PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 7:50 AM  Sitting right alongside the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC and Hollow Knight Silksong at the top of my Steam wishlist, upcoming sandbox RPG and building game Reka is one I've had my eyes on for quite a few months now. With a beautiful look, a setting that evokes the fantasy wilderness of games like Valheim and The Witcher, and the ability to build a home that literally walks through the forest with you, Reka captivated my attention from the moment I first saw it, and you can sign up right now for the chance to join a new playtest on Steam. Continue reading Gorgeous new dark fantasy sandbox game is holding a Steam playtest MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best sandbox games, Best fantasy games, Best indie games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 7:41 AM  Razer is once again making waves in the PC gaming peripheral scene, this time with its new gaming mouse, the Razer Viper V3 Pro. Not only is it impressively light at just 54g, but Razer has also secretly sent out units of this mouse into various competitive esports scenes, so it could be tested under the best possible conditions for the last six months. Shaping up to be one of the best gaming mouse options for just about any situation, but particularly FPS games, on paper the Razer Viper V3 Pro does a lot to improve upon its sibling, the Viper V3 Hyperspeed. Continue reading Razer's new gaming mouse has already won a major esports event MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Razer Viper V2 Pro review, Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) review, Best gaming mouse |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 7:38 AM  Is Life by You on Game Pass? The Sims has had global success for decades and is one of the best-selling game series of all time. Naturally then, many have tried since to replicate the life game and its success. One that looks like it could come close to doing so is Life by You, an upcoming sim with a more realistic, lifelike aesthetic. As we eagerly await the Life by You release date, you might be wondering what your options are for getting your hands on the simulation game. Since we know that Life by You is only going to be available on PC at launch your choices are already limited, but what does this mean for Life by You on Game Pass? Continue reading Is Life by You on Game Pass? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Life by You release date, Games like The Sims, Best life games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 7:46 AM  It's a combination that's hard to imagine. You take the strategy gameplay of classic Command and Conquer - the beloved originals like Tiberian Dawn and Red Alert - and somehow cross it with roguelikes and deckbuilders. On first inspection, it seems like it shouldn't work. But a visionary new RTS game, that the developer says is getting very close to launch, manages to execute this genre-blending sleight of hand flawlessly, and you can try it for yourself right now. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RTS games, Best roguelike games, Best strategy games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 7:25 AM  What are the best GTA 5 mods? There's no need to trundle through mod databases for dodgy links and unclear mod descriptions as we've done the legwork for you, hunting down the most popular GTA 5 mods for your enjoyment. After a decade as one of the best PC games, the Grand Theft Auto 5 mod scene is more than just a few cheats and trainers - it's rife with incredible additions, useful tweaks, and big transformations. GTA 5 mods are guaranteed to keep you entertained during the long wait for the GTA 6 release date, but there's almost too many to choose from. If you're stuck on which ones to install, take your pick from our list of the best mods, scripts, and addons for Rockstar's landmark sandbox game. Continue reading The 48 best GTA 5 mods MORE FROM PCGAMESN: GTA 5 RP servers, GTA 6 release date estimate, GTA 5 cheats |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 6:51 AM  What are some beginner tips for playing Manor Lords? Perhaps more importantly, how can I avoid getting stuck in Manor Lords? Well, good news: Manor Lords moves at a gentle pace by default, and there's plenty of time before your first winter sets in to make sure your little medieval village is running smoothly. However, while you won't face too much in the way of violence or natural disasters during your first year, there are some mistakes you can make early on that can doom your settlement - or at least, severely hamper its growth. In Manor Lords, you control a parcel of unimproved land somewhere in the European countryside. Starting with a group of five families, you'll need to scavenge for food and building materials, build workshops and housing, and keep your villagers happy enough to increase your Manor Lords population - with the goal of eventually having enough of them around to levy taxes on. Continue reading Manor Lords guide – beginner tips and tricks MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best city builders, Best PC strategy games, Manor Lords release date |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 6:46 AM  What are the best Minecraft mods in 2024? Every game of vanilla Minecraft can vary quite dramatically, and the best Minecraft mods go one step further to provide an entirely new experience. Whether you love creative building, terrifying survival, or speedrunning the story, we've got the mod for you below. We've included interface mods and tools to make things easier, too. All the Minecraft mods below are divided into sections, depending on what you want to do with the sandbox game – from simple utility changes to deep world mods you can get lost in for months. If you like to browse, the CurseForge Minecraft game mods hub has a whole section dedicated to the best Minecraft mods and add-ons - as well as equivalents for many of the other best PC games right now. Continue reading The 44 best Minecraft mods April 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 6:38 AM  What are the current Party Animals redeem codes? Take Fall Guys and add puppies, and you've got yourself a hit party game. Party Animals is full of hilarious shenanigans as you go head to head with strangers or friends, online or offline. With so many exhilarating games like these, we have come to expect codes for currencies and costumes. If you're jumping (or kicking, flopping, or rolling) into Party Animals, one of the first things you need to consider is which of the cute pets to choose as your avatar. It's like walking into a pet store and only picking one pet to take home… it's nearly impossible. Well, once you have chosen who to play in the multiplayer game, you're going to want the coolest outfits for them, and in-game currency to kit them out. That is where Party Animals codes come in, so here's every current code and how to redeem them in the game. Continue reading Party Animals codes list April 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Party Animals release date, Best multiplayer games, Best indie games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 6:32 AM  Corsair has a brand new mini PC build in the works, which it says will feature the very latest components. The Corsair One i500 builds on the solid reputation laid by Corsair's original One systems, which used mini-ITX motherboards and had a unique and innovative case design, but this time Corsair says it's "raising the bar" higher. Continue reading Corsair just updated the most stylish mini gaming PC on the planet MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Corsair HS80 Max headset review, Corsair M75 Air mouse review, Best gaming keyboard |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 6:29 AM  Almost four years ago, I picked up my Phantom and plunged head-first into the vibrant world of Valorant. While I had played a lot of Overwatch, Riot's FPS was my first experience of a more tactical-based shooter, where abilities are oftentimes secondary to having a razor-sharp aim. Three years later, and I've watch new competitors like The Finals come and go, and in turn seen the decline of longtime hits like Apex Legends, Warzone, and even Overwatch. In an exclusive interview with PCGamesN, I ask production director Arnar Gylfason (and his menagerie of cute animals) whether or not Riot has seen a decline in Valorant's numbers over time as newcomers try to muscle in. Continue reading While new FPS games struggle, Riot says Valorant is okay MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Valorant Night Market dates, Valorant ranks, Valorant crosshair codes |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 6:29 AM  From Baldur's Gate 3 to Diablo 4 and Lethal Company, 2023 was a banner year for the best co-op games on PC. Among all the fantastic options, however, Remnant 2 is the clear winner for me. The soulslike-infused third-person shooter built on the underrated first game, delivering a magnificent sequel packed with memorable encounters and a hoard of loot. Now, the launch of new Remnant 2 DLC The Forgotten Kingdom has seen its player count more than double again on Steam, and a hefty discount means you can join the action for cheap. Continue reading 2023's best co-op game surges on Steam thanks to excellent new DLC MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Remnant 2 archetypes, Remnant 2 review, Remnant 2 bosses |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 6:22 AM  What are the best Metroidvania games on PC? With mechanics that have spread to all genres, few things beat a good, traditional, and sprawling Metroidvania. Mostly 2D with some straightforward combat, tricky platforming, light RPG mechanics, and abilities to find that help you explore castles, alien-infested planets, dungeons, caves, whimsical forests, and so on, it's quite difficult to put down a Metroidvania until you've beaten every boss and revealed every nook on the map. Exploration is key here, so if you're looking for 2D action platformers without much in the way of it, you won't find them here. Nintendo's Super Metroid and Konami's Castlevania: Symphony of the Night popularized the Metroidvania genre, but they aren't available on PC. For Nintendo, it's understandable – they're notorious for keeping their franchises on their systems – but for some reason, Konami hasn't brought the best Metroidvania game to PC yet. While we wait for them to get around to giving us a hopefully remastered taste of Alucard's journey through Dracula's Castle, there are quite a few other Metroidvania games to play on PC – some recent, many of them cheap, and a few of them some of the best PC games ever made. Continue reading Best Metroidvania games on PC in 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Hollow Knight system requirements, Best action-adventure games, Best games like Dark Souls remastered |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 6:09 AM  Dwarf Fortress is one of the deepest and most intricate simulations of a virtual world in gaming history. It feels boundless, not just in the sheer size of its geography, but in the organic rise and falls of its simulated civilizations and eclectic NPCs. RimWorld meanwhile remains the definitive colony simulator. Explore, fight, dig, and build to convert far-off planets into something that feels like home. Drawing inspiration from both these games, a new RPG, colony, and survival game is coming soon to Steam, and there's a giant playtest you can try right now. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RPG games, Best building games, Best co-op games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 5:40 AM  Who are the Apex Legends characters? Our handy breakdown of each legend in Apex Legends and their abilities will be just the ticket. Whether you're considering who to try first, or who you would like to mix things up by playing as next, each of Apex Legends' heroes boasts a unique personality and playstyle to make every round feel fresh. There's an Apex Legends character for every play style: Wraith and Mirage's stealthy and deceptive characteristics will appeal to the seasoned flanker who is out to deal serious damage to one key target, then there's the medic, Lifeline, who plays a crucial role of maintaining the health of her squad. You'll need to think carefully about how characters complement each other if you want to win games consistently in the free PC game. Here's what you can expect from each of the Apex Legends heroes. Continue reading Apex Legends characters and abilities list MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Apex Legends characters guide, Apex Legends skins, Apex Legends season 17 release date |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 5:34 AM  What are the active NBA 2k24 codes? Every new game in the 2K sports series has a selection of freebies given away, and the latest in 2K's basketball games is no exception. There are plenty of NBA 2K24 locker codes to redeem for new player cards, XP boosts, and MyPlayer gear, among others. However, you'll need to be quick to snag them for yourself. This is because many of the early NBA 2k24 codes are exclusive to relatively small thresholds of players. Some freebies in this series of sports games come and go like whispers in the wind, so you need to act fast. However, we're starting to get some freebies that are sticking around for longer, so we've gathered these NBA 2k24 locker codes to give you a little boost. Continue reading NBA 2K24 codes April 2024 – all locker codes |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 5:16 AM  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. Continue reading All Monopoly Go events, tournaments, dates, and rewards MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Free PC games, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 5:11 AM  April 24, 2024: We've added two new Monopoly Go dice links to our list and checked for expired links. How can I get Monopoly Go free dice links? The household favorite board game has been reimagined as a free-to-play application on smartphones, allowing everyone to experience the thrills of Monopoly on practically any device. Everything that makes the board game special is here in Monopoly Go, so you'll be collecting properties and building hotels as you go around the board, and there are a variety of multiplayer minigames to get through along the way. You're going to need to get your hands on Monopoly Go dice rolls, but they are difficult to come by no matter how far you are into the board game. There are ways to earn additional dice rolls, including logging into the game every day to collect daily bonuses, progressing further in the game, and inviting friends to try Monopoly Go. While you can also spend real money to unlock more dice rolls, you may want to give our list of Monopoly Go dice links a try instead. Take a look at all the currently active Monopoly Go free dice links for today. Continue reading Free Monopoly Go dice links April 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Free PC games, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 5:03 AM  What are the best city building games on PC? There's nothing more relaxing than sitting down for an afternoon of city building games with a hot drink. We've lost countless hours lining up buildings just how we like them or scrambling to save a population on the brink of collapse, and occasionally, we've purposefully brought about that collapse to see how our citizens would cope. Not very well, as it happens. Our list of the best city building games offers something for every management game fan, which is why you can find some of them on our best PC games list, from hardcore town planners looking for a challenge to entries that welcome genre newcomers with the promise of tutorials, stripped-back interfaces, and a few apocalyptic threats. Continue reading The best city building games on PC 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Cities Skylines 2 review, Cities Skylines 2 roads, Cities Skylines 2 maps |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 4:58 AM  24/04/2024 We searched for new codes, and checked that the current ones were still active. What are the new Tower of Fantasy codes? If you're a fan of popular gacha games such as Genshin Impact, you've likely already heard of Tower of Fantasy. Much like the game that inspired it, Tower of Fantasy has plenty of freebies if you know where to look, and we've got a full list of valid Tower of Fantasy codes just waiting to be redeemed. In addition to the current list of codes available, there is a Tower of Fantasy battle pass that you can complete via weekly tasks that unlock merit points. You can also get freebies by claiming level packs, which contain upgrades for the best Tower of Fantasy characters on our Tower of Fantasy tier list. However, if you want to get new items in Tower of Fantasy in a matter of seconds, here are all the latest Tower of Fantasy codes and how to redeem them. Continue reading Tower of Fantasy codes April 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Tower of Fantasy codes, Tower of Fantasy characters, How to level up in Tower of Fantasy |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 4:48 AM  If you were making a big medieval drink and your ingredients included city building from games like Manor Lords, survival elements from games like Valheim, and the in-depth open-endedness from RPGs such as Mount and Blade, you'd end up with a cocktail by the name of Bellwright. This ambitious strategy survival RPG mashup has been eagerly awaited and having just launched into Steam Early Access, it's rocketed up into the top ten best seller list. Unfortunately, not everything is looking rosy for the medieval sim, as initial reviews are pointing to a mixed rating on Valve's platform. Continue reading Hotly anticipated medieval strategy game hits mixed-review morass MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RPG games, Best survival games, Best open-world games |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, April 24, 2024 5:18 AM  Players that put more than two hours into pre-purchased or advanced access games will now be exempt from Steam's refund policy, says Steam, the maker of said policy and thus the final word on how it is implemented. As spotted by the Verge, this change is intended to combat a loophole where filthy time criminals could fill their stolen boots with ill-gotten fun pre-release, then get their money back. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, April 24, 2024 5:09 AM  "If only you could talk to these creatures" is never more funny or true than in games like Rotwood, where you play cat people and orcs sent to biff snail worms and flies with scythes. From Klei Entertainment, the gang behind Don't Starve, Invisible Inc. and Oxygen Not Included, to name but a three of their fine games, Rotwood is out later today in early access, ready to provide co-op highjinks in a roguelike dungeon crawl that is really a forest. A forest crawl. You'll get muddy knees. |
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Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 8:00 AM
Square Enix's library of games speaks to me in a way unlike almost any other company's. However, if there is one series in its collection that I didn't "get," is SaGa. Despite playing and reviewing most entries in that series, they have never stuck with me. SaGa: Emerald Beyond didn't win me over on the series, but I had a more enjoyable time with it than other games in the franchise.
SaGa: Emerald Beyond often feels like a solid, if not occasionally uneven and awkward, Saturday morning cartoon due to its variety, goofy writing, constant action, and lovable characters. At the start of the game, players pick between five different storylines. One path has dual protagonists, making for a total of six playable heroes. Each of these routes offers a vastly different story and path to explore. I enjoyed almost all of these, due to the strong writing and copious amounts of humor. Nearly all of the characters are memorable too, even if the graphics don't do their stories justice.
What I found so intriguing about each of these paths is how unique they feel when compared to one another. In Ameya the magical girl's adorably cat-filled storyline, for instance, it is all about exploring and recovering her powers so she can pass the witch exams. This leads to a fairly linear path, for the most part, but there are some choices here and there. In the case of a story like one involving the buddy cop duo of Bonnie and Formina, we get a highly political investigation plot. Then you have characters like Tsunanori Mido, the puppet master, who sets out to find the answer to help his city.
Regardless of which one you choose, all of these tales boil down to each protagonist having the ability to see the Emerald Wave. This road between worlds leads the characters to be able to visit a whopping 17 different worlds along their journey to complete their goals. These worlds aren't too massive, which is understandable, but they make up for it with their diversity. One world involves a more modern place like Earth, while another is a wasteland-like desert locale. Even wilder locations exist as well, like a planet full of vampires.
These fascinating locations and the characters you meet within them go a long way to lend SaGa: Emerald Beyond a unique identity. This is a JRPG that feels nothing at all like any other game I've played, including past entries in the series. It is because of this that it feels like such a novelty like a Saturday morning cartoon. There's ton of variation to it and pretty speedy pacing, though that also means nothing quite lands as well as it could.
For one, the actual presentation of this game is certainly not for everyone. Most of the exploration involves a pseudo-top-down perspective. However, while the characters look fine in 3D, the buildings are often flat and 2D in some awkward ways. It makes for an intriguing storybook aesthetic, but I feel it is not nearly as detailed or interesting as it could be. What makes it odder are the occasional behind-the-shoulders, third-person moments. These happen rarely and can come up when traversing the Emerald Wave between worlds, but the game looks its best here. It is strange that this point of view exists so infrequently as a result.
But by far the most bizarre part about SaGa Emerald Beyond graphically is how it handles the cutscenes. There are many of these, and they involve still shots of the 3D characters. It looks so strange and unappealing, especially during action sequences. I get the vibe Square Enix's team trying to go for, but it feels so off and bland due to the lack of animations.
This weird presentation is especially noticeable when compared to the combat. Battles in SaGa Emerald Beyond involve turn-based, 3D fights. These battles are packed with all of the animations and effects I wish existed in the rest of the game. There is a timeline showing when each character will attack and how different skills affect this. Players pick skills based on how many stars they have at the moment. Each turn, players get an extra star to use for more powerful skills. This results in a risk-and-reward system. Do you use all five of your current stars for a powerful attack from a single party member? Do you divide them up so three party members can attack?
There is a lot of strategic potential. However, it all boils down to two basic thoughts: managing available stars and using the most powerful skills. I didn't often feel like SaGa Emerald Beyond encouraged me to do anything other than use the strongest skill available at the moment. This made me wish there was an auto battle function, unless I overlooked it, since most of the fights are exceptionally simple and easy. Notice I said "most." Oddly enough, the difficulty will occasionally spike out of nowhere. There were times a random fight — not even a major boss — would feel 10 times more challenging and longer than the last 20 battles combined. Outside of these few moments, though, this game is quite easy and simplistic.
I would argue in the days of bloated JRPGs, this is actually a positive. It felt refreshing just going from one obviously marked objective to another, including easily accessible side quests, without much issue outside of the occasional easy puzzle. Even with the many branching paths and choices, the game is a breeze.
This is a positive for those like myself who want a bit of a shorter JRPG. Finishing a single storyline in SaGa Emerald Beyond generally takes less time than most JRPGs. So, if you just want to check out one or two characters' stories, you'll have a solid time for 30-40 hours. But if you want to spend 100 hours with this game or more, it is possible. This level of choice and the overall unique style of this game makes it worth a look for JRPG fans, even if it doesn't land with everyone.
SaGa: Emerald Beyond will release for Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC on April 25, 2024.
The post Review: SaGa Emerald Beyond Feels Like a Saturday Morning Cartoon appeared first on Siliconera. |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, April 24, 2024 7:13 AM  Movement in Destiny 2 has always been smooth and responsive. Guardians use Sparrows for speed, but what if I told you there was an even faster way? It may be ridiculous, but here's how to Mountaintop Skate in Destiny 2. What is Mountaintop Skating in Destiny 2? Mountaintop Skating may be a goofy name, but it explains the ability well. Guardians can use the Mountaintop Grenade Launcher to fly across the map. Skating has existed for a long time but is usually a class-specific movement technique that's quite advanced and requires strict timing. The best thing about Mountaintop Skating is that it requires no special gear or subclass. What do I need to Mountaintop Skate in Destiny 2? Screenshot: PC Invasion There are two prerequisites for Mountaintop Skating. The most obvious is the Mountaintop Grenade Launcher itself. Oddly enough, I recommend getting the old version of the Mountaintop instead of the Brave one. You can get this from the Exotic Archive in... |
Pivotal Gamers Wednesday, April 24, 2024 4:05 AM What's up all? Giveaway Of The Day holds a new giveaway for Save The Sheep. Read on for their offering. Save The Sheep is available as a Giveaway of the day!You have limited time to download, install and register it. A few words about Save The Sheep As you know, sheep are an important part of the kingdom's economy! And for the kingdom to prosper, you should take care of your sheep! Pla... |