SQUARE ENIX PRESENTS: Here’s everything we showed
From the world premiere of Life is Strange: True Colors to the reveal of Forspoken, here’s everything we revealed at SQUARE ENIX PRESENTS SPRING 2021!The inaugural SQUARE ENIX PRESENTS was packed with awe-inspiring games, from the drama of Life is Strange: True Colors to the forbidding beauty of Forspoken.
But as the stage clears, there’s still time for one last encore - here’s a recap of everything we showed:
Life is Strange: True Colors
SQUARE ENIX PRESENTS featured the World Premiere of Life is Strange: True Colors.
This latest entry in the award-winning series is developed by Deck Nine Games - the accomplished team behind Life is Strange: Before the Storm - and focuses on a brand new protagonist: Alex Chen.
Alex has the psychic power of Empathy - a supernatural ability that allows her to experience, absorb and manipulate the powers of others, and see them as colored auras. She’s spent years suppressing this ‘curse’, but when her brother dies unexpectedly, Alex embraces her powers once and for all.
As Alex, you’ll explore the town of Haven Springs, and use your volatile abilities to uncover the dark secrets hidden within.
The game features full performance capture, and an incredible soundtrack with new tracks by mxmtoon and Novo Amor, licensed songs including Radiohead, Phoebe Bridgers, Gabrielle Aplin, and much more.
Life is Strange: True Colors releases in September, and is available to preorder now:
Life is Strange Remastered Collection
As if True Colors wasn’t exciting enough, there was even more Life is Strange news at SQUARE ENIX PRESENTS.
The Life is Strange Remastered Collection will be available in September as part of the Life is Strange: True Colors Ultimate Edition. It will also be available standalone later on this year.
The collection features both Life is Strange and Life is Strange: Before the Storm, each enhanced with improved visuals and animation.
Forspoken
SQUARE ENIX PRESENTS featured a spectacular surprise with Forspoken: a brand new game from the talented team at Luminous Productions.
Originally unveiled last year as PROJECT ATHIA, today’s show introduced the game’s setting, teased gameplay and put the spotlight on the main character: Frey.
An ordinary woman, Frey is thrust into the fantastical and dangerous land of Athia, where she is forced to harness new magical abilities to survive.
Forspoken is being developed for PS5 and PC, and is set for release in 2022. For more information, check out our full rundown:
Marvel’s Avengers
It’s a big day for Marvel’s Avengers.
Firstly, Marvel’s Avengers – Operation: Hawkeye - Future Imperfect is now available in-game, and it introduces an all-new playable hero to the game’s roster: Clint Barton’s Hawkeye. The archer’s quiver is packed full of tools that make him a force to be reckoned with, from grapple arrows to his iconic boomerang arrows.
As players progress into the Wastelands, the new Operation will also introduce a deadly villain, Maestro - and he’s a threat unlike anything the Avengers have faced so far.
The update features a new biome to explore, and awesome new features, including the ability to customize HARM rooms, and replay campaign missions. As with all content updates, Future Imperfect is free to download and play for anyone who has purchased the game.
That’s not the only exciting Marvel’s Avengers news though - today is also the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S editions. Featuring all the content released for the game so far, the next-gen console versions feature improved visuals, with 4K and 60FPS support, faster load times and more.
Anyone with a copy of the game can upgrade to the new version for free (within the same console family), and save files can be easily transferred over.
Please note that the free upgrade is available only from PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5, or from Xbox One to Xbox Series X|S. Upgrade from PlayStation 4 disc version requires a PlayStation 5 console with a disc drive. Upgrade from Xbox One disc version requires Xbox Series X console.
Find out more on the official Marvel’s Avengers website.
Finally, the Marvel’s Avengers segment of SQUARE ENIX PRESENTS concluded with a tantalizing look at the next big event, featuring a very familiar location to fans. The War for Wakanda is coming!
Outriders
By now many of you will have boots on the ground in the Outriders demo. You’ll have blasted beasties, pulverized platoons and taken your first steps to becoming an Altered demi-god of the battlefield… but trust us, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
SQUARE ENIX PRESENTS gave you another look at the game, ahead of its release on April 1, with new footage that gives you the 101 on this exhilarating RPG-shooter.
Tomb Raider
This year marks the 25th Anniversary of Tomb Raider, and we’re celebrating the milestone all throughout 2021!
You may have already heard us announce a new Tomb Raider anime series in collaboration with Netflix and Legendary Television, and we’re working with talented teams on crossovers for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint and War of the Visions Final Fantasy Brave Exvius.
Not only that, but we’re excited to announce that a Tomb Raider cookbook is coming from Insight Editions. This will allow fans to bring recipes from Lara Croft’s globe-trotting adventures into their own homes! But don’t worry - unlike Lara, we don’t expect you to forage and hunt for the ingredients yourself.
Yet to experience the three most recent Tomb Raider games - or just want a reason to revisit them? We (also announced a new digital bundle - the Tomb Raider: Definitive Survivor Trilogy.
This new collection contains three full games, including all their DLC: Tomb Raider Definitive Edition, Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration and Shadow of the Tomb Raider Definitive Edition. Over the course of these remarkable adventures, you’ll follow Lara as she grows from a young, inexperienced survivor to a capable, confident Tomb Raider.
Finally, some Fortnite news! You may have seen the inimitable Ms Croft arrive in the game, but that’s not the end of the collaboration! Croft Manor is coming to Fortnite Creative as a playable adventure on March 23!
Alliance Studios has been hard at work on the hub and we can’t wait for you to play it next week. Check out Fortnite Creative and Fortnite.com on March 23 to learn more.
BALAN WONDERWORLD
We got one more look at the all-singing, all-dancing BALAN WONDERWORLD ahead of its launch on March 26 (that’s next week!).
The colorful platformer sends two young heroes, Leo and Emma, into whimsical and wacky world, on a quest to help the denizens overcome the negativity that plagues them.
The new trailer offered a tantalizing glimpse of the costumes and abilities that Leo and Emma will be able to utilise on their quest, and some of the dangerous bosses that stand in their way.
You’ll experience it all from next week, when BALAN WONDERWORLD releases on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch and Steam.
Just Cause: Mobile
Surfing on missiles? Parachuting into an enemy base… while it explodes? Grapples, guns and motorized mayhem? Yep, it’s Just Cause alright.
Just Cause: Mobile puts the incendiary action of the Just Cause series in the palm of your hand. You’ll create your own agent and join the ranks of the Firebrand - a special division within the Agency. Your mission: stop a new mercenary group known as Darkwater.
To aid your investigation into this looming threat, you’ll have to track down new allies to assist you - including a certain Mr Rico Rodriguez. You may have heard of him.
Also you’ll blow lots of stuff up, but that probably goes without saying.
The game is playable in both single player and multiplayer, and features fast-paced top-down gameplay, with all the grappling, gliding and shooting you’d expect.
It’s due out in 2021, so follow Just Cause on social media to stay up to date with the latest news.
Hitman Sniper Assassins
Here’s another exciting announcement for mobile: Square Enix Montréal has been working on a brand new Hitman Sniper mobile game: Hitman Sniper Assassins (working title).
Developed by the makers of the acclaimed Hitman Sniper®, and the studio behind Lara Croft GO®, Hitman GO® and Deus Ex GO®, the new game features a wholly original story, with new playable assassins and exciting new gameplay features.
The game’s set for release in 2021 for iOS and Android, and we’ll have more to share in the future.
Space Invaders
Arguably the most iconic series in all of gaming is making a return! Square Enix Montréal and TAITO are collaborating on an exciting new vision for the series on mobile.
The new game takes Space Invaders in an innovative new direction, through its proprietary AR technology and modern art style.
We’ll have more to share in the future, so to stay up to date with news and information about the game, or sign up for the playtest, head over to the official website now:
TOUHOU Spell Bubble
New content is coming for the spell-binding rhythm puzzler, TOUHOU Spell Bubble on Nintendo Switch!
Sanae is organizing the Spell Bubble Tournament, but the demands of the sponsors are driving everyone up the wall. Will they be able to pull the tournament together?
You’ll be able to find out on March 25, when Side Story Pack Sanae Arc launches on Switch!
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends
Bub and Bob’s latest adventure is coming to Steam, along with the recent ‘The Baron is Back’ update!
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends EXTENDS the classic series gameplay with 200 stages, new power ups, up to 4 player local co-op and more. You can even play the original arcade version of Bubble Bobble!
The Steam page is open for wishlisting today:
Darius Cozmic Revelation
This collection features two incredible shoot ‘em ups - G-Darius HD, and Dariusburst: Another Chronicle EX+.
G-Darius HD updates the classic game with high definition visuals, a new beginner’s mode and the addition of the rebalanced, previously arcade-exclusive G-Darius Ver.2. That means the collection contains four versions of the game: G-Darius and G-Darius HD, as well as standard and HD versions of Ver.2.
The game releases in late 2021 for PS4 and Switch.
Well, that was quite the show, huh? See ya next time!