Dec 31, 16:00


GamersHeroes Sunday, December 31, 2023 10:02 AM
    

When it came to Gamers Heroes' 2023 Game of the Year Awards, we chose titles that stuck with us well after the credits rolled. Some took us on an adventure, some put a smile on our face, but all managed to make their mark in the industry for both 2023 and the years to come.

The post Gamers Heroes' 2023 Game of the Year Awards appeared first on GamersHeroes.


GamersHeroes Sunday, December 31, 2023 10:01 AM
    

2023 was an incredible year for gaming, but 2024's looking to be no slouch either. On that note, here are Gamers Heroes' 5 best games of January 2024. Oh, and we won't make you click through five pages to look at the entire list.

The post 5 Best Games of January 2024 appeared first on GamersHeroes.


Kotaku Sunday, December 31, 2023 10:00 AM
    

This week, we continued taking stock of 2023 with looks back at how the Switch and the Steam Deck fared, our picks for the cream of the crop among shooters and role-playing games, and more juicy commentary on everything the year had to offer.

Read more...


PCGamesN Sunday, December 31, 2023 12:00 PM
     4 things Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League needs to get right

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is Rocksteady Studios' first new game since Arkham Knight back in 2015. As an avid fan of the studio's previous work and of the fact that this new game is supposed to take place in the Arkham universe, I am equal parts excited and anxious. Will the new game be able to live up to the sky-high reputation of its predecessors, or has the developer strayed too far from the path with its latest endeavor? Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has a lot riding on it, and these are the things that Rocksteady needs to get right.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Kill the Justice League system requirements, Kill the Justice League release date, Best PC games

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Sunday, December 31, 2023 1:00 PM
    

Everyone's saying 2023 has been a stonking year for video games. To be honest dear reader, I don't think it's been my year. That might be because I've not had a huge amount of time to play loads outside of review duties and general life things, but there's only been, like, less than a handful of games that have truly commanded my attention.

One of said games comes backflipping in right at the tailend of this year: Astral Ascent. It's a 2D roguelike in the vein of Dead Cells, where you battle through stages, power-up, try and get as far as you can, inevitably die, reinvest your winnings, power-up permanently, then go again. It saddens me that I've not seen much excitement for the game elsewhere, so here I am with a little pudding for you. A little treat. Here comes the plane, nyaaaooownnn.

Read more


Twinfinite Sunday, December 31, 2023 12:19 PM
    
All Taylor Swifts boyfriends: past, present, and rumored!

Siliconera Sunday, December 31, 2023 3:00 PM
    

What's Your Most Anticipated Game of 2024?

On paper, 2024 is already gearing up to be one of the best years gaming has seen in a long time. From Persona 3 Reload to Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, players have a wealth of potential future classics to choose from. We wanted to discuss what our most anticipated games of 2024 are.

2024 is already shaping up to be a year that will hurt my wallet. But out of all of the releases, I'm most looking forward to Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. I need to know more about what's going on with Zack and those seemingly alternate timelines, and I need to know immediately. Persona 3 Reload coming out just a few weeks prior will help with the wait, but it might also bloat my backlog if I'm not fast enough! -- Daniel

My answer is a little biased since I got to play a preview of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth back in September 2023, and I was floored by it. However, the sequel remake is, without a doubt, my most anticipated game of 2024. Rebirth is not only shaping up to be another excellent reimagining of Final Fantasy 7 but it's also looking to be one of the best open-world games released in years. However, I couldn't call myself a true Atlus fan if I didn't also mention Persona 3 Reload as the runner-up to my most anticipated release next year.

While I think Persona 4 and 5 are better games mechanically, my first introduction to the series was with the Gekkoukan High School crew on the PSP. Persona has since become one of my all-time favorite franchises, so I can't wait to revisit the PlayStation classic with a modern twist. Lastly, I have to shout out Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. I seriously think the story with Ichiban was one of the most emotional and best narratives I've ever experienced in gaming in years, and I think a lot of people are sleeping on it. I am incredibly excited to see how Ryu Ga Gotku Studio continues to evolve the Yakuza series. -- Brent

It's hard not to pick Final Fantasy 7 RebirthRemake was my favorite game the year it came out, and I adored it despite its limited scope, so this sequel should be even better. That said, if I had to pick something outside of this one, I would go with The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak. I bought and started playing Kuro no Kiseki when it first came out in Japan, but my Japanese was so poor at the time that I only played through the opening chapter, which took me like 8 hours (probably shouldn't take players more than 2-3 hours). I enjoyed what I played then, so I'm hyped for the official localization. -- Cody

Dragon's Dogma 2 can't come soon enough, in my opinion. It's a nice big single-player romp with some cool classes, and hopefully with some of that weirdness from the first game intact, too. Runners-up include Granblue Fantasy: RelinkUnicorn Overlord, and Space Marine 2, which finally has a release date again. -- Elliot

I have to join in with the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth crowd because how can I not? Remake was excellent, and I'm already wondering how they will cram everything into Rebirth. It seems promising. But at the same time, Tekken 8 occupies my thoughts a lot. I played in both betas and enjoyed them, especially with the improvements in the CBT, and now I just want to play more. Plus the demo has promised an astoundingly silly story mode simply by opening on Jin driving a motorcycle up the side of a skyscraper. A month is far too long to wait! -- Leigh

I'm going to go with Unicorn Overlord. The strategic elements sound good. The concept seems great. I like the way we'll be able to station units and build relationships. Not to mention, it is from Vanillaware, which is known for quality experiences.

I mean, I can't wait for FFVII Rebirth and Persona 3 Reload too! Those will be amazing as well! But I just am even more excited about the unknown! -- Jenni

Now that we have revealed our most anticipated games of 2024, we want to hear which titles you are looking forward to the most next year. Let us know in the comments!

The post What's Your Most Anticipated Game of 2024? appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Sunday, December 31, 2023 12:00 PM
    

Nakahara Steals the Show in Bungo Stray Dogs: Dazai, Chuuya, Age 15

The first volume of the manga retelling of the light novel Bungo Stray Dogs: Dazai, Chuuya, Age 15 is out now, courtesy of Yen Press, and it's a fascinating exploration of Osamu Dazai and Chuuya Nakahara's routes. Which means, fittingly enough, the best parts of this first volume are when we get to see these two Bungo Stray Dogs characters play off of each other.

Bungo Stray Dogs: Dazai, Chuuya, Age 15 starts with both characters at their very beginnings. Despite their ages, both are established individuals and known for their power Chuuya is head of a gang called Sheep. Dazai is a member of Port Mafia on his first assignment to investigate rumors regarding a reappearance of the former, deceased leader of the organization by the new leader Ogai Mori. (Mori happens to also be the man who killed him.) 

Given Chuuya's determination to wipe out Port Mafia following the events in the in the introduction, of course this means the two reunite. Given Chuuya's blunt nature and assertiveness and Dazai already proving himself to be a keen observer who likes to needle other people, this first meeting is fantastic. Seeing him react to Chuuya's ultimatum of "die now or talk and then die" and choosing "okay, kill me now" is a great example of dark humor. Dazai then telling his new opponent and eventual partner that he's short and should drink more milk means we get to see another great reaction. And this just keeps continuing. There's the fantastic banter and chemistry between the two characters due to the way their personalities and personal motivations play off of each other.

Also, while Osamu is the focus of Bungo Stray Dogs: Dazai, Chuuya, I came away feeling like Chuuya stole the show. The introduction focusing on his execution of the Port Mafia member and pure hated of them is incredibly effective at setting the tone and pulling someone into the story. This continues with his first meeting with Dazai, which really shows their personalities and lets us start to see them play off of each other. The meeting with Ogai Mori only confirms it further.

But again, I do have to mention that while getting to see these two characters in Bungo Stray Dogs: Dazai, Chuuya, Age 15 is a great reason to read the manga, the story is also quite good. There's this supernatural element since we know about Skill users due to both of the leads' abilities. Yet it seemed confirmed that the old Port Mafia boss is dead, and whatever's going on and the investigation into it also is engrossing.

Osamu Dazai and Chuuya Nakahara are highlights in Bungo Stray Dogs, and of course that means this look back at these characters in Bungo Stray Dogs: Dazai, Chuuya, Age 15 is an absolute delight. The general set up is great as well, and I loved seeing their introduction, getting more insight into the Port Mafia, and seeing them play off of each other. It's a fascinating adaptation of the story, and I think even people who aren't fans of the series would enjoy it.

Volume 1 of Bungo Stray Dogs: Dazai, Chuuya, Age 15 is available now, and Yen Press hasn't noted when the second volume of the manga will appear.

The post Bungo Stray Dogs: Dazai, Chuuya, Age 15 Characters Make the Manga Worthwhile appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Sunday, December 31, 2023 12:00 PM
     2024 Games Most Anticipated2023 was one of the best years for video games in recent memory; what's cooking in 2024? Since I'm a lover of basically every video game genre, this list will contain AAAs, indies, and everything in between. Top 12 games to look forward to in 2024 I've seen people online joke that with all the extremely anticipated games and movies coming in 2025, 2024 has been dubbed a filler year (like how there are filler episodes in anime). After seeing this list, I think you'll disagree. Related: 10 best PC accessories you'll wish you had sooner While there are many games we know are coming in 2024 that we don't have an official date for and there are many games that will be released this year that we don't know about yet, this list contains a handful of games I think are gonna be great. Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth Image: Square Enix Arguably, Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth is going to be the biggest game of t...

Dec 31, 10:00


GamersHeroes Sunday, December 31, 2023 7:31 AM
    

If you want to build a new village base in the Frostlands, LEGO Fortnite's snowy biome, having a list of all the required materials is safer and saves time. Below is a breakdown of the materials required for each level upgrade and also the total materials needed to take a village hub from level 1 to maximum level 10.

The post LEGO Fortnite – All Materials Listed For Frostlands (Ice Biome) Base Upgrades appeared first on GamersHeroes.


PCGamesN Sunday, December 31, 2023 8:13 AM
     The 10 best VR fitness games 2024

What are the best VR fitness games? One seasonal food coma later and you're already pondering how you can use your new VR headset to go from roleplaying as an anime gremlin to improving your health. You're far from the first, you won't be the last, but you've entered the space of VR fitness at just the right time. Forget the gym. Don your new and fancy space specs and get ready to move.

With little to no physical resistance or weight at play without wearable wrist and ankle weights, even the best VR fitness games won't do much to build muscle mass. By mixing movement with beat-heavy music, otherworldly visuals, and scoreboards, gamified fitness can be the shake-up you need to keep sweating. While you're here, our list of the best VR games on PC can help you build up your library, with the best Meta Quest 3 games varying slightly due to its own app store. Just getting started? We've also got the best VR headsets this year.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best VR games on PC, Best indie games on PC, Best multiplayer games on PC

PCGamesN Sunday, December 31, 2023 7:53 AM
     Free Monopoly Go dice links December 2023

December 31, 2023: We've added three new Monopoly Go dice links to our list.

How can I get Monopoly Go free dice links? The classic board game has made its way to a free-to-play format, and you'll be doing laps of the board collecting houses and hotels and completing a variety of multiplayer minigames along the way.

You can't get far in Monopoly Go without dice rolls, which you'll have a limited amount of to begin with. To earn more dice rolls, you'll need to log in daily to collect bonuses, invite your friends to the game, or progress further. If you don't want to spend your hard-earned money on more dice, you can use dice links for the board game instead. Now, let's run down all the currently active Monopoly Go free dice links for today.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Free PC games, Monopoly Go dice

PCGamesN Sunday, December 31, 2023 6:05 AM
     All Monopoly Go events, dates, and rewards

What is the next Monopoly Go event? With so many limited-time events in Monopoly Go, it can be hard to keep track of the rewards you can get your hands on. Monopoly Go events can last anywhere from a few hours to a week, so bookmark this page as we'll keep it regularly updated with the next events and their start and end dates.

Monopoly Go is the latest online board game sweeping the globe, but completing all of these events won't be easy without some Monopoly Go free dice links, so check out our daily updated guide for some freebies and rewards before you get started.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Free PC games, Monopoly Go dice

PCGamesN Sunday, December 31, 2023 5:59 AM
     Monopoly Go New Year's Eve Bash rewards

What are the Monopoly Go New Year's Eve Bash rewards? Just in time to see one year off and welcome the next, the latest lot of Monopoly Go rewards should help the biggest roller out there get even more from the popular digital board game. As another limited-time event, you'll need plenty of dice rolls to see it through to the end. But the more you use, the more you'll gain, with plenty of other rewards ready to grab along the way.

Looking for a complete list of Monopoly Go limited-time rewards? Our Monopoly Go events page does just that. We keep a stacked list of past and present in-game events. That way you can check what rewards you might have missed by skipping an event or not seeing it through to the end. And if you need more spins to get the next big reward, these free Monopoly Go dice links come around multiple times each day. Need something new to play? Check out the best online board games around.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Free PC games, Monopoly Go dice

PCGamesN Sunday, December 31, 2023 5:00 AM
     Pillow Champ is

Picture the scene: Two ordinary people are stuck in traffic. They're tired, angry, and in desperate need to vent their frustrations. Instead of resorting to rude hand gestures, they arm themselves with pillows and duke it out on the highway until they return to their cars laughing. This sequence of events is patently absurd. It's also the central premise of Pillow Champ, the next genre-bending fighting game from Frosty Pop. Ahead of its release, PCGamesN caught a preview of Pillow Champ and spoke to CEO Faisal Sethi and narrative designer Xalavier Nelson Jr. to wrap our heads around the not-so-deadly art of pillow combat.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best indie games, Best fighting games, Best multiplayer games

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Sunday, December 31, 2023 7:00 AM
    

Greetings all! Hope you're enjoying a Christmas with an appropriate degree of merriment. Me, I'm not. I'm angry. I'm fuming. Why? Because the RPS 2023 Advent Calendar is wrong. It's wrong, I tell you!

If all were just and right in the world, then it wouldn't have left out the following list of excellent games that came out this year! Plus a couple others that came out of early access in 2023 but which I sadly don't have time to write about in full. Trust me, The Last Spell and Against The Storm are both phenomenal games as well.

Anyway: in this handsomely decorated selection box, you'll find four of my honourable mentions for games I've enjoyed playing the most this year. If you have a hole in your Steam library, maybe these will help fill it over the Christmas break!

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Sunday, December 31, 2023 5:00 AM
    

Promise you won't tell the other children, but the RPS staff are actually complex magical spells cast by the Sugar Plum Fairy, as part of an age old pact with the ents of the forest where the RPS treehouse was built hundreds of years ago. Each year the Sugar Plum Fairy has to collect more wishes to power the spells every year (you can help to make the spells more powerful by joining the RPS supporter program). While she's out wish-hunting, here are some Christmas Crackers to distract you.

Time to enjoy your lovely joke!

Q: What did Thor say when he saw his brother hogging the mince pies?

Read more


Siliconera Sunday, December 31, 2023 9:00 AM
    

My Poison Princess Is Still Cute Is a Fun Romantic Comedy Manga

My Poison Princess is Still Cute is one of the romantic comedy manga series I'm most excited about at the moment, because the premise of this Yen Press series is so delightfully simple and goofy. Each chapter is this self-contained slice building on the relationship of former enemies married as part of a political agreement, but it works because each one is such a genuinely nice and affable person who does like their spouse.

Humans and demons used to be at war, with the immortal Loren and princess Raffy being the secret weapons of both armies. As part of a peace agreement, a political arrangement was made between the two of them. It was thought to be advantageous for many reasons. Part of which being that Raffy occasionally lets off a hazardous poison mist, and Loren revives even if it kills him. 

However, while the union was for business purposes, the first few chapters reveal it isn't all business for Loren. He fell in love at first sight with Raffy on the battlefield — she is incredibly cute — and also admired her actions as a warrior who would even try to limit casualties and enemies' deaths with her poison spread. Meanwhile, poor Raffy hasn't really had a chance to get near people and is incredibly socially awkward because of her poisonous nature. Some of the only people we see in Loren and her home are two doll maids (immune to her poison) and a ghost butler (also immune). She desperately wants to be close to people, and she also seems equally struck by Loren.

Which means anyone who reads through this romantic comedy manga gets to delight in watching a couple that does clearly have feelings for each other, admire each other, and want to grow coming together. Loren is a perfect gentleman, mentioning starting as friends and even just sharing a handshake or holding hands as they both grow more comfortable with each other. Raffy starts considering the sources of her poisonous outbreaks and coming to terms with breaking harmful habits and restrictions on herself. But all of this is handled in a lighthearted way, so we can take joy in their reactions and revelations.

So we're seeing a pair that is really communicating and working together, trying to do their best for the person they care about while also supporting them. It's so refreshing and lovely! Especially since there are moments when Raffy is determining the causes of her fumes releasing, and Loren's acceptance and willingness to continually die and revive so she can be herself is so fantastic.

Oh, by the way, Loren is dying all the time. It's fantastic, hilarious, and handled so well. There were moments when I genuinely laughed out loud at some of the circumstances leading to his demise a few times. It's just great, and one of the best running gags in a romantic comedy I've seen in the last few years.

Even though one of the leads is a living lethal weapon spewing poison, My Poison Princess is Still Cute is one of the romantic comedy manga series I'm most excited about thanks to its funny and lovable leads. I really appreciate the tone, the supportive nature of the characters, and the sort of humor expressed throughout. It's just the right amount of heartfelt and silly, and I can't wait to read more.

Volume 1 of the My Poison Princess is Still Cute manga is available now, and volume 2 will be released on April 16, 2024.

The post My Poison Princess Is Still Cute Is Such a Fun Romantic Comedy  appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Sunday, December 31, 2023 9:00 AM
     Best Astarion Build In Baldurs Gate 3Choosing which feats you want to add to your build can be extremely difficult. So what are the best feats for your companion Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3? As a Rogue, there are specific feats that will go best with this vampire's build. Here are the feats that I recommend for Astarion. Baldur's Gate 3: Best feats for Astarion (BG3) Besides your typical Ability Improvement, tons of unique feats give you special abilities. If you're keeping Astarion in the Rogue class, you'll want to choose feats that'll work best with his playstyle. Here are the best feats for Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3. Alert Mobile Lucky Sharpshooter Dungeon Delver Dual Wielder Screenshot by PC Invasion Alert With the Alert feat, Astarion would gain a +5 bonus to his Initiative roll, and he cannot be Surprised. He's already pretty perceptive, but this allows him to go nearly always first in com...

Pivotal Gamers Sunday, December 31, 2023 3:08 AM
     Hello folks. We have another great offer from Giveaway Of The Day for Incredible Dracula 8: Ocean's Call. Read on for their offering. Incredible Dracula 8: Ocean's Call is available as a Giveaway of the day!You have limited time to download, install and register it. A few words about Incredible Dracula 8: Ocean's Call A giant creature of unknown origin has broken free of its icy ...

Dec 31, 04:00


Pivotal Gamers Sunday, December 31, 2023 3:08 AM
     Hello folks. We have another great offer from Giveaway Of The Day for Incredible Dracula 8: Ocean's Call. Read on for their offering. Incredible Dracula 8: Ocean's Call is available as a Giveaway of the day!You have limited time to download, install and register it. A few words about Incredible Dracula 8: Ocean's Call A giant creature of unknown origin has broken free of its icy ...

Dec 30, 22:00


Kotaku Saturday, December 30, 2023 3:15 PM
    

I love the idea of annual top 10 lists until it comes time to actually make one. Then my perpetually indecisive brain freaks out about whether the game I spent 100 hours playing was actually any good, the tension between an interesting game and a fun one, and the cries of all the games I never finished or even got…

Read more...


PCGamesN Saturday, December 30, 2023 3:21 PM
     Dragon's Dogma 2 director wanted to make a sequel years ago

No one expected to see a sequel to the cult hit Dragon's Dogma after years of radio silence on the franchise from Capcom. So when Dragon's Dogma 2 was officially unveiled, longtime fans rightfully lost their minds, and we're steamrolling ever closer to its imminent launch in 2024. The thing is, we actually could have gotten this sequel years ago. The game's director wanted to make the next title right after the first, but things didn't line up.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Dragon's Dogma 2 release date, RPG games, Dragon's Dogma 2 system requirements

PCGamesN Saturday, December 30, 2023 3:07 PM
     Free Monopoly Go dice links December 2023

December 30, 2023: We've added two new Monopoly Go dice links to our list.

How can I get Monopoly Go free dice links? The classic board game has made its way to a free-to-play format, and you'll be doing laps of the board collecting houses and hotels and completing a variety of multiplayer minigames along the way.

You can't get far in Monopoly Go without dice rolls, which you'll have a limited amount of to begin with. To earn more dice rolls, you'll need to log in daily to collect bonuses, invite your friends to the game, or progress further. If you don't want to spend your hard-earned money on more dice, you can use dice links for the board game instead. Now, let's run down all the currently active Monopoly Go free dice links for today.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Free PC games, Monopoly Go dice

PCGamesN Saturday, December 30, 2023 5:08 PM
     Activision Blizzard workers speak out after Bobby Kotick's CEO exit

After 32 years, Bobby Kotick is no longer the CEO of Overwatch 2 maker Activision Blizzard. Following the videogame company's monumental merger with Microsoft, Kotick stepped down on Friday, December 29. Not even 24 hours after his leave, current and former workers at Activision Blizzard have taken to social media to share claims of the former CEO not listening to concerns, threatening employees, and being a poor leader.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: All Overwatch 2 characters, Best Overwatch 2 settings, Overwatch 2 tier list

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Saturday, December 30, 2023 4:42 PM
    

Escape From Tarkov's major new 0.14.0.0 update is live now. It brings with it all of the many features announced last month, including a new map, Ground Zero, designed specifically for newcomers, as well as a vaulting system, new armor and hitbox modelling, and much more.

Read more


Siliconera Saturday, December 30, 2023 6:30 PM
    

pokemon scarlet violet meowscarada poll

Japanese strategy guide site GameWith held a poll for everyone's favorite Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. With close to 152,700 people who put in their vote, Meowscarada shone in first place.

You can see the full results of the unofficial poll at the GameWith website. Since the site included pictures of the Pokemon, you can understand the results even if you don't know the Japanese names. The full results list had 100 Pokemon on it. However, we'll only show the top 20, as well as how many people voted for each.

Here are the top 20 results from the Pokemon popularity poll of Scarlet and Violet on GameWith:

  1. Meowscarada (2674)
  2. Fuecoco (2148)
  3. Chandelure (2022)
  4. Sylveon (1991)
  5. Tinkaton (1896)
  6. Lucario (1874)
  7. Mimikyu (1815)
  8. Clodsire (1773)
  9. Gengar (1715)
  10. Gardevoir (1628)
  11. Teal Mask Ogerpon (1593)
  12. Umbreon (1538)
  13. Ceruledge (1500)
  14. Pawmi (1485)
  15. Glaceon (1419)
  16. Garchomp (1253)
  17. Sprigatito (1248)
  18. Flygon (1198)
  19. Alcremie (1183)
  20. Slither Wing (1162)

As a reminder, all of the Pokemon in this popularity poll were ones that you can catch in Paldea. GameWith also provided user explanations for the top 10 Pokemon. Most people voted for who they used in their party when they beat their story. Others chose Pokemon like Clodsire or Tinkaton because they're cute. Lucario is the only Pokemon who received votes specifically because of the anime. It was one of the stars in the 2005 film, Pokemon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are readily available on the Nintendo Switch. The DLC expansion, Indigo Disk, is also in the eShop.

The post Meowscarada Tops Pokemon Scarlet/Violet Popularity Poll appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Saturday, December 30, 2023 5:00 PM
     Top 10 Best Pc Games Of 2023, Ranked Featued ImageThere were a lot of incredible games released in 2023. Everyone was able to find an unforgettable experience during one of the most fruitful years in gaming ever. Picking the PC games that stood head-and-shoulders above the rest was hard, but I did it — I've selected the top 10 best PC games of 2023 and I've ranked them below. If you're looking to play some quality games this holiday season, consider this guide.  The 10 best PC games to play in 2023, ranked The list is arranged in ascending order. You'll have to wait till you get to the bottom before you find out my favorite PC game of 2023. Returnal Screenshot: Housemarque Leaping over to PC after being a PS5 exclusive, Returnal, a roguelike shooter, has probably one of the more addictive gameplay loops I've ever experienced. Returnal does get quite difficult – frustratingly so, at times – but there's just something about it that kept pulling me back ...

Gamer Empire Saturday, December 30, 2023 5:51 PM
     In the early game of Raft, the Sail is one of the only items in the Navigation crafting menu that allows you to partially control your raft. Sails harness the power of the wind to propel boats forward in real life, but do they work the same in Raft? And if so, do more Sails […]

Gamer Empire Saturday, December 30, 2023 5:23 PM
     Building in Raft is quite complex, especially when you're planning to expand your raft vertically. Unfortunately, you can't just build a floating structure like in Minecraft. So, in this guide, we'll show you how to build a second floor in Raft. Recommended Read: How to Remove Foundations in Raft To build a second floor in […]

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Saturday, December 30, 2023 5:45 PM

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Saturday, December 30, 2023 4:57 PM

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Saturday, December 30, 2023 4:03 PM

Dec 30, 16:00


Kotaku Saturday, December 30, 2023 3:15 PM
    

I love the idea of annual top 10 lists until it comes time to actually make one. Then my perpetually indecisive brain freaks out about whether the game I spent 100 hours playing was actually any good, the tension between an interesting game and a fun one, and the cries of all the games I never finished or even got…

Read more...


Kotaku Saturday, December 30, 2023 10:00 AM
    

As we round out 2023, we asked you to chime in with your own Game of the Year picks, as well as your own memories of wonderful gaming gifts from holiday seasons past. We also give you the lowdown on a PS5 controller that promises never to raise the spectre of drift. Venture forth for this and more, and we'll see you…

Read more...


PCGamesN Saturday, December 30, 2023 3:21 PM
     Dragon's Dogma 2 director wanted to make a sequel years ago

No one expected to see a sequel to the cult hit Dragon's Dogma after years of radio silence on the franchise from Capcom. So when Dragon's Dogma 2 was officially unveiled, longtime fans rightfully lost their minds, and we're steamrolling ever closer to its imminent launch in 2024. The thing is, we actually could have gotten this sequel years ago. The game's director wanted to make the next title right after the first, but things didn't line up.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Dragon's Dogma 2 release date, RPG games, Dragon's Dogma 2 system requirements

PCGamesN Saturday, December 30, 2023 3:07 PM
     Free Monopoly Go dice links December 2023

December 30, 2023: We've added two new Monopoly Go dice links to our list.

How can I get Monopoly Go free dice links? The classic board game has made its way to a free-to-play format, and you'll be doing laps of the board collecting houses and hotels and completing a variety of multiplayer minigames along the way.

You can't get far in Monopoly Go without dice rolls, which you'll have a limited amount of to begin with. To earn more dice rolls, you'll need to log in daily to collect bonuses, invite your friends to the game, or progress further. If you don't want to spend your hard-earned money on more dice, you can use dice links for the board game instead. Now, let's run down all the currently active Monopoly Go free dice links for today.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Free PC games, Monopoly Go dice

PCGamesN Saturday, December 30, 2023 2:14 PM
     Activision Blizzard workers speak out after Bobby Kotick's CEO exit

After 32 years, Bobby Kotick is no longer the CEO of Overwatch 2 maker Activision Blizzard. Following the video game company's monumental merger with Microsoft, Kotick stepped down on Friday, December 29. Not even 24 hours after his leave, current and former workers at Activision Blizzard have taken to social media to share claims of the former CEO not listening to concerns, threatening employees, and being a poor leader.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: All Overwatch 2 characters, Best Overwatch 2 settings, Overwatch 2 tier list

PCGamesN Saturday, December 30, 2023 1:06 PM
     Controversial open-world GTA 5 rival is free for 24 hours

In 2022, the Saints Row reboot dared to revive a series that has long lived in the shadow of the Grand Theft Auto franchise. Unfortunately, it received heavy-handed criticism and controversy over its gameplay and open-world parts, marking it below average in most gamers' eyes. Although, if you were curious about Saints Row and wanted to try it out, you can score a free game copy, but you have to be quick.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Saints Row release date, Best action-adventure games, Upcoming PC games

PCGamesN Saturday, December 30, 2023 12:14 PM
     Tekken 8 colorblind filter is giving disabled gamers migraines

The colorblind filters debuting in Tekken 8 went viral on Twitter, receiving plenty of praise for its unique approach toward being a more accessible fighting game. Unfortunately, disabled players who are colorblind have expressed discomfort with these filters, some even experiencing vertigo and migraines. While a positive move on the developer's part, the colorblind filters might do more harm than good based on recent responses.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Tekken 8 roster, Tekken 8 release date, The best fighting games on PC

PCGamesN Saturday, December 30, 2023 12:00 PM
     Riot doesn't know what League of Legends players actually want

'I love League of Legends' - a phrase that, more often than not, I'm finding suffixed with a 'but.' Yes, there have been issues before (Sentinels of Light, I'm looking at you), but Season 13 is perhaps the worst chapter in League's extensive history, fraught with bad balancing changes and a bizarre ramp-up in pricey microtransactions.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: League of Legends Season 14, League of Legends patch 13.23, League of Legends tier list

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Saturday, December 30, 2023 1:21 PM
    

American Truck Simulator is heading to Missouri for its next expansion. It'll be the first appearance of the Mississippi river in the beloved simulation game.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Saturday, December 30, 2023 1:00 PM
    

I'm going to level with you, readers. Probably something like 70% of my 2023 games time was spent on precisely two co-op shooters, neither of which I've written about much, nor were new enough to be eligible for the most recent Advent Calendar. I apparently have a type. I'm sorry.

Still, while the man's rules prevent me from recommending Deep Rock Galactic or Darktide, I do have a few picks that fell short of full Advent Calendar glory. And they're all... colourful, quite short indie platformers? Hmm, maybe I have two types.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Saturday, December 30, 2023 12:58 PM
    

Saints Row's 2022 reboot is currently free to keep from the Epic Games Store. It's bittersweet considering its developer, Volition, was closed down in August, but it's also an opportunity to experience the last game the 30-year-old studio got to make.

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Twinfinite Saturday, December 30, 2023 10:00 AM
    
Legendary, or legendarily overhyped?

Siliconera Saturday, December 30, 2023 3:00 PM
    

Rogue Trader Necrons

Cyprus-based Owlcat Games forged itself a reputation for sprawling CRPG adventures with lengthy narrative branches to explore, but that have a tendency to strain under the weight of the interlocking systems. Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader trades fantasy crusades for spacefaring ones, but still cleaves to the house style, for better or worse.

Though about as much has changed as stayed the same, to Owlcat's credit it feels more like a confident iteration on their preferred systems rather than simply running out of ideas. What remains is a solid scaffold to explore some of the less common themes and locales of the Warhammer setting, while what has changed feels very deliberate.

Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader
Screenshot via Siliconera

For starters, while Kingmaker was real-time with pause and Wrath of the Righteous could switch on the fly, Rogue Trader is purely turn-based. While some may miss having the option to switch, focusing on the one type lets Owlcat build on that more structured system with grid-based movement and special abilities that give you extra turns or movement points. Ranged combat also becomes something of a priority with the introduction of XCOM-style cover and hit percentages. Though in the early hours at least I still found my melee characters dominating the field, often cutting down most foes before my guns could land a hit. It mostly works out to be a solid, if slow, combat system that lacks the polish and snappy feel of those more dedicated grid-based combat games like the Firaxis XCOM's or even Chaos Gate: Daemonhunters.

The classes are an interesting spread too, despite being limited to four base options down from the nearly hundred offered in the Pathfinder titles. They're more flexible and varied than you'd think too, with the Operative having options to specialize into more of a supportive debuffer or a stationary sniper. Compare that to the similarly ranged-focused Soldier class, which instead brings movement, survivability, and close range, area-of-effect attacks to the table. I chose to specialize my trader as an Officer, giving allies more chances to shoot or even entire extra turns at will, with later class options letting me direct all my companions to fire at a target at once. My only real gripe is it would have been nice to see Owlcat branch out from the Pathfinder-style feats and proficiencies system we're so used to. I'm not familiar enough with the (many) 40k TTRPG systems to know if Rogue Trader is built on one like the Pathfinder games, but it would be nice to see a progression system that doesn't require scrolling through a list of feats the length of a major religious text next time.

Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader
Screenshot via Siliconera

The game itself also felt more stable than a some of Owlcat's previous outings, at least at launch. I had only a single crash over the time i played the opening act twice and some of the first planet, with the only real jank or errors on display were mostly graphical. Soldiers on a bridge would step out on to thin air to get a better shot, or laser beams shot wide would still somehow cause a cultist to spontaneously bisect, that sort of thing. What was more concerning was the enemy AI, which would frequently group its units together for protection, only to then scythe them down with its own guns for a chance at hitting my party. If this were intentional, I'd say it was grimly accurate to the setting, but something tells me it's more of a behaviour oversight.

As for the story, while it's too early to see how things pan out or how reactive the game will be to your choices, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader does do a good job of letting you establish your kind of character early. Whether you intend to play a willing pawn of the dark powers or a conceited space nobleman, there are plenty of chances even early on to make faustian pacts or scoff at orphans, rather than locking those options behind alignment levels. The companions, too, are varied and distinct with only Abelard the seneschal being less than immediately interesting. That said I've not gotten to his character quests yet, I just hope he ends up more Alistair Theirin or Atton Rand than Carth Onasi, to borrow from Bioware for comparisons. The return of tooltips on important phrases also goes a long way to helping newcomers to the setting make sense of all these pseudo-latin Proper Nouns.

Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader
Screenshot via Siliconera

In all, though Rogue Trader isn't exactly boldly treading new ground, where it does go it goes confidently. If it can avoid the pitfalls of Baldur's Gate 3 and the flimsy final act, the game will likely be another hundred-hour timesink for anyone who loves CRPG's, Warhammer, or both. If not, it will probably still get there, but it might need a year or two of patching.

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is immediately available on the PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

The post Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader Treads Old Ground in a New Setting appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Saturday, December 30, 2023 1:00 PM
    

Honkai Star Rail Fable Stars

HoYoverse has launched a new web event for Honkai: Star Rail called Fables of the Stars, which features the upcoming character Black Swan reading New Year's fortunes. Players can earn Stellar Jades and larger prizes like iPhones and Swarovski jewelry until the event ends on January 5, 2024.

The event, playable in a web browser, will require players to have reached a Trailblaze level of 4 or higher on their connected account. Participating will allow you to receive a fortune from Black Swan in the form of cards featuring various characters from the game. Collecting enough of the 14 cards in the Fables of the Stars event will award Stellar Jades for use in Honkai: Star Rail itself.

Players can then share duplicate cards with other players to complete their collections, which will also enter them into the drawing for prizes based on the character shared. Sharing Black Swan's card, for example, gives you a chance to win some Swarovski accessories while sharing Dr. Ratio's could win you a bath toy.

You can find more details on the HoYolab post or through the announcement tweet below:

https://twitter.com/honkaistarrail/status/1740945981418750417

Version 1.6 recently arrived in Honkai: Star Rail and featured the debut of Ruan Mei, the Critter Pick event, and new additions to the Simulated Universe mode. The update also saw improvements made to the auto-battle behavior of the character Pela.

The Honkai: Star Rail Fables of the Stars web event is available now and will last until January 5, 2024. The game is immediately available on PC, PS5, and mobile devices.

The post Black Swan Tells Fortunes in Honkai: Star Rail Fables of the Stars Web Event appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Saturday, December 30, 2023 12:00 PM
     Boardgames Features ImageI love board games. From tactical and intense action games, to roleplaying games, to euro games, to card games — the lot. Playing Monopoly GO recently made me wonder what other board games I'd love to see receive the same treatment. Now, I don't necessarily mean that the following board games deserve to become vacuous money-grabbing gimmicks. I simply mean that I'd love for more board games to make this leap into the digital and maybe even live service platform. Board games that need a creative digital spin-off The following board games would do well to have a video game spin-off that isn't simply a digital version of the board game. Monopoly GO has turned Monopoly into a completely different product and experience that stays true to the initial values. It would be so cool to see more of this creativity in other board games I love. Note that the following board games aren't ranked or anything, they're simply te...

Gamer Empire Saturday, December 30, 2023 10:18 AM
     Most Paradox Interactive games reach their peak by using community-made mods. This is due to the fact that these grand strategy games offer an amazing canvas for the fans to work with. Hearts of Iron 4 is no different, as it has an incredible base for many of the community modders to use and build […]