PCGamesN Sunday, June 30, 2024 1:26 PM  When you're playing Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree in co-op, there's one mod you absolutely need to have downloaded. Simple in concept, it trims the fat around multiplayer in FromSoftware's magnum opus. So instead of struggling against the co-op systems already in the game, playing with friends becomes a coherent experience. Shadow of the Erdtree might have broken it, but you can once again use this must-have mod while playing the incredible DLC. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Elden Ring builds, Elden Ring bosses, Elden Ring weapons |
PCGamesN Sunday, June 30, 2024 12:37 PM  Everyone wants what they can't have. Knowing something is out of reach always makes it more desirable, and videogames are no exception. Beyond Good and Evil 2, the full launch of Star Citizen, and even the fabled Half-Life 3. If there's any chance we'll get it, we want it. The sequel to 2011's Alice Madness Returns is one such game, and while director American McGee says his part is done, he has a message for EA: "The roadmap is waiting." Continue reading American McGee tells EA the "roadmap is waiting" on an Alice sequel MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best single-player games, Upcoming PC games, Best story games |
PCGamesN Sunday, June 30, 2024 10:25 AM  Despite the many comparisons to Pokemon, perhaps the biggest surprise about Palworld is just how different it is. Despite its similar selection of cute critters to catch, employ, and take into battle, the open-world survival game isn't actually anything like the Nintendo RPG series. Nevertheless, developer Pocketpair's new Palworld animation leaves me wondering if a full show could be in the works. Continue reading New Palworld animation celebrates its Sakurajima update success MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld bosses, Palworld map, Palworld settings |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Sunday, June 30, 2024 11:00 AM  Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week - our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! Words are amazing, aren't they? I once put in a cover letter to a creative writing university course that I'd "even invented several of my own words" before my mate talked me down from it. Spoilsport. This week, it's the creative director of Dread Delusion, maker of The Night is Darkening, and Lovely Hellplace director, James Wragg! Cheers James! Mind if we have a nose at your bookshelf? |
Siliconera Sunday, June 30, 2024 3:00 PM
The Nitro Deck+, from Embracer-owned outfit CRKD, follows up on the original Deck, a popular controller option for the Switch. That one-piece Joy-Con replacement sported Hall Effect sticks, a more Steam Deck-like form factor, and a whole line of aesthetics for style or nostalgia. We took a look at that first model, but now CRKD is looking to address a few shortcomings with this new revision.
Let's start by talking about the new controls! The Nitro Deck+ swaps the position of the thumbsticks, using a symmetrical layout. It was apparently a big request, but ultimately it's a matter of choice. It's true that many games prioritize analog control and all the extra programmable buttons are there to let you keep thumbs on sticks at all times, but also this change deviates from the Switch's default scheme and could result in some weirdness. The Switch's base configuration gives players some latitude to hold it in different ways, letting you position your hands to be comfortable with buttons regardless of scheme or hand size. The Nitro Deck+ wants you to hold it one specific way, and that's higher up than you'd like when you need to use the D-pad and face buttons.
There are two new inputs, which CRKD dubs "sidekick buttons," to the side of the analog sticks. There may be a use for them, in addition to the four paddles on the back, and that mobile app does let you remap them as you wish. Honestly, we thought we'd have trouble finding a use case for the new side buttons! They're in a weird position, and they don't make much sense during action. But combined with the stick swap on the right and the Nitro Deck's general heft, we found it comfortable to use them to button through menus and prompts between bouts of action.
While testing this, we've also been working on our Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble review, and it's been a great test of control precision. For context, we've otherwise been using a Switch Lite and a Pro Controller, both with a few years of use, so it may not be entirely fair to the others to compare. That said, the Nitro Deck+'s buttons also feel stiff in a way that could perhaps use some breaking in, so maybe things balance out in the end. Still, even without fiddling with the app settings, the Deck+ offered more precise and granular control and made navigating boards marginally, but noticeably, easier.
About half the inputs – A, B, X, Y, ZL, ZR and the menu buttons – are glossy, while the D-pad, bumpers and extra keys are matte. This is a preference thing, for sure, but we're a fan of matte for long-term use. It's certainly a bit peculiar to see the device split the difference like this. It was also like this in the first model, so it's something CRKD has committed to doing.
The Bluetooth function added in this new version may not be what you expect. It's not going to allow you to use it as a proper Pro Controller, sitting separate from the console, likely in the event you needed another pad for multiplayer. There's no internal battery, so you can use it, but you'll need to plug in with a cable. What it does, though, is allow you connect it to the company's app. This is for firmware updates and customizing the control mapping, and with so many extra buttons, that easier remapping might be nice. (There are also instructions for remapping the buttons without the app in the online manual, which reminded us of the good old universal TV remote days.)
Our experience with the app was a bit shaky — it would lose connection with the device fairly quickly — but it functioned for remapping the inputs. Of course, to get there, you have to push through the company's near-insufferable "collection" strategy, registering your device to an account and either capturing your "reaction" to your device's serial number or saying no to about 12 system prompts trying to access your microphone and camera. Oofa doofa, this is a choice.
The Nitro Deck+ also adds a "docked mode," which again might come with some caveats. You'll need a USB-C-to-HDMI adapter, which the company sells separately. And you theoretically can continue to use the controls while you do it? But that's really going to depend on your cable length. The HDMI and power cables need to be plugged in at all times, so that doesn't seem ideal. And in our testing, even when we nestled right up to the screen, minor hand movements would jostle the cables and briefly lose connection.
In practicality, we'd really call it more of "dock mode." Doubling as a dock replacement, either so you can keep the Nitro Deck+ assembled or so you can plug up to a secondary display without buying another first-party one, could be useful! But in those cases, we'd probably still recommend using a different controller. The more robust kickstand on the back of the unit is a significant help for such a use case, too.
There's also an eject button now? It doesn't push the system out of the Deck in the way you'd want, but it's possible that wasn't something they could engineer. Instead, it's a latch you pull to make it hold onto the Switch less firmly, so it can keep its snug fit and help you get the system out when needed too. Since the device just plugs in to the USB-C port and functions like a wired Pro Controller instead of clicking into the Joy-Con rails, it's likely that CRKD had to come up with some scheme like this to be more secure.
The aesthetic choices of the Nitro Deck+ are a bit "where do we go from here," after all the choice options of the first model. There are two colors available for the new device at launch, with our review unit sporting a clear white front, solid white back and black buttons. The bases of the analog sticks are also metallic purple, for some reason? These choices could absolutely work for you, but they're not the home run of the nostalgia-bait ones or the safe one-color offerings.
There are benefits to CRKD's approach, but it does come at a cost: weight. It's comfortable for a while, but having spent so much time in recent years with the Switch Lite, it's become a great platform for longer sessions. Whether it's the Steam Deck or the Ayaneo Slide, a heavier portable has remained in our rotation! And this feels a lot like those, with good grip and larger controls. But our wrists often give out before the battery does. If you're playing a game that puts more focus on the face buttons, you'll need to use a grip that makes the device more top-heavy, compounding the effect a bit.
The CRKD Nitro Deck+ is available through the company's site for $69.99, or a bundle including the HDMI adapter for $10 more. For more on the Nitro Deck line of accessories, check out our look at the original model.
The post CRKD Nitro Deck+ Brings New Features. Is It Worth It? appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Sunday, June 30, 2024 1:30 PM
Hyte has announced a new collaboration with Honkai: Star Rail, selling a Silver Wolf version of its Hyte Y70 case, keycap set, and a desk pad. Pre-orders for these items are now open and you'll be able to get them in late August 2024.
Here are the prices for everything:
The desk pad on its own is an Anime Expo exclusive. As for the Silver Wolf case bundle, it'll come with a fan shroud kit, a bubble gum chibi graffiti, a light blue and lavender trim, and a custom backlit power button. It features art from both her pull art (which also appears when you use her Ultimate) and the promotional art for Honkai: Star Rail Version 1.1. These products are on a first come, first serve basis. So if you're interested in one, it would behoove you to put in your pre-orders early.
Silver Wolf isn't only getting the spotlight from Hyte. She and Acheron are also the stars of two jackets from M.Rage. You'll be able to test these out at Anime Expo as well. Though she is part of the Stellaron Hunter, Silver Wolf is not as major a character to the overarching lore as Kafka or Firefly. Her popularity (such as also starring on Samsung Galaxy S24) likely stems from her design and gamer girl aesthetic, as well as her usefulness in the early patches of the game.
Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. The Silver Wolf collection from Hyte are open for pre-order now.
The post Hyte Reveals Honkai: Star Rail Silver Wolf Y70 Case appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Sunday, June 30, 2024 12:00 PM
When you first get Rolling Hills: Make Sushi, Make Friends, that title is not kidding; you truly spend your time in Rolling Hills making friends and making sushi. Despite its simple gameplay loop and plot, Rolling Hills is a relaxing game that finally made me understand the appeal of the so-called "cozy" genre.
The game Rolling Hills follows Sushi Bot, a sushi-making robot, who moves to the titular town of Rolling Hills. It's kind of an obscure place, but the residents hope the novelty of a sushi-making robot can revitalize the town. As you play through the story, you meet lots of newcomers to town, as well as learn that there's a curse over Rolling Hills, dooming it to obscurity. Well, that's not good! With the help of the citizens, you work together to complete several rituals to lift this curse and put Rolling Hills back onto the map. At its heart, it's a story about community. The writing is very simple and it wears its themes on its sleeve. But complexity doesn't always make a story better and Rolling Hills is testament to that.
Rolling Hills: Make Sushi, Make Friends has a very addicting gameplay loop. I often found myself thinking that I wanted to go in and make some sushi for a bit to unwind after work in real life. Each day is fairly short, as there's not much to do in the game. Every day, you can purchase items from the various characters around town, spend some time with them in the cafe, and then it's back to the grind. Meal service lasts about three rounds, but customers tend to only eat three plates of food before they leave. Because of how short and bite-sized each day is, it was pretty easy to play for hours on end without realizing it.
As for the meal service portion, Sushi Bot is not actually making any sushi. Another robot is, making several plates at once and then putting them all out on a conveyor belt. Sushi Bot's job is closer to that of a waiter. When a customer comes in, they order a flavor, along with a quality. For example, they might want a Veggie dish with a quality of 5. Your job then is to find a corresponding dish and give it to them.
If there aren't any dishes that match the customer's description, you can either bite the bullet and give them another one that'll net you less stars, or you can restock the conveyor belt. Truth be told, I've given a customer a meal under the quality they wanted, or a meal that was the right quality level but a different flavor. There's no real downside to this, as far as I could tell, outside of the customer giving you less stars for that meal. They pay when they walk in and bad reviews don't give you less foot traffic. I suppose this was a way to keep the game from being too frustrating.
As you level up your restaurant level, you have to start juggling more than just orders. Customers can fall asleep or take flash photography of Sushi Bot (which can stun him). I understand customers complaining about dirty tables, but some customers give me a bad review if I don't wake them up when they fall asleep at the table and they leave early. It's hilarious because they really don't need to. Sushi Bot doesn't chase them out or anything. I assume it's like an all-you-can-eat or buffet where there's a time limit (especially since customers in Rolling Hills pay at the door). But the image of someone writing a bad review on Yelp even though they were the ones who fell asleep at the restaurant is so funny to me. It's ridiculous, but I can definitely see people raising such an absurd complaint in real life.
These recent years, "cozy" games have become something like the "soulslike" genre. A lot of companies sell their games as a "cozy" one, even if it's not. Rolling Hills really did feel like a cozy game though, in the actual meaning of the term. Everyone in town is very nice and sweet, the game doesn't punish you for your failures, and there aren't very high stakes. Stardew Valley, for example, is a pretty famous cozy game, but the unerring passage of time can make it a little stressful. I always want to make my money's worth when it comes to both profit and harvest. Animal Crossing too sometimes became less than cozy due to mechanics like flower breeding and island creation. In that sense, the game's simplicity and lack of a calendar system made it easy to just focus on making sushi every day.
For all the praise I heap on Rolling Hills, it does have its share of minor issues. This is a personal preference, but I don't like the method of resetting your conveyor belt. It looks like the sushi disappear into space, so it's not as if Sushi Bot trashes them. However, it still feels a little bad to see perfectly good sushi going to waste like that, especially if an entire conveyor belt of sushi has to go due to customer demand. I know it's not real, but it's still bad to see in the early levels when there's more time to hang around and zone out.
As well, after meeting Gibson, you can unlock a little helper robot. Even after leveling up Gibson's friendship, the robot is more a hindrance than anything. It's supposed to help Sushi Bot by cleaning and upgrading furniture around the restaurant. But it's too slow to get at tables before customers complain (meaning it's easier for me to manually take care of it) and it can block both Sushi Bot and the customers' paths. I wish I could sell it for scraps.
Rolling Hills: Make Sushi, Make Friends is a sweet and cute game with an easy gameplay loop that keeps me coming back for more. With all the customization options, as well as so many different recipes to max out, there's quite a lot to do even if you're not interested in the story. Just make sure you have the number of your local sushi shop on speed dial! You're going to want a plate of nigiri or two while playing this game.
Rolling Hills is readily available on the Xbox One and Windows PC. Windows PC version reviewed.
The post Review: Rolling Hills Is a Sweet, Relaxing Way to Unwind appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Sunday, June 30, 2024 10:30 AM
iFace will release six variations of Kirby iPhone cases. They're available for purchase now and cost 4180 JPY ($26) each. [Thanks, Game Watch!]
The Kirby iFace First Class iPhone cases from Hamee feature Kirby and Waddle Dee. Some cases feature patterns with them, some feature their faces, and some others focus on the game titles. You can also get ring holders and iFace First Class Airpods cases. While the Airpods Pro cases only have Kirby and Waddle Dee again, the ring holders also include Meta Knight and the Maxim Tomato. The Airpods cases cost 3300 JPY ($20.50) each and the ring holders cost 2420 JPY ($15.05) each.
You can get these items from iFace. As well, if you purchase it from the iFace official website or the iFace Lab, you'll be able to get a limited edition original sticker. It features a retro 8-bit style Kirby with stars around him and the word "Invincible" above his head. This promotion will run until August 31, 2024 and you'll need to make a minimum purchase of 3500 JPY.
The iFace Kirby smartphone accessories are available to purchase from iFace. However, it doesn't look like you can order these items directly from the iFace website if you live outside of Japan.
The post Kirby iPhone Cases Star Him and Waddle Dee appeared first on Siliconera. |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Sunday, June 30, 2024 1:37 PM  Updated June 30, 2024: We added new codes. This is not just another tower-defense game. It is one of the most challenging Roblox experiences—right from the first wave. Place, rotate, sell, and move your units to different locations during the battle to save your base. If you struggle, use Anime Defenders codes! All Anime Defenders codes list Anime Defenders codes (Working) summertime — 800 Gems (New) idk — 750 Gems (New) update2 — 500 Gems sub2karizmaqt — 50 Gems wsindach4ht — 250 Gems sorry4delay — 250 Gems thanks400k — 1,000 Gems dayum100m — 500 Gems sub2mozking — 50 Gems sub2nagblox — 50 Gems sub2jonaslyz — 50 Gems sub2riktime — 50 Gems sub2toadboigaming — 50 Gems raidsarecool — 250 Gems adontop — 250 Gems subcool — 50 Gems Anime Defenders codes (Expired) MEMBEREREBREWRERES thanks500k 200kholymoly release2024 Related: Creatures of Sonaria codes and Type Sou... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Sunday, June 30, 2024 1:09 PM  Updated June 30, 2024: We added new codes! Admin RNG offers a virtual playground where you can test all sorts of commands and roleplay as an admin of your very own server. Roll to unlock as many commands as you can and redeem Admin RNG codes to increase your chances of getting the best in-game commands! All Admin RNG codes list Admin RNG codes (Active) UPDATE1111 – 2 Super Spins (New) 6KLIKES – Super Spin (New) 3kLikes! – Luck Potion (New) Admin RNG codes (Expired) 1kLikes! 2kLikes! Related: Dungeon RNG codes and Unknown RNG codes How to redeem codes in Admin RNG By following our guide below, you'll redeem your Admin RNG codes in less than a minute: Image by PC Invasion Join the Admin RNG Roblox group. Launch Admin RNG on Roblox. Click the cogwheel icon (1) on the left to open the settings menu. Type in your code into the Code here text box (2). Press Enter on your keyboard to claim your rewards. Get... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Sunday, June 30, 2024 10:41 AM  Updated June 30, 2024: We added new codes. A giant snowstorm is threatening everyone, so it's essential to grab resources and create a camp to ensure survival. Days will get colder, so it's good that you can redeem Whiteout Survival codes and get handy goodies to avoid freezing to death. All Whiteout Survival codes list Active Whiteout Survival codes G4ERApVZ4 — Redeem for free rewards (New) ZwB2BnwX2 — 100 Gems, 2 Platinum Keys, 2 100 VIP XP, 10 Chief Stamina, and 1 Gold Key (New) Expired Whiteout Survival codes dragonboat24 DC780k 7J9k5L FB1M500k 3b9G7P pV1XlA4ve Happykid61 familyday24 Discord800K bestdad2024 THANKSMOM24 a7F9 nVJlqAwm0 RAMADAN2024 2G7k9H HappyS1000 847dPBVex Related: Dread Camp codes and Highschool Hoops codes How to redeem codes for Whiteout Survival Here is a tutorial on how to redeem Whiteout Survival codes properly: Image by PC Invasion Launch Whiteout Survi... |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Sunday, June 30, 2024 3:46 PM Several new details. The post Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II Additional Details Revealed appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Sunday, June 30, 2024 3:20 PM Via a FAQ. The post Alan Wake 2: Lake House Expansion and Physical Deluxe Edition Release Dates Announced appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
iDev Games Feed Sunday, June 30, 2024 1:31 PM Run, jump, slide, rush, and surf through various obstacles! Make your way through temples, exotic landscapes, bridges, and subways while you collect precious ge... |