Jan Bartek - AncientPages.om - An archaeology student, who was unable to participate in Newcastle University’s excavations at Birdoswald Roman fort with Historic England last year due to illness, had a fortunate turn of events this year. Birdoswald R

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Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, launching August 28 on PlayStation 5, is a remake of the 2004 PlayStation 2 classic, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. I had a conversation with the developers during a Tokyo press event to discuss the upcoming remake and its development process.  ​​ Faithfully replicating the thrill and impact of the original PlayStation Blog: How important was it to your team to create a game that stayed true to the original? Noriaki Okamura (Metal Gear Series Producer): We began this project with the intention of bringing a 20-year-old game to the present day. While we updated the graphics and certain game mechanics to ensure today’s players could fully enjoy the experience, we wanted to stay true to the original as much as possible. What challenges did your team face during development, and what specific adjustments were implemented? Okamura: I had no intention of altering the original story, so I insisted that we can just update the game graphics. Korekado disagreed and warned me that that approach will not work, but I initially had the team re-create the game just with new character models. Although the graphics improved, they appeared doll-like and unrealistic, so I finally realized that my plan was inadequate. Yuji Korekado (Creative Producer): We began by reworking the animation and game mechanics. We implemented animation programming that didn’t exist two decades ago to make the game more realistic, but that also meant we couldn’t reproduce the original game mechanics. Metal Gear is a stealth game, so it’s crucial for players to be able to make precise movements. We put in a lot of effort to replicate the same feel as the original, while maintaining realism. Are there any areas of the game that you wanted to recreate as faithfully as possible? Korekado: We made sure that the jungle looked as realistic as possible. We devoted a lot of time modeling every fine detail like leaves, grass, and moss covering the ground. Since the perspective shifts along with the character’s movements, players will get a closer look at the ground when they’re crouching or crawling. To make sure the environment was immersive from every angle, we carefully crafted every element with great precision. ​​ Have any enhancements been made compared to the original PS2 version? Korekado: We enhanced the visuals to be more intuitive. Thanks to increased memory and much faster speeds the user experience has improved significantly, including faster transitions to the Survival Viewer or having a quick menu to swap uniforms. On top of that, the audio improvements are remarkable. Sound absorption rates vary depending on the materials of the walls and floors, which allows players to detect enemies behind walls or nearby animals intuitively. In areas like caves and long corridors, unique echo parameters help distinguish different environments, which I think is a major advancement for stealth gameplay. Extra content for players to enjoy diverse gameplay The remake features Fox Hunt, a new online multiplayer mode. Why did you include this in the game instead of Metal Gear Online (MGO)? Yu Sahara (Fox Hunt Director): The remake features significantly enhanced graphics, so we explored various online modes that aligned with these improvements. We decided to focus on stealth, sneaking, and survival, since those are also the key pillars of the main game. We landed on a concept that is based on hide-and-seek, that is classic Metal Gear, while also being reminiscent of the stealth missions featured in the earlier MGO. Can players earn rewards by playing the Fox Hunt mode? Sahara: While there are no items that can be transferred to the main game, players can unlock rewards like new camouflage options by playing Fox Hunt multiple times. Were there any challenges or specific areas of focus while remaking Snake vs Monkey mode? Taiga Ishigami (Planner): Our main goal was to make Pipo Monkey even more charming, cute, and entertaining. We developed new character actions, including the “Gotcha!” motion, and each animation and sound effect were carefully reviewed to ensure it captured Pipo Monkey’s personality. If anything felt off, we made changes right away. I heard the new Snake vs Monkey mode features an Astro Bot collab. Ishigami: Yes, a couple of bots from the Astro Bot game will make an appearance, and you can capture them just like the Pipo Monkeys. Capturing these bots isn’t required to finish the levels, but you’ll receive unique rewards if you do. Depending on the level, either a standard bot or a Pipo Monkey bot will be hidden away, so be sure to keep an eye out for them. ​​ Do you have any final words for new players as well as longtime fans of the original game? Okamura: I rarely cry when playing games, but I remember bawling my eyes out while playing the original Metal Gear Solid 3. The development of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater was driven by our goal to faithfully capture the impact and thrill that players felt two decades ago. Metal Gear Solid 3 is the ultimate example of storytelling in games, and having dreamed of making a game like this, I now feel a sense of fulfillment. I hope everyone enjoys the story as much as I do. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater arrives on PS5 on August 28.  Read a new hands-on report with the game.

It’s been over two decades since Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was first released on PlayStation 2. The game was praised for its story, characters, and possibly one of the greatest themes in video game history. After some brumation, it sheds its skin and emerges as Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater on August 28, aiming to recapture the spirit that made the original a beloved classic. After about eight hours of playing the game on PS5 Pro, I’m thrilled to share how it captures and modernizes the original’s spirit, and then some. Play Video Delta is a true from-the-ground-up remake that is extremely faithful to the original work in most aspects of the game, but what was immediately apparent was the level of detail the updated visuals and textures add to the experience.  A new level of visual fidelity View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image This updated version of Snake Eater is a visual feast on PS5 Pro, especially in the lush details. For example, rain droplets trickle realistically down a poncho, and Snake’s camouflage and uniforms become dirty with mud or forest debris. This filth even carries over into cutscenes, adding an appreciated level of realism. The Metal Gear series showcases a range of grizzled warriors, many with scars that tell a tale. If you’re familiar with Snake Eater, you understand that scars hold a lot of importance throughout, and the devs took great care to make them stand out. One of the most notable examples is Colonel Volgin’s harrowingly scarred face. The believable tissue and its deformation when he speaks create a tragically beautiful portrait.  Speaking of portraits, a new photo mode has been added with all the latest bells and whistles. Like most Metal Gear games, Delta definitely has its fair share of silly moments, and you can capture them all. With plenty of filters and settings, create a masterpiece on the mountainside, or dress up in a crocodile head and let antics ensue. Photo Mode is the perfect way to capture all the little details hiding within. Game controls – New Style vs. Legacy A new control scheme has been introduced to bring Snake Eater to the modern gaming era, dubbed New Style. Before starting a new game, players can choose between the New Style and Legacy, which retains the controls mapped after the original PS2 release. You can switch between styles, but be warned, this will reload the level/map and take you back to the beginning of the section. New Style is geared for people who have never played the game before, or who might prefer a more modern playstyle. The control option provides a free-moving camera that lets you view your environment in 360 degrees, making it easier to avoid getting lost or having enemies catch you unprepared. Combat and shooting feel reminiscent of Metal Gear Solid V, with a third-person over-the-shoulder camera. By default, aim assist is turned on, but can be toggled off. Even in New Style, you can still switch to a classic first-person view and still fully move around as if playing a FPS title. First-person view is especially valuable when lining up the perfect shot through a chainlink fence, which I couldn’t pull off in third-person. The biggest saving grace in the updated control scheme is the remapped directional buttons. Holding left brings up your non-combat inventory, and holding right brings up your currently equipped weapons. Up brings up the quick-change camouflage menu, while down brings up your radio —a hugely welcome shortcut. No more digging through menus to change outfits based on your environment. Snake sneaks through a range of environments in Snake Eater, each suited to different camouflage options The quick change menu conveniently shows the optimal face and body combo from your collection based on the current environmentIn one instance, I managed to seamlessly transition from a green texture to a stone grey-black getup, then to a rust-colored camouflage, all along the same crawl route. This new quality-of-life option keeps the action flowing. Another great accessibility feature is the ability to fine-tune game hints. From always-on to none at all. I had it set to show helpful hints when they were relevant, like swimming controls appearing by a body of water and hanging controls on the cliffside. This is particularly helpful in rare gameplay situations, as it kept me from panicking in high-stress situations.  What a thrill The voice cast still delivers, and The Cobra Unit is just as compelling, with big moments still having the right impact. The ladder scene took me right back to playing the original on my grandmother’s floor all those years ago.  Paradoxes, easter eggs, and all the details I’d expect are still in place. I didn’t encounter any moments that felt off or deviated too far in any way from the script. The opening theme and intro movie have been remixed, and while it will come down to personal taste, every note still hits for me.  Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater launches on August 28 for PS5, and is a day to mark on your calendar whether you’re a longtime fan or series newcomer interested in discovering the celebrated origins of the storyline.   Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater developers discuss the game in length in a new interview.

It wouldn’t be a FromSoftware game without some deep, deep lore, and secrets that send you down rabbit holes, and it looks like Elden Ring Nightreign players have come across the first one of those in the co-op game. Read more

Grave of the Fireflies: Limited Edition Steelbook (Blu-ray + DVD) $19.67 (was $27) See at Amazon See at Walmart Grave of the Fireflies Standard Edition (Blu-ray + DVD) $18 (was $25) See at Amazon See at Walmart The recently released Limited Edition Steelbook of Grave of the Fireflies is on sale for its best price yet at Amazon. Studio Ghibli fans can get Grave of the Fireflies Steelbook Edition Blu-ray for $19.67 (was $27). Like other Shout Factory physical edition releases of Studio Ghibli films, Grave of the Fireflies is also available in a standard edition with a slipcover for $18 (was $25).Grave of the Fireflies is just one of many Studio Ghibli films you can buy in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with a collectible steelbook case. A bunch of Studio Ghibli Steelbook Editions are on sale for as low as $16. You can check out the full list below Grave of the Fireflies. Grave of the Fireflies: Limited Edition Steelbook (Blu-ray + DVD) $19.67 (was $27) Grave of the Fireflies Limited Edition Steelbook comes with 1080p Blu-ray and DVD versions of the film. For the extras, there's a deep dive into its storyboards, several deleted scenes that were only produced as storyboards, image galleries, a collection of trailers, an interview with director Isao Takahata, and an interview with the late film critic Roger Ebert.Unlike many Ghibli movies, the 1989 film directed by Isao Takahata isn't exactly suitable for the whole family. Rated PG-13 due to blood and gore, this dark journey is set during the final days of World War II in Japan. See at Amazon See at Walmart Grave of the Fireflies Standard Edition (Blu-ray + DVD) $18 (was $25) At the moment, you're saving less than two bucks by picking up the standard edition with a plastic case and cardboard sleeve. Outside of the packaging, this $18 (was $25) edition is the exact same as the Steelbook Edition. See at Amazon See at Walmart While films produced by Studio Ghibli regularly focus on fantasy and contain environmentalism themes, Grave of the Fireflies is one of the rare exceptions here as it is based on the personal accounts of World War II survivor Akiyuka Nosaka. Grave of the Fireflies centers around 14-year-old Seita and and his four-year-old sister Setsuko, war orphans struggling to survive in the Japanese countryside food shortages, abusive relatives, and bombing raids by the Allied forces.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Jan Bartek - AncientPages.com - A rare ancient Roman relic, dating back 2,000 years and stored for over a century at Bolton Museum, is now on display for the first time. This head covering is one of only three known to exist. It has been conserved an

When Nintendo announced that it was adding GameCube games to its (inexplicably Switch 2-only) Nintendo Switch Online offering, people were understandably excited about the likes of Super Mario Sunshine and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker joining

It is not easy being a parent, and that holds for both real life and gaming. Be it raising sims or more story-driven projects, games about parenthood are not extremely common, but there are enough of them to keep people busy (with their kids) for a while. That said, these releases are rarely mainstream successes, except for something like The Sims, where raising a family is not going to be everyone's focus.