Kotaku Thursday, November 28, 2024 2:15 PM  Once upon a time, the United States of America would enjoy a holiday called "Thanksgiving." However, over time, as culture shifted and the country changed, it eventually evolved into the day of celebration we now all know and love. That's right, Thanksgaming! It's the day of the year when everyone in America—and all… |
Kotaku Thursday, November 28, 2024 12:15 PM  As Nintendo gears up to take down Palworld for its aping of Pokémon game design elements, another high-profile court case seems inevitable with Tencent's announcement of Light of Motiram (thanks Gematsu), a game that looks uncannily similar to Sony's Horizon Zero Dawn. |
Kotaku Thursday, November 28, 2024 9:40 AM  Back in October, Microsoft announced that come November, it would be able to finally start selling Xbox games via its app on Android devices. This, as The Verge points out, has not yet happened. Now Xbox president Sarah Bond has taken to social media to lay the blame for this delay squarely at Google's feet. |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 2:34 PM  While making a game with incredibly popular IP isn't a guaranteed route to success (Marvel's Avengers and Suicide Squad Kill The Justice League, I'm looking at you) it certainly gives any project a big head start. The concept alone of Marvel Rivals was enough to cause an eruption of hype, and its betas showed that it's delivering in the gameplay department too. Now, just over a week out from its full launch, it's ticked one final (but very important) box - it's gone gold. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Marvel Rivals release date, Marvel Rivals characters, Marvel Rivals System Requirements |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 1:44 PM  Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is remarkable. The expansion to FromSoft's hit soulslike delivers a massive new explorable world with even harder challenges to face than the base game. If you've yet to try it, the good news is that it's now at its lowest-ever price during its first-ever discount period. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Elden Ring builds, Elden Ring bosses, Elden Ring weapons |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 1:05 PM  As we all know by now, Dead By Daylight is no stranger to crossovers - and the vast majority of the time, it absolutely nails them too. Well, another has just been unveiled, and it revolves around the disturbing works of a horror manga legend - take a look at this amazing DBD Junji Ito skin collection. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: DBD killer tier list, Best horror games, DBD codes |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 12:41 PM  There's another Black Friday deal on the table, and this one feels juicy. The prices of subscriptions to Nvidia GeForce Now have just been slashed on the cloud-based streaming service, offering a huge 50% off the price for new subscriptions for the first three months of membership. If you've never given the service a try, now's your chance to lock in a cheap deal over the holiday season. Not everyone has the best gaming PC in the world, but thanks to Nvidia, you don't need one. GeForce Now members can hire the power they need, on the go, to enjoy the latest games on all kinds of devices, whether it's an old PC or a smartphone. As long as you own the games, you can rent your own GPU, including an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080, and start playing immediately. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: GeForce RTX 4070 Super review, DLSS explained, Best graphics cards |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 12:38 PM  When is the Dead by Daylight Bone Chill event 2024? These days, it feels like one DBD event is barely finished before the next begins - but we're not complaining. Fresh out of the Haunted by Daylight Halloween event and the latest 2v8 limited-time mode, it's time to ready up for the Bone Chill winter event. Now in its fourth year, Bone Chill returns to the horror game with some familiar features, alongside brand-new mechanics. A new Event Tome gives you the chance to pick up new wintry Dead by Daylight cosmetics, both DBD killers and survivors can jump into Snowmen to trick the enemy, and a brand-new map debuts with the launch of the event. We're yet to see if there'll be any new DBD codes to celebrate the event, but here's everything else we know about DBD Bone Chill 2024. Continue reading DBD Bone Chill 2024 release date, start time, new map, and more MORE FROM PCGAMESN: DBD killer tier list, Best horror games, DBD codes |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 12:22 PM  Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 landed on Steam with an unfortunate thud. When you could actually get into the game, it was great, and worked fine, but for a lot of players the newest edition of the beloved PC series was unexpectedly off limits. Owing to technical problems, Flight Sim fans were left permanently on the initial load screen. The issue got so bad that MSFS 2024, for a short time, was forced to carry the shame of an 'overwhelmingly negative' rating on Valve's store. But like Cyberpunk 2077, No Man's Sky, and Final Fantasy 14, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has found redemption. Developer Asobo confirms that the issues regarding access are dealt with, and the Steam reviews have started to regain altitude. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Microsoft Flight Simulator review, The best PC simulation games, Microsoft Flight Simulator system requirements |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 12:21 PM  When is the Smite 2 release date? There has been some confusion around the upcoming Smite sequel, following a closed alpha period in May 2024 and an apparent release date reveal on Steam, so we clear this up below. As one of the greatest MOBA games of all time, Smite gives you a choice of over 100 legendary Gods to pilot in a colorful and chaotic arena battle. Smite 2 takes this one step further, keeping the beloved gameplay and characters of the first game, and adding improved graphics, animations, and more. See what we thought of the sequel in our Smite 2 preview if you're still not convinced there's room for a Smite 2 at all, or keep reading to find out more about the Smite 2 closed alpha, open beta, and full release date. Continue reading Smite 2 release date window, closed alpha, and latest news MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best MOBAs, Best multiplayer games, Upcoming PC games |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 12:19 PM  An unusual new Steam Deck rival has just been announced by OneXPlayer, but calling it a handheld might not do it justice. The hybrid design of the OneXPlayer OneGX 2 makes it hard to place, mixing the form factor of a handheld gaming PC with design features we'd expect from a laptop, although the unusual double keyboard added on top is completely original. The best gaming handheld PCs in the market right now, including big players like the original Steam Deck, largely all have a very similar form factor. The effort here by OneXPlayer to switch things up a little could pay dividends, if the device works as intended. Not only could it be a great handheld, but it could also prove to be a great two-in-one replacement for your gaming laptop, too. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 12:57 PM  While there is no official Steam Black Friday sale, the Autumn sale still offers lots of exciting deals over the Black Friday period. Some publishers are now running specific Black Friday sales on the platform too, so there's no shortage of bargains. Remember all those games you wanted to try but were waiting for them to go on offer? Well, chances are they're on sale now - from Silent Hill 2 to Diablo 4 and Dragon's Dogma 2, some fantastic games are going cheap. Continue reading Steam Black Friday sale - the top PC game deals MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Steam FAQ, Steam family sharing, Steam in-home streaming |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 12:15 PM  What are the best Stalker 2 weapons? You won't get very far in a first-person shooter if you're not prepared to do some shooting, and there's plenty of firepower to be had in Stalker 2. Whether you're going up against mutants or humans, The Heart of Chornobyl is a dangerous place that demands a powerful arsenal. Each weapon can also be modified with attachments and upgrades to make them feel distinctly different. There are 35 Stalker 2 weapons in total, though you often don't have the luxury of choice in GSC's survival game. While the stats of some weapons are dramatically better than others, sometimes, the best weapon is the one with the most ammunition. From pistols to assault rifles, shotguns to grenades, our list of weapons in Stalker 2 can help you shape your loadout to your preference. Continue reading Best Stalker 2 weapons, guns, and how to repair them MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Stalker 2 weapons, Stalker 2 review, Stalker 2 artifacts |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 11:57 AM  What is the best Path of Exile 2 Warrior build? The Warrior may appear at first glance to be a fairly straightforward class in Path of Exile 2, but with a few new tricks up their sleeve this time around, they are surprisingly effective at both defense and offense. We take a look at the best build and skills for this heavy brawler. We already have Path of Exile 2 builds for Sorceress, Mercenary, and Ranger, but those PoE 2 classes are generally ranged damage dealers, never quite getting their hands dirty. With the PoE 2 Warrior, however, you'll be in the mix at all times - whether defending or maiming, however, is up to you. Continue reading Path of Exile 2 Warrior class guide MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Path of Exile 2 Witch class guide, Path of Exile 2 preview, Path of Exile 2 release date |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 11:41 AM  What is the next Dead by Daylight Chapter? New chapters arrive in Dead by Daylight every three months, and it can be difficult to keep up with the new characters, maps, and more. Luckily, these updates arrive on a fairly rigid schedule, so we can usually look forward to the next DBD chapter before we even know what it is. With so much additional content, it's incredible how Behaviour Interactive is able to come up with new perks and powers for the latest DBD killers and survivors. The next Dead by Daylight character to enter The Fog is the gruesomely gorgeous Houndmaster and her pet dog, Snug. Joining them is Taurie Cain, the first Scottish survivor in the horror game. Here's everything we know about them, their perks, the PTB, and more ahead of the DBD Chapter 34 release date. Continue reading Next DBD Chapter release date, new killer, survivor, perks, and more MORE FROM PCGAMESN: DBD killer tier list, Best horror games, DBD codes |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 11:09 AM  Given that thousands of games come out every year, it's inevitable that there's going to be some crossover. Half-Life, you might argue, is a derivative of Doom. Cities Skylines is a lot like SimCity. There's common ground between Stalker and Fallout. But a new crafting and survival game from Tencent, the publishing and development giant which has stakes in Ubisoft, Riot, Paradox, and dozens of other major companies, seems to wear its inspirations very prominently on its sleeve. If you've played Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West, or Palworld, the freshly announced Light of Motiram may look extremely familiar. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games, Best crafting games, Best open-world games |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 11:05 AM  Monster Hunter Wilds is without question my most-anticipated game of 2025, and I'm sure that's true for many. But if you're craving a behemoth-battling fix in the meantime, let me recommend Dauntless. It's a slightly more arcadey take on the formula, but one that fundamentally gets what makes it tick - and is perhaps a more approachable first taste if you're completely new to the genre. As developer Phoenix Labs unveils its game-changing Dauntless Awakening update, it also confirms that you'll be able to play the free game on Steam for the first time ever. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Dauntless guide, Dauntless Behemoths, Best games like Monster Hunter |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 11:00 AM  Elden Ring might pile on the difficulty, and a close round of Counter-Strike 2 will certainly get the pulse rate up, but if you want the most intense gaming experience available on PC, you need roguelikes. Between Dead Cells, Cult of the Lamb, and Hades, the genre has blossomed over recent years, but there's another contender for the throne that you can now claim as a totally free game. Rated 96% on Steam, despite its playful aesthetic and wacky concept, Brotato is one of the most high-pressure, white-knuckle roguelike shooters available. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelike games, Free Steam games, Best co-op games |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 1:09 PM  Black Friday PC gaming deals are already popping up around the internet. Whether you want to expand your Steam library with a few games at a discount price, or you're keen to revamp your setup with some shiny new gear, there are already lots of bargains to be found ahead of the day itself. Continue reading Best Black Friday PC gaming deals for 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 11:10 AM  How do you get Palworld Twitch drops? Twitch drops are a great way to boost your gaming experience, whether you receive useful consumables for your favorite game, or just some cute cosmetics to show off to your friends. It's the latter in this case with the new Palworld Twitch drops, introducing customization items you won't want to miss out on. Since the release of Palworld, we've seen new Pals, bosses, and even the addition of new regions to the Palworld map. Now, a more aesthetic-focused new feature has arrived in the adventure game with Pal skins, which were available in the previous Palworld Twitch drops campaign. Continue reading Palworld Twitch drops and how to claim MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld bosses, Palworld map, Palworld settings |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 10:47 AM  When is the Deadlock release date? Thanks to a recent lift on restrictions for the secretive upcoming shooter from Valve, streamers and community members can now share gameplay footage and their thoughts on Deadlock. So, what is Deadlock? Valve's not so secret project has been knocking around for a few years, but it's all been a bit hush hush. Now Deadlock has a shiny new Steam page, an influx of gameplay footage, plus a closed playtest, and has seen player numbers soar to extraordinary heights. If you want to play Deadlock, here's our guide on how to access the Deadlock playtest. Continue reading Deadlock release date estimate, latest news, trailers, and more MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Deadlock release date , Deadlock crosshair, Deadlock characters |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 10:32 AM  How do you get Guild Wars 2 Twitch drops? After announcing Twitch drops in 2022 as part of their tenth anniversary and Steam release, Guild Wars 2 is back with another Twitch drop offering to see in the new content, here's when to tune in. To celebrate the Janthir Wilds expansion, where we'll get to explore dangerous new lands in major updates to carry us into 2025, we're also treated to raids, encounters, a new mount, and more. Alongside the release, ArenaNet has announced a new wave of Guild Wars 2 Twitch drops and the rewards we can earn for taking part. Continue reading Guild Wars 2 Twitch drops and how to claim MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best MMOs on PC, Guild Wars 2 system requirements, Guild Wars 2 expansion |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 10:22 AM  November 28, 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 Thursday, November 28, 2024 10:18 AM  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. Continue reading All Monopoly Go events, tournaments, dates, and rewards MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Monopoly Go events, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 10:16 AM  What are the best Valorant crosshair codes? Whether you're new to the game or are looking to switch up your scope, dialing in the best Valorant crosshair for you is the easiest quality-of-life adjustment you can make in-game. After all, you're not going to be able to click heads with the game's cluttered default 'hair, or one that is completely illegible nearly as well as one that is fine-tuned to you. Fortunately, the best players in the hit FPS game also know this, and thanks to Valorant crosshair codes it's super simple to yoink their tried and tested sights in one of the best PC games around. Whether they're playing for pro teams like DRX or Fnatic, or are lighting up the streaming scene, you're sure to find the perfect reticle to equip your favorite Valorant agents with in our comprehensive list of Valorant crosshairs. If you don't know how to import codes, jump down to the bottom of this guide. Continue reading Best Valorant crosshair codes used by pros in 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Valorant Night Market dates, Valorant ranks, Valorant crosshair codes |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 10:11 AM  Who are the latest Fortnite NPCs? NPC locations change with every new Fortnite season, much like everything else, and more are added during the season as well. This makes it difficult to keep track of the latest NPC locations. That's where we come in. There are a few reasons you might want to find a Fortnite NPC location in the battle royale game, from hiring some help or buying one of the new Fortnite weapons, to generating a rift from out of nowhere. There are often new hostile NPCs to defeat too, but if you're looking for someone a little more friendly, we have every NPC location marked on the Fortnite map, as well as a list of all of the special items or services you can buy in Chapter 5 Season 5. Continue reading All Fortnite NPCs, locations, and items MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Fortnite map, Fortnite skins, Fortnite weapons |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 10:09 AM  Another bad Windows 11 update launched this week, which stopped several Ubisoft games, including the recent Star Wars: Outlaws, from working. A one-off, unseen error that no one could have predicted? Probably, but to me, it points to a bigger problem that Microsoft has to face. Gamers are fickle, and Microsoft's dominance over the gaming PC market is beginning to look shaky, thanks to Linux gaming on the Steam Deck. I don't believe Microsoft has an agenda against gamers – quite the contrary, it has a vested interest in keeping them on its side. It has plowed billions into hefty acquisitions to bolster the Xbox gaming division's roster, and it no doubt wants to recoup a healthy return on those investments. Right now, it has luck on its side, too, with the best gaming PCs running Windows 11 without a legitimate alternative available. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Microsoft DirectX Raytracing, Microsoft Hololens hands-on, Windows Game Mode preview |
PCGamesN Thursday, November 28, 2024 10:06 AM  When you think of the best zombie games, you typically imagine a ruined world such as the one you can help create in infectious strategy hit Plague Inc. Boasting more than 190 million players since launch, it swept across the world much in the same way as its eponymous pathogen. But in developer Ndemic Creations' new project, After Inc: Revival, the post-apocalyptic world you're dropped into is one of beautiful green fields and clear, flowing rivers - even if danger still lurks around every corner. Coming soon to Steam Early Access, you can try it right now on phones. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best city-building games, Best zombie games, Best 4X games |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, November 28, 2024 1:16 PM  In Ndemic Creations' mobile strategy sim Plague Inc, you nurture a disease and attempt to spread it across the world. Originally launched in 2012, the game saw a morbid upsurge in popularity during the early years of Covid, as millions of people sought to model the pandemic's advance or just play out their anxieties. Perhaps seeking to wash away any lingering bad karma, Ndemic have now unveiled After Inc: Revival, a blend of city builder and miniature 4X set in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. In Plague Inc, you brought the world to an end; now, you must grow it anew from the wreckage. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, November 28, 2024 11:45 AM  S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl challenges you to survive the Zone, a land where the rules of nature are more like half-hearted suggestions and death may come from a mutant's fang as quickly as a bandit's bullet. But what if you could not only survive it, but tame it? I am Bohdan Beastmaster, aspiring wrangler of all the radiation-twisted insults to God that occupy the Zone. One of its rogue Artifacts exploded my flat, and rather than find a place on SpareRoom, I've gone for the easier and safer option of venturing into the wilds of Chornobyl – armed not with rusty AKs or scavenged grenades but the teeth and claws of my mutant soon-to-be companions. The absence of any actual fauna-influencing tools or techniques only makes my plan even simpler: find beasts, aggro beasts onto human enemies, win. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, November 28, 2024 11:33 AM The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless, my gaming headset of choice, is over £70 / $70 off for Black Friday  All that writing about gaming earbuds yesterday has reignited my appreciation for the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless, the PC headset I've been donning every day for... ooh, maybe two and a half years now? It sounds lovely, is comfortable enough to wear for hours, and has such a long battery life that we should probably just consider it witchcraft by now. Also, it's just had its price cut for Black Friday week, dropping to a very agreeable £110 in the UK and $126. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, November 28, 2024 11:26 AM  An on-going lawsuit against Valve about Steam's "anti-competitive" practices and especially, its infamous 30% per-game revenue cut, has taken an interesting twist. According to a report, it's now a class action suit that could benefit any developers or publishers who have sold a game over the Steam store on or after 28th January 2017. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, November 28, 2024 11:00 AM  Another explosion sends the bodies flying. "Has anyone been here long enough to tell me what the hell is going on!?" the sergeant yells. He sounds annoyed. The field hospital is gone, probably blown to pieces. Troops keep wandering north and disappearing from view, only to come flying back as airborne cadavers moments later. The number of corpses and spilled backpacks on the road imply that someone in battalion headquarters (if such a place even exists) has made a terrible decision. If the Colonial forces want to win the persistent online war of Foxhole, suggests the sergeant with his many irritated noises, then someone needs to piece these dying fools together. As the only medic in a 500 metre radius, that means me. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, November 28, 2024 10:59 AM  Palworld developers Pocketpair have revealed a new major update, which introduces "the largest and harshest" island in the survival game's history, together with new tower bosses and new pals. As for everything else… that's a secret, but you can expect a "large amount of new content", and we've got a few images to speculate over. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, November 28, 2024 10:37 AM  The Alienware Black Friday sale is well underway, and you can get your hands on some very tasty gaming PCs for a huge discount this year. Our top pick from this sale is the Aurora R16 RTX 4090 Gaming PC for $2,999.99. That's a gigantic $1,000 saving on a powerful out-of-the-box gaming PC. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, November 28, 2024 9:19 AM  We're now just one day out from Black Friday, so the savings are starting to seriously ramp up. You can grab our favourite Steam Deck dock in the sale for just $23.99 this year. That's a full $16 off the usual price. The 6-in-1 option is also on sale and 20% off at Amazon today. |
Siliconera Thursday, November 28, 2024 3:00 PM
Between its nostalgic art style and uniquely "free Japanese indie horror game" style of characterization, playing Matsuro Palette felt like taking a time machine back to the mid-to-late-2000s. Though the gameplay loop is simple enough, it truly shines with its bittersweet story. Considering its price point and how quickly you can play through the game, this is definitely something I recommend if you want something quick and easy to get through on a weekend.
In Matsuro Palette, you play as a painter who must finish painting a cursed portrait of a girl. You're not the first painter who's been tasked with this project though. Several others have attempted to finish her painting, but they all died due to the subject's violent temper. Drew an apple for her but didn't peel it first? Bye. Drew something she wanted where she wanted, but used the wrong color? See you later. In order to satisfy the painting, the painter must rely on hints from both previous victims and the girl herself.
The game's divided into two main parts: exploration and painting. When the day starts, you must explore the various rooms for items to sketch. The interesting thing about Matsuro Palette is that the majority of the sketches are always in the background already. You just might not notice their significance until later. For example, one of the sketches you'll need is a mirror and you've probably already seen said mirror during your previous explorations. It just never becomes important until later, when the girl wants you to include that in a painting. After deciding what you want to draw, as well as the order you want to draw it in, you need to pick a color. The color wheel spins through the air, requiring you to click it at the right timing. Fortunately, this isn't the difficult part.
As a whole, the game takes about two to three hours to complete. This depends on how much trouble you might have with the painting's requests. Two of the levels gave me some difficulty, especially since I misunderstood what the girl wanted from me. If you game over though, the game doesn't force you to start over from the very beginning. It simply places you back at the painting with all of the sketches already in your inventory. Since a huge part of Matsuro Palette is collecting all of the different deaths, it makes sense that the game would be really nice to you. I tried to avoid guide usage for my review, but since Matsuro Palette has been out for years at this point, it's not hard to find walkthroughs on YouTube or Japanese sites if you're not sure how to proceed.
Considering the sheer number of deaths in the game, you might need to pull out a guide to complete the death gallery. There are over forty different types of death in this game, with a unique one for each way you can potentially tick off the girl. For example, I mentioned earlier that the girl gets mad at you if you present her an apple but you don't peel it first. Your punishment for that lapse in judgment is her skinning you alive. The deaths aren't very gruesome, visually speaking. This is because the person who dies in these endings looks like a chalk outline at a crime scene. So it shouldn't be too difficult to look at, even if you're not the biggest fan of gore.
While the gameplay loop is easy, painting the girl actually isn't the point of the game. The story is. I personally really enjoyed it. While I shouldn't be surprised considering this is a cursed painting we're talking about here, I was still a little taken aback by how sad the story became after you start to learn more about the painting's past. After I beat the game and it kicked me back to the main menu, I had to sit there for a few minutes just kind of taking it all in. It really reminds me of similar older-looking indie Japanese horror games (think Ib, The Witch's House) in that the game isn't so difficult that you spend entire days on it, but the story will stay with you for much longer than you expect.
Speaking of retro horror games, the art style is reminiscent of Touhou Project, and this impression is accelerated by the girl's design. There's something very charming about how simple it is; it's not bad, but it looking like amateur fanart really adds to how unpolished the game feels. That is a compliment, not a complaint or criticism. I also really enjoyed the music, as well as the fact that the entire game is pretty much in monochrome. For the longest time, the only colors that appear are whatever you choose to place in the canvas. So getting to see more color as the story progresses had a lot more impact.
There is one thing about Matsuro Palette that I didn't particularly like and it's that the game occasionally kicked me back to the main menu after certain chapters. This is an intentional choice rather than a bug. It didn't happen after every day, thankfully, but it did happen enough that it started to become grating to press a few extra buttons to get back into the atelier. I was wondering if Matsuro Palette had an episodic release, like Resident Evil: Revelations 2 did. But from my research, I don't believe SleepingMuseum did that.
With a charming aesthetic that hearkens back to the mid-2000s and a gripping story, Matsuro Palette really surprised me with how much I liked it. It's short and sweet, just difficult enough to provide a challenge, but easy enough that you can beat it in one day if you wish. While I don't think I'd like a sequel of it, it did leave me wanting to see more between the painter and the girl.
Matsuro Palette, aka Death Palette, is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, and mobile devices.
The post Review: Matsuro Palette Presents a Surprisingly Beautiful Story appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, November 28, 2024 2:00 PM
Pocketpair has announced that it will release a new major update patch for Palworld in December 2024. This update will add a new mysterious large island that players can explore.
The company noted that the new island will be around six times the size of Sakurajima, which it added in the June 2024 update. Screenshots for the new island include a yellow area with a golden stag beetle-like Pal and a crystal cave.
In the same announcement tweet, Pocketpair also revealed that it is holding a 25% discount for Palworld. The PC version on Steam also coincides with the Steam Autumn Sale, which is running until December 4, 2024.
The announcement tweet for the Palworld December 2024 update is available to view right below:
Pocketpair is still having a multitude of Palworld content updates despite an ongoing lawsuit filed by The Pokemon Company and Nintendo in September 2024. The company has also announced new crossover content from Re-Logic's Terraria, which will appear in 2025.
Palworld is readily available worldwide as an Early Access game on Windows PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. The new major update patch will arrive in December 2024. Pocketpair will also release a Mac version on February 27, 2025.
The post Palworld December 2024 Update Will Add a New Huge Island appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, November 28, 2024 1:00 PM
The Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage mobile game is "already dead." Koei Tecmo has announced that it will cease its services for the online-exclusive free-to-play game on Monday, January 27, 2025.
This mobile game is more particularly based on Shin Hokuto Musou, which is better known in the West as Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2. The original game appeared on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii U in Japan in 2012 and the West in 2013.
Koei Tecmo gradually released new story chapters on a weekly basis to emulate the original manga's publications on Weekly Shonen Jump from 1983 until 1988. It also added new playable characters that were not available in the console games, such as the Nanto Goshasei members Huey and Shuren. The mobile game launched in late 2020, so it will have a total lifespan of around four years.
There are no mentions of an offline archive version on the announcement page, so the mobile game's content not recorded on players' screenshots and streams will be entirely lost to time. Koei Tecmo will instead offer refunds to players who still have unused paid currencies by the end-of-service date.
The loss of the mobile game will once again deprive people of the ability to play Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage games on ongoing gaming platforms. People cannot bring the original PS3 and Wii U versions to the PS4, PS5, or Switch due to the lack of backward compatibility support for the console generation. Microsoft did not include either of the two titles in the list of backward-compatible Xbox 360 games for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
The Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage mobile game is available on Android and iOS devices until January 27, 2025.
The post FotNS: Ken's Rage Mobile Game Will Shut Down in January 2025 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, November 28, 2024 12:00 PM
As someone who grew up loving retro platformers, from the classic Mega Man series to modern throwbacks like Shovel Knight and Azure Striker Gunvolt, I'm always eager to dive into games that celebrate the 8-bit and 16-bit eras. Flare Nuinui Quest immediately caught my eye with its vibrant pixel art. At first glance, it seemed like an indie homage to the platforming classics I adore.
However, it's far from just another retro-inspired title. This game is based on Shiranui Flare, a Vtuber from Hololive Production. As someone completely unfamiliar with Hololive, this revelation threw me for a loop. I barely had any idea what Vtubers were, and certainly no idea who Flare was. Also, I had no idea how someone could make a game inspired by the performer.
For those unaware, Hololive Production is a virtual talent agency housing over 90 Virtual YouTubers. As of November 2024, Cover's group boasts a staggering 90 million YouTube subscribers following its talents. Shiranui Flare is a member of Hololive's Japanese branch. She's known for her charismatic streams and distinctive design. This actually makes her an ideal candidate to anchor a retro action game. As part of the Shiraken unit, a collective of Vtuber talents, Flare brings her adventurous and friendly spirit to Flare Nuinui Quest, as do other members of her unit and generation.
Did this bring anyone else up to speed? Despite my research, I still feel like I only loosely understand the concept. Yet, I never really felt my lack of familiarity with her character and lore left me in the dark. The game's colorful presentation and fun gameplay were more what I'd signed up for anyway.
In Flare Nuinui Quest, evil forces have plunged the world into chaos. Now, it's up to Flare to save her missing Shiraken comrades. Armed with her twin pistols, Smile and Go, Flare embarks on a classic side-scrolling adventure. You know the drill. There are power-ups, secrets, and challenging bosses ahead. The game features appearances from other Hololive members, some of whom act as allies, while others become formidable bosses. This adds an extra layer of appeal for fans of the company, who will undoubtedly enjoy spotting familiar faces and references.
For newcomers like me, the story is largely inconsequential. It's a straightforward setup that serves as a vehicle for the gameplay loop. Flare Nuinui Quest delivers a simple, but satisfying retro platformer experience reminiscent of Mega Man. Players progress through levels, dodging enemies and obstacles while blasting away with Flare's pistols.
What I actually like about Flare Nuinui Quest is how it sticks to its retro roots. There are no Metroidvania mechanics or sprawling maps to navigate. This is a level-based platformer through and through. Flare's core abilities include a sliding move and a charge shot, much like Mega Man. However, I found it just as easy and efficient to rely on rapid-fire shots for most encounters. The charge shot does become a bit more useful as you acquired new abilities after defeating bosses. These upgrades attempt to add variety to combat and encourage experimentation. But I found mashing the regular shot was still more than sufficient for most situations.
The level design itself is fairly straightforward, with many levels being relatively short and linear. To some this simplicity might make the game accessible and keep the action moving. However, it also means the levels don't always stand out individually. The emphasis is on clean, functional layouts that guide players from start to finish with very little in the way of surprises or complex platforming sections. For some players, it might come across as overly basic.
Boss fights are usually a major highlight in platformers like this, and Flare Nuinui Quest actually delivers pretty well when it comes to major challenges. Each boss is modeled after a Hololive member. It is certainly a treat for fans of the franchise. Even for someone unfamiliar with the characters, the bosses are pretty well-designed and offer a fair challenge. They strike a great balance between nostalgic simplicity and fun mechanics, making each fight feel rewarding without veering into frustration. For a game of this scale, the effort put into these encounters is actually really welcome.
No retro platformer is complete without a memorable soundtrack, and Flare Nuinui Quest doesn't disappoint. The game features 8-bit renditions of popular Hololive songs, which is an exciting touch. Even without recognizing the source material, I found the music catchy and atmospheric, perfectly complementing the pixelated visuals and fast-paced gameplay.
The Hololive branding is both a strength and a limitation, however. For fans of Shiranui Flare or the Hololive universe, Flare Nuinui Quest is a delightful celebration of the Vtuber phenomenon, packed with references and cameos. However, for players unfamiliar with Hololive, the game's identity can feel a bit nebulous. While it stands well enough on its own as a retro platformer, the narrative and character-driven elements might not resonate as strongly with those outside the fandom.
One notable drawback is the game's brevity. While Flare Nuinui Quest is undeniably fun, it's also a very short experience. The main campaign takes just a few hours to complete, and can be done in one setting. The inclusion of additional campaigns starring Usada Pekora and Houshou Marine help extend the playtime. But even so, it feels more like a quick diversion than a substantial offering like Shovel Knight.
That said, the game's low price point makes its short runtime more forgivable. It feels akin to a polished browser game—charming, accessible, and perfect for quick sessions. The added achievements and hidden secrets give completionists a reason to dive back in. However, the core experience is over before you know it.
Flare Nuinui Quest is a charming retro platformer that nails the look and feel of classic 8-bit games. Its simple mechanics, nostalgic design, and catchy soundtrack make it a joy to play, even for those with no knowledge of Hololive or Shiranui Flare. For fans of the Vtuber and the wider Hololive universe, the game is an even bigger treat, filled with familiar characters and references that add depth to the experience. While its short length and fan-service-heavy approach might limit its appeal to some players, the low price and polished gameplay make it an easy recommendation for anyone who loves retro platformers. Flare Nuinui Quest proves that even niche projects can deliver big on charm and fun.
Flare Nuinui Quest is available on PCs via Steam.
The post Review: Flare Nuinui Quest Is a Simple, Fun Throwback appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, November 28, 2024 9:00 AM
Garden of the Sea aims to be a cosy life-sim, where the central hook involves farming crops, building structures, befriending animals, and exploring nearby islands. The title was initially released in 2022 as a VR game. I think this is important to point out because, although there are some enduring aspects that work well outside of the VR experience, it does not translate well to the Switch.
If you've ever played Budget Cuts, Neat Corporation's previous title, you might expect Garden of the Sea to incorporate frantic, over-the-top gameplay, but this game features a far more tranquil tone. You find yourself on a deserted island inhabited only by local animals. There is no dialogue. You only find signs indicating which items you need to craft. To say the plot feels minimal and quite basic would be an understatement. The first few episodes of the TV series Lost offer more in-depth reasons why the characters ended up on an island, which is saying something.
Once you begin exploring, you'll undergo a brief tutorial introducing the basic controls and showing you how to grow crops. Planting and harvesting are relatively straightforward. You can grow crops like carrots and radishes by placing seeds, watering them, and waiting for them to grow. When they are ready, you pick them up from the ground. If you don't get to it in time, the plants wither away and you will have to water them again to revive them. After completing the tutorial, you'll get the freedom to choose how you spend your time, with minimal guidance provided. You could go sightseeing and bond with animals like penguins or make progress and attempt to fulfill the specific tasks illustrated on the signs. The entire atmosphere feels like going on a glamping trip, as everything feels so relaxed.
Within the environment, you will often find scraps of paper with vague drawings of items like flowers or rocks, indicating what components are needed for specific buildings. It's almost like a game of Pictureka. Sadly, the Garden of the Sea building process is unsatisfying and somewhat ambiguous. An excellent example of this occurs at the beginning of the game. I need edto make several fences, one of many items required to create some buildings. First, I needed to gather several pieces of wood using a hand axe to break down a large log. Afterwards, I had to put these pieces of wood into a crafting bubble to turn them into a fence. However, the game never explained how to do so, which meant stumbling into it.
Now, you might think that the above process does not sound too bad! It might even seem like some head-scratching puzzles. However, an issue amplifies this tedious process and even hurts the laid-back tone. You can only carry a handful of items at one given time, which makes perfect sense. But if you drop items on the ground, they can disappear and never return. This made me very reluctant to switch between jobs, which goes against the freestyle nature of the game and forces you to stick with a particular task.
One problem I ran into involved building a boat, which is needed to explore nearby islands. To obtain the steering wheel for the boat, you will need to feed the sea creature known as the Manateecow three turnips. The problem is that I did this action without knowing it was tied to the boat construction task. I naively dropped the steering wheel, thinking I could return to it later, but it disappeared. Luckily, I recently saved, so I kept the wheel in my inventory until I had the other necessary parts. But hypothetically, if I hadn't just saved minutes prior, I would have been forced into restarting my entire game from scratch. Otherwise, I would have had no other way of getting off the home island. This led to me always strategically planning what building I think I could potentially do rather than allowing me to engage in trial and error.
On a technical level, the graphics might not be the most elaborate, but I really liked the aesthetic design of Garden of the Sea. It is packed with bright and colorful colors, making some of the environmental spaces you traverse through more engaging. One of the islands is a bamboo outback, and another is constantly shrouded by night. So they all have a distinctive feel to them. The creatures are also adorable and were hands down my favorite aspect of exploring all the islands. The animals range from birds to flying catfish and even a whale. Many of them are humorously oversized, and you can build up your friendship with these creatures by feeding and petting them. Later down the line, you can take polaroid photos of the animals with your camera and even breed them in the many stables you can build.
Garden of the Sea attempts to be a laid-back life simulator as you roam around a deserted island. But, the absence of structured tasks or rewarding objectives may lessen its appeal over time. This is further not helped by gameplay bugs, which make some of these tasks more bothersome than they should be. Ultimately, I don't know why you would choose to play this title in its current state over hard hitters in the genre, like Stardew Valley.
Garden of the Sea is now available on the PS5, PC, and Switch, as well as VR headsets like the Meta Quest.
The post Review: Garden of the Sea Is Underwhelming on the Switch appeared first on Siliconera. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, November 28, 2024 3:46 PM Trailers were also released. The post Tencent Survival Game Light of Motiram Accused of Plaigarising Horizon appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |