Tell Me Why Free this Month On PC and Xbox Live June 1, 2021
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One of the games that really grabbed me when it was last previewed was Tell Me Why by DONTNOD. This game may seem familiar to fans of Life is Strange, but it focuses on new characters with their own supernatural problems.
Earlier today, Microsoft announced they’ll be offering all chapters of the game for free right now on PC and Xbox Live Marketplace. I have NO idea how long this game will be offered free so you may want to try to download it right now. If the reports online are correct, some regions are having trouble getting it free on STEAM right now, but that might be a bug. Alternatively, PC users CAN get it free on Windows Store.
Tell Me Why is out now for the PC and Xbox One.
Japan Travel Tips – Ramen June 1, 2021
Posted by Maniac in Japan Travel Tips, Uncategorized.1 comment so far
It’s Tuesday, and that means a new list of Japan Travel Tips, where I share with you some of the best independently produced travelogs about the country. We have already shared with you tips on how and what to eat while in the nation, but we intentionally left out one of the most recognizable foods in Japan, Ramen. Grab a bib and get ready to slurp!
Every region in Japan will have its own take on the popular food. First off, I’m going to highlight the work of Abroad in Japan, who produced this incredible video on the city known as Japan’s Ramen Capital, Fukuoka! Not only does he take a look at the food, but also some of the coolest sights to see in the city. Fukuoka is known for its creamy Pork bone broth, which is a staple of their noodle soup. Honestly, my words cannot do it justice, you’ll have to see it for yourself.
If you like different ingredients in your Ramen, don’t worry there are different options all over the country. Next up I have to highlight the work of Only in Japan. Seriously, this guy’s channel has been an invaluable reference for this series. Only in Japan has taken a closer look at some of the kind of Ramen you’d find in back alleys and side streets. Here’s a look at a place famous for their Ramen Alley, Sapporo.
Not enough Only in Japan for you guys? If that hasn’t made your stomach growl, in this next video he takes a look at the Ramen in Kyoto.
If you want to see more, he’s also taken closer looks at the Ramen in Hokkaido and Fukuoka.
I’m sure you’re wondering, “What if I want something SPICY, can I get that in Japan?” Yes, you totally can! I want to highlight the work of Mark Weins, who has a love for traveling for food and all things spicy. Watch his expression trying out Devil Level Ramen while at an outdoor market.
Finally I wanted to share some real fire with you all. Apparently, the Devil Level is not the hottest Ramen you can get in Japan, there is a Ramen shop that will actually use real fire. The YouTube channel Twosome Travellers actually got to try it. I’m not kidding, you have to see it to believe it.
Things to Know:
- Ramen is popular and Ramen Shops can be small. Expect a line, especially during lunch hour. Also a good idea to pay and leave as soon as you finish your bowl.
- Menus will likely be in Japanese. If you don’t speak the language you can either point at a picture of what you want or use a translator app on your smartphone.
- Always try the broth first with the provided spoon.
- Slurping is allowed and encouraged especially if it is good.
- Super Spicy Ramen could cost extra.
- Do not ask for your Ramen to go.
- Dispose of your leftovers in the designated bins.
That about wraps up our tour of some of the best Ramen options from all over Japan. Next week, we’re going to take a pause with our discussion of food and instead talk about some of the most unique museums you could visit in Japan.
Why Doesn’t Disney Parks Incorporate Kingdom Hearts into a Fireworks Show? May 31, 2021
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Across the US, Disney’s Theme Parks are finally reopening. Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida and Disneyland in Anaheim, California are back open for business. With some of the best theme park rides on the planet ranging from Space Mountain to Expedition Everest, this is a much anticipated announcement.
Now that the parks are opening at close to full capacity within the next few weeks, and Walt Disney World has announced they will be celebrating their 50th anniversary.
Is it just me or is the music that Disney’s been using to produce their recent commercials just not doing it for you like it should? It might be because I’m a gamer. While I do not visit Disney’s parks regularly, I fondly remember visiting them on special occasions as I grew up during the 90s and I do plan to go back and visit again within the next year or two. I may not be the most well-versed on the history of the park (people like Tony Goldmark hold that distinction) but I was lucky enough to ride rides like Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout and even Disney World’s Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror all within a matter of weeks of their opening.
Since 2002, Disney has had a relationship with the guys over at Square Enix, who have incorporated their Final Fantasy characters alongside Disney’s incredible catalog of films and shorts to create the beloved Kingdom Hearts franchise, and as a gamer you can be sure I’ve played many of these games. Square Enix’s contribution to Disney’s ongoing legacy, and the fact it is about to celebrate its 20th anniversary, should not be dismissed. Let me set the stage for you, starting with the opening of the very first game.
When I think of Disney, I think of how they’re depicted in the Kingdom Hearts games. The games were able to weave all of Disney’s most popular films and characters into one coherent continuity with characters that acted exactly as someone already familiar with Disney would expect them to act. In a way, Disney’s parks function on a similar principle. All the rides, shows and attractions can be fit into each park’s themed land, and guests can visit each land during their stay at the park.
I will admit to subconsciously referring to Mickey Mouse as “Your Majesty”, to recognizing the final battle in the animated film Mulan…because I actually FOUGHT in it. Then I asked myself, why DOESN’T Disney promote the Kingdom Hearts games in any of their theme parks? They’ve had no problem bringing franchises from Lucasfilm, Marvel and Pixar in to tremendous success, Kingdom Hearts would be a logical next step! The game’s art style is timeless, and new games are still being produced. Heck, that game franchise is still alive with its most recent release being Kingdom Hearts III.
I honestly would be satisfied with a Kingdom Hearts nighttime firework tribute show. There’s honestly no need to overwhelm the parks with Kingdom Hearts versions of each characters, but why not make a stage or night show? It would make for a perfect update to the Fantasmic stunt show! Just use the Fantasmic arena as a stage, Mickey could come out dressed in his King Mickey outfit, wield his keyblade, and team up alongside Donald, Sora and Goofy against the Heartless or the Nobodies. Or, if you’re against losing Fantasmic, you could show a tribute video to the games on something like World of Color’s projection fountain. Square Enix’s cutscenes are so well produced and edited the Disney Park staff would barely have to do anything. Just put the video below up on the giant water fountain screen at California Adventure and not a single patron of the park would bat an eye. Well…except for the gamers who wouldn’t be able to stop crying.
But while there is no question that Disney owns their IP, and merely licensed their characters to Square Enix for Kingdom Hearts, it is a little unclear if Disney has the ability to use Kingdom Hearts characters in their theme parks. It has been attempted, but only for very very limited special events. Disney Parks expert Disney Dan actually did a video about the very few times these events happened, and I recommend checking it out.
I know I must not be alone. After twenty years and millions in sales, there have to be tons of other people who’s primary exposure to Disney was through Kingdom Hearts. What Kingdom Hearts themed content would you want to see Disney bring into their parks and where should it go? Post a comment below! Here’s hoping they could sell some sea salt ice cream.
Kingdom Hearts games are currently avaliable on multiple platforms including the PS4.
Gaming History You Should Know – Sega’s Genesis Modem May 30, 2021
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It’s Sunday, welcome back to a new Gaming History You Should Know, where we highlight some of the best and most important independently produced gaming documentaries from across the web. As a PC user back in the mid-90s, I was strongly aware of the fact that I could use my PC to play games with people all over the world. Since high-speed internet utilities did not exist for residential consumers at that time, the only way I could get on the internet was with a telephone modem. For those of you who don’t know what that is, a modem would hook into a telephone land-line, and similar to how a FAX machine functions, and (depending on the configuration) transmits data either between two computers or one computer and their ISP. It was very slow, with even tiny downloads that would take hours, and very prone to disconnection but at the time it was the only way to play games online against people all over the world.
During the 16-Bit Gaming Wars, there were several attempts by console makers and their third-party hardware manufacturers to bring an online multiplayer experience to their game consoles. This was an interesting choice as game consoles typically supported two-to-four player gaming (depending on whoever else was on the couch with you at the time), and because of that online gaming was less of a priority. However, there were attempts. Today we are going to see the story of one of those attempts.
Enter Norman Caruso, better known as the Gaming Historian, with a documentary about the first attempt Sega made to bring a modem to their game console, the Genesis. If you had any interest in Japan’s gaming history, you need to give this video a watch!
As a person who lived in North America at the time, I vaguely remembered multiple attempts by Sega to incorporate a modem into their consoles over the years. The most successful of which was probably the modem that shipped with the Sega Dreamcast.
Dragon Quest 35th Anniversary Stream May 30, 2021
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Dragon Quest is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. While gamers in the west may be less familiar with it, the franchise, created by Yuji Hori, predates Final Fantasy and is a staple of Japan and may have been the inspiration for the Japanese RPG (also known as Console RPG) as we’ve known it.
This past week, the team at Square Enix held a live broadcast (yes it was VERY live) where they showed some of the next Dragon Quest games that will be released in various parts of the world. Take a look, the video starts at around the 24 minute mark.
As a site that exists in North America, we’ve actually had very few opportunities to talk about the Dragon Quest games here on this site. That really needs to change. Perhaps in the future we should devote an entire day to this franchise!
Unreal Engine 5 Early Access Video May 28, 2021
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Ladies and gentlemen, Unreal Engine 5.
When’s the next Unreal Tournament game, Epic?
Conversations With Curtis Episode 2 Follow-Up May 27, 2021
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Looks like Conversations with Curtis went into overtime this week! Last week, the two lead actors from the classic PC horror game Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of Flesh got together for a live video chat about their experiences making the game. Earlier today, the game’s lead actor, Paul Stetler, revealed a part meant for the stream he forgot to share during the live broadcast. His co-star had given him a personal gift after shooting wrapped. What did she give him? Watch and find out!
We will post up the details about Episode 3 as soon as we find out!
Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of Flesh is out now for the PC.
Pokemon Go Fest 2021 Price and Dates Announced May 27, 2021
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For the past five years, Pokémon Go has dominated AR gaming and practically revolutionized the gaming landscape. Each year since it’s launch, the game’s developer has held Pokémon Go Fest, an event where trainers can come together to celebrate the game and accomplish some special event goals. Last year, they held the event worldwide, and they’re doing that again this year!
Niantic announced earlier this year they would hold Pokémon Go Fest 2021 July 17th-18th, and all players would be able to participate from anywhere in the world. Today, Niantic announced they teamed up with Google Play and the price for this year’s event will be $4.99 US! That’s a third of the price from last year’s event, and last years event was just great!
You can read all the details about the event on the official blog. Like with last year, you will not be able to purchase a ticket with in-game coins, participants will need to purchase credit on their respective device’s App Store to buy an in-game ticket.
Pokémon Go is out now for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets.
Control Coming To Stadia May 27, 2021
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Google has announced that the fantastic 2019 Remedy game Control will be coming to Stadia later this summer. The Stadia version of the game is expected to include all of its DLC expansions.
This is kind of interesting because a while ago I posted a list of all the games I thought should come to Stadia and Control was on the top of that list. Control was a great game, one of my favorites from last year, and as an Alan Wake fan, I cannot tell you how much it meant to me to play the game’s second DLC expansion. Now you won’t need a high-end PC to play it.
Control is out now for PC, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. It is coming to Stadia this summer.
Shin Megami Tensei 3 HD Launch Trailer May 25, 2021
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Atlus Games has just released this incredible new launch trailer to celebrate the launch of a highly anticipated re-release. Take a look!
Never had the opportunity to play this game back when it first launched, I’m excited to have the opportunity to play it on current platforms.
Shin Megami Tensei 3 Nocturne HD Remaster is out today for PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch.
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