Dec 23, 20:00


Kotaku Friday, December 23, 2022 2:00 PM
    

After two years on the market, you'd probably think scooping up a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X would be simpler by now.

Read more...


PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 3:39 PM
     Dinosaur battle royale Ark Survival of the Fittest is now on Steam

When we first checked out Ark Survival of the Fittest back in 2016, battle royale games were still fairly niche - they were the province of modded game modes and custom Arma servers. That's all changed a lot since then, and Studio Wildcard's entry in the genre now has a prototype version available on Steam with loads of quality of life and other updates, six years later.


PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 2:42 PM
     New Marvel Snap Vormir location is slowing matches down

The new Marvel Snap Vormir location introduced this week seems to be causing some headaches for the free game, and not only for the cards that get sacrificed there. The card game's latest location appears to be causing some delays when each player's cards are revealed, with animations loading and playing only after an extended pause.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best card games on PC, The best superhero games, The best multiplayer games

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 2:34 PM
     Destiny 2 Trials of Osiris map and rewards this week

Destiny 2 Trials of Osiris, Bungie's weekend PvP showdown that attracts the game's most dedicated players, grants some of the best loot the game has to offer. The most skilled players can even earn Adept weapons, which have greater stats when masterworked and feature an additional perk slot. However, there's a catch: you must win seven games without a loss to gain access to the Lighthouse to collect that treasure.

But, if you're up to the challenge, then it's time to equip your best Destiny 2 Warlock build, best Destiny 2 Titan build, or best Destiny 2 Hunter build for a chance at glory in the arena.

If you're new to Trials or just want a refresher on what's new in the game mode, our Destiny 2 Trials of Osiris guide has everything you need to know.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Destiny 2 classes, Destiny 2 exotics, Destiny 2 builds

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 23, 2022 5:22 PM
    

Hear that? Christmas bells are ringing, carolers are caroling, and GTA Online players are being pounced on by an atrociously-named Grinch parody. He's one of several Christmas treats now stocked on the streets of Los Santos, which also pack snowmen to destroy, rooftop shootouts and, for some reason, superpowered beasts getting chased by serial killers.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 23, 2022 2:31 PM
    

Dasher the reindeer has found a side gig in 20 Minutes Till Dawn, a neat survive 'em up that's like Vampire Survivors but with guns you have to aim. She's been added as a human woman in a festive coat who intermittently turns into an invulnerable deer that can charge about the screen, plunging into enemies that would normally kill you in a heartbeat. She might be a little overpowered, but hey, it's Christmas.

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Twinfinite Friday, December 23, 2022 7:41 PM
     He's gonna put some dirt in your eye.

Twinfinite Friday, December 23, 2022 5:06 PM
     This must be the present that accidentally got left behind so it will be delivered late.

Twinfinite Friday, December 23, 2022 4:55 PM
     Get a bit of extra mileage out of spooky season.

Twinfinite Friday, December 23, 2022 4:35 PM
     Stranger Things could be getting the Cyberpunk Edgerunners treatment.

Twinfinite Friday, December 23, 2022 4:29 PM
     Chadwick Boseman, Forever.

Twinfinite Friday, December 23, 2022 3:23 PM
     Here's the 10 most likeable characters in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Twinfinite Friday, December 23, 2022 3:02 PM
     I have such weird feelings about this.

Twinfinite Friday, December 23, 2022 2:51 PM
     Sports Story dropped out of nowhere, as an early Christmas gift for fans.

Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 7:00 PM
    

Code: Pupil

Developer Tianren Lab posted the first gameplay trailer for Code: Pupil, a new action-platformer it's working on. Targeted for mobile platforms, the game is
designed to invoke a Chinese urban fantasy aesthetic. The game is also open for pre-registration in China. [Thanks, Superpixel!]

Check out the Code: Pupil gameplay trailer below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bWtt_8p1Hs

Code: Pupil is centered around the idea of supernatural elements hiding in the shadows of the Zhongpu District, a small nine-block neighborhood under the jurisdiction of Kowloon City. Controlling various characters, players will gather supernatural clues while pretending to film the neighborhood to uncover hidden elements and the truth in the city's nooks and crannies.

The gameplay also involves side-scrolling exploration, interaction, combat, and platforming. Players will interact with characters in Live2D-animated cutscenes, and take on powerful bosses. Different characters also have different gameplay styles and gimmicks. One character appears to activate a ranged attack, which puts a reticle onscreen to "shoot" enemies like a shooting gallery. Another sequence involved moving and collecting items in behind-the-back 3D perspective, as well.

Tianren Lab also announced that feedback from an earlier preview test phase will be incorporated into the game's final release. The game does not yet have a firm release window, though a 2023 debut in China is likely. International release plans have not yet been announced.

Code: Pupil is in development for iOS and Android devices.

The post Code: Pupil Gameplay Trailer Debuts as Pre-Registration Opens appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 6:00 PM
    

Wanted DEad

Wanted: Dead, a new character action game from developer Soleil, stars a Hannah Stone, a cyborg cop working in Hong Kong. But you might not know that from the game's new music video. Instead, the video traces the backstory of a different character named Cinammon, who works at a diner frequented by Stone and her unit.

Check out the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmR9TIuT7Vc

Set to Donna Summers' "She Works Hard for the Money," the Wanted: Dead music video establishes the atmosphere of the game's grungy, yet futuristic setting. Hannah Stone also shows up during the vid to order seemingly every item off the menu. Cinnamon's job doesn't end with her shift at the diner, though. With side gigs at a bar, and a cabaret, her days and evenings are full even before she takes some time to care for her kids. That being said, it doesn't say too much about the game itself.

A more substantial look at what players will actually encounter can be found in the Wanted: Dead pre-order trailer uploaded last week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6aeZnsBZBc

The pre-order trailer, which features much more of Hannah Stone's activities, does include a few in-game looks at Cinnamon and her diner. Created by developers with experience working on the likes of Ninja Gaiden and Devil May CryWanted: Dead blends melee slashing and third-person shooting. Anime cutscenes and minigames round out a look at life in Soleil's stylized vision of future Hong Kong, where even cops work outside the law.

Wanted: Dead will release on PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S PS5, and PC on February 14, 2023.

The post Wanted: Dead Animated Music Video Focuses on Cinnamon's Life appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 5:00 PM
    

God of War Ragnarok New Game Plus

Sony Santa Monica Studio confirmed that the God of War Ragnarok new game plus mode is coming in Spring 2023. The news came courtesy of the studio's official Twitter account. That could put the launch window between March and June 2023. The game first debuted on November 9, 2022 for the PS4 and PS5.

New game plus mode won't be a first for God of War when it comes to Ragnarok. 2018's God of War received its own new game plus mode about four months after its April 2018 launch date. In that entry, the feature allowed players to start the game over from the beginning, but keeping their earned equipment and abilities. The mode also unlocked new crafted armor sets for the father-son pair and refreshed the attack patterns of the Valkyries. Even new content, like timed Realm Tears, was introduced to challenge experienced players.

Besides God of War Ragnarok, new game plus modes are a common feature in games. They allow players to repeat content while benefitting from the effort they put in completing the game the first time. New game plus modes can also be used to heighten challenge for veteran players who "have it all." For example, the new game plus mode in Demon's Souls features significantly strengthened enemies, and on the first few cycles is considered more difficult than the base game overall.

God of War Ragnarok is available for the PS4 and PS5. The original game is available on the PS4 and PC.

The post God of War Ragnarok New Game Plus Mode Coming in 2023 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 4:30 PM
    

Fire Emblem Engage Lucina

Nintendo showcased Lucina's abilities as an Emblem in the upcoming Fire Emblem Engage. Lucina, also known as the "Emblem of Awakening," is a holy princess who believes in hope and never falls to despair. Lucina is best suited paired with a front row fighter. However, her gimmick lies on providing incredible offensive and defensive support to nearby allies.

Lucina comes from the world of Fire Emblem Awakening, conquered by the Fell Dragon Grima. Because of this, the beauty of Elyos can easily distract her, as this land is still fighting darkness and remains with hope. Here is a conversation between Lucina and Etie, a knight from the Kingdom of Firene:

https://twitter.com/FireEmblemJP/status/1606199795848081408

Lucina's Synchro Skill is called "Dual Strike." It allows any unit to perform a Chain Attack regardless of class. The further Lucina's attack range, the more chances to stack a Chain Attack. Her Link Weapon, "Noble Rapier," inflicts massive damage to Mounted units and those carrying Heavy Armor. "Bond Shield" is Lucina's Engage Skill. It has a high chance of nullifying damage aimed at adjacent allies. When Lucina is paired with a unit that uses Martial Arts, "Bond Shield" will always activate. "All For One" is Lucina's Engage Attack. It allows all allies within two squares to participate in Chain Attacks. It can lead to massive damage depending on the player's formation. Because of the benefits she can confer, Lucina works best surrounded by allied units, acting as their commander.

https://twitter.com/FireEmblemJP/status/1606200715734441985

Yuu Kobayashi voices Lucina in the Japanese dub for Fire Emblem Engage. She is best known for her roles as Valdi in Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Luka Urushibara in Steins;Gate, and Sasha Blouse in Attack on Titan.

Fire Emblem Engage will come out worldwide on January 20, 2023 for the Nintendo Switch.

The post Fire Emblem Engage's Lucina Awakens the Power of Her Allies appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 4:00 PM
    

jojo's bizarre adventure puzzle & dragons

Gungho Online Entertainment announced an upcoming crossover between Puzzle & Dragons and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. It will start from December 26, 2022 and end on January 9, 2023. During this event, players will get the chance to pull for characters from entries like Phantom Blood and Stone Ocean. [Thanks, 4Gamer!]

In total, there will be over twenty characters in the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure collaboration for Puzzle & Dragons. They are, in alphabetical order.

  • Bruno Bucciarati
  • Caesar Zeppeli
  • DIO
  • Dio Brando
  • Ermes Costello
  • Foo Fighters
  • Giorno Giovanna
  • Jean-Pierre Polnareff
  • Jolyne Cujoh
  • Jonathan Joestar
  • Joseph Joestar
  • Josuke Higashikata
  • Jotaro Kujo
  • Kars
  • Koichi Hirose
  • Narcisco Anasui
  • Noriaki Kakyoin
  • Okuyasu Nijimura
  • Robert E. O. Speedwagon
  • Trish Una
  • Vinegar Doppio
  • Weather Report
  • Yoshikage Kira

[gallery columns="6" ids="944755,944756,944757,944758,944759,944760" link="file"]

The first time you obtain Jolyne, you can obtain the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Dress-up Drop, and when you first get Dio Brando, you can get the BGM set. As well, when you defeat enemies in the event dungeon, you can get Collaboration Discs. Inside of the dungeon, you can face off against major enemies from Battle Tendency to Stone Ocean.

With the Discs, you can exchange for characters from the collaboration. Finally, in the Monster Exchange within the game, you can obtain Rohan Kishibe & Heaven's Door, as well as the Bow and Arrow.

While JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean (Part 6) is the latest part to have an animated adaptation, the manga finished Part 8 (JoJoLion) in 2021 after ten years. This is part of the new timeline of the series, which started in Stone Ocean. Part 9 of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, JOJOLands, will start from February 17, 2023.

Puzzle & Dragons is available on mobile devices, and the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure event will run from December 26, 2022 to January 9, 2023.

The post Puzzle & Dragons Will Hold a JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Event appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 3:30 PM
    

Lara Croft Guardian of Light Temple of Osiris

Two spin-offs of the Tomb Raider series are coming to the Nintendo Switch next year. Developer Feral Interactive is working on porting the Lara Croft games to Nintendo's platform.

According to tweets by Feral Interactive's official account, the developer will bring the two Lara Croft games to Switch in 2023. Feral has experience in porting console and PC titles to Switch and mobile platforms. It ported versions of Rome: Total War, Medieval II: Total War, and Alien: Isolation, among others.

The games were spin-offs from the Tomb Raider franchise that originally launched for the Xbox 360 and PS3 in 2010. Then in 2014, both appeared for the PS4 and Xbox One. Unlike the main Tomb Raider titles, which are third-person action titles with a behind-the-back perspective, the Lara Croft games played out in a top-down, isometric viewing angle. They focused on cooperative play and puzzle-solving rather than combat and traversal. They were also unconnected from the "rebooted" Tomb Raider games took a more cinematic storytelling approach.

In 2010's Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Lara teams up with an ancient Mayan warrior named Totec. The two must team together to bring an ancient evil back under control after Lara's loss of an ancient, cursed artifact.

The sequel, 2014's Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, Lara teams up with rival Carter Bell, as well as ancient Egyptian avatars of the gods Isis and Horus. The game supported four-player co-op, and tasked players with protecting the world from the advent of the evil god Set.

The two Lara Croft games will come to Nintendo Switch in 2023. They're also available on the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC.

The post Lara Croft Games' Switch Ports Coming in 2023 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 3:00 PM
    

What's the Best Game Remake or Remaster of 2022?

It's the time of year to reflect. Especially as we start thinking about things we did or experienced. As in the last few years, 2022 definitely featured a game remake or remaster or two (or ten), which could make narrowing down the best a little difficult! So we decided to go over these types of titles as a group and see what everyone in the community had to say too.


Well I know what my answer should have been! While I continue my months-long sigh over here, I've been comforting myself with Tactics Ogre Reborn. There's a lot it could have done better (like patch up that sprite work), the gameplay is refined from its already top-notch PSP revision and well worth hundreds of hours of your life. — Graham

What's the Best Game Remake or Remaster of 2022?

I'm going to go with Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition as the best game remaster of 2022. Square Enix did an amazing job with its remasters this year, and I missed this game! Also, its accessibility features really help when you have less time on your hands. I loved being able to speed through battles. Plus... it meant we ended up seeing a Super Famicom Satellaview localization in 2022. — Jenni

Stanley Parable

Since Graham already cited Tactics Ogre Reborn for me, I find myself split on my favorite "reheated game" of 2022, rather than remake or remaster. First off, calling The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe a mere "remaster" would be a truly great understatement. And yet, it's also not quite a "remake," straddling the strange territory between a reissue of a game you've seen before and something akin to a true sequel. I shan't say more, lest I spoil the fun, but you should play both the original and Ultra Deluxe when you get the time, in that order.

Meanwhile, The Last of Us Part I is very much more the typical revisit to a game that isn't even that old. The content is largely identical, so much so you'd be hard-pressed to tell the two apart if you aren't looking at them side-by-side. But at the same time, it's a beautiful revisit, and the additional options for accessible play lay a good bottom line for what games should all have. — Josh

FFVI

Graham, Jenni, and Josh put me to shame. I've spent very little time playing games in 2022, and they've managed to pick up no less than four titles I wanted to indulge in. But you could almost substitute Graham's points on Tactics Ogre with my pick, Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster. I've not fully coalesced my thoughts on the Pixel Remasters, but it has been the perfect opportunity to finally play this seminal JRPG I missed as a child. And yes, it came out this year (and coming to Switch and PS4 in 2023 ), and why yes, it has been a really long year, hasn't it. — Khai

Buster Sword Proficiency Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion

It's a simple pick for me. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion was an amazing remaster of an already great game (and I say this as someone who is pretty lukewarm towards all games in the FFVII extended universe), which may make it seem like a weak pick by comparison for best one of 2022. However, with all the changes made to the controls, giving the game an ease of access compared to it's PSP release along with other quality of life improvements, it's set a standard for Square Enix remasters going forward.

But what really elevated it for me, was revisiting Zack's story, and having that opportunity to do so. Crisis Core may have it's moments where it's really just goofy, but Zack's journey is an important one and lays the foundation for the events of the entire Final Fantasy extended universe. Not only that, but it's handling of propaganda, and watching Zack come to realize what SOLDIER stands for under Shinra (and what Shinra actually is), is done fairly well - the more absurdist elements aside.

So while I'd love to give to Tactics Ogre: Reborn, as it's still one of my favorite SRPGs of all time, Crisis Core really gripped me. — Kazuma

The post What's the Best Game Remake or Remaster of 2022? appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 2:30 PM
    

needy streamer overload manga

A manga adaptation of Needy Streamer Overload started serialization on December 23, 2022. The full title is, loosely translated, Needy Streamer Overload: Absolute Revolutionary Disease: Midnight Streaming Love <3 Ame-chan and P's 100 Days of Despair. Choborau Nyopomi is the mangaka behind it. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

Choborau Nyopomi is a mangaka who specializes in surreal humor. Her previous works include Ai-Mai-Mi and Magical Somera-chan. You will be able to read it from the official Twitter account for WSS Playground. The manga will be a slice-of-life comedy that presents Ame-chan and P's relationship in a different light than it is in the game.

https://twitter.com/infowssJP/status/1606092277444747266

The official anthology for Needy Streamer Overload will appear as a physical tankobon from December 23, 2022. It will cost 649 JPY after tax, which is about $4.90. The anthology was originally an online-exclusive. Finally, a second wave of Needy Streamer Overload goods will appear in the official store. You will be able to purchase them until January 20, 2023.

Needy Streamer Overload is available on the PC and Nintendo Switch, and the manga is available to read online. In commemoration of the manga, as well as how sales for the game have surpassed 700,000 copies worldwide, there is a sale for the game on Steam and the eShop.

The post Needy Streamer Overload Manga Starts Serialization appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 2:00 PM
    

Stone Ocean Weather Report and Narciso Anasui Nendoroids Arrive in 2023

The next two JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean Nendoroids are Narciso Anasui and Weather Report, and both will debut at about the exact same time. Good Smile Company opened pre-orders for both figures. Each one will be ¥5,478/$38.99. In June 2022, they will appear in Japan. Then in August 2023, both will show up in North America.

The Narciso and Weather Nendoroids each come with three face plates. Each one has one with a stoic expression, one with a smiling one, and a third angry, shouting one. They also come with extra hand and leg parts. Weather has clouds with weather effects to represent his Stand's abilities. Narciso also comes with some Diver Down Stand effect parts.

Here's how the Narciso figure looks:
[gallery columns="4" size="full" ids="944859,944860,944861,944862" link="file"]

And here is Weather Report:
[gallery columns="4" size="full" ids="944863,944864,944865,944866" link="file"]

There is also a Good Smile Company direct pre-order bonus for both the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean Narciso Anasui and Weather Report Nendoroids. Narciso comes with an extra face plate. Weather comes with a set of three extra items that include a Stand Disc, snail, and frog.
[gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="944857,944858" link="file"]

Both the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean Narciso Anasui and Weather Report Nendoroids will show up in Japan in June 2022. Their North American debut will follow in August 2023. Pre-orders for each one will close on March 2, 2023.

The post Stone Ocean Weather Report and Narciso Anasui Nendoroids Arrive in 2023 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 1:30 PM
    

Next Hololive EN Holiday Song Cover is 'Suki! Yuki! Maji Magic'

Cover's been sharing various holiday-themed items as December 2022 came to a close. For example, there's an advent calendar. The latest thing to appear is more music. Hololive EN released a Mori Calliope, Ceres Fauna, and Nanashi Mumei song cover of the Hatsune Miku song "Suki! Yuki! Maji Magic."

Here's the full music video for the "Suki! Yuki! Maji Magic" Hololive EN song cover. There are animated chibi versions of each character that come up as they sing their parts. As this was originally a "Snow Miku" song, they each get outfits inspired by the Hatsune Miku SNOW MIKU 2014 Winter Festival for certain parts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbJqGGRQ32k&ab_channel=hololiveEnglish

To compare, here's the original "Suki! Yuki! Maji Magic" song by Mitchie M. The track doesn't appear in any of the Hatsune Miku Project Diva games, but it did show up in Bang Dream! Girls Band Party.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79N1O0lF0GY&ab_channel=MitchieM

This is the second Hololive EN song cover to appear for the 2022 holiday season. Gawr Gura, IRyS, Takanashi Kiara, and Watson Amelia performed "Snow Halation" from Love Live.

There's also another Hololive EN performance coming tonight. Tempus' Magni Dezmond will perform a holiday song medley at 6pm PT/9pm ET on December 23, 2022.

The post Next Hololive EN Holiday Song Cover is 'Suki! Yuki! Maji Magic' appeared first on Siliconera.


Gamer Empire Friday, December 23, 2022 5:55 PM
     Like in many other Roblox games, you can join private servers in Shindo Life. Using a private server, you can play without a lot of […]

Gamer Empire Friday, December 23, 2022 4:14 PM
     Once you join or create your own kingdom in Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord, you will need to work with the other clans of the […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Friday, December 23, 2022 3:00 PM
     Franklin delivers some goods for Barry. Throughout GTA 5, Franklin, Michael, and Trevor will have random encounters with a middle-aged marijuana legalization activist named Barry. Grass Roots – The Pickup is the second mission in Strangers & Freaks involving Franklin and Barry. We have outlined everything you need to know about Grass Roots – The […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Friday, December 23, 2022 2:00 PM
     The Purple Undead Monster is still standing guard for the Mad King. The Exploration Achievements found in the Codex feature additional objectives you can complete for Hilts. There are several Exploration Achievements for each zone in Diablo Immortal, ranging anywhere from 4-8 Achievements per zone and each with varying objectives that players can complete anytime. […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Friday, December 23, 2022 1:00 PM
     The Sims 4: Seasons is an expansion pack that features all four seasons and different types of weather. Most players consider this pack a must-have since it can add depth to the world of Sims, making it more dynamic and true to life. The DLC also lets you add various holidays and social events that […]

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, December 23, 2022 6:06 PM
    

More details will be revealed at a later date.

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


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, December 23, 2022 5:21 PM
    

A new video featuring composer Yasunori Mitsuda was also released.

The post Sea of Stars Launches Summer 2023 appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, December 23, 2022 4:58 PM
    

The games will be available to claim from January 3 until February 7.

The post January PlayStation Plus Essential Games Have Reportedly Leaked appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, December 23, 2022 4:29 PM

Dec 23, 12:00


Kotaku Friday, December 23, 2022 11:35 AM
    

Ah, the holidays. In these modern times they're synonymous with over-indulging on alcohol to drown out GamGam's spicy takes on President Biden and vaccines, but back in the day they were all fuzzy pajamas and shiny wrapping paper.

Read more...


Kotaku Friday, December 23, 2022 10:00 AM
    

The school has closed, the gym classes are over, swimming's done for the year. Everyone else calls it a holiday—for you, it's full-time parenting. But there is hope! Hope in the loving arms of video games. Yes, as child-raising experts, we here at Kotaku are here to say that the best thing to do is just sit them down…

Read more...


Kotaku Friday, December 23, 2022 9:30 AM
    

Read more...


PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 11:46 AM
     The best Vampire Survivors build

There's a lot that goes into making the best Vampire Survivors build. In every run in the roguelike game, you defeat hordes of enemies, amassing new weapons and items to help you survive until the end. You can upgrade your items or take new ones at regular intervals, which helps you bolster your build each time you level up. However, in the heat of the moment, it can be hard to know which items give you the best buffs and which combos you should stack together.

When making the best Vampire Survivors build, you need to make two key decisions: which of the best Vampire Survivor characters to play as and which powerful Vampire Survivors weapon evolutions you want to aim for as you're collecting items.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best survival games on PC in 2022, Vampire Survivors weapon evolution guide, The best Vampire Survivors build

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 11:35 AM
     Dead by Daylight dirt cheap on Steam and Epic Games Store right now

Dead by Daylight, the asymmetrical multiplayer horror game that puts DBD killers up against petrified survivors, in maps from Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and other classic spookfests, is up for a grabs at a massive discount right now on both Steam and the Epic Games Store, with reductions also offered on various Dead by Daylight DLC.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: DBD killer tier list, Best horror games, Hooked on You: A DBD Dating Sim gameplay review

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 11:32 AM
     The best Vampire Survivors characters

Want to know who the best Vampire Survivors characters are? You only have the whip-wielding vampire hunter Antonio available when you first start this roguelike game, but by fulfilling specific requirements, you can unlock get more characters, weapons, and items to use in every run

Some Vampire Survivors characters are better than others, depending on their starting equipment or permanent bonuses; the likelihood of finishing a run is more of a certainty with the right build, especially if you use Vampire Survivor weapon evolutions to combine items to achieve their more powerful form.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best survival games on PC in 2022, Vampire Survivors weapon evolution guide, The best Vampire Survivors build

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 11:09 AM
     Vampire Survivors cheats

Want a list of all of the Vampire Survivors cheats? It seems like a cruel joke for the roguelike game to add cheat codes this late in development, but here we are. One of the later patches gave would-be vampire hunters a chance to enter some codes for powerful abilities. You can click on the Yellow Sign entry seven times to unlock this secret menu, but it will disappear not long afterwards.

To permanently unlock the Vampire Survivors cheats, you need to find the Forbidden Scrolls of Morbane, which you can obtain by slaying the Bone Orb in the Bone Zone. Once you pick this up, a new secrets menu will appear on the main menu in the roguelike game. Not only can you enter cheats here, but you can also see the conditions for unlocking the hidden Vampire Survivors unlockable characters. Of course, you can just enter codes to unlock them; we have the full list below.

Continue reading Vampire Survivors cheats
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best survival games on PC in 2022, Vampire Survivors weapon evolution guide, The best Vampire Survivors build

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 11:01 AM
     Vampire Survivors weapon evolution guide

Want to know what all the Vampire Survivors weapon evolutions are? This roguelite indie game is still rapidly gaining popularity as players discover the sheer joy of walking around a forest or library, slaying an ever-growing encroaching horde of monsters that just want to be very close to you.

It's a relatively simple, yet immensely popular indie game. In fact, it's one of the best PC games of 2022. Mastering it and unlocking Vampire Survivors characters can get tricky if you don't spec into the correct build from the start. To evolve an item in Vampire Survivors, you must first level up a weapon to its maximum level, collect its linked item when it appears on the level-up screen, then kill an elite monster and open the chest it leaves behind. Unfortunately, you only have a few slots for weapons and items, so you must choose carefully.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best survival games on PC in 2022, Vampire Survivors weapon evolution guide, The best Vampire Survivors build

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 11:22 AM
     Epic Games Store giving away daily free games – here's what they are

The Epic Games Store is running a free games giveaway over the festive season, with a new game being given away to all every day for a 15-day period. You don't have long then to get each game you want, so we're putting together a list of what's currently free to help you keep track of what you can pick up during the Christmas period.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best SSD for gaming, How to build a gaming PC, Best gaming CPU

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 10:55 AM
     Genshin Impact Ley Line Overflow event returns to double Resin rewards

Genshin Impact's Ley Line Overflow event is returning in the anime game's version 3.3 update to provide double rewards when players use Original Resin. HoYoverse tends to drop this Genshin Impact event whenever highly-anticipated character banners go live. This time, the event period will last from January 9 to January 16 - the same period of time that players are likely to be farming materials for Raiden Shogun and Kamisato Ayato.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Genshin Impact codes, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 10:52 AM
     How to unlock secret characters in Vampire Survivors

Want to know how to unlock secret characters in Vampire Survivors? When you start your first run, you only have a handful of characters and a few weapons available. However, on each playthrough, more items, weapons, and characters unlock for you to use in future attempts. Later, you can also find Arcana to give your weapons unique bonuses to annihilate your foes.

You can unlock secret Vampire Survivors characters by meeting requirements, such as leveling up your gear to a certain threshold, finding items in a level, or slaying a quota of monsters. These items are vital if you wish to use Vampire Survivor weapon evolutions to maximise a weapon's damage output for the best Vampire Survivors build.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best survival games on PC in 2022, Vampire Survivors weapon evolution guide, The best Vampire Survivors build

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 10:45 AM
     Some of the best horror games ever are practically free on Steam

The best horror games might change over time, especially with the recent, spooky renaissance heralded by The Callisto Protocol, Dead Space Remake, and impending return of both Silent Hill 2 and Resident Evil 4. But there are some scary games that never go away, stone-cold classics such as Amnesia The Dark Descent and Soma that belong in the absolute horror game pantheon. Setting the benchmark for modern horror, these games and more are all now practically free on Steam, as Valve unleashes its latest sale just in time for Christmas.


PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 9:25 AM
     Disney Dreamlight Valley character roster may be increasing soon

There are rather a lot of Disney Dreamlight Valley characters that you can add to your village, and that roster is set to expand as the life game's fairy-tale story continues to evolve. Eagle-eyed fans have noticed that three more familiar faces may be dropping soon, though.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Disney games, What's the next Dreamlight Valley update?, Disney Dreamlight Valley guide

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 9:45 AM
     FFXIV 6.3 release date and everything shown in Live Letter 75

We now have a FFXIV 6.3 release date and a whole lot more detail on what to expect in the next expansion for the critically acclaimed MMORPG, courtesy of Final Fantasy 14 Producer Live Letter 75. As always, game director Naoki Yoshida is joined by community producer Toshio Murouchi for the mutli-hour livestream that gives us a more detailed look at the likes of the new Alliance Raid, the fifth Ultimate Duty, and the next Deep Dungeon.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best MMOs on PC, FFXIV Reaper job guide, FFXIV Sage job guide

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 7:39 AM
     AMD RDNA 4 – release date, price, specs, and benchmark rumours

New AMD RDNA 4 powered graphics cards will be upon us sooner than you think, as team red is already hard at work on their next architecture. To help separate the red herrings from the credible rumours, here's everything we know so far about the next generation of Radeon GPUs.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7000 CPUs - everything we know, RDNA 3 GPUs - everything we know, Best gaming CPU

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 7:11 AM
     High on Life is trapping Steam players inside Applebee's

High on Life, the comedy FPS game with heavy shades of Rick and Morty, is experiencing a bug that is trapping Steam players inside the shooter's version of Applebee's.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Should you kill 5-Torg in High on Life?, Should you stab Gene in High on Life?, High on Life mission list

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 6:46 AM
     Crucial P3 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD is at its lowest price ever on Amazon

The Crucial P3 1TB SSD offers great value from a price to performance perspective, giving you the convenience of an M.2 form factor while also packing NVMe PCIe 3.0 speeds. Having lots of speedy storage is more important than ever, especially after getting a bunch of new games for Christmas, and this drive is at its lowest price ever on Amazon right now.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Crucial MX500 review, Best SSDs for gaming

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 6:28 AM
     The best Christmas games on PC in 2022

Want to play the best Christmas games this holiday season? As far-too-short Christmas playlists have taught us, not only is it Chriiiiiiiiiiiiissssstmaaaaassssss, but it is the most wonderful time of the year, mainly as we take a break, spend time with the family, open presents, eat copious amounts of food, and dedicate time to tackle one game in our backlogs.

There's a whole bunch of Christmas games out there if you know where to look. From big open-world games you can play through from morning to night, short narrative-driven games to fill the spaces between mince pie feasting, or multiplayer games to play with the family, whether that be online or together on the couch.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Skyrim mods, Play Skyrim, Games like Skyrim

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 9:56 AM
     Microsoft says three future Bethesda games will be PC, Xbox exclusive

Microsoft has issued a statement to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding its proposed acquisition of Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and Call of Duty owner Activision Blizzard, in which the company outlines how three future Bethesda games, potentially RPG game Starfield, vampire shooter Redfall, and Skyrim sequel The Elder Scrolls 6, will be exclusive to PC and Xbox.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Starfield release date, Starfield ship design, Starfield Game Pass

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 5:53 AM
     Dota 2 patch fixes a slew of bugs, but adds one more

The December 22 Dota 2 patch is relatively slim on the ground, simply fixing some bugs in the MOBA. Fans, however, have noticed that there's a mistake with the new Silencer set that has overshadowed the update.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Dota 2 heroes, Dota 2 custom games, Which MOBA is best?

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 5:22 AM
     Dota 2 collector's cache II finally unveiled after concerns

23/12/2022 - Despite fan concerns, a new Dota 2 collector's cache has been released, and is on sale until January 12, 2023. Original story continues below.

The Dota 2 collector's cache grants players a swathe of Treasures that contain exclusive, non-tradable cosmetic items, but this year it looks like avid fans of the MOBA are only getting one cache from Valve instead of the usual two.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Dota 2 heroes, Dota 2 custom games, Which MOBA is best?

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 9:14 AM
     Destiny 2 Revision Zero holders unlock Sparrow with exploit

Destiny 2 Revision Zero holders are using an exploit to bypass a time-gating feature that should prevent them from shooting all 50 of the game's newly-introduced security drones. The exploit allows them to earn an exotic Sparrow seemingly in advance of the developers' intention, as the game appears to limit player access to some in-game areas where they can find these drones.

The Destiny 2 Revision Zero exotic quest dropped this week for all Destiny 2 season 19 pass holders. The new pulse rifle features shield-piercing rounds, which are meant to break the shields of the game's powerful barrier champions. However, upon earning the weapon from the exotic quest, players quickly realised they could use the gun to shoot security drones that have recently appeared around the map.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Destiny 2 classes, Destiny 2 exotics, Destiny 2 builds

PCGamesN Friday, December 23, 2022 9:17 AM
     Hogwarts Legacy release date, trailers, gameplay, and news

When is Hogwarts Legacy release date? Revealed during a Sony PlayStation Showcase event in September 2020, Hogwarts Legacy is a prequel to the Harry Potter series of books and films. Developed by Warner Bros. Games, Avalanche, and Portkey Games as a collaborative effort, Hogwarts Legacy is set in the late 1800s, and lets budding witches and wizards fulfil the usual classroom duties as a student, all while exploring the campus and its surrounding areas in this open-world game, along with many of Hogwarts' lively patrons.

The Hogwarts Legacy release date has been pushed back a few times, most recently on December 13, but the latest delay doesn't affect PC. Read on for all the details on the Hogwarts Legacy release date, and what you can expect from the next RPG game in the Harry Potter universe, including Hogwarts Legacy trailers, news, gameplay, and more.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Hogwarts Legacy release date, Upcoming PC Games, Best PC RPGs

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 23, 2022 12:00 PM
    

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit is a playable teaser released to promote Life Is Strange 2, the first episode of which followed on three months after this surprise p.t. dropped during E3 2018. Not to be confused with Silent Hills P.T. (it's like… the exact opposite of that), Captain Spirit is free to play, takes two to three hours to complete, and manages to perfectly encapsulate the Life Is Strange experience without giving anything away about the main (read: paid-for) games in the series. It also features possibly my favourite LIS protagonist in adorable wannabe superhero Chris, which is quite a high bar to clear, considering how much time I spend banging on about what great characters Chloe and Sean are.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 23, 2022 11:07 AM
    

Legendarily complicated (and just generally legendary) colony sim Dwarf Fortress launched on Steam a few weeks ago, bringing sprite graphics, more players and millions of dollars for developers Bay 12 games. Brothers Tarn and Zach Adams have spent the past 16 years relying on donations, so actually selling their game has now allowed to expand their team and hire someone from their community to help with the programming. They say "Putnam" will be the first non-Adam to ever see the code behind the curtain. Cue the Indiana Jones face-melting gif.

An update yesterday also added Steam trading cards, as well as giving you the option to flick between classic and premium graphics.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 23, 2022 10:35 AM
    

I find myself alone. I am the only person left in the treehouse right now. I think it's the first time this has happened. It is interesting to consider that I could try to wipe the website, delete loads of articles, do something to burn down my job. I don't particularly want to, but the coiled potential to do it exists, because I am unsupervised. There is no other member of staff between me and all of you. The great filter is removed. Any typos are on purpose. How you doin'?

This gives me a great opportunity, because I get to have, in a sense, the final word on RPS this year. There are a lot of posts coming up (if we include the Advent Calendar posts that have already gone, we have 50-ish bits of hashtag seasonal hashtag content this year, which I think is the most I've had to schedule for a Christmas break yet), but almost everything after this point is a scheduled post, made of time travel words written days or weeks ago. I'm live and uncensored, baby. I'm going to fire up Among Trees. Let's go and be alone together. But don't worry, I take my responisbility seriously, so I'll make sure the final word is a joke.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 23, 2022 10:30 AM
    

It's a well known fact that there are "Too Many Games"(TM) these days. I have not done the maths, but I've seen enough graphs, tweets and analysis from people who have crunched the numbers to know there are more games coming out on Steam every day than a site like RPS could ever possibly hope to cover a single month, let alone every week. But gosh darn it if we don't try our hardest all the same.

Inevitably, though, time does get the better of us sometimes (or, in my case at least, maybe my eyes are just too big for my gaming stomach), and certain games end up slipping further and further down our to-do lists until they eventually fall away entirely. Not through any fault of their own, mind. Just... time. But as a final parting shoutout for 2022, I wanted to memorialise all the games that fell of my personal to-do list this year and say, "I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN IT, I PROMISE!" (For real, though, I still want to talk about all of these at some point. Maybe January...? Please don't hate me)

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 23, 2022 10:30 AM
    

Serious racing games are not, as a rule, my thing. If the goal is to repeat a course 20 times to trim 0.2 seconds off a number, and not to cackle like a petty chaos gremlin as you slam someone off the track at a tight corner, I am probably not going to enjoy myself much.

Rush Rally 3 isn't all that serious, but it's still on the wrong side of the tracks for me, I thought, before accidentally playing it for 3 hours. This is an excellent bundle of rally trials, challenges, and simple circuit racing with a cheerfully mid-2000s feel. I might prefer the messy nonsense of Trail Out, but if you value actual driving skill more highly, this is well worth your time.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 23, 2022 9:00 AM
    

Last week I spoke to Larian's founder and director Swen Vincke about the latest big update to Baldur's Gate 3, and the road to 1.0 release. But also it was December the 16th, so I saw fit to waste his time asking a bunch of fun seasonal questions that blended the love and goodwill of Baldur's Gate 3, with the companion-wrangling and clutch strategy of Christmas. D'you see what I did there?

My questions are in bold, and Vincke's answers are undeneath - and they are both amusing and instructive. I for one hope that Wyll's romcom visit home becomes a future winter DLC.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 23, 2022 8:00 AM
    

Behind today's RPS Advent Calendar door is a game that was only just beaten into second place. Luckily, after said beating it can just pop back to life at the last Site Of Grace it visited and then dive back into the fray again.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 23, 2022 6:07 AM
    

Can you hear that gentle rapping, tapping at your chamber door? 'Tis some visitor tapping at your chamber door - only this, and nothing more!

No it isn't. It's the Nate Files bonus podcast, funded by our supporters supporters, and we have an egg for you. Quoth the egg "Yolk!"

Read more


Twinfinite Friday, December 23, 2022 12:00 PM
     What do a vengeful Viking, a thirty year old sequel, and a bagel blackhole have in common? They make up the best movies of 2022.

Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 12:00 PM
    

Beating Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Elite Four Feels More Formal

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are games that, while following the series formula, can feel different, and as you go through the motions of beating the Elite Four in the Victory Road path, that really stands out. The structure of these final fights and how the game leads up to it makes it feel like more of a test than in past games. You're constantly being exposed to these people and, once you reach the point at which you can fight them, that last challenge feels like a more formal and professional endeavor than before.

Editor's Note: There will be spoilers for the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Elite Four below.

Like I mentioned, the fact that we do keep seeing every Elite Four member as we begin beating the Pokemon League gyms during the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Victory Road storyline makes it seem like there is more professional oversight in Paldea. Rika, Poppy, Hassel, and Geeta keep making themselves known. They'll pop up when you're at gyms, introducing themselves and watching your progress. Geeta especially is very involved, practically lurking about as you progress through the system.

Beating Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Elite Four Feels More Formal Victory Road Larry

Larry especially ends up being quite a surprise. After all, we see him both as the Medali normal-type gym leader and as an Elite Four member. Which is interesting, as it hints at the structure of the Pokemon League and as his stature within the system. While he comes across as overworked, it also shows how much of a "job" being a member of this system can be. It again suggests more structure and professionalism to it all.

The dismissal of the actual Victory Road in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is another choice I appreciate. This can be a heavy game. By the time someone reaches the Elite Four, they might have moonlighted a bit, taking on other quests along the way. There could have been a sense of fatigue at an additional gauntlet, especially since that sort of dungeon format isn't present in any other area of the game. So getting to get the go-ahead and head to the headquarters again lends a sense of formality. You proved you deserve to reach the Elite Four by beating all of the gyms that came before it.

Rika conducting an interview before facing the Elite Four in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is another moment that again shows that this challenge is serious business in Paldea. Especially since the interview is a test of its own. It isn't too difficult, granted. As long as you keep track of what you said and remember your time spent with the game and stick with your decisions, passing is simple. Noting what you intend to do if and when you become champion, which gym you found most difficult, the name of that challenging gym's leader, and its Pokemon type, is all you really need to do, as those questions involve follow ups during Rika's interview. But even so, the fact that you do need to put some thought in and pay attention shows the gravity of the situation in a good way.

Beating Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Elite Four Feels More Formal

Finally, when facing both the Elite Four and Geeta herself, the ambiance surrounding the matches are important. After each fight, the previous member stays and watches the next. After taking down Rika and the ground-type team, Poppy comes out with the steel Pokemon. Rika watches the fight. When Poppy is beaten, she joins Rika and both watch the player defeat Larry and his flying-type team. Larry, in turn, joins the other two when Hassel comes out with the dragons. After beating all four Elite Four members in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, you get to hear all of their commentary before moving onto the match against Geeta and her Espathra, Avalugg, Kingambit, Veluza, Gogoat, and Glimmora. Then, when you fight Geeta, it is at the very top, in a very official capacity.

The only part of it all that isn't a professional encounter is the last match against Nemona that caps it all off. When you face her after Geeta, it's in Mesagoza in the city center. But then, that's more of an appropriate bookend to your initial encounters and experiences with her. Especially since you're going from fights against her when she'd only use, say, a Paldean starter, Pawmi, and Rockruff to now sending out a Lycanroc, Orthworm, Goodra, Pawmot, Dudunsparce, and fully evolved starter. You already did "prove" yourself before that last meeting with Nemona. So the formalities are done. This is more like a last match between two friends who are on the same skill level.

It all comes across as thought you applied to be acknowledged by the Pokemon League in Paldea. You proved yourself fit to be a champion through your actions. So once you start approaching the Elite Four in earnest in the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Victory Road path, it respects your endeavors and treats the whole affair in a formal, respectful way.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available for the Nintendo Switch.

The post Beating the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Elite Four Feels More Formal appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 11:30 AM
    

Honkai Impact 3rd Bronya Herrscher of Truth Battlesuit, New Year Animation Announced

The 6.3 update is on the way for Honkai Impact 3rd, and it will bring with it the Bronya Zaychik Herrscher of Truth Battlesuit S-Rank battlesuit. HoYoVerse shared an initial teaser trailer going over the new playable character. In addition, it also kicked off celebrations of the end of 2022 with a second new video. This other one is a teaser for a new Honkai Impact 3rd Golden Courtyard: New Year Wishes in Winter animation.

After that, the video focuses on the new design. It points out this is an S-Rank, IMG-type battlesuit. The details go over her new equipment and weapons. She wields a lance now. Project Bunny appears as a more lightweight drone to assist her. The frame is also driven by her energy particles. She also has access to guns and lasers.

Here is the "The Name of the World: Bronya Herrscher of Truth Character Preview." If you select clodes captions, English subtitles will appear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0fsStvFO2g&ab_channel=HonkaiImpact3rd

The last Honkai Impact 3rd update was 6.2. It appeared back on December 8, 2022. It added the Ai Hyperion Λ battlesuit, which made Ai-chain into a playable character.

Finally, here's "Golden Courtyard: New Year Wishes in Winter" teaser. An English translation is available if you turn on closed captions. It shows major and minor characters from the game celebrating the holidays. There's no exact release date for the full short yet, beyond "soon."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvTrAeiqmag&ab_channel=HonkaiImpact3rd

Honkai Impact 3rd is available for the PC and mobile devices. The 6.3 update is in development. When it launches in 2023, it will add the Bronya Herrscher of Truth Battlesuit to Honkai Impact 3rd.

The post Honkai Impact 3rd Bronya Herrscher of Truth Battlesuit, New Year Animation Announced appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 11:00 AM
    

cold steel northern war mobile game

Userjoy Japan announced that a mobile game for The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel - Northern War. It will come out in 2023. The game will use the same setting as the anime, and it will be an RPG. [Thanks, Gamer!]

There is not much information on the Trails of Cold Steel - Northern War mobile title. It will have an original story and new characters. As well, it will use the ARCUS II Orbment system from the game. You will be able to play through the familiar world of Erebonia, as well as engage in a battle system that's similar to the The Legend of Heroes game. This implies that it will have turn-based combat.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel - Northern War is an anime adaptation of the Trails of Cold Steel saga. It will take place between the second and third games rather than being a direct anime version of the game. The game will also take place within this timeframe. Like the game, the show will come out in 2023.

The The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel - Northern War smartphone game is in development and will come out some time in 2023. It is unknown if the game will appear outside of Japan.

The post Trails of Cold Steel – Northern War Mobile Game Announced appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 10:30 AM
    

hunter x hunter blu-ray

An anime Blu-Ray box of the Hunter Exam Arc and the Zoldyck Family Arc of Hunter x Hunter 2011 will be available on March 22, 2023. These arcs are the first two in the series, and cover episodes 1 through 26. Other than the Blu-Ray discs, the box will come with extras like a radio CD. [Thanks, Dengeki Online!]

Technically speaking, there will only be 25 episodes in the Blu-Ray box. This is because episode 13 was a recap episode. For exclusive goodies with the Hunter x Hunter Blu-Ray box, there will be the "Han Megumi and Ise Mariya's Hunter x Hunter Hunter Studio Returns" CD. This was the radio show that aired during the show's original run. There will also be a 20-page booklet. Finally, everything will come in a box that has art from the character designer Takahiro Yoshimatsu.

Han and Ise, who voice Gon and Killua, respectively, also left comments about what they remember from the initial Hunter x Hunter anime voice-acting sessions. Both of them stated that they felt like it was a dream come true to voice for Hunter x Hunter, and that they did their best to stay grounded and focused in the studio. For Han in particular, as Gon was one of her very first television series roles, she said that she started her voice acting journey from an environment she is thankful of.

The Hunter x Hunter Hunter Exam Arc and Zoldyck Family Arc Blu-Ray box will be available on March 22, 2023. It will cost 33,000 JPY, or $249.30. The Hunter x Hunter manga briefly returned on October 2022 but it is on hiatus again.

The post Hunter x Hunter Blu-Ray Box Will Cost Almost $250 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 10:00 AM
    

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Update Says Premium Backers Contacted

The Rabbit and Bear Studios team shares details about what's happening with Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes regularly, and the last update for 2022 arrived on Steam. This mainly involves wrap ups and well wishes from Director, Producer, and Writer Yoshitaka Murayama, Designer Junko Kawano, Art Director and Producer Junichi Murakami, and Director Osamu Komuta. However, it also confirmed the team is now contacting Kickstarter premium backers to add their custom content to Eiyuden Chronicle.

At certain tiers of the Eiyuden Chronicle Kickstarter, premium backers could end up getting a mention or element in the game as part of their rewards. For example, the ¥115,000 
Enduring Requiem Redux tier would let people become "a random dead character." The  ¥165,000 Food for Thought Redux one let people name a kind of food in-game. Ones like the ¥300,000 A Brush With Infamy would put a portrait of the person into the title. Kicking in ¥500,000 would put the backer's face on a human-faced fish. Paying ¥165,000 would land someone at the Cat-tribution Meowdux, which would get their cat in the game. Both Murakami and Komuta's messages said they are contacting those people now. Kawano also mentioned working on in-game food art, which could also tie into the "Food for Thought Redux" tier.

The last Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes update in November 2022 discussed Clarke, the theater, and the hot springs. The hot springs characters will have distinct sprites. Also, the theater in this game will be run by Clarke, and the different shows will actually be voiced.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will appear on the PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2023.

The post Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Update Says Premium Backers Being Contacted appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 9:30 AM
    

Chainsaw Man Kobeni

The December 22 installment in Mappa's series of character-focused anime promos puts Chainsaw Man squaddie Kobeni Higashiyama in the spotlight. Previous videos highlighted Aki Hayakawa and Himeno. The promos are being released to lead up to the season's final episode, set to air on December 27, 2022.

Note that the scenes highlighted may be considered spoilers for Kobeni in Chainsaw Man.

A petite and timid young woman, Kobeni seems an ill fit for a dangerous job like being a Devil Hunter. As it turns out, Kobeni has fearsome combat skills, and in the heat of the moment is able to display superhuman strength and agility. She is also contracted to an as yet unrevealed Devil, though she displays no outwardly apparent sign of the bond.

Unfortunately for her clear physical prowess, Kobeni's mental strength is at best wanting. She's timid, easily panicked, and prone to hysterical fear and paranoia. Her personal life is wracked by misfortune, as well. In fact, the reason she even chose to join Public Safety as a Devil Hunter in the first place was that it was either to do that, or take up sex work.

Kobeni's personal hangups have made her both famous and famously unpopular. In the Chainsaw Man manga's first popularity poll, Kobeni ranked 8th overall. However, her car, which she uses to shuttle around a family she hates, ranked 7th.

Check out the Chainsaw Man Kobeni video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU2mU8H-M5A

Chainsaw Man airs on various streaming services. The last episode of the season airs on December 27, 2022. The manga is published in English by Viz Media.

The post Chainsaw Man Kobeni Promo Plays up the Desperation appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 9:00 AM
    

hunter x hunter hiatus

Though Hunter x Hunter briefly resumed serialization in October 2022, it seems that Togashi will need to take a hiatus once again. According to a note in the latest issue of Weekly Shonen Jump, this will be a temporary hiatus. But there is no news as to when fans can expect the manga to return. [Thanks, TheHxHSource!]

Hunter x Hunter, when it returns, will no longer be a weekly serialization. This is due to Togashi's health complications, which were a major part of why Hunter x Hunter suffered a schedule slip in the first place. Togashi is still working on new chapters, and the Weekly Shonen Jump editorial department will announce the publication dates and methods in the future. This will go into effect for Chapter 401 and beyond.

As some people may know, being a mangaka is a very demanding job. When Togashi worked on Yu Yu Hakusho, the stress and heavy work load was taking a toll on his health, which is part of the reason why the series had such an abrupt ending. In July 2022, Togashi stated that he has to draw while laying down due to back and hip problems preventing him from sitting in a chair.

Weekly Shonen Jump will announce when the Hunter x Hunter hiatus ends. Viz has licensed the manga, and the 2011 version of the anime is available on streaming services such as Crunchyroll and Netflix.

The post Hunter x Hunter Manga Goes on Hiatus Again appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 8:35 AM
    

FFXIV Deep Dungeon Eureka Orthos Will Involve Koh Rabntah

The next FFXIV Deep Dungeon will be Eureka Orthos, and more details about the 6.3 addition came up during the Letter from the Producer Live LXXV. (It originally was introduced in LXXIV.) Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida showed off gameplay from the new randomized dungeon. He also explained what someone will need to access it. This means another reason to meet up with Koh Rabntah.

The FFXIV Deep Dungeon Eureka Orthos requires someone to be at level 81 to get into it. You also need to have beaten "Endwalker" and reached floor 50 of Palace of the Dead. That's the other deep dungeon that debuted in 3.35. Between one and four people can go into this one. You also aren't forced to take on certain roles.

The latest round of details also went over the basics of unlocking the Eureka Orthos Deep Dungeon in FFXIV once you meet those requirements. Someone needs to meet Koh Rabntah in Mor Dhona. Talking to the Sons of Saint Coinach researcher makes it possible to explore the new area. However, Yoshida noted that her past quests "But I Hardly Noah" and "The Gift of the Archmagus" will be removed. That storyline involved Koh's unique connection to the Allagan archmagus.

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, and PC, and 6.3 will arrive on January 10, 2023.

The post FFXIV Deep Dungeon Eureka Orthos Will Involve Koh Rabntah appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 8:00 AM
    

FFXIV Heavensturn New Year's Event 2023 Begins in 2022

Square Enix announced the dates for Heavensturn in FFXIV, the annual New Year's event, and it begins in 2022 and carries on into 2023. Everything will kick off on December 31, 2022. Then, people will be able to "celebrate" until January 16, 2023. As usual, there will be new items to claim for people's efforts.

In order to take part in Heavensturn when the FFXIV New Year's 2023 event begins, you'll need to head to X:11.5, Y:13.9 in Limsa Lominsa's Upper Decks. There, you'll find Usagi Bugyo waiting for you. If you are at level 15, you can check in to get a Box of Fortune.

This means a chance to get five special items. One is a furnishing. That's the Heavensturn Crane Banner. There will also be an outfit to put together. You can combine the Heavensturn Domaru, Haidate, Kote, and Sune-ate for a new look.

Here's a closer look at the clothing and scroll.
FFXIV Heavensturn New Year's Event 2023 Begins in 2022
As a reminder, the FFXIV Heavensturn 2022 event added the Gold-lacquered Tiger Helmet, Silver-lacquered Tiger Helmet, and White Tiger Screen. The official site confirmed past event items will be up for sale in the Seasonal Shop.

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, and PC. The FFXIV Heavensturn event will begin December 31, 2022 and run until January 16, 2023.

The post FFXIV Heavensturn New Year's Event 2023 Begins as 2022 Ends appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 7:35 AM
    

Final Fantasy XIV Paladin Rework

During the FFXIV Letter from the Producer Live LXXV broadcast on December 23, 2022, Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida and Community Manager Toshio Murouchi previewed the planned Final Fantasy XIV Paladin rework. The changes revealed a few significant adjustments to the job, as well as the team's aims.

According to the team, the goal for the adjustments for planned job reworks (Paladin included) is to improve the usability of certain actions. For Paladin, this means shortening the job's "rotation" (i.e. the sequence of skills and abilities executed in a given situation for maximum efficiency and effectiveness). The team is adjusting the rotation to improve a Paladin's ability to deal "burst damage" (high amounts of damage in a short time frame). Similarly, the team wants to reduce the Paladin's reliance on damage-over-time (DoT) effects. Improving the usability of the Paladin's defensive abilities is also a key objective of the Final Fantasy XIV Paladin rework.

To that end, the team will implement a variety of adjustments to the job. Overall the action rotation will be shorter, and accommodate more high-powered actions. The DoT component for the Goring Blade and Blade of Valor abilities has been removed, with the abilities' potency (damage) increased. A new effect called Divine Might applies after weaponskill combos, which allows an enhanced "Holy Spirit" spell to be cast instantly. This suggests that use of magic spells may be more directly woven into physical damage combos. The current Paladin damage rotation tends to emphasize transitioning back and forth between a "weapon phase" and a "spell phase" dominated by using weaponskills and spells, respectively.

Defensive abilities are also part of the Final Fantasy XIV Paladin rework. The Holy Sheltron ability has been changed from a damage-blocking effect into a damage reduction effect, improving its usefulness against enemy DoTs. The team is also revamping and bringing back the "Bulwark" ability (which was removed previously). The original version of Bulwark increased the blocking rate of the Paladin by 60%, negating more damage from things like auto-attacks. Other abilities and combos will also receive adjustment, with an eye to their utility.

The Final Fantasy XIV Paladin rework will apply during the 6.3 patch period. Patch 6.3 debuts on January 10, 2023. The game is available for PS4, PS5, and PC.

The post Final Fantasy XIV Paladin Rework Previewed appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 7:25 AM
    

More Tataru's Grand Endeavor, Hildibrand Adventures Quests in FFXIV 6.3

Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida confirmed more Tataru's Grand Endeavor, Somehow Further Hildibrand Adventures, and Tales of Newfound Adventure quests will appear in FFXIV 6.3. The new Tataru's Grand Endeavor and Tales of Newfound Adventure updates didn't have an additional patch details regarding them, which means they should be there when 6.3 arrives. However, people will need to wait until 6.35 for the Hildibrand story to continue.

There's only one Tales of Newfound Adventure quest so far. Shadowed Pasts launched in 6.2. That first part of the story tasked the Warrior of Light with gathering voidsent together with one a Radiant Scout found.

Meanwhile, this should mark the third FFXIV Tataru's Grand Endeavor quest. The first appeared in 6.15 with Small Business, Big Dreams. That introduced the character and her goal of establishing a business empire and restoring her mother's necklace. The first quest involved helping distribute her boutique's wares to prospective partners. 6.2 brought with it Soaring Profits, which again involved aiding her business and continuing to repair the jewelry.

As for the FFXIV Somehow Further Hildibrand Adventures, it continues the third leg of this sidequest storyline. The Hildibrand tales began in A Realm Reborn, with Further Hildibrand Adventures in Heavensward, and Even Further Hildibrand Adventures in Endwalker. Yoshida didn't note how many quests will appear in 6.35. However, 6.15 added The Sleeping Gentleman and A Soulful Reunion, while 6.25 had Lunar Conspiracy and The Imperfect Gentleman.

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, and PC, and the 6.3 release date is January 10, 2023.

The post More Tataru's Grand Endeavor, Hildibrand Adventures Quests in FFXIV 6.3 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 7:00 AM
    

FFXIV Ultimate Omega

The next high-difficulty "Ultimate" Raid for Final Fantasy XIV will revisit the battle against Omega. Called "Omega Protocol," it is the 5th Ultimate duty to be added to the game. The FFXIV Ultimate Omega Protocol raid will launch two weeks after the debut of patch 6.3 on January 10, 2023. That would put the debut around January 24, 2023.

In Final Fantasy XIV, Ultimate duties (or Ultimate Raids) are among the most challenging content in the game, designed for organized groups of high-level players. They often feature exclusive rewards, are inspired by Main Scenario encounters and the Normal Raid series battles introduced periodically.

FFXIV Ultimate Omega Protocol is based on the Omega Normal Raid series launched as part of Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood. These raids pit players against Omega, an immensely powerful mechanical weapon from another star. Omega was capable of trapping parties in a set of virtual constructs, testing them in trials against enemies from other universes and alternative timelines. The Omega raids also featured battles against characters from other Final Fantasy games like Exdeath, Kefka, and the Phantom Train.

Given the pattern of design for FFXIV Ultimate Raids, Omega Protocol may feature references to or twists on some or all of these mechanics, along with a battle against the humanoid forms of Omega. These, called Omega-M and Omega-F, were the final battle of the Omega raid series.

Final Fantasy XIV is available on the PS4, PS5, and PC. The Ultimate Omega Protocol raid debuts two weeks after the launch of Patch 6.3 on January 10, 2023.

The post FFXIV Ultimate Omega Protocol Raid Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 23, 2022 6:19 AM
    

Final Fantasy XIV 6.3 Release Date Set

The Final Fantasy XIV 6.3 release date came up first thing during the Letter from the Producer Live Part LXXV, along with a trailer. Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida and Global Community Producer Toshio "Foxclon" Murouchi appeared to deliver the news. On January 10, 2023, the update will appear. There's also that new video teasing what will come in Gods Revel, Lands Tremble.

The new video teases the new storyline content and raids that are on the way. For example, we get to see Zero, who will play a prominent part. New story segments with Alphinaud and Alisaie will come up, and both appear in the latest trailer. There are also teases for the new raid.

Check out the Gods Revel, Lands Tremble Final Fantasy XIV release date trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVQtvBIdv4Y&ab_channel=FINALFANTASYXIV

In addition to that, we know we'll see new Main Scenario quests. There will be more sidequests like Tataru's Grand Endeavor, Tales of Newfound Adventure, and Hildibrand adventures. More Manderville Weapons are promised. So are Loporrits Tribal Quests. A new dungeon, new Trial, and new Unreal Trial will also appear too. The Alliance Raid Euphrosyne and Ultimate Duty 5 Omega Protocol Ultimate are showing up as well after 6.3.

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, and PC, and the 6.3 release date is January 10, 2023.

The post Final Fantasy XIV 6.3 Release Date Set, Trailer Shared appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, December 23, 2022 9:15 AM
     Set up Dual MonitorsAs you do more on your computer, screen real estate becomes so much more important. If you decide you want to become a streamer, content creator, or some other type of need, you may want to up the ante with a second PC monitor. But how do you set up dual PC monitors, and is it something the PC novice can do? Luckily, the answer is a resounding yes. Before we get to hooking everything up and getting the settings adjusted on your computer, you have to make sure you have everything you need and that you meet a few prerequisites. First, there's your PC. Does your GPU have ports for a second – or more – display? If you are running any sort of modern system, you shouldn't have any issues.   With the knowledge that your PC can handle a dual monitor setup, what exactly will you need? That's pretty easy to answer: a second monitor, the appropriate cables (HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, or even VGA), and a place to put it. With that all taken care of, let's set up dual PC monitors. Ste...

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