GamersHeroes Monday, November 6, 2023 1:47 PM Based on Stanisław Lem's novel, 11 bit studios and Starward Industries' The Invincible is now available for PC and consoles. The post The Invincible Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Monday, November 6, 2023 1:31 PM The team at Sledgehammer Games and Activision have released a new blog around Call of Duty's Multiplayer and Zombies modes. The post Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III Multiplayer and Zombies Details Released appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Monday, November 6, 2023 12:29 PM Starting November 19, a number of Black Friday deals will be available around the Nintendo Switch and its games. The post Nintendo 2023 Black Friday Holiday Bundles Announced appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 3:45 PM  PlayStation 5 is ditching its integration with Twitter, the social media platform recently rebranded as "X" after Elon Musk bought it for $44 billion and then promptly crashed it into a brick wall like a dad coming home from a mid-life crisis bender in his brand-new Ferrari. Nintendo Switch will soon be the only… |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 3:30 PM  Two weeks ago, hundreds of Roblox players jumped into a custom game that let them take part in a pro-Palestine march. The game, which appeared to have been organized by Malaysian Roblox players, was made in response to the escalating violence in the Middle East. On October 7, the Islamic political and military… |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 2:50 PM  For being a role-playing game based on 5e Dungeons & Dragons, Baldur's Gate 3 is notoriously horny. Regardless of mythical race, gender, or social station, many of the game's alluring party members are willing to at least spank you, and because of this, BG3 has a thriving and official sex speedrun category. For a… |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 1:30 PM  After what's felt like a never-ending final season, Attack on Titan, the mega-popular shonen anime series, finally came to an end on November 4 on Crunchyroll and Hulu. Unlike the manga it's based on, whose controversial ending split its fandom in half over whether the decade-spanning series was an utter disappointment |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 1:00 PM  Every week I play a very specific game. No, it's not Halo (though I do occasionally play that), but the game where I desperately try to manage the storage space on my PC because of video games. Oh and if I go to my PS5, trying to curate a decent list of installed games also runs into problems. Same on Steam Deck. Same… |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 12:45 PM  After returning from a large, exclusive party over the weekend, some Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT owners are complaining about severe eye pain, skin burns, and poor vision potentially caused by powerful UV lights used at the event. Some folks have reported the pain was so bad they had to go to the hospital for treatment. |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 12:30 PM  Microsoft is betting everything on AI, Wired reported earlier this year. And now we know those bets includes gaming. On November 6, the company announced a new business deal to bring AI-generated non-player characters and more to the platform. The tools will be optional for developers. I'm sure this will all go… |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 12:15 PM  Fans will go searching underneath their couch cushions to find more information about Silent Hill 2, the highly anticipated but, as of now, secretive remake of the beloved survival horror game by Layers of Fear developer Bloober Team. The game does not yet have a release date (though fans have tried divining one) or… |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 11:45 AM  I put off writing this Alan Wake 2 review because I was scared. Scared that I'd look into myself and find I wasn't up to the task, that I lacked the right words, with nothing to offer but emptiness and failure. It's not at all uncommon, though, for writers to be wracked with doubt. Many years ago, I saw the novelist… |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 11:30 AM |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 11:15 AM  While the new tank hero Mauga was the headliner of Blizzard's Overwatch 2 showing at Blizzcon this weekend, the dev team also highlighted two more playable characters coming to the hero shooter next year: a DPS character named Venture and a support hero code named Space Ranger. If you only watched the opening… |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 10:45 AM  Just in time for Black Friday budgeting, Nintendo announced a Switch bundle launching on November 19 that'll package the OLED model of the handheld-console hybrid with the crossover fighter Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 10:30 AM  The PlayStation 5 "slim" arrives this month, and a new teardown video shows what players can expect, from internal differences to the fact that it doesn't actually look that much smaller overall. It might be Sony's most subtle but unusual redesign to date. |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 10:30 AM  The Call of Duty franchise has continually set sales records and delivered rock-solid multiplayer experiences, almost single handedly carrying the first-person shooter genre into the modern era. It remains a crucial pillar in the gaming industry, so much so that Sony and Microsoft were fighting over it in the lead-up… |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 10:00 AM |
Kotaku Monday, November 6, 2023 9:09 AM  Just over a month after Epic Games cut nearly 900 employees, players have come roaring back to Fortnite to play its new nostalgia trip through the battle royale's original map. The company announced that the six-year-old game had its biggest day ever on November 4, bringing in a whopping 44.7 million players. |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 2:22 PM  November 6, 2023 We checked for any new Bee Swarm Simulator codes and confirmed the validity of all currently codes. What are the active Bee Swarm Simulator codes? Whether you're in the market for some free items to help you get started farming honey, or you need that extra boost to your bee's effectiveness at collecting pollen, there's no quicker way to get your hive started than to redeem a whole bunch of codes. However, it's not always easy to know where to find ones that work. So, if you want to give your little pollinators a helping hand, we have many tried and tested active Bee Swarm Simulator codes to redeem that give you valuable free items and boosts. We also have freebies for other popular Roblox games, including Blade Ball codes, Blox Fruits codes, and Murder Mystery 2 codes to help you get ahead. Continue reading Bee Swarm Simulator codes November 2023 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 2:16 PM  November 6, 2023: Checked for new AUT codes and reconfirmed the validity of the current working code. What are the new AUT codes? If you're trying to get ahead of the competition in A Universal Time, we've collated all the latest codes for free skin crates. We'll also run you through exactly how to redeem all the active A Universal Time codes and where you can find more for the action-packed, anime-themed hit. A Universal Time has been around for a while, but it's erupted in popularity recently following a major update. If you're searching high and low for further Roblox freebies, we also keep regularly updated lists of Blox Fruits codes, Project Slayers codes, and even Anime Adventures codes. Now, let's run through all the A Universal Time codes and the rewards they'll net you. Continue reading AUT codes November 2023 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 2:05 PM  November 6, 2023: We checked for new codes and reconfirmed the validity of the active codes. One more code has expired. How do you get Arsenal codes? The Roblox-based shooter has proven itself to be quite the popular experience, with teams taking shots at each other with machine guns, bazookas, and even flinging magic spells from books. Take your gaming experience to the next level by redeeming Arsenal codes to gain exclusive skins and announcer voices. There are other Roblox shooting games out there, all with their own unlocks, so make sure you check out the best Da Hood codes for more. If you want to try something completely different like racing motorbikes, there are also Motorcycle Mayhem codes to redeem. Continue reading Arsenal codes November 2023 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 1:38 PM  November 6, 2023: We added one new Arm Wrestle Simulator code for the 600 million player visits milestone and moved a bunch into the expired section. What are the new Arm Wrestle Simulator codes? This popular Roblox experience channels the simulator games of the past few years, rewarding your strenuous clicks with rapidly multiplying strength. Arm Wrestle codes can speed up the process exponentially, earning you the gains you need to bend everyone's elbows and slam even the beefiest of opponent's forearms onto the table. Keep up with all the latest codes before they expire, and you'll have a natural advantage over those who don't. As we've already alluded to, Arm Wrestle Simulator takes the ideas of many other popular Roblox games to create one centered around a less violent form of settling your differences, without resorting to a boring game of rock, paper, scissors. For further freebies in other action-packed Roblox releases, be sure to grab the latest Blox Fruits codes, King Legacy codes, and Fruit Battlegrounds codes before they're gone. Continue reading Arm Wrestle Simulator codes November 2023 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 1:24 PM  November 6, 2023: We added one new Anime Fighters Simulator code and checked for any that may have expired. What are the new Anime Fighters Simulator codes? With the classic Roblox anime adventure getting a new lease of life in 2023, we've been hard at work testing codes to get you streaming through the latest update as soon as it drops. Even if you haven't played Anime Fighters Simulator in a while, the freebies on offer can quickly get you back to full strength or, if you're a veteran, send you hurtling further up the leaderboards. While we wait for the next Anime Fighters Simulator update, consider checking out some of the best Roblox games for 2023. For a few noteworthy specifics and recommendations, you can't go wrong with Blox Fruits codes, Anime Adventures codes, and Shinobi Life 2 codes. They're hallmarks of the Roblox anime category. For another mishmash of your favorite characters, All Star Tower Defense codes are popular, too. Continue reading Anime Fighters Simulator codes November 2023 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 1:06 PM  November 6, 2023: We checked the listed working codes for accuracy and moved some old codes into the expired codes section. What are the active Anime Dimensions codes? No doubt you're no stranger to Roblox's anime offerings, as there are loads of them out there. However, this one is a good option if you ever want to transform into the likes of Goku, Luffy, or Naruto and punch/Ki Blast/ninjitsu your way through hordes of enemies. There are plenty of other anime-inspired games on the Roblox platform with redeemable codes for free in-game currency and more. This includes Anime Adventures codes, Project Slayers codes, and Kage Tycoon codes. For now, though, here are some Anime Dimensions codes that can get you free gems and boosts for your chosen fighter. Continue reading Anime Dimensions codes November 2023 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 12:59 PM  November 6, 2023: We added one new code for Upd 6.0.1, checked the validity of the listed working codes, and moved a large number of expired codes into the correct section. What are the latest Anime Champions Simulator codes? If you're new to this Roblox experience, you will want some bonus resources to give you a headstart. This includes diamonds, tokens, medals, and boosts to bolster your team and get them fighting more formidable opponents sooner. So, if you want some up-to-date Anime Champions codes, we have a list of all the free stuff you can get right now. Alternatively, there are plenty of other anime Roblox games worthy of your attention that have their own set of codes, such as Blox Fruits codes, Fruit Battlegrounds codes, and Blade Ball codes which is currently the hottest game on the platform. Continue reading Anime Champions Simulator codes November 2023 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 12:39 PM  If you need a new PC controller, the HyperX Clutch Gladiate is a great cheap option that also happens to be licensed for use on Xbox consoles. However, between the crystal clear casing, RGB lighting, and lack of Hall Effect thumbsticks, we can't help but feel it's arrived a few years too late and will struggle to make an impact in the current market. Continue reading New HyperX Clutch Gladiate controller feels stuck in the past MORE FROM PCGAMESN: HyperX Cloud Alpha review, Best Gaming Headset, Best Gaming Keyboard |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 12:28 PM  How does the CS2 ranks and rating system work? Competitive Counter-Strike is drastically changing in CS2 to create a more streamlined experience depending on how you prefer to play the game. There are now two forms of ranked play in CS2: Competitive and Premier. Unlike CSGO, your rank is split depending on the mode you're playing in Counter-Strike 2. Don't worry if you're a Global Elite-level player; as long as you continue to play well on the CS2 maps you should end up exactly where you deserve to be in the FPS game. Valve has removed the option to pick short or long games, instead, they've settled on MM24 to get directly to the action. Here's what you need to know about the rank and ratings system in CS2. Continue reading CS2 ranks and rating system explained MORE FROM PCGAMESN: CS2 crosshair, CS2 ranks, CS2 skins |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 12:28 PM  Valve's publicly-released data on Steam user preferences always provides a great insight into market sentiment, and this month is no different. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 is now the most popular RTX 4000-series graphics card in the October Steam Hardware & Software Survey. It replaces the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU, which has reigned supreme since June 2023. Continue reading Steam users have a new favorite Nvidia RTX 4000 series GPU MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7 7800X3D review, Best gaming CPU, Radeon RX 7800 XT review |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 12:15 PM  If you've seen talk of a Pyramid Head origin level coming to Bloober Team's Silent Hill 2 remake and rightfully been concerned about what that means for the direction of the Konami game, fear not, as this all looks to have been a misinterpretation of a store listing, and a misinterpretation of an old quote as well. Continue reading No, Silent Hill 2 won't have a Pyramid Head origin level MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Silent Hill 2 system requirements, The best horror games, Silent Hill 2 release date |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 12:07 PM  I'm finally starting to sour on limited-edition PC hardware drops, and it appears as though the PC gaming community is too. It's a tough statement to quantify, but the recent reveal of the SteelSeries Ghost Edition Apex Pro Mini gaming keyboard might offer some insight and help me to explain my point. Continue reading I'm over limited edition hardware, it's not worth the effort MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Razer Viper V2 Pro review, Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) review, Best gaming mouse |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 12:06 PM  Is The Day Before on Game Pass? The zombie MMO has undergone a turbulent development, to say the least – and with all the delays and disruption, it's no surprise that you might want to look before you take the financial leap. Naturally, Game Pass is an ideal solution. Microsoft's subscription service presents the perfect opportunity to see if it's right for you without spending more than the platform's monthly fee. The Day Before's recent trademark dispute had a considerable effect on developer Fntastic's launch plans, causing the survival game to be delisted from Steam – and almost resulted in a surprise name change in an effort to get around it. However, now that the dispute is resolved, The Day Before release date is back on the calendar. So, is The Day Before on Game Pass, or will you have to pay full price to play? Continue reading Is The Day Before on Game Pass? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best PC survival games, Best PC zombie games, The Day Before release date |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 11:59 AM  Paid Cities Skylines 2 DLC is unlikely to appear any time soon, as Colossal Order confirms that it won't release new, for-purchase material until the various technical problems affecting CS2 have been resolved. As noted in our Cities Skylines 2 review, despite whirlwind improvements to road, building, and services tools, CS2 struggles to function properly even on high-end PCs, with long loading times, stuttering, and freezes. The Paradox and Colossal Order strategy sim is still struggling to win over Steam players, but now, as it outlines changes to Cities Skylines 2 garbage processing, bug fixes, and ideas for new material in the future, CO says it will not release any paid DLC until performance is improved. Continue reading Cities Skylines 2 paid DLC isn't happening until the game is fixed MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Cities Skylines 2 review, Cities Skylines 2 roads, Cities Skylines 2 maps |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 12:42 PM  November 6, 2023: We checked for new codes and moved 19 old codes into the expired section. What are the new Anime Adventures codes? If you're 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. AA 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. Continue reading Anime Adventures codes November 2023 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 11:07 AM  The Steam Deck is mostly a top tier bit of kit, but it does have some flaws. One limitation is that it can only support a single 2230 M.2 SSD, which means the upper limit of its storage is 2TB. While that might be enough for a lot of people, it means those of us with large Steam libraries have to pick and choose between our favorite games. Well, a new Steam Deck mod from Storage Review has blown that out of the water by equipping a 61TB SSD in a few straightforward steps. Continue reading You can equip your Steam Deck with a 61TB SSD thanks to new mod MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 11:01 AM  You can get Rage 2 as a free game if you're an Amazon Prime subscriber for a limited time, as the id Software and Avalanche Studios open-world FPS is a lot better than you might remember. With all the game's DLC packaged in, and you being able to keep the game forever, it's 100% worth a shot Continue reading Snag this underrated open-world FPS as a free game with Amazon Prime MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Rage 2 review, Rage 2: How to get BFG 9000, How long is Rage 2? |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 11:02 AM  The best Steam Deck skins let you customize your handheld gaming machine and keep it safe from scuffs and scratches. Skins can often improve how the Deck feels in the hand, too, as they add texture. Unlike the best Steam Deck cases, a skin fits snugly around your handheld gaming PC to offer protection and extra grip. There are endless Steam Deck accessories on the market, but we think that the best skins for Steam Deck are an affordable addition worth having. We've tried and tested the best skins for Steam Deck out there. Here, you'll find the top designs, prices, features, and materials to help you narrow down the skin that's perfect for your needs. Why you can trust our advice ✔ At PCGamesN, we spend hours testing hardware, games and services. We always share honest, unbiased opinions to help you buy the best. Find out more about how we test.
Continue reading Best Steam Deck skins in 2023 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 10:49 AM  It's always exciting to see two brands collaborate to offer up a PC gaming giveaway, and Corsair has partnered with CyberPowerUK to offer you the chance to win an iCue gaming bundle worth over £300. The competition is only available to UK residents and closes on Monday, November 27. Continue reading Corsair and CyberPowerUK are teaming up for a Black Friday giveaway MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Corsair HS80 Max headset review, Corsair M75 Air mouse review, Best gaming keyboard |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 10:43 AM  Having one of the best standing desks could be transformative for your health and well-being, thanks to improvements in circulation, posture, and more. All of which they can do without needing you to take a break from your work or gaming. Sure, it's hard to imagine playing games without kicking back on a seat, but getting up from the best gaming chairs comes with ergonomic health benefits that are sure to make time spent at your desk more enjoyable. There are a few qualities to watch out for when hunting for the best stand-up desk, especially if you use your office for work and play. For starters, most options are height adjustable, and many use electric motors to make switching from seat to feet quick and intuitive. Some stand-up surfaces also come with extras like built-in USB sockets, cable management features, cupholders, and even RGB lighting. Choosing the best gaming desk is one thing, but the unconventional nature of standing solutions may seem complicated. So, to help you grab a perfect seatless surface, we've picked out the best standing desks from brands like FlexiSpot, Secretlab, and more. Continue reading Best standing desks in 2023 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 10:22 AM  Civilization 6 may be the boss of all 4X games, mixing diplomacy with in-depth city building and intricate tech and development trees. But Frostpunk has the vision, the style, and the unique take on the entire strategy genre. Its bleak, apocalyptic struggle for survival makes every decision feel heavy and heartfelt, and each unit and resource intensely valuable. Now, these two rulers of the strategy sim have a serious rival. Mixing substance and style, detailed strategy with a subjective, distinctive concept, if you want an alternative to Civilization, Frostpunk, and also the other big hitters like Cities Skylines 2 and Crusader Kings, this enormous new 4X game is available to try on Steam for free. Continue reading Civilization 6 and Frostpunk have competition in new Steam 4X game MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best turn-based strategy games on PC, The best 4X games on PC, The best war games on PC |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 10:23 AM  The best Steam Deck case will keep your precious PC gaming handheld safe and sound while traveling, and protect it from scratches and drops. Valve does include an official carrying case with orders of its gaming PC, but this won't necessarily cover all of your needs. That's why we've handpicked a selection, so you can find the best case for Steam Deck, using our years of gaming experience to help you find the best choice. While assembling our list, we looked at materials, protection, durability, price, and extra features to determine which Steam Deck case we think is best for any given purpose – be it traveling, extra storage, or saving precious space in your bag. Continue reading Best Steam Deck case in 2023 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 9:25 AM  If you've always wanted a Stardew Valley movie or TV show, the creator of the colossal indie life game would be behind it, if it were made by the right people. With videogame movies varying wildly in quality when attempting to translate the medium to the big screen, there's no telling how it would turn out. Eric 'ConcernedApe' Barone says he would only do it if some big and experienced names approached him. Continue reading A Stardew Valley movie could happen if done by the right people MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Stardew Valley multiplayer, Stardew Valley realism, The best Stardew Valley mods |
PCGamesN Monday, November 6, 2023 10:12 AM  What's the best HP gaming laptop? HP has plenty to offer gaming fans and knows a thing or two about mobile computing. Its Omen and Victus stables have something to offer most buyers regardless of their budget, so we've rounded up the best HP gaming laptops around to find out which is right for you. Hewlett Packard is a well-established laptop brand that's been around the block and bought the t-shirt. Though better known for its productivity machines than out-and-out gaming devices, HP has some gaming heritage. Much of that comes from its acquisition of the innovative Voodoo computers in 2006. Voodoo specialized in high-performance desktop computing, and that, combined with HP's portable computing nous, resulted in the resurrection of the Omen brand, which creates HP's flagship range of gaming laptops and desktops. To complement the Omen roster, HP created the Victus line to offer a broader range of budget gaming laptops covering the increasingly competitive sub-$1,000 end of the market. These well-specced machines offer functional looks paired with reliable, gaming-focused components, delivering devices that are more than capable of handling action-packed AAA titles but won't leave you destitute in the pursuit of owning one. But which of HP's latest line-up of high-spec, gaming-obsessed portables do we really rate? Read on to find out which of its line-up makes our list of the best HP gaming laptops money can buy. Continue reading Best HP gaming laptops in 2023 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, November 6, 2023 2:49 PM  An achievement added to Baldur's Gate 3's GOG release has teased the possible addition of a new permadeath mode for the D&D RPG - meaning that if your whole party dies, your save will be permanently wiped. In a game where play time counts can end up in the hundreds of hours, that's a fairly terrifying prospect. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, November 6, 2023 2:25 PM  Cities: Skylines 2 devs Colossal Order have said that the game known as the Builder of Cities and Destroyer of Framerates (at least, known as of me typing this) won't get any paid expansions while they're still getting its performance up to scratch. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, November 6, 2023 1:46 PM  Fortnite returned to its map circa 2018 (or Chapter 1 Season 5 if you prefer to measure time that way) last Friday, reviving locations like Tilted Towers, Loot Lake and Greasy Grove and unlocking the battle royale game's vaulted weapons, vehicles and items in a four-week nostalgic event dubbed Season OG. As it turns out, with the old map and items came a whole lot of players, setting a new all-time concurrent player record for the multiplayer shooter that surpasses even its previous heights in the pop-culture zeitgeist. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, November 6, 2023 1:09 PM  Cryptic Studios, the makers of MMOs including Star Trek Online and Dungeons & Dragons MMORPG Neverwinter, have confirmed a number of layoffs due to the ongoing "comprehensive restructuring" of megacorp owner Embracer Group. The "personnel changes" at Cryptic make them the latest Embracer-owned developer to suffer job losses in what continues to be an unrelenting year for thousands of those working in video games. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, November 6, 2023 12:44 PM  Much like Weyland-Yutani linking arms with Skynet, Microsoft have teamed up with Inworld to bring the latter's "generative AI" tools to Xbox studios. This "multi-year co-development partnership" will "build a powerful toolkit that harnesses artificial intelligence to enrich the narrative and character creation elements of game development", according to Inworld CEO Ilya Gelfenbeyn. You might recognise Inworld as the tech used by that GTA 5 mod about AI cultists in which characters speak AI-generated dialogue, which Rockstar blocked from distribution over the summer. Suffice to say that Microsoft have grander plans for it. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, November 6, 2023 12:30 PM  When I reviewed Hunt: Showdown for a different parish back in 2019, it was a swampy, stealthy, slow-paced extraction FPS that consisted of weaving through mouldy undead and pockets of inconveniently noisy wildlife, ears pricked for the rustle of a rival player in the bushes. It was a game in which every footfall felt like a gamble and every second lasted an eternity, even before you entered the lair of a giant spider. Fast forward to 2023, and streamers are playing Hunt: Showdown like it's Titanfall 2, scurrying along walls with scant regard for the NPC cannon fodder below, duelling each other on rooftops with pistol shotguns, and tearing through those poor, befuddled boss monsters like sandcastles. Thus the fate of any competitive shooter lucky enough to acquire a seasoned pro following, I guess. But still, returning to Crytek's PvPvE shooter has been a shock, and speaking to the development team, it sounds like the devs themselves have been struggling to keep up with the more ambitious players, too. Showdown was never expected to endure quite this long and evolve in quite this way, according to general manager David Fifield, and managing the community's ambitions for the game is as much of a challenge as compensating for the limitations of its ageing engine. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, November 6, 2023 12:00 PM  While reviewing Cities Colon Skylines 2, I didn't actually go in that hard on public transport (beyond providing it and making it free), despite the urge. Since then though, it's become a game where I don't so much build a single mega-city as a series of experiments. Naturally, those experiments devolved from a noble effort to remove the stain of cars into a sadistic urge to drive thousands of my own people on a never-ending hell march. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, November 6, 2023 11:22 AM  Hello folks. A small bit of RPS Game Club news today. Since it's starting to get toward end of the year season, Game Club will be taking a short break for the next two months. That means we won't be running it this month (November), or next month (December). We will, however, be returning with a fresh set of monthly game selections in 2024, so you can look forward to more group play-a-longs and liveblog chats early next year. In the meantime, though, we hope you've enjoyed this first year's outing of the RPS Game Club, and we'd love to get some feedback on it for how we can improve next year. Regardless of whether you're a regular Game Clubber or have only ever watched it from afar, please come and join in the discussion below to help us make it even better. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, November 6, 2023 10:30 AM  In 2021, Twitter user Thomas Violence, an Australian podcaster who was working in a bar at the time, recounted that a 19-year-old had asked for a refund on their drink because they realised they were too drunk already. One of the early replies was an "ummm actually," pointing out that you had to be 21 to buy booze in most states, and Thomas Violence responded "I'm one of the dozens of people worldwide that live in a country that's not America". I am reminded of this tweet a lot, and I am reminded of it whenever I log on to Puzzmo, a new daily browser-based puzzle service from Orta Therox and Zach "Zach Gage" Gage. Puzzmo is great, and currently in a sort of gradually expanding beta where you can sign up to get a chance to be sent a log-in, or existing users can give two friends a log-in (I have used mine already, sorry). Every day you get a few different puzzles, with a subscription model offering bonus puzzles. I've not subbed because I'm just not built for anagram puzzles and I do not understand chess, which form about half of the daily offering, but I enjoy doing the daily fliparts and crosswords a lot. Except. The crosswords always have clues that are very specific to the USA. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, November 6, 2023 10:00 AM  Mad dashes, daring escapes, last minute reversals: these are some of my favourite moments in multiplayer shooters. It's exhilarating to scream towards the chopper in Left 4 Dead or a dropship in Titanfall. The Finals is a multiplayer shooter that seems to take place entirely at this elevated pitch. In the dozens of open beta matches I've played, the result is as thrilling as those other games, but also exhausting. I wish it would chill for just a moment so I could fully enjoy its delights - of which there are many. |
Twinfinite Monday, November 6, 2023 1:00 PM  |
Siliconera Monday, November 6, 2023 4:00 PM
Alan Wake 2 is not only the best game I've played all year, but I believe it's also one of the best narrative thrillers the gaming industry ever released. The mind-bending story parallels masterpieces such as David Lynch's Twin Peaks and Nic Pizzolatto's True Detective.
Alan Wake 2 wastes no time pulling punches, as the game's story opens with a disturbing scene of a bloated, naked man crawling out of a dark lake in the middle of the night. Before any questions can be answered, the opening segment abruptly ends with a violent murder. It's been thirteen years since the events of the original Alan Wake in 2010, and the city of Bright Falls changed. Instead of nightmares and shadow monsters, we now have a ritualistic cult thirsty for blood. The people who went missing in the first game are now re-appearing decades later and being brutally sacrificed for mysterious reasons.
The long-awaited sequel from Remedy Entertainment isn't just more mature in tone, but it's also incredibly ambitious. In Alan Wake 2, you take control of FBI Agent Saga Anderson. She arrived at Bright Falls to investigate the recent murders of victims who went missing in 2010. However, the detective quickly finds herself directly at the center of Alan Wake's nightmarish story as the author tries to escape from the Dark Place at the bottom of Cauldron Lake.
Although some fans may have initially been weary of the game having a new protagonist, Saga quickly earns her stripes by being a fascinating lead. She not only loves mysteries, but is compelled to understand why people do horrible things. Her inquisitive nature and ability to understand things make her the perfect foil to Alan Wake, who is in a frenzied state and is trying to make sense of his fractured world.
While the concept of dual protagonists is nothing new, Remedy Entertainment takes the idea and runs with it in a really unique way. The game's story is broken into two sections, with both characters living out the chapters of their own novel. However, where Alan Wake 2 really shines is how Remedy visualizes the mental differences between both characters and turns the concept into one of the most innovative mechanics I've seen in recent gaming.
Saga Anderson has a "mind place," which is an homage to Sherlock Holme's infamous way of working through mysteries. The hub serves as a makeshift office, which has an evidence board and case cabinet. As you progress through the story, it's your job to figure out how each piece of evidence connects to the larger plot. While this feature could have quickly become overly convoluted and cumbersome, the entire system is snappy and accessible.
In contrast, Alan Wake has his own writer's room he can retreat to in his mind at any time. Whereas Saga needs to find clues in the real world to move the story forward, the author must find scenes that inspire him to write. Once you find the right plot points, you are literally able to rewrite the story real time and change the level you are in within a few clicks. The impressive feature is one of the coolest gameplay mechanics I've ever seen implemented in a modern AAA game. Because of how dramatically different Saga Anderson and Alan Wake's gameplay is, I found myself constantly excited to jump back into their stories.
Alan Wake 2 is also one of the most beautiful games I've ever played. While there have been many graphical juggernauts, such as The Last of Us Part 2 or Red Dead Redemption 2, Remedy Entertainment absolutely nails atmosphere in a way that is rarely seen in the medium. Whether it is the game's red neon-soaked underworld called the Overlap or the smoky woods of Cauldron Lake, Alan Wake 2 oozes with striking visual direction in every frame.
During the opening hours of the game, there is a scene where Alan Wake finally emerges from the Dark Place after 13 years and is gasping for air after washing up on the shore. While the moment is a heartstopper, I needed a minute just to take in the gorgeous imagery of the character's silhouettes flickering over the orange-stained sunset in the background. You can pause the story at any moment and believe it was a scene from a film or high-caliber TV show. It's that stunning!
Speaking of TV shows, one of the best elements of Alan Wake 2 is its live-action segments. While the hybrid-episode format didn't work as well in Remedy's Quantum Break in 2016, the implementation of the live-action sequences feels revolutionary in Alan Wake 2. Like a character in Inception waking up from a layered dream, Alan Wake is suddenly dropped into a Late Night Show episode to promote his latest book. The bizarre sequence is surreal and disturbing, as the protagonist finds himself trapped in a never-ending nightmare. However, the live-action segments really work here, as we get a real sense of the author's fractured mind as he continues slipping between different worlds.
Alan Wake 2 is also really terrifying. Compared to the first game, there were legitimate scenes that had me jumping out of my seat. I want to avoid getting into heavy spoilers, but there is an autopsy scene at the Sherrif station that was downright nightmare fuel. Without relying purely on jump scares and gore, Alan Wake 2 creates creepy psychological horror moments through striking color palettes and lighting. With its twisted plot constantly shifting under our protagonist's feet at every turn, many sequences also just feel "off" on a visceral level.
Alan Wake 2 feels like a culmination of everything Remedy Entertainment has ever made. Its trippy gameplay takes a page directly from Quantum Break, while its mind-bending narrative moments borrow from its previous outing, Control. Even more impressive is the connected universe that the Finnish studio has managed to create across all of its games.
There aren't just fun throwaway Easter Eggs in Alan Wake 2, but actual plot moments that will change how you've thought about past characters and titles they have created. While you don't have to have played Remedy's previous work to understand the narrative, it created a brilliant universe worth diving into to experience a unique connective world.
If I had any complaint about the game, it's that Alan Wake 2 asks a lot from its players. While the story-building mechanics are accessible, some may feel a little fatigued after spending a few hours running around certain areas in the story. I felt a little tired after looping through the subway section for the twentieth time. Also, the game's heavy reliance on using light in dark areas may lead some players to feel a bit lost on how to proceed in the story. In a neat trick, though, the game always allows you to retreat back into Saga or Alan Wake's mind to work out the current problem.
While the game has a healthy auto-save feature, I also found the break room solution for manual-saves to be a little bit outdated. I mean, depending on how slow you play, it can take up to 3 hours until you unlock the manual save feature. Given how dense the psychological thriller is, I found certain sequences to be suffocating as I couldn't save until I reached a designated room. But then again, I suppose it could be argued that this is a design choice that adds to the tension. It's not a deal breaker by any means, but just one of the few things I could see some players not being a big fan of.
Alan Wake 2 is filled to the brim with secrets and bonus content to discover. Whereas the first Alan Wake was structured with linear levels, Bright Falls is now an open-world-like map in the sequel. There will be sections you discover early on that you won't get access to until the late game. I'm a big fan of the Metroidvania-level design, as it gives you a sense of progression and makes Bright Falls feel like a living world. Alan Wake 2 is also packed with puzzles and mysteries that you can spend hours trying to solve. So even beyond the excellent story, there is a lot to experience in Alan Wake 2, and it has a lot of replayability.
Alan Wake 2 is a psychological horror masterpiece and one of the best narrative games ever made. Remedy Entertainment took everything they learned from its previous projects, such as Control and Quantum Break, and delivered a riveting story experience that will leave players on the edge of their seats until the game's final scene. The long-awaited sequel is not only groundbreaking and ambitious, but it has now set the bar for how story-driven games can be told.
Alan Wake 2 is now available on the PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
The post Review: Alan Wake 2 Is a Mind-Bending Narrative Masterpiece appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, November 6, 2023 4:00 PM
Good Smile Company opened pre-orders for two new Attack on Titan ugly knit sweaters, which are based on the Colossal Titan and Levi Ackerman. They will launch in March 2024 in Japan, after the holiday season.
Each sweater costs 13,750 yen (or approximately $92). This is their second appearance. The sweaters originally appeared in July 2022 only in Japan, and the new batch is a re-release of the items.
The sweaters are now available for pre-order from the Good Smile Company online store until December 7, 2023. While the sweaters don't seem to be available in the US store, Good Smile Company offers international shipping, as well as international partner shops that sell the items.
You can take a better look at the Attack on Titan ugly knit sweaters here:
As a reminder, the Attack on Titan anime came to an end on November 5, 2023 with the release of the second and last special of the final season of the series. Additionally, an Attack on Titan 10th anniversary project is currently undergoing, and will last until early 2024.
The Attack on Titan ugly knit sweaters cost 13,750 yen (~$92) each. They are expected to release on March 2024, and are available for pre-order until December 7, 2023 from the Good Smile Company online store.
The post Attack on Titan Ugly Knit Sweaters Available for Pre-Order appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, November 6, 2023 3:30 PM
There will be a pause in activities for Nijisanji Vtuber Millie Parfait, as she announced an "indefinite hiatus." However, she noted that there will be new content running while she is away.
Millie announced the break on November 4, 2023. She noted this is due to a "real life" emergency. She said she will still appear on social media, as well as upload planned ASMR and song cover videos. While she didn't share an expected return date, she did note that she will be back for the Zuttomo group outfit reveals. Those start on November 17, 2023 with Petra Gurin, though hers is November 25, 2023 at 6am PT/9am ET/2pm GMT/11pm JST.
Here's the Vtuber's official announcement, which covered both the announcement and her tentative return to streaming.
We've seen a few Nijisanji Vtubers go on hiatus or graduate in 2023. For example, Mika Melatika announced she'd take a break in October 2023. Maimoto Keisuke went on an indefinite hiatus as well. Both Nina Kosaka and Mysta Rias graduated.
Millie Parfait is now on hiatus, but is expected to be back for the Zuttomo group outfit. While those start on November 17, 2023 for the group as a whole, her individual outfit reveal will happen on November 25, 2023.
The post Nijisanji Vtuber Millie Parfait Announces 'Indefinite Hiatus' appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, November 6, 2023 2:30 PM
Toei announced that Hololive's VTuber Shirakami Fubuki will be the voice actress for Geats Chemy in the movie Kamen Rider The Winter Movie: Gotchard & Geats. The fox-themed VTuber will play the creature modeled after a nine-tailed fox.
Geats Chemy will appear as a new original character in the crossover movie between Kamen Rider Gotchard and Kamen Rider Geats. She is a species of artificial lifeforms sealed inside Ride Chemy Cards in Kamen Rider Gotchard, the 34th Kamen Rider entry which started airing in September 2023. Toei will model Geats Chemy after the eponymous hero of Kamen Rider Geats, the 33rd entry that concluded in August 2023.
The announcement is available to view on the official X account for Toei Hero Movies right below:
Shirakami Fubuki is a first-generation Japanese Hololive VTuber who is also part of the Hololive Gamers sub-group. She has been featured in collaborations with numerous franchises in recent months. Other than Kamen Rider, Shirakami Fubuki has also made appearances in Konami's arcade rhythm game Sound Voltex and Takara Tomy's Zoids series in October 2023. In the latter, Takara Tomy produced a limited Gatling Fox model kit inspired by the fox-like VTuber.
Kamen Rider The Winter Movie: Gotchard & Geats will appear in Japanese theaters on December 22, 2023.
The post Shirakami Fubuki Will Voice Geats Chemy in Kamen Rider Movie appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, November 6, 2023 2:00 PM
Amazon started a buy 2, get 1 free video games sale. The promotion involves titles for all current major consoles, with newer titles like Diablo IV, Armored Core VI, Disgaea 7, and Assassin's Creed Mirage appearing. [Thanks, Wario64!]
People can access the deals via the sale page. As long as you've added games that are part of the deal, the cheapest of the free will be free when you go to check out. The full promotion also includes books, board games, and puzzles. As Wario64 noted, more titles were added since it started.
Here's a list of some of the more notable games that are part of this sale. Note that while there are some games that are multiplatform, not all version might not be part of the offer.
This Amazon offer isn't the only buy 2, get 1 free sale on video games at the moment. Target also announced one for the week of November 5, 2023. That runs until November 11, 2023. It covers video games, books, craft activities for kids, some board games, and puzzles.
The Amazon offer is available now for a limited time and is expected to run until November 11, 2023.
The post Amazon Buy 2 Get 1 Free Video Games Sale Starts appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, November 6, 2023 1:30 PM
Nintendo will release a manual in Japan for the upcoming game Super Mario RPG on the Nintendo Switch. It is scheduled to be released on November 17, 2023 and will cost 6,578 yen (~$43) for the physical version and 6,500 yen (~$43) to download. [Thanks, Game Watch!]
The Super Mario RPG manual will be available to purchase at video game retailers and department stores across Japan. It has not been confirmed whether an English version will be released overseas just yet. It is modeled after the original 1996 instructions for Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Mario and company are featured front and center on the cover of the book.
View the Super Mario RPG instructions in the gallery below:
The booklet will include an overview of the world of Super Mario RPG, as well as character introductions. It will also include guides for collecting treasure chests and defeating bosses that appear in the game, as well as battle mechanics and trivia.
Super Mario RPG will launch on the Nintendo Switch worldwide on November 17, 2023. The official manual is also on the way and it will appear in Japan on launch day both digitally and physically.
The post Super Mario RPG Manual Releases on Launch Day appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, November 6, 2023 1:00 PM
A new collectable item featuring the characters from the Danganronpa series is now available to pre-order on AmiAmi, which ships worldwide, until November 19, 2023. The new Danganronpa student ID cards will cost 550 yen (~$3.67) each and will be released in Japan in February 2024.
All characters from Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, and Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony appear on these student ID replicas. That means there are 48 student ID cards to collect in total. The cards mimic the descriptions that are written on the e-Handbook that is given to the students when they enroll in Monokuma's institution. They are all in Japanese. For those that would like to carry one with them or use it for cosplay, the cards are made of PVC materials in an attempt to make them more durable.
By pre-ordering a single Danganronpa student ID card, you will receive one at random when they are released. If someone would like to secure all of the cards, a full set for each of the three games is also available for purchase from AmiAmi. One set costs 8,800 yen (~$58.85).
The new Danganronpa student ID cards are available for pre-order until November 19, 2023 ahead of the February 2024 debut. Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, and Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony are all available worldwide on the PS4, Vita, Switch, Xbox One, PC, and mobile devices.
The post Student IDs for Danganronpa Characters Appear Next Year appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, November 6, 2023 12:30 PM
HoYoVerse released a new browser-based game set in the Zenless Zone Zero universe that allows players to earn entry attempts at taking part in the upcoming closed beta. The web event will be available until November 16, 2023, while the dates for the beta itself have yet to be revealed.
The game is called A Sandwich Scented Dream and follows a rabbit-like robot called a Bangboo as it launches its own sandwich shop. Players must assemble sandwiches according to customer orders to earn Dennies and Carrots, the latter of which can be exchanged for attempts at prizes. These include physical items like mouse pads and virtial items like in-game currency and an entry into the Zenless Zone Zero closed beta test. Carrots are earned in game by completing achievements and daily tasks.
Zenless Zone Zero is an upcoming game from HoYoVerse, makers of Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail. Registrations were recently opened for the game's second closed beta test, and the game also appeared at the Brasil Game Show. It is more of an action game than the other two, which feature more RPG elements.
A Sandwich Scented Dream is available to play in your browser until November 16, 2023. Zenless Zone Zero is currently in development for PCs, mobile devices, and unspecified consoles. The upcoming closed beta test is currently undated.
The post Zenless Zone Zero Browser Game Offers Beta Entry as a Prize appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, November 6, 2023 12:00 PM
HoYoVerse shared teaser art and profiles for the Genshin Impact characters Navia and Chevreuse, who will debut in 4.3. Both will be playable for the first time after the December update.
First, Navia's appeared in the Fontaine story before. She's a Geo character who is head of the Spina di Rosula. Her Constellation is called Rosa Multiflora. We also already know that she is going to be an Ousia character when she debuts in the game.
Meanwhile, Chevreuse is a new Pyro character. She's the Special Security and Surveillance Patrol Captain in Fontaine, and her Constellation is Sclopetum Ensiferum. She will also be an Ousia, for those who are planning teams for exploring the region.
Here are the official social media reveals for Navia and Chevreuse before both characters become playable in Genshin Impact 4.3. Both show the characters' full art and offer a bit of a hint about their personalities and roles in the game.
As a reminder, 4.2 is about to begin. When it does, the first character banners on November 8, 2023 will involve the Hydro Archon Furina and the Baizhu, the Dendro healer from Liyue. This will be the first rerun for Baizhu.
Genshin Impact is available for the PS4, PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the 4.2 update debuts on November 8, 2023.
The post Genshin Impact Characters Navia and Chevreuse Teased for 4.3 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, November 6, 2023 11:30 AM
Bandai Namco released the second chapter in the Tales of Arise Beyond the Dawn DLC Prelude novel. It is titled Two Open to Change, and it focuses on Kisara and Dohalim receiving a letter from Alphen and Shionne.
Chapter 2 is available in English from the Bandai Namco official news website, as well as from the Tales Channel+ website, which includes background music options. Chapter 3 is titled Two Who Want to Change. It will focus Alphen and Shionne, and will appear at a later date.
The first chapter of the Tales of Arise Beyond the Dawn DLC Prelude novel was released on November 3, 2023. It stars Rinwell and Law, and is titled Two Who Remain the Same. Bandai Namco previously shared a skit starring Dohalim and Kisara that will appear in the Beyond the Dawn DLC.
Bandai Namco also shared a better look at the content, quests, and gameplay that the Tales of Arise Beyond the Dawn DLC will offer, alongside the DLC's main key art.
Tales of Arise is immediately available on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the Beyond the Dawn DLC will come out on November 9, 2023.
The post Tales of Arise Beyond the Dawn DLC Prelude Second Chapter Available appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, November 6, 2023 11:00 AM
Spike Chunsoft announced that content will be cut from the Japanese version of Baldur's Gate 3. This is being done in order to comply within CERO's Code of Ethics regarding "banned expressions." [Thanks, Game Watch!]
In the Japanese version of Baldur's Gate 3, the ability to show explicit content including "display of genitals," "display of nudity in cutscenes," and "view sex scenes" will be removed. The Japanese version of the game will also change how internal organs are shown. Finally, Spike Chunsoft noted that Larian removed the option for players to torture NPCs at the Goblin Camp.
Although Baldur's Gate 3 received a CERO Z rating in Japan which restricts the game to players 18 years old or older, these changes are meant to comply with Article 7 "Banned Expressions" of CERO's Code of Ethics which states in part:
Within Appendix 3 of CERO's Code of Ethics, it states that the "expression of genitals and parts thereof," "expression of sexual intercourse or sexual-intercourse-associated embracing, caressing, etc.," "expression of mutilation/body-cutting that gives an extremely cruel impression," "expressions of killing/wounding that gives an extremely cruel impression," and "expression for the sake of a mass murder/violence that is not necessarily related to the theme or concept" among other items are banned in any games rated in Japan.
Baldur's Gate 3 recently went up for pre-order in Japan after the reveal of its release date. It will be priced at 8,580 yen (~$58). For those who pre-order the physical version of the game in Japan, they will receive an "Adventurer's Guide" strategy book as a bonus item which contains information how to progress through the game and how to use the dice roll mechanics.
The Japanese version of Baldur's Gate III will be released on December 21, 2023. Baldur's Gate III available to play in English on PS5 and PC. The game will be releasing on Xbox Series X in 2023.
The post Content Being Cut from Japanese Version of Baldur's Gate 3 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, November 6, 2023 10:30 AM
The latest Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and original FFVII comparison screenshots focus on the Turk Elena. Square Enix shared images from her introduction.
Due to her role in the story, Elena isn't introduced in the original game until after the party leaves Midgar. In both games, she debuts alongside Rude and faces the party. First, here's the original FFVII screenshot. It's a little more dynamic in its initial execution. We see her on the higher ground introducing herself, while Rude is on the same level as Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa.
In the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth screenshot, it is a closer and more focused look at the character. She's in her suit, we get a better look at her face and haircut, and there's a better idea of the atmosphere.
Some other past screenshot comparisons showed the Mog House and Junon Parade.
As a reminder, while we'll see quite a bit of Rude and Elena in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth screenshots and videos, we won't see much of Reno despite his FFVII Remake appearances. This is partially because of the Turk's reduced role. It is also because, as of September 2023, Square Enix noted it hadn't recast the character following Keiji Fujiwara's death and any appearances reuse past performances recorded.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will come to the PS5 on February 29, 2024, with the platform exclusivity arrangement ending on May 29, 2024. FFVII Remake is available for the PS4, PS5, and PC. You can also find FFVII Ever Crisis on mobile devices.
The post Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Original FFVII Screenshots Show Elena appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, November 6, 2023 10:01 AM
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has always wanted to make a serious crime drama, but this clashed with the need to balance it with a large action world with stuff to do. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is seemingly the team's opportunity to lean harder into cinema. There are some distractions here and there, but the game mostly focuses on Kiryu's core tale.
Gaiden plays around with its narrative timing, crossing paths with Ichiban's story since this story takes place at roughly the same time. These connections are oblique nods rather than crucial crossovers. Still: it would be wild for this to be your first game in the franchise, so references likely have a large audience.
Kiryu's "Joryu" disguise is sub-Superman levels of flimsy, like people wouldn't recognize the most famous yakuza in the world just because he's wearing glasses. We've already seen from trailers and previews that the upcoming full game does a better job of this, but… seriously, if you're trying to be undercover, maybe get a haircut sooner rather than later?
Regardless, welcome back to the same areas again! Like a Dragon and Yakuza as a franchise has long specialized in asset recycling, from locations to character models to entire minigames. Gaiden is the king of this! Revisiting old ideas and people is the point of a Kiryu side game, for better or worse. This is an old-school Yakuza experience, and it's hard to fault it for that. It feels like the team regretted sidelining Kiryu for Ichiban, so Gaiden aligns the timelines for next year's Infinite Wealth.
To be fair to Like a Dragon Gaiden, it's honest about its limitations. It retails at a semi-reasonable $49.99, and is a digital release shortly preceding its counterpart. Heck, it's literally named Gaiden, or side story, so its lesser status is literally the first thing it presents. But your expectations are best somewhere around Kiwami level.
The one area that feels genuinely new is The Castle, a container ship converted into a gambling and fighting destination. It's very bright and flashy, and it focuses on adding to Gaiden's activities rather than building out a believable environment. It's here that the game pads its hour count the most with gladiatorial combat. There's single-player fights, which are… fine? But the main attraction here is "Hell Team Rumble." You collect team members through doing the rest of the game, and can fight with up to ten of them at once in some challenges. As usual, there's a minigame that lets you easily grind for cash or upgrade currency, and Hell Team Rumble is the one in this game for sure.
It's clear that the development team played Spider-Man and decided it would be cool for Kiryu to have a web-shooter. And that's not wrong! It's especially useful for disarming foes, as they'll drop what they're holding when you fling them across the game's makeshift arenas. You also get drones to distract and lightly damage enemies, as well as rocket shoes to dash and an exploding cigarette. That last one's not quite as useful as it sounds, since it has a long animation and delay in damage, but the rest? We liked 'em.
Of course, disarming moves don't work on anyone you actually need to disarm, like bosses with guns and unlimited bullets. Generally, this has been true of the franchise as a whole: almost every story beat or side event ends with a boss fight, and bosses can't be taken down with all the cool tricks and gadgets you've collected. A better combat system would present you with foes that challenge you to cleverly use all your techniques; Like a Dragon Gaiden takes the much more common route and just says "nah."
In addition to the "Agent" gadget fighting style, there's also a "Yakuza" scheme that focuses more on traditional hand-to-hand play. In practice, we had a lot more fun with the variety of drones and tech, so we didn't use that style often. Especially because you'd have to be splitting your hard-earned currency to upgrade both.
We've been dancing around it, but to discuss it head-on: Ryu Ga Gotoku has a huge branding problem. Just as the franchise finally gains traction in the West, Sega is attempting to pivot from Yakuza, a name people know, to Like a Dragon, which is a bit more of a mouthful. But in this context? Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is too long, we hate typing it, and it's going to run into the same confusion that Ishin did earlier this year. It's a similar problem as Story of Seasons in the West, but without the trademark issues that prompted it.
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has insisted that the franchise isn't just about yakuza, and the translated Japanese name they're now using worldwide is more representative. That may be true! But Resident Evil isn't just about mansions anymore either, and after similarly naming a game with both regions' titles, it didn't pivot to the name Biohazard. And with good reason! This may feel like a digression, and in some ways it is, but this name change is going to have a fundamental impact on this game's global reception, and it's a weird game to try to advance this effort with how much it wants to remind players of the past.
It's hard to evaluate Gaiden as a standalone game. And that's because it isn't? Sega took what could have been a flashback chapter in Infinite Wealth and tacked on some extras. Remembering this context while you play is to the game's benefit, too. A brief vacation into the old battle style, with some minigames along the way? Yeah, it's fun for that. It's not a destination to itself, and it genuinely couldn't be with all its stale re-treads. But hey, it's nice to see Kiryu again.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name will launch November 9, 2023 on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One and PC. It's also launching on Xbox Game Pass. For more Siliconera reviews, check out our archive.
The post Like a Dragon Gaiden Review: 'Kiryu is Back, but Now He's Wearing Glasses' Is an Apt Metaphor appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, November 6, 2023 9:25 AM
For Black Friday 2023, Nintendo announced a Switch OLED Super Smash Bros Ultimate bundle and a Super Mario Party Joy-Con bundle. The Joy-Con and game bundle will appear on November 10, 2023, while the Switch bundle launches November 19, 2023.
Both of the deals will be available before Black Friday 2023 takes place on November 24, 2023. With the Super Mario Party Joy-Con bundle, people get it for $99.99. The Joy-Cons are usually $79.99 alone, while Super Mario Party is typically $49.99. The bundle includes a red left Joy-Con and a blue right one. The game copy is a digital code for someone to redeem.
With the Super Smash Bros Ultimate Nintendo Switch OLED bundle for Black Friday 2023, people get the system, a digital copy of the fighting game, and three months of Nintendo Switch Online. That also includes a special Switch model that features SSBUiconography on it.
Here are pictures of both offering's boxes:
There will also be some first-party Switch games on sale for Black Friday starting on November 19, 2023. Here's the list:
The Nintendo Switch Black Friday Super Mario Party Joy-Con bundle arrives on November 10, 2023. The Super Smash Bros Ultimate OLED Switch bundle debuts on November 19, 2023. Black Friday is November 24, 2023.
The post Nintendo Black Friday Switch Bundle for 2023 Includes Super Smash Bros Ultimate appeared first on Siliconera. |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, November 6, 2023 3:28 PM  Dealing with powerful bosses is a mixture of hard battles, death, and the occasional unique drop. Today we will be talking about the latter: here is how to get the Shard of Agony in Diablo 4. Diablo 4: How to get Shard of Agony To get a Shard of Agony in Diablo 4, you will have to face and defeat Grigoire, the Galvanic Saint. He is one of the many Endgame Bosses you can find in the Season of the Blood. While you can face him at World Tier 3, the Shard of Agony will only begin to work during World Tier 4. Moreover, it is a guaranteed drop and will only appear for the player that summons Grigoire. Image: Blizzard Entertainment To summon Grigoire, you will have to collect five pieces of Living Steel. Summoning Grigoire can require only two pieces of Living Steel at World Tier 3, but since World Tier 4 is mandatory to get a Shard of Agony, you will need to collect five pieces. You can find these inside Tortured Gifts of Living Steel during Helltide. Ea... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, November 6, 2023 3:27 PM  While I've seen a lot of hate for the Modern Warfare 3 campaign stirring online, I happen to enjoy it. Because I enjoy the MW3 campaign, this ranked mission list might differ from your own. I haven't played a Call of Duty campaign in a really long time, so the MW3 campaign was a return to form for me. Though I'll admit the MW3 campaign has weak spots — notably, the lack of cohesion, pacing, action-packed hands-on events, and a good ending — the missions in a vacuum aren't bad. Related: Is there a split screen in Modern Warfare 3? What is the best mission in the MW3 campaign? The best MW3 campaign mission, in my opinion, is Reactor. Personally, I love the Open Combat Missions (which I know is controversial). They're tight missions with a lot of freedom; I feel like it's a page ripped from Deathloop which does semi-open world very well. Though exploring at your own pace and doing whatever you want is great ... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, November 6, 2023 3:23 PM  Genshin Impact is a great game to play with friends, with a robust co-op system where you can do daily quests, explore the over world, and challenge weekly bosses together. Players often would use the chat feature to communicate with one another, but recently, the community has noticed HoYoverse essentially broke the chat function by introducing new swear filters that may be just a bit too strict. A post by Reddit user u/HereForGames blasted HoYoverse for Genshin Impact's updated filter system, calling it "dramatically worse" and rendering any conversation "unreadable." As noticed by this user, players can no longer type out certain letter combos in a move that completely breaks chat. An example provided by the user reveals that if you wanted to say "there's a melusine in the castle, mi amigo," this would translate into "there's a **lusine in the **stle, ** a**go." Image: HoYoverse It ... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, November 6, 2023 3:21 PM  It is an exciting time for Warzone fans everywhere as the game finally comes to mobile. With the latest announcement, it is possible to preregister for the Call of Duty Warzone and be the first to drop into the new game. Preregister for COD Warzone If you want to be one of the first to get into all new Call of Duty Warzone mobile, you will want to preregister. This means that you will be the first to know about the game and have a head start on the battlefield. To preregister for Warzone, you need to be playing on an Android or Apple phone and have access to the Google Play store or Apple Store. Preregister for Warzone with Apple PC Invasion To get your hands on Warzone with an Apple device, simply navigate to your Apple store page. This can be done on your device, or on a web page, provided you are logged in. In the search box, type Call of Duty Warzone and hit enter. Find Warzone in the list and select it. You should see the option to '... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, November 6, 2023 3:08 PM  It seems like Fortnite has yet again been hit with a technical problem. This time, it's a classic matchmaking error. Since this pops up a lot, we've got a guide filled with possible solutions on how to fix the matchmaking error in Fortnite. So read on below. Fortnite: How to fix the matchmaking error As mentioned, this problem does come up quite a bit. Luckily, players from all over have created methods to fix it. While not permanent, the solutions below should work if the error pops up. If one method doesn't work, just come back here and try another. Let's go over how to fix the matchmaking error, so you can get back to Fortnite. Related: Is Fortnite shutting down soon? Sometimes this can be on Fortnite's side due to the servers being down. By checking Down Detector, or games on the game's Twitter you might find the answer. If Fortnite is down, it has nothing to do with you. Waiting will be the only option you have.&n... |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, November 6, 2023 3:20 PM Adds several items to Skyrest Bridge. The post Lords of the Fallen Update Adds Free Upgrade Materials appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, November 6, 2023 2:36 PM The announcement was made in a recent Microsoft blogpost The post Xbox Announces Partnership With Inworld to Make "AI Dialogue and Narrative Tools" appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, November 6, 2023 1:52 PM This confirmation it seems Peter will take a step back. The post Insomniac Games Confirms The Main Spider-Man Will Change in Future Games appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Level Up Monday, November 6, 2023 10:13 AM Blizzard Entertainment revealed three new World of Warcraft expansions this weekend during <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/news/2023/06/29/blizzard-reveals-pricing-details-about-blizzcon-2023-tickets-on-sale-next-month" target="_blank"… |
Level Up Monday, November 6, 2023 9:33 AM With Black Friday and the holidays upon us, <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231106063977/en/Nintendo-Offers-Super-Smash-Bros.-Ultimate-and-Nintendo-Switch-–-OLED-Model-Bundle-for-Black-Friday-and-Announces-Other-Holiday-Deals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nintendo</a> has pulled back… |
Gaming on PC Monday, November 6, 2023 12:37 PM Here's some suggestions to help you enhance your gaming experience. Full article after the jump. |
Gaming on PC Monday, November 6, 2023 12:29 PM Looking to improve your gaming skills? Here's some of the things you can do in order to be a better gamer. Full article after the jump. |