|
iOS 18.2 launch live: the next wave of Apple Intelligence is here
Dec 11, 12:00
Kotaku Wednesday, December 11, 2024 11:37 AM  Sonic the Hedgehog 3 had its official premiere in London yesterday, December 10. While full reviews won't be out until closer to the movie's December 20 launch, early impressions are trickling out on social media from people who attended early screenings. It sounds like the Year of Shadow is ending on a high note, as… |
Kotaku Wednesday, December 11, 2024 11:25 AM  Astro Bot, one of the best games released in 2024, is getting a new snowy, holiday-themed level as part of a free update for the PlayStation 5 platformer. The wintery level will include some new bots to collect, and it (sadly) sounds like it might be the last bit of Astro Bot DLC we get. |
Kotaku Wednesday, December 11, 2024 11:00 AM  MachineGames' Indiana Jones and the Great Circle takes you, as Indy, on a trip through the heart of the growing fascist movement in 1930s Europe. While you're searching for clues in Indy's main investigation, you'll catch sight of a few dozen smaller, optional mysteries. But is it worth taking the time to check them… |
Kotaku Wednesday, December 11, 2024 10:00 AM  The moment you find yourself on a kill streak in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, slaying opposing forces with reckless abandon, tallying up kills to unlock a streak reward, is one of the greatest feelings in the competitive first-person shooter. You're helping your team, sure. But who cares about them?! You're about to… |
Kotaku Wednesday, December 11, 2024 9:35 AM  2024 has been a solid, if somewhat strange year for movies. This year saw the release of some great films across both streaming platforms and in theaters. |
Kotaku Wednesday, December 11, 2024 9:25 AM  Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a fantastic time, and I'm playing it in every spare second I can find. But another thing it is, on PC at least, is buggy. I've had a bunch of freezes, which suck, but worst was the moment when companion Gina just refused to follow her script, and my game—which offers no way to… |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 11:50 AM  Gaming is looking like a much better prospect for Intel Arrow Lake CPUs now, thanks to the latest Cyberpunk 2077 update. Noticing that the patch notes stated that the game is around 33% faster now on Intel Arrow Lake chips, I decided to try it out for myself on an Intel Core Ultra 7 265K. The results are absolutely transformative, turning this Intel CPU into a genuine gaming contender. I first benchmarked this Intel CPU in Cyberpunk 2077 for our my Core Ultra 7 265K review, and the results were shockingly bad. Not only was there no hope of this CPU competing with the latest chips from AMD, but it was even well behind all of Intel's own 14th-gen CPUs. This was categorically not the best gaming CPU. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty review, Best Cyberpunk 2077 mods, Buy Cyberpunk 2077 |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 11:45 AM  If you love Dead Cells as much as I do, you need to give Windblown a shot. The newest roguelike from the former's developer Motion Twin, it's already an incredibly promising evolution of what the team can do. With an isometric viewpoint and co-op, Motion Twin is clearly pushing itself with new ideas, but that does mean that the Steam Early Access launch needs some improvements. Well, the game's first feature patch is here, and it makes some much-needed changes while adding some new content for good measure. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best roguelike games, All upcoming games in 2024, The best action games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 11:00 AM  It's been a troubling year for Risk of Rain 2 players. At first, it seemed like the Gearbox acquisition was going smoothly, but then the Seekers of the Storm DLC from August of this year was a rather large disappointment due to balancing issues, bugs and other problems. However, you can't keep a good live-action game down, and the first part of the recovery is now available. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelike games, Best platform games, Best upcoming PC games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 11:06 AM  What are the best new PC games in 2024? Perhaps you've just been paid, your bank account is filled with virtual dosh, or you simply want to get caught up with the latest PC games because they're, well, new and shiny. As much as we love firing up our old favorites, there are loads of new PC games that deserve some attention, too. To keep you in the know, we've got the definitive list of the best PC games that have been released recently, from big-budget RPG games to indie strategy games. Whatever you're into, stay up to date with all the latest and greatest releases right here on PCGamesN. Continue reading The best new PC games 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Black Ops 6 guns, Black Ops 6 missions, Black Ops 6 loadouts |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 11:13 AM  What are the best soulslike games? An off-shoot of action RPGs, the defining principles of this ever-growing subgenre first emerged in FromSoftware's Demon's Souls back in 2009. However, it took the release of its spiritual successor two years later to really light a fire under fans. Dark Souls is a landmark game in many respects, but the soulslike genre is its greatest legacy. While efforts have been made to diversify soulslike games in recent years, patience in the face of adversity remains the focal point. Characterized by punishing stamina-based combat, risk-reward currency systems, and challenging bosses, victory leads to progression through rich worlds that capture a dark fantasy game aesthetic. Whether you're a newcomer who's not sure where to start or an RPG game veteran looking for a new challenge, we've got the very best soulslikes on PC you can play right now. Continue reading The 14 best soulslike games in 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RPG games, Best soulslike games, Best fantasy games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 10:04 AM  I love the design of the Alien universe. It takes that classic '70s and '80s vision of the future where we're still using floppy discs and giant computers, but perfectly marries this with a great sense of reality. Everything feels lived in, used, and ancient, despite it being our future. This is the exact visual identity Xenopurge, a newly announced tactics game, is pulling on. While we've got to wait a short while for launch, you can sign up for a playtest right now on Steam. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best grand strategy games, Best roguelike games, Best strategy games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 10:19 AM  Looking for the best Honkai Star Rail tier list? Judging the best Star Rail characters can be tricky. Not only is your roster subject to the whims of HoYoverse's infamous gacha mechanics, but each character's abilities are so varied that it can be difficult to separate the best from the worst. Lucky for you, we've tested each character to provide you with the definitive Honkai Star Rail tier list for the latest update. When choosing the best Honkai Star Rail characters for our tier list, we've evaluated how each character excels in a variety of situations, including battling through story content, boss challenges, and alternate game modes. With more Honkai Star Rail banners on the horizon, check out the latest Honkai Star Rail codes for some free currency to pull the latest and greatest. Here are our expert tier list rankings for the best Honkai Star Rail characters in the free PC game's latest update. Continue reading Honkai Star Rail tier list - the best characters for version 2.7 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Honkai Star Rail review, Honkai Star Rail codes, Honkai Star Rail tier list |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 10:05 AM  When is the Black Ops 6 Season 1 Reloaded release date? The first season reload of Black Ops 6 and Warzone is here, and the annual cycle of content starts up again. Following a loaded content drop with season start, Season 1 Reloaded has arrived, bringing with it a huge new Zombies map, a winter event, and more. The new Zombies map, Citadelle Des Morts, is set in Avalon's stunning but eery medieval castle. The new questline that comes with it follows on from the events of Terminus, so make sure you're up to date on all the current Zombies easter eggs before you jump in. Meanwhile, the snow is falling in Black Ops 6 Multiplayer and Warzone with a new festive event and a snowy Nuketown multiplayer map. Here's everything you need to know about the Black Ops 6 and Warzone Season 1 Reloaded release date. Continue reading Black Ops 6 Season 1 Reloaded release date, maps, modes, and more MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Black Ops 6 guns, Black Ops 6 missions, Black Ops 6 loadouts |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 10:02 AM  December 11, 2024: We checked the latest Throne and Liberty server status. What's the Throne and Liberty server status? Launching a new MMO is always a challenge, and Throne and Liberty has had to overcome its fair share of them server side. Fortunately, developer NCSoft and publisher Amazon Games have been quick to act, making great strides in improving the player experience. If you can't currently log into the game, there's a good chance Throne and Liberty maintenance is currently underway. Typically, this process takes several hours, meaning you'll just have to find another great MMO game to play until Throne and Liberty is back online. The T&L team usually announces maintenance ahead of time, so we'll be sure to keep this guide updated with the latest developments. Continue reading Throne and Liberty server status and maintenance times MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best MMORPGs, Throne and Liberty codes, Throne and Liberty weapons |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 9:56 AM  What are some cool Minecraft build ideas? The sandbox game remains one of the best of all time over a decade on from its release, but such a long time in one game means you might be running out of ideas. We've been there: you've already built a city, a castle, or even a Wild West outpost, so what's next? Luckily, there are plenty of unique builds, farms, and creations out there to inspire your next Minecraft project. Unlike our favorite Minecraft house ideas or Minecraft castles, for example, this list is more varied and contains plenty of inspiration. From a stylish Minecraft Nether Portal to automated farms, from massive decorative builds to homely aquariums, these ideas can be copied directly or simply used to inspire your future Minecraft builds. Continue reading 34 Minecraft build ideas for 1.21 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 9:41 AM  What are the best Ark Survival Ascended mods? Ascended might be a reimagined version of the dino survival game, but it still promises much of the same core gameplay. Build a tribe from scratch, either on your own or with your friends, and tame dinosaurs across the eras, from the Triassic to the Jurassic, and many more. So, when you've had your fill of the base gameplay in Ark Survival Ascended, mods can make it feel like new. Some make mundane chores a breeze, while others add completely new beasts or different colored variants to the dinosaur game. You may wish to ensure that your PC can handle mods on top of its otherwise hefty minimum specs, so check out our Ark Survival Ascended system requirements to compare for yourself. Continue reading The 13 best Ark Survival Ascended mods MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games, Best dinosaur games, Best co-op games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 9:58 AM  December 11, 2024: The FF14 server status has been checked and updated. Is FF14 down? It might be due to ongoing maintenance or server issues if you can't log on to FF14 or access your character. Before worrying about any problems with your game, you'll want to check the FF14 server status and currently scheduled maintenance times below to see if the MMO is offline. If you can't log into FF14, it's typically because of planned maintenance. The critically acclaimed MMORPG occasionally schedules downtime to implement patches, updates, and other hotfixes or to perform maintenance on the game's servers. Developer Square Enix usually announces these well beforehand, so read on and see when future maintenance times are planned. Continue reading FF14 server status and maintenance times - is FFXIV down? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best MMOs, FF14 Dawntrail release date, FF14 Island Sanctuary guide |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 9:40 AM  When is the Paralives release date? This upcoming life sim has been likened to The Sims, and it's easy to see why. With cute outfits, tons of items, an extensive character creator, build mode, and extra features we wish were in The Sims, there's a lot to look forward to. Paralives is an ambitious project, but we already know a fair bit about what's heading to this simulation game. What first started as a Patreon project by lone developer Alex Massé in 2019 has developed into a life sim game set to rival the genre. Though the studio relies on community pledges to keep the game in development, the official website is great at keeping the community updated with progress and what to expect next. Continue reading Paralives release date estimate and latest news MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best simulation games, Best sandbox games, Best indie games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 9:29 AM  When is the Elder Scrolls 6 release date? The next installment of Bethesda's critically acclaimed RPG series has been a long time coming. Over half a decade ago, we had our first official look at the game courtesy of a short teaser trailer, and we've been keeping a close eye on the latest developments at Bethesda ever since. We might have been spoilt by the likes of Skyrim and Oblivion already, but we're more than ready to get stuck into a new iteration of the Elder Scrolls universe. The series has produced some of the best PC games ever made, and we hope Elder Scrolls 6 will follow suit. Bethesda director Todd Howard says we'll be sinking our teeth in the Elder Scrolls 6's gameplay "for a decade at least." Here's everything we know about when Elder Scrolls 6 is coming out, including its potential setting, gameplay features, and expectations for when it'll arrive. Continue reading Elder Scrolls 6 release date estimate, trailers, and latest news MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Elder Scrolls 6 setting, Elder Scrolls 6 release date, Elder Scrolls 6 development |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 9:49 AM  The best VR headset will take your gaming PC setup to the next level, especially if you're looking to play games like Half-Life: Alyx, Beat Saber, and Resident Evil 4. Sure, virtual reality is still a growing technology, but it's at a point where there are some really fantastic games just waiting to be experienced through the right headset. Choosing the best VR headset for PC gaming isn't necessarily complicated, but companies like Meta and Valve are continuously reinventing the concept of virtual reality. Each headset will provide the best VR games on PC with a different flavor of immersion, and the most expensive option isn't necessarily the best. To help you get on your virtual feet, we've tested the latest VR headsets to see what they're like to use in real life, beyond their launch hype. Continue reading Best VR headset 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 9:08 AM  What are the best city building games? There's nothing more relaxing than sitting down for an afternoon of city building games. We've lost countless hours lining up buildings just how we like them or scrambling to save a population on the brink of collapse (okay, that bit's not so relaxing), and occasionally, we've purposefully brought about that collapse to see how our citizens would cope. Not very well, as it happens. Whether you're after a peaceful experience or want to wreak havoc as a god-like figure, our list of the best city building games offers something for every management game fan. Some of them are even on our best PC games list, so you know you're in for a treat, from hardcore colony builders with strict guidelines to welcoming games with stripped-back interfaces and fewer apocalyptic threats for genre newcomers. Continue reading The best city building games 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Cities Skylines 2 review, Cities Skylines 2 roads, Cities Skylines 2 maps |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 9:22 AM  Which games are coming out in 2024? If you're anything like us, your time is already stretched trying to play all the great games out right now, and the year isn't slowing down any time soon. Hope and anticipation, agony and elation - the endless cycle of emotions we go through during the annual PC release schedule. Year in, year out, videogames are produced in such varying degrees of quality that not a single one of them is destined for certain success. Some of the best PC games of all time release alongside utter disasters, series are born while others dwindle, and occasionally a game lives up to our expectations. Below you'll find all the upcoming PC games to keep on your radar, and it's wildly varied. There are racing games, story games, city builders, and more, plus all of their expected release dates. Continue reading Upcoming PC games 2024 and beyond MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Black Ops 6 guns, Black Ops 6 missions, Black Ops 6 loadouts |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 9:14 AM  What is the best PC controller? These gamepads push our buttons - in a good way – as they each offer a great alternative to the classic clicking and clacking of the mouse and keyboard. We at PCGamesN spent hours testing all these buttons, triggers, pedals, and more, to ensure we're giving you the best advice on which controller to use for your PC games. Keyboard and mouse purists may scoff at the notion that a controller should be part of any gaming PC setup, but it's hard to deny the convenience and ergonomic benefits these perky pads offer. In this list, we've included options for the best PC steering wheels, the best PC joysticks, and much more, covering every type of controller for every type of gamer. Continue reading Best PC controller 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 8:11 AM  What are the best Western games on PC? It's not an easy decision to make. The Wild West was a time of lawlessness, striking gold, and perilous shootouts - no wonder it's the subject of many top cowboy games. We've donned our stetson and cowboy boots and set out on horseback to find you the best the American Frontier has to offer. The best PC games based in the Wild West are inspired heavily by the cowboy media that has come before them, and it's fair to say that the humble Western is a cornerstone of American culture. The game studios that decide to take on the challenge of bringing this time period into our lives have a lot of pressure to get it right. Luckily, a number of them have absolutely nailed what being a cowboy is all about, and we've done the hard work of corralling the varmints right here, from open-world games to strategy games and even vampire games, so here's our pick of the best Western games. Continue reading The best Western games on PC 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Fallout New Vegas mods, Fallout 5 release date, Best RPG games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 8:06 AM  It's time to serve the God Emperor. Warhammer 40,000: Gladius has just gotten another piece of DLC, adding those most loyal to the cause, the Primaris. The franchise's first foray into the realm of 4X continues going strong, and there's a large discount currently available to boot. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Warhammer 40,000: Gladius Overview, The best 4x games on PC, The best turn-based strategy games on PC |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 7:58 AM  What are the best Starfield mods? Mod support is an important part of many PC games, especially RPG games. Skyrim has endured all these years partly because it's a great game, partly because Bethesda keeps releasing it on hitherto unknown gaming platforms, but also because it's powered by a vibrant and creative modding community. In June 2024, Bethesda revealed the Starfield Creation Kit, giving creators the tools needed to expand the game to new heights. If you're playing Starfield Game Pass, you may experience some difficulty installing all the mods we've listed below. For maximum compatibility, you're going to want the Steam version of the game. Continue reading The 66 best Starfield mods MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Starfield mods, Best RPGs, Best space games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 7:53 AM  There's an opportunity right here to take advantage of an incredible gaming laptop deal, allowing you to save a huge $350 on an MSI Cyborg 14 A13VF-018US from Best Buy in this pre-Christmas sale. For just $749.99, you'll get a spec that includes an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, a 10-core Intel Core i7 13620H, and a 144Hz, 14-inch display. That's the sort of spec you'd expect to see among the best gaming laptop contenders at the $999 end of the scale, and you'll find it difficult to find an alternative that can match its specs at this price. 1080p gaming will be a breeze on this MSI laptop's 14-inch display too, with tech such as Nvidia DLSS 3 with frame generation helping the Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU to run the latest games with the graphics presets dialed up. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: MSI Z370 Gaming Pro Carbon AC review, MSI GTX 1080 Ti Gaming X Trio review, Best gaming motherboard |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 7:52 AM  While the recent Assassin's Creed Shadows delay pushed our trip to feudal Japan back a few months, there's still plenty to get excited about with Ubisoft's flagship series. Jade will take the Assassin's Creed series to mobile, while codename Hexe promises a very different style of adventure from the norm. But, if waiting for all these isn't enough for you, two AC games just got important updates. Both Assassin's Creed Black Flag and Unity finally have Steam achievements - giving you the perfect reason for a revisit. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best pirate games, Best RPG games, Best sandbox games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 7:50 AM  More evidence is adding up to the new Intel Arc B580 being a fast graphics card for its modest $249 price, as a new gaming benchmark leak has shown it being not only faster than the GeForce RTX 4060, but also quicker than the $399 RTX 4060 Ti. The benchmark in question is 3DMark Time Spy, which has been used for years as a general gauge of gaming performance. If this leak is genuine, then it looks as though Intel has the best graphics card for budget gamers under its belt, but there are a few caveats to point out. Firstly, Time Spy is an old benchmark that only tests rasterization performance, giving no indication of ray tracing performance, which may well be better on the Nvidia GPUs. Secondly, of course, this is a leak, and as such needs to be taken with a grain of salt. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Core i5 14600K review, Best gaming CPU, Core i9 14900K review |
PCGamesN Wednesday, December 11, 2024 7:46 AM  What are the best apocalypse games on PC? There's something about the end of the world that sounds more enticing than it probably should. No law, no order, and seemingly no consequences effectively turn the world into a wild party. If anarchy isn't your cup of tea, you can explore chaotic new frontiers, digging through the bombed-out ruins of a wiped-out civilization for supplies. Either way, we've scavenged through heaps of apocalypse games to find the best ones. Whether it's a zombie apocalypse, a robot uprising, or nuclear fallout, the post-apocalypse is ripe for narrative experimentation in all forms of media - and the best PC games can take full advantage of the setting by letting you decide what kind of Wastelander you want to be. Will you bring justice? Domination? Salvation? Whichever it is, this list of the best apocalypse games offers everything from horror games and heartache to sandbox games and tactical combat. Continue reading The best apocalypse games on PC 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Fallout New Vegas mods, Fallout 5 release date, Best RPG games |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 11, 2024 7:25 AM  In "non-violent and poetic" 2D platformer Symphonia, you're an extremely fancy violinist exploring a realm of musical machines, where gas lanterns kindle fitfully as you approach, crotchets adorn vast cogwheels, and reams of what I really hope isn't actual catgut feed through titanic pegboxes overhead. Sampling the demo, I was immediately enflamed by the orchestral score and placed in a mood of white-gloved sophistication only slightly spoiled by the familiarity of the underlying platform moveset, and by my repeatedly falling into pits. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 11, 2024 7:00 AM  When I were a lad, you'd open an advent calendar and get a piece of chocolate shaped like a bell with an aftertaste so rancid you'd wish you'd eaten the little cardboard window instead. And you'd bloody well make do, too. Not these days. Now, you get a squadron of tiny automata with drills for noses that burrow through your battle lines and utterly wreck your vulnerable missile launchers. Country's gone to the tiny robot dogs, I tell you! |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 11, 2024 6:59 AM  First covered by Alice O (RPS in peace) in 2017, Short Trip was a chill hand-drawn game about driving a tram through a mountain populated by cats. Back then, it was only available as a free-to-play browser or itch.io experience. Seven years later, though, and on this very day, it's out on Steam. Not only that, it's arriving with all the tramming of the original, with an added "scheduled mode" that adds more charm to an already lovely game. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 11, 2024 6:43 AM  Ever wondered what the intro cutscene to Legacy Of Kain: Soul Reaver would sound like voiced by Solid Snake actor David Hayter? Quite specific of you, but a new documentary from Noclip might just have what you're looking for. The Past, Present & Future of Soul Reaver interviews key developers from the action adventure game, and about halfway through host Danny O' Dwyer gets hold of some archive materials, including old audition tapes. These include Mark Hamill reading for Janos Audren, and Jennifer Hale for Ariel. The biggest treat, of course, is hearing Hayter read for Raziel, especially as it's that excellent opening monologue. You'll find the video below, with Hayter around 37:30. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 11, 2024 5:30 AM  The Steam Deck OLED has joined Valve's Certified Refurbished programme, offering a much cheaper way of getting your hands on the best handheld PC around. Provided you don't mind it being in someone else's first, anyway. As with official refurbs of the original Steam Deck, "certified" Steam Deck OLEDs are formerly-broken models that have been returned to Valve, fixed up and tested in-house, then put back on the market at steep discounts. You're looking at £389/$439 for the 512GB spec and £459/$519 for 1TB, down from £479/$549 and £569/$649 respectively. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 11, 2024 5:19 AM  Bulletstorm, Painkiller and Outriders developers People Can Fly are "suspending or parting ways" with over 120 people, shelving one video game project, downsizing another, and "restructuring some of our support teams" in the face of market turmoil. |
Siliconera Wednesday, December 11, 2024 11:30 AM
Team Asobi has announced that a Christmas level called Winter Wonder will be added to Astro Bot in a free update to celebrate the holiday. It will be added to the game on December 12, 2024, during The Game Awards 2024.
The new Astro Bot level will be called Winter Wonder. While Team Asobi are staying quiet about what players can find in the level, they have provided a screenshot of the level's opening fly-in. The level appears to be based on a small snowy town with a Christmas tree at the center. The team has promised that more new bots can be found in the level, although they're keeping their identities a secret for now.
While the new bots featured in Winter Wonder are unknown, fans have some theories based on copyright information found in the game's credits, representing games that do not currently appear in the game. These include Worms, Croc and three Ubisoft properties: Rayman, Beyond Good & Evil and Assassin's Creed. Copyright information for Tomba! was also recently added, further increasing speculation that a new bot based on the game is set to appear. Whether any of these will appear in the new level remains to be seen.
This Christmas level is the latest free content that's been added to Astro Bot since the game released. During October and November, five speedrun levels were added, each bringing two new VIP bots based on other PlayStation games. These included four Helldivers, Cayde-6 from Destiny and Eve from Stellar Blade, among others.
Astro Bot is out now for PS5, and the Christmas level called Winter Wonder will release in a free update on December 12, 2024.
The post Astro Bot Winter Wonder Update Adds Free Christmas Level appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, December 11, 2024 11:00 AM
Outdraw.AI is a new game where the goal is to outsmart an AI tool using drawing prompts to create simple art. The game was designed by a small indie collective and will release in Q1 2025.
The premise of Outdraw.AI is similar to the Jackbox Party Pack games, as players use their phones to input something based on prompts provided by the game. In this case, players will be given a piece of art to draw, whether it's an animal, an object or even an abstract concept. Players will submit their drawings and players will need to guess what the drawing is. However, there is also an AI tool built into the game which will also be looking at the art and trying to guess what the drawings are. The goal is to draw in a way that human players can figure out the answer, but the AI can't.
Outdraw.AI was developed by game designer Tomo Kihara and the art collective Playfool. It was previously conceived as an art installation in Civic Creative Base in Tokyo in 2022 and has toured various art festivals in the years since. The team have stated they created the game as a way to use AI to enhance human creativity, not replace it.
However, there are ethical concerns, much like other AI products. While the game's Steam page does state that no player drawings will be used for training data, there is no information about the data sets used to train the AI attempting to recognize drawings. The Steam page states that the game uses Google's Gemini API, which does explicitly state where it gets its training data. All Google has confirmed is that it uses "publicly available data" without any further specifics.
Outdraw.AI will be released for Steam in Q1 2025.
The post Outdraw.Ai Pits Human Art Against AI Drawings appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, December 11, 2024 10:30 AM
Yellow Brick Games and Square Enix announced that Naoki Yoshida's Creative Studio III worked on designs for some of the free content that will appear in Eternal Strands after launch. Most notably, the two confirmed Yusuke Mogi, the lead artist for FFXIV, designed the things we'll see in the other game.
This reveal came up alongside the reveal that there would be post-launch updates with free additions for Eternal Strands. A trailer highlighted and brought up some of that. At the 1:25 mark of the video, the Creative Studio III additions come up. While we don't get a clear look at the Epic Creature designed by Mogi and the armor set isn't shown, we do see one of the weapons that will be added.
Eternal Strands is an action game following a Weaver named Brynn. She'll use her strength and magical skills to traverse the world and face gigantic enemies that threaten everyone's safety. As she does, she'll also learn more about her world.
This isn't the only time we've heard about FFXIV elements or artists from the MMORPG being involved in other games. When Square Enix and PlatinumGames worked on Babylon's Fall, we saw some FFXIV emotes and equipment appear there. In that case, it was done to help with the game's budget.
Eternal Strands will come to the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on January 28, 2024. Final Fantasy XIV is available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC.
The post FFXIV Lead Artist Worked on Eternal Strands Designs appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, December 11, 2024 10:00 AM
It seems we will be seeing game developer Monolith Soft work on Nintendo titles, as the company's official site now stats Nintendo owns every share of the company. It stated that the developer and publisher now owns all 2,400 of the issued shares on its Company overview page of the official site. [Thanks, Automaton Media!]
This comes up right at the beginning of the site. After noting the total shares in the company noted, the shareholders are listed. Only Nintendo is there, and it specifically notes it 100% invested in the developer. This means that it is wholly a Nintendo property at this point.
We have a new Monolith Soft game for the Nintendo Switch on the horizon as well. The developer is working on Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. This is an updated version of the Wii U game of the same name, which will feature additional story content and remastered graphics.
In general, Monolith Soft has spent a lot of time on Xenoblade games for Nintendo over the last few years. There was Xenoblade Chronicles X for the Wii U in 2015, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 for the Switch in 2017, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition for the Switch in 2020, and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 for the Switch in 2022. The only game that wasn't a part of that series from the developer to show up in that time period was Project X Zone 2, which it worked on for the 3DS for Bandai Namco in 2015.
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition will come to the Nintendo Switch on March 20, 2025.
The post Nintendo Owns All Shares for Game Developer Monolith Soft appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, December 11, 2024 9:00 AM
Firearms and tanks in otherwise pre-industrial societies, comically large piles of crude explosives, meandering contraptions of questionable function and even more dubious construction. These are all as much staples of Warcraft's aesthetic as the orcs and dragons it may be better known for. But despite how popular and recurring the theme of goofy fantasy technology is, there has never been a character Class focused around it. Now, with the reveal of WoW's Goblin-centric Update 11.1, players are once again discussing the possibility of a new World of Warcraft class to fill that niche: a technology-focused fighter concept usually referred to as the Tinker.
Now, speculation regarding a Tinker Class in World of Warcraft isn't new. Even a cursory Youtube search will bring up videos from over 5 years ago half-jokingly declaring the inevitability of the Tinker's WoW arrival. That, of course, never happened but the desire for one has remained significant enough that the new patch information immediately spawned a new round of hopeful videos. One group of enterprising modders even decided to make their own rather than wait for Blizzard to do so, which I think is testament to the enduring popularity of the idea.
And it's easy to see the appeal of the Tinker (or whatever other name you would prefer). While some classes channel magic, rely on their physical strength and agility, or wield a mix of both, the Tinker utilizes a suite of custom-made gadgets and their own intelligence. As a non-magic based intellect class it has a strong and as-yet unrepresented fantasy, but it's also open-ended enough to translate to a multitude of potential playstyles. Mechanized exo-skeletons and forcefields would suit a tanking role, while injected concoctions and portable medical devices support a healing role. Or, Blizzard could expand on the 'support' role introduced with the Augmentation Evoker, letting the Tinker use their gadgets to amplify other player's outputs. Whatever niche the developers feel needs filling.
But it's not the mechanical implications that make it such a good fit, it's the fantasy and theming. There's no shortage of fan-made class ideas floating around, like D&D staple the Bard. But something like that doesn't have quite that same presence in the Warcraft world, even if it's a popular idea. The Tinker, meanwhile, draws on theming that has been with the Warcraft series since its RTS days, and is already represented by several characters like Gazlowe (who was prominent enough to appear in Heroes of the Storm) and High Tinker Mekkatorque (who featured as a raid encounter back in Battle for Azeroth) who can serve as archetypes and story stand-ins. Engineering has a long history as a profession too, while entire zones and instances like Mechagon and the upcoming Undermine content are all heavily based around the theme of wacky Warcraft technology. That's what I mean when I say the Tinker class is overdue, the theming is *so* present that it's odd it hasn't shown up earlier.
But there's also one more reason for why a Tinker class could be a fitting addition to WoW's roster, and that's to do with the potential future direction of the World of Warcraft story. For those who haven't followed the lore too closely, Blizzard began tightening up their universe and worldbuilding with the Chronicle books, beginning around 2016. These books codified the existence several types of fundamental energy in the world such as Arcane, Void, or Fel and described how many of the major factions were motivated by or otherwise aligned to them, which some players have criticized as 'flattening' the universe too much into known, sectioned quantities (though I don't necessarily agree). But the theming of the Tinker is specifically not tied to any of these elements, and instead represents the the mortal inventions that arise from combining them. And with a lot of recent lore reveals related to the Titans, beings aligned to the Arcane that seek to mould Azeroth into their own image, what could be a better symbol of independence and self-determination to arrive during The Last Titan expansion?
It's easy to fall in to demanding content for content's sake, but in the Tinker's case I think there really is a strong case for its inclusion in the WoW class roster. It's simply such a beloved and integral part of the Warcraft aesthetic and world, that hasn't seen the level of playable representation that others have. Where the Demon Hunter and Death Knight stand as iconic classes, I absolutely believe the Tinker deserves to stand alongside them.
World of Warcraft: The War Within is available now for PCs.
The post World of Warcraft Needs a Tinker Class appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, December 11, 2024 6:00 AM
There's been discourse recently about whether or not a reviewer should have an intimate knowledge of the source material a game is based on before playing it. While the arguments were based on the new Indiana Jones game, I found it relatable as I'd been playing through Fairy Tail 2. I have not seen the anime, read the manga, or even played the original video game adaptation. I am joining halfway through the story, which could have been a recipe for disaster. Thankfully, it was not.
Fairy Tail 2 takes place during the manga's original Alvarez Empire Arc, which acts as the story's major climax. It centers on the Fairy Tail guild of mages as they take on the invading Alvarez Empire. The Empire is commanded by an immortal mage named Zeref, whose long life and inability to be defeated has made him cynical and eager to claim power simply because he can. To do this, he recruits the Spriggan 12, a misfit bunch of powerful mages all with their own agendas. Defeating them takes up most of the earlier parts of the story.
As stated, starting here could have been a terrible idea, but it says a lot about the strength of this story that I still had a great time. The game does an excellent job of getting the player on board, mainly as a refresher for those returning from the first game, but it worked to my benefit too. Every character gets a moment that highlights exactly who they are, the main cast are introduced gradually, and special campfire scenes even outright show flashbacks to significant character moments of the past. There are also walls of text that explain each character's backstory if you need them. However, I didn't really want to sit and read each of them because it was a lot and I wanted to get on with the game itself. Fortunately, they weren't really necessary.
It helps that this is a delightful cast that quickly charmed their way into my heart. Natsu, our protagonist, is a meathead with a heart of gold who doesn't seem to understand what's going on most of the time but he is at least enthusiastic. His feud with Gray is also a highlight, as these moments of unnecessary competition between the two always made for excellent comedy. Especially when Gray's clothes decide to inexplicably vanish to everyone's confusion.
The character dynamics were the highlight for the story for me. The team are constantly communicating with each other, often joking around and sharing stories. The campfire stories, unlocked by leveling up the cast, also provide some extra scenes that flesh out who this band of weirdos are.
They even manage to make this extend to the villains, as each member of Spriggan 12 has some connection to the main cast that emerges during the boss fight. This could be Erza confronting Ajeel out of a sense of duty or Wendy learning to become more powerful when facing off a near-impossible fight with a time mage. It was a nice touch and one that made the villains feel like a team in their own right.
Combat in Fairy Tail 2 is a great time. It sits somewhere between real-time and turn-based. You can freely throw out moves, but everything ultimately has a cooldown you have to wait for. You have a basic combo attack that helps build up ability points. With those points, you can throw out special moves and chain those for as long as you have said points to use them. As you hit enemy weaknesses and break their armor you increase your Fairy Rank, increasing how many ability points you can accumulate at once.
It leads to some chaotic battles as every character ultimately throws out huge flashy moves, yelling their attack names and exploding the screen in magic. There is a guard button but more often than that not so much was going on I found little opportunity to use it. It's a little messy but it feels amazing.
It's not perfect, as at times it can feel repetitive, especially early on when you have few moves to play with. I also would love to have had more control over character switching. As it was I could only change character when my current one was idle, but it would have felt more satisfying if I could switch mid-combo and chain attacks together. It's not a deal breaker by any means, but it would have improved the flow of battle drastically if that change was there.
What I was less impressed by was the game's abysmal performance on the Switch. Whenever I entered an area with a lot of characters on screen, or just a field that was a little too wide, the frame rate plummeted through the floor. Some battle animations got extremely choppy at times too, as the Switch desperately tossed out animation frames simply to keep things going.
And that's before we get to the potentially game-breaking issues. Loading screens were always a tense experience, not only because they were long but also because they would often freeze up entirely. One chapter opened with a total hang that could only be ended by briefly returning to the Switch home menu and back, allowing the game to remember what it was doing. I even returned to the game on one session only to discover the game had loaded in as a pure white void.
If these were pre-release bugs that will be fixed in a day one patch, I'd be willing to bump my score up a point. However, if this is a general issue with the Switch itself, I highly recommend playing Fairy Tail 2 on another platform. Unless other platforms are experiencing other issues, of course.
I was able to mostly forgive all this, however. The story and the combat both did a lot to win me over. Combat could certainly do with some minor tweaks but nothing that ruins the experience, while the story has convinced me to go check out more of the franchise at some point.
Fairy Tail 2 was a great time. If you're a fan of the series already, you are almost certainly going to have fun here. It's just a shame the technical issues on Switch hinder the experience.
Fairy Tail 2 will release for PCs via Steam on December 12, 2024. The PS4, PS5 and Switch versions will release on December 13, 2024.
The post Review: Fairy Tail 2 Is Flashy Fun, but Unstable on Switch appeared first on Siliconera. |
MonsterVine Wednesday, December 11, 2024 10:00 AM Synduality: Echo of Ada is a third-person mech extraction shooter from publisher Bandai Namco and developer Game Studio Inc. The extraction shooter releases on January 23, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC for $40 for the standard version. Ahead of the full launch, I got to go to Bandai Namco, experience the […] |
MonsterVine Wednesday, December 11, 2024 6:00 AM Well, it's finally happened. The Alvarez Empire led by Emperor Zeref is here and they're looking to expand their empire with the help of their twelve elites. Fairy Tail 2 has players take on the role of the Fairy Tail guild as they play through the final chapter of the Alvarez Empire Arc followed by […] |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)