Latest news with #Konami
Geek Tyrant
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
YU-GI-OH! MONSTER MAYHEM & a New Branded Deck Coming — GeekTyrant
Last month, Konami released the Battles of Legend: Monster Mayhem booster set for the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game. Duelists who watched the recent NAWCQ observed just how powerful some of the cards and archetypes could be with Orcust taking first place! There were two really cool features about Monster Mayhem that really got attention. The first was that nine famous monsters such as Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Skull Servant, and Elemental HERO Neos got new alternate chibi artworks which were just amazing. My favorites are Skull Servant, Gorz, and Gearfried. The other feature of Monster Mayhem was emblazoned cards for Dragonmaid, P.U.N.K., and Orcust archetypes. These cards have their archetype emblems emblazoned in the card text box and they look really cool. Now, I had no idea that archetypes had emblems but I think these are really cool and want to know what all the emblems are for archetypes! This is definitely something that Konami should continue doing in my opinion. Konami was kind enough to send me a box of Monster Mayhem and you can check out my pulls below. Let me know what your favorite chibi artworks were from this set and keep reading for additional news from the world of Yu-Gi-Oh! . About a week ago, Konami announced a new deck for duelists to grab titled THE CHRONICLES DECK: The Fallen & The Virtuous (All-Foil Edition) . Taking inspiration from Yu-Gi-Oh! CARD GAME: THE CHRONICLES animated shorts, The Fallen & The Virtuous is a 51-card deck focused on Fallen of Albaz and Dogmatika Ecclesia, the Virtuous (aka Branded Dogmatika). There are two brand-new cards and four new alternate artworks included in the deck, plus 50 of the cards will be Ultra Rares. The last card will be a Secret Rare copy of one of the other 50 cards with a chance of being a Starlight Rare, reminiscent of what they did in Blue-Eyes White Destiny . You'll be able to pick up The Fallen & The Virtuous on October 24 with an MSRP of $19.99. I'm sure that Konami is using the all-foil aspect as their rationale for making the MSRP so high for the deck, but I think this is going to be a huge detriment. I theorize that most duelists won't care that much about the fact that all the cards are Ultra Rares considering most of those cards will most likely just be thrown in bulk piles anyways. I guess it depends on what the brand-new cards are and the overall deck composition is, but I'm not holding my breath for it to truly be something that many will see as worth that $19.99 MSRP. Tell me if you think I'm wrong in the comments below. But wait, there's more! This last week, Konami announced a new product for fans of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's ! Legendary 5D's Decks is the fifth Legendary Decks set and will feature three complete decks for duelists to use. At this point we know that one deck is built around Yusei Fudo and the other two decks will be based on other Signers from the anime. I personally think Crow and Jack are the easy guesses, but due to Jack getting the Crimson King Structure Deck not too long ago, I'd wager it's going to be Luna or Akiza. Yusei's deck will have eight brand-new cards though which will definitely be interesting to learn about. Each of the three decks will have a 40-card Main Deck, 10-card Extra Deck, 5 Ultra Rares, 45 Commons, and an additional Secret Rare chibi art version of the Signer's main monster as a 51st card (that means we get a chibi Stardust Dragon for Yusei). Inside of Legendary 5D's Decks , duelists will also get three Secret Rare Token Cards with chibi art for the three Signer characters featured in the product which is sure to be a lot of fun. The final note is that Konami has stated that popular tech cards including Infinite Impermanence and Mulcharmy Meowls will be included and 'the 5D's-themed cards in each Deck aren't a 1-of-each sampler, but come in the 2's and 3's you'll need to make these Decks really work.' I have a hard time believing that we won't need to still buy three copies of the product to make any of the decks work though which will lead to a ton of unnecessary bulk and waste plus it's not very financially viable. Regardless, Signers and duelists can purchase Legendary 5D's Decks starting November 7 with an MSRP of $31.99.
Economic Times
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
New Video Game Releases 2025: See complete list of titles and platforms
New Video Game Releases 2025 List: Upcoming video games of 2025 to launch across all major platforms between July and December New Video Game Releases 2025 list has numerous important titles. In fact, the second half of 2025 is packed with a range of video game releases for every major platform. From action RPGs and sports simulations to anime-based games and remakes, players can look forward to a steady flow of launches. July 1 Mecha Break: Third-person multiplayer robot battles – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC July 10 College Football 26: American college football sports game – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC July 11 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 Remaster: Classic skating games return with new content – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC Patapon 1+2 Replay: Bundle of rhythm-combat games – PS5, Switch, PC July 15 Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate: Expansion to Bungie's shooter – PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Edens Zero: Action RPG based on manga/anime – Xbox Series X|S, PCStronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition: Remaster of RTS – PC July 16 Hunter×Hunter Nen×Impact: Fighting game – PS5, Switch, PC July 17 Donkey Kong Bananza: 3D platformer starring DK – Switch 2 Shadow Labyrinth: 2D action platformer, Pac-Man reimagined – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC July 22 Wildgate: PvP spaceship battles – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC July 23 Wheel World: Open world cycling game – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC July 24 Killing Floor 3: Co-op FPS sequel – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Wuchang: Fallen Feathers: Soulslike RPG set in Ming Dynasty – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC July 25 Wild Hearts S: Monster hunting action – Switch 2 July 29 Grounded 2 (Preview): Survival game sequel – Xbox Series X|S, PC Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game: Cozy hobbit life-sim – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC July 31 Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound: 2D action platformer – PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC Also Read: Bill Gates Net Worth Fall: How did Microsoft co-founder lost 51 billion dollars? Here's his new global billionaire ranking and unique pledge August 5Demon Slayer – The Hinokami Chronicles 2: Anime fighting game – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC August 7 Gradius Origins: Classic Konami shooter collection – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC August 8 Mafia: The Old Country: Mafia prequel in Sicily – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC August 12 Hellblade 2: Enhanced Edition: PS5 version – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC August 14 Madden NFL 26: American football – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC August 19 Delta Force: Tactical shooter – PS5, Xbox Series X|S Sword of the Sea: Fantasy surfing adventure – PS5, PC August 21 Discounty: Cozy management RPG – PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC Inazuma Eleven Victory Road: Football simulation RPG – PS4, PS5, PC, Switch, mobile August 22 Dying Light: The Beast: Zombie series entry – PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC August 26 Gears of War: Reloaded: Gears 1 remaster – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Helldivers 2: Co-op shooter comes to Xbox – Xbox Series X|S August 28 Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star Crossed World: Kirby new story – Switch 2 Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater: Remake of MGS 3 – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC August 29 Lost Soul Aside: Action RPG – PS5, PC Shinobi: Art of Vengeance: Fighting game – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC September 3 Hirogami: Origami-inspired platformer – PS5, PC September 4 Hell is Us: Semi-open-world adventure – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC September 5 Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion: Mech-action – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, PC Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots: Classic golf return – PS5, Switch, PCTerminator 2D: No Fate: Side-scroller retelling of Terminator 2 – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PCNBA 2K26: Basketball – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2, PC September 8 Baby Steps: Comedy platformer – PS5, PC September 12 Borderlands 4: Shooter sequel – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC September 19 Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree: Anime roguelike – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC September 25 Silent Hill f: Survival horror – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds: Racing game with Sonic & Minecraft – All major platforms September 30 Nicktoons & The Dice of Destiny: Fantasy RPG with Nickelodeon characters – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles: Remake – PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2, PC Also Read: New Movie Releases 2025: Here's complete list of upcoming films in cinemas and streaming platforms October 2Directive 8020: Survival horror drama – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PCGhost of Yōtei: Ghost of Tsushima sequel – PS5 October 3 Digimon Story Time Stranger: JRPG – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC October 8 Kingmakers [Early Access]: Sandbox shooter – PC October 9 Painkiller: FPS reboot – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam October 10 Little Nightmares 3: Horror puzzle platformer – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC October 16 Pokemon Legends Z-A: Mainline Pokémon – Switch, Switch 2 October 17 Keeper: Puzzle adventure – Xbox Series X|S, PC October 21 Ninja Gaiden 4: Franchise return – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Jurassic World Evolution 3: Sim sequel – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC October 23 Double Dragon Revive: Fighting revival – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC October 29 The Outer Worlds 2: Obsidian RPG sequel – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC October 30 ARC Raiders: Sci-fi looter shooter – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC October 31 Mina the Hollower: From Shovel Knight devs – PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch 1 & 2, PC, Mac November 5 Cairn: Rockclimbing survival game – PS5, PC November 13 Anno 117: Pax Romana: Strategy city-builder – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC December 2 Destiny 2: Renegades: Star Wars-inspired expansion – PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Which platforms will get the most 2025 game releases? Most releases target PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with several Switch 2 exclusives also launching between July and December. What are the key remasters or sequels in 2025? Remasters include Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and Final Fantasy Tactics, while sequels feature Borderlands 4, Destiny 2 expansions, and Gears of War: Reloaded.
Geek Culture
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Isolation & Inspiration: How The Pandemic Shaped ‘Death Stranding 2' For Hideo Kojima & Yoji Shinkawa
This interview has been edited for clarity. It's no secret that video game auteur Hideo Kojima ( Metal Gear franchise ) started work on a sequel to his hit game, Death Stranding (2019) before the pandemic began in 2020, but ultimately chose to adjust his narrative to reflect the impact that COVID-19 had around the world. After all, Kojima'-san's ability to make games that have an uncanny parallel to real-world events marks just one of the legendary game director and producer's talent in analysing trends in societal and political behaviour, and developing an intriguing narrative out of it, including the spread of misinformation, fake news and rise of artificial intelligence (AI) from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2001). And what drove his decision was around the real-world isolation he felt during the global lockdown, itself a topic he wrote about and developed in the original game, not realising that his first game since his departure from leading Japanese developer and studio, Konami, about courier Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus) hired to deliver items and supplies to isolated colonies after a global catastrophe, and ultimately reconnecting these pockets of people via a wireless communications network, would draw real-world parallels just a few months later. So what better way to revisit the theme, now based on actual experiences, explained the legendary creative mind behind the new sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach , during the Taipei stopover of the Death Stranding World Strand Tour 2 , where he was also joined by the game's art director Yoji Shinkawa. Photo credit: Kojima Productions. 'During the pandemic, I felt very lonely,' Kojima-san shared in an interview with Geek Cutlure. 'There was no one in the office, and all the staff were working remotely. I even got sick during this time.' These personal experiences of disconnection became a crucible for the game's narrative and design, as Kojima-san then described his haunting walks through empty streets, a surreal landscape that directly mirrored the game's post-apocalyptic world. 'Usually busy paths were completely deserted. Benches were sealed off, and there were hardly any people,' he recalled. 'It looked really like there was no one in the world.' These solitary walks helped Kojima-san establish an updated basis for Bridges, as the global events now mirrored the desolate world of Death Stranding 2 , and the pandemic's enforced social distancing and sense of disconnection became a key inspiration for the game's exploration of human connection and loneliness. Photo credit: Kojima Productions. 'We had almost like a martial law. People wouldn't be allowed by the government to walk outside during the pandemic,' he said, further sharing how the COVID-19 pandemic profoundly influenced the game's core themes of human connection and isolation, but also proving that even in the most challenging times, creativity can find its most powerful expression. And while the narrative plays a key role, there's also another aspect in video games that draw in players, namely game design, and design itself and that falls on Kojima-san's long-time collaborator, Yoji Shinkawa, to turn words into detailed visual creations in a Hideo Kojima game. And it's an intricate creative process for all involved notes Shinkawa-san, providing an example using the striking red Ghost Mechs. Its design was born from a fundamental artistic principle of creating something truly individualistic. The key concept of the character design emerged from a big coffin, which became the structural basis for the characters' unique form. Kojima-san's visual direction played a crucial role in shaping the characters' appearance, resulting in a design that feels almost ritualistic, and the red armour, in particular, creates a sense of destructive energy that sets the Ghost Mechs apart. Drawing further inspiration from unexpected sources, Shinkawa-san incorporated elements reminiscent of Kojima-san's alien designs, particularly in the characters' head, which was heavily inspired from H.R. Giger's works of the iconic Xenomorph from the Alien film franchise, now easily recognised around the world. This approach resulted in a visual style that is both alien and familiar, ritualistic, and yet dynamic. Photo credit: Kojima Productions. Having worked closely together with Kojima-san for over 30 years, since Policenauts in 1994, Shinkawa-san has a comfortable working relationship with the noted game creator, but he also recognises how impactful the journey has been and how he has Kojima-san to thank back when he joined Konami in the '90s, as 'otherwise there would be no Yoji Shinkawa here today.'. 'When I was in my senior year in university, I applied for a job at Konami, and during my second interview, I had to decide which division I wanted to go to.' reminisces Shinkawa-san. 'At the time, I kind of said yes to work on a zombie gun shooting arcade game because I wanted to work on 3D models,' and before anyone can raise a point, Kojima-san acknowledges with a laugh, 'Yes, it was a very crappy game.' Ultimately he didn't go that route, because Kojima-san approached him in the early '90s to ask if he would like to work on his new concept for Metal Gear Solid . At the time Kojima-san was already working on Policenauts , so he roped in Shinkawa-san to clean up all the robot designs, while concurrently starting on making a model for Metal Gear Rex, but not in the offices. 'I asked Yoji to kind of make a model of Metal Gear Rex at home,' recalls Kojima-san. 'He did it at home in 3D. So at that time, back in the '90s, there was no emails or digital communication, so I would call Yoji everyday at around 5pm to ask how he's doing, and how was the modeling coming along.' Thankfully, the duo's current approach to the game's design philosophy is broader, incorporating a sense of purpose with world building within the game. For example, Kojima-san notes, at a separate press conference in Taipei with selected media, that his favourite tool is the ring-shaped terminal worn by Sam in the sequel, instead of the handcuff-shaped terminal in the original that symbolises a kind of restraint. Since Sam is no longer part of the Bridges organisation, it would be strange for him to still wear handcuffs, which necessitated the creation of a ring-shaped accessory which is activated like a competition ornament. Each of the five main members of the headquarters uses a different finger to activate their ring, and players can observe these details in the game. For Shinkawa-san, his joy in design can be found in the little things, such as the small truck and the tricycle introduced in this game because when it comes to designing machines, he aims for those that could only exist in games, animation, or movies and . He pays special attention to how these machines interact with players and the environment, ensuring unique experiences not possible in reality. If anything, it's the reconnection that Kojima-san wants players to feel after spending time with the game, which is about reconnecting the world through delivery. 'The team prepared various gameplay options, from direct combat to stealth, hoping the game would help rekindle connections formed during the pandemic,' he explains. Now that the sequel has been released to critical acclaim, there is the question of what's next though with the recent health scare for Kojima-san that required an operation and an evaluation of his life's priorities, there has been a revised approach to his understanding of life and death, and the cycle of life. 'So from a living thing, everything started from nothing, and then light, and this kind of goes on and on if we look at a map of a space, like a universe. So from looking at a very macro point, it means that this circulation is nothing really, it's always evolving,' muses the 61-year-old and the father of two when asked about his thoughts on future generations. 'So (it's the) same as just human beings. If you look at human beings, (a) child is raised by adults, and then the adults pass on to the children, and that children become adults, pass on to their children. It's kind of similar, is what I think.' Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home's centre-piece.
Digital Trends
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
All Silent Hill games in order, by release date and chronologically
Among the best horror games in video game history, the Silent Hill franchise might be the most iconic. Starting back on the PS1, this claustrophobic and psychological horror series stood apart from the rest with its dense fog and otherworldly monsters. Sadly, the franchise has had more lows than highs after the third entry, but it is making a strong comeback as of late. Now is the best time to immerse yourself in the dark world of Silent Hill, but where should you start? Unlike the Resident Evil games, which are very tied together, the lore and canon of Silent Hill is much harder to track. Make sure your radio is turned on and grab a pipe as I walk you through the entire Silent Hill series in release order and chronologically. All Silent Hill games in release order Silent Hill is a series that builds upon itself with each entry. The world and lore of that cursed town only get deeper and more complex, while the technology and gameplay attempt to evolve with the times. Because the games range from the PS1 all the way up to current consoles and PCs, it could be more than a little jarring if you played the most recent game followed by the earliest. Release order is always a safe bet for playing a big franchise in order, like Metal Gear games, even if it isn't the chronological order. This is the way those of us who have been following the series from the start experienced Silent Hill. Silent Hill (1999) (1999) Silent Hill 2 (2001) (2001) Silent Hill 3 (2003) (2003) Silent Hill 4: The Room (2004) (2004) Silent Hill: Origins (2007) (2007) Silent Hill: Homecoming (2008) (2008) Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (2009) (2009) Silent Hill: Downpour (2012) (2012) Silent Hill: Book of Memories (2012) (2012) Silent Hill: Ascension (2023) (2023) Silent Hill: The Short Message (2024) (2024) Silent Hill 2 Remake (2024) (2024) Silent Hill f (2025) All Silent Hill games in chronological order This is where things get a little foggy (pun intended). There are a few Silent Hill games that give firm dates as to when they take place, but most do not. In fact, some even seem to contradict their time period intentionally, making it even harder to build a definitive timeline. That said, I have sifted through every note and connected every dot I could to give the most educated guess on the complete Silent Hill chronology. That said, part of the fun of these games is figuring it all out for yourself, so feel free to disagree and make your own theories. I can safely say that playing the series chronologically is not necessary at all. The only games that do need to be played in a specific order is 1 before 3 and Shattered Memories, and the original 2 before the remake if you plan on playing both. Silent Hill Ascension (Unknown, thought to be the beginning of the timeline) (Unknown, thought to be the beginning of the timeline) Silent Hill f (1960s) (1960s) Silent Hill Origins (1976) (1976) Silent Hill (1980s) (1980s) Silent Hill 2 (either 2001 or early 1990s) (either 2001 or early 1990s) Silent Hill 3 (around 2000) (around 2000) Silent Hill 4: The Room (most likely early 2000s) (most likely early 2000s) Silent Hill: Downpour (mid 2000s) (mid 2000s) Silent Hill: Homecoming (2007) (2007) Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (2008)
Irish Independent
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Survival Kids review: Cosy castaway capers
Survival Kids fits into the latter category and while it's unlikely to sell consoles all by itself, it doesn't deserve to be completely overlooked, especially by the younger players it's clearly targeting. The title tells you much of what you need to know – there's a bunch of kids, right? And they need to survive, yeah? The game is based on a long-forgotten Konami series that started on the Game Boy Color in 1999 as Stranded Kids and which is regarded as somewhat of a template for later survival games such as Day-Z and Don't Starve. But this version of survival gives off a much cosier vibe that's a little bit Goonies, a little bit of peril – there's definitely no monsters nor savagery akin to Lord of the Flies or Hunger Games. Interestingly, it's also made by a small studio in Stratford-Upon-Avon owned by development platform Unity, sort of as a way to show the engine's viability on Switch 2. Survival Kids plonks you on a sequence of small desert islands, challenging you to gather the resources to explore the terrain and ultimately build a raft that sets you free. The secondary angle is that you can play it alone or with friends, speeding up the resource gathering but also opening up the possibilities for non-cooperative mischief. You might have to chop down trees to build a fire, fish for food to boost your carrying stamina, or gather stones to build a bridge. Nothing is ever very far away from its quest location. Much of the action is given a running commentary amiably voiced by comedian Marcus Brigstocke. Played solo, it inevitably feels a bit tiring to do all the running around but the game sands down much of the edges of survival – eliminating the need to track hunger, for instance, and simplifying the inventory management system to just dragging items short distances. Online play introduces cooperative mayhem where a group of up to four stranded kids share the grunt work – and probably bicker over who does what. The Unity studio pulls off an even more interesting technical feat in that the Switch 2 can share two copies of the game simultaneously for local co-op with other Switch 2 and original Switch consoles. That might be very welcome in a household of young gamers with ageing Switches who want to play together. Such a scenario feels like an isolated use case, however, and Stranded Kids doesn't have a lot of longevity built into this compact collection of islands for players who focus on completing the challenges instead of noodling about.
