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Jan 23, 14:00


Kotaku Monday, January 23, 2023 1:45 PM
    

Late last week, Square Enix announced that its beleaguered 2020 live-service game, Marvel's Avengers, will no longer receive new content or major updates after March 31. And all official support for the game will end on September 30, 2023, with digital sales ending on that date too. While you'll still be able to play…

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Kotaku Monday, January 23, 2023 1:15 PM
    

Quordle is one of the more popular and difficult Wordle clones out there. Instead of solving just one linguistic brain teaser a day, you have to solve four puzzles simultaneously. And now it's owned by Merriam-Webster, a dictionary company that appears to increasingly be pivoting from definitions to online games.

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Kotaku Monday, January 23, 2023 12:25 PM
    

I've spent about a dozen hours playing games with the new DualSense Edge. At first, all the modular PlayStation 5 controller's new bells and whistles feel extremely superfluous to me. I've been playing video games on standard controllers all my life without issue, and even the settings the controller has doesn't feel…

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Kotaku Monday, January 23, 2023 12:20 PM
    

An original, sealed copy of Pokémon Yellow, reportedly worth nearly $4,000, was ruined by U.S. Customs and Border Protection after its seal was not only cracked but its case broken and the front of the box sliced clean off in a wanton display of aggression against collectibles, the owner claims. That owner, who goes…

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Kotaku Monday, January 23, 2023 12:04 PM
    

Everything about the leadup to the release of Forspoken, Square Enix's big new open-world action RPG, has been a lowkey mess. But you wouldn't know that from the launch trailer which stays upbeat on the modern-day magical adventure by taking a bunch of words out of context and spinning them into deceitful accolades.

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Kotaku Monday, January 23, 2023 11:00 AM
    

The following contains spoilers for the first two episodes of HBO's The Last of Us series.

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Kotaku Monday, January 23, 2023 10:15 AM
    

"You get her there. You keep her alive. And you set everything right. All the shit we did. Please say yes, Joel. Please."

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PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 1:51 PM
     Best Warzone 2 PDSW 528 loadout for Season 1 Reloaded

You can expect to rack up plenty of close-quarters eliminations with our best Warzone 2 PDSW 528 loadout. It's one of the lighter transformations we've had to make, as the SMG's mag capacity, inherent stability, and devastating firing rate already place it among the best Modern Warfare 2 guns around.

Right out of the box, you'll notice that the recoil on the PDSW 528 is very bad at a distance because of damage drop-off and some incredibly high recoil. Therefore, we're going to address exactly those areas with our best Warzone 2 PDSW 528 loadout so you can dominate the free PC game with ease.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Warzone 2 guns, Best Warzone 2 loadout, Warzone 2 map

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 1:52 PM
     Best MW2 PDSW 528 loadout

The best MW2 PDSW 528 loadout is a rapid-firing, close-quarters menace, and provided your aim is even half-decent, you'll be easily decimating foes. The classic P90 SMG is known as the PDSW 528 in Modern Warfare 2, so don't overlook the bullpup submachine gun while you're looking for your next favourite weapon.

Even when you think you have found your new battle companion in the FPS game, you need to make sure it's set up correctly, with the new Gunsmith system changing the way you unlock some attachments. On base stats alone, you might think the PDSW 528 doesn't stack up against some of the best MW2 SMG, but add the following attachments, and your opponents won't be able to get out of the way fast enough.

Continue reading Best MW2 PDSW 528 loadout
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Modern Warfare 2 guns, Best loadouts in Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 2 maps

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 12:32 PM
     Classic PC adventure game Shadowgate gets a sequel after 35 years

Thanks to Ron Gilbert and Return to Monkey Island, it feels like classic adventure games could be making a minor comeback. Grim Fandango, Broken Sword, Blade Runner – the point-and-click genre boasts some of the best games of the '90s. All of them owe a debt to Shadowgate, which first launched all the way back in 1987, and helped push the adventure game forward with a huge game world, seriously difficult puzzles, and the option to find multiple solutions. Rereleased for Steam and GOG back in 2014, the first Shadowgate is now getting a full sequel, some 35 years after the game initially launched.


PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 12:17 PM
     Dead By Daylight tome 14 release date is a lot closer than you think

The mysterious Dead by Daylight tome 14 looks like it will release in a matter of days, adding yet more spooktacular content to Behaviour's asymmetric horror game in the wake of the all-new Lunar New Year event.

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

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 12:17 PM
     Resident Evil 4 gaming PC leaves us itching for a taste of the remake

With the Resident Evil 4 remake release date peeking around the corner like a stalking Regenerator, the excitement surrounding its launch is infectious. Now, a fan of the series has taken to creating a tribute to the iconic horror game in the form of a custom gaming PC with some unique twists.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best horror games on PC, Resident Evil 4 system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 1:51 PM
     Forspoken builds and magic explained

It's a bit early to look at the best Forspoken builds, but we can look at all of the currently revealed information about magic and how it works with your character to influence the build. You only have access to one type of magic during the game's opening hours, but as you progress, you learn how to harness different elements of magic to help you fight and perform some sweet parkour moves.

As one of the first big releases this year, Forspoken has a chance to impress us, and a lot of the reason why is because of the potential of the RPG game's combat system. By combining your abilities with equipment, you can make powerful Forspoken builds to quickly take down your foes or get out of dodge when enemy attacks are a bit too hot for you to handle.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Forspoken release date, Toughest Forspoken dungeons, Forspoken system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 12:08 PM
     Cyberpunk 2077 linear story criticisms

When we talk about mammoth RPG games that offer us lots to do, the wor of CD Projekt Red almost always comes into the conversation. The developer behind The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 also tends to put quite a few choices in their games that help with branching narratives and non-linear storytelling, and now one of the studio's developers has talked about how Cyberpunk 2077 didn't meet player expectations with its non-linearity, despite the work of the studio.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Cyberpunk 2077 review, Cyberpunk 2077 lore & universe, Buy Cyberpunk 2077

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 11:48 AM
     New Half-Life 'campaign' pieced together following huge Valve leak

I still believe in Half-Life. The retcon ending to Half-Life Alyx. The huge modding and fan-game community that brings us sequels and remakes like Black Mesa and Levitation. Half-Life is still alive, and I still expect to see the arrival of Half-Life 3 at some point between now and the day my HEV suit finally whispers "user death imminent." In the meantime, though, following the public leak of Half-Life, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 assets from the entire Valve repository, it seems a shortened, alternate version of the original Gordon Freeman FPS game has been pieced together – an obscure, Valve-eyes only cut of Half-Life 1.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Whatever happened to Half-Life 3?, Best old games, Best FPS games

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 11:59 AM
     The best football games on PC 2023

What are the best football games on PC in 2023? It can seem tough to scratch that footballing itch, especially when there are only a few mainstream games that usually spring to mind. Sure, FM is the undisputed king of the football management genre, and if you're interested in a more player-controlled affair, it's hard to argue with FIFA's excellent game-day presentation.

Whether it's an under-the-radar studio, an indie title, or a mash-up of different sports, there's a football game for every fan. In order to shine a light on these underappreciated classics, we've compiled the best PC games for football fans.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: FIFA 23 career mode guide, FIFA 23 ratings, FIFA 23 Icons

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 11:48 AM
     Best battle royale games on PC 2023

The best battle royale games come in all shapes and sizes, but they all revolve around one core idea: lots of players go in, and only one leaves. Battle royale is a violent, unpredictable, and frenzied multiplayer mode where the only goal is to endure until you're the sole survivor. All tactics and styles of play are equally viable in the best battle royale games. You can win by hiding in bushes and waiting for the herd to thin out, or scavenge a weapon and start reducing the numbers yourself.

With the explosion of free PC games like Fortnite, Warzone 2, and Apex Legends, you would be forgiven for thinking there are only three battle royales out there, but there are now numerous other contenders to challenge them, each with its own spin on the established formula. Whether you're after a battle royale FPS game like Warzone 2 or an inventive new twist on the formula, there's something out there for everyone. So, to help you broaden your horizons, we have assembled this handy guide to the best battle royale games on PC.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Fortnite Chapter 4 map - key locations, Free PC games, All Fortnite Chapter 4 weapons

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 11:35 AM
     Best Warzone 2 guns for Season 1 Reloaded

Want to get your hands on the best Warzone 2 guns for Season 1 Reloaded? If you're trying to increase your odds of winning the game, customising a loadout, and focusing on the current meta guns is the way to go. While you could rely entirely on floor loot and drops from enemies, you will have an easier time taking down rival players using weapons you've had the chance to practice with.

The best gun in Warzone 2 is the RPK. With a high rate of fire, controllable recoil, and huge damage output, there really isn't a better weapon to take into Al Mazrah right now than the RPK. With over 50 different weapons to pick from at launch, we're going to highlight what makes the best guns in Warzone 2 stand out from the rest of the competition. Here are the best Warzone 2 guns, including an optimised loadout for most weapons and some analysis on how to use them on the battlefield in the free PC game.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Warzone 2 guns, Best Warzone 2 loadout, Warzone 2 map

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 11:46 AM
     Best MW2 Fennec 45 loadout

The best MW2 Fennec 45 loadout focuses on improving its weak points - specifically mobility, handling, and damage. While other SMGs feature superior range, accuracy, and recoil control to the Fennec 45, we've got the right attachments to turn this SMG into a serious competitor.

Boasting one of the fastest fire rates in one of the best PC games of 2022, the Fennec 45 can take enemies down quickly in almost any Modern Warfare 2 game mode. As such, this SMG is an ideal weapon for close-combat areas in the Modern Warfare 2 6v6 maps, especially with a loadout to improve accuracy and damage. With all of the upgrades we've made to the Fennec 45, it's undeniably the best Modern Warfare 2 SMG right now.

Continue reading Best MW2 Fennec 45 loadout
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Modern Warfare 2 guns, Best loadouts in Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 2 maps

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 11:51 AM
     Best Warzone 2 Fennec 45 loadout for Season 1 Reloaded

If you're looking for the best Warzone 2 Fennec 45 loadout, we've taken this finicky SMG and turned it into a beast on the battlefield. The Fennec boasts an absurdly fast rate of fire, but because of that, it tends to chew through ammo. Our best bet is to improve recoil control and stability while adding an extended mag to increase bullet capacity, so you're not left wanting in the middle of a firefight.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Warzone 2 guns, Best Warzone 2 loadout, Warzone 2 map

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 11:10 AM
     Best MW2 FSS Hurricane loadout

Building the best MW2 FSS Hurricane loadout provides you with a weapon that excels in close-range encounters, while also having enough stopping power to put your opponents down at mid-range. Adding attachments to keep its recoil under control helps with longer engagements in the FPS game while maintaining your mobility, this keeps you on your toes when fights start to get up close and personal. Here is the best FSS Hurricane loadout in Modern Warfare 2.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Modern Warfare 2 guns, Best loadouts in Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 2 maps

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 11:21 AM
     The best WoW addons for Dragonflight 2023

The best WoW addons can make everyday activities like questing and trading much easier. World of Warcraft, Blizzard's critically acclaimed MMORPG, has a habit of hiding a lot of useful data it collects, and picking up a mod that offers a peek behind the curtain can be a literal gamechanger when going up against deadly bosses. Of course, the best WoW addons aren't just aimed at avid raiders. Some are more focused on utility, freshening up the multiplayer game's geriatric UI, while others help track material nodes for those all-important professions.

With so many options, it's tough to know which WoW addons are worth your time. We've dug deep and tracked down the best of the bunch for general, all-purpose use. Each addon will make your World of Warcraft experience far more pleasant, whether you're a raider, tradesman, or simply keen to level up fast.  For installing and tracking these addons, we recommend the CurseForge app for PC or MacOS. This handy app helps you manage all your WoW add-ons and tracks whether updates to them are available.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: WoW Dragonflight tier list, The best WoW addons, WoW Dragonflight review

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 11:15 AM
     Best Warzone 2 FSS Hurricane loadout for Season 1 Reloaded

For the best FSS Hurricane loadout in Warzone 2, you should seek to improve the SMG's range while keeping it fast and light. After all, the Warzone 2 map is bigger than ever, so the action may primarily focus on mid-to-long-range combat. Another priority of this build is to reduce kickback as much as possible, so we've included attachments that reduce recoil control, enabling you to fire out those bullets quickly and accurately.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Warzone 2 guns, Best Warzone 2 loadout, Warzone 2 map

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 10:55 AM
     Best Destiny 2 builds for the Crucible and Raids

What are the best Destiny 2 builds? Whether you're a seasoned player or a blueberry, you can always learn something new about the complexities of buildcrafting in this popular looter shooter. While the game used to heavily limit how players could develop their character subclass builds, it now contains a host of Aspects and Fragments for each subclass, as well as armour mods to produce elemental wells and Charge with Light buffs, weapons that synergize with specific build elements, and exotics that amplify specific character traits.

Whether you want to be the most overpowered Guardian among your fireteam as you complete the Destiny 2 King's Fall raid or the stealthiest player in Destiny 2 Iron Banner, we've compiled the top-tier builds for each of the free PC games Warlock, Titan, and Hunter classes.

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

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 10:29 AM
     Forspoken cast and voice actors

Want to know who the Forspoken cast and voice actors are? With so many games having voice acting these days, you may wish to know exactly who the voice of your favourite character is. Sometimes you will recognise them as soon as they open their mouth, shouting, "oh, it's that guy" or "I know that voice, it's this woman from this game", but other times it's trickier.

The Forspoken release date is coming soon, and it has every chance to be one of the best PC games of 2023. While the Forspoken cast isn't made up of celebrities with a wealth of experience as some other games have in the past, it's not just a collection of unknown people as these actors have been in some games and TV shows you may have seen.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Forspoken release date, Toughest Forspoken dungeons, Forspoken system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 10:14 AM
     The Nvidia RTX 4090 is smaller than ever, thanks to watercooling

The Nvidia RTX 4090 is a chonky beast, but you can transform the best graphics card contender into a pocket-sized powerhouse using the magic of water cooling. While the custom design isn't really intended for regular builds, it demonstrates just how much weight you can shave off of the GPU by ditching fans and heatsinks.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Nvidia RTX 4080 review, Nvidia RTX 4070 rumours, Best graphics card in 2022

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 10:44 AM
     Overwatch 2 season 3 release date, new map, and events

Believe it or not, the Overwatch 2 season 3 release date is rapidly approaching. It might seem like only a hop, skip, and a jump since season 2 kicked off at the beginning of December, but a new year means a new season, and more content to go with it.

As the Overwatch 2 Battle for Olympus concludes, we've begun to turn our sights to the near future and what we can expect from one of the best PC games in recent years. Blizzard's initial launch roadmap tails off after Overwatch 2 season 2, so we have slightly less to go on in terms of new heroes, maps, and events. That said, here's everything we know that's confirmed for Overwatch 2 season 3 so far, with a dash of speculation for luck.

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

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 11:07 AM
     The best io games 2023

On the lookout for the best io games? You might not be aware of the genre: accessible browser-based games that range from offline to MMO experiences. The best io games conjure up images of sitting bored at school or work and looking for something to keep you occupied that'll make it past your network's filters. The term 'io games' actually refers to the '.io' domain, but that's not the only element that bonds these games. The genre blossomed from the popularity of Agar.io, and so most of these games emulate the gameplay of Agar and involve moving around, hoovering up smaller creatures than you.

No need to clear any room on your hard drive - the best io games can be played on anything from low-specced machines to the best gaming PCs. All the heavy lifting is done on the website to ensure you can play these games anywhere. From puzzle games to battle royale games, the best io games will keep you entertained for at least the next ten minutes, and might just eat up the rest of your day and compete with the best PC games for your attention - you've been warned.

Continue reading The best io games 2023
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best online games, Best browser games, Best strategy games

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 10:18 AM
     Apex Legends season 16 release date speculation, leaks and details

It might be a stretch to think about Apex Legends season 16, with Eclipse still in full swing, but we have a fair idea of when the next season will begin, and what the theme will be. As with any new Apex Legends season, we're usually guaranteed a new legend, a new map - or variation on a map - and a bunch of new cosmetics.

Apex Legends season 15 Eclipse began on November 1, and with it came a new defensive legend, Catalyst, a new map, Broken Moon, and the ability to gift cosmetic items to your friends in the free PC game. It was a sizable update to the battle royale game, giving players plenty of content to sink their teeth into, but when can we expect the next season of Apex Legends?

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Apex Legends characters guide, Apex Legends skins, Apex Legends map guide

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 10:45 AM
     The best rhythm games on PC 2023

Looking for the best rhythm games on PC? There are few things in life better than music, so obviously there are even fewer things in life better than music and rhythm games. Music evokes more emotional responses than any other and usually does so within a few short minutes. Games can make us feel things over time, but music is often much more immediate. With that in mind, we've put together a list of the best rhythm games around, that are guaranteed to stay with you long after the last note plays.

From 2D indie games with a solid beat to lightsaber-wielding VR games, the best rhythm games come in all genres, shapes, and sizes. Some can teach your how to play a particular instrument, while others allow you to repurpose your own music library. We should also mention that Tetris Effect was considered for the list but arguably doesn't make rhythm its focus, so it misses out. In any case, you really should play Tetris Effect. Seriously.


PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 10:09 AM
     The Elder Scrolls 6 release date speculation and rumours

Looking for information on the Elder Scrolls 6 release date? We finally have our first official look at the game courtesy of a short teaser trailer. The video opens with the classic musical motif from the series and a panning shot of some mountains before the logo appears, confirming that The Elder Scrolls 6 is real, at least.

We might have been spoilt by excellent games in the series already, but, frankly, we're ready to dive back into the Elder Scrolls universe - they're still some of the best PC games ever made, and it's likely that Elder Scrolls 6 will follow suit. Bethesda director Todd Howard says we'll be sinking our teeth in The Elder Scrolls 6's gameplay " for a decade at least". Here's everything we know about The Elder Scrolls 6, from settings and gameplay features, to when we might be able to get our hands on it.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Elder Scrolls 6 release date, Elder Scrolls 6 setting, Fallout 5 news

PCGamesN Monday, January 23, 2023 9:55 AM
     AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT review: a good GPU with an awkward price

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT aims to offer a slightly cheaper way to get on board the RDNA 3 GPU train. It boasts similar specs to its more expensive sibling and offers significant performance improvements over its predecessor, including more powerful RT cores. Unfortunately, it feels there's little to no reason you should pick this particular pixel pusher over alternatives from within the Radeon RX 7000 series lineup and competing options.

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

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 23, 2023 1:00 PM
    

After four years away, SteamWorld is back. If you haven't seen the news yet, Thunderful unveiled SteamWorld Build earlier this evening, the next entry in their genre-hopping series of games about colourful robot pals trying to make their way in the world. As the name implies, this one's a citybuilder, and I've been hands on with an early build of, err, Build, to tell you all about it. No, I'm not sure what's going on with the previously announced Headhunter right now either, but in some ways, I'm glad it's Build that's coming out first.

After all, it's been a hot minute since the last SteamWorld game came out, and Build is shaping up to be the perfect reintroduction to what made this series so special. It goes right back to its roots, reframing that classic SteamWorld Dig story of mining for gold and treasure with a new, management-style eye for town-planning, while also paying homage to where it all began for these jolly old rustbuckets way, way back on the Nintendo DSi. That's right. SteamWorld Build may be a citybuilder on the surface, but down below it's a mining and tower defence 'em up - and having lost several hours to my demo build already, it's really something special.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 23, 2023 1:00 PM
    

Thunderful have just unveiled the next game in their excellent SteamWorld series, and it's not the one we thought it was going to be. Third person action co-op adventure SteamWorld Headhunter was initially teased in November 2021, but Thunderful used their SteamWorld Telegraph: Special Broadcast this evening to talk about a very different kind of new SteamWorld game - and it looks rad as heck. It's a citybuilder, and (appropriately) it's called SteamWorld Build. I've played a bit of it already, and you can read more of my thoughts about it right here. Spoiler alert: it's a little bit good. If you just want the facts of what was announced, though, read on below.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 23, 2023 12:11 PM
    

More than 20 years after The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind arrived on PC, one mod has finally given us the option to ignore all the questing and just enjoy capturing the game's fantastical scenery on canvas. With the Joy Of Painting mod, you can set up your field easel anywhere in Morrowind, daub some brush strokes on a canvas, and even flog the painting to earn a bit of cash.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 23, 2023 12:00 PM
    

I'm aware that I talk about The Sims a lot; in fact, that's kind of how I ended up in this job. So rather than go into detail here about the original game itself (although if you want to hear more about it, I've got something pretty cool in the pipeline for you, so watch this space!), I've decided to use this HYP to talk about the brilliant TV adverts that first brought it to my attention.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 23, 2023 11:20 AM
    

While Lunar New Year celebrations continue (I'm enjoying all the fireworks over my neighbourhood at night), you might fancy joining in by playing Tet. This lovely little free indie game has you zooming through minigames to prepare a dinner for a Vietnamese Lunar New Year party before all your guests arrive. Chop this, fry those, and don't forget to wash your hands! Designed and hand-drawn by Swiss-Vietnamese illustrator Charlotte Broccard, it's a lovely five minutes of fun.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 23, 2023 11:15 AM
    

The Prison Architect devs' next management sim The Last Starship is heading out of alpha and into early access on Steam this spring, RPS can exclusively reveal, and there will be a public demo going live later this week on January 26th. If you've ever fancied yourself as the Captain Kirk or Commander Adama type, then you'll have a chance to construct and run your own spacecraft, and choose what missions you take on in this spaceship management game. Watch the latest trailer for The Last Starship below to get an idea of what spacey shenanigans await.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 23, 2023 9:40 AM
    

Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer sees a return for the fast-paced Hardcore mode from previous Call Of Duty games when Season 02 arrives on February 15th. Over the weekend, devs Infinity Ward tweeted about Hardcore mode's imminent comeback in the forthcoming update. Hardcore mode chucks out the game's HUD, turns on friendly fire, and reduces health to make matches quicker and a little more unpredictable. There'll also be some changes to Warzone 2's DMZ, such as new missions and difficulty tuning.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 23, 2023 8:52 AM
    

Every weekend, indie devs show off current work on Twitter's #screenshotsaturday tag. And every Monday, I bring you a selection of these snaps and clips. This week, my eye has been caught by swish parkour and grappling hook movement, spaceships in Hell, lots of pretty plants, and some straight-up trash. Come have a look!

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 23, 2023 7:47 AM
    

It's not even out yet, but we already know that the Dead Space remake launching on January 27th will have an alternate ending. A list of the game's achievements published on True Trophies includes one that hints at another way to see out the revised adventures of Isaac Clarke, instead of just landing the bog-standard ending. Thankfully, there's not much more info beyond its existence, so at least the extra ending isn't ruined and you'll be able to find out what it means for yourself.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 23, 2023 7:11 AM
    

Grand Theft Auto Online players on PC are reporting corrupted accounts and being locked out of their games due to remote code exploits that are being abused by modders. Rockstar-focused Twitter account Tez2 highlighted the issue at the end of last week, before news of the situation spread onto the GTA Online subreddit. Rockstar Support hasn't officially acknowledged any potential the exploits have to affect GTA Online players and their accounts, although Tez2 claimed that the company were already aware of what was going on.

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Twinfinite Monday, January 23, 2023 1:28 PM
     To cancel or not to cancel. That is the question.

Twinfinite Monday, January 23, 2023 12:17 PM
     Camp counselors, start panicking.

Twinfinite Monday, January 23, 2023 12:14 PM
     There's hopefully no cause for alarm.

Twinfinite Monday, January 23, 2023 12:12 PM
     PlayStation and Xbox players are not missing out from the delay.

Twinfinite Monday, January 23, 2023 11:40 AM
     Everyone loves free stuff and great tunes.

Twinfinite Monday, January 23, 2023 11:26 AM
     Kermit the Frog is in The Last of Us?!

Twinfinite Monday, January 23, 2023 11:11 AM
     Popping off.

Twinfinite Monday, January 23, 2023 10:00 AM
     Honorable Mention: An unchanged Thor Ragnarok except Swedish Chef plays every Asgardian

Twinfinite Monday, January 23, 2023 7:10 AM
     It's back... finally.

Siliconera Monday, January 23, 2023 1:30 PM
    

Towa Tsugai

It hasn't launched yet, but Square Enix's upcoming "couple raising fantasy RPG" Towatsugai is already being adapted for the stage. The official Towatsugai social media account announced that the game will receive a stage show, scheduled to launch in June 2023. The game itself will launch on February 16, 2023 [Thanks, Denfaminico Gamer!].

Towatsugai (also known as Towa Tsugai) was first announced in October 2022. It's billed as a "couple-raising fantasy battle RPG." In the game's case, the couples are pairs of special girls called Birds. They all work for CAGE, an organization that fights against magical creatures that emerge from the "Black Sea" that is slowly corroding reality. The characters are all named after various species of bird, and are paired together in Couples. For example, the characters Crow and Swan (Karasu and Hakuchou) are paired together in the "Destiny" Couple. Players will shepherd the Bird Couples through battle, using cooperative attacks and helping them deepen their bonds. They'll listen to each Couples' story, as well, which unlocks progressively as the pair gets stronger.

Here's a trailer that introduces the setting and some of the couples.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7G2uv7xS6g

The stage show adaptation of Towatsugai is designed to convey an impression of the game's world. It'll take place at Ikebukuro's Sunshine Theater, running from June 16 to June 25, 2023. The stage play is written and directed by Ichidai Matsuda, who directed some of the NieR Automata-related YoRHa stage productions. Some of the performers who will appear onstage will do so in the roles of their in-game characters. Moeka Koizumi, an actor who also played Nana Daiba in Revue Starlight, will play Owl.

Here's a trailer showing off some of the performers in costume.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG2NKj9PUOw

The Towatsugai stage play will be held in Japan from June 16 to 25, 2023. The game will launch in Japan on iOS and Android devices on February 16, 2023. No international release plans have been announced.

The post Couple-Raising RPG Towatsugai Gets a Stage Play appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 23, 2023 1:00 PM
    

Eiyuden Chronicle DLC 3 Vote Opens with 5 Options

As promised, the Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes DLC 3 vote is now live, and people can choose from five options. Each one features specific characters and a certain sort of experience. So if you go with Conquest of the Sands, it is a story with the characters Barnard, Scarlet, and Yuferius. Meanwhile, the Kings of the Neighborhood option adds more minigames. The vote is open until January 30, 2023.

Here are the five Eiyuden Chronicle DLC options.

  • Tales of the Yokai Hunt: This is an additional story with Hakugin, Iugo, and Mio to fight "boss level" yokai.
  • Conquest of the Sands: People go with Barnard, Scarlet, and Yuferius to follow a story involving the desert mercenary and sandwalker feud.
  • Elden Magicks: Learn more about rune lenses with Markus, Milana, and Quinn in an additional story.
  • Kings of the Neighborhood: People can go through new minigames like cooking battles with Code L, Dr. Corque, and Frida.
  • Magical Girls, Assemble!: This involves "battle scenarios" with the characters like Carrie, Mellore, and Momo that qualify as magical girls.

As a reminder, people who backed Eiyuden Chronicle on Kickstarter will get this DLC 3 for free. The official Twitter account already confirmed that when it announced poll.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will come to the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2023, and this DLC 3 vote will close on January 30, 2023.

The post Eiyuden Chronicle DLC 3 Vote Opens with 5 Options appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 23, 2023 12:30 PM
    

How to Get the Fire Emblem Engage Silver Card DLC

When someone gets the initial batch of Fire Emblem Engage DLC in the Expansion Pass, they may notice a Silver Card is mentioned. However, when the in-game items are given out via a notice, it won't be there. Turns out, you need to work for this extra item. In order to pick one up and get your 30% off armory and item shop discount, you need to make a quick detour when taking part in Tiki's Divine Paralogue: Dragon Temple DLC map.

How to Get the Fire Emblem Engage Silver Card in the Tiki DLC.

Okay, the map is honestly trying to set you up for success here. Remember how, near the second Sigil that unlocks the door to Tiki, there are Warp and Rescue staffs in the chest? Well, you need to use them to get that Silver Card! If you look to the right of that room, you'll see a little pond with something glittering on the ground next to it. If you move the cursor over to look, it will show up as a series of question marks.

What you need to do is get that character with the Rescue and Warp staves and the person you're going to teleport over to the entrance to the room where the first Sigil and single chest appeared. Once there, use the Warp Staff to teleport that person to the single space below the western corner of the room. Once teleported, that character can then walk/fly/gallop over to the glittering mark. There's no "pick up" action once you get there. Instead, just have the person you sent "wait" in position. When you do, you'll get a notice of "Silver Card obtained."

[gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="948049,948050" link="file"]

A brief tutorial will come up once you get the Silver Card in Fire Emblem Engage. It notes that the 30% off discount only applies at the armory and item shop. You can't get a discount when forging items at the Smithy or Boutique.

What happens if you missed it when you were there? Well, you need to wait for a Skirmish to show up. This can happen after Alear rests or after you go through other campaign battles, Paralogues, or Skirmishes. It won't show up there during a Recall fight. Again, make sure you have someone with a Warp Staff or the Celica Emblem equipped is there.

Fire Emblem Engage is available for the Nintendo Switch, and the Silver Card DLC is part of the $29.99 Expansion Pass.

The post How to Get the Fire Emblem Engage Silver Card DLC appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 23, 2023 12:00 PM
    

Various Daylife Android and iOS Mobile Versions Appear

Various Daylife began its life as an Apple Arcade exclusive, and now its returned to mobile devices with new Android and iOS releases. Square Enix released it on the App Store and Google Play. This is a full-price release and not free-to-play, with the full game costing $20.99 on both storefronts.

To compare, the mobile version of Various Daylife is cheaper the Android and iOS storefronts than for consoles or PCs. It is $28.99 on the eShop, PlayStation Store, and Steam. It debuted on those platforms back in September 2022.

Various Daylife is an exploration RPG. Players send characters off to explore the world. As they do, they'll get opportunities to take on jobs or do work. You need to ensure they are able to survive and thrive when heading out into the world, taking advantage of what they have on hand to win turn-based battles and see more of Antoecia.

To offer a better idea of how this casual management and RPG experience works, here's a trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW2M0hBnv2s&ab_channel=SquareEnix

Various Daylife is available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PC, and Android and Apple iOS mobile devices. It is no longer on Apple Arcade.

The post Various Daylife Android and iOS Mobile Versions Appear appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 23, 2023 11:30 AM
    

Reminder: 90 Chapters of the Naruto Manga Are Free to Read

People still have just over a week to keep reading 90 chapters of the Naruto manga for free. Back in December 2022, the Naruto Top 99 character poll kicked off. As part of the celebrations surrounding it, a number of chapters were made available to read worldwide for free on Manga Plus and Viz Media. Access is available until January 31, 2023.

The free chapters of the manga available cover the entire beginning of Naruto. People can essentially read volumes one through ten for free. This means it covers the whole Land of Waves arc and most of the Chunin Exams one. That second arc ends at chapter 115. So people can see Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi go on essentially their first mission together. They can also start to see the three of them go through their initial exams. The 90th chapter starts with Naruto training under Ebizu and meeting Jiraya for the first time.

As a reminder, the Naruto Top 99 character poll also is open until January 31, 2023. The character with the most votes will get their own one-shot manga created by Masashi Kishimoto. The last top 50 midterm results showed Minato Namikaze was in first, Itachi Uchiha was in second, and Sakura Haruno was in third.

The Naruto manga is available to read on Manga Plus and Viz Media, with the first 90 chapters free until January 31, 2023. The anime is available via Crunchyroll. The Boruto anime is also available on Crunchyroll, with the manga localized by Viz.

The post Reminder: 90 Chapters of the Naruto Manga Are Free to Read appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 23, 2023 11:01 AM
    

Neptunia Sisters VS Sisters

From an outside perspective, the sheer staying power of the Hyperdimension Neptunia franchise has been nothing short of admirable. What started in 2010 as a janky JRPG built on a single-note gimmick blossomed into a series with close to twenty distinct titles. For those who've been keeping up, though, the truth is that Neptunia's been coasting, relying on odd and often sloppy spin-offs to keep the brand in peoples' minds. Neptunia Sisters VS Sisters, however, might be the start of a turning point.

If Neptunia Sisters VS Sisters is a spin-off game, it certainly stands above most of the crowd. Both in narrative and production, the game looks and feels like a new mainline entry. With a surprisingly dramatic plot and a genuinely interesting combat system, Sisters VS Sisters carries itself like a spiritual successor to Hyperdimension Neptunia Mk2. That's due in part to the fact that this is the first Neptunia title in years to be led by the "2nd generation" characters: Nepgear, Uni, Rom, and Ram. Introduced in Neptunia Mk2 as the younger sisters of the more familiar goddesses Neptune, Vert, Noire, and Blanc, the "Goddess Candidates" were representations of the popular handheld gaming consoles of the time. Uni was based on Sony's PSP and Vita, and Rom and Ram were twins inspired by Nintendo's DS line. Like her older sibling, Nepgear was based on a hypothetical Sega portable, a would-be Game Gear for the current generation.

Except, of course, for the fact that in the 2020s, portable game consoles aren't really "current generation" hardware anymore. These days, gaming on the go is almost entirely dominated by smartphones and related devices. The PSP, PS Vita, and DS that inspired the Goddess Candidates are all effectively "dead" in the eyes of their makers. Even Nintendo's popular Switch console is made largely from components that'd be right at home in someone's phone (it can rather easily be turned into a tablet, even).

hyperdimension neptunia sisters

Neptunia Sisters VS Sisters smartly leans into that reality. After Neptune and the Goddesses go off on a mission to the PC Continent, Nepgear and her friends are left in charge, only to be trapped and put to sleep by an unknown Ashen Goddess. They awaken two years later, to discover that the world has left them behind. The nations that the console Goddesses once ruled are under siege, steadily falling back against ferocious Trendi Outbreaks.

The outbreaks, and the monster attacks that accompany them, forced people indoors, reliant on their smartphones for connection, entertainment, and even gaming. This reliance has metastasized into addiction, and the people's fixation on their rPhone devices steadily enervated the Goddesses, draining their all-important "shares" and weakening their ability to fight back against the Trendi menace. Neptune herself has gone missing, sacrificing herself in battle against longtime Neptunia nemesis Arfoire. Faced with a bleak reality, Nepgear and her friends need to turn things around, investigate the mysterious source of the rPhones and the Trendi Outbreaks they fuel, and restore peace and prosperity to the land of Gameindustri. Helping them are a pair of refugees: Anri, a creator from the PC Continent, and Maho, a phone-obsessed amnesiac.

Neptunia Maho

There's a lot going on in that plot setup. Even folks only vaguely aware of world and gaming news over the past few years will easily see a number of parallels and almost-crass references in Neptunia Sisters VS Sisters' storyline. As a franchise, Hyperdimension Neptunia was always content to leave its real-life references light-hearted, eager to get a chuckle out of folks in the know, but careful not to let the writing stray too much into commentary.

Sisters VS Sisters lets its references lie a little closer to the surface compared to other spin-offs. It's clear that the last couple of years and the general rise of phone gaming has given Compile Heart's writers a lot of material to work with. More than a few conversations and cutscenes in-game have a ripped-from-the-headlines quality that's atypical even for a Neptunia game. That said, the story never makes the mistake of going too grim, even with a setting that's arguably post-apocalyptic. The writing seems well aware that people are here to see anime girls be cute, and it doesn't get in the way of that, even when things are at their most bleak and drama-filled.

If there's one caveat I'd raise for the average non-fan, I'd say that Sisters VS Sisters is a bit harder to get into if you're not at least passingly familiar with Nepgear and the Candidate Crew. If you're absolutely new to the franchise, you might want to spend some time with the first two games in the series to get the most out of the interactions here. Compile Heart doesn't go out of its way to reintroduce the characters, and tends to assume you know the broad strokes of Neptunia lore as it dives straight in.

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

If there's a shortcoming to all this, it's that Neptunia Sisters VS Sisters is much less of an ensemble piece than other titles. The main story and all the most interesting movements occur between and alongside Nepgear, Anri, and Maho. The other Goddesses and Goddess Candidates get some screen time, but never feel like anything other than "along for the ride". That's good news if you're a Nepgear fan, but folks coming to the game to see another of their faves get the spotlight might come away less satisfied.

Buttressing this is a new approach to combat that keeps things interesting and appealingly light. Gone is the full turn-based combat system, replaced with a real-time approach reminiscent of Tales of titles. In combat, players will use their combo attacks, while charging a bar for more powerful Tactical Skills. Do enough moves, and you'll activate a powerful, screen-clearing EX skill. In a pinch you can use the now-familiar Goddess Transformation, though it charges quite slowly, and tends to happen pretty rarely before the endgame. Combat is nearly seamless, and occurs on the map without loading a separate battle screen, making fights easy to get into and out of.

maho

Between battles, you can tinker with your abilities in the "Combo Maker" menu, allowing you to manage the combos available to each character. Different moves have different properties, and some benefit from appearing in certain sequences. Moves also have an "AP" point cost, meaning you'll need to budget a bit to make sure a character has enough points to pull off her full combo string. New moves are unlocked as you level up. With each playable character having a variety of moves to earn, you can keep things interesting by switching up characters and playing around with the Combo Maker looking for cool strings to belt out. That said, the game rarely puts up a credible challenge, so you'll do these things mostly to keep from getting too bored while you move from cutscene to cutscene.

Besides the Combo Maker, a time-based "Disc Development" system lets you "craft" semi-randomized "Perks" in the form of equippable game Discs. The effects some Discs have can be dramatic in certain combinations, enabling things like animation-canceling and other fun tweaks. That said, the semi-random nature makes it a little hard to rely on for optimization.

You can also buy and equip various visual accessories, placing and manipulating them as you please to make things even sillier than they are by default.

Perhaps deadlier to Neptunia Sisters VS Sisters than any Arfoire-spawned monster is boredom. Interestingly enough, this boredom doesn't come from the writing, which is pleasingly lighthearted and uncommonly engaging, even to non-fans, by Neptunia standards. It's also not from the combat system, which is interesting to play around with and shows potential. The issue is the dungeons, which are mind-numbing to trudge through. There's no semblance of level design at work in the bland, samey corridors that make up the "gameplay" areas of Sisters VS Sisters. They feel so much like mindlessly copied corridors and flat, featureless rooms that I suspected at first that they were procedurally generated. They weren't.

At first, this is a minor issue, and easy to ignore as you move from scene to scene. After all, the "meat" of any Neptunia title is in the conversations and character skits. But it really gets to you over time. Individual player tolerances for boring dungeons can vary, of course. That said, I think even patient players will be tested when they walk through the nearly identically laid-out room for the umpteenth time, only this time the walls are a different color. Things get even less appealing when you realize that most of the side quests and a good number of main quests will force you to revisit these maps over and over.

Neptunia IF

Neptunia Sisters VS Sisters is a surprising return to form for Hyperdimension Neptunia, a game that seems to show fans that Compile Heart still remembers what made its little franchise so endearing in the first place. It's just a shame that a lack of care for spaces threatens to undermine that sense of renewal.

Neptunia Sisters VS Sisters is available on PS4, PS5, and PC via Steam. This review is based on the PS4 version of the game, a copy of which was received from the publisher.

The post Review: Neptunia Sisters VS Sisters Weighs Down its Characters With Boring Dungeons appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 23, 2023 10:30 AM
    

Jiangshi X Becomes Shonen Jump's New Manga Series

The first new Shonen Jump manga series of 2023 appeared, as Jiangshi X is here. The first chapter launched on January 22, 2023. As is typical for series showing up weekly, Manga Plus and Viz Media are localizing new installments as they arrive.

Jiangshi X is the latest work from mangaka Norihiko Kurazono, whose past series include Automaton, Chitei Ryokou, and Mahou Gyoushounin Roma. The manga begins with a teaser suggesting that due to the world's balance being broken, darkness took over. However, there is still hope. It then introduces Daoshi, an apprentice monk, hunting jiangshi alongside allies Chaoyun and Jiuli outside of Shenxian Village. There are many expectations for Xiaohu, as his father is the renowned Dadaoshi Master Monk Longhu Xuanshui. The first chapter follows as the three young men take on their final test to become a Daoshi. However, the path to their goal isn't clear or guaranteed.

While this is the first new Shonen Jump manga of 2023, 2022 closed out with four being added.  Cipher Academy, Fabricant 100, Ichigoki's Under Control, and The Ichinose Family's Deadly Sins.

Jiangshi X is now available in Shonen Jump, with the new manga's second chapter appearing on January 29, 2023.

The post Jiangshi X Becomes Shonen Jump's New Manga Series appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 23, 2023 10:00 AM
    

Disgaea 7 Higan Zesshousai

The latest character video for Disgaea 7 introduces the strongest swordsman in the whole of the Hinomoto Netherworld. Named Higan Zesshousai, in Disgaea 7 she's also known as the teacher of Fuji, one of the game's protagonists. She's voiced by Yui Kondou. Yui Kondou also voiced characters like Sayaka Nishizono in Lost Judgment, Smithy Minayle in Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak, and Biwa Hayahide in Uma Musume: Pretty Derby.

Check out the Disgaea 7 Higan Zesshousai character trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZRH9fhLDEg

As described in the official website, the "Zesshousai" in Higan Zesshousai's name is more of a title, one bestowed upon the Hinomoto Netherworld's strongest swordsman (think "Kenpachi" from Bleach). She taught Fuji everything he knows about swordsmanship. To hear Fuji tell it in Disgaea 7, Higan Zesshousai is "the most vile, vicious, and strongest swordswoman in all of Hinomoto." Of course, excessive strength can be quite boring, so at the moment, Higan is training with the spear, so as to give herself something that might resemble a challenge.

Prior to airing the Disgaea 7 Higan Zesshousai trailer, Nippon Ichi Software also introduced two other characters from the main cast: Suisen and Ao.

Here's Suisen's trailer. Suisen is voiced by Maki Kawase, who also voiced Philomena in The Ancient Magus' Bride, Junko Konno in Zombie Land Saga, and Tokiko in Summer Time Rendering.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP7pUUNSPdI

Suisen is described as the "Predictive Magistrate" of the Oedo Shogunate. He's an enemy to Fuji and company, since their party seeks to overthrow the Shogunate. Despite his looks, he's a powerful and intelligent biological weapon. He uses his processing power to absorb information and use it to make advanced predictions. He does, however, sometimes act like the young boy his appearance suggests him to be.

Ao, meanwhile, is voiced by Riona Imaizumi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5zBc8JyZIg

Ao is a young girl who sees Fuji as a father figure. Her devotion to "Father" causes her to lash out at anyone who gets between them with her ice powers. This chaotic reputation has earned her the nickname "Hyougaki", which translates to "Princess Icefang," but can also be read as "Freezy Punk."

Disgaea 7 launches in Japan on January 26, 2023. It'll be available on Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5. A playable demo is currently available. No international release plans have been announced as of yet.

The post Disgaea 7 Higan Zesshousai Trailer Shows Hinomoto's Strongest appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 23, 2023 9:30 AM
    

Persona Decor

The Phantom Thieves, Investigation Team, and S.E.E.S. entered a new field: interior design. Atlus partnered with Useless Use Lab to create a new line of Persona decor items for fans' homes. Useless Use Lab is a lifestyle brand focused on designing character goods for interiors and decorative purposes.

The Persona decor line encompasses three sets of items themed after Persona 3 PortablePersona 4 Golden, and Persona 5 Royal. Each set consists of three items: A decorative bottled flower arrangement, a wireless speaker, and a desktop humidifier. Each set has unique coloration and custom patterns themed after the visual style of their respective game. Each item is sold separately for 5,500 Yen each (about $42 USD), putting the price of a full set at 16,500 Yen (about $127 USD).

The Persona 3 Portable decor set emphasizes the blue and white color scheme of Persona 3, as well as its signature pattern of squares and circles in random arrangements. The humidifier is patterned this way in monochrome, with badge on the side shaped like a SEES Evoker pistol. The bottled flower features blue roses and a blue-black ribbon, and the speaker is printed with patterns reminiscent of the game's animated intro, with a SEES logo on the other side.

[gallery columns="4" size="medium" ids="947989,947990,947991,947992" orderby="rand" link="file"]

The decor for Persona 4 Golden follows the dominant yellow coloration of the game, with rainbow-like stripes to recreate the game's distinctive menu theme. A TV logo is printed on the face of the wireless speaker to signify the Midnight Channel. The flower arrangement includes orange daisies and yellow flowers, backed by gray and black-colored plants to evoke the tone of the Yasogami High school uniforms. The Humidifier's pattern also copies the pattern found on Yasogami's uniform collars and skirts. It sports a golden badge of a pair of glasses, recalling the spectacles Persona 4 characters must wear to operate in the TV world.

[gallery columns="4" size="medium" ids="947993,947994,947995,947996" orderby="rand" link="file"]

Finally, the Persona 5 Royal decor set takes advantage of the tritone colors dominant in Persona 5: red, black, and white, with concentric star patterns. Red roses and black leaves stand out beside the monochrome ribbon wrapping the bottled flower display. The speaker uses jagged red streaks to interrupt the star pattern and draw attention to Joker's mask. The Phantom Thieves' logo is also printed on the speaker face. The humidifier is printed with the concentric star pattern, and its badge also recalls Joker's thief mask.

[gallery columns="4" size="medium" ids="947998,947999,948000,948001" orderby="rand" link="file"]

The Useless Use Lab Persona decor item sets are available through UUL's online store in Japan. Persona 3 Portable, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 5 Royal are available on the PS4, PS5 Xbox One,  Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Check out Siliconera's review of Persona 3 Portable and impressions of Persona 4 Golden.

The post Persona Decor Items Evoke the Series' Visual Styles appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 23, 2023 9:00 AM
    

New Armored Core VI Information

New Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon information will appear in early February 2023. A special hour long program will appear at the Taipei Gameshow 2023 at 9pm JST/7am ET/4am PT/1pm CET. The broadcast will appear on the official Bandai Namco YouTube channel. However, there is no mention of the broadcast featuring English subtitles. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

With the YouTube video already up, users can set a reminder through the platform to be alerted once the broadcast goes live. The program itself is pre-recorded and will not be live. You can find the YouTube video below.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqY-j7tkeBg&ab_channel=BandaiNamcoEntertainment%E8%90%AC%E4%BB%A3%E5%8D%97%E5%A4%A2%E5%AE%AE%E5%A8%9B%E6%A8%82[/embed]

Announced in December 2022, Armored Core IV: Fires of Rubicon is a continuation of the Armored Core series. While there was some speculation about this entry in the series following leaks, the developers have confirmed that the game will focus on mission-based gameplay. This means that it will potentially not deviate too far from what the series has done in the past.

Additionally, the developers have confirmed that the title will feature versus multiplayer like previous installments. More details about this gameplay mode will appear in the future.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon will come to the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC via Steam in 2023.

The post New Armored Core VI Information to Appear in February appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 23, 2023 8:30 AM
    

Genshin Impact Lantern Rite

January 22, 2023 was the official date of the Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year. To celebrate, HoYoVerse released a new animated Genshin Impact promo for Lunar New Year. It's themed around the Lantern Rite, a yearly Genshin Impact event that coincides with the holiday.

Check out the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kY4raFWXtM

Centered around the ongoing Lantern Rite event, "The Exquisite Night Chimes," the Genshin Impact Lunar New Year promo shows off various characters celebrating the night and visiting areas of Liyue Harbor. Playable characters from all the present regions of Genshin Impact's world of Teyvat make an appearance. These range from Mondstadt natives like Albedo, Klee (who drags Qiqi along), Jean, and Barbara to Liyue residents home for the holiday, like Keqing, Ganyu, Xiangling, Xingqiu, Chongyun, and Hu Tao.

Characters from far-off Inazuma also join the festivities. Itto and Kazuha walk the docks, and Beidou ferries in Yoimiya and Yae Miko. Ayaka and Ayato take a break from the Yashiro Commission to walk the streets. Even new additions from neighboring Sumeru arrive. Tighnari and Collei go shopping, while Dori sets her booth up next to Mona's. Cyno is also there to dunk on Itto in what looks like a round of Genius Invokation. Somewhere above the main drag, four current and former Elemental Archons (Venti, Zhongli, the Raiden Shogun, and Nahida), share a toast. And as the fireworks and Lantern Rite ritual kick off, Yun Jin, Barbara, and Nilou share dancing tips. The clip closes out as the Traveler (as Aether) and Paimon share a moment with Xiao, who has always preferrred to watch the rite from afar.

Genshin Impact is available on iOS and Android, as well as PS4, PS5, and PC. The current Lantern Rite event is ongoing and will continue until February 6, 2023.

The post Genshin Impact Lunar New Year Anime Unites the Four Archons appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 23, 2023 8:00 AM
    

Nexon Games and Yostar celebrated the 2nd anniversary of Blue Archive in Japan over the weekend, and closed out its live celebration with an announcement. A Blue Archive anime is in production. Details on the project's nature are scarce, but it will feature the game's world of Kivotos, its angel-like population of Students, and the events of the game's various storylines.

An official site was also opened to promote the show, but other than a poster featuring a look at the character Arona, it has no other concrete details at the moment.

[gallery columns="1" size="medium" ids="948005" link="file"]

Blue Archive is no stranger to anime. It has character designs and storytelling heavily inspired by Japanese animated series. It also has multiple anime-style promos, including several short episodes produced by studio Yostar Pictures. Yostar Pictures mainly produces animated work based on Yostar-managed games, including Azur Lane and Arknights. The recent Arknights: Prelude to Dawn anime series and its in-production sequel, Perish in Frost, were also done by Yostar Pictures. It also produced the 2nd Anniversary promo, which teases new additions to the game's ongoing story campaigns.

Note: The Blue Archive 2nd Anniversary promo and the description below contains potential spoilers for future story events in Blue Archive's global edition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rDOsvzTicY

The 2nd Anniversary Blue Archive anime promo heralded updates to the game's four ongoing story campaigns. Each campaign focuses on one or more groups of Students living in Kivotos and connected to the city's academies and Schale, the player "Sensei's" organization. Further developments in their respective storylines were all implied by glimpses at static art. Another potential event was sighted, where all the respective groups come together to cooperate with Kivotos' ruling party, the General Student Council. Notably, the scenes also hint that players will finally receive more context on Blue Archive's opening scene, where an unnamed Student implied to be the (currently missing) General Student Council President speaks to the player before they begin the game.

Blue Archive is available on Android and iOS devices. Outside Japan, the global edition of Blue Archive will celebrate its 1.5 year anniversary in early February 2023. The Blue Archive anime is in production, with no announced release window.

The post Blue Archive Anime Adaptation Announced appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, January 23, 2023 1:43 PM
     Fire Emblem Engage Change Outfits BoutiqueCombatants are the heart of any army, and they need to look their best. That holds true especially in the world of strategy games. In Fire Emblem Engage, you'll interact with a lot of memorable warriors who join your cause as you work to save the world from darkness. There's no law saying they have to always look the same as they do when you meet them. Here's our guide on how to change outfits in Fire Emblem Engage. How to change outfits in Fire Emblem Engage Initially, your characters have limited choices for outfits. That situation changes once you gain access to The Somniel after clearing the battle at the end of Chapter 3. The hub area doesn't have a lot of attractions when you have your first chance to explore it. However, two shopkeepers are the first of your many eventual tenants. One of the first shops you can access, located along the lower right edge of the plaza, is a store known as the Boutique. It sells new costumes your characters can then wear aro...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, January 23, 2023 1:15 PM
     Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising 2023 new content characters rollback netcode Snow StageBack in early 2020, renowned fighting game developer Arc System Works released Granblue Fantasy Versus to the world. Based on the 2014 mobile RPG Granblue Fantasy, Granblue Fantasy Versus infused the IP with the intricate fighting game mechanics and 2D-esque 3D art style that have defined Arc System Works' recent output. Some may have assumed that the game's time has come and gone, but it turns out that Arc System Works has more plans for the fighter. On January 21, Arc System Works unveiled an updated rerelease with more content and rollback for the game, titled Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, which will release sometime in 2023. According to the official website, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising will boast new mechanics that expand upon the original fighting system. The only new mechanic revealed so far comes in the form of the Ultimate Skill, a stronger variant of Plus Skills that can slow opponents down to open up more combo and punish opportunities. Additionally...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, January 23, 2023 1:00 PM
     343 Industries Remaining As Halo Developer343 Industries' future with the Halo franchise was called into question last week. Rumors suggested that the developer would be stepping down from the development of future games. But the developer has responded to these claims in order to lay any doubts to rest. The official Halo Twitter account posted a short statement from Studio Head Pierre Hintze, who writes that the Master Chief is sticking to his guns. Hintze confirms that 343 Industries will remain the developers of Halo for the foreseeable future. The statement simply reads: "Halo and Master Chief are here to stay." He then reiterates that 343 Industries will continue to develop Halo with "epic stories, multiplayer, and more of what makes Halo great." 343 Industries will remain as Halo's developer The last few weeks have been rather tumultuous for the developer. But this statement seems to strongly reflect the studio's wishes going forward. However, there have been some undeniable loss...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, January 23, 2023 12:30 PM
     Neptunia Sisters Vs Sisters Review Nepgear Purple Sister Goddess FormThe Neptunia series has undergone a decline over the last half a decade, owing to the lack of mainline installments. The last mainline Neptunia game released was Megadimension Neptunia VII in 2016. Since then, developer Idea Factory has created nine spin-offs of varying quality. These spin-offs have failed to progress the series' main story at all, which has frustrated fans. This is where Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters comes in and starts to make things right. For those unfamiliar, the Neptunia series takes place in the world of Gamindustri. Gamindustri is a continent that is home to four nations: Planeptune, Leanbox, Lastation, and Lowee. The gist of Neptunia is that everything in Gamindustri represents something in the real-world games industry. In the case of the four nations, they represent Sega, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo, respectively. Each of the mainline entry's stories tells a tale of a real-world event. For example, Neptunia Re:Birth 3 is about an ancient natio...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, January 23, 2023 9:58 AM
     Call of Duty: Warzone 2 looting changes Season TwoPlayers have expressed numerous concerns with Call of Duty: Warzone 2. From game breaking bugs to stability issues, the battle royale isn't as polished as the community had hoped. In Warzone 2, looting is the complete opposite to what it was in Warzone 1. Since launch, this difference has proven to be mostly unpopular among fans. It appears that Raven Software and Infinity Ward are listening to feedback, however, as Warzone 2 looting changes have been announced. And hopefully that will address some the concerns. In the first iteration of Warzone, loot would disperse when you opened up a crate or took out an enemy. Then, you were able to simply grab everything you needed. Even running over loot would automatically pick up items such as armor plates and cash. When Warzone 2 launched, a new looting system made its debut, which slowed down the whole process. Players are required to search through chests and enemy backpacks to find loot. Going back to basics with Call of Duty: Warzone...

Tabletop Gaming News Monday, January 23, 2023 1:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Monday, January 23, 2023 12:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Monday, January 23, 2023 11:00 AM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Monday, January 23, 2023 10:00 AM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Monday, January 23, 2023 9:00 AM
    

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Monday, January 23, 2023 1:05 PM
     Our collection contains all of the most recent Roblox Monster Hunt Simulator codes. By entering these codes, you can get items such as skill book, boosts, tickets, and more. Catbro created the Roblox Monster Hunt Simulator experience for the system. You will be slaying creatures in this game and trying to collect money so you […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Monday, January 23, 2023 12:00 PM
     All of the current Roblox Sword Slasher codes are available in our collection. You can get free boosts and other things by entering these codes. E25 created the game "Roblox Sword Slasher" for the system. You must kill a variety of adversaries in this game to gain access to new swords and improve your character. […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Monday, January 23, 2023 11:00 AM
     Devs lay down their plans for 2023 in a recent community update post on Reddit. Diablo Immortal's debut year was a turbulent one – filled with various dramas and controversy around the game's features and 'free-to-play' elements. Nevertheless, the devs have since made sure that these issues are slowly addressed, all while adding some much-needed […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Monday, January 23, 2023 10:25 AM
     John Cena may be showing up in more movies recently with films like The Suicide Squad and HBO's Peacemaker, but he's still pretty much working for the WWE. Just in, 2K has officially revealed WWE 2K23 and Cena is the cover star for the year. Check this out: As per GamingBolt, Showcase Mode with 2K23 […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Monday, January 23, 2023 10:00 AM
     We have a compilation of all the most recent Roblox Anime Souls Simulator codes. By inputting these codes, you can obtain energy, souls, potions, and other items. The Roblox Anime Souls Simulator is a creation by Anime Shadow Studio. You will embark on journeys to vanquish villains for energy and souls while assembling anime fighters […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Monday, January 23, 2023 9:55 AM
     We just got a gameplay update for Skull & Bones last week, but it looks like the game has fallen into some murky water. As reported by PlayStation Lifestyle, the highly anticipated pirate game from Ubisoft has had its pre-orders pulled from the PS Store, and fans who had pre-ordered the game have been receiving […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Monday, January 23, 2023 9:43 AM
     We know that The Last of Us is primarily the story between Joel and Ellie, but the two run into all kinds of characters in their journey. One character, Bill, is played by Nick Offerman, and the preview for episode 3 gives us a teaser of Bill's episode. Check this out: Bill and Frank had […]

Level Up Monday, January 23, 2023 12:10 PM
     Life Is Strange 2 is coming to Switch in just a couple of weeks.  The…

Level Up Monday, January 23, 2023 8:15 AM
     Despite rumors claiming otherwise, 343 Industries will continue to develop Halo games following Halo Infinite. …

Level Up Monday, January 23, 2023 8:00 AM
     WWE 2K23 has been unveiled, and for some strange reason, 2K decided the cover art…

Level Up Monday, January 23, 2023 7:56 AM
     Since the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, players have asked for a…