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A 'Dragon Quest' game is coming to PCs through Steam
At long last, you can get a Dragon Quest game on Steam... if not quite the role-playing game you might be hoping for. Square Enix has revealed that Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below is coming to Windows as a Steam download on December 3rd. The $60 title (already available on the PS3 and PS4) is really a slash-em-up that happens to be set in the DQ universe more than anything else -- think Dynasty Warriors with slimes. Still, this is heartening news. Heroes was well-received when it hit consoles earlier this year, and its Windows launch raises hope that other follow-ups in the series (if not necessarily the much-hyped Dragon Quest XI) could one day be just a click away.
'Deus Ex: Mankind Divided' is delayed to August 2016
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is due to hit PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on August 23rd, 2016 -- though it was originally scheduled to launch on February 23rd. Eidos Montreal head David Anfossi announced the delay in a blog post titled, "No compromise on quality." He says, in part, "We're confident and proud of the game so far. However, as we are now playing through the game in full we can see that it will require more time in post-production for tuning, iterations and refinement to meet our high standards." Anfossi offers an apology and gratitude for fans' continued support.
18 ways to (nearly) die with Lara Croft, Tomb Raider
Lara Croft is basically a superhero. She leaps with the power of someone bitten by a radioactive kangaroo, climbs sheer rock faces like her hands are coated in glue and spontaneously zip-lines down hundreds of ancient, convenient ropes like she's strolling down to Starbucks on a Monday morning. In Rise of the Tomb Raider, players will most certainly die a few times, whether in firefights with hordes of gunmen, while running across a rapidly crumbling sheet of ice or jumping across gigantic crevasses. What's incredible (and absurd) is all of the times Lara Croft survives.
'Nier: Automata' is hack-and-slash the Platinum way
A Nier sequel was one of the last things we expected to see at E3 this year -- which is why it was such a surprise when Square Enix showed off a proof-of-concept trailer for an upcoming PS4 sequel. Today, the company gives us something more substantial: the game's full name (Nier: Automata), a new gameplay trailer focusing on Platinum Games' combat engine and a bit of backstory.
'Hitman' delayed to March 2016
IO Interactive needs a few more months to bulk out the new Hitman -- the studio has pushed the game's release date back from December 2015 to March 2016. The delay applies to all versions: PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam. Wherever and whenever you end up playing Hitman, it's going to be a slightly different experience for the series. IO Interactive and publisher Square Enix plan to release Hitman in chunks, starting with a large initial launch. Afterward, the game's remaining locations will be released over time. The new Hitman's tagline is, "Enter a world of assassination," which feeds into the idea of a constantly updated, evolving landscape.
'Dragon Quest Builders' is a shallower, more polished 'Minecraft'
It's like a very, very well-done mod. In Dragon Quest Builders, Square Enix has taken the thrill and almost tangible joy of building your own world, and coated it in a deep, glossy layer of Dragon Quest paint. If you don't know Dragon Quest, it was the sworn rival of Final Fantasy in the Japanese RPG golden age. Then Squaresoft (FF) and Enix (DQ) became the same company. Oh, and if you don't know Minecraft, where have you been, you monster?
'Final Fantasy VII' lands on iOS with built-in cheat codes
If you can't find your old PSOne discs, don't want the PC version and don't have a PS4, there's now one more way to play Final Fantasy VII: on your iPhone. Today Square Enix launched the classic jRPG for devices running iOS 8.0 and up. At its core, this release is a simple port of the PC version of the game, but developers have made a few minor tweaks to the title palatable on the small screen.
Square Enix is killing its game-streaming service in Japan
Square Enix is shutting down Dive In, the game-streaming service it introduced last year. In a blog post earlier today, the renowned developer/publisher said the platform will cease to exist on September 13th -- less than a year after being launched. The soon-to-be-defunct Dive In, which had only been available in Japan, was designed to let people rent titles such as Season of Mystery or Final Fantasy XIII on their iOS and Android device. How much you'd pay for each game depended on play time, but you could also test them out for 30 minutes at no cost. If you're curious about what the service was like, Kotaku spent some time with it a few months ago -- you can read those impressions here.
'Dragon Quest XI' may be one of the first Nintendo NX games
It's been a long time coming, but another Dragon Quest title is on the way -- and you'll want to keep your eye on this one. Square Enix has announced Dragon Quest XI, a solo role-playing game (no DQX-style massively multiplayer experience) that will come to the PlayStation 4, 3DS... and, quite possibly, Nintendo's future NX console. Yes, the publisher is at least "considering" a version for a system that exists as little more than a codename. There's no mention of what that version will entail, although it's clear that DQXI will take advantage of platforms' strong points. The PS4 version is based on the pretty Unreal Engine 4, while the 3DS version makes good use of the dual screens to show 3D gameplay and 2D maps at the same time. As it stands, you'll have to wait a while to try any edition for yourself. Square Enix hasn't provided any release dates yet, so the odds are that you won't be battling slimes until 2016 at the earliest.
'Rise of the Tomb Raider' hits PlayStation 4 and PC in 2016
When Square Enix announced Rise of the Tomb Raider at Gamescom last year, it dropped a bomb: The game would be exclusive to Xbox platforms, meaning PlayStation 4 and PC players wouldn't get to touch it. At least, not for a certain amount of time. Square Enix today confirmed that Rise of the Tomb Raider will indeed hit PC and PS4 after a period of Xbox exclusivity: It will launch on Windows 10 and Steam in early 2016, and PS4 in late 2016. Rise of the Tomb Raider is slated to hit Xbox One and Xbox 360 this year on November 10th.
'Life is Strange' episode 4 enters a 'Dark Room' next week
Life is Strange is about to get dark. Well, darker than all of the surreal time travel, stormy nightmares, missing-person mysteries and straight-up death contained in the first three episodes. Episode four, Dark Room, hits Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Steam next Tuesday, July 28th. Life is Strange is partly a cinematic coming-of-age tale featuring Max -- a young girl who returns to her hometown to find her best friend vastly changed -- and partly a sci-fi mystery as Max realizes she can control time. She uses her power to get out of increasingly dangerous jams and in the search for a missing girl, Rachel Amber. According to the trailer for Dark Room, this one is going to be tense (spoiler warning for all three previous episodes).
JXE Streams: Things get wild in 'Life is Strange' ep. 3
Life is Strange is an emotive sort of time-travel tale, starring angsty teenagers, viral videos and friendships tested again and again. The game stars Max, a high school girl who returns to her hometown to find a lot of things have changed, including her former best friend, Chloe, who is now rebellious, cold and searching for a missing girl. Blackwell Academy, their school, is packed with political drama and ominous happenings, and the tepid Northeastern weather starts shifting in odd, extreme ways. Oh, and Max can reverse time. You know, normal high school things. We dive into Episode 3: Chaos Theory live at 3:30PM ET (12:30PM PT) right here, on Twitch.tv/Joystiq or on the Engaget Gaming homepage.
'Deus Ex: Mankind Divided' has something new: female combatants
Among the upgraded abilities, new weapons and winding metal passageways in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, there's one important, yet subtle, change to the series: women in combat roles. There were of course women in the previous game, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, but they were largely removed from battles, producer Olivier Proulx tells Engadget at E3. "They had some social functions in the game world, but actually going into stealth and playing against them in combat, you didn't see that," he says. "It was just guys all the way through."
Square Enix made a new game studio for its new RPG
After news on familiar game series like Hitman, Just Cause and Final Fantasy -- Square Enix threw in one more thing into its E3 show: a new console RPG. Currently code-named "Project Setsuna," the company has set up a new games studio, Tokyo RPG Factory, to guide the new game into existence. The artwork teases a gentle, soft world setting -- and it's a gorgeous one. Expect to hear more later this year, before the game launches in 2016. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
The new 'Hitman' will be an 'ever-expanding world of assassination'
At Square Enix's E3 press conference today, developer IO Interactive revealed more details about the upcoming Hitman, an assassination-based shooter. But for this new title, due out December 8th on PS4, Xbox One and Steam, the developer's taking a different tactic that meshes well with the game's digital release: It'll constantly evolve. That's right, IO Interactive will continually release updates that will add new locations, missions and hits. And it's worth noting that some of these new targets will be a one-time deal (read: permadeath). IO will also take cues from the Hitman community to inform these future updates and also to work together to take out targets. Hitman is available to pre-order today. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
Platinum Games is working on a new 'NieR' game for PS4
It's been five years since NieR last arrived on consoles, but at today's Square Enix E3 press conference, the publisher announced that a new title is in-development for the PlayStation 4. Fans of the franchise will be pleased to know that Platinum Games is handling the development of this new title and, as producer Atsushi Inaba mentioned onstage, there'll be a heavy focus on action. Though we were treated to a short "sneak peek," the company stressed that this footage was merely a proof of concept, and that we could expect to hear more this fall. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
'Just Cause 3' parachutes in on PS4, Xbox One and PC on December 1st
In case you forgot, Just Cause 3 lands this year on PS4, Xbox One and PC, and we've now had a closer glimpse of the five-years-going sequel. Expect to topple a tyrant in charge of your mother's homeland, and possibly a missile threat and more. Grapple hooks, parachutes and even a pair of wings are all part of your sandbox. And you pilot helicopters or even a tractor -- finally. The gameplay showcase focused on... well a lot of explosions and well as a new gameplay mode that focuses on destruction. The game launches on December 1st on PS4, Xbox One and PC. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
Here's where to watch Square Enix's big E3 showcase
We're sure Square Enix will have more up its sleeve that simply reiterating its (awesome) Final Fantasy remake. Check below to see what unfolds. Kingdom Hearts, Deus Ex... maybe some Just Cause? Let's see!
'Final Fantasy Tactics' hits Android
Final Fantasy players, lovers and haters, come together and rejoice: Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions has finally launched on Android. It hit iOS back in 2013, but now the playing field is leveled. This is a port of the 2007 PSP game War of the Lions, which was in turn based on the 1997 original PlayStation game, Final Fantasy Tactics. It's $14 on Android, so cancel your weekend plans and enjoy.
Seven times Kanye West dressed like a 'Final Fantasy' character
Apparently the Kanye West role-playing game, Kanye Quest 3030, contains an eerie hidden area involving a butterfly and a New Age cult called Ascensionism. We know, it's hard to believe that Kanye has a video game. Anyway, this secret game-within-a-game is weird, but it's certainly not surprising considering that, for years now, Kanye has been dressing like characters from one of the most nonsensical video game franchises of all time, Final Fantasy. We've collected a few of Kanye's standout cosplay attempts in the gallery below. Happy Friday, folks.
