Dec 14, 23:00


GamersHeroes Tuesday, December 14, 2021 5:07 PM
    

Players will be able to return to the frontlines when Zillion Whales' dynamic real-time strategy title Mushroom Wars 2 comes out on January 13.

The post Mushroom Wars 2 Coming January 13 appeared first on GamersHeroes.


GamersHeroes Tuesday, December 14, 2021 5:07 PM
    

Players will learn how to control their voice while saving the universe with today's release of Bad Dream Games and HandyGames' One Hand Clapping.

The post One Hand Clapping Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes.


Kotaku Tuesday, December 14, 2021 8:30 PM
    

The RTS genre as we know it, or at least the popular perception of it, is dominated by its most traditional efforts, the kind of base-building-then-rush approach seen in everything from Command & Conquer to StarCraft. That's not the only way to play an RTS, though.

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Kotaku Tuesday, December 14, 2021 7:40 PM
    

It was all the way back in 2015 that I first wrote about a game called Prey For The Gods, an indie homage to Shadow of the Colossus. Six years later, with a name change along the way, the game is now out.

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Kotaku Tuesday, December 14, 2021 7:00 PM
    

Whether it's Call of Duty or Battlefield, one of the low-key nicest parts of a shooter can be just watching (and listening to the KAH-CHUNK sounds of) the player reloading various weapons. This video by Kommander Karl is a compilation of exactly that kind of action, only it's a man reloading toasters, smoke alarms and…

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Kotaku Tuesday, December 14, 2021 6:05 PM
    

It seems Twitch's controversial "pay-to-win" Boost feature is a bust. There was no positive impact for streamers who took part in a test of the Boost feature, according to a data analyst who crunched the numbers.

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Kotaku Tuesday, December 14, 2021 4:15 PM
    

In a new Halo Infinite update released today, developer 343 Industries is again tweaking the way battle pass challenges operate. This time, the first-person arena shooter will see an assortment of new challenges introduced, while some existing ones are being removed, all in an effort to alleviate the frustration…

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PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 6:56 PM
     Free games: One of the best 2D platformers ever is free-to-keep from Ubisoft

If you like 2D platform games, you should play Rayman Origins. If you haven't played Rayman Origins, Ubisoft is making it very easy for you. The platformer is now free for a limited time as part of Ubisoft's 35th anniversary promotion, so if you previously missed out on it, you can now rectify that grave mistake.

Rayman Origins is currently free via Ubisoft Connect (that's the rebranded edition of Uplay, if you haven't launched a Ubisoft game on PC in a while) from now until December 22 at 1pm PST / 4pm EST / 9pm GMT. Once you've claimed the game, it'll remain in your library forever, just as if you'd actually purchased it.

Rayman Origins first launched back in 2011, and was the first game to make use of UbiArt Framework, which helped define the gorgeous look of games like Child of Light and Valiant Hearts. It's also just an astoundingly well-crafted platformer, with varied level design and tight controls.


PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 6:13 PM
     The secret best Metroidvania of 2021 is coming to Game Pass

2021 has been an embarrassment of riches for Metroidvania fans, from an excellent new Metroid, to a terrific compilation of 'vanias, and even a sequel to the sublime Axiom Verge. But one of the best new entries in the genre quietly launched on Steam earlier this year, and might've slipped under your radar. Now that it's coming to Game Pass, however, you've got no more excuses.

Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is a nonlinear side-scrolling action-RPG in the Symphony of the Night mold. It's fairly limited in scope, but an excellent combat system and beautiful setting (based on the classic anime series, of course) make it a standout in the genre. Developer Team Ladybug previously worked on Touhou Luna Nights, another standout indie Metroidvania.

The game hits Game Pass for PC and consoles on December 16, alongside a massive drop of other games across both versions of the service. That includes the day one launch of the cool-looking indie, The Gunk, as well as an array of bigger names including triple-A favourites like Mortal Kombat 11.


PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 5:54 PM
     Massive Civil War game Grand Tactician now has 3D soldiers

Reinforcements have arrived in Civil War strategy game Grand Tactician in the form of 3D soldier models. While the development team had always intended to use 3D models for troops in Grand Tactician, early attempts to use them were unsuccessful - the models had too big an impact on performance in the initial builds, and were thus replaced with less memory-hungry 2D sprites. After some post-launch experimentation, the Grand Tactician team has successfully worked out a way to use 3D models as originally planned, and they look pretty great.

"The sprites did have many limitations," chief designer Ilja Varha explains in a Steam post. "As we kept the number of different animations quite high, the number of frames per animation was limited. Also, customization options were limited, as each large sprite sheet reserved a chunk of VRAM."

The new 3D model system looks much better, as there is no longer the need for abrupt transitions from one sprite to another as players move the camera around the battlefield. But there are other advantages: the new 3D troops allow for variations in uniform within the same unit, for example, and soldiers cast realistic shadows on the ground now.


PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 5:29 PM
     Two years later, PC emulator 86Box gets its 3.0 update with Pentium II support

DOSBox provides a simple way to play a whole lot of classic old games, but it doesn't cover everything. Luckily, there are a range of other PC emulators out there that aim to let you mess with old software across a big selection of retro configurations, and one of the most notable has just dropped a major new update with support for much more advanced classic hardware.

86Box version 3.0 landed earlier this month, more than two years after the previous 2.0 versions. There are a host of major features here, but the biggest addition is support for a new round of Intel processors, including the Pentium Pro, Pentium II, and Celeron options. As the devs note, these are "not fully accurate due to the core's out-of-order engine and integrated L2 cache, both of which are too complex to emulate", but they should give you some more powerful options for later PC games. (Assuming, of course, that your real CPU is up to the task of running them).

86Box is, itself, a fork of PCem, but it's getting more regular updates than its predecessor. If you haven't messed with many PC emulators outside of DOSBox, be aware that it's substantially more effort to set up - after all, it lets you determine your own hardware configurations right down to the individual hardware components.


PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 5:00 PM
     Popular sandbox game Myth of Empires has been hit by a DMCA takedown

Myth of Empires, a strategy sandbox game that recently rocketed to popularity on Steam, has been delisted from Valve's storefront following a DMCA takedown claim by the studio behind Ark: Survival Evolve. Ark's developers say Myth of Empires uses code copied from Ark, and Myth of Empires' developer, Chinese studio Angela Game, has vehemently denied the accusation.

Myth of Empires is currently unavailable on Steam, following a DMCA takedown request filed by Studio Wildcard December 1. In the request, Studio Wildcard says Myth of Empires appears to use source code copied from Ark: Survival Evolved. Studio Wildcard, the complaint says, "became understandably concerned" about potential copyright infringement in November, when it noticed "large-scale similarities between Ark: Survival Evolved and Myth of Empires."

PCGamesN has obtained a copy of the DMCA takedown request. "This similarity extended to features that could not be explained through independent development, such as the use of identical gameplay mechanics not found in other games," it reads. The studio says its analysis of the headers for the two games' executable files revealed "hundreds of matching 'class,' 'variable,' and 'function' names."

RELATED LINKS: Best sandbox games, Best strategy games, Best new PC games

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 14, 2021 6:22 PM
    

Praey Of The Gods initially looks too similar to Shadow Of The Colossus for comfort. And then you think: why wouldn't someone make another game where you climb and bring low gigantic beasts? After almost three years in early access, Praey has reached v1.0, adding two new boss battles in the process.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 14, 2021 5:40 PM
    

I don't know my Warhammer from my Warlathe, Warchisel or Warphillipsheadscrewdriver. You, you might watch the reveal trailer for Total War: Warhammer III's campaign map and think, "Gosh, what a beautiful rendering of the home of Katarin Bokha, the ice queen of Kislev." Me, I'm just enjoying it for the pretty textures and fog effects.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 14, 2021 4:56 PM
    

Stargate: Timekeepers was announced back in May with little more than a cinematic. Most of my initial interest was tied to its developer, Creative Forge Games, who made interesting-but-flawed stealth XCOMlike Phantom Doctrine.

Now there's a soundless gameplay trailer of Stargate in action, and ooh, it looks a lot like Commandos.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 14, 2021 4:16 PM
    

Kingdoms Of Amalur: Re-Reckoning arrived late last year, offering a chance at re-redemption for the cult fantasy Re-PG. Now Re-Reckoning has received its first new expansion in nearly ten years. Called Fatesworn, it's out now and offers a new, six-hour storyline.

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Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 8:53 PM
    

The bad, the good, and a unique art style.

The post DreamWorks Unveils First Trailer For Heist Comedy The Bad Guys appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 8:37 PM
    

The streamer is back in the development game.

The post Dr Disrespect Establishes Midnight Society Game Studio With Former COD & Halo Developers appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 7:37 PM
    

Developed by Daniel Mullins, Inscryption is easily one of the best and most unique indie games we've seen this year. It's billed as a roguelike, deck-building card game with escape room elements where you need to figure out how to get out of a cabin, and anyone who's played it to its conclusion know that […]

The post Inscryption Gets a Free Roguelike Card Game Expansion With More Secrets to Uncover appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 7:26 PM
    

Behaviour Interactive has only just released a new chapter for Dead by Daylight, titled Portrait of a Murder, but they've already got more content planned for the game. The next chapter is set for a March 2022 release, and it's a very exciting one. You can check out the trailer down below: The next chapter […]

The post Dead by Daylight Teases Ringu & Sadako for Next Chapter in 2022 appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 6:34 PM
    

Today Paradox Interactive released an extensive video featuring an update about the upcoming strategy game, Victoria 3.

The post Victoria 3 Gets New Video All About War appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 5:06 PM
    

The Holiday spirit is coming to Final Fantasy XIV, with a new edition of the traditional Starlight Celebration.

The post Final Fantasy XIV's Starlight Celebration Returns With Two Cute Minions & Wall Decoration appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 4:29 PM
    

Today third-party developers revealed new assets of upcoming add-ons for Microsoft Flight Simulator, on top of releasing a new airport.

The post Microsoft Flight Simulator Fouga Magister, Embraer E170, Phenom 100, Renton, & Chicago Airports Get New Screenshots; Mackay Released appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 4:23 PM
    

Earlier this week during the Dengeki Bunko Winter Festival Online 2021 event, a new promotional video and release date for Devil Is a Part-Timer Season 2 were revealed. While still a ways away, fans can finally expect to see the sophomore season of their favorite slice of life devil anime when it airs in July […]

The post Devil Is a Part-Timer Season 2 Finally Gets a July 2022 Release Window appeared first on Twinfinite.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 4:00 PM
    

Also available on Switch.

The post Kowloon Highschool Chronicle Comes to PS4 in March 2022 appeared first on Siliconera.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 8:30 PM
    

I'm constantly seeing gorgeous Pokémon fan art on the internet, and I swear every day someone tops what I think...

The post Pokémon fan creates a huge, beautiful mural using tiny beads appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 7:15 PM
    

I thought we were friends! Video game adaptations of classic board games can be pretty hit-or-miss depending on who ponied...

The post Review: Monopoly Madness appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 6:30 PM
    

The studio is teaming with Koch's Prime Matter to make it happen For those who love new refreshes of old...

The post Nightdive's System Shock remake is targeting 2022 for launch appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 6:00 PM
    

Rats to That This past weekend, publisher Focus Entertainment offered up the first gameplay footage of its incoming next-gen sequel...

The post A Plague Tale: Innocence demo now available on PC via cloud appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 5:00 PM
    

I'm glad the $70 price tag isn't that prevalent (yet) We're a year into the PS5's lifecycle, and it truly...

The post Nominees for Destructoid's Best PlayStation Game of 2021 appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 4:30 PM
    

This article contains themes of trauma, mental illness, and sarcasm In summer 2020, I had to reassess my situation. The...

The post Content warnings need to become standard appeared first on Destructoid.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, December 14, 2021 7:30 PM
     Final Fantasy Origin Jobs 1Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is the upcoming game that looks like a Final Fantasy reskin of Nioh, developed by the people who made Nioh. Now, the Nioh comparisons are about to get a lot more Nioh-y, as we've gotten more information on what we can expect from teh characters and jobs system of Final Fantasy Origin. Suffice to say, I can already picture the corresponding Nioh builds. Only three of these have been specifically detailed. The first of these is the Swordsman, which is Jack's Job by default. I really, really want to quote The Muppet Movie right now. "JACK NOT NAME! JACK JOB!" Oh, Sweetums, what an ironic name.   The Swordsman Job is exactly what it sounds like (and you saw it in the demo, if you played that). It's great for both attacking and guarding, because, as Nioh taught us: if you don't guard, you get murdered in Team Ninja games. That was also super true in Ninja Gaiden. This job has a spinning slash action that ...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, December 14, 2021 7:00 PM
     Dead By Daylight Rinu Announcement"You're gonna die in seven days" is what I want to say, except fans of Japanese horror will probably be thrilled at this upcoming announcement. This influential horror franchise Ringu is getting a collaboration with Dead by Daylight, adding to its cast of legendary horror icons. The game already features noteworthy horror figures, like Pinhead, Ghostface, and Freddy Krueger. At this point, it really does feel like nothing is off-limits. The collaboration sees developer Behaviour Interactive and Japanese entertainment publisher Kadokawa joining hands.  The Ringu franchise involves the haunting story of a curse that spreads across its victims through the form of a videotape. Once anyone views this cursed tape, they're doomed to die in exactly seven days. Although, now that videotapes are basically extinct, the Ringu ghost is gonna have to change up their methods. Maybe a cursed YouTube link?   Ringu hasn't been kept to Japanese audiences only. Its st...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, December 14, 2021 6:45 PM
     Halo Infinite glitch Master ChiefEvery game has its share of glitches, but some prove severe enough that they can heavily hamper the gameplay experience. Many players tend to think of patently unfinished products when they think of these game-breaking glitches, but these problems can plague even relatively polished games. As spotted by VG247, players have just discovered a game-breaking glitch in the recently released Halo Infinite, a title that has otherwise received plenty of praise for its technical polish. Specifically, this glitch can completely corrupt the save files of those unfortunate enough to encounter it, and it can even negatively impact multiplayer matches. Players from both the ResetEra and Halo Waypoint forums discussed this issue. According to ResetEra user 99humanity, this glitch stems from an issue in which the game displays a prompt for players to log in to their accounts even though they already logged in beforehand. Players can avoid the glitch simply by refraining from clicking on the prompt....

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, December 14, 2021 6:30 PM
     System Shock releaseWhile it looked like the System Shock remake would release a bit sooner a while back, we're going to have to wait a bit longer to see what exactly Nightdive Studio is up to when it finally drops us into its freshly updated sci-fi horrorscape. The game has been given a release window for 2022, so we'll be seeing it sometime next year. "System Shock has been a true labour of love and our goal has always been to deliver a game that is as close to perfect as we can make it," said Stephen Kick, the CEO of Nightdive Studio.   Additionally, it's been announced that Nightdive is partnering with publisher Prime Matter to help get this thing done. The CEO goes on to note that this partnership will allow the developer to better disseminate the game in both digital and physical versions, in addition to helping with System Shock's Kickstarter obligations. The team has been hard at work on the game and has even been working with folks who made the original. The remake...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, December 14, 2021 6:15 PM
     Naughty List Octane DecalThe annual Rocket League holiday event, Frosty Fest, returns to the 'soccar' arenas on December 16. Well, one arena, Beckwith Park, to be exact. This wintery celebration brings cosmetic items, Golden Gifts, limited-time modes, and a trunk more to the game. Frosty Fest kicks off at 11 AM ET. At that time, you'll be given a list of event-specific challenges to complete. Completing these challenges is how you unlock the event's cosmetics. There's also a Ski-Free Player Banner that you can claim for free from the Item Shop. So, don't forget to cruise by there.   Rocket League Frosty Fest cosmetic items There are three car decals that can be earned. The Naughty List Octane Decal, the Nutcracker Dominus Decal, and the Reindeer Game Breakout Decal. There's also a cozy-looking Flannel Paint Finish. The collection of car cosmetics is completed with the Ring-A-Ling Wheels and the Drummer Hat Topper. Frosty Fest also includes some items that can be used to spruce up your playe...

Tabletop Gaming News Tuesday, December 14, 2021 6:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Tuesday, December 14, 2021 5:00 PM
    

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Tuesday, December 14, 2021 4:33 PM
     Mending, Silk Touch, Efficiency, and more—here are the best tool enchantments in Minecraft for you to choose from. For a long time, enchantments have been a core part of Minecraft. But the problem is that there are so many enchantments to choose from, it becomes more and more confusing which enchantments would best suit a […]

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Tuesday, December 14, 2021 9:00 PM
    

Hopefully, they can make their release window this time around.

The post System Shock Remake Hoping For 2022 Release appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Latest Games on Play iDev Games Tuesday, December 14, 2021 4:58 PM
     Rocket maniac is an arcade 2d shooter game with flappybird-like flying mechanics. Play agaist A.I. driven spaceships and become THE N#1 IN THE GALAXY....

Dec 14, 16:00


Kotaku Tuesday, December 14, 2021 3:10 PM
    

On the evening of Sunday, December 14 a patron of the Sea Cave Arcade and Bar in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans allegedly began covering a vintage arcade cabinet with stickers from a supermarket price gun. When arcade owner Judah Lea asked him to leave, the customer responded by asking if he was "interested…

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Kotaku Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:40 PM
    

Forget awards shows and press accolades. The top games of the year are really determined by player behavior. And if you want to see what people are playing, and loving, there are few places better than Steam, which was apparently dominated this year by a mix of games you've definitely heard of alongside some that may…

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Kotaku Tuesday, December 14, 2021 1:55 PM
    

You may have seen it too: In a recent match of Halo Infinite—specifically, the oddball game type—a player runs toward the edge of the map and leaps to their death. This isn't some furtive gesture of inner bravery. Rather, it's a bona fide strategy for victory, and it's annoying AF.

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Kotaku Tuesday, December 14, 2021 12:15 PM
    

Ever since Genshin Impact's developers legally sanctioned the commercial production of fan merchandise, I've been seeing all sorts of unusual Genshin products pop up on the internet. I thought I'd seen it all after the Zhongli titty mousepad. I had not. I nearly burst a gut laughing when a friend linked me to these…

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Kotaku Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:55 AM
    

Amazon-owned streaming platform Twitch considers "cracker" a serious racial slur, a fact many only learned this week after socialist streamer Hasan Piker and others were banned for saying it. This latest bizarre moderation decision comes months after protests for Twitch's failure to protect streamers of color for…

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Kotaku Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:31 AM
    

We're more than a year into the ninth console generation, and it's still largely a pain in the ass to get one. No matter where you go, whether it's Microsoft and Sony's official websites or any of the many retailers, both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S appear constantly sold out. Unless you're privy to console…

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Kotaku Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:00 AM
    

Update, 12/14/2021 12:30 p.m. ET: The "hip hoppy walk" comment was mistakenly attributed to a writer, and not motion-capture and voice over director Tom Keegan, who actually made the comments. We have also updated the attribution of the journalist question in the piece.

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Kotaku Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:40 AM
    

For its final update of the year, Xbox Game Pass is getting some of the best adventure games in recent memory, including Firewatch and Broken Age. But, like the strangest charcuterie station you'll hover around next week, they're paired with debatably the least chill game of the past few years: Mortal Kombat 11.

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Kotaku Tuesday, December 14, 2021 9:50 AM
    

Let's be honest: 2021 saw a number of games get released in a pretty shameful state. None were nearly as busted as the catastrophe that was—still is?—CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077, but this year's crop of broken games was atrocious all the same. And though some eventually got patches that fixed various issues,…

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Kotaku Tuesday, December 14, 2021 9:30 AM
    

The Nintendo Switch had a pretty odd 2021, all things considered. This has been a bit of a slow year, and it is no wonder why. Developers were thrown into panic, as most of us were, by 2020's covid-19 outbreak. While this did slow things down in 2020, a lot of games released that year were already mostly complete when…

Read more...


PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:24 PM
     A Terminator RTS strategy game is coming that tasks you with winning Judgement Day

Slitherine has today announced another new licensed strategy game that it's working on based on the Terminator franchise. This joins the ranks of existing projects such as Starship Troopers: Terran Command, Stargate: Timekeepers, and the excellent Battlestar Galactica Deadlock, not to mention the company's work with the Warhammer 40K license.

Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance is set after Judgement Day in the 'Dark Fate' universe, where the machines are fighting it out against the surviving remnants of humanity for control over what's left of the world. There's a single-player campaign that puts you in charge of the 'Founders' faction, which includes a strategic map, army persistence, and strict resource management. There are also multiplayer modes for 1v1, 2v2, and even 2v1 matches, with a third faction called the 'Resistance' available to play alongside the Founders and the machines of the Legion.

There are more details to be gleaned from the information we've been sent. There's a suggestion of highly customisable units, even down to what kind of ammunition is being loaded. The environments are also going to be destructible, featuring physics-based building destruction that you can use to your advantage in the right circumstances. There's even a modular damage system which will cause a lot of wear and tear to your equipment.

RELATED LINKS: The best RTS games on PC, The best strategy games on PC

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:16 PM
     The Stargate strategy game looks a lot like tactical RTS Shadow Tactics

I didn't know what to expect after the announcement earlier this year that there is a Stargate strategy game in the works. I definitely didn't expect it to turn out to be Shadow Tactics: Stargate edition.

During its annual Home of Wargamer's event earlier today, publisher Slitherine revealed more details about Stargate: Timekeepers which is being developed by CreativeForge, creators of games like Hard West and Phantom Doctrine. This is shaping up to be a tactical RTS game in the vein of the iconic Commandos games, and the popular samurai romp Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun.

You lead a team of specialists commanded by Eva McCain through a series of 14 missions that follows an original narrative set in the aftermath of Stargate SG-1's seventh season. McCain and her team are tasked with assisting Jaffa resistance members against the Goa'uld system lord Moloc, but end up getting caught in the time loop. "In Stargate: Timekeepers choices matter," the official blurb reads. "The adventure has multiple potential outcomes: using other-worldly tech, [you] travel back in time and replay the missions to shape your heroes' destiny."

RELATED LINKS: The best RTS games on PC, The best strategy games on PC

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:02 PM
     Halo Infinite battle pass gets reworked again, with

Halo Infinite officially launched last week, and it's pretty fantastic in every way but one: its battle pass system. Today's update, as promised, introduces a range of dedicated Slayer playlists, and makes a third set of changes to multiplayer progression, further reworking challenges. The devs say more changes are on the way, too, and tease a few updates that will move the system away from its reliance on challenges.

You will now find fewer battle pass challenges requiring you to play specific modes and activities. There are now new challenges tied to playlists, with things like accumulating personal score, earning a number of kills, or simply completing or winning games.

"There's a lot of work to do here to truly address player feedback around these systems," the devs explain in the blog post, "and broader changes are going to take time (i.e. performance-based XP, per-match XP, additional progression vectors, etc.), but in the interim, the team will continue targeting meaningful services-side updates to hone and improve the overall experience."

RELATED LINKS: Halo Infinite release date, Halo Infinite system requirements, Halo Infinite ranks

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 1:40 PM
     One of Fallout 4's best mods has got a

One of the more popular Fallout 4 mods this side of The Commonwealth has got a meaty new update. Sim Settlements 2 is the follow up to an equally warmly embraced mod that reimagined the building system so NPC settlers could construct their own darn homes under your supervision. Sim Settlements 2 has a similar sense of community, though it's very much a story-driven affair, and that's ever-present in Chapter 2.

Sim Settlements 2's Gunner Outbreak expansion continues the mod's story, adding three new additional side-quests for you to check out alongside some other neat new features. In short, you're still on your quest to rebuild The Commonwealth, though Chapter 2 expands further on the backstory of the Gunners.

There are new groups to meet, too. The CPD has come together under the banner of pre-war police departments to oppose the growing Gunner threat. It's up to you, though, to lead the group towards peace and justice or brutality and vengeance. The Nightingales, meanwhile, is a more peaceful sort, bringing with it a knowledge of old medicine and healing arts. The group is neutral and believes in helping everyone, though you can try to sway the Nightingales to take a side.

RELATED LINKS: Fallout 4 console commands, Fallout 4 mods, Buy Fallout 4

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 1:29 PM
     Battle through Normandy XCOM-style in Headquarters: World War II, out in 2022

The major turn-based strategy games that cover World War II tend to take place on massive, operational scales, leaving RTS games like Company of Heroes to cover the smaller, platoon-level stuff. Headquarters: World War II is grabbing bits of both worlds, with an XCOM-style turn-based strategy take on the small unit tactics of the Normandy invasion.

Built in Unreal Engine 4, Headquarters: World War II looks sumptuous - while it uses a square grid for unit movement and terrain placement, the terrain and unit models are lovingly detailed and beautifully lit. Developer Starni Games says you'll see the effects of the war's devastation, too, with burning tank hulks and destroyed houses littering the combat zones your troops fight their way through.

Your troops need looking after, and each unit has a crew you'll have to manage in order to stay fit to fight. A tank that loses a gunner, for instance, will have fewer attacks, while losing a driver will result in a penalty to mobility. Playing as either the US, UK, or German forces, you'll have three campaigns to pick from, each with nine operations.


PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 1:21 PM
     Modern warfare RTS Broken Arrow will hit PCs in 2022

If you've been hankering for some modern-day combat after the WW2 battles of the Steel Division series, 2022 might be your year. Broken Arrow, an RTS game that features a deck-building system similar to the kind found in Eugen's strategy games, will debut in the coming year, and today we got a first look at one of its impressive real-time battles.

Prior to each battle in Broken Arrow, you'll put together an army deck, selecting from more than 100 units per faction. You'll have slots for recon, infantry, fighting vehicles like tanks, support units, logistics, helicopters, and off-map assets like airstrikes, and you'll want to consider both the terrain you'll be fighting on and your enemy's probable force composition when you're selecting your cards.

You're not limited to what's on the cards, however. Broken Arrow also allows you to customise your units' loadouts - you can fit aircraft with additional fuel pods or countermeasures, slap extra armour on your ground vehicles, and give your special forces the edge with gear like suppressors and recon drones. You'll be able to refit certain units after the battle begins, too, so you can adapt to surprises your opponent might have up their sleeve mid-match.


PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:15 PM
     What is the current and next Genshin Impact banner?

Wondering what the next Genshin Impact banner is? Genshin Impact banners adhere to a pretty regular schedule. Each update arrives with a new banner that lasts around three weeks, and after it expires, it's followed by a second banner which also lasts roughly three weeks, at which point it's update time once again.

This means even though we hear rumours of new Genshin Impact characters arriving in forthcoming updates, we won't know their exact release date until we know which banner they will be a part of, and whether it'll be the first or second banner in the update. Occasionally, banners don't stick to this schedule - most notably, update 1.3 had three two-week banners, so that Hu Tao's banner didn't cross over with the Chinese New Year.

Typically, each limited character banner - or Event Wish - contains a five-star character, and three four-star characters. There's also a Weapon banner - Epitome Invocation - which runs alongside each character banner, and features different weapons each time. Here's everything you need to know about the current and upcoming Genshin Impact banners.

RELATED LINKS: Play Genshin Impact for free, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 1:00 PM
     The in-game Total War: Warhammer 3 campaign map reveal is here

We got our first look at the Total War: Warhammer III campaign map about a month ago courtesy of a printed map included in the game's physical editions, and now the developers have provided a much more extensive look at what to expect in-game. This trailer is still in 'teaser' territory, but it does give us a broad overview of what we can look forward to.

The most obvious bit is that this new map is colourful and gorgeous, particularly in the region of Cathay, the beauty of which contrasts nicely against the Chaos Wastes on the other side of the Great Bastion. The rivers are quite big, too, which might give us a place to get into naval warfare, since it looks like we're getting much less ocean this time around.

But now we're in the realm of speculation, which the office's resident Total War and Warhammer nerds are quite excited about. Most notably, we see what look like normal units wandering around the map, which is a contrast to most modern Total War games, which have generally put lords and heroes front and centre when it comes to overworld movement.

RELATED LINKS: Total War: Warhammer 3 release date, Total War: Warhammer 3 races, The best strategy games on PC

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 12:16 PM
     Benchmark leak hints at AMD Ryzen Zen 4 CPU with DDR5 support

Intel's Alder Lake lineup is off to a strong start and even its budget core i3 models could pack a surprising gaming PC punch. While the blue team has undoubtedly given AMD a reason to sweat, it's also seemingly gearing up to fight for the CPU crown, as a leaked benchmark suggests a DDR5 compatible Zen 4 offering could be in the works.

Spotted by BenchLeaks, the anonymous BAPCo CrossMark benchmark test claims the AMD CPU has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Asus bench unit used in testing also pairs the processor with two 8GB sticks of DDR5 memory, clocked at 4,800MHz.

While the BAPCo results page says the unmarked component is a desktop chip, the tested system's M3402RA model number bears resemblance to the company's Vivobook Pro OLED laptops. This means we could be looking at an AMD Rembrandt Zen 3+ APU, as previous rumours suggest the red team's mobile offering will also support DDR5.

RELATED LINKS: AMD Ryzen 9 3900X review, AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT review, Best CPU for gaming

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 12:11 PM
     Destiny 2: what is the Nightfall weapon this week?

Want to know what this week's Destiny 2 Nightfall weapon is? Each week you've got a chance at a different weapon for completing Nightfall Strikes, and as of Season of the Lost, you can now get fan-favourite legacy weapons from the original Destiny. Two more of these weapons arrived in Season of the Lost, so it's more important than ever to know in advance the Nightfall weapon schedule.

In case all these words are new to you, Nightfall: The Ordeal is a playlist available in the Vanguard menu, alongside the basic Strike playlist. Each week, a different Strike is chosen as the Nightfall, and offered in five escalating difficulties, with harder enemies, challenging modifiers, and enemy power levels cranking up.

The coveted Nightfall weapons have a chance to drop from any Nightfall Strike difficulty, but it's far more likely at higher levels. Your best bet for farming each week's Nightfall weapon is to set the Strike to Master difficulty, according to YouTuber Aztecross. You should also note that there's no automatic matchmaking above Hero difficulty, however, so you'll need to get a squad together.

RELATED LINKS: Destiny 2: Beyond Light review, Destiny 2 exotics, Play Destiny 2

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 12:00 PM
     Valheim update adds armour stands, Christmas items, and quiet wolves

Surprise! Valheim has got a slew of Christmas goodies to mark the festive season. Developer Iron Gate has released a patch for the survival game, including quality-of-life updates alongside some bug fixes alongside the seasonal treats.

The next time you log in to Valheim, you should find some Christmas items at the trader. You've got a Christmas tree and gifts to decorate your base with and a Santa hat to wear while doing it. The yule tree has been available in the debug menu for a while, but it's nice to officially see it come to the game. As was recently teased, you're also getting an armour stand. It's not quite festive, but players have been asking for it so under the chrimbo tree it goes.

Iron Gate has also taught Valheim's animals to chill out a bit. Tamed animals are no longer afraid of fire, while tamed wolves will no longer howl at all. I love my loud and shouty lads, so I'm not sure how I feel about the latter change, though I imagine my server pals will be thrilled.

RELATED LINKS: Valheim system requirements, Valheim building tips, Valheim progression guide

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:59 AM
     Final Fantasy 14's Starlight Celebration kicks off this week – here's when and where

Final Fantasy XIV's next seasonal event is upon us. The winter holidays are fast approaching and, right on time, developer Square Enix has announced details for this year's Starlight Celebration in-game event, which kicks off later this week.

The Final Fantasy XIV Starlight Celebration festival is due to go live on December 16 at 12am PT / 3am ET / 8am GMT for its 2021 edition, and will run until December 31 at 6:59 am PT / 9:59 am ET / 2:59 pm GMT. Popping up at this time of year annually since the MMO's launch back in 2010, the festival is all about yeti this year, it seems, kicking off with a mission called 'A very yeti starlight' that's found by speaking to Amh Garanjy in Old Gridania (coordinates are X:10.2, Y:9.4 in case they're handy).

Details are light on what this will involve in Square Enix's announcement, and you'll need to be at least level 15 to find out. The description merely teases that "Amh Garanjy is busy readying for the festivities in Mih Khetto's Amphitheatre and may just have a special task for you". We do, however, have a lovely image of the suitably seasonal festivities headed our way when it arrives.

RELATED LINKS: FFXIV Shadowbringers review, FFXIV Gunbreaker job guide, FFXIV Dancer job guide

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:52 AM
     Battlefield 2042 specialist skins challenges – how to customise your specialist

Want to know how the progression system works in Battlefield 2042 to unlock skins? After weeks of silence, EA and Dice have revealed how players earn cosmetics in their upcoming FPS game. Battlefield 2042's progression system invites players to complete difficult in-game challenges in exchange for cosmetics. These cosmetics include weapon skins and specialist outfits, allowing players to express themselves on the frontline.

Battlefield 2042 scraps the traditional class system used in the previous entries and instead opts for Battlefield 2042 Specialists. Specialists can equip any primary or secondary Battlefield 2042 guns, and they have access to a unique gadget and trait to help them stand out. With 128 player servers and only ten specialists at launch, unlockable outfits ensure each player has a distinct look.

The progression system doesn't just focus on player cosmetics, you also have ribbons, weapon unlocks, and player cards to obtain, as you rack up countless wins. Here's everything you need to know about the Battlefield 2042 progress system, including what you can unlock, which cosmetics are available, and more.

RELATED LINKS: Battlefield 2042 review, Best multiplayer games on PC, Best FPS games on PC

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:30 AM
     The best Battlefield 2042 weapons

Want to know about every gun in Battlefield 2042? Unlike other games in the series, Battlefield 2042 scraps the traditional class system which ties weapons to specific classes - If you wanted to use an SMG in Battlefield 5, you were forced to pick the Medic class even if you had no intention of healing or reviving dead teammates.

The new Battlefield 2042 Specialist system allows players to pick the weapons they want, alongside the gadget and trait that suits them best. This also opens up Battlefield to different types of classes other than the usual Recon, Support, Assault, and Medic archetypes. There are ten specialists available in Battlefield 2042.

There's also the 'Plus System' in Battlefield 2042 that gives players the ability to change their weapon attachments on the fly. If your assault rifle has an ACOG scope that isn't needed on a close quarters map, remove the optics and revert back to iron sights to get a clearer shot. Here are all the best guns in Battlefield 2042.

RELATED LINKS: Battlefield 2042 review, Best multiplayer games on PC, Best FPS games on PC

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:17 AM
     Get eight of the best Batman games for just $1.25 each

In the character's long 82-year history, we've seen Batman interpreted in several ways across various mediums. The world of videogames in particular has enjoyed a number of particularly memorable iterations of the Caped Crusader, ranging from the blocky tongue-in-cheek humour of the LEGO Batman games, through to the gritty gameplay of the Arkham series. If you're one of the many people looking for the best superhero games at a great price, you may be happy to hear that for a limited time, Humble's offering eight of these great titles in the form of The WB Batman Collection for a mere $10 .

If you're unfamiliar with the Humble Bundle model, let us break it down for you. There's a minimum price (in this case, $10), but otherwise you're given the choice of how much money you want to spend. Humble works with various charity partners and these bundles help to raise money for them. In this instance, the bundle helps raise funds for SpecialEffect, a charity dedicated to making video games more accessible so that they can be enjoyed by children living with disabilities.

Whether you missed out on the earlier Arkham games, or you're looking to give a Bat fan great gifts for Christmas, this offer gets you a whole lot of action and adventure for an absolute steal.

RELATED LINKS: Arkham Knight System Requrirements

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 12:39 PM
     The best STG 44 loadout in Warzone Pacific

Looking for the best STG 44 loadout in Warzone Pacific? The STG 44 is one of the best Call of Duty Vanguard guns thanks to its high damage output and accuracy, and it looks just as powerful in the battle royale game. Unlike the Black Ops Cold War weapons that were brought over to Warzone with radically different stats, it looks like the Vanguard guns are largely the same as their multiplayer counterparts.

This weapon has become synonymous with Warzone Pacific because it's the default assault rifle in Vanguard. A lot of players have already leveled up this weapon in the multiplayer mode, making it easy to build the best STG 44 loadout. When compared to the other best Warzone assault rifles, the STG 44 comfortably earns one of the top spots on the Vanguard weapons tier list, and - unsurprisingly - it makes an appearance in our best Warzone loadouts guide.

While this weapon can be built in a variety of ways, our customised build focuses on improving the STG 44's recoil control and increasing its damage range while maintaining its impressive damage output. Here's everything you need to build the best STG 44 loadout in Warzone Pacific.


PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:00 AM
     Sims-like Paralives details its character creator and gender-free clothing options

Despite years of continued popularity, few developers have attempted to put their own spin on the sandbox life simulation of The Sims - but Paralives is capturing the community's interest. Now, the devs behind the upcoming life sim have provided an in-depth look at the Paralives character creator.

There are a load of detailed options in the video, including everything from the expected proportion options for various body parts to granular details like tattoos or moles you can determine the size and placement of. You can choose from a selection of premade skin tones, or choose your own from a full colour selector, allowing you to pick something that represents you - or maybe represents the hot blue-skinned alien you dream of being.

Clothing options are wide-ranging, too. You can choose either preset or custom colour options, and for many articles, you can even select custom patterns. All clothing is gender-neutral, too, as are the game's body and facial hair options.


PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:58 AM
     Intel Alder Lake i3-12100F, i5-12400F, and i7-12700F specs leak ahead of CES 2022

Intel Alder Lake processors may rank among the best gaming CPUs you can buy right now, but their industry leading performance and support for DDR5 gaming RAM comes at a premium cost. Thankfully, leaked promotional materials indicate that team blue will soon add more budget-oriented chips to its 12th generation Core lineup.

According to Videocardz, we can expect Intel to announce and release three new processors: the Core i3-1200F, i5-12400F, and i7-12700F. While the i7 retains the mix of performance and efficiency cores seen on previous Alder Lake CPUs, the i5 and i3 chips only feature performance cores, returning to a more traditional homogeneous design.

So, in terms of core count, the i7-12700F will allegedly feature 12(8P+4E) cores and 20 threads, with a max clock speed of 4.9GHz. Meanwhile, the i5-12400F will boost up to 4.4GHz with six cores and 12 threads, and the i3-12100F isn't too far behind at 4.3GHz with four cores and eight threads.

RELATED LINKS: Intel Core i9 9900K review, Intel Core i7 9700K review, Best CPU for gaming

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:54 AM
     This US teacher uses Humankind and Civilization to teach world history

Civilization and Humankind are great historical strategy games, but can you imagine getting to play them as part of an official class? High school students at a school in Maine in the US don't have to wonder, as these two 4X games are being used by their teacher for a class on world history.

Ryan Botting doesn't completely let his students play games all day, but the flexibility offered by his state's education system means he's able to fold these games into his syllabus. "I use Civilization and Humankind in my classroom similar to how a teacher might use a normal activity in the classroom: to have students engage in the material we go over in the class and get them excited about learning," Botting tells us.

"In the normal classroom we go over the primary theme of each era. Then, in the gaming portion they play a giant multiplayer game where they are given objectives of things their civilisation (or precursor civilisation) actually did in history. When students complete their objectives we go over them in class, using the real-life events as a case study to examine the primary theme of the era."

RELATED LINKS: The best Civ 6 mods, The best Civ 6 civs, Play Civilization VI

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:28 AM
     The best truck games on PC

Looking for some of the best truck games on PC? Trucks and truckers have become mythologised in pop culture like modern-day cowboys, transporting crucial cargo across harsh, lonely landscapes and spending days in their own company. Translating that experience into a videogame has taken many forms over the last couple of decades, from Mad Max-like highway battlers to fully fledged simulation games where journeys take as long as they would in real life.

While there are not many truck games - you could mistake it for being a niche genre - there are a lot of truck game fans looking for the right trucking game for them. In an effort to help those people out, we've assembled a handful of great truck games, including the popular truck sims, but also branching out to physics-based puzzlers, platform games, and racing games with trucks.

So whether you're looking to lose yourself on a long trip along the Pacific Northwest, want to spend hours hauling your cargo through a single muddy ditch, or want to take your truck to a chicane-riddled racecourse, we've got a little something for every type of truck gamer.

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

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:02 AM
     Win RTX 3080 GPUs by taking part in Nvidia's system latency challenge

Nowadays, it's easy to see just how much of an impact resolutions and refresh rates have on your gaming experience, but getting a tangible feel for how latency can affect your gameplay is a little trickier. In its war on system lag, Nvidia has partnered with Kovaak's to debut an aim training challenge that showcases how a lower latency could mean the difference between a win and loss in your FPS games. Better yet, you could bag yourself a fancy new mouse from Logitech, 360Hz gaming monitor from MSI, or even an RTX 3080 graphics card just by taking part.

Usually, the base game would cost you $10 / £10, or $15 / £14 collectively with its optional Tracking Trainer DLC, but it'll be free from now until December 20. Both are also currently half price if you fancy using the aim trainer after the Nvidia system latency challenge comes to an end.

Although this lets everyone take part, there is a catch: you'll need a graphics card that supports Nvidia Reflex for your scores to register on the leaderboard, such as the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1000 series and above. If you bleed red with an AMD GPU or sport a GTX 900 card or below, you'll still be able to refine your skills, but your score won't submit and you won't be eligible for prizes because Reflex is needed to track everything accurately.

RELATED LINKS: RTX 2070 Super review, RTX 2060 Super review, Best graphics card

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:02 AM
     The best sword games on PC

Hacking and slashing your way through hordes of enemies with an oversized sword in hand is one of videogaming's greatest delights. Sword games can strive for realism, both in their combat and setting, or set out to be ludicrous power fantasies – there are no hard and fast rules here, which makes it all rather exciting.

So given that it's an extremely broad genre, you might well be having a tough time finding the best of the bunch. That's precisely why we've collated a handy list that spans all types of sword games, from 2D co-op titles and hack 'n' slash actioners to VR rhythm games and expansive sandbox RPGs.

Regardless of whatever type of sword games you enjoy, you're sure to find something here that takes your fancy. We've also tried to get a nice mix of single-player and multiplayer games, just in case you have a strong preference for either. And so let's get to it! Here are the best sword games on PC in no particular order.

RELATED LINKS: Vermintide 2 release date, Vermintide 2 Chaos, Vermintide 2 careers

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 9:20 AM
     Nvidia reportedly delays its GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 16GB and RTX 3080 12GB GPUs

It appears that the ongoing chip shortage has forced Nvidia to postpone the release of its GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 16GB and RTX 3080 12GB graphics cards, according to Igor's Lab. Thankfully, the 3090 Ti will be announced and released as planned (for now at least).

The RTX 3070 Ti 16GB and RTX 3080 12GB were previously rumoured to be revealed in just three days, on December 17. This postponement marks a continued trend of Nvidia amending its reported release schedules, with the company having previously cancelled the RTX 2060 12GB Founders Edition just a few days before launch.

If you're the kind of person who just wants the best graphics cards Nvidia has to offer, the RTX 3090 Ti should launch on January 27, 2022. Not much is known about the GPU, but leaks suggest the card will feature 1TB/s of memory bandwidth and a new PCIe Gen 5 power connector. Unfortunately, these kinds of specifications could make it a prime target for crypto miners like EVGA's RTX 3080 Ti.

RELATED LINKS: RTX 2070 Super review, RTX 2060 Super review, Best graphics card

PCGamesN Tuesday, December 14, 2021 9:20 AM
     The best tower defense games on PC

Looking for the best tower defense games on PC? For a time, the humble tower defense game was one of the most popular genres out there. They may appear to be simple strategy games for more casual players, but fans would call them accessible tactical titles that require sharp reflexes, a sharper mind, and quick improvisation.

Their accessibility comes from how deceptively straightforward they are - at least to begin with. A horde of enemies comes from specific directions across a small arena and the player has to improvise a set of appropriate defenses, using scant resources, to deal with them. Enemies become tougher and more numerous as the game progresses, but the player gets access to better equipment to deal with them too.

They're also highly addictive, which is why there remains a steady influx of tower defense titles - they even pop up in other genres too, such as the entertaining den defense minigame in Assassin's Creed Revelations. While the genre often veers towards smartphone and tablet gaming, there are still many fantastic tower defense games on PC right now. Here's the best of the best.


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 14, 2021 12:07 PM
    

Come one, come all, and witness one of the coolest Minecraft homes I've ever bothered to help make. Look, I'm not usually a builder in survival crafting games. I'm an explorer (and frequent dier). But, with the Caves & Cliffs Part 2 update that arrived last month, I've had a newfound purpose: create the coolest home I can find in the biggest cave I can find. And so I give to you, the upside down deepslate pyramid (located right beneath some festive tundra!)

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 14, 2021 12:04 PM
    

Like many people, I've had a difficult year. My dad died, an uncle died soon after, and everything is a lot, you know? Even in the best of years, I find Christmas challenging. That's why I'm filling my ears with the maximalist sounds of a song which knows true suffering, a song from a fictional musician in a video game. Reader dear, it's that time of year: if you've not already started, pour a cocoa and join me for Christmas Pain In Christmas Town.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:55 AM
    

Peter Molyneux's 22cans studio have sold around £40 million of NFTs for their "blockchain business simulator" Legacy, before it's been released. The town management game has its own cryptocurrency, of course, and this weekend they sold NFTs of virtual land for real money. The hope for crypto land barons is that they would be able to earn money back from other players through in-game business partnerships.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:00 AM
    

Paralives Studio has given us all an early Christmas present, in the form of a look at Paralives' character creation tool. The video is pre-alpha footage and it emphasises that this is still a work in progress, but the character creator (called Paramaker, a name chosen by the game's community) looks ridiculously detailed even so.

Paralives is a life sim game that may even have the chops to topple The Sims' supremacy when it launches. This video of the character creation is the beefiest look at Paralives we've had for a while. Marvel as the Paras change musculature, fat distribution and weight before your eyes. Importantly, you can give your Paras some sick tattoos and amazing patterned jackets, because what's the point making a tiny puppet to play with if they're not well cool?

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:00 AM
    

As part of our relaunched supporter program this year, we've been busy organising lots of great free game keys for RPS premium supporters. Admittedly, the last two we've done (Darkest Dungeon and Wartales) have both been quite small with only limited numbers of codes available, but I'm pleased to say we've finally put together that long-awaited 'big' free game drop that all premium supporters will be able to get involved with.

That next free game is Plunder Panic, a swashbuckling pirate 'em up in which teams of up to six players battle it out on the high seas. Here's how to get your copy.

Read more


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:54 PM
    

Pretty soon the second season of the adorable free-to-play Super Animal Royale will be available to play, along with a Christmas-themed return of the Bwoking Dead LTM (limited-time mode). If you just want the Super Animal Royale season 2 highlights, the Modus Games site lays them out as: Season 2 Busy Busy Pass + New […]

The post Super Animal Royale Season 2 Brings Plenty of Fur and Fixes appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:42 PM
    

Today, developer Norsfell and the publishing arm of Gearbox launched a brand new update that adds a bunch of new content to their Norse isometric action-RPG, Tribes of Midgard. Specifically, the update is titled Season 2: Serpent Saga, and it introduces a new Jörmungandr the World Serpent boss, a new open seas biome, new weapons […]

The post Tribes of Midgard Gets Free Season 2: Serpent Saga Update appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:19 PM
    

Since its release in September, no one can argue that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings wasn't a spectacle. Whether it was the fantastical creatures, the fight scenes, or the magical visual that accompanied them both, it is safe to say that Marvel really outdid themselves from a visual standpoint. What is even […]

The post Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Gets Recreated at Low Cost appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 1:52 PM
    

***The video below contains minor spoilers for Deathloop. While you may need context to understand the spoilers, it is still recommended you finish the game before watching it. If you have beat it, or simply don't mind spoilers, then enjoy!*** Ever since it was released back in September, fans haven't been able to get enough […]

The post Beastie Boys Fit Seamlessly Into This Deathloop Montage (Minor Spoilers) appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 12:39 PM
    

Today Sega and Creative Assembly released another brand new trailer of the upcoming Warhammer strategy game Total War: Warhammer III.

The post Total War: Warhammer III Reveals the Campaign Map With New Trailer appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 12:31 PM
    

Today Idea Factory International announced the release dates for the Nintendo Switch port of Compile Heart's JRPG Death End re;Quest 2.

The post Death End re;Quest 2 For Nintendo Switch Gets Western Release Dates appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:55 AM
    

Following the recent release of version 2.3 of Genshin Impact, MiHoYo finally made Arataki Itto available in the gacha.

The post Genshin Impact Celebrates Arataki Itto's Release With Extensive Gameplay Trailer appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:30 AM
    

Today Koei Tecmo released another new trailer of the upcoming JRPG Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream.

The post New Atelier Sophie 2 Trailer Introduces Diebold Lewerenz Voiced by Kengo Kawanishi appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:16 AM
    

Square Enix announced the upcoming racing game, Chocobo GP, just a couple of months ago, and now they've released a trailer revealing the game will be coming to Nintendo Switch early next year, on Mar. 10, 2022. A free Lite version will also be available on the same date. The game allows players to use […]

The post Chocobo GP Races Onto Nintendo Switch in March 2022 appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:00 AM
    

Today, developers Navegante Entertainment and Bromio, along with publisher Team17, dropped a brand new accolades launch trailer to commemorate the release of their gorgeous hand-drawn Metroidvania, Greak: Memories of Azur, which is out now for PS4 and Xbox One. Find out what the critics have been saying about the acclaimed title down below: Taking cues […]

The post Cute Hand-Drawn Metroidvania 'Greak: Memories of Azur' Gets PS4 & Xbox One Launch Trailer appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:55 AM
    

Today NIS America announced the western release date of the Nintendo Switch port of FuRyu's JRPG Crystar, and revealed a new trailer.

The post Crystar for Nintendo Switch Gets Western Release Date & Story Trailer appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:54 AM
    

Earlier this week, Square Enix revealed that they'd be reprinting the Final Fantasy XIV: Vinyl LP Box Wave 2, featuring all four Final Fantasy XIV vinyl collections. Alongside this vinyl collection, purchasers will also get an MP3 download code and jackets that feature gorgeous illustrations created by Kuroimori. According to the press release, the vinyl […]

The post Final Fantasy XIV: Vinyl LP Box Wave 2 Now Available for Pre-Order appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:09 AM
    

Since its release back in September, many fans have been wondering when they'll be able to get their hands on the wholesome narrative adventure, known as Lake, via Game Pass. Well, after a few months of waiting, the game has finally arrived on the platform for Xbox and PC users. Gamious and Whitethorn Games announced the […]

The post Lake Has Been Added to Xbox and PC Game Pass appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, December 14, 2021 9:40 AM
    

Nintendo has announced that the next Indie World showcase will be airing tomorrow on Dec. 15 at 9 am PT / 12 pm ET. Fans will be able to tune into this presentation to watch approximately 20 minutes of information regarding indie games that will be coming to the Nintendo Switch. This event shouldn't come […]

The post Nintendo Indie World Showcase Airing Tomorrow appeared first on Twinfinite.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 4:00 PM
    

Also available on Switch.

The post Kowloon Highschool Chronicle Comes to PS4 in March 2022 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 3:00 PM
    

Nintendo Switch release Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is one game with two distinct experiences.

The post Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain Is for One or for All appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:30 PM
    

We finally have a Windjammers 2 release date. Dotemu confirmed it will appear next year. People won't have to wait too long for it either. It will show up on January 20, 2022 on consoles and computers. In addition, those with Xbox Game Pass will see it on the service at launch. To go along with the announcement, there's a Windjammers 2 release date trailer. The video offers a look at some of the different characters and courts that will appear in the game. It also confirmed that pretty much every current console will be able to play. #Windjammers2 is […]

The post Windjammers 2 Release Date Falls in January 2022 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:00 PM
    

Square Enix listed some FFXIV Ceremony of Eternal Bonding reservation times people might want to avoid due to possible maintenance.

The post FFXIV Ceremony of Eternal Bonding Reservation Restrictions Announced appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 1:30 PM
    

River City Girls Zero, the port of the Super Famicom game Shin Nekketsu Koha: Kunio-tachi no Banka, is delayed out of 2021 and into 2022.

The post River City Girls Zero Delayed Until 2022 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 1:00 PM
    

NIS America set the English Crystar Switch release date, and it falls about a month after the port's Japanese debut. There's a new trailer too.

The post Crystar Switch Release Date Falls in March 2022 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 12:30 PM
    

The Fire Emblem Heroes Winter Special Heroes include Manuela, Lysithea, Lute, Artur, Mirabilis, and Ignatz.

The post Fire Emblem Heroes Winter Units Include Manuela, Lysithea appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 12:00 PM
    

The latest Atelier Ryza figure, which features her putting her boots on, will cost almost $300 when it appears next year.

The post New Atelier Ryza Figure Costs Almost $300 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:30 AM
    

The latest Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin update offered details about three of its basic jobs and some new characters.

The post New Stranger of Paradise Basic Jobs and Characters Shared appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:00 AM
    

The latest upgrade to MAGES' fighting game is finally ready to launch next year.

The post Phantom Breaker: Omnia Will Release in March 2022 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:30 AM
    

In addition to a FFVII The First Soldier balance patch, Ateam and Square Enix are planning an FPS update and January 2022 presentation.

The post FFVII The First Soldier FPS and Balance Patch Coming appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:00 AM
    

The Tales of Arise December update gives PS4 and Xbox One owners the ability to transfer save data to the PS5 and Xbox Series X.

The post Tales of Arise Save Data Transfer Added in December Update appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 9:40 AM
    

Nintendo revealed that its Indie World December 2021 showcase will appear tomorrow and spend about 20 minutes looking at upcoming games.

The post Indie World December 2021 Showcase Will Appear Tomorrow appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 9:15 AM
    

There's a fifth member in the Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin party, and her name is Sophia. Get to know her better.

The post Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Sophia Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, December 14, 2021 9:00 AM
    

Arataki Itto will use superhuman strength to pulverize opponents.

The post Genshin Impact Arataki Itto Video Showcases Superhuman Strength appeared first on Siliconera.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 3:30 PM
    

See just how many hours you spent designing homes, training Pokemon, or defending your clients Nintendo has launched its Year...

The post The 2021 Nintendo Switch Year in Review is now available appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 3:00 PM
    

This a celly, that's a tool (and also a device to play games on) After the nightmare that was 2020,...

The post Nominees for Destructoid's Best Mobile Game of 2021 appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:30 PM
    

It's a living I've long held that Halo is, oftentimes, hilarious. If you get Gravity Hammered, your Spartan doesn't just roll...

The post Halo Infinite has some fantastic voice lines for its poor, poor Grunts appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:00 PM
    

Blue-Blur-ray You asked for it, (did you ask for it? I dunno), and now you're getting it. As part of...

The post Discotek is bringing the original Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon to Blu-ray in 2022 appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 1:30 PM
    

The follow-up to the disc-sport classic has set a launch date The second round of Windjammers is finally ready for action....

The post Windjammers 2 rockets into the net with a January launch date appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 1:00 PM
    

Dungeon Crawling Class 101 Cult Japanese release Kowloon High School Chronicle is bringing its strange, subterranean mysteries to the PS4...

The post Kowloon High School Chronicle is bringing its underworld mystery to PS4 appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 12:30 PM
    

Was it a very good year? 2021 was an interesting year for gaming. We had a lot of projects that...

The post Nominees for Destructoid's Best Switch Game of 2021 appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 12:00 PM
    

Samurai Slow Down The flash of steel. The fountain of claret. The winds of death. These and many other tropes...

The post Trek to Yomi is easily one of my most anticipated games of 2022 appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:30 AM
    

1.13 million sold in November in the US This week, Nintendo announced that the Nintendo Switch (combined via the original,...

The post Nintendo: Switch was the top-selling US console of November 2021 appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:15 AM
    

Combo Scale-ing Are you curious about Nexon's new fighter DNF Duel yet? I sure am, and while I'm not entirely...

The post Dragon Knight (and Astra) are bringing the fantasy to DNF Duel appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:00 AM
    

A holiday surprise from Nintendo and its indie partners Nintendo announced today that it will be hosting a new Indie...

The post Surprise, Nintendo is hosting a new Indie World Showcase tomorrow appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:00 AM
    

I'll take a sleek animated show over a Mega Man movie, thanks Deciding what worlds should be adapted into what...

The post Remember that Mega Man movie announcement from forever ago? It's a Netflix project now appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, December 14, 2021 9:25 AM
    

Also, Mortal Kombat 11 Microsoft has unveiled its full Xbox Game Pass December slate, and there's a few forgotten surprises,...

The post Among Us headlines December's interesting Xbox Game Pass offerings appeared first on Destructoid.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, December 14, 2021 4:00 PM
     Mega Man movie Netflix robot mastersDespite the shaky reputation that movie adaptations of popular gaming IP have, film studios still regularly jump at any opportunity to make one. After all, these adaptations generate a great deal of buzz and at least a few have become major box office successes. So, it makes sense that major film companies usually see these projects as worth the risk. Several major gaming mascots have already received the movie adaptation treatment, but this has not yet happened with Mega Man, one of Capcom's most recognizable faces. That could change soon, as a live-action Mega Man movie may come out on Netflix if everything goes according to plan.   Haven't we heard of this before? 20th Century Fox actually informed the public of this Mega Man film back in 2015, but the project never came to fruition. Despite this, the project has apparently remained in active development since then, as someone on the production staff would usually remind the public of the movie's existence ...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:45 PM
     Destiny 2 Dawning 2021 Event GuideThe Dawning 2021 event is now live in Destiny 2. It's time once again for Guardians to spread cheer all around. Similar to previous years, you'll meet up with everyone's favorite granny, Eva Levante, who'll get you started with the festivities. Here's our Destiny 2 Dawning 2021 event guide to help you with Eva Levante's bounties, rewards, Dawning Spirit, and new mechanics. Note: For more information, check out our Destiny 2: Season of the Lost guides and features hub.   Destiny 2 Dawning 2021 event guide – Eva Levante's bounties, rewards, Dawning Spirit, and new mechanics I've divided our Destiny 2 Dawning 2021 event guide into several sections. You can refer to the pages and separate guides below for the parts that you need help with: Starting out: Bounties, rewards, and mechanics Holiday Oven Recipes The Pigeon Provides quest Rite of Dawning quest

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:40 PM
     Destiny 2 Dawning 2021 Rite Of Dawning QuestDestiny 2's annual holiday event is now available. Upon talking to Eva Levante in the Tower, you'll receive a couple of quests. One of these is called the Rite of Dawning. Here's our Destiny 2 guide to help you complete the Rite of Dawning quest. Note: For more information, check out our Destiny 2: Season of the Lost guides and features hub. Likewise, you can take a look at our main guide for the Dawning 2021 holiday event.   Destiny 2 Dawning 2021 event guide – Rite of Dawning quest Here are the steps to complete the Rite of Dawning quest in Destiny 2: Talk to Zavala in the Tower. Search for a Red Legion datapad in Firebase Hades in the EDZ – Make sure you're tracking the mission and head to Firebase Hades. You should see it to your left next to gigantic munitions. Acquire the Torobatl Ceremonial Cup in the Pathfinder's Crash lost sector and obtain 25x Ritual Schematics from Cabal – The Pathfinder's Crash lost sector is in...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:30 PM
     Pc Game Pass Firewatch Mortal Kombat 11 December 2021Nothing makes me warm and fuzzy like the holiday season. However, a good list of games to try out is always second best. PC Game Pass is pushing out one final round of games for December 2021, and a few of them are quite great. Mortal Kombat 11, which exploded onto the fighting game scene in 2019 (probably in a shower of guts), leads the charge. It's paired with the excellent Firewatch, along with Broken Age and The Gunk. Unfortunately, the first two Yakuza remakes and the series prequel are on their way out of PC Game Pass at the end of the month. Microsoft seems to be adding more and more PC games to Game Pass every month, and December is no different. There are 10 games on the way, with only Among Us standing out as a Cloud release. In a surprise, though, every game coming in the second wave will release on December 16.   There's really no waiting around this time. On December 16, we'll get Ben 10: Power Trip, Broken Age, Firewatch, The Gunk, Lake, Mortal K...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:10 PM
     Destiny 2 Dawning 2021 The Pigeon Provides Zephyr Sword A Gift In Return GuideThe Pigeon Provides is a quest that you'll obtain after meeting up with Eva Levante in the Tower. After multiple tasks, you'll eventually receive a cool reward. Here's our Destiny 2 Dawning 2021 event guide to help you with The Pigeon Provides quest and the Zephyr sword. Note: For more information, check out our Destiny 2: Season of the Lost guides and features hub. Likewise, you can take a look at our main guide for the Dawning 2021 holiday event.   Destiny 2 Dawning 2021 event guide – The Pigeon Provides quest and the Zephyr sword Here are the steps to complete The Pigeon Provides quest during the Dawning 2021 event in Destiny 2: Complete The Lost Splicer mission on Europa – This is the introductory quest in Season of the Splicer, so you should have this tally finished automatically if you were around during that season. Talk to Saint-14 in the Tower. Track down the Eliksni Recipe in the Eventide Ruins on Europa – Use the Eventide Ruins fa...

Tabletop Gaming News Tuesday, December 14, 2021 3:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Tuesday, December 14, 2021 1:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Tuesday, December 14, 2021 12:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:00 AM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:00 AM
    

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Tuesday, December 14, 2021 3:02 PM
     Have you ever had those rare moments in Stardew Valley wherein something out of the ordinary happens right after going to bed? It could either be anything from hearing eerie animal noises or seeing a cutscene of a fairy visiting your farm. A lot more of these random occurrences exist in the game that you […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Tuesday, December 14, 2021 1:01 PM
     Diablo 2: Resurrected is everything Diablo 2 but with a fresh coat of paint. It does not have the modern Quality-of-Life advancements in gameplay design. When Diablo 2 was released, RPGs still had Save Points. Although Diablo 2 does not have Save Points, it only allows limited respec opportunities. Other RPG games today incorporate almost […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:22 AM
     There are a plethora of areas in Team Cherry's Hollow Knight with their own kinds of enemies. One of these areas is Kingdom's Edge. Kingdom's Edge is on the easternmost part of Hallownest just right next to the CIty of Tears. The cliffs of this desolate land are filled with white ash. In this area, […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Tuesday, December 14, 2021 9:50 AM
     Fracture is VALORANT's newest map with the craziest layout we have ever seen in any tactical shooting game. The new map will make players rethink how they can effectively attack either of the two bomb sites present in Fracture. The unique double attacker entry layout is something that thousands of VALORANT fans have been wanting […]

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:42 PM
    

Not perfect, but a good first step.

The post Sony Attempting To Mend Indie Relationships appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:09 PM
    

Maybe you should start Unpacking if you haven't yet.

The post Unpacking tops 100,000 Sales In 10 Days appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:00 AM
    

Star Wars: Eclipse - Everything we Can Gleam

The post Star Wars Eclipse: Everything We Can Glean From the Trailer appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Pivotal Gamers Tuesday, December 14, 2021 1:11 PM
     What's up all? Giveaway.su is giving you the chance to win on Call of Juarez: Gunslinger. This is what they say. Hey, there is a great opportunity to get a free Steam copy of "Call of Juarez: Gunslinger"! This giveaway is limited in time so hurry up! A few words about Call of Juarez: Gunslinger From the dust of a gold mine to the dirt of a saloon, Call of Juarez Gunslinger is a r...

Pivotal Gamers Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:35 AM
     What's up all? gamehag is giving you the chance to win on 50 KD. This is what they say. Get the reward 50 KD. To get this key your Steam level must be at least 5. Last minute notes Login with your gamehag account, complete all steps to get your key. Isn't that great news or what? Just click on the button below and follow the listed instuctions. It's that easy! Excited about this ...

Level Up Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:30 AM
     Windjammers 2 has been a long-time coming (it was first announced in 2018) and after…

Level Up Tuesday, December 14, 2021 11:00 AM
     As 2021 begins to wind down, Microsoft has unveiled the second batch of titles joining…

Level Up Tuesday, December 14, 2021 10:28 AM
     Chocobo GP is racing through the finish line in just a few months.  More specifically,…

Level Up Tuesday, December 14, 2021 9:22 AM
     Nintendo has some indie games ready to show, and it sounds like we'll all be…