GamersHeroes Monday, June 17, 2024 11:22 AM The team at Nacon announced that their Revolution 5 Pro Controller for PlayStation 5 has gained a Shooter Pro Mode via a new software update. The post NACON Revolution 5 Pro Controller Shooter Update Released appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
Kotaku Monday, June 17, 2024 11:40 AM  Most of Elden Ring developer FromSoftware's games have some form of cooperative play. However, they are full of restrictions and cost-related mechanics that make it impossible for you to play the whole way through with a friend without jumping through hoops. The good news is, it doesn't sound like the studio is… |
Kotaku Monday, June 17, 2024 11:30 AM  Fallout fans have been desperate for something new to play in the post-apocalyptic RPG franchise ever since the Amazon TV adaptation blew up earlier this year. Recently, however, director Todd Howard said Bethesda doesn't want to "rush" a new single-player Fallout game, and went into more detail about what the team is… |
Kotaku Monday, June 17, 2024 11:15 AM  Elden Ring's highly anticipated expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, is dropping later this week, and a lot of people are pumped for what's shaping up to be one of the biggest releases of the year. Whether you're a lorehound or simply someone looking for a proper excuse to dive into the game of 2022, Shadow of the… |
Kotaku Monday, June 17, 2024 10:55 AM  Welcome to the first in a long line of MultiVersus character guides. As the first wave of post-launch patches has begun, I'll now be diving in, starting with three brand new characters in order to offer some tips and general strategies to help you get a leg up. First up, it's Jason. |
Kotaku Monday, June 17, 2024 10:45 AM  After months (and even years) of healer mains in Final Fantasy 14 complaining that Square Enix's MMORPG has simplified and devalued the job, seemingly to no avail, aggrieved healers are going one step further to make their opinion known: They're going on strike. |
Kotaku Monday, June 17, 2024 10:22 AM  Now that most of the industry is done with Summer Game Fest and all its orbiting events, Nintendo is jumping into the summer video game announcement fray with its own Nintendo Direct. After plenty of speculation and rumors floating around the internet, the company has confirmed the showcase will take place tomorrow,… |
Kotaku Monday, June 17, 2024 9:15 AM  With tiresome predictability, action RPG Elden Ring's first and only DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, is already being spoiled online, four days ahead of its release. This warning comes from no smaller a source than its own developers, FromSoftware. (There are no spoilers at all in this post.) |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 11:49 AM  AMD has patented a new GPU design that takes a radically new approach to building a graphics chip. The patent details an AMD GPU design that contains 14 chiplets, which are divided into several sections, enabling it to all act as one single GPU, or even multiple GPUs. The best graphics cards from AMD, such as the Radeon RX 7800 XT, are already divided into several chiplets under the hood, but the GPU itself is still all in one chip – what we call a monolithic die. It's only the cache that's separated out into extra chiplets on these GPUs. Conversely, this AMD patent effectively details nine separate GPU dies in one chip package. Continue reading AMD just tore up the rulebook on GPU design MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7 7800X3D review, Best gaming CPU, Radeon RX 7800 XT review |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 11:31 AM  Dragon Age: Origins is, for me, the magnum opus of companion-centric RPGs. There's romance and flirting, bickering and all-out fighting, all made plausible by a colorful cast of perfectly crafted fantasy characters. While Dragon Age 2 featured the excellent Fenris and Isabela, and Inquisition killed it with Solas and Josephine (although I still want Vivienne), both have since been outclassed by Larian's Baldur's Gate 3. Given I still see Astarion's face at least once a day on my Twitter timeline, BG3 feels like 'the game to live up to,' so I ask Dragon Age: The Veilguard's creative director, John Epler, if BG3's success scares him. Continue reading Dragon Age The Veilguard dev isn't worried about Baldur's Gate 3 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RPGs, Dragon Age 4 characters, Dragon Age 4 release date |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 11:27 AM  June 17, 2024 A new DBD code has dropped for all 4th and 5th anniversary crowns. What are the new DBD codes? These freebie-granting DBD rewards can actually be quite hard to keep up with since they arrive pretty regularly, which is no bad thing. We're never going to complain about in-game giveaways, and Dead by Daylight codes can give you anything from outfits to charms, and even Bloodpoints and Iridescent Shards. Whether you want your favorite DBD killers to get a stylish new look, or you want to add to your survivors' wardrobes, be sure to redeem the codes below before it's too late. There may also be codes for Dead by Daylight Bloodpoints, Rift Fragments, and charms, so there are plenty of goodies to be had. Some of these Dead by Daylight codes are ongoing though, so you may have snapped them up already. Continue reading DBD codes June 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: DBD killer tier list, Best horror games, DBD codes |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 11:27 AM  Kicking dudes never gets old in videogames, and Dark Messiah of Might and Magic nailed it all the way back in 2006. There have been pretenders to the throne since, but the newly announced The Nightscarred: Forgotten Gods wants to continue Arkane's legacy with an incredible combat system and plenty of first-person action. If you've been looking for an action RPG that gives you full control over how you fight, look no further. Continue reading Classic ARPG forgotten by its own dev gets stunning spiritual sequel MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RPGs, Free Steam games, Best old games |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 11:21 AM  What are the best platform games on PC? Back in the '90s and early '00s, you couldn't escape the countless platformers and mascot characters catering to console gamers. However, apart from the likes of Commander Keen, Jazz Jackrabbit, and Duke Nukem before his vulgar 3D days, the PC got very little love. Thankfully, this stigma has lessened since those days, and we owe that in large part to the explosion of indies that have flooded onto digital platforms over the past decade or so. The best platform games have garnered a reputation as requiring mechanical mastery and sublime timing, but developers continue to push the genre forward by introducing RPG elements and secret-laden maps as seen in the best Metroidvania games. Platforming can also be a staple mechanic in some of the best story games, as demonstrated in releases like Celeste and Ori and the Blind Forest. Here are the best platform games you can play on your PC right this minute. Continue reading The best platform games on PC 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Celeste: a platformer about anxiety, The best PC games of 2018: Celeste, PCGN Awards 2018 |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 11:06 AM  What is the Diablo 4 Spiritborn class? When it comes to dispatching demonic enemies, there are multiple flavors of destruction in Diablo 4. You can take a utilitarian approach to murder, opting for heavy objects to cave in the skulls of your enemies, or you can go a more mystical route, weaving spells and raising the dead to do your dirty work. It's all about self-expression, and with the newest D4 expansion, it looks like you'll be able to add a new string to your metaphorical bow. The Diablo 4 DLC release date draws ever nearer, and we're hungrily gobbling up any bits of information we can get our hands on. One of the most intriguing additions coming with Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred is the new class: The Spiritborn. There isn't much to go off right now, however, Blizzard is planning a full class reveal on July 18. Until then, we're taking a look at the rumors and potential leaks to speculate on the Diablo 4 Spiritborn class. Continue reading Diablo 4 Spiritborn class speculation and leaks MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo 4 builds, Diablo 4 review, Diablo 4 classes |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 11:00 AM  A pair of the best blue light blocking glasses could be just what you need to protect your eyes from eye strain and prevent those pesky screen-related headaches from occurring. If, like me, you're constantly staring at a computer screen and are becoming a little concerned about the impact of all that artificial light, then you might want to think seriously about splashing out on a pair of blue light glasses. If you're the kind of gamer who gets easily addicted to the best PC games, leading to spending hours sitting in front of a computer screen, blue light glasses should be a non-negotiable part of your kit. Feeling overwhelmed when it comes to selecting the right blue light blocking glasses? For this guide, I've chosen blue light glasses based on how well they perform, how comfortable they are to wear, and the quality of their designs. Gunnar is a well-known name and, often, the go-to for blue light gaming glasses, but I've also been impressed by some less well-known brands. When choosing a pair of the best-rated light-blocking glasses, take into account your budget, the design, and how comfortable they will be to wear. After all, you could be wearing them for hours at a time. We've tried and tested a whole bunch of glasses, in a bid to make sure that we're only recommending the very best options. Continue reading Best blue light blocking glasses: for work and play on your screens MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 10:41 AM  When is the next Monopoly Go Golden Blitz? This special, limited-time event allows players to trade the usually locked golden stickers up to five times a day. This is an ideal solution for grabbing elusive missing stickers and completing albums quickly. While you can trade these up to five times a day, each event is limited to two specific stickers, set by Scopely. There's no official schedule for Monopoly Go's Golden Blitz event, so a lot of sites that confirm dates are actually speculating based on the current Monopoly Go events. While you're waiting for the next Golden Blitz, make sure to keep on top of other freebies with our free Monopoly Go dice links guide, which is updated several times a day with the newest links. Continue reading When is the next Monopoly Go Golden Blitz event? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Monopoly Go events, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 10:34 AM  If you want to secure a set of new gaming peripherals without breaking the bank, we've found a fantastic gaming mouse and keyboard deal that sets you up with two pieces of Logitech gear for just $84.44. That's a 47% saving over the MSRP of each product when purchased individually. Thanks to its pedigree, Logitech is a name often found on our best gaming mouse guide, and both the G502 Hero and G413 SE usually have an individual MSRP of $79.99. Of course, thanks to their age, both products can be found on sale frequently, but this combo deal still represents great value and convenience. Continue reading Save $75 in this Logitech gaming mouse and keyboard bundle deal MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Logitech G Pro Superlight 2, Logitech G Pro X TKL Lightspeed review, Best gaming mouse |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 10:34 AM  What are Elden Ring Scadutree Fragments? Historically, balancing difficulty has been one of the key issues with making DLC for games such as Dark Souls. This time, though, the open-ended design of Elden Ring and the sheer power available to the player-controlled Tarnished is vast. So to keep things balanced, Shadow of the Erdtree introduces two new items, and one of them directly affects the player's stats. Seeking these shards in Elden Ring will take time, patience, and a keen eye, and the same can be said for the Elden Ring Revered Spirit Ashes. That said, there's plenty you can do ahead of the RPG game's DLC launch to improve your survival rate. Make sure you find the best Elden Ring weapons in the base game to craft the finest Elden Ring builds for your chosen playstyle; you're probably going to need all the help you can get. Continue reading Elden Ring Scadutree Fragments explained MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Elden Ring builds, Elden Ring bosses, Elden Ring weapons |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 10:34 AM  What are Elden Ring Revered Spirit Ashes? While they aren't quite as important as the Scadutree Fragments, the Revered Spirit Ashes have multiple buffs, making them a must-find item in the DLC. If you heavily rely on Spirit Ashes to assist you in fights against the toughest bosses, you'll want to seek them out as soon as possible. Of course, Elden Ring has plenty of other secrets that are likely still hidden in the base game and can help you with the DLC's challenges. We recommend that you check out the best Elden Ring builds to see where to find the top-tier Elden Ring weapons. After all, the expansion to one of the best and trickiest RPG games ever made isn't going to hold back. Continue reading Elden Ring Revered Spirit Ashes explained MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Elden Ring builds, Elden Ring bosses, Elden Ring weapons |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 10:16 AM  What are the best multiplayer games on PC? Intricate gameplay and glistening visuals only go so far; humans often provide the biggest surprises with schemes that transform even the most average game into an unforgettable experience you'll be talking about until the end of time. Fast and frantic or tense and calculated, the best multiplayer games come in all shapes and sizes. Whether it's vying for control of the payload in an FPS game or fighting for survival in a co-op game with your friends, these experiences wouldn't be the same without a bunch of real people. We've curated a list of the best PC games with multiplayer functionality so you can go around killing, maiming, or, occasionally, helping random people on the internet. Continue reading 29 of the best multiplayer games to play in 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Apex Legends characters guide, Apex Legends skins, Apex Legends tier list |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 10:37 AM  Fallout 4 has been enjoying a huge resurgence in popularity thanks to Amazon's television adaptation. Of course, as with any Bethesda game, players are modding it constantly, so much so that the NexusMods servers recently struggled with the influx of new players. While most mods are fan passion projects, sometimes they manage to attract the attention and support of people on the professional side of games, and Shady Motives is one of those lucky few. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Fallout 4 console commands, Fallout 4 mods, Fallout 4 System Requirements |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 9:55 AM  What are the best co-op games? Games offer up magic in lots of different guises, but working with a friend to achieve a goal is, arguably, where they shine. So what are the titles that will pull friends together and offer the best cooperative group-based thrills? The great thing about the best PC games involving co-op play is that you're not restricted to a genre. As long as there's room for two controllers on a split screen or some perfectly coordinated play over a headset, co-op games can be found among the best sandbox games, relaxing games, or even horror games. These are some of the very best co-op games for you to share with your favorite people. Continue reading The best co-op games on PC 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Borderlands 3 Shift codes, Borderlands 3 legendary weapons, Play Borderlands 3 |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 9:48 AM  A Lords of the Fallen sequel is set for 2026, and it'll be a lifetime exclusive to the Epic Games Store on PC. That means it will never come to Steam, as CI Games and Epic come to a publishing agreement for the project. Continue reading Lords of the Fallen is getting a sequel, just not on Steam MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Lords of the Fallen bosses, Lords of the Fallen review, Lords of the Fallen classes |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 9:34 AM  If you're one of the few still using Nvidia GeForce Experience, we have some good news, you haven't been forgotten! A new update has arrived for the software that has since been replaced with the Nvidia App, and it brings a wealth of new game profiles and fixes the dreaded endless driver update cycle. Whether you're using the best graphics card on the market, or still clinging to a now-defunct Nvidia GeForce GTX card, the GeForce Experience app was always the best way to keep your GPU updated. However, since the introduction of the Nvidia App, it has taken a back seat and gone without an update since November 2023, until now. Continue reading Nvidia just remembered GeForce Experience still exists MORE FROM PCGAMESN: GeForce RTX 4070 Super review, DLSS explained, Best graphics cards |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 9:05 AM  What are the best CS2 crosshairs? Choosing the perfect crosshair to suit your playstyle is no easy task. If you pick a large crosshair, you could end up blocking potential targets from your sight line. Too small and you might not be able to hit your targets from a distance. You'll want to test each crosshair type to see what works best for you. Fortunately, Deathmatch has been revamped in Counter-Strike 2, so there will be no shortage of targets for you to gun down. Picking the best crosshair and using the best CS2 binds should help you on your quest to earn the highest CS2 ranks and rating. Here are all the best CS2 crosshair codes in 2024. Continue reading Best CS2 crosshair codes list used by Counter-Strike 2 pros MORE FROM PCGAMESN: CS2 crosshair, CS2 review, CS2 skins |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 9:05 AM  Christmas has come early. Christmas 1974, to be precise, and Caz McLeary has just received an ultimatum from his wife. This domestic affair to Still Wakes the Deep is pulled straight from developer The Chinese Room's narrative playbook, and the studio's return to horror is as welcome as it is long overdue. Even its landmark releases – Dear Esther and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture – conjure up an unease analogous to a horror or thriller. However, instead of a remote Hebridean island or a quaint Shropshire village, this latest offering transports players to one of the most primordial places on Earth: the middle of the North Sea. Continue reading Still Wakes the Deep review - low on scares, big on heart MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best horror games, Best survival games, Best RPG games |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 9:41 AM  Recently, the Resident Evil 4 Remake sparked discussion around the prevalence of yellow paint in videogames. As a journalist who both reviews and guides games pre-embargo, before there's any guidance out there on how to progress, I like the bright splatters pointing me in the right direction. But for those of you who can't stand it, new indie horror game Still Wakes the Deep is going to be adding an option to reduce the amount of spilled paint markers that appear throughout your playthrough. Continue reading Still Wakes the Deep fixes the worst feature in modern gaming MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best horror games, Best survival games, Best RPG games |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 7:59 AM  Is Roblox shutting down? There always seems to be a rumor that Roblox is going to shut down. Let's get one thing clear early on: anyone who tells you that Roblox is shutting down is incorrect. Roblox Corporation has tweeted confirmation that the game isn't going anywhere, so you can relax and get back to playing your favorite games. However, if you are curious to know where this rumor originated and how it got so big, we've done a little digging to uncover one of the sources of the speculation. With Roblox achieving a lifetime revenue of over $1 billion and over $70 million in payouts to creators, it would seem utterly ludicrous for the game to shut down. While the game is still up and running, check out some of the best Roblox games and our Anime Champions codes, Blox Fruits codes, and Project Slayers codes guides to snag yourself some freebies. Continue reading Is Roblox shutting down in 2024? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 7:54 AM  What are the best skateboard games? In the past, it was tough to find a skateboarding game on PC, with the genre having its heyday during the PS2 and Xbox 360 console generations. Recently, however, the skateboarding gaming scene has seen a resurgence, with realistic skate sims making the most of the PC platform to deliver the most accurate skateboarding games yet. Nothing quite captures a moment in time like the years when skateboarding was at its mainstream peak. A mixture of creativity and aggression, skateboarding can be a true expression of style, and the best skateboarding games all manage to capture that in some form. For a niche few, these are some of the best PC games ever. All that, naturally, backed by an energetic soundtrack that seamlessly switches from thrash metal belters and pop punk fare to classic West Coast hip hop - the best skateboarding games often ooze effortless style. Continue reading The best skateboard games 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best skateboard games, Best simulation games, Best open-world games |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 7:43 AM  Despite Marvel's Avengers shutting down and Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League's dwindling player numbers, the team behind Marvel Rivals isn't worried about entering the live-service superhero market. The team-based hero shooter even has to compete with the free-to-play Overwatch 2, so we talked with the developers at NetEase and Marvel Games about where superhero games are headed, and how they're planning on making Marvel Rivals different. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Marvel Rivals release date, Marvel Rivals characters, Marvel Rivals System Requirements |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 7:26 AM  Who is on the Honkai Star Rail tier list? Judging the best Star Rail characters can be tricky. Not only is your roster subject to the whims of HoYoverse's infamous gacha mechanics, but each character's abilities are so varied that it can be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. Lucky for you, we've put each character through their paces to provide you with the definitive Honkai Star Rail tier list. When choosing the best Honkai Star Rail characters for our tier list, we've evaluated how each character excels in a variety of situations, including battling through story content, boss challenges, and alternate game modes. With more Honkai Star Rail banners on the horizon, check out the latest Honkai Star Rail codes for some free currency to pull the latest and greatest. All that said, here are our expert tier list rankings for the best Honkai Star Rail characters in the free PC game following the 2.2 update. Continue reading Honkai Star Rail tier list - best characters June 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Honkai Star Rail review, Honkai Star Rail codes, Honkai Star Rail tier list |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 7:19 AM  Want to know the best armor is in Helldivers 2? Don't let the stylish Helldivers 2 armor fool you, sometimes it's not always about looking the best on the battlefield. There are three armor weight classes, and each piece of armor has its own set of stats that you need to take into account before any mission. Picking the wrong piece of Helldivers 2 armor can make your mission much more difficult than it needs to be, so pay close attention to your options. Don't forget, this is a co-op game, so if your mates drop onto a planet wearing the wrong gear, feel free to give them a word. When you're dealing with the hardest difficulties in Helldivers 2, your choice of armor is just as important as the best Helldivers 2 stratagems. Here's what you need to know when picking the best Helldivers 2 armor. Continue reading Best Helldivers 2 armor MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Helldivers 2 weapons, Helldivers 2 stratagems, Helldivers 2 system requirements |
PCGamesN Monday, June 17, 2024 7:14 AM  When is the Light No Fire release date? The survival sandbox game was announced at The Game Awards in 2023, and it immediately caught our attention thanks to its Valheim vibes and colorful fantasy world. Developer Hello Games has been working on No Man's Sky for over a decade, so it was a welcome surprise to see co-founder Sean Murray join Geoff Keighley on stage to reveal the studio's next ambitious title. Like Valheim, Light No Fire is an exploration and building game set in an open world featuring a variety of procedurally generated biomes, enemies, and resources. Murray outlines the team's goal to create "a planet that is as varied as a universe" - and from the gameplay trailers we've seen thus far, the scale of its mountains and seas is no less vast than No Man's Sky. Murray touts Light No Fire as "the first real open world" game, so let's dig into everything we know about the release date, gameplay, and more. Continue reading Light No Fire release date estimate, trailers, and latest news |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 17, 2024 11:41 AM  Fumes has starred in a few Screenshot Saturday round-ups but this is the first time, to my knowledge, that somebody from the Treehouse has slipped behind the wheel and taken this crusty old banger for a spin. I am glad to have done so. Created by a team of four, Fumes is the Mad Max X Vigilante 8 adaptation somebody really should have made in the 90s, when the very thought of such a thing would have had me flipping tables and then sheepishly righting them again, before being sent to bed with no dinner. It's an open world combat racer with boisterous arcade handling, pop-out guns that wiggle about like hood ornaments, some kaiju-wannabe boss vehicles, a delightfully crunchy, sooty artstyle and a passably earwormy metal soundtrack. I'm not entirely convinced it has longevity beyond its impeccably scorched and dented PS1 vibes, but I definitely think you should try the demo, now that the early access version is out. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 17, 2024 10:31 AM  The perpetually scarlet-faced and jovially maladroit folk of Embracer have done their usual vaudeville comedy routine of spinning around with negative-dollar signs in their eyes and trampling on another game development studio - in this case, Pieces Interactive, creators of the recent Alone In The Dark reboot. The Swedish studio's website is now a tombstone, bearing the dates 2007-2024. Oopsy-daisy! |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 17, 2024 9:06 AM  Scottish petrochemical horror is not exactly a genre, but maybe it ought to be. From the opening moments of Still Wakes The Deep you know life on its 1970s North Sea oil rig is precarious. Leaky ceilings, busted panelling, faulty drill machinery - the omens pile up as you spend your first thirty minutes wandering through the colleague-packed canteen and over the platform into the boss' office for a severe dressing-down. It's a classic pre-disaster setup for a mostly traditional monster story, yet the game sticks expertly to the first-person horror form, and its voice actors' performances are so spot-on, that it'd feel churlish to judge this foaming fear simulator for sticking to type. It also has some markedly unsettling use of the shipping forecast, a famously dull feature of British radio I definitely did not expect to freak me out in a video game. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 17, 2024 8:15 AM  Well, shovel me timbers! Shovel Knight, the retro platformer that started it all (it all being everything from a roguelike spin-off to a Dead Cells cameo) turns 10 this month, and Yacht Club Games are releasing a ultimate edition to celebrate. Entitled the 'Shovel Of Hope DX', this definitive-me-doo bundles in the original game with old and new features like saving and rewinding, over 20 playable characters, local and online co-op, and new modes. Grab your shovel and prepare to dig for the trailer, then look foolish as you realise it's directly below this paragraph. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 17, 2024 6:17 AM  "Two's company, three's a crowd," the saying goes, unless the first two are warriors and the third one is a priest, in which case the superior proverb is surely "three's a moderately balanced squad, two's a massive liability"? Here to put such kitchen wisdom to the test is BioWare's Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which "only" allows you to bring two companions into the fray, one fewer than 2014's Dragon Age: Inquisition. It's another indication that this will be more biffy action game than thinky party-based RPG. The upside, assuming you find that last sentence disappointing, is that exploration and combat will be more "intimate", and individual characters will have more screentime to bounce off each other and flourish as personalities. All this comes care of a BioWare Discord Q&A from late last week, which you can watch in full below. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 17, 2024 5:57 AM  This once verdant ground is now wrecked by the passage of time. My terrible nemesis looms before me, inevitable and devastating. Many have fallen to it, but I will overcome. Oh, Elden Ring? I was talking about male pattern baldness. It will eventually destroy all that was once beautiful about my hairline, but at least I'll have five fancy new hairdos to pick from when the open world RPG's newest free update releases this Thursday, 20th of June. There's also some QOL tweaks to inventory management and summoning pools, but I can't wear those, can I? |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, June 17, 2024 4:59 AM  Beloved friends, hated enemies - last week, we let the side down. Due to a shortage of hands at the pump and persistent clouds of Geoff Keighley activity, there was no weekly Maw liveblog, and this has bred disaster. Shaken, stirred and finally ignited for want of two-sentence updates about Dragon Age, the Maw emitted a full 13% of its cosmo-puissance into Mundus and took a grievous bite out of the ailing and fearful lasagne of reality itself. Hated friends, beloved enemies - I am very sad to say that the proud nation of Dimplexland is no more. |
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Siliconera Monday, June 17, 2024 12:00 PM
#BLUD is a Saturday morning cartoon of a game. It's what happens if you shove EarthBound, a 2D The Legend of Zelda, Stranger Things, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer into a blender and serve it with some late 1990s Cartoon Network visuals.
You play as Becky Brewster, a girl who has moved to Carpentersville and now must navigate the difficulties of school, including making new friends. Oh, and also the social media company who set up a new office in town is summoning vampire hordes, which Becky must train to fight back against. You achieve this by collecting spells, gathering new tools such an umbrella shield and a grappling hook, and fighting off lesser vampire that wander the town at night.
Gameplay is straightforward. It's a top-down adventure game, similar to classic Zelda, but set in a modern American town. Most of the game is spent exploring, solving puzzles and fighting against enemies that range from rats to buff vampires. Occasionally you'll have to solve a dungeon, usually in the form of the school basement or an abandoned building, but the process uses most of the same mechanics as the standard exploration.
#BLUD doesn't do anything that exceptional here. It's all built around rudimentary action-adventure mechanics, but it does handle them quite well. Navigating the town of Carpentersville is a joy, as the areas are compact and filled with obvious landmarks, while a gradually unlocked fast travel system does speed things up in the late game.
Puzzles within this world are straightforward, but still tricky enough. Some challenges require you to melt ice blocks, others might ask you to search for items in a specific location, while a relatively early puzzle demands you remember your school lessons about the solar system. There are also some crystal puzzles throughout the world that reward your diligent exploration and observation with more health. These were especially exciting as the solutions were never obvious, making them feel extra rewarding to solve.
Combat also acts as kind of a puzzle. While basic enemies are simple enough to whack with Becky's hockey stick, others require more specific strategies. Some enemies need to be tired out from their combos, others need to be blocked to knock them off balance, and one enemy type requires you to physically dig it out of the ground. The different enemy varieties keep fights interesting, as you learn to juggle the ideal methods of dispatching your foes in each battle.
Where #BLUD really shines, however, is in its aesthetics. If you've seen any major Western animation in the last couple of decades, you'll see something familiar here. It mainly reminds me of the likes of Powerpuff Girls or Cow and Chicken, with highly expressive yet angular character designs. They lean into this aesthetic at every opportunity, with not just character sprites but also character portraits for speech boxes being constantly in motion. My favorite element of this Saturday morning vibe is the chapter title cards, which are stylised in a way that makes each chapter feel like the next episode of a show.
The story follows the aesthetics. The writing style is goofy, constantly playing with conventions of both video game tropes but also the horror genre as a whole. Dialogue is consistently playful, and some of the story beats are absurd (one chapter focuses on chasing a demon goat, for instance). Comedy is often a hard thing to get right in games, but #BLUD manages to nail its tone and remain genuinely funny throughout. It's also surprisingly sincere at times, with one portion of the game featuring Becky wishing she could just be normal and not a vampire-hunting badass. The writing team must be commended for how good it is.
The story also loves its social media satire, hence the hashtag in the title. Your quest list is built into a Twitter-style social network named Perch. Becky's friends will post updates, usually as hints towards your objectives, but it adds a lot of fun banter with the cast. Perch is also the primary villain of the game, as their Steve Jobs lookalike CEO has a deep desire to summon demons in order to build the ultimate metaverse. It's not the most subtle critique of modern tech companies and mostly exists as a flimsy justification to throw silly vampires at you, but it is fun. It also openly acknowledges that the company's profit motives are vague and questionable, but runs with the concept anyway.
The reliance on the cartoony presentation does harm #BLUD at times though. As the game progresses, the visual style can often get in the way of clear gameplay cues. For instance, some attack telegraphing can be hard to spot as animations can sometimes be hard to distinguish between an attack animation or just general expressiveness. The deliberately lowered frame rates can lead to you being caught off guard often, as attack timings can sometimes feel unintuitive. Some boss fights made this especially obvious, as large-scale attacks often fill the screen with little warning. There was also one especially terrible encounter involving a school bus, where the comical swerving of the bus added unpleasant lag to the controls.
The collision detection of enemy attacks gets noticeably more awkward as you progress, as the dodge roll proves ineffective in many situations. In addition, the lack of invincibility frames after getting hit would lead to me sometimes getting trapped in a dangerous spot, locking me into taking excessive damage. Not to mention enemies that would spawn, without warning, directly onto where I was standing, giving them a free hit.
Design issues start seeping in through later sections too. Some puzzle sequences are simply not fun, as they involve constantly spawning enemies that can knock your progress back while you move a block slowly across an awkward space. There's also a late game forced stealth sequence which was easy to mess up and would require you to entirely restart it with each failure.
However, many of these flaws can be overlooked simply because of how charming the game is. #BLUD has a fun story, genuine laughs and a brilliant cartoony aesthetic. While it does have some rough edges, this is a fun little adventure that's worth looking into if you think you'd click with its tone. I still think it could have had a better title though.
#BLUD releases for PCs on June 18, 2024.
The post Review: #BLUD Feels Like a Fun Saturday Morning Adventure appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, June 17, 2024 11:30 AM
Another new Shonen Jump manga debuted, and the first chapter of Yokai Buster Murakami is now live in English as well on MangaPlus and Viz Media. The mangaka is Daiki Ihara.
Yokai Buster Murakami is set in a world in which yokai are spilling into the real world and threatening people. Exorcists are tasked with sealing them away to protect folks. High school student Kuin is one of them, but also happens to be a bit of a coward. So when going on a mission to vanquish a kappa, Murakami comes along for moral support. While Murakami isn't an exorcist, he's exceptionally good at pointing out flaws and tearing down opponents by pointing out their weaknesses and obvious flaws. This, in turn, decreases the yokai spirit energy and tears them down verbally so Kuin can seal them. So, the duo head off to seal more yokai together.
While new Shonen Jump manga can often be from relatively new mangaka, Daiki Ihara is a fairly established creator. Ihara previously worked on the One Piece spin-off called Koisuru One Piece, which follows some young folks who are fan of the series and have the same first names as its characters. The mangaka also went on to create Protect Me, Shugomaru, which appeared in Japanese and English.
This is the first new Shonen Jump manga in June 2024. The last series to debut was Psych House. It started its run in May 2024.
The first chapter of the Yokai Buster Murakami manga is now live, and the second will appear on June 23, 2024.
The post New Shonen Jump Manga Called Yokai Buster Murakami appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, June 17, 2024 11:00 AM
Aniplex shared a new teaser trailer for Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Magia Exedra. It reveals a general gist of the story and gameplay system in the new mobile game, which is being worked on by Pokelabo and f4samurai.
The trailer reveals that the new game's storyline will revolve around the player collecting memories of the franchise's key characters in the form of light and giving them back to the mysterious girl who had lost all of her memories. The game will also feature the "Lightstand Theater" as a key location that will light up the memories amid darkness.
The new teaser trailer for Magia Exedra is available to view on Aniplex's Japanese YouTube channel. The video is also watchable in countries other than Japan.
Magia Exedra is slated to replace Magia Record, which launched in 2017. However, Aniplex would not get the new game ready for release by the time it shuts down the latter in July 2024. It will thus provide unique serial codes for Japanese Magia Record players to carry over their data to Magia Exedra via the offline archive app that will be available until October 14, 2024.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Magia Exedra will be available for mobile devices in Japan in 2024.
The post Madoka Magica: Magia Exedra Teaser Trailer Published appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, June 17, 2024 10:30 AM
While the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, FFXIV, and FFXVI shirts already showed up in Uniqlo stores in Japan, it is now confirmed they'll launch in North America on June 26, 2024. It debuted in Japanese stores on June 16, 2024 alongside official art of Alisaie Leveilleur and G'raha Tia in the shirts.
The official English site for the crossover isn't available, but we know from the Japanese release that seven unisex shirts will appear. The two FFXIV ones feature a final fight as well as icons like Alpha the Chocobo, a Moogle, and Fat Cat tumbling into a person's pocket. The two FFXVI shirts show Torgal and the Eikons. All of the rest feature Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Yoshitaka Amano art.
Here is the official announcement for the Uniqlo Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, FFXIV, and FFXVI shirts' US release. The first image in the gallery is the FFXVI shirt with the Eikons. It has Joshua's Phoenix pinion on the front. The second is one of the FFXIV designs. The third has art of Terra from FFVI. Finally, the fourth one shows Torgal with the words, "Escape this fate that we might one day look upon the moon again together."
Finally, here is the official art for the promotion of Alisaie and G'raha Tia. The shirt G'raha wears sold out in Japan.
Uniqlo has sold shirts from the series before. There were general Final Fantasy series shirts in 2022 for the 35th anniversary, for example.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, FFXIV, and FFXVI Uniqlo shirts debut outside Japan on June 26, 2024. They are already available in Japan. FFXIV is on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. FFXVI is available on the PS5 and will head to the PC. Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games are on the Switch, PS4, PC, and mobile devices.
The post Uniqlo FFXIV, FFXVI, and Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Shirts Head to US appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, June 17, 2024 10:00 AM
As expected, the next Nintendo Direct is now set for 7am PT/10am ET/4pm CET on June 18, 2024, and it will discuss new Switch games. This falls in line with years of reveals, going all the way back to when these showcases would appear alongside E3.
This will be about a 40 minute presentation, which people can catch on YouTube or by visiting the official Nintendo Direct site. It's the first one since the February 2024 Partner Showcase. The focus this time is entirely on Nintendo Switch games launching in 2024. It also comes after multiple Summer Game Fest 2024 showcases from companies like Sony and Microsoft.
While we did know the June 2024 Nintendo Direct was on the way, thanks to an official announcement on social media, we also knew that something wouldn't happen during it. Nintendo already confirmed the Switch 2, a successor to the current console, won't appear at the showcase. It will be announced later this fiscal year.
In addition to this presentation, there will soon be a way to see new Nintendo Switch games in person. The 2024 Play Nintendo Tour also started running in malls in the US. That kicked off in Salt Lake City on June 13, 2024.
The new Nintendo Direct will appear on June 18, 2024.
The post June 2024 Nintendo Direct Appears This Week appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, June 17, 2024 9:30 AM
Cover has published more details about Hololive Official Card Game, including its release date. After previously teasing the trading card game in April 2024, the company will start formally releasing it on September 20, 2024.
In this new card game, the player will act as a producer and fan who is tasked to set up a stage for the Vtubers to perform while sending cheering yells to support them and make them outshine the competing side.
Cards in this game will be available in the following four categories:
The first starter deck for this card game will feature Tokino Sora and AZKi as the two available Oshi HoloMem cards. It will also consist of 20 Yell cards and 50 more cards from the HoloMem and Support categories that will complete the basic deck. This set will cost 1,980 yen (~$12.55).
Cover will also sell the first booster pack set "Blooming Radiance" at the same time. A pack will cost 440 yen (~$2.80), and the set will have a total of 133 cards. This number only counts cards with unique effects, but there will also be Parallel versions of the cards with alternative illustrations or glittering effects.
The company has also provided a list of talent Vtubers who will appear in this booster pack:
Regular HoloMem Cards (Each Vtuber listed here will have around 3-6 cards modeled after them)
Spot HoloMem Cards (Each Vtuber listed here will only have a single non-elemental card)
The first starter deck and booster packs for Hololive Official Card Game will be available on September 20, 2024.
The post Hololive Official Card Game Release Date and First Cards Shown appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, June 17, 2024 9:00 AM
Masahiro Sakurai has revealed on his X account that he has finished recording the final episode for his YouTube channel "Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games." However, it will still take quite some time until this episode comes out, as Sakurai still has other regular episodes coming beforehand.
Sakurai's plan to end the video series has been known for quite a while. He first announced it in early January 2024. 2024 will thus be the final year for him to publish new episodes on the channel.
The original Japanese tweet is available to view right below:
And our translation of this tweet is as follows:
Masahiro Sakurai established the YouTube channel in late August 2022. He has since published new episodes simultaneously in Japanese and English. As of June 2024, the channel has a combined total of almost 1.18 million subscribers, with around 580,000 from the English channel and almost 600,000 from the Japanese channel.
The channel has also received acclaim from the gaming industry. In August 2023, Sakurai received two awards at the CEDEC Awards 2023 for running the YouTube channel. The awards in question were the Game Design award and the Visual Arts award.
The "Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games" YouTube channel is available in Japanese and English languages, and its final episode will appear sometime in 2024.
The post Masahiro Sakurai Recorded His Final YouTube Channel Episode appeared first on Siliconera. |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, June 17, 2024 11:06 AM  Let's face it, you'll spend hours just trying to make your main character in this Pathfinder game. Here's our Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous guide to help you with the best races to choose from when you create your character. The best races to choose from in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Here are my recommendations for the best races to choose for your main character in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. I've also added details regarding the new races added in this sequel. However, some options won't be included here as they're underwhelming or I wasn't too keen on trying them out. Humans Screenshot: PC Invasion I believe humans are one of the best races in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. No, it's not just because of favoritism since we're all humans after all. Rather, it's due to several important factors: +2 to an ability score at character creation +1 skill point each level up Bonus fe... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Monday, June 17, 2024 10:09 AM  The Solar subclass is perfect for Guardians who want to see their foes explode while staying safe with Radiance. You're spoiled for choice, so here are the 9 best Solar builds in Destiny 2 for Warlock, Hunter, and Titan. The best Solar Builds in Destiny 2 The Final Shape You'll find a build to suit any Solar playstyle in this guide, but here's a summary of what to expect: Warlock Speaker's Sight build Phoenix Protocol build Sunbreaker build Hunter Celestial Nighthawk build Blade Barrage build Golden Gun build Titan Precious Scars build Synthoceps build Pyrogale Gauntlets build 3 Best Warlock Solar builds in Destiny 2 Screenshot: PC Invasion Our selection of Warlock builds are in no particular order but fulfill a broad range of playstyles from heavy offense to support roles. No other Class in the game fills that support niche like a Warlock, so let's start with an exciting build enabled by a Final Shape E... |
MonsterVine Monday, June 17, 2024 10:00 AM Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is an action RPG with elements of the souls-like genre developed by A44 Games. The game unfolds in a dark fantasy realm where gods and their undead armies wreak havoc upon the world. The game presents an intriguing clash between divine forces and firearms as players engage in intense combat […] |