Get Your Hands on the Latest Lights-Out Collection of Fighting Games with Capcom Fighting Collection™ 2 Available Now!

From beloved crossovers to 3D fighters, players can now revisit eight legendary fighting games with Capcom Fighting Collection™ 2 available both physically and digitally for Nintendo Switch™ and PlayStation®4, plus digitally for PC via Steam and Xbox One, all starting today! And while supplies last, a limited number of physical copies of the collection will include a Capcom vs. SNK original comic!

Check out the epic Capcom Fighting Collection 2 launch trailer on YouTube, and for the latest assets and information, visit the official Capcom Fighting Collection 2 website.

Capcom Fighting Collection 2 combines eight classic games into one knockout collection, featuring hard-hitting classics and fan favorite brawlers, including:

• Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro – Worlds collide in the first installment of the Capcom vs. SNK crossover series! From Ryu and Kyo, to Chun-Li and Mai, form dream teams with your favorite heroes and battle it out!
• Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001 – Capcom and SNK unite for another millennium showdown! Find your way to victory with 6 different groove systems to choose from, and craft your own battle strategy by assigning a ratio (strength) to your team members with the Free Ratio System!
• Power Stone – The sky's the limit in this intuitive 3D fighting game! Chuck objects at enemies, launch spin kicks off pillars, fire off bazookas, throw opponents and more in this bombastic action title!
• Power Stone 2 – The acrobatic action classic builds on its innovative and intuitive gameplay in this 4-player battle royale sequel! Battle stakes can change at any moment as the interactive environment shifts and changes, meaning victory is never set in stone!
• Project Justice – An intense story unfolds on the high school campus of this 3D fighter. This sequel to Rival Schools ensures justice is served with its 3-on-3 team battles! Devastate opponents with a cooperative Party-Up technique powered by your faith in your friends!
• Capcom Fighting Evolution – Street Fighter II, Street Fighter III, Street Fighter Alpha, Darkstalkers, and Red Earth collide in the ultimate Capcom 2D fighter crossover! With each character representing the combat system of their respective game, it's a showdown of skill!
• Street Fighter Alpha 3 UPPER – The Upper version of the final installment of Street Fighter Alpha 3! Choose your favorite fighting style and get ready to rumble!
• Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein – 3D fighter Star Gladiator returns for a thrilling, out-of-this-world sequel! Battle as a galactic hero wielding a sword powered by plasma. Use character-specific Plasma Fields to briefly overwhelm your opponents, or unleash a Plasma Strike that devastates with a dazzling display. The enthralling story that unfolds in the cutscenes is not to be missed!

And don’t forget to check out the Capcom Fighting Collection 1 & 2 Bundle, available digitally across Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PC via Steam, and Xbox One! Experience 18 legendary games from Capcom’s storied fighting history!
 
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 includes a variety of new features, including:

• Superb Online Experience – For casual or competitive play, online functionality is available across all titles, featuring rollback netcode for a smoother online gameplay experience!
• Battle It Out Online – Players have the opportunity to compete against friends and fellow combatants from around the world in casual, ranked, and custom matches, plus the all-new high score challenge!
• Newly Remixed Soundscapes – Select your preferred Sound Style in Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001, Power Stone 2, and Project Justice with brand new “Ver.2K25” songs created special for this collection. Each track is even playable during online matches!
• Practice Makes Perfect – Available across all titles, training mode is great for new players and veterans alike, with tons of customization options to fine tune the perfect training session.
• One for the History Books – Explore music and art galleries with new and never-before-seen concept art, design documents, original arcade marquee cards, and more!
• Customize Each Battle – Fine-tune specific features of your gameplay experience via EX Settings specific to each game, one-button specials, adjustable difficulty, nostalgia-inducing Display Filters, button customization, and more.
• Mid-Game Saves – Now added to save progress when you’re in a pinch!
• Expanded Language Support – 14 languages will be supported, including English, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, French, Italian, German, Castilian Spanish, Russian, Polish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Arabic!
• Additional Updates – Multiple game versions, hidden characters now available, various resolution options, Offline Versus Mode, Fighter Awards, added quality of life improvements across all eight games, and more!

About Capcom Fighting Collection 2
 
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is now available across Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4, PC via Steam and Xbox One! Combining hard-hitting classics like Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001 with fan favorite brawlers like Power Stone 2 in one knockout package, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 comes chock-full of new features, including online play and quality-of-life updates across all eight games! 

 

Article by: Susan N.

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Ready…Fight! MARVEL vs. CAPCOM® Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics Brings Seven Timeless Games in an All-in-One Package!

X-MEN™ vs. STREET FIGHTER®, MARVEL™ vs. CAPCOM® 2 New Age of Heroes, and many more slated to release with new and enhanced features on PC and consoles!

Join fans from around the world in celebrating the legacy of some of the most beloved fighting games with the release of MARVEL vs. CAPCOM® Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics with physical and digital versions across Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4, and PC via Steam in 2024! Announced during today’s Nintendo Direct, this jam-packed collection includes seven timeless games in an all-in-one package, including:

• X-MEN® CHILDREN OF THE ATOM
• MARVEL SUPER HEROES™
• MARVEL™ vs. CAPCOM® CLASH OF SUPER HEROES
• MARVEL™ vs. CAPCOM® 2 New Age of Heroes
• MARVEL SUPER HEROES™ vs. STREET FIGHTER®
• X-MEN™ vs. STREET FIGHTER®
• THE PUNISHER™

To check out the announcement trailer, please visit YouTube, and for the latest information, visit the official website.

MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics, on sale later this year for MSRP $49.99, also brings a ton of new and enhanced features for players to enjoy, including:

• Battle It Out Online – All of the fighting games in the collection will have online ranked, casual, and lobby matches unlocked for players to showcase their abilities with friends, family, and other players from around the world!
• Robust Rollback Netcode – Online play for the collection is supported with rollback netcode for a strong and stable online experience!
• Be the Best! – Global high score leaderboards come to every game in the collection so players can track their journey to the top of the list!
• Practice Makes Perfect – Training Mode comes to all fighting games in the collection so players can learn, practice, and master their moves!
• A Rare Gem – The classic beat ‘em up arcade game THE PUNISHER comes to PC and modern consoles for the first time ever in the U.S.!
• Watch This! – Spectator Mode is available so you can enjoy watching your friends and co-combatants battle it out!
• Additional Features – Check out the collection’s enhanced features like a music jukebox, in-game Museum, new display filters, and more!

For Capcom fans, fighting game enthusiasts, comic book and Super Hero aficionados, and everyone in between, MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics offers a timeless celebration of a legacy fighting game series, delivering a diverse roster of iconic characters, enhanced features and competitive gameplay. Relive the nostalgia or discover enduring classics for the first time, uniting fans of all generations in celebration of Capcom’s legendary fighting game series, and stay tuned for more information on the collection in the coming months!

©2024 MARVEL　©CAPCOM

 

Article by: Susan N.

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Capcom Delivers a Show to Remember at Summer Game Fest 2024 Showcase

The hottest season of gaming has officially begun and Capcom kicked things off in style at the Summer Game Fest 2024 Showcase with more reveals for Monster Hunter Wilds™, including a deeper look at the characters and creatures Hunters will encounter as they venture into the Forbidden Lands, four new Year 2 characters for Street Fighter™ 6, and the long-awaited release date for Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess™!

Stay tuned for more news coming out of Summer Game Fest Play Days and read on for additional details about each announcement below!

New trailers for each game are available on YouTube (Monster Hunter™, Street Fighter™, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, and Capcom USA).

A Living World of Adventure Beckons in the Monster Hunter Wilds ‘The Hunter’s Journey’ Trailer

The latest Monster Hunter Wilds trailer, “The Hunter’s Journey” gave Summer Game Fest livestream viewers a deeper look at the Hunter’s foray into the Forbidden Lands, including the colorful characters and a mysterious crescent-shaped mountain players will encounter as story moments seamlessly blend into gameplay. As the hunter delves deeper into unknown territory, local wildlife including the treacherous new Balahara Leviathan monster demonstrated how hunters must adapt and harness new techniques to coexist in the Windward Plains region’s volatile conditions. In the ferocious lightning storms that herald a change between the harsh dry season and abundant monsoon season, an even greater threat was glimpsed bolting behind the billowing sand clouds.

Monster Hunter™ series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto joined Geoff Keighley on stage to confirm Monster Hunter Wilds will support crossplay across PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Please visit the official site for more information. Tsujimoto also notified fans eagerly awaiting the highly anticipated title’s 2025 release that Capcom will debut its next trailer at Gamescom Opening Night Live, and Monster Hunter Wilds will be playable for the first time on the Gamescom 2024 show floor.

The Wild Beauty of the Windward Plains

While traversing the sandy dunes of the Windward Plains, hunters and local wildlife alike must be cautious of falling victim to the quicksand traps of the newly revealed Balahara. The Forbidden Lands play host to multiple packs of large monsters such as the Balahara, who can be seen in the trailer tracking and overwhelming the previously announced Doshaguma. These Leviathans secrete mucus along their serpentine bodies to deftly maneuver through the earth, hurl attacks at their foes, and create pitfall traps capable of shifting the sands of battle in their favor. As these formidable monsters seek to scrape out a niche within this harsh ecosystem, territorial disputes with other large monsters can erupt at a moment’s notice. Hidden within the region’s frequent sandstorms, a mysterious apex predator lurks, waiting to shock its prey with an electric fury.

A Seamless World of Extremes

Monster Hunter Wilds seamlessly flows from story sequences to gameplay to tell the dynamic and engrossing story of the hunter leading the Forbidden Lands Research Commission as they explore vibrant ecosystems filled with monsters and extreme environments. After stepping off their ship headed for the Windward Plains, hunters begin to unravel the many mysteries contained within Forbidden Lands, such as the massive crescent-shaped mountain dominating the landscape. That journey will compel players to team up with other Hunters to discover the relationship between this world and the people who inhabit it, standing shoulder to shoulder against new and fearsome foes.

More information regarding Monster Hunter Wilds will be revealed at Gamescom Opening Night Live, alongside the title’s first playable demo on the Gamescom 2024 show floor.

Prepare for the Vicious Seethe to be Unleashed as Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess Releases Worldwide on July 19, 2024

During the Summer Game Fest 2024 Showcase, viewers were invited to dive deeper into the world of Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess with a world premiere of brand-new gameplay and the reveal of the fast-approaching global release date of July 19, 2024, as well as additional platform support on Xbox One and PlayStation 4! Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess will drop day one on Xbox Game Pass for console, PC, and Cloud, and on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam. Pre-orders for the game are available now (Xbox, PlayStation, Steam).

In this unique, Japanese-inspired, and visually captivating game, players will play as the protagonist Soh to make sharp strategic decisions and use skillful dancing sword actions, while working with rescued villagers and the Maiden Yoshiro, to overcome the challenges ahead. During the day, explore the village and purge the defilement by rescuing villagers and wisely assigning them roles and positions to help attack the Seethe at night. During the night, the villagers will fight alongside Soh to protect Yoshiro from the swarm of Seethe. The trailer showcased the Spirit State and new gameplay with a Festering Seethe. When Soh runs out of health, Soh will enter a Spirit State where the player cannot fight and can only give commands to villagers to protect Yoshiro. The Festering Seethe will call forth swarms of Seethe, so cooperating with your villagers is a necessity. In both situations, players will be able to experience the intense merge of action and strategy. Face the formidable Festering Seethe, purge the village’s defilement, and return peace to the mountain.

Those who pre-order the game will receive exclusive in-game items, including the Mazo Talisman “Walking Basket” and “Astral Projection,” which can be equipped to Soh, as well as a digital mini artbook featuring never-before-seen concept art created for the game.

To stay tuned for the latest news on Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess as it heads toward launch, please check out the official website and follow the game on X!

Four New Characters – Including Two Guest Characters! – Hit the Streets in Year 2 of Street Fighter 6!

Year 2 of Street Fighter 6 bursts onto the scene with four new characters coming to the game, including the evil M. Bison and the capoeira master Elena. The Year 2 roster is rounded out by the first guest characters to appear in the Street Fighter series, the ever-popular Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui from SNK’s Fatal Fury series!

• M. Bison (Summer 2024), first appearing as a playable character in Street Fighter™ II: Champion Edition, returns! Prepare yourself for an infusion of evil as the iconic and Psycho-Powered Shadaloo crime syndicate leader continues his unending quest for world domination. And don’t forget to tune in for an exclusive first look at M. Bison’s gameplay at 8am PT on Saturday, June 8 on YouTube here!
  
  
• Long-time Fatal Fury veteran Terry Bogard (Autumn 2024) joins the fight in Year 2 alongside his iconic casual look! The skilled street fighter takes his friendly attitude straight into battle to find the true meaning of strength.
  
  
• Let’s also welcome Mai Shiranui (Winter 2025), the second crossover fighter from the Fatal Fury series, to the growing Street Fighter 6 roster! As a highly-skilled Shiranui-ryuu Kunoichi, Mai brings her deadly power to the game in Year 2!
  
  
• Last seen in Street Fighter IV, the cheery Capoeira fighter Elena (Spring 2025) hits the streets as the final Year 2 character! Listen to the wind as you travel the world defeating opponents with Elena’s light-footed, dance-like moves.

Year 2 is almost upon us and we’ll have much more to share on each new character joining the game throughout the year! Year 2 Character and Ultimate Passes are also available online now here, as well as the main game which remains 50% off for a limited time!

And for a look back at Year 1, don’t forget to check out this infographic that compiles facts and figures from throughout the community over the course of the entire year!

©CAPCOM ©SNK CORPORATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Article by: Susan N.

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Announcing Monster Hunter Wilds for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC in 2025!

LOS ANGELES – Dec. 7, 2023 – At The Game Awards 2023, Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, announced Monster Hunter Wilds™. This brand-new entry in the award-winning Monster Hunter™ series is now in development and is gearing up to release in 2025 for PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

“We’re thrilled to announce Monster Hunter Wilds today and reveal the newest entry in the Monster Hunter series to fans all over the world,” said Monster Hunter series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto. “Our team is working passionately to create the greatest Monster Hunter experience yet, and we’re eager to play the game with everyone when it launches in 2025. Until then, please look forward to summer 2024, when we’ll have more information to share.”

The Monster Hunter series is now celebrating its 20th anniversary. Since 2004, the beloved co-op action RPGs have sold over 95 million units worldwide. In the games, players hunt larger-than-life foes across expansive natural environments. Each monster poses a unique challenge, so players must plan carefully, form hunting parties with friends, and utilize everything at their disposal to survive these thrilling set-piece quests. As a reward for overcoming their quarry, hunters can harvest the remains to craft equipment and upgrade their customizable arsenal for the challenges ahead.
 
Everyone looking forward to the upcoming title can start their journey today by picking up Monster Hunter: World™ at a great discount. The highly acclaimed game is on sale now for $9.99 USD on digital storefronts. Monster Hunter World: Iceborne™ and its Master Edition are also currently available for $14.99 USD and $19.99 USD, respectively.

ABOUT CAPCOM

Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher, and distributor of interactive entertainment for game consoles, PCs, handheld, and wireless devices. Founded in 1983, the company has created hundreds of games, including groundbreaking franchises Resident Evil™, Monster Hunter™, Street Fighter™, Mega Man™, Devil May Cry™, and Ace Attorney™. Capcom maintains operations in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Tokyo, with corporate headquarters located in Osaka, Japan. More information about Capcom and its products can be found at www.capcom.com or news.capcomusa.com.

 
Capcom and the Capcom logo are registered trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd. in the U.S. or other countries. Ace Attorney, Devil May Cry, Mega Man, Monster Hunter, Resident Evil, and Street Fighter are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries, in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

Article by: Susan N.

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Debut Footage from Capcom's PlayStation Showcase!

SAN FRANCISCO – MAY 24, 2023 – Today during the PlayStation Showcase Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, debuted footage for the highly anticipated action-RPG Dragon’s Dogma™ 2, a melee mash-up for the upcoming Street Fighter™ 6, and a first-look at Resident Evil™ 4 VR Mode coming exclusively to PlayStation VR®2. The cult-classic Dragon’s Dogma™ released in 2012, and since then the series has sold over 7.2 million units globally in addition to inspiring an original Netflix animated series. Dragon’s Dogma 2 was announced at the start of the “Dragon’s Dogma 10^th Anniversary” celebration, and this new trailer provides fans with the first look at the richly detailed and deeply explorable fantasy world created using immersive physics, character AI and the latest in graphics from Capcom’s RE ENGINE. The trailer also introduced some of the key characters the Arisen will encounter as they forge their destiny. Dragon’s Dogma 2 is now in development for the PlayStation®5 (PS5™) console, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Street Fighter 6 drops on June 2, 2023 across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, and the Resident Evil 4 VR Mode free DLC is coming exclusively to PlayStation VR 2 for PlayStation 5.
 
Ascend, Arisen, and Slay the Dragon in Dragon’s Dogma 2

Dragon’s Dogma 2 begins in a subterranean jail, where the Dragon’s voice echoes in the fog of lost memories. With their heart taken by the Dragon, the Arisen is set on a path to slay that symbol of the world’s destruction as it soars through the sky on massive wings, breathing flames that scorch everything in its path. Betwixt the domains of humans and the newly introduced beastren race, a hero must fulfill their forgotten destiny, and claim the throne. Up to three mysterious otherworldly beings, known as Pawns, accompany the Arisen throughout their journey. Pawns create the feeling of a cooperative gameplay experience by offering unique characteristics, skills, and knowledge gained from their experiences with other Arisen.

This single player narrative driven action-RPG challenges players to use their creativity and curiosity to shape their own experience. Whether it is your Arisen’s vocation, the Pawns selected for your party, or your approach to multi-faceted gameplay situations, the world of Dragon’s Dogma 2 revolves around choice. Capcom’s advanced RE ENGINE produces vividly detailed, high fidelity graphics combined with immersive physics and complex and reactive character AI to create a setting where decisions, and their consequences, come to life. Both your party of Pawns and enemies alike will react dynamically to your actions on the battlefield, whether you cling to the backs of monsters or seek to dispatch them from afar. Your vocation allows you to choose your playstyle, and whether you will use swords, bows, or potent magick to bring your foes to heel. With the Arisen’s future veiled in mystery, what challenges and triumphs await on the path to their destiny?

Hit the Streets!

Street Fighter™ 6 is gearing up for its imminent global release and showed off brand new scenes from World Tour, the new single-player story mode set within the Street Fighter™ universe. From interacting with all 18 legendary Masters like Chun-Li and Ryu, to discovering the true meaning of strength, players will travel through open-world areas as they customize their own personal avatar by mixing and matching fighting styles and special moves.
 
Street Fighter 6, releasing on June 2, is available for pre-order now and represents the next evolution of the Street Fighter series with a combo of unique fighting game innovations and brimming with content across three brand new game modes – Fighting Ground, World Tour, and Battle Hub.

Experience the Cutting Edge of Immersion with Resident Evil 4 VR Mode

Get even closer to Leon S. Kennedy’s critically acclaimed story of survival with the Resident Evil 4 VR Mode free DLC coming exclusively to PlayStation VR®2 for those who own the game on PlayStation®5. The PlayStation Showcase provided eager fans with a first look at gameplay, demonstrating how the PlayStation®VR2 Sense controller makes core gameplay systems such as parrying enemy attacks even more immersive and intuitive. More information on when players can experience Resident Evil 4 VR Mode first hand will be shared at a later date.

More information regarding Dragon’s Dogma 2 and the Resident Evil 4 VR Mode will be released at a later date. For additional details on Street Fighter 6, please visit the official website, and to download the latest Dragon’s Dogma 2, Street Fighter 6, and Resident Evil 4 assets please visit the Capcom Press Site at press.capcom.com.
 
ABOUT CAPCOM

Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher, and distributor of interactive entertainment for game consoles, PCs, handheld, and wireless devices. Founded in 1983, the company has created hundreds of games, including groundbreaking franchises Resident Evil™, Monster Hunter™, Street Fighter™, Mega Man™, Devil May Cry™, and Ace Attorney™. Capcom maintains operations in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Tokyo, with corporate headquarters located in Osaka, Japan. More information about Capcom and its products can be found at www.capcom.com or news.capcomusa.com.
 
Capcom, and the Capcom logo are registered trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd. In the U.S. or other countries. Ace Attorney, Devil May Cry, Mega Man, Monster Hunter, Resident Evil, and Street Fighter are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries, in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
 
“PlayStation”, “PS4”, and “PS5” are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

Article by: Susan N.

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Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of the Super Heroes - Retro Reflections - TBT

Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of the Super Heroes by developer Capcom Co., Ltd. and publisher Capcom Entertainment, Inc.—PS1 Throwback Thursday review written by Hamza. 1999.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes.

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Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of the Super Heroes is a superb crossover fighting and one of the finest from 90’s gaming. As the name implies, familiar characters from the more famous titles of Capcom and the Marvel universe clash and collide – and occasionally join forces as allies. Each character is beautifully animated.

Characters like Hulk and Venom are wonderfully detailed; their sinews and popping veins standing out like no other. When the green rage-monster moves, aggression and force can be felt at every step; likewise with the symbiote, whose slimy nature is fluid and precise. The energetic, detailed sprites not only give life and energy to the characters, but also to the whole “I’m just here to win” attitude that is so prevalent with such fighters. I haven’t played a more energetic, electrifying and awesome game as Clash of the Super Heroes.

Instead of continuing on with a traditional review praising the highs and lamenting on the lows of the game, I’ll instead put forth a very memorable memory that I have associated with the game. Without further ado:

Back in 2003 when I was in the 4th grade in Oman, my school held a fundraiser for the hurricane victims in Sri Lanka. Since there were no limitations as to what one could do to participate and donate, I and a couple of my friends decided that we would use my TV and PlayStation (since I lived practically next door to the school) to accept donations. Our idea was to charge a small fee per game for a limited play-time (500 baisa for 30 minutes; 1 riyal for 60 minutes); with the money incurred going to the fundraiser. At the end of the day, we managed to accumulate around 15 riyals (roughly $40). Though this wasn’t very much – even at the time – it was a major effort for a couple of ten year olds.

When the fundraiser time was drawing to a close, and with the crowd thinning every passing hour, my friends and I decided to stick around and play games to our liking. The one game we all agreed on was Clash of the Super Heroes: a favourite across the classroom. For the next couple of hours or so – well into midnight – I and four of my friends took turns to whip the virtual asses out of each other. No alliances mind you, only enemies. At every successful victory, the victorious would retain his position, while the defeated would get rotated to the other person, and so on. What makes this particular memory such a happy one, is it was the first time I was engaging in a multiplayer co-operative style of playing I had only heard about in magazines and online forums.

Our playful, hushed swearing, attempts at distracting the other player, and screeching reminders to use the combo attack are all what stick vividly in my mind. Anyone who has ever engaged in multiplayer combat with their friends – especially when it gets loud and chaotic – will know the feeling. It’s one of those memories that etches itself permanently in your brain. Though I’m not at all close to my classmates now, and it’s been decades since I last touched my PlayStation, this particular highlight stands out among the rest when I think back to school. Whenever I’m having an off day or just want to think about a time where innocence reigned supreme, I often invariably go back to this moment… a moment where we acted good for a cause and kicked each other’s asses.

Note: Screenshots from all platforms that were available at the time can be found here at Moby Games.
Score: 9.5 / 10 

 

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Bionic Commando: Rearmed

Bionic Commando: Rearmed by developer and publisher Capcom—PC review written by Hamza.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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Grin's 2008 HD remake of the 1987 seminal classic, Bionic Commando, is one of those case studies on how to translate an old property to a contemporary audience.

In Bionic Commando, you play the role of the titular hero named Spencer. Your primary task is to rescue Super Joe, who has been taken hostage by who can be said as one of the most memorable villains ever to grace video games; Generalissimo Kilt. Playing pretty much similarly to its side-scrolling, action contemporaries, Bionic Commando was unique in this fact that the Spencer could not jump. Instead our hero is given a rather cool method for traversing around: grappling hook.

Considered the first video game to implement the grappling hook, you can use this device to swing off ledges, lamps, platform edges, and just about any surface you can hook it to. The hook (or claw as it is sometimes mentioned) can also double as a weapon. You can reel-in enemies and throw them at each other; or you can reel-in barrels and other hard-to-reach items and use them as either defensive shields or projectiles.

This ability is at its most effective during boss battles. Your weapons, both primary and secondary, have infinite ammo, meaning you never have to worry about strategy and all that nonsense. Love the rocket launcher a little too much? Why not use it for the entire level, and then when the boss appears, tear him a new one? Fancy the machine-gun more? No problems, it's yours for the keeping!

The visual style of Rearmed is simply gorgeous. A perfect marriage between 2D and 3D - with 2D being the backdrops and the 3D characters - Rearmed is simply eye-candy from start to finish. Some of the scenery requires more than mere minutes of observation, and don't be too surprised if you catch yourself gaping at a particularly impressive art longer than you usually would. A further extension for reason one is also the animations; smooth, crisp and a delight to watch. While you're falling from great heights, your character starts to yield his bionic arm in relation to the decreasing altitude. This subtle effect, coupled with the landing animation, will make you want to fall off high places more - as weird as that sounds.

Then we come to the co-operative gameplay. This should go unelaborated but what the hell, I might just as well. Up to two players in campaign mode - and four in competitive deathmatch and similar matches - the carnage is best experienced like this. Player two gets to control Super Joe, who is basically Luigi to the titular hero's Mario. The thrill of taking down the enemies with your best buddy is beyond 11; the co-operation required to take down a boss simultaneously imminently leads to victory shouts and smug happiness should the other die in the process. You will notice that in co-operation mode, you and your buddy will gradually focus all your energy from killing soldiers to being the first commando to find the elusive "extra life" icon or secret areas; and believe me, it is in this distraction that the fun will really begins.

The only mildly frustrating thing about two-player mode is the responsive nature of the screen. Should either of you get too far from each other, the screen splits in two; sometimes horizontal, sometimes vertical, depending on the plane you're in. Though it's not a major deal, a great many cheap deaths have occurred due to its unfortunate timing to split the screen. Also, many areas will require the both of you to stay together if you're to stay alive because once the screen's split, you won't be able to see more than a few feet ahead of you.

Notwithstanding certain flaws, like untimely glitches and minor - but game ruining - bugs where your character would get stuck half-way in a wall, Bionic Commando Rearmed is a quintessential modern co-operative game. The single-player campaign is fun, but with a friend the fun doubles, triples even. You may not know now, but Rearmed will be the source of your fondest, epic gaming memories a few years later down the line. I highly recommend it.



Score: 9 / 10

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Resident Evil Village Gold Edition Gameplay Demo Preview

Resident Evil Village Gold Edition Gameplay Demo by developer Capcom and publisher Capcom USA—Sony PlayStation 5 preview written by Pierre-Yves with a copy downloaded from the PSN.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Resident Evil for me is a series that I constantly find myself coming back to. Not a fan of horror on its own, as I am very much a scaredy cat, the action is normally enough to keep me going. Having originally released last year, Capcom's Resident Evil Village (our PS5 review) has just received new additions this past Friday such as a DLC continuation of the story, more mercenary content, and finally, a brand new third person mode for the core game.

And if you're interested before picking up the Gold Edition, or the DLC Expansion if you already have Resident Evil Village, Capcom have released a demo of what it looks like! 

So that's really what this article is about. I'll be taking a look at Capcom's Resident Evil Village Gold Edition Gameplay Demo. While pretty short, clocking in around 10-20 minutes, the demo showcases what we really need to know. The comparison of the new third person mode to the original first person mode.

Having originally been a third person action horror with locked camera angles, Resident Evil eventually graduated to more accessible camera designs and environments. Having changed all of that with Resident Evil 7, gone was an over the shoulder look at your character. Instead, you now saw the world through their eyes which I thought at the time was scarier than the third person view... I think I was wrong...

Recorded off of the PS5, the video above is a quick look at what the third person mode looks like in Resident Evil Village. Disclaimer, I completely forgot about going to the vendor and buying something handy, like say, a shotgun perhaps? Maybe even an upgrade or two for my Pistol. So unfortunately poor Ethan, and my heart, only had access to a knife that looks a lot less useful in third person and a pistol that wasn't packing much of a punch. 

That said though, after having recently played through the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3, it felt natural to return to this world, even if I was looking at the protagonist. The controls were smooth and there was an eerie feeling that settled in as I explored as for some reason, I felt less mobile and more vulnerable. Funny enough though, if you try to look directly at Ethan's face, he'll look away.

Going in for another go to see how the new third person mode first compared to the first person mode, the first person mode felt more natural and faster paced. I wasn't as worried about exploring, regardless of knowing that something is or is not there. Searching for "loot" also felt more natural as you're literally seeing things in cases and are like, ah yes, break glass. 

Aiming weapons and combat also felt smoother… but that's always the case when comparing a third and first person view. In a third person, and probably upping the horror, you have to take aim and constantly make finer adjustments. First person? Look where you want to shoot and pull the trigger. 

In either case, I feel like this new mode may make Resident Evil Village more accessible to players as there's going to be an option that suits them better. The third person mode also doesn't feel like it was simply thrown together as a gimmick but something that's been thought through. That said, only the full version will let us know for sure on that one.

 
Score: N/A

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Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak (DLC) Review

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak (DLC) by developer and publisher Capcom—Nintendo Switch review written by Richard with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes. 

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Hello fellow Hunters! It's finally time for Monster Hunter Rise to get the G Rank, er MASTER rank expansion you've been expecting! Following after the Monster Hunter Rise review and beginner's guide, we now get to talk about the expansion: Sunbreak!

Alright then Hunters, here we go! Since Sunbreak is an expansion to the already existing Monster Hunter Rise, a title we covered when it first released, I'm assuming that all of y'all here have already played the base game. I'm also assuming the majority of you here aren't long time Monster Hunter fans, as you'd have already bought the expansion anyway (trust me, I would have too).

As such, the vast majority of you reading this have probably played base Rise, maybe it's even your first Monster Hunter title, and are wondering if the expansion is worth it or not. So, long story short, is it worth it? Well yeah, I certainly think so, but it depends a little on your time with base Rise. For the most part, you can probably expect to roughly double your time from the base title with a slew of much more challenging creatures, some of which are new to Sunbreak, so if you didn't spend a lot of time in the base game, or found it too challenging, you may want to make a careful consideration of Sunbreak.

So! Let's discuss some of the new elements to Sunbreak. First off, you now have access to Master rank. For those who know the franchise, this is basically G Rank. For those new to the franchise, Master Rank monsters are tougher, healthier, and have new moves added to their move set. I also personally found them to be far more aggressive, but that may just be me. You also have access to more switch skills, as well as the ability to swap between switch skill sets on the fly, a really cool way of loading out different playstyles and being able to swap between them. Some new monsters even make use of this with special skills associated with the monster.

Sunbreak offers two new areas to hunt in, some new endemic life and records to find, lots of challenging Master Rank monsters, both old and new, as well as some quality of life improvements. You'll enter a new hub area once you've progressed the base Rise story enough, where you can begin fighting creatures that are probably significantly tougher than you were expecting. No, really, it isn't all that unusual to see 80% or more of your health disappear in a single move. Well, that's kind of part of the challenge though, so have fun and remember your defensive buffs!

So let's talk a bit about the new monsters. I won't spoil any for you if you want to go in blind, but I will talk a bit about the new monsters and returning monsters. First up the new monsters. I honestly loved fighting all the brand new monsters added in Sunbreak, especially the flagship monster and the "last boss". The fights were really fun and had the perfect combination of "Oh sh*t" and "Yeehaw". There weren't any particularly awful attacks or patterns, the monsters were reasonable but challenging, and they all looked pretty cool.

For the returning monsters from other titles, I admit some of them made me question who coded the hitboxes on them. I mean, there aren't any hyperspace plesioth tackles, but a number of times I was really confused about why a hitbox extended to where it did. Nothing really all that different from normal though.

Even after you complete the main campaign there is more to do, more quests to take, more sidequests to fulfill, and more guild card achievements to acquire, so don't think beating the last boss is everything the expansion has to offer. But what is the biggest thing that Sunbreak has to offer, in my opinion? Is it the cool new monsters and armour you can craft? The added challenge? The little Easter eggs you can find in the new hub? No, it's gotta be the follower missions.

Guess what hunter, you can take select NPCs on missions with you now. Yup, I'm pretty sure this is the first time in Monster Hunter history, but you can bring fully fledged help in the form of NPCs, only on select missions though. Still! It was really cool to see the Kamura sisters fighting for you outside of Rampage quests. As a wonderful added bonus, the followers getting KOd doesn't count as a cart, lucky you! The AI is also surprisingly solid, offering timely help, mounting other monsters in the area, or releasing powerful moves on the enemies to help you out.

Summary

All in all, I have to say I had a lot of fun with the Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak expansion. The challenge was great, the new monsters were fun to fight, and the new additions that were added really help to enhance the game. Being able to take ally NPCs on quests is also a major new function, and I really enjoyed being able to do so, even if it was a somewhat limited capacity.

While the price point may be a sticking point for some, I believe that if you had fun with Rise, you'll certainly get your enjoyment out of Sunbreak.

Score: 9 / 10

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Capcom Fighting Collection Review

Capcom Fighting Collection by developer and publisher Capcom—Microsoft Xbox Series X|S review written by Nick with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes. 

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Capcom Fighting Collection is simply one of the best video game compilations I have played in a long time. One could quibble that it is a little Dark Stalkers heavy, but the mix of familiar and new with lots of extras makes this a thoroughly enjoyable release.

First, the collection of games:

●     Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors

●     Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge

●     Vampire Savior: The Lord of Vampire

●     Vampire Hunter 2: Darkstalkers’ Revenge

●     Vampire Savior 2: The Lord of Vampire

●     Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition

●     Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo

●     Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix

●     Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness

●     Red Earth

That’s a pretty robust list, and while I was familiar with several of the titles, there were some new ones to me as well. Of course, the first thing to note is that half of that list is made up for the excellent Darkstalkers titles. These always felt like a slightly floatier Street Fighter series, with some similar mechanics all wrapped up in a gothic theme. Vampires, werewolves, mummies and more make up the colorful cast.

While I had played a few of these titles heavily back in the day, two of them were Japanese-only titles (Darkstalkers’ Revenge and Vampire Savior 2: The Lord of Vampire) that I had never played before. Admittedly, I wasn’t getting much out of the cut scenes sprinkled in between the fights, as I couldn’t read them – but I seldom played old school fighting games expecting narrative depth.

I was there for the combat.

To that end, the Darkstalkers title holds up really well today. Some of the games showed more evolution than others. For example, the differences between Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors and Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge are rather minimal. Still good stuff, but perhaps not all that different from one another.

Then when you get into Vampire Savior 1 & 2 as well as Hunter 2, the style of the visuals shifts a bit. Whether it’s the characters and their designs (like Q Bee) felt fresh. The graphics and music were excellent for the times, but of course all of it is dated by modern standards. That said, the environments were more engaging here than the prior two games I discussed. It’s odd to use terms like ‘Gothic’ and colorful together, but those are the adjectives that come to mind. Character designs (such as the brightly colored Red Riding Hood inspired character) pop against the often gray / brown / dingy backgrounds.

Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition likely needs little to no introduction. The Street Fighter II game (and it’s numerous spin-offs) were hugely popular in the arcades when I was a teenager, and I dropped a lot of quarters into those cabinets while I was sucking down Big Gulps at my local 7-11. Classic combat, brisk pacing, familiar characters – probably the biggest hit of nostalgia for me in the entire package.

Cyberbots: Fullmetal Madness was a game I had no context on, having never played it. Immediately it felt a little different because you pick a character – but all that does is play out the story for you differently. The combat has nothing to do with the character, but the type of mech you choose. There’s different classes and subclasses of mechs that act as your actual combatants. There’s a sort of clunky simplicity to the combat, which uses fewer buttons than some of the games, and giant metal-covered machines probably should feel a bit less graceful than an expert martial artist.

Throughout combat there’s an interesting sort of tension that gets applied where you can damage the machine and it has implications such as cleaving off your opponent’s arm, weakening their attack. It sort of reminded me of the Samurai Showdown titles where you could get disarmed (but more literally) and working from a limited position in combat until you retrieve and reconnect it.

Super Gem Fighter Minimix is an odd one, and probably my least favorite of the titles. This sort of thing is subjective of course, but a simplified, clunkier version of streetfighter where the focus is more on gathering gems to boost up your character than outright fighting your opponent is just sort of an odd premise. It’s cute, it just always struck me as kind of unfocused. As cool as this game is, calling it a ‘fighting’ game is a bit of a stretch, but at least the Street Fighter theme gives them a good excuse to include it, even if it’s really more of a puzzle game.

Super Puzzle Fight II Turbo has long been one of my favorite titles. I’ve always been a sucker for action / puzzle games such as Tetris or Columns, and this one is just addicting. The premise is simple enough – you drop colored gems onto other similarly colored gems to create larger blocks of gems that you can eventually match away to perform ‘attacks’ on your opponent in a visualization of Street Fighter. It’s a little hard to explain, but highly addicting and as much fun as I remember.

Red Earth is an odd duck, but a weirdly enjoyable one that I would have likely sunk oodles of time in had I played it when I was younger. At first I saw four characters to choose from and thought there was not going to be much meat on these bones. However, this fantasy title has some lightweight RPG elements (experience, leveling up, gaining new abilities) mixed with some different endings. They mostly revolve around how many continues are needed to win, but there’s some choices baked in there too. I honestly had never heard of this title before, but I think I spent as much (if not more) time with this than any of the others.

Still, the collection is about more than just the ten games. There’s quite a few options baked in here as well, from online modes, to a variety of settings that can make the games as hard or easy as you like, quick saves for those who need to leave before they’ve finished their session and a virtual museum with materials from across the ten titles such as music and artwork. In this day and age people are expecting more out of ‘collections’, and I would say by and large the packaging here does not disappoint.

Summary

Capcom Fighting Collection is a fantastic value for those who enjoy fighting games and want to play some of the best to ever come out. There’s traditional titles like Darkstalkers and Street Fighter, some unique takes on the genre with Cyberbots and Red Earth and even a fighting themed puzzle game squeezed in there for good measure. It’s perhaps a bit Darkstalkers heavy for some, but I appreciated the mix of familiar titles and games I had never played before.

Score: 8 / 10

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