November 21 to 27 3rd Party News Roundup

Megami Meguri

Capcom has shared another trailer for Megami Meguri, once again taking viewers on a tour across Japan and introducing various items. Check it out below.

Monster Hunter Generations

Capcom has once again released another batch of free DLC for Monster Hunter Generations.

You can find out about the contents of this DLC batch in the messages below.

Monster Hunter XX

Capcom has now released another small trailer for Monster Hunter XX.

The trailer you can find below shows off various monsters, weapons, and locations that will be available in the final game.

Monster Hunter Movie

monster-hunterCapcom recently announced at TGS in September that a Hollywood film based on its highly successful Monster Hunter franchise is currently in development.

Deadline has now reported on the first details about the movie.

First, an introduction summary was made available:

“For every Monster, there is a Hero. An ordinary man in a dead end job discovers that he is actually the descendant of an ancient hero. He must travel to a mystical world to train to become a Monster Hunter, before the mythical creatures from that world destroy ours.”

Writer-director Paul W.S Anderson, and Impact Pictures producing partner Jeremy Bolt, are involved with the Monster Hunter film, and seems like the first script is already finished. Dennis Berardi from the visual effects studio Mr. X, who helped create the Resident Evil movies, is also working on Monster Hunter. It’s estimated that the net budget will be around $50 million.

Anderson and Bolt have also discussed the Monster Hunter film a bit more in-depth while speaking with Deadline, and even mentioned a second movie, as you can see below.

DEADLINE: You gave me a Monster Hunter logline. Explain the mythology and how you turn that into a narrative feature.

ANDERSON: What I love about Monster Hunter is the incredibly beautiful, immersive world they’ve created. It’s on the level of like a Star Wars movie, in terms of world creation. There are no real central characters so it’s a bit like when we first approached Resident Evil and imposed our own characters and story on that world. I think this is a perfect IP for us to do exactly that same thing again. The Monster Hunter world includes these huge deserts that make the Gobi Desert look like a sandbox, and they have ships that sail through the sand. These full-on galleons, but rather than sailing on the ocean waves, they sail through waves of sand.

You’re fighting these giant creatures, some as big as a city block. They live underneath the Earth and when they burst out, it’s like the best of Dune. You also have these flying dragons, giant spiders, the most wonderful creatures. That’s what really attracted me. I felt there was a fresh, exciting world that we could expose and build a whole world around, like a Marvel or Star Wars universe. Everything is about world creation, nowadays, and how can you build a world where you can have multiple stories going on? I thought this was our opportunity to have a cinematic universe.

DEADLINE: How will you set this up as your next film?

BOLT: We went ahead and got the rights ourselves. Capcom, because of Resident Evil and their respect, agreed to give us the rights. They loved Paul’s pitch and then we partnered with Dennis Berardi. The three of us formed a new company, and we are taking Paul’s script and the whole package out.

ANDERSON: We started the process of talking to Capcom about five years ago. Like Jeremy said, it’s the crown jewel so there was a lot of conversation. What will you do with it? What will the story be? They really wanted to be sure that we were going to do it justice because it’s their top money earner now. It’s huge, a cultural phenomenon in Japan and it’s giant in China, where it’s an online game that has 15 million paying users. If you do the math, the movie could potentially be the biggest of the year in China and Japan, where people line up around the block when new games are released. It has sold 38 million copies so far, which is bigger than Resident Evil was when we started the adaptation of that franchise.

BOLT: It’s a bit different…where Resident Evil is sci-fi/horror/action, this is a PG-13 action/adventure. We’re excited about going to a slightly different genre. As Paul said the game is a bit of Star Wars, a bit of Lord Of The Rings, it’s a little more fantasy. We’ve found a way of connecting the Dune-like sand covered world of Monster Hunter with our world. So we’re bringing this massive Japanese game into the world of America.

ANDERSON: The central characters are very relatable American characters. You take a person from the ordinary world who thinks they’re in a dead end job, they have no future, they feel like their life’s a failure, it’s going nowhere, like Keanu Reeves in The Matrix. It’s about a normal American who gets dragged into this parallel world, this Monster Hunter world. Then eventually the parallel world ends up coming to our world. So you have the creatures from the Monster Hunter world invading our world.

The mythology is that basically monsters are real and all the monsters and creatures from our mythology, whether dragons or the Minotaur, or Chinese dragons, it’s all real. They were real. They really existed in our world. For every monster there was a hero that fought the monster. And then those monsters just disappeared, overnight. They ceased to exist, as did our need for heroes. They became a thing of myth and legend, but eventually the monsters will come back. Unless we have a hero to help fight them, our world with be devastated by these returning creatures, after we’ve chosen to put our faith in technology rather than heroes. All of our technology won’t mean anything once the dragons start raining fire.

DEADLINE: How far have you fleshed this out?

BOLT: We’ve got about two movies. We will likely shoot in China or South Africa for a budget comparable to the final Resident Evil, about $50 million net.

ANDERSON: It’s definitely intended to be a franchise because the movie starts in our world and then it goes to the Monster Hunter world and then the final act comes back to our world and it’s basically this epic battle in and around LAX. Then at the end we’re suddenly confronted with the fact that the mythological creatures of our world have come back to wreak vengeance. So we definitely have the second film where that would be planned out.

Dragon Ball Fusions

Bandai Namco has now confirmed that the Dragon Ball Fusions update content that has been coming out in Japan will be heading west too, in early 2017. An update will be made available then “that will implement online battles, an online special moves trading function, new characters, new fusion possibilities, and more”. Bandai Namco will be sharing more details about this update including a specific release date in the future. It should also be made available later to the European version once it releases.

Japan is currently about to receive its third update on December 7. After participating in online events, players can gain access to the new characters Super Saiyan Trunks, Super Saiyan Blue Vegito, and the fused version of Zamasu from Dragon Ball Super. Players will also be able to unlock new moves and titles depending on their completion.

Finally, you can find some new screenshots in the gallery below, followed by some gameplay footage from the recently released North American version of the game.

Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan: Shijou Psi-dai no Psi-nan!?

V Jump has recently released some gameplay footage of the recently released (in Japan) Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan: Shijou Psi-dai no Psi-nan!? You can check it out below.

SEGA 25th Anniversary Sale

sonic-25th-anniversary-saleSEGA is currently holding a Sonic the Hedgehog sale on the North American Wii U and 3DS eShops, which will last until November 29. Players can save on a variety of games in either of the platforms.

The lineup of discounted games is as follows:

Wii U

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed – $11.99 (was $29.95)
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric – $14.99 (was $29.99)
Sonic Lost World – $14.99 (was $29.95)

3DS

3D Sonic the Hedgehog – $2.99 (was $5.99)
3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – $2.99 (was $5.99)
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed – $11.99 (was $29.99)
Sonic Blast – $2.79 (was $3.99)
Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal – $14.99 (was $39.99)
Sonic Drift 2 – $2.79 (was $3.99)
Sonic Generations – $11.99 (was $29.99)
Sonic Labyrinth – $3.49 (was $4.99)
Sonic Lost World – $14.97 (was $29.95)
Sonic the Hedgehog – $3.49 (was $4.99)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – $3.49 (was $4.99)
Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble – $3.49 (was $4.99)

Puyo Puyo Chronicle

SEGA has now share more details about other new Puyo Puyo Chronicle characters, and their Auto and Special Skills. These details were revealed via 4Gamer, and translated by Perfectly Nintendo.

puyo-puyo-rafine-300x300Rafine

A confident and snobby girl from a wealthy family who studies at the Magic School in Primp Town. Despite that, she’s not really that good at magic, and martial arts (taijutsu) are her specialty.

Auto Skill: Filled with confidence (increases HP)

Special Skill: Etincelle (changes the color of a column of Puyo to yellow)

puyo-puyo-yu-chan-rei-kun-300x300Yu-chan & Rei-kun

A pair of siblings, and both of them are ghosts. Yu-chan is bright and intelligent, while Rei-kun is silent and backs her up in whatever she says and does. They like to talk in puns and riddles.

Auto Skill: Beyond the Veil (increases Recovery)

Special Skill: Silent Step (lowers the defense of all opponents)

puyo-puyo-lulue-300x300Lulue

A skilled martial artist, she’s known as the “sexy fighting queen”. She claims to be Arles’ rival in love, even though the rivalry is essentialy one-sided.

Auto Skill: Queen’s Attack (counter)

Special Skill: Queen’s Dance (changes the color of Puyo to red)

puyo-puyo-klug-300x300Klug

A diligent student at the Magic School in Primp Town. He’s also pretty stuck up and rude. He always carries a school library book around, which seems to be very important to him.

Auto Skill: Honor Student (increases MP)

Special Skill: Nebula (changes the color of a column of Puyo to purple)

puyo-puyo-lemres-300x300Lemres

A Comet warlock from an elite magic school. He’s extremely fond of sweets.

Auto Skill: Master Sorcerer’s Magic (reduces the amount of MP consumed by skills)

Special Skill: Crème Double (increases the defense of all allies)

puyo-puyo-fehli-300x300Fehli

Auto Skill: Dubious Good-luck Charm (counter)

Special Skill: Luminary (changes Puyo in Ojama Puyo (purple))

puyo-puyo-witch-300x300Witch

A young witch said to be a bit naughty. She has frequent giggling fits, and apparently came from the same world as Arles.

Auto Skill: Witch Clan (recovers MP)

Special Skill: Foreign Star (changes the color of Puyo to yellow)

puyo-puyo-risukuma-senpai-300x300Risukuma-senpai

A strange being who seems to be half-squirrel and half-bear, he’s a scientist who always wears a lab coat and conducts mysterious experiments in the physics classroom of Suzuran Junior High School.

Auto Skill: Successful Experiment (counter)

Special Skill: Wow Eini (increases the defense of all allies)

puyo-puyo-ocean-prince-300x300Ocean Prince

He used to be a human prince, but wished to become a fish in order to escape the busy life at the castle. A bit selfish.

Auto Skill: Prince Knowledge (increases MP)

Special Skill: Noble Run (lowers the defense of all opponents)

Finally, SEGA prepared another gameplay video that covers some of the game’s modes, including single-player, group play, and online play. You can watch it below.

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse

shin-megami-tensei-iv-apocalypse-1Deep Silver has now shared the release schedule for the Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse DLC in Europe.

Here’s when each piece of content will become available:

Bonus Item: Asahi/Nozomi Set
Price: €0.99 / £0.79
Availability: 01/12/2016
Description: Now you, too, can look like Asahi and Nozomi, thanks to these helmets! Must become an official Hunter before you can access them.

Bonus Item: Green Pompadour
Price: €0.99 / £0.79
Availability: 01/12/2016
Description: Now you, too, can be as smug as Navarre! Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.

Bonus Movie: Fall of Tokyo Promo Video
Price: Free
Availability: 01/12/2016
Description: A look into the events that set SMTIV: A in motion (warning: contains graphic content). Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.

Bonus Item: Earring Set
Price: Free for a week, then €0.99 / £0.79
Availability: 01/12/2016
Description: The “Peace Earring” and “Anarchy Earring” are redeemed from the eShop. Must become an official Hunter before you can access them.

Bonus Quest: A GodSlayer Needs Levels
Price: €2.99 / £1.99
Availability: 01/12/2016
Description: This Challenge Quest provides a means to level up quickly by gaining EXP-increasing items for your party. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it. Recommended for players that have reached the Fairy Forest.

Bonus Add-On: Ranking Program 1
Price: Free
Availability: 01/12/2016
Description: This add-on uses the highest-ranked demons from DDS Cards acquired via StreetPass to power up the same demons in your stock. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.

Bonus Quest: A GodSlayer Needs Demons
Price: €1.99 / £1.49
Availability: 08/12/2016
Description: This Challenge Quest grants you access to the “Demon Market,” where you spend Macca to buy pre-trained demons. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.

Bonus Quest: A GodSlayer Needs Macca
Price: €2.99 / £1.99
Availability: 08/12/2016
Description: This is a Challenge Quest that helps you increase your Macca. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.

Bonus Add-On: Ranking Program 2
Price: Free
Availability: 08/12/2016
Description: This add-on determines the highest-ranked Main Partners from people whom you made StreePass exchanges with and powers those Partners up for you! Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.

Bonus Item: Chiro Mask
Price: €0.99 / £0.79
Availability: 08/12/2016
Description: A mask that makes you look like Hallelujah’s partner, Chironnupu. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.

Bonus Item: Avatar’s Hat
Price: €0.99 / £0.79
Availability: 08/12/2016
Description: Dress just like Krishna with this snazzy fedora. Flute not included. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.

Bonus Quest: A GodSlayer Needs Apps
Price: €2.49 / £1.79
Availability: 08/12/2016
Description: This is a Challenge Quest that helps you increase your App Points. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it. Recommended for players that have reached the Fairy Forest.

Bonus Item: Tokyo’s Past Set
Price: Free
Availability: 08/12/2016
Description: Download the Cute Glasses, Secret Eye Power Seal, and Surgical Mask! Must become an official Hunter before you can access them.

Bonus Add-On: Extra Difficulty Levels
Price: Free
Availability: 15/12/2016
Description: This free add-on unlocks “Paradise,” the easiest difficulty setting for RPG newcomers and “Apocalypse,” the hardest difficulty setting for the most hardcore Shin Megami Tensei fans.

Bonus Quest: The Inverted Pyramid
Price: €1.99 / £1.49
Availability: 15/12/2016
Description: This is a Challenge Quest that unlocks Cleopatra for fusion after you’ve beaten her in battle. Recommended for players who are near to or have completed the game.

Bonus Quest: A GodSlayer Needs Jewels
Price: €2.99 / £1.99
Availability: 15/12/2016
Description: This Challenge Quest helps you collect jewels to trade for powerful items. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.

Bonus Add-On: Lore 1: Parallel Universes
Price: Free
Availability: 15/12/2016
Description: This lore add-on is a secret entry in the Hunter database, for those interested in more of the game’s back story. Spoiler alert! This entry contains several spoilers for the main story. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.

Bonus Quest: Explosive Epidemic in Mikado
Price: €1.99 / £1.49
Availability: 15/12/2016
Description: This is a Challenge Quest that sends you back to Mikado to solve a mystery within a limited number of turns. Recommended for players who are near to or have completed the game.

Bonus Quest: A Trip to Hawaii
Price: €2.49 / £1.79
Availability: 15/12/2016
Description: This is a Challenge Quest that unlocks Mephisto for fusion after you’be beaten him in battle. Recommended for players who are near to or have completed the game.

Bonus Add-On: Lore 2: “Observation” Explained
Price: Free
Availability: 15/12/2016
Description: This lore add-on is a secret entry in the Hunter database, for those interested in more of the game’s back story! Spoiler alert! This entry contains several spoilers for the main story.

Bonus Quest: Depths of Twisted Tokyo
Price: €1.49 / £0.99
Availability: 05/01/2017
Description: Obtain the “Eternal Torus” to reach its lowest level. Recommended for players who are near to or have completed the game.

Bonus Quest: A GodSlayer needs Items
Price: €3.49 / £2.49
Availability: 05/01/2017
Description: A Challenge Quest that lets you obtain HP/MP- and stat-increasing items. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.

Bonus Add-On: Level Cap Unlock
Price: Free
Availability: 05/01/2017
Description: This free add-on unlocks the level cap, allowing you to exceed level 100.
Bonus Quest: Messiahs in the Diamond Realm
Price: €3.99 / £2.79
Availability: 05/01/2017
Description: Experience a short side story and fight alongside familiar faces to challenge an unexpected foe. Recommended for players who are near to or have completed the game.

Bonus Add-On: Lore 3: Tokyo and Mikado History
Price: Free
Availability: 05/01/2017
Description: This lore add-on is a secret entry in the Hunter database, for those interested in more of the game’s back story! Spoiler alert! This entry contains several spoilers for the main story.

The Snack World

Level-5 jas revealed it’s preparing another The Snack World animated short that will be shown together with the third Yo-kai Watch film on December 12. The short is known as “The Snack World: Hitogirai no Lenny” (The Snack World: Lenny the Misanthrope), and features the character Lenny who has a dislike for people.

Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino is the chief director, and also wrote the original story concept and script. Motonori Sakakibara is the director, while Takuzō Nagano is designing the characters. Rei Kondoh is acting as composer. The cast includes Megumi Han as the main character Chup like usual, Ayana Taketatsu as the misanthropic dragon Lenny, and Fumiko Orikasa as Lenny’s mother Flam.

Level-5 also shared the preview pictures in the gallery below in anticipation of the upcoming short.

The Alliance Alive

the-alliance-aliveThe latest issue of Famitsu contains a six-page article on FuRyu’s The Alliance Alive RPG, which revealed some new information about the title.

The magazine starts by re-explaining that the game’s story follows from the Demon Clan’s invasion of the human world thousands of years ago. After the lands were split apart, they are now ruled by a caste system that puts the Demon Clan at the top.

According to Famitsu, the game begins in the Rain World, one of the many worlds in existing in the game, which Famitsu covered in the previous feature about the game. The main characters that appear here are Galil, Ursula, Barbarosa, and Renzo. The Night Crow resistance group is led by Ursula’s father Wyatt who has a hideout in the Rain Capital Svarna. One day, Wyatt calls Galil and Ursula for a certain mission…

The first dungeon Galil and Ursula explore is a closed museum, which has gimmicks related to the works being exhibited there. The protagonists will encounter one of the ruler-class from the Demon Clan named Glossa Radan. Glossa has a strict way of speaking, is emotionally hard to read, and has a giant spear with unknown battle potential.

Next, Famitsu shares details about the game flow:

– Step 1: Prepare for battle – set up formations and determine party character positions
– Step 2: Symbol encounter – an exclamation mark appears on enemy symbol when it notices the player; be advised that different monsters may appear from the same symbol
– Step 3: turn-based command battle – can determine party member actions without much hassle due to the system being turn-based

And some tips on how to set up party formations:

– Point 1: put characters who excel in guarding on the front line
– Point 2: attackers should be placed on the back line and focus on attacking
– Point 3: as more characters join the party, more efficient formations will be unlocked

When battle techniques are used repeatedly, there is some chance that “Awakening” will trigger, which can either increase the attack level of a technique (more damage/effects, etc.) or unlock other new techniques. For example, repeatedly using “Punch” may eventually unlock more techniques like “One-Two Punch” or “Roundhouse Kick”.

Finally, the magazine shows off a duck-like robot, which is a “Motive Force Suit” named Swan Song developed by Tiggy. Tiggy lives with Viviana and Ignace of the Demon Clan in the Fire World.

More details about this and the game as a whole will be covered in Famitsu’s next feature about the game.

Minecraft: Wii U Edition

minecraft-wii-u-edition-dec-updateMojang and 4J Studios are preparing another update for the console versions of Minecraft to be released in late December. “New mobs, blocks, items, status effects and all manner of other tweaks” will be added to the game.

Going into specifics, Elytra (an item that lets players glide) is coming to the game, End Cities will be added, and Dragon’s Breath will be included allowing players to create Lingering Potions. Mojang is also teasing “quite a few other stocking-fillers”.

Here’s the full overview of what to expect from Mojang’s blog:

We’ve prepared a rather spectacular seasonal gift for Console Edition. As is traditional, you’ll have to wait until late December to open up the full package, but we’re happy to give you a teeny preview today – the digital equivalent of letting you sneak downstairs and give your gift-wrapped goodies a little inquisitive shake.

That’s if you can even lift the box – this is the biggest update we’ve put out this year! There are new mobs, blocks, items, status effects and all manner of other tweaks. Here are a few of the things you might hear rattling round inside:

  • Elytra! Soar through The End on your freshly-minted insectoid glider, or, if you’d rather practice first, why not put your aerobatic skills to the test by generating a world with the new Amplified Terrain option?
  • End Cities, replete with End Ships, Chorus Plants, Chorus Flowers and Purpur blocks. Not all is as it seems, however – some blocks may conceal Shulkers, limpet-like enemies who fire homing rockets. Take a hit and you’ll take damage and experience something new, too: levitation! Elytra are essential to avoid an uncomfortable landing.
  • You can now use Dragon’s Breath to create Lingering Potions – throwable potions that leave a bubbling slick behind, ideal for ensnaring unwary pursuers.

There’s quite a few other stocking-fillers in there, too – but you’ll just have to wait for the free update to launch to unwrap its other mysteries!

LEGO Dimensions

Warner Bros. Interactive has shared a few new videos dedicated to some of the latest character additions to LEGO Dimensions. Below you can find “spotlight videos” for Sonic, Gizmo, and Stripe.

LEGO City Undercover

Warner Bros. Interactive has recently revealed that LEGO City Undercover will be getting a new version on Switch.

The game will launch in Spring 2017, and is apparently a remaster of the original title.

Virtual Console

Several new SNES titles are now being released on the Japanese 3DS eShop, so Nintendo has prepared a new promotion in the region to promote them. Players who buy one of these Virtual Console games by December 5 will be able to receive the theme you can see below. My Nintendo members can receive this theme, which is redeemable through a download code sent to their email, so long as their account and Nintendo Network ID are linked.

snes-theme-1Below you can find trailers for the New 3DS Virtual Console versions of Castlevania, Final Fight 2, Final Fight 3, Mega Man X3, Romancing SaGa, Super Punch-Out!!, and Tactics Ogre. Each one of these costs 823 yen on the Japanese eShop.

Castlevania (Konami)

Final Fight 2 (Capcom)

Final Fight 3 (Capcom)

Mega Man X3

Romancing SaGa (Square Enix)

Super Punch-Out!! (Nintendo)

Tactics Ogre (Square Enix)