GamersHeroes Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:56 AM Inspired by MetroidVania games and Soulslike favorites, Mad Mimic has revealed its new pirate-themed adventure game Mark of the Deep. The post MetroidVania-Soulslike Hybrid Mark of the Deep Announced appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
Kotaku Wednesday, April 24, 2024 2:31 PM  So, you watched the Fallout TV show on Amazon, got excited about the franchise, maybe saw some folks playing Fallout 76, and decided that you were finally going to install Bethesda's post-apocalyptic MMO and give it a real shot. But then you tried playing it on PC and discovered that it runs like garbage. Wait! Before… |
Kotaku Wednesday, April 24, 2024 2:04 PM  Final Fantasy XIV fans are having a debate over what the healer role should look like going forward. The MMO's next expansion, Dawntrail, releases this summer and will bring with it a myriad of new features and changes to how the game will play. Recently a benchmark for the expansion was released which, on top of… |
Kotaku Wednesday, April 24, 2024 1:30 PM |
Kotaku Wednesday, April 24, 2024 1:20 PM  Overwatch 2 has had a lot of bad news since it launched, such as the gutting of its PvE suite, and now the reported cancellation of its story missions. Every seemingly good thing that's introduced, like a store to buy rare skins, comes with a caveat, in that case being egregiously expensive. The limited-time… |
Kotaku Wednesday, April 24, 2024 1:10 PM  Sand Land caught my attention as soon as I saw the game's booth at New York City Comic Con last year, with its enormous recreation of the Royal Army tank. The game's setting, character designs, and of course the tank, stuck with me, even though I wouldn't consider myself familiar with much, if any, of Akira Toriyama's… |
Kotaku Wednesday, April 24, 2024 1:01 PM  Fallout is bigger than ever right now, thanks in large part to the recent live-action Amazon show. The show's success has led to millions of players hopping into past Fallout games. And yes, that includes the franchise's oddball MMO, Fallout 76. Thanks to the show and 76's inclusion in Game Pass, a lot of people are… |
Kotaku Wednesday, April 24, 2024 12:00 PM  In many ways, Stellar Blade is awesome. The action is awesome, the soundtrack is awesome, the world is awesome. However, when you peel back the curtain just a bit and peer behind all the flash and style, you find that Shift Up's character action game can also be quite tedious. It's a game of dichotomies, one that's… |
Kotaku Wednesday, April 24, 2024 11:25 AM  A juxtaposition of environmental elements that, taken together, can be interpreted as an allusion to the n-word will be removed from sci-fi action game Stellar Blade in a day one patch, Sony confirmed today. The company told IGN the offensive reference was "unintentional." |
Kotaku Wednesday, April 24, 2024 11:10 AM  The latest trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine gave audiences their first good look at the movie's big bad, Cassandra Nova. She's an X-Men character with a weird history in the comics and no obvious connection to Deadpool. So how does she fit into the merc with a mouth's introduction into the MCU? The trailer doesn't… |
Kotaku Wednesday, April 24, 2024 11:00 AM  Sand Land, the video game adaptation of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama's one-volume manga of the same name, arrives on April 26, 2024 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows. |
Kotaku Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:45 AM  League of Legends pro Lu 'Leyan' Jue said he was just rocking out with his favorite oversized plushie. But Riot Games felt differently and fined the Invictus Gaming jungler nearly $7,000 and suspended him for two matches over footage of him humping a giant stuffed animal of Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear from Toy Story 3 during… |
Kotaku Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:35 AM  If you've been on social media the past few days, you're probably wondering why Foghorn Leghorn, the boisterous rooster from Looney Tunes, is giving pep talks to your favorite anime and video game characters. It turns out the joke has roots going as far back as 2021, but has gained new life in the past few days. |
Kotaku Wednesday, April 24, 2024 9:41 AM  Steam has an oft-exploited refund policy, whereby any player is able to request their money back for a game that they bought within the last 14 days, and played for less than two hours. (Selling a game that's shorter than two hours? Sucks to be you.) But it seems that people buying games with so-called "Advanced… |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 3:27 PM  One of the more intriguing PC games set to come out this year is Serum. A BioShock inflected science fiction take on gruelling, frequently terrifying survival games like Sons of the Forest, The Forest, and Green Hell, the debut from Game Island looks to blend its horror influences into something new. Though we still have a bit of a wait before it's set to launch in the next few weeks, those interested in getting an early look at Serum right away are in luck as the game has just launched its first big playtest on Steam. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games, Best FPS games, Best upcoming PC games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 2:09 PM  Games are messy things and games that are the size of MMOs like The Elder Scrolls Online tend to be extremely complicated to keep running smoothly. Tinkering with one part of the game can have unexpected effects in a completely separate area, causing problems that no-one can predict. One unexpected issue that's recently cropped up around access to ESO's test server has seen a raft of players locked out of their accounts for over a week, with compensation incoming for those affected. Continue reading ESO players to get compensation due to lengthy locked account issues MORE FROM PCGAMESN: ESO Elsweyr release date, ESO Necromancer skills, ESO Elsweyr Skyshard locations |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 2:03 PM  Where once the Radeon RX 7900 XTX confidently commanded a cost just shy of $1,000, it now finds itself at the center of a graphics card deal and can be had for a substantial discount. Make no mistake, though, this is a mighty powerful pixel pusher that packs plenty of performance, especially at its now lowest ever price. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7 7800X3D review, Best gaming CPU, Radeon RX 7800 XT review |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 1:27 PM  If there was one game that everyone with a desktop PC seemed to own in the '90s it was Myst. Cyan's puzzler took cues from point and click adventure games like LucasArts' Maniac Mansion and Sierra Entertainment's King's Quest but presented its world through a first person perspective and early 3D visuals that were, at the time, wildly impressive. Its 1997 sequel Riven: The Sequel to Myst was another landmark, which makes its upcoming remake an exciting prospect for both returning and new players. Now, after not having heard much about the project since it was first announced, creator Cyan Worlds has just shared new details about its work. Continue reading Legendary PC adventure game gets new details ahead of remake launch |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 1:14 PM  When is Manor Lords coming out? Those waiting eagerly for some historical city builder action need wait only a little longer, as we have all the global release times you'll need to ensure you're ready to take the plunge into the past. The Steam Early Access launch will be hitting you soon, so ready your weapons, grab your hammers, and prepare to get medieval. Continue reading When is Manor Lords coming out? PC release times MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Manor Lords early access review, Best strategy games, Best city builders |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 1:02 PM  As if there weren't already enough reasons to buy an OLED gaming monitor, LG is adding another one to the list and it could be the biggest shakeup for the panel technology since QD-OLED. Dubbed 'Dual-Mode', we may soon be staring at screens that support not one, but two, resolutions and refresh rates. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 12:26 PM  It's always worth paying attention to what the team at Klei Entertainment are working on. In the past, the studio has put out beloved games like survival sim Don't Starve, strategy game Invisible Inc., stealth action favorite Mark of the Ninja, and, more recently, Oxygen Not Included and Griftlands. Though Klei has already announced it's currently making the space set Dread Pilots, planned to come out this year, it's also just launched another project: Rotwood. Continue reading Don't Starve devs unveil co-op roguelike, and you can play it today |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 12:16 PM  What are the best action-adventure games on PC? These games have been capturing the thrill of an expedition ever since Indiana Jones swung across a chasm with his trusty whip to retrieve an idol from a booby-trapped tomb. The PC boasts some true classics of the genre, from classic tomb raiding to games with enough exploration to fill an entire sandbox - not the one in your backyard. This list has some of the best PC games ever made, action-adventure or otherwise, including several titles that changed the gaming industry. The original Uncharted trilogy isn't here, as emulation or PlayStation Now doesn't count, but we'd happily change our minds if it ever came to PC. Here's the definitive list of the best action-adventure games. Continue reading Best action-adventure games on PC 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Tomb Raider System Requirements |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 12:15 PM  The latest Microsoft Windows 11 update will stop your operating system booting on a number of older CPUs, made by both Intel and AMD, with the software maker reducing the number of officially supported processors. The latest list of hardware that can run the OS contains no AMD CPUs from before the Ryzen age, and no Intel Core 2-era processors either. Continue reading Your old gaming PC might not run the next Windows 11 update MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7 7800X3D review, Best gaming CPU, Radeon RX 7800 XT review |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 11:50 AM  Lunar Lander Beyond is a sequel 45 years in the making. The original Atari vector-based arcade game had players guide their space-faring vessel across the perilously uneven surface of the moon, using the thrusters to slowly descend onto the landing area and earn a high score. Of course, games have evolved plenty since then, and thanks to the Cris Tales developer Dreams Uncorporated, this series is getting a full-blown, campaign-based revival. Continue reading Grab a free Steam key for this stunning new space game MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best simulation games, Best space games, Best story games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 11:47 AM  What are the best Skyrim mods? They can be tough to find because there's a lot of them. They're the work of a thriving and diverse scene; an army of fans and bedroom coders determined to make the game a photorealistic fantasy. Or they're just out to transform farmyard animals into deadly explosives. Whatever floats. But when you're looking for the best Skyrim mods, where do you start? Installing mods is quite simple for one of the best PC games and arguably the most popular RPG game there. This is due mainly to how Steam Workshop makes it easy to install and activate them, but also that you can add the more advanced ones to a special folder within your Skyrim files. You can also check out our guide to Skyrim console commands for more tips on changing up the open-world game or just making it utterly chaotic. The choice is yours. Continue reading Best Skyrim mods 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Skyrim mods, Elder Scrolls 6 release date, Games like Skyrim |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 11:40 AM  What are the best Fallout games? It's a series that began life in the 90s, but Fallout has perhaps never been more prominent in hearts and minds as it is right now. With a blockbuster TV show, and a huge fan-made expansion on the way in the form of Fallout London, there really hasn't been a better time to be a fan of Fallout. If you're entirely new to the series, our ultimate Fallout guide will bring you up to speed with the series' lore, where to buy the games, and which ones to start with. However, if you just want to know which of the RPG games are the best, here are our picks for the best Fallout games. We've also got our pick of the best games like Fallout, if you want to branch outside of the franchise. Continue reading The best Fallout games ranked MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RPG games, Best old games, Fallout 5 release date |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 11:40 AM  There's no denying the visual splendor of ray traced effects, but performance has always been a major barrier to entry. That's why a new Unreal Engine 5 update is cause for some serious excitement, as it brings improvements of up to 2x in certain aspects of its ray tracing features. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7 7800X3D review, Best gaming CPU, Radeon RX 7800 XT review |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 11:38 AM  What are the best Elden Ring builds? The first 20 levels shape your entire class, so selecting your stats carefully is essential. While placing some stat points into faith as an Astrologer may be tempting, you're probably better off committing to the full sorcery build to maximize your damage in the late game. But what are the best Elden Ring builds? Well, some loadouts - such as the Hoarfrost Stomp build - aren't as powerful as they used to be, but new ones rose to take their place, such as Swarm of Flies. If you've found that your build has been nerfed, never fear - grab a specific Elden Ring Great Rune, and you'll be able to unlock character respec, and you can simply create a new one! Continue reading The best Elden Ring builds MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best Elden Ring builds, Elden Ring bosses, The best Elden Ring classes |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 11:27 AM  What is the current and next Honkai Star Rail banner? If you're looking to acquire the best five-star characters for your team, then wishing on banners is your best bet. Banners rotate on a regular basis, so it can be difficult to decide whether to go all-in on the current banner or wait for the next one. Our banner schedule includes everyone you can pull during the 2.1 update, as well as a list of upcoming characters that are set to appear in later updates. The Honkai Star Rail banner system almost entirely relies upon the luck of the draw, where you can trade in your hard-earned Star Rail passes for the opportunity to pull the best Honkai Star Rail characters. If you're new to HoYoverse's gacha-driven free PC games, our crash course to Honkai Star Rail Warps is invaluable for understanding banners and how they work, as well as the latest Honkai Star Rail codes to redeem currency. Now that we've got you up to speed, here's the lowdown for the current and next banner in Honkai Star Rail updates. Continue reading Honkai Star Rail current banner, next banner, and 2.2 banners MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Honkai Star Rail review, Honkai Star Rail codes, Honkai Star Rail tier list |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 11:07 AM  How do you install and play a Minecraft snapshot? These snapshots are the very first iteration of Minecraft updates, and are a way for Mojang to test out bug fixes, technical changes, and new mechanics before officially rolling them out. Anyone with the Java edition of the creative game can try these features without any risk to your current world, so let's find out how to be the first to try the next big Minecraft update. During Minecraft Live each year, the next big Minecraft update is revealed to the community. In past years, we've had the likes of the Caves and Cliffs update, The Wild Update, and the Trails and Tales update - each of them overhauling the base game with new Minecraft biomes, blocks, and mobs. Since these updates come with so much new content, they need to be tested out first, and that's where Minecraft snapshots come in. Use them to test out new experimental features before anyone else, and feedback to Mojang if you have any issues. It's a win-win situation. Continue reading How to play Minecraft snapshots – snapshot 24w14a MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:48 AM  1999 was a special year. In the aftermath of the original Half-Life, Minh 'Gooseman' Le and Jess Cliffe created the initial version of Counter-Strike, which Valve would purchase and launch independently less than 12 months later. Elsewhere, Quake 3 Arena and Unreal Tournament were transforming the PC into the home for competitive FPS games. But from this era emerged another classic shooter, often forgotten, but now back with a vengeance. After 25 years, it's finally on Steam and available to play for absolutely nothing. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best old games, Best multiplayer games, Best FPS games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:43 AM  When is the Dreamlight Valley The Spark of Imagination release date? The first part of the Dreamlight Valley DLC, Eternity Isle, was released back in December 2023, coinciding with the base game's release out of early access. Now, just five months later, more content is coming in Act 2. Arriving alongside the next Dreamlight Valley update, the The Spark of Imagination expansion welcomes an incredibly nostalgic character to the life game, one who the youngest of Disney fans may even meet for the first time. In fact, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit even predates Mickey Mouse himself, but the grandfather of classic animation is now set to join Mickey in your Dreamlight Valley when the Rift in Time The Spark of Imagination release arrives. Continue reading Dreamlight Valley Rift in Time Spark of Imagination DLC release date MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Disney games, What's the next Dreamlight Valley update?, Disney Dreamlight Valley guide |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:43 AM  What are the best PC games? From triple-A world-beaters like GTA 5 to enchanting indie releases such as Rocket League, these classics are the biggest games across Steam, Epic Games Store, and more. Finding the top PC games is no easy task. There are, you may have noticed, quite a lot of them. From the 50,000-plus Steam games to… all those other platforms you love so much, there has never been more choice available to the discerning PC gamer. From the best RPG games to the most mind-blowing FPS games, here are the best PC games of all time, according to us. There are even some free PC games thrown in there, too. Continue reading The best PC games 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best Elden Ring builds, Elden Ring bosses, The best Elden Ring classes |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:12 AM  I still remember my first time playing Diablo 2, where I picked the Necromancer class and quickly delighted in the grim revelry of raising skeletal hordes to fight in my name. That sensation continues to hold satisfaction to this day, through to the likes of Baldur's Gate 3, and now a new roguelike deckbuilder and strategy game on Steam, which pits you and your undead minions against a tyrannical ruler who would otherwise see them enslaved. This is Necroking, and you can try it out for yourself thanks to a new playtest that's just opened on Steam. Continue reading Necromancy strategy game kicks off new test, playable now on Steam MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best strategy games, Best roguelike games, Best card games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:11 AM  How do you relocate and assign families in Manor Lords? It takes a village to raise a... village. You can't do it alone, especially not when you're the omniscient god on the other side of a video game. The Manor Lords families under your control need to build, hunt, and forge, but you need to tell them where to be and when. The top right of your Manor Lords HUD might show you how many families are currently working and how many are free to build or allocate to another job, but it doesn't help you find where some may no longer be needed. If you're looking to reallocate your residents in the city-building game, here's how to locate the Manor Lords families spread across your ever-growing world. Alternatively, you might also need to increase your Manor Lords population if you're struggling to find enough people to complete tasks Continue reading Manor Lords families – how to find and reallocate your workers MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Manor Lords early access review, Best strategy games, Best city builders |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:05 AM  What is the next Dreamlight Valley update? Each new Dreamlight Valley update adds new characters, features, and quests to the life sim, and the roster of Dreamlight Valley residents has expanded so much already - and shows no signs of slowing down. Fans on social media have previously requested the likes of Cinderella, Belle, and Stitch, and with Cinders the only one missing now, we know Gameloft is listening. Disney Dreamlight Valley has never been better thanks to the colorful life game's new characters and mechanics. Its vibrant community makes it even better, especially with more multiplayer functions being added, and a paid DLC brings even more biomes and residents to your valley if you want them. Even if you don't want to splash out on paid content, there are still plenty of new Dreamlight Valley recipes, characters, realms, and more added to the base game regularly, so here's everything we know about the next free Dreamlight Valley update. Continue reading When is the next Dreamlight Valley update release date? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Disney games, What's the next Dreamlight Valley update?, Disney Dreamlight Valley guide |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:06 AM  Just after my town's first winter, I experienced something that nicely summed up my time with Manor Lords. The snow was melting, villagers were enjoying the town's new church, and there were new stalls up in the market square selling goods from the armorer and tailor. However, dire tidings were on the spring winds: an enemy army had been spotted in the nearby wilds, and they were marching our way. I rallied the militia and formed them in a ragged line just outside of town, where they stood and watched as a gang of bandits was chased out of the county by a large company of mercenaries, all of whom completely ignored my tiny town and its ordinary little people. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Manor Lords early access review, Best strategy games, Best city builders |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:00 AM  Moving the motherboard in your gaming PC to the middle of your case is no easy feat, but PC modder Jeroen ter Horst has done an expert job here. He gutted his Fractal Design Meshify S2 and completely changed the layout, with a custom distro and cable management plate, while moving the motherboard to center stage, flanked by a pair of angled 360mm radiators. Thanks to our rapidly growing PC building Facebook page, we've seen many custom gaming PCs, from mods based on existing case designs to scratch PC builds. You can even submit yours for consideration right here. Now let's talk to Jeroen about how he transformed his Fractal Design Meshify S2 case. Continue reading This gaming PC's motherboard is in the middle of the case MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Wednesday, April 24, 2024 9:50 AM  What are the best upcoming games this year? If you're anything like us, your time is already stretched trying to play all the great games out right now, and the year isn't slowing down any time soon. Hope and anticipation, agony and elation - the endless cycle of emotions we go through during the annual PC release schedule. Year in, year out, games are produced in such varying degrees of quality that not a single one of them is destined for certain success. Some of the best PC games of all time are released alongside utter disasters, series are born while others dwindle, and occasionally a game actually lives up to our expectations. Below you'll find all the upcoming PC games you should keep on your radar, and it's wildly varied. There are racing games, story games, city builders, and more, plus all of their expected release dates. Continue reading Upcoming PC games 2024 and beyond MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best PC survival games, Best PC zombie games, The Day Before release date |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, April 24, 2024 2:11 PM  PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds - aka the game that inspired and then was overtaken by Fortnite's Battle Royale mode - is seemingly borrowing a leaf from its cartoony cousin's playbook by resurrecting its original map. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, April 24, 2024 1:46 PM  The developers behind Fable card game spin-off Fable Fortune and the digital adaptation of dungeon-crawling board game Gloomhaven have revealed a new upcoming co-op RPG… only to announce at the same time that the upcoming game's development has been put on pause amid layoffs at the studio and difficulty finding funding. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, April 24, 2024 1:18 PM  As a somewhat deflating example of the money-churning might of GTA Online becoming the sole focus of Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto 5 efforts over the last decade, the actor who played Trevor in the ridiculously well-selling crime epic has teased some details of planned story DLC that would have turned the controversial protagonist into a James Bond-style spy. The pack supposedly got as far as shooting with the actors, only to end up cancelled and folded into a GTA Online heist. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, April 24, 2024 12:43 PM  Dark Souls, one of the most widely acclaimed video games of the last two decades - perhaps all time - and progenitor of one of modern video gaming's most influential and oft-copied-rarely-bettered genres, the Soulslike, would've been a better game had it launched into early access. That's the suggestion from the head of Ori and the Blind Forest developers Moon Studios in the wake of launching their own early access Soulslike, No Rest For The Wicked. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, April 24, 2024 12:10 PM  Welcome back to Should You Bother With, the RPS hardware column that combs away the fluff surrounding PC gaming gear to reveal a smooth, hairless core of pure consumer advice. This time: Hall effect keyboards, a relatively fresh flavour of desktop peripheral that's been gaining traction with manufacturers for the switch design's supposed durability and reliability benefits. These represent perhaps the first major challenge to mechanical keyboard hegemony, but you may be wondering: who's Hall? What's their effect? And does it actually make for a better gaming keyboard? Time to found out. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, April 24, 2024 12:00 PM  Lots of Soulslikes have about as much joy, and the same colour palette, as a burning cowpat. They are grim and dark and often have gimmicks that are a bit middling: mechanical arms that spew gunk, or turning to stone. Or they stand out with incredibly deep combat, with dense menus and rainbow loot. So, Another Crab's Treasure comes as a refreshing surprise, what with it's crustacean theme, platforming, and shell gimmick that actually complements fights in clever ways. Not only that, but it's colourful and funny, with plenty of challenge for veterans and plenty of difficulty tweaks for those who just want a good time. Trade cowpat for coral, I'd say. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, April 24, 2024 11:00 AM  Sand Land is like a sanitised manga-ish Mad Max Fury Road, where there are fewer explosions and nobody huffs paint and screams "Witness me!". So, arguably, a less cool Mad Max. In this incarnation it's an open world action game with light RPG elements; in previous incarnations it is a manga and anime by the creator of Dragon Ball. My takeaway from playing Sand Land the game is that it is a tremendous advert for the manga and anime, in the sense that everything good about Sand Land the game is from those, and I would rather be reading or watching them instead. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:30 AM  I went to see Civil War this weekend. I liked a bunch of it, didn't like a bunch of it. One thing I thought was very obvious is that it sanitises its titular conflict of any political context. On the one hand, I understand this as part of the theming, said almost directly into the camera by Kirsten Dunst's photojournalist character: as journalists they're there to observe, so other people ask questions. On the other hand, the civil war being between the government and the Western Forces, an alliance between California and Texas feels extremely "Republicans buy sneakers too", if you ask me. It made me think about the Fallout TV show. One of the things I like about it is that it doesn't pretend The Brotherhood Of Steel aren't absolute mad lads (pejorative). Like, they're clearly not good news, and there isn't any attempt to make them seem like they are - just that they might seem that way from the point of view of a traumatised child being rescued from a fridge like a tiny Indiana Jones. Many of the video games I like pride themselves on offering choice to the player, but in reality they smooth over any bumps in the road to make the choices appear equal - rather than telling the player they are choosing between bad and good. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:00 AM  When, in town building simulation Manor Lords, you erect your first manor, it feels natural to place it in the center of your humble 14th century European settlement. It presents as a locus of power, where your character avatar resides. Also, it's right there in the title. I built mine down a side road, between oxen posts and granaries, for no real reason but free space. The more I play, the more it feels a fitting place. Not sidelined, exactly, just not especially loud. I need the taxes it brings to pay mercenaries to see off bandits, but lords - their whims and ambitions - don't set the tone here. Parchment and seals aren't as important as tilled earth; as winter snow, spring thaws and autumn harvests. So, despite the title, this sedate, curious, and intricate sim isn't really about lords, nor manors. Not half as much, anyway, as it is about manure. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, April 24, 2024 8:48 AM  Armadillos, the grumpy pistachio nuts of the animal kingdom, have been added to Minecraft in a recent mob update. You can brush them to harvest "scutes", the boney armour plating of the animal's back, which you can then use to craft armour for pet wolves. Speaking of wolves, this update also sees an explosion in canine diversity, with eight varieties of the wolf now appearing across different biomes. Awoooooo! |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, April 24, 2024 8:37 AM  Lords Of The Fallen, an action RPG that was a mixture of fun and infuriating when it first launched, has received its final free update. It introduces the "Advanced Game Modifier System", which sounds like something creepy bachelors would pay an extraordinary monthly fee for. No, it doesn't provide terrible advice on how to talk to women. Instead, it allows you to customise LOTF with modifiers to turn it into a roguelike. |
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Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 4:00 PM
OffKai Expo, the upcoming Vtuber convention starting May 31, 2024, announced on social media that Phase Connect will pay the fees for all vendors. This covers all people who already paid for their tables.
The announcement also noted the process by which people who paid will get their money back. OffKai will automatically refund anyone who already paid. There's no exact date when the money will be returned. The company only noted fees will be returned "in a couple weeks."
Phase Connect is a company with both Japanese and English Vtubers. Its first round of performers debuted in June 2021. That generation consisted of Fujikura Uruka, Hakushika Iori, Pipkin Pippa, Rinkou Ashelia, Shisui Michiru, Tenma Maemi, and Utatane Nasa. The most recent generation is Phase Euphoria. That group debuted in December 2023, and its five members are Eimi Isami, Hikanari Hina, Muu Muyu, Runie Ruse, and Saya Sairroxs. All five of them will be at OffKai 2024.
Many of the Phase Connect
In past Offkai Expo news, the Vtuber convention announced VShojo members Matara Kan and Henya the Genius will both attend alongside indie performer Mint Fantome. However, no Nijisanji livers will attend, as Enna Aloutte, Millie Parfait, and Reimu Endou dropped out.
OffKai Expo will begin on May 31, 2024, and it will end on June 2, 2024. It takes place in Burlingame, California.
The post Phase Connect Paying for OffKai Vtuber Convention Vendors appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 3:30 PM
While leaks ahead of launch suggested Dragonite would be among the next Pokemon Squishmallow plush, the official Pokemon Center email newsletter confirmed it will join the collection alongside Marill. No launch date other than "soon" was announced.
The initial image showing off both the Squishmallow Dragonite and Marill only offers a glimpse of their faces. We can see the Dragonite has its antennae, wings, and tail, as well as a large snout. Meanwhile, the Marill has large ears. We can't see if that one will include its round tail.
It's important to note that the Pokemon Center is always the first retailer to offer new plush in this line. The Pokemon Center versions all tend to be the 12 inch variety and cost $29.99. They also all have a special patch on the back and tag that note they were purchased from there.
After that, they eventually show up at other retailers like Target, Walgreens, and Walmart. Later releases at other stores have different tags, no patches, and can appear in smaller or larger sizes.
While these stuffed toys can sell out at the Pokemon Center, sometimes they're available longer than expected. For example, while the original Pikachu, Gengar, Togepi, and Snorlax ones are sold out at the Pokemon Center, the Winking Pikachu, Clefairy, Teddiursa, and Piplup are in stock as of 2pm ET on April 24, 2024.
The Dragonite and Marill Pokemon Squishmallow toys are coming "soon."
The post Dragonite and Marill Pokemon Squishmallow Plush Teased appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 3:00 PM
Gameloft released a new developer diary for Disney Dreamlight Valley that highlighted upcoming features and the arrival of new character Daisy Duck. These additions are set to arrive as part of the free "Thrills and Frills" update on May 1, 2024.
Players will be able to befriend Daisy and complete her questline to unlock the Boutique building, allowing them to showcase designs made using the Touch of Magic system. Visiting friends can copy your designs for their own use, while new Touch of Magic items will be available to earn through completing challenges in the Boutique itself. Other additions include the ability to take selfies and complete tasks together with friends in multiplayer, as well as new items for the Star Path battle pass and Premium shop. There will also be new quests for owners of the latest expansion pass, where players can meet Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
You can watch the full Developer Diary video via Youtube below:
Back in November, 2023, Gameloft announced that a new version of the game would be coming to Apple devices through the Apple Arcade. Earlier that year, the company also announced the game would be leaving Early Access and would not be Free-to-Play, along with plans for a new expansion pack.
The Thrills and Frills free update featuring Daisy Duck is set to arrive in Disney Dreamlight Valley on May 1, 2024. The game itself is available now on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Apple devices.
The post Disney Dreamlight Valley Getting Daisy Duck in May appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 2:30 PM
Ahead of the launch of Sand Land, the game based on the manga and anime of the same name, Bandai Namco shared a posthumous comment from creator Akira Toriyama about it. The message discussed his thoughts on the gameplay and also brought up a new location that didn't show up in the original one-volume manga.
The announcement noted that Akira Toriyama shared this statement about the Sand Land game back in January 2024. The mangaka, who was known for Dragon Ball, Doctor Slump, and Dragon Quest series character designs, died back in March 2024. This comment offered his thoughts on the game based on footage he'd seen. He closed out the message by mentioning he could "only play casual games."
Here is the full statement taken from the official social media account from the game:
[gallery columns="1" size="full" ids="1025197" link="file"]
As a reminder, Sand Land is an action game starring Prince Beelzebub and his allies dealing with survival and baddies in a post-apocalyptic world. One of the trailers leading up to launch featured gameplay and story scenes set to Darude's "Sandstorm." It also hints at some of the tanks and other vehicles people will ride through the desert.
Sand Land will come to the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on April 25, 2024. Viz Media handled the localization of the manga. The anime Sand Land: The Series is streaming on Disney+.
The post Akira Toriyama Message Shared Ahead of Sand Land Game Launch appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 2:00 PM
HoYoverse announced a new Honkai: Star Rail live stream event called the Star Rail LIVE 2024. The livestream will take place on May 1, 2024, and it looks like it may involve live musical performances.
The event is set to start at 19:05 UTC+8, which translates to 4:05am PT, 7:05am ET, or 12:05pm CET, and it will be streamed globally via Youtube. HoYoverse provided few details about the event itself, but the promotional art displays several Honkai: Star Rail characters carrying musical instruments. At the front of the image is the vocalist Robin, who is an upcoming playable character and featured prominently in the Penacony Trailblaze Missions. Previous livestreams like the "It's Always Night in Penacony Show" featured musical numbers followed by other skits, but we won't know exactly what form this particular stream will take until it airs.
You can find the embed below:
HoYoverse recently showed off art of upcoming character Jade, who will be a Quantum and Erudition character. Jade is set to debut in Honkai: Star Rail version 2.3 alongside Firefly, a Fire and Destruction character that is involved in the current storyline of Penacony.
The Honkai: Star Rail LIVE 2024 stream will air on May 1, 2024 at 19:05 UTC+8. Honkai: Star Rail itself is immediately available on the PC, PS5, and mobile devices.
The post Honkai: Star Rail Star Rail LIVE 2024 Stream Airs in May appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 1:30 PM
Following a call for memes online featuring Looney Tunes character Foghorn Leghorn lecturing and talking at anime characters, current voice actor for the character Eric Bauza shared recordings of the character talking to Dragon Ball and characters and Frieren. In particular. the actor selected ones involving Goku, Vegeta, and Frieren.
First, here's Bauza's reading of Foghorn Leghorn lecturing Vegeta after a moment in Dragon Ball Z.
Next, this is Bauza's interpretation of Foghorn Leghorn hyping up Goku and encouraging him to face Freiza.
Finally, here's Bauza voicing the one involving Frieren.
This trend online started on April 20, 2024. It kicked off with Twitter user NFLStreet4 sharing one of these lectures involving Foghorn Leghorn lecturing Naoto from Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro. Following that, a wave of additional imaginary diatribes inspired by that appeared online following fellow Twitter user JenukiDa calling attention to it.
Eric Bauza is the voice of multiple Looney Tunes characters now in addition to Foghorn Leghorn. He also is known as the actor behind Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Marvin the Martian, Tweety, Sylvester, Elmer Fudd, and Yosemite Sam.
The Frieren and Dragon Ball anime series are both streaming on Crunchyroll. Viz Media also handles the manga localizations for both. One of the latest Looney Tunes series is Looney Tunes Cartoons, which is available to watch via Max.
[Image Source: WB Kids]
The post Foghorn Lecturing Dragon Ball Character Memes Voiced by Looney Tunes VA appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 1:00 PM
Capcom often shares insight into Monster Hunter designs online, and the latest looks at the Dracula reference present in Malzeno from Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak. Artist Aehwa Shin offered some comments discussing this Elder Dragon, which appeared as the expansion's flagship monster, alongside two pieces of art.
Here's the full treet from Aehwa Shin looking at Malzeno's design. Shin showed the cape-like elements to the wings, which appeared in all stages of the concept art. It also showed how additional fins and accents kept up the motif.
We've seen members of the Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak team share concept art of Malzeno before. Director Yoshitake Suzuki did so back in 2021. That piece showed the Elder Dragon in front of the moon, as it appeared in its reveal. It also showed the sort of shadow it can cast.
So far, Malzeno has only appeared in one game in the series. It debuted to late to appear in any spin-offs like Monster Hunter Stories 2. That game did end up featuring more recent characters like Fatalis as a Co-op Quest monster, however. It is uncertain if we could end up seeing it in Monster Hunter Wilds when it launches in 2025.
Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak is available on the Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.
The post Dracula Influences Pointed Out in Monster Hunter Malzeno Concept Art appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 12:30 PM
A Junji Ito and Yoshiki Fujimoto collaboration figure of Tomie will come out in May 2025. You'll be able to pre-order it from Mamegyorai and it'll cost 37,400 JPY (around $241.70). [Thanks, Comics Natalie!]
Yoshiki Fujimoto is a sculptor, as well as a fan of Junji Ito's work. In turn, Ito also likes Fujimoto's sculptures. With Ito supervising the entire project, Fujimoto worked on both the model and the colors for this statue of Tomie. It's around 10.6 inches tall, which includes the stand. The stand itself looks like Tomie is standing on the bloody upper halves of her classmates. Meanwhile, she's posing like she's brushing her hair behind her shoulder. According to Mamegyorai's description, this is the "definitive figure" of Tomie.
Tomie is the main and titular character from Junji Ito's Tomie manga series. There have been multiple adaptations since its original release in 1987, and Tomie as a character has appeared in other works due to her popularity. The story follows the beautiful Tomie, who drives people mad with love and jealousy towards her. No matter how many times Tomie dies, she regenerates in order to continue the cursed cycle.
The Tomie statue is open for pre-order from Mamegyorai and it'll come out in May 2025.
The post Definitive Tomie Figure Will Haunt You in May 2025 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 12:00 PM
Bandai Namco shared another look at Super Saiyan God Vegeta, a DLC character that will join Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 soon. The latest teaser offers an example of how he'll play in the game.
In particular, the footage is designed to show off two sorts of attacks Super Saiyan God Vegeta can use. One looks like a standard combo that involves all sorts of kicks and punches. However, included in that is Big Bang Knuckle. It is a type of ranged attack players can use.
Here's how it looks in action:
This version of Vegeta is only one of four characters who will appear in Future Saga Chapter 1. When the add-on was first announced, Bandai Namco also confirmed Super Saiyan Rose Ultra Supervillain Goku Black. Later, it noted that Android 18 and Videl will appear as well. Both of them will be based on their Dragon Ball Super appearances.
Bandai Namco hasn't talked about what will appear after May 2024 for Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 yet. However, the roadmap for 2024 did confirm more additions are on the way for the rest of the year. The initial highlighted image included three blank spaces with question marks. Not to mention the next DLC is Future Saga Chapter 1, leaving room for additional chapters.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is available for the PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and PC. The PS5 and Xbox Series X versions will debut on May 24, 2024. There's no release date for the Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Future Saga Chapter 1 DLC, which will include Super Saiyan God Vegeta, just yet.
The post See Super Saiyan God Vegeta in Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 11:30 AM
Takara Tomy will release miniature figures of the Chainsaw Man characters looking sleepy. You'll be able to find them in gacha machines across Japan from early May 2024, and each attempt will cost 400 JPY ($2.60). [Thanks, Hobby Watch!]
These figures are part of the Katazun Fig series, or Shoulder Lean. The idea is that they're slightly tilted to the side, as if they're about to rest their head on the person next to them as they fall asleep. Because of this, you could try and display all of these figures together to make a line of characters sleeping on each other. In total, Takara Tomy will release four sleepy Chainsaw Man figures as part of this collection. They'll be Denji, Makima, Aki, and Power.
Chainsaw Man is an anime and manga series that started from 2018 and is still ongoing. MAPPA's anime adaptation ran from October to December 2022. It follows Denji, a poor teenager working off his deceased father's debt to the yakuza. When the yakuza try to kill him, Pochita, his pet and the Chainsaw Devil, forms a contract with him and turns him into a Devil-human hybrid that can turn into Chainsaw Man.
Chainsaw Man is readily available for streaming on services like Crunchyroll and Viz Media has licensed the manga for English readers. The Chainsaw Man figures will be available in gacha machines in Japan from May 2024.
The post Denji and Power Take Naps as Sleepy Chainsaw Man Figures appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 11:00 AM
As a lifelong Akira Toriyama fan, I went into Sand Land knowing I would enjoy my time messing with the vehicular combat and exploring the world of the manga. What I didn't expect was how much I would end up liking it. The world of Sand Land is fully realized, easy to jump into for fans and newcomers alike, and a fantastic farewell from the late manga creator and developer ILCA.
In Sand Land, players take on the role of Fiend Prince Beelzebub, a youthful demon that teams up with his demon friend Thief and the human sheriff Rao to find the Legendary Spring in order to find a solution to the extreme drought that is ailing the titular country of Sand Land. The game is a direct adaptation of Akira Toriyama's one-shot manga released in 2000. In addition to going over the events of the manga, the game covers the new content written by Toriyama for the recent anime adaptation that started airing earlier in 2024. One of these additions is new character Ann. In the anime, Ann only appears after the first half of the story. In the game, Ann appears very early on and is a bit more involved in the plot of the first arc of the game. This offers a nice narrative remix for those familiar with the anime.
Despite being an adaptation, players don't need to read nor watch the source material to fully enjoy their time with the game. Sand Land offers a number of lovingly written characters. Maybe I'm biased, since I like serious-yet-gentle old men that are on a road to atone and learn from their mistakes, but I think that Rao is the standout ally in the game. And of course, Beelzebub is a dastardly rascal that I can't help but love. I found the writing to be pretty solid and fun, and I think that Sand Land in particular stands out among Toriyama's other works, offering a simple yet great narrative exploring an anti-militarist sentiment focused on humanitarian cooperation.
The gameplay loop in Sand Land revolves around exploring the vast desert while alternating between a growing roster of vehicles, engaging in fights with both local fauna and the King's army, and repopulating the ghost town of Spino. The latter is a unique addition to the game, and it's one of its most engaging aspects. As players complete side quests, people from all over the world will join Spino as new residents. Some of the stories tied to these characters are simple and fun, while some can be quite sobering. New inhabitants also means more vendors and new facilities, like your own customizable room, a paint shop, or a bar where players can pick up bounties. The way in which the main story of the game and the micronarratives found in Spino combine helps enrich the world of Sand Land.
Players will start the game with a lengthy tutorial section that naturally teaches that, while on-foot exploration and combat is viable, they should spend most of their time traversing the vast wasteland via a variety of vehicles. As the mainstay in the roster, tanks are powerful and relatively fast, serving as great all-rounders. Other vehicles like cars or motorbikes are fast, but are trickier to aim at enemies, or offer alternative ways of engaging in combat, while others like hoverboards allow players to avoid dangerous terrain. However, it can take quite a while to get the ball rolling and acquire different interesting vehicles.
As part of the main quest, players will need a variety of different vehicles, each suited for different situations. I found my first roadblock during the tutorial teaching me how to build a Jump-bot. While the game takes you through the steps of where to find a blueprint and frame, it doesn't teach you at any moment how to find the different parts to complete it, nor the materials needed for the parts. This led to me spending around 5 hours to find the requirements, only to be taught how to craft them myself after completing it. I find that altering the order of these two quests would have made for a better paced tutorial, as I didn't have trouble finding materials after this moment of forced scarcity.
That said, vehicle customization and combat is great. There is a large number of different vehicles, each with different strong points and weaknesses. While the game is generally not difficult, some encounters had me alternating between vehicles in order to adapt to the pace and use the different weapons I equipped. For example, against groups of enemies with various tanks and several infantrymen carrying rocket launchers, I would use the gravity gun attached to my jump-bot to gather all small enemies in the same spot, switch to my tank and fire my two-round battery to eliminate them in a swift strike, and then jump into my hovercraft to strafe while shooting quad rockets at the bigger targets without the danger of being sniped. While enemy variety can be a bit limited, boss fights are great. There are plenty of unique encounters, from organized tank battalions, aircraft, motorbike fights, and even combat armor duels.
In contrast, on-foot combat is not as fleshed out, but still offers a serviceable experience. Light and strong attack buttons allow for a few combo strings, and Beelzebub can use various abilities like a rushdown of punches, a boulder throw, or an AoE shockwave. These come in handy during the scripted on-foot sequences that serve to break up the pace. Another element to combat and exploration are party abilities. Thief, Rao, and Ann can learn various passive and active abilities that help. Thief's abilities focus on acquiring resources, while Rao can deploy his own tank and assist Beelzebub in combat, and Ann helps as the mechanic by offering healing to vehicles and supportive abilities. During the on-foot fights the party will also engage with enemies, and it is very fun seeing Rao be the coolest guy in Sand Land.
When it comes to the volume of content, Sand Land can be a pretty long game. The main quest alone can take players between 30 to 40 hours to complete depending on how much side content they do, and even more if they go for completionism. Even 35 hours in, the game was still giving me new gadgets and completely unique vehicles. To top it off, the game features a variety of side content, like racing tracks, bounties, and an arena. And if the main Sand Land region was already vast enough, the second part of the game takes players to Forest Land, a green and lush new area introduced in the anime.
The visuals in the game are pretty beautiful, with characters sporting a nice cell shaded style, and the world offering a lot of visual variety. Even the Sand Land region is varied, with its different styles of deserts, like dunes and badlands. And, as one can expect, the character and mech designs by Akira Toriyama are top notch.
Sand Land shows what can be done with licensed manga and games. The game is a great vehicular action-RPG, and easily one of the best anime and manga games available. Despite some early pacing issues, the game is at its best when introducing a vast and engrossing world, accompanied by the beautiful visuals and great story penned by the late Akira Toriyama.
Sand Land will release on April 26, 2024 for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam. A demo is now available.
The post Review: Sand Land Takes You on a Wild Ride appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:30 AM
Both Rabbit and Bear Studios and 505 Games announced on social media that there will be an Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Switch patch that addresses issues tied to performance, character recruitment, and Cooking Battles. There's no release window for it, however.
The official game account's tweet is the more succinct of the two summaries of things to come. One involves the recruitment of a character named Lam in Daphan. While not every person will encounter this bug, it is possible in the current builds on the Switch to lock yourself out of recruiting her. If so, you are also locked out of getting the best ending and all possible allies.
The Cooking Battle is another issue in Eiyuden Chronicle on the Switch. After recruiting Kurtz, you can take part in the minigame. As the minigame isn't working, it also can interfere with the recruitment of another ally.
505's announcement specifically notes that the 1.0.4 Eiyuden Chronicle Switch patch will address issues with Lam and a War Mode story bug.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is available on the Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.
The post New Eiyuden Chronicle Switch Patch Announced to Address Bugs appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 10:00 AM
Originally announced in 2019 as Project Eve, Stellar Blade has had an interesting development cycle. Initially a multi-platform release, the project eventually landed as a PlayStation 5 exclusive with a new title. As a result, it has become one of the console's most anticipated games. Thankfully, Stellar Blade was worth the wait, as it's one of the best action-RPGs released since NieR: Automata.
Before we dive in, I want to address the elephant in the room. In the lead-up to the launch of Stellar Blade, there has been a lot of discourse around EVE's design. If you are uncomfortable with the character's portrayal, there is a good chance you won't enjoy this game. It features a lot of (optional) revealing outfits and suggestive camera angles. Shift Up tells a good story in Stellar Blade with thought-provoking themes, and EVE is a great protagonist who I ended up really liking after spending 50 hours with her story. The game also offers a wide variety of fashionable outfits you can equip that lets you customize how you want EVE to look, so there are options other than sexy. That said, I just wanted to give everyone an idea of what to expect before jumping into this.
The best way I can describe Stellar Blade is that it's like if NieR: Automata and Bayonetta had a baby. If that sounds awesome to you, then you will likely love the game. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, Stellar Blade's story centers on an earth that has been invaded by monsters called Naytiba. As a last stand, EVE is sent down to defend humanity from the brink of extinction. Like entries in the NieR series, the game plays with many familiar sci-fi themes, such as when we consider androids to be "alive" and what it means to be "human." However, the game wastes no time throwing you into the action the second EVE lands on earth, as you are slashing down enemies with swagger the second the story begins.
One of the best things about Stellar Blade is its fast-paced combat, which strikes a perfect balance between risk and reward. At its core, gameplay consists of a mix of close-quarters action with EVE's blade and ranged attacks with her drone gun. As you land combos, you build up energy, which allows you to unleash devastating Beta attacks. However, you can also fill up your Beta meter each time you successfully pull off a Perfect Parry or Perfect Dodge. These are timed defensive moves that counter an enemy's attack back at them, which leaves them temporarily stunned. As a result, you will need to know when to be defensive or go on the offensive, as it can literally turn the tides of battle.
However, where combat really comes together in Stellar Blade is when the Blink and Repulse systems come into play. During combat exchanges, enemies will eventually launch into powerful attacks that can't be blocked. If you press the right button prompt, EVE will Blink through the enemy, allowing you to unleash a barrage of attacks at their back. Conversely, if you Repulse, you will kick the enemy in the face and send EVE flying backward away from danger. This also gives you a small time window to whip your drone gun out and attack their weak spot (which is highlighted with a glowing yellow aura).
All of this blends together in a seamless flow of attacks, which at times feels more like a "dance" than a fight. Think of the epic sequences in a John Wick movie, and you will get an idea of how it looks. Stellar Blade succeeds in making combat stylish while also making sure gameplay is deep and challenging. But I won't lie; it does feel badass to see EVE kickflip off an enemy, then drive her sword down their throat. For all the chaotic energy that combat brings in Stellar Blade though, it's also really smooth and gives you a lot of room to chain attacks together in unique ways once you get the hang of it.
Stellar Blade is also a really difficult game. You can't just hack and slash enemies while standing still, or you will get destroyed. Naytiba are aggressive! Like a Darks Souls game, you will get punished if you don't move around. I even briefly tested out the game's easier "story mode" difficulty, and you can get torn to shreds in seconds if you fall out of step in combat. Stellar Blade is so challenging that I almost thought I wasn't going to be able to beat it after dying for the 30th time to the story's final boss. But like a puzzle, I was eventually able to overcome the final showdown after swapping out my Gear. Stellar Blade has an interesting character loadout feature that lets you install gear such as chips and exospine parts into EVE's Nano Suit, which in turn alters her stats or performance.
For example, you might equip a gear chip that adds 300 points to your shield or a chip that makes it easier to pull off a Perfect Dodge or Perfect Parry. But to give you an example of how this feature can be used strategically, let's talk about my one boss fight loadout. (There will be no story spoilers, I promise). Initially, I had a gear chip equipped on EVE that sped up my Beta energy's charge time. However, I had a second chip in my inventory that refilled my Beta Energy based on the total amount of damage I received after being hit. Since one boss boss was dishing out an eye-popping amount of damage with each attack, this essentially allowed me to keep my Beta bar filled at all times. This one little change to my loadout made a massive difference in a battle that initially seemed impossible. So, if you are looking for fast-paced combat with strategic depth, Stellar Blade has that in spades.
Speaking of combat, Stellar Blade handles EVE's level progression with its Skill system. There are a total of five skill trees, which you can max out if you complete side quests. The Blink and Repulse moves I mentioned earlier are a part of this skill tree, so leveling up EVE has a major impact on gameplay and makes progression feel worth it. You even get access to new Beta Powers, as well as basic combat moves such as Rush. The skill allows EVE to instantly teleport across the level and slam into enemies with her sword. If you aren't happy with how you've invested your Skill Points, the game has an item that lets you reset each skill tree branch.
Combat isn't the only thing that is stylish in Stellar Blade, as the game features many outfits for players to collect and unlock throughout the campaign. While some might not be a fan of all the designs, there are some really cool Nano Suits for EVE to track down. Outfits can be as silly as a stuffed animal costume to a fashionable jeans and a leather jacket combo. There is even an outfit that pays homage to Bruce Lee's iconic yellow jumpsuit (or the one the Bride in Kill Bill wore, for those younger readers). At least for me, turning EVE into a fashionista gave me an incentive to complete side quests and explore every inch of the map. The game even has earrings and glasses you can equip! I just wish that Shift Up had also put this effort into your weapons, as you are stuck with the same blade and gun for the entirety of the game.
As far as length goes, Stellar Blade can be beaten in 25 to 30 hours if you rush through the game and only tackle main story missions. This could vary depending on which difficulty you are playing on and, of course, the player's skill level. I completed most of the game's side quests, and my final playthrough clocked in at around 50 hours. But I'm also not a pro at action-RPGs by any means, and I would even consider myself more on the "novice" side in terms of my skill level. So take that into consideration when considering my estimates. The main campaign largely takes place across six regions (plus a few extra areas). Two of these locations are open-world maps. From a post-apocalyptic city overgrown with wildlife to a sprawling desert with sand dunes stretching across the horizon, every section of the game is varied in its design.
With regards to traversal, each level map is broken up by fast travel points and campsites that can be used to refill your health and potions. Shift Up doesn't make it easy for us, as enemies will also reset whenever you rest. Fast travel points are accessed with phone booths, and campsites are unlocked with vending machines. One of the things I absolutely love about Stellar Blade is all the little details Shift Up put into the game, such as EVE flipping a coin in the air before inserting it into a vending machine to unlock a camp. Even saving in the game is relegated to EVE kicking her feet back and sitting down on a picnic chair, and it just oozes charm.
Now, let's get to the game's plot. While not groundbreaking by any means, the story of Stellar Blade touches on some interesting themes about humanity and what people are willing to do to survive in the face of an existential threat. If I had any complaint about the tale Shift Up is telling, it's that some of those themes aren't explored enough in side quests and early chapters. Stellar Blade characters aren't as fleshed out as ones in similar games such as NieR: Automata.
If you are reading this and are like this guy keeps mentioning NieR: Automata in a Stellar Blade critique too often, hear me out. It's hard not to compare the two games. There are so many similarities that Stellar Blade, at times, almost feels like a direct homage to the Square Enix action-RPG. Like 2B, EVE is part of a space colony organization with a mission to save humanity. Both protagonists are sent down to a ravaged earth to fight off invading creatures. EVE has a floating turret companion that acts as a gun for ranged combat, while her sword is her main means to attack. Both games start in a similar overgrown post-apocalyptic city, and the next big level after it is an open-world desert section. Both touch on themes about androids having feelings and memories and whether they should be considered human. Sound familiar? Heck, even the music in Stellar Blade is so similar to NieR: Automata that I had to take a double-take.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as NieR: Automata is one of my favorite games of all time, but the similarities between it and Stellar Blade are so great that it's hard not to compare the two. For me, the world that Yoko Taro created is so weird and interesting that it can sometimes make Stellar Blade feel a bit more vanilla in comparison. This is especially true when it comes to the side quests. Some of them involve interesting stories that give us a brief insight into a side character. However, the vast majority of them can be boiled down to simple fetch quests. Don't get me wrong! I still had a blast completing them because combat is so much fun and I wanted the EXP to unlock more Skills. But in this regard, I just feel like NieR and NieR: Automata had much more thought-provoking side quests and more fleshed-out world-building than Stellar Blade.
Another thing I should mention is Stellar Blade has a few mandatory dungeon sections in the main story campaign. For some reason, the game takes away EVE's blade, and you are forced to use your gun for the entirety of these hour-long sections. In place of the fast-action combat are platforming challenges, which can sometimes become a bit frustrating considering the most enjoyable thing is the breakneck gameplay. While overall traversal is fun and snappy, trying to land on a tiny platform that moves in the sky can be difficult when the game adds forward momentum to your landing.
I can't count how many times EVE fell to her death in my game after I successfully landed on a platform, only to slide off while in motion. This is especially a problem when double jumping, as the game will sometimes pull her to the side for some reason, completely botching your attempt to reach a long-ranged section with a dash. But I will also say that these sections make up a very small portion of the game's story, so it's not enough to really hurt the overall experience. Interestingly, I never had a problem with platforming when in the open-world levels. So, it might be an issue with the dungeons being more closed-off.
While I wish some of the elements mentioned above were fleshed out more, Stellar Blade really makes up for this with the second half of its campaign. The story really takes off in the final chapters and allows its thought-provoking themes to develop. In particular, it has one of the most epic endings I've experienced in an RPG in some time. Specifically, this is a multi-ending story, which works really well considering the game's narrative. I don't want to get into any spoilers, but let's just say the ending is one of the most "anime" things I've seen and left me desperately wanting a sequel.
Finally, let's talk about performance. Stellar Blade is an absolutely gorgeous game with beautiful graphics. I constantly wanted to pause my game to take screenshots, as every frame could be a wallpaper. Whether it is glowing neon lights from futuristic city advertisements or the glittering sequins on EVE's unique outfits, the game's art style is stunning. Thankfully, Stellar Blade's performance also delivers as it has a consistent frame rate that never drops, despite how chaotic combat gets. The game also features a Graphics, Framerate, and Balanced mode. Whichever mode you pick, the graphics are beautiful. However, Shift Up has definitely made sure to give players the option to hit 60 FPS without any compromise.
When I look back at my time with Stellar Blade, I see a new franchise that is full of promise. While it might not have the best side quests or side characters, it's grounded by excellent gameplay that is challenging and fun. EVE and Lily are interesting main characters that I really connected with, and the game's story sticks its landing in the final act. If Shift Up can build on everything they did well with Stellar Blade and make a sequel that fleshes out its lore and world even more, we could have something really special here. Still, Stellar Blade is a great first step that action RPG fans won't want to miss.
Stellar Blade is a thrilling action RPG with stylish combat and nail-biting encounters that offer players a real challenge. While the game tackles familiar sci-fi themes, it's anchored by lovable protagonist EVE and her sidekick Lily. While it doesn't surpass NieR: Automata and Bayonetta, fans of those beloved games should check out Stellar Blade as it's a good companion title that will scratch the same itch.
Stellar Blade will be available on April 26, 2024 on the PlayStation 5.
The post Review: Stellar Blade Channels NieR: Automata's Stylish Combat appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 9:30 AM
Sanrio has announced that Puroland will have several attractions and events for the 50th anniversary of Hello Kitty. These events will start from May and end in December 2024. [Thanks, PR Times!]
As part of the campaign, you can visit the Lady Kitty House in Puroland from May 31 to July 31, 2024 for the chance to see Hello Kitty in multiple costumes, whether original or historical. These designs are from digital creators and collaboration artists, and there is no set schedule. This means that you won't know what Hello Kitty will be wearing until you actually get there. If you go earlier, from May 1 to May 28, 2024, Hello Kitty will be having a meet and greet session ten minutes before the park will open.
From June 7 to December 31, 2024, you'll be able to see a light show in Puro Village. During this event, Hello Kitty will play a piano, with the lights and notes shimmering as she does so. Like the above, the song that she plays, and the images that the lights broadcast, will change depending on when you go. Finally, the restaurant will have a Hello Kitty 50th anniversary buffet from June 7 to September 3, 2024.
The 50th anniversary of Hello Kitty celebration at Puroland will start from May 2024. In the past, Sanrio released merchandise for this milestone, including a calendar, a necklace, and Crocs.
The post Hello Kitty 50th Anniversary Celebration Includes Light Show appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, April 24, 2024 9:00 AM
HoYoVerse has posted the splash art for Jade, who will be a new character debuting in Honkai: Star Rail Version 2.3. She will be a 5-star Quantum Erudition character.
Jade has appeared in the Version 2.1 story as part of Aventurine's flashbacks. Like Aventurine and Topaz, she is a member of the IPC Strategic Investment Department and she is one of the Ten Stonehearts. Jade is cold and elegant, and she is very good at understanding others' emotions. Judging by her quote, she can be a very calculating and shrewd person. We also got a glimpse of this in her past conversation with Aventurine.
Her English voice actress is Faye Mata, her Chinese voice actress is Zhang Ruoyu, and her Japanese voice actress is Kotono Mitsuishi. Mata's previous roles include Neon in Hunter x Hunter 2011 and Petra in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. As for Zhang, her other roles include Rina in Zenless Zone Zero and various characters, including Ines, in Arknights. Mitsuishi is best known for her roles as Sailor Moon in Sailor Moon and Misato in Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. So far, aside from Jade, we know that Firefly will debut as a playable unit in Honkai: Star Rail Version 2.3.
The post Jade in Honkai: Star Rail Is a Quantum Erudition Character appeared first on Siliconera. |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, April 24, 2024 3:37 PM  Remnant 2 already had a ton of rings in the base game, but with the second DLC, there are many more for players to collect. This guide explains our picks for the best new rings in Remnant 2: The Forgotten Kingdom. Remnant 2: Best new rings in The Forgotten Kingdom DLC At the time of writing, 13 new rings have been found in The Forgotten Kingdom DLC. Some are very well hidden, while others can be found lying on the ground on the main quest path. Unsurprisingly, the best new rings in the DLC are the ones that are a little trickier to find. Here are our picks for the best rings in Remnant 2: The Forgotten Kingdom. Bloodless King's Vow Screenshot: PC Invasion The Bloodless King's Vow is great for players who like to utilize lifesteal and favors guns over melee weapons. This ring adds four percent of a player's base ranged damage as lifesteal. More lifesteal equals more health, leading to staying in the fight longer. Players can get the Bloodless... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, April 24, 2024 3:35 PM  Once you unlock the Crucible dungeon in No Rest for the Wicked, you'll need to craft the best build so you can take on the Echo Knight. This is a rogue-lite dungeon that's highly challenging, so having a good build will lead you to victory. No Rest for the Wicked: Best build for the Crucible With all the weapon types in NRFTW it's hard to say which build will lead you to staying alive in the Crucible. It all depends on your weapon and armor modifiers, as well as your weight class (fast, normal, and heavy). Overall, I think the best build to take on the Crucible is a fast or normal dual daggers build that includes modifiers to heal you as you damage enemies. Although I started NRFTW with a staff, I found the dual daggers to be the best weapons in the game. They're incredibly quick, and with high enough Dexterity and Stamina stats you can deal a crazy amount of damage in a short amount of time without taking a break. I found the one-handed swords and hamm... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, April 24, 2024 3:32 PM  Wandering the wasteland of Fallout 4 can be tricky and downright dangerous. Weapons and your dog companion can help. However, the Power Armor suits you run into can make you a one-person army. The suits range in various stats like having damage resistance. Long story short, Power Armor suits make life easier. Now, the problem is that they are spread all over the wasteland. So to find all Power Armor locations in Fallout 4, read this guide and use the map. Fallout 4: All Power Armor locations (Map) The game is so large that you may need a checklist to organize your goals. Since searching for the Power Armor suits is more focused it can make the aforementioned checklist less overwhelming. All Power Armor suit types Before you go searching for the suits, it's a good idea to learn what they are first. There are a total of six Power Armor suits to find in Fallout 4. Most have variants that change up the playstyle. You can find the suits in�... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, April 24, 2024 3:30 PM  Right after finding the Legendary Spring, you have now unveiled the conspiracy: Commander Zeu and the King have purposely dried up Sand Land with their dam. They can't let this secret be unveiled, so Zeu's experimental soldiers will try to stop you from spilling the beans. Here is how to beat the Insect Man boss fight in Sand Land. Sand Land: How to beat Insect Man boss fight Let me start by saying this: this will be the hardest fight you have experienced so far in the game. Not only because the Insect Man is particularly merciless and powerful compared to other Sand Land enemies, but because you will have to face him with your bare hands. Say goodbye to your overreliance on your vehicles. With that said, let's dive right into the action. Screenshot: PC Invasion While other boss fights provide a bigger window for you to deal blows or shoot the enemy, Insect Man is far faster and attacks way more frequently than the previous bosses. This means that, if you ... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, April 24, 2024 3:00 PM  After beating the required bosses and reaching the end of the main story in Act 1 of No Rest for the Wicked, what can you do after finishing all the quests? Here are some things you can do before the next big update arrives. No Rest for the Wicked: What to do after finishing Act 1 Many players online are wondering what they should do after the Servant of God quest which is the final main quest of Act 1. Seeing as No Rest for the Wicked is in Early Access there are content updates planned for the future, but what are you supposed to do after making it to the end of Act 1? Some things you can do before the next update rolls out are play the Crucible, complete building projects, take on Bounties and Challenges, and discover all the available side quests. Screenshot: PC Invasion The Crucible The Crucible will be unlocked for you in the masonry basement after you finish the Servant of God quest. This is a rogue-lite type of dungeon that is arduous to get through but will rewa... |
WGB Wednesday, April 24, 2024 8:26 AM The huge success of the Fallout TV show has sparked a resurgence of popularity in the videogames on which it based, and of them it seems to be Fallout 76 that's getting the biggest rub. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, April 24, 2024 3:39 PM Deliver Us The Moon first launched in October 2019. The post Deliver Us The Moon Coming to Nintendo Switch This Year appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, April 24, 2024 2:54 PM A trailer for update was also released. The post Lords of the Fallen 1.5 'Master of Fate' Update Available Now appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, April 24, 2024 2:27 PM It was found during the review phase of the game The post Stellar Blade Graffiti Art Placement Referencing Racial Slur Will Be Removed appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, April 24, 2024 1:55 PM According to recent job listings. The post Blizzard is Seemingly Recruiting For an Unannounced Game appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
MonsterVine Wednesday, April 24, 2024 12:00 PM Crabs have been in vogue lately and it's hard to blame them; they're cute little dudes with giant claws why wouldn't you want to play as a crab? We've had crab shooters, crab fighting games, and now we're getting a crab soulslike with Another Crab's Treasure. Another Crab's Treasure Developer: Aggro Crab Price: $29.99 Platform: […] |
MonsterVine Wednesday, April 24, 2024 11:00 AM I think what worried me most about picking up Sand Land was when a trailer dropped that explained just how much of the game would be vehicular. I didn't want to drive around in a car all game. This is an action RPG! I wanted to be punchin' fools, slashin' away with my sword, and […] |