Week in Review: The top stories in phones, computing, and more

Samsung's new foldables, Twitter becomes X, and more
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July 28, 2023
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Welcome to the Week in Review
Welcome
Seeing is believing, so I went all the way to South Korea to see Samsung unveil its new folding phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5, on its home turf – and now I believe that while rivals are snapping at its heels (more on those rivals below), the company might just hold onto its leadership position in the foldable space.
 
It was the first Unpacked event to be held in South Korea, and the company also unveiled new Galaxy watches and tablets – and along with getting some hands-on time with the Z Fold 5, I had the opportunity to get a up-close look at the inner workings of Android’s biggest booster.
 
The other huge tech news this week was made, not for the first time, by Elon Musk, and his stunning decision to rebrand Twitter as 'X'. I wish I was joking. Another big brand courting controversy is Marvel, which left fans wanting with the finale to its series Secret Invasion – I need to catch up when I get home to see what all the fuss is about.
 
We have a lot to cover here, so let’s get to it.

Lance Ulanoff, US Editor-in-Chief
The week in Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 hands-on: the gap is gone
Samsung unveiled the Z Fold 5, plus the Z Flip 5, and new Galaxy watches and tablets (Future)
The star of Unpacked was the Galaxy Z Fold 5, the latest version of Samsung's senior foldable, which brings one major design change along with a host of smaller upgrades. We've also got hands-on reviews of the Z Flip 5, the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 classic, and Samsung's new tablets, including the enormous Tab S9 Ultra.
Read the full story
The week in phones
OnePlus confirms what its foldable phone will be called
This could be what the OnePlus Open looks like (@OnLeaks / Smartprix)
The upcoming foldable from OnePlus is rumored to be called the OnePlus Open, and that name has now been referenced in an official social media post from the company. The signs are that the phone is going to make an appearance sometime in August.
Read the full story
The week in social media
Musk's X-rated Twitter rebrand could prove devastating
Musk is continuing to make changes at X (NurPhoto / Getty Images)
Elon Musk has decided to rename Twitter as X, and that means a complete revamp for everything linked to the social media platform, from the app's mobile logo, to the verb to 'tweet' – and it's not clear that it's in the best interests of the platform.
Read the full story
The Week in Entertainment
Marvel fans are trashing Secret Invasion's final episode
Samuel L Jackson in Secret Invasion (Marvel Studios / Disney Plus)
It's now official: Secret Invasion's recently aired finale is the worst-rated Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) TV episode of all time – and though it's a shame to say it, we think the show deserves the negative reception it's received.
Read the full story
The week in computing
Chrome link previews could change how we browse
Google wants to impress users with some more Chrome tweaks (Getty Images)
Google Chrome is apparently testing link previews: as the name suggests, they would bring up previews of links in thumbnail form before you've even clicked on them. If it's rolled out to all of Chrome's users, it could change browsing habits permanently.
Read the full story
Other big stories this week
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Jul 28, 14:01


Kotaku Friday, July 28, 2023 1:48 PM
    

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is everything I want in a repetitive, relaxing open-world life sim of its kind. The Animal Crossing heir, made by Hello Kitty's massive merch company Sanrio and small game studio Sunblink, is a honeycomb-sweet combination of taking care of friends and a surprisingly large, secretive…

Read more...


Kotaku Friday, July 28, 2023 12:30 PM
    

Our around-the-world cosplay appreciation trip has taken us to London, Germany, Melbourne, and San Diego, and now we're going to Paris for Japan Expo 2023. The massive convention, which ran from July 13 to July 16 at the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center in Paris, France, always provides great cosplay to ogle,…

Read more...


Kotaku Friday, July 28, 2023 12:25 PM
    

Fallout: New Vegas might be a 13-year-old game, but fans of Obsidian Entertainment's open-world RPG continue to tinker with and release mods for it to this day. Hell, just this week, New Vegas received 88 new PC mods and one of them is hilariously on point, replacing one of the game's main antagonists with X (formerly…

Read more...


Kotaku Friday, July 28, 2023 12:20 PM
    

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will probably be the biggest PlayStation 5 game of the year, and its limited edition console is already going fast. Pre-orders for the $600 bundle went live on July 28, and the special Spidey accessories look likely to sell out fast.

Read more...


Kotaku Friday, July 28, 2023 11:12 AM
    

If Remnant II wasn't on your radar before, it should be now. The sequel to a surprisingly great 2019 Souls-like shooter is even better than the original, breaking out on Steam at launch despite reports of bugs, performance issues, and, at least on PlayStation 5, problems with co-op. The studio behind it, Gunfire…

Read more...


Kotaku Friday, July 28, 2023 10:45 AM
    

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is one hell of an epic adventure game, packed with satisfying opportunities to make the most of its dynamic and surprising physics and crafting systems. But while the internet's full of examples of remarkable feats of engineering and unexpected means of surpassing challenges,…

Read more...


Kotaku Friday, July 28, 2023 10:00 AM
    

After a recent spike in interest as old servers were brought back online on Xbox, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II was taken offline earlier this week on PC over reports of malicious hacks. According to Techcrunch, players were getting attacked in the 2009 game via "hacked lobbies."

Read more...


Kotaku Friday, July 28, 2023 9:30 AM
    

The summer heat continuing to beat down on many of us offers ever-increasing reasons to Stay Inside™ and play some video games. As we do every wee, we thought we'd give you some suggestions on games we've vibing with that you might enjoy checking out yourself, in case you need an excuse (or three) to stay inside.

This…

Read more...


Kotaku Friday, July 28, 2023 9:25 AM
    

During a recent interview with Japanese publisher Shueisha, Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto revealed that he wouldn't mind it if he stopped drawing his mega-popular shonen series entirely, so he could focus solely on penning its off-the-rails story.

Read more...


PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 1:59 PM
     Final Fantasy XIV 7.0 revealed as Dawntrail, takes us to the New World

Final Fantasy XIV is a timeless MMORPG masterpiece, and its high status within the gaming community has a lot to do with how active Square Enix has been in improving the game and releasing updates. The developers take feedback very seriously, and it doesn't look as though the FFXIV hype will slow down any time soon. One of the biggest Final Fantasy XIV events is currently taking place, the Fan Festival 2023, with devs dropping a massive FFXIV reveal. We now know the premise of the 7.0 expansion patch, its title, and its general release date.

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

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 12:45 PM
     Battlefield 2042 update finally rolls out full squad orders

Battlefield 2042 update 5.2.0 releases next week, and it's finally putting the finishing touches on the squad management system with the introduction of squad orders, along with kick and lock functionality for the multiplayer FPS game. There's also a rework of the Hourglass map, and this latest Battlefield 2042 patch changes the way dispersion affects SMGs and LMGs.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Battlefield 2042 review, Best multiplayer games on PC, Best FPS games on PC

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 12:32 PM
     Best multiplayer games on PC 2023

What are the best multiplayer games on PC? Intricate gameplay and glistening visuals only go so far; humans often provide the biggest surprises with schemes that transform even the most average game into an unforgettable experience you'll be talking about until the end of time.

Fast and frantic or tense and calculated, the best multiplayer games come in all shapes and sizes. Whether it's vying for control of the payload in an FPS game or fighting for survival in a co-op game with your friends, these experiences wouldn't be the same without a bunch of real people running around killing, maiming, or, occasionally, helping each other out in some of the best PC games.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Apex Legends characters guide, Apex Legends skins, Apex Legends season 17 release date

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 12:19 PM
     The best fantasy games on PC 2023

What are the best fantasy games? There's nothing quite like escaping into another world, immersing yourself in its history and people, and getting to grips with your new virtual life. Fantasy games are especially good at offering these sorts of experiences, but the genre is so packed with great adventures that it can be hard to pinpoint where exactly to place your attention.

Luckily for you, we've put together this list of the best fantasy games on PC. As always, we want to highlight a varied selection of the best PC games, from mammoth RPGs to 2D action platformers. Please don't be alarmed if we've missed your favorite fantasy game – there's every chance it could be added later. So, whether you're looking to slay some dragons in a sprawling open world or try something a little stranger, we've got you covered with our list of the best fantasy games on PC. Here are the best fantasy games to play now.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best Elden Ring builds, Elden Ring bosses, The best Elden Ring classes

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 12:08 PM
     Cities Skylines 2 system requirements

What are the Cities: Skylines 2 system requirements? The eight years separating the original city builder and its sequel naturally mean you'll need much more powerful hardware to run Cities: Skylines 2. However, before thinking your city building dreams are done for, you'll be relieved to hear the PC specs aren't too demanding.

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

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 12:07 PM
     Skate 4 release date speculation, gameplay, and all the latest news

When it comes to the Skate 4 release date, it could be as soon as the end of this year. Despite there being some Skate 4 gameplay and even closed playtests, EA's upcoming revival is a rare case of a triple-A studio showing off very early in-development footage of a game - and we love it. However, this does mean that although we've seen plenty of Skate 4, we can also clearly see it's not ready yet. It's already been over a decade since the last Skate game, we can hold on a little longer.

The first Skate was among the most innovative skateboard games around, from its analog control scheme and semi open-world game structure to its more realistic, less edgy representation of the skating scene. The development team behind Skate 3 was disbanded after its release in 2010, and the series' community has been consistently bombarding EA message boards with questions about the series and its potential return ever since.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Skateboard games, Skate 4 release date speculation, Best sports games

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 12:02 PM
     The best Valheim mods

What are the best Valheim mods? Valheim doesn't officially support modding, but that hasn't stopped the community from building their own tools to alter the game.

If you're searching for a new way to experience Valheim without using Valheim console commands, or you want to change some of the more tedious aspects of the Viking game, these mods should have everything you need. It's important to note that every mod listed on this page can be used on dedicated Valheim servers.

Continue reading The best Valheim mods
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games , Best Valheim mods, Valheim console commands and cheats

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 11:56 AM
     The best games like Sims 4

What are the best games like Sims? If you're fed up with setting your Sims on fire, watching them struggle to control their own bladder, or seeing them wash their dinner plate in the bathroom sink, then these games are very similar to The Sims but offer a nice alternative to EA's Truman Show simulator.

You may be able to download The Sims 4 for free these days, but sometimes it's fun to try something different. From farming, building, and property management, these are the best games like The Sims on PC to tide you over until the Sims 5 release date or a Project Rene beta rolls around. From doing up houses and managing budgets to forging relationships and maintaining sim happiness, join us as we run the gamut of Sims-like experiences on PC.

Continue reading The best games like Sims 4
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Planet Zoo review, Planet Zoo animals, Best management games on PC

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 11:55 AM
     The best Elden Ring mods

Are you looking for the best Elden Ring mods? The beauty of mods is that they're highly versatile tools that allow players to tweak their experience. In the case of Elden Ring, you might wonder why anyone would want to mod a game that's so well-received. Well, if you find Soulslikes difficult, the Easy Mode mod is a surefire way to tone things down a notch. Some players might consider this goes too far, so why not remove the death mechanic, which stops you from losing your Runes instead?

What makes the best Elden Ring mods stand out is that they have the power to drastically improve someone's experience of the open world game. You might not own an ultrawide monitor, but the player that does will rely on the ultrawide mods every time they boot up the fantasy game. Whether you want to change the way ranged weapons work or you want the option to pause Elden Ring, we've got the mods for you. Here's everything you need to try out the best Elden Ring mods, including the PlayStation controller UI fix, the pause button mod, and more.

Continue reading The best Elden Ring mods
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best Elden Ring builds, Elden Ring bosses, The best Elden Ring classes

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 11:53 AM
     Best Diablo 4 settings and PC options

What are the best Diablo 4 settings? Equipping yourself with the ideal D4 PC settings will stave off any stutters and frame drops that make a demon out of any normally pious gamer. Blizzard's RPG is as stunning to look at as it is demanding on your PC, and our curated list of options provides a good balance of fidelity and performance for a more heavenly time while you're in hell.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo 4 builds, Diablo 4 review, Diablo 4 classes

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 11:48 AM
     The 27 best Minecraft mods 2023

What are the best Minecraft mods in 2023? Every game of vanilla Minecraft might already be very different, but the best Minecraft mods go one step further to provide an entirely new experience over a decade into the game's lifespan. Whether you love creative building, terrifying survival, or speedrunning the story, there's sure to be a mod for you. From interface changes, to tools to aid your hours of exploration, and even new mobs, you have the option to make Mojang's classic even better on PC.

The following list compiles some of the best Minecraft mods out there right now. All are divided into sections, depending on what you want to do with the sandbox game – from simple utility changes to deep, intricate Minecraft mods you can get lost in for months. If you like to browse, the Minecraft CurseForge game mods hub has a whole section dedicated to the best Minecraft mods and add-ons - as well as equivalents for many of the other best PC games right now.

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

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 11:47 AM
     The best card games on PC 2023

What are the best card games on PC? It is not a question we would have been asking a few years ago, when some basic ports of paper-based systems and some minigames in larger titles were all we had access to.

Now, there are heaps of games like Hearthstone vying to be among the best card games on PC - it is one of the fastest-growing genres in the industry. Card games offer players a rich and constantly shifting meta, potentially limitless replayability, and are approachable to boot - so it is not hard to see why they have started to emerge on our best PC games list. Our list covers everything from the biggest player in the genre today, the best ports from paper, the up-and-comers you might not have heard of, and some of the best free card games out there.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Hearthstone decks, The best card games on PC, Free card games

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 11:40 AM
     Diablo 4 system requirements

What are Diablo 4 system requirements? You don't need a godlike PC to avoid hellish performance in Diablo 4, as the RPG will run on common tier hardware. That said, Blizzard has packed plenty of features for those with legendary calibre systems.

Continue reading Diablo 4 system requirements
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo 4 builds, Diablo 4 review, Diablo 4 classes

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 11:40 AM
     Remnant 2 devs

Remnant 2 is, in many ways, exactly what I wanted from a sequel to Gunfire Games's fantastic co-op game. The world and art design is gorgeous, the shooting feels sublime, and there's all manner of builds to craft with all the Remnant 2 Traits, Relics, and Mods on offer. I'm just a few hours in, but I can already see myself playing Remnant 2 for hundreds of hours as I did with the first. Fortunately, the team is already addressing concerns about its endgame grind, and whether certain restrictions might discourage long-term play.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Remnant 2 archetypes, Remnant 2 review, Remnant 2 bosses

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 11:40 AM
     Roblox promo codes July 2023

July 28, 2023: We updated our Roblox promo codes list to bring you the latest freebies.

Looking for all the active Roblox promo codes? There is a wide variety of promo codes from Roblox events and giveaways out there that grant you free virtual goods like hats, outfits, and more. With new Roblox codes arriving on the regular, you'll find plenty of ways to keep your avatar looking fresh - and our updated list is here to help.

Roblox promo codes won't hang around forever, however, so it's important that you redeem them before they expire. If you wish to reap their rewards, you'll first need to know how and where to redeem them, so we'll guide you through that process too. Be sure to check back here regularly, as we'll update this page whenever new Roblox promo codes release or older ones expire, saving you the trouble of searching for and checking them yourself. We also keep lists of Blox Fruits codes, Anime Adventures codes, and King Legacy codes if you're looking for game-specific freebies.

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

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 11:38 AM
     Genshin Impact might slow rate of new five-star banners in Fontaine

The Genshin Impact 4.0 update will be here soon with a whole new cast of Fontaine characters to add to the roster, but the rate of their release may be slower than what we're used to. If recent leaks are correct, HoYoverse will only be adding one new five-star character banner to the anime game for the majority of the Genshin Impact 4.0 updates.

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

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 11:34 AM
     Best Baldur's Gate 3 classes ranked

What's the best Baldur's Gate 3 class? When you take into consideration how long you could be playing BG3, you need to think carefully about what class you're going to settle with. We've spent dozens of hours playing the game to determine what the best Baldur's Gate 3 class is.

The Baldur's Gate 3 release date is rapidly approaching, so you need to make a decision quickly. The best BG3 class largely depends on how you intend to play the RPG game. Do you want to be a charismatic scoundrel, charming the pants off of anyone in earshot and piercing the hearts of your enemies? Or do you prefer the brutalist approach; bludgeoning anything and everything in your path? These scenarios are all possible but they require a little bit of thought about your class before you begin. Here is our definitive guide to the best BG3 class and detailed info on each.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Baldur's Gate 3 release date, Baldur's Gate 3 races, Baldur's Gate 3 classes

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 11:18 AM
     Party Animals release date, trailers, gameplay, and news

What is the Party Animals release date? If you've ever wondered what Gang Beasts would look like if it replaced its gelatinous beings with cute, cuddly animals, wonder no more.

Party Animals is a physics-based brawler that shot to the top of the Steam wishlist when it was first revealed in 2021. Since then it has hovered around the top spot, only losing out to games like Starfield and Hogwarts Legacy. Despite long waits for news and lengthy delays, interest in the game, which looks set to become one of the best PC games, has never wavered.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Party Animals release date, Best multiplayer games, Best indie games

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 11:03 AM
     The League of Legends Blue Essence Emporium returns soon

The League of Legends Blue Essence Emporium is returning soon, Riot confirms in its latest developer update. The previously biannual sale has been on hiatus since July 2022 as Riot reworked its format, but it'll now be making a return to the MOBA in League of Legends patch 13.17. Executive producer Jeremy 'Brightmoon' Lee and studio head Andrei 'Meddler' van Roon also discuss the potential future of League of Legends Arena and several other upcoming LoL updates.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: League of Legends Arena tier list, League of Legends patch 13.14, League of Legends tier list

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 11:01 AM
     Stalker 2 release date, trailer, gameplay and system requirements

What is the Stalker 2 release date? The FPS game was announced at the Xbox and Bethesda Games E3 2021 showcase, with the developers also revealing gameplay, tidbits of the story, and characters. The game's official title is Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, following on from the first in the series, Shadow of Chornobyl.

Stalker 2 is an RPG game set in the exclusion zone, where monsters run riot, and humans can be friends and foes alike. You'll have to find a way to survive the dangers lurking in this area while unraveling its mysteries. The scope for Stalker 2 looks enormous, and we think it could be one of the best PC games this year once it's released.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Best apocalypse games, Best survival games

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 10:17 AM
     Payday 3 beta start time

When is the Payday 3 beta start time? The latest heist-based shooter from Starbreeze is set to release very soon. It promises more chaotic action as your team of robbers deals with security, cracks open vaults, and grabs as much cash as possible before the police surround them to make a clean getaway impossible.

However, you won't need to wait until you can get your grubby mitts on Payday 3 for yourself. So if you fancy playing before the Payday 3 release date, you can find out when the co-op game's beta starts and what you'll find if you're accepted to join the gang of players itching to begin the heist.

Continue reading Payday 3 beta start time
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best co-op games on PC, The best crime games on PC, The best FPS games

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 10:09 AM
     Get one of the best games ever made for less than $2

Prince of Persia The Sands of Time is one of those rare, landmark games that influences everything that follows it for years to come. The parkour and style of Assassin's Creed, the witty, roguish hero of Uncharted, and the tightly built drama of Crystal Dynamics' Tomb Raider all owe something to Prince of Persia The Sands of Time, one of the greatest platform and action-adventure games ever. With a full remake in development by Ubisoft, and The Lost Crown also set to arrive in 2024, if you want to revisit the classic that is Prince of Persia, or maybe experience it for the first time, it won't even cost you $2.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best old games, Best platform games, Best story games

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 9:34 AM
     Mortal Kombat 1 shares one big similarity with MK11

I have played many a fighting game in my time, but Mortal Kombat 1 is shaping up to be the most exciting one for quite a while. Given my beloved Mileena is set to return to the fray, I've found myself asking 'how long is Mortal Kombat 1' or, in actuality 'how long can I play as Mileena for?' Well, chief creative office and co-creator of Mortal Kombat, Ed Boon, has all of the answers.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Mortal Kombat 1 characters, Mortal Kombat 1 release date, Mortal Kombat 1 system requirements

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 9:13 AM
     Genshin Impact maintenance time and rewards

Want to know about the Genshin Impact maintenance schedule? Before every major Genshin Impact update, Hoyoverse takes the popular anime game down for maintenance, which tends to last a few hours while the team applies all of the new content.

These major patches bring everything from new Genshin Impact bannersGenshin Impact events, and even completely new regions, such as Inazuma or Sumeru to one of the best PC games in the last few years. Just like some of the best new MMOs, the Genshin Impact maintenance period happens at the same time for everyone across the globe. We'll keep this guide updated with the latest information on any planned maintenance, as well as when we expect the game servers to come back online.

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

PCGamesN Friday, July 28, 2023 9:21 AM
     Remnant 2 bosses

What are the Remnant 2 bosses? Whether you're hot-footing it to the next objective or getting lost in an elaborate side dungeon, sooner or later you're bound to stumble upon a boss in Remnant 2. But just how many are there, and what rewards can you expect for defeating them? We've got the answers.

Remnant 2 bosses are indisputably tough, but their rewards are also plentiful. Each boss is guaranteed to reward you with unique crafting materials, which you can take to Ava McCabe in Ward 13 in exchange for powerful Remnant 2 weapons and mods. Certain bosses even have the chance to bestow unlockable traits, allowing you to refine your build even further. If all those goodies appeal to your thirst for rare loot, here are all the bosses in Remnant 2 and where to find them.

Continue reading Remnant 2 bosses
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Remnant 2 archetypes, Remnant 2 review, Remnant 2 bosses

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 28, 2023 12:41 PM
    

The WD Black SN850x is our top SSD pick for PC gaming, offering some of the fastest load times we've ever recorded - so I thought I'd let you know that the 1TB size of the drive has dropped to £47.99 on Ebay when you use code APPLY20 at the checkout. That's a tiny fraction of the drive's original RRP and the lowest price we've ever recorded for this size. All told, it's a hugely impressive deal.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 28, 2023 12:23 PM
    

Sony's DualSense controller is one of the premiere options on PC, offering enhanced trigger rumble ('adaptive triggers') in a handful of games on top of excellent ergonomics and high-quality buttons that are much appreciated in a huge number of racing, action and other titles. These controllers normally cost around £50 to £60, but today they're down to £40 – as part of a Sony summer sale that sees the Sony console drop from £479 to £399.

There are a wide range of colours available, far beyond the white models that launched with the console in 2020. I'm a fan of the black and camouflage options, but there's also red, pink and blue. Here are links to Amazon and Currys, with the latter offering all colours apart from purple at £40 at the time of writing and Amazon only for black, white and blue.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 28, 2023 11:25 AM
    

I have a complicated relationship with retro-style games in general, and no particular fondness for the Everything Was Nintendo school. Or platformers, or double jumping, or dashing, or neon, or being alive in general. Dislike is the wrong word, but "weary neutrality" about covers my feelings when another retro platformer comes down the game tubes.

Gravity Circuit, however, is good enough that I can't not mention it here. It's loud and bright without being obnoxious or overwhelming, fast and precise without being overly demanding, and generally just a damn good effort at creating a modern action platformer whose main influence is obvious, but isn't just going through the motions for the sake of nostalgia. I'm saying it's good, yeah? Maybe not quite for me, but good anyway.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 28, 2023 10:59 AM
    

I bloody love Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. It's a meaty and satisfying action-platformer with possibly the best-executed comedy and character work of the entire series; a series that's essentially grown up alongside me, in tone as much as technical sophistication. I wish I had the time to review it properly but, with a weekend and a Baldur's Gate 3-shaped boulder bearing down, I'm staying in my hardware lane to focus on the performance of and best settings to use in Rift Apart's new PC version.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 28, 2023 10:57 AM
    

Hello! It's RPS Game Club chat time! As you know, this month's pick is Unpacking, and here at RPS, we've been writing a bunch of lovely words about Witch Beam's block puzzle tidy-em-up. I've really enjoyed returning to this indie gem and have noted the irony of my Unpacking house being spick and span but my own house being, well, a dumping ground. But we wanna hear what you have to say, so put that kettle on, grab some bourbons, and tell us what you think. The chat below will start today at 4pm BST / 8am PDT. See you then!

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 28, 2023 10:30 AM
    

Every year when I ask the team to vote for their favourite games of all time ahead of us putting together our annual RPS 100 list, I'm regularly astonished by the sheer breadth of games that fly into my inbox. Everyone on the team has such varied, individual tastes, and it heartens me to see so many different genres and types of games represented every year. This year's list (available to read now in Part One and Part Two is another great testament to that.

But as we (sometimes) jokingly say any time we compile a big list like this, the games that didn't make the cut are always at #101. Well, this year I thought supporters might like to see those games at #101 this year, and crikey, there are a lot. There are so many here, in fact, that we would have had to have stretched to an RPS 200 to include them all. So here are our honourable mentions this year (listed, for ease), and I'd love to see you try and guess which games belonged to which member of the team.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 28, 2023 10:26 AM
    

With the imminent release of Baldur's Gate 3 next week, Larian have released another villain spotlight video showcasing the RPG juggernaut's final character in its trio of antagonists, and Lady Dimitrescu actor Maggie Robertson will be playing her. Hell yeah. Orin the Red is an angry, evil, shapeshifting lady who seems to have a major chip on her shoulder and a lust for destruction and blood. The video doesn't go too much into Orin's role in BG3 beyond the fact that she's super evil, but if you'd like to see snippets of Robertson as Orin in action you can watch the video below:

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 28, 2023 10:00 AM
    

In a move that, if it happens a third time, will become a trend known as "doing a Dwarf Fortress", Kitfox Games are taking on publishing duty for Caves Of Qud, a proc-gen roguelike retrofuturist epic that generates funny patch notes and terrifies me, personally. Development started in 2007, before the game hit early access on Steam in 2015. And now, 1.0 is on the horizon.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 28, 2023 9:00 AM
    

Japan's biggest yearly indie games event returned to a blisteringly hot Kyoto last weekend, just in time for the world-famous Gion Matsuri taking place in the city that same weekend. Bitsummit Let's Go was the name given to the 11th incarnation of the event, expanding to three days for the very first time - also featuring over 100 games, the largest showcase yet. With so many games on show it's hard to narrow them all down. Keeping with the event's spirit of showcasing independent talent and undiscovered gems, I've chosen to pick out some of the smaller games peppering the show floor and highlight just a few favourites.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 28, 2023 7:30 AM
    

It's always a sad day when someone leaves the Treehouse, and today we bid adieu to Rachel Watts, as she leaves being our reviews editor for pastures new. Rachel definitely left an impression here, and I know she'll do the same wherever she goes. For now, join us in saying goodbye with some nice comments, and a look at some of Rachel's coolest work for us here.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 28, 2023 7:00 AM
    

Welcome to Part Two of The RPS 100 for 2023, our annual countdown of our favourite PC games from across the ages. Earlier this week, we ranked our favourite games from 100-51, which can be found over in Part One of this year's list. But now it's time for the big 50, going all the way to our collective number one. And I'll tell you now, it's not the same as last year.

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Twinfinite Friday, July 28, 2023 12:40 PM
    
Yeah, don't miss out on these.

Twinfinite Friday, July 28, 2023 11:56 AM
    
Ever wonder which character from demon slayer you'd most be like? Then take this official character quiz to find out the answer.

Twinfinite Friday, July 28, 2023 10:00 AM
    
This ain't my first rodeo.

Twinfinite Friday, July 28, 2023 9:00 AM
    
The MW series, ranked.

Siliconera Friday, July 28, 2023 1:54 PM
    

FFXIV Dawntrail Tural

Dawntrail is the fifth expansion for the long-running MMORPG. Alongside new content, characters, and a story, players will have the opportunity to explore a new side of the world. The new Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail location is known as Tural. During the 2023 Fan Fest, Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida offered some initial details about it.

Tural is an island nation in the far west of the world, past Eorzea in a previously unexplored location in Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail. The people of Tural live among nature in a bright island lifestyle. The new hub city for players to explore and spend plenty of time in is Tuliyollal in the Yok Tural region of the island.

This new city is at the heart of the story of Dawntrail, with the ruler of the city being Gulool Ja Ja, who is a two-headed Mamool Ja. The crux of the plot will revolve around the next ruler of the capital city of the city-state. This new city is a colorful market-centric port side town.

The region of Yok Tural where Tuliyollal is based is a forest region. This dense forest area is so thick with trees that the forest floor rarely sees any sunlight. Players will be able to explore the forest floor and high-elevation areas alike.

Players will also be able to explore the region of Urqopacha, which is a mountainous region. It is home to a mix of exceedingly large and unusually small races.

There are other towns and cities that players will be explore on the island nation of Tural, which will be revealed at a later date.

Here's an initial gallery of screenshots of Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail locations that appeared at the 2023 July Fan Festival.
[gallery ids="975079,975078,975077,975076,975075,975074,975073,975072,975071,975070,975069,975064" link="file"]

Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail will release for PS4, PS5, and PC in Summer 2024. The base game is available now.

The post Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Location Is the New World Tural appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 28, 2023 1:38 PM
    

FFXIV Dawntrail Story Is a 'Summer Vacation' Set in Tural

After announcing the new expansion at the 2023 Fan Fest, Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida announced details about the FFXIV Dawntrail story and how it takes people to the "New World" location of Tural for a "summer vacation." The theme color this time is gold, and is part of a "journey of discovery."

When introducing FFXIV Dawntrail's story, Yoshida said, "What we want to bring to all you Warriors of Light is the very best summer vacation a hero could possibly have." He noted this is a "first step" for the next adventure for the game. We'll head to Tural alongside the Scions to help pick the new ruler during a rite of succession. However, Yoshida teased that the Scions will be split into two groups. So people might not end up being your allies during the adventure. The winner takes the throne from Gulool Ja Ja, the Mamool Ja ruling the new city.

There's also rumor of a "City of Gold." The initial story teases suggest that the events of this contest for the new ruler will involve players reaching it.

You can watch the keynote and July 28, 2023 Fan Fest events below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--_vb2j_qDo&ab_channel=FINALFANTASYXIV

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, and PC, and the Dawntrail expansion is in development for a Summer 2024 release. The 2023 Fan Festival will be held in Las Vegas between July 28-29, 2023. The full schedule for the event is online.

The post FFXIV Dawntrail Story Is a 'Summer Vacation' Set in Tural appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 28, 2023 1:10 PM
    

The New Final Fantasy XIV Expansion Is Dawntrail

During the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest 2023 official keynote, Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida revealed the next FFXIV expansion is Dawntrail. This will be released when the 7.0 update for the game appears. A new trailer appeared, teasing the new locations. We'll see it in Summer 2024.

You can catch the keynote for the July 2023 Fan Fest below. Other streams from the event will appear on YouTube as well throughout the day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--_vb2j_qDo&ab_channel=FINALFANTASYXIV
We will likely learn more at the Letter from the Producer Live Part LXXVIII with Naoki Yoshida and Toshio Murouchi. That will air at 10am PT/1pm ET/7pm CET on July 29, 2023.

The last Final Fantasy XIV expansion to appear is Endwalker. It was announced at a February 2021 event. It launched the same year it was announced, showing up in December 2021 after being delayed out of November 2021. Spoilers aside, when we played it, it ended up offering a sense of closure for certain storylines.

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, and PC, and the expansion is in development for a Summer 2024 release. The 2023 Fan Festival will be held in Las Vegas between July 28-29, 2023. The full schedule for the event is online.

The post The New Final Fantasy XIV Expansion Is Dawntrail appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 28, 2023 1:00 PM
    

Pikmin 4 Oatchi and Ice Pikmin Plush Arrive in September

Sanei announced new Pikmin 4 plush toys of Oatchi the Space Dog and an Ice Pikmin. Both join the company's collection of other stuffed versions of characters from the series. The Amazon listing for each one says they will arrive on September 16, 2023. The Ice Pikmin will cost ¥2,980 (~$21), while Oatchi will be ¥5,250 (~$37). As Amazon Japan ships worldwide, people can order them even if they are outside the country. [Thanks, Dengeki Online!]

The Ice Pikmin plush toy is the taller, but smaller, of the two Pikmin 4 items. It is about seven inches tall, though some of that appears to be its stem and flower. It features stitching and fabric designed to make it look as though it is made of ice.
[gallery size="full" ids="975030,975031,975032" link="file"]

The Oatchi Pikmin 4 plush stands at almost seven inches tall. However, it is a bit bigger than the Ice Pikmin in terms of width and length. It features the character's collar and a white tuft of fur at the end of his tail. He also has paw pads embroidered onto the bottom of his feet.
[gallery size="full" ids="975033,975034,975035" link="file"]

Though new, quite a bit of merchandise tied to the game already appeared. People can make Ice Pikmin ice cubes. There's also clothing based on this entry.

Pikmin 4 is available now for the Nintendo Switch, and the Ice Pikmin and Oatchi plush will come to Japan on September 16, 2023.

The post Pikmin 4 Oatchi and Ice Pikmin Plush Arrive in September appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 28, 2023 12:30 PM
    

Here's the Hololive Vtuber Summer 2023 Swimsuit Karaoke Relay Schedule

As part of the Hololive Summer 2023 events and activities, Cover announced a reveal of its Vtubers new swimsuits. The new outfits and models will appear during a karaoke stream relay. Members from the English, Indonesian, and Japanese branches will all get new clothes, which all feature similar styles and match. However, they will also have each performer's signature colors. Things start on July 29, 2023, the same day Hololive Advent debuts begin.

The general swimsuit "opening ceremony" program starts a bit earlier. That will come up at 4am PT/7am ET/8pm JST. While the screenshot does show English members like Ouro Kronii and Ceres Fauna, as well as the Indonesian branch member Pavolia Reine, it will be in Japanese.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffK5DJXVgY0&ab_channel=hololive%E3%83%9B%E3%83%AD%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%96-VTuberGroup

Here's the full schedule. For each swimsuit karaoke performance, check the Hololive Vtuber's personal channel:

  • 7am PT/10am ET on July 29, 2023: Tsunomaki Watame
  • 7:30am PT/10:30am ET on July 29, 2023: Murasaki Shion
  • 8am PT/11am ET on July 29, 2023: Sakamata Chloe
  • 8:20am PT/11:20am ET on July 29, 2023: Aki Rosenthal
  • 8:40am PT/11:40am ET on July 29, 2023: Natsuiro Matsuri
  • 9am PT/12pm ET on July 29, 2023: Omaru Polka
  • 9:20am PT/12:20pm ET on July 29, 2023: Shiranui Flare
  • 3pm PT/6pm ET on July 29, 2023: La+ Darkness
  • 3:30pm PT/6:30pm ET on July 29, 2023: Kiara Takanashi
  • 4pm PT/7pm ET on July 29, 2023: Ninomae Ina'nis
  • 5pm PT/8pm ET on July 29, 2023: Hakui Koyori
  • 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET on July 29, 2023: Tokino Sora
  • 6pm PT/9pm ET on July 29, 2023: Shirogane Noel
  • 6:20pm PT/9:20pm ET on July 29, 2023: Ceres Fauna
  • 6:40pm PT/9:40pm ET on July 29, 2023: Kureiji Ollie
  • 7pm PT/10pm ET on July 29, 2023: Calliope Mori
  • 7:20pm PT/10:20pm ET on July 29, 2023: IRyS
  • 7:40pm PT/10:40pm ET on July 29, 2023: Ookami Mio
  • 10pm PT on July 29, 2023/1am ET on July 30, 2023: Kazama Iroha
  • 10:30pm PT on July 29, 2023/1:30am ET on July 30, 2023: Pavolia Reine
  • 11pm PT on July 29, 2023/2am ET on July 30, 2023: Hakos Baelz
  • 11:30pm PT on July 29, 2023/2:30am ET on July 30, 2023: Nekomata Okayu
  • 12am PT/3am ET on July 30, 2023: Himemori Luna
  • 12:30am PT/3:30am ET on July 30, 2023: AZKi
  • 1am PT/4am ET on July 30, 2023: Amane Kanata
  • 1:20am PT/4:20am ET on July 30, 2023: Robocosan
  • 1:40am PT/4:40am ET on July 30, 2023: Tokoyami Towa
  • 2am PT/5am ET on July 30, 2023: Sakura Miko
  • 2:20am PT/5:20am ET on July 30, 2023: Oozora Subaru
  • 2:40am PT/5:40am ET on July 30, 2023: Takane Lui
  • 3am PT/6am ET on July 30, 2023: Houshou Marine

The only Hololive English members participating are Kiara, Ina'nis, Fauna, Calliope, IRyS, and Baelz, even though others are shown with the swimsuit in the "opening ceremony."

Hololive Summer 2023 also consists of special events and performances. The official site for it is open.

The post Here's the Hololive Vtuber Summer 2023 Swimsuit Karaoke Relay Schedule appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 28, 2023 11:45 AM
    

Final Fantasy XIV Pusheen Crossover Teased Again

Ahead of the start of the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2023, the official Pusheen Twitter account teased another FFXIV crossover. No details appeared, beyond a single image of Pusheen on a Chocobo. However, the announcement did say to watch the keynote.

Here is the official teaser.

This sort of Pusheen Final Fantasy XIV crossover happened before. First, there were some official comics showing the character dressed as familiar mascots from the series and in job costumes. So instead of a Moogle, there was a Pusheen Mewgle.

Here are examples of those past comics.
[gallery size="full" ids="975010,975011,975012" link="file"]

In 2020, it happened again. That time, a line of Apple iMessage stickers appeared. That involved 20 different designs based on the game and character. That is still available to buy for $0.99 on the Apple Store. A trailer also accompanied its release, so people could see the designs even if they didn't buy the pack or own a device to use them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ERDfdXcLhQ&ab_channel=PusheentheCat

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, and PC. The 2023 Fan Festival will be held in Las Vegas between July 28-29, 2023.

The post Final Fantasy XIV Pusheen Crossover Teased Again appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 28, 2023 11:30 AM
    

Double Dragon Super Advance Collection

Arc System Works announced it will be bringing the classic games Super Double Dragon and Double Dragon Advance to the PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One and Series X/S. The ports are due out on November 9, 2023. They will also be available as part of the Double Dragon Collection for customers in Asia.

Double Dragon Advance was originally developed by Million and released in 2003, whereas Super Double Dragon was developed by Technos in 1992. Both have been difficult to get ahold of legally since. The Double Dragon Collection will appear as a physical edition including Double Dragon, Double Dragon 2: The Revenge, Double Dragon 3: The Sacred Stones, and Double Dragon 4. Both games will be listed at HK$54.70 each, working out to around $7 each. The Double Dragon Collection will cost HK$195 or roughly $25, and it is only available to customers in Asia.

The most recent game in the series is 2023's Double Dragon Gaiden. Developer Arc System Works is also known for its work on fighting games Guilty Gear and Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising.

Super Double Dragon and Double Dragon Advance will become available on November 9, 2023, for the PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. They will be available individually or as part of the Double Dragon Collection.

The post Super Double Dragon and Double Dragon Advance Ports Coming in November appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 28, 2023 11:01 AM
    

hello kitty island adventure review

Know what I love about Animal Crossing and all other life simulations like it? It lets you really relax and take your time. You don't need to rush around. Go meet cute colorful characters who all want to be your friends and enjoy life at your own pace. Hello Kitty Island Adventure is definitely like Animal Crossing in some ways, as it does offer an island to make your home, but it's really more of a take on Disney Magical World 2 or Disney Dreamlight Valley. There's a massive to-do list ahead of you, lots of ingredients and materials to collect, and familiar mascots who want to be your friend.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure begins with a plane ride to Friendship Island, a place that is supposed to be home to a resort and entertaining attractions. However, something happened and now it's abandoned. After deciding if you're a bird, feline, or dog in the character creator and getting to know the Sanrio all-stars on the same flight as you, a cake disaster forces everyone to skydive to their new home. Since everything is abandoned and a strange sentient hologram known as TOPHAT is suffering from amnesia, it's up to you to find all the Sanrio characters, make friends with them, explore the island, and lure new visitors there.

[caption id="attachment_974671" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Review: Hello Kitty Island Adventure Is Animal Crossing with a To-Do List Image via Sanrio and Sunblink[/caption]

I like to think of Hello Kitty Island Adventure as an errand simulator, rather than something like Animal Crossing. Like Disney Dreamlight Valley, every Sanrio character you meet is going to need something. My Melody? She wants the Strawberry Crates that you'll also need to repair houses so visitors can stay in them. Chococat? He wants Power Crystals. Tuxedosam? He wants you to make him some pineapple cake concoction. Since these can involve crafting projects, that also means watching the ground for any little bits and pieces, like branches, rubber, fruits, and flowers, so you can combine them into whatever they need. Not to mention you also have to get an idea of what kind of furniture theme visitors might want so you can tailor vacation homes to them.

That may sound like a lot, but it really isn't so bad. I only found Hello Kitty Island Adventure somewhat overwhelming with its degree of requests in its first five or so hours. This is due to the fact that you're being tasked with exploring the island and finding new hallmarks and rounding up missing Sanrio characters while also seeing tutorials, being assigned busywork by your new friends, and getting a feel for the game. Especially since you're locked out of the fast travel options initially and the island is a genuinely big place.

[caption id="attachment_974672" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Review: Hello Kitty Island Adventure Is Animal Crossing with a To-Do List Image via Sanrio and Sunblink[/caption]

It's a pretty one as well. Hello Kitty Island Adventure is an extraordinarily cute game. All of the familiar characters are well rendered and look adorable, with their styles all matching in a complementary way. There isn't the degree of customization as in Animal Crossing here, so you won't be changing the island to look how you want via decorations and terraforming. But what is here is fun enough, and there are a nice array of different biomes to help make the island feel richer and offer regional diversity.

What's a little odd is how it actually implements some adventuring and platforming elements. There's a stamina wheel, which increases as you find apple slices, determining if you can scale steep hills or other sorts of surfaces. It's unexpected and usually works well, though it is weird if you move slightly too far in one direction or another and move off of a ladder and start using up stamina. Prior to getting the flippers from a Keroppi quest that let you swim, there are some timed challenges that feel like they expect you to do some light 3D platforming to jump over gaps. Given I was playing on an iPad without any controller, this was very fiddly, as the "jump" button also happened to be where the items wheel is. It lacked quite a bit of precision and could be frustrating. There's also a glide function, wherein you can press and hold a jump if you have enough distance to pull out balloons, but again, it lacks the precision I prefer from such features.

[caption id="attachment_974673" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Review: Hello Kitty Island Adventure Is Animal Crossing with a To-Do List Image via Sanrio and Sunblink[/caption]

Once you do really start settling in, it really feels like Hello Kitty Island Adventure is about contouring experiences for virtual guests a la the Disney Magical World games. For the permanent residents you are befriending, it comes down to learning their preferences for their three daily gifts so you can further befriend them and get bonuses from being in their inner circle. For ones who are visitors, it comes down to pinning down their personal aesthetics so the more obscure characters like Mimmy or Chiffon.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure being so focused on doing things for other characters made it sometimes feel like it lacked the charm and socialization of Animal Crossing and Disney Dreamlight Valley sometimes. When I'd play both, I'd sometimes have fun just checking in with residents to chat with them. But here, the conversations tended to feel really transactional. It could be because I was playing the game in conditions where I was under a crunch to do and see as much as possible. But while it is fun to see these characters and the indicators go up to show "we are friends," it didn't feel as neighborly as it would when I'd wander around and check in with Isabelle, Marshal, Sasha, or Raymond.

[caption id="attachment_974674" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Review: Hello Kitty Island Adventure Is Animal Crossing with a To-Do List Image via Sanrio and Sunblink[/caption]

The thing is if people did really love the Disney Magical World and Disney Dreamlight Valley life sims or adore Sanrio, Hello Kitty Island Adventure is definitely a must-play game. It is pretty well executed, even if it does often feel like you're constantly checking off to-do lists to make your favorite mascots like you. It doesn't have the depth of some similar simulations and I'm not sure it will have the staying power of an Animal Crossing game. It's definitely a pleasant, simple simulation.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is available for on Apple devices for Apple Arcade subscribers.

The post Review: Hello Kitty Island Adventure Is Animal Crossing with a To-Do List appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 28, 2023 10:30 AM
    

What Is the Honkai Impact 3rd 6.8 Release Date

We now have an exact release date for the Honkai Impact 3rd 6.8 update. It will arrive on August 3, 2023. The new playable character this time is the Herrscher of Rebirth Seele battlesuit. The Daughters of the Sea Chapter XXXIX story update was teased, which features Seele and Veliona, as well.

First, the announcement meant more details about Herrscher of Rebirth. This is an S-Rank battlesuit people can pull. It's a PSY-type that deals Physical DMG. However, the current form you set for her determines how you'll use her in battle. When you want to use her as a DPS or damage dealer, you need to use the Life Binder form. However, the Soul Shaper form is designed to use her ultimate to debuff opponents for the other allies on her team.

As for activities, a few came up. The announcement trailer noted the Daughters of the Sea Chapter XXXIX update will appear. Completing it nets someone Crystals and an Event Stigma. Before the Endless Dream Ends is coming and bringing Crystals, the Darkbolt Jonin Shimmering Wavelets outfit, and a Your Miracle emblem. The Hot Summer Gift: Book of Memories event will begin and offer a Summer Reminiscence weapon option and The Moon's Origin and Finality. A Butterflies of Rebirth: Break the Waves login event will appear with even more crystals and a Starfold Fortune outfit for Starlit Astrologos.

The official trailer for the event is now live. It teases that universes are about to collide, following other major events in the story. From there, Seele's role in things is teased. That's when we get to see the Herrscher of Rebirth battlesuit in action. Like other Seele battlesuits (and incarnations), the scythe is her primary weapon. It then teases the Daughters of the Sea Chapter XXXIX update and events like Before the Endless Dream Ends and Hot Summer Gift: Book of Memories.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54NzRChRQxg&ab_channel=HonkaiImpact3rd

The Honkai Impact 3rd release date for 6.8 is August 3, 2023. The game is available on PCs and mobile devices.

The post Honkai Impact 3rd 6.8 Appears Next Week appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 28, 2023 9:50 AM
    

Eiyuden Chronicle

Rabbit & Bear Studios latest Kickstarter update confirmed the Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes release date is delayed. We won't see it in 2023. Its new window is Q2 2024. It previously had a general 2023 launch window.

The update cited quality control as a reason for the Eiyuden Chronicle release date delay. However, it also did note that the team is "in the final phase of production." As such, it noted backers entitled to a physical copy will get emails asking which version they want in the near future.

A few Japanese voice actors for characters also came up, as well as confirmation of returning folks. The following people will appear in the game:

  • CJ: Ai Fairouz
  • Garoo: Taro Kiuchi
  • Garr: Hiroya Egashira
  • Hildi: Yoko Hikasa
  • Isha: Ai Kakuma
  • Mio: Masayo Fujita
  • Lian: Sayaka Senbongi

There is one Eiyuden Chronicle game immediately available. Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is out now. It stars side characters CJ, Isha, and Garoo, with other people who will also show up in the main entry also making cameo appearances in it.

The new Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes release date falls in Q2 2024. People will see it on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.

The post Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Release Date Delayed to 2024 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 28, 2023 9:30 AM
    

How Do I Watch the FFXIV Fan Fest Keynote and Streams festival

The July 2023 Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival is about to begin. The first part of the event starts on July 28, 2023. We already know the schedule for it. However, even if you aren't attending, it is easy to watch the FFXIV Fan Fest keynote with Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida and streams.

How do I watch the July 2023 FFXIV Fan Fest keynote and streams?

There are two methods. One is to go to the official YouTube channel. The Day 1 placeholder is already live. You can set up notifications and be prepared for when the FFXIV Fan Fest 2023 keynote kicks everything off at 10am PT/1pm ET/7pm CET on July 28, 2023. If you prefer Twitch, you can also catch everything on the official Twitch channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--_vb2j_qDo&ab_channel=FINALFANTASYXIV

What can we expect from the first day?

Here's the full schedule for FFXIV Fan Fest on July 28, 2023. Things start out with the aforementioned keynote. From there, a number of panels will appear.

  • 10am PT: Keynote with Naoki Yoshida
  • 11:30am PT: Opening Ceremony
  • 1pm PT: A Realm Revisited with Aya Montoya and Danielle Grafft
  • 2pm PT: Beginning from the End: The Annotated Endwalker with Naoki Yoshida and Natsuko Ishikawa
  • 5pm PT: Glamoured to Life: Cosplay Walk with Aya Montoya and Danielle Grafft
  • 7pm PT: Piano Performance with Masayoshi Soken and Matt Hilton

There's also an app with the official schedule built into it.

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, and PC. The 2023 Fan Festival will be held in Las Vegas between July 28-29, 2023.

The post PSA: The 2023 FFXIV Fan Fest Keynote and Streams Start Today appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 28, 2023 9:00 AM
    

pokemon trading card game tcg obsidian flames review

The Pokemon video games are commonly about type matchups, and swapping in and out to manage those advantages. That's always been present in the TCG, with the "weakness" meaning players take double damage from one type and "resistance" cutting 30 damage off another. In practice, though? Yeah, that tilts a match sometimes, but you aren't usually able to do much about it. Energy types mean you build toward one strategy! Maybe two? But it's not a team composition puzzle.

Tera Pokemon are the TCG's latest attempt to add that back in. Much like the Scarlet & Violet raid opponents, the set's new Tera variants move creatures to a different type. What makes this special is that many of them still use the old energy type. Attacks that use non-colorless energy have always been intended to be stronger, and that's the case here too.

Vespiquen ex shifts from Grass to Psychic type, with a three-energy Phantom Queen ability that deals 200 damage to the opponent's active combatant and 30 to any damaged foes on the bench. This works really well with last set's cards, like Ting-Lu ex that focus on dealing chip damage to everyone. Tyranitar ex does a lot of damage for a few Fighting energy, and you might actually want the discards it forces as a "drawback" to its strong attacks.

And, in a move that will surprise exactly no one, the new Charizard is extremely powerful! What's somewhat more surprising is that it's an efficient damage dealer that doesn't burn its way through your energy supply. It deals 180 damage for two energy, plus 30 for every Prize card your opponent has taken. We're not sure it gets too much out of being Dark-type, though. Anyway, it's a start! Maybe we'll see just a few more tactical retreats in high-level play.

[caption id="attachment_974690" align="alignnone" width="1200"]pokemon trading card game tcg obsidian flames review Photo by Siliconera[/caption]

These type-shifted Tera cards lean into the gem-like aesthetic of the transformation, with lots of sparkles tinged in the combatant's new hue. These look cool in foil! They, of course, are also increasingly illegible. The Pokemon Trading Card Game has long relied on players memorizing commonly-used cards so they don't have to read them upside-down from across the table. That ain't new! But these designs certainly aren't making it easier on new players.

The new Koraidon ex and Miraidon ex cards aren't awful, but they likely won't see as much competitive play as their predecessors. They have interesting utility — bench damage and card draw, respectively — but since they do it through attacks and not abilities, you likely won't see them very much.

With the introduction of Pokemon Tools as a separate card type in this era and a wave of new cards to interact with them, we were hoping this set would bring with it some more intriguing options for tool-based strategies. As it is? We get two, and they're sort of situational. Patrol Cap prevents deck-milling strategies? This could come up eventually, but we've seen a lot more use of discarding as a benefit to yourself these days. Vengeful Punch does something we've seen before: damage to opponent when attacked. The thing is, it's only activated upon knockout, and it's only four damage counters. It's simply a bit too weak to justify its spot in your deck.

Since the upcoming 151 set will focus on the original Kanto creatures, Obsidian Flames takes the opportunity to dig deeper into Paldea. Only 23 of the Pokemon TCG expansion's 185 Pokemon cards are species from Red and Blue, which is rather restrained! And we see appearances from Arven, Brassius, Geeta, Ortega, Poppy and Ryme through the new Supporter batch. We're honestly a bit surprised that we don't see much of the game's world, though. No distinctive Stadium cards? The Pokemon Company may be banking on the debuts of specific Pokemon for now, saving the more interesting locales and gameplay mechanics for later sets.

[caption id="attachment_974691" align="alignnone" width="1200"]pokemon trading card game tcg obsidian flames review Photo by Siliconera[/caption]

Ultimately, Obsidian Flames is about selling boxes and packs with a cool-looking Charizard on them. And that'll work! Both in the value-obsessed collector community and the many long-time fans of the line. Past that, we're seeing the glowing embers of mechanical creativity, and we hope those inside the dev team keep working toward a more vibrant game that can only benefit the longstanding cute cardboard business.


The Pokemon Trading Card Game: Scarlet & Violet — Obsidian Flames expansion launches August 11, 2023. For more Pokemon TCG coverage, check out our archive.

The post In the Pokemon TCG Obsidian Flames Expansion, Orange Is the New Black appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, July 28, 2023 1:57 PM
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PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, July 28, 2023 12:20 PM
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PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, July 28, 2023 12:17 PM
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PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, July 28, 2023 11:20 AM
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Gamer Empire Friday, July 28, 2023 1:16 PM
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Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, July 28, 2023 11:00 AM
    

5 New Details about Armored Core 6

The post 5 New Details about Armored Core 6 appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.