Jun 05, 18:00


Kotaku Monday, June 5, 2023 4:30 PM
    

The world of Sanctuary is huge and fast-travel alone won't get you everywhere you need to go. Fortunately, Diablo IV gives players mounts to help them travel between dungeons and side-quests more quickly. Here's how to get your first one.

Read more...


Kotaku Monday, June 5, 2023 4:15 PM
    

Plushies of my six favorite Pokémon are sitting on my desk. They're from the Sitting Cuties line (called Pokémon Fit in Japan), an ongoing line of stuffed toys meant to give every Pokémon (yes, all 1000+ of the little guys) a piece of merchandise. Sitting Cuties touches on a sentiment that Pokémon fans have been…

Read more...


Kotaku Monday, June 5, 2023 4:00 PM
    

I've played horror games completely drenched in blood this year—nasty games with bombs and meat grinders rendered in high fidelity detail, but none have made me scream until the more straightforward Amnesia: The Bunker.

Read more...


Kotaku Monday, June 5, 2023 3:25 PM
    

You're in one of a number of pickles. You've somehow already hit level 100 in Diablo IV; you're waiting for it to drop in price; or just not convinced that enough has changed to make it worth buying after Diablo III. Whatever you reason for needing more loot, we've got you covered, with our suggestions for all the…

Read more...


Kotaku Monday, June 5, 2023 3:15 PM
    

All the rumors were true. Apple has a fancy headset it wants to sell you. The tech giant revealed its new mixed reality / virtual reality headset during its June 5 WWDC digital event, confirming the details of previous leaks. Dubbed the Apple Vision Pro, the new "facial computer" is out "early next year" and will cost…

Read more...


Kotaku Monday, June 5, 2023 1:50 PM
    

Diablo IV officially lands on June 6—some players already have early access—and Blizzard has already dropped the first official update for the imminent dungeon-crawling, loot-collecting RPG. There are a number of changes here worth digging into, but the biggest takeaway is simple: Four of the five classes have been…

Read more...


Kotaku Monday, June 5, 2023 1:19 PM
    

Days after the debut of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the sequel is already being lauded as a marvel of animation and a fascinating mix of mediums. There's even a small reference to Insomniac's upcoming Spider-Man game hidden in the film.

Read more...


Kotaku Monday, June 5, 2023 12:55 PM
    

Julian wanted to brush up on his Japanese and Spanish. The popular language learning app Duolingo, with its gamified incentives and rewards, its leagues, tournaments, and power-ups, seemed like a good way to do it. He started spending hours in the app, trying to claw his way to a better rank. That's when he started…

Read more...


Kotaku Monday, June 5, 2023 11:45 AM
    

Sony Picture's hotly-anticipated animated film, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, includes never-before-seen gameplay footage of the upcoming Marvel's Spider-Man 2 game.

Read more...


Kotaku Monday, June 5, 2023 11:40 AM
    

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse came out on June 2 to rave reviews and a box office weekend that trailed only The Super Mario Bros. Movie to become the second-largest of 2023 so far. There's only one thing holding the movie back apparently: people can't hear what the hell characters are saying sometimes.

Read more...


Kotaku Monday, June 5, 2023 11:40 AM
    

The ongoing remake/reimagining of Final Fantasy VII, the landmark 1997 JRPG, has resulted in some of the most anticipated entries in the Final Fantasy series in many years. But it's also shrouded in a lot of mystery given the narrative surprises of the first installment, Final Fantasy VII Remake in 2020. Now, Square…

Read more...


Kotaku Monday, June 5, 2023 11:10 AM
    

Read more...


Kotaku Monday, June 5, 2023 11:05 AM
    

In preparation for Diablo IV's global June 6 launch, Blizzard has dropped the first real update for the loot-grinding RPG that makes some pretty substantive changes to all five character classes. While most of them got nerfed, one class, the Necromancer, has been buffed to be even better than it was previously.

Read more...


Kotaku Monday, June 5, 2023 10:19 AM
    

We're a week away from the big not-E3 Xbox summer showcase for 2023 and the ball's in Microsoft's court to win back fans after a quiet 12 months punctuated by the disastrous launch of Redfall. In a subtle shot at the recently underwhelming PS5 showcase, Xbox marketing VP Aaron Greenberg promised no first-party games…

Read more...


Kotaku Monday, June 5, 2023 10:10 AM
    

Street Fighter 6's character creator is one of the best parts of an excellent game. On top of its tools having enough precise detail that you can create near-perfect replicas of just about anyone you want, the game also recognizes character builds so it can reflect them in fights. If you make a short king, your kicks…

Read more...


PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 5:44 PM
     Best Diablo 4 classes ranked

What are the best Diablo 4 classes? We've played the game for dozens of hours to bring you the ultimate guide to each Diablo 4 class and which one you should pick for your intended playstyle. We'll run through an expert analysis of the Necromancer, Rogue, Sorcerer, Barbarian, and Druid following extensive testing.

Every D4 class has its own unique skill tree, allowing you to pick which abilities you want to use. Unlike Diablo 3, which featured set character designs, you can customize the appearance of each Diablo 4 class. The Diablo 4 release date is here, but we've already had significant hands-on experience with the game - detailed here in our Diablo 4 review - and can share everything you need to know about the best Diablo 4 class right now.

Continue reading Best Diablo 4 classes ranked
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo 4 release date, Diablo 4 review, Diablo 4 classes

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 5:37 PM
     Square Enix says there's no need to replay Final Fantasy VII Remake

The Final Fantasy 7 Remake came to Steam about a year ago, allowing players to experience an enhanced version of an important piece of their childhood once more. RPG game fans wanted to see more of what the Final Fantasy 7 Remake could bring after Square Enix announced a sequel would be coming. With the new game on the horizon, fans are left wondering if their knowledge of the first game will suffice enough to understand its sequel.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Final Fantasy games, Best RPG games , Final Fantasy 7: Remake review

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 5:18 PM
     Diablo 4 quest list – all main and side missions

How many quests are in Diablo 4? The list of Diablo 4 quests is long. Very long, in fact. With close to 150 of them scattered around the open world of Sanctuary before you even take the second leg of the campaign into account, you'll be listening to a whole lot of distraught, disgruntled, and downtrodden NPCs thrust their worries onto your blades. And while the rewards can sometimes culminate into weapons no better than your own, the experience points are typically worth the rather relaxed objectives. So sharpen those blades and follow along.

If you're getting stuck into the game's full launch, you might want to check out our primer on the Diablo 4 length - just so you know what you're getting into. Reaching the Diablo 4 max level cap isn't a quick affair, so it won't hurt to know how to budget your playtime effectively to reach the exciting Diablo 4 endgame in record time and start taking on those terrifying world bosses. And for a closer look at how the main story works, here are all the Diablo 4 acts explained as well. There's a lot to jump into.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo 4 release date, Diablo 4 review, Diablo 4 classes

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 4:25 PM
     Amnesia The Bunker detonator handle location

Where is the detonator handle in Amnesia The Bunker? It's one of a few mysteriously placed items in the newest Amnesia game, and one which might have you scratching your head as you attempt to locate it. Fear not though, or try not to at least, because we've been brave and jumped in to find it for you. Just follow our instructions, and you'll be safe. Sort of.

For one of the best horror games out there, the Amnesia series always manages to impress with its eerie settings, but in Amnesia The Bunker that's cranked up a notch as you're tasked with remaining as silent as possible as you avoid the Stalker. In your quest to do so, you might want some help to find the detonator handle.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best horror games, Amnesia The Bunker preview, Amnesia The Bunker release date

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 4:24 PM
     Amnesia The Bunker wrench location

Where is the wrench in Amnesia The Bunker? On your way to escaping the titular location, you'll find that you need a wrench to remove bolts from grates in order to progress. We've taken the necessary, very cautious, steps to find it for you, so buckle in.

As you're working your way through the bunker in the horror game, you might be wondering how we found our first hands-on experience with Amnesia The Bunker - but our preview can fill you in.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best horror games, Amnesia The Bunker preview, Amnesia The Bunker release date

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 4:23 PM
     Amnesia The Bunker dynamite location

Where is the dynamite in Amnesia The Bunker? If you want to get the code to the Arsenal and grab the dynamite inside the bunker, you'll need to follow some specific steps. We break down what you need to know to do both in one quick go.

The dynamite is just one of many hidden items in Amnesia The Bunker, but thanks to our hands-on experience with the game, we can help you find all of them. We even managed to get our eyes on them early in our preview.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best horror games, Amnesia The Bunker preview, Amnesia The Bunker release date

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 4:23 PM
     Amnesia The Bunker bolt cutters location

Where are the bolt cutters in Amnesia The Bunker? You'll need the bolt cutters in order to successfully obtain items that will allow you to escape. Finding them is easy enough, but actually obtaining them is a bit trickier. You'll need to have obtained the wrench from the foreman's locker in Mission Storage before acquiring these. Once you do, it's time to go and get the item.

Before you set off on another dark and deadly mission, why not check out what we thought of Amnesia The Bunker in our preview of the horror game?

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best horror games, Amnesia The Bunker preview, Amnesia The Bunker release date

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 3:06 PM
     Diablo 4 already has two incoming expansions

When it comes to RPG games, few releases this year have made an impression quite as big as Diablo 4. While its official release date is tomorrow, players with early access have been exploring and delving deep within the game's expansive dungeonsDiablo 4 is certainly one of Blizzard's most iconic titles yet, with developers already well on their way to creating the game's next season as well as two expansions. Yes, you read that right - there are two confirmed expansions for Diablo 4 in production right now.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo 4 release date, Diablo 4 review, Diablo 4 classes

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 2:37 PM
     Diablo 4 Aspects – imprinting and extracting explained

What are Diablo 4 Aspects? Diablo 4 is bringing a lot to the table in terms of character and gear customization. One thing to pay the most attention to is Aspects, which you can extract from specialized equipment to provide buffs to any character or specific classes and abilities.

We've tested these for hours - as you can get a sense of in our Diablo 4 review - to find the right combinations. Aspects can be powerful tools for making the best builds for all Diablo 4 classes in both early and endgame activities throughout Diablo 4. Hunting these down will be quite a task to build up a good collection, but it's worth the effort. We've got the lowdown on how to get Aspects and some of the best Aspects to extract for both general use and specific classes.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo 4 release date, Diablo 4 review, Diablo 4 classes

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 2:01 PM
     Secretlab teases Demon Slayer for its next collaboration

Secretlab is cooking up its next collaboration, and it appears that the company is looking to anime for inspiration. In the coming days, it looks likely that we'll see gaming chairs and possibly more themed after the ever popular Demon Slayer shōnen anime.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 1:41 PM
     Brookhaven codes June 2023

June 5, 2023: We checked for new Brookhaven codes to add to our list.

What are the new Brookhaven codes? Brookhaven is one of the most popular sandbox games on the Roblox platform, giving you the chance to meet up with friends and explore the town's bustling streets and sleepy suburbs. Our Brookhaven codes can put a little pep in your step as you act out different scenarios with some free music for your portable speakers.

Brookhaven offers a ton of freedom, so there are no pesky limitations to sidestep – you can snap up new houses and tear up the tarmac with a variety of cars and bikes. Our Brookhaven codes grant you access to a whole playlist of popular tunes to serve as your soundtrack while you're at it. We've also got Doors codes, King Legacy codes, and Anime Adventures codes if you're on the hunt for all the best goodies available across the Roblox platform.

Continue reading Brookhaven codes June 2023
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 1:39 PM
     Midnight Sun codes June 2023

June 5, 2023: We checked for new Midnight Sun codes to add to our list.

What are the new Midnight Sun codes? The anime-inspired Roblox game tasks you with either being a demon slayer or becoming a demon, and while you can earn everything you need for your journey through hard work and your precious time, it's always good to know if there are any Demon Slayer Midnight Sun codes to help you along the way.

Born into a clan and sent off into the wild world of Demon Slayer, you must prove yourself against evil, or succumb to it and become the scourge that stalks the landscape. There is also a large PvP element to the Roblox game, and with such endeavours, it always helps to grab every advantage you can if you plan on dominating the opposition. With that, are there Demon Slayer Midnight Sun codes available to help you in the action-adventure game?

Continue reading Midnight Sun codes June 2023
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 1:30 PM
     Street Fighter 6 has already hit over one million players

There has not been an opening weekend as crazy as Street Fighter 6's has been for Capcom's fighting game series in a good while now. After only just dropping, fans from all over the world are going wild for the game. Not only has Street Fighter 6 reached its quick milestone of over one million players, however, as the entire series has also hit its own now with over 50 million copies sold worldwide. Other similar games like Mortal Kombat and Tekken have been blown out of the water, moreso out of the atmosphere itself, by Street Fighter 6.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Street Fighter 6 review, Street Fighter 6 tier list, Street Fighter 6 roster

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 1:28 PM
     Coal Miner Tycoon 2 codes June 2023

June 5, 2023: We checked for new Coal Miner Tycoon 2 codes to add to our list.

What are the new Coal Miner Tycoon 2 codes? Becoming an industry giant in Roblox sometimes requires a bit more than hard work, occasionally you'll need a little helping hand to get your business off the ground, so with that, we've gathered every code for the Roblox game here.

The free PC game tasks you with building a base of operations, and mining the nearby caves for precious coal. The more coal you gather, the more your Roblox operation can expand - but how do you get your start in the earth-moving business? Utilize the Coal Miner Tycoon 2 codes below to build your base and begin your dominance.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 1:24 PM
     Blox Fruits codes June 2023

June 5, 2023: We checked for new Blox Fruits codes for the new week.

What are the new Blox Fruits codes? We've put together a regularly updated list of all Blox Fruits codes to redeem in-game freebies like XP boosts, free Beli, and stat resets for your pirate adventures.

Blox Fruits is one of the biggest Roblox games of all time thanks to its fun, anime-inspired pirate action. That said, it can be difficult to find new Blox Fruits codes, much like Anime Adventures codes, Project Mugetsu codes, and All Star Tower Defense codes, but we've done the hard work and listed them all in one place down below.

Continue reading Blox Fruits codes June 2023
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 1:21 PM
     Shinobi Life 2 codes June 2023

June 5, 2023: We checked for new Shinobi Life 2 codes. RellGames has also teased the game's next update and set a code challenge on Twitter for free spins.

What are the new Shinobi Life 2 codes? Shinobi Life 2, which was formerly known as Shindo Life, is among the most popular gacha games on the Roblox platform thanks to its lightning-fast action, wealth of unlockables, and Naruto-like vibes. Developer RellGames is also an extremely active creator, delivering a tight weekly update schedule and serving up regular codes for rellcoins, spins, double XP, and more.

If you want to stay ahead of the competition, you'd be wise to make use of our codes list down below, which we update on a regular basis to bring you the latest rewards before they're gone for good. We'll also explain how to redeem Roblox Shinobi Life 2 codes (spoiler: it's a whole lot like redeeming Shindo Life codes), when you can expect new codes to arrive, and the platforms where they're most likely to drop. If you need more freebies, we also keep updated lists of new Blox Fruits codes, Anime Adventures codes, and All Star Tower Defense codes.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 1:18 PM
     Anime Souls Simulator codes June 2023

What are the new Anime Souls Simulator codes? Anime Souls Simulator tasks you with building your own army of powerful heroes, then imbuing their weapons with souls to take on fearsome bosses. You might find that the road to greatness is a little too long when you're first starting out, so we've tracked down the latest Anime Souls Simulator codes to help you grow in power faster than ever.

Our list of up-to-date Anime Souls Simulator codes delivers a treasure trove of free items straight to your inventory, as well as a variety of rolls and spins to help you swap out your weaker heroes. If you're partial to anime and manga-inspired games across the Roblox platform, we've also got the latest Anime Adventure codes, Slayers Unleashed codes, and even Ro Ghoul codes to help you stay one step ahead of your fellow Robloxians.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 1:16 PM
     Diablo 4 Veiled Crystals explained

What are Diablo 4 Veiled Crystals? In your time with D4, you'll bring enemies to their knees in their thousands, collecting what you can from the bodies, discarding gear that isn't fit for a powerful demi-god such as yourself. Collecting weapons and armor from the corpses of your enemies will only take you so far, however, and at some point, you will have to start enhancing your gear to reach the next level of destruction.

Our Diablo 4 review goes into how the click 'em up is a power fantasy, about the rush you feel laying waste to the seemingly endless enemies in Lilith's army. You won't get to that point on skill alone - you'll have to think ahead after you've chosen your Diablo 4 class, about where you want to be. Diablo 4 Veiled Crystals will be a massive part of realizing that dream.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo 4 release date, Diablo 4 review, Diablo 4 classes

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 1:15 PM
     Diablo 4 Astaroth boss guide

How do you beat Astaroth in Diablo 4? During the second act, you'll meet Dorin, one of the last of the Horadrim, and his eager son Yorin. You'll soon learn that Lilith intends to revive Astaroth, a demon Donan and several of his companions once defeated in battle and sealed inside a Soulstone.

However, as with most things in Diablo 4, the situation becomes bleak when Lilith finally revives Astaroth. As she slinks away, you face taking down this demon riding on top of a three-headed hellhound. This RPG game boss has many devastating attacks that can sap your health if you don't know how to dodge them. To help you beat the Diablo 4 Astaroth boss fight, we've got some tips for surviving his onslaught, no matter which of the many Diablo 4 classes you are using.

Continue reading Diablo 4 Astaroth boss guide
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo 4 release date, Diablo 4 review, Diablo 4 classes

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 1:49 PM
     Diablo 4 Golem summon guide

How do you summon Golem in Diablo 4? The Necromancer centers its playstyle around three different types of summons: Skeletal Warriors, Skeletal Mages, and Golems. The first two are earned through simply leveling up the class. However, the most powerful of the three requires both leveling up and completing a Necromancer-only quest. This quest requires you to traverse the cold wilds, visiting a cave and defeating some ghostly foes.

To make the most of Diablo 4's Necromancer, you need to unlock the Golem as soon as you can. We consider the Necromancer the best class in the game. This is largely in part due to how it can summon up to seven different undead monsters to aid it in battle, which also makes it a great option for solo players. Throw in the effects of some powerful Legendary and Unique items, and you can increase this number enough that you control a literal undead army with one of the best builds in the game.

Continue reading Diablo 4 Golem summon guide
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo 4 release date, Diablo 4 review, Diablo 4 classes

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 12:25 PM
     The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game release date, trailers, and more

When is the Texas Chain Saw Massacre game release date? We played the Texas Chain Saw tech test recently, and if you weren't already aware of Gun Interactive's Friday the 13th successor, then you might be here following the social media popularity of the beta. Unfortunately, there is still a painful wait until the release date - some might say akin to being left on a meat hook - but we've got all the gory details you need to keep anticipation high.

The asymmetrical horror game is a booming genre right now, with the popularity of Dead by Daylight resulting in other franchise-themed killer versus survivor games like Evil Dead The Game and even Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed. But you may also know of the ill-fated Friday the 13th game, which is now just a few deserted private servers thanks to licensing issues. The reason we're telling you all this is that the upcoming The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is made by some of the minds behind F13, so we know we're in for a good - if terrifying - time. Keep reading if you dare for everything we know about the Texas Chainsaw Massacre game release date, gameplay, trailers, future betas, and more.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best horror games, Best multiplayer games, Best survival games

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 12:24 PM
     Diablo 4 has $25 armor, but it doesn't do anything

In the wake of the ever-divisive Diablo Immortal, Blizzard promised that the Diablo 4 store wouldn't drain your bank balance. If you do choose to pick up some of the RPG game's stunning new armor sets, though, it's worth noting that they don't actually provide you with any extra benefits in Diablo 4 - they just make you look really, really cool.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo 4 release date, Diablo 4 review, Diablo 4 classes

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 11:56 AM
     Steam's best roguelike hits 10 million sales, with more content coming

Dead Cells isn't done yet, as co-developers Motion Twin and Evil Empire reveal exactly how big one of the best roguelike games has gotten while promising to deliver even more updates for years to come. If you're yet to try Dead Cells, I implore you to do so. If you have, convince your friends to.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelike games, Best indie games on PC, Best soulslikes

PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 12:09 PM
     Park Beyond shows RollerCoaster Tycoon the sky isn't the limit

There are a few things out there that really get my one remaining brain cell rattling around. One of those is the simulation game genre - I just want to control people's lives, demolish houses, take care of animals, and build my own theme parks and zoos. Is that so wrong? I lost my mind when Limbic Entertainment and Bandai Namco announced Park Beyond, an upcoming theme park management game. All of my childhood RollerCoaster Tycoon memories came flooding back into that one brain cell, along with newer experiences on Planet Coaster.


PCGamesN Monday, June 5, 2023 11:49 AM
     Genshin Impact might be adding a Mummy Girl real soon

A recent Genshin Impact leak has revealed the design for a potential new mummy girl character who hails from Sumeru. The anime game is slowly moving on from the Dendro nation in Genshin Impact version 3.7 with the introduction of Charlotte -- a Fontaine reporter -- so it's interesting to see another new addition to the Sumeru cast. And a mummy fits the desert aesthetic so perfectly that it's odd she wasn't released sooner.

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

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 5, 2023 4:15 PM
    

Our sister site Eurogamer is celebrating 15 years of EGX (aka: the Eurogamer Expo) this month, and they're holding a charity pub quiz in its honour down in London this Thursday, June 8th. Yes, yes, we know that's the same day as Geoff's Annual Trainer Showcase (aka: Summer Game Fest), but hey, at least it's for a good cause, with all proceeds going to the lovely folks at GamesAid. Tickets are on sale now, and RPS supporters can also get a special code to nab themselves a free drink. Details below.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 5, 2023 3:10 PM
    

With the arrival of Nvidia RTX 40-series graphics cards in gaming laptops, models with previous-gen RTX 30-series cards are becoming super-affordable. Now you can get even high-models for less than £1000, including this HP Omen machine which includes a 16.1-inch 1440p 165Hz display, RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and Ryzen 7 6800H CPU for £972 on Amazon.

The same machine retailed for £1629 in March this year, so this is a huge bargain - especially given that this is still hugely a powerful machine for 1440p gaming. The spec even includes a 1TB NVMe SSD and 16GB of DDR5 RAM, so it's a convincing machine from top to bottom.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 5, 2023 12:27 PM
    

I've spoken on many occasions about my love for Cooler Master's NR200 small form factor PC case, and today it's gone on sale in the US for the first time in a while - so I thought I'd let you know!

Right now you can pick up the NR200 in white for $70, down from $115. To get this price, you'll need to use code CMJUND2 at the cart and then use a rebate form for an additional $25 back. That's a bit of a faff for sure, but in exchange you do get one of the best and most popular SFF PC cases on the market.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 5, 2023 11:24 AM
    

People might have been sleeping on Swordship, which is as unfortunate as it sounds. It's a dodge 'em up about luring enemies into attacking each other while swooshing down waterways. Clean, is the word that comes to mind: a purity of purpose. Everything looks and sounds exactly like it should, while making little metal chumps shoot other little metal chumps is a fundamental joy.

It launched last December, but developers Digital Kingdom just shipped a 1.1 update that adds a new mode, overhauls unlock progression and tweaks loads more. There's a free demo, if you don't want to take the full plunge.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 5, 2023 11:01 AM
    

If there's a single upside to the collapsing standards of technical competence among big-budget PC games, it's that when something like Diablo 4 comes along and simply performs well, there's an almost pleasant relief to it. Like your bus arriving on time, a minute after watching the previous, late-arriving one flip onto its roof attempting a handbrake turn.

It's not perfect, but Diablo IV does run smoothly for the most part (also sorry Google, but I'm going back to Roman numberals), and its system requirements on PC are as likely to involve museum pieces as they are the latest and priciest graphics cards. I've put some hours into the early access build and have come up with a best settings guide, but in truth, this will likely just optimise your framerates – Diablo IV's higher quality settings rarely trouble it, especially at 1080p.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 5, 2023 10:57 AM
    

Tch, who opened the door to Necrom? Now we'll be up to our eyeballs in tentacles and ichor - or at least, we will be if you buy The Elder Scrolls Online's new expansion. Necrom: Shadows Over Morrowind sends you off to biff a threat that could unravel all reality, packing traditional expansion fare like new zones and new companions, as well as the game's first new class since 2019.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 5, 2023 10:33 AM
    

Dig deep, for both mental fortitude and coin, because yet another videogame is getting the cardboard treatment. Paper Fort Games are transmuting beloved mine and craft 'em up Terraria into a 4 player co-op board game, albeit one that's on the distant horizon. A crowdfunder is coming and the devs "don't expect" the game will ship this year, but a lucky few did get to try an early alpha prototype at the UK board games expo last weekend. Somewhat surprisingly, they seemed to like it.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 5, 2023 10:13 AM
    

For those in the UK, the latest "here's what you could have won" bit of helpful EU regulation just dropped. Valve are now required to show Steam users in EU countries a game's lowest price over the past 30 days, which means sellers can't display deceptively high discounts by bumping the base price before a sale. Valve made the change in order to comply with the ominously named "Omnibus Directive", which applies to all online stores.

Steam already enforces limits on manipulating prices around sales, but it's nice that some people get to have a little extra peace of mind.

Read more


Twinfinite Monday, June 5, 2023 4:30 PM
     So this is how the other half lives.

Siliconera Monday, June 5, 2023 5:00 PM
    

There's a new Diablo IV patch, as well as patch notes going over what to expect. As well as working on general stability and crashes, the recent changes for also focused on balancing the power of player classes. Blizzard explained that 1.0.2d focuses on buffing underperforming builds, making the Paragon Glyphs less powerful, and curtailing certain builds that were powerful enough to "warp" the vision for combat in Diablo IV. Another update, patch 1.0.2e, also fixed some stuttering and language issues for PC users.

[embed]https://twitter.com/Diablo/status/1665381043199696896?s=20[/embed]

One of the single biggest changes in the patch is the reduction in the power of Paragon Glyphs by ~34% across the board, with a few specific Glyph bonuses like Critical Strike and vulnerability receiving up to a ~66% reduction. Paragon Glyphs are items that begin to drop after reaching the maximum level cap of 50 and unlocking the Paragon Board, an extra progression system for endgame much like Diablo III's Paragon Levels system. The Glyphs are equipped into slots in the Paragon Board and enhance the bonuses provided. Blizzard clearly thought they were doing a little too much enhancing and toned them down quite significantly.

Other changes include a reduction in Lucky Hit chance for the Druid and Sorcerer, an increase in damage for the Necromancer's spells and minions, and the Barbarian received several limitations on the power of the Whirlwind enhancing Gohrs' Devastating Grips legendary aspect.

Diablo IV is immediately available on Playstation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X/S, and PC, and Patch 1.0.2d is available to download for all platforms.

The post Diablo IV Patch Reduces Survivability and Glyph Effectiveness appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 5, 2023 4:00 PM
    

Hayate the Combat Butler Perfect Edition

A Perfect Edition series of Hayate the Combat Butler will start coming out from June 16, 2023 in Japan. It is open for pre-order, as either a digital copy or a physical one, via Shogakukan's website. It'll cost 1980 JPY (around $14.20) and have 416 pages. In total, there will be 27 volumes of Hayate the Combat Butler Perfect Edition. [Thanks, Manga Mogura RE!]

All volumes of the Perfect Edition will have new covers. New extras include a new 16-page omake manga, two special cards, restored color pages from serialization, and a 26-page gallery section. There were 52 volumes in the manga's original run. So it seems that the Perfect Edition will combine tankobon together into a single book.

Since the manga's conclusion in 2017, there are over twenty million copies of Hayate the Combat Butler in circulation. The manga started in 2004. That means that it's been almost twenty years since it began to appear in Weekly Shonen Sunday. Hayate the Combat butler is a gag manga about the titular Hayate, who works as a butler for rich little girl Nagi Sanzenin as the result of a misunderstanding. In Weekly Shonen Sunday's Heroine Grand Prix poll in 2023, some people voted for Nagi and Hinagiku, putting them in the Top 30 of the list.

Volume 1 of Hayate the Combat Butler Perfect Edition will be available in Japan from June 16, 2023. Since Viz has not yet finished translating the original manga series, it's unknown when the Western reader base will see an official localization for the Perfect Edition.

The post Hayate the Combat Butler Perfect Edition Will Have 27 Volumes appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 5, 2023 3:00 PM
    

Fuga Melodies of Steel 2

Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 once again offers precise, challenging tactical combat and an endless barrage of emotional gut-punches. The child protagonists of the first game may have found peace at the end of their first journey, but cruel events lead them back to yet another monstrous tank they can use to battle some new enemies. As you guide them in that fight, you'll have to weigh every decision with care once more. A single misstep can still mean ruin. Maybe not at first, and maybe not until the very end of the game, but your every single action is vital if you want to help these children survive yet another ruthless war.

The children who survived the relentless battles of the first Fuga have been called to help with an investigation of the battle tank they used throughout the first game, the Taranis. This goes as poorly as possible when several of the group of friends get trapped inside the Taranis as it goes haywire. The remaining playable characters hop in the Tarascus, the enemy tank from the last game, and give chase. This leads them through a conflict that will be fraught with danger and loss, once more asking how much these children can take.

It'll likely leave you wondering how much you can endure, too, as you battle cunning enemies in your tank. Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 has a turn-based combat system where you'll be running three separate firearms on the tank. Each gun can be piloted by up to two children, with the first kid dictating the weapon type and the second adding some sort of useful bonus. It feels exactly the same as the first game, but with some tweaks to the abilities and powers of each position that make things a little bit easier. Well, a teensy tiny bit easier.

Before I get into that, I want to talk about the general flow of combat. You have three types of firearms: cannons, grenade launchers, and machine guns. These are ordered from least accurate/highest damage to most accurate/lowest damage. Not only this, but they are color-coded, as you can delay an enemy unit's turn by shooting it with the right-colored weapon. Slowing enemy turns is crucial as you can get ripped to shreds with only a handful of mistakes, so paying attention to the color weaknesses is integral to getting anywhere.

[caption id="attachment_964907" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Fuga Melodies of Steel 2 Screenshot by Siliconera[/caption]

With combat being as hard as it is, it's nice to have some new helpful elements. One of those came from the Judgment System in Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2. This ties into a narrative mechanic where decisions you make throughout the game will unlock abilities in combat. You can choose between Empathy or Resolution in the various decisions you make throughout the game's story, and these will reflect in certain plot moments automatically later on. They're not good or bad decisions, but more reflective of being focused and cold versus showing a strong sense of kindness and compassion. At any rate, these unlock abilities that will randomly make you take extra turns, make enemies miss, and more. Which ones you get depend on the kind of person you are throughout the game.

The game also has a Hero Mode where characters will unlock temporary special powers that last five turns. These are incredible, letting you blow through enemy armor (some enemies have armor stacks you normally have to use special powers to eliminate one by one, but this removes armor in one shot), double heal, get free attacks after using skill powers, and more. These powers become available based on each kid's mood, which you can improve during intermission moments between battles, and can also increase during the fight itself. They really feel like they turn the tide, and it adds so much excitement to a fight when the ability activates right when you need it. Better be sure you treat the kids well between battles.

Intermissions happen while you move through the various maps in the game. As you explore the world, you'll move through simple maps that have a variety of nodes. These contain battles against unknown foes (these indicate how many fights you need to survive, just not the combatants involved), healing points, items for pickup, story beats, and intermissions. During intermissions, you can carry out tasks around your tank that improve its capabilities, but you can also make the various child protagonists talk with one another. If you do certain things during these Intermissions, you will improve a given child's mood, which makes it more likely they'll activate hero mode over the next few battles.

This might sound like war is exhilarating for these kids, but it's not. Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 can also see the children become Depressed, which takes away their ability to use special attacks until they've been spoken with during intermission scenes between fights. This can cause a huge disadvantage, and this comes from regular damage and being wounded in combat. It adds some fear to taking a hit, as you might lose more than just your health if you take a few good shots in a row. As if these fights needed any more stress for your child combatants.

[caption id="attachment_964912" align="alignnone" width="1200"]fuga melodies of steel 2 Screenshot by Siliconera[/caption]

If you played the original game, you may remember you always had a trump card: the Soul Cannon. In a game where all of your characters were young children, you could permanently kill one of them to wipe out an enemy force and win the fight. It was extremely powerful, but as children are your gunners and combatants, it comes with a high price. That and, well, you're killing a child to use the weapon, creating a staggering emotional cost to using the weapon. I was utterly incapable of using this weapon myself, but it was always there to give you that last resort if you desperately needed it.

Well, maybe that weighed on you a bit too much. As such, Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 gives you the Managarm instead. If you fire this cannon, it will deal huge damage to your enemies, but you won't gain any experience points from the fight. Also, this cannon simply incapacitates the child you load into it, and incapacitated kids can be healed during the next intermission. You might have to play through several fights in a row before you can heal this status, so it's still a tall price. Plus, if you're not gaining experience, then your crew is that much weaker for the next fight. You really want them constantly gaining levels, getting stronger, and improving their abilities. You'll want to avoid this weapon if you can.

But can you avoid it? While I found this game a bit easier than the previous one, that isn't saying it's that much easier. Your enemies have many highly damaging abilities. If you're not constantly delaying their turns and taking them out, you can get wiped out fast. I found I would be coasting along and feeling like a genius commander, but one or two bad calls would see my health getting chewed apart. Kids would be getting injured and taken out of the fight. If you like demanding strategic combat, this game has that.

Also, if you start to screw up really bad, the Soul Cannon is still there. This time, though, it arms itself without your input. If your health gets below a certain threshold in Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2, a child will be chosen at random and loaded into the Soul Cannon. If you don't want them to die, you HAVE to finish the fight in a set number of turns before it fires. You'll win the fight, but at the permanent cost of a character if it goes off.

[caption id="attachment_964913" align="alignnone" width="1200"]fuga melodies of steel 2 Screenshot by Siliconera[/caption]

This weapon made me sick to my stomach in the first game, so I chose not to use it. Here it will be forced on you. A random child will be picked. Now, simply getting to low health is cause for alarm, as the game will just kill one of your kids and MAKE you use it if you do poorly. Watching the icon randomly selecting from your crew of kids is genuinely heartbreaking to watch, and gives you an incredible drive to keep the weapon from firing. Even so, your stomach will be churning as you watch that countdown. It's so unbelievably stressful during these moments, and as enemies get tougher, it starts to happen a lot.

I'm not just being soft-hearted because they're children, though. Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 puts a focus on character connections with its story, really delving into what the various kids mean to each other. During intermission moments, you can have the kids talk with one another. You can choose which kids talk to what ones, slowly building bonds between them. These unlock valuable combat abilities like Hero Mode, as well as gaining experience to gain levels and get new powers , so even if you don't care for the story, you'll want to do this. If you DO care, though, you'll find yourself getting to know and love these kids.

Their innocent talks, private confessions, stolen moments of fun, and tearful conversations will create a powerful connection between you and the cast. The game really dives into the complex feelings these children would be going through in wartime, and continues to dive deep into their feelings around the upsetting storyline for this game. It feels touching and believable to sit in on these conversations, and makes you feel connected to the kids' survival. Which makes the Soul Cannon that much more sinister when it comes into play. You really don't want to see these children get harmed.

The artwork, like the first game, strengthens that bond between you and the cast. The game features a cute art style that makes the kids feel really endearing. Their world seems so cheery and bright, and you feel like it's your duty to make the world a better place for your protagonists. However, that art style can also be a real gut punch. After a loss in battle, various visual effects will cover the normally-happy scenes and images of the characters. Dead children will be scratched out of cutscenes, providing a constant, brutal reminder of your failure.

[caption id="attachment_964920" align="alignnone" width="1200"]fuga melodies of steel 2 Screenshot by Siliconera[/caption]

You can try to take your mind off things with some of the other new elements in Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2. You can go on dungeon expeditions to delve into puzzle-like catacombs that contain valuable stuff. Being able to gather these items will be vital to keeping yourself fueled and armed, which goes a long way in keeping everyone alive. You can also try harder to make the kids happy with the in-game notebook that pops up during intermissions between fights. This notebook tells you things you can do for the kids to make them happy, which helps them in combat and just feels good to do given the circumstances. These make huge strides to unlocking the various Hero Modes, so be sure to do what you can to get your kids smiling.

Keeping folks happy isn't easy, though, as you only have a limited number of things you can do in an intermission. You have twenty points to spend during an intermission. Talking costs a point per chat, typically, and it takes several talks to improve the bond between a single character set. Also, upgrading your tank has to be done during these sequences. Healing Depression has to be done here. Feeding the gang for bonuses is done during intermission. You gain materials at these times. There's a lot to do and never enough time to do it.

Even your downtime needs you to make smart decisions in Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2. This is what I meant when I said that you always had to be making good calls. If you screw up in combat, people will die. If you waste time during intermissions, though, you might not be strong enough or have bonded with the right characters. You can still hamstring your mission just from who you decide to talk with, or by not doing some seemingly-unimportant task. It's wild that so much stuff can tie in to how well you do over the course of the game.

[caption id="attachment_964919" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Screenshot by Siliconera Screenshot by Siliconera[/caption]

While there weren't many great changes to the formula, the game feels like it is honing its core elements to perfection. The challenge is still great, but with some additional details that tie the story and your decisions in battle even further with the Judgment System. Hero Mode can really turn things around in a fight. The Managarm means I won't be choosing to KILL CHILDREN, but the automatic Soul Cannon still keeps that pressure up as lives are permanently on the line.

That said, I feel like you won't quite get as much out of this game if you haven't played the original. This title does a fantastic job of connecting you with the kids, don't get me wrong. That bond will just be a bit stronger if you played the first game. This one doesn't do a great job of summing up the original, either, but it's the bonds with the kids that are important. Talking with them and going through their stories is how the first game really affects you, and I don't feel you can get that sensation from a summary. If you only play this game you'll still form a tight bond with your kids, but it is definitely better if you play the first game beforehand.

Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 is an impressive achievement, building in some nice new elements on top of the solid foundation set by the first game. It only makes some minor tweaks, but these add some fun new elements, useful tools, and great tension, all while letting you deepen your bond with this lovable crew. Just prepare to have your heart broken unless you're an incredible tactician.

Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 is available now on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

The post Review: Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 Offers New Challenges & Heartaches appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 5, 2023 2:30 PM
    

Final Fantasy XVI Clive FFXVI

Square Enix uploaded a new short teaser focusing on Clive Rosfield, who'll be the protagonist of FFXVI. At just a little over fifteen seconds long, it shows Clive as a teen, as well as a young adult. It also shows a bit of the Ifrit tragedy that'll start his journey for revenge.

You can watch the Clive trailer for FFXVI here:

https://twitter.com/FF16_JP/status/1665659731346853890?t=fziUK36YbmXk-azNpxcSJw&s=19

Clive is the first prince of Rosaria, as well as the eldest son of the Rosfield family. However, he didn't awaken to his powers as Phoenix's Dominant, and so his younger Joshua took on the role. After a certain incident involving the dark Eikon, Ifrit, Clive swears revenge on him and chases after him.

In English, Ben Starr voices Clive in FFXVI for the entire time. Starr previously voiced Sharp in Arknights, as well as played Dr. Christopher Priestly in the live-action show Jamestown. Japanese Clive has two voice actors; he has one for his teen self and one for his young adult self. Yuma Uchida (Kaveh from Genshin Impact and Megumi from Jujutsu Kaisen) voices the younger version of Clive. Meanwhile, Yuya Uchida (Stein in Soul Eater and Hanbei in Nioh 2) voices the older one. There is no blood relation between the two Uchidas.

Final Fantasy XVI will come out for the PS5 on June 22, 2023. There will be a six-month exclusivity period.

The post FFXVI Clive Teaser Focuses on His Revenge appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 5, 2023 2:05 PM
    

Death Stranding Director's Cut Mac Version Announced at WWDC23

At Apple's WWDC 2023 presentation on June 5, 2023, Hideo Kojima appeared to announce the Death Stranding: Director's Cut Mac port. After the game porting technology Apple is working on was announced, the head of Kojima Productions appeared with his reveal. There's no release date yet for it beyond the latter half of 2023, however. Kojima also stated, "This is just the beginning, and we are actively working to bring our future titles to Apple platforms."

Here's a screenshot showing Kojima committing to future games, perhaps like Death Stranding 2, also coming to Mac like Death Stranding: Director's Cut.
[caption id="attachment_966634" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Death Stranding Director's Cut Mac Version Announced at WWDC23 Image via Apple[/caption]

When discussing the port of his game for the Mac, Kojima also talked about some of the technology that will be used. He referenced Apple silicon and Metal 3, and specifically mentioned how they used MetalFX Upscaling.

As a reminder, Death Stranding debuted on the PS4 in 2019. PC and PS5 versions followed in 2021, with the Director's Cut adding new content. There's new equipment for Sam and new actions he can take while fighting. There's also a roadster car to drive, either while traveling or on the new race track, and it added a Ruined Factory location.

Death Stranding is available for the PS4, PS5, and PC, and the Director's Cut will come to the Mac later in 2023.

The post Death Stranding Director's Cut Mac Version Announced at WWDC23 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 5, 2023 2:00 PM
    

Eyeshield 21 one-shot

Yusuke Murata, the artist for Eyeshield 21, uploaded an in-progress trailer for an upcoming special Eyeshield 21 one-shot. There is no information on when to expect the one-shot, which is called Brain x Brave. However, it is going to be for the 21st anniversary of the series.

You can watch the trailer for the Eyeshield 21 one-shot here:

https://twitter.com/NEBU_KURO/status/1665705036268331011?t=Pr8JDG1A2oTQevAIOqxfgA&s=19

As of the time of writing, Murata uploaded the trailer three hours ago. However, it already accumulated over 5.9 million views. The trailer does not have any music, sound effects, or voice lines in it yet. It's unclear if it will bring back voice actors who appeared in the anime for this trailer. Murata was the director of the trailer, working with eight animators from Village Studio and Kome Studio.

Eyeshield 21 is a Japanese manga that originally ran from 2002 to 2009. Riichiro Inagaki wrote the stor and Yusuke Murata (who would later go on to illustrate for the Weekly Young Jump version of One Punch Man) was the illustrator. A TV series for it ran from 2005 to 2008 with 145 episodes in total. Eyeshield 21 follows the story of Sena Kobayakawa, who is a quiet introvert working as the secretary for an American football club. However, quarterback Yoichi Himura forces him to become the team's running back. His number is 21 and he wears an eyeshield to remain anonymous, hence the title Eyeshield 21.

The Eyeshield 21 21st anniversary one-shot is in production and more information on it will come out in the future.

The post Eyeshield 21 21st Anniversary One-Shot in Development appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 5, 2023 1:30 PM
    

1.1 Honkai: Star Rail Pre-Download Available, Maintenance Compensation Detailed

Ahead of the official release of version 1.1 of Honkai: Star Rail, Trailblazers can pre-download the game onto their PC or mobile devices. This comes ahead of the June 7, 2023 debut of the update. HoYoVerse also revealed what compensation Honkai: Star Rail players can expect after the five-hour maintenance. As a reminder, the maintenance will take place starting at June 7, 2023 at 3pm PT/6pm ET.

For starters, all players over Trailblaze Level 4 will get 300 Stellar Jades as compensation for the Honkai: Star Rail server maintenance. It should arrive in the mail after maintenance is over. It can only be claimed until July 7, 2023.

As for the Honkai: Star Rail pre-download, it should be available to pre-load from the game launcher. You'll need around 8 GB of space, so HoYoVerse recommends pre-downloading with Wi-Fi. If you're on mobile, you will still need to download a new client in order to play the version 1.1 update.

Version 1.1 will be the first major update for Honkai: Star Rail. It'll be the playable debuts of Silver Wolf and Luocha, with Silver Wolf in particular receiving the bulk of marketing attention since she'll be the first one out. There will also be a new event in Jarilo-VI, which will unlock a permanent museum feature. As well, players will be able to chat with their friends through the messaging system.

Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on PC and mobile devices. Version 1.1 will go live on June 7, 2023.

The post 1.1 Honkai: Star Rail Pre-Download Available, Maintenance Compensation Detailed appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 5, 2023 1:00 PM
    

Final Fantasy XI Refriender Twitter System Is Dead

People can now no longer use the ReFriender Twitter system to find people to play Final Fantasy XI with online. Square Enix took to Twitter to confirm the system is dead. It blamed changes with the way how the social media service works as to why it could no longer keep running. Essentially, it's now impossible for users and players to log in and register.

Here's the official announcement. The official website for the Final Fantasy XI ReFriender service also shut down and now displays a similar message.

Final Fantasy XI ReFriender appeared for Twitter users back in 2018. People would log in with their account, then explain details about your character's name, their portrait, and the Linkshell and World you are on. You could also say how long you'd been playing. You could then go through different profiles and say whether you did or didn't know them. If you said you did, than the other person would be notified and shown your details. You could then reconnect.

Final Fantasy XI is available for the PC. The MMORPG ended up getting two updates in May 2023.

The post Final Fantasy XI Twitter ReFriender System Is Dead appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 5, 2023 12:30 PM
    

Persona 4 sake

Nexus will collaborate with Atlus to release a sake based on Persona 4. Pre-orders are open via the Sake Tsunagi online shop. The sake is a junmai daiginjo, which is a traditional Japanese rice wine. It costs 4,500 JPY (around $32.15) per bottle, and Tsunagi will start sending them out from July 10, 2023. It does not seem to offer international shipping.

The Persona 4 sake bottle has a picture of Teddie on it. There is also a Konishi Liquor Store stamp on the bottle. This is a reference to the store of the same name in Persona 4. The name of the Persona 4 sake is "Junmai Daiginjo Yasoinaba." For reference, Yasoinaba is the name of the town that the protagonist moves to in the beginning of the game. The Yasoinaba has a bright, sweet, and fruity flavor that tastes best cold.

Persona 4 first came out in 2008 for the PS2. It follows the story of the unnamed protagonist, who moves to the boonies town of Yasoinaba for a year. A series of bizarre murders rock Yasoinaba at the same time. The protagonist and his friends discover that the murders are being committed using a mysterious TV World, which they can also enter. Nexus suggests that fans who spent their summers uncovering the murder mystery as students of Yasogami High School can relive their Yasoinaba days with this wine.

The Persona 4 sake is available for pre-order via Sake Tsunagi and will ship out from July 10, 2023 in Japan. Persona 4 appeared on the PS2, while Persona 4 Golden is on the PS4, Vita, Switch, Xbox One, and PC.

The post Persona 4 Sake Bottle Features Teddie appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 5, 2023 12:00 PM
    

Shiva Image via Square Enix Final Fantasy XVI Screenshots Show Eikons and Locations

Now that Final Fantasy XVI's debut is drawing nearer, Square Enix is showing and talking more about the game. Some of this involves more detailed looks at things players will see. For example, there are clearer, high quality peeks at different spots. This means now we can see more defined screenshots of both Final Fantasy XVI Eikons and locations.

First, here are the Eikons screenshots shared via the Final Fantasy XVI Twitter account. They look at every "summon" we know about. As a reminder, Joshua is the Dominant of Phoenix. Cid is the Dominant of Ramuh. Jill is the Dominant of Shiva. Benedikta is the Dominant of Garuda. Hugo is the Dominant of Titan. Dion is the Dominant of Bahamut. Barnabas is Dominant of Odin.
[gallery columns="4" ids="966579,966580,966581,966582,966583,966584,966585,966586" link="file"]

Square Enix's screenshots of Final Fantasy XVI locations is a bit more vague. It doesn't note where any of these places are. However, we can see some of the crystals in four of the images.

Final Fantasy XVI will be available on June 22, 2023 for the PlayStation 5. There is a six-month exclusivity period.

The post Final Fantasy XVI Screenshots Show Eikons and Locations appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 5, 2023 11:30 AM
    

Halsey and BTS' Suga's Diablo IV

People can now see the Halsey and Suga Diablo IV "Lilith" music video. The official video for the song released on the official launch day for the game. (Early access started last week.) It's also available to listen to via services like Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, and Spotify.

Here's the full "Lilith (Diablo IV Anthem)" music video from Halsey and Suga. There's no gameplay footage used. Instead, it focuses on the two performers as the song plays. It does seem to depict Halsey as a sort of character from the game facing various challenges.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PdH-zavwO4&ab_channel=HalseyVEVO

Halsey actually performed "Lilith" from Diablo IV at The Game Awards 2022. That performance only included them, however. Suga wasn't present for that version of the song. In case you missed that, here's how that looked:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilyN638DKx8&ab_channel=thegameawards

BTS music ended up tied to games before. People may have heard its tracks tied to games like Fortnite, Beat Saber, and various rhythm games. It also ended up with a Maple Story collaboration.

Diablo IV is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. The game entered early access last week, so a number of people have already been playing the game all weekend.

The post Halsey and BTS' Suga's Diablo IV 'Lilith' Song's Music Video Released appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 5, 2023 11:00 AM
    

NieR Reincarnation Final Fantasy XIV Event Returns With Black Mage, Red Mage, and Samurai

The NieR Reincarnation Final Fantasy XIV event will be back, and three characters will appear as a Black Mage, Red Mage, and Samurai. Saryu, Lars, and Yudil are getting the new look. They will appear alongside the three returning alts on June 9, 2023. A trailer also appeared to showcase the new looks for existing characters, but it's only available on the Japanese account now.

Here's the trailer revealing Black Mage Saryu, Red Mage Lars, and Samurai Yudil.

The English account for the game did announce the countdown missions leading up to the crossover, however.

As a reminder, this event first appeared in May and June 2022. When it did, it brought a scenario based on the MMORPG to the game. It also meant Dark Knight 063y, Dragoon Noelle, and White Mage Rion joined the cast as alts.

NieR Reincarnation is available for mobile devices, while Final Fantasy XIV is on the PS4, PS5, and PC.

The post NieR Reincarnation Final Fantasy XIV Event Returns with Black Mage, Red Mage, and Samurai appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 5, 2023 10:30 AM
    

Honkai: Star Rail Silver Wolf You Got Hacked Twitter Event Starts

Another Honkai: Star Rail Twitter event kicked off, this time focused on Silver Wolf. It's called "You Got Hacked." If you log-in via the event page and enable it, it will count someone toward the reward goals. There are four tiers of rewards. However, the site doesn't note if only participants will get the in-game items, or if they will be doled out to everyone if hallmarks are hit.

Here are all of the items you can earn in the Honkai: Star Rail "You Got Hacked" Silver Wolf Twitter event. The on-site bar doesn't note how many people signed up yet, so we can't track and see what might be doled out.

  • 5,000 - 5,000 Credits
  • 10,000 - 3 Adventure Logs
  • 30,000 - 2 Dust of Alacrity items
  • 50,000 - 30 Stellar Jades

Given this is another Honkai: Star Rail Twitter web event, it may be wise to follow the same recommended precautions as the first one. A launch countdown event premiered that involved character designs and wallpapers. HoYoVerse recommended backing up icons and the bio details, just in case. The site for this event reiterates many of those same concerns, while also noting people who subscribe to Twitter Blue won't be able to change back for a while.

Honkai: Star Rail is available for the PC and mobile devices, and the Silver Wolf banner will appear when 1.1 launches on June 7, 2023.

The post Honkai: Star Rail Silver Wolf You Got Hacked Twitter Event Starts appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, June 5, 2023 10:00 AM
    

Pxl Final Fantasy XVI Eikon Elixir Energy Drink Announced

Once again, there will be a tie-in drink with a Final Fantasy game. There will be a Pxl Final Fantasy XVI Eikon Elixir energy drink. The official press release noted it will be sold in Sweden starting on June 21, 2023. Apparently a single can will be 20kr, while The Pxl Shop is selling a case of 24 for 449kr.

Apparently, the Pxl Final Fantasy XVI Eikon Elixir energy drink will taste like blueberry and raspberry. It will feature B6, caffeine, magnesium, and zinc. The can features both Clive and Ifrit on it. Also, there will be a QR code on the back that can be scanned to be directed to the upcoming demo.

Here's a closer look at the can, as well as the in-store marketing that will feature Clive and Joshua.
[gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="966567,966566" link="file"]

This is an incredibly common kind of tie-in for a Final Fantasy game. For example, Jones Soda did something similar for Final Fantasy XV. There was a Wiz's Energizing Elixir sold at launch. (It was basically orange soda.) There are also such things in Japan. Suntory sold a Final Fantasy VII: 10th Anniversary Potion.

Final Fantasy XVI will come to the PlayStation 5 on June 22, 2023. There is a six-month exclusivity period. The Pxl Final Fantasy XVI Eikon Elixir energy drink will show up in stores in Sweden on June 21, 2023.

The post Pxl Final Fantasy XVI Eikon Elixir Energy Drink Announced appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, June 5, 2023 5:46 PM
     Totk How To Beat Yunobo Character Closeup With MaskThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom features a variety of boss battles. Usually, an enemy's weak point is made obvious, but sometimes that's not the case. Then you have to figure out what you might be missing. Here is our guide explaining how to beat Yunobo in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Tears of the Kingdom – how to beat Yunobo Yunobo is a Goron living in Goron City. He has a good head for business. The other Gorons think highly of him, but lately he hasn't been himself. The sudden change in personality leads to a confrontation that you must resolve early in the Yunobo of Goron City main quest. To beat Yunobo, you have to break his mask into pieces. Once you destroy the mask, it will fall away and the battle concludes. Screenshot by PC Invasion Your fight with Yunobo takes place in a cave. Yunobo begins the battle in typical Goron fashion: by rolling into an armored ball. He then launches toward you at high s...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, June 5, 2023 5:30 PM
     Tears Of The Kingdom Savage Lynel Bow Five Shot BurstIn The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, you will inevitably find some form of multi-shot bow during your travels. Not only can these bows fire off multiple arrows at a time, as the name suggests, but it also happens to do so at the cost of only one arrow from your inventory. Needless to say, these serve as some of the most powerful bows in the game. But although most multi-shot bows fire two or three arrows, there exists an even stronger variant that can let five arrows loose at once. This guide will cover how you can get your hands on this bow in Tears of the Kingdom. Finding a five-shot bow in Tears of the Kingdom Whichever method you choose, finding a five-shot bow will require a bit of luck. The most conventional method for obtaining this weapon involves defeating one of the White-Maned or Silver Lynels dotted around Hyrule. Doing so will cause them to drop the Savage Lynel Bow, which usually comes in its standard three-shot variant. Every so often, however...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, June 5, 2023 5:16 PM
     Totk Forest Dwellers Sword Walton Atop Great Deku TreeIn The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, you'll explore every nook and cranny to find weapons, armor, shrines, and side quests. These pursuits are often connected in one way or another. Even a seemingly minor item could have a place of importance. Here is our guide telling you how to get the Forest Dweller's Sword in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Tears of the Kingdom – how to get the Forest Dweller's Sword The Forest Dweller's Sword is a not-terribly-impressive blade that lets you attach bursting materials and use them repeatedly. You need to find it as part of the Walton's Treasure Hunt side quest, which you receive from Walton after you clear the Trail of the Master Sword main quest. Once you help the Great Deku Tree as part of that main quest, Korok Village comes to life a bit. Make your way to the very top of the tree, where you find Walton. He proposes a treasure hunt wherein you must find the Forest Dweller...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, June 5, 2023 4:58 PM
     How To Use Aspects In Diablo 4 Featured ImageMaking a build in Diablo 4 isn't just about the skills, or your gear. While those are important, there are passives you can get which enhance the build. These come in the form of Aspects. These Aspects are useful, so no matter which class you're using, having at least one will make a world of difference. They can act as an element to tie your current build together, so it's a good idea to obtain them when you can. This guide will show you how to use Aspects in Diablo 4. Diablo 4: How to apply Aspects Every class uses Aspects, however, the majority of them are class specific. You can see which class the Aspect is for by looking at its card. Certain Aspects can buff certain effects, such as Overpowerd ones. To start, you'll need to unlock the Aspects by leveling up to 25 or find a Codex of Power. This can be done by completing any dungeon and is the fastest way to get Aspects, as opposed to leveling up. Aspects can be found in dungeons. Check the Collection tab to...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, June 5, 2023 4:40 PM
     Diablo 4 Blood Surge NecromancerCrowd Control is a debuff effect in Diablo 4 that can mean many things. Unlike Critical Strike Chance or Vulnerable, Crowd Control is an umbrella term used for many different status effects. So, if you've come across abilities or gear that give you a boost to damage against Crowd Controlled enemies, here is what Crowd Control is in diablo 4 and how to use it. Note: If you want to learn about other confusing effects in Diablo 4, check out our guide on Lucky Hit. Diablo 4: What is Crowd Control? Crowd Control in Diablo 4 is any enemy that has Slow, Immobilize, Stun, Knockback, Knockdown, Taunt, Fear, Tether, Daze, Chill, or Freeze. These are all the status effects that fall under the Crowd Control category — so whenever you see Crowd Control, it's talking about anybody, yourself, allies, or enemies, that are affected by one of these 11 bebuffs. Diablo 4: How to use Crowd Control Image: PC Invasion While you can effectively use the best Fr...

Gamer Empire Monday, June 5, 2023 5:12 PM
     Rust is a very hostile game where players will constantly do their best to ruin your experience. As you will get attacked by your neighbors every other day, you will need to learn how to properly raid their bases and start a proper turf war. The problem with raiding in Rust is that it can […]

Gamer Empire Monday, June 5, 2023 3:18 PM
     Rust is an incredibly hard survival game that new players will most likely be afraid of. As you spend more and more time trying to understand how everything works, you might get bored with the game. Since Rust is an amazing game once you understand some of the basic stuff, this beginner's guide will help […]

Tabletop Gaming News – TGN Monday, June 5, 2023 3:00 PM
     If you've ever wanted to play an Orc or Goblin in D&D and found most existing sourcebooks lacking, there's exciting news. RPCraft Publishing has just launched a Kickstarter campaign for "Book of Conflict: Brutal Races – Orcs & Goblinoids" for D&D 5e, a sourcebook to be reckoned with. Designed to give players an authentic and …

Tabletop Gaming News – TGN Monday, June 5, 2023 1:35 PM
     As summer heats up, Mantic Games is introducing a winter chill to the world of Kings of War with their latest update to the Northern Alliance units. The gaming company has been reworking their popular Northern Alliance tribal aesthetic units and winter warfare gameplay mechanics, and players can expect some cool new changes. The Pack …

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, June 5, 2023 1:38 PM
    

Details about the previously announced PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were not revealed.

The post The Valiant Launches July 11 For PS5 and Xbox Series X/S appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, June 5, 2023 1:25 PM
    

The 4-minute narrated trailer showcases several gameplay elements

The post Survival RPG Enshrouded Gets New Gameplay Trailer appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, June 5, 2023 1:13 PM
    

The developer states that the game will have multiplayer elements but will not have any Microtransactions

The post Phantom Blade Zero Will Be a Less Punishing Soulslike Without Microtransactions appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, June 5, 2023 12:47 PM
    

Persona leaker @regularpanties, also claims that the game is in fact real, and that it isn't a fighting game

The post 'Persona 5 T' and Persona 3 Remake "Will be Announced Soon" appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, June 5, 2023 12:26 PM
    

Additionally, the developers announced that the game will receive new updates

The post Dead Cells Sales Surpass 10 million Units Worldwide appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, June 5, 2023 12:08 PM
    

The publisher added a free in-game player profile title to celebrate the recent milestone

The post Street Fighter 6 Surpasses One Million Players in its First Three Days appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, June 5, 2023 11:53 AM
    

The video showcases the testing phase gameplay of the upcoming racing game.

The post The Crew Motorfest Gameplay Videos Have Seemingly Leaked appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


MonsterVine Monday, June 5, 2023 12:01 PM
     A proper Starship Troopers game that captures the chaotic energy of the original film is something I've been waiting for, for a while now and Starship Troopers: Extermination seems to be the exact thing fans of the film series have been eagerly hungering for. Taking place on the mining planet of Valaka, Starship Troopers: Extermination […]

Level Up Monday, June 5, 2023 11:25 AM
     For my money, one of the most interesting aspects of a game's creation is the…

Level Up Monday, June 5, 2023 10:27 AM
     You don't need to play 2020's Final Fantasy VII Remake to enjoy its sequel, Final…