#bayonetta week 2018

[nintendowife]

My blog Nintendowife turned 10 years today!

My first post ever was on April 12th 2014 about my town's latest public work project in Animal Crossing: New Leaf.

My top 5 most popular posts through the ages

August 09 2018 - I got a New Nintendo 2DS XL Animal Crossing Edition yesterday!

2. June 09 2014 - We got this cute Animal Crossing: New Leaf artbook last week.

3. May 07 2017 - Client brief vs client budget.

4. July 04 2021 - Bayonetta’s Sunday dresses (Bayonetta 2).

5. March 18 2023 - Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya is heading to Nintendo Switch in the near future.

I'm hoping to be a part of this fantastic community for the next 10 years!

[bobadila]

hey Wanda here's the Bayonetta wiki

Bayonetta (Japanese: ベヨネッタ, Hepburn: Beyonetta) is an urban fantasy action-adventure video game series created by Hideki Kamiya. It is developed by PlatinumGames, owned by Sega, and currently[when?] published by Nintendo. The franchise was introduced in 2009 with Bayonetta, which was followed by two sequels, Bayonetta 2 (2014) and Bayonetta 3 (2022), as well as a spinoff, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon (2023). The games follow the titular character, a witch who wields dual pistols, shooters in her high heels, and long, magically transforming hair which becomes a deadly weapon.

The first game in the series was directed by Hideki Kamiya, who created the Devil May Cry franchise when he was working at Capcom. It was the third title in Platinum's four-game contract with Sega. The game was released on October 29, 2009, in Japan,[1] and was released worldwide in January 2010 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game received generally positive reviews upon release.[2] More than 1.35 million units of the game were shipped.[3] Although it was Platinum's most commercially successful game at that time, the company was disappointed with its sales.[4] A 4K remastered version of the game featuring anti-aliasing, anisotropic filtering, SSAO lighting, scalable texture and shadow quality, and more was released on PC in April 2017.[5] An HD remastered version of the game was released on Nintendo Switch in 2018,[6] and was bundled alongside Vanquish for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in February 2020.[7]

Bayonetta 2 was announced in 2012 during a Nintendo Direct for the Wii U. The decision received backlash from fans, since the game would not be available on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.[8] Platinum was initially working with Sega to create the sequel, but Sega decided to cancel the game during the game's development. Nintendo subsequently revived the project. According to producer Atsushi Inaba, the game would not have been possible if they did not get the funding and the support from Nintendo. Sega remained as the game's consultant.[9][10] The game was directed by Yusuke Hashimoto, and Kamiya has a supervision role.[11] The game was released in 2014 to very positive reviews. While sales for the Wii U version have not been fully disclosed, by March 2018, Nintendo confirmed the Switch version had sold 400,000 copies during its first nine weeks, compared to the 300,000 copies the Wii U version sold during the same period. As of December 2021, the Switch version has sold 1.04 million copies worldwide.[12]

Bayonetta 3 (2022)

[edit]

Main article: Bayonetta 3

A third game in the series was announced by Nintendo at The Game Awards 2017. A gameplay trailer was shown at the September Nintendo Direct 2021. It was released for the Nintendo Switch on October 28, 2022, and opened with positive reviews from both critics and fans.[13] The game went on to win Best Action Game at the Game Awards 2022.[14] The game also features a playable teaser for Cereza and the Lost Demon as a secret level and unlocks a special skin once found.

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon (2023)

[edit]

Main article: Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon

A prequel companion game to Bayonetta 3, focusing on Cereza as a young girl, was announced by Nintendo at The Game Awards 2022. It was released on Nintendo Switch on March 17, 2023.[15]

Other media

[edit]

An anime film based on the first game, titled Bayonetta: Bloody Fate, was produced by Gonzo and released in 2013.[16]

Bayonetta appears as a downloadable character in Sega's multiplayer fighting game Anarchy Reigns, and as a special guest character alongside Jeanne and Rodin in Nintendo's action game The Wonderful 101.[17][18] She also appears as a downloadable character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, and as an unlockable character in the sequel Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Both games also feature a stage based on the falling Umbra Clock Tower which appeared in both Bayonetta games. Rodin was also added as an Assist Trophy in Ultimate.[19][20][21]

The original Bayonetta was also used as a basis for a Pachislot and a 16-bit-style browser game.

0.0 Thank you

Whats up with the nickname Wanda??😭 It’s so random 😭😭😭

[dailybayonetta]

 Bayonetta Week (2018): Day 3 (11.07) - Rescue

"Oh, what do you need? A wake up kiss or something?”

[gunnm]

I thought I would air out my thoughts on the Bayonetta situation since Hellena Taylor decided to come back again with another statement. Since gaming news and commentary is the space I will be reporting on soon with my partner in a couple months or so, I thought why not share my take on this since it's been huge news in the gaming space for the past couple weeks...

When I first heard Hellena's initial claim I wasn't too shocked considering that the VA industry has always been shafted in entertainment when it comes to pay. They generally never get any bonuses or residuals so it's always been a industry with little unionized representation (although that has been changing). But when I thought about it for a franchise as established as Bayonetta something didn't seem right...there should definitely be more to the story here than just a flat rate of $4000. So before the Bloomberg and VGC articles came out I asked a source of mine that's pretty knowledgeable about the VA industry in Japan (to get a ballpark for what they might've really offered her since it was a japanese company drafting the contract) and he told me the amount she mentioned did seem a little strange even by Japanese standards for a leading role. So the corroborating articles come out from Bloomberg and VGC, my initial concerns were correct in that she was omitting a lot of information (noticeably with zero proof to back up the claims, considering she already broke the NDA why not outline proof of your claims in the actual contract itself?). So for those that may be aware, the final offer after negotiating was $15-20,000 between 5 different sessions that would've been around 4 hours each. Meaning about a wage of $1000/hr for the role, which to many current union standards in the VA industry is well above fair. Keep in mind that although this was a lead role, Hellena Taylor does not have a prolific history in VA outside of her role as Bayonetta which leads to my next point.

With all this information out there, I find her original statements incredibly disingenuous, especially when she tried to get people to boycott this game. Here are the points of contention I have a problem with regarding Hellana Taylor: 1.) She tried to throw a fellow VA under the bus for taking up the role she decided not to because she thought she was worth more which is incredibly petty and just outright wrong 2.) I believe that VA pay is a serious issue that definitely needs to be addressed but the roundabout way she's trying to start the discussion here considering the circumstances and the information that's out there now regarding this dispute I believe does more harm than good, especially considering she was asking for a 6 figure sum with residuals (while I do believe having residuals in voice-over work should be a given for a any role) 3.) Pissing on her other constituents and developers that worked on this game for the many years it was in development. I find it really selfish, especially in light of the information we have now, that a boycott is justified at all in this situation. I find it really telling that Hellana Taylor had a problem with the pay here when Jennifer Hale (a more much celebrated VA than she is) did not. So all this to say...

In conclusion, Hellana Taylor omitted a lot of information to make her original statement stand out and look good and appeal the twitter mob. There were many debunked claims were really ridiculous like Bayonetta being worth half a billion (lmao). That series barely comes out even, just look at the sales for yourself people. The games barely sell more 1.5 million each release. Let me put it in perspective, it took God of War (2018) selling nearly 20 million units in order to hit the half a billion Hellena Taylor claimed Bayonetta was worth. Want to know Bayonetta's lifetime sales...about 3 million across 12 years. Bayonetta is NOT the huge franchise most people think it is despite its repute in the industry. The franchise barely comes out even each release, which I find it very amusing she keeps bringing this number up, even in recent statement from yesterday. In her recent statement (not surprised if you haven't seen it since it isn't really getting any traction and was just posted yesterday, link here: https://twitter.com/hellenataylor/status/1584415390171480066 ). If you read through and do some critical thinking, it's pretty obvious there's a lot of backtracking being done here, the $4000 magically becomes $15000 like it was reported to Bloomberg, as well as other things. I can understand being disgruntled over pay, but don't drag the team that worked on this game and fellow VAs with you and then claim you're trying to BETTER the industry, that's how change about it. Meaningful change at that anyway, I'm sure it must've been a shock to her since Bayonetta is really the only meaningful role she's done in the gaming industry but she needs to not be vindictive and jealous (which is what I see it as) when someone else takes up your role, what did you think Platinum was going to do when you turned them down twice lol, twiddle their thumbs and just say oh well. But yeah, that's my take on the situation if you have any opinions on the whole situation then please go ahead and share (and keep it respectful).

[geminigeek]

E3 2018 Rumors!

The first E3 press conference starts on June 9th, and since we're in the final week leading to E3, let's discuss those leaks and rumors! Take this information as you will, none of these have been confirmed, but it's fun to think what might be in store for gamers! Here's a list of all the recent rumors flying around, from the possible to the utterly insane:

▪ Microsoft

- Delay of Crackdown 3

- Gears of War 5 reveal

- Vanquish 2 reveal

- Fable 4 reveal

▪ Bethesda

- Elder Scrolls 6 Teaser Trailer

- Starfield (Fallout in space) debut

- Prey DLC announced

- Evil Within 2 DLC announced

- RAGE 2 release date announcement

▪ Square Enix

- Kingdom Hearts III Release Date announced

- Agni's Philosophy Tech Demo #3, reveals to be Final Fantasy XVI

- Next Dissidia Final Fantasy combatant announced

- Final Fantasy VII Remake... Re-debut...?

▪ Nintendo

- Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening remake announced for the 3DS

- Super Smash Bros Switch release date announced

- Fortnite announced for the Switch

- Star Fox racing game debut trailer

- Metroid Prime 4 gameplay debut

- Bayonetta 3 gameplay debut

- F-Zero announced for the Switch

- Fire Emblem for the Switch debut trailer

- Nintendo 64 Classic announced

▪ Sony

- Devil May Cry 5 reveal

- Borderlands 3 reveal

- Resident Evil 2 Remake debut trailer and gameplay

- Death Stranding gameplay debut

- The Last of Us 2 release date announced

- Horizon Zero Dawn sequel announced

- Bloodborne sequel announced

- From Software's Shadows Die Twice gameplay reveal

- Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay reveal

[eggoreviews]

My Top 13 Nintendo E3 Predictions!

It’s that time of year again lads. With Nintendo’s annual E3 blowout now just a week away, I thought I’d lay all my personal predictions on the table as to what we might see at this year’s viddy game christmas. I’m ranking these based on how confident I am about each prediction, so here’s hoping some of these actually happen!

13. SNES for Nintendo Switch Online

I don’t want to jinx things by saying this, but surely Nintendo have milked the NES for all it has now. I reckon E3 could finally be the time we finally get to move into 90s gaming. I really can’t think of anymore NES games they could shoehorn in, especially not first party, and I can’t imagine many more third parties are going to want to jump in. So mostly because we seem to be running out of passable games, my prediction is that June will be the final month of NES Online. But hey, you never know with Nintendo.

12. Pikmin 4

There’s been rumours floating around for a while now that Pikmin 4 is ready to go out and I really can’t think of anything better for a first/final reveal for the direct. If this happens, it’ll be nothing more than a trailer like Luigi’s Mansion 3 had in my opinion, but this is still a very exciting and plausible prospect.

11. Cadence of Hyrule drops during E3

In an unexpectedly brilliant move, Nintendo announced a crossover between their own Legend of Zelda franchise and indie studio Brace Yourself Games’ Crypt of the Necrodancer, with brand new Zelda remixes! This looks like great fun, but so far all we really know is that it has a June release date. Considering the odd quiet around the game, I reckon it’ll get a little dedicated section in the direct, followed by the announcement that it’ll release either straight after the direct or in the intervening days of E3.

10. Bayonetta 3 trailer

Another game that’s gone oddly quiet, Bayonetta 3 was confirmed with a teaser trailer alongside a switch port of the series’ second installment back in 2017, but we’ve heard nothing since. So finally, I think a first proper trailer will pop up, especially after the game’s explicit mention in the last direct in February, but whether or not the game will still release in 2019 (my thought is maybe not) is anyone’s guess.

9. Town info

After a brief trailer and a few synoptic details, Nintendo nudged us in the arm with the announcement of a Gamefreak game that isn’t Pokemon. And since we’ve heard nothing since September, I can see Town getting a second trailer, maybe a few more gameplay details and a vague release window. If not, I’d expect this one in the next direct.

8. Metroid Prime Trilogy

With the still relatively recent news that Nintendo is scrapping development on Prime 4 to pull in Retro Studios, I think Nintendo has been sitting on a Prime Trilogy remaster for a hot minute. And now with E3, the time when people probably would’ve expected Prime 4 to make an appearance (we now know that’s not happening), I think it would be the perfect time to make the announcement. To clarify, I’m almost 100% sure this is happening, it’s just a matter of when, but E3 is a safe bet.

7. Persona 5 for Switch

We’ve had someclues pointing towards this (Joker in Smash), as well as a legion of disappointed fans after discovering Persona 5 S was actually a Warriors game (which I am way too excited for and I can see that appearing in the direct too). But really, I think this is another one Nintendo and Atlus have been sitting on until E3, now that Joker’s in Smash and Scramble’s been announced, I can’t see why they wouldn’t finally announce it.

6. Smash Bros. amiibo

With news of more amiibo coming from the last direct, I’m fairly certain that we’ll get some firm release dates for Squirtle, Ivysaur, Snake and Simon Belmont. I also reckon that we’ll get a brief look at the final wave of base roster amiibos, which will be made up of Dark Samus, Chrom, Richter and Incineroar. As for Joker, I think they’ll hold off on him for now, as it’s less likely his amiibo will be finished up due to his character being finalised much later than the others.

5. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening info

I’d say the Link’s Awakening remake is fairly likely to get a spot in this direct, though I can’t imagine it’ll be an especially long segment. My thoughts are that we’ll see another trailer showing off some new gameplay, followed by a release date. And that’s an exciting prediction for me because this game looks incredible.

4. Smash reveal: Banjo & Kazooie

I’m pretty much 100% on the fact that we’ll see a Smash reveal for Fighter Pack 2 at the end of the direct, so I thought I’d go a step further and try to predict who it will be. With Nintendo and Microsoft’s strong relationship as of late and VP of Microsoft Phil Spencer going on record as recently as 2018 stating he’d be chill with B&K joining the fight is good news for Banjo fans. It’s pretty safe to say there’s a pretty overwhelming fan demand for them too, and it certainly wouldn’t be out of the question for Nintendo to pick them if they’re wanting to bring the hype for E3. As a couple of placeholders though, I’ll say 2B from NieR: Automata or Erdrick from Dragon Quest in the event Banjo misses the cut.

3. Astral Chain info

Astral Chain is the first of 3 games I can see getting a fairly beefy segment in this direct, as so far we’ve only seen a trailer and the game is out August 30th, likely before the next direct comes around. So this is looking to be their main chance of exploring what Astral Chain is going to be and how it’s going to play. Definitely something to look forward to, because I’m loving how this game looks so far.

2. Luigi’s Mansion 3 info

Yeah these predictions are getting fairly, you know, predictable at this point, but I did say least to most confident and these top ones are almost guaranteed to happen. I don’t think this will get quite as much screentime as my top pick, but Nintendo have already reaffirmed that this is still slated for 2019 so a gameplay breakdown, title reveal and release date confirmation do seem to be on the cards. At a guess, they’re probably going to want to cash in on the Halloween aesthetic, so late October as a release seems likely to me.

1. Animal Crossing info

Of course this is here. And of course it’s going to happen. I think Animal Crossing will end up taking around 5-10 minutes of the direct at least, with a proper title reveal, trailers, gameplay, release date, the works. Because we haven’t even seen any gameplay for this yet and it’s arguably Nintendo’s most anticipated title so I think they’re gonna want to shine the spotlight on this one, especially since they seem to be handling Pokemon Sword & Shield outside of the main directs.

So there’s my best guesses for next week’s direct! Got any predictions or big wants of your own? Drop them in the comments! And make sure to check back next week for my breakdown of everything that got revealed. Oh, and one last thing, make sure to keep your hype levels healthy so you don’t get let down on the day.

[crispykodraws]

Dianakko Week 2018 | Day 7 | Free Day

You know, one day, I’m going to die from my promise to myself that I’d make an animation of some sort at the end of week-long celebrations/challenges like this.

Anyway, this was a nice week. Drew a lot of hand-holding for some reason and I (un)sneakily put the prompts (e.g. the word “adventure,” which is the day 1 prompt, is scribbled on a poster in the background) in the drawings somewhere. Though I don’t think anyone cares about that hahahaha!  And that one(two) Bayonetta references I did lol, sorry These even has a storyline that I was kinda hesitant to do, but I’m glad some people actually liked it enough to encourage me to finish it. So thank you all for your encouragement!

I haven’t gone through the dianakko week tag yet so I’m excited to check it out later!!

[tiergan-vashir]

I've been scrolling down my dash becoming more and more hyped to see your pics and I was not disappointed! That 3rd pic frickin shot my heart with a golden arrow-like holy crap you just nailed everything! I was suckerpunched by the spirit of Bayonetta manifesting in your casual, stunning, smile and perfectly coifed hair + timelessly cool fashion (hella great nails btw!) It's late and I can't say better than the others how happy I am for you and how amazing it has been to see your transformation!

HHHHH thank you so much. I’m feeling kind of bashful now, because I’m not used to so many compliments. Thank you for your kind words. I’m glad that after an initially rough start and middle to 2018, I came out of it doing pretty well. (Now I just need to actually work out every week like I keep telling myself I will. :V)

[productsreviewings]

Welcome! This column is a part of a sequence the place Tom's Information workers members share what they're taking part in and having fun with proper now, with the aim of serving to you discover nice video games you have missed. Be sure you try our earlier entry, the place we discuss Hello-Fi Rush.Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot appears totally incomprehensible to anybody who hasn't learn or watched Akira Toriyama's beloved sequence. Who're these dozen characters? Why can everybody fly? Who's the inexperienced man? How a lot hair gel do you suppose these guys use? I can't, in good religion, advocate the sport to a normal viewers in a strong motion/RPG temper. I am unable to even promise that DBZ followers will prefer it, contemplating they've heard this specific story a thousand occasions earlier than, and the "high-octane martial arts battle" to "countless cutscenes" ratio is not favorable.And but, it is the one recreation I've wished to play persistently for the previous two weeks and counting.Since October, I really feel like I've performed nothing however nice video games. Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope was nice. Bayonetta 3 was nice. God of Battle: Ragnarok was nice. Marvel's Midnight Solar was nice. Cyberpunk 2077, which I lastly received round to taking part in final month, was significantly cool. After 5 months of nice video games, I've come to the unlucky conclusion that nice video games are boring. And when an awesome recreation cannot ship, a reasonably good recreation steps up.Dragon Rock(Picture credit score: Bandai Namco Leisure Inc.)If you have not learn our Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot assessment, this is the brief model: It is a semi-open-world motion/RPG the place you play by your complete story from DBZ's unique manga/anime run. You management the sequence protagonist Goku, in addition to a handful of different characters as they fly by massive ranges, struggle enemies in real-time battles, acquire tons of assets, cook dinner stat-boosting meals, full aspect quests, chat with aspect characters, and So disclaimer in the event you already personal the DBZ video games, this may not change your thoughts. However there's strong fight and character customization, and it is enjoyable to completely discover some areas that the anime solely hints at.The sport debuted again in 2019 and just lately obtained a current-gen replace for PS5 and Xbox Collection X. As such, it boasts higher graphics, smoother body charges and sooner load occasions than earlier than. With the replace patch sparking renewed curiosity in Kakaro, I believed it was time to present a full assessment of the sport, and I hope to get it down as soon as I am completed writing.Nonetheless, because it typically occurs, actual life performed havoc with my plans. With out going into the gory particulars, I am at the moment recovering from two completely different surgical procedures, and as any wholesome affected person can attest, not feeling 100% has a sluggish and regular impact in your psychological state. All of the sudden, I did not need to immerse myself in an awesome journey or grasp a sophisticated gameplay system. Though I am not proud to confess it, I really feel far more like button-mashing by a well-known story, with a lot of vivid colours and flashy results alongside the best way. I wished to see a bunch of numbers after minimal effort on my half, and zoned out when the cutscenes began dragging on too lengthy.Briefly, I wished a pleasant recreation. And that is precisely what Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is.Superb recreation in protection(Picture credit score: Bandai Namco Leisure Inc.)In 2018, I discovered myself speaking to a buddy of mine about what video games we have been taking part in. It was the top of the yr, so we had an absolute plethora of fantastic titles to select from. Was I taking part in God of Battle? Or learn Lifeless Redemption 2? Or Spider-Man? Or Murderer's Creed Odyssey? Or Shadow of the Tomb Raider?No, I replied

bluntly; I used to be taking part in Dragon Ball Xenoverse, one other light-weight motion/RPG that exists primarily for fanservice functions. It wasn't one of the best recreation obtainable on the time; Heck, it wasn't even one of the best Dragon Ball recreation.He replied that I had chosen an excellent recreation, and that they have been typically one of the best type of video games.Fairly good video games, he argued, don't have any expectation of survival. They are not an enormous a part of essential discourse, and followers do not endlessly argue whether or not they're true masterpieces or overrated fad fodder. Nobody makes use of them to justify the pointless console wars. You do not have to suppose deeply in regards to the controller when it is in your hand. They're the online game equal of pizza: good, satisfying fare that does not problem your style buds in any manner, however virtually by no means permits you to down.Simply as there isn't a common definition of an awesome recreation, there isn't a common definition of an awesome recreation. However I believe most individuals will know one after they see one. These are "video game-y" video video games, for lack of a greater phrase, whose sole operate is to entertain you whilst you play them. Age of Empires IV is a good recreation; SpellForce III is a reasonably good recreation. Ring of Elden is a good recreation; Mad Max is an excellent recreation. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a good recreation; Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a wonderful recreation.Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is not increasing my cultural horizons, or interrogating my sensibilities, or exhibiting me one thing I've by no means seen earlier than in a online game. However when actual life will get me down I smile. It is most likely too highfalutin to say that the sport is medicinal. However it lifted my spirits when a deep, weighty recreation would most likely make me really feel extra considerate and introspective.Similar to you'll be able to't eat pizza for each meal, you'll be able to't play excellent video games and nothing. Some video games ought to problem us, whether or not it is when it comes to gameplay or story or construction. However I am glad that even because the gaming medium evolves and matures, there's nonetheless a spot for titles like Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. And in the event you're in want of an emotional pick-me-up, you would possibly as nicely be proud of it.In the present day's Finest Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Offers

[megaman2]

It sounds silly but it’s just nice to be excited about Smash again. After Smash 4 DLC I was so disappointed by both the K. Rool Mii costume and the final reveals (moreso the circumstances around Bayonetta than the character herself) that it really just left a bad taste in my mouth about the series. I assumed we wouldn’t see a new Smash for a loooooong time and I’d have to wait until my 30s to play as K. Rool in Smash. I mean, if it was literally just a Smash 4 port + K. Rool, that’d be one thing, but Ridley? Snake? Wolf? Everyone? God damn. 

Smash 4 just feels like a stepping stone between Brawl and Ultimate now. I certainly enjoyed my time with it - all 200 hours of it - but I’m ready to move on to a bigger and better product that won’t feel like it has something missing.

That said I wasn’t really living my best life in 2015 vs. 2018 to be honest so that’s certainly a factor. But really I’m just ready to charge head on into Ultimate with all of my hype. I’m just repeating myself at this point but I can’t help myself, this game is 20 years in the making. Less than two weeks remain...

[notajinn]

Ranking Video Games Played in 2018 But Less Detailed Because of Procrastination

Starting this in the evening on the 31st, so let' see if I even get this done in time. Normally I start more ahead of time, and provide seperate detailed post for each game in my list. Initially I wasn't planning on making a list at all this year since I played very few 2018 releases. But then I realized not only that I played more than I thought, but that the non-2018 games I played for the first time this year deserve some love as well.

I conveniently played ten games this year, so here is the ranking of my top ten games:

10. Marvel Puzzle Quest (Mobile)

This game is garbage, and I play it every day. It's a Match-3 puzzle game, which I somehow never played until this year. And it's on mobile and with a Marvel flair to give it an edge, plus a Gacha mechanic for longevity and scum.

Pros

The actual puzzle gameplay is fine. I have no other Match-3 to compare it to besides Puzzles and Dragons, which I tried out around the same time solely due to Persona 5 characters being in it. And I enjoyed Marvel more. You can only move each gem one space rather than across a line or column, or straight up anywhere like in Puzzles and Dragons. But there is no time limit, which I really appreciate.

I like a lot of Marvel characters, so I don't mind them as the rewards. Each one also has different Abilities which make a bigger difference in the gameplay than I initially expected. I unfortunately do not have Ms Marvel, Gwenpool, or Silk yet, but I do have Spider-Man.

Speaking of, the free characters they give you are pretty decent. Within the first few missions, you will come out with Spider-Man, Iron Man, Storm, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Thor. You can also get Juggernaut and Venom with only slightly more effort.

The game has thus far been very generous with the gacha resource, but I can't comment on the actual pull rates (which may be where they really make their money).

Cons

You may get a lot of chances to pull, but you have a limited barrack you can recruit characters into. And the resource to increase slots is VERY slow. Which means you could potentially pull a great character, but either wait a few weeks to earn enough coins to buy a new barrack spot, remove one of your existing characters, or give them money. And if you wait more than a few weeks, your un-recruited character will be automatically "sold" for resources. I've lost one or two characters to this already. At this point the smart thing seems to be to never pull unless you have open slots, since your recruitment resource does not expire (that I'm aware of).

The difficulty is all over the place. Even the so-called "Prologue" has unusual difficulty spikes in terms of enemy levels.

The leveling system is also garbage in general. You need duplicates of characters to level up, but higher rank characters start at higher levels. Which means even though I pulled and merged like 6 Iron Man, the single 3-star Dr Octopus is significantly stronger with no effort.

Final Thoughts

This game is garbage, and I will continue to play it.

9. Fire Emblem Heroes (Mobile)

Not long ago, Fire Emblem Heroes was one of my favourite games. But the game fell so far in 2018, perhaps outlining the heightened speed of a gacha game's life-cycle.

Pros

They started adding alts of characters that were not from Awakening or Fates. It's not exactly good that we're getting so many alts, but at least they're not all Camilla or Xander.

The new Aether Raids mode is legitimately good. It allows you to create your own mini-maps with different structures and traps, and play against other players. You win a new resource called Heroic Grails, which you can use to summon otherwise limited-time free characters like those from Grand Hero Battles, or the Tempest Trials. I should specify this lets you select characters, not go into a random gacha system. You want more of Joshua? No problem, just select him from the list and hand of the Grails, and you've got him. A lot of characters I like fall into this category, so I especially appreciate it. The actual mode of fighting in user-created maps is also fun.

Book 2 of the story had some good moments early on, and I liked some of the new characters. Said new characters were also added into the summon pool, and not as limited-time units either.

A lot of older characters got new weapon refinements to help them keep up with the cast slightly. Some of these are only okay, but some have been amazing. Still waiting for my man Matthew to get one.

Also this one is kind of cheating since it didn't happen yet, but we are confirmed to finally be getting Laguz (the beast units from the Tellius games) in 2019, which I am very excited for.

Cons

After a decent start, Book 2's story fell into disarray. A comically bland villain was the worst offender, feeling like an OC a child came up with that kept getting sudden new powers for no reason.

Said main villain is also the focal point of the powercreep in the game this year. The absurdity of how good 2018 units are compared to before is frustrating, and I say that as someone who doesn't particularly care about ranking. A lot of these new units and skill sets are just plain not fun to fight against.

Outside of Aether Raids, the game felt pretty stale in terms of having things to do, and I simply found myself far less interested.

Final Thoughts

Laguz will keep my interest for at least some of 2019, but I see myself playing this far less next year. And with a new real Fire Emblem game coming out, I may leave this game entirely.

8. Final Fantasy Record Keeper (Mobile)

This is an unusual one because I didn't play this game much this year. For a few months, I didn't even bother logging in. And 90% of the time I do log in, I just grab the daily rewards and leave. So how did this beat Marvel Puzzle Quest and Fire Emblem Heroes?

Pros

This game is absurdly generous with resources. Keeping in mind this is a gacha game way past it's prime, and being cannibalized by its own parent company through other newer Final Fantasy mobile games, Record Keeper has been trying very hard to keep people playing. Even as someone who barely plays, I am flush with good resources. Enough so that, if I get interested enough, I could probably catch up to the meta-game.

The game has also continued its policy of "characters are free, the gacha is for equipment" that I love. I have no trouble getting characters I want (new ones I liked added this year include Marche from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and Sora and Riku of Kingdom Hearts).

The gacha itself is also generous, with multiple event banners that guarantee at least one 5-star for every 11-pull. I wish other gacha games were this generous.

It also keeps the great aesthetic and soundtrack that got me into the game.

Cons

I've played it so much over the years that it's not super fun, but I appreciate it's there for me and doesn't feel like scum.

Final Thoughts

Thank you for doing a gacha game well, Square-Enix.

7. Mighty Switch Force (3DS)

Though I got this years ago in a Humble Bundle, it wasn't until one bored weekend this summer that I actually tried it out Wayforward's other first-party game. The Mighty Switch Force DLC trailer for Shantae: Half Genie Hero also helped.

This is an interesting little arcade action/puzzle hybrid that's a little unusual. It puts you into different areas where you have to use the main gimmick of moving things into and out of the foreground along with other puzzle mechanics to find and arrest some escaped criminals.

Pros

The main mechanic of moving objects forward and backward is pretty fun, and while it's been occasionally seen in other games it's worked more effectively here than I've ever seen. I also appreciate that most levels will add a new mechanic you have to learn.

The levels are short and easy to digest on the 3DS.

It's got the classic Wayforward cartoon aesthetic.

Cons

This is mostly personal preference, but I don't play puzzle games a lot; they don't hold my interest too long. So this was a one weekend game. I didn't beat it, but I got my fill in those two days.

The lack of story really drives home the "arcade" aspect of the game, which is frustrating because I like the often silly pacing of the Shantae series. I'm also someone who invests in characters heavily, so having very little to go off but designs really hurt my long-term interest here.

Final Thoughts

This is a fun little puzzle game I recommend to try out considering it's often on sale and under $10. It's far from the best game, but you'll probably have fun with it.

6. Bayonetta (PS3)

For better or for worse, my first introduction to Bayonetta was when she was added as a DLC character to Super Smash Brothers 4. Suffice to say I was bummed a character I had no interest in won the people's choice, and that definitely negatively tainted the series for me for a while. But after getting itnerested in character-action games by playing Nier Automata and Platinum's Legend of Korra, I ended up picking up Bayonetta on sale on the PS3.

Pros

Oh my god, the combat is so strong. I knew this from Platinum's other games, but it has a different feel. Korra was ultimately a budget game, and Nier Automata was an RPG first, but Bayonetta was a character-action game through and through. The combat is not easy to learn, but when you figure out and see the radical moves you're pulling off, there's a certain unmatched joy to the gameplay.

The plot is campy and silly in the vein of Devil May Cry, and has a good handful of characters I like (particularly Jeanne and Luca). It ramps up to hilarious scales.

The music is so good, and I wish more of it made it into Super Smash Brothers.

I love that you have a space to practice combos without any repercussions by turning off the timer in the loading screen transitions. This helped me so much early on to get a hang of which combos I could both pull off effectively, find a use for, and actually enjoy.

Checkpoints are fairly generous, and so long as you don't care about your score you can continue to try again with no repercussions until you win.

Cons

There are certain sections of the game where you are pulled into on-rails vehicles. These sections are not fun, and last FAR too long. To make matters worse, the best boss fight in the game is in the second half of a level where the first half is one of these terrible vehicle sections. Which means I'll never fight that boss again since I don't want to go through that initial part.

Through a combination of the initial negative reaction and the fact there are more interesting characters around her, I didn't end up attached to Bayonetta herself, which is disappointing considering how much I like Dante and the Nier Automata cast.

The first few levels are also far harder than the rest of the game. This happens because you're learning a new combat system, have less moves purchased, and most importantly do not have the Bat Within ability that increases your dodge invincibility. This move probably saved me so much, and you can get it pretty early, but not until you get past some hard parts. In particular, the first major boss has you contend with the above issues and, for no particular reason, is the only major boss without any checkpoints. This boss almost made me give up on the game, and heavily slowed down my progress and general enjoyment.

Probably the biggest issue is that this is a PS3 era game, which means you can expect tons of QTEs that cause instant death if you fail them. These even happen during bosses. It's such a product of its time.

Final Thoughts

If you can struggle through those initial hard (but not un-fun) levels and that first frustrating boss, you have a great game ahead of you. With some truly awful vehicle sections thrown in, but mostly great. At the very least, grab the soundtrack.

5. Dragalia Lost (Mobile)

Oh you thought the mobile games were all at the bottom? Then you forgot about Nintendo's newest IP, Dragalia Lost. Which would be fair, because this game is available officially in very few countries, and it's kind of crazy.

With the success of other mobile games, Nintendo decided to try out a new IP in a mobile game with the help of the experienced developers CyGames. What we got was a mobile MMO with a heavy anime aesthetic and a lot of love.

Pros

The character designs vary, as they do in any mobile, but one major strength of Dragalia Lost (and the reason I started the game) is the large percentage of dark-skinned characters. It may seem silly, but as a South Asian it's so rare to see dark-skinned characters in this aesthetic. You'll get your token characters here and there, but Dragalia Lost alone probably has more than I've seen in a few other series combined. I'm pretty sure they have more than Fire Emblem Heroes, or at least an equal amount.

The developers have been very generous with resources, and so far have given you a free 10-pull whenever there's a new event.

We've also already had a lot of improvements due to developer feedback, which is a great sign for the game's future.

The strangest thing perhaps is...the gameplay is really fun for a mobile game. It's a top-down action RPG with heavy MMO elements in terms of leveling and co-op play. While your party setup means a lot, your skill in-game means even more if you're skilled at dodging, effectively moving around the map, and knowing when to throw out which ability. As you have such a heavy level of interaction with the characters, you also feel more attached to them, which is great for longevity in a gacha game. Each weapon type plays very differently, and with different elements and abilities you get a lot of variety. You also have different dragons you can transform into as essential limit breaks.

I really love how seamlessly co-op is integrated. You can play any mission with or without co-op, and it takes very little effort to group up with people.

Cons

It's still a gacha game, so a certain level of garbage is expected. The rates of pulling a 5-star seem far worse than Fire Emblem Heroes and Final Fantasy Record Keeper. To make matters worse, you can potentially pull a 5-Star Wyrmprint (a type of equipment) instead of a character or dragon, thus resetting your pity rate.

In co-op, if a host quits the entire battle is considered a fail. Which makes logical sense, but it's frustrating when the host quits while you're winning.

Bows are also significantly worse than the other weapon types, but my favourite character is an archer. This presents a problem.

It’s only available in a small number of countries, with still not announced plans for others.

Final Thoughts

It's the best mobile game I've played this year, but it's still a mobile game. Unless you're looking for a mobile game, I recommend just appreciating the art from afar. If you ARE looking for a mobile game, however, I highly recommend this. And if you care about Nintendo, maybe keep an eye on this; I could see this IP eventually coming out of mobile.

4. Deltarune (PC)

It's tough to write these all at once. Okay, Deltarune. The surprise game from Undertale's creator. I still don't want to get into too much detail in case you haven't played this free and relatively short game, but it's been a while. There will be sort of spoilers below, so if you want to go in blind, skip down to number 3.

Pros

From the graphical style to the writing to the soundtrack, it's got the same great charm of Undertale in a smaller package.

The battle system is more involved and honestly a lot more fun. You're also not forced to go Pacifist to get the good ending, so you can actually enjoy it like a normal RPG. Even if you do go Pacifist like I did, the inclusion of different abilities gives you a lot more to do than just dodge enemy attacks.

The progression of Susie and Lancer as characters is fun to watch unfold, and the game does a great job making you invested in these characters within such a short time frame.

The final section of the game, without mentioning any spoilers, is also a nice little reward.

Cons

Simply because of playing Undertale, you may assume you have to play Pacifist and thus miss the main combat. This is untrue, but hard to know since you also want to go in blind on your first run. This is entirely a self-made issue, but it is nonetheless a common issue I can see.

..I don't really have any other negatives offhand except that it's short?

Final Thoughts

If you played Undertale, play this. If you didn't play Undertale, probably play that first and you'll enjoy this more. But you'd probably enjoy this regardless. And hell, it's free and under 5 hours, and runs on probably any modern PC.

3. Dragonball FigherZ (PS4)

There have been so many Dragonball Z games, but the quality never hit this level. Remember when we considered the Budokai games to be amazing because of the competition? Now we have a DBZ fighter that's not only the best of the series, but also a legitimately great fighting game when compared to the other big fighting series. No weird 3D mechanics, no attempt to heavily integrate fighting. This is just a solid 2D fighter with some unique elements and a DBZ flavouring.

Pros

Made by Arcsys, the gameplay is unsurprisingly amazing. It's fluid, has a lot of ease-of-use for beginner players, and a lot of more complex mechanics to make high-end gameplay fun to watch. I was able to teach some friends in a short amount of time how to play this decently, which is very important with a multiplayer game.

And despite most of the characters fighting extremely similarly in DBZ, each character feels unique here. They're all just throwing punches, kicks, and energy blasts, but they all have their own distinct feel. Even the various orange-gi-black-hair characters all stand out with different silhouettes and colour tinting.

The new OC that Arcsys seems obligated to add may be strange as an Android/Buu hybrid, but adding a new female character to such a male dominated series is much appreciated.

The online lobby is easy to find the types of fights you're looking for, and provides a good deal of variety.

Cons

The DLC lineup is awful. Two versions of Goku, two versions of Vegeta. Really? Do we really need that? Then we got Goku's dad Bardock, who visually looks like another Goku. And then we got Fused Zamasu, who is basically an alternate version of base game charater Goku Black. The only characters unique in both design and gameplay are Broly (who I generally hate), Android 17 (who's great), and Cooler (who's not quite as cool as his brother). There's so many good choices for DLC, but short of a second season, this is what we got stuck with. And honestly, good DLC characters can make or break my interest in a fighting game long-term. This was what broke it.

Final Thoughts

It's a great fighting game, and hands-down the best Dragonball Z game. But there's only one fighting game series that is able to hold my interest long-term.

2. Super Smash Brothers Ultimate (Switch)

It's still wild this was announced and came out in the same year. After being used to a long pre-release for Super Smash Brothers games, Ultimate really bucked the trend. It's also not like the other games in other ways as well, opting to include as much old content as possible instead of taking the usual "add a lot but cut a lot" approach.

Pros

One of my long-time top wished characters finally made it in: K. Rool! And he's so well-animated and sporting so many references! They really put a lot of love into him.

I'm vicariously excited for all the Ridley fans who finally got their big space dragon into Smash. They were always steadfast beside us K. Rool fans, and really deserve this win.

No one has to worry about their main being cut, because everyone is here. For those few people that legitimately liked Pichu, that must be a great feeling.

The core gameplay also received a nice boost in speed so it's not overly-fast like Melee, but still a lot more fluid than the other games. Bringing back moving air dodges, and clamping down on over-dodging have helped make the gameplay feel much smoother.

After the disappointingly poor single-player of Smash 4, I love all the single-player modes here. Classic has been redesigned to give each character a tuned and unique experience. We have a big single-player mode in the World of Light, and the smaller but more long-term Spirit Board.

Spirits in general are just a great way of reusing Stickers from previous games in a way that makes everybody excited. Seriously, they are just your typical gacha JPGS, but throwing effects and levels onto them really makes them feel more involved than trophier or stickers in past games.

My main, Zelda, got significantly buffed. This is really specific to me, but it makes a big difference.

Mii Fighters also feel far more viable this time around.

The range of music and stages in the game is just amazing.

Cons

For a game that promotes itself as having everything, it's bizarre and frustrating that the Stage Builder was completely removed. I really enjoyed playing around in there, and being able to use tracks I like from stages I don't like.

We also lost modes like Target Smash and the Home Run Contest for almost no reason. Short of these being added in future updates, I find this odd.

I could make a lot of complaints about character choice, but I'll keep it short and mention that I'm one of the few people not happy about the Piranha Plant, and I would really have had almost any non-3DS FE character instead of Chrom.

World of Light is also really long, and unlike the Subspace Emissary lacks cinema scenes. The opening scene everyone has seen is great, and then...that's it so far. I am expecting one more at the end (I'm maybe halfway through), and maybe one in the middle, but it's not going to live up to the SSE.

I also can't believe the huge backwards step taken in the online mode. Rather than having a separate Casual and Competitive mode like every other fighter (including the last Smash Brothers), there is only one queue, and you can easily get thrown into the opposite type of style you want. I actually cancelled my plans to buy the online service after I heard how bad this system is.

Final Thoughts

It's a Super Smash Brothers game, so I will enjoy it for a long time. The Spirits add a lot of longevity, but unless the online is heavily fixed I can see myself dropping out of this game within the next year.

1. Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4)

This game had such bad timing. Released alongside the similar but more anticipated Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on a competitor system, and the different but same-system Persona 5, I think a lot of people completely missed this game. Or as many as can miss a big AAA game. If this came out just a few months earlier or later, I'm sure I'd see a lot more talk about it. But as things stand, it seemed to disappear from everyone's minds very quickly.

If you're one of the ones that forgot, Horizon Zero Dawn is an open-world action-adventure about a post-apocalyptic world where humans are left to deal with the increasingly dangerous machine robots built by pre-apocalypse humans, and is just as much about dealing with different tribes and cultures that emerge in this new world.

Pros

Alloy is one of my favourite new main characters in a long time. Not just in video games, but in general. While having some of that player-character "choose their personality" feelings here and there, she is mostly a defined and often interesting character with distinct strengths and weaknesses.

Voice acting from Alloy as well as the entire cast is superb, and really sells the world.

The gameplay is heavily archery focused with a lot of traps and different ammunition to help you bring down the machines that heavily outmatch you in a straight fight. The game is built to allow you to play with stealth or as an action game depending on how you select your skills. It's also got a good level of difficulty where you will definitely die a few times, but never get overly frustrated.

The story hits on many different points, and most of it has something interesting to offer. Don't expect story quality on the level of something like Nier Automata, but for a new IP it's pretty impressive.

One thing I love about fast travel is that, early on, you have to use consumable items to do so. This means you're initially encouraged to manually explore, and in doing so will learn a lot more about what the game can offer. Once you get a little further, you can unlock the ability to fast-travel with ease so you can backtrack and do quests without an issue. It's a good way to try to balance having people skip over environments.

Also it's a big AAA game with NO MICROTRANSACTIONS AT ALL!

Cons

The subtitles are pretty small based on my TV size and the distance I sit at. If you sit closer to your TV, it's probably fine.

For a game with such good quality everywhere else, the soundtrack is honestly pretty average outside of the main theme.

The open world is nowhere near as fun to explore as in Breath of the Wild, and holds far less secrets.

Final Thoughts

This feels strange to say for a AAA game made by first-party Sony, but please don't sleep on this game. It's really good, and it's been insanely cheap for the latter part of this year.

That's it. That's all the games. This took a lot more time than I expected, and I don't feel like proofreading since now it's already almost midnight.  2018 may not have had that many good new releases, but I found fun with video games.

Looking forward to playing Fire Emblem Three Houses and Kingdom Hearts III next year, and talking about them next December. Hopefully not on the 31st again.

[majornelson]

This Week’s Deals With Gold And Spotlight Sale Plus Publisher Sale

Here are this week’s games and add-on deals on the Xbox Games Store. Discounts are valid now through 24 September 2018.

These deals will expire at 10:00 am UTC on Tuesday September 25th 2018

     Xbox One Deals

Content Title Content Type Discount Notes Titanfall 2: Ultimate Edition* Xbox One X Enhanced 85% DWG Hunting Simulator* Xbox One Game 70% DWG Spintires: MudRunner* Xbox One X Enhanced 67% DWG Just Cause 3 XL Edition* Xbox One Game 80% DWG The Jackbox Party Pack 3* Xbox One Game 40% DWG Syberia 3* Xbox One Game 50% DWG MotoGP18* Xbox One X Enhanced 40% DWG Deus Ex: Mankind Divided – Digital Deluxe Edition* Xbox One Game 80% DWG 2Dark* Xbox One Game 80% DWG Adam’s Venture: Origins* Xbox One Game 75% DWG AereA* Xbox One Game 67% DWG Battle Knights* Xbox One Game 25% DWG Deus Ex: Mankind Divided* Xbox One Game 80% DWG FlatOut 4 : Total Insanity* Xbox One Game 70% DWG Forgotton Anne* Xbox One Game 25% DWG Handball 17* Xbox One Game 80% DWG Infinity Runner* Xbox One Game 70% DWG Jurassic World Evolution – Deluxe Bundle* Xbox One X Enhanced 15% DWG Jurassic World Evolution – Deluxe Content* Add-On 15% DWG Jurassic World Evolution* Xbox One X Enhanced 15% DWG Just Cause 3: Air, Land & Sea Expansion Pass* Add-On 75% DWG Life is Strange: Before the Storm Complete Season* Xbox One X Enhanced 60% DWG Lightfield HYPER Edition* Xbox One Game 33% DWG Marble Void* Xbox One X Enhanced 50% DWG Masters of Anima* Xbox One X Enhanced 60% DWG Monster Slayers* Xbox One Game 40% DWG MXGP2* Xbox One Game 60% DWG Omega Strike* Xbox One Game 50% DWG Real Farm* Xbox One X Enhanced 70% DWG Sébastien Loeb Rally EVO* Xbox One Game 60% DWG Shape of the World* Xbox One X Enhanced 20% DWG Subject 13* Xbox One Game 70% DWG Titanfall 2: Angel City’s Most Wanted Bundle* Add-On 75% DWG Titanfall 2: Colony Reborn Bundle* Add-On 75% DWG Titanfall 2: Monarch’s Reign Bundle* Add-On 75% DWG The Technomancer* Xbox One Game 75% DWG This is the Police* Xbox One Game 67% DWG Wuppo* Xbox One Game 60% DWG FOR HONOR 5,000 STEEL Credits Pack Add-On 30% Spotlight FOR HONOR 11,000 STEEL Credits Pack Add-On 30% Spotlight FOR HONOR 25,000 STEEL Credits Pack Add-On 30% Spotlight FOR HONOR 65,000 STEEL Credits Pack Add-On 30% Spotlight FOR HONOR 150,000 STEEL Credits Pack Add-On 30% Spotlight Pang Adventures Xbox One Game 60% Spotlight The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset Upgrade Add-On 33% Spotlight The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset Collector’s Edition Upgrade Add-On 33% Spotlight Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands Year 2 Gold Edition Xbox One Game 40% Spotlight Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands Ultimate Edition Xbox One Game 40% Spotlight State of Decay 2 Xbox One X Enhanced 35% Pub Sale Sea of Thieves Xbox One X Enhanced 35% Pub Sale Forza Horizon 3 Blizzard Mountain Add-On 75% Pub Sale Gears of War 4 Xbox One X Enhanced 60% Pub Sale Halo Wars 2: Standard Edition Xbox One X Enhanced 50% Pub Sale Dead Rising 4 Deluxe Edition Xbox One X Enhanced 50% Pub Sale Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition Xbox One Game 50% Pub Sale Ryse: Legendary Edition Xbox One Game 75% Pub Sale Forza Horizon 2 Complete Add-Ons Collection Add-On 80% Pub Sale Forza Motorsport 6 Complete Add-Ons Collection Add-On 75% Pub Sale Dead Rising 4 Season Pass Add-On 60% Pub Sale Dead Rising 4 Xbox One X Enhanced 50% Pub Sale Forza Motorsport 7 VIP Add-On 80% Pub Sale Gears of War: Ultimate Edition – Day One Version Xbox One Game 60% Pub Sale Halo 5: Guardians Xbox One X Enhanced 25% Pub Sale Halo 5: Guardians – Digital Deluxe Edition Xbox One X Enhanced 50% Pub Sale Halo: The Master Chief Collection Digital Xbox One X Enhanced 25% Pub Sale Halo Wars 2: Complete Edition Xbox One X Enhanced 50% Pub Sale Halo Wars: Definitive Edition Xbox Play Anywhere 50% Pub Sale Killer Instinct: Definitive Edition Xbox Play Anywhere 75% Pub Sale Phantom Dust – Multiplayer Content Pack Add-On 67% Pub Sale Quantum Break Xbox One X Enhanced 50% Pub Sale ScreamRide Xbox One Game 75% Pub Sale State Of Decay 2: Ultimate Edition Xbox One X Enhanced 35% Pub Sale State of Decay: Year-One Survival Edition Xbox One Game 75% Pub Sale Sunset Overdrive Deluxe Edition Xbox One Game 67% Pub Sale Sunset Overdrive Season Pass Add-On 75% Pub Sale Sunset Overdrive Xbox One Game 67% Pub Sale

*These offers are only valid for Xbox Live Gold members. Please note: prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by region.

     Xbox 360 Deals

Content Title Content Type Discount Notes Mars: War Logs* Backward Compatible 75% DWG Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I* Backward Compatible 50% DWG Red Faction: Guerilla* Games On Demand 85% DWG Bayonetta* Backward Compatible 75% DWG The Book of Unwritten Tales 2* Games On Demand 80% DWG Comix Zone* Backward Compatible 50% DWG Fantastic Pets* Games On Demand 90% DWG Legend of Kay Anniversary* Games On Demand 85% DWG Red Faction: Guerrilla – Demons of the Badlands* Add-On 85% DWG Red Faction: Guerrilla Smasher Pack* Add-On 85% DWG Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode II* Backward Compatible 50% DWG The Outfit* Games On Demand 80% DWG Vanquish* Backward Compatible 75% DWG Fable Trilogy Backward Compatible 75% Pub Sale Crackdown Backward Compatible 75% Pub Sale Mass Effect Backward Compatible 75% Pub Sale Gears of War 3 Backward Compatible 60% Pub Sale State of Decay Arcade 75% Pub Sale Alan Wake’s American Nightmare Backward Compatible 75% Pub Sale Blue Dragon Backward Compatible 75% Pub Sale Crackdown 2 Games On Demand 75% Pub Sale Fable II Backward Compatible 75% Pub Sale Fable III Backward Compatible 75% Pub Sale Fable Anniversary Backward Compatible 75% Pub Sale Gears of War Backward Compatible 60% Pub Sale Gears of War 2 Backward Compatible 60% Pub Sale Gears of War: Judgment Backward Compatible 60% Pub Sale Lost Odyssey Backward Compatible 75% Pub Sale ScreamRide Backward Compatible 75% Pub Sale State of Decay: Breakdown Add-On 75% Pub Sale State of Decay: Lifeline Add-On 75% Pub Sale

*These offers are only valid for Xbox Live Gold members. Please note: prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by region.

via Xbox Live's Major Nelson https://ift.tt/2NlSUYi

[xall4one]

Bayojeanne week 2018 this year?

There will be a Bayojeanne Week in 2018 but first we’ll have the Bayonetta Week (center around Bayo 3). I’m working on preparing that :D Hope you can wait a bit anon

[dailybayonetta]

 Bayonetta Week (2018): Day 1 (09.07) - Who are you?

"Between us there was a law that was never to be broken. It stated that "The intersection of light and dark would being calamity to this earth". But 500 years ago, a child was born in clear violation of this tenet. That child was you."

[okamidensetsu]

2018 VG Journal 2

Because last years last years list was so successful in getting myself to complete the games that I own, this is now my annual thing to start at the beginning of the year! I know I’m a little late as it is Februrary 10, 2018 but I have had a rough start to the year...as far as being able to play games x.x. I’m hoping to rectify that this week by starting the list now! Wish me luck! 52 games before the end of the year. Hopefully averaging to a game a week! Wish me luck!

*This list will be edited and redone as the year goes on*

Here is a list of games completed in 2018 [US releases unless marked otherwise]:

Nier: Automata (PS4)

Shadow of the Colossus Remaster (PS4)

Super Hot (PS4)

Marvel’s Spider-Man (PS4 Pro)

Donut County (PS4 Pro)

Tetris Effect (PS4 Pro)

God of War (PS4 Pro)

A.C.E. Another Century’s Episode [JP] (PS2)

Mister Mosquito [JP] (PS2)

Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron (PSP)

Bayonetta (Switch)

Kirby Star Allies (Switch)

Kamiko (Switch)

Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion (Switch)

Ittle Dew 2 (Switch)

Attack on Titan 2 (Switch)

Fire Emblem Warriors (Switch)

Metal Slug (Switch)

Lego City Undercover (Switch)

Nintendo Labo Robot Kit (Switch)

Night in the Woods (Switch)

King of the Monsters (Switch)

Final Fight (Switch)

Captain Commando (Switch)

The King of Dragons (Switch)

Knights of the Round (Switch)

Warriors of Fate (Switch)

Armored Warriors (Switch)

Battle Circuit (Switch)

Strikers 1945 (Switch)

Hulk: Ultimate Destruction (Gamecube)

Donkey Konga [JP] (Gamecube)

Donkey Konga 2 [JP] (Gamecube)

Donkey Konga (Gamecube)

Donkey Konga 2 (Gamecube)

SD Gashapon Wars [JP] (Gamecube)

Red Steel 2 (Wii)

Sword of the Berserk: Gut’s Rage (Dreamcast)

Halo 5: Guardians (Xbone X)

Big (unbeatable) time sinks:

Overwatch (PC)

Rocket League (Switch)

Musynx (Switch)

Nintendo Labo Variety Kit 1 (Switch)

Lumines Remastered (Switch)

Lumines II (PSP)

Monster Hunter World (PS4)

Fire Wall Zero Hour (PS4 Pro)

Vermintide II (XBone X)

Sea of Thieves (Xbone X)

Black Ops 4 (Xbone X)

Forza Horizon 4 (Xbone X)

Battlefront II (Xbone X)

Games I’m currently playing:

Hyper Light Drifter (PS4)

Furi (PS4)

Yakuza Kiwami (PS4)

Super Hot VR (PS4)

Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise (PS4 Pro)

Ucharted: Lost Legacy (PS4 Pro)

Darkwatch (PS2)

Darkest Dungeon (Switch)

Severed (Switch)

Resident Evil Revelations 2 (Switch)

Tiny Barbarian DX (Switch)

Axiom Verge (Switch)

Snipper Clips Plus (Switch)

Skyrim (Switch)

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch)

Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu (Switch)

Katamari Damacy REROLL (Switch)

Dragonball FighterZ (Switch)

Devil May Cry 4 (Xbone X)

State of Decay (Xbone X)

NFL Street 2: Unleashed (PSP)

Steel Batallion (Xbox)

The Thing (Xbox)

Dead to Rights (Xbox)

Donkey Konga 3 [JP] (Gamecube)

Donkey Konga Jungle Beat  [JP] (Gamecube)

Typing of the Dead  [JP] (Dreamcast)

Typing of the Dead: Overkill  (PC)

Portal 2 (PC)

Bionic Commando: Rearmed (PC)

January 1st, 2019 - The 2018 Recap:

This year for me was playing a lot more online mutliplayer games than I have for the past ten years combined! But of course that means I had more unbeatable time sinks than I did last year. So I ended up beating 39 games across 8 systems. Not a bad spread but I am hoping to do better next year. Maybe I’ll play some Saturn and Gameboy color games, the latter of which I haven’t touched in a couple years. But the fact that I put so many hours into 13″unbeatable” games this year is surprising to me. Games as a service is a real thing and just goes to show where the times are. Hopefully next year I can put more time into shorter and simpler more story driven games to counter act those numbers. I do really want to see 52 games beaten. But with that said this year was a success. I technically count those 13 games (of which I definitely sank over 10 hours into each of them) as games that are part of my completed games list. So I did it! I averaged a game beaten a week this year! Two years in a row!

Also holy shit did I start a lot of games this year! And I’m definitely missing a few on that list Q.Q

[isolaween]

Curtain Fall (Cittaween Ending)

The night of October 4th, 2017, would be forever ingrained in the citizens' minds as a moment of fun and excitement, alongside a huge variety of emotions. Only those who went to it can really make a comment regarding their enjoyment or not. For in this celebration of the time when the living and the dead inhabit the same world, who can affirm to have lived the exact same experience as another one?

But, alas, everything must come to an end. Tomorrow is a new day, and the living can't stay with the dead forever, lest they'll die themselves. Life is still ahead to the citizens of Hive City, with its adversities and wonders lingering in the future. Death must return to its slumber, for those in its belonging deserve to rest in peace.

And for those in both and neither domain simultaneously, is warranted the role of closing the catbox in this tale once again. When the grandfather clock in the salon strikes 1:30 precisely, the sound of golden butterflies beating their paper wings can be heard once again by the audience. The couple of witch hosts is once again at the top of the staircase, in their post to announce the end of this story.

"Attention, attention, please!" Battler tests the microphone he's holding, the noise of interference cutting everyone's attention back to him. "Hello, everybody, and good night! I hope you've all been enjoying the Halloween party and everything it has to offer. From the food to the musical numbers, not to count everybody's hard work to assure a fun environment to everyone!"

"It's truly been some magical hours, dear..." Beatrice sighs. "Unfortunately, just like with Cinderella and her carriage, when the clock strikes 2 o'clock, the magic will end, and we shall all be obliged to return to our homes. Thus, to make sure that everyone's hearts is in high spirits at the end of these festivities, we've left the big decision of the contest to the end!"

"Exactly! But before we get to that, just a quick announcement. A Halloween Party is a very tiresome event to organize and we thank all that helped us with it. However, as citizens of Hive City, every person Here present can contribute to it. If not this year's, then the next one for sure! As such, the Pokémon are now distributing some evaluation forms about the party for you all. Write down your critiques to the event, the good and bad, besides suggestions for what we can do next year, so that 2018's party is even better for you all!"

Beatrice clapped. "Yes, that's very important! After all, before us is a cauldron of endless possibilities, all cooking inside your heads. It's up to us Endless Witches to catch the flavor each of you has to offer and turn it into a delicious soup that nobody can make a complaint about, ufufu!" She then took a breath. "But enough of this. Right now, we have a far more serious manner to decide. Who shall be the one to obtain the biggest prize tonight?" "Who will stand victorious above all else and obtain a fraction of the blessings that the Golden Land has to offer? Ummm, I wonder." Battler scratches his chin. "Did you enjoy the versatility and colorfulness contained in each of our contestants' costumes, folks?"

"Not to count the skill applied on them, alongside the hours of effort, sweat and tears that fell on them. All aiming to obtain the miracle of magic in their life. However - I'm sorry to say - only one shall be blessed by it tonight. Who are they? Well... let's leave it to our MC to tell!" Beatrice points dramatically at the stage, where once again Maya stood up in her Gaap costume. On her hand, a closed envelope could be seen, dancing tauntingly as said hand moves. Behind her, the brave contestants that dared to expose their image for a whole evening.

Gakupo. Steven. Sayu. Phi. Magilou. Edna. Eichi. Mika. Shu. Riku. Knight. Tasuku. Miku. King Knight. Ori. Muffet. Star Platinum. Gaster. Sunny. Dio. Marceline. Drifter. Sombra. Zarya. Crow. Yaiba. Titan. Orion. Tails. Travis. Bayonetta. Sasuke. Phillip.

Everyone was there. Everyone, everyone. On the stage, on the audience. Breaths are held, eyes tranced exclusively at the woman dressed as a demon. Or rather, in the envelope containing the single truth of tonight, the truth that the citizens chose by themselves.

"My, my, what an attentive crowd. I wonder if my 'charms' have captivated you that well." She giggles. "Ah, but I shouldn't count myself this lucky tonight. This is what is interesting you, correct?" She showcases the envelope. It's just like the one where the invitations were handed to the citizens weeks ago, down to the one winged eagle crest and the wax seal of the family head closing it. A fitting bookend to this journey. "Rejoice, citizens! For tonight, one of these prestigious members of your community will be lauded in glory by your own hands! Which of them did you find the most worthy of receiving the witch's blessing? Which sort of wish will their heart make come true? This is no longer time for stalling the result. Behold...!"

Before everyone else, Maya undoes the seal, much to their anticipation. Can you listen to their quick breathing? Can you hear their thunderous heartbeats going faster and faster by their ears? Hopefully nobody will need to go to the doctor right at this point.

"Ah! I see it! Hooo, you citizens certainly have a curious taste.” She clears her throat, a sign for the spotlights to start dancing on stage. It’s now or never. “Very well, the moment to announce the result has come!”

“THE WINNER OF HIVE CITY’S 2017 HALLOWEEN PARTY’S COSTUME CONTEST IS...................................................”

“MUUUUFFEEEEEEEEEET (@actuallymuffet)!!!”

Strondous applause erupts from the audience, as Muffet is brought forth alongside Maya and has several confetti and golden rose petals drop over her. Battler and Beatrice then proceed to walk all the way from the staircase top to the stage, each positioning at one side of the one chosen by the citizens.

“<COOOOONGRAAAATUUULAAATIOOOOONS!!!!>” Beato shouts in her typically over the top manner. “Look at you! Such a cute, elegant and creative costume, I can totally see why you were picked. Ahhhh, you did so well, Muffet!”

“Ihihihi! Congrats, dude.” Battler offers a hand for her to shake. “I’m sure that you’ve made a lot of effort to get this thing done. And it was well worth it! Now everybody is the city is familiar with your talent for crafting and inspiring others with your visage!”

“Tsk, Battler, aren’t you forgetting the biggest prize of all? For now, Muffet... You can wish for anything you want! All for you! C’mon, make your wish already!” She was jumping on place of excitement.

“Hey, calm down, Beato.” He holds her down by the shoulder. “A wish is something that one should think about very well before asking for it. Take your time to pick whichever you want, Muffet. We have to end the party first anyway.”

“Ah, yes, yes.” The witch nods vigorously. She then turns to the audience and bows. “Once again, we’d like to thank everybody for your presence into our humble ceremony. May you all return safely to your homes, both the living and the dead.

“And remember,” Battler raises a finger to point out. “don’t drive if you’re drunk! We can easily ask for taxis to help those without money to return, so don’t hesitate to ask us.” 

“...So that’s it.” Maya finally speaks again, making a move to finally take her wig off. “I declare the party officially over! That’s all, folks!”