Octopath Traveler Series Turned Into Quite a Trailblazer

A remaster of cult 2004 RPG Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines may be in the works. Read more

Previews indicate Nintendo really cares about this one Switchboard is Polygon's weekly newsletter for all things Nintendo, sent on Thursdays and published on the site on Saturdays. You can subscribe here.

While I had always assumed it was the result of an airtight contract or a talent rep sent from heaven, it turns out Debra Wilson doesn’t have a firm explanation as to why so many of her in-game performances feature her real-world likeness. During a podcast appearance, the prolific Wolfenstein, Wolverine, Suicide Squad, Star Wars Jedi and Death Stranding voice actor said the decision usually comes down to the developers. “Honestly, I love games where they don’t look like me at all,” Wilson tells podcaster Joseph Shepherd. “I might as well just go and do theater… If it just looks like me, then how do you get a chance to really escape into a character?” While the episode of Hyperfixated was recorded before the release of Marvel’s Wolverine, the clip has recirculated, admittedly by some in bad faith. The MADtv star has been contributing vocal performances in games for decades, but it’s in recent history that a number of those digital roles share her uncanny appearance.

Sega and Creative Assembly are temporarily removing Total War: Shogun 2 - Complete Edition from sale just days after release. In a statement shared on Twitter/X, the companies said they are aware the game "has fallen short of both your expectations and our own standards".

I've taken a habit, recently, to proclaim my desire to explode in lieu of anything more realistically violent I could wish upon myself when I feel stressed. And, in what would likely be more concerning if I were a sentient bomb talking to a bomb diffusal squad, I've been saying that a lot lately, primarily because of the copious amounts of AI nonsense I've been seeing… everywhere. Epic Games, the ever-boycottable company called Microsoft, the decompiling community, the poison has found its way into everyone's veins and it's making me want to, say it with me now, explode! So you can imagine my relief to hear a developer say they don't think AI will make a massive impact. The developer? Perhaps surprisingly, Konami. Yes, yes, the same Konami we all rag on for equal parts valid and parasocial (Kojima will never acknowledge you, give it up) reasons. As spotted by Dengeki Online, and translated by Automaton, Konami Digital Entertainment president Hideki Hayakawa shared his thoughts on the rapid paced development of AI technology in the company's latest integrated report.

Castlevania is one of the most beloved franchises in video game history, despite a period of 13 years when we didn’t see a new installment until the launch of Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse earlier this week. Over the years, the games have provided a variety of experiences, mixed with rich lore built on the vampire myth. With so many games available to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to begin if you haven’t touched the series in a while. Accordingly, here is our ranked list of the 8 best Castlevania games. It should make an excellent starting point. Released: Oct. 31, 1991 When Castlevania came to the Super Nintendo, it needed to impress players who were still deciding whether they wanted to spend money on a new generation of Nintendo hardware. Fortunately for everyone involved, the team at Konami was up to the task. Super Castlevania 4 features beautiful environments, as well as a hero who can now whip in eight directions, even while jumping. It’s also possible to grapple to distant points, or to wield the whip as a shield. Early use of Mode 7 rotation provided some visual showpieces to go along with parallax depth that brought static environments to life.