Aug 20, 08:00


PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 7:50 AM
     Controversial FPS Payday 3 continues the comeback with new yearly high

I'm not going to oversell it - I'm not saying the work is done or that we're anywhere close. But after a seriously troubled launch in September of last year, the controversial Payday 3 seems to be on a correctional course, and recent metrics suggest a comeback may actually be possible. Cyberpunk 2077 did it. No Man's Sky pulled it off. Thanks to the new Payday 3 update, Starbreeze, too, may be able to find some redemption. They may be subtle, but the signs are there - on Steam at least, Payday 3 seems to be slowly recovering.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 7:40 AM
     All Black Myth Wukong Spirit locations

What are the best Spirits in Black Myth: Wukong? One of the rewards you can obtain from beating the many bosses in Black Myth Wukong is a Spirit. Spirits are a form you can temporarily shapeshift into, to use their unique abilities or spells. Spirits can be activated once their corresponding Qi meter is charged. Only one Spirit can be used at a time, and those obtained from bosses cost more Qi, but have stronger effects. You'll also have benefits to your statistics just from having the Spirit equipped.

Choosing the correct Spirit is as important as choosing the best Black Myth: Wukong weapons or the best Black Myth: Wukong armor. When timed correctly, they can inflict huge damage and other ailments to foes, giving you the edge in battle. Here are all of the Black Myth: Wukong spirits, the best ones to choose, and where to find them.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Black Myth Wukong bosses, Black Myth Wukong abilities, Black Myth Wukong weapons

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 7:33 AM
     Snag Slay the Spire, FTL, and more excellent roguelikes dirt cheap

Despite a set of stalwart mechanics, the roguelike genre is an incredibly diverse one. Permadeath, procedural generation, and a power creep of new abilities and equipment can be found in almost every spin on the genre, but there's so much more to it than that. Inscryption bakes the mechanics into the narrative, Slay the Spire was a spinoff into deckbuilding, and FTL pits you against an unpredictable galaxy. There are so many roguelikes that you undoubtedly missed some, so this new Humble sale is filled to the brim with them - take your pick.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 7:33 AM
     Valve just condemned Razer's Snap Tap in huge CS2 update

August 20, 2024 Razer has provided the following comment to PCGN on the banning of Snap Tap in CS2: "We have noted inquiries regarding the Razer Snap Tap feature on our Huntsman V3 Pro line of gaming keyboards. Razer Snap Tap is disabled by default. Users who opt to activate this feature can disable it any time through Razer Synapse or by using a simple hotkey combination, FN + Left Shift. Razer is committed to innovation that enhances gaming performance while also allowing gamers to comply with the rules of each game."

Valve is laying down the law with the advancement in keyboard inputs, slamming input-automation features, and even going so far as to name Snap Tap as an example. In a major blog post, Valve stops short of threatening a ban for CS2 players, instead warning that matches may be interrupted if the feature is left on.

Some of the best gaming keyboards now come with this new input technology, and while Snap Tap is Razer's version of this, it isn't the only one that has been blacklisted by Valve. Wooting's Rappy Snappy is also on the chopping block, and this move sets a concerning precedent for other competitive shooters to follow.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 7:20 AM
     The best new PC games 2024

What are the best new PC games in 2024? Perhaps you've just been paid, your bank account is filled with virtual dosh, or you simply want to get caught up with the latest PC games because they're, well, new and shiny.

As much as we love firing up our old favorites, there are loads of new PC games that deserve some attention, too. To keep you in the know, we've got the definitive list of the best PC games that have been released recently, from big-budget RPG games to indie strategy games. Whatever you're into, stay up to date with all the latest and greatest releases right here on PCGamesN.

Continue reading The best new PC games 2024
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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 7:14 AM
     Mouse PI For Hire - Mouse release date estimate, trailers, and news

When is the Mouse release date? We love an FPS here at PCGamesN, and there's nothing we like more than something new and unique. Mouse ticks all our boxes, then, with black-and-white, 1930s cartoon style graphics in a noir-themed boomer shooter, in which you play as a badass mouse PI.

Set to be one of the best upcoming indie games, Mouse takes what we love about FPS games - gratifying guns, satisfying head pops, and characterful enemies - and gives them a Popeye meets Cuphead style twist. Of course we want to know how soon we can get our hands on it, and we're sure you do too, so here's everything we know about the Mouse PI For Hire release date and what it brings.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 7:34 AM
     Best Black Myth Wukong skills - all abilities to unlock first

What are the best Black Myth Wukong skills? Game Science's action game has a plethora of abilities for the Destined One to use on his journey, and it can be difficult to know which skills to unlock first.

While Black Myth Wukong demands fast reflexes, the best skills make all the difference between victory and defeat against Black Myth Wukong bosses. However, some are more situational than others, so we've tested each skill extensively to bring you the best abilities to carry with you from beginning to end. If you've already spent all your sparks in the action-adventure game, don't panic – you can always perform a Black Myth Wukong respec to reset your build.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Black Myth Wukong bosses, Black Myth Wukong abilities, Black Myth Wukong weapons

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 6:59 AM
     The 35 best Minecraft texture packs August 2024

What are the best Minecraft texture packs? These colorful and game-altering texture packs can make your world a new experience. Of course, Minecraft's low-fi charm is part of the draw, but texture packs range from subtle changes to an all-over reskin, so you can choose just how much you want to leave vanilla Minecraft behind. We've scoured and tried a bunch of different packs to be able to recommend the very best.

Just like the best Minecraft mods and shaders, texture packs can help give an entirely new feel to one of the best PC games of the last decade, and it's just one of many ways of keeping the sandbox game feeling fresh after all these years. While some mods can alter Minecraft gameplay, and shaders change the quality and style of the graphics, texture packs allow you to add a new skin to existing blocks. Included in our list of the best Minecraft texture packs are realistic blocks, cartoonish overhauls, and cute changes to the way Minecraft mobs look.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 6:42 AM
     Escape From Tarkov patch revamps iconic map and adds a weird new boss

These aren't quite the Escape From Tarkov patch notes for which we might have been hoping - some of the optimizations and general fixes that the extraction FPS sorely needs are not in here - but BSG nevertheless bundles some seriously compelling additions in EFT 0.15. After the debacle with the Unheard Edition, the next Escape From Tarkov wipe is finally upon us, and with it come a total overhaul to the original Factory map, a new boss, significant changes to AI behaviour, and a mysterious new karma system that punishes certain actions and rewards others - though Battlestate is being coy with precisely how that works.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 6:49 AM
     All Star Wars Outlaws planets and locations

Which planets are in Star Wars Outlaws? As you might expect from an open-world Star Wars game, Outlaws takes us on a massive adventure across the galaxy, with multiple accessible planets filled with bandits, bounty hunters, and thrilling space adventures.

Among the explorable planets in Star Wars Outlaws are many of the most well-known and recognizable planets from the franchise. Others are completely new, so you can get your fill of both nostalgic easter eggs and brand-new experiences in the RPG game. Ahead of the Star Wars Outlaws release date, we've compiled this list all of the planets and key locations we know of so far.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 6:36 AM
     Final Fantasy XVI is rough on Steam Deck, but it has potential

A surprise demo just dropped for Final Fantasy XVI on PC, and I couldn't help but download it on my Steam Deck to see what shape the game is in. I'll be honest: it's not great, but with a little bit of dedicated optimization, it will earn Steam Deck Verification.

Despite being the best handheld gaming PC, the Steam Deck is now struggling against many of its rivals in terms of power. The Asus ROG Ally X vastly outperforms Valve's portable, but it also comes at a considerably higher MSRP. In games like Final Fantasy XVI, the power gap becomes painfully clear, but it's not all doom and gloom for the Deck.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 6:40 AM
     Which League of Legends skins are currently on sale?

Which League of Legends skins are currently on sale in the store? LoL is a free-to-play game in the truest sense - you can enjoy everything the MOBA offers for absolutely nothing. Now if you were to ask a seasoned League player if that were true, they'd probably have to stifle a few tears as they check how much their bank account has suffered buying skins since they started battling on the Rift.

Riot rotates a series of skins in the store, with the savviest of us holding out until the cosmetic they want ends up in the discount section store or even the League of Legends Mythic shop. The shiny new cosmetics are only available briefly, so act fast if you want to snag the new hotness. Here is every League of Legends skin on sale right now if you want to know what's in the store without booting up the client.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 6:24 AM
     Upcoming PC games 2024 and beyond

Which games are coming out in 2024? 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, and 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.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 6:25 AM
     League of Legends Mythic shop August - what's on sale now?

What's on sale in the League of Legends Mythic shop? New skins for LoL are released all the time, with a new event arriving on the Rift every few weeks, but what happens if you missed the boat with that awesome KD/A Evelynn skin, or if you've seen a Hextech skin in a game of Summoner's Rift and want to bag it for yourself?

The Mythic shop is a special storefront in the free PC game that stocks rare skins, wards, chromas, and essence. These cosmetic items aren't available for real-world money, either, as they can only be purchased with Mythic Essence, so no more worrying about how much you've spent in League of Legends. The stock held in this store is rotated regularly, with some skins becoming unavailable for months, so it's best to keep up to date on what's on sale in the League of Legends Mythic store.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 6:10 AM
     In just one hour, Black Myth Wukong has smashed every other Steam game

Within hours of launch, Black Myth Wukong has the biggest Steam single-player concurrents ever, and the most players of any game on Valve's platform. Game Science's action RPG is currently beating out the ever-present Counter-Strike 2, with well over one million players jumping on it within an hour of launch. It's unclear if Black Myth Wukong can beat 2024 megahit Palworld, with the player count plateauing over the last few hours, but it's certainly getting close.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Black Myth Wukong bosses, Black Myth Wukong abilities, Black Myth Wukong weapons

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 7:54 AM
     Diablo 4 Season 5 end date and Season 6 release date

When does Diablo 4 Season 6 release? A much-loved feature from Diablo 3 makes its return in D4 with the (re)introduction of seasons, adding everything from new questlines to items, gameplay mechanics, and more. Expanding on the rich, gothic world of Sanctuary, Blizzard makes sure players have plenty to sink their teeth into, whether you're a fresh-faced player taking their first steps into Sanctuary or a grizzled veteran of the Burning Hells.

Just like every other seasonal event, expect Season 6 to add a whole bunch of new content to explore in Blizzard's action RPG game, no matter whether you're a level 100 player who's been around since the Diablo 4 release date or someone who is considering jumping into the game now it's on Game Pass.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 5:45 AM
     The 47 best Minecraft seeds for 1.21 August 2024

What are the best Minecraft seeds for 1.21? In essence, seeds are codes that Minecraft uses to generate worlds for you. With the right seed, you can live your every fantasy in this amazing game, like easy-access strongholds for speedrunning, beautiful landscapes for building, or rare structures for looting. Given the infinite nature of Minecraft seeds, we've scoured the internet and tested our own to find the coolest and most demanded seeds.

You can leave your world generation completely up to fate, but if you're unlucky, you could spend hours looking for a Minecraft village, an ancient city, desert temples, or whatever else you want to experience in the sandbox game. So that you don't waste time exploring a bad seed, we've built this comprehensive list of 46 cool Minecraft seeds. Unless otherwise stated, these seeds work for Minecraft Java version 1.21, so make sure your Minecraft launcher is set up for version 1.21 before heading into the game, or you may get different results. You can use these seeds in Bedrock edition thanks to parity, but some structures may differ.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 7:10 AM
     A list of all Sims 4 cheats

How do you use The Sims 4 cheats on PC? Whether you're after that all-important Sims 4 money cheat for some extra Simoleans, we've listed heaps of handy shortcuts to make the lives of your virtual family more manageable. In this guide, we'll let you know all of the Sims 4 cheats, and more importantly, how to use them.

Cheats are by no means new to The Sims 4, and EA even actively encourages their use. Still, it can be hard to keep track of every Sims cheat, so we've put them all in one handy place. It's perfect if you've never played past entries in one of the best PC games, or are wondering if all those old cheats still work in the latest iteration.

Continue reading A list of all Sims 4 cheats
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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 4:58 AM
     All Monopoly Go events, tournaments, dates, and rewards

What is the next Monopoly Go event? With so many limited-time events in Monopoly Go, it can be hard to keep track of the rewards you can get your hands on. Monopoly Go events can last anywhere from a few hours to a week, so bookmark this page as we'll keep it regularly updated with the next events and their start and end dates.

Monopoly Go is the latest online board game sweeping the globe, but completing all of these events won't be easy without some free Monopoly Go dice links, so check out our daily updated guide for some freebies and rewards before you get started on the next Monopoly Go tournament.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 4:53 AM
     Marvel Rivals events - all current and upcoming events

What are the current and upcoming Marvel Rivals events? There is an entire multiverse worth of story going on in Marvel Rivals, with everything happening everywhere all at once; stopping Spider Zero from pushing the cart is only good enough until the next round starts, and we know that those screaming goats will be back, win or lose. Luckily, there are story events that have a fixed start and end point, and even better, they come with a ton of rewards.

Players recently got to sink their teeth into the Marvel Rivals closed beta, getting to grips with each of the Marvel Rivals characters before the official Marvel Rivals release date rolls by. Though the beta has now ended, we'll keep this guide up to date with any upcoming Marvel Rivals events so you can be prepared when the time comes, ready to grind for those exclusive rewards.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 4:51 AM
     Best Arena Breakout Infinite weapons and guns

What are the best Arena Breakout Infinite guns? You're putting a lot on the line while you're scavenging the expansive region of Kamona. If you die and fail to extract, you'll lose everything you brought in and picked up for good. This makes having the best Arena Breakout Infinite guns even more important as you'll need to be well-equipped to survive.

Take one look at the market and you'll see just how complex choosing the best gun in Arena Breakout Infinite can be. Not only are there tons of unique weapons to choose from to begin with, but each one has various attachments and even ammo types that have a significant impact on their performance - let alone how much it'll cost to put together. Creating your perfect weapon before heading in and eliminating teams is what makes this extraction shooter one of the hottest FPS games right now. Luckily, we'll go over all the Arena Breakout Infinite weapons and the best ones to use to save you some faff.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 5:03 AM
     ZZZ codes August 2024 - how to redeem Zenless Zone Zero codes

August 20, 2024: We checked for new ZZZ codes and removed all expired codes.

What are the new Zenless Zone Zero codes? We love a freebie. Whether it's free Polychrome, Investigator Logs, or Bangboo Algorithm Modules, the latest in-game redemption codes are the fastest, cheapest, and easiest way to get free items while also skipping the gacha grind.  With that in mind, we've collected all the latest, active promo codes available to redeem right now.

HoYoverse's latest gacha adventure is a free PC game, and as our Zenless Zone Zero review attests, there's a lot of currency and materials to gather. HoYoverse periodically release ZZZ codes for their gacha games that coincide with major updates and livestreams, but the developer also loves to stealth drop codes, too. Now that Zenless Zone Zero is finally here, there are a ton of redeem codes waiting for you to scoop up alongside the 100 free pulls promotion. Here are all the Zenless Zone Zero codes you need to get started in the latest update.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 20, 2024 6:18 AM
     Black Myth Wukong guide and walkthrough

Want a Black Myth Wukong guide and walkthrough? The classic 16th-century Chinese novel, Journey to the West, has been adapted into many videogames over the years, and developer Game Science's soulslike is the latest of the bunch. Black Myth Wukong's protagonist runs a similar gauntlet of trials as Journey to the West's Sun Wukong, and this trickster warrior has plenty of abilities up his sleeve.

We loved the soulslike game, saying in our Black Myth Wukong review that it's "an ambitious action RPG with stunning visuals, colossal boss designs, and snappy combat." If you're sold on jumping in, or you're already exploring the stunning world, we've got guides and walkthroughs on tricky boss fights, and the best weapons, abilities, armor, and more.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Black Myth Wukong bosses, Black Myth Wukong abilities, Black Myth Wukong weapons

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 20, 2024 6:15 AM
    

Our Black Myth: Wukong review hails the game as "a generous Soulsy adventure hybrid that works within its limitations and delivers a beautiful challenge to be unpicked with a magical toolbox". Reviewer Edders went so far as to find the world more engaging than that of Elden Ring - proper defying-the-gods level rhetoric. Players seem to agree. The game launched last night, and has already accrued a concurrent player peak of 1.44 million - Steam's fourth highest ever, exceeded only by Counter-Strike, Palworld and PUBG. By that metric, it's the platform's most popular strictly single player game of all the time.

All that goodwill has been spoiled, however, by a Steam code handout message to streamers and other "content creators" before launch which includes some reactionary, non-binding requests - no mention of "trigger words" like "Covid-19", no talk of "politics" or "feminist propaganda", and no mention of "China's game industry policies, opinions, news, etc".

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 20, 2024 5:24 AM
    

Our unlucky planet in Wasteland Waste Disposal has suffered not just one apocalypse but all of them. Turns out the "megapocalypse" was an unhealthy combination of "every worst-case apocalyptic scenario imaginable". Luckily, in this upcoming sandbox adventure, you have a giant metal fortress that walks above the pools of toxic sludge on huge spidery legs and chomps up all the trash you bring it. If you are not intrigued by that, perhaps the little janitor with a sci-fi vacuum cleaner (or the feel-good music reminiscent of Adventure Time songs) will convince you.

Read more


TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Tuesday, August 20, 2024 7:53 AM
     The Kickstarter campaign for "Entromancy: Definitive Edition" has recently launched, aiming to fund a cyberpunk fantasy tabletop role-playing game set in a futuristic San Francisco of the late 21st century. In "Entromancy," the game world is powered by a new element named ceridium, which has the unintended consequence of creating a new race of people...

TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Tuesday, August 20, 2024 6:49 AM
     In alignment with the 85th anniversary of the German invasion of Poland, which marked the beginning of the Second World War, a new RPG sourcebook titled "Setting Europe Ablaze: The SOE Sourcebook" is set to be released. This book allows role-playing game enthusiasts to simulate the operations of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), a covert...

WGB Tuesday, August 20, 2024 5:32 AM
     Black Myth: Wukong is already selling like crazy on PC.