Tag: Bandai Namco - Page 4
News FromSoftware Open to Transmedia Adaptation of Elden Ring
"Foul Tarnished, in search of the Elden Ring. Emboldened by the flame of ambition"
Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree is so hot right now that it seems to be all anyone is playing. Considering the incredible 25 million copies the base game sold, it shouldn't be surprising. Perhaps also unsurprising, in light of all those sales, developer...
News Unsurprisingly, There Seems to Be a New Tales Game in Development
A tale to tell
If Bandai Namco announced a new Tales game tomorrow, it wouldn't come as a huge surprise. The series' most recent instalment, Tales of Arise, released in 2021, and almost immediately became the fastest selling Tales title ever. It had topped 3 million sales by February of this year, and so we'd be more shocked if there wasn't a new...
News Elden Ring DLC Made Easier with New PS5, PS4 Calibration Update
Shadow Realm Blessings made even more powerful
After a wave of complaints from select parts of the Elden Ring community, FromSoftware appears to have caved to the demands to lower the difficulty of the game's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Following a calibration update that is applied once you log into the title's multiplayer server (look for version...
News Elden Ring Dataminer Reveals True Face of Shadow of the Erdtree NPCs
“Thou art a dogged fellow, aren’t you? Or is it merely thine habit to talk to dolls?"
With Elden Ring's enormous Shadow of the Erdtree expansion currently enthralling millions (probably), there's a lot of interest in FromSoftware's esoteric fantasy world. An entire cottage industry exists that examines its games in minute detail, teasing out...
News FromSoftware Boss Puts Elden Ring Difficulty Discourse to Bed, Once and For All
Git gud, officially
FromSoftware's games demand a lot from players, mandating they engage with mechanics and "lock in" to overcome punishing, master-crafted combat encounters. While the level of challenge required by each entry is open for debate, one thing is sure: studio director and sadist Hidetaka Miyazaki has weighed in on the inevitable Elden...
News Broken, Battered Elden Ring Players Review Bomb Shadow of the Erdtree for Being Too Hard
Unable to progress, they have nothing left
Despite only being out for a few days now, FromSoftware 's eagerly anticipated Elden Ring expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, is being review bombed on Steam. Broken, battered players, chewed up and spat out, publicly admit defeat, claiming that the difficulty level has been tuned too high. At the time of...
Poll Are You Playing Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree?
Back to your roots
It's not often that an expansion can command greater hype levels than full games, but that's exactly what's happened with Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. FromSoftware's highly anticipated return to its 2022 masterpiece has already attracted ridiculously positive review scores, although as is always the case with DLC, we're left...
News Elden Ring's Massive Shadow of the Erdtree DLC Has Zero PS5, PS4 Trophies
How very maidenless
Update: Just to confirm, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree has launched today with zero Trophies. While this isn't the first time for a FromSoftware expansion to eschew gongs entirely, the sheer scale of the add-on means their absence will come as a disappointment to some. Still, we suspect you'll be playing the expansion...
News FromSoftware's Hidetaka Miyazaki Would Love to Try His Hand at a Traditional JRPG
Patient, methodical combat
FromSoftware boss Hidetaka Miyazaki has dreams beyond the Souls-like subgenre with which his name is now synonymous. Having pushed the boundaries of what an action RPG can even be, it turns out the one thing he'd like to turn his hand to is a traditional Japanese roleplaying game. Miyazaki sat for an extensive chat with...
News Elden Ring Patch 1.12 Out Now, Adds New Features and Adjusts Balance Before Erdtree
Inventory improvements, new hairstyles, and more
Update: Available to download now, Elden Ring's 1.12 update has been fully detailed. We've included the main points of the patch notes below. Elden Ring Update 1.12 Patch Notes New Features Added support for the SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE DLC. Five new hairstyles have been added to the game. They can be...
News Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Launch Trailer Is as Epic as It Is Spoilery
Maybe don't watch this one
Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree is less than 24 hours away from release, so at this point, you likely won't want to view any spoilers. Therefore, the newly published launch trailer for the expansion is one you'll want to avoid. We've put it above for anyone who isn't bothered, but for those wishing to go in for a...
News Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Is the Highest-Rated DLC of All Time
Metacritic rating of 95
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree currently holds the highest Metacritic score of any DLC ever released, with a rating of 95. That's for the PS5 version, which is the platform with the most critic reviews. The huge score means it is even better rated than other expansions released over the years, like both The Witcher 3 DLCs...
News Bandai Namco Confirms Summer Showcase Stuffed with Announcements and Reveals
Hope you like anime
Bandai Namco has confirmed that it'll be hosting its own 'Summer Showcase' next month. Slated for the 5th July, the presentation will take place at Anime Expo, and promises to be "heavy with announcements, reveals, and first looks at anticipated anime games". Fits the bill! The show is scheduled to last over an hour, starting at...
Review Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree (PS5) - Familiar FromSoftware Brilliance
Into the Shadow Realm
In the past couple of years, developers have attempted to reclaim the term "expansion". Arguing there's a difference between traditional DLC and fully-fledged add-ons, the likes of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty and Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores have been used as poster childs for the movement. Whether there really is...
News Elden Ring Director May Consider 'Beginning to End, Total Co-Op' for Future FromSoftware Games
Maidenless, together
Elden Ring's eagerly anticipated Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is out Friday, 21st June, and will close the book on this current chapter of FromSoftware history. As the influential studio begins to look beyond Elden Ring, it seems like anything is possible, including a greater focus on the co-operative aspects of its games...
Preview Playing Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero with Zero Knowledge of the Series
Oh, you played Dragon Ball? Do Gohan
This author has to be straight up with you: he’s never engaged with Dragon Ball in any real way. Playing Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero at Summer Game Fest Play Days is the most he’s ever interacted with the iconic franchise, and that’ll certainly be heresy to some. However, before you crucify the poor guy...
The good and the bad
Bandai Namco has released a new trailer for Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, which covers the game's various modes. It sounds like it's going to be a pretty big game, boasting a lot of single-player stuff alongside an obviously massive roster of playable characters. As you'd expect, there is a story mode of sorts. Split across...
News FromSoftware Boss Says Using Guides to Beat Its Games a 'Perfectly Valid Playstyle'
Git gud, with a little help
The Maestro of Punishment, Hidetaka Miyazaki, says it's OK to beat FromSoftware games like Elden Ring using informative, meticulously crafted guides. In fact, he says his studio has "room for improvement" if players struggle to progress "organically". Speaking to
News Be Ready for Shadow of the Erdtree PS5, PS4 with Concise Elden Ring Journey So Far Trailer
I Command Thee, Kneel!
Elden Ring's first and only expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, is almost upon us, with the eagerly-anticipated offering available on PS5 and PS4 on 21st June. To properly set the stage, Bandai Namco and FromSoftware have released a trailer that sets the stage for the journey to come, without spoilers, in a reasonably concise...
News Elden Ring Hits a Staggering 25 Million Sales Ahead of Erdtree's Arrival
Ohhhh, Elden Ring
Elden Ring is massive. Properly massive. We knew that already, but seeing that the game's just smashed through 25 million sales really hammers it home. The figure was confirmed earlier today by developer FromSoftware, and the crazy thing is that with Shadow of the Erdtree launching next week, those sales numbers are probably in for...
News Only 35% of PS5, PS4 Elden Ring Players Have Progressed Enough to Start Shadow of the Erdtree
Git gud, and quickly
While the hype for Elden Ring's incredibly vast expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, is fast approaching a fever pitch, the vast majority of players will be unable to enter the eagerly-anticipated DLC. One of the base game's tougher boss encounters, Mohg, Lord of Blood, must be defeated to access the Shadow Lands, which Trophy and...
Preview Unknown 9: Awakening Shows Real Promise, Once the Story's Out of the Way
Stepping up
As we entered the furthest corner of Bandai Namco's space at Summer Game Fest Play Days, we were introduced to the world of Unknown 9, a multimedia story spanning comics, novels, podcasts, and soon, a video game. It's a super ambitious project, and admirable effort has gone into building this intriguing universe, but it's once all the...
News Tekken 8 Update 1.05's Massive Patch Notes Are Here, and It's a Game-Changer
Tekken it higher
Tekken 8 is now approaching its five-month anniversary, and it's about to receive its biggest update yet in terms of gameplay adjustment. The anticipated patch 1.05 is comically being referred to as '1.0' by some players, acknowledging the sheer number of changes — many of which are quite significant. Tekken 8's finally out of...
News Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Will Add Over 20 DLC Characters Across Its Season Pass
What if they're all Goku?
Whether we like it or not, hefty DLC offerings have become a staple of modern fighting games, and Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is following the trend. In fact, it might actually be pushing the trend even further beyond what we've grown used to, because it's set to add over 20 characters to its already massive roster via...
News PS5 Brawler Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Release Date Confirmed for October
Zero doubt
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero now has a confirmed release date on PS5. A rumour had previously marked the anticipated brawler down for the 1st October — but that's not quite right. It's actually dropping on the 11th October. Got the month right, at least! The game's new trailer also gives us a glimpse of what looks like story mode stuff,...
Preview Elden Ring Promises a DLC Masterclass in Shadow of the Erdtree
Our three-hour journey to The Land of Shadow
They say it's possible to have too much of a good thing, but nobody knew of Elden Ring when they coined the phrase all those centuries ago. An outstanding winner of copious Game of the Year accolades, the experience remains relevant to this day — and that's even without this month's huge Shadow of the...
Random Tekken 8 Director Still Fixated on Waffle House, Wonders 'What Kind of Culture is This?'
Good Food Fast 2: Electric Boogaloo
Having had several months to ponder why legions of fans keep requesting the series add a Waffle House level, Tekken 8 director Katsuhiro Harada still has questions regarding the American Southern Diner chain. Famous for the wild brawls and fisticuffs between staff and patrons that often go viral on social media,...
Mini Review Dragon Ball XenoVerse 2 (PS5) - An Insane Amount of Stuff in an Ageing Game
Not quite super
Still being updated and still being played by plenty of people, Dragon Ball XenoVerse 2 is a prime example of Dragon Ball's seemingly eternal appeal. The fighting-RPG is almost eight years old, and has just been handed yet another shot in the arm through this native PS5 port. It's even getting a brand new, four-part DLC saga over the...
News Little Nightmares 3 Delayed into 2025, Quality a 'Top Priority'
What a nightmare
Bandai Namco and developer Supermassive Games have announced Little Nightmares 3 won't be making it out in 2024 after all. The new entry in the cult hit horror platformer series has been pushed back to 2025. This announcement comes via social media, with a statement from the team explaining why the delay is happening: "As much...
News Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Spotlights Fusion Characters in Crazy New Trailer
Fusion-ha!
Another character trailer for upcoming brawler Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is here, and it's all about fusion. The video confirms the likes of Gotenks, Kefla, Gogeta, Vegito, and Fused Zamasu, and it makes for an impressive watch. We've said it before, but this game's visuals really are next-level, complete with some eye-popping...
News Sloppy PS5, PS4 Anime Fighter Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash Getting New Content
Free and paid characters enter the arena
Jujutsu Kaisen is, without any shadow of a doubt, one of the biggest manga and anime series on the planet right now. That’s why it’s so immensely disappointing that publisher Bandai Namco and developer Byking botched its first attempt at a video game adaptation. While anime arena brawlers are dime a...
News Dragon Ball XenoVerse 2 PS5 Version Out Now, Free Upgrade from PS4
The best timeline
The PS5 version of Dragon Ball XenoVerse 2 is here, and it's a free upgrade if you already own the game on PS4. The fighting RPG originally released in what now feels like a completely different age, all the way back in 2016. Over the years, support for XenoVerse 2 has been outstanding, with loads of substantial free updates...
News More Armored Core Games Likely in the Future, a 'Strong Will' for Them
"Armored Core 6 was a success"
The future seems bright once more for the Armored Core franchise, as FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki has shared in a new interview that there's a "strong will" inside the developer to create more. Recently talking to IGN Japan (translated by
News Story Is the Focus of New Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Trailer
Out for PS5, PS4 on 21st June
FromSoftware has posted a new Elden Ring trailer focusing on a story introduction to next month's DLC Shadow of the Erdtree. Watchable above, the more than three minutes of new footage features new enemies, new dialogue, and fresh areas. The expansion launches for PS5, PS4 on 21st June 2024. Overall, the trailer...
Rumour Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Drops in October for PS5
What does the scouter say
First announced at The Game Awards back in December, we're still waiting on an official release date for Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero — the spiritual successor to the well-liked Budokai Tenkaichi games. But going by a recent video from SergioM3R — who's datamined information on various Bandai Namco titles in the past —...
News Bandai Namco Reveals Familiar-Looking Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Foe
Mother of Omens?
Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is out in a month, so it's time to start planning that next playthrough. Developer FromSoftware and publisher Bandai Namco are adding to the enthusiasm, again teasing some of the powerful foes that await players in the eagerly-anticipated offering, as well as the many exciting lore...
News Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Enemy Brings Back Traumatic Bloodborne Memories
Miyazaki, you monster
Elden Ring players already know they're in for it when DLC Shadow of the Erdtree drops next month, on the 21st of June, on PS5 and PS4. Developer Fromsoftware has been cooking, going by what we've seen so far, and now the sadistic studio is teasing an enemy ripped straight from our most persistent Bloodborne nightmares. On...
News Gundam Breaker 4 August Release Date Revealed in the Goofiest Trailer You'll See Today
Gundam Breakdown
Only announced back in February, Gundam Breaker 4 now has a confirmed release date. The action title, in which you build you own potentially crazy mobile suits, launches for PS5 and PS4 on the 29th August. Said date comes to us via the above trailer, and we'd recommend watching it purely for the incredibly goofy voiceover. We're not...
News American Tarnished Compete for 'Life-Sized' Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Boss Statue
10-foot of Messmer the Impaler could be yours
As the final days of our pre-Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree world draw to a close, publisher Bandai Namco is spinning up the hype machine, offering all willing Tarnished (located in North America) a place in the Return to Grace video contest. The first prize is a 10-foot tall statue of Shadow of the...
News Shadow of the Erdtree 'First and Last' Elden Ring DLC, Miyazaki Confirms
"We have no plans to add more content to Elden Ring"
FromSoftware's misery-maker-in-chief, Hidetaka Miyazaki, has confirmed that the imminent Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring, arriving on PS5 and PS4 on 21st June, will be the "first and last" piece of additional content the game receives. However, the possibility of an Elden Ring sequel was...
Random One-Button Tekken 8 Bot Attracts Thousands of Viewers as It Beats Real Players Online
Tekken the p*ss
Now this is the kind of crazy gaming scheme that we can get behind. Over the last few days, a Twitch channel called JimMashima (very good) has been attracting thousands of viewers to its Tekken 8 livestreams — but a real person isn't behind the action. Indeed, this is a bot with a singular purpose: to mash just one button and see...
The one-armed warrior
Another gameplay trailer for upcoming fighter Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero has arrived, showcasing a further glut of characters. The theme of this video is 'Master and Apprentice', so we've got the likes of Piccolo and Kid Gohan putting in an appearance, as well as Master Roshi and his Turtle School pupils Krillin and Yamcha...
News Tekken 8 Free Updates Add Photo Mode, New Story, and More as Lidia Returns
Tekken it to the next level
Bandai Namco has spiled the beans on what's next for Tekken 8. Throughout the rest of 2024, players can expect a bunch of free updates, and Lidia has been confirmed as the game's second DLC character. She arrives at some point this summer. Lidia debuted in Tekken 7 as one of its final DLC fighters. She was quite well...
News Elden Ring Fans Can Now Drop $400 on Life-Size Malenia Arm Replica
"I am Malenia, Blade of Miquella, and I have never known defeat"
Elden Ring players traumatised by too many losses to the Lady of Rot can now line up to purchase an admittedly quite excellent life-size replica of Malenia's arm. The polyresin prosthetic, which costs just $400, is guaranteed to be a conversation starter if hung over the mantle...
News That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Is Coming to PS5, PS4 as an Action RPG
Ready for prime slime
Light novel and anime hit That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is being adapted into video game form for the first time on consoles. Featuring a title that's going to kill us every time we have to type it out — That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Isekai Chronicles — it's a side-scrolling action RPG featuring a bunch...
Review Sand Land (PS5) - Open World Adaptation Is a Demonic Delight
Tanks for the memories
Originally published all the way back in 2000 as a standalone manga, it's strange, but not unwelcome, to see Sand Land be revived as both an anime series and a video game almost a quarter of a century later. Authored by the late and legendary Akira Toriyama, Sand Land is an incredibly charming story about a post-apocalyptic...
News The Ultimate Crossover: Sand Land Snags Sandstorm by Darude in Its New Story Trailer
It works shockingly well
In what is a frankly unbelievable move, Bandai Namco has managed to secure iconic — and heavily memed — 2000 trance track 'Sandstorm' for its new Sand Land trailer. Honestly, it fits quite well, but we're still in disbelief that the marketing team actually went and got this done. We can only assume that Darude, the...
News Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs Launches on PS5, PS4 in May
It'll take you until then to say the title
Bandai Namco is gearing up to launch its latest Pac-Man game into the world, and it's not far off at all. Launching on both PS5 and PS4 on 9th May 2024, Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs is bringing 64-player battle royale madness. While this isn't the first time Bamco's mascot has been placed in a...
News Sand Land Details Forest Land, a New Story Location That Isn't In the Manga
The grass is greener
Sand Land, the upcoming open world RPG based on Akira Toriyama's short manga series, will actually build upon the source material in some rather significant ways. Along with expanding upon the manga's existing story, it'll introduce an entirely new part of the world, comically called Forest Land. The game's latest developer...
In one-on-one situations, "you have to accept all the responsibility if you lose"
Outspoken Tekken 8 director Katsuhiro Harada has made a bold claim that is unlikely to ruffle any feathers in the broader audience: younger gamers prefer team-based games because they can blame, at least partially, any losses on their teammates rather than having to...
