We’ve now learned that it’ll also provide some bonuses for those who played the original version on the Switch. The details were posted to formerly-known-as-Twitter on May 31st, and translated with the help of personacentral.com. Which bonuses you receive will be determined by which path you chose in your original play-through, and by just how far you made it.

For instance, if you completed the Uphold God’s Order path and finished the game, you’ll get:

• Abdiel (Archangel) Essence x1
• Abdiel (Fallen Angel) Essence x1
• Vitality Balm x10
• Vitality Incense x10
• Grimoire x10
• Gospel x3
• Whittled Goat x1

If you chose to Destroy the Throne on your way to clearing the game, you’ll get:

• Nuwa’s (Human From) Essence x1
• Nuwa’s (Snake Form) Essence x1
• Agility Balm x10
• Luck Balm x10
• Agility Incense x10
• Luck Incense x10

If you played the game but didn’t complete it, don’t fret. You’ll still get:

• Large Glory Crystal x1
• Healing Potion x20
• Chakra Drop x5
• Revival Bead x5
• Spyglass x20
• Smoke Ball x5

So, not bad, but not nearly as good as the bonuses the completionists will get for playing through all paths in their entirety. I’ll let you get the details on that and everything else from the source, but suffice to say it’s a lot. If you were debating whether to play it again on the Switch or try it on a different platform, these bonuses may sway you; you won’t get those bonuses on PlayStation, Xbox, or Windows.

Bonuses or not, be sure to watch this Complete Guide which Atlus posted a few weeks back. It’ll serve to introduce the game to new players and hype up those of us who played it on its original release.

As you may recall, I was a bit sour on the game in our original review from 2021, although it still earned a 7/10. It looks like Vengeance will address some of my major complaints while also providing plenty of new content and features. I’m quite confident Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance will be worth double dipping. We’ll find out soon enough.

For more information on Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, visit atlus.com/smt5v where you still have time to get in your digital or physical pre-order.

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It makes sense, really; Legend of Heroes games tend to thrust players into a prolonged, chaotic fight at the very start, and then back-peddle to calmer times. I can’t say for sure that that’s how Trails Through Daybreak will begin, but the ability to play such an introduction ahead of release would make sense.

And if you want a taste of what those battles will be like (and whom you’ll be taking into those battles), today’s new trailer will give you a glimpse…along with some quality J-rock, of course:

And just who are these people?

Key characters include Van Arkride, a spriggan or an underground professional that accepts work from any client and acts as a detective, negotiator or bounty hunter with no allegiance, and Agnés Claudel, a first year student at the prestigious Aramis Academy who goes to Van with a unique request. Little does Van know that her request will prove to be more than he bargained for and lead to events that could threaten the very Republic itself!

And just what is the Republic?

In the aftermath of a brief war, Calvard is enjoying unprecedented economic prosperity. However, the public grows uncertain as the number of immigrants increases and questionable political reform runs rampant. Follow the spriggan Van Arkride on a unique request that will prove more than he bargained for. Will the nation fall into chaos?

So, then, more than we bargained for. Got it. But their turmoil is our gain, as The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak is looking to provide more than enough JRPG action and melodrama to satisfy series fans and newcomers alike.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak will be available July 5th in multiple digital and physical editions (the stock meter on the Switch Limited Edition is down to 5% at press time). For more information, visit thelegendofheroes.com/daybreak/.

[Update: June 4, 2024 – The update is now available. We’ve also learned that the Switch demo covers the entire prologue.]

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If that’s enough to pique your interest, how about this slick limited edition for all you collectors out there?

The Limited Edition retails for $99.99, and includes:

• a physical copy of the game
• a collector’s box
• an artbook
• an acrylic art print
• a multi-panel art print
• and a Digipak original mini soundtrack

As for the game itself:

REYNATIS is an atmospheric urban fantasy set in a realistic recreation of Shibuya, Tokyo, where the ultimate clash between magic and order is about to unfold. Seeking freedom through strength, the wizard Marin heads to Shibuya, where he meets Sari, an officer of the M.E.A., an organization dedicated to keeping wizards under control.

There, Marin also encounters Owl, a support group for stray wizards working towards a world where wizards and non-magic users can safely coexist. Consisting of just three members: Michiro, Moa, and Nika, Owl keeps radicalized vigilantes in check and imposes their own sanctions on troublesome matters that the law-abiding M.E.A. cannot control.

Limited Edition pre-orders are now open at store.nisamerica.com. For more information on REYNATIS, visit www.nisamerica.com/games/reynatis.

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As a U.S. gamer, I mainly knew Minter for his habit of attaching himself to unpopular hardware like the Atari Jaguar and VM Labs Nuon (yes, Trev owned both). So, I was curious to experience some of his other work with U.K. computers firsthand. Taken as a truncated bit of gaming history that gives access to lesser-known and/or harder-to-find works, this package is a success.

With over 40 games, there’s no possibility of covering even a quarter of them within the confines of a traditional review. This is okay, especially in this case, as there’s a real sense this collection is more focused on Minter as a person (for better or worse) than his actual software. As such, it should hold extra appeal for existing fans of the Yak.

As for most of these games, they leave me with a sense of “you had to be there.” They are dated and thus show their age. Yet, as products of their time, I did get some entertainment from viewing these through the lens of the early ’80s, a period I was too young to remember. A lot of these are takes on games that were popular at the time. Some feel too similar (ports excluded), some too slow, others too fast. Even Minter is humble enough to admit that some of his early games missed the mark in development time, difficulty curve, speed, and other areas.

I’ll highlight a few of my favorites. Note that plenty of the games in this collection live up to the company name, with llamas and other furry creatures copiously featured. In fact, the quote to open this package says, “If you load up one of my games and see a big camel or whatever, you know immediately who has created it – I’ve always tried to put a bit of myself into my games.”

Laser Zone (whose llamas are limited to the title screen) is a 1983 shooter that succeeds by being more intuitive and less complex, though still challenging to master. You control a pair of cannons, one on a horizontal plane and the other on a vertical, and must change between them to eliminate the advancing aliens. Two versions are in this package.

Meta-llamas has some similarities to Laser Zone, and not just because it’s also an ’83 shooter with two versions in this package. Left or right controls your llama, while up and down controls the force field above. Ricochet your shots successfully.

Colourspace is an early Llamasoft light synthesizer with nearly a dozen head-bobbing music tracks to enjoy. The demo mode is a fun enough watch, but the amount of control the player is given over what they can see is admirable and helps promote replay value. Adjust the speed, alter the colors, and more. Just be careful if you have sensitivities to busy lights.

Llamatron:2112 is “Considered by Llamasoft fans to be one of its best games.” A port of an Atari ST release running on the Jaguar, it’s a critter take on the popular Robotron:2084. In my mind, any (all of these) were worthy of a remaster. But as opposed to the prior collections, which had multiple, this collection only has one: Gridrunner.

Finally, we have Tempest 2000, a game that has seen sequels, and one which would make this package a must-own had that game not already been made available in Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, also from Digital Eclipse. When covering that collection, I wrote, “1994 brought a Jag game that everyone loved in Tempest 2000. A great tube shooter that still feels unique; I actually prefer this version over Tempest 4000, thanks to the AI Droid implementation and multiplayer.” The same remains true.

I only have a couple of issues with this package, one slight and the other significant. This is an M-rated title for the sole reason of “Strong Language.” There are occasional bits of infrequent cursing in the videos that are unnecessary and could be a turn-off for parents trying to introduce children to games of their youth. I hope future releases stay between that E10+ to T range.

Something more notable is this package’s limited scope. The Jeff Minter story presented here is an abridged version. The final chapter, in effect, ends on Tempest 2000 with “Later years” limited to a 5-minute video focussed on Jeff’s partner rather than any of his subsequent works.

It’s frustrating to see brief footage of games not properly represented in this collection, potentially leaving casual players wondering about Minter’s accomplishments over the last 30 years. Digital Eclipse ignores his better work save for a gameography listing with (if fortunate) a few screenshots.

Granted, some of the omissions are understandable, if no less disappointing. Defender 2000 missing due to licensing issues is one thing. But why not have the Jaguar VLM with some public-domain music? Where is Tempest 3000 and his Nuon experiences? Even if these were added, we’d still have a 20-plus-year gap. Part of the reason The Making of Karateka worked so well is the title made clear what it was. Any games beyond the titular one were bonuses. But no moniker in the title indicates that this only covers Minter’s early years. My advice to Digital Eclipse is to be more mindful of how they present these releases in the future. 

One could argue the compilation that started this all, Atari 50, was also incomplete, with Activision games being MIA for one. But with a generous amount of games (over 100) covering a broader number of genres across a longer time period, that gripe was much more minor than it is in the case of the Jeff Minter Story. This collection is $29.99, and I wonder how many would’ve paid extra to get a more complete package. After playing the prior releases, it’s reasonable to have expected more of a deep dive.

Even if many/most of his early games don’t seem like they’re for me, Minter seems like a pretty cool guy. He’s quirky, with a more narrow focus likely to keep him a niche developer, but I resonate with much of his thinking. His design philosophy of replaying games just because they’re fun, and opinions on modern difficulty curves are two examples. Heck, they are part of why I’m still playing Tempest 2000 30 years later.

The latest, though not greatest from Digital Eclipse (due to some lapses in storytelling), Llamasoft The Jeff Minter Story, still offers a good experience. For a certain demographic of gamers, it could be a nostalgic-filled romp. Those with an appreciation for gaming history will be entertained, even if the shortage of content makes this package feel more like a volume 1.

The post Review: Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

The new content is extensive, beginning with challenging new Sacred Tree Dungeons.

Yes, the Sacred Tree you’ve been looking at in the starting town of Shukuba Beach is now open, and it holds difficult dungeons with special rules.

• Normal Trial: Replay the dungeons of the main game with the same rules while also being able to change your playable character. For dungeons that had a boss battle at the end, you can now challenge them again.
• Time Trial: Race to the finish and strive to complete the dungeon in as little time as possible.
• Turn Trial: Master efficiency by completing the dungeon in as few turns as possible.
  Countdown Trial: Aim to complete the dungeon with a time limit on every turn and the dungeon as a whole.
• Challenge Trial: Set your own personal restrictions to truly challenge yourself, such as completing the dungeon without using certain items or collapsing.

A mysterious sixth mode is also available, but would a Mystery Dungeon be without some mystery?

Other new features include:

• Play using “Kokatsu Shiren” – The Kokatsu Shiren form from the main game can now be selected as a playable character in the Sacred Tree trials. Previously, Kokatsu Shiren could only be used in the Cavern of Suiryu dungeon, but will now also be available in other dungeons.

• Dojo Challenge Mode – Enjoy mini-stages where you can learn the characteristics of each monster in the Monster Dojo
• Expanded Storehouse – The capacity of the Item Holder Storehouse, where you can deposit items and weapons found in the dungeon, will expand from 180 items to 960 items.
• Balance Adjustments and Other Improvements

That’s a lot of new features and improvements, but Spike Chunsoft isn’t done. A second update in development and due for release this summer will introduce even more new content and functional improvements.

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is available now digitally in the Nintendo eShop, A physical edition is also available, which includes a first-run bonus sticker featuring the protagonist, Shiren, and the game’s traditional Japanese art style.

For more information, visit the game’s official website.

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SEGA has announced that Demon Slayer ~Kimetsu no Yaiba~ Sweep the Board! is now available for Nintendo Switch.

Akin to Super Mario Party, Sweep the Board allows up to four players to enjoy board game style gameplay, events, and minigames either locally or online.

Roll the dice and aim to become the strongest Demon-Slayer swordsman! – Iconic locations from the anime, like Mt. Fujikasane and Asakusa, appear as boards in this game. Advance on the game board by rolling the dice! The game board switches between day and night. During the day, prepare for the night with events and minigames. At night, you will search for demons to defeat. 

Take control of iconic characters! – Choose your favorite characters from the Demon Slayer Corps., including Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and the Hashira! Nezuko appears on the game board to aid players as a support character!

Fight demons by waving the Joy-Con! – Face off against demons like Akaza in minigames and swing the Joy-Con like the Nichirin Sword to attack. 

Players will want to grab the day one patch as it adds a Swordsmith Village board…

Swordsmiths such as Haganezuka, Kanamori, and Tecchin are around to support players in various ways. That includes Kotetsu, who holds the key to the battle-type mechanical doll “Yoriichi Type Zero.” At night, the powerful demons Gyokko and Hantengu will appear, awaiting all four players who dare to challenge them!

…two new mini games (Food Delivery! and Mask Match), online and local wireless multiplayer, two new boss fights, player cards, and more.

Demon Slayer ~Kimetsu no Yaiba~ Sweep the Board! is available now in the Nintendo eShop for $59.99. Those who purchase the digital standard edition will receive the base game and a set of four Stamps featuring Tanjiro Kamado, Nezuko Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, and Inosuke Hashibira. Stamps are used for player communication in-game and are available to use in the “Sweep the Board” game mode.

A standard physical edition of the game is also available. For more information, visit demonslayer-sweeptheboard.sega.com.

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Now, if you’re a firm believer in the separation of church and game, you can put away your protest signs; the Book of Enoch is not actually in the Bible. Most Jewish and Christian church bodies view it as non-inspired…or maybe just too freaky-deaky, because this game is visually and thematically nuts.

The story centers around Enoch, a scribe tasked with finding seven fallen angels, known as the Grigori, who have stolen artifacts from God to live amongst the humans. Their cohabitation resulted in Grigori-human hybrids, or Nephilim, who could destroy the world. This upsets the Council of Heaven, which decides the best way to take care of the Nephilim is to flood the world. That checks.

Thankfully, not everyone feels torching the village is the best way to solve a stray cat problem. God decides to see if Enoch, along with the help of the uber-cool guardian angel Lucifel, can capture and return the fallen Grigori before the Council of Heaven can kick off the nuclear option.

So, thematically, El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is not that different from every JRPG you’ve ever played, except that you don’t finish it by fighting God. He’s got your back this time, which is a pleasant change of pace, really.

And anyway, all of this takes a backseat to the amazing level design, slick combat, and constantly changing gameplay elements. The majority of that action is hack-and-slash combat. The player progresses along a highly linear path, taking out various low-level enemies along the way.

For larger fights, including bosses, Enoch becomes trapped in the area until all threats get eliminated.

Combat centers around attacking, jumping, and blocking. There’s only one attack button, but you can alter attacks with different abilities provided by the weapons you steal from the enemies. Yes, stealing; God’s willing to overlook His seventh commandment on this particular mission. So, after damaging enemies enough with your current weapon, you can steal theirs by hitting the L button when in close proximity. Obtaining and using the right weapon for the job is often the key to victory. Enoch loses his heavenly armor as he sustains damage, and that’s really your only indicator that you’re about to die. When he’s down to blue jeans and sandals like an ensemble cast member from Godspell, you know he’s about to fail. Thankfully, the game is generous with its save points and health packs.

And while we’re giving thanks, El Shaddai doesn’t require a mastery of combat combos in order to progress. Most fights are manageable once you figure out the enemies’ weaknesses, and there are different difficulty levels to ease the burden. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the platforming elements.

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron frequently changes up the way you play it, and you’ll often find yourself leaping and climbing in 2D environments to reach the next area. In addition to the enemies to fight, you’ll be solving puzzles, navigating complex environments, and trying to land difficult jumps without falling to your death. These areas are less forgiving and are often very frustrating.

But man, they look so cool. The whole game does, really. The bulk of the action takes place in a tower where the Grigori are hiding, the only constant being that the pathways are just floating in space. Although you’re confined to a tight, linear pathway, the environments are a seemingly never-ending chasm of light and color. Most tower levels and 2D platforming sections have their own visual flair, some of which completely deviate from the game’s overall visual theme. By the time I was leaping giant beach balls to get back to the tower, I’d given up on setting expectations.

It may help to know the game was directed by Sawaki Takeyasu, character designer on games such as Devil May Cry, Ōkami, and Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse. The characters have that kind of attitude, and Lucifiel’s one-sided phone conversations with God are enjoyable throughout. Enoch’s doing his best, here, man. Don’t forget my bro’s just a hippy scribe by trade.

It’s also impressive that the game plays so well on the Switch in both docked and handheld mode. That sounds dumb to say, considering the game was originally released 13 years ago, but you wouldn’t know that from this HD remaster. The visual design is stunning.

Honestly, there were moments when the graphics—more so than the story—incentivized me to keep pushing onward when I couldn’t stop falling into holes.

So, I’d encourage fans of action games—both 2D and 3D—to give El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron a go. Its diverse gameplay, wonderful designs, and bold story won me over early and held my attention throughout. I wouldn’t be at all disappointed if this is what the afterlife looks like…only without the dudes in jeans and sandals.

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Along with its promise of “chaos and catchy tunes,” Bread & Fred will allows players to “…experience the breathtaking highs and frosty face-planting lows of Bread & Fred on the go, with even more adventure awaiting atop the icy peaks!” Nintendo games will be able to meet the newest member of the mountaintop crew, Pol the Polar Bear, and will feature 10 all-new time trial challenges that can unlock special rewards.

And just what is Bread & Fred? Well…

Bundle up for the tandem-trek of a lifetime as Bread and Fred, pint-sized penguin pals, embark on a journey to the top of the summit. Intrepid climbers land heart-pounding jumps, clear sprawling gaps, and maneuver slippery platforms, all while attached at the hip to a (hopefully) trusty partner. Communicate via in-game emojis to count down every jump.

Find the perfect penguin partner and clear record-setting runs together in Speedrun Mode. Interested in a single-player solo climb? Swap out a penguin pal for Jeff the Rock to sling and jump-throw across the slippery slopes.

Music plays an important part in the overall experience, and will feature selections ranging from  smooth jazz to hip-hop. The “Super Duper Ultra Redux” mixtape featuring an hour of tracks from gaming composers such as Grant Kirkhope (GoldenEye, Donkey Kong 64), Chipper Hammond (composer, Turbo Overkill), and Tim Stoney (Assassin’s Creed: Origins). Players will be able to chose the perfect song for every climb. The official soundtrack will be available on all major music streaming services.

To learn more about Bread & Fred, visit the official website at breadandfred.com.

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The Nintendo Switch demo features Ameya, “…a witch-in-training who visits Miyako City and lives in secret as a schoolgirl as a part of her graduation exam. After Ameya is attacked by an unknown person, she loses practically all of her magical power and must find a way to regain what was lost and pass her final exam.”

PlayStation 4 and 5 owners will meet Tsunanori Mido, while the PC demo involves Diva No. 5. Never fear, though, Nintendo faithful—the full version of the game will allow to work through the stories of all six leading characters. You’ll just need to start with Ameya, as “…demo save data will transfer over to the full game on each respective platform.”

As for the story, this latest entry in the SaGa series is very much a standalone experience that brings together elements from previous entries to offer players a unique experience affected by their choices. SaGA Emerald Beyond will feature:

• Six leading characters, all from diverse backgrounds and with vastly different goals, in five unique story arcs. Multiple playthroughs will lead to completely new events and stories even when using the same character.
• The greatest number of branching plots of any game in the SaGa series. As the story unfolds, it becomes a tale all of your own. Multiple paths lead to multiple potential endings for each protagonist.
• Refinement of the strategic Timeline Battles for which the franchise is known. The new combat system adds more drama than ever before, allowing you to support party members, interrupt enemy actions, and use United Attacks by strategically manipulating the order of ally actions.

SaGa Emerald Beyond is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB, and will launch digitally on April 25, 2024. Along with the demo, pre-orders are now open. For more information, visit saga-franchise.square-enix-games.com.

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Following Shin Megami Tensei V’s initial release in 2021 (which sold over a million copies worldwide), the enhanced Vengeance version includes the entirety of the original game along with a new story path. Vengeance also features fully evolved visuals tailored to modern consoles, though we’ll have to see what that means on the Switch. What the Switch will get are new areas to explore, new demons to fight and recruit, new music, and an improved battle system, all of which combine to produce “…a smoother and richer RPG set amidst a war between demons and angels.”

At the beginning of the story, the player is presented between two routes. The story told in Shin Megami Tensei V, the Canon of Creation, and a brand-new route, Canon of Vengeance, a dramatic tale of revenge by the fallen.​

The Canon of Vengeance follows the scenario of SMTV but changes drastically from the latter half of the game. The outcome will be completely different. Enjoy the two divergent stories to your heart’s content.​

The new scenario will feature the Qadištu—four female Demons who stand in the way of the game’s protagonists.​ Lilith, a key member of the Qadištu, calls the protagonist the Key of Resurrection, ​and herself The Oppressed.​ What does she mean, and what is the purpose of the Qadištu? ​We’ll have to find out as the Oppressed seek their revenge.

All DLC from the original release will be included with Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, but never fear—the new edition will offer new DLC of its own. It’s also worth noting that the qualify of life enhancements will reportedly include the ability to save anywhere. That will certainly ease one of my main frustrations with the original release.

Pre-orders for the physical release of Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance are now available in standard and launch editions, the latter of which comes in a Steelbook case and includes two sacred treasure sets. Nintendo Switch digital edition pre-orders will open at a later date. If you’ve already got a pre-order in, no updates need to be made; you can just expect your game a week earlier.

For more information on Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, visit atlus.com/smt5v.

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