Koei Tecmo Archives - oprainfall https://operationrainfall.com/tag/koei-tecmo/ Video Games | Niche, Japanese, RPGs, Localization, and Anime Mon, 18 Nov 2024 17:52:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/operationrainfall.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-cropped-mi2odycI.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Koei Tecmo Archives - oprainfall https://operationrainfall.com/tag/koei-tecmo/ 32 32 56883004 Atelier Yumia – New Trailer Released https://operationrainfall.com/2024/11/18/atelier-yumia-new-trailer-released/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=atelier-yumia-new-trailer-released#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=atelier-yumia-new-trailer-released https://operationrainfall.com/2024/11/18/atelier-yumia-new-trailer-released/#respond Mon, 18 Nov 2024 17:47:29 +0000 https://operationrainfall.com/?p=348892 The game is scheduled to launch for all current consoles and PC, in March 2025.

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This morning KOEI TECMO and Gust released a brand new trailer for Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land. This brand new trailer shows a bit more about the story and Yumia’s friends, as well as the gameplay and some potential enemies. Also, the press release mentions that anyone who buys a digital or physical copy of the game up until two weeks after release, will receive the Athlete of Memories costume for Yumia, the Floating Object of Memories costume for Flammi and the Training Wrist Weight equipment item. Feel free to check out the brand new trailer down below. Also down below, you’ll find more about the game from the latest press release. Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land is scheduled to launch for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam on March 21st, 2025.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land follows the adventures of Yumia Liessfeldt and her companions as they set off to unravel the mysteries behind the cataclysm that destroyed the once great continent of Aladiss, resulting in alchemy becoming taboo. Mysterious characters obsessed with alchemy such as a Noble in a Black Cloak, a Monocular Werewolf, a Sheep-Eye Witch, and a Dragon-Winged Warrior stand in Yumia’s way.

To prepare for the adventure ahead, players will rediscover the Atelier franchise’s signature synthesizing system in a fresh form by manipulating “mana” to create new items useful in combat or exploration. To create more powerful items, fans will have to master the art of “Resonance Synthesis” by adding ingredients which resonate with each other to the “Alchemy Core” of the recipe. The strength of the resonance will depend on the quality of the ingredients selected.

The combat system has also been revamped in Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land to offer intense real-time combat with intuitive gameplay. The skills available to active team members will depend on their distance from the enemy (close or ranged combat). Compared to previous instalments, players can now move or interchange characters at any time during the fight. When certain conditions are met, a powerful “Friend Action” combo can be unleashed in battle. By meeting certain conditions, players will be able to activate “Mana Surge”, which will allow for exclusive actions to be performed. In addition, each character will have a unique special move, “Maximize Mana Surge”, which can inflict significant damage on enemies.

Journeying alongside Yumia and her friends, players will explore the vast open world of the Aladiss continent. As they travel, they will be able to build their own bases. Thanks to the new “Building” feature, fans will freely be able to create and decorate their atelier from a vast choice of walls, floors, roofs, furniture, and more, or choose to select a predefined base model from the catalog. By increasing the “comfort level” of their atelier, players will unlock bonuses such as the ability to develop their base and enhance the skills of Yumia and her companions.

Lastly, if players do not wish to return to their base during exploration, they will be able to set up a camp where they can spend time cooking, which will provide various benefits during exploration and combat, or resting. Certain character events that can only be seen at camps will sometimes occur, providing greater insight into Yumia and her companions.


If you’d like to know more about Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land, visit the game’s official website.

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New Atelier Resleriana Announced for Consoles and PC https://operationrainfall.com/2024/09/27/new-atelier-resleriana-announced-for-consoles-and-pc/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-atelier-resleriana-announced-for-consoles-and-pc#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-atelier-resleriana-announced-for-consoles-and-pc https://operationrainfall.com/2024/09/27/new-atelier-resleriana-announced-for-consoles-and-pc/#respond Sat, 28 Sep 2024 03:08:40 +0000 https://operationrainfall.com/?p=348454 The game will be completely offline but take place in the same universe as the original mobile Resleriana game.

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KOEI TECMO and Gust have announced a new Atelier Resleriana game for consoles and PC. Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian will be headed to PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam sometime next year, 2025. The press release states that this is a new game set in the same universe as Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator. Feel free to check out the brand new teaser trailer down below.

A new adventure with new protagonists and an original story in the world of “Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator” is coming to PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Nintendo Switch™ and Steam® as a “completely offline” title.

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DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS Gameplay Details https://operationrainfall.com/2024/09/27/dynasty-warriors-origins-gameplay-details/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dynasty-warriors-origins-gameplay-details#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dynasty-warriors-origins-gameplay-details https://operationrainfall.com/2024/09/27/dynasty-warriors-origins-gameplay-details/#respond Fri, 27 Sep 2024 14:01:13 +0000 https://operationrainfall.com/?p=348377 At TGS 2024 Koei Tecmo has revealed more details about the upcoming DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS. 

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At TGS 2024 Koei Tecmo has revealed more details about the upcoming DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS.  Players will travel the world map taking on missions as they choose to help government forces or the rebellions. The game will require a bit more strategy then before as players can issue a variety of “Tactics” to their allies during battle. This will allow you to coordinate your forces and when you have gathered enough fighters to have a large army, “Grand Tactics” will be your disposal as well.

The game will release on Jan. 17, 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC via Steam.

You can read more about these features and a few others in the DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS press release below:

BURLINGAME, Calif. – Sept. 27, 2024 – During Tokyo Game Show 2024, KOEI TECMO and developer Omega Force unveiled new combat details for their upcoming action game, DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS. Journeying through the Three Kingdoms, players will fight alongside companions and wage fierce battles against some of ancient China’s most formidable foes. Scheduled for release on Jan. 17, 2025 on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC via Steam®, DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS promises to deliver the most intense combat of any game in franchise history.

From the “Yellow Turban Rebellion” to the climax of the “Battle of Chibi”, the story of DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS will transport players to the heart of an ancient China in turmoil. Through the eyes of a nameless hero, players will have to make choices in order to restore peace and shape history to their own experience.

Travelling across the world map as they embark on their epic journey, players can suppress rebellions or choose to rescue government forces during “Missions”, overcome “Skirmishes”, and visit various locations where they will be able to buy weapons. Throughout their quest, players will also encounter a variety of characters familiar to the DYNASTY WARRIORS franchise, such as Cao Cao and Liu Bei. Depending on the bond forged, these characters can become travelling companions, or an enemy.

Battles in DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS will require players to be more strategic than ever before. A variety of “Tactics” can be used to command their allies and coordinate forces. By gathering a large number of soldiers under their command, fans will also be able to form a “Large Force” which they can lead by deploying “Grand Tactics” maneuvers. This will allow players to radically change the course of a battle. However, users will need to keep an eye on their opponents, who will also be able to form a “Large Force” and will try to deploy their own “Grand Tactics” to win.

In 1 vs. 1,000 combat, players will have to master and alternate between swift and powerful attacks that can break an opponent’s guard. Repeated attacks will increase the protagonist’s “Bravery”, enabling them to use powerful and unique attacks called “Arts”. These “Arts” will be unique to each weapon, so it will be crucial for players to master the various arsenal at their disposal, allowing the protagonist to gain “Rank” and thus improving their skills.

Not only will players have to master the protagonist’s various attacks if they want to emerge victorious on the battlefield, but they will also have to strengthen their defense. By blocking enemy attacks at the right moment, they can unleash a powerful riposte, “Parry”, which creates a breach in the enemy’s defense. Some attacks cannot be blocked, so players will have to dodge them before counterattacking.

Finally, players will sometimes encounter powerful officers protected by an energy called “Resolution”. Players will have to work on reducing this “Resolution” to weaken them before they can launch a powerful “Assault” attack which can sometimes be the decisive coup de grâce.

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Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land Trailer Released https://operationrainfall.com/2024/09/02/atelier-yumia-the-alchemist-of-memories-the-envisioned-land-trailer-released/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=atelier-yumia-the-alchemist-of-memories-the-envisioned-land-trailer-released#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=atelier-yumia-the-alchemist-of-memories-the-envisioned-land-trailer-released https://operationrainfall.com/2024/09/02/atelier-yumia-the-alchemist-of-memories-the-envisioned-land-trailer-released/#respond Mon, 02 Sep 2024 13:51:25 +0000 https://operationrainfall.com/?p=348091 Today Koei Temco released the a full trailer for the upcoming Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land.

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Today Koei Temco released the a full trailer for the upcoming Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land. The trailer shows off some of the game’s mechanics as well as the cast of characters and story setting. The game will be launching March 21, 2025 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation  5, PlayStation 4, Windows PC via Steam, and for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.

Find out more in the press release below:

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land takes players on a journey exploring the theme of memory. Playing as Yumia Liessfeldt, a young alchemist who lost her mother in an accident when she was young, players set out to uncover the forbidden art of alchemy while also learning the true intentions of Yumia’s mother who hid her identity as an alchemist. Along the way, Yumia joins the Aladiss Research Team where she meets Vikto von Duerer and his younger sister, Isla von Duerer. There, they are also joined by an assorted cast of characters including a mysterious woman, a timid demi-human, and a former adventurer with spectacular experiences.

Together, Yumia and her companions will travel across the vast continent that was once the Aladissian Empire, where all civilization has perished. Players will have a wide range of actions and items at their disposal throughout the adventure, allowing them to explore a vast open world made up of different biomes as they make their way through these unknown lands gathering materials that can be used to synthesize and craft new items for use in their quest – both during exploration and combat. Not only will fans be able to craft items without having to return to their base thanks to the “Simple Synthesis” feature, but for the first time in the series, fans will be also able to build, furnish, and decorate their own base with the all-new “Building” feature!

To help make Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land come alive, KOEI TECMO and developer Gust have teamed up with the brilliant artist Benitama to create the main visual and all of the character designs. Specializing in creating illustrations and character designs for various fantasy game titles, Benitama incorporates references to paintings and reliefs in his work while striving to balance both persuasive depth and cuteness. His design, characterized by a monochrome based style, give a cool impression while bringing out the charm of the Atelier series.

 

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Nintendo Direct: Atelier Yumia Announced https://operationrainfall.com/2024/08/27/nintendo-direct-atelier-yumia-announced/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nintendo-direct-atelier-yumia-announced#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nintendo-direct-atelier-yumia-announced https://operationrainfall.com/2024/08/27/nintendo-direct-atelier-yumia-announced/#respond Tue, 27 Aug 2024 17:55:56 +0000 https://operationrainfall.com/?p=347986 The game will be launching for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam in early 2025.

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During today’s Nintendo Direct, the next Atelier game was announced. Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will be launching for Nintendo Switch as well as PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam sometime in Early 2025. A more specific release date has not yet been announced at this time. Feel free to check out the brand new trailer down below. Also, the official website mentions that an update will be given on September 2nd.

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REVIEW: SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX https://operationrainfall.com/2024/06/10/review-samurai-warriors-4-dx/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-samurai-warriors-4-dx#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-samurai-warriors-4-dx https://operationrainfall.com/2024/06/10/review-samurai-warriors-4-dx/#respond Mon, 10 Jun 2024 16:00:13 +0000 https://operationrainfall.com/?p=346766 A good Musou is forever!

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Title SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX Developer Omega Force Publisher KOEI TECMO America Release Date May 14th, 2024 Genre Musou Platform PC via Steam Age Rating Teen Official Website

I decided to take a look at the PC port of SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX. This is a very unexpected release from Koei Tecmo seeing how old this game is at this point, but I’m never one to shy away from a good Musou title, so I put about 10 hours into it just to see how this release plays. Let’s dig in and see what I discovered.

SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX | Yukimura

Like other Musou style games, there is a Story Mode featuring many different campaigns highlighting various battles in historic Japan. While I don’t know if I would use this game as a history lesson, some of the events are actually pretty accurate. I love seeing how all the different officers interact with each other and discovering their personalities. In addition to the robust story mode, there is a Chronicle Mode that allows you to create your own character and journey through Japan, fighting many battles until they achieve their lifelong dreams.

SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX | Created Character

Graphically, the game still holds up pretty well. The models and environments aren’t as detailed as they are in newer Musou titles, but they still look good. Character models have a decent amount of details and each area has its own unique look and feel. The game features all of the DLC from the original release. This includes some of the series’ more risqué costumes, which I think is a huge plus, since we don’t get costumes like these currently.  This PC release supports resolutions up to 4K at 60 FPS, and the buttons can be remapped. I never had any hitches or crashes during my playtime.

SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX | Boom

The music here is fantastic! I always loved the soundtracks to all the Warriors series titles, and this one is no exception. Plenty of upbeat rock tunes with an Eastern flair to lay waste to the 1000’s of foes that stand in your way. You can enjoy this soundtrack anytime in the archives once you have beaten a stage playing it so it unlocks. The voice acting is top tier as well, it is all done in Japanese with no English dub option. Sound effects are pretty much what you would expect. The normal hits, special move sounds and such fill the air as the battles rage on.

SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX | Kill Me

The gameplay in SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX is exactly what you would expect from a classic Musou title. Players will complete objectives on each map to clear the stage and proceed to the next story stage. Some stages will have hidden objectives that may even give you access to alternate story paths. Completing the entire story of one faction will open up more for you to choose from. There are two buttons for attacks that you can use in tandem to create combos. You will unlock more moves for the over 55 unique officers you can play as. Each one has a couple of special moves as well that will clear a whole screen in spectacular fashion. There are plenty of new weapons to unlock and customize as well, so this really is a complete package.

SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX | Ninja

SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it didn’t need to. This a classic style Musou game with a ton of content. I barely scratched the surface of what is here. You could easily put 60 or more hours in this one unlocking everything in Chronicle Mode and doing all of the storylines in Story Mode. If you have never played SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 or are looking for a complete edition, this is a great way to go. Fans looking for a good Musou title to kill some time with can’t go wrong with this one either at the $49.99 price tag.

Review Score
Overallwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com

 

Game was provided by the publisher for review.

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SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX is Now Available on Steam https://operationrainfall.com/2024/05/14/samurai-warriors-4-dx-is-now-available-on-steam/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=samurai-warriors-4-dx-is-now-available-on-steam#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=samurai-warriors-4-dx-is-now-available-on-steam https://operationrainfall.com/2024/05/14/samurai-warriors-4-dx-is-now-available-on-steam/#respond Tue, 14 May 2024 17:09:17 +0000 https://operationrainfall.com/?p=346634 This is a complete edition version of the game and thus comes with a ton of DLC included.

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KOEI TECMO and Omega Force have announced that SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX is now officially available for Windows PC via Steam. The press release states that this complete edition of SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 includes over 150 pieces of DLC such as costumes, weapons, editable parts, scenarios, background music and more. Feel free to check out the brand new launch trailer down below and read more about the game from the latest press release.

Press Release:

SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX includes everything fans have been craving to play in one complete edition. In addition to the main “Story Mode” featuring “regional stories” and the “story of unification”, the DX version allows players to choose from a variety of different modes, including “Chronicle Mode”, a mode that enables players to travel around the SAMURAI WARRIORS world, accomplishing quests in various regions while meeting officers and collecting items. In addition, players can now discover over 50 playable officers in SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX along with exhilarating action systems such as “Hyper Attack” and “Rage” as they journey to the heart of Japan’s Sengoku period.

SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX features:

Over 150 downloadable pieces of content – Downloadable content initially available on other platforms at the original release of SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 has been integrated, including scenarios, costumes and weapons.

Optimized for PC – The graphics settings can be adjusted to match the PC specifications of each player. Mouse and keyboard controls are supported and key assignments can be changed. Most controllers are supported.

SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 DX is now available in English in addition to Japanese. The language can be changed in the settings.

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Fate/Samurai Remnant – Yagyu Sword Chronicles DLC is Out Now https://operationrainfall.com/2024/04/18/fate-samurai-remnant-yagyu-sword-chronicles-dlc-is-out-now/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fate-samurai-remnant-yagyu-sword-chronicles-dlc-is-out-now#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fate-samurai-remnant-yagyu-sword-chronicles-dlc-is-out-now https://operationrainfall.com/2024/04/18/fate-samurai-remnant-yagyu-sword-chronicles-dlc-is-out-now/#respond Thu, 18 Apr 2024 23:33:22 +0000 https://operationrainfall.com/?p=346371 Solve this murder mystery alongside Yagyu Munenori!

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Fate/Samurai Remnant | Yagyu Sword Chronicles Key Art

The second major DLC for Fate/Samurai Remnant, “Record’s Fragment – Yagyu Sword Chronicles”, is available to download now. In this new content, Miyamoto Iori and Saber must investigate and solve mysterious murders taking place in the streets of Edo. Players will get to work together with a new Rogue Servant, Yagyu Munenori (CV. Chikahiro Kobayashi), to find the one responsible for these killings and bring peace back to Edo.

In order to access the DLC, players must reach Chapter 3 “My Mind Bides on the Battlefield”. You can select the new content once you’re able to move freely on the Edo Map.

You can check out the DLC’s trailer and some screenshots below.

 

Fate/Samurai Remnant | Screenshot 1 Fate/Samurai Remnant | Screenshot 2 Fate/Samurai Remnant | Screenshot 3 Fate/Samurai Remnant | Screenshot 4 Fate/Samurai Remnant | Screenshot 5 Fate/Samurai Remnant | Screenshot 6 Fate/Samurai Remnant | Screenshot 7 Fate/Samurai Remnant | Screenshot 8 Fate/Samurai Remnant | Screenshot 9 Fate/Samurai Remnant | Screenshot 10 Fate/Samurai Remnant | Screenshot 11 Fate/Samurai Remnant | Screenshot 12

Fate/Samurai Remnant DLC Vol. 2 “Record’s Fragment – Yagyu Sword Chronicles” is available to purchase now for $14.99 USD in PlayStation Store, Nintendo eShop, and Steam. The DLC is also a part of the game’s season pass which can be purchased for $39.99 USD (PlayStation Store, Nintendo eShop, Steam).

Fate/Samurai Remnant is available now for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.  The game is developed by Omega Force and published in North America by KOEI TECMO America. It is a spin-off of TYPE-MOON’s popular Fate franchise. For more information, you can check out the game’s website and KOEI TECMO America’s social media channels (Facebook, X Account)

If you’re interested in trying out the game, a demo is currently available for multiple platforms (PS4, PS5, Steam, Switch). You can check out our review of the main game HERE.

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Fate/Samurai Remnant DLC Vol. 1 Launches February 2024 https://operationrainfall.com/2023/12/31/fate-samurai-remnant-dlc-vol-1-launches-february-2024/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fate-samurai-remnant-dlc-vol-1-launches-february-2024#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fate-samurai-remnant-dlc-vol-1-launches-february-2024 https://operationrainfall.com/2023/12/31/fate-samurai-remnant-dlc-vol-1-launches-february-2024/#respond Sun, 31 Dec 2023 21:52:12 +0000 https://operationrainfall.com/?p=343867 It looks like Boss has a special event planned.

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Fate/Samurai Remnant | DLC Vol. 1

KOEI TECMO has released a trailer for the first of three DLC’s coming to Fate/Samurai Remnant. The DLC titled “Record’s Fragment: Keian Command Championship” is scheduled to launch in February 2024. You can check out its teaser trailer below which features Boss announcing the event. No other information about the DLC has been announced at this time.

 

Fate/Samurai Remnant is available now for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. If you’re interested in the game, you can check out our review HERE.

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Fate/Samurai Remnant December Update Adds More Features https://operationrainfall.com/2023/11/29/fate-samurai-remnant-december-update-adds-more-features/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fate-samurai-remnant-december-update-adds-more-features#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fate-samurai-remnant-december-update-adds-more-features https://operationrainfall.com/2023/11/29/fate-samurai-remnant-december-update-adds-more-features/#respond Thu, 30 Nov 2023 02:36:19 +0000 https://operationrainfall.com/?p=343423 More playable characters is always more fun.

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Fate/Samurai Remnant | New Key Visual

KOEI TECMO has announced more information on an update coming to Fate/Samurai Remnant in December 2023. The update was previously announced in October, but more information was not shared until now.

Fate/Samurai Remnant | December Update 1

The first of these features involves the game’s “Battle Recollections” mode. “Battle Recollections” is unlocked after you progress to a certain point in the main story and allows you to replay some of the boss battles from the game. After the December update, players will be able to choose to play as other characters featured in the game, other than Iori and Saber.

The characters available to play as after the update are as follows:

  • Archer
  • Lancer
  • Assassin
  • Berserker (Musashi Miyamoto)
  • Rogue Saber
  • Rogue Archer (Arjuna)
  • Rogue Lancer (Cú Chulainn)
  • Rogue Assassin (Li Shuwen)
  • Rogue Caster (Circe)
  • Rogue Berserker

Fate/Samurai Remnant | December Update 2

The second feature of the update adds two (2) new difficulty levels to the game, one easier and one more difficult. The easier difficulty is Apprentice and makes it so that players can enjoy the story more. It lowers enemy HP and attack, increases enemy knockdown duration, among other things.

The harder difficulty is Fatal Sword and is looking to be more difficult than the game’s current hardest difficulty, Sword Demon. Fatal Sword increases enemy HP and attack, there are no retries, and you can’t use items during battle. Truly this a mode for those looking for the ultimate challenge.

Fate/Samurai Remnant is available now for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. This update with additional features is currently scheduled for a release in December 2023. If you’re interested in the game, consider checking out our review.

SOURCE: KOEI TECMO AMERICA X Account

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PREVIEW: Fate/Samurai Remnant https://operationrainfall.com/2023/08/18/preview-fate-samurai-remnant/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=preview-fate-samurai-remnant#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=preview-fate-samurai-remnant https://operationrainfall.com/2023/08/18/preview-fate-samurai-remnant/#respond Fri, 18 Aug 2023 13:00:09 +0000 https://operationrainfall.com/?p=341083 Hack and slashing our way to the Waxing Moon.

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Fate/Samurai Remnant | Iori and Saber

Let me start off by saying I am a big fan of the Fate franchise. When I was younger, I was very intrigued by the concept of having these mythical figures fight each other, and the unique ways each character was portrayed. I soon fell in love with the original characters and story introduced in Fate/stay night, and the rest is history. So, when I got a special chance to try out a preview build of Fate/Samurai Remnant, I was ecstatic. A brand new Fate story set in Edo period Japan? Sign me up! When the game was first announced, I was curious how the action gameplay would be handled. Would it be like previous action games in the franchise, or would it be something different? Let’s see if this first taste of Samurai Remnant left me wanting for more.

Fate/Samurai Remnant | Rider Fight

The story takes place in 1651 in Edo, Japan. A young man, Miyamoto Iori, finds himself attacked by unknown assailants. He soon comes into contact with a powerful enemy known as Rider and their master, Yui Shousetsu. Just when things seem to be dire, a swordswoman clad in white, Saber,  is summoned to Iori’s side. Iori is dragged into a conflict known as the Waxing Moon Ritual. Will he and Saber be able to overcome the other Masters and Servants and claim the Waxing Moon for themselves?

Fate/Samurai Remnant | Lancer Fight

I like what I’ve seen of the characters and story so far. There’s a sense of mystery surrounding the Waxing Moon Ritual and its participants. What is the true nature of the Waxing Moon Ritual, and how is it related to the Holy Grail War, if at all? What is each Master’s motivation for joining the Ritual? What is the identity of each Servant, including Saber? I like how they don’t just give this information right away, I enjoy figuring these things out. A nice feature included in the game is the Logbook, which can be accessed from the menu. It includes information on events, characters, and terminology used throughout the story. The Logbook gets updated as you progress through the game, so don’t worry about getting spoiled on anything. This is very helpful as Fate stories tend to use a lot of different lingo, so it’s good to have something you can access if you don’t understand something.

Click to view slideshow.

I only got to see a couple of the characters in this build, but I’d like to focus on the protagonists, Iori and Saber. Iori is a good guy and actively tries to avoid killing people. He doesn’t rush into things, unlike Saber. Saber has no qualms with taking a life, and is eager to go out and take out the other Servants and Masters in the Waxing Moon Ritual. She also has a childlike curiosity, constantly asking Iori about the things she sees around Edo. And, she really likes to eat. It was pretty funny how Iori had to keep Saber in check whenever she wanted to take a frontal approach to situations. These two are adorable as a pair, and really work well off each other. This was only from the beginning parts of the game, so I’m interested in seeing how their partnership develops later in the story.

Fate/Samurai Remnant | Combat

Fate/Samurai Remnant uses an action combat system. Iori can use standard light and heavy attacks by pressing the square and triangle buttons. Holding L1 allows him to change stances and use magic spells. Holding R1 allows you to use your Servant’s Affinity Techniques, and switch places with your Servant. Pressing the circle button when the Valor Gauge is full allows Iori to use his Valor Strike, which is essentially his special attack that causes a lot of damage. I was able to fight a couple different foes in this preview, ranging from normal thugs to monsters to powerful Servants. While you could slash your way through normal enemies with relative ease, fighting powerful enemies like Servants was a different story. You can’t just wail on them, you really had to time when you attacked. This is when switching places with your Servant comes into play. As you deal damage, the Substitution gauge increases. When the gauge is maxed out, you can control your Servant for a limited amount of time. Your Servant, in this case Saber, is much stronger and more durable than Iori, so you can really deal a lot of damage when controlling them. I think limiting the amount of time you can use your Servant was a good move, you can’t rely on them all the time. It made things more challenging. I got to control three different characters throughout the preview build: Iori, Saber, and Berserker. Of the three, I had the most fun with Berserker. She is a buzz saw, and I was able to completely shred through enemies when using her. Berserker was previously playable in Fate/Grand Order, and seeing her attacks translated perfectly into this system was awesome. From what I’ve played, combat is fun, and challenging enough without being frustrating.

Click to view slideshow.

Other than combat, you can travel around different parts of Edo, satisfy Saber’s curiosity by taking her around different areas, eat food, pet animals, spend skill points to upgrade Iori and Saber’s abilities, and even perform maintenance on your swords. I really appreciated how petting dogs and cats actually had benefits, as doing so slightly heals your HP and Affinity gauges. So, there’s no excuse, they deserve the pets!

Click to view slideshow.

I really enjoyed the short time I had to try Fate/Samurai Remnant. The story and characters have me hooked, and I’m really looking forward to solving some of the mysteries posed, such as the True Name of Saber. The combat is complex enough without being too confusing, and it was pretty fun using the different characters’ fighting styles, and that was only three of them! I’m looking forward to playing as the other characters the game has to offer. So far, I do think it is different from past action games in the franchise, I think it has the potential to be greater than them. I was already looking forward to it, but now I can’t wait to play the full game. 

Fate/Samurai Remnant launches September 29 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

 

Preview build provided by the publisher.

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Fate/Samurai Remnant Summons Two New Characters, 2nd Trailer https://operationrainfall.com/2023/07/30/fate-samurai-remnant-summons-two-new-characters-2nd-trailer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fate-samurai-remnant-summons-two-new-characters-2nd-trailer#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fate-samurai-remnant-summons-two-new-characters-2nd-trailer https://operationrainfall.com/2023/07/30/fate-samurai-remnant-summons-two-new-characters-2nd-trailer/#respond Sun, 30 Jul 2023 19:05:59 +0000 https://operationrainfall.com/?p=340582 Newcomers and returning faces enter the fray!

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Fate/Samurai Remnant | Iori and Tamamo Aria

At Fate/Grand Order Fes. 2023, a special Fate/Samurai Remnant stage event was held where two new characters were announced. The first of these characters is Tamamo Aria (CV. Chiwa Saitō), and she is a Rogue Servant in the Rider class. If she looks familiar to you, then that isn’t surprising, as she looks very much like Tamamo-no-Mae from Fate/EXTRA and Fate/Grand Order. The second character is Cú Chulainn (CV. Nobutoshi Canna), who is also a Rogue Servant, but in the Lancer class. Many will recognize the character from Fate/stay night. For those wondering what Rogue Servants are, they are Servants without a Master.

Fate/Samurai Remnant | New Characters

You can check out the special stage presentation below. The character reveal starts around 44:40.

 

In addition, a brand new trailer has been released. The trailer teases other new characters, in addition to the ones previously mentioned. You can check out the trailer below.

 

Fate/Samurai Remnant launches on September 28, 2023 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch in Japan. It will launch overseas for the same platforms and worldwide on PC via Steam on September 29, 2023.

SOURCES: Fate/Samurai Remnant Official Twitter (Part 1, Part 2), Kars (@KaroshiMyriad)

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Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is Now Available https://operationrainfall.com/2023/07/13/atelier-marie-remake-the-alchemist-of-salburg-is-now-available/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=atelier-marie-remake-the-alchemist-of-salburg-is-now-available#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=atelier-marie-remake-the-alchemist-of-salburg-is-now-available https://operationrainfall.com/2023/07/13/atelier-marie-remake-the-alchemist-of-salburg-is-now-available/#respond Thu, 13 Jul 2023 19:22:52 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=340312 In celebration of the series' 25th anniversary, the 25 Glasses accessory DLC and the Atelier Series Legacy BGM Pack are free for all players.

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Atelier Marie Remake | Launch Trailer Screenshot

KOEI TECMO America and GUST Studios have announced that Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is now available. You can get the game on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5 and PC via Steam. The game is available in both a digital Standard Edition and a Digital Deluxe Edition. The Digital Deluxe Edition comes with the original game, Atelier Marie Plus, the Gust Extra BGM Pack and the Another Look costume set, in addition to the new Atelier Marie Remake game. Also, there is a Digital Deluxe Upgrade Pack available if you just want to buy the base game for now and get the Digital Deluxe extras at a later date. Not only that, but the latest press release mentions that in celebration of the Atelier series’ 25th anniversary, there are two bits of free DLC available as well. Both the 25 Glasses accessory DLC and the Atelier Series Legacy BGM Pack are free for all players. Feel fee to check out the brand new launch trailer down below. And over here, you’ll find our review of the game.

In Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg, players are reintroduced to Marie, a struggling student at the Royal Academy of Magic, whose teacher lends her an alchemy atelier for her upcoming graduation exam. Marie’s ultimate goal is to create an item within five years that will satisfy her teacher, but to do this, she’ll need to improve her alchemy skills, gather materials, and earn money for reference books and tools, as well as hire adventurers. Where to start is up to the player, as they’ll be able to navigate the game at their own pace in this carefree adventure, with the ultimate goal to graduate from the academy.

This modern version of the classic game includes all-new graphics, new 2D illustrations, and cute “chibi”-style character models. While maintaining the simple and highly flexible playability of the original game, Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg also introduces a tutorial, helpful clues via “Professor Ingrid’s Tasks”, and an Unlimited Mode for a carefree adventure.

In addition, players can now discover freshly written additional events for a completely new scenario where they are able to learn intimate details about the characters that were not in the original story. Players are also able to win rewards by completing the six fun and exciting minigames, remade for the latest platforms, and immortalize their adventure with the all-new Photo Mode.

If you’d like to know more about Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg, visit the game’s official website.

 

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REVIEW: Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg https://operationrainfall.com/2023/07/12/review-atelier-marie-remake-the-alchemist-of-salburg/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-atelier-marie-remake-the-alchemist-of-salburg#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-atelier-marie-remake-the-alchemist-of-salburg https://operationrainfall.com/2023/07/12/review-atelier-marie-remake-the-alchemist-of-salburg/#respond Wed, 12 Jul 2023 13:00:02 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=340250 After getting really into the Atelier series these last few years, I was looking forward to checking out the series' origins.

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Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg | Official Logo Art Title Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg Developer Koei Tecmo, Gust Publisher Koei Tecmo Release Date July 13th, 2023 Genre RPG Platform Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 | 5, PC Age Rating Everyone 10+ Official Website

Ever since I finished the original Atelier Ryza game I’ve really been getting into the overall Atelier franchise. I’ve never played anything older than the first Mana Khemia though. So I was looking forward to trying out Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg. I knew it’d be a dated entry, but I adored the new art/graphical style and Koei Tecmo mentioned in their promotional info that it had a new Unlimited Mode, so I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about the time limit. Originally, I didn’t think I’d be the one doing this review but fortunately, it landed in my lap and I was lucky enough to check it out.

Atelier Marie Remake | Marie's Beginning

Atelier Marie Remake revolves around Marie, of course, who is the worst student at the Royal Academy of Magic in Salburg. She’s given an atelier and five years to create a high enough quality item to pass a special graduation exam. And that’s it, that’s the basic plot of the game. You’ll find that Atelier Marie, being the very first Atelier game, is super simple and basic. You have five years in game to raise your alchemy skill and make something decent. This game’s calendar pretty much resembles a real calendar, each year has January through December and each month is a full month, they’re not some sort of fictional shortened versions. To gather stuff, you’ll leave Salburg and go to one of a select handful of areas to gather materials. Each time you gather something, a day passes by. These gathering areas have monsters to battle as well. To form your party, you’ll hire a couple of characters out of a number of people in town. These characters require payment, so you’ll have to pay them every time you get back to town. But as you become friends, the cost slowly goes down. Also, battles are a super basic turn-based affair as well. There’s nothing fancy or any advanced mechanics here. In between alchemy and adventuring, you’ll also be able to fulfill requests in town to make money and you’ll occasionally happen across rumors in town or at the local bar, which will raise your knowledge and possibly unlock stuff, such as new places to gather. And as you finish quests, your reputation will go up. Your reputation goes down if you miss a deadline for a request or cancel one.

Atelier Marie Remake | Event List

Now, I did play the game in the new Unlimited Mode. Nonetheless, you’ll find the game isn’t necessarily completely chill on Unlimited. Various events still happen on certain dates and when you take on a request, you will still have to finish it in a specific number of days. Thus, despite having extra time after the five year deadline to complete what you need to, you’ll still be relying on the calendar and trying not to waste any time. It’s just not as relaxing and carefree as a later title, like Atelier Ryza, which lacks a calendar system altogether. Still, it’s nice they give you that extra time to complete the important stuff, it’s not as strict as Atelier Ayesha for example. Also, the game is really short; I finished my first playthrough in a little over 10 hours. However, there is a bit of replay value. There are a handful of endings to unlock, there was one character I never even met who required something I clearly didn’t do correctly or at all, and you might find yourself with not enough time before the graduation exam to befriend every single party member and see all of their events. Plus, when I checked the event requirements list, which shows you some vague requirements for unlocking different events, I saw some characters had one scene you don’t get to unlock in Unlimited Mode. Based on the requirements, I thought these might be some sort of bad ends/relationship results or something of that sort. Therefore, even though this is a really short Atelier title, you might just find yourself playing it quite a few times, especially if you’re a completionist.

Atelier Marie Remake | Minigame Maze

Overall, I thought Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg was a super cute and charming little entry. It’s super basic, being the very first Atelier, but the brand new modern chibi character designs and all the various art screens throughout the game were all extremely charming. The soundtrack was just okay. Having played this before launch, I missed out on the ability to play with Atelier Sophie’s bar theme as the relaxing tune I set in my atelier. I always like to have a chill tune set for the hours I spend on alchemy. Oh and something I forgot to mention earlier, the alchemy system is also super basic. You merely need to have the required ingredients, there’s no little minigame or advanced mechanics behind crafting. There are some occasional minigames though. When I crafted or collected specific items, a minigame would pop-up where I’d have to go around a maze on a time limit, collecting something while avoiding these enemies of a sort, to keep that item or even get extra. Also, eventually you’ll be able to unlock different designs for your atelier, which have specific bonuses for different gameplay aspects.

Atelier Marie Remake | Characters

In the end, I’m very happy to have had the chance to play Atelier Marie. I was really looking forward to it as I said before and it turned out to be quite the fun and cute little adventure like I hoped it would be. Well, maybe it was a bit shorter than I realized, I’m not sure I would pay full price for this one, much less the Digital Deluxe price. Regardless, the fact that the Digital Deluxe Edition lets you play the Plus version of the game, which as far as I know is much more like the original with just a few extras – not a modern remake – is a nice little bonus. I may have to get myself the Digital Deluxe someday in the future. Anyway, if you like Atelier games, or you’re a fan of really basic and short little slice-of-life type RPGs, then I would highly recommend Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg. But if you prefer a much longer game, or specifically a more in-depth Atelier title, then this one might not be for you. Or, perhaps it’s something you’ll wanna snag on sale.

Review Score
Overallwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com

Review copy was provided by the publisher. A copy of your own will cost $49.99 for the Standard Edition and $69.99 for the Digital Deluxe Edition.

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Atelier Marie Remake – Extra Gameplay Features Detailed https://operationrainfall.com/2023/06/15/atelier-marie-remake-extra-gameplay-features-detailed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=atelier-marie-remake-extra-gameplay-features-detailed#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=atelier-marie-remake-extra-gameplay-features-detailed https://operationrainfall.com/2023/06/15/atelier-marie-remake-extra-gameplay-features-detailed/#respond Thu, 15 Jun 2023 22:26:06 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=339597 The game is scheduled to launch this upcoming July 13th, 2023.

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Atelier Marie Remake | Trailer Screenshot

KOEI TECMO America and GUST Studios have released some more details on a couple of extra gameplay features which will be a part of Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg. First of all, they’ve announced that there will be a brand new photo mode (pictured below). They’ve also announced that some old minigames have been reworked and included. You can find more details from the latest press release on both of these features, in addition to info about the different editions of the game available for pre-order and some of the free DLC, not to mention pre-order bonuses that will be available, down below. Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is scheduled to launch digitally this upcoming July 13th, 2023 for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5 and PC via Steam. If you’d like to know more about the game, feel free to visit the official website.


Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg | Photo Mode

In Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg, players are reintroduced to Marie, a struggling student at the Royal Academy of Magic, whose ultimate goal is to create an item within five years that will satisfy her teacher. This re-imagined take on the classic title introduces freshly written additional events for a completely new scenario where players will be able to learn intimate details about the characters that were not in the original story!

In addition, Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg players can immortalize their cozy RPG adventure in the all-new Photo Mode. Here, they can play with poses and expressions of Marie and friends. Pictures taken can then be decorated with stamps and other items, while also enabling players to head to the “Hall of Memories” to change filters, frames and camera angles.

Also reworked for Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg are six fun and exciting minigames, remade for the latest platforms. Games include Punipuni Hammer, Golden Salmon Search, Catch Those Rats, Apple Rush, Treasure Hunt, and Name Collector. Minigames can be accessed from the “Extras” menu and succeeding in these minigames will reward players with valuable new items!

Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is now available to pre-order digitally. Players who pre-order the game by July 12, 2023 will receive the pre-order bonus, “Useful Items Set”.

A Digital Deluxe Edition of Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg will also be available. In addition to the standard version of the game, the Digital Deluxe Edition includes the original game “Atelier Marie Plus: The Alchemist of Salburg”, the “Gust Extra BGM Pack” and “Another Look” Costume Set. A Digital Deluxe Upgrade Pack will also be available digitally and includes all the items of the Digital Deluxe Edition except for the standard version of the game.

In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Atelier series, two free DLCs will be available for all players from July 13, 2023 — the “25 Glasses” accessory, and the Atelier Series Legacy BGM Pack.

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Atelier Marie Remake – Pre-orders Now Available https://operationrainfall.com/2023/04/20/atelier-marie-remake-pre-orders-now-available/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=atelier-marie-remake-pre-orders-now-available#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=atelier-marie-remake-pre-orders-now-available https://operationrainfall.com/2023/04/20/atelier-marie-remake-pre-orders-now-available/#respond Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:09:10 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=338360 The game is scheduled to launch for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5 and PC this upcoming July 13th.

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Atelier Marie Remake | Trailer Screenshot

KOEI TECMO America and GUST Studios have announced that digital pre-orders for Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg are now available. Atelier Marie Remake is scheduled to launch this upcoming July 13th, 2023 for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5 and PC via Steam. If you pre-order by July 12th, you’ll receive the ‘Useful Items Set’ pre-order bonus. Feel free to check out the brand new trailer down below. Also down below, you’ll find more about the game from the latest press release, in addition to info about the game’s Digital Deluxe Edition and some free DLC which will be available at launch.

Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg takes place in the city of Salburg, the capital of the Schigsal Kingdom, where subpar student Marie attends the Royal Magic Academy. Marie has five years to create an item that will satisfy her teacher, and to succeed, she will need to improve her skills by buying books and tools necessary for synthesis at the Academy. Marie will also be able to synthesize objects and check her assignments in the alchemy atelier her teacher has gifted to her. To gather ingredients needed for her recipes, Marie will venture outside the city, while being careful as to not cross paths with the many monsters living in the area!

To get ready for battle, players will be able to buy weapons and armor at the Weapon Shop, and hire adventurers at the Sky Tavern to defeat the monsters together. At the tavern, Marie will also meet various characters with whom she can make friends and accept their requests.

KOEI TECMO America previously announced that a Digital Deluxe Edition of Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg will also be available. In addition to the standard version of the game, the Digital Deluxe Edition includes the original game “Atelier Marie Plus: The Alchemist of Salburg”, the “Gust Extra BGM Pack” and “Another Look” Costume Set. A Digital Deluxe Upgrade Pack will also be available digitally and includes all the items of the Digital Deluxe Edition except for the standard version of the game.

In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Atelier series, two free DLCs will be available for all players from July 13, 2023 — the “25 Glasses” accessory, and the Atelier Series Legacy BGM Pack.

If you’d like to know more about Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg, visit the game’s official website.

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REVIEW: Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & The Secret Key https://operationrainfall.com/2023/04/14/review-atelier-ryza-3-alchemist-of-the-end-the-secret-key/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-atelier-ryza-3-alchemist-of-the-end-the-secret-key#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-atelier-ryza-3-alchemist-of-the-end-the-secret-key https://operationrainfall.com/2023/04/14/review-atelier-ryza-3-alchemist-of-the-end-the-secret-key/#respond Fri, 14 Apr 2023 16:00:17 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=338274 Keys will open many doors!

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Title Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & The Secret Key Developer Koei Tecmo, Gust Publisher Koei Tecmo Release Date March 23rd, 2023 Genre RPG Platform PC, Switch, PlayStation 4 | 5 Age Rating Teen Official Website

I have always been a huge fan of the Atelier franchise, and I was very excited when Koei Tecmo announced the final chapter in the Atelier Ryza series. This is the first time they have ever kept the same Alchemist as the protagonist throughout an entire series, and with the title Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & The Secret Key, I just knew this was going to be a great conclusion. I’ve spent over 70 hours with the game and I’m ready to share my thoughts. Was this the epic ending I was hoping for or did it fall flat? Let’s find out!

Atelier Ryza 3 | World

The story begins as Ryza and her friends set out to investigate a new set of islands that have appeared near their hometown. These islands are dubbed the Kark Isles, and not knowing if these islands were a threat or not, they set out to explore them. They soon discover ruins with a huge gate. Just as Ryza approaches the gate she hears a voice in her head say to reach the Code of the Universe, and a strange key appears in her hand. The group will now set out on a new summer adventure that will lead to the very roots of Alchemy.

Atelier Ryza 3 | View

Overall I loved the story here. I’ve gotten to know these characters over the course of the previous two titles and seeing more of them was pure joy. Stories leftover from previous titles were wrapped up along the course of this story, and the new characters were a lot of fun as well. Dion is the hot headed youth who just wants to prove himself to his village. Him and Lent have some parallels, so seeing the two of them interact together was a lot of fun. The hardworking Federica is from the crafting city of Sardonica. There she is the deputy union head of the craftsman union. There are two factions there, glasswork and Fairystones, that are at odds with each other. Federica is caught in the middle as deputy union head and is trying to get the two sides to compromise. She learns a lot about the world on her adventures with Ryza and the others. She has some really cute moments thrown in here as well. Lastly we have a new Oren party member, the adorable Kala. Don’t let her small stature fool you, she is a very old lady with vast power and knowledge. She seems to have knowledge of both the gate and the “Code of the Universe.”

Atelier Ryza 3 | Sleep

Graphically, Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & The Secret Key is a slight step up from the last game. The models look a bit cleaner, and the PC version has more options for texture filtering. There is an issue with Depth of Field being too strong, and they did address this issue with a patch. I don’t know why anyone would ever use that. You buy hardware so games look good running at decent framerates, not to have everything look like it has gasoline rubbed on it. Anyway, the new environments are richly detailed and really give you a great sense of depth for each area. The character models look outstanding with tons of little details you will notice if you look close. The enemy models look great as well, though I do feel like they could throw in a few new types to spice up the action next time around. They did, however, do a great job on the boss monster models. They are big and badass and will make you wonder if you are gonna come out on top the minute you see them.

Atelier Ryza 3 | Ryza Attack

The soundtrack here is what you would expect from Gust. Every song here is done with quality and you will likely want to listen to them over and over again. The new battle themes are light and fluffy like the others in the series, and the overworld themes really get you into the mood to explore this vast world. The ending theme, “Travelers,” gives this crew a fantastic send off and is one of my favorite themes in the franchise already. The voice actors you know and love are back to reprise their roles and they do an amazing job. The game is only voiced in Japanese with no English dub, but I think this series just works better this way.

Atelier Ryza 3 | Federica

The gameplay here has changed a little from the last time around, but most of the basic combat and synthesis features are still here. Combat is still real time with the great combo system from the last game. They have added some new tactical moves that can be done, such as performing more combos and the new Key system is a big addition. You can extract keys from the enemies in combat. Their health will have to be at a certain level, and the type of key will depend on the blank key you used. These keys can be used for a variety of things: open doors on the field, during synthesis for bonuses, at certain gathering points and in combat for various buffs. As you would figure, the more rare the key is you created, the better the effects will be. Using ones with great effects during a battle you are struggling with can really turn the tide. Synthesis works exactly like it did the last time around, but using the keys can boost your items in various ways. This makes it easier to create some truly powerful gear, accessories or consumables quickly.

Atelier Ryza 3 | Patty Sword

This time around Gust has gone with an open world approach. You can basically explore each of the huge maps at will, barring making a few items here and there to progress. There are plenty of map markers on each map, so it’s not tedious to travel around using fast travel. These markers also help a lot in completing the various quests the game has to offer. There are a few different types of quests found in the game. Random quests pop up on the map all at once, and have you doing things like make X item or slay X group of enemies. You can totally ignore these if you wish, but they do offer some great rewards. Normal quests are exactly what you would expect and then there are the World Quests. These quests will offer a distinct story for each region and while the rewards are not as straightforward as the other quests, they do have a nice pay off.

Atelier Ryza | Boz

At the end of the day, Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & The Secret Key is everything I could’ve hoped for. It’s a fantastic end to this amazing series, the gameplay is fantastic and I love this cast almost as much as the Arland crew, which is quite a lot. I would love to see them revisit Ryza someday as she takes an apprentice just to see how things changed down the line. This game is worth every penny of the $59.99 price tag and I would highly suggest everyone check out all of Ryza’s titles. They are all amazing in their own ways, topped off by this truly amazing final chapter.

Review Score
Overallwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com

Game was provided by the publisher.

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STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN – Now on Steam https://operationrainfall.com/2023/04/06/stranger-of-paradise-final-fantasy-origin-on-steam/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=stranger-of-paradise-final-fantasy-origin-on-steam#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=stranger-of-paradise-final-fantasy-origin-on-steam https://operationrainfall.com/2023/04/06/stranger-of-paradise-final-fantasy-origin-on-steam/#respond Thu, 06 Apr 2023 17:21:51 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=338132 The game is also now available at a lower price across all of its platforms.

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E3 2021 | Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin

SQUARE ENIX has announced that STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN is now officially out on Steam. The press release also mentions that the game is now permanently available at a lower price across all platforms as well. Feel free to watch the game’s recap trailer over here and down below you’ll find some more info about the game from the latest press release.


In STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN, players can experience an alternate retelling of the classic FINAL FANTASY story, with a blend of challenging and strategic action-packed gameplay set in the world and lore of the beloved series.

Join Jack and his allies Ash, Jed, Neon and Sophia, as they throw open the gates of the Chaos Shrine and step into a world of dark fantasy and take on exhilarating battles to discover if they are truly the Warriors of Light the prophecy foretold.

Players can also enjoy three expansions for STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN. Players can access each of the expansions through the game’s Season Pass, which is included in the Digital Deluxe Edition.  Those who already have the Standard Edition of the game can purchase the Season Pass separately.

  • Jack and his allies must face new challenges in Trials of the Dragon King, which sees appearances from Bahamut, the king that rules over dragonkind, and the Warrior of Light, who fights to restore light to the crystals and save the world.

  • Wanderer of the Rift picks up the storyline from Trials of the Dragon King, in which players can pit Jack and his allies against Gilgamesh, the dimension traveling fan-favorite character from the FINAL FANTASY series.

  • DIFFERENT FUTURE sees Jack and company guided by the spirit of a moogle to reach a city in an alternate time and space to face one last challenge, concluding the STRANGER OF PARADISE storyline.

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Atelier Ryza 3 is Now Available https://operationrainfall.com/2023/03/24/atelier-ryza-3-is-now-available/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=atelier-ryza-3-is-now-available#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=atelier-ryza-3-is-now-available https://operationrainfall.com/2023/03/24/atelier-ryza-3-is-now-available/#respond Fri, 24 Mar 2023 17:17:17 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=337972 The game is available for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5 and PC via Steam.

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Atelier Ryza 3 | Official Logo Art

KOEI TECMO has announced that Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key is now officially available. The game can be purchased for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5 and PC via Steam. There is a Standard Edition of the game available both physically and digitally, in addition to both a Digital Deluxe Edition and Ultimate Edition. The press release states that the Digital Deluxe Edition includes the Another Look costume set, the Back to Summer costume set, Gem Packs and Key Packs. The Ultimate Edition comes with all of that plus, the Gust Collaboration costume set and the game’s Season Pass. Feel free to check out the brand new launch trailer down below and read a little bit more about Atelier Ryza 3 from the latest press release. Also, please look forward to our review of the game, we’ll have one out soon.

In Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key, lead writer Yashichiro Takahashi, who delivered the script for the original Atelier Ryza game, returns to the franchise to deliver an unforgettable third chapter in the Secret series, a chapter that follows fan-favorite alchemist, Reisalin Stout, and her mischievous friends a year after the events of 2021’s Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy. The latest summer escapade finds Ryza and friends enjoying their peaceful lives on Kurken Island when they hear news that a mysterious group of islands have appeared in nearby waters. It turns out that these islands, known as Kark Isles, are having a negative effect on their homeland, so Ryza and her friends quickly set out to investigate. But when their investigation leads to an enormous gate deep within strange ruins, Ryza hears a haunting voice in her head that wants to lead her to the ‘Code of the Universe’. Who is talking to her and what lies beyond the gate?

While uncovering the mysteries of Kark Isles, Ryza and her friends will explore four regions in a new “open field” – all explorable with seamless transitions as they set off discovering landmarks, hidden areas, wildlife, and even randomly occurring quests. The story progresses through encounters and discoveries in the field and even underwater as Ryza will be able to climb cliffs, zip line across the shore, and even summon a water beast to climb waterfalls! As players continues to explore the vast regions, their various discoveries will begin to tie in with the main story. Some wild animals can lead Ryza to treasure chests or provide materials, landmarks enable fast travel, and hidden areas in the field lead to unknown surprises!

Throughout the journey, Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key reunites players with characters from previous games, as well as making new friends pivotal to the story. A total of eleven party members will be featured in this latest entry, one of the largest rosters in series history! As Ryza and friends continue their quest, they will also find mysterious keys that will aid them on their adventure. There are various types of keys that can be found and created, useful for exploration, synthesis and battle. Each key has a different effect, so players will want to try experimenting with them as the keys to unlocking the island’s secrets are now in your hands.

If you’d like to know more about Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key, visit the game’s official website.

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REVIEW: Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty https://operationrainfall.com/2023/03/08/review-wo-long-fallen-dynasty/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-wo-long-fallen-dynasty#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-wo-long-fallen-dynasty https://operationrainfall.com/2023/03/08/review-wo-long-fallen-dynasty/#respond Wed, 08 Mar 2023 14:00:43 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=337670 Oh, I see a new warrior has stepped into the fray. Come, your Elixir Field is just what I needed.

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Title Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Developer Team Ninja, Koei Tecmo Publisher Koei Tecmo Release Date March 3, 2023 Genre Action RPG Platform PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S Age Rating Rated M for Mature Official Website

It really has been three years since Nioh 2‘s release, hasn’t it? Time seems to fly when suddenly Team Ninja’s next escapade just released in the form of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. This time, rather than building on the foundation they set with their previous dark fantasy titles, we are back to a fresh start. Cutting down on some of the random loot elements as well as iconic stance system, Wo Long aims to mimic that acrobatic and skillful feel of Chinese martial arts. Coupled with magic, the player will deflect enemy attacks in order to survive against both warriors and demons.

The story follows the main protagonist, an unknown militia soldier during the Yellow Turban Rebellion. After suffering a grievous wound, they are mended back to health by a blindfolded boy  they just rescued. From there, they cut down bandits and demons before defeating Zhang Lang, one of the leaders behind the rebellion. However, before they can escape from the battlefield, the blindfolded boy’s divine beast is stolen by the Taoist in Black, seemingly killing both him and knocking the protagonist into the river. After regaining consciousness, the protagonist goes on ahead, meeting many of the officers of the era and teaming up with them to destroy the Taoist in Black’s machinations.

From here, the game plays around the events that both historically happened and were added in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel, such as detailing how Zhang Jiao’s wizardry stems from the misuse of elixir and qi and the events behind the imperial seal being found by Sun Jian. In turn, even if you are familiar with both the novel and history, there are some great takes for the purposes of the story. Just like Nioh, Team Ninja tries to paint most historical figures in a more positive light with a couple exceptions, like with Dong Zhuo. After all, the overall idea is how most of the officers want to rebuild peace so the people can be safe and sound. I still share similar sentiments with the silent protagonist in this title like in Nioh 2’s though, where I wish they had more emotional engagement.

Wo Long | Fires of Luoyang

As for the actual gameplay, this is where Team Ninja made numerous changes. The version of stamina here is spirit, where you don’t lose any by throwing out normal attacks. Instead, you start at neutral spirit, usually gaining positive spirit by connecting normal attacks and deflecting successfully. Deflecting is like an initial dodge, though attacks connecting with your invulnerability frames neutralize them entirely. Hitting the deflect action swiftly again will cause you to initiate a proper dodge, used to create distance from the enemy. You can even deflect via a dedicated weapon switch that can neutralize attacks, though, in my experience, the window for this is much smaller.

In contrast to gaining spirit, you lose spirit by using martial arts, wizardry spells, or deflecting without neutralizing an attack. These can bring your spirit into the negative, where once the negative spirit side of the bar is full, the next attack you block or get hit by will put you in a winded state. These same rules apply to opponents, where if they are winded you can do a fatal strike for massive damage. If you have positive spirit, you can use all of it in a spirit attack, akin to a strong attack in Nioh, where it gains hyper armor, inflicts a large amount of max spirit damage on enemies, and even becomes unblockable. Using spirit this way also applies to fatal strikes, causing them to do even more damage. Even if you don’t have any positive spirit, martial arts are unblockable for enemies.

In order to encourage the usage of deflect, all opponents have access to critical strikes that are unblockable but if deflected, you cause a large amount of spirit damage, both immediate and max, as well as gain a moderate amount of spirit. If you apply an element enough, you also stagger and inflict spirit damage as well. While you do a decent amount of damage via normal and spirit attacks, the depletion of enemy spirit is the primary way to cause damage in the game, due to how much punishment fatal strikes do. In turn, combat turns into a game about managing spirit, both for the player and the enemies.

Wo Long | Fatal Strike animation

For other changes to the formula, the player can now jump in order to scale the environment. There is a surprising amount of exploration to be had in the levels, thanks to the increased amount of verticality. Due to the ability to also perform fatal strikes on enemies that have not detected the player either from behind or above, you can tackle situations as you see fit. Funnily enough, the double jump’s kick has a non-damaging hitbox, increasing the utility of the jump even further. Stretched across the level, there are spots to place major and minor battle flags in order to mark your progress.

In addition, placing battle flags and defeating enemies raises your morale up to 25. Overall, this applies when your morale and an enemy’s morale has a significant difference between the two. The higher the difference, the more statistics like damage and spirit damage are impacted. Typically, this is used to soft-gate pathways or bonus loot. If you explore most of the level, you will actually have significantly higher morale than most enemies. Even bosses have their morale capped at 20.

As for what there is to find in these levels, it really is only the battle flags, side quests that relate to the hermits of Tianzhu, and a placid panda-like demon that you drop equipment at to get an accessory. Otherwise, you are mainly finding equipment and consumables, as well as defeating enemies to gain genuine qi, which is effectively experience. Considering the actual level design, it would be nice if there was slightly more to find; however, it’s also inoffensive as to not be an issue. It helps that the weight on the influence of item rarity has been decreased. Equipment base stats are no longer influenced by rarity, only the amount of special properties they hold.

Wo Long | Zoom-out of Tianzhushan

Character progression also received some changes. Truncated down to five primary stats, you have wood, fire, metal, earth, and water, the five aspects of Taoism. Each stat has particular secondary stats it affects, such as fire decreasing the amount of spirit martial arts use. Investing into stats also unlocks more of their respective wizardry spells. These spells provide buffs, area of effect, and more. Wizardry also has a negation side system where one element beats another, thereby neutralizing their effects. This isn’t something to plan around but is an extra layer to the game. There are also the divine beasts, gained at certain points in the story. These are similar to guardian spirits in Nioh, providing passive bonuses. Once their gauge is full, you can unleash your divine beast to rapidly apply an element and do significant damage, along with a lingering form of their element. Alternatively, you can also unleash your beast to provide a passive buff for you and your allies that cannot be neutralized, as well as imbue your weapon with their element.

So, I mentioned martial arts. How does one even get them? Well, they aren’t tied to stats. They aren’t even tied to a skill tree, which has been done away with barring the basic tree for wizardry spells. No, they are tied to weapon drops — as in they are random in what you get. Many specific weapons do get their unique martial art, particularly those that belong to the sets of other characters. Barring that, you don’t get a choice in what you get. Thanks to the fact that you get, at most, two of them at a time based on item rarity, this means the player’s moveset is lacking, to say the least. One chain of attacks, two spirit attacks for doing a spirit attack by itself or cancelling a normal into a spirit attack, four wizardry spells at most, and two martial arts. This isn’t a lot to work around with, so barring spells, character progression begins to stagnate significantly after a certain point.

This isn’t like Nioh’s extensive amount of moves per weapon type, all of which is tied into three stances or even stowed away. Sure, you can still equip two melee weapons, but that only means you have an extra attack set and two other martial arts. It doesn’t help that weapon types can pull from the same pool of martial arts, like with the polearms, dual weapons, and single swords. Combined with the inability to cancel martial arts or wizardry spells regularly at any point in the animation, this can make any attack with a long duration unappealing, limiting the desirable pool even more. Having played a vast majority of the game already, this is the biggest part that sticks out to me. In Nioh 2 and even Final Fantasy Origin: Strangers of Paradise, you are able to use commonly accessed resources in order to cancel all of your attacks and chain them further. This made moves with longer durations more appealing to use, as you can minimize the risk behind using them, especially if you space well. In general, it also allowed you to have a more defined kit.

Wo Long | Fatal!

While Wo Long does have martial arts that have utility like an attack that then sends you flying back to create distance, the fact you are only allowed to have so few limits the skill ceiling. The skill ceiling’s limit is also apparent since there is not a single attack in the game you can’t deflect. You can deflect everything, even though you can’t block everything. As such, the mental stack becomes surprisingly minimal, basically only looking out for critical strikes or attacks that might break your guard due to spirit loss. It isn’t like Sekiro where there are some attacks you cannot deflect, instead having to either avoid or stomp the opponent’s weapon to destabilize them further. It’s why in my experience I haven’t used the jump’s ability to avoid attacks or affect enemies since there really is no reason to. The award for deflecting is gaining spirit and a slight amount of spirit damage to the enemy. As such, I’m practically only encouraged to use that exclusively for defensive purposes barring combining it with blocking for option selecting.

In retrospect, I wonder if this is a compromise to make PvP manageable. Invasions are implemented, most likely thanks to one of the producers being from Bloodborne. Nioh 1 had PvP after an update, but due to the combat system not being designed around it initially, there was genuine insanity when it came down to it. You can even turn off invasions, just like Bloodborne. I do believe this is an aspect best done away with, as Team Ninja’s action RPGs are at their best when the skill ceiling is fairly high. It doesn’t help that humans and demons operate under the same spirit mechanics, unlike Nioh where yokai ki was actually different from normal. In Nioh 2 specifically, once a yokai’s ki was depleted, they were staggerable from all attacks, only going down once their full ki gauge was reduced to nothing via yokai skills in order to be grappled. This was coupled with the confusion status that prevented a yokai from recovering their ki at all while in effect. Due to the lack of both such things, you are forced to go back to neutral after a fatal strike to just repeat the process again.

It’s telling since in Nioh, even though there were unblockables there as well, there was more to look out for. Due to the fact that a dodge couldn’t neutralize an attack entirely, you were encouraged to position yourself to just get out of the way of very active attacks. This in turn made you care enough about spacing and positioning in order to really optimize your gameplay. Coupled with yokai skills in Nioh 2 that made you invulnerable to grabs during the animation, you had a decent response pool for defensive purposes. Here, while defense is stronger, it is monopolized by one action. It got to the point where once I unlocked more side missions that had you fight the other officers, I started to just deflect their critical strikes towards victory, especially when it involved two on one or even three on one fights. It doesn’t help that I really only died in boss fights due to critical strikes, since many of them have strong tracking, large area of effect, or even both. As such, unless your dodge afterwards saves you, it becomes deflect or take a large amount of damage.

Wo Long | Successful deflect

To be fair, it does remind me of Nioh 1 in a number of ways; inability to use a resource to cancel anything beyond normal attacks, basically only two defensive options in the form of dodging and block, which was often combined anyway, and longer duration attacks being harder to use were all flaws in the original game. I wouldn’t be surprised they adjusted a lot of the issues in another game styled like Wo Long. If anything, the best of both worlds seems easily achievable thanks to having the blueprints already available. While it is possible to cancel normal attacks into martial arts or Wizardry spells as well, I would like if there was some way to cancel martial arts or spells at any point of the animation using a resource.

For other aspects of the game, the character creator was fine tuned even more. It essentially keeps everything from Nioh 2 but it hosts more options to subtly tweak things. UI is also relatively good; everything was placed well and large enough to easily recognize on a peripheral glance. The gauge for divine beasts can be easy to forget but once full, it glows exceptionally bright so you know it is available regardless. My only issue with the UI is that, unlike previous games, consumable items are displayed one at a time. As such, instead of having four mapped to four buttons like a D-pad, you have to switch between them one by one. That said, it was nice to have two separate slots for throwing weapons in addition to your two ranged weapons, where the extra utility is appreciated.

Graphically speaking, it is a bit better than previous games in Team Ninja’s action RPG line up. Character and demon models look even sharper, where even props seemed to have been touched up. Animations, from the looks of it, seem to be rigged better, with less snapping into place, despite different body sizes. Some specific animations I prefer in earlier titles, like the running animation, but that comes down to taste. Overall, it is nice to see the studio’s animation department is still in top form.

Wo Long | Critical Strike deflect

What did get a significant glow up was the game audio. Sound effects are even cleaner than ever before, with a distinct punch at that. Deflect is rewarding by the sound alone, you can hear the impact upon a blocked attack, and demon groans and roars exude the menace they should exhibit. The soundtrack was also quite enjoyable, reaching many of the same heights in previous titles. They have moved away from the more subdued tracks used for outside of combat for more distinct area themes. I prefer these personally, but Nioh 1 and 2‘s ambient music was something that should be recognized as well. Music used for combat is as great as ever, however, really putting into place the scale of battle that takes place. In terms of voice-acting, they have included three languages: Japanese, English, and Chinese. The option for Chinese was actually very nice, due to the setting.

However, on PC the engine runs somewhat chunky. I am not sure why but it seems to only default to low spec settings after launching the game despite my machine being able to handle it. At high settings, there were instances of shadows flickering in and out and even the program shutting down. Even at low settings, a small amount of subtle shadow flickering happened and has closed while loading between stages. It’s odd to me since both PC releases for Nioh 1 and 2 were perfectly fine, even if they came out later. Apparently, mouse control is also broken on PC, though I do believe this game is played best on a gamepad regardless. The console release will most likely be best until further notice.

Otherwise, the game runs very well. In my experience, there was only one oddity that happened after vaulting over a ledge, where my character got stuck behind a shelf. Even then, it was easy to get out. There weren’t even any quirks in regards to the system itself. From the looks of it, every aspect of the game essentially operates as intended, barring the PC specific issues. Considering the tendency for games to have a fair share of noticeable bugs and glitches, this is quite an achievement. It definitely helps the game had testing from both the studio and public thanks to the pre-release demos meant to refine the game.

Wo Long | Main stats

Overall, I am in a very strange spot with Wo Long. I wouldn’t be surprised that most of my comments about the game are not something to be concerned about for a vast majority of players. After all, the skill floor has been raised, even if the skill ceiling has been lowered. In turn, you would have had to play Nioh 2 at a sufficient enough level to even notice some subtle differences. This is the main thing that would cause my viewpoint to differ from most, since I loved the nuance with the stance and ki game systems. As such, I personally felt underwhelmed in a game that wasn’t, strangely enough, disappointing.

As such, I will put it like this. If you are looking for a game for that feeling of martial arts and feeling untouchable once you get deflection down, this is the game for you. Even if you like to have games with nuanced use of game mechanics and deep character building, the combat feel of Wo Long is still something it does exceptionally well. If nothing else, this is a good way to branch out into the older titles, despite it having a higher floor to overcome. At full price or not, it is hard to not at least respect what the developers offered.

Review Score
Overallwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com

Review copy provided by the publisher.

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