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The next two months of video games are absolutely stacked

Now that we’re halfway through April, it’s getting to be a particularly busy time in the world of games.

Already, we’ve had the likes of Fire Emblem Engage, Hi-Fi Rush, the PlayStation VR2, Metroid Prime Remastered, Hogwarts Legacy, Octopath Traveler II and Resident Evil 4, as well as successful adaptations like The Last of Us and The Super Mario Bros. Movie but that was just the prelude. From the latest entries in several beloved long-running franchises to promising new IPs and major events, there’s a lot to forward to over the next couple of months alone. You might even say it’s the ‘2023 Summer Game Season.’

Read on for a highlight of what to expect:

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor duel

Image credit: EA

Release date: April 28th
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

We’d be remiss not to mention that the de facto start to the busy mid-year stretch has to be Respawn’s sequel to its hit 2019 action-adventure game, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Set five years after the events of that game, Survivor follows Cal Kestis as he continues his battle against the Galactic Empire with the Jedi all but decimated. Gameplay-wise, the sequel offers a variety of improvements, including new lightsaber stances and Force powers and more open and expansive level design (with fast-travel!). The Force is looking pretty strong with this one.

Redfall

Redfall team

Image credit: Bethesda

Release date: May 2nd
Platform: Xbox Series X/S, PC

Arkane (Dishonored) is here with a new first-person shooter IP that’s all about vampire slaying on an island town in Massachusetts. Whether solo or in co-op, you can control one of four unique characters — cryptozoologist and inventor Devinder, telekinetic student Layla Ellison, combat engineer Remi and supernatural sniper Jacob. While there’s been some controversy surrounding the lack of a 60fps option at launch, Arkane’s pedigree certainly speaks for itself.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom freefall

Image credit: Nintendo

Release date: May 12th
Platform: Nintendo Switch

Over six years after the beloved Breath of the Wild, Nintendo is finally here with a direct sequel. This time around, Link must traverse both the land and skies of Hyrule to stop a malevolent force from rising. Between the darker tone, new floating islands to explore and inventive new abilities (weapon-fusing and rewinding time!), it’s shaping up to be another Nintendo game of the year contender.

In related news, MobileSyrup and Nintendo of Canada are running a contest until April 20th where you and a friend will be flown to New York City for the launch of Tears of the Kingdom. Full terms and conditions are available here.

Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 Ryu vs Chun-Li

Image credit: Capcom

Release date: June 2nd
Platforms: PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X and S, PC

Capcom’s iconic fighting game series is back. The game features 18 fighters, including new and fan-favourites like Ryu, Chun-Li and Cammy, as well as three distinct game modes: World Tour, Fighting Ground and Battle Hub. Moreover, it marks a return to Xbox consoles after Street Fighter 5 controversially was a PlayStation 4 console exclusive. All in all, the series looks to be in fighting form.

Diablo IV

Diablo IV combat

Image credit: Activision Blizzard

Release date: June 6th
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S

Eleven years after Diablo III, Blizzard is back with a full-fledged entry in the action-RPG series — no smartphone required. So far, it’s been a big hit with fans, especially after a well-received beta. The game takes place 30 years after the events of Diablo III and sees players having to face off against Lilith, the daughter of Mephisto. It’s also worth noting that Canada’s Rod Ferguson, a key player behind the Gears of War series, now serves as a producer on the Diablo franchise.

Summer Game Fest

Date: June 8th at 12pm PT/3pm ET
Where to stream: TBA

A few weeks ago, the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) was cancelled, confirming weeks-long rumours that the show would be scrapped amid minimal publisher interest. At the same time, Geoff Keighley, the Markham, Ontario-born creator of The Game Awards, promised a bigger-than-ever Summer Game Fest event, including a first-time physical component in Los Angeles. Keighley created the show in 2020 as a digital alternative to E3 during the COVID-19 pandemic, but with E3 tapering off, it looks here to stay. Expect to see game reveals from dozens of companies.

Xbox Games Showcase + Starfield Direct

Starfield planet

Starfield (Image credit: Bethesda)

Date: June 11th (time TBA)
Where to stream: TBA

While E3 has been called off, Xbox is still holding its traditional June gaming showcase. It’s unclear exactly what we’ll see there, but potential titles include Ninja Theory’s Hellblade II, Rare’s Everwild, Turn 10’s Forza Motorsport and Obsidian’s Avowed. What we do know, though, is that Bethesda’s highly-anticipated Starfield is getting its own dedicated ‘Direct’ presentation directly after the Xbox Games Showcase.

Ubisoft Forward

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (Image credit: Ubisoft)

Date: June 12th (time TBA)
Where to stream: TBA

Ubisoft has been pretty quiet as of late, with 2022 being a fairly light year for the publisher outside of Just Dance 2023 and Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. Instead, the company has largely been producing a variety of live service experiences, including the crossover shooter XDefiant and multiple Assassin’s Creed titles. Presumably, this Ubisoft Forward will offer a better look at many of these, as well as the likes of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and Assassin’s Creed Mirage.

Final Fantasy XVI

Image credit: Square Enix

Release date: June 22nd, 2023
Platform: PlayStation 5

How do you follow up on one of the biggest comeback stories in games, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn? You make the next mainline single-player entry in the venerable 35-plus-year series. Over the past several years, Square Enix’s Creative Business Unit III has been toiling away at a darker, politically-charged Final Fantasy action-RPG that aims to marry the mature storytelling of FFXIV with the tight and stylish combat of Devil May Cry. Indeed, the story actually hails from Kazutoyo Maehiro, writer of the award-winning Heavensward, while the combat is being spearheaded by DMC alum Ryota Suzuki. Just one month after Tears of the Kingdom and we could very well be getting another Game of the Year contender.

That would be a solid lineup in any year, and the fact that it all spans just two months is particularly impressive. If we look a bit further into the year, we’ll also be getting Nintendo’s Pikmin 4 (July 21st), Canadian-made RPG Sea of Stars (August 29th), Larian’s Baldur’s Gate III (August 31st), Starfield (September 6th) and Insomniac’s Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (TBA fall, possibly September), among other games.

What are you most excited to play? Let us know in the comments below.

Image credit: Nintendo, Square Enix

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Here’s over 20 minutes of stunning Final Fantasy XVI gameplay on PS5

Square Enix has revealed more than 20 minutes of new gameplay footage from Final Fantasy XVI.

During a PlayStation State of Play presentation focused entirely on the PS5 exclusive, we got a look at the game’s darker story, sizeable open environments, flashy combat and more.

In terms of the story, the game follows Clive, a young man who seeks vengeance after his kingdom is destroyed. All the while, he must navigate the divided world of Valisthea, which is made up of six nations harbouring their own deadly powers. Naoki Yoshida, the producer of the game and director of Final Fantasy XIV, also teased the more mature, politically-driven storyline.

Elsewhere, we were given an extensive look at battles. While most mainline Final Fantasy games have been turn-based, XVI features entirely real-time combat. In the State of Play, we get a look at all of the sword and magic abilities Clive has at his disposal, including special powers provided by Eikons (summons).

We also see AI-controlled allies, like Clive’s wolf, Torgal, helping him out in combat while the player controls the young noble himself. In certain fights, Clive can even directly control an Eikon to fight another in giant, Kaiju-esque battles. All in all, XVI‘s combat looks incredibly sharp, which isn’t exactly surprising since Devil May Cry alum Ryota Suzuki serves as the battle designer.

Overall, the game looks phenomenal, and the fact that Creative Business Unit III — the acclaimed team behind FFXIV — is working on it only makes it more promising.

Final Fantasy XVI will release exclusively on PS5 on June 22nd.

Image credit: Square Enix

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PlayStation to hold State of Play focused entirely on Final Fantasy XVI

PlayStation has announced a new State of Play dedicated entirely to Final Fantasy XVI.

The presentation will take place on Thursday, April 13th at 2pm PT/5pm ET and feature “more than 20 minutes” of new gameplay from the highly-anticipated Square Enix RPG. Those interested in tuning in can do so via PlayStation’s YouTube and Twitch channels.

It makes sense that PlayStation and Square Enix have partnered on this special State of Play. For one, it marks the first single-player Final Fantasy effort from Square Enix’s Creative Business Unit III, the celebrated studio behind the beloved Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn and its expansions. It’s also one of the only games that have been developed exclusively for PS5, whereas many others, like God of War Ragnarök and Horizon Forbidden West, have also come to PS4.

Set in the divided world of Valisthea, Final Fantasy XVI follows a young man named Clive who sets out of a revenge quest after his kingdom is destroyed. Notably, the story hails from Kazutoyo Maehiro, the writer of FFXIV‘s acclaimed Heavensward campaign. On top of that, Devil May Cry designer Ryota Suzuki serves as battle designer, giving the game an added level of action credibility.

Final Fantasy XVI will release exclusively on PS5 on June 22nd.

The last State of Play was held in February and featured a variety of games, including Resident Evil 4, Street Fighter VI and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. 

Image credit: Square Enix

Source: PlayStation

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What games are you excited for in 2023?

Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve written about the top games of 2022, both from Canadian teams and developers worldwide, as well as Canadian games to look forward to in 2023.

Now, though, we want to hear what you think. With the start of the new year comes the promise of all kinds of new games. 2023, in particular, is poised to be the year this current-gen of consoles really comes alive. Between the likes of the PS5-only Final Fantasy XVI (June) and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (fall) or Bethesda Xbox Series X/S titles Starfield and Redfall (first half of 2023), it should finally feel as though the industry is moving past the nearly 10-year-old PS4 and Xbox One.

In a similar vein, Nintendo is finally set to release The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in May, a sequel to the beloved Breath of the Wild that the Switch actually launched with way back in March 2017. Other big games include February’s Hogwarts Legacy, March’s Resident Evil 4 remake, May’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and Diablo IV, and June’s Street Fighter VI. The PlayStation VR2 is also launching next month.

That’s to say nothing of smaller indie titles, including the likes of the long-awaited Hollow Knight: Silksong (TBA 2023), Jet Set Radio-esque Bomb Rush Cyberpunk (summer), South-Asia-meets-Scott-Pilgrim Thirsty Suitors (TBA 2023) and Quebec City-based Sabotage’s Chrono Trigger-inspired Sea of Stars (first half of 2023).

Personally, the first two games I mentioned are my most anticipated. Two of my favourite things, period, are Final Fantasy and Spider-Man, and getting big new PS5 titles from both franchises in the same year is beyond exciting. As a big JRPG fan, Sea of Stars is likewise hitting all of the right notes so far. March’s Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, meanwhile, looks like an excellent sequel to 2019’s Jedi: Fallen Order. Replaced, a 2.5D cyberpunk action game, also seems rad.

Of course, more games will be revealed throughout 2023, especially at both E3 and Summer Game Fest in June. For now, though, what are you most excited to play this year? Let us know in the comments.

Image credit: Square Enix

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Final Fantasy XVI coming to PS5 in summer 2023

Square Enix has revealed a new trailer for its hotly anticipated Japanese role-playing game (JRPG), Final Fantasy XVI.

The trailer dropped during PlayStation’s June State of Play presentation alongside a summer 2023 release window.

In the three-minute footage, we see more of the game’s story, which follows Clive, the son of an archduke who embarks on a quest for revenge in the fantasy world of Valisthea. More of the action-RPG combat mechanics, as well as glimpses at classic Final Fantasy summons like Ifrit, Shiva, Bahamut and more, are also featured.

Notably, the game is being developed by Square Enix’s ‘Creative Business Unit III,’ the team behind the critically-acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV. Naoki Yoshida, the fan-favourite director of XIV, is a producer on XVI. 

Fans have been waiting a long time to see XVI again. The game was originally announced during the September 2020 PlayStation   5 Showcase, with Square Enix promising that we’d see it again the following year. However, the whole year passed without a new trailer, with Yoshida confirming on December 27th that development had been delayed by about half a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The next update was promised for spring 2022.

The last mainline entry in the Final Fantasy series, XV, was released in November 2016. Alongside XVI, Square Enix is also working on the sequel to 2020’s Final Fantasy VII Remake. 

More to come..