In this video, presented in DANKVISION, Chet and Vega talk about Yakuza Kiwami 2, and whether or not they should make a Kiwami version of all of the Yakuza games before the next generation of consoles. Just imagine having all 6.5 games on one console! Rampant speculation time agogo! Double KIWAMIIIII!
Meanwhile, Chet the Xbox Fanboy needs to play Kiwami 1. How soon should he play it to further is submission to being a Playstation fan?
Ladies and gents, once again it is that time where you are paid for your continuing service as a subscriber. Here, we have the free games given to Xbox Live Gold and PSN Plus members. No fuss, no buss, just brass tacks. Do you want to know what games you are getting? We have them here.
Xbox Live Gold
Battlefield 1 – Did you miss last year’s Battlefield entry? Trying to make the old wars cool again, Battlefield 1 was a breath of fresh air in a series that was starting to lose its way. Featuring a lot of anachronistic weaponry, high concept weapons, and outrageous single player stories, it was a blast. Literally too. Before Battlefield V drops, you have a FREE chance to catch up on all the exciting action from this previous entry. Yes, previous, I know, the numbers make no sense.
Race the Sun – This is a simple yet addicting game where you drive super fast on an endless route. Your goal is to make sure the sun stays on the horizon as you navigate difficult obstacles in your way. The game can be rather brutal with its checkpoint system, but it’s still fun. Free is nice too.
Assassins Creed – The original. The source of it all. One of the most popular franchises in the video game world got its start with this one. It’s a flawed experience with several nags that make it less than excellent. But AC2, of course, improved everything, molding it to what is today. That said, this version of the game is interesting because even though it is a 360 title, it has Xbox One X enhancement, including an improved resolution and texture details. It actually looks relatively good for its age.
Dante’s Inferno – No, not the book. The brawler game. This particular title was noted for some of the crazy publicity stunts EA pulled off during its release. It had a fake religious group protesting it at E3. And they sent a handful of copies to devs with some very bizarre circumstances that were related to the seven deadly sins. In fact, the crazy campaign was more memorable than the actual game was. It’s an okay brawler game.
PlayStation Plus
BulletStorm: Full Clip Edition – This was a fun shooter that EA needlessly made a remaster for and charged full price. It features a game that puts a big focus on making the player get creative with their kills. You get points for killing enemies, but you get more points if you’re creative about it, like in midair, or hitting them with a whip, etc. This game had a unique marketing gimmick where EA released a fake Call of Duty game to advertise for it and HOLY CRAP I’M SEEING A PATTERN HERE. I’m onto you, EA!
Yakuza Kiwami – There’s never been a better time to dive head-first into the amazing Yakuza series. This remaster of the original classic makes the game look like a title that came out recently. It’s the kind of remaster that really put in the effort to make the game look better, rather than just upscaling the resolutions and calling it a day. Looking at you, Shenmue 1 & 2 ‘HD’.
Jackbox Party Pack 2 – The Jackbox games are a collection of party game that, while launched on a console, you actually play on your smartphone with up to 8 friends. The second party pack has two outstanding games that are great. It has Quiplash XL, a game where the player is prompted with a topic and has to come up with a funny response. Literally, the funniest person wins. It also has Fibbage 2, a game where tough and bizarre trivia questions are asked. As the player, you get to submit your own wrong answer, then everyone tries to guess the correct answer. You get points if you make people fall for your fake answer. A total blast at parties and the ease of use is fantastic.
Arkedo Series – This just looks like a series of indie pixel games. Whatever.
Burly Men at Sea – Okay Sony, first Arkedo and now this? What are you even doing?
Roundabout – This is not a song by 70’s prog rock band Yes, but is, in fact, a game where you drive a limo around a map. But the limo is constantly spinning and you have to time your movements to the rotation of the car in order to avoid obstacles. It’s a wacky game that features some fun live action cutscenes. The low budget of this game bleeds through it, and a ton of people gave the game a bad review just because it came out at the turn of a new generation of games and didn’t look stunning.
Nintendo Switch Online
The free virtual NES games this month are:
Metroid
Mighty Bomb Jack
TwinBee
Summary
All consoles have some friggin amazing titles on offer here. Battlefield 1 was a fine game with a very robust campaign, so even if you’re concerned that not many people are playing online, you still have a great single player experience. Race the Sun is a bit low rent, but having the enhanced Assassins Creed is a great piece of gaming history to have on hand. I mean, it literally INVENTED the tower climbing mechanic you see in every game now. It will be especially interesting to see how well it holds up. As far as Dante goes, it didn’t sell that well, but if you are curious as to what you missed out on, nows your chance to peep it.
PS4 has some strong current gen entries. Bulletstorm was also not a big hit and vastly overlooked. In fact, you probably didn’t know that they just randomly added Duke Nukem to the new version. Did you know that? You do now. And after that, Yakuza Kiwami 2 JUST CAME OUT, so it’s a great time to play it. That said, you may find that you don’t have enough time to play the sequel because Yakuza games are big. That said, with the exception of the Jackbox games, the rest of the Sony titles are considerably lackluster, I wouldn’t bother with the last 3 on the list.
NES on Switch, on the other hand, has a major game up its sleeve. The original Metroid is an all-around classic. I personally have never played a SINGLE MetroidVania title. Sad huh? But what better time to start than right now, while it’s free? If it’s free it’s for me right? That is the title of the series after all. The other games? Never heard of them.
Sony has heard the cries and complaints and have decided it’s time to let your PSN mature with you. The overly requested PSN Online ID Change feature is currently in the Playstation Review Program. That means it’s pretty much official and just awaiting a launch date.
As of now, it’s available to PlayStation users that have registered as testers for previous PS4 system software betas. Anyone who does get access will be able to do their first change for free. All changes after that will cost $10. For PlayStation Plus members, it will cost $5 after the first change.
In standard typical Sony fashion (yes as a fanboy i can admit they hardly get it all the way right) there are some weird rules. First the new feature won’t be compatible with all games. It will be compatible with PS4 games released after April 1, 2018, and “the majority of the most-played PS4 games” released before this date. That’s right not all PS4, PS3, and PS Vita games are guaranteed to support the feature. Users might see issues or errors in certain games. If you run into any issues with the change, PlayStation will let you revert back to your old ID free of charge.
Makes sense? Yea not really, but hey it’s a start. Enjoy.
It looks like May is really going to be a dreamy month. Sorry that was a bad pun. The whole point is this month one of the big games comes from the team over at Quantic Dream. Why is this interesting timing? Well check out my first impression of Detroit: Become Human, the next Quantic Dream game coming out May 25th.
Free Playstation Plus Games:
Beyond: Two Souls (PS4)
Rayman Legends (PS4)
Eat Them (PS3)
Risen 3: Titan Lords (PS3)
Furmins (PS Vita)
King Oddball (PS Vita, Cross Buy with PS3 and PS4)
Ever feel like some launch titles for videogames should just be free? Well apparently Sony feels the same way because they just released the insanely popular and perfect game, Knack, to their PS Plus Free games lineup. That’s right, you can now play Sony’s tech demo for free. That said, you are looking at some decent titles this month. Than and the Vita games for the month all have amazing names.
Free Playstation Plus Games:
Knack (PS4) Rime (PS4)
Spelunker HD (PS3) Mugen Souls Z (PS3)
Exiles End (PS Vita) Grand Kingdom (PS Vita, PS4)
Honestly, I don’t want to play any of these. -Kurt
The fall season is upon us ladies and gentlemen. Do you know what that means? Life is about to get real freaking crazy! We got games, big games, releasing nearly every week through the remainder of the year. A slew of gaming events in the pipeline. And the best holidays of the year all lined up! To quote a very wise young hip hop artist by the name of Reign, “Let’s Get It!”
1. Amnesia and Phantom Pain being handed to gamers!
Right out the gate we open up with the freebies. Playstation Plus subscribers will have access to some incredible games this month. The October games for plus include Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (my least favorite in the series but only because all the games are amazing) and Amnesia Collection, a horrifying game series fitting for the month on PS4. On PS3 however, all gamers will be able to access are Monster Jam Battlegrounds and Hustle Kings, the amazing pool game. Finally the PS Vita dedicated out there will be able to play Hue and Sky Force Anniversary, also playable on PS4. I think this will be an amazing addition for Playstation Plus subscribers, but what do I know?
2. Gone Home with a Medal of Honor!
There is something amazing that happens every time to epic entities battle it out in the month of October. Think about it. Freddy vs Jason, Alien vs Predator, David vs Goliath. Actually I don’t know if that last one happened in October, or any of them to be honest. I do know that Xbox Games with Gold is playing a strong hand almost as if in direct competition with an unnamed competitor. Games with Gold will give players access to Gone Home: Complete Edition and The Turing Test on Xbox One. Xbox 360 players and anyone with a backwards compatible Xbox One (spoiler alert: that should be everyone with an Xbox One) will be able to play Rayman 3 HD and Medal of Honor: Airborne. It is going to be an amazing end of the year.
3. A new console challenger appears.
After nearly 20 years without developing a shiny gaming box, Atari has returned to war zone. With a release window of late Spring 2018 and a retail price range between $250 – $300 the new console will be a Linux-based PC experience for your TV. The device will be powered by a custom AMD processor with Radeon graphics. The most interesting thing about this entire announcement is that it is expected to be a crowdfunded adventure. The question very quickly becomes: who asked for this?
4. Battle.net App launches on iOS and Android.
Now I must admit, as someone who uses battle.net for absolutely nothing, I can not explains why this excites me at all. Perhaps its because we are embracing a future where all our favorite things will be supported by one device we carry with us all the time. Blizzard’s Battlenetis coming to iOS and Android is simply a matter of taking social features mobile. The app will make it easier to send and receive friend request, chat with friends, and organize matches for later play. The App is currently available to download and explore so take it for a spin. I can’t imagine you have much to lose by trying it.
5. Sword Art goes mobile.
Thank god for all these tech upgrades on smartphones because developers obviously have big plans. Sword Art Online: Replication, a virtual reality game for mobile, showed its head recently at the Dengeki Bunko Fall Festival. During it’s brief introduction we were provided a solid bit of information. The game will follow a new hero who’s primary objective is keeping Mist, the newest heroine to join the party, safe from harm. A stress and connection test will be taking place in Tokyo from December 8th through 10th, but no other release info was announced. I would love to see where this goes because this would be the perfect game for VR. Maybe not for mobile VR though, that sounds really dangerous.
6. Battlefront 2 for the fans.
Eleven multiplayer maps and five modes will be available right out the star gate when Star Wars Battlefront 2 launches on November 17th. How’s that for an opening line? The breakdown for the maps is as follows: 3 from the highly beloved prequel era, 5 from the original trilogy that people are kind of ok with, and 3 from the new era. The new era is really just The Force Awakens, but thats ok. The five modes are of course very Star Wars themed versions of standard FPS modes but that doesn’t make it less cool. The unique “Starfighter Assault” mode will see the player take control of ships, fighter, and bombers while two teams engage in multi-stage, objective based battles. And of course the “Heores vs Villians” mode give you control over fan favorites in 4v4 team battles. That’s how you please your fans.
7. And finally, Redemption!
Come on. You didn’t think I forgot. It’s not like a birthday, anniversary, or some other silly occasion. Its a butt-ton of official information around Red Dead Redemption 2! Official story details place the game in official “not a sequel” realm. The game will follow a new protagonist, Arthur Morgan, and be set to the east of the original game. Make sure you check out the official trailer for even more insight and fun. The new game will also feature an online mode and with a formula as successful as GTA V, I can only imagine the cash cow this will become. Unfortunately the game was delayed to the Spring of 2018. That’s ok though, it’s not like the anticipation will kill me or anything.
The name brings fear into the hearts of many. This historical hallmark of crime syndicates is the centerpiece of this game. Yakuza Kiwami is the latest title in the popular franchise, but also serves as a remake of the original PS2 game. Released worldwide on August 29, 2017, the remake not only sports updated visuals but also updated gaming mechanics. Developed and published by Sega, Yakuza Kiwami tells the story of a mafia member trying to change the entire system in which the Yakuza work.
GRAPHICS: 2/2
One of the most powerful components of Yakuza was its graphical fidelity. Even moreso even on PS2, it looked more stunning than 90% of the games on the market. Yakuza Kiwami keesp the long running series’ history of incredible graphics alive and well. As an official remake it is great to see that no time was wasted and no corners were cut when it came to making sure Tokyo was depicted excellently. Shops in the background pop with just enough vibrancy to coexist with the forefront objects. Emotions can truly be seen in the faces of every character including the useless NPCs on the streets. Cutscenes transition to gameplay incredibly smoothly. Once again Yakuza steps into the market ring and comes out in the top 10%.
STORY: 2/2
Loyalty is one of the most elusive human traits of all time. The Yakuza plot explores this concept at the most extreme levels. The protagonist of the story Kazuma Kiryu takes blame for a murder committed by a close friend. After being curiously expelled from the family and spending 10 years in prison (released on parole for good behavior), Kazuma returns to an all new family that sees him as a threat. One of the strongest selling points of this story is the way that all the side characters feel just as important as the leads. Every conversation held between any set of characters is complimentary to the character development and plot advancement. Very few objectives in the game can be completed without having conversations with multiple side characters and NPCs. The missions that can be completed have bonus rewards or story details that can be found in unnecessary dialogue. A story about what it means to be a loyal member of one of the most deadly organized criminal organizations of all time, this games sits very high on a pedestal of great storytelling.
AUDIO: 1/2
As an American gamer with interest in Japanese storytelling, the lack of American voiceovers is off-putting for some and perfect for others. The subtitle translation is nearly flawless however. The sound of the city is slightly lacking and in many points can feel lacking and hollow. When the ambience gets it right though, it gets it perfect. The chatting of people on the street corners about the fight that just took place really fills in the liveliness of the world. Overall the sound is nothing to be blown away by but also nothing to shake a finger at in shame.
GAMEPLAY: 2/2
One thing that has to be addressed is that most Japanese game developers have an obsession with trying to fit in every possible gameplay mechanic in one. Yakuza as a series is no exception. Yakuza Kiwami has taken the original and packed it with all the flavor from the newer games. Mini games are abundant throughout the city, with some even being major components of the narrative. And of course not mentioning the fighting game mechanics would be completely foolish. 4 fighting styles that can be upgraded, and maximized individually, adds a flair to gameplay that is lacking in most other modern day RPGs. Along side the fighting style, ways to go about traveling the city have to be acknowledged as well. One particular mechanic is the inclusion of the follow button. During missions where the player has to blindly follow some other character in the game, holding the R2 button will take care of all the work. There isn’t anything completely out of the ordinary, which can partly be attributed to it being a remake, but Yakuza Kiwami excels excellently at executing the normal exceptionally.
FUN: 1/2
An overwhelming level of RPG elements take the Yakuza games very far from being the Japanese version go Grand Theft Auto. With a slew of different gameplay styles, the complexity of the game may be discouraging to many. Those who find themselves deeply ingrained in the story will enjoy exploring everything it has to offer. The fun factor in this particular series comes from the amount of depth to the Japanese culture that can be explored. as a pick up and play for a few minutes probably not the best option as it is hard to really get anything out of that. However, the game is fun enough to make the 3-4 hours of gameplay required per sitting to get anything done more than worth it.
Yakuza Kiwami has set the standard extremely high for the remake world. Updated visuals put a brand new spark into the entry of an amazing series. Well balanced gameplay and outrageous unique elements keep the game exciting and fun during every session. The most powerful element of the game however is absolutely the story it tells. Loyalty, conviction, self development, and growth are all just a few of the topics that the narrative covers. If Yakuza Kiwami is the beginning of a strong gaming season, it opened the gate with a strong forward kick.
Introducing the “Lucky Gamer” weekly recap. Every week I’m going to look at the 7 coolest gaming related news articles that should make you feel lucky to be a gamer. So put the control down for a second, crack open a bag of cotton candy, and bask in the glory of our lucky charms. Or do none of those things and just read this on your phone as you wish you could leave work.
1. Resident Evil Revelations 1 & 2 coming to a Nintendo Switch near you! (You know cause you probably haven’t been able to buy one yet.)
Capcom stated a few weeks back that they were pleasantly surprised by the performance of Street Fighter on Switch but I doubt this is completely a result of that. Regardless, it’s exciting to say that the 2012 surprise hit and the 2015 sequel will both be playable on the Nintendo Switch at some point before the end of 2017. No specific date was given so maybe it was a direct response to the success of Street Fighter, but either way, bravo Capcom. Now kindly, where is Deep Down?
2. Ark: Survival Evolved full release delayed.
Now I know at this moment you’re probably saying to yourself, “how does a game being delayed make me a lucky gamer?” and honestly, I have no clue. But this right here felt like an important piece of information to share with my fellow gamers. The big old official release of this amazing game most gamers have already been playing for two years has been delayed. Delayed to when you may ask? Well thats what this article is here for, to share knowledge and give you the information that matters. Ark’s full release has moved from August 8th to August 29th.
3. Persona 5 Anime TV Series coming in 2018.
Persona 5 is an amazing game. For some people it may be to cumbersome to really be able to dive in and enjoy it in all its glory. For those people this news should be incredible exciting because if its anything like the last time Atlus converted a Persona game into an anime this will be great. It will be all of the amazing plot without all of the high school life simulation gameplay. There you have ya baby, go watch the anime instead of playing the game.
4. Metroid: Samus Returns “Fusion Mode” is an Amibo Exclusive?
Nintendo announced that four different amiibo will work for the upcoming 3DS Metroid game and each contain it’s own extra content. That extra content can only be accessed by using the little NFC enabled toys. This is pretty scary but considering we all felt that way about Online Passes at first and they are still around it’s no biggie. Oh wait they are not? Eh, doesn’t matter, it’s Nintendo. They can do no wrong. Here’s a quick list: New Squishy unlocks Fusion Mode, New Samus Aran unlocks Metroid 2 art gallery, Zero Suit Samus unlocks sound test mode, and classic Samus unlocks a missile tank and concept art. Yea, nothing wrong here.
5. Playstation Plus & Games With Gold August freebies announced.
Sure it’s mandatory now so it doesn’t feel quite as great to get free games with the purchase of PS Plus or Xbox Gold but, wait… no it actually does. Actually it feels even better because I was going to play online anyway so this is totally a bonus. Anyway first lets rattle off the PS Plus bonuses, well you know because I’m the Playstation guy. As of August 2nd you’ll be able to download Just Cause 3 and Assassin’s Creed: Freedom Cry for your PS4, Super Motherload and Snakeball for your PS3, & Downwell and Level 22 for your PS Vita (Hard Tip: Downwell works on PS4 and Level 22 works on PS4 & PS3.) One on the big green machine, Xbox gamers get to download Slime Rancher, Bayonetta, Trials Fusion, & Red Faction: Armageddon, playable on 360 and the One. Have fun and don’t forget to download them before the end of the month!
6. FIFA 18 to have multiple versions of historic players.
Some times playing only one game from a specific genre spoils and leaves you confused. This is announcement is a prime example. Baseball games are the only sport genre games I play. In Baseball games this has been a thing for a really long time. Either way the excitement should be real for any long time FIFA fans who want to play as legendary players from back in their day. Tread carefully and prepare for angry internet people as there will only be up to 3 unique versions of certain legendary players. Actually scratch that, I can’t really imagine why there would be more.
7. WNBA Teams and Players will be playable in NBA Live 18!?
Women’s basketball. Enough said. No I’m kidding this is actually pretty cool. This will be the first non fighting sport game that has female athletes. Huge statement for females all around the globe. Ladies we love you. Sincerely, Hard Mode Gamers. P.S. We are still hoping to get some females on the team so shoot an email over and let us begin negotiations. And shout to EA for making this a thing, hope it does well for their sales.
Thats all for this week folks, but feel free to leave some of your favorite pieces of news in the comments below. Have a great weekend.
