Oct 29, 16:00


PCGamesN Sunday, October 29, 2023 1:54 PM
     Baldur's Gate 3's most essential tool gets a much-needed upgrade

The Baldur's Gate 3 menus are pretty good for the most part, but with so many options at your fingertips with every turn and each roll of the dice, it can be easy to get a little overwhelmed. Fortunately, help is at hand courtesy of a new Baldur's Gate 3 mod that will slot nicely into any rotation, giving your contextual menu a welcome spruce up, and helping you navigate it more quickly as a nice little bonus. If you're still playing Larian Studio's Dungeons and Dragons epic, you'll definitely want to snag this handy addition.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Baldur's Gate 3 builds, BG3 mods, Baldur's Gate 3 classes

PCGamesN Sunday, October 29, 2023 1:10 PM
     Cyberpunk 2077's Night City just got more alive and dangerous

Cyberpunk 2077 is already a city bustling with opportunity and life, but what if a few small tweaks made the NPCs of the autonomous supercity even more immersive, even more lifelike? Well, this is exactly what a brand new Cyberpunk 2077 mod sets out to do, as it changes how gangs, police, and pedestrian NPCs interact with both you and the world around them, to give Night City a bit more of an edge.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty review, Best Cyberpunk 2077 mods, Buy Cyberpunk 2077

PCGamesN Sunday, October 29, 2023 12:56 PM
     Take a Diablo 4 break with these two fantastic 9/10 ARPGs for 75% off

While Diablo 4 has been finding its feet again of late, if you're feeling like a break then a Torchlight Steam sale is the perfect opportunity to get some distance from Blizzard's game and discover two of the best Diablo-style releases ever. With the first two games in the series, both boasting 9/10 Steam user ratings and outstanding examples of the genre in their own right, available for the price of a coffee, if you missed out on the Torchlight games back in the day then you won't want to skip this chance to check them out cheaply.


PCGamesN Sunday, October 29, 2023 11:57 AM
     Before FFXIV Dawntrail, these are the quests Yoshi-P wants you to play

With FFXIV Dawntrail closing in, you might be wondering which side missions you should take on during the time between Final Fantasy 14's recent patch 6.5, Growing Light, and the arrival of the new expansion in summer 2024. There's a lot to choose from, and we at PCGamesN were pondering what the best optional content to do before Dawntrail might be. So, at a press conference during FFXIV Fanfest London 2023, I put the question to the top dog himself - game director Naoki 'Yoshi-P' Yoshida.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best MMOs, FFXIV Island Sanctuary guide, FFXIV Island Sanctuary animals list

PCGamesN Sunday, October 29, 2023 11:13 AM
     Six new free Steam games and demos you need to play right now

There are far too many free Steam games and demos for you to play them all, never mind sift through them and find the cream of the crop. With new free downloads added to Steam every day, I've taken a look at some of the recent additions in the form of demos and free-to-play games you need to try.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Steam FAQ, Steam family sharing, Steam in-home streaming

PCGamesN Sunday, October 29, 2023 9:03 AM
     FFXIV Dawntrail release date window, trailers, jobs, story, and more

When is the FFXIV Dawntrail release date? FFXIV 7.0 will be the fifth major expansion for Final Fantasy XIV since its A Realm Reborn relaunch. The critically acclaimed MMORPG delivers one of the most richly designed worlds to explore, telling finely crafted, character-led stories that can bring you to joy or devastation. While it's great with friends or other players online, FFXIV can be played entirely solo as well, letting you enjoy it however you like.

FFXIV Dawntrail is the upcoming expansion for the hugely successful MMORPG developed by Square Enix. Unlike most of the other entries in the Final Fantasy series, which are predominantly single-player RPG gamesFFXIV is an online multiplayer world frequented by millions of players, and has been growing ever since its launch in 2013. Here's a first look at Dawntrail, including everything we know about the setting and story, as well as the new jobs, graphics update, and the FFXIV Dawntrail release date.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best MMOs, FFXIV Island Sanctuary guide, FFXIV Island Sanctuary animals list

PCGamesN Sunday, October 29, 2023 8:45 AM
     Exoprimal on Game Pass gives Capcom a large income boost

Exoprimal is quite the weird beast. The mecha dinosaur game from the makers of Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and Monster Hunter always seemed like a slightly tough sell, only for players to discover upon launch that it had a whole hidden second aspect behind the PvP multiplayer mode that was presented as its bread and butter. Yet despite a languishing Steam player count, Capcom reports that the addition of Exoprimal to Microsoft's Xbox and PC Game Pass service offered them a 'large increase in digital revenue' for the quarter.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Exoprimal review, Exoprimal system requirements, Best dinosaur games

PCGamesN Sunday, October 29, 2023 8:04 AM
     The Finals widens server capacity as player count soars

The Finals is still blowing up on Steam, as the free open beta for the destructible-environment game show FPS from former Battlefield developers shows a lot of promise in the already overcrowded shooter space. More improvements have also come to the game, as Embark Studios sees another player count record on Steam and announces that you should find the game smoother than before.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The Finals settings, The Finals servers, The Finals classes

Twinfinite Sunday, October 29, 2023 1:28 PM
    
We may not get to play Spider-Man 2 but we can have the next best thing!

Twinfinite Sunday, October 29, 2023 12:00 PM
    
Gotta carve 'em all!

Twinfinite Sunday, October 29, 2023 9:54 AM
    
Finally, we get to use the Sparrows we want!

Siliconera Sunday, October 29, 2023 3:00 PM
    

Which Horror Game Do You Play Every Halloween?

For many game enthusiasts, the Halloween holiday has taken on a new meaning in their adult years. Instead of going door-to-door to trick-or-treat, it's now the perfect time to snuggle up under a blanket to play their favorite horror-themed video games. From Resident Evil to Dead by Daylight, the gaming industry now has decades of creepy titles that keep players up at night. Here are our favorite horror games that we like to play during Halloween.

I wouldn't say it is every Halloween, but I'm far more likely to play a Fatal Frame game this time of year. Especially during daylight hours, when I'm trying to pass the time and want to do something vaguely spooky.

But when it comes to what I'll play later in the evening, odds are it's a mobile game. While I'm waiting for trick-or-treaters, I'll often fire up something fast like Fire Emblem Heroes or Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia to tie up some loose ends between doling out treats. -- Jenni

While a cliche answer, I find myself always going back to Resident Evil 4. I mean, it's a classic for a reason, right? While not the most terrifying game ever made, its creepy rural village setting always sets the mood perfectly for the Halloween season. With the incredible Resident Evil 4 Remake releasing in 2023, the classic game has also never looked or played better. I just wish Capcom would also consider re-making the Parasite Eve games because those would definitely be my Halloween picks if they existed.

Finally, I wanted to give a shout out to the recently released Alan Wake 2. The long-awaited sequel from Remedy Games is already gearing up to be a modern-day classic. It's also surprisingly terrifying and packed with some seriously chilling scenes that are nightmare-fuel. I recommend the mind-bending game to anyone who is a fan of Inception, Twin Peaks, or the first season of HBO's True Detective -- Brent

It's not a horror game, but I'll play the first Kingdom Hearts game so I can play through Halloween Town from Nightmare Before Christmas. I love the ghost Heartless designs and having Jack Skellington in my party. Is it spooky? No. Is it Halloween to me? Yes. -- Arielle

I don't think I've ever made the conscious decision to play a spooky game around Halloween, but I know that this year I will be replaying Signalis. Not only because the developers recently announced the release of their promised inventory update on PC but because Signalis is a captivating and haunting tale of love, isolation, and broken promises that I have been meaning to revisit since I first played it when it was released a year ago. -- Daniel

The horror game I often go back to at this time of year is Dead by Daylight. I'm a scaredy cat so being able to run from iconic horror villains like Michael Myers alongside other players helps the atmosphere. In addition, while it isn't fully Halloween-themed, I started a new tradition last year with Dragon Ball: The Breakers, which has its tense and scary moments and (in my opinion) has the best Dead by Daylight-style gameplay. I've been playing a round or two of that several nights a week in October. -- Cody

I have to echo Jenni's choice here, mainly because Fatal Frame is my favorite horror series, so I'll usually replay something in the series around this time. Beyond that, I've also played the Little Nightmares games around this time of year. They're full of creepy imagery and atmosphere, of course, with a stop-motion feel to them, which adds to the uncanny nature of the series. But each game is also a nice short experience that's easy to work through in a single dark October evening. -- Leigh

The post Which Horror Game Do You Play Every Halloween? appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Sunday, October 29, 2023 9:00 AM
    

pokemon tcg the best paradox rift cards

Paradox Rift, the newest Pokemon Trading Card Game set, has a whole bunch of different kinds of cool. Do you like the look of the new Future and Ancient card frames? Or big Pokemon ex cards with strong attacks? Or hey, Pokemon #1000, Gholdengo, is in here too. But which are the best Paradox Rift cards? As always, it depends on your criteria.

The coolest Scarlet & Violet: Paradox Rift cards

First, let's talk through the things The Pokemon Company probably wants to be the coolest. Is it the Ancient and Future cards? It could be for some, but with a limited card set and a background that makes the cards themselves a bit less legible, it won't be for everyone.

Oh, or those Tera ex cards? Maybe. Since they're stuck running their original energy types and often evolving from their old-type predecessors, they don't offer quite the variety to gameplay that they could. (Also we've never been convinced that "shiny with a weird hat" was a particularly good look.)

So we're led, once again, to the usual answer: Illustration Rares. They're great and creative and we like 'em a lot more than normal cards. We want to run an ice cream shop with Vanillish, or drop a synchronized fleet of Minior from the sky, or smirk like the full-art Gholdengo while playing the full-art Gholdengo. Of course, if we're being honest, the coolest Paradox Rift card is Larry. Larry is the coolest character in Pokemon history.

pokemon tcg the best paradox rift cards
Photo by Siliconera

The most interesting Scarlet & Violet: Paradox Rift cards

We definitely get a chuckle out of Minior. Its ability means that you can play it on your bench, attach an energy, move it to the active spot and attack all in one fell swoop, doing what could be a heck of a lot of damage to a foe with a high retreat cost. With a little more health or potential for damage, it could be fun?

And speaking of more health: Luxurious Cape turns a one-prize creature into a two-prize creature with 100 more HP. There aren't a lot of Pokemon that would do well with that (though we have an eye on the new Scream Tail), but it's a fascinating concept.

The most meta-relevant Scarlet & Violet: Paradox Rift cards

The Paradox Rift set adds a wealth of early-game utility options. In addition to the new energy ramp legendaries like Chi-Yu and Ting-Lu, the new Bombirdier ex can really get you rolling early. Its Fast Carrier attack requires that you go first to use on your first turn, but you can use it later if needed. It searches for three Basics and puts them on your bench, which should largely get your whole strategy in place. You can also use its Shadowy Wind attack and return it to your hand, meaning you won't lose two prizes to a utility starter even if you can't retreat.

We talked about the Technical Machines in our set review, but if there's any one that feels like a meta standout, it's Turbo Energize. It lets you search for two energy cards and attach them to your bench, and energy acceleration is just always useful.

pokemon tcg the best paradox rift cards
Photo by Siliconera

The cutest Scarlet & Violet: Paradox Rift cards

This set does a good job of making cute cards out of Pokemon that some may not usually like. We're fond of the Illustration Rare version of Magby with its adorable little sneeze! And Miltank, usually an imposing or off-putting presence, is just chilling and smiling.

And honestly… maybe Trubbish? It's not exactly the cutest in concept, with it being a trash bag and all, but there's something incredibly relatable about this one just worn thin by the world. If you're looking for something more traditionally endearing, we suggest Tandemaus. They're psyched about opening a ramune bottle, and that's about as childlike as it gets.

look at these cute pokemon cards, it's magby and miltank and tandemaus and trubbish
Photo by Siliconera


The latest Pokemon Trading Card Game expansion set, Scarlet & Violet: Paradox Rift, launches November 3, 2023. For more Pokemon TCG coverage, including a full overview of the set, check out our archive.

The post Pokemon TCG: The Best Scarlet & Violet: Paradox Rift Cards appeared first on Siliconera.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Sunday, October 29, 2023 3:42 PM
    

Is seemingly a dual screen gaming device.

The post A Patent for a New Nintendo Gaming Device has Surfaced Online appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Sunday, October 29, 2023 3:00 PM
    

Players will soon be able to progress on multiple platform.

The post Apex Legends Season 19 Will Introduce Cross Progression appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.