The footballer/movie star is stepping into the spotlight as the special guest of the much-anticipated Holiday Ops 2024 event
November 23rd, 2023 – The World of Tanks franchise (World of Tanks, World of Tanks Blitz and World of Tanks Modern Armor) continues its annual tradition of celebrating winter holidays with its community by inviting a special celebrity ambassador. This year, the renowned British footballer and movie star Vinnie Jones is ready to lend his charismatic tough-guy persona to the World of Tanks Franchise Holiday Ops 2024 event.
Vinnie Jones has been working covertly as Santa’s enforcer, dealing with those who found themselves on the “naughty list”. However, this year Vinnie isn’t here to give the gift of punishment but to submit his resignation letter to Santa. He is leaving his post to seek a new opportunity: becoming a commander in World of Tanks…. but not before he and his crew knock out one last “naughty list”.
“You heard that correct, I’m hanging up my candy canes for good to join the awesome World of Tanks players for Holiday Ops 2024,” said Vinnie Jones, holiday enforcer turned World of Tanks Holiday Ambassador. “My days of ‘correcting’ people on the naughty list are over. I am a World of Tanks commander now, and it is going to be ‘Jingle-Bells’ all the way!”
Team up with Vinnie Jones in the tanker garage, where he will be assigning challenges and quests to the most focused and festive of tankers. Successfully completing these missions will reward players with themed customization items such as celebrity-inspired tank skins, emblems, inscriptions, decals, medals, unique decorations, avatars, and more. Players of World of Tanks and World of Tanks Modern Armor can also recruit Vinnie into their tank crews, with his gruff iconic voice supporting tankers in battles.
Holiday Ops 2024 is set to kick off on December 1st, and World of Tanks players across all platforms can join Vinnie for this holiday adventure.
Wargaming is an award-winning online game developer and publisher headquartered in Nicosia, Cyprus. Operating since 1998, Wargaming has grown to become one of the leaders in the gaming industry with 16 offices around the world, including studios in Chicago, Prague, Shanghai, Tokyo, Vilnius and Belgrade. Millions of players enjoy Wargaming’s titles across all major gaming platforms. Our flagship products include the free-to-play hits World of Tanks, World of Warships and World of Tanks Blitz.
Vinnie Jones is a British actor, presenter, and former professional footballer. The Englishman played for and even captained Wales, having qualified via a Welsh grandparent. During his playing years, Jones was a hard and battling midfielder for Leeds United, Sheffield United, Queens Park rangers, Chelsea, and most notably Wimbledon. The tough demeanor he had on the pitch has become his trademark on the big screen, allowing him to excel at playing gangster characters in films like Snatch, Gone In 60 Seconds, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and The Longest Yard. Vinnie has also released Respect, an album of blues and soul on Telestar; featured in Ladbrokes and British Heart Foundation adverts; and, in 1998, published Vinnie: The Autobiography.
LOS ANGELES – November 22, 2023 – Netmarble, a leading developer and publisher of high-quality mobile games, has released a new update for the mobile RPGSeven Knights 2. Players can experience a new mythic pet, challenge dungeon update, and limited-time events.
This new game update features the newly-added Mythic Pet, Grim Reaper Knight Dello.The pet can recover all allies’ HP and apply the Invincible effect for a certain time. Dello can also provide the Unstoppable ATK boost to allies and decreases ATK SPD to all targets in a circular range. Additionally, the Challenge Dungeon Season 4 update is now available where players now can enjoy new dungeon content featuring Nestra’s Incarnation Shane.
Several new limited-time events are currently available, including:
Pet Summon Special Mission (Nov. 22 – Dec. 6): In relation to the number of Pets summoned, players can receive a variety of rewards including the Legendary+ Pet Summon Voucher Fragment and Legendary Pet Summon Voucher Fragment.
Daily Mission Clear (Nov. 22 – Dec. 6): Players can obtain rewards, such as Maps, based on the number of daily missions cleared.
Check In Event (Nov. 22 – Dec. 20): Check-in the game for 14 days during the event period and receive the Legendary+ Pet Summon Voucher, Pet Step Up Summon Tickets and more.
The official sequel to Seven Knights, a game enjoyed by 60 million players globally, Seven Knights 2 takes place 20 years after the original and introduces beautiful open world gameplay. The story centers on the Daybreak Mercenaries who embark on a journey to find the last member of the Seven Knights, “Rudy,” after a series of events involving a mysterious girl named Phiné. Stunning cinematics and graphics powered by Unreal Engine 4 will immerse players in this epic game story filled with unique characters and powerful bosses. Players can collect and develop their heroes and experience a new combat system with powerful ultimates and suppressors.
More information on Seven Knights 2 can be found on the officialFacebook page, YouTube and forums or by visiting Netmarble’s Global YouTube channel.
About Netmarble Corporation
Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a leading developer and publisher of top-grossing mobile games worldwide. Through powerful franchises and collaborations with acclaimed IP holders, Netmarble strives to elevate the gaming experience and entertain audiences globally. As a parent company of Kabam and SpinX Games, and a major shareholder of Jam City and HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment), Netmarble’s diverse portfolio includes Lineage 2: Revolution, MARVEL Future Fight, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds, The King of Fighters ALLSTAR, The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross, and forthcoming PC games like Paragon: The Overprime. More information can be found athttp://company.netmarble.com.
LOS ANGELES – November 22, 2023 – Netmarble, a leading developer and publisher of high-quality mobile games, launches a new game update for its blockbuster mobile RPGMARVEL Future Fight. Agents can experience new content based on Marvel Studios’ Loki Season 2, including a new hero, character-tier upgrades, a limited-time event and more.
Loki, the god of mischief, can be equipped with a new uniform while Sylvie becomes the latest playable hero in the game inspired by the second season of MARVEL Studios’ Loki. Character tier upgrades have been added for Loki (Tier-4 with new Striker Skill) and Sylvie (Tier-3 with new Ultimate Skill) as well.
Agents can participate in a new Black Friday Event through Nov. 28. A Transcend Potential hero can be earned by checking into the game during the event period. The currency amount has been lowered to access the World Boss as well as obtain Uniforms and a Dimension Chest. Agents can participate in the event quest to receive Sylvie (1★) and the Tier-3 Character Selector.
MARVEL Future Fight has over 150 million players across the world with the game currently available worldwide in theApp Store® and Google Play™.
Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a leading developer and publisher of top-grossing mobile games worldwide. Through powerful franchises and collaborations with acclaimed IP holders, Netmarble strives to elevate the gaming experience and entertain audiences globally. As a parent company of Kabam and SpinX Games, and a major shareholder of Jam City and HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment), Netmarble’s diverse portfolio includes Lineage 2: Revolution, MARVEL Future Fight, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds, The King of Fighters ALLSTAR, The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross, and forthcoming PC games like Paragon: The Overprime. More information can be found athttp://company.netmarble.com.
About Marvel
Marvel is one of the world’s most prominent entertainment brands, built on an unparalleled library of iconic characters and stories that have shaped pop culture for 85 years. The Marvel brand spans entertainment, including film, television, publishing, licensing, games, live events, digital media, and more.
App Store is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play is a trademark of Google Inc.
SnowRunner also gets two new DLCs for all platforms alongside today’s Mac launch
PARIS — NOV. 22, 2023 —SnowRunner, the ultimate off-road driving experience with more than 12 million players to date, takes the leap onto Mac today via the Mac App Store, delivering a fully loaded, unparalleled driving adventure. Now Mac users can immerse themselves in the complete SnowRunner experience, with all content released since the game’s inception in April 2020, aligning with the depth and intensity available to players on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch.
SnowRunner‘s open-world sandbox off-road simulation lets players navigate through extreme landscapes, conquer treacherous terrains, and complete challenging missions using a fleet of powerful vehicles. In addition to the base game, three years of post-launch content and many DLCs, this version empowers players with crossplay functionality to seamlessly connect and conquer challenges alongside friends no matter the platform. SnowRunner on Mac is also fitted with the extensive mod support offered by our partners at mod.io, allowing players to extend the game beyond limit thanks to the creativity of its rich community.
Marking this monumental occasion, SnowRunner has also introduced two thrilling new DLC packs on all platforms today: the “Kenworth W990” DLC and the “Jack of All Treads Tire Pack.” The “Kenworth W990” DLC boasts a brand-new, formidable truck, amplifying the fleet and opening new avenues for daring off-road conquests. Meanwhile, the “Jack of All Treads Tire Pack” offers over 50 tire and rim combinations, allowing players to fine-tune their vehicles for the most challenging terrains and climates. These two exciting DLCs are standalone products and are not included in the Year 3 Pass. They must be purchased separately to expand your SnowRunner experience.
Prepare to dive into the exhilarating world of SnowRunner, now available on Mac. For more information, visit the Focus Entertainment website or explore the Mac App Store to start your adventure today.
CD PROJEKT RED, in collaboration with Nerds’ Kitchen Creations and Penguin Random House, released a culinary adventure through the world of The Witcher in the form of The Official Witcher Cookbook, available for purchase in hardback and ebook formats.
Recap
The cookbook is written by Anita Sarna and Karolina Krupecka, authors of the popular blogs Nerds’ Kitchen and Witcher Kitchen.
Available as an ebook and in hardback, The Official Witcher Cookbook contains 256 pages of 80 mouthwatering recipes and stunning illustrations inspired by The Witcher series of games, and the saga by Andrzej Sapkowski.
The book’s foreword is written by author and creator of The Witcher book series Andrzej Sapkowski.
The Official Witcher Cookbook is available at major retailers and through Penguin Random House.
The Witcher Official Cookbook: Provisions, Fare, and Culinary Tales From Travels Around the Continent offers a brand-new lens through which readers can explore the lands that Geralt of Rivia visited throughout his adventures as a witcher. Featuring eighty beautifully photographed recipes, rich illustrations, and a foreword from the author of The Witcher book series Andrzej Sapkowski, the cookbook is a stunningly in-depth exploration of the many unique regions that make up this dark fantasy world.
Apart from recipes, the book’s 256 pages contain passages of a fictional narrator’s travels and discoveries of regional cuisine — from the hearty fare of Skellige to the delicacies of sun-soaked Toussaint, all bound in a beautiful hardback. Writers Anita Sarna and Karolina Krupecka, the creators of fan-favorite blogs Nerds’ Kitchen and Witcher Kitchen, have spent years publishing recipes for pop culture phenomena, including Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Cyberpunk 2077, and the aforementioned Witcher video game series.
The cookbook was officially released in English on November 21st through Penguin Random House in hardcover and ebook formats and is available online and through major retailers.
CD PROJEKT RED is a game development studio founded in 2002. It develops and publishes video games for PCs and video game consoles. The studio’s flagship titles include the futuristic RPG Cyberpunk 2077, its spy-thriller expansion Phantom Liberty, and The Witcher series of games, including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and its two expansions. In collaboration with Studio Trigger, CD PROJEKT RED also created the award-winning Netflix anime series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, set in the same universe as the game. Other games developed by the studio include Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales and GWENT: The Witcher Card Game. Together with GOG.COM, a game store offering hand-picked titles for PC and Mac, CD PROJEKT RED is part of the CD PROJEKT Group. CD PROJEKT S.A. is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ISIN: PLOPTTC00011).
About The Witcher franchise
Created by CD PROJEKT RED, The Witcher is a series of fantasy role-playing games following the adventures of professional monster slayer Geralt of Rivia. To date, the series has sold over 75 million copies worldwide and garnered over 1000 awards. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which released in 2015 for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and later in 2019 on the Nintendo Switch, won a total of 250 Game of the Year awards and has sold over 50 million copies worldwide. The Witcher games are set in the universe created by Andrzej Sapkowski in his series of books.
Launching as part of the Jingle Jam 2023 charity bundle
Dundee, Scotland – 22 November 2023: All the pieces are falling into place – chaotic cross-platform multiplayer “DIY racer” Make Way will be charging onto PC via Steam on 4 December, with consoles coming soon after.
Make Way will be the first game ever to launch as part of Jingle Jam, the yearly charity fundraising event from streaming group The Yogscast. Available from 1 December, the Jingle Jam 2023 bundle will include a wealth of other fantastic games, with 100% of proceeds from bundle sales being shared between 12 charities. Steam keys for Make Way bought as part of the Jingle Jam bundle will activate on 4 December.
Make Way is a fast-paced thrill-ride with a simple mantra: Build, Race, Win, Repeat. Players must build their own tracks alongside their friends with a set of randomly selected pieces, before battling in round-based races to take the top spot on their ever-expanding courses. With a wide array of obstacles and track pieces to unlock and use, no two races will ever be the same.
About Make Way
• Mix and match unique track pieces and hazards for near-endless course configurations • Fight for weapons and power-ups to gain the advantage • Unlock new track pieces and vehicles for wackier races • Up to four players, either locally or online with cross-platform multiplayer • Adjust the chaos levels with customisable rules, giving you control over safety barriers, hazard placement, and more
Make Way will launch on PC via Steam on 4 December 2023 for $14.99 / £12.99 / €14.99, with consoles coming soon.The Steam version will be available as part of Jingle Jam from 1 December.
About Secret Mode
Greetings from The Bunker! Secret Mode is the publishing wing of the award-winning Sumo Group Ltd. Our goal is to publish internally developed projects from any of our 18 game development studios across the UK, US, Europe, and India, as well as third party independent game developers. We believe that games are for everyone, and that creativity has no limits. We believe quality and fun are everything.
About Ice Beam Ice Beam is a passionate independent development studio based in Dundee. The company founder, Tom Goodchild, has worked in the games industry for over 20 years and has led the design on several boxed and digital releases on Microsoft, PlayStation, Nintendo, Steam, mobile, and virtual reality platforms. The studio’s first game, Socketeer, was released in 2018 on PC and console.
Celebrate Fitness Boxing Day as You Buff Up and Work Off Those Holiday Pounds
December 5 will now be known as Fitness Boxing Day! Imagineer Co. Ltd. and Solutions 2 Go invite everyone to join in the celebration of the physical release of Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star for Nintendo Switch, and the Expansion Pack DLC on the Nintendo eShop on December 5, 2023.
Watch the Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star trailer below:
Imagineer Co., Ltd. continues the successful franchise of Fitness Boxing with the newest edition, Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star. The popular rhythm-based exercise routines combine with the Fist of the North Star universe, featuring characters from the timeless anime franchise that coach and compete against you to assist in becoming stronger, healthier and achieve greater overall physical fitness.
Expansion Pack DLC Features:
New Heart Mode – Brace yourself and punch with a furious flurry of punches in two new challenges:
Hundred Blows Challenge: Throw a set number of punches within the time limit.
Hundred Blows Test: Deliver as many hits as you can within ten seconds in an ultimate test of speed and efficiency.
Raoh Mode – Step into Raoh’s shoes in two new trials that will give your foes a taste of the legendary power of his fists!
Single Hit Challenge: Pummel outlaws with quick, well-timed punches
Punch Speed Test: Measure just how fast you can swing your fist!
To celebrate Fitness Boxing Day, Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star will be available at retail stores around the world on December 5 for $49.99 USD / €49,99 EUR, and the Expansion Pack DLC will launch on the Nintendo eShop for $24.99 USD on the same day.
Start your New Year’s Resolution early, and get into shape while having fun in the world of Fist of the North Star!
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About Imagineer
Imagineer Co., Ltd. is engaged in product planning, development, and sales promotion of content, including consumer game such as the Nintendo Switch software series “Fitness Boxing,” which has sold over 2.5 million units worldwide, and smartphone games featuring popular Japanese characters.
About Solutions 2 GO
Privately held Solutions 2 GO Inc. is a multinational distributor of video game, mobility and consumer electronic products that serves leading retail, publishing, and manufacturing partners across the globe. An industry pioneer, highly regarded Solutions 2 GO Inc. has earned a plethora of awards and distinctions collectively by its valued partners and industry experts.
CD PROJEKT RED has released a behind-the-scenes video featuring chart-topping singer Dawid Podsiadło as he discusses the creation process of songs for the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime series and the Phantom Liberty expansion to Cyberpunk 2077.
Recap:
CD PROJEKT RED’s behind-the-scenes video features multi-platinum singer-songwriter Dawid Podsiadło.
In the video, Podsiadło discusses his collaboration with CD PROJEKT RED and creating the closing songs “Let You Down” and “Phantom Liberty”.
The titular track from Phantom Liberty has been played over 2 million times on YouTube.
In the behind-the-scenes video, Dawid Podsiadło, one of the most popular Polish performers today, talks about his inspirations, his collaboration with CD PROJEKT RED, recording the closing tracks “Phantom Liberty” for the spy-thriller expansion and “Let You Down” for the award-winning anime series, and his participation in motion capture sessions for the game. He also discusses his long-enduring passion for video games.
Watch the behind-the-scenes video below
“Phantom Liberty”, the main theme from the spy-themed expansion to Cyberpunk 2077, has already hit over 2 million views on YouTube. The song is available on all streaming platforms.
Watch the Phantom Liberty music video below
More information about Cyberpunk 2077, its spy-thriller expansion Phantom Liberty, Update 2.0, and the upcoming Ultimate Edition can be found on the official game website, Facebook, and X.
About CD PROJEKT RED
CD PROJEKT RED is a game development studio founded in 2002. It develops and publishes video games for PCs and video game consoles. The studio’s flagship titles include the futuristic RPG Cyberpunk 2077, its spy-thriller expansion Phantom Liberty, and The Witcher series of games, including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and its two expansions. In collaboration with Studio Trigger, CD PROJEKT RED also created the award-winning Netflix anime series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, set in the same universe as the game. Other games developed by the studio include Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales and GWENT: The Witcher Card Game. Together with GOG.COM, a game store offering hand-picked titles for PC and Mac, CD PROJEKT RED is part of the CD PROJEKT Group. CD PROJEKT S.A. is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ISIN: PLOPTTC00011).
About Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 is a narrative-driven, open-world RPG set in Night City, a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour, and body modification. The game tells the multilayered, mature story of cyber-enhanced mercenary V. Players are faced with choices and consequences as they customize their character and playstyle, take on jobs, and build their reputation. The game has sold over 25 million copies and won over 200 awards, and is also the inspiration for the award-winning Netflix anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, created by CD PROJEKT RED in collaboration with Studio Trigger. Its spy-thriller expansion Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty was released on September 26, 2023. Cyberpunk 2077 is set in the universe of the classic pen & paper RPG system, Cyberpunk 2020.
Following the events of Yakuza 6 and continuing the story with an entirely new character in Yakuza: Like a Dragon it almost appeared as if Sega was moving past the life of Kazuma Kiryu as a key role in their increasingly popular franchise. That is, of course, until players made their way through Yakuza: Like a Dragon and found out that the Dragon of Dojima isn’t about to retire just yet. This revelation made for the perfect chance to create a side-story of sorts and RGG Studio has done just that with Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. Set alongside the events of Like a Dragon and following Kazuma’s viewpoint of various events, is this side-story still a worthwhile journey?
Story
Set a bit before, during, and finally a little after the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, it is worth noting that this game is tied quite tightly with the events of the prior release. This means that those who really want to get the most out of the story here should experience everything that Yakuza: Like a Dragon has to offer first beforehand, especially since Like a Dragon Gaiden serves as something of a celebration of Kazuma Kiryu’s life and journey with constant references to past events throughout the franchise as he transitions into his new role in the series.
Following the events of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, Kiryu has faked his death in an effort to try and protect his loved ones from being targeted anymore. As such, he has begun working as an agent for the powerful Daidoji Faction that has its hands in every aspect of the Japanese underworld and government. Taking on the name of Joryu, Kiryu must make sure to never reveal his true identity while working as an agent in an effort to keep his loved ones and the Morning Glory Orphanage safe from harm. Of course, when a man as well-known as the Dragon of Dojima supposedly dies, few will believe it.
Following a shady deal meant to expose him, Kiryu quickly finds himself once again embroiled in a conflict far beyond anything he could have expected, with the Omi Alliance coming at him from all corners, a chain around his neck held by the Daidoji faction, and more, Kiryu’s few friends come in the form of some rogue allies, a well-versed informant capable of handling herself, and a goal that he’ll fight to the bitter end to protect. Like a Dragon Gaiden‘s storyline moves fairly quickly and clocks in at under half of the time players would expect from a usual Yakuza game but that is far from a bad thing. Not only does the storyline throughout Like a Dragon Gaiden deliver constant twists and turns with a helping of surprises and great callbacks for fans of the franchise to enjoy but it also tells an emotional tale as well that sees Kiryu at his best and most vulnerable throughout its length. The shorter game length does mean that some side-characters rarely have any way to develop, even the wonderful new Akame feels a bit stunted due to the story’s length but she still does shine as one of the best characters introduced as a new ally for Kiryu.
This includes a finale that will make anyone invested in Kiryu’s story shed a tear or two thanks to just how emotionally impactful it is.These moments really help make Like a Dragon Gaiden shine as highlighting just how important Kiryu has been for the franchise throughout the years and even going forward. Of course, there are still plenty of ridiculous pieces of side-content to enjoy as well with substories now being handled through a single NPC that gives Kiryu requests to investigate. These range from helping a streamer looking for haunted events to taking on a gang of dine and dashers in Sotenbori to even helping a cat loving rapper protect his feline friends though it is a bit unfortunate that these substories aren’t quite as organic as usual.
Gameplay
Like a Dragon Gaiden drops players into the familiar setting of Sotenbori for most of their time with the game with the impressive floating container ship called “The Castle” serving as the secondary location. Whenever Kiryu enters combat he has his familiar Yakuza stance that is heavy hitting, allows for charged attacks, and can dish out plenty of damage in a way familiar to many fans of the series but he also has gained access to Agent style. Agent style is faster and more fluid while also allowing Kiryu to make use of a number of gadgets that increase in variety as players progress through the game. Kiryu starts with “spider” that literally allows him to toss out strings that can grab and throw enemies around or pick up items before unlocking drones that can chip away at enemies, exploding cigarettes that work like grenades, and even little jets in his shoes to plow through foes.
The Agent fighting style is a fun change to Kiryu’s usual arsenal and there are plenty of different “Heat” move finishers for both versions as well as weapons players can grab off the ground. Players can also enter “Extreme Heat” mode with either fighting style, with Yakuza becoming even more devastating and unstoppable while Agent sees its gadgets given a significant power up. Players can also trigger a counter attack to repel unblockable attacks as well in both modes, giving the game’s combat a simple but highly entertaining feeling as Kiryu brawls his way through countless foes or takes on an incredibly strong one. In an interesting throwback, players no longer gain XP to power up Kiryu’s skills and abilities but instead will use money and Akame points to unlock new fighting moves, upgrade gadgets, and more. This is similar to how it worked back in Yakuza Kiwami but allows for plenty of variety in upgrades while encouraging players to take part in the game’s plethora of side activities.
As mentioned earlier, one of Kiryu’s biggest and new allies is a woman named Akame and her Akame Network. The Akame Network provides a number of services as it allows players to take on substories, complete simple missions found out and about like delivering an item, taking a photo of something, etc., redeeming points for special items or other upgrades, and of course getting to know Akame herself. The game does try and force players to go through side missions to raise their Akame Network level at certain points but, at least in my experience, we were already far above the required level at that point in the story.
Players earn Akame Points and level up the network by doing pretty much anything, though finishing requests and simple stories provides the biggest boosts. Completing mini challenges like talking to people, beating down enemies, playing arcade games, eating at restaurants, and more all contribute points that can be used for eventual upgrades. The plethora of side activities found in Like a Dragon Gaiden is rather enormous as the title offers classic gambling with blackjack and poker, the ability to play mahjong, darts, pool, koi-koi, and much more as well as classic arcade games from Sega’s classic titles and even a number of Master System games. Players can even take part in the ever popular karaoke, the returning Pocket Circuit racing that can be as in-depth as before, and even the game’s new take on the hostess interactions. The new hostess mini-game is now handled entirely with FMV interactions with real hostesses, including a certain familiar streamer whose been a die-hard Kiryu fan even in her past-life, and can be rather strange at first due to how they are presented but end up being quite enjoyable specifically because of how they are presented.
Among the side-activities, many of which players are given small samples of through story progression, the one that takes the most focus is the Colosseum. Taking place on The Castle, players will find themselves battling it out against a number of set fights with various stipulations and strong foes to defeat in one-on-one combat or in timed combat. Among these fights are the new and interesting Hell Team Rumble fights. These Hell Team Rumble matches see Kiryu taking a team of his very own fighters that players will be able to recruit through their own efforts and fight against another group of enemies in fantastic chaos. While it would be nice for some more variety to be found in the enemy teams players face off against in Hell Team Rumble, the amount of customization and variability in creating your own fighting team is wonderful. Between building bonds with your allies, recruiting, training, and more this mode is easily one players can sink countless hours into simply to see just how far they can take things. In fact, players can even play as their recruited fighters in The Colosseum battles as well, not just as Kiryu, giving players a chance to try out the game’s combat in new and different ways.
It’s also worth noting that, once players finish the game, they will also obtain the ability to play through a demo of the upcoming Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. While we won’t go into detail about it here, this demo allows players to get a small taste of what to expect in the newest upcoming entry and also see how this game bridges the gap between the storylines.
Audio & Visuals
Once again Like a Dragon Gaiden looks wonderful with the character models remaining exceptional looking during cutscenes and impressive even during normal exploration. The streets of Sotenbori and the bombastically opulent design of The Castle are wonderful places to explore, though players may feel a little tired of Sotenbori’s smaller size by the time the game reaches its ending. That’s not to say that the city isn’t bustling with things to see, as it once again feels like a truly amazing place to travel through, just some more variety between areas would have been nice.
Now Sega has released Like a Dragon Gaiden with only the original Japanese voice track for now with plans to apparently patch an English dub option in later. That being said, the Japanese voice track retains all of the original voice actors and sounds absolutely wonderful here with Kiryu’s actor and many others putting in some of their best performances with how emotional some moments can be, as well as how ridiculous some things can turn out. As for the soundtrack the game features a great collection of background music, including a solid combat theme, as well as plenty of tracks to experience solely through karaoke.
Overall
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name may have been seen as something of a “filler” game during the wait for Infinite Wealth but it is far from it. While smaller in size compared to what fans are used to and it doesn’t make the best use of some of its new characters, this smaller package is still bursting with content ranging from side-activities such as the Coliseum and numerous other distractions. Combine this with some fresh combat mechanics and an engrossing storyline that takes Kiryu’s tale to even greater emotional depths and this is one that fans of the Yakuza series, or now the Like a Dragon series as it is called, shouldn’t miss.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Australia – November 22, 2023 – Kingston Technology, a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced TrendForce has named it as the number one third-party supplier of SSDs in the channel for all of 2022; leading channel SSD shipments for the 6th consecutive year. Based on the numbers provided by TrendForce, Kingston accounted for a massive 28 percent of the 114 million units shipped in 2022.
According to the latest findings, the global SSD market rectified its supply and demand dynamics in 2022. This follows a resolution in the shortage of ICs (integrated circuits) that hampered the market in 2021. Despite the resolution, global SSD shipments declined with only 114 million units shipped in 2022 – a 10.7% decrease from the previous year. Nevertheless, Kingston remained the top SSD shipment leader in 2022 maintaining a solid advantage and saw growth in market share over 2021. Even with market challenges, the top five third-party suppliers (non-semiconductor) accounted for nearly 60% of the total shipments in 2022. The results reinforced Kingston as the clear leader in SSD production, as the second-place supplier accounted for only 9 percent of the total channel market.
With the global economy still struggling in 2023, where notebook and desktop shipments faced limitations, module makers strategically managed the burden of high-cost inventory by positioning themselves for competitive pricing in their shipping strategies. As the third quarter drew to a close, market sentiment experienced a rapid transformation, primarily driven by NAND Flash suppliers’ decisive production cuts. This change was particularly evident in the cost dynamics of SSDs, ultimately favoring module manufacturers with lower-cost inventories.
Demand for PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs continues to define the market landscape pushing module houses to steadily shift from SATA to PCIe. TrendForce predicts providing NVMe upgrades will likely enhance brand recognition and continue to boost shipments. In 2022, Kingston expanded its range of products within its value and high-performance drives, as well as offerings in the external and encrypted categories. With the launch of its new NV2 client NVMe drive in 2022, it quickly became the most popular selling drive in Kingston’s lineup this year, with over 12M units sold worldwide since launch. Following the success of the award-winning Kingston FURY Renegade SSD, Kingston refreshed the drive to include a heatsink option ideal for console and PC gamers. This highlights Kingston’s continued focus on developing high quality NVMe solutions.
Aside from broadening its product portfolio to best align with customer buying trends, Kingston offers top-tier sales support and access to in-house product experts and engineers. This has led to over three successful decades of reliability and support for customers. Kingston’s #1 rank in the SSD market for the 6th consecutive year is no surprise when the same approach in the DRAM division has led the company to be the largest third-party memory module supplier for the 20th consecutive year.
“It’s an honor to achieve this top ranking for another year”, said Kingston. “From the beginning, Kingston has remained steadfast in our commitment to serving our customers and channel partners across the globe, and it’s through these strong and enduring relationships that our SSD business has experienced remarkable growth. The recent findings from TrendForce serve as a testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire team, and we are grateful for the recognition and success we share with them.”
From big data, to laptops and PCs, to IoT-based devices like smart and wearable technology, to design-in and contract manufacturing, Kingston helps deliver the solutions used to live, work and play. The world’s largest PC makers and cloud-hosting companies depend on Kingston for their manufacturing needs, and our passion fuels the technology the world uses every day. We strive beyond our products to see the bigger picture, to meet the needs of our customers and offer solutions that make a difference. To learn more about how Kingston Is With You, visit Kingston.com.
Kingston and the Kingston logo are registered trademarks of Kingston Technology Corporation. IronKey is a registered trademark of Kingston Digital, Inc. Kingston FURY and the Kingston FURY logo are trademarks of Kingston Technology Corporation. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
