NieR: Automata Ver1.1a is a retelling of NieR Automata’s beloved story and the anime’s second and third episodes make one thing clear: this retelling isn’t as straightforward as episode one’s depiction of Automata’s first mission might have indicated. While much of the episode revolves around pre-established lore contained in NieR: Automata’s side quests and data logs, some elements of the story have been changed and reframed to showcase the post-apocalyptic setting from different vantage points. Our newest point of view is from the perspective of a lesser-known character named Lily from NieR Automata and its related media. So, who exactly is Lily and why is she already showing up in the NieR anime?

This article contains spoilers for NieR Automata v1.1a and the game it's based on.

When we first meet Lily in NieR Automata Ver1.1a, she is heading a resistance camp that has been fending off machine life forms for centuries. The Council of Humanity tells the resistance that reinforcements are on the way to help break the stalemate. Lily, jaded by prior experienced, appears unconvinced. "Those guys will never send any assistance!" she argues.

She is wrong and surprised when help does arrive in the form of two powerful YoRHa units carrying logic virus vaccines. Lily is particularly shocked, in particular, to see 2B, who she refers to as "Number 2."

So how does Lily know "Number 2" in NieR Automata Ver1.1a and what is the nature of their relationship? The original NieR Automata might contain some hints.

In the NieR Automata's version of the story, an android named Anemone leads the Android Resistance instead of Lily. Like Lily, Anemone seems surprised to see 2B when 2B and 9S arrive at the resistance camp. Anemone also refers to 2B as Number 2, which comes as a surprise to 9S who doesn't know why Anemone would "know about 2B."

Anemone offers an explanation, claiming that the bunker told her to expect them. This is, at best, half true and a series of data entries stored on a nearby terminal reveals the truth of the matter.

These data entries, called novels in the NieR Automata's parlance, detail Anemone's history with the resistance. The first novel, "Anemone: Encounter", is a journal entry from Anemone's point of view portraying some of her hardest days fighting in the 14th Machine War. By the point of “Anemone: Encounter,” Anemone is one of only nine remaining androids still capable of fighting the machines. Lily is also a member of that group.

Things begin to look up when the androids encounter a team of unfamiliar androids called YoRHa. Among this squad is a YoRHa unit called Number 2. Anemone, Lily, and the others welcome the YoRHa soldiers into their ranks after some initial hesitance. By the time the player can access this record in NieR: Automata, they know that that Number 2 isn't a reference to 2B. Instead, it is a reference to A2, who looks like 2B and will be featured in later episodes of Ver1.1a.

In NieR Automata's subsequent Anemone novels, Lily contracts a supposedly incurable logic virus but is saved by the YoRHa member called Number 21 before Anemone has a chance to put her out of her misery. The logic virus eventually evolves to resist Number 21’s interventions, though, partially dooming the team when they launch an attack on an enemy server. While Anemone manages to survive the mission, Lily does not. A2 is also presumed dead. This would certainly explain Anemone's surprise when she sees 2B at the Resistance camp centuries later. It could also explain Lily's surprise, assuming she serves a similar function in NieR Automata Ver1.1a. But if Lily is alive, does that imply that Anemone is not? Episode three does contain a scene where a forlorn Lily remembers those who she lost in the past. It seems reasonable to assume that Lily might be the only known survivor of a mission similar to the one that took her life in the events of NieR Automata, but that is still a matter of speculation at this point.

The story of NieR stretches across a vast array of mediums with various portrayals of the story imparting new meaning and understanding. Lily has appeared in NieR stage plays before and these stage plays can change from performance to performance. One static version of her story can be found in the manga YoRHa: Pearl Harbor Descent Record, too. The game’s writer, Yoko Taro, did say that NieR: Automata ver1.1a will feature changes to the original story. The weary iteration of Lily in NieR Automata Ver1.1a is one of our first major indicators of how substantial these changes might be.

The NieR Automata Ver1.1a anime is streaming on Crunchyroll. The NieR Automata game is available on the PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and PC.

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Lidia Sobieska will soon join the Tekken 7 roster. Her arrival will occur alongside the introduction of the new Island Paradise stage. Players can play as Lidia Sobieska and access the new Tekken 7 Paradise Stage on March 23, 2021, according to a Bandai Namco tweet.

Lidia Sobieska is a new playable character, and the upcoming release marks her series debut. Despite this, we already know a bit about her personality and background thanks to a recently released press kit. Lidia Sobieska joined the Tekken tournament after Heihachi Mishima refused her request to remove the Tekken Force from Poland. She is a karateka who uses a Polish style of Karate. Lidia is one of the few female karateka in the Tekkan series and the first female karateka to fight without supernatural powers. Her full moveset is unknown, but a new trailer allows viewers to get a glimpse of the character in combat.

[embed]https://twitter.com/bandainamcous/status/1373750589658591233?s=12[/embed]

Lidia Sobieska releases on March 23, 2021, as part of the Tekken 7’s fourth season pass. She is the 18th piece of DLC to appear in the game since its launch.

Tekken 7 is available in arcades and on the PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.

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Philia and Strea will soon join Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris according to a new trailer. Bandai Namco also provided new key art, details about the 1.5 game update, and announced a new DLC pack called “Mysotis.” [Thanks, Twinfinite!]

Both of the new companions are available to use in the 1.5 content update and will remain usable through future updates. Philia has appeared in other SAO games, including Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment, Sword Art Online: Lost Song, Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization, and Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet as one of the main heroines. Strea, meanwhile, was a main character in Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment and Sword Art Online: Infinity Moment. Both characters used different avatars across the games. The  Alicization Lycoris versions use their avatars from Hollow Fragment.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EUOi1F5L8I[/embed]

A new series of story quests launched in Alicization Lycoris with the Ancient Apostles: The Reaper of the Woods add-on. The 1.3 update contained a second Ancient Apostles quest called The Knight of Contradictions. Each of the add-ons features a past Sword Art Online heroine. The series will continue with future updates.

Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. A demo for the game allows players to experience the first chapter.

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The upcoming Resident Evil movie title is Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. The film’s director, Johannes Roberts, revealed the information at the online SXSW event during an interview with IGN.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City draws inspiration from the first two Resident Evil games and is set in 1998. Viewers who have played the games will recognize familiar settings like the police department, the mansion, and Raccoon City itself. Characters from the games will appear in the film, as well. This includes Jill Valentine, Leon S. Kennedy, Chris Redfield, Claire Redfield, and Albert Wesker. As you might expect, the five characters will encounter the horrors of a citywide zombie infestation.

The film stars Kaya Scodelario as Claire Redfield, Hannah John-Kamen as Jill Valentine, Robbie Amell as Chris Redfield, Avan Jogia as Leon S. Kennedy, and Tom Hopper as Albert Wesker.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City releases in theaters on September 3, 2021. Filming and casting for the movie faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A Resident Evil Netflix series called Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness will release in 2021as well. It is set in 2006 and features a story where Leon and Claire investigate viral outbreaks and a zombie attack on the White House.

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GamesRadar revealed a host of new games that will appear in their upcoming Future Games Show: Spring Showcase. The announcement mentions game reveals, walkthroughs, and new footage from companies like Square Enix, Devolver Digital, and Thomas Happ Games.

Square Enix will present developer walkthroughs for its games. Oddworld: Soulstorm from Oddworld Inhabitants and Axiom Verge 2 from Thomas Happ Games are set to appear in some capacity, as well. Axiom Verge 2 faced delays in 2020 for multiple reasons including difficulties with improving enemy behavior. It is unclear if Thomas Happ Games will address the improvements during the show as the announcement did not contain specifics about what viewers could expect from the game’s presentation.

The showcase will also include new gameplay footage of Serial Cleaner and Quantum Error as well as an exclusive announcement from Goldfire Studios. The Future Games Show: Spring Showcase will contain studio interviews with SEGA, EA, and Team 17, as well.

Jeff Schine, who played Carlos Oliveira in the Resident Evil 3 remake, will host the event alongside his Resident Evil 3 co-star, Nicole Tompkins.

The Future Games Show: Spring Showcase will air on Twitch, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and GamesRadar on March 25, 2021, at 2:45 PT. GamesRadar also mentioned that the Spring Showcase is the first of Future Games Show events in the works for 2021. Currently, there are additional events planned for June and August.

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Good Smile Company is taking pre-orders for the newly announced Mako Mankanshoku Kill la Kill non-scale figure. The figure is a new entry into Good Smile Company’s Pop Up Parade line of PVC figurines. Good Smile Company stated that information about a Ryuko Matoi Pop Up Parade Kill la Kill figure is on the way, too.

The figure depicts Mako in her classic Kill la Kill Honnōji Academy uniform holding dual peace signs in front of her face. It does not, however, come with her commonly portrayed cloak or hat. Like most Pop Up Parade figures, it stands around 17cm tall.

Good Smile Company’s Pop Up Parade line is the company’s affordable, budget-friendly line of figures. The line includes characters from a wide range of franchises, including Johnny Silverhand from Cyberpunk 2077 and Joker from Persona 5. Every figure in the line has the same price point. They also take less time from announcement to release than is typical with figures. On average, Pop Up Parade figures release around four months after the pre-order window closes.

The Kill la Kill Mako figure releases in July 2021 and will cost ¥3,900/$37.99. Pre-orders for the figure end on April 15, 2021. Pre-orders for the recently announced Yashahime collection of Pop Up Parade figures.

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Blue Reflection Ray will release in the US simultaneously with Japan via Funimation. Funimation will start steaming on April 9, 2021  as part of their Spring 2021 anime season according to a new blog post on its official website. This news follows a February announcement for the anime’s Japanese release date. At that point, it wasn’t clear if or when Blue Reflection Ray would be available outside of Japan.

Blue Reflection Ray is an anime based on Koei Tecmo’s video game, Blue Reflection. The game is about a team of magical girls known as Reflectors who help other characters deal with emotional struggles. The anime follows suit and its two protagonists, Hiori and Ruka, will gain the ability to transform into Reflectors. A recently released trailer depicts the transformation sequence.

Blue Reflection Ray stars Fruit Basket’s Manaka Iwami and Yona of the Dawn’s Haruka Chisuga in the respective roles of Hiori and Ruka. Risako Yoshida, who worked on Is It Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? and The Irregular at Magic High School, is the director.

The Funimation stream will be simulcast in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Mexico, and Brazil alongside the Japanese broadcast. The original Blue Reflection is available on PlayStation 4 and PC. A PlayStation Vita version is also available in Japan.

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Freedom Games released a new Coromon trailer containing game footage, details about features, and an announcement for a free Coromon demo. The trailer first appeared in The MIX’s Game Dev Direct showcase alongside titles like SkateBIRD but is now available separately on the Freedom Games YouTube page.

Coromon is set in a technologically advanced world where humans and monsters known as Coromon coexist. Much like in Pokemon, players take control of a human character who explores the world forming alliances with trainable monsters. In terms of story, the protagonist in Coromon is a researcher who has to stop a group that wants to release dark forces into the world.

[embed]https://youtu.be/1jQeturdIZI[/embed]

The game will include modes and systems that are both new and familiar to the monster training genre. Players can use their Coromon to battle other Coromon or navigate puzzle-filled dungeons. They can customize their character and Coromon. The trailer mentions difficulty options, multi-phase boss battles, and randomizers. Coromon also contains built-in Nuzlocke modes that pay homage to a player-created Pokémon mode.

Coromon releases on PC in Summer 2021. The developer aims to release the iOS and Android versions of the game in 2021, as  the Coromon demo is immediately available on its official website. Coromon is also available in early access on Android and as a beta on iOS.

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Sony is discontinuing the PlayStation Communities feature, according to an email Sony sent PlayStation 4 owners. PlayStation Communities will shut down in April 2021.

PlayStation Communities is a service that allows PlayStation 4 users to create groups about various games and topics. Group members can use the communities to find people with shared interests, post messages, form parties, and recruit for gaming sessions. In March 2020, Sony terminated a PlayStation Communities mobile app that facilitated the social aspects of the service.

This isn’t the first we’ve heard of the service’s removal. Patch notes accompanying the ongoing 8.5 update beta mention the removal of the PlayStation Communities service. This could mean that the 8.5 update will release in April 2021, but it’s worth noting that Sony can discontinue the service before an update rolls around to remove the feature from the PlayStation 4 UI.

Sony did not announce a replacement for the service on the PlayStation 4. The PlayStation 5 does, however, provide a selection of social features that serve some of the same functions as the PlayStation Communities service. These features include group multiplayer launch, game hubs with community content, screen share with multitasking, and the Game Base gathering space.

As Sony hasn't announced a specific date in April, it's probably a smart idea to go on ahead and disassemble any communities you are a part of.

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Funimation will debut the first episode of Fruits Basket The Final as part of an early premiere event. The event begins on March 19, 2021, at 12 pm ET. This date is two weeks before the season officially debuts in Japan on April 5, 2021.

In addition to the episode's debut, the premier event will feature appearances by the English cast of the anime. Viewers can expect to see Eric Vale, Jerry Jewell, Ian Sinclair, Colleen Clinkenbeard, and Palencia Palencia during their viewing. The voice actors play Yuki Soma, Kyo Soma, Kureno Soma, Akito Soma, and Isuzu Soma, respectively.

[embed]https://youtu.be/r1_Tz9w_BK0[/embed]

People in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom can catch the event on Funimation, while people in Australia or New Zealand can view it via AnimeLab.

On March 11, 2021, Funimation released a subbed trailer for the new season. It’s worth noting that the trailer contains scenes that could spoil the show if you’re not up to date on the series. It is currently possible to catch up on the first two seasons and their dubs on Funimation or the first two seasons with subtitles on Crunchyroll.

The Funimation Fruits Basket The Final premiere event is on March 19, 2021. Funimation will release a dubbed version of the final season at some point in Spring 2021.

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Sonnori Corporation has announced a new White Day game. The game is titled White Day 2: The Flower that Tells Lies, indicating that it is an immediate successor to White Day: A Labyrinth Named School rather than a remake or spinoff like The School: White Day or White Day VR: The Courage Test.

The short announcement trailer depicts images of flowers and insects accompanied by tense music. Dripping text reads, “Born as a flower but never was the one. So I became the lie swallowing the truth.” Outside of the title, the trailer doesn’t contain any information about what people can expect from the game when it releases.

[embed]https://youtu.be/o5fdgy8Xyqo[/embed]

This is not the first time Sonnori Corporation has announced a White Day 2. In 2016, the company announced White Day 2: Swan Song for the PlayStation VR, but missed the anticipated 2018 launch. It isn’t clear if White Day 2: The Flower that Tells Lies is a new project name for Swan Song or something new entirely. The original teaser site for Swan Song is still up and still mentions the 2018 launch window.

The release date and platforms for the new game weren’t announced. The trailer didn’t offer details in terms of where the game would release or what languages would be available, either. The trailer itself is available in English and Korean on Sonnori Corporation’s YouTube Page.

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Glass Bottom Games released a new video detailing a SkateBIRD Office level for The MIX’s Game Dev Direct showcase. The video contains commentary from the game’s narrative lead, Xalavier Nelson, who talks about the stage’s role in the SkateBIRD’s overarching story.

According to Nelson, the level evokes the drawbacks of startup culture. The bird’s human companion is too busy and depressed to spend time doing the things they enjoy. The bird infiltrates the office to change the human’s work to life balance, so they will have more time to play together.

[embed]https://youtu.be/opA01sNzi5s[/embed]

In terms of gameplay, the player will stream together combos, jump over periodicals, grind on paperclips, collect snacks, and use the bird’s wings to get some extra air from ramps. Nelson describes the experience as a hybrid between the “smooth, satisfying” gameplay of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and the “shenanigans” of a physics game.

The video also contains some of the lo-fi chill-hop music players will hear when they play the game. Players who prefer to listen to other types of music will have an option to import their MP3s.

People had a chance to play a demo of SkateBIRD during the recent Steam Game Festival. SkateBIRD is set to release on Nintendo Switch, PC, and Xbox One in 2021.

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Square Enix has announced that a Final Fantasy VII Remake: Material Ultimania English localization will release on December 7, 2021. The 336-page hardcover will cost $39.99, while the digital release will cost  $25.99.

Square Enix’s line of Ultimania books features a mixture of art, interviews, commentary, storyboards, and extra details that expand upon the games featured on their cover. This tradition will continue with the upcoming localization, Final Fantasy VII Remake: Materia Ultimania. The book pairs CG art with commentary that covers various locations, backgrounds, characters, enemies, weapons, accessories, and more from Final Fantasy VII Remake. The book also includes liner notes for songs, costume references, storyboards, and interviews with the Japanese voice actors.

The current cover art for the English localization of Final Fantasy VII Remake: Materia Ultimania is not finalized, but the listing for the English version has an illustration of Cloud and his sword in front of a white and black background. This cover is the same one that was released in Japan.

If you’re looking for additional details about Final Fantasy VII Remake’s world and characters, you can check out the recently released biographies for Yuffie Kisaragi and Sonon. These characters were absent in the original Remake but appear in the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade.

Final Fantasy VII Remake: Material Ultimania releases in English on December 7, 2021.

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Gal Gun Returns is a return to the first game from the franchise. The primary issue is that the solid mechanics strewn throughout the game’s story mode clash with one another. Fortunately, the new Gal Gun Returns Doki Doki Carnival mode isolates and improves Doki Doki Mode. The result is a game with a mode that isn’t marred by clashing concepts.

The core conceit in Gal Gun Returns’ story mode is that the incompetence of the cupid-in-training Patako led to a situation in which the normally unpopular protagonist, Tenzou, is overwhelmingly alluring to most of the women he’ll encounter. As such, they roam the game world like frenzied zombies to try to sate their thirst. They have weak points that the player can exploit with “Euphoria Shots.” Unlike zombies, this weak point is very rarely their head. If they aren’t successfully dealt with, they will steal Tenzou’s attention and prevent him from meeting the love of his life. Due to Patako’s interference, he only has one day to find true love.

The story mode consists of multiple routes, each built atop three types of gameplay. Dialogue sections inject a dating sim element, rail-shooting areas carry the player between story scenes, and there are shooting gallery segments. The shooting gallery sections involve route-specific challenges that reflect the main love interest’s distinct personality and  Doki Doki Mode, a finite resource that creates a surge of euphoria in any character the player targets. Once Doki Doki Mode is activated, the screen switches to focus on the targeted character. The player can pan the camera around them to stare and shoot at different parts of their body.

The goal here is to zoom in on different parts, which fill a gauge at different rates. If the player zooms in for too long, the girls will respond by covering themselves up, often even asking Tenzou to stop what he’s doing. Once the gauge is full, the girl responds with over-the-top cries of pleasure. The euphoria then radiates from her, infecting every character on the screen at the time.

Doki Doki Mode’s primary function, mechanically, is to help the player manage crowds in overwhelming situations. These  are few and far between, though, and it is possible and faster to complete the rail-shooting sections without using it. Players who find the ability breaks up the flow of the game or feel uncomfortable with its inherent role reversal can nearly eliminate its presence in the story.

On the other hand, players who prefer Doki Doki Mode’s general vibe and want more of it, can dive into the Gal Gun Returns Doki Doki Carnival. Doki Doki Carnival is set after Gal Gun Returns’ main story. Like the main story, it also offers multiple routes. The biggest distinction between the two modes is that Doki Doki Mode is the primary form of gameplay. Beyond that, the mode challenges the player to fill multiple character gauges at once, which offers a frantic feel and increase in overall difficulty.

While Doki Doki Carnival represents an opportunity for a subset of players, it isn’t isolated from rail-shooting entirely. Doki Doki Carnival isn’t available until the player earns a “True Ending” in one of the four main storylines. This makes sense, though, as Doki Doki Carnival functions as an epilogue that explores main story’s aftermath in a tale that features the angel Ekoro. However, earning the best ending to unlock it can be difficult and easy to mess up. As such, I feel it might have been better to also include Doki Doki Carnival’s gameplay in a separate mode that doesn’t rely on the main game. Especially for players who don’t want binge on the story until they manage to unlock a true ending.

Doki Doki Carnival is a Gal Gun Returns mode with potential. The decision to lock the mode behind story progression means players won’t be able to enjoy the Doki Doki Mode-centric gameplay without playing through the main story, where Doki Doki Mode feels more like an unnecessary detractor, but that’s the price of tying the mode to an epilogue. But if fans enjoy the story, then Doki Doki Carnival will serve them well on multiple levels. Fanservice might be the proverbial best foot that Inti Creates is putting forward here, and iterative changes to the initial formula demonstrate their ability to design a quality experience. Doki Doki Carnival demonstrates what that experience could look like without disparate, clashing elements. Hopefully future iterations can accomplish a similar thing with the game's shooting gallery sections.

Gal Gun Returns is available now on Nintendo Switch and PC.

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Jakks Pacific announced a new Mario playset over Twitter to celebrate Mario Day 2021. The Deluxe Bowser's Airship playset is based on his iconic airship. It will be released in Fall 2021 and cost $39.99.

The Bowser airship playset is large enough to accommodate some of Jakks Pacific’s line of 2.5” Mario toys. It even comes with a Mario. Its features include spinning propellers, cannons, wheels, a figurehead of Bowser’s face, and a storage space below deck for additional Mario toys. A rear-mounted depiction of Bowser’s head, six doors with Bowser’s face, and a rendition of Bowser’s airship theme music triggered with a push of a button further the King Koopa motif.

Jakks Pacific built up to the announcement through a series of tweets containing a “Mario Monday” hashtag. These depicted other Jakks Pacific Mario toys and playsets alongside an airship-shaped shadow.

Nintendo is also celebrating Mario Day 2021, which is celebrated on March 10th of every year. The company discounted four of its titles on the Nintendo Switch eShop by 35%. The discounted titles are Luigi’s Mansion 3, Mario Tennis Aces, Super Mario Maker 2, and Super Mario Party. The sale ends on March 13, 2021 at 11:59 PT.

The Super Mario Deluxe Bowser Airship playset will debut in Fall 2021.

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