RPGamer Round-Up: August 18 – August 25
Welcome to the latest edition of RPGamer’s round-up column, where we take a quick look back at some of the articles we’ve posted throughout the week. This article is designed to help give reminders of some interesting editorial content and stories that our less regular visitors might have missed.
Before we get to this week’s articles, today sadly marks a year since the passing of our Editor-in-Chief, Michael A. Cunningham aka Macstorm. We here at RPGamer, and many others in the wider gaming community, still greatly miss him and his infectious enthusiasm for RPGs and gaming in general. As part of honouring his memory, we’d like to invite everyone to join in expressing some love for games and for those that helped instill that love.
Mac’s legacy will be as someone who always gave support and encouragement to everyone he came across. Though this date naturally brings some mournful thoughts, we’re certain that Mac would have it no other way than for it to be used in the most uplifting way possible. Please join us in sharing some fond memories of games that you’ve particularly loved or showing your appreciation to those who have helped build your love, be they developers, localisers, musicians, other players, or anyone else you might think of.
Major News
Sega has revealed that the PlayStation 4 remasters of Yazuka 3, Yakuza 4, and Yakuza 5 are coming to North America and Europe. The first of them, Yakuza 3, is actually out right now.
Nintendo hosted an Indie World Showcase broadcast ahead of Gamescom, during which the company highlighted numerous indie titles coming to Nintendo Switch. The video featured a number of RPGs including Eastward, Torchlight II, Dungeon Defenders: Awakened, and Skellboy.
Switch owners can now play through the opening portion of the Luminary’s tale thanks to a free demo. The Switch version of Dragon Quest XI also put in an appearance at Gamescom, where Nintendo showed off nearly half an hour of gameplay footage.
Square Enix has announced the release date for Final Fantasy VIII’s remaster. It’s only a couple of weeks until fans can return to Garden.
CD Projekt RED made a couple of announcements ahead of this week’s Gamescom. The Witcher 3 now has a Switch release date, while Cyberpunk 2077 is making its way to Google Stadia.
Monster Hunter: World got a new Iceborne-focused developer update highlighting some new monsters and features. There was also a new trailer focusing on the Everwyrm Velkhana and news of a collaboration with Horizon Zero Dawn.
Additional Selected Stories
- Path of Exile Gets Blight Expansion
- Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Introduces the Cell Saga
- Code Vein Demo Releasing on September 3
- THQ Nordic Acquires Gunfire Games
- 1C Entertainment Announces King’s Bounty 2
- Persona 5 Royal Set for Spring Release
- Persona 5 Royal Introduces Takuto Maruki
- Rain of Reflections’ First Chapter Releasing in September
- Pillars of Dust Demo Announced
- VIZ Media Announces Garden Story
- Paranoia: Happiness Is Mandatory Receives PC Release Date
- Mistover to Release in October
- Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls PC Release Pushed to 2020
- Monster Rancher Gets New Japanese Port
- Hades Coming to Steam Early Access
- Dragon Star Varnir Coming to Steam in October
- Ultimate Alliance 3 Adds Marvel Knights in September
- Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Ultimate Edition Announced
- Project Sakura Wars Introduces the London Combat Revue
- Nintendo Shows Some Astral Chain at Gamescom
- Link’s Awakening Gets Long Gameplay Video
- GreedFall Gamescom Trailer Shows Its Companions
- New Trailer Locks Onto The Surge 2’s Combat System
- Darksiders Genesis Rides Forth in New Trailer
- Wasteland 3 Shows More of Colorado at Gamescom
- The Alliance Alive HD Trailer Shows Some Gameplay
- Star Renegades Gets New Gameplay Trailer
- Cat Quest II Introduces Dogs to the Pawty
- Al Capone Hustles in Empire of Sin Trailer
- Dark Envoy Gamescom Trailer Shows Off Gameplay
- NIS America Releases New Trails of Cold Steel III Trailer
- Pokémon Sword and Shield Director Visits New Town in Galar
- Destiny 2: Shadowkeep Awakens in New Trailer
- Paradox Releases Bloodlines 2 Graphics Comparison Trailer
- Ys Net, Deep Silver Show a Day in Shenmue
- New Character Revealed for Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris
- Killsquad Debuts Battle Arena
- Borderlands 3 Enters Proving Grounds, Circle of Slaughter
- Oninaki Out Now
- Remnant: From the Ashes Out Now
- Digital Store Weekly Round-Up (August 22, 2019)
Podcasts
In addition to its mainline series, Pokémon has spawned a large number of spin-offs. Cassandra, Kelley, and Ryan help Phil and Mike get through a large selection of them in the latest RPG Backtrack.
This week’s Q&A Quest sees the hosts once again get on board the Dragon Quest XI hype train. There is also chat about the recently released Grandia HD Collection.
Peter, Kelley, Alex, and Johnathan join Chris and Anna Marie for the latest episode of the RPGCast. The group talks about what they’ve been playing and the latest RPG news, with slightly less Fire Emblem than the last couple of shows.
I dearly miss Mac, and still wish I knew him better, or even had the chance to meet him. But yes, he would prefer it if I show my appreciation for people in and around gaming.
But oh dear me, where do I even begin. I should start with my younger sister. While I was the one who more-or-less introduced her to RPGs, I have many fond memories of us playing RPGs together. I had someone to talk about the story as it unfolded, or the characters that we grew to love, or learned the battle system. We’d trade Pokemon and even went to some slightly crazy length to get a Deoxys each each two copies of Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs. We rarely play together anymore, but she’s still the best!
As for others, I guess there’s Nintendo for making my most beloved games and systems, Game Freak for creating Pokemon, my most beloved video game series, 8-4 ltd, Atlus USA, and Nintendo Treehouse for their stellar localizations, numerous voice actors and ADR people for bringing my most favorite characters from RPGs to life, and so many more. Also weirdly, I can thank an RPG for introducing my to my new favorite band. That would be Bravely Default introducing me to Sound Horizon/Linked Horizon.