ConcernedApe has taken to Twitter to discuss the status of Stardew Valley console and mobile ports, as well as the development of Haunted Chocolatier. While there aren’t any details in the Tweet, he assures fans that they’ve been working on them and they’re the primary focus since Stardew Valley Version 1.6 appeared on PC.

To summarize it, he acknowledges that the console and mobile ports for Stardew Valley are taking a long time for various reasons he didn't get into. He accepts full responsibility for the delay. ConcernedApe also expresses gratitude to those who have been patiently waiting, as they reduce the amount of stress he has to deal with. As for Haunted Chocolatier, he has not worked on it in a while due to wanting to perfect and finalize Stardew Valley Version 1.6 first. Indeed, the last progress update ConcernedApe shared for Haunted Chocolatier was in 2021. The full statement is available via ConcernedApe’s Twitter account. Fans in the replies have been more than understanding for the delay. A lot of them thank ConcernedApe for all the work that he’s done in general. 

Stardew Valley Version 1.6 came out earlier this year on March 19, 2024. It features new festivals and events, a new farm type, a new mastery system, new NPC dialogue, updates to the world map, new outfits, new glamor items, balance changes, QoL improvements, and more. It was, all in all, a massive update to the game.

Stardew Valley is readily available on the Windows PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices. More information on when Version 1.6 for consoles and mobile, as well as Haunted Chocolatier, will come out will appear in the future.

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Konami detailed the Japanese limited editions for the upcoming Suikoden I & II HD Remaster, set to release on March 6, 2025. The remaster, titled Gensou Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars, will be available on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, with three special Famitsu DX Packs offered for pre-order through Ebiten. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

The Famitsu DX Packs come in three versions. DX Pack I and DX Pack II include 3D crystal art of the main characters from Suikoden I and II, along with 108 acrylic stands representing the stars of destiny. These packs also feature new artwork by Junko Kono, the original character designer for Suikoden I, and a hero symbol engraved glass that pays homage to the protagonists.

The third version, the "Luka-sama Cheering Set," focuses on the villain Luka Blight from Suikoden II. This set includes a T-shirt with Luka's famous line, "Pigs must die!", a wine glass engraved with the Beast Rune, and a 3D crystal of Luka himself.

In related news, Konami has announced three digital pre-order bonuses for the remaster, including early access to the Fortune Orb and Prosperity Orb, which double experience and in-game currency gains, and a head start with 57,300 potch. These bonuses are available on all platforms where the game will be released.

Suikoden I & II HD Remaster and their limited editions will be available on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, with the game set to launch on March 6, 2025.

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The Official Konami Shop storefront opened pre-orders for both a Symphonic Poem from Suikoden concert Blu-ray bundle and the Suikoden I and II HD Remaster soundtrack set. Both are expected to ship in January 2025.

The Symphonic Poem from Suikoden concert Blu-ray set costs $99.99. The Blu-ray in it includes the full performance from October 16, 2022, in addition to a Suikoden II Animation Music Video featuring characters like Riou and Jowy. People also get a fabric map of the world from the first two games, a Soul Eater True Rune icon pendant in leather pouch, and six postcards from the Animation Music Video.

Suikoden I and II HD Remaster soundtrack costs $79.99. There are seven CDs in the set. The first two only cover songs from Suikoden I HD Remaster: Gate Rune War. Four of them feature music from Suikoden II HD Remaster: Dunan Unification War. The final bonus disc includes seven arrangements of existing songs and seven “music box” versions of tracks from both games. In total, 179 songs are included in the collection. People also get a booklet with information about the CDs and art.

Here’s how both of those items will look:

Suikoden I and II HD Remaster is in development and the new PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch release date is March 6, 2025. There are three digital pre-order bonuses for it. The original games appeared on the PlayStation worldwide. They also appeared together in a collection on the PSP in Japan. The Symphonic Poem from Suikoden concert Blu-ray bundle and Suikoden I and II HD Remaster soundtrack set both will ship in January 2025.

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Bandai Namco has updated the official Tales of Graces f website to include details on the remastered version of the game, including changes to QOL and visuals. As a side note, the Nintendo Switch version will be the only one in which you can only play in 30 FPS, while the other consoles will be in 60 FPS at the minimum.

The whole list of changes is available via the official website. But the vast majority of them have to do with making the game easier to play. Here is a list of them all, as well as a short descriptor of each improvement or change:

• Auto-save
• Dash
  This is faster than the usual running and you’re able to toggle it on or off with the touch of a button.
• Removing enemy encounters
  If you turn off enemy encounters, you will not engage in battle even after you touch an enemy symbol on the overworld. This likely eliminates the need for Holy Bottles.
• Skipping events or Groovy Chats
  By holding down a button, you’ll be able to skip through events or Skits.
• Clicking through voice lines in Groovy Chats
  By pressing a button, you’ll be able to skip to the next line in Groovy Chats as if they were normal dialogue in the story.
• Accessing the Grade Shop from the very beginning
  Instead of needing to first beat the game to access the Grade Shop, you’ll be able to purchase bonuses from the start.
• Destination icon on the map
  An exclamation mark will denote where you need to go to advance the main story. As well, the remaining distance between you and that destination will appear on the screen.
• Cursor speed on the world map
  By pressing down a button, you’ll be able to speed up the cursor while you’re on the world map.
• Retry function in normal battles
  Even if you end up losing in a normal battle and get a game over, you’ll be able to retry from that battle instead of needing to load up a save file.
• Subtitles for dialogue in battle
  When characters talk to each other in battle or use their Mystic Artes, subtitles will appear at the bottom of the screen so you can better understand what they’re saying. You can toggle this on and off from the options.
• Making new Artes or Skills more obvious
  Newly acquired Artes, Skills, and such will be green.
• Color vision support
  Any dungeon gimmicks that required the usage of colors to solve will now be solvable using other clues. In other words, even if you can’t see certain colors, you’ll be able to clear dungeon puzzles on your own.
• The inclusion of certain DLC content
  While not every piece of DLC from the original version of f will be in the remastered version of the game, we’ll still get over 80 items. DLC includes unique Groovy Chats, Magic Karta cards, items, bonuses, and costumes (past Tales games, school uniforms, formal outfits, attachments).
• Dubbed versions of DLC Groovy Chats
  Since the DLC Groovy Chats were only in the original Japanese, the remastered edition will have dubbed versions of them in English
• Master volume adjustment
  You’ll be able to adjust the master volume of the entire game from the options, rather than having to individually lower the BGM, sound effects, voice lines, and cutscenes.
• Adjustment to certain sound effects
• Dual audio (Japanese and English)
• Button configuration for exploring and combat
• Addition of an hourglass icon for time-limited events
  Certain events in Tales of Graces are only available for a short period of time within the story, and they were hidden as well. The remastered version will add an hourglass icon to make it easier for people to find them.
• No online ranking in Challenge Battles

Tales of Graces f will come out on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC on January 17, 2025.

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Yusuke Tomizawa, the producer for the Tales series, has released a video message on YouTube in regards to the Tales Remastered Project, as well as the 30th anniversary of the series. Bandai Namco plans to continue remastering past titles.

Here is the producer message from Tomizawa-P for the 30th anniversary of the Tales series:

The video is a little under four minutes and a half long. According to Tomizawa, the Remastered Project is part of the 30th anniversary commemorations. This means there may be more to come from the studio. The Remastered Project will focus on making past games accessible and easy to play on new consoles in an enjoyable way for both newcomers and veterans. We can see this in QoL improvements for Graces f. For example, the Grade Shop's accessibility from the start will make the game much easier. It's unclear if the Remastered Project will bring Japanese-exclusive titles to the west as well.

The rest of the video focuses on describing the general plot and worldview of Tales of Graces. It takes place in Ephinea, which has three major countries in it. Asbel Lhant, the future lord of Lhant, meets a mysterious amnesiac girl named Sophie, and befriends her and Prince Richard. Tragedy strikes and the children go their separate ways. When they reunite down the line, they're different people in a different political clilmate. The video mentions that reception to the game’s story and characters have been positive, and the combat system in particular received acclaim. These reasons, as well as constant requests, are why Graces f is the first game to receive a remaster as part of the Remastered Project.

Tales of Graces f Remastered will come out on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC on January 17, 2025.

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Good Smile Company announced its first Nendoroid based on a Suikoden series hero, and it is a Tir McDohl figure. He is the player avatar for the first game, and he also makes an appearance in the second.

As the Tir McDohl Nendoroid is very early in development, there’s no actual prototype figure of the Suikoden hero. However, concept art that teased what we can expect from it did show up in the reveal. While we are looking at him head-on, we can see the tails of the green bandana he wears on his head. His outfit also remains identical to the qipao he has on in-game. It seems his bo will be included as an accessory.

Here’s how that figure might look:

Good Smile Company didn't note if we can expect figures of Riou, Jowy, or Nanami, the three major characters in Suikoden II.

The announcement specifically cited this as being tied to the Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars worldwide release. During the August 2024 Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, Konami announced a final release date for the collection. That will come to the PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and PC on March 6, 2025. Pre-orders are open and net people access to in-game money and early unlocks for two pieces of equipment.

There’s no release window for the Suikoden Tir McDohl Nendoroid, though since only concept art appeared it could be a while before the figure of the hero appears.

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Konami announced three pre-order bonuses for those who grab a digital copy of Suikoden I & II HD Remaster on social media. Two of them are early unlocks for pieces of equipment you’d normally get access to later in the game, while the other offers a head start with a substantial amount of in-game money.

Calling dibs on a digital copy gets you 57,300 potch as the first Suikoden I & II HD Remaster bonus. This is the money you’d use to buy Runes, equipment, or other items in games. This would normally be acquired at a standard pace while going through fights and the adventure. 

The two pieces of equipment given as Suikoden I & II HD Remaster pre-order bonuses are the Fortune Orb and Prosperity Orb. Each one can be equipped on a character. The person who holds the Fortune Orb will get twice as much experience from every fight they participate in. Meanwhile, if the one with the Fortune Orb equipped is in a battle, you get twice as much potch currency from the fight.

Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars will come to the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC on March 6, 2024.

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A new DLC for Sea of Stars titled Throes of the Watchmaker was announced at today's Nintendo Direct. This free DLC will launch sometime in Spring 2025, and feature a new story, companion, and classes for Valere and Zale.

The DLC will take place in a world menaced by an evil carnival, with the protagonists Zale and Valere getting new skills and abilities as Juggler and Acrobat respectively. A new playable companion will also join the group, who appears to be some kind of robot or perhaps a mech-suit. The presentation only announced the DLC for Nintendo Switch, since it was a Nintendo presentation after all, however a tweet from the developers confirms it will be available for all platforms.

You can watch the trailer from the Indie World Showcase via Youtube below:

Sea of Stars originally released back in August, 2023, with a Switch demo appearing earlier that February. Earlier this year, Sabotage Studio announced it was developing a potential co-op feature to add to the game, called Single Player+.

The Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker DLC will launch for free on Nintendo Switch in Spring 2025. The game itself is readily available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.

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During the latest Nintendo Direct August 2024 Partner Showcase, Koei Tecmo and Gust revealed Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories and the Envisioned Land. The new mainline title in the RPG alchemy series will be themed around the concept of "memories."

The reveal trailer of the game offered a brief look at the alchemy system, exploration, and combat in this new entry to the Atelier series. Additionally, Gust showcased the new protagonist Yumia and a wolf-like character that acts as her enemy or rival.

The Atelier Yumia reveal trailer is available in Japanese with English subtitles, and you can check it out here:

The previous mainline title in the Atelier series is Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator, a free-to-play gacha game available for mobile devices as well as PC via Steam. The English version of the game appeared on January 25, 2024.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will come out on early 2025 for the Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One and PC via Steam.

The post Atelier Yumia Is the Next Title in the Alchemy RPG Series appeared first on Siliconera.

We finally got a release date for the Suikoden I and II HD Remaster during the August 2024 Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase. The collection, which bundles in the first two games in the series, will launch on March 6, 2025. 

Konami first announced this Suikoden remaster collection of games in September 2022. However, the company delayed it in August 2023. There was no explanation beyond quality concerns. No updated release window followed. However, prior to that happening, we did see lots of footage and in-game elements. 

The latest updated trailer reminded us of what we can expect from these rereleases. There will be 2x and 4x battle speeds. There will also be new auto battle options. 

Here’s the full Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase:

As a reminder, these two games are connected. The original Suikoden starts the Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars storyline, with many of the allies from the first game resurfacing and rejoining for the second adventure.

Suikoden I and II HD Remaster is in development and the new PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch release date is March 6, 2025. The original games appeared on the PlayStation worldwide. They also appeared together in a collection on the PSP in Japan.

The post Suikoden I and II HD Remaster Release Date Set appeared first on Siliconera.

Sword Art Online: Last Recollection will still retain the crossover content featuring the Hololive Vtuber and SAO fan Minato Aqua even after she has graduated. Bandai Namco shared the reassurance on the game's Japanese official X account.

The company made this announcement in light of Aqua's impending graduation on August 28, 2024. The Vtuber will no longer be active after the date. The graduation also served as the primary reason for Entergram to cancel the development of a sequel to Aquarium. The latter is a visual novel starring Minato Aqua which is available worldwide with English subtitles on PC via Steam. Entergram also released the visual novel on the Switch and PS4 exclusively in Japan.

Bandai Namco added Minato Aqua to SAO: Last Recollection via a free title update in early March 2024. That means all players of the game can get the content by simply downloading the latest update patch without even having to access the DLC pages. The update added an optional subquest that will result in Aqua's addition to the game's roster upon its completion. The patch also included a new bed talk scene between Kirito and Aqua.

Sword Art Online: Last Recollection is available worldwide on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.

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On August 22, 2024, Bandai Namco announced that after Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker PS4 maintenance, major issues occurred that resulted in it not ending when the Xbox One and PC versions went back online. Now on August 23, 2024, the company said on social media that it doesn’t know when it will return. 

Here is Bandai Namco’s official statement. In the original announcement, players expressed concern that the Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker PS4 maintenance would run into the 6th Anniversary Campaign and make it impossible for those of us playing on that console to claim the rewards. In the notice, the company promised that the campaign period dates could change depending on how long this issue persists. It didn’t promise any details about new dates.

Alongside the 2.56 Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker update maintenance that has taken the PS4 version down, Bandai Namco shared details about the various campaigns. The first part of the login bonus runs August 22, 2024 through September 5, 2024. That included free Esoteric and Valuable Scrolls and 100,00 Ryo. A free Free Ninjutsu Trial runs during that same period and involves the Masters Obito Uchiha and Sasuke Uchiha (Last Battle). There is a Ninja World Hero Festival going on until August 29, 2024, with a Mission tied to it that gives three Esoteric Scrolls for taking part five times. The Ninja Tool and Weapon Trial Campaign Part 1 ends September 5, 2024, and it involves the Scientific Ninja Tools Double Fire Cannon (Prototype) and Frost Hawk (Prototype). 

The update also added new DLC. Shisui Uchiha (Perfect Susano'o) is available in-game now. A new trailer appeared that showed him off and discussed the new update and events.

Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker and its Ultimate Edition are available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC, and there’s no word on when maintenance will end for the PS4 version.

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Those looking to try out the upcoming Ace Attorney Investigations Collection are in luck, as Capcom has released a demo ahead of the game's launch on September 6, 2024. The demo is available on the PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch.

The demo will allow players to try the opening chapters of both Ace Attorney Investigations games, with save data able to be transferred over to the full release. You'll be able to get a taste of the new graphical updates and the autoplay and story mode features to help decide if you want to commit to the full package. The full game will also contain a gallery mode full of music, concept art, and character animations, on top of a chapter select option.

You can watch the game's reveal trailer via YouTube below:

Back in July 2024, Capcom began releasing side-by-side comparisons of the old and new character sprites, including for Missile the Dog. The company also ran a Cap Kuji online lottery back in June 2024, with merchandise featuring Miles Edgeworth as prizes.

The Ace Attorney Investigations Collection Demo is now available for the PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. The full game is scheduled to launch on September 6, 2024.

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In Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, we can select a quest navigator to help us around Da’at, and now Atlus announced an Additional Quest Navigation Demon Poll to add an additional character to the available options. People can pick from 31 options and are tasked with commenting with their pick on social media by September 1, 2024.

There are three requirements to vote. First, you must have an X account. Next, you need to reply to the official post with the name of the demon and the hashtag #TrueVVNaviDevilPoll. Finally, this must be done by 7:59am PT/10:59am ET/4:59pm CET on September 1, 2024. 

Here’s the full list of possible Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance demons to select:

• Angel
• Black Frost
• Cerberus
• Cleopatra
• Cu Chulainn
• Demeter
• Dominion
• Fionn mac Cumhaill
• Hell Biker
• Idun
• Jack Frost
• Karasu Tengu
• Kaya-no-Hime
• Kresnik
• Lilim
• Loup-garou
• Makami
• Mara
• Mephisto
• Mokoi
• Mothman
• Neko Shogun
• Nekomata
• Nue
• Nyami Nyami
• Oni
• Onyankopon
• Principality
• Titania
• Vouivre
• Yoshitsune

Here is the official announcement and poll on social media where people can vote. Atlus didn’t note when the selected demon will be added to the game.

At the moment, there are only six Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance demon navigators who can help you with quest navigation. The first one you meet is Amanozako, who is one of the first friendly demons the Nahobino meets upon arriving in Da’at. The other five are Aitvaras, Decarabia, Hua Po, Jack-o’-Lantern, and Yatagarasu. You typically need to clear certain quests, either sidequests or mainline ones, to unlock them.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is available for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the Additional Quest Navigation Demon Poll ends on September 1, 2024.

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At gamescom 2024, Lazy Bear Games and Different Sense Games announced a release date for the Persona-like Bloomtown: A Different Story RPG. It will show up on all consoles and PCs on September 24, 2024. There’s also a new trailer to offer more insight into how the game plays.

In Bloomtown, Emily and Chester get sent to the titular small town for the summer to stay with their grandfather. However, while there will be opportunities to make friends, work, boost stats like Charm, and take part in activities, there’s a darker side to the town. There is an Underside inhabited by everyone’s inner demons. It’s up to Emily to make friends to build a team to fight back to save everyone from demonic forces. However, this also means you’ll need to actually recruit the demons you face so you can use them in turn-based battles as well. 

Here’s the latesttrailer for the game from gamescom 2024. It highlights many of the Persona influences in Bloomtown. For example, you see how stats can affect possible responses, some of the more relaxed daily activities, and summoning demons to use their . 

While it isn’t possible to try the game on all platforms yet, you can on one. A demo already appeared on Steam. It is only available for Windows PCs. However, it does give people a chance to try out the RPG and life sim elements.

Bloomtown: A Different Story will come to the PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC on September 24, 2024.

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