Shenmue III’s Dev Room Progress Report Vol. 4 Talks Facial Animation

A new Shenmue III Dev Room Progress video is out, this one being the fourth in the series. The report is under a minute and has a look at someone doing very early work on facial animation. I’m going to be honest, I feel like these reports are very useless since there isn’t anyone talking in detail about the process they are using and how complete the footage is. Towards the end of the footage of the old woman, we see a young woman model that looks rather nice. Overall the video is way too short and doesn’t offer much details.

Check out the Shenmue III Dev Room Progress video and let me know what you think of Shenmue III and its status reports that they have been releasing.

IDW to talk Sonic the Hedgehog comics at New York Comic Con

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If you are going to New York Comic Con and are a huge fan of the Sonic the Hedgehog comics, you might want to stop by ‘The First Sonic the Hedgehog/IDW Town Hall‘ on October 8, 2017 from 12:45 PM through 1:45 PM at 1A02, Javits Center. Of course the new Sonic the Hedgehog comic book isn’t launching on IDW until 2018, but we might finally get more information on the creative team behind the new reboot and what it means for older stories going forward.

At SDCC, IDW announced they were taking over the Sonic the Hedgehog comic license. The comic isn’t being released til 2018 but this is the first official chance for fans to get in front of the editors to get to know them, hear some hints about what’s to come, share your own history with Sonic, and generally have an informal meet-and-greet with IDW CCO Chris Ryall, Editor Joe Hughes, and just maybe a special guest or two! Everyone in attendance will also leave with a special Sonic something, too! Join us on the ground floor of an all-new adventure with Sonic, won’t you?, won’t you?

Expect some surprises and maybe a early first look? Whatever they have planned, lets hope there is some video footage to follow so we can post it here on the blog. The only other thing to note is that IDW used the photo on their that we used as a featured image, meaning they are using modern Sonic branding with green eyes. Does this mean that the new comics will use more Sonic Adventure style Sonic?

[Update: Shipping lowered!] New indie Dreamcast game Intrepid Izzy hits Kickstarter

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Back in March we shared the news that indie Dreamcast developer Senile Team, creators of Rush Rush Rally Racing and Beats of Rage, were working on a platformer titled Intrepid Izzy. Now, it looks like the team plans to bring the game to Dreamcast, PC and (should they hit a stretch goal) PlayStation 4 via a Kickstarter campaign. With a €35,000 goal ($41,268), they still have a ways to go having just hit the 10% mark.

SEGA News Bits: Sonic Forces Classic Casino Forest Stage Reveal Discussion

Earlier today SEGA released a new trailer along with some B-Roll footage of Sonic Forces‘ newest stage, Casino Forest. This level would be for Classic Sonic, thus showing off classic Sonic gameplay. On this episode of the SEGA News Bits we give you a small story theory regarding the new stage, what we liked about Casino Forest and we we disliked. Its a mixed episode for sure, so make sure to tell us what you think of Casino Forest in the comments below.

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Atlus releases statement on why they issued DMCA takedowns for PlayStation 3 emulator

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Atlus games have had a long history of having a niche, hardcore fanbase. But over the last half decade, they have been getting more and more popular, the issue with a lot of the new fans is that they don’t release their games on a lot of platforms. For example if you want to play Persona 5, you have to play it on either PlayStation 3 or PlayStation 4. Well, unless you want to play it on a emulator and PC gamers have been using RPCS3, a PlayStation 3 emulator to play some of the latest Atlus games.

Earlier this week Atlus sent out DMCA takedowns for the developers behind RPCS3 and its Patreon page, which is where they fund the emulator. This is why, according to Atlus:

Sonic Forces sends classic Sonic to Casino Forest in new gameplay video

A new Sonic Forces gameplay video has released showcasing a classic Sonic stage titled Casino Forest. The video description reads as follows: “Classic Sonic enters the Casino Forest, ancient ruins currently being converted to a casino by Eggman. But it’s not all fun and games as perilous traps line the ancient facades.”

While the stage does look like a combination of assets from Sonic Generations Casino Night Zone DLC and Sonic Lost World‘s Silent Forest, it does look like fun and I love the combination of tropes. What do you think of the latest Sonic Forces reveal?

SEGAbits at Tokyo Game Show 2017: A Certain Magical Virtual-On Hands-On Preview

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What started seemingly as a one-off (potentially joke) crossover between a popular anime and SEGA’s Virtual-On has turned into a potential resurrection for the much-loved Virtual-On series.

The playable build I got my hands on started with a tutorial, where I got my first experience of A Certain Magical Index. Honestly it’s quite jarring to turn on a Virtual-On game and be met with what looked like high-school students talking in high pitched voices with a long-winded introduction to the game. The characters seem very out of place and different to the usual Virtual-On style and I was initially a little jarring. Thankfully when I got to actually control Temjin, I found the game surprisingly familiar. I still don’t like some of the new designs for mechs, but for the most part it manages to gel nicely with the old games.

Sonic the Hedgehog Ultimate Figure to be released by Tomy in 2018

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Thanks to a Gamestop listing, we’ve learned of an upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog collectible set to release next year. Sonic Ultimate Figure appears to be Tomy’s version of the Nendoroid Sonic the Hedgehog from Good Smile Company, with Tomy’s figure featuring a base, alternate faces and hands, and accessories, including a ring and chili dog. The figure is listed at $29.99 and releases March 12, 2018.

Gamestop seems to be the place when it comes to finding out about upcoming Tomy Sonic products, as last week we learned of a Sonic Forces themed multi-figure pack. These products will likely release elsewhere, but at the moment Gamestop is the only store to list them.

Roommania Spiritual Successor ‘Project One-Room’ Gets Teaser Trailer

FuRyu, the developer behind the Roommania #203 spiritual successor Project One-Room (tentative title) has released the following teaser trailer for the game. We wrote an article about first details on the PlayStation 4 exclusive Project One-Room yesterday, but now we got an official teaser, including a website. The site lets you throw balls around the room, if you throw them at the radio a song will start. We uploaded that track on our YouTube channel for you to listen to.

Sadly the website and teaser do little to give us new information. The producer of the game, Masaru Oochi, confirmed that the game won’t be a sequel or remake of Roommania #203, but rather than a homage title. While we don’t know who is publishing ‘Project One-Room‘ yet, it is weird how openly they are using SEGA’s Roommania #203 game footage, having artists from Roommania #203 and the title being announced on SEGA’s Tokyo Game Show stage. Don’t be too shocked if SEGA or Atlus announce they will be publishing the title considering that FuRyu’s upcoming The Alliance Alive on the Nintendo 3DS. (tho self published in Japan). What are your thoughts on Project One-Room? Do you think it has a chance of coming out outside of Japan?

[Via: Gematsu]

SEGA News Bits: Sonic Forces 2 & Sonic Mania 2? House of the Dead Remake?

Today on the SEGA News Bits we take questions from our audience, this is the second question and answer segment we have done. You can catch the last one over here. On this Q&A episode we discuss the possibilities of Sonic Forces 2, Sonic Mania 2, our favorite Sonic the Hedgehog vocal song, are we really excited for Sonic Forces, Our favorite SEGA community stories, and we talk The House of the Dead Remake possibilities. Watch the episode and tell us what you thought, we are always open to suggestions on the format.

If you enjoy our SEGA News Bits segments and want to support us: Give us a sub and give this video a like so it shows up on more like minded fans YouTube recommendations. You know, how that YouTube algorithm is.

Senko no Ronde 2 to get Virtual-On themed DLC

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G.rev’s Senko no Ronde 2 will be getting a playable Temijin virtualoid from SEGA’s Cyber Troopers Virtual-On (also Valken from Assault Suits Valken but that isn’t a SEGA game so shush). Of course the Virtual-On tie-in with Sanko no Ronde 2 is part of SEGA promoting the upcoming A Certain Magical Virtual-On PlayStation 4 game that launches early next year.

I do wonder if this DLC will make it outside of Japan, considering that Senko no Ronde 2 is already available to buy both on PlayStation 4 and PC. More on both collaborations will be shown during their live stream at the Tokyo Game Show 2017 on September 23 at 15:00 JST. You can watch it via Twitch.

[via: Gematsu]

Yakuza: Kiwami 2 shows off gameplay footage, reveals playable Cyber Troopers Virtual-On arcade

SEGA and the Yakuza Studio has been showing off gameplay of Yakuza Kiwami 2. SEGA has shown off fighting mechanics, story cutscenes, new play spots, and of course the new Goro Majima construction fighting mini-game? You can see the Goro Majima gameplay after the jump.

Another play spot that SEGA showed off was a photograph mode that lets you chat up with models and snap photos. Seems that your job is to make them react and snap a photograph at the right time. It uses real life footage for the girls, sort of how they did video chat in Yakuza 6. You can see that gameplay after the jump as well. The last gameplay video has you exploring the city as Goro Majima and reveals a playable Virtual-On arcade machine. That’s pretty neat.

SEGA developed Dx2 Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation gameplay

SEGA showed off their joint mobile project with Atlus (SEGA is developing, Atlus is writing it) called Dx2 Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation. In the mobile game you play a protagonist that joins a group who call themselves “Liberators”, a secret organization that protects the world. The game features turn base battles, demon fusions and demon negotiations, just like past Atlus Shin Megami Tensei titles.

SEGA has also posted up a application for the Android version which will give you the latest game information, campaign news, videos, and more about Dx2 Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation. SEGA promises that a ‘Dx2 Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Info‘ app will be launching on iOS soon. It seems that SEGA is really making a big deal about this project and thinks it will be a huge success. What is your vibe from watching 11 minutes of gameplay (from the video above)?

[Source: Gematsu]

A Certain Magical Virtual-On shows off gameplay, looks amazing

I wasn’t so sure on how to feel about the upcoming A Certain Magical Virtual-On, a game that is set to cross over A Certain Magical Index manga with SEGA’s own mech franchise Cyber TroopersVirtual-On. I was a bit on the edge because I thought the game might have been a licensed cash grab. Also the game didn’t debut in arcades, like most Virtual-On previous entries, seeing all these broken traditions got me nervous.

Now that SEGA went out and showed us a lot more of A Certain Magical Virtual-On, I’m excited to get my hands on it. While it looks great in motion and really kept the feel of the Virtual-On franchise, the games have always been about its controls. We will be having hands-on previews of A Certain Magical Virtual-On very soon, but for now lets enjoy the gameplay presented above. What are your thoughts?

Sonic Forces on PC confirms use of Denuvo DRM

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It seems that SEGA will still continue to use Denuvo DRM in their upcoming PC port of Sonic Forces. The Steam page for the game has updated confirming that it will be using the anti-tamper DRM software that has a lot of people online rather heated. If you guys didn’t know, Sonic Mania got a two week delay to launch late with Denuvo DRM. One of the big issues with all of this is that SEGA never warned customers that Sonic Mania would feature the infamous DRM. The only other new thing listed in the Sonic Forces steam page is that the port will be co-developed by Sonic Team and Hardlight (in-house studio that made the Sonic Dash series), at least I take this news that the PC version is a port.

As for my opinion, I have quite a few games with Denuvo DRM and really can’t tell the difference between Denuvo or any other form of DRM. While may be the case for me personally, it isn’t the case with online users. The Denuvo DRM carries baggage associated with it and SEGA using it, in my opinion, is a bad PR move. What are your thoughts on Denuvo DRM and Sonic Forces? Are you still going to get the game on PC or are you thinking of dropping it altogether?