Aug 13, 16:00


GamersHeroes Tuesday, August 13, 2024 1:56 PM
    

Patch 1.2 for Blackbird Interactive and Gearbox Publishing's Homeworld 3 will bring with it gameplay improvements, bug fixes, free Skirmish maps, and the Kalan Raiders Fleet Pack when it launches on August 15.

The post Homeworld 3 Patch 1.2 Coming August 15 appeared first on GamersHeroes.


GamersHeroes Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:11 AM
    

Featuring mutant gremlins, their defective robotic mother, and a new frontier, procedurally-generated co-op action awaits with the release of Maschinen-Mensch's newly announced title Mother Machine.

The post Multiplayer Action-Platformer/RPG Hybrid Mother Machine Announced appeared first on GamersHeroes.


GamersHeroes Tuesday, August 13, 2024 10:46 AM
    

A Witcher-esque strategy RPG with real-time combat, players will be able to set in a corrupted version of medieval Europe with the release of Virtual Alchemy's newly announced title Band of Crusaders.

The post Dark Medieval Strategy RPG Band of Crusaders Announced appeared first on GamersHeroes.


GamersHeroes Tuesday, August 13, 2024 10:44 AM
    

The team at Spike Chunsoft, along with the team at Bandai Namco, have released a new trailer for DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO that puts the spotlight on the Android Saga.

The post DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO Android Saga Character Trailer Released appeared first on GamersHeroes.


GamersHeroes Tuesday, August 13, 2024 9:08 AM
    

Love, Ghostie is more treat than trick, bringing together time management, good vibes, and dad jokes into a lovable package.

The post Love, Ghostie Review appeared first on GamersHeroes.


Kotaku Tuesday, August 13, 2024 3:55 PM
    

The question on everyone's lips right now is: Switch 2 when? Now in its eighth year, the current handheld hybrid is more than a little long in the tooth, and the evidence continues to mount that fans still have a bit of a wait to go before Nintendo launches its next console.

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 13, 2024 3:10 PM
    

With just a week and change left until Concord hits the ground running, the team behind the first-person hero shooter has announced its plans for the PlayStation 5 console exclusive's future. A roadmap confirms at least three seasons of post-launch updates, as well as a microtransaction store coming in October.

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 13, 2024 2:30 PM
    

This month, the latest entry in the long-running Alien sci-fi franchise hits theaters. Alien: Romulus, starring Cailee Spaney (Civil War) and Isabela Merced (Madame Web) from noted horror director Fede Álvarez, debuts August 14, and from the trailers and early reactions, it looks like a fantastic entry in the…

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 13, 2024 2:10 PM
    

Back in 2022, one of the most unexpectedly big games of the year was a cute little cult simulator. Cult of the Lamb, developed by Massive Monster and published by Devolver Digital, made a huge splash when it launched two summers ago and spoke to all the little freaks and deviants out there. Its hybrid of Animal…

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 13, 2024 2:00 PM
    

Video game release dates are more a suggestion than a promise these days, and understandably so. Making games is hard and audiences have never been busier and more fickle. Still, it's disappointing when you find out that sci-fi shooter or fantasy adventure you've been waiting for won't be out any time soon, and a lot…

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 13, 2024 1:10 PM
    

Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas is getting a big and pricey Lego set in September, just in time for the upcoming spookiest holiday of all: Labor Day. And I guess, if you want, you can celebrate Halloween with the new Disney Lego set, too.

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 13, 2024 12:50 PM
    

If you're like me and you're excited for this fall's Metaphor: ReFantazio, the next turn-based fantasy RPG from the team responsible for some of the most beloved Persona titles, you owe it to yourself to check out the latter series. Persona exploded in popularity over the last decade, turning into a bonafide hit for…

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 13, 2024 12:40 PM
    

Modern-day anime, and the industries that shape its creation and distribution, are in a stride not dissimilar to the one video games have been experiencing since around 2020 during the height of the covid pandemic, when everyone was stuck at home with nothing better to do than tackle their backlog of games (or, in…

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 13, 2024 12:30 PM
    

Once Human features countless resources and materials necessary for crafting and base-building, so it can feel confusing as you sort through the list. But it gets simpler once you realize that most resources are upgraded versions of previously available items from a lower-level zone. Take, for example, Special Parts…

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 13, 2024 12:05 PM
    

Boss Team Games and Wayforward are working together on not one, but two new retro-inspired action-platforms. One is based on the original Halloween movie and the other is based on the series Ash Vs. Evil Dead. It's the start of a larger horror game franchise called RetroRealms.

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:30 AM
    

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess constantly keeps things fresh with unique mechanics and levels. Enri Village is a wonderful example, as it's a boss stage in all but name. Making things more difficult is that you'll be physically useless throughout the night, forcing your villagers to pick up the slack.

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 13, 2024 10:30 AM
    

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess offers plenty of variety in boss fights, but one of the most challenging will be encountered early on. Mukadejoro is an aggressive behemoth with unique mechanics and a persistent AI. It all comes together to feel like a massive difficulty spike.

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 13, 2024 10:10 AM
    

Crisis on Infinite Earths Part 3 is the last time fans get to hear Kevin Conroy as Batman. But the initial version had one big problem. His archnemesis, the Joker, didn't sound like Mark Hamill, the Star Wars actor who made the character his own in Batman: The Animated Series. Warner Bros. has now quietly stepped in…

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 13, 2024 9:40 AM
    

There have been rumblings that Red Dead Redemption would finally get a PC port for a while now, and it looks like the Western epic could be closer than ever to hitting Steam and other PC gaming storefronts. A leaked description on PlayStation Network of all places points to an imminent launch.

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Kotaku Tuesday, August 13, 2024 9:30 AM
    

Visions of Mana is the first new mainline entry in Square Enix's Mana series in over 15 years, so naturally it has attracted huge attention from modern-day RPG fans and retro game enthusiasts alike. As is tradition with Square Enix games, a demo for Visions of Mana was released ahead of the game's official August 29…

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PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 2:40 PM
     Helldivers 2 dev acknowledges huge new update

With players feeling underwhelmed at some of the changes made in its massive new Escalation of Freedom update, Helldivers 2's game director has apologized to the community and acknowledged that there are "fundamental inconsistencies" in its current approach to balancing the shooter. Arrowhead has also now laid out a 60-day plan to improve the game and overhaul some of its practices.

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

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 2:05 PM
     Cataclismo hits big Steam milestone and adds its most-wanted features

It's not even been a month since Cataclismo launched into Steam Early Access and already it is celebrating reaching 120,000 sales. This means it joins the pantheon of titles like They Are Billions and Thronefall showing that people remain very hungry for games that let them build grand structures in order to face off against oncoming hordes. Now the first major update is here for the game, and it looks set to give the community exactly what it wants.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RTS games, Best strategy games, Best city-building games

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 1:43 PM
     TFT Tocker's Trials is its first fully PvE mode, and it's wild

It's hard to believe we're now on the twelfth Teamfight Tactics set - how the time flies. Magic N' Mayhem has already been in players' hands for about two weeks now and is going over well, but with the strategy game being over five years old, how does it continue to create new and interesting experiences for players and deliver surprises? Oh look - here's one. Riot just unveiled Tocker's Trials, TFT's first ever fully-PvE game mode, which is dropping later this month.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: LoL tier list, Best auto battlers, LoL ranking system explained

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 1:25 PM
     Satisfactory competitor Foundry lays cable with first big update

One of the primal ways to engage in play is to stack a few things up and look at what you've created. From Lego to Minecraft, building has come a long way and newer titles like Factorio and Satisfactory have taken things in vastly more complex directions. Foundry is one of the most recent building titles out there and it's already making a name for itself, and the game's first big update has added cables, Steam Workshop support, and more.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best building games, Best strategy games, Best management games

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 12:37 PM
     When is Concord coming out? PC release times and preload

When is Concord coming out? With PlayStation's push into the PC market well underway with the day-and-date launch of Helldivers 2, Concord is the gaming giant's next multiplayer and multiplatform swing. Now, ahead of launch later this month, PlayStation finally reveals exactly when we can start playing - alongside details on preloading as well.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best multiplayer games, Best cross platform games, Best FPS games

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 12:34 PM
     After 60 years, history's 'first' strategy game is totally rebuilt

There's videogame history, contemporary touchstones like Half-Life, Doom, Civilization, and Zelda, and videogame history. Before the visuals, mechanics, and rounded tropes of today's established genres were fully realized, early pioneers - visionary software programmers and computer scientists - built the foundations by hand. Through Stellaris, Total War, and XCOM, strategy games remain one of the cornerstones of the PC as a platform. But their history goes back much further than you might think. Lost to the ether for 60 years, The Sumerian Game, one of the genre's earliest cave paintings, is back, rebuilt, and available for free on Steam.


PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 12:20 PM
     Asus ROG is giving away $10,000 of prizes, including an RTX 4080 Super

With Gamescom right around the corner, Asus ROG is celebrating by launching a giveaway where $10,000 worth of prizes can be won, including an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super. You'll need to be quick though, as the giveaway closes on August 21.

Whether it's one of the best graphics cards, or the $500 Azoth Extreme keyboard that catches your eye, there is plenty of exciting gear to be won in this Asus ROG giveaway. It's surprising to see no Asus ROG Ally X on the list of products, but there's potentially something far more exciting.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ review, Asus ROG Raikiri review, Best gaming motherboard

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 12:03 PM
     Black Myth Wukong on Steam Deck looks amazing and runs well, so far

Following the release of the free benchmark tool on Steam, we've been able to take a look at how Black Myth: Mukong might run on Steam Deck, and the results are promising.

The Steam Deck is still the best handheld gaming PC, despite not being the most powerful. The inclusion of AMD FSR 3.1 makes what appears to be a graphically demanding experience, based on our desktop results, a more manageable task for this handheld's limited hardware.

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

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:41 AM
     Get the Xbox Elite Series 2 for its lowest price since Prime Day

If you want to treat yourself to the Microsoft Xbox Elite Series 2 controller but don't feel you can justify spending so much, there's a deal for you. Walmart has discounted the controller by $40 - putting it at its lowest price since Amazon Prime Day.

The best PC controllers revolutionize your gameplay, with mappable buttons and triggers to make you a faster, more responsive player than you might be with even the best gaming keyboards. The Elite Series 2 Xbox controller from Microsoft is a premium option with a premium price, but right now it's discounted to $139.99 from $179.99. I don't know how long this deal will last, but I do know it's a good one.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Microsoft DirectX Raytracing, Microsoft Hololens hands-on, Windows Game Mode preview

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:43 AM
     Wuthering Waves codes August 2024

August 13, 2024: We checked for new Wuthering Waves codes.

What are the new Wuthering Waves codes? Everyone loves a freebie, especially when it comes to gacha games. It's no secret that the likes of Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail can be a bit of a grind if you're not prepared to open your wallet. We're here to help you offset that cost with redeem codes that contain free items and premium currency.

The latest WuWa codes are released periodically and often include premium currency to spend on the latest Wuthering Waves banners or level up your favorite Wuthering Waves characters. These redeem codes are only active for a limited time, so you have to be swift to redeem them before they expire. Thankfully, our list of all the latest codes in Wuthering Waves is updated regularly, so you can claim gacha game rewards without upsetting your bank balance.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Wuthering Waves codes, Free PC games, Best anime games

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 12:08 PM
     Metropolis 1998 is a new 'sequel' to SimCity and Rollercoaster Tycoon

Keep your Unreal Engine 5, your ray-tracing, and your 4K resolutions - videogames have never looked better than Rollercoaster Tycoon and SimCity 2000. It's not about fidelity. It's the colors, the lines, and the intricate details juxtaposed with the playful abstractions of pixel art. Metropolis 1998 is a visual throwback, antithetical to the complex, realistic visuals of Cities Skylines 2, but it's maybe the most gorgeous game I've seen this year. A city builder in the classic Maxis style, and directly inspired by Chris Sawyer's epochal amusement park sim, with a new demo available now, PCGamesN speaks exclusively to Metropolis 1998's creator about marrying beautiful retro graphics with modern systems and original mechanics.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best city building games, Best old games, Best strategy games

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:10 AM
     How to get Star Wars Outlaws early access

How do you get Star Wars Outlaws early access? We're not saying we're impatient, but when we hear about an upcoming game we can't wait for, our first question is always: how early can we play? As long as you don't mind paying a bit extra, and that is certainly the case for Star Wars Outlaws.

Described as GTA meets Star Wars, that comparison alone makes us want to jump on our Speeder and joyride across space. Star Wars Outlaws has been firmly on our radar since it was first announced by Ubisoft. With the Star Wars Outlaws release date in our sights, it's time to find out whether we can play this Star Wars game ahead of time. Here's everything you need to know about Star Wars Outlaws early access.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Star Wars games, Star Wars Outlaws release date, Best open world games

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:05 AM
     Nowhere is like Amnesia meets LA Noire with a new free demo out soon

For a while the world seemed to be obsessed with Nordic noir, with TV series like The Bridge and The Killing becoming global obsessions. Similarly, detective sims have been interwoven with gaming for years - titles such as Discworld Noir, L.A. Noire, Disco Elysium, and Shadows of Doubt show that gaming and gumshoes firmly go together. So it's strange that it's taken until now for a Nordic detective experience to arrive, but thankfully Nowhere is here to fill that void.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best detective games, Best story games, Best horror games

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:14 AM
     The best back to school laptop deals 2024

The best back to school laptop deals are here for 2024. We're scouring our favorite retailers and using years of experience to bring you the well-priced laptops and PC accessories you need to start your new term with a bang.

Back to school deals are aimed at students, and at some manufacturer websites, you'll have to verify your education status before being able to access their biggest discounts. However, some take this time of year as an opportunity for a general sale, meaning you can find a bargain even if you're not going back to school yourself.

We've curated a selection of good deals below and included quick links to the back-to-school sales of some of the biggest retailers. We'd also recommend reading our expert guides on the best gaming laptops where we go into more detail about how to choose a laptop.

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

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:00 AM
     Dead Rising Remaster fixes all the worst parts of the original

I suppose it makes sense from a game publisher's point of view to remaster, remake, or otherwise relaunch your most profitable and highly regarded legacy titles. If people loved it the first time, giving them the chance to play it again, either totally rebuilt from the ground up or visually enhanced and tweaked for modern hardware, is about as near as you can get to a surefire hit. It's fine. I enjoyed the Resident Evil remakes. I love the Command and Conquer Remastered Collection. I even bought the new versions of Metal Gear Solid, despite already owning them on basically every console and machine that I have. But I'd like to see a change in sensibility. Like with the recent Star Wars Bounty Hunter re-release, rather than reheating the classics, I'd like to see more game-makers try to improve upon and revive flawed diamonds. Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, which I went hands-on with before its September launch, is a good example of where a game both deserves and warrants another draft.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best zombie games, Best sandbox games, Best horror games

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 10:27 AM
     The best multiplayer games to play with friends 2024

What are the best multiplayer games? Intricate gameplay and glistening visuals only go so far; humans often provide the biggest surprises with schemes that transform even the most average game into an unforgettable experience you'll be talking about until the end of time.

Fast and frantic or tense and calculated, the best multiplayer games come in all shapes and sizes. Whether it's vying for control of the payload in an FPS game or fighting for survival in a co-op game with your friends, these experiences wouldn't be the same without a bunch of real people. We've curated a list of the best PC games with multiplayer functionality so you can go around killing, maiming, or, occasionally, helping random people on the internet.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Apex Legends characters guide, Apex Legends skins, Apex Legends tier list

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 10:08 AM
     The 35 best Minecraft servers list 2024 - Java and Bedrock

What are the best Minecraft servers? We've jumped into some of the many multiplayer servers around to find the best, friendliest, and most fun of them all. Joining any one of the varied Minecraft servers in this list will invite you into a magical world full of like-minded fans, builders, redstone masters, and survival experts. Minecraft worlds are infinite, so what better than sharing one with others?

While vanilla, single-player Minecraft is still one of the best games ever, there's nothing better than jumping into a world with friends and creating a world together. The servers below aren't just for builders, though, and there's something for you whether you want Minecraft mods, parkour, PVP, or a number of other things. So, dive into the expansive world of multiplayer with these incredible Minecraft servers, or head to the bottom of the list if you need to know about hosting your own Minecraft server.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 9:59 AM
     New Black Myth Wukong benchmark already bigger than most Steam games

Black Myth Wukong isn't even out yet, and it's already amassed 80,000 concurrent players on Steam. Game Science's soulslike take on Journey to the West could very well be the most action-packed game in the genre since Sekiro, and while we wait for reviews to come in, a new PC benchmarking tool is proving exceedingly popular. So if you want to experience Black Myth Wukong's gorgeous world while making sure your PC can run the game at launch, this is for you.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Black Myth Wukong release date, Black Myth Wukong bosses, Best RPG games on PC

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 9:37 AM
     GTA 6 release date window, trailers, and latest Rockstar Games news

When is GTA 6 coming out? Given how many years it takes to create open worlds of the same caliber as GTA 5, it's no surprise that Rockstar Games has already spent years developing GTA 6. However, like most developers, Rockstar prefers to keep its secrets close to its chest until they're close to the end of development - and Take-Two has now confirmed when exactly we can expect it to arrive.

The Grand Theft Auto 6 release date has certainly been a long time coming. Early gameplay leaks of GTA 6 surfaced online last year, along with lines of source code and development footage for the open-world game. There's been plenty of rumors and speculation surrounding the release date since then, but we finally have confirmation of the GTA 6 launch window, story, and setting right here on PCGamesN. Here's all the latest on the GTA 6 release date, including trailers and news.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: GTA 6 release date, Best open-world games, GTA 5 cheats

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 9:37 AM
     Honkai Star Rail characters - all new and upcoming characters

Who are the new Honkai Star Rail characters? Following in the footsteps of Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail includes an ever-expanding roster of characters. From bubbly extroverts to brooders with a dark past, there's no end to the number of fan favorites we can expect to encounter on our Trailblazing expedition. Thankfully, we've collated them all into one handy guide, so you can keep track of who they are and how they appear in the story.

Most of the characters in Honkai Star Rail are available to pull from HSR banners, though the free PC game also has various upcoming characters scheduled to appear as well. Some of them will achieve greatness at the top of our Honkai Star Rail tier list, while others will still win plenty of fans thanks to their glowing personality. Either way, we highly recommend picking up free Honkai Star Rail Stellar Jade and redeeming the latest Honkai Star Rail codes if you plan to pull them all.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Honkai Star Rail review, Honkai Star Rail codes, Honkai Star Rail tier list

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 9:35 AM
     The best Roblox games in 2024

What are the best Roblox games? Games aren't just better than ever for kids; the means of creating them are, too. The best example of that is Roblox: a massively multiplayer online game creation platform, and since it's so easy to make something fun, there are millions of Roblox games to enjoy. User-generated creations allow you to weather the existential threat of a natural disaster, try your hand as a pizza maker, and take a break from it all with a spot of peaceful scuba diving.

From sims and RPGs to tower defense and adventure titles, we've highlighted the best Roblox games to enjoy with over 100 million other pals in online games. Think of it like Minecraft and LittleBigPlanet smooshed together and forged into an entire platform to create one of the best free PC games available. Below, you can find the best Roblox games and more about this exciting platform. If you're looking for some Roblox freebies, you can check these guides for working, new Skibiverse codes, and Fruit Battlegrounds codes to gain an advantage in your games.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:25 AM
     All Elden Ring bosses in order

What are the Elden Ring bosses in order? The most defining moments in any of the Souls-like games are the tough boss fights. They can be tricky for several reasons: some are hard to hit consistently, and others can squash you with just one attack. Despite having hundreds of monsters, you only need to beat 12 Elden Ring bosses to finish the game.

In addition to a list of mandatory boss encounters, our list of the Elden Ring bosses in order includes where you can find them, and what rewards they drop. We've also collated the top five Elden Ring bosses in order of difficulty, as well as some handy tips on how to beat them. Generally speaking, dungeon bosses are not as hard to kill as the major bosses. However, there are exceptions, so equipping the best Elden Ring summons and upgrading the Flask of Wondrous Physick with Elden Ring crystal tears can make all the difference in one of the best PC games ever.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Elden Ring builds, Elden Ring bosses, Elden Ring weapons

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 9:12 AM
     The 100 best Minecraft skins 2024

What are the best Minecraft skins? There are countless Minecraft skins available online now, as imaginative creators have spent years building an extensive library of avatar customizations for the sandbox game. With OCs, Disney characters, superheroes, celebrities, cartoon characters, and even memes now available for your Minecraft skin the choice can be overwhelming, but we've gone through them all to find the best.

If you'd rather rock something a bit more unique than the defaults, we recommend one of the custom Minecraft skins below. You can even build from one of these options or create your own from scratch with our instructions at the bottom. If that's a little too much effort, find out how to change your Minecraft skin, then pick from these free NameMC Minecraft skins. We're always adding to this list, too, so be sure to keep checking back for a fresh look!

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 9:22 AM
     ZZZ codes August 2024 - how to redeem Zenless Zone Zero codes

August 13, 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, active promo codes available to redeem right now.

HoYoverse's latest gacha adventure is a free PC game, and as our Zenless Zone Zero review attests, there's a lot of currency and materials to gather. 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 alongside the 100 free pulls promotion. Here are all the Zenless Zone Zero codes you need to get started in the latest update.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Zenless Zone Zero review, Zenless Zone Zero codes, Zenless Zone Zero banners

PCGamesN Tuesday, August 13, 2024 9:01 AM
     New strategy game Band of Crusaders is a dark fantasy Age of Empires

Diablo is one of my favorite videogame series ever. Characterized by complex narratives, jaw-dropping gore, and, of course, a whole lot of hacking and slashing, the world of Sanctuary is one that I happily call home. Yet, in a post-Baldur's Gate 3 world, I've found myself more drawn to strategy games - my recent obsession with Capcom's Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess has affirmed that. So, when I saw Band of Crusaders, which blends the demonic brutality of Diablo with the strategy elements of Age of Empires or Dragon Age: Origins, I was certainly intrigued.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RTS games, Games like Diablo, Best strategy games

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 13, 2024 1:45 PM
    

Aside from being a game where you run around a shopping mall murdering the living dead, the original Dead Rising from 2006 is a clownish satire of sleazy tabloid photojournalism. It expresses this by way of its scoring system, where you earn "Prestige points" for snapping pictures that fit one of five categories: "Brutal" scenes of characters being slain; moments of "Horror", such as the spectacle of an approaching horde; comical "Outtakes", like characters caught in bizarre poses; moments of "Drama", such as people reacting to discoveries; and "Erotic" photos of women alive or undead, which range from snaps of exposed underwear to close-ups of cleavage.

The Erotica tag has, however, been chopped from the Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, in what Capcom gingerly suggest isn't "a response to a changing cultural climate", but expressive of the view that earning points from such photos is not "an appropriate reward for survival and not a skill required of a journalist trying to stay alive".

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:49 AM
    

The Steam Deck's competitors, whether they're the old guard Ayaneo family, the luxe Asus ROG Ally X, or the shapeshifting Lenovo Legion Go, usually share the same attack line: they can play more of your games. The Deck's compatibility issues aren't nearly as issue-some as they were at launch, but between its Linux-based SteamOS and its relatively mild processing power, but it is true that beefier Windows handhelds will more likely cater to your entire cross-launcher library.

Unless, that is, you get something else to run them for you. Streaming games on the Steam Deck has emerged as a nifty workaround for the portable PC's lingering compatibility woes, making even officially unsupported games playable. Usually with much better performance, too, as the actual rendering work is done remotely – what you see on the Deck's screen is basically a video feed of that remote device's display output, with your control input beamed the other way via a low-latency connection. And because you're not using SteamOS or the internal hardware to actually run the game, it's not bound by their limits.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:44 AM
    

I'm no shoot 'em up nutter - or "shmutter", as I understand they prefer to be called - but some of the first games I remember playing are shmups. Games like Maelstrom, Ambrosia's Macintosh clone of Asteroids, and the proto-shmup Crystal Quest from Patrick Buckland, who would go on to make Carmageddon. Little did I know that the humble premise of a small 2D spacecraft shooting baddies on a wrap-around screen would reach the glittering heights of Nova Drift. Had you shown me this game back in 1995, I dare say I'd have shmupped myself.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:00 AM
    

The survivors in the upcoming Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster - itself an update of the 2016 HD version of the 2006 zombie open-mall action game - are still idiots. I'm starting to regret giving Burt a gun, honestly. Every time he bumps into a magazine rack he starts screaming like someone's eating his face, and the little circle above his name turns red to indicate he's in danger. That's a mannequin, Burt. They can't hurt you. They're actually known for not being able to move.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:00 AM
    

As long-time readers will know, I'm a piteous mark for weird little game guys. I'm currently trying to puzzle out what the titular Mother Machine in The Curious Expedition studio Maschinen-Mensch's upcoming co-op platformer refers to. But, if it's a reference to forming a parental bond with what the game has saw-me-comingishly named "chaos gremlins", I'm way ahead of you.

Ah, the press release speaketh! Probably should have read some more before I began exclaiming "Chaos Gremlins!" over and over. Have an announcement trailer.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, August 13, 2024 8:04 AM
    

Among the many, Gigery beauties of 2014's Alien: Isolation is that you save using an in-game, wall-mounted Emergency Phone - a maddeningly analog process of slotting a keycard into the machine and waiting for three beeps. Doing this requires you to stand upright in full view, with your back turned upon an entire space station's worth of shiny domed technology and guttural industrial noises. Delightful!

Amongst the players harrowed and compelled by this fixture is Fede Álvarez, director of the 2013 Evil Dead remake, 2016's Don't Breathe and, most recently Alien: Romulus - the seventh and avowedly "back to basics" Alien movie. Isolation is the Alien experience that convinced Álvarez the Alien could still be scary, after decades of milking the creature's dugs for spin-off movies and making it share a screen with the Predator, the Pepsi Max to Alien's Dom Pérignon 1921. In possibly self-defeating homage to Creative Assembly's work, he's filled the movie with Emergency Telephones, turning them into a straightforward-sounding form of foreshadowing.

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Twinfinite Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:00 AM
    
He's covered wars you know.

Siliconera Tuesday, August 13, 2024 3:45 PM
    

Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 New Games

Geoff Keighley announced what games will appearing during the gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 broadcast, which will also feature new game announcements. This includes the likes of Monster Hunter Wilds, Dune Awakening, and Marvel Rivals. The broadcast will take place on August 20, 2024 at 11AM PT / 2PM ET / 8PM CET.

Other games that will appear as part of the gamescom Opening Night Live broadcast are Call of Duty Black Ops 6, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Sid Meier's Civilization VII. Concerning new game announcements at gamescom Opening Night Live, Keighley did not provide any hints or suggestions as to what those could possibly be or entail.

https://twitter.com/geoffkeighley/status/1823406450049216640

Additionally, he did not specify if new game trailers or new in-game footage for the confirmed list of games will be featured during the broadcast. So it could be any of the two, or a combination.

Monster Hunter Wilds is perhaps one of the most anticipated titles on the list. Capcom has been slowly sharing more information about the next entry in the Monster Hunter series, which has included a look at the roster of weapons that will appear in the game, alongside monster riding.

The gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 broadcast will take place on August 20, 2024 at 11AM PT / 2PM ET / 8PM CET.

The post Gamescom Opening Night Live Will Feature New Game Announcements appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 13, 2024 3:30 PM
    

Next Street Fighter Powerlifting Figure Is Ryu Evil

Premium Collectibles Studio announced the third character in its Street Fighter Powerlifting figure line involves standard and evil versions of Ryu. As with Cammy and Chun-Li, there are three different variants and each one is of a different rarity. Pre-orders open on August 15, 2024, though some stores like Big Bad Toy Store are already taking pre-orders for $749.99 each.

Each one is based on different variants and game appearances. All of them are 1/4 scale figures that stand at 21 inches tall. The standard Battle Silver Ex Ryu is based on his Street Fighter 6 look. As such, he's wearing white shorts, has a red bandana on, is unshaven, the weights he's lifting are black, and there's a matching white gym bag at his feet. Only 150 of those will be made, and it is the most exclusive of the three options.

The Classic is a larger release at 250 units. It based on his original appearances in the series. this means he is clean-shaven, has a red bandana, shorts, gloves, weights, and a black gym bag.

Finally, there will be 250 Evil Ryu variants made. That's based on the Street Fighter IV appearance, since both his hair and eyes are red. His hairstyle is different, his gloves are yellow, his trunks are red and blue, his weights are blue, and his gym bag is blue.

Here's how all three of those Street Fighter Powerlifting Ryu figure options will look:

There's no official release window for these figures yet. The Big Bad Toy Store listings suggest all of them will appear in Q2 2025. To compare, the Cammy version arrives in Q4 2024, and the Chun-Li one is expected to ship between August and October 2024.

The Street Fighter Cammy Powerlifting figure is in development, with pre-orders open direct via Premium Collectibles Studio on August 15, 2024. The most recent game in the series is Street Fighter 6, and it is available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. 

The post Next Street Fighter Powerlifting Figure Is Ryu appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 13, 2024 3:00 PM
    

Wuthering Waves By Moon's Grace Event and Rewards Shared

Kuro Game announced full details about the Wuthering Waves By Moon's Grace event, detailing all of the rewards people will get in addition to the previously revealed Xiangli Yao. Among them will be 1,200 Astrite, which is just under the 1,600 you'd need to purchase a 10-pull on the gacha. 

To take part in Wuthering Waves By Moon's Grace, you need to be caught up with the story. This means you must have your Union Level at a minimum of 17. It is possible to start it if you finished Chapter 1, Act 3, but Kuro Game recommended also getting through up to Act 7 for story purposes. 

Once you unlock the event, your goal is to get funds for Moonlit Fair Stalls. Some of the ones featured in the announcement are Hsin's Fortuity, Riddle Twiddle, and Thus Says the Moon. Once you have them built, you can use Preparation Credits and Moments with characters from the Festival Journal to fulfill Wishes. Some of the confirmed Festival Journal Moments involve Chixia, Sanhua, and Zhezhi. You can then set those people for Route Planning and achieving those Wishes. This nets you Wish Tags for companions.

As for the Wuthering Waves By Moon's Grace event rewards, here are the things you can get:

  • Astrite x 1,200
  • Premium Resonance Potion
  • Premium Sealed Tube
  • Premium Tuner
  • Shell Credit
  • Xiangli Yao

Wuthering Waves is available for the PC and mobile devices, and the By Moon's Grace event runs between August 15, 2024 and September 28, 2024. A PS5 version is in development.

The post Wuthering Waves By Moon's Grace Event and Rewards Shared appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 13, 2024 2:30 PM
    

bunny garden nintendo switch physical

A physical version of the game Bunny Garden is ready to put you into debt. It'll come out on the Nintendo Switch on December 19, 2024.

Kadokawa Game Linkage is the publisher and you can pre-order it right now via Ebten and Amazon. The "Opening Day" set will come with special bonus items. You'll be able to get the soundtrack (including ASMR tracks), an art book, and an acrylic glass marker of the game logo. As a note, an acrylic glass marker is like an acrylic stand you can hang from your cup as either decoration or as an identifier.

Finally, if you order from CharaAni.com, you can get either a Famitsu DX (VIP Room) Pack, a Harem VIP Pack, or a 3D Crystal Set. There are three versions of the Famitsu DX Pack, which includes a tapestry, a champagne glass, a glass marker, and an acrylic coaster of the cast member of your choice. The Harem VIP Pack will give you basically all three Famitsu DX Packs. Finally, the 3D Crystal Set gives you a 3D crystal of a cast member of your choice. You can shine an LED light through it and use it as a lamp or decoration.

If you just want the game, it'll cost 4378 JPY ($29.80). Set prices can range from 10,428 JPY ($71) to 41,228 JPY ($280.60) depending on how many packs you purchase. As for the game itself, Bunny Garden lets you work or gamble to go to the hostess club and hang out with the girls. You can engage in conversation with them (and remembering key details from past conversations is key to a happy relationship) and play games with them. This game skirts the line between adult content and teenage-oriented material, but many streamers have streamed themselves playing it. So nothing in the game catches on YouTube's censors.

Bunny Garden is readily available on the Nintendo Switch and Windows PC. The physical version of Bunny Garden will appear on the Nintendo Switch on December 19, 2024.

The post Physical Version of Bunny Garden to Appear on Switch appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 13, 2024 2:00 PM
    

nijisanji speciale

Anycolor announced Speciale, a new Nijisanji VTuber group in Japan, will debut on August 16, 2024. This group consists of five personalities and in terms of lore, they all work in a cafe-slash-restaurant called Speciale together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na3Hk77TMP4

Like the usual Nijisanji debut situation, Speciale will have a relay stream from August 16, 2024, which will also include showing off their debut song. However, they publicized their YouTube and X (formerly known as Twitter) social media accounts on August 13, 2024. Their debut song is "Cooking Dream Land," and it will premiere on August 16, 2024.

Here are the Nijisanji VTubers who are part of Speciale:

  • Kirara Tamako: A young mascot for the store who's aiming to become a great chef in the future. She loves omurice. At the moment, she's helping out at Speciale but she hopes to actually work there in a formal capacity when she's older.
  • Nagisa Trout: An easygoing young man with a very unique air about him. Though he likes to cook, he often wanders outside of the store when he doesn't feel like working. His self-introduction implies that he's a fan of taking naps.
  • Nanase Suzuna: Works mornings at Speciale and uses sheer determination to open up the store no matter the weather outside. Her self-introduction implies that she is a very positive person.
  • Sakayori Soma: A sommelier trainee who went to the city from the countryside. He hates troublesome things. Though he wishes that every day can be a holiday, he's a hard worker who's preparing for his future.
  • Saotome Berry: A student enrolled in a vocational college and works part-time at Speciale. She is prone to prioritizing her own wants and can be a little selfish. Her introduction states that she likes sweet foods more than anything else, only to quickly claim that's a joke and she also likes salty snacks.

The order of the relay stream will be: Nanase Suzuna, Saotome Berry, Kirara Tamako, Sakayori Soma, and then Nagsia Trout. Each VTuber will stream for about thirty minutes, and it'll start from 7:30 PM JST (3:30 AM PT/6:30 ET on the same date). To commemorate their debut, you'll also be able to get their welcome goods (acrylic stand and badge) from the Nijisanji store (both JP and EN) on August 16, 2024.

Speciale, the newest group from Nijisanji, will debut on August 16, 2024.

The post Nijisanji to Debut New VTuber Group Speciale appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 13, 2024 1:30 PM
    

Marvel vs Capcom X-men

A trailer for the Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics has appeared, showing off the included title X-Men: Children of the Atom. The game will include several characters such as Storm, Wolverine, Iceman, and Psylocke as well as a training mode and concept art viewer.

Originally released in 1994, X-Men: Children of the Atom is an X-Men themed fighting game with 11 playable characters, including lesser known characters like Spiral and Omega Red. The version included in the MvC Fighting Collection will also have a training mode with viewable hit-boxes as well as a museum mode where players can view concept art and listen to soundtracks. Other games included in the collection include Marvel Super Heroes, X-Men vs Street Fighter, and Marvel vs Capcom 1 and 2.

You can watch the X-Men trailer for Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection via Youtube below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-oPDVt2wCc

The Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection was first announced back in June, 2024, though an exact release date is still unknown. The X-Men also recently featured in the animated series X-Men '97, based on the original animated series from 1992.

The Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics will release on the PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch sometime in 2024.

The post Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection Trailer Showcases X-Men appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 13, 2024 1:00 PM
    

Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster videos

Square Enix announced that people in Japan who visit the JR-East Shinjuku Station can see videos promoting Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster on display. It also shared a trailer for the advertisements online, so those of us unable to head to Japan can also see the PVs. 

Here's the official footage of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster videos at JR-East Shinjuku Station. The advertisements are on columns, at the ticket gate, and on screens throughout the station. In addition to showing footage from each of the titles, there are also animations of the different character sprites and imagery showing the Yoshitaka Amano art.

https://twitter.com/FinalFantasyJP/status/1823192785111130370

This comes ahead of worldwide Final Fantasy news. Square Enix confirmed Switch and PS4 physical copies of the Pixel Remaster will appear at retail stores. Previously, these were only available in Japan or as a collector's edition at the Official Square Enix Store. They sold out when offered outside Japan before. However, this new release won't be limited to a single retailer. It will include all six games on a cartridge or disc for $74.99.

Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PC, and mobile devices, and the physical Anniversary Edition retail released is planned for October 8, 2024.

The post Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Videos at JR-East Shinjuku Station appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 13, 2024 12:30 PM
    

Red Dead Redemption PC Version

A PC release of Red Dead Redemption may have been teased, thanks to an unexpected source. This game's PlayStation Store listing briefly displayed some extra text mentioning a PC version of the title. [Thanks, @Wario64!]

The change to the Red Dead Redemption listing stated that the game was "now on PC for the first time ever" despite there being no official announcement of this release. This is also notable for being on PSN, despite this not being a PC storefront, and because the PS4 version of the game has been out for almost a year.

While the description was similar to the standard PSN listing for Red Dead Redemption, there were mentions of PC-specific features. These included increased options for greater resolutions and framerates, alternate display options and spatial surround sound. Screenshots have been circulating on social media after the description was first noticed, although this new description has since been reverted back to the original from 2023.

A PC release is highly anticipated for Red Dead Redemption. Despite the game's critical and commercial success since its initial release in 2010, the game has remained a console exclusive. The game originally released for the PS3 and Xbox 360, with a re-release in 2023 for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Its sequel, Red Dead Redemption 2, did release for Steam and the now-defunct Stadia streaming service.

Red Dead Redemption is out now for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. A PC version may be in the works.

The post Red Dead Redemption PC Release May Be in the Works appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 13, 2024 12:00 PM
    

See Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Android Saga and Characters

Bandai Namco shared yet another Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero trailer that is an unending barrage of new characters, with the latest one including Android Saga elements. It also introduced more versions of Frieza and Trunks that will be playable in this installment, as well as offered our first look at different forms of Cell from Dragon Ball Z.

Here's the full list of all the new characters that appeared for the first time in the Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Android Saga trailer, and four versions of Cell are confirmed. There will also be one of the Cell Juniors in the game.

  • Android 16
  • Android 17
  • Android 18
  • Android 19
  • Cell, 1st Form
  • Cell, 2nd Form
  • Cell, Perfect Form
  • Cell Jr.
  • Dr. Gero
  • Gohan (Teen) Super Saiyan
  • Gohan (Teen) Super Saiyan 2
  • King Cold
  • Mecha Frieza
  • Perfect Cell
  • Piccolo Fused with Kami
  • Trunks (Sword) Super Saiyan

Here's the full Android Saga trailer. Note that after the halfway point, "Unmeino Hi: Tamashii vs Tamashii" from Dragon Ball Z plays. However, the this is just for the trailer and a note said that song isn't in the game. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkUUdD_ks68

34 empty spaces still appeared on the character select screen at the end of the video. Given 16 characters were revealed in the Android Saga trailer and 15 were in the Saiyan and Namek Sagas trailer, there could be at least two more character-focused trailers left with reveals.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero will appear on the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on October 11, 2024.

The post See Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Android Saga and Characters  appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:30 AM
    

Marvelous USA and XSEED Game Publishing Duties Split

Marvelous USA and XSEED Games announced the way titles are published by the companies will be changed, with the split being determined by if the game is a first-party or third-party title. All Marvelous games will be handled by Marvelous USA, while others will be under the XSEED umbrella.

In the announcement, an included image highlighted some of the titles that will be handled by each division to act as an infographic to help people determine what will be a Marvelous USA game and which one might be an XSEED Games title. So Farmagia, which is being made by Marvelous and launching in November 2024 worldwide, would be handled by Marvelous USA. So would the upcoming Daemon x Machina: Titanic Scionentry. It is also behind Naruto Emblem Battle, which is the company's arcade game. 

However, XSEED Games will handle any indie game the company publishes or other third-party releases. The graphic released alongside the reveal showed Japanese games like Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghanaand Corpse Party 2: Darkness Distortion, as well as Potionomics.

The next game from Marvelous to appear in 2024 will be Farmagia for the Switch, PS5, and PC on November 1, 2024, and it will be published by Marvelous USA.

The post Marvelous USA and XSEED Game Publishing Duties Split appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:01 AM
    

Though I love for Capcom's Resident Evil series, I never took the plunge into its other zombie-filled franchise: Dead Rising. With the arrival of Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, I trekked into the Willamette Parkview Mall for a peek into this intriguing zombie adventure. I walked away a fan of what I experienced.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster involves a The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask-like 72-hour timer. Journalist Frank West arrives in this small Colorado town amidst a secret zombie outbreak. Your job is to investigate the several cases and figure out the truth behind the event, while protecting and saving survivors, before the three days are up.

For the purposes of this preview, I only had the chance to check out the first of the three days. This included an introduction to Frank, the other characters who find themselves in the mall, and a couple of boss battles. You can pretty much use your time however you like when it comes to engaging in its activities, finding collectibles, and completing side quests.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster preview
Image via Capcom

I enjoyed the freeform nature of this game, especially when it came to the semi-open world location of the Parkview Mall. I felt like, even in my short time spent with it, that it could be one of the most compelling and memorable locales in gaming. Every inch of the mall is fully realized and feels smartly connected to one another. This includes the various stores, the ridiculous food court, and the gorgeous park in the middle of the complex.

The mall may not be huge, but it has an intricate and thoughtful design that helps it to stand out. There is also something beautifully simplistic about the gameplay and progression of Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, from what I saw. In general, you can pick up various items you find, such as a propane tank or lead pipe, and use it to fight with a single button. You can throw some items, but there isn't too much to combat outside of dodging, throwing, and attacking.

Image via Capcom

I appreciate this clarity, especially when it comes to the sheer swarms of zombies in the mall. Hacking and slashing through them felt fresh early on, especially due to the relative breezy difficulty of this game in the early hours. You can level up as you take photos, save survivors, and complete cases, to build up Frank as a fighter. Zombies went down in one or two hits during my initial voyage into the mall, and I found it rather easy to run away from them as well.

In this way, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster may offer the right balance of feeling fun to explore and like the challenge doesn't gets in the way of the experience. The new control scheme, which allows the player to more fully move around, use the camera, and attack all at the same time, added to the newly modern feel.

Image via Capcom

It also seemed obvious right away that the graphical overhaul makes the game look better than the original. The added textures, hair details, and lighting changes seem evident, both in the mall environments and the characters. Though I could start to see some of the age in cutscene closeups with NPCs, in Frank's first hours I noticed a solid level of polish that never made me feel like I was playing an experience from several console generations ago. The smooth performance, even playing on Steam Deck, helped in this regard. It felt surprisingly modern to me.

Even as someone who never played the original, I enjoyed my first few hours with Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster. The sometimes goofy nature of the story, characters, and costumes makes for a refreshing zombie romp. It is actually a shame I only got to experience Frank's first hours in the mall, and I look forward to solving the mystery of this zombie outbreak in the full release.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster releases for PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on September 19, 2024.

The post Preview: Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster Feels Like a Modern Experience appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 13, 2024 10:30 AM
    

Black Myth Wukong Benchmark Tool

A PC benchmark tool for Black Myth: Wukong has been released on Steam. The program will allow players to test the game on their system ahead of the full game's release on August 20, 2024.

The Black Myth: Wukong benchmark tool allows players to test the game's various graphical settings to ensure the game runs smoothly on their PC. The tool is not a playable demo, and instead will feature examples of visual effects to test performance. The benchmark tool is only available for Steam, although the final game will also be launching on PC through the Epic Store and WeGame for Chinese players.

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

In addition to the benchmark tool, Game Science has released the final pre-release trailer for Black Myth: Wukong. This 4-minute trailer features all-new gameplay featuring new weapons and characters. We also get to see a range of locations, including a snowy mountain, a harsh desert and a forest containing living tree beings.

Game Science also announced a new pre-order bonus. Players who order now will obtain the Trailblazer's Scarlet Gourd item. However, this item can be obtained normally within the game. Three special editions are also available to pre-order, as revealed at Summer Game Fest 2024. The Digital Deluxe Edition adds a few additional in-game items and a digital soundtrack, the Deluxe Edition comes with additional merch and the Collector's Edition comes with a 40cm figure of the game's protagonist.

Black Myth: Wukong will release for PC via Steam and PS5 on August 20, 2024.

The post Black Myth: Wukong Benchmark Tool Released on Steam appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 13, 2024 10:00 AM
    

Zenless Zone Zero Agent, W-Engine, Bangboo Banners for 1.1 Detailed

Ahead of version 1.1 of Zenless Zone Zero, HoYoVerse clarified the first Agent, W-Engine, and Bangboo banners that will appear. As a reminder, Qingyi, her Ice-Jade Teapot signature engine, and the Officer Cui Bangboo will all be available on August 14, 2024. 

In the case of Qingyi and Ice-Jade Teapot, both are limited items. You'll only be able to get them on their respective banners when they are available or rerun. Billy and Corin, two A-rank units always available in the game and that we get for free, will also be focus units on that Agent banner. Their signature W-Engines Starlight Engine Replica and Housekeeper also are focus ones on the W-Engine banner.

The Officer Cui Bangboo is a new, permanent addition to the Bangboo banner pool. You'll always be able to find this new S-Rank one there, following its addition. You'll also be able to set it as the designated S-Rank Bangboo for that Signal Search to guarantee you'll eventually get it.

Their reveal also meant the announcement of the day the banners for the second half of Zenless Zone Zero 1.1. On September 4, 2024, the Qingyi and Ice-Jade Teapot W-Engine will no longer be available. That's when Jane Doe and her signature W-Engine will appear.

Zenless Zone Zero is available for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the 1.1 update arrives on August 14, 2024. 

The post Zenless Zone Zero Agent, W-Engine, Bangboo Banners for 1.1 Detailed appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 13, 2024 9:30 AM
    

Hololive Vtuber Kiara Takanashi Taking Brief Streaming Break

Kiara Takanashi, one of the founding members of the Hololive English Vtuber group Myth, announced she won't be streaming as scheduled for the next few days. While she noted there could be "guerrilla streams," she is largely taking a break for the rest of the week of August 11, 2024.

Here is Kiara's official statement on the situation. She cited needing to focus on work as the reason for her taking some time off. She also did confirm two streams that will be held in the near future. On August 19, 2024, she will stream with Harusaki Nodoka, the Hololive staff member who stepped into A-chan's shoes. On August 20, 2024, she promised she will appear for a sponsored stream.

https://twitter.com/takanashikiara/status/1823201267478610427

Kiara Takanashi is a Hololive English Vtubers who typically streams on a near-daily basis. For example, she streamed almost every day between August 5-11, 2024. Also notable is that on August 10-11, 2024, she took part in the HoloID Minecraft Cup with Pavolia Reine as her partner. the two of them practiced on Saturday, then took second place in the official tournament.

You can watch that Minecraft HoloID Cup 2024 stream below:

https://www.youtube.com/live/YeKbKzHsm_M

Kiara Takanashi will be taking a brief break from streaming this week, but she said she will be streaming with Nodoka on August 19, 2024. 

The post Hololive Vtuber Kiara Takanashi Taking Brief Streaming Break appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, August 13, 2024 9:01 AM
    

Review: Love, Ghostie Makes You a Relationship Mastermind

There are a lot of games that incorporate love as of late. Whether it's the focal point of the title or extra feature, connecting with virtual love interests became a whole thing. Love, Ghostie is a different sort of dating sim, as the cozy relationship game casts you as a matchmaker for other characters. While it's a really relaxed and low-stakes affair, it's also quite a pleasant one.

You're dead. But that doesn't mean you're gone. You're just a ghost. Turns out when you pass the time in the afterlife, one of the things you do is help other people find friendship or love. Your mentor Ghostina sets you up in a manor, puts up signs saying rent is free, and tasks you with ensuring its residents become friends or lovers with the other people who move in. (And they were roommates!

Screenshot by Siliconera

Since you're a ghost, you're basically a puppetmaster influencing characters lives and relationships in this dating sim. This is primarily managed in two ways. One is to steal items left around the home. You then either "gift" them to someone by leaving it at their room and saying some other, living resident did it, or sell them online to get coins to buy other items online to use as gifts. The other method is to manipulate the house's chore board to send a pair of characters off on a task that totally, 100% isn't a date. 

In both situations, the relationship is guaranteed to go up. How much varies. In the case of a gift, it depends on the quality of the gift and if the tags associated with it are ones the recipient values. Even if a character doesn't "love" the item, the quality can still help it leave a good impression. In the case of the dates, tags and characters used matter most. The ideal situation involves both of the people on the date having the same tags. Special situations can also trigger that involve more unique dialogue. (Dialogue will otherwise be the same for all characters, regardless of pairing.) Even if it is an awkward date, it isn't like the two people who went will hate each other after.

Screenshot by Siliconera

It's all exceptionally cute. The character designs are fantastic. The dialogue is clever. It's a little tedious when you realize certain scripted date events won't change regardless of who is on it. (For example, Ami playing a board game with BEEP0 is identical to Chamel and Wobbles' dialogue for that interaction.) But I generally enjoyed all the interactions.

Honestly, if I have one complaint about Love, Ghostie, it is that it is too easy. It's to the point where whole gameplay elements seem unnecessary. For example, you can purchase the ability to use songs to make characters happy or boost relationships. I didn't need it. You can invest in perks to add 10% increases to actions. I didn't need that either. There are minigames you can unlock for extra money, relationship growth, happiness boost and such. I purchased the one to get more money, saw it was a randomized Mad Libs, and never played it again.

Review: Love, Ghostie Makes You a Relationship Mastermind
Screenshot by Siliconera

I don't think this will be an issue for folks, though. People who will be picking up Love, Ghostie will likely be looking for a relaxed relationship sim and cozy game where you make characters fall in love or become better friends. It's about taking your time and enjoying the stories you unlock. Combine that with how quickly and pleasantly it all goes, and it's a totally fine experience. 

Love, Ghostie is basically a game for folks who play games like Fire Emblem or The Sims because they want to pair characters up in relationships. It's incredibly compelling! I beat it in a single sitting over the course of a few hours. It's relaxing! There's no pressure. It's also got a ton of replay value, even though there are only 12 characters, since they can all get together.

Love, Ghostie will come to PCs via Steam on August 14, 2024.

The post Review: Love, Ghostie Makes You a Relationship Mastermind appeared first on Siliconera.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Tuesday, August 13, 2024 3:54 PM

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Tuesday, August 13, 2024 3:28 PM
    

According to Windows Central's JezCorden.

The post The Next Xbox Console Reportedly Won't Be a Hybrid Console appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


MonsterVine Tuesday, August 13, 2024 9:00 AM
     In a game that's part visual novel and part action RPG, Noctuary tells a compelling story about two girls fighting the forces of darkness in an intriguing fantasy world. Noctuary Developer: Gratesca Price: $30 Platforms: PC (reviewed) MonsterVine was provided with a PC code for review. Noctuary came out last November, but it's largely flown […]