Nintendo fans looking forward to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom are already dreaming up a ton of wild and wacky weapons to use in the Breath of the Wild sequel.
Following yesterday’s gameplay presentation where Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma introduced us to Link’s new Fuse ability — where he can take just about any two objects and merge them together to create something new — fans have taken to social media to share their dream combinations.
While some of the suggestions do seem a bit out there, some of the examples shown in the gameplay presentation are somewhat wild themselves, like combining a monster’s eyeball and an arrow to create a homing device.
Reddit user Capable_Afternoon687 proposed a “spinning Beyblade of death”, created by fusing four fans and four logs, alongside attaching food to an arrow to fire and distract enemies or a puffshroom to create “a flying smoke bomb”.
SlayAndDecay wants to add a little more bite to their sword, literally, by attaching the head of a Cursed Bokoblin to the end of it, while texellation wants to combine a stick and one of the giant spiked balls to create a mace.
It’s not all about offense though, or even about fighting at all, as some fans are getting creative with the shields too. Using them in fights is an afterthought though, with SpiritedWillingness8 hoping to fuse a shield with butter to improve its surfing capabilities.
The creativity prize perhaps goes to Successful_Slippy though, who wants to take shield surfing to a new level. Taking inspiration from the 1989 Zelda animated series, they look to fuse an explosive barrel to their shield and then shield surf to propel themselves across the map.
Pushing the possibilities
Breath of the Wild already had a ton of room for creativity, but Tears of the Kingdom seems to be pushing the possibilities even further. Fuse is just one of several new abilities alongside Recall, Ultrahand, and Ascend.
Square Enix and Luminous Productions have revealed the story expansion In Tanta We Trust will be released for Forspoken on May 26.
The DLC expansion takes place 25 years before the events of Forspoken, with Frey continuing on her quest to eradicate the Break from Athia permanently. She follows a mysterious voice and ends up being transported into the past during the Purge of the Rheddig, the battle that destroyed Athia and led to its current state in the present.
Frey will team up with Tanta Cinta as well as unlock brand-new magical abilities to fight off the invading Rheddig forces and save Athia again.
Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust launches May 26th for PS5 and PC.
The DLC shows that Square Enix is still supporting Forspoken despite its underwhelming sales and the fact Luminous Productions is being folded back into Square Enix on May 1. The studio was made up of developers at Square Enix who worked on Final Fantasy 15 and was responsible for creating new projects using the Luminous Engine, the same engine utilized for Forspoken.
In IGN’s Forspoken review, we said: “Forspoken’s flashy combat and parkour can be fun, but they aren’t enough to make its cliche story and barebones open world very interesting to explore.”
George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. He’s been writing about the industry since 2019 and has worked with other publications such as Insider, Kotaku, NPR, and Variety.
When not writing about video games, George is playing video games. What a surprise! You can follow him on Twitter @Yinyangfooey
The three million number references worldwide sales of the highly anticipated remake, and also across all consoles (PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series) and PC.
In our 10/10 review, IGN said: “The Resident Evil 4 remake is the series’ most relentlessly exciting adventure rebuilt, refined, and realised to the full extent of its enormous potential.”
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
The Last of Us Part 1 is finally available on PC… if you can get it to work. Steam have slammed the PC version of the PlayStation classic due to crippling performance issues and crashes.
In fact, it currently has “mostly negative” reviews. “Crashes every 20 minutes,” said one review. “Game is badly optimized. Game looks great just needs to be better optimized.” Naughty Dog is currently investigating the issues, however, and has promised it’s team is working on resolving them.
“The Last of Us Part 1 PC players: we’ve heard your concerns, and our team is actively investigating multiple issues you’ve reported. We will continue to update you, but our team is prioritizing updates and will address issues in upcoming patches.”
The Last of Us Part I PC players: we’ve heard your concerns, and our team is actively investigating multiple issues you’ve reported.
We will continue to update you, but our team is prioritizing updates and will address issues in upcoming patches.
At the moment, only 33% of The Last of Us’ 6,015 user reviews have reported having a positive experience, leaving a staggering 67% underwhelmed.
“I waited for almost 2.5 hours for the game to build shaders while crashing in the main menu every five or so minutes, [it’s] one of the most frustrating experiences I’ve had with a game,” said another review. “To clarify, if the game didn’t crash every five mins while in the main menu, it would’ve taken half the time to build the shaders and actually start playing.”
One of the main problems seems to be that shader compiling takes a long time, especially on PCs that only just meet the game’s requirements. That said, users seem to be experiencing issues across the board, and complain that the game simply hasn’t been well-optimized.
One user even reported a massive 14 crashes within 4.8 hours of playtime. The Last of Us was ported to PC by Iron Galax, the same company that recently served up Metroid Prime Remastered on the Nintendo Switch, as well as the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection.
Atlas Fallen may have just received its release date a few weeks ago on March 1, but developer Deck13 has now delayed the game by three months to August 10.
Announced in a tweet (below), Deck13 seemingly just needs extra time to deliver the version of Atlas Fallen it has always wanted to.
“We’d love to give the game some extra time which will allow us to deliver the best possible version of Atlas Fallen,” it said in the tweet. “To achieve this, we have made the difficult decision to delay the worldwide launch of Atlas Fallen to August 10, 2023. We apologise for this disappointing news.”
— Deck13 | Atlas Fallen – coming August 10th! ? (@Deck13_de) March 29, 2023
Deck13 added in a subsequent tweet: “Besides a lot of polish and optimisation this delay will bring, we’re super happy to be able to now also include a full German voice-over.”
Atlas Fallen was previously meant to launch on May 16, though it’s unclear what changed in the 28 days between its initial release date reveal and this delay announcement.
The developer did mention showing the game at PAX East in its delay announcement, so perhaps feedback from preview events led to the delay, though it did receive a fairly positive reception.
In IGN’s preview we called Atlas Fallen a “scrappy open-world action RPG that introduces several fresh ideas in an often unexplored setting,”
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
Depressing fantasy worlds are nothing new, yet Bramble: The Mountain King surprised me with its dark Nordic folklore. Instead of sanitizing these fairy tales like a classic Disney film, Dimfrost Studio openly embraces its most disturbing elements, presenting a twisted world brimming with atmosphere. Calling this grim adventure a horror game isn’t quite right, though after a lengthy hands-on preview on PC, I’m finding this a captivating yet creepy tale.
Before jumping in, Bramble warns you about its heavy subject matter, which covers themes like suicide, infanticide, and animal cruelty. Original fairy tales often find young children in dangerous situations, so this isn’t surprising, but it’s worth noting for anyone unaware. Playing a young boy called Olle, this tale begins innocently enough with a nighttime trip into the forest to find your older sister, Lillemor. That soon turns into a rescue mission as you traverse this twisted forest.
While many games incentivize going beyond the beaten path, Bramble keeps exploration strictly linear from A to B. Going forward is often your only option with no backtracking, sometimes breaking this up through climbing or light platforming segments. You can look over a few highlighted objects on your journey, like pinecones and storybooks, and that’s about it. One occasion involved turning a matchbox upside down to release a hidden key, but aside from the game’s opening, I didn’t find any similar interactions across three hours of playtime.
Exploration feels basic and simplistic events that break up these moments, like playing hide and seek with gnomes, feel more distracting than meaningful. What keeps Bramble interesting is its narrative, and Dimfrost strikes a delicate tone with its environmental storytelling that never truly leaves you at ease. I also can’t shake the uncanny valley feeling when looking at Olle and Lillemor. Yet, the dark forests and beautiful meadows create a strong presentation that keeps this haunting world intriguing.
However, it isn’t long before Bramble’s unpleasant elements counter these pleasing sceneries. Seeing a giant severed animal head thrown to the floor upon entering a butcher’s cave made me quickly realize the bleak realities of this world. Watching Olle walk through a disgusting pile of guts with flies surrounding the rotting flesh just feels wrong, and this sequence eventually leads into the game’s first battle. Sadly, that fight never gets more interesting than dodging a cleaver and throwing rocks at this gargantuan foe.
These depressing lands hide many terrifying beasts; some encounters require a stealthier approach. One incident involves running away from a giant at night, hiding in tall grass whenever it shines a light towards you. Another saw me encounter Näcken, a lake creature whose enchanting music draws people to their deaths. Escaping Näcken means hiding behind whatever cover you can find while his music played at regular intervals. These moments keep the game exciting, illustrating Olle’s struggle well, and Bramble is very much a David and Goliath story.
Visiting Skogsrå’s Grove was a major highlight during this preview, as Olle fights a Forest Nymph known for luring men to their demise. Taunting him with visions of Lillemor, this encounter was my only boss fight during this preview. Split between three stages, I found myself attacking targets strung up against the trees, former victims whose beating hearts gives them power. Thanks to some brutal one-hit kills, you can’t cheese combat. Though the Nymph’s hollow back would typically signal an obvious weak point, it took several attempts before I realized how to weaken her. Frequent checkpoints thankfully minimized my frustrations upon dying.
What followed after my demo’s boss fight had me questioning my actions.
It’s the most intriguing fight I’ve encountered so far, and what followed after besting her has me questioning my actions. Bramble prompts you to stab her dead body through a repeating quick-time event, gradually covering Olle’s face in blood. I went along with it, falsely believing this was necessary before realizing I never needed to stab her. I don’t know if this affects the story later, but I wondered whether I’d done the right thing. She was undoubtedly wicked, yet Olle’s raw emotions got the better of him.
Bramble does plenty of things right with this intriguing story. By refusing to shy away from the disturbing elements of Nordic folklore, Dimfrost Studio could be onto something special. While gameplay feels like it could be more innovative, these memorable sequences make it one of 2023’s more unique adventures. Bramble: The Mountain King arrives on April 27th on all major platforms. A demo is available now on Steam.
April is here, but sadly it doesn’t look like Netflix intends to take its foot off the brakes when it comes to releasing anime series. For the second month in a row, there are no new additions to the library. Previously scheduled for a spring release, the anime movie Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King, moves to June 2023. Both the next drops for part two of Record of Ragnarok season two and upcoming new series Akuma-kun (season 1), Onmyoji (season 1), and Tomb Raider (season 1) remain 2023 releases without confirmed release dates.
So, while you wait for the third and final season of Ultraman (19 episodes) to arrive on May 11, 2023, check out the April entry to the List, Naoki Urasawa’s Monster. Currently all 74 episodes of this psychological thriller are available. It’s a classic and if you’ve never seen it (or it’s been a while) now’s a great time to get into it.
Note: As this is a list of anime series to watch, no anime movies were considered for this feature. This list applies to U.S. Netflix subscribers. Some titles may not currently be available on international platforms (yet). This list will also be periodically amended to remove series no longer available on Netflix, as well as add anime shows now available for streaming on the service.
Monster
Set in Germany, Monster follows brain surgeon Kenzo Tenma as his complicated work life unravels after he makes the fateful decision to operate on a young boy instead of the mayor. That choice sets in motion a chain of events that see Tenam ostracized, with his career derailed, and him accused of murder. Using a blend of relationship drama, social climbing, and professional betrayals, Monster weaves in heavy moral and ethical dilemmas into the storyline in ways that maximize tension and keep the pace pushing from episode to episode.
By the time the big reveals and twists come, you’ll be fully invested. And if horror is what raises the stakes for you, this adaptation of Naoki Urasawa’s 1994 manga definitely leverages unsettling – even horrific – encounters between its main characters to a wicked character study of a serial killer and murder mystery. If you’re looking for an engrossing, complex psychological thriller where a great historical timeline, hefty philosophical themes, compelling characters and a damn good cat-and-mouse game come together into an exceptional series then this globetrotting classic is just what you need.
Vampire in the Garden
In Vampire in the Garden the fate of the world hangs in the balance when a vampire queen and human join forces in an effort to find Paradise. Paradise isn’t just a euphemism for a way to end the warring between the factions, but an action place where the two species lived harmoniously. The double entendre holds true for all of this beautifully drawn five episode fantasy anime series. Despite the story of young Momo and her fateful meeting with vampire queen Fine feeling occasionally rushed (the pitfalls of an extremely limited series) this story of a duo intent on finding a way for humans and vampires to live peacefully once again is a compelling little romance from Wit Studios.
High-Rise Invasion
High-Rise Invasion centers Yuri Honjo. A high schooler who finds herself in a twisted world of interconnected buildings known as “abnormal space.” Pulled into a wicked situation she chooses to fight back against her attackers. This is a blood-soaked dark story full of sadistic figures hellbent on mayhem. It’s got thrills, screams and a slaughterhouse of insanity.
Oni: Thunder God’s Tale
If you like the trend of incorporating new animation techniques, like say a 3D stop-motion hybrid, into anime visual effects, then Oni: Thunder God’s Tale may be just the thing for you. Based on Onari’s Lullaby by Emi Tsutsumi, Oni follows free-spirited Onari on her quest to become like the heroes from (Japanese) folklore. In her quest to unlock her inherent powers, Onari undergoes transformations – that offer lessons on empathy and connection with a light touch.
The pacing is slow, but with 45 minute episodes it covers a lot of ground with fun, action and plenty of emotion pay off to balance the occasional drag. So despite being a fantasy children’s story brought to such life and flair that even the crabbiest of diehards will find themselves rooting for Onair and laughing at the hijinx of the odd-ball gods and monsters she encounters along the way. A warm, family friendly story anchored by the consistently stunning animation is the perfect mini-series palette cleanser.
exception
exception takes a walk on the post-apocalyptic horror side with a story about a mission to terraform a planet that goes horribly awry. To escape AI control, humans have taken to space in search of a new home. The crew of humanoid entities created (from the DNA of living people) in a biological 3D printer called The Womb make up the advance party. Just as they arrive to start the work of making a new habitable planet, a misprint turns one crew member into a monster. Soon their ship becomes a hunting ground.
exception is a visual stunner with a unique way of bringing humor, mayhem and action. The story balances complicated questions about what makes someone human with an action-driven, unsettling sci-fi drama. Directed by Yuzo Sato, exception brings to life an original story by Hirotaka Adachi also known as Otsuichi (Goth: Love of Death) with non-traditional animation and character design that may not be everyone’s cup of tea but its original story and immersive pacing makes this a space horror a do not miss.
Tekken: Bloodline
A surprisingly straightforward adaptation of the Tekken 3 storyline, Tekken: Bloodline follows fifteen-year old Jin Kazama (Kaiji Tang) on his quest to avenge his mother. You don’t have to be a lover of the video game to find this six episode arc worthwhile. It showcases character design and story structure that’s reminiscent of the source’s gameplay but the real lure is in the slow burning reveal of Jin’s family history and his struggle to honor his mother and fight to control his destiny. There’s mystery, intrigue, and just enough fighting to keep things very interesting.
Kotaro Lives Alone
Kotaro Satо̄, a 4-year old boy living on his own, moves next door to Shin Karino, a manga artist. Based on the manga series written and illustrated by Mami Tsumura, Kotaro Lives Alone is the inverse odd couple you didn’t know you were missing in your life. It’s witty, self-aware, and relies on an animation style that only adds to the vibrancy of this adorably engaging ten episode slice of life series.
Little Witch Academia
Little Witch Academia is an underrated gem in the streamer’s library. This anime series directed by Yoh Yoshinari is a pastel drenched delight. Atsuko Kagari longs to be a world-class witch like her idol. There’s only one problem, she’s got a decidedly non-magical background. But the enthusiastic youth finesses her way into Luna Nova Magical Academy, her fav’s alma mater to train. What follows is a blend of lighthearted and hijinx as she attempts to navigate school. The animation is masterful and the characters joyfully entertaining. It’s a feel good watch with just enough depth to intrigue.
Spriggan
Based on the manga by Hiroshi Takashige and Ryōji Minagawa, Spriggan enters the list after only a six-episode debut jam-packed with action, slick character design, and a premise interesting to overcome an uneven start. Spriggan follows Yu Ominae, a 16-year-old super soldier tasked with finding and securing powerful artifacts.
With various military and private groups vying for control of what they see as potential weapons, Yu must defend against all comers if he hopes to comply with his employer’s mandate to safeguard the artifacts. Sticking close to the source, this anime series capitalizes on open-ended storytelling, charismatic characters, humor, necessary violence, and bombastic action sequences. This globetrotting adventure is all about world-building and setting up for adventures to come but still makes the most of its character arcs to be off to a fantastic start both newcomers and fans of the manga and previous movie.
Eden
The world feels like it’s a bit of a constant dumpster fire. So, it can’t hurt to have a bit of wholesomeness in your end-of-the-world adventure. It’s been a thousand years since humans have been on Earth. AI robots inhabit a city called Eden 3. Their overlords are long gone, but the robots continue to farm the land. Two maintenance robots accidentally wake up a human baby girl from stasis. Her appearance calls into question all their beliefs. The two robots decide to raise the little girl in a safe haven outside the city. Eden has engaging character design brought to life with great voice acting. The story’s simple and sweet. There isn’t much trope subversion but sometimes, sweet is exactly what the post-apocalyptic story needs.
Komi Can’t Communicate
Directed by Ayumu Wantanbe and based on the popular manga series written and illustrated by Tomohito Oda, Komi Can’t Communicate follows Shouko Komi, an extremely popular girl, and socially average Hitohito Tadano. Komi comes off as poised to others at school but in fact suffers from severe social anxiety that makes it difficult for her to interact with others. When Hitohito discover’s beautiful classmate’s secret, he vows to help her achieve her goal of making 100 friends at their prestigious prep school.
Komi Can’t Communicate is a stellar example of a slice-of-life anime. It explores touchy themes with a light-hearted, humorous edge. The characters’ personalities are engaging, the various situations they find themselves in at turns ridiculous, humorous or relatively serious but alway relatable. Brought to life with near flawless animation color scheme and impressive character design this series is a well balanced delight. If you’re into slice-of-life anime series, not necessarily into waiting. The full first season Komi Can’t Communicate is now in the anime library.
Death Note
Death Note follows Light Yagami, a teen who comes into possession of a magical notebook that allows him to kill anyone he wants just by writing their name inside. What comes after is a captivating cat-and-mouse game between him and the investigator intent on discovering who’s behind the deaths. This classic from director Tetsurō Araki is an engrossing exploration of morality, justice, loyalty, honor, and friendship. With illustrations and character design that never go out of style, Death Note is an absolute classic. The world seems intent on being a never-ending dumpster fire. So you can never go wrong with a classic anime series that isn’t afraid to dig into the dark side even as it reminds you that life’s direction is always a choice.
High Score Girl
High Score Girl follows Haruo Yaguchi, a sixth grader gamer, as he encounters a true challenger to his supremacy at the local arcades. Classmate Akira Oono who appears to be practically perfect on every level, best his favorite game, Street Fighter 2. From there this unlikely duo bond over vintage video games that allow them to decompress and avoid the anxieties of their everyday lives. Yaguchi slow learns that Oono’s life isn’t as idyllic as it seems and that he has a lot to learn about himself and life. High Score Girl’s full of funny misadventures, sly life lessons, and acts of ego. Sometimes, you need a coming-of-age story with a side of nostalgia and irony. If you’re a gamer, and have a chaotic internal monologue hyping you up, then High Score Girl may be just the ticket.
One Piece
One Piece is a long-running shonen anime about Monkey D. Luffy sails with his globetrotting crew of Straw Hat Pirates on their hunt for the treasure One Piece and quest to become the new king of the pirates. Based on Eiichiro Oda’s manga the anime adaptation is full of high action and laughs. With an ensemble made up of an eclectic group of male and female characters, there’s a camaraderie and sense of adventure that keeps the series engaging season after season.
The Orbital Children
Set in 2045 The Orbital Children, also known as Extra-terrestrial Boys and Girls, follows two children born on the moon and three from Earth. The story takes place in outer space (where internet and artificial intelligence are widespread) on a Japanese commercial space station. A massive accident leaves this group of kids stranded with little hope of rescue. They must rely on their wits, limited communications, and what’s available to try and avert further disaster…and possible death.
Written and directed by Mitsuo Iso (Ghost in the Shell, Rurouni Kenshin and Blade Runner: Black Lotus) this two part science fiction series not only takes anime to space, it stares directly into the distance and asks, are humans necessary? Iso takes direct aim at the ticking clock on Earth’s ability to adequately sustain human life. Then it ponders whether humans are capable of doing what’s necessary to save themselves. Although this philosophical schism should come as no surprise given it is Mitsuo Iso, The Orbital Children blends smooth animation, a striking color palette, relatable character design – that puts its excellent voice cast to great use – turning this into a coming of age story and full blown existential (and literal) crisis that shouldn’t be missed.
Record of Ragnarok
If you’re a fan of The Seven Deadly Sins, list mate JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure or the just idea of the gods giving humanity one last chance to prove itself tournament-style appeals, then get into the twelve episode first season of Record of Ragnarok. The pace is binge-perfect, the animation traditional, and the battles over the top (it’s a race to seven victories out of thirteen rounds). If we must contemplate our own humanity and face the end, let it be watching 13 champions fight their way through the pantheon of gods.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
After a demon attack leaves most of his family slaughtered and his sister turned, Tanjirou Kamado swears to save her and avenge his family. He joins a mysterious group calling themselves the Demon Slayer Corps intent on doing anything to exact revenge. If you’ve finished all the few remaining seasons of Attack on Titan the streamer has in its library but still want your fight scenes crisp then give Demon Slayer a go. You won’t be disappointed.
7 Seeds
You’re minding your business, living your life. Then between one thing and the next, the world ends; leaving you behind. What would you do? Those left behind are confronted with giant bugs and flooded cities being reclaimed by nature. What a time to realize you weren’t ready for the apocalypse.
Aggretsuko
December 2021 meant a fourth season for Aggretsuko fans. This slice of life anime is full of subtle lessons about not letting life’s challenges get the best of you. Turns out, ten more episodes following 25 year-old Retsukothe as she deals with the highs and lows of her crap job as a police accountant, lackluster dating life, and life’s frustrations with heavy metal (and her werewolf-esque transformations) as her main outlet surprisingly still isn’t too much of a good thing. The simple art style is a perfect foil for the wry, witty writing and fully-loaded soundtrack. This is one series possibly destined tolist staple as long as it remains in the Netflix library.
Super Crooks
Based on the four-issue comic series by Mark Millar and Leinil Francis Yu, Super Crooks debuted on the platform in December. This prequel to the comic series follows Johnny Bolt and his band of crooks as they attempt to pull off the ultimate heist. This world of super-powered people offers a slick opening, simple, yet action-packed story full of quips, quirks, interesting characters, and crisp (Studio Bones) visuals. Although it won’t be to everyone’s taste (if redemption arcs and character growth are your bag then you’ll be left wanting), this 13-episode was definitely a 2021 surprise.
B: The Beginning
The vigilante “Killer B”’s turning the island of Cremona into their personal hunting ground. To catch this escalating killer, the Royal Investigation Service calls its ace – if eccentric – detective Keith Flick back into active duty. But the kills aren’t what they seem and Flick will need to unravel dangerous secrets in order to solve these crimes. If you’re in the mood for a cat-and-mouse detective story – with more than a few science fiction twists – then look no further than B: The Beginning. This visually stunning story offers a blend of mystery and horror for fans who like their anime to take ambitious risks (even if it doesn’t always stick the landing).
Code Geass
Sent to Japan as a hostage, Lelouch, a prince of Britannia, escapes after an encounter leaves him with the power to control anyone. Lelouch becomes the masked rebel known as Zero and begins to mercilessly exact vengeance against Britannia. Code Geass is a genre blend with action, charisma, and just the right amount of bombasticness to carry the story from episode to episode. This alternate history full of mechs and magic is a wild ride.
Dorohedoro
Set in a grim world, Dorohedoro is a quixotic and disorderly series about a big crocodile man who loves gyoza. It’s almost equal parts comedy and carnage. It’s a bizarre, gory, sci-fi world full of surprisingly compelling characters. With bold color and a brisk pace, Dorohedoro makes the most of its strange world to confuse and entertain.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Based on the wildly popular manga series, this multigenerational story follows the adventures of a Joestar family member – each with the same titular nickname and endowed with immense psychic strength – as they battle against rivals (and evil) down through the ages. With each new protagonist comes an independent story that expands the universe and keeps the narrative fresh and engaging. It’s sly wit and frequent hattips to popular Western trends add just the right amount of hilarity to this adventure-driven fantasy. With five quality seasons (Stone Ocean being the latest installment) now available on Netflix as of December 1st, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s addition to the best of list may just be a bit overdue.
Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop’s set in a world where a hyperspace gateway accident’s left Earth inhabitable. What remains of humanity colonized the rocky planets and moons in the solar system. Fifty years of rising crime prompts the Inter Solar System Police to legal bounty hunting and authorized hunters, known as Cowboys, to track and capture criminals across the system in order to bring them to justice. The series follows the crew of spacecraft Bebop as they hunt down criminals in 2071. This Japanese sci-fi noir and it’s now iconic soundtrack and vintage (but still solidly stylish) animation style offers up the space (mis)adventures of former syndicate member and hitman Spike, his former ISSP officer partner Jet Black along with a con artist with memory gaps, a wacky hacker and Ein a too-cute- for its own good genetically engineered Welsh Corgi with human-like intelligence.
The twenty-six episode series offers a genre-blending narrative, visually kinetic action, and audacious good fun for long-time fans and is a great place to start for those new to the anime space. Only time will tell if dropping the entire anime run just ahead of the live-action Cowboy Bebop November 19, 2021 premiere helped or hurt the movie franchise. Be sure to check out how IGN thinks film adaptation stacks up against the source material.
Beastars
If you prefer your shounen occasionally NSFW and built on a narrative designed to explore themes like prejudice, choice, introspection then Beastars may be the slice of life fantasy series for you. This drama-heavy mystery series digs into the lives of anthropomorphic animals; where carnivores and herbivores are trying to coexist peacefully. If Zootopia-eques that dig into slice-of-life stories and self-discovery are what grab and hold your interest then Beastars is definitely an anime series for you.
Violet Evergarden
Based on a light novel series this thirteen episode show brings to life a story of post-war reintegration into civilian life through the lens of fourteen-year-old Violet Evergarden. This fantasy coming-of-age story tells the tale of the young orphan’s attempt to find purpose beyond soldiering. It’s an introspective and touching narrative with a phenomenal score. This series is why phrases like “visually stunning” won’t soon go out of use. It is simply one of the most beautifully animated series around.
Now’s an excellent time to revisit this show then pick up with Violet Evergarden: The Movie added to the streamer on October 13, 2021.
Erased
Follow 29-year-old Satoru Fujinuma as he discovers an ability to time travel and ends up in the past trying to solve a murder mystery. This powerful ability he calls “Revival” permits him to jump back to the recent past (a few minutes) to change events and save lives. But after being accused of a murder himself, however, Satoru wakes up, as his younger self, eighteen years in the past. Soon realizing the crime he’s accused of is connected to an abduction and death of a classmate, Sartoru strikes out to unravel the mystery, prevent his classmate’s death, and ultimately clear his (future) name. Erased is a gripping adaptation of Kei Sanbe’s full manga run. The story is dynamic and brought to life through gritty and immersive animation. Set aside time, because it’s a binge-worthy series.
Hunter x Hunter
It’s pronounced Hunter, Hunter (the x really is silent). Young Gon sets out to find his missing father. Along the way, he makes new friends, enters a martial arts tournament, and comes face to face with creatures – on his quest to become a Hunter – that any horror prop master would kill to get their hands on. Gon’s enemies have zero chill so between the action sequences and well-crafted story Hunter x Hunter is some of the best shonen anime has to offer, ever. Come for the familiar premise, stay for the character depth, darker tone, and its engrossing and increasingly complex story arc.
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
All-powerful psychic Kusuo Saiki attempts to fly under the radar are continually thwarted and result in a high comedy. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. follows Saiki as he tries to navigate school drama free despite his magnetic ability to attract people. It’s quirky, full of lovable characters, and hijinks. Despite its lighter tone, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. offers a quality crowd-pleasing story.
Great Pretender
Makoto Edamura’s a con man on the run. But don’t think that’ll stop him from falling head-first into new schemes instead of laying low. The Great Pretender is colorful, quick-step, offering all the elements of a perfectly designed heist film. If you like your anime stylish and your character’s too-slick for words, then this Netflix exclusive is tailor-made for you.
New Anime Series on Netflix
Netflix’s library of Japanese anime series will, sadly, not be growing this April. Even the streamers anime movies are being pushed back until the summer. The slow down is officially a 2023 feature rather than a bug. So don’t expect the pace to pick up before the Fall.
How We Choose the Best Anime Series on Netflix
The goal is to have a list of great anime series that span many subgenres. We’ve included a mix of popular classics like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, along with relatively more obscure titles like The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. Whether you’re a complete anime newbie or a hardcore otaku, there’s something for everyone here.
Or follow these links for the best of other genres:
Bloober Team has come out and clarified rumors surrounding the Silent Hill 2 remake release status, as well as some inaccurate translations and out-of-context statements. This comes after Bloober Team president Pitor Babieno gave an interview with the Polish site Bankier.pl last week, reportedly saying that the game was “technically ready.”
“As the Bloober Team, we don’t comment on rumors. However, this time we need to take the floor, as some recent statements have been taken out of context, due to inaccurate translations,” the developer said in a statement on Twitter. “Our company’s messages did not contain sales forecasters of specific titles. The figures connected to Silent Hill 2 refer to the potential success of the type of games we will be focusing on in the future.”
Bloober Team continued: “It is also not true that we have announced that Silent Hill 2 is ready for release. Regardless of the development stage, all of our activities are focused on obtaining the highest quality for the finished product—the quality that fans of Silent Hill 2 deserve. We are aware that players are waiting for more information about Silent Hill 2. As soon as such information becomes available, we are sure that Konami, the publisher for the game, will share it with fans.”
According to the interview, Babieno reportedly said that the Silent Hill 2 remake was close to being finished, as well as the game’s release schedule and promotion, were dependent on other partners like Konami.
Now, the studio has issued a statement clarifying the situation. First revealed in October 2022 during a State of Play presentation, there hasn’t been a release date or window confirmed for the remake of Silent Hill 2 just yet. The game will launch for PC and as a timed-console exclusivity for PlayStation 5.
George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. He’s been writing about the industry since 2019 and has worked with other publications such as Insider, Kotaku, NPR, and Variety.
When not writing about video games, George is playing video games. What a surprise! You can follow him on Twitter @Yinyangfooey
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is getting its very own limited edition Switch OLED. It was initially revealed during a Tears of the Kingdom gameplay showcase on March 28, and will release on April 28, 2023. It is now available to preorder from select retailers, and you can find links to preorder the console just below.
Preorders for Tears of the Kingdom are also available from all retailers, and you can find out everything you need to know when scoring your copy in our dedicated preorder guide, alongside news on the Link Amiibo, and Collector’s Edition. For more updates on preorders, make sure you’re following @IGNDeals on Twitter.
Where to Preorder The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Limited Edition Nintendo Switch OLED Model
At the time of writing, only Best Buy has the console available to preorder, but this is likely to change very quickly, so stay tuned for more updates. To limit any scalping, Best Buy is allowing only one order per customer, and you need to be logged in to an active Best Buy account to complete your preorder.
This will be the first fully-fledged Zelda-themed Nintendo Switch console as Breath of the Wild launched alongside the base red and blue or grey hardware, though Skyward Sword HD did get its own special Joy-Cons.
Preorder Tears of the Kingdom Switch Pro Controller and Carry Case
A limited edition Nintendo Switch Pro Controller was also announced during the presentation mentioned, featuring a black and white design again decorated with gold patterns and the Tri-Force in the background.
Completing the collection, Nintendo also revealed a Tears of the Kingdom-themed carry case for the console. These will both launch alongside the game on May 12. For more on Tears of the Kingdom, check out these 10 awesome details IGN staff spotted from the gameplay reveal.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
If you were to ask me “Mitchell, what kind of video games do you like,” I honestly don’t know how to really answer that question. I feel like I can find the fun in just about any genre, outside of ones that really require some sort of enthusiast or hobby level interest, like simulation car games, sports games, or walking games.
But if you were to say “No, Mitchell, what’s like… your genre. The bundle of games that you’d save on a sinking ship and be forced to forsake all others.” Well, that’s easy: It’s action games. Or if we want to get extra specific, it’s the subgenre that’s become known as “Character Action Games”
Character action games are my first love in the world of video games. When they’re good, they light my brain up like no other thanks to their challenging yet rewarding difficulty, flashy combat, and moments that just make you feel awesome as the person orchestrating the on-screen chaos.
But while we’ve seen modern sequels and reimaginings of classic series like God of War, Devil May Cry, and Bayonetta, there’s one 3D action game pioneer that still has not seen a new entry in over a decade: Ninja Gaiden. And that’s a dang shame because, in my eyes, Ninja Gaiden Black is the best pure action game of all time.
The Dance of Combat
When talking about what makes Ninja Gaiden Black so dang good, we gotta break the conversation down into three main points. So let’s start with the flashiest of the bunch, the combat, and specifically how it works on both the surface and deeper levels.
While they’re grouped in the same genre, Ninja Gaiden’s combat is actually much different than a game like Devil May Cry or Bayonetta, or really like any other game within the genre. But to focus on DMC and Bayonetta specifically, those games have always been about style and spectacle. They’re the types of game where the expression of combat is just as important as the function of combat. You’re knocking enemies up into the air, hitting them with crazy air combos, knocking them away, pulling them back in, and at a higher level of play, you’re extending those combos with jump cancels, swapping weapons on the fly, and letting your creativity flow freely as you fight your enemies.
In my eyes, Ninja Gaiden Black is the best pure action game of all time.
And while some of that is also true for Ninja Gaiden Black (he is a ninja after all, so there’s an innate coolness to his move set) its combat is less about style and more about doing whatever it takes to stay alive against hyper-aggressive enemies. Key to this is the fact that Ryu can do extraordinarily powerful things to enemies that you just don’t see very often in action games. His flying swallow attack allows him to almost instantly close the distance on any enemy, potentially kill them in one hit with a decapitation, and otherwise deal big damage to them even if it doesn’t lop off their head; the Izuna Drop is a one-touch kill combo on most enemies with huge amounts of splash damage; and on top of all that, Ryu also has access to screen clearing ninpo attacks that deal massive single target and AOE damage.
What it all boils down to is that perhaps more so than just about any other action game out there, once you get a handle on Ryu’s abilities and a couple of upgrades under your belt, playing as Ryu Hayabusa is one of the best power trips ever.
And all of that is speaking purely on a surface level. When you start to dig deeper, Ninja Gaiden’s brilliant combat somehow manages to shine even brighter. At its core is arisk reward mechanic involving essence and Ryu’s Ultimate Techniques. Essence comes in three forms: Yellow, a currency used to purchase items and upgrades at the shop, blue essence restores your life, and red essence restores one of Ryu’s ninpo uses.
But the true value of essence comes from the fact that if you start to charge Ryu’s ultimate attack while there’s essence around, Ryu will suck in the essence around him and instantly charge the attack. If it lands, you get a much larger orb of essence with several times the amount of either currency, health restoration, or ninpo restoration. But if it doesn’t land, then you lose that essence. You can even hold down the block button to make it so that Ryu doesn’t pick up any essence, which lets you maneuver around a combat encounter and try to find the best timing and opportunity to use your ultimate technique.
This “dance” is something that’s so wholly unique to Ninja Gaiden, nothing before or since has a combat system quite like it, especially when you mix in Ryu’s many movement options, the various weapons he can use, and his ranged weapon options. You can hop on enemy heads, run up walls, run across walls, cancel jumps out of your evasive rolls, use smoke bombs to lower an enemy’s defense, use a weapon’s unique trait to wall splat them – it all leads to a style of combat that is very dynamic, frenetic, and always feels fresh because there are so many different effective ways that you have to deal with enemies.
And there needs to be, because the enemies in Ninja Gaiden Black are among the most ferocious you’ll ever face. Which leads us to point number two:
The AI
Ninja Gaiden Black’s enemy AI is a key reason why I love its combat so much, and why it still hasn’t gotten stale even all these years later. Many action games have AI that’re very reactive, meaning they like to circle around your character and primarily respond to what you do. They’ll block, evade, counter attack, or maybe just take the hit. In short, they come to life once you start attacking, but don’t typically push the action.
In many other games, they might be more aggressive, but their attacks are very limited and relatively predictable, making the difficulty be more about juggling multiple enemies at once.
But in Ninja Gaiden Black, the operating word for the AI is relentless. They’re constantly jumping all over the place, dashing in, peppering you from a distance, they’ll grab you if you turtle up, and even at the early stages, there’s just an added level of intensity from the enemies.
Even small fights against basic enemies have tension to them.
Now this isn’t to say that this is the “right” way for action games to be. Variety is the spice of life, and the reactive AI might fit a combat system with more parry heavy combat focus, just like how the more predictable fodder-like AI plays to the strengths of a game like Devil May Cry by giving the player more opportunities to absolutely style on their enemies. Plus, there’s plenty of excitement that comes from the mixing of these basic enemies with the tougher enemies that break these particular molds.
That said, man does the hyper aggression of Ninja Gaiden Black’s enemies go well with the lightning fast pace of its combat and Ryu’s mobility centric combat style. Even small fights against basic enemies have tension to them, and the bigger fights that mix-in large lumbering demons along with the quick ones that have the ability to dart in and out super quickly, are edge of your seat fights for survival.
Mobility
The third key to Ninja Gaiden Black’s gameplay is Ryu’s mobility. No one moves or incorporates that movement into combat quite like Ryu Hayabusa. A lot of this stems from the fact that his jump is super low to the ground, and focused more on horizontal movement than vertical movement. This allows him to quickly jump towards enemies, and enhances the usage of moves like the Flying Swallow, and the guillotine throw.
It also allows for Ryu to really quickly move around a combat space while limiting his vulnerability thanks to the ability to cancel out of an evasive roll with a roll jump. Not only are they invaluable in combat, but they’re also just super fun to use to get around the world.
Above all though, Ryu feels utterly smooth to control. He’s able to go seamlessly from on the ground, to on the wall, to flying swallow, to jumping off enemy heads, to quick-charging an Ultimate Technique. There’s a flow to his movement that’s just a joy to be in control of.
Let’s be fair though: if you plan on jumping into Ninja Gaiden Black for the first time in 2023, you should know that not everything has aged as well as the combat. Its story is completely forgettable, some of its deeper systems could have been better explained to ease the on-ramp for new players, its menus are clunky and require you to constantly call them up in order to equip new weapons and use consumables, and navigation through its world could have used some better direction.
But it is also an action game, and when it comes to its action, Ninja Gaiden Black is a masterclass of combat design, and is the one game that I keep coming back to on a yearly basis, because of this particular blend of deep combat, challenging and aggressive enemy design, and unparalleled mobility options.
Mitchell Saltzman is an editorial producer at IGN. You can find him on twitter @JurassicRabbit
