostly a silent protagonist - in the hour and a half I played, the young man only spoke in grunts, mumbles and other monosyllabic noises. That reflects the other most obviously new part of the game, namely the dialogue choices Ludger can make.
Digi-duke it out in Digimon All-Star Rumble this November
Digimon, digital monsters. Digimon are the CHAMPIONS! Digimon, digital monsters. Digimon are the ... Oh hello, we didn't hear you come in. We were too busy humming the Digimon theme song, something we do every time a new Digimon game gets announced. This time, it's Digimon All-Star Rumble, a multiplayer battle game that sees various virtual pets duke it out to determine who's the real champion. Super Smash Bros. may be the obvious comparison based on the trailer and screenshots, but we'd argue that All-Star Rumble has quite a few elements drawn from the Dreamcast fighting series Power Stone as well. Not much information regarding gameplay was given, but environments and movement are three-dimensional, and characters digi-volve mid-fight to become more powerful versions of themselves. How that balances out so that a cyborg wolf with jet wings doesn't mop the floor with an adorable kitten is something we won't discover until November 11, when Digimon All-Star Rumble comes to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Target Blast minigame racks up points in Smash Bros. 3DS
In April, Nintendo told us all about Smash Run, a new game mode for the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. that lets players stock up on stat boosts and fight with their powered-up characters. Since then, the focus has been new stages and character reveals, but Smash Director Masahiro Sakurai's recent Miiverse activity offers a glimpse at another new game mode called Target Blast. Target Blast begins with players facing a bomb on a platform. A countdown begins as soon as the bomb is touched, with the goal being to dole out as much damage as possible before launching the bomb toward a target-populated infrastructure to the right. Points are earned both for destroying the structure and for cracking the clusters of targets inside, but your freshly-crafted rubble can also destroy its neighbors, making point-rocketing combos possible. A player's final score is calculated after two rounds, though it's unclear whether each round's structure will vary, if your destruction is undone, or if the second turn is just spent dealing with what your first shot missed. Sakurai added that Target Blast scores will contribute to a player's Global Smash Power, which plays into Nintendo's skill-based matchmaking for Smash's online multiplayer. [Image: Nintendo]
Galaga star makes Super Smash Bros. cameo
For his latest Miiverse Super Smash Bros. tease, director Masahiro Sakurai has put his roster of Nintendo characters on the shelf in favor of a Bandai Namco arcade icon, the Boss Galaga. "If you get caught in the Boss Galaga item's tractor beam, it will carry you away to the top of the screen," Sakurai wrote. "You can shoot it down, but it won't join you in battle for double the firepower." For those too young to recall the early arcades, the Boss Galaga made its debut in the 1981 hit Galaga. Unlike other Galaga critters which sought only to destroy the player's ship, the Boss Galaga attempted to draw the ship in via tractor beam. If the Boss Galaga stole a player's ship and was then killed, the ship it swiped would be combined with the player's existing ship, doubling its effective firepower. As Sakurai mentioned, none of this takes place in Super Smash Bros., but at least now you know why the pixelated bug is attempting to abduct Donkey Kong. [Image: Nintendo]
F1 series making last-gen pit stop ahead of 2015 upgrade
Codemasters announced the next entry in its annual F1 series is coming to PS3, Xbox 360 and PC on October 17 in Europe and October 21 in North America. Then next year, the UK developer plans to release the series' first entry on the latest consoles, a separate game that's confirmed for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. Interestingly, Codemasters Community Manager Luke Spring said the 2015 game will hit store shelves earlier in the F1 season - typically F1 seasons run from March to November. Spring added the new game will add "2015" content throughout the season, adding that players will be able to compete "against the same drivers and teams you watch week in and week out." - F1 rosters are much more static throughout a season compared to other sports, so it'll be interesting to see what the additional content exactly entails.
Just you and your Shadow Warrior on consoles this September
Bandai Namco confirmed it's bringing Shadow Warrior to PS4 and Xbox One in Europe on September 26. Majesco's not yet announced a US date beyond "late September," but GameStop's listing of September 23 tallies with the typical three-day gap between regions. Described as a "bold re-imagining" of 3D Realms' 1997 shooter, the new Shadow Warrior hit PC around the same time last year. It retained a few Lo Wang jokes but toned down the stereotyping, delivering a more modern mix of first-person shooting and swordfighting.
Rise of Incarnates beta causes carnage next week
Bandai Namco will begin a closed beta period next Friday for Rise of Incarnates, the two-on-two fighting game from the Tekken and Soul Calibur creators. Those in Europe and Australasia can get in the testing phase by signing up on the game's official website. The doors to the beta program open at 9:00 a.m. CET (8:00 a.m. UTC) on Friday, August 8. It will last ten full days, ending at the same time on Monday, August 18. Announced in April alongside its initial alpha program, Rise of Incarnates is a free-to-play PC fighting game that features humans with god-like powers battling in mostly-destroyed, yet real-life locales. The beta will include New York City and Paris-based levels that allow players to use the environment to their competitive advantage. The program's limited character roster starts with four fighters: Mephistopheles, Lilith, Grim Reaper and Ares. The fifth playable character, Brynhildr, is expected to join the roster on August 13, along with the Paris level.
Harada: Tekken X Street Fighter 'still in development'
Remember Tekken X Street Fighter, Bandai Namco's crossover fighter that was announced in 2010? Tekken series producer Katsuhiro Harada sure does, because it's still in development! Also, because he's probably bombarded with questions from fans concerned it's becoming the next The Last Guardian. Thankfully, it doesn't sound like that's the case, as Harada stated during a San Deigo Comic-Con panel that TxSF is "proceeding" and "still in development," according to a report from Polygon. Harada explained that between Tekken 7, Rise of Incarnates and the ongoing free-to-play efforts Tekken Revolution and Soulcalibur: Lost Swords, finding space for TxSF is a matter of timing. Maybe you just had a flashback to August 2013, when Harada said that Bandai Namco was "looking for the right time" to release TxSF while reassuring us it was still in development. In the 2013 statement, Harada noted the recent release of Street Fighter X Tekken, Capcom's take on the series crossover project, as a reason we hadn't heard much about TxSF. Considering how similar the titles are conceptually and in name, that makes plenty of sense. With 11 months between this statement and the last however, it's tough to still consider SFxT a recent release, so hopefully we can catch a glimpse of a new trailer or something soon. You know, after Bandai Namco finishes everything else it's working on. [Image: Bandai Namco]
