Inin kicks off the holiday season with a bang! After releasing Air Twister digitally on Xbox in November, Inin surprises their retro game fans with the much-anticipated ports of their catalogue to Xbox Consoles! The first batch of ports includes some of its most precious gems, namely Pocky & Rocky: Reshrined, Ultracore, Clockwork Aquario, Panorama Cotton, Cotton 100% and the newly released Volume 1 of its IREM Collection. Since it’s the holiday season, most of these titles will be offered at a reduced price upon release. Relish in holiday joy by getting your hands on one (or all) of these Inin gems.

Pocky & Rocky Reshrined

The XBOX InInvasion starts off with the return of Pocky & Rocky! Known to retro fans as the timeless classic KiKiKaiKai, developed by the Japanese arcade giant Taito, Pocky & Rocky is a fantastic remake you can’t miss out on.

Pocky, a Shinto shrine maiden, befriends a tanuki named Rocky; and the two embark on a journey to defeat mythical Japanese creatures and save the world! This top-down scrolling shooter features improved graphics, sound and even a new playable character. With local co-op, you and a friend can embark on this nostalgic trip in feudal Japan together! Check out the new Xbox trailer here.

IREM Collection – Volume 1

Ready for a challenge? The Irem Collection brings back several Irem classics from the golden era of arcade gaming. Volume 1 kickstarts the collection with a serious challenge: Image Fight, Image Fight 2 and X-Multiply. With the former regarded as some of the toughest shoot ‘em ups of all time, test your skills to get featured on the Worldwide Ranked Leaderboard. And get spooked in X-Multiply, a shmup set inside the human body!

(Re)discover these cult classics in a modernized package, which includes save states and a rewind function.

Clockwork Aquario

From stuck in development hell to hitting the ground runnin’ in heaven—Clockwork Aquario is finally available for all to enjoy! After close to 30 years of bumpy development, Clockwork Aquario received the Guinness World Record for the longest time between the start of a video game project and its release—so it’s time to pay your respects to this legend!

In this fighting platformer, you get to pick up your enemies and throw them where you see fit to increase your score multiplier!  The game is also available in local coop, where you can collaborate to take down the nefarious Dr. Hangyo… or ruin each other’s day by fighting for the highest score.

Relive the nostalgia of the nineties in this beautiful and vibrant unearthed Gem.

Ultracore

If runnin’ and gunnin’ is your game, then Ultracore is your name. This love letter to classic 2D action offers large, elaborate stages with secrets hidden in every corner and a fistful of bosses to shoot at. Its original synthwave soundtrack is also the perfect accomplice to mass destruction. Start blasting, collect coins, buy new weapons and keep firing until the chamber’s empty.

Cotton 100%

It’s broomstick time! The cult-classic sidescrolling shooter that practically birthed the cute ’em up subgenre is available worldwide for the first time since its initial release in 1994. Play as the moody witch Nata de Cotton as she sets off with Silk, her new fairy friend, on a journey to confront the ever-increasing forces of darkness. Her objective? Stuff her face full of Willow candies, and maybe save the world in the process!

Panorama Cotton

Nata de Cotton and Silk are back for some 2.5D action in this classic rail shooter from the 90s. Evil is up to some new antics and started burning Cotton’s cherished Willow candies, an unforgivable deed for an addicted witch. Upgrade your weapons, avoid all obstacles and put an end to their nefarious plans, possibly saving a crazed Queen Velvet along the way!

As Inin goes into the new year, more titles will be made available on Xbox consoles. The InInvasion is just getting started!

The post Watch Out, the Xbox InInvasion Has Begun appeared first on Xbox Wire.

It started with a love triangle… 

Then, a BIG BANG. 

Now, as the universe expands, so does Feral Cat Den’s catalog! We’re excited to announce Nirvana Noir; the sequel to the acclaimed indie Genesis Noir. 

With a stunning art style, and a jazzy, addictive soundtrack, Genesis Noir stole our hearts when it launched back in 2021. Nirvana Noir adds color to the beautiful expanding Noir universe and even more jazzy tunes to enjoy. To share more about the sequel, we asked Evan Anthony, Creative Lead at Feral Cat Den, to shed some color on how it came together, and how it ties into the original Genesis Noir story. 

How does Nirvana Noir expand on the universe of Genesis Noir? 

Evan: Genesis Noir tells the story of the Big Bang: the birth of our universe, but also a gunshot fired in the heat of a cosmic love triangle. The player explores this universe from the first moments of creation, to the emergence of life in primordial oceans, the history and future of mankind, all the way up until the very last explosive moments of the Big Bang. Genesis Noir tells a story through the past, present, and future of our universe, but only briefly introduces the cosmic city in which this Big Bang was fired in. After completing Genesis Noir, we were left with so many questions about this city!  

What is it like to live in a city where a gunshot can create the entire universe? What is it like to walk down the streets, what would you find in a dark alley, what laws govern this place?  

What other characters might inhabit this strange world? What are they like, who do they love, what conflicts do they find themselves caught in? 

Nirvana Noir explores all these questions. While the streets of our home in New York City seem endless, a metaphysical metropolis where imagination embodies the unknown into steel girders and stomping feet and rioting crowds and alleyways filled with stellar bodies, well that seems unfathomably bigger! To expand the universe of Genesis Noir has been an exciting creative and technical challenge for our team, and we’re eager to see where it takes us. 

What role does the soundtrack play in Nirvana Noir, and is it as prominent in as it was in Genesis Noir? 

Evan: The soundtrack plays a similar role to the first game, definitely as prominent, interactive, and ‘sound-toy-y’. It’s like a character that plays a supportive role but then comes to the fore in various ways, sometimes quite unexpectedly. And like the first game, there are moments where the characters are holding various instruments and playing music. We’re so lucky to work on a game that draws attention to the music in this way. 

How does Nirvana Noir differ from Genesis Noir in gameplay mechanics? Is there anything new players can expect? 

Evan: We are still very interested in the tactile interactions, generative art, simple puzzles, and musical toys that we featured in Genesis Noir, but with Nirvana Noir we’re layering in a richer plot, larger environment to explore, and dialogue interactions. 

While in Genesis Noir, the player progressed through individual levels that featured bespoke interactions and settings, Nirvana Noir tells a story of conspiracy and intrigue interwoven throughout the city. Players will see how the different areas and characters in this cosmic city change as the plot unfolds. 

Players can expect a new dimension of gameplay through dialogue based interaction, which feature fun and bespoke ways of interacting with text. Players will cut up words, throw them around, dodge and break text blocks, and find truth hidden within word bubbles.  

What inspired you to bring full color to the highly recognizable and deliberately black-and-white noir universe? 

Evan: At the start of Genesis Noir development, we imagined the entirety of the game in black and white. But as we dove into the world and watched the characters take on a life of their own, we realised the themes of the game were drawing us to (spoilers) introduce color in the final act. Introducing vibrant color to the player after spending so much time in a world of black and white created a very memorable moment – No Man’s first and final decision in the game. To live a life of color and crime, or walk away into the monochromatic darkness. 

This decision became the two endings of Genesis Noir, and we were fascinated by the idea that both of these endings could be canon. Perhaps No Man chose the impossible, and found himself split in two realities. One world, his city drenched in rain and moonlit shadows in the vain of 1940s/50s classic film noir like The Third Man. The other a world of psychedelic color vibrating under the hot sun of 1960s/70s neo-noir films like The Long Goodbye. 

Contrasting these two palettes has provided us with lots of creative opportunities. Plus, we found out we missed working with color! 

Were there specific songs or artists that inspired the music or style of the game? 

Evan: The new period setting of the 60s/70s-inspired timeline allowed us to dig into a really exciting time in popular music. While there’s various strands of psychedelic pop music at play in the score, we’ve found that some of the darker material from that era best supports the mystery that No Man finds himself wrapped up in: The Doors, Velvet Underground, Love, Jefferson Airplane, some bits of Pink Floyd, and Silver Apples are a few of the artists we’ve been drawing from. There are some more obscure refs in there too but we’re actually finding the better-known artists are more useful to mine for period/genre tropes that resonate with the theme.  

For the 40s/50s timeline, we’re finding ourselves going backwards in order to contrast with the colourful 60’s timeline.  In the first game we were exploring Jazz influences that went right up to the 70s as No Man went on his trip through the universe. In Nirvana Noir, No Man is spending a lot more time pounding the streets, doing good ol’ gumshoe detective-work so we’re digging deeper into classic film noir soundtracks than we did on Genesis Noir. Bernard Hermann and Jerry Goldsmith are constant inspirations. 

What should players be most excited about in Nirvana Noir? 

Evan: Players should be jazzed about meeting new characters in a plot chock full of intrigue and mystery that culminates in a psychedelic climax. Explosions and arson! Drugs and drama! Lovers and corrupt cops! An exploration of the cosmic and metaphysical wrapped up in a raucous pulp exterior.  

They should also get ready for engaging interactions filled with the incredible music of IGF-winning Skillbard, all inside in a city of everlasting imagination. So buckle up, hit the streets, and embrace the Bigger Bang! 

The post Nirvana Noir: How Feral Cat Den Is Bringing A Sequel To Life In Glorious Technicolor  appeared first on Xbox Wire.

A chill descends from the frozen depths of the mountains in Midwinter Blight, giving the Diablo IV team the chance to get into the holiday spirit… and try something new.

From December 12 to January 2, cull savage Blightfiends and defend yourself from the Red-Cloaked Horror as your try to preserve any semblance of hope for the denizens of the Fractured Peaks. Midwinter Blight is our first limited-time event in Diablo IV, bringing something special to Sanctuary.

Chance to Experiment

In Diablo IV, players can enter Sanctuary through either the Seasonal or the Eternal realm. The Eternal realm is where evergreen challenges and core gameplay endures in Sanctuary. Many sweeping changes to the game affect and influence this world state.

Our Seasonal realm is where we introduce new Seasonal content, such as Midwinter Blight. The Seasonal realm gives us a chance to tinker and introduce new and exciting types of gameplay. Since the majority of seasonal specific gameplay doesn’t persist once the season is over—save for mechanics we may re-introduce in interesting ways—it gives us a broader reign to try new things without affecting the Eternal realm.

And now introducing: limited-time events. Similar to the Seasonal realm, these Events typically only affect a specific region for a much shorter duration of time relative to Seasons. This gives us even more free room to tinker and try new things.

The Magic of the Holidays in Midwinter Blight

Midwinter Blight introduces Gileon the bard, sadistic Blightfiends, macabre Frigid Husks, and the diabolical monstrous Goat fiend known as the Red-Cloaked Horror. These colorful and frightening aspects of Sanctuary only persist until the end of Midwinter Blight.

A Midwinter Blight gameplay-specific wrinkle lies in the Aspect of Dawn. This offensive Aspect is exclusive to the limited-time event; it increases your attack and movement speed for 12 seconds, and when empowered by the Midwinter Ward, reduces its cooldown by 1 second for every demon slain.

Additionally, the special Gileon’s Brew Elixir provides an additional XP boost (10% more than typical Elixirs) and works across Sanctuary, not just in the Fractured Peaks. These unique elements provide an extra boon to players…perhaps even a little magic of the Holidays?

Despite Gileon’s Brew and the Aspect of Dawn persisting past Midwinter Blight’s end, they have specific mechanics that rely on the location and gameplay elements in this limited-time event. 

Demons Just Want to Have Fun

While content like Abattoir of Zir is directed at the most intense of Diablo IV fans, limited-time events are available for players looking to explore Sanctuary for the first time and try something new. The overall gameplay loop is tighter, you can come away with some sweet cosmetics, and it’s not meant to be nearly as trying as a Level 100 Nightmare Dungeon.

Midwinter Blight arrives at a time in Season of Blood where players may be chasing after Uber Uniques or trying their hand at the Echo of Lilith. By scouring the land for Frigid Husks to dismantle and Blightfiends to slay, chasing after some holiday exclusives should be a great way to enjoy the season.

The Holidays are meant to be enjoyed, and what better way to do it than restoring the Hibernal Square in Kyovashad. We’ll share a flagon of Gileon’s Brew in Midwinter Square soon. Happy slaying!

Diablo® IV

Blizzard Entertainment

☆☆☆☆☆
634

★★★★★

Get it now

Diablo® IV is the next-gen action RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish Dungeons, and legendary loot. Embark on the campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through beautifully dark settings and a gripping story, or go rogue through an expansive End Game and shared world where players will meet in towns to trade, team up to battle World Bosses, or descend into PVP zones to test their skills against other players – no lobbies necessary – with cross-play and cross-progression on all available platforms.

This is only the beginning for Diablo® IV, with new events, stories, seasons, rewards, and more looming on the horizon.

Battle.net account required. Internet connection required.

For more information, please visit Diablo.com.

© 2023 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. Diablo, Diablo Immortal, World of Warcraft, and Blizzard Entertainment are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. in the U.S and/or other countries. All rights reserved.

The post Diablo IV: Limited-Time Events Bring the Holiday Fear in Midwinter Blight appeared first on Xbox Wire.

The Tekken team care a lot about their series’ story, proudly telling visitors to a recent hands-on preview that it holds the world record for the longest-running single story in video games. Beginning almost 30 years ago, the saga of the Mishima clan and the King of Iron Fist Tournament has taken many twists and turns (dropping family members into a volcano has never been more dramatic), and Tekken 8 promises the boldest, most cinematic version yet.

But Tekken 8 has a secret – it effectively contains two story modes this time, on very different subjects.

As you’d expect, the core new Story mode continues the tale of Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima, father and son rivals, each with literally devilish powers, and the creation of a new King of Iron Fist Tournament. And don’t worry, if you aren’t up to speed on how we got here (and there’s a lot to catch up on), you can watch digests of every story in the mainline Tekken games before you head in.

It’s clear that Bandai Namco are going all-in on Story this time around – this mode is more cinematic than ever before, with cutscenes weaving fights together seamlessly. And it wastes no time in getting up to speed – the story begins with Jin riding a motorcycle up a skyscraper, before throwing it at the helicopter Kazuya is riding.

Subtlety is not on the agenda for Tekken 8 and that’s no bad thing – in just four chapters, I took lead character Jin from a multi-stage battle against Kazuya (transforming into Devil Jin along the way), saw Kazuya shoot the world’s satellites out of the sky, and set up a tournament to decide not just who’s the strongest fighter, but which nations get to survive his superpowered onslaught. It’s gratifyingly over-the-top, and has a lot of fun with introducing characters old and new to spar with Jin along the way.

What surprised me more is that Tekken 8 effectively contains a whole other story mode in the form of Arcade Quest. This new mode is part-tutorial, part-story, and part challenge gauntlet, asking you to create a chibi-like avatar, and take them through a hyper-stylized take on the world of Tekken 8’s arcade scene. It’s a beautifully light-hearted affair, teaming you up with a group of would-be Tekken champions, fighting their way through increasingly tough opponents to the top of the game – and it also acts a paean to the shrinking arcade industry, recalling halcyon days hunched over coin-op machines.

It’s a perfect mode for newcomers to the game, offering useful tutorials on the game’s basic systems, its new Heat system (which offers one-per-round special attacks to create more aggressive battles), character customization, and more. It also introduces the new Super Ghost Battle mechanic, which sees an AI opponent learning your style of play across multiple modes, and offering fights that not only test your mettle, but could expose weaknesses in your game, helping you to improve organically through trial and error rather than pure guesswork.

As I say, it’s clear that the Tekken team care as much about their stories as their mechanics – which stay rooted in Tekken’s classic 3D fighter style, but make multiple changes to increase aggression and keep things spicy, from the new Heat system, to an increased focus on walls, destructibility and scene transitions. And for those who just want to immerse themselves in a story, the new Special Style Mode is the perfect assist. By tapping LB in any fight, your regular buttons become super-powered, performing combos and specials with much simpler inputs, and allowing you to see the best of your chosen character without having to become a master.

There’s much more I didn’t get to try in my time with the game – notably, including a mode that includes storylines for all 32 playable characters, offering even more story – but it’s already clear that Tekken 8 has many tales to tell.

TEKKEN 8

Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

The TEKKEN series is breaking into a new era!
The longest-running story in a video game franchise is coming back with state-of-the-art graphics and powerful new rivalries.
Stay tuned for TEKKEN 8!

The post Tekken 8 Is Going Big on Story… Twice appeared first on Xbox Wire.