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Tales of Arise will now be released on September 10 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PS4, and PC.

After being delayed indefinitely last year, the new release date has allowed the development team to fix quality concerns, improve accessibility, and even add next-gen console versions. The team wouldn’t be drawn on whether there would be a Nintendo Switch version of the game.

“Having announced that delay and working through COVID and changing how we do work, this year of development has been pretty positive for the most part,” producer Yusuke Tomizawa told IGN. “Mostly because we have given ourselves the time to really focus on quality and improvement of the game, as well as expanding accessibility and giving players more options, such as porting it to the PS5 and the Xbox [Series] next-generation consoles so that we have wider options for the consumer to choose from when they’re thinking about buying this game.”

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Tales of Arise will be the 17th entry in the long-running Tales of RPG series, and sees players taking on the roles of Shionne and Alphen, who respectively hail from Rena – an advanced civilisation built on technology and magic – and Dahna – a more medieval society whose people are taken as slaves by Rena. The game was announced during Microsoft’s Xbox E3 2019 press conference and will follows 2017’s Tales of Beseria.

You can check out an exclusive trailer showing ofg Arise’s environments below, which will give you a look at arctic, desert, and industrial locations:

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In our 8.8/10 review of Tales of Beseria, we said it was “a surprisingly strong showing for this long-running series. Its tragic story of broken people fighting on the wrong side of history makes it utterly compelling, and its well-tuned combat more than makes up for its lack of interesting environments.”

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

There’s no shortage of games set in the universe of popular tabletop role-playing game Warhammer 40,000, but Necromunda: Hired Gun is the first entry in that series to feature a cyber-mastiff as a companion. Developed by Streum On Studio, Necromunda: Hired Gun looks far quicker and more brutal in action than the French studio’s previous Warhammer 40K game, Space Hulk: Deathwing.

The studio explained in a PlayStation blog post that the emphasis on wall-running and double-jumping was all in pursuit of a more fun gameplay experience as players complete bounties. Augmented with a range of cybernetics, your bounty hunter is faster and more agile in combat but is always outnumbered by the sheer volume of enemies in every level. To survive and succeed, players will need to dash around an arena, double-jump to high places, and run along walls to dodge enemy fire.

A handy grappling hook arm is part of the player’s arsenal, as is a cyber-mastiff who’ll absorb gunfire, climb walls, and rip out throats whenever commanded to when its favorite squeaky chew-toy is used to target an enemy.

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“With power comes choice, we’re pretty sure the old saying goes. How you play Necromunda: Hired Gun is up to you,” lead designer Jonathan Cacherat explained. “There’s a whole host of combat styles to go with exactly what brand of violence you wish to bring to those in your way. Every limb can be upgraded, alongside your heart, brain, eyes, and more. This is alongside weapon choices that run the length and breadth of the weird and wonderful armory of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.”

Necromunda: Hired Gun will be out on June 1 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

Cyberpunk 2077 modders are bringing features back to the game that developer CD Projekt Red had to cut prior to release. Thanks to some home-cooked code, players can now wall-run across Night City.

When it was shown off on stage at E3 2018, wall-running in Cyberpunk 2077 was described as a “high-level ability.” The player used it to run along a wall and then hang in place using one of the game’s body modifications, the mantis blades. In an interview with GameReactor, Cyberpunk 2077 level designer Max Pears explained that wall-running was removed from the game for “design reasons.”

Of course, “design reasons” aren’t always taken into consideration by modders. Instead, the creator of this wall-running mod, Saturne, brought the mechanic into Cyberpunk 2077 as a “proof of concept for myself” according to the mod’s NexusMods page. Currently, anyone can download the mod and its prerequisites and start running across walls all over Night City.

Don’t expect a wall-running experience that’s as fleshed out as what we saw at E3 2018 though. Saturne put a disclaimer at the bottom of the mod’s page, saying, “Don’t expect anything sick, it’s barely usable at the moment.” A video demonstrating the mod in action doesn’t show any bugginess, but there is a definite lack of polish. When V mounts the wall, a unique animation doesn’t play. Instead, they glide across the wall, gun in hand. Admittedly, it’s pretty impressive that players can aim with their guns and assumedly fire on enemies while wall-running with this mod.

Since its launch, CD Projekt Red has been patching Cyberpunk 2077. While it hasn’t added formerly-marketed features back to the game, each patch has improved it, removing some of its countless bugs and enhancing stability. Cyberpunk 2077’s latest patch, 1.21, fixed a long list of quest-related bugs and improved the game’s memory management, which should reduce stability issues.

We stand with the Black community as the verdict has been reached in the George Floyd trial. This is a first step, but there is much more to be done.

Together with @Sony Group, PlayStation will remain committed to addressing racial inequity and driving meaningful change.

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) April 20, 2021

LEGO has revealed its biggest ever buildable R2-D2 construction kit with over 2,300 pieces in the set.

The massive LEGO Star Wars R2-D2 will launch on May 1 and retail for £179.99 / $199 USD. The set has been created to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Lucasfilm and will feature a retractable mid-log, rotating head and periscope. A lightsaber hilt is also hidden in a secret compartment in R2’s head, which should delight builders as they endeavour to complete the 2,314-piece kit.

Check out a gallery of images of the gigantic kit below:

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The set will also come with an exclusive R2 Minifigure as well as a “special Lucasfilm 50th anniversary LEGO brick,” which is designed to be displayed alongside the 31 cm tall replica. Other “commemorative fan-favourite” Star Wars products are expected to be revealed as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations.

In other LEGO Star Wars news, the upcoming LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga game was recently delayed past its Spring 2021 release window, with TT Games noting that it will “provide updated launch timing as soon as possible.” The Skywalker Saga isn’t being described as a remake of the original games, as it is a completely new game built from the ground up.

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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

There’s a simulation game for almost every hobby and profession out there, although there has been a strange lack of titles dedicated to satisfying power trips of high-pressure cleaning. Developer FuturLab is filling this void with PowerWash Simulator, which, as the title suggests, is a simulator about power-washing homes and cars with a focused jet of water.

Not just a chance to feel like an unstoppable deity of dirt destruction, PowerWash Simulator is also focused on building up your own business in its career mode and completing dirty jobs across the town of Muckingham. There’s no time limit or a nagging sensation to achieve a high score, just you, a filthy building, and complete freedom in how you want to finish the mission.

Because grime never sleeps, you’ll need to use your range of washers, nozzles, cleaners, and extensions to clean up buildings afflicted with graffiti, moss, and mold. If you’d prefer to make a statement, selective cleaning will allow you to create works of art on the buildings that you treat as a canvas. Filthy art that might become a health hazard down the line, but art nonetheless.

“If it wasn’t for the outbreak of a global pandemic and the global decision to transition millions of people to a ‘stay at home unless you really really have to leave the house’ protocol then perhaps we never would have found the right moment in time to introduce this idea to the gaming world,” FuturLab said in a blog post. “There is a recognition amongst the team every day that we are working on the right game at the right time with a vision that is not only simple and elegant but also overflowing with creative and technical potential.”

PowerWash Simulator is scheduled to be out by the end of June, but if that’s too far away then you can check out a demo for the game or sign up for its Steam Early Access version.

One of Sony’s annual sluggers is a free agent this year. MLB The Show 21, developed and published by Sony’s internal studios, is the first in the series not exclusive to PlayStation. Not only that, but Xbox Game Pass members get it as part of their paid subscription, so the audience for this iconic baseball series is bigger than ever before.

So how well does this year’s entry capture America’s pastime? The critical reaction so far seems mildly enthusiastic. The consensus appears to be that while MLB The Show 21 captures the fundamentals just as well as ever, it’s has lost a few features from prior entries and still hasn’t matched some offered by other high-profile sports franchises. Plus as the first new MLB The Show game on the new generation of hardware, critics don’t seem entirely wowed by the bump in power.

In GameSpot’s MLB The Show 21 review, Richard Wakeling said, “MLB The Show 21 maintains the series’ high bar of excellence once the ball’s in play. Away from the diamond, however, there are a number of missing features and questionable decisions that take some of the shine off an otherwise fantastic game of baseball.”

We’ve compiled some reviews from around the industry below. For even more critical impressions, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

• Game: MLB The Show 21
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
• Developer: Sony San Diego Studio
• Release Date: April 20
• Price: $60-70 / £60

GameSpot — 7/10

“Much like its predecessors, MLB The Show 21 is still one of the best sports games available once you step over the foul line. The gameplay has been tightened up and Pinpoint Pitching is a potential game-changer, and all of these elements go some way to dampening the disappointment of its missing features, stale commentary, and changes (or lack thereof) to Road to the Show and Franchise. It’s not the strongest debut the series could’ve had on new hardware, but if you’re in the mood for nine innings of America’s favorite pastime, MLB The Show is still the undisputed king.” — Richard Wakeling [Full Review]

Attack of the Fanboy — 4/5

“Being the most consistent annual sports franchise out there, MLB The Show manages to overcome the loss of a few key features to give players yet another reason to step right back into the batter’s box in MLB The Show 21.” — Dean James [Full Review]

Hardcore Gamer — 4/5

“San Diego Studios continue to try and improve an annual product that already has a fantastic core with MLB The Show 21. New Xbox players will be blown away at the realism and the gameplay options in the game while PlayStation players will appreciate the changes to the presentation and some of the visual improvements. The four main game modes don’t see any huge changes outside of Road to the Show, which may nab a mixed reaction from fans on how it was designed, but personally I feel it’s a good if unnecessary change. The visuals are still great, but there are next to no next-generation implementations across the board outside of running at 4K and 60 FPS, which does change the game especially if you didn’t try last year’s title on PS5. Whether on PlayStation or Xbox, MLB The Show 21 remains the gold standard for realistic sports games.” — Cory Wells [Full Review]

Screen Rant — 3.5/5

“Nonetheless, MLB The Show 21 is yet another solid entry in Sony’s now multi-platform sports franchise. The consistent tweaks to how the game functions and its quality-of-life improvements each year have helped create a balanced, solid foundation for each iteration to improve on. Even though MLB The Show 21 lacks in delivering a truly engrossing current-gen experience on the new consoles in some ways and has a few typical sports franchise pitfalls, it’s still an enjoyable game that has a high degree of craftsmanship.” — Cade Onder [Full Review]

Forbes — 7/10

“MLB The Show 21 is still loads of fun to play. Franchise is slightly improved, Diamond Dynasty continues to be strong, and Stadium Creator is even better than expected. However, there are areas of the game that don’t feel like an actual next-gen experience, and we’re still missing features that other sports games have had for years.” — Brian Mazique [Full Review]

Game Informer — Unscored (Review-in-Progress)

“I still have days of playing ahead of me, but I can already say that MLB The Show 21 is a hell of a game. The first impression it makes is strong, and it looks absolutely stunning. The lighting, fluidity of animations, sharpness of picture; it screams of quality. The Show is obviously the best baseball game out there each year, but it has also long been one of the best sports series, period. From what I’ve played thus far, this entry upholds that legacy in fun, inventive, and deep ways.” — Andrew Reiner [Full Review-in-Progress]

The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.