Prepare Yourself for Incoming Metaphor: ReFantazio Livestreams | Push Square

Well, it's been quite some time since we wrote about Ghost of Tsushima updates, but the open world action game has a new patch on PS5 and PS4. As outlined by developer Sucker Punch, update 2.19 tweaks the title for crossplay support, ahead of the PC version's release on the 16th May. PlayStation users will be able to team up with PC players in the game's co-op Legends mode.

Following yesterday's launch of Sea of Thieves on PS5, Microsoft has now delivered on its initial multi-platform promise to bring some of its exclusive Xbox experiences to new consoles. Having made the surprise announcement in February, the firm has brought Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush, Grounded, and the aforementioned seafaring adventure to PS5, PS4 boxes as well as Nintendo Switch. During the presentation that revealed Microsoft's multi-platform plans, Phil Spencer and his team refused to discuss any efforts beyond those four titles. Is that it, then? Will Microsoft now return to releasing first-party titles exclusively for Xbox Series X|S and PC? Those questions can't be answered definitively yet, but probably not.

The worlds of PS5’s hot new console exclusive Stellar Blade and gacha mobile sensation NIKKE: Goddess of Victory will collide in the near future. Director Hyung-Tae Kim already teased the possibility of a collaboration in an interview with Push Square earlier in the year, but now he’s confirmed to Gamer Braves that “a very high-quality crossover” will launch later down the line. He added: “It’s something you can definitely look forward to.”

Sony and Shift Up have put out a new Stellar Blade trailer to mark the PS5 exclusive's launch, with the release date set for tomorrow, 26th April 2024. Like a lot of launch trailers, the two-minute slice of footage features a lot of cutscenes and stretches of gameplay we haven't seen before, so you might want to skip it given the full launch is so close. Still, you can catch it above.

Atlus' upcoming RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio, seems built around systems that wouldn't feel out of place in the developer's Persona series. It's got turn-based battles that hinge on striking enemy weaknesses, it's got warrior spirits that you can summon in combat, and — most crucially to this article — it's got a bonding system where you can hang out with key characters, learning more about them in the process.

There's nothing quite like video game box art that makes you stop and say «wow». Admittedly, it's been a while since such a cover caught our eye, but we simply can't gawk at the newly revealed box art for Metaphor: ReFantazio and not write an article about it.

Following the collapse of a «verbal agreement» reportedly worth $2 billion with the Saudi-funded Savvy Games, Embracer Group entered into a brutal nine-month restructuring programme that resulted in the loss of some 1,400 employees and the cancellation of dozens of unannounced games. CEO Lars Wingefors, whose actions were recently defended by Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch («give Lars a break»), in a new interview, says: «As a leader and an owner, sometimes you need to take the blame.»

Originally published all the way back in 2000 as a standalone manga, it's strange, but not unwelcome, to see Sand Land be revived as both an anime series and a video game almost a quarter of a century later. Authored by the late and legendary Akira Toriyama, Sand Land is an incredibly charming story about a post-apocalyptic world, where a cocky demon prince is roped into helping out what's left of humanity.

Just yesterday, we learned that Billie Eilish would be headlining Season 3 of Fortnite Festival, the free-to-play music mode which has slowly but surely cornered the periphery market. With the update now live, there were a few welcome extra additions. For starters, guitar controller support for Harmonix's previous effort, Rock Band 4, is now available, meaning those dusty old axes can finally be put to good use.

Sony and Shift Up have published an online comic book for Stellar Blade that appears to serve as a quick prequel to the events of the main game. Available to read through this link, it sees protagonist Eve and another character called Tachy sparring together, and then speaking of an upcoming mission to reclaim Earth. This is what you shall be doing in Stellar Blade once it hits PS5 on Friday.

Just yesterday, we brought you word that the upcoming PS5 exclusive, Stellar Blade, would be released in all regions entirely uncensored, including Japan, which developer ShiftUp seemed especially pleased with. An executive at Electronic Arts Japan has called out what they see as a double standard with the Japanese Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO), stating that «I find this hard to accept.»

Atlus first teased that it was working on a new RPG with a fantasy setting in mid-2023 — it also said way back then that it will be available sometime this year. Now, the developer has revealed that the game, Metaphor: ReFantazio, will come out on October 11 at a special livestream event. Katsura Hashino, the director of the game, as well as of Persona 3, 4 and 5, also introduced a 30-minute hands-on gameplay that gives you quite a lengthy look at its story and combat mechanics. Similar to the Persona games, Metaphor: ReFantazio has a turn-based combat system with what Atlus says is a «blend of real-time action.»