Tag: Gaming News

  • Charles Martinet No Longer Voicing Mario and Friends

    Charles Martinet No Longer Voicing Mario and Friends

    In a way, we all knew this day would come eventually. Charles Martinet has been voicing most of the cast of the Super Mario Bros. franchise for over 30 years. Yet, it’s still something none of us really wanted to say is definite. We already had to adjust to the fact that Chris Pratt took over as the character in the major motion picture release earlier this year and now the official statement has been made by Nintendo that Martinet will no longer voice the character moving forward.

    It’s a shame that the announcement arrives in a simple red-tinted image rather than through a Nintendo Direct that highlights his career. Perhaps one is on the horizon that’ll unveil the new voice of Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, and many more moving forward. It does seem unlikely that Pratt is going to continue in this story. Most did notice that perhaps the voice teased in Super Mario Bros. Wonder wasn’t the one we are most used to.

    Now, we can only count the days until Martinet passes the torch to the next generation of voice actors to take on these iconic characters. He also isn’t leaving the character behind, as he is set to remain a “Mario Ambassador” moving forward to ensure that whoever takes over is always well prepared. A video message has been teased for the future, so we’ll have to wait just a bit longer for the official statement.

    Source: Twitter

  • RUMOR: ‘Silent Hill 2’ Remake Eyeing a September 2023 Release

    RUMOR: ‘Silent Hill 2’ Remake Eyeing a September 2023 Release

    We’ve had some big reveals throughout the gaming summer. Quite a few major remakes are heading our way with Metal Gear Solid Detal: Snake Eater, Persona 3 Reload, and more. Yet, there was a noticeable lack of a confirmed remake of Silent Hill 2 by production studio Bloober Team. There have been quite a few questions surrounding the production since the first reveal trailer and their promise to only update the fighting system. Now, a new rumor might have given us our first hint at the game’s release date.

    Pre-order listings by the Australian retailer Gorilla Gaming may have given away that Bloober Team is hoping to release the game at some point later this year. It includes a listing that states the game will release on the 29th of September, which would perfectly position it before the month of Halloween; a popular release window for horror games.

    Of course, there’s always a chance they have simply just added a release date as a placeholder. They may have guessed that they’d release before October given the popularity of the release window, but it’s definitely interesting that the listing exists to begin with as they usually get some details ahead of reveals. Yet, we don’t know when we can expect the next showcase of the game, as there hasn’t been much development and Summer of Gaming is wrapping up.

    There’s also the Silent Hill sequel film that is supposedly releasing at some point this year. We haven’t heard anything on it since the confirmation as part of the big Silent Hill showcase. They may just drop a trailer randomly to hype up when we can expect the release, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they release the horror film around the same time as the game to make good use of the synergy.

    Source: GameRant

  • ‘Persona’ Producer Shares Why They Decided to Remake ‘Persona 3’

    ‘Persona’ Producer Shares Why They Decided to Remake ‘Persona 3’

    Persona 3 Reload sadly leaked a bit earlier than Atlus may have planned, but it’s definitely something many have been hoping to see for quite some time. The visuals are already teasing a promising return to the iconic franchise but many still are wondering why they decided to go with Persona 3. Well, the reasoning is quite simple actually: they see it as the turning point of the franchise that many have fallen in love with.

    We believe Persona 3 was the game that marked the actual turning point in the Persona franchise, it’s a very important title for Atlus as well for the development team who were involved in the original version of the game.

    Ryota Niitsuma

    A strong focus was on pushing people to learn more about the Persona series beyond just the rising popularity of the fifth entry. It seems though that they started working on the project around 2019. It’s crazy to think that they started production on the game just shortly before the pandemic hit, which makes you wonder if it may have been released earlier if things went as originally planned.

    They also highlight that they remade everything from scratch from the original version of the game, but they have quite a few details they will reveal as we close in on the release. They do highlight that they updated the game to the level that players have gotten accustomed to with Persona 5, which does open many possibilities of modern elements making their way into the game.

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘Persona 3’ Remake Will Not Include Portable or FES Content

    ‘Persona 3’ Remake Will Not Include Portable or FES Content

    We’ve kind of expected it but luckily Persona 3 Reload producer Ryota Niitsuma and chief director Kazuhisa Wada did not let fans speculate for long if we’re going to see any additional content from previous Persona 3 editions included in the upcoming remake. In an interview with IGN, they confirmed that the game is a remake of the 2006 PlayStation 2 original.

    So first I’d like to mention that since the basic concept of the Persona 3 remake was to remake the Persona 3, we don’t have the FES and Portable contents included. We wanted to really genuinely work on recreating the Persona 3 experience.

    Ryota Niitsuma

    This might naturally annoy some as there’s the hunt for the “definite” edition of the iconic entry. FES is no longer accessible for those that don’t already won’t the game for PlayStation 2 and Portable doesn’t include that content. Plus, the female main character (FeMC as fans call her) was a great addition that brought along new social links and a new twist on the familiar story.

    So we can’t really go into the details at this point yet, but we have remade basically everything from scratch as for Persona 3 the original version,” Niitsuma said. “So we have newly recorded voices, we have new scenes and events. We also have both new and arranged music. We’ll be kind of releasing that information, following everything. So please look forward to that
    Ryota Niitsuma

    Their goal was to bring the original game to the modern era and preserve what made it stand out, while still taking the big learnings they had from Persona 5‘s experience. The franchise has changed quite a bit and while there is some skepticism on taking on these P5-esque elements, it does make sense they want to make sure of them to expand upon what made the original stand out.

    So the basic concept of recreating the Persona story was that we wanted to keep everything from the original version, but update everything to the modern day. So at the same level of Persona 5, basically. So we have the newest graphics, we have updated the system to the newest usability… We have the voice lines in [both Japanese and English.] We also have the text available in 13 languages. So you should be able to have similar experiences to that of Persona 5.

    Kazuhisa Wada

    Many are speculating that we might either see a new version that includes the missing content or we might even just have it as DLC. It’s surprising they didn’t just create two versions of the game similar to the Pokémon franchise but that might be for the best considering that those elements haven’t aged great for those wanting a fuller experience from a game. We’ll have to see if FES‘ story The Answer or even the FeMC might appear at a later point in this game.

    Source: IGN

  • New Details and Voice Cast Revealed for ‘Persona 3 Reload’

    New Details and Voice Cast Revealed for ‘Persona 3 Reload’

    Ahead of the Xbox Game Showcase, Atlus West accidentally leaked the trailer early for Persona 3 Reload; a remake of the iconic game that started the day system the franchise became famous for. Now that the trailer is officially released, we finally have some insights into what exactly we can expect from the new take on the iconic game that started Persona’s growth into the franchise it is today.

    The one complaint some had was that Junpei Iori’s design in the footage shown was a bit off. And interestingly enough, the new website, P3RE.jp (which was part of why we knew the remake was coming eventually) gave us some brand new character portraits highlighting the updated designs that pay a bit more tribute to the original designs.

    It also looks like they are, indeed, going to have a new dub for the entire game. Some of the voice acting hasn’t aged too well when replaying Persona 3 Portable’s remaster and it wasn’t too surprising they’d go down this route but it’s definitely great to get a confirmation that they will add a new voice cast. It’s uncertain if some will return but it seems the one’s confirmed so far are:

    • Dawn M. Bennett as Aigis
    • Allegra Clark as Mitsuru Kirijo
    • Alejandro Saab as Akihiko Sanada
    • Zeno Robinson as Junpei Iori
    • Suzie Yeung as Fuuka Yamagishi
    • Justine Lee as Ken Amada
    • Justice Slocum as Shinjiro Aragaki
    • Heather Gonzalez as Yukari Takeba
    • Aleks Le as the Protagonist

    That isn’t all, as a few screenshots from the game have also been released that offers a first look at some more gameplay with you interacting with some of the cast members. While the menu and everything remains pretty much the same (keep in mind this is very likely still an early version of the build that is being shown off and quite a few elements can change throughout the production) it does confirm that we are getting an animated opening and sequences. So, it won’t all just be in-game animations for this adaptation.

    The game looks quite promising and we’ll hopefully get a good look at more in the coming months. While the primary focus will very likely be on Persona 5 Tactica ahead of its release, they may still share a new trailer that confirms the already leaked multi-console release of the game. There’s already a second trailer that does seem to show some slight changes from the initial showcase so we’ll see what else they might share.

    Source: Twitter, P3RE, Twitter, Twitter, Twitter

  • Spanish Retailer Leaks ‘Persona 3 Reload’s Multi-Platform Release

    Spanish Retailer Leaks ‘Persona 3 Reload’s Multi-Platform Release

    Well, if the trailer didn’t leak in advance, it seems Spanish retailer Xtralife was going to do it for Atlus. A new listing has surfaced online and it confirms that while Persona 3 Reload was an Xbox Showcase exclusive, the game is going to be a multi-platform release. The retailer includes the games on multiple consoles which also includes a Switch release; which is not too surprising given Persona 5 Royal was recently made available on the console.

    It also matches Atlus seeing the potential of multi-platform releases to truly bank on the success of their franchise. Though, rumors did point to Persona 6, the next actual mainline entry, potentially being an exclusive for PlayStation 5 for some time. That would make sense given that Persona 5 was a huge hit when it was first released and it would also allow the game’s core audience to stick with it while others get a chance to catch up on the remake of Persona 3.

    What is interesting is that the box art is also included, which seems pretty much set in stone alongside the Reload logo. Though it does say “Not Final Artwork” and could change given its Early 2024 release. While personally wished they’d updated the logo, the visual of the game’s main character in water is seemingly going to be a recurring theme moving forward for the entry. Here’s hoping that they may have also added some elements into the actual remake that make this aspect come across outside of just the UI.

    Source: Xtralife (Switch), Xtralife (Xbox), Xtralife (PS)

  • BREAKING: First Look at New ‘Persona 5’ Spinoff Has Also Dropped Early by Atlus West

    BREAKING: First Look at New ‘Persona 5’ Spinoff Has Also Dropped Early by Atlus West

    Well, it seems that Atlus accidentally revealed their two big reveals early. Not only did they seemingly accidentally reveal their Persona 3 Reload trailer on Instagram, but it seems they followed it up with the other planned Xbox reveal, Persona 5 Tactica. As shared by Twitter user @junoharuto, the game seemingly will re-use the Persona Q series’ design and adds a curious take on the strategy elements we’ve seen in other franchises.

    The designs are definitely a curious take on chibi designs, and it might not include any social elements but it’s definitely an exciting addition to the franchise. The film is also taking the late 2023 release with a definite 17th November release date. Once again, it was part of the Xbox Showcase with no exact wording of other consoles that will also get their hands on the release but do remain likely given past statements.

    UPDATING

    Source: Twitter

  • BREAKING: Atlus West Accidentally Leaks ‘Persona 3 Reload’ Trailer Early, Early 2024 Release

    BREAKING: Atlus West Accidentally Leaks ‘Persona 3 Reload’ Trailer Early, Early 2024 Release

    Well, it seems like Persona 3 Reload is real, as the trailer for the remake of the iconic game has seemingly leaked early. As shared by Twitter user @Spoopy06, the full trailer has seemingly found its way online and was initially shared by Atlus West’s Instagram account. The trailer showcases many familiar sequences but also has a variety of style updates that definitely is more in line with what we see with Persona 5.

    Not just that, it starts with the Xbox logo and ends with “Play it Day 1 With Gamepass” further hinting that this trailer was part of the upcoming Xbox Showcase. So, either they accidentally leaked it with the wrong event or the timing was off. Either way, the trailer confirms that it’s an adaptation of the base game, as there’s no sign of the female route being present in this version of the game. @ScrambledFaz has shared a better look at the adaptation.

    There’s no sign of it including a release on all consoles or PlayStation, but it does seem unlikely that this classic will only be available on one console. So, here’s hoping that the game will also be confirmed for other releases, as we saw a similar strategy with the remaster reveals earlier this year. It was commonly the website that revealed the multi-title release. The only big surprise is that this game is seemingly releasing in early 2024 rather than the rumored later this year. Perhaps that Persona 5 spinoff game, which was also hinted at potentially being revealed soon. Could we have a double-reveal planned for Xbox Showcase?

    Source: Twitter

  • SUMMER GAME FEST: ‘Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’ to Release Early 2024 on PS5

    SUMMER GAME FEST: ‘Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’ to Release Early 2024 on PS5

    Summer Game Fest ended in style with the long-awaited trailer for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. The sequel to Final Fantasy 7 Remake will continue the storyline that many of us fell in love with on the PlayStation while setting up expectations of changing elements we might be familiar with. The trailer was a great reveal with some familiar and new teases of what’s to come. Yet, there was also the confirmation that we’ll have to wait a bit longer for its release.

    The second entry in the Remake trilogy was originally set for a release later this year but seemingly was pushed back to 2024. While they do state it’ll release in “Early 2024” they might be keeping the door open to push it back slightly in case the game still requires a bit more work. The game still remains a Sony timed-exclusive but it is surprising this wasn’t part of their recent Showcase given it was the first in a long time.

    Either way, the trailer gives us a great look at a finally playable Red XIII, the return of Yuffie, and surprisingly no teases of other party members like Vincent or Cait Sith. The big question is the opening of the trailer showing the party members seemingly passed out or even dead after the events of the last game. Yet, we see the journey we are familiar with hints of iconic sequences returning and a beautiful semi-open world to explore.

    There might be more to this story once again that is teased throughout the story. We even get more hints at Reunion and potential on what type of bosses we’ll face in this sequel. Rebirth is definitely looking like it’ll hold up t other original and it’s exciting to see how far the story goes considering that it’s already set as a trilogy for the entire retelling of Final Fantasy 7. A release on 2 discs on a Playstation 5 sounds like a massive game.

    Source: Twitter

  • SUMMER GAME FEST: Eddie Brock Will Not Become Venom in ‘Spider-Man 2’

    SUMMER GAME FEST: Eddie Brock Will Not Become Venom in ‘Spider-Man 2’

    Summer Game Fest has finally arrived and with E3 no longer happening, it’s likely our biggest event for gaming news. While we didn’t get a new trailer for Spider-Man 2, we did get some great reveals and confirmations. The biggest is that the one major character confirmed for quite some time to appear in the game was finally focused on again. Besides some beautiful artwork, we now also find out that the character won’t be who we thought it is.

    The first look of Venom seemingly hinted at the design we’re used to that Eddie Brock ends up with when the symbiote takes him over after Peter Parker. Yet, the game’s director Bryan Intihar has confirmed that this is, in fact, not Eddie Brock but someone else. Naturally, they did not reveal who exactly that’ll be, and this has kept us wondering.

    There are many possible candidates. Most might think it’s Harry Osborne given we saw him fused with what looked like the symbiote in the first game. It’s a good chance that it’ll be him but they might also play around with the idea of it being Kraven the Hunter that ends up getting overtaken, which would match with him being one of the main big bads of the game.

    They could also have Dr. Curt Connors whose Lizard DNA might create the monstrous version of the character. Until the October 20th release, we might not know but it’s fun to guess. We’ll have to see if future trailers might offer more teases of who it’ll be and what it means for the character in this story.

    Source: Twitter