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Summary

Wild Hearts: Explaining Karakuri, the Unique Monster-Slaying Crafting System

While new monster-slaying RPG adventure Wild Hearts gives you an extensive arsenal of weaponry to play with, its most unique system is based around Karakuri, a collectable resource that allows you to craft tools and structures to deploy both in battle and around the world. Here, we’ll dive into how to get started with Karakuri, what it can do, and how you can use the skills to take down monsters in creative ways.

Karakuri is an ancient technology coursing through the land of Azuma, and you have the power to harness it. Karakuri can be used to build structures, coordinate attacks on vicious prey, and unlock more skills and tools that will help you take down the mightiest beasts. It will appear frequently along your journey as a glowing green substance detected with your Hunter’s Vision. You’ll need to stop and collect the resources in order to keep crafting objects that will help you take down the Kemono, the monsters overrunning the land. That ancient power also runs through your AI companion, which can aid you in battle and collect threads of Karakuri from your surroundings.

You’ll not be able to take on the treacherous battles ahead without grasping the fundamentals, so we’ve compiled a guide that will help you get started on the hunt.

Traversing The Wilds with Karakuri

Azuma is a vast, intimidating landscape, and the Kemono lurking within it move great distances. To make your hunts easier, Basic Karakuri can be used to craft items to get around, such as crates that can be used to climb to higher points, and springs that allow you to leap across broken bridges and cavernous chasms.

As you progress, Karakuri will unlock different ways to navigate and explore the world. Karakuri abilities give you the ability to craft Hunting Towers, which reveal Kemono hiding in the immediate area. The Flying Vine is a contraption that creates a zipline, allowing you to soar across great distances on a zipwire, perfect for scaling a cliffside or crossing a river.

Later on, use the Karakuri skill tree to harness even more useful upgrades, like the Wind Vortex to glide high into the sky, the Glider which can be used to gain vantage over an area, or the Launcher, which can fire smaller Karakuri objects (our yourself) into the distance.

Powering Up Your Camp

Karakuri can be used out in the wildness of Azuma to craft camps. When you discover a Dragon Pit, you can awaken it and turn the surrounding area into a camp. These spots serve as permanent resting points in the open world to gear up for a nearby battle, and a handy quick travel point in case you need to return some other time.

Here, Karakuri can used to whip up a few useful resources. A Hunter’s Tent lets you get some much needed rest before or after a figh while a Campfire helps you to plan your next hunt, and wait for fellow adventurers to join you if needed.

If you’re in need of a brand-new weapon or an armor upgrade, you can build the Field Forge, and immediately craft whatever you need for the fight ahead if you have the right materials, whether it’s poison-resistant gauntlets or a giant hammer. The Drying Rack can be used for food, and the Ingredients Chest will allow you to store resources gathered along the way.

Taking Karakuri into Battle

Your Karakuri powers can also be wielded to gain advantage over Azuma’s colossal Kemono. Swiftly place six crates together to form a Bulwark, which can serve as a wall between you and your foe or stun a charging Kemono out of their attack, leaving them open to be damaged.

Use Fusion Karakuri to awaken the Pounder, a powerful hammerhead that can unleash a punishing blow on any Kemono, and destroy any offensive objects it may spawn during an attack. Fusion Karakuri can also unlock the Elemental Lantern, a device that can protect you from the effects of any deadly elemental hits that your foe may strike with.

Your Flying Vine can also be used offensively with the Impaler upgrade; instead of zipping to solid ground, fire the contraption straight into a Kemono to injure them as you move in. All of your basic Karakuri can be crafted in battle too, so be sure to make the most of the mysterious technology in every scenario. Over time, all of your Karakuri resources can be powered up in order to take on bigger, stronger and more rewarding Kemono located all over Azuma.

With that, you should be prepared to embark on your own epic hunts and get to know your prey when Wild Hearts is released for Xbox Series X|S on February 17.

WILD HEARTS™

Electronic Arts

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

WILD HEARTS™ is a unique twist on the hunting genre where technology gives you a fighting chance against fearsome beasts infused with the ferocious power of nature itself. Take on these creatures alone or hunt with friends in seamless co-op.
No one remembers why the Kemono began their rampage through a once prosperous Azuma. Fueled by desperation, they wield the power of primal nature at its most destructive. For a while, it seemed that none could stand against their overwhelming might. But hope arrives in the form of a formidable hunter, armed with deadly weapons and ancient technology called Karakuri that could turn the tide of battle.

HUNT GIANT NATURE-INFUSED BEASTS
Survive their attacks, learn from their behaviors, and use your Karakuri and your weapons in combination to cut these creatures down to size.

CRAFT YOUR HUNTING GROUNDS
You are the only one in Azuma able to wield the Karakuri technology. This ancient tech enables you to adapt your environment into creative hunting grounds ideal for taking down the giant Kemono.

HUNT IN A PACK, OR BE A LONE WOLF
In WILD HEARTS™ you can face the Kemono alone or unite with up to two friends (or fellow players) to stalk and hunt your prey.

GEAR UP TO HUNT, HUNT TO GEAR UP
The more you hunt, the more you progress. Create your character, then gather materials from each hunt and build an array of armor and weapons to bring down even bigger beasts.

EXPLORE A FANTASY FEUDAL JAPAN
Experience four season-based hunting grounds – each region with its own beautiful landscapes and dangers.

Developed by Omega Force, the Japanese studio behind the DYNASTY WARRIORS franchise, WILD HEARTS™ takes you on an epic adventure set in a fantasy world inspired by feudal Japan.

Conditions & restrictions apply. See ea.com/wild-hearts/wild-hearts/disclaimers for details.
©KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD. All rights reserved.

This Week on Xbox: Fantasy, Football, Updates, and Events

The Wizarding World Awaits: Hogwarts Legacy is Available Now

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for February 13 to 17

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!

Ten Dates – February 14
Xbox Play Anywhere

Ten Dates is the sequel to the interactive rom-com, Five Dates, taking place in the post-pandemic world. Throughout the game, your choices and interactions will either strengthen or weaken your relationship with your date. Amidst a branching, multi-directional chain of conversation topics and deep-dive questions, Misha and Ryan are faced with ice-breaker games, awkward scenarios, and unexpected truths. Will either find love?

Wanted: Dead – February 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A new hybrid slasher/shooter from the makers of Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive. The game follows a week in life of the Zombie Unit, an elite Hong Kong police squad on a mission to uncover a major corporate conspiracy. Play as Lt. Hannah Stone, a hardboiled Hong Kong cop, and plow through mercenaries, gang members and private military contractors in a spectacular cyberpunk adventure.

Cities: Skylines – Remastered – February 15
Game Pass

An award-winning, best-selling management game now remastered for Xbox Series X|S with all its robust city-simulation gameplay and unique charm along for the ride. Design, build, and manage the city of your dreams, from public services to civic policies, and challenge yourself to grow from a simple town to a bustling metropolitan hub. Available on Cloud and Console.

Geometric Sniper - Blood in Paris Box Art

Geometric Sniper – Blood in Paris – February 15

As a sniper, you’ll have to pay attention to the details and find the perfect moment to shoot. Your targets know they are wanted and will try to hide in a variety of ways. Have the patience to establish a clear shot, memorizing the information for each mission.

Launcher Heroes – February 15
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A tactical, artillery, party game where you try to knock your opponents off the world. Use an assortment of items such as bombs, rockets, and jetpacks to help you navigate and destroy the terrain. Play locally or online (up to 6 players in total) in a variety of game modes.

Pocket Witch – February 15
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A little witch has been locked away in a dungeon filled with traps and deadly roving enemies — and it’s up to you to help her escape! Pocket Witch is a precision platformer presented in retro pixel art style, where the little titular witch must overcome a series of brainteasing challenges to thwart the evil sorcerer who imprisoned her.

W.A.R.P. – February 15

Face inertia, acceleration, and gravity in a challenge that requires pinpoint accuracy. Use each weapon and even the space hazards to your advantage and face the most difficult trials across three different modes: Adventure, Landing, and Survival (Arena) for different challenges!

Gigantosaurus: Dino Kart – February 16
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Race around Cretacia in a prehistoric kart championship for up to 4 players of all ages, where you can play as your favorite dino friends and even bump into the mysterious Giganotosaurus himself! Outrun dangers like hot lava eruptions from Mount Oblivion or feel the power of the famous Giganotosaurus Roar. Charge through the pack by picking up special skills that give you a shortcut, or a jetpack-powered boost… or a way to knock out your rivals.

Pinball FX – February 16
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Discover brand new exclusive tables created for Pinball FX, or find your favorites among more than 80 unique and visually enhanced favorites from Zen’s extensive digital pinball library. Relive the most iconic moments from entertainment powerhouses like Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Marvel, Universal Studios, and many more. Enjoy accurate re-creations of the most famous pinball machines of all time with Williams Pinball, or have fun with Zen’s original creations.

Shadow Warrior 3: Definitive Edition Box Art

Shadow Warrior 3: Definitive Edition – February 16
Game Pass

Trek across a mythic Asian land infused with the magic and technology of ancient samurai, now overrun by the demonic yokai from Japanese folklore. Experience the Definitive Edition of Shadow Warrior 3 with tons of new features and modes with fast-paced gunplay, razor-sharp melee combat, and a spectacular free-running movement system. Available on Cloud, Console, and PC.

CometStriker DX – February 17
Xbox Play Anywhere

An arcade action shooter featuring dodging, strategic power-ups, and intense boss fights! A world devouring, living space station has set its sights on your planet. Help Lt. Comet Striker on his journey to recover the Ancient Power Cores from various worlds to power the Planetary Defense Cannon, his world’s only hope against this cosmic menace!

CyberHeroes Arena DX – February 17
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Choose your robot, create your build, and destroy all cyber monsters to survive in this mecha-themed rougelite. Collect money to buy skills and items to complete missions and unlock other playable robots.

Dark Burial: Enhanced Edition – February 17
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A retro-styled puzzle platformer where you play as a sentinel who must fight his way through enemies and light signal fires, warning people that a dark army that is fast approaching. The Enhanced Edition includes 8 new levels, 1 new boss, partially improved graphics and gameplay.

Rise of the Fox Hero – February 17 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A colorful 3D platformer with fun combat and puzzle elements. Armed with a sword and a shield, you will help the fox jump, fight, and solve puzzles throughout four different chapters and 32 different levels. Explore colorful and beautiful environments and find all the collectibles while battling tons of different enemies. And beware — by the end of each chapter, an epic boss fight awaits!

Road Stones – February 17

Become the savior in this action-packed strategy combining arcade and strategy gameplay inspired by the tower defense genre. Stop the hordes of undead monsters whose sole aim is to destroy any living thing. Can you be the brave and bold hero that is desperately needed in this monster-infested kingdom?

Rooftop Renegade – February 17

An action platformer all about speed and flow. Evade capture by navigating through futuristic skyscrapers, channeling powerful abilities from your hover blades. Boost through levels under constant bombardment, avoid dangerous hazards and make split second decisions that mean the difference between a new personal best or total wipeout.

Tales of Symphonia Remastered – February 17

Dive back into Tales of Symphonia, an exciting and beloved action RPG, now with enhanced graphics and improved gameplay! In a dying world, legend has it that a Chosen One will one day rise from amongst the people and the land will be reborn. The line between good and evil blurs in this epic adventure where the fate of two interlocked worlds hangs in the balance. Follow the journey of Lloyd Irving as he and his friends try to save both worlds.

Wild Hearts – February 17
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Experience a unique twist on the hunting genre where technology gives you a fighting chance against fearsome beasts infused with the ferocious power of nature itself. Take on these creatures alone or hunt with friends in seamless co-op. Pre-order the Karakuri Edition to receive six pre-order exclusive items, the Ferocious Kemono Emote, and five Chat Stamps.

Xbox Celebrates Super Bowl LVII with a Week Full of Activities, Community Engagement, and Fun

Enthusiast Gaming, EA Sports, Nike, and the Arizona Cardinals partnered with Xbox to deliver incredible gaming experiences and to give back to the community.

Here at Xbox, we love sports just about as much as we love video games. In commemoration of Super Bowl LVII, Xbox partnered with Enthusiast Gaming, TurboTax, EA Sports, Nike, and the Arizona Cardinals to celebrate the gaming and the sports community.

As part of these activities, Xbox joined with Enthusiast Gaming on the season finale of NFL Tuesday Night Gaming during their All-Star Game to reveal that Madden NFL 23 is coming to The Play list on February 9.

Xbox is committed to amplifying representation in sports and gaming. On February 8, Microsoft, Nike, EA Sports, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and the Arizona Cardinals joined forces with the Phoenix Union School District at Camelback high school to host “Field the Future,” a community event focused on inspiring local youth around their shared love of football. In all, it was an exciting week full of activities, community engagement, and fun. Learn more about all the week’s activities below.

Madden NFL 23 drops into The Play list on February 9

Are you ready for some football?! Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members with EA Play can now hit the gridiron with Madden NFL 23 as it drops into The Play list… today! What better way to get excited for the Big Game than taking your favorite NFL team on the virtual field and seeing if you can guide them to the championship. Or if you’re throwing a party, make Madden NFL 23 the centerpiece of your get-together while stuffing your face full of chips and queso. Celebrate with a limited-time reward for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members by giving your Ultimate Team a boost with the EA Play Supercharge Pack — just head to the Game Pass Ultimate Perks page between February 9, 2023, and March 9, 2023, to claim the pack (terms and conditions here). Requires Madden NFL 23 (sold separately), all game updates, internet connection, and an EA account.

Madden NFL 23’s all-new FieldSense gameplay system on Xbox Series X|S delivers consistent, ultra-realistic gameplay and gives players much more control at every position, resulting in competitive WR and DB battles, skill-based passing attacks, and more. Beyond the gameplay, you can call the shots in Franchise mode with free agency and trade logic updates and assemble the most powerful roster in all of Madden NFL Ultimate Team. Learn more here about Madden NFL 23.

Xbox and TurboTax join Enthusiast Gaming for NFL Tuesday Night Gaming All-Star Game

NFL Tuesday Night Gaming All-Star Game Asset

NFL Tuesday Night Gaming (NFL TNG) is the only place to watch popular gaming content creators and NFL stars from all 32 NFL teams compete live in your favorite video games. NFL TNG was created in partnership between the National Football League and Enthusiast Gaming to attract younger audiences to the NFL by connecting the worlds of gaming and sports. Featuring epic Madden NFL show matches, nail-biting Fortnite battles, obstacle course chaos in Fall Guys, acrobatic game-winning goals in Rocket League, and more!

Earlier this week, fan favorite talent from season one competed in a series of epic live matchups (you can see an archive of the livestream even here). As presenting sponsors of the All-Star Game, Xbox and TurboTax were on hand with the Xbox Series X and Series S, announcing that Madden NFL 23 will be available in The Play list for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members starting on February 9.

Also, starting on January 31, be on the lookout for TurboTax banner ads on Xbox for a chance to win exclusive prize packages including custom Madden NFL 23 Xbox Series X|S consoles and more!

Field the Future

In the background of one the biggest sporting events on the planet in Super Bowl LVII, EA Sports Madden NFL, Microsoft, Nike, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and the Arizona Cardinals showed the power of football to bring people together by hosting the Field the Future event in collaboration with the Phoenix Union School District at Camelback High School with a focus on empowering local youth within the Hispanic and Latino communities and beyond.

The Field the Future event united some of the biggest brands in sport around a shared mission to give back to the local community welcoming the global NFL family into their city, while also inspiring the next generation through a day of meaningful experiences around the love of football.

Thanks again to our partners at Enthusiast Gaming, TurboTax, EA Sports, Nike, and the Arizona Cardinals in celebrating the gaming and the sports community with us.

Madden NFL 23 Xbox Series X|S

Electronic Arts

☆☆☆☆☆
586

★★★★★

$69.99

$20.99

Get it now

Introducing the FieldSENSE™ Gameplay System in Madden NFL 23

Providing the foundation for consistent, ultra-realistic gameplay, and available on Xbox Series X|S Madden NFL 23’s new FieldSENSE™ Gameplay System equips players with more control at all positions in every mode. FieldSENSE leverages animation branching technology and a suite of new user control mechanics for a seamless gameplay flow with authentic results on every play.

360° Cuts
Whether you’re a running back, wide receiver after the catch, or returning a kick, new 360° Cuts give you the freedom and fluidity as the ball-carrier to hit the gaps you want to hit, plant-and-go, and elude defenders to break more big plays.

Skill-Based Passing
Lead your receivers open, drop back-shoulder throws into tight windows, and place every pass where only your receiver can catch it with surgical accuracy thanks to this all-new way to pass. New skill-based passing introduces an accuracy reticle and passing meter.

Hit Everything
Redefining defensive pursuit, new Hit Everything mechanics let you be more disruptive on defense. New animation branching technology in Madden NFL 23 enables next-gen Hit-Stick physics so you can perform mid-air knockouts, hit the pile to assist in tackles already in progress, blow up blocks, and force turnovers with stand up tackles.

Face of the Franchise: The League
The League drops you into your fifth NFL season at a skill position of your choice (QB, WR, RB, CB, MLB) and you’re seeking a fresh start with a new team. Negotiate a one-year “prove-it” contract with one of 32 NFL teams and show out with great on-field performance to earn rewards and level up. New position-specific mechanics brought to life by FieldSENSE* and player-focused cameras bring you closer to the action and add to gameplay depth by allowing you to dominate every snap, from anywhere on the field. The addition of New Drive Goals and Drive Summaries allow you to tweak your experience throughout a game and get feedback and rewards based on how well you play. Get performance boosts from weekly activities and training between games while Madden Ratings Adjustor Chad Johnson guides your career development by providing ratings updates as you strive for the highest level of prestige on your Road to 99. Will your NFL career rank among the all-time greats? It’s up to you.

Franchise
Utilize refined scouting, staff management, and weekly strategy features to take your Franchise to the top. New athlete motivations like team location and salary demands factor into contract negotiations and add to the drama of NFL free agency. Updated Trade Logic AI represents the value of star players more accurately for fair and more realistic offers.

Madden Ultimate Team
Develop your dream roster of current NFL superstars, Hall of Fame legends, and more. Always have something to play for with the first-ever Field Pass challenge and reward tracker in Madden Ultimate Team. Play to earn MUT Champions entry tokens and compete at your convenience. Simplified Set building lets you navigate your content binder more effectively so you can focus on improving your Ultimate Team roster all season.

This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items, including a random selection of virtual in-game items.

CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS APPLY. SEE https://www.ea.com/games/madden-nfl/madden-nfl-23/buy/offer-disclaimers FOR DETAILS.

Madden NFL 23 Xbox One

Electronic Arts

☆☆☆☆☆
398

★★★★★

$59.99

$17.99

Get it now

Play your way into the history books in Madden NFL 23!

Control your impact with every decision in all-new ways. Call the shots in Franchise with free agency and trade logic updates, play your way into the history books in Face of the Franchise: The League, and assemble the most powerful roster in all of Madden Ultimate Team™.

Face of the Franchise: The League
The League drops you into your fifth NFL season at a skill position of your choice (QB, WR, RB, CB, MLB) and you’re seeking a fresh start with a new team. Negotiate a one-year “prove-it” contract with one of 32 NFL teams and show out with great on-field performance to earn rewards and level up. The addition of New Drive Goals and Drive Summaries allow you to tweak your experience throughout a game and get feedback and rewards based on how well you play. Get performance boosts from weekly activities and training between games while Madden Ratings Adjustor Chad Johnson guides your career development by providing ratings updates as you strive for the highest level of prestige on your Road to 99. Will your NFL career rank among the all-time greats? It’s up to you.

Franchise
Plan and strategize like an NFL head coach with refined scouting, staff management, and weekly strategy features to take your Franchise to the top. New athlete motivations like team location and salary demands factor into contract negotiations and add to the drama of NFL free agency within Franchise. Updated Trade Logic AI represents the value of star players more accurately for fair and more realistic offers.

Madden Ultimate Team
Develop your dream fantasy roster of current NFL superstars, Hall of Fame legends, and more. Always have something to play for with the first-ever Field Pass challenge and reward tracker in Madden Ultimate Team. Play to earn MUT Champions entry tokens and choose to compete at your convenience. Simplified Set building lets you navigate your content binder more effectively so you can focus on improving your Ultimate Team roster all season.

This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items, including a random selection of virtual in-game items.

CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS APPLY. SEE https://www.ea.com/games/madden-nfl/madden-nfl-23/buy/offer-disclaimers FOR DETAILS.

Calling all Pilots: SD Gundam Battle Alliance comes to Xbox Game Pass!

Are you ready for intense, multiplayer mechanized combat? SD Gundam Battle Alliance is now available on Xbox Game Pass for you to push your pilot skills to the next level. Do battle in this action RPG where you take control of various Mobile Suits from the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise. Play with AI or squad up with 2 of your friends to smash foes head-on as you explore a brand new story featuring many familiar faces!

Correct A False World

The G-Universe needs help! Lead a 3-unit squad to correct this distorted timeline and repair the broken history. Along the way, you’ll be able to team up with Mobile Suits and pilots across the Gundam franchise and build the true Battle Alliance. It’s up to you to right the wrong history.

Customize Your Mobile Suit

Completing missions earns you Capital – allowing you to level up your suits and increase the stats that fit your playstyle. Additionally, you can swap parts to enhance various stats to further make your favorite Mobile Suit truly yours.

Screenshot of upgrade screen from SD Gundam Battle Alliance

Launch Into Battle With Friends

Get extra assistance in missions from friends! Multiplayer allows you to play with up to 2 other players to form a 3-person team. Experience intense action with your friends and create the best team to take on foes. Venturing the battlefield is always more enjoyable with friends to back you up!

SD Gundam Battle Alliance multiplayer screenshot

Featured Mobile Suit Gundam Series

Obtain Mobile Suits from different Gundam series and grab your favorite unit.

Mobile Suit Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team
Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt
Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack Beltorchika’s Children

Available Now

SD Gundam Battle Alliance brings Mobile Suits and characters across the Mobile Suit Gundam universe into one all-action RPG where you must rewrite the G: Universe and correct history. Build the Battle Alliance that stands the test of time and history with friends or solo.

SD Gundam Battle Alliance is available NOW on the Xbox Game Pass. We await you in the G: Universe, Pilots!

SD GUNDAM BATTLE ALLIANCE

Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆
205

★★★★★

$59.99

$47.99

Get it now

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

In SD Gundam Battle Alliance, Mobile Suits and characters from across Mobile Suit Gundam history take center stage in this all-new action RPG.

• A Battle Alliance to Correct a False World
The story takes place in G: Universe, a world where Gundam canon twists and turns in ways no one can predict.
To correct this world’s distorted history, the player leads a 3-unit squadron consisting of Mobile Suits and pilots from across Gundam history – a true Battle Alliance.
What Awaits Beyond False History…

• Combo action with stunning visuals and dynamic animation
Indulge in a wide array of Mobile Suit weaponry to crush many foes with! Control Mobile Suits portrayed with realistic weathering that showcases them as weapons of war as they tear across the battlefield with dynamic animations.

• Strange phenomena known as Breaks are twisting legendary moments from Gundam history, and you’re in charge to fix them.
Experience Gundam history’s most famous scenes as you develop new Mobile Suits to add to your arsenal. Gather Capital and expansion parts to transform your favorite machine into the ultimate MS.

• Tackle missions with friends in multiplayer!
Launch into battle with 2 partners to back you up. In multiplayer, you can play through the game with up to 2 other players in a 3-person team. Enjoy this new SD Gundam action RPG solo, or with friends.

• Featured Series
Mobile Suit Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team
Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt
Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack Beltorchika’s Children
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn
Mobile Suit Gundam F91
Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam
Mobile Suit V Gundam
Mobile Fighter G Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
After War Gundam X
Turn A Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Astray
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED VS Astray
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny
Mobile Suit Gundam 00
Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie -Awakening of the Trailblazer-
Reconguista in G
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans
Musha Knight Command: SD Gundam Scramble

How Clash: Artifacts of Chaos Uses Traditional Techniques to Look Like an Animated Illustration

Video games can use many different styles to create a unique look and feel. For Clash: Artifacts of Chaos, we knew from the beginning that we wanted to use a very colorful and non-realistic one for many reasons: to set it apart from other games in the genre, to allow us to stylize and exaggerate the animation and color palette, and to approximate the illustrations and punk-fantasy art that inspired the creation of the world in the first place.

Stylized rendering is a powerful tool that highlights that “What to draw?” and “How to draw it?” are two different questions. This is the third time we have visited the surreal world of Zenozoik and its primitive humanoid animal inhabitants, but it is the first time we are approaching the “how to draw it” with a really different technique!

There are many ways we could have gone, and we tested several different styles before landing on the one we used. By choosing what to simplify and what to exaggerate, you get very different effects. One of the more interesting styles we tested was a painterly thick brushstroke look (above). It allowed very expressive shapes, a messy almost impressionistic look, and was certainly very different.

We eventually decided against this style because of the excessive simplification it produced: our artists always wanted to add more small details to characters and environments, details which would not really shine in this impressionistic style.

The rendering style we ended up going for is called hatching, or crosshatching. It is a drawing style that creates shading and conveys lighting by drawing closely spaced lines. The closer the lines are together, the darker the area will appear. This style is often used in traditional drawings, illustrations, and comic books, and gives the artwork a hand-drawn look. This technique allowed us to achieve an illustrated style while still preserving detail.

By separating the lighting information and conveying light intensity and detail mostly with the ink pencil linework, we can treat color as a separate layer. This allows us to use more artificial color schemes which would look strange in a realistic rendering style but feel consistent with the look of an illustration. Violet and orange skies, characters with blue or yellow skin, orange dirt, cyan and green mineral deposits in the mountain walls… we intentionally use saturated colors, or color combinations hard to find in nature to convey this is a different world.

One of the main challenges to make the hatching style work was to make sure that it worked at different distances and different levels of detail. It is not just drawing lines on the surfaces, because what works for small details up close might not work for a mountain at a distance. Also some features must be preserved more carefully, like character eyes which are a focus point and must always remain well defined and sharp. The linework needs to be consistent to seem like it was all done with the same tool.

Finally, while we have designed a very specific look for the game, we still chose to enable configuration options for players to personalize the look. Players can choose a cleaner look or add and remove effects. We even left in a comic book inspired black and white mode, which is not ideal for readability, but is still very cool to play with!

Clash: Artifacts of Chaos will be released on March 9 and is available now for pre-order on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. If you are interested in keeping track of all future news, devs blogs and trailers, don’t hesitate to follow us on Twitter or join our official Discord server.

Clash: Artifacts of Chaos

Nacon

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Apex Legends – Revelry Shakes Up the Party with an Anniversary Celebration and New Season of Content

Summary

Team Deathmatch – 6 vs. 6 (two 3-person squads per team).
Remastered Legend Classes and Perks – five classes each with special benefits.
Nemesis Burst Assault Rifle – Energy class assault rifle with auto trigger and burst fire.

Other words for “revelry” are partying, festivities, merrymaking… and that’s exactly what you can expect from this season of Apex Legends. In the four years since launch, it has steadily flourished with new Legends, weapons, maps, seasons, and more. But with the Revelry update on February 14, this may be one of the most significant years for Apex Legends yet.

Team Deathmatch Replaces Arenas

I was disappointed to hear that Arenas mode is being removed from the game (it’s one of my personal favorites). But in its place, Respawn is bringing Team Deathmatch (TDM) to the game. This iconic game mode will feature 6-player teams competing for the first-to-30 kills in best-of-three matches. You can team up with two friends (or autofill) and join another team of three to battle it out against two other teams of three across Skull Town, Party Crashers, and Habitat 4.

In addition, Apex Legends is getting a Mixtape mode in March, which is a persistent playlist of TDM and fan-favorite limited time modes from previous seasons on a rotating cycle. Team Deathmatch and Mixtape will not have a ranked mode (at least for now). Speaking of ranked modes and map rotations, Ranked Battle Royale will feature a map rotation this season, another longtime fan-requested feature.

Remastered Legend Classes and Perks

One of the biggest reveals from a recent hands-on preview event is that Legends will now be assigned to one of five classes while retaining their individual abilities. The developers discussed how players weren’t selecting Legends based on their roles, largely because the class structure wasn’t impactful enough. This disparity ultimately led to the overhaul of the entire core class system.

The way this will work after the Revelry update is that each class will receive a specific benefit (perk); this will be available to all Legends in that class. Some perks will be similar to abilities that exist in the game today, like supply bins with special compartments and scanning for the next ring location. Others will be new and potentially game-changing, like revealing enemy player locations on the map and crafting fallen teammate banners in the Replicator. This redesign is intended to benefit teams with a blend of offensive and defensive classes and Legends.

Nemesis Burst Assault Rifle

Designed to compete with the R-301 and the Flatline assault rifles, the Nemesis Burst Assault Rifle is a hybrid between the Hemlock and Havoc. It fires a four-round burst with each pull of the trigger, but holding the trigger engages the Auto Trigger function, repeating burst fire automatically. The longer the trigger pull, the shorter the time between bursts until it’s firing like a fully automatic weapon. It’s very powerful and I expect to see a lot of players using it.

Other weapon changes coming this season will include the return of the Rampage Light Machine Gun to the battlefield, and the Volt Submachine Gun and Longbow DMR will be available to craft on the Replicator. Additionally, shotguns are getting some much-needed upgrades. The Peacekeeper and Mastiff can now equip tactical stocks to improve reload speed, handling, and aim drift, plus a gold shotgun bolt will be available, improving rate of fire and the added ability of reloading automatically when you slide.

**The Top Three Things I’m Most Excited for in Apex Legends Revelry**

Recovering Ally Banners (Even When Expired) – Of all the new class perks revealed during the preview event, this was the one that excited me the most. Support Legends (Loba, Lifeline, Gibraltar, and Newcastle) will be able to craft teammates’ banners from a Replicator for 30 units of material, even if their Banner Card on their death box has expired. You’ll still need to use one of the stationary or mobile Respawn Beacons to respawn your teammates, but hopefully this change encourages fallen players to stick around for a chance to rejoin the fight.

Care Package Weapon – Learning the Hemlock Assault Rifle will be part of the Care Package this season was a bit of a surprise since it isn’t one of the more popular weapons – but it’s one of my personal favorites and this augmented version is devastating in combat. It boasts increased damage, especially with headshots, plus it’s equipped with the boosted loaded feature. It’s pretty awesome.

New Player Experience – I applaud Respawn for improving the onboarding of new players by implementing measures to help them learn the game. Recruits will have to complete a number of orientation matches against a battlefield comprised mostly of bots before access to the public servers will be available. Also, new recruits can earn an Apex 101 badge for completing 10 challenges designed to introduce core gameplay mechanics. While these innovative measures will help welcome newcomers into the game, it will also help experienced players be matched up with competent battle-ready teammates.

As with every new Apex Legends season, Revelry will feature a new Battle Pass complete with Legend and weapon skins, gun charms, banner frames, and emotes. Each of the maps is getting a celebratory makeover with colorful banners decorating the buildings and Chibi balloons of the Legends brightening the sky. Best of all, the return of the Mirage Voyage. Let the Revelry begin!

Apex Legends is a free-to-play shooter available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Be sure to check out everything included in the new Revelry season when it launches on February 14. And if you’re an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member, don’t forget to redeem your perks and grab the Arc of Gold Weapon Charm available for a limited time with your monthly EA Play Rewards.

“It’s Hard as Hell, But It’s Fair”: The Callisto Protocol Gets a Free Hardcore Mode

The Callisto Protocol was already an unforgiving experience, tasking you with escaping Black Iron Prison amid an outbreak that turns its denizens into horrific biophages – but now it’s offering its sternest challenge yet. As part of a free update, Striking Distance Studios has introduced Hardcore Mode – and I caught up with Creative Director Ben Walker to dive into the new horrors it brings.

“It’s right there in the name – Hardcore Mode is just plain hardcore,” Walker begins. “We designed The Callisto Protocol to be tough, and with this new mode, we’re giving fans of really brutal gameplay a whole new level of challenge to master.

“We’re dramatically lowering the number of enemy drops, giving enemies more attacking power, shortening the time it takes for creatures to mutate, and giving items less resale value at the Reforge to make resources even tighter. We’re also reducing the damage doled out by the Stun Baton while making GRP charges more expensive.

“We’re also adding three new achievements for players who have what it takes to survive Hardcore Mode. But don’t say we didn’t warn you.”

Hardcore modes are a big part of the survival horror scene – in a genre all about getting through the experience against all odds, it’s perhaps no surprise that the most committed players want those odds made even harder. But even Striking Distance was surprised by how proficient those players could be:

“Hardcore Mode has been on the roadmap for a while,” Walker says, “but after launch, we were blown away by the number of people that were actually beating the game on the Maximum Security mode [previously the toughest difficulty level] – it validated the concept, and we’re thrilled to give it to players. We didn’t pull any punches here, so we think it’ll offer our hardcore players a hardcore challenge.”

But that’s not say this was simply a case of making the game a one-death game over experience. Striking Distance concentrated on how to make this notably different to Maximum Security mode, without simply adding a more artificial barrier. That means fewer ammo and health drops, reduced contraband value, and enemies even more keen to take you down:

“A lot of other hardcore modes are focused on permadeath,” Walker explains. “We wanted to lean more into the turning and creating scarcity for items. This mode is all about pushing players’ skills to the limits […] It’s hard as hell, but it’s fair, and it’s a pretty awesome accomplishment for those that can get through it.”

That begs the question: how many people at the studio have actually managed to beat their own Hardcore Mode?

“We’ve spent hundreds of hours playtesting the game, so lots of people around the studio have beaten the game on Hardcore Mode,” says Walker, “but I’ve still found myself sweating during some of the encounters. Especially with Two Head. I haven’t thrown my controller yet, but I’ve come close once in a while. Beating it always feels like an accomplishment.”

But one key question remains: will you be able to beat it? Find out today.

Hardcore Mode is a free update, available today, for The Callisto Protocol on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. Also out today is the Outer Way Skin Collection, the first of four DLC drops, available as part of the game’s Season Pass and sold separately. The Callisto Protocol Season Pass is on sale, with 20% off, until February 13.

The Callisto Protocol™ for Xbox Series X|S – Digital Deluxe Edition

KRAFTON, Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆
1211

★★★★★

$89.99

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In this narrative-driven, third-person survival horror game set 300 years in the future, the player will take on the role of Jacob Lee – a victim of fate thrown into Black Iron Prison, a maximum-security penitentiary located on Jupiter’s moon, Callisto. When inmates begin to transform into monstrous creatures, the prison is thrown into chaos. To survive, Jacob must battle his way to safety to escape Black Iron Prison, while uncovering the dark and disturbing secrets buried beneath the surface of Callisto. Using a unique blend of shooting and close-quarters combat, Jacob will need to adapt his tactics to combat the rapidly evolving creatures while scavenging to unlock new weapons, gear, and abilities to outrun the growing threat and escape the horrors of Jupiter’s Dead Moon.

HORROR ENGINEERING
The Callisto Protocol is a next-generation take on survival horror from the mind of Glen Schofield. Blending atmosphere, tension, and brutality with terrifying moments of helplessness and humanity, The Callisto Protocol immerses players in a pulse-pounding story where unspeakable horrors lurk around every corner.

UNCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNITED JUPITER COMPANY
Set on Jupiter’s dead moon Callisto in the year 2320, The Callisto Protocol casts players as Jacob Lee, an inmate in Black Iron Prison. When a mysterious outbreak throws the moon into chaos, Jacob must face his darkest fears to defeat the bloodthirsty creatures that stalk him as he unravels the dark mysteries at the heart of the powerful United Jupiter Company.

MASTER BRUTAL, STRATEGIC COMBAT
The Callisto Protocol challenges players to master a thrilling blend of hand-to-hand and ranged combat, including a unique gravity weapon once used by Black Iron guards to control the prison population. Players will be forced to get up close and personal with their grotesque opponents, hacking off limbs, blasting off legs, and getting creative with whatever is at their disposal to survive each life-or-death encounter.

EXPERIENCE THE ISOLATION OF JUPITER’S DEAD MOON
One of the most hostile, isolated environments in the universe, Callisto looms large over Jacob’s desperate struggle to survive. Players must not only contend with the horrors of Black Iron Prison, but also the centuries-old secrets that plague Jupiter’s long-dead moon, both above and below the surface.

Pre-order now to get the following digital content:
– Retro Prisoner Character & Weapons Skin
– Season Pass

The Season Pass includes:

Outer Way Skin Collection: Bear the armor of the Outer Way, an underground insurgency pitted against the UJC, as you fight to survive the horrors of Callisto.

Contagion Bundle: Discover the ultimate survival horror experience with a new mode, Contagion. With reduced ammo and health drops, a customized difficulty and permadeath – there are no second chances to escape Black Iron Prison or the horrors lurking beneath the surface of Callisto. The Contagion Bundle also includes thirteen new Jacob death animations and the Watchtower Skin Collection.

Riot Bundle: Venture into a previously undiscovered area of Black Iron Prison and battle through waves of brutal enemies. Gather credits to upgrade your weapons, or forge new ones, and survive the onslaught as long as you can in Riot, an all-new mode. The Riot Bundle also includes twelve new enemy death animations and the Engineer Skin Collection.

Story DLC: Dig deeper into the horrifying secrets of The Callisto Protocol.

The Callisto Protocol™ for Xbox Series X|S

KRAFTON, Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆
1156

★★★★★

$69.99

Get it now