This is not a drill: Halo Infinite will soon let you play your way into earning credits for its in-game shop. 343 Industries senior community manager John Junyszek confirmed as much in a post on the Halo Waypoint forums tonight in what's known in the American PR business as a "White House news dump."
Nobody Saves the World is a game about filling up meters, leveling up, and watching the numbers get bigger. At first I didn't think it was quite working for me, but like the video game equivalent of an earworm wriggling its way into my grey matter, it wasn't long before the hours started flying by without me even…
Congratulations! You weathered the queues and were able to nab a PlayStation 5. You've somehow finagled the thing into your TV stand and turned it on without issue. So, what comes next? Of all the options at your fingertips, which games deserve your time and energy?
Over the last few days, I've been consumed by a game called Vampire Survivors. It's cheap, both in terms of price (only $3) and presentation (giant buttons that look more suited to mobile than PC), while very obviously lifting most of its aesthetic inspiration from the Castlevania series. But I can't get enough of…
Disney's Twisted-Wonderland has already been out in Japan for two years. Yesterday, the gacha mobile anime academy game was finally released in English. I can best describe it as "What if Disney Japan gave its IP to the creator of the manga Black Butler and asked her to design an anime Hogwarts game?" The result is a…
It seems Nintendo might be listening to Switch Online fans regarding emulation issues with some of the classic games it offers. Following a January 20 NSO update, which brought Rare's 1998 N64 platformer Banjo-Kazooie to the subscription service, it appears that water in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has been…
We all know Sid Meier best as the creator of Civilization, but he only led design on one of those, and he's got a whole catalogue of classics outside of it. Among his earlier games are a set of flight simulators developed at MicroProse, which are now available on Steam. The release comes as part of the ongoing MicroProse revival and also sees the modern launch of several more of the publisher's OG simulation games.
As for Meier's games, you can now pick up both Solo Flight and F-15 Strike Eagle. Solo Flight was released in 1983, in the very earliest days of PC flight simulators. F-15 Strike Eagle was released in 1984, and spiced up the whole 'flying around' thing with combat missions.
While MicroProse would later be known for a wider variety of game genres, including numerous strategy classics like the original Civilization and X-COM, Meier originally co-founded the company alongside Bill Stealey with an initial focus on flight simulation. Several of MicroProse's later sims - Harrier Jump Jet, Dogfight: 80 Years of Aerial Warfare, and The Ancient Art of War in the Skies - are also now on Steam.
Diablo II: Resurrected is gearing up for its first major patch and content update, which will first appear on the RPG game's public test realm January 25. Update 2.4 makes a whole host of impactful changes, making big tweaks to spellcasting, class balancing, and Hell difficulty. The patch also includes new Horadric Cube recipes, new rune words, and more.
One of the biggest changes coming to the PTR in the patch is the individualisation of casting cooldowns. The developers explain that using a skill that has a casting delay "will no longer add the cooldown to all other skills that have Casting Delays." The idea here is to "allow players to use more varieties of skills and promote more gameplay." The net result should be significantly faster casting in the field.
Each Diablo II: Resurrected character class has seen adjustments to their skills as well. The Diablo team has approached this change pass with an eye to adding buffs to underused skills, rather than making nerfs to anything they saw as overpowered. So expect to have more solid options when it comes to Diablo II: Resurrected's most demanding content.
The Book of Boba Fett Chapter 4 just ended, and many fans are heralding it as the best episode yet. This episode featured plenty of action, interesting characters, and a lot of cool new stuff that really pushes the plot forward. Just like every other episode, Disney was nice enough to encapsulate everything that was […]
There will soon be a GFuel flavor inspired by the Naruto Shippuden anime series. The new variety will appear on February 2, 2022. It is an energy formula dubbed Sgae Mode. The flavors are going to be a combination of pomelo and white peach. People will be able to get it in a tub or in a collector box. Prices aren't listed yet. However, a tub tends to cost about $35.99. As for the collector box, it will likely cost $39.99 like the others.
The official art for the drink powder already ended up being shared. Everything shows Naruto in Sage Mode. Like all tubs, it includes enough powder to make 40 servings of the drink. The collector's edition box includes a tub and a tumbler with the series' logo and Naruto on it. (That container can be used to mix up your GFuel drinks.) The limited edition box also features art of Sage Mode Naruto in front of Hokage Rock. [gallery columns="4" ids="913720,913717,913718,913719" link="file"]
There are often GFuel flavors associated with different celebrities, characters, or games. For example, Sonic has two GFuel flavors.
The Naruto Shippuden GFuel will launch on February 2, 2022. Ahead of its debut, people can join a waitlist for both the tub and the collector's box.
Since the release of Fire Emblem: Three Houses' Cindered Shadows DLC pack, rumors have been swirling about where the franchise goes next. A remake? A new game? There's one thing on which most rumors seem to agree: that new Fire Emblem game should be on the way soon. So what do you want to see?
The Tellius games have a special place in my heart. If only because they were the first Fire Emblem games I properly played! While my current playing of The Great Ace Attorney has no bearing on this topic, it did put into my head the idea of duology games being released as one bundle on another platform. I would very much like to see Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn together on the Nintendo Switch.
It's been a long time since the two Tellius games came out, so it would be fun to experience the stories and characters again with modern Fire Emblem quality-of-life updates. Newer fans who have difficulty obtaining the game can also have the chance to properly meet Ike in his home game. — Stephanie
I think it is time for Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War. The characters show up often in Fire Emblem Heroes, so there's already a sense of familiarity. The game involves that "children" mechanic Intelligent Systems so loves to include in more recent installments. And if Nintendo really wanted to go above and beyond? Thracia 776 could be in there too. It's a big part of the series' history. It's time we see it in some form worldwide. — Jenni
I'm excited for any new Fire Emblem console titles, including remakes of the classic gems. But as a Musou aficionado? I'm wondering whether Koei Tecmo's Nintendo development team is going to start working on a sequel to Fire Emblem Warriors. After all, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is now completely done.
The first game showed potential with its gameplay systems that combined strategy and action well. However, the limited roster of characters and classes left a lot to be desired. I feel like the new game will be a blast if the team can let characters promote to different classes. — Kite
As a grizzled vet of the series, I'd love to see remakes and remasters of the old stuff! Of course I would. But looking to the future? I'd really like to see a return to the tactical crunch of the old games within Three Houses' larger, more modern framework. Where that game dropped the ball was in map design, difficulty and the unfortunate side effects of full character customization. If everyone can be everything? It limits how distinct they feel and the roles they can perform. I miss the feeling of units as precious resources with real specialties and picking the right team for each battle's combat puzzles.
If that's too much to ask? Yeah, I'll settle for a Genealogy remake. That game could really benefit from modern conveniences. — Graham
I've said on the record that I've tried many Fire Emblem titles but ended up bouncing off them, the only exception so far being Fire Emblem: Three Houses. I don't necessarily need a new Three Houses title! That game was a little too long for my taste. But a future Fire Emblem that can take some of its unique aspects? Like a focus on a home base, a time-management aspect, and the use of battalions to enhance the sense of scale? That would be welcome. — Josh
What new Fire Emblem game do you want to see? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter! And read our other handy roundtables for more thoughts from the Siliconera team.
"We're re-evaluating our relationship with Activision" *buys Activision* When I saw the news about Microsoft's potential acquisition of Activision Blizzard,...
Developer Blue Isle Studios describes LEAP as a multiplayer first-person shooter that blends numerous genres and styles. It's got different character types, called exosuits, that come with varying abilities. There's a classic assault class, a turret builder, a heavy weapon-wielding bruiser, and a stealth sniper. There are tactical elements to the gameplay similar to what you would find in Battlefield. But the combat lies firmly in the realm of an arcade shooter. You can also take to the skies in a hoverboard to move around the maps, which come in a few different sizes. I was very excited to preview LEAP closed beta, hoping it would be a new shooter for me to sink numerous hours into. It was not what I expected. I was expecting something like Apex Legends, one of my favorite shooters. But the only resemblance to Apex is that you have a class ability and an ultimate ability. The gunplay in LEAP is a lot more like Halo. The movement too, for that matter. It feels like it was made...
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, January 21, 2022 4:30 PM
Step aside, February, it looks like March is aiming to be another big gaming month. Other than The Settlers, Shadow Warrior 3, and the Ghostrunner DLC, now we have Syberia gearing up to release in less than two months. Publisher Microids announced today that Syberia: The World Before, which got delayed late last year, has found a release date for March 18. Originally scheduled for December, but the developer desired some more time for spit and polish. In a message, Microids wrote that it wanted to "make sure [the game] does fans right." It was a noteworthy statement, as Syberia games had fallen off in quality since the second game. We last explored the world as Kate Walker in 2017's Syberia 3, and fans weren't enthused. The developer has a lot to prove with Syberia: The World Before, so I doubt anyone was against it taking the extra time. So far, Microids and developer Koalabs are keen on putting Syberia back on track. "We wanted to offer the bes...
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, January 21, 2022 4:00 PM
In the midst of all the news surrounding Activision Blizzard's abuses and the recent acquisition by Microsoft, a genuine milestone for the gaming industry just occurred. The quality assurance team at Raven Software, one of Activision's subsidiaries, has formed the very first video game labor union at a major US corporation, which goes by the name Game Workers Alliance. This union aims to have Activision Blizzard's leadership recognize it without attempting to break it up or retaliate against it. Game Workers Alliance has chosen to unionize alongside the Communications Workers of America, the largest labor union currently residing in the United States. So far, Game Workers Alliance has garnered the support of 78% of Raven Software's QA team, at least according to an anonymous representative of the union who spoke to Polygon. A constantly-evolving situation The formation of this union comes as Raven Software's QA employees continue their strike tha...
Tabletop Gaming News Friday, January 21, 2022 6:00 PM
Disney's Twisted-Wonderland has already been out in Japan for two years. Yesterday, the gacha mobile anime academy game was finally released in English. I can best describe it as "What if Disney Japan gave its IP to the creator of the manga Black Butler and asked her to design an anime Hogwarts game?" The result is a…
It seems Nintendo might be listening to Switch Online fans regarding emulation issues with some of the classic games it offers. Following a January 20 NSO update, which brought Rare's 1998 N64 platformer Banjo-Kazooie to the subscription service, it appears that water in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has been…
Before covid-19 spread around the world and killed millions, Rainbow Six Extraction was first known in 2019 asRainbow Six Quarantine. As the pandemic grew, the game went radio silent for a bit before understandably being renamed as Extraction. Now, after all that, Ubisoft's newest and weirdest entry in the Rainbow Six…
A lot can happen in two months. You could spark a whirlwind romance with the love of your life. You could get a new gig and move across the country. Or you could complete the 100 levels of a first-person shooter's battle pass intended to stretch out thrice that time.
Is Daemon X Machina a "good" video game? Yes (no). Well. Daemon X Machina was recently described by a friend of mine as a 7/10 Armored Core spiritual successor, with the important note that every Armored Core game is a 7/10. This means that it is a good game by the Renata Price "B-Games Are The Best Kind Of Video…
Controversial YouTuber Benjamin "Ruben Sim" Simon has been banned from gaming platform Roblox after allegedly leading an in-game "cybermob" to harass its predominantly younger player base with racist and homophobic slurs, and some sexual harassment to boot. According to the Oakland, CA court that issued the years-long…
Thirty-four quality assurance testers at Raven Software, the Activision Blizzard studio in charge of its massively popular battle royale, Call of Duty: Warzone, announced today that they are unionizing after weeks of striking over recently announced layoffs in their department. Calling themselves the Game Workers…
Mysterious Russian shortwave radio station UVB-76, known as The Buzzer, normally broadcasts nothing but indecipherable beeps and numbers. But recently it has started to take music requests and post memes, after hackers seemingly took control of the channel for their own purposes. "Aboba" a voice repeatedly said over…
Video games are a lot like years: They start coming, then they don't stop coming, and they don't stop coming, and they...yeah. Then you've got the games industry's tectonically shifting release calendar, defined by an endless march of delays and cancellations. Even if you're the most avid gamer, it's a lot to keep…
Call it a tale of two wargames: General Staff, a new wargaming system built to test the abilities of a tactical machine learning AI, will be coming out this year - and it's thanks in part to the recent launch of Grand Tactician: The Civil War. All General Staff needed was a little Unity.
The developer of General Staff, a computer scientist named Ezra Sidran, ran a Kickstarter campaign to help fund development of the historic battle simulation game in 2018, after having worked on it for more than two years. Sidran had already designed and produced several commercial wargames, such as The War College: Universal Military Simulator. He'd also had research into tactical artificial intelligence funded by DARPA, the US military's advanced research and development agency.
Sidran had hit a bit of a slog with General Staff recently, however. While the nuts and bolts underpinning the game were largely complete, he found that tools he was using to create the game engine itself weren't ideal for the task. He was writing in C#, using Windows Presentation Foundation - it had worked well for his Army Editor, Map Editor, and Scenario Editor programs, but it wasn't visually oriented enough to accomplish what he wanted for the game engine.
Expeditions: Rome launched yesterday, and while the response to the RPG game has been broadly positive, there's been a niggling fear in the minds of series fans. The founders behind developer Logic Artists previously announced that they were founding a new studio focused on NFT games, leaving the future of the Expeditions series in question.
The rights to the Expeditions series have been with publisher THQ Nordic since 2018. A representative for THQ Nordic confirms for us via email that "a group of core members from Logic Artists formed a new studio called Dynasty Studios late last year, wholly independent from THQ Nordic. Expeditions: Rome will therefore be the last title in the series developed by Logic Artists in its current/former team composition."
However, that doesn't mean that the devs are simply dropping Expeditions: Rome as soon as it launches. "We can confirm there will be more Expeditions: Rome content in the coming months in the form of at least one DLC pack, and additional support regarding any technical issues with the game or its upcoming DLC."
Rainbow Six Extraction is a square peg in a round hole. It shares most of its DNA with one of the last decade's best multiplayer games, the asymmetric tactical shooter Rainbow Six Siege. All of Extraction's playable characters come directly from Siege's roster, with similar loadouts and only minor revisions to the functionality of each operator's gadget. It also adopts Siege's destructible environments, so you can shred most walls back to their studs with the right gadgets or enough bullets. Extraction even continues the sci-fi narrative that Siege started back in 2018 with the limited-time PvE event, Outbreak.
All of those ingredients are present in Extraction, but they've been mixed in such a way that they fail to impart any flavour. Destruction works exactly as it does in Siege, but there's no benefit to opening new pathways, and no way to exploit breachable surfaces thanks to the predominantly horizontal map design. Some operators have been creatively reworked to suit the new horde threat, but others seem out of place and ill-equipped. With so many of its components carried over verbatim from Siege, Extraction feels as much like a limited-time game mode as Outbreak did.
The story picks up shortly after the events of Outbreak, with its alien parasites - dubbed Archæans - springing up all over North America and evolving to pose a greater challenge for team Rainbow. You start on Liberty Island in New York City, travel west to San Francisco, north to Alaska, and finally south to New Mexico. There are three maps to choose from in each location, but it doesn't really matter which one you're playing on as the objectives you'll need to complete are randomly assigned when you start a match.
Bungie's pinnacle PvP activity is back in rotation with a major revamp, and if you're looking for details on the Destiny 2 Trials rewards this week, you've come to the right place. Before you start working your way up through the ladder, you'll want to know what you're actually working for - so here's a breakdown of what's available each week, and what map you'll be playing on.
If you're not familiar with Trials of Osiris, it's a weekly PvP challenge where you enter a competitive gauntlet of 3v3 elimination matches. Your rewards are now doled out with a reputation system, so it's not about pure wins anymore, but you will still get special rewards if you can manage to go flawless.
Trials lands with the reset every Friday at 9am PST / 12pm EST / 5pm GMT, and lasts until the Tuesday reset at those same times. Each week provides a new set of rewards and a new map to play on, so here's what you can expect for the latest rotation.
Xûr is Destiny 2's Exotic gear merchant. He appears every weekend to sell the game's most coveted items in exchange for Legendary shards, but if you're a casual player with limited shards to spend, it can be hard to know which of his wares is most worth your investment. That's where we come in.
As of June 12, 2020, it appears that Xûr is back to providing random rolls - so the Exotic merchant is providing more excitement than he has in a long time. Xûr appears every Friday at 9am PST / 12pm EST / 5pm GMT, and will stick around until the Tuesday reset. We'll update this guide shortly after he arrives, so if you're reading this, you need only read on to learn where he is, and which are the best items he's selling this week.
Now we're in Beyond Light territory, but Xûr's first appearances have been at the usual spots - so maybe don't expect too many surprises from the merchant in the new year of Destiny content.
Looking for the best build for Ganyu in Genshin Impact? This five-star character specialises in ranged combat, making her effective in a DPS or support role. Ganyu is a Cryo archer, allowing her to keep enemies at bay by freezing them while staying safe at a distance. Despite being released back in January, Ganyu has maintained her spot at the top of our Genshin Impact tier list.
Ganyu was introduced in the 1.2 update alongside the Dragonspine region, an icy location filled with plenty of frosty minions. Ganyu's abilities work well against the enemies in this region, but you'll find that Pyro characters fare significantly better against Cryo minions. She will be returning alongside Zhongli and others as part of a re-run banner due to go live on January 25, 2022, so keep an eye out for it.
Whether you want to focus on a high DPS build revolving around critical hits, or you prefer to play it safe by turning Ganyu into a support character, Ganyu can truly do it all. Here's what you'll need for the best build for Ganyu in Genshin Impact.
Members of the quality assurance team at Raven Software, the studio now primarily known for its work on Call of Duty: Warzone, have announced the formation of the Game Workers Alliance, the first videogame industry union at a major US publisher. The group's creation comes in collaboration with the Communication Workers of America, and follows weeks of strikes over publisher Activision Blizzard's decision to end the contracts of a dozen QA workers at Raven.
"We ask that Activision Blizzard management respect Raven QA workers by voluntarily recognizing CWA's representation without hesitation," CWA secretary-treasurer Sara Steffens says in a statement provided to Polygon. "A collective bargaining agreement will give Raven QA employees a voice at work, improving the games they produce and making the company stronger. Voluntary recognition is the rational way forward."
The CWA reports that the Game Worker's Alliance has the support of 78% of eligible Raven QA workers. In a public message on social media, GWA says that its principals include "realistic timelines" (meaning an end to crunch), transparent communication with leadership, equal treatment for QA employees along with other branches of development, and the empowerment of underrepresented voices.
So, you want to know how Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel secret packs work? These special booster card packs for free-to-play CCG Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel are easy enough to find, given that they're supposed to be a secret. But things are not as straightforward as you might expect so it's worth reading up on the details.
Secret packs all follow a particular theme - usually focusing on a specific card or archetype - and each one is guaranteed to give you four of whatever the 'headline' cards are for that pack. The other four cards (for a total of eight) are randomised. This focus on a particular subject can make them desirable if you're looking for complimentary cards for something you already own in your collection.
So how do you get one of these 'secret' packs in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, and how do you know which one you need? Lucky for you we're here to tell you everything you need to know - how much they are, how you unlock them, and what you need to know as you try to find them.
Before taking on Civilization on its home turf with its historical 4X game Humankind, French developer Amplitude burnished its credentials in the strategy space with its series of 'Endless' games. All set within a single narrative universe, Endless Space, Endless Legend, and Dungeon of the Endless have jumped around in genres while all dipping into a unique blend of fantasy and science fiction. Now, thanks to an official mod from Amplitude, you can find hints of that more fanciful universe in Humankind.
The official Endless mod for Humankind lets you "discover old vestiges of the Endless universe on Earth and lead your civilisation in a dust infused world," the description on the Humankind mod.io page reads. The mod adds 32 new narrative events, 30 beautiful illustrations, two new civics, two new technologies, and more.
There's a new avatar, Horatio, who you can unlock while playing the mod, which also includes four infrastructures, a new curiosity, a new buildable district, two new national projects, and a new artificial wonder. It's effectively a free micro-expansion or flavour pack, and it's a good illustration of how powerful Humankind's modding framework is.
Want to know what the best MP40 Warzone Pacific loadout is? The stock version of the MP40 is surprisingly strong, featuring fantastic recoil control and an impressive fire rate, but with some work, you can elevate it to the next level. With our customised loadout, you can turn the MP40 into one of the best SMGs in Warzone.
The focus of this MP40 build is to destroy rival squads at close to medium range, ripping apart enemy armour with a lightning fast fire rate. In addition, any extra damage we can squeeze out of this SMG will help you take out enemies quickly. We recommend pairing up the best MP40 loadout with the best Bren Warzone loadout as it's a long-range monster - this combined setup gives you the tools to dominate at all ranges.
When you look at our MP40 loadout, it's not hard to see why this SMG is one of the best Warzone guns available right now. If you find that the MP40 isn't for you and want a decent alternative SMG, check out the best Welgun Warzone loadout to learn how to get the newest gun in the game. But for now, we will go over every attachment you should equip to the MP40.
Searching for the best M1912 Warzone Pacific loadout? It's a difficult time to break into the best SMGs in Warzone group right now, especially with the launch of the incredible Welgun. To make matters worse, the best MP40 loadout is so strong that there's very little temptation to try a different secondary weapon. But could it be that the M1912 is actually worth your time?
For some reason, the M1912 has a different name compared to its Vanguard counterpart which is listed as the M1928. Regardless, most people know this weapon as the Thompson or Tommy Gun, easily identifiable by its large drum magazine. We're going to differentiate this loadout from the other SMGs by focusing on the M1912's hip fire capabilities. Using the right set of attachments, you can spray into several enemies without ever aiming down sights.
As long as your reactions are fast enough, the M1912 should give you the upper hand up close. Here's everything you need to build the best M1912 loadout.
What is the Skate 4 release date? Unfortunately we don't really know right now but we can at least be safe in the knowledge that a new Skate game is coming. A decade is a very long time for an iconic series to go completely silent.
The first Skate was among the most innovative skateboard games around, from its analogue control scheme and grinding engine, to its more realistic, less edgy representation of the skating scene. The development team behind Skate 3 was disbanded after the release of Skate 3 in 2010, but in the years since the series' community has been consistently bombarding EA message boards with questions about the series and its potential return.
That confirmation finally arrived when creative director Cuz Parry and game director Drean Chung announced they are working on a new Skate game during EA Play 2020. We've had further news on Skate 4 since then, although nothing concrete - not even if it's going to be called Skate 4 - but what we do know we've rounded up below.
A new Monster Hunter Rise PC patch is addressing a pretty significant hiccup that's been causing issues for first-time players on booting up the RPG game. It seems there was a bug that was causing the game to fail to "complete a proper save" when launching it for the first time, which meant it couldn't then start.
The new Monster Hunter patch - titled Patch Ver.3.6.1.1 if you want to be formal about it - was rolled out early on January 21, so if you're just about to dive in for the first time, you should hopefully not encounter the bug. If you did encounter it before the patch dropped, you'll just need to to follow a few steps developer Capcom has laid out after applying the patch to get things working smoothly.
This involves, first, disabling Steam Cloud and quitting out of the game, which you can do by unticking the check mark under the Steam Cloud section the game's properties (in 'General'). You'll then need to do a bit of local file deletion, re-booting the game to create new save data, hopping back out to re-enable Steam Cloud functioning, and uploading local files to the Steam Cloud. There are clear step-by-step instructions on exactly how to do this in the patch notes, so be sure to follow those carefully.
Hitman 3 finally came to Steam this week, though it isn't going down well with certain groups of fans. We've seen players air frustrations over pricing and the VR implementation on social media, with the subreddit even closing down temporarily as a result.
Moderator Timothy Mark explains on Reddit that the decision was taken due to alleged "targeted harassment", and a security breach which reportedly affected the team's ability to "moderate the subreddit effectively and safely". "[IO Interactive] had no part in privating the subreddit," the moderator explains. "This was entirely the decision of the moderators, and we are just fellow fans like you who volunteer our time to help out."
Marks goes on to clarify that criticism of Hitman is allowed, though harassment and vitriol, obviously, are not. Most on the subreddit has taken issue with the fact that the stealth game launched at full price on Steam when it had been available on the Epic Games Store for one year prior. If you look at the Steam reviews - currently 'mixed' - you can see the same point of contention.
Searching for the best Genshin Impact Zhongli build? When Zhongli was first released, the Genshin Impact community expressed their disappointment that this five star Geo polearm character couldn't be used as a viable DPS character. The devs went out of their way to buff Zhongli and the Geo element overall, giving him powerful upgrades to earn a high spot on our Genshin Impact tier list.
There aren't many characters in Genshin Impact with this much versatility. No matter what way you want to build Zhongli, he's capable of dealing damage and protecting others from damage. Zhongli will always be one of the better Genshin Impact characters because his abilities are practically unmatched. Pair Zhongli with different characters to experiment with elemental reactions - these combinations can help you deal even more damage on the battlefield.
Zhongli is getting another banner as part of Genshin Impact 2.4 along with Ganyu and others, look out for it on January 25, 2022. Following the buff to Geo characters in the 1.3 update, we have included a DPS build for Zhongli to get the most out of his damaging Geo abilities. Here's everything you need to know about how to create the best Genshin Impact Zhongli build.
Looking for the Genshin Impact 2.5 release date? Following the release of the 2.4 update and introduction of Shenhe and Yun Jin, dataminers and beta testers are already sifting through every available clue about the next Genshin Impact update.
As with most new updates, players can expect a new Genshin Impact character to appear on an upcoming Genshin Impact banner in 2.5 - from beta information, this will be Yae Miko, the elegant kitsune priestess who appears as part of the Inazuma storyline. The 2.5 update will also include plenty of new events, items, enemies, and NPCs.
There are also several outfit redesigns coming in the next update - these aren't event exclusive Genshin Impact skins, but instead modified versions of default outfits for Jean, Amber, Rosaria, and Mona. Outside of China, these alternate outfits are optional - you'll be able to keep the default option if you prefer. Below, we've collected everything we know about the Genshin Impact update - but bear in mind that this information is unconfirmed, based on unreleased gameplay, and is therefore subject to change before release.
Capcom have released a new Monster Hunter Rise patch aimed at fixing a frustrating bug with save files which stopped some would-be players from playing at all. Thankfully, a week and change later, that seems to be fixed—though a little extra fiddling is required if you did suffer this bug.
What a ridiculous week. Activision Blizzard came in on Monday dragging a trail of lawsuits and scandal with allegations of widespread discrimination and harassment, on Tuesday were being bought by Microsoft for $69 billion (£50 billion), and now on Friday they've grown a union. 34 quality assurance testers at the Activision Blizzard studio Raven Software, who currently maintain Call Of Duty: Warzone, are forming a union named the Game Workers Alliance. They're seeking better working conditions in the wake of Raven QA layoffs.
I've always entertained the idea of an apocalypse. I mean, zombies are definitely scary, but it'd be a cool fantasy to play out. Over the years, I've even formed my own little plan. Loot some local houses and then set up a base in the fire station on my street. They've got electric gates and metal fences to guard the perimeter, a renewable power source thanks to a wind turbine on the roof, and a really handy watchtower. I thought 11 years of The Walking Dead would've prepared me fairly well and I fancied my chances. So, I made myself in Project Zomboid. It turns out, everything I learned from The Walking Dead was useless.
Pupperazzi is a game about taking pictures of dogs. They are, as is traditional, very cute dogs. You go around several areas that increase in complexity and dog saturation, completing photo challenges and unlocking more and more complex areas. An extreme sports dog wants a picture of a dog riding a scooter. The old sea-dog at the beach would like a photo of any dog, as long as the lighthouse is in the background. In return for this you get golden bones as a form of currency to buy different kinds of film, or weird lenses, to kick your photography into the next gear.
It's cute. It's a really nice playground that facilitates the player's own creativity. You can pet dogs to make them happy, or find toys to make them do different things: turn on a radio and any furry pals nearby bust out some truly astonishing moves; throw a stick to initiate a huge game of fetch. You post your photos to a kind of dog-centric Instagram for likes and comments (possibly from dogs; possibly from humans). The colourful, chunky art, combined with deliberately stiff animation where nobody can move their joints, really reminds me of Playmobil toys. Despite this carefree, playful tone, I also find it unaccountably sinister.
If I ever achieve immortality, there might be time to sit down and work out exactly why some building games grab me and some don't. I fear I am too often left with a page of notes that are just variations on the word "vibes".
Perhaps some taxonomy would help. Moons Of Ardan is a space colony building game that's mostly about balancing production rates by placing buildings. Less dryly, you're making a new home for mildly cute little space people on semi-cartoony worlds, where nothing ever really goes wrong and... the vibes. It's the vibes, you see.
Early access is a mixed bag. Sometimes it's an exciting early glimpse, sometimes it feels like supporting a developer or game you care about, and sometimes it can feel more like paying to beta test. That last one won't be a concern with Blood Bowl 3, not anymore. The latest adaptation of Games Workshop's tabletop fantasy bloodsport was headed to early access but now, naw. The developers are focusing on closed beta testing instead, and will simply launch the game in full once it's done.
The Book of Boba Fett Chapter 4 just ended, and many fans are heralding it as the best episode yet. This episode featured plenty of action, interesting characters, and a lot of cool new stuff that really pushes the plot forward. Just like every other episode, Disney was nice enough to encapsulate everything that was […]
Last year was another solid year for entertainment, especially when it comes to streaming content. Whether it was Netflix, HBO Max, or Disney+, 2021 really was the year that streaming found its footing for movies and television. With all of that success, many may be wondering what topped the streaming charts for movies and television […]
Earlier today, Techland confirmed via a press release that anyone that buys Dying Light 2 Stay Human on PS4 or Xbox One will be entitled to a free upgrade to the next generation. Microsoft players can take advantage of this deal thanks to the Smart Delivery service. Unfortunately, this news release also stated that cross-play […]
Uncharted 4's launch in 2016 graced the PS4 with arguably its best-looking game, and now it's back again for PS5 in a remastered compilation called the Uncharted Legacy of Thieves Collection. Naturally, the performance has been boosted for current generation hardware, offering players the chance to switch between different modes for differing levels of fidelity. […]
Netflix's original series, Squid Game, took the world by storm when it released late last year. The show takes the classic death game battle royale formula and applies it in modern-day Korea, where class divides are stark and there's no shortage of people who will do almost anything to get themselves out of their financial […]
Since the release of Fire Emblem: Three Houses' Cindered Shadows DLC pack, rumors have been swirling about where the franchise goes next. A remake? A new game? There's one thing on which most rumors seem to agree: that new Fire Emblem game should be on the way soon. So what do you want to see?
The Tellius games have a special place in my heart. If only because they were the first Fire Emblem games I properly played! While my current playing of The Great Ace Attorney has no bearing on this topic, it did put into my head the idea of duology games being released as one bundle on another platform. I would very much like to see Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn together on the Nintendo Switch.
It's been a long time since the two Tellius games came out, so it would be fun to experience the stories and characters again with modern Fire Emblem quality-of-life updates. Newer fans who have difficulty obtaining the game can also have the chance to properly meet Ike in his home game. — Stephanie
I think it is time for Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War. The characters show up often in Fire Emblem Heroes, so there's already a sense of familiarity. The game involves that "children" mechanic Intelligent Systems so loves to include in more recent installments. And if Nintendo really wanted to go above and beyond? Thracia 776 could be in there too. It's a big part of the series' history. It's time we see it in some form worldwide. — Jenni
I'm excited for any new Fire Emblem console titles, including remakes of the classic gems. But as a Musou aficionado? I'm wondering whether Koei Tecmo's Nintendo development team is going to start working on a sequel to Fire Emblem Warriors. After all, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is now completely done.
The first game showed potential with its gameplay systems that combined strategy and action well. However, the limited roster of characters and classes left a lot to be desired. I feel like the new game will be a blast if the team can let characters promote to different classes. — Kite
As a grizzled vet of the series, I'd love to see remakes and remasters of the old stuff! Of course I would. But looking to the future? I'd really like to see a return to the tactical crunch of the old games within Three Houses' larger, more modern framework. Where that game dropped the ball was in map design, difficulty and the unfortunate side effects of full character customization. If everyone can be everything? It limits how distinct they feel and the roles they can perform. I miss the feeling of units as precious resources with real specialties and picking the right team for each battle's combat puzzles.
If that's too much to ask? Yeah, I'll settle for a Genealogy remake. That game could really benefit from modern conveniences. — Graham
I've said on the record that I've tried many Fire Emblem titles but ended up bouncing off them, the only exception so far being Fire Emblem: Three Houses. I don't necessarily need a new Three Houses title! That game was a little too long for my taste. But a future Fire Emblem that can take some of its unique aspects? Like a focus on a home base, a time-management aspect, and the use of battalions to enhance the sense of scale? That would be welcome. — Josh
What new Fire Emblem game do you want to see? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter! And read our other handy roundtables for more thoughts from the Siliconera team.
There will be another Godzilla live action show on the way. Legendary Entertainment produced a number of films and shows in its Monsterverse line, some of which involved the character. It's developing another one. This time, it will be an Apple TV+ exclusive starring Godzilla. Aside from the reveal, details about what the show could be like aren't available. There's also no release window.
We're thrilled to announce the #Monsterverse is expanding with an all-new original live action series for @AppleTVPlus featuring #Godzilla and the Titans that will explore the mythic legacy of a world in which monsters are real. pic.twitter.com/0L9Om9DyJp
Legendary's been putting together its Monsterverse since the 2014 Godzilla movie. While some of the most notable members of it are Godzilla and King Kong, additional characters like Baphomet, Behemoth, Mechagodzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah, Mother Longlegs, Rodan, Scylla, and Skull Devil are also considered part of it. While most installments in the line so far are movies, shows are on the way. Netflix's Skull Island anime is set to be part of it.
There have been quite a few different Godzilla shows and movies in the last few years. For example, Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno's Shin Godzilla appeared in 2016. The Godzilla: King of the Monsters movie showed up worldwide in 2019. Netflix offered the Godzilla: Singular Pointanime series staring in 2021. He also faced off against fellow monster King Kong in the aforementioned Monsterverse movie Godzilla vs. King Kong in 2021.
The new Godzilla live action series is in development for Apple TV+. There's no release window for it yet.
Good Smile Company's Pop Up Parade figure line is getting some more Persona 5 attention. The previously released Joker and Crow figures are joined by two female members of the Phantom Thieves: Queen and Oracle. The figures, originally announced in 2021, are now available for pre-order. They will come to Japan in June 2022 and North America in August 2022.
Both the Queen and Oracle Persona 5 Pop Up Parade figures cost ¥3,900/$38.99 each. As with other figures in the line, they stand at about 17 centimeters (about 6.7 inches) tall. Queen and Oracle both wear their Phantom Thief outfits, as seen in Persona 5. They aren't to scale.
Queen is the Phantom Thief codename for Makoto Niijima, Queen's Phantom Thief outfit features a form-fitting suit with leather corsetry and leggings. Metal studs and spikes cover the shoulders and line the boots, as well as Queen's signature fighting knuckles. A metal facemask and long black scarf hide her identity.
[gallery link="file" ids="913708,913707,913706"]
As a non-combat character Oracle isn't seen very often in her outfit, but it appears as it does in Persona 5. Oracle's bodysuit is accented by glowing neon contours. Her cargo pants carry various electronics and gadgets, and night vision goggles help her navigate the other Phantom Thieves through hostile Palaces.
[gallery link="file" ids="913705,913704,913703"]
Besides Persona 5, Pop Up Parade features a variety of popular characters, like Hololive Vtubers. With a stand included, the line is targeted at budget-conscious collectors. They also have a shorter lead time compared to other items in Good Smile Company's lineup. Pop Up Parade figures are typically released within four months of pre-orders closing.
The Persona 5 Queen and Oracle Pop Up Parade figures are open for pre-order from January 21, 2022 until February 17, 2022. Persona 5 is available on the PS3 and PS4, while Persona 5 Royal is on the PS4.
SNK announced another Mai Shiranui figure is on the way, and this time it is a seamless action figure from Tunshi Studio. It is 1/6th scale, which means she will be about 10 inches tall. Its normal price is listed as $235 on Moz Figure, but she is currently going for $205.
This version of Mai Shiranui is based on her KOF 97 look. She's wearing fabric clothing. In addition to the figure, you get an umbrella for her to hold, a fan that can be posed open or closed, and an additional fan that is on "fire." She also comes with extra left and right hand parts for different poses. A stand is included as well.
Here's the full gallery of official Mai Shiranui photos. It shows off her accessories and possible poses. [gallery columns="6" ids="913691,913692,913693,913694,913695,913696,913697,913698,913701,913700,913690,913699" link="file"]
This isn't the only Mai Shiranui figure on the way in 2022. Kotobukiya's been working on one too. Unlike this one, that is a static figure. It is a new entry in the company's Bishoujo figure line. That one is expected to launch in September 2022 and will cost $119.99.
The Tunshi Studio Mai Shiranui action figure will launch in Q3 2022. Pre-orders are open through Moz Figure until February 25, 2022. Mai's next video game appearance will be in KOF XV on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on February 17, 2022.
The Hololive Super Expo 2022 Vtuber roster grew. Cover always noted that additional people would end up showing up at the event. In particular, it noted its Hololive 3rd Fes Link Your Wish concert would include additional performers. Now it's confirmed that Hololive En Myth members Calliope Mori, Kiara Takanashi, Ina'nis Ninomae, Gura Gawr, and Amelia Watson will all be there. So will Hololive ID first generation members Risu Ayunda, Moona Hoshinova, and Iofifteen Airani.
The official website broke down which day each Vtuber will appear during the Hololive 3rd Fes Link Your Wish concert. It is a two-day event. The Hololive En Myth members are split across the two days. On March 19, 2022, people can see Ina'nis, Gura, and Amelia perform. Calliope and Kiara will show up on March 20, 2022.
The same goes for the Hololive ID members. Moona is the only member performing on March 19, 2022. Risu and Iofi will both show up on March 20, 2022.
Some of the event Hololive merchandise also ended up being revealed. There will be Link Your Wish penlights for ¥4,000 (~$35). There will be a ¥4,500 (~$40) t-shirt available in white or black. (It features the logo and list of performers on it.) A ¥2,500(~$22) towel will have the concert name on it. There's a ¥9,800 (~$86) hooded shirt. People can also get a ¥4,000 (~$35) tote or ¥2,500 (~$22) bag. [gallery columns="2" ids="913686,913685" link="file"]
The Hololive Super Expo 2022 and Hololive 3rd fes Vtuber concert will be held March 19-20, 2022.
There's a new Honkai Impact 3rd animated short, and this time Otto Apocalypse is the star. The new video is almost nine minutes long. It offers new insights into things he experienced and his mindset. There's also a new HoYoMix theme song sung by Ayanga. It's called "Regression," and it appears both in the short and in its own music video.
Editor's Note: The Honkai Impact 3rd "Thus Spoke Apocalypse" animated short and "Regression" music video include some spoilers about Otto Apocalypse.
First is the "Thus Spoke Apocalypse" animation. It features Otto lamenting the things Kallen Kaslana went through. It also offers better insight into what he himself was feeling as things happened. He then heads off into his own fight. For English subtitles, turn on closed captions.
To go along with the new Honkai Impact 3rd animated short, there's a music video with the Ayanga song that appears in it. Here's the full version of "Regression." Like the animated short, it features Otto and Kallen prominently.
Honkai Impact 3rd is available for PCs and both Android and Apple iOS devices. The latest 5.4 update added a new Bronya battlesuit and A Post Honkai Odyssey chapter 2 to the game.
When Monster Hunter Rise launched on PCs, a failed to save error appeared alongside it. This would keep people from loading the game. However, Capcom released a patch on January 20, 2022. Once people download it, they can start playing after following a few steps.
However, if someone already owned Monster Hunter Rise and played (or attempted to) before the patch, then they need to follow a few steps to overcome the failed to save issue. Someone will need to temporarily disable Steam Cloud and its saves for the game and delete the save data you already have. The local save files will be in the "remote" folder in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\(User ID)\1446780\ (though Capcom says temporarily copy that folder somewhere else, to be safe). This is so you can make fresh, save data after the patch and don't have the old save data keeping the problem going.
Once you have the fresh save made, you can enable Steam Cloud saves again. The game will ask if you want to upload the new save to the cloud the next time you play. Do so to replace it and eliminate Monster Hunter Rise's failed to save issue.
Monster Hunter Rise is available on the Nintendo Switch and PC. The Sunbreak expansion will appear in Summer 2022.
The Pokemon Company has revealed a new Pokemon merchandise lineup based on the upcoming title, Pokemon Legends: Arceus. These items will go on sale in Japan on January 28, 2022, the same day the game releases. In addition to physical Pokemon Center stores, the items will also appear on the franchise's official Amazon store on the same day.
Some of the highlighted items in the lineup will feature Arceus and other Hisuian Pokemon. New plushes of Arceus and Hisuian Growlithe will be available at ¥4,950 (~$43.50) and ¥1,815 (~$15.95), respectively. The Arceus-shaped phone case will be compatible with iPhone SE (2nd generation) 6 to 8. The collection will also include a pouch shaped after the Hisuian Poke Ball and a traditional coat inspired by the protagonist's attire in Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus will take place in the Sinnoh region when it was known as the Hisui region. Players will explore the still-undeveloped land and gather information about the region's native Pokemon to compile a Pokedex. The game will also introduce new evolutions for existing Pokemon, such as Wyrdeer and Basculegion.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus will officially release worldwide on Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2022. Those who do not want spoilers will have to watch out for online leaks from retail copies that have circulated earlier.
Yostar revealed Chen Hai as a new Azur Lane shipgirl. She will appear in the 2022 Lunar New Year limited construction pool. The game will categorize the seaplane tender as a light aircraft carrier, meaning Chen Hai will also become the first carrier and backline shipgirl in the China-inspired Dragon Empery faction.
The Pinyin romanization would render the name to Zhen Hai. However, Yostar has been using the Wade-Giles romanization for most shipgirls in Dragon Empery, including the Chao Ho-class cruisers. As such, the new Azur Lane shipgirl is known as Chen Hai.
In history, Chen Hai originally existed as a 1904 German merchant ship named Manila. After several transfers, she eventually found her way into the Chinese navy. The navy converted her twice in the 1920s, first into a gunboat, and then a seaplane tender. When Japan invaded China in 1937, the Chinese navy scuttled Chen Hai as a blockship nearby the Chingtao (Qingdao) port.
The 2022 Lunar New Year limited construction pool has so far included four new shipgirls. Yostar and Manjuu previously revealed the protected cruiser Hai Chi, the Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer USS Bristol, and the Royal Navy's Dido-class cruiser HMS Charybdis.
Azur Lane is available worldwide on Android and iOS mobile devices. The Lunar New Year update will arrive in late January 2022.
miHoYo and N0va Desktop have released a new Genshin Impact live wallpaper featuring Tartaglia Childe. Like the previous Genshin ImpactChilde live wallpaper, it is based on a previously released Genshin Impact EP. The live wallpaper features Inazuma as a backdrop, as it is based on the "He Who Wanders Untrammeled" EP. The wallpaper is immediately available for PC and Android pad devices. It is available to obtain entirely for free.
The Childe "He Who Wanders Untrammeled" live wallpaper shows the Fatui member in Inazuma. The wallpaper shows him holding his signature mask. Behind him, the streets of the city can be seen, along with trees full of cherry blossoms.
In order to obtain the wallpaper, users must have the N0va Desktop application installed on their device or PC. From there, they can then download the wallpaper of their choosing. A plethora of Genshin Impact wallpapers are immediately available to download. This includes live wallpaper of Zhongli, Diluc, Ganyu, Xiao, and Klee. While the wallpapers are not entirely interactable, they are still somewhat dynamic.
N0va Desktop is available for Android devices and PCs. Genshin Impact is available on the PS4, PS5, PC, and Android and Apple iOS devices. It is currently in development for Nintendo Switch.
Always good for daily deals on PC parts, Newegg has three particularly interesting offers today to help you put together a fast and affordable PC. You can get a good deal on an ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming motherboard for Ryzen CPUs, a kit of OLOy OWL RGB 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4 3600 RAM, or a 2TB Samsung 980 PRO PCIe Gen 4.0 NVMe SSD. If you're looking to build a new rig, or want to upgrade your current setup, then these deals are a solid place to start. You have until 2 AM ET tomorrow (Saturday, January 22) to take advantage of these offers. Going for just $99.99 on sale from Newegg, the ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming Ryzen motherboard is affordable. Plus, the Phantom Gaming series is known to be a consistent option from ASRock. For your money, you'll get support for the Ryzen 5000 Series, as well as a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for your graphics card plus compatibility with x1 PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD. The PCIe 4.0 x16 slot also has extra anchor points and a stronger latch to comfortably carry the weight ...
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, January 21, 2022 2:30 PM
Intel's upcoming Arc Alchemist graphics cards are seemingly on par with Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3070 Ti. This is interesting news in itself since Nvidia's high-end graphics card certainly packs a punch. The information comes from the Twitter account @TUM_APISAK, which linked this SiSoftware page where the benchmarks for the Intel Arc Alchemist card have allegedly been revealed. The card seemingly boasts some powerful specs. But, as always with news like this, take it with a healthy dose of salt. If this information does turn out to be true though, it could be an intriguing alternative to Nvidia's own rather expensive and hard to find graphics card. Intel seems to have even more planned in the future too after information spotted from an upcoming Linux Mesa driver update was found. Intel's intriguing alternative There's quite a bit of information to glean from the posting, while there's also a fair bit we still don't know. The first...
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, January 21, 2022 2:00 PM
Crunchyroll and Adult Swim are gearing up to release Shenmue the Animation in only a couple weeks. The show adapts Yu Suzuki's magnum opus, Shenmue, an ambitious RPG form the Dreamcast era that attempted to redefine immersive, open-world experiences. While the game and its sequel failed to garner attention, the series' legacy continued. It wasn't long ago we finally got Shenmue III. And now, the anime based on the show is about to dropkick its way into reality. With only a short time to go, Adult Swim shared a dubbed trailer for Shenmue the Animation. Yes, yes, I get it. Many 'hardcore' anime fans may balk at English dubs, but this doesn't seem so bad. Ryo Hazuki, and hunter of sailors and hero of the series, is getting voiced by Austin Tindle, who has amassed one hell of a voice acting career for dubbed anime. Lan Di, the man who kills Ryo's father to set off the roller coaster of a story, is voiced by Scott Gibbs in the dub. Crunchyroll ha...
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, January 21, 2022 11:30 AM
And yet another first-person rogue-lite prepares to enter the fray. Mortal Sin features many of the expected hallmarks of the genre, but it has several things setting it apart. The first difference that really pops out is its art style. Environments are muted and sullen, and enemies are solid bursts of blue in a somewhat monochrome world. But the game is also predominately fought with melee weapons. What's more, enemies don't take damage in the usual sense, but in a manner more akin to Eternal Darkness. As this game is first person, though, you obviously don't have to lock on to slice your enemy's extremities off — but it's the only way to kill them. Each run of Mortal Sin starts you off outside a dungeon, and you must fight to survive. Upon defeating enemies, currency is dropped which lasts after you die and begin a new run. Spending 2,000 currency creates three items, but you can only equip one. The other two are destroyed. There are also additi...
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, January 21, 2022 10:30 AM
If you have played Call of Duty: Vanguard, it is highly likely that you have encountered various bugs and stability issues. Recently, Activision shared a statement addressing the state of Vanguard, assuring fans that changes are on the way. It appears that this has already begun with Sledgehammer Games already rolling out a patch. The latest update makes some bug fixes, and hits Vanguard shotguns with a much-needed nerf. To begin, fixes have been made to weapons and attachments. The first is with longshot progression, which can now be achieved through Incendiary Rounds. Damage that the rounds deal over time will contribute to earning longshots. Also, an issue causing the Buck and Slug attachment for shotguns to unintentionally give players headshot bonuses when hitting limbs has been addressed. At the same time, the range of the Buck and Slug ammunition has been reduced. Another nerf has been handed to the Vanguard Double Barrel akimbo shotgun in terms of a damage reduction. ...
Tabletop Gaming News Friday, January 21, 2022 3:00 PM
Developer Blue Isle Studios describes LEAP as a multiplayer first-person shooter that blends numerous genres and styles. It's got different character types, called exosuits, that come with varying abilities. There's a classic assault class, a turret builder, a heavy weapon-wielding bruiser, and a stealth sniper. There are tactical elements to the gameplay similar to what you would find in Battlefield. But the combat lies firmly in the realm of an arcade shooter. You can also take to the skies in a hoverboard to move around the maps, which come in a few different sizes. I was very excited to preview LEAP closed beta, hoping it would be a new shooter for me to sink numerous hours into. It was not what I expected. I was expecting something like Apex Legends, one of my favorite shooters. But the only resemblance to Apex is that you have a class ability and an ultimate ability. The gunplay in LEAP is a lot more like Halo. The movement too, for that matter. It feels like it was made... 
Step aside, February, it looks like March is aiming to be another big gaming month. Other than The Settlers, Shadow Warrior 3, and the Ghostrunner DLC, now we have Syberia gearing up to release in less than two months. Publisher Microids announced today that Syberia: The World Before, which got delayed late last year, has found a release date for March 18. Originally scheduled for December, but the developer desired some more time for spit and polish. In a message, Microids wrote that it wanted to "make sure [the game] does fans right." It was a noteworthy statement, as Syberia games had fallen off in quality since the second game. We last explored the world as Kate Walker in 2017's Syberia 3, and fans weren't enthused. The developer has a lot to prove with Syberia: The World Before, so I doubt anyone was against it taking the extra time. So far, Microids and developer Koalabs are keen on putting Syberia back on track. "We wanted to offer the bes... 
In the midst of all the news surrounding Activision Blizzard's abuses and the recent acquisition by Microsoft, a genuine milestone for the gaming industry just occurred. The quality assurance team at Raven Software, one of Activision's subsidiaries, has formed the very first video game labor union at a major US corporation, which goes by the name Game Workers Alliance. This union aims to have Activision Blizzard's leadership recognize it without attempting to break it up or retaliate against it. Game Workers Alliance has chosen to unionize alongside the Communications Workers of America, the largest labor union currently residing in the United States. So far, Game Workers Alliance has garnered the support of 78% of Raven Software's QA team, at least according to an anonymous representative of the union who spoke to Polygon. A constantly-evolving situation The formation of this union comes as Raven Software's QA employees continue their strike tha... 
Always good for daily deals on PC parts, Newegg has three particularly interesting offers today to help you put together a fast and affordable PC. You can get a good deal on an ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming motherboard for Ryzen CPUs, a kit of OLOy OWL RGB 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4 3600 RAM, or a 2TB Samsung 980 PRO PCIe Gen 4.0 NVMe SSD. If you're looking to build a new rig, or want to upgrade your current setup, then these deals are a solid place to start. You have until 2 AM ET tomorrow (Saturday, January 22) to take advantage of these offers. Going for just $99.99 on sale from Newegg, the ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming Ryzen motherboard is affordable. Plus, the Phantom Gaming series is known to be a consistent option from ASRock. For your money, you'll get support for the Ryzen 5000 Series, as well as a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for your graphics card plus compatibility with x1 PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD. The PCIe 4.0 x16 slot also has extra anchor points and a stronger latch to comfortably carry the weight ... 
Intel's upcoming Arc Alchemist graphics cards are seemingly on par with Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3070 Ti. This is interesting news in itself since Nvidia's high-end graphics card certainly packs a punch. The information comes from the Twitter account @TUM_APISAK, which linked this SiSoftware page where the benchmarks for the Intel Arc Alchemist card have allegedly been revealed. The card seemingly boasts some powerful specs. But, as always with news like this, take it with a healthy dose of salt. If this information does turn out to be true though, it could be an intriguing alternative to Nvidia's own rather expensive and hard to find graphics card. Intel seems to have even more planned in the future too after information spotted from an upcoming Linux Mesa driver update was found. Intel's intriguing alternative There's quite a bit of information to glean from the posting, while there's also a fair bit we still don't know. The first... 
Crunchyroll and Adult Swim are gearing up to release Shenmue the Animation in only a couple weeks. The show adapts Yu Suzuki's magnum opus, Shenmue, an ambitious RPG form the Dreamcast era that attempted to redefine immersive, open-world experiences. While the game and its sequel failed to garner attention, the series' legacy continued. It wasn't long ago we finally got Shenmue III. And now, the anime based on the show is about to dropkick its way into reality. With only a short time to go, Adult Swim shared a dubbed trailer for Shenmue the Animation. Yes, yes, I get it. Many 'hardcore' anime fans may balk at English dubs, but this doesn't seem so bad. Ryo Hazuki, and hunter of sailors and hero of the series, is getting voiced by Austin Tindle, who has amassed one hell of a voice acting career for dubbed anime. Lan Di, the man who kills Ryo's father to set off the roller coaster of a story, is voiced by Scott Gibbs in the dub. Crunchyroll ha... 
And yet another first-person rogue-lite prepares to enter the fray. Mortal Sin features many of the expected hallmarks of the genre, but it has several things setting it apart. The first difference that really pops out is its art style. Environments are muted and sullen, and enemies are solid bursts of blue in a somewhat monochrome world. But the game is also predominately fought with melee weapons. What's more, enemies don't take damage in the usual sense, but in a manner more akin to Eternal Darkness. As this game is first person, though, you obviously don't have to lock on to slice your enemy's extremities off — but it's the only way to kill them. Each run of Mortal Sin starts you off outside a dungeon, and you must fight to survive. Upon defeating enemies, currency is dropped which lasts after you die and begin a new run. Spending 2,000 currency creates three items, but you can only equip one. The other two are destroyed. There are also additi... 
If you have played Call of Duty: Vanguard, it is highly likely that you have encountered various bugs and stability issues. Recently, Activision shared a statement addressing the state of Vanguard, assuring fans that changes are on the way. It appears that this has already begun with Sledgehammer Games already rolling out a patch. The latest update makes some bug fixes, and hits Vanguard shotguns with a much-needed nerf. To begin, fixes have been made to weapons and attachments. The first is with longshot progression, which can now be achieved through Incendiary Rounds. Damage that the rounds deal over time will contribute to earning longshots. Also, an issue causing the Buck and Slug attachment for shotguns to unintentionally give players headshot bonuses when hitting limbs has been addressed. At the same time, the range of the Buck and Slug ammunition has been reduced. Another nerf has been handed to the Vanguard Double Barrel akimbo shotgun in terms of a damage reduction. ...