Previews

All Aboard! Hands On With Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

Officially revealed days before the Tokyo Game Show, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a spin-off of Sega's wacky gangster RPG series starring the eccentric Majima Goro. Its announcement was a surprise, considering that fans have clamored for a game centered on the antihero for years. We got to play a short demo, and so far, it looks like developer Ryu Ga Gotoku delivers the goods in a big way with zany characters, exhilarating combat with fresh twists, and an intriguing pirate setting.

Visions of Mana sticks to the series' roots while feeling fresh

I really appreciate Square Enix taking risks to revive dormant franchises with new entries while also continuing its flagship Final Fantasy series. Over the past few years, we’ve gotten Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince, SaGa: Emerald Beyond, Star Ocean: The Divine Force, and Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. Now the Mana series is the latest one to get Square Enix’s treatment with Visions of Mana.

Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection is only the beginning

Capcom stands out from other fighting game developers by constantly bringing its old games to modern audiences for both new and veteran players. Following 2022’s release of Capcom Fighting Collection, Capcom is releasing its second compilation, Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics, later this year. The hotly anticipated package includes seven games from the Marvel vs. Capcom subseries from the 1990s.

Monster Hunter Wilds Builds on the Solid Foundation of World

When Monster Hunter World was released in 2018, it took the ahem world by storm. Its immense popularity skyrocketed the series to new heights and sales figures, finally bringing it to the mainstream spotlight.

Now, almost seven years later, Capcom is following up lofty expectations with Monster Hunter Wilds. I was able to catch a 30-minute hands off demo of the game, and it looks like a worthy successor that builds upon the solid foundation set by World.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: Hands On With the Year's Most Anticipated RPG

The long-awaited sequel to Final Fantasy VII Remake is less than a month away, and with it comes new gameplay mechanics that build upon its predecessor. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth goes open world, which might make some series fans leery due to the video game industry's overreliance on the design structure in recent years. However, Rebirth’s charming characters, exciting action, entertaining side quests, and strong world building feel like a natural extension of Remake.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a fitting Suikoden successor

Spiritual successors have been quite popular during the last several years. Bloodstained launched as a spiritual successor to Castlevania, Yooka-Laylee tried to be the same for Banjo Kazooie, and Mighty Number 9 tried to capture the spirit of classic Mega Man games with mixed results. Not all of them have been successful, but nostalgic players still look for those types of games to recreate the magical experiences they had as kids.

Armored Core 6 is an adrenaline-filled action romp — and just as hard as Dark Souls

From Software is best known for the Dark Souls franchise, and many consider the studio’s smash hit, Elden Ring, to be one of the best games of 2022. Does the developer follow up with another Dark Souls-type game? No. Instead, From Software develops a new installment in the Armored Core franchise called Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. It’s the first mainline entry in the franchise since 2012’s Armored Core V and 2013’s Armored Core: Verdict Day.
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