Oct 08, 20:02

 
Gaming on PC 23:27
     Far Cry 6 doesn't revolutionize the formula, but it offers enough new content and ideas to keep players busy with the series' best entry yet. Full review after the jump.


 
Video Game News, Reviews, Walkthroughs And Guides | GamingBolt 23:34
     Infinity Ward has recently opened up a new office in Texas, and is presumably working on a sequel to Modern Warfare.


 
Video Game News, Reviews, Walkthroughs And Guides | GamingBolt 23:31
     The recent Twitch hack was caused by an error in server configuration, as confirmed in an official blog.


 
Video Game News, Reviews, Walkthroughs And Guides | GamingBolt 23:25
     The legendary Shinji Mikami says that they have fresh and young talent ready to experiment on an unannounced project.


 
Video Game News, Reviews, Walkthroughs And Guides | GamingBolt 22:46
     More evident piles up that the remaster of the horror adventure title will be coming to Nintendo's hybrid at some point.


 
Video Game News, Reviews, Walkthroughs And Guides | GamingBolt 22:27
     Konami is promising an update to eFootball later this month, as revealed in a recent Tweet.


 
Video Game News, Reviews, Walkthroughs And Guides | GamingBolt 22:22
     A recent Axios report claims that Far Cry 7 could be taking a more online-oriented approach in a break from the series' formula.


 
Game Informer 23:09
    

Horror games are some of gaming's best experiences, but only for those that can tolerate and sit through them from start to finish. But those who don't play in the horror space can still get their fill in otherwise non-horror games because horror, no matter which genre it's in, can enhance a game for the better. 

Horror is extremely affecting. The jump scares that cause adrenaline spikes, the sweaty feeling of barely avoiding death, the persistent dread that slowly rises to a climactic rush – these emotions affect everyone in different ways. 

At the heart of those emotions are the same feelings found in haunted houses, roller coasters, skydiving, and more: the feeling of getting as close as possible to death without actually dying. The horror that gets us close to death is effective in books, television, movies, and even games as a result. Game developers are aware of this, and it's why horror finds itself sprinkled throughout all genres of video games, although sometimes one must look a little harder to find it. 

One of the best examples of this is Fullbright's Gone Home. 

Gone Home is a great game – read why Game Informer gave it an 8.5 out of 10 here – but simply reading a plot synopsis or gameplay breakdown wouldn't necessarily reveal that. This is because part of what makes Gone Home so great is all of the things it's not. When the game begins, you're figuring out how to get into a large spooky house on a stormy night. When you enter the home, you find that it's empty but not abandoned. Your family is not there, but their packed bags are, and you must determine why. 

Right off the bat, the game presents itself as horror. There's the ambiance of a stormy night, a large, dark, and spooky house, and a mystery within the home's walls. It's classic horror stuff, and these things come together to tell you, the player, that things are a little scary right now. As such, your hands might become a little clammy, and your heartbeat might rise a touch. These feelings stick with you throughout the game until you reach its ending and realize it was never a horror game to begin with – it was a love story and a great one at that. 

It paints a blanket of dread over a story that keeps you engaged and moving forward (the quicker you leave this spooky house, the better right?). It's a smart way to keep players playing until the very end where the relief they've been searching hours for arrives, and Fullbright gets to reveal the truth of what's occurred in the Greenbriar home. 

Another non-horror game that uses horror in a powerful way is Cyberpunk 2077. CD Projekt Red's latest RPG is a lot of things, but it's decidedly not horror. However, there's a side quest available midway through the story that's one of the most horrific things I've ever experienced in a game: help (or prevent) someone crucify themselves on camera. It's quite graphic and extremely dark, naturally, but it also provides a look into Cyberpunk 2077 not seen anywhere else. 

Cyberpunk 2077 is about Night City's seedy underbelly and the way the corporate-overrun capitalism of the world has affected those not privy to that wealth. The crucifixion side quest uses the horror of witnessing a real crucifixion to show the player how far people will go to redeem themselves from the deeds they've committed in order to simply survive in Night City. It's a powerful scene made even more powerful by the fact that you directly control how it plays out.

Click here to watch embedded media

For some, space on its own can be quite scary, and Outer Wilds preys upon those natural, space-based fears to inject horror into an otherwise non-horror game. In Outer Wilds, players must determine why everyone is in a loop where the sun explodes every 20 minutes. There's an argument to be made that dying every 20 minutes no matter what you do is scary in and of itself, but Outer Wilds presents itself more as a sci-fi mystery exploration game than something fit for Halloween. 

As you explore unfamiliar planets – discovering ancient relics of those before you, finding warnings of what's to come, and dodging waterspout tornados or deadly angler fish – you'll find yourself squeezing the controller tight in hopes that you can survive for just a minute longer. Outer Wilds preys on our most basic instinct in life – survive – to great effect, especially in the way it ramps up your adrenaline only to bring it back down again every 20 minutes. 

Click image thumbnails to view larger version

 

                                                                                                            

Some developers use horror sequences as a way to shift the type of terrors being experienced in-game. Take The Last of Us Part II, for example. Some might call it horror, but I doubt most people would define it like that before third-person shooter or action-adventure first. Regardless, the events of the game can be quite traumatizing. Even the way Ellie kills enemies sometimes is straight out of an R-rated movie. 

Naughty Dog presents a unique "level" in the second half of The Last of Us Part II that not only gives players the chance to experience a new type of scare for the series but likely nods to the horror genre that clearly inspired the game. As you enter a hospital's lower floor, you're met with a dark ICU-like unit filled with cordyceps-covered doors and more. You explore, searching for a way out, and that's when the Rat King, as Naughty Dog refers to it, reveals itself – it's a massive, overgrown ball of infected that wants nothing more than to take you out. 

The sequence feels more at home in a Resident Evil game than it does in The Last of Us, but Naughty Dog uses it to up the ante of everything we've already experienced. In one 10-minute gameplay section, Naughty Dog reveals that the world of The Last of Us has even more monstrous enemies than previously thought and that the series could easily slide into horror if it wanted to. It also takes the tension out of the human-versus-human conflict at the center of the game and reminds you that you are actually very lucky to still be a human in this world. 

Click here to watch embedded media

While horror's not for everybody, developers recognize the powerful effects it can have on virtually anyone. That's why horror has oozed its way into basically every aspect of media. It's universal in that everyone is scared of something, but unique in that we each have our own fears and haunts living in our brains. And much in the same way games affect everyone differently based on what we personally bring into the experience, horror, too, shapeshifts to look like the monster we each picture in our head – it's up to developers, though, to determine which genre that monster will skulk in with every new release.

For more about these games, check out our thoughts on Cyberpunk 2077 in Game Informer's official review and then read Game Informer's Outer Wilds review. Check out why we gave The Last of Us Part II a 10 out of 10 after that and then read Game Informer's list of horror games you should play this Halloween season. 


What's the scariest part of a non-horror game you've played? Let us know in the comments below!




 
Polygon - All 22:10
    
Writing on a mirror in I Know What You Did Last Summer
Photo: Amazon Studios

'I didn't want anyone to be reacting to that actor differently'

Continue reading…




 
Polygon - All 22:01
    
Dani Rojas from Far Cry 6
Image: Ubisoft Toronto/Ubisoft via Polygon

How to survive your revolution on Yara

Continue reading…




 
My Nintendo News 22:43
     To say that the Nintendo Switch has been receiving plenty of games featuring anime would be an understatement. Nevertheless, that vast library of content is about to get even larger with the confirmation that another anime game is going to be releasing on the Nintendo Switch in just a couple of weeks. XSEED has announced […]

Source




 
Gamers: The best place for gaming news and discussion 23:50

 
Gamers: The best place for gaming news and discussion 23:42
    
AOEO Community Challenge Starting ~13:00 UTC Saturday 9/10/21! Come See Some Great Games Of PvP! submitted by /u/HowRYaGawin
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Gamers: The best place for gaming news and discussion 23:14
    
Minecraft Ultra Buff submitted by /u/Roneli
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Gaming on PC 23:27
     Far Cry 6 doesn't revolutionize the formula, but it offers enough new content and ideas to keep players busy with the series' best entry yet. Full review after the jump.


 
Kotaku 23:45
    

The incredibly long Guilty Gear Strive loading times that have persisted since its launch four months ago have finally been fixed, but not by the developers at Arc System Works. As is often the case, the job instead fell to an independent engineer, whose custom executable reduces the PC version's initial wait by up to…

Read more...




 
Kotaku 22:35
    

Just days after Twitch suffered a giant security breach leaking over 125GB of data, the face of Amazon founder and chairman, Jeff Bezos, was seen trolling several of the streaming platform's game directory pages. How it got there, or why, remains a mystery.

Read more...




 
Kotaku 22:10
    

Since the first trailer for Pokémon Legends: Arceus arrived back in February, the game's vast open areas and rolling green hills have drawn comparison to Breath of the Wild. While the idea of a massive open-world version of the ancient Sinnoh region, filled with Pokémon to play with, sounds like it would be amazing,…

Read more...




 
PCGamesN 22:58
     Euro Truck Simulator 2 and ATS are getting revamped force feedback

The 1.42 update for Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator is now in beta, and while the big feature of that patch is mod support for the multiplayer Convoy mode, the devs at SCS Software also briefly mentioned a force feedback update. That piqued the curiosity of players, so now the devs have provided a much bigger breakdown of what's changing.

In short, the force feedback system has been rebuilt from scratch. The old system made use of a "group of artificially set up effects" which deployed rumble as part of the main game logic. The new system runs on a separate loop at a 120Hz refresh rate, and it will make use of a combination of artificial effects and new, more realistic calculations for feedback.

The updated system features "new centering and tire friction force feedback, which is based on real calculations from forces on the first steering axle and simulates the behaviour of a hydraulic steering gear system used in most of today's trucks," as the devs explain in a blog post. You'll see more subtle changes in the feedback as you drive between bends and straight roads.

RELATED LINKS: Euro Truck Simulator 2 system requirements, Best VR games, How to set up your Oculus Rift


 
Destructoid 23:00
    

A community blog by JRusell We've been curious to hear about your favorite games to play in October for Halloween,...

The post Halloween Treat – Alice: Madness Returns appeared first on Destructoid.




 
Destructoid 22:30
    

The Tetris Effect in the palm of your hands The new Nintendo Switch OLED model is out today, with a bright new...

The post Tetris Effect: Connected is out now on Switch, just in time for the OLED appeared first on Destructoid.




 
PC Invasion - FeedDDD 00:00
     Far Cry 6 Unique Weapons Guide Unique Weapon Locations Yaran ContrabandIn Far Cry 6, you'll find dozens of standard weapons when you open FND caches or buy them from various NPCs. These can be fully modded, and you can change their mod attachments to your liking. In fact, I even consider some of these to be the best armaments that you can use throughout the campaign. Still, there are those that are rarer and extremely valuable. These so-called unique weapons have preset mods that can't be changed. You'll definitely want to add them to your collection. Here's our Far Cry 6 guide to help you obtain all the unique weapons by opening Yaran Contraband chests and other means. Note: For more information, check out our Far Cry 6 guides and features hub. Likewise, we'll continue adding more weapon guides, so stay tuned.   Far Cry 6 guide: All unique weapons and Yaran Contraband chest locations Unique weapons in Far Cry 6 can only be found in predetermined locations and sources. You can see the requirements when you mouse over ...


 
PC Invasion - FeedDDD 23:40
     Far Cry 6 Hi Fi Rancho BichoThe nation of Yara is filled with countless armaments for warfare, including unique weapons. The Hi-Fi is one such example. Here's our Far Cry 6 guide to help you get the Hi-Fi unique rifle from a Yaran Contraband chest in Rancho Bicho. Note: For more information, check out our Far Cry 6 guides and features hub. Likewise, you can take a look at our main guide regarding all the unique weapons in the game.   Far Cry 6 Yaran Contraband guide: How to get the Hi-Fi unique rifle in Rancho Bicho The Hi-Fi unique rifle in Far Cry 6 is found in Rancho Bicho in the middle of Noventarmas, Valle de Oro. Now, Valle de Oro happens to be the largest of Yara's regions. Also, there are no fast travel points nearby. It's a bit pointless to visit this place while free-roaming. Thankfully, you'll visit the area once you've done a few main missions/operations in Valle de Oro. Past a certain point, you'll receive a quest called "Radio Libertad." So, ju...


 
PC Invasion - FeedDDD 23:30
     Far Cry 6 Surf & Turf Crocodile Tears Treasure HuntThe nation of Yara is filled with countless armaments for warfare, including unique weapons. The Surf & Turf is one such example. Here's our Far Cry 6 guide to help you get Surf & Turf unique rifle from the "Crocodile Tears" treasure hunt. Note: For more information, check out our Far Cry 6 guides and features hub.   Far Cry 6 "Crocodile Tears" treasure hunt guide: How to get the Surf & Turf unique rifle The "Crocodile Tears" treasure hunt in Far Cry 6 takes place in Cobre Shores. This zone is actually further northwest in Madrugada. You don't need to visit this place immediately because there's actually an operation/main mission that takes you there. It's called "Diesel Daisy" and it's given to you by Philly. Your task is to visit an establishment called Ortega Croc Farm and pick up a quest item for Philly. Since the "Crocodile Tears" treasure hunt is also here, you can hit tw...


 
PC Invasion - FeedDDD 22:50
     Far Cry 6 El Florecer Fort Fontana Admiral BenitezThe nation of Yara is filled with countless armaments for warfare, including unique weapons. The El Florecer is one such example. Here's our Far Cry 6 guide to help you get El Florecer unique pistol from a Yaran Contraband chest in Admiral Benitez's office in Fontana Fort. Note: For more information, check out our Far Cry 6 guides and features hub. Likewise, you can take a look at our main guide regarding all the unique weapons in the game.   Far Cry 6 Yaran Contraband guide: How to get the El Florecer unique pistol in Fontana Fort Fontana Fort is actually found in the southernmost tip of Far Cry 6's El Este region. It's an island that's still fairly close to the mainland's coast. Should you go there immediately? Probably not. That's because you'll visit this area as part of El Este's main storyline arc. Basically, you'll just need to complete the main missions in the region until you receive an operation called "...


 
PC Invasion - FeedDDD 22:45
     Nvidia Rtx 30 Series Graphics Cards In Stock Availability Where To Buy ShortageIf you're sick and tired of reading news stories about how difficult it is to find graphics cards and the ongoing supply chain issues for the associated components, this report offers a glimmer of hope. Restock for the Nvidia RTX 30 Series and even the AMD Radeon RX 6000 Series is still coming in regularly at Micro Center retail locations, and we found plenty of graphics cards on shelves today. The fact that Micro Center regularly receives graphics card shipments is nothing new, but many have likely heard about the long lines and similar availability shortages over the past year. While shipments are still in limited quantities, it seems that demand has tapered off enough to where the chance of buying a current gen graphics card is notably higher now. This was a similar case with the Ryzen 5000 Series CPUs, which sat on shelves at Micro Centers for months before online availability stabilized.   What graphics cards we found We can only speak to our experiences at the two l...


 
Nintendo Everything 22:44
    

Hey everyone, Metroid Dread is here! I've been playing the game and it's been on par with my expectations (which were very high!). I decided to share my first impressions in this small video for the Nintendo Everything's YouTube channel. Check it out the to see if our opinions about the game are the same or in case you want...

The post Metroid Dread: First impressions appeared first on Nintendo Everything.




 
Video Game News, Reviews, Walkthroughs And Guides | GamingBolt 23:34
     Infinity Ward has recently opened up a new office in Texas, and is presumably working on a sequel to Modern Warfare.


 
Video Game News, Reviews, Walkthroughs And Guides | GamingBolt 23:31
     The recent Twitch hack was caused by an error in server configuration, as confirmed in an official blog.


 
Video Game News, Reviews, Walkthroughs And Guides | GamingBolt 23:25
     The legendary Shinji Mikami says that they have fresh and young talent ready to experiment on an unannounced project.


 
Video Game News, Reviews, Walkthroughs And Guides | GamingBolt 22:46
     More evident piles up that the remaster of the horror adventure title will be coming to Nintendo's hybrid at some point.


 
Video Game News, Reviews, Walkthroughs And Guides | GamingBolt 22:27
     Konami is promising an update to eFootball later this month, as revealed in a recent Tweet.


 
Video Game News, Reviews, Walkthroughs And Guides | GamingBolt 22:22
     A recent Axios report claims that Far Cry 7 could be taking a more online-oriented approach in a break from the series' formula.


 
Blue's News 22:09
     Game journalist Stephen Totilo tweets about a new legal filing by California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing objecting to the proposed settlement to a lawsuit filed by the US Equal...


 
Blue's News 22:08
     Ubisoft announces it will offer PC gamers the chance to ride for free for 24 hours in Riders Republic, starting on Tuesday, October 12th at 3:00 am EDT. Here's the plan: "Players can check out the...


 
Blue's News 22:08
     Dovetail Games announces multiplayer plans for Bassmaster Fishing 2022, angling to hook competitive players with the upcoming fishing simulation. Following the zeitgeist naturally enough leads to...


 
Blue's News 22:08
     Eagle Dynamics is now accepting pre-purchases of pre-purchase of the DCS: AH-64D on the DCS Store and Steam. Release of this attack helicopter for DCS World is expected on December 1st, and they...


 
Blue's News 22:08
     Play Pink, The Best of Asmodee Digital (pay what you want and help charity).* Save 75% on Prison Architect on Steam. Save 66% on Going Under on Steam. Save 20% on Swords of Legends Online on Steam. *...


 
Blue's News 22:08
     Official patches. Call of Duty: Warzone Season Six Patch Notes. The Long Dark - Episode Four is Here.


 
Blue's News 22:08
     Thanks Ant. Cradle of Sins Teaser - Sneak Peek at Enemies | Crate Challenge in the Valley Vlog. ↑ Official trailers. ↓ Content creator videos. The rules of low health in D&D - Viva La Dirt League....


 
Blue's News 22:08
     Jim Ryan: "I would love a world where hundreds of millions enjoy our games" - GamesIndustry.biz.


 
Blue's News 22:08
     GamesIndustry.biz - Amazon could be Valve's only serious challenger. "Of course, Vapor, or the Twitch Store, or whatever it ends up being called, wouldn't be the first attempt to dislodge Steam from...


 
Blue's News 22:08
     Fenrir Strategy Guide - Tribes of Midgard.


 
Blue's News 22:08
     Switch OLED Comes With A Screen Protector Installed, But Please Don't Remove It, Says Nintendo. Enlisted Is Now Available For Xbox One And Xbox Series X-S. The Long Dark - Episode Four: Fury, Then...


 
Blue's News 22:08
     Facebook apologises as services including Instagram hit again.


 
Blue's News 22:08
     Intel, VMware Join vPro Platform and Workspace ONE. Thanks Hypothermia. Building a Keyboard 5: MARVODIY Undefined 61, Charcoal Keycaps & Ajazz Diced Fruit Switches. Red Rover PC Build.


 
Blue's News 22:08
     Facebook to act on illegal sale of Amazon rainforest.


 
Blue's News 22:08
     US gaming has lost half of the audience gains it made in 2020. We'll keep the lights on for you if you come back…


 
Blue's News 22:08
     Last Link of the Day: The Expanse Season 6 - Official Teaser. Thanks Gizmodo via Neutronbeam.


 
Massively Overpowered 00:00
    
Book of Travels is not in launch just yet, but it's steadily moving toward its full early access launch on October 11th by letting more backers into the game to play away. Just remember that there's a de facto NDA in place until that early access launch, so don't rush to tell all your friends […]


 
Massively Overpowered 23:00
    
Just because World of Warships is all about historically accurate military hardware doesn't mean the game doesn't like to have fun with itself, as many regular players are aware. As an example, take the game's Halloween events, which are making a comeback in the latest patch. After all, I don't recall ever reading about warships […]


 
Goal video games news 20:26
     "Sable" creators design quiet video game world with unique surprises ... "And so then I have to find a new person, to get that first fresh impression.


 
Goal video games news 20:26
     "Sable" creators design quiet world in new video game. Megan Farokhmanesh. Fri, October 8, 2021, 1:24 PM ·2 min ...


 
PCGamer latest 23:54
     Alignment: chaotic good.


 
PCGamer latest 23:00
     Want some free games? We can help.


 
PCGamer latest 22:40
     Seems like Bethesda isn't done with the old school shooter.


 
PCGamer latest 22:23
     The first trailer for the train-based horror game got a massive reaction on social media.


 
PCGamer latest 22:22
     It flies, it floats, it strafes, it hovers. And it handles like a dream.


Oct 08, 18:01

 
Tabletop Gaming News 21:00
    


 
Game Informer 22:00
    

Saints Row

Publisher: Deep Silver
Developer: Volition
Release:
Rating: Mature
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Last month, developer Volition provided us with a playable build of the new Saints Row. I had access to a handful of story missions, some side activities, and the entirety of the Santo Ileso map to explore. Volition encouraged me to drive, glide, and wreak havoc to my hearts' content. So, that's exactly what I did. While the content is still very much in development, I was able to understand how the game is shaping up in its early state, and it's looking good so far.

During the super-powered trip that was Saints Row IV, cars were rendered nearly useless when you had the option to Super Sprint and Jump around Steelport. With this Saints Row reboot, those powers are nowhere in sight, so you'll be either hoofing it or stealing a random car off the street to get around. Luckily, Saints Row features a wholly reworked driving system, bringing a new weight to driving and shifting the focus of car combat from guns and drivebys to using the car itself as a weapon.

In an early story mission (which you can read about in our Saints Row cover story), I learned all about two key features of this new driving model. One is the ability to jolt your car left or right with the press of a button, essentially punching with your vehicle to do damage or run rival racers off the road. The other is a new drift that will crank your car into a sideways slide while the camera cooly tilts and zooms in a bit for added effect.

Drifting in Saints Row feels very much like a Mario Kart drift, and that's high praise. No matter the vehicle, drifting will always set your car at a mostly predetermined angle while in the slide, giving you control on the analog stick to adjust your car for ideal positioning when you're coming out of the turn. There's no worrying about applying the e-brake too much, having the tail-end of your car whip out too far, or losing too much speed while performing the maneuver. I appreciate that it's clearly designed to keep you moving and not get in the way of having fun. Eventually, I was drifting around every turn, no matter how fast or slow I was going, just because it was fun.

Playing as the very capable protagonist known as The Boss, you're able to get on top of your vehicles, even while moving. On the roof, you have a full 360-degree vantage to take out any pesky local gang members from the Los Pantheros or Idols factions you may be locked in battle with. You also have the option to take to the skies in the new wingsuit. If your car is moving quickly enough, you can jump off the roof and soar through the air to get far away or land on another set of wheels to take as your own.

Wingsuiting around Santo Ileso like a deadly and maniacal flying squirrel is exhilarating and some of the most fun I had with Saints Row. You start a glide from high structures like an office building or the mountains and hills surrounding the city in addition to the roof of a moving car. There are also spots scattered across the map housing mechanisms to fling you into the air; no skyscrapers required. It's not always easy to find a spot to take flight, but I like how that reinforces the importance of ground traversal and being reliant on driving for most of your trips around Santo Ileso's districts.

Utilizing the wingsuit is a great way to make it across short spans of the city quickly. While you're always at the mercy of gravity, diving to pick up speed and pulling up to regain altitude can extend your flight sessions greatly. I love the sense of speed and the amount of control you have while flying around. I'd compare it to something between the cape from Super Mario World and Batman's gliding abilities from Arkham City.

From my time with Saints Row, the shooting felt the most mundane. We had access to a suite of pistols, assault weapons, and rocket launchers, which all perform how you'd expect in a Saints Row game. Some of the wilder weaponry promised by the developer wasn't available in my time attempting crime around Santo Ileso. Still, rocket-powered explosives and lesser ballistics were more than enough to take care of who or whatever stood in my way.

Outside of the gameplay, a question in the gaming community is whether it feels like past Saints Rows. Volition has been upfront about wanting to provide a tone somewhere between Saint Row 2 and Saints Row The Third, and from the small segment I've played, I'd say it hits that mark. I find the writing and humor are in the same ballpark. There's plenty of cussing, s--t-talking, and other vulgarities which haven't been present in much of what's been shown publicly at this point. You are a group aspiring to build a crime syndicate, after all.

This core group of Saints is new, and you get to meet and become friends with them. It's one of the best parts of past entries, and I'm looking forward to taking on the world with Eli, Neenah, and Kevin. They complement each other well, and even from the little I've seen, I can see where conflicts may arise, but I also get the feeling they're ride or die for their fellow Saints. I'm ready to take over Santo Ileso with them and be part of the calamity and destruction caused along the way.

Be sure to check out all of our Saints Row coverage throughout the month like our Rapid-Fire Interview with Jeremy Bernstein, Lead Mission Narrative Designer. You can find everything at our cover story hub by clicking on the banner below.




 
Game Informer 21:30
    

In the world of comics, X-Men has been a hot property in recent years. While the popularity of Marvel's mutants has rarely been at risk in the last couple of decades, the current narrative arc, launched with the House of X book in 2019, has injected new life into the characters and stories. That same story has all the makings of a thrilling video game and one that uses a very particular gameplay structure – the roguelike. As if written to use that very conceit, a roguelike X-Men game could capture something intriguing and exciting about the current fiction. And that vision would be at its best if it came from a small team given creative freedom to make the game its own.

For the uninitiated, the Dawn of X storyline helped relaunch the X-Men comics a couple of years back, reinventing some core aspects of the narrative to reinvigorate the mutant family of books. [Notable spoilers follow, in case you're still hoping to discover it for yourself.] Without getting hung up on the details of an especially complex setup (even by comic standards), the X-Men are in a very different place than they were before. Old enmities, like those between Xavier and Magneto, have been set aside. Most mutants now live together in a mutant nation on the living island of Krakoa. After decades of feeling like underdogs facing constant assault, the tone of the books has shifted, showing a mostly united mutantdom demanding a seat at the international (and even intergalactic) table. Key to this change of fortune is a great secret mutants now hold; thanks to a confluence of powers from several key mutants in their ranks, any mutant can now be resurrected after their death, brought back to fight once again.

And die they do. The X-Men family of books has been filled with dramatic turns where some of our favorite heroes, like Jean Grey, Wolverine, and Nightcrawler, have met grisly ends, only to emerge once more on Krakoa to continue the fight. It makes for some fun scenes since the heroes can make the ultimate sacrifice and then show back up the very next issue. Of course, the miraculous secret of resurrection constantly seems at risk of discovery or corruption. "Oh no! If you die in this other world, you don't come back right!," and other related shenanigans help to maintain narrative tension. The power fantasy at play also lends a potent twist to the ongoing themes at the heart of the X-Men mythology, namely, that a minority population often faces violence and even death from an indifferent world. In these latest stories, that painful reality is subverted, giving power and confidence to the heroes.

Gamers hardly need to be sold on the potential for fun inherent to heroes that die and then start the fight back over from the beginning. The roguelike genre has risen in prominence over the last several years, capturing something magical and thrilling that few other games can manage. Fight hard through a seemingly unconquerable sequence of battles, and then die. Use the expertise gleaned during that fight to reach a little further the next time. Gain skill, knowledge, and mastery. "One more run!" becomes the mantra.

I'd love to see Marvel recognize the potential for the X-Men's current resurrection-focused stories to translate over into a roguelike game. And to do it justice, they should entrust that effort to the same sort of team that has had the most luck in capturing the intensity and excitement of the roguelike formula – small, independent studios who have already walked these paths with successful games.

Imagine Dead Mage translating its expertise on a game like Children of Morta, and instead having a pixelated action/adventure with characters like Jean Grey and Storm. Or consider Motion Twin's side-scrolling exploration as seen in Dead Cells, but with Wolverine slashing through a heavily guarded space station orbiting the sun. Mega Crit Games helped popularize the card-based deckbuilding roguelike; it's not hard to envision its take on Marvel's mutants, unlocking new characters with each run, and drawing new cards for your deck that reflects mutant powers.

Independent developers are often independent for a good reason; many of those studios are filled with talented individuals who left large studios to pursue their creative visions. They want the freedom to make their own mistakes and triumphs and take risks that a big dev house simply won't take. Marvel (and other big license holders) should take note of that ethos and consider partnerships that leverage that penchant for risk-taking. Many smaller studios formed specifically to pursue their own passions and projects, and may be justifiably hesitant to veer from their own creative ventures; after all, many went independent to get away from sequels, corporate game development, and in some cases, even the limited control inherent to some licensed work. However, I suspect at least some smaller studios would jump at the opportunity to create something with a big property like the X-Men, especially if the pitch was: "We loved the work you did on your last game. We have this story concept about resurrecting mutants in the X-Men mythology, rising to fight the same hard fight again and again. We'd love to give you the freedom to take that and run with it in your own direction."

I've been impressed with Marvel's willingness to take chances in recent years, extending opportunities to work on popular franchises like Spider-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, Midnight Sons (Suns), and The Avengers to a variety of top-tier development houses. We even recently got word of a dedicated Wolverine game from Insomniac. The next step is to open the door to smaller deals with lesser-known development studios, where strong talent and proven success stories could allow for some fantastic games.

I can think of few franchises as ripe for such treatment as the X-Men. Varied superpowers from an array of richly drawn characters, lots of memorable conflicts and villains, and a story setup that lets players experience that live/die/repeat structure that makes roguelikes so fun – it all adds up to a game that fans would love to experience. It's okay for some licensed games to be smaller, feature pixel art, or take characters in unusual directions that you'd never try in a larger and more expensive project. I'm ready to take Cyclops on that seemingly impossible mission to hunt down Nimrod, only to face his demise, and then be forced to try again, optic blasts at the ready. The concept is ready-made for gaming success, but only if the right partnership can transform the idea into a reality. 




 
Game Informer 21:15
    

Click to watch embedded media

We're diving into the upcoming Saints Row reboot for this month's cover story. We sat down with Jeremy Bernstein, Lead Mission Narrative Designer at Deep Silver Volition, to ask him 84 rapid-fire questions about the game ahead of its February release date. Firstly, why is it just called Saints Row? Second, where the heck is Johnny Gat? We learn a lot about the project through our rigorous questioning, including its new cast of characters, how the Saints use food trucks for their Criminal Ventures schemes, and the game's surreal American Southwest setting.

For this month's coverage, we're showing you an in-depth look at Saints Row. You can look forward to exclusive interviews about the creation of the game, how Deep Silver Volition is reimagining its beloved series, a look at the series' new traversal mechanics – including a wingsuit and revamped driving systems – and of course, a slew of exclusive gameplay on our YouTube channel. You can also read our 12-page cover story with a digital or print subscription to get even more information on the upcoming reboot. If you haven't yet, also be sure to check out our Saints Row exclusive coverage hub.




 
Nintendo Life | Latest Updates 20:30
    

Super Mario OLEDyssey.

Now that Alex has his mitts on the Switch OLED, we've got some lovely glossy footage of how it runs in comparison to the original Nintendo Switch, using the "infamous bottleneck" (his words) of Super Mario Odyssey's New Donk City.

If it's a comparison of the screens you're after, check out his other video; this one's specifically about seeing how the two run.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com




 
Polygon - All 21:46
    
A character from The Expanse
Image: Amazon Studios

Season six will cover the events of the novel Babylon's Ashes and the novella Strange Dogs

Continue reading…




 
Polygon - All 21:45
    
Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) in Marvel Studios' BLACK WIDOW.
Photo: Jay Maidment/Marvel Studios

Black Widow finally lands on Disney Plus this weekend

Continue reading…




 
Polygon - All 21:10
    
Ms. Marvel, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and Black Widow from Marvel's Avengers
Image: Crystal Dynamics/Square Enix

Fans say the change goes against a pledge to only sell cosmetics

Continue reading…




 
Polygon - All 21:02
    
The Wheel of Time cast walks down a field
Photo: Amazon Prime Video

Fans also got a look at a season 1 clip

Continue reading…




 
Gamers: The best place for gaming news and discussion 20:32

 
Kotaku 20:05
    

A lot of hay's been made about Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl's supposed failings. There's no voice acting, the graphics are rough, the roster is disappointing, it feels like an early access game, etc. But I'm here to say none of that matters. Well, okay, it may matter to you, which is totally valid, but in the grand…

Read more...




 
PCGamesN 20:42
     Phoenix Point is free to play and 50% off on Steam this weekend

This weekend is your chance to jump into the nail-biting world of Phoenix Point, as the tense turn-based strategy game by famed designer Julian Gollop is free to play for the next two days on Steam. As this is the Year One edition, you'll have access to Phoenix Point plus all the DLC expansions released during its year of Epic Games Store exclusivity.

Phoenix Point returns to Gollop's X-Com roots: you command a team of highly trained soldiers whose job it is to fight back against a mutant alien menace that has devastated Earth. Between turn-based battles with aliens and other enemies, you'll have to make key decisions about which factions to forge alliances with and how to direct your scientists' research efforts.

There's also more of a global exploration element in Phoenix Point, since when the game begins, the aliens have pretty much already won, and your once familiar planet is twisted and overrun by the occupying forces. You'll also have to decide how you want to deal with the other factions, some of whom may wind up cooperating with the aliens - do you want to crush your rivals outright, or use espionage and deception to outmanoeuvre them?

RELATED LINKS: Phoenix Point review, Phoenix Point tips and tricks, Phoenix Point campaign guide


 
PCGamesN 20:15
     New World review – a shiny new player in the MMO game

You know an MMO's starting to click with you when you're logging on during lunch breaks. There's a moreish interplay between New World's gathering and crafting that's got its hooks in me. But for everything that Amazon Games has got right in its new MMO, there are plenty more features that feel undercooked and ill-considered, putting a significant dampener on the experience.

Does it scratch that itch you've got in the back of your brain for a new MMO? Definitely. Will you be gasping in awe, wondering how Amazon Games has managed to reinvigorate the genre? Probably not.

As soon as you get your first sword and shield in the tutorial zone, you'll notice that New World's combat differs significantly from most other MMOs. Rather than leaning on auto-attacks and cooldown-based abilities, New World employs an action-combat system that's closer to Elder Scrolls Online's bastardised take on Skyrim's combat. The result is that swordplay feels so much more satisfying, and I'm no longer mindlessly clicking between mobs until the XP bar ticks over. It's certainly not the first MMO to give the player a more active role in combat, but melee brawls feel tight and responsive.

RELATED LINKS: New World system requirements, New World beginner's guide, New World review


 
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed 21:50
    

Eronoctosis was one of tons of excellent-looking horror games in today's EEK3 indie horror showcase. It happened to stand out though because I'm a real sucker for a high contrast lo-fi colour scheme. Also I'm a sucker for co-op, especially with horror. Eronoctosis: Put Yourself Together looks to be a psychological horror about banishing badies from inside your own mind. You're required to play with a friend, which makes the price tag of free a real good selling point. You can jump in on Monday when it launches free on Steam.

Read more




 
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed 20:25
    

It's not often, if ever, that you get to build an impressive PC for free and without fear of irreparable failure. You can have both if you snag PC Building Simulator as the freebie of the week on the Epic Games Store through next Thursday.

Read more




 
Twinfinite 21:04
    

Today Furyu released a playable demo in Japan for the upcoming school JRPG Monark for PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch.

The post Monark by Shin Megami Tensei Developers Gets Demo for PS5, PS4, & Nintendo Switch in Japan appeared first on Twinfinite.




 
Twinfinite 20:37
    

Third-party developers have published brand new assets of upcoming add-ons and a couple more have been released.

The post Microsoft Flight Simulator Fenix A320, Concorde, F-16, & Hammerfest Got Screenshots & Videos; Olsztyn-Mazury & Palma Airports Released appeared first on Twinfinite.




 
Siliconera 22:00
    

Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall is coming early next year with Tensho at the helm.

The post Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall Coming in Spring 2022 appeared first on Siliconera.




 
Destructoid 21:30
    

Switch Pro? The Switch really came into the industry swinging like a bat out of hell. The Wii U (may...

The post Review: Nintendo Switch OLED appeared first on Destructoid.




 
Destructoid 21:00
    

I'm bracing for impact in November After a short early-access period for pre-orders, it's time to jump into the Battlefield...

The post Did the Battlefield 2042 open beta change your mind about the game? appeared first on Destructoid.




 
PC Invasion - FeedDDD 21:30
     Far Cry 6 El General Unique Auto PistolThe nation of Yara is filled with countless armaments for warfare, including unique weapons. The El General is one such example. Here's our Far Cry 6 guide to help you get the El General unique auto-pistol from a Yaran Contraband chest in the FND Munitions Storage in Vencejo. Note: For more information, check out our Far Cry 6 guides and features hub.   Far Cry 6 Yaran Contraband guide: How to get the El General unique auto-pistol in Vencejo Similar to The Autocrat, the El General is one of the unique weapons that you can acquire very early in Far Cry 6's campaign. That's because the place where you'll find it is the FND Munitions Storage in Vencejo, the western portion of Isla Santuario. Since this is essentially a tutorial island, you don't have a lot to worry about. Anyway, there's no need to rush straight for the depot. Just wait until you receive a mission called "Fuel the Revolution." In it, you'll meet another guerril...


 
PC Invasion - FeedDDD 21:15
     Far Cry 6 Yaran Pesos MonedaCurrencies are extremely important to amass in any game, and that's true even in Far Cry 6. You'll want to make sure that you have more than enough just so you can buy gear pieces whenever you wish. Here's our Far Cry 6 guide to help you get more Yaran Pesos and Moneda in the game. Note: For more information, check out our Far Cry 6 guides and features hub.   Far Cry 6 guide: How to get more Yaran Pesos and Moneda Yaran Pesos in Far Cry 6 The standard currency in Far Cry 6 is the Yaran Peso. The currency is used to purchase various items such as weapons, armors, maps, and more. You're likely to use it when checking out the goods being sold in camp facilities, as well as those provided by arms dealers in the military bases that you capture. You could pick up a few Yaran Pesos as you're exploring, usually by killing soldiers that drop them or opening containers. You may also exchange the materials and resources you've acquired. As far as the be...


 
PC Invasion - FeedDDD 20:45
     Far Cry 6 Rococo Loco Unique Auto PistolThe nation of Yara is filled with countless armaments for warfare, including unique weapons. The Rococo Loco is one such example. Here's our Far Cry 6 guide to help you get the Rococo Loco unique auto-pistol. Note: For more information, check out our Far Cry 6 guides and features hub.   Far Cry 6 guide: How to get the Rococo Loco unique auto-pistol The Rococo Loco unique auto-pistol is actually one of the easiest weapons to acquire in Far Cry 6. That's because all you need to do is complete a Los Bandidos mission. As mentioned in our Los Bandidos guide, this is a feature that you'll unlock once you've got access to a main base in Yara's three regions (this is done by completing the introductory quests that lead you to the rebel forces that are operating in each region). At the start, only one leader is available (Benito), but that's totally fine. You probably don't have a lot of recruits yet, but you'd still be able to manage. You...


 
PC Invasion - FeedDDD 20:30
     Far Cry 6 Lethal Dose Unique Pistol Unique Weapon The Mongoose And The Man Treasure HuntThe nation of Yara is filled with countless armaments for warfare, including unique weapons. The Lethal Dose is one such example. Here's our Far Cry 6 guide to help you get Lethal Dose unique pistol by completing "The Mongoose and the Man" treasure hunt. Note: For more information, check out our Far Cry 6 guides and features hub.   Far Cry 6 "The Mongoose and the Man" treasure hunt guide: How to get the Lethal Dose unique pistol In the meeting with Clara Garcia and the other Libertad guerrillas in Zamok Archipelago, she'll tell you to head to the Madrugada region first. Although some might head to other regions, there's a good chance that you played the game the same way as I did and you just went to Madrugada. If that's the case, then the "Meet the Monteros" quest marker would take you to the town of Siniestra along the southwestern coast of the region. If you check one of the notices plastered on a post, you'll...


 
PC Invasion - FeedDDD 20:20
     Far Cry 6 La Petite Mort Sword Crossed Lovers Treasure HuntThe nation of Yara is filled with countless armaments for warfare, including unique weapons. The Le Petite Mort is one such example. Here's our Far Cry 6 guide to help you get the La Petite Mort grenade launcher by completing the "Sword-Crossed Lovers" treasure hunt. Note: For more information, check out our Far Cry 6 guides and features hub.   Far Cry 6 "Sword-Crossed Lovers" treasure hunt guide: How to get the La Petite Mort unique grenade launcher "Sword-Crossed Lovers" is a treasure hunt that you can stumble upon in Far Cry 6. I was able to obtain a clue that led me to it from a note in front of San Rafael Hospice. The building itself is at the eastern edge of Barrial in the Valle de Oro region. You can see it on the map below. To clarify, you don't need to beeline straight for San Rafael Hospice. There's actually an operation/main mission that you'll get as you progress further in the Valle de Oro arc. It's ...


 
Nintendo Everything 21:37
    

Nintendo has come out with another "Switch My Way" commercial. This time around, it's Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl as well as Mario Party Superstars that get the focus. View the advert below.

The post Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Mario Party Superstars – "Switch My Way" commercial appeared first on Nintendo Everything.




 
Nintendo Everything 21:15
    

Scholastic, Sony Pictures Consumer Products, and developer Cosmic Forces have issued a new 1.01 update for Goosebumps: Dead of Night. It adds an Extreme Mode with supercharged monster AI, new achievements, and more. It's somewhat of a surprise to see Goosebumps: Dead of Night getting an update after such a lengthy period. The title came to Switch in July 2020,...

The post Goosebumps: Dead of Night update out now on Switch (version 1.01), patch notes appeared first on Nintendo Everything.




 
Nintendo Everything 20:04
    

We previously reported that a new Hatsune Miku collaboration was planned for Ninjala, and we now have a proper trailer for the event. All players can participate in the fun now. As a refresher, here's a rundown of what's included in the event: Concert-goers can dress up as their favorite virtual singers with the new Miku Magical Mirai 2021 Outfit...

The post Ninjala Hatsune Miku collaboration trailer appeared first on Nintendo Everything.




 
TouchArcade 21:25
     Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for October 8th, 2021. It's Metroid Dread day! And somehow also …


 
PlayStation LifeStyle 21:02
    

Bloodborne Producer Masaaki Yamagiwa will be working with Team Ninja […]

The post Bloodborne Producer Masaaki Yamagiwa Working With Team Ninja on an Unknown Project appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.




 
Massively Overpowered 22:00
    
Once in a while, you need to take a break from the stress of constant adventures and danger, perhaps to pursue the life of a humble shopkeeper in a fantasy world. That's why Shop Titans has appealed to me for over a year now, giving me the opportunity to run my own little store where […]


 
Massively Overpowered 21:00
    
For the fourth year in a row, MapleStory will be holding its own festival to celebrate its players and unveil new announcements for the game with the return of MapleStory Fest, which will be an all-digital event streaming on Twitch and YouTube Saturday, November 13th, at 4:00 p.m. EST. Not only will fans be getting […]


 
Expert Game Reviews 21:19
     Nintendo Switch has become one of the top consoles. It has many advantages among other gaming devices thanks to its unique functions. The most obvious one is that Nintendo Switch can be stationary or portable. So you can take your favourite games anywhere with you and even play with your friends whenever and wherever you...


 
Goal video games news 20:26
     "Sable" creators design quiet video game world with unique surprises ... "And so then I have to find a new person, to get that first fresh impression.


 
Goal video games news 20:26
     "Sable" creators design quiet world in new video game. Megan Farokhmanesh. Fri, October 8, 2021, 1:24 PM ·2 min ...


 
Goal video games news 19:41
     For C.J. Mosley, It's All in the Game ... the Video Game. It's a pretty standard question whenever an ... New Deal, and John Franklin-Myers Gets Emotional.


 
Goal video games news 19:07
     But first: Let's talk about squids. Squid Video Games. So you've just finished " Squid Game," the fantastic new Netflix Inc. show about a group of unlucky ...


 
PCGamer latest 20:52
     Square Enix promised in 2019 that it would never add "pay-to-win" mechanics to its Avengers game.