Welcome to TAG Roundup!
Ever wonder what you missed in the world of gaming last week? No worries – we’ve got you covered!
We read a ton of video game articles each week and wanted to share some of our favorites with the Average Gamer community. We’ll feature everything from previews to reviews and everything in between.
The articles we share will be from a combination of well-known sources (like IGN) and more niche blogs that you may not have heard of. In the previous TAG Roundup post, we talked about CrossCode, Atomicrops, Metal: Hellsinger and more!
At the top of the hour, we’ve got a sequel to an N64 classic! New Pokemon Snap is swinging into the 21st century and we’ve got details and trailers for you!
Take Photos of Pokemon – Polygon
It’s been more than two decades since the first Pokemon Snap game was released on the N64. Last week, we saw a trailer for the aptly named New Pokemon Snap, which will be launching on Switch!
If you never played the original, the premise of the game is simple: take pictures of Pokemon while snapping some sweet photos. All this is done from the comfort of a cozy ride.
The trailer for New Pokmon Snap brings back all the goodness of the original, with updated graphics, a newer model vehicle and more apples to throw! I also caught a glimpse of Pokemon from several different generations. Bonus points to anyone who can name all of them in the video!
Nintendo emphasizes the beautiful scenery in both its description and the gameplay video. The graphics are a huge step up from the 64-bit predecessor and even look better than recent releases like Pokemon Let’s Go.
In this age of social media, I expect photo sharing to be a large component of New Pokemon Snap. The base sharing components on the Switch are pretty slim and I’m excited to see how Bandai takes things to the next level here.
We don’t have a launch date yet for New Pokemon Snap, but we do know that it’ll be a Switch exclusive. The game’s listing also states the number of players is “to be determined”, so it’s possible that there will be a multiplayer mode to take photos with your friends.
I’ll keep you posted when I know more info on New Pokemon snap and please let me know if you have any other details!
Pokemon Sword and Shield DLC – IGN
Back to back Pokemon articles to start off LWiG? Ya, it was that type of week.
Nintendo’s expansion pack brings additional content to Pokemon Sword and Shield, introducing an entirely new island to explore and plenty of quality of life changes. This is an interesting departure from the typical Pokemon formula where the developer releases a 3rd, standalone game sometime after the initial twin-game release.
There will be two parts to the expansion pack: Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra. Each looks pretty incredible and will extend the life of your Pokemon game. You can purchase the expansion pass in-game from the Nintendo eShop today!
Madden 21 News – Polygon
I have a love/hate relationship with the Madden series. I love taking my Eagles to back-to-back Superbowls in franchise mode, but I hate how little the game changes between releases.
This year’s game aims to deliver improve ball-carrier mechanics, an area that has seen repeated, small changes over the years. We’ll also see changes to the way the defensive line operates and improvements to open-field tackling.
Madden 21 will hit PS4 and Windows on August 28th, with a TBD release date for Xbox One, PS5 and Xbox Series X. One exciting tidbit is that players who purchase current-gen copies of the game will be able to upgrade to next-gen versions for free!
Thanks EA!
New Star Wars Game set for Fall Release – Android Central
Star Wars: Squadrons will give you the option of playing as either the good guys or the bad guys! Lead a squadron of 5 New Republic of Imperial Pilots in the upcoming Star Wars game.
The game offers a single-player campaign as well as a multiplayer mode. Additionally, you can play in VR on both PS4 and PC!
You can pick up the game on October 2, 2020 for $40 with full cross-play on all platforms.
The Next Kingdom Hearts Game – Comicbook
Kingdom Hearts has traditionally been an action RPG game, but is now making the leap into the rhythm genre with the likes of Rock Band.
In Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, players perform attacks in time with the music. The trailer features classic songs from previous Kingdom Hearts games as well as some of my favorite characters.
We don’t know exactly when the game will drop in 2020, but it’ll be available across the current generation of platforms.
Time Traveling Mage – Inverse
Crisbell is the time mage on a mission to stop an evil empress using time as her primary weapon and mode of transportation.
Cris Tales is an upcoming indie RPG with turn-based combat. Your party will use medieval weapons in addition to the titular character’s time manipulation. The article draws clear ties to Chrono Trigger but that is a high standard to be held to.
Cris Tales is set for a November 17, 2020 release and you can check out more gameplay here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G80NabhDeQU
Digital Boardgaming – IGN
Last Regiment combines elements of deck-building games, Warcraft and the Civilization series in a digital boardgame format. Players take turns conquering land and summoning powerful units to do battle.
Aesthetically, the game looks really cool and I like that you can have simultaneous battles. The reviews are positive on Steam and will likely appeal to the folks who enjoy both RTS games and boardgames.
EA Play Live Announcements – IGN
It’s pretty crazy that EA Play Live is close to the bottom of LWiG, but here we are!
There’s a ton of information in IGN’s article but here’s what I found most noteworthy:
- Apex Legends is getting cross-play
- Rocket Arena is a new 3v3 hero shooter
- Madden-Fifa 21 Montage
It’s worth skimming through if you own any EA games!
Isometric Twin-Stick Assassin – IGN
Lithium City puts you in control of an assassin who takes out floors of baddies. There’s dashing, shooting, hacking, and slashing in this neon-littered action game.
There are some elements of puzzle-solving before you go all Max Payne mode on people. Check out the trailer below and pick the game up now on Steam!
That’s All For Now
There were plenty of other highlights from last week but these ones really stood out. Be sure to check in next time to read about video game current events.
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What were some of the most interesting things you read last week? Leave us a message in the comments so we can check it out!
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