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Jetsetter: Strider returns on PS4 and Xbox One

Anthony John Agnello
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strider HDAuthenticity is a tricky subject. How do you determine if a work of art is real and not just a product of a lumbering corporate machine? When it comes to video games, the subject of authenticity often comes up when sequels to classic series are produced. When Capcom’s DmC: Devil May Cry was first announced, fans cried foul. Not only was the game not developed by the original developers, it was going to be made by the British studio Ninja Theory rather than a Japanese team. The thinking was that the game would lack the classic Japanese theatricality that made games like Devil May Cry 3 great. It wouldn’t be authentic.

Jetsetter, Digital Trends’ weekly column devoted to import gaming and game development outside the US, is at least partially concerned with issues of authenticity. 

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Double Helix Games brings back Strider.

striderCalifornian game studio Double Helix Games has a rough history. The majority of its output has been abysmal licensed games like the awful Battleship and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra movie tie-in games. More problematic, though, were the sequels it made for Japanese franchises. Silent Hill: Homecoming and Front Mission Evolved weren’t bad games, but they lacked the spark the original Japanese teams at Konami and Squaresoft that birthed the series had. Capcom is giving the team yet another shot at a Japanese property, though.

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Double Helix Games is working on Strider HD, a sequel to the sidescrolling action games designed by Koichi Yotsui and Nezumi Otoko. It will be the first new game starring the ninja Strider Hiryu since 2000’s Strider 2 hit arcades and the PlayStation. Unlike the first two games, Strider HD won’t be a linear series of levels, but an open exploration game similar to Metroid where you unlock new abilities that give access to new areas of a branching world. Details are scarce but Capcom indicated that Strider HD is still the product of the original minds behind the series, with those Japanese creators dictating design to Double Helix. Whether Yostui or Otoko are involved, though, is still a mystery. Strider HD will hit PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in 2014.

It’s doubly peculiar that Capcom is using a Western studio at all on Strider HD, even just to collaborate. The company swore in April that it was going to refocus on internal development after over-relying on outsourcing to non-Japanese studios was years.

Soul Calibur coming back for more?

Of the Japanese fighting game series that survive, Soul Calibur may be the one in most dire need of invigoration. Even Tekken Tag Tournament 2 captured some excitement in Namco’s aging fighting flagship when it came out last year, but 2012’s Soul Calibur V felt flimsy and unfinished. The fighting was solid but the new characters were lame and the single player mode was a joke. Namco’s on the right path to bringing it back. The company announced an HD remake of Soul Calibur 2, the pinnacle of the series, at Comic Con this weekend promising a version complete with all the old modes, including the long lost Weapons Master and Team Battle features. Meanwhile, as noted by NeoGAF user Xav, Soul Calibur producer Masaki Hoshino has indicated that he wants to make a brand new game soon. Could the recent trademark for Soul Calibur: Lost Swords be a hint at Soul Calibur 6? Fingers crossed.

Assassin's Creed
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Assassin’s Creed comes to India.

It’s been fascinating to watch Assassin’s Creed maintain it’s international flair on the way to becoming one of the most popular series in the world. It’s a Canadian-developed game published by a French company that stars heroes from places like Italy and the Middle East – Assassin’s Creed III was almost disappointing for its focus on America. The series is branching out into the wider world again, though. As Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag goes to the Caribbean, the series is also going to India in a new comic book called Assassin’s Creed: Brahman, starring assassin Arbaaz Mir. Canadian writer Brenden Fletcher is penning the tale, continuing the tradition of Assassin’s Creed’s multicultural production.

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Anthony John Agnello
Anthony John Agnello
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Anthony John Agnello is a writer living in New York. He works as the Community Manager of Joystiq.com and his writing has…
A free Street Fighter 6 demo is available now on PS5 and PS4
street fighter 6 demo sf6 battle damage 1 png jpgcopy

There is a little over a month to go until the launch of Capcom's highly anticipated fighting game Street Fighter 6, and we just received new information from a dedicated Street Fighter 6 Showcase hosted by Lil Wayne. The biggest announcement came at the end of the show, when Capcom revealed that the game is getting a demo today on PlayStation 4 and PS5.
Street Fighter 6 Showcase | 4.20.2023 | US English
During the presentation, producer Shuhei Matsumoto explained that this demo will allow players to create a character they can carry over to the full release. as well as experience the start of the World Tour and play some matches in Fighting Grounds. While the demo is a PlayStation exclusive right now, as it only came out on PS4 and PS5 today, it will arrive on PC and Xbox Series X on April 26.
While the demo was certainly the most notable thing to come from this Street Fighter 6 Showcase, several other things were revealed. At the start of the showcase, we got a new trailer highlighting the World Tour and Battle Hub modes. For Street Fighter 6's World Tour mode, we saw a new locale called Nayshall; for Battle Hub, we learned that players can fight in the center of the hub with their created characters. 

Then, game director Takayuki Nakayama talked more about World Tour mode, revealing that players start in Metro City, where they are coached by Luke. Players gain experience, level up, and learn skills to get more powerful. While there are a lot of fights to be had throughout World Tour's locations, players will also have to build friendships with Masters like Chun-Li to gain access to their specific moves. Players can fully customize their own characters moveset, but will also meet other characters not necessarily part of the main roster that were built from those same skills.
After a brief overview reminded us of what Battle Hub has to offer, Fighting Ground then took center stage. During this segment, Capcom revealed that fighters' outfits will get more beat up and worn down over time, sounds indicating certain move types and distance can be turned on to make the game more accessible, and there will be an offline-only AI-assisted gameplay style called Dynamic. We then saw Arcade Mode in action, where players can earn illustrations for each fighter and compete with others for the highest online ranking score.
Street Fighter 6 also features detailed fundamentals and player-specific tutorials, Team Battles, Extreme Battles with unique stage gimmicks, Ranked Matches, Casual Matches, and the ability to make custom rooms when playing online. Finally, Capcom teased what players can expect from Street Fighter 6 after its launch. Year 1 of support will include four new characters: Rashid (summer 2023), A.K.I. (autumn 2023), Ed (winter 2024), and Akuma (spring 2023). 
If you weren't already convinced to pick up this game, then this presentation probably had something that could win you over. Street Fighter 6 launches for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X on June 2. 

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Resident Evil 4 makes the best use of PS5’s DualSense since Returnal
Leon fights off a parasite in Resident Evil 4's remake.

Capcom's excellent Resident Evil 4 remake is out now, making one of the best games of all time even better. If you're on the fence about what platform to buy it on, I've got a firm recommendation for you: PS5. That's because the remake takes full advantage of Sony's unique DualSense controller to make the horror game even more immersive.

Ever since the PS5's launch, developers have been a bit hit-and-miss with integrating the DualSense's features into their games. Launch game Astro's Playroom is a fantastic showcase of what it can do, getting the most out of its adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, while Returnal sets the bar for how the controller can enhance an experience. Other titles haven't been quite so creative or, even worse, have gone a little too far. Games like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart can be a little painful to play due to heavy, repeated trigger pulls.

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Monster Hunter Rise won’t support cross-progression between PS4 and PS5
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Monster Hunter Rise will not support cross-saves or cross-progression between PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. This means that players who start their journeys on PlayStation 4 will have to start anew if they wish to play on PlayStation 5 later on.

Yesterday, Capcom announced that Monster Hunter Rise was coming to PlayStation and Xbox in January 2023. Microsoft stated that players can continue their progress between Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and the Xbox app on Windows PC.

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