Friday, June 19, 2020

Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory (NSW, PS4, XB1) Announcement Trailer

Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory was announced for Nintendo Switch (the system's first foray into the wondrous and wild world of the Kingdom Hearts series), PlayStation 4, and Xbox One earlier this week, but this is the first English trailer revealed for the game.

Melody of Memory features 140 songs from the Kingdom Hearts series, 20 playable characters, online battles, and is essentially the fresh take on the Theatrhythm concept that we've seen the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest franchises take on (though the latter never escaped Japan). Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory arrives on all three major modern consoles later this year.

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

New Pokémon Snap (NSW) Announcement Trailer

My reaction to this particular announcement from this morning's Pokemon showing was none other than "Oh, snap!" That's because New Pokemon Snap is coming to the Nintendo Switch, a game that many Pokemaniacs and shutterbugs alike have been yearning for and demanding for decades now! While no release period was revealed, just knowing that a new Pokemon Snap game is in development was enough to make this blogger satisfied!

PGA TOUR 2K21 (PS4, XB1, NSW, PC) Career Mode Trailer

The PGA is back in full swing, though in a limited capacity due to the coronavirus, but in PGA Tour 2K21, the greens and fairways are just as lively as ever! "Putt" your custom player to the test in PGA Tour 2K21's Career Mode. Play against the pros (12 to be exact) and make those shots count across 15 officially licensed PGA courses! PGA Tour 2K21 launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, among other platforms on August 21st.

Monday, June 15, 2020

Top Five Games Announced at the PlayStation 5 Reveal

This past Thursday saw the much-awaited, much-anticipated, long-hyped reveal of the PlayStation 5, and while we didn't get all of the info we desired like the price and release date (but then again, maybe it wasn't wise to expect either), we did get an onslaught of excellent-looking games, one after the other. It was a parade of PlayStation 5 games, so you can bet that it was insanely difficult for me to trim down and put together a list of my top five game reveals of the show.

After you've read my picks, I'd absolutely love to read your faves from the show. Also, with the PlayStation 5 now announced and revealed, what do you folks think about the hardware design?

5) Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Click here for the trailer)


My first pick for PlayStation 5 game reveals that excited me is also the sole brand-new IP on this list. That's not to say that there was a dearth of new IPs at the big PS5 reveal. There certainly was. It's more that I tend to gravitate to familiar faves. Kena: Bridge of Spirits comes from Ember Lab, and it looks like a magical mix between the adventurous spirit and real-time combat of The Legend of Zelda series and the delightful Pikmin series with its controllable creatures that you use to solve puzzles and help assist our heroine in combat. Kena looks absolutely stunning as a game, delivering jaw-dropping graphics. For those that won't be making the jump to the PlayStation 5 and becoming fast early adapters (much like myself, most likely), Kena: Bridge of Spirits will also be available on the PlayStation 4 and PC, with the latter being an Epic Games Store exclusive.

4) Sackboy: A Big Adventure (Click here for the trailer)


The charm was immediately apparent with this next game on my list. As some of the longtime readers of my writing and blog might be fully aware, I love the LittleBigPlanet series. There isn't a game in the series I haven't played--yes, even the iOS Run, Sackboy, Run game I played and even enjoyed. Now, the series makes a full jump to 3D with what many consider Sackboy's answer to Super Mario 3D World with Sackboy: A Big Adventure. The game looks like a yarn-full of fun with gorgeous obstacle courses filled with hazards of all shapes and sizes, myriad collectibles, and available for up to four players to run around and have a grand old time. As a huge fan of Super Mario 3D World and just 3D platformers in general, I'm pleased as can be that Sumo Digital and Sony are presenting PlayStation 5 owners with this magnificent-looking title!

3) Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales (Click here for the trailer)


There was some confusion surrounding the latest chapter in Insomniac Games' take on everyone's favorite webhead. Some didn't know if Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales was a mere DLC or a full-fledged game. Now, it seems that this first PS5-exclusive game revealed during the gigantic showcase last Thursday is more akin to something like Infamous: First Light or Uncharted: The Lost Legacy--that is to say it's an extended and expanded adventure that isn't quite the size of a full-fledged entry like Uncharted 4, but it's also not a small piece of DLC either. It's its own game, and I'm glad that Miles Morales gets even more time in the spotlight after the phenomenal Into the Spider-Verse film and his very limited playtime in the original Marvel's Spider-Man game. I eagerly await finding out more about this game, as it's currently due out this holiday season.

2) Horizon Forbidden West (Click here for the trailer)


The sequel to 2017's Horizon Zero Dawn sees the triumphant return of hero Aloy as she treks westward to a brand new land, teeming with terrific and ultra-impressive sights. The setting is a post-apocalyptic California, and between the harsh weather conditions and the deadly machines abound that both plague the area, Aloy is going to be in for the fight of her life. Thankfully, she looks more than prepared for anything and everything that comes her way. Horizon Zero Dawn was my favorite PlayStation game of 2017, coming behind Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as my favorite game of that year in general. Thus, you can probably imagine my immense excitement seeing Aloy's grand return coming to the PlayStation 5!

1) Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Click here for the trailer)


Also well known to longtime readers of SuperPhillip Central and followers of mine on social media is my absolute love for Ratchet & Clank. It's without a doubt my favorite PlayStation franchise, and it tickles me pink that the latest entry, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, is a full-length, completely NEW adventure in the series. The gameplay shown was mind-blowing, showing seamless transitions between multiple expansive worlds without a loading screen in sight, something that wouldn't be overly possible on past PlayStations with that kind of graphical fidelity. All hail the SSD! The icing on top of this delectable cake of awesomeness was seeing the tried and true Ratchet & Clank running, gunning, and action-platforming gameplay goodness being front and center at the PS5 reveal. Between those bits of info and the reveal of a new, female lombax, there's a lot to be excited about for fans of PlayStation's wonderful duo's latest galactic adventure!