Unhappy information, guys. It is the final day of Tokyo Sport Present 2024. PC Gamer has been on the present for the final three days and, as detailed in earlier experiences (see hyperlinks above), it has been a very good present for PC avid gamers and PC gaming. After analysing the newest traits at TGS 2024 in each our Day 1 and Day 2 experiences, we have then moved on to key Japanese recreation writer sales space deep dives. Yesterday, in our Day 3 report, we coated Sq. Enix, Sega, and Bandai Namco’s choices, whereas at the moment we will concentrate on Capcom, Konami and SNK.
Capcom might be the strongest Japanese recreation writer for the time being because of the persevering with success of its evergreen IPs, which embody Road Fighter, Monster Hunter, and Resident Evil. The most recent video games in these sequence, all playable on PC I’d add, corresponding to Road Fighter 6, Monster Hunter: World, and Resident Evil 7: Bio Hazard, not solely have been critically acclaimed however have bought very well, too, and that is stored momentum on the Osaka-based gaming software program home excessive.
Enter Capcom’s huge push at Tokyo Sport Present 2024, Monster Hunter Wilds, which builds on the success of Worlds with quite a lot of enhancements. This open-world recreation is produced by the son of the founding father of Capcom, Kenzo Tsujimoto, and Monster Hunter Wilds introduces a extra informal strategy and ‘social’ factor to the franchise.
It’s nonetheless potential to play the sport purely in solo mode (because it was when it launched on PSP) however there’s a huge focus now on co-op play, so for those who play solo then the co-op is simulated by AI. The true approach to play, although, is in multiplayer, with different actual gamers becoming a member of the monster-hunting enjoyable.
Generally, the way in which to explain Monster Hunter Wilds, although, is ‘extra’, because it simply delivers extra or expands on the whole lot in Monster Hunter: World. For instance, now you can carry a number of weapons on any hunt, and people weapons can now be modded, too, including layers of customisation.
Extra, too, in that every one the NPCs are totally voiced, including to the manufacturing values and immersion. There’s clearly way more open world to discover and hunt on this time round, too, and huge group areas designed to attraction extra to informal avid gamers.
Lastly, in Japan at the least, Wilds is delivering extra within the sense of its collector’s version, too, with the extremely model providing a literal Monster Hunter bike to trip round on (see above picture). The price to you and me? $1250! Loopy. Monster Hunter Wilds remains to be a methods out, launching on 28 February, 2025.
Over at Konami’s sales space, there are two video games being pushed, and each of them are remakes. As I famous in our Day 1 report, remakes and remasters are being favoured rather a lot proper now by Japanese publishers as they’re cheaper to make than a model new AAA recreation, and likewise thought-about a safer guess, which is one thing that retains shareholders completely happy. Which means we have got huge pushes on Metallic Gear Stable Delta: Snake Eater and Silent Hill 2 at Konami’s Tokyo Sport Present 2024 sales space.
Some of the extremely rated video games in all the Metallic Gear saga, even now with out its authentic creator on the wheel, Hideo Kojima, this remake has nonetheless drawn large crowds on the Tokyo Sport Present 2024. However, being trustworthy, regardless of simply being a remake of a earlier recreation, I can see why it has been so fashionable.
This new remake won’t solely be simply because it was when was launched in 2004 (it is a very trustworthy remake tonally), but additionally—and that is for me the true huge information—it’s introducing upgraded gameplay mechanics and digital camera methods that had been launched in later video games within the sequence. This implies Snake now handles and appears higher than ever.
Now look, there’s arguably solely thus far a remake can go when it comes to sustaining curiosity in a sequence, however my feeling is that if Snake Eater is a giant hit (and it appears like it will likely be at this level), then I really feel it may very well be the best automobile to rekindle the Metallic Gear fires for followers in a post-Kojima world. The sport is loosely slated to launch in 2024, however I’ve acquired a sense it’d slip into 2025. Let’s wait and see.
Then there’s the Silent Hill 2 remake. Curiously, the sport is not being developed by a Japanese studio however a western one, the Poland-based Bloober Staff. What is going to please followers of the unique recreation, although, is that Bloober is approaching this remake with a watch to make it very genuine and just like the unique expertise. Trustworthy for positive. Clearly, Silent Hill 2 won’t be as giant because the current, very profitable, Resident Evil 2 remake, however personally I feel that as we by no means acquired a correct sequel to this recreation, it’s a good level to begin. If this remake sells effectively then it is perhaps sufficient to get one greenlit.
SNK: Deadly Fury: Metropolis of the Wolves
Lastly SNK is getting again to what was within the Nineteen Nineties for all of us. I nonetheless personal a Neo Geo AES, the white rental model the truth is, as all of the CD variations (included the CDZ by no means launched exterior Japan), so to see SNK again is gorgeous. The as soon as kings of the versus fighter style are making new video games and, sure, releasing them on PC on day one.
SNK’s sales space at Tokyo Sport Present 2024 is big and, what’s extra, the brand new Deadly Fury recreation really appears good, with lengthy queues of Japanese avid gamers lining as much as get hands-on with a demo. I solely managed to play it as soon as at the moment on account of these queues, nevertheless it feels nice to play. Whether or not or not it’ll go on to problem Road Fighter 6 and Tekken 8, although, stays to be seen.
There’s some huge information for this recreation, too. After speaking with SNK’s individuals right here at TGS 2024 they instructed us the sport’s first DLC will see some Road Fighter characters like Ryu and Chun Li be part of the motion. Instantly I am remembering previous SNK versus Capcom fighters like SVC: Chaos.
Now, I realise that there was some criticism of this new Deadly Fury by some purist versus fighter followers, and sure I can see the place they’re coming from to a level. I do not assume Metropolis of the Wolves has been created although purely with the versus fighter purists in thoughts, although. It is extra about SNK, underneath its new possession, making an attempt to get again to the place it had within the Japanese gaming trade within the Nineteen Nineties, and that requires video games with broad attraction. As such, if Metropolis of the Wolves is successful with extra informal avid gamers, not simply versus fighter lovers, then that shall be thought-about a win for the corporate. The sport is deliberate to be out on 25 April, 2025.
TGS 2024 Indie Sport of the 12 months: Nightmare Operator
Lastly, I would identical to to name out what I take into account to be the indie recreation of Tokyo Sport Present 2024, which is DDDistortion’s Nightmare Operator. Of all of the indie video games proven off on the present this 12 months, of which there have been greater than ever, that is the one which I feel goes to be large hit. Naturally, the sport is coming to PC and shall be playable by Steam.
Nightmare Operator is an motion horror shooter about looking Youkai (demons and spirits) within the haunted ruins of a dystopian Tokyo. Sounds neat, proper?! It rocks superb PS2-era-style graphics and delivers suspenseful third-person capturing motion. What’s extra, it has very low minimal {hardware} specs (Intel Core i5-2300 or AMD FX-4350, 4GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 (1GB) or AMD Radeon HD 6570 (1GB), 4GB of space for storing), so I am already eyeing it up to be used on Steam Deck. There is no launch date, but, however one to regulate as we transfer into 2025.
Tokyo Sport Present 2024 wrap-up
Okay, that is it, the tip of our four-day overview protection of the Tokyo Sport Present 2024. We actually wish to speak about many different video games right here on the truthful however, as you’ll be able to think about on the world’s largest online game present, we might be right here till subsequent 12 months if we did. It has been a very good present, one which has actually pushed dwelling to me (and loads of colleagues right here on the present) simply how a lot PC gaming is on the rise throughout the Japanese gaming trade (the place traditionally it has been greater than a bit ignored).
PC gaming has at all times been there when it got here spherical to having curiosity in video games from huge Japanese builders, like Konami, Capcom, Sq. Enix and Bandai Namco, however now these studios have lastly dropped their console gaze and are wanting on the PC as a precedence, launching all their new video games on it, and more often than not on day one and with sturdy ports. The times of by no means getting console exclusives or, if we did, them coming to PC years later and as a buggy mess appear to be over.
What’s extra, this shift by the massive Japanese publishers is being partnered by a giant indie and smaller studios surge in Japan, too. As a result of spiralling prices of manufacturing main AAA video games, there’s now a higher inflow than ever of video games being made by smaller groups, corresponding to Nightmare Operator and Platform 8, for instance, which are additionally coming to PC day one. The result’s an thrilling explosion of Japanese gaming goodness coming to PC, and that is nice information for PC gaming.
For the second that’s all, although. Keep in mind although that for those who like PC gaming information and experiences from Japan about its online game trade, then you’ll be able to at all times comply with our part Made in Japan, which we publish each month in PC Gamer journal. Our subsequent difficulty, for instance, comes with an unique interview with the director of Sq. Enix’s new RPG remaster, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. Mata ne!
