As a Persona 3 Portable player, I never experienced the FES version and its signature exclusive The Answer content. Fortunately, with the release of Persona 3 Reload: Episode Aigis - The Answer DLC as part of the expansion pass, I am now able to finally see what it has to offer. Unsurprisingly, Episode Aigis just feels like more of the same base game, for better or worse.

This doesn’t sound initially like an issue! Persona 3 Reload is an excellent remake of this beloved JRPG. The problem comes from what Episode Aigis doesn’t emulate. This entire DLC is like a brand new Tartarus dungeon to explore, but it might not be exactly what people want.

Editor's Note: There will be some mild spoilers for the end of Persona 3 Reload below.

Without spoiling too much, the Persona 3 Reload Episode Aigis DLC expansion takes place after the events of the base game’s storyline. As such, the original hero isn't available as a playable character. Instead, Aigis is the new protagonist. Just when the heroes of SEES think everything is over and are saying their goodbyes, a new dungeon called Abyss of Time and character named Metis appears. Everyone is trapped in the S.E.E.S dormitory and a time loop. Said dungeon has multiple different doors to go through, with unique areas and plenty of floors to explore, but it all ends up feeling pretty familiar.

Everything about this DLC is pretty akin to the dungeon-crawling gameplay of the original plot. Almost nothing substantial is added. As such, if the repetitive nature of Tartarus bothered you, I don’t have good news for you here. This is the same old run around, look for the stairs, open up some chests, battle some enemies, and repeat.

Except there’s a gaping hole that Episode Aigis has that wasn't in Persona 3 Reload. It has all of the Tartarus-like content from the base game, but none of the other stuff that made the title feel fuller and more alive. No social links being present is unsurprising, but the story is pretty basic and often barebones. Almost all of the character development happened before the events of this expansion, so in many cases there is much to see here.

Persona 3 Reload benefited from the ebb and flow. Spend a couple of hours in Tartarus grinding floors, Personas, and levels. Then spend a few hours hanging with friends, going to class, and doing requests. See major story segments as you do. That brilliant cycle doesn’t exist here, and it is what helped this game to not feel as repetitive as it really is.

There is almost nothing to break up the monotony of grinding in Abyss of Time besides the occasional cutscenes. What I will say is there are optional items you can get through locked treasure chests. These are like books or movies, which you can enjoy alongside the other cast members. Unfortunately, these little moments don’t amount to much at all in Persona 3 Reload Episode Aigis, which is a shame.

The only real shakeup to the whole system is playing as Aigis for this DLC episode. This provides a unique perspective and allows for a new party member to arrive in the form of Metis. Metis, as a sister android to Aigis, is a bizarre character. I hate to compare her to Labrys in Persona 4 Arena, but it feels like that foil is a much stronger and more fleshed out attempt at giving Aigis a more interesting family member. Metis is just a bit too one-note in her obsession with Aigis, instead of putting her unique story at the forefront as it should’ve been. Given certain things, this can be understandable.

While I feel like the story took too much of a backseat here, even still, it can be quite enjoyable. Especially if you are an RPG masochist like me and love the grind. Aigis is the wildcard now, so she is able to fuse, visit the Velvet Room, access the Compendium, and all that. In addition, Elizabeth gives optional requests, like finding items or fusing a certain Persona, to provide more of a point to explore the new dungeon. However, like everything else, this lacks the extra meaningful story element that would make it more worthwhile.

There are positive changes to Episode Aigis from what I can tell, though. You have access to all of the major additions in the base game’s grind, such as Theurgy and quality-of-life changes. This also means this DLC can be as easy or difficult as you want it to be. You do have difficulty options as well, so you can breeze through or crank it up for the ultimate challenge, which I liked.

Persona 3 Reload Episode Aigis - The Answer DLC is the best way to experience this additional FES storyline. It doesn’t quite carry over the same excellent narrative, character moments, or daily life from the base game. What it does do is offer the most straightforward dungeon-grind experience. If you love a challenge, this is the DLC for you. For everyone else, this is a possibly an add-on that is okay to skip.

Persona 3 Reload: Episode Aigis - The Answer DLC releases for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC as part of the Expansion Pass on September 10, 2024.

The post Persona 3 Reload: Episode Aigis – The Answer Feels Like More of the Same appeared first on Siliconera.

After a full decade of circulation, the My Hero Academia manga is finally over and done with. As we spend time reflecting on this wonderful series, it is also time to determine who is the best My Hero Academia character of all time. With so many iconic and beloved heroes (and villains), determining the overall best is a challenge.

But with the current Best Hero Poll happening, there is no better time to decide the best My Hero Academia character of all time. Based on our personal preferences, their character development, powers, and overall look, these are the heroes and villains alike that stood out the most to us during this incredible series’ run.

Siliconera Speaks Up: Best My Hero Academia Character

I like Katsuki Bakugo a lot, and I definitely think he's the best My Hero Academia character. We see a ton of character growth and development from him throughout the series. He grows as a hero and an individual, and we also see how his relationship with Deku changes over the years. He’s great! -- Jenni

Everyone has their personal favorites, but the best characters for me in My Hero Academia come down to a couple of options, starting with Shoto Todoroki. Todoroki is the quieter, more reflective, and overall more fascinating version of Deku and Bakugo. His struggles with family hit home for me and his dual powers is always fun. On the other hand, I find Mirio Togata to be also memorable and excellent. He is so overpowered but his story arc is one of the most unique in the series. In terms of best girl, I have to give that to my girl Himiko Toga. -- Cody

The My Hero Academia manga is now over and available fully to read on Viz Media and Manga Plus. The anime adaptation is streaming on Crunchyroll.

The post Who’s the Best My Hero Academia Character of All Time? appeared first on Siliconera.

Putting aside any personal thoughts about a certain Harry Potter creator for a moment, I surprisingly enjoyed Hogwarts Legacy as one of my favorite games in 2023. With fond memories of both that game and the classic Quidditch World Cup title from the original Xbox, I went to review Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions with a hopeful heart.

In the end, I find that Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is a worthy rendition of the fictional magical sport. The star of the show is the gameplay, which translates the broomstick sport to video game form in a hilarious and incredibly fun way. In some aspects, it almost feels like my new obsession in how I shamefully played Blitzball for about 40 total hours alone in Final Fantasy X.

For those who might not be too familiar with the sport, Quidditch is essentially soccer or basketball but on broomsticks. Wizards and witches fly around on their broomsticks passing around the ball (known as a Quaffle) in hopes of scoring in one of the three enemy goals.

However, this basic idea has quite a few intriguing twists to shake everything up. For one, there are different roles in Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions. You have the three Chasers, which are the characters who try to score with the Quaffle. Then every team has a Beater that has their own ball they can throw at enemy players to try and knock them out.

Of course, there is also a Keeper who protects the goals from being scored on. Finally, there is the Seeker — my favorite role — that fans will remember well from the Harry Potter movies. This is the role that goes after the coveted Golden Snitch to score a healthy 30 points for the team.

All four of these roles come together to form a compelling and often complex gameplay style. There is so much to dive into from a gameplay perspective that it takes time to master each role. This is because, to developer Unbroken Studios’ credit, every role feels rightfully unique. The Chaser is the most standard, focusing on boosting, tackling, passing, and scoring.

But then the Beater takes that basic movement system and adds its offensive ball on top of that. It becomes even more of a skill-based experience with this role. It is all about eliminating other players, quite violently at times.

Keeper is quite simple but it has some intriguing hooks, too. Your movement is less free compared to the others, as you focus on shifting between the hoops. But there are layers to this defensive role, like intercepting and tackling others. In addition, you can lay down rings across the pitch for your team. These act as buffs that let your team gain extra boosts, providing a leader-like role.

While the Seeker is by far the most straightforward, it is also sometimes the funnest. Your entire goal is to locate the Snitch then chase it around the field. This is done through golden rings the Snitch drops for you to pass through. These let you boost indefinitely as you pass through them and get closer to it. Once you charge up a bar before your opponent does, you can snatch it. The challenge here comes from how fast the Snitch moves and the constant dodges you have to do to avoid other players, which makes it a blast to play.

I absolutely adore the gameplay of Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions to the point where I have been obsessing over it in my free time every day since I got it. However, the gameplay only gets you so far. Unfortunately, while the gameplay foundation is as solid as it gets, the content lets it down. At least at launch.

There is, thankfully, a singleplayer experience. It involves a training mode and four cups, ranging from the Weasleys’ backyard all the way to the iconic World Cup. However, you can absolutely go through all of these in a matter of two to three hours in total. And once you’re done, there isn’t much reason to go back to them outside of challenges.

This is certainly a game that runs its course with a couple of hours of game time. The real hook then comes from PvP, but even it lacks in the content department. There is only a single 3v3 game mode right now available, which feels underbaked. We know a full 6v6 mode is on the way in the future, but this game is built for that. Letting every player on the team play a dedicated role just makes sense. Not having that at launch is a shame.

It is also unfortunate because there are some neat systems at play outside of the modes. For one, there are plenty of skins and characters to unlock. Fortunately, you don’t need to pay a dime extra for any of these, either. There are no microtransactions available, which feels refreshing. The challenges, while basic, give some structure and slight reason to come back with cosmetic rewards.

It is just a shame there aren’t more modes, both offline and online, to enjoy. Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions lays such a brilliant foundation with its impeccable gameplay execution of this fictional sport. Every role feels meaningful, unique, and worth playing. It starts out so simple but has enough complexity for only the most dedicated to master.

While this foundation is great, though, it only goes so far. Despite having the potential to be my next online gaming obsession, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions will, unfortunately, take a backseat for now until more worthwhile content and modes arrive.

Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is available right now for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. It will also release for Nintendo Switch sometime in Holiday 2024.

The post Review: Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions Thrills Despite Lacking Content appeared first on Siliconera.

The Mobile Suit Gundam franchise is among the largest and most successful properties in the world. It dominates everything from physical goods to anime to movies and much more. However, while there are plenty of Gundam video games, not all of them are great. So, what is the best overall Mobile Suit Gundam game of all time?

With the recent release of Gundam Breaker 4, some of our Siliconera staff members gathered together to reminiscent about what we think are the best Mobile Suit Gundam games of all time.

Siliconera Speaks Up: What Is the Best Mobile Suit Gundam Game of All Time?

For me, the best Gundam game is Gundam Breaker 3. Combine action combat that lets you do incredibly wacky combos with beam sabers, fists, axes and other classic armaments with customization options that would make an Armored Core game blush, both in the combinations of parts and the granular stat builds you can tailor your perfect custom Mobile Suit towards, and you have the recipe for one of the most fun Gundam experiences I've ever had. It also helps that the sheer amount of Mobile Suits at your disposal to customize and combine is almost overwhelming. -- John

While the Gundam anime series are almost always a hit for me, the games don’t often have the same level of quality, in my opinion. It is so hard to nail down the right gameplay feel in these titles, which is why I usually prefer the more unique games. My personal favorite is the turn-based JRPG from PS2, MS Saga: A New Dawn. This heavily underrated entry in the series has solid turn-based combat, impressively deep mech customization, and a fun enough fairly standalone storyline. I really hope we get to see a traditional non-SD Gundam turn-based game like this again someday. -- Cody

Gundam Breaker 4 is now available for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC.

The post Best Mobile Suit Gundam Game of All Time appeared first on Siliconera.

The Famicom Detective Club duology of remakes on Nintendo Switch instantly gripped me, as a fan of visual novels and mystery titles. When Nintendo revealed a third, original title in the series for the Switch, I couldn’t be more elated. It turns out Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is narrowly my favorite in the series and possibly the darkest game Nintendo has ever made.

Emio - The Smiling Man involves an immediately compelling mystery about a student who is found dead with a paper bag over his head. On the front, a smiley face is drawn on it. This initial mystery only gets deeper, as it connects to an urban legend and previous murder case. Emio, the titular creepy paper bag-wearing killer, is horrifying in all the right ways from the start.

The infrequent horror scenes focusing on Emio put this title more in line tonally with The Girl Who Stands Behind. However, Emio - The Smiling Man stands on its own as one of the most unique games in Nintendo’s history. Its general gameplay will be familiar to existing fans of Famicom Detective Club or point-and-click adventures. Fortunately for newcomers, I did find the puzzle mechanics more straightforward, yet engaging, than ones in the past two titles.

Every scene in Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club boils down to a few key interactions. You think, talk, engage, and examine your way to the next part of the story. Most of the game involves using these key features to learn new details about the case as you question various witnesses and notable figures. Those characters look better than ever, expanding upon the beautifully detailed designs from the remakes with even sharper visuals and some of the most active animations I’ve seen from a visual novel or adventure game.

While the investigations may sound boring or a bit too simple from a glance, they work like a puzzle. In one instance, you may need to ask about the same topic a few times before you unlock a new question. You might have to examine the environment to learn about a new subject to talk about. Eventually, these portions lead to crucial review sequences near the end of each chapter. They act like tests of your knowledge about certain events.

The gameplay might be linear, but Emio - The Smiling Man makes up for that with a new addition. Ayumi, the main character’s sidekick and friend from past games, takes the role of the secondary playable protagonist for a portion of the experience. This perspective shift changes up the usual formula from the past two games in a significant way. You still play as the main character who you can name, but Ayumi has a slightly different investigative style. After all, she is able to question and interact with characters the protagonist is unable to meet. In addition, she has a much more gentle and calm approach. This idea leads to some of the game’s more heartwarming and ground-breaking scenes.

Those few lighter moments are a welcome respite, given the heavy content in Emio - The Smiling Man. On its own, it already sounds like a pretty disturbing murder mystery. This is especially apparent when you take into account the original three murders of girls 18 years prior to the start of the game. However, it doesn’t stop there.

Without giving too much away, some of the story elements and scenes the plot delved into shocked me. Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is far and away the darkest game I’ve ever played from Nintendo. It deals with some plot points that even the past two games didn’t come close to addressing. There are some story beats, particularly towards the end, that I found difficult to experience.

I appreciate the developer going as far as it did with the Emio - The Smiling Man plot. It can be quite twisted at times, but it is all the more compelling because of this realism. That said, there are some occasional problems with pacing. For one, it overall feels just a tad bit shorter than I would have liked. In addition, it wraps up in a fascinatingly unique way that I can’t get into here, but I imagine will be received in a mixed manner. The chapters also feel quite short, especially early on. This leads to a couple of twists, key characters, and plot devices feeling like they needed a bit more time to cook.

Even with the pacing problems, Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is the best entry in the series yet. The puzzle-like investigative gameplay is straightforward, doing just enough to challenge the player without overwhelming or being too obscure. It all complements well with the excellent but a bit unique storytelling. This tale is not for every Switch player, being a bit too dark at times, but it is highly rewarding for those it appeals to.

Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club releases for the Nintendo Switch on August 29, 2024.

The post Review: Emio – The Smiling Man Is Nintendo’s Darkest Story appeared first on Siliconera.

World of Warcraft has been going strong for 20 years now. With the beloved Classic version and new The War Within, there is a lot of reason to play a new class. The Siliconera staff has come together to give our picks for our favorite WoW classes to date.

Some of these classes are based on how we think they play into the meta. Others, though, are picks based on how unique they are or how fun they are to play. Regardless, these are some of the Siliconera staff members’ picks for the best World of Warcraft classes worth checking out these days.

Siliconera Speaks Up: Our Picks for the Best WoW Class

Obviously "the best" will depend on the criteria, but I'd like to go to bat for the good old Warrior. In a world of dragon people, demon summoners, and guys who can pull your literal bones out of your body with their mind, it takes a something special to survivejust by swinging a big hunk of metal real good. It hasn't always been balanced the best, and I still mourn the brief life and sudden death of Gladiator spec, but some of the updated animations are still really satisfying. --Elliot

The best World of Warcraft class for me depends on what role I’m looking to play. As a Classic fan, it has to be either Priest or Death Knight. On the Priest side, I enjoy healing as a Holy Priest, which is the most fun and versatile for me for that role. But if I want to deal damage, I would go with the Unholy Death Knight. I am a sucker for having undead minions in games so this type of crowd control is right up my alley when I want to play DPS. -- Cody

World of Warcraft: The War Within releases worldwide for PC on August 26, 2024. The early access phase is already available.

The post What’s the Best World of Warcraft Class? appeared first on Siliconera.

Despite feeling like it just started yesterday, the Jujutsu Kaisen is nearing its end. In fact, the manga might already be over by the time you read this if you wait until September 2024. Without a doubt, it is one of the most extraordinary shonen manga series in a long time. But I still feel the best part and arc of Jujutsu Kaisen is the beginning, consisting of arcs like Cursed Child, Fearsome Womb, and Vs. Mahito, that kicks things off..

In hindsight, the beginning of Jujutsu Kaisen feels so different from the rest of the series. It initially kicks off in an almost horrific way. The weakness of Yuji Itadori against the curses he suddenly discovers is so fascinating. In addition, the gore felt so surprising and in stark contrast to the other, similar shonen series running at the time.

While elements of this introduction carried on throughout the rest of the series, such as the gory action, things eventually change. Gege Akutami pursues such a different vibe from the Kyoto Arc forward in Jujutsu Kaisen. Perhaps the greatest example of this is the more personal and focused nature of the early arcs of the series. It isn’t all about citywide destruction and unlocking new powers.

Instead, the beginning of Jujutsu Kaisen that starts with the Cursed Child arc is simply about surviving excruciating missions against curses. The main characters, especially Yuji, have genuine character development due to their new circumstances. My personal favorite part of the entire series happens during the Vs. Mahito Arc. It's when the villain really appears for the first time. The initial impression is incredible, and only builds from there.

Mahito’s unhinged, terrifying nature is on full display here in a way that stings even more than his appearances later in the series. He feels like one of the most horrifying anime villains in a long time. We witness a man that is willing to massacre anyone and anything in his path. Worse still, he feels unstoppable at this point.

To make it even better, my favorite character in the series, Junpei, gets his moment here. Junpei is by far one of the most complex characters in Jujutsu Kaisen. His relationship with Yuji still feels like the most emotional for the protagonist, even as we near the end. It is here that Yuji is pushed to his limits and grows as a character in a much more natural way.

This isn’t to say there is no development for Yuji later on. In fact, it’s quite the contrary. My only issue with Jujutsu Kaisen is sometimes the character development and deaths Akutami used feel too forced or there just for shock value. Don’t get me wrong, I adore the onslaught of twists and turns.

But I also prefer the centralized nature of these early arcs. The twists in the beginning of Jujutsu Kaisen are fewer and far between. This allows them breathing room to have enough attention and development. As such, they are still the most effective surprises and tragic character deaths, in my opinion.

This idea extends to Jujutsu Kaisen 0 as well. Yuta and Rika’s tale is a heartbreaking one that has the same level of focus and emotional resonance as the early parts of the main series. It isn’t to say that I don’t love Jujutsu Kaisen. In fact, it is quite the opposite. It took time but I adore this series.

Jujutsu Kaisen is by far the best in its category of new gen shonen series by a long shot. It just took time for me to realize that the crux of the series is over-the-top bombastic fights and shock after shock. Once I accepted this, I found this series has the best action out of any other similar series.

In fact, Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the only series of the more mature, gory side of shonen manga to not lose itself in the latter half. I find this to be a huge issue with other similar series like Attack on Titan and Chainsaw Man that almost lost me entirely.

Honestly, I don’t look forward to the end of Jujutsu Kaisen because I’ve enjoyed it so much as a whole. I just still prefer the earlier parts of the manga. This is where Yuji Itadori captivated me as the most compelling shonen protagonist in a long time. He isn’t the typical savior of the world or guy rising from nothing.

Instead, almost everyone hates him and wants him dead. This only made me root for him more in these earlier story arcs. As we near the end of the Jujutsu Kaisen manga, I can’t help but reminiscence fondly about this time. After all, it still feels like the best part of the series for me.

The Jujutsu Kaisen manga is available to read on Viz Media and Manga Plus. The anime adaptation is streaming on Crunchyroll.

The post Jujutsu Kaisen’s Best Part Is Still Its Earliest Arcs appeared first on Siliconera.

Emio - The Smiling Man is a continuation of the underrated Famicom Detective Club series, and I never expected this release to happen. Ahead of the latest game in this surprisingly well-crafted mystery adventure visual novel series’ release, I had the chance to preview the first couple of chapters. It seems off to a strong start.

This particular preview is based on the same demo build players can enjoy that includes the prologue and first couple of chapters of the full title, plus a save transfer option for the real deal. Immediately, this game kicks off with certainly the most compelling premise thus far. It feels much more similar to The Girl Who Stands Behind, but even eerier. This isn’t a problem for me, since I preferred the prequel of the two original remakes.

The general idea is the returning main characters of the Utsugi Detective Agency start a new investigation after a student is found strangled. To make matters more disturbing, the killer put a paper bag with an unsettling smiley face on his head. This potentially ties back to similar murders 18 years prior.

Everything about this premise centers around the disturbing urban legend of Emio. While we don’t find out too much in the first two chapters, the teases about the character are unnerving in all the right ways. The smiley paper bag-wearing killer is by far the creepiest antagonist in the series yet. I would say so far, based on my initial experience, the character is honestly the most memorable as well.

The few scenes that tease his ominous presence generally evoke some horrific imagery. While I wouldn’t call this straight-up horror just yet, it leans further into the genre than even the two previous titles. This is helped by a plethora of new side characters, all of which I am heavily suspicious about at this point.

From police detectives to teachers, each of the new characters intrigue, even with their short screen times in the prologue and first two chapters. They have great visual designs, which is helped by the upgraded graphics. This title takes the already fantastic art foundation from the previous remakes and upgrades it further.

Characters move and shift around, having natural movements and expression changes. This is the most dynamic visual novel I’ve played outside of the Ace Attorney series so far. I may even recommend this to those who don’t normally like this genre because of how stunning the environments are and how active everything feels, though I'll wait for a final say on that until the game releases.

It also helps that the pacing is extremely brisk in the Emio - The Smiling Man demo that offers a preview of early chapters. The prologue and first two chapters go by far too quickly, just barely teasing this story. I hope the story slows down a bit more!

The benefit of this is how easy the puzzles seem so far. The gameplay from the past games returns, and it consists primarily of talking and investigating. Most of the time, players engage and ask questions after meeting various characters. This is to find out more information to then ask more questions and so on. Every once in a while, there is the requirement to actually examine the environment or dead body.

Thus far in these first couple of chapters, the questioning and progression of the story is pretty straightforward. This makes it a solid starting point for newcomers from what I’ve played so far. And for those of us like me who loved the first two games, Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club seems to be setting up the most compelling and thrilling mystery yet.

Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club arrives on the Nintendo Switch on August 29, 2024. A demo is now available.

The post Preview: Emio – The Smiling Man Sets Up an Unnerving Mystery appeared first on Siliconera.

There is always an intriguing risk when it comes to adapting an existing movie or TV show into video game. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle takes an even greater risk with developer MachineGames introducing its own standalone story in the Lucasfilm saga. It certainly captures the cinematic feel of the movies, but it still has question marks regarding gameplay.

My recent Indiana Jones and the Great Circle preview for Gamescom 2024 was notably strictly hands-off. I had the chance to check out 30 minutes of particularly edited gameplay footage across different areas with narration. Since this was totally hands-off, it is hard to say exactly how this first-person action adventure game will play.

That said, I walked away from the hands-off preview impressed by the visuals and spectacular presentation of the Great Circle, but uncertain about its gameplay. If there is one element I am certain about this game, it is the sheer scale and diversity of the various missions players will experience. In the short time, I saw clips of adventures in Vatican City, the Himalayan’s, and Egypt. Every location looks stunning in-engine and grandiose.

If these sections are anything to go by, these iconic and beautiful locales will also have the adventurous nature of the movies as well. Indiana Jones, played by Troy Baker, encountered plenty of traps and thrilling scripted sequences. These were extremely fun to watch, especially from the fascinating first-person perspective.

However, when it comes to the actual gameplay, especially in movement and combat, I am less thrilled. The movement, at times, seemed clunky and a bit too slow. This could be due to the slower nature of the edited footage, emphasizing the detail of the environments. However, I’m not confident in this, mainly because of the combat.

Fights seem to generally happen in a one-on-one nature, at least from what I saw. There are ranged weaponry and fighting, but I mostly saw up close and personal gameplay. Jones would swap blows with enemies but the animations seemed a bit too slow. I wasn’t particularly excited by the slow pace of the fights. There is a chance the actual end result will be smoother or be faster, but I’m not impressed with that part yet.

Even still, I admire the exploration aspect of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. This is where the first-person perspective really shines from my short hands-off demo. MachineGames put a lot of thought into recreating these 1930s settings and, fortunately, it shows. Missions often have large open areas to explore, with merchants and even optional side missions to complete. Seeing the hustle, bustle, and many NPCs roaming around a market had me interested in spending time there. In some ways, these locations remind me of the historical adherence and detail of an Assassin’s Creed title.

This extends the player’s time with the gameplay beyond the typical scripted dungeon delving and crypt exploring main missions. Everything about these massive scripted sequences evoke feelings of watching the movies. I especially enjoyed the pit Jones fell into towards the end of the demo. This led to a creepier moment with scorpions and other creatures in the dark, which teased some thrilling sequences in the title. While I do have some concerns about linearity and lack of player input in these moments, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle feels incredibly cinematic.

This movie-like quality and feel comes down to the story and characters. I only have bits and pieces of the story so far, but Troy Baker nails the voice of Indiana Jones as best as one can without getting Harrison Ford himself. In the end, this makes Indiana Jones and the Great Circle seem like a faithful cinematic game adaptation of the beloved movies. While it remains to be seen if it plays as well as it looks, there is some hope for Indiana Jones fans.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will release for Xbox Series X/S and PC on December 9, 2024 and in Spring 2025 for PS5.

The post Preview: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Feels Rightfully Cinematic appeared first on Siliconera.

Sports games are massively popular and beloved by millions. It is impressive how dedicated sports game fans are to checking out the latest iteration of rosters, modes, and gameplay mechanics every single year. When it comes to Madden NFL games, this long-running franchise has adhered to giving players the best look at American football in an interactive form. But what is the best Madden NFL game of all time?

The Siliconera staff has gotten together to focus less on the overall best mechanically impressive game in the series, but the ones that stuck out the most to us. Perhaps because of certain modes, how the gameplay works, or just pure nostalgia, but these are the best Madden NFL games in our opinions.

Siliconera Speaks Up: Best Madden NFL Game

Honestly, I haven't played many Madden games. However, as a kid I ended up playing a shocking amount of John Madden Football on the Genesis! Some real formative memories with friends and cousins are tied to it. So even though it doesn't have the management elements I love in more modern sports games, I really liked getting to play with family and fight over who got to be the Bears. -- Jenni

I haven’t played a Madden NFL game in a very long time (I was always more a basketball or soccer game fan), but I have fond memories of checking them out as a kid. Basically anything from around the PS2 and Xbox generation somewhat into the Xbox 360 generation is iconic. The one that sticks out to me the most is Madden NFL 08. It was sooo good and smooth to play on the 360. It struck the right balance between realism and the more arcadey nature I like. Plus, the PC version had a phenomenal modding community. It is still worth playing even now. -- Cody

The post What’s the Best Madden NFL Game of All Time? appeared first on Siliconera.

All good things must come to an end at some point, and so is the case with My Hero Academia. The beloved manga series has gone on for 10 years and is now completely over by the time you’re reading this. I actually really love how My Hero Academia ends, especially in the case of Deku and his romance status.

I should warn you ahead of time this will contain full spoilers for the conclusion of My Hero Academia. If you are reading this soon after publishing, the anime has not even come close to catching up to the manga’s ending yet. As such, if you are watching only the anime or are not caught up on the manga, now is the time to turn around.

Still here? Great! I am proud of the series’ creator Kohei Horikoshi. Horikoshi avoided the pitfalls and awkwardness of other similar shonen series in terms of romance. Not only is Deku’s quirk state a phenomenal full circle closure for the hero, but he sticks to himself in the end relationship-wise.

Despite the confession from Ochaco in chapter 429, Deku doesn’t appear to end up with her after the eight-year time skip in the final chapter. In fact, it implies he doesn’t have much to do with any of his Class 1-A classmates in the future. I honestly prefer it this way, as Deku and Ochaco didn’t seem like a compelling couple.

This is a general problem with a lot of similar shonen manga and anime series. Series like Demon Slayer, Naruto, Bleach, Dragon Ball, Inuyasha, and others feel the need to end with the main character falling in love with someone. Some of these series work well, but others feel forced and out of left field. My Hero Academia would certainly fall into the latter category if Deku fell for Ochaco.

Sure, I admire Ochaco’s clear feelings for Deku throughout the series. However, there is almost no indication from Deku’s side to hint at any reciprocating feelings. In all honesty, Deku’s relationship with Ochaco almost feels no different than what he has with the lovable but villainous Himiko Toga. Overall, it makes more sense for there not to be a clear winner in this love triangle.

Deku has such a huge focus on saving the world that romance is seemingly the last thing on his mind. Even after the time skip, he focuses more on raising up the next generation of heroes. His character is the lone wolf in a way, keeping his friends close but at a reasonable distance.

Almost none of the characters make that much sense to end up with him from what we see in the series, so I’m grateful Horikoshi stuck to this conclusion. Beyond Ochaco, as much as I love Toga, she does some horrifying acts. So partnering her with Deku wouldn’t make much sense, either.

Mei Hatsume somewhat matches better with Deku personality-wise than either of the other two girls, but she is in the background a little bit too much. As such, I feel like none of the options work that well for this series. In the end, I appreciate Deku’s seemingly single relationship status.

This result shows that a fantastic manga and anime series like this one doesn’t have to conclude with romance. This shows the series is about saving the world, not who ends up with who. I hope that more shonen action series take from My Hero Academia’s spin on romance. In a way, it’s like having your cake and eating it, too. Fans can still ship characters for fun without the actual series taking away from what really matters. And, honestly, I think I prefer it this way.

The My Hero Academia manga is available to read from start to finish on Viz Media and Manga Plus. The anime adaptation is available on Crunchyroll.

The post My Hero Academia Handles Deku’s Romance Better Than Other Manga appeared first on Siliconera.

Though I love for Capcom’s Resident Evil series, I never took the plunge into its other zombie-filled franchise: Dead Rising. With the arrival of Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, I trekked into the Willamette Parkview Mall for a peek into this intriguing zombie adventure. I walked away a fan of what I experienced.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster involves a The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask-like 72-hour timer. Journalist Frank West arrives in this small Colorado town amidst a secret zombie outbreak. Your job is to investigate the several cases and figure out the truth behind the event, while protecting and saving survivors, before the three days are up.

For the purposes of this preview, I only had the chance to check out the first of the three days. This included an introduction to Frank, the other characters who find themselves in the mall, and a couple of boss battles. You can pretty much use your time however you like when it comes to engaging in its activities, finding collectibles, and completing side quests.

I enjoyed the freeform nature of this game, especially when it came to the semi-open world location of the Parkview Mall. I felt like, even in my short time spent with it, that it could be one of the most compelling and memorable locales in gaming. Every inch of the mall is fully realized and feels smartly connected to one another. This includes the various stores, the ridiculous food court, and the gorgeous park in the middle of the complex.

The mall may not be huge, but it has an intricate and thoughtful design that helps it to stand out. There is also something beautifully simplistic about the gameplay and progression of Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, from what I saw. In general, you can pick up various items you find, such as a propane tank or lead pipe, and use it to fight with a single button. You can throw some items, but there isn’t too much to combat outside of dodging, throwing, and attacking.

I appreciate this clarity, especially when it comes to the sheer swarms of zombies in the mall. Hacking and slashing through them felt fresh early on, especially due to the relative breezy difficulty of this game in the early hours. You can level up as you take photos, save survivors, and complete cases, to build up Frank as a fighter. Zombies went down in one or two hits during my initial voyage into the mall, and I found it rather easy to run away from them as well.

In this way, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster may offer the right balance of feeling fun to explore and like the challenge doesn't gets in the way of the experience. The new control scheme, which allows the player to more fully move around, use the camera, and attack all at the same time, added to the newly modern feel.

It also seemed obvious right away that the graphical overhaul makes the game look better than the original. The added textures, hair details, and lighting changes seem evident, both in the mall environments and the characters. Though I could start to see some of the age in cutscene closeups with NPCs, in Frank's first hours I noticed a solid level of polish that never made me feel like I was playing an experience from several console generations ago. The smooth performance, even playing on Steam Deck, helped in this regard. It felt surprisingly modern to me.

Even as someone who never played the original, I enjoyed my first few hours with Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster. The sometimes goofy nature of the story, characters, and costumes makes for a refreshing zombie romp. It is actually a shame I only got to experience Frank's first hours in the mall, and I look forward to solving the mystery of this zombie outbreak in the full release.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster releases for PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on September 19, 2024.

The post Preview: Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster Feels Like a Modern Experience appeared first on Siliconera.

Many anime rise and fall based on their villains. The team here at Siliconera picked our favorite villains in anime history. Be it memorable, charming villains or downright horrifying characters, these are the best anime villains of all time.

Siliconera Speaks Up: Best Anime Villain Ever

As much as I'd like to name Oikawa for the meme, I have to say that I really liked Kira/Light of Death Note for the exact same reasons I liked Walter from Breaking Bad. He was not as charismatic or clever as he thought he was, nor as moral as he made himself to be. Everything he did in order to make something "better" for himself only ended up making things worse for the people around him, but at least Walter owned up to it. I do love how, just like with Walter, there are people who genuinely don't seem to realize that you're not supposed to be rooting for Light. The only thing I wish for with Death Note is that Madhouse gave him the same death he had in the anime: crying and squirming around in his own blood like the worm that he is. -- Stephanie

"It was me, Dio!" Like clearly, I have to go with Dio Brando. LOOK at how much trouble he's caused for the Joestar family and the world! Even when he isn't Dio Brando and is instead, like, Diego Brando, he's still unbeatable! He has this overwhelming charisma and energy, plus he's just so easy to hate. I love him as a villain so much! -- Jenni

Johan Liebert from Monster is truly the most haunting anime villain I’ve ever seen in a series. How this series starts and the moral questions Johan’s existence brings from the beginning are tragic and unmatched. This guy is unlike any other anime villain, being such an emotionless and disturbing genius from start to finish. Don’t miss this unforgettable villain, even if the animation is starting to show its age a little. As a slight aside for second place, I’d have to give it to Makoto in School Days. This guy manages to consistently outdo himself every episode as the most unlikeable anime protagonist/villain of all time. -- Cody

The post Who’s the Best Anime Villain of All Time? appeared first on Siliconera.

Zenless Zone Zero is one of the most impressive free-to-play gacha games to release this year so far in 2024. HoYoVerse is back at it again with yet another blockbuster third-person gacha adventure. The action is fantastic and the visual aesthetic is so appealing. This applies to the characters as well. Given how excellent HoYoVerse is at crafting brilliant characters, here are our picks for the best Zenless Zone Zero character based on their gameplay and just general design.

Siliconera Speaks Up: Our Picks for the Best Zenless Zone Zero Characters

I'm a huge fan of Rina in Zenless Zone Zero, and she's probably my best character so far due to her versatility. Yes, she's best with fellow electric and Victoria Housekeeping characters. However, per PEN buff really helps with taking down enemies early on, regardless of her party, and I love how ranged characters work in this game. -- Jenni

Are we talking best in terms of gameplay or looks? Because I usually pick my team based on how they look. Like Jenni, I like Rina a lot. But if I had to pick my favorite, I think Soldier 11 has an excellent design and solid utility as well. Fire is an element I often like in games and I appreciate Soldier 11’s somewhat unique fire-themed attack combo. She is pretty fun to play once you get into the swing of activating her Fire Suppression Core passive. -- Cody

Zenless Zone Zero is available right now for free for Android, iOS, PS5, and PC.

The post Who’s the Best Zenless Zone Zero Character? appeared first on Siliconera.

Square Enix dropped Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail, the fifth expansion, at the start of July 2024. We’ve had the chance to dive into this expansion and max out our classes and jobs to level 100. As such, it is finally time to reveal what the best class is in FFXIV Dawntrail. Note that we decided these on a number of factors, such as the best overall job class out of every single one in the expansion. In addition, some of us picked based on the two new jobs, Viper and Pictomancer.

Regardless, if you are looking to pick up a job that has turned out quite well in Dawntrail, these are the ones that will treat you nicely in the current fifth expansion meta. Let us know what your favorite job classes are in this expansion!

Siliconera Speaks Up: Our Picks for the Best Classes in Dawntrail

I've played Final Fantasy XIV for a long time. And I mean, a long, long time. I have over three thousand days subscribed to the game and have tried out a lot of the job classes --- Melee and Ranged DPS, Healers, Tanks. You name it, I've probably given it a shot. And while I was initially anxious to committed to the Tank role, I dove right in to Gunbreaker when a series of Final Fantasy XII Judge-inspired armor sets released through the Bozja side content. I got my Gunbreaker to max and decided to bring it into Shadowbringers, and then Endwalker as Tanking was a lot easier than I initially thought. Gunbreaker is my favorite job class because it's decently active, while not requiring me to do too much in normal content. White Mage used to be my favorite, but sometimes I'm just tired and wanna turn my brain off, and Gunbreaker lets me do just that. -- Kazuma

Are we are talking about the two new jobs, specifically? If so, FFXIV Dawntrail’s best new job class for me has to be Pictomancer. Viper is great on its own, too. However, Pictomancer offers this fascinating middle ground of being a powerful magical DPS class like Black Mage. Yet at the same time, Pictomancer also offers fantastic buffs for the party. It is also quite fun to use. In terms of existing jobs, I am having a blast playing Sage again. Overall, it hasn’t changed much. That said, the new AOE damage-over-time action with Eukrasian Dyskrasia and other new skills fix the very few problems I had with Sage. -- Cody

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is available right now for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

The post Which Class Do You Like Best in FFXIV Dawntrail? appeared first on Siliconera.