Do you know how long people have been asking for Ace Attorney Investigations 2 to be released in English and show up worldwide? I’m pretty sure since February 4, 2011, one day after it launched on the DS in Japan. It only got worse when Capcom did release a mobile port in Japan in 2017, but then only released the original Ace Attorney Investigations Android and iOS port everywhere. But Ace Attorney Investigations Collection is remedying that injustice, and after playing through some early cases I think it will be a welcome prospect for players. 

Both of the games in the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection star prosecutor Miles Edgeworth. They’re also a part of the canon timeline for the Ace Attorney series in general, taking place after Trials and Tribulation. (The first game is immediately after, and the second immediately follows the events of the first.) In each one, Edgeworth may feel a bit more like a detective than lawyer, as he’ll first investigate a scene after a crime, then go through a phase where people and suspects are confronted. The sequel also introduces a Mind Chess element that involves a timed minigame where you talk with your opponent to learn details and eventually beat them to get critical testimony.

When going through the first Ace Attorney Investigations, it was a pleasant homecoming. I really appreciated that spin-off when it first released worldwide, and the remastered graphics, new character sprite, and work put in to bring it to the Switch all made my initial case come together well. I especially liked the history feature, as it is a quality of life option I appreciate in other visual novel and adventure games. Considering what Edgeworth is dealing with here, it’s really helpful to be able to look back. 

As for my experiences with the first episode of Ace Attorney Investigations 2, I can’t express how pleased I was in the initial moments. The consistency with the localization honestly made it feel as though nothing changed and as if there hadn’t been any gap between global releases. The nature of the cases also fit in well, especially with the first picking up with an international incident that ties into the original game.

The one thing I did notice as I went through Ace Attorney Investigations Collection is that the new HD sprites really felt like a marked difference. I attribute this, in part, to the fact that even the original DS game used the more refined type of portraits for characters and, regardless of whether you select the HD or pixel art sprites before choosing a game or loading a save file, everything else features the remastered backgrounds, portraits, and texts. So while having the pixel art sprites is a fun bit of nostalgia, I found they felt rather out of place when actually going through the cases. 

After going through the initial cases in Ace Attorney Investigations Collection, I think everyone who has been waiting years for a chance to play this missing Edgeworth game will be pleased with how Capcom chose to honor these spin-offs. I’m not done with my new journey to bring the truth to light, and I’m already impressed with how well it’s been handled. Especially considering how the HD sprites and remastered elements look so far.

Ace Attorney Investigations Collection will come to the PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and PC on September 6, 2024. 

The post Preview: Ace Attorney Investigations Collection Deserves Attention appeared first on Siliconera.

The SteamWorld series of games has been an exploration of disparate genres, with the team always careful about returning to ideas. But it does happen! Like Dig 2 before it, SteamWorld Heist II seeks to iterate upon the original’s mechanics with years of hindsight and extra development expertise.

Heist II moves from the first game’s space setting to an ocean one, with players navigating the world in a submarine. Functionally, these are very similar! So it feels a lot like the original. Instead of the menu-based approach of its predecessor, this entry takes a Mario + Rabbids approach, using an adventure overworld with light exploration and naval skirmishes.

This scheme is designed to break up the tactical combat with world-building, and the team at Thunderful tried hard to make it fun to explore the map even if the rewards aren’t always particularly consequential. You’ll find secret passages. You’ll encounter little narrative moments. The water effects as the sub zips around are satisfying. There’s even a diving mechanic that doesn’t really get explored until the late game but serves to give the world dimension.

But the primary attraction of SteamWorld Heist II is definitely the combat missions. In a lot of ways, they’re reminiscent of the first: areas composed of rooms and doors that are regularly re-used and configured, with a variety of obstacles and enemies to aim weapons through. We can forgive a lot of the iterative nature, though, given its role as a sequel and the way this system is distinct from all major tactical alternatives. It’s accurate enough to call it “2D XCOM,” but the 2D part of that does fundamentally set it apart in both presentation and tactics.

The combat is, more than anything, about action economy and finding tricks to take out more enemies at once and keep your head above water against enemy waves. Sidearms and grenades, along with class-specific abilities, allow you to attack more than once in a turn. Weapons with a large blast radius can hit more foes if placed right. Unlockable abilities can cause attacks to not end your turn or give you extra movement to reach objectives faster. This focus, again, feels a lot like Mario + Rabbids! Which is definitely a good thing. We found ourselves emptying our cupboard of extras each turn before finally using the characters’ primary weapons on whatever was left alive.

There are multiple difficulty options in the game and you can change on the fly if needed, but if you’re having trouble with a particular stage, you can also grind for job levels and equipment. This isn’t a huge change to your power or capability, often just giving you slightly more survivability or one more skill. But that can be the difference between staying on top of enemy waves and finding yourself underwater.

The world is broken up into regions, which largely function as the game’s chapters and each feature a bar for resting, shops and narrative moments. Each party member can fight once before resting, which means you’ll eventually be able to fight a few times before returning, but that does build up over the game. Missions earn “renown,” a currency you cash in when you rest for rewards. If you’re able to use the whole team and do a lot in the same day, you’ll be able to redeem for the higher-value rewards. These aren’t necessary, but they’re usually quite nice to have. You also unlock a special passive reward for completing everything in a region. Again, not necessary, but you’ll want them and they’re not too tough to do.

You recruit new party members at these bars, each with the ability to learn any class, but carrying personal skills that could lean them toward particular strategies. You have some player freedom to recruit in different orders, eventually unlocking all ten, but with some choice of who you need first and who you can wait for until later when you have space in the crew. They’ll have little quips during missions to make them feel like a part of the story, but they’re mostly there to support protagonist Captain Leeway through his journey while he largely doesn’t participate in fights himself.

Heist II is, in a technical sense, a very smooth experience, which makes sense for a sequel to a game formulated to work within 3DS specs that’s releasing on all active platforms regardless of capability. We did review the game on PC, for what that’s worth, but it’s the sort of game that doesn’t feel like it’s trying anything that would trip up low-spec devices.

SteamWorld Heist II takes the things that worked in the original Heist and, well, gives players more of them. It’s well-considered in so many ways, making sure you’ll have a good time exploring its ideas for as long as it holds you. It ain’t exciting or revolutionary, really, but it sure is fun.

SteamWorld Heist II launches August 8, 2024 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.

The post Review: SteamWorld Heist II Aims to Please appeared first on Siliconera.

The Pokemon Trading Card Game Shrouded Fable set is 2024’s special summer release, which means it’s largely only available as part of special boxed collections. Like 151 and Pokemon Go before it, it’s meant to be primarily for collectors. It builds around the story of Scarlet and Violet’s expansion adventures, and chooses as its centerpiece the new Pecharunt and its darkness-possessed legendary minions.

Given that this premise isn’t “mobile game phenomenon” or “Kanto nostalgia” levels of broad appeal, Shrouded Fable has its work cut out for it. It feels like The Pokemon Company knows that, as it’s introducing a Poke Ball foil pattern in the set to make it feel a bit more special. We're not sure that will be enough for a lot of players to invest, but for now, we’ll just break down what’s here and leave it for you to decide for yourself.

So first? Yeah, Pecharunt and the Loyal Three are here. Base versions of the Three showed up in Twilight Masquerade, so the ones here are all about being poisoned and mind-controlled by Pecharunt. Okidogi poisons itself to power up. Munkidori delivers ex-level strength but only offers one Prize when it falls. Fezandipiti watches on and offers card draw when the opponent downs its teammates. Meanwhile, Pecharunt manipulates from the shadows, switching out its team for free with poisonous side effects.

You can extend its power beyond its three usual subjects with Binding Mochi, a new Tool card that powers up poisoned attackers by 40. With all this poison going around, it’s a good reminder that special conditions go away on the bench and Pecharunt’s switching means you should be able to keep things in control. Still, that damage is going to add up no matter how careful you are. A non-ex version of Pecharunt also shows up as a promo in Shrouded Fable products, instead chaining and punishing poisoned opponents. So, weirdly, Pecharunt might be a Pecharunt counter.

In addition to the Scarlet & Violet DLC characters, Shrouded Fable also sees appearances from other “dark” characters from the franchise’s history. Team Plasma leader Colress shows up on a Trainer card, as does Team Flare scientist Xerosic. And she isn’t exactly evil, but she’s certainly all about the poison, so Janine, a gym leader and Koga’s daughter, gets a Supporter card that accelerates energy while poisoning your own party.

Rounding out the set are a selection of creatures, most of whom fit the theme of darkness and poison. You’ve got Houndoom, Sneasel, Dusknoir, Toxicroak, Crobat, Malamar and more in here to make sure you get this set’s vibe. There’s even an Electric Tera-type version of everyone’s favorite pollution machine, Revavroom!

And hey: that new foil pattern ain’t nothing. It features a hexagon grid with Poke Balls in each hex, and it’s a nice enough look without getting in the way of legibility.

Shrouded Fable, as a set, is on the smaller side, clocking in at 64 cards before the secret rares kick in and 99 all told. This isn’t unprecedented — special sets have been small in the past — but after 151’s full Kanto Pokedex and Paldean Fates’ ludicrous lineup of shinies, it’s definitely an adjustment. But hey, that does make it easier to collect! So perhaps it’s a fun full set project.

The Pokemon Trading Card Game: Scarlet & Violet — Shrouded Fable special set launches in various boxed products starting August 2, 2024. Elite Trainer Boxes will be available on August 23. For more on the Pokemon TCG, check out our archive.

The post Pokemon TCG Shrouded Fable Explores Scarlet & Violet’s Most Toxic Relationships appeared first on Siliconera.

When Version 2.4 goes live in Honkai: Star Rail, Huohuo will re-run in the banner alongside new character Yunli. While a new attacker character may seem tempting, I highly recommend that those who don’t have her yet and have enough firepower on their team consider getting Huohuo instead. Aside from her capabilities as a healer, she’s great as a support and is a fantastic Abundance character for high-level teams or endgame content.

To start with, as a healer, Huohuo is just alright. She doesn’t excel as a sustain like Luocha and Aventurine do, meaning that she’s not as good at keeping your characters alive. That sounds terrible for an Abundance character. However, that’s because Huohuo’s true worth lies more in her ability to increase your team’s damage output through her myriad of buffs and her ability to passively cleanse debuffs. The main thing with Huohuo is that she works better on a built team. If you run her with characters you haven’t invested in, you’re going to think she’s a terrible unit. So always run her with a party that won’t crumple like a paper bag before Huohuo can get a turn in.

As a brief summary of Huohuo’s kit, her Skill can heal a character and remove a debuff. She can also heal adjacent characters, though they receive less HP. This gives you a bit more control over who she heals, as opposed to Bailu’s randomness. Her Skill also grants two Divine Provision stacks. While she has these stacks, characters can heal themself when their turn starts or when they use their Ultimate. They can also dispel a debuff, meaning they can move even if hit with a Crowd Control debuff instead of needing to wait for their next turn. Finally, her Ultimate can regenerate Energy and increase their ATK.

If you read all that and thought, “Wow, she sounds great for [insert character here]” you’re probably correct! Unlike characters like Bronya and Sparkle, you can use Huohuo with any party. This includes characters with more unique specialties like Firefly (Break Effect) and Kafka (DoT). They don't need Crit DMG. But everyone wants ATK and Energy boosts, and everyone likes a good cleanse or two. I’ve long since asserted that if you’re thinking of pulling for in Honkai: Star Rail and you care about having a strong party, you should pull for a limited 5-star support. Attackers are a dime a dozen and you can get a good one with proper investment. Yes, even if they’re a “low-tier” character like Qingque or Serval. However, without a good support character, even ridiculously powerful attackers like Acheron and Firefly can fall flat.

Huohuo’s main use falls in how useful she is in endgame content. For example, you can bring her into the more difficult levels of Simulated Universe, Pure Fiction, or Memory of Chaos. In modes like Pure Fiction, her ability to get rid of annoying Crowd Control debuffs that may cost a character a turn is valuable when you want to clear the battle within a time limit. You can run her with pretty much any team provided that you’re running her with characters you built. She can also free up a slot in your team, as she can double as a sustain and a support. This means you don’t always need to run a Harmony or a Nihility with her.

Huohuo’s viability on a team will never change due to the universality of what she brings to the table. But if we’re talking about the specific upcoming patch in which Huohuo and Sparkle are both re-running, some people might need to decide who to pull for. That’s not even taking into consideration Yunli and Jiaoqiu. While I can’t speak on them, as we have no clue how they fare in the final build of the game, I can give a brief rundown on Sparkle versus Huohuo.

In my opinion, it really comes down to who else you like to use. Huohuo has a very generic kit for any attacker, meaning you can use her with any party. Her Ultimate really helps other characters on the team get back their Ultimate. Sparkle, on the other hand, offers a DMG boost (different point of calculation from ATK), Crit DMG bonus, and more SP. No one can say no to more SP. So in terms of their kits, Huohuo and Sparkle can benefit the entire party in different ways.

However, in my experience, while Sparkle is undoubtedly a fantastic support, not everyone can make full use of her. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae is the only one who needs Sparkle's positive SP economy (as of Version 2.3 anyway). This is due to his Enhanced Basic Attack taking a whopping 3 SP instead of the sane 1. But people can get by just fine even without her (albeit with other premium options like Ruan Mei or, yes, Huohuo).

Huohuo can really speed things up due to her role as a battery, support, and healer. This makes her invaluable for any account. I highly recommend anyone who doesn’t have her to consider forfeiting your Stellar Jades and Special Passes to Huohuo. May she and Tail lead you starward.

Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. You can only get Huohuo in Honkai: Star Rail when the “Bloom in Gloom” banner is active.

The post Huohuo in Honkai: Star Rail Remains Frightfully Good appeared first on Siliconera.

Square Enix dropped Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail, the fifth expansion, at the start of July 2024. We’ve had the chance to dive into this expansion and max out our classes and jobs to level 100. As such, it is finally time to reveal what the best class is in FFXIV Dawntrail. Note that we decided these on a number of factors, such as the best overall job class out of every single one in the expansion. In addition, some of us picked based on the two new jobs, Viper and Pictomancer.

Regardless, if you are looking to pick up a job that has turned out quite well in Dawntrail, these are the ones that will treat you nicely in the current fifth expansion meta. Let us know what your favorite job classes are in this expansion!

Siliconera Speaks Up: Our Picks for the Best Classes in Dawntrail

I've played Final Fantasy XIV for a long time. And I mean, a long, long time. I have over three thousand days subscribed to the game and have tried out a lot of the job classes --- Melee and Ranged DPS, Healers, Tanks. You name it, I've probably given it a shot. And while I was initially anxious to committed to the Tank role, I dove right in to Gunbreaker when a series of Final Fantasy XII Judge-inspired armor sets released through the Bozja side content. I got my Gunbreaker to max and decided to bring it into Shadowbringers, and then Endwalker as Tanking was a lot easier than I initially thought. Gunbreaker is my favorite job class because it's decently active, while not requiring me to do too much in normal content. White Mage used to be my favorite, but sometimes I'm just tired and wanna turn my brain off, and Gunbreaker lets me do just that. -- Kazuma

Are we are talking about the two new jobs, specifically? If so, FFXIV Dawntrail’s best new job class for me has to be Pictomancer. Viper is great on its own, too. However, Pictomancer offers this fascinating middle ground of being a powerful magical DPS class like Black Mage. Yet at the same time, Pictomancer also offers fantastic buffs for the party. It is also quite fun to use. In terms of existing jobs, I am having a blast playing Sage again. Overall, it hasn’t changed much. That said, the new AOE damage-over-time action with Eukrasian Dyskrasia and other new skills fix the very few problems I had with Sage. -- Cody

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is available right now for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

The post Which Class Do You Like Best in FFXIV Dawntrail? appeared first on Siliconera.

I loved the Penguin Highway movie and the way it blended fantasy elements and an unusual mystery into a real world mystery, and I was curious how the manga adaptation would handle its concepts. After all, we’re getting the descriptive nature of the novel paired with potential opportunities for greater detail than the anime adaptation. It remains a fascinating story that still leaves a reader wondering about its many mysteries.

Aoyama is a young man who explores mysteries and the unknown with his friend and classmate Uchida. He also has a crush on a dental assistant who he really only knows as an unknown lady. However, both of these “interests” come together when he realizes she’s able to create penguins. These have been sighted around town, with no real explanation for them. However, when Aoyama and Uchida try to take a penguin outside of the area, it transforms into a can of soda. We get to watch (or in this case read) as Aoyama gets to know the lady, learn about her past, and figure out what is going on with the penguins, all while dealing with things like another classmate with a crush on him named Hamamoto and a bully named Suzuki.

What’s interesting about all forms of Penguin Highway, and not just the manga, is how the fantasy elements start to ease their way into the story. When we first find out about the penguins, it’s reasonable to assume maybe there was a situation with a zoo. However, then we see the lady throw a soda can and transform it into a penguin, eliminating that theory. From there, a cavalcade of additional information, tests, and insights proves that yes, something is happening. Not to mention that we get to see more,which is satisfying and serves to highlight the other underlying themes in the story.

Because there’s so much going on, and so many of the fantastical and supernatural elements are tied into and ramp up when they get involved. I felt like with the manga version of Penguin Highway, it was often easier to spot the correlations and connections between them. For example, early interactions between Aoyama and the young woman he met begin to blossom more as he falls in love with her. First crushes are magical! As they spend more time together, we get to see more penguin-creating and whimsical elements. 

Then, as the more critical elements of the plot come up, we see more harrowing otherworldly appearances. Once we see the sphere and its waters, we know that it’s an ominous symbol due to the things happening around it. The spaceship disappears. The Jaberwock shows up. Avoiding spoilers, of course, but as critical moments tied to coming of age, dealing with bullies, and encountering loss come up, that’s reflected in what Aoyama and even characters like Hamamoto deal with. 

With the manga adaptation of Penguin Highway, I could see more opportunities to better illustrate what’s happening and bring the town and its situations to life. It may not always be as visually impressive as the movie adaptation. However, I also felt like it sometimes meant a little extra time or opportunities to pause and take in what’s happening. Which is especially important as the story reaches its climax and ending.

I liked how the manga adaptation of the Penguin Highway allowed me to really take my time with the story. At the same time, it integrates the same sort of fantastic visuals and lets us appreciate the sometimes silly and occasionally dire situations in the same way the anime movie adaptation did. In any case, it’s a lovely way to introduce even more people to the original story from the novel.

The Penguin Highway manga is available via Yen Press now, as is the novel. The film is streaming on Crunchyroll.

The post Penguin Highway Manga Perfectly Highlights Its Magical Realism appeared first on Siliconera.

Tentacular is one of those VR games that is a joy for many reasons. One thing I noticed is that it is the type that once you’re done with it, you can step away and feel satisfied. What’s great about the free Island Builder update for Tentacular is that it adds this additional creative element that could be ongoing, yet also builds on what’s fun about the game in general.

For those who didn’t get into the Firepunchd Games and Devolver Digital title back when it first showed up on the Meta Quest, PS VR2, or Windows PC VR headsets, the concept is simple. In Tentacular, you are essentially some sort of kraken-like creature. You were raised alongside humans after hatching from an egg. After coming of age, you step into the workforce and start helping out everyone on La Kalma island with odd jobs. It’s primarily a physics-based puzzle game with various situations littered across stages, but there’s also an overarching storyline that offers some insights into the characters, island, and situation they’re dealing with.

But the real fun involves figuring out how to solve problems when you only have two tentacles.

While there are some extra missions in the Tentacular Island Builder update, which are quite fun and feel different from what came before, the selling point is the titular Island Builder. This gives you access to a sandbox space that lets you create your own own island or see other people’s islands. I just couldn’t stop playing with the new suite of tools.

Some of the basic ones involve just being able to create landmasses and elements. Others involve getting a whole building toy box of different elements and features to help you put things together. There are pieces that allow you to combine items. Basically everything I encountered in the main game was available as an option when building or decorating in this supplemental area. While the first hour or so involved just messing around with the creation glove and building blocks for developing my own unique island, I really felt like I’d gotten to a point where I could build a small town that made sense to me. But also, I will admit that I had fun sort of destroying things a bit when my vision wasn’t adding up either. Since they weren’t the NPCs I was used to from the real game, I didn’t feel the same guilt as I would like… tossing a car or boat around there.

The ability to visit other people’s islands is also a fantastic perk. Tentacular’s base game is very good at presenting puzzles someone can play without getting VR or motion sick. Because I was moving around so much more when constructing my own island in the sandbox element, I did notice I’d need to take breaks a bit more frequently. If I knew I only needed like five or ten minutes, I’d usually keep my Meta Quest 3 on and head to some other players’ creations instead. 

The only thing I didn’t like is, honestly, the Tentacular cheat terminal. I ended up using it to play around with and unlock a thing, and I absolutely hated the inputs. The nature of it means you need to grab letters from the board and place them in the area in the proper order to spell out the correct phase. But because of the lack of the precision, when I grabbed “O” I also got “F” or “G.” The only time I could get the exact single letter I needed was if it was in the front row (so R, S, T, Y, V, W, X, Y, or Z). It was incredibly frustrating and I would have appreciated a little break in the immersion to make it more accommodating.

Before the Tentacular Island Builder free update dropped, it was probably one of the absolute best VR games you could get due to how well the concept and execution come together. After that new addition, I think it is absolutely in the top five. It feels like the perfect playground who ever got sucked into a SimCity or Sims style game for hours because they just wanted to design how the metropolis or house looked. It provides an even better excuse to head back to the game and maybe play it more often after beating the original levels.

Tentacular is available on the Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest Pro, PS VR2, and Windows PC VR headsets, and the Island Builder update is live.

The post Tentacular Island Builder Expansion Adds More Life to the Game appeared first on Siliconera.

I love Billy Kid from Zenless Zone Zero. Even though I’m not exactly sold on it in other ways, due to things like pacing and the freebies taking forever to earn, I can’t fault this one element of his design. Almost every part of him is perfectly executed, and the fact that we got such a wonderful character from the very start leaves me inclined to give Zenless Zone Zero a little leeway.

Part of this comes down to the general design for Billy Kid. He’s an android, which means you’d worry about him perhaps looking a bit generic. However, his robotic face manages to be as expressive, if not more so, than other characters. This is because of the exaggerated approach HoYoVerse artists use. So even though he can look stoic and severe at a glance, in motion we see a range of emotions as varied as anyone else’s. There are also other touches, such as a red leather jacket filled with fandom patches and an exaggerated hairstyle that rivals any shonen hero’s.

Billy Kid also has the absolute best personality type in Zenless Zone Zero. Those who kept up with Trigun will know what I mean. He’s absolutely a Vash the Stampede type. This is a character who genuinely means well and is a good person (robot)! He can be delightfully goofy about things! He adores the show Starlight Knight. He has a crush on a celebrity. He refers to his guns as the Girls. However, we also know that there’s more to him. He’s a more than competent Agent. He’s an established Intelligent Tactical Unit. His character teaser from 2023, which featured his beta phase voice actor Michael Schwalbe, noted he used to even be an infamous Outer Ring “combat weapon” and feared warrior. He’s skilled, competent, and cares!

The Billy Kid English and Japanese voice actors in Zenless Zone Zero even enhance that. Both Clifford Chapin and Yu Hayashi give these enthusiastic, earnest, over-the-top types of performances. You can tell there’s an opportunity for seriousness in their portrayals. At the same time, they both do a perfect job of geeking out and bringing him to life.

Honestly, I think that combination of the right personality and voice actors make it feel like Billy Kid is the best part of the early Zenless Zone Zero story. He absolutely steals the show in the tutorial, when we’re helping Phaethon get him and Anby out of the Hollow during the introduction. He’s a constant source of humor, being genuinely and completely funny due to both his responses to Anby and reactions. At the same time, he’s an absolute badass. He handles situations efficiently and is smart about dealing with enemies. He’s practical when it comes to successfully navigating and escaping the situation. He’s also just a generally good buddy to the Phaethon siblings, being genuinely appreciative of his “manager.” No matter what the situation or who the person in the scene with him is, the writing means he plays off of them perfectly.

The only bad thing about Billy Kid in Zenless Zone Zero is… well, actually using him. Which is a shame since there’s so much potential when it comes to the concept behind the character! He’s a DPS, but a completely ranged unit in a title where you’re most likely going to get up close and personal when beating baddies up. His attacks honestly look amazing too. I absolutely love how he looks when he uses his Fatal Shot Assist. His Stand Still and Clearance Time Specials? Also fantastic to watch. 

However, Billy Kid is clearly a case of form over function in Zenless Zone Zero, and it keeps him from being one of the best possible party members at the very least for the moment. His playstyle is very forgiving, which is a plus! While his Basic Attack only hits one, it’s easy to use his other moves or build off of it to deal AOE damage. The problem comes when you look closer. He’s a Physical Attack Agent with the Cunning Hares. Know who also is and happens to be a better DPS due to her nature as an S-rank character? Nekomata. It also doesn’t help that Anby and Nicole are more versatile members of the group who can slot into other teams more easily than Billy. There’s no Physical type Stun or Support unit in-game yet who could support a Billy team, and someone going for an A-rank Physical DPS could also perhaps pick Piper instead. 

I know it is early days with Zenless Zone Zero. At the rate at which HoYoVerse tends to add new characters to games, which can be between two and three per patch, we’ll likely see lots of Agents to fall in love with as time goes by. However, there is just something special about Billy Kid in Zenless Zone Zero. His combat prowess aside, everything about him feels perfectly in tune with the game, not to mention appealing to a general audience.

Zenless Zone Zero is available for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices.

The post Billy Kid Can Be the Best Part of Zenless Zone Zero  appeared first on Siliconera.

When there are collaborations between properties or crossover merchandise appears, there can be varying degrees of success. Sometimes one brand or character isn’t well-represented. It could be superficial. The Tamagotchi Uni Sanrio Characters model is an example of a perfectly executed crossover, with fantastic representation and integration of Sanrio characters alongside Tamagotchi staples.

As with the Hello Kitty Nano variant, we aren’t actually raising Hello Kitty or a Sanrio character in this Tamagotchi Uni. We are raising a normal Tamagotchi character. However, the Sanrio elements are actively involved. This is due to the implementation of the Tamaverse that grants access to Sanrio Puroland. So if someone already owns an Uni unit, it is $7.20 for the ticket to unlock that area, the elements, and the possible evolutions. If you don’t have the unit, it’s $69.99 for one that includes the ticket and the model features Hello Kitty ribbons all over its face.

Once you get the ticket applied, which can be done immediately once your first Tamagotchi is in the baby stage, it’s so easy to start kitting out the unit with the Sanrio elements. After your first character becomes a child, you can select Tamaverse and head to Sanrio Puroland by choosing to go to a DL Area. You’ll be greeted by other characters who also are from those variants, which is fun. It gives you a chance to see what to possible shoot for.

From there, you can start seeing actual Sanrio characters in the Tamagotchi Uni or purchasing virtual items. Going to the Entrance of Sanrio Puroland triggers a parade of mascots. These can vary. One time, I saw an array of characters that included Pompompurin, Little Twin Stars, and more obscure characters like Usahana and Cogimyun. Fluffy Ribbon House is the designated minigame for this area, granting access to a Hello Kitty Ribbon Jump. It’s fairly simple, given you’re pressing left or right when directed, but pays better than normal minigames for a three-star performance. (600 Gotchi Points!) That features Mimmy White and Tiny Chum appearances as well.

However, it’s the Kawaii Shop in Sanrio Puroland that really makes this Tamagotchi Uni crossover work. Yes, you can redecorate with accessories, furniture, and one of two 500 G room styles. However, the food, snacks, and items help make the real difference. I bought a 200 G Kuromi Diary and, after making that my character’s exclusive toy, I got a Melodytchi dressed like Kuromi. For my second character, I only fed them the 100 G Star Pancakes to boost their happiness. The result? A Little Unimarutchi character appeared.

I just love how it all opens up once you access Sanrio Puroland for the first time. Especially since the crossover items in a Tamagotchi Uni Sanrio Characters model are all affordable. Getting 600 G from a perfect performance in Ribbon Jump is enough for a room redesign and a snack. I went through two runs, and I had the Kuromi Diary and some other toys purchased in case I decided to wanted to play around with Cinnamoroll instead. I didn’t need to spend a lot of time saving up for items I wanted, and thus possible evolutions. 

What’s also fun is that the Tamagotchi Uni toys tied to Sanrio characters also summon the mascots to play with your character. The Kuromi Diary means you get to see Kuromi, My Melody, and Baku. The Purin Bag brings in Pompompurin. When the Cinnamon Cup is played with, you see Cinnamoroll and an array of other puppies he’s friends with. I love the attention to detail.

I love how the Tamagotchi Uni Sanrio Characters model and Sanrio Puroland Tamaverse are handled. It really makes it easy to quickly start integrating the mascots into your virtual pet’s life. Not to mention that also means there’s a low barrier of entry when getting certain characters unlocked. It’s a perfect example of how to make one of these crossovers a success.

The Tamagotchi Uni Sanrio Characters model and Tamaverse ticket are available now.

The post Tamagotchi Uni Sanrio Characters Model Results in a Perfect Crossover appeared first on Siliconera.

Finally, the Switch release of Tokyo Xanadu eX+ might give the game its moment again! Almost 10 years after its original release, Aksys picked up the Switch version to release it worldwide. Considering how interesting it can be and all of the other elements making this particular release so valuable, I can’t help but hope it leads to more people giving it a chance.

Something isn’t right in Tokyo. Kou doesn’t initially realize it. He’s going to school and working part-time jobs as usual. But when he sees his classmate Asuka harassed when he’s leaving work at night, he gets drawn into assisting in fighting back against the Eclipse phenomenon. Using Soul Devices and eventually fighting alongside classmates who find themselves also able to fight back against the Greed monsters threatening innocent people. Yes, it is Persona-like, while still combining the Ys sort of action-RPG elements while in labyrinths. 

Now, right away, you’re probably wondering why you should even head into the Switch version of Tokyo Xanadu eX+. After all, Aksys’ release is the fourth version of the game to appear worldwide. However, there are a number of reasons to give it a chance again. Enough so that I think it’s worth playing now more than ever.

The big one, and the thing I love most about heading into Tokyo Xanadu eX+ again, is that this is the best portable version of the game. The Vita version is difficult to come by now, and it’s only the standard release that didn’t add the extra scenarios, bosses, and content in any of the eX+ releases. (All of that is perfectly implemented in such a way that if you are new to the game, you won’t realize it wasn’t originally a part of the experience.) If you have the Steam version, you could hypothetically play it on a Steam Deck. However, it isn’t fully supported. It’s only classified as “Playable” there. So the Switch release is completely ready to go and perfectly suited for the system. 

Aside from the definitive version of the game now being on the Switch, the other highlight for the Aksys release of Tokyo Xanadu eX+ is a fresh localization. It reads wonderfully. Everything is clear, concise, and perfectly gets the point across. Back in the day, I covered the Vita and PS4 releases. I remember enjoying them! It’s been a long time since I played, so I can’t 1:1 cite changes. But the new take is substantial enough that I could just tell as I went through it that it was handled a bit better.

There’s also the matter of this Tokyo Xanadu eX+ Switch release being the perfect preparation possibility. In March 2024, Nihon Falcom announced the Tokyo Xanadu 10th anniversary project. While it is going to be a new and original thing, playing the first game in this branch is invaluable. It gives you an idea of what to expect. You can see what sorts of encounters and gameplay you might experience. Also, who knows what sort of threads or Easter eggs could carry over. It’s invaluable. 

I’m so glad the Switch version of Tokyo Xanadu eX+ is here, as this is such a fun action-RPG. I always felt like it ended up being a bit overshadowed, due to the fact that it does feature some similarities to the Persona series and Nihon Falcom’s Trails line exploding in popularity. The combat is solid in dungeons. Its take on a modern adventure set in the real world is strong. The eX+ additions do feel valuable. Not to mention, the twist that comes up is good! It’s a JRPG worth playing.

Tokyo Xanadu eX+ is available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC. The original game appeared on the Vita.

The post The Switch Version of Tokyo Xanadu eX+ Is the One to Play appeared first on Siliconera.

All great things must come to an end. After 10 long years of consistent publication, the manga My Hero Academia finally finished. In fact, by the time you are reading this, the final chapter of the manga might be out in your region! Looking at the current state of the anime, it won’t be long until its conclusion too. But when all is said and done, My Hero Academia does not need a sequel after it ends.

One of the first thoughts fans and perhaps even creators alike think when a popular property like My Hero Academia ends is, “What’s next?” Oftentimes, this leads to speculation and the eventual announcement of a spin-off or sequel. But this series doesn’t need any of that. I believe it is fine to leave it as it is.

While the temptation may be there for Shueisha and even series creator Kohei Horikoshi, My Hero Academia would be better off not going down the Naruto and Boruto route. This is largely due to the fact that this series ends on a pretty conclusive note. I won’t delve into spoilers here, but we get the satisfying finish and end to the battles that have been brewing since the series’ inception.

In addition, I adore the full-circle nature of Deku’s particular character arc. The series remembers how it started, and Horikoshi honors that with how it ends. For me, at least, it is a fully satisfying conclusion unlike some other manga and anime series in recent memory. Continuing it with a sequel or “new generation” of heroes almost feels like a disgrace to that.

Even beyond that, My Hero Academia already feels like a sequel in a way. Deku’s journey to fulfill his promise of becoming the world’s number one hero is actually vastly different from other shonen characters like Naruto Uzumaki. In Naruto’s case, there are legacies and histories from before him, but he is pretty much a standalone hero from zero. We see Naruto rise alongside the other members of Team 7, go through trials and tribulations, and cement themselves in history as world changers. It is then after that that we see his son Boruto take the reins and follow in his footsteps, “finishing the fight” against the Otsutsuki, so to speak.

In a way, My Hero Academia feels more like the story told in Boruto than the one in Naruto. In this manga and anime world, All Might is Naruto. The entire series is reminding Deku and everyone of All Might’s greatness. How he changed everything about superheroes and even defeated the mighty All for One. In this way, Deku — and pretty much everyone else — goes throughout the series in the shadow of All Might. This is quite similar to how Boruto relates to his father.

This goes pretty deep, too. After all, there is Shigaraki, too. While Shigaraki as the “big bad” of the series, he shares this role with All for One, who isn’t new. This is the same villain All Might previously took down. So, you have the themes of a returning threat from the past alongside the “next generation” trying to finish the fight. My Hero Academia is already like a sequel in everything but name alone. So, having a sequel or “next generation” of superheroes after Deku and the others almost feels redundant and unnecessary.

Any potential sequel to My Hero Academia would also have to create a new threat that arises after the original series ends. More likely than not, this new threat or conflict would almost assuredly feel less impactful, derivative, or forced. If anything, perhaps the best route to continue this franchise would be to finally tell All Might’s entire story as a prequel. But a direct My Hero Academia sequel with returning characters or their descendants would only be a disservice to what Horikoshi accomplished with this series.

The My Hero Academia manga is available to read on Viz Media and Manga Plus. The anime adaptation is available on Crunchyroll.

The post My Hero Academia Doesn’t Need a Sequel After It Ends appeared first on Siliconera.

I often skip strategic-RPGs, as I find they rarely grasp my attention for longer than a couple of hours. This usually includes even NIS America’s renowned Disgaea series. My issue with these games largely comes from how often grid-based combat bores me, but such wasn’t the case during my recent opportunity to test Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero at Anime Expo 2024.

The reason for my early appreciation for the Phantom Brave sequel stems from the fact it eschews the usual tactical RPG grids for a more free-form battle system. This allows for plenty of freedom in how to approach each fight. I felt like I could tackle combat during my demo in whatever way I wanted, with whatever units I’d like.

The star of Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is Marona, a girl with a collection of Phantom friends. She summons these allies to help her out in combat, as they otherwise might not be so visible. Players can pick where to summon Phantoms, and I was able to bring out as many as possible on the field during my session. There is just one caveat. This can only be done so long as they have an item, such as a tree or bush, to inhabit.

Even in the singular battle I completed during my short demo of this upcoming RPG, there were so many gimmicks to appreciate. For instance, Marona herself can fuse together with her Phantoms. This gives her a unique transformation, depending on the pal, and makes her even more powerful. While transformed, each kill she gets on an enemy grants her an extra attack phase during the same turn. This allowed me to chain up kills one after another for four kills on the same turn, which wiped out a significant number of the enemy forces.

After that, I was able to take control of a different Phantom. This character had the power to control gadgets. This included a barrel mech she could pilot. It added so much depth to how to tackle each fight. How I approached the battle might be completely different than how someone else dealt with it.

This idea also shows up in its heavy emphasis on a risk and reward system. Going back to Marona’s transformation ability, there is a catch that keeps it in check. The Phantom you fuse with leaves the field after the transformation concludes. From what I gather, this transformation only lasts for a few turns. After that, the Phantom retires from that particular fight. So, it left me with the challenging decision to know when to fuse at the right moment so as to not make the battle tougher in the long run. I appreciated the sheer amount of depth I saw in this rather early fight.

While I never played the original Phantom Brave, The Lost Lord grabbed my attention more than most NIS America strategy RPGs from my initial preview. I like the lack of grids on the battlefield, which provides a more open movement system. Everything feels much smoother and swifter than similar games. Unfortunately, this preview didn’t show off the story. That said, these cutesy and colorful characters might be worth a look when this comes out in 2025. Especially with how fun the lengthy battles seem to be.

Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero will release for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC in 2025.

The post Preview: Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero Provides Immense Freedom appeared first on Siliconera.

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail continues the age-old tradition of introducing multiple new jobs (usually two per expansion with the exception of Heavensward) for players to check out. In the case of the fifth expansion, the new FFXIV jobs are Pictomancer and Viper. While certainly different from one another, if I had to pick one as the better job, I would go with Pictomancer every time.

To be clear, both jobs are actually quite good and fill some necessary niches in FFXIV. But I understand that not every player is going to want to take the time to level up both jobs over 20 levels each (40 in total) to max them out. Plus, that doesn’t take into account the time it takes to master each job, which is a tall order since they start at level 80. With that in mind, if I had to pick one of these new FFXIV jobs to recommend to most players, I would go with Pictomancer. I believe it is the slightly better and stronger job.

To be clear, I started out as an Arcanist and eventually Summoner/Scholar main in this game when it first came out, but my secondary job for the longest time was Ninja. As such, there are some fascinating parallels between Pictomancer and Viper for me. The former is the latest ranged magical DPS job. Meanwhile, Viper is the long-awaited armor companion to Ninja and a fellow dual wielder. Both jobs also have some similarities to existing ones, so they are pretty even in that regard.

As such, Pictomancer narrowly beats Viper due to how much more it stands out. I would describe Pictomancer as a fascinating mix of Black Mage and Ninja in some regards, under an artistic perspective. It has the usual elemental magic Black Mage owns and some similar spells, but it also has its canvas to paint on. This reminds me of Ninja in a way. You can queue up spells and unleash them in certain orders. These will result in different moves in the process.

On the other hand, Viper is also similar to Ninja. It is a dual wielder and it focuses a lot on combos as well. The difference is it relies too much on combos. It is actually unbelievable how many different combo options exist with Viper. There are different branching options depending on the scenario and skills are constantly turning into other ones.

If you don’t like combos, Viper is certainly not the FFXIV job for you. In addition, it can be a bit overwhelming to jump into at first. But the main issue with Viper comes from once you actually learn it. I find that Viper ends up a little boring and almost too repetitive once you get the hang of the role. Meanwhile, the Pictomancer never stops being fun with instantly drawing outside of battle and buffing the party.

Overall, I would almost say Viper is a bit one-note. However, to its credit, the diversity in combos leads to some of the best visual effects for a job. I would even say it is possibly the flashiest job in the game currently. But it doesn’t stand out as much as it could, nor is it as necessary in the meta as Pictomancer.

If you are a skilled Pictomancer, you can almost deal too much damage in FFXIV these days. There are times I have full-on pulled and seen others pull aggro from a skilled, not amateur tank, especially in lower-level content. Any other job and that wouldn’t have happened. Beyond the damage, Pictomancer also has some excellent buffs late-game with Starry Muse and Tempera Grassa. It isn’t quite the true support job hybrid I was hoping for, but it comes close enough.

In the end, both Viper and Pictomancer are excellent job additions in FFXIV Dawntrail. That said, if I have to recommend one as the “better” job, I would go with Pictomancer. It isn’t quite as one-note as Viper can be, while also almost filling a neat niche for the meta. I expect Pictomancer to only gain in popularity and success as time goes on, barring any nerfs, so if you’re looking for a new one to spend your time with, this is what I recommend.

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is available right now for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

The post FFXIV Dawntrail’s Pictomancer Stands Out More Than Viper appeared first on Siliconera.

I can’t count how many times I accidentally let the poor, stray kitten die in the original A Street Cat’s Tale game. It was a lot. I felt really bad! I was genuinely terrified the same thing would happen in A Street Cat’s Tale 2: Outside is Dangerous. (That ominous subtitle wasn’t helping!) While it is still very perilous for a formerly indoor cat on their own, I found various quality of life adjustments made it easier for Cinnamon (and me) to adjust to life on the streets.

A big part of this involves how A Street Cat’s Tale 2: Outside is Dangerous gets started, as it offers an opportunity to enjoy more exposition and ease into the game. Much like a certain little kitty in a big city, this cat named Cinnamon accidentally ends up outside. After his owner Hazel moves, he inadvertently naps in a box that is taken away. When he wakes up, he’s alone. It’s then that he realizes he was taken far from home, and some street cats help him adjust to his new life in the big city as he finds his way and perhaps gets back to Hazel.

This initial accommodation is so helpful, both narratively and in terms of gameplay. We get an introduction to Cinnamon, first of all, and a means of better connecting with the character. The first game had a strong start! However, at that point it was more about identifying with a poor baby who lost its mother. Here, the character is better established from the outset. However, it’s even more useful because of the other elements of this execution. After seeing Cinnamon spirited away, we also get a chance to safely practice solving sokoban box-pushing puzzles and learn survival techniques like hunting, scavenging, and sharing with other cats in a safe, controlled environment. This continues with some early quests that also help ease us into the world.

Those are the most obvious quality of life changes! There are so many others in A Street Cat’s Tale 2: Outside is Dangerous that make the game better and more enjoyable to play. For example, you don’t have to pick up items one at a time. This is a godsend for survivability and befriending other cats. You can actually hold on to some and carry them with you. An actual inventory? In a game? What a novel idea! Introducing the cats who will matter to you upfront, as well as some important humans, is also a boon. You aren’t wandering around, trying to find out who people (well, felines) are and where. It’s better structured with its chapters and missions. I felt like I fumbled much more often with the original game, and it isn’t an issue this time around.

Perhaps most importantly, the tone is so much better in A Street Cat’s Tale 2: Outside is Dangerous compared to the original game. I very much felt like in each run, I was nearly guaranteed to flail or fail. It ended up being such a daunting endeavor. Yes, Cinnamon still gets hungry at a fairly steady place and there’s a lot to do here. However, I always felt more optimistic about his odds whenever I played, and the tone of Cinnamon and the other cats also felt more positive than in the original game. 

It’s such a big change that I’d almost say go ahead and play A Street Cat’s Tale 2: Outside is Dangerous first and consider, well, not playing the original game. This is coming from someone who enjoyed it, as perilous as it could be. This new entry ends up feeling so much stronger! Granted, there are connections to characters from A Street Cat’s Tale, so that bonus exists for people who do take a chance on both. However, this one ended up being so much more fun and, given there’s a demo for the PC version on Steam, a lot easier to even see if it vibes with a player.

A Street Cat’s Tale 2: Outside is Dangerous is available on the Nintendo Switch and PC. 

The post A Street Cat’s Tale 2: Outside Is Dangerous Feels Less Harsh appeared first on Siliconera.

We always see the gacha game ads when we’re scrolling social media or browsing online. Developers and publishers promise ridiculous amounts of “free pulls” on banners. Given we all know this is the way to get the best characters in these types of games, it’s enticing. However, Zenless Zone Zero is frustrating, as it is one of those games where while you’ll hear about 180 free pulls, it genuinely feels like it takes forever to get them. I’ve been playing since launch on July 4, 2024, and I haven’t gotten them yet!

Now, to be fair, it is possible to get 180 free pulls in Zenless Zone Zero. This isn’t a case of false advertising. However, it is a situation where people need to be looking at the fine print. Part of that is because 100 of those are free pulls. These are done on the character and W-Engine banners. These can end up being a mixture of limited and Star-Studded Cast standard ones. Given the prevalence of B-Rank and A-Rank W-Engines flooding both, odds are you’ll end up with more of those weapons than you will A-Rank and S-Rank agents. (There is a pity system at 90 pulls on both, and the standard banner does guarantee you an S-Rank unit in your first 50 pulls upon starting the game as a bonus for beginners.) The remaining Boopons are the currency used on the Bangboo Channel Signal Searches for those supporting characters.

So right away, you need to know that the division means you aren’t just getting chances at playable characters, which is probably what you’d expect and want from that “180 free pulls” offer in Zenless Zone Zero. Right away, it’s disappointing. I knew that going in, so I wasn’t feeling as bad about that part as it took forever for more Encrypted Master Tapes for the limited banner and Polychromes I could put toward it rolled in as I played. But I had friends who aren’t as familiar with gacha games, but got lured in by the art style, expressing concerns. I can’t blame them! Clarity is important with something like this.

But there isn’t just a lack of clarity and forthrightness when it comes to the division of the 180 free pulls in Zenless Zone Zero at times. It can also be about the “how” and “when.” Some of these are tied to login events. Those are limited-time affairs, and they require someone to log-in daily. So if you don’t catch those, you miss 30 Encrypted Master Tapes and 10 Boopons. They also mean you have to stick with the game to be around for all of them as they run until August 13, 2024, which is a bummer. 

Combine that with another 40 general gacha pulls via Encrypted Master Tapes and Master Tapes, 65 Bangboo Boopons, and 1,600 Polychromes tied to the Road to Proxy Greatness event, and that’s another major hit. You actually need to get invested to earn all of those. That’s because it is tied to the Inter-Knot level that only builds as you play by going through campaign missions, optional commissions, and runs through VR matches to get materials. This takes hours. Again, as I write this, I’ve been playing since launch. I still haven’t hit level 30 and gotten my last 1,600 Polychromes and 20 Boopons. 

All this ties into yet another overarching issue with Zenless Zone Zero: pacing. I talked about this before. It takes a substantial amount of time to unlock all of the major features in the game. I’ve played Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and even some of Honkai Impact 3rd. I definitely feel, at the very least, that it took me way fewer hours to unlock everything I wanted and needed in Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail. By the end of my first week playing, I was set. Two weeks later, and I feel sometimes like I’m still missing out with Zenless Zone Zero. 

As a result, it really feels like HoYoVerse is abusing the "180 free pulls" line with Zenless Zone Zero. Even when the company does break it down a bit, so you can more clearly see it is divided into free pulls and Boopons.

Zenless Zone Zero is available for free for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices.

The post I Still Don’t Have My 180 Zenless Zone Zero Free Pulls appeared first on Siliconera.