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Oct 27, 16:00


Kotaku Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:41 PM
    

Sometimes the scariest thing isn't a giant monster or an army of zombies. Instead, it can be something so believable and straightforward that it feels like it could happen to you one day. Take, for example, a new trailer for an upcoming bodycam horror game going viral online. It only features one strange woman and a…

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Kotaku Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:00 PM
    

It's difficult to know how to start talking about obsessive-compulsive disorder, the debilitating anxiety condition that has made persistent laps around my life for 14 years, like a flickering koi fish, and I'm the swampy backyard pond.

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Kotaku Thursday, October 27, 2022 2:20 PM
    


As Kotaku reported last week, retail giant GameStop has been increasingly stocking its retail stores with weird, random junk instead of, well, video games. Dissatisfied GameStop employees have been grousing online about the massive amounts of toys the warehouses are sending. And as it turns out, customers aren't even…

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Kotaku Thursday, October 27, 2022 2:00 PM
    

As Halloween draws near, more and more people are loading up their favorite scary games to enjoy some digital frights. But this isn't a new tradition. In fact, many of us here at Kotaku have been playing spooky, creepy games since we were old enough to pick up controllers or mash keyboards. And when you are a kid,…

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Kotaku Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:30 PM
    

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 drops on October 28, though if you preordered it, you've likely already gotten some time with the campaign. But ahead of the game's full release, which will give folks full access to the multiplayer component, some are decrying the game's skill-based matchmaking (SBMM).

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Kotaku Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:25 PM
    

If you've spent any time at all playing the new hit mobile card game Marvel Snap, you've probably wondered whether the person on the other side of the virtual board was human or not. And you're not alone. The game doesn't make it clear when you're playing against a real person, and as a result, players are now…

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Kotaku Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:20 PM
    

Players who received early physical copies of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II have reported that the discs included contain only about 72MB of data, forcing players to connect to the internet and download the other 100+ GB of data to actually play the game.

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Kotaku Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:40 AM
    

Marvel Snap, Disney's NFT psyop that's quickly destroying my life, has a bluffing mechanic that's simple but genius. The card battler allows you to "snap," except instead of deleting half the world, the mechanic immediately doubles the bet on the game you're playing. Your opponent then has to make a calculation. Do…

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Kotaku Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:05 AM
    

Halloween is nearly upon us, my ghouls, gals, and nonbinary pals. To celebrate the goblins of the night, Overwatch 2 will host its annual spooky in-game event, Halloween Terror, through November 8. The event introduces new terrifying skins and a co-op PvE mode, pitting you against hordes of zombie heroes. That's cool,…

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Kotaku Thursday, October 27, 2022 10:00 AM
    

Hey, punk. You wanna be like the The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl? Okay, maybe let's not start an argument over who the most powerful Marvel character really is because nobody is coming out of that one alive. We are here to help you hulk out in the best new card battler around, and by the time we're done, your Marvel Snap

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Kotaku Thursday, October 27, 2022 9:45 AM
    

Out of the thousands of games I've played, a handful have worlds so vivid and memorable, I can immediately call them to mind.The bustling Holy Land of 2007's Assassin's Creed, the industrial Midgar of 1997's Final Fantasy VII (and its solid 2020 remake), the vast Tamriel of 2011's The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. These…

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PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:09 PM
     Space RTS Sins of a Solar Empire 2 enters early access

In space, no one can count your APM. At least, we're hoping that's the case for space RTS game Sins of a Solar Empire 2, which has now entered the first phase of its Early Access period. During this technical preview period of development, players will be able to try out a selection of single-player content for one of the sci-fi strategy game's factions so they can provide valuable feedback for developers Stardock and Ironclad Games.


PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 2:59 PM
     What is the Destiny 2 Legendary Lost Sector today?

Are you looking for the Legend or Master Lost Sector locations in Destiny 2? While many Destiny 2 Exotics can be bought from Xûr or even in the world loot pool, the Exotics in these special Lost Sector instances cannot, forcing players to explore these dangerous areas if they want the best equipment available. To make matters worse, you have to complete them on your own to get a chance at the best rewards.

The Destiny 2 Legendary Lost Sector location changes with the daily reset at 5pm UTC. Before you can take on Legend Lost Sectors, you need to complete all the normal Lost Sectors first. If you don't, the new Legend Lost Sectors will not appear on the map. Each day, the location, modifiers, and rewards rotate out for something new. Legend and Master Lost Sector quests both take place in the same location.

It's important to remember that Exotic drops are not guaranteed after completing these quests, so you may have to run through the same Lost Sector multiple times. You can go through them quests with a fireteam, but your rewards will be reduced to Enhancement Cores only.

RELATED LINKS: Destiny 2 classes, Destiny 2 exotics, Destiny 2 builds

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:44 PM
     Dinkum fishing guide, all fish, and where to catch them

Our Dinkum fishing guide is exactly what you need if you want to hook yourself some fishy friends. Learning how to fish in Dinkum is crucial to your success in the farming game because not only do fish garner a hefty profit when sold, but they're also crucial for filling up your museum.

This is the case in most life games, so if you're used to playing games like Animal Crossing, this concept won't be alien to you. Dinkum does things a little differently when it comes to its fishing mechanics though, so if you're ready to trawl and toil your way to success, here's how to fish like an angling professional.


PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:32 PM
     Modern Warfare 2 Tier 1 playlist explained

The Modern Warfare 2 Tier 1 playlist is only for those who want a truly realistic FPS game experience. Tier 1 rewards tactical awareness and team communication over everything else; with one mistake proving deadly, you'll want you, and the rest of your squad, to be on-point.

For anyone who has played Call of Duty's hardcore mode, this will all seem very familiar, and that's because it is. Tier 1 is the ultimate test of teamwork, and you'll need quick reflexes in order to survive. We've got all the information you'll need on Tier 1, and how, if at all, it differs from the traditional hardcore modes of yesteryear.

RELATED LINKS: The best Modern Warfare 2 guns, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 release date, Modern Warfare 2 Gunsmith

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:17 PM
     Nvidia GeForce Now cloud gaming is now on sale with 40% off

Nvidia GeForce Now was nothing short of a saviour when the global chip shortage made it a nightmare to upgrade your GPU, as it gives you the power of an RTX 2080 directly from the cloud itself. Better yet, it taps into your existing Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, EA's Origin, and Ubisoft Connect libraries, so you don't have to worry about games suddenly leaving the platform when you're half-way through.

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

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:59 PM
     Valorant episode 6 act 1 release date speculation and details

Valorant episode 6 act 1 may still be a while away, but for those looking towards the future, we've got the latest details. Valorant episode 5, act 3, has enough content to keep everyone busy for the next two months in the FPS game, but some players are already looking forward to the next season.

The final act of this season introduced the water bender, Harbor, to the controller roster, and dedicated players have already mastered his craft. So, when is the Valorant episode 6, act 1 release date?

RELATED LINKS: Valorant characters: all agents and abilities, Valorant tier list, Valorant crosshair codes

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:45 PM
     Dota 2 The International giveaway offers free Arcana and Plus

Valve has announced a Dota 2 The International swag bag giveaway to help "harness the excitement of The International Grand Finals" by offering fans a rather sizable collection of goodies. Players of the MOBA game can get their hands on a free Arcana of their choice, a free month of premium subscription service Dota Plus, and a free battle pass for the upcoming finals.

RELATED LINKS: Dota 2 heroes, Dota 2 custom games, Which MOBA is best?

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:44 PM
     Modern Warfare 2 camo challenges explained

Completing all of the Modern Warfare 2 camo challenges will be the ultimate test for anyone playing the latest Call of Duty game. The end goal is to unlock all of the Modern Warfare 2 mastery camos, but along the way you'll nab yourself a bunch of other weapon camos that will kit your gun out nicely in the FPS game.

The question is, what are the changes to the Modern Warfare 2 camo challenges compared to previous games? What is immediately apparent is that it's much easier to unlock the better camos this time, so you shouldn't have to painstakingly grind out hundreds of kills in very specific scenarios. Here's what we know about the Modern Warfare 2 camo challenges so far.

RELATED LINKS: The best Modern Warfare 2 guns, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 release date, Modern Warfare 2 Gunsmith

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:37 PM
     Witcher Henry Cavill loves Total War Warhammer 3:

Well-known Warhammer fan, PC gamer, and Witcher embodiment Henry Cavill, despite the news that he'll be once again donning the Superman suit, has been spending lots of time lately playing fantasy strategy game Total War: Warhammer 3, the actor has revealed in a new interview.

RELATED LINKS: Total War: Warhammer 3 DLC, Total War: Warhammer 3 races, Total War: Warhammer 3 review

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:04 PM
     Modern Warfare 2 mastery camos and how to unlock them

Modern Warfare 2 mastery camos are a sign of prestige, an indication to your enemies and teammates alike that you know what you're doing; you've put countless hours into the FPS game, and you are not to be trifled with. These weapon cosmetics are the rarest in Call of Duty, and require a lot of effort to unlock.

Unlocking every Modern Warfare 2 mastery camo is a lengthy process, requiring you to master each weapon platform individually. The traditional route to acquiring mastery camos for a weapon would be to first work through every regular camo challenge, which can range from simply getting kills, using certain attachments, or something more involved, like getting headshots while prone. Once every regular camo has been unlocked, that's when the mastery grind begins.

RELATED LINKS: The best Modern Warfare 2 guns, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 release date, Modern Warfare 2 Gunsmith

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:01 PM
     Oculus Quest 3 VR headset will arrive

Oculus Quest 3 is in development, and despite the recent Quest Pro launch, Meta can't stop discussing the Quest 2's upcoming successor. Following recent comments about its possible price, Meta has officially confirmed that the "next generation" Quest headset should arrive "later next year."

RELATED LINKS: Best VR games, Oculus Quest 3 release date, Project Cambria release date

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:00 PM
     GTA podium car: here's what vehicle you can win in GTA Online

What is the GTA podium car this week? GTA Online vehicles are expensive things, so we're happy to take a spin on the Diamond Casino's Lucky Wheel to get a discount. Winning isn't guaranteed, sure, but it isn't out of the question either. Look, we don't have a problem - leave it alone.

Finding out what the GTA Online podium car is simple enough - it's winning it that's the challenge. You can spin the Diamond Casino's Lucky Wheel once a day, and each Podium Car refreshes after seven days on a Thursday. Basically, you have seven shots to get the vehicle of that given week. If you own a Penthouse, you can spin it for free, but if you don't it's $500 a spin. Don't fret if you don't win, as you can try for something else.

You have a one in 20 chance of getting the podium vehicle, a car discount, or a mystery prize. There's a four in 20 chance of getting clothes, chips, and cash. Finally, there's a five in 20 chance of getting RP. On that note, here's everything you need to know about this week's GTA podium car.

RELATED LINKS: GTA 5 mods, GTA 6, Buy GTA V

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:59 AM
     Skyrim mod redesigns every last inch of road in Bethesda RPG

Sometimes Skyrim mods can be so delightfully mundane that you can't help but wonder at the meticulous craft that has gone into them. What we have here is a perfect example of just such a phenomenon, with a mod that shows incredible dedication to the craft of improving one of the best open-world games of all time. Fans clearly agree, as it's already proven one of the most popular mods for the Bethesda RPG since its release.

RELATED LINKS: Skyrim mods, Play Skyrim, Games like Skyrim

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:56 AM
     Is Modern Warfare 2 crossplay or cross-platform?

Are you looking for information on Modern Warfare 2 crossplay? Infinity Ward's multiplayer game is one of the biggest launches this year, and you're likely already assembling a team ahead of the Modern Warfare 2 release date. But what if your buddies have gone over to the dark side and are planning to play it on a console?

Thankfully, we can confirm that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 supports crossplay and cross-platform progression. This won't come as much of a shock to Call of Duty veterans, who will recall that recent Call of Duty titles also include crossplay support. It's also necessary if you want to play Modern Warfare 2 Spec Ops mode with trusted teammates who don't have the PC version. Here's the lowdown on how cross-platform progression works in Modern Warfare 2 and how to enable and disable crossplay.

RELATED LINKS: The best Modern Warfare 2 guns, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 release date, Modern Warfare 2 Gunsmith

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:50 AM
     Gotham Knights frame rate still stutters without Denuvo DRM

Gotham Knights frame rate issues have plagued the action game since launch, with just about every gaming PC struggling to get it running well regardless of specs. Now, with the removal of Denuvo DRM, many hoped that performance would improve, but this isn't quite the case.

RELATED LINKS: Best Gotham Knights abilities, How long is Gotham Knights?, Gotham Knights mods

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:46 AM
     The best Lachmann-556 loadout in Modern Warfare 2

Knowing the best Lachmann-556 loadout in Modern Warfare 2 will turn you into a pin-point marksman, with enough firepower to take down an entire squad at long-range. The Lachmann-556 is easily one of the best Modern Warfare 2 guns provided you know how to outfit it correctly.

The key to getting the most out of the Lachmann-556 is leaning into its strengths and knowing how to put yourself into situations where you'll be most effective. Range and accuracy are the Lachmann-556's most significant attributes, so our loadout has been designed to make you untouchable at mid to long-range. Here's the best Lachmann-556 loadout in Modern Warfare 2.

RELATED LINKS: The best Modern Warfare 2 guns, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 release date, Modern Warfare 2 Gunsmith

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:45 AM
     The best JRPGs on PC in 2022

Want to know what the best JRPGs on PC are? JRPGs are a very different beast to western RPGs, which you'll find in our best RPGs on PC list, and while some tactical RPGs can also use tropes found within JRPGs, there's a lot more variety on how a fight plays out. Sometimes it's just a turn-based combat system with a small number of characters, but more modern JRPGs experiment with realistic movement. While tactical RPGs have a fixed chess-like structure, JRPGs allow you to switch between characters.

Therefore, the genre has significantly evolved since the early days of both the classic NES era Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy games, ranging from vast open world adventures to more refined turn-based combat. Some games do away with the fantasy in favour of a more realistic setting. Others focus on adding to the game's overall package to flesh out the world.

RELATED LINKS: Genshin Impact codes, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:45 AM
     Genshin Impact player 36 stars Spiral Abyss without using any wishes

One determined Genshin Impact player on the Genshin Reddit has earned all 36 stars in the gacha and RPG game's Spiral Abyss combat challenge without using any wishes at all. This means that no Primogems, Acquaint Fates, or Intertwined Fates were used to get more characters. Players of the miHoYo hit tend to create these kinds of challenges for themselves as a way to test their game knowledge and increase the difficulty in an otherwise welcoming game.

RELATED LINKS: Genshin Impact codes, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:31 AM
     Modern Warfare 2 Specs Ops mission list

If you're looking for the Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Spec Ops mission list, you've come to the right place. Fans of 2019's Modern Warfare will be pleased to discover that the Modern Warfare 2 Spec Ops mode is making a welcome return – albeit with a slightly different structure, opting for an army of two instead of four. Nevertheless, its core tenets remain the same: a cooperative mode that blends narrative and teamwork.

We have confirmation from Infinity Ward that we can expect three Modern Warfare 2 Specs Ops missions at launch. However, an expansion of said list in future content updates is highly likely, including Modern Warfare 2 DLC. All of the missions featured take place in Al Mazrah, though we don't doubt that there's scope to expand the Modern Warfare 2 maps and scenarios available. That said, here's the complete list of Modern Warfare 2 Spec Ops missions so far.

RELATED LINKS: The best Modern Warfare 2 guns, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 release date, Modern Warfare 2 Gunsmith

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:31 AM
     Jsaux cancels RGB Steam Deck dock due to

Jsaux, a well-known Steam Deck dock manufacturer, has issued a statement saying it's cancelled its upcoming RGB product for the Valve handheld. The company states it was tipped off about a competitor developing a similar accessory, allegedly from "leaked" designs.

RELATED LINKS: Steam Deck review, Best Steam Deck SD card, Best Steam Deck dock

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:26 AM
     All Modern Warfare 2 perks, packages, and how the new system works

The best Modern Warfare 2 perks and perk system look slightly unfamiliar this time around, with new perk packages entering the fray. Perk packages might still include two standard perks, but bonus and ultimate perks make their debut in the FPS game.

Perks are just one part of your Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer setup, and allow you to choose a loadout of four, each with its own unique benefit in the multiplayer game. These could be hiding you from enemy UAVs or spawning with an additional tactical item - the right perk could make the world of difference to your performance.

RELATED LINKS: The best Modern Warfare 2 guns, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 release date, Modern Warfare 2 Gunsmith

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:20 AM
     Modern Warfare 2 Spec Ops co-op mode details

Modern Warfare 2 Spec Ops is returning to Call of Duty, releasing alongside the campaign. Once again, it gives players a chance to team up to tackle self-contained missions in the FPS game, sharpening their communication skills as well as their aim, trying to get the best score possible.

As usual in Infinity Ward-developed Call of Duty games, Spec Ops features in place of the Zombies mode we often see with Treyarch in the Black Ops series. A worthy inclusion, Spec Ops is a different flavour of multiplayer game, especially if getting dominated online starts getting old. The co-operative game mode releases at the same time as the campaign, with Warzone 2.0 and DMZ coming next month. Here is everything we know about Spec Ops.

RELATED LINKS: The best Modern Warfare 2 guns, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 release date, Modern Warfare 2 Gunsmith

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:20 AM
     Next week's free games from Epic will take you to 'Nam

It's new free games day at the Epic Games Store, which means not only do you get to pick up a terrific Warhammer 40K tactics game for free, you also get a peek at what's on deck for next week. For the week starting November 3, the Epic Store's free PC games will be military FPS game Rising Storm 2: Vietnam and sci-fi puzzle game Filament.

RELATED LINKS: Rising Storm 2: Vietnam system specs

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:39 PM
     Red Dead Redemption 2 mod adds realistic hunting to Rockstar sandbox

A new Red Dead Redemption 2 mod transforms Rockstar's sandbox game by adding brutal and realistic new hunting mechanics, as official RDR2 and Red Dead Online updates remain sparse, and we all look ahead to the GTA 6 release date.

RELATED LINKS: Red Dead Redemption 2 PC review, RDR2 PC legendary animal hunts, RDR2 money guide

PCGamesN Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:30 PM
     Victoria 3 cheats and console commands

The Victoria 3 cheats and console commands will allow you to get to the good stuff in a hurry, if you don't want to build up your Victorian nation brick by painstaking brick. Like all of Paradox's grand strategy games, Victoria 3 has a built-in set of commands you can use to quickly get the map set up the way you want, without any messing around with the trade system or diplomatic plays.

To access Victoria 3 cheats and console commands, you'll need to enable debug mode. This is done through Steam prior to launching the game. All you need to do is right-click on Victoria 3 in your Steam library, and click on Properties. In the first panel that pops up, the General tab, find the box labelled Launch Options. Add this command to that box:

  • -debug_mode

Launch Victoria 3, and you'll find that the developer debug mode has been enabled. You can pull up a console menu at any time by pressing the ~ (tilde) key.

RELATED LINKS: Victoria 3 release date, The best grand strategy games on PC, The best strategy games on PC

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:48 PM
    

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 is a surprisingly capable processor, with the single-core grunt of the rest of the Zen 3 family and only slightly lower clock speeds than the top-end six-core processor, the Ryzen 5600X. The Ryzen 5600X costs the best part of £200, but the vanilla 5600 is down to £145 at Ebuyer - a great value in my book.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:00 PM
    

I pity anyone who has to review, or god help them, write a guide for Terra Invicta, because doing it even semi-comprehensively would take longer than I expect to live.

This is a hugely ambitious game, covering something I've never seen before, with a scope that makes Europa Universalis seem limited. It is a complicated, huge, and ponderous alien invasion simulator that constantly threatens to drop the other boot on you the entire time. Anything you do could be the butterfly whose little wingflaps eventually result in the obliteration of the planet. It is not a game to be powered through, but to be played and contemplated exclusively for a solid month.

That is its central weakness. But I think it had to be this way. Its commitment to an idea is demanding, but if you can tolerate some issues with clarity and presentation, the payoff for meeting it is utterly unique.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:03 PM
    

Today has brought the launch of Signalis, a new retro-styled survival horror about an android trapped in a spooky place in deep space. It looks neat! I've heard it's good! I can neither confirm nor deny that because I can't get past the main menu. The background is a big blinking eye, see, and it follows my mouse cursor, so I cannot resist making the eye look around and go silly. I don't know how the devs expected players to beat this near-impossible first task of leaving the eye alone long enough to click the "Begin" button.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:00 PM
    

Wanna get into the Halloween spirit but are a bit of a wimp (100% guilty), or just struggle with horror games in general (1000% guilty)? No worries; I got you. Here's a list of the best spooky games for non-horror fans.

Don't get me wrong, I love Halloween, I just don't want to have the bejesus scared outta me, you know? I like games that give me a lil bit of spooky-ookiness, but not like bone-chilling, stomach-churning, nightmare inducing, wont-sleep-for-a-week horror games. Absolutely not. You won't find any Resident Evil or Silent Hill recommendations here! Feel safe knowing that the spooky-not-scary games you'll find below will get you thoroughly into the Halloween mood, just without all the over-the-top violence and buckets of gore. Enjoy!

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:00 PM
    

I've mentioned before that I'm into survival games with a goal past staying alive, because if surviving is the only goal, what's the point in living at all (he says, with a firm glare at the Tory party)? Grounded has its main quest and Minecraft has the Ender Dragon, for example, which gives you something to work towards past simply keeping your heart beating. 7 Days to Die is the biggest counterpoint to that, with its routine weekly horde attacks delivering moreish gameplay that keeps me playing way past my bedtime.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:29 AM
    

Developer Jumpship have announced that their dystopian adventure game, Somerville, is coming to PC, Xbox consoles, and Game Pass on November 15th 2022. The news was revealed on Jumpship's Twitter account with a cryptic logo, and Somerville's mysterious vibe is no accident as it comes from Playdead's former co-founder Dino Patti, who left the studio after shipping creepy side-on platformers Limbo and Inside.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:03 AM
    

Apex Legends: Eclipse, the 15th season of Respawn's peerless battle royale, is nearly upon us. We've already seen quite a bit about Broken Moon, the brand new map being added with Season 15 - but now Respawn has finally released more details about the new Legend, Catalyst, and the Ferrofluid-powered abilities she brings to the Apex Games.

It turns out that part of Catalyst's diverse skillset is an Ultimate ability that may at last provide some serious counterplay to the ever-present scan meta dominated by recon Legends such as Bloodhound and Seer. Take a look at Catalyst's abilities in the new Season 15 vignette trailer below.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:00 AM
    

Saturnalia isn't a terribly long game, but it has spent much longer occupying my thoughts. Any time in the past couple of weeks that my friends and colleagues thought they were talking to me, they were in fact talking to an exquisite Italian neon-folk horror game wearing my skin and looking out of the eye-holes in my skull. On at least one occasion I lay in bed at 3am, sweaty and frozen in half-asleep fear, because I thought I'd heard a strange rattling noise...

In fact it was not stillness, but the panic-sprint into darkness that became my main and oft-unsuccessful tactic whenever I heard the creature of Gravoi. Gravoi itself is a small but inconveniently maze-like fictional Sardinian town, host to a yearly folk festival that, every so often, involves the unwary being carried off and killed by a... something. Unfortunately, four very unwary outsiders - rendered outsiders for a variety of reasons, whether they're locals or not - find themselves having to survive the night of this festival, armed with things like matches, firecrackers and a polaroid camera.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:00 AM
    

Happy skeleton war month, ya filty animals! This week on the Electronic Wireless Show we talk about dread, as in, the thing Matthew feels when confronted with glistening food, or when he knows he has to record a podcast with us. We talk about some cracking scary games, going a bit down the beaten track and away from our normal path of least resistance (talking about Red Dead Redemption 2 and BioWare games). We also have some spooky recommendations for you to spice up your Halloween! Plus, it's Nate turn to produce a Cavern Of Lies. More like Cavern Of Jump Scares! And we coin a couple of new euphemisms you're sure to work into your every day language.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, October 27, 2022 10:30 AM
    

A little while back, I went to Cornwall with some friends in the hopes we'd detox on lovely beaches and coastal walks. Somehow, we managed a mental cleanse between horrendous downpours that knocked us sideways and made our socks all soggy. And while we cocooned ourselves in metal and waited for these bouts of terrible weather to subside, we played disgusting amounts of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla.

Over the course of a couple of weeks, we racked up a solid 60+ hours of game time. I'd wake up and see my friend clearing map markers. I'd pop out for a quick run (yes, I ran on my holiday like a chump) and return to see both of my friends clearing map markers. Did we enjoy it? Sometimes! But then, why couldn't we stop playing? The Ubisoft Effect, I reckon.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, October 27, 2022 10:18 AM
    

For the past week, Marvel anti-hero Deadpool has been taking over the social media accounts for Firaxis' upcoming turn-based tactics game Marvel's Midnight Suns', leading many to believe he was going to be a playable character when it launches on December 2nd. Now, Firaxis have confirmed that, yep, Deadpool will be coming to Marvel's Midnight Suns, but only as part of its newly unveiled season pass.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, October 27, 2022 9:58 AM
    

What's better than a little city full of mysteries to solve? A mysterious little city trapped in a time loop, where you slowly learn all the secrets but no one remembers what you did last time around. That's The Forgotten City, and if you're on Game Pass, I do recommend having a go before it leaves Microsoft's service next week. It's a great puzzle box running to clockwork, like if Outer Wilds had you meddle with people's lives rather than machinery.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, October 27, 2022 9:34 AM
    

Game Of Thrones author George R. R. Martin has admitted he hasn't played Elden Ring, despite creating the history and lore for FromSoftware's RPG. He does have a fairly good reason for it, though. On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Martin said, "I have not played it because people seem to want this Winds Of Winter book," the (very) long-awaited sixth chapter in the Game Of Thrones series.

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Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:56 PM
     Sonic's multiversal Netflix series is closer than it's ever been!

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:55 PM
     A special Teemu Puuki can now be yours in FIFA 23.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:54 PM
     Which Inquisitor Is in Tales of the Jedi?

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:35 PM
     Jack is back to save America once again.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:35 PM
     Fight to survive in the new underwater combat of Warzone 2.0 and Modern Warfare 2.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:29 PM
     Major refresh for the feature in years.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:07 PM
     Blizzard has banned thousands of players for cheating in Overwatch 2.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 2:54 PM
     Equip these SMGs to take down enemies in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 2:52 PM
     When does Yellowstone's 1923 come out and is Harrison Ford in it?

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 2:38 PM
     Here's how to play Prisoner Rescue in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 2:28 PM
     Here is a list of all the Tactical equipment and Field Upgrades of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 2:11 PM
     Change your FOV to get a better view in MW2.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:55 PM
     Star Ocean: The Divine Force once again takes us to massive new worlds.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:43 PM
     Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is getting the COD Endowment Protector Pack DLC tomorrow to help real veterans fund good jobs.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:40 PM
     It's a little annoying the game makes you use the filter to make sure you get the game mode you want in the Modern Warfare 2 beta.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:25 PM
     Rulebreaker Chris Willock packs a punch in FIFA 23.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:19 PM
     Fore! Find out the latest details about BIRDIE WING -Golf Girls' Story- Season 2.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:16 PM
     A guide that explains what the max level cap is in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:02 PM
     There is a good selection of weapons to be found in the Modern Warfare 2 beta.

Twinfinite Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:58 PM
     The Sonic Prime animated series will air on Netflix in December.

Siliconera Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:30 PM
    

Obakeidoro Castlevania Alucard and Leon Belmont Free DLC Appears

Ahead of Halloween, both the Nintendo Switch and PC versions of Obakeidoro (Bail or Jail) got Castlevania Alucard and Leon Belmont DLC. In each case, the add-on is free and brings both characters to the game.

The Obakeidoro Castlevania bundle gives people Alucard, the Alucard Sword for him to wield, and Leon Belmont. Screenshots show Leon Belmont under the "Monster" section, noting he has fairly high range, due to his whip, and an above average jump. Another image shows Alucard in the "Human" section. Instead of a lantern, Alucard holds his sword.
[gallery columns="9" ids="938282,938281,938285,938287,938284,938280,938283,938286,938288" link="file"]
Here's a gallery showing how each character looks in-game. Alucard is shown to be able to transform into a bat in one of the screenshots.

For those wondering how this happened, Konami and Free Style are behind this game. In it, a group of three "human" players attempt to evade one "monster" one.

To go along with the Halloween season, there are ways to play Obakeidoro for less money than usual or free. It is currently the Nintendo Switch Online Game Trial until November 1, 2022. Subscribers can play the full game for free until that date. The game is also on sale for 50% off on the eShop and Steam until November 1, 2022, bringing the price down to $9.99.

Obakeidoro is available on the Nintendo Switch. On PCs, people can find it on Steam as Bail or Jail.

The post Obakeidoro Castlevania Alucard and Leon Belmont Free DLC Appears appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:00 PM
    

star ocean the divine force review 1

Star Ocean's had a rough go of it! The series started strong, setting trends on the Super Famicom and PlayStation. But after Star Ocean: Till the End of Time, things faltered. It almost feels like Star Ocean: The Divine Force's existence is some sort of miracle. Even more so because, while there are some elements that can feel a bit dated and it isn't exactly perfect, it's generally a joyful and solid experience.

As is common with Star Ocean, The Divine Force begins with a technologically superior race crash-landing on a less-developed planet. One in which, as is common in science-fiction stories, they normally wouldn't interact so as to not harm the denizens. However, it seems it might be just what everyone involved needs. Princess Laeticia, from the Kingdom of Aucerius on Aster IV, is on a quest with a trusted member of her guard to deal with a potential war. Ray Lawrence, a captain of the Lawrence Logistics ship Ydas, crashes on said planet while delivering a mysterious device known as D.U.M.A. When the two meet, they get caught up in each other's journeys and problems, perhaps offering new insight and solutions.

DUMA

Continuing the Trend of Two Sides to Each Story

Like Star Ocean: The Second Story, The Divine Force tells the story from two perspectives. Someone could begins the tale as Princess Laeticia and focus on the plights and perils of the planet below. They could also choose to follow Ray to focus more on the spacefaring mystery and to learn what's going on with the strange D.U.M.A. technology. I did feel a bit like Ray's story sometimes felt like the "main" one, especially given the two introductions. However, throughout both routes you'll get to see lead-specific story segments, to balance things out. For the sake of avoiding spoilers. both options feel like a fairly standard Star Ocean story and you'll probably see where things are going without too much trouble.

That means the game as a whole is filled with classic sorts of JRPG tropes. For example, we have a male lead who is reckless, daring and energetic, but means well. He's accompanied by a more practical, pragmatic, and subdued young woman as the heroine. There's an over-the-top Welch Vineyard again, complete with grating voice. To be fair, there were more than a few voice acting performances in Star Ocean: The Divine Force that got me remembering games like The Second Story. In most cases, it's the NPCs that don't really sound like they fit, but I noticed a few times when ambient banter involving characters like Ray, Albaird, and Nina could fall into that category.

Square Enix

A Varied, Though Sometimes Sparse, World

This isn't to say that the major characters who will be your companions on Star Ocean: The Divine Force's journey aren't great. I liked them a lot. Even if they do seem to pull from JRPG staple roles and characterizations, they're handled well and tend to have a bit of depth to them. I also very much appreciated that yes, Private Actions are here and they do influence relationships between the leads and party members. As in past Star Ocean games, when you're in a town you will want to take a look around and seek them out. I know I've brought up Star Ocean: The Second Story a lot already, but the way in which they're handled and how you'll need to keep an eye out for them in The Divine Force reminds me of that installment in a good way.

As Ray and Laeticia venture across Aster IV with allies to accomplish their goals, it means exploring the expanses of the planet, heading into places like fortresses, mines, and ruins, wandering through towns, and of course fighting lots of enemies. There's a pretty even division when it comes to transitioning from the general outdoors, villages, and "dungeons." Plus the ability to sprint without stamina concerns, use D.U.M.A. to soar to higher areas or glide, and fast travel helped with getting around. The downside is, it can feel like there's wasted space in the great outdoors. It isn't an issue when you reach a city or are in a designated "dungeon" space. But in the general overworld, the crystals to improve D.U.M.A,, items, and even enemies didn't appear as frequently as I would have liked.

star ocean the divine force review

Battles are Tight, Especially When D.U.M.A. is Involved

The Star Ocean series always relied on an active battle system in which you'd need to know which skills benefited the team as a whole, and The Divine Force continues that trend. When you head into a fight, your party members can unleash attacks so long as they have enough AP. Each fight, you enter it with five, and each attack uses one. When those run out, you need to fall back to regroup. It's an active system, during which investing in skill tree nodes to improve stats or learn new abilities. As with past entries, you can switch between the characters in your party. You can also pause the action to use items, switch targets, or generally take a moment to think about things. Given you need to pace yourself and consider your equipped attacks and characters' roles, it can get quite thoughtful in longer battles or be over before you know it during simpler ones. Also, I appreciated that button-mashing isn't great, because fighting intelligently and performing actions like properly defending increases your AP temporarily so you can create longer combos.

But what makes it really entertaining is D.U.M.A. It is used for exploring the world by jetting up to higher areas as well as fight opponents. While exploring, you can get gems to earn DP that improve its skills in and out of battle. For example, you can make it a better scanner to find a treasure chest in the field. You can also make it better at offense and defense. Once you get into a fight with a substantial enemy, you could gradually build up power for Vatting, which lets you essentially perform a special attack. But what I liked best was the Estery Cage. Especially if you don't have a healer like Nina around and are in the middle of a boss fight. This makes D.U.M.A. essentially protect everyone's defense or make them strong for a time, at the expense of sacrificing those quick, focused hits for a specific character.

While battling and dealing with both main and side missions are obviously what you'll spend most of your time doing, I did appreciate that the Es'owa minigame and crafting are also available diversions. The former reminded me a bit of Triple Triad and Tetra Master, in that I enjoyed getting to find new opponents in the world and build out my collection of pawns. It's a bit tactical, due to character classes and positioning on the board helping determine if you win. Not to mention that it's a fun excuse for character cameos and an additional accessory that can provide boosts or make allies strong against certain sorts of enemies. Crafting returns too and, while it is helpful, I can't help but miss past installments' take on it. Characters have specialties there, for example with Ray being good at smithing, but Star Ocean: The Divine Force doesn't have the depth of Till the End of Time.

star ocean the divine force review 5

Star Ocean: The Divine Force's Most Sinister Status Effect is Eye Strain

As I played through Star Ocean: The Divine Force, I started wondering if perhaps budget was something of an issue. It would certainly explain some issues with the empty spaces, more predictable elements, and some oddities with regards to character models. While I appreciated the effort to match mouth movements with the voice acting, it looks incredibly unnatural. Not to mention the more a character moves, the more unrealistic and exaggerated it all seems. When I met Nina for the first few times, for example, I wondered exactly why her hair and arms seemed to be flailing they way they did.

Honestly, my biggest problem is that Star Ocean: The Divine Force got me moving more in a one hour gaming session than Ring Fit Adventure. The font is comically small, and there are no accessibility options to mitigate that. Which means if you want to go through the skill tree (filled with tiny text), get into crafting (more tiny text), or do anything that involves any amount of reading, you'll need to be within five inches of your screen.

It isn't a stretch to say Star Ocean: The Divine Force is the best Star Ocean game in years. The atmosphere is great, even if it can feel a little unsteady sometimes or as though it is borrowing a bit too much from past entries. It's enjoyable in the ways that matter. Combat is fun. Moving around with D.U.M.A is easy and efficient. Even the Es'owa minigame feels worth your time. It's generally satisfying, not to mention an encouraging step forward for a series that was clearly in trouble.

Star Ocean: The Divine Force is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.

The post Review: Star Ocean: The Divine Force Feels Like a 90s Game (in a Good Way) appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, October 27, 2022 2:30 PM
    

As Frey explores the world of Forspoken, she'll use magic parkour abilities to flow, soar, shimmy, and zip through untamed environments.

Square Enix offered a new look at Forspoken, and this time it focuses on how magic parkour abilities help Frey find her way through the world. Everything starts with a Flow skill. Once a player performs that to get Frey moving, then other skills like shimmy and soar can help her deal with other environmental challenges. All of them use stamina, which means someone must keep an eye on it to keep moving smoothly and swiftly.

Things begin with Flow. This is a dash that gets Frey moving. She can use Rush to briefly move more quickly and recover stamina. With Shimmy, Frey will jump during a Flow to get over gaps or reach areas above or below her. Shimmy also doesn't use stamina. Glide forms a surfboard out of magic when on top of water. If someone is faced with a cliff or people can't reach an area, soar lets Frey jump repeatedly on platforms, while Scale lets her jump straight up in the air using phantom footholds.

Some Forspoken magic parkour skills can help protect Frey. Float is a skill that keeps her from dropping quickly when she falls. Zip not only offers a grappling hook like function, but could be used to dodge enemy attacks.

Here's the trailer showing all of the traversal skills off.

Square Enix shares Forspoken trailers at a fairly regular pace. For example, the Tokyo Game Show 2022 trailer offered a better look at its story. The March 2022 State of Play segment focused on gameplay and combat.

Forspoken will come to the PS5 and PC on January 24, 2023, following a delay out of 2022.

The post New Forspoken Magic Parkour Trailer Covers Exploration Abilities appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, October 27, 2022 2:00 PM
    

Alter's Atelier Ryza figure based on her appearance in the original game will be out in September 2023, and pre-orders are showing up online.

Another Reisalin Stout figure is on the way. Alter is preparing an Atelier Ryza figure based on her appearance in the game Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout. It will debut in Japan in September 2023. She'll cost 23,980円 (~$164).

We've known about this Atelier Ryza figure for a while, as Alter showed off the unpainted prototype for it at MegaHobby Expo 2021. While it was in-progress at the time, it didn't change much between then and now.

This is a 1/7th scale figure. That means she'll stand at about nine and a half inches tall. She doesn't come with any additional parts to change her pose or facial expression.

Here's a gallery offering a better look at how the complete Atelier Ryza Alter figure will look.

[gallery columns="4" link="file" ids="938270,938271,938272,938273"]

While there's only a Japanese release confirmed for this figure, a number of outlets that ship worldwide opened pre-orders. AmiAmi is selling it for 22,780円 (~$156). Hobby Link Japan also opened orders and is charging $177.03 for one.

This isn't the only Atelier series Alter is working on. It is bringing Corneria from Atelier Sophie to life as well.

Alter's Atelier Ryza figure will appear in Japan in September 2023. Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout is available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC.

The post Alter's Atelier Ryza Figure Will Appear in 2023 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:30 PM
    

R-Type Final 3 Evolved for PS5

Granzella has simultaneously announced two new R-Type titles that it will release in 2023. The company revealed R-Type Final 3 Evolved for PlayStation 5 and a remake compilation of two R-Type Tactics games that will also appear on the PS4, Switch, and PC.

R-Type Final 3 Evolved will be available on the PS5 with over 20 playable stages. The existing R-Type Final 2 releases on the PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC will receive a major update that also rebrands the title to R-Type Final 3. The PS5 Evolved version will take another step further by adding more new stages and a VR mode where the player can watch the units' launch sequences with a VR device.

R-Type Tactics I-II Cosmos

At the same time, Granzella also revealed details about R-Type Tactics I-II Cosmos. The company will compile content from the two turn-based strategy games originally released on PlayStation Portable while remaking the graphics to current standards.

The first R-Type Tactics came out for the PSP in Japan in September 2007. Atlus localized the title in North America as R-Type Command in May 2008. The sequel R-Type Tactics II: Operation Bitter Chocolate also appeared on the PSP, but it only had a formal release in Japan in late 2009.

Although Irem secured an ESRB rating for R-Type Command II in 2010, an official localization never came out until Western users took it upon themselves to release an English fan translation in 2018. The second game's inclusion in this remake compilation will mark its first official release outside Japan.

R-Type Final 3 Evolved will appear on PlayStation 5 in March 2023. Granzella will then release R-Type Tactics I-II Cosmos for PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC in Summer 2023.

The post R-Type Final 3 Evolved and Tactics Remake Compilation Announced appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:00 PM
    

Rieko Kodama

Sega confirmed on October 27th that Rieko Kodama, a veteran developer at the company and a pioneering figure in the games industry, died in May 2022. The company had not shared news of her death at the time out of respect for the privacy of her family. Her death became public knowledge after people spotted a memorial tribute to Kodama in the staff credits of the newly-released Sega Genesis (Mega Drive) Mini 2 microconsole. She was 58 years old.

Rumors about Kodama's death circulated late on October 26, 2022, when Retro Gamer Features Editor Nick Thorpe spotted the memorial message and posted a screenshot on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/HKT3030/status/1585406958873776132

Ares Arcadia,Skies of Arcadia fan site, contacted Sega Producer Yosuke Okunari via Twitter, seeking clarification. Okunari responded in English, confirming the accuracy of the memorial and that Rieko Kodama had indeed died. Sega Japan noted that she died in May 2022, but did not share details to respect the privacy of her family. In a statement to IGN, Sega expressed condolences and gratitude for her contributions.

https://twitter.com/okunari/status/1585436886415593472

Rieko Kodama began work in 1984 as a graphic designer at Sega, working on titles like Alex Kidd, Altered Beast, and Sonic the Hedgehog. She sometimes went by the pseudonym "Phoenix Rie." She later became a director and producer, with a key hand in now-beloved Sega classics like Phantasy Star, Skies of Arcadia, and Magic Knight Rayearth. She also produced the 7th Dragon series and the Nintendo Switch-based Sega Ages retro collections. In 2019 the Game Developers Conference awarded Kodama its Pioneer Award in recognition of her achievements.

The announcement prompted more public comments from Kodama's colleagues and others who knew her. Sonic the Hedgehog co-creator Yuji Naka paid tribute in a statement on Twitter, saying that he "wanted everyone to remember her."

The post Sega Announced Skies of Arcadia Developer Rieko Kodama Died appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:30 PM
    

Marvel's Midnight Suns Season Pass Adds Deadpool, Storm, and More DLC Characters

The official reveal of the four DLC characters Marvel's Midnight Suns characters is here, as well as a look at the general Season Pass content. Deadpool, Morbius, Storm, and Venom will all eventually join the cast, with Deadpool coming first in early 2023. Each of these packs will not only add a character, but also new missions and opponents to fight. There's also a Doctor Strange Defenders Skin pre-order incentive.

Here's a trailer going over the Marvel's Midnight Suns Season Pass contents. It begins with Deadpool confirming all of the extra characters who will show up. This is a nod to him "taking over" the website and social media for the game back on October 19, 2022, leading up to this announcement. At the 55 second mark, the Doctor Strange skin appears.

Everyone who pre-orders Marvel's Midnight Suns will get access to the Doctor Strange skin. However, people who pre-order the Legendary Edition get access to that skin 30 days before anyone else.

In addition to these four characters, there will be 13 others appearing in Marvel's Midnight Suns. One is a new, original character known as The Hunter.

Here are the other cast members Firaxis revealed so far.

  • Blade
  • Captain America
  • Captain Marvel
  • Doctor Strange
  • Ghost Rider
  • Iron Man
  • Magik
  • Nico Minoru
  • Scarlet Witch
  • Spider-Man
  • Wolverine

Marvel's Midnight Suns will come to the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC on December 2, 2022, and the Season Pass with extra DLC characters' content will begin rolling out in 2023. The first add-on will be Deadpool in "early 2023."

The post Marvel's Midnight Suns Season Pass Adds Deadpool, Storm, and More DLC Characters appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:00 PM
    

Fitness Boxing Raoh

The Ken-oh is coming to pump you up. Raoh, a key villain from Fist of the North Star, is part of the playable roster of Fitness Boxing: Fist of the North Star. Developer Imagineer revealed Raoh in a Fitness Boxing commercial to promote the game in Japan. (There it is known as Fit Boxing: Hokuto no Ken). As announced in September, the game is a spin-off of the Fitness Boxing exercise game series, one that uses characters from Buronson's Fist of the North Star series [Thanks, Game Watch!].

Check out the Fitness Boxing Raoh trailer below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBlGEzOEqN8

In Fist of the North Star, Raoh is a major antagonist known as the "Ken-oh," or "King of Fists." Like series protagonist Kenshiro, Raoh trained in the ways of the Hokuto Shinken style under master Ryuken. An older honor brother to Kenshiro, Raoh was motivated to become the strongest martial artist in the world. His power frightened master Ryuken, who chose Kenshiro instead as the successor to Hokuto Shinken. Raoh killed Ryuken, leaving the Hokuto temple to fulfill his ambitions. Taking Jagi, another Hokuto brother and Toki, his biological brother, he amassed an army to conquer the wasteland.

Voice actor Tesshou Genda voices Raoh in Fitness Boxing: Fist of the North Star. He's also played characters like Kurama the Nine-Tails in Naruto, Toguro the Younger in YuYu Hakusho, and Kaidou in One Piece. In-game, Raoh appears as an instructor, and can run workouts for players to master their punches. He'll also have costume options, some based on his appearances in Fist of the North Star, and others inspired by modern gymwear and wrestling clothes.

Fitness Boxing: Fist of the North Star will launch on Nintendo Switch in March 2023.

The post Raoh Joins Fitness Boxing: Fist of the North Star Roster appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:30 AM
    

Kotobukiya has opened pre-orders for an action figure of the Rayleonard 03-AALIYAH Supplice from Armored Core 4. This item will be the first entry in Kotobukiya's new Decoction Models brand lineup. The large action figure will have a tax-inclusive price tag of 52,800 yen in Japan (~$360).

The action figure will come with the main unit pre-assembled and pre-painted with Berlioz and Rayleonard emblems. The owner will be able to immediately pose the figure while changing its armaments. The head sensor will be able to light up with LED, and the package will contain three LR41 batteries needed to power the light.

[gallery columns="4" ids="938234,938232,938233,938235" link="file"]

The non-scaled action figure will have an approximate height of 30 cm (~11.8 inches). This is larger than the 1/72 Variable Infinity plastic model kit of the same unit that stands at around 18 cm (~7 inches). Kotobukiya also published a couple of comparison images between the existing model kit and the new action figure.

[gallery columns="2" ids="938229,938230" link="file"]

Supplice is the name of the NEXT Armored Core owned by Berlioz, the top-ranked Original Lynx pilot who appeared in Armored Core 4. The mech parts are wholly comprised of Rayleonard Corporation's 03-AALIYAH frame model. Supplice is also the unit that starred in Armored Core 4's opening movie.

No new Armored Core video game has appeared on current-generation platforms to date. The latest entry, Armored Core: Verdict Day, came out for PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2013. Although FromSoftware had teased new developments for the series multiple times, it has still yet to formally reveal a new game.

Armored Core 4 came out for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in Japan in December 2006 and in the West in 2007. The Decoction Models action figure of Rayleonard 03-AALIYAH Supplice will release in April 2023.

The post Armored Core 4 Supplice Action Figure Pre-Orders Open appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:00 AM
    

stranger of paradise final fantasy origin cosmetic layered armor transmog

Now that the Wanderer of the Rift Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin DLC debuted, so did a transmogrification (transmog) feature that lets people make cosmetic changes to party members with what is essentially layered armor. After updating the game, people will be able to customize how characters look with owned equipment. However, that appearance will differ from what items Jack and the rest of the cast actually have equipped.

Here's Square Enix's official confirmation that there is now a cosmetic option in Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin to alter how armor looks via transmog.

Up until this latest DLC release and update, people in Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin had no purely cosmetic options for armor. Whatever you equipped on someone like Jack showed up in-game.

Wanderer of the Rift adds multiple new elements to Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. Chief among them is an appearance by Gilgamesh, a recurring character in the series. The new difficulty level is named after him and involves new chaos monsters to fight and summon-blessed relics. People can also make Jack into a Blue Mage. This will also introduce the Monster Bell system. Jack and the team can take Summonstones and use them to interact with various monsters. Once it trusts you, you can summon it to fight as an ally.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, as is its new Wanderer of the Rift DLC.

The post Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Cosmetic Armor Option Added appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, October 27, 2022 10:30 AM
    

Bayonetta 3 Jeanne, Luka, Rodin, and Enzo Character Concept Art Shared

People can get a better look at how certain characters will appear in Bayonetta 3, as the latest PlatinumGames blog entry showed off Jeanne, Luka, Rodin, and Enzo. Mari Shimazaki, a freelance designer who worked on all three entries in the series, shared the art. The notes also offered a little insight into what influenced each person's look.

First, here's the concept art looking at Jeanne in Bayonetta 3. Some of the images focus on her clothing, while others look at her accessories and makeup. When talking about Jeanne's new look, Shimazaki pointed out the goal to make it "spy-like" to fit in with her stealth sections, and mentioned the "60s fashion" callbacks.
[gallery columns="5" ids="938219,938220,938221,938222,938223" link="file"]

To show how that influenced the final character design in Bayonetta 3, here's a look at her character model.
jeanne bayonetta 3
platinumgames

Next, here are the design documents used to capture Luka's look in Bayonetta 3. The focus here is on his clothing and accessories, though you can also see how he looks without his hat. Shimazaki also noted, "This time, Luka is wearing the coat and equipment of his late treasure hunter father in an even more dignified manner."
[gallery columns="4" ids="938225,938226,938227,938228" link="file"]

Here's how Luka's model appears in-game.
PlatinumGames
platinumgames

After that, Rodin's casual style showed up. While his tattoos aren't mapped out, the intricate details on his outfit are.
[gallery columns="2" ids="938236,938237" link="file"]

The close-ups offer a chance to see how those embellishments look on the full character model.
platinumgames
platinumgames

Shimazaki also cited how casual Enzo's look is in Bayonetta 3, compared to how the character might normally look. The jacket highlights the baseball team's logo.
platinumgames

And here's how that outfit looks in-game.
platinumgames
platinumgames

Finally, here's a video also showing them off and looking at the Bayonetta 3 characters' models from different angles.

Bayonetta 3 will come to the Nintendo Switch on October 28, 2022.

The post Bayonetta 3 Jeanne, Luka, Rodin, and Enzo Character Concept Art Shared appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, October 27, 2022 10:00 AM
    

Uniqlo One Piece Film Red Collection

The new Uniqlo One Piece Film Red t-shirt collection based upon the newest movie is now available in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. People can head to stores or the official site to get one of the four styles. They are only available in unisex adult sizes, and each one is $19.90. If people purchase at least two, they also get a sheet of stickers while supplies last.

All four shirts are available in sizes XXS through 3XL. One in red has a small logo with the Red-Haired Pirates on the front, then the group's picture with members listed on the back. Another navy blue one shows the iconic moment when Luffy gets his hat. A third black one shows Luffy in the middle of an attack. Finally, the fourth white one shows the film's cast in front of its logo.

Here's a closer look at the full collection. Only the Red-Haired Pirates shirt features a design on the back:
[gallery columns="5" ids="938255,938256,938257,938258,938259" link="file"]

This what the official Uniqlo One Piece Film Red collection bonus sticker sheet looks like. It features Nami, Luffy, Uta, and Zoro wearing shirts from the lineup.
Nami Luffy Uta Zoro stickers

Uniqlo often sells shirts with popular anime or game characters on them. For example, there's a Spy x Family collection. There were also t-shirts celebrating the 35th anniversary of Final Fantasy.

The Uniqlo One Piece Film Red t-shirt collection is available now. The movie will appear in Australia and New Zealand on November 3, 2022 and in Canada and the United States on November 4, 2022. It is immediately available in Japan and earned over 16.2 billion yen as of October 2022.

The post Uniqlo One Piece Film Red Collection Now Available appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, October 27, 2022 9:30 AM
    

Honkai Impact 3rd Now on Epic Games Store and Steam

There's a new way to get Honkai Impact 3rd, as HoYoVerse announced the game is available via Epic Games Store as well as Steam. The product page is live and it is free to download. Cross-platform play is supported, so people who get it can still go online and face people who are running it through Steam or other sources. People who get it through that storefront also can claim a launch reward until December 6, 2022.

To get the free bonus, you need to get the game from Epic Games Store. Once you do, you'll get an email with a code. Redeeming it in-game will net you items like an Epic Emblem and Dorm Supply Cards.

People also don't need to go through a storefront like Epic Games Store or Steam to play Honkai Impact 3rd. A download is available via the official website. There, someone could get the client for a PC or the APK for an Android device.

As a reminder, here are the minimum requirements for playing Honkai Impact 3rd on a PC:

  • OS: Windows 7 SP1 x64
  • Processor: Intel Core i3-6100 or AMD FX-6300
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Storage: 15 GB available
  • Direct X: Version 11
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 or AMD Radeon HD 7870

And here are the recommended requirements:

  • OS: Windows 10 1903 or better
  • Processor: Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen R5-1600
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Storage: 15 GB available
  • Direct X: Version 11
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 480

Honkai Impact 3rd is available for Windows PCs and mobile devices.

The post Honkai Impact 3rd PC Version Now on Epic Games Store and Steam appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, October 27, 2022 9:00 AM
    

FFXIV Letter from the Producer LIVE LXXIV Appears in November

Soon, Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida will reveal what is next for Final Fantasy XIV. Square Enix confirmed FFXIV Letter from the Producer LIVE LXXIV (74) will appear on November 11, 2022. People will be able to tune in at 3am PT/6 am ET/12pm CET. As is common, it will detail updates coming in the next major patch. In this case, that means Patch 6.3 part 1.

As FFXIV Letter from the Producer LIVE LXXIV isn't one of the more major presentation, that means there will be no translator on hand or subtitles available. However, people who don't know the language will still be able to follow along. Though Yoshida and Global Community Manager Toshio "Foxclon" Murouchi will only be speaking in Japanese, all slides going over update details and changes will appear in Japanese and English.

People will be able to tune in on NicoNico, Twitch, and YouTube.

During one of the last one of these presentations, details came up about the next yearly events. The FFXIV Fan Festival will return in 2023. Three events worldwide are on the way. First, folks will be able to gather in-person in Las Vegas on July 28–29, 2023. Another will be held in London on October 21–22, 2023. Finally, a Japanese event will be held in 2024.

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. People can catch FFXIV Letter from the Producer LIVE LXXIV at 3am PT/6 am ET/12pm CET on November 11, 2022.

The post FFXIV Letter from the Producer LIVE LXXIV Appears in November appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, October 27, 2022 8:30 AM
    

Junji Ito Maniac

It may be spooky season this October, but that feeling might follow some into next year. Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre will debut on January 19, 2023 on Netflix. The streaming service began airing a new video preview for the anime series. The clip shows off the Junji Ito anime opening sequence, a montage of clips from the series, and the names of some key staff.

Check it out below"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b30xHuqp85I

The Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre anime opening is set to the song "Paranoid" by Madkid. Madkid's music also appeared in the Rising of the Shield Hero adaptation.

First announced in June 2022, Junji Ito Maniac is an anthology-style anime series that will adapt twenty stories from Ito's oeuvre for the first time. The stories are drawn from his manga volumes like Tomie, Soichi, and The Hanging Balloons. Shinobu Tagashira, who directed Junji Ito: "Collection" (another anime anthology), will Direct Maniac. Collection's scriptwriter Kaoru Sawada will also write the scripts. Composer Yuki Hayashi will provide the music, with sound direction by Hozumi Goda. Like Collection, the Maniac series is being animated by Studio DEEN. DEEN also produced anime series like Hozuki's Coolheadedness, and Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju.

Here's a list of the stories confirmed to appear in the series so far, courtesy of ANN.

  • Bullied
  • Headless Statues
  • Ice Cream Bus
  • Intruder
  • Library of Illusions
  • The Hanging Balloons
  • The Long Hair in the Attic
  • The Room With 4 Walls
  • The Strange Hikizuri Siblings: The Séance
  • Tomie: Photo
  • Tombtown
  • Undendurable Labyrinth
  • Where the Sandman Lives

Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre premieres on Netflix worldwide on January 19, 2023. Many Ito manga are available in English via Viz Media.

The post Junji Ito Maniac Anime Opening Showcased appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:00 PM
     Gotham Knights Review 1I don't think it's fair to compare every subsequent Batman game to Rocksteady's Arkham series. Not only are those fantastic games, but they're some of the best licensed games ever made. But Gotham Knights was made by Warner Bros. Montreal, which not only previously developed its own Batman game, but also made DLC for Arkham Knight. Even so, had Gotham Knights tried to do its own thing, it still wouldn't be completely fair to compare. But Gotham Knights does try to emulate multiple things about the Arkham games, all the while doing nearly everything worse. It's far from a bad game, but it's bland, stagnant, and wears out its welcome far before the finish line. Gotham Knights opens with an immensely entertaining cutscene showing Batman battling Ra's al Ghul, ending with the two of them brought low by an explosion. Batman's four proteges, Batgirl, Young Robin, Older Robin, and Murder Robin (Robin, Nightwing, and Red Hood, r...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, October 27, 2022 2:30 PM
     The Callisto Protocol JapanFrom what we've seen of The Callisto Protocol, it's looking to be a very gory game. It even manages to make the Dead Space series seem tame in some areas. With Dead Space creator Glen Schofield heading the title, this makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately, that can be a tough sell in some countries. In fact, it's looking like The Callisto Protocol won't be able to launch in Japan. Games often have to undergo censorship or editing before their Japanese release, but surprising, The Callisto Protocol's developer does not want to make any changes to the game. The tweet announcing this decision clarified the situation a little more. It states that The Callisto Protocol cannot pass the CERO rating in Japan and that changing the content of the game won't provide the expected experience. Any players in Japan that purchased the title should receive refunds, as well.   Gamers in Japan can't play The Callisto Protocol The CERO rating in Japan is notori...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, October 27, 2022 2:00 PM
     Moonbreaker Microtransactions Removed Update Business Model 2Developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment is completely changing its business model for Moonbreaker. The sci-fi turn-based strategy game launched into early access last month with a lot of in-game purchases present. However, today's update has removed all of the microtransactions from Moonbreaker. In an almost unheard of decision in the games industry, Unknown Worlds Entertainment has removed all in-game purchases from Moonbreaker. Moving forward, players will not be able to purchase Pulsars, Booster Boxes, Blanks, or Merits. Sparks have replaced the old currencies, which you can use to upgrade each unit's rarity. These upgrades are strictly cosmetic.   Speaking of units, you will no longer need to gamble and purchase Booster Boxes to unlock them. With the removal of microtransactions from Moonbreaker, all units will unlock by default as soon as you load up the game. Also, any additional units added in future seasons will be unlocked automatically at no extra cost. Anothe...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:30 PM
     Gotham Knights UpdateThe Batman Arkham series, and by extension Gotham Knights, hasn't had the best track record with PC releases. In fact, the PC port for the latest game set in Gotham was especially troublesome. Luckily, Warner Bros Games is taking steps to fix some problems, but the first big update for Gotham Knights that targets improved performance won't come until later. The first update for Gotham Knights is a rather small one. It targets a handful of issues both big and small. This includes a strange bug where an enemy could play a meditating animation during crimes. Apart from that, the patch addresses the UI, issues with graphical settings not being applied properly, and numerous crashes. The update should help to make some aspects of the game smoother, but the big patch is where more problems will get addressed.   Gotham Knights' performance fix is incoming The conversation around Gotham Knights has largely been centered on its performance. In fact, there have been plenty...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:15 PM
     Best Fallout November Prime Gaming 2022 ListAmazon's Prime Gaming service is getting irradiated with the best modern Fallout game for its November 2022 list. The beloved Fallout: New Vegas headlines Prime Gaming next month, allowing all those with a subscription the chance to brave its dusty trails if they haven't already. Of course, there are more games heading your way, including Indiana Jones and Etherborn. It won't simply be the base Fallout: New Vegas experience, either. Prime Gaming is setting up subscribers with Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition, which includes the game and all of its DLC. There are six post-launch content packs to go alongside the game. Dead Money brings an all-new story to experience, while Gun Runner boosts your arsenal with new weapons and ammo types.   Along with Fallout, Prime Gaming will include one of the best LucasArts games of the '80s. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure is a mouthful, but the tie-in game should be a tasty treat for point-and...

Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, October 27, 2022 2:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:00 AM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, October 27, 2022 10:00 AM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, October 27, 2022 9:00 AM
    

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:09 PM
     Michael and Trevor revisit their past. Franklin, Michael, and Trevor just finished scouting out the Union Depository in preparation for their biggest score yet. Right after the job, Michael comes home to relax and unwind. Trevor arrives shortly after, and after a healthy discussion goes the wrong direction, Michael and Trevor are forced to revisit […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Thursday, October 27, 2022 2:00 PM
     Can't let those secrets seep out into the open. Michael has been doing odd jobs for Steve Haines and Dave Norton for a while now, and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. Michael can't afford to say no to Dave and Steve, as he risks exposing the deal he and Dave Norton […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:00 PM
     Team Cherry's Metroidvania action-adventure game, Hollow Knight, follows the journey of a nameless warrior called the Knight as he travels through Hallownest, which is now a kingdom ruined by a supernatural disease. As the Knight journeys through Hallownest, he can unlock new abilities, spells, and charms that will help him traverse through different areas of […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Thursday, October 27, 2022 11:00 AM
     Pokemon Legends: Arceus is set in olden times in the Pokemon world when it was rare to find harmony between people and Pokemon. Set in Hisui, modern-day Sinnoh, you will join the Galaxy Expedition Team (Galaxy Team for short) as a member of the Survey Corps stationed in Jubilife Village. You will be tasked to […]

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, October 27, 2022 3:34 PM
    

Detailing the game's parkour mechanics alongside

The post Forspoken Gets New 'Deep Dive: Magic Parkour' Trailer appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, October 27, 2022 2:43 PM
    

The 30-second trailer features gameplay and several cutscenes

The post God of War Ragnarok Gets New Launch Trailer appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:39 PM

Pivotal Gamers Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:45 PM
     What's up all? Steam is giving all the opportunity to win on Arkanoid – Eternal Battle. Their message follows. Get Arkanoid – Eternal Battle – Space Scout Pack on Steam for Free! This content requires the base game Arkanoid – Eternal Battle on Steam in order to play. A few words about Arkanoid – Eternal Battle Discover or re-discover, the emblematic block breake...

Level Up Thursday, October 27, 2022 1:48 PM
     Paranormal Tales is an upcoming indie horror game with a unique perspective twist. Players experience…

Level Up Thursday, October 27, 2022 12:46 PM
     The Callisto Protocol's Japanese version has been canceled due to the game's violent content and…

Level Up Thursday, October 27, 2022 10:48 AM
     Marvel's Midnight Suns will get four more characters as post-launch DLC: Deadpool, Morbius, Venom, and…

Level Up Thursday, October 27, 2022 10:47 AM
     <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/e3-2021/2021/06/13/somerville-the-new-game-from-former-playdead-ceo-gets-new-trailer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Somerville</a>, the mysterious sci-fi adventure game, finally has a release date and…

Level Up Thursday, October 27, 2022 8:46 AM
     Rieko Kodama, the pioneering Sega developer behind titles like Phantasy Star and Skies of Arcadia,…