The Pokémon series is about to hit another big milestone this April in Japan. The Pokémon Center is about to celebrate its 25th anniversary and has opened a brand new website to prepare us (thanks, NintendoSoup!)
The 25th-anniversary website is a hub for all things Pokémon Center birthday-related and will have details on events, merchandise, and more taking place in Pokémon Center stores across the country. There’s a sweet little “thank you” message on the front page of the website, which you can read here (via Google Translate):
Your voyage begins at first light. The sun ascends as you sail out, its sparkling reflection dancing on the gentle waves of the bay. Plentiful shoals of fish can be seen through the glassy surface as you peer into the water below. It’s a fine day for fishing. And the townsfolk are hungry.
Dredge opens with the above sequence, putting you behind the wheel of your boat within the first minute of gameplay. The scene is picturesque. Our glossy, stylized water ripples against islands with their trees swaying in the wind. Soon, sparse piano keys will join the cries of the seagulls overhead.
You’d be forgiven for thinking you’re in a happy place.
The sun sets sharply at six o’clock, and the fog descends soon after. Any anglers still left out on the water better have good lights, or they’ll never make it back to safe harbor.
Cosmic Horror Fishing
Dredge initially presents itself as a fishing game, and the premise is deliberately simple: catch fish, sell fish, upgrade your equipment. You’ll want to invest in your boat, as it’ll allow you to equip faster engines, better rods, and store more fish – all in a grid-based inventory that grows with your vessel. Money might seem important, but arguably your most vital resource is time. As you sail around, a day-night cycle is in motion, and it’s something to behold.
While you’re more likely to catch valuable, corrupted specimens in the dark, eldritch encounters are also more frequent – particularly in deeper water. You’ll also come across larger, hostile creatures which can be outsmarted (via abilities) or outmaneuvered (via a sufficiently upgraded vessel) rather than outgunned. Dilapidated towns you come across are home to peculiar residents with even stranger requests.
We try to twist every feature that might feel familiar into something unexpected, so that right from the start, you’ll sense that something sinister lurks under the surface. It’s no accident that the name ‘Dredge’ is adjacent to “dread” – we’ve infused every aspect of the game with an unsettling atmosphere. In this article, I’ll delve into the ways we’ve achieved this, and touch on how each element contributes to the overall experience.
A Harsh Aesthetic
The visuals of the game will immediately feel familiar to fans of typically joyous adventure and exploration games – and that’s where our subterfuge begins. What may appear to be very low-poly models are deceptively detailed, with jagged edges and shapes carved to accentuate false shadows. A dark and dreary color tone underpins the world, offsetting any warmth from the sun’s bright colors. It’s crucial to visually remind players that something unexpected could happen at any moment, even if everything seems calm right now.
We added angular edges to the portraits of characters – reminiscent of paint applied by palette knife – leaving harsh patterns on their faces and sleeves to match their already prickly dialogue. This same geometry is reflected in the clouds; normally light and fluffy things, here we made them sharp, and they shift between broken shapes.
This world doesn’t want you here. It wasn’t made for you. But you’ll explore it all the same.
The weather can be as unpredictable as the people you meet. Overcast days can turn into thunderous storms, causing high waves to slow your return to port. On that note, civilization itself is scarce and often dilapidated. It only makes sense that the others in this world are suffering as much as you, and have been for many years. This bleak and unforgiving landscape only adds to the feeling of isolation and despair that permeates the game.
When you drop your line to catch some fish, we pull the camera up above your boat, showing you the dark depths below. As we do this, we conveniently eliminate your peripheral vision. You’re focused on fishing, after all. At night, we bring the oppressive fog down around you, leaving you with nothing but a small circle of vision to navigate rocks and other hazards. The shapes you see through that fog might be imagined or real – I’m not sure which is worse.
This world doesn’t want you here. It wasn’t made for you. But you’ll explore it all the same.
No Wasted Words
In the world of Dredge, people are efficient and practical. As a result, we made sure their spoken dialogue reflects this utilitarian mindset. Each line tries to achieve at least two of the following goals:
Give you an instruction.
Add to the story of the world.
Carry a sinister, suspicious or strange tone.
Despite the importance of dialogue in Dredge, we understand the value of brevity, and don’t want to keep you from the gameplay for too long. To avoid overwhelming you, most conversations are optional and can be skipped if you want. The world itself should do most of the talking, and the people in it aren’t so keen on gossip anyway. These characters don’t have names, either – they have roles, like “The Fishmonger”, and “The Mayor”. You wouldn’t want to get too familiar with them. They’re not your friends.
The atmosphere bleeds into item descriptions too, particularly in the fish. Strange, corrupt specimens you haul aboard might give you an insight to where they came from, and why.
Our storytelling doesn’t stop at the borders of the game itself, of course. The achievement descriptions and OST music track titles add a different perspective or give names to things which were unknowable or unspeakable inside the game itself.
Blending Genres
Juxtaposition is one of my favorite words to use when describing Dredge. The juxtaposition of ‘cosmic horror’ and ‘fishing’ genres is one of the things players love about it. We combined a lot of features, mechanics and concepts that wouldn’t normally exist together in the same game. We set out to create something fresh, unexpected, and unpredictable – and what better way to evoke the sense of cosmic horror than by diving into the unknown?
The ultimate pack for your impending voyage. The DREDGE Deluxe Edition includes everything you’ll need to weather the seas and trawl the deep for sinister secrets.
Includes:
DREDGE
Blackstone Key in-game item
Custom Rod (Pre-Purchase only)
Give yourself an advantage with this improved starting rod. You’ll start the game with this stylish piece of equipment, decorated with the company colors of its creator. But it’s not all just looks. Unlike other equipment you might find in DREDGE, this rod is in reasonable condition and should allow you to get the edge on other anglers – for a while at least.
This grants access to the following item:
Custom Rod
This rod replaces the normal starting rod when beginning a new save. It can catch fish more effectively than some other rods of its size.
Captain your fishing trawler to explore a collection of remote isles, and their surrounding depths, to see what lies below. Sell your catch to the locals and complete quests to learn more about each area’s troubled past. Outfit your boat with better equipment to trawl deep-sea trenches and navigate to far-off lands but keep an eye on the time. You might not like what finds you in the dark…
Game Features
● Unravel a Mystery: Captain your fishing trawler across a collection of remote islands, each with its own inhabitants to meet, wildlife to discover, and stories to unearth
● Dredge the Depths: Scour the sea for hidden treasures and complete quests to gain access to strange new abilities
● Study Your Craft: Research special equipment and upgrade your boat’s capabilities to gain access to rare fish and valuable deep-sea curios
● Fish to Survive: Sell your discoveries to the locals to learn more about each area, and upgrade your boat to reach even more secluded locations
● Fight the Unfathomable: Strengthen your mind and use your abilities to survive trips out on the water after dark
Last week, we asked you to use your green thumbs to share green-themed moments from your favorite games using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:
scottoka1 shares Cloud in green lighting from Final Fantasy VII Remake.
kani3_sun shares a green-tube experiment in Observer: System Redux
RM7_GoWR_VP shares Atreus shooting green Runic arrows in God of War Ragnarök
HazzaniVP shares Aloy staring into out-of-focus green fireflies in Horizon Forbidden West
DexM_ds shares the cat in Stray napping in green grass
MrioMoreno5 shares Slimer being his green self in Ghostbusters: The Video Game.
Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?
THEME: Tchia
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on March 29, 2023
Next week, set sail and explore the world of Tchia, available now as part of the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog. Share moments soul-jumping, playing music, and exploring the archipelago in Tchia using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.
Everywhere (not to be confused with Everything) was a big fat question mark at last year’s Gamescom Opening Night Live. It comes from Build A Rocket Boy, the studio founded by ex-GTA boss Leslie Benzies, and despite its cryptic reveal trailer, AliceB theorised it was some kind of Robloxlike. Turns out her hunch was correct – Everywhere is a platform that allows players to create their own custom content. To show off what the tools can do, Benzies and the team unveiled MindsEye, an episodic “blockbuster” adventure available inside Everywhere. A game set inside a game, if you will.
Players hoping to join the Diablo 4 open beta this weekend must prepare themselves for “unprecedented” queue times as the developers test online infrastructure.
The official Diablo Twitter account reiterated Blizzard’s comments last week that a beta is about testing functionality instead of just letting people play early. “As we prepare to open the gates to Sanctuary, we’d like to remind our players that the Diablo 4 open beta is a test to ensure a smooth launch,” it said (below).
“We expect unprecedented traffic and queue times as a result. We appreciate your patience and understanding.”
As we prepare to open the gates to Sanctuary, we’d like to remind our players that the #DiabloIV Open Beta is a test to ensure a smooth launch.
We expect unprecedented traffic and queue times as a result. We appreciate your patience & understanding.
Other Blizzard employees also took to the internet to warn players of the lengthy times. “Best to set some expectations early but any issues this weekend are better found now than at launch,” tweeted Diablo general manager Rod Fergusson. “Please be patient with us as we expect a lot of players joining to help test our game and infrastructure.”
In an accompanying forum post, community manager PezRadar explained that, “while we know it can be frustrating, we need queues to properly stress test our services, and we are designing to ensure we have them [the queues] some of the time.”
He also forewarned players that there will be short periods wherein the game is taken offline entirely while the team deploys infrastructure fixes and performs maintenance. Queue times are likely to be at their worst soon after the open beta begins on Friday, and “during peak regional windows”.
Diablo 4 is set to release on June 6 on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series, and PC. For more on the game be sure to check out IGN’s review in progress, and for tips on how to get the most out of this weekend’s open beta head on over to our Diablo 4 Wiki page.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
If you couldn’t get enough of the Mario Day sales earlier this month, don’t worry, Nintendo has plenty more to offer before we move into April. Wave 2 of Mario Day is kicking off now (which has basically made March into Mario Month instead), and you can pick up select digital Mario games for just $39.99 each.
Below, you can find a selection of discounted digital Mario games available to pick up on Amazon. However, you can also find these sales going on at Best Buy, the Nintendo eShop, and on Humble Bundle.
Digital Mario Games on Sale at Amazon
Mario Day Switch Bundle
The Mario Day sales don’t just end with these digital games, either. You can also still pick up the Nintendo Switch Mario Day bundle, which contains a Switch console with red Joy-Cons and a game of your choosing (between Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe or Super Mario Odyssey) for just $299.00.
This second wave of Mario Day sales is set to end on April 7 at 11:59 p.m. PT, so it’s a perfect time to pick up some of these digital games at a lower price before the clock runs out. And, if you’re looking to get your hands on some tickets for the Super Mario Bros. Movie that’s set to hit theaters on April 5, you can click on the link below to pre-order your tickets for the upcoming film.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie Ticket Pre-Sale
Mario isn’t the only Nintendo character with quite a year coming up, either. For those looking forward to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, you can pre-order the game now ahead of its May 12 release and you can even pre-order extra Link amiibos to go with it.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.
Players have been reporting that Free Plays on the freemium 3DS app Nintendo Badge Arcade are over.
Over on the 3DS subreddit, users were booting up the game in order to cash in on their free plays only to find that there were none. Multiple users started reporting this yesterday, with European players also running into the issue today.
Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!
Great New Games Spotlight has officially kicked off and we’re excited to bring you a ton of games every week for the next six weeks — more than 100+ new games will launch on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One between February 28 and April 10 – and if you spend $50 on eligible games and movies, you can receive 2,500 Microsoft Rewards points! Get more details here.
Run, jump, and roll your way to a new high score as hazards and bonuses pop up all around the planet. Step into the shoes of RunBean, an astronaut who landed on a hazardous planet that tries its best to kill the intruder. Try to delay your inevitable fate by running around the diminutive 2D globe, jumping over spikes, sliding under killer platforms, collecting bonuses, and quickly reacting to sudden direction changes.
Take the reins of your dream restaurant. Choose and customize dozens of kitchen components (cooking surfaces, food processors, ovens, etc.) to build your dream kitchen! Before firing up your burners, organize your team and manage your suppliers to obtain premium ingredients that would impress the most demanding of gourmets.
Bigger and badder than ever before, Kingdom Rush: Frontiers is a whole new level of the furiously fast, enchantingly charming gameplay that made the original title an award-winning hit. Command your troops through an epic (mis)adventure as you defend exotic lands from dragons, man-eating plants, and ghastly denizens of the underworld.
Available on day one with Game Pass: MLB The Show 23 gets you closer than ever to living your baseball dreams on the diamond. Shock the game and own the show with your favorite players, your favorite rivalries, and all your favorite MLB moments. Want to hit the field early? Game Pass members can get four days early access starting today including additional in-game items with the purchase of the Early Access Bundle. Read more about the new updates and features coming to MLB The Show 23here. Playable on Cloud and Console.
Sifu – March 28 Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
In Sifu, you will ponder the value of life and revenge as you hunt down your family’s assassins. One against all, you have no allies, countless enemies, and a mysterious amulet that brings you back to life every time you die. Yet, be warned. Your secret weapon comes with a hefty price to pay: aging and its consequences.
Captain your fishing trawler to explore a collection of remote isles, and their surrounding depths, to see what lies below. Sell your catch to the locals and complete quests to learn more about each area’s troubled past. Outfit your boat with better equipment to trawl deep-sea trenches and navigate to far-off lands but keep an eye on the time. You might not like what finds you in the dark…
Uncover the dark origin of humanity’s new home and the truth about yourself in this epic sci-fi adventure! Set on a distant planet ruled by a totalitarian regime, Lunark is a modern take on the 2D cinematic platformer genre of the ’90s. As Leo, a courier with unique abilities and a mysterious past, you’ll run, jump, hang, climb, roll, and shoot through gorgeously animated pixel-art environments ranging from a dystopian megalopolis to eerie caves to an alien forest.
Palindrome Syndrome is an escape room sci-fi game that will test your deduction skills. Solve puzzles, decode secret codes, find hidden objects, and investigate the different rooms of the spaceship while you discover the events that led you there.
It’s time to atone for your sins! Saga of Sins is an action-adventure game featuring a mystical storyline and arcade gameplay where you’ll immerse yourself into a world of stained glass inspired by the Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch. Play as the righteous cleric Cecil — who can enter people’s minds by transforming into four unique demonic creatures such as a howling werewolf or a fierce gargoyle — to fight the seven deadly sins and free the plague infested village of Sinwell.
Take on the role of Rex, veteran cop turned hard-boiled detective, as you investigate crime in a future cyberpunk world, where the magnificent sky city blots out the sun. In this retro-style, pixel-art adventure set in a fully realized cyberpunk cityscape, you’ll encounter innumerous items to investigate and a whole cast of interactive NPCs. You must analyze every detail and discover the truth that lurks behind the heavy mist to solve a strange murder that may be tied to a robot rebellion.
An interactive game experience designed to relax your mind and soul. Jump into the role of a little bird, explore beautiful landscapes, and collect magical crystals that mark certain landscapes. Because there are no enemies or other dangers in this game, you will be able to lean back and enjoy the scenery and the sensation of flying. A great game to play for relaxing and calming down after an exhausting day.
The second in the Formula Retro Racing series, retro-style arcade racing games influenced by the classic arcade racing games of the early ‘90s. Featuring fast and exciting gameplay, crisp low poly visuals, a retro soundtrack, and high-speed action. Do you have what it takes to master each racing line, hug every apex, and cross the checkered flag to victory?
A stylish action-platform and shooter game, containing super specials and dash mechanics at a fast-paced speed. Unlock hundreds of meticulous challenges and battle bosses. All of this with an immersive soundtrack and an individual narrative for each of the 8 characters!
Infinite Guitars – March 30 Xbox Game Pass
Available on day one with Game Pass: The metal war machines have reawakened — and only your electric guitar can turn their technology against them! Gather up your party, tune up your favorite axe, and get ready to rock in Infinite Guitars, a rhythm RPG featuring vibrant anime-inspired art, adrenaline-fueled Mech battles, and a blazing original soundtrack. Playable on Cloud, Console, and PC.
An immersive narrative adventure centered around a lone worker’s last stand in an increasingly automated world. A unique blend of work simulation and stealth strategic gameplay set in a lonely, oppressive but strangely beautiful environment, with characters designed by comics legend Mick McMahon. Featuring an all-star cast starring Jason Isaacs, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Clare-Hope Ashitey, David Hewlett, Zelda Williams, and Tommie Earl Jenkins.
Get ready to skid around at full speed with your family and friends! In Rally Rock ‘N Racing, you’ll enjoy a wide variety of natural environments, such as deserts, snow-covered mountains, and forests where you can show your skill at the wheel, competing against everyone to become the fastest.
Sony has officially dropped the PS5 God of War Ragnarok Bundle down to just $509.99 at all retailers in the US, that’s a $50 discount from the list price of $559.99. This includes Amazon, PS Direct, Best Buy, Walmart, GameStop, and Target.
This is the first major discount we have seen since the PlayStation 5 launched over two years ago. A standard PS5 will cost you $500 at the moment, so with this discount you’re effectively only paying $10 for God of War Ragnarok on PS5. This is an absolute steal and well worth considering.
If you’re curious to see what other PlayStation items are worth picking up alongside the console, make sure to visit our gift guide for the best PlayStation and PS5 gifts to pick up this year. Alongside games, this guide also includes the PlayStation Pulse 3D wireless headset and the PS5’s DualSense controller.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
Hi, my name is Yang Yu. Today I am excited to share that Honkai: Star Rail, the forthcoming free-to-play space fantasy RPG, arrives on PlayStation soon. You play as the protagonist embarking on a trip aboard the Astral Express with distinctive passengers. As “The Trailblazer,” you are going to discover the realms of the universe and unearth secrets buried in legends.
A science-fiction universe with elements of fantasy
Exploration is the core of every adventure. Honkai: Star Rail features an in-game world awaiting discovery with elements of myth blended into a space sci-fi story. In this universe, there are “Aeons,” incarnations of universal principles that can freely travel between infinite worlds, driven by their Primum Mobile — Basically, they are gods with formidable powers! The Aeons roaming the worlds uphold their own beliefs, hence various kinds of civilization thrive around every corner of the universe.
However, there is one Aeon named Destruction who considers the universe as a fallacy and civilization as cancer, casting seeds of ruin called Stellarons across the galaxy that leads to massive changes to ecosystems. As the protagonist, you are implanted with a Stellaron at the very beginning of the story. To drill down to the essence of the Stellaron, you bravely set sail for the galaxy, composing an interstellar melody filled with surprises and rewarding experiences.
Various worlds to explore
Honkai: Star Rail provides a vast universe abundant with distinctive cultures, landscapes, and scenery. It is full of rewards and secrets waiting to be explored.
You can experience the origin of the story in the Herta Space Station and then set sail to explore Jarilo-Ⅵ and the Xianzhou Luofu, two major destinations of your interstellar journey. Jarilo-Ⅵ has innumerable mysteries and dangers frozen beneath its snow caps awaiting further examination. The Xianzhou Luofu, the silkpunk flagship where inhabitants seem to have achieved immortality, foreshadows the upcoming expedition infused with Eastern fantasy.
A friendly heads-up: There are still plenty of uncharted territories to be seen. We are considering ways to propel our space fantasy into another dimension by including new in-game content. More details will be revealed in the future.
Choose your companions to face challenges
The space expedition, of course, will not always encounter hospitable inhabitants with their arms wide open to welcome your arrival. Different kinds of adversaries and hurdles need to be overcome, or your survival will be on a knife’s edge!
Fortunately, you are not alone. During the whirlwind trip of a star-chasing ride, players will meet new companions with distinctive capabilities. They are more than happy to weigh in, unleashing their powers during map exploration, puzzle investigation, and so on.
Additionally, our turn-based combat system is easy to pick up but hard to master, a perfect place to test your team-building skills and battle preparation. If you can strategically leverage each character’s skill sets masterfully, then they will all have their place to shine and reach their full potential to assist your mission.
Roaming the worlds and uncovering mysteries, Honkai: Star Rail offers a grand space journey full of twists, coincidences, and happiness. Building your four-person combat team from a wide range of playable characters, getting along with your companions, and leveraging their unique skills correspondingly to overcome challenges from every corner of the universe!
Honkai: Star Rail will launch on PlayStation in the near future. We would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone who is supporting Honkai: Star Rail. Thank you, Trailblazer, and we hope to talk to you again soon!
Everywhere (not to be confused with 
