Sega is a publisher usually known for series like Sonic that focus on platforming and other genres. But Sega surprisingly has some excellent Japanese role-playing games worth checking out. Here are the best recent Sega JRPGs across PS3, PS4, and PS5 alike. Note that I am excluding Atlus JRPGs, even though the company is owned by Sega, since they deserve their own dedicated list.

Best Recent Sega JRPGs on the PS3

The PlayStation 3 didn’t receive a ton of JRPG support from Sega since most of it went to handhelds at the time like the DS, PSP, and 3DS. However, there are some standouts like Resonance of Fate. This game has one of the sleekest combat systems I’ve ever seen with a pretty intriguing story, too.

There are also games like Shining Resonance for a flawed but still solid enough, more traditional 3D action RPG feel. That said, the best PS3 Sega JRPG comes from the original Valkyria Chronicles. This alternative World War II-set game features a flexible tactical RPG movement system that is fun to use and an emotional storyline.

Best Recent Sega JRPGs on the PS4

The return of Phantasy Star Online happened with Phantasy Star Online 2. It is a free-to-play MMORPG on PS4 that is worth checking out for a bit. There is so much content to this game that you will not find anywhere else on this list. And there is always more on the way, especially when it comes to great cosmetics and crossover events.

Sakura Wars also made a grand return in the West on PS4 with the 2019 version. The mix of mech combat and visual novel dating sim-like storyline is quite unique. If you want a bit of romance amidst the dramatic story about women fighting for their lives in a war, this is one to check out.

Then there is my personal favorite on this console: Valkyria Chronicles 4. Not only is this the best in the series but it is up there as one of my favorite Sega JRPGs of all time. The combat is strategic, deep, and full of challenging missions and decisions. Plus, the story is one of the most underrated on the PS4 with its colorful cast of soldiers and gut-wrenching twists.

Best Recent Sega JRPGs on the PS5

Even though the PS5 is well into its lifecycle, there aren’t too many Sega JRPGs not from Atlus on it. The core games come from the Like a Dragon series, including the one that started a massive shift for the franchise in Yakuza: Like a Dragon. This game switched out the brawler gameplay from previous titles for Dragon Quest-inspired turn-based combat with jobs and more.

It also has one of my favorite stories in gaming, focusing on the outcasts of outcasts as they rise up to get revenge. Then there is also its sequel in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. It continues the story of new protagonist Ichiban while bringing back Kiryu for a fascinating trip in Hawaii. The story is a bit rougher around the edges at times, but the turn-based gameplay is refined and the content is exceptionally varied.

Let us know what your favorite SEGA RPG is below!

The post Best Recent Sega JRPGs on PS3, PS4, and PS5 appeared first on Siliconera.

It occurred to me the other day how many of my friends own Pomeranians. I get it: they’re a cute and sassy little breed. It’s still a funny coincidence considering how many dog breeds there are in the world and how little friends I have that somehow, about 75% of the dog owners I know have the same type of dog. Whenever I think about pomeranians though, there’s one thing that comes to mind: Tokyo Jungle. What kind of world do we live in that Tokyo Jungle is trapped on the PS3 and PS Vita? A world in which Tokyo Jungle 2 does not exist? The PS4 is on its way out, but before it becomes as defunct as the PS3, I sure would like to see a PS4 or PS5 port of Tokyo Jungle.

For those who are unfamiliar with Tokyo Jungle, it’s a single or multiplayer action-roguelike. It takes place in post-apocalyptic Tokyo, in a world absent of humans. House pets and zoo animals roam free and must survive in this new natural order. Oh, yes, and dinosaurs are here too. Go figure. I personally really enjoyed the story, though playing the story mode was a whole other beast.

The ultimate goal of the main meat of the game—survival mode—is to make it to a hundred years with a species of your choice. You can choose to play as a herbivore or a carnivore. Each type has its own pros and cons. Carnivores need to kill their prey in order to eat, but you can find non-toxic food even in the endgame. Meanwhile, herbivores have more babies per litter, equalling a larger pack and higher survivability. You can also breed to pass on stat boosts to future generations. I’ve played through almost fifty generations of pomeranians in my file, for instance. The stat boosts I accumulated with the Pomeranian alone makes the fluffy little thing more powerful than a default tosa. This adds yet another layer of replayability value, as you can grind stats for your favorite animal.

When Tokyo Jungle first came out in 2012, it received a lukewarm response. Europeans loved it while Americans hated it. In its native Japan, people either adored it for its unique gameplay and replay value, or despised it for its lack of depth. Though I would love to see Tokyo Jungle come back on modern consoles like the PS4 or PS5, I had my own issues with the game, of course. The toxicity mechanic felt like a way to make runs way more difficult for no reason. For reference, if you stay in an area or eat something with high toxicity levels and you reach 100% toxicity, you will start losing HP. This really sucks. When I replayed my file to jog my memory for this, 90% of my deaths occurred for reasons other than toxicity.

While there were ways to manage toxicity, it felt like an unnecessary layer of difficulty in a game that’s already quite hard. The controls aren’t the greatest to handle. It’s easy to lose control of a situation when enemies swarm you like ants on candy. Novices are sure to find it difficult to balance everything—age, hunger, toxicity, time-limited quests, calorie count for better mates, and whatnot. It definitely took me more than a few runs to stop dying in the first three decades or so. But the feeling of improving at the game and beating your own record kept me going back again and again. I’m sure enjoyers of difficult games can understand that sensation.

Tokyo Jungle felt unique in its setting and gameplay. Kataoka and the development team at Crispy’s accomplished their goal of creating something that felt original in both idea and execution. Now, is the game fun? Well...I sure romanticized it in my memory. It’s not fun, per se. It’s an addictive time sink, though. When runs don’t go well, I want to try again. When runs do go well, I want to play again to boost stats or clear more goals. Fun is subjective, but Tokyo Jungle in particular feels like a game that really appeals to certain personalities. Like people who enjoy the feeling of completing lots of little tasks for a greater reward at the end. Or people who like mindless games so they can turn off their brain for a while. And oh boy, am I smack dab in the middle of both audiences.

Rights are a complicated affair. Though I started this with hopes that a PS4 or PS5 port of Tokyo Jungle will show up, I know that I’m just huffing decade-old copium. Crispy’s! hasn’t made anything since 2014 and no longer exists anyway. Japan Studio became defunct in 2021. It’s hard to say if the Freedom Wars remaster is a viable ray of hope, considering Dimps is around. But if Freedom Wars got to escape Vita jail, then hopefully one day, players will be able to explore the concrete greens of Tokyo Jungle once again.

Tokyo Jungle is readily available on the PS3, and Tokyo Jungle Mobile appeared on the PS Vita and mobile devices until PlayStation Mobile was shut down.

The post I Still Wish a Tokyo Jungle Remaster Would Appear appeared first on Siliconera.

The 30th anniversary of the Tales series is just around the corner and Bandai Namco has already started preparations with the Remastered Project. For those who would like to take a walk down memory lane, or are curious about what other Tales games they can play while waiting for new (or remastered) releases, here is a full list of the mothership Tales titles.

Tales of Phantasia

Release Date: December 15, 1995

Platforms: Super Famicom, PlayStation, GBA, PSP, iOS, mobile devices

The first Tales title takes place in Aselia and follows Cless Albane, who seeks revenge after his hometown is destroyed. He learns that the culprits behind the attack wish to revive a powerful sorcerer king, Dhaos. Using the power of time travel, Cless and his friends travel to the past and future in order to defeat Dhaos for good.

Tales of Destiny

Release Date: December 23, 1997

Platforms: PlayStation

The original Tales of Destiny came out on the PlayStation and the remake came out in 2006 for the PS2. It follows Stahn, who accidentally finds a sentient sword that calls itself Dymlos. He, along with other wielders of speaking swords, fight for the Eye of Atamoni, which is a powerful relic from an ancient war.

Tales of Destiny Remake is one of the best titles in the Tales series for its story—which expands on the original and includes a redemption arc for popular character Leon—and fighting style. Hopefully, Bandai Namco has plans for a remaster so that it can officially release the game to the west.

Tales of Eternia

Release Date: November 30, 2000

Platforms: PlayStation, PSP

Tales of Eternia, released in the west as Tales of Destiny 2, has nothing to do with Tales of Destiny. Instead, it follows Reid Hershel and his friends, who live together in the world of Inferia. One day, they come across a mysterious foreign girl named Meredy and through their interactions with her, learn of a different world called Celestia. They journey together to stop an ages-old conflict between the two worlds.

Tales of Eternia feels like the turning point for the Tales series in that it propelled the series into its initial popularity. It was popular enough for an anime adaptation and a MMO, though the anime was pretty bad (in that it had little to do with the game) and the MMO didn’t last long. The battle system feels a lot more fluid compared to Phantasia and Destiny, and it holds up to newer 2D Tales games too. 

Tales of Destiny 2

Release Date: November 28, 2002

Platforms: PS2, PSP

The actual sequel to Tales of Destiny, Tales of Destiny 2 follows Kyle, who’s the son of Stahn and Rutee from the first game. Due to his parents’ heroic past, he’s also obsessed with becoming a hero. One day, he meets a mysterious girl named Reala and embarks on a journey to become a true hero.

Like the above Tales of Destiny Remake, Tales of Destiny 2 is a fantastic game. It’s got a great story, compelling characters, and a difficult battle system that’s rewarding to master. The meme himself, Barbatos, is also from this game. Considering how much trouble he can give you, it can be a little hard to laugh at the jokes Bandai Namco make at his expense.

Tales of Symphonia

Release Date: August 29, 2003

Platforms: Nintendo GameCube, PS2, PS3, Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One

Tales of Symphonia was popular in its native Japan, but it’s what really put the franchise on the map for the western audience. While the west had gotten Phantasia and Eternia, they weren’t exactly selling like hotcakes in the way that Symphonia did. The story follows Lloyd, who joins his friend Colette’s pilgrimage to regenerate the world of Sylvarant.

Tales of Rebirth

Release Date: December 16, 2004

Platforms: PS2, PSP

The story of Tales of Rebirth heavily focuses on racism. It takes place in a world where people wield a magical power called Force after King Ladras, in his final moments, uses his power to unleash the potential in people around his kingdom. Veigue lost power of his Force of Ice and froze his childhood friend Claire in a pillar. Even after he manages to free her with the help of new friends Eugene and Mao, soldiers acting on orders from Karegia Kingdom heiress Agarte take her away. His journey to rescue her from the palace morphs into a battle to end racism.

Tales of Legendia

Release Date: August 25, 2005

Platforms: PS2

Tales of Legendia follows the story of Senel and his surrogate little sister Shirley. Shirley is the Merines, a legendary figure among the Ferines, which is a race of people who can live underwater. Because Shirley is the Merines, many different factions want to capture her to use them for their own schemes.

Compared to previous titles (and its successor Abyss), Tales of Legendia looks and plays in a very weird way. This likely has to do with the fact that the developer, Project MelFes, consists of Tales Studio members, along with developers from the Tekken and Soul Calibur series. It’s the first Tales game with Go Shiina as the composer and the soundtrack is objectively the game’s highest point.

Tales of the Abyss

Release Date: December 15, 2005

Platforms: PS2, Nintendo 3DS

Tales of the Abyss is the eighth mothership title, but it’s the commemorative game for the series’s 10th anniversary. It follows Luke fon Fabre, a pampered noble and swordsman who ends up outside of his comfy mansion after heroine Tear appears to assassinate her brother, who’s also Luke’s teacher. The story heavily focuses on Luke’s personal development as he seeks the meaning of his birth. There is also an anime adaptation for Abyss, which you can watch on YouTube.

Tales of the Tempest

Release Date: October 26, 2006

Platforms: Nintendo DS

Tales of the Tempest follows Caius Qualls, who is a Leymon (essentially a werewolf). After the church takes his guardian prisoner and kill the parents of his childhood friend Rubia, the two of them set out for the capital. The adventure then turns into one to overthrow the church.

Tales of the Tempest is the first Tales game for a handheld console. However, the reception to the game was very mixed, with some places giving it a very positive score and others giving it a very negative one. Points of criticism included the story’s short length, lack of content, unappealing relationship between Caius and Rubia, and more.

Tales of Innocence

Release Date: December 6, 2007

Platforms: Nintendo DS, PS Vita

The story of Tales of Innocence follows avatars, human reincarnations of the divine Devalokans who can still use supernatural powers from their past lives. Ruca, a timid boy, is an avatar of the powerful Asura and he awakens to his powers after rescuing fugitive Illia, a fellow avatar. They meet up with other avatars, who then travel to do something about the wars engulfing their world.

Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World

Release Date: June 26, 2008

Platforms: Wii, PS3

Though the sequel of Tales of Symphonia, Dawn of the New World introduces a lot of lore and elements that weren’t in the original game. It follows Emil, a timid boy who survived a massacre that Lloyd from the first game perpetrated. After meeting with Marta, a girl with Ratatosk’s Core on her forehead, the two of them set out on a journey to fix the meteorological problems occurring around the world and escape from Marta’s pursuers.

Tales of Vesperia

Release Date: August 7, 2008

Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Windows PC, Xbox One

Tales of Vesperia is a very popular and successful entry in the Tales franchise, selling over 1.5 million copies worldwide. It also has a prequel film, though Flynn in particular is so out-of-character it might as well be fanfiction. The story follows Yuri Lowell, a former soldier who’s now doing odd jobs around his neighborhood. After meeting a noble named Estelle and fleeing from the capital with her, he forms a guild called Brave Vesperia.

Tales of Hearts

Release Date: December 18, 2008

Platforms: Nintendo DS, PS Vita, iOS

Tales of Hearts follows Kor Meteor (Shing Meteoryte) who meets siblings Kohaku and Hisui Hearts. A monster infects Kohaku and in an attempt to save her, Kor accidentally destroys her Spiria (her heart and emotions). The three of them set off on a journey to restore Kohaku’s Spiria.

People don’t talk about the CG Movie Edition, but I definitely remember that one. People were comparing the models to the Evil Goddess MOCCOS, an old 2ch meme about the ugly KOS-MOS figure that came with the Xenosaga Episode 2 Premium Box Set.

Tales of Graces

Release Date: December 10, 2009

Platforms: Wii, PS3, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Windows PC

Tales of Graces follows the story of Asbel Lhant, who is the future heir of the Lhant village. As a child, he befriends an amnesiac girl named Sophie and the prince of Windsor, Richard. Witnessing Sophie’s death traumatizes him and he runs away from home to become a knight. Seven years later, he reunites with Sophie, setting into motion an adventure that takes him all across the world of Ephinea.

Tales of Xillia

Release Date: September 8, 2011

Platforms: PS3

Tales of Xillia is the first Tales game that combines character designs from Kosuke Fujishima (Phantasia, Symphonia, Abyss) and Mutsumi Inomata (Destiny, Eternia, Rebirth). Like Tales of the Abyss, it’s a celebratory mothership title. In Xillia's case, it was for the 15th anniversary. It follows Jude Mathis, a medical student who encounters Milla Maxwell after she breaks into a military research facility in an attempt to destroy a secret weapon. Now that they’re on the run from the military, Jude and Milla, along with their companions, journey to help Milla with her mission to save the world.

Tales of Xillia 2

Release Date: November 1, 2012

Platforms: PS3

Tales of Xillia 2, like Dawn of the New World, is a sequel of its predecessor while introducing elements and lore that the original game never really mentioned. It takes place a year after Xillia and follows Ludger Will Kresnik, a guy who just wants to cook. It turns out he’s not just a good cook, as he possesses the Chromatus. He and the cast from the first Xillia need to go into parallel worlds—essentially what-if scenarios from the first game—and destroy them to prevent their own world’s destruction. He also has to pay off a huge medical debt. Ah, adult life.

Tales of Zestiria

Release Date: January 22, 2015

Platforms: PS3, PS4, Windows PC

Tales of Zestiria was, like Abyss and Xillia, an anniversary title and this time, it was for the 20th anniversary. It draws inspiration from Arthurian legends and it follows the story of Sorey, a young human who can see the mystical spirits Seraphim. He leaves the village of Elysia with his best friend Mikleo and, after forming a pact with the Seraph Lailah, he becomes the Shepherd whose job is to purify the Hellion rampaging throughout Glenwood.

For an anniversary title, Zestiria had its fair share of controversies. Before the game came out, Japanese fans were ticked off about how prominent advertising for Alisha was, yet she was a mere guest party member in the actual game. After it came out, fans seemed split on the story, battle system, and tutorials.

Tales of Berseria

Release Date: August 18, 2016

Platforms: PS3, PS4, Windows PC

Tales of Berseria technically serves as the prequel to Tales of Zestiria. However, you don’t have to play Zestiria to understand Berseria. It follows Velvet Crowe, a normal village girl who lost her pregnant sister after a daemon attack. One day, tragedy strikes the village and Velvet comes across her brother-in-law Artorius killing her younger brother Laphicet in a ritual. She transforms into a daemon and Artorius tosses her into jail. Once she wakes, she swears vengeance on the man who used to be her family.

Tales of Arise

Release Date: September 10, 2021

Platforms: PS4, PS5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X

Tales of Arise follows the story of Dahnan slave Alphen, or “Iron Mask,” and a Renan girl named Shionne. A curse on Shionne hurts anyone who touches her but since Alphen can’t feel pain, he’s the only person who can pull a sword from the Master Core she has. Like Rebirth and Eternia, it deals with themes of racism and oppression.

The post All Mothership Titles in the Tales Series in Release Order appeared first on Siliconera.

Nissin has uploaded a new collaborative Cup Noodle commercial video which features the Japanese meme based on El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron. In this new trailer, Lucifel questions Enoch's choice of his Cup Noodle-branded gear.

The meme originated when a promotional trailer for the El Shaddai game appeared at E3 2010. Enoch's insistence on his original armor and his concession after the reset became a timeless classic in the Japanese gaming community.

Nissin launched this commercial to promote four special-flavored Tokujo Cup Noodle packages. Each of them is themed after the Matsutake mushroom, Seafood, Curry, and Chili Tomato.

The company not only worked with Crim to apply Cup Noodle branding to Enoch's armors in the El Shaddai trailer. It even employed Lucifel's Japanese voice actor Ryota Takeuchi to record new quotes for the commercial, including parody lines that replaced the word "equipment" with "Cup Noodle."

The new collaborative commercial video is available to watch via YouTube:

Nissin has been holding collaborations between Cup Noodles and many Japanese game franchises. The most well-known one was the Final Fantasy XV crossover in 2016. In recent years, Nissin has also collaborated with the mobile game Project Sekai Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku in 2022 and the Pokemon franchise in 2023.

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron was originally released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2011. Crim has released remastered ports for the game on PC via Steam in 2021 and Nintendo Switch in 2024.

The post New Cup Noodle Ad Is Based on the El Shaddai Meme appeared first on Siliconera.

A Persona art book book is on the way, as Udon is publishing the Atlus and Shigenori Soejima Persona 5 + Persona 5 Royal: Official Design Works outside Japan. Pre-orders are now already open on Amazon ahead of its November 26, 2024, with the hardcover book costing $73.40.

As the title notes, this art book covers both Persona 5 and the updated Royal release. The product listing noted that concept art and other types of illustrations of characters, enemies, and other game elements will be present. There will also be an interview with Soejima, the character designer for the entry. 

Here’s how the English cover art will look for this Official Design Works art book will look:

Udon’s been behind a number of Persona 5 book releases. It released three Persona 5: Mementos Mission manga volumes. It also handled the localization and publication duties for Persona 5: Comic a la Carte outside Japan. Its been behind some merchandise like pin sets too. Other entries in the series’ manga lines also are handled by the company, such as ones based on Persona 3 and 4.

The Persona 5 + Persona 5 Royal: Official Design Works art book will launch on November 26, 2024, according to the Amazon listing. Persona 5 is on the PS3 and PS4, while Royal is on the PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.

The post Udon Persona 5 + Persona 5 Royal: Official Design Works Art Book Orders Open appeared first on Siliconera.

Atlus and Sanshee announced the Persona 5 plush and pin collection is growing, this time with Futaba Sakura joining the ranks. The stuffed toy is being shown as available now on the official site for $39.99, while the $12.99 pin has an August 2024 release window.

The design for the plush is by Jaime Ugarte, while Morton Wayman worked on the pin. Both feature a chibi version of Futaba Sakura in her casual clothing. She has big eyes, her glasses, and her headphones on. However, in the case of the stuffed doll, the headphones are magnetic and removable. 

Here is the full announcement, which included the official art for the Futaba Sakura plush and pin.

The Persona 5 Futaba Sakura plush and pin are both the most recent additions in an already existing line. Previously, some other members of the cast appeared. For example, Makoto Niijima is already around. Prior to that, Ryuji Sakamoto appeared as the first character in the collection.

Persona 5 is available on the PS3 and PS4, while Persona 5 Royal is available on the PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. The Futaba Sakura plush is now available at Sanshee, while pre-orders are open for the pin based on the character.

The post Persona 5 Futaba Sakura Plush and Pin Arrive  appeared first on Siliconera.

A number of figmas showed up at Good Smile Company’s Smile Fest 2024, and one was an updated version of the Metal Gear Solid 2 Solid Snake figure. It is a new take on the item that first appeared back in August 2018. 

The Metal Gear Solid 2 Solid Snake figma wears his original uniform, just like the first version of the figure. His face plate is a stern, stoic expression in the example photo. He’s also holding the tranquilizer that he came with originally. It does seem like the bodysuit is a different shade than the original version of the figma. Also, the paint job on the face seems a bit different and more in line with other recent releases.

Here’s how that looks:

To compare, here’s how the original 2018 version of the Metal Gear Solid 2 Solid figure looked. The additional accessories also included an assault rifle and a cardboard box. Some of the hand parts would even allow the figma to be posed as though it is hanging from a shelf or table.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is available on the PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5, Vita, Switch, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox Series X, Windows PC via various collections, and the Solid Snake figma will return in the future.

The post Metal Gear Solid 2 Solid Snake Figma’s an Update Figure appeared first on Siliconera.

Square Enix started a 60% off sale for Final Fantasy XIV in preparation for the Dawntrail expansion. The sale will end on June 11, 2024.

It appears that this promotion is only for players who will play on a Windows PC or Mac. For example, Endwalker (which is part of the sale) is $15.99 from the Square Enix store, but $39.99 from the PlayStation Store. You can purchase the products on sale from the Square Enix Store or Mog Station. This sale is valid for the Complete Edition and Complete Collector’s Edition of Final Fantasy XIV. You can also use it to purchase the Standard Edition and Collector’s Edition of Endwalker. 

Square Enix first announced Dawntrail as the newest expansion of the long-running MMORPG back during Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest 2023. It will appear alongside update 7.0 on July 2, 2024. This expansion will feature new jobs (Viper and Pictomancer), a new location (Tural), and a new race (female Hrothgar). Other than that, there are updates like a higher level up, new dungeons, and new raids. The full list of new content is available via the Square Enix webpage for the expansion.

Final Fantasy XIV is readily available on the PS3, PS4, PS5, Windows PC, MacOS, and Xbox Series X. The Final Fantasy XIV sale will end on June 11, 2024.

The post Final Fantasy XIV Sale Drops Price By 60% appeared first on Siliconera.

Since the launch of the origin PlayStation, Sony built up quite a catalog of game series based on original IP, with many revered as some of the best titles on their respective consoles. For example, if you’re going to recommend PlayStation 2 games to someone, the first-party game Shadow of the Colossus is going to come up. So today we’re celebrating everything Sony directly had a hand in, and hope everyone will also suggest other games they loved too.

It's going back a bit, but I loved the Jak and Daxter series as a kid. The jump from kid-friendly platformer to gun-toting, Sci-fantasy, GTA-clone is a hilariously edgy move by today's standards, but when i was 8 years old or so it was the coolest thing in the world. I don't know if i necessarily want to see a reboot or anything, but I do plan to revist the series at some point. -Elliot

No game series has done for me what the two Gravity Rush games did. For a hot minute there, I thought we would never see Gravity Rush 2, but when it came out it was everything I wanted it to be. Flying through the bizarre and enchanting environments accompanied by the amazing music of the series never gets old. Even if we never get another title in the series, I hope Sony can one day release both games on PC, as they have been doing with its recent catalogue. -- Daniel.

When it comes to the best Sony PlayStation IP or game series, it is going to come down to either The Legend of Dragoonor the Dark Cloud games. Trust me on this. Dark Cloud, specifically Dark Cloud 2, is so revolutionary and feels so different that other action RPGs, due to the fact that you’re rebuilding as a result of your dungeon crawling. As for The Legend of Dragoon, it is not only one of the best JRPGs on the PlayStation, it is one of the best games in the genre to come out of the 1990s. — Jenni

The post Which Sony IP and Game Series Do You Like Best? appeared first on Siliconera.

Sanshee announced a new selection of Persona 5 merchandise, this time based on the teacher and maid character Sadayo “Becky” Kawakami. The new collection includes two t-shirts, a keychain, and a pin.

All three items play with the fact that while Ms. Sadayo Kawakami is a teacher at Shujin Academy during the day, she also works as a maid called Becky with the service Victoria in Persona 5 and its Royal update. Both of the shirts feature the full logo for the Victoria service the protagonist can call on the back and a smaller one on the front. The pin features the logo and a large strawberry, which is also part of the imagery for the maids. Finally, the keychain is of the maid uniform Kawakami wears at work.

Here’s the full list of new Sanshee Persona 5 merchandise with prices:

• Black T-Shirt - $27.99-$29.99, depending on size
• Enamel Pin - $12.99
• Keychain - $15.99
• Pink T-Shirt - $27.99-$29.99, depending on size

And here’s a full gallery that gives us a better idea of how all four items look.

While Sadayo Kawakami is only a minor supporting character and the Temperance social link in the game, merchandise inspired by her isn’t an uncommon find. For example, Amakuni released a figure based on her in 2023. That featured her in her Becky persona and work uniform.

Persona 5 Royal is available on the PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, and Persona 5 is on the PS3 and PS4. 

The post New Persona 5 Sadayo ‘Becky’ Kawakami Maid Merchandise Appears appeared first on Siliconera.

Konami and Tokyo MX will hold a live concert to mark Tokimeki Memorial's 30th anniversary. Titled "Tokimeki Memorial 30th Anniversary Live Emotional," the concert will run for two days on May 18-19, 2024.

The organizers have also started selling tickets for the concert, with prices ranging from 8,000 yen (~$53) to 18,500 yen (~$123). The first two waves in late February 2024 and March 2024 will involve lotteries. The third and final wave, which has a first-come-first-served system, will run from April 5, 2024.

The original voice actresses for all thirteen heroines from the first Tokimeki Memorial entry will perform in the concert. Yuji Ueda, the voice actor behind the protagonist's best friend Yoshio Saotome, will complete the roster.

The full cast list for the live concert will be as follows:

• Mami Kingetsu (Shiori Fujisaki)
• Akiko Sekine (Mio Kisaragi)
• Tomoko Naka (Yuina Himoo)
• Masayo Kawaguchi (Ayako Katagiri)
• Sachiko Sugawara (Saki Nijino)
• Ayako Kurosaki (Yukari Koshiki)
• Ayako Sasaki (Nozomi Kiyokawa)
• Rei Igarashi (Mira Kagami)
• Youko Teppouzuka (Yuuko Asahina)
• Mikiko Kurihara (Megumi Mikihara)
• Kurin Yoshiki (Yumi Saotome)
• Shiho Kikuchi (Miharu Tatebayashi)
• Narumi Tsunoda (Rei Ijuin)
• Yuji Ueda (Yoshio Saotome)

Konami first released the inaugural Tokimeki Memorial game for PC Engine on May 27, 1994. While its 1995 PlayStation release was the most well-known, Konami also released the high school dating simulation game for Super Famicom (SNES) in 1996, Sega Saturn in 1996, Windows 95 PC in 1997, and Game Boy in 1999. The company later ported the PlayStation build to the PSP in 2006 and the PS3 via Game Archives in 2009.

Konami has been spotted building up anticipation for the Tokimeki Memorial series' 30th anniversary since 2023, when it opened a new official account on Twitter (now X). It is also working with Good Smile Company to produce Shiori Fujisaki's Nendoroid.

The Tokimeki Memorial 30th Anniversary Live Emotional concert will take place at Tachikawa Stage Garden in Tokyo, Japan on May 18-19, 2024.

The post Tokimeki Memorial 30th Anniversary Live Concert Will Be Held This May appeared first on Siliconera.

Now that 2024 has begun, Naoki Yoshida, the producer and director for Final Fantasy XIV, shared details about the game's future in a New Year’s message. In his greeting, he explained how the current plans for future updates and preparations for the Tokyo 2024 Fan Festival on January 7, 2024 are faring.

Yoshida admitted that the Final Fantasy XIV development team in Japan has been hard at work preparing for the upcoming Fan Festival 2024 in Tokyo, as well as the 7.0 update and Dawntrail expansion. The team hopes to ensure the conclusion to the world tour is a success. Yoshida also noted that even though the event would take place in the large Tokyo Dome, the same Fan Festival shenanigans would ensue.

Yoshida teased that a note was "delivered" to his office. It reads as follows:

It seems that this note was sent to generate hype for the Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail expansion.

Yoshida also included that the team is tasked with overhauling “ten years’ worth of graphic development,” and stated these changes may take some time to be fully implemented. He said that many may even go unnoticed considering the scope of the operation. These updates will be created with the idea of maintaining long-term service for Final Fantasy XIV in the future, with him noting that he hopes it will continue for another ten years.

Finally, he noted, “With ‘haste makes waste’ as our mantra, we intend to tackle the obstacles before us with a deliberate thoroughness."

Final Fantasy XIV is playable on the PS4, PS5, and PC. It will also come to the Xbox Series X in Spring 2024 and will support cross-play.

The post Naoki Yoshida Talks About Future of Final Fantasy XIV in New Year’s Message appeared first on Siliconera.

People who still play Dark Souls II on the PS3 and Xbox 360 will no longer be able to access its online features after March 2024. FromSoftware has announced that it will terminate online services for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions on Sunday, March 31, 2024.

After this date, players on the legacy consoles will have to play the game entirely offline without any multiplayer features and asynchronous bloodstains, shades, and messages. The studio stated the aging and deterioration of game servers as the primary reason for the online shutdown.

As a reminder, FromSoftware and Bandai Namco released the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Dark Souls II worldwide in March 2014. Therefore, exactly ten years will have just passed by the time it shuts down servers for the consoles.

FromSoftware reiterates that the Dark Souls II online shutdown will only happen to the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions. It reassures players that they can still access the game's online features on the PS4, Xbox One, and Windows PC—both DirectX 9 and 11—versions for the foreseeable future.

This will not be the first time FromSoftware has deactivated online features due to aging servers. In October 2022, the studio abandoned online support for the PC version of Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition due to "an aging system." Similarly, the 2012 PC release had run for ten years when FromSoftware pulled the online plug.

Dark Souls II is available on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. The game is also playable on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One via the Scholar of the First Sin edition released in 2015.

The post Dark Souls II PS3 and Xbox 360 Versions Will Go Offline After March 2024 appeared first on Siliconera.

Nijisanji and Hololive Vtubers Selen Tatsuki and Regis Altare announced they will be part of Apex Rising Charity Pro-Am, an Apex Legends charity tournament running December 14-15, 2023. This charity event is designed to support (Red) and raise money for AIDS research. 

How this charity tournament works is that each team has a professionalplayer, with 40 teams total appearing. Evan Verhulst, who is part of TSM is the Apex Legends pro on Team Verhulst playing alongside the two Vtubers. They are one of the 40 teams that will be competing to be the last one standing. In addition to the main stream page, Selen confirmed she will be streaming from her perspective on YouTube. Altare didn’t mention if he will as well.

The donation page for the event is now live on Tiltify, and people can specifically support the Verhulst, Selen, and Altare team on their page at the site. The team’s goal is listed as $2,000. The goal for it is $5,000. 

Selen Tatsuki and Regis Altare have played Apex Legends together multiple times. The two were on Axel Syrios’ team during V-Saikyo 2023. Selen also recently organized the December 2023 HoloNiji Apex Custom Apex Legends tournament, which featured Hololive and Nijisanji Vtubers playing together. 

The Apex Rising Charity Pro-Am tournament will run December 14-15, 2023, and Apex Legends is available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, and mobile devices.

The post Vtubers Selen Tatsuki and Regis Altare in Apex Legends Charity Pro-Am Tournament appeared first on Siliconera.

The eccentric Tiny Tina from the Borderlands series will appear as a Nendoroid figure in 2024. She is available to pre-order now from the Good Smile US online shop for the price of $43.99 and Japanese one for ¥6,900.

By pre-ordering the Tiny Tina Nendoroid directly from Good Smile Company’s online shop, customers will receive a special round base featuring the Borderlands logo. This figure is expected to ship out in the fourth quarter of 2024 in the US. In Japan, she'll appear in June 2024.

We can view the promotional video for the Tiny Tina Nendoroid from Good Smile Company’s announcement post below:

The Tiny Tina Nendoroid comes with various optional parts to put her in many recognizable poses. For starters, she comes with three different face plates: a smiling face, a grinning face, and an excited face. She also comes with a rabbit plushie to hold, as well as a plastic background featuring her two rabbits Mushy Snugglebites and Felicia Sexopants strapped to explosives.

View the poses of the Tiny Tina Nendoroid and the pre-order bonus base in the gallery below:

Borderlands 2 is available on the PS3, PS4, PS5, PSVita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Android devices. The Tiny Tina Nendoroid will come to Japan in June 2024 and to the US in Q4 2024. Pre-orders for her are open until January 18, 2024.

The post Borderlands Tiny Tina Nendoroid Comes With Rabbit Explosives appeared first on Siliconera.