ATLUS Releases New Prologue Demo Today for Metaphor: ReFantazio

Studio Zero Game Director Katsura Hashino announced today at the Metaphor Launch Event in Tokyo, Japan, during the week of Tokyo Game Show (TGS), that the Prologue Demo for ATLUS’ highly-anticipated fantasy RPG Metaphor: ReFantazio is now available on Xbox for free. The free demo will also be available for PlayStation and PC today at 9am PT.

In the Prologue Demo, players can experience some of the early-game narrative, explore social elements and discover the city as they get a head start on their adventure ahead of the October 11 launch. Progression from the demo will carry over to the launch version so players can get a head start on their adventures in the United Kingdom of Euchronia.

The Prologue Demo includes:

  • The beginning of the journey to lift the curse of the prince.

  • The first four dungeons.

  • The ability to unlock seven of the 40+ classes called “Archetypes”.

  • Meet six followers, including party members that will support the Protagonist’s journey.

  • And much more!

Metaphor: ReFantazio is an all-new fantasy RPG from the creative minds of Persona 3, 4, and 5. Players will write their destiny and rise above fear as they step into a fantasy world unlike any other in a perilous race for the throne.

Metaphor: ReFantazio launches October 11, 2024 for Xbox Series X|S, Windows, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and Steam. For more information and for links to pre-order, visit metaphor.atlus.com.

In addition to today’s demo release announcement, Jack Frost is confirmed to be included later in the game (not in the demo) as a demon an Archetype from the Summoner lineage can summon.

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Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance announced from Atlus, available June 21st, 2024

Good ol’ Atlus with their expanded SMT/Persona re-releases. Seriously though, props for the clever logo design here.

If you liked Atlus’s recent hit JRPG Shin Megami Tensei V, then you’re gonna love Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. Just announced within the same Nintendo Partner Showcase Direct from February 21st, 2024, which also revealed the new demo for Unicorn Overlord, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance was revealed as an all-new definitive version of the original and highly lauded Shin Megami Tensei V (2021). This all new version of SMT V will include extra locations, demons, and an all new additional story to experience. From a technical side, the game also includes an improved battle, exploration, and demon fusion system, new accessibility features, and all the previously available DLC from SMT V as standard content within the base game.

Journey past the break for links to the game’s official website.

Unicorn Overlord demo now available to download

If you’ve been waiting with baited breath to try the brand new strategy RPG from Vanillaware and Atlus, Unicorn Overlord, you now have your chance with an official demo being available on all consoles’ digital storefronts right now. News of this was revealed in Nintendo’s Partner Showcase Direct livestream from February 21st, 2024 via the above video clip, but the demo has also launched on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox at the same time. Give it a shot right away and see what you’re in for.

Take a look beyond the break for links to each demo.

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Like a Dragon Gaiden’s opening movie and main theme “Katatoki” released featuring Yojiro Noda & Rapper JID

SEGA has released Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, this opening movie really shows a contrast to Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth, which is more upbeat story trailers featuring the main cast on an adventure; Like a Dragon Gaiden shows Kazuma Kiryu on the other hand living in the shadows.

What is Kazuma Kiryu doing? What he does best, hanging out at bars and smoking cigarettes.

Atlus & Vanillaware brings back old school SRPGs with the gorgeous Unicorn Overlord

The last time Atlus & Vinallaware teamed up, they brought us the amazing 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim and now they have announced Unicorn Overlord coming to Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series world wide on March 8th, 2024.

The game in the West will have a standard edition and a Collector’s Edition pictured below:

Check out the press release after the break:

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Atlus announces Soul Hackers 2 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series/One, and PC

Atlus has announced Soul Hackers 2 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One and PC (Steam). The first game, at the time titled Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers is actually already the ‘second game’ in the ‘Devil Summoner‘ series which itself is a side-series of the Shin Megami Tensei franchise which originally came out on SEGA Saturn and PlayStation, then getting a 3DS remake in 2012. Does all this confuse you? Probably why they decided a more simple, Soul Hackers 2 title instead of “Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers 2” 

The game is set to launch pretty soon, on August 25th in Japan and the next day world wide with Japanese voice overs and English, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese subtitles. In Japan they already announced a special Soul Hackers 2 25th Anniversary Edition for PS5 & PS4 that includes a three disc soundtrack, 100 page anniversary book with artwork & interviews, and more to be announced soon.

As for what special versions, day one editions or even pre-order DLC for those outside of Japan; its unknown as of right now. But don’t worry, we will keep you guys posted. Siliconera has a good breakdown on the Japanese content though.

Watch Yakuza Creator sing the Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania theme song

(Starts at the 11:45 mark of the video above)

SEGA has revealed the official theme song for Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania with producer Masao Shirosaki along with ‘The Banana Fritters’ who are voice actors who also provide the voices for our Monkey heroes (and Baby) in the game.

The theme song for Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania is being titled ‘Hello Banana!!” and debuted as a part of the Sega Atlus Tokyo Game Show 2021 live stream.

The Banana Fritters consist of:

  • Koichi Yamadera (voices Dr. Bad-Boon)
  • Noriko Hidaka (Voices AiAi, MeeMee and YanYan)
  • Toshihiko Seki (Voices Jet)

But during the video, if you look closely you will start seeing cameo appearances by big name SEGA creators singing along the chorus. Two of the big names are Toshihiro Nagoshi who is the creator of Daytona USA, Super Monkey Ball and Yakuza series. Masao Shirosaki who is the current series producer also makes a cameo appearance!

Sonic & Friends Join Minecraft as DLC pack to celebrate 30th anniversary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE_zAoOHKHg

If you are a hybrid Sonic and Minecraft fan, SEGA and Microsoft have a big announcement for you! It looks like you’ll be able to get stage decorations for both Green Hill Zone and Chemical Plant Zone. It also seems like you’ll be joined by Sonic’s friends including Tails, Knuckles and Knuckles.

Check out the screenshots to see more. It also seems that Microsoft will have a special server event for Sonic’s birthday, which is set to last two weeks! With something special happening one of those weekends.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania officially announced, coming October 5, 2021

SEGA has officially revealed Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania! The game is releasing in time for the franchise’s 20th anniversary. The game promises 300 recreated stages from the original three Super Monkey Ball games, as well as fan favorite mini games. Expect the game to hit October 5, 2021 to PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania box art and screenshots leak online ahead of its E3 Nintendo Direct debut


SEGA’s Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania might be the worse kept game secret in a long time, having its platforms already leak and now box art and screenshots from TechnikNews writer Nils Ahrensmeier. I’ll be honest, that is probably some of the nicest box art I have seen from a Super Monkey Ball game and I really dig the logo.

Big spoilers, those mini-games you love from the original games? They back baby! Check out the screens shared by Nils below:

Unannounced Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania leaks platforms via Brazil’s classification board


We posted before how the Australian Classification Board rated Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania and now it looks like the beans (I mean, bananas) have been re-spilled by a Brazilian certification board. But this time we got more information, which platforms the unannounced game is heading for and basically every modern piece of hardware:

  • PC
  • PlayStation 4
  • Xbox One
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PlayStation 5
  • Xbox Series X/S

Crazy enough, SEGA just revealed quite a bit of games, but still no word on this Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania title…

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Judgment sequel Lost Judgment releases worldwide on September 24

SEGA has officially announced that the legal action thriller Judgment from Yakuza series developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio will be receiving a sequel! Titled Lost Judgment, the game will see a simultaneous worldwide release on September 24 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. You can check out the trailer now! We will be sure to share more details as we hear them.

Streets of Rage 4 announces Mr. X Nightmare DLC, will also come with free content update to base game

Looks like the listing from Dot Emu on SteamDB was true, the new add-on DLC for Streets of Rage 4 is being titled Mr. X Nightmare. The DLC is set to have Estel Aguirre as playable, new game modes, new moves, new weapons, and even new tracks by Sonic Mania fame Tee Lopes.

But what if you just got Streets of Rage 4? Well, Dot Emu isn’t leaving the base game behind as this update for the DLC will also include free upgrade to the base game that will include Mania + difficulty, Training mode with tutorial, New color palettes, and more stuff to be announced in the future.

The steam page for the DLC is already up, if you guys want to add it to your Wishlist. This trailer has me hyped, lets go!

Judgment Remastered announced for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Stadia

Judgment is a great game, one that I think any fan of the Yakuza franchise should give a try. While I enjoyed most of the game, there were moments within the game that could have used polished (one of those scenes is actually shown a bit in this trailer), so I hope the newly announced “Judge Eyes Remastered” (Judge Eyes being the Japanese name) fixes those issues. The new remastered version will cost you $39.99. This will also mark the debut for the game outside a Sony platform, with it being on Xbox and Stadia (who cares about that one, right?).

This is also the first time a RGG Studio game has gotten a world wide release date on the same day in Japan with the rest of the world. The game is set to come out on April 21st, 2021! Judgment Remastered is said to run at 4K at 60fps, but also include all the DLC on the disc. Hit the jump for the press release from SEGA:

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 Review – Solid Yet Conflicting (Nintendo Switch)

Review code provided by SEGA

Puzzle games! They’re fun! They’re varied! They’re kind of strange to talk about, too, they’re very weird and specific in that way. Why do you play them? I play them because I want something fun and simple that puts my brain to work, or to put my brain against some other person’s brain and see who can work their brain better, or something. And that’s awesome! I love these games!

But there’s a lot of them. Puyo Puyo and Tetris are two of the biggest puzzle games on the planet, they have such long, storied histories, they play in such similar yet contrasting ways, it’s fascinating playing a game that has them both in one package. But it’s also not the only time they’ve been in one package. When I previewed this game, I mentioned how it was comforting how little had changed between games, because it meant I was gonna have a good time regardless of which one I booted up. But now that it’s out, I gotta ask myself: does that comfort hold up after a few weeks of playing?