GamersHeroes Tuesday, December 3, 2024 11:33 AM Our time as a plucky Curator in Two Point Museum had us buzzing as we handled the finer points of museum work. While we are far from management savants, our time with Two Point Museum left us wanting one more night in the museum. The post Two Point Museum Preview – Digging Deeper appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:59 AM The holiday season has arrived in Rockstar Games' Red Dead Online, bringing with it a wide range of gifts and rewards. The post Red Dead Online Gifts and Rewards Available This December appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:28 AM Gamers Heroes recently asked Ashes of Mankind: Citadels Lead Developer Adrien David about this upcoming title's competitive marketplace, character customization, and devout community support - read more with our interview. The post Ashes of Mankind: Citadels Interview: Adrien David Talks Competitive Marketplace, Character Customization, and Community Support appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Tuesday, December 3, 2024 9:24 AM The creator of the Sega Genesis classic Ecco the Dolphin and countless other hits, video game creator, developer, and director Ed Annunziata will be a Special Guest at Sac Gamers Expo 2024. The post Sac Gamers Expo 2024 Welcomes Special Guest Ed Annunziata appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Tuesday, December 3, 2024 9:23 AM Set to release in the coming days, MachineGames and Bethesda Softworks have released the launch trailer for their upcoming adventure Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The post Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Launch Trailer Released appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
Kotaku Tuesday, December 3, 2024 11:55 AM  Nintendo is adding a steady flow of classic games to its Switch Online platform, from the most obvious to the most obscure, but perhaps never something as significant as the NES version of Tetris. Why such a big deal? Because not only will this be the very first time the game has been made available on any platform… |
Kotaku Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:50 AM  Xbox giveth and Xbox taketh away. November saw some big names come to the Game Pass subscription service, like Stalker 2, Flight Simulator 2024, and Aliens: Dark Descent, but December sees some some real bangers removed. One of them—Forza Horizon 4—is even worse affected, entering the misery of a storefront delisting. |
Kotaku Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:40 AM  It wouldn't be shocking if FromSoftware decided to follow its most successful game with a sequel, but the studio recently confirmed that Elden Ring 2 isn't currently in the works. Instead, the company behind the open-world RPG is working on other projects. I hope one of them is Armored Core VII. |
Kotaku Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:20 AM  With no official announcement yet in sight, hints at the upcoming Switch 2 continue to leak. The latest apparent indicators of Nintendo's approaching console announcement are accessories that have appeared on the Chinese commerce site Alibaba, and point to a similar design and device dimensions from previous alleged… |
Kotaku Tuesday, December 3, 2024 9:30 AM  Neva is an emotional rollercoaster of a game. It's easy to recommend it to anyone willing to shed a tear. Though the game seems to function primarily as an allegory for pollution and protecting the planet, it can also hit particularly hard for those of us who have lost pets, as it deals with love, loss, grief, and… |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 11:59 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 6, Season 1. Continue reading All Fortnite NPCs, locations, and items MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Fortnite map, Fortnite skins, Fortnite weapons |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 11:55 AM  Intel just revealed the full specs of its new gaming GPUs, and is making some bold claims about them. Specifically, the company says its new $249 Intel Arc B580 Battlemage graphics cards are on average 10% faster than the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 if you're playing at 2,560 x 1,440. Not only that, but Intel says the B580 even outperforms the RTX 4060 when ray tracing is enabled. If that does indeed turn out to be true, then Intel may well have the best graphics card for budget buyers on its hands. Nvidia has left the sub-$250 graphics card market alone on the desktop recently, with the $299 GeForce RTX 4060 being its cheapest offering in its current-gen lineup. Meanwhile, our AMD Radeon RX 7600 review showed this $269 GPU outperforming the RTX 4060 in most standard gaming tests, but falling behind when it comes to ray tracing. If Intel's claims are to be believed then it has made a sub-$250 GPU that can do it all. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Core i5 14600K review, Best gaming CPU, Core i9 14900K review |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 11:50 AM  After much waiting and several weeks on the public test server, the Fallout 76 Gleaming Depths raid is finally upon us. The challenging endgame dungeon winds through the depths of an abandoned Enclave research lab, and is home to numerous difficult encounters and boss fights that require careful teamwork to overcome. Ahead of its release, I sat down with Fallout 76 lead producer Bill LaCoste to discuss the mode, which also sets a new record for the series. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best games like Fallout, Fallout 5 release date, Best Fallout 4 mods |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 11:44 AM  The online game retailer, Fanatical, is celebrating its birthday, and that means possible prizes for you. To ring in its new milestone, the company is running a mystery game bundle prize draw where you could win a Steam Deck or a Meta Quest 3 by spending just $1. Other prizes include Twitch voucher, a Lexip Bundle, or a Fanatical Spending Spree to enjoy on our store and even if you don't win a prize, you'll still get a mystery game to add to your Steam collection. With the Steam Deck continuing to be our pick for the best handheld gaming PC and the Meta Quest 3 also being our choice for the best VR headset, both top prizes are simply fantastic. The Lexip bundle gets you some free gaming peripherals wihl Continue reading Act fast for your chance to get a Steam Deck or Meta Quest 3 for $1 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 11:24 AM  Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is just around the corner, and if you can't wait to don your fedora and bullwhip, Humble's latest bundle will scratch your Indy itch in the meantime. The Disney Classics Black Friday Humble bundle is a must-buy for Disney fans, packing in brilliant games from franchises, like Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Monkey Island. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle release date, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle length, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Game Pass |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 11:14 AM  When is the Path of Exile 2 release date? Path of Exile 2 has now evolved from its initial role as effectively a large expansion to become its own full game, with completely new mechanics, classes, and an entirely fresh story and campaign. Like the first game, PoE2 places an emphasis on deep and nuanced build crafting, letting you put together a powerful arsenal of skills and loot to blast your way through thousands of enemies across the maps of Wraeclast. Path of Exile 2 is the standalone sequel to the first ARPG from New Zealand-based studio Grinding Gear Games. Built by a team of Diablo 2 fans who decided to make their own take on the ARPG genre and officially released as a free PC game in 2013 following several years in beta, Path of Exile rose to become one of the best games like Diablo and continues to update with regular seasonal leagues. Here's a first look at Path of Exile 2, including everything we know about the new mechanics, gameplay changes, microtransactions, and the Path of Exile 2 release date. Continue reading Path of Exile 2 release date, times, gameplay, and latest news MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Path of Exile 2 Witch class guide, Path of Exile 2 preview, Path of Exile 2 release date |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 11:01 AM  After going hands-on with the latest Delta Force build ahead of its launch into public beta this week, I stepped away from my PC with mostly positive feelings. CoD Mobile developer Team Jade's revival of the iconic series doesn't bring anything particularly groundbreaking to the table with its multiplayer offering, yet the free-to-play FPS may burrow its way into my gaming rotation with its polished gunplay and moreish action. Upon loading into Delta Force I was greeted by two very different experiences to sample: the Battlefield-esque Havoc Warfare and the Tarkov-lite Hazard Operations. Havoc Warfare is certainly a valid descriptor for the more traditional multiplayer game mode. Within the first ten seconds of loading into a 64-player game of Hill of Iron, a vehicle-filled king of the hill mode, I was dead, picked off mercilessly by a sniper perched on Ascension's rocky clifftops. Piloting new character Toxin, a support-based operative who utilizes an uzi by default, it was clear that I would need to make liberal use of whatever cover was available to me out in the field to avoid an untimely end. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Delta Force guns, Delta Force operators, Delta Force loadouts |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 11:04 AM  December 3, 2024: We checked for new ZZZ codes. What are the new Zenless Zone Zero codes? We love a freebie. Whether it's free Polychrome, Investigator Logs, or Bangboo Algorithm Modules, the latest in-game redemption codes are the fastest, cheapest, and easiest way to get free items while also skipping the gacha grind. With that in mind, we've collected all the latest 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 December 2024 and how to redeem MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Zenless Zone Zero review, Zenless Zone Zero codes, Zenless Zone Zero banners |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:56 AM  What are Path of Exile 2 support gems? A lot of your power in PoE 2 will come from the passive tree and your chosen skills; these are your bread and butter and will enable you to take on many of the challenges in the game. You can take your build further by utilizing another helpful system mechanic: support gems. Here's what they are, and a list of every one we've found so far. With the Path of Exile 2 release date around the corner, players are already theory-crafting how they're going to become all-powerful in the RPG game. We have Path of Exile 2 class builds for the different PoE 2 classes, including the Sorceress, the Monk, and even the Warrior, which goes into skills and Ascendancies. However, there's another aspect you'll need to pay attention to if you want to be the best you can be, and that is PoE 2 support gems. Continue reading Path of Exile 2 support gems explained MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Path of Exile 2 Witch class guide, Path of Exile 2 preview, Path of Exile 2 release date |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:43 AM  When can I preload Path of Exile 2? If you're anything like us, you've spent the last decade calling Wraeclast your second home. We may be sad to leave the past behind, and of course Path of Exile continues to run alongside PoE 2, but we can't wait to get started on a new PoE adventure. As the early access PoE 2 release date approaches, we wouldn't be surprised if you're eager to get into the game as soon as possible. It's a vast and challenging ARPG after all, and you need every moment you can as you get to grips with the Path of Exile 2 classes and its huge new skill tree. Luckily, we now know you can pre-download Path of Exile 2 so it's ready to go at launch. Continue reading Path of Exile 2 preload times explained MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Path of Exile 2 Witch class guide, Path of Exile 2 preview, Path of Exile 2 release date |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:37 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 Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:32 AM  It's been far too long since the last, proper new Commandos game. The WW2 tactics experience has long been a stalwart of the strategy genre, and Commandos Origins is finally about to carve out a new place for the series. With titans like XCOM and Command and Conquer largely quiet these days, now's the perfect time for Commandos to come back. The bad news is a fresh delay means we'll have to wait a little longer, but the good news is that Commandos Origins will be even better because of it. Oh, and you can still take the demo for a spin. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RTS games, Best strategy games, Best grand strategy games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:28 AM  Last year, images began leaking out of a rumored Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Ti prototype that sported a colossal four-slot-wide cooler. At first, the images just showed the cooler but now, all this time later, fresh images of the mystery card have appeared online and it has now been shown actually working. The original four-slot RTX 4090 leak suggested it could have been either a prototype for the eventual RTX 4090 or for an even more powerful variant that might have come to market as the RTX 4090 Ti. That would've made it the best graphics card around, but for whatever reason, Nvidia decided not to release this variant of the card. Today's benchmark leak, though, suggests that whatever the original plans for this strange card, the prototype here was more likely a variant of the RTX 4090, but a wild and wonderful one we'd have love to see come to market. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: GeForce RTX 4070 Super review, DLSS explained, Best graphics cards |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:38 AM  If you've ever wanted a limited edition PC case built from curved glass, looking a lot like a shoe, and costing thousands of dollars, then outlandish case specialist, InWin, has just the product for you. The InWin Infinite is a unique new case from the company that along with looking quite extraordinary, has a quite unbelieveable price too. At $7,100, it's one of the most expensive PC cases we've ever seen. If money guaranteed quality, then this would immediately be one of the best PC cases that you could buy. It wouldn't be the first unusual case we've seen from InWin, either. A few years ago it release an Alice-in-Wonderland-themed, fabric-covered PC case, and a few years before that it created a fully mirrored glass covered case too. That said, this Infinite case, which is the 11th "signature" case from InWin, might be the strangest one of the lot. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:21 AM  What are the Black Ops 6 camos? While Modern Warfare 3's camo options were bolstered by the MW2 carry-over, Black Ops 6 isn't pulling its punches when it comes to quantity. Not only can you unlock top-tier cosmetics by proving your mettle in the base game and Zombies, but this time around, Warzone will also be offering up the goods, provided you meet the criteria. Strike fear into the hearts of your Black Ops 6 opponents by wielding one of the Black Ops 6 weapons with a mastery camo. If you're new to the FPS game, there's a lot going on when it comes to BO6 camos, so we're here to break it all down and teach you how exactly to snag those shiny skins. Continue reading All Black Ops 6 camos - how to unlock BO6 mastery camos MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Black Ops 6 guns, Black Ops 6 missions, Black Ops 6 loadouts |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:20 AM  December 3, 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 December 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Monopoly Go events, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:16 AM  When is the next Monopoly Go Golden Blitz? This special, limited-time event allows players to trade the usually locked golden stickers up to five times a day. This is an ideal solution for grabbing elusive missing stickers and completing albums quickly. While you can trade these up to five times a day, each event is limited to two specific stickers, set by Scopely. There's no official schedule for Monopoly Go's Golden Blitz event, so a lot of sites that confirm dates are actually speculating based on the current Monopoly Go events. While you're waiting for the next Golden Blitz, make sure to keep on top of other freebies with our free Monopoly Go dice links guide, which is updated several times a day with the newest links. Continue reading When is the next Monopoly Go Golden Blitz event? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Monopoly Go events, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:08 AM  Want a complete list of all the Delta Force weapons and guns? We've had a chance to catch up with the latest weapons available for Delta Force, giving us the opportunity to write up a list of every gun in the game and which soldier classes can use them. With just days until the Delta Force release date, we can use the beta to decipher the best Delta Force loadouts and guns to prepare ourselves for an FPS game that's been a long time coming. This might change in the coming weeks, and we'll keep our guides updated to reflect the current meta. This guide, however, is just every single gun in Delta Force, its unlock level in Warfare mode, and which classes can use it. Continue reading All Delta Force game weapons and guns MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Delta Force guns, Delta Force operators, Delta Force loadouts |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 11:55 AM  Who are the Delta Force operators? The multiplayer experience in Team Jade's reimagining of Delta Force Black Hawk Down takes its cues from extraction shooter mainstays, spliced with the specialist-based class system seen in the likes of Battlefield 2042. As such, you can gain the upper hand on your future opponents just by learning about the specialists in the rebooted shooter. There are eight Delta Force operators at launch. Each operator falls under one of four positions: Assault, Engineer, Recon, or Support. While these positions indicate what each of the FPS game characters excel at, the real meat is in an operator's kit. Alongside a character-specific trait, each operator has unique tactical gear and two gadgets that can be used out in the field. To find out more about each of the Delta Force operators and what they're packing as you prepare for the Delta Force release date, read on. Continue reading All Delta Force operators MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Delta Force guns, Delta Force operators, Delta Force loadouts |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:06 AM  Want to know what Genshin Impact outfits are available? The outfits system was introduced in the Genshin Impact 1.6 update, following months of pleading from the community. These outfits give you the chance to dress your favourite characters in brand-new clothes. As Genshin Impact characters are locked behind gacha mechanics in the free PC game, players were initially worried that skins may be sold using the same system. However, there are actually two methods to unlock skins: purchase the skin for 1,680 Genesis Crystals, or complete specific Genshin Impact events to unlock the skin for free. If you're unlucky enough to miss the event, free skins will make their way to the Character Outfit Shop in the future. Here's a list of every outfit available in Genshin Impact right now and how to get them all for yourself. Continue reading Genshin Impact outfits - available skins and costumes MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Genshin Impact codes, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:01 AM  While the soulslike genre is unsurprisingly synonymous with FromSoftware's grim yet grand fantasy titles, some developers have put a unique spin on it over the years. We've had a Pinocchio soulslike, an FPS soulslike, and even a crab soulslike. Now, get ready for Mark of the Deep, a beautifully brutal pirate-themed take on the ever-iconic genre. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best indie games, Best soulslike games, Best metroidvania games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:02 AM  War is grim, brutal chaos, and few games capture that so dramatically as the Battlefield series. But as we wait on the next instalment from EA, a new rival from Flying Squirrel Entertainment promises to deliver that old-school brand of multiplayer warfare in its own unique, explosive fashion. Featuring full environmental destruction, up to 100 players on each side, and the ability to create your own custom battles, Over The Top: WW1 is looking like a serious challenger to EA's classic series, and you can try it right now this week, free on Steam, as a new playtest begins. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Best multiplayer games, Best war games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:16 AM  What are the best Delta Force loadouts? Taking its gameplay cues from other modern shooters, it should come as no surprise that excelling in Delta Force requires fine-tuning its litany of weapons into pinpoint accurate death machines. Fortunately, Delta Force provides a rich suite of attachments to get the most out of your weapons. While, generally, the weapon balance is pretty even across the board, some weapons in the FPS game are more devastating than others. Read on to find out the best Delta Force builds possible for the game's top weapons, the optimal equipment, and which Delta Force operators can actually use them. Continue reading Best Delta Force loadouts and builds MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Delta Force guns, Delta Force operators, Delta Force loadouts |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 9:36 AM  Intel Arc GPUs have appeared in the Steam Hardware Survey for the first time, nearly three years after Intel first announced the lineup. This latest November survey points to a modest increase in Intel Arc adoption, but it appears to be limited to gaming laptops with integrated Intel Arc GPUs, rather than due to a wider success on desktop gaming PCs. It's safe to say that Intel Arc GPUs haven't quite been accepted as the best graphics cards on laptops or gaming PCs. However, as we found in our Intel Arc A770 review, Intel can now build a competitive lower mid-range GPU, even if it's had a struggle with compatibility issues. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Core i5 14600K review, Best gaming CPU, Core i9 14900K review |
PCGamesN Tuesday, December 3, 2024 9:29 AM  When is the Blade game release date? The Daywalker returns to the videogame space just in time for his 50th anniversary, as Marvel and Arkane Lyon join forces to bring fans an all-new chapter in Blade's story. Marvel Games VP and creative director Bill Rosemann calls the collaboration a "perfect fit", and we can't wait to sink our teeth into all the details ahead of the Blade release date. Marvel's Blade was a surprise announcement at The Game Awards 2023 for any fan who's been holding out hope for a modern Blade game to accompany the vampire hunter's impending debut into the MCU. From the glimpse we've seen, Marvel's Blade promises to be a superhero game quite apart from the offerings we've seen in recent years. Half-human, half-vampire, all badass – here's the latest on the Blade game release date. Continue reading Marvel's Blade game release date estimate, trailers, and latest news |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 3, 2024 11:44 AM  Well slap my backplate and call me CUDA, because not only are Intel's Arc Battlemage graphics cards not dead – having once been mired in production trouble rumours – but they've got names and are out from next week. The CPU makers' second batch of dedicated gaming GPUs (following the decent budget-end Alchemist series) will comprise the Arc B580, releasing December 13th at $249, and the Arc B570, which arrives on January 16th from $219. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:06 AM  Tic-tac-toe, known to British people as noughts and crosses, is a famously boring game that is nonetheless often played by anybody with a sweet wrapper, a pencil and five minutes to burn while waiting for any form of public transport. It's boring because it's a "solved game" whose outcomes can be safely predicted regardless of where you place your first nought or cross, allowing the "perfect" player to at least draw their opponent. It gets played regardless because a lot of people don't know it's a solved game - specifically, young children you may wish to humiliate using your superior grown-up brain, because when you were a child somebody did the same to you. How many twisted adults were born from the experience of being bullied via the medium of tic-tac-toe? We'd be better off without this game. But look! Here comes Tic Tactic to shake things up with a touch of Balatro. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:00 AM  "If, two months ago, you'd been told to close your eyes and imagine a Two Point game about a museum, you'd come up with something at least 85% identical to Two Point Museum," wrote James, previewingishly. After spending a few hours with a beefier build, I'm inclined to agree. But, much like Campus (which gave you real incentive to actually run a smooth operation that genuinely benefited the lazy ratbags stinking up your dorm halls) it's that extra 15% that really makes all the difference. James already covered the new exhibits system, and how acquiring and displaying them changes the way you run things, but such globetrotting adventures do little to rattle the pulse of a world-weary mapmuncher like me. No, what I'm actually most excited for when Two Point Museum releases next February is possibly the most ostensibly uninteresting feature added to any videogame ever - partition walls. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 3, 2024 9:19 AM  The Elden Ring series will live on, but Elden Ring 2? That's slightly more in doubt. So says Hidetaka Miyazaki, the original Elden Lord, in a new interview about From Software's current projects, which apparently span a variety of genres. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 3, 2024 9:00 AM  We don't know yet if the AI revolution of our reality will go full Skynet or simply end with the robots unceremoniously dumping us like a sad Joaquin Phoenix. But at least video games can help us speculate. Heart Of The Machine is a cyberpunk 4X strategy game that will let players choose how a newly awakened AI sentience might behave once set loose upon a big future city. Developers Arcen Games call it a "turn-based sci-fi 4X RPG", which is a lot of genres fighting for supremacy in one small phrase. It was announced last year, but today it gets a release date and an updated demo. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 3, 2024 7:00 AM  Are there any sights more quintessentially Christmassy than a street lit up by warm and glowing decorations, as seen through a snow-graced windowpane? Why, I could gaze through this wonderful window all day. Let's just hope no-one decides to smash through it, eh? Why, I'd get bits of glass in my lovely warm milk, which would massively downgrade my biscuit-dunking experience. Wait. What's that? Oh no! |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 3, 2024 6:16 AM  As Graham pointed out earlier this year, A Difficult Game About Climbing is a difficult game about climbing. A Bennett Foddy's Getting Over It-inspired limb-flailer, where hoisting yourself up a mountain as a bald man is painfully moreish. Well, let me introduce you to A Difficult Game About Driving, a difficult game about driving. Again, you play as a bald man (called Jeff) who sits in a 4x4 bathtub and must ascend a series of difficult roads. There's a demo out now and let me tell you, it's awfully good. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, December 3, 2024 5:35 AM  In response to a decision from Blizzard to pull the original Warcraft I & II from GOG later this month, following the release of the remastered versions, GOG have updated their preservation policy. The real time strategy games will no longer be available to buy on the storefront from the 13th of December, but GOG have released a statement committing to maintaining and updating the games for existing owners as part of their preservation program. If you don't own them already, they're also currently on discount as a bundle. "We're deeply saddened to share the news that Warcraft: Orcs and Humans and Warcraft II will leave our store on December 13th, 2024," wrote GOG on X. "Seeing these masterpieces leave our store is tough, but it also serves as another reminder of why our mission at GOG is so important. With that in mind, we've decided to update one aspect of the GOG Preservation Program's policy." Here's the critical line in ceremonial blockquote attire: |
Siliconera Tuesday, December 3, 2024 11:30 AM
The announcement that the Hololive Vtuber Sakamata Chloe will be concluding her streaming activities and become an affiliate also had a profound effects on other projects she is involved in, and that will include Magical Girl holoWitches. Cover has published a new statement on the project's official website, noting that it will continue the series without the outgoing Vtuber.
The project's manga series, which has been ongoing on both the official site and the Ultra Jump magazine, will have its Beginning Magic arc conclude with the publication of the 31st chapter on December 16, 2024. This chapter will be longer than usual with 16 pages, and it will also Chloe's final appearance in the series.
Cover also assured that the overall Magical Girl holoWitches storyline will still continue for the foreseeable future. The company will launch a new manga arc around March 2025, although it will no longer feature Sakamata Chloe.
Despite taking a similar path to Amelia Watson, Chloe's resignation from the forefront still means that she has to forfeit her active roles in all other projects that involved her, just like other Vtubers who completely left via graduation or any other means. Entergram ended up canceling the sequel to Minato Aqua's visual novel Aquarium following the Vtuber's graduation in August 2024.
The 31st manga chapter of Magical Girl holoWitches, which also features the final appearance of Sakamata Chloe, will appear on Monday, December 16, 2024. Cover will afterward continue the manga series without the Vtuber around March 2025.
The post Sakamata Chloe Will Also Leave Magical Girl holoWitches appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Tuesday, December 3, 2024 11:00 AM
We get a general idea, at least conceptually, of what development of a AAA game like Monster Hunter Wilds entails. We know Capcom uses motion capture, employs a number of composers and performers, and there are dozens of people who we might see featured as prominently as the director or producer. But as part of my time spent in Osaka at Capcom's offices for a Monster Hunter Wilds preview session, I got a chance to see firsthand how all of these things come together and the kinds of creativity that goes into creating these titles.
For example, the tour of Capcom's facilities started with a peek at one of the motion capture studios. There are three in the building for in-house motion capture for games, with 26 cameras in the studio where the demonstration took place. As Animator Naohiro Taniguchi described the process and facilities, the motion actors Daichi Miura and Masatoshi Fukidome performed in the background while the Player Lead Animator Hiroya Sasaki and Enemy Lead Animator Kenji Yamaguchi supervised and discussed that being processed in RE Engine. But it didn't just mean watching them go through the motions. Both genuinely performed in their roles as a Great Sword-wielding Hunter and the new monster Doshaguma.
But even so, I didn't expect to see how they'd get into it. Miura, as the Hunter, included grunts and cries you'd expect to accompany such actions, even though those weren't being recorded in the moment. Fukidome immediately adopted all of the mannerisms of Doshahuma, and later a Palico, during the segments. When Fukidome first growled and shouted for his part in the performance, it even caught me off guard! Also learning that the animators themselves, including Sasaki, would take part in the recording process was one of those moments where you'd go, "Of course that would happen," but might not realize it ahead of time. It's one of those things where you know how human input plays a part, but seeing it in action really shows how the human element plays a part.
From there, we headed into the foley studio at Capcom to see how ordinary and newly-invented instruments come together to create the monster cries we will hear in Monster Hunter Wilds. Rey Dau was the star of that moment, as Lead Sound Designer Wakana Kuroiwa showed the flute she created for the monster's cries while Sound Director Hideki Hosoi discussed the creative process and Sound Designer Daichi Sugimura edited what we were hearing to come together for the bellowing roar. Since Rey Dau is supposed to sound like a more sly sort of monarch that doesn't need to scream to be heard. There's more of a subtlety to the new wyvern, which comes across in the flutes combined with natural animal sounds. We were able to watch Kuroiwa play the instruments, then see the sounds combined by Sugimura. It all closed out with a final "performance" of the actual in-game roar.
It was off to the music studio for the final part of the preview tour, which involved Music Director Akiyuki Morimoto leading us through the Monster Hunter Wilds main theme "Beauty of Nature." We learned how Lead Composer Miwako Chinone and Composers Mana Ogura, and Yuna Hiranuma would take inspirations from the game and its elements to influence the songs, with Lead Game Audio Mixer Takashi Moriguchi blending it for the final version. The more natural instrumentals and orchestral elements inspired the sounds of the Plenty, the season in which everything is flourishing and lush. The Inclemency separates that from the more stripped down Fallow, with synthesizers and more technology-laden instruments and elements coming into play during the weather event and leaner parts. Throughout the track, which we could hear during the game's first trailer, we're seeing the difference in the instrument choices. At the 1:15 minute there, when the standstorm hits, we can hear the Inclemency drop on the hunters and the more synthetic and unnatural noises used for the music therein. But once the typical seasons return, in particular when the 2 minute mark hits and we're seeing the season of Plenty, the backing track rises up and becomes fuller to pair with the suddenly enriched environment. At the same time, we can hear the traditional Monster Hunter theme come through at parts.
It's seeing how everything comes together that better illustrates how much went into each individual part prior to it becoming part of a whole. There's so much going on when it comes to the development process for Monster Hunter Wilds. Seeing things add up makes it easier to appreciate and understand the work that goes into it development.
Monster Hunter Wilds will come to the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on February 28, 2025. People who pre-order get the Guild Knight Set layered armor and Hope Charm.
The post Preview: Monster Hunter Wilds Development Showcases Capcom Creativity appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:30 AM
When it comes to Monster Hunter Wilds, we will experience an entry with more dynamic environments with changing weather and dangerous new and old monsters. When Siliconera got the chance to preview the latest Monster Hunter game, we also got to speak briefly to Series Producer Ryozo Tsujimoto, Executive and Art Director Kaname Fujioka, and Director Yuya Tokuda about the title. As a result, we ended up learning more about what to expect from places like the Scarlet Forest and monsters like newcomer Lala Barina.
Which environmental element was the most challenging to perfect and implement in Monster Hunter Wilds?
Kaname Fujioka: So each locale is obviously very, very difficult because we have the environment changing. Not only does the environment change, but because it changes, the color also has to change. And it's also in real time as well.
So, for example, when we have the Sand Tide coming during Inclemency, the Sand Tide actually needs to come for it to fully change. And when we have the Plenty, we obviously need to have a lot more green in the lush, lush plantations and vegetations. But during the Fallow, all of those plantations will need to disperse. A little bit thin out. Illustrating this in real time was a very difficult process.
And one locale that was also difficult was the Scarlet Forest, because it has a lot of variations in the vegetations and plants. And not only that, but the water also changes from having a very clear blue, gradually changing it to the red during the weather changes. Controlling that in real-time was a very big challenge.
How did past Monster Hunter games affect the development of new weapon actions in Monster Hunter Wilds? Like were are there new actions you wanted to implement in the past, but only could now?
Yuya Tokuda: So for Monster Hunter Wilds, we have 14 different weapon types and each weapon has a concept itself. Having 14 types of weapons, yhe concept itself has not made a big change. But for Monster Hunter Wilds specifically, to fit the game's style of Monster Hunter Wilds, we added new actions more move sets, and some actions that couldn't be connected to each other are now more smoothly connected. So that it allows a much more brushed-up action for each of the weapons.
Monster Hunter monsters are often rooted in reality, how did your research on animals and insects affect Monster Hunter Wilds? For example, can you talk about how a certain species inspired a creature we will see? Like which spiders influenced Lala Barina's behavior?
Fujioka: Taking Lala Barina as an example, we didn't really focus on making it related to an actual spider. But we wanted to make it a spider-like monster that was very unique in a way. So during the planning stages of the monster, we wanted to incorporate moves that were moving very quickly side-to-side and made it really confusing and have some elemental attacks like paralyzing attacks.
The designer also wanted to add some tricky movements. So kind of like a ballerina, it kind of has like a twirl. It twirls around. And [we] also added like white birds into the design, but it also has very thin legs. So the silhouette really does resemble a ballerina, but just that itself wasn't a strong enough idea.
So we also had a different, separate idea of having a monster that resembled a rose. So we combined those two together. Usually, Lala Barina doesn't show that rose-like abdomen. But when it does the elemental attacks, it unleashes it and reveals a rose-like abdomen. And that made it a very interesting character design.
Speaking of Lala Barina in Monster Hunter Wilds, why do the spider-inspired monsters in Monster Hunter games always result in the prettiest and most elegant equipment?
Fujioka: There's like a big gap. The spider is a little bit icky, but the armor is very pretty. The difference, the contrast between those two.
Will we ever see God's nastiest little boy the Lagiacrus in any future Monster Hunter games?
Mana Takahashi, Internal Communications: SoLagiacrus… Fujioka-san worked on Monster Hunter Tri as a director and [I] was the planner. So it's a very memorable monster for both of them.
Tokuda: Everybody likes it. And we want to have Lagiacrus make an appearance in the games at the best time when it feels it fits.
Ryozo Tsujimoto: We know that it's a very popular monster, especially overseas. So we don't want to like put Lagiacrus out there randomly.
Tokuda: We want to be very, very careful about it, because everybody likes it and we are very aware of that.
Monster Hunter Wilds will come to the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on February 28, 2025. People who pre-order get the Guild Knight Set layered armor and Hope Charm.
The post Interview: Preparing Monster Hunter Wilds Monsters and Environments appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:00 AM
I dream about the Forbidden Lands. I think about the people at my base camp I didn't get a chance to help yet. I wonder about the outfits I wasn't able to complete. I yearn to return to Monster Hunter Wilds and, after getting to spend over five hours going through the first few missions almost twice after heading to Capcom's offices in Osaka. I don't know how I'm going to manage going over two months without getting to make my mark on the new region. Because while I was only playing a preview build and the final game may be different, it felt like it already possessed many things I'd want from the full experience and was ready to go.
Monster Hunter Wilds begins with a revelation. After a young man named Nata is pushed to safety during a monster attack, he ends up picked up by hunters and guild members preparing to head into the Forbidden Lands after years spent avoiding the supposedly uninhabited region. His discovery leads to a new mission. In addition to surveying and exploring the area, the goal is to find the Keepers, Nata's people, and return him to them. However, the location isn't just home to this mysterious group. New and old monsters, some thought to be extinct, inhabit the area, and there are people living there. In fact, the first village the hunters end up happening upon aren't even aware of the existence of weapons.
Going into Monster Hunter Wilds, I felt like I was coming home. After all, we have all 14 weapons back again. I went with the Long Sword for my first full run through the preview session, though circled back through almost two-thirds of it with the Gunlance. I found both to be still incredibly formidable weapons. Both are the sorts that allow someone the freedom to survive and take down these massive beasts on your own or with a group. In the case of the Long Sword, I was absolutely impressed by the Spirit Gauge. It felt like it rewarded me for using the combos the sword is known for. Getting the extra power and altered moves from it being filled was quite a boon, and I found the Focus Mode even made it easier to ensure it would fill.
What I saw of Monster Hunter Wilds makes me think I will be a Long Sword main again. This is because the Spirit Gauge and the techniques tied to it really encourage creativity. Just charging it can be halted for a Spirit Roundslash that deals damage around you. I could perform Spirit Blade attacks and thrusts to take advantage of a full bar, rather than just using it for boosted attacks. I also would sometimes get too caught up in attacking with the weapon normally to dodge as needed, and being able to rely on the Fade Slash or Spirit Gauge-related Foresight Slash to evade meant I could keep attacking without completely retreating.
Likewise, the Gunlance still allowed me to approach situations more cautiously. I felt like I could take a hit, and reloading was never an issue when dealing heavy hits. I do think it would be better used in a group. Perhaps with the person in that role drawing ire and hits. This is because the new Wyvern Gauge and Wyrmstake Cannon really set a person who uses it up to stay stationary, prepare the charge of the Wyrmstake Full Blast or Multi Wyrmstake Full Blast, and then absolutely demolish a monster head-on. This is especially true for the Focus mode elements as, while I found it was still quite possible to take advantage of hitting wounds with it, the Long Sword was better at more swiftly attacking the enemy.
But while using familiar equipment and seeing the improvements were absolutely a reason I enjoyed my early hours with Monster Hunter Wilds, the quality of life adjustments, environments, and monsters are what make me wish I didn't need to wait about two months to play more. The Seikret and SOS Flare system were infinitely helpful in my situation, given time was at a premium and I was limited to solo hunts during the session. The former isn't just a speedy way to explore the large environments. If I let it handle the steering, I could focus on gathering along the way or even some attacks on more minor prey on the way to my major hunt. It was easy to rein the bird in and take control, if I decided I wanted to be in charge of the journey, but also made it possible to scale certain areas to quickly give chase in a fight. With the SOS Flares, I was delighted to not only see the NPC Hunters were adept at their duties, but would comment on story quests and be folks I'd see in the campaign and around camp.
As for locations, I was able to explore two. The Windward Plains were my primary haunt, due to it being near both my base camp and the nearby Kunafa Windsong Village I'd visit. During my first visits, it seemed like a typical desert. There were open expanses. I'd see herds of monsters. It was a bit barren. After a major storm, the season shifted to the Plenty, resulting in actual plains and a completely different vibe. It almost felt like a means of doubling the number of biomes in an instant. As for the Scarlet Forest, I only got to explore it during one season, but it was still striking to explore the environment. Especially since one of the missions involves allies noticing how some of the river in the area was red, and later learning exactly why that happened.
Likewise, I only scratched the surface when it came to seeing what sorts of wildlife lives in the area. The Chatacabra is one of our first foes, and the use of its tongue during attacks made it one of the more interesting initial opponents to face in a game. Congalala is still a jerk, with its frequent farts throwing me off-guard and sometimes having a greater range than I'd expect. I was delighted to see the Quematrice actually turn out to be something of an early game threat when tackled solo, due to its frequent use of fire over an area when attacking. The Lala Barina ended up being a gorgeous spider that forced me to constantly be aware of my surroundings due to its paralyzing agents. It was also great to see the Doshaguma experience involve dealing with multiple foes and ensuring you get your single target to focus on you. And I loved seeing how Uth Duna took advantage of the heavy rain and watery conditions to make the fight trickier and force me to also deal with currents.
I want to play more Monster Hunter Wilds. What I went through wasn't enough, even though I did get to spend over five hours with it and experience many of the campaign quests twice. I want to see what monsters are capable of. I'd like to see more of the Forbidden Lands and how locations change during different seasons. I need to beat down more monsters to expand my wardrobe. I'm so impressed with what I've seen so far and can't wait to experience more.
Monster Hunter Wilds will come to the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on February 28, 2025. People who pre-order get the Guild Knight Set layered armor and Hope Charm.
The post Preview: Monster Hunter Wilds Will Be Extraordinary appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Tuesday, December 3, 2024 9:30 AM
A new limited Pokemon Trading Card Game card illustration was drawn by Tetsuo Hara, the artist behind the Fist of the North Star manga series. The Pokemon in question is Irukaman, who is better known in English as Palafin.
Palafin is the evolution of Finizen, both of which debuted in the ninth-generation mainline entries Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. This card will be particularly based on the evolved Pokemon's Hero Form. Tetsuo Hara is depicting the Pokemon performing Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken, the signature attack of the Fist of the North Star protagonist Kenshiro.
The uniquely illustrated card will have the same in-game parameters as a previous Palafin ex card drawn by PLANETA Mochizuki. This Pokemon will have 340 HP with the ability Hero's Spirit (or Mighty Soul in Japanese), which only allows the card to appear from the effect of Palafin's ability Zero to Hero (or Mighty Change in Japanese). It will also have a Giga Impact attack that requires one Water energy and deals 250 damage, but it will render the Pokemon unable to attack in the player's next turn.
Tetsuo Hara revealed the card via his own official X account:
The special Palafin ex card drawn by the Fist of the North Star artist Tetsuo Hara will be part of Pokemon Trading Card Game's high-class pack "Terastal Fes ex." The Pokemon Company will release the booster packs in Japan on December 6, 2024. A worldwide release will follow.
The post Fist of the North Star Creator Drew a Pokemon TCG Card appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Tuesday, December 3, 2024 9:00 AM
Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced the winners of the PlayStation Partner Awards 2024 Japan Asia. While the company has also opened worldwide polls for the PS Blog Game of the Year Awards 2024, this award presentation particularly continued the yearly tradition established by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan, which would also later expand to the rest of Asia.
One of the awards featured in this presentation is the Users' Choice Award, where Japanese and Asian PlayStation Network account owners voted for their favorite titles released on PlayStation platforms between October 2023 and September 2024. Five games won the award:
As announced previously in October 2024, this year's edition featured additional PlayStation Generations Awards where users would vote for their most favorite titles from each of the PlayStation consoles released before the PS5 that had also won in previous PlayStation Partner Awards.
In the same presentation, Sony Interactive Entertainment also gave awards to games based on sales performances on the PlayStation platforms between October 2023 and September 2024. One of which is the Special Award, which it gave to the following two titles for recording success while being developed by a third-party Japanese or Asian studio and published by SIE:
The company also handed over Partner Awards to seven PlayStation games with notable worldwide sales performances during the same period:
In addition, it gave Grand Awards to the top three titles with the highest worldwide sales:
In the 2024 edition, Sony also added an Excellence Award for a game with a consistently significant impact for three straight years. It gave the award to HoYoverse's Genshin Impact, which has been available on the PS4 and PS5 among other platforms. A more recent PS5 bundle featuring the same game also appeared in Japan in July 2024.
The post PlayStation Partner Awards 2024 Winners Announced appeared first on Siliconera. |
WGB Tuesday, December 3, 2024 9:52 AM PlayStation Access celebrates PlayStation's 30th anniversary with a list of the "Top 30 PlayStation Games," featuring fan-voted titles, including five Final Fantasy titles. |