Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 5:15 PM  Anyone who was on the internet around the release of The Last of Us Part II knows it was a bad time. But while we, as fans and writers, saw the vitriolic backlash unfold in real-time, it was far worse for the creative team who was directly targeted by it. Laura Bailey, who played the secret second protagonist Abby,… |
Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 5:00 PM  A new game industry survey revealed that over 500 studios around the world are currently working on or maintaining live-service video games like Destiny 2, Suicide Squad, and Fortnite. |
Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 4:30 PM  Sony's massive State of Play presentation on January 31 gave us a look at a bunch of upcoming PlayStation 5 games, including the first-person shooter Judas, the action game Stellar Blade, and many more. Stunlock Studios' 2022 breakout game V Rising also made an appearance, with an announcement that the open-world… |
Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 4:15 PM  If, for whatever reason, you weren't satisfied with the hopeful ambiguity of The Last of Us Part II's ending, it sounds like Naughty Dog still thinks there's at least one more bullet in the chamber for the series. Director Neil Druckmann has revealed in the Grounded II: The Making of The Last of Us Part II documentary… |
Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 4:00 PM  The roster for the second season of HBO's The Last of Us grows bigger every day. The latest actor to jump on board the critically acclaimed adaptation of Naughty Dog's series of games is Catherine O'Hara of Beetlejuice and Schitt's Creek fame. She'll be joining returning leads Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, along with… |
Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 3:45 PM  The newest game in the Like a Dragon series, Infinite Wealth continues the series' focus on interpersonal relationships. In fact, it even has a button dedicated to saying hi to people. And once you hit the streets of Hawaii, you won't just say hello, you'll say aloha, and will gain a friend in the game's in-world… |
Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 3:30 PM  It has been a big week for Sonic the Hedgehog fans. Not only did we get the Sonic X Shadow Generations announcement during Sony's State of Play presentation, but we also have a new tease and a ton of casting news for the third live-action movie set to premiere on December 20. This teaser used a Sonic Adventure 2-style… |
Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 3:10 PM  Carl Weathers, the legendary Black actor who portrayed Apollo Creed in the Rocky films and starred in dozens of other movies and TV shows like Predator, The Mandalorian, and Toy Story 4, died on Thursday, February 1 at the age of 76. According to Deadline, his family released a statement confirming Weather's passing.… |
Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 2:45 PM  Persona 3's cast, much like the game itself, is the best one. This is only solidified by Persona 3 Reload's new side stories that flesh out some of the cast into the best versions of themselves. The third iteration of the Megami Tensei subseries pivots into a supernatural, social sim-driven dungeon crawler. Part of… |
Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 2:40 PM  Omnipresent brothers, Travis and Jason Kelce (who are NFL players, commercial stars, SNL hosts, podcasters, and members of Taylor Swift's inner circle) are looking to add a game development feather to their caps—specifically, they want to reboot '90s classics Backyard Football and Backyard Baseball. Whether or not… |
Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 1:45 PM  Jobs. Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. In Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Jobs are simply another term for "Class," and switching them up will alter your characters' stats and reward them with new abilities as you increase their ranks. Some Jobs can be equipped on multiple characters, while others are… |
Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 1:30 PM  Video game publisher Activision Blizzard has been embroiled in controversy within the last few years, from allegations that a culture of sexual harassment was allowed to thrive to reports of union-busting by management. But in January 2024, when a new lawsuit was filed against the Call of Duty and Overwatch publisher,… |
Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 1:15 PM  It's been over a decade since we've gotten a BioShock game and no official follow-up has been announced, but that doesn't mean there isn't something on the horizon for fans of the franchise. Upcoming shooter Judas looks to be a BioShock game in everything but name, and it's helmed by none other than Ken Levine, the… |
Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 12:15 PM  February is in full swing, new games have arrived, and we're looking at a month full of some pretty neat games to pick up in the coming weeks. So what are we here at Kotaku looking forward to spending our time with this weekend? |
Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 11:45 AM  Developer Shift Up Second Eve Studios made quite the splash at Sony Interactive Entertainment's recent State of Play broadcast with a gameplay reveal trailer for Stellar Blade (previously known as "Project Eve"). The PS5 character-action exclusive is looking real good, thanks it part to its stylish combat and even… |
Kotaku Friday, February 2, 2024 11:30 AM  In a year of AAA tentpoles like Armored Core VI and Final Fantasy XVI, one of the most surprising games of 2023 was the short narrative cooking game Venba. It tells the story of an immigrant family, centering on the strained relationship between mother Venba and her son through traditional Tamil cuisine. It's a… |
PCGamesN Friday, February 2, 2024 5:03 PM  When Hellcard was first released in February 2023, it had a pretty promising start to life in the ether with a player count in the thousands. Since then, however, the card battler game has seen a rapid decline, with only a couple of hundred players still devoting their time to the deck builder. But, in the last 30 days, Hellcard's popularity has grown, and the last 48 hours have been particularly fruitful for the fantasy roguelike game. Continue reading One year later, this roguelike RPG sees a 567% spike in player count |
PCGamesN Friday, February 2, 2024 3:14 PM  Finally, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is out of early access and the full, ultraviolent, unadulterated version of the epic superhero game is here. The title comes packed with a load of cool Easter eggs that fans of DC Comics and the DCEU are going to love, but one fan has found the most satisfying surprise of them all, and all it takes to find it is a little patience once you complete the game. Continue reading Someone has found the best Suicide Squad Easter egg, and you can too MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Kill the Justice League system requirements, Kill the Justice League release date, Best PC games |
PCGamesN Friday, February 2, 2024 1:19 PM  When is the Life by You release date? If you're a fan of The Sims, Second Life, and all things simulation, then the Life by You reveal should be music to your ears. Unveiled during Paradox Interactive 2023, Life by You appears to feature several life game hallmarks, including a variety of locations to explore, character interactions, and a wealth home-building and design tools to play with. Here's everything you need to know about the potential Life by You release date, trailers, gameplay, news, and more for what could potentially be one of the best PC games if it lives up to the hype. Continue reading Life by You release date, early access, trailers, gameplay, and news MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Life by You release date, Games like The Sims, Best life games |
PCGamesN Friday, February 2, 2024 1:00 PM  The Sims, Will Wright and Maxis' 2000 original, remains the funniest videogame ever made. It's wonderful. It's groundbreaking. 24 years later however, in the wake of The Sims 4, and ahead of The Sims 5 - also known as Project Rene - perhaps it's time that another developer had a shot at perfecting the life sim genre. Paradox, the stalwart strategy game maker behind Cities Skylines 2, Crusader Kings, Stellaris, and many more, is taking on The Sims with a new, hugely open, highly moddable take on the life simulation genre, Life by You. Originally expected to hit early access in the very near future, it's just been delayed. Continue reading Cities Skylines 2 dev delays its new rival to The Sims MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Life by You release date, Games like The Sims, Best life games |
PCGamesN Friday, February 2, 2024 12:49 PM  Steampunk meets the survival genre in Nightingale, one of the most fascinating new titles of 2024. It's also a game you can be involved in right now as part of a stress test going on this very moment, but you need to be really quick if you want to join. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games on PC, Best crafting games on PC, Best fantasy games on PC |
PCGamesN Friday, February 2, 2024 12:15 PM  Since 2005, the Yakuza series has treated us to some of the coolest and most challenging crime-based games around. Now, the latest in the franchise, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, has just made history by selling a whopping 1,000,000 copies worldwide in just one week, prompting big celebrations from SEGA. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth system requirements, Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth review, Best crime games |
PCGamesN Friday, February 2, 2024 12:03 PM  If Ubisoft's impressive Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown caught your eye last month, you need to keep Devolver Digital's new indie platformer, Pepper Grinder, on your radar. A 2D side-scroller with all the hallmarks of an excellent addition to the genre, developer Ahr Ech's pixelated pirate adventure wonderfully blends traditional platforming action with a drilling mechanic that makes traversal feel as much like 1992's Ecco the Dolphin as it does the brick-breaking adventures of Bandai Namco's Mr Driller. Beyond that, when it comes to combat and puzzles, this frantic experience feels like the natural evolution of the power tool-fuelled dungeoneering of 2006's Drill Dozer – a Game Boy Advance great. Sure, that all might sound a little odd, but it works – trust me. Continue reading Slick new platformer is Shovel Knight with power tools and pirates MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best platform games, Upcoming PC games, Best indie games |
PCGamesN Friday, February 2, 2024 11:58 AM  What are the best weapons in Granblue Fantasy Relink? It's a complicated question. Even without them equipped, fully upgraded arms tie in with the Mastery and Collection systems to dish out heaps of free stat boosts. These are the bonus stats you'll almost certainly need to unlock what can be generalized as the best weapons in Granblue Fantasy Relink. Disregard the contradiction. If you're not worrying about end-game Granblue Fantasy Relink weapons, you might gain something from our list of Granblue Fantasy Relink Wee Pincer locations. Pair that adventure with our list of every Slime location for easy upgrades. Lastly, you might want to know how to get more Granblue Fantasy Relink Griffin Feathers. They're needed to unlock and upgrade the weapons. Continue reading Best Granblue Fantasy Relink weapons MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Crewmate Cards guide, Wee Pincer locations, Treasure Chest keys |
PCGamesN Friday, February 2, 2024 12:04 PM  The best office chairs can save your posture and make life more comfortable when you're working or playing. If you sit down for a larger part of the day and need the right chair to help your health, we're trying and testing the myriad options to help you find the right one. The best gaming chairs often have a very specific look, so this list is home to some more subtle designs. We chose the best office chairs in this guide for their comfort levels, support, and design. The Herman Miller Embody is undoubtedly the best premium choice, thanks to the company's years of research. But affordable options like the Vertagear PL1000 will serve your spine well, too. When choosing the best office chair for gaming, work out what your usage is in terms of hours, how much you want to spend, and your physical dimensions (there's no benefit to being too small or big in an office chair). Then, take a seat and look through these options... Continue reading Best office chairs in 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Friday, February 2, 2024 11:29 AM  I've tried to estimate it in my head a few times, how many people or enemies of any other description I've killed in videogames over the years. If I start at around 1995, when I first got into games in a proper way, that's 29 years of virtual combat experience. I must be into the high six figures by now, bodycount wise, if not over a million. Given how videogames normalize the act of shooting and killing someone, combined with just how long I've been playing these things, it's not often that I actually stop to think about what I'm doing. But a new shooter, published by Hotline Miami, Cult of the Lamb, and Enter the Gungeon company Devolver, offers me pause for thought. Mixing the sniper challenge minigame of Hitman, the surreal, washed-out style of Hotline Miami, and the time-bending gunplay of Superhot, this is one of the most original new games I've played in years. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best indie games, Best FPS games, Best upcoming PC games |
PCGamesN Friday, February 2, 2024 11:25 AM  Smolder has officially hit the Rift in League of Legends - this moment has been a long time coming. The fiesty little firebreather was unveiled at the start of 2024 to mixed reactions, and has already been sent back to the drawing board (literally) when players criticized the fact his face looked more human than dragon. But, following his official release, eagle-eyed players have spotted yet another change to the fiery fledgling. Continue reading Smolder is finally in League of Legends, but he's been changed again MORE FROM PCGAMESN: League of Legends Season 14, League of Legends patch 13.23, League of Legends tier list |
PCGamesN Friday, February 2, 2024 11:10 AM  Is Helldivers 2 coming to Game Pass? There was a time when a sequel to a beloved game meant a considerable change in gameplay style, but this is now a relatively rare trope. It still happens, though, with Risk of Rain 2 going 3D as a prime example. Helldivers 2 still focuses on cooperative alien-blasting, but it's all in a third-person perspective rather than a top-down twin-stick shooter. As Helldivers 2 is a co-op game that wants you to team up with other players worldwide, it's essential to know if you can play with anyone, especially since Helldivers 2 crossplay was confirmed. However, for some, knowing the answer to this question is more about whether they can try the game out for free on PC. With that in mind, we did some digging and have the answer on whether or not Helldivers 2 will come to Game Pass. Continue reading Is Helldivers 2 on Game Pass? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Helldivers 2 system requirements, Steam Deck compatability |
PCGamesN Friday, February 2, 2024 11:02 AM  What are some cool Minecraft build ideas? The sandbox game remains one of the best of all time over a decade on from its release, but such a long time in one game means you might be running out of ideas. We've been there: you've already built a city, a castle, or even a Wild West outpost, so what's next? Luckily, there are plenty of unique builds, farms, and creations out there to inspire your next Minecraft project. Unlike our favorite Minecraft house ideas or Minecraft castles, for example, this list is more varied, and contains plenty of inspiration. From a stylish Minecraft Nether Portal to automated farms, from massive decorative builds to homely aquariums, these ideas can be copied directly or simply used to inspire your next Minecraft build. Continue reading Minecraft ideas – inspiration for your next Minecraft build MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods |
PCGamesN Friday, February 2, 2024 11:08 AM  What are the best new PC games in 2024? Perhaps you've just been paid, your bank account is filled with virtual dosh, or you simply want to get caught up with the latest PC games because they're, well, new and shiny. It's all well and good starting another daring round of multiplayer game PUBG, taking on a new 100-hour Football Manager save, or embarking on yet another The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim adventure but, as much as we love setting mammoths ablaze, there are plenty of new PC games that will more than supply your gaming fix. You don't want to be the person who isn't 'in the know' now, do you? Whatever you're into, this list includes the best PC games from the last few months, including RPG games, that space game, and more. Continue reading The best new PC games 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld bosses, Palworld map, Palworld settings |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, February 2, 2024 2:01 PM |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, February 2, 2024 1:33 PM  In these turbulent times, we could all do with a little more lo-fi in our lives. Delivering said remedy to the tickling of gentle piano and soft sunset palette hues is Tranquil Isle, a lovely-looking combination of city-builder and resource-management roguelite drifting in on the waves later this year. (Or you can just make pretty islands, if you prefer.) |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, February 2, 2024 1:05 PM  Persona developers Atlus have promised there are no plans to follow up Persona 3 remake Reload with an expanded re-release like Persona 5 Royal, giving us all a welcome break from the tyranny of the letter R. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, February 2, 2024 1:00 PM .png?width=1920&height=1920&fit=bounds&quality=80&format=jpg&auto=webp) The early access release of Paradox's big rival to The Sims has been delayed by another three months, the publisher has announced. Life By You was originally set to launch next month on March 5th, but will now enter early access on June 4th, which developers Paradox Tectonic say will allow them "to refine the visuals for its human characters and further improve gameplay". |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, February 2, 2024 12:31 PM  Can you believe it's been almost half a decade since Satisfactory unleashed its gloriously pleasing factory-building hijinks into early access? And that, five years on, it's still yet to hit 1.0? Well, you best believe it, as devs Coffee Stain Studios have confirmed that Satisfactory will finally reach the end of the early access conveyer belt sometime in 2024. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, February 2, 2024 12:02 PM  Readers, I must confess. I was watching Sony's State Of Play stream on Wednesday with a mind divided. I'd arranged with some pals to play an online board game with them that evening, and when news hit that it might actually be a reasonably big deal for us PC folks, I ambitiously thought: I can proooobably do both at the same time??? Reader, I was wrong, at least for the most part. The first 30 minutes of it was arguably fine, but then the 10-minute trailer for Death Stranding 2 arrived and I simply had to throw my hands up in defeat. I honestly did not understand what I was watching, and even several re-watches later, I'm still not 100% sure what Kojima thinks he's playing at. But hot damn, do I love it anyway. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, February 2, 2024 12:00 PM  Steam Next Fest doesn't officially start until next Monday, February 5th, but what the heck, everyone's putting their demos live early this year, it seems, and another one that's just popped the cork ahead of time is Pepper Grinder, the excellent-looking pixel platformer where you're burrowing through bedrock with a heckin' great drill in your hands as you attempt to steal back your treasure from some pesky pirates. I was instantly smitten with this one when it was first unveiled at the end of 2022, and the more I've seen of it, the more it's risen into becoming one of my most anticipated games of 2024. Happily, its Next Fest demo doesn't disappoint, as it not only feels wonderful in the hands, but ooof, it really knows how to do a good plinky plink coin jostle. My word. |
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Siliconera Friday, February 2, 2024 5:30 PM
A new line of official Persona 3 Reload merchandise includes a replica of the protagonist's MP3 player, various acrylic stands, keychains, pin badges, a tarot card set, and a replica of the Velvet Room key, among others. [Thanks, Dengeki Online!]
The items are available for pre-order from the Atlus section of the Ebten online store and are expected to be released sometime in mid-April 2024. In addition, the Persona 3 Reload Soundtrack is also included in the new batch of merchandise.
Here is the full list of Persona 3 Reload merchandise items alongside the prices:
You can also check out the new items in more detail here:
On the occasion of the recent release of P3R, Kotobukiya and Sideshow announced a new scale figure of the protagonist of Persona 3 Reload, and Cerevo revealed that a replica of the P3R Evoker is in development and a prototype will appear at Wonder Festival 2024 Winter.
Persona 3 Reload is now available for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and Windows PC. The game is also available on Game Pass. The new line of merchandise is now up for pre-order from Atlus' Ebten online store.
The post Persona 3 Reload Merchandise Includes MP3 Player Replica appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, February 2, 2024 4:00 PM
Square Enix shared an official interview with Britt Baron, the voice actress behind Tifa Lockhart in FFVII Remake and Rebirth. As part of that, she shared her favorite moments playing the character in both games, though her thoughts on the one from Remakeis less vague than the Rebirth moment to avoid spoilers.
Editor's Note: There will be no FFVII Remake or Rebirth spoilers below.
When it came to her favorite FFVII Remake memory of Tifa, Baron brought up a point involving Tifa's kindness. She explained how at one point, even though they are enemies, the character goes out of her way to help someone from Shinra.
As for the FFVII Rebirth moment, the thoughts from the voice actress for Tifa were more insightful from a technical standpoint. Baron explained how the nature of the job meant she was recording on JST, rather than PT, despite being in Los Angeles. She also explained how, due to the nature of voice acting, Cody Christian's lines for Cloud may or may not be available for her to hear and play off of.
We'll learn more about FFVII Rebirth soon. The game will appear in its own State of Play showcase on February 6, 2024.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will come to the PS5 on February 29, 2024, with the exclusivity arrangement ending on May 29, 2024. FFVII Remake is available for the PS4, PS5, and PC, and FFVII Ever Crisis is available on the PC and mobile devices.
The post Tifa Voice Actress Shares Favorite FFVII Remake and Rebirth Scenes appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, February 2, 2024 3:28 PM
Pocketpair CEO and Palworld creator Takuro Mizobe shared on social media that the server costs for the game have drastically increased. The current server upkeep costs stand at 70.53 million yen (or approximately $475,500,) which is 359% more than the server fees cost in January 2024.
Mizobe made the original post on his personal X (formerly Twitter) account, where he shared a screenshot of the cost increases and its price. The post was accompanied by a Japanese caption that translates to the following:
You can also check out the original post here:
While the recent increase in server costs for Palworld is steep, the post's caption is most likely intended to poke fun at it, as Palworld has already proven to be a massive success. The game sold over 8 million copies in less than 6 days after its Early Access release. Its concurrent player base reached over 1.85 million players, surpassing Counter-Strike 2's concurrent users on January 23, 2024.
Palworld is now available on Early Access for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. The game is also available as part of the Xbox and PC Game Pass.
The post Pocketpair CEO Shared Palworld Server Costs Increase appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, February 2, 2024 3:00 PM
As technology advances and we keep asking relatively less from computers for most tasks, the mini PC in general becomes a more and more viable option. AYANEO, a company that's established itself with its handhelds, is expanding into the market with its Retro Mini PC AM01. Is it right for you? We'll try to help you answer that.
Aesthetics
The packaging of the AYANEO AM01 makes tons of nods to Apple's choices over the years, setting the stage for the product itself. It makes tons of nods to Apple's choices, both in its early era and its modern-style box packing. Do these match with the era of the Macintosh Classic, the computer upon which the AM01's design is based? Uh, not really, no. It's a pastiche, much like other products in the Remake line. And maybe that makes sense for a product that looks like a Mac but runs Windows.
The materials and wallpaper use a pixelated version of the old Apple serif, which… is weird! It was used on print materials or large enough on the screen to not look like that. The interchangeable icon on the case where the Apple logo would be is a nice touch, if sort of unnecessary. It's not like the AM02 model with its built-in screen, so we're not sure how often you'll be looking at the hardware itself.
Still, the AM01 sets the stage with its looks, fitting in well with a lifestyle that's retro-friendly. We ended up doing most of our testing with our 8BitDo keyboard and controller, and in a weird way, pairing a new PC that looks like an old Mac with new peripherals that look like old NES or Game Boy models really worked for us.
Performance
While most coverage of the AM01 has focused on higher-end models, we were able to check out the 8GB 5700U model, which isn't the lowest spec but could be a more affordable option for many people. AYANEO talks about these options as more friendly for office tasks, storage and multimedia, and that's certainly true, but you don't need us to tell you about those! We're here to tell you about its use in games.
As a result, yeah, what it can do is a bit limited in terms of modern titles. Higher-spec models of the AM01 may be able to handle Baldur's Gate III, but ours couldn't manage a passable frame rate on lowest settings. Less demanding fare, though, runs fine! We tested Silent Hope and Star Ocean: The Second Story R, and each handled best when adjusting the settings to what we'd most accurately call "Nintendo Switch."
The AM01 works best as a secondary, home-theater gaming option, though. It has zero trouble running Jackbox Party Pack titles or Monster Roadtrip, the sorts of titles you'd only want to play with a big group in front of the same TV. A mini PC like this one is nice for those, because you can slip it in a bag and take it elsewhere to play with friends and family. And if you're doing that? Hey, maybe the AM01's fun aesthetics could be a fun conversation starter. If this scheme is held back by anything, it's probably that its low-power specs are most taxed by the increasingly-4K displays many use for home theater. It's a thoroughly capable device at, say, 1080p.
That said, with the retro aesthetic, it's certainly a good fit for running classics or as an emulation box too. A PC is still the best option for playing old games of all types, and though we'll leave it to others to cover the ins and outs of setting that up, we had a lot of fun using the AM01 for older PC games like RollerCoaster Tycoon and Heroes of Might and Magic III.
We found the AYASpace app to have some use on other devices like the Slide, but our AM01 model really couldn't handle it and it was clunky enough that we had to disable it to get things running smoothly. Which isn't a huge deal, but important to know! It's most useful as a power management app, so it makes more sense on the company's handhelds anyway.
AYANEO AM01: The Verdict
Lots of mini PCs can do the things the AYANEO AM01 does, understandably, but it's a solid entrant into the market. As a first model for the company, it doesn't mess anything up (which is an accomplishment!), and it brings a fun form factor into a category that generally just gives you nondescript boxes to hide behind other things. It doesn't set itself apart as much as AYANEO's handhelds, but it's a fun and useful one of these! And that's totally reasonable.
The AYANEO Retro Mini PC AM01 is available now, with models ranging from roughly $200 to $420. For more about the Remake series, check out our review of the Slide and our interview with the company CEO.
The post AYANEO Retro Mini PC AM01 Review: More Than Case Deep? appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, February 2, 2024 2:30 PM
Jim Carrey will be returning as Dr Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. He will be reprising the role when the movie releases in theaters on December 20, 2024. [Thanks, Variety!]
The return of Jim Carrey for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was first teased on the official Sonic movie X/Twitter account. A short video featuring the movie's logo was shown featuring Robotnik's distinctive laugh. The return of Robotnik was then confirmed by Variety. A teaser for Robotnik's return also featured during a post-credits scene in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will be the third in the hugely successful movie series from Paramount. The first two movies have made a combined $870 million at the global box office. It's one of the highest-grossing movies based on a video game ever released, alongside The Super Mario Bros Movie and Detective Pikachu. A TV series based on Knuckles is also in development.
The story for the next movie is currently unknown, aside from us knowing Jim Carrey will return as the antagonist Dr Robotnik. However, it is confirmed that Shadow the Hedgehog will be making an appearance in the new movie. This was first teased in a post-credits sequence in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and has since been confirmed with teases on social media. The newly revealed logo also resembles the logo for Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow's debut game.
It's not the only upcoming appearance of Shadow the Hedgehog. Sonic x Shadow Generations is an upcoming game announced at the January 2024 State of Play showcase. This reworking of Sonic Generations will feature a playable Shadow alongside the Classic and Modern versions of Sonic. It's set for release in fall 2024.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will be coming to theaters on December 20, 2024.
The post Jim Carrey Returning as Dr Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, February 2, 2024 2:00 PM
HoYoVerse revealed the full details of what to expect from Black Swan in Honkai: Star Rail. This five-star wind-type Nihility character will be making her debut in version 2.0 on February 6, 2024.
Black Swan can inflict a new DoT effect for Honkai: Star Rail. It's called Arcana, and many of her abilities are focused on building this up. Arcana can be stacked any time a DoT effect is applied to an enemy, and will cause wind damage on an affected enemy's turn.
Black Swan can use her basic attack, Percipience, Silent Dawn, to deals wind damage to a single target. This has a chance of inflicting Arcana, and if the enemy has Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn or Shock applied, there's a chance for additional Arcana stacks to be added. Her Skill, Decadence, False Twilight, will do the same but for multiple targets. It also has a chance to reduce enemy DEF. Her Technique, From Facade to Verite, will apply a stack of Arcana at the start of battle too.
Black Swan can also use her Talent, Loom of Fate's Caprice, to enhance the effects of Arcana. Depending on how many stacks are on an enemy, she can increase damage and even apply stacks of Arcana to adjacent enemies. If the player can apply more than seven stacks of Arcana, the damage will also ignore a percentage of the enemy's DEF.
Her Ultimate is Bliss of Otherworld's Embrace, which sees Black Swan do wind damage to all enemies and apply another condition known as Epiphany. This adds additional damage as if the enemy was affected by Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn and Shock. It also prevents Arcana stacks from resetting on their turn.
While Black Swan is set to debut in Honkai: Star Rail Version 2.0, it's not the first we've seen of her. She also appeared in the New Year web event Fable of the Stars, where she would read player fortunes.
Honkai: Star Rail is out now for PC, PS5 and mobile devices. Version 2.0 will be released on February 6, 2024.
The post Black Swan in Honkai: Star Rail Inflicts Arcana on Her Foes appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, February 2, 2024 1:30 PM
Kotobukiya announced a new Star Trek Bishoujo figure, and this time the hint suggests it is inspired by Captain Kirk. However, only a silhouette of the upcoming character appeared.
In this line of Kotobukiya figures, as is common with the Bishoujo collection, it focuses on depictions of female characters. This is the case even if they aren't originally that gender in the source material.
For this figure, the Star Trek Bishoujo heroine's figure has a dynamic pose. She is holding a phaser in her right hand and is speaking into a communicator in her left. She also appears to be perched on a rock of some sort. The art makes it look as though she is being beamed up.
As for the hints about it being a figure of a captain, two seem to suggest that. The first is that the silhouette is yellow, which is the color of Command uniforms in the original Star Trek. The second is that the English announcement on social media begins with "Space: the final frontier," which is how Kirk would begin the show.
There are two other figures in this line. The first is a Science officer from Star Trek based on Spock. The second one was a Communications officer based on Uhura.
There's no release date for Kotobukiya's next Star Trek figure.
The post Star Trek Bishoujo Figure Teased, May Be Based on Captain Kirk appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, February 2, 2024 1:00 PM
A new scale figure of the protagonist of Persona 3 Reload is available to pre-order, this time courtesy of Kotobukiya and Sideshow. The figure will cost $160 or ¥24,212, with shipping expected sometime between August and October, 2024.
Standing at around 23 cm (8.86" tall), the figure is made in 1/8 scale out of PVC and ABS. The protagonist's S.E.E.S. patch and Evoker are prominent, but the figure also includes smaller details like his headphones, belt holster and music player. Additionally, the base of the figure features a bullet hole in the center and translucent parts to emulate the shattered glass aesthetic used throughout the game.
You can get a look at the figure in the gallery below:
Other Persona 3 Reload merchandise includes a replica Evoker in development by Atlus and Cerevo. Japanese snack brand Koikeya is also producing Persona 3 and 5-themed potato chips as part of a collaboration with Atlus.
The Persona 3 Reload protagonist scale figure is available to pre-order from Sideshow, with shipping expected between August and October, 2024. Persona 3 Reload itself is available now for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC.
The post The Persona 3 Reload Protagonist Scale Figure looks Stoic appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, February 2, 2024 12:30 PM
Kotobukiya will produce and release even more plastic model kits modeled after Capcom's Mega Man metaseries. The company newly revealed at Kotobukiya Collection 2024 that it will produce new model kits of Sigma from the Mega Man X series and Bass.EXE from the Battle Network series. It also unveiled new prototypes of upcoming kits based on special weapon variants from Mega Man 11 and Mega Man X3. [Thanks, Hobby Watch!]
The Mega Man franchise kits of Sigma and Bass.EXE are still in a very early development phase, so Kotobukiya has yet to share any prototype samples for either character. It instead published unpainted prototypes of the weapon variant Mega Men.
Two of them are the Scramble Thunder and Pile Driver, both of which came from Mega Man 11. In the original game, Mega Man would obtain the weapons by defeating Fuse Man and Impact Man, respectively. The other unpainted prototype features Mega Man X in Max Armor with the Triad Thunder weapon obtained from destroying Volt Catfish in Mega Man X3. A painted prototype of Black Zero, who debuted in Mega Man X4, completes the new lineup.
People who reside in Tokyo, Japan, can visit the plastic model kit exhibition on the 5th floor of Kotobukiya's Akihabara store to take a direct look at the new Mega Man model kit prototypes. The exhibition also includes kits that have been already announced or even released, such as the regular Mega Man from Mega Man 11 and MegaMan.EXE, and Roll.EXE from Battle Network. The Kotobukiya Collection 2024 event will run until February 4, 2024.
The post New Mega Man Series Model Kits Will Include Sigma and Bass.EXE appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, February 2, 2024 12:30 PM
Given that Persona 3 Reload is taking you through almost a year in your character's life, a lot of important dates come up! You might miss certain experiences if you don't pay attention. Also, it helps you plan and prepare for tests in school or certain boss fights. Here's what you need to know was you play.
Spoiler-free list of all the Persona 3 Reload Important Dates:
Okay, so, here are all the dates you absolutely need to keep in mind as you go through the game. This collection consists of days you need to remember for exams, boss fight days, and certain social situations you don't want to miss out on. Note that I also didn't mention dates for side stories for party members who don't have social links, like Akihiko.
Persona 3 Reload is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.
The post PSA: Here Are the Persona 3 Reload Important Dates appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, February 2, 2024 12:00 PM
Imagine there's a restaurant known for its wonderful burgers. They're loved and respected in the industry. These Burgers changed the way all future burgers by other restaurants are sold. Now, imagine the place made a new dish. You're first in line. You have to have it. When the waiter comes, he serves you a nice, beautiful plate of saltine crackers and some cheese. This is how it feels to play Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League after playing Batman: Arkham Asylum.
One is a genre-defining game with innovative combat, a compelling and gripping story, and an overall unique presentation and approach. The other is Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. It's hard to fully grasp that Rocksteady Games made both titles.
The title of this game tells you the main objective and, admittedly, on paper it's a good one. You play as Harley Quinn, Deadshot, King Shark, and Captain Boomerang as they set out to, well, kill the Justice League. You see, the team has been brainwashed by Brainiac, who is now hours away from a total invasion of Earth.
I like the premise and setup a lot! The characters are written pretty consistent with the films and comics and the actors behind them give solid performances. For example, the always excellent Debra Wilson, gives a perfectly hate-able Amanda Waller performance, just as Viola Davis did in the films. Of course the late Kevin Conroy steals the show, has he provided one of his last performances as The Dark Knight. The Suicide Squad members themselves also gave very natural performances, with Tara Strong's Harley Quinn being the highlight of the bunch.
While the Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League plot does sort of get away from them, I don't think I would say it was poorly written. Rocksteady actually took a few risks with the story, which at least makes it interesting. It's definitely going to elicit a lot of opinions from people, and I'd rather see that than something safe and cookie cutter. However, there are some seriously bad lines of dialogue in here. Like the team fed early MCU scripts to an AI and rolled with it. In fact, that actually may have been what they did. I had to pause some scenes to allow myself time to sufficiently cringe after a particularly corny "comeback" more than once.
Sadly, I wish the characters played as good as they look. The Suicide Squad is composed of four completely separate and unique characters... so why does it feel like they all play the exact same? They all play like how I imagined only Deadshot would play. It's just all about guns. Regardless of how many talents I unlocked or new weapons I found, I never felt like the game deviated from the core gameplay of "shoot until dead." I mean, it's a shooter game. That's the point, sure. However, it just felt off here. It felt like all four of them are fundamentally the same, and the only challenge of the game was just how many times you could press the fire button.
This is the developer that created a melee combat system so good games, like Marvel's Spider-Man 2 still borrow from it. Now Rocksteady relegated melee combat to a single move that breaks shields for more shooting. It just boggles the mind how we got to this style of combat for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. It feels like the team had an idea for a shooter and the Suicide Squad license, mashed it together, and called it a day. King Shark and Harley should have had a melee-style of play, and Deadshot and Captain Boomerang should have been ranged. It's just dull, and it never feels like there's ever a scenario or situation to switch characters at all.
When you're not fighting, you're "free to explore Metropolis" in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. However, you're just as free to explore your local Applebee's parking lot, and you'll likely find just as much compelling content waiting for you. There's just nothing of substance to do outside of fighting. To reiterate, this combat isn't clunky or dysfunctional. I'm sure some people might even like the style, but it's just so unimpressive. Rocksteady Games has such a pedigree when it comes to combat that this system feels like a letdown more than it feels bad.
I did like the characters got fresh traversal options from random gear they found in the Hall of Justice. That part felt very true to the Suicide Squad brand. Having Harley shooting around with one of Batman's grappling hooks was a fun choice. It also let us get a taste of the Arkham trilogy.
That's another, in my opinion, weakness of the game. It takes place in the same continuity as the Arkham games. The Batman in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is the same one. Normally, this would be an interesting analysis or meta-twist, but here it just reminds you of those games and how much better they are constantly. Half the time I played, I was thinking, "I'm gonna boot up Arkham City after this."
The real audience for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is likely going to involve folks playing multiplayer, and Rocksteady included a pretty good system for dropping in and out of parties and squads. Maybe when you have a full squad of four in a session, the game and it's combat really start to sing? However, my experience with the multiplayer was "fine." The AI bots were doing okay in my solo run, difficulty wise.
To the credit of Rocksteady Games, there aren't a tremendous amount of technical issues plaguing Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. This means it's mostly delivered intact, which is good and we love to see that. However, it also means that patches won't fix any of the issues the game does have. In my time with it, I also didn't run into any server issues. (We do know there had been for others, though.) However, I'm not very happy I have to mention the server in this review at all. There are just so many issues with an "always online" game, and I'm not going to hide that I abhor them.
This is, at the end of the day, the game Rocksteady and Warner Bros wanted to make. I personally think that every single gameplay choice they made went in the opposite direction of what I'd consider fun to play. But, they wanted to make a live-service game, and they made one. This is of course the prerogative of Rocksteady Games and Warner Bros to do so. To bookend my analogy from the beginning, plenty of people enjoy saltine crackers and cheese! However, It's just disappointing to see a studio known for innovating the super hero genre make such a bland and uninteresting game.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is available for the PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
The post Review: Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Disappoints appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, February 2, 2024 11:30 AM
The Tekken 8 Director and Producer Kohei Ikeda revealed spectator mode issues have been fixed following a tweak to servers. This means that players shouldn't experience issues when spectating matches.
Here's Ikeda's announcement on social media. The developer noted that the problem arose when someone was trying to watch multiple matches, rather than just a single one.
There's one other Tekken 8 issue to be aware of. Creator Katsuhiro Harada noted that there is a "specific area matching issue" for people in Indonesia and Oceania. He asked for people to share feedback on social media so the team could better investigate and address the issue. He also referred to this issue as a "rare case" in a follow-up tweet.
In addition to updates appearing on the official social media account for the game and places like the Steam page, some members of the development team regularly offer updates and discuss the game via their accounts online. For example, Harada discussed one of the endings on Twitter (X).
Tekken 8 is available for the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and people should see the difference when acting as a spectator immediately following the latest work on the servers for the game.
The post Tekken 8 Servers Adjusted for Spectator Mode appeared first on Siliconera. |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, February 2, 2024 5:12 PM  While playing Modern Warfare 3, have you been hit with a label that says "Exceeds Skill Restrictions", you may think you're in trouble. The shooter has many issues, but this isn't one of them. If you want to know what the Exceeds Skill Restrictions label means and how to fix it in Modern Warfare 3, you've come to the right place. Modern Warfare 3: What does Exceeds Skill Restrictions mean and how to fix it If you think this is an error like your data being corrupted, I'm here to tell you otherwise. It means, there's someone in your party that can't play with the rest of the group. So if you're Bronze, you can play with players all the way up to players in the Platinum Rank. However, if you're Gold you can play with players in the Crimison Divison. So you have to make sure everyone in your party is eligible to play together. If not, one or more players will get kicked out of the party till they're the right rank. Related: How to get non-Drill Char... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, February 2, 2024 3:48 PM  King Shark fills the tank role in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League but he's also so much more. With the best Talents and the best Loadout, King Shark in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a force of nature. What is the best build for King Shark in Suicide Squad KTJL? King Shark's best weapon is the Heavy Weapon thanks to the Talents. While using the Heavy Weapon, we'll spend time airborne and launching into Atlantean Drops to close the gap, use Suicide Strike to make the surrounding enemies Shield Harvestable, and use your Melee to apply Bleed and Shield Harvest everyone around us. Best King Shark Talents in Suicide Squad KTJL Screenshot: PC Invasion The best King Shark build focuses on Suicide Strike, Shield Harvest, and using our Heavy Weapon and melee at close ranges. Here are the best Talents that highlight this playstyle: Firepower Blood Frenzy – Increases melee damage after Counters and applies Bleed to melee hits at five Combo... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, February 2, 2024 3:08 PM  Pokemon GO is the most popular GPS game on the planet, with a calendar jam-packed full of events. As GO is such a busy game, there's no way the average player can participate in every event. With this in mind, let us present the Pokemon GO Raid schedule (February 2024): Current bosses, schedule for Mega Raids, 5-Stars & more. Pokemon GO Raid schedule: Current bosses, Mega Raids, 5-Stars & more This article will be updated monthly, but here is everything to look forward to during February 2024. Most events last at least a week, but some only stick around for a weekend. As the name implies, Spotlight Hours are only live for 60 minutes, so you may need to plan for those. I've split the events into categories for ease of use. As Pokemon GO is such a busy game, there will always be something live, no matter when you play: Raid Battles Mega Raid Battle: Mega Latias and Mega Latios – Wednesday, 31 January – Thursday, 15 February Shadow Raid B... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, February 2, 2024 3:03 PM  With so much crafting imbued into this survival game, some recipes will take quite some time to unlock and even get. Here is how to get Nitrate in Enshrouded. Enshrouded: How to get Nitrate Getting Nitrate in Enshrouded is signing you up for some explosive crafting. As its description says, it is an alchemical acid that you will use to create explosive substances that will help you out across your journey in Embervale. However, if you are just starting up your adventure, you might not have the need or the means to craft this material. You see, first off, you will need to unlock the Alchemist and then the Alchemist Lab, which won't happen until you venture into the Nomad Highlands, later in the game. So, if you have only unlocked the Blacksmith or Hunter, there's a long way to go. Just follow up on the main missions until you get to unlock the lab and you'll be all set. Image: Keen Games The deeper you dive into Enshrouded, the more areas you will discov... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, February 2, 2024 2:55 PM  If you're debating which of the new RT 40 series graphics cards to upgrade to, the Nvidia RTX 4080 Super will no doubt be on your radar. As a direct upgrade to the RTX 4080 and a cheaper option to the RTX 4090, is the new GPU from Nvidia worth the cost? RTX 4080 Super benchmark results Looking at many of the benchmark tests of the Nvidia RTX 4080 Super, we see a negligible difference between this and the regular 4080 predecessor. This doesn't bode well for its more expensive counterpart. FPS In stress tests, the FPS counter was within 3 or 4 frames of the RTX 4080, running 1440p Ultra settings. This more or less puts the RTX 4080 in the grave as it provides almost the same performance with a larger $200 price tag. However, the much more powerful and pricey RTX 4090 still sits solidly ahead of all the competition. The Nvidia RTX 4080 Super can pull an impressive 244 FPS at Nightmare settings running Doom Eternal at 1440p. At peak 4k Nightmare settings, Doom E... |
Tabletop Gaming News – TGN Friday, February 2, 2024 3:12 PM  Manchester's own Steamforged Games has hit a significant milestone as it celebrates ten years of innovative gaming experiences. To kick off a promising 2024, the company premiered a special video that not only marks a decade of success but also outlines an ambitious roadmap for new projects and releases. Founders Mat Hart and Rich Loxam … |
Tabletop Gaming News – TGN Friday, February 2, 2024 3:07 PM  Looney Labs has kicked off the year with an announcement for fans of the ever-evolving card game, Fluxx. The company revealed "Camping Fluxx" on February 2, bringing a wilderness twist to the beloved game that promises to make the great outdoors even wilder. Fluxx, a game known for its simple start and dynamically changing rules, … |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, February 2, 2024 4:11 PM An announcement trailer was also released. The post Sonic X Shadow Generations Announced For PC and Consoles appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, February 2, 2024 3:28 PM Phantom Blade Zero will launch for PlayStation 5 and PC. The post Phantom Blade Zero Gets New 'Year of the Dragon Special' Trailer appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, February 2, 2024 2:27 PM Fantasy 7 Rebirth will launch on February 29 for PlayStation 5. The post Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Will Reportedly Get a Demo Soon appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
MonsterVine Friday, February 2, 2024 3:00 PM 2023 Game of the Year – Alan Wake 2 Diego: Right off the jump you realize that you're playing something really special and unique in Alan Wake 2; it's a person's fully realized creative vision without anyone holding it back or sanitizing it for mass audiences. Not only that, but it weaves itself together narratively […] |
MonsterVine Friday, February 2, 2024 12:00 PM Best Surprise – Robocop: Rogue City Diego: This game has no right being as good as it is and Teyon needs to be investigated for how hard they were cooking in the kitchen with this one. Robocop: Rogue City perfectly captures the vibe of that original Verhoeven film from the overall grimy aesthetics of dystopian […] |
MonsterVine Friday, February 2, 2024 12:00 PM 2023's Dumpster Fire Moment – Layoffs Tom: Game industry layoffs are no surprise, especially to me since I worked developer side for much of my 20s and 30s, which means I spent every 6-12 months throwing all my crap in my car and moving across the country, but never has it been more apparent that […] |
MonsterVine Friday, February 2, 2024 12:00 PM Most Anticipated – Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Samantha: While I was initially dubious of Square Enix's decision to split the Final Fantasy VII remake into parts, Final Fantasy VII Remake left me eagerly anticipating where the next part would go. Since then, the showcases for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth have made it one of the […] |
Level Up Friday, February 2, 2024 11:31 AM If you subscribe to the digital edition of Game Informer, you can now learn all… |