While almost everyone is waiting on the PlayStation 5, some are eagerly awaiting impending promos on the PlayStation 4 to get the most out of their hard earned money. Look no further as Sony Interactive Entertainment Singapore Private Limited (SIES) has announced a special sale for 11.11!
From November 2 to 11, players can avail of red hot PlayStation 4 deals from participating PlayStation authorized dealers.
The first promo is a PS4 Mega Pack that will retail for PHP14,990, a PHP3,000 discount from the original price of PHP17,990! The pack includes the following:
1TB HDD PlayStation 4 Slim
Grand Theft Auto V Premium Edition
God of War
Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition
The second is a PS4 Pro that will retail for PHP18,990, a PHP5,000 discount from the original price of PHP23,990! The pack includes the following:
1TB HDD PS4 Pro
Marvel’s Spider-Man Game of the Year Edition (Disc)
Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition (Disc)
Lastly, you can also get a PlayStation 4 DualShock 4 Wireless Controller (selected colors) for only PHP1,990 from its original price of PHP2,990.
The promo prices will only be available from November 2-11, so don’t miss out!
Trophies have been an integral part in the PlayStation experience. From sharing friendly competition with your friends to just seeing all your accolades across all of the games you’ve played, Trophies give a sense of accomplishment as you play. Starting tonight in North America (tomorrow for Players here in the Philippines), PlayStation trophies will have a new leveling system.
In a post on the PlayStation Blog, new enhancements to the trophy leveling experience was detailed, showing changes to level progression and level icons. It’s nothing too complicated, and we’ll explain the changes below.
The most immediate change you’ll see is the change to your level. Previously, the level range is from 1-100, but the change will now update the cap to to 999, and the update will immediately adjust your trophy level to reflect this change. The computation will be based on the number and grade of trophies you’ve acquired. The example given was that if you are currently a level 12, then your updated trophy level will be “somewhere in the low 200’s”, giving you the Bronze icon with stripes. You’ll even have an icon to resemble your level range now, instead of just a star.
Along with this update, a new level calculation structure will be implemented as well. Players will level up faster in the earlier levels, and Platinum trophies will account for a bigger jump in progression.
All of your Trophy data will carry over to the PlayStation 5, so there is no need to worry about your levels being left behind when you make the next-gen jump.
Do you know anyone who is at level 999? What is your trophy level going to be? We’re guessing ours will be somewhere in the upper silver level, thanks to our recent trophy hauls from Mafia Definitive Edition and Crash Bandicoot 4!
Our review format is not your usual fare and we’ve broken it down into 3 very simple ratings! “Buy it!” means that the game deserves a place in your collection. Be it day 1 or a slightly delayed purchase, it’s hard to go wrong with this title. In numbers, this is around an 8/10 and above. “Wait for it…” means that the game probably isn’t worth it at its day 1 price point, we suggest you wait for a sale before jumping in. In numbers, this is around a 5 – 7/10. “Ignore it!” means that the game is not something we’d recommend playing, whether it be now or in the near future, unless you want to intentionally hurt yourself. Let’s not even go to the numbers for this one.
Sneak Peek
Release Date: September 22, 2020
Platforms: PlayStation 4
Genre: Strategy-RPG/Visual Novel
Similar Games: Zero Escape Series, Front Mission 3, Odin’s Sphere, Oxenfree
Price: Starts at PHP2,695
Ever since their last published game – Dragon’s Crown back in 2013, Vanillaware went for a long hiatus broken by PS4 remastered releases of Odin Sphere Leifthrasir and Dragon’s Crown Pro, released in 2016 and 2018 respectively. Known for their beautiful watercolor artwork, intricate character design, addictive side scrolling gameplay, and intricate non-linear storytelling – Vanillaware was one of the publishers I was excited about going into the eighth generation expecting to revitalize the stagnating JRPG genre. However, in their absence, the visual novel actually took off with Spike Chunsoft leading the way of its greatness with Kotaro Uchikoshi’s excellent Zero Escape trilogy, the Danganronpa series, and Steins;Gate. The JRPG fell by the wayside with Square Enix reminding us of Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest’s legacy or Atlus updating their Persona remasters bleeding our wallets dry with the same, rehashed stuff.
To my surprise, when 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim was announced a few months prior and Vanillaware made a quiet comeback, I jumped at the chance to try their next installment. From the get-go, the title starts strong going against the grain of the overwrought and exposition heavy JRPGs present throughout the PS2 era moving forward. The stage is set in 1985, where an incoming kaiju army invades a densely populated Japanese metropolis. With conventional weapons impervious against such a power, enigmatic mechas – The Sentinels – appear to combat these monstrosities boasting superior firepower pushing back against this invading force. Amidst the excitement, the story takes a step back and explores the young pilots of these Sentinels living carefree lives before this invasion. As each character’s prologue unfolds, we find out that these future warriors are part of an intricate plan that spans generations connected by time travel, government conspiracies, and high school drama.
Jumping into the game, it reminded me of Front Mission 3 meets Odin’s Sphere’s non-linear storytelling. In terms of character roster, they have about the same amount of characters as Front Mission3 and double that of Odin’s Sphere. Unlike Odin’s Sphere’s Gwendolyn, none of the characters seem to stand out from the get go. However, the story plays out on a more grand timeline that spans between 300 or so years of time travel jumping from WWII era Japan to the post apocalyptic wasteland of 2060 to the new age of humanity in the early 2100’s. The myriad of events and mysteries that encompass the game is vast and piques my interest in the grand scheme of the world they’ve created.
It’s a Visual Novel first…
What really stands out from this game boasting the Vanillaware storytelling mechanic is how their narrative adapts seamlessly into the Visual Novel genre. Unlike the Steins;Gate series, which bombards you with text and voice-over, it follows more of Danganronpa and Zero Escape’s approach towards a more interactive playstyle. It touches on the hallmarks of the visual novel with cues on certain words and clues, where the glossary mechanic in Steins;Gate has been replaced by the Thought Cloud mechanic where a character can ruminate on an item, idea, or character. When encountering a character, one could unlock additional dialogue options as well as uncover Mystery Notes where you can uncover more events by spending Mystery Pointsearned by completing battles and bonuses from receiving an S rank on missions.
With thirteen characters to explore, each with their unique voices, quirks, and storylines, every character’s unique interaction with each other opens a new path to character choices, unlocking mysteries, and exploring relationships. Though the first two hours of the game really start slow, introducing such a vast world and going through an intricate tutorial system for both its strategy-RPG element and its visual novel element. Once you’re through half-dozen prologues and tutorials, the game opens up to a free-to-roam interface where you could completely discover as much of the story as possible or you could skip that for the Front Mission style Strategy RPG combat. I’m a more narrative-driven gamer, so I explored the visual novel component first before really diving deep into the Strategy-RPG parts. In fact, I cleared about 50% of the visual novel component before even diving into the very first post-tutorial mission of the game. Your playstyle may be the opposite, to get as much as the fighting out of the way before diving into the story, and the game does not fault you for it. In fact, as long as you clear the missions, most of the visual novel parts would be easily accessible.
If you feel that the story would give everything away by plowing through the narrative, a character’s progression hits a wall where you could not progress a character’s story until you’ve collected such components like specific battle missions or if you’ve unlocked different areas of the codex by using Mystery Points earned through said combat. Some of the blocked stories are unlocked by progressing in some of the characters’ story arcs. Like Octopath Traveller where certain characters have better stories or better branching consequences than others, the visual novel doesn’t just lock you into a specific character’s story from start to finish. The storytelling is well constructed as certain reveals are held back until you have completed certain story arcs for some characters. Each of the thirteen protagonists contribute to the mysterious and alluring world that Vanillaware has built, and not one deviates from the organic unity of said world that’s built on inspirations from classic science fiction stories from War of the Worlds to The Terminator. There’s enough science fiction fodder for every subgenre you know and love.
A Strategy-RPG second
While travelling down the Front Mission nostalgia train is a welcome distraction, I didn’t have a good first impression on the battle system. The grids do remind me of Front Mission, but in terms of design and detail, it felt like it was tacked on. I could see that most of the development has been put into the Visual Novel aspect of the game and the strategy-RPG part appears uninspired. However, playing more of the mecha battles later into my first hour, I could see why they didn’t go all out with the design. They’re short bursts of strategy action ranging between five to ten minutes of game time before returning back to the visual novel aspect of the game.
Of the Sentinels I’ve controlled, they each have their own unique style of combat. You have the melee types that are great against tanky kaiju, while you have the long range types that are effective with clearing the board of creeps. Finally, your command center allows you to charge an ultimate attack to slow down the wave of kaiju obliterating your city or activate a support skill that either heals your Sentinels or increases experience. While it may seem like a turn-based battle at first, it quickly becomes complicated as the waves of enemies don’t wait for you to make your move. They bombard your units with chip damage, setting up for the larger kaiju to deal a substantial amount of hurt. Yet as protagonists, you do have an advantage with powerful attacks that expend special skills. It deviates from the tried and tested Front Mission and Super Robot Wars style strategy and is more akin to a quasi-real time strategy format.
Once you’ve completed the tutorial phase, it becomes a lot more Front Mission-esque when you start to spend Meta-Points earned in battle and in completing character chapters to learn skills and upgrade current attacks. As the pilots level up, they learn unique individual skills that boost other characters you bring into the field. The challenge is also ramped up by bonus objectives you can earn additional Mystery Points from completing. While my first impression of it wasn’t great, the more I played the Strategy-RPG component, the more it brought me back to the updated Front Mission style game. My bad first impression has been debunked and I feel the “outdated” graphics actually contribute highly to its unique style.
Too steep?
While I felt it started a little slow to set up the world, it also ended at the right amount of time story-wise, but it was only when I was starting to get going with the Strategy-RPG part. Unlike classic Front Mission games, where you scour through long campaigns, collecting parts, upgrading skills, and improving your mechs, the simplified customization gives you enough to go by. If you feel that you want to get your money’s worth, you could always increase the difficulty of the skirmishes for more Mystery Points and complete your trophies. However, for a visual novel akin to the Zero Escape series, it’s a little on the short side. Though don’t let the price deter you from enjoying a beautifully crafted science fiction visual novel.
If you’re willing to spend on this type of game, you’re in for a short but remarkably satisfying experience. Vanillaware is back with a vengeance with a well-crafted title on their hands that greatly outdoes Odin’s Sphere. It’s a wonderfully crafted story with enough jaw-dropping twists and reveals that will keep you guessing at its many mysteries. Unlike most visual novel games that take a break from the reading and flowchart progression with uninspired puzzles (I’m looking at you Nine Doors, Nine Persons, Nine Doors with your damn timed sudoku puzzle) with exciting strategy mecha action.
What We Liked:
Beautiful hand painted art as with all Vanillaware games.
Intricate non-linear storytelling opening various choices and events with impeccable narrative timing.
Game gives you enough freedom to explore depending on your gaming preference.
Battle interface starts simple but becomes a lot more complex going through the missions.
Customization is simple to learn and becomes fun enough to sustain interest.
You don’t need to be a weeb to enjoy.
What We Didn’t Like:
Tutorial is too long.
$60 is a steep asking price.
Endgame missions lacks level diversity missing out on extra replay value.
Verdict: Buy It!
While I feel that it is a little steep at launch price, it is the JRPG/Visual Novel I’ve waited since the end of the Zero Escape series and brings back what Front Mission missed out on with their modern titles. The story alone is wonderfully crafted and it ranks up there with other visual novel classics like Oxenfree, Steins;Gate, and the Zero Escape series. If you’ve missed the JRPG genre from the Playstation One era as well as what it could’ve been at the end of the PS2 era, this is definitely the game for you. I’d suggest to even switch on the Japanese dub to get the full experience of the game as it was intended. Actually, the Japanese dub is the only way to go, because the English dub is quite the ear ache.
For budget conscious gamers, I would suggest putting it on your Wish List and buy it as soon as it goes on sale even at 10-20% off, it is worth the price tag. For those who are unfamiliar with the visual novel format, this game is a perfect entry point for that type of genre. If you’ve played Strategy-RPGs in the past, it’s a great jump off point to get into the rhythm of the game. While I would say it’s 70% narrative-driven and 30% strategy-RPG, at the very least you’re in for a visual treat you rightfully deserve.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is set to release next week and just ahead of his impending return, the first multiplayer details have been revealed.
In an exclusive reveal from IGN, we’re given a look at two multiplayer modes entitled Bandicoot Battle and Pass. N Play.
Bandicoot Battle mode will feature a couple of games, namely Checkpoint Race and Crate Combo. Checkpoint Race is a form of time trial where up to 4 players compete to attain the fastest time in a level. The name itself gives away the objective, as the players will have to win the most checkpoints in a level to be declared the winner
Crate Combo, on the other hand, will pit players against each other to see who can smash as many crates as possible, with crates having points attached to them, acquiring combo bonuses as you play.
Pass N. Play mode is the cooperative mode, where up to 4 players try to progress through the campaign levels.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time will be available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One on Oct. 2, 2020.
In celebration of The Last of Us Day, Sony and Naughty Dog have announced a whole slew of surprises, collectibles, and even a free The Last of Us Part II theme to top it all off.
In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Sony and Naughty Dog are taking us back to where it all ended with a free PSN theme that showcases the title screen of The Last of Us Part II after you’ve finished the game.
As a bonus for everyone, all existing TLOU Part II themes and avatars will be free to download from now until September 28, so be sure to redeem everything before the offer expires!
Additionally, The Last of Us Remastered and The Last of Us: Left Behind are on sale at 50% off so if by any chance you haven’t played the game yet, now is the perfect time to do so.
Our review format is not your usual fare and we’ve broken it down into 3 very simple ratings!
“Buy it!” means that the game deserves a place in your collection. Be it day 1 or a slightly delayed purchase, it’s hard to go wrong with this title. In numbers, this is around an 8/10 and above.
“Wait for it…” means that the game probably isn’t worth it at its day 1 price point, we suggest you wait for a sale before jumping in. In numbers, this is around a 5 – 7/10.
“Ignore it!” means that the game is not something we’d recommend playing, whether it be now or in the near future, unless you want to intentionally hurt yourself. Let’s not even go to the numbers for this one.
Sneak Peek
Release Date: September 25, 2020
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Genre: Action Adventure
Similar Games: Grand Theft Auto, Sleeping Dogs
Price: Estimated SRP PHP1,995
With the release of Mafia: Definitive Edition, the Mafia Trilogy is finally complete for current generation systems. Gamers wanting to relive the glory days of the franchise are in luck, and even those new to the series can fully experience all 3 games in the comfort of their current gen consoles.
While the definitive editions of Mafia II and III were not exactly exemplary releases, due in large part to a number of technical issues that plagued its launch, this latest game is more than just a remaster.
Is the third time a charm? We’ll find out as we dive back into the world of organized crime during the 1930s in our review of Mafia: Definitive Edition.
Welcome to Lost Heaven
Mafia takes place in the fictional city of Lost Heaven and puts you in the shoes of Thomas “Tommy” Angelo, a taxi driver who became involved by just being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
After reluctantly helping a couple of mobsters escape a deadly pursuit, Tommy is targeted by the rival mob they escaped from and is forced to go back to the group he helped that fateful night. Despite not wanting to get involved with organized crime, Tommy joins said mob under the rule of one Don Ennio Salieri, and becomes friends with Sam and Paulie, the two mobsters he helped escape.
The game will take you through Tommy’s life from cab driver to a big shot in the Salieri Crime Family. And if the previous re-releases are already any indication, this is in no way a pleasant story and shows just how dangerous the world of organized crime is. It is however, an amazing one to follow, and is really the backbone of the game.
Just like Mafia II and III, Tommy’s rise and fall is a story that’s told beautifully in Mafia: Definitive Edition. The developers were not kidding when they said they would rework the game from the ground up in terms of graphics and cinematics, and the difference is certainly night and day but more than anything, the storytelling carries the brunt of the improvements, and what a treat it is.
Graphical fidelity is of course not up to par with titles like The Last of Us Part II or Ghost of Tsushima, but this remake is no slouch, even looking much better than the definitive editions of Mafia II and III by quite a margin. The character models during the cinematics are on point and details like the facial stubble on Tommy’s face are captured beautifully. Facial expressions are also very accurate – when characters talk and are happy or angry, it clearly shows.
Most games have a problem with “dead eye”, or eyes that seemingly feel lifeless and hollow. Mass Effect Andromeda was a big culprit of this and is admittedly something tough to pull off but 2K and Hangar 13 have done an excellent job at bringing Tommy and Sam and Paulie as well as the rest of the crew back to life.
This improvement in graphics also extends to the world around you. The city of Lost Heaven is recreated well and is an accurate representation of a city during the 1930’s – billboards, factories, and trains all accounted for. If your impression of a city during an era of organized crime include fancy fedoras and trenchcoats, the tommy guns, and bulky automobiles, Mafia has it all here and recreated in stunning fashion.
The storytelling in the game is complemented by beautiful cinematography, and really nails the feeling of watching an actual mafia movie, accented by sound design that really stands out.
Music to my ears
Mafia’s music and voice work is simply top notch. Every voice actor portrayed their role very well and really did justice to their character. When you hear Tommy and his friends banter and have a laugh, you can really feel their bond, for example, and a lot of the dialogue is genuinely funny. In every scene, whether it’s something lighthearted, suspenseful, dramatic or intense, you can feel the effort of the voice actors delivering their lines.
Just by driving around the city, you can instantly hear the step up in sound design. Vehicles of old have that clang and bang of parts and there’s a lot of ambient noise just by walking around the streets. Mafia: Definitive Edition is a game that’s best played on a headset, as there are a lot of small audio details that go unnoticed on TV audio that definitely add to the immersion factor of the game.
The musical score is one of Mafia’s strongest points. With a fully re-recorded soundtrack full of licensed works, everything was a pleasure to listen to, taking you back to the 1930’s at the flip of a button. During the more intense action scenes, the orchestral music really compliments the action, and is reminiscent of the mafia movies of old, capturing that Scarface or Godfather feel to it that definitely accentuates the mood.
Like the story, we had very big expectations from the audio department and we were not disappointed. It was in this aspect that Mafia II and III stood out after all, so we’re glad that Mafia kept the hot streak of fantastic audio intact. Superb work from 2K and Hangar 13 on this one.
Just another day in the life
Gameplay, on the other hand, is kind of mixed bag. By no means is the gameplay bad. In fact, it’s actually quite decent, but as a game that was touted as a Remake for the current generation, there are certain expectations. A Remake is more than just a brand new coat of paint and some new features, with Resident Evil II and Final Fantasy VII being some significant benchmarks.
First things first, Mafia is but is also not an open-world sandbox game. The main campaign is actually very linear, as its strong point is in the amazing narrative after all. Going through the campaign, however, felt repetitive due to how the missions were structured.
The game is divided into chapters, and mostly playing these chapters has Tommy starting in Salieri’s bar, the game’s central hub, then picking up some guns and choosing his ride, then driving to the mission objective. After you’re done, chapter ends with the next having almost the same pattern. Start at the bar or some venue, get your gear, pick your ride, drive to mission objective, and finish said objective. It becomes noticeable almost halfway through the game. It’s not bad per se, but may give off the feeling of repetitiveness for some.
It is a remake after all, so it would have been great to kind of make the mission to mission flow a bit smoother, something like how Grand Theft Auto does it.
Tools of the trade
When dealing with the police or rival crime families, you can dispatch your enemies with your fists, melee weapons, or a semi-wide selection of guns. It’s also here, however, that another one of our expectations let us down.
Hand to hand combat here is a joke, and literally only involves 2 buttons being mashed repeatedly, offering almost no strategy or variation. The timing to dodge perfectly is quite tough to catch, but you can simply mash triangle and follow up with mashing X after. Every enemy will fall to this same tactic, which is rather disappointing.
The shooting and cover in Mafia does its job fairly well, but isn’t as snappy and as fluid as other similar titles out there. There’s a sort of stickiness and sluggishness to the controls which gets quite irritating during hectic shootouts where you want more accuracy. The cover system is helpful enough though, and you’re able to duck and hide at a moments notice. It’s serviceable, but could definitely be much better.
The handguns, rifles, and tommy guns function like you expect them to, but it felt very awkward that the shotgun doesn’t do spread damage and will just kill 1 enemy when you shoot more than one at the same time. That said, overall gunplay leaves something to be desired. Enemies hardly flinch when shot at, and the feedback from receiving damage is severely lacking, sometimes leading to you die just because you didn’t know that you were taking damage already. This was a major gripe for us, which is also connected to the UI and HUD elements in the game not being too intuitive.
The enemy AI in Mafia may also be a bit on the… well, we won’t really say dumb side, but the AI could have been improved. For one thing, while it may be understandable due to invincibility frames that you can’t be hurt when doing a finisher on an enemy, it just looks funny how they will just stand there and look at you beating up their buddies. During gunfights, enemies will break cover not to flank you, but just stand out in the open. Some were still smart enough to stay covered, but expect to see the AI hide behind cover only to later step right out and go into a stylish kneeling pose with guns blazing. It obviously made the game easier, but that’s really not the point.
The game also has stealth missions that felt very basic, with obvious paths to victory laid out for you. There’s hardly any alternate way to go about a mission or a level, meaning that one path is almost always the only way to finishing your mission.
There are particular missions that really stand out – the bank mission, the art gallery, even the prison. These missions had really great level design and sequences that really pushes the gameplay to a frantic pace which was just fantastic. We couldn’t say the same about the rest of the missions, and while they weren’t bad, they just weren’t as memorable as a select few.
Questionable AI also extends outside of the gunfights. The police are perfect examples, giving up chase too easily as long as you gain a small lead on them. The AI for the cops is wildly inconsistent. One time they’re giving up within the first 10 seconds of the chase but when they’re hot on your tail, it can be very VERY hard to shake them off.
Making my way down town
If a break from the campaign is what you’re looking for, Mafia offers the Free Ride option where you are… well, free to ride around the city of Lost Heaven at your own leisure. The guns and cars you’ve unlocked throughout the game will also be accessible here and you can just go crazy or ride around looking for the various hidden collectibles. Here’s the issue: What’s the point?
Free Ride and the Main Story could have just worked as one mode altogether. Why separate the leisure exploration from the main campaign when, like most sandbox games, story advancements can be triggered manually, which goes back to our point earlier about mission to mission flow being a lot smoother. While this would make Mafia just like any other open-world game, obviously Grand Theft Auto, feeling similar to the iconic franchise shouldn’t be a problem for Mafia since it’s already well-received for its setting, story, and characters.
Free Ride is there to let you just go crazy and forget about the main campaign. But aside from cars and different collectibles scattered around like comics and cards, there just wasn’t any other incentive. Lost Heaven looks great as a city with some notable places to visit, but it’s a shame there’s not a lot to interact with. You can’t even ride the trams or visit shops and buy things, or at least have more mafia-like stuff to do like collecting protection money or whatever else Mafia people do during the weekends.
To be fair, driving the cars was a really pleasant experience due to the much improved controls. Most cars, in general, do not feel sluggish to drive and are responsive enough to merit zigzagging through traffic with ease.
As a Remake, there was so much potential in making a more interactive Lost Heaven that it really feels like a huge missed opportunity to add depth to that part of the world. Riding around is fun for a bit, but the feeling gets old rather quickly with hardly anything to do.
Needs A Bit More Polish
Mafia, like II and III that released before it, isn’t free of any technical hiccups. There were a couple of instances where the mission refused to let us advance even though the objectives have been met, prompting us to restart from the last checkpoint.
There was also a massive frame spike during the parking lot mission where the game simply froze on us for about 5 seconds, probably unable to render the ongoing action, and just magically worked again after.
Speaking of frames, it was rather disappointing that the game was not able to hit 60fps, which would have been fantastic. There are certain missions with some noticeable frame dips, but nothing too bad to make you want to toss your controller. Often times, frame rate is steady, which is good.
Loading times are pretty lengthy too, and it is particularly frustrating to have the game load again because you died due to you not knowing you were taking damage, as we mentioned earlier. Loading only happens in between missions and in between deaths though, so the frequency of it isn’t too bad.
There were also some occasions where the audio completely cut off during a cinematic, with one instance of nothing coming out at all that we thought the game froze until subtitles came out. All in all, though bugs are sometimes expected, it was just a bit of a letdown when they happened in a Remake that was reworked from scratch, especially during a cinematic, which is one of Mafia’s strong points.
What We Liked:
Fantastic story that leaves you wanting more
Amazing voice acting and music
Great cinematics
What We Didn’t Like:
Weak gunplay
Massively underused open world
Long load times
Inconsistent AI
Verdict:
On the merit of story and characters alone, Mafia: Definitive Edition is a fantastic game. Memorable personalities, gripping and intense storyline with a superb soundtrack behind it, Mafia is indeed worth sitting through until the curtains close. This is the Mafia that you’ve come to remember and love.
That’s only half of the game though, with the other half being a bit of a let down. Touted as a remake, it was quite disappointing to see such great improvements to the recreation of Lost Heaven but not be able to interact with it enough. Add the rather outdated melee combat paired with gunplay that could be snappier and you’ve got a game you’d love and hate at the same time.
Mafia: Definitive Edition is actually an above average game, and it’s very likely fans of the original game will enjoy this to experience Tommy Angelo’s story once again. For everyone else, however, waiting for it could be the better choice. Out of the trilogy, this ‘first’ game is hands down the best release by a mile but is bogged down by some issues that felt like it was stuck in the past, even after the remake.
Mafia: Definitive Edition was reviewed on a PS4 Pro via a review code provided by the publisher.
Coming from an official announcement earlier this year, NieR Replicant is now scheduled to release on April 22, 2021 in Japan and April 23 worldwide for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.
This was announced during the Tokyo Game Show stream and was accompanied by a new trailer, which you can see below:
Interestingly, different cover art will grace the boxes of the game upon release, with the North American / European version getting the short end of the stick. That Japanese / Asian cover looks all sorts of lovely.
A White Snow Edition was also announced, which will include the base game, a Pin set, soundtrack, script books, and a collectible outer box.
NieR Replicant is touted as more than a remaster, which will include an enhanced soundtrack as well as gameplay updates.
NieR Replicant will release on April 22, 2021 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. No word on a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X release but it wouldn’t be wrong to expect an official announcement about next-gen versions soon.
It was reported previously that Spider-Man Remastered won’t be getting a standalone physical release and that PS4 save files won’t transfer to the Remastered version. These tidbits were handed out by Insomiac Games but just in case you were holding out for a silver lining, sad to say that Sony themselves have confirmed this as well.
In a message to Kotaku, here is what Sony has to say:
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Remastered is an enhanced version of Marvel’s Spider-Man, and is included as part of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition for the PlayStation 5. In addition, players who purchase Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales on PlayStation 4 can upgrade at no additional cost to the PS5 version of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and can take advantage of a paid-upgrade to download Marvel’s Spider-Man: Remastered.
There are no plans currently to offer Marvel’s-Spider-Man: Remastered as a standalone. Players with a copy of Marvel’s Spider-Man for PS4 can purchase Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition to experience Marvel’s Spider-Man: Remastered on PS5. Marvel’s Spider-Man for PS4 also will be backwards compatible on PS5.
In case it wasn’t clear, let’s break it down for everybody:
Spider-Man: Miles Morales will have an Ultimate Edition only for the PS5. The Ultimate Edition contains the base Miles Morales game and Spider-Man Remastered.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales for the PS4 will have a free upgrade path for the PS5 BUT if you have the PS4 game on a physical disc and proceed to purchase the PS5 Digital Edition, you won’t be able to access the upgrade. Obviously.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales owners for the PS4 can upgrade to the PS5 version for free and additionally, can purchase a $20 upgrade for the Ultimate Edition, granting access to Spider-Man Remastered.
The PS4 Spider-Man game will be compatible with the PS5 BUT will not have any of the remastered upgrades like updated graphics, faster loading, etc.
Save data from the PS4 Spider-Man game will NOT be compatible with Spider-Man: Remastered because it is a “new” game.
Whew. Got that?
It sounds simple enough and complicated at the same time but what it all boils down to is the fact that Spider-Man Remastered will only be available to owners of Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
An announcement from Happinet confirms that the game will release on December 10 worldwide, with a physical release courtesy of Limited Run Games. Brigandine will also be playable on the PS5.
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Following the Nintendo Switch release earlier this year, Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia will be coming to the PlayStation 4 as well on December 10 in Japan, although no word yet on an international release. This will coincide with a free update for the Switch that will go live on the same date.
The news was spotted by Gematsu and Ryokutya2089, which also reveals that the information comes from the latest issue of Famitsu.
The PlayStation 4 version will retail for 7,200 Yen (around PHP3,600) with a limited edition that will retail for 11,800 Yen (around PHP5,900).
Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia is now available for the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo eShop.
Insomniac Games have confirmed that the remastered version of the PS4 Spider-Man game for the PS5 will not be receiving a physical release.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales was recently revealed to have an ‘Ultimate Edition’, which includes not only the game but also a copy of a remastered version of the original Spider-Man game from the PS4. This remastered version was supposed to feature updated assets that will be taking advantage of the power of the PS5, making it look and run much better thanks to the next-gen hardware.
In a reply to a question from Twitter, Insomniac games have confirmed that the remaster will not get a separate physical release.
This means that PS4 players who have the original Spider-Man game quite possibly (not yet confirmed) won’t be getting a next-gen upgrade for the game to access the remaster. Why? Probably because the remastered version is a new game with new trophies, technically making it not compatible with the PS4 release, as per the PlayStation Blog.
This also means that the the only way you’ll get to access to the remastered version of the PS4 game is through the Miles Morales Ultimate Edition, which will retail for $69.99 (around PHP3,500).
If you don’t quite care about the PS4 Spider-Man game anymore but are picking up Miles Morales for the PS4, you’ll be glad to know though that there is a next-gen upgrade for this title, but only for Miles Morales.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be a launch title for the PlayStation 5 come November 12 or 19, depending on where you are located.
Ubisoft announces a new massive multiplayer outdoors playground entitled Riders Republic which will release on February 25, 2021 for the PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series, and PC.
Riders Republic was developed by Ubisoft Annecy and is a social playground where players can experience the thrill of extreme sports in open and densely populated world. Among these sports include biking, skiing, snowboarding, wing suiting, and rocket wing suiting.
Players can do these variety of extreme sports in a variety of destinations like American National Parks like Bryce Canyon, Yosemite Valley, Sequoia Park, Zion, Canyonlands, Mammoth Mountain, and Grand Teton.
There’s also a variety of multiplayer modes that can be played with a squad. These include:
Competitive Races and Trick Challenges with PvP and solo modes
Mass Starts – Frantic 50-player races
Multiplayer Arenas – a mode with 6v6 PvP matchups
Online cups – a mode to show off and show out to make it to the top of the leaderboard
The game also has a career mode wherein players can make a pave their way in the different sports, rise to the top of the leaderboard, and sign with sponsors. Riders can be customized through progression-based gear.
A Gold Edition and Ultimate Edition will be available for pre-order. Gold Edition will include the base game, Year 1 Pass, exotic kits, the BMX Sport add-on, and exclusive content. Ultimate Edition, on the other hand, includes the Year 1 Pass and four exclusive cosmetic packs: Cosmic, Rainbow, Neon and Skull’n Style. In addition to this, It includes 20 Helicopter tickets to reach summits faster.
Riders Republic will release on February 25, 2021 for the PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series, and PC, with free upgrades given to those who purchase the current generation version of the game.
Senior quest designer Patrick Mills was talking with host Alanah Pearce and mentioned that it will indeed be shorter because of complaints from players that The Witcher 3 was too long.
“The difference between a completionist run and a main story run… we do know that the main story run in Cyberpunk 2077 is slightly shorter than The Witcher 3 because we got a lot of complaints about Witcher 3’s main story just being too long. Looking at the metrics, you see tremendous numbers of people played through that game really far, but never made it to the end. We want you to see the full story, so we did shorten the main story, but we have lots to do, and in terms of a completionist campaign, I just don’t have that number.”
In comparison, The Witcher 3 main story on average takes 51.5 hours based on “How Long To Beat”. If you plan to complete everything however, be prepared to shell out a couple of hundred hours to do so, as can be attested to by gamers out there who have beat the game many times over.
Cyberpunk 2077 will feature 3 branching storylines called Lifepaths, and each will have different events and sequences, giving the players a unique experience each time. Safe to say that even though the main story is shorter, Cyberpunk might give more replay value, especially with incoming DLC.
Cyberpunk 2077 is scheduled to launch on November 19 with no more delays, and you can look forward to playing it on current generation consoles like the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but also choose to hop right into the next-gen versions for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series, as well as the PC. Players can also look forward to a next-gen upgrade for current gen owners of the game next year.
In the latest episode of Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City Wire, we’re given a closer look at Night City and the Gangs that run the streets.
With two months away from the release of Cyberpunk 2077, most of the gameplay elements have been laid out in the last two episodes of Night City Wire. At this point in the game, it’s mostly looking at the background lore and elements that set the game apart from other open world games.
Postcards From Night City
The episode started strong with the new trailer, Postcards From Night City, that establishes Night City as a vibrant, living, breathing city. As compared to The Witcher and its disparate city states, Cyberpunk 2077 focuses on one general area akin to Grand Theft Auto’s Liberty City and its outskirts. This focus concentrates on a dynamic ecosystem that showcases six distinct districts. Each one would have their own personality, but would form a part of the whole of Night City. As Miles Tost points out, “Night City is a sum of its parts.”
Judging from the trailer, CD Projekt Red has put so much work on giving Night City a real sense of place. The world is realistic and believable. It feels like a grand metropolis akin to Tokyo, Manila, or New York where each borough has enough variety to call its own. This opens up endless possibilities of exploration in what Miles Tost calls “mini-stories”. Different from the side quests, these mini-stories are a culmination of small encounters and random events that the player will encounter during their journeys. As if the main quest isn’t enough, some districts could be full of minigames and some districts can lead you to some unsavory encounters with some gangs.
If this is executed from what the trailer is promising, it could be a game changer for sci-fi/post apocalyptic open world adventures. While we do have a variety seen in Midgar in Final Fantasy VII Remake, other post apocalyptic worlds look copy-pasted from each other as seen in Fallout, Rage, and Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise. Besides some small encampments, the overall look has remained generic. It doesn’t feel like a living breathing landscape as seen in larger games like Grand Theft Auto V and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
Gangs of Night City
The next trailer featurette is a quick dossier on the gangs that rule the streets of Night City. Each other represents a different element to the game as well as their own unique look. The Maelstrom gang is a group of transhumanists who are breaching the line between human and machine through excessive and creative mod usage. Valentinos are the dominant hispanic gang that follow their own traditions the same way as the Wraiths are following the nomadic code. Voodoo Boys are an urban myth of legendary netrunners that’s an open secret in Night City contrasted to the Animals who are the hired muscle by the Corpos. Rounding them off are the Tiger Boys consisting of the local Triad and The Moxes, a sorority of badass dames.
While V is primarily a merc, and mercs work alone, V would encounter these gangs either as antagonists, allies, or a place they can receive quests from. There’s a solitary beauty being a freelancer in Night City and while some players may feel the urge to join these gangs, gangs don’t really trust mercs completely. If V wants to become a legend, they can join an elite Merc group to get the best possible weapons, mods, and jobs.
This late in the game, what can they possibly feature in the next Night City Wire in October or early November? We get the hype, we love the world, now give us a demo at the very least!
You can choose to watch the full episode below:
Cyberpunk 2077 is scheduled for a November 19 release date on the PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series, as well as for the PC.
PlayStation 4 players get first dibs for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War this weekend for the alpha test, Activision has announced.
Pre-load the Alpha from the Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare or Warzone main menu starting September 17 (tonight!) at 11PM. The approximate download size will be 25GB, and once downloaded, access the Alpha menu to experience their first taste of deniable operations in several game modes across four new maps.
During the Alpha, multiplayer modes such as Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed and Domination will return, while players can also enjoy new game mode Combined Arms: Domination, a new 12v12, vehicle-inclusive twist on traditional Domination across two larger maps.
The Alpha will end on September 21 at 1AM, with all participants receiving an exclusive Calling Card for participating in the action.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is scheduled for a November 13, 2020 release for the PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series, and PC.
2K Games and Hangar 13 have released the full song list for Mafia: Definitive Edition, which includes 35 songs from jazz greats like Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Django Reinhardt, Lionel Hampton, and more. If you’re in the mood for some head boppin’ beats while taking on the streets, this jazzy set is for you.
The game’s classic tracks will transport players to the unique time and place of Lost Heaven, a prohibition-era Midwestern city riddled with crime and corruption.
You can view the full track list below:
“St. James Infirmary” – Cab Calloway
“Minnie the Moocher” – Cab Calloway
“Manhattan Jam” – Cab Calloway and His Orchestra
“Evenin'” – Cab Calloway and His Orchestra
“The Darktown Strutters’ Ball” – Django Reinhardt
“A-Tisket A-Tasket” – Django Reinhardt
“Blue Drag” – Django Reinhardt
“Sophisticated Lady” – Django Reinhardt
“Tiger Rag (instrumental)” – Django Reinhardt
“Black and Tan Fantasy” – Duke Ellington
“Crescendo in Blue” – Duke Ellington
“Echoes of Harlem” – Duke Ellington
“Hot and Bothered” – Duke Ellington
“I’m Satisfied” – Duke Ellington
“In A Sentimental Mood (instrumental)” – Duke Ellington
“It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” – Duke Ellington
“It’s Glory” – Duke Ellington
“Prelude to A Kiss” – Duke Ellington
“The Mooche” – Duke Ellington
“Azure” – Duke Ellington
“Creole Love Call (instrumental)” – Duke Ellington
“Drop Me Off in Harlem” – Duke Ellington
“I Let A Song Go Out of My Heart” – Duke Ellington
“Mood to Be Wooed” – Duke Ellington
“Diminuendo in Blue” – Duke Ellington
“Heart and Soul” – Eddy Duchin and His Orchestra
“My Old Flame” – Guy Lombardo
“Little White Gardenia” – Hal Kemp & his Orchestra
“Back Beat Boogie” – Harry James
“Beyond the Blue Horizon” – Jeanette MacDonald and the Rounders
“True Confession” – Larry Clinton and His Orchestra
“When Lights Are Low” – Lionel Hampton
“(I’ll be Glad When You’re Dead) You Rascal You” – Louis Armstrong
“Thanks for the Memory” – Mildred Bailey
“Sing You Sinners” – The High Hatters
Our early impressions of Mafia: Definitive Edition point to it being a well done remaster, built-from-the-ground-up with an updated script filled with rich new dialogue, expanded backstories, and additional cutscenes. Watch out for our full review of the game soon.
Mafia: Definitive Edition is scheduled to release on September 25 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
