Shout File

A surprise patch has dropped for the PC version of the action RPG that many missed out on last year, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, which makes now would be a perfect time to get acquainted with the series. While working on the upcoming localization of Trails From Zero (another Falcom game you should keep your eyes on), PH3 developer Peter "Durante" Thoman discovered how to increase CPU performance in that game. After finding promising results in Trails From Zero, he brought the technique over to Ys IX. Lo and behold, there was an impressive frame rate boost with the same implementation, with a 25% increase in parts of the game where the CPU can bottleneck performance. The update proved stable enough in testing to push it live for everyone playing the Steam version. Here are the full patch notes f...

Star Wars Celebration kicks off tomorrow in Anaheim, Calif. I've had the pleasure of attending this show a few times over the years, and find it to be joyous, exciting, and one of the greatest places to go for people watching, thanks to the wealth of stormtroopers, Jedi, and astromech droids roaming the halls. Disney and Lucasfilm always bring a few surprises to Celebration, and I have a feeling we'll see a good number of them this year. The show runs until Sunday and should be packed with announcements. Here's what I expect to see, and how you can tune in to see the reveals as they happen: -Thursday, May 26- New TV Shows and MoviesMost of us will likely watch the first two episodes of Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi this weekend, and more info on this show and what's coming next for TV and t...

Remember Replaced, the atmospheric, futuristic action game revealed during last year’s Xbox Showcase? Set in a dystopian version of the ‘80s USA, Replaced chronicles the exploits of an AI living within a human body. The combat is reminiscent of some of the best sci-fi movies and games out there, including Blade Runner and Cyberpunk 2077. Exciting right? Well, sadly, Replaced has been delayed until 2023.  Publisher Coastink, parent company Thunderful, and developer Sad Cat Studios’ statement on Twitter reads (in its entirety) as follows: "Today we’re making the very difficult decision to delay Replaced until 2023.  The Belarusian-based studio working on the game, Sad Cat Studios, has a team of talented developers for Belarus and Ukraine. Unfortunately, the continued war in Ukraine has ...

Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds is the sixth entry in Level-5’s beloved JRPG series. The MMORPG was released in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan last year but is finally available in North America on mobile devices and PC starting today. You can watch the animation trailer below.  Like the main installments before it – namely, Wrath of the White Witch and Revenant Kingdom – Cross Worlds is composed by the legendary Joe Hisaishi and features Studio Ghibli-animated cutscenes. According to the Ni no Kuni website, the story is as follows:  “You are about to enter a brand new world in the virtual reality game Soul Divers. But as you explore and become stronger, you’ll realize this world is not a virtual one. A mysterious girl named Rania entrusts you with a mission: Rebuild your kingdom ransacked by...

After finding success on PC, 2D fighter Them’s Fightin’ Herds is making its way to consoles this fall. If the game reminds you of My Little Pony, it should. Them’s Fightin’ Herds is a spiritual successor to Fighting is Magic, an unlicensed fighting game based on the popular My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic series created by fans of the show (who appropriately call themselves Mane6). Before that game could officially launch, a big “cease and desist” from Hasbro forced Mane6 to rework the idea into an original title. However, Lauren Faust, the mastermind of Friendship Is Magic, admired the project and lent her artistic talents to design Them’s Fightin’ Herds’ colorful cast of four-legged combatants.  Them’s Fightin’ Herds sports a streamlined 4-button fighting system complete with com...

After finding success on PC, 2D pony fighter Them’s Fightin’ Herds is making its way to consoles this fall. If the game reminds you of My Little Pony, it should. Them’s Fightin’ Herds is a spiritual successor to Fighting is Magic, an unlicensed fighting game based on the popular My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic series created by fans of the show (who appropriately call themselves Mane6). Before that game could officially launch, a big “cease and desist” from Hasbro forced Mane6 to rework the idea into an original title. However, Lauren Faust, the mastermind of Friendship Is Magic, admired the project and lent her artistic talents to design Them’s Fightin’ Herds’ colorful cast of four-legged combatants.  Them’s Fightin’ Herds sports a streamlined 4-button fighting system complete wit...