Gaming in Japan. Reviews, Walkthroughs, News

Bushiroad Game and Eighting have released a brand-new trailer for Hunter X Hunter: Nen X Impact, confirming two more playable characters for its roster: Machi Komacine and Uvogin. This licensed fighting game was first announced last December, with a reveal trailer for Nen X Impact released at the start of 2024. The reveal trailer gave a brief look at the game's roster, confirming six playable characters off the bat, along with a sleek anime art style.

MAGES. has announced The Quintessential Quintuplets: Gotopazu Story 2nd for PlayStation 4 and Switch. It will launch in 2024 in Japan.

Some of the biggest names in the manga industry are working together on revamping a huge project for one of the best-known manga publishing companies, Shueisha. It is not a typical kind of manga story, though, but something altogether different. This special anthology doesn't tell an original story but is meant to be educational, as it turns historical figures and events into a manga to help people learn about history.

Nintendo has revealed a new line of merchandise based on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The new Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom items, which include apparel, accessories and novelties, are available in Japan via Nintendo's online store, as well as stocked physically in Nintendo's superstores in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto.

PlayStation 5 owners who are looking for the next game to play or are searching for titles to add to their collection should check out the offers in Best Buy’s PS5 game sale. With games that span across all genres and prices that start at $10, you wouldn’t want to miss the bargains here, and we’ve picked out our favorites to help you make a quick decision on what to buy. Feel free to browse through the dozens of PS5 games that are available in the sale, but you’ll still have to act fast because there’s no telling until when these discounts will stay online.

Publisher Bushiroad Games and developer Eighting have launched the official website for Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact, revealing details on playable characters Gon, Killua, Leorio, Kurapika, Hisoka, and Netereo, as well as the battle system. New screenshots and character trailers for Gon, Killua, and Hisoka were also released.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door's Switch remake has kept in the beloved Fire Emblem Toad, despite previous trailers suggesting he had been removed.

GameStop has revealed an exclusive retro gaming-themed bonus for fans who wish to pre-order the upcoming Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door through its storefront: a free slip case based on the GameCube version. The upcoming release of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door on Nintendo Switch is one of Nintendo's most highly anticipated releases. It is a long-awaited remake of one of the series' most beloved games, bringing the game from the GameCube to the Switch, adding a number of quality-of-life tweaks and remastered graphics.

Shinji Mikami, the esteemed director of iconic games like Resident Evil (1996) and The Evil Within, has finally opened up regarding his decision to leave Tango Gameworks, the company he founded. Given Tango Gameworks' recent rise to fame with the release of the critically-acclaimed game Hi-Fi Rush, Mikami's sudden departure from the studio was seen as surprising by many, but fans now have a proper explanation from the famed developer himself.

The Nintendo Switch 2 could still hit the market in 2024, according to a newly emerged report. The notion of this possibility even existing appears to run contrary to a number of recent reports on the next-generation Nintendo console.

A collection of five Phoenix Wright games - including some of the greatest visual novels of all time, in my opinion - is about to be discontinued on Steam, making it slightly less convenient to pick up the original Ace Attorney trilogy and its recent prequel games. That’s the bad news. The good news is you’ve got a month’s notice - and it’s on sale for the next week or so.

The Switch versions of Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth1, Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth2: Sisters Generation, and Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth3: V Generation will launch digitally in North America and Europe on May 21, publisher Idea Factory International announced.

Veteran video game developer Shinji Mikami has opened up about his departure from Tango Gameworks in a new interview.

Total shipments and digital sales for the PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC (Steam) versions of Witch on the Holy Night have surpassed 200,000 units, publisher Aniplex and developer TYPE-MOON <a class=«link-external» href=«https://twitter.com/mahoyo_game/status/1783805123866857688?ref_src=» https: rel=«noopener» target="_blank">announced

The version 2.2 update for Honkai: Star Rail, dubbed “Then Wake to Weep,” will launch on May 8, developer miHoYo announced.

Roguelite deduction adventure game The Detective Reaper Invites will launch for PC via Steam on May 25 for $9.99, publisher PLAYISM and developer Shizu Kano Umi announced. It will support English, Japanese, Traditional and Simplified Chinese language options.

Shadow of the Ninja Reborn will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam on August 29, publisher Natsume Atari and developer Tengo Project announced. It will support English, Japanese, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese language options.

Publisher FuRyu and developer Nastume Atari have released the second official trailer for dark action RPG REYNATIS.

The frame rate for the upcoming Nintendo Switch remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is 30 FPS. This modern rendition of Intelligent Systems' beloved 2004 RPG is set to be released on May 23.

An artist has drawn Demon Slayer main protagonist Tanjiro Kamado teaming up with several iconic characters from Game Freak's beloved Pokemon franchise. The two Japanese media properties are often seen together in fan art.

A talented Pokemon fan has created Ghost-type versions of Magikarp and Gyarados. The two monsters have received all sorts of makeovers from artists.

The latest free GT7 update introduces the Gran Turismo-exclusive ŠKODA Vision Gran Turismo all-electric car alongside two other vehicles, new World Circuit events, and more.

Nintendo has still yet to unveil the successor to the Switch, but the Japanese company’s next-gen console continues to be the subject of rumours and leaks. A new report published by Spanish outlet Vandal has now also allegedly revealed new details on the upcoming console.

Previews for the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake seemingly confirm that Vivian will be canonically trans in the English release, something that was controversially removed from the original game.

Stellar Blade is out today, and fans can finally play the full game to see what all the fuss is about. If you didn't get a chance to try the demo or just wanted to go in fresh, it is worth knowing that the half-second input delay when parrying or dodging is a feature, not a bug, as the game's director recently explained.

There's still a chance for the Nintendo Switch 2 to launch this year. Exactly two months ago, the Japanese publication Nikkei wrote that March 2025 was the most likely release window for the new console as it allowed Nintendo to produce enough consoles to sell to consumers.

Resident Evil 9, the next entry in the CAPCOM survival horror series rumored to sport open-world features, has apparently been delayed internally and may skip its 2025 release window.

Publisher PROTOYPE and developer Key have announced planetarian: The Reverie of a Little Planet & Snow Globe for Switch. It will launch on June 27 with English, Japanese, French, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese language support.

Cross-play is now available for “boss rush” cooperative online action game TrinityS across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam, publisher Phoenixx and developer Indie-us Games announced.

Inti Creates has announced Inti Creates Gold Archive Collection for Switch. It includes Mighty Gunvolt, Mighty Gunvolt Burst, and PuzzMiX on one physical cartridge. It will launch on August 20 in Japan for 3,278 yen.

Publisher Bushiroad Games and developer Eighting have released the the first official trailer for three-on-three fighting game Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can redeem three free Overwatch 2 skins until June 19. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the most expensive tier of Xbox Game Pass, and Microsoft often adds various benefits for subscribers. These benefits allow subscribers to redeem in-game content across different titles like Overwatch 2 and free trials for several subscription services.

Gran Turismo 7 has been freshly updated to version number 1.46 on PS5 and PS4, with the update adding a new car to the game you won't find anywhere else: the Škoda Vision Gran Turismo. Designed entirely around the Polyphony Digital racer, it's Škoda's first appearance in the franchise and is seen as a «visionary study of a single-seater, all-electric racing concept car».

First announced in 2022, the next-gen version of Fallout 4 is finally here — and it's no coincidence that its release roughly aligns with the arrival of Amazon's Fallout series. The post-apocalyptic property is once again a big deal — almost a decade after Fallout 4's original release — and so we want to know if you're returning to the wasteland this weekend.

Bandai Namco has announced a new action RPG in the form of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ISEKAI Chronicles. Based on a popular fantasy light novel series, the upcoming Bandai Namco title is scheduled to reach PC and consoles in summer 2024.

Daeri Soft’s latest RPG, Crystal Knights, has officially hit Android and iOS globally. It’s a real-time online idle RPG that’s free to play. Daeri Soft is known for other mobile titles like the simulation game, Cat Garden – Food Party Tycoon, and another RPG The Witch’s Knight.

Following its release in Japan in December 2023, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel – Northern War is now set to launch globally. Userjoy just dropped an announcement that Trails of Cold Steel – Northern War Global will be hitting mobiles on May 29th. And pre-registrations are open now.

From the Green Bay Packers’ Jamaal Williams and the Seattle Seahawks’ John Reid to the New Orleans Saints’ Cameron Jordan and more, the NFL is packed with players who are just as passionate about anime and manga as they are about football.

As we near the end of April, the fighting game scene truly begins to heat up. From April 27 to 29, the best of the best will gather in Tokyo to crown an Evo Japan champion. Then, players will gather for the world’s premier fighting game event, Evo 2024 in Las Vegas. Through the PlayStation Tournaments: Road to Evo program, players can compete at home and join online competitions for a chance to win a trip and showcase their skills at Evo 2024 in Las Vegas.

Nintendo and its fans usually get a long pretty well, with the Paper Mario franchise being an unusual bone of contention. For many years Nintendo has stubbornly attempted to dial down the quirky stories, unique characters, and RPG elements that defined early entries in the series, much to the chagrin of a particular cadre of fans. As perhaps the last true RPG in the series, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door has taken on a certain symbolic importance to those spurned fans even though it was never a particularly big hit, selling fewer than 2 million copies on Gamecube.

Japanese anime, manga, and games are popular in Japan, but Western media also has its place in Japanese pop culture. One of the most popular companies in the country is Disney, and Disney characters, movies, and theme parks are beloved by a huge number of people in Japan. Disney spans across ages, genders, and walks of life in modern Japan, with all kinds of different fans.

Cygames has detailed the new content coming in updates 1.2.0 and 1.3.0 of Granblue Fantasy: Relink. In addition to adding two new characters to the robust cast of Granblue Fantasy: Relink, the updates bring improvements to existing characters, bug fixes, and new quest additions.

Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment and developer SHIFT UP have released the launch trailer for Stellar Blade, which is due out for PlayStation 5 on April 26.

Honkai Impact 3rd v7.4, Invitation to the Mad Banquet, serves a banquet of exciting content, new battlesuits, and story revelations.

The allegedly cut ending of Assassin's Creed Mirage, which was set to make the series' already incredibly complicated meta story even more complex, is probably nothing to worry about according to Ubisoft.

Famitsu has published its estimated physical game software data for Japan for the week of April 15, 2024 to April 21, 2024.

Japanese esports organization CAG Osaka has uploaded a 13-minute gameplay video of Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact ahead of its playable debut at EVO Japan 2024 this weekend.

The version 1.2.0 update for Granblue Fantasy: Relink will launch on April 26, followed by the version 1.3.0 update in late May, publisher Cygames and developer Cygames Osaka announced.

Publisher Bandai Namco and developers ZOC and Monkeycraft have announced action RPG That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ISEKAI Chronicles for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC (Steam). It will launch on August 8 worldwide.

Publisher Entergram and developer Asanoha Factory will release the PlayStation 4 and Switch versions of post-apocalyptic boy meets girl visual novel Memento Memoria: The Abandoned Neverland on August 29 in Japan, the companies announced. The PlayStation 4 version will be available physically for 3,278 yen and digitally for 2,970 yen, while the Switch version will be a digital-only release.

Facepunch Studios has announced on Steam that it's removing 20 years' worth of Nintendo-related workshop items for its sandbox game Garry's Mod to comply with the Japanese company's demands. Earlier this year, an X user with the name Brewster T. Koopa posted that a group of trolls was filing false DMCA claims against the game to get Nintendo add-ons removed and to get add-on makers to shut down. The perpetrators allegedly used a fake email to impersonate Nintendo's lawyers to send DMCA takedown notices. Facepunch Studios said in its new announcement, that it believes the demands legitimately came from Nintendo and that it has to respect the company's decision and start taking down items related to its IPs.

As an Assassin's Creed girlie, I enjoyed Assassin's Creed Mirage, a pared down (but still big game, which is really just proof of how bloated AAA games have gotten, but I'll stop because it's not time to take my personal bugbear for a walk) Ass Creed game that was closer to the simplicity of the older games in the stab 'em up stealth-action series. Yesterday creative director Stéphane Boudon and art director Jeal-Luc Sala took to Reddit for an AMA, and in response to a question about plans for Mirage DLC, Boudon said no - but that they have ideas for more stories for Basim.

Assassin's Creed Mirage launched in October last year, offering a pared back, back-to-the basics experience reminiscent of older games in the series. The action-adventure title from Ubisoft took players to 9th-century Baghdad, putting them in the shoes of Basim Ibn Ishaq, a street thief who joins the Hidden Ones and rises through the ranks to become a master assassin. While there's no word on if the franchise will revisit the character again, Assassin's Creed Mirage creative director has said that the team has ideas about where Basim's story could go.

The latest sports game by 2K, NFL 2K Playmakers, is now out on Android. The game lets you build your very own dream teams using card collections of hundreds of NFL superstars. If you have a penchant for sports or card gaming and are ready to hit the virtual gridiron, keep reading!

Compile Heart has released a new trailer, information, and screenshots for “motorcycle action” game Neptunia VS Titan Dogoo, which introduce some of the game’s unique dogoos, “Compulsion Shots,” and customization.

Capcom has raised its full-year earnings forecast after new and older games sold well during the 12 months ended on March 31, 2024.

Almost 20 years after its original release, Mother 3 has still never been officially released outside of Japan. Nintendo has never offered up a concrete explanation as to why that is, and for some reason, it continues to taunt those of us who would give them vast amounts of money for an official US release. Mother 3 was recently added to Nintendo Switch Online, but only on Japan, and the plushes revealed to mark the occasion are now available to pre-order.

Falcom has released new information and screenshots for The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki – Farewell O Zemuria introducing characters Van Arkride, Agnes Claudel, and Bergard Zeman, as well as the story, settings, and new battle system elements.

Compile Heart has released the first information and screenshots for roguelike RPG Death end re;Quest Code Z, which is due out for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Switch on September 19 in Japan.

Nintendo has released a five-minute overview trailer for the Switch version of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.

Fallout fever is sweeping the globe at the moment, as the TV show has convinced everyone to pick up the series again. Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 are benefiting from massive influxes of new and returning players, and it now seems like Magic: The Gathering is also feeling the love too, with the recently released Fallout Universe Beyond decks projected to be the "best performing" Commander set ever released.

Polyphony Digital has just released the 1.46 April update for Gran Turismo 7. The free update is headlined with three new cars, two of which debut all-new manufacturers for Gran Turismo 7, alongside new Café menus, World Circuits events, and more.

Nintendo is known to be highly protective of its IPs, and its latest takedown request has targeted Garry's Mod, forcing the sandbox game to remove 20 years worth of content that contains Nintendo related workshop assets. Fans of the Super Smash Bros. gaming circuit and various sandbox titles are highly familiar with Nintendo shutting down games with DMCA takedowns. With Nintendo now requesting all of its assets to be removed from the Garry's Mod section of the Steam Workshop, fans are lamenting the impending loss of community content.

Death end re;Quest Code Z, formerly known as Death end re;Quest Code:Zion, will launch for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Switch on September 19 in Japan for 8,580 yen, the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu reveals. It will also be available in 10,780 yen and 16,280 yen limited editions.

All the content coming in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone's Season 3 Reloaded update has been revealed in detail, including MW3's new Multiplayer maps and modes along with new Zombies content, Warzone's new killstreak and public event, and Warzone Mobile's Golden Week. The major Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 update arrives on May 1.

Assassin's Creed Hexe, which is currently a code name and is set to launch after the Japan-set Assassin's Creed Red, is the subject of a new report from Insider Gaming, which claims the title is aiming for a release in 2026. You'll apparently be playing as a female protagonist called Elsa, who comes equipped with supernatural abilities. One of which is said to be the ability to control cats, with footage sent to the outlet supposedly depicting a chase sequence where the player distracts guards by taking control of a feline.

Kazuma Kaneko, whose career as a character designer at legendary JRPG studio Atlus has spanned almost four decades, has officially left the company. Kaneko has joined COLOPL, a developer and publisher headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, where he will work on a new IP.

Just yesterday, we brought you word that the upcoming PS5 exclusive, Stellar Blade, would be released in all regions entirely uncensored, including Japan, which developer ShiftUp seemed especially pleased with. An executive at Electronic Arts Japan has called out what they see as a double standard with the Japanese Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO), stating that «I find this hard to accept.»

Sony announced the day one patch for Stellar Blade will remove an unintentional reference to a racist slur. While initial reviews for Stellar Blade lauded Shift Up's action-adventure game, one particular image taken from a review copy highlighted a likely accidental but problematic graphic in the game.

Both Minecraft Java and Bedrock Editions have received a new update that introduces armadillos, new wolf variations and more.

[Ed. note: This post contains spoilers for the end of Shōgun.]

SEGA has released a new trailer, information, and screenshots for Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble introducing the game’s new multiplayer battle modes, through which players can race and roll with two players locally or up to 16 players online.

Death end re;Quest CodeZ, formerly known as Death end re;Quest Code:Zion, will launch for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Switch on September 19 in Japan for 8,580 yen, the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu reveals. It will also be available in 10,780 yen and 16,280 yen limited editions.

Neowiz, the publishers of Brown Dust 2, have decided to tweak the age rating for the game in South Korea. When April 25, 2024, hits and maintenance starts, Brown Dust 2 will require players to be 19+ to dive in. Despite this jump in Brown Dust 2 age rating, the rest of the world won’t see this shift.

Rudel Inc. just kicked off the launch of Blue Lock Project: World Champion on Android. It’s a soccer sim game inspired by the popular anime Blue Lock. If you were one of those players who jumped in during the pre-registration phase, get ready for the awesome in-game goodies waiting for you.

The man suspected of being responsible for threats that led to the cancellation of Nintendo events in Japan has been charged.

Metaphor: ReFantazio might not be a Persona game, but developer Atlus is keeping up a trend solidified by its beloved JRPG series by making its user interface absolutely gorgeous, and fans say it's a great example of why UI designers deserve to be paid generously.