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 stories (see hyperlinks above), it has been a great present for PC players and PC gaming. After analysing the newest traits at TGS 2024 in each our Day 1 and Day 2 stories, 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 as we speak we’ll deal with Capcom, Konami and SNK.
Capcom might be the strongest Japanese recreation writer for the time being due to the persevering with success of its evergreen IPs, which embrace Avenue Fighter, Monster Hunter, and Resident Evil. The most recent video games in these sequence, all playable on PC I would add, akin to Avenue Fighter 6, Monster Hunter: World, and Resident Evil 7: Bio Hazard, not solely have been critically acclaimed however have bought rather well, too, and that is saved momentum on the Osaka-based gaming software program home excessive.
Enter Capcom’s large 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 method and ‘social’ aspect to the franchise.
It’s nonetheless doable to play the sport purely in solo mode (because it was when it launched on PSP) however there’s a large focus now on co-op play, so should you play solo then the co-op is simulated by AI. The true method to play, although, is in multiplayer, with different actual gamers becoming a member of the monster-hunting enjoyable.
Basically, the way in which to explain Monster Hunter Wilds, although, is ‘extra’, because it simply delivers extra or expands on all the things 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 much more open world to discover and hunt on this time round, too, and huge group areas designed to enchantment extra to informal players.
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 continues 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 of a safer guess, which is one thing that retains shareholders comfortable. Meaning we have got large pushes on Metallic Gear Stable Delta: Snake Eater and Silent Hill 2 at Konami’s Tokyo Sport Present 2024 sales space.
One of the vital extremely rated video games in your complete Metallic Gear saga, even now with out its unique creator on the wheel, Hideo Kojima, this remake has nonetheless drawn large crowds on the Tokyo Sport Present 2024. However, being sincere, regardless of simply being a remake of a earlier recreation, I can see why it has been so in style.
This new remake won’t solely be simply because it was when was launched in 2004 (it is a very devoted remake tonally), but in addition—and that is for me the true large information—it’s introducing upgraded gameplay mechanics and digicam strategies that have 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 to date 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 seems to be like will probably 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 bought 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’s going to please followers of the unique recreation, although, is that Bloober is approaching this remake with an eye fixed to make it very genuine and just like the unique expertise. Devoted for positive. Clearly, Silent Hill 2 won’t be as massive because the current, very profitable, Resident Evil 2 remake, however personally I believe that as we by no means bought a correct sequel to this recreation, it’s a good level to begin. If this remake sells properly then it is likely to be sufficient to get one greenlit.
SNK: Deadly Fury: Metropolis of the Wolves
Lastly SNK is getting again to what was within the Nineties for all of us. I nonetheless personal a Neo Geo AES, the white rental model in truth, 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 large and, what’s extra, the brand new Deadly Fury recreation really appears good, with lengthy queues of Japanese players lining as much as get hands-on with a demo. I solely managed to play it as soon as as we speak because of these queues, nevertheless it feels nice to play. Whether or not or not it can go on to problem Avenue Fighter 6 and Tekken 8, although, stays to be seen.
There’s some large information for this recreation, too. After speaking with SNK’s folks right here at TGS 2024 they advised us the sport’s first DLC will see some Avenue Fighter characters like Ryu and Chun Li be a part of the motion. All of a sudden 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, below its new possession, attempting to get again to the place it had within the Japanese gaming trade within the Nineties, and that requires video games with broad enchantment. As such, if Metropolis of the Wolves is successful with extra informal players, not simply versus fighter fans, then that can be thought of a win for the corporate. The sport is deliberate to be out on 25 April, 2025.
TGS 2024 Indie Sport of the Yr: Nightmare Operator
Lastly, I would similar to to name out what I contemplate 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 yr, of which there have been greater than ever, that is the one which I believe goes to be large hit. Naturally, the sport is coming to PC and can be playable via 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 cupboard space), so I am already eyeing it up to be used on Steam Deck. There is not any launch date, but, however one to control 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 discuss many different video games right here on the truthful however, as you possibly can think about on the world’s largest online game present, we would be right here till subsequent yr if we did. It has been a great present, one which has actually pushed house 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 all the time been there when it got here spherical to having curiosity in video games from large Japanese builders, like Konami, Capcom, Sq. Enix and Bandai Namco, however now these studios have lastly dropped their console gaze and are trying 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 large Japanese publishers is being partnered by a giant indie and smaller studios surge in Japan, too. Because of the spiralling prices of manufacturing main AAA video games, there’s now a larger inflow than ever of video games being made by smaller groups, akin 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 should you like PC gaming information and stories from Japan about its online game trade, then you possibly can all the time observe 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!
