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Jan 22, 16:00


GamersHeroes Monday, January 22, 2024 10:14 AM
    

The powerhouses at Sony and Square Enix have entered a continued partnership around the upcoming release of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

The post Sony and Square Enix Partner for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth appeared first on GamersHeroes.


Kotaku Monday, January 22, 2024 2:45 PM
    

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Kotaku Monday, January 22, 2024 2:30 PM
    

Controversial, PC-only shooter The Day Before is officially dead, barely a month and a half after its launch. Steam's much-hyped zombie game, which saw developer Fntastic shutter its doors almost immediately after release, is now totally unplayable. For a few weeks following its disastrous debut, it existed in a state…

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Kotaku Monday, January 22, 2024 1:30 PM
    

Over the weekend, I downloaded Palworld on my PC. I was excited. After all the weird trailers and screenshots showing Pokémon-like creatures using assault rifles or being shot with handguns, I was ready to earn official Xbox achievements as I killed Pokémon facsimiles using modern guns. It was hunting time. And then,…

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Kotaku Monday, January 22, 2024 1:00 PM
    

The Witcher 4 hasn't entered the production stage at CD Projekt Red yet, but the developer is getting ready to start work on the highly anticipated follow-up to 2015's Witcher 3. By the middle of 2024, the Polish studio hopes to have 400 people working on the game. And according to new co-CEO Adam Badowski, not a…

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Kotaku Monday, January 22, 2024 12:15 PM
    

A new deal letting you create your own bundle of shooters, with options that include new classics like Dusk or older hits like Doom, is the best way to instantly fill your Steam library with some of the best FPS games ever made for just $10 or less.

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Kotaku Monday, January 22, 2024 11:15 AM
    

Join us in trying to think of something more gross than a nation's army using a children's video game as a recruitment tool. That was the plan of the British Army, who thought it might be rather jolly to recruit some influencers to play Fortnite, to promote joining their ranks. However, it looks like they've since…

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Kotaku Monday, January 22, 2024 11:00 AM
    

We're about done with the first month of the year, and 2024's biggest game is already here in the form of Palworld. The colloquially named "Pokémon with guns" open-world survival crafting title is dominating both Steam and Twitch in spite of the controversy it's courted, particularly around similarities in monster…

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Kotaku Monday, January 22, 2024 10:25 AM
    

Even before it entered Early Access on January 19, Pocketpair's monster-collecting survival game Palworld was widely being referred to as "Pokémon With Guns." But mere days after launch, modders have already taken steps to really drive the comparison home by adding actual Pokémon characters to the mix.

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Kotaku Monday, January 22, 2024 9:15 AM
    

Brotherhood is a theme so overt in Final Fantasy XV that it's the title of the game's five-episode prequel anime. An outlier in a series that usually leverages expansive and diverse casts, FF15 instead focuses entirely on a road trip with four lads. Tehy spend most of their time cruising around in a convertible,…

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PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 1:47 PM
     Monopoly Go Jungle Treasures rewards

What are the Monopoly Go Jungle Treasures rewards? Capping off the first month of the new year, this multi-day event shakes up the typical mobile board game formula with a brand new way to play. It plays out in tandem with your usual dice rolls and board clear ambitions, giving you more reasons to roll and plenty more rewards for doing so. Here's how it works, what you can earn, and when it all ends.

Just getting started with Monopoly Go? Pay close attention to our Monopoly Go events page. Not only does it show past and present events to help you weigh up your in-game options, but it also sheds light on the patterns present with each in-game promotion. With Monopoly Go dice links coming in multiple times each day, it should be everything you need to make a splash. Looking for something new? Check out the best online board games while you're here.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Free PC games, Monopoly Go dice

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 1:54 PM
     All Monopoly Go events, tournaments, dates, and rewards

What is the next Monopoly Go event? With so many limited-time events in Monopoly Go, it can be hard to keep track of the rewards you can get your hands on. Monopoly Go events can last anywhere from a few hours to a week, so bookmark this page as we'll keep it regularly updated with the next events and their start and end dates.

Monopoly Go is the latest online board game sweeping the globe, but completing all of these events won't be easy without some Monopoly Go free dice links, so check out our daily updated guide for some freebies and rewards before you get started on the next Monopoly Go tournament.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Free PC games, Monopoly Go dice

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 1:22 PM
     Fortnite's divisive invite system isn't

Fortnite recently left fans confused with how its in-game invites work, with players wondering whether a glitch allowed friends to join creative mode games despite them setting their status to private. Following the confusion, Epic Games clarifies that the private status system is working as intended and that friends still being able to join in creative mode is in fact, not a bug.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Fortnite map - key locations, Fortnite skins, All Fortnite Chapter 4 weapons

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 12:25 PM
     One of the greatest FPS games in PC history is basically $1

From the '90s boomer shooter heyday to around the mid '00s, FPS games on the PC were unstoppable. Inside 15 years you have Wolfenstein, Doom, Quake, Half-Life, Unreal, No One Lives Forever, Counter-Strike 1.6, and Half-Life 2. It's a golden era. Maybe I'm nostalgic and getting a little old, but if you want superb, single-player shooters, that roughly decade and a half between id Software's first opus and Valve's groundbreaking sequel is where you need to look. There's one FPS, however, that compared to some of its contemporaries has perhaps been a little forgotten. With incredible bullet time effects, spectacular body physics, and the best shotgun in the business (barring perhaps Doom 2's double-barreled icon), this superb slice of FPS history is now yours for just over $1.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Best old games, Best horror games

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 12:25 PM
     Palworld Black Marketeer NPC guide – all locations, Pals, and items

Who is the Palworld Black Marketeer? While it isn't a fully-formed system just yet, there will eventually be a system of contraband in Palworld, and even the ability to steal pals from other players. Getting rid of your illegal goods, though, that's the tricky part, and exactly where the Black Marketeers come in.

Life in Palworld is certainly an interesting affair - our very own Nat's Palworld early access review explains this perfectly. You can live peacefully, if that's your thing, or you can stray to the dark side of pals, dipping a toe into the illegal. For those two who do stray to the wrong side of the tracks, the Black Marketeer is an NPC that will come in very handy, especially if you're trying to smuggle the rarest of the Palworld Pals in the early access version of the game.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals, Palworld review, Palworld system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 12:30 PM
     Free Monopoly Go dice links January 2024

January 22, 2024: We've added new entries to our list of free dice links.

How can I get Monopoly Go free dice links? The classic board game has made its way to a free-to-play format, and you'll be doing laps of the board collecting houses and hotels and completing a variety of multiplayer minigames along the way.

You can't get far in Monopoly Go without dice rolls, which you'll have a limited amount of to begin with. To earn more dice rolls, you'll need to log in daily to collect bonuses, invite your friends to the game, or progress further. If you don't want to spend your hard-earned money on more dice, you can use dice links for the board game instead. Now, let's run down all the currently active Monopoly Go free dice links for today.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Free PC games, Monopoly Go dice

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 12:15 PM
     Cyberpunk 2077 now has the dumbest car of all time, saving you $60k

If you don't have the $60,000 plus to put down on a Cybertruck in the next few years, or just think it's a profoundly silly vehicle like I do, you can take it for a drive at no cost via a brand new Cyberpunk 2077 mod. The Tesla car that looks like Stubbed Toe Central is available across CDPR's Night City right now, and it fits in quite well.

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

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 12:14 PM
     Monopoly Go Ski Stars rewards

What are the Monopoly Go Ski Stars rewards? There's a fresh new event going on in Hasbro's mobile take on the ever-popular board game, and it's a great way to get a bunch of in-game rewards with very little effort. You'll need a lot of rolls to make it happen, but in rounding up the benefits and outlining how to make the most of it, you'll know what's worth grabbing this time around and when to consider holding out for the next event later in the week.

Making the most of any Monopoly Go event means keeping up with the Monopoly Go events schedule. Once you're aware of the release pattern, you'll know when to hold your rolls for future events, and when to spend them all to take part in multiple promotions at the same time. For example, Monopoly Go dice links surface multiple times each day and can go a long way in maximizing your in-game gains. But if you need a break from all the spinning, check out the best online board games to play in its place.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Free PC games, Monopoly Go dice

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 12:03 PM
     How to get Palworld carbon fiber

How do you get carbon fiber in Palworld? This processed material is easily made at your base if you have the right resources, but it's not immediately obvious unless you've unlocked the right equipment on the technology tree.

To craft Palworld carbon fiber, you'll need to use our guide on how to find Palworld coal. You might be searching the Palworld map for a while, but we've got you covered, so don't go out trekking unnecessarily.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals, Palworld review, Palworld system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 12:07 PM
     Is Palworld cross platform?

Is Palworld cross platform? By now you're probably busy planning which Pal you're going to tame and capture, and how you'll use it in battles, to tend to your farm, or help build your base. It looks like there are loads of opportunities to put your Pals to work.

The Palworld release date is here, and there's plenty to get excited about. With over 100 Palworld Pals available in Palworld on launch, it'll take you a while to catch 'em all. Fortunately, you won't have to go at it alone, with online Palworld multiplayer available for you and up to three friends, or the option to create a dedicated server. But, do you all have to be on the same platform?

Continue reading Is Palworld cross platform?
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals, Palworld review, Palworld system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 12:33 PM
     All Palworld bosses in order and how to beat them

What are the Palworld bosses? These powerful Pals are under the command of skilled Pal Tamers who don't take kindly to newcomers. While they certainly pose a challenge, we've got the boss strategies you need to take all of the main bosses down without breaking a sweat. We've also got a collection of the free-roaming boss Pals to keep an eye out for while you're busy exploring Palpagos Island.

The main boss challenges in Palworld require you to defeat the Palworld Pals and their Tamers within a set time limit, so maximizing your damage output is key. If you're having trouble, Palworld multiplayer can certainly help, especially if you're part of a community-driven Palworld server. Eliminating a Palworld boss for the first time nets you Palworld Technology points, which are invaluable for expanding your Palworld base. So, whether you're looking to progress in the Pokemon PC game or you just want to put your Palworld fighting prowess to the test, here's every Palworld boss and how to beat them.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals, Palworld review, Palworld system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 12:34 PM
     Palworld pals list and Paldeck

What are the Palworld pals? These friendly, or often unfriendly, little pals are pocket-sized monsters that can work alongside you to fight, gather food, construct, and more. Sound familiar?

Now that the Palworld release date is here, we know a bunch about these Palworld pals and have collated them into this Palworld Paldeck, as well as all of the essential information you need about the open-world game's inhabitants.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals, Palworld review, Palworld system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 11:48 AM
     RTX Remix is live, here are the classic games we want to be modded

Following on from the open beta reveal at CES, Nvidia's RTX Remix is now officially open to anyone who wishes to try and give some of their favorite classic games a fresh new look.

As we cast our minds back to some of the best PC games ever released, there are a few candidates for classic games that we'd love to see get the RTX Remix treatment.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: GeForce RTX 4070 Super review, DLSS explained, Best graphics cards

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 12:19 PM
     How to move your Palworld base

How do you move your base in Palworld? Building up a base with new structures, populating it with workaholic little friends, and defending it from attacks is perhaps the most involved aspect of this gun-toting creature collector. Only your imagination (and how far along you are on the technology tree) limits how grand of a base you can build – but as you explore the creature infested islands, you'll likely want to move your base to a new, better location, especially as it also serves as a fast travel point.

Interested in more about Palworld? We have a comprehensive list of all the adorable and ferocious Palworld Pals you can tame (or shoot, alarmingly enough) throughout your base-building adventure. And while not a graphically intensive game, you'll want to double check that your system can run it with our overview of the minimum and recommended Palworld system requirements. With that out of the way, read on to see how to move a Palworld base – and how to unlock more than one.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals, Palworld review, Palworld system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 11:46 AM
     How to heal Pal injuries in Palworld

How do you heal and revive Palworld Pals? Palworld might be the dark game in which you can kill, eat, and enslave your Pals, but that doesn't mean there aren't going to be some Pals you want to take greater care of, and might need to heal if they're injured or knocked out in battle or work.

There are different types of maladies that can affect your Palworld Pals, from a simple cold, all the way to the grave. Different injuries require different types of medicine, which can be bought, dropped by other Pals, or crafted from various Palworld items. So, if you've got a poorly Pal in need of medical supplies, here's each injury type in Palworld, what you need to heal it, and how to craft certain medicines.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals, Palworld review, Palworld system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 11:49 AM
     How to upgrade Palworld base level

How do you upgrade the Palworld base level? One of the first things you need to do when starting a new campaign is set up your operations base. However, you soon get an objective to upgrade your base level, allowing you to eventually make new bases elsewhere and put additional Pals to work.

So, if you want a near-endless supply of wood, stone, and all other materials in Palworld, you must meet the level requirement to bring in new Palworld Pals. Unfortunately, the list is only found in one place in the open-world game: the Palbox you build at the base. Not only do we tell you how to upgrade your base level, but we also have a list of each of the required items needed per rank.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals, Palworld review, Palworld system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 11:25 AM
     Where to get Palworld coal

Where do you get Palworld coal? Getting some of the more effective weapons and gear to fight against tougher enemies requires some hard-to-find resources, and some of the rarest of these include sulfur, iron, and coal. While they're far more common in the later areas of the game, there are ways to grab these resources early on.

Of course, finding these Palworld resources is not the only hurdle you need to overcome in this survival game. After all, Palworld doesn't do the best job of telling you how to do everything, or even which of the Palworld element types is effective against which. If you want to upgrade your Palworld base level, you're going to need to know where to find Palworld coal and other rarer minerals.

Continue reading Where to get Palworld coal
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals, Palworld review, Palworld system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 11:46 AM
     Palworld cooking explained

How does Palworld cooking work? In any game with a hunger meter in the user interface, there's always a big question about where that food comes from. In Palworld, you can capture or kill Pals for food. Sometimes, they drop meat, which you can cook, but other times, you may need to get a bit more creative. Then, there's the other principal question: do I have to eat my Pals?

Of course, if you put your mind to it, you can eat anything once, but Palworld has some creatures that we've already seen as edible out of the 100 Palworld Pals in the early access build. Since this is an open-world game where gadgets are vital to your progress, there are ways to make food and prepare it for consumption. So before the Palworld release date drops, here's everything we know about Palworld cooking.

Continue reading Palworld cooking explained
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals, Palworld review, Palworld system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 10:58 AM
     New 9/10 horror game is being slept on by everybody

Have you ever found something weird in your house? Perhaps you go down to the basement and find a growing, festering mold in a damp corner. Maybe you don't recognize that antique mirror sitting in your attic, or you're sitting on your couch, looking around the room, and somehow everything just feels incorrect. Recently launched on Steam and already boasting a big, 9/10, 'very positive' rating, a fantastic new horror game imagines a warped and surreal suburban America where demons, cryptids, and malevolent, sentient fungi are treated like everyday household problems. Push aside the high action of Resident Evil. Take a break from Dead by Daylight. The scariest thing in the world is operating a customer service helpline during the '90s. This is a game that deserves a lot more attention.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best horror games, Best indie games, Best upcoming games

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 10:45 AM
     Where to get Palworld pure quartz

Where do you find Palworld pure quartz? This material is needed for crafting circuits, which will in turn unlock electronic machines and increase your base's productivity as a whole. You'll need to know where to head to gather it first, though, so we've got you covered.

Take some Palworld Pals that know how to mine, as well as some Cattivas or other Pals that are known to increase your carrying capacity, as pure quartz isn't a light material at all. Once you've found the right spot on the Palworld map, you'll soon be able to find as much of the material as you need for your Palworld adventure.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals, Palworld review, Palworld system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 10:59 AM
     How to hatch Palworld eggs and breed Pals

How do you breed Pals and hatch eggs in Palworld? Palworld is a Pokemon-like game in which you catch and raise cute animals. It doesn't stop there, though, as Palworld also features weapons, dangerous bosses, exploration and survival, and even farming and automation - all including your Pals.

As with any creature collection game, though, one of the most crucial aspects is breeding. With an element of randomness, or RNG, to finding and catching your Palworld Pals, and their stats thereafter, breeding is a great method for creating a team of the strongest creatures in the adventure game. So, as you catch them all - and put them to work making guns in sweatshops - here's what you need to know about breeding in Palworld, and hatching Palworld eggs.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals, Palworld review, Palworld system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 10:39 AM
     Where to get Palworld milk

Where can you find Palworld milk? This ingredient is essential in the cooking of cakes, which are required in order to facilitate breeding in Palworld. You can unlock breeding at level 19, but you might not have found Palworld milk in the wild just yet. Don't worry - it's easier than you might think, and you don't even need a cow.

Of all the Palworld Pals in the game, relatively few will be able to help you obtain milk. Fear not though - there are other places in the Palpagos Islands that you can get this sought-after ingredient, and we'll direct you to the best parts of the Palworld map to find it. With that in mind, here's where you can find Palworld milk.

Continue reading Where to get Palworld milk
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals, Palworld review, Palworld system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 10:28 AM
     Palworld is

Palworld, also known as 'Pokemon with guns.' It's on your X timeline, your Facebook, your TikTok - it's absolutely everywhere. As player numbers continue to soar exponentially, comparisons to Nintendo's pocket monster epic are rife - but Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe thinks they're misplaced.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals, Palworld review, Palworld system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 10:32 AM
     Palworld map – all locations, regions, and points of interest

What are the Palworld map locations? Pocketpair's peculiar Poké-like takes place on Palpagos Island, a tropical paradise full of critters just waiting to be caught and put to work. If you're looking to survive the wilds, then you need a strong sense of direction – or a good map of all the locations and areas in the region. Thankfully, we can help you with the latter.

Pocketpair has confirmed the Palworld map size is approximately 16 square kilometers, and we may well see Palpagos Island expand further as more content is added to the open-world game. Our quest to catch all Palworld Pals is set to take us through active volcanoes, mystical ice caves, and expansive woodland areas. Here are all the map locations in Palworld, so you can keep your sense of direction as you explore.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals, Palworld review, Palworld system requirements

PCGamesN Monday, January 22, 2024 9:55 AM
     These Lord of the Rings keycaps are taunting my inner Gollum

If you're a Lord of the Rings fan like me, Drop has you covered with its expansive range of officially licensed merch. On top of the already existing line of keyboards, mouse pads, and keycaps, a new Rohan range is due later this year, and these three new keycaps are set to steal the spotlight.

We reviewed the Drop CSTM80 and found it to be one of the best typing keyboards on the market. Now you can take advantage of the hot-swap nature of Drop keyboards and add these three stunning keycaps to your collection. There's no better way to prove your love of Tolkien's iconic world.

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

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 22, 2024 2:46 PM
    

Virtual reality-focused developers Wimo Games have joined the ever-expanding list of studios to be hit by layoffs and closure in recent months, as the Battle Bows and Micro Machines: Mini Challenge Mayhem studio confirmed their closure last week.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 22, 2024 2:34 PM
    

Listen up: this is one of the simplest and most effective upgrades you can give your mechanical keyboard, and right now it's 50% off, just $12.

I'm talking about a full set of 104 double-shot PBT pudding keycaps from HyperX, which combine the excellent legibility of a black backlit keycap tops with frosted semi-transparent sides. This is the perfect pairing for RGB wave fanatics, but it looks just as nice with a tastefully chosen single-colour or other effects. I am a huge fan of these keycaps, and at $12 they're an almost essential purchase for mechanical keyboard owners.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 22, 2024 2:20 PM
    

Double-wide 32:9 gaming monitors are becoming increasingly affordable, which is brilliant for anyone that prefers an ultra-wide aspect ratio but doesn't want to deal with the relatively limited desktop real estate of your standard 21:9 ultrawide.

Right now you can pick up LG's 45-inch 45GR65DC, which essentially combines two 24-inch 1440p 200Hz screens into a single titanic panel, for just $550 - rather than the usual $700. That $150 discount turns this into a great alternative to a traditional two monitor setup, letting you have tons of space for getting work done as well as a super-immersive ultrawide gaming experience - just lovely.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 22, 2024 2:17 PM
    

If the accusations of Palworld peeking at Pokémon's homework for its catchable monster designs weren't already rife enough, a modder has decided to take the Garth Marenghi approach and remove any possible question by turning Palworld's Pokémon-a-likes into just straight-up Pokémon.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 22, 2024 2:05 PM
    

The Nvidia tools used to create that raytraced Portal mod and other fanciness are now in open beta, inviting all and sundry to jazz up everything from Deus Ex to Garry's Mod. Nvidia's RTX Remix tech lets people fancify old games by injecting fancy modern lighting, new models, textures 'remastered' by AI, new environmental decoration, and other such fanciness, even if the game doesn't have mod support. I'll be curious to see what people make with this, though I am wary of artlessly pumping new tech into old games.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 22, 2024 1:48 PM
    

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Rocksteady's multiplayer Destiny-like with DC villains, will fill the conspicuously Joker-shaped hole in its rogues' gallery of Batman baddies in March with the launch of the live service game's first season of free post-launch content.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 22, 2024 1:13 PM
    

Pocketpair's monster-collecting survival game Palworld has rekindled the eternal debate over what exactly constitutes a breach of copyright. While the game's mechanics are more reminiscent of Ark: Survival Evolved and other tree-punching, template-arranging wilderness sims, its monsters owe obvious debts to Nintendo and Game Freaks' Pokémon games.

The developers have something of a track record on this front, with their older early access release Craftopia freely stirring in nods to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. But what separates copyright infringement from a flagrant, but perfectly legal rip-off? Given that a lot of people are making the case for Palworld being copyright theft online, I thought it might be useful to seek insight from (ominous roll of thunder) an actual lawyer.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 22, 2024 1:00 PM
    

The developers of House Flipper have promised that support and new content for the hit renovation sim will continue to land throughout 2024 alongside plans for its newly-released sequel. On the list are two 'major' bits of content, along with bug fixes and what looks to be the tease of a restaurant-themed DLC.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 22, 2024 12:35 PM
    

After a successful first outing, RPS Game Club is returning for another year of gaming show-and-tells, and this time, we're publishing the schedule in advance so you know exactly what's coming up and when. Handy, say, if you want to keep an eye on certain sale prices for games you've got your eye on, or you want to clear your calendar so you can join us for our end-of-month liveblog session where we all get together book club-style to talk about the month's pick. Each member of the RPS Treehouse is getting involved this year as well, so read on below to find out what's on the Club docket.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 22, 2024 12:05 PM
    

The next Cyberpunk game from CD Projekt - currently codenamed "Orion" - might have multiplayer in it, according to co-CEO Michal Nowakowski. Please let it be some kind of deckhead 'passenger-seat-driver' mode, where you get to play a crusty celeb uploaded to another character's brain implants, who strolls around the landscape as a hologram, offering passive-aggressive commentary. Watch those corners, samurai! Hey, you missed an ammo pack. SAMURAI ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME.

It'll be a while till we find out for sure: Orion is still in the conceptual phase, with CD Projekt expecting to have about 80 people working on it by the end of this year. The higher priority in 2024, it seems, is the next big steaming helping of The Witcher.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 22, 2024 11:28 AM
    

I'm still working my way through the grim realities of Steam mega-hit Palworld, but as developers Pocketpair begin working through their 50,000-strong pile of bug reports, I'd hazard to add one more to the pile: please, something must be done about this game's ruthless police force, who are so dogged in their pursuit of evildoers that they literally will not stop chasing you until you've been shot dead.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 22, 2024 10:46 AM
    

Embracer Group is once again doing sterling work to demonstrate the perils of consolidation. Piranha Bytes, who are one of well over a hundred studios that Embracer bought up in recent years, today posted a statement on Xitter saying "Don't write us off yet!". The statement goes on to say that they're "convinced they will succeed". Succeed at what, you might ask? Not being shut down by Embracer.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 22, 2024 10:00 AM
    

For a series that's defined by its trials and elaborate murder cases, the greatest crime in Ace Attorney history is arguably one we never get to see or take part in. Okay, maybe crime is too strong a word. Miscarriage of justice is perhaps more appropriate, and specifically that of Apollo Justice, the cover star of this latest trilogy in Capcom's beloved lawyer 'em up. Except poor old Apollo isn't really what holds this collection of Ace Attorneys 4, 5 and 6 together at all. Sure, he features in all of them, but at the end of the day, it's still the series' original bluffer supreme Phoenix Wright who heads up most of the casework here, relegating his new protegee back to bench-warming duties almost as soon as Apollo's debut game rolls its credits. What's more, he quickly has to share that space with Athena Cykes, another new hotshot lawyer that enters the firm in Dual Destinies and continues the scrappy defence trifecta in Spirit Of Justice.

The result is a set of games that feel considerably wobblier than Capcom's first and more robust Ace Attorney trilogy, and quite a bit more unfocused than the more recent Victorian-era spin-off, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles. But despite a slightly unsure start, there are still plenty of career highs to be found here for Wright, Cykes and Justice, and Spirit Of Justice in particular remains one of the series' best entries to date. Those new to Ace Attorney should absolutely begin their journey elsewhere, but for series completionists, the Apollo Justice Trilogy is quite the welcome development.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 22, 2024 9:06 AM
    

Every weekend, indie devs show off current work on Twitter's #screenshotsaturday tag. And every Monday, I bring you a selection of these snaps and clips. This week, my eye was caught by dozens upon dozens of spam accounts hijacking the tag to promote cryptocurrency garbage. Twitter's journey to uselessness continues. But after reporting dozens of accounts in the vain hope that Twitter might at least knock these particular bots offline (knowing it'll never actually address the wider problem), I was delighted to admire a great many attractive and interesting indie games. Check out this week's pick!

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Twinfinite Monday, January 22, 2024 3:26 PM
    
Ride like the wing, Bullseye!

Twinfinite Monday, January 22, 2024 12:05 PM
    
Know your Pals from your Pokemon?

Siliconera Monday, January 22, 2024 3:00 PM
    

2 More Games Join Crunchyroll Game Vault

Crunchyroll announced its Game Vault now includes two more games. Ponpu and Yuppie Psycho are now part of the collection on mobile devices for subscribers.

Ponpu first debuted back in 2020. It involves birds wielding bombs. While the focus is on multiplayer, as up to four people can take part in Coin Steal, Deathmatch, or the 2v2 Paint Battle, it also features a single-player campaign. 

Here's how that looks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEmMGI9Tm1g&ab_channel=Crunchyroll

Yuppie Psycho first showed up in 2019. It's a horror adventure game involving a new employee at Sintracorp, which turns out to be a corporation with malicious and dangerous secrets. It's an entirely single-player experience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td0EuRfiezs&ab_channel=Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll Game Vault opened back at the end of 2023 with five games in it. Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery, Captain Velvet: The Jump+ Dimensions, inBento, River City Girls, and Wolfstride are all already present on mobile devices. In the future, the company is also planning to open a Developer Portal so more developers can apply to have their games appear on the service.

Crunchyroll subscribers at the $9.99 per month Mega Fan or $14.99 per month Ultimate Fan tiers can access the games. They can then play said games on Android or Apple iOS devices.

The post 2 More Games Join Crunchyroll Game Vault appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 22, 2024 2:30 PM
    

All Hololive English Vtubers Perform on New Song Cover

Hakos Baelz shared a new Hololive English song cover that features all 15 current Vtubers with the company. It is their take on Gero's "Mind Craft," and the music video is live now.

Here's the full "Mind Craft" performance by Hololive EN.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQuGEpICY2o&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=HakosBaelzCh.hololive-EN

As a reminder, this song cover with all of the current Hololive English Vtubers ended up delayed a few times. Various circumstances pushed the performance out of 2023 and into 2024.

Here's the full list of all Hololive English members who appear in the video. 

Hololive EN Myth:

  • Amelia Watson
  • Calliope Mori
  • Gawr Gura
  • Kiara Takanashi
  • Ninomae Ina'nis

Hololive EN Promise:

  • Ceres Fauna
  • Hakos Baelz
  • IRyS
  • Nanashi Mumei
  • Ouro Kronii

Hololive EN Advent:

  • Fuwawa Abyssgard
  • Koseki Bijou
  • Mococo Abyssgard
  • Nerissa Ravencroft
  • Shiori Novella

The only member absent is Tsukumo Sana, who graduated back in July 2022.

This was shared in spite of Hakos Baelz's current break. She announced at the beginning of January 2024 that she was moving to Japan. As such, she noted that her schedule would be sporatic as a result of the move and other obligations. 

The Hololive cover of "Mind Craft" isn't available on streaming services. However, people can watch the music video created for the track on YouTube now.

The post All Hololive English Vtubers Perform on New Song Cover appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 22, 2024 2:00 PM
    

To celebrate the Cinnamoroll birthday coming up on March 6, 2024, Sanrio is opening a pop-up corner at the Sanrio Anime store in Ikebukuro's P'PARCO store from March 1-10, 2024. The pop-up will feature new merchandise to celebrate Cinnamoroll's birthday featuring A3 GraffArt illustrations.

The Cinnamoroll birthday merchandise pop-up corner in the Sanrio Anime store features 9 items with 34 variations, including the following items:

Images of the various pop-up corner products that will be on sale can be viewed below:

Pre-orders are being taken on the Sanrio Anime Store Online from today until January 28, 2024. Online orders will open again on March 1-10, 2024, when the pop-up corner opens. Orders of more than ¥2,200 (~$15 USD) will receive one of three random Cinnamoroll postcards.

Another Cinnamoroll pop-up is currently running until February 12, 2024 at Tokyo's Hello Kitty Japan DiverCity Tokyo Plaza store and Osaka's Sanrio Gift Gate Namba Ebisubashi store called "I Cinnamoroll". This pop-up focuses on an older Cinnamoroll whose goal is to live a leisurely life and promote self love.

The Cinnamoroll Birthday pop-up corner in the Sanrio Anime store in Ikebukuro's P'PARCO store will run from March 1-10, 2024.

The post Sanrio Announces Cinnamoroll Birthday Merchandise appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 22, 2024 1:30 PM
    

Persona 3 Reload Developers Say the Idea of a Switch Version Exists

In a recent interview with Spanish-speaking gaming outlet Atomix, Persona 3 Reload Director Takuya Yamaguchi and Producer Ryota Niitsuma said that the idea for a Nintendo Switch version of the game exists. [Thanks, Atomix.vg!]

When asked about the possibility of a port of Persona 3 Reload reaching the hybrid platform, the developers said that "since starting to conceptualize [the remake], we decided that there would be no Nintendo Switch version." The developers admitted that the idea for a Switch version still exists. However, Yamaguchi and Niitsuma added that whether or not this version comes to happen is a matter of discussing it with the development team and see what they think about it.

A Nintendo Switch port of Persona 5 Royal released on October 21, 2022, followed by Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden ports appearing on January 19, 2023. The Switch versions of the games were initially announced back in June 2022 on a Nintendo Direct Mini. Meanwhile, Persona 3 Reload was announced on June 2023 during the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase. Atlus later confirmed it for all last gen and current platforms, with the exception of the Nintendo Switch.

Persona 3 Reload will appear for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam on February 2, 2024.

The post Persona 3 Reload Developers Say the 'Idea' of a Switch Version Exists appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 22, 2024 1:00 PM
    

Sunbreak Steam Deck

Steam Deck owners wanting to play Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak on their machines are out of luck this week, as a recent update patch resulted in the game becoming unplayable on the platform. While Capcom has not confirmed it, many are blaming the introduction of the Enigma DRM system in the update.

Ver.16.0.2.0 went live on all platforms on January 22, 2024, and it mainly served to make certain promotional DLC unavailable to reinstall. However, since the update some users have found evidence of the digital rights management software Engima being integrated into the game. While Capcom did not confirm the addition as being the source of the problems, similar issues popped up when the software was added to other Capcom games like Resident Evil Revelations. The company has, however, promised a hotfix for Sunbreak on Steam Deck sometime "in the very near future".

You can read the full patch notes for Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak Ver.16.0.2.0 on the official site, and find Capcom's official response to Steam Deck issues below:

https://twitter.com/monsterhunter/status/1749390124385771852

Earlier this month Takara Tomy announced 2 new Zoids model kits featuring designs based on Monster Hunter's Magnamalo and Rathalos. Capcom has also partnered with MSI Gaming to create several pieces of Monster Hunter-branded hardware and peripherals to celebrate the series' 20th anniversary.

Monster Hunter Rise and the Sunbreak expansion are readily available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch. A fix for issues involving Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak on the Steam Deck is coming soon.

The post Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak Broken on Steam Deck After Patch appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 22, 2024 12:30 PM
    

Hololive Vtuber Houshou Marine Released Her Game Second World

Now that Hololive Vtuber Houshou Marine passed three million subscribers, she released the game The Second World that she worked on starting when she was in middle school. This was part of a promise she made to fans, as she said she'd do so if she hit that follower mark.

To get the game, people must get it from Dropbox. It is available as a zip file there, and you must use the password "marine" to get it and play it on PCs. It is an RPG Maker XV title, and she started working on it in 2007.

Here is the official stream when Marine announced she would release it and shared the download. It also features the direct link and password.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFsiy5SLcEM&ab_channel=MarineCh.%E5%AE%9D%E9%90%98%E3%83%9E%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3

Ahead of its release, Marine also released a trailer for it. It featured voice actors like Marina Inoue (Alicia in Valkyria Chronicles, Armin in Attack on Titan) and Daisuke Kishio (Jeice in Dragon Ball, Cody in Street Fighter).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpnrMEynbX8&ab_channel=MarineCh.%E5%AE%9D%E9%90%98%E3%83%9E%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3

It is also possible to see Oozora Subaru playing the game The Second World alongside Houshou Marine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSCk2eEJ1V0&t=0s&ab_channel=SubaruCh.%E5%A4%A7%E7%A9%BA%E3%82%B9%E3%83%90%E3%83%AB

The Houshou Marine original game The Second World is available for PCs now, and you can watch the Hololive Vtuber on YouTube.

The post Hololive Vtuber Houshou Marine Released Her Game The Second World appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 22, 2024 12:00 PM
    

Palworld Pokemon with Guns Rip-off

We're in that odd time of year when a number of big releases are upon us and games from other developers that might not normally get as much attention really shine. Palworld ended up becoming the latest "game of the moment," with many pointing to it as a Pokemon with guns rip-off. However, until you really look at Pals and Pokemon side-by-side, you might not see exactly how close these characters are to ones from Game Freak and The Pokemon Company, as well as Square Enix and Studio Ghibli.

Since Palworld launched, and even before, people have been referring to the character Lamball as being discount Wooloo, and it fits. There's definitely a strong resemblance to the Pokemon, with the Palworld character's main difference being the lack of fringe on the sides and it being bipedal.

With Cattiva, we're looking at a copy of the tricky fox Pokemon Zorua. The difference is one is entirely pink and walks around on its hind legs, and the other doesn't.

With Lucario, it's like Pocketpair liked the character so much that it decided to rip it off twice. The Anubis Pal looks like a yellow version of it, being a bipedal dog with similar markings and designs. However, the Rayhound also straight up takes the Lucario head, pops it on a Boltund body, and sticks a Raichu tail on it for good measure.

With the Jetragon, it's pretty weird. We're absolutely seeing shades of Latios and Latias, but also shades of the Paradox Pokemon Iron Moth. One could even argue there's some Salamence in there.

Now, I know people have been pointing to the Lifmunk looking like the Pokemon Leafeon, but I think we're looking at a Palworld rip-off of the Square Enix Final Fantasy summon Carbuncle.

To compare, here's the Final Fantasy Wiki's YouTube video of the summon. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Tp9ikFxfE&ab_channel=FinalFantasyWiki

And here it is an official screenshot alongside Pokemon Unite.

This happens with the Palworld Pal Grizzbolt, though in this case I can't share the resemblance to the Studio Ghibli icon Totoro from My Neighbor Totoro

All Palworld Pals that look like Pokemon

Based on my going through the selection of revealed Pals so far, here's a list of the greatest resemblances to Pokemon I've seen in Palworld. Keep in mind this is based on my opinion and isn't complete, and in some situations I was willing to give Pocketpair the benefit of the doubt and figure they were going for a vaguelike animal-like, cute mascot.

  • Anubis: Lucario
  • Arsox: Dubwool
  • Astegon: Zekrom
  • Blazehowl: Flareon elements.
  • Bristla: Bellossom
  • Bushi: Decidueye (Hisuian version)
  • Caprity: Gogoat and Skiddo
  • Celaray: Mantine
  • Chillet: Goodra facial appearance and ambiance.
  • Cremis: Eevee
  • Dinossom: Meganium-shaped head.
  • Direhowl: Lycanroc (day)
  • Eikthyrdeer: Sawbuck
  • Elphidran: Goodra vibes
  • Felbat: Absol head
  • Fenglope: Cobalion
  • Flambelle: Litwick
  • Flopie: Sylveon
  • Foxcicle: Ninetails
  • Foxsparks: Nickit with Vulpix-typing
  • Fuddler: Drillbur
  • Fuwack: Ducklett and Psyduck fusion
  • Cattiva: Zorua
  • Depresso: Espurr
  • Grintale: Some Espeon elements.
  • Gumoss: Ditto
  • Jolthog: Shaymin
  • Jormuntide: Gyarados
  • Katress: Mismagius sort of head
  • Killamari: Inkay
  • Loupmoon: Zoroark
  • Lunaris: Loppuny
  • Mau: Liepard
  • Lamball: Wooloo
  • Nox: Eevee
  • Rayhound: Bolthund, Lucario, and Raichu mix. 
  • Relaxaurus: Quagsire elements
  • Reptyro: Volcanion
  • Robinquill: Decidueye with Gardevoir shades.
  • Tanzee: Grookey and Pansage mix.
  • Tocotoco: Natu and Xatu coloring
  • Vixy: Eevee
  • Wixen: Delphox and Mismagius elements.

Palworld is available in early access on PCs via Steam and on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X.

The post It's Shocking How Blatant Some Palworld Pokemon Rip-offs Are appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 22, 2024 11:30 AM
    

Metal Gear Uniqlo UT t-shirts

Uniqlo has confirmed the release date for its re-releases of Metal Gear-themed T-shirts. It will start selling the Metal Gear UT Archive T-shirts on January 22, 2024.

A total of six T-shirt designs will be available in this collection. The lineup will include artworks of Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, Solid Snake and Liquid Snake from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and Raiden from Metal Gear Rising. As a side note, the Japanese text box on one of them translates to "This is an order!! Cut the power supply to the MSX!! ...Over"

The T-shirts will come with the same price tag of 1,500 yen in Japan. Each shirt will also be available in eight sizes from XS to 4XL. However, the XS, XXL, 3XL, and 4XL sizes will only be available to order via Uniqlo's web store. The physical outlets will only feature the S, M, L, and XL sizes.

Uniqlo had previously teased in October 2023 that it would re-release the Metal Gear series T-shirts in January 2024. It added that the T-shirts originally appeared in 2009 and 2012. That means twelve years will have passed for the branded T-shirts to go on sale once again.

These T-shirt re-releases also coincide with Konami's recent resurgence of interest in bringing the Metal Gear series back into the spotlight. The company recently released Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1, a compilation that includes the first three mainline Metal Gear Solid titles, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC in October 2023.

The Metal Gear series UT Archive T-shirts will be available for sale at Uniqlo's web store and physical outlets on January 22, 2024.

The post Metal Gear Uniqlo UT T-Shirts Will Be Back Soon appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 22, 2024 11:00 AM
    

New Kingdom Hearts Ichiban Kuji Features Sora Statue

Bandai Spirits will be releasing a new Kingdom Hearts Ichiban Kuji lottery titled "Linking Hearts," and there will be both a figure of Sora and Roxas in it. The new Ichiban Kuji lottery will release late May 2024 and tickets for the lottery will retail for ¥790 (~$5 USD).

There are seven prizes for the Ichiban Kuji lottery, which excludes the Double Chance and Last One prizes from previous Kingdom Hearts Ichiban Kuji. No retailers have been listed for this lottery, although previous ones ran in 7-Eleven and Ito-Yokado stores across Japan. The run period for this lottery has not yet been revealed. More information about this new Ichiban Kuji will be revealed at a later date.

The prizes for the Kingdom Hearts: Linking Hearts lottery are as follows:

  • A Prize: Sora statue
  • B Prize: Visual Bath Towel
  • C Prize: Cushion
  • D Prize: Glass Plate
  • E Prize: Towels
  • F Prize: Design Tumbler
  • G Prize: Keyblade Charm collection

Currently, the only prize in the Ichiban Kuji Kingdom Hearts lottery that has been revealed is the Sora figure. This Sora statue is based on the Kingdom Hearts II's Station of Awakening, which features Sora asleep in the stained glass platform. The figure can be viewed below:

[gallery columns="1" size="large" link="file" ids="1008162"]

Previous Ichiban Kuji lotteries included the Second Memory lottery in 2020 featuring statues of Sora & Roxas and Axel & Roxas as prizes, and the 20th Anniversary lottery in 2022 featuring Sora and Kairi statues as prizes.

The series has received a number of new pieces of merchandise recently, including foil-printed puzzles, a brand new light-up Keyblade based on the Kingdom Key D, a line of clothing and apparel by Graniph, and Jacquard bags and backpacks.

Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link is currently in development for iOS and Android, and is set to release in 2024. The Android beta test is planned to begin sometime in January 2024. Kingdom Hearts 4 is also currently in development.

The post New Kingdom Hearts Ichiban Kuji Features Sora Figure appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 22, 2024 10:30 AM
    

Palworld Passes 5 Million Downloads, Hits Steam Concurrent Player Milestone

Pocketpair announced two new Palworld milestones, as it hit a new downloads hallmark and set a Steam concurrent player count record. The game now passed five million in sales, and it passed 1.5 million concurrent players.

With the Palworld five million downloads announcement, Pocketpair shared a new piece of art with insight. That plateau was within three days of the early access game's launch.

https://twitter.com/Palworld_EN/status/1749360035938070627

To offer more context, the game passed a million in sales after being available to purchase on Steam for eight hours.

As for the Palworld concurrent player announcement, Pocketpair offered a screenshot of SteamDB. It is now in third place for all-time peaks for concurrent players, just behind PUBG and Counter-Strike 2. While both of those are free, Palworld is a game people need to buy to play.  

https://twitter.com/Palworld_EN/status/1749423750251241567

It is now beating titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, and Baldur's Gate 3.

Since that last announcement, the number of concurrent players increased. The all-time peak in that screenshot was 1,501,100, and as of 9:30am ET it was at 1,582,482. Valve itself also noted it is the top selling game at the moment, beating Counter-Strike 2 and Baldur's Gate 3.

Palworld is available in early access on the Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. 

The post Palworld Downloads Pass 5 Million, Hits Steam Concurrent Player Milestone appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 22, 2024 10:01 AM
    

apollo justice ace attorney trilogy review header

Seven years since the release of Spirit of Justice and sixteen since Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, we finally have a comprehensive compilation of the final three games in the Ace Attorney series. While the ports do justice to the original releases—even enhancing them—the fact that they easily allow you to play the games back to back highlights the existing issues with these games.

For reference, this review's score will focus on the experience of playing the games as ports. However, it is almost impossible to play it and not notice the dips in quality. I also had the brilliant idea of purchasing the original trilogy and The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles for the Switch, since they were on sale. Replaying a bit of those ones before continuing Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy was not fantastic. Like I said earlier, playing all of these games without years in between make it hard to ignore all the little issues that pile up.

Ace Attorney Apollo Justice review Dual Destinies opening
Screenshot by Siliconera

To start with, let's talk about how Capcom ported these games. Each individual game looks and feels really good! As we saw with Ghost Trick, Capcom has a stellar track record when it comes to porting games originally on the DS onto a single-screen device. If you didn't play these games when they were on the Nintendo DS or 3DS, it might be hard to believe that you originally had two screens to work with.

The sprites look really good with the exception of Dual Destinies; characters who were in the original 2D games appeared as 3D models for the first time and not everyone transitioned smoothly. Klavier, for example, lacks a lot of the charm from his 2D art. It wasn't so noticeable on the 3DS, but it's very obvious on the Switch. Trucy also looks weirder the more times I see her. She lacks the playful teenage girl vibe she had as a 2D sprites. Instead, she seems a lot older, which is at odds with her animations and dialogue. The sprites greatly improve in Spirit of Justice though, which is hardly a surprise. Capcom perfected the looks of 3D sprites in The Great Ace Attorney, which originally came out between Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice.

There are no issues at all in terms of performance. I didn't see any significant lag that wasn't in the game proper; the 3D animations in Apollo Justice seem really slow but they were slow in the original game too. When I played for the preview, I played it while watching an eSports tournament so I turned my Switch on and off in five-minute intervals. This lead to the audio bugging out, which I easily fixed by simply restarting the game. Well, I was watching an eSports tournament again this time and there weren't any issues with the audio. So I guess the first time I ran into problems was a fluke. Since I heard that the PC version of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles had some issues, I can't say for sure how it runs on other platforms. But in terms of the Switch, it plays very smoothly.

Another thing I noticed is that the game's localization is a lot easier to read. I vividly remember the fifth game in particular having multiple typos and grammatical errors on the 3DS, but they're not present anymore in this trilogy. It is a little bit jarring to go from Apollo Justice to Dual Destinies though. This is because the margin for the text is different. It doesn't sound like a big deal on paper but after playing like four games with the text boxes looking the same, it takes a bit of time to adjust to the new ones. This was likely a change that occurred on the 3DS so I highly doubt that the Capcom could change it for the port even if it wanted to.

The main issue with Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is that it allows you to play the games back to back straight away. You no longer need to wait literal years between each entry. This means that you'll likely remember character and plot details a lot clearer, which makes it easier to notice when the writing doesn't go back to them later. A joke I saw online is that this is the Apollo Justice trilogy because Apollo has three different backstories in these games. It's not wrong... The fourth game sets up enough mysteries about Apollo's background and past, but the latter games don't really pick up these threads.

Changes to the legal world that occur in the fourth game also do not come back in a meaningful way. We get little follow-up on Klavier after the fourth game, whereas Blackquill returns for quite some time in the sixth. The Mood Matrix and the Divination Seance feel less like evolutions of Apollo's Perceive. Instead, they seem more like elements that would occur in a spinoff a la Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. Maybe the 3DS games were supposed to be a fresh start for players who might not have had access to the fourth game or the original trilogy. In any case, it certainly is a lot easier to think of Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice as their own little duology rather than part of an Apollo trilogy.

Fans of the fourth to sixth Ace Attorney games will be delighted to experience these games again, I'm sure. I was certainly excited to see characters like Klavier and Rayfa once more, and in HD too! It's also a good introduction for those who never played them before on the 3DS. Now that I'm done playing through this trilogy though, I think I'll go back and revisit the Phoenix Wright games and The Great Ace Attorney.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy will come out on January 25, 2024 for the PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC. Nintendo Switch version reviewed.

The post Review: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy Is a Great Port appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 22, 2024 9:30 AM
    

Fire Emblem Engage Rings to appear as capsule toys in Japan

The Emblem Rings from Fire Emblem Engage will appear in real life. Takara Tomy Arts will release the Fire Emblem Engage Emblem Ring Engage Collection as capsule toys inside gashapon machines in Japan in early 2024. [Thanks, Dengeki Hobby Web!]

As these rings are set to appear as capsule toys, people will be able to obtain them randomly by paying just 300 yen (~$2) for a single try. The rings will have a diameter of 2.2 cm (~0.87 inches) and be made with zinc alloy and metallic coating. Each ring will also be chained with a paper tag featuring the Fire Emblem Engage logo.

While Nintendo and Intelligent Systems released more Emblem Rings featuring characters like Camilla and Hector as DLC for Fire Emblem Engage, this collection will only have the twelve rings featured in the base game. Volume 1 will appear first with Marth, Sigurd, Celica, Micaiah, Roy, and Leif's rings in late January 2024. Volume 2 will follow later in late February 2024, and it will complete the roster with Lyn, Lucina, Ike, Byleth, Corrin, and Eirika's rings.

Fire Emblem Engage is immediately available worldwide on Nintendo Switch. The game had over 1.6 million units sold within the first two months after release between January 20, 2023, and March 31, 2023. The Fire Emblem Engage Emblem Ring Engage Collection will appear in gashapon machines across Japan in January-February 2024.

The post Fire Emblem Engage Rings Will Appear in Real Life appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Monday, January 22, 2024 9:00 AM
    

honkai star rail version 2.0 special program

HoYoVerse has announced that the special program for Honkai: Star Rail Version 2.0 will air on January 26, 2024. You'll be able to catch it on 7:30 PM CST/3:30 AM PT/6:30 AM ET.

You can catch the live stream on YouTube. The title of the new update is "If One Dreams At Midnight." This will be the debut of Penacony, which has been the next destination for the Astral Express since they left Jarilo-VI. According to the announcement, Dawei, one of the founders of HoYoVerse, and the Honkai: Star Rail team will personally deliver information on Honkai: Star Rail Version 2.0. This means the stream will mostly be in Chinese, much like the recent Genshin Impact Version 4.4 special program.

HoYoVerse recently released a trailer for Penacony in the style of an old-timey tourism promotion cartoon. The retro aesthetic of the cartoon fits with the general design for Penacony. As for what we know so far about it, HoYoVerse revealed the splash art for Sparkle, Black Swan, and Misha in the past. Black Swan and Misha will be the 5-star characters, while Misha will be a 4-star.

Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. The Honkai: Star Rail Version 2.0 special program, "If One Dreams At Midnight," will air on January 26, 2024.

The post Honkai: Star Rail Version 2.0 Special Program Announced appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, January 22, 2024 3:55 PM
     Alpha Lucky And Fusion Pal Types In Palworld Explained MammorestOne of the rarer crafting ingredients in Palworld is High Quality Pal Oil, but how can you get it? You can use this to create random items, but mostly Polymer, which is used to craft weapons. If you're struggling to find High Quality Pal Oil for yourself, we can help you out. Here's where to find this special item. Palworld: Where to find High Quality Pal Oil This is a special Pal drop many Pal types will drop upon defeat. How you can get High Quality Pal Oil in Palworld is from beating Pals such as Dumud, Digtoise, Woolipop, Mammorest, Flambelle, and more. These are the Pals that drop this item that you'll more likely find and be able to defeat during your Palworld playthrough. The only problem is where these Pals actually spawn. Luckily, we can tell you where they like to hang around. Image: PC Invasion (via Map Genie) One: Dumud, Digtoise Two: Dumud Three: Woolipop Four: Flambelle Five: Mammore...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, January 22, 2024 3:46 PM
     Palworld How To Get Pal FluidsAs you start to build your first base, you'll soon realize that it has a radius dictating where you can build things. But can you increase your base size in Palworld? This is something I wondered while playing this creature-collecting survival game. I have the answer for you below, and there is some good and bad news. Palworld: Can you expand base radius? Unfortunately, for now, it seems like you can't increase your base size in Palworld. The radius does seem a little small for what builds you may have in mind, but remember that Palworld is still in Early Access. In the future, we could see this become an implemented feature. Screenshot: PC Invasion The good news is that once you level up your base to level 10, you'll get the chance to create a new base in a different location. Some players online have stated that your storage in your bases is connected, but other players have come forward arguing that this isn't correc...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, January 22, 2024 3:42 PM
     How To Find And Use Pal Souls In PalworldIf you're struggling to find Pal Souls, you're not alone. We'll let you know how to find and use Pal Souls in Palworld, since they're a pretty vital item to collect. There are three different types of Pal Souls, each being able to upgrade your Pals in different ways. Here's how it works and where to find them. Palworld: Where to find Pal Souls You can come across Small, Medium, and Large Pal Souls. How you can find Pal Souls in Palworld is through chests, Pal drops, and randomly throughout the open world. I've found Small Pal Souls randomly on the ground while exploring. Screenshot: PC Invasion Although this is annoying if you want to farm them, you can also open chests and occasionally find some. I'm still at the start of my Palworld playthrough and currently have only discovered Small Pal Souls. They look like wispy blue items, whereas Medium looks pink, and Large seems to be yellow. A ...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, January 22, 2024 3:37 PM
     Jungle Treasures Dog In Monopoly GoMonopoly GO has released Jungle Treasures, the next event in the "Treasures" series. These events are always fun and provide us with a lot of rewards. Let's brave the jungle and get started! All Rewards for Jungle Treasures in Monopoly GO Below is a full list of all the rewards for clearing levels in Jungle Treasures. Note that cash prizes can't be assigned a value as it'll be different for each player. Also, lots of these rewards are dealt in colored vaults, but I've instead included the contents of the vaults. LevelRewards125 Free Rolls and 2 Pickaxe Tokens275 Free Rolls and an Orange Sticker Pack3A new Emoji4125 Free Rolls and 2 Pickaxe Tokens5Cash and 3 Pickaxe Tokens6150 Free Rolls7Cash and 3 Pickaxe Tokens8175 Free Rolls9Cash and 3 Pickaxe Tokens10250 Free Rolls11Cash and 4 Pickaxe Tokens12275 Free Rolls13300 Free Rolls, 30 minutes of Sticker Boost, and a new Shield Skin14Cash and a Blue Stic...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, January 22, 2024 3:30 PM
     Has Palworld used AI to create it's many varied monsters?A debate has emerged across X and the many other open forums on the internet as the whether or not the creators of Palworld have used AI to produce the many Pals populating the game. Does this signify a change in the market, are the accusations true, and does it even matter? Palworlds history with AI Pocketpair, in the past, has dabbled in AI Generation games. They have previously released a game on Steam in which, using prompts, you can create beautiful artwork. The idea of the game is simple. Each player, bar one, is shown a prompt. Using AI, each player creates an artwork based on the prompt and shows them to the other players. The players then have to guess who is the imposter, or the artist without the prompt. PC Invasion Steam has a rule about AI generation in gaming. If it is to be used, the developer needs to own the AI that produces the outcome. They must also disclose if it has been used at all. This would mean that if Palworld had decided...

Tabletop Gaming News – TGN Monday, January 22, 2024 1:36 PM
     March 2024 will mark the Kickstarter launch of "Surviving Strangehollow," a new supplement for the 5E tabletop role-playing game system. The supplement draws its inspiration from the hand-painted art of Emily Hare, known for creating the unique world of Strangehollow and its myriad creatures. Aimed at both players and Dungeon Masters (DMs), "Surviving Strangehollow" offers …

Tabletop Gaming News – TGN Monday, January 22, 2024 1:22 PM
     In an announcement for Dune fans and roleplayers, Modiphius Entertainment has revealed the upcoming release of "Dune: Fall of the Imperium," a new campaign book for the Dune: Adventures in the Imperium roleplaying game. This release is perfectly timed to coincide with the much-anticipated cinema release of "Dune: Part 2" on March 1st. The RPG …