The Second Wavebeta is just a week away, and I can’t wait to jump back in. I first tried Second Wave at GDC and got to play in the Alpha earlier this year. I loved this game so much that I am still following it closely, counting the days till I can log back into Armantia!
Second Wave is a free-to-play shooter coming to Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, IOS and Android Devices, and PC via Steam and STOVE. A release date hasn’t been announced, but I will keep you posted. The game will be cross-platform between consoles and PC, but mobile devices will have to play with each other to keep things fair. The game allows gamers to play as unique heroes as they fight in epic team battles over Armantia. I love the art and character design, but it might be a little heavy on the anime side for some folks. Art style shouldn’t matter when the game is this fun. Finally, Second Wave promises not to be pay-to-win. All monetization will exist within a cosmetic-only cash shop or battle pass. It’s not clear how they will handle hero unlocks, but I hope it’s not as predatory as Overwatch 2.
The beta will run from October 6th to the 6th for Steam, Stove, and Xbox insider members only. This will be an open Beta. All you need to do is download the game during the beta period and play till your heart’s content. No announcements have been made about signing up through Xbox Insider yet. I recommend you join the official discord to stay up to date on all the updates.
As we gear up for the open beta, we got a few new characters teased as well as some lore for Ess’el. We have more lore on the way, but I just couldn’t wait another day for this update. If you’ve been enjoying these updates, make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends.
Ess’el’s Backstory
Ess’el was the first hero I played as, and was the reason I fell in love with the game. Funnily enough, it was also the first choice for the two girls I played against. I don’t think I’ll main here because I love the support role too much, but she will always have a special place in my heart. Her back story just dropped, and it is as edgy and cool as you would have expected! She is a fun melee character that I am sure will see a lot of play.
Aegis
Here is a character we’ve seen briefly before. I love the dark and light motif. This is on the list of characters I am going to try to main. She will be playable in the open beta. The rest of the reveals will follow without much description because we only got the name drop so far.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the last game from September’s Nintendo Direct that I am excited about. There are other games from the Direct that I won’t be covering because they didn’t draw enough of my attention. Make sure you check out the official Nintendo of America YouTube channel to catch anything I missed.
The Lost Crown is an action-adventure platformer that brings back a classic IP to the current generation of gaming. The lore is rich, the art is great, and the gameplay looks like a lot of fun. There are some mechanics in the trailer I know I’ll be frustrated with, but that’s only because I suck at platforming. Ever since Nocturnal, I’ve been hungry for another side-scroller. I’m definitely making time to try this game when it comes out.
I know these have been random as I try to catch up the the novel. I’ll be sure to be back on a set schedule once I do. Thanks again for your support! I put a lot into these translations, so I hope you’ve been enjoying it so far. Make sure you support the original story and leave me some love if you can. Don’t forget to share this with your friends!
Pulsemon zips through the sea of data, blurring through it in flashes of bright yellow light. Bellow him sit mounds of junked data stacked in messy, unorganized heaps reminiscent of a landfill. Occasionally, Pulsemon summons a small hologram map with marked-off coordinates.
“It’s somewhere around here,” Pulsemon says as it compares the map with their surroundings. They had ventured out of the Walled Slums into an area past the Rusted Coast. They were looking for a hole in the firewall that separated the human world from the Digital world. Somewhere over these heaps of rotting wreckage was a vortex that could be a doorway to the other side.
“I’m not picking up any more readings,” Pulsemon says as it continues its flight.
“Let’s head down there,” Leon says from his place in the mindlink. Pulsemon lowers itself toward the ground. Around it, pieces of the environment glitch, blurring or continually blinking in and out of existence.
Leon looks around at the empty baron wasteland. “So this is just a floating island of garbage.”
Leon looks out into the horizon towards the firewall. It appeared like a massive moon or planet as it towered over the highest peaks of garbage. Its scale is breathtaking, but the secrets it held within would be more. What lay beyond the firewall? A planet? A galaxy. Humanity has only achieved blurry glimpses beneath the veil, and here Leon stood at the precipice.
“You sure it’s not a bad tip?” Pulsemon interrupts. “This doesn’t look like a place Tartarus would hang out in.”
Leon wakes from his trance. “No, it’s a solid lead.”
“I don’t know…” Pulsemon’s words are shrouded in worry. “This feels like a trap. The Sons of Chaos are still pretty pissed about the whole Machinedramon thing.”
“You can handle a few Sons of Chaos goons, can’t you?”
“It just looks dangerous is all…” Pulsemon’s voice trails off.
“Just stay sharp Pulsemon.” An uneasy silence falls over them as they look over the landscape.
HOWLING FIRE
A fireball tears through the air. It’s heat searching for an unsuspecting target, but Pulsemon is quick to react. The fireball narrowly misses as it flips out of the way. The fire ball lands with an explosion, leaving behind a crater of burning data.
“That was close,” Pulsemon chips as he lands into his battle stance.
“Hey Pulsemon,” Loogamon says as it steps into view. Small embers lick around its maw as it gives a hungry smile.
“Eiji?” Leon lets out. There is a bit of shock in his tone before he forces composure. “So you’re one of leaders now?”
“Nope, just a rookie.”
“Sure you are…” Leon can’t hide the disappointment that clings to his words.
Minor Impulse
Pulsemon begins to glow a bright yellow as a bolt of lightning jumps from its body and lands with a crash as Loogamon leaps out of the way.
“That was almost impressive,” Pulsemon taunts.
“I wasn’t even trying.” Loogamon gives a mocking grin.
“Whatever you say mutt.”
“Bring it on Sparkles.”
The two Digimon stare each other down.
“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised a code cracker is a criminal.”
“I was happy to see you Leon. It was nice catching up, but this is business. You messed up, now you have to deal with the consequences.”
“So you here to collect our bounty?”
“In a way, it depends on how our talk goes.”
“Get to the point Eiji.”
“If you promise not to interfere with the Sons of Chaos, we’ll let the… incident with the Machinedramon go.”
“You know I can’t do that.”
“I knew it wouldn’t be that easy, but it was worth a shot.”
“Look, if you need money, I can help you. You don’t have to do this.”
“I am not your charity case,” Eiji barks.
“But I can help you…”
“I choose how I want to live my life. You come to me after all these years and expect me to betray my ideals… for money?”
“Ideals? I thought you became a code cracker because you needed money.”
“You don’t get it,” Eiji’s voice trembles with anger and frustration. “Why don’t you go back to your cushy life and focus on school and leave me to mine.”
Leon knew there was no getting through to Eiji. He is a code cracker now, and it was Leon’s duty to hunt them down. Leon gives out a sad sigh as he appears as a hologram next to Pulsemon.
“The professor is using you Eiji. I’ve seen too many code cracker pass through the professors doors. He uses them up and tosses them like the garbage around us. And, you’re no different than them…”
“What did you say?!”
Pulsemon vanishes.
Electric Rush!
Pulsemon appears above Loogamon and comes crashing down in a bolt of lightning. Loogamon barely jumps out of the way, only feeling the heat of Pulsemon’s electricity as it brushed past.
Loogamon lands on a wobbling piece of floating debris.
“Stay away from the professor!” Leon shouts. “He doesn’t need any more worthless code crackers.”
“So this is what it’s all about? That’s how you really feel? You just don’t want anyone else getting close to your precious professor.”
The two old friends stood on opposite ends. They weren’t the same kids they were back then. Time had torn them apart, and both had a job to do.
“You really want to lose to me so badly? Fine! Pulsemon, let’s get serious.”
“Right!”
Pulsemon glows as its silhouette grows. When the light fades, Boutmon stands where Pulsemon did. It cracks its knuckles and smiles as bolts of static run down its body.
Boutmon rushes Loogamon, letting out a series of electric punches and kicks. Loogamon is able to dodge them as its fur begins to stand, charged with static. One of the kicks crashes through the piece of debris holding them up, breaking it to pieces.
Loogamon lands, kicking up dust and dirt. Its gaze fixed on Boutmon.
“Loogamon, it’s our turn!”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Loogamon lets out an earth shaking howl as it digivolves into Loogarmon.
Its massive crimson claws dig into the earth as its body tenses. Flames lick from its iron muzzle. The large feathers down his arms and neck shake in the breeze.
The two champion Digimon stare each other down intensely.
“That’s a cute champion form, but it’s going to take more than that Eiji!” Leon taunts.
“Just like we practiced Loogarmon!”
“Hey sparkles, I don’t want to hear any crying when I beat you.” The fur down its back begins to stand as flames build inside its maw.
Howling Burner!
Loogarmon whips the flames around to form a large wall of fire. Loogarmon disappears behind the smoke and flames.
“Cute trick!” Boutmon shouts.
Lightning Heel
Boutmons leg builds with electrical energy as it raises its leg over its head. It lets down a sweeping explosive kick through the flames. The flames continue to burn, but for a brief moment, the flames part to reveal Loogarmon and its sinister smile.
“This is my domain!” Loogarmon growls.
Flame Blow
Before Boutmon has a chance to react, Loogarmon becomes covered in flames and lunges towards them.
Fire Breath
Before the wolf can connect, flames fall onto Boutmon from three different directions.
“How?!?” Leon shouts as he searches for the source. Smoke and flames rise from Boutmon’s body. It staggers for a moment before falling to a defensive position. Three Tyrannomon step from the shadows and stares down from their place on top three separate peaks.
“What a dirty trick!” Leon grumbles.
“You didn’t pick up on them Boutmon?” Loogarmon taunts.
There was too much interference from the junk data around them. “They know Leon. This was a trap…” Boutmon’s voice trails off.
Leon scrambles to think of a plan. “So you have to cheat to beat me?”
“I’ll beat you Leon, even if it takes every dirty trick in the book.”
The Tyrannomon retreat out of site. The two champion Digimon continue to stare each other down. Boutmon takes a breath as he changes his stance. Electricity starts to build in his palms. Loogarmon readies a Howling Burner as it watches Boutmon closely.
Buden Blast
Both Digimon release their stored energy. It creates a massive explosive on impact, blowing chunks of junk data and debris flying in every direction. The explosion releases a shockwave. Loogarmon jumps to dodge the impact, but Boutmoun appears below them.
Storm of Blows
Boutmon unleashes a flurry of punches and kicks, each landing hard on the unsuspecting wolf.
The Tyrannomon reappear, letting out torrents of flame that engulf Boutmon, giving Eiji and Loogarmon enough of a distraction to create distance between them.
“Dammit!” Leon lets out as Boutmon lands, its body still searing from the flames.
“Calm down Leon. Look. We’re wearing them down.” Leon looks over at Loogarmon. Its feathers are ruffled and matter. The large Digimon pants heavily.
“Alright, but it’s a little crowded. Let’s make some room Boutmon. Digivolve!”
“Understood.”
A massive bolt of lightning comes crashing down over Boutmon. The force of the impact explodes burning debris in every direction. Kazuchimon stands letting out a terrifying roar.
“The Tyrannomon are scared Eiji, call them back.” Eiji gathers the Tyrannomon back into the dock.
“Alright Loogarmon, be ready for anything.”
Kazuchimon takes a step forward. Its electric blade still points to the ground.
“You’re too week Eiji. You should have quit when I asked you. Kazuchimon!”
Shido Ittetsu
Kazuchimon lifts its hand. It begins to glow as storm clouds begin to gather overhead.
“What the?” Eiji exclaims as he watches the sky. Lightning builds, forming an unnatural cage around them.
“It’s a digital barrier. They’re trying to trap us!” Loogarmon shouts. It leaps as it tries to escape, but it’s too late. An electromagnetic barrier comes crashing down, cutting off their escape.
Kazuchimon slices at debris as it closes in on Loogarmon.
Loogarmon uses its tail to throw a piece of debris at the barrier. It vaporizes on impact. “It’s no use, we’re trapped.”
“Don’t worry, we got this,” Eiji says in an attempt to stay positive.
Kazuchimon stands over them. It looks down at them grimly. They can feel the heat from the blade. Before Loogarmon has a chance to react, the blade slices through its body, leaving behind a searing pain. Eiji loses focus as the pain becomes too unbearable.
“I made a mistake,” Leon says.
“What?” Eiji manages through the pain.
“I shouldn’t have offered you money. I shouldn’t have offered you a way out. I should have knocked some sense into you from the beginning. Give up Eiji, it’s over.”
“No! I…”
“You can’t win Eiji.”
Kazuchimon crosses his blades as energy begins to build between them. Eiji could feel the heat building as he stares down the familiar attack.
Eiji is overcome with desperation. The pain makes it difficult to think straight. “I can’t lose.” Eiji thinks about the professor. About all the times Eiji made him proud. “I have to do better. I want to do something meaningful with my life.” Eiji thinks about his time with Loogamon. “I have to win….We have to win…”
Shinden Shouraiko
The light from the twin blades becomes blinding. They burst with energy. A familiar sensation builds up within Eiji. He feels large amounts of power begin coursing through Loogarmon.
The Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtuelessdemo for the Nintendo Switch has been out for a few days, but I finally got to play it. I loved every minute of this demo. The art is cute, the voice acting is fantastic, and the gameplay is engaging. I haven’t played any of the Disgaea games before, and I am regretting my life’s decisions. Disgaea is a cute and quirky strategy RPG coming to PlayStation, Steam, and the Nintendo Switch on October 3rd in the US, the 6th in Europe, and the 13th in Australia.
A tyrant rules the Netherworld of Hinomoto. Its once proud warrior people now live under the Hinomoto Code of Destruction. It is up to two unlikely friends to join forces and bring back the Bushido code that was once the staple of this proud civilization.
You don’t need to have played any of the other games in the series to enjoy the demo, but you are going to want to. The demo does a fantastic job of walking players through the different mechanics and setting up the story as its own entity. I’ve been excited about Disgaea 7 since it was first announced. This is definitely going to be in my cart at launch. If you are a fan of the series or want some extra swag, you might want to check out the special collector’s edition available at the NIS online store. There are two different sets, one with plushies ($159) and one without ($99.99). I’ll leave the details below. You can buy the plushies separately.
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The new gameplay trailer for the upcoming Star Ocean: The Second Story R just dropped, and it’s got me hyped for the release. This is a fantastic remaster with a beautiful art style, fun updated and new mechanics, and a story I want to get into. I didn’t get to play Star Ocean when it first came out, so I am excited to get the opportunity on the Nintendo Switch. Star Ocean: The Second Story is coming to the PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Steam on November 2nd at $49.99 MSRP. You can preorder yours today, or try the demo if you need more convincing!
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This month’s Nintendo Direct had a lot of cool announcements, but I didn’t want to make an overwhelmingly long post. Instead, I’ll be breaking it up as best I can into smaller more manageable pieces so that the games get the attention they deserve. This post will focus on the genre I am always excited for, the RPGs. There are bunch of cool RPGs coming to the Switch, so make sure you start saving up now. If you’ve been enjoying these updates, make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends.
SaGa Emerald Beyond
I am probably the most excited for SaGa Emerald Beyond. I haven’t played any of the SaGa games, but I am okay with this being my first. The mechanics are interesting, and I like that the choices players make matter. Saga Emerald Beyond is coming to Switch, PlayStation, Steam, and Ios and Android devices sometime next year.
Unicorn Overlord
Unicorn Overlordlooks awesome! I love the art style, and the mechanics look like a lot of fun. I am always in the market for a new tactical RPG, and this looks up my alley. The game comes out March 8.
Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster ($49.99)
We seem to be getting a lot of remasters from Nintendo lately, and I am not complaining. If you’ve never played the original Baten Kaitos game, now might be your chance. they have enhanced graphics and some quality of life changes to make them easier to play. Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster is out now!
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is such a beautiful looking game. I love that you can choose from so many heroes, and the mechanics look like a lot of fun. The game comes out April 23rd.
Wartales ($39.99)
Here’s a cool looking action RPG that you can play co-op with your friends or random strangers online. I’m warming up the genre, so I might pick it up eventually. I just hope it runs well. You can pick up Wartalesnow!
The final trailer for El Paso, Elsewherejust dropped, and I can’t wait for the release. The trailer is epic, and I recommend you check it out even if you have no intention of buying the game. El Paso, Elsewhere is a quirky retro shooter where players hunt hordes of vampires, werewolves, and other demons. The voice acting sounds great, the story and gameplay seem fun, and I am excited to hear what they put on the soundtrack. El Paso, Nightmare, the game before this, had an amazing soundtrack.
El Paso, Nightmareis a lot of fun. I’ve reviewed Nightmare in a previous post, make sure you check it out if you want more details. The game is a lot of fun, and worth the $4.99. If you are looking for a casual game and enjoyed the retro era of gaming, go get El Paso, Nightmare.
El Paso, Elsewhere releases on Xbox and Steam on September 26. No price has been announced yet, but make sure you wishlist it! If you enjoy these updates, make sure you like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
The Beta for the MOBA Shooter Second Wavehas been announced for PC and Xbox. The beta will run from October 6th to the 16th. Now I got to play an early version at GDC and got in for the Alpha and loved every second of it. Even though the versions I’ve tried were rough, they were enough to keep me excited for Second Wave’s release. I understand that it is too early to judge since we don’t have a finished product, but I see the potential.
Second Wave will be playable on PC, Xbox, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and IOS and Android devices. It is essentially Overwatch, but more anime-inspired. I just hope Second Wind isn’t as toxic as Overwatch has become. I loved playing support and can’t wait to hop back in and play some more. This game is fun, and worth trying if you enjoy the genre, so make sure you wishlist the game on Steam and join the Discord to stay on top of all the news.
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I’ve been holding off on watching Netflix’s live-action One Piece series because I was afraid they would ruin another of my favorite anime. As a long-time fan, I needed this series to be good. I can forgive Netflix for a lot of the garbage they put out, but I could never forgive them for ruining One Piece. That said, I did my best to come into the series as open-minded and unbiased as possible. I didn’t rewatch the anime, stayed away from spoilers and news, and didn’t even watch the trailers. I wanted to go into this series as removed from the source material as possible because I didn’t want my experience to be affected by nostalgia or fandom. After sitting through the series, my only complaint is that I didn’t start it sooner. If you haven’t watched it yet, you need to do so now!
The series covers the events through the Coco Village arc. This is a condensed version of the events, but the changes made are appropriate and appreciated. For those unfamiliar with the source material, Luffy dreams of being king of the pirates and sets off to find the crew that will help him find Gol D. Roger’s infamous treasure, the one piece. But the sea is a dangerous place, full of pirates, marines, and monsters. Despite having the powers of the Gum-Gum Fruit, Luffy has a lot to learn before he can be king of the pirates.
I love how faithful of an adaptation this series is. The attention to detail is astounding. The costumes, the sets, the characters, and the story are a perfect interpretation of the source material. I can’t believe how good of a conversion Netflix is capable of, especially after all the garbage I’ve sat through. As a fan, even though I haven’t seen the first season in a while, it made me giddy to catch the subtlest of references.
But you don’t have to like anime to enjoy this series. It has a fantastic cast that shares excellent chemistry, fun and exciting action scenes, and a well-written and tight season. I was afraid they would drag this out like streaming services tend to do, but One Piece gets to the point and leaves viewers wanting more.
I can spend hours talking about the series, comparing the versions, and overanalyzing the plot, characters, etcetera, but I’ll leave you with this: Go watch it now! If you are a fan of the series, this is the adaptation you didn’t know you wanted. It makes me hopeful for Avatar the Last Air Bender live-action series Netflix is also working on. If you’ve never seen One Piece, or even know what it is, this series is going to make you watch the anime. I know it made me restart it all from the beginning. If you do start watching the anime, I recommend you skip the filler episodes. One Piece isn’t as bad as others when it comes to filler, nor are they bad episodes, but when a series is this long, it’s nice to get to the point. I love the live-action and can’t wait for there to be more!
Sign-ups to test Amazon’s upcoming MMO, Throne and Liberty, are now live. Throne and Liberty is an MMO coming to PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, but no date has been announced yet. Selected players will get the first look at what seems to be a truly massive and beautiful new world. The test will be running from September 19 to October 3rd, and those selected will be notified on the 14th. The test will be for all platforms, but please be aware that you will need an Amazon account to sign up.
I’ve already signed up and have my fingers crossed that I get in. There will be an NDA, so there won’t be a follow-up post, but I am still excited to have a first look. The combat system looks fun, there looks to be massive open-world events, solid PVP, and I am a fan of the art style. I am a bit hesitant because it is an Amazon game, but I’ll reserve my judgment until I try the finished product. Amazon games tend to be a bit too grindy for what I have time for, but Throne and Liberty could be different.
If you are interested in trying Thrones of Liberty, make sure you sign up for the test on the official page. And if you’ve been enjoying these updates, make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends. Good luck!
