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Jun 06, 10:00


PCGamesN Monday, June 6, 2022 9:53 AM
     Summer GOG sale brings free games, Sega, and Alien Isolation

The GOG Summer Sale has kicked off and it's brought with a bunch of free games, a major publisher to the DRM-free line-up, and one of the best horror games on PC. Yes, Sega has finally joined the storefront, and it's brought with it an Alien Isolation GOG release - with more to come.

The next big GOG sale has launched and runs from June 6 all the way to June 27, with the usual selection of great deals. GOG also confirms that there will be at least five separate game giveaways during the Summer Sale. You can pick up the classic horror adventure game Sanitarium right now to keep for free, as long as you grab it within 48 hours.

Perhaps the bigger news is that Sega is finally joining GOG.com. The Alien Isolation collection is its initial offering, which consists of the ultimate Alien game and all seven (!) DLC packs. It launches as part of the sale for 75% off, so it's a good deal if you haven't sampled the delights of having the locker you were hiding in ripped open and your face chewed off by a toothy space phallus yet.

RELATED LINKS: Alien: Isolation review, Best horror games on PC, Best VR games

PCGamesN Monday, June 6, 2022 7:53 AM
     This Final Fantasy 7 Remake mod remakes FFVII Remake

A huge new Final Fantasy VII Remake mod has dropped that upscales, fixes, and improves over 20,000 textures in the RPG game to make it properly HD. In other words, this mod is a Final Fantasy VII Remake remake, and it's available now - for a hefty chunk of hard drive space.

Final Fantasy VII is still one of the best JRPGs on PC and its much-anticipated remake debuted on PC last year to much acclaim - even if it had some performance issues and high system requirements, particularly in terms of hard drive space. Well, one modder apparently thought they weren't high enough, apparently.

The first version of the FF7 Remake HD Project mod is now available on NexusMods and it adds 54Gb to the hundred-odd the game already takes up, to say nothing of performance. As for what the mod by Altezein does with that power, it upscales 20,000 plus textures in Final Fantasy VII Remake to make them more HD, improving the quality of "characters, enemies, weapons, environments" and even skyboxes across the game.


PCGamesN Monday, June 6, 2022 7:36 AM
     Fortnite reality seeds locations – how to plant reality saplings

Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 3 is now live and there are plenty of changes to the island, such as the new reality seeds locations. One of the Zero Week challenges asks players to plant or summon reality saplings using reality seeds, so here's how they work.

Reality Falls is one of the new areas in the Fortnite map, covered in glowing purple trees. In the middle of this location is a large, lilac tree that drops reality seed pods, which can be broken using your pickaxe to obtain Fortnite reality seeds. You can plant these seeds anywhere on the island and they will grow into reality saplings, which you can loot in following games for weapons and gear.

You need to find and plant three reality seeds to complete this week's challenge. To plant a seed, find any location on the map where you're likely to return in future games, equip a seed, and throw it onto the ground. You need to take care of the plant by weeding it when needed in order to get higher tier loot such as legendary and mythic items.

RELATED LINKS: Fortnite V-Bucks, Fortnite Skins, Fortnite Creative Codes

PCGamesN Monday, June 6, 2022 7:28 AM
     DDR5 RAM prices drop ahead of next gen Intel and AMD CPUs

DDR5 RAM still costs significantly more than DDR4, but prices are starting to fall as the release of Intel Raptor Lake and AMD Ryzen 7000 draws near. Naturally, this could help the new memory standard make its way into the best gaming PC builds, helping to futureproof more rigs while shaking off its premium status.

According to Computerbase, DDR5 prices continue to fall significantly in Europe, with the likes of the Kingston 32GB dual-channel kit coming in at €154 (roughly $165 USD). The report also includes comparative costs for the standard last year, with similar options coming with an eye-watering €470 euros (over $500 USD).

Computerbase's price comparison data suggests you can get DDR5 RAM for less than five euros per gigabyte in a "best case scenario". It also caveats that DDR5-6000 kit costs remain high, with prices that are 100 Euros more than low-spec options. If you're an enthusiast builder looking to pair high spec modules with the best graphics card and CPU, these prices will no doubt make your wallet weep. However, if you're simply looking to embrace the new memory standard, making the jump from DDR5-4800 to DDR5-5200 could be financially viable.

RELATED LINKS: Best SSD for gaming, How to build a gaming PC, Best gaming CPU

PCGamesN Monday, June 6, 2022 6:08 AM
     Ark 2 leaks for Xbox Showcase, according to Ark France

It's the time for Summer Game Fest at last, and a whole bunch of leaks for show appearances have already begun to manifest - and it looks like an Ark 2 Xbox Showcase leak confirms the eagerly-awaited Vin Diesel starring survival game, thanks to an official Twitter account.

The anticipated Vin Diesel dinosaur game - also known as Ark 2, the sequel to Ark: Survival Evolved - was revealed at the Game Awards back in December 2020. Other than the news that family man Vin Diesel is actually serving as "president of creative convergence" on the project, we haven't heard anything about Ark 2 since then.

That seems set to change, as it looks like Ark 2 has leaked for an appearance at the Xbox Showcase on June 12. The leak seems pretty certain, as it comes from the official French Twitter account for Ark: Survival Evolved. You can see it below (thanks, Reddit). As for why it would be at Microsoft's event rather than Summer Game Fest or the PC Gaming Show, it was previously confirmed as an Xbox console launch exclusive.


PCGamesN Monday, June 6, 2022 6:00 AM
     Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 may be more power hungry than an RTX 3070

The Nvidia RTX 4060 is set to be the green team's next best graphics card for entry-level gaming PCs, but a new leak suggests it's as power-hungry as an RTX 3070. While the GPU's increased appetite should help budget builds boost fps, you might also need to swap out your power supply to satiate the next-gen newcomer.

In a tweet, reliable leaker Kopite7kimi questions the RTX 4060 GPU's capabilities, while stating that it "consumes more power than RTX 3070." The insider also flippantly references another RTX 4000 release date rumour, which suggests the RTX 4060 could release in January 2023 (via Wccftech).

The RTX 3070 comes with a 220W TDP, and Nvidia recommends using a 650W PSU to power the GPU. If Kopite7kimi's rumours hold true, low-spec gamers may need to treat the RTX 4060 like an RTX 3070 Ti – a card that's anything but entry-level by today's standards. While the prospect of powerful entry-level contenders will excite some gaming PC enthusiasts, we'll need to see whether the performance bump ends up coming with discrete upgrade costs attached.

RELATED LINKS: RTX 4000 - everything we know, GeForce Now RTX 3080 review, Best graphics card

PCGamesN Monday, June 6, 2022 5:50 AM
     Testing EKSA headsets with the best sounding games

As one half of the audio-visual experience, sound design really doesn't get enough attention from gamers. There's no use having a top-of-the-range 4K TV or gaming monitor if your sound is coming through a set of tinny or cheap speakers – and yes, that includes that dodgy soundbar you bought 10 years ago.

Whether you're looking to immerse yourself in a story-based campaign, smash the competition in an online multiplayer match, or chill out with a gentle indie title, your experience will be enhanced tenfold with a good gaming headset. To celebrate the successes of some of these fantastic audio achievements, we're highlighting the best sound design in gaming, and to fully enjoy the top-notch sounds of these excellent PC games, we tried two new headsets from EKSA.

EKSA offers affordable audio solutions for gamers on a budget. We got the chance to try out the EKSA E7000 Fenrir Gaming Headset, a high-quality stereo headset featuring a rotatable microphone, and the EKSA E3Z Air Joy Plus Ultralight, which is a comfortable option for gaming at home or on the go. Both are great choices for enjoying the games we've mentioned – so take a look and see which one suits you.

RELATED LINKS: Best SSD for gaming, How to build a gaming PC, Best gaming CPU

PCGamesN Monday, June 6, 2022 6:07 AM
     Nvidia RTX 4060 – release date, price, spec, and benchmark rumours

The Nvidia RTX 4060 may be destined for the featherweight GPU ring, but it'll likely be one of the best graphics cards for budget gaming PC builds. While the card will eventually replace the current-gen GeForce RTX 3060, it could surpass the abilities of its high-end ancestors, even if it's not at the top of the RTX 4000 food chain.

The RTX 4060 probably won't be as coveted as the RTX 4090 or RTX 4080, but ongoing component shortages may affect stock levels on release. The company has reportedly invested $10 billion securing RTX 4000 series components, which will hopefully help normalise next-gen availability and pricing. TSMC is also set to replace Samsung as the company's sole chip fabricator, something that should smooth out manufacturing kinks.

It's worth noting that the RTX 4000 series is still shrouded in mystery, and it might even arrive with an RTX 5000 label. Nevertheless, we've gathered together everything we know so far about RTX 4060 release date rumours, its potential price, possible specs, and even what we think it'll benchmark at.

RELATED LINKS: RTX 4000 - everything we know, GeForce Now RTX 3080 review, Best graphics card

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 6, 2022 9:00 AM
    

Every weekend, indie devs show off current work on Twitter's #screenshotsaturday tag. And every Monday, I bring you a selection of these snaps and clips. This week, my eye has been caught by several high-speed first-person shooters, some good wizarding, and a cute mushroom friend.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 6, 2022 8:04 AM
    

Pop your collar because EA and Maxis have confirmed that the next expansion for The Sims 4 is growing a bit hairy thanks to the return of werewolves on June 16th. The Sims 4: Werewolves is the 12th game pack released for the ever-growing life sim so far, and will add the new world of Moonwood Mill, which is simply heaving with the canine monstrosities. Howl at the trailer below.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 6, 2022 7:17 AM
    

Multiplayer FPS Escape From Tarkov is getting a dedicated PvP spin-off in the form of Escape From Tarkov Arena, developers Battlestate Games have announced on Twitter. Battlestate say Arena will be a "standalone" game, so you won't need to own the original Tarkov in order to play it, but clarified that anyone who owns Escape From Tarkov's 'Edge of Darkess' pack will have free access to it as DLC. Watch the teaser trailer below.

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Twinfinite Monday, June 6, 2022 9:39 AM
     Microsoft just announced another "non-E3" livestream which will follow its Xbox & Bethesda Game Showcase later this week.

Twinfinite Monday, June 6, 2022 9:25 AM
     Nothing beats good ol' couch co-op!

Twinfinite Monday, June 6, 2022 8:34 AM
     Gotta catch 'em all... Fortnite fish!

Twinfinite Monday, June 6, 2022 7:54 AM
     The new season is here.

Twinfinite Monday, June 6, 2022 5:43 AM
     Dark Anima coincides with the Early Summer campaign this week.

Twinfinite Monday, June 6, 2022 5:13 AM
     If you aren't first, you're last.

Twinfinite Monday, June 6, 2022 5:05 AM
     If you're struggling to work out where to Pledge on the Alliance Map in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, here's a guide to help.

Twinfinite Monday, June 6, 2022 5:00 AM
     Here's today's Byrdle answer for those who can't quite work it out.

Twinfinite Monday, June 6, 2022 5:00 AM
     Here's today's Heardle answer if you're struggling to work it out.

Siliconera Monday, June 6, 2022 9:00 AM
    

Akiba's Trip Undead Undressed

Kati will have justice. Acquire is working on DLC for Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed (a.k.a. Akiba's Trip 2). The new addition comes nearly nine years after the game was originally released in 2013 and 2014 on PS3 and PS Vita. The DLC, which was announced on June 5, 2022, will add a new story route for one of the playable characters.

Check out the announcement teaser below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ_HhpFcbJE

Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed is an open-world action game structured similarly to Acquire's Way of the Samurai series. Players roam an accurately rendered version of Tokyo's Akihabara neighborhood, hunting down "Synthisters," vampire-like superhuman creatures. The Synthisters walk among the regular humans, preying upon the lifeforce of tourists, cosplayers, and the unsuspecting masses crowding the famous district. The player is turned into one of them and teams up with an impromptu gang known as the Akiba Freedom Fighters to investigate the incidents and bring peace to Japan's nerd haven. The game was notable for its location-accurate use of stores and establishments from real-life Akihabara, as well as its "Strip Action" combat. Players fight Synthisters, but need to defeat them by tearing off their clothing and exposing their bodies to sunlight.

The new route for Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed is called the "Kati Route" and focuses on Kati Räikkönen, a partner for the player character and the only heroine in the game without a story route of her own. The original release of Akiba's Trip 2 contained multiple endings based on the player's pursuit of one of four heroines: Touko Sagisaka, the player's childhood friend, Shizuku Tokikaze, the player's savior, Rin Tokikaze, Shizuku's sister, and Shion Kasugai, genius president of a pharmaceutical company. Kati is a foreign student from Finland, who visited Japan to study and engage in her love of anime and JRPGs. She dresses in a hand-made maid outfit for kicks.

Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed is available for PS4, PS3, PS Vita, and PC, and the "Kati Route" DLC is in development, though an English release of the add-on is not yet confirmed. The first Akiba's Trip title was localized and released on Switch, PS4, and PC in 2021 as Akiba's Trip: Hellbound and Debriefed. Check out Siliconera's official review.

The post New DLC for Akiba's Trip: Undead and Undressed is in the Works appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 6, 2022 8:00 AM
    

Guilty Gear Strive May figure

Pre-orders for a 1/7 scale figure of May from Guilty Gear Strive are now open, courtesy of figure manufacturer Broccoli. The figure is intricately detailed, down to May's backpack, pirate hat, and signature anchor weapon. It will cost ¥24,200 (about $185) and will release sometime in December 2022. [Thanks, Gamer!]

May first appeared in Guilty Gear and is the first mate of the Jellyfish Pirates. She is a recurring character in the Guilty Gear series and typically appears wearing an orange pirate hat with a skull and crossbones. Despite her childlike appearance, her weapon of choice is a large anchor. In Strive, she appears wearing an orange hoodie and a Chimaki-themed backpack.

The figure recreates her appearance from Strive. Furthermore, the figure features significant attention to detail. May's backpack, for example, has belt straps with buckles as well as zippers on the Chimaki's mouth. You can also see other details such as insignias, patches, and wrappings that would normally be difficult to see in-game. Moreover, pre-orders from the Broccoli online store will also come with an acrylic stand of Mr. Dolphin.

You can get a better look at the Guilty Gear Strive May figure in the screenshots below:

[gallery columns="6" link="file" ids="929277,929275,929274,929276,929273,929271,929270,929269,929268,929267,929266,929265,929264,929278,929280,929263,929279,929282"]

Back in February, Good Smile Company also announced it would be releasing a Nendoroid of Ramlethal Valentine from Guilty Gear Strive. Additionally, Kotobukiya released May's hoodie last year as part of the game's anniversary celebration.

The Guilty Gear Strive May figure is available for preorder via the Broccoli online store, as well as other Japanese retailers like AmiAmi and Animate. The figure will cost ¥24,200 (about $185). Guilty Gear Strive is available to play on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

The post Pre-Orders Open for Guilty Gear Strive May Figure appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 6, 2022 7:00 AM
    

Adventure Academia

Acquire has a new game in development, and it's rooted in the long-dormant Class of Heroes series. Formally titled Adventure Academia: The Fractured Continent, the game was announced on June 5, 2022.

Check out Acquire's English-language announcement trailer below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt8Q75M45ac

 

The original Class of Heroes was released in 2008 as Ken to Mahou to Gakuen Mono on the PSP by Acquire in Japan. It was a dungeon RPG that allowed players to create and customize students to form parties and explore the dungeon. Class of Heroes 2 was released in 2009, but remained Japan-exclusive until a crowdfunding campaign run by MonkeyPaw Games and Gaijin helped secure a digital release on PSN in 2013. Sequels were also published on PS3 and 3DS, but remained Japan-exclusive.

Unlike the original titles, Adventure Academia is a strategy RPG. It takes place in Pedra, a land that is home to four schools and their host nations. Players will recruit students from ten playable character races. Each student will have a set of traits that affect their performance in battle, such as being "Chuuni" or "Mentally Weak." Players will guide their students across the land to restore peace to the four nations.

Adventure Academia: The Fractured Continent is in development for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC. The English trailer and official website, however, only list the PC version at this time. The game will release on September 8, 2022, in Japan, while the international release date is unconfirmed.

The post Adventure Academia Shares a Setting With Class of Heroes appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 6, 2022 6:00 AM
    

Hidekazu Yukawa Died

Hidekazu Yukawa, aka "Mr. Sega," the former senior managing director of Sega, has died. The executive was known for frequently appearing in Japanese commercials for the Dreamcast, and even made an appearance in the Shenmue series. Those close to him revealed that Yukawa had passed away in June 2021 due to aspiration pneumonia. He was 78 years old. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

Born in 1943, Yukawa was originally an employee at CSK Corporation, a Tokyo-based computer service firm. The company later bought Sega Enterprises in 1984, and Yukawa became the senior managing director in 1998. Shortly after, with the release of the Sega Dreamcast in November 1998, Yukawa appeared in a series of self-deprecating commercials advertising the console. The commercials centered around Yukawa overhearing school children calling Sega consoles "lame" and praising the PlayStation instead.

The commercials became an instant hit in Japan, and the Dreamcast sold out on release day. Yukawa became a popular figure within Japanese pop culture and gained the nicknames "Mr. Sega" and "Director Yukawa" in Japan. Additionally, he appeared in various Sega titles. These include the original Shenmue, in which he appeared as and voiced himself, as well as Japan-only DLC for Sonic Adventures.

People familiar with Yukawa noted that he was "a kind man, just like how he appeared in the commercials." Yukawa had reportedly suffered from poor health since he fell ill five years prior. A subordinate of Yukawa's stated that the family had only informed those close to him of his passing late last year. Upon hearing of his passing, prominent game developer Yuji Naka and Sonic voice actor Junichi Kanemaru offered their condolences.

The post Former Sega Senior Managing Director Hidekazu Yukawa Has Died appeared first on Siliconera.


Tabletop Gaming News Monday, June 6, 2022 9:00 AM
    

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Monday, June 6, 2022 4:27 AM
     Aloy is a pretty great character, but there's just so much more to love about the world of Horizon from Guerrilla Games. The studio had been teasing a VR experience in the world of Horizon, and we have a new gameplay trailer thanks to the latest State of Play from Sony. Watch this: Step into […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Monday, June 6, 2022 4:02 AM
     We've had a look a Stray before, but the latest State of Play event has given us a more extensive gameplay reveal for the upcoming Cyberpunk cat simulator. What's great is, we also have a release date that's not too far off. Check this out: Here's the official tagline: Lost, alone, and separated from family, […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Monday, June 6, 2022 2:51 AM
     Fortnite is gearing up for the third chapter of Season 3, and they've announced it in spectacular fashion with a new trailer as well as confirmation for one of the biggest characters coming to the game—Darth Vader. Watch the cinematic preview for Chapter 3, Season 3 of Fortnite: Here's the official description: In Chapter 3 […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Monday, June 6, 2022 2:28 AM
     There were a lot of great reveals during last week's State of Play, and one game that definitely has interests piqued is The Callisto Protocol from Striking Distance Studios. The game pretty much embraces the sci-fi horror of Dead Space and Alien, and we have a new trailer. Watch this: Here's the official story description: […]

Pivotal Gamers Monday, June 6, 2022 9:24 AM
     What's up all? gamehag is giving everyone the chance to win on multiple titles. Read on for their offering. Get the reward Random CD-Key. To get this key your Steam level must be at least 3. Last minute notes Login with your gamehag account, complete all steps to get your key. So hustle. Click on the button below to get you started. As simple as that! And remember, you can find all active Gi...