GamersHeroes Friday, September 13, 2024 11:27 AM The second DLC for the title, The Fairy Queen's Labyrinth is now available for ZOC Co and Bandai Namco's That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ISEKAI Chronicles. The post That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ISEKAI Chronicles DLC 2 Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Friday, September 13, 2024 10:52 AM Learn more about the GT characters coming to Spike Chunsoft and Bandai Namco's Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO with the latest trailer for the title. The post Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO GT Trailer Released appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
Kotaku Friday, September 13, 2024 10:39 AM  One of the best things The Pokémon Company ever did was make life-sized plushies of some of its monsters. I feel this way not because I think the plushies themselves are that practical—they're not—but because the photoshoots the company uses to show them off are always incredible meme fodder. Who can forget the life-si… |
Kotaku Friday, September 13, 2024 8:30 AM  The latest Fortnite missions have arrived for Chapter 5, Season 4. This week's batch of jobs will once again have you running tasks for Jones and Hope in their long-term plans for defeating Doom, while going toe-to-toe with another of the Marvel baddie bosses. This guide will detail everything you need to know about… |
Kotaku Friday, September 13, 2024 8:00 AM  Much like terrifying alien births, creepy children are a horror movie staple. There's something about the juxtaposition between their tiny innocence and their menacing actions that is very unsettling—whether they are possessed by something supernatural or just born that way. |
Kotaku Friday, September 13, 2024 7:30 AM  Fortnite has released Week 4's batch of quests for you to complete in Chapter 5, Season 4. As usual, this week's quest brings in five new challenges, and if you complete all of them you can earn up to 100K XP. This guide will detail everything you need to know about completing Week 4's quest. |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 11:57 AM  Earlier this week, Payday 3 received yet another shake-up, its director stepping away from his role so two new members of the team could take his place overseeing the direction the game will take going into its second year since launch. While we didn't expect major changes to be revealed so soon, this transition is already leading to positive results. Just now, we've learned that the co-op game looking back to systems from Payday: The Heist and Payday 2 for inspiration in a new armor-centered update. Continue reading Payday 3 is finally bringing back one of the best parts of Payday 2 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best co-op games on PC, The best crime games on PC, The best FPS games |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 11:55 AM  The new Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% has just landed, and it brings a surprising number of upgrades over its non-Pro sibling with it. Along with a new multi-function Command Dial and OLED display, this Razer gaming keyboard can chat to your PC at a 4,000Hz polling rate yet also last a massive 2,100 hours on one battery charge. We're not entirely sure why you need such a long battery life on a desktop PC gaming keyboard, but it's impressive nonetheless. The new Razer contender for a spot on our best gaming keyboard guide also includes hot-swappable switches and Razer's HyperSpeed wireless tech, as well as Bluetooth 5.1. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Razer Viper V2 Pro review, Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) review, Best gaming mouse |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 11:48 AM  The latest Deadlock update makes plenty of changes, but one in particular has proven pretty controversial. If you've been playing Valve's new blend of MOBA and hero shooter, you'll probably have a pretty intimate familiarity with its map already. Much like its inspirations in Counter-Strike and Dota 2, learning the layout and intricacies of the Deadlock map is crucial to success. Yet its new-look minimap isn't winning any fans, and while I've yet to play a full game on the new patch I can already see why. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Deadlock release date , Deadlock beta, Deadlock characters |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 11:41 AM  The latest update for Cyberpunk 2077 contains a new feature that makes an enormous difference to the game's performance on AMD Radeon GPUs, and indeed any modern GPUs that aren't Nvidia GeForce RTX models. It's called FSR 3 frame generation, and I've just tried it out on my aging AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT. The difference is astounding, making all the difference between the game being smooth and unplayable. Although you'll find a few AMD GPUs on our best graphics card guide, they struggle to keep up with Nvidia's latest GPUs when it comes to ray tracing, where you get cinematically realistic lighting, creating amazing shadows and reflections. There are some games that AMD GPUs can already handle with ray tracing, including Resident Evil Village, but Cyberpunk 2077 has been a big thorn in AMD's side, until now that is. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7 7800X3D review, Best gaming CPU, Radeon RX 7800 XT review |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 10:43 AM  If you're planning to pre-order Frostpunk 2, then Fanatical is the best place to get it, as the Deluxe Edition is available at 30% off. It's not the only retailer to have the pre-order up at a lower price, as Steam has a 10% discount applied, but nowhere else has the same weighty offer that's up on Fanatical. Continue reading You can get Frostpunk 2 for 30% off, and it isn't even out yet MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best city-building games, Best survival games, Upcoming PC games |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 10:37 AM  A game that's sat near the top of my Steam wishlist for several months, Reka has finally launched into early access alongside a new roadmap from developer Emberstorm Entertainment. A cozy sandbox survival game where you play a young witch apprenticed to the mysterious Baba Jaga, Reka brings its Slavic folklore inspirations to the forefront in a similar way to how games like Valheim make use of their own fantasy settings - and, yes, you can even build your very own walking house. Continue reading New sandbox game Reka is a cozy, witch-led spin on forest survival MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best sandbox games, Best fantasy games, Best indie games |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 9:41 AM  What are the new Throne and Liberty coupon codes? The highly-anticipated global launch of NCSoft's MMO is right around the corner, and if you're here then that probably means you're hoping for a nice day one boost. Fortunately, the studio drops coupon codes for the game from time to time, awarding all sorts of in-game goodies that you can use to improve your character. The Throne and Liberty coupon codes we've seen so far have offered up all sorts of rewards, including growth stones, skill books, crafting materials, and more. NCSoft has given these out during livestreams and at live meets, so expect to see more codes for the MMO game when major events and update streams take place. We've collated all the codes we've found so far below. Continue reading Throne and Liberty codes and all active coupons MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best MMORPGs, Best single-player MMO games, Best free games |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 9:36 AM  How does Monopoly Go work? The first ever mobile app version of Monopoly, you'll throw your dice to travel along squares on the board much like the tabletop version. You'll also be constructing a series of structures up to certain levels before upgrading and progressing to a new environment and theme. The twist comes with a minor PvP element. In Monopoly Go, other players can invade your beautiful lands to destroy your structures, forcing you to pay out precious coins to repair them. Much like in the original, in the online board game version you can buy, rent, and trade properties using in-game money. You'll want to keep an eye on our free Monopoly Go dice links to maximize your potential income and progress faster, for huge rewards. Continue reading Monopoly Go wiki guide MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Monopoly Go events, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 9:28 AM  September 13, 2024: We've added two new Monopoly Go dice links for free dice rolls. How can I get Monopoly Go free dice links? The household favorite board game has been reimagined as a free-to-play app on smartphones, allowing everyone to experience the thrills of Monopoly on practically any device. Everything that makes the board game special is here in Monopoly Go, so you'll be collecting properties and building hotels as you go around the board, and there are a variety of multiplayer minigames to get through along the way. You're going to need to get your hands on Monopoly dice rolls, but they are difficult to come by no matter how far you are into the board game. There are ways to earn additional dice rolls, including logging into the game every day to collect daily bonuses, progressing further in the game, and inviting friends to try Monopoly Go. While you can also spend real money to unlock more dice rolls, you may want to give our list of Monopoly Go dice links a try instead, especially if you're waiting for the next Monopoly Go Golden Blitz event. Take a look at all the currently active Monopoly Go free dice links for today. Continue reading Free Monopoly Go dice links September 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Monopoly Go events, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 9:57 AM  When is the Zenless Zone Zero 1.2 release date? Now that ZZZ 1.1 is winding down, it's time to start looking ahead to what future updates have in store for us. HoYoverse has already begun the drip marketing for new characters and dropped hints at how the story might continue following the previous update. If you're already saving up your Polychrome, we've got a full itinerary of everything coming to HoYoverse's urban fantasy in the next update. ZZZ 1.2 is the second major update to hit the gacha game following the Zenless Zone Zero release date, and we expect some major developments on the outskirts of New Eridu. Now we've got the full rundown of all the upcoming events and content thanks to the official Zenless Zone Zero 1.2 livestream, there's plenty of news to get stuck into, including brand-new characters for our Zenless Zone tier list, banners, and more. Continue reading Zenless Zone Zero 1.2 release date, new characters, and events MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Zenless Zone Zero review, Zenless Zone Zero codes, Zenless Zone Zero banners |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 9:57 AM  What are the Zenless Zone Zero banners? If you're looking to expand your roster of playable agents, then wishing on banners is your best bet. These digital gacha machines form the basis of developer HoYoverse's monetization strategy, and they should be instantly familiar to anyone who's dipped into Genshin Impact or Honkai Star Rail. Zenless Zone Zero includes several event banners that offer the chance to pull characters, weapons, and Bangboo. Banners rotate regularly, so it's important to think strategically about whether to spend your ZZZ Polychrome on the current banner, or hold off until the next one. The ZZZ 1.1 banners include brand-new agents that can shake-up your Zenless Zone Zero team comps, so get set to start spending in HoYoverse's urban gacha game. Here's who you can pull in Zenless Zone Zero banners. Continue reading Zenless Zone Zero banners - next, current, and 1.2 banners MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Zenless Zone Zero review, Zenless Zone Zero codes, Zenless Zone Zero banners |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 7:59 AM  As we near the launch of Throne and Liberty, the new MMORPG from Amazon Games and Guild Wars 2 publisher NCSoft, the team digs into its business model. Whether you've had your fill of FF14 Dawntrail or you're looking for your next MMO hit after WoW The War Within, Throne and Liberty's arrival on Tuesday October 1 might be just what you're after. If you're planning to jump into this free Steam game and don't want to spend money, the developer reassures that you'll still be able to earn its premium rewards. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best MMORPGs, Best single-player MMO games, Best free games |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 8:42 AM  What is Meta Quest+? The trend of gaming subscription services is still going strong in 2024, and Meta jumped on this bandwagon from the get-go following the release of the Meta Quest 3. Its service, however, works a little more like the traditional PS Plus and Xbox Live Gold models, rather than offerings like Game Pass. Continue reading Meta Quest+ prices, free games, and how to subscribe MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 7:44 AM  It's astonishing just how low the price of capable joysticks can drop. The Logitech Extreme 3D Pro costs just $34.99 at its MSRP, yet it includes three-axis stick control, a throttle control, and 12 programmable buttons, along with an eight-way HAT switch. The flight stick market sits in stark contrast to racing wheels, where you generally have to spend well over $150 to get even a passable experience. But back to the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro, this joystick doesn't just impress with the sheer number of features for the money, but with its build quality too. If you're looking for the best PC controller for flight sims and space flight combat, but don't have a huge amount of money to spend on a HOTAS system, then this is the joystick for you. Continue reading Logitech Extreme 3D Pro review: A PC joystick for the masses MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Logitech G Pro Superlight 2, Logitech G Pro X TKL Lightspeed review, Best gaming mouse |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 7:16 AM  New reports suggest that Intel Z890 motherboards will come with Intel baseline power settings enabled by default, to avoid a recurrence of the instability issues that have plagued Intel's 14th-gen CPUs. It's unclear if Intel or motherboard makers are behind this, but it follows Intel's push to make safer power settings the default option on existing boards earlier this year. It seems this approach will carry over to the first Intel Arrow Lake motherboards, helping Intel CPUs stay within the company's official power limits. Intel faced initial criticism earlier this year when it blamed problems with Intel's Raptor Lake CPUs on motherboard manufacturers for running CPUs with voltages well above the default settings. The best gaming motherboards out there all offer settings for configuring your CPU power settings, but if these rumors are true, then Intel could be looking to take a much tighter grip over the default power settings for its next-gen lineup to avoid repeating the disaster. Continue reading Intel's new CPUs will run at safer default power settings, says leak MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Core i5 14600K review, Best gaming CPU, Core i9 14900K review |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 7:03 AM  What is the Black Ops 6 safe house? It looks like Woods and the gang have to go it alone if they intend to save the world — again. Going rogue presents both opportunity and obstacle; the Black Ops squad can move without restraints and act as they see fit, but without a supporting organization, they'll have to procure equipment and find a new home base. That's where the safe house comes in. The Black Ops 6 release date is still a few weeks away, but thanks to comms from the Treyarch team, we know what to exact when the time comes. The Call of Duty series has cemented its place as one of the best FPS games you can play, and it looks as though Black Ops 6 will be no different. Here's what we know about the Black Ops 6 safe house, its murky past, and what secrets you might find within. Continue reading Black Ops 6 safe house explained MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Black Ops 6 release date, Best FPS games, Best Black Ops 6 loadouts |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 8:23 AM  September 13, 2024: We added one new ZZZ code from the 1.2 livestream. 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 codes available to redeem right now. 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. As our Zenless Zone Zero review attests, there's a lot of currency and materials to gather in the free PC game, so here are all the Zenless Zone Zero codes to get ahead in the latest update. Continue reading ZZZ codes September 2024 and how to redeem MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Zenless Zone Zero review, Zenless Zone Zero codes, Zenless Zone Zero banners |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 6:57 AM  Want to know about new Genshin Impact characters? During each new update, there's usually at least one brand-new playable character introduced to the roster. They typically appear on event banners with increased drop rates, including one five-star character and three four-star characters. While we know which characters are likely to appear on the next Genshin Impact banners, some characters featured in this guide might not be playable right now, but they can still be found in Genshin Impact. We've also included some characters who are rumored to join the free PC game down the line, but may not have an in-game model just yet. While none of this information is official until Hoyoverse says otherwise, here's a round-up of all the current rumors and speculation. Continue reading Genshin Impact new characters in the 5.0 update and beyond MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Genshin Impact codes, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 6:46 AM  Valve has just handed out a hefty 25% discount to select models of its Steam Deck, in a move that sees the Steam Deck LCD 512GB actually become cheaper to buy brand new than via Valve's certified refurb options. This Steam Deck sale only lasts until September 26th or until stock runs out, though, so you'll have to be quick to grab a bargain. As the undisputed king of the best handheld gaming PC crown, the Steam Deck is hugely coveted and seldom available at anything below the price Valve sets for it, outside of shopping on the likes of Ebay. However, this latest discount means you can grab a Steam Deck LCD for as little as $296.65. Continue reading Valve just made Steam Decks much cheaper, but not for long MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 6:47 AM  What are the best 7 Days to Die mods? Over the last decade, 7 Days to Die has made a name for itself as one of the best survival games out there, but there's always some room for improvement. That's where mods come in, user-created creations designed to enhance the gameplay for hardcore fans. That said, if you've been playing since day one, you might be looking for ways to change up your 7 Days to Die gameplay in 1.0. Thankfully, inventive new 7 Days to Die mods continue to flood in thick and fast from the community, and they're showing no signs of slowing down. Amplify your survival game experience with these top 7 Days to Die mods, all compatible with 1.0. Continue reading The 24 best 7 Days to Die mods for 1.0 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: 7 Days to Die System Requirements, 7 Days to Die mods, Best zombie games |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 6:39 AM  What are the best Minecraft mods in 2024? Every game of vanilla Minecraft can vary quite dramatically, and the best Minecraft mods go one step further to provide an entirely new experience. Whether you love creative building, terrifying survival, or speedrunning the story, we've got the mod for you below. We've included interface mods and tools to make things easier, too. All the Minecraft mods below are divided into sections, depending on what you want to do with the sandbox game – from simple utility changes to deep world mods you can get lost in for months. There are new mobs, new biomes, performance boosting mods, and more, and you can jump to the bottom if you don't know how to install Minecraft mods and want to learn. Continue reading The 54 best Minecraft mods September 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 6:19 AM  What are the best free Steam games in 2024? If you are bored and don't have much spare cash, you don't need to fear a gaming drought. Steam is loaded with games you can play without spending a dime. What's more, many of them are very good indeed: games that are just as much fun to play as their full-price, wallet-destroying siblings. In recent years, free Steam games have become the norm, with some even overtaking paid-for triple-A tiles as the leaders of the PC gaming hobby. Take a quick look at the platform's most-played list, and from FPS games to MMORPGs, you'll see that a significant proportion of the most popular and best PC games on the platform happen to be free-to-play. So, because we desperately care about the health of your bank account - and honestly worry about how much money you're spending on your nasty gaming habit - we want to help you find all the best free PC games you can play right now. Continue reading 46 of the best free Steam games you can play right now MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Warzone loadouts, Best Warzone AR, Best Warzone guns |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 6:06 AM  At first glance, the FPS game is perhaps the simplest, most formulaic of all major videogame genres. Fundamentally, it makes only two demands of the player: successfully kill enemies while avoiding being killed yourself. Doom, Half-Life, Quake. In all of these progenitors of the modern FPS, there are no 'builds,' no stats, no leveling up - your input, so much as the behavior of a game player can be reduced to mere 'input,' is singular, straightforward. But it's the solid foundations of the first-person shooter, the instantly intelligible base mechanics, that prime it for experimentation. Monolith's Condemned turned the FPS experience inside out with melee combat. Mirror's Edge expanded the horizontal plane with rapid free movement. And now, a new shooter takes the fundamentals of FPS games in new directions. Boasting almost spotless Steam reviews, this is I Am Your Beast. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Best indie games, Best PC games |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 6:07 AM  September 13, 2024: Three Valorant codes are now active. What are the new Valorant codes? Everyone likes it when they get free stuff, and it's even better when it's for hugely popular multiplayer games like Valorant. However, in the case of high-profile titles such as this, there can be long gaps between giveaways, and even then, they may not be available to redeem for long. When Riot Games does give us a few free Valorant items to redeem, they could include Gun Buddies, which you can clip onto your weapons after tinkering with Valorant crosshair codes. If you want a stylish new look to show off as you climb through the Valorant ranks, here's the latest list of codes for this highly competitive FPS game so you can get the newest freebies. Continue reading Valorant codes September 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Valorant Night Market dates, Valorant ranks, Valorant crosshair codes |
PCGamesN Friday, September 13, 2024 5:57 AM  Immortal Hunters is a brand-new beat 'em up RPG from debutant developer Admiral Games that blends a bold, spooky art style with smashing side-scrolling combat. Having recently launched into Steam Early Access, you can now start brutally destroying demons for yourself. As with any new early access release, there's bound to be a bit of trepidation as to whether you should bite the bullet and invest. But don't worry, we're here to offer a helping hand with our latest giveaway. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best fantasy games, Best RPGs, Best indie games |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, September 13, 2024 9:19 AM  After PowerWash Simulator's jet to success, it was inevitable, really. Whitethorn Games and North Star Video Games have only come out with a rival: Spray Paint Simulator. In it, you get out your spray painter and "shshshshshs" different colours of paint onto various surfaces. For whatever reason, the universe this takes place in doesn't seem to value brushes or those rolly mops. "No", it says, kicking your brush into the sun. "Spray or nay". |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, September 13, 2024 8:50 AM  A European consumer advocacy group have published an open letter to the European Union Commission expressing their concerns about video games that make use of premium in-game currencies - aka, make-believe money you can buy with real money, such as Minecoins in Minecraft's Bedrock Edition. The group in question are the Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs, or BEUC, who represent 44 non-governmental consumer organisations from 31 countries, and have been around since 1962. They're accusing the publishers of Fortnite, EA Sports FC 24, Minecraft, Clash of Clans and others of misleading people - specifically children - with their in-game premium currencies, and breaching European Union consumer protection laws. On a press site that summarises the results of various longer studies, they offer the below broad complaints about the practice. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, September 13, 2024 6:10 AM  I could have described the multiplayer racing game Faaast Penguin a lot of ways. It is Fall Guys meets Snowboard Kids. It is Diddy Kong Racing but all the courses are water slides. It's Cool Runnings but there are 40 penguins instead of four Jamaicans. Okay, that last one is a bit of a stretch. But basically, yes, this brightly coloured free-to-play knockout racer feels like that one Super Mario 64 level where you race the big penguin down a slide, only this time there are a ton of other players trying to beat you to the secret shortcut. It's coming out next week. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, September 13, 2024 5:34 AM  We're having a bit of an indie freebie morning, it seems. My humble contribution is 50/50, a downloadable or browser-based game which I suspect will fill some of you with the deepest aggravation. As the name suggests, it's about cutting things in half - specifically food items, such as fried eggs (easy enough) and candy canes (WTF). You draw a line down each object with your mouse, then click or hit space bar to perform a slice. Then, the game calculates a percentage. If it's bang-on or very close to 50/50, you'll pass. If not, you'll have to start over. I know: this is how entire days are wasted. Sorry. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, September 13, 2024 4:46 AM  Haha. Hoho. Yes. Hehe. Yes. This rules. This rules so hard. Portal To The Cosmobeat is a rhythm dance battler where you copy the moves of your opponents by controlling each of your limbs, and your head, with a separate key. If you look down at your keyboard right now, you'll notice your W, A, D, Z and X form a five pointed star - with the W key a bit off, granted. That's you, that is. You hold down the limbs you want to wiggle, then control them with your mouse. It's simple, silly, and very fun. Here's a tray-tray: |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, September 13, 2024 4:10 AM  Annapurna Interactive - the publisher behind games such as Cocoon, Stray, and Neon White - have seen their entire staff resign after an internal dispute this month, via Bloomberg. The resignations came in the wake of a dispute between Annapurna Interactive president Nathan Gary and Annapurna studio head Megan Ellison. As Bloomberg report, negotiations were taking place to "spin off the video-game division as an independent entity." After failing to reach an agreement, Ellison pulled out of the negotiations, resulting in the resignation of Gary and "other executives." Further resignations followed, with a reported two dozen other staff leaving the company. |
Twinfinite Friday, September 13, 2024 4:18 AM  |
Siliconera Friday, September 13, 2024 10:00 AM
Atlus West has announced the results of the demon navigator poll for Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, with Mothman winning on the western side. This poll determines which new demons will appear as navigators in a future update.
In total, there will be six new demon navigators in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, which Atlus will add soon into the game soon. Three of the six won the western vote and the other three won the Japanese vote. From the west (in order of their ranking in the poll), we have Mothman, Idun, and Fionn mac Cumhaill. The Japanese votes (again, in order of their ranking) are Mara, Cleopatra, and Hell Biker.
Here is the full top 10 list:
The discrepancy between Atlus West stating that Mothman was in first place, yet Idun is above it in the Japanese list is unclear. But it's likely due to a difference in regional votes.
Why Mara won the Japanese vote may not be a surprise considering what the demon looks like. As for Mothman, the thing is quite popular among fans due to its cute design and baffled expression. Of the immediate replies to Atlus West's Tweet, the vast majority of users are happy to see Mothman, citing that the win represents West Virginia, Mothman Nation, and whatnot.
Demon navigators in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance are helpful demons who specialize in their own category of items. They can help you find them, as well as combat encounters. So if you want a specific item and your navigator isn't helping you with that, you may need to switch navigators.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is readily available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC.
The post Mothman Tops Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Navigator Poll appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, September 13, 2024 9:00 AM
It's November 3, 2023. I'm in my bedroom, straightening my hair and getting ready to go to my first ever BlizzCon. I had opted to sleep in instead of attending the opening ceremony and the deluge of information about World of Warcraft — a game that I had minimal interest in outside of watching a few choice streamers play the Hardcore version of the MMORPG. (I was interested in Diablo IV, and nothing but Diablo IV.) I had never touched World of Warcraft, outside of a singular instance of downloading the free trial in the 2010's and immediately dropping it because of how ugly it's user interface was by comparison to the game I was playing at the time, Final Fantasy XIV. But when the announcement cinematic began, something inside of me stirred, and I wanted to give World of Warcraft another shot. And I'm glad I did, because World of Warcraft The War Within has more or less solidified it's place as my go-to MMORPG.
To preface this review, I love MMORPGs. This is my genre of choice, next to survival horror, as I have always loved the social components of the MMO, and the narrative you build around your character either through gameplay or direct interaction with the story. I have been an avid player of more than a handful of MMORPGs (Lineage II, Aion, Blade & Soul, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Guild Wars 2, and Final Fantasy XIV to name a few) since my foray into the genre when I was a child. Somehow, World of Warcraft was the single MMORPG I did not touch, and a part of me deeply regrets that now. However, as a newcomer to the now almost two-decades old MMORPG, I love what The War Within is selling. Be it the small quality of life adjustments that have been expanded upon since Dragonflight, or how the narrative commits to the earnestness (and sincerity) of the story it's trying to tell.
World of Warcraft The War Within is the first chapter of The Worldsoul Saga, and that in and of itself can be intimidating. World of Warcraft is a dense game, and despite the overall simplicity of it's story, characters age, their motivations change, they die. While Blizzard Entertainment has made ways for players to experience those previous expansions and iterations of the game, I wouldn't say you need to check them out. But I can absolutely understand a new player scratching their head reading the general chat calling Thrall — a character that was in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos which released in 2002 — "Orc Jesus." Because there is a lot of lore there, and outside of a two minute cutscene explaining how the Sword of Sargeras was plunged into the crust of Azeroth, or a handful of important story events that happened between then and now, the game doesn't exactly facilitate a means to look these important events or characters up. I will not claim to understand much about World of Warcraft, it remains an unknowable beast to me, which I say with a great deal of affection. Most of what I've learned has been outside of the game in the form of hours long YouTube videos just to brush up on what's been going on and who the important players in this expansion are.
One of the key figures in The War Within is Alleria Windrunner, a Void Elf Ranger that has received an audio drama and appeared in Warcraft II, and the now worn and weary Prince Anduin Wrynn. The game more or less expects you to know who these people are, and the assorted cast that will accompany them, and you, on your journey to uncover the origin of the Radiant Song. The long and short of it is that a malevolent entity known as Xal'atath, who was previous sealed inside of a dagger, was freed from said dagger (which players could obtain at one point) after making a pact with one of the unknowable, eldritch flavored entities that are sprinkled throughout Azeroth. And with her newfound freedom, she threatens to plunge the world into darkness, consuming all life under it's blanket and folding it into the void. But even if the threat is world-ending in the same way that Final Fantasy XIV's Endwalker was, The War Within takes time to extrapolate on the individual factions that exist on the new continent of Khaz Algar.
We learn about the nature of politics among the spider-like Nerubians in Azj-Kahet, and how their former princess, now queen, has made a bid for power with the aid of the Xal'atath. We meet the Earthen, a race of dwarves that occupy the surface of the island and serve as keepers on the Isle of Dorn. And we aid the Arathi in their righteous pursuit of goodliness, fighting back against the darkness that seems so desperate to blot out the light. Each of these zones are gorgeous in their own right. World of Warcraft's art direction works in service to the overall look of the expansion, as everything fits neatly into pre-existing design philosophies. The Isle of Dorn is full of green, sprawling hills and animals made of hard rock and moss. Hallowfall, the home of the Arathi, is something more in line with what one might expect from a standard high fantasy settlement, but is bathed in the light of a mysterious crystal that serves as their source of light. Azj-Kahet follows the previous design principles of the Nerubians, which are jagged platforms and buildings held up by spiderwebs. But more importantly, everything is vibrant and wash with color. There are saturated yellows and purples and greens that pop against silvers and greys and browns. It's just gorgeous to look at, and Blizzard Entertainment's commitment to the visual style of World of Warcraft, does this expansion a service, as everything feels distinct, and like there is an established sense of culture between these factions and small regions.
And beyond that, the individual quests you can pick up in these regions further extrapolates on various customs and beliefs each of these groups has. All of this content is optional, which means if you are rushing through the story you'll miss a lot of this. But for the first time in a very long time, I actually wanted to do the optional quests in an MMORPG. Final Fantasy XIV and Guild Wars 2 left me disinterested in side-quests that weren't clearly telegraphed to unlock additional content, which means the narrative for those quests would be obviously rich. In The War Within these quests can increase your reputation with specific factions, but outside of that they add more texture to the world. There was a quest I picked up in Hallowfall that taught me the customs of the Arathi as I had to burn the "memories" of a soldier that had been killed in a previous quest. I felt like I was getting to know the characters, some so insignificant that I may never speak to again, but it left a lasting impression. And a lot of quest chains in The War Within are just like that.
The main narrative itself is one that is predictable, but still effective. As I was playing through it, I described it to a friend as the "Stranger of Paradise" of MMORPGs. It's corny, it's sincere, and it commits to what it wants to be. World of Warcraft has mostly always been these things. It's a kind of "cool" that was never attractive to me until recently, but seeing Andiun regain his connection to the Light (another unexplainable entity that Paladins and Priests draw their power from) after the events of Shadowlands was nice. These bits of character development are sprinkled throughout, showing how each core character has grown and continues to grow throughout their journey. Alleria, who I would dub the protagonist of this expansion, even takes the time to reflect on a rash decision she had made, vowing not to make that same mistake again. And coupled with the voice acting, you can tell how deeply she has come to regret that action. Of course certain moments, specifically deaths, are somewhat predictable, but I found myself pleased that the narrative wasn't mired in hopelessness and instead leaned towards something more positive, even while keeping the tone of Warcraft in mind. Xal'atath is deliciously evil, and her little moment at the end of the Nerub-Ar Palace raid was a delight. It will be great to see how her own narrative progresses and what her overarching goal is over the course of the next two expansions, as World of Warcraft really hasn't had a villain with the same kind of history or gravitas as someone like Arthas Menethil, the titular Lich King in Wrath of the Lich King. And I think with enough time, and with good enough direction, Xal'atath could be just that.
But outside of the story, I found the gameplay in World of Warcraft The War Within to be a lot of fun. I will not claim to know what I am doing. Unlike Final Fantasy XIV, your rotation is not as guided. Blizzard Entertainment more or less expects you to download an Add-On like Hekili Priority Helper to know what your rotation should be. In the case of my Frost Death Knight, there were some buttons that would light up for specific skill procs, so I did feel as though there was some guidance in that regard. Also Death Knight is just very cool, so it remained my go-to class for The War Within. I had self-sustain, some pretty decent damage, and when the time came to PvP, I was practically unkillable.
When I switched to my Assassination Rogue, however, there was no such guidance I had to figure out what I needed to weave in and out of my single-target and AoE rotations. In order to actually be beneficial to my party I couldn't spend my action points at will, and instead needed to take into consideration my stamina, the damage over time skills I had at my disposal, poisons, and more. It was complicated, but felt fun to learn. And the additional skills and passives each of the classes I play were given through the new Hero Talent system were neat. It added a greater sense of variety to a class I was already enjoying. For the Death Knight, I could choose to further imbue my attacks with the power of frost and death, or choose to summon the Four Horsemen. Both of these talent trees are playstyles are vastly different. I also intend on trying out a San'layn Death Knight at a later date once I feel more confident in tanking, just to see what that playstyle is like.
However, I would say that despite the changes that have arrived alongside The War Within, legibility is still big issue in terms of dungeon or raid mechanics. It can sometimes be obviously clear as to how I'm dying (standing in motes of burning, holy light will do that), or I won't have any understanding of why my group wiped at all. There was one enemy in The Priory of the Sacred Flame that would periodically do a relatively large sized AoE that wasn't well telegraphed that caused several parties I was in to wipe. This was because the effect was a bit too translucent, so you wouldn't be aware you were caught in it until your Healer or Tank had died. Some raid markers are more visible than others, such as massive red or blue arrows on the ground indicating the direction an attack is going to fire off, but I feel like these could be a lot more legible in general. I will say, that playing The War Within did not give me extreme eyestrain, and my eyes were never bloodshot despite me spending an embarrassing amount of time in the MMORPG since the expansion's release.
In terms of end game activities and gearing up your character, there are a lot of options. You can do World Quests to gain experience, receive gear, and earn reputation with specific factions. You can PvP and jump into Battlegrounds (which I still have no idea what to do or how they function) to get gear. You can dive into Delves by yourself or with friends to get gear and other loot as well. Delves are a new feature that was added in through The War Within, and they're bite-sized dungeons where you have a handful of objectives to undertake and do with the help of an NPC companion character. I wouldn't compare it to Shadowland's Torghast or Final Fantasy XIV's Palace of the Dead, as they seem very much their own beast. I personally didn't care for them. I didn't like the objectives, which generally boiled down to rescuing a specific amount of NPCs or navigating through a dark space with a candle affixed to my head. These objectives just made Delves a slog, and if I was forced to go through them to gear up I probably wouldn't have pursued the current "end game" of the expansion.
Yet despite all of this, I walked away from The War Within loving it. I loved the side-quests, I loved the mini-games in those side-quests. I loved the World Quests, the optional activities, transmog farming with friends. I loved playing an MMORPG. And admittedly, I haven't felt this way in years.
Overall, World of Warcraft The War Within is an excellent start to The World Soul Saga and I'm genuinely interested to see where the story goes next. Hero Talents add some interesting effects and skills to specific classes, which adds a greater variety of how you can play your character, and the narrative, while straightforward, is a lot of fun. The War Within has made me love MMORPGs again, and if Blizzard Entertainment keeps going in this direction, I can see myself playing this game for years to come.
World of Warcraft, and The War Within expansion, are available on PC.
The post Review: World of Warcraft The War Within is an Exciting New Start appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, September 13, 2024 8:30 AM
Annapurna Interactive's entire gaming staff resigned from the company. They did so collectively following a leadership dispute. [Thanks, Bloomberg!]
According to Bloomberg (and with confirmation from IGN), Annapurna Interactive President Nathan Gary had been in negotiations with Megan Ellison, the founder of Annapurna Pictures. Annapurna Interactive is a division of Annapurna Pictures. So Gary and the rest of the team had been trying to spin off the video game division as an independent entity. Ellison pulled out of the negotiations and in response, Gary and some other executives resigned. Almost immediately afterwards, over two dozen employees joined them. In a joint statement to Bloomberg, Gary and the rest of the resigned staff said that it was one of the hardest decisions they ever made.
This departure has thrown some game developers into chaos, as now they're unclear of who they should contact in regards to game publishing. Hector Sanchez, the new president of Annapurna Interactive and formerly a co-founder of the division, said that the company will "honor existing contracts" and that it will hire new staff to replace those who resigned.
Annapurna Interactive has published many critically-acclaimed games since it started in 2017. This includes What Remains of Edith Finch, Flower, Outer Wilds, Stray, Thirsty Suitors, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, and more. Upcoming games include Morsels, Silent Hill: Townfall, and Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth.
The post Entire Gaming Staff of Annapurna Interactive Resigned appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, September 13, 2024 8:00 AM
Unity has cancelled the controversial Runtime Fee after "deep consultation" with its community and partners. This goes into effect immediately.
Matt Bromberg, the President and CEO of Unity, wrote a message on the blog announcing this decision. Customers who aren't part of the gaming industry will not be impacted. To summarize his message on the Unity blog, Unity made the engine to "democratize game development," but if it's at conflict with its customers, then it can't fulfill that goal. Though customers understand that price increases are necessary investments in the engine, it shouldn't "come in a novel and controversial" way.
Unity will return to a normal subscription model. Unity Personal is still free, and the revenue and funding ceiling is $200,000 instead of $100,000. You can also turn off the "Made With Unity" screen that appears when a game boots up if you want to. As for Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise, the subscription pricing will become higher as of January 1, 2025. Unity Pro will see an 8% subscription price increase to $2200. If you make more than $200,000 of revenue or funding, you need to get Unity Pro. Unity Enterprise will see a 25% subscription increase and if you're making over $25 million of total annual revenue or funding, you will need to upgrade to that plan.
The Runtime Fee was a controversial new plan that Unity implemented in September 2023. Essentially, if you make a game with the Unity Engine, you will need to pay a fee every time someone installed your game. Due to protests from developers and fans around the world, Unity changed the Runtime Fee plan to balance it for the different users.
Unity will cancel the Runtime Fee effect immediately. It will revert to the seat-based subscription model that it had in the past, and this goes for Unity 6 users after the engine comes out later in 2024.
The post Unity Cancels Controversial Runtime Fee Effective Immediately appeared first on Siliconera. |
WGB Friday, September 13, 2024 7:27 AM Annapurna Interactive's entire staff has resigned from the company following failed negotiations with parent company Annapurna Pictures. |
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