#ESRB Rating System

[leaslichoma]

This scene from the 1992 videogame Night Trap was brought up in a senate hearing as supposedly promoting violence against women. This senate hearing later led to the creation of the ESRB. Night Trap was among the first video games to receive an 'M' rating. Do you think it really deserved it?

[lewisibarra1512]

It is my understanding, responsibility and knowledge that the ESRB as we know today is a complete joke. However, in order to combat this, I brought back the long-forgotten VRC Rating System (formerly created by SEGA of America) and replaced the dreaded E-10+ sign with a personal upgrade while gearing up for the upcoming Tears of the Kingdom: MA-13.

Debate me with all your might. I can handle it. ;)

[bunmallowish]

Okay. so I'm seeing the whole "InFold needs to up the age rating for LADS" discourse again.

Reminder, InFold does not control how their games are rated; most gaming devs don't; they go by a virtual gaming board. All InFold does is put in an application of the game and send that application out.

Then the game get reviewed and from there; it gets its rating. LADS in other countries is 18+ because those countries game rating system concludes it as such a rating.

Whatever ratings system is in your region; that's who you send the complaints too. If you really want to say or do something about the age rating for the safety of minors; start with reporting it to your region's rating board. Otherwise, this discourse is going nowhere, and the community keeps blaming and villainizing devs; who have no control over it.

Please, for the sake of clearing up misinformation and getting the ratings changed; report your concerns to the system that have the control to do something.

[sparklecareforrealjustice]

While I understand that kittycorn has the right to move the comic to 18+, when it comes to actual ratings I really feel like it would be pg-13/rated T. I’ve done a lot of research on rating systems and I’m very hyperfixated on it. So that’s why I feel this way (to clarify I am 20 years old.)

hey anon broski personally at this point does the rating really matter while the comic up to volume 4 could be 13+ in rating we simply dont know what is to come in future volumes (which what to come is why the 18+ rating) plus it could simply just be a case of kc is sick of interacting with minors (as often people will set their stuff to minors dni or 18+ only) so setting all her stuff up to 18+ gives her leeway and breathing room and considering the sex ending of v4 i believe that would be 17+/mature because it isnt suggestive but instead sexual content plus theres no say in the possible future of gore or violence (with prolongued scenes of violence and gore also being 18+) absolutely no offense to your hyperfixations of course hyperfixations are swaggy swagger 100 bro - uni

screenshots from the esrb site

[satoshi-mochida]

Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song Remastered International announced for PS5, PS4, and Switch - Gematsu

Red Art Games, in cooperation with Square Enix, has announced Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song Remastered International, a new edition of Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song Remastered with English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish localizations for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Switch. It will launch both physically and digitally in early 2025 in North America and Europe.

The physical edition will be available for PlayStation 5 and Switch in North America, and for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Switch in Europe. The standard edition will be available at multiple retailers at launch, while limited and collector’s editions will be exclusive to Video Games Plus in North America and RedArtGames.com in Europe.

Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song Remastered International will also be playable at Gamescom 2024, which will run from August 21 to 25 at Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany.

Get the details below.

■ Physical Special Editions

-Standard Edition

A copy of the game

Deluxe Edition (500 PEGI-rated copies per platform, RedArtGames.com-exclusive)

A copy of the game with a reversible cover

An exclusive sleeve with alternate cover art

A manual

A PVC keychain

Special Edition (500 ESRB-rated copies per platform, Video Games Plus-exclusive)

A copy of the game with a reversible cover

A PVC keychain

Collector’s Edition (1,000 PEGI-rated and 1,000 ESRB-rated copies per platform, RedArtGames.com-exclusive in Europe, Video Games Plus-exclusive in North America)

A copy of the game with a reversible cover

A box with retro-inspired cover art (Switch and PlayStation versions have different boxes)

A Steelcase

An artbook

A manual

Three postcards

■ Fact Sheet

About

The gods created man and man created stories. The primordial creator Marda brought forth the land of Mardias. In ages past a mighty battle rocked this land, when Elore, the king of the gods, fought three malicious deities: Death, Saruin and Schirach. After a long and drawn-out struggle, Death and Schirach were sealed away and rendered powerless, with the final deity Saruin also trapped through the power of the Fatestones and the noble sacrifice of the hero Mirsa. Now 1,000 years have passed since that titanic battle. The Fatestones lie scattered across the world and the gods of evil are resurgent once more. Eight heroes set off on their own journeys, as if guided by the hand of fate. What tales will these adventurers weave across the vast tapestry of Mardias? You are the only one who can decide! The original Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song included many of the SaGa series trademark elements, such as the Glimmer and Combo mechanics and was considered to be the epitome of the series when it first released. The free scenario system that lets you create your own storyline remains at the core of the game, letting you select one of eight protagonists with completely different origins and backstories, then set off on a unique journey. This remastered edition has evolved in all areas, featuring upgraded high-definition graphics and numerous enhancements to improve playability. And for the first time ever, the game will be fully playable in French, German, Italian, and Spanish. This makes it highly recommended for both fans of the original and newcomers to the SaGa series.

Key Features

Brand new localization in French, German, Italian, and Spanish. (English also included.)

Full high-definition graphical update.

Schiele, Marina, Monica, and Flammar can now be recruited.

Enhanced and more difficult bosses.

High speed mode.

Mini Maps.

New Game+ mode.

■ Staff Comments

Akitoshi Kawazu, SaGa Series General Director

“With the support of Red Art Games, we’re now able to release a new version of Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song Remastered that includes localization into French, German, Italian, and Spanish languages. We are finally able to grant this desire of our loyal fans! We know there’s a big SaGa fanbase and community in the west, so releasing a new localized edition of the game to more of our fans has long been a dream of mine. I hope to continue to fulfill the wishes of our fans, as well as creating opportunities for even more people to play the game.”

Masanori Ichikawa, SaGa Series Producer

“The opportunity for this release all began when Michael Binkowski (CEO, Red Art Games) and Romain Mahut (business development and communications manager, Red Art Games) contacted me directly. Thanks to them, a long-time dream of ours is coming true and I’m so grateful. From visiting the Red Art Games office in France to all the discussions we’ve had on this project, it’s been an amazing experience from start to finish, and I can’t wait for SaGa fans to get their hands on this beautiful game.”

Hiroyuki Miura, Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song Remastered Producer

“Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song Remastered International is a title that allows players to enjoy a great many of the characteristic mechanics of the SaGa series, including the Freeform Scenario system, Glimmer, and Combos. The addition of new localization into French, German, Italian, and Spanish is particularly impactful for the freeform scenario. Now, players globally will be able to experience the story on an even deeper level, in their native language. I’m excited for more people to discover the SaGa series thanks to the additional language support and the physical release of the game. I’m delighted to be partnering with Red Art Games on this collaboration.”

View a new set of screenshots and box arts at the gallery.

[shrimpmandan]

I honestly fucking hate when antis bring up that fiction DOES affect reality as a counterargument to proshippers bc the thing is they’re not even technically wrong. Fiction and reality are inherently intertwined on some level. For example, fiction often depicts the ideals and standards of the time, or the creator’s lived experience. Fiction can impact reality in the form of individual people, both positively and negatively. For example, a propaganda cartoon vs an educational cartoon. The thing is, antis refuse to acknowledge that the “fiction =/= reality” argument (in the context of proshippers using it) is a direct response to the incorrect assertion that fiction will make people act against their morals. This can be about anything from “incest/abuse/age gap relationships in fiction will normalize it irl”, “video games cause shootings”, “porn causes violence”, or any other amount of honestly baseless and reactionary assertions about the world.

I see propaganda brought up a lot, which is especially frustrating, because antis don’t understand how propaganda works. Propaganda is not something that you watch and suddenly, you’re racist. Funnily enough, propaganda on its own isn’t particularly persuasive or logical in how it’s presented-- it’s just manipulative. Propaganda specifically takes advantage of preconceived ideas, fears, and prejudices-- for example, anti-gay propaganda would play into the idea of gay men being predatory, deviant, and mentally disordered, because that was already the general consensus of the time. Propaganda, by nature, plays into existing emotions, or preys on the human fear of the unfamiliar. This is why the best combatant to propaganda is education.

You can apply this same thing to taboo fiction, violent video games, and violent porn. You could make the argument that these things could have negative influences on children, seeing as they’re much more impressionable and may have a harder time distinguishing between fiction and reality, but the bottom line is kids are not the target audience for any of these things. They are not supposed to be viewing NSFW writings, videos, or games. We already have things like ESRB ratings, “are you 18?” verification checks (as paper thin as they may be), and tagging systems in place for the express purpose of deterring kids (or parents of kids) from seeing something that aren’t meant for them. After a certain point, you really just have to place the responsibility on the parent for either not monitoring their children, or being careless about what kind of content they consume. Aka: NOT the fault of the adults who make or enjoy violent or explicit media.

Going back to propaganda for a minute, with taboo fiction in particular (incest, age gap, etc.), it’s already, y’know, taboo. Meaning people are actively discouraged from participating in, or even just talking about it, since things like incest and pedophilia are already largely considered immoral. Most Western citizens would agree that irl abusive relationships, rape, and the like, are all immoral. So why would reading about it suddenly make them go against the entire worldview and moral upbringing they had? That’d be utterly absurd! However, if someone who was already considering or apologetic towards something like pedophilia were to consume media depicting it positively, it might, and I repeat, MIGHT have a chance to influence them into actually committing an offense. And even then, any evidence of that is extremely flimsy.

There’s been a small handful of IRL cases around fiction and reality. One that comes to mind is the murder trial of Scott Dyleski, wherein the prosecutor asserted that the Invader Zim episode Dark Harvest inspired Dyleski to commit murder. However, this statement was hardly backed up with any kind of proof, and in my opinion, is a weak argument on the prosecution’s end. There just isn’t any psychological evidence that makes a strong connection between dark/violent/explicit media and moral degradation, and while there have been studies done surrounding things like “do video games cause violence?” and “is porn making young men misogynistic rapists?”, these studies either came back inconclusive or even outright stating that no, these things do not lead directly to IRL violence. Simply googling “do video games cause violence?” or “does porn cause violence?” will yield countless articles stating that there’s no strong link between the two things. And, at its core, this is what proshippers mean when they say that fiction =/= reality. To say that fiction is responsible for all of society’s ills, instead of the fact that fiction takes inspiration from the tragedies of the real world, is an absurd take.

Overall, I think I’m still happy with the “fiction =/= reality on a 1-to-1 level” wording that’s since replaced “fiction =/= reality”. It’s far less generalized and overall more difficult for antis to counter with actual evidence (which, let’s be honest, they barely use anyways), even though the only reason proshippers were using such a generalized statement to begin with was to counter another generalized statement: that taboo or violent fiction will always, or almost always, lead to irl crimes and normalization.

[demifiendrsa]

Black Myth: Wukong - "Confront Destiny" Trailer

Game Science has opened pre-orders for action RPG Black Myth: Wukong, as well as announced that the Xbox Series X|S version has been delayed to an unannounced date. The PlayStation 5 and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store) versions will launch on August 20 as previously planned.

“We are currently optimizing the Xbox Series X|S version to meet our quality standards, so it won’t release simultaneously with the other platforms,” Game Science. “We apologize for the delay and aim to minimize the wait for Xbox users. We will announce the release date as soon as it meets our quality standards.”

Key visual

Stills

Latest details

Latest Trailer

The new Black Myth: Wukong CG trailer showcased the game’s development progress as well as a glimpse into The Destined One’s legendary journey and the formidable challenges that lie before him. In addition, the developer will host behind-closed-door demos at the Summer Game Fest Play Days private event from June 8 to 10. The latest efforts are aimed at providing audiences with a deeper look into the game’s mysterious and rich world and how players will experience a unique offering through the eyes of a powerful Chinese hero.

About the Game

Black Myth: Wukong combines rich storytelling with stunning visuals and a unique take on the action RPG formula. Players will explore a fascinating realm filled with the wonders and discoveries of ancient Chinese mythology, breathtaking landscapes, and a diverse cast of memorable characters based on the acclaimed novel Journey to the West. In addition to a precise and visually striking melee combat system using a staff, the Destined One can harness spells, transformations, and magic vessels as powerful tools in their arsenal against tenacious foes. Freely combine different spells, abilities, weapons, and equipment to find the winning strategy that best suits any combat style.

Editions

Black Myth: Wukong is set to launch worldwide on August 20, 2024, for PC and PlayStation 5.

The standard and deluxe editions will be available in North America for a MSRP of $59.99 and $69.99 respectively in digital format on PlayStation 5, and PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store). The Black Myth: Wukong physical Deluxe Edition and Collector’s Edition are available for pre-order for a MSRP of $169 and $399, respectively for PC. Note that a release date for the physical editions is pending.

Release timing for the Xbox Series X|S version will be disclosed at a later time. For pricing in other regions, please refer to the information listed on the designated regional storefront. This game has not yet been rated by the ESRB and is RP for Rating Pending.

[online-silkmoth]

My second favorite omori fun fact is that the entire reason humphrey's air conditioning line exists is that the ESRB, and american rating systems as a whole, rate media largely on their mentions of sex and/or whether they contain swearing.

So despite the fact that there's multiple instances of gore, it still would have gotten a T rating if it weren't for humphrey saying the word "fucking"

[toontownlibrary]

A Toontown UK CD-Rom from 2004.

Interestingly, the case uses an ESRB Rating, a rating system mostly used in the United States and Canada. PEGI, the rating system used in Europe, had been established a year prior in April 2003.

It is unknown why this is the case, but it's likely because PEGI wasn't actually in UK Law until 2012.

Image Credit: Crimson Fox#0999 on Discord

[beevean]

The moral outrage over an AU of Sonic being tortured in captivity will always be dumb as shit. All of the marketing and promotional stuff surrounding Forces was showing the then-upcoming game as a more serious and darker story. But certain people are shocked to see other fans jumping right at something the game and promotional material was handing to them silver platter.

That would be like having a conniption from seeing a character like Erazor Djinn, a canonical abuser, being portrayed doing just as bad, if not worse than the shit he pulled in his respective game.

I really wouldn't put it past them to go more into the nitty-gritty of the darker elements in the series, if the Sonic franchise as a whole wasn't primarily aimed at a child demographic. Just look at what they did in Shadow's game with it just having the E10+ rating(which had just been implemented into ESRB rating system earlier that year).

Fun fact: I still have saved in my drafts a response to a post I found way back then (I will never publish it for obvious reasons, but I needed to vent lmao), and this part always fascinated me.

The fact that there are people who think that torturing Sonic for the sake of “story,” is okay - well it’s unnerving to me, and I don’t think anyone should willingly desire to make such a thing. Moreover, that there are adults participating in the content.

"It's unnerving to me, and I don’t think anyone should willingly desire to make such a thing". I love it. Pure anti logic distilled in one singular sentence. Art.

"There are adults participating in the content" is another good line. This implies that the issue is that the Encaged AU was written by an adult, and not a teen. The rest of the post is basically all about how Sonic is for children, therefore the adults in the fandom should always be mindful of the children.

I know that joking about Maria's death is now beating a dead horse, but yeah the series has had as a plot point the murder of a young girl that drove her grandfather to planet-destroying madness. If children can handle SA2 and ShTH (which in Europe had a 12+ rating, so higher than the usual 7+ but not exactly adult), or even '06 with Sonic dying in the Last Story, they can handle the presence of a vaguely grimdark AU.

[howlingday]

Yang: In 1994, the video game industry was revolutionized by the ESRB rating system, but I'm about revolutionize it even further!

---------------------------------------------------

Yang: Ladies and gentlemen of the ESRB rating board, I am about to revolutionize gaming as we know it with my new game; @$$%%#%&#$&%@^^#$^%##%^@$&!

---------------------------------------------------

Yang: ...You know, even though they threw stuff, I think it was the crying that was really rude.

[four-loose-screws]

(Apologies in advance for the long ask, there was just a lot I had to say on this topic, and wanted to present my case as throughly as possible)

Hello there, first I just want to say thank you for all the hard work you do, I and no doubt many others truly appreciate it. Anyway, I saw your translation regarding Etie and Goldmary’s support conversations and it reminded me of a personal theory regarding it that I’ve had for some time. When I first heard of the differences between the Japanese and English conversations, one thing that came to my mind was a somewhat similar conversation that was also changed for presumably similar reasons, that being Tharja and Nowi’s Harvest Scarmble conversation in Awakening. Basically that conversation initially had Nowi admiring Tharja’s, umm �� “boingy bits” but was changed to Nowi admiring her hair instead. Now this change was only made in the EU version while the NA version kept the “boingy bits” part intact, and the more I’ve learned about how rating systems in different regions tend to operate, I’ve begun to noticed certain patterns. In this case when it comes to places like Australia, they can be extremely strict when it comes to any sort of sexual content particularly when it involves younger looking characters, which in the case of Nowi is very evident thus offering a possible explanation for why that particular conversation in Awakening had to be changed. The reason I bring up Australia in particular, is that if you’re not aware they have quite the history of editing games and even refusing releases for all sorts of reasons, including the aforementioned “sexual content with younger looking characters”. If you want more information, here’s a link to the Wikipedia article that goes more into it with some examples: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_banned_video_games_in_Australia

So what does all of this have to do with this conversation in particular you may ask? Well perhaps due to Etie being 17 there was some concern if this conversation could place them into a similar issue. Now yes the ages are strictly resorted to the data files of the game and whether Etie in particular looks young enough to raise some flags is debatable (especially since she’s not in the same camp as a Nowi per say), but the fact that it’s at all present in the game to some capacity might be enough to err on the side of caution, and even if that wasn’t an issue I still think it’s possible that it could potentially raise the game rating up in some part of the world or worse get the game refused for classification, since it appears that even T (ESRB) or 12+ (PEGI) games aren’t exempt from the latter. And as a result of the change, it had a knock on effect to the B-Support as now the original wouldn’t exactly flow all that well into the revised A-Support, essentially keeping the overall theme of the conversation as close as possible within the limitations. Of course this is purely speculation, as far as I know I could be totally wrong on this but I do find the discrepancy between the aforementioned Tharja and Nowi conversation to be worth bringing up. Perhaps the reason why both NA and EU received the same conversation is that since it’s now fully voiced, they didn’t want to go through the trouble of making an alternative and since NOA and NOE in recent years have more or less unified to have the same English script everywhere in contrast with previous generations where both of them would do their own thing, possibly as a result of games typically coming out on the same day everywhere now.

Personally I like to believe that the issue that the team ran into was the A Support for all the reasons listed above and thus had a knock-on effect to the B Support to make it flow better, as I don’t think they would’ve changed that on its own, maybe they would’ve reworded some things but otherwise keep it relatively close, especially since some other “spicy” stuff like Goldmary undressing in her support with Framme was kept intact, but perhaps the A-Support could’ve be seen as pushing it when it came to getting a higher age rating or worse banned. It’s tough to say since unless someone who worked on the localization ever talks about this, all we can do is speculate and unless something else comes up, this sounds the most plausible to me with my understanding of ratings and how it can affect localizations. But what do you think, have you ever ran into something that made you consider the possibility of tightroping rating boards, whether it be the ESRB or elsewhere, I’m really interested in hearing what you have to say. Once again thank you for all your hard work and I hope you have a great day.

This is great speculation, everyone please enjoy a good read! I don't have too much to add, but here goes!

I didn't think too much into why exactly Etie and Goldmary's supports were rewritten, just had some vague ideas like "them fighting over who's more attractive to men wouldn't sit well with a general audience nowadays." If my thoughts are too speculative, sometimes I'll just choose to keep them to myself, lest the inevitable game of internet telephone turns my vague ideas into some sort of fact or something. It just happens sometimes.

I can't think of any other specific examples right away where the localization team might have had to tightrope rating boards, but I'm sure I've seen some examples in the past. It's just not an angle that tends to come to my mind when doing my original vs localization work.

Your thought that the Etie and Goldmary change was due to rating board guidelines makes a lot of sense, I don't know why I didn't think of that! Everything you say lines up with the general trends I've seen over the years. The Tharja and Nowi convo is a perfect parallel.

While I choose to focus on a USA perspective in my posts, of course, because that's the one I have, I to have read a bit online over the years about what's "too sexy" and "not too sexy" in the US vs. JP vs. Australia. Plus I made several Australian friends while teaching English in Japan, so I learned lots of bits and pieces of cultural differences from them. As a result, I've seen lots of little signs that show Australia was one of the first areas of the world to start to crack down really hard on sexualization of minors (both real and media characters), starting the global ripple affect we continue to see today.

And it's easy to prove that English language localizations are being more and more centralized, because, well, that one's easy - you just don't see differences between NOA and NOE, etc. scripts as much anymore. So that can mean localization teams have to pass multiple rating board "checks" at once.

Is this all for better or worse, that video games are becoming more of a melting pot to sell on a global scale? That rating boards can have such an influence over media? Well, that's hard to judge as a general concept. The answer is different case by case.

In my personal opinion on Etie & Goldmary's supports, I overall like the changes the localization team came up with. Whether the decision to make the changes was made internally or due to an outside influence like the rating boards, I think the team still carefully read the original conversation before making their changes. Even with entire lines rewritten, the general flow is still the same. Localizers can't always keep scripts the same detail to detail, but they can prove that they researched, cared for, and understood the game they were assigned to localize!

And that's generally what I have to say about that. Sorry its not a little more detailed!

[saiyanprincefiregod]

How I would reboot MegaMan (Classic), MegaMan Zero, and MegaMan X pt. 4.5. Mega Man X

The Series in development

MegaMan X: Code Genesis [keep in mind this still in development]:

MegaMan X: Code Genesis, the story takes place after the events of MegaMan X9. The world is at peace, with humans and Reploids coexisting harmoniously. However, a new threat emerges in the form of a mysterious terrorist organization known as "Neo Arcadia." Led by a powerful and enigmatic figure, Tyranus, a human cyborg, seeks to eliminate all Reploids, claiming they are a danger to humanity. MegaMan X, along with his trusted partner Zero, must once again step up to protect both humans and Reploids from this new threat. As they delve deeper into the conflict, they uncover dark secrets about the origins of Reploids and the true intentions of Neo Arcadia. Throughout the game, players will navigate through various levels, each filled with challenging platforming sections and enemies. X and Zero will have access to a wide range of weapons and upgrades, allowing them to adapt to different situations and defeat powerful bosses. As the story progresses, X and Zero will encounter new allies and enemies, each with their own motivations and agendas. The game will explore themes of identity, free will, and the ethical implications of advanced technology. Players will have to make difficult choices that will shape the outcome of the game's narrative. Ultimately, MegaMan X: Code Genesis aims to provide an engaging and immersive experience for players, combining the beloved elements of the MegaMan X series with fresh and innovative gameplay mechanics. With its captivating story, stunning visuals, and challenging gameplay, MegaMan X: Code Genesis promises to be a must-play for fans of the series and newcomers alike. 

MegaMan X: Code Genesis is expected to be rated T for Teen by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). This rating is given to games that are suitable for players aged in the adolescence and older. The game may contain violence, blood, language, and suggestive themes. Parents are advised to review the game's content before allowing their children to play.

MegaMan X: Corrupted [My version, keep in mind this is still in development]: Set After the events of MegaMan X: Code Genesis, In the year 21XX, the world is still recovering from the aftermath of the Neo Arcadia incident, the Maverick Wars has now become the Neo Maverick Wars. The Maverick Hunters, and legendary veteran soldier MegaMan X, have been tirelessly fighting against the rogue Reploids known as Mavericks. However, a new threat emerges that could potentially destroy everything they have fought for. MegaMan X: Corrupted begins with the discovery of a mysterious energy source deep within an abandoned research facility. X, along with his trusted partner Zero, investigates the source and uncovers a powerful artifact called the "Corruption Core." This core has the ability to corrupt New Generation Reploids without Sigma’s DNA and DNA Data, turning them into mindless Mavericks. As X and Zero try to contain the Corruption Core, a group of powerful Mavericks known as "The Corrupted" emerges. Led by a mysterious figure known as "Omega," these Mavericks are unlike anything X and Zero have ever faced before. They possess enhanced abilities and are immune to traditional Maverick Hunter weapons. Realizing that they cannot defeat The Corrupted with their current arsenal, X and Zero must embark on a dangerous quest to acquire new upgrades and abilities. They must travel through various stages, each guarded by a powerful Maverick boss, to obtain the necessary tools to combat the Corruption Core and its influence. MegaMan X: Corrupted introduces a nonlinear gameplay structure, allowing players to choose which stages to tackle first. Each stage is designed with challenging platforming sections, intense boss battles, and hidden secrets. The game also features a deep upgrade system, allowing players to customize X and Zero's abilities to suit their playstyle. Throughout the game, X and Zero will encounter familiar faces from the MegaMan X series, both as allies and enemies. They will also uncover the truth behind the Corruption Core and its origins, leading to a climactic showdown with Omega, The Sigma Children and The Corrupted. MegaMan X: Corrupted aims to capture the spirit of the classic MegaMan X series while introducing new gameplay mechanics and a compelling storyline. With its challenging gameplay, stunning visuals, and a nostalgic soundtrack, this fan-made game is a love letter to all MegaMan X fans.

These MegaMan X Titles are still development it'll take sometime before they are done.

[sailormoonsailorstars]

hey babyshrimp do you want to know how the ESRB rating system came to be 😏

@anakinz

[magpiejay1234]

Another Persona thing, due to likely P4 remake, regarding the gender discussion about Kanjiro/Naoto, it should be remembered that though P5, and P5 are rated "Mature" in ESRB, in CERO rating, they are rated as C, which is analogous to Teen.

All the other games up to Persona 4 Golden (The Golden in Japanese) rerelease had B rating, only after that they started moving to C (which P3 Reload also is in). This is presumably due to both changing standards, but also due to more prominent, and explicit sexual fanservice being in the games, not because more adult topics are discussed.

Granted, P1-P2 only got ratings for their PSP rereleases, since CERO was founded in 2002, so there wasn't even a rating system when they were originally released, but that is a different topic entirely.

Granted, Guilty Gear -Strive- had a B rating, analogous to E 10+, and they were more open about this sort of stuff, but Guilty Gear is intentionally a niche series that got really popular over time, whereas Persona was supposed to be the SMT for general audiences (which is hilarious to me because Devil Survivor games arguably did that concept much better, but anyway).

****

Another thing note, since Western fans keep repeating this incorrect information, SMT title was "dropped" in the second game, P2, not P3. However, the forced Latin reading of P1 is PERSONA BE YOUR TRUE MIND, so technically speaking the series never was read as Megami Ibunroku, which is not even the same Kanji as SMT.

Technically speaking, P1 uses 女神異聞録, Megami Ibunroku, meaning Different Record of the Goddess, which is also used for the initial release of Devil Survivor. Both rereleases of P1, and DeSu1 drop this Kanji title.

English versions kept the SMT name since the name means True Reincarnation of the Goddess, but sounds similar the Reincarnation of the Death Goddess, or the Dead Goddess, which kinda gives the plot of later games away, and thematically implies the plots of the first two games (well three, since P2 is a duology).

(Originally this was meant to sound like New Reincarnation of the Goddess, since SMT games are a reboot of the original Megami Tensei, Reincarnation of the Goddess, games, loosely based on the novels of the same.)

[supertrainstationh]

My Nintendo Direct 6/24 Results

Mario & Luigi: Brothership - I've dreamed of Mario and Luigi being presented like this with polygonal 3d and a dynamic camera since the GameCube era, so its great to see it finally come true. First game in the series since the first one in 2003 not to have some obvious gimmick in terms of how the Mario Brothers are controlled in and out of battle, VERY happy to see that.

Super Mario Party Jamboree - Mario Party Superstars in 2021 was the first Mario Party game I purchased since Mario Party 4, (not counting Mario Party Advance) and this looks like an excellent and fun game. I find the inclusion of two retro maps odd since there isn't a focus on old material like in SuperStars.

Dragon Quest 1 + 2 2D HD Remaster - I never played and DQ games before, and I've been interested in featuring DQ1's NES version on stream so as to explore the earliest era of home console RPGs, so I'm torn as to if I'll play the NES version, or this modern remake.

Stray - It may end up being the least impressive version of the game, but Stray's hyper dense gritty high tech city setting got my attention and I was praying for a Switch version. In any game I play town and city exploration is one of my favorite aspects when towns are featured, so I'll be excited to play this one.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom - The idea of Zelda exploring Hyrule from a top down perspective hasn't been explored since the CDI game "Zelda's Adventure", so It's great to see Nintendo take a swing at the concept, and do so in a way that is true to the nature of Zelda's depiction as a wise protector of Hyrule, but not a soldier or fighter in the way Link is. It feels like the "echo" system is a developer tool from the development of Link's Awakening's Switch remake that the expanded into something that defines the actual gameplay experience when fleshed out into a game mechanic. As an aside, there was a small amount of backlash against Aonuma accusing him of being sexist for not having the option for a female hero in Breath of the Wild, which was absurd, and I'm glad this proves those people wrong.

Metroid Prime 4 - SEVEN YEARS after it was first announced, we finally have screenshots and gameplay of this title. The announcement of Prime 4 should go down in history as one of the most severely mishandled strategic moves Nintendo ever executed, but the game looks great. I have a copy of Prime Remaster for Switch I've yet to play on stream, we'll see if I get to it before Prime 4 comes out.

Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection - I think this is the first re-release of these titles since Disney purchased Marvel, and it's amazing to see this happen, as I genuinely doubted if it would be possible. I don't care about these games but I'm glad they're being made available.

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition - I will totally buy this. I love high score attack runs of Vs. Pinball and I've had the NES Remix games on my list for years. Actual speedrunning and skill challenged condensed into curated mini-game like format is fun, and I'm certainly going to get my hands on this one

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD - Doesn't look graphically impressive even for Switch, but this was one I hoped would come over, and it still looks great. I hope the forced motion controls that made me fall off the Wii version have been revamped. But from my perspective, I haven't even played and covered the first DKC on my show yet, so I'm not likely picking this one up soon.

Only game I specifically hoped for that wasn't featured was the remake/remaster of Beyond Good and Evil, which got an ESRB rating late last year, but has yet to be officially announced for whatever reason.

10/10 show for me. If for the rest of my life I could only play games on Switch, I would never ever be bored, ever.

But I'd still rather play RCA Studio II than most modern stuff anyway.

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