Kotaku Saturday, November 23, 2024 9:00 AM  This week Geoff Keighley graced our phones and laptops to reveal which games will compete for honors at this year's Game Awards. Games like Astro Bot and Black Myth: Wukong were among those earning several nods, while Dragon Age: The Veilguard saw itself almost entirely locked out (though there's likely a pretty good… |
PCGamesN Saturday, November 23, 2024 11:55 AM  2024 has seen a real flood of strong new contenders to challenge the best survival games on Steam, with the likes of Palworld, Enshrouded, and Sons of the Forest joining long-time stalwarts such as Rust, Ark, and Valheim. Once Human might have slowed down a touch from launch, but the free-to-play game is still riding high. Of course, that also means a flood of player feedback. In a new blog, developer Starry Studio outlines "major balance adjustments" coming to weapon builds in December, but promises that it will try its best to avoid nerfs where possible. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best sandbox games, Best open-world games, Best survival games |
PCGamesN Saturday, November 23, 2024 11:37 AM  I've got nothing but respect for the effort Starbreeze continues to put into Payday 3. At the tail end of 2023, all seemed lost for the sequel, especially when compared to the ongoing success of Payday 2, but that's slowly been turning around. Starbreeze has spent this year chipping away at some of the shooter's most severe problems while adding fresh content to keep players coming back. Now, Payday 3 is returning to 2011 with a new version of the first game's initial heist, and it's free for all players. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best co-op games on PC, The best crime games on PC, The best FPS games |
PCGamesN Saturday, November 23, 2024 11:00 AM  Gaming PCs are designed to be pushed to their performance and thermal limits, with plenty of fans or water cooling to keep cool, but this silent gaming PC build from Reddit takes things to a whole new level. The intriguing design takes advantage of the DIY aluminum case's surface area, turning it into a huge heatsink to keep it cool. This replicates what you might see on a smaller scale when you're using some of the best CPU coolers, but with the heat from all of your PC's components being spread out across the case itself to reduce the impact. The best gaming PCs in the world don't have a cooling system quite like this one to cool a power-hungry Intel CPU and Nvidia graphics card, but if this unique DIY project proves anything, it shows that totally silent, top-end gaming PCs are entirely within reach. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Core i5 14600K review, Best gaming CPU, Core i9 14900K review |
PCGamesN Saturday, November 23, 2024 10:17 AM  There's nothing in life I want more than a big Final Fantasy 14 and FF7 crossover. The Square Enix MMO already acts like a theme park for the series, with events bringing over other games like 16, 15, and most recently 11 with the new Dawntrail Alliance Raid - but I want more. Cloud and company need to take a trip to Eorzea, and I'm not alone in thinking so. FF14 director Naoki Yoshida has already said he's up for it, and now FF7 Rebirth's director expresses the same interest. So it's only a matter of time. Continue reading FF14 and FF7 team-up is a "great idea," Rebirth director says MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best MMOs, FF14 Dawntrail release date, FF14 Island Sanctuary guide |
PCGamesN Saturday, November 23, 2024 10:16 AM  November 23, 2024: We've added the latest 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 November 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Monopoly Go events, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Saturday, November 23, 2024 10:15 AM  With a major Victoria 3 update continuing the Paradox grand strategy game's redemption arc, now is a good time to check in on how it's progressed. Initially launching to a mixed reception due to absent elements such as warfare that long-time series players craved, it's seen plenty of evolution in the two years since. As Victoria 3 patch 1.8 delivers another big upgrade to its systems with an overhaul to cultural acceptance and discrimination, you can give it a try for free on Steam - and snag it cheap to keep if you like it. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Victoria 3 review, Victoria 3 beginner's guide, The best strategy games on PC |
PCGamesN Saturday, November 23, 2024 7:54 AM  After some player confusion, Throne and Liberty publisher Amazon Games has made it clear that the newest loot drops in the MMO are a feature and not a bug. Now that update 1.8.0 is here, Amazon confirms that the set-bonus gear some players have been finding is "an intended change" to the long-term player experience, so you don't need to worry about accidentally getting punished for utilizing a glitch. To avoid this level of confusion in the future, Amazon adds that it'll aim to better communicate these types of changes going forward. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best MMORPGs, Throne and Liberty codes, Throne and Liberty weapons |
PCGamesN Saturday, November 23, 2024 7:38 AM  The launch of Call of Duty Black Ops 6 has been a refreshing reminder of just how much fun a simple but satisfying multiplayer FPS can be. But there's no question what stands atop my most-wanted list right now. Splitgate 2 is the sequel to a game that completely won my heart, despite not initially seeming like it'd be for me. It finds a perfect blend between the movement tech of Halo and shooting a little more influenced by the likes of CoD and Battlefield, and its distinctive portal mechanic transforms those excellent fundamentals into something truly special. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Best free PC games, Best multiplayer games |
PCGamesN Saturday, November 23, 2024 6:32 AM  Valve knows how to design characters. From the unmistakable silhouettes of the Team Fortress crew to GLaDOS's stint as a potato in Portal, every Valve game has some of the most memorable visuals in the medium. Even the Left 4 Dead gang all feel wildly distinct, despite each finishing their day job to shoot zombies in the head. Unsurprisingly then, Valve knocked it out of the park with Deadlock earlier this year. You've got a gargoyle that sprang to life, a goopy sea anemone, a handful of robots, and a whole lot more. There are even a few more heroes yet to make it to the full roster, each with a great design, and now you can try them out with almost no limitations. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Deadlock release date , Deadlock crosshair, Deadlock characters |
PCGamesN Saturday, November 23, 2024 6:30 AM  Fallout 76 is in a fantastic spot these days. It's tough to define it as the best RPG in the long-running series, between the narrative chops of New Vegas, the vast breadth of Fallout 4, and the mechanical spectacle of the original Interplay games. But put aside the more serious undertones and it might be the most fun Fallout game - and almost certainly my favorite. Having come a long, long way since its rocky launch, Bethesda now unveils its next chapter in full, and we're in for quite possibly the most exciting new season we've ever seen. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best games like Fallout, Fallout 5 release date, Best Fallout 4 mods |
PCGamesN Saturday, November 23, 2024 6:00 AM  "You walk along the edge of danger, and it will change you," rumbles Woodkid. Vi and Jinx clash, illuminated in frantic neon as the lifeless, stony eyes of a long-forgotten Janna mural gaze down in silent disapproval. Simultaneously, Ekko, Heimerdinger, and Jayce have discovered The Anomaly and the extent of its corruption. Everything fades to white as Jayce reaches out a hand, and Caitlyn and Vi's Hextech begins to malfunction. It's the scene we've all been waiting for - the big battle, the climax of Season 2 Act 1. While, animation-wise, it's brilliant, Woolkid's dulcet tones really do bring the action to life. That's the story of Arcane generally; its soundtrack isn't just a soundtrack, it's a heartbeat; a symphony of complex emotions. In the wake of Act 3, I ask producer Alex 'Mako' Seaver how it all came together, and how the team dealt with the pressure of soundtracking one of the greatest videogame adaptations put to screen. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: League of Legends ranks explained, League of Legends Mythic shop rotation, League of Legends tier list |
Siliconera Saturday, November 23, 2024 9:00 AM
With any story, you need a good hook. What keeps you coming back. Why do you want to keep reading, playing, or watching. In the case of manga, it can often come down to either the story or the lead characters. In the case of the first volume, someone's immediate impression may come down to how good Sumiko Arai is at ensuring all of the characters, from major ones like Mitsuki Koga and Aya Osawa to minor ones like Mitsuki's uncle and their classmate Megumu Narita, leave a strong impression. While it started due to the limitations of the original method of sharing, it continues even now.
Editor's Note: There will be some spoilers for the first volume of The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All below.
Aya is the first one of the major characters we meet in The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All, and she's immediately identifiable and lovable. She's presented as a complex character who someone might see as a "popular" or "pretty" girl. However, she's starting out by talking about her love for music, as well as genres that her peers might not as easily embrace. But it isn't just the fact that there's more to her than may appear that makes her so much fun. It's her expressions and reactions to her crush. Every interaction with the person working at the record store is an absolute delight. Plus as the story goes on, seeing her acceptance and behavior towards others is also quite good.
Naturally, Mitsuki ends up being the other standout star. In the case of The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All, it might almost seem like she's two characters at once. The her at school wants to avoid attention, avoid being noticed, and just get by. The her at the store wants to be herself and enjoy the music she loves. But as we see her interact with Aya, and eventually her classmate Narita and uncle, we see how similar these sides of her personality are. She opens up and grows.
Narita also surprised me with how fun Arai's depiction of him is. He's initially portrayed as a sort of player who is trying to find an "in" to potentially hit on Mitsuki. She rejects him! When he's a bit of a jerk in response, Aya rejects him too! Even though she isn't even really close to her classmate yet and doesn't know her secret. To then see him recover from that, then become a supportive friend to both Aya and Mitsuki is a plot beat I didn't expect considering how stories can go.
And then there's Mitsuki's Uncle Joe. Of the characters here, he's about tied with Narita for time and really is more of a background character. But even so, we see his love and support for Mitsuki come through right away. When he sees Aya come in and their reactions together, he's delighted Mitsuki has a friend. When he more closely notices the way they relate to each other, he gets that this could be a mutual crush and potential relationship, is accepting of it, and goes on throughout the first volume to support them.
Arai makes the most of the time spent with each of the characters in The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All, and all of us reading the manga benefit as a result. It's so finely detailed and well-defined. We can tell exactly who these people are, get clear impressions of their personalities, and form immediate connections with them. It's quite striking!
Volume 1 of The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All is available now via Yen Press, and Volume 2 will launch on February 18, 2025.
The post The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All Characters Stand Out appeared first on Siliconera. |
