Mar 21, 16:00


GamersHeroes Thursday, March 21, 2024 3:32 PM
    

Mobile sci-fi RPG shooter Goddess of Victory: NIKKE's collaboration with Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- will kick off today.

The post GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE × Re:ZERO Crossover Now Live appeared first on GamersHeroes.


GamersHeroes Thursday, March 21, 2024 12:36 PM
    

Released during the Epic Games' State of Unreal, Skydance New Media and Marvel Games have released a new story trailer for Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra.

The post Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra Story Trailer Released appeared first on GamersHeroes.


Kotaku Thursday, March 21, 2024 3:15 PM
    

Before you even set off to scale Mt. Nibel with Sephiroth in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, there are a number of settings you should consider tweaking. While many of the base settings are fine to leave alone, some, like the graphics mode, demand your attention before you dive in. And yes, even after two updates, we still…

Read more...


Kotaku Thursday, March 21, 2024 3:10 PM
    

According to a YouTuber, The Pokémon Company requested that YouTube remove a seven-year-old video showcasing modded Pokémon monsters in a Call of Duty: Zombies match.

Read more...


Kotaku Thursday, March 21, 2024 12:45 PM
    

Rise of the Ronin feels like a game that's already one or two generations old. Developer Team Ninja has called it their "most ambitious" title to date, but that ambition is overshadowed by lackluster graphics, outdated design concepts, and performance issues that put the game more in line with the PS4 or even the PS3…

Read more...


Kotaku Thursday, March 21, 2024 11:15 AM
    

The game-to-movie pipeline is seemingly in full swing, particularly after the meteoric success of Nintendo's 2023 animated comedy The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Now Margot Robbie, the star of Barbie (the only movie to beat Mario at the global box office last year), is set to produce a film adaption of Electronic Arts'…

Read more...


Kotaku Thursday, March 21, 2024 10:45 AM
    

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth arrived on February 29, 2024, and it's been a pretty great time ever since. Today, March 21, 2024, sees Rebirth get a new patch, packing some features you should try and some fixes to character abilities, including new options that'll make certain mini-games much easier to play.

Read more...


Kotaku Thursday, March 21, 2024 10:37 AM
    

Nearly two decades after Super Princess Peach released on the Nintendo DS, the titular leading lady is finally getting another chance at headlining her own game. Princess Peach: Showtime! opens the metaphorical theater doors for players worldwide on March 22, but reviews for the game are out now and will give you an…

Read more...


Kotaku Thursday, March 21, 2024 10:00 AM
    

The partnership between Lego and Fortnite is expanding even more. Epic announced at GDC that players can now create and share games within Fortnite using Lego-themed assets.

Read more...


Kotaku Thursday, March 21, 2024 9:15 AM
    

As an epic RPG, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has a ton of fights. Sometimes the battle doesn't go your way and it's clear you're headed towards a "game over" screen. But don't worry, Rebirth has a handy feature that can reset nearly all fight sequences in the game, bringing you back to the start for a neat little redo.…

Read more...


PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 3:33 PM
     Dead Island 2's next DLC is a gory music fest, and it's due in April

Dead Island 2 recently grabbed our attention with its surprisingly creative and moody Haus DLC, and now it's gearing up for its second story expansion. It's called SoLA, and it's about an undead rock music festival in the heart of Los Angeles.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Dead Island 2 characters guide, Dead Island 2 review, Dead Island 2 map

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:51 PM
     Players will kill WoW, and the Plunderstorm backlash proves it

When I think of World of Warcraft right now, the word that comes to mind is 'stagnant.' With Dragonflight having run its course, feeling more like filler than an actual full-blown expansion, very little is pulling me back to Blizzard's mammoth MMO. The War Within still doesn't have an official launch date, and while Classic's Season of Discovery was a novelty for a while, it's not got that shiny new feeling anymore. My days are spent stealing my ADC's kills in League of Legends instead of grinding through Amirdrassil - and a part of me really misses Azeroth.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: WoW Dragonflight tier list, The best WoW addons, WoW Dragonflight review

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:47 PM
     Avoid these Helldivers 2 guns to survive until the next patch

Spreading freedom and liberty throughout the galaxy is a big job, and as it turns out, so is keeping a game as popular as Helldivers 2 running. Developer Arrowhead says it's figured out what's causing the persistent freezing issue that players have been reporting, and it's working on a patch for the issue that should be out next week. In the meantime, you may want to check your loadouts for certain weapons, which seem to be triggering the bug.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Helldivers 2 weapons, Helldivers 2 servers, Helldivers 2 system requirements

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:40 PM
     Hide the cables in your white PC build with Corsair's clever new PSUs

It's not often you can point to game changing innovation when it comes to power supplies, but Corsair turned PSU design on its head with a very simple change to its RMx Shift lineup of PSUs, which moved all the modular power sockets to the side of the power supply. What's more, you can now buy a Corsair RMx Shift power supply in white.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Corsair HS80 Max headset review, Corsair M75 Air mouse review, Best gaming keyboard

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:52 PM
     Best RPG games on PC 2024

What are the best RPGs on PC? Roleplaying games can have everything from interplanetary exploration, lightsaber duels, and bloodthirsty vampires to irradiated mutants who need to be beaten with golf clubs, lizards who can talk to cats, and a whole lot of dice rolling if that's your jam. It's a pretty diverse pool.

The scale and scope of RPGs are like never before, with tech finally catching up to developers' ambitions, enabling vast, open worlds previously unseen. As a result, some of these adventures are among the best PC games ever made. So, dear traveler, gather your party and head out. We're about to bear witness to the best RPGs available on PC.

Continue reading Best RPG games on PC 2024
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Baldur's Gate 3 builds, BG3 mods, Baldur's Gate 3 classes

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:24 PM
     Razer Seiren V3 Chroma review – a flashy but quality gaming mic

The gaming microphone market is more crowded than ever, with heavy hitters like Logitech and HyperX providing high-quality products alongside smaller manufacturers like Antlion making their own excellent mics. Only an exceptional bit of kit can make itself stand out given the swathe of options available. The Razer Seiren V3 Chroma aims to be just such a candidate, and it's sure to please fans of RGB lighting.

Razer's no slouch when it comes to producing quality gaming microphones, with several of its models already occupying a spot on our best gaming microphone guide. From budget options like the Razer Seiren Mini to heavyweights like the Razer Seiren V2 Pro, it has products to cover all areas of the market.

The new Seiren V3 Chroma isn't a case of RGB style over substance either. It has great build quality and tried-and-true audio tech that delivers excellent vocal clarity. It's a great microphone, although it may leave some users questioning whether a mic needs sophisticated RGB effects.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Razer Viper V2 Pro review, Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) review, Best gaming mouse

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:01 PM
     Not everyone can make a Baldur's Gate 3, Owlcat founder says

In the leadup to the launch of Baldur's Gate 3, a frequent point of discussion was whether it would represent a new standard for RPGs. Now, Owlcat Games' founder and CEO has discussed its impact, and given a nuanced perspective on the massive amounts of money required to bring complex games to life.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Baldur's Gate 3 builds, BG3 mods, Baldur's Gate 3 classes

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:14 PM
     Is Diablo 4 down? Current server status

Are the Diablo 4 servers down? The latest iteration of Blizzard's critically acclaimed dungeon crawler is always online, which can often cause its own set of problems. Between unreliable internet connections, scheduled maintenance, and malicious attacks, it can be tough to troubleshoot exactly what's keeping you from logging in. With our help, you should be back in Sanctuary and tearing through demons in no time.

Blizzard has confirmed that a Diablo 4 offline mode won't be arriving in the ARPG any time soon – if ever. Consequently, knowing how to check the Diablo 4 server status is of vital importance if you ever find yourself unable to log in, and we recommend keeping our list of Diablo 4 error codes on hand for some quick troubleshooting whenever connectivity issues strike. Here are your next steps when Diablo 4 is down.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo 4 builds, Diablo 4 review, Diablo 4 classes

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:00 PM
     Midnight Ghost Hunt 1.0 is beautifully balanced prop hunt perfection

Prop hunt games or modes are often the source of the most fun and chaotic gameplay you could want, with half a team of players turning themselves into everyday objects at will, and the other half desperately trying to draw them out of their surroundings. At the slightest hint of movement, hunters end up chasing chairs, statues, musical instruments, and most anything else you can think of around the map. Multiple games have been set around the game mechanic, like Prop Hunt itself and Propnight, while it appears as a popular mode in the likes of Call of Duty, Fortnite, and Garry's Mod, where prop hunt was originally popularized. Now, another new game has arrived that adopts prop hunt as its main mechanic, pitting a team of hunters against a group of ghosts, capable of possessing most objects around them. This is Midnight Ghost Hunt.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best horror games, Best multiplayer games, Best ghost games

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 12:54 PM
     Get your first look at an Intel Arrow Lake CPU in this leaked image

We've just had our first glimpse of what's purported to be the insides of a new Intel Arrow Lake CPU, as a picture of a new 24-core Intel CPU has leaked online. The image shows several dies, or tiles as Intel calls them, making up the overall design, with the largest section apparently going to traditional CPU cores.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Core i5 14600K review, Best gaming CPU, Core i9 14900K review

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 12:21 PM
     Is Helldivers 2 down? Current server status and error codes

Are the Helldivers 2 servers down? If you're here searching for an answer, it could very well be obvious. Like any popular live service title, Helldivers 2 is prone to the odd blip from time to time. If you're struggling to log into the co-op horde shooter to smash big bugs and dangerous droids, you might want to know the Helldivers 2 server status, what the error codes mean, and how to fix them.

New to Helldivers 2? We've been there. We're learning as we go, and there's always more to discover. To make your first group sessions run smoothly, check out how Helldivers 2 crossplay works. And if you're yet to jump in, you'll want to know whether or not you can get Helldivers 2 on Game Pass. For performance-related issues, read up on how the Helldivers 2 AMD and Nvidia FPS gap might affect you.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Helldivers 2 weapons, Helldivers 2 servers, Helldivers 2 system requirements

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 11:42 AM
     Magic creator's new tabletop CCG now has an official Steam version

Last time we checked in on SolForge Fusion - the latest game from Magic: the Gathering and Artifact designer Richard Garfield - it was gearing up for its launch on tabletops as a physical card game that would at some point also be playable in Tabletop Simulator. Now it's getting its own official digital version, and you can try the demo out now on Steam.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best card games on PC, Best roguelike games, The best multiplayer games on PC

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 11:29 AM
     Stunning soulslike with Baldur's Gate 3 twist gets shiny new demo

If there's one thing I find so interesting in videogames, it's when faith and religious ideology melds with ultra-futuristic science fiction. As someone who adores the Warhammer 40k universe in all its grimdark glory, the premise of Trialforge's upcoming soulslike game, Deathbound, is absolutely perfect - and that's before you throw in a party system that's reminiscent of Baldur's Gate 3 and my all time favorite fantasy series, Dragon Age.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RPGs, Best soulslikes, Best upcoming games

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 11:25 AM
     Check out this steampunk gaming PC with dials and iron piping

Using iron piping, aluminium sheets and some genuine 1940s electrical components, PC modder Dante Mutti created this stunning retro-industrial gaming PC build, called Hydropower.

Thanks to our rapidly growing PC building Facebook page, we've seen many custom gaming PCs, from mods based on existing case designs to scratch PC builds. You can even submit yours for consideration right here. Here we chat to Dante about how he built this wonderful steampunk gaming PC.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 11:09 AM
     How to add a fill port to your PC water cooling system

In this guide, we'll show you how to fit a fill port to your PC water cooling system. While filling a reservoir isn't hard, doing it in close proximity to your hardware, or with your PC powered on, can be hazardous, as well as inconvenient. Installing a fill port is simple, plus the port itself will only cost you a few bucks.

Even after you've filled the reservoir and primed your loop, air bubbles can take hours or even days to work their way to the reservoir where they're trapped, eventually resulting in the coolant level dropping. If you're planning to water cool your PC, a fill port makes filling your reservoir much easier. Any spills will then happen away from your components, and you won't even need to remove your case's side panel.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 11:13 AM
     The best tank games on PC 2024

What are the best tank games on PC? Rolling into battle in a vehicle that weighs the same as ten elephants and can raze entire buildings with a single shot never gets old, but it's not always easy to find a tank game that delivers in every key area. Sometimes, it's the thrill of vulnerability is vital to the whole experience: the agony of reloading, the snail's pace, and the fact that you're the enemy's priority target - and not a small one at that.

Just like the best war games, the best tank games are brilliant because they're all about making you, the player, feel both overpowered and invulnerable. But the tank in some of the best free PC games is also synonymous with tense firefights and immense claustrophobia.  From hyper-realistic, control-laden sims to arcadey, point-and-explode shoot-'em-ups (and maybe even a sneaky anime RPG or two), there's a tank game for every type of player.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best free Steam games, Tank games, War Thunder system requirements

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 12:39 PM
     Diablo Immortal update adds its

As Blizzard unveils its big Diablo 4 Season 4 overhaul, the developer's free to play game also has plenty of new features coming its way. Diablo Immortal update 2.3 is the latest addition to the crossover mobile and PC game. It introduces a new tier of gear, Eternal Equipment, found through a trio of new activities and promising to offer some of the strongest options we've seen in the free RPG to date.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Diablo Immortal tier list, Diablo Immortal system requirements, Best Diablo Immortal builds

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 9:03 AM
     Nvidia RTX 4060, 4060 Ti, and 4070 GPU refresh plans may have leaked

With its midrange and higher-end graphics cards now appreciably improved and replaced with Super versions, hopes remained high that Nvidia would also give the cheaper side of the RTX 40 series the same treatment. Alleged leaks of GeForce RTX 4060, 4060 Ti, and 4070 GPU refresh plans have since come to light but there's sadly a catch.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: GeForce RTX 4070 Super review, DLSS explained, Best graphics cards

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:24 PM
     All Dragon's Dogma 2 vocations and classes

What are the Dragon's Dogma 2 classes? Known officially as vocations, these archetypes define how your character plays as you explore Capcom's expansive open world, slaying griffins and goblins galore. From basic vocations like Archers and Mages to advanced roles such as the Mystic Spearhand and Trickster, there's a lot to consider when picking your class, choosing which to put effort into leveling up, and which vocation to pick for your Pawn in order to compliment your own pros and cons.

Before you jump into Dragon's Dogma 2, you may want to check out the Dragon's Dogma 2 system requirements, given how great this game looks. It's a bit of a heavy title, so if you'd rather play something that's a little kinder to your system, be sure to peruse our list of the best RPG games, which Dragon's Dogma 2 has a solid chance of cracking.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Dragon's Dogma 2 review, Dragon's Dogma 2 vocations, Dragon's Dogma 2 map

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 8:59 AM
     Save $100s on Secretlab gaming chairs and desks in Easter sale

If you've been eyeing up Secretlab's gorgeous gaming chairs, but couldn't quite stretch to the cost, then now is your chance to give your back, arms, and butt a comfy home while you're gaming, while saving yourself some money. Secretlab has just announced an Easter sale, with big discounts available on not only its covetous gaming chairs, but also its gaming desks.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 8:18 AM
     AMD updates FSR, and this time it actually looks good

AMD has just given its FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) upscaling technology a big update, and it looks massively better than its predecessors, with the company acknowledging that the image quality of FSR previously wasn't up to scratch compared to Nvidia DLSS. Not only that, but this new AMD FSR 3.1 update also throws a bone to users of Intel and Nvidia GPUs.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7 7800X3D review, Best gaming CPU, Radeon RX 7800 XT review

PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 8:13 AM
     Baldur's Gate 3 dev's essential breakout RPG is 80% off right now

Before Baldur's Gate 3, developer Larian Studios made the Divinity series. Starting with Divine Divinity back in 2002, what began as a more Diablo style action RPG with CRPG elements inspired by the likes of BioWare's Baldur's Gate 2 would eventually become Divinity Original Sin, a turn-based RPG built on Larian's own systems that proved so popular it inspired a sequel and ultimately led to the studio being chosen as the team that would be handed the Dungeons and Dragons license to bring us the long-awaited Baldur's Gate 3. Now, you can experience the breakout game at a huge discount.


PCGamesN Thursday, March 21, 2024 8:26 AM
     Audio Technica AT2040USB review

Some people simply love the sound of their own voice – they're the ones you can't avoid overhearing holding over-opinionated court in coffee shops across the country. But the reality is, when most folks have their own dulcet tones played back to them, they can't stand what they hear. There are reasons for this, but one thing experts in the aural realm agree on is that poor-quality recordings don't help.

If you're into live streaming and content creation, it makes sense to invest in one of the best streaming microphones to deliver enhanced audio free from all the fuss and background noise. Audio Technica presents just such a mic, in the pleasingly compact form of its all-new AT2040USB Hypercardioid Dynamic Podcast Microphone.

Building on all the best elements of the company's much-loved AT2040 XLR microphone, the addition of USB connectivity makes this mic more flexible and easier to use than ever for streamers, podcasters and chatty gamers alike. If you're after a mic with high-quality audio, and you just want to plug it in and go, it could be the right choice for you.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 21, 2024 4:00 PM
    

Mention Lionhead's '05 management sim about running a film studio and someone will crash through the wall, Kool-Aid Man style, to say they really liked it and there should be a remake or a sequel. In recent years there have been a few attempts to make a game like The Movies, with games like Moviehouse and Filmmaker Tycoon sitting pretty at 'mostly negative' status on Steam because they are not, in fact, like The Movies beyond the basic premise. But Blockbuster Inc. has shouldered its way into the conversation, wearing big puffy trousers, shouting through an old-timey megaphone, and openly billing itself as a "spiritual successor" to The Movies. It's launching on June 6th this year, but you can play the prologue on Steam for free right now.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:45 PM
    

In November last year, the Australian post-apocalyptic CRPG Broken Roads was abruptly delayed mere days before it was meant to come out. Review code had even been sent out to press. But it was clear that the game needed more time in the oven, as developers Drop Bear Bytes acknowledged they needed "additional polish time and QA manpower" to test the "thousands of permutations" available in its deeply decision-driven storyline. Happily, that polish time has now come to an end, as the devs have today announced a fresh release date of April 10th.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:00 PM
    

Welcome to the final part of Electric Nightmares, a short series about generative AI and games. So far we've seen the past, the present and the problems surrounding this new buzzword as it filters its way into our games and communities. In this final part of the series, I want to try and think concretely with you about what the future might hold; to go beyond what we think is just or legal, what we might be excited by or fearful of, and instead think about the practicalities of making and playing games today and how that might be impacted by generative AI's growing dominance.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 21, 2024 12:00 PM
    

No James this week, but I am joined by Nate for this week's Electronic Wireless Show podcast to discuss Ubisoft's new NEO NPC prototype - an NPC you can have a stilted, weird conversation with using the power of AI! It's fair to say we are quite partisan about this and do not want it, but we discuss why anyway. In counterpoint, we think World Of Warcraft's new piratey battle royale game mode sounds pretty cool and good, actually?

Plus: I ask Nate to explain cool things that I've seen in Warhammer 40K: Darktide, and Nate tries to convince me to take a devil's bargain where I have to play WOW for at least 12 hours a day, but I get a sort of increasing MDMA high while doing so.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 21, 2024 11:30 AM
    

Claymation-me-do Harold Halibut is one of those puzzle-y adventure games that instantly catches your eye when you see it in screenshots and trailers. I mean, who wouldn't be intrigued by its beautiful handmade models and sets? They all have such a lovely texture to them, and the slightly ramshackle way they fit together gives the game a firm sense of place. But after playing an early preview build of Harold Halibut this week, I've been disappointed by just how frustrating it is to actually play. It's not that it's difficult. In fact, the tasks Harold's assigned in the opening few hours of the game are almost insultingly easy, extending to little more than 'feed the fish' and 'talk to so and so', all of which can usually be accomplished by interacting with a single button prompt to move the story along.

Rather, it's Harold himself that makes everything feel like such a chore. He's a bit of a dolt, you see, and everyone around him knows it, treating him with such weary and open disdain like he's some kind of village idiot that I, too, quickly came to dislike him. Harold doesn't help himself much either on this front, weathering everyone's underlying frustration with him like it's all water off a duck's back. It doesn't seem to faze him in the slightest, perhaps because he's too oblivious to even notice. But while this doziness might wash in a book or TV show, taking control of such a character in a game isn't nearly as pleasant. After all, it's not just Harold that's being treated like an ignoramus. By extension, you, the player, are as well, which isn't just immersion-breaking and frustrating, but it's also insulting to your own intelligence. And that, my friends, does not equal happy adventure game fun times.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 21, 2024 11:15 AM
    

I usually know right away when I'm going to enjoy interactive fiction. But I don't always know why. Isle Of Maligree is a bit of an all-rounder, as pretty much every part of it is doing something right, but it's the sense that you're making your own version of its story that marks it out.

People are going missing on the island, and you've been sent to investigate. Only, it seems this isn't the first time, because some sinister magic is causing everyone to forget the whole thing ever happened. If you don't figure it out in time, you'll have to make a new character and try again. And if you're an amazing genius who figures it out on your first try... you'll want to try again anyway, to play it a different way and see what you missed. Maybe one day I'll even do it without getting stabbed.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 21, 2024 11:04 AM
    

Before a month of my life vanished into customising cards and rigging decks in Balatro, my desire to conquer dungeons by fixing gambling tools came from playing Slice & Dice. First released in 2020, it's a gauntlet of fantasy turn-based battles where most attacks, abilities, buffs, debuffs, and items are very cleverly handled by mapping them onto the faces of dice. Oh, you're going to make your dice so much better! Now Slice & Dice has finally arrived on Steam in search of a wider audience, accompanied by an update adding oodles of new heroes, enemies, items, and more. For newcomers, hey, it has a demo.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 21, 2024 10:56 AM
    

It's been a while, but I'm finally back on the Nancy Drew mystery game train. Choo choo, next stop: San Francisco! This has pleasing synergy with my real life, because I'm currently watching through Monk, a popular detective show also set in San Francisco. Mr. Monk would be displeased by the house Nancy finds herself in this time, which is a mansion being converted into a B&B. The owner, Rose, is working on a shoestring budget and has decided that the best player to add to her renovation team is a young-adult woman who's a friend of a friend. It all makes sense!

Nancy Drew: Message In A Haunted Mansion is the third game in the Nancy Drew mystery series of puzzle games, and boy does the weird first-person fixed camera work against you here. It's also a more disappointing plot than the previous games, but it adds in a new time system that, much like Stay Tuned For Danger, is an ambitious move - and in this case I think it sort of works. It's a mixed bag, is what I'm saying.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 21, 2024 10:08 AM
    

I'm not saying it's some kind of electronic commerce conspiracy orchestrated by Big Graphics Card, but I've noticed that most of the best Amazon Spring sale deals on gaming monitors are for 4K screens. On the one hand, aww, because everyone likes a bargain 1440p-er. On the other, woo, because gaming-spec 4K monitors are usually some of the most financially devastating PC hardware pieces you can get. Anything that makes these super-sharp displays more affordable is, therefore, quite welcome. 160Hz, UHD visuals for £399? Sure, why not.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 21, 2024 8:33 AM
    

If you're an MMORPG fan who's been waiting patiently for news of Riot Game's swing at the genre, then I'm afraid you'll probably have to wait quite a while longer. Riot co-founder Marc Merrill announced that the project has been "reset" and won't appear for "likely several years", with one of the main reasons being a "need to do something that truly feels like a significant evolution of the genre".

Read more


Twinfinite Thursday, March 21, 2024 2:05 PM
    
If you're waiting for Capcom to fix performance issues.

Siliconera Thursday, March 21, 2024 4:00 PM
    

Tower Records Japan Stores to Be Decorated With Nier Automata Motifs

Tower Records announced that a new collaboration campaign will involve stores being decorated with NieR Automata collaboration posters and motifs, and will start on March 26, 2024.

The collaboration is aimed to celebrate the Japanese release of the Blu-ray and DVD box sets of the NieR Automata Ver1.1a anime series in Japan on March 27. The NieR Automata anime adaptation is the latest series to be featured as part of Tower Record's "No Anime, No Life" campaign.

A limited number of NieR Automata Ver1.1a x "No Anime, No Life" collaboration posters and acrylic stands will be offered as bonus for the on-store purchase of NieR Automata Blu-ray or DVD box sets. The Tower Records receipt tickets will also be decorated with special NieR Automata motifs for the duration of the campaign.

You can check out the collaboration posters, acrylic stands, and tickets for the NieR Automata Tower Records collaboration here:

In addition, the Japanese voice of 2B, Yui Ishikawa, will be in charge of the opening call for Tower Records stores for two weeks until April 8, 2024. Seven stores will display posters autographed by Nier Automata Ver 1.1a director Ryoji Masuyama. These are the Shibuya, Tomakomai, Sendai Parco, Shinjuku, Otaka, Namba Parks, and Amu Plaza Hakata stores.

The first cour of the NieR Automata Ver1.1a anime is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The second cour will start airing sometime on 2024. NieR Automata is available for the PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC.

The post Tower Records Japan Stores Decorating With Nier Automata Motifs appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, March 21, 2024 3:30 PM
    

Formina Fights Alongside Cats in SaGa Emerald Beyond Gameplay

SaGa Franchise Localization Director Neil Broadley appeared in a new SaGa Emerald Beyond gameplay video, and it focuses on Formina and shows her fighting alongside cats. It also offers a hint at what the Bonnie and Formina storyline will look like in general.

This gameplay segment begins in the SaGa Emerald Beyond Junction area before heading to a new world alongside Bonnie. The two are investigating a plot against their world's president. After reaching a new area, the scan directs them to the Soul Temple Ruins. Upon entering, they encounter Priests of Gale, Forest, Flame, and Wave NPCs. They believe Formina and Bonnie are Soul Voyagers and vow to not interact. This then means the two can access the four temples connected to those elements. From there, we see the Priest of Gale asking for help, and Formina has the option to agree to help.

It's at the 14 minute mark that, when helping with the Gale Temple quest that we see the cats. Three cats fight alongside the two officers. Broadley noted cats are classified as a monster class when the units join battle. In terms of their attacks, the felines had abilities like Cat Scratch, Counterkick, Nudge, and Rush available.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqXwSqNM73w&ab_channel=%E3%82%B5%E3%82%AC%E5%85%AC%E5%BC%8F%E3%83%81%E3%83%A3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%AB

SaGa Emerald Beyond will come out for the PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC on April 25, 2024.

The post Formina Fights Alongside Cats in SaGa Emerald Beyond Gameplay appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, March 21, 2024 3:00 PM
    

Monster Hunter collaboration campaigns at Sushiro

Sushiro has revealed that it will run a massive collaboration campaign featuring Monster Hunter. The Japanese sushi restaurant chain will offer special meals and prize items inspired by Capcom's popular game series from March 27, 2024.

Once the campaign period has begun, Sushiro will offer three special meals on its dine-in menu while stocks last. The special sushi meals will represent carved meat and bonfires. The restaurant chain will also offer a boned chicken to symbolize Well-Done Meat in the games.

Each serving of this menu will come with a random decoration based on the series' 14 main weapon types. Sushiro will also hand out a sticker featuring key visuals from one of the mainline Monster Hunter entries including the expansions (such as G/Ultimate, Iceborne for World, and Sunbreak for Rise) or the mobile game Monster Hunter Now.

The Monster Hunter Now stickers will contain a serial code that lets the mobile game players get a free Potion. Meanwhile, stickers with key visuals from the mainline console entries will feature a lottery where 100 lucky people can win a 1.8m (5'10.87") long Frozen Speartuna backpack.

In addition to the above, Sushiro will also hold a Challenge Quest for people to stack consumed sushi plates. Those who stack 20 plates during a session can enter a raffle to win ten dine-in vouchers worth 500 yen each. People who go miles further and make five 20-plate stacks for a total of 100 will enter a bigger raffle where 20 lucky people can win twenty vouchers and a special T-shirt.

The Monster Hunter collaboration campaign will run at Sushiro dine-in branches across Japan from March 27, 2024, to April 21, 2024.

The post Monster Hunter Sushiro Campaign Will Feature Many Prizes appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, March 21, 2024 2:30 PM
    

hello kitty koala's march

Lotte and Sanrio are teaming up to release a Hello Kitty flavor of Koala's March. This is to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Koala's March, as well as the 50th anniversary of Hello Kitty.

The new flavor of Koala's March is actually apple pie flavor. It uses fermented butter (to be more precise, ingredients that are used in fermented butter) in the biscuit dough, and the chocolate inside tastes like apple pie. There will be ten variations of collaboration patterns on the koalas, as well as the entire alphabet (26 variations). The Hello Kitty ribbon also appears on the package. You'll be able to purchase it from stores that sell snacks all across Japan. It is also possible it could appear in Asian grocery stores in the US, as Koala's March often appears in them.

The reason why the collaboration flavor uses apple pie as its flavor is likely because the fruit is quite important to Hello Kitty's lore. She uses it to describe her height and weight, and she also really likes apples and her mom's homemade apple pie. As for Koala's March, Lotte first released these snacks in 1984. They're bite-sized cookies with a sweet filling inside. Usually, this filling is chocolate, but you can also purchase Koala's March filled with honey, vanilla, and strawberry cream.

The Hello Kitty Koala's March is now available in stores across Japan.

The post Hello Kitty Koala's March Tastes Like Apple Pie appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, March 21, 2024 2:00 PM
    

Gundam Char's Counterattack MSN-04 Sazabi mechanical bust via Bandai's Gashapon Online

Bandai revealed a new Mobile Suit mechanical bust gashapon featuring Char Aznable's MSN-04 Sazabi from Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack. It has also opened online pre-orders for the merchandise series via the Gashapon Online website.

The collection will consist of three items. The Sazabi's exterior parts will be available in two different variations: The regular red-colored parts and another with translucent clear parts. There will also be an inner frame set that exclusively contains features like the mono-eye camera and the Scattering Mega Particle Cannon on the torso.

The items will have the same price tag of 500 yen (~$3.30). But as this lineup is available via gashapon, people will receive the products at random even if they purchase three items. In order to make a complete version, one will have to obtain the inner frame and one of the exteriors. Each item will have roughly the same 1/3 probability, although the red exterior will have a slightly higher chance at 33.34% compared to the other two's 33.33%.

Here's how each Gundam gashapon entry will look like when assembled on its own:

Bandai has been releasing numerous merchandise related to the Gundam franchise. In January 2024, it revealed acrylic stands of logos from the first Mobile Suit Gundam and Char's Counterattack that can glow in the dark.

Bandai will close online pre-orders for the MSN-04 Sazabi mechanical bust gashapon on April 12, 2024. It will deliver the prizes in late July 2024. The company noted that it may also release the items in physical gashapon capsule toy vending machines.

The post Gundam CCA Sazabi Mechanical Bust Gashapon Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:30 PM
    

Nichijou Series Creator Made a Pokemon TCG Commercial

Manga author and Nichijou series creator Keiichi Arawi announced on social media that he helped create a Japanese commercial for the Pokemon TCG. The short 30 seconds long animation introduces the Pokemon TCG Battle Academy set.

Characters in the commercial are portrayed in the distinct style of the Nichijou manga and anime. Various Pokemon creatures are also featured in the commercial, and these include Pikachu, Sprigatito, Greninja, and Lucario. The video includes no voice lines nor music, and instead opts for using minimalistic sound effects and text in Japanese.

The text shows a character interested in getting into Pokemon cards, but expresses not knowing how to play them. The video showcases the Battle Academy set, which includes items and 4 different decks, as well as rules and guides for easy learning.

You can check out the new Pokemon TCG commercial drawn by Nichijou creator Keiichi Arawi here:

https://twitter.com/Pokemon_cojp/status/1769997282567455038

The Pokemon Trading Card Game Battle Academy is a two-player starter set designed to introduce players into the game. The set originally released on July 2020 and has received several revisions and new editions ever since.

The latest Pokemon Trading Card Game expansion, Scarlet & Violet: Temporal Forces, will launch on March 22, 2024.

The post Nichijou Series Creator Made a Pokemon TCG Commercial appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:00 PM
    

Vstream shutting down

Vstream, a streaming platform for Vtubers that first launched back in 2022, is shutting down due to lack of funding. VODS and clips have been made downloadable until the site becomes unavailable on April 1, 2024.

Focusing on Vtubers and community building, the site originally launched back in December, 2022. At first only curated 'waves' of streamers were given access to stream on the platform before it entered open beta in July, 2023. Earlier this year the platform hosted the Nebula Invitational Apex Legends tournement, which featured guests like Vshojo's Froot and Meli Grant who voices the character Catalyst in the game.

The website currently hosts a Q&A section that explains that all subscriptions have been cancelled, all VODs and clips can be downloaded, and the threshold for creator payouts has been lowered to 0.

You can read the official Vstream notice of closure from CEO and Co-Founder Eric Koslow below:

TLDR; VStream is shutting down April 1st, 2024 at 00:00 PT due to running out of money and being unable to raise more funds. Please download any data you've uploaded to the platform before then, as the site will no longer be accessible after that time.

The Situation

Well, this was not a post I ever wanted to write. But, as you just read in the TL;DR, after nearly 2 years VStream will be shutting down on April 1st, 2024. At that time, we'll be shutting down all of the video and web servers and the site will no longer be accessible. Unfortunately, we have run too low on cash, have failed to secure funds after attempting to fundraise these past 3 months, and it's sadly time for us to wave the white flag.

We're so proud of the tech and the platform we were able to create in such a short amount of time. The entire VTeam is incredibly disappointed that this was the outcome, but more than that, we're sad that we're disappointing you all; the VStream community. So many of you have been cheering us on these past few years and truly believed in the mission and vision of VStream. We never could have made it this far without all of your support!

Even though this is the end of VStream, this is not the end of the VTubing movement. I'm still a huge believer in VTubers and how they represent the future when it comes to entertainment online. VTubers deserve better than what they can get with existing platforms. And a platform like VStream will exist in the future, we may have just been too early. In the future, I hope people look back on VStream as one of the pioneers in the space. Walking, and stumbling, so that others later can run.

In other Vtuber news, performer Chris Shishio from Nanashi inc. announced that she would graduate at the end of May, 2024, after 4 years of streaming. Meanwhile, Design Coco and Cover Corp. unveiled a new design for a 1/7 scale figure of Hololive Vtuber Hoshimachi Suisei, based on the life-sized statue that appeared at the Hololive 4th Fes. in 2024.

Vstream will be shutting shutting down on April 1, 2024. The developers recommend downloading all VODs and clips before then.

The post Vtuber Focused Streaming Platform Vstream Shutting Down appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, March 21, 2024 12:30 PM
    

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot 'Plans' Teased Alongside Goku and Vegeta DLC Trailer

Following a Goku and Vegeta trailer promoting the latest Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot DLC, the official Dragon Ball Games social media account suggested "more plans" for the game. The game appeared on the PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC since launch, with two seasons worth of add-ons available.

Here's the official social media message suggesting more Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot content, perhaps even add-ons, could be on the way. It didn't note when this new update could appear.

As for the trailer, it covers another part of the Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Goku's Next Journey DLC. When that was first announced back in January 2024, it was teased as a means of bringing Uub to the game. This latest video shows Goku and Vegeta fighting in two of their strongest forms. For example, Goku appears to be going Super Saiyan 3, based on the length of his hair. Meanwhile, it appears this is Super Saiyan 2 Vegeta. The two of them meet on the field and exchange some banter. After that, they both transform and begin fighting one another. The end of the trailer reminds people of all the packs in the Season Pass 2 for the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwDPc7uggmU&ab_channel=BandaiNamcoEntertainmentAmerica

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. 

The post Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot 'Plans' Teased Alongside Goku and Vegeta DLC Trailer appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, March 21, 2024 12:00 PM
    

Honkai: Star Rail Wubbaboo Merchandise Arrives in July

HoYoVerse will be releasing Honkai: Star Rail merchandise inspired by the Wubbaboo mascot characters. Pins and plush keychains will arrive in July 2024. [Thanks, AmiAmi!]

The Wubbaboo are the mascot characters who appear on Herta Space Station. The new items include two pins and two plush keychains. Each one features the character expressing a certain emotion. So the keychains involve one starry-eyed and one blushing one, while the pins feature an angry one and in-love one. Each pin is ¥1,040 (~$7) at AmiAmi, while every keychain is ¥1,600 (~$11). 

Here's how the new Honkai: Star Rail merchandise will look:

The Wubbaboo haven't appeared in any recent Honkai: Star Rail story missions, though there is a Daily Mission that comes up quite frequently that features the big and little versions of the characters. The mascots showing up more frequently in the 2.0 and 2.1 updates are the Origami Birds. These show up hidden in various locations in Penacony. If you find all of them, you can earn Stellar Jades, Clock Credits, and Light Cones.

Honkai: Star Rail is available on the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the 2.1 update arrives on March 27, 2024. The Wubbaboo items are expected to appear in July 2024.

The post Honkai: Star Rail Wubbaboo Merchandise Arrives in July appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, March 21, 2024 11:30 AM
    

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth character models

Square Enix Lead Character Artist Dai Suzuki took to the PlayStation Blog to offer insight into the character models in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Remake when compared to the original FFVII. In the cases of characters like Cloud, Cait Sith, and Red XIII, their original models only had about 900 polygons, but the remake versions involved over 100,000 for each one.

The most insight was offered into the character models for Cloud in Final Fantasy VII, FFVII Remake, and FFVII Rebirth. It noted his battle model, which you'd see only during turn-based fights, had about 900 polygons. To compare, the FFVII Remake one had around 110,000, and FFVII Rebirth's had about 220,000. Because the latest entry is on the PS5, it accounted for the doubled count. Suzuki also noted, "The hair was an extremely high-priority element and in fact accounted for half of the total polygon count for the whole model." Also, his Buster Sword consisted of between 50-100 polygons in battle originally, but needed about 8,000 polygons to render in FFVII Rebirth.

When it came to Cait Sith and Red XIII, Suzuki noted how their fur meant their polygon counts were higher in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth compared to FFVII. He said, "Since their fur is one of their unique characteristics, it was necessary to not only just let their hair cards grow, but also to pay attention to the flow of the fur."  For Red XIII, he was at 900 in the original and 120,000 in Rebirth. With Cait Sith, the cat riding the Moogle together was 900 in the PlayStation game. However, in FFVII Rebirth the count is different for the two parts since you can summon the Moogle separately or only have Cait Sith. Cait Sith alone, despite being the smallest cast member, comes in at around 100,000 polygons, while his Moogle mount is around 230,000. 

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is available on the PS5, with the exclusivity arrangement ending on May 29, 2024. FFVII Remake is available on the PS4, PS5, and PC. FFVII debuted on the PlayStation, but is also on the Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and mobile devices.

The post Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Character Models Compared to FFVII appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, March 21, 2024 11:00 AM
    

Persona 5 Royal Leblanc Cafe utensils

Animate and Movic revealed new dining utensils inspired by the Leblanc Cafe in Persona 5 and its enhanced version Persona 5 Royal. The former has also opened pre-orders for these items on its own Animate Online Shop.

The collection will be available in three separate sets. The plate and spoon will be available in a single set at 4,950 yen (~$32.75). The coffee dripper and cup will also be purchasable in the same set at 6,600 yen (~$43.67). The specially branded Toffy electric kettle will be the only one to be offered on its own at 14,300 yen (~$94.60), although it will also come with its charging dock.

Here are some of the sample images for the products, which also include examples of actual coffee and curry being served with the utensils:

Sojiro Sakura's Leblanc Cafe has been one of the inspirations for the numerous Persona 5 collaborations Atlus has held in the past. The Japanese curry restaurant chain 100 Hours Curry sold curry meals that were actually based on the fictional cafe from November 2023 to January 2024.

Animate will close pre-orders for the Persona 5 Royal Leblanc Cafe utensils on April 9, 2024. The company will ship the finished products on August 16, 2024. These items will be based on the cafe that appeared in Atlus' popular RPG title, available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Switch, and PC.

The post Persona 5 Leblanc Cafe Utensils Will Appear in Real Life appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, March 21, 2024 10:30 AM
    

Hololive concert in Dreamhack Melbourne 2024

Cover revealed that its Hololive Vtubers will perform at a concert in Dreamhack Melbourne 2024. This will also mark the first time a concert by the Vtuber group appears in Australia. The concert will take place on April 27, 2024.

The concert will have a balanced roster of representatives from all three branches of the female Vtuber group Hololive. Houshou Marine and Tokoyami Towa will come from the Japanese side, while Calliope Mori and the Australian Vtuber Hakos Baelz will represent Hololive English. Hololive Indonesia's Pavolia Reine and Kureiji Ollie will complete the six-person roster.

Sales for online and physical tickets to access the concert will open on Friday, March 22, 2024, at 1 PM AEDT (Thursday, March 21, 2024, at 10 PM EDT). The online live-streaming tickets will be available worldwide at 4,200 yen (~$43 USD) with an additional booking fee of 220 yen. People who have this ticket will also be able to re-watch the archived video up to four weeks after the concert date.

People who have a physical festival ticket to attend Dreamhack Melbourne 2024 in person will be able to purchase a Hololive standard upgrade with guaranteed concert seating for $49 AUD (~$32 USD). The pricier Hololive premium upgrade at $89 AUD (~$59 USD) will feature prime seating positions and an entry into a raffle for a Meet and Greet session with one of the Vtubers.

Dreamhack Melbourne 2024 will run at Rod Laver Arena on April 26-28, 2024. The Hololive concert in Dreamhack Melbourne 2024 will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2024.

The post Hololive Vtubers Will Perform at Dreamhack Melbourne 2024 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, March 21, 2024 10:00 AM
    

manga ai ken akamatsu

Ken Akamatsu, the mangaka who created the manga series Love Hina and Negima: Magister Negi Magi and is a politician in Japan, stated that he is looking into how he and the law can help protect artists from AI. This comes after controversy over Ekijin no Karute's mangaka Kishin Higuchi noticing that AI "content creators" have been scraping his work without his consent to generate images for profit.

This is a translation of Akamatsu's tweet:

"I've received many questions in regards to what happened with Kishin Higuchi-sensei's LoRA. What makes this case unique is that Civitai has stated on its distribution page, 'The pictures used to teach the AI models were all ones we made ourselves. We have not used any copyrighted material from the actual illustrators.' However, even if you haven't used any of the actual illustrators' works to teach your AI, it will still count as copyright infringement if the produced work is similar enough to copyrighted material."

He goes on to explain that those who use LoRA, as well as the developers, would be considered to be breaking copyright law. He includes a link to the Agency for Cultural Affairs's website, as well as a contact form for legal advice if you want to discuss anything in regards to AI and copyright law.

The Kishin Higuchi case in question has to do with him noticing that people have been generating AI art based on his style. He has reached out to Hajime no Ippo's George Morikawa and Aoi Hono's Kazuhiko Shimamoto for advice. Higuchi has also banned fanart of his work. According to Manga Mogura, some Twitter (X) users have noticed AI artists stealing and copying the styles of creators like Oda (One Piece) and Kubo (Bleach). Fanwork has always existed in a gray zone of the law due to fans creating content based on works and characters under copyright. It's unclear if laws to curb AI "artists" and protect manga artists will affect actual human fans and their fan content.

Japan, as well as other countries, are working on ways to combat AI generated "content" to protect human creators.

The post Manga Artist Ken Akamatsu Discusses Japanese Copyright Law and AI appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, March 21, 2024 9:30 AM
    

ABA in Guilty Gear Strive

Arc System Works has revealed that ABA will appear in Guilty Gear Strive on March 26, 2024. The Guilty Gear Isuka debutant will make her return after previously appearing in the Guilty Gear XX series and absent in the Guilty Gear Xrd series.

The company has also uploaded a new trailer featuring the character on its YouTube channel. In the Japanese version, Riho Sugiyama is ABA's new voice actress, taking over from Mika Takimoto who previously voiced the character from her debut in Isuka to the Guilty Gear XX series. Meanwhile, the veteran voice actor Akira Kamiya provided his voice for the companion weapon Paracelsus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsqEyTiuIkI

And here is another version of the trailer with English voiceovers. Anna Brisbin and Alejandro Antonio Ruiz provided their respective voices for ABA and Paracelsus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjqfSOnuyyM

Arc System Works has also uploaded a Starter Guide video that explains ABA's actions in more detail:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPLlWDYqkCI

ABA will be the third character in the third season pass for the fighting game. Arc System Works has previously added Johnny in August 2023 and Elphelt Valentine in December 2023. The company is also planning to release one more playable character in 2024 to complete the season pass.

ABA will appear as a new DLC character in Guilty Gear Strive on March 26, 2024. The fighting game is readily available worldwide on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC.

The post ABA Will Join Guilty Gear Strive as the Third Season 3 Character appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, March 21, 2024 9:00 AM
    

Screenshot of Swordfighter Peach in Princess Peach: Showtime!

Princess Peach: Showtime is a fun, action-packed Super Mario spin-off that makes you realize you don't always need Mario to save the day or have a good time. With beautiful level design and a whole bunch of transformations and combat mechanics, the 2024 Nintendo Switch title will likely be loved by Super Mario World fans looking for something to fill the void while they wait for a new installment. It's my favorite Super Mario spin-off to date. While some may be skeptical of a Princess Peach-led game, especially with it being 19 years since Super Princess Peach on the Nintendo DS, you definitely shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The Mushroom Kingdom princess stands on her own here.

In Princess Peach: Showtime, your aim is to save Sparkle Theatre from an evil masked villain known as Grape and her annoying crew, the Sour Bunch. They've kidnapped the Theets, a troupe of actors who reside in the theatre, and it's up to Peach and Stella -- the Sparkle Theatre's ribbon guardian -- to rescue them and restore order by jumping into various plays and acting them out. Each play has its own storyline and theme, which made me want to clear them to find out what happens. As you do, you'll unlock a variety of costumes for Peach, who uses Stella to attack, each with its own power and play style, such as Ninja Peach, where you take out enemies with a kunai and scale walls with lightning speed and Dashing Thief Peach, which gives her a grappling hook with a cool costume to boot.

Not every costume has combat mechanics, though. One play dresses the princess as Patissiere Peach, who must bake and decorate cookies against the clock, Cooking Mama style. This was my favorite, even though the levels can get tough due to the speed at which you must help out the Theets with their desserts. But that only made it more fun! You get to use each costume multiple times in different stages, too, so it's not just a one-and-done deal.

Some plays have boss fights, which have various mechanics, largely involving dodging at the right time by pressing A. This was very common and appeared in many battles, which made them too easy after a while because it was just a case of figuring out when to dodge and jump on their head three times to kill them off. I would have liked to see more mechanics here, as I began to get bored whenever I found myself in a challenge against a boss. Though, luckily, they didn't happen too often, especially after the opening hour.

As you play through Sparkle Theatre's various plays, you collect Sparkla Gems, reminiscent of Super Mario 3D World's Green Stars. Some are easy to miss, concealed behind a dull spotlight or off the beaten path. At times, I was convinced I'd collected all of them in a play, only to reach the end and realize I'd missed a couple, even though I was certain I'd combed through every nook and cranny. You don't need to collect every Sparkle Gem to progress, but if you're someone who strives to reach 100% completion on every stage, you'll love the challenge like I did. There's also a hidden NPC in each stage named the Ribboner, who, when found, will unlock a new Ribbon style for Peach or Stella, so it's worth going out of your way to hunt him down.

There are many Peach and Stella Ribbons to unlock in Princess Peach: Showtime, whether it's through the aforementioned Ribboner, defeating Action Rehearsals after clearing a floor, or buying them in the Sparkle Theatre first-floor lobby using the coins you collect throughout the plays. I swapped Peach's outfit often because she has many cute ones, and I couldn't decide which one I wanted to wear. Every time I liked one, I unlocked something better! This made me go out of my way to collect as many as possible, adding to the replayability of each stage. There are also other things to unlock in the lobby, especially if you collect every Sparkla Gem in a stage, but I'll leave that surprise for you to uncover.

Princess Peach: Showtime is a fantastic action-adventure title with many transformations that make the game fun and replayable. While some may find the boss battles tedious and repetitive, it is offset by enjoyable combat and a plethora of collectibles, making it fun for those who love the grind. Overall, Princess Peach: Showtime manages to hold its own as a Super Mario spin-off and proves that Mario doesn't need to be in every game in its universe in order for it to be great.

Princess Peach: Showtime will be available on March 22, 2024, on the Nintendo Switch.

The post Review: Princess Peach: Showtime Proves Peach Doesn't Always Need Mario appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, March 21, 2024 3:09 PM
     Horizon Forbidden West Dualsense BugWho would have thought that the most important thing other than the game itself would betray us? Here is how to fix the Horizon Forbidden West PC DualSense FPS bug. What is the Forbidden West DualSense FPS bug? You see, after the release of Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition reports have been coming about a bug that takes place when you have a wireless connection with a DualSense controller while attempting to run the Forbidden West, having dropped from what could be a steady 120 fps down to 20 fps. That's a 6x drop! Even 4090 are unable to run the game properly and the devs have taken note of it. Now, I've had my fair share of weird and random error and stability issues across my journey as a PC gamer. I'm almost certain my Intel Processor is faulty and causing issues unless I'm using XTU. Check this document here if you are having that issue, by the way. However, I've never seen something like this DualSense bug. With that being said, ...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, March 21, 2024 2:41 PM
     How to tackle high level missions in Helldivers 2So you have decided to take the leap and fight for Managed Democracy with the big boys. No more fighting small fry for you, it's the big leagues now. But, oh my, the big leagues are monstrous. High-level missions in Helldivers 2 can be overwhelming, but I have a few tips and tricks up my sleeve. Don't go it alone A lonely Helldiver is a weak Helldiver. If you're just getting into the harder levels in Helldivers 2, I would recommend going in with a squad. Not only that, but make sure you actually stick together while out there in the field. Image: PC Invasion Too many times, I have watched one solo player try to go it alone, searching for those precious Samples, only to be stomped by a Titan. If you're too far away from the pack, and your body is under a swarm, you've goofed. You'll lose your gear and, more importantly, your samples. Stick together for greatness. Don't rush it Of course, you're a good Super Citizen and wan...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, March 21, 2024 2:06 PM
     How To Enable Cross Progression In Warzone And Cod Warzone Mobile Featured Image (2)(1)The good thing about COD Warzone Mobile is that you might not have to grind for everything. Through cross-progression, you can get a headstart. This system allows you to bring everything you've earned in the mainline including the normal version of Warzone. Since your cross-progression is important in COD Warzone Mobile, read on to enable it between the full version of Warzone. COD Warzone Mobile: How to enable cross-progression with Warzone You must link your account to the mobile game to bring everything over to COD Warzone Mobile. This took me a while to understand because I wanted my Dune skin to be available. While Activision has made linking your account between Warzone and the mobile version easy, it's not explained well. Fortunately for you, I went through the hardship of this puzzling step so you don't have to.  Screenshot: PC Invasion First log into your Activision Account. In the left-hand bar, press Account Linking. This should be select...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, March 21, 2024 2:01 PM
     Horizon Forbidden West Steam Deck Featured ImageNow that Guerrilla's game is available on PC, many questions arise. Can my computer run this game without combusting? Will Horizon Forbidden West run on my Steam Deck? For the first one, it depends, but for the second, let's find out. Can you play Horizon Forbidden West on your Steam Deck? Now with the main series of Horizon games released on PC – maybe someday we will see the VR game Call of the Mountain with expanded VR headset support, I don't know – the idea of playing Forbidden West in the comfort of your Steam Deck is something that many players have already experienced with Zero Dawn and already eager to replicate that with its sequel. Fortunately, the developers have confirmed that Horizon Forbidden West is supported and playable on Steam Decks all around the world. Controller support as well as Steam Deck compatibility was one of the announcements presented by the devs before the game release. And while I still find it funny seeing PlaySt...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:49 PM
     Cod Warzone And MobileWith the launch of COD Warzone Mobile, players now have two Call of Duty mobile games to choose from alongside COD Mobile. As they're both free games, what are the differences between them? Game modes in COD Mobile and Warzone When comparing any two games, the most important deciding factor is generally the content that each game, in this case COD Mobile and COD Warzone Mobile, provides. Image: Activision As may be expected, COD Warzone Mobile does what it says on the tin. It only has two game modes: Warzone and Plunder. This is pitiful, compared to COD Mobile, which boasts Team Deathmatch, Domination, Frontline, Sniper Only, Gun Game, Search and Destroy, Hardpoint, and even has its own Battle Royale. The range of games that COD Mobile hosts will make it suitable for a much wider array of gamers and will cater to different moods. However, that doesn't mean that COD Warzone Mobile is at a disadvantage. Warzone has become so popular, that many players are a...

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, March 21, 2024 3:37 PM
    

The expansion will feature new weapons

The post Dead Island 2 SoLA Expansion Launches Next Month appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


iDev Games Feed Thursday, March 21, 2024 8:46 AM
     Welcome to "Idle Particle Clicker" – where every click brings you closer to mastering the art of idle gaming against a backdrop of captivating particle animatio...

Pivotal Gamers Thursday, March 21, 2024 3:32 PM
     What's up folks? MMOBomb holds a new giveaway for Clash of Lords 2. This is what they say. IGG and MMOBomb have partnered up to score YOU an amazing pack key with lots of in-game items for Clash of Lords 2. A few words about Clash of Lords 2 Clash of Lords 2 is a strategy game with fun and innovative twists on the genre. Last minute notes Follow the on-screen instructions and complete all st...

MonsterVine Thursday, March 21, 2024 3:15 PM
     Previously announced for June 21, Atlus has announced that the upcoming RPG Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance has been moved a week earlier. It will now launch on June 14. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, is an enhanced version of the original Shin Megami Tensei V that includes both the original route and an entirely new story route […]

Level Up Thursday, March 21, 2024 1:00 PM
     <em>Ark: The Animated Series</em> has surprised launched today on Paramount +. Based on the hit…