Following the special episode of Persona 5: The Animation titled "Stars and Ours," developer Atlus revealed just a tiny bit more of the mysterious game Persona 5R. A trailer, which you can watch below, confirmed that the PS4 game is actually called Persona 5 The Royal.While further details on what the game is weren’t provided, Atlus has teased that more will be revealed on April 24 during the live concert event Persona Super Live 2019. Based on previous Persona releases, and the trailer, we suspect Persona 5 The Royal will be a kind of Game of the Year edition that features some additional content.The trailer for Persona 5 The Royale is focused on a new female character who is a student at Shujin Academy, the school where most of the main cast are also enrolled. At the start of the trailer she’s asked by what she thinks about the Phantom Thieves, the vigilante group the player controls in the game. She indicates that she doesn’t entirely approve of them.It is likely that this new character will be the focus of the new content. Atlus likes to throw in something new for its re-releases and, as previously seen with Persona 3 FES and Persona 4 Golden, it’s usually quite substantial. We‘ve got our fingers crossed for a new Palace as well the character and accompanying storyline.In GameSpot’s Persona 5 review, Lucy James awarded it a 9/10. “Within Persona 5 is a complex set of interconnected gameplay mechanics, and in almost every aspect Atlus has executed on its vision exceptionally, barring the pacing issues towards the end,” she said.”At every turn, it presents something to marvel at, whether it's the fluid combat, vibrant world, or the many memorable characters. It's a game I could talk about for hours; I haven't mentioned the ability to connect to the Thieves Guild, which lets you see how other players spent their day or ask them for help answering questions at school. Or the thumping acid-jazz-infused soundtrack that I've not been able to get out of my head. Or even just the joy of seeing how it stylishly transitions between menus.But that encapsulates why Persona 5 is a game that shouldn't be missed. It's stuffed to bursting point with gameplay ideas and presentation flourishes--there's an overwhelming level of artistry in every part of Persona 5, making it a truly standout entry in the series. It's a refined, effortlessly stylish RPG that will be talked about for years to come.”Info from Gamespot.com

After several teases on online, Paradox Interactive and Hardsuit Labs have finally revealed Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, the sequel to the original 2004 RPG. With Bloodlines 2, releasing in 2020 for PC and consoles, several key members from the former studio Troika Games, along with some new blood at Hardsuit Labs, are looking to pick up where the bleak yet off-the-wall original left off. Just before its reveal, we had the chance to get an early look at GDC 2019, while also speaking with Bloodlines 2 lead narrative designer Brian Mitsoda and senior writer Cara Ellison about the making of the sequel.As an adaptation of the table-top game series from White Wolf Publishing, the first Bloodlines focused on the shadowy underworld of Vampire society in modern-day Los Angeles. Starting out as a newly converted vampire, you were drawn into centuries-long quarrels amongst elite vampires, all the while coming to grips with your new and unusual circumstances. While much of the first game hasn't aged too well, its in-depth role-playing and social gameplay are enduring achievements. Showing shades of immersive-sims like Deus Ex and System Shock, it possessed an impressive amount of complexity with how you could use your vampiric abilities to navigate the complex web of conspiracies within the secret society.The game's original developers, Troika Games, drafted up concepts for a follow-up, however, low sales and a lack of projects after Bloodlines' launch forced the closure of the studio. In the years since its release, a dedicated online community has kept the game active, slowly turning the obscure PC RPG into an underground hit.Echoing the beginning of the original game, the new protagonist of Bloodlines 2 is suddenly thrust into their new life as a vampire. Taking place in the city of Seattle, the new fledgling faces a tribunal held by the Camarilla--the union of different vampire factions. Recalling their final moments alive, and subsequent rebirth at the hands of another vampire, the meeting comes under attack, forcing you to make a quick exit. From here, you'll slowly work your way up the Vampire hierarchy, dealing with returning factions like the Tremere, and embrace your newfound life as a creature of the night.For the sequel, the developers expressed that they wanted to maintain the same level of agency and detail from the previous game, while also focusing more on the strange and lesser-known aspects of living a new life as a vampire. This on-boarding process, as seen in the opening of the game, also highlights the new abilities that come with being a Vampire. In addition to taking on different disciplines, you'll also have a suite of vampire skills to use, such as levitation, telekinesis, and even a mist-form--allowing you to pass through objects. Eventually, you'll be able to unlock access to higher-end abilities, like conjuring up sharp objects made of blood and slowing down time to easily evade enemies.During the demo, Mitsoda--who served as the lead writer on the original game--talked about bringing the series back after 15 years, and how they wanted to make it accessible for fans and newcomers."There's something exciting about the player discovering this world that is right under our noses," said Mitsoda as he elaborated on the world building of the game. "A big part of what we wanted to do with Bloodlines 2 is to make sure that people who are fans of the first one will immediately feel like, "This is Bloodlines. This feels like Bloodlines." Then the people who are coming into it fresh are going to going to have the same feelings of what is this all about? I'm a vampire. What do I do now? So, we want people to go out there with the expectations of they don't know anything now, but they're going to be discovering everything that's going on in Seattle."Just like in Bloodlines 1, you'll be able to freely explore various open hubs and far away locations while tackling missions with other key-characters. In addition to exploring locations like Pioneer Square, Pier 55, and other areas of downtown Seattle, you'll follow leads into the city's underground ruins. These sections are said to be inspired by the real-life locations that were paved over after intense fires during 1889, and the ruins house a number secrets pertaining to the lost history of Seattle, and how vampires played a part in it.According to the developers, Bloodlines 2 will shed light on the various vampire cultures and their power structures. Just like in the original game, the sequel also leans heavy on socializing. You're often pushed into high-pressure situations with humans and vampires alike, where you'll need to make a choice that could compromise relationships. Siding with one faction can put you at odds with another. However, you're totally free to break away from a side at any time. These social situations can also highlight the mundanity of living life as a Vampire. Shortly after making it back to your apartment, you encounter a fellow vampire named Dale, who volunteers to be your information broker and to help with your transition. It was an oddly relaxed conversation--especially considering this came after surviving several attacks from humans and other undead.While explaining their approach to balancing the absurdity of vampirism with the more grotesque aspects of being undead, senior writer Cara Ellison spoke about what it was like working on the game's tone, and how humor is a bit of a coping mechanism for the vampires in Bloodlines."I'm kind of in charge of looking at the game as almost like vampire puberty, like where it's a transition from leaving humanity behind," Ellison said. "I think you might be surprised at how funny it is to be a vampire, in a weird way. It's quite a dark game, but we manage to show it as an absurd existence, and you might encounter some people who were weathering their situation in an interesting or maybe in a slightly dark and humorous way. That really connects to me, because I'm British. Everything bad is funny to us, like Brexit is weirdly funny. [...]There's a lot of complexity in there to explore. It's pretty fun to write."Since you're a vampire, handling your business and exploring the city--even in the evening--can be a challenge. This is where the series' signature Masquerade gameplay comes in. According to series lore, The Masquerade is a code of conduct that vampires must follow in order to prevent exposing their existence to humanity. Though you are a vampire, you still look normal enough to pass as human while in public. However, when you use your supernatural powers in front of unsuspecting humans, you'll break the Masquerade and draw attention to yourself and to the larger vampire society. Police and common criminals can still pose a threat, however, and causing too much havoc will alert elite vampires that will hunt you down.Bloodlines 2 carries over the complexity of the original game, allowing you to overcome obstacles and events in different ways by using your vampiric skills or social charms--like seduction, for instance. However, there will come a time where you'll need to defend yourself, which includes several conventional weapons and supernatural abilities. In one section taking place in a back ally in Pioneer Square, there's an opportunity to break up an attempted mugging. While watching this bit of gameplay, we saw the main character use several of these skills one after another. First, they used their heightened senses to highlight the key targets, and took advantage of their heightened physicality to make high-jumps across the roofs to get into position and perform a series of takedowns on the unsuspecting muggers.Though you'll have plenty of tools to use, melee combat will have a larger focus, which the developers stated is something they wanted to improve from the original. During combat, you'll be able to launch pre-emptive strikes against human enemies, and even counter their attack with instant-kills that will drain their blood. Blood is a resource that you'll constantly need to keep track of, powering your various abilities. While it's not possible to do a no-kill run through the game--you still have to feed after all--the developers stated that you can play as a "humane" vampire to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.How you advance your character can set the tone for what's to come. This even comes into play by the type of human blood you feed on. If targets are angry, especially during a combat encounter, then you'll feed on blood filled with anger resonance. If they're frightened, then they'll be highlighted with the fear resonance. Feeding on a specific type of blood for too long will have you favor a particular type, opening up access to certain skills. But if you choose to forego your humanity, and kill indiscriminately for too long, your character will dip further into the vampiric-side. According to the developers, if this happens, your character's social skills will be affected, making certain situations--like socializing or going out in public--more difficult, but inversely, you can acquire more vampiric abilities as a result.Some of my favorite moments from the previous game where seeing just how far you could push social or combat situations in your favor. Though often times they didn't work out in ways that I intended, I ended appreciating the events that occurred, most of which was very odd. From this early look, Bloodlines 2 looks to be a faithful restart for the series, keeping up the adaptive, and incredibly bizarre storytelling. It'll be interesting to see what passes for strange in the eyes of the developers, fifteen years after the original game's release.Info from Gamespot.com

Shazam isn't the first DCEU movie that's enjoyable, but it's arguably the first one that's truly good. I recognize in retrospect that my positive take on 2017's Justice League put me in the minority, but even if you don't count that big team-up, the DC film universe has been steadily rising in quality, from the decent Wonder Woman to the goofy, fun Aquaman. Director David Sandberg's Shazam is the first movie in this shared cinematic universe with which I honestly have no major gripes--it's just a good movie, whether or not you're a fan of DC's often gritty, dark films, or have any idea who or what Shazam is. Shazam is a movie for everybody, and it's great.Shazam is the story of Billy Batson, a troubled orphan with a heart of gold who's granted magic powers by an ancient wizard. By saying the word "Shazam," Billy (Asher Angel) can transform into a full grown adult (Zachary Levi) with the combined powers of Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury. I won't spoil what those powers are, because several of the movie's best scenes are spent with Billy and his foster brother Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) as they experiment to find out exactly what Shazam is capable of. Naturally, because it's 2019, this also involves the hero becoming a YouTube sensation, even as Freddy and Billy struggle to come up with a superhero name that sticks (highlights include "Zaptain America," "Captain Sparklefingers," and "Mr. Philadelphia," among many others).There's been humor in DC movies before, including in Justice League (remember Aquaman sitting on Wonder Woman's lasso?) and Aquaman itself. But Shazam is the DCEU's first full-on comedy, and it's incredibly funny. A lot of the humor comes from Zach Levi's performance as a teenager who suddenly finds himself in an adult body. One of the first things he and Freddy do is buy beer--basically, they act exactly how you'd expect them to, and the movie doesn't shy away from what teenage boys would do in this situation. Comparisons to the 1988 Tom Hanks movie Big aren't just warranted, they're inevitable--but Shazam fully leans into it, making nods to the classic while carving its own path.It takes a ton of inspiration from the comics, as well, and embraces its roots rather than trying to make everything grimly realistic. The wizard is a wizard, with flowing robes and tangled grey beard. It's silly, but the movie also has a 1980s Spielbergian adventure vibe--think Goonies, Labyrinth, or Neverending Story. It owns its campiness so confidently that the significant amount of Shazam mythology it occasionally info-dumps on you goes down fairly easily. It helps that Shazam is occasionally anchored by references to other DC superheroes in the live action universe, most notably Batman and Superman. Shazam definitely exists in the same space as the relative heavy hitters that have come before, but their presence in this world is handled in a natural way that doesn't feel shoehorned in. The other thing anchoring Shazam's often cartoonish world is the diverse cast of characters, all of whom you'll come to love by the end. Billy winds up at a foster home--one in a succession of many--also inhabited by Freddy, as well as Darla (Faithe Herman), Pedro (Jovan Armand), Mary (Grace Fulton), and Eugene (Ian Chen). These foster siblings are fleshed out to various degrees, and by the end you'll be rooting for all of them--not to mention foster parents Rosa (Marta Milans) and Victor (Cooper Andrews), both of whom have some funny and touching moments. Shazam has a great message about family, while also being a dope superhero movie, striking an impressive balance.Mark Strong plays Dr. Sivana, a classic Shazam villain and a great choice for the big screen. The movie very smartly begins with a cold open from Strong's perspective, injecting a small touch of empathy to what could otherwise have been a very black and white villain. He's a jerk, for sure, but throughout the movie you'll at least understand where he's coming from and why he is the way he is. Shazam is insanely packed with references to DC comics, movies, and characters. But the movie seems to genuinely love not just its own source material, but all nerdy corners of pop culture. Eugene is introduced with a gaming headset semi-permanently stuck to his head, and the young character makes tons of video game references, all of which land--at one point he shows up for a fight armed with a PlayStation Move gun controller, and at another he makes a hilarious Watch Dogs joke. It's the kind of thing non-gamers might have to lean over and ask their friends about, but that attention to detail also makes the dialogue and characters ring true, and the gamers in the audience likely won't mind explaining.Shazam is the first DC movie that seems genuinely confident in its world and tone, with no major missteps of which to speak. It's fun, heartfelt, funny, genuine, and surprising, while staying true to its origins and embracing what makes it great. It makes no attempts to be something other than what it is--a goofy, fun superhero coming-of-age story--and as a result it's a movie anyone can enjoy. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come in the DC extended universe.The GoodThe BadZach Levi ably embodies a teenage boyOccasionally verges on cheesyEmbraces its roots as a comic book movie Balances humor, heart, and action Great surprises throughout Lovable cast and characters Info from Gamespot.com

One of the big announcements that Apple could make during its reveal event on Monday is a new video game service. According to Bloomberg, Apple is creating a "premium games subscription" service for the App Store. Unlike the recently announced Google Stadia, or PlayStation Now and Microsoft's xCloud, Apple's service is not cloud-based.Instead, it will focus on iPhones and iPads and bundle together paid games from different developers that consumers can access for a monthly fee," Bloomberg reported.One source said Apple will pay developers based on how much time users spend playing their title. The report goes on to claim that the service would only feature paid games, not free-to-play titles. The report also says the service may not be announced on Monday, but instead during its developer conference in June. That timing would be intriguing, as it's just before E3.According to analyst Serkan Toto, this kind of package offering is already available in Japan. He also points out that, if free-to-play games are indeed excluded, then Nintendo's upcoming Mario Kart Tour wouldn't be eligible. As you may recall, Apple partnered with Nintendo in a big way to promote and release the free-to-play Mario game Super Mario Run.Problem is: if the article is to be believed, F2P content is excluded.For Mario Kart Tour, both Nintendo and DeNA confirmed (not only one time) it will not be a paid game.Let's see. — Dr. Serkan Toto (Kantan Games Inc.) (@serkantoto) March 23, 2019Go to Bloomberg to get the full story.An earlier report suggested the March 25 Apple news conference will include the formal reveal of Apple's plans for its own Netflix-style TV streaming service. All should become clear soon.Info from Gamespot.com

Today at Day 2 of the Final Fantasy Fan Festival in Tokyo, Square Enix made a series of announcements about Final Fantasy XIV Online, including the start-date for the game's crossover event with Final Fantasy XV.The crossover event, which was announced previously, is called A Nocturne For Heroes, and it begins April 16. This news was confirmed during a behind-the-scenes "Letter From the Producer" event featuring producer Naoki Yoshida. The event brings a number of Final Fantasy XV gear and items to FFXIV, including the game's first-ever four-player mount. You guessed it, the mount is the Regalia, which is the car the main characters drive in FFXV. The other items include FFXV-themed gear and a hairstyle from the game.The #FFXV collaboration event, A Nocturne for Heroes, begins on Tuesday, April 16! #FFXIVEarn gear, a hairstyle, and the first-ever four-player mount, the Regalia! 🎁 pic.twitter.com/7rcSO48BcM — FINAL FANTASY XIV (@FF_XIV_EN) March 24, 2019In other news, Square Enix confirmed that Final Fantasy XIV patch 4.56, which is called "A Requiem for Heroes Part 2," will launch very soon--it's due out Tuesday, March 26. Coming after that is Patch 4.57, which adds the new World Visit system, and it's launching on April 23. You can see a full schedule of important dates in the graphic below, which covers all the big proceedings leading up to the release of Shadowbringers on July 2 (or June 28 with Early Access):Presenting the release schedule leading up to the launch of Shadowbringers on July 2! #FFXIV pic.twitter.com/1vqZU0VDiX — FINAL FANTASY XIV (@FF_XIV_EN) March 24, 2019Yoshida and main scenario writer/world lore creator Banri Oda answered a series of fan questions during the panel covering a range of topics. You can re-watch the panel here on Twitch.Fan Fest Day 1 yesterday brought a lot of big news as well, including the next race for Shadowbringers, a new raid, more screenshots, and a fresh trailer--get all the details here. Keep checking back with GameSpot for more from Fan Fest today and Monday, including a gallery of some of the best cosplay we've seen. Disclosure: Square Enix paid for GameSpot's flight to Tokyo and accomodations.Info from Gamespot.com

A movie version of the Japanese TV show "Dad of Light," which tells the story of a father and son who rebuild their relationship thanks to Final Fantasy XIV, is in the works for Japan.We're pleased to announce a movie version of "Dad of Light" will be coming to theatres in Japan! #FFXIV pic.twitter.com/8GqBhS5YuT — FINAL FANTASY XIV (@FF_XIV_EN) March 24, 2019Announced at Day 2 of the Final Fantasy Fan Festival here in Tokyo, the movie is coming to Japanese theatres, but there is no word on if it'll be distributed internationally.The show premiered in April 2017, and it's available now on American Netflix if you're interested in checking out the well-received drama. The story was inspired by real-life events.The actor who played the father, Ren Osugi, passed away in February 2018. In the movie, he's being played by actor Kotaro Yoshida. More to come...Disclosure: Square Enix paid for GameSpot's flight to Tokyo and accomodation.Info from Gamespot.com

The next character for Final Fantasy fighting game Final Fantasy Dissidia NT has been announced. Revealed at the Final Fantasy Fan Festival in Tokyo today, the character Zenos is coming to the PlayStation 4 and PC fighting game starting later this month.Zenos will be available first for Final Fantasy Dissidia in Japanese arcades starting March 26, while the character is coming to the PlayStation 4 and Steam editions on April 11. People attending the Fan Fest this weekend in Tokyo can have a first crack at playing Zenos.Zenos is the main antagonist from Final Fantasy XIV: Online's expansion, Stormblood.More to come...Disclosure: Square Enix paid for GameSpot's flight to Tokyo and accomodation.Info from Gamespot.com

After many teases on social media, Paradox Interactive and Hardsuit Labs have finally revealed Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, the sequel to the original 2004 RPG. With Bloodlines 2, releasing in 2020 for PC and consoles, several key members from the former studio Troika Games, along with some new blood at Hardsuit Labs, are looking to pick up where the bleak yet off-the-wall original left off. Just before its reveal, we had the chance to get an early look, while also speaking with Bloodlines 2 lead narrative designer Brian Mitsoda and senior writer Cara Ellison about the making of the sequel.As an adaptation of the table-top game series from White Wolf Publishing, the first Bloodlines focused on the shadowy underworld of Vampire society in modern-day Los Angeles. Starting out as a newly converted vampire, you were drawn into centuries-long quarrels amongst elite vampires, all the while coming to grips with your new and unusual circumstances. While much of the first game hasn't aged too well, its in-depth role-playing and social gameplay are enduring achievements. Showing shades of immersive-sims like Deus Ex and System Shock, it possessed an impressive amount of complexity with how you could use your vampiric abilities to navigate the complex web of conspiracies within the secret society.The game's original developers, Troika Games, drafted up concepts for a follow-up, however, low sales and a lack of projects after Bloodlines' launch forced the closure of the studio. In the years since its release, a dedicated online community has kept the game active, slowly turning the obscure PC RPG into an underground hit.Showing similar shades to the original game, the new protagonist of Bloodlines 2 is suddenly thrust into their new life as a vampire. Taking place in the city of Seattle, the new fledgling faces a tribunal held by the Camarilla--the union of different vampire factions. Recalling their final moments alive, and subsequent rebirth at the hands of another vampire, the meeting comes under attack, forcing you to make a quick exit. From here, you'll slowly work your way up the Vampire hierarchy, dealing with returning factions like the Tremere, and embrace your newfound life as a creature of the night.For the sequel, the developers expressed that they wanted to maintain the same level of agency and detail from the previous game, while also focusing more on the strange and lesser-known details of living a new life as a vampire. This on-boarding process, as seen in the opening of the game, also highlights the new abilities that come with being a Vampire. In addition to taking on different disciplines, you'll also have a suite of vampire skills to use, such as levitation, telekinesis, and even a mist-form--allowing you to pass through objects. Eventually, you'll be able to unlock access to higher-end abilities, like conjuring up sharp objects made of blood and slowing down time to easily evade enemies.During the demo, Mitsoda--who served as the lead writer on the original game--talked about bringing the series back after 15 years, and how they wanted to make it accessible for fans and newcomers."There's something exciting about the player discovering this world that is right under our noses," said Mitsoda as he elaborated on the world building of the game. "A big part of what we wanted to do with Bloodlines 2 is to make sure that people who are fans of the first one will immediately feel like, "This is Bloodlines. This feels like Bloodlines." Then the people who are coming into it fresh are going to going to have the same feelings of what is this all about? I'm a vampire. What do I do now? So, we want people to go out there with the expectations of they don't know anything now, but they're going to be discovering everything that's going on in Seattle.Just like in Bloodlines 1, you'll be able to freely explore various open hubs and far away locations while tackling missions with other key-characters. In addition to exploring locations like Pioneer Square, Pier 55, and other areas of downtown Seattle, you'll follow leads into the city's underground ruins. These sections are said to be inspired by the real-life locations that were paved over after intense fires during 1889, and the ruins house a number secrets pertaining to the lost history of Seattle, and how vampires played a part in it.According to the developers, Bloodlines 2 will shed light on the various vampire cultures and their power structures. Just like in the original game, the sequel also leans heavy on socializing. You're often pushed into high-pressure situations with humans and vampires alike, where you'll need to make a choice that could compromise relationships. Siding with one faction can put you at odds with another. However, you're totally free to break away from a side at anytime. These social situations can also highlight the mundanity of living life as a Vampire. Shortly after making it back to your apartment, you encounter a fellow vampire named Dale, who volunteers to be your information broker and to help with your transition. It was an oddly relaxed conversation--especially considering this came after surviving several attacks from humans and other undead.While explaining their approach to balancing the absurdity of vampirism with the more grotesque aspects of being undead, senior writer Cara Ellison spoke about what it was like working on the game's tone, and how humor is a bit of a coping mechanism for the vampires in Bloodlines."I'm kind of in charge of looking at the game as almost like vampire puberty, like where it's a transition from leaving humanity behind," Ellison said. "I think you might be surprised at how funny it is to be a vampire, in a weird way. It's quite a dark game, but we manage to show it as an absurd existence, and you might encounter some people who were weathering their situation in an interesting or maybe in a slightly dark and humorous way. That really connects to me, because I'm British. Everything bad is funny to us, like Brexit is weirdly funny. [...]There's a lot of complexity in there to explore. It's pretty fun to write."Since you're a vampire, handling your business and exploring the city--even in the evening--can be a challenge. This is where the series' signature Masquerade gameplay comes in. According to series lore, The Masquerade is a code of conduct that vampires must follow in order to prevent exposing their existence to humanity. Though you are a vampire, you still look normal enough to pass as human while in public. However, when you use your supernatural powers in front of unsuspecting humans, you'll break the Masquerade and draw attention to yourself and to the larger vampire society. Police and common criminals can still pose a threat, however, and causing too much havoc will alert elite vampires that will hunt you down.Bloodlines 2 carries over the complexity of the original game, allowing you to overcome obstacles and events in different ways by using your vampiric skills or social charms--like seduction, for instance. However, there will come a time where you'll need to defend yourself, which includes several conventional weapons and supernatural abilities. In one section taking place in a back ally in Pioneer Square, there's an opportunity to break up an attempted mugging. While watching this bit of gameplay, we saw the main character use several of these skills one after another. First, they used their heightened senses to highlight the key targets, and took advantage of their heightened physicality to make high-jumps across the roofs to get into position and perform a series of takedowns on the unsuspecting muggers.Though you'll have plenty of tools to use, melee combat will have a larger focus, which the developers stated is something they wanted to improve from the original. During combat, you'll be able to launch pre-emptive strikes against human enemies, and even counter their attack with instant-kills that will drain their blood. Blood is a resource that you'll constantly need to keep track of, powering your various abilities. While it's not possible to do a no-kill run through the game--you still have to feed after all--the developers stated that you can play as a "humane" vampire to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.How you advance your character can set the tone for what's to come. This even comes into play by the type of human blood you feed on. If targets are angry, especially during a combat encounter, then you'll feed on blood filled with anger resonance. If they're frightened, then they'll be highlighted with the fear resonance. Feeding on a specific type of blood for too long will have you favor a particular type, opening up access to certain skills. But if you choose to forego your humanity, and kill indiscriminately for too long, your character will dip further into the vampiric-side. According to the developers, if this happens, your character's social skills will be affected, making certain situations--like socializing or going out in public--more difficult, but inversely, you can acquire more vampiric abilities as a result.Some of my favorite moments from the previous game where seeing just how far you could push social or combat situations in your favor. Though often times they didn't work out in ways that I intended, I ended appreciating the events that occurred, most of which was very odd. From this early look, Bloodlines 2 looks to be a faithful restart for the series, keeping up the adaptive, and incredibly bizarre storytelling. It'll be interesting to see what passes for strange in the eyes of the developers, fifteen years after the original game's release.Info from Gamespot.com

Swordplay is a massive part of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, but just as important is your other special weapon: the Shinobi Prosthetic. Early in the game, you gain a prosthetic left arm that can be outfitted with all sorts of tools. It's what allows you to use a grappling hook to reach tough spots, and it also supports a bunch of different weapons, a lot like those you'll find in Dark Souls or Bloodborne.The thing is, you can't just buy most Shinobi Prosthetics at a shop--they're scattered throughout the world in Sekiro, and they can be easy to miss as you work through the game. Especially early in the game, though, prosthetics can be very useful for beating bosses and mini-bosses that might otherwise wail on you. It's important to grab the early ones as soon as you can, so that when you run up against the worst enemies, you'll be prepared.The Firecrackers prosthetic is extremely handy for some of the first bosses you'll come up against, including the horseback Gyoubu and the Blazing Bull. If you're not careful, though, you won't find the place to get the Firecrackers until after the battle with Gyoubu, which puts you at something of a disadvantage.Here's everything you have to do to find the Firecrackers prosthetic as early as you can, so you'll have it to deal with some early bosses. You should also make sure to grab the Flame Vent and the Shinobi Axe while you're at it--they're essential early-game prosthetics, and the Flame Vent can help you beat the Chained Ogre boss. While you're at it, you might want to check out our Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice review, and our rundown of how death works and how to cure Dragonrot.Head To Ashina OutskirtsScattered throughout Sekiro are merchants called the Memorial Mob. You'll find them in places with a lot of dead folks (which is basically everywhere in Ashina), hanging out in tents, selling various items. These include your basic consumables, like Medicinal Pellets, as well as the occasional key item--like Firecrackers.The first Memorial Mob merchant you can find is in the Ashina Outskirts area, specifically in the Outskirts Wall--Gate Path area. You're looking for the section of the area that follows the samurai mid-boss. In the next area, you'll find patrolling enemies, and a few people to talk to: specifically, a woman who will think you're her son, and her actual son, who wants you to help her.Find The Stone TowerFrom the blasted house with the woman, keep moving through the area until you hit a gate with stairs going upward. At the top is an enemy who'll fire a cannon your way. Look to your left before the gate and you should see a place where you can grapple up.This is the stone tower you're looking for. Keep climbing it by looking up to the left for more places to grapple. After a few swings, you'll reach the top, where you'll find the Memorial Mob merchant you're hunting.Spend Your 500 SenThe Memorial Mob guy has an item called Robert's Firecrackers, and it's the item you're looking to buy from him. It'll run you 500 sen, so you might have to save up--try buying Light Purses if you're having a time staying alive, since money that's in purses can't be lost when you die. Once you can afford the Firecrackers, head back to the Sculptor to have him attach the Loaded Firecrackers to your Shinobi Prosthetic. It's great for distracting enemies and interrupting their animations, and is particularly effective against animals.Info from Gamespot.com

Most of your time in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is spent dueling with swords, deflecting enemy attacks and striking back in order to overwhelm your opponent and open them up for devastating deathblows. But some enemies are tougher to deal with than others, and no amount of fancy sword work can break something like a sturdy shield. That's where the Shinobi Prosthetic and its various tools come in, providing you options on the battlefield that are great for dealing with specific kinds of enemies.You won't start out with many tools for the Shinobi Prosthetic in Sekiro, though--you have to locate them in the world and bring them back to the Sculptor in the Dilapidated Temple in order to access them. That means that plenty of them are easy to miss, and not finding the right prosthetics can at the right time can put you at a serious disadvantage against some of the game's tough bosses and mid-bosses. You'll also lack the means to defeat some of the more irritating regular enemies until you find the right tools.The Shinobi Axe is one of the early prosthetics that you'll definitely want, since it's great for smashing through shields and the wooden hats of the small but tough Senpou assassins. If you don't search around enough, though, you can walk right past the axe, and that'll make your progress a little more irritating. Here's everything you need to know to snag this early prosthetic tool. While you're at it, you might want to learn where to grab the Flame Vent, which will help you take down the Chained Ogre boss, and the Firecrackers, which are great for fighting Gyoubu. And check out our Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice review, and our rundowns of how death works and how to cure Dragonrot.Visit Ashina Outskirts To Find The EstateThe Shinobi Axe is actually located in the Hirata Estate, a place you can only access through a specific quest item that lets you visit one of the Wolf's old memories. The item you need is a bell that you can get from a character early on in the first area you visit, the Ashina Outskirts. Head to the Outskirts Wall--Gate Path area, past the samurai mid-boss you'll fight near when you arrive. In the next, more open area, you'll find lots of enemies patrolling around, and several blasted-out houses. Inside one is an old woman who thinks you're her son when you speak to her. If you let her believe it, she'll give you a bell and ask you to make an offering to Buddha.That bell is the quest item you're looking for. Take it back to the Dilapidated Temple and offer it to the Buddha statue near the Sculptor. That'll give you access to the Hirata Estate level three years in the past.Make Your Way Through The EstateOnce you're in the Estate, you'll need to progress to a specific area. Fight through the first section until you reach the Idol marked "Estate Path." It's this section where you'll find the Shinobi Axe, although you'll have to do a little work to reach it.At the idol, you'll be on a path that leads through some enemies to a closed gate. To get around the gate, you'll need to hop over the wall on the right of the path and head past some huts and houses. If you've already found the Flame Vent prosthetic, you'll need to go past that to get to the Axe. Advance through the yards until you pass an area with a row of huts, where a bunch of enemies are hanging out by a campfire. The path ahead of the campfire will take you back onto the main road, on the other side of the gate you couldn't open. You should pass an injured samurai who tells you the Shinobi Axe is located in a nearby shrine.Finding The ShrineAs you pass the samurai and come back out on the main road, you'll be able to turn either left or right. To the right, you'll see two enemies standing at a gate where you can eavesdrop on them. Instead, turn left, heading toward the locked gate. Jump up on the wall on your left and you'll see two more enemies talking just beyond. Picking up their conversation reveals they're talking about burning a nearby building, which they call a shrine. That's the place you're looking for.Drop down and take out those two guys, then open the small square building to find the Shinobi Axe inside. You'll need to return to an Idol Statue so you can travel back to the Dilapidated Temple and get the Sculptor to fit the Axe to your prosthetic, but you can do that quickly by opening that locked gate--it opens from the side you're on, giving you a quick path back to the Idol.Once you have the Axe, use it to stagger baddies with a big, powerful attack, and to smash anybody's shields. You'll find those shield-wielding enemies just up ahead on the main path through Hirata, so you're going to want to get the Axe ready to go as soon as you can.Info from Gamespot.com

The Final Fantasy Fan Festival 2019 is taking place this weekend in Tokyo, and some news about Final Fantasy XIV is expected. The event kicks off with a keynote address featuring none other than game director Naoki Yoshida speaking to the crowd at the Makuhari Messe in Tokyo and broadcast online around the world. According to Square Enix, you can expect Yoshida to talk about "new announcements" for the game's next expansion, Shadowbringers, which is due out this year.The keynote begins March 23 at 10:30 AM JST, which works out to 6:30 PM PT / 9:30 PM ET. You can watch the stream live from the official Final Fantasy XIV Twitch channel in Japanese or with English commentary on the official Square Enix Twitch channel. The commentary will be handled by Final Fantasy XIV's Michael-Christopher Koji Fox and community director Matt Hilton. They won't translate in real-time but instead go over and discuss the key takeaways.The Fan Festival 2019 runs March 23-24, and there is heaps more programming that you can watch. This includes another segment with Naoki called "Naoki's Room" where he invites special guests to the stage to talk about things that "don't quite fit anywhere else." Some of the guests include various voice actors, as well as executive producer and member of the board Yosuke Saito.There will also be a cosplay contest, where fans will show off their best outfits based on Final Fantasy characters.Some of the Day 2 programming includes a "Letter From the Producer" segment where Yoshida talks about new details about Final Fantasy XIV as well as a development panel where developers will provide a behind-the-scenes look at how the game is made.Be sure to visit the Final Fantasy XIV website to see a full rundown of programming for the Fan Festival. GameSpot is on the ground in Tokyo for Fan Festival, so keep checking back all weekend for more coverage from the event.Disclosure: Square Enix paid for GameSpot's flight to Tokyo and accomodation. Info from Gamespot.com

Alan Wake and Quantum Break developer Remedy has confirmed the release date of its newest project, Control. The action-adventure title will launch for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on August 27.Remedy confirmed the news to Eurogamer following rumors sparked by a leaked Xbox Store listing. The game was first revealed at E3 2018, where it quickly became one of our most anticipated games.Control stars Jesse Faden, a woman with supernatural abilities. At the game's start, Jesse breaks into the Federal Bureau of Control--a fictional government agency that researches ways to explain and exploit paranormal phenomenon--in order to discover the truth about the origin of her powers. Her infiltration, however, runs into a snag, and she's suddenly thrust into a fight to protect the Bureau as its new director.Jesse's powerful supernatural abilities allow her to wield telekinesis to rip apart the environment, or lift herself up and fly through the air. She can also seize the minds of others, bending them to her will and forcing them to fight alongside her.Game director Mikael Kasurinen compared the atmosphere of Control to the 2018 movie Annihilation, while Remedy creative director Sam Lake loves that Control gives him the freedom to be weird again. For more, check out some Control gameplay from E3 2018 above.Info from Gamespot.com

With Nintendo Directs proving to be a popular way to share news outside of E3-style press conferences, Sony is taking a page out of Nintendo's playbook. Sony has announced State of Play, an upcoming livestreamed event. The company describes this as a "new video program" that will provide viewers with updates, news, and game announcements from the world of PlayStation. The first episode will be live streamed online this Monday, March 25.According to a post on the PlayStation Blog, the episode will "showcase upcoming PS4 and PS VR software, including new trailers, new game announcements, and new gameplay footage." The show will be available to watch on Twitch, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and, of course, GameSpot. The stream begins in the afternoon US time, as outlined below. You can watch it right here.Sony PlayStation March 25 State of Play Livestream2 PM PT5 PM ET9 PM GMT8 AM AET (March 26)Sony says that State of Play will return throughout the year with more updates and announcement. The confirmation of this series of Nintendo Direct-style events will no doubt be exciting for PlayStation fans, especially since the company has confirmed it will not be attending E3 2019."As the industry evolves, Sony Interactive Entertainment continues to look for inventive opportunities to engage the community," the company said, explaining its decision to skip the annual trade show. "PlayStation fans mean the world to us and we always want to innovate, think differently and experiment with new ways to delight gamers. As a result, we have decided not to participate in E3 in 2019. We are exploring new and familiar ways to engage our community in 2019 and can't wait to share our plans with you."It seems State of Play is one of the new and familiar ways Sony intends to engage the PlayStation community. While it hasn't detailed what games it may showcase, there are a number of big PlayStation titles currently on the way. Naughty Dog is working on The Last of Us 2, Sucker Punch has Ghost of Tsushima, Media Molecule is building Dreams, and Sony Bend's Days Gone is set for launch in April. Kojima Productions' Death Stranding is also on the way as a PS4 exclusive.Sony will no doubt also use the platform to showcase some of the third-party and indie titles that are in the pipeline for both PS4 and PlayStation VR. Check back on March 25 and we'll have all the news from the event for you.Nintendo just this week held its latest Nindies spring showcase, which revealed and further details a variety of new Switch games. Microsoft, which occasionally shares news through Inside Xbox streams, followed up Sony's new today with word that it will have a special Xbox live stream showcase of its own on Tuesday, March 26. Info from Gamespot.com

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, the team behind the Yakuza series, has provided an update on its upcoming PS4 title Judgment. The game became embroiled in a controversy when Japanese voice actor Pierre Taki was linked to drug use, something which is treated very severely in Japan. In a tweet, the developer said the character model and voice for Taki's character, Kyohei Hamura, will be adjusted for its western release.Additionally, screenshots and trailers featuring Taki's character have been "temporarily removed from all of Sega's official channels." In the future, this material will be made available again with the adjustments reflected in them, Sega confirmed.Judgment is already available in Japan, but sales of the game were halted while the investigation surrounding the drug use was conducted. Taki later admitted to using cocaine and tested positive for it. Judgment's western release date has not been delayed and it will be available on June 25.As previously mentioned, Japan has very strict drug laws and the use of drugs has severe consequences, especially for those in the public eye. In addition to being removed from Judgment by Sega, Disney has also stopped sales of Frozen, in which Taki voices Olaf. Japanese publication Asahi News has reported that Disney is also looking at replacing him for Frozen 2.Judgment is a narrative-driven game that serves as a spin-off from the Yakuza series. Players assume the role of investigator Takayuki Yagami, who is looking into grisly crimes in Kamurocho, which is the Kabukicho, Tokyo-inspired setting for the Yakuza games. Info from Gamespot.com

Capcom has shipped 2 million copies of Devil May Cry 5 within its first two weeks, the company has announced. That's a significant boost from its previous release, the soft-reboot DMC: Devil May Cry, which had its sales expectations reduced amid a weaker-than-expected launch.Capcom also noted that the series has now cumulatively sold more than 19 million copies since it debuted in 2001. If sales of DMC5 remain strong, it's likely to help push that lifetime figure over the 20 million mark.DMC5 is the first mainline release for the series in more than ten years. It brings back Dante and Nero, along with a new character, V, who summons animal familiars to do his fighting for him. The last numbered release, Devil May Cry 4, sold 2 million copies in roughly its first month on the market."DMC5 thrives on the stylistic and mechanical prowess of its predecessors. It sticks to tradition above all else, pursuing a few ambitious new ideas along the way, but mostly maintaining the series' focus on intricate fighting systems and campy bravado," Matt Espineli wrote in GameSpot's Devil May Cry 5 review. "Rarely does the game stumble, consistently leveraging its spectacle and mechanical depth to push aside any small frustrations. All the while, the story exudes a charismatic charm that keeps you constantly intrigued as you're refining your skills. DMC5 proves the series can still be brilliant and imaginative without compromising its longest-held traditions."Info from Gamespot.com