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Tekken 7 story, art details from Comic-Con, Lars confirmed
The Mishima clan has got some issues to resolve, and based on details shared by producer Katsuhiro Harada through a translator at Comic-Con, it seems like Tekken 7 will help the family finally get it all out in the open. As reported by Polygon, Harada said Tekken 7's plot will answer a few Tekken mysteries, such as why Heihachi chucked his son Kazuya off a cliff. It was revealed that Tekken 7 will feature the work of seven guests artists, including Yusuke Kozaki (Fire Emblem: Awakening), Mari Shimazaki (Bayonetta), Ninnin (Duel Masters) and Kenichiro Yoshimura (Anarchy Reigns). Sporting a redesign by Ninnin, Lars was also confirmed to be among Tekken 7's playable roster. Considering Lars is the son of Heihachi and the half-brother of Kazuya, two prevalent characters in the Mishima clan's storied history, it makes sense for Lars to be around when the Mishima drama starts wrapping up. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Pre-order Lords of the Fallen for bonus weapons, story DLC
Square Enix announced a "Day One Edition" for Lords of the Fallen, the third-person action RPG developed by Deck 13 Interactive and CI Games. The limited edition version grants pre-order buyers exclusive story DLC as well as extra weapons and the game's official soundtrack. Those pre-ordering the game through GameStop will receive a free upgrade to the Day One Edition while supplies last. While there's no clear indication that the special edition of the game is limited to GameStop customers, the game's official pre-order page sure makes it seem that way at the moment. The Lords of the Fallen limited edition includes the Monk's Decipher DLC and Demonic Weapons Pack. The latter features three items: The Margyr daggers, a Thehk hammer and the Ihir sword. The game was first shown off at Gamescom 2013 this past August and is scheduled to arrive on October 28 for PS4, Xbox One and PC courtesy of Bandai Namco. It can't seem to escape comparisons to From Software's Dark Souls series; at least that was a main takeaway from our time with the game at E3. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 gobbles up an October release
Ohhhhhhhh no / Those ghosts have got to go / Go go Paczilla Pac-Man and his pals are back for another round of 3D platforming with the upcoming release of Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS, publisher Bandai Namco announced this week. Based on the latest season of the ongoing animated series Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, this year's sequel allows players to switch between Pac-Man and new playable characters Spiral and Cylindria. Players are also equipped with new powers and skills, including the ability to transform Pac-Man into the monstrous (and, honestly, kinda terrifying) Paczilla. Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 will hit retail in North America on October 14. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Dark Souls 2 Crown of the Sunken King DLC floats new imagery
Publisher Bandai Namco has issued a deluge of new screens from the first chapter of From Software's planned Dark Souls 2 DLC trilogy, officially dubbed "Crown of the Sunken King." Though producer Takeshi Miyazoe originally claimed From had no plans for Dark Souls 2 downloadable additions, the developer changed course following the game's success at retail. When Crown of the Sunken King debuts on July 22, it will reportedly transport players to a wholly new realm "where stepped pyramids span a vast underground cavern." Each chapter of the DLC trilogy will be priced at $10 on release. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Tekken 7 coming, uses Unreal Engine 4 [update: confirmed, trailer]
Update: A Bandai Namco press release rolled out on Monday morning confirmed Tekken 7 is in development using Unreal Engine 4. Meanwhile, the YouTube description on the newly published teaser trailer (which you can watch below the break) says we can expect more details at the San Diego Comic Con, which takes place later this month. Additionally, a quote from Game Director and Executive Producer Katsuhiro Harada points towards a release on the new generation of systems. "The power and flexibility means that we can focus our efforts on making Tekken 7 the best possible game without worrying about spending time creating a stand-alone graphic engine," said Harada. "With Unreal Engine 4, we could rapidly achieve visual quality expected on next-gen platform[s] and go beyond it. Not only is Unreal Engine 4 powerful and easy to use, but it allows us to immediately bring Tekken 7 to any platform we desire."
Lords of the Fallen challenges you to pick it up in October
Lords of the Fallen brings its dark fantasy action-RPG gameplay to North America on October 28, with Europe penciled in for October 31. No word yet on US prices, but in the UK it'll be priced £50 on PS4 and Xbox One, and £30 on PC. Lords of the Fallen pits you as Harkyn, a convict and a meaty slab of a man who has to step up when the army of a fallen god threatens his world. That unyielding world is matched by combat and gameplay systems designed to keep players on their toes, rather than going in with gung-ho recklessness. According to Executive Producer Tomasz Gop, the third-person action-RPG "has all the layers, all the complexity, all the mechanics, all the elements of very advanced tactical combat." For more on Lords of the Fallen, check out what Anthony thought of it at E3. [Image: Square Enix]
Bandai Namco pulling Tales of Phantasia, soon to be 'unusable'
After mere months on the App Store, Tales of Phantasia iOS will soon stop being available or even playable in any way. As Touch Arcade discovered, Bandai Namco quietly posted an update on the app's iTunes page, noting it will remove the game from the store on August 28. Not only will Tales of Phantasia iOS not be available after that, but Bandai Namco says "the app and all associated services will become unusable." That's likely because of server shutdown, since the game requires players be online to save. In the update, Bandai Namco apologized for the inconvenience, but it didn't explain why it's removing the game. We've reached out to the publisher to learn more, but we suspect the move has something to do with the mixed reception the iOS version received.
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution hits September 16
Following earlier reports that hyper-kinetic anime fighter Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution would be hitting Western shores, Bandai Namco has made things official by announcing that the game will reach the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC platforms on September 16. To celebrate the imminent arrival of the game's cel-shaded fisticuffs, Bandai Namco has also issued a bevy of media, including the trailer seen above and the nearly two-dozen screenshots in the gallery below. Additionally, the publisher has outlined the game's pre-order bonuses: Best Buy and Futureshop are offering four summer-themed costumes, Amazon has three samurai-inspired costumes and GameStop offers customers an exclusive "Japanese Mecha-Naruto" poster. If you'd rather not fork over early cash for the game, Bandai Namco is also offering a few bonuses to anyone who picks up the game at launch, including a short Naruto anime featurette and costume DLC that sees the titular orange ninja swapping costumes with Sasuke while Itachi Uchiha dons the fetching Akatsuki apron. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Bandai Namco to distribute next-gen racer Project Cars
Slightly Mad Studios' next-gen racing game Project Cars now has the support of Bandai Namco. The publisher agreed to distribute the game globally on Xbox One, PS4, PC for Windows and SteamOS as well as Wii U. Project Cars is slated to launch in November. The realism-fixated racing sim began as a crowdsourced World of Mass Development project in September 2011, two years after Slightly Mad Studios launched Need for Speed: Shift. It was originally planned for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 before the developer added the Wii U to its list of platforms in January 2012, then ditched Xbox 360 and PS3 in favor of their next-gen counterparts and SteamOS in November 2013. One year later, Project Cars will arrive as one of the PS4's first Morpheus games in addition to its support of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. [Image: Bandai Namco]
November is where the Tales of Hearts R is for Europeans
Namco Bandai pumped out a Tales of Hearts R release date for Europe and Australasia this morning, confirming the JRPG is coming to the regions on November 14. There's no word on North America yet, but we'd expect the Vita remake stateside around the same time. The original DS game never made it out of Japan, but 7th Chord's remake brings the series' frenetic real-time combat to Western Vitas for the first time. As Siliconera reports, the remake introduces a fairly beefy array of additions, including full 3D graphics, new anime cut scenes, full voice acting across the main story, The localized version offers Japanese audio with subtitles, while Gematsu reports it'll be a GameStop exclusive in North America, though it'll also be available via PSN.
Duo of trailers showcase Tales of Xillia 2's protagonists
Could you say no to chaperoning a little girl's journey to the wish-granting Land of Canaan, even if it helped her reunite with her father? Well so could we, but Tales of Xillia 2 protagonist Ludger Kersnik didn't, so you'll have to play the role of makeshift parental unit if you're interested in the Tales series' next step. Since your hands are effectively tied, you might as well get to know Ludger a bit with the above trailer, which offers a glimpse of his relationship with his brother Julius, as well as flashes of Xillia 2's combat. Ludger hopes to become an agent of the Spirius Corporation like Julias, but that whole "agreeing to protect Elle Marta on an epic journey" thing kind of stalls those plans. While a wish-granting land sounds appealing enough on its own, Elle is making the trip because her father told her to meet him there. The pair was split up after a mysterious band of villains attacked them during an evening storm, and while Ludger plays a central role in her adventure, the related press release assures Elle will cross paths with others of a "certain importance" during her travels. You can get a sense of Elle's personality in another trailer after the break, or you can read up on Xillia 2's Collector's Edition if either trailer's ending bonuses have caught your eye.
Going deeper underground with Dark Souls 2 DLC
If the opening half-hour is any indication, the Lost Crowns DLC takes what you learned in Dark Souls 2 and throws it back at you with a slight curveball spin. I'm loathe to spoil much - half the fun of a Souls game is discovering it for yourself - so I'll keep things brief. The E3 demo started me in Shulva, an underground, barren burgh seemingly just a bridge-suspended-over-an-abyss away from the dwarven mines of Moria. I had little time to appreciate the architecture because within seconds of descending the first rocky staircase I'd woken up a slumbering skeletal knight. He as a sole enemy wasn't tough to outflank and backstab. Of course, it's never that simple with Dark Souls 2.
Dark Souls 2 kills you again with 'The Lost Crowns' DLC
The story of Dark Souls 2's 'The Lost Crowns' DLC couldn't be more suited to the franchise. Developer From Software started off by saying there wouldn't be any DLC, giving players a nice sense of security. Then, the studio backpedaled, hinting that DLC could happen, depending on fan feedback. And now, the DLC has jumped from the shadows to crush players not once, but three times in what Namco is calling a "DLC trilogy" slated for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. All told, players will be able to download three new chapters by the end of the summer and, yes, Namco is selling a season pass – starting today on Steam (and on PSN in Europe). The Lost Crowns will see players "on a journey to reclaim the crowns that Drangleic's King Vendrick once owned." The first chapter, "Crown of the Sunken King," drops on July 22, taking place in "an entirely different world within the Dark Souls 2 universe, where stepped pyramids span a vast underground cavern." Crown of the Sunken King will be followed by "Crown of the Old Iron King" on August 26 and "Crown of the Ivory King" on September 24. Separately, each chapter will run $10, while the $25 season pass will grant access to all three chapters as they are released. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Behold the ultimate Dark Souls 2 troll
There's nothing worse than someone invading your Dark Souls 2 session and murdering you. At least, that's what we thought before seeing this guy troll his would-be assassins. All it takes is an enemy's equipment and a lot of patience. Watch for yourself. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 reaching UK in October
Bandai Namco gave the entirety of 2014 as a North American release window for Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2, but a recent press release narrows the game's UK arrival down to the month of October. With the help of Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U and 3DS owners, Pac-Man can stretch his legs and get out of that maze called life for a while. Like the TV show sharing the same universe, Ghostly Adventures 2 will feature Pac-Man and pals Spiral and Cylindria, with the sidekicks appearing in their own on-rails levels and to assist Pac-Man in "tough situations." The sequel follows the trio's efforts to defend PacWorld from Lord Betrayus' army, with Pac-Man using power ups and vehicles to help get the job done. If you're pretty sure a 3D Pac-Man adventure game could never be your thing, well ... at least there's always Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Vita RPG Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment coming to EU
Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment is a multiplayer Vita game based on an anime in which characters play a massively multiplayer virtual reality game. This, the Inception of gaming, is confirmed now for Europe, Australia and New Zealand, where Bandai Namco's releasing it on the PS Store in July. The Vita RPG's concept certainly won't be unfamiliar to fans of the .hack series, especially how players (not real-life ones!) who die in the VR game also die for realsies outside of it. Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment does place more emphasis on romance and building up relationships, as showcased in a trailer for the Japanese version. Namco says SAO fans can expect to bump into characters from the light novels, anime and manga. The game's also been confirmed for North America, although there's no word on a release date beyond "summer 2014." On the plus side, all Western versions come with a free HD version of PSP game SAO: Infinity Moment, which was previously limited to Japan. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Dark Souls 2 ships 1.2 million to West in first three weeks
Death factory Dark Souls 2 shipped out 1.2 million copies to North America and Europe in its three weeks at retail. From Software's action-RPG launched in early March, just ahead of Bandai Namco's fiscal year-end, so the shipping figures published today are as of March 31, 2014. That means they don't include last month's PC release, nor do they include sales in Japan because From self-published the game over there. With all that in mind, the third Souls game is showing good progress compared to its direct predecessor; Dark Souls took around a month to ship 1.5 million units worldwide. Around this time last year, From revealed total Dark Souls sales had risen to just under 2.4 million. Looking at Bandai's Namco's end-year report, Dark Souls 2 was Bandai Namco's strongest software performer across the 12 months, although Vita and PSP entry God Eater 2 proved a strong hit in Japan with 700,000 units shipped. Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z shifted 620,000 units worldwide, while JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle hit 500,000 units ahead of its Western arrival last month. Bandai Namco's retail and arcade games contributed 155.5 billion yen to net sales, which converts to around $1.5 billion, and the company expects to hit similar numbers this fiscal year. Overall, Bandai Namco posted a net profit of 25 billion yen ($246 million), although that is down 22.6 percent year-on-year. However, the company expects that figure to rise by 11.8 percent for the coming fiscal year. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Mobile suits wreak havoc in Dynasty Warriors Gundam: Reborn
For those days when you just need to destroy a few thousand giant robots comes the PlayStation 3 exclusive Dynasty Warriors Gundam: Reborn, the latest "musou" action game to star Japan's beloved bipedal war machines. [Image: Bandai Namco]
PSA: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle available now
Bandai Namco hasn't put much effort into promoting CyberConnect2's PlayStation 3 fighter JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle, so consider this your official notification that the game is now available for purchase. However, you shouldn't expect to walk into your local GameStop and find a copy. As we mentioned earlier this year, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle is only being released as a digital, PlayStation Network download and via limited physical copies on Amazon and the Bandai Namco online store. Supplies are still available at either retailer, so those hoping for a box to go along with their new 2D fighter should place an order before they run out. As its name suggests, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle is based on Hirohiko Araki's long-running manga JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Though they share subject matter and the 2D fighter genre, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle is unrelated to Capcom's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, a fighter which debuted in 1998 and later hit the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in an updated high-definition release. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Soulcalibur: Lost Swords back online following launch issues
As quickly as it appeared, Bandai Namco's free to play, singleplayer Soulcalibur: Lost Swords vanished in a cloud of bug reports and uncooperative servers. Now, Soulcalibur: Lost Swords has returned, and the publisher claims things are "running smoothly." Last week, on the day Soulcalibur: Lost Swords should have made its debut, we described the game as mechanically similar to Soulcalbur 5, though noted that Lost Swords is packed with typical free to play gimmicks. Players may only choose a single fighter from a relatively paltry initial handful, and can only battle foes until their pool of in-game currency runs low or they opt to spend real-world cash to squeeze in a few more fights. Unfortunately for would-be combatants, this entire system relies on constant connectivity with Bandai Namco's servers. When Soulcalibur: Lost Swords launched alongside a rash of connectivity errors, the publisher had no choice but to delay the game's debut. Though the announcement posted to the Bandai Namco Facebook page makes no mention of what previously crippled the fighter, the publisher claims everything is now up and running on the PlayStation Network, urging players to report any future connectivity issues they might experience. [Image: Bandai Namco]
