Square Enix has announced that Visions of Mana, the latest mainline title to the Mana video game series, is releasing on August 29, 2024. The game will be available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Steam (August 30).

In addition, a new trailer has been released to highlight new playable characters and gameplay features. Preorders for the game is ongoing.

Visions of Mana is the latest installment in the Mana series, or Seiken Densetsu in Japan. It follows main protagonist Val, the Soul Guard, as he joins his childhood friend Hinna, the newly appointed Alm of Fire, to a pilgrimage to the Mana Tree. This tree controls the flow of mana throughout the world, and Val has sworn to protect it so they can ensure the world’s safety as well.

The game also introduces more playable characters like Careena, Morley, Palamena, Julei, Ramcoh, and Aesh. Players may create a three-member party and freely switch out characters. Moreover, they may change combat classes with the power of elementals.

Just like with previous titles under the series, the latest action-RPG features real-time combat against enemies. It isn’t necessarily open world, but there are vast maps players may explore as they advance with the main story.

We are officially only a little over a week away from the first Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree. This time, FromSoftware promises a huge expansion to rival the main game. However, as with every DLC, there’s a very specific way to access the content. Thankfully, FromSoftware has announced its biggest tip on how to enter Shadow of the Erdtree.

Across the years, FromSoftware has notoriously hidden the entrances to its DLCs under the most arcane methods. Bloodborne, for example, requires players to get a new item and to be voluntarily swept up by a very specific creature. Plus, the games barely give any tips.

That said, Shadow of the Erdtree might be the most straightforward DLC entrance to date. Since the DLC is all about Miquella, the entrance is likely near the last remaining trace of the mysterious character: Mohg’s boss arena.

Today, through its official X account, Bandai Namco confirmed this by quoting a post that says Mohg is required to access the DLC. Of note, at the time of the post, only 37.8 percent of Steam players have the achievement corresponding to beating Mohg. Given that Mohg is a mid- to late-game boss, a lot of players still have some work to do before the DLC’s launch on June 21.

Despite confirming as such, FromSoftware did not fully explain what is needed to access the DLC. However, it’s certainly the most straightforward they’ve been when it comes to accessing their content.

SEE ALSO: Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree drops its first story trailer

When Assassin’s Creed Shadows was announced, Ubisoft bared that the franchise’s latest stealth action-adventure entry will have two main characters: Naoe and Yasuke. At the Ubisoft Forward Conference, the developer and publisher released a lengthy gameplay walkthrough to help players understand the upcoming title better.

The first few minutes of the 13-minute video explores a mission in Fukuchiyama, which has all the elements of 16th century Japan. The rural setting comprises of forests, rice fields, cherry blossom trees, and farm houses. The clip follows African samurai Yasuke, one of the two main protagonists, as he attempts to kill the corrupt Fujioka.

The first part was practically a good way to highlight Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ graphics and audiovisual effects. Ubisoft and Intel built the title from the ground up with the latest version of Anvil. The title is also optimized for Intel’s performance hybrid core architecture.

Later on, Yasuke kills a few guards, showcasing his prowess in direct combat. With exceptional combat skills and mastery of Samurai weaponry, he can handle multiple enemies at once.

The clip continues with the Shinobi assassin Naoe entering the scene, meeting Yasuke in Fukuchiyama.

The two have been working on taking down the daimyo, and will have to infiltrate the Fukuchiyama Castle. There, Naoe’s stealthy capabilities are showcased during the night. Her infiltration mechanics (light, noise, shadows, and changing surroundings) allow her to strike from the shadows and avoid enemies. She can also deliver instant kills with the Hidden Blade.

Players will be able to master both characters. Each have their own progression paths, skills, weapon options, and stats. Eventually, they will unite for a common goal of ushering a new era for Japan. Players may switch characters at any time in the open world and utilize their contrasting skills and weapons for various situations.

Spy Network

Furthermore, players may take advantage of a new exploration feature called the “Spy Network.” This allows Naoe and Yasuke to send out their spies to scout locations to uncover useful information about target locations, habits, and other world secrets.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows will release worldwide on November 15 for Ubisoft+, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Amazon Luna, Windows PC via the Ubisoft Store and Epic Games, and Macs with Apple silicon via the Mac App Store. In addition, the game will also be playable on iPads at a later date.

Players who purchase the Gold Edition, Ultimate Edition, Collector Edition, or with a Ubisoft+ Premium subscription can play the game three days early on November 12. Fans pre-ordering Assassin’s Creed Shadows will receive an additional quest for any pre-ordered edition.