May 27, 22:00


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Saturday, May 27, 2023 6:18 PM
    

Crowdfunding platform Fig will go offline on Sunday, May 28th, and all pages related to previously funded campaigns will disappear along with it. That means that creators who were continuing to use the platform to communicate and deliver rewards to backers are currently scrambling to transition to alternative methods, including the likes of Double Fine and Gearbox.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Saturday, May 27, 2023 5:41 PM
    

Sons Of The Forest is about crash-landing on a remote island described as a "cannibal-infested hellscape." If you've played the early access survival game and thought, "Hellscape? More like swellscape," then Patch 06 might be for you. Released yesterday, it adds a "first pass of hard survival" mode, alongside cooking improvements and the ability to craft custom effigies. Lovely.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Saturday, May 27, 2023 5:11 PM
    

Daedalic Entertainment have apologised for the "underwhelming experience" players are having with Lord Of The Rings: Gollum. In a statement shared on Twitter, the developers say they "deeply regret that the game did not meet the expectations we set for ourselves" and say they're working to address bugs and technical issues.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Saturday, May 27, 2023 4:51 PM
    

Nintendo have sent Valve a DMCA takedown notice related to the GameCube and Wii emulator Dolphin. Dolphin has been in development for nearly 20 years, but in March its developers announced their intention to bring the free emulator to Steam and opened a store page.

Dolphin's developers now say that the Steam release is "indefinitely postponed".

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Siliconera Saturday, May 27, 2023 3:00 PM
    

pokemon tcg best paldea evolved cards

The new Pokemon Trading Card Game set, Paldea Evolved, appeals to a lot of audiences. Long-time players! Collectors who never bothered to learn the rules! Iono fans! Whichever camp you're in, here are some standouts from the new expansion.

The coolest Paldea Evolved cards

Illustrator Rares continue to be very cool! Perhaps to the detriment of normal cards, the existence of which seem less and less justified over time. Maybe if they made more interesting illustration choices and fewer boring ones? Regardless, we're fans of the Arctibax line, with its bright colors and analog aesthetic. Commission more like these, will ya, Pokemon Company?

The same goes for the full-art Magikarp. Looking very cool goes a long way for a near-useless card like Magikarp, and it'll likely be the preferred option for people using it as a stepping stone to Gyarados. And cards like Gothorita? We've learned from past TCG sets that printing a lot of gems and sparks in foil looks very nice.

And honestly, cards overall are looking a bit cooler these days with the slick silver borders, introduced to the West in the previous set. Art decisions have long been made with them in mind since the Japanese borders were silver, so the consistency is settling in nicely over here.

The most interesting Paldea Evolved cards

It's common to see counters to new abilities in sets, but the new Spiritomb card counters an oldone. Locking down abilities of Pokemon V does shut down a few old combos, and leaves you fully open to implement your own strategies with Pokemon ex. It could be a good Lugia counter?

We're also seeing a new Mad Party-style attack, United Wings, which powers up if you get a lot of its users in the discard pile. We do think this one will need more than just three weak creatures to be that viable, but the utilitarian Flamigo will be a mainstay of United Wings decks once a heavy hitter or two is printed. Playing one to the bench lets you search for the other three and put them in your hand for easy discarding.

pokemon tcg best paldea evolved cards

The most meta-relevant Paldea Evolved cards

The recent transition in the Standard format wiped out a lot of key Special Energy cards, so the introduction of four new ones to the meta will attract some attention. Jet Energy lets you swap a benched creature in when you play it. Luminous Energy is a rainbow energy that becomes colorless if there's another special attached, and it could see play in decks that need specific splash colors on occasion. Therapeutic Energy heals special conditions, which aren't a huge thing in the format right now, but it could see play just as a precaution. The fourth, Reversal Energy, is definitely highly situational, so it likely won't be a common sight.

Competitive decks also tend to burn through their resources, so a card that encourages doing so intentionally could find some use! Veluza has a 120-damage Slim Screw attack that costs a hefty four energy, but drops to just one if your hand is empty. As a one-prize Basic, it's a low-commitment option.

The most meta-relevant Paldea Evolved card, though? That's probably the super-powered Chien-Pao ex.

The cutest Paldea Evolved cards

There are, of course, the sorts of species that are just innately cute, like the new Paldean Wooper! But we're looking for standout interpretations. One that's both is Pawmi, with a charming art style and a face full of wonder. We also like Combee's three faces. Two are smiling and one is surprised, which… really makes you think? Combee is three entities, not one with three faces. In a way, that's sort of off-putting, but in another? They always have company. That ain't nothing.

Illustrator rares also make an unsurprising presence in this category, headed up by Saguaro. He's washing his hands along with his Jigglypuff, while other cute pals look on. Each part of this is cute, and then you put it all together?

We're also suckers for telling a story through the art of an evolution line, and Fuecoco and its successors do just that. But Crocalor and Skeledirge ain't Fuecoco-level cute. We're Team Little Bud In Shopping Cart and that's just how it goes.

The Pokemon Trading Card Game Paldea Evolved expansion will release June 9, 2023. For more Pokemon TCG coverage, including our overview of the set, check out our archive.

The post Pokemon TCG: The Best Paldea Evolved Cards appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Saturday, May 27, 2023 8:38 PM
     Totk Black Hinox Extreme CloseupThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom boasts a number of powerful beasts. You don't even have to defeat some of them to see the end credits, and yet there they are. Here is our guide on how to find and beat Black Hinox in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Tears of the Kingdom – how to find and beat Black Hinox You'll encounter numerous varieties of Hinox in the game. The main difference between them is how hard they hit and how much damage they can take. The Black Hinox is at the top of the heap. To find and beat Black Hinox, prepare yourself by bringing powerful weapons. Then go to one of several places it appears in Hyrule and wake it from its slumber. The Black Hinox can withstand a lot of damage before it falls. It also deals a lot of pain. You don't want an extended fight, especially if you have a short life meter and mid-level armor (as I did). Screenshot by PC Invasion You'll find the Black Hinox in a few...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Saturday, May 27, 2023 7:15 PM
     Totk Black Horriblin Mount Dunsel Cave Hanging From CeilingIn The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, you'll venture into portions of Hyrule that didn't exist in Breath of the Wild. There is a sprawling network of caves, and their denizens take a dim view of your presence. This guide tells you how to find and beat Black Horriblins in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Tears of the Kingdom – how to find and beat Black Horriblins Black Horriblins are, as their name suggests, darker varieties of standard red and blue Horriblins. You find them in numerous caves throughout Hyrule. To find Black Horriblins, enter and explore some of the most treacherous caves and underground regions available. Likely spots include a few caves in Hyrule and the Gerudo Desert Depths. If you're having trouble finding caves, read up on how to find the Satori. That creature points the way to nearby entrances. Screenshot by PC Invasion You won't encounter many Black Horriblins in the game. The above map screenshot s...

Gamer Empire Saturday, May 27, 2023 3:32 PM
     Most RPG games have some sort of progression or achievement system that awards players for exploring, discovering, and completing various tasks and areas of the game. In Diablo 4, this system is called the Renown system, and you will quickly stumble upon it by playing the game, as you'll earn Renown points from time to […]

May 27, 14:00


PCGamesN Saturday, May 27, 2023 1:34 PM
     Anime Adventures codes May 2023

May 27, 2023: We added a new Anime Adventures code to our list.

Are you searching for new Anime Adventures codes? If you're just starting out trying to defend your base, you will want to summon the most powerful heroes and villains based on the most popular anime of all time, such as One Piece, My Hero Academia, and Dragon Ball, to stop the evil forces from storming your base. But, of course, some are more powerful than others, so if you want to get the most out of the game's gacha system, you'll want tons of codes.

Anime Adventures is a tower defense anime game built inside Roblox, and you can earn gems to summon units by grinding through levels and completing daily missions. Codes can help you get even more gems, which you can spend on getting the best units in the game. New codes are released with every update, so if you see the prompt for a new update, do check back to see if there are any that you've not redeemed yet. While you're here, you should know that we also keep lists of Blox Fruits codes, King Legacy codes, and All Star Tower Defense codes to get you more freebies.

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

PCGamesN Saturday, May 27, 2023 1:22 PM
     Shinobi Life 2 codes May 2023

May 27, 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.

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 Saturday, May 27, 2023 1:08 PM
     Honkai Star Rail codes and how to redeem May 2023

May 27, 2023: We added a new Honkai Star Rail code to our list from the 1.1 livestream.

What are the active Honkai Star Rail codes? If you're just starting your adventure through developer Hoyoverse's latest anime epic, you might be wondering if there are any codes for freebies to give you a headstart. Thankfully, Hoyoverse has delivered, and we've got the complete list of active Honkai Star Rail codes right here to prove it.

Honkai Star Rail codes are released periodically and typically appear in promotional livestreams ahead of major updates. These codes can net you some high-value currency, including Honkai Star Rail Stellar Jade, which you can use to pull the best characters from Honkai Star Rail banners. To save you time, we've collated all the latest HSR codes and how to redeem them in Honkai Star Rail, so be sure to check back regularly before they expire.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Honkai Star Rail review, Honkai Star Rail codes, Honkai Star Rail tier list

PCGamesN Saturday, May 27, 2023 12:47 PM
     2022's most joyful platformer hits its lowest price, so grab it quick

If you love the best platform games and haven't played Tinykin, you're missing out. The cutesy indie platformer is one of 2022's most joyous experiences and a perfect embodiment of a cozy game that's still packed with action. Tinykin takes the companion-commanding concept of Pikmin and makes a game that, for my money, tops even Nintendo's original series - and now, thanks to a Steam sale, it can be yours for its lowest price yet.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best platform games, Best indie games, Best management games

PCGamesN Saturday, May 27, 2023 12:44 PM
     Project Mugetsu codes May 2023

May 27, 2023: With the latest update being heavily teased, we checked for new Project Mugetsu codes.

Want all the new Project Mugetsu codes? The anime combat game has taken Roblox by storm as of late, meaning you're likely on the hunt for active PM codes that will give you the edge against your opponents in the heat of battle. The codes in our list down below serve up a nice variety of wonderful gifts, ranging from mastery and gold boosts to free spins and rerolls. It's important to redeem them as soon as they drop, as they won't remain active forever.

Creating a fresh character in the free PC game can be tough, and having to fight Hollow to level up can be a grindy process, so getting a bunch of gifts via PM codes as you begin your journey will make the Bleach-inspired Roblox anime brawler a much more enjoyable experience. If you're in need of extra freebies, be sure to check out our Anime Adventures codes, Blox Fruits codes, and All Star Tower Defense codes lists.

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

PCGamesN Saturday, May 27, 2023 12:02 PM
     Minecraft 1.20 update release date and features

Eager for the Minecraft 1.20 update release date? So are we. The next major content update was announced during Minecraft Live on October 15, 2022, and has now been given its official name: Trails and Tales, with the update focused on the Minecraft community and their stories. Ahead of the Trails and Tales update release date, Mojang Studios has now revealed all of the new and exciting features we can expect to see - and we've even been given hands-on access to all the new stuff in recent snapshots.

Minecraft remains one of the best PC games of the last decade, and keeps fans coming back with these annual updates. Based around the community, representation, and creativity, we know the next one will include new Minecraft skins as well as a new way to customise your fit with Minecraft armor trims. There's a new mob in the form of the Minecraft camel - as well as mob vote winner the Sniffer - and, yes, long since forgotten about, Minecraft archeology is happening. Here's everything coming when the Minecraft 1.20 Trails and Tales release date rides in.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods

PCGamesN Saturday, May 27, 2023 11:50 AM
     Sons of the Forest patch 6 makes everything harder, even your base

Sons of the Forest patch 6 is here, and everything's getting harder. At least, if you want it to. The latest Sons of the Forest update introduces the first implementation of a 'hard survival' difficulty for one of the best co-op games this year, but it also adds stone as a resource that can be gathered and used to create all manner of structures to help shore up your own defenses and build the best Sons of the Forest base.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Sons of the Forest system requirements, Sons of the Forest early access review, Best Sons of the Forest base locations

PCGamesN Saturday, May 27, 2023 10:29 AM
     The Diablo 4 hardcore race to 100 now has real stakes

The Diablo 4 hardcore race to 100 just got real. With no leaderboards planned at launch, it seemed like there'd be little more than a vague notion of accomplishment if you were one of the first Diablo 4 players to hit the milestone while playing in the permadeath mode for the demonic RPG game. However, Blizzard has now introduced real stakes, offering a special prize to the first players able to reach the Diablo 4 max level cap.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo 4 release date, Diablo 4 system requirements, Diablo 4 classes

PCGamesN Saturday, May 27, 2023 8:20 AM
     Minecraft's beloved Mineplex server is back from the dead

One of the biggest and most beloved Minecraft servers is back from the dead. Mineplex, home to many Minecraft players since 2013, has been resurrected by an Overwatch streamer and former pro player just weeks after the sudden announcement of its shutdown. Filled with Minecraft multiplayer maps and custom minigames, Mineplex had previously won a Guinness World Record for the most concurrent players on a single server in the sandbox game, but had since been eclipsed by other offerings and saw its playerbase decline slowly before suddenly shutting down.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods

PCGamesN Saturday, May 27, 2023 7:22 AM
     The Lord of the Rings Gollum devs

An official The Lord of the Rings Gollum apology has been shared by developer Daedalic Entertainment after the fantasy game received largely negative responses across the board. PCGamesN's own Lord of the Rings Gollum review found a thoroughly disappointing experience that fails to shape its good ideas into a fun or worthwhile experience, and it seems feedback has been similar elsewhere. The Lord of the Rings Gollum Steam reviews sit at 'mostly negative' and its Metacritic score is similarly dismal.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best fantasy games, Lord of the Rings Gollum review, Best RPG games

PCGamesN Saturday, May 27, 2023 6:30 AM
     Honkai Star Rail 1.1 gives free pulls to help you grab its newcomers

We now have a Honkai Star Rail 1.1 release date, along with full details of exactly what to expect from the Galactic Roaming update for the stylish anime game. There's plenty of great stuff in here, including a deep dive for the three new characters, but perhaps the most exciting news for Honkai Star Rail players is a generous handout of free Star Rail Special Passes to help grab your favorite character from the upcoming Honkai Star Rail banners.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Honkai Star Rail review, Honkai Star Rail codes, Honkai Star Rail tier list

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Saturday, May 27, 2023 11:45 AM
    

When my Sleeper escaped their ramshackle life on the fringes of Erlin's Eye at the end of last year, they left behind a lot of unfinished business. I had to stop short my efforts to help Bliss make a go of her repair bay business, and Tala was left to finish making her brand-new distillery on her own. Yatagan agent Rabiyah probably has my name on an employment blacklist, too, after I upped sticks without telling them, and the spores of mushroom algae I'd been cultivating for Riko over in Greenway were no doubt left to rot and moulder somewhere. Instead, I jacked that all in to smuggle myself, my engineering pal Lem and his tiny daughter Mina onto a ship headed for some far-flung star out in the void. The Sidereal ship wasn't going to wait. It was now or never.

Fortunately hitting an ending in Citizen Sleeper doesn't mean the end of your save. Booting it back up again for this month's RPS Game Club, I wanted to play out a different ending to my Sleeper's story. Turning my back on Lem and Mina still brought its own kind of sadness, admittedly, but I wanted to dig into the game's trio of free DLC episodes first and foremost, as that was another thing I never got time to start last year. I've only played through the first chapter, Flux, so far, but man alive, it was not an auspicious start for the refugee flotilla ship hoping to make a new life for themselves here. In fact, I don't think it could have gone any worse, such was the monumental failure of my collective dice rolls and decision making. But despite absolutely beefing it in Flux, I also came to realise an important lesson. It's okay to fail, and that failure can often make the consequences of your actions feel all the more poignant. Sure, it might not feel nice, and yes, I wish it could have gone better. But sometimes the odds really are stacked against you, and you've just got to roll with it.

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Siliconera Saturday, May 27, 2023 1:30 PM
    

Ys X Nordics release date

Nihon Falcom revealed more information about the upcoming Ys X: Nordics alongside its Japanese release date. The game will appear for the PS4, PS5, and Switch on September 28, 2023. There will be a special Adol Christin Edition, which includes a mini soundtrack for the game, an armor set, a pin badge, a set of illustration cards, and a body bag with the logo of the game. New characters and details about naval combat appeared as well. [Thanks, Game Watch!]

Nihon Falcom introduced some new characters that will appear in Adol Christin's new adventure. Leif Yvelise is a childhood friend of Glenn and Cruz, two other characters that will appear in the game. He is not a native of Karnack, but a migrant worker from outside the city. Mirabel Asrad is a nurse working at the clinic in Karnack that her father opened. She is cheerful and has a good-willed, but has a strong and brave personality as well.

Lila is a mysterious woman that can communicate with Adol through a seashell he picked up at the beach in Karnack, and asks him for help. She is located somewhere in the Gulf of Obelia. The nameless old man is an amnesiac who lives alone in a small hut on an island, and teaches people how to use mana.

A new gameplay feature detailed by Nihon Falcom is the naval battle system. Players can explore the Gulf of Obelia and engage in naval battle while on the ship Sandras, which can be upgraded. Naval battles involve smart positioning, using different type of cannonball​s with different properties, and aiming with the ships many cannons. Some powerful enemy ships will need to be directly boarded after dealing enough damage. Merchant vessels that act as wandering shops exist as well.

You can take a better look at the new characters and naval battles that will appear in Ys X: Nordics here:

[gallery columns="5" ids="965351,965352,965353,965354,965355,965356,965357,965358,965359,965360" link="file"]

Ys X: Nordics is currently in development for the Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PS4, and its Japanese release date is September 28, 2023.

The post Ys X Nordics Gets Release Date and New Naval Combat Details appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Saturday, May 27, 2023 12:00 PM
    

Foamstars Girl

Square Enix announced a new game called Foamstars at the May 2023 PlayStation Showcase. It's a multiplayer shooter where players shoot multi-colored foam at each other with wacky weapons. There's just one problem. This game already exists, right?

The internet responded to Foamstars by accusing it of being a copy of Splatoon. It's easy to see why. After all, Nintendo's franchise is a multiplayer shooter where players shoot multi-colored ink at each other with wacky weapons. It's almost the same concept.

It goes beyond that though. So many of the weapons in the Foamstars trailer feel like imitations of Splatoon's weapons, even down to the sound effects. A montage of special attacks reveals clones of the Baller, Inkzooka, Killer Wail, Inkstrike and Splashdown. The design of the pink-haired girl who appears prominently in the trailer bears similarities to the Inkling girl from the cover of Splatoon 2. I did initially think the surfboards were unique at least, until I realized that they could simply be considered a variant of Splatoon's squid and octopus forms.

Obviously, Nintendo doesn't have an exclusive right to make painting-turf gameplay. Plenty of other developers are welcome to make something new out of Nintendo's base concept. However, the more the trailer showed off ideas ripped straight out of Splatoon, the more baffling it became.

[caption id="attachment_964990" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Foamstars Splatoon Image via Nintendo[/caption]

However, Foamstars is the product of a wider problem within the games industry. It's a problem that Square Enix in particular keeps running into. I'm talking about the live service gold rush.

We can blame Fortnite for this. The game makes billions for Epic and is attracting branding deals, concerts, film premieres, and other events. It is an undeniable success. The problem is, every other publisher wants to replicate that success. More often than not, though, this results in direct clones, with publishers thinking that making the exact same game will bring the exact same success.

Fortnite led to countless battle royale clones such as Spellbreak or Ubisoft's Hyper Scape. Destiny clones like Anthem were gunning for Bungie's success. The success of Among Us has caused social deduction games to flood Steam. None of these have managed to replicate the success of the high-profile game they were copying.

Square Enix is not immune to this, as it constantly jumps on the bandwagon. Much like other uninspiring live services, those games have also rarely replicated the success of the big names. Games like Babylon's Fall and Chocobo GP both launched in 2022 and promptly closed by the time 2023 rolled around. Even getting a Marvel license for the Avengers game failed to bring much success. Now the latest attempt to attract success appears to be copying a more low-key live service game, Splatoon.

[caption id="attachment_964991" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Splatoon 3 Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Splatoon is rarely thought of as a live service game. This is partly because it doesn't contain microtransactions. Instead, it's funded entirely through the game's direct sales and DLC expansions. However, the presence of persistent updates, time-limited events like Splatfests and Splatoon 3's seasonal rotations do fit the live service model.

It's also a huge success for Nintendo, with Splatoon 3 breaking launch records in Japan upon release. It's easy to understand Square Enix seeing that success and deciding to capitalise on it, especially with so few other imitators on the market.

However, the reaction to Foamstars shows the fault with this approach, and it's the same problem other copycat live service games have run into. Live service games demand your attention, usually with daily logins or time-limited events. With so much time and money invested in the game you're already playing, you're likely to just stick with what you know instead of jumping into a different game that demands your time.

As a result, the players of the successful titles do not want to drop their current title for a new one. Fortnite players didn't want to switch to Hyper Scape. Destiny players didn't want to switch to Anthem. And now, based on the reaction online, it's unlikely that any Splatoon players will buy PS5s to play Foamstars. This Splatoon player certainly isn't interested, and I already own a PS5.

[caption id="attachment_964992" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Foamstars Gameplay Image via Square Enix[/caption]

What's extra fascinating about Square Enix's desperate pursuit of its own massively successful live service is that it already has one. Final Fantasy XIV is one of the biggest MMOs on the market, and the profit it generates is almost certainly one of the key things keeping the company afloat. Square Enix could coast off that success and focus the rest of its attention on the single player RPGs it built its reputation on. Instead, they're choosing to make their own knock-off Splatoon.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Foamstars will find an audience on PlayStation that doesn't already own a Switch for Splatoon. Maybe it will prove to be more than just the carbon copy it currently appears to be. Maybe it will buck the current trend of live services going up in smoke. But it's not looking likely.

Splatoon became successful because it offered something new and unique, especially within Nintendo's catalog. Foamstars is not offering some new and unique. It's offering "Splatoon at home". That is a serious uphill battle for Square Enix if they want to make the game a success.

Foamstars is set to release for PS5 and PS4. Splatoon 3 is out now for Nintendo Switch.

The post Why Foamstars Will Struggle to Copy the Success of Splatoon appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Saturday, May 27, 2023 10:30 AM
    

Tokimeki Memorial Twitter

The Tokimeki Memorial dating sim series celebrates its 29th anniversary on May 27, 2023, and to celebrate the occasion Konami has revealed an official Twitter account for the series. The account aims to deliver news and information leading towards the 30th anniversary of the franchise in 2024.

Additionally, the Tokimeki Memorial character designer and artist Masashi Kokura celebrated the occasion by drawing a new illustration of Shiori Fujisaki, the primary protagonist of the first Tokimeki Memorial game.

You can take a better look at the announcement tweet for the Tokimeki Memorial series Twitter account and the new illustration here:

https://twitter.com/tokimeki573/status/1662111548926746625

Tokimeki Memorial is a long-running dating sim franchise developed and published by Konami. The series has remained exclusive to Japan throughout its existence. The original game has spanned four sequels, alongside several spin offs with multiple genres. The most popular spin-off is the Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side series, which reuses the dating sim formula of the main entries with the added twist that the player romances male characters instead.

The most recent entry in the series is the 2021 Switch otome dating sim Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side: 4th Heart. Konami announced on Valentine's Day 2023 that the game had sold over 150,000 copies in Japan. Meanwhile, the main series hasn't had a new entry since Tokimeki Memorial 4, which released exclusively in Japan in 2009 for the PSP.

The post Tokimeki Memorial Series Gets an Official Twitter Account appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Saturday, May 27, 2023 9:00 AM
    

Star Trek Resurgence

It can be difficult to take situations seriously in a tense adventure game when the most grave moments are accompanied by the voice acting for the first two or three words in a sentence repeating, amorphous blobs of "energy" popping in, and unnecessary quick time events (QTEs). Unfortunately, that's exactly what I faced in the PS4 version of Star Trek Resurgence. Poignant moments could be punctuated by unnecessary inputs. Character expressions became comical.

First, Star Trek Resurgence takes place around the same time as The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. The USS Resolute and its crew went through a lot. A warp core experiment led to an accident and malfunction that killed multiple people. The ship itself ended up practically torn apart. It's about to head out on a diplomatic mission to hopefully stop a war between two normally peaceful groups. Players follow this process through two viewpoints. One is Engineer Carter Diaz, a human who was a member of the crew when the incident happened. The other is the new First Officer Jara Rydeck. She's a new staff member taking over someone who died in the tragedy and faces some opposition both due to being a replacement and a member of the Kobliad race that will essentially die without a proper and consistent supply of deuridium. (If you followed Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, you're aware of the scarcity of that.)

[caption id="attachment_964630" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Star Trek Resurgence Screenshot by Siliconera[/caption]

In many ways, Star Trek Resurgence does feel like classic Telltale Games titles. The designs are close to human, but get into an uncanny valley place where they aren't quite there. Your mileage may vary depending on how much you like them, but I wasn't a fan of characters' appearances on the PS4. The story is the full focus, with typically three possible responses to any situation. These aren't clearly good, bad, or neutral ones. Rather, they can seem contextual or personality-driven. Between these responses, perhaps to keep it from feeling too much like a "visual novel," you'll occasionally need to explore locations or perform QTEs to perform important actions like dodge a deadly attack or… sit down. It varies, as you might imagine.

I also had moments when it felt like maybe the decisions I was choosing didn't result in the reactions I expected. Star Trek Resurgence is one of those adventure games where the text you select might not be voiced or expressed in the exact way you'd expect. As an early example, I chose a Jara response that I hoped would be a diplomatic and genuine, "thank you for being concerned about my health and wellbeing" to Commander Westbrook. Instead, it was more sarcastic. Likewise, the Your Crew section of the menu offers updates on how people pertinent to Jara or Carter feel about their recent decisions. However, even though I ended a specific incident with everyone involved approving of how I handled things, the ensuing story segment involved suggestions that multiple people disapproved. However, I suppose it didn't always matter. While yes, there are decisions that I could see would leave an impact on the plot and were big, it also felt like I didn't always see consequences for my actions or that some choices I made were as pointless as deciding what drink Jara should order from the replicator when she's on the Resolute.

[caption id="attachment_964627" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Star Trek Resurgence Review Screenshot by Siliconera[/caption]

However, at least the minor dialogue choices not reflecting could be bugs. I encountered so many audio issues, for example. The most prevalent one would be the first two to four words in a character's line repeating, causing the rest of their thought to eventually be cut short. (Turn on subtitles, or else you'll miss quite a bit.) Some familiar sound effects, like being hailed, came in too quiet, while tricorders somehow sounded too loud. Issues aren't limited to how the game sounds, though. It seemed like the lighting would often be off, causing models to be too dull or washed out and losing all detail in the process.

But while the bugs are ones that could be fixed with patches, the insistence on inserting unnecessary QTEs or dull exploration segments felt far more damaging. When I'd get invested in the plot, I'd abruptly find myself dealing with needing to move an icon within a sphere while dealing with fiddly controls. It ruined the moment. However, one of the worst instances happened early on, when Carter needed to align a glowing circle with an exclamation point in the center of other circles. That meant using the pull and physics from pressing R2 on one of six nodes to try and get it to fall in the exact spot. It trashed any hope of immersing myself in the moment.

[caption id="attachment_964628" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Star Trek: Resurgence Screenshot by Siliconera[/caption]

I'm genuinely disappointed. Star Trek seems perfect for a narrative-heavy adventure game, and Star Trek Resurgence's bugs, design, and QTEs keep people from getting properly invested. I don't regret my time with the game, and I did enjoy the tale it told. However it's executed in such a sloppy fashion and littered with issues that draws a player's attention away from what matters.

Star Trek Resurgence is available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.

The post Review: Star Trek Resurgence Isn't Immersive appeared first on Siliconera.


Gamer Empire Saturday, May 27, 2023 9:34 AM
     Rust is a survival multiplayer game that will allow you to feel true adrenaline. As you fight players, animals, scientists, and even helicopters, you will realize that you need a huge arsenal to survive. Rust is all about guns. If you want to show everyone that you mean business, you have to show them a […]

Gamer Empire Saturday, May 27, 2023 8:53 AM
     In Project Zomboid, keeping yourself alive against the relentless undead and the harsh realities of daily life is challenging. However, have you ever been curious about other factors that can lead to death, such as aging? In other words, can you die of old age in Project Zomboid? Recommended Read: What Are the Best Skills […]

Gamer Empire Saturday, May 27, 2023 8:08 AM
     In Fire Emblem Engage, the currency of the game is Gold. Gold is used to purchase and sell a variety of in-game items and to perform activities around Somniel that will grant you rewards. In Fire Emblem Engage, gold is used to buy equipment for your Units, such as Weapons, Outfits, and Items for you […]

Gamer Empire Saturday, May 27, 2023 7:47 AM
     In Project Zomboid, survival is the ultimate goal, and acquiring skills is crucial for increasing your chances of staying alive. As you progress through the game, you'll have the opportunity to improve various skills, each offering unique advantages and abilities. However, determining the best skill to level up is vital since it saves time and […]

Gamer Empire Saturday, May 27, 2023 6:21 AM
     Trees are weird in Stardew Valley. Usually, they will be more of a hindrance than a bonus, as they will grow everywhere and take over your farm like a parasite. However, there are moments when you would want one type of tree on your farm. This is always the case when it comes to fruit […]

Gamer Empire Saturday, May 27, 2023 6:14 AM
     In any game where you can customize the appearance of your character in character creation, some players end up wanting to change their choices later on. In Diablo 4, you, unfortunately, cannot change the hair, skin color, or face of your character after you've created it. You can, however, change the makeup, jewelry, and markings. […]

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Saturday, May 27, 2023 1:00 PM
    

The update adds the three new playable characters

The post Honkai: Star Rail 'Galactic Roaming' Update Launches June 7 appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Saturday, May 27, 2023 11:16 AM
    

Additional details will be revealed at a later date.

The post Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty 'Battle of Zhongyuan' DLC Launches June 29 appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Saturday, May 27, 2023 11:06 AM
    

It "deeply regrets" the current state of the game.

The post Daedalic Entertainment Apologizes for The Lord of the Rings: Gollum appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.

May 27, 06:00


PCGamesN Saturday, May 27, 2023 3:24 AM
     Honkai Star Rail codes and how to redeem May 2023

May 23, 2023: We checked for new Honkai Star Rail codes and tested our list to see if any have now expired.

What are the active Honkai Star Rail codes? If you're just starting your adventure through developer Hoyoverse's latest anime epic, you might be wondering if there are any codes for freebies to give you a headstart. Thankfully, Hoyoverse has delivered, and we've got the complete list of active Honkai Star Rail codes right here to prove it.

Honkai Star Rail codes are released periodically and typically appear in promotional livestreams ahead of major updates. These codes can net you some high-value currency, including Honkai Star Rail Stellar Jade, which you can use to pull the best characters from Honkai Star Rail banners. To save you time, we've collated all the latest HSR codes and how to redeem them in Honkai Star Rail, so be sure to check back regularly before they expire.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Honkai Star Rail review, Honkai Star Rail codes, Honkai Star Rail tier list

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Saturday, May 27, 2023 4:00 AM
    

After the unspeakable horrors of a five-day working week, what a relief for people in the UK to be back on another three-day weekend. We'll be mostly quiet Monday then return properly on Tuesday. The weather's been absolutely glorious out here so I'm aching to spend quality time outside. But what are you playing this weekend? Here's what we're clicking on!

Read more


Siliconera Saturday, May 27, 2023 12:00 AM
    

As is common with HoYoVerse presentations, the 1.1 Special Program for Honkai: Star Rail included codes for free Stellar Jades and items.

As is common with HoYoVerse presentations, the 1.1 Special Program for Honkai: Star Rail included codes for free Stellar Jades and items. While the global version of the showcase was delayed, the codes are now live and can be redeemed in other regions. These are limited, and they also only apply on May 27, 2023. However, if you do apply them, you'll get a stash of currency like Stellar Jade and consumables to help with your adventure.

Here is the full list of new Honkai: Star Rail codes from the Special Program 1.1

  • 8A6T6LBFQ4D3 - 100 Stellar Jade, 5 Traveler's Guides
  • CS75WMP976AK - 100 Stellar Jade
  • DB7A64BW8LC7 - 100 Stellar Jade, 4 Refined Aether
  • ZTPTNMTX8LUF - 100 Stellar Jade, 50,000 Credits

As for redeeming those codes, there are two methods. If you are playing Honkai: Star Rail on a PC, you can do so by tapping the in-game "phone" and tapping the Trailblazer Profile button. Underneath it is a button that says "Redemption Code." Tapping that lets you do so. However, if you're playing on a mobile device, you'll need to go to a special website. After logging in, selecting your server, and choosing your character nickname, you can enter the codes to get the items. In both cases, you'll get messages in your in-game inbox that you need to read to claim the freebies.

Honkai: Star Rail is immediately available on the PC and mobile devices, and the new codes from the 1.1 Special Program are valid only on May 27, 2023.

The post Here Are the Honkai: Star Rail Codes from Special Program 1.1 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 26, 2023 11:52 PM
    

Dragon Quest Monsters Switch

Square Enix announced that a new entry in the Dragon Quest Monsters series is currently in development for the Nintendo Switch. The official Dragon Quest Twitter account celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Dragon Quest Monsters series with the reveal. Square Enix shared a video celebrating the history of the Monsters spin-off series, and at the end of it revealed the surprise.

The new Dragon Quest Monsters announcement video includes text in both English and Japanese, and you can see it here:

https://twitter.com/DragonQuest/status/1662292541503422465

While the announcement of this new entry in the Dragon Quest Monsters series doesn't come with any other information, developers at Square Enix never really lost interest in continuing the series.

Dragon Quest Treasures Producer Taichi Inuzuka said to Famitsu in a December 2022 interview that the existence of the new game didn't mean that the Monsters series was over. In fact, Dragon Quest Treasures was initially conceptualized as a Monsters game. The game shares much of its Monster-collecting ideas with the long-running sub-series.

The latest entry in the Monsters series was Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 3, released exclusively in Japan for the Nintendo 3DS on March 2016.

A new Dragon Quest Monsters game is currently in development for the Nintendo Switch. There is no release date window yet. More information will come in the future.

The post Dragon Quest Monsters for Switch in Development appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 26, 2023 11:41 PM
    

Good Smile Company Working on Figures of Nikke Characters

Good Smile Company announced three figures of Goddess of Victory: Nikke characters at WonHobbyG 2023 Spring. However, two of them are of the same person. There will be scale figures of both Guren and Modernia. However, Modernia will also join the Hyper Body line. There are no unpainted or painted prototypes yet, only announcements.

First, here's the Guren figure announcement.

And here's one of the two announcement tweets for the Nikke figures of the character Modernia. As a reminder, the Hyper Body line combines an articulated, finished figure with model kit elements as people create additional parts to use for posing.

We already heard about a different sort of figure inspired by Nikke in 2023. The developer announced a poll to create a life-sized version of one of its characters, Players were able to vote to determine who'd be turned into a figure for that.

Goddess of Victory: Nikke is available worldwide on mobile devices and PCs. There's no release window for the Good Smile Company Nikke figures of the characters Guren or Modernia.

The post Good Smile Company Working on Figures of Nikke Characters appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 26, 2023 11:28 PM
    

Silent Hill 2 Pyramid Head Pop Up Parade Figure Creeps Closer to Release

It seems the Silent Hill 2 Pyramid Head Pop Up Parade figure is inching closer to its inevitable release. At WonHobbyG 2023 Spring, Good Smile Company shared the painted prototype of the budget figure. It last showed up in February 2022 as an unpainted prototype.

Here's a closer look at how the figure is turning out. Since it is part of the budget line, people should expect to pay around $34.99 for it once it launches.

This character's shown up in various forms from Good Smile Company over the years. For example, there is a figma version. That was so popular that it even netted a rerelease.

We'll get to see this character in a game again sometime in the future. Konami announced back in October 2022 that a Silent Hill 2 remake is in development. It's being worked on by Bloober Team, which also created Layers of Fear and The Medium.

There's no release window for the Silent Hill 2 Pyramid Head Pop Up Parade figure. However, given that we're seeing a painted prototype here, it could mean it will show up in stores before 2023 ends.

The post Silent Hill 2 Pyramid Head Pop Up Parade Figure Creeps Closer to Release appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 26, 2023 11:13 PM
    

Peek at the VShojo Kson and Nazuna Amemiya Nendoroids

As part of the WonHobbyG 2023 Spring reveals, Good Smile Company offered updates on the VShojo Kson and Nazuna Amemiya Nendoroids. Both of them first appeared back in February 2023. At that point, we only saw chibi concept art suggesting how both could end up looking. Now, both of them are at the "unpainted prototype" phase.

First, here's how the Kson Nendoroid looks. The pose has her wielding her sword. There are also already glasses on the prototype.

Next, here's the Nazuna Nendoroid. She's holding her staff for her pose. It also seems the figure will include her hat.

In the past, Good Smile Company released Nendoroids of other VShojo Vtubers. For example, there was one of Ironmouse. It had also announced a figure of a performer who are no longer with the company. However, there's been no official cancellation of that one since the Vtuber's departure.

There's no release date available yet for the Kson or Nazuna Amemiya VShojo Nendoroids.

The post Peek at the VShojo Kson and Nazuna Amemiya Nendoroids appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 26, 2023 11:02 PM
    

Guilty Gear Bridget Nendoroid Prototype Shown

As part of the video game figures appearing at Good Smile Company's WonHobby G 2023 Spring event, the Guilty Gear Strive Bridget Nendoroid showed up. Initially, the company only shared general art of her. That appeared in February 2023. Now the unpainted prototype is here.

Here's a closer look at the Guilty Gear Strive Bridget Nendoroid. She's wielding her yo-yo in the photo. However, Roger didn't appear alongside the prototype. It's unknown if a version of the bear will be included for posing purposes. However, the handcuff "belt" does appear around her waist.

A few Guilty Gear figures in this line already appeared. Dizzy was the first one to appear in 2021, for example. After that, a Ramlethal Valentine one showed up. Like Bridget, that figure was based on the character's appearance in Guilty Gear Strive. Good Smile Company also already shared a Pop Up Parade figure of Bridget.

There's no release window date yet for the Guilty Gear Strive Bridget Nendoroid. The game is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC.

The post Guilty Gear Bridget Nendoroid Prototype Shown appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 26, 2023 10:49 PM
    

See the Persona 5 Royal Kasumi 'Violet' Yoshizawa Nendoroid

Good Smile Company shared an update on its Persona 5 Royal Kasumi "Violet" Yoshizawa Nendoroid at WonHobbyG 2023 Spring. We first learned the figure was on the way back in February 2023. At that point, only concept art of the character appeared. Now she's shown up as an unpainted prototype.

As mentioned in the original announcement, Kasumi is wearing her Phantom Thief attire for this Persona 5 Royal Nendoroid. In the preliminary pose, she's also wielding a rapier. Her mask is also on for this photo.

With Kasumi's impending release, that means all members of the Phantom Thieves will have been turned into Nendoroids. In some cases, they appeared both in their casual attire or school uniforms or their Phantom Thief costumes. In the case of Joker, Good Smile Company is also working on a Nendoroid Doll version of the hero. Some characters even appeared in the Hello Good Smile and Pop Up Parade lines as well.

There's no release window yet for the Persona 5 Royal Kasumi 'Violet' Yoshizawa figure. The game is available now on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.

The post See the Persona 5 Royal Kasumi 'Violet' Yoshizawa Nendoroid appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 26, 2023 10:36 PM
    

Resident Evil 4 Leon Nendoroid Teased

When events come around, Good Smile Company often announces new figures. At WonHobbyG Spring 2023, it revealed it is working on a Resident Evil 4 Nendoroid of Leon S. Kennedy. It didn't specify if it is inspired by the original game or the remake. The company also only showed concept art of the character in a "chibi" form, so it is fairly early in development. This means we may not see it until the end of 2023 or 2024.

Here's the official concept art for the Resident Evil 4 Leon Nendoroid.

This will actually be the second Resident Evil figure in this line. A Chris Redfield one was announced in honor of the series' 20th anniversary. That ended up appearing in 2017. It only appeared once and never got a rerelease.

There's no release window yet for the Resident Evil 4 Nendoroid of Leon S. Kennedy. The Resident Evil 4 remake is available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. There will also be a VR mode version for the PlayStation VR 2.

The post Resident Evil 4 Nendoroid of Leon S. Kennedy Teased appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 26, 2023 10:18 PM
    

Good Smile Company, North America, Japan, Europe, Figures, Nendoroids, Oshi no Ko

As Good Smile Company continued its WonHobbyG Spring announcements, it confirmed four Oshi no Ko Pop Up Parade figures and two Nendoroids are in development. All of them are fairly early along in development. As such, the photos for all of them are unpainted prototypes. There will be Aqua and Kana Nendoroids, and Ai, Aqua, Ruby, and Kana figures are planned.

First, here are the Aqua and Kana Oshi no Ko Nendoroids. She'll be wearing her hat for her figure. Both seem to be wearing their school uniforms. No information came up regarding possible ones for Ai or Ruby at this event.

And here are the prototypes for the four Pop Up Parade figures in this collection. This budget line features non-standard scale figures that are about 170mm tall. They always cost around ¥4,800/$34.99. While Good Smile Company may occasionally sell variants that feature different poses, these are static ones that don't come with any additional parts for extra options.

There's no release window yet for the Oshi no Ko Pop Up Parade figures or Nendoroids. The anime adaptation is streaming on HIDIVE, while the manga is being localized by Yen Press.

The post Oshi no Ko Nendoroids and Pop Up Parade Figures Coming appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Saturday, May 27, 2023 12:58 AM
     Totk Van Medoh Divine Helm North Biron Snowshelf Cave Treasure Chest In Hidden ChamberIn The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, you can gather equipment beloved by heroes of the past. Sometimes, those heroes are your direct ancestors. Sometimes, they're heroes who battled evil and sacrificed everything. Typically, if you can find gear they left behind, it's going to be very useful. Here is our guide on where to get the Van Medoh Divine Helm in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Tears of the Kingdom – where to get the Vah Medoh Divine Helm The Vah Medoh Divine Helm is one of several divine helms available in the game. We previously covered the location of another such helm in our guide telling how to get the treasure at Lizard Lakes. To get the Vah Medoh Divine Helm, you'll need to explore a cave in the Hebra Mountains region. Although the helmet provides protection from the cold, you must brave such elements to find it. Therefore, you should probably wear two pieces of the Snowquill armor set, or bring along some elixi...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Saturday, May 27, 2023 12:01 AM
     Totk Puffshroom Near Platform BaseThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom presents Link with all manner of weapons, but some of them aren't obviously useful. Some of them don't even seem like weapons at all, and yet you'll find they offer tremendous benefits in combat. Here is our guide telling you where to find and farm Puffshroom in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Tears of the Kingdom – where to find and farm Puffshroom The Puffshroom is a useful item because you can use it to deal with enemy mobs. If you are getting swarmed by foes, toss out a few Puffshrooms (or fuse them to some arrows). The resulting chaos should confuse your foes long enough for you to launch some sneak attacks and quickly end the fight. To find and farm Puffshrooms, simply head to the Depths. You will learn they growing all over that expansive region, which has damp temperatures and a decent amount of water but no sunlight. The Puffshrooms don't thrive out in the open, even in the Depth...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, May 26, 2023 10:14 PM
     Totk Splash Fruit Near Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower CloseupThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom allows you to find and use all sorts of fruit on your journey through Hyrule. Often, you can fuse it with weapons or even toss it at obstacles to clear a path forward to your next challenge. Here is our guide telling you where to get Splash Fruit in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Tears of the Kingdom – where to get Splash Fruit Splash Fruit serves a few purposes, but its greatest moments come when you're trying to figure out how to activate Upland Zorana Skyview Tower, or how to beat Sludge Like. Essentially, it's really good at cleaning up sludge you might encounter. To get Splash Fruit, find it near Lanayru Great Spring or in West Necluda. If you wish, you can eventually purchase it from shops. However, it grows commonly enough in the wilds that I prefer to spend my precious rupees on other things. Screenshot by PC Invasion Splash Fruit is especially abundant near Lanayru Great Spr...