During the Xbox Showcase 2024, Blizzard released the intro cinematic for the first expansion of Diablo 4, Vessel of Hatred. Along with this, the release date for the DLC has finally been revealed: It kicks off on October 8.
Are there any new updates? Unfortunately not much. Blizzard showcased the intro cinematic for the new expansion, but did not reveal anything further about Vessel of Hatred. A few details can be gleaned from the trailer, although most were already known:
Neyrelle is on her way to Kurast, the capital in the new area.
She carries Mephisto’s soulstone, which is slowly corrupting her.
Mephisto’s power is growing, and he will apparently be our next adversary.
The intro cinematic of the new expansion is remarkably brutal, even by Diablo standards. So here’s a little warning: If you are not comfortable with mutilation, blood, and very graphic violence, you might want to avoid watching.
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Trailer for Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred provides insight into the story of the expansion
Vessel of Hatred – New Class, Story, and Content
Vessel of Hatred will expand the map of Diablo 4 with another area: Nahantu, the swamp and jungle region around the city of Kurast south of Kehjistan. The story revolves around Neyrelle and Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred.
Together with the story expansion and the new area, a new class, Spiritborn, will be introduced, and all existing classes will receive an update and likely new skills. No new information about the Spiritborn has been released – Here you can find everything we know about the new class.
Pokémon GO and the other representatives of the franchise are hardly thinkable nowadays. A detail in the documentation of the Game Boy sparked the idea that led to the birth of the franchise.
Satoshi Tajiri is the creator of the Pokémon franchise. From a young age, Tajiri had a great interest in insects and wanted to become an insect researcher. In his class, he was aptly nicknamed Dr. Bug.
Most people know that this interest was one of the key factors that inspired him in the later development of Pokémon. However, the actual spark of inspiration came to him only after he read the documentation of the Game Boy.
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The new Pokémon: Legends A-Z brings you back to the Kalos region
The Origins of Game Freak
From magazine to video game studio: After Tajiri and Ken Sugimori founded the magazine Game Freak, they later decided to take a different path. Thus, the magazine Game Freak became a studio for video game development.
The first development of the studio was the game Mendel Palace, which was released in 1989 for the NES. This game was the studio’s first notable success and generated €300,000 in profit.
Subsequently, the studio decided to acquire a developer kit from Nintendo for the Game Boy, which was also released in Japan in 1989, in order to develop games for it. And in doing so, Tajiri discovered a detail that would ultimately lead to the creation of Pokémon.
A Cable, Many Possibilities
What detail is it? In the documentation for the Game Boy, Tajiri read about the link cable. When this cable was connected to 2 Game Boys, it was possible to exchange data between the games of the Game Boys. This fact sparked a moment of inspiration for Tajiri.
In the past, he had played the game Dragon Quest on the NES with Ken Sugimori. The final boss in the game had a very low probability of dropping an item.
While Sugimori had already received the item twice after just a few attempts, Tajiri simply could not get it to drop after many tries. There was no way to trade the item between save files. And this is precisely the problem that the link cable could solve.
The idea of collecting monsters, similar to how he collected insects in his childhood, and then being able to trade them with friends using a link cable excited Tajiri. The thought solidified in Tajiri’s mind so much that he pitched the idea to Nintendo.
Nintendo believes in the idea: Nintendo saw the potential in the idea and gave Tajiri the green light to start development. The development would take a full 6 years until, on February 27, 1996, the first generation of Pokémon was released in Japan and, in the following years, in other parts of the world.
While Tajiri increasingly withdrew from the public eye and interviews with him became rarer over time, the success story of Pokémon took its course.
With over 70 video games, more than 20 movies, and an anime that has over 1,100 episodes, the Pokémon franchise is one of the most successful of all time today.
What do you think about this detail in the story of Pokémon? Did you already know about it, or was it new to you? Do you have a part or a generation in the long history of Pokémon that particularly stands out in your memory? Feel free to let us know in the comments. If you are also out in Pokémon GO, check out the events in June 2024 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
As part of the Summer Game Fest 2024, many new games were introduced that you can look forward to from now on. The trailer for the new PS5 game from a major franchise even convinced players who couldn’t connect with the predecessors.
Which game is this about? LEGO Horizon Adventures is the latest game in the LEGO series for the PlayStation 5. The new action-adventure from the franchise is set to be released at the end of 2024 on the console, as well as on PC and Nintendo Switch.
The game was developed jointly by Guerrilla and Studio Gobo and will tell a story inspired by the events in the Horizon world. All in the typical LEGO style with playful gameplay and a co-op mode that some previous games already offered.
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Trailer for LEGO Horizon Adventures – Release 2024 for PS5, Switch, Steam and Epic
LEGO games have a long history on PlayStation. For example, back on the PlayStation 1, you could control the little figures in LEGO Island 2 or LEGO City. However, eventually, the video games developed in collaboration with another franchise, such as LEGO Marvel, LEGO Star Wars, or LEGO Harry Potter, became particularly popular.
What does the community say about LEGO Horizon Adventures? One can safely say that as a player, you either celebrate and love the LEGO games or you simply can’t connect with them at all.
However, the announced game featuring little LEGO Aloy seems to intrigue even players who weren’t really enthusiastic before.
MyMMO editor Benedict Grothaus, for instance, can’t stand LEGO at all. But even he says: I really liked the announcement at the Summer Game Fest. I don’t know what to do with the hotdog man, but the Horizon world in LEGO looks great. I will definitely check it out.
But even in the comments (via YouTube), there are some players who are thrilled by the trailer and the concept, even though they hardly expected this crossover. “For a long time, I had wished for PlayStation to pull back on the hyper-realistic games and bring more games based on their silly IPs. That was not what I had in mind, but it didn’t stop me from smiling throughout the entire trailer,” says one comment.
One user writes that he can’t believe we are actually getting a LEGO game that looks fun. Another even believes that it is the best game of the Summer Game Fest 2024. “Seriously looks more fun than the main games,” says one comment.
Many users are already coming up with new ideas, wishing for a LEGO game for every PlayStation IP. Uncharted, The Last Of Us, or God Of War are just a few examples from the comments. One user even writes that he would love to see a LEGO Bloodborne. At the Summer Game Fest 2024, more trailers were shown that you should definitely check out: Solo developer created a viral hit on Steam with 20, now reveals his new game at the big Summer Game Fest
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
After the Summer Game Fest, some jewels are still hidden in the following shows – for example, at the Future Games Show on Saturday. The new action RPG First Dwarf will soon start early access on Steam and is already playable.
What kind of game is it?
First Dwarf calls itself an action RPG with adventure features, building, and crafting. Additionally, it includes some content that you might know from the survival genre. Moreover, it is of course an official dwarf game.
You control a dwarf who sits in a mechanical walker, fights enemies, and builds a village.
In the first gameplay, the game reminds a bit of Factorio, but with significantly prettier graphics and with flying islands and airships. You can play solo or in co-op with a friend – the friend will then play as a small dragon.
When and where can I play First Dwarf? First Dwarf will be released in early access on Steam on June 19. You can already download a demo now (via Steam). The full release will be available on Steam, Epic, and GOG at the latest.
We do not yet know how long the early access will last. There is no information about a possible release on PS5 or Xbox. However, this is probably not planned for now, as First Dwarf is backed only by an indie studio, Star Drifters from Poland.
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First Dwarf: The trailer for the early access of the new dwarf game on Steam
Building and defending bases on flying islands
The core feature of First Dwarf is exploring and crafting with the self-built mech of the “First Dwarf”, to create a town for other dwarves. The mech itself is powered by mana, which you can find in the world.
Using a building system reminiscent of strategy games, you place buildings, walls, and defenses with resources like wood and stone. Because at night, enemies attack, and you must protect the growing village from them.
Additional features include:
Fighting wild dangers like barbarians and natural disasters
A story that runs through the game: What has happened to the world, what will happen next, what happened to your father?
Co-op as dwarf Tru and dragon Ragna
Skills that you can apparently unlock through leveling
Alongside small gems like First Dwarf, many big titles and updates were already shown on Friday. The Summer Game Fest 2024 was packed with new trailers and promised content for the whole year and beyond: Summer Game Fest 2024: Once Human and Son Goku are the stars, but Paul Atreides steals the show
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A former developer of Skyrim and Fallout is working on his first own game on Steam. Now, there is a new trailer for the heavy metal horror game.
What game is this about? The Axis Unseen is Nathan Purkeypile’s own game, a developer who previously worked for 17 years on the worlds and level designs of games like Skyrim and Fallout. Now, his first own game will be released on Steam: a heavy metal horror game.
A few days ago, a new trailer was released that not only showcases gameplay but also revealed the release window for The Axis Unseen:
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The Axis Unseen is released in October 2024
When will the game be released? We cannot give you an exact release date yet. However, the trailer has already provided a rather “small” window of time, which is not too far off. The Axis Unseen is set to launch on Steam in October 2024.
What can you expect? In The Axis Unseen, you take on the role of a skilled hunter who hunts nightmarish monsters in a mysterious world. In the trailer, you can catch a glimpse of the various creatures that you may encounter in the game.
Some of these creatures look quite creepy. From horned giants to humanoid shapes with unnaturally long limbs or skeletal deer, you can expect many foes in the game that might seem like they have sprung from a nightmare.
You will embark on your hunt with a bow and play from a first-person perspective. Since you, as a hunter, are also the hunted, you must continually evolve throughout the game with new equipment and abilities. For example, you can discover elemental arrows or gain enhanced sensory abilities by defeating the creatures.
Become a better hunter through enhanced sensory abilities
With these enhanced sensory abilities, you can detect scent particles and the residual heat from living beings. These will help you find your prey better in the open world or avoid areas that you are not equipped to handle.
What are the reactions? Many players are commenting (via YouTube) that they can’t wait to play The Axis Unseen. The anticipation seems to be high not only because a former developer of well-known games is behind it. It appears he has created a world and concept that appeals to many players.
“I love the different colors & giant creatures coming out of the fog. Very atmospheric,” writes one user in their comment. “And a soundtrack by Clifford Meyer? What?” expresses another user’s excitement about the music that you can also hear in the trailer.
Starting from June 21, the maximum level will increase every day (via Discord) and the main story will continue. Specifically, on the first day, you can only level up to level 20, which, according to MeinMMO author Cedric, took about 60–90 minutes during the last test. After that, you cannot level up any further for the day, and the story is also on pause.
The next day, it will continue. The maximum level will be raised to level 26, and the story will open a new chapter. For most players, this limitation may seem strange, but there is a brilliant plan behind it.
Here you can see the release trailer for Tarisland:
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Tarisland shows ‘Rage of the Dragon’ in the new trailer
3-hour bites instead of 12-hour grind
What is this plan? Instead of offering players a boring leveling phase before reaching the endgame (via Discord), Tarisland wants to make the leveling process fun. To do this, the developers divide their game into about 3-hour sessions that you can complete each day. “The level cap teaches impatient people to enjoy the game as they should,” writes Senior Moderator Austrem on Discord.
Once you have completed the story and reached the maximum level for the day, it’s far from over. Each day you can participate in dungeons in “Normal” and “Elite Mode” or even raids where you will obtain gear. You will need this gear the next day to tackle the new dungeons and raids.
Once you are done with dungeons and raids, it is best to complete the day’s reputation events. Reputation in Tarisland offers many advantages, such as faster movement speed in the respective open world. Additionally, there will be more events every day that provide you with tokens and currency to improve your character in the long run.
You should also engage in gathering, crafting, and exploring during the “waiting time”. With the items you collect, you will be well prepared for the next day. Tarisland also features recreational activities in the form of mini-games, as the developers demonstrated this week on x.com.
What if I finish everything on the first day? If you finish everything on the first day, the new MMORPG will have fresh content for everything the next day. With the daily story extension and maximum level increase, new collectible items, reputation, and open world events will also be unlocked.
Thus, the release extends over the entire first week before everyone reaches the maximum level together. For hardcore players who had already planned to push their character to the limit over the weekend, this release may be surprisingly different.
Recently, there were leaks about the new shooter Deadlock from Valve. Players are now discussing the official designation Hero-Shooter on Reddit and believe it’s actually something quite different.
What game are we talking about? Deadlock is a new game from Valve that is supposed to be released on Steam. It is an announced hero shooter, which, according to rumors, is supposed to already be in alpha.
Insider Gaming reported on YouTube about the new Hero-Shooter Deadlock from Valve. All the names of the heroes were also mentioned.
According to some speculation, the game is supposed to be released in 2025. A very stable foundation is said to already be in place.
Deadlock is supposed to be a third-person shooter, hero-based, and designed for the competitive scene. Two teams of 6 heroes are to compete against each other. It allegedly uses “Tower Defense” mechanisms as well.
A trailer and official gameplay for Deadlock does not exist yet. About 3 weeks ago there were leaks on Reddit that reportedly showed gameplay. The video is currently unavailable. Instead, you can check out some screenshots via instant-gaming.com.
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Counter-Strike 2: Valve once again impresses with the launch trailer
What does the community say? On Reddit, a user opened their post with an image of Deadlock and the statement that it is a hero shooter. However, this is discussed in the comments by other users.
Deadlock is officially a hero shooter, meaning it is compared to games like Overwatch. Many users, however, do not see this comparison and classification as a hero shooter. A first comment asks: “Is ‘Hero-Shooter’ really the right term for it? After all the stuff that has leaked […] isn’t it more of a MOBA shooter?”.
Many agree with this question and are already comparing Deadlock to other games, such as Battleborn, Smite, or DOTA 2. The difference with DOTA 2 is simply that it is a third-person shooter, as one user claims. The comparison to DOTA comes up actually more than once. One user even gives the game the new name “Shoota,” thus a mix of DOTA and shooter.
With which game they are now also comparing Deadlock, most agree that the shooter rather appears to be a MOBA shooter. “This game is a hero shooter in the same way that League or DOTA are arena fighters. This game is a MOBA,” it says in a comment.
Path of Exile is the biggest competitor to Diablo and has been for many years. Right now, the team is working on the sequel and is, of course, keeping an eye on Diablo 4. In the interview, however, the boss says: They haven’t really been able to draw any new insights from it; they already knew the most important points beforehand.
This is what the boss says: At the Summer Game Fest, game director Jonathan Rogers discussed the development of Path of Exile 2 in an interview with VG247. One topic was, among other things, what the team was able to learn from Diablo 4.
More than anything, we were able to confirm decisions we had already trusted. We were always skeptical about open worlds in video games. I know they can work in certain aspects, but in an action RPG in particular, I’m not a fan. I always believed that it couldn’t work, and I never loved that aspect in Diablo 4.
I think dungeons are much better than an open world, and the open world holds that back a bit. So, that solidified my opinion.
Everything one could have learned was already known and done beforehand, according to Rogers. For example, the dodge roll; Path of Exile had already planned that before Diablo 4 even released: ‘That’s simply a modern action game thing.’
In general, they don’t want to copy anything but rather look at what is good and consider that the new standard that players now expect.
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Path of Exile 2: Announcement trailer for consoles with couch co-op
“Hope players can play without a subscription”
In a second part of the interview on VG247, Rogers further discusses the development of Path of Exile 2 and the release on PlayStation and Xbox. The question arose whether one needs a PS Plus subscription since it is a service game.
Rogers says: ‘That is not our hope.’ Currently, it is still announced that PS Plus is necessary, but they want to deviate from that as soon as possible.
In the interview, it is stated: ‘In general, there will be no issues between PoE 1 and PoE 2 on the same platform […] but with cross-platform monetization, it’s like a minefield. We are doing our best.’
Both Path of Exile and Diablo have major content coming in 2024. Path of Exile 2 is the ARPG that thousands of fans have been waiting for for years. Diablo 4 will receive its first expansion with Vessel of Hatred later this year. If you don’t know what to play from these, here’s a little help: Diablo 4, Path of Exile, Last Epoch – Which action RPG should I play?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
MeinMMO demon Cortyn experiments with an AI that fulfills many dreams. Because the music AI Suno grabs hold of you and simply won’t let go.
In recent days, I have hardly spent any time playing video games. The reason is that an AI is currently consuming all my free time and providing me with creative possibilities that I simply didn’t have before.
We are talking about Suno.
If you don’t know Suno yet: The website Suno.com offers an AI that allows you to create music. Nearly all music genres are possible. From relaxing lo-fi beats for studying to heavy death metal or even cheesy German pop music, it covers everything. The songs can also include vocals upon request, with countless different styles available.
How much input you give the site is up to you. If you want to put in minimal effort, you can simply enter a rough description of the desired song, such as: “A cheerful song about summer evenings with friends by the campfire.”
Such minimal input is sufficient for a song, if you want.
That’s completely enough for the AI to produce something surprisingly good. Lyrics are simply generated in the background using ChatGPT, before the rest of the AI works its magic. So you don’t have to be exceptionally creative or have much time to get some exclusive songs.
Better Songs with Your Own Lyrics
The results become much better and significantly more personal when you write the lyrics yourself and also provide some additional information. By giving it a clear structure and telling the AI what the individual verses (“[Verse]”), the chorus (“[Chorus]”), and where you can experiment a bit with the text (“[Bridge]”) are, the songs become much better.
As an example, here’s one of my first creations, which I made for my WoW knife Xal’atath. Regardless of whether you like the music genre or not – what the AI made out of the text is simply impressive to me. Especially the chorus during the refrain has become an earworm for me: Harbinger of the Void on Suno.
Later, I also tried writing German lyrics and simply wrote lyrics about a situation that every gamer likely knows. The moment when you realize that you’ve forgotten the pizza in the oven. It’s given a musical style of “Industrial Rock” and you end up with a song that sounds great: Das Schwarze Rund on Suno.
You can write all the lyrics yourself – or generate lyrics if you need AI assistance.
Even in my circle of acquaintances, Suno is currently used a lot. It’s just amazing how creative people are. Here’s a song about our dear Lich King, which I find impressively well done: The Frozen Throne on Suno by Ticks.
Currently, I am still just getting started with Suno. In recent days, I’ve been working a lot on character songs or silly songs for old friends. It consumes so much of my free time that I hardly have time for anything else besides writing texts and having different styles generated, making small refinements, and in the end having a song to send out.
The best part is that you can test Suno for free. Every day, you can create 10 songs (technically 5 songs in two versions each) and simply play around with the program a bit.
In no time, you’ll have a whole bunch of great songs in Suno.
I am so fascinated by the simplicity and the possibilities that I immediately got a pro subscription for a year. Also, because the songs created this way “belong to me” – they do not in the free version, but the rights remain with Suno.
Even if you don’t want to create your own songs at all, it’s worth clicking around on Suno and simply checking out what other people have created.
Suno is Not Perfect – and Some Worries Remain
Of course, that doesn’t mean that I see AI only positively. I still view the whole development half excited and half concerned – precisely because AI, especially when it is fully matured, has such great potential that many cannot quite grasp yet (and I probably can’t either).
But creating songs from your own lyrics, even if you are otherwise musically ungifted – that is a fascination from which I will not be able to break free in the coming months.
Additionally, Suno does have some weaknesses that are gradually being ironed out with new versions. Often, the singing voices still sound a bit metallic, and occasionally, the AI simply “swallows” parts of the lyrics or mixes various lines together that don’t belong together. While this doesn’t happen all the time, it occurs often enough for you to think you’ve just sent a few credits into the void.
In conclusion, I can only say that Suno currently takes up most of my free time and that I have more fun with it than in any video game currently available. It’s a way to express one’s creative side, even if the musical talent only extends to singing along in the shower – and even then only in your head. A similar experience has also been had by our chief editor Leya with an image AI.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With the Summer Game Fest 2024, one of the most important shows in gaming has now taken place. MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus followed the stream live all night and is quite surprised by the trailers shown: A lot was quite brutal and definitely mature. The other part consisted of almost 100% anime trailers. Too much for his taste.
Yes, I also watch anime from time to time. However, usually either dark stuff or things that are less known in Germany. Cortyn’s horror anime almost all appeal to me.
But what drives me crazy are the completely exaggerated series, especially in the Isekai and Shounen genres. Dragon Ball, Inuyasha, Naruto… even with Pokémon and Digimon I couldn’t get into it after just a few seasons.
I also never finished watching the possibly “holy grail,” One Piece. The first seasons were still nice, but at some point it just became too much. I prefer it more grounded, like Black Sails.
For a short time, I wondered if this is really still a game show, or if I accidentally left the stream open for a comic or manga convention.
Metaphor started the whole misery:
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Metaphor: ReFantazio AWAKEN shows action-packed battles in the trailer
Dragon Ball, Mechs and the … Power Rangers?!
It actually started quite well. With Harry Potter and Lego Horizon Adventures, two games even piqued my interest that I would otherwise completely ignore – neither Harry Potter nor Lego really interest me.
Then it went on and the completely exaggerated trailers quickly set the tone for the show: Over-the-top animations, a lot of action, and overloaded with clutter. Black Myth: Wukong already set the first tone.
With Metaphor: ReFantazio, the first real anime game came along, which even looked pretty cool with the Warframe approach. MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski, who sat live in the hall, said: “It speaks to the Digimon/Dragonball/Neon Genesis Evangelion child in me. […] A feast for anime fans.” And she is right, but it is a nightmare for everyone else:
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero
Battle Crush
Mecha Break
Kunitsu Gami: Path of the Goddess
The First Descendant also has quite a bit of anime vibes
With Battle Aces, an anime strategy game even came!
Honkai Star Rail
Hyper Light Breaker
Why is everything SO COLORFUL?!
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The co-op adventure Hyper Light Breaker in the trailer – coming in 2024 to Steam
Even games that are not really anime games came either in that style or with the same flair. Street Fighter and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, Power Rangers, even the tactical shooter Valorant boasted its anime trailers at the very end.
And even the existing games that only showed updates jumped on the Japan train. The Finals takes place in Kyoto and gets samurai and some cosplays as skins, Palworld will soon feature cherry blossoms and Japanese castles.
ARGH.
Promising games disappoint with their announcements
What was not an anime game either showed little new or only said: “Yes, see you at gamescom with gameplay.” Star Wars: Outlaws wants to show itself first at Ubisoft Forward, the best trailers had the mobile game Squad Busters and the skate game Skate.
Big names like Valorant only come with a “Yes, we are coming to console” and otherwise remind mainly with a lot of advertising how great they are. I mean… yes, thanks for reminding me that you still exist.
But the worst was by far the new Batman game. Just the first images made me so happy, Arkham Shadow looked so great. And then the big disappointment: The new game is only coming for VR. I just want something I can look forward to…
Watching the trailer hurts my soul: So much wasted potential:
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Story trailer for Batman Arkham Shadow
Despite too much anime stuff: The presentations were pretty good
It may now sound like the whole Summer Game Fest was a huge failure. I wouldn’t say that. It was just pretty hard to sift through the huge pile of stuff to find the few gems that are really interesting.
All in all, the Summer Game Fest 2024 was not bad. The obvious theme: “Just everything and a lot of it” was pretty well executed, every trailer was absolutely wild. Just next time it could be less anime. Even if colleague Jasmin Beverungen certainly sees it completely differently: The Summer Game Fest was a “feast for anime fans” and that’s exactly why… great
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Summer Game Fest had many new announcements and highly anticipated titles in trailer format. There was suspiciously often new content for anime fans among the games – and that’s exactly why the event was a great success for MeinMMO author Jasmin Beverungen.
After the last Summer Game Fest had a few small highlights, I was looking forward to this year’s event. Still, I tried to lower my expectations a bit, so that I wouldn’t end up disappointed. But the show from Friday night had so many great trailers that I could hardly look away from the screen.
Especially as an anime fan, I was excited about new insights into cool games. It is no secret that I am a huge otaku. I am particularly fond of the shounen genre: Whether it’s Dragon Ball or Naruto, as long as there are intense battles with flashy effects! I was all the more surprised that there were numerous titles this year that I liked.
The big highlight for me was the trailer for Metaphor: ReFantazio. Every video snippet is a true feast for the eyes. What was especially pleasing was that there are 40 archetypes for the party members! That gives me enough choice to design the group the way I want.
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Metaphor: ReFantazio AWAKEN shows action-packed battles in the trailer
Of all the animes that have been turned into video game formats, Dragon Ball has done it best so far. Both Budokai Tenkaichi and Xenoverse were the anime universes in which I most enjoyed fighting. So it’s no surprise that I was thrilled about a trailer for Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero. And anyone who doesn’t find the action-packed trailer overwhelming probably didn’t pay attention!
As an anime fan, the obsession for the Japanese landscape is closely linked. I was all the more pleased about the Sakurajima update for Palworld. It’s just easier to catch in bamboo forests and among cherry blossoms.
Just because of these titles, it was worth it for me to watch the first presentation of the Summer Game Fest live. But there were also other exciting highlights that might appeal to lovers of Japanese comic series.
There were more games that might appeal to anime fans, but didn’t personally excite me much. This is partly because I can’t find anything appealing about mechas and tend to avoid series in which they appear – with the exception of Code Geass, the coolest anime with mechas.
Other games that you should keep an eye on as an anime or Japan fan are the following:
Phantom Blade Zero
Mecha Break
Battle Aces
Honkai: Star Rail
Kunitsu Gami: Path of the Goddess
Battle Crush
Street Fighter
Hyper Light Breaker
… and Monster Hunter Wilds, simply because it’s cool.
Even The Finals, which I had never touched before, is getting a Japanese twist in the new season. I may be easily influenced, but it’s precisely such settings that lure me into a new game. Here I just feel comfortable.
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New trailer for Phantom Blade Zero provides insight into the gameplay
It felt like 50% of the trailers shown were somehow related to animes or Japan. With so much new game fodder, the presentation was a complete success for me – though I can understand that shooter fans were disappointed. My colleague Dariusz Müller did find a highlight, but it wasn’t a shooter at all.
Even apart from the anime trailers, there were definitely highlights that excited me. The new Lego game in the Horizon universe looks fantastic, and a TV series about Among Us sounds just like the distraction I need between a few episodes of One Piece and Frieren.
The Summer Game Fest was truly a feast for me. There were many titles that I have already added to my wishlist and whose release I am looking forward to. My colleague Benedict Grothaus, on the other hand, couldn’t stop shaking his head: The Summer Game Fest was a “feast for anime fans” and that’s why… boring
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In a new video, Marco Risch from Nerdkultur talks about the greatest trick employed in Dune 2 to depict the development of the main character Paul Atreides and his relationship with the world of Arrakis.
Who is Marco Risch? Since 2015, Marco Risch has been uploading videos with news, reviews, analyses, and interviews about current movies, series, and video games on his YouTube channel Nerdkultur.
In his Podcast Nerd & Kultur he chats every Sunday with his colleague Yves Arievich about topics such as Star Wars, Marvel, and DC. With both, he is part of the Webedia network, of which MeinMMO is also a part.
In a new video, he now explains to you why a simple trick gives Dune 2 a deeper narrative level and how your perception of the story is influenced:
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Do you see this trick in DUNE 2?
What trick is it actually about? In his video, Marco talks about a trick that runs throughout the entire narrative of Dune 2. The change in camera perspective allows you as the audience to intensely experience and empathize with Paul Atreides’ development.
This way, you experience Arrakis at the beginning of the film from the distant perspective of Paul, who at that point knows the planet only from stories and visions. Wide and distant camera shots emphasize this distance that he himself still feels at the beginning.
Camera perspective pulls you directly into the action of Dune 2
In the video, Marco explains when the camera work in Dune 2 changes drastically. As soon as Paul engages in the active resistance battle, the camera often stays at eye level, pulling you almost directly into the action. This way, a strong identification with Paul and the Fremen is enabled for you as the audience.
Even in action scenes, the camera follows the characters at eye level. This camera perspective ensures that the chaos and violence appear more intense and immediate to you as the audience. How skillfully the film plays with this trick and accompanies the story of Paul Atreides, you can hear in Marco’s video himself. In another video, he talks about a trick that shaped an entire film franchise: How a simple technique helped the Marvel films to success
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Did you miss our big theme week for the genre of MMORPGs? No problem! Here you will find all six parts of the report, the GameStar Talk, the columns, and of course the community’s chosen top list of the best online role-playing games of all time.
If you landed in this article, then you probably missed it, the big MeinMMO theme week for MMORPGs. For a week, our expert Karsten Scholz provided daily articles on the best genre in the world.
An informative six-part report, for example, that sheds light on the development of the genre from the 1970s to the present. But also highly subjective columns that invite discussion. Summaries of interviews about Elder Scrolls Online and Lost Ark. And updated top lists where you might find the MMORPG that is perfect for you.
In the middle of the theme week, the GameStar Talk with host Géraldine Hohmann, lead community manager Marylin Marx, and Karsten Scholz was a very special highlight. This was topped off with your choice of the best MMORPG of all time.
The top 20 chosen by you has been accompanied by personal anecdotes and assessments from editors, authors, and guests. Moreover, we were able to forward the acknowledgments from the respective first and third place winners.
On the last page, you can also find out what the list would have looked like if those editors, authors, and guests had to throw in their respective top 5 (with five points for first place, four points for second place, and so on).
In line with the theme week, host Géraldine Hohmann invited two guests on May 30, 2024, who have felt right at home in online worlds for many years: Marylin “Mary” Marx (lead community manager for GameStar, GamePro, and MeinMMO) and Karsten Scholz (senior editor at MeinMMO).
The trio discusses the peak phase of MMORPGs triggered by World of Warcraft, the subsequent drought decade, and the last online role-playing games that managed to generate hype. They also look at future projects and discuss the question, whether there can still be really good MMORPGs in 2024.
If you missed the talk, you can catch the approximately 95-minute chat here:
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The genre of MMORPGs has fascinated and excited millions of players for decades. In a multi-part report, MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz explores the roots, the development, and the future of online role-playing games.
As preparation for the theme week, four interview dates took place, of which we were only allowed to publish two during the week due to embargo reasons. The conversation with Blizzard about the current remix event of World of Warcraft was so hot that it had to go online beforehand. However, we were only allowed to talk about the early access launch of Pax Dei since June 4, 2024.
As a way to break the ice and potentially spark exciting discussions, several columns around the genre of MMORPGs have also been published during the theme week, where observations, fears, hopes, and wishes collide.
How did you like the MeinMMO theme week on the genre of MMORPGs? Should we repeat something like this for other genres or topics? What can we improve? What should we definitely repeat in a similar form? Let us know in the comments!
If you’re looking for current news about the genre of online role-playing games, we recommend our weekly series “MMORPG News in 2 Minutes,” which usually appears on Saturdays, sometimes on Sundays. Here’s the edition from June 2, 2024: HdRO gets bird watching hobby, big MMORPG launches in June, T&L has a new boss
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Here you will find all locations of the material Scarletthorn (some players also write it as Scarlet Thorn) in Wuthering Waves, including a map that should make farming easier for you. We also provide information on what you need the Scarletthorn for.
Where can you find Scarletthorn? You can find the material distributed all around the world of Wuthering Waves. We have highlighted several locations here where you can farm the mineral easily and in large quantities.
One option is the ruins of the Academy of Scholars. Teleport here and then walk towards the east. Along the rocks, you will find several specimens of the mineral.
Another route that is good for farming is located near the Tiderise Cliff. Here, too, move right from the teleportation point and find Scarletthorn around the rocks.
You will also often find some specimens of the minerals at the edges, as well as around the Tacet fields. So if you are already farming materials there, you can also take the minerals directly with you.
Map with locations of Scarletthorn
We have included screenshots of a map here, marking all the locations of Scarletthorn:
How do you mine Scarletthorn? Attack the mineral with your Resonator. Based on the display, you can see when the material has been mined and is in your inventory.
Are there any other ways to get Scarletthorn? Currently, you can only collect Scarletthorn yourself and cannot buy it from any NPC.
What is Scarletthorn used for? The mineral serves as a crafting material, with which you can create three different weapons at the crafting table in Jonzhou (symbol: anvil and hammer): Pistol No. 26, Sword No. 18, Broad Sword No. 41.
For each weapon, you need 150x Scarletthorn, as well as 2x Standard Weapon Form.
But while Destiny players are giving their best in the fight against the Witness, the statements of former community manager Liana Ruppert are making waves in the Destiny 2 and Bungie community. She commented in a video about the working conditions at Bungie and the layoffs at the end of 2023. She herself was also affected by the layoffs.
We asked Bungie for a statement regarding the contents of the video and will add it to the article as soon as it arrives.
Who is it about?
Liana Ruppert was Senior Community Manager at Bungie from October 2021 to November 2023.
Previously, Ruppert worked at the US publisher ‘Prima Games’ and the magazine ‘Game Informer’.
Today, Ruppert works as a community manager at Prime Video and is responsible for the Fallout TV series and Vox Machina Season 3.
Start video
Destiny 2: The Final Shape „Edge of Salvation“ Raid Trailer
Ruppert criticizes work culture, crunch, and toxicity
What is this video about? In the video on her personal YouTube channel, Ruppert talks about her time at Bungie and states that her dream job turned into ‘hell’. She also addresses the layoffs in November 2023 and how crunch was an issue in the development of The Final Shape.
Initially, she explains why she made this video. She says many users wrongly assume on social media that she is critical of Bungie or the gaming industry because she was affected by the layoffs.
Ruppert then elaborates that she has been speaking out on such topics for years and wants to explain in the video why she talks about it so much and why the layoffs were hard for her.
You can watch Liana Ruppert’s complete video on YouTube:
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What does Ruppert say about her time at Bungie? Ruppert explains in the video that the layoffs did not upset or surprise her. Rather, she was surprised at how callously these layoffs were handled by Bungie, as the studio had promised that they would not be like that, and she believed it.
Then Ruppert shares that she never drew boundaries between her work and personal life and fully immersed herself in work, which led to health problems. She then talks about how the release of The Final Shape caused her feelings of anxiety:
I was afraid of the release of Final Shapes because I would panic every time a new season came out. Depending on the time of day and whether I was unbalanced or balanced, I would have a panic attack if Destiny was even mentioned to me. I tried many times to play the game before the release of Final Shape, but I couldn’t get past the loading screen because I had a panic attack.
Subsequently, Ruppert says it ‘deeply hurts’ her what happened, as she thought she had found her dream job. The job she wanted to stay in forever.
However, she now sees how ‘toxic’ that dream job was: ‘My first year was heaven, paradise, I couldn’t imagine any other place. My second year was hell. And there was a lot of malice and a lot of really bad things that will eventually come to light, but not today.’
She was afraid of the release of The Final Shape because the expansion meant so much to everyone – including her – and she feared she wasn’t mentally strong enough to participate in the release of the expansion or to play it.
Disappointment instead of ‘oasis of healthy work culture’
What does she say about the layoffs? Ruppert explains that Bungie is seen as a kind of ‘Mecca’ for game developers, and many developers have contacted her and other employees because they would like to work for Bungie to escape the toxicity of other employers in the gaming industry.
According to Ruppert, Bungie is perceived as a kind of ‘oasis of healthy work culture’ and some people have left significantly better-paying jobs to work for Bungie. But often, it was not that ‘oasis’.
She emphasizes that she does not want to do a ‘disservice’ to the people trying to improve the work culture at Bungie. There have been positive changes at Bungie, and she does not want to overshadow the efforts made, but she believes that even more significant changes are being blocked:
Unfortunately, many of the more important changes are blocked by higher powers because it’s not always convenient to implement these changes. It seems that many of these changes have only been made to either save face or to achieve a short-term gain. In the long run, however, there has always been some kind of resistance, and that’s an important reason why we talk about layoffs as a weapon, as many of the affected individuals have been very loud advocates for the union and for improving internal affairs and working conditions.
Additionally, Ruppert believes that the way the layoffs were conducted harmed Bungie – not only because many other employees subsequently left the company. Ruppert estimates that what hit Bungie hardest was that management invested time and effort to make it look like Bungie was a company that wouldn’t conduct mass layoffs. But then they did it ‘in the most heartless way.’
This heartless method of laying off employees is what upsets Ruppert. There were reportedly people who moved for this job. She herself had to sell her house, which was half paid off.
As another example, she mentions a case of an employee who had a stroke, worked hard to return to work, and then was laid off:
Another person literally had a stroke, from which they recovered for a year due to the stress of the job. He worked really hard to recover […], only to finally recover after years of work and be able to return to work, just to be laid off.
Moreover, she criticizes that layoffs were used as weapons to get rid of employees who were trying to create a healthier work culture.
The criticized work culture also includes the term crunch. Employees are expected to work overtime and extra hours to meet certain project deadlines – such as a tightly scheduled release date.
Crunch was also the case in the development of the latest Destiny expansion: ‘Crunch was definitely a key factor for Final Shape, and I’m so glad it became [the DLC], because there were so many things that the developers didn’t like, and this shift gave them the time to change it.’
We have compiled a list of series similar to Desperate Housewives. Here are 7 titles that you might enjoy if you liked the humorous and dramatic lives of suburban housewives.
What are these series? The selection of titles was made by the editorial team.
English trailer for season 1 of Devious Maids – Dirty Secrets
The series is from Marc Cherry, the creator of Desperate Housewives. It begins with the mysterious murder of Flora, a maid who works for a wealthy family. This murder brings together the four protagonists, all of whom work as maids for different rich and powerful families in Beverly Hills. Along the way, they uncover secrets and weave intrigues.
Watch Devious Maids if you enjoy the following about Desperate Housewives:
Intrigues and secrets
A mix of humor and drama
Four women as main characters
Just a little note: The series was originally set to have a 5th season, but it was canceled.
This is what the IMDb ratings say:Devious Maids gets 7.8 stars from over 25,000 ratings on IMDb.
Fun Fact: Eva Longoria (known as Gabrielle Solis in Desperate Housewives) was one of the executive producers of Devious Maids. (via IMDb)
2. Why Women Kill
Start video
English trailer for Season 1 of Why Women Kill
In this drama series (also by Marc Cherry), we explore the lives of three women from different decades. Each of these women struggles with infidelity and betrayal in their marriage. Why Women Kill is an anthology series where each season tells a new story. It features a housewife in the 60s, a celebrity in the 80s, and a lawyer in 2019.
Watch Why Women Kill if you enjoy the following about Desperate Housewives:
Humorous yet dark elements
Murders, secrets, and drama
Strong female lead roles
Surprising plot twists
This is what the IMDb ratings say: The series averages 8.3 stars from over 31,000 ratings on IMDb.
Fun Fact: The episode titles of the 1st season parody famous movie lines. In the 2nd season, however, the titles are inspired by film noirs from the 1940s and 1950s. (via IMDb)
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
To get “Magnificent Sparks” for Uber Uniques in Diablo 4, there are various ways. One is specifically part of Season 4 and works quite simply according to players.
Players suggest a method for collecting Magnificent Sparks on Reddit that anyone can do when they create another character – or several. For this, you need to stay continuously in the Hell Flood, which has been available at World Tier 1 since Season 4, and gather a lot of Embers.
Start video
Diablo 4 Season 4 “Loot Reborn” in the gameplay trailer
One character collects, the other spends
How does the Hell Flood help me get Uber Uniques?On Reddit, the user “yxalitis” suggests a way to collect Magnificent Sparks for Uber Uniques. For this, you farm Wolf Honor by opening as many 100 chests in the Hell Flood at World Tier 2 as possible.
If your Wolf Honor increases, you receive rewards with each new rank. At rank 18, you receive one Magnificent Spark – and this applies to every character you play. In principle, you can use this method as often as you want and as time allows.
The following method is described by “yxalitis” in the Reddit post:
Create another character. Level this character up to World Tier 1/World Tier 2 roughly to level 20/30.
Important: “Park” the new character in the Hell Flood area. Only then switch to your main character, who should ideally already have a high level. If the new character is not in the Hell Flood when you farm Embers with the old character, this will not be transferred according to “frodonne” (via Reddit).
Go with your main character to World Tier 2 in the Hell Flood and gather Embers as much as possible. The “Ritual of the Blood Maiden” is best suited for this because: many monsters, a lot of Embers, the boss ideally goes down quickly if you have a high level and deal a lot of damage. Activate the ritual, shred everything, repeat.
Once you have collected around 1,000 Embers, switch to the second character waiting in the Hell Flood. This character will be transferred the collected Embers upon switching. Go through the chests in the Hell Flood and open as many as possible. Do not get distracted, keep an eye on the timer.
The chests cost 100 Embers each at World Tier 2 and give you 120 Wolf Honor each. If you open about 10 chests, you will receive 1,200 Wolf Honor. Killing the monsters during the ritual and near the chests also gives you Wolf Honor.
Once the Hell Flood ends, you have the opportunity to clean up your inventories and adjust the equipment of the second character.
How long does it all take? According to a Reddit comment from “bullant8547”, the process takes about six hours. He created a new Barbarian, “campaigned” at World Tier 2 during the ritual, and then opened all chests. Only during the 5-minute break of the Hell Flood did he upgrade his equipment.
When asked if it was a bug that might be fixed soon, users noted in the comments that the method has been used since the Hell Flood has existed. And now it is even more worth it due to the rewards with the Iron Wolves.
Rituals for as much Ember as possible
Does it really work? Whether it is actually possible to do this in six hours is something we cannot say for sure. But the method is likely faster than farming Uber Uniques. We tested the approach with a Necro at level 100 and had about 1,260 Embers within about 30 minutes.
For this, we stayed continuously at the Ritual of the Blood Maiden, which goes down quite quickly in combat against a level 100 character at World Tier 2. 20 minutes before the end of the Hell Flood, we switched to the new character, opened around 12 chests each for 100 Embers, and leveled up to rank 7 with the Iron Wolves.
Here we just switched to the second character to splurge 1,200 Embers.
The “Smoldering Ash” from the seasonal blessing speeds things up further when used in the Iron Urn, as it gives you a 20% bonus to your reputation with the Iron Wolves through Hell Flood activities. And the elixir “Desecrated Thought Cage” increases the threat gain and the Embers that drop from enemies in the Hell Flood.
As long as you also want to level the second character as quickly as possible during the process, you should complete a specific quest. For this, you need to unlock World Tier 3 and head to Gea Kul, but it is worth it. The quest allows you to equip two elixirs and use all bonuses. And the XP bonuses stack up and accelerate the leveling process.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO, the Community Day in June 2024 features Viscora. We at MeinMMO will show you here in the guide how to make the most of the event on June 9, 2024, and what bonuses await you.
What event is it about? Every month, there is a Community Day in Pokémon GO, where a previously designated Pokémon is highlighted and spawns all over the wilderness. It is accompanied by various bonuses and has an increased shiny chance during this time.
On June 9, 2024, from 14:00 to 17:00 local time, the Community Day of June with the Dragon Pokémon Viscora is back. Afterwards, you can also look forward to special raids.
We have summarized below what content you can specifically expect for the first C-Day of the new season Heavenly Teamwork, whether it is worth it, and how you can prepare for it.
Start video
Heavenly teamwork in Pokémon GO – a new season begins
Community Day with Viscora – Start, Bonuses & Event Info
What? Community Day with Viscora When? Sunday, June 9, 2024, from 14:00 to 17:00 local time Exclusive Attack: Thunderbolt for Viscogon if you evolve Viscargot by 22:00 Bonuses: – Higher shiny chance for Viscora – 2x candies for catching – 3x stardust for catching – double chance for XL candies when catching (from trainer level 31) – Lure modules and incense last three hours (excluding daily adventure incense) – Surprises with Viscora from snapshots (up to 5) – Event field research for Viscora – Showcases at PokéStops with Viscora and its evolutions – Event stickers from gifts and PokéStops
Bonuses until 22:00 local time: – limited research for Viscora (reward: rain module) – An additional special trade – 50% reduced stardust cost for trading
Paid content: If the free bonuses are not enough, players can purchase additional content in the in-game shop and the Pokémon GO web shop. The following can be found around the Community Day:
Event box for 1,350 coins with 50 Ultra Balls, 5 Super Incubators, a Charged TM, and 5 Lucky Eggs
Event box for 480 coins with 30 Ultra Balls, an Incense, 3 Super Incubators, and a Lure Module
Event stickers
Community Day Hyper Box (web shop) for about 5 Euros with an event ticket for special research, 10 Ultra Balls, and a Charged TM
What happens after the Community Day? Following the actual C-Day, you can expect special level 4 raids until 22:00 local time, where you can encounter Viscargot, the first evolution of Viscora. If you defeat it, you can catch it and unlock additional Viscora spawns around the gym for 30 minutes, with the shiny chance also being increased.
Please note that you can only play the raids on site. Participation via Remote Raid Pass is not possible.
What kind of Pokémon is Viscora? Viscora is a Dragon Pokémon from the sixth generation of games. It can evolve into Viscogon via Viscargot. To evolve to the final stage, you need to be near an activated rain module.
Is there shiny Viscora? Yes, with a bit of luck, you may encounter a shiny Viscora. The odds are even further increased on Community Day, meaning several could potentially appear. You can recognize it by its yellow and orange body and the blue spots on its cheeks.
Viscora, Viscargot, and Viscogon normal (top) and as shiny (bottom)
How strong is it: Viscora itself is not particularly strong, but its evolution Viscogon can score with a strong defense value. This Pokémon ranks among the top 40 in all three leagues of the GO Battle League with a moveset of Fire Fang, Mud Slap, and Draco Meteor. Especially in the Great League and Master League, it is one of the best Pokémon.
So, anyone looking for a strong Dragon Pokémon in their PvP team should definitely secure Viscora. In raids, it is also a solid attacker, but there are even stronger candidates that are among the best attackers in Pokémon GO.
How to prepare for Community Day with Viscora
Make space: The most important thing to be able to play on Community Day is to have enough space in your Pokémon bag. For this reason, you should sort it out thoroughly beforehand. It is best to use the filter and tag function in the game.
What items are important? During the Community Day, you should also have the right items ready. The following are helpful during the event:
Razz Berries: If you want to collect more candies, you should use Razz Berries when catching Viscora. These double your respective candies.
Star Piece: For Community Day, Viscora is accompanied by a stardust bonus. If you want to use this even more effectively, you can set a Star Piece. This increases your stardust for 30 minutes by 50%.
Lure Modules and Incense: To attract more specimens, you can ignite lure modules at nearby PokéStops or set an incense. Both will last three hours during C-Day, thus covering the entire event time. If you want to continue catching monsters afterward, extend your incense before the event ends at 17:00 to use it for another three hours.
Rain Module: To evolve Viscora into Viscogon, you need not only candies but also a rain lure module. This will also remain active for 3 hours during the event. So, it’s best to coordinate with other trainers nearby to benefit together. You can also get a corresponding module by completing the limited research for C-Day.
Which Mega Evolution should be used? To get even more candies, you can activate a Mega Evolution. If it shares the same type as the Pokémon you are catching, you will receive an additional candy. Therefore, for Viscora, you should opt for a Dragon Pokémon, such as:
Mega Charizard X
Mega Ampharos
Mega Sceptile
Mega Altaria
Mega Salamence
Mega Latios
Mega Latias
Mega Rayquaza
Mega Garchomp
What do you think of the content for the Community Day with Viscora? Will you secure one or another specimen for the event? Feel free to let us know here on MeinMMO in the comments and exchange with other trainers about it. Which events are particularly worthwhile in June, we will show you here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
At the Summer Game Fest 2024, there was again a barrage of trailers. Some could get lost in the mix. One game has stayed in the memory of MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus, even though it was shown between two absolute highlights: Tears of Metal. The game looks like exactly what he – and all of you – would enjoy.
Tears of Metal completely convinced me with its trailer. After a huge disappointment with Batman: Arkham Shadow, the indie game pulled all the right strings for me:
Action battles reminiscent of Hades and similar games
And all of this set in a medieval world where we play a Scottish clan defending its land against invaders – Alba gu bràth!
The game is not graphically a highlight, but the focus is completely on the combat and troop aspect. The trailer shows bloody battles, soldier and city management, and is accompanied by pure metal.
What makes Tears of Metal even better: It all comes in coop! I don’t have to march against the enemies alone as a single Highlander but have friends supporting me. Wonderful!
Start video
The roguelike game Tears of Metal with hack-and-slash action on Steam in the trailer
Tears of Metal has the 2 things a good game needs: Looting and Leveling
Currently, the Steam page for Tears of Metal is online and shows a few more details about the game. Among them are details about the actual gameplay. At its core, it’s a roguelite, meaning: You face new runs repeatedly, fight as long as you can, and then have a meta-progression with upgrades for the next run.
Based on the information available so far, it goes something like this:
We play as one of several unique heroes and can learn skills.
Soldiers are recruited as companions and can gain new abilities if they survive long enough. However, if they die, they are permanently gone (permadeath).
Upgrades and “over a hundred artifacts” allow for unique builds – that at least sounds like loot.
Between campaigns, settlements can be expanded to build new buildings and gain access to new content.
Unlockable items include new heroes, upgrades, cosmetics, and more. The only really important detail still missing is the release. The planned release date will be in a “forthcoming announcement”.
Tears of Metal could easily be overlooked – or more accurately: forgotten. The placement could hardly have been worse for such a grand game:
Right before it came Street Fighter, where the hall was absolutely shaking, as editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski tells us.
Right after it came Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, which alone with the visage of Son Goku already caused cheers.
The trailer came out of nowhere, without announcement from Geoff Keighley, without information about the game. Just the raw gameplay with the note “Wishlist now”. As a result, there is little information about the game, but one thing I know: I’m waiting for it to come, and I will play it!
The new roguelite was framed by two of the highlights of the evening, which could only be surpassed shortly after by Dune – the game that was personally the highlight of the evening for me, even though much of it is already known. But the new trailer just had it all: The new MMO about Dune shows in the trailer why everything is different from the movies
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
At the Summer Game Fest 2024, there were numerous exciting trailers. Some were confusing, many full of anime – and one came with a major disappointment. MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus was really looking forward to the new Batman game until the platform was announced. Even the audience on-site was noticeably frustrated.
Batman is my absolute favorite hero. Yes, I know: dark, shadowy, edgy… I’ve heard it all before, but someone who plays in the top league without superpowers simply deserves my respect. Also, Gotham is such a wonderfully gloomy city.
The last installment that was released for PC and consoles was Arkham Knight from 2015, which I found very weak. Too much focus on the Batmobile, too little on the Bat-gadgets.
After that, we had Batman: Arkham Underworld (2016) for iOS and Android as well as Batman: Arkham VR (2016) for PSVR, HTC Vive, and Oculus Rift.
In 2024, the latest Batman game without Batman was released, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Suicide Squad flopped hard and has nothing to do with a Batman game from the Arkham series.
The last really good Batman game for me was Arkham: Origins, and that’s already from 2013. I have been waiting for over 10 years for a good game featuring my favorite hero. And the latest game is already another disappointment.
Start video
Story trailer for Batman Arkham Shadow
A great trailer with a bitter ending
The trailer for Arkham Shadow looks really fantastic. It has everything I need from a Batman game:
Cinematic scenes and a great look that highlights the dark Gotham
a new and completely insane antagonist, the Rat King
the typical “Gotham is lost and everything is in turmoil” atmosphere
Appearances by familiar personalities that I would love to meet, like Jim Gordon and Harley Quinn
And of course, the trailer – unlike Suicide Squad – at least features Batman. He glares menacingly into the camera and has (once again) a conflict about how much he can sacrifice to save his city. A familiar narrative, but exactly what I want from a Batman game.
Even the entire audience in LA felt similarly. Editor-in-chief Leya Jankwoski was there and reported live. She said: “The hall goes wild for Batman. People are screaming WOOOOOH!”
Yes, you see the logo right in the first frame, but at the end of the trailer, it is shown that Batman: Arkham Shadow will only be released on Meta Quest 3. A game solely for VR on a platform that most gamers simply do not own. What a disappointment.
The known journalist Jason Schreier was also on-site. He captured the reaction to the announcement (via X.com):
The crowd here at the live show from the Summer Game Fest let out a loud “Awwwww” when it was announced that the new Arkham game is for the Meta Quest. In case you are wondering how VR is currently doing.
I have nothing against VR. Many of the games look really good, and the announcement of Asgard’s Wrath 2 genuinely excited me, even though I don’t have a VR headset. These are the kinds of games I play at my brother’s or friends’ places when I visit.
But the Batman series really deserves a game “like the old days” after so many years of disappointments. I don’t care if it’s single-player or co-op, but I want the feel of Arkham Asylum and co. back. And please on more platforms than just on a headset. I guess I’ll just have to be satisfied with the new series for now: A new series in the Batman universe shows us Gotham from the perspective of a gangster boss
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
