Kotaku Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:55 AM  Nier: Automata players are collectively losing their minds over a room. It's not just any room: No one, save for seemingly one person, has been able to access it. Even the player who discovered the chamber appears to know how to enter it, which makes the whole thing extra confounding. |
Kotaku Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:09 AM  Xenoblade Chronicles 3 might not end up being the best Switch game of 2022, but it certainly sounds like one of the longest. With a main story that takes dozens of hours and more thorough playthroughs clocking in at over 150 hours, it sounds every bit the sprawling JRPG fans have come to expect from Monolith Soft. But… |
Kotaku Tuesday, July 26, 2022 9:15 AM  Stray has completely taken over the internet, with seemingly everyone on my timeline currently playing the futuristic feline adventure. But one YouTuber has taken what is, to most folks at least, a fairly chill cat game and made it much harder by figuring out a way to beat the entire game without taking any damage. |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:58 AM  Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 launches October, with a multiplayer beta expected shortly beforehand. You can get beta access by pre-ordering the game, but if you want to try it for free, you can win a code simply by tuning into the Call of Duty League Championship event in August. RELATED LINKS: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 aims to kick off a "new era", Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 release date, maps, and more, All the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 guns revealed so far |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:46 AM  Want to know how Multiversus toast works? To promote good cheer in this light-hearted, yet competitive fighting game, Player First Games allows players to commend a teammate or competitor after a match. Toasting someone's performance rewards players with a slight boost to their in-game currency. Think of it as a 'Like' on YouTube videos or other social media posts, as a way of thanking your allies and adversaries for an excellent match. If you ask me, more games need a system like this to promote a positive atmosphere. Multiverse toast comes at a premium as it requires you to spend in-game coins. You get 25 coins for each toast you receive. In addition, you need to toast other players to unlock three similar achievements, the most time-consuming being giving out 100 toasts to other players. |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:23 AM  ASRock is known for its AMD Radeon graphics cards, but the board partner is apparently cooking up an Intel Arc GPU. Video footage reveals a new ASRock Arc A380 that seemingly marks the end of the company's red team exclusivity, and the firm has other plans for the gaming PC industry too. RELATED LINKS: Zen 4 CPUs - everything we know, RDNA 3 GPUs - everything we know, Best gaming CPU |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:00 AM  When SolForge, the CCG co-designed by Magic: the Gathering creator Richard Garfield, shut down in 2017, Stone Blade Entertainment CEO Justin Gary offered fans a sliver of hope. While the studio "bit off more than we could chew" with SolForge, he said, the lessons the developers had learned would be valuable in "future incarnations of SolForge." Five years later, the next generation of SolForge is just about ready. Dubbed SolForge: Fusion, it's a "first of its kind hybrid deck building game for the digital age," and it'll be available September 22. |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 10:54 AM  The Forest is a fantastic survival game, full of scavenging, building, and stoving in the heads of mutant cannibal monsters using a lump of firewood. Combine that with BioShock, the classic steampunk body horror where you upgrade your DNA by injecting yourself over and over again with a mysterious, glowing potion, and what do you get? You get Serum, an upcoming survival FPS that just got a new trailer, and is available now for your Steam wishlist. |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 10:48 AM  The Jurassic World movies only exist thanks to an aborted attempt to create Jurassic Park Trespasser 2, a sequel to the cult 'classic' 1998 first-person survival game - at least, according to the father of Xbox. Jurassic Park Trespasser was an ambitious free-roaming FPS game set after the events of the second movie The Lost World, and it's one of the jankiest games ever made. Designer and executive producer Seamus Blackley went on to lead the team that made the first Xbox with Microsoft, but in 2012 he says that he was approached by Universal and Steven Spielberg to create a new Trespasser game. |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 10:07 AM  What is the best F1 22 Australia setup? The return of this twisty track to the F1 calendar has been celebrated among F1 fans and it's received an adjusted layout and new surface, too. Two corners have been removed and a few have been tweaked to help the flow of the circuit, making them wider and faster. Your F1 22 Australia setup can now focus on speed, without getting bogged down in the tight corners. You also don't need to worry about tyre management, rear traction, or heavy traction zones for big braking. So, here's how to build your car to get the best from this revamped track. RELATED LINKS: F1 22 review, Best racing games, Simulation games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 10:03 AM  World of Warcraft has always had something of a love affair with charming fictional dishes, and now the alpha reveals a bunch of intriguing new WoW Dragonflight recipes - which we'll rank in order of deliciousness. The MMORPG game's dedication to evocative foodstuffs has even resulted in an official WoW cookbook, so any mook can make themselves a batch of spicy Dragonbreath Chili. Dragonflight will be no exception to this trend, as in the latest alpha build Blizzard has made a whole host of aromatic comestibles available to try. Rather than just give you a dry list, however, we're going to rank all of them by how tasty they sound. RELATED LINKS: Best MMORPGs on PC, The best WoW addons, WoW Classic leveling guide |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 9:57 AM  FIFA 23's reveal trailer was released last week by EA, with the football follow-up's launch date set for September 30, giving players plenty of time to get to grips with the improved animation system and cross-platform play before the Qatar World Cup. A more subtle new addition has caught fan's eyes, however, in the form of a tricky, but potentially very exploitable, five-star skill move. |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 10:32 AM  The Jsaux Steam Deck dock isn't the only USB-C hub that boasts compatibility with Valve's handheld, but its design and features specifically cater to the portable powerhouse. You could go as far as to say the third-party accessory is a clone of the real deal, as its resemblance is uncanny. Despite this, the Jsaux dock's price tag and features make it a winning stand-in – even though wields slightly different specs. RELATED LINKS: Best SSD for gaming, How to build a gaming PC, Best gaming CPU |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 9:17 AM  In response to an ongoing DMCA copyright infringement lawsuit involving several popular Roblox games, Roblox's legal team objected to a court order that would compel the company to disclose the personal information of up to 420,000 users, TorrentFreak reports. RELATED LINKS: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 9:00 AM  It looks like Fortnite's Impulse Grenade could be getting unvaulted again soon. For those keeping count, that would make it the second time it's been brought back, having been once again pushed into the vault as the Shockwave Grenade was unvaulted. RELATED LINKS: Fortnite V-Bucks, Fortnite Skins, Fortnite Creative Codes |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 8:42 AM  AMD occupies a unique position in the tech industry, as it's the only company that competes in both the GPU and processor markets with its Radeon and Ryzen products. Now, you can get your hands on the best graphics cards and best gaming CPUs from team red at discounted prices for a limited time. RELATED LINKS: Zen 4 CPUs - everything we know, RDNA 3 GPUs - everything we know, Best gaming CPU |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 8:17 AM  Early footage of the Starfield New Atlantis capital city has us even more excited about Bethesda's starfaring RPG. June's Xbox and Bethesda Games showcase gave us a real in-depth gaze at the sheer scale and scope of Starfield, revealing the game would have over 1,000 planets to explore, as well as a number of major Starfield cities. RELATED LINKS: Starfield release date, Starfield ship design, Starfield Game Pass |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 8:03 AM  DC Comics and Warner Bros have announced that a Gotham Knights prequel comic is coming this October, telling the last story of Batman before his apparent death in the upcoming superhero game. It's by a Black Panther writer currently working on Bethesda's Redfall, and collectors will be able to claim free DLC - including a neat bat-bike. Batman: Gotham Knights - Gilded City was confirmed by the publisher during SDCC after it was teased earlier this year by Batman artist Greg Capullo, who is doing the covers for the six-issue monthly series. Harley Quinn artist Abel and writer Evan Narcisse are the main creative team behind the prequel. Other than being a writer for Kotaku, Narcisse has written for Black Panther several times, including the Rise of the Black Panther comic series and the well-received Marvel's Avengers: War for Wakanda expansion. He was narrative design consultant on Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which is coming to PC soon, and is currently working on Arkane's vampire co-op game Redfall. RELATED LINKS: The best superhero games on PC, The best RPGs on PC, What if Batman: Arkham Knight 2 had happened? |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 7:54 AM  So you want to know about the Saints Row map? The Saints Row 2022 game is the fifth instalment in the series and takes place in the fictional city of Santo Ileso, which is located in the American Southwest and is loosely based on the real US city of Las Vegas. You can access the Saints Row map from an in-game menu that's designed to look like a smartphone screen. You'll then be able to navigate around the entire Santo Ileso map, exploring all the regions and points of interest. According to information that came out of a recent Saints Row gameplay preview, some fast travel points can be unlocked by finding and engaging in photo opportunities. RELATED LINKS: Saints Row release date, Best action-adventure games, Upcoming PC games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 7:50 AM  Avid League of Legends fan Alaskan_Lost appears to be quite the collector. They currently own every skin you're able to obtain by normal methods, so when their 'my shop' tab rolled by, it was impossible for it to populate with anything new. RELATED LINKS: Best LoL Champions , League of Legends patch 12.12 notes, LoL tier list |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 7:15 AM  Windows 10 and Windows 11 are no strangers to printer issues over the past year, but the latest Windows 10 update breaks just as much as it fixes. While the KB5014666 update addresses bugs with wireless hotspots, the Snip & Sketch app, and laptop touchpads, Microsoft admits that "printing to USB-connected printers might fail". Fortunately, the company also details some workarounds you can try if you run into printing woes. RELATED LINKS: Microsoft DirectX Raytracing, Microsoft Hololens hands-on, Windows Game Mode preview |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 7:14 AM  Minecraft mods are constantly pushing the envelope forward, but it can be hard to keep track of them all. After all, new ones like the Mi Alliance are constantly being released. Thankfully, the good people of Reddit love showing intriguing things off, and that's exactly how we learned about the Immersive Portals mod, and now we're bringing that discovery to you. RELATED LINKS: Minecraft console commands, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 7:13 AM  It's official; World of Warcraft Classic players will be able to dive into one of WoW's most iconic expansions, Wrath of the Lich King, in September, 2022. While the announcement has bred excitement, it has also been met with a swarm of memes because the release date leaked in advance. RELATED LINKS: Best MMORPGs on PC, The best WoW addons, WoW Classic leveling guide |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:20 AM  In Starfield, Neon is the spacefaring equivalent of Vegas, except it's surrounded by a sea full of psychedelic fish rather than an arid desert. It's one of four major Starfield cities you can visit in the RPG game, and while we've seen plenty of concept art and even some in-game footage of the floating city, there's still plenty we don't know about it. RELATED LINKS: Starfield release date, Starfield ship design, Starfield Game Pass |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 6:34 AM  Diablo Immortal players are reporting that a bug is affecting their battle pass, resulting in them losing out on XP rewards for gaining levels, despite Blizzard apparently issuing a hotfix. RELATED LINKS: Diablo Immortal tier list, Diablo Immortal system requirements, Best Diablo Immortal builds |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 6:33 AM  We're potentially just a few months away from the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4000 release date, but those hoping for a variety of the company's best graphics cards to be available at launch may be sorely disappointed. In fact, it appears that team green may be planning to push out just one of its new Lovelace GPUs this year. RELATED LINKS: RTX 4000 - everything we know, GeForce Now RTX 3080 review, Best graphics card |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 5:57 AM  The first proper Multiversus patch notes are here for version 0.1, with a load of changes and even a real person to the roster - LeBron James, star of Space Jam: A New Legacy. More importantly, this is the update for the Multiversus free release date, so the fighting game is officially out for everyone. The Multiversus open beta 0.1 patch notes bring a lot of little tweaks, changes, buffs, and nerfs to the Smash Bros-like game, and it's no wonder it's a sizeable one - the game is officially out of closed early access and in proper open beta now. The most notable addition is new fighter LeBron James, which is weird considering he's a real-life basketball star - although the version here is his Space Jam animated incarnation. LeBron was rumoured before Multiversus even came out, but who knows where his basketball abilities will hit on the tier list of characters. |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 26, 2022 5:39 AM  Stray, the adorable, cat-based sci-fi platformer from BlueTwelve, is now ranked as the best Steam game of 2022 based on user reviews, overtaking Sony Santa Monica's Norse adventure God of War on tracking site Steam250. RELATED LINKS: Stray beginners guide, Stray review, Stray system requirements |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:40 AM  "Do you do Strava?" people often ask upon learning I like cycling. This is not the question they wish to ask. They are trying to feel out a stereotype, attempting to maintain the civil spirit of small talk by not saying aloud, "So are you a prick about cycling?" To broach the subject of stats, let's talk about Wren, an idle RPG powered by going for a real bike ride then connecting the game to your Strava or Fitbit. I got a puncture in the course of playing the game for this post, such is my dedication to you, reader dear. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:10 AM  Fancy a wrestle? Well, you're more limited in choice now, because 2K have removed four of their past WWE games from sale on Steam, leaving just the recent WWE 2K22 and the arcade-style 2K Battlegrounds up. Console yourself by watching the 2K22 launch trailer below, as you weep into your tasselled and bespangled leotard. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, July 26, 2022 9:35 AM  It's not just Stranger Things that gets to star undead wizards this year. World Of Warcraft: Wrath Of The Lich King Classic releases on September 26th, Blizzard have revealed. Take a nostalgic trip back to Northrend to tackle the evil Lich King, Arthas Menethil, and check out what's changed since the original. Watch the trailer below to refresh your memory from all the way back in 2008. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, July 26, 2022 9:00 AM  Bullet time has gone in and out of fashion, yet it remains accepted as cool by everyone who has ever knocked back a fistful of painkillers and murdered half of New York City. Rollerskating has gone in and out of fashion too, and anyone who's glanced at Instagram for the past couple of years will know which stage of the wave we're at. Rollerdrome fuses these two oscillating trends in the story of a rollerskating hotshot with a vendetta against human heads. I got a look at the first few levels and, so far, it's a flashy spin on the slow-mo gun fight. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, July 26, 2022 7:28 AM  Free-to-play Warner Bros. brawler MultiVersus slams into open beta today at 5pm BST/6pm CEST/9am PST. We'll be bringing you some thoughts later this week on whether MultiVersus is any good now it's out of alpha but, for now, here's a rundown of when and how you can play today. Check out the trailer below for a quick heads-up on how progression and rewards feature in the game. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, July 26, 2022 6:56 AM  Even more giant lumbering beasts are heading straight for Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak when the first of its free title updates lands in August. Expect two new rare species along with a fresh area to explore. Let your finely crafted trousers tremble with anticipatory terror while you watch the trailer below. |
Twinfinite Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:41 AM Today Sega provided a look at the future of its MMORPG Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis, including the roadmap for the second half of 2022. |
Twinfinite Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:39 AM The horror! Oh, the horror! |
Twinfinite Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:31 AM The Dragon Prince returns this November. |
Twinfinite Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:16 AM PAX West is going to be packed. |
Twinfinite Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:01 AM Valorant's clout esports orgs need to step up! |
Twinfinite Tuesday, July 26, 2022 10:54 AM The PlayStation VR2 is approaching, and PlayStation just announced a ton of new features for the VR set. Check out the recap of the new post! |
Twinfinite Tuesday, July 26, 2022 10:33 AM Sega and Creative Assembly revealed the second legendary lord that will be included in the Champions of Chaos DIC for Total War: Warhammer 3. |
Twinfinite Tuesday, July 26, 2022 10:22 AM GTA Online The Criminal Enterprises update is finally here. |
Twinfinite Tuesday, July 26, 2022 9:42 AM Today Atlus presented the results of the fan survey launched back in May, and the fans want remakes of Persona 3 and the Persona 2 duology. |
Twinfinite Tuesday, July 26, 2022 9:00 AM Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is one of the biggest games coming to the Nintendo Switch this year, but is it the next must-buy for the system? |
Twinfinite Tuesday, July 26, 2022 9:00 AM Whip it. |
Twinfinite Tuesday, July 26, 2022 8:48 AM Bandai Namco released another character trailer of its upcoming fighting game JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R. |
Twinfinite Tuesday, July 26, 2022 6:01 AM CHiPs off the ol' block. |
Twinfinite Tuesday, July 26, 2022 5:06 AM Get lost in these epic visual novels within Steam. |
Twinfinite Tuesday, July 26, 2022 4:20 AM Here's today's Jumble answer! |
Siliconera Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:00 AM
Punishing Gray Raven developer Kuro Game debuted a new look at Wuthering Waves, its new game. Titled "Sunoare", the trailer showcased more in-development footage of the open-world action title. Check out the Wuthering Waves gameplay trailer below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01vz41sCr84 The Wuthering Waves trailer shows off a mix of cutscene, combat and environmental traversal gameplay. A male playable character travels about a large open-world map with long vistas. They and other, unnamed female playable characters, are shown gliding through the air while holding an umbrella-like glider. The glider itself is made up of multiple rigid panels, similar to the one used by Fragile in Death Stranding. Characters can swim, climb, swing on ropes, and even run along vertical walls. They can use these moves in combat, too, to gain height advantage on enemies. The trailer also shows an in-game town or settlement of some kind. From some of the character interactions shown, it may be a hub for quests or narrative events in the final release of Wuthering Waves. In combat, characters can belt out combos, and the gameplay shows free-switching of different characters in the party. As the game is in development, no UI or interface is visible, though. Wuthering Waves takes place in the world imperiled by unknown beings following a disaster called the "Calament". With survivors uniting to rebuild civilization, the player-controlled "Rover" begins their journey. Wuthering Waves is confirmed for mobile devices, but does not have a release window. An international release is not yet confirmed. The post Wuthering Waves Gameplay Trailer Shows Open-World Action appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Tuesday, July 26, 2022 9:00 AM
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a huge game, both in scope and in the anticipation levels of its dedicated fan base. Its ambitions match! There's a ton to do, see and learn. With all this, though, comes high expectations. So does it meet them? Let's go through the menu. CharactersThe protagonists of the game, two combat teams from the game's main warring factions, are out to... save the world? Handle everyone's problems? It's a fairly standard JRPG setup, though Monolith does a good job making you invested in their adventure and its secrets. The two main heroes, Noah and Mio, are "off-seers," experts in sending off dead fighters in a world very much full of them. This is used to center the story on life and death, and the consequences of an abbreviated existence. The tone of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 feels like a mix of the original Xenoblade and the Wii U-exclusive X. It's more serious in tone, and more realistic in visual presentation. It's also less of a "handheld" game. We didn't have any issues playing it on our Switch Lite, but it's clear that the game's designed for a larger, TV-based play experience. Xenoblade 2 had large text, hidden interface elements and such, and that's just not here. It's also a darker, more atmospheric game, while 2 was generally a vibrant anime world. That's not to say, of course, that there isn't anime inspiration. For better or worse! There are tropes. There are a few… you know… character designs. (Though not in the quality or ludicrous extent of its predecessor.) But also there's the very-anime stuff that's quite fun! Like riding your big sword like a surfboard in a combo attack. And we won't spoil how, but the game uses the aesthetic to obscure some of its biggest plot twists.
HeroesIn Xenoblade Chronicles 3, you manage a team of six fighters. Seven, perhaps? Though guest teammates are less in your control. They're all very flexible in terms of capabilities, as classes modify your stats in huge ways. That said, each has strengths through their capabilities. While anyone can be any class, if one combo is less suitable, it takes a while to unlock and level it up. This system can be frustrating at times. One party member unlocks a class to start, but often fully maxing it out with that character won't raise meters enough for another to begin using it. We're glad to have the flexibility, but there were definitely times when we thought we might be better off if classes were just explicitly character-locked instead of dangling the possibility in front of us and pulling it away for so long. Also, in case you needed to know: yeah, battles are as talky as ever. Party members yell out all the time, and with a whole group of seven out there, it can really be a cacophony. A tip: there's a separate volume control for voices. Maybe use it?
MapSimply put, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a gargantuan game. Even by Xenoblade standards! It took us about 80 hours to get to the final battle, and there was a ton of side quests and activities left to do when we did. We also didn't uncover all the map. There are totally missable colonies. There are areas you'll only explore if you're curious what's there. It's meant to be a coherent world, not one totally designed just for your adventure. Still, there's a lot of structure. The ring shape means you're progressing from area to area with major story checkpoints between each. It's an interesting gating system, considering even early areas have opponents you can't come close to defeating. It does serve to make the environments digestible, rather than overwhelming, and that's nice. If you, like us, are more about the exploration than the combat most of the time, XC3 has a nice touch to keeping you motivated. Defeating special, strong monsters? They unlock fast-travel points at their locations, and often those locations are quite handy. Elite and rare enemies also give more experience and rewards, so focusing on those can limit the pure quantity of targets you'll need to take down.
Affinity ChartXenoblade Chronicles 3 puts in a lot of effort to get you invested in its characters and their relationships. The "Affinity Chart" option in the menu lets you keep track of the dozens upon dozens of NPCs and how they feel about each other. If you're not into this stuff, you can skip scenes and keep pushing. But for those who are? This is probably nice. It's interesting to see this focus and attention to these ties, when the main theme of the game is learning to let go and move on. The warring factions are constantly stressed about their limited ten-year lives and the time pressures that come with it. The enemies are looking to prolong their situations and power at great cost. Ultimately, the game's thesis is that it isn't worth trying to hold onto scraps of how things used to be, especially if it means working for awful bosses, and that it's best to follow the examples of others and move forward. This felt particularly relevant to us right now. For some reason.
QuestsThere's a critical path in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 that's fairly easy to follow, but it's adorned with a metric ton of side missions. Most of these aren't particularly innovative: talk to this person, collect stuff, defeat a particular enemy. But for a game that fully expects you to use its leveling system from one end to the other, it's helpful to have these things to do in lieu of the traditional grinding. You could, certainly, just go fight a bunch of stuff, but with the bonus experience system, it wouldn't be as efficient as actually accomplishing things. Finding new areas, talking to NPCs and completing non-essential quests earns you way more experience points, and you apply those at campsites to level up. Monster-grinding could still be useful for increasing class levels and acquiring ingredients and such, but it's nice that you aren't forced into it for long sessions. There are some duds in the quest lineup, though. We were particularly irked by the "follow person" and "follow tracks" missions. These require you to walk slower than usual or you might happen to miss the trigger point for the next segment to show up. With fetch quests, scene skipping and fast-travel can make them fairly painless. These, though? These don't have such solutions.
ItemsThe Xenoblade Chronicles 3 system is full of things to collect, but surprisingly little about using these things in combat. Ingredients make meals and collectibles can be traded for experience and bonuses. And yeah, there's equipment and gems? But in our play, we found that the auto-equip function almost always gave us the optimal configuration for what we had, and our strategies weren't largely affected by this stuff. For a franchise that can often look overwhelming to newcomers, it does a solid job of cutting out some elements that could be a pain to manage during battle. Party SkillsLike a lot of open-world games, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 uses unlockable movement abilities to allow you to return to old areas and explore them differently. You can grind rails across large distances! Or climb vines! These largely use the game's increased focus on verticality. Regularly, you'll come across a tall tower or floating island, and it'll be a dozen or two hours before you can actually get there. One party skill you can't unlock? Minimizing fall damage. A lot of the game's traversal in the early game is based around limiting your progress because you can't survive the fall. We do wish it were a bit less punishing, because we slipped off a ledge just running around and died... a lot.
SystemTechnically speaking, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a fairly impressive game. There's open-world pop-in and quality dips and such, but it all feels polished and intentional. It runs better than Pokemon Legends Arceus or Breath of the Wild. And loading times were generally tolerable. We did run into issues of loads getting longer after particularly lengthy sessions, to the point where it felt like it might be freezing up. A hard reboot cleared that up, though. And it won't surprise any veteran players to learn that the soundtrack is top-notch. It's full of effort and energy. We felt like it was focusing more on atmosphere than iconic melodies this time, but with how many hours you spend in this game? Yeah, you'll get the notes buried into your skull regardless. The voice acting is charming too, as usual, with its British sensibilities. (But yeah, as we said earlier, people continue to talk way too much in battle.)
While it's unlikely to transcend genre preferences, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a gift for those who love JRPG trappings. There are lands to explore, combat systems to optimize, and lore implications for longtime franchise fans. And at the very least? You certainly get your money's worth. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is developed by Monolith Soft and published by Nintendo. It launches July 29, 2022. An Expansion Pass is also available. The post Review: Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Realizes a World of Ambition appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Tuesday, July 26, 2022 7:00 AM
Soul Hackers 2 releases in just under a month, and Atlus wants to make sure everyone's on the same page, story-wise. The new Soul Hackers 2 worldview trailer serves that purpose. Formally called the "World Overview Full Explanation", the Soul Hackers 2 worldview trailer is narrated by Tomokazu Sugita. Sugita's narrated quite a few Atlus trailers, including daily demon features for Shin Megami Tensei V. Check it out below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4CEzltBAnM The Soul Hackers 2 worldview trailer establishes the setting as the mid-21st century. It's a time when human technology has stagnated, and its culture has entered slow decline. But lo, the Singularity looms. Technology spontaneously leaves the hands of its creators, evolving on its own. Within the communications network Neuron, a will emerges: Aion. Predicting the imminent end of the world, Aion creates two agents to make first contact with humanity: Ringo and Figue. Meanwhile, in the shadows, secret organizations battle over the Covenant, the "keyword" to change the fate of the world. The Phantom Society and Yatagarasu war using Devil Summoners. Devil Summoners can form contracts with demons, calling on their power. It's into this Maelstrom that Ringo and Figue enter. The worldview trailer bills Soul Hackers 2 as a next-gen game to "succeed" the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei franchise. It ends with the release date, as well as promoting the game's premium editions and pre-order Persona tie-in DLC. Soul Hackers 2 launches on August 26, 2022 worldwide. It'll appear on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The post Soul Hackers 2 Worldview Trailer Sets up the Plot appeared first on Siliconera. |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:30 AM  Marvel has been pushing into the gaming space more often in recent years. And that trend might be set to continue with another new superhero game. According to industry reporter, Jeff Grubb, a new open-world single-player Black Panther game (codenamed Project Ranier) is in development under Electronic Arts. T'Challa is a prominent Marvel superhero who dons the suit and moniker of Black Panther, protector of the fictional African nation Wakanda. While speaking on the Game Mess Mornings podcast for Giant Bomb, Grubb said the game will likely be the first from a new development studio, Kevin Stephens. The former studio head of Monolith, makers of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, joined EA last year. When providing more details about the premise, Grubb mentioned that it will be a new origin story for the character. In the story, the prior Black Panther has already passed away. It's up to players to take on the mantle of becoming the new Black Panther. A marvelous time for gam... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, July 26, 2022 10:30 AM  Sony Interactive Entertainment has been porting more and more of its PlayStation exclusives to PC in recent years. And there are still some big hitters that PC players are waiting for. One of these is last year's PS5 exclusive, Returnal. Back in May, a SteamDB listing suggested that Returnal could be making its way to PC sooner rather than later. Going further back than that, it was also part of the infamous GeForce Now leak. Now, as spotted by VGC, it appears that Returnal could be functional on the Steam Deck too. Returnal's potential Steam database entry has been updated once again under the codename "Oregon." That name isn't enough to imply that the game is indeed Returnal, but other details point to specific elements within the game that make the pieces line up. For example, Oregon is listed under 16 categories, including the phrases bullet hell, rogue-like, and sci-fi. There are also direct references to Returnal's world, such as "Atropos" and "Tower of Sisyphus... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, July 26, 2022 9:00 AM  I believe the last time I traveled a digital world on skates was Jet Set Radio Future. That game, much like its predecessor, would open up with a black screen filled with a warning: "Graffiti is art. However, graffiti as an act of vandalism is a crime." It was ironic, considering the game's theme of youthful rebellion against the man. Vandalism is a crime, of course. But so is wanton murder unless, as seen in the similarly cel-shaded Rollerdrome, said murder is for entertainment purposes only. Rollerdrome is set in a retro-style dystopian future, where the eponymous blood sport reigns supreme. You play as the up and coming Rollerdrome competitor Kara Hassan, who enters the arena in a bright red jumpsuit and white helmet. Survival in the ring means dodging bullets, missiles, and long-range sniper fire, all the while pulling of some pretty sick tricks. Get in on the action Rollerdrome comes to us from Roll7, the makers of the OlliOlli skating series, but donR... |
Gamer Empire Tuesday, July 26, 2022 5:21 AM When you play as the Soul Reaper race in Reaper 2, a Roblox game, you can use a number of Zanpakuto spirits you can use. All Zanpakuto have at least the basic form, known as Shikai, and some also have an evolved form, known as Bankai. Recommended Read: Last Pirates Tier List In this guide, […] The post Reaper 2 Shikai & Bankai Tier List (July 2022) – Best Zanpakutos appeared first on Gamer Empire. It was written by Tim Stadel Clausen. |
Tabletop Gaming News Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:00 AM |
Tabletop Gaming News Tuesday, July 26, 2022 10:00 AM |
Tabletop Gaming News Tuesday, July 26, 2022 9:00 AM |
Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Tuesday, July 26, 2022 11:07 AM Valorant is the first-person shooter game from the Creators of League of Legends — Riot. It took the world by storm when it released 2020 and has been one of the most played FPS games since. What makes Valorant unique is the roster of their Agents with their own set of skills. Mastering the agents […] |
Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Tuesday, July 26, 2022 5:58 AM It's probably going to be a while before we get a new look at Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, but thanks to SDCC 2022 and Hasbro, we have a new look at incoming characters in the hotly anticipated sequel. Check these out: Though we've already seen Cal in the trailer from a month ago, the figure […] |
Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Tuesday, July 26, 2022 5:41 AM T'Challa's story may be over for the MCU after the death of Chadwick Boseman, but is it possible his journey could go on in games? According to insider Jeff Grubb (via @Nibellion), a Black Panther game could be in the works with EA Games. Here's the report: As of now, no official announcement has been […] |
Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Tuesday, July 26, 2022 5:22 AM I have said that MultiVersus feels like an afterthought to Space Jam: A New Legacy, and just in, the game has officially announced the playable character of LeBron James. Check out the reveal: While some characters come in tag teams, it seems that LeBron will be able to combine attacks with his teammates, and we […] |
Pivotal Gamers Tuesday, July 26, 2022 9:40 AM What's up all? We have another great giveaway from itch.io for Lucinda. Read on for their offering. Get Lucinda for FREE! A few words about Lucinda Pinch yourself awake or be chased over and over again Last minute notes Login with your itch.io account, follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your library. Still here? Just click on the button below and follow the listed instuctions. As... |
Pivotal Gamers Tuesday, July 26, 2022 4:03 AM What's up all? Giveaway Of The Day holds a new giveaway for The Last Fighter. Let's hear them out. The Last Fighter is available as a Giveaway of the day!You have limited time to download, install and register it. A few words about The Last Fighter You are a lone fighter who was thrown into the jungle. Defeat pirates, smugglers and bandits, get out of the dangerous jungle alive! http:/... |