This Week in Games

Sony State of Play 2025

Welcome back, folks! Man, they certainly kept us busy this week with the Tokyo Game Show. However, I am happy that I didn't have to sit through another two-stream day, where, I dunno, someone had a presentation right after Sony's State of Play. It's been a long week and there's a lot of news, so let's jump right in!

Last week, we touched on the news that Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar succeeded at selling 500,000 units in less than a month since its release. Nothing to blow your nose at, since it's taken a few months for Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma (the latest game in the Rune Factory series) to reach that same prestigious benchmark. The news is pretty well-timed, since this past week we got some further news on both beloved farm sims--specifically, that the former is getting added to the latter in a DLC collab!

At the time of writing, there isn't much news about the collab; we'll be keeping tabs on Marvelous for this one.

I think there's quite a bit to take stock of with these games. Earlier this year, with the release of the Switch 2, Marvelous underscored its commitment to using proper cartridges for its titles instead of game key cards. Marvelous USA CEO Ken Berry underlined this being "a long-term business strategy," and that "building up goodwill with [their] fans is always a good investment." Usually, I wrinkle my nose at any discussion that talks about "the fans" (I've seen how "the fans" behave), but I nevertheless think Berry's logic is sound. Marvelous regularly ensures that its releases, in Berry's words, "pleasantly surprise" people "when [you] open up one of [its] cases." They can't include manuals with their games anymore, and more's the pity. Still, they ensure that even the standard releases of the titles have some flourish with the packaging, such as little portraits of the cast visible in the honeycombed cut-outs in the case's housing, or even an included art card. This stuff is an expense, but it's nevertheless cute.

I don't have any hard numbers on me that illustrate how many of Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar's or Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma's sales are motivated by the use of proper cartridges. I'm willing to bet that among the general public, it's not too much of a factor. Now, the actual Story of Seasons sickos (affectionate)? The folks who run their farms like well-oiled war machines and have written long screeds about the unfairness of their chosen favorite not being a romantic option? (I assume I have little to tell these folks, what with Tsubaki from Guardians of Azuma.) I'm betting that had to be a proper factor. I'm definitely a lot less kind towards game key cards these days, especially since major publishers keep using them. There's a reason, sure: proper cartridges on the Switch 2 are a lot more expensive, and they don't exist in smaller formats for smaller games. But the likes of Square Enix or CAPCOM could likely afford that hit to their bottom line—especially if a smaller company like Marvelous can.

Also worth bringing up, especially since I saw someone else point it out on Bluesky: it's a bit weird to think that 500,000 units is a major success for these games considering that's barely a drop in the bucket for a game like Stardew Valley—a title inspired by the Story of Seasons games but has gone on to remain one of the biggest "forever games" out there. For reference, as of last year, Stardew Valley has sold 41 million copies  I think there are a few factors that help matters; Stardew Valley is perennially cheap (MSRP: $15 USD), it's available on every console, and it's easily modified. Those are undeniable factors. The game has also been on the market for nine years, and developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone continues to work on the title. Of course, there's still room for both games, and the success of Stardew Valley has also inspired other people to try their hand at farming sims like My Time at Sandrock. There's an aesthetic and a charm unique to the Story of Seasons series, specifically that keeps people coming back, especially when Stardew Valley is around.

We have to wonder what'll happen with the next Story of Seasons title; Marvelous has been remaking a few of the older titles in the series like A Wonderful Life and the aforementioned Grand Bazaar; one can only wonder when Marvelous will try their hand with an original title. Or, if they make another remake, if they'll ever set their sights on Magical Melody. True story: a good friend of mine asks me about it at every turn!

In the meantime, I'm happy to see fortunes turn up for Rune Factory and Story of Seasons. Things especially looked a bit worrisome for Rune Factory with Rune Factory 5's release. And Guardians of Azuma even received some great quality-of-life updates in a patch from June (you can now toggle what farming tasks a villager carries out, a total game-changer). Marvelous is very clued into what people love about these titles and has shown to be very keen on maintaining that. I'm looking forward to seeing that continue.

Death Stranding 2 was released just a few months ago, but Hideo Kojima is still keeping busy. This past week, courtesy of Tokyo Games Show, he was sure to announce several new projects. Some aren't entirely new, but they're all quite intriguing...

First up, we have some news regarding Physint! Announced back in January 2024, Physint is Hideo Kojima's return to a dedicated stealth game. In allusion to his beloved Metal Gear Solid being an "action espionage action" game, Physint is referred to as a "cinematic espionage action game." The "cinematic" aspect may be a reference to Kojima collaborating with Columbia Pictures to ensure his vision. We finally have our first look at the game, and it's... a poster. Not much, but it's something!

A lot of people are immediately going to leap to Metal Gear Solid comparisons, and I want to at least try to avoid that. But it's neat how you can tell the protagonist on the poster is wearing some kind of Sneaking Suit underneath his trenchcoat. Also, something about his profile really makes me feel like they worked hard to bring Yoji Shinkawa's iconic character designs to life. We also know three acting talents that will be involved with this title: Charlee Fraser (better known from her work in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga); Lee Dong-seok, a.k.a. Don Lee (better known from The Roundup, though I loved the crap out of his performance in Last Train to Busan) and Minami Hamabe. Actually, can I have a moment to gush about Hamabe-san? Thank you; she was phenomenal in Godzilla Minus One. I love how, even after Tokyo's reconstruction, you could see the years of struggle in her expression. I really hope she's in the sequel. Also, she was phenomenal in Shin Kamen Rider as Ruriko; she is indispensable as the emotional core of the film, and there's so much unspoken story between her and Nanase Nishino's Hachi-Aug in their interactions. (Also, I think she's adorable.) Kojima being a tremendous fan of tokusatsu (he literally designed the Cobra unit in Snake Eater after Kamen Rider monsters—that's why they all explode when they die), I'm sure he earmarked Hamabe for a project after the one-two punch of Shin Kamen Rider and Godzilla Minus One. I think this is my favorite bit of celebrity casting in one of his games, ever.

I don't have a glib remark on this one, so let's rip the bandage off: Kojima's finally making his promised P.T.—of sorts. The infamous playable teaser for a proposed Silent Hill game (titled Silent Hills), which was also a collaboration between Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro, was basically stifled once Kojima left Konami. Granted, P.T. captivated audiences and developers alike and effectively defined horror games for the next decade, purely on the power of its incredible horror vibes. It was that effective. At any rate, Kojima is finally getting a chance to make good on history with what is currently being called OD - Knock. While this isn't a Silent Hill title, it feels like it—the shot of the door with the knocking sounds evokes Silent Hill 4: The Room. The trailer is very short but loaded with stuff to appreciate, like a sticker of an eye stuck to a window opening, numbers on a carousel, or the effect of faces appearing on a woman's face while something sneaks up behind her. What really has me excited is that actress Hunter Schafer is involved with this one! Kojima has been relatively close with Schafer for a while, and people have been waiting to see the day when Kojima would finally cast her in a game. You can bet folks will be rabid for this one. Del Toro might not be involved with this one, but Kojima is collaborating with Jordan Peele (Get Out, Nope)—I'll take it. Also, very cute of Kojima to release the OD - Knock trailer at the same time Konami was releasing their Silent Hill f trailer.

Finally, Kojima revealed a project tentatively titled DEATH STRANDING MOSQUITO. Taking place in the world of Death Stranding, the animated film deals with all-new characters. Not much is known about them, but the trailer seriously impresses: this is the best Yoji Shinkawa's designs have ever looked. The effect of the proboscis-like tar mask coming out of the guy's mouth is neat, too, and we can see that one of the other porters has managed to make friends with one of the B.T.s (a wolf-like one). The treat here is that Kojima is working with Aaron Guzikowski, best known for working on the best TV show you haven't seen, Raised By Wolves. It's a complex, heady show about synthetic life forms, human identity, and the end of the world. It's phenomenal work, and absolutely the kind of work you'd want in a Death Stranding animated film. I'm definitely excited for this one. Also, I'm going to link to an excellent video essay about Raised By Wolves by Alt Shift X (who also made a phenomenal video on All Tomorrows) right here, to whet your appetites.

Ah yes, Like A Dragon! We can't forget Sega's beloved ongoing series about well-seasoned men ripping their shirts off and punching each other in-between hours of playing OutRun at official Sega arcades. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios had plenty of news about Like A Dragon to share this week. First off: Yakuza 0 Director's Cut launches on PS5, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S on December 8. It'll have all of the features from the Switch 2 version, plus the addition of Red Light Raid Mode, where you can fight waves of enemies with help from other players (though this last one will launch after release through a patch). Though there's bad news: preexisting Yakuza 0 save data cannot be transferred into Director's Cut, and there are no plans to offer an upgrade to Yakuza 0 into the Director's Cut either. Not cool, Sega. Similarly, Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2 will also be released on PS5, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S, along with the Switch 2; I look forward to it on November 13.

Finally, we have news that they're making Yakuza Kiwami 3! Considering how old the first two Kiwami remakes are, it seems rather quaint that once upon a time we were worried about the Kiwami games overtaking the Like A Dragon games. Yakuza Kiwami 3 finds Kiryu Kazuma living in Okinawa, living his life in peace as he runs an orphanage—only to get caught up in a real estate scheme fueled by desires to expand an American military base. Not only is Kiryu putting his grey suit back on to fight the Japanese criminal underworld, he's also fighting the CIA. There is some consternation; a few of the characters have been recast for the remake, particularly Riyika, being recast with Show Kasamatsu, and Hamazaki being recast with Teruyuki Kagawa.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 also includes Dark Ties, a new side-story presented as an included separate game. Dark Ties goes over Yoshitaka Mine's story, showing him as he goes from a disgraced chairman of a start-up to a man who takes his first steps into the world of organized crime. Of course, there are also a whole slew of DLC for outfits, music, and other customization details. I, for one, am astonished Sega would reveal DLC before the game is even released. Astonished, I say. Look forward to Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties on PS4, PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam this February 12, 2026.

Tokyo Game Show means keeping me busy... most of the time. Gonna be honest here, the Sony State of Play was pretty high-and-dry for Japanese games of any sort. And while I don't want to give the whole thing short shrift, it behooves me to focus on Japanese games on Anime News Network.

With that said, Saros is looking amazing. I was impressed with that title the moment it was released, and I'm pleased to see that it's still shaping up so well. I missed the boat on the original Returnal, I'm hoping I can get into Saros. ZA/UM's new Zero Parades for Dead Spies is, uh... look, after what happened to ZA/UM's old writers with Disco Elysium, I don't think I trust that studio's output; the people that gave it its renown aren't there anymore. Deus Ex is getting a remaster. My feelings on Deus Ex mirror those of my predecessor, Todd Ciolek, on Virtua Fighter: it's like the woolly mammoth at the Smithsonian in terms of importance, but I wouldn't put a woolly mammoth in my Sega Saturn. Halloween: The Game is a curious choice; I hope it's alright. Insomniac's Wolverine was finally announced, and it looks fine. I don't think the ultra-violence is particularly offensive. Still, I do think people are right to grouse at ultra-violence being considered A-OK when consenting adults being in a non-heterosexual relationship is beyond the pale for payment processors.

Full disclosure: I marathoned the entirety of Seven Deadly Sins with my bro while we were in Puerto Rico. And he loves it a lot, but I've cooled on the series significantly over the years. Regardless, my hat's off to Netmarble: they finally made a licensed anime title that's not an arena-based fighting game! The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin is an original story for the property, detailing the adventures of Britannia's prince as he explores the land. It's a proper open-world game, with fishing, monster taming, and crafting mechanics, along with multiplayer dungeons. It also seems you'll not only be able to play as the titular Seven Deadly Sins, but also as a gaggle of original characters. I'm not that excited over the property (mind you: I would take a bullet for Hawk, maybe even two), but I'm happy to see someone being a bit ambitious with a tie-in title. Look forward to it on January 28.

I'm happy to see Nioh 3. I have a lot of respect for Team Ninja's Nioh series. The character creation tools are phenomenal, and the mechanics are phenomenal for sinking your teeth into. The games are a great twist on Souls-likes by virtue of how technical they are, using things like your Ki pulse mechanic (pressing a button at a certain point in your animations to restore a portion of your stamina) to change how you handle pressing the offense. I do confess that I have no aptitude for these games—as much as I love the design, setting, and mechanics, I'm all thumbs when it comes to them and they frustrate me to no end. But these games are solid, and people looking for challenges on technical levels can do no better. Nioh 3 lands February 6.

It's him! It's really him! Koei Tecmo has announced a remaster of Dynasty Warriors 3, titled Dynasty Warriors 3 Complete Edition Remastered. With that title, I hope that means that the extra content from the Legends version is also included... at any rate, this game lets you rampage through the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, including a fateful battle against Lu Bu. It's a remaster of a PS2 title, so there's a ceiling to how good it looks... but hey, sign me up for that button-mashing action. I've never actually played a Dynasty Warriors title (only Samurai Warriors and Hyrule Warriors), so I'm excited for this one—especially since it has its color intact and isn't so brown like Dynasty Warriors Origins. Look forward to this one on March 19.

There was another sizzle reel for Code Vein 2, the "anime" Souls-like title wherein you fight vampires. A lot of the weapons look amazing, but what we really want to see is character customization; the original Code Vein's customization is some of the best out there, arguably better than the rest of the game it's attached to. Code Vein 2 releases in January 26.

I was completely broke and not at all in a good place in 2018 when Grasshopper Manufacturing's Let It Die was released. And it's a shame, because I like the goofy Grim Reaper dude with the sunglasses. So I'm tentative on this sequel; they call it an "extraction action" game with PvPvE elements (none of those words are in the Bible). Basically, you make a character and run around a map, fighting monsters and other players. Any loot you find is only kept if you successfully bring it back to your home base. If you die along the way, you lose your loot and your character, and you have to start from zero. The action looks good, at least—but I won't lie, I'm a bit more interested in Romeo Is A Dead Man... Look forward to this one on December 3.

I think Chronoscript: The Endless End might be my pick of this State of Play. A 2D action-adventure title (finally, someone made one that wasn't a Souls-like!), you play as a character in an enchanted book exploring your illustrations. Magical ink allows your character to travel from one book to another across a vast library, wherein you'll fight all kinds of monsters and face diegetic threats--like rats scurrying across your pages, or the books falling from shelves. The "living illustrations" look is a feast for the eyes, too. Look forward to this one in 2026 (that's as much as we know for its release date).

That'll do it for this week, I think. It's been a rough week; I'm once again encouraging everyone to take regular breaks from their screens and to reach out to their friends, family, and peers. Give folks a howdy-do, it'll help both of you. With September ending, that means that my trip to Twitchcon in October is ever-approaching—as is Kumoricon. There's a lot to look forward to this Autumn. I hope you all have something cooking in the wings. Be good to each other. I'll see you in seven.