The original Xbox was Microsoft’s first attempt at a home console. While the Xbox didn’t set the world on fire immediately, it still had some phenomenal games worth checking out. Though the Xbox didn’t have too many JRPGs, the best original Xbox JRPGs are great titles worth checking out based on their visuals, gameplay, and how well they hold up now.

1. Phantasy Star Online Episode 1 & 2

The king of action JRPGs on the original Xbox and the progenitor of console MMOs is a must-play for retro Xbox JRPG fans. This is by far the best JRPG experience you’ll find on this particular platform. The action-based combat is pretty good and holds up well enough today. The sheer number of customization options and the ability to play with others also helps.

My personal favorite about this game is the sheer amount of content. You won’t find another JRPG on the original Xbox with this much quality content worth playing.

2. Shin Megami Tensei Nine

This is by far one of the lesser-known entries in the Shin Megami Tensei series, and for some understandable reasons. The UI and combat is a bit too confusing and convoluted, but if you look past that, there are great series staples like collecting demons and the like. I also think this initial switch to 3D, while not as timeless as Nocturne, still looks pretty solid even today.

3. Digimon World 4

This action RPG dungeon-crawler-like game in the Digimon series is far from the best of the franchise but it is still worth a look. There are four different Digimon players pick between to hack and slash their way through numerous enemies. The usual gimmicks like Digivolution are present, and the up-to-four-player multiplayer is where the most enjoyment lies.

4. Rent a Hero No. 1

This remake of the original Mega Drive classic was sadly canceled for an official English release. That said, it is still possible to play the Xbox remake and it is the definitive way to check out this action JRPG. The world is fun to explore, the story is a bit ridiculous, and the third-person brawler-style combat works surprisingly well.

5. Shenmue 2

Shenmue 2 is far from the typical JRPG experience but it was one of the most influential games in terms of exploration, open-world, and role-playing as a character in a story. This slower RPG lets players explore a highly detailed version of Hong Kong with so much to see and do. There are arcade games, minigames, fighting game-like brawls, and a solid enough storyline. Just know that the gameplay doesn’t hold up as well as some of the other JRPGs on this list.

Let us know what your favorite JRPGs on the Xbox were below!

The post Best Original Xbox JRPGs, Ranked 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.

The RPG landscape was beginning to shift in 2007 when Lost Odyssey released. Final Fantasy had begun to favor more stylized and cinematic storytelling. The not-far-off Final Fantasy XIII in particular would limit exploration (to an extent) to serve its deep political and sweeping narrative. In contrast, Lost Odyssey represents a progression of golden age JRPG storytelling, offering players a rich world full of exploration, a great cast of characters, and plenty of discovery along the way.

Created by Final Fantasy's father Hironobu Sakaguchi, Lost Odyssey acted as a spiritual successor to 90's JRPGs. Also, with Uematsu on board for the soundtrack, Lost Odyssey felt like a Final Fantasy game in everything but name.

The game offers a rich, emotional narrative with deep character development, focusing on themes of immortality, loss, and memory. Also, the traditional turn-based combat and richly detailed world feels like a love letter to fans of classic JRPGs.

The characters in Lost Odyssey are one of the game's strongest aspects. A diverse cast of characters join Kaim Argonar, the immortal protagonist. Each has their own struggles and backstories deeply intertwined with the game’s central themes.

In terms of gameplay, Lost Odyssey stays true to those same roots Final Fantasy does. The turn-based combat system is strategic and challenging. The addition of the "Ring System," which adds a timing element to attacks, keeps players engaged during battles. The game also includes traditional exploration and puzzle-solving elements, reminiscent of the earlier Final Fantasy titles.

At the time of its release, Lost Odyssey was part of Microsoft’s strategy to break into the Japanese market. Alongside games like Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey was one of the key titles in Microsoft's attempt to attract Japanese gamers to the Xbox 360. Although these efforts ultimately fell short, Lost Odyssey remains a significant title from this period. It showcases what could have been if Microsoft had succeeded in its ambitions.

Lost Odyssey captured the essence of what many JRPG fans loved about the genre during its golden age. Despite being over a decade old, the game still holds up well, with its timeless story, memorable characters, and classic gameplay mechanics.

In the end, Lost Odyssey represents a separate path from the Final Fantasy series. For fans of classic JRPGs, Lost Odyssey remains a must-play title. A game that stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of the genre and the creative vision of Hironobu Sakaguchi.

Lost Odyssey is currently available as a backwards compatible title on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

The post Lost Odyssey Was a Solid Successor to Pre-Playstation Final Fantasy appeared first on Siliconera.

Sega announced that before Sonic x Shadow Generations is released on October 25, 2024, the standalone version of Sonic Generations will be delisted. It will no longer be available alone on digital storefronts as of September 9, 2024. 

Here is Sega’s official announcement. It noted that everyone who buys Sonic Generations prior to being delisted will be able to continue to play it and, if they own the PC version, use mods. The company also confirmed that the Microsoft Store and Steam bundles with it will continue to sell the game.

So, for example, Sonic the Hedgehog: Ultimate Bundle on Steam includes Sonic Generations Collection and 14 other games for $205.06. After the delisting date, people would still be able to get the game via this bundle for the PC. 

For those wondering what one game has to do with the other, Sonic x Shadow Generations is a remaster with an additional game tied to Shadow the Hedgehog included with it. 

Sonic x Shadow Generations will appear on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on October 25, 2024. Sonic Generations appeared on the 3DS, PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, and it will be delisted on September 9, 2024. 

The post Sonic Generations Standalone Game Being Delisted appeared first on Siliconera.

Live Wire announced that the Switch version of the Cave shmup Mushihimesama will be delisted from the eShop on August 10, 2024. The reason for it being removed is due to the licensing agreement Live Wire had expiring.

There is no notice about the delisting in the Switch eShop just yet. Also, the price remains at $19.99 as usual. It is unknown if it will be discounted ahead of the removal. It appeared during June 2021 as an E3 shadowdrop.

Mushihimesama is a shmup for between oen and two people. Princess Reco finds herself flying out on her Kiniro beetle to meet God of the Koju and save her people from an illness as she shoots her way through five stages. The Switch version features multiple modes and difficulty levels.

Live Wire handles publishing duties for multiple Cave shmup titles on the Switch eShop in addition to Mushihimesama. It is behind the platform’s versions of DoDonPachi Resurrection and Espgaluda II as well. It released both of them on the eShop in 2021 as well, with Espgaluda II appearing in September 2021 and DoDonPachi Resurrection in November 2021. 

The most recent game Live Wire published on the eShop is the Treasure shmup Radiant Silvergun. That version launched in September 2022.

Mushihimesama can be found on the Switch, PC, and iOS devices, and it also showed up on the PS2, Xbox 360 , and in arcades in Japan. Depending on your local arcade, however, you may find a cabinet near you.

The post Cave Shmup Mushihimesama Being Delisted on Switch appeared first on Siliconera.

Among the Good Smile Company Smile Fest 2024 figure announcements was a Gears of War Marcus Fenix Nendoroid. It seems like it is quite far along in development, to the point we could see pre-orders soon, as it appeared as a painted prototype. 

For this figure, the character is wearing his standard armor from the series. It is all black, with the trademark icon in silver and some blue highlights. He’s also wearing a black beanie. He comes armed with a Lancer Assault Rifle.

Here’s the official painted prototype figure of the Marcus Fenix Gears of War Nendoroid:

While the Good Smile Company figure collections tend to focus on games and media made in Asia, it isn’t uncommon to see items like the Gears of War one. For example, the company made Halo InfiniteMaster Chief Nendoroids. Barbie became a Nendoroid too.

There’s a new Gears of War game on the way as well, as Microsoft announced Gears of War: E-Day during its Summer Game Fest 2024 showcase. Rather than a sequel and Gears of War 6, it is a prequel. It will still feature Marcus, but will do so 14 years before everything began in the original game.

The Gears of War Marcus Fenix Nendoroid is in development, but there’s no exact release window for the figure yet. Gears of War: E-Day is in development for the Xbox Series X and PC.

The post Here’s the Marcus Fenix Gears of War Nendoroid appeared first on Siliconera.

Square Enix kicked off another Final Fantasy XIV Free Login Campaign on May 24, 2024, which allows inactiveplayers to return to FFXIV and temporarily play for free. This latest round lasts until June 20, 2024.

As usual, registered service accounts that have been inactive for 30 days qualify. This means that if you haven’t played FFXIV since before April 23, 2024, you could be eligible to participate in the Free Login Campaign. You can take part by downloading the launcher, logging in, and then playing for four days from the start of when you logged in for the first time. So if you played on a Mac, you can return on that. If you were a PS4 player, you need to redownload and play there for the duration of the campaign. 

The important thing to note is that you only get a total of 96 hours to play. The timer for the Free Login Campaign starts the moment a person logs in. So if someone began it on May 24, 2024, regardless of how often you play it would end on May 28, 2024. If there ends up being maintenance during that time period, there will be no credits for the downtime. Also, if someone’s account violated Square Enix’s rules and got their account suspended or banned, they can not take part. 

At the moment, multiple activities are live in FFXIV for those who take advantage of this promotion. The Make It Rain Campaign is available until May 31, 2024. The Fall Guys event is back until June 10, 2024. You can also get Moogle Treasure Trove: The Second Hunt for Genesis items until June 24, 2024. Also, the Yo-Kai Watch crossover is live until 7.0 debuts.

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the Dawntrail expansion debuts on July 2, 2024. The latest FFXIV Free Login Campaign will be available until June 20, 2024. 

The post FFXIV Free Login Campaign Running Through June 2024 appeared first on Siliconera.

During the Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour January 2024 event, Dragon Ball Z Kakarot DLC 6 was revealed to be a Goku and Uub adventure. It is called “Goku’s Next Journey,” and it will launch in February 2024.

The initial video highlighting the add-on revealed what people can expect. The Dragon Ball Z Kakarot DLC 6 trailer begins with Goku and Kid Buu fighting, before even getting into the Uub reveal. It begins with Goku saying he wants to fight the opponent again after being reincarnated. It then shows Goku with his granddaughter Pan and family. He is heading to enter the world tournament to face a particular strong opponent. It’s then that Uub is reveal and we see Goku and him start to fight.

As a reminder, the last Dragon Ball Z Kakarot add-on went into the past. It was the “The 23rd World Tournament.” That debuted back in August 2023. However, while new content is being added, some elements were cut. For example, the Dragon Ball Card Warriors minigame can no longer be played online.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is available to play on the PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. “Goku’s Next Journey” will launch in February 2024.

The post Dragon Ball Z Kakarot DLC 6 Reunites Goku and Uub 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.

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.

The Gundam franchise is so big in Japan that Bandai Namco has spawned numerous games on various platforms. However, only some of these Gundam games are available in English. While there were a few games that made the cut to North America around the 2000s, most of them remained exclusive to Japan. Platform userbase and IP licensing issues hampered attempts to localize many of those games.

It wasn't until the late 2010s that Bandai Namco started to regularly release Gundam games in English as it gradually acquired the stakeholders behind the franchise, including Sunrise and Sotsu. Bandai Namco initially focused on exclusive releases in Southeast Asia, an emerging region with both a sizable English-speaking population and lower licensing hurdles. In more recent years, the company even managed to hold worldwide simultaneous releases for newer Gundam games.

Gundam Vs series: The most popular competitive games

The Gundam Vs 2v2 fighter games are arguably the most sought-after entries, as they have a larger player base than other sub-series. While the original arcade games in Japan serve as the base platform, Bandai Namco ported some of them to consoles. A few of them also had English releases in North America.

As of September 2023, the series' latest console release — and also the entry with the most active players — is Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs. MaxiBoost ON, which is available in multiple languages including English on the PlayStation 4.

It is also worth noting that all English Gundam Vs releases to date are only available on PlayStation platforms. Federation Vs. Zeon also appeared on Dreamcast and Gundam Vs. Zeta Gundam came out on GameCube, but these releases were exclusive to Japan.

• Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation Vs. Zeon (2002 - PS2)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam Vs. Zeta Gundam (2005 - PS2)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme VS-Force (2016 - PS Vita)
• Gundam Versus (2017 - PS4)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs. MaxiBoost ON (2020 - PS4)

Battle Assault series: For those who prefer classic 2D fighters

Before the Gundam Vs series came to light, Bandai released a number of 1v1 2D fighting games. When the company localized Gundam: The Battle Master 2 to Gundam: Battle Assault in 2000, it received a very positive reception in North America that warranted more titles in the genre.

The Battle Assault sequels also featured rare cases where Bandai gave more spotlights in North America than in Japan. Battle Assault 2 and the Game Boy Advance Gundam SEED title came out later in Japan. But while the latter added more content from Gundam SEED Destiny, D3 Publisher split Battle Assault 2 into two games featuring G Gundam and Gundam Wing separately. Battle Assault 3 was not even released in Japan at all, thus making it an English-exclusive title.

• Gundam: Battle Assault (2000 - PS1)
• Gundam: Battle Assault 2 (2002 - PS1)
• Battle Assault 3 Featuring Gundam SEED (2004 - PS2)
• Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Battle Assault (2004 - GBA)

Dynasty Warriors: Gundam series: For those who want easy hack-and-slash actions

People who are not too fond of competitive games can try the Koei Tecmo-developed Warriors games to relieve stress by mowing down numerous enemies at once. But despite having Dynasty Warriors in the localized titles, these games do not include any historical figures from the Chinese Three Kingdoms period. The Dynasty Warriors: Gundam series featured a crossover of characters and mechs from existing anime titles with a more melee-oriented action system.

All four Dynasty Warriors: Gundam games released to date are available in English with help from Koei Tecmo's localization team. However, the Western releases lacked any songs from the anime shows as music licensing was still a complicated matter around the 2010s. The first game had a special PS2 release and Reborn also came out for the Vita, but these releases were exclusive to Japan.

• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam (2007 - PS3, Xbox 360)
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 (2009 - PS2, PS3, Xbox 360)
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 (2011 - PS3, Xbox 360)
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam Reborn (2014 - PS3)

Gundam Breaker series: For those who want to create their own mechs

The Gundam Breaker series lets mecha fans live their wildest dreams of designing original units by using the provided Gunpla (Gundam plastic model) parts. But in lieu of in-universe characters, the series takes place in a near-future world where people can scan their Gunpla to use in simulators or tournaments.

New Gundam Breaker is available worldwide on the PS4 and PC. However, the latest title had a notably different approach to maintaining customization integrity from the previous entries. Gundam Breaker 3, which has a Southeast Asia-exclusive English release, polished the part customization system with extra accessories and editable skill slots. It thus allowed players to retain their mech designs for most of the game.

• Gundam Breaker 3 (2016 - PS4, PS Vita)
• New Gundam Breaker (2018 - PS4, PC)

Third-person shooters: For those who want the authentic feel of piloting Mobile Suits

The above action games feature over-the-top movements that feel closer to home for alternate universes and Gundam Build titles. However, Bandai Namco also released more down-to-earth third-person shooters for players who want more authentic experiences in piloting the gigantic Mobile Suits.

Most of these titles also take place in the Universal Century. A special mention goes to Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Never Ending Tomorrow as the only non-Universal Century third-person shooter to receive an English localization.

The latest entry in this genre is Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation Code Fairy, which is available digitally on the PS4 and PS5.

• Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story 0079: Rise From the Ashes (2000 - DC)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to Jaburo (2001 - PS2)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space (2003 - PS2)
• Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Never Ending Tomorrow (2004 - PS2)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire (2006 - PS3)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation Code Fairy (2021 - PS4, PS5)

G Generation series: For those who want to catch up with Gundam lore

SD Gundam G Generation is a series of strategy RPGs built under two main concepts: Re-enacting lores from the franchises' works and letting players form their dream squadrons. While some of the entries featured in-franchise crossover stories, the ones with the lore retelling are better known for letting series newcomers catch up with stories from not only the mainline anime shows but also the manga-only side stories.

Both of the two SD Gundam games that are available in English feature story re-enactments. SD Gundam G Generation Genesis, which came out exclusively in Asia, covered the Universal Century stories until Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (or Hathaway's Flash with DLC). The subsequent entry Cross Rays received a worldwide PC release, and it featured every alternate universe other than Universal Century.

• SD Gundam G Generation Genesis (2016 - PS4, PS Vita, Switch)
• SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays (2019 - PS4, Switch, PC)

Super Robot Wars series: For those who want crossovers with other series

The Super Robot Wars series distinguishes itself from G Generation by featuring crossover stories with not only Gundam titles but also many other anime shows. It was long thought that the series would have the highest difficulty for localization due to the sheer amount of licensing involved. Bandai Namco eventually turned the impossible into reality.

Super Robot Wars V was the first-ever crossover entry to have an official English release, albeit only in Southeast Asia. While Super Robot Wars X and T also followed suit, Bandai Namco finally made the massive worldwide PC release with the 30th anniversary title Super Robot Wars 30.

• Super Robot Wars V (2017 - PS4, PS Vita, Switch, PC)
• Super Robot Wars X (2018 - PS4, PS Vita, Switch, PC)
• Super Robot Wars T (2019 - PS4, Switch)
• Super Robot Wars 30 (2021 - PS4, Switch, PC)

Other console and PC Gundam games available in English

Bandai Namco also released more Gundam games with one-off genres that had not been reused in subsequent releases. This list includes Gundam 0079: The War For Earth, an interactive movie game that was also the franchise's first game to be made by a Western studio.

The 2002 entry Zeonic Front heavily featured strategy elements as the player must give commands to squadron members to navigate through the stages. The 2006 RPG MS Saga: A New Dawn was also noted to have exclusive English voiceovers, as the original Japanese release (Gundam: True Odyssey) did not have any dubs. The latest permanent console game released worldwide as of September 2023 is SD Gundam Battle Alliance.

• Gundam 0079: The War For Earth (1997 - PC)
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front (2002 - PS2)
• MS Saga: A New Dawn (2006 - PS2)
• SD Gundam Battle Alliance (2022 - PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC)

Free-to-Play / Games-as-a-Service Gundam Games in English

Online-exclusive free-to-play games have been trending in recent years, but they also have a drawback where the servers will be eventually shut down. As of September 2023, titles like Gundam Breaker Mobile and Gundam Evolution are already slated to sunset. Nevertheless, Bandai Namco is still pouring energy into titles that are still afloat, and some of them are also available in English.

Bandai Namco formally brought Battle Operation 2 to North America in October 2019, even though it already supported the English language for Asian users since 2018. It also worked with LINE to release an English version of Gundam Wars for Southeast Asia in 2017. In addition, the company is preparing to release more free-to-play games like Mobile Suit Gundam U.C. Engage and SD Gundam G Generation Eternal for the global audience.

• Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2 (2018 - PS4, PS5, PC)
• LINE: Gundam Wars (2017 - iOS, Android)
• Mobile Suit Gundam U.C. Engage (Coming to iOS and Android)
• SD Gundam G Generation Eternal (Coming to iOS and Android)

The post Here Are All the Gundam Games Available in English appeared first on Siliconera.

Icrea is set to release a figure of Aigis from Persona 3 based on her EX Origa Mode from Persona 4 Arena Ultimax in October 2024. While this figure is based on her appearance from the fighting game, the design for the Aigis EX Origa Mode figure is based on the illustration drawn by Shigenori Soejima for Square Enix's Lord of Vermillion Re:2 collaboration. Pre-orders will run from now until December 22, 2023 and the figure will cost ¥33,000 (approximately $223 USD).

Under the supervision of Soejima, this Aigis figure features high quality modeling and coloring. The Aigis figure is a 1/6 scale statue with an LED light emitting from her Papillon Heart, casting a blue glow on the figure when it is turned on. Aigis stands atop a pedestal with red iron beams and grey concrete while posed as if she is activating her EX Origa Mode.

Images of the Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Aigis EX Origa Mode figure can be viewed below:

[gallery columns="5" ids="986354,986355,986356,986357,986358,986359,986360,986361,986362,986363" link="file"]

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax originally released in arcades Japan in 2013 and then later released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2014. The game was eventually ported over to the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC through Steam in 2022. The game served as an arcade fighter crossover between Persona 3 and Persona 4 as the characters from both games try to make sense of a mysterious force behind the reappearance of the Midnight Channel in Inaba. The cast of both games must compete in the P-1 Climax fighting tournament to uncover the truth and save the world from the Shadows that threaten to destroy it.

The Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Aigis EX Origa Mode figure is scheduled to release in October 2024.

The post Icrea’s Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Aigis EX Origa Mode Figure Lights Up appeared first on Siliconera.

Mages and Nitroplus opened a new website for the Steins Gate 15th anniversary year project. This is to mark the upcoming 14th anniversary, since the game first came out for Xbox 360 in Japan on October 15, 2009. The companies will hold numerous projects and collaborations to prepare for the grand celebration of the 15th anniversary on October 15, 2024.

As the first collaboration project, Mages will enact Operation Gladsheim at the Akihabara Radio Kaikan building from September 23 to October 20, 2023. Store visitors who purchase at least 1,000 yen in a single receipt will receive a bonus Steins;Gate sticker that changes every week. Mages will also set up a special exhibit on the 10th floor on October 13-15, 2023. Kanako Ito, the singer of Steins;Gate's theme songs, will hold a live concert on the building's rooftop on the climax day on October 15, 2023.

Even before this 15th anniversary year project started, Mages has been working on multiple merchandise tie-ups with a focus on Kurisu Makise, the main heroine of Steins Gate. It revealed Kurisu's dress-up merchandise lottery with Magic Kuji Online in August 2023 and a wedding dress figure with Good Smile Company in July 2023.

Steins;Gate — including the enhanced Elite edition — is available on the Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, PS Vita, PS4, Switch, PC, iOS, and Android devices.

The post Steins;Gate 15th Anniversary Year Project Site Opened appeared first on Siliconera.

Bandai Namco announced a follow-up to Tales of Arise at the September 2023 State of Play. Despite saying there would be no DLC, Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn is on the way. This is a new adventure that will be set after the end of the main game and requires the base title to play. It will debut on November 9, 2023.

The video begins with Alphen and Shionne traveling together. We then see a mysterious young girl being chased. When all of the playable characters from the original game are reunited, Dohalim introduces Nazamil. She’s a mysterious young daughter of a Lord who is in danger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQX3sbPahnA&ab_channel=PlayStation

Back in August 2021, the original game's producer Yusuke Tomizawa said there would be no DLC or sequel to the adventure. However, Bandai Namco filed a trademark for Tales of Arise: Before the Dawn back in December 2022. While there weren't many details, it seemed to contradict that.

Tales of Arise is available for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, and Beyond the Dawn will arrive on November 9, 2023. People must have the original game if they want to go through the new adventure when it launches.

The post Tales of Arise DLC Beyond the Dawn Arrives in November appeared first on Siliconera.